Fixer Uppers

Going out with Keiran was wrong.

That wasn’t how it happened at all. The wording was horrible, but Avery couldn’t bring herself to say anything. Why was it that any time he opened his mouth she couldn’t speak? It only seemed to happen that way when he was angry with her. She sort of felt like her mum was yelling at her again about Claire or pretty much anything else. If her mouth wasn’t hanging open in shock it would be a miracle. Literally.

Unfortunately, it meant that when he tried to calm her with his almost admission of his feelings, she couldn’t even react. Instead, the instant he left the room she let out the breath she was holding and sank down to sit atop the table. Avery wasn’t sure how long she sat there, but in the end any intention of going back to the spare room was abandoned. The couch looked far too inviting and after not being able to sleep the night before, she decided to pick up the book again and try to read herself to sleep.

It wasn’t until about seven or eight in the morning that Avery realized that she hadn’t fallen asleep. Of all of the miserable twists of fate, she had to end up with this one. Groaning, she forced herself to sit up and glance around the room. There was no way he would be up yet, she knew, so the only option was to find something to do with herself.

Breakfast.

That she could handle. No pancakes, though. The very idea of making pancakes for him, in that kitchen, screamed memories of their brunch fiasco and she was having none of it. Cereal would have to do. She could worry about the circles under her eyes and the fact that she hadn’t even put on pajamas later.

- - -

Four days of awkwardness had passed, leaving Avery convinced that the only thing she could do to make anything better was go back to work. So, rising early each day, she would leave the house before he woke and spend the day trying to focus on anything else. Unfortunately, most her thoughts  inevitably strayed to the person who couldn't do anything but mean everything. Not that Robin ever seemed to understand that.

Deciding that she wasn't quite up to socializing despite being back at work for three days, Avery chose to take her lunch in her office. At least while she was there, she could pretend to do paperwork regarding what she had missed during her time off. Of course, that probably wouldn't be accomplished at all. No, indeed; almost immediately after she sat down and took a drink from her cup, her mind drifted to her biggest moments with Robin.

How many of those were real, and not part of some bet or part of his feeling required to care because of the law? He was, in theory, stuck with her for life, so why wouldn't he try and make it at least seem proper? Especially when she tried to put in so much effort, and was completely serious about anything and everything she said or did. Avery had never hid her feelings or made up new ones. Not until now.

She was certain that he had read her note, seen her gift. But he had failed to say anything about it, and apparently had followed up with their agreement to keep from buying Christmas gifts. Avery couldn't remember either of them actually wishing the other a happy Christmas. She wasn't even sure that they had gotten close enough to touch since that late conversation. Somehow, the nights weren't as rough anymore, though she never slept long enough to erase the circles under her eyes. Her co-workers had frequently questioned her on if things were going badly at home or if she had gotten hurt. Avery hadn't replied to any of them truthfully, as the answer to both questions was "yes".

Her thoughts strayed to those times that she had been so sure, but now couldn't figure out. One of those, unfortunately, had been her and Robin's first kiss.

"Finally, a decent song." Avery gasped out as he pulled her back towards him. There had been almost an entire half hour of dull songs meant to start out the night before someone had finally talked the DJ into playing something more up-beat and social. When the first few notes of the song started, Avery had immediately known what to expect, and had shot a blinding grin at Robin until he agreed to dance with her.

Avery was a little surprised, but massively pleased, to find out that Robin actually knew how to swing dance. It was one of the few styles that she felt confident dancing, and was definitely one of the most entertaining. Her heart was racing as they shuffled through the triple steps, her hand grasping his shoulder to keep from flying away as he turned them through one of the variations. A laugh burst from her lips as he sent her out and pulled her back in.

The music slowed as the bridge came around and she let her chin rest on his shoulder as the steps slowed to match it. Triple steps turned into single steps and her hand brushed over the back of his neck. She nearly frowned when the music picked up again, covering it up by singing along and offering him a grin.

When she was sent out again, her eyes found his and Avery couldn't help but think that even in his slightly sweaty, mildly red-faced state he looked completely perfect. Bloody hell. She was entirely doomed, was almost certainly falling for him, and here he was bringing a date to Keiran's wedding - one that definitely wasn't her. Somehow she just couldn't bring herself to care, though. He was here, dancing with her, and and she didn't care. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Avery smiled at him fully, twisting her feet and hips along with the music.

Something about his smile and the way he was watching her made her toss him a look that was far too much like a 'come hither' look for her own liking - a glance out of the corner of her eyes as she spun past him to swap positions on the dance floor. It came with a teasingly coy smile that felt entirely absurd. Avery nearly blushed as he switched hands and her back came flush against his front. A gasp burst out from her lips as she looked up at him, her nose inches from his. Nearly tripping over her feet, she had to glance down so she could breathe again.

