A/N: I have been trying to finish this up since the show ended but I had very little motivation but l wanted to put an epilogue to this story and so little by little I finished it. Please enjoy!
April stood in front of Leo, facing him and fixing his tie.
Her lips curled upwards at the way he was tapping his fingers quickly against his thighs and she looked up at him to find him staring off distantly around the corner of the building where they stood.
"Are you nervous?" She asked, though his actions spoke for themselves.
His fingers stopped and he turned his attention to her. "Speeches are my father's thing, not mine."
She smiled, adjusting his collar and then resting her hands on his shoulders, looking him in the eye. "You'll do great, Leo. You've spoke in front of crowds before."
He pressed his lips together. "The last crowd like this I had a seizure - if that's your definition of great..."
She shook her head, moving her hand to the side of his face and the tension faded from his body at the tender touch.
"That was the tumor's doing, not yours. You speak wonderfully and besides with the tumor gone there's no chance of that happening now, is there?"
His lips twitched into a soft smile. "No, I guess there's not."
She smiled too, rubbing her thumb lightly against his cheek. "You'll be fine Leo." She assured him, her smile then turning into a smirk. "If there's one thing you know how to do its charm people into liking you."
A knowing grin split across his face, his hands coming to rest on her hips. "And you would know."
"I would." She agreed with a chuckle. "I seem to remember consistently calling you an 'ass' and then you confidently telling me, from your hospital bed, that I was going to love you."
He chuckled low in his throat as he glanced up, remembering. "Ha...yeah. I was a bit impulsive and cocky then."
She raised her brow and scoffed. "You stole a car, kissed me - while I still had a boyfriend - and then had a seizure on the side of the road. Which," Scrunched up her face, "Actually sums up our relationship rather well."
He smirked. "I borrowed that car, you totally liked that kiss and yes that seizure was very ill timed, as seizures often are but hey brain tumors do what the hell they want. And I was right, you did love me."
She slowly grinned. While she was still with Dominic at the time that day was the beginning of the end of their relationship whether she knew it or not. She only remembered the feeling of Leo's kiss not being able to leave her mind, and his words had caused a familiar stirring of feelings from deep within her. She'd deny it for a while but she knew that falling in love with Leo was inevitable.
"Not yet I hadn't." She replied teasingly.
He hummed skeptically, a smirk on his lips. "If you say so."
She pressed her lips together, narrowing her eyes playfully and he scrunched his face up in return, mirroring her expression.
It only took another few seconds before she couldn't hold back anymore and she laughed, a smile crossing her lips as she leaned her head against his chest.
She could feel the vibrations in his chest as he laughed too.
"See?" She looked up at a moment later. "It's a gift."
His grin of triumph had softened into a smile of gratitude and he gave her hip a gentle squeeze. "Thank you."
She smiled and before she had the chance to say anything more, the voice speaking over a microphone finally caught their attention.
"And now it is my great pleasure to finally introduce..."
April could feel Leo once again tense up as he looked toward the source of the voice anxiously. Acting quickly, she grabbed him by the tie and tugged him down, placing a firm, quick kiss to his lips.
He blinked, a little dazed as she pulled away just as the voice concluded, "...our very own Robin Hood, Mr. Leo Hendrie!"
There was suddenly a large round of applause and April gave Leo a gentle shove, telling him with a smile, "Go get 'em."
A smile spread across his lips and he squeezed her hip once more before releasing her and walking around the corner of the building and towards the podium.
April smiled, taking a few steps forward as she watched him cross the stone platform in front of the building, his shoulders squared, and a smile on his lips as he waved to the cheering crowd.
He walked confidently and smoothly, practically gliding towards the podium, and if you didn't know he still had just a slight limp in his left leg you never would have noticed it.
The older man at the podium greeted him with a smile and a handshake. Then Leo took the podium, raising his arm out toward the other man. "Thank you, Mike." He turned back to look at the crowd. "Let's hear a round of applause for our great Project Manager, Mike Turner."
He started clapping his hands and the crowd burst into further applause as Mike waved to the crowd with a smile as he walked over to stand to the side.
"Thank you all for coming out today." Leo said into the microphone as soon as the crowd started to quiet down. "It means a great deal for me and my team to see so much support from the community. As Mike so kindly introduced, and as many of you probably know, my name is Leo Hendrie and I have been in charge of this project for a little over a year now."
The crowd burst into applause once more and he smiled, allowing it to continue for a few seconds before he raised his hand to silence them. "Thank you, thank you." He said in further attempt to calm the crowd.
"I would like to talk about how and why I started this foundation and I think I should start with a brief history of myself. A story, I'm sure, most of you know if you've lived in Boston for more than two years. Because let's face it, I was kind of all over the news."
A rumble of laughter echoed over the crowd and his lips twitched in response. "Yes but for those of you don't know..." His face sobered as he continued seriously. "Several years ago I was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer."
