"Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul and it's the only thing that I know. I swear it will get easier, remember that with every piece of you. It's the only thing that's with us when we die. We keep this love in this photograph, we make these memories for ourselves, where our eyes never closing, hearts were never broken, time forever frozen still. So you can keep me, inside the pocket of your ripped jeans, holding me close until our eyes meet, you won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home..." Photograph by Ed Sheeran

First year of marriage:

April stared at the pregnancy test for the nth time, her heart and mind, going into two different directions.

"Babe? Is everything alright? You've been there for over an hour now,"

"Y-yeah...just a minute," she replied shakily. She grabbed the stick from the sink and made her way towards the door; she wrapped her hand around the knob and slowly pulled it open.

Jackson stopped pacing and turned towards her; "So?"

She turned the stick towards him, "I'm pregnant" she blurted out.

He stood motionless, his eyes firmly fixed on the stick.

She shifted on her feet, clearly uncomfortable with his reaction. "Say something..."

That seem to jar him out of his stupor, he took two giant steps and lifted her off the ground; "We're gonna have a baby!" he screamed, his voice full of excitement.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Yes we are, put me down!" she said with a giggle.

He stopped twirling and gently put her down, "I can't believe it! Finally!" he said with a large grin. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer; "We're having a baby...wow" he breathed out.

She titled her face, her expression torn between happiness and fear; "I'm scared..." she admitted.

"You have nothing be scared off, I'm here, you're here - we can do this" he said with conviction.

"What if-"

He shook his head, cutting her off; "No what if's babe, we're gonna make this work. I'll take care of you and the baby and Samuel will look after his baby sister or brother."

Tears sprang from her eyes; "Yeah, you're right - he'll be there..."

He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips, "We'll be alright, don't worry too much."

She nodded, "Okay,"

He rested his forehead on hers, a large smile curling on his lips; "I love you..."

"I love you too," she replied.

oOo

April's Second Trimester:

"Did you tell Jackson that you're going in today?"

"No, he wouldn't let me" April replied as she continued tapping on her tab.

Mara leaned back on the counter, "You do know that he'll go bonkers once he sees you here, right?" she asked as she took a sip from her tumbler.

April wrinkled her nose, "Is that coffee?" she asked.

"Yes, I haven't gotten the chance for a shut eye; this is the only thing that keeps me going."

April pinched her nose as she took a step back, "I can't take the smell, sorry."

Mara waved her hand dismissively, "No harm done," she yawned.

"Why don't you take a power nap? I'll just have you paged if we need you here, you really look tired."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I promise to page you" April said with a smile.

Mara stifled another yawn as she pushed away from the counter, "Alright, thanks" she said. She grabbed her tumbler; "Don't do anything heavy, kay?"

April rolled her eyes, "You sound like Jackson."

Mara chuckled, "Just saying."

"What are you doing here?!"

April grimaced, "Working?"

"My cue to leave," Mara said before scurrying away.

Jackson rounded the counter, his arms folded on top of his chest; "I thought you're not feeling well this morning?"

"I'm feeling better now."

Jackson shifted closer, his eyes searching hers; "You sure?" he asked.

April nodded, "I am," she replied.

"How did you get in? Did you drive?"

"No, I took a cab. Figured that I didn't need to bring a car when yours is already here,"

Jackson placed his hands on her hips, "You should've called me so I could've picked you up."

April pursed lips, "I'm pregnant Jackson, not invalid."

"I know that babe, it's just - I'm really not comfortable with you riding a taxi, is all."

April stared at him for a second before letting out a defeated sigh, "Okay, I'll call you next time," she relented.

Jackson smiled widely, "Thank you" he said before kissing her chastely.

"Err - Dr. Avery?"

Both April and Jackson turned around, "Who do you need?" the latter asked.

Shane winced, "Err-Dr. Kepner," he replied.

April pulled away from Jackson's arms, "What can I help you with?" she asked with a kind smile.

"Dr. Karev asked me to find you, he needs help in O.R 2" Shane replied.

"Okay, I'll go there" April replied.

Jackson tugged April's arm to get her attention, "Remember what we talked about, take it easy" he reminded.

April fought the urge to roll her eyes, "I haven't forgotten, don't be such a worry wart. I'll go check what Alex needs," she said.

"Alright, but I'll be checking on you."

April stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, "As long as you stop April-proofing the whole place, I'm all for check-ins" she winked.

Jackson's eyes widen in surprise, "You know?"

"Nothing gets past me, this is my E.R after all" April said as she walked towards the door.

Jackson shoved his hands inside his labcoat pockets, "And she didn't throw a fit, well I'll be damned," he grumbled.

oOo

"Kepner, how nice of you to join us" Alex said.

"How kind of you to send Ross to find me" April replied dryly. She tied the mask at the back of her head before making her way towards the table, "What do you need me for?" she asked somewhat excitedly.

"When was the last time you had your hands dirty?"

