Fixer Uppers

Robin wasn't oblivious. Over the course of their conversation and letters he had begun to notice the remarkable impact that the one little word seemed to have on his wife.

Family.

As an Ivanov, Robin couldn't help but view the word with a somewhat more negative connotation. Even the best relationships between his kin were not to be considered 'good'. From his unofficially exiled sister to the disregard for his youngest brother, the Ivanov children had always been well aware of the emotional distance between themselves and their parents, sparking competition between the siblings in a mad scramble for attention.

Family meant jealousy. Rivalry. Family was a name to sign at the bottom of your letters that you needed to wear with pride when you shook a man's hand. It would be unfair to say that Robin didn't love his family - most boys had a soft spot for their mothers - but sometimes he wondered if his remaining attachment stemmed from taught loyalty rather than actual affection.

Robin was not blind to the Disney version of life that the television seemed so determined to show. He had often watched the guest house growing up as their head cook and gardener had gotten married and raised a young girl together. The three of them matched the pictures in his storybooks and witnessing true love firsthand had unconsciously put some faith into young Robin's heart.

He had always been a romantic. First, proposing to Claire at seventeen, ready with plans to buy a white-fenced house. Even the others - Elijah, Mira, Cordella - there was always some underlying desire to protect and heal his lovers when they stumbled to him for help. Now Avery. She seemed to bring his inner knight-in-shining-armor to the surface, turning him into a fool. Robin was no longer flirty, sexy, or mysterious. Now he constantly felt like that seventeen year old boy kneeling on the ground, simply waiting for a reply.

Avery clung on to him and Robin's arm slid around her waist to hold her close. She spoke to Audriana over his shoulder and her warm breath tickled his neck, her proximity bringing him an extreme sense of comfort after being so far for so long.

Robin listened to the exchange continued to piece together exactly what had happened. His thoughts turned to Gavin for the first time since receiving the message and he turned slightly to get sight of the older man laying unconscious on the other bed. Avery spoke and Robin nodded, his movements as quiet as her whisper. "Of course. We can stay as long as you want to." His hand traced the faint line of a fading bruise on her arm, mentally cataloging his injuries and calculating how many had already disappeared.

Robin glanced over towards Gavin's bed again, this time letting his eyes jump up to Audriana. She was looking down at her husband lovingly and Robin felt oddly excluded when her gaze remained fixed on Blackmoor, rather than stealing a glance back over at him. The pair had spent close to no time together since New York, only having quick conversations at each of their weddings and one awkward double coffee date. They had dropped most of their sarcasm and sass and while Robin assumed that it was for the benefit of their spouses, there was a second layer of discomfort between them.

Audriana staying with Gavin had changed something but Robin couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

He missed their banter and those lazy mornings as he waited in his boxers for her to show up in a cloud of Swan-style determination. He hadn't stolen anything from her clients in over three months and loss of that passtime had left a strange hole in his day-to-day life. But as Robin held Avery, her warm body cradled in his arms, he couldn't imagine having both at once. The idea of Audriana breaking in to find Avery instead was beyond disturbing to the Russian and a part of his brain wondered if by gaining his wife he had lost his favorite rival.

Robin tore his eyes away from the other couple, redirecting his attention and running his fingers through Avery's hair. Her perfect curls were no longer perfect after the alley and the tears but the color was as vibrant as always. She needed to be his sunshine on a day like today.

From across the room Robin heard a sharp intake of breath and a cough as Gavin opened his eyes.

Although she could feel their eyes on her and her husband, Audriana made no move to look away from Gavin again after her glance in Avery’s direction. Seeing the blonde with Robin wasn’t unusual, but seeing Robin at all felt strange. After she had effectively left him on his own to take care of things, she had often wondered what he’d done that night or when he returned home. Her brow furrowed without her willing it to, her fingers threading through Gavin’s hair once more.

Tears had formed earlier, though they were gone now after watching him for so long. Unfortunately, the Ivanovs hadn’t thought to cast a silencing spell or anything, so she had been forced to pretend she wasn’t listening the whole time. That, undoubtedly, would be an interesting change to experience if they starting picking up the pieces and growing closer again.

