A/N: Hey guys! Sorry to take so long with this. Graduation, my mom coming to town, and finishing up my loose ends at school have eaten much of my time. Transitions always take more effort in life than the status quo. Anyway, since I don't want to drag this story out, this is the last chapter. I hope you all enjoy! And stay tuned for another Japril story this summer set way post 9x24. (Fair warning about that one, it's gonna be angsty and a little different, but just come with me for the ride). This story started as a little random POV piece, and I was pleasantly surprised by the response to it. So thank you all very much!

Shane's chest swelled with pride as he looked into the patient room in front of him. Inside the room, Dr. Grey, Dr. Shepherd, and their daughter Zola looked on happily at their new baby. Well, Meredith and Derek, anyway. Zola seemed decidedly less thrilled. He leaned back against the nurses station next to Brooks as the storm seemed to past and the lights flickered back on. He felt exhilarated.

Power, in Shane's world was both figuratively and literally restored.

"Bailey Ross Shepherd," Shane said smugly, crossing his arms. He bet Derek Shepherd never thought he'd owe him a thing when he took him off neuro. But Shane had a hand in saving Meredith's life.

Payback.

"Now that's a solid name!"

"Sounds more like a law firm to me," Heather commented with a chuckle. "Three last names..."

The comment did nothing to dampen his spirits. Shane felt like a hero. As bad as the storm was, as angry as he knew Dr. Avery was at him, and as dangerous and scary as things had gotten in the OR for Grey when Shane was operating, Shane was on cloud nine.

This was just the kind of breath through he'd needed really. For his surgical career, and personal psyche. Being able to save lives; that's what Shane really loved.

And so when crunch time came, when Dr. Grey's life was in his hands, Shane had had a moment of truth. Suddenly, all his anger and disappointment about being kicked off of neuro evaporated, and all the love he ever had to the job itself, for the simple and momentous act of performing surgery returned to the forefront of his mind. It made Shane feel alive. He finally understood what his mentor meant when she'd told him that being kicked off of neuro wasn't the end of the world.

Practicing medicine was about so much more than surgical specialty.

He sighed dreamily, "That was so awesome."

"Thinking of joining the gyno squad?"

Brooks was goading him. Probably. The words carried that hint of derision that you always heard when people talked about the dreaded 'pink scrub' OB/GYN specialty. Shane didn't know why it was such a big thing really. A holdover from the sexist past, he supposed. And he wanted no part in it.

All surgical fields were valuable. Shane got that now. It didn't matter to him whether he specialized in neuro or not. He just felt privileged to learn to help people.

Pursing his lips, Shane answered defiantly, "So what if I am?"

Heather smirked and nudged his arm, "You'll look cute in pink scrubs."

They heard the squeak of running sneakers behind them and turned around at the noise. Leah came bounding over to them and leaned forward to peer into the window at the new family too.

"So you didn't kill Medusa..."

"No, I didn't," Shane scowled and moved to leave. He didn't need to be insulted or teased. Not tonight. This was a good night for him.

"Ha!" Murphy continued with excitement, patting her chest proudly. "Happy endings don't count then. I had the best storm."

Brooks looked skeptical, "The best? It's a storm. It kind of sucks."

"I mean, in terms of surgical opportunities!" Leah explained with exasperation. "For once, I actually came out on top!"

Shane scowled. Leah wasn't his favorite intern, or really much of a friend, but he'd made a promise to himself to give her a more fair shake. And she looked so excited. So he questioned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, all Brooks did a boring brain surgery..."

Heather shrugged, "It wasn't...that boring."

The words rang hollow and Shane bristled slightly. How could it be that someone with such a talent for neuro didn't get a thrill every time she touched a brain?

"And you helped Bailey save Dr. Grey," Leah continued in excitement, turning to Shane.

"Yeah..."

"But I just did 3 solo procedures! And set a radical dislocation. By myself! We had a bus crash, right in front of the hospital and we had to evac the whole thing, and then it actually exploded! So, as you can imagine, all the attendings had their hands pretty full. Which meant I actually got to be a doctor instead of a glorified assistant."