"Don't even ask, it's been very long" April replied.

Alex lifted his gaze from his work, "I'm doing a Rou en Y, want to help?"

"Will you let me do some actual work?" April asked with a raised brow.

"Can you promise not to over talk?"

April mimicked zipping her lips.

"Good" Alex replied. He turned his face to the side, "You can scoot now, Dr. Kepner will take your place, that woman needs some blood on her hands more than you."

"Alex!"

Stephanie lifted her hands and took a step back, "No harm done Dr. Kepner, it's all yours" she said.

"Thank you" April said as she took Stephanie's place. She moved her eyes towards the exposed abdomen, "Want me to cut?" she asked.

Alex handed over the scalpel, "Make it pretty, I don't want this kid to have a horrible scar."

"I always make it pretty," April replied as she lowered the blade to the skin.

oOo

"Avery!"

Jackson turned around and saw Mark heading his way, "Yeah?"

"Did you know that your wife is here?"

"Yeah, I just saw her, why?"

"I thought she's not coming in?" Mark asked as he fell into step with him.

"That's what I thought too, but she told me she's feeling a lot better now" Jackson replied.

Mark pushed the door open, "Morning sickness is still kicking her ass?"

Jackson winced, "Kicking her ass is an understatement, she spends most of her morning inside the bathroom. She hates the smell of coffee - that means if I want to kiss her, I have to stay away from it too."

Mark laughed, "And you can't stop kissing her."

Jackson cracked a smile, "You know it," he replied.

"Brooks!" Mark called out when he spotted Derek's prot.

Heather grabbed her tab and made her way towards the Attendings; "Dr. Sloan, Dr. Avery," she greeted politely.

Mark braced his hands on his waist, "What are you doing here? Did Derek send you to steal one of my patients?"

"Actually no, he sent me here because he wants your consult for one of his patients" Heather replied.

"That's a first," Jackson said.

Mark grinned, "Where is he?"

Heather checked her watch, "Lab, I think" she replied.

"Let's go then!" Mark said excitedly.

"Hey! What about the-"

Mark spun on his heels and made a bee line towards the door, "We can do that later!"

Heather threw Jackson an apologetic look before following Mark.

Jackson let out a defeated sigh as he watched them leave, "Everyone seems busy today."

oOo

The day passed by slowly, much to Jackson's dismay. As much as he loves the hospital, he realized that he prefers staying at home more with his wife. He stacked the folders on top of each other and slipped it inside his in tray; he leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes.

Knock . . . Knock . . . Knock

"I'm done for the day and I'm not on call - go bother someone else" he said without opening his eyes.

"I'm craving for a strawberry frappe from Starbucks but I can't stand the smell of coffee so I can't buy myself one" April lamented.

Jackson's eyes snapped open, "Did you try asking one of the interns to buy you one?" he asked as he studied her face.

She stomped her foot, her eyes pooling with tears; "I can't do that - I'm not Alex! They're here to learn and not to run errands for their hormonal Attending!"

He knew he won't win no matter what he says, so he just stood up from his perch and made his way towards her. He wrapped his arms around her petite form and pulled her to his chest; "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you further - I'll go fetch you one before we go home" he softly said.

She let out a sob as she buried her face into his chest, "I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to be whinny - I just want it so bad..."

"I know babe," he replied while rubbing her back soothingly. "Why don't you change into your street clothes and I'll get my things ready so we can leave this place and get you that frappe."

She pulled away, "Meet me in 15?" she asked shyly.

He wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead, "I'll be there in 10," he replied.

A large smile blossomed from her lips, making her face brighter; "Okay," she replied perkily. She then turned on her heels and made her way towards the door without further fuzz.

He shook his head as he walked back to his desk, "Crisis averted," he said.

oOo

Jackson winced as he watched April popped a huge chunk of whip cream into her mouth; he hastily averted his gaze to keep himself from gagging and just continued with his task.

"This is sooooo good," April moaned in delight.

"Enjoying your frappe?" he asked.

"So much, do you want some?" she asked as propped the drink towards him.

He shook his head, "No, I'm good," he replied.

"Just a sip? I want you to enjoy it too..."

"I'm really good babe, you enjoy it."

She stuck her bottom lip out, "But I want you to taste it."

He met her gaze and studied her face. Ever since her pregnancy hormones started kicking in, she's become more emotional than normal. He only has two options at the moment; decline the offer and suffer her wrath followed by waterworks. Or he could just suck it up and accept her offer to make her happy. If there's one thing he learned from their previous debacle - pick your battles. Having than in mind, he pasted a huge smile on his face and took the offered drink; he held his breath and took a huge sip.

She let out a large grin as she snatched the drink back, "Mine," she said through giggles.

He hid his grimace by lowering his head, pretending to focus on her foot.

She wiggled her toes, "How's your day been?" she asked.

"Pushing papers, the usual," he replied.

"I get to do a Rou en Y" she said excitedly.

