Notes: So some more life changing discoveries, news and Jackson finds out the big news. Same as before this is a story where April and Jackson are the main characters. Some details are changed and some are the ones that were in the show. There are probably some grammar mistakes so… Just enjoy and always comment if you have any ideas, opinions etc, but please no hate.
JACKSON AVERY, THE SAME MOMENT
I am literally shocked and scared. I never thought that April could be capable of having such items. My sweet and nice April is turning out to be entirely someone I didn't know at all. As I watch Eileen with all the maps and a duffle bag that is apparently full of I don't know what. I know that what is going to happen is going to be tough and not only for me. It is going to be hard for everyone: me, herself and everyone who has interacted with her. I would have never imagined that behind sweet exterior is such a woman. Not only does she care about herself, but she does it for everyone who surrounds us. She is a lot more than exterior shows. She might seem sweet and shy, but behind all of it is a woman full of surprises.
Some of them I had a chance to see during earlier days of our marriage. There are actually a couple specific moments when she managed to seriously surprise me. First of them was when I got to know that she knows how to speak several languages. One evening when I got home from work I saw her watching a tv series in Hebrew. To say I was shocked is an understatement. It came out that April knows how to speak some kind of Eastern European language, English, Hebrew, Arabian, German and Russian. Even after that I didn't see those skills a lot. When I asked why she didn't use those skills more often she said to me that she didn't learn those to make money, she learned them because she had a chance to do it and a need to do it. She never did it with a purpose to earn something or show them out publicly. In retroscape those were very smart words. I heard her speak some of them only a couple of times and only when she met people who spoke those languages too. What else is funny and weird is that she never bought books in these languages. She only borrowed some of them from the library and if I remember correctly there were a few books she got from a family who lives near Seattle. She was very excited about visiting that family. They were from the same nation as she was. Every day there is not a chance to speak with another person from the same nation. The country has a population of close to one million. She is like a needle in a haystack.
Secondly, she was very good at shooting and in activities that required being precise with any kind of weapons. In everyday life she had no way to put a use to that skill, but in amusement parks it was a damn good one. She won a lot of prizes. I have to admit that I got my own fair part of these as well.
Thirdly, she knew a lot about laws that involved war veterans. At first I didn't know that, but during the early days of our marriage I got to know that when she was a lot younger and I mean like 17 or 18 she was a part of the United States Marines. A big part of me was shocked. I would have never imagined April as a soldier. She is usually sweet and nice to everyone and compassionate. In my opinion she is not a person who is suitable for war. Unfortunately after that short conversation we never talked about it again or more precisely she never wanted to talk about it again.
As I come out of my thoughts and memories I join the other 3 who are watching the map. The map is about the Middle-East, more specifically Pakistan and Afghanistan. There are sticky notes on it with a foregin language and photos with faces I haven't seen. I assume she probably wanted to hide it from me and everyone else. I am very much aware that privacy is very important to her, but I think I have to dig more deeper into her past and mind. At the end of the day it might help me to understand her better. See where she is coming from. See what is behind her actions and reasons.
I ask Charles if he can understand what is written on these sticky notes and to my luck he says yes, he does. So he starts by telling everything that is on the notes. It is mostly information about everything that might be necessary for life and staying alive. Charles and Chris both look at the pictures that were pinned into the map. When they watch one of the last pictures on it they're faces suddenly get more serious. It instantly concerns me, but when they try to brush it off if I ask. I press more and more until they say that it is a photo of a war criminal who is in the Interpol's most wanted list. He is a terrorist who has done a lot of bad in Middle-East and Africa. He tortured people by whipping them and throwing water on people's faces while a piece of cloth covered their face. I realize that he is a very cruel person, but the big question is how April and they know him? And this is the question that I want to get an answer to, preferably as soon as possible. As they didn't talk about it themselves nor they didn't seem to want to do it. I try camly ask how they know him? But I got a shocking answer. They both said in unison that they don't want to talk about it. We can do it perhaps later in the future. After an unexpected answer I just try to respect their answer. It is the least I can do at the moment although I have a feeling that the answer is not a pleasant one. Currently the room is filled with tension and I mean an unpleasant one. In a weird way no one's doing anything to get rid of it or minimize that.
So I try to take a risk by changing the subject. I ask if we are going to open the duffel bag or not. Luckily they agree with me and the tension begins to disappear. Inside of it is the least logical thing I would have never expected: money. There are rolls with different coupures and currencies. There are bigger and smaller coupures. There are euros, dollars, swiss francs, israelian new shekels and the rest I have never seen before. To me it doesn't make any sense. Why is there so much money in the apartment? Where did she even got the money? April is not a big spender, but even to her it is a large amount of money.
