A/N: I'm late, I know, really super late. For those of you following my other story, I know that it is very late too, but I promise I am diligently working and will be updating that soon. But time is tight. Graduate school, guys. No joke. I am still going to be writing though, and it is nice to have things to break up all the boring academic stuff. Here is the final chapter. I am hoping to write other japril stuff as season 9 goes on, and open to a sequel for this. Japril is great to write for. Thank you all for joining me in my experimenting with other points of view and for your response to this story. Thank you for reading and please let me know your thoughts!

We like to think that it's your whole life, each and everyday you live, that makes you who you are. But, if we are really honest, we have to admit that most of the days we live are pretty boring. Most of them don't have much bearing or significance. We wake up, we bathe, we eat and work. Those days don't really make us who we are. A big few days can crash into your life with such force that they touch the rest of the days you will ever live. Couple of days can change your entire life. Like a ripple effect. Some days are just more important than others. Just a few of these days make our lives. A chain of important days that link together all the boring and ordinary ones. But that's the beauty of living, if you really think about it. Those ordinary days make us savor the important ones, and the chain of days that matter most make us who we are.

Jackson sniffed and rolled his eyes as his mother fussed with his suit and tie, while they pulled to a stop in the parking lot. She licked her thumb and began cleaning some imagined smudge from his chin. He grimaced and batted at her hand.

"Mom, we have plenty of time for that...just let me-"

"I only want my baby to look perfect. One more thing," Catherine fished a lint brush out of her purse and began rolling the sticky paper over his shoulders. Jackson sighed.

She just couldn't let him be. Then again, he felt grateful that Catherine and the rest of the family had finally stopped nagging him about staying in Seattle for the past year. He'd chosen to take his fellowship offer at Seattle Grace, in part because of the plane crash and everything that came after. He'd discovered that the crazy little group of friends he had there were truly a family. His family, as much as his mom and the rest. And it had really worked out quite well. He was around to help Callie and Arizona with Sofia. The new plastics department head, Dr. Ogisawa let him have basically unsupervised control over the Burn Center. And of course there was also April. The woman he loved. Everything about staying in Seattle had been good because of April.

Shaking his head, Jackson opened that car door and stepped outside, leaving his mother in the idling car. He shoved his hands in his pockets and carefully made his way up the grassy path. Birds chirped and the late summer sun shone through the trees that lined either side of the path. He could hear the quiet sounds of lapping waves coming from nearby Lake Union. It was a beautiful place. Four people he cared about very much were in this place, and even though Jackson hated that they had to be here, he supposed there was some comfort in knowing that they were resting in a place so calm and beautiful.

Scuffing his feet Jackson took a right, walked five rows and then took a left, following the familiar path that was now burned into his mind. One of four. Today there was only time to visit one, but it didn't matter. Jackson felt like no matter where he went in this place, it was visiting all of his lost friends. He kind of thought that, out of everyone, he was the one who came here the most actually. Not that he judged anyone about it. Everyone grieved in different ways. This was his.

Jackson wasn't a very religious person, but he'd discovered that a part of him was indeed very spiritual. He felt like when he spoke in this place, the people he missed could really hear him. It was something he'd discovered about himself, accompanying April on her whirl wind journey through spirituality over the past year. It had been a real trip, and this time it was something that Jackson shared with April, rather than a part of herself that she kept hidden from him. She talked to him about it, when questions crossed her mind, sometimes late into the night. And they investigated. Almost scientifically.

They'd knelt in the pews of catholic churches (interesting, but sometimes the incense burned his eyes), visited the separate prayer rooms of Seattle's largest mosque (cool, but a little lonely since April had had to be upstairs with the other women of the church), sung gospel hymns with the congregation of a baptist church (really interactive, but Jackson was a terrible singer), and gone on a mountain meditation retreat with a Buddhist temple (calming, but nature was admittedly not his favorite place to be).

They'd talked to priests, monks, ministers, rabbi's, imams, and even had one memorable conversation with a druid. The apartment bookshelf had 3 different Bibles (a King James, New American, and a Guttenberg Vulgate translation), the Analects of Buddha, a copy of the Koran, and two versions of the Bhagavad Gita mixed in with their countless medical texts, recipe books, and assorted novels. Jackson hadn't read more than a little of a few of them, but he knew that April had closely researched each one. If nothing else, April was completely thorough in her exploration of religion, and while in the end she'd ultimately settled on becoming semi-regular member of a pretty liberal protestant catch all church not far from their Ravenna apartment, it seemed that April had found out a lot about herself along the way. Jackson had too.