He let out an indulging smile, "I heard, Karev booted out Edwards for that, right?"

Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment, "For that record, it was Alex who asked her to step out,"

He rolled his fist on the heel of her foot, eliciting a satisfied moan from her. "I know, you're too good to do that."

"I yelled at Ross today, I doubt he has the same sentiments towards me," she said while licking the whip cream from her lip.

"You missed a spot."

She sucked in her upper lip, "There, all gone?" she asked.

"No, let me help you with that," he said as he carefully took the cup from her hand and placed it on top of the coffee table. He then scooted closer and pushed her back on the couch; he stuck his tongue out and licked the corner of her lips.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, lust burning brightly from her eyes; "I think you missed a spot..." she said breathily.

"Really? I don't see-"

She didn't let him finish, she claimed his lips and started pulling her legs off his lap. She opened it widely, letting him lay on top of her comfortably.

He pulled his lips a fraction, his breath coming into short pants. "You sure you want to do this? You aren't tired?"

She rolled her eyes, "I'm pregnant-"

"And not an invalid, I know that" he cut her off. He ground his hips to her core, "I really really want to make love to you but if you're too tired, we can just kiss."

She slipped her right hand between them and placed it on top of his crotch. A naughty smile curled on her lips when she felt him twitch; "I don't think he agrees with your suggestion," she said.

He bit his bottom lip, trying to stifle his groan.

She squeezed him firmly through his shorts before moving her hands up and down; "I have an idea..."

"H-huh?"

"Take me to our room, strip me naked and let me have my way with you."

He didn't need to be told twice; he wrapped his arms around her waist and hauled them off the couch; "I love your ideas."

She let out a high pitch squeak, her legs automatically going around his hips; "Put me down! I can walk!"

"I'm not doing things right then," he said with a lascivious wink.

She stifled her giggles with her hand; "Stop being crass!"

He wiggled his brows, "And stop turning you on? I don't think so, you love my dirty mouth" he said as he padded towards their room, pushing the door with his foot.

She moved her face towards his neck, "You always turn me on," she whispered as she started peppering the column with open mouthed kisses.

"Oh god, I think I love getting you pregnant, you're always ready for me" he replied he lowered her on top of the comforter.

She pushed from the bed, "Enough talking and more fucking" she said before pulling him towards her, kissing him hungrily.

oOo

April's Last Trimester:

"Are you sure you can manage without me? I can call Mom and ask her to take over" Jackson said as he shrugged his jacket on.

"I'm gonna be okay Jackson, it's not as if you'll be gone for a week" April replied with a hint of exasperation.

He moved towards her and caged her in, "I know, it's just...I'm really not happy leaving you alone, especially with your condition."

She placed her hands on his arms and squeezed it in comfort, "I promise not to run around the E.R and just stick with paper works, will that make you feel better?"

He stared into her eyes intently, "I trust you," he said.

"I know, I promise - I'll behave this time. No more chasing over little tots, I'll have Alex do that for me" she said earnestly.

He kissed her forehead, "Good."

She slipped her arms around his waist, hugging him; "I'm gonna miss sleeping beside you..." she whispered.

He chuckled, "You're gonna miss taking advantage of my body, you mean" he teased.

She tilted her face up, her chin resting on his chest; "I don't hear you complaining."

"You can take advantage of me all you want, this sexy body is yours for the taking" he said, his eyes turning darker by the second.

She knew what he's up to, and as much as she would like to give into his charms, she can't do that. She pecked his lips one more time before pulling away from him; "Hurry up, you can't miss your flight."

He pursed his lips in obvious disappointment; "Fine, but I'll be checking on you every chance I get" he said as he grabbed his bag.

She smiled, "We both know you'd do that whether you're in state or out," she said wryly.

"Damn right," Jackson replied with his trademark smirk.

oOo

"Where's Pretty Boy?" Cristina asked as she made her way towards the vacant chair.

"He flew back to Boston, rubbing elbows with Richie Rich" Meredith said.

"He's doing PR duties for the hospital," Derek explained.

Meredith rolled her eyes, "It's the same thing."

Cristina plopped down, "Did he bring McPreggers with him?"

"Stop calling her that, you know how much that upsets her" Lexie said with a disapproving look.

Cristina swivelled her chair facing Lexie, "You her new lawyer?"

Lexie opened her mouth to respond but wasn't able to do so when Owen cleared his throat loudly.

"Good morning everyone, I won't beat around the bush because I know you're all busy. First area of discussion will be-"

oOo

"Why are fetching lab works? Where's your intern?"

"Thanks," April smiled at the technician before turning towards Alex. "Suturing"

He frowned, "Then why didn't you have Ross or any other resident get that for you?"

"They're busy doing rounds, I won't disturb them just to get this," April replied.

"It's their job," he replied. He braced his hands on his hips, "Wait, aren't you supposed to be on bed rest?"

"Up until last week, I'm good now" she replied as she started walking towards the elevator.

