"...trying hard to pretend that they're gonna be fine..."

oOo

April's POV:

"Ma'am, we're here," April opened her swollen eyes and studied her surroundings, "Thanks," she said. She grabbed her bag from her side and started rummaging for her wallet, "How much?" she asked. "It's already taken care of," the cabbie replied before climbing out of the car.

She closed her eyes, trying her best to get a hold of herself. Once she was ready, she opened the door and climbed out of the car. The cabbie handed her the backpack and parked the trolley right in front of her; he offered her a small smile before climbing back into his cab. With shaking hands, she gripped the trolley's handle and started pulling it towards the entrance. She was halfway towards the baggage counter when she heard her name being called; she turned her face to the side and saw Owen walking towards her.

Owen's smile immediately vanished, "Are you alright?" he asked, worry evident in his tone.

She managed a small smile, "Of course, " she replied, trying her best to sound like her normal perky self.

He braced his hands on his waist, studying her face intently. "You don't look like you are."

"Just a little tired," she lied. She then gestured towards her bag, "I need to check this in, we still have time right?" she asked.

"We have 2 more hours before departure," he confirmed.

"Great, be back in a sec."

"Want some coffee? I'm buying"

She threw him a grateful look, "That would be awesome, thanks, Chief, " she said with a small smile.

He smiled back before turning on his heels.

She watched his back disappear from the crowd before making her way towards the line.

oOo

Jackson's POV:

"What are you doing here?"

Jackson opened his eyes and saw Arizona standing by the doorway, "I work here," he replied.

"Ha-ha. Very funny," Arizona said dryly. She folded her arms on top of her chest as she made her way into his office, "Why aren't you at the airport?" she asked.

"She doesn't need me there and I'm needed here. Plain old logic," he said flatly.

She furrowed her brows and studied the other surgeon's pale face, "Did she tell you or did you assume she wanted that?"

He closed his eyes again, "Not now Robbins, I'm not in the mood."

She ignored his dismissal and sat down on one of the chairs that are situated right in front of his desk, "It's not too late, you know?"

"Not too late for what?"

"I just got off the phone with Owen, their flight got delayed."

His eyes snapped open, "Huh?" he asked.

She made a show of checking her watch, "You will still be able to catch them if you leave right now."

His heart started hammering inside his chest, making him see spots. He gripped his chair tightly, trying his best to act nonchalant, "W-why would I do that?" he half-whispered.

"Err...because you love her?" she said while throwing him a condescending look.

"If you love someone, you tell them. Even if you're scared that it's not the right thing, even if you're scared that it'll cause problems, even if you're scared that it will burn your life to the ground you say it and you say it loud and then you go from there." Mark's words echoed inside his head for the second time, making him catch his breath. He shifted on his perch, a familiar feeling stewing inside his gut.

"Are you alright?" Arizona asked, noticing the change in his demeanor.

He opened his mouth to speak but he can't seem to form any words. His heart started thumping inside his chest, making sweat form on his upper lip and forehead.

Arizona looked alarmed; she leaned towards the desk and grabbed his stiff arm. "Jackson!"

"I-I'm okay" he managed to hiss out. He closed his eyes and started counting one to ten, trying his best to calm himself down.

"You don't look okay. Do you want me to page Maggie? Is your chest bothering you? You're sweating bullets!"

He opened his eyes, "I'm good, no need to do that."

She pulled her hand away, "Okay."

Jackson swallowed thickly, his eyes uncharacteristically wide; "I-I think I made a mistake."

Arizona tilted her head to the side, "What do you mean?"

He moved his eyes to his hand, twisting his wedding band repeatedly. "I shouldn't have given up so easily. I should've asked her to stay."

"Well, like what I said, if you leave now you can still catch them at the airport."

He lifted his gaze and met hers, "Do you think she'll stay?"

She slipped her hands inside her pockets, "Maybe she will or maybe she won't, you wouldn't know unless you ask her personally."

"But-"

"No buts! Get your ass off that chair and get your woman. And seriously, if you feel like you're going down, then go down fighting and not moping!" Arizona said with an eye roll. "You hijacked her wedding and married her 10 hours after you stole her for goodness sake! Following her at the airport is ten times easier than that!" she added.

oOo

April's POV:

"I love you. Even the things I don't like, I love."

"You okay?"

April snapped out of her stupor and noticed Owen standing right in front of her, holding a large cup of coffee; "Y-yeah," she replied.

Owen handed her the cup before sitting beside her.

"Thanks" she replied before taking a sip of her drink.

"I just spoke with one of the airline's supervisors, we're boarding in a few minutes," he said before sipping his drink.

"Did they tell you why our flight is delayed?"

"Something about refueling" Owen replied as he relaxed back on his seat.

"Okay, good" April said.

"You seem to be in deep thought, something bothering you?"

Her hand tightened around the warm cup, "No, I'm good," she said too quickly.