Shane's eyes widened. He'd known that things had gotten dicey and mad in the pit, but sequestered reasonably safely in Meredith's OR as he'd been, he realized he missed a lot.

"It exploded?" he asked, shocked. Buses could hold a lot of people. "Is everyone okay? Was it really bad?"

He knew so many people working down there, aside from Leah herself. And there'd already been so many patients. What had happened to Hunt and Torres? His intern buddy Wallace? And what of his mentor? Heck, even though he'd just had a fight with Jackson Avery, Shane worried for the aggravating plastic surgeon. If only for April's sake.

Leah waved a dismissive hand, "Nah. We got all the patients out before it exploded. Just barely. Avery rescued this kid just as it blew up, so he's out of commission...he's super lucky."

Heather and Shane's eyes grew wide. Leah turned to Brooks and gushed, "It was actually totally hot. We all thought he'd be a goner when the bus exploded and then he kind of just emerged from the ashes as it were, carrying this little kid...so yeah..hot."

"Wait what?"

Avery had nearly gotten blown up? Shane could hardly believe it. Only hours previous, they'd been exchanging harsh words. He was by no means a big fan of the often scowling board member, but he didn't wish him ill. Shane thought the guy was a bit arrogant and full of himself, but from Kepner knew that Jackson must have something to love. Besides his annoying good looks. He was well liked for the most part among interns and attendings alike. That had to count for something.

Leah's eyes widened with glee, as she remembered a new fact to add, "Oh yeah! He got a couple of cracked ribs. Busted shoulder. He'll be fine, but you should have seen it! Dr. Kepner just lost her shit!"

Heather and Shane's eyes widened with shock as Murphy slowly emphasized the last three words.

"Twice! Ran toward the burning bus, and then started beating the crap out of Avery when Dr. Torres was setting his ribs. Talk about crazy..."

Shane swallowed. He was hardly surprised. He knew how much April loved Jackson Avery, even if she herself didn't know how to admit it. Only love could make a person do something as dangerous and illogical as running toward burning bus.

Leah went on to explain some of her own exploits during the storm, even as the tail end of the weather still raged outside. Shane was distracted though. He was worried about his mentor. Dr. Kepner had taught him a lot, but she was also a friend. She even stuck by him, when everyone else thought he was weird and creepy after getting removed from Shepherd's service. Her reaction to the night's events and his involvement in her situation with Dr. Avery, gave Shane concern. April might need some support this evening.

Since the lights and power were restored, he figured that the situation overall was more calm than earlier in the night. Before excusing herself, Bailey had even told Shane he could take a moment to himself after assisting her with Dr. Grey. He didn't have any immediately pressing patients, so Shane quickly excused himself from his friends. Leah continued to recount her evening, while Heather watched curiously. She caught his eye as he was leaving and gave Shane a wink, and he could have sworn she'd guessed what the real purpose of his leaving was. It seemed that Brooks knew he was leaving in search of Kepner.

As he moved quickly through the newly illuminated halls of Grey Sloan, Shane reflected a moment on Heather Brooks. She really was a total space cadet. It totally defied logic that she should even be gifted in medicine at all, let alone neuro surgery. Just talking to her you'd have to wonder whether or not you would trust her to babysit your pet rock, never mind operate on your brain. And yet, she also had this strange wisdomy sort of vibe about life that Shane couldn't ignore. It literally seemed like nothing got to her. Heather was the epitome of going with the flow, and she seemed to understand life and stress in a way that Shane just couldn't. He realized now that he wasn't mad at her anymore over working with Dr. Shepherd.

Brooks was an enigma. Now, rather than anger, Shane felt curiosity. Maybe even affection. Or...something.

