I'm so sorry for the delay but my computer's been a pain lately. In this chapter we'll focus on other characters more. A scandal will occur and we'll find out how our two favorite idiots are involved in it. Also, as promised one of April's brothers will make an appearence.

All mistakes and errors are mine, I just really wanted to get this up. The title is a reference to the movie 'Have You Heard About The Morgans?' but I can tell you that the cahpter has nothing to do with it other than that.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned. All the rights to them and Grey's Anatomy belong to shondaland and ABC.

Everyone has those people in their lives that they've known their whole life without ever really knowing them.

In Jackson's case that person was Meredith Grey. Her mother worked with his and Charles' parents at Mass Gen long before they even began thinking about having kids. Meredith was actually two years older although she was in their year now since she backpacked two years through Europe after high school.

Jackson had only distant memories of Meredith from his childhood because she and her mother moved to Seattle when Meredith was four after her parent's divorce. He dated her half-sister Lexie for quite some time during high school which was why he had some sporadic contact with Meredith during that time.

Now Meredith was one of those girls who couldn't set their mind on anything. She had changed her major quite some times during the three years they studied at Harvard now and she seemed far more interested in the parties than her classes.

Jackson wasn't sure whether he would say that they were friends or not. They hung out some times mainly because they've had the same friends, the so-called 'cool ones', the ones that started another party every weekend, the ones that got in trouble quite often but got out of it most of the times because they had influential parents or were important for the sport teams.

Jackson only hung out with them from time to time because a lot of them were his football teammates. Other than that he really didn't share the same interests with them. He liked to focus on his academic performance and he preferred it to have actual conversations with his friends instead of drunken chanting.

In fact he found himself hanging out with Charles' group of friends more often lately. They weren't as geeky as he expected them to be and they were really smart and he liked talking to them about other things than sports and girls. Plus that gave him the opportunity to spend more time with April.

Ever since they became friends he got to know her better just like she learned more about him. She was the complete opposite of him, loud and perky instead of quiet and laid back, socially awkward instead of charming. But despite of all those differences his affection didn't lessen in fact that did the exact opposite for him. With every minute he spent with April Kepner, every new detail he learned, every blush on her cheeks because she was still a bit nervous around him he fell more for her.

But back to Meredith Grey; whenever they met they would act friendly around each other, the usual stuff like 'How are you?' or 'How are your classes going?', never more private. And Jackson never got really rid of the feeling that Meredith still resented him a bit since he had been the one to break things off with her sisters back then.

So yes, he had known Meredith Grey all his life without ever really getting to know her.

That fact didn't keep his mother from calling and pumping him for information when Meredith found herself in the middle of one of the biggest scandals that had rocked the Harvard campus in the last few years.

"No mom, I didn't talk to her yet nor will I in the future," he sighed desperately in his phone. His mother hadn't stopped bugging him about this in the last twenty minutes, "Because we aren't that good friends."
He took his books and put them in his bag his phone jammed between his ear and his shoulder, "I'm sure that there are enough people asking her about this already."

He looked up when he heard a knock on his and walked over to answer it only to be faced with his best friend who was holding his phone to his ear as well.

"Your parents too?", Jackson mouthed to him receiving a nod in response before Charles talked into his phone, "No mom, I'm still listening to you," he claimed as he waited for Jackson who went to get his jacket and bag.

The quarterback stopped midway as he heard about his mother's latest act, "Did you seriously call Lexie?!"

Distantly he heard Charles' chuckle while his mother justified her actions on the other end of the line, "Look mom, I've gotta go now. I've got classes. I'll call you later," with that he hung up knowing that his mother would continue to talk his ear of if he gave her the chance to say goodbye.

He slipped his jacket on throwing his bag over his shoulder and turned around just in time to see Charles hanging up as well, "Twenty says that the both of us will receive at least another call before the lecture is over."

"I know better than to bet on this," Jackson replied well knowing that Charles was probably right.

"It's shocking though," his best friend began while Jackson locked his door and they began making their way towards the lecture hall.