Owen caught the hitch in her voice, making him turn towards her, "Not having second thoughts?"

"Nope," she replied.

He studied her face for a moment and saw a flash of indecision in her eyes. He knew right there and then that her heart is not in the same place as her brain. "Have you talked with Avery?"

She turned to face him, "Yes, why?"

He straightened his legs and crossed his ankles, "Nothing really, just asking" he said.

"Okay, that's a little random," she said as she placed her cup on the vacant chair on her left.

"I just worry about him, I guess," he said with a shrug.

A confused look crossed her features, "Worry? Why?"

He draped his arm on the backrest, his cup dangling from his hand. "Because he seems to be taking things in stride, it's not normal."

She leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her thighs, her eyes fixed on the floor.

Owen cleared his throat, "I don't mean to pry - it's just an observation" he backpedaled.

Shaking her head, April let out a sigh. "It's okay, you're not prying," she said. She then turned her face to the side, meeting her mentor's gaze, "I know what you mean, though, but he seems okay with me leaving," she added.

"Not everything is black and white," Owen said.

She furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "All I'm trying to say is that men can be pretentious like women too" he said. When he saw the affronted look on her prot's face, he hastily lifted his hand in mock surrender. "I'm not saying that as an insult, more like women's automatic response to aversive things," he explained.

"Like a defense mechanism? Is that what you're trying to say?" April asked with a quirked brow.

"Exactly!" Owen said. "We don't normally wear our emotions on our sleeves. So when the going gets tough or we're faced with things that hurt us we automatically shut our emotions down. That doesn't mean we don't feel it, it's just our way of buying ourselves more time to brood over it at a later time. When no one is there to witness it."

April bowed her head, "Do you think that's what he's doing?"

"I don't know Avery enough to confirm that, but you're his best friend. I'm quite sure you know how he operates."

"Excuse me, Dr. Hunt?"

Owen turned around and saw one of the airline crew standing behind them, "Yes?"

"Mr. Sheffield asked me to come over and inform you that your flight is about ready to board in five minutes."

Owen nodded, "Thanks, we'll be on our way," he replied.

The crew smiled at them politely before leaving.

"T-that was fast."

He tipped the cup to his lips, emptying his drink in one go, "Yeah, time to go."

April ran her hands through her curls, her face turning a tad paler, "Yeah, time to go."

oOo

Jackson's POV:

He threw the door open and shot out of his car; he didn't even bother closing the door as he sped towards the glass sliding door. He fought his way through the crowd, mumbling a half-hearted sorry as his eyes zeroed on the electronic board. When he didn't see her flight number, he made a beeline towards the ticketing counter, his heart slowly sinking into the pit of his stomach. "Excuse me, Miss?"

The clerk lifted her gaze from the monitor, "Good afternoon, Sir. How may I help you?" she asked politely.

"Flight 34FC, flight to Iraq. Did I miss it? Is it still here?" he asked frantically.

"One moment," the crew replied. She then tapped on the keyboard, her eyes scanning the screen. After a moment, she met his gaze with apologetic eyes, "I'm sorry, sir, but you've missed it. The plane already took off five minutes ago," she said.

Jackson felt his knees buckle but he was able to grab the counter to keep him up.

The woman behind the counter shot up from her seat, "Are you alright? Do you need me to call for help, sir?" she asked, slight panic evident in her tone.

"N-no, I'm okay," he managed to say. He took a deep calming breath and started gathering his bearings, once he was sure that his legs won't lock, he pulled away from the counter, "Thanks," he said before walking away.

oOo

Heartbroken and full of remorse, Jackson left the airport like the devil is on his heels. He didn't have any destination in mind, so he was not surprised when he found himself in the place he seldom visits. He pulled his keys from the ignition and pushed the door open; he climbed out of his car and locked it behind him. He slipped his hands inside his pockets as he walked along the path; he turned to his left and saw what he was looking for. The knot inside his chest seems to tighten when his eyes found the little angel perched on top of the tombstone that bears his son's name.

He swallowed thickly before slowly walking towards it. Once he reached the freshly mowed gravesite, he lowered himself to the ground, sitting cross-legged on the slightly damp grass. He stared at it for a moment, before leaning forward, running his fingers on his name. "Hey bud, sorry it's been a while since I last visited you," he said. He then leaned back, his eyes fixed firmly on the stone. "Your Mom just left and I wasn't able to catch her...I was too late" he paused to clear the football-sized lump in his throat. He licked his lips, his knuckles turning white from being squeezed tightly. "I know, I shouldn't have told her that, when I know I can wait for her forever. I mean, who am I kidding? She's the love of my life, of course, I'll be there. It was the stupid Avery pride talking when I told her that," he said.