Audriana and Robin had seemed to grow closer and closer apart.

No matter how much happened between the two of them, once Gavin had stumbled back into her life, Robin hadn’t been given a chance. Audriana knew that, even as she felt his eyes watching her. Part of her wondered why he hadn’t bothered her after that day. Well, it did until she heard about his wedding. On Gavin’s arm, Audriana had watched the blonde give her vows and suddenly felt like she couldn’t breathe. The girl already loved him, and knew it, but didn’t think she could tell him. Audriana had unconsciously glanced in Gavin’s direction, wondering if he could tell how concerned she was for them without her saying it.

No matter how drawn she had felt to Robin at one point or another, Audriana knew that the blonde was just what Robin needed, even on their first day of being official. According to Gavin’s explanation, the two hadn’t ever been anything serious until the Ministry required it.

Looking at the pair of them out of the corner of her eye, she watched as he clung to her and Avery whispered something that he replied to equally quietly. A silent sigh left her as she turned her attention back to her husband where he lay, still unconscious. How many times had this happened in school? She couldn’t remember now, and desperately wished she could. It had been her fault once, she knew. That she could remember. One bad practice seventh year had ended up with him in the Hospital Wing, probably thinking she’d done it on purpose. Audriana could easily remember the hole in her chest as he lay there from her actions, accidental though they were.

Sucking in a breath, her eyes flew to the ceiling to push back fresh tears. Another glance at the Ivanovs. Avery’s eyes were tracing Robin’s face as his hands cradled her. What she wouldn’t have given for Gavin to be awake and-

The sudden movement in front of her made Audriana jump, head jerking back to stare at Gavin. Her gaze met his as he settled from his cough, fingers immediately running up and down his arms as she turned on the bed so her legs were tucked under her. Unable to find words at first, she merely watched him with wide eyes that quickly pooled with tears. She couldn’t remember ever crying in front of him – not even Robin, when he had saved her life.

One shaky laugh of relief and a few fallen tears later, Audriana was giving Gavin a watery smile and running the backs of her fingers over his cheek. “Hey,” she offered quietly, unsure how to explain what happened. Not wanting him to worry too much, she nodded pointlessly before speaking again. “You’re okay, love. Everyone is okay.”

She nearly added an I’m here to her greeting, but something kept it from coming out. Although she trusted that he loved her, some dark part of her wondered if the words would be a comfort at all. Another tear streaked its way down her cheek as she gave Gavin a closed-mouthed smile.

--

Turning sharply to stare at the other bed, Avery’s fingers held onto Robin more tightly without her telling them to. The movement stung a little, but it was nothing compared to the realization that Gavin was awake as promised, and supposed to be fine. Provided it was alright with Audriana, it meant that she could be headed home with Robin soon, to sleep and get past all of the stupid things she had done and managed to have done to her in return. Karma truly was not her friend, Avery decided silently.

Everyone is okay.

Audriana could have said that they both were all right, but she had chosen to word it differently, reminding Avery once again of the new information they had received. One hand trailed down Robin’s chest before floating over to settle on her middle, even as Avery watched Gavin for any response. Not that Gavin knew, she realized too late. He would be happy for her, she knew. Would try to convince her that she and Robin had it in the bag.

She blinked hard, unable to show her emotions with tears after everything she had already done that day. As she waited for Gavin to register that she and Robin were there, Avery’s fingers brushed back and forth along Robin’s neck absentmindedly. Maybe once this was all over, she would feel more like she could be this close to him regularly, and while actually looking at him. Maybe it would mean that touching him wouldn’t cause her embarrassment or make her wonder after if he was angry or would accept her. Glancing up at Robin through her lashes, she waited for him to look down at her before she offered him a relieved smile.