More and more it seems that something is going on and I need to figure it out. I need to help her even if she does everything that I couldn't. It seems like everything is changing. Even the facts I was sure before have changed with last weeks. In one moment I was about to get divorced and now I am trying to hunt and help April. I don't know exactly what I feel. But I can say that I feel and think about everything at the same time.
APRIL KEPNER, NEXT DAY
In order to get out of here safely and quickly I came to the conclusion that I need help. Help from someone who is not after me in other aspects of my life. Of course I would like to share it with Jackson. I believe he would help and listen to me, but I can't rely on him anymore. That train is gone. I can't turn back time. I have to go forward and not look back. Doing that will not make me any good.
Finally, the only one who I can think would be by my side and loyal is Tarjei but there is a big "but". He has seen and experienced some of the darkest sides of war. He has seen what an enemy does to an enemy soldier. He has suffered so much because of the Middle-East. Some of it has been partially because of me. But to my defence, at that moment I didn't know that the result would be what it was. I was trying to make the best decision for all sides of the story. But it turned out, it only made it worse.
I make my way to the telephone tube that is on the other side of the city. It is best if my locations are not close together. I walk to the telephone tube. It gives me the possibility to think and just be calm. I think about Jackson and my divorce. I would like to know what is happening there. Divorce needs to be finalized before the storm begins. I know that me being here does it. Jackson doesn't need to be part of that because it wouldn't do anything good.
I finally reached the telephone tube. I press the number and then wait. Unfortunately it says that the line is occupied. Immediately the worst thoughts come to my mind. Who would call there? What is going on? Are they after me? I decided to wait and call back a little bit later. It is the best option I can currently think about.
To spend a little bit of time I decided to go to the kiosk that is a block away and on a very strong urge to buy some chocolate. I need it. So I eat the bar of chocolate and walk back to the telephone tube.
I dial the number and it immediately picks up. In my mind I thank god for that. I immediately asked Tarjei why the line was occupied. Right after my question he starts telling me that I am in a very deep shit and I need to come back. As an answer to that I don't know what else to but let out a dry laugh. The situation is not under my control anymore. It seems like I am torn between two very hard and also good options. So the best thing I can do is to do everything at the same time and later start cleaning the aftermath. I know it seems weird and confusing, but I have no idea what else to do.
After gathering myself I tell him that the situation has changed. Someone from the past knows I am here. After a couple seconds of silence he tells me that I now need to come back. The situation is out of control and you might get more hurt than necessary. As an answer I tell him straight that I already have experienced more pain than needed. The lives that I have ruined whether I intended or not. Mistakes and choices have been made and now it is time to love with these.
I can already imagine his answer. Yelling at me to stop talking such crap and pull yourself together and think straight, but he says the opposite I predicted. He tells me to go ahead and do what I believe is right. He stays behind my back and will help me if I need anything. The only word that comes out of my mouth is thanks. I don't know what else to say. He is one of few who has had such a strong belief in me.
Though after gathering myself I ask him if it would be possible that he would send me cash. He immediately asked where he should get that money. After weighing the pros and cons, I tell him to go to an apartment in Seattle and there is a bag under the main bed with money. He can get a key from a friend of mine who works at the hospital. I tell her that you come and need a key. After that we continued conversation with lighter topics and I made him a promise to call again soon.
JACKSON AVERY, TWO WEEKS LATER
My worries about April are starting to get more and more torturous. During that time there hasn't happened anything notable. I tried to get in touch with Tarjei. The number Charles gave me leads to some kind of Mexican bar in the Yucatan peninsula. The lady who answered told me that she doesn't know anyone named Tarjei. Of course after that I asked Charles about the number and he told me that Tarjei told him that he doesn't want to get involved in what is happening. After telling me that he did something completely unexpected. He admitted that probably Tarjei is deep inside and on April's side. He had again tried to push Charles to sign papers and do other things. It seems to me that Tarjei is hiding something from me like Arizona.
I tried to talk to her about April and ask questions. At first she was weirdly nice and polite, when I started asking more specific questions something went wrong. After that she has been avoiding me like a plague. So now I know that she knows something. Why hasn't she told me? I completely understand that Arizona is one of April's friends here in Seattle. But overall I don't understand why everything has to be so hard. Why can't life be easy? Why does it have to be so complicated?
Currently I am sitting in a lab prepping stuff I need with my patients. Everything has been quiet until Arizona comes in. We start by changing pleasantries. She asks simple questions from me like how have I been and everything certain. All seems alright about our conversation until she tells me shocking words. April's pregnant. As an answer to that I just ask her, why is she telling me this? She tells me that before leaving, April told her about pregnancy and gave her instructions on how to get in touch with her, but now when she tried no one picked up. So she thought that it would be better if she told the truth because her life might be in danger. The country has been known as a huge war and conflict zone for a couple of decades. She also tells me that a man called him and asked for a key to get into April's apartment. She admitted that it seemed very suspicious and wrong. They had agreed to meet next to a coffee stand in Wilmar's park today evening.