As he suspected the crowd was silent except for a few quiet murmurs of surprise sweeping from different corners of the audience.
"I had accepted the fact that I was going to die, the doctors only gave me six months to a year to live, and so I decided to live my life to its fullest. However, fullest in my case, meant reckless and dangerous. I did stupid things, shirked all my responsibilities because I figured, I'm dying anyway, what does it matter?" He paused to let out a quick sigh. "That's the Leo you all saw in the news - the "Bad boy" son of Bruce Hendrie."
He pressed his lips together, staring out into the crowd. "That is not the Leo that stands before you now. What changed, you ask? Well, I met someone pretty special. Someone who, quite literally, came into my life and knocked me off my feet."
He smirked and chuckled softly, explaining. "You see, this woman, this beautiful young reporter was trying to sniff out an interview with my father once he decided to run for governor. She was standing in the middle of the parking lot of his offices, completely in the way, and as I came riding in on my bike I had to dodge her, subsequently sending me hurtling towards a parked car, and knocking me off, sending me crashing to the ground."
He glanced sideways with a small grin finding April shaking her head at him but a smile brightly planted on her lips and the crowd once again rumbled with laughter.
"That woman would soon become a good friend and change my life in ways I couldn't have ever imagined. You see, while I was terminal, dying wasn't my only option.
There was a surgery available that could remove my tumor but I didn't want to take it because I felt the risks were too great. The risk of becoming paralyzed or becoming brain dead, only surviving through life support. That's not living and I didn't want it...until I did. Suddenly I had a reason to live, something that made it worth all the risk. So about eighteen months ago I did get the surgery, and I was in a coma for a few months following, but I woke up cancer free and have been ever since."
The crowd burst out into thunderous applause and cheering and Leo broke out into a grin, letting the noise continue until it faded on its own a minute later.
"Thank you...but my trials didn't end there. It was only a few months after I had the surgery that I had an aneurysm that almost killed me."
There was a larger gasp resounding through the crowd as this information hadn't gone public and not many knew about it.
"It happened while I was asleep and it caused a hemorrhage. If I hadn't been found when I was I would have been dead."
He nodded seriously for a moment before smiling softly. "But I'm still here! And there has been one thing that has kept me living through all of this. I don't want to keep boring you with my personal stories but all of this is important to see why I took over and built this foundation. You see, this woman, the reporter…she had cancer too. We first met with that motorcycle incident in the parking lot but we became friends through our cancer support group. She stood by my side through everything - she was even at my bedside when I woke up out of the coma. And I stood by her, through all her chemo treatments and hospitalization and clinical trials. If there is one thing that can make you feel so completely hopeless its cancer but with each other we found hope."
He turned his head, looking off to the side where April stood watching him with a small, adoring smile. He smiled back at her and extended his hand in her direction.
"April, could you join me out here, please?"
Her eyes widened and her smile fell, clearing not expecting this and he grinned, waving his fingers at her invitingly.
She sighed quietly and the smile returned to her face as she walked towards him and the crowd started clapping again.
Her cheeks flushed as she waved quietly at the crowd and then stopped at Leo's side, meeting his gaze with a smile.
"I told you about the woman who changed my life." Leo said into the microphone but never took his eyes off of April. "The woman who saved my life."
Then he looked out at the audience as his hand came to rest on the small of her back and she inched closer to him, her hands clasping together in front of her.
"One week and one year ago exactly I married this woman." A smile broke across his lips at the words and his hand slid to rest on her hip and a beaming smile took over April's face.
"And six months after that...she went into remission." He turned his head to look down at her and feeling his eyes on her, she tilted her head towards him and they gazed lovingly at one another as the crowd burst into celebratory cheers, with particularly loud screaming coming from the front row where April's family and Beth stood.
April glanced over to them and laughed quietly at their enthusiasm and a joy spread through her, warming her, as she was reminded once again of the happy news delivered to her by Dr. Hamburg just six months ago.
"This is my wife," Leo raised his voice slightly to talk over the applauding crowd and they slowly quieted as he concluded, "April Carver Hendrie."
She continued to smile as she waved politely to the crowd but her brow twitched slightly at the obvious stress he put on her maiden name.
"And I have brought her out here with me and shared our story with all of you to announce the name of this foundation because up until now it has been a highly kept secret, even from April."
He took the microphone out of its holder and squeezed April's hip gently before he stepped away from the podium.
"Only a few members of my team know the name...and I threatened to fire them if they spilled." He continued, walking over to a large sign covered with a tarp.
The crowd laughed as he chuckled. "Luckily for them, they didn't."
He paused off to the side of the sign, and curled his fingers around the edge of the tarp, glancing over to April.
She turned around to face him and she watched him in anticipation. She had been dying to know the name and no amount of begging or bribery had made Leo cave and tell her.
"So without further ado, I present its public launch..."
A knowing smile crossed his lips and he slowly started to pull at the tarp.
