Set after 12x24. Nine months have gone by after the birth of baby girl Avery. The parents are dealing with life after a baby, co-parenting, and settling emotions that seem to never go away. Japril Fic.

No I don't own Greys Anatomy.

CHAPTER ONE:

As she walked down aisle '11' desperately looking for anything that will relieve her nine month old from the irritating and common diaper rash, she had realization hit for the first time since giving birth. She's a single mother. Here she is... baby's car seat strapped into the shopping cart, clothes disheveled from not being able to iron it this morning, hair in the messiest bun of all time, and a screaming baby Ella in pain due to this horrid diaper rash. 'If God loved me he would make it possible that I don't run into anyone during this grocery visit.' She consciously thought. April refrained from calling herself a 'single mother' but she knows that's how society sees her, especially right at this very moment. She is single and a mom. She was being a mother and single but also gets more than enough help from her daughter's father so was she still considered a single mother or a co-parenting mom? Whatever it really is, Meredith and Arizona have been very insightful on this 'single motherhood' as they would call it. Ella's crying broke her out of her thoughts and her attention went back to why they came here in the first place. Ten minutes later the shopping cart was filled with lots of pastes, barrier creams, and of course an oatmeal bath which should do it. She grabbed five of every product just to be sure and headed to check out. April Kepner, the girl who vowed to be married when she had children is not. 'It's so funny how life works' she thought.

"Ouch! Could you watch where you're going?" April heard the voice of a man but wasn't paying attention since she was still focusing on maybe joining a single mothers club…. maybe. "Hello? I'm still standing here waiting on-" April finally became aware that the front wheel of her shopping cart was on top of this stranger's foot.

"Oh god! I'm so so so sorry! I wasn't paying attention and clearly I'm steering this cart like a mad woman because my daughter has a bad diaper rash and I was quickly trying to leave here before it got worse. If there's a crease in your shoe or if your toe is bruised I can take a look, I'm a doctor-" She was rambling and her voice was shrieking uncontrollably. Embarrassed isn't the word for how she felt.

"I just wanted an apology but it's not a big deal really." The guy looked scared almost with how much April spoke within a minute span and let out a warily smile. He had to be no less than in his late twenties with striking blonde hair, blue eyes that resembled sapphires, and stood at least six feet tall. If April were paying attention she would think this guy she bumped into was gorgeous.

"No uh-look I'm sorry again I wasn't paying attention…" Just then Ella's crying started up again and she's legit having a screaming match with herself.

"No really, I can see you're dealing with a lot. My mom was a single mother so I get it, I'll just be out your way." He spoke over Ella's crying as April picked up her angry baby. Did he just what?! April bit her bottom lip and felt heat rushing to her face. This generally happens when she's about to speak her mind.

"No, you got it all wrong. I am-I'm not a single mother and who are you to assume that I was?" Before she could hit him with another question he was gone. God that was so humiliating. It's like the freakin universe just wanted her to acknowledge that she was in fact a single mom. She's pretty sure her pale face would be permanently scarlet for the rest of the day from this incident. She held and cooed Ella while she entered check out and hurriedly grab her plastic 'Thank You' bags and left. Whatever she considered herself or better yet what people like the grocery guy considered her, one thing she knew for certain was that she was a phenomenal mother and this phenomenal mother was off to war with a dangerous red and itchy bum that was yearning for an oatmeal bath.

It was 9:33 P.M. and the entire crew was at April's apartment well technically speaking Jackson's apartment for drinks, finger sandwiches, and of course gossip. The apartment becomes to look less and less like Jackson's and more as a mixture of both. Throw pillows and lively flowers invaded the one-bedroom apartment but still touches like Jackson's portrait of shoes still hung up.

"And I told Wilson that she's off my service indefinitely, I mean can you guys believe her? Whoever told her how to talk back to attending's obviously needs to know the surgical food chain. She's basically at the bottom." Meredith said as she wrinkled her nose after taking a shot of her personal bottle of Tequila. She clung her surgical hands onto that 5-liter bottle so hard. Sitting beside her was Amelia, Maggie, and Arizona. April was checking on Ella for the 100th time while her co-workers engrossed in conversation.

"Mer you did." Maggie said looking at her half-sister and grabbing a turkey and ham finger sandwich off the silver tray. "April these are delicious." April smiled and joined herself on the couch with her friends.

"Thanks but it's really nothing but a bit of-"

"I did. Cheers to that!" Meredith laughs off and takes yet another shot. April can tell soon this will turn into an adult sleepover because none of these women were capable of driving expect Amelia. They all grabbed a shot glass and said a silent cheer as their glasses clanked together in harmony. Two shots were way more than enough for this mommy April thought. If her friends thought they were getting fourth year resident drunk April Kepner well they were so out of luck.

"Hey ladies let's play a game. I was thinking of taking it back to high school with a little truth or dare." Amelia wiggled her eyebrows mischievously. Her brunette her was pulled back and her smirk was so evident. She wanted to see a bunch of drunk women make a fool out of themselves for her sober entertainment.

