Ava Mills (notahale) wrote in onewaythreads, @ 2017-11-29 21:56:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, ava mills, peter hale |
Who: Ava and Peter
Where: On the street
When: Thursday evening a long time ago
What: An unexpected reunion
Status: Complete
It had taken Ava some time to stop growling about Peter being here. Memories that she had shoved into the back of her mind came roaring back to the front. Memories of her and Peter, happy together, laughing together. Loving together. Those were the good memories, the ones where he’d kept her warm with his arms around her. The groans he made when she’d massage his shoulders and work out a tough knot.
Then were the other memories that included the huge fight they’d gotten into. The angry accusations and ugly words. Then the tears and heartache. Fucking Peter just HAD to be here to bring all that back up in Ava’s mind.
In an effort to distract herself from all of it she took extra shifts at the cafe. She would have kept going tonight except her boss kicked her out before she went into overtime. She was told to take the next two days off or she was fired...for two days. That was annoying, but she didn’t want to lose her job so out into the street she went.
A moment before Ava bumped into someone she caught his scent. Her eyes lifted as her lips set into an instant scowl. Peter. In the flesh. “....shit.”
*
Peter was a mixed bag of emotions right now. First Ava showed up in Preya. He never actually thought he would see her again. Not after the way things had ended between them. But here she was. And she wa still pretty pissed off at him. And then there was the fact that something made him lose control and he ended up killing Lydia. All he had wanted from her was her help and things went downhill when she tried.
He couldn’t stay cooped up in his place anymore, so he had decided to go out. He had no real heading, he just walked.
Until somebody bumped into him. No, not just somebody. Ava. He looked up and over at her. “And hello to you too.”
*
She was ready to light into him, tear him a new one for cheating on her all those years ago, but her righteous anger died before it reached her lips when Ava got a good look at Peter’s face. She knew that look. That kicked puppy dog look. She’d seen it before. Hell, she’d put it on his face once that she knew about. Her anger switched focus seeing this. Nobody put that look on his face except her!
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Almost a demand really. “And don’t tell me ‘nothing’ because I know better.”
*
Running into somebody who knew him pretty well meant that he couldn’t lie. Especially not to Ava. Because he really did want to say nothing, but as she very well put it, she knew better. “I did something on Halloween night that I’m not very proud of.” He knew something made him lose control that night, but that didn’t mean he felt good about it. He really didn’t want to talk to Ava about it either, but he had a feeling she was going to drag it out of him someway, somehow.
*
Ava crossed her arms as she gave a heavy sigh through her nose. He looked good, even with that sour look on his face. Kept in shape. Not that it was hard for their kind to maintain peak physical condition, but the last time she’d seen him neither of them had reached their full maturity. Peter aged pretty well and Ava was as immune to that as she was to his pout.
“You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you?” She sighed again then reached to open the door to the cafe she just left. “Come on. Brews are on me.”
*
Peter knew that look that Ava had. He had seen it plenty of times before. She really didn't want o play nice and yet she was pushing back however she truly felt and played nice. Honestly, she didn't have to. He knew things between them were bad and he didn't expect any kind of help from her whatsoever.
"Apparently not." It wasn't like he had been looking for it. Not that night. He had wanted help and instead he got himself into more trouble. And now it was actually slowly eating away at him. "Alright." He followed Ava inside the cafe, wondering how great of an idea this was.
*
As soon as they walked in they were greeted with a chorus of “AVA OUT!” She replied by flipping off her co-workers as she shouted back. “I’M A FUCKING CUSTOMER SO SHUT IT AND MAKE A FRESH POT OF THE STRONG STUFF!” Then they all burst out laughing, and even Ava grinned as she made a beeline for a two top near the back.
She let Peter have the seat with the clearest view of the exits with his back to the wall. He was upset which to their kind meant twitchy and nervous. They might get into a fight still, but at least this would nullify the possibility of collateral damage.
Ava sat down, leaned against the back of her chair as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked dead on at Peter. She wouldn’t bring up whatever was bugging him until they had their coffee. The employees didn’t need to overhear that shit.
“Been a while,” she said instead.
*
Peter didn't say anything even when Ava started to speak loudly to the workers that were behind the counter. It was typical Ava, so it really didn't surprise him one bit. Things might have changed between them, but it was kind of nice to see that Ava hadn't changed too much.
