Seattle's world renowned rain hadn't let up in days and April Kepner was starting to get slightly frustrated at the new found fizziness of her red hair. She gripped her cup of steaming hot coffee and was prepared to lead her interns through rounds. She couldn't believe that just a few short months ago she was a virgin, worried about her surgical boards, and today she was a board certified surgeon and a woman who had ridden the carnival a time or two with the absolute best ride. April kept her and Jackson's time in San Francisco to herself, half expecting not to ever discuss it because he was going to Tulane and also because she could not fathom the ridiculous comments Cristina or Alex would make. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized Cristina was still visiting Mayo. However, she knew her relief wouldn't last too long, since Cristina and Meredith were bound at the hip. They weren't called the twisted sisters for nothing.

"Dr. Kepner?" She thought she heard one of her new interns say, but the voice was oddly familiar, it almost sounded safe.

"Yes. Rounds are in fifteen minutes, don't be late," she snapped back, determined not to be the dud of the attendings.

"I don't think a board certified plastic surgeon has to do rounds, but if you insist." Jackson Avery said with his typical Avery sparkle.

"What are you doing here," the words got caught in her throat, "I thought you went to Tulane?" She said, pulling the ipad closer to her chest as to cover her body; the body that he had seen, so vulnerable, so giving, but a body that he did not want. She shuddered at the thought of having sex with him, it was amazing, exhilarating sex, but now things were different and she and her best friend couldn't go back. What was the thing that Meredith's mother always said, "the carousel never stops turning." Well if that wasn't the truth?

"Mark practically begged me to come back and I didn't have anything keeping me in New Orleans, not like I do here." His voice was calm and sweet, and if she hadn't been staring at her i-pad preparing for her rounds she would have heard the slight elevation in tone implying that he had come back for her. He cocked his head slightly and looked at her with his blue-green eyes, eyes of which she had become accustommed to, but now they seemed to be melting her soul. She could feel her palms getting sweaty and before he could do anything, she checked her watch and almost panicked.

"It's really great to see you Jackson, but I'm going to be late for my rounds. But I'd really like to talk and catch up." Good that was good, she didn't stutter, she didn't act like a complete babbling idiot, she had done well, but something inside of her was dreading the lunch she had proposed.

Jackson Avery had never been one to ask for anything. He was the grandson of Harper Avery, world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon. His whole life he had been an Avery, no matter where he went or what he did, he was an Avery first. Not Jackson, the kid who liked basketball or the kid who enjoyed going out and riding bikes with his friends. No, he was the kid who sat in board meetings, the kid who heard his parents argue over the foundation until one day he never heard them fight again. He had been eight when his dad walked out on him and his mother, Catherine Avery, so old enough to remember the scumbag that left them, but too young to understand why he had left. He thought that going to Tulane would fix all his tension with April, he could see the way she was uncomfortable around him. How her body folded in on itself or how she refused to make any semblance of eye contact with him. However, something had come over his body when he held her sweet, naked body underneath those hotel bed sheets in San Francisco, he never realized how much he had wanted April Kepner, and now that he had gotten a taste he had to have more.

But Jackson, left, he ran just like his father because he couldn't be what April needed. He couldn't be the "good man in a storm". He knew he would treat her well; hypothetically, he was a gentlemen and an Avery after all. But he had never been in a serious relationship that he could see being "the relationship" the one to end the search. He never wanted to admit it to himself, but he had been in love with April Kepner from day one. She was unlike anyone he had ever met. She came from a small town in Ohio, grew up on a farm with three other sisters, definitely not the type of woman he typically went for. But something about her, her demeanor was kind she listened to everyone, even Karev. Maybe he was embarrassed to be liking Kepner, but hell he had seen her naked there was nothing to be embarrassed about. She could be a tad annoying at times, but it jut added to her charm, and it made him want her more. How could she have been so blind when they were talking at the nurse's station earlier, how could she not know that he wanted her?

He sat in the cafeteria waiting for her, he texted her letting her know he was here. He had just finished a surgery for Sloan this morning. Sloan had called him and begged him to come back to Seattle; even though he and Lexie had been discharged from the hospital after the plane crash they were still not ready for surgery. Jackson had left Seattle before he could hear the full extent of their injuries, but from what he heard through the grape vine, Lexie's arm had been ripped clean off and they were able to reattach it, but there's little function. She may never be able to be a surgeon again. The thought of not being able to perform surgery sent shivers down his spine, surgery was his life, his calling, hell it was in his DNA and to have that ripped from you in a blink of an eye would be heart wrenching.

April saw Jackson sitting by himself in the cafeteria, wearing the dark navy blue scrubs, well except for that one day years ago, but that memory was faded. She had never seen him in them before, but it made her heart skip a beat. She decided to get some food, yes that would calm her nerves. She had been going over it in her head, how she was going to tell him, she was a grown woman she could tell him how she felt. But knowing that she would have to look into those eyes, those beautifully charming sea green eyes, the thought made her want to vomit. But before she could run and relieve herself, an all to familiar smell came from behind her. There he was, standing so close to her she could feel his breath on her neck, he had definitely chewed gum before coming over to talk to her.

"Going any where April?" The sound of her name left his lips with a softness that she had never heard coming from him.

