Chapter Eleven: Lock and load
"I'm so en-captured, got me wrapped up in your touch. Feel so enamored, hold me tight within your clutch. How do you do it? You got me losing every breath. What did you give me to make my heart bleed out my chest? I feel we're close enough, could I lock in your love? Now I've got you in my space, I won't let go of you. Got you shackled in my embrace, I'm latching on to you..." Latch by Sam Smith
Marriage can mean lots of things for different people. 80% of our population believes that it as an affirmation of love to each other, the ultimate gesture that will show devotion and commitment to one another. The remaining 15% doesn't see it that way. For them, marriage is a convenience - a contract meticulously crafted to benefit both parties. An agreement that can easily be terminated if the other party is no longer happy with the set up; one call to the lawyers office and everything can go back the way it was before - poof, you're single again - just like magic. I know you're wondering where's the remaining 5% is, this is where exactly April and Jackson are - they're in between these two categories. A small chunk wherein there is love but it wasn't given enough time to blossom in its own pace because of certain circumstances. A vow made in duress due to the weight of obligation. The success rate in this type of set up is really not that high, most often than not, the love the couple felt for each other in the beginning diminishes because of resentment and endless blame games. Jackson is determined to climb them up the ladder, making them part of the 80%. The question is, will April let him?
oOo
The day after the shooting:
Alex shook his head in dismay; "I don't know if I should be proud of you or if I should choke you. Your heroism is commendable but it's also dumb"
"I did what I had to do and besides, I only agreed to come because Matthew assured me that it was safe. I wouldn't have agreed to go there if I knew that there's still a gunman on the loose" April explained meekly.
"You took the dorky paramedic's word instead of checking the news first?" Cristina asked in disbelief.
April folded her arms on top of her chest; "Matthew is my friend, I trust him..."
"Trust scmush! Don't trust his word next time" Cristina said.
April felt too tired to argue so she just relented; "Okay, next time I won't"
Alex stood up from his perch; "Well, I gotta go - I still need to check on my kid, I'll see you guys later" he said with a wave.
Cristina cocked her head to the side, studying April's face; "You look tired, are you staying or going home?" she asked.
April rubbed her eyes; "I don't know yet, I'm still waiting for Jackson"
"He also stayed the night?"
April nodded; "Yeah"
Cristina thumped her legs before standing up; "I'll leave you to it, I'm gonna go find Mer or Owen, whoever I see first" she said.
"Alright, see you around" April said.
Cristina walked towards the door but paused midway; "Go home and rest. We'll call you if you need you here"
"Thanks"
Cristina threw April one last look before exiting the room.
April leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
oOo
"Avery, you're still here?" Owen asked when he spotted the Plastic Surgeon walking towards him.
"Yeah but not for long, I'm about to head out with April" Jackson replied.
Owen furrowed his brows; "She's still here? I thought she already went home last night?"
"She stayed the night because she had to monitor her patient"
"Take her home, tell her I'll handle the pit - we'll just call her if we need her"
Jackson threw Owen a grateful look; "Thanks" he said. He then pointed towards the elevator; "I'm gonna go get her now."
Owen nodded; "Okay, bye"
"Bye" Jackson replied.
oOo
Jackson opened the door to the Attendings' Lounge and peeked in; he instantly saw his wife huddled on the couch, fast asleep. He quietly padded inside and made his way towards her; he didn't want to wake her up because she looked so tired but he didn't have any choice. He leaned forward and gently caressed April's cheek; "Wake up babe..."
April stirred and slowly opened her eyes; "Hey...I didn't mean to fall asleep" she mumbled. She sat straighter, rubbing her eyes sleepily; "Are we going home?" she asked through a yawn.
"Yeah, I spoke with Hunt and he told me that you can go home and he'll just call us if you need to come in"
"Really?"
Jackson nodded; "Really. Now, why don't you get your pretty ass off that couch so we can both go home and sleep comfortably" he suggested.
April grabbed her bag and stood up; "That's the best thing I've heard all morning"
Jackson chuckled; "They got a hold of you already?"
"They ripped me a new one" April pouted.
Jackson wrapped his arm around April's shoulder and pulled her to his side, steering them towards the door; "They're just worried about you"
"I know that, hence - me not talking back" April said tiredly.
"Wow, that must have been really hard for you" Jackson joked.
April reached for Jackson's side and pinched it; "Shut up!"
Jackson winced but didn't pull away; "Stop pinching me woman! I bruise easily"
"Stop being an ass and I'll stop abusing your skin" April quipped.
Jackson just squeezed April tighter to his side as a response.
oOo
The couple made it back to their apartment just in time for lunch; April immediately made a bee line towards the couch and plopped down face first, making Jackson chuckle. He went to the kitchen and began perusing the fridge; "It's almost lunch, what do you want to eat?" he asked.
"I don't think I can eat, I'm so tired" April replied, her voice muffled by a cushion.
"You have to, I know you haven't eaten anything since last night" Jackson paused and turned his head towards the couch. "How about grilled cheese sandwiches?"
April's head peeked from the back of the couch; "That doesn't sound bad, use Gouda - it will taste much better"
Jackson scrunched his face; "Gouda what?"
April ignored Jackson's question; "Lower shelf" she instructed.
Jackson bent forward and saw a brown package; he pulled it out of the shelf, grabbing butter along the way. He closed the fridge with a flick of his foot before making his way towards the counter; he unwrapped the parcel before reaching for the bread.
April is watching Jackson intently when her phone started ringing; she plucked her bag from the floor and began looking for her phone.
"Don't tell me it's Hunt, we haven't been here that long" Jackson said, distaste evident in his tone.
"It's not Hunt" April said excitedly. She tapped on the answer button and shifted her phone to her ear; "Kate!" she squealed.
Jackson perked up; his attention fully focused on his wife.
April laughed; "I'm sorry I wasn't able to say goodbye but I did tell Ariadne to tell you" she paused, her eyes widening. "Really? When? Oh my gosh!"
Jackson threw April an amused look before turning his attention to their sandwich, cutting the cheese with precision.
"I can't wait! Call me as soon as you land! Okay sweetie, bye!" April let her hand drop to her lap, a large grin pasted on her face.
"Good news?"
April shot up from her perch, feeling more energized. She skipped her way towards the counter and stood right in front of Jackson; "That was Kate, one of my closest friends from Virgnia. She's flying to Seattle to attend a conference and she'll be here in 24 hours!"
Jackson lifted his eyes to meet April's; "That's great" he said with a smile.
April braced her elbows on top of the counter; "It is! I'm so excited!"
Jackson assembled their sandwich and placed it on a plate; he turned around to walk towards the sandwich maker. He plugged it in and carefully slipped the sandwiches in; he closed the top before turning towards April again. "Do you need time off to spend time with her?"
"Don't be silly, I don't need it. We're just gonna go out for drinks, she won't be staying long and besides, she's here for work"
"Okay then" Jackson replied.
"Do we still have left over lasanga? I'm feeling the hunger now"
"I think so, let me go check" Jackson pulled away from his perch and made a trek back towards the fridge; he opened it and peered inside; "Yep, it's still here. Want me to heat some up?" he asked.
April stepped away from the counter and rounded it; she fell into step with Jackson and made a grab for the container. "You already made the sandwiches, let me heat this up"
"Okiedokie" Jackson relented. He stepped away from the fridge; "I'll check if these babies are done then we'll eat" he said as he made his way back.
"I'll pop this in the microwave then" April replied.
Jackson smiled, a thoughtful look on his face; "Wow, this feels so domestic."
April chuckled; "It does"
"I like it"
"I like it too"
oOo
They spent the whole afternoon watching T.V without being disturbed by pages from the hospital. It was almost 8 in the evening when they both decided to call a pizza place instead of cooking dinner themselves. They ate in comfortable silence and April offered to clean up after them. Jackson padded inside his room but paused at the foot of the bed; he stared at it for a moment before turning on his heels to find his wife, his mind thinking of possible ways to raise the subject about their current sleeping arrangement. He just stepped out into the hallway when he saw her enter the bathroom, leaving the door ajar. He slowly made his way towards her and peered inside; "April?"
"Yeah?"
Jackson leaned sideways on the door frame; "I've been thinking..."
April turned to face him, a small smile playing on her lips; "That's new" she teased.
"Ha ha, very funny"
"What's up?" April asked as she turned towards the sink to grab her toothbrush.
"I want to talk about our sleeping arrangement?" Jackson asked cautiously.
April squeezed a dollop of toothpaste on her toothbrush before responding; "What about it?"
Jackson shifted on his feet; "I was wondering if you'd consider moving into our room permanently..."
April turned her gaze on the mirror, meeting Jackson's eyes; she knew she should say no because they're still in a somewhat healing process but she could no longer deny it - she's sleeping much better when he's beside her. Having that in mind, she puffed out breath and nodded; "Yeah, I'll move in" she acquiesced.
Jackson bit his bottom lip to keep himself from grinning widely but he's failing; he cleared his throat and stood straighter. "Okay, I'll just go and prepare it."
oOo
Lexie shook her head; "Wow, we've only been gone for 96 hours and this already happened"
Mark huffed; "Did anyone of you tell Kepner how idiotic her stunt was?"
"Hunt gave her an earful and so did Avery" Meredith replied.
"Good. Why on earth would she go there? That's just plain crazy!" Mark exclaimed.
