JD stepped off the elevator, looking down at the map he'd been given. Avery's room was circled on it, in bright red pen.
It was the first time he'd ever stepped foot onto the Station, despite hearing a lot about it and it's advantages. He and his family had just never bothered to uproot themselves, not even with the end of the world scare. They'd all figured if it happened, it happened and that's how it was meant to go down.
Thankfully, it hadn't gone down, and they were still alive. Sometimes being blase about things was really hard work.
He turned a corner and finally reached Avery's place, then taking a nervous breath, he lifted his fist to knock.
Avery opened the door, seconds later, and she froze in place, staring at JD in disbelief and maybe even anger.
JD gave a little wave. "Hey Egg, you look good. Can I... can I come in?"
Wordlessly, Avery stepped back from the doorway to allow JD entrance.
"So..." he said, feeling awkward.
"Have a seat," she replied mechanically.
JD nodded and sat down in one of the armchairs, watching as she took a seat in the chair that was the fartherest away from him.
"How've you been?" he asked tentatively.
"Cut the bullshit, JD. Why are you here?" Avery snapped.
"I was worried," JD replied.
"Yeah, well you shouldn't be. Look, I'm here, back at the Station, learning my skill, and whatever the hell else I should've been doing, instead of playing about in London and meeting you!" It felt like something had broken inside of her, and every thought, ever regret, every bit of hurt and anger she'd felt about the whole JD situation came spilling out.
He looked taken aback, not speaking for a few minutes, and the two sat in uncomfortable silence, while her words hung in the air.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," he finally said, speaking softly.
"Whatever." Avery turned away from him, eyes downcast, staring at the threads of the chair she was on.
JD looked at her for a long while, studying her profile. She had changed. Physically as well as emotionally. She wasn't the same girl he'd met two months ago.
"Please look at me," JD half begged. "At least give me a chance to explain..."
Avery's eyes remained where they had been. "No."
"I just wanted to make sure you were ok. Rara told me about your holiday and I just - "
"I was doing fine," Avery suddenly announced, looking over at him. "I'd accepted it, I was moving along and then... and then..."
JD was quiet, letting her go on.
"And then YOU happened! You came back and you can't do that JD! You can't just up and leave with no explanation and then appear a month later and think that I'm going to want to hear what you had to say! It doesn't work that way, you don't get the chance to make yourself feel better, it's not how it works!" Avery exclaimed, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying. She couldn't show her tears to him. Not now, not ever again.
"I was worried."
"Don't be. I'm living my life, JD-free. Just the way you wanted it." Avery's gaze had returned to the couch. "Now go. Just get out of here before I do something that I'll get in trouble for."
JD was shocked. Avery had been angry at him before, but never had she threatened to use her telepathy against him. She'd vowed never to even joke about it since the incident with Dan, when she'd come to realise how dangerous she could be. "Ave..."
"GO!" Avery yelled, getting up from her chair and walking across the room to the door. She placed her palm against the pad and it slid open, and she stared at him, sparks in her eyes.
As JD returned her stare, he stood, his feet were slow as if they had turned to lead, and as he reached the door, he felt scared around her for the first time. Not because of her power, or her anger, but because he didn't know the girl who stood in front of him. The old Avery never dressed like this, she never lost her temper and she never shut herself off emotionally from the world. And he knew, as much as he couldn't bear to admit it to himself, he was the reason she was like that now.
"I'm sorry," was his whispered goodbye, as he left the same way he came.
Avery slid down against the wall of her room, the door slowly closing, and she cried, for the first time in two months, she wept uncontrollably.