Gavin squinted up at the room, limiting the light that pierced his eyes and was making his head throb not-so-delicately. He had one of the worst headaches of his life and it took several second for the blurry shapes to define themselves into Audriana leaning over him, her hands leafing through his hair and resting on his cheek. Gavin looked around with confusion, rapidly taking in the the white walls and medical equipment of the hospital around them. He didn't remember how he had gotten here, he didn't remember why -

Audriana's voice gave Gavin something to grab on to. “You’re okay, love. Everyone is okay.” Slowly, everything was coming back to him. He and Avery walking down the street, the hit, falling to the ground.

Avery. The pieces were falling together a little took quickly and he quickly looked around the room, his eyes settling on the other bed where Avery and Robin were locked in an embrace. She looked perfectly fine, besides being in the hospital bed, and he began to hope that she had managed to escape whatever had gotten to him back at the restaurant.

"Aud.. what-?" He started, looking up at his wife for the reassurance that she had already begun to offer him. "Did they get her?" Gavin glanced back at the other bed where the couple sat in all of their normality. "Did they get Avery?" Though the blonde looked physical okay, Gavin's mind ran through everything that could have happened to them. He had seen Avery through every imaginable disaster, her ever dependent shoulder to cry on. It was strange to be separated across the room as each respective couple held on to each other when Gavin was so used to being the one who did the holding.

Their lunch had been a reminder of the way things had used to be. Traveling with Audriana had been freeing and wonderful but when home it was hard to watch his best friend grow to rely so deeply on a man he used to speak of with the highest disdain. Gavin stood by wait he had said before - Ivanov was a shit. But Avery's smile when she had first told Gavin about him, their vows, the way he was holding on to her now, all that counted for something. He still didn't like Ivanov, but it wouldn't be fair to hate him.

Gavin took Audriana's hand, finally noticing the tears on her cheeks and a new fear rising in him. He had never seen his Gryffindor cry before, not once. What could have possibly happened to make her start now?

A small bit of Audriana grumbled when he immediately asked after Avery instead of worrying for his own health, but she had to concede that she had just told him he was all right. On that same token, though, she had also noted that everyone was. Why wasn’t he at all concerned for himself? She shook her head, both at his confusing her and in response to his question. Brow furrowed, Audriana let out a quiet sigh. “No, Gavin. Everyone is safe.”

Gavin’s hand reached for hers, the contact setting off the emotion she had been trying so fervently to keep hidden. A shaky breath left her as she leaned over, cradling his head in her hands as she kissed him. “I’ve never been so scared,” she admitted in a whisper, her cheek resting against his so she could speak the words next to his ear. “Don’t make me wait so long next time.” The second part came out with a quiet laugh, though she hardly wanted him to have to go through this again. Nor did she want to have to wait for him again.

Avery glanced over at the other two in the room, trying to grasp the fact that he truly was as the healer had promised: fine. They both were. Rather, all three of them were, if she decided to be technical about it. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Audriana and Gavin before she leaned back into the pillows with a rather grateful sigh. A half hour later, the blonde found herself clinging to Robin’s arm as they left the building, the hallways seeming impossibly long now that the promise of sleep was waiting outside for them. Robin hadn’t said anything about it, but Avery wasn’t about to let him apparate again just to get her home faster. She was safe now, even if the shock hadn’t worn off, and her husband was back at her side, as strange as the concept now felt.

Audriana had booked a car to come and collect them, even without having been asked. Avery had a feeling that it was a silent thank-you for fighting her way to Gavin. She wasn’t going to correct Audriana and say that she had just as much been fighting for herself, and to ensure that she got home to Robin. Such things made one realize how stupid they had been, and how stupid it was to fight with someone they loved.

Upon settling herself in the back and listening to Robin give the address, Avery took up her wand and cast a disillusionment charm so that the driver wouldn’t nag at her for what she intended to do. Without even asking, the blonde lay herself down over the seat, using Robin’s leg as a pillow, and ignoring the fact that she looked rather like a child. She felt like one with everything that had happened to her that day. Excepting, of course, the fact that she now carried Robin’s child, and must have been for some time, considering their fighting. The light jacket she had shucked upon reaching the hospital was pulled over her before she burrowed a bit into her husband. Hopefully, knowing he was the one nearby would keep the nightmares at bay until they got back to his home. Their home? He hadn’t changed it yet, so she reverted back to calling it ‘his home,’ her slip up earlier already forgotten.