And he enjoyed attending the services with April. The pastor could sometimes be a little hippy granola for Jackson, but usually the sermons were interesting enough. The focus was always about love and being kind to one another. Not long and not too boring. Nothing shoved down your throat. Just stuff that made you think. And the people were nice. Jackson really enjoyed all that. There was usually a picnic or food related something afterword and there was a particular gaggle of about 3 old ladies who always seemed to make sure that Jackson was the guinea pig for their baking experiments. He wasn't sure how he got the role, but he was totally okay with it. And April seemed to be happy enough with the church too (it was apparently very different from the one she'd grown up with in Moline), though she still wasn't 100% sure on what her beliefs were. They'd agreed that they would keep going to Fairview Church until it become uncomfortable for either of them, and that the children they would one day have would be exposed to the best parts of all the religions they'd learned about. Jackson could tell April never wanted a child of hers to feel as guilty or ashamed about religion as she had, and for himself he thought he wanted his kids to have a little more belief in faith and the intangible than he had had growing up. So it seemed like it would balance out. He was confident. And...well, come on: nearly unlimited pastry tasting. Total perk.

When his feet finally carried Jackson to the place he wanted to be, he stopped and looked down and the polished marble gravestone in front of him. Mark Sloan: 1968-2012. That part was still a little bit jarring. He rubbed the back of his head and sighed.

"Hey man, it's been a while," Jackson said quietly, in his mind expanding the apology out to the rest of his friends in this hallowed ground. Mark, Lexie, Charles, and Reed. "Sorry guys. I've been busy. Cases and planning and organizing and all that..."

Jackson knelt and used one hand to brush some dirt off the edge of the marker, "Things at the hospital are pretty good. New Chief is actually older then Webber, if you can believe that, and he's been cool enough. I mean, everyone really knows he is just kind of a place holder really, until Bailey gets enough seniority to be evaluated for the job. "

Jackson laughed, "Even new guy seems to know it's only a matter of time."

Once the dust was cleared he pushed back to his feet and continued speaking to all of them, "None of you would even recognize the residents lounge these days. They got new lockers and painted it and stuff. It's kind of ridiculous."

A squirrel ran across the grass, making the grass rustle, before he reached a tree and darted upwards. Jackson put his hands in his pockets.

"Anyway, I kind if just wanted to stop by, let you know what's going on. Sofia and Zola are doing great. Really well. Happy and healthy. Best friends. We took them to the farmer's market in Fremont the other day when we were babysitting...they had a blast."

Maybe the whole thing was really lame. Talking to people that couldn't hear you. But it made him feel better. Like he hadn't forgotten them. Or stopped caring about them.

"Today is a big day for me. I'm getting married," Jackson continued, smirking as he preempted both Mark and Charles's reactions. "Don't laugh."

He didn't notice the sound of a car door slamming or the quiet sounds of footsteps on grass and pavement.

"April and I...we've been pretty happy. I love her, and...I just wanted to let you guys know that...well, in a way you all are a big part of how we got together. So...thanks. We really wish you could be with us in person today. We miss you."

They did.

"Jackson, honey?" The sound of his mother's voice jolted him from his quiet contemplation.

"Yeah?"

"Are you ready? I've just gotten a call from Grandpa and he's already at the church, getting a little agitated about being on time and you know how he gets..."

Jackson nodded taking one last look at Mark's headstone and the picturesque surroundings. He was ready. He had so much to look forward too. A wedding and a honeymoon in Hawaii, finishing his fellowship and expanding the burn center, holding his first child in his arms (and probably a second and a third or fourth if April got her way), growing old with April, and everything in between. But he would always cherish the moments he had. He would cherish them because he had a life to live. A whole life when his friends didn't. He'd live his life to the very fullest because the couldn't. He owed them that, and couldn't think of a better way to honor their memory.

Turning to Catherine, Jackson smirked, "Ah, hell hath no fury like Harper Avery running behind schedule..."

He held out his arm to her and she looped her own through it, strolling back to the car with him arm in arm. When they were seated and buckled in, Jackson let out a deep breath and turned to look at his mom.

"I'm ready. I really am."