"Uh," she mumbled turning around quickly so he would stop breathing on her neck, not that she wanted him to stop because it felt so good; it felt so amazing to have his body near hers like that again, "Nope. I was just looking for you. Do you still want to talk?" She responded cheerily.

"Yes, I think I'd like that," he said gesturing her to the nearest table. Cristina, Meredith, and Alex were also eating their lunches in the cafeteria.

"So when did Jackson get back," Meredith mentioned to Cristina.

"I'm not sure, he didn't come to the apartment, and I really wish he would do you guys understand how annoying it is to live with Kepner? Alone!" Alex chimed in.

"Hush Alex, you know I told you that you could move into my house once Derek's finished with the dream house." Meredith responded

"You know he's never going to finish that." Cristina said.

"I know, but I like for him to think he can. It's a good project for him, you know with his hand. And Lexie's helping him decorate it. It's good, the dream house is good for them." Meredith's mind flashed to the plane crash. It had been the most horrific day of her life, and she had survived drowning and a mass shooting. She vividly remembered shouting her husband's name at the top of her lungs, when she finally found him almost passed out with a massive piece of the airplane going through his hand. They were lucky though, the plane crash could have killed all of them, but only the pilot Jerry died and Arizona had lost her leg, and for this Meredith was grateful.

"Hey, earth to Mer. We still haven't settled on what Virgin Mary and Jackson are talking about," Alex said.

"Alex. They're friends, just leave it alone. He came back because of the plane crash, he thought Mark would be back to work by now." Meredith responded, trying to get that horrible day out of her head.

"No, he came back for Kepner," Cristina proudly stated. And with that Meredith turned around and really looked at her two friends sitting a few tables away from them. Here was April Kepner, sitting with her red hair in a tasseled ponytail, her hazel eyes staring intently at Jackson holding onto every word he was saying. And there was Jackson, who seemed to be pouring his heart out and April, oh sweet April, couldn't have been the wiser.

"Oh my God," the words fell out of Meredith's mouth.

"Oh my God what? What do you know?" Cristina could hardly contain her excitement. And a smirk came over Meredith's face, the one that Cristina hated. She hated to not be the first, to not be the one who came up with the solution to their problem.

"April Kepner has gone to the carnival," Meredith slyly replied.

"What is that even supposed to mean," Alex asked stuffing another bite of his sandwich into his mouth. Cristina just looked at Mer, eyes wide open with surprise and glee. Her eyes met April's, and she gave her a big thumbs up, slightly mocking her, but she was actually proud of Kepner. April shuddered with embarrassment, which only caused Cristina to laugh.

"Why would you do that?" Meredith scolded Cristina. "She's a virgin, wait was a virgin."

"What!" Alex had finally picked up on what was happening. "April Kepner isn't a virgin, who did she sleep with?"

"Take a look for yourself," Meredith said.

"And I thought I could go one month in this hospital without there being any drama, I really should have gone to John's Hopkins," he scoffed.

Jackson looked at April, who had looked like she had just seen a ghost.

"They know, how do they know?" she clearly was talking about Meredith, Cristina, and Alex. Jackson could have cared less if they knew, hell he wanted the world to know that he had slept with April Kepner. He felt proud of it. Their lunch had been going well up until this point, the topics of conversation kept to surgery. She asked him where he was staying, but that was about as personal as it got. Before he could muster up the courage to tell her how he felt, her pager went off.

"Hey, this was great, I'm really glad we can be friends again and get past, you know, well you know everything," her voice was rambling but he knew that she was uncomfortable so he let her go.

"Yeah. Well, I'm going to be at Joe's tonight, if you still want to catch up?"

"I'd like that." She quickly grabbed her white lab coat and ran out of the cafeteria, red hair blazing.

He had been in the O.R. with Meredith Grey who had managed to keep her mouth shut during the entire surgery, but when they were scrubbing out, she smacked him over the head with a towel.

"You defiled a virgin! April Kepner was a virgin." She yelled.

"Yes. But she's also a grown woman," he was annoyed that he even had to try and defend himself. April had come on to him, and just thinking about it made him excited.

"Jackson," Meredith's voice suddenly became calm "I know she doesn't see it, and maybe you don't either. But I do. Cause you never think the last time's going to be the last time- you think there will be more. You think you have forever, but you don't. I've been where you are, I was in love with Derek and I let time slip by. I let him go, because I was too afraid to tell him what I wanted. Because I was the girl with daddy issues and a mother who couldn't remember what decade she was in. You love April Kepner, tell her."

"What are you talking about?"

"Jackson, Mark didn't ask for you to come back."

"Meredith, yes he did."

"No, he didn't. And I'm not going to get into this with you, why are you being so defensive. I'm trying to help you. Tell April how you feel. You do not know the regret of letting something amazing pass you by."

"I can't," his voice began to shake, "I can't tell her because I'm not enough for her. I tried to today, I even thought I was going to tonight, but I can't. Now that I really think about it. April deserves a man that is going to take her places, treat her like a queen, be her knight in shining armor. I'm not that man, I don't know how to be that man."

"But you can learn," Meredith's words were reassuring, "April doesn't need a knight in shining whatever, she just needs someone who cares about her, who respects her, and who she can trust. All that other garbage you two can work out. But if you don't say anything, if you don't let her know how you feel, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

He had decided; he was going to tell her tonight. He, Jackson Avery, was in love with April Kepner.