A Broken-Family Reunion.

"Oh, please, please. You can't make me do this without him."

"Avery," Keiran sighed, running a hand over his face. "I promise you: Claire and your mum aren't showing up to make any trouble. They probably just want to get to know us."

"But that's the thing, Keiran!" Avery huffed, hurrying around the end of the couch to flop next to him, dismay pulling at her face. "I call Bridget 'Mum,' not her. I mean..." She tilted her head side to side, trying not to be frustrated. "My mum is... my mum. But Bridget is just Mum. It's different."

Keiran nodded, though he was still frowning. "And you don't think that introducing your not-boyfriend to your mum that's not your mum, and your sister, ... That's not going to be stressful? I mean," he threw a hand vaguely, "more stressful than him not being there."

Avery deflated horribly, her lips turning down into a pout. "I don't know."

He lifted an eyebrow, choosing to omit the fact that he hadn't seen Claire since that night in the pub. Merlin help him if Avery ever found out about it. Bloody hell. Merlin help him if either of the mothers found out about it, either! This whole thing was a horrible, horrible idea. But Bridget had met Teddy and had been completely unable to let it rest. Keiran was relatively certain that his mum thought Teddy had asked her out properly, which he didn't think was the case. But after he'd been shoved into everything with Millie, he had absolutely no qualms about somebody wanting to take their time and make sure everything was working as it should.

Keiran glanced to the ceiling, but then lifted an arm onto the back of the couch so he could face her halfway. "Would it make you happy to have him there?"

She blinked, tilting her chin down in a weirdly submissive sort of way. "Yes."

"Then you two show up before they get here, you got it? Make sure he shows up first, so that you can both settle in around mum and the kids." That reminded him. Mum had this whole big plan with a small children's table and the adults' table and everything else. How horribly domestic, considering who all was involved. Three widows, two divorce(é)s, two unmarried sisters, two single parents and a bloke who was only half dating one of the sisters.

Maybe.. Maybe the whole world just needed a nap. Keiran felt like he could surely use one. But the kids were due to wake from theirs soon, so he was out of luck if he didn't get Avery out of there.

She nodded her fervent agreement, so he gestured towards the portrait door. "Run down and ask him, then. I doubt he'll be able to say no with you looking like that."

Ironically, that brought a weak smile to her face. But Avery thanked him under her breath as she leaned forward to force him into a one-armed hug. And then she hurried out, leaving the Headmaster to collapse across the couch and close his eyes in the vain hope he could get a kip in. He'd, astoundingly, be pleased to note that the odds were abnormally in his favor.

Avery, however, aimed for Teddy's quarters since she didn't know where his office was, rolling her lips together when she realized he might not even be in. Perhaps she'd have to write him. At the portrait, she blinked once when greeted. "Um. Is Teddy in?" She asked lamely, wondering in the back of her mind what his password would be like, if he got to pick it himself. "My name's Avery."


[ooc: Since this'll end up at their house, I'm just putting this here rather than in his tower forum. *Shrug*]

Teddy moved through the castle with the easy confidence of a man certain that he was going to have a brilliant summer. Despite all of his lingering uncertainty, he couldn't help but think that he had all the potential for a wonderful summer. There was curriculum to write, sure, the daunting task of reaching out to his family, okay, but there was also a blonde haired woman with wide eyes and a kind smile and she seemed to want to see him again.

He was distracted. Constantly. He had left his job as a counselor because he couldn't focus on his work and it had been torture, but he couldn't bring himself to feel guilty. Try as he might, he couldn't mar his happy, distracted little thoughts with anything more than a playful chide that he had work that had to be done, the reminder that he would see her again soon just another means to make him spiral back into a happy, distracted state.

So distracted that it took a second longer than it should have to realize that the woman dominating his mind was standing outside his quarters.

He stopped, still a few feet away, and a grin tugged his lips. "Avery." His feet reminded him of their ability to bring him closer to her, and he lurched back into action. His head shook in confusion as he approached. "What are you doing here- it's great to see you, of course." And that's when he fell into old habits, worry tugging briefly at his face. "Is everything alright?"

Avery turned, eyes wide as her curls threw themselves at her neck and across her back. In her surprise, she felt her hands come together in front of her stomach as she took a last, apologetic glance at the portrait for having wasted its time. Did portraits have an understanding of time?

Seriously, Avery. Not now.

He looked pleased at first, and it sent her a few steps forward to try and meet him partway. But uncertainty struck him so she made up the difference, ending up in front of him with an embarrassed smile.

"No, no," she rushed to assure him, a hand finding his arm. "Nothing's wrong, exactly. Um. Well, first off," she drew in an almost nervous breath, "I missed you."

