Avery pushed through the main doors to Cains Ballroom, her eyes flashing dangerously and she walked with purpose. She could hear her brothers doing their sound check and she headed in that direction, finding them easily.
She focused her attention on Zac first, sending him a telepathic shock and he dropped his drumsticks in surprise.
Isaac and Taylor
Isaac stopped playing when he heard the commotion and turned to frown at Zac.
"What the-?"
Taylor looked up in Zac's direction from the piano, holding the microphone with his right hand.
Avery & Zac
"Surprise," Avery said, smirking a little when Zac realised she was standing there.
"Aves, what's up?" Zac asked, rubbing his head. "And... what did you do?"
"Apparently, I killed a man."
Taylor & Isaac
"You what?" Taylor frowned, turning back to the seating area when he realised she was there.
Isaac quietly stepped aside to put his guitar down, at the same time checking that no one was within ear shot. The sound guy couldn't hear them from down there unless they spoke into the microphones.
Avery & Zac
"Or so Christian tells me," Avery said, folding her arms across her chest.
"Christi..." Zac grit his teeth. "What else did he tell you?"
Taylor & Isaac
Taylor's face lost a little colour as Isaac made his way to the edge of the stage and carefully jumped down. He made his way over to her.
"Avie? Just come and talk to us, please? Just calm down."
Taylor made eye contact with Zac. The consensus being 'uh oh'.
Avery & Zac
"How can I be calm?" Avery replied, glaring first at Isaac and then at Taylor and Zac.
Zac got up and walked out from behind his drum kit.
"We didn't want to overload you with - "
"I told you," Avery accused Taylor. "I told you that I felt like I had done something terrible and you lied. You said I hadn't. How is killing someone not a terrible thing? Thou shalt not kill, remember?"
"It was in self defence," Zac said softly, but had the decency to look at the ground. "Christian wasn't right to tell you, we would've, when you were ready."
Taylor & Isaac
"Exactly," Taylor agreed, but he didn't move, "and I thought I clarified that..."
Isaac closed his eyes and sighed inwardly, wishing once again that he'd told her he'd killed the Spider.
"Avie..."
"We've all killed people," Isaac cut in on Taylor, "but it was always in self-defence."
Taylor frowned at that.
"Or out of our control," Isaac added, sending a glance his way, "you were in a battle to the death. At twelve years old. With one of the worst criminals the YIRAAS has ever dealt with. He deserved it."
Avery & Zac
Avery had been ready to yell at Isaac not to come near her, when she caught his thought. Her eyes filled with tears and she bit her lip, looking over at her older brother, feeling very much like she was still just a child.
"You paid for it, in your own way," Zac told her, quietly. "And in your own way, you still make yourself pay for it."
Isaac & Taylor
Isaac saw the tears in her eyes and crinkled his brow.
"Ave, come here," he held his arms out and pulled her into a hug.
He tried not to get emotional himself, the memory stirring up everything else that happened around that time. Even what happened with Myra...
He blocked the thoughts out in order to concentrate on his sister.
Taylor took the moment to jump down from the stage and sidle up beside Zac.
Avery & Zac
Avery sobbed as she let Isaac hug her, body shaking from the force of her cries. She held on tightly to him, understanding his motives more than her other two brothers.
"We wanted to protect you," Zac said, looking at Taylor for support. "You had some horrible things happen to you, it's not right to give you those memories first."
Taylor & Isaac
Taylor eyed Zac, but nodded.
"Yeah. Right. Exactly. I mean really, I don't think anyone recovering from any form of amnesia would necessarily want to grasp onto the worst memories first. It wouldn't exactly speed up the healing process. The whole idea was to nurture the mind and hope that it would somehow... fix itself. And implanting those bad memories would be kind of like taking a hammer and-"
"Tay you're babbling," Isaac mumbled, still holding Avery.
Taylor cut himself off awkwardly and slid his hands into his pockets.
Avery & Zac
"Do you know how it felt to have to find out from Christian? That he was the man without a face in my nightmares?" Avery asked bitterly.
"He shouldn't've told you," Zac sighed. "It wasn't his place."
Isaac & Taylor
Isaac let her go, pausing to wipe her cheeks for her.
"That was him?" Taylor looked confused, "I thought you meant The Eye. Or, Spider. Whatever. I didn't even realise."
Avery & Zac
Avery folded her arms across her chest again, turning her glare on Zac and Taylor.
"But you didn't want to mention that someone I thought was a friend... hadn't been?"
