3 days, 3 rings, 5 years apart

January, 2014

Jackson waited nervously as April took a shower. It had been his day off and she'd had a long one but he didn't want to put off what he had planned to another day. So he told her to freshen up while holding himself back from joining her so he could set up their living room, dimly lit with candles and a glass of wine waiting for her.

"Oh wow, I really needed that.", April walked into the room, freshly showered, dressed in a loose, long t-shirt that Jackson loved, "It was such a lon- Wait what is all this?", she stopped short looking around at the scene he had set up.

"Just thought you'd need this.", he walked up to her, handing her the glass & kissing her softly on the head.

She smiled lightly, blushing. This was all still so new for her. Having a husband, having Jackson as her husband, was overwhelming all on its own but knowing that he loved her? Loudly & proudly? She would often wonder if she made it all up but then he'd do things like this & she'd know. She really had everything she ever dreamed of.

"Thank you.", she caressed his face with her free hand & gave him a soft peck, watching his face melt under her touch.

"How was your day?", April asked, once they sat on the couch & she kept her glass on the coffee table.

"Umm.. Pretty normal. I umm, well.. I missed you though.", Jackson replied, scratching his neck.

She looked at him with an amused expression, confused as to why he looked nervous, "Well, that's good because I missed you too.", she reached out to kiss him but he held back. And now she was confused.

"Ok, Jackson. Out with it. What's going on?"

"I uhh.. Ok, ok.", he took a deep breath, as to compose himself & looked straight up back at her, "April. I love you. A lot. And I realise I did a lot of things in not-the-best-way and not-the-best-order."

"Jackson.. That's.."

"No, please let me finish. There's plenty I could've, should've done better but I cant fixate on that anymore. But now? Moving forward? I want to do things right. Give you what you always wanted & deserved.", he was looking at her with such conviction that April couldn't help but shiver.

"I have you. I don't need anything else.", she held his face, softly running her hands through his stubble, causing his eyes to momentarily close as he took it in.

"Nevertheless.", Jackson looked back at her, "I want you to have all of it." He shifted back making her hands fall off his face & before she could realise it, she had an open ring box presented in front of her with the most exquisite diamond ring in it.

"Jackson…"

"I know we're already married & nothing makes me happier than that but I want you to know that I'm not just happy. I'm proud. To be your husband. I don't take that lightly. And nothing would honor me more than seeing this ring on your finger, knowing that you chose me in front of the world even when you had every reason not to.", he spoke with clarity, with love & slowly lifted her hand kissing it softly before placing the ring delicately on her finger, smiling widely that it was a perfect fit.

"It suits you well, wife.", he smiled toothily, trying to lighten the mood but April wasn't interested in 'light'. The words he said gave her goosebumps & made the hair at the back of her neck stand. She reached out & held his face, kissing him surely on the mouth.

He kissed her back immediately, grabbing her hair & pulling her on to his lap easily. She ground down on him, slowly moving away from his mouth but her lips didn't leave his skin, continuing kissing his cheek then moving to his neck that she nipped on while he grew hard under her. He groaned loudly & moved to take off her shirt but she pulled away from him.

Jackson opened his eyes, looking confused as April moved off his lap. "Where do you think you're going? I need to see my wife naked with just the ring on."

"My gorgeous husband just gave me a beautiful ring & I think I want to properly thank him for it first.", she said, pulling his track pant down as she kneeled in front of him & the glint in her eye & confidence in her voice was so hot that he almost came just looking at her.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me.", he whispered.

"And don't you ever forget it.", April smirked & she he bent to taken him in her mouth.

January, 2019

"This is getting ridiculous, they need to move my discharge date forward. I can do the rest of the recovery at home.", Catherine huffed, "Ask Bailey to come see me."

Jackson rolled his eyes, "Absolutely not. You're in no way shape or form ready to be released."

"Of course I am. In case you've forgotten, I'm a surgeon myself and Richard will be there, it's not like I'll be some clueless patient. I'm bored here."

"Mom, stop being childish. You've had a very major surgery & if it was anyone else, you'd be the first person to agree.", he continued looking over her reports.

"God, you get a little cancer & everyone starts treating you like a baby.", Catherine huffed.

"Not sure I'd call that 'little' but that's just me." Catherine & Jackson turned towards the sound of the voice to see April standing at the door, flowers in hand.

