A/N - Here's a quick update. I'm not positive how the next chapter will go so please be patient with me. In the meantime, reviews are awesome and I love suggestions. Thanks for all of suggestions and thanks for reading! -L

After the toasts had been made, the food had been served, and the cake had been cut, the time for dancing had arrived. After the couple's first dance, April worked up the nerve to go over to Jackson.

"Jackson, would you like to dance?" she extended her hand to him.

"I don't know, April. Is that a good idea?" Jackson questioned her request.

"It's just a dance, Jackson," she coaxed, "Please?"

"Okay," he agreed, giving her a small smile, taking her hand and following her to the dance floor.

They began dancing amongst the couples. After a few moments Jackson tried to break the silence. "So do you think you'll take the job with Case Western Reserve? It sounds like a great offer and you couldn't do any better. What does Matthew think?"

"He and I are no longer together, so he is no longer in the equation," she answered him, "I know it's a great opportunity and it would be amazing to be closer to home, but I love it here in Seattle. I'm not sure I can bear to leave. I really appreciate how you felt last year and how hard you felt it was to leave. I have so many friends here and I owe a lot to Hunt. It wouldn't be right to bail now. On the other hand, it might be good to get a fresh start after this rough year. Maybe it's time to move on."

Jackson just stared at her for a moment. He wanted to tell her. He wanted to make her stay, but he was so gun shy he wasn't sure he could form the words. She began to notice how much he was staring.

"What's wrong?" she couldn't help but ask.

"I-I don't want you to leave, April. I know it's been rough the last year, but you're still my best friend here. I'm not sure what I'd do without you here, and…," before he could stop himself, he took her face in his hand and kissed her.

Once his tasted her lips did he didn't want to stop. It had been so long since his lips touched hers. He couldn't quite remember the last time they kissed. Maybe it was when he had asked her to marry him months earlier. He had wanted to so many times but knew he couldn't. Surprised, she pulled back for a moment.

"Where did that come from? What about Stephanie?" she asked him as she caught her breath, trying to compose herself.

"Steph and I are over, since last night. I don't feel for her the way she feels about me…the way I feel about you," he answered her, the last part under his breath.

"Me? How do you feel about me?" she responded, still stunned by his actions a few moments earlier.

He took a deep breath, trying to articulate the words he had wanted to say for such a long time but couldn't. Until now that is, and he couldn't keep it in any longer.

"I love you, April" he told her, relieved to be honest with her.

"Really?" she asked him, making sure she didn't imagine it.

"Really," he answered.

"I love you, too, Jackson," she said before kissing him until long after the song ended. Catherine looked over and smiled when she saw them kissing, before returning her attention to her new husband.

April took Jackson's hand as they walked off the dance floor.

"So, you think you'll go to Case Western Reserve?" he reiterated his earlier question.

"I think I'm going to stay. Now I have all the reasons in the world." She answered him.

When most of the guests had left, Jackson and April walked over to the happy couple to say good night.

"Catherine, we're just about to head to our rooms, is there anything else we can help you with?" April asked her.

"Thanks dear, but I think everything is well under control," the elder Avery responded before prying in on the young couple's plans, "So you two aren't going to the same room?"

"Mom," Jackson responded, clearly irritated by his mother.

"Forget it, Baby. You two have a good night," She said backing off.

"Good night," Jackson and April replied in unison, before walking off hand in hand.

Catherine rested her head on Richard's shoulder as they watched the young couple disappear around a corner. "I think we'll be going to their wedding next," she observed.

"I think you are right," Richard agreed.

As Jackson and April arrived at her room, April leaned up and kissed him.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked him

"I really don't think that is a good idea. I think that was our problem in the first place. We should wait before we take that step. I don't want to have the same problems this time. I should sleep in my own room and I'll see you in the morning," he answered kissing her again.

"I don't mean have sex. I just want to sleep. With you. In your arms. Listening to your heartbeat. I just want to be near you since I haven't been in such a long time," she answered with a smile.

"I'm not sure I can control myself around you," Jackson persisted.

"You've done it this long. I think you'll be okay," April responded as she took his hand and led him inside.

April grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom to change. She knew it was silly because he had seen all of her before but she knew if she changed in front of him, waiting would be impossible. While she was in there, he took off his shoes and socks; he pulled of his tie, jacket, shirt and slacks.

When he heard the bathroom door knob turn, he looked up to see her walk out in shorts and a tank top, her hair pulled up on top of her head in a messy bun.

"I don't know how you do it, but you make PJs look sexy, April," Jackson chuckled. April rolled her eyes and walked around to the far side of the bed.

"Come on, I'm tired," she said as she pulled the extra pillows from her side and pulled the bedspread back. As Jackson did the same on his side, she slipped under the covers. He quickly slid in next to her. She rested her head on his chest and he wrapped her in his arms, completely tangled up in each other.

"Good night," they whispered to each other before he lightly kissed her lips. She snuggled into his chest as he kissed the top of her head and took in her scent. He could wait for sex as long as she needed to, as long as they both did, because she was worth it.

This. This feeling of calm and happiness was something she wanted to hang on to as long as she possibly could. Wrapped up in his arms, she felt like she was home. She was ready to leave the problems they had behind them and to have a real relationship with Jackson.