"Not you too!", Jackson exclaimed as he heard as soon as the words left his mouth, "I've heard enough gossip already and it's barely past 8am."

"I know," Charles relented but continued much to Jackson's dismay, "But come on. She's sleeping with the prof's husband. I mean how can you not be interested in that?!"

Jackson sighed as he pondered over the thought. Of course he was interested in the whole thing, he just thought that they deserved some privacy, "I'm sure that there's more to the story. And until one of the involved is ready to speak up about it I think we should stop making assumptions and coming up with rumors."

"I don't see that happening anytime soon. It's a little wonder on itself that Professor Montgomery-Shepherd is even giving a lecture today."

Charles had a point there. The big secret was only revealed yesterday and had been shocking for everyone. Jackson wasn't even sure how it got out in the end but he was pretty sure that it had something to do with a prom-like thing held at Mass Gen.

His friend wasn't done yet, "I mean she just got humiliated by one of her students."

Again Charles was saying the truth. The Shepherds had always been a dream couple; they had met at college, got married after two years of dating and had been free of scandals ever since. Derek Shepherd was a renowned neuro surgeon and worked at Mass Gen while his wife taught at Harvard. Everything seemed perfect until Shepherd cheated on the professor with a student.

Jackson could see that Charles wanted to add something but he was interrupted when his phone rang again. The other man simply laughed as he pulled it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID, "Wow, not even 10 minutes. I'm impressed."

After Charles had managed to get rid of his mum they spent to rest of their talking about their nosy parents who were still bothering them even after three years. Back in their teenager years they had to come up with the most elaborate plans to hide their secrets from their parents. Because of the fact that Jackson's mom and Charles' parents were pretty close things had been even harder. At least they had had each other back then.

And even now their parents successfully included themselves into their sons' lives.

Jackson and Charles filled into the lecture hall together with the other students taking their usual spots. He could hear the whispering around them grow louder and automatically looked up to see Professor Montgomery-Shepherd entering.

He watched how she squirmed under her students' blatant stares and then, much to his surprise, how April got up to talk to her. He hadn't even noticed that April was already there which was quite remarkable since he always looked out for her lately. April made her way over to their professor and he smiled to himself as he realized that that was something only April would do; comforting her humiliated professor. He wouldn't be surprised if she got some cookies in her bag as well as a solace because April was like that. She cared for the people around her no matter how good she knows them.

He was surprised though when Addison went in for a hug first and it didn't look like it was the first hug they shared either.

"Hey," he nudged his friend who had been engrossed in his notes until then, "What's going on there?"

Charles looked up from his notebook and followed Jackson's line of view just in time to see the women pull away.

"I get it that April's caring but isn't that a tad too much?", Jackson asked still a bit confused by the display.

"The prof's husband..."

"The one that cheated on her?"

"Yes, that one. He grew up with April's oldest brother. The three of them, The Shepherds and April's brother all studied together and Montgomery-Shepherd has kinda been like a big sister for April since then."

Jackson furrowed his brows in concentration. How come he never heard of that. After all Montgomery-Shepherd had been their professor for almost three years by now and her husband worked together with his mum, "Why didn't I know that?"

Charles simply shrugged in response, "I have no idea. Her brother doesn't work at Mass Gen... maybe that's why. He's got some fancy private practice in Boston and is some big-shot plastic surgeon. And April makes it a big deal that nobody thinks that she's being preferred because she knows the prof privately..."

Jackson nodded, that made sense. He would peg April as the kind of girl who wanted to succeed because of her achievements and not her relationships. He admired that, after all he was like that too.

April left Addison then and went to her place int the front row. Their professor began with her lecture purposefully ignoring all rumors and pitying looks that she received from her students. It was quite odd but Jackson understood her decision.

"Hey," he walked up to April with Charles in tow after the lecture as they made their way outside.

"Hello Jackson, Charles," she greeted them friendly in return while she fell in step beside them.

"How's it going?", Jackson asked casually because he could do it; being just friends with her... for now.