Robin really couldn't remember the last time he had been so productive. He had packed his days with solo Quidditch practice, minor robberies, and even subjected himself to meetings with Misha to discuss family business. Robin wouldn't admit it but for the first time he hated being in the empty house when Avery was at work. The longer she remained upset with him, the more likely he was becoming to get a raise. The young man had never had to much work ethic in his life and he wasn't built to handle such strenuous effort, leaving him pleasantly tired at the end of each long day.

Robin really wasn't sure when the tables had turned on him. One moment he had been yelling at Keiran with Avery apologizing and seconds later he had been made into the enemy. He wasn't sure why, but Avery had a remarkable way of making him feel like a guilty child even when he couldn't figure out what he had done wrong. Maybe it was a Bishop thing - he could remember withering in the same way under Claire's piercing gaze.

Today had come to an uncomfortable lull between practicing and a trip to Knockturn he had planned for the afternoon. Robin had been sitting in the same London pub for almost an hour, killing time until his meetings and not having enough time to travel to Dublin back. A plate of half eaten chips and a beer sat before him, both untouched for several minutes as Robin slipped deeper and deeper into his thoughts. Unsurprisingly, they turned to his wife and the memory of the Hayes wedding.

The dance was fast and Robin was getting hotter in his suit than was to be expected from attending a wedding. But then again, you didn't expect to find such a wonderful partner either. Not only could Avery Bishop drink, joke, and pull off that red dress but she could really dance. The longer they moved together the wider his smile grew, his laugh mixing with hers as he swung her out and pulled her back in again. A woman like this should practically be illegal. He found himself stuck in a mesmerized gaze watching her move, that tantalizing red pulling him in as her curls bounced around her shoulders.

Then, just like that, he couldn't resist pulling her against him as she spun back inward. The song was winding down but not yet at a close and Robin couldn't wait even the remaining thirty seconds. Wordlessly, he released one of her hands (keeping hold of the other) and guided her out of the crowd at a quick tempo. He pulled her along, not quite at a run back towards the small exit door on the side of the barn. In seconds they had escaped the crowd of dancers and he opened the door halfway so allow them to slide out into the open night air. Robin's heart was still beating rapidly from the dancing and laughter echoed in his expression from their escape. He could hear the last notes of the song being played through the barn wall, muffled by layers of wood and sawdust.

Robin let off a light laugh of adrenaline into the open air, the combination of a slight champagne buzz and music taking over his brain. The excursion hadn't been planned but Robin knew there was nothing he could have really done to stop himself even if he wanted to.

Robin leaned in and kissed Avery lightly, his lips still curled up in a smile. Within moments a deeper desire rose within him and he deepened the kiss, his hands snaking up into her hair to pull the blonde closer. Robin moved forward, pressing Avery against the side of the barn as their mouths moved together, as desperate as if he needed air. His hand traveled to the small of her waist, trailing over the red fabric and curves he had been admiring all day. He broke away unwillingly as a new song started indoors, looking down at the older Bishop sister.

"Sorry." Robin apologized, though the cheeky grin extended from his red lips to his eyes, making it clear exactly how unapologetic he really felt.

Before Avery knew what was going on, Robin had taken up her hand and was pulling her out of the barn and into the night. His laugh went straight into her, a grin lighting up her face. She wasn’t quite sure where they were going, but she didn’t have to wonder long. The next thing she knew he was leaning towards her, and Avery wasn’t about to stop him.

She could feel him smiling against her lips, nearly making her laugh. Instead, her hand swept up his arm, clutching his bicep to keep from tripping over her own feet as he backed them up against the barn wall. The wood was hard against her back, but that only made her arch into Robin even more. Heat followed wherever his hands went, searing into her in the best possible way.

As he pulled away, Avery’s hand followed him, pushing into his hair and tugging him back the moment a smile lit up his face. “Well I’m not.” She returned, voice lower than usual, before she sliced her lips against his again. Arching into him once more, Avery tugged his lower lip between her teeth, covering a moan with a hum against him.

It took a great deal of self-control to pull away, gasping into the air surrounded by music and the muffled chatter from inside the barn. Her hand trailed down from his hair to rest against his chest as she grinned up at him. After a few moments of trying to catch her breath and lower her heart rate, Avery laughed quietly and snatched up his hand to lead him back inside. It wouldn’t do to have Keiran wondering after her or Robin during his own wedding. If the man was paying attention, that is. Last Avery had seen, Keiran had his arm firmly around Millie and while they both appeared a bit towards the tipsy side, he definitely was being more attentive and physically affectionate to her than Avery had expected.

One last smile was dropped over her shoulder as they walked through the doorway and back into the music-filled room.

--

In an attempt to keep from allowing herself another lunch hour filled with thoughts of Robin and their history, Avery had taken the day to herself. It was New Year’s Eve, after all, and why in Merlin’s name were they expecting her to work, anyway? No, she chose to spend the day with Gavin – who had just returned from his honeymoon. They had gone to lunch early, intending to meet up with Audriana afterwards once she was done at work. Gavin had never quite explained what his wife did, but Avery hadn’t felt the need to question it. Clearly, and according to his and Kerian’s bickering during University, her dear friend had known his new wife since they were twelve.

