Chapter 4:

JUST TICKED OVER MIDNIGHT HERE IN SYDNEY! The fireworks were (of course) awesome. Now for the rest of the world! Enjoy it!

A/N glad you guys liked the little cliff hanger I've left for you. Didn't wanna keep you waiting too long so enjoy the update! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hope you're not waking up with too sore a head after a long night partying.

….

Jackson signed and dated his last chart as Meredith walked up to him. He gave her a small polite smile as he closed the folder and handed the chart back to the duty nurse sitting behind the desk.

"Hey, have you seen April?", he asked curiously, putting his pen back into his breast pocket.

"What exactly is going on between you two?", Meredith questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"We're….", Jackson started with a slight frown. He didn't want to confirm or deny an actual relationship until he had April there with him. He didn't even know what they were- at least officially.

"Look I'm not that interested with what happens behind closed doors", Meredith stopped him with a raised palm. "All I'm saying is that I like April. I really do. I've come to like and respect her. She's was there for me during some hard times and I respect her for that. So all I'm saying is that you better not hurt her", Meredith looked at him with a threatening glint in her eyes. Jackson found it unsettling. He'd never thought Meredith to be the one defending April.

"Got it?", Meredith pushed harshly. "She's had it tough with relationships and people and I don't want to see her hurt".

Jackson relaxed his face into a small smile. "Don't worry", Jackson told her with a nod. "I don't want to hurt her either".

…..

"Navy blue Converse", April thought to herself as she watched the man who'd stabbed her walk away and the elevator doors shut close on her. She lay on her side in what she was pretty sure was a large pool of her own blood. She moved her fingertips slightly and felt a warm liquid underneath them.

Yep. It was blood.

"Navy blue Converse. Navy blue Converse", she whispered repeatedly to herself. It was all she could think about. After the shooting, Owen's trauma training had taught her to try and remember as many details about the perpetrator. The only thing she could remember at that moment was the sight of his retreating navy blue Converse as the elevator doors closed, entrapping her inside this metal cage. She was never one to feel claustrophobic.

But then, she'd never lay on the floor of the elevator with a knife sticking out of her back either!

She lay on her side in the elevator whimpering in pain. It was no use to scream. This elevator was in the supply closet, only ever used when deliveries came in with medical supplies. It was no use. She knew because she's been there to sign off on a delivery just last week. Nobody was coming.

Like she'd said. No use to scream.

No use at all.

…..

Jackson's pager went off, informing him of incoming trauma in the Pit. Clutching the stethoscope around his neck, he broke out into a run towards the ER.

When he got there he was greeted by a grim looking Owen Hunt and a Bailey almost close to tears. Cristina Yang stood nearby, looking pale as if she'd seen a ghost.

"What's going on?", he breathed, leaning over to catch his breath.

"Some freak went on a stabbing spree", Owen explained quietly, his voice filled with evident anger and disguist. "We've got seven ambulances incoming. So far 15 victims".

"Holy shit!", Jackson exclaimed. He grabbed a trauma gown and followed Hunt outside into the ambulance bay to await the first ambulances.

"Have you seen Kepner?", Owen demanded, pulling on the latex gloves. "We need all the trauma surgeons we can get!".

Jackson's thoughts once again turned to his missing girlfriend. He'd been so occupied with all his work that he hadn't even noticed he hadn't seen her all afternoon. He felt uneasiness rising in his stomach. It wasn't like her to disappear- especially with incoming massive trauma. He was worried.

"No", he shook his head with a frown.

"What the hell's wrong with her?", Owen fumed angrily, staring down the driveway for the ambulances. "Don't think I won't be looking into this afterwards. Get someone to page her!".

Jackson swallowed uncomfortably and nodded, going back into the ER to page April. What was going on?!

…

It was lodged in her muscle. It had to be.

She wasn't paralysed. She could slightly move her feet. So it wasn't inside her spine.

She hadn't bled out entirely yet. So it wasn't in her arteries.

She wasn't dead. It had to be in her muscle.

If it wasn't for the excruciating pain, she might've sighed in relief. Muscle wasn't that bad. Easily pulled out. Easily fixed. She wasn't dead. She wasn't dead. She wasn't dead.

Yet.

She remained in the foetal position she'd originally fell into when she was stabbed. She'd really been stabbed. Someone had actually driven a knife through her. She heard about stabbings on the news. Saw those fake stabbings on TV. Never imagined it'd actually happen to her. Then again, she'd seen shootings on TV, but never imagined she'd be on that side of a shotgun.

She didn't dare move. She was terrified. She knew the risks. The knife could only be partially in. Could fall out with her movement and she could bleed to death. Or it could move deeper inside and hit an artery and she could, again, bleed to death. She didn't want to bleed to death. She wanted to die old and smelly and senile in a nursing home with her husband by her side. No bleeding.

But she also knew that she couldn't stay here. Without proper medical attention, she could die. She wanted to at least stem the bleeding, but it would help if she could actually see the knife. She could feel it….damn she could feel it. Its sharp point and cutting edge. It was long. Deep inside.

Her eyes involuntarily let out a tear. It suddenly hit her. She was afraid of death. She just found love. Someone was finally loving her. She had to survive. She had to live.

Stretching out her arm, she let out a sharp cry as the knife moved slightly inside her. She didn't want to think about what it could be doing in there. Cutting her muscles to shreds….she whimpered in fear. But pushed through as she looked up to the buttons above her. She needed to get to Level 4. That was the biggest supply closet. Someone was nearly always inside there. If the doors were open at the same time someone was inside, she might just be saved.

The buttons were at least half a metre from her reach. Using her elbow she slowly, gently, softly propped herself up. The pain travelled from the entry wound up her spine. It was sharp. Like pins and needles on steroids. Breathing loudly in and out in sharp breaths, she used that elbow to pull herself a few centimetres closer to the buttons. Using her other hand, she reached out forward. The pain, it was getting harder. More intense. Gritting her teeth hardly, she closed her eyes and pushed her hand forward. Thankfully she felt her hand come into contact with a button. Opening her eyes, her stomach sank as she saw the number 2 illuminated. No!

She felt the elevator jolt slightly as it started up towards the second floor. The doors opened to a darkly lit, empty hallway. April's heart sank and she let out a heavy, angry sob. Defeated, she sank back onto the ground, her head gently resting against the cold vinyl floor.

…

Jackson finished the last suture on the little boy's forehead and began cleaning up as a nurse rushed towards him looking both flustered and terrified. Her eyes were wide with fear, the same fear which Derek Shepard had had in his eyes that day.

"Doctor", she began shakily, looking down at the boy uncertainly. "I…"

"It's ok", Jackson replied. "He's under, he won't hear us".

"Something has happened Dr Avery", she told him, her voice trying to remain as calm as possible, but failing as tears welled in her brown eyes.

"What is it?", Jackson demanded, his stomach sinking in fear. He had a feeling he knew what it was.

"I just got a call from the security up in the main foyer", she began, trying to control her tears. Jackson sighed impatiently. "They are saying that the stabber might be in the hospital. They've found blood in one of the hallways".

Jackson's eyes opened wide in terrible, inconceivable fear.

April!

…..

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!