March

April sat on the couch, trying to look like she didn't care about anything going on. Dr. Tanner sat opposite of her, just staring at April, immediately reading her stance. "So, April, your father thought you could benefit from therapy."

"I think I'm fine." April told her with an attitude and a nod.

Dr. Tanner crossed her legs, studying her face, trying to look as sympathetic as possible, having seen this time and time again. "You lost your mother." April just didn't say anything to her. "I understand that you think you're better off without this session, but I'm here to listen." She shrugged, April finally making eye contact with her. "I don't even have to offer you advice."

That's when April got a thoughtful look on her face before leaning forward to see her face better. "Have you ever had someone tell you they love you, but then they feel too guilty to be with you or around you?"

Dr. Tanner gave her a confused look, wondering just what she was talking about since this obviously wasn't about her mom, but she was willing to play along. "I can't say I have."

"Well," April spoke, straightening up a little. "That pain on top of the pain of losing your mother is the worst possible thing that could happen to you."

Dr. Tanner was intrigued, but she told April she was going to listen, not offer any advice, just listen to what she had to say. That's what she really needed right now. Maybe she could move up to offering advice if April continued with the therapy. "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

April sat there for a moment, looking at her. Maybe she would be able to benefit from someone listening to what she had to say. Hell, she might even like it. As she looked at Dr. Tanner, she knew that she couldn't go out and tell her father or the press what had happened. She had patient/client privilege. Maybe this really was the best person to talk to about everything that had happened in the past year. An outside ear. "Dr. Tanner," she began, knowing she was going to have to start this one from the very beginning. "Do you know why my secret service detail calls me 'showers'?"

April held her purse as it rested on her shoulder in the waiting room as the memory of her first visit here played through her head. She was bouncing up and down, hoping no one would notice her especially since she had asked Jones to wait outside in the car for her. This was just not something a person in the limelight should be seen doing. Going to therapy. The door to the hallway of offices opened up and Dr. Tanner peaked her head through. "April?"

April smiled at her, pulling her hat down so no one else would notice her as she got up and hugged her therapist. "Come on in." Dr. Tanner spoke, touching her back to guide her to her office. As April walked, she noticed all the paintings. She hadn't been here in months, thinking she was fine, but the moment she woke up on her twenty-first birthday, she just felt…odd.

When she was finally guided into Dr. Tanner's room, she went straight to the couch as she shut the door. April sat down, taking her hat off and putting her purse down to her right as she sat on the middle cushion. Dr. Tanner got her paperwork set as April pressed her legs together while putting her hands on her knees, refusing to get comfortable. When Dr. Tanner finally looked up at her, April gave her a slight smile. "April, I was surprised to get a call from you for an emergency session since I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?"

"Um," April spoke while rubbing her knees, she had learned a long time ago that there was no lying to Dr. Tanner. "I've been better."

"How are you holding up after your grandmother? I know that was tough on you."

April let out a long sigh before rubbing her knees again. That was the last time she had seen Dr. Tanner. Right before she left for her grandmother's funeral in December. "I've been taking it okay, but today just feels different."

"What do you mean?" She asked, putting her clipboard almost all the way to the side.

"I don't know. With it being my birthday today I just feel…"

"Guilty?" She guessed since April didn't say anything. She turned out to be right since April nodded. "That's natural to feel guilty for celebrating after bad things have happened. It is your birthday though, April. Your twenty-first! You're allowed to celebrate and be happy."

April smiled a little before nodding. "I just wish my mom was here."

Dr. Tanner gave her a light smile. "I know, honey." April played with her cloud necklace, Dr. Tanner noticing it immediately. "How's Mike doing?"

April seemed to perk up a little at the mention of his name. "He's fine. He moved out yesterday. I helped him."

"And how did Leah take that?"

"She was at work." April looked down a little. "She moved out the day before and someone bought their house today."

"Do you think you two are going to get back together?"