Assuming that a "lost her shit" Kepner would be throwing herself into some gory trauma case downstairs in the pit, Shane searched for her there first. He wondered through the rows of emergency beds lined up in what was normally used as the waiting room and scanned the crowd in vain, smiling awkwardly to reassure curious patients that his urgent searching was actually nothing for them to worry about.

"Hey!" a voice pulled Shane from his mission. "Dr...Ross, right?"

"Uh, yeah..." he frowned. It was Mr. Paramedic. April's brand new fiance. Not the person Shane was looking for.

Matthew's forehead was tense and he scratched the back of his head awkwardly, frowning deeply, "Um...hi...sorry. I was just...er, wondering. Do you know where April-I mean, Dr. Kepner-do you know where she is? Have you seen her?"

Looked as though the other man had the same mission as Shane. He was uncertain as to why the other man was actually present in the hospital, but it was clear to Shane that Matthew was rattled by more than the storm.

He swallowed and tried to answer as neutrally as possible, deliberately not giving away the fact that he was looking for April as well, "No, I haven't. She's probably busy with patients...the power was out for a long time, and there was a bus explosion earlier so..."

A broken look flickered across the taller man's face, "I know that. I saw the bus. We...were there together in front of it, actually. We saw Dr. Avery rescue that girl..."

"Oh," Shane's eyes widened.

If Matthew had been present during April's freak out over Jackson potentially blowing up, then he almost certainly had an idea now that something was up. He was a bit of a bland sort of guy, and lord knew he lacked the observational prowess of someone like Shane, but he wasn't stupid. Actually, Shane found the other man to be a nice enough sort of guy. The kind of guy the word 'affable' was invented for. He wasn't offensive or really all that memorable. He was ordinary. And Shane couldn't exactly blame the guy for loving Dr. Kepner. It was just bad luck for him that she was already in love with someone else.

"I-I don't think April's working with patients now," Matthew continued sadly. "Dr. Torres made her take a walk after...after..."

"After the explosion?" Shane supplied.

"After Dr. Avery survived the explosion," the paramedic sighed, gloomily. "April was upset. Very upset."

Shane cleared his throat awkwardly, "Yeah, well...you know they've been friends for years..."

"Really?" Matthew looked confused. "Seems like they hardly talked since I've known her."

"Well," Shane fumbled. "There's always, uh...an ebb and flow to friendships..."

Everything 'non-friendly' going on between Jackson and April had strained things between them, but Matthew probably wasn't privy to all the information Shane was. After all, he'd proposed to Dr. Kepner only that morning.

Blinking rapidly, Matt sniffed and muttered, "I was in an explosion too."

"Um, yeah..." Shane said quietly. "I remember."

Chuckling humorlessly and scowling as a scratchy voice crackled from the radio pinned to his hip, the pained looking paramedic conceded, "April didn't get that upset about me..."

Shane winced, even more uncertain about what to say to Matthew. Maybe he'd underestimated some of Mr. Paramedics ability to observe things after all.

The radio crackled again, and an irritated woman's voice demanded, "Taylor? Where are you? Command's gotten us another rig. We've got calls to answer."

Matthew sighed and fished the small black object from his waist, "Ten-four Nicole. I'm on my way."

With his posture still downcast, the paramedic turned to leave, "Dr. Ross?"

"Yes?"

"Um, if you see her, will you tell April to call me? I think we have to talk..."

"Sure."

Shane nodded and waved awkwardly as the man quickly exited the crowded ER level. Now his curiosity was doubly piqued. Whatever happened with Kepner and Avery after the explosion was obviously huge. Big enough that finally it seemed that even Matt couldn't deny that there was obviously more than friendship between the two surgeons.

Despite himself, Shane felt a wave of excitement. If Matthew knew something was up, and Leah's account of his mentor's reaction to Dr. Avery's brush with death, then maybe at long last the stalemate between the surgical fellows had broken. For far too long, at least as far as Shane was concerned, neither Jackson nor April would admit their feelings to each other. Frustrating for him, given as much as he knew, and agonizing for them. If this explosion changed things...