April's heart stuttered, her eyes widening, and she swore she stopped breathing for a second as the sign was slowly uncovered, and she read the words as Leo spoke them.
"The Carver Hope Foundation."
The crowd burst into a thunderous applause filled with whistles and cheers but all this noise was not so loud as the pounding of her own heart.
She gaped at the sign for a good few seconds and then slowly looked to Leo and was blown away by the beaming smile on his lips and the pure love shining in his eyes.
Tears tugged at her eyes as she shook her head in disbelief. "Leo..." She whispered.
He couldn't hear her from where she stood but his name on her lips was so familiar a thing he recognized it instantly and then crossed the platform towards her.
He raised one brow inquisitively, still smiling as he looked down at her and she scoffed quietly, shaking her head.
"I...I don't know what to say."
She had a strong urge to just grab him and kiss him, especially when he looked at her like that, but she knew she couldn't in public so instead she settled for a tight hug.
She threw her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder and he chuckled as his arms surrounded her which only made the crowd grow louder.
They rocked back and forth in each other's embrace for a good few seconds as the crowd continued to cheer.
Then as the noise slowly started to die down, they finally pulled away, sharing a smile and she wiped at her eyes as Leo returned to the podium.
He waited a few more moments for the crowd to settle and looked to April before he spoke again. "I owe this woman everything and that is the reason for the name.
April Carver gave me hope when I was hopeless. And that is the whole basis of this foundation. Everyone deserves the chance to have hope. Hope for a better life, hope for a happy life, no matter how long that life may be."
He paused for a second, his face growing more serious. "As unfortunate as the fact may be, not everyone is going to survive cancer but that doesn't mean they can't live happy and fulfilling lives while they are still here. That is my mission here. To touch as many lives as possible, to show them that life can be led with hope despite their diagnosis, and they can live with joy in their hearts and a smile on their face. Over the last year we've worked with several individuals and families in the Boston area but with the official launch I hope to soon reach people across the entire east coast, then the United States and maybe someday expand into other countries. Because to me, it doesn't matter where you come from, or what your situation is, everyone deserves the same chance at having hope and I will be here to give it to them." He smiled as the crowd burst into another round of applause and stole a glance to April and his heart swelled at the proud smile on her face.
"Thank you." He addressed the crowd again once they quieted. "Really, thank you but I can't take all the credit for this. In fact, I'd be nowhere without the help of a lot of people. I know how boring thank you's are and that's not the reason we're here so I'll just make it quick." His eyes focused to the front row of people and he smiled again. "I need to thank my parents and my father in particular. He is the one who encouraged me to take over this project that was originally his. He let me work through his organization and then let me branch off and make it completely my own. He also helped us acquire this beautiful building right in the heart of Boston." He motioned to the building behind him and let the audience applaud for a few seconds while he met his father's gaze. Bruce nodded to him curtly, a small, proud smile on his lips as he clapped along with the rest of the crowd and beside him Catherine beamed just as proudly.
"I also need to thank my brilliant team. They have suffered through having me as a boss which earns them bonus points just as it is." The crowd laughed. "Not to mention all long hours they put into getting this project off the ground and keeping it running. It is amazing how far we have come in a year and it is all thanks to these wonderful, brilliant people." He motioned to his team and the crowd applauded again, and they clapped for each other and then waved to the crowd.
"At that point, I need to mention April again who also had to deal with my long hours in our first year of marriage." He glanced to April with a smirk and she smiled warmly. "It wasn't the ideal newlywed situation but luckily she's amazingly understanding. Though
that comes with the territory when you fall in love with a guy with a brain tumor. I always thought she was crazy for wanting me." He suddenly shook his head and laughed at himself. "Sorry, I'm getting a little carried away. I could end up talking about April for hours and nobody wants to hear me be a giant sap for that long...or at all."
The crowd aww'ed as April flushed as she looked to Leo and he shot a quick, subtle wink at her before returning to the subject.
"And last but certainly not least I need to thank all of you. I may be rich but I'm not God and your contributions and support for this organization mean so much to the people who benefit from it. All of us have brought us to this day and hopefully will continue to push us long into the future. So thank you, really, thank you."
He grinned as the crowd burst into a loud applause and stood behind the podium for a few more seconds before he clicked off the microphone and grabbed a pair of scissors that was resting there.
He turned to April and shared a bright smile with her and with his free hand reached to take her hand. She gladly accepted and entwined their fingers as he led her towards the front door of the building where a red ribbon hung across the closed doorway.
He released her hand momentarily to switch the scissors into his other hand and gave a quick inclination of his head, smiling down at her.
She smiled and placed her hand over his so they were both grasping the scissors. They waited until the audience had quieted down before sharing a glance and then moving their hands forward to cut the ribbon.
Leo then turned back to the crowd with a grin, raising his voice to be heard without the microphone. "I now pronounce The Carver Hope Foundation officially open!"