April shrugged, a small smile growing on her face. "I don't know. The divorce still isn't finalized. They're waiting on the last bit of paperwork which could take months to sort out."

Dr. Tanner nodded. She knew, like everyone else who saw April talk about him, that they were in love. Not just some puppy love either that she saw so often in her office. Genuine love. She hadn't even met Mike, but she shipped it. Just like everyone around them, she shipped it. She wasn't going to let April know that. That would be completely unprofessional. She was rooting for them though. "So, what are you doing for your birthday?"

Mike had been drenched with sweat after moving all the heavy stuff by himself. He wasn't going to ask April for her help again. It was her birthday. She should be relaxing. Besides, her strength wouldn't be much help. She was more of a master packer. She showed her packing skills off well yesterday, expertly fitting tons of things into one box.

Mike looked around at the place, most of the things placed where he wanted them, about to call it quits when he heard a knock on the door. He looked around, knowing hardly anyone knew where his new place was. He slowly moved to the door, wondering who was there, but when he looked through the peephole, he got a huge smile on his face. "You've gotta be shitting me."

He opened up the door, giving the woman and the man a bright smile. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

The skinny redheaded woman walked in without waiting for an invitation. "Can't a mother come see her son while he's going through a move?"

Mike leaned forward, hugging her tight before planting a kiss on her cheek. He then looked to his brother trailing behind their mom. "More like Mum got nosy and wanted more information about the divorce."

Mike rolled his eyes with a large smile on his face before breaking out of the hug with his mom to hug his little brother. "So what?" Mike asked as he broke off the hug. "You two just climbed on a plane to help me move and find out about my divorce?"

"Well, it's been long enough, dear." His mom spoke, her thick Irish accent coming out in every syllable as she inspected the place. She turned back to her sons after taking in the place for a few seconds. "I like it."

Mike smiled, about to say more, but then he remembered one important thing about tonight. "Oh crap."

"What?" Daniel asked, almost freezing where he stood.

"April's birthday is tonight." He whispered out, wondering what he was going to do with his mother and brother during that time frame.

"The 'April Asher'?" His mother asked, Mike rolling his eyes slightly, knowing she was about to get even more nosy than before. "The President's daughter? The woman you can't stop talking about 'April Asher'?"

"Yeah." Mike spoke, pulling out his phone and going to April's number without even looking up at them. "That's the one."

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked, leaning against his wall. That's when Mike got a good look at what he was wearing. He had on a dark leather jacket, a white shirt and dark blue jeans along with combat boots. Since when did his brother dress as dark as their hair color?

"Calling April." Mike was still distracted by his brother's new clothes when he heard a familiar, "Hey," on the other line.

April was out for lunch after her meeting with her therapist. Megan sat with her as she sipped on a sangria, smiling at the fact that Mike had called her after his early birthday wish this morning. She was also feeling just a little tipsy. "Mike, what's up?"

Megan gave her a flirty face once she found out who she was talking to. Megan didn't want to admit it, but she was also tipsy. "Hey," Mike spoke, a little worried about what she was going to say. "Is it okay if I bring someone to your birthday tonight?"

April was in shock. "Bringing someone" usually meant someone you were trying to sleep with. "Um," April didn't know what to tell him. She thought that once the divorce was finalized, they were gonna work on getting back together. That was the deal. That had always been the deal. April looked to Megan even if she couldn't hear the conversation., not knowing what to tell him. "I guess."

"Are you sure?" Mike was pacing in his new apartment, worried for what all she was going to say. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

April scoffed. Now he was worrying about how she felt. "Yeah, Mike." She spoke sassily. "It's fine."

"Okay." Mike was confused by the way she was acting. He didn't find anything wrong with what he asked. He was worrying about how she felt on her birthday. Maybe she was just stressed out with all the party planning. She would be better tonight. "I'll see you tonight."

"See you tonight." She spoke blandly before hanging up, completely irritated with Mike Banning.