Meredith leaned back on her chair, crossing her legs; "Well to be fair with April, she didn't know."
"What do you mean by that?" Lexie asked.
"Taylor told her that the place was secure that's why she agreed to go. They only found out it was not when they heard another gunshot when they were about to lock and load."
Mark frowned; "Do you know what really happened?"
"Owen said that there were two people carrying fire arms that day. The first kid went on a firing spree and shot his classmates, the other one only fired his to save his life" Meredith explained.
Mark looked bewildered; "What the fuck is wrong with these kids nowadays? Carrying guns inside school campus, it's preposterous!"
"Schools should implement mandatory frisking before they allow 'em inside campus" Lexie said.
"I couldn't agree more" Meredith agreed.
The door to the Attendings' Lounge opened, admitting April. She halted her steps, her eyes zeroing on her friends; "Hey guys, morning" she greeted.
Lexie narrowed her eyes; "Don't think we don't know what you did because we do. I'm only not giving you an earful because I know Owen and Jackson already busted your ass for it."
April threw Lexie a grateful smile; "Thanks"
"Where's Avery?" Mark asked.
"He already went up to his office" April replied.
Mark stood up from his perch; "I better head there, we still have to discuss our treatment plan on one of our patients" he said. He then rounded the couch and made his way towards the door, once he reached April, he squeezed her shoulder with a smile; "I'm glad you're okay" he said.
April smiled back; "Thank you" she replied.
Mark let his hand drop and exited the room.
"Don't think I didn't notice the new ring sitting on your finger Lexie Grey" Meredith said, her eyes focused on her sister's ring finger.
April's eyes widen in surprise, her gaze following Meredith's; "Oh my god! You're engaged?" she squeaked.
Lexie's cheeks started flushing; "Err-yeah, I guess I am" she replied with a nervous chuckle.
Meredith grabbed Lexie's hand, perusing the ring with interest; "Not too gaudy eh"
April made a bee line towards the couch and plopped down on Lexie's other side; she draped her arm around the brunette's shoulders, hugging her sideways. "Congratulations!"
Lexie giggled; "Thank you"
Meredith propped Lexie's hand towards April; "Can you believe Mark Sloan proposed and he managed to purchase a perfect ring?"
April lifted the hand close to her face, examining the ring closely; "This is really beautiful Lex" she said with awe.
"I know right? I cried when I saw it" Lexie admitted. "I can't believe I'm getting married"
Meredith chuckled; "I for one didn't think I would but here I am, married with 2 kids."
"You only need a white picket fence and you're good to go" April joked.
Meredith cocked her head to the side, an amused look crossing her face; "Do you think it would look good around our current house?"
Lexie scrunched her nose; "Your house is perfect as it is so don't botch it."
"I don't think Derek will like that" April said.
Meredith smirked; "More reason to consider having it"
Lexie and April shared a look before shaking their heads.
oOo
"Knock knock"
Jackson lifted his gaze and saw his mentor leaning on the door frame; "Hey man"
Mark pulled away from his perch and padded towards the desk; he sat down and crossed his legs.
Jackson leaned towards the desk, resting his elbows on top; "So, what happened?"
"I don't know what you're talking about" Mark replied flippantly.
Jackson stared at Mark for a moment before shrugging his shoulders; "Okay, if you say so" he replied. He then pulled his laptop right in front of him and flipped it open; "About Mitchell's case, are we-"
"That's it?" Mark interrupted with a perturbed look. "You're not even going to ask me further?"
Jackson didn't trust himself to respond without bursting into laughter so he just bobbed his head up and down.
Mark threw his hands up; "I can't believe you!" he exclaimed. "Lexie accepted my proposal, we're getting married"
Jackson's lips broke into a large grin; "Congratulations!"
"Thank you" Mark said grudgingly.
Jackson snapped his laptop shut; "I'm just messing with you man, of course I'm gonna pry - I'm just testing if you're going to cave in before I start my inquisition."
Mark studied his prot's face and saw that he was telling the truth; a large contented smile relaxing his features. "I knew that, I'm testing you too"
Jackson ignored Mark's statement; "Whatever. So, when's the big day? Did you already set a date?" he asked curiously.
"Whoa, no dates yet - I just popped the question."
"I'm sure that topic will broached soon enough, knowing who your fiancé is"
Mark leaned back on his chair; "I'm sure your wife will be more than willing to help Lex with that"
"I bet she would, she loves weddings-" Jackson paused, the smile on his lips slipping. He sighed dejectedly as he folded his arms on top of the desk; "She loves it so much I wish I could go back in time and give her the wedding she wants- she deserves more than a trip to the courthouse you know" he admitted.
Mark shifted on his seat; "Kepner is the type of woman who fanaticizes about her wedding ever since she's a little girl. You know, the little kid who wraps curtains around herself and pretends that it's actually a wedding gown?"
Jackson nodded solemnly, his face darkening with each passing second; "And I didn't give her that chance, I blew it. I'm the asshole who shattered that dream; I knocked her up, dragged her to the courthouse then lied to her about how I felt towards my Fellowship which forced her to leave."
"Hey that's not-"
Jackson didn't let Mark finish, he continued; "I offered her a divorce in the middle of a super storm, stalked her during her birthdays without showing myself because I don't have balls then I pretended to have amnesia to get her back. What kind of man am I? I'm a fucking idiot and I don't deserve her forgiveness."
Mark leaned forward and slapped Jackson on the side of his head; "Snap out of it, Jesus!"
"What'd you do that for?" Jackson asked while rubbing his head.
Mark sat back down; "You're self depreciating again, it's not pretty."
"It's not self pity, it's called truth"
Mark rolled his eyes; "If you're so hung up on that why not do something about it?"
Jackson leaned back on his chair; "What do you have in mind?"
"Do I really have to spell it out for you? I just leave you for a second and you've already gone daft"
Jackson scowled; "Stop the theatrics and just spit it out" he snapped.
"Give her the dream wedding with all the pizzazz and works. I'm sure as hell you can afford it - ask her to marry you again."
Jackson seem to mull over Mark's words; after a moment, a large grin curled up his lips; "That's actually a brilliant idea, why didn't I think of that?"
Mark lifted his hand, pretending to study his nails; "Because you're not as brilliant as I am" he said casually.
Jackson smiled faltered when a thought hit him; "Do you think she'd want to marry me again?"
Mark let his hand fall to his lap; "Technically she's already your wife, regardless what she says."
"That's right, wait - does that mean I don't have to buy her a new ring?"
Mark smirked; "Are you being stingy?" he teased.
Jackson huffed; "Of course not! I'll buy her a store full of rings if she wants me to"
Mark leaned forward and offered his fist for a bump; "Alright!"
Jackson bumped his fist with Mark's, his mind swirling with different possibilities.
oOo
"You paged?"
April turned around and saw Mara hovering beside her; "I did, I hope you're not busy"
Mara shoved her hands inside her labcoat pocket; "I'm not, I'm actually done with my research - I already submitted it last night" she said cheerily.
"That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!"
"Thank you but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed though, passing my research paper does not automatically mean I'll get the grant"
"Don't be silly! Of course you'll get it, I'm rooting for you"
"Your positivity is very encouraging"
April nudged Mara's shoulder; "Law of attraction sweetie" she winked.
Mara chuckled; "Fine, I'll try my best to be more positive. What do you have for me this morning?"
April pointed towards to the bed on their right; "Woman on bed 4, nasty case of varicose veins and she's complaining about not feeling her extremities after standing for a prolonged period. I already ordered scans, Ross is getting it for you now."
"I better get to it then" Mara said.
"Thanks"
"Welcome" April replied.
The E.R doors burst open as a gurney came crashing in.
April didn't waste a minute, she ran towards it; "What do we have?"
"A 34 years old Asian woman who took a tumble down the escalator; she's been unconscious throughout the transport and her pupils are dilated. Her right ankle is broken but her right arm is just sprained. According to her friend, she just lost consciousness all of a sudden."
April's head snapped up when the voice sounded familiar; her jaw dropped in shock once she realized who's standing on the other side of the gurney.
"Told you we'll end up in the same E.R again"
"Phillip?" April gasped. "How-what are you doing here?"
Phillip threw April his trademark smile; "To visit you of course"
"He's full of shit, don't believe him"
April turned around so quickly that she felt her head spin; "Kate!" she squeaked.
Kate opened her arms wide; "In the flesh baby!"
April threw her arms around her friend's neck and pulled her into a tight hug; "Oh my god! You're here! I can't believe you're really here!"
Kate chuckled as she swayed them side by side; "I'm really here Aprilpoo"
"I want a hug too" Phillip pouted.
April giggled as she pulls away; "I'll hug you later, I have a patient to tend to" she replied. She then lifted her hand and waved her resident over; "Ross, have the nurse page Neuro and Ortho to Trauma Room 1, I'll meet you there" she instructed.
"Right away doc!" Shane replied before scampering towards the nurses' station.
Kate walked towards Phillip and hooked her arm with his; "We're just gonna hang out in your swanky lobby and wait for you, you haven't taken your lunch yet right?" she asked.
"Not yet, I'll go call you once I'm done here" April replied.
"It's a lunch date then, see you in a few love" Phillip purred.
