Avalee approached the Gray's door a little after noon. She was nervous. But she couldn't decide if it was a rational nervousness. Stacey wouldn't hurt her, she knew that. It may have just been nervous about seeing her again. It had been a while. She took slow, yet determined steps up to the front door. It really was a beautiful house.
In one hand was a cake. Small enough for about four people. It was chocolate, with pretty frosting on it. She figured Stacey might want some cake. Pregnant women were hungry a lot right? She wasn't all that sure she hadn't been around a lot of pregnant women in her time. In her other hand was a small pink flower planted in a pot. She wore simple light skinny jeans and a loose light blue hippie-type shirt. She wore Axel's ring on a chain around her neck. She rubbed it one last time, and then she rang the doorbell.
Stacey opened the door just as the doorbell rang through the house. Avalee`s precense had been all too easy to feel; it had been like a dark blob coming ever closer. She had felt an onslaught of emotions as the girl entered the ring around the house. The feelings were almost unbearable, and she had to block most of Aves`s mind out of her own.
"Avalee, hi. I wasn`t expecting you." That was a lie, but Aves didn`t need any creepy-mind thing bothering her on top of whatever else was. "Come in, come in."
"Thank you Stacey." She said with forced emotion, there to hide the rest.
She smiled slightly, but not a genuine smile. Not her, not her at all. She knew Stacey was smart and knew what was going on inside her head. But best not to start off with that. She stepped inside the house. It smelled nice, and seemed perfect for the Aiden and Stacey. A growing family. At the thought of that, she was almost jealous.
"These are for you." She handed over the small cake all wrapped up, and the happy plant.
"Of course, thank you for the cake and flower." She returned the smile and set the two objects on the counter that connected the living room to the kitchen. Directing Avalee to the couch, she continued.
"Would you like something to drink? What brings you here?" She asked kindly, resting her hands over her rather large stomach. She could tell that something was bothering Aves, but not what. She had no motivation to check the girl`s mind.
"I really wanted to see how you were doing. Just haven't seen you in a while. Needed someone to talk to." She shrugged.
Avalee admitted. She looked up to Stacey. She had gone through a lot, and was still strong and kind. And she really did want to know how she was doing. And she really needed someone to talk to. She hadn't had a real conversation in a while. And she needed someone strong.
She brushed her bangs out of her eyes, a nervous habit. Her facade of a smile faded. Stacey could see through the mask, of course she could.
Stacey nodded and eased herself into an armchair. Moving around was getting more and more difficult as she got bigger around the middle. Avalee was obviously upset, and it was obvious that she didn`t just stop by because she wanted to visit. Hell, Aves was still probably scared of her.
"Okay. Was there anything in particular you wanted to talk about?" She asked after a moment. She couldn`t just scan the girl`s mind like she used to be able to. Her powers were extremely limited now with her being pregnant.
Avalee bit her lip deciding. She really wanted to know how Stacey was doing. How the tiny fetuses were. But she also wanted to cry and to talk to someone who would understand, and would care. How would she put it? What would she say? Anxiety rose in her tummy. She wanted to scream. She sat there in awkward anxiety filled scilence.
A single tear fell from her eye.
"My boyfriend was killed..." She said the words clearly and quietly.
Stacey watched Avalee for a moment, ignoring the tear. The girl could cry if she wanted to, there was no reason to hold back. She must know that. Maybe she was tired of crying, and just didn`t have anything left in her to cry with.
"I`m so sorry, Avalee," she said softly, getting and and sitting beside the child. "Do you want to talk about it?" Her tone was open and sincere; she knew what it was like to lose someone. Avalee would have to be the one to decide what she wanted to say, though, if anything. Stacey wasn`t going to force her into talking.
She got chills on her arms. Avalee really didn't know why either. She wasn't cold.
"How am I supposed to act. I just don't understand what I'm supposed to do. Th-this has never happened before to m-me. Don't know. Just don't know." A second tear dripped from her eye. She was surprised. How many tears did she have left?
