“Some people would consider that karma, you know,” a female voice interrupted his thoughts.“Excuse me?” Jackson asked, looked to his left and seeing a brunette sitting a few stools away from him. "Dr. Wilson?“"Karma,” Jo repeated, as if he’d never said a word. "For what you did to Stephanie….and Matthew….“"I don’t need reminding, Dr. Wilson,” the surgeon frowned.“I always wondered why you picked that moment to say something,” the resident continued. "I mean, seriously, Avery! You couldn’t have told her before then? Pulled her aside while she was walking down the aisle?!“"I couldn’t do that! Not in the middle of her wedding!”“Oh, but interrupting her freaking vows was okay?”Jackson studied the woman a moment, noting the line of shot glasses sitting before her. "Are you and Karev fighting?“ he nodded towards the glasses.The brunette scoffed before downing another shot. "To fight, you actually have to talk. I’m not Meredith, so he doesn’t talk to me.”The surgeon looked away, able to relate to the feeling. April spent many days not talking to him. "Sometimes not talking is the best thing.“Jo looked over to him. "Doesn’t not talking lead to that?” she pointed to the folded papers. "Serving her at work was a dick move, by the way.“"She’s not staying at home.”The woman looked down for a few seconds. "I felt bad for you….she shouldn’t have done that… Left….you know, after the baby…..“The surgeon looked over to her. "I didn’t think you’d ever feel bad for me,” he shifted gears, not wanting to talk about his son.“Me either,” the brunette chuckled. Jackson pursed his lips and timidly moved over one stool closer to her. "Do you want to talk about it?“"There’s nothing to talk about,” the woman shook her head. "Alex just….doesn’t see me anymore…. I say things, and he just….he doesn’t even hear them…..“The man nodded knowingly. "April did that too. Her mind was just on other things.”Jo looked to him, seeing pain in his eyes. "I guess we have something in common.“"I guess so.” Jackson watched as she pushed her empty glasses aside. "Can we call a truce, Dr. Wilson? Just for tonight? Maybe even….talk to each other?“The brunette studied him for several moments, seeing the vulnerability written across his features. "Call me Jo.”“Jo,” he spoke her name softly. Never did he think he’d befriend the intern. The brunette had been very, very vocal in her distaste for him. And if she didn’t speak out against him, her eyes murdered him a hundred times a minute. Maybe more.“Jackson,” she said his name, the word sounding unique. The only time she’d mentioned him before was when talking to Steph, and even then Jo referred to him as Dr. Avery. "I never thought I’d see you as a friend.“"Oh, I know,” the prettyboy chuckled, ordering two waters. "I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.“The brunette smiled a half smile. "It’s gotta be hard for you,” she started the attempt at friendship. "Since the shooting…you don’t really have anyone but April, right? Weren’t the other two….“"Yeah, they were shot,” Jackson nodded solemnly, nodding a thanks to Joe when he brought the glasses of water. "Charles and Reed…we were the only ones who passed the intern exam at Mercy West.“"Only four?”“It was a small class of interns,” he shrugged, sliding her a glass of water. "Most of the interns went to Seattle Grace.“ The attending took a sip of water. "I never really thought of that,” he admitted. He’d been so focused on April that it never took root in him that he had very few friends at Grey Sloan. Sure, they’d chat at work or catch a beer at Joe’s, but when it came down to real talks…. His friends were few and far between.“You and April, me and Stephanie….seems we have even more in common.”Jackson smiled wryly, looking over to her. "So what’s really going on with you and Karev?“Jo took a sip of water before shrugging half heartedly. "It’s the whole Cristina thing… When she left, Alex took on Meredith. Like, he had to be the new Cristina or something. He’s always checking on Meredith, worried about Meredith, hoping Meredith is okay. He just…he doesn’t even see me anymore.” She looked down. "He didn’t even see my solo surgery.“The plastics surgeon reached out and pat her hand. "I’m sorry, Jo. Have you talked to him about it?”“No,” she admitted quietly, shifting her hand and wrapping it around his. "I mean, I’ve tried once or twice, but…he just doesn’t get it. He says I’m the one over reacting. Meredith is the only one there for him.“Jackson visibly winced. He knew that had to hurt, why else would she be telling him about it? "I’m really sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say. He couldn’t fix this. Alex and Meredith were their own thing, always had been.The brunette looked over to him, staring at him for several seconds. "I can tell you mean that.“The older man looked to his hand, suddenly very aware that she was grasping it like a life line. She followed his gaze, seeing his eyes on their hands, but she didn’t let go. Instead, she twined her fingers with his, squeezing gently. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was their joint pain, but something suddenly seemed attractive about the younger resident. Had Jo always been like this? Had her eyes always been so intense? Her face a natural glow? Her mouth so enticing? "Maybe-Maybe things will get better…” The words fumbled from his lips, just to fill the silence between them.Jo shifted closer to him. "Maybe so….“For whatever unnatural reason, a cosmic joke, an unconscious jab to their partners, or the feeling of common ground, the two leaned closer until their lips met, timidly at first. Soft and quick, a foreign land. Their eyes searched the other before kissing again, more confident this time.Kissing Jo was different, but not the way Jackson expected it to be. He knew in his core that he should be pulling away from the woman for many reasons. His divorce wasn’t final, and she was still involved with Alex. The peds surgeon would kill him. April would be hurt. Jo didn’t deserve to be taken advantage of, or think she was just a rebound. Despite all of those reasons raining on his mind, Jackson couldn’t tear his lips from hers. He found comfort in her. Finally someone who truly understood him and what he’d been going through.Jo released his hand, cupping his face as she continued kissing him. Kissing Jackson was like a drug high. An intense, crazy feeling that you knew was wrong, but you couldn’t give it up. You wanted it; you wanted the high. Jackson was the only other person in the world she could relate to. He was the only one who knew what it felt like to be ignored. To be deserted. The kisses slowed, and the two parted, staring at one another for a moment. "Jo, I….” the attending breathed, not sure if he was sorry or not. He didn’t think that he was.“Yeah,” she whispered back. "I know.“ Her heart pounded and butterflies swarmed in her stomach. Jackson watched intently as she licked her lips, tasting where he had been. Instinctively, he mimicked her, enjoying the taste. "I have a hotel room…” He wasn’t sure exactly why he said the words outloud. An offer, maybe? Was it something he wanted to pursue? Was it something she wanted to pursue? He waited quietly, leaving the ball in her court.“Okay.” Jo wasn’t sure where the answer had come from, but it was an instinct answer. The two unlikely lovers paid their tab and left Joe’s together, going to a hotel room. However, a few kisses was the only thing that happened that night. Instead of sleeping together, as most would think they would, the two spent the night talking and fell asleep fully clothed the following morning. Despite the mutual attraction, they each knew that their hearts belonged to another. They’d always have the memory of something more between them. But it would only be a memory.
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