April rolled her eyes as she began pushing the gurney; "Please keep a leash on him"
Kate laughed; "I came prepared, I'll taser him instead"
Phillip yanked his arm away; "Get away from me"
April bit her bottom lip to keep herself from bursting into laughter; "God I missed them!" she mumbled.
oOo
Jackson checked his watch and saw that's it's already quarter past 1; he pushed the door open and stepped into the pit. He scanned the surrounding in search for his wife; his brows furrowing when he didn't see any sign of her. He saw one of her resident's and decided to approach him; "Ross, have you seen April?" he asked.
"Oh, you just missed her - she took her lunch break" Shane replied.
"Cafeteria?"
Shane turned to face Jackson fully; "I'm not sure about that, she's meeting her friends."
Jackson braced his hands on his hips; "Friends? Lexie or Mara?"
Shane shook his head; "No, I think they're from the hospital she transferred from - Virginia."
Recognition dawned on Jackson; "I think that's Kate."
"That's her name, now I remember. Another man came in with her too, I think he's also a Trauma Surgeon because he's the one who took a patient in earlier"
"A man?"
Shane nodded; "But I didn't get his name"
Jackson stared at Shane; "Okay thanks Ross" he said before turning on his heels.
oOo
"I like this place" Kate mused while checking her surroundings.
April laughed; "We're in the Cafeteria Kate"
"Forgive her, she's sleep deprived" Phillip said.
Kate scowled; "Shut it"
April leaned back on her chair with an amused look; "Still at each other's throat, looks like nothing has changed."
"A lot has changed since you left" Kate said before taking a large gulp of her drink.
Phillip pouted; "Lawrence has been running me ragged ever since you took off."
Kate nodded in agreement; "He's been running the show because he hasn't found any replacement yet."
The smile on April's face faltered; "I'm sorry I-"
"Don't blame yourself, it's not your fault" Phillip interjected. He then leaned back on his chair, his eyes fixed intently on his friend; "You don't ever apologize for choosing happiness" he said with a note of seriousness.
Kate reached for April's arm and squeezed it comfortingly; "Phillip is right and you know I don't always think that" she said.
April let out a dejected sigh; "I know..."
Kate smiled as she pulls her hand away; "Now that we've got that out, where is that yummy husband of yours? We've been here for a few hours and I haven't even caught a glimpse of him."
"Maybe he felt your presence that's why he's MIA" Phillip drawled.
April snorted; "I'm sure that's not the-" she paused when she saw a familiar figure entering the door.
Phillip noticed the look on April's face so he swivelled on his chair and followed his gaze; he studied the other man's feature before whistling lowly. "Now I understand why you came back"
"Shut it" April whispered.
Kate followed her friends gaze and saw a tall handsome man walking towards them; her eyes widen as a gasp escaped her lips.
Phillip's head snapped to the side; "Please don't embarrass me" he said warily.
"Hey Jackson" April said timidly.
"Hey" Jackson replied with his trademark smile.
April returned the smile before turning to her friends; "These are my friends from FTRC; Dr. Kate Osbourne and Dr. Phillip Ryan"
Phillip propped his hand up; "Dr. Jackson Avery, it's a pleasure to finally meet you" he said formally.
Jackson accepted the handshake with a firm grip; "The pleasure is all mine" he replied.
Kate hastily wiped her hand on a napkin before lifting it towards Jackson; "I've heard so much about you, it's finally nice to put a face to a name" she said demurely.
April chuckled nervously, her cheeks turning red with her friend's blunt statement.
Jackson threw April a fond look as he stuffed his hands inside his labcoat pocket; "Is that so?"
Phillip noticed the look on Jackson's face and he can't help but wonder why the fall out even happened when the other man looks so whipped. He grabbed his drink from the table and took a large sip, his eyes never leaving the couple.
Kate nodded profusely; "She can't stop talking about-"
April slapped her hand on top of Kate's mouth, silencing her off effectively; "He doesn't need to hear that Kate."
"No, please continue" Jackson said.
April snatched her hand away, eyeing Jackson with warning; "No."
Jackson stared at April for a moment; "Fine, I don't need to hear it" he relented.
Phillip threw his head back and laughed.
Kate turned her head to side; "Err-why are you laughing?" she asked confusedly.
"It's her famous look, did you see it?"
Kate stared blankly at Phillip for a second before recognition crossed her features, making her laugh.
Jackson leaned towards April; "What are they talking about?"
April glared at her friends; "I don't know what they're talking about" she lied.
"April has this specific look when she's-" Phillip trailed off, looking at Kate, urging her to continue.
"When she doesn't like where the conversation is heading, in FTRC, we call it her tiger look" Kate smirked.
April's face turned bright red in embarrassment; "Shut it!" she snapped.
Jackson blinked a couple times, his lips slowly curling into a grin; "Tiger look" he said, as if tasting the words on his tongue. He then moved his hand on April's head, running his fingers through her auburn hair; "Kinda fitting with your ginger hair babe" he joked.
April swivelled on her chair and slapped Jackson's arm; "Stop calling me ginger for the billionth time!" she screeched.
"Ouch!" Jackson yelped as he took a step back.
April then narrowed her eyes on her friends; "You two, stop regaling him with stories before I do the same thing to you, capiche?"
Philip lifted his hands up in surrender as a response.
Kate pursed her lips; "Kill joy" she grumbled.
"It was nice meeting you guys but I have to go, I - err- leave you to your mini reunion" Jackson said.
April turned towards Jackson, her face softening; "You don't have to leave, you can join us"
Jackson shifted on his feet; "Are you sure? I don't want to intrude."
Kate waved her hand dismissively; "You're not intruding, we're about done with the reminiscing stuff anyway."
"Please stay, there's only too much estrogen I can take and I think I already reached my daily quota" Phillip said.
"Okay" Jackson said. He then gestured towards his right; "I'll go get something to eat, I'm hungry" he said.
"Get me a bottle of water, please?" April said.
"Sure thing" Jackson said before walking away.
Kate waited for Jackson to be out of earshot before slapping April on the back.
"Ouch! What the hell is that for?" April barked.
"Why didn't you tell me that your husband is super hot?" Kate hissed.
Phillip leaned towards the table, folding his arms on top of it; "What I want to know is, why did you leave him when he's obviously head over heels in love with you?"
"That too" Kate said.
April scowled; "I already told you guys why"
Kate's eyes moved towards Jackson's back; "Is he putting up an act now? Because he doesn't seem to be the man you painted him to be"
April cringed; "I may have exaggerated a teeny tiny bit" she said guiltily.
Phillip chuckled; "You called him colourful names Aprilpoo, in fact I can still remember some of it"
April narrowed her eyes menacingly; "Breathe a word and I'll give your ass a serious whooping."
"Is that a threat or a promise?" Phillip said flirtingly.
"Stop flirting with April for goodness sake! You just met her husband!" Kate hissed.
Phillip smiled mischievously; "I'm always up for a little fun" he said. He then turned his face towards April; "If you want to make your husband a little jealous, I'm at your service" he said while wiggling his brows suggestively.
April snatched a crumpled napkin from her tray and flung it towards Phillip; "Stop being an ass!"
Phillip laughed; "I'm just messing with you, I don't want to screw around THE Harper's Avery's grandson anyway" he said. He then leaned back on his chair, his eyes scanning his surrounding; "Any single chic here you can hook me up with?"
Kate threw Phillip an indignant look; "I knew it! You didn't come here with me to just visit April, you're planning on trolling around-again. What happened to the new leaf you told me you're turning? Was it all talk?"
April turned her eyes toward her husband and saw Mara walking towards him; "Is Kate right? Are you relapsing to your old ways?" she asked.
"Geez Kate! It was just a joke - calm the fuck down!" Phillip snapped. He then turned his eyes towards April; "I'm not relapsing to my old ways, Kate is just exaggerating" he explained.
"Good" Katie said.
April turned her attention to Phillip, studying him intently.
Phillip shifted on his seat, clearly uncomfortable with the way his friend is staring at him; "Why are you looking at me like that?"
April quirked a brow; "Whatever do you mean?"
Phillip narrowed his eyes; "You're scheming April, it's written all over your face"
Kate guffawed; "The only one scheming here is you"
Phillip scowled; "I already told you I'm not here to whore around, I'm here to see April and that's it, end of story-zip"
April raised her hands to stop the incoming squabble that's about to take place; "Okay you two, stop it - you guys are not allowed to fight here" she said firmly.
"We're not fighting" Kate said.
Phillip nodded in agreement; "Yeah, we're just having our daily verbal sparring-"
"And I'm Snow white" April interjected sarcastically.
Phillip cocked his head to the side started framing April's face with his fingers; "You do have her skin, I'm just not sure about the hair, you're more off the chick from the movie Brave, sans curls" he teased.
Kate giggled but quickly stifled it with her hand.
April slapped Phillip's hand; "Your sense of humour is still off as ever"
"Says the woman who can't even crack a funny joke to save her life" Phillip rebuffed.
"Whatever" April huffed.
Kate braced her elbows on top of the table, cupping her face with her hands; "Look at you two, acting like an old married couple - this reminds me of the old times, very nostalgic" she said wistfully.
April can't help but smile at Kate's statement; "Kidding aside, I've missed you two."
"We've missed you too love" Phillip said affectionately.
"Ehem"
April lifted her eyes and saw her husband standing idly by the table; "Hey, where did Mara go?"
Jackson handed his wife the bottled water before taking a seat beside her; "She got paged, pit consult."
Phillip stiffened; "Mara?"