When she turned to look at Megan, about to tell her everything that just happened she had her finger up. "Hold on." Megan spoke, April giving her a confused face. That's when their waiter came over with fresh sangrias to replace their finished ones. April smiled as Megan pointed to her. "Take a sip and then talk."

April was walking around the party room of the bar, sipping on her drink. Her father insisted that he paid for the first drink of the night. As the night went on, though, more people offered to buy her drinks as it was her twenty-first birthday. Now, she had to admit that she was drunk.

She walked around aimlessly, noticing everyone having fun, but all she wanted was to talk to Mike. She wanted to see who he was bringing to her birthday party. Mostly, she wanted to see if she was prettier than her. It was an hour into her party and Mike still hadn't shown up. She was starting to get irritated and honestly a little worried. That's when Mike walked through the door.

Her face completely lit up as she hurried to the door, practically throwing herself into his arms. Ben watched nervously, wondering if the two were still seeing each other secretly, but Mike was the only one noticing he was watching. When she pulled away, she gave him a big smile. "About time you showed up."

Mike really studied her, noticing she wasn't standing too good by herself and almost slurring her words. "Are you drunk?" He whispered.

She leaned in a little bit, laughing the whole time. "As a skunk."

"Oh my god." Mike whispered as he pulled away from her, putting an arm around her so she wouldn't fall over. "Mum, Daniel, I would like you to meet April Asher."

April straightened up after she heard that. The "someone" Mike wanted to bring to her party wasn't someone he wanted to sleep with, it was his mom and little brother he thought the world of. "It's so nice to finally meet you." The redhead spoke as she moved forward, giving her a huge hug. April hugged back feeling extremely awful for being so rude to Mike earlier.

When she pulled apart from his mother, she looked to his little brother. "You must be Daniel."

April moved toward him, not knowing the proper etiquette for this. Hug him or shake his hand? "Rock Star talked about me?"

Daniel moved in for the hug, April happy she didn't have to make the decision. She was honestly too drunk for that. "All the time."

Daniel moved to her ear, whispering, "Trust me, dear, he talks about you more."

April giggled as they pulled apart, Mike looking to the two in confusion. "What did he say to you?"

Daniel laughed at his brother while shaking his head. "Don't worry about it, Rock Star."

April looked to Mike, hearing that nickname for the second time since the three had arrived. "What's that nickname for?"

"Nothing." Mike answered quickly as the other Bannings began to laugh.

"When Michael was little," his mom began as Mike immediately shut his eyes. This was not a story he wanted April to know. Also, she had just called him "Michael". "He would dance around our whole flat to rock songs while belting them at the top of his lungs."

April automatically began to laugh at the story, Mike shutting his eyes from embarrassment. "Okay," Mike said, putting his hand on April's back. "I'm gonna steal the birthday girl for a moment, you guys can mingle, get a drink, whatever you want."

"Oh, don't worry about us, Rock Star." April immediately laughed at what Daniel had to say, making Mike hurry her off even quicker.

"I love your family." April whispered to Mike as they sat down at the bar. Mike gave her an irritated look, April suddenly remembering why she was mad at him. "Hey," she almost shouted, taking Mike off guard when she punched him in the arm. "You told me you were bring someone to my party."

Mike looked confused. "I did bring someone."

"Mike," April spoke slowly, grabbing his hand to let him know she was serious. "When you tell someone that you're 'bringing someone' to their party, it usually means you're trying to sleep with them."

Mike looked at her for a moment before giving her a scoff. "Please, Asher, the only one I want to sleep with is you."

April slowly gave him a big smile, wondering why she was so worried about that in the first place. She knew Mike was hers. He always would be even if they weren't together. April was really starting to sober up now. Now that Mike was here.

