I do not own any characters, plots, or anything else pertaining to "Grey's Anatomy". This chapter will feature Jackson trying to give April space for her to "move on". Will a twist of fate make him reevaluate everything? As always, thanks for following/favoriting and commenting.

Chapter 4

Twist of Fate

Jackson makes his way out of the OR after his first successful plastic surgery procedure of the day. He has a full schedule and hopes he can keep his focus for the rest of the day. Jackson scrubs out and walks into the busy hallway. He hopes he doesn't run into her today. After last night, he knows there's no way of helping April. She had made it clear that she didn't want his help, something he had never expected her to say. Jackson shakes his head, trying to banish all thoughts of April out of his mind. She had shut him out and he needs to respect that.

He sighs to himself, as he makes his way down the hallway, and towards the cafeteria. Jackson looks at his watch, noting that he only has a half hour, before he has to report for his next surgery in the OR. When he reaches the cafeteria's double doors, he walks quickly up to the line. Just as he looks ahead of him to see how long he'll have to wait, the double doors open loudly behind him. He turns and sees a frantic looking Arizona running towards him. The look of utter fear within her eyes makes his blood run cold. He's seen that look before, many times in the OR. Sometimes patients had it and other times it was their families. When she reaches him, which seems like hours, but he knows is only moments, she rests her hands on both his arms. "You need to come with me quick." Jackson stares at her dumbfounded for a few seconds, his mind picturing the two most important people in his life. He tries to push down his fears that are threatening to swallow him whole. "There was an accident…Harriet's okay, but April…" He feels his heart stop. "The force of impact…we lost her for a few minutes…" Jackson doesn't wait to hear the rest, instead he runs out of the cafeteria, and towards the ER on the other side of the hospital.

He's running so fast, he nearly collides into a few gurneys, but he still makes it to the ER in record time. Jackson feels his heart pounding, as he rushes through the double doors, and quickly scans the crowded room. It takes him a few extra seconds to spot her, but he finally sees her, lying on a gurney. His breath catches, as he takes in the full extent of her injuries. The top of her body is in a cast, her arm is broken, and her left leg is in a cast. Her head is also bandaged, signaling brain damage. The sight is straight out of his nightmares, one he has never wanted to come to light.

As he stands there in the middle of the chaotic ER, everything else falls away except her. April: his person, the mother of his children, the only woman he's ever really loved, lying completely lifeless in a hospital bed. Jackson feels like a knife is being twisted through his heart, just as he feels someone's hand on his shoulder. "Avery, I'm sorry we couldn't do more." Jackson barely registers the voice, but he knows it's Owen. It takes him a few moments to turn to face the man, but when he finally does, he sees the sadness within his eyes. Jackson knows that Owen has been a mentor to April and that he was also the one who had encouraged her to go to Jordan. To leave him behind in his grief. At first, he had blamed Owen, and resented him for taking April away from him after she left. It took him a long time to come to terms with the fact that it had been April's choice to go, to leave him. Jackson's thoughts are cleared from his mind, as Owen's voice breaks through the space between them. "When the paramedics called in and said that one of our own had been involved in a hit and run accident, I couldn't believe that it was April. We did everything we could to treat her head injury, but it was too extensive. Amelia did an MRI and the scans showed that the impact from the accident put her into a coma. I'm sorry I don't have better news." Jackson feels the tears welling up within his eyes, as his mind snaps to his other favorite person. "Harriet?" Owen gives him a ghost of a smile. "She's doing alright, but she has a few bumps and bruises. Alex has her under observation in Peds, just to be safe." Jackson takes a sharp breath in, trying to steady himself.

He feels the tears start running down his cheeks and hates that he's showing his emotions so openly. Growing up, his mom had always told him to suppress his emotions in public, especially at hospital functions in front of her colleagues. Jackson had thought that emotion was weakness and has lived by that idea ever since. He feels Owen's hand grip his shoulder. "I'll keep you updated on her condition, go see Harriet." Jackson gives Owen a nod, before forcing himself to finally move out of the ER, and towards the elevators at the end of the hallway. He wipes the tears from his eyes, ignoring the sympathetic stares from his colleagues. Jackson doesn't need that right now. What he needs is April to wake up and to see Harriet.

As he reaches the elevator, he hits the button to go up. Jackson wonders if the last conversation they'll ever have will be from the night before. The thought makes his heart ache, as the elevator dings open. He steps in and is glad that it's empty. Jackson needs time to process everything before he sees Harriet. He knows that's what April would want. Jackson takes a shaky breath and rubs the back of his neck. He thinks about sharing the elevator with April all those years ago. He had gone out and bought her the biggest ring he could find. Jackson had wanted her to know how much she had meant to him, how much he loved her. He smiles sadly at the memory of giving her the ring and her telling him that she hadn't needed that big ring because that wasn't why she had married him. She had gone on to say that she'd have been happy wearing a shoe string on her finger, as long as she was with him. The next morning, she had made sure to tell him in the elevator, how much she had loved, and appreciated the ring. How much she had loved him.

The elevator dings again and Jackson steps out. He spots Alex standing by the nurse's station and rushes towards him. "Karev, how is she?" Alex looks up from his chart and he can see the sympathy in his eyes. "She's fine, Avery. She's been asking for you and April." Jackson's heart stops at his words. He wonders what he's going to do this without her, how he's going to raise their daughter on his own. The thought makes a shiver run down his spine. "Thanks for taking care of her." Alex gives him a nod back. "It's my job, Avery, but you're welcome." With that, Jackson walks down the hallway to the Nic U. He stops just outside the door and gathers himself for a moment. Jackson wipes away the tears from his eyes and opens the door. He spots his beautiful daughter sleeping in her little bed on the other side of the room and he can't help but smile. Jackson makes his way over to her and hears her little snores filling the air. As he watches her, he sees her little nose scrunch up in her sleep. His heart aches at the memory of April doing the same thing in her sleep. Jackson hopes that she comes out of her coma because they both need her and always will.