Shane was dying to talk to April, unnaturally curious about the whole situation.

Even more eager to locate his mentor Shane power walked through the packed waiting room, sparing only the briefest of glances outside to the still smoldering bus. When he didn't find Kepner there, he doubled back along the long hallway of trauma bays, temporarily curtained off for patient beds. Scanning the area, Shane didn't see any immediate sign of her either, he paused at a nurses station and hung his head, racking his brains as to where else his friend and teacher would go in a crisis.

At that moment, with his head bent down, Shane caught a glimpse of a pair of red sneakers beneath a closed curtain. He grinned. Results. He knew those shows. Approaching cautiously, knowing that the space may well be occupied by a patient as well as Dr. Kepner, Shane made his way over to the curtain, listening carefully.

His eyes widened as he heard the conversation going on inside, and Shane practically had to bite his tongue to keep from cheering out loud.

"I want you," April announced tearfully to the person Shane knew could only be Jackson Avery. "I haven't been fair to you, I know-and I've...I've really hurt you..."

"You're getting married," Jackson flatly replied.

Shane scowled. Come on, Avery. Get it together. He still wasn't privy to all the details of the failed relationship between Jackson and April, but Shane knew this was big.

Bigger than big.

He knew how utterly huge it was for his mentor to put herself out there in this way. Caution Kepner's modus operandi through and through, if you'd told him mere hours previous that a confrontation like this would actually be happening? April telling Jackson that she wanted him? Shane would have thought it was impossible. He'd never have believed it.

April continued to speak, plowing ahead as thought she hadn't even heard the plastic surgeon's protest. "When that bus exploded...I thought you were gone-"

"You're getting married," Avery repeated in a softer tone, in light of Kepner's obvious emotion. It was like that was all he could say, and Shane was internally both satisfied and disgusted that Avery's response to Kepner's declaration included no mention of Stephanie Edwards.

There was a long pause before April spoke again, and her next sentence made Shane's jaw drop.

"Unless you can give me a reason not to."

Oh, would that he could see the expression on Avery's face now.

Only hours ago, Shane had essentially told the other man that he would have to make a move first, because April was too scared to do so. So scared, in fact, that she had been willing to settle for a marriage to Matthew. No one would have been able to account for the impact of a near death experience at the time.

But it was clear that facing the prospect of losing Jackson Avery, actually losing him in death, was enough to jump start April's inner bravery. Earlier in the day, Shane had told Jackson that something in this situation had to give. Looked like the storm had done it for Dr. Kepner. She wasn't scared anymore.

Now, what remained to be seen, was whether or not Dr. Avery was still afraid.

Shane felt his excitement falter a little bit as the pregnant pause grew into a hollow silence. Jackson didn't say a longer the silence became, the more clear it was.

That arrogant, pretty-assed idiot. Shane shook his head. Jackson wasn't going to give a reason. He could only imagine what April felt like in this moment. He was only an observer, and this felt crushing. For April it must have been ten times worse.

"You're...you're not going to say anything, are you?" her shaky voice cut into the silent air.

"April-"

"No-no..it's f-fine...I'm sorry-"

"April," Jackson repeated. "You're upset and-"

"Yes! Yes, I am!" April retorted emphatically. "But now I know how I feel! I know how I feel about Matt and it's not what I feel about you. I know it. For the first time I know. But...I guess, you don't feel the same way. I thought-well, at least now I know for sure."

"Wait just a minute..."

Before anything else could happen a piercing noise emanated from Shane's pager. Damn it! He gasped and tried to muffle the sounds, panicked that his cover was getting blown at such an unfortunate moment. Everyone else at the hospital thought Shane was a creeper. Now his mentor would catch him spying on her. Great. Shane's brow furrowed deeply when he read the short message blinking on his pager.

ER 911 on Webber.

On Webber. Not with Webber. Shane's confusion grew. That on earth had happened to the old chief?

April flung open the exam room curtain, coming face to face with a startled Shane.