Jackson turned his gaze towards Phillip; "Dr. Mara Keaton, do you happen to know her?"
Phillip jerked from his chair and started scanning their surroundings - frantically.
"And what do you know!" Kate exclaimed gingerly.
Jackson leaned towards April; "Err-what's happening? Why does your friend look like he's about to wet himself?" he whispered.
April shook her head; "I also don't know but I'm going to find out" she replied. She moved her hand towards Phillip and started snapping her fingers to get his attention; "Ryan, what's going on? Do you know Mara?" she asked.
Phillip settled on his seat, his body radiating tension in waves.
"You don't know?" Kate asked.
"Know what?" April asked.
Kate took a sip from her drink before responding; "She's the one that got away"
"Kate" Phillip warned. He pushed his chair backwards and stood up; he hastily turned on his heels and walked away wordlessly.
April's jaw dropped with her friend's reaction.
Jackson watched Phillip's retreating back; "I don't remember Mara mentioning anything about him."
Kate folded her arms on top of the table; "Of course she wouldn't, I don't think she even knew how he felt about her."
April seem to regain her composure; "Mara is the woman he's been pinning for? Mara Keaton?" she asked incredulously.
Kate eyed April for a moment; "You really didn't know?"
April leaned back on her chair; "I didn't know it was her!"
Jackson leaned forward and folded his arms on top of the table, copying Kate's earlier stance; "So let me get this straight, this dude has been in love with Mara but she didn't know? How did that happen?"
"Because he didn't tell her-they attended the same med school and became best of friends. As far as I know he's been in love with her forever" Kate explained.
"That's what I'm actually not getting. How can he be in love with Mara and never told her? I mean, it's Phillip, he's a flirting machine! I'm really having a hard time picturing it" April said.
Kate sighed; "I've known him from way back, we went to the same Uni. He was never like that before - he somehow changed after Med School and I think this certain Mara is the reason."
Jackson felt a surge of protectiveness for his best friend; "How can Mara be the reason when she didn't even know?" he challenged.
April agreed with Jackson, waiting for Kate's response.
Kate rolled her eyes; "I'm not saying that she's at fault, I'm just saying that she's one of the probable cause of his changes."
Jackson plucked his fork from his plate and began mixing his pasta; "Small world"
April threw Kate a thoughtful look; "I wonder what happened between those two"
"No, wonder, what didn't happen" Kate corrected her friend.
oOo
Phillip plopped down on one of the benches outside the E.R and took a deep breath; he rested his elbows on top of his knees, his arms dangling between his legs. He fixed his eyes on the pavement as thoughts of his past started swirling before his eyes.
oOo
"I'm done with bed 4, where else do you need me?" Mara asked.
Alex lifted his gaze from his tab; "Nah, that would be it" he replied.
"I'll be on my way then, just page me if you need me."
"Will do, Thanks" Alex said.
Mara checked her watch and saw that it was almost time for her break so she decided to head outside. She padded towards the E.R doors and stepped out; she made a quick scan of her surroundings and noticed a man slumped on one of the benches. She stared at his profile and a hint of recognition flashed through her; she thought about walking away and leaving him alone to his thoughts but her gut is telling her otherwise. She folded her arms on top of her chest and made her way towards him; she was only a foot away from the stranger but he showed no signs of noticing her. "Excuse me Sir, are you alright?"
Phillip slowly lifted his eyes and felt his breath get knocked out of his chest.
Mara's eyes widen in surprise when she saw the man's face; "Phillip? Phillip Ryan?" she breathed out.
Phillip swallowed thickly; "It's nice to see you again Mars" he said with an unsure smile.
Mara's lips curl into a small smile before it morphed into a full pledge grin; "It's you! Oh my gosh!"
Phillip chuckled as he slowly rose from his perch; "Y-yeah, it's really me"
Mara flung herself towards Phillip, her arms instinctively wrapping around his tall frame; "I've missed you! I can't believe this!"
Phillip took a deep breath, taking in her familiar scent; "I've missed you too, really missed you"
Mara stayed in his arms for a couple of seconds before pulling away; she eyed him for a moment before she slapped his chest, her eyes blazing with anger.
"Ouch!" Phillip yelped.
Mara glared; "What the bloody hell were you thinking Ryan?! Disappearing without a bloody trace? No text, no phone calls-not even a single bloody email! I thought you were dead!" she fumed.
Phillip lifted his hands in surrender as he took a step back; "I can explain, please stop hitting me" he said with a cringe.
Mara folded her arms on top of her chest, the intensity of her gaze not wavering; "You only have 5 minutes before I start hitting you again, get to the point"
Phillip wracked his brain for a viable explanation but he can't seem to come up with one; "I-err"
"What?"
"I-err"
"Just spit it out Ryan!" Mara demanded.
"I left because I couldn't stand seeing you with Michael" Phillip blurted out.
Mara looked taken aback; "I'm sorry, what?"
Phillip let out a defeated sigh, he knew he can no longer take it back and this conversation is long overdue.
"Phillip? What are you saying?" Mara asked softly, her anger temporarily forgotten.
"How long do you have before you're needed back there?"
"It's my lunch break, I was supposed to go to the coffee shop across the street"
"Is it alright if I go there with you?"
Mara studied her best friend's face and based from what she's seeing, she knew they need more than an hour to straighten things out. She's been waiting for this opportunity all these years and she's hell bent on not letting it pass; "Give me a moment, I need to make a call" she said.
Phillip nodded; "Go ahead"
Mara plucked her phone from her pocket and tapped on the screen; she shifted the device to her ear and waited for the other line to pick up.
"Mara"
Mara gestured towards Phillip before turning around; "Jackson, I need a favour"
"What is it?"
"I need to take a 2 hour lunch break, it's just for today - I need to talk to someone and it's important, can I?" Mara asked.
"Hmmmnnn...Not until you tell me who you are talking to"
Mara groaned; "I don't have time for this now Avery, can I or I can't?" she asked impatiently.
"You're no fun. Fine, take a bloody 2 hour break-wait, did I nail the bloody part? Did it meet your british-"
"Bye Jackson, thank you!" Mara interjected, cutting the other man off. She pulled her phone away and stuffed it inside her pocket; "We're good, let's go" she said.
Phillip nodded; "After you"
Mara offered a small smile; "Still a gentleman, I see" she teased.
"Only for you love" Phillip winked.
Mara felt a familiar feeling bubbling inside her stomach but she blamed hunger; "Stop it Mara Keaton, if he didn't make a move before, he wouldn't do it now so shut it!" she mentally chastised herself.
oOo
"Is that Mara?" April asked.
Jackson placed his phone on top of the table; "Yeah, she asked for a two hour lunch break because she needs to talk to someone important."
Kate's interest was piqued; "Did he tell you who?"
Jackson shook his head; "She didn't but I think I have an idea..."
"She's talking to Phillip" April surmised.
Jackson cracked a smile; "I think she is"
"Finally!" Kate exclaimed.
April opened her mouth to respond but she got cut off by her pager; she snatched it from the table and read the message. "I'm needed at the pit"
Jackson grabbed his water bottle and took a large swig before capping it; "911?"
"Yep"
Kate nodded; "I need to go too - I need to check if our luggage has already been sent to our hotel rooms"
Jackson's pager shrilled loudly; he unlatched it from his belt and read it. "Hmmnnn, I'm being paged too"
April stood up from her perch; "What time are you free tomorrow?" she asked, eyeing her friend.
"I'm free 3 onwards" Kate replied.
"Great, I'll meet you after 5, drinks are on me" April said cheerfully.
"I'm not even gonna contest that-" Kate paused and turned her gaze towards Jackson. "Feel free to tag along handsome, you're welcome to join us"
Jackson rose from his seat; "I'll have to rain check on that"
"Alrighty"
April snatched her labcoat from the back of her chair and grinned; "Gotta go Katie! Call me! Jackson, let's go"
"I will"
"It was nice meeting you Kate, I hope you enjoy your stay here in Seattle" Jackson said politely.
"I sure hope so, thanks!" Kate replied.
Jackson nodded at Kate before following his wife.
Kate watched the couple disappear from the door; "They're perfect for each other, I hope they stick together this time" she said to herself before standing up.
oOo
"What took you guys so long? Are you boinking again?" Alex asked.
Jackson scowled, clearly not liking Alex's joke; "Watch your mouth Karev" he warned.
April ignored Alex's crass remark; "What do you have for us?"
Alex threw the couple an amused look before pointing towards Trauma Room 2; "Victor Brown, 30 year old mauling victim" he said.
"What mauled him?" Jackson asked.
"Not what, who"
April looked confused; "I'm sorry, did you imply that a person mauled another person?"
"That's exactly what I said, now run along kids, I still have a board to update" Alex said before turning his attention back to his tab.
Jackson motioned for the Trauma room; "Let's go Apes, let's see what we have" he said.
April wrinkled her nose; "Weirder things just keep on happening" she said.
Jackson let out a low chuckle as he pushed the door open; he entered the room, his eyes zeroing on the patient's face. He quickly moved towards the bed and started gloving; "Hi Victor, my name is Dr. Avery and I'll be looking at your wound" he said as he started assessing the damage.
"He didn't die - they shot him in the heart and he didn't die" Victor mumbled.
April also gloved herself up before grabbing the tab from Shane; she moved towards the side of the bed, reading the report about the case.
