With his body attached to the bed, Jackson laid still. His bulged throbbed as he recounted the actions of his friend and soon to be lover Alex Karev. Jackson had gotten what he wanted without ever speaking a real or true word about his feelings for the pediatric surgeon. Stricken with his own thoughts, Jackson rolled over onto his stomach as he considered Alex's invitation to join him at his apartment. Jackson wanted to immediately accept the offer, but his fear was holding him back. Jackson pressed his eyes together and tried to imagine what would happen if he said yes. In a matter of seconds, he had to open his eyes and stop thinking because his cock was throbbing, and there was no chance of him jerking off anytime soon. He also could not see patients and walk around the hospital with a boner. That was a sexual harassment case waiting to happen, and Jackson was in no way ready to deal with his mother about anything.

Running a hand through his short hair and over his head, Jackson made the decision to get up. He would give Alex's invitation a little more thought, but he needed something else to occupy his time. He was still on the clock for at least another five hours, and it was going to be a long and hard five hour if all he was thinking about was Alex. With both feet planted on the floor, Jackson moved himself out of the room full of bunks and made his way to the research wing of the hospital. There was no chance that he would return to the emergency department unless he was needed; he was not in the mood to stand or sit around in pure boredom waiting for a consult that would never arrive. In no less than four minutes, Jackson had made it to an elevator and was on his way to his sixth-floor plastics department. Each floor was designated to a particular specialty, and each specialty had their own research wing. Of course, Jackson thought the plastics department was the best, but it was just as nice at the other departments.

Entering the lab, Jackson smiled when he saw his latest project in one of the coolers. He and some younger residents had been working on trying to replicate skin for a set of twelve patients of varying races, orientations and medical ailments. There was one skin flap that was intended to cover a whole in a cancer patients' throat, and there was another for a patient that had come in contact with a meat grinder a few months before the medial trial began. Jackson was skeptical about starting the project but with the backing of other attendings at Grey-Sloan and his team, he found a pleasure in watching the cells grow into the skin, but it was no easy task. The small Petri dishes contained skin, but it was not a lot of skin. With the correct measurements, assessments, and science, it took anywhere from five days to two weeks to grow one square inch of skin. The biggest issue that Jackson faced with the time scale was the active ability of each patient's stem cells. Some cells were easier to manipulate into the skin than others, but Jackson was in no hurry to complete the trial. He needed and wanted as much information as he could gather about the project to work out any kinks or problems before he presented it to the FDA or the acclaimed Harper-Avery Awards. Jackson also wanted to put his patients first, making sure they were getting a finished product that they would love and enjoy.

There was not much for Jackson to do within his research lab in terms of actual work. At best, he spent the last five hours of his shift looking at results, running tests, and reading as much research about the subject at hand. There was not much to go on as the project was relatively new, hence the medical trial, but there were a few things that Jackson found interesting as he read. Noticing the time from his own watch, Jackson sighed as he logged out of his computer. He had succeeded in not thinking about Alex, but now it was time to make a decision on going to the man's apartment or not. Jackson pressed his back into the swivel chair he was sitting in and tried to keep his mind from falling off the deep end. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted Alex. He wanted to feel the Alex's breathe across his skin, and he wanted to feel the warm and radiant energy that vibrated off the man's body. The only thing that Jackson was not prepared for was what would happen after any physical events.

Jackson did not know if he was ready to date again, and he was unsure of his own feelings. With Harriet in the picture and his helicopter mom, Katherine, there was not a whole lot that he could do to hide anything. Katherine knew everything that went on at the hospital, and there was no way that he could ever look April in the face and tell her that his love was never true because he was only interested in being with a man. Tears began to well in Jackson's eyes as he thought about all these different options and roads. He never wanted any of this; the only thing Jackson wanted for himself was to be happy, and it seemed that every time he brought it up, it made him sadder. Alex had made him the happiest man alive, but after leaving and thinking through what the consequences would be, it made him the saddest man ever, and Jackson had no idea what to do with the imbalance between the two.

Regardless of his feelings, Jackson knew he couldn't stay in his lab workspace or the hospital forever. Pulling off his coat and picking up his cell phone, Jackson made his descent from the sixth floor and to the attending parking lot down on level three. Moving as quickly as he could through the hospital, Jackson was shocked to find Alex waiting for him beside his black Mercedes. Jackson tried to pretend that he didn't see the man standing near his car, but there was no actual way to avoid him without repercussions. Jackson fought back the tears threatening his eyes, and he smiled at Alex before speaking.

"What are you still doing here?"

Alex smiled at the plastics doctor and waived his hands up with a smile before he answered.

"I thought I'd hang out and catch up on some paperwork for insurance. There's never much time to get it done through the day, so I usually do it on slow nights."

Jackson nodded his head and smiled at the doctor. That made logical sense, and it made even more sense to Jackson because he did the exact same thing on most nights. Leaning away from his car and turning his gaze away from Alex, he thought about what he would say next, but Alex beat him to the punch.

"So, did you give any thought to my invitation?"

Jackson's face twisted for a moment. He was more scared than surprised, but he knew the question was coming sooner or later. He turned his head back towards Alex, and he momentarily stared into the man's eyes. Jackson couldn't help but fall in love with what he saw, so without thinking, he nodded his head before closing the gap between the two of them. Jackson wrapped his hands around Alex, and he felt his own body relax when he felt the man's energy and warmth against him. Pushing his own head downward, Jackson pushed his lips onto Alex's, and the two kissed passionately, sealing the deal that would become their relationship.

Pulling away from each other, Alex wrapped his hand around Jackson's before leading him over to his own Mercedes. Alex brought the doctor to the passenger side before opening the door and guiding him into the cabin of the car. Alex quickly made his way around to the driver's seat, and in a matter of seconds, the two of them were on their way to Alex's apartment. Alex kept his attention split between the road and Jackson. He wanted to make sure the man in his seat was comfortable with everything that was going on, and from the smiles and grin of relaxation, he got his answer. Alex did not live far from the hospital, so the two arrived at the condo in a matter of minutes. Pulling into his usual parking spot, Alex turned the car off, grabbed his keys, and the two made their descent up to the second-floor apartment. Alex pushed his key into the door, twisted it open and the door slammed as the two men entered the apartment.