Their moment was completely ruined when Troy pushed his way between the two to get to the bar, both Mike and April were visibly annoyed. "Guys, I have a birthday toast coming in just a little bit if you want to get to the main room." They both nodded as Troy gave April a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

When he ran off, the two watched him walk off, knowing he was probably more intoxicated than April. "Marry that boy tonight." Mike spoke as April laughed. "He's a keeper."

"Yeah," April scoffed as she got off from her seat and the two started walking to the main room. "Seriously. One hundred percent. The rest of the party is going to take place in a chapel."

Mike rolled his eyes at her as the two made it into the party room. Everyone around was mingling with each other. Megan and O'Neil. Daniel and Roma. The one that was taking them both by surprise was April's father and Mike's mother. The two of them turned their heads to the side at that sight. That was something neither of them expected.

"Can I get everyone's attention?" Troy asked, standing in the middle of the room, all the conversations dying around them. "Thank you." Troy then turned his attention to April, getting a big smile on his face. "April, I love you." She smiled a little bit at him as Mike just rolled his eyes while taking a swig of his beer. He couldn't do this toast sober. "And I want to tell you happy birthday and give you your present in front of all of your friends and family." April turned her head to the side, wondering what was so important that she had to have it now.

That's when Troy got on one knee while pulling out a ring, everyone around gasping as fear filled April's eyes and Mike had to spit out the beer that was in his mouth. "April Asher, will you marry me?"

The room had gotten insanely quiet, just waiting on her answer. She looked to Troy on the ground, her father across the room, Megan as she stood there with her mouth gaping and then Mike standing right next to her, his eyes a mixture of emotions. She finally looked back to Troy, taking a deep breath before finally speaking in almost a whisper. "Can we talk about this privately?"

Whispers immediately took over the crowd, but April couldn't stop looking at that ring. Troy slowly got off of his knee and when he did, April snapped out of her daze, taking Troy by the hand and pulling him into the smaller party room, shutting the door behind them even if the door was almost nothing but windows. Everyone made a crowd around the door, trying to listen as best as they could, but Mike just continued to stand there, still in shock. Tonight, April could not be his anymore.

April was pacing as Troy stood there, waiting for her to start speaking. "What is it? Do you not like the ring?"

"No." April spoke, still pacing. "It's nothing about the ring."

"Then what is it?"

April finally stopped, looking to him like he was insane. "Maybe the fact that we've barely been together for a year and you're asking me to marry you."

"April," Troy tried, but April was too hyped up for him to talk.

"Or maybe the fact that everyone here is watching us." She then moved to the door, hitting one of the windows, everyone scattering after that, but obviously still looking over to what was going on.

"You love me, don't you?"

April looked to him, going to her go-to answer, but she stopped. Did she really love Troy or love the fact that she could have an out-in-the-open relationship with him? "I," April just couldn't find herself to finish that sentence. She didn't love him. Not really.

"Unbelievable." Troy spoke while rolling his eyes at her. "So, I pour my heart and soul out to you and you don't even love me."

April scoffed. "You hardly poured your heart and soul out. It was all of three sentences. Don't be so dramatic."

"April," he spoke, obviously trying to keep from blowing up on her. "I just proposed to you in front of everyone you know and you're not going to say yes."

"Well I didn't ask you to propose to me." She was suddenly getting defensive. It was like he was blaming her for making a fool out of himself.

"No, but Mike is out there so you two go and have a great life since you were such a whore with him anyway."

April had enough. The second he finished his sentence, she punched him right in the face, taking the attention of everyone outside the room. "Just for your information," April spoke, getting down so he could see her as he held onto his bloody nose. "I have slept with Mike before, but never when I was dating you. Call me a whore all you want, but I never was one."

She then stepped over his body and walked out to everyone outside of their private room. She looked at everyone watching, not knowing what to say. "That was awesome." Megan spoke.

"April Asher." Her father scolded.

Mike just nodded with a big smile on his face. "That's my girl."

April smiled back at him as Ben turned to Mike, obviously irritated with what he had to say, but Mike didn't care. He was proud of April for standing up for herself. Mostly, he was happy that in just a few months, they would both completely be single and they could get a fresh start.

April woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and a throbbing hand. She looked over to her nightstand where her father had set up a glass of water, pain pills and some toast. She smiled at it, but that was until she felt all of last night coming up. She ran to her bathroom and began puking her guts out.

Conner was walking by her room, automatically hearing her throw up, knowing what that meant. "Dad," Conner called. "April's up!"

After April spent most of the morning not leaving the toilet, she went downstairs, dressed in sweatpants and a T-shirt, knowing there was no way she was leaving the house today. April made it into the kitchen where Ben and Conner were talking, both smiling when they saw her. "Good morning, April!" Ben yelled, stopping April in her tracks almost immediately.

"Please," April spoke with a hand to her still throbbing head. "If you've ever loved me, you would stop."

Conner laughed as he brought her a plate of breakfast. "Nice greasy bacon."

April gave her brother a dirty look. "You know, I can't wait for the day of your first hangover so I can torture you."

"I won't be stupid enough to get a hangover."

"Oh," April spoke dramatically, giving her brother a dramatic, sympathetic stare. "Young, sweet, Conner, you will be."

Ben walked to her, giving her the real breakfast they cooked for her. A lot of bread and no flavor. "Thank you, father." She spoke with happiness.

April took a bite of her toast as Ben just watched her. She was done with Troy and Mike was getting a divorce. That meant that the two were wide open for each other. "Hey, Conner," The two looked to their father, a small smile growing on his face because of that. "Can I talk to your sister alone?"

April got a panicked look on her face as Conner got a confused one before walking out of the kitchen, leaving just those two. April looked to her father, still chewing on the toast in her mouth. "Yes?" She spoke through a full mouth.

"Um," Ben spoke, not quite sure how to begin this conversation with her. "I wanted to talk to you about Troy."

"Look," April sighed out. "I know I probably shouldn't have punched him, but he asked for it."

Ben began to laugh while shaking his head. "No, not that."

April picked up her toast, giving him a confused face. "Then about what?"

"Well, really, it's about Mike."

April gulped. She didn't know her father knew about any of that, but when she thought back on it they weren't too slick on a couple of things. Hell, even Conner knew about it. "What about him?"

"Well," Ben started. "You are both going to be single soon and – "

"Dad," April interrupted. "I don't want to talk about this with you."

Ben took a moment, knowing this was going to be hard for him to ask this of her. "Just promise me you two won't get involved."

April sat there for a moment, not sure what to say. Of course she was going to get involved with Mike. Nothing would be standing in their way in a few months. "But, Dad –"

"Promise me, April." April scrunched her eyebrows, not understanding what would be so bad about her being with Mike. She didn't understand why he was asking her this. Mike was a good man and he made her happy. Wasn't that all he wanted for his daughter's soulmate? "He's dangerous."

April shook her head at him, all of her anger suddenly bubbling to the surface. "He's not dangerous, he kept me safe. You just blame him for what happened to Mom."

With that April threw her toast back on her plate before exiting the kitchen as Ben just continued to stand there. He bit his lip as his eyes watered from her mentioning Maggie and the accident in the same sentence. He then thought back on what he told Mike over a year ago. He had to keep April safe, but was he being completely unreasonable?

Mrs. HappyAnarchy: Haha. I love Grandma Asher too. It was hard for me to say goodbye too.

Igor Blonsky: Haha. Thanks for calling me brilliant *blushes*. PS: Me too hehehe

NGArmyWife: Ugh, me too girl. Am sorry you cried, but also not sorry. Thanks, love!

Kagome309: Mike and April are kind of sort of getting it together finally. Hope you like this one, love!

THANKS FOR GETTING ME TO 70 REVIEWS! Wow, y'all are great! I hope you guys like this one and the movie is next! Love ya and remember to review which y'all are doing an awesome job of lately! Thanks!