Taylor met with Zac at their teleporter friend's house, and were soon on their way to Avery's new apartment.
He'd had a bit of trouble convincing Natalie that he needed to go see her for the weekend, but in the end 'family crisis' had won out, regardless of him giving her the full story or not.
He wasn't ready for Natalie to meet Christian yet. That was for sure.
Taylor, Zac and Damien appeared in front of Avery's door, and after thanking him for the ride Damien departed.
Taylor knocked.
Avery and Zac
Avery had just stepped out of the shower when she heard the knock. She scanned telepathically to see if she could ignore whoever it was, and smiled when she realised who was there.
"Just a sec," she said.
Zac jumped slightly. "I forgot how she used to do that."
Avery quickly dressed in a pair of jeans and a tank top, and she went to answer the door.
Taylor
"So glad none of our kids are telepathic," Taylor mused.
As the door opened he grinned.
"Hey Avie!" he held his arms out, demanding a hug.
Avery and Zac
"Hey," Avery greeted, reaching out to give Taylor a hug. She barely had to stand on tip toes anymore.
She turned to Zac and gave him a hug once she was finished with Taylor.
"Bumhead," he said, before she could.
"But that's your name," she grinned. "Come in."
She stood back to allow them entrance to the apartment.
Taylor
Taylor ducked in first and had a quick look around.
"It's... big!" he stated the obvious.
He noted the random art supplies strewn over any open surface, and reminded himself that was what his house looked like at times.
Zac and Avery
"You haven't painted anything to put on the walls yet?" Zac asked, looking around at the bare walls. There were two easels set up at the windows.
"I haven't had time," Avery replied, closing the door behind them. "I've been dividing my time between work, school and the Station, and inspiration hasn't hit yet. But I know, it does look like I'm squatting here."
Zac chuckled. "You're still going to the Station?"
"Well, Matt is still based there," she reminded him. "And I drop in and get a refresher course with Tanya every so often."
Taylor & Christian
"I should probably get back up there," Taylor said, mainly to himself, "haven't been since... beginning of the year maybe?"
He walked through to find the kitchen, then wandered to the bedrooms.
"Um. Where's his bed?"
~*~
Meanwhile, Christian was on his way home from a late night/early morning security detail. He nodded to a neighbour who was just heading out as he got into the lift and made his way up.
Zac and Avery
"I haven't been since you lived up there," Zac mused, following Taylor.
Avery shrugged, going into the kitchen to get them something to drink. "I don't think he has one. I think he sleeps on the couch. Or the floor. I don't know what happens out here once I go to bed."
She pulled three cups out of the cupboard. "I assume you guys want something to drink?"
Taylor & Christian
"Yeah sure!" Taylor called back, checking out the bathroom and then returning to the main area.
He walked over to the window.
Christian made it to their floor and headed for the door, unlocking it the cheater's way as usual and opening the door for himself.
The first thing he saw was Zac in the living room.
Zac and Avery
Zac turned when he heard the door open and small smirk appeared in the corner of his mouth.
"Well," he said. "Long time no see."
Avery juggled the three glasses and head out to the main living room, handing Taylor his glass on the way. She looked between Zac and Christian, then set the other two glasses on the coffee table.
Christian and Taylor
Christian glanced at Avery, before spotting Taylor in the background with his arms folded.
"Hey," he said by way of greeting, closing the door telekinetically behind him.
A short and awkward silence followed before Taylor made his way over.
"So... when were you going to tell me?"
"...Tell you what?" Christian asked innocently.
"Well a) that you're out of rehab, that would have been nice," Taylor insisted, "and b) you're shacking up with my sister?"
Christian hesitated then took a deep breath.
"Awkward," he smirked, before going to dump his bag.
Avery and Zac
"You know," Avery said, settling down on the couch, leaning back against the cushions. "Shacking up makes it sound a lot sexier than it is."
Zac turned to Avery as soon as she said the word 'sexier'. "Avery Laurel."