"And you just decided to walk around?" he asked as he pressed the down button.

She tucked the papers under her arm and turned towards Alex, "Did my husband put you up to this?"

He gestured towards the elevator, "Of course not, what gave you that idea?"

"Thanks," she said as she stepped inside. "Because you're hovering more than usual"

"I'm not hovering" he replied. He then slipped his hands inside his pockets, his face softening with concern, "Just don't overdo it, you have interns and residents at your beck and call, use them."

She understood what he's really saying, making her feel all gooey and warm inside. She shifted closer and nudged his shoulder; "I'll behave, stop worrying."

He turned his face to the side with a playful smirk curling on his lips, "Your husband did mention something" he said before walking out.

"I knew it!"

oOo

It's been a long tiring day for April and she's about ready to go home. She tugged her blouse over her protruding belly and slipped her jacket on. She grabbed her bag from her cubby and slowly made her way out of the locker area.

"Hey Apes"

She turned her face to the side and saw Mara sitting on the couch, "Hey Mars," she replied.

Mara snatched her bag from the floor before she stood up, "I'm about to head out, do you need a ride?" she asked.

"Let me guess, my husband called you," she said, clearly not surprised with the offer.

"He might've mentioned something about you not taking a car to work," Mara said sheepishly.

"Our house is kinda out of the way from your place, are you sure it's okay?"

Mara winced, "About that, I might be sleeping over too..."

She stared at her for moment, contemplating if she should decline the offer or just give in to her husband's plan. Truth be told, she didn't want to spend the night alone, especially when she's feeling inconsistent pain shooting down her lower back. She's one hundred percent sure that it's not pre-term labor pains, but she also can't be too complacent. They live 30 minutes away from the hospital, and it would be a bitch navigating her car while calming herself down at the same time.

"April?"

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, "Err - sorry about that, yeah - of course, you can stay with me" she replied with a smile. "We can do girl's night; we can just watch DVD's or something."

Mara smiled back, "Brilliant" she said. She walked towards her pregnant friend and looped her arm around hers; "What do you have in mind?" she asked as she steered them towards the door.

She pulled the door open with a large grin, "I have Magic Mike."

"And that's the reason why I love you. Come on, no time to waste."

oOo

April and Mara watched two more movies before calling it a night. She closed the door behind her and made her way towards the bed; she took her slipper off and slowly crawled on top of the comforter. She adjusted the pillow under her head and tried to find a comfortable spot; she turned on her side and stared at the empty spot beside her. She let out a sigh as she started rubbing her swollen belly, the pain she's feeling a couple of hours ago seem to lessen when she got home. However, it didn't completely vanish; she closed her eyes, instantly falling into a restless sleep.

oOo

April opened her eyes, sleep still making her vision blurry. She turned on her side and saw Mara standing by the bed, a frantic look covering her face. "Whas rong?" she slurred.

"Don't panic, but you're bleeding" she said. She then grabbed the cordless phone from the side table and dialled the E.R's number; "I'm gonna call the hospital to them know we're coming" she said.

Panic surged into her system when she saw her blood stained sheets, "No...this can't be happening..." she whimpered, tears pooling in her eyes.

"-yes! Have them page Lewis and I'll try to get us there as fast as I can. No! Waiting for an ambulance will take too much time-yeah, wait I'll ask her" Mara paused and turned towards April. She leaned towards her to get her attention, "April, are you in any type of pain?" she asked firmly.

Too distraught to form words, she just shook her head.

"No, she's not in any pain-enough with the questions! I'll get us there so just be ready!" Mara said as she chugged the phone on the bed. She placed her hand on her arm and tugged her gently, "We have to get you to the hospital, come on" she said.

Violent sobs escaped her lips as she scooted towards the edge of the bed, "I-I-can't...loose this-this baby..."

Mara snatched the robe from the foot of the bed and held it open; "You're not losing the baby April, not tonight - not ever. So come here and put this on so we can go, they're waiting for us" she said firmly.

She slipped her shaky arm inside the sleeve, "I-I-"

Mara hastily tied a knot before wrapping her arm around the other woman's waist, "Just stay calm love...breathe with me..." she ordered as she steered them towards the door.

She swallowed back her tears as she followed Mara's instruction.

oOo

Jackson buried his face into his pillow, trying to stifle the pounding knocks on his door. "Go away Mom! I'm tired!" he screamed.

"OPEN THE DAMNED DOOR, IT'S APRIL!"

He shot up from the bed and ran towards the door; he yanked it open, his eyes wide with panic. "What happened?"

"I've been trying to wake you up but you won't seem to budge. Mara called me 20 minutes ago because you're not answering your phone - your wife has been admitted to the hospital."

"Fuck!" He then turned on his heel and started looking for his phone; "Where the hell is it?!" he screamed in frustration.

"I already booked a flight and we'll leave in an hour, leave your phone, I'll have Marcy find it for you. We need to get there as soon as possible" Catherine said before stepping out of the room.

