I think this is the fastest I've ever updated a fic. Thank you guys so much for the positive response! :) Somebody mentioned writing more from April's side so the next chapter should focus more on her feelings and thoughts. I just find Jackson is more interesting to write for in this fic because of his mind telling him 'no' and his off-limits attraction to her. Enjoy this one!
She's not that far down the road when he leaves the bar.
"April, wait up!" He calls from behind, running up to gently grasp her arm.
The redhead huffs and pulls her hand away. She shrugs him off and continues her walk down the cobbled path.
It's dark out and she can tell that it's about to start raining because the wind's blowing and she's starting to shiver.
"Hey!" He shakes his head and jogs to catch up with her. He stops himself for a brief second before walking beside her. He looks down at her as they walk, noticing the blank look on her face. "What's the matter?"
April stops in her tracks, and he almost bumps into her. She just stares at him, "What's the matter?! Your idiot of a best friend just humiliated me. That's what's the matter." She tells him with a hurt expression.
He frowns, "Look, I'm sure he didn't mean to humiliate you."
"Of course you're going to stand up for him, he's your guy. I bet when you eventually give up on this argument and walk away in a few minutes, you're going to go right back in there and join in on his little joke. Actually, it's not even a joke, because jokes are funny."
She sighs, and her forehead creases when she spots the slight grin on his face.
"That's it, go ahead! Make fun of me, make fun of the fact that I'm not some cheap skank who sleeps around. Make fun of the fact that I actually have some self-respect and class. Go ahead."
He doesn't understand why she's getting so defensive. Well, he does, slightly. She must be able to understand his confusion. He was just surprised is all, only slightly. He should have guessed that she was so shy and nervous around him for a reason. He should have guessed that she might not be as comfortable around him as he is her. He should have guessed that their little encounter in the bathroom didn't help her timidness around him.
He was just surprised is all, only slightly. He kind of thought that she was virgin, or a did-it-once-never-again type of girl, but he figured that she was gorgeous, and funny, and smart, so he found it kind of hard to believe.
"I just- I'm sorry. For Alex, I'm sorry that he asked you that and made you embarrassed. But I don't think that you have anything to be embarrassed about." He says, smiling down at her, "And I am not about to walk back in there and laugh with him, because he's an ass, and I like you, and..."
He glances up at the sky for a quick second before returning his gaze down onto her, "I'm pretty sure that it's going to start pouring down in, like, five seconds, so I'm gonna walk you home before you get attacked by some random homeless person in an alley."
She softly laughs with a shake of the head and looks up at him, "D you want to carry me instead? My feet hurt." She teases, resting a hand on her hip.
He raises an eyebrow, "I can if you want. D'you want me to?" He smirks at her and holds his arms out. "Seriously, I will."
She giggles and continues her walk down the road, "I was kidding."
Jackson runs behind her and sweeps her legs out from under her, "I wasn't." She gasps as he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder.
He holds an arm around the backs of her thighs and she lets her arms fall down his back. "Are you being serious right now?"
"Oh, definitely. I could do this all day."
He doesn't notice the blush that flutters across her face as he carries her down the street but he feels the way she relaxes against him and doesn't try to fight him.
Shit.
They arrive back at her apartment within about ten minutes and he rests a hand on her back.
"Hey, have you got your key?" He asks her, avoiding the raindrops that keep falling on his face.
April leans back slightly and reaches into her pockets and pulls out her keys, "You can put me down, now."
"Nope." Jackson snatches the key from her hand inserts it into the lock.
He opens the door and makes his inside, slamming it shut behind him. He throws the keys down into the bowl and finally sets her down on the ground. She lightly stumbles and stretches her arms, "Ah, that was nice." She heads off into the bathroom, coming out with two clean towels.
"I should probably get going.." He starts, nodding his head toward the door.
She spins around to throw him a towel. "You can stay, you know. I mean, there's like a storm coming and I'm not just gonna let you walk home." She throws him a fresh towel and grins, "Or, I can carry you." She jokes.
Jackson fakes a laugh and accepts the cloth, "I would like to see you try. And, thank you." He wipes the back of his head roughly dry and watches her as she slips her jacket off and throws it onto the pile of coats in the hall. Her purple blouse is almost see-through and he can make out the shape and spotty pattern of her bra. No. It's pick with white dots. No.
She rushes a hand through her soaked hair and sighs a deep groan.
He can't help but want to hear that sound under different circumstances. She undoes the top button of her blouse and he quickly looks away to avoid eye contact with her and her... assets.
"Do you want a shower?" She asks him.
His head suddenly perks up and he stalls. With you. No. "Uh, nah, I should be fine, thanks."
She nods, "Okay, I'm gonna go get changed." She spins on her heel and walks off into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
He stands still in the hallway for a minute, watching her walk away and disappear out of sight.
As soon as he hears the door close, he lets out a soft groan and throws the towel over his face. He doesn't know what's wrong with him. He's never been this infatuated with a girl before, much less some Ohio-born farm-grown Jesus-loving innocent and undefiled girl.