Right now it is early morning. So I have to delegate some of my work and cancel a surgery. Currently April and the mess that is surrounding her is more important than a one delayed fat sucking. So I tell Arizona that I am coming with her for safety and maybe it brings some new news about April. She seems even a little bit delighted if I am not mistaken. After all of that she unexpectedly apologizes to me for avoiding me and lying at the first time. Of course I accept her apology. There is nothing else that I can do. Keeping hostility is not a solution. We work together every day side by side in this hospital. By not doing it I can make life a lot harder. She probably didn't have a very big say on what she can or can't do. So much I still know April.
After she left me alone in the lab I just stared at the wall. I just feel very pissed at April. She makes the most irrational choices that can be made. It seems as if she is running away from someone or doing it because of some sort of other reason. I wish I knew what to do in order to help and I really want to help. It is well known that April is tough as nails. She has been through a lot over the years. Firing, failing boards, death, disliking and so on and on.
I have to pull myself together in order to get through a work day. During the day I do my job: deal with patients and paperwork. Over the years I have gotten pretty good at it. After work and multiple interactions with coworkers who are nothing but quiet. I would say they are nosy. Firstly, Meredith who is curious about my status with April. Multiple times she tries to ask about it. How's April? Do you happen to know where she is? What is happening? In the end I almost explode, but in the end I manage to keep myself calm and tell politely that I am not going to discuss it with her and my personal life is not her business. At the end of the conversation it seemed that she understood me. Secondly, Ben, who keeps asking quietly about my status. Am I single then or not? What is going on with that side? He does it almost invisibly, but I still feel it. Thirdly of course my mother who has unexpectedly arrived in Seattle. In my opinion the reason for her visit is that a little bird named Richard has told her about my mess with April.
Right now I am avoiding her as long as possible. I would like to meet Tarjei first and then have a conversation with my mother. I arrived at the meeting place 15 minutes before it was supposed to take place. After looking around myself I sat down on a nearby table. Right after doing that I immediately start looking around. Only a couple minutes before the correct time Arizona joins me. Shortly after she tells me that he knows that she comes alone and he will find her himself. As an answer to that I just nod with my head.
Right on time a man sits behind our table. He looks like a totally normal local for a person in most northern countries in Europe except for the scars on his face and hand. He has decent clothes and a lean body. He is not someone you would normally think is an actor behind the dark curtains. He has light skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. The man puts his elbows on the table and puts his hands on the table crossed. I looked at him and I was almost ready to move to another table when he suddenly started talking.
He tells us that you must be Jackson and Arizona while pointing a finger while saying each name. He continues by saying that his name is Tarjei and then asking for the key to get to the apartment. To that request I answer by putting him in front of an ultimatum: answer the questions I have and get the key or not doing it and not getting the key.
He immediately doesn't look at me, but looks around. I tell him that we have the whole night if necessary. After a couple seconds of silence he agrees. I start by asking if he knows where April is? He looks at me like I am a witch or a ghost but he tells me that he knows that April is in Afghanistan.
As a next question I ask him why? He looks at me like I am stupid and then rolls his eyes. He tells me that she is there because of the Armed Forces service she was in because of what happened then.
After all of that I just ask him how to get in touch with her. He straight after that tells me there is no way this is going to happen. Great, so now I have to convince him. So I decided to be honest. It seems to work with people like him.. I tell him the honest truth about what has happened and what I know. I told him about what happened in the lawyer's office, about the book and video, about what they told me about him and April. In the end I share with him the biggest game changer: pregnancy.
He looks at me like he is very surprised, but then he tucks his hand in one of the pockets on his grey jacket. He takes out a piece of paper and puts it in front of me on the table. I take it and see numbers. It seems like a phone number. At least the code that comes first belongs to Afghanistan. To confirm my opinion I ask him if this is a phone number. As an answer to that he gives me a nod.
As a last question I ask him why he is here. He tells us that April asked him to go and get something for her. I immediately get a hunch about what it could be. It has to be the money. It can't be anything else. So I ask him if he is looking for some money. His face goes within seconds from being a little bit similey to dead serious. He tells me how I know it. Great, now I also have to mention money. So I do it and in the end I see from his face that it has gotten way too serious than he would like. Finally he tells me that April told him to get the cash and send it to her.
It sounds confusing to me. How to send cash? And I ask him that. He told me that he would use Hawala. I have no idea what it is but now there is even a bigger question. What to do next? Should I let him send the money or not?