The crowd once again burst into cheers and April smiled widely, stepping out of the way as Leo pushed open the double doors. As soon as the doors opened, loud music started drifting out through the doors and Leo swooped his arm through the air, welcoming the crowd in.
Then he grabbed April's hand and she squeaked a laugh as he pulled her quickly through the doors and then pressed them both against the side wall as people started to race up the stairs to the doors.
The crowd piled in through the doors, and the noise level grew as they all awed in appreciation of the large, elaborately decorated lobby.
The room was spacious with a high ceiling and large skylight casting down the warm glow of the sun onto the center of the room. There were two staircases on either side of the room that led to the ledge of the second floor that overlooked the first. Balloons were tied all along the stair cases and to various tables placed on the sides of the room and brightly colored steamers hung from every doorway and off the ledge of the second floor, highlighting the DJ placed just under the ledge.
Leo and April stood laughing quietly, Leo pressed against the wall as April was pressed against his chest, his arms wound tightly around her waist.
As they waited for the all the people to enter the building and settle in, April slid her hands onto his chest and looked up into his eyes.
He was smiling down at her, his eyes shining in delight.
A smile slowly spread across her lips as she slowly shook her head. "I cannot believe you named it after me." His smile widened. "You know you typically tend to name these things after someone when they're dead." She teased lightly but she couldn't deny the warmth of the love she felt of the action. "Or if they've done something miraculous."
He chuckled quietly. "You have done something miraculous."
Her brow pressed together skeptically and he grinned. "You married me."
She scoffed a laugh and rolled her eyes, gently nudging him. "All joking aside..."
He was still smiling but his voice was serious as he cut her off. "I'm not joking." Her face softened and she looked at him quietly as he continued, "I meant what I said out there. If it wasn't for you, that tumor would have gotten me a long time ago. I'm here because of you and without me this never would have taken off." He explained as he nodded to the expanse of the room.
She turned her head. "It was your father's organization, surely he would have continued it, especially if you had..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought.
Leo nodded. "You're right, he probably would have, especially in my honor but he would not make it his priority. He'd set it up and own it but it wouldn't be his. And the way he runs things and the way I run things are completely different - it would not have been the same. He understands having a son with cancer, he doesn't understand having cancer, and I think that motivates me to make this the best operation it can possibly be."
She smiled, nodding in understanding and leaned in closer to him as she glanced over her shoulder to take in the view of the place. "And it is really great, Leo."
She turned back to him and they shared another smile as she lifted herself onto her toes, leaning in to kiss him gently.
"There you two are!"
They were interrupted a few moments later by a very familiar Australian voice and April smiled, breaking apart from Leo and turning to see her best friend approaching them.
Beth glanced between them knowingly, a smile on her lips. "Hiding in the corner, are we?"
"Trying not to get trampled." Leo answered with a chuckle.
Beth nodded and quickly surveyed the crowd. "There are a lot of people here. I think I even saw the mayor."
Leo nodded, smirking. "Well he has been a family friend for years."
Beth turned back with wide eyes. "Really?"
"Yes, my father knew a lot of important people. They're bound to be here."
"How important?" Beth wondered, her brow twitching. "He doesn't know the president, does he?"
She had meant it as a joke but as Leo's smirk grew silently her face fell. "Does he?"
Leo's smirk continued to grow and his lips parted. Then his eyes darted behind her shoulder and he gave a quick nod in that direction. "Please excuse me ladies. I'm being called over. Thanks for coming Beth." He lightly touched her arm, gave April a light squeeze around her waist and then headed off in the direction of the crowd.
Beth gaped after him. "Is Obama going to be here? Don't walk away from me Leo Hendrie!"
Her only response was a wave of his hand through the air as he walked up to a group of men in suits.
Beth turned back to April with a scoff. "He doesn't know the President." She concluded
April bit her lip, suppressing a laugh and lifted her shoulders cluelessly. "Come on," She took a step forward and linked her arm through Beth's, "Let's mingle."
Beth and April met up with Sara, Brenna and George, who had moved back to Boston during April's clinical trials, and April managed to spend a few minutes with them before she was pulled into various other conversations with the guests.
She felt a little overwhelmed by all the attention she was getting, the party was supposed to be for Leo, not her, but when your husband names his charity organization after you you tend to get as much attention as your husband.
She was used to asking the invasive questions not being the one asked. She wished Leo was at her side to answer some of the questions only he had the answers to but every time she looked for him he was always in the middle of conversation.
She circulated around the room for almost an hour, always trying to get a glimpse of Leo and always found him involved in conversation.
Finally she saw Leo excuse himself from the group of five people he was talking to and decided to make her way over to him before someone else got to him.
She excused herself from her own group, some of Leo's colleagues, and started to head in his direction.
Leo let out a breath as he escaped from the group of lawyers he had been talking to. He had his next sights on the open bar, just to have one relaxing drink.
"Mr. Leo!"
Leo whirled around, searching the crowd and then a smile lit up his face as a little girl came weaving through the crowd.