"I didn't play truth or dare in high school." Maggie chimed in hugging her beer.

"Neither have I." April stated nervously. April wasn't that girl who got invited to the endless high school parties or school functions unless they were science fair or mathlete related. She has no history on how intense this game could get so she started panicking. What if they dared her to call Jackson or ring his doorbell? God let these women have hearts because her stomach is getting sick of just thinking of it.

"Ok let's take it back to junior high and-"

"I didn't play truth or dare in junior high either." Maggie said and interrupted Amelia who had a scowl on her beautiful face.

"Ok let's just play truth or dare! Whoever the empty bottle lands on has to ask the person beside them truth or dare and the cycle continues." Meredith who was pretty much zoned out nodded her head and everyone else agreed on this playing the juvenile game.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Somebody dare me to Callie and serenade her to come back to me and Seattle." Arizona spoke up clearly out of her mind. Her smile was so wide and eyes glossy. She held her hand as if somebody was going to actually pick on her. "What if Penny answers and hears my serenade and hangs up?" Arizona's beaming smile disappeared and April sighed. Arizona hasn't been taking the absent of her ex-wife too well. Arizona constantly called Callie almost every day for a constant update on how things were in New York. April's heart felt so heavy for her best friend but it honestly made Arizona Robbins much tougher.

"Okay no one is calling any exes. That mean's all ex boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, or even ex sex buddies are off limits to call. Can we please start?" April insisted and spun the bottle first. God knew the fear April was feeling of having any of them bring up Jackson so God willing it landed on herself.

"This isn't how the game goes." Amelia stated.

"Uh well I'll just ask myself truth or dare." April assured her and tucked a piece of her red lock behind her ear.

"Or better yet, I will." Amelia is taking this game serious maybe even a little too serious. "Truth or dare Kepner?" If she chooses dare, there's so many different situations she can be in and if she says truth then who knows what that might be. Decision making while you're tipsy isn't a clever thing to do.

"Oh c'monnn April, what shall it be? Truth or dare?" A drunk Meredith spat out.

"Truth." April stated firmly confident in her choice.

"Is it true you're still in love with Dr. Avery?" If it weren't an obvious giveaway from the startled look that appeared on her face or the fact she had to take a shot before she answered that very private question, then she doesn't know if they caught on that it was a yes. April was still madly in love with Jackson. Her heart trembled at the thought of him, she got breathless, and her mind always got weak. This is hardshe thought, this is so hard. It's an unpretentious question to anyone who asked but it meant breaking down in tears after she was finished. She swallowed.

"Yes, I still love Jackson. How can I not be?" April continued. "He's that person for me, that man to me. From afar I see why I first fell in love with him. He's physically the most beautiful man I've seen. He's wise beyond his years, he's soft spoken but if you get him there he can become very intimidating but he's my best friend. I know all of his flaws and strengths, his vices and virtues, his thoughts and feelings, who he is at core." April was looking down at her lap the entire time afraid that if she locked eyes with anyone the tears will flow. "I will love him now and forever." She spoke those last words like they were venom in her mouth and let a tear escape her face. Was she really doing this? She looked up to see Arizona, Maggie, Amelia and Meredith all stared at her with tear stained faces.

"I'm sorry guys I really didn't mean for this to become a kumbya for tears." April mumbled.

"No it's just that it reminds me so much of a Hallmark movie scene and- "Arizona started, wiping a few tears of her own.

"It was beautifully said." Meredith finished with no expression.

"Guys, I think we're so drunk that we became exactly what the expectation of a girl's night is thought out to be. We're crying over boys!" Maggie said as she tried to suppress her giggling, but ended up bursting into loud laughter. All at once the one story apartment filled with all five of the women's laughter as if were contagious.

"I'm sober and can't believe I stilled cried." Amelia scoffed as she leaned back into the couch and grabbed for another finger sandwich. "Last one." April made approximately thirty and left fifteen out on the silver tray and the other fifteen in the fridge.

"I'm glad for a split second my inner and deeper emotions brought you all to sadness and then back to happiness. Hand me the tray, I'll get more." April said to Amelia as she walked into the kitchen. Just then April heard someone tapping tentatively at her door. It's currently one in the morning who could possibly at her front door and why? She opened her front door and instantly her heart started pounding at an increasingly rapid pace. The face staring back her brought her comfort but nerviness as well. The face staring at her was the one she described as physically beautiful. The face staring back at her wouldn't be here at 1 A.M. She was facing the man of the night.

"Jackson, hi."

END CHAPTER ONE!

Hi! So what do you all think? I'm trying to capture the perfect balance of life after birth and life after divorce meanwhile also juggling the fact that these two are still in love. Next chapter will be filled with lots of Japril interactions. Why do you think Jackson made a trip to April's apartment so late?

Only way to find out is to please review, follow, and favorite to read onto chapter 2! Thank you, any lovely feedback would be appreciated!