Chapter Sixteen: Marry me
"A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head when I think of all the years I wanna be with you. Wake up every morning with you in my bed that's precisely what I plan to do..."
They say that life flashes before your eyes when you're at the precipice of death; Jackson is not anywhere near death but he somehow saw a glimpse of their past flicker before his eyes. He stared at the love of his life with bathed breath; waiting for her to answer the million dollar question that will change the course of their life.
April studied Jackson's face and saw tumult of emotions in his eyes; she knew that this is the question he's been wanting to ask for quite some time now but for some reason he couldn't. For the life of her, she can't understand why he felt the need to even ask the question when the answer is glaringly obvious; she shifted on his lap and cocked her head to the side. "Why are you even asking me that question? I assumed you already know the answer to that."
Jackson wanted to roll his eyes but he kept himself from doing so; he cleared his throat and made sure his voice won't shake. "Just answer it Apes, please?"
April noticed the apprehension on his voice so she decided to cut to the chase; "I'm already an Attending here and I have an awesome mentor. I have friends in this hospital and you are here, so I think the answer to that question is rather obvious, of course I'm staying."
Jackson felt his heart soar with so much happiness but he kept his face blank; he wanted to make sure that she's staying for the right reasons and not because she felt the need to. "You have prestigious hospitals fighting for you-that was your dream, are you sure you want to give that up and stay here?"
April can't help but smile; "Insecurity doesn't suit you Jackman" she teased.
"This is not about me and you know it" Jackson quipped.
April just raised her brow as a response, clearly not believing his words.
Jackson pursed his lips; "Fine. It's also about me" he admitted. He then adjusted April on his lap and met her gaze; "I want you to stay but not at the expense of your dream. I love you so much April and I meant what I said before-I'm done being selfish, you do what you want to do and I'll support you 100%-I promise, we'll make it work" he said with full seriousness.
April felt so much love for her man so she leaned forward and pressed her lips on his; she cupped his face and pulled away, not breaking eye contact. "I love you too and I appreciate what you're willing to do for me but I'm not leaving. I admit, there are a lot of things that happened to me here that can qualify as a good reason to leave but this place also gave me more than it took and I can't discount that. I love it here Jackman, Seattle is my home and it would've broke my heart to leave this place."
"But what about-"
"I don't care about their ludicrous offers" April said, cutting her beau off. "I have a job at one of the top Trauma Centers in the state, I have an awesome mentor, I have crazy friends I call family, the man I love also happens to work at the same place as I am, what more can I ask for?"
"I just don't work here love, I own half of this place" Jackson said with a wink.
April giggled; "Very humble Avery"
Jackson wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and buried his face in her curls; "Are you really sure about this? No regrets later?"
"I'm sure" April replied. "And besides, it's not as if I'm missing a lot from their offers"
Jackson pulled his face a fraction; "Did Hunt give you a good offer?"
April smirked; "He did-with Alex's help"
Jackson blinked a couple of times before bursting out with laughter, making the red head laugh too. After a couple of seconds, he sobered up; "Knowing Karev, he ripped Hunt off" he said thoughtfully.
April cringed; "Yeah-I kinda feel bad for that."
Jackson shook his head; "Don't, you're worth every penny. You're a brilliant Trauma Surgeon Kepner and this hospital is lucky to have you-I'm lucky to have you" he said.
April raised her brow; "Are you trying to get laid Avery?"
Jackson grinned; "Are you offering?"
April shifted on his lap and stood up; she took her lab coat off and threw Jackson a seductive look. "Lock the door bossman and you'll find out."
Jackson didn't need to be told twice; he shot out of his seat and locked his doors, shutting down the blinds after. He hastily discarded his lab coat and tugged his top off; he threw his bag a fleeting look before fixing his eyes on his girlfriend. "She deserves more than a half-assed proposal, you'll make it good for her Avery-you need to plan it up to the last detail" he thought.
April perched herself on top of Jackson's desk before throwing her bra towards his direction; "Are you planning on just standing there, bossman?" she asked.
Jackson growled before leaning forward and claiming her lips.
oOo
"Have you heard?"
Meredith tore her eyes away from her charts; "Heard what?"
Cristina leaned back on the counter and turned her face towards her person; "The midgets are staying-they ain't leaving the nest."
Meredith can't help it, she smiled widely; "That's great news! Who told you? Did they sign their new contracts already?"
"Owen of course and yes, the contracts are already signed" Cristina said.
Meredith nodded; "Good."
Cristina yawned, clearly bored; "I haven't seen them yet, did you?"
Meredith turned her eyes back to her work; "Nope."
"Evil spawn, incoming-I bet he knows where those two are."
Alex stopped right in front of his friends and braised his hands on his waist; "What are you guys up to?"
Meredith turned her face to the side, her brow raised; "What made you think that we're up to something?"
"You guys are huddled in a corner whispering, that can't be a good sign, so out with it, what are you guys plotting?"
Cristina gathered her hands on her chest, feigning a wounded look; "Evil spawn, I'm hurt! Why do you think so low of us?"
Alex rolled his eyes.
Meredith chuckled; "We're not plotting world domination here Alex, we're just talking about Lexie and April-we heard they're both staying."
Alex smirked; "They are."
Cristina shifted on her perch and folded her arms on her chest; "You knew all along, didn't you? It's written all over your face" she accused.
"As if you don't know they are" Alex huffed.
"We didn't, we actually thought they're leaving, this is Seattle Grace Mercy of Death after all" Meredith replied, making Cristina snicker.
Alex also chuckled; "Maybe they love the thrill of near death experiences? Heck, I learned to grow fond of it."
Cristina laughed.
"That's not funny Alex!" Meredith said.
"Just saying."
"I heard from Owen that April's contract was bumped up to the fullest, I didn't know Little Red knew how to bargain" Cristina said thoughtfully.
Alex puffed out his chest proudly; "It's my doing."
"Good for her, at least she won't be missing a lot from the other hospitals."
Cristina nodded in agreement.
"If I remember correctly-you guys are being paid to work and not to gossip."
The three Surgeons all turned around and saw Miranda standing behind them. Alex was the first to react; he quickly shoved his hands inside his lab coat pocket and took a step back. "I'll just be on my way, I think Robbins needs me, see you later!" he said before scampering away.
Miranda raised her brow, her eyes fixed on the twisted sister; "And you?"
Cristina let her hands fall limp to her side as she pulled away from her perch; "I'll go check on my patients, bye!" she said before spinning on her heels, leaving Meredith by herself.
Meredith lifted the folder; "I'm charting."
"Do that later, I need a consult at the pit" Miranda said before walking away.
Meredith didn't need to be told twice; she closed the chart and followed Miranda.
oOo
April was pulling her hair into a messy bun when a thought crossed her mind, making her giggle.
Jackson tied the drawstring of his scrubs pants before turning towards the red head; "What's funny?"
"I just realized, we already made love thrice and not once did we ever made it to a bed" April said.
Jackson's lip curl into a sly grin; "You are right" he said. He then moved closer and grabbed the lapel of April's lab coat, tugging her towards him; "We can always remedy that" he said seductively.
April placed her hands on top of his and gently pried it off her coat; she patted his cheek and took a step back. "Keep it in your pants Dr. Avery, I have work to do"
"You can do me" Jackson said with a wide smile.
April rolled her eyes as she pulls the door open; "Stop hanging out with Mark too much, you're sounding a lot like him."
Jackson's smile faltered; "That's not a good joke"
April smirked; "Who says I'm joking?" she said before stepping out of the room.
"I'm not turning into Mark Sloan!" Jackson called out.
"You are!" April replied with a chuckle.
Jackson fell back on his chair, pouting. "I'm not!"
oOo
"Kepner! Where the hell have you been?"
"I'm sorry Dr. Bailey!" April replied. "I-was just-err-I came from Administration to let Ja-Dr. Avery know that I already renewed my contract with this hospital."
Meredith smirked; "I bet he's over the moon."
April returned the smile; "I don't know about him but I am."
"I'm glad that you're staying Kepner but I won't be happy for long if you don't take over here, Grey and I have to take this patient to surgery."
April nodded vigorously; "Go on, I'll take over."
"You heard her Grey, I'll be seeing you in a few. Have Brooks prep this patient" Miranda said before turning on her heels.
Meredith turned towards the intern; "You heard her, prep Mr. Porter and I'll be with you in five" she instructed.
"Right away Dr. Grey" Heather said. She then moved towards the gurney and pulled the side railing; she tugged on it and began navigating it.
Meredith moved towards April and squeezed her arm; "I'm happy that you and Lexie are staying Apes, I really am."
"I'm glad I am too."
"Well I better go, I don't want to keep Bailey waiting-you know how she is."
"Go, I'll see you later."
Meredith nodded before walking away.
