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A couple of weeks had passed since Jackson interrupted April's wedding. And in those weeks, she had been avoiding him like the plague. The first week after the wedding was easy. April had taken time off for her honeymoon, but she spent the time in her apartment watching bad chick flicks and eating pizza.
Unfortunately, avoiding her old best friend grew harder once she was back at work. Luckily, her friends made sure that April and Jackson wouldn't be on any cases together.
It was the morning of New Year's Eve and April was looking through a patient's file at the nursing station. A bump into her side and the feeling of hot breath on her neck snapped her out of her trance.
"You've been avoiding me." The hypnotic eyed man replied.
"Wh-what, no of course not. I've just…" April said frantically, but was cut off before she could blurt out the rest of her lie.
"I know I don't deserve anything from you, but I'm done with keeping my feelings to myself. It's New Year's Eve and isn't the new year supposed to be about new beginnings?" Jackson brought his finger up to April's lips before she could respond. "When that clock strikes midnight I want to be with you."
"Jackson, I just..I don't know if that's a good idea." April said hesitantly.
"I know we've hurt each other a lot, but I love you and I still think that you love me too. Just meet me at Joe's tonight, okay? This is our chance to start over." Jackson said boring his eyes into to April's.
"I'll think about it." April had a hard time saying no to Jackson, especially when he looked at her like that. As cheesy as it sounds, it was like he was staring into her soul.
"That's all I'm asking. I'll see you tonight...maybe." The plastic surgeon said with a grin as he walked off.
Jackson checked his watch. It was almost midnight. Each time the bell above the door at Joe's rang he looked up and each time it wasn't April.
"You are such an idiot to think that she would forgive you and actually come tonight. Stupid, stupid, stupid." Jackson said to himself as he laid his head down on the table.
A few seconds later he felt a familiar hand caressing the back of his shaved head. He was definitely going crazy. Jackson looked up anyway.
"Hi." April said just above a whisper.
Jackson blinked a few times before responding. "Hey. I thought...I thought you weren't going to show."
"Well all that matters is I'm here now." The beautiful women before him said taking his hand in hers and pulling him out of the booth.
As they stood face to face a new song came over the speakers. Settle down with me. Cover me up. Cuddle me in.
"Ah I love this song." April said looking up at the ceiling.
Jackson stuck out his hand. "April Kepner, may I have this dance?"
April let out a giggle. "Why yes Jackson Avery, you may."
They made their way over to the dance floor. Jackson pulled April close and she rested her head on his shoulder.
April brought her mouth up to Jackson's ear. "This is nice. I like us like this."
Jackson turned his head towards April's. Their faces were mere centimeters away from each other's. "I like us anyway we are as long as we're together."
Jackson knew how sappy he sounded and he didn't care. He was with the woman he loved and he hadn't been this happy since the time he proposed to her over a year ago.
The music stopped and everyone's attention went to the TV in the corner of the bar. Voices rang out as the countdown to the new year began.
TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX
April looked back over at Jackson and took his face in between her palms. April swallowed the lump forming in her throat and focused her eyes on the man in front of her.
"Jackson, I love you too."
TWO, ONE, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A childlike smile took over Jackson's face as he pulled April in for a new year's kiss. Minutes passed before they broke away for air.
"Happy New Year, babe."