"April! Sweetheart!", Catherine beamed.

"Is this a bad time?"

"No, of course not. Come on in.", Jackson replied, smiling softly & moving to the other side of Catherine's bed.

"These are for you.", April gestured towards the bouquet & placed them on the tables in the room. "How're you feeling, Catherine?"

"I feel great. Now if you could just convince my overprotective son to let me go home..", she replied with a big smile while Jackson again rolled his eyes.

"She's getting there. But no where close to being as 'great' as she seems to declare herself to be.", he told April, with a small smile on his face.

"That's so good to hear. Not that I had any doubts about how easily she'd kick its ass.", April said to him, a reassuring look on her face. No matter how composed he seemed now, she knew this was a terrifying ordeal for him.

"Yeah.", he whispered, remembering how confident April had been about Catherine recovering fully every time they'd talked.

"May I?", April gestured towards Catherine's hand turning her attention back to her.

Both nodded affirmatively & she grasped Catherine's hand & squeezed softly.

"I'm so so glad you're doing well."

"Oh honey. Thank you. I'm fine.", she smiled back & laid her other had over April's, "And I wanted to thank you too. Richard told me you dropped off like a week's worth of meals for him."

"You did?", Jackson asked, surprised but not really. It was a quintessential April thing to do, he just thought she'd probably be too busy to do it for them anymore. Guess he was wrong.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped, I know you all have help. I just thou-"

"No, no!"

"Are you kidding?" Both Catherine & Jackson interrupted her.

"Child, he's been gushing about your food, trust me whatever help we have didn't compare.", Catherine chuckled.

"Well, I'm glad." April smiled, while she heard Catherine gasp.

"Oh look at that!", she squealed looking at April's hand, "I don't think I'd seen your ring before."

April awkwardly looked down at her ring from Matthew, while Catherine held her hand, taking a closer look at it. Jackson looked across at the women & his smile morphed into something of a frown. He had already seen April's new wedding ring before but he'd rather not focus on it. He was happy for her & her new life but it was still not something he particularly liked to draw attention to. But of course his mother would.

"Honey, it's beautiful.", Catherine replied, letting go of her hand.

"Thank you. Matthew & I were going to pick one out together but… Well he decided to surprise me with one instead.", she replied, shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear to avoid showing the awkwardness she was feeling. It wasn't that she didn't like the ring, she did. It was just a decision they'd taken together that Matthew went back on. Not the only one, either.

Catherine chuckled, "It suits you so he clearly knows you well. I'm sure you thanked him thoroughly in other ways.", she winked & started laughing when she saw a fierce blush spread across April's face.

Jackson shut his eyes in frustration & looked away, trying to not make his annoyance obvious. He picked Catherine's charts back up & stared at them intently trying to avoid thinking about the picture his mother had so eloquently painted. Except it was a picture that April had already lived, only with a different husband. And the absolute last thing he needed to think about was fucking Matthew at the receiving end of that.

April swallowed roughly & trying to ignore Catherine's comment even though her face betrayed her, "Well umm.. I guess I better get going. I don't want to keep you from your rest. Take care, Catherine!"

"You're always welcome to visit, honey."

"Thanks for dropping by.", Jackson said, looking at her sincerely.

"Of course! You take care too!", she nodded softly & left the room.

"She seems happy. Content. I'm glad.", Catherine said, once April left.

"Yeah.", Jackson didn't have anything else to add to it.

"You know, I had my doubts about that man. He just seemed so dull & sans personality to me.", she continued & Jackson smirked - that he could agree with.

"But I guess, he gets her. I mean that ring? Looked perfect for her. Not the biggest or most flashy. Kind of simple but seems solid. I guess that's what he is for her."

Jackson smirk fell & he swallowed roughly. That sentiment hit him hard even though there wasn't a reason to.

"Maybe.", he replied, as he got up to leave the room. He needed some air. "But not everything simple is necessarily solid. Sometimes it's just cheap & superficial."

Catherine looked at him, confused & he tried to regulate himself, saying "I'm just saying let's just hope that's not the case here!", he chuckled softly, trying to pass it off as a joke as he left the room without looking back while she sighed deeply, shaking her head.