Arizona winced as she and Sofia carefully ascended the front steps Fairview Church Seattle. One hand tightly gripped the metal railing for support and the other held on to her daughters tiny fingers. Callie was finishing up at the hospital still, and would follow along later. In the year that had passed since losing her leg, she'd really made a lot of progress. She liked to think she was doing really quite well with it. Her latest prosthetic fitting was the most comfortable yet, and Arizona was proud that she'd graduated from crutches to cane to nothing in 10 months. And she'd been able to work again too. If she absolutely couldn't have her real leg, and she knew she couldn't, Arizona was determined to make the best of it. She would only accept excellence from herself.

Stairs however,were still a little tricky for Arizona. They required careful negotiation, and balance to avoid high pain. Sofia had to manage them at the same slow speed. Luckily, her little girls leg's were still short. For the most part they now had about the same pace. Which had turned out to be kind of nice. Because when everyone else was walking quickly and moving ahead, Arizona got to have special time with her daughter. An unexpected perk, she supposed. Looking down at Sofia, Arizona grinned. Her girl looked as cute as could be, decked out in her flower girl's dress, complete with white Mary Janes and a satin bow in his silky black hair. She was the most adorable thing.

"You ready, Sof?" she whispered, giving the toddler an encouraging squeeze as they approached the top step.

Tentative nod.

"You remember everything you learned to do at the rehearsal?"

Sofia licked her lips, and grinned, answering breathlessly with a firmer nod, "Yep!"

Something about the reply reminded Arizona of Mark, and she suddenly found herself choking back tears. Sometimes it just hit her like that. Even all these months later there were times when it just felt like the air was punched out of her. She'd forget and want to call Mark and tell him something cute that their daughter had said or done, and then it would all rush back, even though she hadn't really forgotten. Mark was dead. Lexie was gone too.

But even though Arizona was determined to master the new circumstances of her body, it didn't mean that she wasn't inclined to wallow. She'd gone to a very very dark place in the weeks and months after waking up to find that her leg was already amputated. The moment she'd fully come to consciousness and actually seen it. Followed the line of her leg, expecting to reach a foot and finding...nothing. It was a moment of her nightmares. Only it wasn't a dream. It was all too real. Too permanent. She would never have two feet again.

And so Arizona had become depressed and confrontational and isolated. She spent weeks in bed and at home. She'd initially skipped out on her therapy sessions. She didn't want pity and she didn't want sympathy. Not from Callie, or Owen. Avery and Alex. No one. All she'd wanted was her leg. A wish that could never be granted.

In the end it was Sofia that snapped her out of the darkness. She remembered the evening clearly. Callie came home with Sofia from the hospital for the day. From the bedroom Arizona had been able to hear the sounds of pots clattering in the kitchen as Callie made dinner. Through the cracked door, she could see the flicker of the television as Sofia watched some television show. She knew what was coming next. It was the same thing every night. Callie would pop her head in and ask if Arizona felt up to joining them for dinner for that night, and she would say no, and then Callie would ask if she and Sofia could eat in the bedroom with her and Arizona would also say no. And then she would eat a tray of food alone.

Sure enough, like usual, Callie's head appeared in the doorway, talking to Sofia as a ruse, "Why don't we see if Momma feels good enough to eat dinner with us today?"

Usually the little girl agreed and the conversation went something like, 'Hey Arizona. Do you feel like joining us tonight? You have to get up. Sofia needs both of us. She's lost one parent...' And every other manner of guilt inducing statements designed to yank Arizona out of her funk. She'd thought she was immune to it all. She was really. At least Callie's part in things. Because her leg was gone. A part of Arizona was gone. It was as though the part of her that made her a good wife had gone with it. But this night was different because Callie never even made it to those guilt inducing statements. Because Sofia's normal excited squeal or silence was replaced with a different response.

"Nuh. Momma gone..."

"No she's not sweetie," Callie's weary eyes flicked to Arizona's with pleading expression. "She's just really sleepy."

"Gone," the little voice from the couch piped up again.

Arizona winced, and then the guilt really did hit her. That's exactly what it must have felt like to Sofia. She hadn't been comfortable with seeing her daughter or anyone back then. Plus, early on she'd had a lot of pain in her stump, and the idea of a curious toddler crawling around in the bed with her...no. It had been easier just to make the master bed room and bath an off limits area to Sofia. In that moment though, Arizona had a realization. Mark was really gone. He couldn't eat with Callie and Sofia ever again. Ever. And yet, she'd seen her daughter so rarely in the past months that to the child it must seem like they were both gone. She felt ashamed.