April surveyed her surroundings as she took a deep breath; "Time to work."
oOo
It was almost lunch when Mark found the time to look for his prot; it has been a busy day at the pit and he's wondering why he hasn't caught a glimpse of the other surgeon. He doesn't mind working with the other Plastic Fellow but he's used to Jackson; he prefers to work side by side with someone who has the exact same technique as his, not to mention-he badly wants to know if he already popped the question.
"Where are you going?"
Mark turned around and saw his lovely fiancé standing behind him; "Burn Center, did you need anything?"
Lexie shoved her hands inside her lab coat pockets; "Yeah, I thought we're having lunch together?"
"We are, I just need to check on Avery-I haven't seen him since this morning" Mark replied.
Lexie threw Mark a confused look; "Jackson? I just saw him a couple of minutes ago, he's on his way to the Cafeteria. I think he's having lunch with April."
"Oh" Mark said. He then made his way towards Lexie and placed his arm around her shoulders, steering her towards the Cafeteria's direction; "Let's join them then" he said.
"Ooookaaaaayyy" Lexie drawled.
oOo
"I'll have club with chips on the side" April said perkily.
"Eating healthy, eh?"
April turned around and saw Jackson standing behind her; "It has vegetables, its healthy" she replied.
Jackson wrapped his arms around her waist and peered behind her shoulder; "What's good?"
April placed her hands on his and leaned back on his chest; "Nothing, that's why I chose a sandwich, no one can butch a sandwich" she whispered.
Jackson pecked her on the cheek; "Smart move" he replied. "I'll have what she's having"
"Aren't you two a sight?"
Jackson and April both turned around; "Hey guys" the latter said.
"How do you do it?" Jackson asked, a perplexed look written on his face.
Mark raised his brow; "Do what?"
"Appear out of thin air-out of the blue" Jackson explained.
Lexie chuckled; "Did we startle you or something?"
"Nope, but it's creepy."
Mark moved towards the display panel; "Where have you been all morning?"
"Administration, where else? Paper works is driving me mad, I hate it" Jackson replied. He then turned towards the cashier; "How much?" he asked.
"That'll be $6.75"
"Including hers?"
"Hey! I can pay for my own food!" April interjected.
Jackson ignored April and handed the cashier $20; "I know babe, I just want to."
April narrowed her eyes; "I don't want you paying for my food all the time Jackson, I have my own money."
"If it will make you feel better, you can buy me a drink later at Joe's."
"And you will really make me pay?" April asked, suspicion evident in her tone.
Jackson smiled and pinched his girlfriend's cheek; "You're so cute!" he teased. "And yes, I will let you pay."
"You two are too damn cute for my liking" Lexie drawled.
"He owns half of this hospital, he can afford to buy you a measly sandwich" Mark said with a teasing smile.
April grabbed their tray; "I know, it just doesn't look right" she said before walking towards a vacant table.
Lexie turned towards Mark; "Get me something edible" she said before following her best friend.
"We'll have whatever their having" Mark said to the cafeteria crew. He then moved towards Jackson and leaned forward; "I can't help but notice that Kepner's finger is still bare, I was so sure you will propose as soon as she told you that she's staying."
"Shut up!" Jackson hissed. He then surveyed their surroundings, checking if somebody heard his mentor's blunder.
Mark rolled his eyes; "Don't be such a drama queen, it's too noisy here for anyone to hear me" he said. "Answer my question, where's the Tiffany you bought her?"
"Here's your change"
Jackson leaned forward and accepted his change; "I haven't done it yet-she deserves more than a half baked proposal."
Mark's ears perked up; "You're planning on going all out then?"
"Yeah"
Mark handed his money towards the cashier before grinning giddily; "Do you need help? When are you planning to? I can definitely lend a hand" he said.
Jackson cringed; "No offense man but you proposed to Lexie in a very weird way."
Mark cracked a smile; "I have some tricks up my sleeve, you just haven't seen it yet."
"I'll think about it" Jackson said.
"Fine."
"And you know one of these days when I get my money right. Buy you everything and show you all the finer things in life. We'll forever be in love, so there ain't no need to rush but one day I won't be able to ask you loud enough..."
Planning an all out proposal is not as easy as it seem, especially if you're a doctor/chair of the board in a very large hospital. It has been a week since Jackson bought the ring and up to this point, he doesn't have the foggiest idea how to pop the question.
"-and I promise, after this procedure you will give the Victoria's Secret angels a run for their money" Mark ended his statement with a smile.
"You're such a charmer Dr. Sloan" Liz replied.
"I'm merely stating a fact Liz, you can even ask Dr. Avery-I'm sure he'll agree with me" Mark said before turning his gaze towards his prot.
Jackson cleared his throat before flashing his famous Avery smile; "Dr. Sloan is right, they will have nothing on you after this procedure, though, you're already beautiful the way you are."
Liz's cheeks instantly flush; "Oh you two!"
Mark chuckled; "Well if you don't have anymore questions, I'll send one of our interns to prep you and we'll see you in 10 minutes"
"Thank you" Liz said.
"You're welcome" Mark replied. He then gestured towards the door; "Dr. Avery, shall we?" he asked.
Jackson tapped on his tab and clutched it under his arm; "We'll see you in 10 then" he said.
Liz nodded.
Mark pulled the door open and stepped outside; "Edwards, come here!"
Stephanie hastily placed her chart on top of the counter and walked towards Mark; "Dr. Sloan?"
"Have Ms. Martin prepped in 10 minutes, O.R. 3" Mark said.
"Right away Doc" Stephanie said before running away.
Jackson closed the door behind him; "Do you need me to scrub in with you now?"
Mark turned towards Jackson; "Do you have to be somewhere else?" he asked.
"Not really."
Mark studied Jackson's face for a couple of seconds; "You look really disturbed, what's wrong?"
"Nothing" Jackson replied. He then moved towards the counter and placed his tab on top; "I just have a lot of things in my head right."
Mark followed him and leaned sideways; "When you say things, does that translate to a perky little red head and a huge rock you bought?"
Jackson copied Mark's stance and folded his arms on top of his chest; "I still don't know what to do and I'm close to being desperate" he admitted grudgingly.
"My offer still stands you know."
"I know and as much as it troubles me, I need your help."
Mark rubbed his hands together; "I knew you would come to your senses! It's just a matter of time if you'll ask me" he said.
Jackson rolled his eyes as a response.
"Why don't we talk about it while scrubbing in aye? We can run some ideas and we'll go from there" Mark suggested.
Jackson nodded; "Okay" he replied while pulling away from his perch.
oOo
"Dr. Kepner, incoming Trauma in 5 minutes" The nurse said.
"How many ambulances?"
"Two, car crash in I-5, it looks like the couple's car slipped-the road there is pretty dicey, especially after it rained."
April gasped; "Heavens, I hope there's not too much damage" she said. "Please page Dr. Hunt and Dr. Grey, thank you Cynthia."
"Will do."
"Ross! Murphy!" April called out.
Shane turned around; "Yes, Dr. K?"
"Incoming Trauma in 5, gown up and meet me at the ambulance bay" April said before jogging towards the door.
"Right away" Shane said before running towards the supplies, Leah on his trail.
April just stepped out when the first ambulance pulled right in front of her; she ran towards the back and waited.
The doors flung open immediately; showing a frantic Matthew.
"What do we have here?" April asked as she tugged on the gurney.
"Sarah Williams, age 32. She hit her face hard on the dashboard hence the broken nose and jaw and possibly her skull-her right arm and leg is definitely broken. She has a massive bruising on her stomach so we suspect internal bleeding" Matthew paused to haul it down. "Her B.P is 70/40, her pupils are dilated and she's been unconscious all throughout."
April clicked off her pen light and began pulling on the gurney; "Ross, page Ortho, Neuro and Plastics, hurry!"
Shane nodded before running towards the E.R.
oOo
"How about the Needle?" Mark asked.
Jackson lifted his gaze and threw Mark a confused look; "Needle?"
"The Space Needle."
"Oh" Jackson said. He then moved his eyes back to their patient; "She doesn't like heights."
"Scissors" Mark said. "What exactly do you have in mind? I mean, do you have something specific?"
"I'm thinking about a candlelit dinner, fairy lights, music playing in somewhere private"
"Do you want to prepare it yourself or are you willing to spend money?"
"I want to do it by myself to give it a personal touch but I don't have the luxury of time to do so" Jackson said in frustration.
"Small price we have to pay to save lives" Mark said. He then paused when an idea popped into his head; "You live in a very swanky apartment, right?" he suddenly asked.
"It's not swanky" Jackson replied. "And why?"
"Does your apartment have a rooftop?"
Jackson lifted his gaze again and stared at Mark; "I live in a building, of course it has a rooftop."
"Is it off limits?" Mark asked.
Jackson furrowed his brows; "What's with all these questions?"
"Stop being dim-witted for a second and just answer the stupid question" Mark snapped.
"No, it's not."
