Authors note
l am new here and appreciate you reading, liking, and following the fanfic. I wrote this because I love the Japril fandom, Japriet, and Sasse friendship, so please enjoy it.
At the hospital
Jackson arrives at the hospital, spots a sleeping April first, and decides not to interrupt her. Richard comes up to him with his hands on his waist. "Where have you been?"
"I overslept!" Jackson says, not wanting to hear a lecture, already feeling guilty.
"Do you have any idea the scene your ex-wife nearly caused because you weren't here? She had three of our nurses running around like headless chickens! Please, from now on, only you deal with her. She has a temper on her that has people running away!"
Richard says as they walk together to Matthews OR.
"Okay, I will deal with her myself! How is Matthew?" He asks.
Richard sighs, "Son, I won't lie to you, it's looking bad. Matthew has a lot of 3rd-degree burns. The only good thing I can say is at least his face was not burned. We managed to get him stable, but..." Not looking forward to the task at hand and fearing having to face April and Harriet when all is said and done, Jackson walks into the OR with Richard...
Hours later, he comes out of the OR, his hands feeling numb as he had scrubbed them raw, trying to buy himself time not to face April because what he saw was not good.
He's not sure if Matthew will survive. He's stable for now and sleeping under heavy sedation, and Jackson worries about the pain he will be in when he wakes up. With heavy feet, he walks to where he left April...
A couple of days later, Jackson sits by Matthew's bedside, needing a moment of peace and worries about when he finally wakes up again for the next phase. He has hardly slept for days, refusing to leave his side, terrified about what could happen if he did.
Jackson thinks back to the look on April's face when he had to tell her what happened and decides to get himself a glass of water instead.
"mhmm." He hears a moan and nearly drops his glass. He looks over at Matthew, who has his eyes open...
"How are you doing today?" Jackson asks Matthew, who doesn't look at him.
"How long do I have?" He asks, cutting to the heart of the matter.
"I.."
"I can barely keep my eyes open half the time, and most of the time that I am awake, I only have you for company, so please don't waste that time stuttering or lying to me, tell me how long I have!"
"I don't know we are doing everything humanly possible to help, but... I'm the only one here most of the time, and that's because it's technically my hospital, everyone else..."
"I understand," Matthew says, cutting him off. Jackson spots tears coming out of his eyes and looks away to give him privacy.
"I don't know if I'll see April again, and I need you to tell her..."
"Wait, you don't have to.."
"Listen, Jackson, I may be lying on a hospital bed, but that does not make me stupid, and I need-" Matthew struggles to get his next words out and attempts to sit up.
"Take it easy. You can't sit up yet." Jackson restrains him gently, and Matthew gives up his strength failing him.
Jackson notices him sweating and feels his forehead, his temperature too high he turns to call for a nurse.
"Nurse!" Nurse!" But no one comes and turns back to help Matthew himself...