He took a seat, back to the wall, escape plan already in his head if he needed to take it. Whether it was because he didn't want to be around Ava anymore or because of some new bizzaro thing that decided to pop up all of a sudden. Either way, he had an out.
"A very long while," he said as he gave Ava his full attention. "We don't really have to do this, you know."
*
“This is us, Peter.” Ava’s lips pulled to the side. She was older. Rougher around the edges, but her mannerisms hadn’t changed. She still had the little quirks she’d had back when things were great. “It’s going to happen sooner or later. Might as well be under controlled circumstances.” And when she was more than a little disarmed by that cute pout of his.
She immediately went back to the This they needed to have. “You look good. We heard about the fire. I’m sorry. Your family was always good to me.”
*
“It is…” Peter kept his eyes on her. “You’re right.” She was. They couldn’t stay away from each other forever. Preya was big, but it wasn’t as big as the united states. They were bound to run into each other at some point and that point just seemed to be now. He couldn’t help but take a quick look around before he snickered a bit. Just because there were a handful of people around, didn’t mean anything. If something was going to happen, it was going to happen.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” A little older, but she still looked good. “We?” He was more interested in that than talking about the fire in any kind of way.
*
Gideon had told her to talk to Peter. Ava just hadn’t decided to do that yet, but literally bumping into him negated her indecision. The big lug’s words were rattling around in her head as if he were right behind her. Give him a chance. Fucking Gideon.
Ava nodded as one of the baristas brought them a big pot of coffee and two large mugs. She gave her co-worker a tight smile but waited until they were gone before picking the conversation back up. “Word got around. You know how these things are, especially when an Argent is involved. There were packs that let me run with them before I found one I was comfortable with. We looked out for each other so yeah. I was told.”
*
Peter didn't say anything else while the coffee pot and mugs were set down on the table. No one really needed to hear any part of their conversation. And once the woman was gone, his eyes were back on Ava, watching her every move.
"I know very well how fast word travels. I just never realized it traveled that far." Everyone knew about the fire in Beacon Hills. Word had spread pretty damn fast. He just never knew how far past Beacon Hills the news had traveled. "Maybe it was a good thing that we weren't together anymore." She would have more than likely been at the house as well when the fire started instead of running with another pack of wolves. "I'm glad that you were able to find another pack, though." They might have ended things on a bad note, but he never stopped caring about her.
*
Ava wasn’t sure how Peter had escaped the fire, but he had as well as Derek. The part of her that was still pissed at him, didn’t trust him believed he’d done something to save his own skin. But then she remembered Gideon’s words. If Ava was going to give Peter the benefit of the doubt she had to start now.
“I’m glad you and Derek managed to keep your pretty skins from being fried.” What? The Hale family ran pretty! Ava smirked, but mention of her pack changed her smile to something more sorrowful. “It didn’t last. Argent found us. We were outnumbered.”
*
“I think you mean only Derek,” Peter pointed out. Derek had only been saved because he hadn’t even been home. Peter on the other hand had been in the house that night. He might never admit it, but that night still haunted him from time to time. “I was there. In the fire.”
Of course Argent found them. It wasn’t a shocker. Especially with how ruthless that bastard was. And it seemed like Monroe was just as bad if not worse. “I’m sorry” He didn’t really know what else to say. But sorry seemed good enough.
*
Ava’s brows came down sharply for being corrected by him. She’d hated it when he’d done that before. She hated it even more now. But before she could snap at him he told her the truth. It took the wind right out of her sails. “....geezus, Peter.” She couldn’t even imagine what that had been like. Well, maybe she had an idea.
At his sympathy, Ava paled a bit as she remembered the hailfire of bullets that had hit them from all sides. She had to swallow against a throat gone dry as she leaned back in her chair then pulled down the collar of her shirt. A line of recently healed bullet wound scars that started at her collarbone then disappeared under her shirt, but they obviously led to over her heart.
“I was going to die along with them. Then I got the offer to come here. And like a coward I took the offer to cling to whatever life I could have.”
*
"I wouldn't recommend getting burned. It's no fun whatsoever." He had to joke about it now or thinking about it would just piss him off again. And it would do him no good because Kate wasn't here, so it wasn't like he could track her down and finally kill her for what she did.