It suddenly hit her that Audriana’s immediate response to Gavin’s returning to her was to gather him up in her arms and protect him and press kisses to both his lips and his cheeks. Avery hadn’t done either, technically, unless she counted the fact that she had more or less clung to him after his attempts to reassure her. She couldn’t quite bring herself to sit up now that she had found a rather comfortable spot, and had more or less presented the front that she intended to sleep. Robin would undoubtedly give her a confused look if she just sat up and hugged him to her. Instead, one hand reached for one of Robin’s, twining her fingers between his. She turned her head, pulled his hand closer, and settled a kiss against his ring and then on the back of his hand before relaxing her hold and fidgeting a bit until she found that comfortable position once more.

When they got home, Avery decided, she would be more alert. A bit of sleep would do her some good, much like the few hours she clung to each morning allowed her to make it through the day. She had never understood how Robin could sleep so much, when she only got three or four hours a night at best. Her morning routine of checking to see if he had woken often frustrated her, especially on the weekends when she was meant to stay home. The first time, he had slept until noon and Avery nearly went mad with wondering how he could be so calm about everything. How he could just sleep the day away while she couldn’t sleep at all. Now all she could focus on was sleep, even when her mind started off on the track of wondering after Robin’s sleeping habits. Her eyes closed, her shoulders relaxed, and Avery let herself fall into the trap that was sleep.

Audriana had called a car without him having to ask and Robin gave her a soft smile as he ushered his wife out of the room. The look lingered for a moment, bordering on an apology for his shortness with her earlier. Such a genuine look was normally reserved for Avery and his greatest rival, Miss Swan, had certainly never received it. But New York had changed things and Robin couldn't deny he had discovered a certain tenderness remained from the sting of her choosing to stay with Gavin.

The Ivanovs piled into their car and Robin gave their cabbie his address, noting to himself that the fare would probably be ridiculous. The pair had a long trip ahead of them and Robin wasn't sure he would be getting any sleep after the last couple of hours. The cab took off and Avery lowered himself to lay across his lap like she had done so many times on their couch at home. She turned over his hand, kissing it softly as Robin gazed down at her.

There was no need for a silencing charm - neither Ivanov seemed to be feeling particularly chatty at the moment. Robin was perfectly happy to let the comfortable silence settle over them as he felt Avery's chest rise and fall slowly against his legs. This quiet was so much better than that of the last few weeks. There was no anger or resentment - it was peaceful, even after what Avery had just been though. Robin's fingers began to lace through her hair, untangling the knots that the day had given her.

By the time they had made it out of London, Avery's breathing had slowed to the point where Robin knew she was asleep. He remembered the healers comments and finally registered just how tired his wife must be. They rode like this for another half-hour or so, Robin's eyes lazily dancing over the passing view out of the window. Eventually the Russian spoke, unafraid of waking Avery (she looked like she had been hit with a sleeping curse).

"She's pregnant" Robin blurted out. Now that Avery was out of the hospital and immediate danger, he had been playing and replaying this information over in his mind. A baby - what a terrifyingly wonderful foreign concept. Robin had forgotten to ask how many weeks along she was but he knew it must be quite a few because of their recent.. separation. Avery had claimed that she hadn't known but a nagging voice at the back of Robin's head questioned her. She was so stubborn, would she had really told him if the nurse hadn't?

The cab driver was shaken out of his own thoughts by the voice and looked at Robin through the rear-view mirror. "Congratulations?" he replied, unsure if Robin was really addressing him or an invisible friend after such a long silence.

"We just found out -" Robin trailed off in explanation, mentally smacking himself for the trembling awkwardness in his voice. He felt like he was on his first date with Avery again - that paralyzing discomfort when he made the connection between the Bishop sisters. Robin's eyes connected with the cabbies in the mirror and Robin snapped his jaw shut, perceiving judgement in the other man's gaze. He knew it wasn't this stranger that he wanted to share the news with but it was bursting out of him, the insecurities and excitement begging to be reassured by a friend.