Mark's eyes twinkled; "Perfect! You have your venue already!" he said happily. "Plus, she wouldn't even have a clue about what you're up to since she normally goes to your place, you want it to be surprise right?"
Jackson thought for a moment before a smile crawled up to his lips, hiding behind his mask; "That's actually a brilliant idea, why haven't I thought of that?"
"Because you're stupid, that's why" Mark said smugly. He then shifted his attention back to his work; "All you have to do is to check with your manager if it's possible to set it up for your plan but I don't see a problem about that. When are you planning to do it, by the way?"
"This weekend, hopefully. I already checked our schedule and this is the only week we both have the same consecutive time off."
Mark nodded; "It's just Monday, you have 4 more days to set it up-I'm confident you'll be able to do that."
"That's the thing, starting Wednesday I'm fully loaded with stupid meetings with the Foundation. Chances are, I'm gonna have to hire someone to do the arrangements because I'm sure as hell that I won't be able to leave this place after 9 in the evening-I'm lucky if it doesn't extend till 10" Jackson said sourly.
"Clamp" Mark said. "You don't have to waste money, I'll help you."
Jackson's eyes widen; "Really?"
"I've always thought you're smart but now I'm having second thoughts" Mark said dramatically.
Jackson can't help but chuckle; "I've always thought you're a self-serving bastard but now I'm having second thoughts too."
Mark laughed loudly; "I'm still a self-serving bastard, you're lucky I like you" he replied.
"Yeah, I guess I am" Jackson said. "Are you sure we can pull it off? Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely 100% about this but I don't have the slightest idea what romantic looks like, do you?"
Mark paused; "No but we can try watching chic flicks, they're full of romantic ideas."
"Do you have a movie in mind?" Jackson asked with a raised brow.
"A walk to remember? I remember Lexie watching it and she loved it" Mark suggested.
Jackson grimaced; "Dude, the girl died in that movie, it's not romantic-it's tragic."
"Really?" Mark asked in disbelief.
"Did you even watch the movie?"
"Err-no, come to think of it, I only remember seeing the end credits" Mark admitted.
Jackson laughed.
"Fine. Do you have a movie in mind then?"
"There's this movie we watched last month and she can't stop talking about it. It's a movie adaptation of a book she read but I can't remember the title nor the story. Since she loved it so much, I think that's the movie we should get an idea from."
"Find out the title and we'll check if it's already available in Netflix" Mark instructed.
"Okay, I'll try to get the information from her-let's just hope she won't notice anything" Jackson said.
"Distract her after asking, I'm quite sure you can come up with a very good distraction" Mark said while wiggling his brows suggestively.
Jackson chuckled.
"Dr. Sloan?" The nurse called out.
"Yes?"
"There's a 911 page from the E.R. they need a Plastic consult."
"Did they already page Rogers?" Mark asked.
The nurse talked on the phone for a moment before returning her gaze back to Mark; "Dr. Rogers is not available-he's in surgery with Dr. Bailey and Dr. Grey."
"Shit, I forgot about that" Mark said. "Did they tell you why they need us?"
"There has been a car accident in I-5 and two victims were rushed in."
"I can go, you won't need me for at least an hour, right? I'll go check on what they need" Jackson offered.
"Okay" Mark said.
Jackson stood up from his stool and ripped his mask off; "Page me if you need me" he said before walking towards the door.
oOo
"Damn! Her jaw is really broken-I was hoping it was only dislocated, she'll be in a hell lot of pain after I fix this" Callie said. "How the hell did she manage to break her jaw and crack her skull?"
"Simple, she's not wearing a seatbelt" Derek said.
"We need to move her into the O.R, there's a massive bleeding in her stomach and it's already hemorrhaging" April said as she handed the portable ultra sound to Shane.
"Her arm and leg can wait I already secured it temporarily. Her jaw is intact at the moment but make sure you check on her tube in intervals, her nose is broken and her tongue is swollen-breathing might be an issue" Callie said.
"Her skull is not broken but I'm seeing some clots have already formed, good news is I can dissolve it through medication, no need to open her head up" Derek said while looking at the scans.
"Thank god" April said.
The door flung open as Jackson stepped in; "You paged?"
"Yeah, car crash victim-her jaw and nose is broken and her tongue is swollen, we think she must've bit it" April explained.
Jackson cringed; he then slipped on his latex glove and moved towards the gurney. He gently studied the patient's nose before moving to the mouth; he carefully pried it open and began checking on the tongue. "Tongue is intact but we need to pump her with meds to reduce the swelling, it's pushing on the tube-I'll order some meds."
April tugged on the side railing; "Your nose can wait, right? I need to work on the internal bleeding now."
Jackson nodded; "Yeah it can wait."
"Okay, thanks" April said with a small smile. "Go scrub in Ross, you're in this one"
Jackson helped push the gurney towards the door; "Do you need more hands?"
April let out a small smile; "Nope, I've got this-I'll page you if something comes up."
"Okay" Jackson replied.
April nodded and began pushing the gurney out of the Trauma Room.
"Avery!"
Jackson turned around and saw Owen peering from Trauma Room 3, beckoning him forward; he stepped out of the room and jogged towards the other surgeon. "How can I help?"
"Where did Kepner take her patient?"
"To an O.R, she has massive internal bleeding" Jackson replied.
Owen sighed; "How's her stat?"
"It's not good but she's stable, April has her and she's a damn good surgeon-she'll pull through."
Owen stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him; "She needs to pull through, they just got engaged last night" he said sadly.
"Shit" Jackson muttered.
"I know" Owen replied.
Jackson peered from the bay window; "Is he okay? Do you need my help?"
"A couple of broken bones and gashes, he'll be okay-it looks like his fiancé took the brunt of the hit" Owen said while following Jackson's gaze.
"Do you know what happened?"
"Faulty brakes, the guy tried avoiding crashing to other cars so he swerved to his left and ended up smashing to the safety barriers instead."
Jackson puffed out air and shook his head; "That's terrible."
Owen let out a defeated sigh; "I know-I just wish his fiancé pulls through."
Jackson moved his eyes back to the window; "Let's all hope she does."
oOo
"What happened?" Mark asked.
Jackson tightened the knot on his surgical mask before settling down on his chair; "Car crash in I-5, newly engaged couple and the woman took the brunt of it. April is currently operating on her, she has internal bleeding."
Mark paused and met Jackson's eyes; "That's just horrible, will she survive?"
"I hope so, her stats were stable" Jackson replied.
"Kepner is an awesome surgeon, I'm sure she'll take care of it."
"Yeah, she is."
oOo
Lexie stepped out of the elevator and made her way towards the surgical wing; she turned the corner and collided with someone. "Whoa!"
"I'm so sorry" April said while holding her best friend by the shoulder to steady her.
"I was about to find you, I heard" Lexie said while eyeing the other surgeon. "How is she?"
April let her hands fall limp to her side; "I was able to stop the bleeding but she's still in a very critical condition."
Lexie reached for April's hand and gave it a soft squeeze; "I'm sure you did everything you can Apes, all we can do now is just wait..."
April sighed; "Yeah...I guess..."
Lexie tugged on the red head's hand and began steering her back towards the elevator; "Let's get you something to drink, eat or something, eh?" she suggested.
"Okay..."
oOo
"Sarah? Where is she? Is she alright?"
Owen placed the chart at the foot of the bed before moving towards his patient; "She's alright, she just got off surgery and she's been moved to the ICU" he explained.
"Is she gonna be alright?"
"Jessie, right?" Owen asked.
"Yeah" Jessie replied.
"She's stable at the moment and we're doing everything we can to keep her that way. I'll update you as soon as I get in touch with her surgeon."
Jessie lifted his hands and covered his face; "This is my fault...all of it...Oh god..." he whimpered.
"Accidents happen, it's not your fault" Owen said.
"I just proposed last night-I can't lose her...she's my life...Oh god..."
Owen leaned forward and gently squeezed Jessie's shoulder; "I promise you, we're doing everything we can."
"Dr. Hunt?"
Owen turned around and saw April standing by the door; "Dr. Kepner, please come in" he beckoned. "Jessie? Dr. Kepner is here, she's your fiancé's surgeon."
Jessie let his hand drop to his lap and stared at April pleadingly; "Please tell me she's alright-I-I can't lose her..."
April stepped into the room and made her way towards the bed; she stood beside her mentor and shoved her hands inside her lab coat pocket. "I just came from her room and she's stable, we just need to monitor her closely for 24 hours and she'll be out of the woods-she's a fighter."
Jessie smiled tearfully; "That she is, can I see her?"
April let out an apologetic smile; "She's in the ICU and I'm afraid that will not be possible yet but I promise to come back to get you once it's okay" she explained.
"Okay..." Jessie replied. "How-how are her injuries? And please don't spare any single detail, I-I need to know..."