She eyes the two of them warily for a moment before she huffed, "Please don't ask me."

"Why not?", he questioned confused because even though he knew that April had her mannerisms she had always been friendly.

"Because everyone's been asking me whether I know something about Meredith and Derek or if I know how Addison is!"

"Do you know something?", Charles piped up from beside Jackson earning an eye-roll from the others. "What?", he exclaimed in defense.

Jackson turned around to face April a little bit better shutting his best friend out and ignoring him completely which caused him to huff scandalized. "Look, I won't ask you like some people," he put special emphasis on that last part shooting Charles a dirty look, "But if you need someone to talk to just know that I'm always there for you."

He couldn't remember ever saying something so cliche but the warm smile April gave him in return made it all worth it. Seriously, he had no idea what that woman did to him but he was slowly turning into one of these hopeless romantics from those sappy rom-coms. Like for example right now; he wouldn't exactly say that there were butterflies fluttering in his stomach but for the lack of a better phrasing... yeah, it were butterflies.

"Thanks," she told him as she stopped and for a moment they just looked at each other. He was about to reply something cheesy like "Always" but luckily he was prevented from embarrassing himself when her phone rang. For the first time he was happy that they were interrupted.

April sighed as she looked down on the caller ID and then met his gaze again, "I have to go now..."

"Oh, okay," he hated how disappointed he sounded.

"Yeah, I guess I'll you soon."

"Sure."

She lingered in the moment for a little while longer and if he didn't know it better he would have thought that she seemed just as reluctant to go as he was to see her leaving. But that were probably just his feelings for her that were beginning to make him delusional.

Jackson really didn't mean to ask Meredith about the rumors; it was pure coincidence that he ran into her as he made his way from practice back to his dorm.

He had been checking his phone for the umpteenth time to see whether April had tried to call or text him yet (she hadn't) when someone bumped into his shoulder.

"Watch where you're going!", a voice that he would identify as Meredith's once he looked up chastised him rather unfriendly.

"Sorry," he mumbled apologetically giving her once-over. The normally very composed girl looked utterly disheveled. Her blonde locks were all over the place and she wore deep bags under her gray-blue eyes that were missing their usual spark. Jackson couldn't even begin to imagine what she had been through in the last 24 hours. "Are you okay?"

"Not you too!", she shrieked loudly and he briefly glanced around seeing that several students were already looking at scene unfolding in front of them but he could sense that Meredith was beyond caring about them, "I know that you're your mother's little spy but you can tell her that you failed because I won't tell you out of all people what really happened! Besides, you've probably already decided what's the truth and that I'm the guilty one already anyway!", she all but screamed at him.

He was taken aback by her sudden outburst and for a minute they just food there; Meredith glaring at him heavily breathing while he tried to think of something to say.

"I was really just genuinely interested in how you are but you're right, you don't have to tell me anything."

"Oh," she let out clearly surprised by his sincerity, "I'm sorry then."
"No need to be," he told her friendly and smiling ever so slightly, "I get it. You needed to let all that out. I'm not offended or something."

"Really?", she questioned and it was obvious that she had expected him to react completely different. But he only nodded in response as he placed a comforting hand on her upper arm.

"Well, thank you. You're right I needed that," she said as she shot him one last sincere smile before she walked past him.

Jackson was now more sure than ever that there was more to the story that they all thought.

The lecture two days later would probably always stay the most dramatic one in history of the campus. At least it was the most dramatic one Jackson had ever witnessed.

It had started normal; Professor Montgomery-Shepherd was giving her lecture as usual. By then most of the rumors had started to die down because none of the involved had spoken about it yet and apparently the student body had lost their interest in it all already.

The lecture had been rather boring actually and Charles beside him was doodling on his notebook instead of listening to what their professor had to say. Jackson had been about ask him how things with Reed were processing when the door at the front of the hall had flung open and a clearly very angry Meredith Grey had stormed in.

Addison stopped in the middle of her sentence as she noticed the other woman in every meaning of the term.

