MOMENT OF TRUTH
8x21

"We should be gone by now!" April flies off the bus, coming straight at Owen.

"The flight's not for three hours." Owen keeps a calm and steady tone with April. "You're fine."

"I-I'd be fine if people showed up on time." April looks around, still not seeing Charlotte. No doubt the real source of her anxiety.

"No one is going to be late." Owen's eyes furrow at April's jumpiness. "It's a short flight away. There's no reason to be nervous, okay?"

April starts crying and Owen mutters to himself, looking around for Charlotte, still coming up empty. Even he was getting nervous now.

"I'm sorry." April shakes her head, still sobbing. "It's just that my parents called me this morning to wish me luck, and they told me that their church is praying for me, and what— what— what if I don't pass? One in five people don't pass!"

"Kepner, stop. You're a trauma surgeon. Were soldiers." Owen says seriously. "We fight battles harder than this every single day. And we win, okay? There's six of you. For all you know, two of you could fail. But that doesn't mean it's you. So dry your tears. Charlotte will be here soon. Get back on that bus and go kick ass."

"Okay." April leaves with a sob.

Christina and Jackson board the bus seconds after April, and Owen looks around for Charlotte, his anxiety reducing when he sees her come out the Emergency Room doors.

She hears Bailey and Arizona worrying about where Meredith and Alex are but she isn't worried about that.

"Oh, thank god you're here." Owen stops her before she gets on the bus. "April just—"

"What about her?" Charlotte's eyes fill with concern.

April comes flying off the bus again, and Owen rolls his eyes while throwing his hands up.

"Oh, thank god you're here." April throws her arms around her.

"Apparently the feelings are mutual." Charlotte chuckles, holding April in the hug longer than she should. But in her defense, April didn't try to pull away either.

"I thought you weren't coming. Who was I going to ride with? And who was I supposed to sleep with?" April's eyes widen and her cheeks turn bright red. "I— I mean— not in that way. I just meant—"

"Look, there's Karev and Grey." Owen is thanking the gods right now, not wanting to be a part of this conversation anymore.

April spins on her heels, the embarrassment replaced with anger. "Twenty-three minutes late? Not okay!"

"Is it too late to request a van without you on it?" Alex yells through the bay and everyone smiles as they send their beloved residents away.

April gives him a look and boards after him, Charlotte following soon after.

❄️

It started with the five of them. Soon after they got to the hotel, Meredith puked in a plant and migrated to her room the rest of the night.

The remaining four returned to Jackson's room to study, although the only person studying was Jackson.

Alex runs out after a phone call with Arizona, leaving the rest of the group concerned as to whether he will return for the boards tomorrow morning. Soon after him, Cristina left to go check on Meredith, leaving the last three standing.

After seeing how upset the 'studying' was making April, she suggests the last three go out to dinner.

Jackson shakes his head muttering about having to study when Charlotte brings it up, so Charlotte drags April out of the room by her hand.

April's hand slides out of the brunettes as they walk down the hall side by side.

Charlotte's hand is on fire and she forms a fist to get it to stop. No one has ever had this effect on her. Not even her first real girlfriend.

She finds herself watching April's soft smile as they walk down the hallway—just like she does when they are back at Seattle Grace.

"I'm glad we're doing this." April says as if they were on a date. Both women wished they were, but were too afraid to say that.

"Me too." Charlotte gave a soft smile.

"I'm kind of glad Jackson didn't come." April shrugs before bursting into laughter. "I'm so sorry— that was so mean!"

"That was good!" She hits April on the arm. "Be less you, remember?"

If it was anyone else, April would've been upset. But it was Charlotte. The one person who treats her like an actual person. And the one.. person—woman—who makes her feel butterflies.

"Less me." April nods. "I think the new me wants a drink."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Charlotte nods.

She could push the feelings away for one weekend, couldn't she?

❄️

One second April and Charlotte are laughing and drunk off their asses, and the next they are running out of the bar after April punched someone.

"Oh, my god. That was amazing." April runs down the hallway giggling.

"You just punched a guy." Charlotte scoffs, impressed.

"I punched a guy!" April exclaims.

"You were freaking crazy in there." Charlotte follows her up to the door.

"Char, we are gonna do this." April nods excitedly. "I— I— I can feel it. I— this is our last night as residents."

"Let's hope." Charlotte says calmly as April opens the door.

"No, stop that! We keep doubting ourselves." April puts her hands on the brunette's shoulders. "We freaking kicked that guy's ass in there. We are gonna kick this test's ass."

"How come you're so confident all of a sudden?" Something flickers in Charlotte's eyes. She doesn't know what it is. The alcohol, the adrenaline, or the anxiety of tomorrow's events.. but for once she's not holding herself back.

April's breath is fast and uneven, and her eyes keep flickering down to Charlotte's lips.

"Can I kiss you?" Charlotte notices the relaxation of April's shoulders when she nods and wraps her arms around the woman's neck.

The two women stand there for a long time, doing what should've been done months ago.

"We shouldn't." Charlotte shakes her head. "Not now. It isn't right."

"Please." April's eyes are pleading. There is no time and no one else she would rather do this with. "I don't want anyone else."

"We're drunk—"

"I don't care." She shakes her head and goes back in for another kiss. "This is the new me and I don't care."

Charlotte looks at her, looking for anything. Nervousness, regret, anything. But she comes up empty.

"I like you, Charlotte. I don't want it to be anyone else. I want you. Please." She places a soft kiss on Charlotte's cheek. "Take my virginity."

"Who am I to say no to you?" Charlotte grabs the side of April's neck, kissing her as they walk all the way into the room—the door locking behind them.

okay, big dent in the
storyline! we were all
waiting for this one,
am i right?

also idk how i haven't
updates this in a year!