For the first time since Christmas, Robin wanted to call on Keiran.

Another hour or two passed before Robin began to feel the same sleepiness that had overcome Avery. His head leaned against the window and gradually he drifted off into a flamboyantly colorful dream that involved carousals, caramel toffee, baby clothes.

Robin woke before Avery, just outside of Dublin. The cabbie must have turned on the radio while he slept and it now softly played Madonna as they wound through the familiar streets. The car pulled on to Robin's street and he gently stroked Avery's head, murmuring "Sweetheart?" with none of the sarcasm that typically accompanied with the word. As Avery's eyes flickered open he added softly, "We're home."

Reluctant though she was to open her eyes, Avery didn’t want to throw anything off kilter after it was starting to get pieced back together. Glancing up and him, she covered a yawn and stretched as much as she could with the limited space provided by the car. She would undoubtedly have slept better in a bed, but at least she had Robin to provide a semblance of a pillow as well as to offer that human comfort that she had not had access to for the past week or so.

“Mkay,” she murmured, nose nuzzling against his leg as she attempted to convince herself to sit up, knowing full well that when she did the warmth she felt would be pulled away. Finally, though, when the car came to a stop and she could see the windows out of the tinted car, Avery pushed herself off and gathered her jacket in her arms. The item was being pressed into her chest as she practically hugged it, trying both to feel calm enough to enter the house as well as trying to keep herself awake in the time between the car and her being allowed into bed.

When the door was unlocked, Avery hesitated only a second before walking inside, and then hovered next to the couch as if asking what she was meant to do. She had never been in an incident quite like that one, after all. She wanted to thank him, but she wasn’t sure what for. It just felt like what she was meant to do. Instead, she let the jacket fall to the couch and walked across the room as calmly as possible so she stood next to him.

“I-um,” she tried, mouth closing for a moment before she could continue. “I’m sorry.”

Avery didn’t think he needed her to explain what she was sorry for. Her jealousy, the fight. Her avoiding him. Everything that had happened that morning and his having to worry. All of it. Avery just hoped he understood that it covered everything, not just the most important one: her having started the fight. It was bound to happen eventually, in a relationship such as theirs. They had not been brought together by sheer will of the parties in question. The Ministry had forced them together and told them to go with it.

Even as an employee of theirs, Avery hadn’t ever wanted to thank them so much as she had when their wedding ceremony ended. After Claire had shown up, Avery was sure Robin would regret what he had just done. Somehow, though, he had made her forget all about that in his excitement for Greece and what was coming for them in the future. Now, they had even more of a future than either were ready for, with a baby on the way. Robin seemed… well, freaked, to put it lightly. But Avery hadn’t helped in her sheer panic and self-deprecation back at the hospital. She had come to the conclusion, though, in the space between Gavin waking and their leaving:

If she wanted to keep Robin, she would have to be brave about what was happening to her, and keep any paranoid or frightened thoughts to herself.

He had this stupid trust in her and she wasn’t sure where it had come from, but she would take it if it meant that he cared about her. It wasn’t like Robin had ever returned the sentiment she had shared on Christmas Eve. Avery wasn’t going to assume that he was at that place, or ever could be – not after what happened with the rest of the Bishops – but it didn’t mean that he didn’t worry about her or didn’t care. Today was proof enough of that. He hadn’t made any sort of insane or stupid remarks about the baby, had implied that their family would be surrounded by love. Avery couldn’t help but think that maybe it was his way of trying to tell her.

Her eyes flicked to his, wide and searching, as if they would tell her what she wanted to know.

It felt like an eternity ago that Robin had left the house for London but just the sight of the familiar front steps was enough to comfort him. He followed closely behind his wife as she moved up the path and unlocked the door, holding it open for her as she passed. It was hard for Robin not to analyze her movements.. suddenly she looked like she could shatter with every step.