He leaned forward a bit when Ava showed off her bullet scars. He was sure there were more that he just couldn't see, but he got the idea of how bad it had been for her.
He shook his head at what she had said. "It doesn't make you a coward. You did what you had to do to survive. Isn't that what we always have to do?"
*
There were a lot more, actually. Her back was a veritable scar constellation. They were all faint and fading, but they’d been bullets laced with wolvesbane. It was taking a while. Fact was she’d been here longer than she was telling anyone. Ava had spent a week in the hospital when she first got here.
“They were pack,” she said in a voice gone thick with emotion. Only someone who knew her well would catch it, however. “I wasn’t there when my family died, and I didn’t die with my pack. Why should I live and not them?” This was stuff she hadn’t even said to Gideon! Why the hell was she dumping it on Peter? She’d be fucked if she knew.
*
If they were alone somewhere and not out in public, Peter would definitely ask to see any other scars she had from the attack, but since they were in public, he wouldn’t ask. Although, he was starting to wonder just how long Ava had been in Preya. He would ask, but he had a feeling that was something that she wouldn’t share. So, no point.
The attack still got to Ava, Peter could tell just by the tone in her voice. “Because somebody has to go after the ones who did this. It might as well be you when you do decide to go back.”
*
Ava looked at Peter and let her eyes bleed to yellow briefly. A small, but feral smile lifted the corner of her lips. It wasn’t that the idea hadn’t crossed her mind, but she hadn’t really thought about going back. Ava had just been relieved to be alive even if she did carry some guilt.
“What about you?” she asked. “What’s put that kicked puppy dog look on your face.” Ava had called it that when they’d been together. She was pretty certain he liked it as much now as he did then.
*
Peter had a feeling that was the response he would get from Ava and a small but faint smile crossed his lips for a moment. “I would help you,” he offered. They might not be on the best of terms, but he would go into a fight with Ava. Especially when it involved hunters who murdered packs.
He had hopeed the conversation wouldn’t head back in his direction, but there it was. “Did you notice anything strange, feeling anything strange the week of Halloween?”
*
She wasn’t sure she was willing to take any kind of help from Peter. She wasn’t sure she’d refuse it either. Ava felt like she was in limbo walking a knife’s edge. She could fall in either direction, toward Peter or away. What she got from him today and in the near future would determine that.
“You mean those wacky kids?” Ava grimaced with a wrinkle of her nose. “Little bastards almost got put under my bike.”
*
If Ava wanted his help, he would help her, and if she didn’t, he would back off and let her deal with it however she wanted. When it came down to it, it was up to Ava.
“Yes, and the jack-o-lanters with the notes attached. But there was something else. Something off in the air. Whatever it was...it got to me. I couldn't control myself…”
*
Ava was pissed at Peter. Had been for years. Until now, she would have said there was nothing that could make her forgive him, feel for him again. Sympathize. Until now. Until she heard that. There wasn’t a wolf alive who hadn’t lost control at some point. Usually it was when they were young or just after the bite while they were learning. Every wolf had some guilt for that so Ava knew how Peter was feeling.
Understanding softened her expression and eyes as she reached across the table to offer her hand if he wanted it. You didn’t get in the personal space of an upset wolf. “Geezus, Peter.”
*
Peter honestly didn’t know how Ava would react to what he was saying. And he wasn’t even done yet. There was still more to it, but so far she seemed to calm down a bit. Any anger she had was put side and for a moment it was starting to feel like the way things used to be. Before it all went downhill. He reached out for a moment, touched the tip of her fingers before pulling his hand away. “I tried to hide out at my place. I thought if I just stayed in and stayed away from everyone it would be fine. I couldn’t hold back after the third day. I left. Tried seeking help…”
*
At least he took a little of the comfort that she offered. It was a good sign in Ava’s mind. She didn’t care if he didn’t comfort from her, but he needed it from someone. The fact that he did accept even a little told her a lot about where his mind was about this. Screwed up.
“Peter…” Ava sighed softly. Her tone might be a little disappointed, but there was nothing but anguish in her eyes for him. “You never did figure out the pack thing, did you.” He waited too long to get help, but that was a conversation for another day.
“Listen,” she said quietly. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to relive it all again.” What she said next was both hard and easy for her. “But I’m here for you. Just know that.” That was difficult because of how much hurt was between her and Peter, and she was volunteering herself to swallow her anger and help him. Yet, it was easy because you had to be there for another wolf when they needed it.