He shrugs off his jacket and throws it on the floor to join hers before he slips his hoodie off and tosses his shoes aside, leaving him in his white t-shirt and jeans. He figures she's going to be awhile so he makes his way into the kitchen, throwing the damp towel around his neck, and opens the fridge to try to find something for them to eat.
It's three in the morning and they have to be at work for five so food and a full stomach seems like a good idea. Unfortunately for him, the only thing he finds in her fridge is an unopened can of beans and some eggs.
He finds bread somewhere on the side and quickly works up some toast, the bread popping out of the toaster as she walks into the kitchen. He tries to ignore the fact that she's only wearing a tank top and a tiny pair of shorts.
"I made dinner. Or breakfast, I'm not really sure." He frowns, unsure of the meal.
She smiles and gladly accepts a plate as he holds it out to her. "I think I should go food shopping soon."
"If you find time." He reminds her of their usually busy schedule, "They think that just because we're interns, we have to deal with all the nasty crap that comes in the ER. "Plus, Sloan's been piling on the scut lately."
She nods her head as they walk into the living room, sitting down on the couch. "You think that's bad? Torres has me bringing her coffee every five minutes."
"Tell her to get it herself." He speaks, his mouth full of food.
April sighs, "What, so I can get kicked out of the program?" She shakes her head and takes a bite of her toast with beans.
They sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as they eat until April breaks the calm, "Did you hear about Dr. Shepherd?" He raises an eyebrow and she continues, "His wife showed up at the hospital like two ago."
"His wife?"
She nods, "Worst part, Meredith didn't even know he was married."
"What an ass." Jackson says, leaning over to rest his plate on the coffee table. She copies his actions when she finishes her last piece and runs a hand through her damp hair.
"I feel really bad. I mean, she falls in love with this supposedly amazing guy and then it turns out that somebody else married him first. That's got to hurt."
She tells quietly, leaning over to him. He stays still, wondering what she's doing when she nears him.
She quickly pulls the towel from around his neck and her face flushes, "I needed the-" She holds the towel up and he nods.
He scratches his chin and watches her as she wraps the towel around her hair and sits up straight, stretching her legs out on the other end of the couch so her back is to him. He smirks, "You ignoring me, now?"
She giggled and leans against him, resting her back on his lap. She pulls the towel away and drops it onto the ground. She softly blushes when he stares down at her with that addictive smile of his, "Happy?" She bites her lip again and notices the way he licks his lips.
Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe she shouldn't have done that. Maybe she shouldn't be in such close contact to him because he looks like he's about to kiss her and she's not sure if she can handle that.
Or maybe she's just completely misreading the entire situation.
"Can I-" He clears his throat, unable to himself from staring down at her wet and pink lips, "April-" His voice is quiet and she barely hears him call her name.
Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe she's screwed. Maybe this is very bad.
Or maybe it could be incredibly and extremely wonderful.
April slowly nods her head, her subconscious taking over as she understands what he's asking. He doesn't move at first, instead just continues to gaze down at her face, watching the way her dry lips move and her eyes flutter open and close. Without warning, she finds a warm hand on the low of her back, pulling her upwards to meet him.
She leans her forehead against his and anxiously rests a hand on his broad shoulder. She can feel his breath against her lips and she suddenly becomes very aware of what's happening.
They shouldn't be doing this. It's not right. They're friends. They shouldn't be this close. She shouldn't be able to feel the warmth of his body beneath her fingertips as they move across his strong chest. He shouldn't be looking at her like that, like he's going to devour and consume her within a matter of seconds.
His hand on her back slips underneath her top and he suddenly becomes very aware of what's happening.
Jackson reminds himself of what he's doing, and of who he's doing it with, and to. He can't touch her like this, she's his friend. He can't touch her like this, he'll lose his money. And he can't touch her like this because she's the forbidden fruit.
She's incorrupt and untainted, righteous and untouched. The words, and the reminder of her innocence, almost make him have her right there, as nasty and wrong as that sounds.
She bites her lip again, this time rougher than the others, and leans into him as he touches her bare skin. He grasps the sides of her face in his hands and finally pulls her lips down onto his, his mouth intensely caressing her own.
She presses herself closer and wickedly bites down on his bottom lip. He groans out gently and she takes the second to move her legs from the couch and rest them on either side of his body, straddling his waist. He takes note of her change of position and wrinkles the hem of her top in his hand as she lets her hands fall down his chest to rest on the top edge of his jeans, her fingers playing with the buckle but not undoing it.
She grasps the back of his neck in her hands and tugs him closer, letting out a soft moan when he sucks down on her bottom lip. He runs his left hand through her hair vigorously, his other hand caressing and stroking her thigh as she shifts against him, pulling away for air. She doesn't last two seconds before she's attacking his mouth again, and he's sliding his tongue between her teeth.
Maybe it is incredibly and extremely wonderful.
But they have no idea where they go from here.