His eyes started burning as he sat down on the bed, he braced his elbows on his knees and buried his face into his palms. "God...if you're really there- save her...save our child..."

oOo

"What the hell happened?" Mark's thunderous voice resounded along the hallway, making everyone look at his direction.

Mara stopped pacing, her eyes rimmed red; "I-I don't know...I just found her like that. I went into her room to check on her like what I promised Jackson and then I saw blood stains on her pyjama bottoms."

"Did you call Jackson?" Lexie asked, more subdued than her beau.

"I couldn't reach him but I was able to talk to his Mum...she told me they're taking a red eye" Mara replied shakily.

Mark placed his hands on his waist and bowed his head; he took few deep breaths before speaking again. "Where is she?"

Mara shifted towards the padded bench and plopped down; "She's being checked by Lewis and Karev, I've been sitting here for 10 minutes and waiting for them to finish."

As if on cue, the door to the room opened, revealing a harried looking Carol Lewis.

"How is she? Is the baby okay?" Mark asked.

"The baby is fine and so is April," Carol replied.

Mara let out relieved sigh, "Thank god!"

Lexie wrapped her arm around Mark's waist, "What happened?" she asked.

"Same as the first one, overwork" Carol replied. She slipped her hands inside her labcoat pockets, "I'm ordering complete bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy, the fetus can't take any more stress" she said seriously.

Alex stepped out of the room and gently closed the door behind him, "She's already asleep," he said.

"Good," Carol said. She turned her eyes towards Mark, "I trust that Jackson has been informed about this already?"

Mark nodded, "Yes, he'll be here in a few hours."

"That's good to hear. I'll be in OB ward for the rest of the evening, have someone page me once he arrives, I'm sure he'll want to speak with me."

"We'll do that," Lexie replied.

Carol threw them a smile before walking away.

Alex moved towards the bench and sat beside Mara; "I knew this would happen, she's too stubborn for her own good."

"How?" Mara asked.

"I saw her running around the pit, I already told her to take it easy and let the residents or interns get her labs, but I guess she didn't listen."

Mark shook his head, "Stubborn woman"

"Let's just be thankful that they're both safe" Lexie said.

Alex turned his face to the side, "Nice save Keaton" he said.

Mara leaned her head on the hall, "I was scared out of my bloody mind."

Alex nudged her shoulder, "You still did great."

"You did" Lexie said with a smile.

"Hell yeah, now Jackson owes you a promotion or a new bag - whatever tickles your fancy" Mark said with a grin.

Mara blinked a couple of times before bursting into fits of giggles.

oOo

"She's waking up," Catherine said.

Jackson closed the door behind him and made a bee line towards the bed; he leaned forward and gently caressed his wife's cheek. "Babe?" he said gently.

April slowly opened her eyes and saw his face; "j-jackson?"

"Thank god you're alright" he said as he pressed his lips on her forehead.

Tears swell from her eyes as she remembered what happened; her hands automatically reached for her belly, jostling her IV lines.

"The baby is alright, you're alright" he said soothingly as he sat on her bedside.

She burst into tears, "I was so scared...I'm sorry Jackson...I'm sorry..." she whimpered.

He carefully pulled her to his chest, hugging her; "Sssshhhh...don't cry...you're both alright - that's all that matters" he said while rubbing her back.

She buried her face into his neck, her hands fisting his shirt into a tight grip; "I-I'm sorry...please don't be mad..." she sobbed.

Catherine threw her son an emphatic look before nodding towards door, silently offering to give them privacy.

He nodded and mouthed a thank you.

She continued crying, her shoulders being wracked by sobs.

He pulled a fraction, cupping her face into his hands; "April, look at me...please babe?"

She raised her gaze to meet his, her chest still heaving.

He stared into her eyes, "I'm not mad at you" he said firmly.

She bit her bottom lip hard, trying hard to stifle her sobs.

He moved his thumb towards her cheeks, wiping her tears. "I have no room to be mad; I'm just relieved and really thankful that nothing happened to the both of you."

"Y-you're not?"

He shook his head, "I'm not."

She pulled her hand to wipe her nose, "I'm really-"

"Stop saying that, there's nothing to forgive" he said. He then moved his hand towards her belly, rubbing it the way he knew she liked; "I have one request though, and I really hope you'll take it into consideration" he said with a note of seriousness.

She nodded, "Go on..."

"I've talked to Carol and she told me that she's ordering complete bed rest for the rest of your pregnancy. Yes, you can still move about but you're not working. I know you love what you do here but babe, we can't risk it - so please, please consider it."

"Okay"

His eyes widen in surprise, "You agree? No objections or whatsoever?"

Tears pool her eyes again as she shook her head vehemently; "No, I'll listen - I won't do anything to endanger our baby again...I promise you Jackson...I'll be a better Mother."

"Hey-nobody is saying that you're not a good Mother."