"It was in the past, you felt safe with him, which," Zac grit his teeth again. "Wasn't thrilling. But we wanted to make you feel safe at the time. All we've ever done is try to keep you safe."
He furrowed his eyebrows.
"How did all of this come about, anyway? I thought he had left after the reception?"
Avery blushed a little.
Taylor & Isaac
"And he is a friend. Now," Taylor pointed out, "I mean certain things we'll never forgive him for, but he's more than made up for them..."
"He really has tried to prove himself constantly," Isaac reasoned.
"We just... well I can't speak for Zac, but I certainly found it odd when you started living together-"
"Which no one told me about," Isaac looked to the ceiling.
"-Because just because we - Ike and I - were on good terms with him, we didn't think you'd ever be."
Avery & Zac
"I guess it must've felt even," Avery looked at the ground. "An eye for an eye and all that."
"You know, I probably would've gotten used to the idea, except for the way he used to look at you," Zac raised an eyebrow.
Avery blushed again.
"Avery? Did he do something?"
Isaac & Taylor
Isaac and Taylor both looked at her in sync.
"Avie?" Taylor frowned, suddenly feeling a chill creep down his spine.
Avery & Zac
"Don't worry, Taylor," Avery said, lowering her eyes again. "He didn't have your face on at the time."
"I'm gonna kill him," Zac announced, calmly. Then turned and punched Taylor in the arm.
Taylor & Isaac
"Ow!" Taylor exclaimed, grabbing his arm, "what was that for?!"
"He didn't have... Avie! What did you do?!" Isaac's eyes darted between hers.
"Do you really need her to spell it out?!" Taylor looked incredulous.
Zac & Avery
"He's not here, and he's here because of you," Zac shrugged. "I needed to punch him. I still need to punch him."
"Relax, this wasn't my first rodeo," Avery held her hands out. "Look, it just... we were arguing. And then..."
"He just fell into you?" Zac scoffed. "No, don't answer that."
Taylor & Isaac
"He is not here because of me! He's here for her!" Taylor indicated Avery, "I don't exactly get a say in the matter!"
Isaac cringed as their voices rose, and rubbed his forehead as he tried to think.
"When?" he asked simply.
Zac & Avery
"No, he exists because you of you," Zac replied, shaking his head. "I told you letting him near Avery was a bad idea. I knew he would try something."
Avery looked over at Isaac and shrugged a little.
"Last night... well, early this morning, if you want to get technical."
Taylor & Isaac
"Because I totally just said 'hey yeah, go for it!'" Taylor scorned.
"Everyone seems to think I have some sort of control over him! I don't! If anything, he has control over me!"
"After the wedding?" Isaac's eyebrows rose, not even sure why he was asking.
Zac & Avery
Zac scoffed. "Maybe if you'd let me punch his stupid face in, or break his hands, he couldn't have put them all over my little sister!"
"Yes," Avery nodded, and her eyes slid down to the floor. "I'm sorry. I hope you're not too disappointed in me."
Taylor & Isaac
"So now she's your little sister?! And what possibly makes you think that resorting to violence is the way to deal with Christian? For one, there are plenty of healers in Tulsa. And another, if you didn't always freeze people who pissed you off you would absolutely get your ass kicked even if he doesn't have telekinesis right now. He's a trained fighter, we aren't!"
Isaac sighed, debating how to answer that.
"I'm not lowering myself to double standards," he shrugged, "I won't do it. I'm not disappointed, I'm just questioning your choices. That's all."
Zac & Avery
"In this instance, yes, she is my little sister!" Zac snapped. "What, so you don't want to punch him, even though he violated her?"
Avery nodded and snuck a look up at him. "I can understand that. Truthfully, I don't know what I was thinking. I wasn't, I suppose. He showed me so many memories last night, and... I'm still angry, I am, but I also know that he did... he did always try to watch out for me. And he was honest, at crunch time. He didn't deny any of our history when questioned. I have to respect that."
Taylor & Isaac
"Of course I do! I want to knock him into next week!" Taylor insisted, "but it won't solve anything! Did you even notice that it was consensual?!"
Isaac nodded.
"As far as I know, he's always been honest with us. He's done a lot of lying to make up for," he thought back to when he'd impersonated Taylor to infiltrate the family, "and when it does come to crunch time, he's always been dependable. He's helped us out of many a sticky situation. I do respect that."
He paused.
"What I'm not really... okay with, I guess... is his DNA."
Zac & Avery
"She doesn't even know who she is," Zac scoffed. "It wasn't consensual. The real Avery would never have allowed that to happen."