Arizona had swallowed, and looked at her hands, "Maybe...maybe I can come eat..."

Callie had just been turning to leave the room, but her wife's words stopped her, "Really?"

Feeling a wave of guilt, shame and uselessness, Arizona bit her lip, "You'll need to help me..."

"I can do that."

And from that moment on, little by little, Arizona had began to rejoin the world, sans one leg. She'd started with just showering more and eating dinner with her family. Then she'd finally put an effort into her rehab therapy. She went to lunches with people. Eventually Arizona when back to work. She took on more and more projects, finding them all nicely on track courtesy of one guilt ridden Alex Karev before he'd gone to Baltimore. Bit by bit she rebuilt her life.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Arizona caught sight of April's sister Alice and the small cluster of Tuck the ring bearer and the three other flower girls assembled for the wedding. Not wanting to disappoint anyone Jackson and April were including her nieces as well as Zola and Sofia in the wedding celebration. That many girls toddling around required a minder of sorts, which Alice seemed to be handling nicely. When Arizona had met her at the rehearsal, the younger woman had flashed a characteristic and familiar ear to ear smile and proudly proclaimed herself the 'Pippa Middleton' of the wedding. Alice would be the one guiding four very excited little girls down the aisle.

Zola spotted Sofia and her face lit up at the sight of her friend. They were a funny little pair. Arizona was amused by their close relationship and she found it sweet, observing the ease and swiftness that children make friends. If only things stayed that easy. Sofia strained forward pulling Arizona's hand, moving to join her friend.

Arizona kept tightened her grip for a moment, leaning over to kiss the top of her daughters head, "Sofia have fun. Mommy and I will be watching you. Be good."

After Sofia nodded vigorously, Arizona released her daughters hand and watched her skip over to the others. She tried for a moment to remember skipping, but then thought better of it. She might not be able to do that now, but there were lots of things that she could do. Thinking of those things, Arizona graciously moved into the church and found a seat on the Avery side of the room, after observing that the Kepner side was significantly fuller. She carefully saved two seats, one row behind a beaming Catherine and a slightly stern looking Harper Avery. One seat for Callie, and the other for Karev's plus one. Then she pulled her camera out of her purse and figured out the best place to snap photos of Sofia. She might not be able to walk upstairs quickly, or run, or skip. But there were plenty of things Arizona could do.

The trick to dealing, she'd discovered, was to stick to that outlook. Train yourself to veer away from the can'ts and stick to the cans.

Alex sniffed and messed with his tie as Lisa made small talk with the cab driver. He hated wearing shirts that buttoned this high. He hated wearing suits and doing ceremonies and all that crap. He looked at his watch and moaned. They were running late. Which was probably kind of sort of his fault. But shower sex was so freaking hot. He really just hated being involved in the stupid little rituals of weddings and crap anyway. Why on earth he'd agreed to be one of Jackson's groomsmen...

A gentle hand reached over and laced her fingers through his. Lisa smirked and whispered, "Nikko says we're almost there, don't get your undies in a twist."

"My boxers are just fine!"

"Right."

"Whatever," Alex huffed crossing his arms.

"Uh, huh," his girlfriend shook her head fondly.

Sometimes Lisa drove Alex crazy. In fact most of the time she did. Always calling him out. Exposing the parts of himself that he tried to protect and hide behind his asshole shell, in her typical Baltimore crass. Then again, she was also there for him though his ups and downs. So he loved it and he hated it. Maybe that was the reason why he'd ended up falling into a relationship with her after he'd gone to Hopkins. She was a lawyer who's offices were across the way from his new digs. He'd seen her out for a jog one morning and thought she was hot. He'd decided to take up running again himself, for the sole purpose of slimming back down to his wrestling weight of course. Pure coincidence that he ran the same time as Lisa. At least that was what he told himself. But then Lisa had called him on that bullshit and asked him out, and Alex wad been surprised he'd said yes.

The cab pulled up and let them out in front of the modest brick church, and Alex and Lisa both got out of the car. She eyed him nervously and frowned. This was her first time joining him on a visit to Seattle, and her first exposure to his friends. Which they both realized was really important, because in every way that mattered Alex's friends, (Mer, Cristina, Robbins and Torres, hell even the soon to be 'Averys') were really his family. So Lisa meeting them was kind of huge.

