It had been raining for the last few hours, but to Avery, it felt like it had been raining for weeks now. It was like the weather was crying for her, mourning the loss of Taylor from her life. The grief hit her, harder and harder each day, feeling so alone and cut off from her brother, the one who looked after her, who championed all of her endeavours, who never stopped believing in her.
If their goal had been to take Avery's life, they had succeeded.
She hated weather like this, dark and stormy, unpredictable. It made her think of her teenage years, where she was so confused and angry, always wanting something else, to be someone else, someone that she wasn't sure of, she just knew it hadn't been what she was.
It scared her. The mood she was in. The weather. Everything.
She let out a startled cry when there was a clap of thunder, the sky lighting up in a purple hue when lightning struck, the same moment the house went dark and lost power. Out the window, the rain pelted hard against the glass, and the street lost power.
She couldn't stay in this house. Not in the dark. Not like that other place. She felt hot. Too hot. She had to get away.
Avery ran out of her bedroom, narrowly missing Diana who had picked up on the feelings coming from her daughter, and she threw open the front door, running barefoot out into the storm, rain stinging her face and mixing with her hot tears.
She kept running, faster and faster, her jeans and t-shirt soaked through, hair falling in wet ropes around her face. But she ran on, needing to feel free, needing to remind herself she was no longer in that place.
~*~*~*~
Diana paced back and forth as she tried to get a hold of her any of her sons, just someone to find Avery and bring her back home.
Diana, Isaac, Taylor & Natalie
"Yello?"
"Isaac! It's Mom. Avery just took off. I couldn't get hold of Zac in case she went back to his house, but it might have something to do with the weather... any idea if it's Kate?"
"I... don't know," Isaac took a moment to process the information, "I didn't really think about it. I'm having a night in with the kids because Nikki had an appointment. Was Avery okay when she left? What happened?"
"No, she was very upset. I don't know why. I was on my way to ask her when she ran out the door."
Isaac rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Alright, well. I'm a little incapacitated right now, but Tay could probably get the animals on it? If there's any out in the rain, that is."
"I didn't even think of that, thanks Ike."
"No problem. Let me know what happens, okay?"
"Will do."
They soon hung up and Diana dialled Taylor's number.
"Hey Mom," came an almost instant greeting.
"Taylor. Avery just took off, and she was very upset. I can't get hold of Zac, and Isaac suggested you might be able to send out word on the animal grapevine..."
"Oh yeah, sure," Taylor said through his frown.
He was called last? Sure they were having problems, but still...
"I'll do that. I don't know how many eyes will be on the street at this time of night and in this weather... but I'll try."
"Thanks Taylor. Talk to you soon."
"Bye Mom."
Taylor sighed frustratedly when he hung up, then walked through the house and headed for the front door.
"Tay? What's going on?" Natalie looked up as he passed her.
"Avie's gone missing. Momentarily. I've been asked to call in the rascal patrol."
"Oh okay. Good luck."
Taylor headed out the door and onto the porch. A couple of squirrels who were seeking cover from the rain looked up as he appeared.
"Hey Tay."
"Hey guys," Taylor made his way over, scratching one behind the ears, "anyone seen Avie around? My sister Avie?"
"Nope," one looked at the other, "what wrong Tay?"
"She just took off without telling anyone where she was going, we're worried. Think you guys could help out?"
"Sure," one said determinedly, though he was looking out at the rain with apprehension.
"There's a blow dry in it for you," Taylor offered with a smile.
The squirrels looked at each other again.
"On it, Tay."
He chuckled a little as they disappeared, then leant over the railing to wait.
Avery
Somehow she always ended up here, whenever she was happy, whenever she was upset, no matter how old she got, this was always where she ran to when she needed an escape.
It figured. She couldn't be close to Taylor physically, but spiritually, it was like he was right there with her. He had brought her here the first time, so many years ago.
She stood on the bridge, overlooking the pond, the rain and wind causing more than gentle ripples, and she peered over the edge, not for the first time wondering if it was deep enough to drown in. She supposed any body of water was deep enough, granted you kept your head in it for long enough.
She rested her head against the railing, her body shivering but she didn't notice the cold. She couldn't breathe, she just couldn't breathe anymore.
Taylor
Taylor began to get worried when there was nothing after twenty minutes. He knew there were a lack of bird eyes views tonight, but usually it was faster than this...
Finally one of the squirrels reappeared, shaking himself off.
"Hey, how'd you go?" Taylor asked with apprehension.
"We found her Tay. She's at the pond."
"Thanks dude. Penny's got the hair dryer ready if you guys want to go around to the bathroom," Taylor threw his waterproof jacket over his shoulders.
"Thanks Tay!"
The squirrel disappeared into the night. Taylor waited until he could hear Natalie and Penny talking to the squirrel, and then pulled his car keys from his pocket and made his way out into the weather.