"I know...but that doesn't change the fact that I almost lost our baby - again. I can't relive that heartache Jackson - I won't. So if that's what it takes to make sure that our baby is safe, I'll do it."

"You didn't lose our baby on purpose, it was an accident babe, it's not your fault" he said fiercely.

"Yeah...but still" she paused to sniff. "I'll do what Carol says, I won't work"

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly; "Thank you babe..." he whispered as he buried his face into her hair.

oOo

April's Last Trimester:

"We came as fast as we could"

Jackson stopped pacing when he saw Mark and Lexie walking towards him; "What are you guys doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon?"

"And miss this? I don't think so" Lexie said excitedly.

Mark smiled widely, rubbing his hands together; "Is she here yet?"

Jackson placed his arms around his waist as he resumed his pacing; "No, but they've been there for over an hour already" he replied, anxiety evident in his voice.

"Why aren't you not with her?" Lexie asked.

Jackson winced, "I kinda started freaking out when they told me that they need to do a C-section on her..."

"You got kicked out!" Mark said in disbelief.

"I did not get kicked out!"

Lexie's eyes widen with mirth; "Oh my god, you did!"

"Shut up!"

The doors to the O.R opened, Alex's head peeking out; "Dude, your daughter is here and she's okay. We'll just have her cleaned out and bring her to the nursery" he said with a large smile.

"And my wife? How is she?" Jackson asked.

"She's okay too, she's just being stitched up - we'll be moving her to recovery as soon as Lewis is finished"

Jackson felt his knees buckle, making him sit on the nearest chair; "Wow" he breathed out.

"Congratulations!" Mark said jovially.

"A baby girl! Congrats Jackson!" Lexie piped in happily.

"Yeah, what they said" Alex said before slipping back into the room.

"I'm a Dad" he softly said. After a few seconds, he lifted his gaze, a large grin making its way to his lips. "I'm a Dad" he repeated, his voice full with awe.

oOo

April cradled the baby to her chest, her eyes filled with awe.

Jackson moved his pointer finger towards one chubby cheek, tracing a dimple lovingly. "She's so tiny."

"She is, so tiny..."

Jackson let his hand fall, "I never thought it's possible to fall in love again..." he paused moving his eyes towards his wife. "But seeing you two together, I disagree."

April smiled, showing the identical dimple on their daughter's cheeks; "Ditto, I feel the same way...she's just so...precious...I don't know."

"I love you April...thank you for giving me the greatest gift" Jackson said, his voice drenched with love and devotion.

"She wouldn't be here without you Jackson, I love you too" April replied.

Jackson leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

"I hope you two aren't thinking about making another baby yet,"

April pulled away from Jackson, her cheeks flushed red; "Mom!" she yelped.

Jackson sat back down, "Don't get any crazy ideas in your head," he rolled his eyes.

Catherine made a bee line towards the bed, her excitement very palpable. "Give me!"

Jackson stood up to give his Mother space.

April reluctantly placed the baby on her Mother in law's arms, "There..."

"So cute!" Catherine gushed. "She has your dimples honey," she said with a large grin.

Jackson can't help but shift closer to his Mother, his eyes fixed firmly on his daughter's face; "That she does..."

"Have you already decided on a name?" Catherine asked while cooing at her grandchild.

April smiled, "Samara Brielle Avery, we'll call her Sab for short."

Jackson lifted his hand and gently caressed her daughter's head; "Samara means "protected by god" in Hebrew," he said.

"That's a very beautiful name, you two chose well" Catherine said.

Jackson sat on the bed and grasped April's hand, lacing their fingers together.

Catherine leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on the baby's forehead; "You'll do great things Sab, I'm sure of that..."

April squeezed Jackson's hand, silently agreeing with Catherine.

oOo

After 10 years:

"What the hell happened?" Jackson bellowed as he yanked the curtains surrounding the E.R bed.

Mark didn't lift his eyes from his work, "You owe me dollar Sab, told you he'd be here in 5 minutes."

"Great! Thank you for helping me lose a bet Daddy" Sab said with a pout.

Jackson made a bee line towards the bed, his face full of fear; "Are you alright? Are you in any pain? What happened?" he demanded.

Sab batted her Father's hand away, "I'm okay Daddy, I just fell down" she replied nonchalantly.

"Fu-"

"Don't even think about it," Mark interrupted. "Little ears in the house."

Jackson clamped his mouth shut, his face turning red.

"I'm not little anymore Uncle Mark, I know exactly what Daddy is about to say" Sab said.

Mark chuckled as he fastened the gauze over Sab's bruised temple.

Jackson closed his eyes as he took a deep calming breath, after a couple of seconds he opened his eyes and stared at Mark. "Did you order a CT? What did Lexie say? Is she gonna be alright? What about broken bones? Did you-"

Mark rolled his eyes, "CT has already been done and it came back clear - Lexie already checked on her even before I got here. And no, there are no broken bones, just bruises and scrapes - she's fine."