They walked up the front steps and Lisa joked, "Now, you haven't got me sitting with some loud breather, do you? A fidgety Fred? Or a gum smacker?"

Alex shook his head and opened the door to the church, leading the way inside, and quickly scanning the seats, "No. I've got you with the best."

He'd said yes, and one month had turned to two and then two had turned to three, and be for he knew it, they were six months into this thing. Whatever it was. Alex had not gone to Baltimore looking for a relationship. In fact he almost hadn't gone to Hopkins at all. He felt too guilty after the plane crash. Funny how things work out. Robbins had been in his seat, and things had been tough for her right after the crash. He'd delayed first one month and then another. Someone needed to stick around and make sure Arizona's temporary replacement didn't screw any of their projects up. Only then another month had past and Robbins had slowly started coming back to work. He figured he'd stay. He owed it to her or whatever.

Only Robbins had other ideas. One day when they'd been doing charts, she'd suddenly turned to him and said, "Karev, what's this I hear about you rejecting the Hopkin's fellowship altogether? I thought you were only delaying."

Taking off guard Alex had shrugged and mumbled, "They say I can't defer anymore so...you know...whatever."

"Whatever?" her tone was incredulous.

"I figure I can just stay here. You know..." he shrugged awkwardly. "Help out. Do my fellowship here."

Robbins had rolled her eyes at him, "Ah, yes...because getting a sub par education from a recovering teacher is exactly what you need. No, Karev. You are going to Baltimore."

"You aren't sub par!"

"I know. I'm awesome, I'm still running a little slow at the moment but I am awesome," Arizona smirked, before looking serious. "But...compared to the experience you could have learning at Hopkins...well, anything else is sub par for my best student."

"I'm still your best?" Even after everything. After the crash. After the leg. Alex hadn't believed her.

"You were always my best."

They'd stared at each other for a long moment before Robbins sniffed abruptly and held open the chart they were working on.

"And just think of the knowledge and training you could bring back when you've finished," she continued breezily. "It would be a great help to all of our projects to have someone else of Hopkins caliber working on it. I mean, the two of us could totally revitalizes Pediatric treatment in the Puget Sound area."

A slow smile spread across Alex's face. She wanted him back. Even as Robbins was pushing him to go, she was letting him know that Seattle was his home. And that she thought he was still worth looking out for, even though he was the cause of her greatest pain. Alex didn't know what to say. Hi mouth hung open like a fish, as Robbins gripped her crutches and moved to head down the hall.

"Come back in two years, Karev," she breezed over her shoulders, holding up two fingers to bring home the point.

"Hey," Alex had stammered. "It's not like I won't visit."

"Just make sure you focus on learning. Don't screw this up," Arizona quipped. "I may not have two legs, but I can still kick your ass."

When Alex spotted Arizona in the church, he lead Lisa down the aisle and awkwardly introduced them. He was never good at this sort of thing, and he was glad when Robbins noticed his fumbling and took over, letting Lisa sit down next to her and shooing Alex away with one hand.

"Go Karev, the wedding party is already getting set up."

Lisa smirked, "I'll be fine. Arizona here can tell me all about your time as a resident...I'm sure I will be impressed."

Alex sighed and rolled his eyes, reluctantly heading to the back of the church to join the rest of the wedding party. He smirked as he ran into Cristina and Owen as they headed in to find a seat.

"Hey Hopscotch. Is that your new bed buddy?" Yang said before gesturing to the rest of the groomsmen, Meredith, and a couple of April's sisters stood in the lobby of the church. "Aren't you supposed to be over there?"

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Alex laughed, pulling Cristina into a hug that was uncharacteristic for both of them. He missed her. Cristina had been the first to get the heck out of dodge after she recovered from the plane crash. It was kind of abrupt and she didn't really say goodbye. She'd just up and gone to Minnesota leaving everyone, including her husband behind. And at first she floundered at Mayo. Imagine that? She actually struggled. There had been talk of her dropping out of the fellowship program.

Alex gave Owen a quick handshake. He didn't really know what had transpired between the couple honestly. No one did. Well, maybe Meredith. He'd already been in Baltimore when it had all gone down. One day Yang had apparently just shown up at Seattle Grace. Some epic something had gone down. He'd heard various versions of what had gone down, from Kepner, Avery, Bailey, and the rest, but none of them really seemed to be completely accurate in Alex's mind.