"What's going on?" she demanded, pointing to her own pager.

His eyes widened and for a moment he thought he was about to get chewed out. After all, even though the curtained off room wasn't technically private from the rest of the hallway, there could be no doubt that the conversation he'd just overheard was supposed to be private.

"Uh," he fumbled, griping his pager and thinking on his feet. His wasn't the only pager going off. "I-I came to get you; it's Dr. Webber."

"What's going on with Dr. Webber?" April asked again, wiping her tear streaked cheeks.

"Uh, they don't know," Shane half lied. Technically, he didn't know. "But it's 911..."

Glancing over his mentor's shoulder, Shane was surprised at the note of concern that quickly fell across Jackson Avery's features. He'd been hoping to see some sort of remnants of his response to Kepner's confession, possibly even hinting at some sort of reply. But as ever, Avery was barely readable.

"Come on, Ross," April said, shifting into trauma mode. "Let's move."

Shane began to follow her until a voice stilled their foot steps.

"Wait," Jackson said, leaning forward, and looking at Dr. Kepner intensely. "April, I-are you sure you can...?"

"I can do my job," the trauma surgeon huffed. "I apparently can't do a lot of things, Jackson, but I can do my job."

Kepner didn't linger to hear if Avery had any response, leading Shane urgently toward the elevator. Once they were standing inside, and safely on their way to the OR, Shane stole a glance to his right, taking in his mentor as the carriage sped to the operating level. She faced straight ahead, jaw set, staring resolutely at the doors in front of them. April had clearly been crying in her confrontation with Avery, but it was clear she was using the short elevator ride to the OR to collect herself in preparation for the surgery.

Shane swallowed, "Um..."

Kepner didn't look at him. Her cheeks flushed deeper than he'd ever seen.

"Did you hear more of that than you should have?"

Gulping deeply, his eyes darted around the elevator, "Probably."

April nodded, and swallowed hard. She still wouldn't look at him, and Shane felt immediately guilty. He couldn't tell if she was mad at him or embarrassed or just sad about what had just happened with Jackson. As much as he as her student and friend cared and more than occasionally snooped in on the happenings of his mentor's love life, he knew that it was not really his place to know everything. He felt a little tainted. He knew he'd inadvertently overheard something deeply personal and far more private than anything he'd listened in on before.

"Are you alright?" Shane said, unable to stand the silence.

The elevator came to a stop and April stepped out into the bustling hallway. She glared over her shoulder, and Shane shrugged apologetically.

"I'm just worried about you, Dr. Kepner," he sighed, following closely.

"I'll live."

The deflated posture and slumped shoulders did little to reassure Shane. He had no idea what the emergency with Dr. Webber was, but if they needed a trauma surgeon, he figured it had to be serious. And, given what he'd just overheard, Shane figured April had to be devastated. Understandably so. But if Webber needed surgery, then he'd need a surgeon who was capable of caring for him. He had his worries about his mentor.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Shane ventured again.

April paused as they approached the OR scrub room, and regarded him seriously, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. She still looked down cast and she swallowed hard.

"I appreciate your concern, Shane. I really do," Kepner explained to him briefly. "I-I...I'm not really okay about...that. But I can compartmentalize...I'll be okay for this. We've lost and...almost lost enough people in this freakin' place. Whatever Webber needs, I can do that. I have to be alright for this."

And she was.

After they entered the busy scrub room, Dr. Hunt greeted them, and explained that Dr. Webber had been electrocuted. He was responsible for restoring the emergency power in to the entire hospital, but the action had cost him dearly. Shane actually hadn't come across that many electrocutions in his short time as an intern and none as bad as what he found when he joined, Dr. Kepner, Hunt, Bailey, and Yang in the OR to treat the former Chief of surgery.

The faint smell of burning flesh was the first smell that reached Shane's nostrils after they scrubbed in and entered the room, and despite the fact that he'd encountered burns and even electrocutions in the ER before, he gagged a bit. Because it was Webber, and he knew Webber. And this was bad.