That's the part she hated. The not knowing.
(Sorry for shortness)
Stacey watched Avalee for a few moments, unsure of what to say. She had never really been good at comforting people, but Avalee? She didn`t understand why the kid had come here, of all places. After what happened. Yeah, Stacey had forgiven her and Aiden, but there was still a scar there. Aves had been scared of her for the longest time. So why was she here?
"You have to go on with your life. You can`t let anything stop you. Just because one thing happened doesn`t mean you have to remember it forever. Put it... behind you. Talk to someone about it. Don`t let it hold you up," she started, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Actually, now that she thought about it, Avalee now reminded Stacey of herself after Niles had left. He had been the world to her, everything and more. Obviously she had gotten past that. It was all in your head, really. Once you let them go, things got so much easier. Of course, Niles wasn`t dead...
((Lol. You do know her character is like seventeen, right? Sorry for creepin' ;) ))
((Ssshh! She`s a kid to Stacey! (= ))
"W-won't he be, I don't know, mad at me. I don't want to trash his memory....I though I was in love..." She looked down at the ground.
Aiden slowly walked down the stairs, having just woke up. He slowly walked down the staircase wearing a black wife-beater with gray and black plaid shorts. He had a toothbrush in his mouth and had come downstairs to ask Stacey something. It wasn't until he was halfway down the stairs that he felt something off.
He tilted his head to one side and peeked around the corner of the wall. He saw Stacey who was talking to someone that was out of his visual. He slowly rounded the corner and saw that Avalee was with her. He hid his surprise but curiousity was plain on his face.
"Avalee?" He called, now remembering he still had a toothbrush in his mouth.
A few tears were on her face as she turned. Aiden, wearing pajamas. She was intruding. Avalee was suprised, but knew she shouldn't be. It was his house too. Inside she felt strange. She kept waiting for that flip in her stomach that mean she still liked him. She waited. And waited. It didn't happen. She didn't like him anymore. It was somehow relieving. But then she remembered. She was in love with a dead man.
"Uh----uh, hi Aiden." She said her voice cracking and stuttering. She avoided his eyes, not wanting to look into them, and show him her pain.
*Sh!t.* Stacey thought to herself as she felt Aiden moving on the floor above her. She wished she could warn him or something, but she wasn`t supposed to use her mental powers much. She heard him move down the stairs, his footfalls making soft sounds. He peeked around the corner and she saw that he had his toothbrush still in his mouth, his hair all messy and cute.
"Aiden, love, Avalee came by to visit. She wanted to talk about something that had happened a few days ago." She carefully stood up, gently squeezing Avalee`s shoulder as she did so.
((I'm gonna wait for Aiden on this one!))
Aiden face turned serious as he looked at both of them. His skin felt hot with a weird feeling he couldn't name. Whatever the girls were talking about, it was important. So Aiden quickly wiped his mouth and sat his toothbrush down on the table. He looked from Avalee, to Stacey, to back to Avalee.
Aiden cleared his throat.
"What is it?" He asked, his eyes turning a darker shade.
Avalee still wouldn't meet his eyes as he saw the situation. She wiped the remaining tears off her face. She looked down at the floor. Waiting for Stacey to answer. She couldn't speak the words again. She just couldn't.
She really wanted to get up an leave. Didn't want to deal. As usual. But she had to. Was there any chance this would make her feel better?
Stacey took Aiden`s hand and laced their fingers together. Sending him a mental message was easier with the physical contact.
-Her boyfriend, Axel Lockheart, was killed,- she sent to him. Her eyes were on the girl, though. After a silent moment she moved and sat on the couch again. "Avalee, if you ever want someone to talk to or if you want to talk more about this, I want you to know that you can come to me. I may not have the best advice for you, but I`ll try my best. You need to confront these feelings, you can`t just let them run over you." Her voice was soft and even. Growing up an only child was hard, and Aves was honestly probably the closest she was going to get to a younger sister. Something about the child made Stacey want to protect her, to keep her from the evils of the world.
-Stupid hormones.-