April and Arizona's version made everything sound too romantic, and Yang didn't go for romance. Avery and Bailey's were too utilitarian, because surely it would take more from Cristina than a simple, 'I miss you, come live in Minnesota with me' to make Hunt give up being Chief of surgery. Mer refused to divulge much, saying it was Cristina's tale to tell. And Alex didn't really know how to talk to Yang about emotional crap. Whatever had happened, Cristina's gesture worked and Owen ended up moving to St. Paul with his wife, heading up the trauma department at Mayo. They both seemed happier.

Giving Hunt a quick nod and walking away from them both, Alex said, "Later Mayonaise. We'll hangout at the party, okay?"

"Oh, that is so not gonna be my nickname-"

Alex didn't reply. Jackson's brother, Parker, the best man, had spotted Alex and was beckoning him over to the groom, himself and one of Kepner's brother's in law. Parker was as slightly shorter, slightly fatter version of his younger brother. Alex could understand why the younger brother of the two had been dubbed 'the pretty' one. There was just no comparison. But Parker was a successful New York cardio surgeon, with a hot wife and a young son, so Alex supposed it was true when they said that looks weren't everything. By Parker's side stood a rather nervous looking Jackson. He didn't seem to know what to do with his hands, and he kept bouncing one foot almost impatiently. Alex exchanged a grin with Parker. It was so sappy how much the dude had fallen for April.

"Buck up Avery," he joked. "It's all gonna be over soon. Wedded freakin' bliss. Downhill after that."

"Thanks, that really helps," Jackson sneered good naturedly. "I can't wait to be married. Being married will be the fun part. The ceremony is what I wish I could skip. Grandpa staring holes in my back the whole time."

"Ah well," Parker shrugged. "That's what you get for being a cheap low rate plastic surgeon."

Alex winced and glanced over at Kepner's brother in law, who stood wide eyed. Neither of them were sure if Parker was serious or not. Alex couldn't remember if the dudes name was Biff, Buck, or Bobby, but he was pretty sure the guy had spent his entire life doing manual labor of some sort on a farm. He was thick and muscly and had certainly not come anywhere close to being in an OR as anything other than a patient. Maybe he hadn't even graduated college. Alex could tell that from his prospective, being a plastic surgeon must have sounded like being a king. And Alex could understand that. He came from crappy poor beginnings too. If the Avery family was really that serious about being snobby over specialties, maybe they all needed to rethink how lucky they were to be in medicine at all.

But then Avery's brother grinned, and squeezed Jackson's shoulder, "Just ignore him. Stay cool. You'll be fine. Today is all about you and your girl."

"Yeah, screw what the old man says," Alex nodded. To be honest, it was kind of his whole lives model these days. Screw worrying about what other people thought of you. All that really mattered was what you thought of yourself.

Meredith rocked back and forth in her heels, patiently waiting as the small wedding party assembled for April and Jackson's wedding ceremony. Behind her stood April and two of her three sisters, Libby and Kimmie. The three of them were bickering as Libby made some last minute adjustments to April's curled hair. A pang of sadness and nostalgia hit her as she overheard the scene.

"Stay still, April."

"Stop it," April hissed, pushing her older sister's hands away. "It's fine!"

It made her think of Lexie. Her own sister. A sister Meredith had gotten close to. Lexie and Mark would never experience a wedding like April and Jackson were getting the chance to have. They would never experience the a life together. Meredith missed them both dearly, and it had spurred her to make some crucial decisions in her own life. Over the past year, Meredith had made the effort to get in better touch with her single remaining living sister, Molly. While technically she had met this youngest sister first, it was Lexie that she had formed a better relationship with.

After Lexie's death, Meredith had been forced to think long and hard about what mattered in her life. Derek had too, given the unfortunate end of his surgical career. He taught neuro at the hospital instead and spent more time with Zola. Career's weren't everything. She'd always thought that family, in the normal sense wasn't exactly something she was ever going to get the hang of. Not with her Thatcher Grey walking out on her, or Ellis Grey's dedication to career excellence. That was the reason why it had taken her so long to warm to Lexie in the first place. But now they had Zola and Lexie was dead. Meredith had a family of sorts, made up of her friends, and she found she liked it. And following the crash, Meredith realized some changes had to be made. So, Molly, Lauren and Eric Thompson were becoming larger parts of her life.