A really bad electrocution.

"Are you okay?" his mentor turned Shane's earlier question back around on him as he moved to stand beside her on the far side of the OR table.

Breathing deeply through his nostrils behind his mask, Shane nodded shortly. He would be. He had to be. For Webber.

"Good," April said, standing next to Cristina and gesturing to their patient. "Do what I say, okay?"

And so, for the second time that night, Shane worked alongside attendings to save the life of one of their own. And it wasn't easy. Webber's body had taken a severe hit. The current of the electricity that had coursed through the man's body had reeked havoc with his heart rhythum. Shane knew Yang was good, but the damage was severe and it felt like it took her forever to stabilize.

Working with Kepner and Hunt, Shane helped to set the myriad of broken bones that riddled Richard's limbs, snapped by the strong muscle contractions brought on by electrocution. The whole thing was gritty and painful and terrifying, but after many hours, to Shane's great surprise, Webber was stable. He'd survived the surgery at least.

Whether he'd ever wake up remained to be seen, but at the very least they could all say that they'd done there very best to give the former chief of surgery a fighting chance. And looking at the attendings around him, Shane couldn't help but be impressed. Despite the harrowing day he knew they'd all already had, each of them brought there very best to the procedure.

Bailey had had a rocky road back to doing surgery after the whole CDC investigation. And now in one night she'd had to save the lives of not just one, but two of her close colleagues.

Shane didn't pretend to know much of anything going on between Dr. Yang and Chief Hunt, other then the fact they they used to be married, split up, and occasionally still...enjoyed one and other's company. But he was nothing if not an observant person, and he'd always sensed a tension between the two surgeons. Yet, whatever issues there were, both Hunt and Yang were able to put them aside in order to care for Dr. Webber.

And then of course, there was April. Shane had heard exactly what had happened in her life right before the surgery, so he was certainly impressed with her ability to suck it up and carry on.

That's just what attendings did, he supposed.

Someday Jo, Stephanie, Leah, Heather, himself, and all the interns would develop the skill to launch into it all so effectively that they wouldn't need to stop to breathe either. Either that or wash out.

After the surgery Shane helped his teacher settle Webber into his recovery room. He sighed ruefully. In this tight and desperate of a situation, getting one of the precious few remaining private recovery rooms, didn't really bode well. He really hoped everything would turn out okay from Webber. Kepner looked concerned too, and judging by the tightness at the corners of her mouth and the crease in her brow, Shane would say that the impact of this stormy night was finally beginning to sink in for her. He felt bad. Shane didn't really know what to say.

"Uh," he fumbled, looking at Richard's unconscious form. "Do you think he'll make it?"

April shrugged, gently adjusting one of the monitors that tracked Webber's cardio status, "I hope so. Making it through surgery is a good sign."

It wasn't something Shane didn't already know.

They both jumped when the door burst open. From his side of Webber's bed, Shane watched his mentor's jaw drop when she realized who stood in the doorway. Turning his head to see for himself, Shane's eyes widened. It was none other then a sling laden Jackson Avery. Not at all who Shane would have expected to show up.

Avery tilted his head and swallowed as his gaze flicked from Webber's still form to April's stiff posture. The plastic surgeon winced and shoved his free hand into his pocket as he tentatively stepped into the room. Kepner didn't look him in the eye.

"How is he?" Jackson asked, after an awkward silence.

Kepner looked down at Webber and continued (unnecessarily, Shane noticed) to arrange the old man's monitors. Allowing his eyes to dart back and forth between the two, Shane could tell that April didn't want to answer.

"April," Jackson pressed again. "My...my mom will wanna know..."

What? Shane's brow furrowed. That was a little out of left field to him, and to his surprise his mentors expression softened. She didn't think it was strange at all that Jackson Avery's mother would be interested in knowing Richard Webber's medical status.

Lifting her gaze to Jackson's, April replied softly, "He's stable. We'll know more in a few hours."