"I'm really okay Daddy - I did what Grandpa Joe taught me, and it helped me tons" Sab paused and wiggled her arms and legs. "See? No broken bones" she said somewhat proudly.

Jackson stared at Sab's bruised face and felt a lump form inside his throat, he sat down and placed his hand on her thigh. "You scared the hell out of me Samara, I thought something bad happened to you..."

Sab placed her hand on top of his, "I'm sorry Daddy...I didn't mean to make you worry..." she said, guilt evident in her tone.

Jackson squeezed her hand, "It's okay, you're safe - that's all that matters" he said with a sigh.

"What happened? Oh my god Sab! Are you alright?"

Both Father and daughter turned around and saw a frantic looking April; "I'm fine Mom, really."

April rushed towards the bed, elbowing Mark out of the way. She placed her hands on Sab's face, her eyes welling with tears; "My baby!"

Sab wrapped her hands around her Mother's; "I'm okay, please don't cry" she pleaded.

April plopped down on the bed, "What happened?"

"Tell us," Jackson said gently.

Sab turned her eyes towards her Uncle Mark, silently asking him for help.

Mark folded his arms on top of his chest as he let out a defeated sigh, "She fell off of a tree, trying to rescue a kitten" he explained.

April's eyes widen in mortification, "Samara Brielle Avery!"

"Why didn't you ask your teacher or someone for help?" Jackson asked, trying his hardest to keep his anger out of his tone.

Sab's lower lip wobbled as she tried to hold back her tears, "I know that...but the kitty looks so scared."

"Oh honey" April said as she gently gathered her daughter into her arms. "Don't cry..."

"I'm so sorry...please don't me mad at me..." Sab sobbed as she buried her face into her Mother's chest.

Jackson moved his hand on her daughter's, his anger slowly slipping, "We're not mad, we're just worried about you..."

Sab cried harder.

"Hush love...Mommy and Daddy aren't mad..." April cooed. She then moved her eyes towards Mark, "She's okay right? No broken bones or concussion?" she asked.

Mark shook his head, "She's okay, just some bruises and cuts but I already took care of it."

"Thanks man, I owe you" Jackson said.

"She's my goddaughter, no need to thank me" Mark said. He then shifted his hands on his waist, "Oh, I almost forgot, the twins are here too, your sitter dropped them off, says she has some family emergency that she needs to tend to. The poor kid was frantic looking for you two, I told her I'll take care of it so she went ahead."

"Oh" Jackson said. "Where are they?"

"Mara has them, I was supposed to take them to Daycare but then again, Sab here decided to make an appearance."

April looked at her husband, "Could you? I don't want to leave Sab here..."

"I'll check on them" Jackson said. He leaned forward and kissed Sab's head, "I'll be back, I just need to check on your brother's, you sure you're okay?"

Sab wiped her nose, "I am Daddy...go check on them" she said.

Jackson nodded towards April as he stood up, "I'll be back in a few."

Mark plucked his tab from the foot of the bed; "I'll go work on her discharge papers so you can take her home, okay?"

"Thank you Mark" April said with a smile.

Mark rolled his eyes, "I won't remind you again Kepner," he said as he sauntered away.

April turned her eyes back to her daughter, "I'm not gonna lecture you so you can stop giving me the puppy dog eyes" she said.

Sab dropped the act and smiled, "Grandpa Joe taught me..."

oOo

"No, that's Auntie Mara's hair, poppet...Aw!"

Lexie laughed as she continued blowing raspberries on Isaah's tummy.

"Looks like baby Avery number 2 is having a blast pulling Keaton's hair" Cristina said with amusement.

Meredith threw Mara a sympathetic look, "I think you should try tickling him so he can let your hair go" she suggested.

"Brilliant idea," Mara replied, her fingers moving towards Jacob's tiny waist.

Jacob shrieked loudly, followed by giggles.

The door to the Attending's Room open as Jackson slithered in. A large smile curled on his lips when he saw his son's squirming and shrieking like crazy.

"Well, well, well - Papa bear finally found his cubs" Cristina said.

"I just found out they're here, long surgery" Jackson replied. "By the way, thank you Lex, for checking Sab and for taking care of Isaah, I owe you one."

"You're welcome, and she's fine" Lexie replied, her eyes never leaving the giggling baby in her arms.

"Wait, Sab, is also here?" Meredith asked.

"She fell off a tree trying to rescue a kitten" Jackson replied.

"Must run in the family, the heroic thingy" Cristina mused.

Meredith swatted Cristina's arm, "Shut it,"

Jackson just rolled his eyes, clearly immune to Cristina's jibes. He walked towards his babies, "How are my boys?" he cooed as he kneeled in front of the couch.

"Dada!" Jacob squealed in delight.

Mara didn't think twice, she gently lifted the squealing baby from her lap and passed him to Jackson. "I love your kids, but this one keeps pulling my hair."