Kimmie reached her hand toward April's head again, and the red head snapped, "Will you both just stop!"

Meredith moved to the group and laid one hand on her friend's shoulder, adding sagely, "April, let your sisters have the moment."

April really did look radiant in her simple white gown and She used her own hand to straighten the bride's hair and said, "We just want you to look perfect."

April blinked rapidly and her jaw opened in realization. Her tense shoulders relaxed, her features becoming a little dreamy, as she said, "Jackson always thinks I look perfect."

Libby made eye contact with Meredith. they both new how hard it was to find love like that. April and Jackson's love was definitely unexpected. But it was definitely true and pure. April adored Jackson. And Jackson must love April very much. Before, Meredith never thought she had ever gotten the 'more than friends' vibe from them, until after she was released from the hospital after the crash. Admittedly, she wasn't paying much attention to either of them before, beyond caring on a surface level. But when April and Jackson had helped to babysit Zola during Derek and Meredith's recovery, it was clear that something had changed between them. And then they'd revealed that they were, in fact, dating. They had explained with some lame sounding story about how they suddenly just realized that they wanted to be together. Meredith knew there was more to the story, and had only gotten a more full version of the picture from Alex, but Alex wasn't the most reliable source for things either. He'd mumbled something about boards, boinking, and being spooked by all the dying and crap.

It was only after a lot of wine had been consumed at April's bachelorette party, that Meredith learned the whole truth about Jackson and April's hook up in San Francisco and how the crash had played into things. It had been the tipping point that had forced them to deal with things honestly. Compared to the turbulent romantic trajectories of most everyone else in their circle, especially. Their story was sweet and true. Like the pair themselves. Meredith was happy for them. And the fact that they were influenced by the losses of Mark and Lexie made Meredith feel as though they both had a role in this wedding too. Their lives had made a difference, not only in the lives of countless patients, but also in the lives of close friends. She could find some comfort in that.

Meredith grinned and replied, "Then, I guess it's a good thing Jackson is the man you're marrying, huh?"

"Yes."

From inside the hall, the music changed and Alice was already getting Zola and the little girls into place. Joe Kepner appeared and offered April his arm. Meredith joined Libby and Kimmie in formation. This was it. Go time. She watched as the wedding party slowly proceeded into the church, first Jackson and the grooms men. Then Meredith's daughter and the rest of the cute little flower girls. Then Tuck and the ring. Now it was Meredith's turn to walk to the alter with April's sister. She smiled at her friends and Derek as she passed them in their pews, and took her place on the left side of the altar. Today was a good day. The kind of day that is meant to be savored and held on to. Meredith had learned the hard way to latch on to the days like this. Because their memory can help you survive almost anything.

The music changed again, and Joe and April made their deliberate walk down the aisle. Meredith grinned as she saw Jackson's face light up as he looked at April. It was like they were the only people that they could see in the room. This would be a wonderful memory for the both of them. One of those memories that could get them through the darkest days.

A pastor, who combed his slightly too long hair like he was in denial about how much is was receding beamed out at the congregation and began to speak when April head reached the altar.

"Jackson Bernard and April Leigh: Today you enter as individuals, but you will leave here as husband and wife, blending your lives, expanding your family ties, and embarking upon the grandest adventure of human interaction. The story of your life together is still yours to write. All those present have come to witness and celebrate your love and commitment this day - eager to a part of the story not yet told."

April's cheeks hurt as the ceremony continued. Her smile was ear to ear. She was so excited she could barely take the ministers words in. She couldn't help it. This was...this moment was more than she had ever dared to dream of. Jackson stood by her side, looking as handsome as he ever. Her family, actual friends, and everyone sitting behind them. It was more than she had ever dreamed of really. More than April had ever thought she was good enough for.

Sometimes she still had to pinch herself, and really pause and accept the fact that this was her life. Really and truly. April would wake up early and just stare at Jackson as he slept beside her. Just to make sure it was real. This was nowhere near where she thought she would be a year ago. A year ago, April'd felt like no one. An utter failure. Now she felt like she was really happy. At peace with who she was.

"Do you Jackson, take April to be your partner in life and sharing your path; equal in love, a mirror for your true self, promising to honor and cherish, through good times and bad, in sickness and health, until death do you part?"

Jackson's striking blue eyes looked her up and down in that way that still made April's heart flutter. He smirked and squeezed her hand slightly as he said, "I do."

