Jackson and April take the elevator near where Charles died for the first time since the shooting. Set during s7.
He wants to do this. Its time, he thinks, to finally confront his fears over stepping foot in the elevator near where Charles died, having actively avoided it for months. He's still struggling, but not nearly as much as he used to be. The nightmares are becoming much less frequent, and he's finally beginning to feel at ease dealing with patients again, and like maybe, at some point, he'll feel normal again. This logically feels like the next step, but as he stares at the elevator doors when they ping open, he can't seem to bring himself to actually move.
April watches him from afar, placing her tablet down on the desk, before slowly making his way over to him and clearing her throat. "Hey, you okay?"
"Hmm?" She catches him off guard, and he realises that he still hasn't moved yet, "Oh, yeah. I uh...I wanted to try and take the elevator."
She knows that he's been avoiding it, as he'd told her once when they'd first come back to work, and she'd spiralled after walking into the supply closet where Reed was shot. There was times when she still found it hard to go there - sometimes it still felt like she could feel and smell the blood on her skin, but she was getting better.
"I can take it with you, if you want."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, of course. Thats what friends do."
Jackson finds himself smiling softly, and nods in response, as they make their way inside and patiently wait for the doors to close, before Jackson presses the button to the third floor. He lets out a breath that he didn't realise he was holding, and is taken aback when she immediately grabs her hand and squeezes it. It centres him and brings him back to reality, and he's grateful that she offered to do this with him before he could have a panic attack and change his mind.
Time seems to move so slowly as they wait for their destination, but he's grateful that she has yet to let go of his hand. Its only once the doors ping once again that she lets go, and waits for him to exit.
"Thanks for doing that."
"Its not a problem. You feel okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good. Meet me at lunch in the tunnels?"
"Wouldn't miss it. Hey...remember what Charles would say? Mercy West forever."
"Mercy West forever."
As he watches the elevator doors on her, he feels like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. He might still feel a little broken, but he's grateful that they have each other, at that Mercy West forever lives on. It doesn't hurt to say it anymore.