Jackson turned towards one of the nurses and accepted a syringe full of anesthetics that's being handed to him; he pointed it towards the open gash and began injecting it.
"I thought he was crazy..."
"He was" Jackson agreed.
Victor turned his face to the side, facing Jackson; "Then why didn't he die?" he bellowed.
Jackson grabbed his patient's chin and gently righted it to the right position; "I've got a needle right next to your face so I need you to calm it down, okay?" he said sternly.
"Is there any pain elsewhere?" April asked.
"It's just sore and stiff-" Victor paused, his eyes widening. "Oh my god! Is this rigor mortis?"
April fought the urge to roll her eyes; "Victor, zombies aren't real. We know this right?"
Victor turned his face towards April, his eyes searching hers; "You...you should-qua" he stopped just as the machines started beeping loudly.
April passed the tab towards Shane; "Victor, squeeze my hand. Did you hit your head when he attacked you?"
Victor didn't answer and just continued his speech; "You should quarantine..."
Jackson righted Victor's face again and began checking his eyes; "Can you smile for me buddy?" he instructed. When he didn't get a response he stepped back; "He's having a stroke" he surmised before moving towards the phone.
April moved her fingers towards Victor's neck and started feeling it; "There's a pulsatile mass. Could be damage to the carotid-maybe a pseudoaneurysm"
"Alright, get the ultrasound, I'm gonna book an O.R" Jackson said.
April turned towards Shane; "You heard him"
oOo
"Uhg! That's one jacked up carotid" April said.
"Yeah, let's go ahead and prep the synthetic graft."
"Okay, starting it now" The nurse responded.
"Soooo..." April started.
"So what?" Jackson asked.
April didn't lift her eyes from her work; "Rain check for tomorrow? Do you have some place to be?"
Jackson cleared his throat; "About that-I only said that because I don't know if you want me to be there, I don't want to assume"
April paused to stare at her husband's face; "You heard Kate, she doesn't mind if you tag along"
"Kate said she wouldn't, I'm not sure if you would though..."
The corners of April's eyes crinkled as she smiled behind her mask; "Jackson Avery sounds unsure, this is a first" she teased.
"I only give my firsts to you babe" Jackson winked.
April understood the double meaning behind his words and couldn't help but blush; "Oh shut up!"
Jackson snickered.
oOo
The couple finished their first surgery together and moved their patient to the ICU; Jackson held the door open for his wife before trailing behind her. April gestured for Jackson to speak first as she moved towards the opposite direction.
Jackson took his position on Victor's side; "How are you feeling?"
"Is my face fixed?"
"Not quite yet. Our first priority was repairing your injured carotid, which was damaged when you were attacked."
Victor's eye widen in panic; "Oh, god. The zombie, where is he? Is he-he's not quarantined? Is that where he is? I-I've been quarantined, haven't I?"
April turned her eyes towards Jackson, silently asking him to butt in.
Jackson opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.
"Oh god. I saw this thing on cable about rituals in Haiti and I thought they were all crap but you've got me quarantined" Victor prattled on.
"Except you're not quarantined, this is the ICU" Jackson pointed out.
"You wouldn't tell me the truth anyway. They've got you on a gag order, don't they?"
April's gritted her teeth as she glared at their patient.
"-because that's what they do-they don't want you tell me the truth. The CDC-"
April couldn't hold it in anymore; "Victor" she interjected.
Victor ignored her and continued his diatribe.
April clapped her hands loudly; "Hey Victor, hey!" she half screamed.
Victor snapped his mouth shut, his full attention focused on April.
April leaned towards the bed; "Victor you are not under quarantine, you are in the ICU which is where we take patients after surgery."
Jackson licked his lips as he watched his wife intently.
"You were attacked by a normal guy who took a bunch of drugs, lost his mind and attacked you. He didn't die when he was shot because he has a condition called situs inversus, which put his heart on the opposite side of his chest."
"Damn she's hot when she's all fired up" Jackson thought.
"It's-it's random?" Victor asked.
"Yeah, completely normal and also not in the least bit supernatural. And really, honestly if you think about it, isn't that like, a hundred times scarier than some...zombie apocalypse?"
"Yeah, okay, I guess so" Victor said. He then let out a relieved sigh, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"Okay, we'll let you rest for a bit" Jackson said.
April turned her back on the patient and started walking towards the door.
Jackson caught up with her; "That was hot" he whispered.
April rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the room; "Nope, that's how you shut down someone who's spinning out"
"I knew that, I was just getting warmed up" Jackson replied.
April arched a brow; "Warming up? You were using your Avery sparkle on him and it ain't working Pretty boy" she drawled.
Jackson scanned their surrounding and saw that they were alone; he grabbed April by the shoulders and backed her to the wall, effectively caging her in.
April was so startled with his actions that she only managed a gasp.
Jackson leaned forward, his nose almost touching hers; "Pretty boy, huh?"
April's eyes involuntarily closed, the proximity between them is turning her brain into mush; "Uhuh..."
"April?"
"Y-yeah?"
"I want to kiss you..." Jackson said sultrily.
April opened her eyes a fraction; "But—"
Jackson pressed his lips towards hers, muffling her incoming protest with his mouth.
A startled breath escaped April's lips; she blinked a couple of times before she succumb to her feelings.
oOo
The next day:
Jackson is striding along the hallway with a big grin on his face; asking April to sleep on their bed had been nerve wracking but worth it - waking up with the love his life tightly wound up next to him is the best feeling in the world, hence his good mood. He rounded the corner and caught a glimpse of a harried looking Mara Keaton, exiting the lifts. "Hey!"
Mara stopped in her tracks and turned towards the voice; "Hey Jackson"
Jackson studied her face and noticed the bags under her eyes; he padded towards her with a worried look. "You look like shit, what happened?"
Mara scowled; "Well spotted Sherlock"
Jackson folded his arms on top of his chest; his bright mood not a bit dithered by Mara's snappishness. "Fine, what got you so haggard?"
Mara averted her gaze and started moving; "Nothing, just didn't get enough sleep last night"
Jackson trailed behind her; "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Mara stopped by the nurses' station to grab her tab; she let out an audible sigh before turning her eyes towards her best friend. "A blast from the past showed up yesterday and told me some stuff that got me thinking"
"Bingo!" Jackson thought. He slightly narrowed his eyes before going for the kill; "Is this blast from the past Phillip Ryan?" he asked bluntly.
"W-hat?"
Jackson moved towards the counter and leaned sideways; "You heard me, is it Phillip Ryan?"
Mara fidgeted with her tab; "I don't know what you're saying Jackson" she denied.
"Come on now, don't play coy with me. I know he's here and I know he's the reason why you took a 2 hour lunch break yesterday and didn't come back"
"About that, I'm really sor-"
Jackson waved his hand dismissively; "Don't worry about it, I got it covered. So, want to tell me what happened?"
Mara stared at his unblinking eyes and knew right there and then that she have been busted. She hugged the tab to her chest as she let out a defeated sigh; "Fine, your office then?"
Jackson pulled away from his perch; "Let's"
oOo
Kate stood right in front of Phillip's door and knocked; "Phillip, are you up?"
A loud thump resounded inside the room before the door was pulled open, showing a bleary eyed Phillip. "What is it?"
"I'm heading out now, will you be alright here?"
Phillip rubbed his eyes; "Yeah, I'm good"
Kate studied his face; "You look like dead warmed over, are you feeling okay?"
"I'm okay, I just woke up what did you expect, Prince Charming?"
Kate rolled her eyes; "Fine. By the way, April and I are meeting up for drinks after 5, you're joining us."
Phillip leaned on the door frame; "Yeah, I'm in"
"Alright, I'll be back around 3-ish"
"Tell me how it goes with those snotty people"
Kate chuckled; "Sure thing, go back to sleep, you look like shit"
"Go away!" Phillip said before taking a step back and slamming the door right in front of his friend's face.
"What crawled up your ass and died?" Kate yelled. She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder before stomping away.
oOo
"I was beginning to think you were gone, I haven't seen you around lately" Lexie said as she fell into step with her friend.
April tore her eyes away from her work to face Lexie; "I've been around, whole day yesterday - it's you that I haven't been seeing lately"
Lexie pouted; "I was running Derek's service yesterday, he took a day off to attend Zozo's ballet recital"
April smiled fondly; "She's growing up so fast"
"I know!"
"Oh, I don't know if you've heard but some of my friends from FRTC dropped by yesterday"
Lexie braced her arms on top of the counter; "So that's what the nurses have been talking about-" she paused, a mischievous look crossing her features. "I heard one of them is a McHottie"
"McHottie? Seriously?"
Lexie bobbed her head; "Yeah. Tall, cupid bow lips, Caribbean blue eyes and muscular frame?"
April blinked a couple of times before bursting into giggles.
"What? And by the way, those were not my words - it's the nurses"
"Oh boy! Phillip would have a field day if he heard that! I don't think his head can fit inside this hospital if he finds out that people here digs his looks"
"So, it's true then? He's hot and he came to visit you?" Lexie asked.
"Don't get your panty in a twist Grey but yes, he's here to visit me BUT he came here with Kate, one of our friends from back there" April explained.
Lexie whistled; "A man who flies 5000 miles just to visit you means business Apes, what does your husband think?"
April leaned back on the counter; "He actually met him yesterday and we'll be going out tonight"
Lexie's eyes widen in surprise; "You are?"