April threw Owen an alarmed look before shifting her gaze back to the patient; "I-I don't think that's a good idea-you've just been an accident and-"
"I need to know-please?"
"Tell him" Owen said.
April swallowed thickly before responding; "Her body has gone through a massive trauma-she has a broken rib, arm, leg, nose and jaw. I was able to fix the internal bleeding and there are no lasting damage made on her internal organs, some of it are just bruised. Dr. Torres, our Ortho will be fixing the broken bones once she's stable enough to go through surgery again."
"How-how about her nose, you said it was broken...will that be fixed as well?" Jessie asked between tears.
"Of course, we have the finest Plastic Surgeons here and I'm 100% sure that they will be able to fix it like nothing happened" Owen said.
"Good-that's good to hear" Jessie sniffed. "I'd like to talk to whoever the Plastic Surgeon will be, I want Sarah to have the best doctors, I don't care about the cost-I just want the best for her..."
"Who's in charge of Sarah's case? Is it Dr. Avery or Sloan?" Owen asked his prot.
"Dr. Avery did the consult so I guess he'll be the one to perform the surgery" April replied.
Owen turned towards Jessie; "I will page Dr. Avery later for you to meet him, he's one of our finest Plastic Surgeons-Sarah is in good hands."
Jessie nodded; "I'd like to meet him as soon as his able."
"I'll tell him" April said.
"Thank you Dr. Kepner"
oOo
"Knock, knock"
Jackson tore his eyes away from the screen and turned towards the door; "Come in."
Mark stepped inside the scan room and walked towards Jackson; he leaned forward and began perusing the images. "Is this Kepner's patient?"
"Yeah"
Mark tapped on the screen; "It's a nasty break but it's something fixable" he assessed.
Jackson plucked the picture from the folder and wiggled it to get the other surgeon's attention; "She needs to look like this" he said.
Mark shifted his eyes towards the photo; "She's a very pretty girl" he said.
"I know."
Mark smirked; "You sure you can make her nose look like that again?"
Jackson rolled his eyes as she placed the picture back on the desk; "Pressuring me is not helping, you know."
"I'm not pressuring you, I'm just asking you a simple question."
"Of course you are" Jackson drawled.
Mark stood straight and placed his hands on his waist; "Show me your plan and I'll help you."
Jackson quirked a brow; "Really?" he asked.
"That's what I'm here for. Now, quit wasting my precious time and just show me"
Jackson let out a small grin before tapping on the screen; "There you go."
Mark leaned towards the screen again and began checking his prot's notes and strategy; after a couple of minutes, he stood straight and turned his eyes to Jackson. "That's good, just make sure you have ample support on the nose bridge."
Jackson nodded; "Of course, thanks" he replied.
"So-I had lunch with Kepner and Lexie and I was able to get the name of the film she's been raving about."
Jackson's head snapped to the side; "You what?!"
"I got the name of the movie you mentioned you wanted to get an idea from, it's Fault in our stars" Mark replied.
"How the hell were you able to get it? Did she get suspicious? What the hell Mark!"
"It's Kepner-she's too thick to get suspicious"
"Careful, that's my girlfriend you're talking about!" Jackson snapped.
Mark rolled his eyes; "Fine. So, we've got the name, will we be watching it? And if so, when?" he asked.
"The sooner the better" Jackson replied. He then leaned back on his chair and folded his hands on his chest; "I don't want to wait any longer-I have to do this before this week ends. Life is too short for dilly dallying and I don't want to waste it."
Mark raised his brow; "Does this realization has something to do with your patient?"
Jackson sighed; "Not really-I've been thinking about it every night since I bought that ring."
"Okay" Mark replied, clearly not believing Jackson's words. He then shoved his hands inside his lab coat pocket; "We'll I've got to go, I have time tonight since Lexie will be coming home with Mer-maybe, I can watch that damn movie to get it out the way-you know, to find some ideas, I'm quite sure I'll be bored to tears but since I owe you, I'll brave through it."
Jackson let out a chuckle; "Thank you man"
"Welcome"
oOo
"I'll be going home now, make sure to check on her stats every 2 hours and page me if something happens, okay?" April instructed.
Shane smiled; "I will."
"I don't care if it's the wee hours of the morning, just page me"
Shane fought the urge to roll his eyes; "I promise you Dr. K, I will."
"I'm quite sure he'll page you if something comes up, stop harassing your intern."
April turned around and saw her beau standing behind her; "You done for the day too?"
Jackson shifted the strap of his bag on his shoulder; "Yep, you ready to go home now? Or do you need to ask Ross again?" he asked with a teasing smile.
April chuckled; "Yeah I am" she replied. "I'm sorry Ross, have a good night, I'll see you tomorrow"
"Good night Dr. K and Dr. Avery" Shane said politely.
Jackson fell into step with April and wrapped his arm around her shoulder; "My place or your place?" he asked while steering her towards the lifts.
"I don't have any more clothes in your place..." April replied with a yawn.
"Your place then, I left some clothes from the last time I stayed there" Jackson said as he pushes the button.
April pulled Jackson inside the elevator and leaned her head on his shoulder; "Perfect, saves us time, I'm dead tired."
Jackson rubbed her arm comfortingly; "I know love, time for you to sleep" he said.
April closed her eyes; "Yeah...time to sleep."
"How many girls in the world can make me feel like this? Baby I don't ever plan to find out, the more I look, the more I find the reasons why, you're the love of my life..."
The next day:
"Avery!"
April turned her head sideways and saw Mark walking towards them; she pecked Jackson on the cheek before pulling away. "I'll see you later"
Jackson winked; "That you will."
Mark stopped right in front of the couple; "Morning Kepner, had a good night?" he asked with a smirk.
April felt her cheeks flush; "Err-Morning Dr. Sloan, yeah-I guess, well I'll leave you two to it, see you later" she said before scampering away.
Jackson waited for April to disappear around the corner before frowning at his mentor; "Stop doing that, you're embarrassing her" he chastised.
"I didn't say anything!"
"You didn't but it was implied" Jackson replied.
Mark puffed out air; "Whatever!" he said. "I've watched the stupid movie, by the way."
"You did?"
"I just said I did, right? Are you daft?"
Jackson cleared his throat; "How was it?"
"It was depressing, the man died and the woman is about to-they both have cancer and they met in a support group. Do you really think we'll get some idea there?" Mark said with a straight face.
Jackson cringed; "Epic fail"
"Epic fail is an understatement" Mark said. He then shoved his hands inside his pockets; "I really think it's time we ask help from someone who has an idea what romantic means-someone who actually has ovaries."
"You're thinking about looping Lexie in this, aren't you?"
Mark shrugged his shoulders; "She's her best friend, I'm quite sure Kepner might've told her something,-girls do gossip you know."
Jackson mulled over Mark's words; "And you're 100% sure that she can keep her mouth shut?"
Mark grinned widely; "I guarantee you, she won't tell a soul."
"Fine, tell her."
oOo
"Good morning Ross, how's our patient?"
Shane smiled upon seeing his pseudo mentor; "Morning Dr. K, she's been stable since last night."
"Is she awake?" April asked as she leaned forward to grab her patient's chart.
"When I checked on her she's still sleeping but that was 30 minutes ago, I'm not sure now" Shane replied.
April perused the data before snapping the chart close; "Right, she's finally out of the woods, page Torres and check if she can set the bones today."
"Will do."
April walked towards the door but she paused, turning her face towards her intern; "And Ross?"
"Yeah?"
April smiled; "After you page Ortho, you can go home, I know you're tired."
Shane smiled back; "I'll take you on that, I'm dead tired" he admitted.
"Okay, thanks!" April said before entering her patient's room.
"Welcome."
oOo
"Oh my gosh!" Lexie squealed.
Mark hastily clasped Lexie's mouth to stifle her excitement; "Sssshhhh! No squealing! Avery will both have our asses if you start gushing over it! It's a surprise, so you can't tell a single soul-you can't even talk to yourself about it, do you understand?" he asked seriously.
Lexie nodded; she then tugged Mark's hand away, a smile gracing her lips; "I'm so happy!"
Mark smiled; "I am too."
"I'd love to help but what exactly do you need?"
Mark leaned back on his seat and scratched his chin while in thought; "My boy and I are actually having troubles with what to do-the setting and all. Avery wants it to be romantic and something big but at the same time he wants it to be private and intimate. I understand what he wants but its kinda hard planning something big but intimate, it's an oxymoron you know."
Lexie giggled; "In short, you're both lost with the concept of romance"
Mark clapped his hands together and pointed at his fiancé with glee; "You are awesome!"
"You mentioned he wants it to be big-he's loaded, does he have a venue in mind?" Lexie asked.
"I actually suggested his apartment's rooftop, it's private and we can make it big" Mark explained.
Lexie wrinkled her nose; "His apartment? Are you two serious?"
"Well, yeah."