Dropping a bit of money on the table for a tip, Avery reached out to take Gavin’s arm as she pushed the door open for them. “So, you never did tell me what Audriana does for a living. I bet it’s something more interesting than Dragon Training,” she attempted, not quite sure what to talk about or even how to chat with people. After such lengthy silence around Robin, Avery could feel herself slipping into the dangerous waters that had led up to her last bout of silence. That one had lasted four years; she wasn’t about to let the same thing happen again.

Unfortunately, lunch conversation had immediately strayed to how her life was at home – perhaps he had noticed the shadows she carried under her eyes like battle scars. Those things refused to go away, as Avery never could quite manage a decent night’s sleep. Robin hadn’t commented if he noticed at all, though she couldn’t blame him for keeping his distance. She certainly wasn’t helping.

In the end, she explained everything, even the parts that made her blush and look away in shame. Listening to advice from Gavin wasn’t at all something she disliked – over the years she had gone to him often. This topic, however, felt almost sensitive. Eventually she was able to push the topic away and start on something else. Gavin was just lucky she was even eating as they sat there. She hadn’t really been up for eating in the mornings – Avery chalked it up to a poor night’s sleep and just less eating in general. Food was often forgotten these days in favor of hiding in the spare room and letting him have free run of the house. His house.

Just as Avery thought Gavin was going to reply, a man came running past, shoving into her so much that she spun around to stare after him. “Seriously?” She gasped out, glaring at the man in question as he turned the corner. Not a breath later, she heard a thud, followed by a second muffled sound. Avery turned on her heel, gaping at the scene in front of her.

Gavin, though Avery assumed he had put up a fight, was currently being pulled by two men around the corner of an alleyway, leaving her to run after him as she reached for her wand. She was opening the zip of her purse to collect it when a hand flew out and snatched the bag from her. A moment later, she felt herself fly backwards into the piercing edges of the brick wall behind her as the taller of the two men pressed an arm against her throat.

Regardless of her attempts to gasp out Gavin’s name, she couldn’t see how he was faring or if he was even still there. The man in front of her was pushing into her so hard she thought the brick might cut into her. Avery lifted a hand in an attempt to push his face away – he was far too close and scared her more than she cared to admit, even though her heart was pounding in her ears. She blamed that on the fact that her breathing had to be shallow to accommodate his hold on her. Of course, the man seemed to expect it, grabbing her wrist and thrusting it back against the wall to pin it in place. Avery immediately felt the sting that indicated that the skin of her wrist had been split.

One of the man’s legs pushed between her own to keep her from fighting, though when she struggled his arm fell away from her throat to shove against her side. His fingers dug in so hard Avery was sure there would be bruises in a few minutes. She turned her head to search out Gavin, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she messed things up for him, too. Just as she caught sight of him, though, Avery had to let out a choked cry of warning – the shorter of the men was heading straight for him, clearly with no intention of slowing down.


(OOC: I can change stuff if need be. Idk. Just ran with it.)

The job had taken less time than originally anticipated, leaving Audriana to take her time walking to meet her husband and Avery. Although the brunette had met Avery before, there was little that she actually knew about the other woman, and if she was to be part of Gavin’s life, Audriana refused to take away any of the normalities he needed just so she felt more comfortable. Getting to know his dear friend was important to all three of them. Although she had agreed to meet at the corner down the street from their lunch spot, Audriana supposed that meeting early wouldn’t really be a big deal.

Pushing off, she headed down the street, still reveling in the fact that the last time she had been on these streets, her hair had flown behind her has she walked. Now, it was much more manageable, sure, but-

“Gavin!”

Audriana’s head swept to the right, staring at the entrance to an alleyway up ahead. She didn’t realize her feet had stopped moving until the name was shouted again, more desperately. It couldn’t be the same person, right? Her throat felt tight as she ignored any sense of propriety and bolted into the alley.

Avery’s hair hung between Audriana and the other girl’s face, but the brunette’s focus was hardly on her for a moment before her eyes fell to Gavin as he lay there on the ground. Why were his eyes closed? Why wasn’t he moving? “Avery…?” Audriana whispered finally, staring at his still form.

The blonde looked up, making Audriana stagger back a couple steps in surprise. The tears streaking Avery’s face were only made more obvious by the torn lip and bruised coloration of her skin. Giving Avery a once over, Audriana found that the woman’s arms were bruised as well, the backs of her hands still bleeding from whatever had happened. Although Gavin looked a bit messed up (aside from his whole not moving thing – seriously, what the hell was going on?), Avery was definitely not faring well.

“What happened?” She asked gently, lowering herself next to them.

“A couple men – Muggles I think – surprised us. I think they wanted money. And maybe…” Avery paled, trailing off as she looked down at herself. “They knocked him out a few minutes ago. He should have woken up by now.”