He dropped to a squat and opened his arms into which the small girl jumped into.
She let out a squealing laugh as he rose to his feet and spun in a circle.
He grinned at her as he finally came to a stop and rested her on his hip, her little arms wound his neck.
"'Manda bear!" He exclaimed happily. "Look at you out of the hospital!"
The little girl, Amanda, nodded her head vigorously a smile bright on her face. "Dr. George said I was well enough to go to your party!"
"Oh he did, did he?" He looked briefly around the room for George Carver and found him standing with Sara several feet away. He caught them looking at him and smiled lifting his glass in acknowledgement. Leo smiled and nodded back before turning back to Amanda. "Well we will just have to thank Dr. George for that won't we?"
Amanda nodded again. "Uh-huh!"
Leo smiled. "And what is this on your head? A pretty new bandana?"
Amanda's face lit up and she placed one hand over her head. "It has unicorns on it. I LOVE unicorns Mr. Leo did you know that?"
"Yes I remember! Your whole room was filled with unicorns!"
She giggled, nodding.
April watched, smiling warmly to herself. Leo was so great with children, his face would light up every time he would interact with one. She never would have imagined the man she met almost two years ago would be such a natural with children.
She rested a hand over her stomach and knew one day she'd want to put that smile on his face with a child of their own.
"How is Daisy doing?" Leo's voice pulled her out of her thoughts and her smile widened as Amanda's face lit up.
"She is great! Mommy showed me the pictures of her this morning. She was having so much fun in the field!"
Daisy was a horse that Leo had bought for Amanda due to her love of unicorns. He couldn't promise to find her a unicorn but he could promise the next best thing. She was housed at a stable just outside of Boston, and the stable owners promised to send pictures to Amanda every day, updating her on the horse's adventures.
Leo laughed with a grin. "Oh I bet she was!"
"And guess what Mr. Leo?" If it all possible the girl suddenly became more excited and Leo's grin widened with her.
"What?!" He prompted her just as excited to hear the answer.
"Mommy said if I keep getting better I might be able to ride her one day!"
Leo gasped enthusiastically. "Ride her? Really?"
"Uh-huh!" Amanda nodded so vigorously that her scarf skipped low on her forehead partially covering her eyes.
Leo chuckled and used one finger to push it back up her forehead, revealing her sparkling blue eyes.
"Well then you will have to keep getting better then won't you? And when you do you can tell me all about it okay?'
"Okay!" Amanda grinned.
Leo glanced to where Amanda's mother stood beside him, watching her daughter interact with Leo with a heartfelt smile.
Their eyes met and her smile widened her eyes softening in a silent thank you.
He looked back to Amanda. "Well I've got another little surprise for you Manda-bear."
Her eyes opened comically wide. "Another horse?"
Leo chuckled quietly and shook his head. "No not a horse. But I still think you'll have fun."
Amanda looked disappointed for a moment but then nodded as she questioned, "What is it?"
"This building had a brand new playroom and you are going to be the first one to play in it!"
Her face lit up again. "New toys?"
"Yep! Brand new toys!"
Immediately her body started wriggling in anticipation and he tightened his grip around her. "Let's go, Mr. Leo!"
"I have to stay here and talk with all the grown ups." He explained softly and her face fell slowly. "But your mommy can take you there."
Amanda glanced to her mother and she smiled encouragingly, opening up her arms.
Amanda only frowned and looked back to Leo with a slight pout.
"There's a giant stuffed unicorn in there for you." Leo told her encouragingly and she gasped.
"Really?" She grinned and Leo nodded quickly prompting Amanda to turn and reach for her mother. "Let's go Mommy!"
Her mother laughed and took a step forward, taking Amanda into her arms.
Leo's grin would not leave his lips as he looked at them. "The room is just through that hallway. First room on the right." Leo pointed over the crowd to an archway leaving to a hallway. "And don't worry it is completely sterile and safe for use."
"Thank you, Leo. This is all so wonderful." Amanda's mother said sweetly.
He nodded with a smile. "It's my pleasure, really." His eyes drifted to Amanda. "Now go have fun! Enjoy those unicorn rides across the magic rainbow!"
Amanda grinned brightly and tightened her hold around her mother's neck. "Bye Mr. Leo!" She waved as her mother turned in the direction of the playroom.
"Bye Manda-bear!" He called, waving back as she and her mother disappeared into the crowd.
His grin softened into a warm smile as he watched them go and as his eyes drifted he finally noticed April standing there and his face lit up again.
She smiled warmly in return and approached him, stopping at his side and wrapping one arm around his back. "She just adores you." She told him, looking up with a smile.
"She'd adore anyone who gave her a horse." He replied.
"Well that was the very big cherry on top certainly but," She slipped her hand onto his chest, shaking her head slowly, "You take the time out to play with her...that is the "Mr. Leo" she loves. And that is the man who is being honored today."
His lips twitched in a smile and he slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side and dropping a kiss to her head silently.