Avery bit her lip.
"Yeah, I guess... I mean, I don't know how I felt before the amnesia, so it's hard to judge, but I've known him as Neal. With this face. The whole DNA thing didn't even really come to mind. I know it's weird."
Taylor & Isaac
"'Real' Avery?" Taylor's eyebrows rose, "have you ever considered that she might never get her memories back?!"
"ENOUGH!" Isaac shouted suddenly, closing both his brother's mouths with his telekinesis.
"That's understandable, I get it," he continued to Avery as if nothing had happened, "and he was... is, a friend to you. A friend to us."
He cast a pointed glance over his shoulder to the other two.
Zac & Avery
Zac narrowed his eyes and flipped Isaac the bird, before raising the temperature on the ground beneath Isaac's feet.
Avery nodded. "Truthfully, I don't know if I want to see him again."
At that, Zac gave a thumbs up.
Isaac & Taylor
"Well I doubt very much that you won't," Isaac reasoned, "Chris is someone we just can't really get away from. With... What the? Zac!"
He stepped aside and let his brothers go. Taylor just folded his arms.
Avery & Zac
"There's one thing that bothers me though," Avery said, scratching her shoulder. "Why he changed his name."
"There's a lot of things that bother me about Christian," Zac huffed.
"If you're not careful," Avery said, not taking her eyes from Isaac. "I'll show you what happened last night. I'm still mad at you."
Isaac & Taylor
"Maybe he just didn't want you to remember him at all?" Isaac suggested, "I don't believe many of your Christian-memories would have been good at all. Until, well..."
He gave Zac and Taylor a pointed look again.
"Whenever you started living together."
"She saw him before that, she saw him in rehab," Taylor frowned.
Zac & Avery
"Yeah, I'm not onboard with any of the Chris & Avery history that hasn't been you hating him, just FYI," Zac pointed out. "He really should've - "
His nose wrinkled up in disgust as Avery flicked a thought his way.
"Oh my God, I'm going to be sick."
Avery just smirked. "Stop being a dick."
Taylor & Isaac
Taylor flinched and took a step back from Zac, as if worried he was going to be hit with it indirectly.
"Zac? How about you finish setting up the kick drum?" Isaac suggested with intent.
"What is the time?" Taylor looked worried suddenly.
Zac & Avery
"Gladly," Zac nodded, scurrying off to do just that.
"I should let you get back to it," Avery said to Isaac. "Sorry for interrupting."
Taylor & Isaac
Taylor found a clock on the wall and immediately bolted after Zac.
"Hey, we always have time for our little sister. 'S," Isaac assured.
He gave her another quick hug.
"Thank you for at least hearing us out before going on a rampage."
Avery & Zac
"I might hang around for the show, if that's ok?" Avery asked, giving him a hug back.
"I uh... haven't actually seen you play. That I can remember."
Zac glanced at Taylor as he saw him rushing around.
Isaac & Taylor
"There is absolutely nothing we would want to do to stop you," Isaac assured as Taylor began to quickly check the piano.
"The girls are backstage with the kids if you want to head through there."
He pointed out a door to stage right.
Avery & Kate
"Thanks, Ike... I'll let you get back to it," Avery gave Isaac a quick peck on the cheek before she headed off backstage.
"Shep, don't flick your sister," Kate said, going to stop him. She looked up and saw Avery.
"Hey, Aves, the boys didn't tell us you'd be coming tonight."
"The boys didn't know," Avery grinned. She went over and gave Kate a kiss on the cheek, before going to greet Natalie and Nikki in much the same way.
Isaac, Nikki, Natalie, menagerie
"Hey girl!" Nikki greeted, wrapping an arm around her, "glad you could make it!"
"Auntie Avie!" Penny came running and attached herself to her Aunt's legs.
Natalie laughed from where she was sitting with Viggo.
Isaac, Nikki, Natalie, menagerie
"Hey girl!" Nikki greeted, wrapping an arm around her, "glad you could make it!"
"Auntie Avie!" Penny came running and attached herself to her Aunt's legs.
Natalie laughed from where she was sitting with Viggo.
Avery & Kate
"Hey Niks," Avery smiled. "How did you guys pull up after last night?"
"Zac very nearly didn't get out of bed this morning," Kate laughed. "Too much champagne for him."
"Hey there, Pennyloafer," Avery bent down and lifted Penny up into her arms. She gave her niece a kiss on the cheek.