Audriana watched as the blonde shook her head, disbelieving. Reaching out hesitantly, she noted that he was still breathing, and that his pulse was still decently steady. “We have to get you two to the hospital.” A glance at Avery reminded the Gryffindor that her husband would need to know. He would be even more furious if it was kept quiet. “I’ll send Robin a patronus so he can meet us-“

“Don’t.”

“I-… I’m sorry, what?” Audriana stared at the girl kneeling next to her, shaking her head in confusion.

“He’s not… We’re not…” Avery tripped over her words, glancing back at Gavin and clearly trying to force the words out quickly so he wasn’t left very long.

“He’ll destroy me if I don’t tell him, Avery. I have to.”

Pulling out her wand, she made to cast the spell and give him the message.

“Tell him I’m sorry.” Avery’s voice cut through her focus, making Audriana blink and just nod in return. As the blonde turned to get Gavin ready for apparition, Aud swept her wand through the air, noting how awkward it was to give a message while Avery sat there listening.

“Ivanov… Robin, look, it’s Audriana. You need to go to St. Mungo’s. Now. I’m taking Gavin and Avery there as soon as I send this,” she glanced over at Gavin’s friend before frowning slightly and adding, “…And, um, Avery says she’s sorry...”

Spell cast and Ivanov informed, Aud turned to Avery, held onto both of them carefully, and swept them away to the hospital. The landing was a little rough, but after seeing the state of Audriana’s charges, little time was wasted on questions and they were shuffled into a room with two beds and an optional divider for the room. Avery apparently refused to be settled into a bed until a healer had seen after Gavin, which didn’t surprise Audriana as much as she expected. In the end, it just endeared Avery to her even more.

Once Avery was finally accepting on her spot in the bed next to his, her head tilted to the side so she could watch him. Frowning, Audriana started wondering how Robin would react when he walked in and saw her so blank and physically (as well as emotionally) torn. The idea that he wouldn’t be warned, that he would barge in and then freeze, was terrifying even for Audriana. What would Avery think if the man just stared at her? No, she had to go find him before he could see. If she were lucky, the healer would do something about Avery’s visible injuries.

“Avery?” She asked tentatively, glancing between the blonde and her husband. It took a few seconds for Avery to turn and look at her, but Audriana just kept on. “I’ll be right back. I need to check on something.”

At the blonde’s nod, Audriana left the room and sank against the door, heart in her throat. Gavin should have woken up by now. In the hallway, there was no one to judge her or tell her to be strong for her new friend (if that’s what they were). A few gasping breaths brought on tears as she watched the end of the hall. She had to get it together before Robin came striding down, demanding she let him in. The healer needed time. Avery needed time. She had been so afraid of his reaction, Aud noted, brow creasing slightly. She wasn’t sure what had happened there – although with Robin’s snark, she couldn’t say she didn’t understand. The man had made her angry more times than she could count.

Pushing away any mental attacks on those around her, Audriana stood up straighter and started towards the main lobby to find Robin. There was absolutely no way that this would go well.

The honeymoon hadn't been long but it had been just what the couple had needed. The Blackmoors had never before had time to simply enjoy each others company, free of adult responsibilities as they wasted away their days in Austria. In reality, the pair had barely just reunited but somehow the barely-dating, quick-wedding, fast-pregnancy still managed to feel almost natural. Emotions that Gavin had forgotten at seventeen returned at a remarkable pace and while the whole thing wasn't quite traditional part of him knew that someday, somehow, this would have happened anyway.

It couldn't have ended any other way between him and Audriana.

From the moment they had returned home both Blackmoors had been bombarded with messages and information about everything they had missed. From what he could tell, while he and Audriana had been snuggled by the fire picking out baby names their entire circle of friends had lost their minds. Gavin got the majority of the story from Avery and he had a general picture of what had happened not only with the Ivanovs but also the Hayes'.

Their lunch today had been difficult to watch - his friend was more shaken than he had ever seen her and Gavin found himself hoping for the first time that he would see Ivanov. The two men had never gotten along but Avery's happiness was a reason to cooperate if he had ever heard one. As far as Gavin knew neither he or Audriana had seen Robin since his wedding and he suddenly began to wonder how much could have changed in those months of absence.

Gavin and Avery walked down the ally together, their conversation turning to less painful topics as they took in the fresh air. She asked about Audriana and he was considering how best to reply (keeping his wife's secrets while not out-rightly lying to his best friend) when something hard hit the back of his head, turning his vision to spots that blended into blackness as he fell to the ground.

- - -

Robin's lunch was interrupted as a large, glowing fox charged through his living room and began to speak in the shaking voice of Audriana Blackmoor. You need to go to St. Mungo’s. Now. I’m taking Gavin and Avery there as soon as I send this.

Robin's fork dropped to his plate and he sprung off the chair, the sudden panic that had struck him nearly drowning out the end of the apparition …And, um, Avery says she’s sorry... The intentional vagueness of the message, worry in Audriana's voice, and requested meeting location all pointed directly at disaster. Robin remembered Avery mentioning that she was going out with Gavin today and the fact that they were both being sent to St. Mungos only solidified the scale of whatever had happened in his mind.