"Yep, they're good - it's good."
"That's a first" Lexie mused.
April threw Lexie a questioning look; "A first?"
"Jackson not having a hissy fit over a guy, you know how he is - remember Mr. Paramedic?"
April cringed; "Don't even go there, we're way past that"
Lexie chuckled; "Whatever makes your clock tick"
oOo
"Do you get me now? Do you understand why I'm so mad?" Mara asked.
"If you don't stop pacing I will be forced to manhandle you to a chair, you're making me dizzy" Jackson said while rubbing his temples.
Mara stopped and obediently moved towards the chair; she plopped down and stared at her friend, waiting for a reaction.
Jackson leaned back on his chair, his hands tented under his chin; "Let me get this straight; he told you he left because he was in love with you and he can't bear seeing you with this certain Michael, am I right?"
"Yeah"
"You were also in love with him but you hooked up with Michael because you thought he didn't return your feelings?"
Mara nodded.
"Doesn't this story sound soooo familiar?" Jackson asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about! Stop with the stupid riddles and just help me!" Mara whined.
Jackson wanted to laugh but he knew it wouldn't bode well with Mara's mood; he shifted on his seat and stared at Mara seriously. "It's not riddles. I said it sound familiar because it happened to me before, the only difference is that I didn't hook up with anyone and so did she"
Mara look genuinely confused; "Huh?" she asked.
Jackson sighed; "April and I, I'm talking about us. I stayed away from her even though I have a niggling that I'm in love with her because I thought she didn't feel the same way for me. She almost went out with Mr. Dorky Paramedic because I somehow pushed her away, I got lucky in the end - she didn't. Do you get it now? Why Phillip did what he did?"
"Are you telling me that guys are somewhat programmed to walk away when you feel like you don't have any chance?"
"Exactly"
Mara's face started turning sour; "Is it because you shy away from rejection?"
It's now Jackson's turn to look uncomfortable; "Some kinda?"
"Then you're a bunch of cowards!" Mara exploded. "You expect us to make the first move when you don't even want to lift a damn finger! We should cut that stupid finger off since it's so worthless! You're explanation only made me angrier!"
Jackson raised his hand as if trying to shield himself; "Don't shoot the messenger, geez!"
Mara shot up from her seat, her hands moving to her hips; "Cowards! Bloody stupid cowards!"
"Calm the fuck down, would ya?" Jackson said.
"How can I, as you eloquently put it - calm the fuck down?"
Jackson glared; "I just explained to you a man's psyche, not Phillip's" he said. He pointed towards the chair again; "Sit down"
Mara scowled but she still plopped down, her lips pursed into a tight line.
"Now, will shut up and listen to what I'm about to say? Without blowing a gasket, if I may add?" Jackson said sternly.
Mara gave a stiff nod.
"It's not a walk in the park but it's fixable. I know his confession infuriated you and shocked you to the core but you don't get to hold grudges. Why? Because relationships works both ways; if he didn't tell you how he felt, then you should have. You claim you were best of friends, talking shouldn't be hard. I know I'm not in the position to preach about talking because I'm not good at it but I'm trying now and that's all that matters."
Mara stared at Jackson for a moment before letting out a defeated sigh; "I know, I'm sorry for threatening your fingers..."
"Do you still love him?"
Mara eyes strayed to her lap, her fingers twisting the hem of her scrub top; "I wouldn't be this torn if I didn't..." she admitted.
Jackson's lip curled up into a smile; "Then stop wasting time and tell him you still feel the same way."
"It's not that easy...he didn't actually tell me that he still feels the same for me you know..."
"Have you heard Katy Perry's song, The one that got away?" Jackson suddenly asked.
Mara's head snapped up; "What?"
"Just answer the damn question"
"I've heard it, why? Are you into Katy Perry now?" Mara joked.
"I asked because a certain Trauma Surgeon thinks, you're the one that got away."
Mara felt the wind get knocked out of her lungs; "W-here did you hear that?"
"Simple, her friend Kate told us - he's been pinning for you in years and basing it from his reaction to hearing your name yesterday, I'm quite sure that he's not over you yet."
Mara licked her lips, her mind racing with possibilities. After a moment, she shot up from her seat and bolted towards the door.
Jackson grinned widely; "I'll put you on leave today and you're welcome!"
oOo
April closed the door to Victor's room and saw Shane walking towards her; "Perfect timing Ross" she chirped.
Shane stopped right in front of April; "Is there something you need Dr. K-A?"
"Dr. K-A?"
Shane smiled sheepishly; "Dr. Kepner-Avery is kinda mouthful, I hope you don't mind"
April cocked her head to the side; "That doesn't sound bad, I like it - you can call me that" she finished with a smile.
Shane let out relieved sigh; "Err-okay, how can I help you?"
"Oh yeah, about that - I already ordered Mr. Brown to be transferred to a regular room, can you assist them?"
"Of course I can" Shane replied.
April propped the tab towards the resident; "Here you go, find me after - you can call dibs on my next surgery"
"Thank you" Shane said.
"You're welcome, now move it!"
Shane didn't need to be told twice; he turned on his heel and scurried away.
"I always love it when you tell men what to do"
April turned around and saw her husband leaning on the wall; "Spying on me now?"
Jackson feigned an outraged look; "Spying on you? That's ridiculous! I'm here to check on my patient which happens to be yours too"
April responded with a simple quirk of her brow.
Jackson pulled away from his perch and started walking towards April; "How is he anyway? Is he still spouting zombie apocalypse and all those crazy stuff?"
April giggled; "You're so bad!"
"You're calling me bad? You were the one who's practically looming over him yesterday"
April crossed her arms on top of her chest; "And you're the one who's using his pretty eyes to shut him up"
Jackson grinned; he slowly moved closer and slid his arms around April's waist, pulling her to his chest. "Still thinking about my eyes huh?"
April placed her hands on her husband's chest and started pulling away; "What are you doing? Stop that, people are looking!" she chastised.
Jackson just held her tighter; "I don't care, I own this hospital and we're married, they don't give a damn"
April snorted; "Careful there, we don't want your tiny head to inflate as big as this room."
Jackson's eyes twinkled; "Which head?" he whispered.
April felt her face heat up; "You did not just say that Jackson Avery!" she hissed.
Jackson hugged her tightly and buried his face into her neck, stifling his laughter.
April couldn't move away from his grasp so she just let her body relax into the hug but not without hitting him on the back. "You and your potty mouth, I swear you're turning into Mark"
"Don't let him hear you say that, it would make him prouder than he already is."
April huffed; "Not if I told Lexie first."
"I love it when you play dirty" Jackson whispered.
April burst out laughing.
oOo
Kate just finished retouching her make up when she heard her phone ring; she walked towards her side table and grabbed it. She tapped on the answer button before moving it to her ears; "Apes, I'm almost done."
"Are you sure you don't want me to pick you up?"
"I'm a big girl, I can manage"
"We're cutting it close - I just don't want you to spend your remaining hours in Seattle getting lost"
Kate rolled her eyes; "I won't get lost, I promise you that. Sooooo, is your husband joining us tonight?"
"I'm not sure yet but I'll check with him"
"Okay, meet you in 20?"
"You bet ya! I'll see you in a few Katiebear!"
Kate cracked a smile; "See you Aprilpoo!"
"Stop calling me that! I'm not poo!"
"Whatever you say hun, ciao!"
oOo
Mara lifted her head from Phillip's chest; "Don't you need to be somewhere?"
"What time is it?" Phillip groused, his voice laden with sleep.
"Quarter past 5"
"Crap!" Phillip cussed.
Mara rested her chin on his pecs; "I tried waking you up 30 minutes ago but you won't budge"
Phillip lifted his head and pecked her on the lips; "Someone got me so worked up"
"As if you didn't like it"
"I'm not complaining" Phillip replied.
Mara hefted her body up and pulled the sheets to cover her chest; "We should get dressed"
Phillip rubbed the sleep off his eyes; "Yeah, we should, April and Kate will castrate me if I don't show up"
Mara chuckled; "Then you should hurry up" she said as she planted her feet on the floor.
Phillip hopped off the bed and began making his way towards the bathroom; "Did I mention that I'm taking you with me?"
"Huh?"
Phillip peered from the open door; "You're going with me tonight"
Mara looked unsure; "I don't think that's a good idea Phil..."
"Why? Are you not friends with April?"
"I am but-"
"Then it's settled" Phillip said firmly. He then smirked; "Want to join me in the shower? I reckon that will save us more time"
Mara bit her bottom lip, mulling Phillip's offer.
"It's not rocket science Mars but I'm pretty sure I can make you see stars" Phillip added while wiggling his brows suggestively.
"All talk Ryan, all talk"
Phillip noticed the playful gleam in her eyes so he trotted towards her; hefted her up like a fireman and swatted her behind. "Behave or I'll go 50 shades on you"
Mara burst into fits of giggles, her heart feeling lighter than it ever was in years.
oOo
"Are you ready to order Ma'am?"
April lifted her eyes from her phone; "Just a glass of iced water, I'm still waiting for someone - thanks"
The waiter nodded before turning on his heels.
April placed her phone on the table, her eyes fixed on the door; "Where are you Katie..." she mumbled.
"Some things will never change, you're still talking to yourself"
April jerked out of her seat, obviously startled; she turned around and saw a smiling Kate standing behind her. "I hate you! Stop doing that!"