Her shoulders sank with the relief of saying it just because it was true, and it broadened her smile despite what she was preparing herself to ask him. Feeling the way her cheeks threatened to heat up, she glanced down, but then stood herself up properly once more.

"I also had to ask you something. Are you busy this Sunday around lunchtime? Mum- Well, Bridget -- She's invited.. my mother and my sister. To lunch. With Keiran, and all the kids." She hesitated, her mouth sort of just open for a moment or two. "I don't.. I mean, Keiran's an ally, obviously. But they've never met before. And if I say the wrong thing, it might be bad."

Her lips twisted to the side and she drew her hand back, wrapping it across her stomach with the other one. "It isn't actually fair of me to ask you to be there. To meet them like that." Avery frowned, wanting to look away but determined to get to the point. Someday. Probably. "But, I just.. Oh, Merlin's sake." She shook herself a little.

"I'd like you to be there. But it's weird. So you don't have to."

Plus, like, they weren't a defined thing. So explaining that would be weird. But Avery chose to firmly ignore that part for the moment.

At the first appearance of a smile on her face, Teddy immediately felt reassured that nothing was actually the matter. He doubted she'd be able to keep it long from him, in just how open she had been with up until now. Her hand went to his arm in what was becoming a more frequent (and always welcome) gesture of affection that immediately made his lips flicker back into a smile, his other arm coming up to rest on her shoulder. "I missed you too," he said, grinning at the pleasure of being able to tell her something so sentimental, so true, and to know it was reciprocated.

She was suggesting something for Sunday and before she even clarified or explained, he found himself wanting to agree, hopeful in his assumption that she meant to spend the day with him. And he was partially right. But there was a bit of a catch.

A big one too.

He knew that he could act confident and unaffected about the prospect of meeting the rest of her family, but when the time came, he would be on the edge of panic constantly. But he could see how nervous she was, and the idea that she considered his presence there to be apart of the solution rather than the problem caused a small burst within his chest. He had always wanted to be a proper support system to the people in his life. Avery was the first person who seemed to actually see a value he could bring.

"I'd love to," he said, leaning forward to press a kiss against her forehead.

Avery sighed, leaning into him as he agreed to go, her eyes falling shut. Her arms curled around to his back, but a slow smile did pull her cheeks. "Thank you," she whispered, leaning back to look up at him.

Her fingers brushed along the fabric of his sweater, and she lifted herself up just enough to press a barely-there kiss to the corner of his mouth. Flat on her feet once more, she continued. "It's all spectacularly strange, I know. But you will actually be the most normal one there, so if nothing else, you can watch us all lose our minds a bit."

She smiled a little, but shook her head to show that she was in jest. Mostly. Anyway, she gave him whatever information she could about when to arrive - earlier than everybody else, like Keiran suggested - and informed him that she was going to dress comfy but a little nice. It hardly mattered what he wore, she pointed out without thinking, since he looked great regardless.

Blush or not, it was true, and she lingered at his doorway, leaning against the wall to talk to him until a patronus from the Ministry showed up to drag her away. She very nearly kissed him goodbye, but there was still something marvelous and special about the fact that their first kiss had been spontaneous but also pointed. It had mattered. And for now, she treasured the importance of something like that. She always would, of course. She would innately develop gestures or habits that held a silent message: that she cared for him. Later, it would mean more than that, too. Merlin knew what those would end up being.

It was too new for her to try and force anything. So she lifted one hand to his cheek and her lips to the other before thanking him again, more fervently, before hurrying back to tell Keiran that the game was on.

And then weekend arrived and she was terrified again. Sunday morning, she was torn. She wanted to look nice because of Teddy - but not so nice that everyone knew she was trying too hard. Not so nice that they thought she was trying too hard for them. If this thing with Teddy was going to last, she had to introduce him to their version of crazy. And she desperately hoped that they took to him and made him feel welcome. It wasn't like he had a ton of family members to throw at her in return, so she wanted it to be as pain-free as possible.

She'd sent letters to everyone, warning them that he was coming, too, and to please be nice. Bridget had been pleased, but Avery wasn't convinced about Else, since she seemed confused but like she wasn't going to say anything against since they all needed to play nice. Keiran, of course, hadn't needed a letter. But imagine, reader, how shocked Avery would've been if Keiran had pointed that he'd nearly slept with Claire that one time.

Merlin help them all. Truly. They needed it.

She landed on Bridget's porch, determined to wait for Teddy outside so he wouldn't feel awkward knocking. That way, Avery could just open the door and invite him in herself. In her arms, Sophie was quiet but impatient to see her friends. None the less, the littler blonde had agreed, however quietly and cautiously, that she would wait to help greet Teddy. So they settled on Bridget's porch swing to wait for him.