Food forgotten on the counter, Robin scrambled for his house keys, wand, and jacket that lay on the bar where he had dropped them the night before. Pulling the coat over his shoulders as he left, Robin slammed the door shut behind him and looked around, first glancing to the motorcycle that sat in the driveway and then turning to his neighbors house (and the nearest floo fireplace he knew of). Robin scaled their front steps in a number of seconds and knocked on the door. The beats were loud and nonrhythmic as he bounced on his toes and prayed that they were home.

He only managed to wait a few moments before giving up and returning to the sidewalk. Robin glanced up and down the street in a desperate search for any other option. He continued to bounce on his heels and while the initial panic had not faded he was able to reason out exactly what he needed to do. Robin closed his eyes and forced himself to breath in and out deeply.

Destination, Determination, and Deliberation. He continued to breath, picturing the too-clean halls of St. Mungos. Ironic, wasn't it, that the last time he had apperated he had ended up in exactly that spot, bloody and armless. Destination, Determination, and Deliberation. But now Avery was there in an unknown condition for an unknown reason and Robin was here, healthy with all limbs attached. There was no other way to get to her. And he needed to be there. Destination, Determination, and Deliberation.

With a loud crack, Robin disappeared from the sidewalk.

The crushing blackness provoked a near claustrophobic reaction, his worry surrounding Avery giving way to his crushing fear as his molecules were ripped from one place to another. In what must have been only a second or two he appeared in the St. Mungos lobby with a pop so loud that a nearby visitor dropped her purse, scattering lipgross and coins across the tile floor. One hand reached to the opposite arm, then the opposites did the same. Robin breathed quickly and heavily as he processed that his body remained in one piece.

He was safe, but Avery was not.

Robin took another fraction of a second to ground himself before quickly pushing his way to the main desk. His hands quivered from the horror of what he had just done to himself and the fear of what might be coming. Robin practically knocked over another man as he reached the desk and asked hurriedly, "Avery Ivanov?" The Russian boy was forced to slow both himself and his heart down as the secretary took her time glancing through the records. She looked up and gave him a quick calculating glance. "Room 207. They're not taking visitors there now. Are you family?"

"I'm-" Robin swallowed, "I'm her husband."

"Mrs. Ivanov?"

Avery looked up from Gavin's still unmoving form, expression blank. If she was supposed to feel pain, she didn't. Maybe it was the fact that she was nervous and hadn't realized it. The shock was just getting to her. "Yes." She murmured in reply, nodding slowly.

The healer glanced over to the spot by Gavin's bed that she had just left. "He'll be just fine, dear. It will just take a little while. Now I need to make sure you're okay." The redhead began, lifting her wand to pass it over Avery where she leaned against the pillows. After a few moments, and some writing on her clipboard done by the quill she'd enchanted to write for her, the healer looked back up at Avery with a smile. "Well, you do have some bruises that I'll need to fix. While it'll still hurt for a while, I can make them less visible. Aside from that, I'm sure you'll be glad to know that the baby is fine."

Any relief Avery had felt about Robin not seeing the real impact of her injuries flew away immediately. A baby? What? Oh no.

It wasn't that she didn't want a baby; no, Avery definitely wanted a little kiddo running around her feet. Someone to give all of the extra love she had waiting to be given. But now? It was so soon, and she and Robin weren't even talking. Not only did they not know, but she had almost ruined it. She'd nearly managed to destroy a precious and defenseless life that was partly Robin and undoubtedly perfect. The healer stared at Avery for a moment, confused by the fear that flashed over her expression and the tears in her eyes.

"I take it you hadn't had any symptoms yet?"

"Well, I- I mean, I've been feeling poorly in the mornings, but... I just chalked that up to my not sleeping well or not having eaten." Avery mumbled, forgetting for a moment that this woman would almost certainly be upset with her for both of those things.

Instead of reacting badly, the healer simply gave Avery a pitying look and sat on the edge of the hospital bed. "Those circles under your eyes... They're not from today, then?" Avery shook her head in reply, shame coloring her cheeks. The redhead nodded, patting Avery's hand before standing. "Would you like to know the gender?"

"No, I- I don't think I do. Robin probably does, though, when he gets here. If he comes..." The last bit wasn't supposed to escape, but it had and the healer just frowned in response. Instead of commenting, she began casting the necessary charms to return Avery's skin to its proper shade and to close the open wounds where necessary.

Good one, Avery. Her subconscious snapped, Just go and tell everyone about how your husband doesn't want to talk to you. Planning on telling her that you sleep in the spare room, too? Or that it's your fault, not his?

She was so lost in her thoughts that Avery didn't register when the healer left. Instead, she dropped a hand to her stomach, passing her fingers over the material of her shirt in a sort of wonder. How far along was she? What would Robin say when he found out she'd nearly killed the baby before they even knew about it? A pained gasp broke free, setting off a wave of tears as her body started shaking, the shock and fear finally setting in completely.