"We're all surgeons and board members in case you have forgotten. When will we have time to set it all up?"
Mark stared at Lexie; "I'm not that busy, I'm sure I can spare some time. Are you busy?"
Lexie leaned back on her chair and folded her arms on top of his chest; "Let's see, I'm a new Fellow here, Derek's my mentor and he's throwing me cases left and right, do you think I have time?"
"Crap" Mark cursed.
"Here's what we can do, why don't you and Pretty boy try looking for possible venues and leave the conceptualization to me" Lexie offered.
"Deal."
oOo
"Sarah? Can you hear me?"
Sarah swallowed hard and tried her best to focus on the red head standing by her bed; "Y-yes" she croaked.
"My name is Dr. Kepner and I'm your doctor. You've been in accident and you're in Seattle Grace Hospital."
Tears fell from Sarah's eyes as a sob escaped her swollen lips; "J-jessie..."
"Jessie is alright, he has few broken bones and some gashes but he's doing fine" April explained.
Sarah let out a sigh of relief; she tried to move but felt radiating pain from her extremities so she kept still. "Ouch"
April cleared her throat; "About that, you absorbed all the impact of the crash. You are feeling a lot of pain right now because you broke a couple of bones, your jaw and nose in particular that's why it hurts when you speak. I already paged Dr. Torres, our Ortho and she will be checking on you any minute now, I will up your meds to lessen the pain."
Sarah slowly nodded.
"Dr. Kepner?"
April turned around and saw Callie standing by the door; "Dr. Torres, please come in."
Callie stepped inside the room and made her way towards the patient's bed; she stood opposite April and let out a small smile. "Good Morning Sarah, my name is Dr. Torres and I'm an Orthopedic Surgeon-"
oOo
"You paged?"
Owen turned around and saw the Plastics Attending standing behind him; "i did, I need a consult for my car crash patient."
Mark furrowed his brows; "I thought Avery is handling that?" he asked. He then shifted his eyes to the window; "In fact he's there already" he said.
"He is, this is the other one-the fiancé."
"Oh"
Owen grabbed his tab from the counter and gestured towards the door; "Shall we?" he asked.
Mark shoved his hands inside his lab coat pocket; "Lead the way."
"-after the surgery she will look exactly the way she is" Jackson finished.
Jessie let out a sigh of relief; "Thank you"
Jackson smiled; "You're welcome" he replied.
The door to the room opened and admitted Owen, with Mark trailing behind him; "I see that Dr. Avery already discussed his surgical plan on your fiancé."
"He did and it's good" Jessie said with a little smile.
Owen smiled back; "He's one of our best" he said. He then gestured towards Mark; "This is Dr. Sloan and he's also a Plastic surgeon, he's here to check on your lacerations."
Mark fell into step with Owen and smiled at the patient; "Good morning Jessie" he greeted.
"Good morning" Jessie replied.
Mark walked towards the bed and stood beside it; he pointed towards Jessie's chest; "May I?" he asked while slipping on gloves.
"Have at it."
Mark leaned forward and slowly lifted the gown, checking the wounds.
Jackson hugged his tablet to his chest while watching his mentor do his assessment.
Jessie turned his face to the side, looking at Jackson; "I just proposed to her the other night and now we're both in the hospital, isn't that crazy?" he asked.
Jackson met Jessie's gaze; "It is but you're both alive."
"Yeah, we are" Jessie replied. He then swallowed thickly; "I don't know what I'll do if she didn't survive..." he trailed off.
"She did, so you don't have to worry about that" Owen said.
"Yeah"
Jackson cleared his throat; "When are you planning on getting married? If you don't mind me asking"
Jessie let out a fond smile; "This December, Sarah always wanted to have a Christmas wedding..." he replied.
"Just like my Lexie then" Mark piped in. He then covered the gashes carefully and turned his eyes towards his patient; "Some of your wounds are really deep but that's something I can fix, I assure you-after I'm done, nobody will be able to tell that it's been there" he said.
Jessie met Mark's eyes and smiled; "Thank you Dr. Sloan."
"You're absolutely welcome."
oOo
"April!"
April spun around and saw Meredith walking towards her; "Hey."
Meredith stopped right in front of the red head; "I just checked on our patient and she's already being prepped for Callie's surgery."
"Great!"
"Is Jackson operating with Callie to fix her nose?" Meredith asked.
April hugged the chart to her chest; "I'm actually not sure because Callie will be fixing her jaw as well"
Meredith resumed walking; "Right, I forgot about that."
April fell into step with the other surgeon; "She actually talked this morning you know, I don't know how she managed it but she did."
Meredith pushed the elevator button before responding; "Its pain killers working its magic."
"I guess so" April replied.
"Where are you heading?" Meredith asked as she stepped inside the elevator.
"Doing rounds, I need to check on one of my patients."
"Which floor?"
"3rd floor" April replied.
"Good, I'm heading the same way, let's go together."
"Okiedokie"
oOo
"I've already talked with Lexie, she's in" Mark whispered as he walked side long with Jackson.
Jackson halted his steps and turned towards Mark; "Did you tell her to be quiet?"
"Of course I did."
Jackson resumed his steps; "Okay then"
"I already told her our idea and she shot it down" Mark said.
Jackson halted his steps again, his brows furrowing; "Why?"
Mark also paused and turned towards his prot; "She told me that our plan won't work because we don't have enough time to set it up and she has a valid point."
Jackson let out a defeated sigh; "I thought so."
"But don't worry because Lexie told me that she'll take care of the romance thingy and all we have to do is find a new venue that suits the occasion-somewhere that we don't have to do all the leg work. You're good at this stuff, do you have any place in mind?"
"What's the name of the place we visited a couple of weeks ago? The other wedding venue you considered before you chose Cedar Springs?"
"The one in Lakewood?" Mark asked.
"Yeah, that one, what's its name?" Jackson asked.
"Lakewood Gardens"
"That place looks good and it has tons of flowers, she loves flowers-that'll work. I noticed some fairy lights hanging on the trees and shrubs, that'll be romantic" Jackson said with a thoughtful look.
Mark threw Jackson an impressed look; "You noticed that?"
"Of course" Jackson replied. He then cocked his head to the side, clearly in deep thought; "I want some fireworks, do you think they'll allow that? I remember seeing on the flyer that they don't allow it."
"I'm quite sure they can make an exemption, money talks" Mark suggested.
Jackson smirked; "It does" he replied. He then took a peek at his watch; "Do you fancy a trip to Lakewood after shift?" he asked.
Mark smirked back; "As long as you're driving"
oOo
The day went by without a hitch and its almost noon when April noticed the time; she was standing by the nurses' when she felt a familiar presence looming behind her, making her smile. "You've been standing there for quite some time now, is there something you need?"
"How did you know it was me?" Jackson asked before moving towards the counter, leaning sideways.
April chuckled but didn't took her eye off from her work; "Intuition" she replied.
"You're hanging around Lexie too much, you're starting to act like her, it's weird."
"Ha ha funny" April said with sarcasm. She then locked her tab and turned towards Jackson; "Why are you wearing your street clothes? You going somewhere?" she asked.
"As a matter of fact I am" Jackson replied. He then took a peek at his watch; "I need to do some errands, board stuff. I'm going with Mark and we'll probably be back before your shift ends" he explained.
April raised her brow; "If you're doing some wedding planning with Mark, you can tell me you know, I won't tell Lexie."
"Wrong wedding sweetheart" Jackson thought. He fought the urge to grin so he covered it up with a cough; "Nope, definitely not wedding plans, it's really work stuff" he lied.
"I see"
Jackson moved closer and planted a soft kiss on her lips; "I'll see you in a couple hours then?"
April smiled; "You sure will" she confirmed. She then pushed Jackson away; "Mark is coming this way, you should go, you don't want to keep him waiting" she said while gesturing towards the hallway.
"Right" Jackson replied. "I better go, see you"
"Drive safely to wherever you two are heading" April reminded.
"Will do" Jackson replied. He then spun on his heels and made his way towards Mark, meeting him halfway.
April leaned back on the counter and watched the two walked towards the door.
"If Sloan isn't marrying Little Grey and Pretty boy is not crazily in love with you, I'd think they're in a serious relationship."
"Don't let them hear you say that Alex, they might gang up on you" April said.
Alex puffed out his chest proudly; "I wrestled when I was in College and I made it to nationals, I can take them both down" he said pompously.
April turned her face to the side and grinned; "They both played football in College, both quarterbacks, I'd think about that Mr. Nationals" she teased.
"Are you their cheerleader now?" Alex snarked.
"Nope, I'm still a geek, I think you got me confused with Lexie" April said with a wink before walking away.
Alex blinked a couple of times before laughing.
oOo
Lexie shifted the phone on her ear; "Perfect, what about the flowers? Is that included in the package?" she asked.