*
He moved his hand away and leaned back in the chair. “Nope,” he simply said. He might have helped Scott’s pack, but he wasn’t part of it. He was an Omega and he was fine with it. Even if Ava thought it was a bad thing.
“I don’t.” He really didn’t. He honestly didn’t want to think about it anymore. All he wanted to do was move on and forget about that horrible night. “Thank you, though.” He knew how much Ava disliked him and yet she took the time to talk to him. It might have felt like old times, for a moment, he wasn’t delusional. He knew things were still pretty screwed between them. And it probably always will be.
*
Ava thought Peter being all right with the role of Omega was a bad thing was because she knew what kind of potential he had. Even now she could see it in his eyes hiding behind his guilt and pain. The idiot.
Niceties over...Peter seemed to be dealing with it, or at least said as much...Ava got a more chilly expression. “So. A daughter. Old enough that she could have been mine, but surprisingly isn’t. Care to expand on that?”
*
Peter should have known Malia would have been brought up at some point. He just didn’t know it would be right now. The look on Ava’s face was no longer full of concern or anything along the lines of caring. He wasn’t surprised.
He drummed his fingers on the table top for a moment, trying to figure out how exactly to say it. But there really wasn’t a nice way to ease into it. “It was during one of our fights. I met Corinne and one thing led to another. Not that I remembered anything about her or Malia since Talia messed with my memories.”
*
Ava sighed to have it all confirmed. Surprisingly, it hurt as much now to know he had cheated on her. It didn’t matter that it had been the dying days of their relationship. That was all a painful memory for her. She rubbed slender fingers at her forehead.
This time when she looked at him with a frown on her face it wasn’t for him. “Talia did what? Why?!” That was fucked up! There couldn’t be any good reason to do that!
*
It sucked having to talk about these things, but Ava had wanted answers and that was he was doing, giving her answers, no matter how much they may hurt.
“Knowing her, she probably thought she was doing it for my own good.” He didn’t really know and it wasn’t like he could just up and ask her. He also had a feeling that wasn’t the only time she had done it.
*
Ava’s frown deepened. She had liked Peter’s sister. She had been as sad for the loss of Talia as she had been for her own family. This cast a new shadow on her memories of the older she-wolf, one that was darker and unforgiving.
“She should have asked,” she insisted. “Even if she was your Alpha you still get a choice about things like that.” It as something Ava had learned in the Montana pack.
*
Peter saw the expression on Ava’s face and knew that he probably shattered Ava’s view on Talia. His sister wasn’t perfect. He knew that and seen the things she had done. Ava on the other hand got to see the better side of Talia.
“That wasn’t the point. She wasn’t going to ask me. I would have said no. Why would I want to forget them? I wouldn’t have. She obviously thought she could make a better decision for me and did what she did.”
*
“Which was fucking wrong,” Ava insisted in a quiet but firm tone. Even her eyes took on a more golden tint for a moment. It was pointless to get angry and she knew it. It was too late and Talia was dead. She didn’t know if there was anything that could be done to get his memories back.
She sighed as she pushed her hand over her forehead then through her hair. She had gone into this wanting to tell him off but now all she wanted to do was hold him until he felt better. This was so fucked.
Finally she looked back to Peter. “Make me a promise.”
*
“Not in her eyes, I’m sure.” He was pretty sure Talia thought she was doing right when she had done it. “Not that it matters much anymore.” Talia was dead and it happened years and years ago.
He drummed his fingers on the table top for a moment, stopping when Ava spoke again. “What kind of promise?” He wasn’t going to make a promise on anything if he didn’t know what he was promising.
*
Peter’s suspicion earned him a bland look from Ava. “Nothing horrible or life threatening,” she assured him with sarcasm dripping from her words. “I know better than that.” Even when things were good between them, before Peter had started manipulating Derek, there were lines Peter would cross...in the name of self-preservation, but he’d gone more selfish as time went on.
“Talk to me when it gets bad,” she said finally. “I get why you won’t turn to the others, but I’m not them.”
*
“What is it then?” If it wasn’t horrible or life threatening then it was something else and Peter wanted to know.