---

Audriana looked up as she heard Avery's name and a voice that was more familiar than it should have been. "Robin," she started, walking over and smiling at him sadly. "I can take you to her."

She had nearly said she could take him to them, but they both knew he was really only worried about one person. He wouldn't have shown so quickly otherwise. Leading him down the hall from whence she came, Audriana realized she hadn't been able to say what she wanted to. Stopping, she held up a hand, prepared to fight him if he tried to ignore her.

"Ivanov, you listen to me. The healer is in there with her right now, but there's no promise that she can cover up the injuries or take them away. You have to be careful with how you react. She was so... Blank. It was almost scary how serious she was about getting Gavin into his spot; the moment it was about her she shut down. It might be worse than you expect." Audriana's face fell completely into an apologetic frown.

Just then, the door down the hall opened, a tall redhead emerging with clipboard in hand. "Mrs. Balckmoor," she greeted, stopping to set a hand on Audriana's shoulder in sympathy. "He should wake within the hour."

"And Avery? This is her husband, Robin." Audriana didn't want to wait for him to ask; he would probably over-react and make everything more difficult. His eyes themselves looked panicked, aside from the general stature he held.

"She will be sore for a few days but she's going to be fine. And so will your daughter," the healer replied, glancing over her clipboard as though she didn't realize what she had said. Continuing on absentmindedly, she added, "You're of course free to go see them. Make sure she starts eating again, and gets some sleep. She's not looking out for just herself anymore."

Audriana stared after the redhead as she started down the hall, mouth open. "Gavin didn't say anything about that..." Shaking her head, she led the way down to the proper door, and pushed it open. Walking in, she held the door open for Robin before letting it close. It wasn't until the door had shut that Audriana registered the gasping sobs coming from the second hospital bed. Her eyes widened in surprise, but Aud slipped over to the other side of the room and pulled the divider out, passing Robin the most reassuring smile she could manage before disappearing behind it and returning to Gavin's side. She nearly hoped they put up a silencing spell. Avery's tears made Audriana's threaten to fall as she picked up Gavin's hand. He would wake, but what state would he be in?

"Swan." The word slipped out from under his breath as he caught sight of her. Audriana's presence brought Robin a strange sense of gratitude - there was someone who knew what was happening and to him. He met her halfway, leaving the secretary behind without a backward glance. His urgency must have been noticeable as she began to lead him to Avery's room without question or hesitation. Neither talked as they scaled floors and Robin nearly ran into her as she suddenly stopped.

Robin went to move towards the door but was stopped as Audriana spoke, surprised by the sincere seriousness of her tone. His anxiety was increasing exponentially as they stood before the closed door. Knowing he was so close yet completely in the dark was terrifying. No one seemed to be able to give him a strait answer regarding what had happened or how she was now, leaving him to expect the worse, whatever that was.

As Audriana talked Robin's heart sunk. Even over the short course of their time together, he had learned how to manage Avery's tear and screams with some degree of grace. It was only when his wife went silent, or 'blank' as Audriana had so accurately put it, did he feel over his head. Far beyond a silent treatment, Robin had no idea how to deal with her blankness, leaving her helpless when she might need him most.

Robin wasn't really listening to Audriana as he stared beyond her at the door that blocked his view of Avery. As he watched a nurse emerged from the room, moving immediately to Audriana. Robin listened to the two women intently, taking in their every word with more panic than he would have liked to admit. His mind disregarded the information about Gavin immediately, searching instead for any word on Avery's condition.

Before Robin could interrupt and ask, Audriana did for him, prompting the healer to turn and give the news that he had been dreading -

"She will be sore for a few days but she's going to be fine."

Robin released a shaky breath that he didn't realize he had been holding in, nodding a couple times as he tried to process her words. She was going to be fine. This news somehow made the boy all the more desperate to get to his wife and he took a step towards the door, about to rudely leave the nurse behind when he registered the second part of what she had said. The words hit him like a brick, several seconds too late - And so will your daughter,

What? Robin froze mid-motion and turned back to face the nurse as she finished talking, adding her last sentence as if to prove that he hadn't misheard her the first time. He hadn't - He didn't - What? Robin's mouth was hanging slightly open and his eyes flickered back and forth between the healer and Audriana, waiting for someone to shout 'April Fools' or tell him he was wrong. "She's-?" he started. When no one moved Robin nodded again, slower this time. "Okay."

Audriana did what he suddenly couldn't bring himself to and opened the door. He stepped inside and was immediately hit by the sound of tears. The too-familiar pitch cut him where he stood, flashing him back to the awful nights after their fight. Robin's house was small and the sound of Avery crying always managed to wake up the man who could have slept through an apocalypse. Every time she had blankly asked him how he had slept he had lied.