"Can I help you somehow, Miss Grey?", she asked coldly while her students were suddenly very interested in what was happening at the front of the room again.

"Yes, you can!", Meredith screamed startling the students who hadn't noticed her yet while she pointed an accusing finger at the redhead. "I've been okay with you playing the role of the victim until now because honestly, I didn't care but today one of my professors humiliated me in front of the rest of my class by calling me a slut! And I won't jeopardize my education because despite what everyone thinks I care about it. That means that I will not look on helplessly anymore while the whole campus thinks that I ruined you marriage although we both know that it's your fault."

There were audible gasps everywhere in the lecture hall and Professor Montgomery-Shepherd looked very uncomfortable by now.

In that moment the door flung open again and Shepherd followed by who Jackson could only assume was April's brother stepped into the room.

"Meredith, don't do this," he tried to calm her down as he took a few steps towards her.

"No," she refused adamantly shaking her head purposefully, "I've been the bad guy for long enough. Why are you even defending her?!"

Derek sighed and Jackson noticed that he looked just really tired. "Look, I know that you think that this is unfair but what you're about to do won't make anything better."

"Do you have some popcorn by any chance?", Charles asked him in a whisper suddenly effectively startling his best friend who had been completely engrossed in the scene in front of them until then, "This is really thrilling."
Jackson could only roll his eyes but Charles was right, the whole thing was very fascinating and he'd really like to know what they were talking about.

"Oh yes it is!", Meredith continued not at all convinced by what Derek just said, "Because everyone pities her while we're getting all the hate. You can't even begin to imagine what it's been like for me these past days. I don't get why you're still stepping up for her after what she did to you?"

The surgeonsseemed to be at a loss of words after that, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water but Jackson thought that he had an idea why he continued to defend Addison because despite all the things that transpired between the two she was still his wife which meant that defending her and protecting her from any further humiliation was like an instinct to him.

"Okay, I think we all need to calm down now," April's brother suddenly spoke up, his dark and deep voice vibrating and Jackson could swear that he heard some of the predominantly female students swoon.

"So you wanna say something now?!", Meredith snapped at him, "Well, if you're so adamant about talking why don't you tell us how you slept with your best friend's wife first!"

Once again you could hear gasps in the hall but apart from that everything was completely silent. Meredith was breathing heavy as she waited for someone to say something, Derek looked rather disappointed and hurt, his best friend looked down on the floor guiltily and Jackson was pretty sure that Addison had started crying. And the students... well, they waited with anticipation for the situation to escalate even more.

"Is it true ?", suddenly all eyes turned to April who had gotten up quietly and was now staring at her brother looking so hurt and vulnerable that it broke Jackson's heart a little bit.

"April..." her brother tried calmly but he was interrupted by her immediately.

"Is it true, Mark?!", she all but screamed and Jackson knew that probably no one had ever seen her like this.

"Yes," he admitted quietly barely looking up from the floor but meeting her gaze anyway. He made a step towards her trying to approach her but she flew from the lecture before he could reach her a hand clasped over her mouth and hurt written across her face.

Without giving it a second thought Jackson got up and followed her through the doors.

Behind him he left four people standing whose lives just been shattered and whose life-changing moments were displayed in front of an eager crowd.

He had known that there was more to the story than the student sleeping with the professor's husband but right now he couldn't care less about that because there was only one thought running through his mind: AprilAprilApril...

Jackson found the redhead in one of the seminar rooms that were close to the big lecture hall. The door was closed and it was by pure coincidence that he looked through the little window and saw her.

He silently opened the door and closed it right behind him before he took a moment to look at the woman in front of him. She was leaning against one of the desks, hunched over and her face buried in her hands, sobs racking her body.

"Hey," he tried quietly trying not to scare her. She didn't even look up as she said, "Whoever this, go away. I don't want to talk right now."

The quarterback sighed but stayed anyway. Apparently not giving up could be applied in different ways. "It's me," he tried again. This time she looked up and Jackson's heart ached for her at the sight. Her face was smeared with tears and make-up and her eyes were already puffy from the crying.