Kate laughed as she slid in to the chair across from her friend; "Why are you so jumpy?"
"I'm not jumpy, you just surprised me" April replied. "I've been watching the door but I didn't see you come in, where on earth did you come from?"
Kate shrugged her shoulders; "From the entrance, where else?"
"Hmmmnnnn"
"Have you seen Phillip yet?"
"No, I thought he was coming with you"
"We're supposed to but he called me last minute and told me he's running a bit late and he'll just meet us here"
April look worried; "You think he got lost? This place is easy enough to find and-"
"Don't start with the getting lost stuff again" Kate interjected. "We're in Seattle, not Narnia."
"Sorry, I just can't help it" April said sheepishly.
"He's a big boy Apes, I'm quite sure he can find his way to this place."
The waiter appeared by April side and carefully placed the iced water right in front of her; "Do you want to order now?"
"Definitely, I'm famished" Kate replied.
"What about Phillip?"
Kate waved her hand dismissively; "He can order once he gets here, don't fret about him too much" she replied. She then turned her attention to the waiter; "Can we please get the menu?" she said with a smile.
"I'll go get it" The waiter replied before disappearing again.
"Were you able to get a hold of your husband? Do you know if he's coming?"
April pursed her lips; "I tried but my call got routed to his voicemail, looks like he's still in surgery"
"Busy doing butt lifts and boob jobs?" Kate joked.
"His job is more than that" April said defensively.
"Whoa, retract your claws tiger, I don't mean anything by it, I was just joking"
April cleared her throat, embarrassed by her outburst; "I'm sorry -I didn't mean to go off like that"
Kate plucked April's iced water and took a sip; "It's okay"
April felt the need to explain her actions, so explain she did; "It's just that, some people tend to overlook the significance of his job and that irks me to no end. His job is much more than nipping and tucking unwanted skin - he changes lives."
Kate nodded; "I get you, emotional healing that comes after each surgery" she said. "I didn't mean to belittle Jackson's work, I'm sorry if it comes of that way..."
April smiled; "I know that Katie, I just wish other people sees it that way."
oOo
Jackson was exiting the scrub room when he saw his mentor walking towards him; "I'm done, they're moving her to the ICU"
"Everything ran smoothly?"
Jackson threw Mark a haughty look; "Of course it did"
Mark cracked a smile; "Atta boy"
Jackson checked his watch and saw the time; "Crap!"
Mark stopped right in front of his prot, his arms braced on his waist; "What now?"
"I'm supposed to meet April and her friends for drinks, I'm already 2 hours late, shit!"
"Then I suggest you get your ass out of here" Mark said.
"But I still have to check on the transfer-"
"I'll take care of it" Mark drawled.
"Really?"
"Get out of here before I change my mind" Mark warned.
Jackson grinned widely; "Thanks man, I owe you one!" he said before briskly walking away.
Mark turned around; "You definitely owe me one!" he called out.
"Duly noted!"
oOo
"See? If we waited for Phillip we would have starved our eyeballs out" Kate said.
April chuckled; "You're over reacting"
"Over reacting?! We've been sitting here for more than 2 hours already Apes" Kate said incredulously.
"Maybe he really got lost?" April suggested.
Kate snatched her phone from the table and started tapping on the screen; "Let's find out" she said just as she moved the device to her ear.
"I'm almost there!"
"Gee Phillip, thank you very much for giving us a heads up. We thought you were lying in a gutter somewhere with your intestines spilling out of your abdomen" Kate said sarcastically.
"Love the graphic Katie"
Kate rolled her eyes; "Where the hell are you? You're supposed to be here 2 hours ago. We already ate dinner and we won't hold up on liquors just because you're too lazy to get your ass out of your stupid bed!"
April stifle her laughter with her hand, her eyes twinkling merrily.
"Hold your grumpy horses, I'm on my way. I'll be there in less than 10 minutes"
"You better get here in ten or I'll be forced to stuff your ass with my foot and I'm wearing stilettos so it'll be really damn painful" Katie said before pulling the phone away and tapping on the end call button.
"Oh Katie, you're still a bucket full of laughs!" April exclaimed.
Katie smirked; "I do what I can"
oOo
"We're here" Mara said meekly.
Phillip peered on the cab meter before handing the fair; "Let's get this over with" he said as he pushed the door open.
Mara scooted towards the door; "I really don't think this is a good idea..."
Phillip closed the door behind them and stared at Mara; "I don't why you're nervous but I promise you, there's no reason for you to be. You already know April and I'm sure Kate will love you, so just chill" he assured.
Mara toyed with the strap of her bag; "April will definitely give me shit for this..."
Phillip draped his arm around Mara's shoulder; "Nah, she'll be too busy staring at her husband with moony eyes"
"Jackson is also coming?" Mara asked in surprise.
"I think so, Katie invited him along"
Mara groaned; "That'll be double shit, the Avery's won't let me live this down"
Phillip laughed.
oOo
"Pinch me"
April threw Kate a confused look; "Err- why?"
"Because Phillip is heading this way and he has someone in his arms"
April swivelled on her seat to look; "Oh my god"
Kate plucked her martini from the table; "What? Do you know her?"
April's head snapped towards Kate, her eyes widening comically; "That's Mara, Mara Keaton!" she whispered.
Kate coughed; "The one that got away?" she sputtered.
April laughed; "Yeah!"
Kate opened her mouth to speak but she clamped it shut when the couple appeared by their side.
"Hey beautiful ladies" Phillip chirped happily. He then tugged Mara to his side; "I want you to meet Mara Keaton, my girlfriend"
"Oh my fucking gosh!" Kate squealed.
April grinned widely; "I knew it!"
Mara's cheeks flushed red; "Err-yeah...Hi Apes..." she said shyly.
Kate propped her hand towards Mara excitedly; "Hi, I'm Kate"
Mara accepted the hand shake; "I'm Mara"
"Can we sit down now?" Phillip joked.
"Why don't you be a doll and get Mara and yourself a drink?" April suggested.
Phillip raised his brow; "They do have waiters here right?"
"Just do what you're told, get the drink" Mara said.
Phillip pouted; "Fine. Dirty Martini?"
Mara nodded; "Thanks"
Phillip threw his friends a warning look before walking away.
Kate smiled like a Cheshire Cat; "I like you, you can sit beside me" she said while patting the empty chair beside her.
April smiled at Mara with assurance; "I think a little chitchat is due, don't ya think?" she finished with a wink.
oOo
Jackson is already cruising along I-5 when he realized he didn't know where they were supposed to meet; he cursed out loudly as he deftly hooked his phone to his car's Bluetooth system without taking his eyes off the road. "Call April"
"Please unlock the screen" Siri replied.
"Stupid phone" Jackson grumbled as he haphazardly pressed his thumb on it.
"Calling April, please wait"
Jackson waited, it took 4 rings before his wife picked up his call; "April, where are you?"
"Hey Jackman, where at Tavern 21, are you joining us?"
"I'm planning to, am I still welcome?" Jackson asked as he switched lanes.
"Of course! I've got a surprise for you"
"What surprise?"
"You'll find out once you get here"
"Fine, I'll be there in 15"
"Don't rush, we're not going anywhere and please do drive safely"
"I will babe, see you in 15"
"See ya! Bye!"
Jackson tapped on the screen of his phone, a contented smile pasted on his lips.
oOo
Kate made a face as she watched his friend fawn over Mara; "You guys are making me puke" she said. "No offense to you Mara, I'm referring to him"
Mara grinned; "None taken"
"Looks like Jackson is joining us after all" April said as rested her hand on the back of her chair.
"Explains why you had to step out - you wanted some privacy" Phillip teased.
"I had to step out because I can't hear him with all the noise here" April replied.
Kate shot up from her perch; "Let's hit the dance floor Apes, I don't think I can stand all the sweetness in here - I might end up having diabetes before the night ends" she said with disdain.
"You're just jealous because you left you boytoy" Phillip quipped.
Kate crumpled a tissue from the table and threw it at Phillip; "Stop calling my fiancé boytoy, dumb ass!"
"Whatever you say Kate" Phillip replied with a shit eating grin.
Kate ignored her friend's statement and looped her arm around April's; "Ready to hit the floor like how we used to in VA?"
April smirked while eyeing Kate's stiletto clad feet; "Are you sure your feet can take it?"
Katie huffed; "Oh honey, these babies are made for Manolos and Louboutins"
oOo
Jackson entered the bar and started scanning the room for his wife; his brows rose when he spotted a familiar face sitting on one of the boots instead. He made his way towards them and stood beside the table; "Mara?"
Mara moved her face away from Phillip and lifted her gaze; she felt her face whole face turn beet red when she saw her best friend staring at her. "J-jackson"
Jackson switched his eyes between Phillip and Mara, his face etched with amusement; "I take it you worked things out?"
"Y-yeah..." Mara breathed out. She then sat straighter; "Jackson, meet Phillip - my boyfriend"
Jackson propped his hand towards Phillip; "I know your one of April's closest friends but Mara is my best friend - break her heart and I'll break your neck, get my drift?"
Phillip accepted the handshake and didn't flinch when Jackson squeezed his hand tightly; "Crystal man, I won't hurt Mara-ever"
"I'll take your word for it" Jackson said. He then let his features relax; "Now that we're done with that, do you guys know where my wife is?" he asked.