Good. Great. Very well. - No, Avery. I stayed up until three. I got out of bed and stood outside your door, trying not to go inside. I sat up wishing I could make you happier, rethinking every fight. One night I cried too. I sleep so late during the day because every hour you're up at night I'm up with you.

Robin stood in the doorway for only a moment before doing what he had never been brave enough to do at night, moving across the room to her. He needed to be next to her - to comfort her, to examine her injuries for himself, to be a husband for the first time in their marriage. It only took a second to get from the doorway to her bedside. "Avery?" he asked tentatively, startled by the ferocity of her tears.

After another moment any reservations that the Russian still had clasped and he sat up on her bed, positioned next to her upper thighs. "Oh, baby." he began, his voice on the edge of breaking. "I'm so sorry." Robin reached out and took the hand closest to him in his, running his thumb across it's back as he gazed down at his wife. The fact that anyone could have done hurt her in any way caused Robin unexpected pain, almost like he had been hit himself.

He felt a new sort of love as he stared down at her, deeper and more genuine than ever before. With his other hand Robin reached out to smudge away a tear that was falling down her cheek. "I'm so sorry." he echoed again, quieter this time, unable to find any better or more eloquent words for how much he regretted how he had acted through the last couple of weeks. Robin leaned down and lightly kissed the spot on her cheek, still salty and wet.

Avery couldn’t bring herself to look up at Audriana as the door opened, knowing the woman was likely pretending not to watch her. The problem with that idea, however, was that it wasn’t Audriana who was suddenly at her side and saying her name. Her eyes jumped to meet Robin’s, completely unable to understand his being there. There was no way he could have shown up that quickly. None. He was at the house all day, as far as she knew. Had he taken a trip into the city without her realizing it? It was New Year’s Eve; he could’ve been meeting with friends for a drink or something.

At lunch time? Hopefully not. He had to have been home then. And they didn’t have a floo, so that meant that he had to have-

“Robin,” she breathed, staring at him in awe. He hadn’t. Of course not. Not for her.

The irony of his words wasn’t lost on her, but she chose to accept the endearment without comment. He didn’t understand. He had to know, but he didn’t understand the tears. Avery’s fingers reached for his shirt as he leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek, curling into his sleeve as he pulled away.

“Robin,” she tried again, voice rather hoarse from the yelling earlier and the crying just then. “I swear to Merlin, if you apparated here…” She couldn’t think of anything to finish it off with, just shaking her head. “You shouldn’t have. Really. I- ...Did they tell you, then?” The question came out in a voice far smaller than Avery had intended, but it mirrored her fears perfectly.

After waiting for a positive response, Avery winced visibly, not having intended to do that, either. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry,” she burst out immediately, practically covering up his reaction to her question. It dawned on her, in the back of her mind, that she hadn’t spoken to him this much in days. Maybe a week. They also hadn’t been this close, or touched in as long either. Her heart nearly crumbled at the realization but she had to go on. Audriana knew – she would tell him if Avery didn’t, surely.

“A couple Muggles, they- they hit Gavin and he hasn’t woken since,” she began, wanting to divert his reaction as long as possible. Knowing it was inevitable, however, Avery just took a deep breath and blinked a few times to force the tears to fall; she had to make herself see Robin’s face as he was, not as a blurry mass in front of her. “One of the men, he… shoved me against this wall and, I don’t know, he acted like he would’ve tried to-“ She nearly choked on her words, unable to get them out. Shaking her head, she jumped forward in her story. “It doesn’t matter. I got to my wand and they left. But, Robin, I didn’t know about the baby. I swear I didn’t.”

It was almost terrifying, even to Avery herself, how quickly the words were falling and how rapidly her heart was beating. He would be furious, and he would just leave. Of course he would. She had messed everything else up, anyway.

“That man- he hit me. Several times. But I didn’t think to block-“ She shook her head, releasing his shirt and curling her arms around herself. “Robin, I could’ve killed them before we even knew.”

Avery felt like her heart was breaking all over again, realizing that it didn’t even matter that they knew. She wouldn’t ever be ready for this. She could already feel herself pushing them away. All she could see was their child ending up like her, and the thought made her sick. It didn’t matter what Keiran or anyone else said; Avery was all kinds of ruined after her childhood had gone so wrong, and it just wasn’t fair to bring a child into her mess.

“We can’t- ...You have to promise me this baby will feel loved. I can’t be a mother, we both know that. They can’t end up like me, Robin. You can’t let them.”

Staring up at him, she had to hope that he wouldn't have at her for messing up so badly. He had every right to, especially now. Robin knew the whole truth about her, and yet he had let her stay in his house like little had changed except for her having gotten drunk and made a fool of herself. Looking back, she found herself amazed that she'd been able to stay. Avery had nearly wanted to force herself into Mira's house one particularly bad day, and was massively grateful she hadn't. At the same time, though, was it so wrong for her to be desperate for his touch? Avery hoped not, because she just wanted him to get mad at her for her words and tell her to shut the hell up and kiss her.