They had already seen more than their fair share of bad times in the past. The shooting, and the plane crash. And all the losses. She knew that anything bad that might happen in the future was surmountable. Jackson had stayed by her side through a lot. In the past year April had explored both her career and her spirituality. She'd worked at clinics, general practiced with a sport's medicine group, and taught a class on trauma protocol design at the UW Medical School, all of which she enjoyed very much, even though it wasn't surgery. She had studied for her boards as well, with Jackson's help and only days before the wedding, she had found out that she had passed as a board certified surgeon. Jackson had supported every choice she made, including her decision to reapply for the Seattle Grace trauma fellowship. Now that April knew she would be back at the hospital and on track to be a full attending surgeon, the gravity and finality of her initial failure felt less painful. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. It had been for the best in a way. April valued the accomplishment all the more, because it was something that she had almost never achieved. And because it had taught her that she was resilient, much more than she'd ever given herself.

"And do you April, take Jackson to be your partner in life and sharing your path; equal in love, a mirror for your true self, promising to honor and cherish, through good times and bad, in sickness and health, until death do you part?"

April bit her lip, and locked her gaze on Jackson, "I do."

Figuring out what she believed about God was something that was less clear cut than passing her exam. Religion and spirituality was something that April now realized she would be evaluating her whole life. She'd probably never understand 100%. The religion that she'd grown up with back home in Ohio, in many ways had failed her. According to her church at home, sleeping with Jackson had been utterly wrong. But knowing everything that would come after between them...that had only happened because they'd had sex. And this? Their wedding, and their relationship? There was just no way that it was wrong. And, if there was a God and Jesus and everything the pastor in Moline told them there was, April couldn't see what the point of it all was if He didn't want to forgive you. If He didn't want you to be happy.

And so April had branched out, researching everything she could, from world religions, to sociology of organized religion, to the biological theory on the subject. Jackson had gone with her every step of the way. And the one thing April had learned was that in a lot of ways, God is what you make Him to be. Every single religion she had explored had had good parts. No one faith was more correct than another. That was her take away. And ultimately, she'd realized that believing in some greater power gave her comfort. It gave her comfort to think that people she loved, her Grandparents, Reed, Charlie, Lexie and Mark, were in a better place. She liked to believe that Jesus took care of them. It helped her get through her day. It helped April survive. It allowed her to pick herself up and carry on. So whether it was real or not wasn't the whole point.

It didn't really matter what belief system you followed, or whether you followed one at all. It didn't even really matter if religion itself was just an evolutionary response in the brain. Because if it made you feel better? Helped you survive tough times? April thought that concrete understandings didn't matter. The outcome was the same. So April and Jackson had found a congregation that made them both comfortable and reasonably happy.

"And now, by the power vested in me by the State of Washington, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife."

April blinked, pulling herself back to the ceremony. This was it. They were married. Her and Jackson. He was her husband. This was the single happiest moment of her entire life. It was better than winning the state science fair. Better than graduating medical school. Better then getting Chief Resident. April licked her lips and sighed giddily, leaning forward, grabbing the lapels of Jackson's suit jacket and pulling him into a passionate kiss, eliciting laughter from the guests. She just couldn't help herself.

Chuckling, the pastor said, "You may now kiss...your husband."

Jackson took hold of both her hands and pressed their foreheads together. 'I love you' he mouthed, before they both turned to face their friends and family.

"For the first time, Jackson and April, husband and wife."

The church erupted in applause. Looking out she could see her tearful mother and father, a beaming Catherine Avery, and a surprisingly smiley Harper. Dr. Webber's eyes twinkled at her from a row near the back, and Owen, Cristina, Bailey and the rest scattered in the rest of the seats. Tuck and the little girl's were smiling and cheering and everyone rose to their feet. It was a wonderful moment, and April felt tears pricking at her own eyes. Jackson was choked up too.

They were surrounded by people they cared about. About to embark on a life together, that April couldn't wait to experience. She wanted to go on a honeymoon. She wanted to buy a house. She wanted to have children. She wanted to have a life. With Jackson. They were going to have their chance at a great life. And they wouldn't forget those who they missed. Holding tight to her new husband's hand April and Jackson walked up the aisle and led all the guests out of the church to the reception hall. The vows were all done.

The ceremony was over. Papers were signed. Now was the party. It was a celebration. A happy time. And they did finally get to eat some duck.