"So how are you enjoying the festivities? -honoree."
She rolled her eyes slightly. "All I did was have the last name you named it after. This is all you, Leo. But yes... I do kind of feel like a celebrity. I think I've gotten more questions than I ever did about my book."
Leo laughed. "I'm sure that's not true."
"Alright." She conceded. "But it does feel like it. They seem to think it's my organization and they're asking me all these questions that I really don't know how to answer. And you," She poked his chest lightly with a smirk, "are never with me to answer any of these questions."
Leo grinned down at her. "Well as you said I am the special honoree. Everyone wants a little piece of me today." He suddenly let out a quiet sigh and she could feel him deflate against her ever so slightly. "Speaking of..." He lifted his hand in a wave, acknowledging someone waving to him across the room. He quickly turned to look down at April. "Please do excuse me, wife, I'm being summoned once again."
April laughed softly and her arm slipped away from his back, finding his hand to squeeze lightly, and then released him. "You are excused, husband."
His hand gently squeezed her shoulder and then he was walking off towards the other side of the room and she smiled to herself.
"April!"
April turned, searching the crowd for the source of the call and spotted Dominic weaving his way through the crowd and coming towards her.
"Dom." She greeted in surprise but with a smile as he stopped in front of her. All romantic feelings for Dom had faded long ago, and in fact she hadn't seen him in months as he became busy with his next book.
They stared at each other, smiling, unsure of how to greet each other until Dom leaned in and embraced her in a quick hug.
"I didn't think you would come." She said after they pulled apart.
"I was in town and remembered you had mentioned it." He answered with a smile and then looked around pointedly, nodding. "It's a very nice building."
"It is." She agreed. "They've really done a great job cleaning it up."
He nodded again, looking back to her. "So congratulations on being in remission. You must feel fantastic."
Her smile widened. "Thank you, yes, I do. I had actually forgotten what being healthy felt like...it just felt like I'd be sick forever but the last clinical trial worked and worked well."
"Well you look great." He complimented, keeping his eyes on her face.
"Thank you." She replied softly and he nodded once.
His eyes flickered past her shoulder and focused there and she turned her head to find him looking at Leo who had moved again and was chatting it up with a few people surrounding him, a smile bright on his face.
"Leo looks good." Dom said finally and April couldn't help the smile on her lips.
"He is good." She answered happily and then looked back to Dom.
"No relapses with his...you know?" Dom tapped the side of his head gently and April shook her head.
"No, thank goodness. Right now, we're both as healthy as can be."
"Glad to hear it." Dom said genuinely. "It's amazing what he's doing here, helping all these people."
April beamed, a proud smile on her lips. "He's certainly been working hard at it. I think this is what he was born to do, you know?" She stole another glance over her shoulder towards her husband who seemed to be very into what he was saying, his face animated as his hands gestured in the air.
"Like a real life superman for the sick." Dom joked with a small laugh and April laughed with him as she turned back to him. She couldn't help but agree, though. The past year she had watched him give his all into creating and running this organization, going out of his way, paying the extra amount it took to get a smile onto someone's face.
He was a hero in her eyes and she knew he was a hero to everyone he ever helped.
"Yeah I guess he is." She finally said softly, her eyes shining with all the adoration she had for him.
After Leo's incident the previous year, and seeing how miserable April was because of it, Dom had finally seen how much April loved him. Marrying him certainly had been one clue but it had all happened so fast, Dom thought there was still a chance she would change her mind. But her devastation at almost losing him made him realize that April's heart belonged to Leo, wholly and completely and he knew he had to move on. Seeing them now, and how happy she was, he felt nothing but happiness for them.
April shook her head quickly, snapping out of her thoughts about Leo and refocused her attention on Dom. "So how are you? It's been a while, what's been going on?"
"I've been good." Dom answered with a smile. "As I said I'm in town now but for the last couple of months I've been-"
"Hey, Dimples!" He was suddenly cut off by the call shouted across the noise of the room and Dom and April turned to find Leo approaching them, his hand lifting in a wave as he caught their gaze.
Dom lifted his hand for a moment and then scrunched his face slightly, leaning in towards April. "Am I the only one getting a feeling of Deja Vu?" He wondered and she bit her lip, suppressing a laugh.
Finally Leo was at April's side, a friendly smile on his lips as he extended his hand out politely to Dom.
Dom shook his hand, smiling back at the other man. "Hey Leo." He greeted kindly as their hands fell back to their sides.
"April said she mentioned it to you…didn't think you'd come." Leo said.
Dom shrugged lightly with a small smile. "Well I just so happened to be in town and thought it was a good cause and it'd be good to see everyone again."
"Well, thank you, I appreciate you coming. So, how have you been?"
"I was just telling April I've been pretty good. I'm almost finished with my next book and spent some more time promoting the last one, mostly around the East Coast...and I actually have been seeing someone the last few months." He answered with a smile.
"Really?" April smiled. "That's wonderful."