"Myes?" she turned her big brown eyes on him, smiling broadly. "Relax your flaps, Zac. Nothing untoward is happening. I need to split the rent with someone."
"You could've found a better someone," he muttered.
"It's not like he's going to kidnap me," she shot back, then realised the irony of what she had just said. "You know... again."
Christian & Taylor
"I heard that," Christian said before disappearing from sight.
Taylor ignored what she'd said, and opted to follow him to his room.
"How long did you think this could go on without us finding out?" he frowned.
"Wasn't exactly keeping it a secret," Chris shrugged, "besides, I just assumed she'd tell you. Thought you two were... you know, inseparable."
"Did you follow her here?" Taylor demanded.
"Technically, she followed me," Chris insisted, "I can tell you with full disclosure and honesty, that I literally stepped off a bus in New York, found a newspaper, came here to check the place out, and then she turned up after. It was like... fate."
"Fate?"
"Isn't that what you people call it?" Chris shrugged, taking off his work shirt and throwing it over a chair he'd gotten for a few dollars.
"I'd hardly call this 'fate'," Taylor scorned, "I swear Chris, if this is something you've been planning-"
"What would I have planned, huh?" Chris demanded, spreading his arms in bewilderment, "what possible reason would I have to hurt your precious little sister. Or use her for any other purpose. Have you forgotten she's practically a Grandmaster telepath? Do you seriously think I'd even try to contend with that?"
"I don't know, Chris! And the not knowing is what's bothering me," Taylor knew they were just going to butt heads, but he wasn't letting down.
"Sucks to be you," Christian slipped his shoes off and started to undo his belt.
"Who else knows you're here?"
"No one, I hope," Chris said offhandedly, "Steel does because he lent me money before I got a job."
"You got a job?" Taylor's eyebrows rose.
Chris picked up the shirt he'd taken off and showed Taylor the logo.
"Full on domestication right there," he said as Taylor looked slightly confused.
"Why?"
Chris shrugged again.
"Avie wouldn't give in until I did."
"Oh you're calling her 'Avie' now?"
Chris gave him an odd look.
"If you don't mind, I'm gonna take a shower," he said, and stepped past.
Taylor sighed to himself, then headed back out.
Zac and Avery
"We trust you, you know," Zac said, sitting down beside Avery.
"I know," Avery replied, smiling at him. "Seriously, I can take care of myself, if I detected something suspicious, I'd be outta here, you know that, right?"
He nodded. "I guess I do. We just worry, and you didn't tell us."
"I thought I did," she shrugged. "I'm sorry."
Taylor
"I'm not exactly sure how something like this just flees your mind," Taylor commented, making his way in and sitting on a chair opposite them.
Avery and Zac
"It all just kinda happened quickly," Avery shrugged. "I'm sorry."
"Apart from that," Zac went on, peering at her. "Is there anything else we should know about?"
For a second, Avery didn't understand what he was asking, then she wrinkled her nose up in disgust.
"Zac! No!" she exclaimed. "One, I have a boyfriend, and two... he looks like Taylor! Don't you think we'd have more serious issues if I was attracted to someone who looks like him?"
She jerked her thumb in Taylor's decision.
Taylor
Taylor gave Zac a disgusted look.
"And... my mind had not even gone there. Thanks for that."
Zac and Avery
Zac let out a chuckle. "Sorry, I was just checking."
Avery shook her head, and punched Zac on the arm. "You're gross."
"But anyway, when are you coming home next?" he asked. "It's been awhile since you saw everyone."
"Soon," she promised. "I've got a few weeks off coming up, so I think I'll come back to Tulsa for that."
Taylor
"Good idea," Taylor cut in, probably faster than he should have.
"I mean, the kids would love to see you. For sure."
Zac and Avery
"Jess is home again," Zac told her. "She's started seeing Joe Wright, remember him?"