Phillip pointed towards the dance floor; "Over there, she's dancing with Kate"
Jackson threw Phillip a dubious look; "She's dancing?"
"Yep, why don't you go over there and ask her to dance" Mara suggested with a small smile.
Jackson braced his hands on his hips, contemplating his friend's suggestion. He turned his eyes towards the dance floor and started looking for April; he spotted her tiny form just as he noticed a man slowly gyrating his way towards his unsuspecting wife. He felt a surge of possessiveness in his chest as he stormed towards them, leaving wordlessly.
Mara noticed the whole thing; "O-oh"
"What?" Phillip asked.
"I think you better head over there and make sure nobody gets hurt"
Phillip looked confused; "Are you drunk?"
Mara started pushing Phillip; "If you don't want to help then get your ass off this chair so I can stand up"
"What are you talking about?"
Mara pointed towards the man dancing closely at April's back; "That won't bode well with Jackson, he's crazy jealous so I suggest you move."
Phillip stood up from his seat; "Do you really think he'll start trouble here?"
"I'm not sure but better safe than sorry. Will you follow him or should I?"
"Nah, stay here - we don't want to lose our table, I'll hover near them" Phillip said.
"Thank you!"
oOo
April was swaying to the music when she felt an arm slid around her waist. She immediately stiffened and started dislodging the arm away; "What are you doing? Get your hands off me!" she shrieked.
"Relax babe, it's just me" Jackson whispered as he tightened his arm around her waist.
April's body sagged with relief; "When did you arrive?" she asked.
"Just a couple of minutes ago" Jackson replied. He then started moving with the music, his front pressing tightly on April's back; "You were attracting quite an audience with the way you're swaying your hips - I'm not averse to throwing punches, you know"
April smirked and grounded her back towards Jackson; "Yeah?"
"Yeah" Jackson replied gruffly.
The music instantly changed just as Kate appeared right in front of the couple; "You made it!"
Jackson smiled; "I did"
"I'll leave you two to it, not my kind of music" Kate said with a wink before leaving.
Jackson spun April around, his arms still wound around her waist; "Hello" he said with smirk.
April snaked her arms around Jackson's neck; "Hello yourself, you're late"
"My last surgery took longer than I expected, sorry"
"Have you seen my surprise?"
Jackson looked amused; "Mara and Phillip?"
April chuckled; "Yeah, they're officially together"
"Mara just told me, I'm happy for them - it's about time, she's been alone for a long time" Jackson said.
"So is Phillip" April replied.
Jackson smiled; "There's always a perfect timing for everything" he said. His eyes then slowly travelled towards April's chest, catching a glimpse of the rings dangling from the chain; he lifted his right hand from her side and gently slipped his fingers under the chain, tugging it out of her blouse.
April lowered her eyes to her chest; "What are you doing?"
Jackson plucked the rings gingerly, running it around his fingers; "You still have this?"
"Yeah, it's been around my neck for years" April admitted.
Jackson lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting hers; "Yeah?"
April nodded; "Yeah"
A warm feeling erupted from Jackson's chest; he closed his eyes as he pressed his lips on April's forehead. "I love you April and I won't ever let you go - you're stuck with me Mrs. Avery"
April smiled; "So sure of yourself, huh?"
Jackson gathered her closer and started swaying them in time with the music; "You have no idea" he mumbled.
oOo
It was close to midnight when everybody decided to call it quits; Kate and Phillip had an early flight to catch while the three other surgeons had work the next day.
"Shoot, I need to pee!" Kate announced just as they stepped out of the bar.
Phillip rolled his eyes; "Really Kate?"
Kate scowled; "Shut it!" she snapped. She then turned her gaze towards April; "Please come with me?" she pleaded.
April pulled away from Jackson's side; "Sure, let's go"
"I'll go with you guys, I also need to use the loo" Mara said.
Jackson smirked at Mara; "So formal..." he teased.
Mara blew a raspberry at Jackson before turning on her heel.
April chuckled as she looped her arm around Kate; "Let's go Katiebear, we don't want you wetting yourself" she joked.
"Funny Aprilpoo!"
April cackled as they trailed behind Mara.
"Women, can't live with them, can't leave without them either" Phillip said.
Jackson chuckled; "I'm with you on that man"
Phillip shifted on his feet, his face turning serious; "Can I tell you something? Man to man?"
"Yeah, shoot"
"I know I'm not the position to say this but I'm saying it anyway. I consider April as one of my closest friends, she stood by me when people in FTRC didn't want anything to with me. I don't doubt your feelings towards her because I see it through your actions. I know for a fact that she loves you too because she wouldn't have dropped everything in Virginia if she didn't" Phillip paused and cleared his throat. "What I'm really trying to say is, hurt her again and I'll be on the first flight back here to pummel your face so bad people won't even recognize you once I'm done. April is my friend and I would do anything for her. I don't care about your last name and I certainly don't care that your Mara's best friend, get my drift?"
Jackson stared unflinchingly before a smile slowly crept up his lips; "Loud and clear Ryan."
Phillip offered his hand this time; "Let's shake on it then"
Jackson accepted the handshake; "I'll be expecting you to the wedding then" he said.
Phillip let his hand drop, a confused look marring his face; "Wedding?"
Jackson grinned; "I'm planning on asking April to marry me again, can I count you in?"
"But you're already married"
"We are but I'm doing it right this time, I'm giving her the wedding she deserves"
Phillip studied Jackson's face and saw how serious he was; "You better send me a bloody invitation Avery, I expect no less"
"I'll send it via certified mail through FedEx" Jackson replied.
"Count me in"
oOo
Jackson entered their room and saw April sprawled arbitrarily on the bed; "I'm done, you can use the bathroom."
April lifted her face from her pillow; "I don't think I can make it, I'm too tired" she grumbled.
"Feeling the effects of your girly drinks now?" Jackson teased.
April just groaned in response.
Jackson shook his head as he moved towards the bed; he sat down and started pulling her shoes off.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking yours shoes off"
April pulled her foot away from his grasp; "You don't have to that"
"I know but I want to" Jackson replied. He tugged on her other foot and took off her shoe; he stood up from his perch and rounded the bed. He stood by her side and started turning April to her back; he wordlessly slipped his arm under her legs and hefted her up.
"Jackson!" April yelped.
Jackson rolled his eyes as he cradled her to his chest; "I know you hate sleeping without taking a shower, so I'm taking you there."
April tried her best to wiggle out of her husband's arms but he won't budge; "Put me down, I'll walk"
Jackson ignored her protest and started steering them towards the bathroom; "Stop doing that or you'll slip"
April automatically hooked her arm around his neck, securing her into place; "Don't you dare!"
Jackson chuckled; when they reached the bathroom, he slowly lowered her feet on the floor before letting her go. "Do you need me to start the shower for you?"
"No, I can manage" April replied. She then stood on her tippy toes and kissed him on the cheek; "Thank you" she said.
Jackson smiled warmly; "You're welcome"
April turned her husband around and started pushing her towards the door; "Go to bed, I'll be there in a minute"
"Hurry up, I'm sleepy"
"I will, scoot!"
oOo
Jackson was staring at the ceiling when April entered their room; "Done?"
"Yep" April replied. She pulled the comforter on her side before crawling in; "The season is already changing, do you feel it?"
Jackson yawned; "Yeah, it's starting to be really cold..."
April scooted towards Jackson and snuggling closer; "This okay?" she asked.
Jackson shifted, pulling April to his chest; "Much better"
April rested her chin on top of his pecs, her eyes closing; "Thank you for spending time with my friends tonight, for getting to know them..."
Jackson kissed April's hair; "You're welcome. You have wonderful friends, I'm glad you have them" he said.
April hummed contentedly; "True..."
"April?"
"Hmmnnnnnn?"
"I'm serious with what I said earlier, I'm not letting you go. I'll do everything I can to deserve the second chance you gave me and I promise to be a better man" Jackson said seriously.
April lifted her head and met Jackson's gaze; she stared into his eyes and saw sincerity and love radiating from it. "I'm glad to hear that because just so you know, I'm not planning on going anywhere too, we'll work on this together - me and you."
Jackson pecked April's lips; "It will always be me and you" he said with a smile.
April reverted back to her earlier position and closed her eyes; "Let's go to sleep, we still have work tomorrow. Good night Jackson, love you"
Jackson's smile widened; "Night, love you too" he replied. That night when sleep claimed him, he dreamt of April wearing white, standing in a field full of wild flowers and butterflies.
oOo
A/N: In case you guys are wondering, I'M STILL ALIVE! :) How ya'll been? I know - I'm horrible, I made you wait TOO long again. So just to compensate for it, tadah - a whopping 14.7k chapter! :)
Some of you requested to know more about April's friends from VA so here it is! I never really intended to create the Mara/Phillip side story before but I just couldn't resist! Mara has been alone far too long and she's been a good friend to Jackson so I decided to give her a little something :) Next chapter is none existent at the moment, I'm still working an outline on where I want the story to head, hopefully I'll be able to wrap up the kinks and start writing this week, please be patient with me :)
I'm not gonna blabber much on this note because I pretty much exhausted my vocabulary for this baby (again, 14.7k - nosebleed, whew!LOL)
Same drill lovelies, hit the review button and tell me what you think, you know I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! Till next chapter, cheers!
PS: Thank you to all my faithful reviewers, you know who you are! Much love! xOxO