"It is." Dom nodded his agreement. "Yeah, Mae is really great."
Leo's brow rose slowly and he blinked quietly before letting out a snort and April turned to him, wide-eyed, elbowing him gently in the side.
He stifled any further chuckles by pressing his lips together and then clearing his throat. "Sorry...your girlfriend's name is Mae?"
"Her name is Madeline but everyone calls her Mae." Dom explained with a smile.
Leo nodded slowly. "And things are going well?"
"Very well." Dom said.
"Good." Leo continued to nod and then reached out to clap his hand on Dom's shoulder. "I am happy for you."
April narrowed her eyes slightly, observing her husband's expression. She knew that expression all too well, the smirk on his lips, the mischievous glint in his eyes and wondered what would be coming out of his mouth next.
"Thank you." Dom said politely.
"Yes..." Leo continued, his smirk growing, "I'm glad you got over April...and into Mae."
April scoffed and lightly whacked him on the arm in exasperation. "Leo!"
"What?" He raised his shoulders innocently, laughing as he looked between April and Dom. "I couldn't help it, I mean come on, he's dating someone named Mae!"
April rolled her eyes and turned to Dom. "I am so sorry about him."
Dom chuckled, his smile widening, showing off his dimples as he shook his head. "It's fine. Believe me, the irony was not lost on me either."
Leo turned to April with a grin, raising his brow pointedly as if to say, "see?"
April shook her head slowly, trying not to smirk and give in to his stupid jokes. However, Leo himself wasn't done and turned back to Dom. "I'll alert all the Junes of the world to be on the lookout for a guy with dimples."
April continued to stare at him, her eyes widening in a warning but he just ignored her, a smirk on his lips as he kept his attention on Dom.
Then to both of their surprises, Dom chuckled and added, "I'll let you know in a few years once I find one called September."
April turned to Dom in agape, her brow lifting and Leo let out a barking laugh, a grin taking over his face.
"Oh, he's funny!" Leo said, talking to April and reaching out to lightly poke Dom in the chest, "I think I'm starting to see why you liked him."
April closed her eyes momentarily and shook her head. She sighed and focused her attention on Dom.
"You don't have to play along with him you know."
Dom chuckled. "It's fine."
Leo continued to smirk. "Dimples knows how to take a joke."
Dom pressed his lips together. "Yeah… I do wish you'd stop calling me that though."
Leo raised his hands in surrender, conceding but with a dramatic sigh, "Alright, fine. I can do that. Dom it is," He narrowed his eyes inquisitively, "...or Dominic? Mr. Russo?"
April nudged him again.
"Dom is fine." He answered with a small smirk. "And congratulations, on all of this, by the way. You've done a really great thing here Leo."
Those words were words Leo had heard more than enough times to last a lifetime in just the last few hours but still he couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you. I...I was given a second, hell even a third, chance at life. I figured I'd better do something with that. Make others lives as best as they possibly can be even when it seems hopeless."
"Well you've certainly done that." Dom replied. "All the people that are here to support you and the cause. Just listening to various conversations happening around here I can tell how much thought and love went into it and if you continue the same way you'll make it go far."
"That is the plan." Leo said and shared a smile with April. Then he groaned quietly as he caught sight of someone trying to catch his attention. "Five minutes….could they not give me five minutes." He muttered through his teeth to them and April rubbed his back sympathetically. If there was one thing Leo was used to it was attention but even this might have been too much for him.
"You could just say no." April told him and Leo sighed.
"No because then I'd seem rude." He drawled the word dramatically. "Believe me best thing to do is just grin and bear it. Isn't that right Mr. Famous Author?" He directed to Dom.
Dom smirked slightly. "Well I'm not famous and my book signings are a little different but yeah I can get what you mean."
Leo rolled his eyes slightly and shook his head with a smile as he placed his hand on Dom's shoulder. "So humble. Take credit where credit is due, Dimples. Sorry, er… Dom."
"Believe me they'd recognize the name Leo Hendrie before they do Dominic Russo."
"That's not true." April protested with a shake of her head. "You are very huge in the book community. Everyone is always in awe when I say I know you."
"Oh yes," Dom turned to her, his face lighting up with a smile, "your memoir just released didn't it? I saw the announcement a couple weeks ago."
April nodded, smiling. "Yes just about two months ago. It was supposed to be released almost a year ago but once the last clinical trial started working I thought that should be included. So once I went into remission I finished it up and it went to the publisher. They've been trying to get me to go on a book tour and I went on a small one just around Massachusetts when it was first released but I wanted to wait until the launch of Leo's foundation to leave on a longer tour. So we will be scheduling something pretty soon."
Leo grinned down at her, beaming with pride. "She might become even more famous than me."
April caught his glance and her cheeks flushed and a smile crossed her lips as she nudged him with her elbow. "Oh stop."
"What? It's true, you might. After all it is one hell of a story. People totally eat up the cancer stuff and not to mention your incredible likable personality guaranteed to win the hearts of all your fans."