She rather doubted he would, though.

Merlin, what would happen when they got home? She assumed they would let her leave that day, considering most of her injuries had been covered up. But the spare room definitely didn't sound comforting; instead it sounded like the perfect place for nightmares to start and to bury her. Not that she did much sleeping (or eating) for that matter. Hopefully the nurse hadn't ratted her out. Avery blinked a few times and returned her gaze to the sheets, wondering how bad their conversation would end up being.

She leaned into his touch, hands grasping where they had once pushed away. It was hard to pull away and sit up again when he was given unspoken permission to stay close. “I swear to Merlin, if you apparated here…” Robin didn't answer, simply giving her a small smile and lightly squeezing her hand. Of all the things he didn't want to think about, his trip here was near the top of the list. While he was still (luckily) in one piece, his stomach twisted in violent knots at the idea of doing it again.

"Did they tell you, then?” Robin nodded, the warm smile remaining on his lips as he murmured "Yeah." It was a delicate look, genuinely happy but equally cautious as if every move he made would damage the already hurt woman. She winced and Robin’s eyes flashed with concern. Avery was immediately apologizing and Robin glanced back to Audriana with a start, looking for some sort of explanation to her outburst.

The Ivanovs had lived in near-silence for so long that her sudden stream of rushed explanation nearly caught him off guard. She had been.. attacked. Someone had shoved, hit, and hurt his wife. Robin’s forehead crumpled in discomfort as he watched the large tears fall from her eyes, each one landing comfortably in the fabric of her shirt. “Robin, I could’ve killed them before we even knew.” It took a moment for him to realize she was referring to their daughter, not her attacker.

The thought of murder was a bit too present, a bit too appealing, in his mind. A feeling of sickness burned in his gut as he watched the pain on Avery’s face. When he had come upon Audriana in the ally his reaction had been instinctual, no true hostility against the men, simply protecting a friend in danger. Now a deeper anger had taken ahold of him, a true desire to ruin whoever had done this. The idea scared Robin and he pushed the thoughts away as he continued to listen.

”I can’t be a mother, we both know that.” Robin openly stared at her, a softer hurt twisting into his gaze. ”They can’t end up like me, Robin. You can’t let them.” Why was she talking like that? Like she wouldn’t be there with him? “Avery..” he pleaded again, wishing she would stop talking in such nonsense. How did any of this make her a bad mother? Being mugged in an alleyway didn’t show irresponsibility or poor judgment – it meant she was in the wrong place in the wrong time.

Robin paused, collected himself, and gave Avery a comforting smile. “Our baby will know nothing but a life that’s full of love. Because our family will always be there for each other. I promise.” He needed her to be there with him because the world was going mad if Avery thought she was going to be the worse parent out of the two. Looking at his track record, only an idiot would give Robin a child to look after, much less raise from infancy. There was no doubt in Robin’s mind that Avery would be a wonderful mother – he just needed her to realize it too.

Avery found herself shaking her head at him in disbelief – he truly thought she could do this? She could so easily picture him swinging a little boy around in his arms, regardless of any doubt she felt for herself. Not that she had her heart set on a boy – it was just the first image her exhausted and frazzled brain had conjured. The way he said it would be their family, though, convinced Avery for a few moments that it could really be true. That by the time the baby came she wouldn’t be scared – she would be excited to meet them.

Ignoring the fact that pain was inevitable, Avery reached for him with one hand as she pushed herself off the bed with the other. Biting back the gasp that escaped only partly, she twined her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. “Family.” She breathed, lips brushing the skin where his neck met his jaw. The word itself sounded lovely.

Suddenly, it hit her again that Gavin hadn’t woken up. Avery had almost managed to ask Robin to take her home, but the guilt of leaving Audriana on her own was too much. Turning, she looked over Robin’s shoulder at the brunette where she sat keeping a vigil over her husband.

“Audriana,” Avery started, knowing how hard the waiting felt for her; it must have been so much worse for his wife. “Thank you… I should have said before.”

“It’s fine.” She nodded, blinking a few times before offering a weak smile and turning back to Gavin. Audriana’s fingers brushed over his cheek and up to his hair. They knew he would be fine, but Avery knew it didn’t help that she and Robin were finally reuniting while Gavin’s wife was stuck waiting.

Avery had to turn back to Robin, feeling like she was intruding regardless of the fact that Gavin hadn’t woken. It shouldn’t be too much longer, she mused silently, looking up at her husband instead. What if it had been Robin lying there in that bed instead of Gavin? Sure, Avery adored Gavin, and would be more than devastated if he was gone. But without Robin, she knew she would be lost. She would be abandoned, adrift, and completely unable to handle her pregnancy alone.

Her heart ached for the brunette on the other bed, even as Avery’s fingers threaded into Robin’s hair. “I missed you,” she mouthed, far too quiet for Audriana to hear. “When he wakes up… can we go home? I’m… I’m tired, and I just want it to be us for a while, but… I can’t until I know they’re okay.”