Was that all that Ava wanted from him? HOnestly, he was a little surprised. Sure they had been talking for the past forty five minutes, but he hadn’t really expected anything to come from this little talk. “I know you’re not,” he simply said, “But if it’ll make you feel better...I will come to you whenever it gets bad.”
*
She was a little surprised he agreed so readily. The rest of his life must be pretty fucked up for this to be easy for him. That or he wasn’t as over her as she wasn’t him. That wasn’t something Ava was going to entertain right now, however.
“Good.” Her brows lifted over her light blue-green eyes as she pointed a finger at Peter. “I mean it. I’ll be watching and I am way more stubborn than you.”
*
Peter was a little surprised with himself. But, he also figured being completely on his own hadn’t worked or he wouldn’t have done what he did. He needed somebody. And, well, he never completely got over Ava, so why not agree to talk to her if he needed to?
As she started pointing and warning him, a smile crept across his face. “I have no doubt about any of that. And trust me, I haven’t forgotten.”
*
There was that smile. The one that had charmed her all those years ago. The one she’d watch disappear slowly. It was good to see it again. Seeing it brought out a smile of her own, regardless of how she felt about it showing. And Ava couldn’t help but wonder what else he hadn’t forgotten.
Since she had just gotten off work before running into Peter she had a notepad. It was pulled out and she wrote her cell number on a page before tearing it out then sliding it across the table to Peter. “Don’t abuse that. No dick pics.”
*
Peter grabbed the paper and looked it over for a moment before he stuffed it into his jacket pocket. “Oh, well, now you just ruined my fun,” he joked.
Now that they had talked a bit, he was actually glad that he ran into Ava today. He wasn’t as lost in his head anymore and hopefully this put them back on a good path. “So, where were you heading before we ran into each other?”
*
Ava snorted with a wry expression on her face that said she realized she’d just put ideas into his head. Peter wasn’t really in that mode, but he easily could be. She recognized the signs. It was good to see after the man she’d run into on the street. Peter was an ass, but he didn’t deserve to look like he’d been kicked.
“Home,” she said with a glare at her co-workers. “Apparently I work too much.”
*
Peter just smiled. Just because she said that he couldn’t send her that type of stuff didn’t mean he couldn't annoy her with other things.
He followed her glare and then looked back at Ava. “I believe it.”
*
Peter earned himself a mild glare for that. “Shut up.” That being brought up, Ava finished her coffee then stood up. “C’mon. You can walk me to my bike.” Of course she had a bike. She never went anywhere without one anymore.
*
“Of course you have your bike here.” Peter was not at all surprised by that. He stood up and followed Ava out. “Thank you,” he said once they reached Ava’s bike, “for talking to me.”
*
It was the same Harley she’d had in Beacon Hills. There was more wear and tear on it, but she’d kept it in good condition. The seat was stitched in a few places. The tank bore a dent, but the chrome and clear coat were pristine.
Ava paused before getting on the bike then turned to look at Peter. He never expressed gratitude very much, let alone like that. It made her heart go squish which put a crooked smile on her face. “You’re an asshole, Peter. But,” you’re my asshole, “there’s hope for you yet.”
Then, before she could think about it, she pulled him into a hug...whether he liked it or not.
*
When he took a better look, Peter had noticed that it was the same bike Ava rode before. It just showed a little bit of its age, but not much.
Saying thanks to anyone really wasn’t his thing, but he was trying to change. That was the whole point of being Preya, wasn’t it? “Thanks...I think.” When she pulled him into a hug, he kinda hesitated at first before he put his arms around her and hugged her back.
*
Ava kept the hug brief. The feel of him against her, in her arms, it brought back too many memories. She needed to get away from him. Now! There was a bit of a haunted look in her eyes as she let him go, but she turned her head to keep him from seeing. It helped that she turned the action into getting on her bike.
“I’d offer you a ride,” she said as she started the bike up, “but I know how you feel about riding bitch.”
*
After the hug, Peter took a step back onto the sidewalk. He hadn’t caught the look on Ava’s face since she had made sure that he couldn’t see it.
He snickered a little. “I’m good anyway.” He didn’t mind having to walk home. “Talk to you later?”
*
“Yeah, sure,” Ava said. Whether Preya had helmet laws or not, Ava didn’t wear one. Putting her bike down wouldn’t do more than piss her off. So the bike was revved to warm up the engine as she gave Peter a wink. “See ya.”