Once the couple was inside the shelter of their home there was a long moment of silence while Robin's brain spun as it tried to figure out something half appropriate to say. Avery stepped closer and Robin mirrored the action. She opened her mouth, and he could almost see the same cogs turning in her head as were working in his. “I’m sorry.” Robin wasn't sure what he had been expecting but it wasn't that. The two little words hit him like bricks, releasing an unexpected flood of affection for the woman standing before him.

He wasn't sure exactly what she was apologizing for.. so much had happened in the last month that Robin had lost track of the grievances stacked up against both of them. He felt like the events of the last day had wiped their score cards clean, an idea that her apology only solidified.

Robin wanted to apologize, he really did. But instead of 'sorry' he took her hand lightly in his and nodded "It's okay." Another step closer. Robin leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, brushing her skin with his lips as he murmured "Everything's going to be okay" by her ear. He needed the assurance, the touch, more than he would have ever admitted.

Robin had been holding her for hours - first in the hospital bed, then in the car, now here in the middle of their living room. He had no intention of letting her go.

A pained sort of gasp left Avery’s lips at his approach, but it had nothing to do with her injuries or exhaustion or past arguments. It was entirely due to the fact that they were standing in the middle of the house that had felt so empty, so cold and unkind. They had stood in that room probably hundreds of times, together, but recently it had been obvious that one of them wasn’t welcome (though neither seemed to know which one it was). A fleeting thought that perhaps the house itself had been against their fighting passed through her mind, but Avery ignored it, instead watching the equally pained expression that seemed stuck on Robin’s face.

He didn’t say what she expected him to. Then again, he rarely did. Would she ever be able to predict his words? Avery found herself doubting the possibility, no matter how long she knew him. She hardly minded, though, considering that implied knowing him until one of them… well. She didn’t want to think about that. Not after the day she had had.

Instead, she let her eyes close as he leaned towards her, and fought against the pricking sensation behind her eyelids that implied that she was near-crying again. She should have worked all that out earlier, she knew. But was it wrong that she felt so desperately sad but also impossibly happy at once? Yes, the day had been rough. And yes, their awkwardness and wariness around each other nearly broke her heart.

But Robin was touching her again. He was actually close enough that if she wanted to, she could’ve turned and just burrowed her face into his neck and just cried. She didn’t let herself, though. No, indeed. Rather than doing what her mind wanted from her – the tears and the moments of just letting things go – Avery did what she had been secretly dreaming of for over a week.

Her gaze dropped to the hand he held in his own, pulling away from his grasp. When her eyes met his once more, she hesitated only slightly before wrapping her arms around his middle and lifting up on her toes so she could set her chin on his shoulder. She held there for a few moments before turning to look at him so she could drop kisses along his jaw, finishing at the juncture of his neck and jawline – just under his ear – and ducking her head to tuck it under his chin.

His pulse thundered under her ear, but she almost didn’t notice, so focused was she on the fact that she was allowed to do what she had chosen to. Despite herself, a yawn stretched across her cheeks and she burrowed further into Robin after it passed. A large part of her wanted to just accept the fact that neither of them knew how to say whatever it was they were thinking, and head off to bed. The hurting bits of her, however, secretly hoped he would just pick her up and carry her off, himself.

She didn’t really expect him to, though, so as another yawn hit her, she stepped back enough to look up at him with an almost cautious smile. Turning her eyes to the floor, she pulled on hand away from his back to run through her hair. That nervous tick would probably never leave her, though she didn’t realize she had done it at all. “Um. Well, it’s been a long day… Maybe I should… y’know, have a bath and get to bed. I’m sure you’re tired, too, so… I mean, I don’t want to keep you up.”

Looking up at him again, Avery hardly cared about the fact that she hadn’t eaten since lunch – though that was hardly worthy of being called lunch, considering how little there was to it. She was far more intent on getting to sleep and waking up in a new version of their house. One where they both belonged and both found a way to say what they actually meant. That would definitely be preferable, Avery decided, than the subtle prodding she was doing with her words.

She just wanted to know what Robin expected. Or felt. Or what he wanted and needed. He seemed closed off and wary – as if a wrong move would destroy her or send them spiraling back into what they had been… well, … that morning.

