"The baby's fine Dr. Avery; he or she is developing right on schedule," Addison explained as she looked between both expectant parents hoping to rid them of any worries they might have had. "Would you like to hear your baby's heart beat?"

Jackson stared at Stephanie for confirmation before speaking. "Yes let's hear it," he said unable to control the joy he felt of being a father.

"Very well then, I'm going to rub some more gel on your belly Stephanie so it's going to feel a little cool," Addison warned before proceeding then she placed the Doppler on her stomach. She moved it around a few times to the left and then to the right of her abdomen before they heard it, Jackson hearing its strong thud first. "Ah there we are, your baby's got a strong heartbeat. You must be thrilled."

"Yes it just takes my breath away," Stephanie confessed while tears streamed down her face. Jackson who was standing beside her gently placed his thumb on her face and brushed her tears away. Although they were tears of joy, he couldn't stand the sight of a woman crying. He had seen his mother cry night after night over countless men who never appreciated her worth, his father being the first to break his mother's heart. He never wanted to be anything like him; his father had set such a low standard for life with his alcohol abuse and drug addictions; it was easy to do the right thing and steer clear of the temptations of the world.

"OK you two, I'm going to give you a few minutes to get dressed and I'll see you both in four weeks," Addison confirmed with a smile. Jackson was very pleased with how well their appointment had gone; Dr. Montgomery had proven to be a great fit for them. Dr. Karev had recommended her stating that the ex -Seattle native was the best there is; he was only glad that he had been lucky enough to convince her to fly back and forth to Seattle to take on Stephanie as a new patient. Of course he couldn't take all the credit, Chief Hunt offered her a part time gig at the hospital and she accepted.

The two doctors waited until Addison left the room before they broke the silence between them. Jackson hadn't really had much to say to her defense after she excluded him from her pregnancy early on, but he knew that at least for the baby's sake they should be on speaking terms. "I love our baby already," he stated unable to hide the proud smile from his face. "He's the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me."

Stephanie smiled back at him overjoyed that this baby meant so much to him. She was almost certain that Jackson was going to do right by her and their precious little child, but of course she was still doubtful. April was like a knife in her back digging until there was nothing left but the hardness of her bones. She despised her and the relationship she shared with her handsome baby's father. She wasn't blind to his feelings either; she could see that his heart belonged to April just as much as hers to him and that simple fact killed her. It made her angry, irritable, hateful, and vindictive towards the lively trauma surgeon.

"How do you know it's a he? I could be carrying a beautiful baby girl with your eyes and my skin. We could have a little princess for tots on our hands," she giggled leaning over the side of the examination chair so that she could dress herself.

"Yea that might be true, but something tells me we're having a bratty little boy with a strong arm on his shoulders. A little football star waiting to be born," he answered back placing his hand on her abdomen. "I'm going to be there for this child Stephanie, this baby is all I can think about."

"Jackson I want to believe you but I don't know if I can. You're the type of man that allows his emotions to lead him and that's not a trait that I can depend on."

"Haven't I expressed to you that this child you're carrying is my only priority? I'm not going anywhere Steph nor do I plan on it. I refuse to be a sometimes Dad like my father was to me and my siblings. Believe me you will not be raising this kid on your own."

"Easier said than done," she grumbled underneath her breath standing up from the exam chair she had been sitting on.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jackson looked at her intently anticipating her next move. Dealing with Stephanie had become challenging for him over the last month or so and it was starting to frustrate him. He was sick of her always whining and complaining and never feeling content with him or anything he tried to do. It was annoying the hell out of him.

"It means that I need stability. I need to know that you and I are in this together. I need to know that you're not going to leave me whenever the red-head is finished playing with her delusional paramedic fiance. I need to know that you love me Jackson."

Ouch! He never expected to hear those words coming out of Stephanie's mouth which made it difficult for him to respond at first. He couldn't tell her he loved her because then he would be lying and that was something he was never comfortable with. She needed to know that his only obligation was to their unborn child and not to her; it was obvious to him that they were not compatible.

"This isn't about Dr. Kepner, Steph. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I am in this and I'm going to see you through this pregnancy, but you have to understand something. I care about you and I would do anything for you but I am not getting back together with you only for the sake of our child. There's a man out there that is going to love you in the way that I can't and I don't want you to miss out on that because you're stuck with me. Our kid is going to be surrounded with so much love Steph; you just have to trust me," he said caressing her abdomen with his hands.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She brushed his hands off her belly and headed towards the door. "Jackson I don't deserve to be a single mom, it isn't fair."