He then cracked a small smile, "I bet your Uncle Mark is throwing a fit there, eh? I can imagine his not-so-flattering words towards me now. And knowing him, he might be kicking up a storm," he said while eyeing the dark grey sky. He shook his head as he moved his eyes back to the tomb; "I love her Samuel, I love your mom so much and I'll do everything I can to get her back" he said with resolve. He then slipped his hand to his pocket to pull his phone out, "Keep her safe for now, eh?" he said as he tapped on the screen. "Daddy will get her back," he added as he shifted the phone to his ear.

oOo

April's POV:

"Here you go, thanks," she said as she handed the cabbie a few bills.

"You're welcome, have a good night," he replied as he accepted the money. He then slipped inside his car and pulled the door shut.

She took a deep breath, "God help me," she mumbled before pulling her suitcase behind her.

oOo

Jackson's POV:

Jackson tore his eyes away from the screen when he heard noises coming from the living room, "What the hell?" he said as he placed the laptop on his side. He scooted to the edge of the bed and planted his feet on the floor; he crept towards the door and quietly pulled it open. He scanned the dark living room and saw nothing out of place; he was about to head back but stopped when he heard the fridge open. "Seriously? The fucking fridge?" he thought. He stepped out into the corridor and rolled his shoulders, getting the kinks out of his limbs. He balled his fists before storming towards the living room, ready to bust some balls, "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE...April?"

April jerked forward, the bottle she was holding slipping through her hand.

Unable to move, he just stared at her slack-jawed.

"Geez!" she mumbled as she plucked the bottle from the floor.

That seemed to snap Jackson out of his stupor. He felt his legs moving even before he was able to recover from the shock. He pulled her into his arms, "You're real. You're here," he said with disbelief.

"I'm real and I'm here," April replied as she wrapped her arms around him.

He hugged her tighter, burying his face into the crook of his neck.

"I...I heard what you said."

"Huh?"

She pulled a fraction, "I was awake," she admitted, waiting for him to meet her gaze.

He lifted his face and stared into her eyes, "You were?"

Tears started pooling in her eyes, "I was. I heard everything you told me," she said. She untangled her arms from his waist and slowly moved them towards his face. She cupped his cheeks, her eyes never leaving him. "I love you, Jackson, I always have. I'm sorry if I made you feel that my job is more important than you."

"April, I-"

"No. Let me finish," she said, cutting him off.

He clamped his mouth shut, gesturing for her to continue.

"I know that things between us haven't been the same," she paused to clear the lump in her throat. "Ever since Samuel died I pulled away from you because I felt like you don't see me the same way anymore. That I'm no longer the same woman you fell in love with."

"That's not true," he softly said.

Tears fell down her cheeks, "I lost a huge part of me when we lost Samuel. I needed space to put myself together and that's why I left. I took the easy way out band and I'm not proud of that, Jackson. I'm not happy that I've caused you pain. I was blinded by my own grief that I somehow forgot that you were grieving, too. You need me to be there for you."

He tightened his arms around her but kept his mouth shut. He already knew all of these, but he won't stop her. It's time to let it all out of her chest.

"I vowed to stay by your side through everything but I bolted. I'm not making the same mistake twice, Jackson, I'm staying. I won't leave you again. We're gonna fix this, me and you, we can do this. We're still standing, right?"

His heart soared upon hearing those familiar words, making him grin widely. "Yeah, we are."

She smiled at him tearfully, "Your love will always be enough to make me want to stay. Being with you makes me happy. I'm sorry if I made you feel otherwise. I love you, Jackson. I love you more than anything in this world, more than any words can say."

He stared into her eyes and saw love shining through them. It has been a while since he last lost saw it and he can't help but feel overwhelming happiness surge into his chest. He didn't know what to say, so he did the next best thing he could think of. He leaned forward and claimed her lips, letting his love seep through his kiss.

She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Kissing him like her life depended on it.

Ring...Ring...Ring...

She pulled her lips away from his, "The phone is ringing."

He rested his forehead on hers, "I don't care."

"Jackson Avery! What the hell is going on? Robbins just called me and asked me to step in because you're on indefinite leave! Why are you on leave?! And what is this I hear about April being gone, too? Are you two together? Call me as soon as you hear this or I'll take a red-eye and whoop your ass!"

"Going somewhere?" she asked with a quirked brow.

He averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, "Y-yeah."

April pinched his chin to turn his face towards her, "Jackson?"

"I followed you at the airport, but I missed your flight. I arrived five minutes late. Traffic sucks."

She studied his face, "Really?"

He pulled her closer, "I'll do everything to keep you beside me. I'll even beg. And If I can't make you stay, then I'll just follow you there."

"Y-you would do that?"

"And more April, and more, " he vowed solemnly.

She threw her arms around him and hugged him with all she's got, "I love you," she whispered.

Jackson moved his arms lower, lifting her from the floor, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Show me?" he whispered cheekily.

April didn't need to be told twice; she grabbed his face and pressed her lips towards his.

A/N: And we're done! ^-^/ Again, thank you for reading this story. I hope you like the ending! Cheers!