Chapter Summary

Will isn't ready to forgive and forget so quickly. April's rejection was too harsh and now he's licking his wounds and trying his best to breathe life into his new relationship with Natalie but with April entering his thoughts how long will it take for Natalie to notice?

Chapter Notes

Will seeing April watch him kiss Natalie formed a pit in stomach that he wished wasn't there. The last time they spoke they'd tip-toed around the fact that she was in therapy, which was the ultimatum he gave her for any sort of romantic beginning, but she had destroyed the option by telling him no and then she annihilated their friendship.

Will was heartbroken until his roommate had told him of her visit. The emotions were mixed and tense inside of him. He had sent her a text asking if everything was okay and she'd asked to meet.

Will hadn't felt anxious about going to meet her until he saw her sitting in the little coffee shop. When he walked up he expeditiously felt the pull of every cell in his body to her. He wanted to hold her hand, kiss her, but then her words ran through his head and the emotion was dampened, stained with the feeling of rejection.

"Hi," April said with a closed mouthed smile.

Will pulled up the chair to the small table and compartmentalized his emotions; taking care not to look her directly in the eyes. He was already twisting the paper napkin on the table, fidgeting his leg trying to rid the energy he felt for her through it.

"Is everything okay?" he asked channeling his objective professional voice.

April could feel the coolness in his tone. She knew she hurt him, but he was more distant than he'd ever been to her.

"Yeah, everything's okay," April said with a softness in her voice.

She was trying to look at him but he refused to make eye contact.

"What do you want April?" Will said cooly; finally looking at her as he had gotten enough of her energy out of him to convey his tone.

His eyes were cold, but as soon as they connected to hers sadness flooded them. April gave a small nod acknowledging and conceding to the fact that she was receiving what she dished out to him for weeks.

"Okay, you were right, I'm not in the best place, but I know that you were just trying to help and I wanted you to know how sorry I am...for treating you like that," April lamented apologetically, "I've decided to get some help."

Will's eyes softened a bit but his icy guard was still up.

"I miss you too," April said still looking him in the eye.

She slid her hand across table but Will didn't reach for hers; he pulled back. April looked down and away realizing that she had missed her window and he was probably lost to her. She put her hand back to her lap and took a breath trying her best to absorb the heavy feeling weighing on her chest.

Will couldn't touch her; he wanted to, so badly, but he didn't want to complicate the very new and uncomplicated relationship he'd just started with Natalie. He sat up in his seat he had to get out of there; to get away from the pull she had on him. So he stood up, ready to tell her goodbye.

"Well I'm glad that you're finally getting help; truly," his voice was back to his professional tone but his eyes told a different story.

"Thanks, maybe we can hang out again sometime," April said almost hopelessly.

"Yeah maybe, I'll see you around April."

That was that. They had not seen each other outside of work since then. Will had noticed she was still on day shifts and he'd wanted to talk to her about school but he was still really tense around her. He knew he was still in love with her but he was also angry. It came out directed at her but it was really the situation.

How does one get what they want; maybe even what they need, but neither reward falls into what they actually desire? He had thought about that when he came into work bumping into Natalie as she was on her way out to get Owen from the sitter's house.

"Hey you," she said smiling.

"Hey, you getting off?" Will asked with a smile to match hers.

"Yes but I was wondering if maybe you'd want to get a drink after work tomorrow?" She said smiling.

"Yeah that sounds good," Will answered as she leaned in to give him a quick kiss before leaving.

Everything with Natalie was safe, predictable, but comforting. It was something that Will craved; especially when he turned to see April behind him, she had waved in an effort to continue to reach out and he nodded her way. He was trying his best to come around to the idea of being friends again but her presence still unnerved him and if he needed anymore confirmation of that it came the following night.

He and Natalie got off of work and walked to Molly's. They had been sitting down for only a moment, happy to finally be able to do so, considering how slammed they had been in the ED that night. He was feeling content until Natalie said,

"I wonder when that started again."

Will looked to Natalie's eyes and followed her gaze. He caught the tail end of Connor grazing April's stomach outside the window. They exchanged some words but they were inaudible. He saw them both laugh and he recognized the happiness in April's face, in her eyes. He did his best to bury the irritated look filling his own. Natalie had seen that look. It was the same one she saw a similar night at Molly's when they had a group outing for April. That peevishness she hadn't felt since that night arose.

"Will-," Natalie repeated herself.

He was zoned out watching Connor walk into the bar. He saw them and they both nodded in each other's direction as Natalie waved to him.

"I'm sorry what were you saying?" Will said trying to bury his hostility before looking to Natalie.

"Oh I was just saying that I wondered if they were back together, do you know?" Natalie said her eyes soft but somewhat interrogative.

"Oh I wouldn't know."

"You guys still not talking?" Natalie asked trying to reason away the look she saw in him with the present tense.

"A little bit," Will said flipping his palm up and down signaling the wishy-washiness of their friendship.

They discussed the highs, lows, and challenges of their day at work. They finished their beers and Will wanted to invite her back to his place but he had to get up early for work and pull a double.

"Well you know you could stay the night," Will stated flirtatiously; teasing her about their PG-13 relationship.

"Not tonight, but Saturday?" Natalie said seductively and dead serious.

Will's eyes widened and a grin spread across his face.

"YES!" Will said swiftly.

They both laughed at his eagerness and he kissed her goodbye, longer and deeper than he ever had. She pulled away and smiled letting go of his hand.

...

When he got home he went to lie down but first he opened his laptop pulling up his spreadsheet to update his costs and expenses on his budget. He lied back in bed thinking about what Saturday would be like and if the experience would be like in his dreams or better? It was one way to forget seeing April and Connor together but almost as quickly as he and Natalie walked away from each other his mind wandered to April-World and he wondered why Connor was touching her, why there? April had kept her pregnancy from him but would she do the same to Will?

They hadn't used protection but he knew April was on the pill. It was one of the many things he would see sometimes on her dresser and it always conjured up images of her with other men, he hated it then, and he hated it now. He pushed the thought away it felt irrational and obsessive. He hated that she had that effect on him. He wondered if she had similar thoughts when she saw him with Natalie.