"I'm not asking you to. We will co-parent this baby together; you will never have to feel like you're doing this alone. I promise you everything will be OK."

"But I want more Jackson. I want the white picket fence, the baby, the dog and the handsome man to see me through."

Jackson grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a tight squeeze. He could feel her body collapsing in his and he squeezed tighter. "You can have those things Steph, just not with me."

"I say keep them both man. That way if one's holding out then the other will be ready and willing."

"Karev that would never work for a guy like me," Jackson firmly stated while looking over the ledge of the roof. He never could understand why the interns preferred the roof over the lounge or the cafeteria, but now he saw just what the allure was about. It was the perfect place to go to escape the stress of the hospital or life itself. "Besides I don't think I could handle dating two women."

"It's easy man, but Kepner and Edwards would be way too much crazy even for me," Alex scoffed slapping his buddy on the back. "Honestly I don't know how you've done it this long."

"I haven't. Those women deserve so much more than a guy like me. I've been so absorbed with my own feelings that I completely ignored everything they were feeling," Jackson explained disappointed in how he interacted with both women. His only solace was that he and April had decided to rekindle their friendship; he only hoped it'd last. Her companionship was so important to him and now that he was going to be a father he was going to need her support more than ever.

Alex rolled his eyes annoyed by the plastic surgeons admission of guilt and leaned his left shoulder into the side of the wall. He wasn't into all of that mushy stuff. If he had suspected Jackson would be such a girl about it then he probably would have opted not to join him on the roof. Jackson was his best friend, no doubt about it, but they were worlds apart when it came to how they lived their lives. Alex was a bully, rude and arrogant, and he always always always kept his emotions hidden from those he cared about. Jackson, on the other hand wore his emotions on his sleeve when it came to the women in his life. He was partially inclined to listen since he too had feelings for a particular intern, although he would never admit to it.

"Dude enough with the mushy stuff, there's enough estrogen in this hospital as is. I don't need you losing what little masculinity you have left."

"Really Man, I thought you had my back. I've been trying to wrap my head around the mess I've caused but I can't seem to find a solution."

"You can't make everyone happy man. You just have to make the right decisions for you and to hell with what everyone else thinks."

"Easier said than done. I have a pregnant ex-girlfriend who is vulnerable and especially clingy right now. I don't think she fully understands that we're not getting back together. Then there's the neurotic best friend who is very much involved with someone else who I can never stop thinking about. I don't know what to do man other than keep both women at arm's length."

"Wow Kepner really has you under her spell," Alex observed aloud not afraid to approach the subject of the trauma surgeon who obviously meant a great deal to his love struck friend. "It's her that you want, right?"

"It's not like that man, at least not anymore. I care about her but right now the only thing that matters most to me is my kid."

"So there's nothing going on between you and Kepner?" Alex asked aware that his friend was either delusional or withholding the truth from him. He liked to think he knew them both more than they knew themselves. It wasn't that long ago when they all lived under the same roof and Kepner moving out didn't change a thing, not for Alex anyway. Those two always seemed to orbit around each other's lives and no matter their many efforts to keep their distance; they were always drawn to each other.

'No. We're just friends," Jackson grunted a little frustrated with Alex's sudden interest in his love life. He himself did not know what was happening with April. She was the most confusing woman he had ever met, stubborn and deeply flawed she was, but he still felt a connection to her in some way. She was a rambler, although annoying as it was, it was one of the things he loved about her.

"You're not fooling me dude. You and April will never work as friends. There's too much history there. You know it. I know it, and she knows it too."

"Whatever man," Jackson countered before walking away from the Ped's surgeon. He didn't have to listen to this crap; he had a hospital to run and a pregnant girlfriend to look after. To hell with Karev's relationship theories; he was the last person he should be taking relationship advice from given his current relationship woes.

"You're an Idiot man," Alex hollered back at the surgeon who he had obviously upset. If he knew one thing he knew that Jackson and April were in over their heads if they thought they could spin the friend wheel again. They were out of their damn minds.