"Yeah, do you know what type of blooms she likes aside from wild flowers? Avery already requested for it but unfortunately since it's almost Fall, they don't have it."
"Roses, she loves them-the large purple cabbage roses, ask them if they have it" Lexie replied.
"Hold on" Mark replied. After a couple of seconds, he spoke again; "Yeah they have it."
"Great and oh, have them pair it with white Lisianthas and Scabiosa's-that will look really pretty" Lexie instructed.
"What the hell? Are those really flowers or you're just making up names?"
"Those are flowers and they go very well with the roses."
"Just text me the names and I'll check with the event coordinator if it's available Ms. Botanist"
"Fine, music is provided I assume?"
"Yeah, I'm still not sure how that'll go, Avery is going all out-it's making me dizzy."
Lexie giggled; "He's a man in love, give him a break."
"I know, I have to go lover boy is calling me already, don't forget to text me the names of those stupid flowers, okay?"
"Okay"
"Love you"
Lexie smiled; "I love you too, you two come home safely, we'll be waiting for you" she said.
"Will do, bye."
"Bye" Lexie replied before pulling her phone away.
"Lexie!"
"April"
April walked towards the brunette and smiled; "I haven't seen you all day, what have you been doing?"
"Helping with Derek's trials" Lexie replied. She then looped her arm around April's; "Walk with me" she said.
"Where are we going?" April asked.
"I'm tasked to convince a patient who's keeping Derek's sensor as a hostage"
April chuckled; "What?"
"I'll tell you more about it, come with me" Lexie replied.
oOo
"Thank you so much Ms. Blanchard, you don't know how much this means to me" Jackson said with a large smile.
Terry Blanchard smiled back; "You are welcome Dr. Avery and I'm overjoyed that you chose our place for a very monumental occasion."
"I can't imagine anywhere else to do this and again thank you for making a few adjustment for us" Jackson said politely.
"Don't worry about it. We'll have everything prepared, all you have to do is bring your soon to be fiancé and we're set."
Jackson proffered his hand; "Thank you again."
Terry shook Jackson's hand; "You are welcome, we'll see you on Saturday then."
Jackson pulled his hand away and let it drop to his side; "We'll be going then, it was nice doing business with you Mrs. Blanchard."
"As I to you" Terry replied.
Jackson walked towards Mark and smiled widely.
"Base from the cheeky grin on your face, I take it that she let you have your way?" Mark asked.
"Yep, she even told me that they'll take care of the fireworks."
Mark threw Jackson an impressed look; "Wow, you really have a way with old ladies, eh?"
"Part of the Avery charm" Jackson replied as he unlocks his car.
Mark pulled the door open and climbed in; "It's finally happening, are you excited?"
Jackson closed his door shut and revved the engine; "More than you can imagine" he replied.
"The Plastics Posses are officially off the market, what will happen to all the ladies then?" Mark asked with a large grin.
Jackson let out full belly laugh.
oOo
"I take it that you were not able to convince Mickey?" Derek asked.
Lexie pursed her lips, clearly not pleased with her failure; "He's hard headed as a bull! I reiterated the repercussions if we don't take the sensor out but instead of being scared, like a normal person, he just smiled at me and said that he's willing to die for the cause" she said.
Derek sighed; "I thought so, it's time to take the big guns out-I'll have to ask Callie to talk to him."
"You think she can convince him?"
"If there's anyone in this world who can convince him it's her."
"I hope so. Well is there anything else you need?" Lexie asked.
"Nope" Derek replied.
Lexie gestured towards the door; "Okay then, I'll go pick up Zozo and baby Mark from Daycare and I'll see you at home then."
Derek smiled; "Thank you for doing this Lex, I appreciate it."
Lexie waved her hand dismissively; "It's no big deal, I love those two love bugs to bits, I love taking care of them."
"And they love their Aunt Lexie too."
Lexie smiled; "That they do" she said. She then grabbed her bag from the chair and made her way towards the door; "Bye!" she said before closing the door behind them.
"How did it go?" April asked while eyeing her best friend.
"It went well, I guess he already expected it."
April started walking; "I would never understand how Derek Shepherd mind works, if he already knew it wouldn't work why would he still send you?"
Lexie shrugged; "Maybe he overestimated me?" she suggested. She then stepped inside the elevator and punched on the button; "Let's just forget about that, help me pick up Zozo and baby Mark? It's my turn to take them home tonight, Mer is still in surgery."
April smiled brightly; "You don't even have to ask, I love those two!"
Lexie smirked; "I take it that you want kids?"
"Yep, but not until I'm married of course"
"You've been practicing a lot lately, eh?" Lexie teased.
April felt her face turn red with embarrassment; "Lexie Grey!"
Lexie just laughed.
oOo
Mark climbed out of the car and closed it; he surveyed the surrounding and felt a smile tug on his lips upon seeing the image that greeted him.
Jackson locked his car and rounded the car; he stopped when he noticed Mark standing still. "Why are you just standing there?"
Mark leaned back on the car and crossed his arms on top of his chest; "Isn't that a pretty picture?" he asked while pointing towards the bench.
Jackson threw his mentor a confused look before following his gaze; he suddenly felt his breath hitch in his throat upon seeing his soon to be fiancé coddling what looks to be Meredith's son.
Mark turned his head to the side and smirked when he saw the look on his prot's face; "Kepner will make a good mother, she's good with kids."
Jackson replied, not tearing his eyes off of the sight; "So is Lexie" he said. He then turned his gaze towards Mark and grinned; "We manage to snag the best ones, eh?"
"Only the best for the Plastic Posses" Mark said while staring at his fiancé.
"And if I lost everything in my heart it means nothing, 'cause I have you, girl, I have you. To get right down on bended knee, nothing else would ever be better, better that day when I'll say, "Will you marry me?" I swear that I will mean it. I'll say, "Will you marry me?"
The grand gesture of them all:
April woke up from her slumber when she felt bright light shining on her face; she blinked a couple of times before she hastily threw the comforter off her body and scampered towards the edge of the bed. "Crap! I'm late!" She then planted her feet on the floor and snatched her mobile phone from the side table; she tapped on the screen and checked for the time. Her body sagged with relief when she realized what day it was; she fell back on her comforter and giggled. "I can't believe I forgot about my own time off." She then let out a loud yawn and rolled to her side; she grabbed her pillow and buried her face into it, letting herself drift to dreamland again.
oOo
"What are you doing here?" Mark asked as he watches his prot walk towards him.
Jackson placed the paper bag his holding on top of his mentor's desk; "I forgot to sign some documents for the Foundation last night so I decided to do it today" he explained. "I bought you and Lexie a little something"
"Awwww...you're such a sweet boy Avery" Mark said with a large smile. He then leaned forward and began perusing its contents; "Vanilla Soy Latte? Lexie will be thrilled. Is this ham and cheese croissants?"
"You bet"
Mark lifted his gaze and stared at Jackson; "I never knew you were this thoughtful, being in love suits you."
Jackson smiled; "Yeah, I guess it does."
Mark grabbed his coffee; "Thanks for this" he said before taking a sip.
"You're welcome" Jackson replied as he takes a seat.
"Everything is set then?"
"Yep, I just got off the phone with Terry and she told me that they're ready for us. All I have to do now is to bring her there and pop the question."
"How are you planning on bringing her there?" Mark inquired.
Jackson leaned back on his chair and crossed his leg; "I'll just tell her that we're going on a date and she should dress up."
Mark nodded; "Kepner is not the suspicious type, I'm sure that'll work."
"Yeah..."
"Don't forget the ring, that's the most important part of this grand gesture, you don't want to end up proposing without it."
"I've got it" Jackson replied.
"What on earth are you doing here?"
Both Mark and Jackson turned towards the door and saw Lexie standing by the door frame; "Hey Lex" the latter greeted.
Lexie walked inside the room; "You're supposed to be preparing at home and not sitting there."
Jackson can't help but roll his eyes; "I don't need to prepare much because everything else is being taken care of. All I really have to do is to wear something decent, pick April up and we're ready to roll."
Lexie plopped down on the chair right in front of Jackson; she cocked her head to the side and studied the other surgeon's face. "Are you nervous?"
"Nope, I'm more excited" Jackson said truthfully.
Lexie smiled; "That's what I want to hear" she replied. She then pointed towards the paper bag; "What's in it?"
"Lover boy bought us breakfast" Mark piped in. He then took out the other coffee and placed it right in front of his fiancé; "Here you go, Vanilla Soy Latte" he said.
Lexie turned her gaze towards Jackson, a surprised look marring her face; "Thank you."
"Welcome" Jackson replied. He then thumped his thigh and stood up from his perch; "I better get going then, I still have to pick up my laundry, buy some nice flowers and fix my apartment."
Mark smirked; "You're planning on getting laid tonight, eh?"
"Stop being so crude!" Lexie spat while throwing Mark a reproachful look.
