Jackson and April meet Cass and David Beckman. (From the episode 6 promo)
When he'd returned to Seattle for a quick visit, he definitely hadn't expected his night to go like this. What had started as a date night at their old favourite restaurant between himself and April whilst Harriet got some quality time with her grandparents, had ended up becoming a little derailed by the arrival of a doctor from Grey Sloan. He hadn't had the chance to meet the guy before - given that he spent very little time at the hospital these days, unless he flew back on business, but Catherine had hired him, and, given that Jackson was the head of the foundation now, Dr. David Beckman jumped at the chance to introduce himself and steal a conversation. Whilst April seemed to busy herself by talking to the man's wife at the bar, Jackson listened as David went on about his ideas for the hospital's cardio department. He wasn't sure at what point the conversation started to more personal, but he couldn't help but frown at the turn it took next.
"That redhead you're with is pretty cute. Think you might have some competition though."
"Excuse me?" Was this guy suggesting that he was interested in April?HisApril? Sure, he knew his wife was very attractive (he had eyes), but it was also obvious that she was taken, and this guy had a lot of nerve for suggesting that he could be a potential threat.
He was about to consider what reasons he could come up with to fire him, before David chuckled, noticing the look on his new acquaintance's face, "Oh, right, sorry. My wife and I - we kind of have an open marriage. Pretty sure she's trying to hit on your girl over there."
Jackson felt a laugh bubbling in his throat, and he wasn't sure if it was because his wife was very,verystraight (he could tell when he glanced over and saw April's wide Bambi eyes that she had no idea how to respond to whatever David's wife was saying), or at the fact he'd managed to find himself in such a strange situation. He's all for people doing what they want in their sex life (hedidlose his virginity in a threesome, after all), but the thought of letting other people sleep withhiswife made him feel sick. It wasn't even in the primal way (okay, maybe itwasa little bit), but that she's his soulmate - the other half of him, and he couldn't imagine wanting to waste time with anyone else when he could be spending it with his best friend, in their happy blissful marriage bubble, and he knew that she'd feel the same. He'd already tried dating and having sex with other women in the years that they weren't together, and it didn't live up to the connection they had, and no one ever would. If this was what dating and marriage was like for other people these days, then they could keep it, and he'd tell his wife once again how grateful he was to be navigating life with her.
Just as the other doctor excused himself to go to the bathroom, April made her way back over to him, her eyes still slightly wide. Her immediately knew what that meant: she was trying not to freak out about something and contain her sometimes-frazzled energy.
"That woman was hitting on me." She stated quietly, her voice rising an octave like he'd expected, "One minute, we were exchanging emergency room stories, and the next she was asking me if I want to come back to her place for something more !"
"I know." Jackson replied, finding it both amusing and adorable seeing her like this, "Can't say I blame her though. Did I tell you how great you look tonight?" His eyes flitted over her again, hoping that the compliment might help to talk her down a little.
"She'smarried!" April continued, completely skipping past her husband's kind words.
"I know."
That seemed to pull her out of her mini freak out, as she looked at him incredulously, "You know?"
"Her husband might've mentioned that they have an open marriage."
"An open marriage?! What's the point in even being married then?" April paused for a moment, realising that she was thinking out loud, "Sorry, sorry. I shouldn't judge."
"Judge away, babe. I'm not gonna snitch to the big man up there."
"Shut up." She giggled, not really meaning it at all, "Let's just go back to the hotel, before this night gets any weirder."
"Please. I might punch that guy if he starts hitting on you too."
April rolled her eyes as Jackson slung an arm around her shoulders, making their way towards the exit together, "You're such a caveman sometimes."
"Hey, you still married me. Twice, might I add."
"Mhm, and you should probably count yourself lucky, since I'm apparently in high demand." She teased.
His tone turned more serious for a moment, as he looked down at her lovingly whilst they walked, "Oh, I do. Always."
The resulting nose scrunch and dimpled smile that she shot him in return only confirmed that fact.