"Oh yeah, Kate mentioned," Avery nodded. "I think Matt has arranged his holidays for the same time I'm on break, so he might come stay in Tulsa as well."
"So... things are still good there?" Zac asked.
"Yeah, I mean, ideally, I'd get to see him more than once a month, but what can you do?"
Taylor
Taylor looked to Zac.
"So does he come stay here, often?" he asked hopefully.
Avery and Zac
"He hasn't since I moved in here, but I've gone up there instead," Avery said. "It's much harder for him to get weekends off, and I don't mind going up, besides, I get to see the other guys up there too."
Zac nodded. "So... is he due to come down soon?"
"Maybe next weekend, but if his shifts change, then... I don't know," she replied. "Why the sudden interest?"
"Hey," Zac put his hands up. "I actually like the guy, he's funny."
Taylor & Christian
Avery probably didn't need telepathy to know why Taylor was interested all of a sudden.
Christian made a small appearance as he shifted from the bathroom back to his room, towelling off his hair.
"So when are your holidays?" Taylor asked.
Avery and Zac
"Just before Zac's birthday," Avery told them. "But I have a shoot the day after, so I'll probably be back on your actual birthday, bro."
"I feel loved," Zac said, holding his heart. "You gonna stay with Mom and Dad?"
"Yeah,"Avery nodded. "That's the plan anyway."
Taylor
"Cool, that's only a month away," Taylor nodded, noticing that it was very quiet from Christian's direction.
"And I'm pretty sure Ezra misses playing with your power."
Avery and Zac
"I'm sure he does," Avery laughed. "How are all the kids?"
"All good on my end," Zac replied. "These days, it's just Kate and I with Shep. And our other little one on the way."
Taylor
"Bath time with River is getting interesting," Taylor nodded.
"Not to mention Ezra. Though at least he knows right from wrong and River... not so much."
Zac and Avery
"We're still working on Shep's power," Zac shrugged. "He's not able to ignore stuff yet, so, when we have bad days, we really do have to hold it in for his sake."
Avery nodded. "I can help bolster his shields, if you like?"
Taylor
"I wonder..." Taylor considered.
"I know Ike's been grasping at straws to find out details on Ezra's power borrowing. I wonder if he can actually sense what powers someone has, or if he just borrows without knowing what they are? Might help you guys out."
Zac and Avery
"Maybe," Zac mused. "But it might not help if it's not an obvious power."
Avery nodded. "But it can't hurt, right?"
Taylor
"It'd be an experiment, that's for sure," Taylor agreed.
"Which is basically all we've been doing with it."
Zac and Avery
"I can only imagine how Mom and Dad had to cope with all of us," Zac grinned.
"You would've been bad," Avery laughed. "Same with Ike."
Taylor
"Meanwhile, I was perfect," Taylor grinned.
"Though I have heard Mom's so-called 'horror stories' of insects and rats and the like."
He glanced over his shoulder, wondering what on earth Christian was doing.
Zac and Avery
"Yeah, perfect," Zac snorted. "I don't think so."
"I would've been perfect," Avery put in. "Did you guys want food or anything?"
Taylor
"Food sounds good," Taylor nodded, getting up from his chair.
"Need any help?"
Avery and Zac
"Yeah sure," Avery said, getting up from her spot and going into the kitchen. "Did you want to chop things for the salad?"
"Avie," Zac heaved a sigh, jokingly. "We're in New York. Possibly the best place for pizza in the country. And you're going to make us eat salad?"
"Zachary," Avery returned in the same tone. "Not all of us can afford to get tubby."
"Hey!" he protested, following her into the kitchen. "I am very toned."
"In any case," she grinned. "It's meat and salad."
Taylor
"Can't say the same for all of us," Taylor patted his stomach, "I'll be right back."
He headed for the bathroom to wash up, casually passing Christian's door. The lights were off and he could hear heavy breathing. He was actually asleep?
Rolling his eyes, he washed his hands and then headed back to help.