I think I hear my heart singing

"There’s smoke, and screams, and a burning odor that he’ll probably always be able to smell from now on. He opens his eyes to witness a scene of absolute chaos, and he almost wants to laugh, because really, what are the odds that he, along with his coworkers, just went through a freaking plane crash?"

A Japril AU take on the plane crash and the aftermath. Companion piece to a new kind of waiting (but can be read on its own), this time from Jackson's point of view.

Note: I first started working on this two years ago, after a kind commenter told me in a review of a new kind of waiting that a fic from Jackson's POV could be interesting, and I'm really sorry it's taken me so long to complete this chapter. It can be read independently, but the two fics are definitely connected.

Hope you'll enjoy!

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He thinks he’s dead on day 1. There’s smoke, and screams, and a burning odor that he’ll probably always be able to smell from now on. He opens his eyes to witness a scene of absolute chaos, and he almost wants to laugh, because really, what are the odds that he, along with his coworkers, just went through a freaking plane crash? Is it because everything was finally going a little bit too well in his life? He’d passed his boards, a renowned hospital wanted him for his skills and not his name, and then there was this thing with April which, okay, things were still unresolved, but Jackson had hoped that they’d talk after he was back from Boise and that he could put this in the “good” category, and that at the very least they could still remain friends. His left leg hurts a lot, and his heart is beating a tad too fast for his likening, but the first thing he does after getting to a somewhat-standing position is check if his hands are okay, because Tulane won't accept him if they're damaged (neither would Seattle, says a small voice at the back of his head, a gruff, harsh voice he'd recognize anywhere). They're his livelihood, and even though there's a good chance they'll die here, he’s relieved when he finds out he can still clench his fists. He takes a moment to breathe, to realize he’s alive, before going to look for the others, hoping they’re as lucky (ha!) as him.