"He's right, you do have that." Dom added quietly with a small, genuine smile.
"Thanks," she blushed further, "but so do you. Dimples." Her eyes sparkled in mirth.
"Oh not you too!" He groaned and she laughed, reaching out to touch his arm.
"I'm just kidding."
"I know." Dom answered with a smile.
A sudden heavy sigh from Leo brought the attention back to him and he was once again glancing behind Dom to the man trying to wave him over.
"I better go before he finds some way to get me in trouble again."
"What do you mean?" April asked furrowing her brow.
"That's Ian McClain the District Attorney. Needless to say I have a little history with the man…" His teeth clenched together as lips curled into a sheepish smile.
April smiled sympathetically and slipped her hand onto his chest. "You've cleaned up your act now, Leo. I'm sure he's just here to congratulate you. No "bad boy" goes through this much trouble to help the sick."
"You know that I just hope he does." Leo replied.
"Anyone who spends more than five minutes with you will know that." She assured him.
"She's right, Leo." Dom agreed much to Leo's surprise. "You've clearly changed for the better."
Leo smiled at that. "Coming from my wife's ex-boyfriend that means a lot. Thanks man."
Dom smiled tightly. "Sure. I do mean it too."
Leo chuckled lightly. "Good. Well I really be heading over there before he think I'm purposefully ignoring him." He gave April's hip a light squeeze and bid goodbye to Dom before walking past toward Ian McClain.
April and Dom watched him go and then turned to each other and stood in a slightly awkward silence until it was broken by a simultaneous laugh.
April took a half a step closer, smiling warmly as she once again reached to touch his arm. "So tell me about your new book."
After she parted ways with Dom, April spent a little more time doing her rounds.
After about a half an hour of talking to the big wigs of Boston she was mercifully rescued by Beth who stole her over to the bar.
April declined a drink, even though she was in desperate want of one, because the party was not yet over and she still had to have a clear head. However Beth and even her mother had clearly had a few drinks.
April was glad to spend some time with Beth and her family, telling stories of various run-ins they had had that day.
Beth had almost spilled her second glass of wine all over the mayor and then spent the next 15 minutes seriously schmoozing and offering fashion advice to his wife.
"He's very charming." Beth said of the mayor with a flirtatious smile and April laughed.
Even without the alcohol she found herself relaxing however she couldn't escape for long and was once again pulled into serious conversations.
After another twenty minutes she excused herself claiming to need the ladies room. Which in her defense, she did need to.
She let out a small sigh of relief as she entered the quiet and empty restroom and stayed in there for a few minutes longer than she needed to.
Once she dared to head back to the party she slipped against one of the side walls and once again scoured the room for Leo.
She frowned as she scanned the room a few times and found no trace of him. There were a lot of suits in the room but Leo was on the taller side and she could usually pick him out of any crowd.
She walked a few paces to the left to get a better angle of the room and then finally spotted him on the second floor landing, leaning with his forearms rested on the railing, looking down at the room looking lost in thought.
She smiled to herself and then quietly and quickly weaved her way through the crowd and up the stairs.
Even the sound of her heels clicking against the tiled floor didn't catch Leos attention and she managed to stand a few feet behind him, watching him quietly for a few moments without him noticing.
"Surveying your kingdom?"
Leo startled at the sound of her voice and turned to look over his shoulder and spotted her standing there, her lips curved up in amusement.
A smile lit up his face and he straightened up, outstretching his arm toward her.
Her smile widened and she crossed the distance between them and slid easily against his side.
His arm wrapped around her and he grinned down at her. "All I was missing was my Queen at my side."
She smiled lovingly and leaned further against him.
They shared a lingering look and then both turned to look back down at the crowd.
From down there the crowd seemed large but from this view it seemed impossibly larger. Bodies blurred together in a mixture of black suits and multi colored dresses. It was no wonder why it had taken hours to speak to most of the people down there and why Leo had finally retreated above it all to get a much needed break.
"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked, looking up to Leo to find him once again looking pensive.
His eyes flickered back to her and his lips twitched slightly. "I was just thinking about how hard we've all worked to get here. It's hard to believe it's only been a year...sometimes the work felt endless. Its rewarding work, very rewarding but with all the little setbacks and late nights it seemed like we'd never get here. To a place where it's been publically launched, where people recognize what we're doing and want to help. I never imagined that I would even live to see something like this, none the less at the work of my own hands." His smile widened as he looked back down at the crowd. "I just can't believe this is really happening. I can't believe this, all of this," he squeezed her gently, "is my life now."
She smiled warmly, feeling her own heart warming with pride at all that Leo had accomplished.
She hummed in agreement, reaching out to take his free hand and entwining their fingers. "And you know what the best part is?"
He looked back at her, quirking his eyebrow silently, his lips twitching into a smile.
Her smile widened as she beamed up at him and squeezed his hand.
"It's only the beginning."