Avery slept fitfully, her legs twisting up in the blankets as she tossed and turned. Her eyes fluttered and beads of sweat appeared on her chest. She let out a pained moan, twisting again.
She knew something was wrong, even before she felt the pain. Something just felt off, felt wrong, one voice had disappeared, but it hadn't even been a proper voice... but somehow...
A sudden, sharp pain in her abdomen, and she cried out, clutching at her belly, and she winced, trying to breathe deeply. She felt a wetness between her legs and she slipped her hand down, panicking when her fingers came away with blood.
No, no, no, no, this wasn't meant to be happening...
There was so much pain, and there was so much blood...
She screamed and screamed, both out loud and telepathically, her eyes opening and she sat bolt upright in bed, her hands feeling for a belly that was no longer there, but it had been, it had been there once...
Christian, Taylor Household
Christian and Taylor's eyes flew open at the same time, as Natalie turned over in bed registering cries from Viggo.
"Avie," Taylor sat up, immediately throwing off the covers and dashing from the room.
Natalie groaned to herself, knowing Taylor had his priorities set and decided to get up and see if the kids were okay.
Taylor hesitated at her door, unsure whether under the circumstances that he should knock or not. Deciding against it, he opened the door.
"Avery? What happened?" he stood in the doorway awkwardly.
~*~
Christian meanwhile sat up on the park bench he'd inhabited, arguing with himself over what to do.
He'd heard that scream for a reason. She had to be reaching out to him.
Sighing to himself, he collected his things and got on the bike, heading back for Taylor's house.
Avery
Avery was hyperventilating and she barely registered Taylor standing in the doorway. She choked back a sob, clutching the blanket against her stomach.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," she whispered, rocking back and forth.
Taylor & Natalie
Taylor stepped in and rushed to her bedside, quickly pulling her into his arms on instinct.
"It's okay, it's okay, it was just a nightmare," he soothed.
Natalie tended to the kids, had them back to sleep in no time, then headed for Avery's room also.
Avery
Avery put her hands to her face and she cried, her body shaking from the force of her sobs.
"No, it was real, I know it was real," she whispered.
Taylor & Natalie
"Do you want to talk about it?" Taylor offered, sitting back a little and rubbing her back reassuringly.
Natalie appeared in the doorway, wrapping her kimono around herself. She could sense the turmoil in the room and wasn't sure if she was awake enough to deal with it yet.
Avery
"I... I don't know," Avery managed to get out.
She looked at Taylor through her hair.
"I... I had a baby?"
Taylor & Natalie
Taylor gulped and looked up at Natalie for help.
"No, no you didn't," Taylor amended, his voice going soft, "but... you almost did. And I'm so, so sorry."
Natalie carefully made her way into the room and knelt beside the bed. Tentatively, she indicated for Avery to give her her hand.
Avery
"It was real," Avery repeated numbly.
She noticed Natalie and she reached out for her uncertainly.
Taylor & Natalie
"Yeah it was," Taylor swallowed, refraining from adding 'but hey, it's not the worst you've been through'.
Natalie took her hand firmly and began focusing her healing energy to try and take some of the anguish away, at the very least allowing her to think straight.
Avery
Avery looked at Taylor for a second, once her mind had cleared, and she frowned slightly, wiping the tears away from her eyes.
"It's not the worst?"
Natalie & Taylor
Natalie gave Taylor a condescending look as he opened his mouth to reply.
He was momentarily saved by the sound of a motorcycle pulling up outside.
"You're kidding," he looked at Nat.
"Go," she nodded.
He hesitated, not sure if he wanted to leave Avery, but rather than cause a scene he opted to beat Christian to the punch and meet him at the door.
Christian was just about to knock when Taylor opened it.
"You heard her?" he asked.
"What happened?" Christian looked thoroughly confused.
"She had a nightmare. Come on, just be quiet," Taylor insisted, stepping back to allow him through.
Christian stepped in, taking a good look around the house. Taylor closed the door after him and led the way up to the bedroom. Pausing outside, he indicated for Chris to wait, not entirely sure she'd want a circus in the room considering the topic.
"Avery?" he ducked his head in, "there's... someone here to see you."
Avery
Avery looked up and squinted a little through her tears, recognising the new 'voice'.
"Neal?"
Christian, Taylor & Natalie
Christian took that as his cue to step past Taylor and into the room.
"Hey," he said softly, standing beside Natalie.
She glanced up, awkwardly, but didn't let go of Avery's hand.
"You called?"
Avery
"I did?" Avery looked up at him, sniffling, holding onto Natalie's hand.
She reached her other hand out for him, but paused halfway.
Christian, Natalie & Taylor
"Yeah you did," Chris noticed the movement, and decided to take her hand anyway.
He knelt on one knee beside Natalie, giving her a sympathetic glance.
"And I was having a good sleep, might I add."
Taylor watched on from the doorway, carefully.
Avery
Avery nodded, grateful for his hand in hers. She looked down at her feet, Natalie's power working to calm her down, but she was still feeling upset.
"I'm sorry," she said to him.
Christian & Natalie
"Yeah, you should be," Chris insisted, trying to lighten the mood, "I was in a five star hotel room surrounded by half naked women all feeding me grapes and fanning me and stuff. And then I fell asleep-"
"Really?" Taylor scorned.
"I... could have been dreaming that," Chris smirked.
"Natalie," Natalie offered her other hand.
Chris took it - a little awkwardly - and shook it.