"So what time is your shift over?" Matthew asked hoping that his girlfriend would be off at a decent hour so that he could romance her with his boyish charm. He'd gotten use to seeing more of her now that they had recommitted to each other. It was refreshing how fast he had grown comfortable around her; he almost wanted to dive back in head first and ask her to move in, but he knew it was too soon.

"Around midnight, if everything goes smoothly." April rested her head on Matthew's shoulder and closed her eyes. She listened to the sound of the cars passing behind them as they sat quietly in the ambulance. She was so grateful for her breaks with Matt where she could relax and enjoy the quietness of the hospital parking garage. Sometimes she just needed an escape from the monitor beeps, the patients, the staff, death and her surgical flaws. Everything was a reminder to her of her failed achievements, and this hospital was her biggest failure. She was the only attending of her peers that was not board certified and it killed her that her actions directly impacted the hospital's prestige in the community. Poor Owen really took it hard, blaming himself for her failure but she knew deep down that it was nobody's fault but her own. She never should have let her feelings for Jackson Avery get in the way of her career, no matter how gorgeous he was. Her mom had always told her never to let a man get in the way of her dreams; she only wished she had been obedient to her mom's warning.

"That's not too late; did you want to come over tonight? I can make you something special for dinner."

"You cooking, I don't know if that's such a great idea. I might get food poisoning from some weird case of Salmonella," April chortled at the idea of her boyfriend cooking a decent meal without burning up his apartment.

"What spaghettio's isn't safe enough for you? I promise I won't poison you or feed you something disgusting. Trust me my microwave skills are pretty indescribable."

"Sure they are but unfortunately for you I have plans tonight."

"Plans," he asked out of curiosity. What could have been more important than spending a little time with her boyfriend?

"Yes dear is that so hard to believe?" April placed her hand on her temple feeling a headache coming on. She had been feeling stressed most of the day fighting the urge to escape into a supply closet where she could bury her tears in her sleeve. It was hard enough that she was struggling with her feelings for her current boyfriend and her ex, but now that she had agreed to a friendship with the plastic surgeon she hadn't been able to keep him off her mind.

"No, of course not. It's just that I'm so use to you not having plans that it kinda surprised me," Matthew admitted shifting his body towards April who was fumbling with her finger. She wasn't wearing her ring. It was the first time he noticed it and although not wearing the ring was appropriate in this situation; it still felt odd seeing her without it.

"Matthew Taylor is it supposed to make me feel better that my boyfriend thinks I'm a total loser?" she questioned giving him a look of uncertainty. She didn't like to think of herself as the girl who would rather stay in and daydream about what everyone else was doing on a Friday night. She deserved to have a little fun every once and a while and she was looking forward to her friend date with Jackson.

"Don't be ridiculous April; I don't think you're a loser. In fact I think you're the most interesting person I have ever met," he answered back taking her hand and kissing it gently. She smiled back at him revealing a glimpse of the woman he fell in love with. Although it was his idea to take things slow he was quickly realizing that slow was not what he wanted at all. He was ready to marry this woman and spend the rest of his life with her. He glanced at her bare finger as he held it in his unable to stop himself from speaking. "You're not wearing your ring," he observed not knowing how she'd respond.

"Um, no I'm not," she simply replied lowering her eyes to her free hand that lied in her lap. She'd assumed that when they broke things off that wearing the ring was out of the question. They were taking things slow upon his request; no talks of marriage or moving in together had even been an option. "Should I be?" she asked caught off guard by his earlier observation.

"Eventually, I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked you that. It's just weird not seeing it on your finger."

April notably nodded her head playing with the collar of her scrub top. She could sense that Matt was upset that she wasn't wearing the ring although he was trying so hard to hide it. He didn't know that she couldn't bear to part with the ring; instead keeping it pinned to the inside of her scrub top. It was something Callie had suggested she do after she had spent one afternoon complaining about how loose the ring was on her finger. She smiled thankful that she had taken the seasoned surgeon's advice.

"I still wear it you know," she replied after indulging in a few moments of silence. She needed him to know that he meant as much to her as she did to him. Matthew wore a peculiar look on his face as he watched April pull off her scrub top and throw it at him. For a moment he thought she was going to take his purity card and rid him of the sexual tension he kept bottled up inside of him, but he soon realized that wasn't the case.

