AU: April has a harmless crush on Mark, and Jackson finds himself feeling jealous.

Why couldn't she crush on her own mentor? Why did it have to be Mark Sloan of all people?

He's already experienced this before - when they'd first transferred to Seattle Grace as Mercy Westers, and Derek had been kind enough to give her another chance after she was initially fired. It had caused her to develop a huge crush on the man - possibly because she felt indebted to him, and possibly because he was so unattainable to her, given the fact that he was very happily married. Back then, it had almost been kind of endearing - something he could easily tease her about as he watched her engage in flustered conversations with Meredith, or run around doing all of Derek's administrative work like a lost puppy. Now? Now that it was Mark Sloan she seemed to be crushing on? The other half of the plastics posse? His former love rival? The hospital whore? (According to Bailey) It wasn't so endearing. It was just annoying, and he couldn't put his finger as to why.

"I feel like I misjudged Dr. Sloan. Underneath all the bravado, he's actually quite sweet once you get to know him. I get why Lexie was so into him now."

"Not this again."

"What?"

"You have a crush on him," He mumbles, irritated by the fact that he has to say it out loud.

For once, she doesn't try to deny it - not like last time when she'd spent the entirety of her crush on Shepherd stuttering about how she totally just admired him as a surgeon - nothing more, "Maybe...but...its nothing. Its harmless. I'm not actually going to do anything about it...I don't think he'd be interested anyway. He has a girlfriend! And a baby!"

Jackson frowns, and debates as to whether or not he should tell his mentor that, should April change her mind about acting on her crush, his very virginal best friend is definitely off-limits, "I hope not. He's...not right for you."

"Whats that supposed to mean?"

"I mean he's...Mark. Yeah, he's not a bad person, but I can't imagine you guys together."

"Why? Because he's older than me? or because I'm a virgin?" April questions, "Or because I'm...me?"

He feels his heart break a little as her voice drops - almost as though she's afraid of his answer. "What? No, April, no. You're...great. Really great. I just...he's not the right guy for you." But I might be, he hears a voice in his head say, and it terrifies him, because why is he suddenly thinking that? and why does he feel jealous over his best friend's hypothetical relationship with his mentor? "Look, you said it yourself once when I was pursuing Lexie - that she was still hung on Mark. You don't need all those complications in your life. You deserve someone who's interested in you and only you."

That seems to make her smile a bit, before she sighs dramatically when reality hits her, "I don't know why I'm like this. Why do I always crush on unattainable men?"

"I...can't answer that." He's not entirely sure he's in a position to be dolling out romantic advice anyway, given how his relationship with Lexie ended.

"Maybe it's because they're not interested in me. I mean, Stark was interested, and I shot him down..."

"You should be glad that didn't work out. The guy was a jerk." As much as her colleagues had found it amusing to tease her about it at the time, it had felt kind of inappropriate, looking back. He hadn't remained professional after she'd shut him down, and that wasn't okay with him. He was just glad that the guy had left abruptly.

"But he actually liked me. Usually guys just find me annoying...even now."

"You're not annoying," Jackson assures her, because he hates that she still doesn't have the highest self-esteem. She's not quite as anxious and insecure as she was when he first met her during their intern year, but she also doesn't seem to see what he sees, either. It doesn't help that their colleagues still seem to find the time to make fun of her, and that he isn't always around to shut them down, "I'm a guy, and I don't think you're annoying."

April tries to just accept the compliment, "Thanks, Jackson. You're a great friend."

Friend. He knows thats what he is, but why does hearing that disappoint him? He could be more than that, he thinks.

"Uhm...can we keep this between us? I just-I don't want to give anyone else a reason to make fun of me, and it'll pass. I know it will."

"Yeah, of course. Probably for the best."

"Great-oh, I've gotta go," She says as the sound of her pager buzzing stops her from continuing the conversation, "Thanks again."

"Don't mention it."

As the tiny redhead scurries off in the direction of the ER, Jackson sighs to himself, wondering what to do about these thoughts as he makes his way out of the chief resident's office.

"Avery, my man!" Mark says enthusiastically, raising his hand up for a high five, which Jackson doesn't meet, "Whats gotten into you? Quit it with the resting bitch face, it's bad for your skin. Look I know you're stressed about the boards, which is why I still think you should consider having sex. Hey, maybe you could even ask Kepner since you two-"

"Oh my god, stop talking! I'm leaving now!" Jackson grumbles, turning on his heels and practically stomping towards the nearest elevator.

"Just consider it alright?!"