"Neal," he smiled.
Avery
Avery gave a half smile at what Christian said.
"So I didn't interrupt anything exciting then?" She raised an eyebrow.
Christian & Taylor
"I wouldn't say that. Sleep is pretty exciting," Chris shrugged.
"Speaking of... maybe we should let Avie get some rest?" Taylor suggested.
Avery
At the suggestion of sleep, Avery paled, she didn't want to dream again.
"No," she said, turning pleading eyes on Christian.
"It'll... I'll see it again, I know I will."
Christian & Natalie
Christian wondered for a moment what Avery Hanson could possibly be afraid of, before reassessing his situation.
"You won't, I promise," Natalie rubbed her thumb over Avery's hand soothingly, "and we'll be barely feet away if you need us."
Avery
"But... there was so much blood... and..." Avery looked at Natalie, then at Taylor.
"And he said it wasn't the worst thing."
Taylor & Christian
Taylor raised his hands in surrender as Christian glared up at him.
"I thought it, I didn't say it," he insisted.
"Bad enough. Thanks Taylor," Chris grunted.
At the mention of blood he couldn't help but think about the vials in his backpack. He quickly erased the thought and focused back on Avery.
"Did you want me to stick around?" he offered.
"I don't know..." Taylor was cautious.
Avery
"Please," Avery nodded. "Don't... don't go."
She squeezed his hand a little and her eyes pleaded with his.
"I don't want to see it again."
Christian, Natalie & Taylor
Chris sighed, then looked up at Taylor.
"You can take Isaac's bed," Natalie offered, not entirely sure if she was okay with the arrangement, but she didn't really know him as well as they did.
Taylor rubbed his chin, before shaking his head.
"Fine. I'll grab some blankets."
And he left to do just that. Chris smiled triumphantly and turned to Nat.
"Thankyou," he said sincerely.
"It's for Avery," Natalie amended, "she feels safer with you around."
Avery
Avery smiled slightly, glad to know that Christian was going to be around.
"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" she asked him.
Christian, Natalie & Taylor
"Like a pro," Chris winked.
Natalie stood up and slowly let go of Avery's hand.
"I'll leave you to it," she said softly as Taylor returned with a blanket and pillow, "goodnight Avery."
Avery
"Goodnight..." Avery looked towards Natalie as she was at the door. "Thank you, for the... healing thing."
She lay back against the pillows, the hand that had been holding Natalie's now curling back into it's former position around her stomach. She absently stroked it, and looked at Taylor as he came back in the room.
"When was I pregnant?" she asked him.
Christian & Taylor
Christian's eyebrows rose.
"Yes Taylor, when was she pregnant?" he turned to look up at him.
Taylor looked uneasy.
"It was about five years ago," he admitted, setting the bed up, "she miscarried."
"Oh?" Chris looked incredulous.
He turned back to Avery.
"I didn't know," he explained.
Avery
Avery frowned at that, keeping her eyes on Taylor.
"Five years... how old am I?" she asked.
Taylor & Christian
"Twenty," Taylor said absently.
"But you act a lot older," Chris amended.
"Usually. We did have an incident with a tin of paint when we lived together."
Avery
Avery looked back towards Christian and tilted her head slightly. She reached out for his hand again.
"What... I mean, I'm twenty, so... do I have a job?" she asked suddenly, glancing back at Taylor.
Taylor & Christian
"Not really," Taylor shrugged, flattening out the sheets, "but kind of. You're an artist."
"And a model," Christian interjected, getting a look from Taylor as he did, "you were good. Like, really good."
"How do you know?" Taylor squinted.
"Awkward," Chris breathed, "you know how I took that job in security? I may have done a shoot. Once."
"Oh God."
Avery
Avery looked between them and gave a half smile.
"Oh," she said, nodding. "Well, that explains the sketch pads."
She blushed slightly.
"I can't be a model... I'm... just... not... pretty or anything."
Christian & Taylor
"Oh I'd have to disagree," Christian insisted as Taylor finished up.
"And on that note, I'll leave you guys to it," he said, awkwardly brushing his hands off and thanking the Lord that they'd moved out the double bed.
"Thanks Taylor," Chris nodded, standing up.
"And... sorry for the intrusion."
"I'll see you in the morning," he said pointedly, "goodnight Avery."
Avery
"Goodnight Tay," Avery said absently, not even realising she'd shortened his name.
She blushed further at what she could hear from Christian.
"Thank you again, for coming here," she said to him. She brushed some hair away from her eyes, then sat forward as though she was going to hug him.
Taylor & Christian
Taylor smiled to himself as he left the room, purposely leaving the door open a crack.
Christian ducked down to receive the hug, awkwardly patting her back before pulling away.
"Well I don't know about you, but I could use some shut-eye," he sighed, scratching his head.
Avery
"Oh, sorry," Avery said, laying back against the pillows. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.
She turned her face to the side, reluctant to close her eyes.
Christian
"It's cool," he shrugged, sitting on the bed Taylor had made up.
He slipped off his boots and shifted the covers.
Avery
Avery closed her eyes, hoping she wouldn't be plagued with any more nightmares that night, particularly if Taylor had said that there was more bad things for her to remember.
"Night," she said quietly.
Christian
Christian hesitated.
"Goodnight, Avery," he said softly as he got into bed.
He mused at how normal - and yet so far from normal in his case - this situation was. But hey, it was better than the park bench.
He sighed as he settled onto his back and closed his eyes.