"Jackson?", she asked but it didn't really sound like a question. He nodded in response slowly walking to where she was.

"I know that you said that you don't want to talk about it and I also know that even though we're friends now we haven't known each other for that long... so, I'd totally understand it if you don't trust me yet..."

"I trust you, Jackson," she interrupted him calmly not really meeting his gaze and he could swear that she was blushing ever so slightly. "I just don't know what to say because I don't understand it. I mean I know that my brother is not exactly a saint but how could he do something like that to his best friend?"

The tears were polling in her eyes again and Jackson slowly began to understand why this was hitting her so hard. Although she said that she was aware that Mark wasn't exactly a monogamist he had still been a hero to her in some way. He had always been since their childhood and now that picture was destroyed because Mark betrayed Derek who had been like a brother to her too. Of course that would disturb her.

Finally Jackson followed the instinct he had since he had seen her and closed the distance between them engulfing her in his strong arms. She was stiff against him for a moment probably overwhelmed by the whole situation but eventually she let herself relax and wrapped her arms around his torso.

He could sill hear how she let out a whimper from time to time but she calmed down somehow as they stayed that way.

He had no idea how long they lingered in this moment until the door opened and closed again and someone cleared his throat.

Jackson let go of April rather reluctantly as they turned around to face her brother. "I don't want to see him," the redhead mumbled beside him albeit a little childishly.

"April," Mark pleaded and Jackson nudged her slightly because he was aware that deep down she wanted to talk with her brother.

In the end she agreed to having a conversation with her older brother. Jackson left them although his gut told him to stay with April and protect her but he knew that she would be fine without him.

"Who was that guy?", Mark asked once the young man had closed the door behind himself trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"Jackson," April answered briefly. She had no desire to tell him more than necessary because she was still majorly pissed at him.

"Okay," he cleared his throat once again trying to find a way to explain things to her, "Please, let me explain..."

"Why you slept with your best friend's wife?! Oh, I'd love to hear that but I don't believe that there's something like an explanation for that!", she snapped. In all those years he had barely seen his baby sister act like this but he supposed that he kind of deserved it.

He let out a deep sigh leaning against the desk opposite of her, "Pumpkin..."

"Don't call me that!" She had never really liked that nickname which she had been given because of her fierce red hair.

"Derek neglected her. He had been working more overtime and put his patients above his wife," he began and was surprised and pleased when she didn't interrupt him. "At first we had no idea that he knew it because he didn't say anything and then he started seeing Meredith and..." he trailed off giving her a meaningful look that said as much as 'and you know what happened then'.

April sighed as she looked over at her older brother. He had always been her hero growing up. Back when she was in primary school he had already been in high school and when she hit her teenage years she had found a sister to dicuss girl problems with in Addison. Derek and later his girlfriend had been part of her family just as much as her two half-brothers.

"But I still don't understand how you could do something like this to Derek. I mean, he's been a better brother than you to me at times!", she exclaimed.

"Hey," he retorted offended, "I've been a great brother. I still am."

A small smile made its way on her face as she nodded in agreement, "That's true."

"I felt terrible because of Derek; I feel terrible. But Addison deserves better than the way he's been treating her," Mark told her suddenly serious and realization finally dawned on April.

"You really care about her, don't you?"

"I love her," he admitted a small sad gracing his lips.

Mark had always had talent with getting involved with the wrong woman and this time was no difference, "You've made a huge mess."

"I know."

She let out a long breath before she pushed herself up and walked towards her brother, "Come here."

Without hesitation he stood up and wrapped his arms around her burying his nose in her hair and relishing in the love only family could offer.

"I love you," He murmured as he pressed his lips against her temple.

"I love you too."

I hope you liked it and that you saw the subtle developement between the two. We're going to see more of that in the next chapter.

So, how surprised are you that Mark's her brother?! :D I think the second one will be much easier to guess but I'm not sure yet how or when I'll introduce him.

Thanks for reading and if you could leave a review that yould be great!