Mark looked properly chastised; "Sorry, my bad."
Jackson shifted his eyes between the couple a few times before chuckling; he then spun on his heels and made his way towards the door. "Please don't forget to remind Hunt that April and I are not on call tonight, I don't want him paging us out of the blue."
"Will do" Mark replied.
"Thanks" Jackson said.
"Don't forget to tell us what happened okay? I want every detail!" Lexie called out.
Jackson paused and turned his face towards the Neuro Surgeon; "I don't do girl talks, you can ask April" he said with a wink before disappearing.
Lexie smiled widely; "I still can't believe he's finally proposing! It took him long enough!"
Mark smiled back; "I say it's about time he grew some balls"
Lexie can't help but giggle.
oOo
April was hauling her clothes from the dryer when she heard her phone ringing; she dumped it inside the basket before swiping it from the breakfast bar. "Hello"
"Hey babe"
April smiled; "Hey you, what's up?"
"What are you up to?"
April bent forward and grabbed the basket; "It's my laundry day, I just got finished drying them and now I'm about to fold them" she replied as she walks towards her living room.
"Do you have any other plans aside from that?"
April plopped down on her couch; "Not really, why?"
"I want to take you out tonight"
April snatched a towel from the basket and began folding it; "Like a date?" she asked.
"Yes a date."
"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise"
April cracked a smile; "I like surprises" she said. "But wait-at least tell me what to wear, I don't want to look under or over dressed."
"A dress, I want to see you wearing a dress"
April paused mid-fold; "A dress? What kind of dress? I really don't have many dresses here."
"Any dress will do, I'm quite sure you'll look gorgeous with whatever you have"
"We're into flattering now, eh? Now you got me curious" April joked.
"Who says I'm joking? You're a very beautiful woman and I'm lucky to have you."
April felt her cheeks flush; "Errr-"
"Be ready at 4?"
"Okay" April replied.
"I'll see you in a few hours babe, love you"
"I love you too, see you."
oOo
Jackson stuffed his phone inside his pocket and entered a flower shop; he slowly made his way along the aisle, his eyes fixed on the large purple cabbage roses near the counter. He stopped right in front of it and leaned forward; he gently touched the petals while taking a sniff.
"Those just came in this morning"
Jackson turned around and saw a man standing by freezer; "I'd like to order a bouquet made of these" he said while pointing towards the flowers.
The man walked towards Jackson and stood beside him; "Just roses?"
"I really don't have any clue which goes with it, any suggestions?" Jackson asked.
"They really go well with purple scabiosas and some lisianthas"
Jackson smiled; "You're the expert, I believe you."
The man chuckled; "I'll make it for you then."
"Thank you"
oOo
April was sitting at the foot of her bed while drying her hair with a fluffy towel; "What should I wear?" she asked herself. She then stood up from her perch and flung the towel on her hamper; she made her way towards her closet and pulled it open. She leaned forward and began sorting through her clothes; she pushed a couple of dresses to the side and pulled out one particular dress that she's never worn ever since she bought it. She took a step back and made her way towards her full length mirror; she hung the dress right in front of her body and studied her reflection. The outfit she chose to wear for the evening is a form fitting dress that ends mid thigh; it has a sweetheart neckline that's only being held by thin straps. The bodice of the dress is primarily colour grey but a layer of artfully rumpled black stocking-like fabric is added to give it a two tone look. Majority of the pleats of the sheer material is strategically placed under the bust area and the hips, emphasizing the figure of wearer. "Not bad." She turned around and walked towards her bed; she laid the dress on top of her comforter before moving towards her dresser. "All I need is a little make up and I'm done."
oOo
Jackson pulled over right in front of April's apartment complex and stared at the door; he leaned back on his seat and braised his hand on the steering wheel. "You can do this Jackson Avery, all you have to do is ask." He closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath; after a couple of seconds he opened them and pulled the keys off the ignition. He then unbuckled his seatbelt and patted his right pocket, making sure that he didn't forget the ring; he then pushed the door open and climbed out of his car. He locked the door behind him and began checking his clothes; once his satisfied, he checked his watch for the time before walking towards the double doors. "It's show time."
April slipped into her simple black platform heels and made her way towards her full length mirror; she looked at herself and felt a smile tug on her lips. "Not bad Kepner, you managed to make yourself look decent without any help, you're learning." Her musing was immediately cut off when she heard loud knocking on the door; she hastily snatched her black clutch bag from her bed and walked out of her room. "I'm coming, just a moment." When she reached the threshold, she quickly unlatched the chain and pulled the door open; "Jackson" she greeted.
Jackson literally felt his heart stop when he saw how beautiful his soon to be fiancé is; she looked amazing. He loves how the dress hugged her figure, it showcased her best assets. However, what he loved most about the look is how subtle her make-up is; the only thing visible to his eyes is her red lipstick-and god's how he wants to kiss her senseless right now. He had to swallow twice before he managed to utter a word. "You-you look beautiful, really gorgeous."
April's cheeks instantly warmed as she shifted in her feet; "Err-thank you..." she replied bashfully. "I didn't know which dress to wear since I don't have an idea where we're going-I hope I'm not over dressed..."
"You're perfect" Jackson said.
April licked her lips as she let her eyes wander on Jackson's form; she can't help but be amaze with how good he is at carrying any type of clothes. He's wearing a form fitting gray button down shirt sans tie; the sleeves were pulled up to his elbow, showing his toned arms. He paired it with black slacks and what looks to be black Italian shoes. The entire ensemble is considered simple but since her man is really handsome; he looked more like a model who stepped out from the pages of GQ magazine. "We match."
"Huh?"
April pointed towards Jackson's shirt; "You're also wearing gray" she explained.
Jackson shifted his eyes between their clothes before meeting April's eyes; "We do" he said with a large grin.
April giggled; "Great minds, think alike" she quoted.
"That they do" Jackson replied. He then took a step forward and offered his left arm; "Shall we?" he asked.
April looped her right arm around his; "We shall."
Jackson assisted April into his car and closed the door behind her; he quickly walked towards his side and climbed in. "I have something for you."
April fastened her seatbelt before turning her gaze towards her beau; "What?" she asked, excitement evident in her voice.
Jackson smiled as he moved towards the backseat; he grabbed the bouquet that he hid behind April's seat and presented it to her with flourish. "A date wouldn't be a date without flowers."
April smiled widely as she accepted it; "Oh Jackman! This is beautiful!" she exclaimed.
Jackson smiled; "I'm glad you like it."
April moved the flowers to her face and took a whiff; "I love it."
A look of satisfaction crossed the Plastic Surgeon's face before revving up the engine; "Time to go babe, we don't want to get caught in traffic" he said.
April placed the bouquet on her lap; "Are you going to tell me now where we're going?"
"Nope, you'll just have to wait and see" Jackson winked.
oOo
"It's almost 5, do you think they're already there?" Mark asked.
Lexie tore her eyes away from her charts and watched Mark as he pace; "I'm sure they are, stop worrying, I'm sure everything will be fine."
Mark halted his steps and turned towards Lexie; "You're right" he said. He then walked towards the empty chair beside his fiancé and sat down; "I'm sorry..." he said.
Lexie shifted on her chair to face Mark; "Sorry for what?" she asked.
"For not giving you a proposal you deserved-you were right, I shouldn't have asked you while you were trapped under a large metal contraption or strapped to your hospital bed. If I haven't let my emotions get in the way and waited like a normal person then you would have something to remember that moment by-something worth telling our children someday..."
Lexie stared at Mark's face before leaning forward and pressing her lips into his; she poured all the love she's feeling into the kiss before pulling away. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I admit, I was a little upset, not because you asked me but because of your timing-I was half drugged you know."
Mark chuckled as he leans his forehead to hers; "Thank god you still said yes."
Lexie grinned; "I've wanted to hear those words for a very long time, drugged or not drugged my answer would be the same, heck, you could've asked me to marry you via text and I would've replied with yes, all caps I might add."
Mark stared into her eyes; "I love you Lexie Grey, you're the only one I want."
Lexie pecked Mark's lips again; "I love you too" she replied. She then pulled her face away and smiled; "Now, stop being sappy-I still need to finish this charts or Derek will have my head."
"I'll leave you to it" Mark replied. He then stood up from his perch and made his way towards the door; "I'll go check the E.R. to see if they need extra hands."
"Okay" Lexie replied.
Mark walked towards the door and pulled it open.
"Mark?"
Mark paused by the doorframe and turned his face towards Lexie; "Yeah?"
"It's worth it."
Mark threw her a confused look; "Huh?"
"Worth telling our kids how you proposed, I'm quite sure they'll enjoy it-it's one of a kind after all" Lexie winked.
Mark burst out laughing; "One hell of a kind indeed."
oOo
April peered through the window curiously; "Lakewood Gardens?" she asked.