"Right..." Jackson bit his lip and took another step closer to the bed, glancing over to Shane apprehensively. He didn't need an interpreter to understand what that kind of a glare meant. Shane didn't need to be told twice. The two attendings, old friends, and whatever else needed to talk.

Making one final adjustment to Webber's IV line, Shane scooted away from the bed, wincing as his sneakers squeaked on the tile floors. He cleared his throat and made a break for the doors, mumbling, "I...I'm just gonna go..."

He quickly walked out of the room, making and immediate sharp turn to the left before crouching down low around the corner and out of sight. Shane knew it was kind of nosey, but damned if he didn't desperately want to know what was going on between Kepner and Avery. He'd already snooped enough on them. One more time wasn't going to break any camel's back.

However, getting discovered certainly would. Shane scowled as he saw Heather Brooks striding curiously toward him from the other end of the hall. She opened her mouth and he started gesturing wildly for her to shut up and not blow his cover. He held a finger to his lips, and had to hold back a laugh when Brooks immediately crouched down as well, facing him from the opposite side of the doorway, mouthing 'What's going on?'

Shane tapped his ear and tilted his head toward the open doorway as his mentor spoke again.

"You've called your mother?" April asked.

"Yeah," Jackson replied. "She's catching the first flight she can here actually..."

Heather looked as puzzled as Shane felt about why exactly Catherine Avery cared what was going on with Webber. But he could tell that Brooks knew why Shane was squatting in a hallway listening to his mentor and the man she wanted. She also had joined him, so it was clear that she understood why as well. And didn't judge. In fact, sh'd joined him. they both leaned their heads closer to the wall, listening as best they could.

Stephanie or Jo and even Leah wouldn't have acted the same. Jo would have teased him, Stephanie would have rolled his eyes, or worse blown his cover (the latter being more likely given her fling with Avery) and Leah wouldn't have gotten his hand signals at all. But Heather was just quirky enough to take it all in stride. That was nice.

"Well yeah," April continued. Her voice still sounded a bit more muffled than Avery's so Shane figured that she was still facing away from the plastic surgeon. "She loves him, and he almost died. It's important."

There was a long pause before Jackson asked, "Why?"

"Almost losing someone can be very...clarifying."

A gleam filled Shane's eyes when he realized that once again, under the guise of talking about one thing, Kepner and Avery had slipped once again into speaking about themselves. Maybe it was easier for them that way. He grinned at Heather.

"Clarifying, for how long?" Jackson pressed. "I mean, if she gets here and he recovers? Then she'll go back to Boston. Everything will go back to the way it was before."

"You can't know that..." April countered.

Despite his obvious exhaustion, there was an edge in the Jackson's voice, "How do I know things will be different?"

He wouldn't. Shane knew that there were no guarantees in this whole deal. All's not so fair in love, war, and all of that. You have to take a risk somewhere along the line. There was no way to be certain about anything. Then again, Avery would never know what he was missing out on either. Unless he took that risk. Hopefully the plastic surgeon would figure that out.

"I...I understand how I feel now," April offered. "And maybe I...I mean, we both made mistakes before. So, I will be different. Will you?"

Shane bounced his knee nervously as a long silence passed between his two teacher. Across the open doorway, Heather quietly snickered. The anticipation was killing him.

Finally, Avery began to speak in halting phrases, "Look, April...I can't...I don't know how to...dance."

Heather held a hand to her mouth to contain the giggles and Shane scowled in confusion. What the hell did dancing have to do with anything?

"What?"

Apparently Kepner didn't follow Jackson's words either. She was usually the one who's words didn't always come together easily.

"I mean," Avery explained more slowly. "I'm not the kind of person who...I don't have a big flash mob for you or...and there are probably a lot of good reasons why I shouldn't say anything. I should just let you marry Matthew and be happy. There's no reason I should take that away from you."

Shane took a risk and peered around the door frame, watching intently as his mentor shook her head and looked at her hands.