January, 2024

Jackson unlocked the door to their house with April following closely behind. It was still early & Harriet was spending the night with Catherine which is why he chose today to do this.

As soon as April shut the door behind her, Jackson spun her around & kissed her deeply. She moaned into his mouth & grabbed the back of his head pulling him closer to her & running her tongue across his lip as he opened his mouth for her. He moved his lips away & buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent & kissing her pulse point. She sighed deeply & moved his mouth back to hers to continue kissing him till they were both out of breath.

Jackson rested his head on her forehead, closing his eyes & just breathing her in. "I love you so much."

April looked up at him, seeing the smile on his face & kissed his forehead, "I love you too."

He pulled back, searching her eyes, "Should I have done this differently? I'm sorry if it wasn't ro-"

"Jackson..", she chuckled, shaking her head slightly.

A few hours ago...

Jackson looked across the table at April & smiled, gearing up to broach the topic he wanted to for a while. He knew with their history & her individual history with the topic, he couldn't blindside or surprise her. He needed to discuss it with her first.

"Hey, there was something I wanted to ask you.", he started, now that they were waiting on their order at the restaurant.

"Yeah? What's up?", April sat back & looked at him curiously.

"Just.. You know we've both changed a lot these past few years. As people and even our beliefs, right?"

"True.. You semi-believe in God now.", she chuckled.

"Yeah and we're living together. Not exactly being celibate either.", he smirked.

"Are you saying you want to stop having pre marital sex?"

"God no.", he immediately replied & she laughed lightly, "But that was a major hurdle before but you've grown & evolved past that, right?"

"Yeah.."

"So I wanted to know where you stand on marriage now."

"Oh.. Umm.."

"April.", he interrupted so he could get his thoughts out fully, "I love you, I love our family. Any future that has you & Harriet is fine with me. Truly. But I want to know how you picture our future."

April reached out & placed her hand over his, sighing softly, considering her next words. "I love you. These past 2 & half years have given me everything I ever hoped for. Everything I had believed I'd never get back so I just.. Didn't want to be greedy. Looking or hoping for more when I already got more than I ever dreamed was possible."

"I don't want you to do that.. To hold yourself back from wanting things that'll make you happy."

"I know. & I'm not. Really. Honestly, after Matthew.. I was kind of done with marriage. I really thought focusing on raising Harriet & doing the work I did was enough for me. For giving my life meaning & purpose. I just didn't have it in me to start from scratch with someone & try to build something there."

"I get that."

"But then again, I never thought we'd be back here.", she squeezed his hand softly, "My future is with you, Jackson Avery. All my roads led back to you. So the future you want is the future I want. I love the life we're building now but if there's one person I'd still want to be the wife of, it's you."

Jackson felt his eyes well up as he tried to hold back tears as a smile broke on his face. He pulled her hand up, kissing it repeatedly, giddy at her words.

He looked back at her teary eyes, "Well then April Kepner, I think it's time you & I go buy you a ring."

"Really?", she whispered back.

"I told you years ago at the side of a dark road that I wanted the whole damn thing. I still do. And you're the only person I've ever wanted it with."

April smiled at that through her tears, "Well I guess we've to get me a ring then."

Now...

"I mean I'm not sure if you were expecting a flash mob kinda.."

"Stop!", she pushed him slightly but pulled him back in, "It was romantic. It was who we are now. Jackson, I don't want a big thing, I just want you. Our family. Our future."

"I think I can still squeeze in some tradition though.", he stepped back & got on one knee, pulling out the ring box with the ring they just bought.

"April, there's a lot of things I owe to you. Things that would never have happened if it wasn't for having you in my life but the thing I'm most grateful for is that you kissed me that night in San Francisco. That one kiss changed my life forever. No matter what we've been through these past few years, my constant, my centre has always been you regardless of whether we were together or not. I'm ridiculously in love with you & kind of tired of not being your husband. So will you marry me?.. Again?"

April chuckled at that. She had tears streaming down her face & she knelt down next to him holding his face surely & looked straight in his determined eyes, "Yes, of course."

He crushed her lips with his right as she accepted & placed the ring on her finger without his lips leaving hers.

They pulled back from the kiss & looked at each other, tears in their eyes & smile on their lips.

"I love you."

"I love you."

A little something to celebrate Japril endgame's 2nd anniversary! Pls review :)