"Yep"
April turned towards Jackson; "I think we're late, it looks like it's already closed."
"May I?" Jackson gestured towards the flowers.
April handed him the bouquet; "Sure."
Jackson grabbed it and deposited on the backseat; he wordlessly opened his door and climbed out.
April unfastened her seatbelt and opened her door; she planted her feet on the ground before carefully hauling herself up.
Jackson helped her up and locked the door behind them; he then reached for her hand and laced their fingers.
"Jackson?"
"Hhmmmnnn?" Jackson asked as he steered them towards the large doors.
"I think they're already close..." April said while eyeing her beau with confusion.
Jackson pressed the doorbell before turning towards April; "Just trust me, I have this."
"Okay..."
The door slowly opened and they were greeted by a middle aged woman; "Good evening Dr. Avery" she greeted with a wide smile.
Jackson smiled; "Good evening Terry, this is Dr. April Kepner-my girlfriend."
Terry held out her hand; "Good evening Dr. Kepner"
April shook the older woman's hand; "Call me April, please" she said with a smile.
Terry gestured towards the hallway behind her; "Please come in, I trust you still remember the way?" she asked while looking at Jackson mischievously.
"Of course" Jackson replied.
Terry nodded; "Perfect, I'll leave you two to it. Don't hesitate to call for me if you need anything."
"Will do, thank you Terry" Jackson said.
"You are very much welcome, have a good night" Terry said before disappearing into her office.
April followed Jackson's lead silently but once they stepped out into the large open space that leads to several gardens, she can no longer keep quiet. "Wow...this place looks beautiful..."
Jackson squeezed her hand before steering her towards the right direction; "It is, do you like it?"
"I love it" April replied while looking at they're surrounding with wonder.
Jackson felt his heart beat faster when he caught sight of the gazebo they're heading to; he swallowed thickly to steady his voice. "We're having dinner there."
April followed his gaze; "There?"
"Yep"
There stood right in front of them is a large gazebo that looks like it came straight from a romantic movie setting; the structure is covered with green crawling vines that's lined with fairy lights. A small round table draped with white gossamer fabric was adorned with formal dinner setting; iron wrought chairs lined with cushion was arranged to face each other. "Oh my goodness..."
Jackson smiled upon watching April's reaction; Terry was not kidding when she told him this morning that everything is set for them-she outdone herself and he's more than pleased.
April turned her face towards him; "Jackson-I-I-don't know what to say...this looks spectacular-is there an occasion? I'm 100% sure it's neither your birthday nor mine, did I miss something?" she asked.
"Do I need a special occasion to sweep my girl off her feet?"
April did a quick sweep of their surrounding again before replying; "If you aren't holding me right this instant, I might've landed on my ass right now-this is more than sweeping only Jackson, it's worth swooning over too."
Jackson laughed; "I take it that you're pleased?"
April met his gaze, love shinning through her hazel eyes; "I'm more than pleased Jackman, I might just marry you for this" she joked.
Jackson suddenly felt the weight of the ring in his pants; his heart seems to beat a million times per second. "I'm hoping you would."
April smirked; "Is that a proposal?"
Jackson can't help but smile; "Nope, not by mile long."
"Good, because I don't want people to know that I proclaimed marrying you instead of you asking me."
"I'll keep that in mind then, now, can we have dinner?"
"Sure, I'm also starving."
Jackson gestured towards the man standing by the shadows as he guided April towards the table.
oOo
The dinner that the caterers prepared exceeded Jackson's expectations; he didn't have the time to personally choose from the vast menu so he let Terry decide for them, which turned out to be the right decision. The dinner started with scrumptious appetizers such as Breaded Parmesan Artichoke Hearts and Fontina Chicken Bites; then they were served with a light Spinach salad with warm bacon dressing for their entrees. Two different main course were prepared for them since he mentioned that his girlfriend likes lamb meat; April had Grilled Spring Lamb Chops in a Tuscan Marinade with Herb Roasted Fingerlings while he was served with Grilled New York Steak with Heirloom Tomatoes and Grilled Sweet Onions-which both goes well with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.
"That was delicious" April said while dabbing her lips with a napkin.
"Did you enjoy your lamb?" Jackson asked before taking a sip of his wine.
"I did, it was tasty" April replied.
Jackson smirked when he remember one particular memory; "You don't have a sheep in Moline?"
"We did but it was Libby's, so I don't feel guilty eating them"
Jackson chuckled; "But not ducks, right?"
April scrunched her face; "Ducks are cute, I can't eat them."
"I know that hence the lamb."
April smirked; "Very thoughtful Dr. Avery."
"I try" Jackson replied.
They're playful banter was cut short when the waiter cleared their plates and served them the last course-desert. This is the only part of the meal that Jackson chose and he's quite excited to sample them; Dark chocolate covered strawberries and Mini banana cream parfait.
A delightful look crossed the red head's face upon seeing her favourite fruit being placed right in front of her; "Strawberries!"
Jackson smiled indulgently; "It's your next favourite thing in this world, after me of course."
April giggled as she grabbed herself a piece; she took a small bite and moaned with pleasure. "This is good, really good."
"I'm jealous."
"Huh?"
Jackson pointed towards the strawberry with his spoon; "I should be the one making you moan like that and not a stupid fruit."
April's cheeks flush-as if on cue; "Jackson!"
Jackson chuckled before getting a spoonful of his own desert; eating it with relish.
oOo
After finishing their dessert, Jackson invited April to take a stroll in one of the gardens; it was almost 8 and it's time to put the wheels in motion. He felt beads of sweat form on his forehead as his heart sky rocketed to his chest; he led April towards the center of the garden before gently letting go of her hand.
"This garden is beautiful-it's like a movie setting in 1800's era" April said with awe.
Jackson shoved his hand inside his pocket; clasping the small velvet box with his hand. "It's the Elizabethan Knot Garden, one of the famous gardens here."
"The name suits this place well"
"Time to get down on your knees buddy-time to lay everything on the line" Jackson thought. He took a deep calming breath before taking a step towards her; "April?"
April turned towards Jackson; "Yeah?"
Jackson reached for April's hands and stared directly into her eyes; "You know I love you, right?"
April smiled as she squeezes his hand with hers; "Of course I do."
Jackson swallowed thickly; "Would you like to know why?"
April was caught off guard with his question so she found herself nodding as a response.
"I love you because you are compassionate, kind and very patient. You never keep track of wrong doings and you easily forgive which makes you a better person. I love you because you always manage to see the good in people and accept them fully despite their imperfections, you have a beautiful heart and I'm lucky that I've got a glimpse of it."
April felt her eyes heating up with his sudden confession; "I-I don't know what to say..."
"You gave me love during the times I didn't deserve it and you've accepted me amidst my flaws. You make me want to change to be a better man April and I love you so much because of that." He slowly got down on one knee, never breaking eye contact.
"Oh my god" April gasped, tears running down her cheeks.
"I never believed in the concept of soul mates but I think you are mine" Jackson paused and used his right hand to pull the box from his pocket. "I know we haven't been dating for a very long time but I can no longer wait."
April's eyes widen when Jackson opened the small Tiffany box; "Oh god..." she sobbed.
"They say that once you know, you really know; you're the one I want to spend my whole life with, the only woman whom I vow to love until my very last breath" Jackson said shakily. "Marry me April Kepner and spend your life with me forever-be wife?"
"YES!" April blurted out, a tearful albeit happy smile marring her face.
Jackson smiled widely; he quickly took the ring off the box and deftly placed it on her left ring finger.
April launched herself into Jackson's arms; hugging him with all her might. "I love you and I'll marry you! Oh my god, I'm marrying you!"
Jackson can't help but laugh at April's statement; he slowly stood up from his perch, which was not an easy feat since the red head is in his arms. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and titled her face towards his; "I love you and I can't wait to marry you" he said seriously.
April leaned forward and captured his lips into a passionate kiss, pulling him closer by wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him for all she's worth; only pulling away when she heard loud booming noises. "What's that?"
Jackson kissed her forehead before shifting her to his side; "Look up"
April tilted her face; "Fireworks!" she squealed.
Jackson smiled; "Fireworks indeed."
A/N: It's been awhile again, sorry! :D I had a terrible writers block and it took me awhile to put this chapter together-the good news is they're finally engaged! :D I'm not sure when the next chapter will be posted since I'm concocting a new JAPRIL story-this bunny won't seem to leave my head so I'm giving in-I'm putting it on paper (err-microsoft word in this case, LOL)
It has been a long journey for GRAVITY and I've been (still am) overwhelmed with your support and responses :D I've enjoyed writing this fic as much as you enjoyed reading it (i hope :D) but I can feel that the end is near-I'm thinking about 2 or 3 chapters more before we bid this story goodbye. I'll keep you updated as soon as I have an outline :D
Again, thank you for reading and if you have time, please leave me review :D Till next chappy! Cheers! :D