It took another ten minutes or so by car, but he finally pulled up in one of the park's parking bays, spotting her on the bridge instantly.
He turned the car off and sat for a moment in silence. He would be the last person she'd want to see, he was sure. But of all places to come to... she couldn't expect him to not be the first person to find her, right?
He rationalised it in his head for a while longer, before finally pulling himself out of the car. He locked up and made his way up to the bridge, stopping at the base and putting a hand on the railing. Not knowing what - if anything - to say, he said nothing, and just watched.
Avery
Avery felt Taylor's presence and she lifted her hands to her face, covering her eyes as she sobbed. She turned slightly in his direction and held a hand out, a non verbal invite to come get her.
Feeling overwhelmed, she cried harder, her legs giving out and she caught the railing at the last minute, half sinking to her knees in the process.
Taylor
Taylor broke into a run the instant he felt her need, making it to her just as she went down.
"Hey hey hey, it's okay, it's okay," he panted, pulling her into his arms as he kneeled.
"It's okay, I'm here. I'm here."
He held her to his chest as he let her cry, closing his eyes as the rain hit them harder.
Avery
Avery clutched at Taylor, sobbing into his chest, shaking from her cries and from the cold. She pulled back after a second and managed to look at him.
"Tay!" she cried.
Taylor
"Yeah?" he gulped, unable to not notice that she was actually looking at him for the first time since the incident.
And for the first time that night he was glad for the rain, so she couldn't see his tears.
Avery
Avery's lip trembled and she hugged him tightly again.
"I love you," she sobbed.
Taylor
"I love you more," Taylor said back, his voice breaking a little as he looked over her head at the park.
"You know that right?"
Avery
Avery nodded, wordlessly, and she hugged Taylor harder.
"I'm sorry," she told him.
Taylor
Taylor held back from asking 'for what?', as he was pretty sure they'd covered it.
"So am I," he settled on, resting his chin on her head.
Avery
Avery kept crying, holding Taylor as hard as she could, as if it would fill the emptiness she'd had inside when she hadn't been able to spend time alone with him.
"I missed you."
Taylor
Taylor fell backwards against the bridge railing, making it more comfortable for them as he pulled her in.
"I missed you too. Please, don't ever do that to me again," his voice cracked again.
Avery
"I won't," Avery shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
She sniffed, and then looked up at him again.
Taylor
"I know," Taylor assured.
"But you can't let them win, Ave. When that happens, they win. We need to prove we're stronger than anything they can throw at us. You get that?"
Avery
Avery nodded, wiping at her eyes.
"You didn't see everything they did wearing your face, Tay, it was hard. It was so hard."
Taylor
"I know, and I can only imagine what kind of demented mind would even want to pull something like that off," Taylor couldn't help but cringe, trying to hold his anger back.
"I swear, if I could have done anything to stop it..."
Avery
"I know," Avery replied softly.
She sneezed, pulling her face away from Taylor to do so.
"Tay? Can I stay with you tonight? There's no power at Mom and Dad's... and I'm scared."
Taylor
Taylor nodded, remembering what it was like for him when the lights went out in the labs.
"Sure," he said, "but we need to call Mom. She's worried sick."
Avery
"Oh, I didn't even think," Avery realised.
She wiped her nose, not that it helped, with the rain still falling.
Taylor
"It's okay, we get it," Taylor mused, "I did send off a call through the rascal patrol, but I should call anyway."
He hesitated, not wanting to disturb her by getting up.
"So... Ike and I have talked," he began cautiously, "and we were thinking... we really need to find out what is going on with this whole telepath thing. Did any of them talk to you while you were there? Did any of them say why they were after you specifically?"
Avery
"They don't believe in a Ga'Revali class system. They also hate me for killing The Eye. And for having private lessons with Tanya. And for being me."
Avery shrugged.
"Take your pick, there's literally a plethora of reasons to hate me."
Taylor
"So it's born out of jealousy," Taylor said thoughtfully.
"Well I guess it was only a matter of time."
Avery
"Probably," Avery said.
She brushed her wet hair out of her eyes.
Taylor
"Nope, definitely," Taylor nodded to himself, blinking rain from his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
"Sucks to be revered, huh?"
Avery
"Yeah," Avery said, a little sadly.
"Sometimes I wish I were just an ordinary level."
Taylor
"Sometimes I wish you were too," Taylor admitted, "it would make everything easier. But let's face it, God doesn't throw us anything we can't handle, right? So whatever happens, will only make us stronger. I think we've all proven that already."
Avery
"I guess so."
Avery sneezed again.
Taylor
"Alright, we need to get you out of the rain. And into a hot shower," Taylor said with finality, pushing her up so that he could stand.
He debated offering her his jacket, but it would have been no use. He opted to wait until they got back to the car and use one of the kids' blankets instead.
Avery
"Thanks Tay."
Avery stood up and kept a hold of Taylor's hand as they walked over the bridge.