Jackson threw Mara an apologetic look, "Sorry about that," he said as he secured his arm around his son's tiny waist.

"I'm not complaining, now I know why April never lets her hair down" Mara replied.

Jackson planted a resounding kiss on Jacob's chubby cheek, "I know, I had to convince her to just tie it and not completely chop it off" he said.

"Whoa! Calm down baby boy" Lexie said as she adjusted Isaah in her arms. "Give him a kiss Papa bear,"

Jackson made a show by pretending to eat Isaah's cheek, making the baby shriek and hide his face on Lexie's chest.

Lexie laughed as she wrapped her arms around Isaah's back for support; "I miss having babies around, Kylie prefers hanging out with her friends and Cole's at the age where he refuses to be coddled" she said with a pout.

"Why don't you try for another kid? That should solve your problem" Meredith suggested.

"Yeah, I'm sure Mark won't mind the s-e-x" Cristina said while wiggling her brows.

Lexie scrunched her nose, "I'll only do it if it's Mark who will be pushing."

Mara burst into giggles, "I can't imagine that."

"You should, you'll be doing the same thing 6 months from now" Lexie said with a smirk.

"Don't remind me" Mara said, humor draining from her face.

Jackson patted Mara's knee in comfort, "Don't worry, that's what epidural's are for."

oOo

"You sure you're gonna be okay?" April asked as she tucked the comforter in.

"I'm fine Mommy..." Sab said with yawn.

"Alright, just yell if you need Mommy and Daddy, okay?"

Sab nodded, her eyes closing from exhaustion.

April kissed Sab's forehead before she stood up, she walked towards the door and switched the lights off.

"She's asleep?" Jackson asked, his eyes searching the dark room.

"Yes, the meds knocked her out" April replied as she closed the door behind them. "The twins?"

"Out like lights" Jackson replied.

She walked towards her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist, "Thank god Sab is alright..." she mumbled, her voice muffled by his shirt.

He hugged her back, "Yeah" he replied. "You tired?"

"Bone deep tired."

He scooped her off the floor and wrapped her legs around his waist, "Let's get you to bed then,"

She didn't protest, she leaned her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed.

He walked into their room and closed the door using his foot; he made his way towards their bed and gently lowered her on top of the comforter.

She opened her eyes but didn't let him go.

He lowered himself on top of her, elbows holding him up. "I thought you're tired?"

She moved her hands to his face, cupping it; "I am, I just want to hold you for a sec."

He turned his face to the side and kissed her palm, "It's been one hell of a day, huh?"

"That's an understatement" she replied. "Speaking of day, Rafael is due tomorrow right? I missed Grandpa's call this afternoon, I just remembered."

"Yeah, they'll be arriving tomorrow at 10, I'll be picking them up from SeaTac" he replied.

She let out a relieved sigh, "I missed him,"

"Our house is not the same without him,"

"Yeah, is Mom coming along too?"

He rolled his eyes, "Is that even a question? You know she can't stay away from her grandkids too long"

"And grandpa is staying for a few days too, right?"

"Yep, I already had the guests rooms cleaned, so don't worry your pretty little head about it."

"I'm not worried," she said. She then moved her hands on his shoulders and bucked her hips suggestively, "The grandparents are here, we have time for ourselves - you get what I mean?"

A look of understanding dawned on his face, his lips curling into a huge grin; "I like how you think Mrs. Avery...sexy time, lots and lots of sexy time."

"I knew I married you for your brain" she said cheekily.

He ground his hips towards hers, hitting a sensitive spot; "Only that?"

Her eyes fluttered, "That too" she moaned.

He leaned forward and kissed her lips, "I love you April, thank you giving us another try, we wouldn't be here if you didn't" he said seriously.

She pulled him closer, "And I you, Jackson, thank you for not giving up on us, you and the kids are my life..."

"As you are all mine," he said before claiming her lips again, sealing their love with a kiss.

-FIN-

A/N: And that's a wrap! *bows*

Oh my gosh, I don't know where to start! Let's see...uhm...I would like to THANK YOU all for staying with me all throughout this fic's journey. When I posted the first chapter of this story, I didn't expect for it to be this long or be this big. It was just one of the bunnies I had in mind when I watched that episode way back season 9. I really had no plans on expanding the story this long but after reading your reviews and received suggestions via PM, it made me realize that I had to go through with it. Up to this point, I still can't believe I made it this far - you guys pushed me and made me a better writer by your kind words and continuous encouragement. UV will not be UV, without you guys - so thank you. ^-^/

Lastly, I hope I didn't disappoint you with how I ended the story. I already exhausted all avenues to see if I can still develop the storyline but looking back at the plot, I think we're at an impasse. They already found their way back to each other and managed to surpass their biggest hurdle, so I decided to end it as realistically as I can...I hope you agree...hehehehhe

Having said all that, I hope you guys enjoyed reading and learned something from it too. Cheers! Till next JAPRIL story! ^...^/