She indulged him for a moment before pulling away with excuses of baths and bed. A twinge of disappointment flashed across his face but it disappeared in a millisecond as he remembered what had just happened. Robin couldn't realize the full extent of his wife's fatigue but it showed in her eyes and on her face. He was far from tired but nodded at her request regardless, relieved that she had asked for anything at all after such a long period of silence. Robin moved towards the stairway, letting his hand brush across her back as he passed.

Robin paused at the doorway before looking back to ask "You coming?", a falsely confident smile flashed back at her as he was forced to assess the situation for the first time. The optimistic part of him had assumed that she would be coming back to their room but he could never quite tell where Avery's head would be at.

He still wasn't sure how the whole separation had started. Avery must have decided at some point after Christmas that she couldn't stay in the same room as him. Or that he didn't want her in the same room. Whatever the reasoning, it would have been easier for Robin if she had moved out entirely. Having Avery so close but so far was physically painful and he stood now with high hopes that her punishment was at a close.

Looking at Avery from this distance it was obvious that she was no longer the woman he had first met at the bar. She looked tired, thin, and more vulnerable than he could have ever imagined. But as broken as she now appeared to him, there was not even a whisper in the back of his mind wondering if he should move on. Avery (and the child growing inside her) were his family, more so than the Ivanovs ever had been.

Robin’s face fell briefly, but snapped back almost instantly, leaving Avery to wonder if she had imagined it to begin with. She felt practically rooted to the spot, even after Robin had given her a nod and started towards his room. Even after he had crossed the room, though, she could feel where his fingers had brushed her spine. He looked back at her and her cheeks colored, embarrassed to have been caught watching him as he left.

Although she had rather hoped he would choose to say something like that, she couldn’t quite believe it for a moment. She glanced up in the general direction of the spare room and had to suppress a grimace at the idea of staying there alone. Again. Instead, she returned her gaze to her husband. As soon as she caught the look on his face, she couldn’t help but feel a little bit brighter; sure, he looked concerned, but he no longer seemed interested in keeping the distance between him.

Avery’s thoughts jumped back to the last time they had been comfortable: when they had finished getting the tree sorted, and she’d been lying across the couch. When she had looked up and asked about their plans. She found herself wishing that she had never asked, but knew full well that if she hadn’t they would never have told each other about their past grievances or explained their problems. Yes, they would take some time to work every little detail out, but at least they both were intent on working it out. Well, Avery assumed he was as well.

So then, for the first time since the tree decorating, she offered Robin a genuine smile. Not one that was watery, or a false one that clearly didn’t reach her eyes. The sort that she had passed him when they danced together at Keiran’s wedding. When they had danced at their own. The memory made her let out a quiet, breathy laugh despite herself. It felt so wrong to laugh, but at the same time so much better than worrying about things she couldn’t control. She nodded once before stepping towards him.

When she reached his side, her expression was softer, but still showed how pleased she was that he had made up her mind for her. While she wouldn’t dare assume that he considered the space theirs or thought the same of the house, Avery couldn’t help but think that it was a step in the right direction. He wasn’t quite himself, but then, she most certainly wasn’t acting normal, either. Her hand settled on the banister, pausing to wait for him to decide to head up the stairs with her.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned and looked at him where he stood on the step below. Suddenly, she mused, everything seemed to remind her of versions of them from the past. This man, this husband of hers, had so easily become everything. Tilting her head to the side, Avery thought back to his showing up at her bedside seemingly out of nowhere. It tugged at her heart, that moment. She had never seen him apparate for anyone – not even when Keiran’s father died.

She knew that she had been standing there too long in silence, but she was just trying to find the words that would tell him how much his actions really meant. No matter what words ran through her mind, Avery knew exactly what she wanted to say. Regardless of the fact that she had sworn not to say them until he did, those three words were there, ready to be used. She opened her mouth, accepting the fact that she would probably just say them anyway, but that wasn’t quite what happened.

“You’re okay, right? I mean, I know you had to… you know. To get there.” She paused for a breath before clarifying, “Well. You didn’t have to, actually. I would’ve understood.”