"I want you, Jackson."

Avery watched Kepner intently, biting his bottom lip worriedly. It was like whatever was going on in his head was freaking him out. Heather leaned forward and dared to watch with Shane.

Jackson opened his mouth and finally spoke again, "I want you too..."

'Yes!' Shane mouthed pulling his arm down in front of him in a victory fist pump, making Brooks roll her eyes.

"And the reason I want you..." Avery eyes widening in surprise as he concluded. "The reason...is I think-I think I love you."

Tears filled April's eyes and she stutteringly asked, "Really?"

As difficult as the admission had appeared to be for Jackson, having said it, Shane thought the other man looked more relaxed. Lighter even. He tentatively held out his good hand, and April took it and they laced their fingers together.

"Yeah." Jackson was smiling now. "I've never been in love before. Not really..."

April started to cry harder and wiped her eyes with one hand, "N-neither have I."

The grin on Shane's face sunk so deeply into his cheeks that they almost hurt. He was happy. This was as much as he'd ever wanted for his mentor these past few months. Even if everything wasn't resolved. With Matt. And Stephanie. Even with the issues that ruined things between Kepner and Avery the first time.

But now at least both attendings knew exactly how the other person felt. That was more than they'd had all year. Totally progress.

"Brooks! Ross!" A booming voice drew their attention away from Dr. Webber's room. "What on earth are you doing down there?"

Heather and Shane were not the only ones startled by Dr. Bailey's stern voice. Jackson and April both turn to the doorway, looking on in confusion as they saw Shane and Heather's heads peering around the door. When his gaze met his teacher's, Shane looked sheepish. It was the second time this evening he'd been caught sort of spying on her. She didn't seem mad though. Kepner only shook her head and smiled at him fondly.

"Uh! Uh...I dropped my..." Heather fumbled, lifting a hand to her chest. "My silver necklace. I think I lost it earlier...Ross is just helping me..."

"Yes," he agreed, trying to look as sincere as possible under Bailey's piercing gaze. "I was helping."

The lie seemed to do the trick, and the short general surgeon made her way into Webber's room, "Kepner? Any changes to his condition?"

"His condition is still stable," April said, clearing her throat. "And he is comfortable, so..."

Bailey nodded shortly and then looked between her two former residents with suspicion. "Avery! Aren't you supposed to be recovering?"

"I was just..." Jackson scowled. "Checking on Webber...you know...for my mom..."

"Yes!" April added a little too quickly.

"So...I'll just get back to...um...resting," Jackson fumbled, side stepping Bailey and looking back to April pointedly. "We will talk later, okay?"

"Okay."

Dr. Bailey still looked suspicious, and under the older woman's glare, April seemed uncomfortable. Not long after Avery made her exit, Kepner made excuses to leave as well.

"I've got to get back to the ER."

As the trauma surgeon passed through the doorway and by Shane, she smirked and socked him softly in the shoulder. Shaking his head he watched her receding figure down the long hallway. What a turn of events. Love added a whole other layer. Everything would be different for Kepner and Avery now.

Shane knew there were still many messes to fix up. April would have to end things with Matthew. And the end, Shane would probably have to help Steph. Because he just knew Avery was going to dump her. he had to. Glancing over to where Heather still sat next to him in the hallway, Shane sighed. He'd have to figure out how he felt about Stephanie.

"Well, that was fun," Brooks caught his eye and they both burst out laughing.

And Heather. He'd have to figure out how he felt about her too. And romances in residency over all.

But he was happy. He felt on better professional footing, and he was happy his mentor had worked out with Jackson. In Kepner's words, the night was very 'clarifying'. Shane felt better about his life, and life in general than he had in a long time. And he had a feeling April felt the very same way. Things were gonna be okay.

"Don't you two have work to do?" An agitated Bailey demanded from beside Webber's bed. "Stand up and disperse!"

Shane sighed and smiled broadly as he pushed to his feet before offering Brooks a helping hand.

What a night.