"April what are you doing?" he nervously asked finding it hard not to stare at the black satin bra she wore.

"Look", she answered back pointing at the collar of her scrub top. He fumbled with the top until his fingers ran across something hard. It was the ring; she had been wearing it underneath her scrub top all along.

"Wow, I can't believe you were wearing it the whole time. You must really care a lot about this ring?"

"I do, but I care more about you," she answered back leaning forward to plant a wet one on her guy. He accepted her kiss enjoying the feel of her mouth on his and the sweet scent of her hair as she nestled closer to him. He placed his hand on her back and leisurely ran his fingers up and down her spine as he deepened their kiss. April purred quietly in his ear as he lowered his lips to her neck and forcefully glided her body towards him. She hadn't seen this side of him EVER, and sadly it was awakening her sexual urges.

"You should probably put this back on," Matthew interrupted pulling April back into reality after she had spent the last several minutes fantasizing about her straight laced boyfriend.

"Yeah of course," she replied as she accepted her top and quickly pulled it over her head. God she was really losing her mind; it was hard to believe she had fabricated the whole ordeal. She could still feel his lips on her neck even now as she glared into his confused eyes.

"So what exactly are your plans tonight?"

"Dinner at Joe's with an old friend," she explained purposely leaving out that she was planning to go out with Jackson tonight. The last thing she wanted was to upset her darling fiance.

"Oh do I know this friend of yours?"

"Oh what the heck, I'm having dinner with Jackson tonight," she blurted out hoping that honesty would ease things over with her boyfriend.

"What?"

"Where the hell are you April?" Jackson mumbled aloud staring at his Rolex that revealed it was half past midnight. He had been nursing his seat at the bar and an appeasing draft of corona light since his shift ended about an hour ago. He hadn't spoken to her all day but he assumed that their plans were still on because she hadn't called to cancel. His eyes drifted around the bar noticing the thickening crowd that filled the tiny Seattle space; apparently karaoke night was a huge success at Joe's these days. Not to mention the women here tonight were of the elite; the kind of women that you only saw in a Victoria's Secret Ad. It didn't surprise Jackson that he had caught the attention of a sexy brunette from across the room who couldn't keep her eyes off him. He smiled at her charmingly before looking away towards the entrance of the building. It didn't matter how many attractive women were here tonight because he was only here for one in particular.

"I don't think I've seen you here before?"

"I've been here a few times," he replied turning around to face the brunette who had been checking him out earlier. He had to admit she was even more attractive up close; she was wearing a form fitting strapless dress that stopped mid-thigh with matching red heels and lips to accommodate her style. She was stunning and if he had met her six months ago he would have definitely taken her home.

"So what's a handsome guy like you doing drinking alone?"

"Actually I'm," Jackson started to say before he was rudely interrupted by a familiar voice.

"He's not alone," April suggested taking a seat beside Jackson. "Sorry I'm late; I had a surgery that ran over."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize you had a girlfriend," the brunette apologized patting Jackson on the back before exiting the two surgeons.

"He's not my boyfriend," April defensively shouted after the knockout had finally departed. She'd been here two seconds and Jackson was already being hit on; that was part of the reason why she couldn't fathom the idea of dating him exclusively. She would never feel secure in their relationship when he looked one way and she looked another. He was just too damn good looking and that was enough to drive her crazy.

"Would it be so bad if I was?" Jackson knew how she'd respond; she'd give him crap for even asking her such a thing. Then she'd probably scold him for playing with her feelings and then tell him how they should just be friends. He knew this but he just couldn't stop himself from asking. April rolled her eyes at him and folded her arms in one another. "Jackson that's not fair."

"April just answer the question, it is just a question. I don't have some hidden agenda, so answer it."

"You're too much of a chick magnet; I don't think I would ever feel adequate enough in a relationship with you."

"Seriously, you have to know I would never want you to feel that way." Jackson nudged her shoulder with his awaiting her response. He didn't want her to think that she wasn't good enough for him because that would be a complete lie, if anything he sometimes felt she was too good for him.

"I know Jackson, but I would," she admitted biting her bottom lip as she stared into his intoxicating eyes.

"How about a drink?"

"I don't know about April but I could sure use one," said Matthew as he took a seat next to Jackson.

Jackson looked to April and then back to Matthew who was smiling from ear to ear. What the hell was he doing here?