Nikki, Natalie, menagerie
"Ike was pretty much the same," Nikki nodded, "but I made him get up anyway. 'Roe wanted him. And he owes me bigtime."
"I don't even think Taylor drank much last night," Natalie shrugged, "we were fine."
"So..." Nikki stepped closer, "Ike and I have a 'talk' scheduled for after the show, but... that guy you were with last night? Any goss?"
Natalie looked across at her, face flushing a little. Why was she asking now?
Avery & Kate
Avery blushed a little, and Kate immediately picked up on it.
"That's a yes!" Kate laughed.
"No, it's a no," Avery protested.
"Babe, you don't blush like that for no reason."
Natalie, Nikki, menagerie
Natalie frowned a little, unsure of what to make of what she was sensing from her.
"I overheard something about him kidnapping you? I mean... what? Sure he's hot, but..." Nikki went on.
Avery & Kate
"Um," Avery floundered for a second, not sure what to say. "It's really complicated."
"Evidently," Kate smirked a little. "But uh... did something happen?"
"No. Not really."
Natalie, Nikki, menagerie
Natalie offered her what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
"Not really?" Nikki's eyebrows rose as Penny ran off to play with the boys, "what's 'not really'? That means something kinda happened."
Avery & Kate
"Ummm, yeah," Avery nodded, looking down at her feet.
"Aww, Ave," Kate went over and put her arm around her. "Did it not... work out?"
"No, it's not that," she replied. "It's just... it was a mistake."
Nikki & Natalie
"Oh honey," Nikki's brow furrowed, and she got up to hug the side opposite Kate, "if you had fun, how could it be wrong?"
Nat began to feel uncomfortable, knowing that she knew a lot more than either Nikki or Kate. At least she'd spent some time with the guy, as confusing as it was...
Avery & Kate
"It's just really complicated," Avery floundered again, not knowing what to say. "He just... he told me about our history last night. It was... intense."
Kate nodded. "You know we're here, right, Aves? We're just teasing, but we are here if you need to talk or anything."
"I know," Avery managed a smile. "He's just... had a strange relationship with the family."
Natalie
Natalie considered that to be a major understatement, but decided she needed to step in and change the subject.
"So are you coming to any other shows, Avie? Or are you just going to hang in Tulsa? You're welcome to our house if you need some alone time, we could use a sitter..."
Avery & Kate
Avery shot Natalie a grateful look. "Um, well, Matt put me back in touch with my best friend from the Station, Lo. So, she's invited me out to stay with her for awhile, try and get some more blanks filled in."
"Ohhh, the little blondie from LA?" Kate asked. "You guys used to be attached at the hip. She'll be able to help you."
Nikki & Natalie
"Sounds great. I hope she helps," Natalie nodded.
Nikki spotted Everett disappearing down a hallway and suddenly took off after him, mind off 'Neal' already.
"Though I guess even being around us isn't really... have you actually remembered much, or is it still fuzzy?" Nat asked.
Avery & Kate
"Still fuzzy," Avery replied. "Some things I remember, but for the most part, it's blank."
"Must be frustrating," Kate said sympathetically. She opened her mouth to go on, but was interrupted by Junia starting to cry.
"Sorry, excuse me," she smiled, going off to tend to her youngest.
Natalie
Natalie set Viggo on the floor and got up to walk over to her.
"Sorry about that," she said softly, "I didn't know what to say. But... you and... and Chris?"
Avery
"It's ok," Avery shrugged, then rubbed at her eyes.
"It just... sort of happened. I don't know."
Natalie, Taylor & Isaac
Natalie took hold of her hand, letting her power soothe her a little.
"Don't worry, they'll get over it," she mused, "and speaking of..."
She turned as Taylor came through the door, followed by Isaac.
"Fans are coming in," he rubbed his hands together, "we cut that fine."
"You should watch stage side," Isaac said to Avery.
Zac & Avery
"I better go see how my babes are," Zac said, heading past to go find Kate and his kids.
"Thanks Nat," Avery said to her, then turned to Isaac. "Ok, sure."
Natalie, Isaac, Taylor & Nikki
Natalie smiled at her again, before rubbing her back and also going to wrangle kids.
~*~
A couple of hours later when the guys were about halfway through their set, Isaac stopped them between songs.
"We have a special occasion going on here tonight folks..." he said into the microphone.
"Our little sister is in the house, and we were wondering if she would help us out with this song..."
Taylor smirked to himself, knowing how the family hated to be brought on stage.
"...What are they doing?" Nikki looked confused.
"I don't know," Nat shook her head.
Avery, Zac & Kate
"Oh no," Avery read Zac's mind and tried to step back.
"They've never done this before, have they?" Kate asked, making a face.
"No!" Avery yelled out from her spot on the side of the stage. p>Zac chuckled and got up from behind the drums and went over to get her. He smiled charmingly and picked her up, slinging her easily over his shoulder and brought her back onstage to the cheers of the fans.
Isaac & Taylor
Isaac broke out laughing when he saw what Zac was doing.
"You're just delaying the inevitable," Taylor said into the microphone, a glint in his eye.
Zac & Avery
Zac set Avery down next to Isaac and ducked the punch he knew was coming, then grabbed her around the waist to stop her from running off.
"Noooooo!" Avery struggled, laughing.
Taylor & Isaac
"So, um..." Taylor continued into the mic, "this obviously isn't something that we usually do. Special occasion only. But... does someone want to play drums so that Zac can hold her?"
He chuckled as Isaac tried to get himself together.
Avery & Zac
Avery tried to pout, but she was laughing. "Lemme gooo!"
"Sorry, Aves," Zac chuckled, before pulling her in front of the mic that Isaac had recently vacated. "Everyone, give it up for our little sister, Avery!"
She blushed and ducked her head.
Isaac & Taylor
Isaac made his way over to Taylor, still laughing. Taylor spun the mic around so they both had access to it as Isaac pulled his guitar strap over his head and set the instrument aside.
"Okay, so," Taylor kept playing with the mic, "I think we need a little help here. Does everyone know... this is an old one, but does everyone know the song Soldier?"
Taylor grinned as the crowd reacted.
"I think we need a little help coaxing this out of her," Isaac added, leaning down to the mic, "she's not going to do this willingly. Unless everyone in this room convinces her to!"
Zac & Avery
Zac chuckled at the expression on Avery's face, and he positioned the mic so it was in between the two of them.
"I can't," Avery shook her head.
"Come on, Avery, you can't turn the good people down, can you?" Zac indicated the crowd. "If you won't do it for your three older brothers who love you and look after you - and two older brothers who I believe, did some nappy changes, Tay, Ike, am I right?"
Taylor & Isaac
"Right," Taylor nodded as Isaac said a pointed "yes!"
"Not to mention other things. Like puke," Taylor added.
Avery & Zac
"I have looked after you many a time, Taylor!" Avery protested.
"Not enough," Zac chuckled. "Come on, we're not letting you go until this happens."
"All three of you will pay for this," Avery pointed at the three of them.
"I think that's a yes, folks!"
Taylor & Isaac
"Oh I know we are," Taylor said, a little high pitched.
He let his fingers rest over the keys.
"Ready?" Isaac's eyebrows rose comically.
Avery & Zac
Avery rolled her eyes and stepped over to the mic.
"Can I hear the story about the one legged soldier? Please?" she glared at Zac.
Zac chuckled, and hugged her close.
"And can you tell me the story of the soldier? Please? ... One more time... or I'll knock your nose off."
The crowd went wild.
Taylor & Isaac
Taylor hit the piano as Isaac took the mic.
"Not so long ago in a toy room not so far away, lived a boy who had so many toys and he... didn't know what to do with them all, with them all... with them all..."
Taylor grinned as he heard the crowd sing along.
Zac & Avery
Zac wrapped an arm around Avery's waist as she buried her head in his shoulder.
"Well his favourite of all the toys were the tin soldiers, the tin soldiers..."
They sang on until it was time for Avery's next line.
"But what about the ballerina?"
Isaac & Taylor
"As he sat on the mantel piece to dry from the river, the ballerina who held his heart sat at his side. And when they got up to dance with each other, she fell by the fire blazing bright..."
Taylor came in with emphasis.
"When he jumped to save her from the flames, their bases began to melt into one and the same... And now they share each other's destiny, together forever they will be..."
Zac & Avery
Zac joined in for his harmonies, and Avery sang along with him quietly, blushing furiously.
When it was over, he released his hold on his sister and kissed her cheek. She immediately headed for her position on the side of the stage again.
Taylor, Isaac, Nikki, Natalie
"Avery Hanson everybody!" Taylor led the applause as Isaac started laughing again.
He straightened up and went to fetch his guitar, before taking it back to his microphone.
"And on with the show!" he exclaimed, before bursting into In The City."
The girls took Avery's arms to help her from the stage.
"Are you okay?" Natalie asked, unable to hold back her giggles.