Her hands were comfortably on his back, and his own hands caught up her elbows, thumbs stretching over the curve of her arm, too caught off guard to bother hiding any of the growing devotion he was feeling for the blonde woman. A lopsided smile, one he had learned when times in his childhood home had been sweeter, took over his face. "Well, lucky for you, I'm something of an expert when it comes to awkward family encounters." His lips puckered a bit, like the word family had a sour taste to it, and he felt an off catch in his throat. His jaw tightened and then relaxed, face smoothing over as he shook it away. "And perhaps insanity is contagious. That'd be a fun adventure."

She filled him in, and it was for once that their mutual anxiety worked favorably for them. Every question that would have plagued him the morning of the lunch was preemptively answered, giving him time buy a new cardigan, to make sure his shoes were polished. He could prepare his mind for the children that would be toddling around, and the only worry that would plague him would be as to whether or not it was weird to bring toffees for all the kids.

She left, too soon - always too soon - but he relaxed in the doorway even after she had gone, enjoying the thought of her presence lingering. She had visited him in this doorway many times, and he hoped he would always be able to transport back to those memories when class wore him down and meetings fried his brain.

Hopefully she would just keep visiting.

But it was his turn to pay a visit. So he bought the new cardigan, and he polished his shoes. Toffees were placed in his cardigan pocket and he apparated off, reminding himself of the one thing he was worried he would forget.

Breathe. Breathe.

And there she was. There they were. Waiting. Waiting for him.

He paused. Briefly overwhelmed. Overwhelmingly grateful. He took in a breath. He had to breathe.

He stepped up to the porch, smiling kindly, slowing. "Hello, Avery. Hello, Sophie." He settled next to Avery and reached up to press a kiss against Avery's forehead. He held out a hand for Sophie. "You look lovely, little duck."

Avery was talking a little absentmindedly to Sophie as they sat together, but suddenly the smaller blonde sat up straighter, and her mother turned to look over her shoulder. A wide grin broke out over her face as Teddy approached, looking charming as ever in his cardigan. At least it would be easy to buy him a birthday gift, wouldn't it? He seemed to love those things.

Wait. When was his birthday? Merlin, they were truly horrible about that sort of thing. Oh well. If things got awkward later, or folks were milling about while food was being prepared, she could draw him aside and try and work it in. The question would provide a simple distraction, hopefully, if nothing else. Merlin help her if she had missed his, too. She couldn't ever live up to his stunt at work.

Avery reached a hand out nevertheless, intending to draw him down onto the swing beside her, but he did so without prompting so her fingers just brushed along his sleeve. In the end, she decided to wind her arm around the crook of his. When he greeted Sophie, she slapped her hand into his like she was trying to high-five him. Avery struggled for a moment before finally giving in and releasing a small laugh.

"You hear that, Sophie? Do you know what color baby ducks are? There was one in your book, remember?" Avery waited, but her daughter merely frowned in confusion. "Lots of times they're yellow, like the drawing."

Sophie's eyes widened and Avery tilted her head to let Teddy in on the joke, murmuring under her voice. "She absolutely loves yellow. No idea why." And, to prove her mother's point, Sophie looked down at her dress as though Teddy'd just paid her the mightiest compliment in the world. She was so pleased, in fact, that she stood up a little precariously on the swing to say something into Avery's ear.

Avery rolled her eyes a little, but smiled and took her wand out of her boot, changing Sophie's blue dress into a sunny yellow one. The little girl dropped down off the swing to check it out and Avery turned back to Teddy. "You've really done it, now."

Pressing a kiss to his jaw, she stood up as well. "We have to go in eventually. But it's just us, Keiran and Bridget for a little while, so at least you'll have time to settle in." She held out a hand. "Ready?"

He wasn’t sure where the term of endearment came from, except maybe that the little girl often followed Avery. The image was that of a shadow, a mini me, or a little duck following a mother duck. Of all such comparisons, that last was surely the most fitting of the little girl. The girl who’s rare smile lit up a room, but was never wasted on those not worthy of it. The little girl he was so fond of not just because he adored her mother, and not just because he was becoming more aware of his own desire to have a family, but because she was someone he worried for and cared about.

She would always be a little duck to him.

Teddy grinned over at Sophie after the change in her dress color was made. “Wait.” He pointed his wand at his own cardigan, grateful now for the light blue shirt and the tan khakis, and the cardigan faded from grey and moved into yellow. He was reminiscent of an easter egg, but it wasn’t too colorful as to turn heads. “And now we match.” He tilted his head towards Avery with a smirk. “Did you not get the memo?”

His eyes closed briefly against her kiss, always surprised his heart wasn’t jumping out of his chest when she kissed him. She pulled away and he nodded, standing. “I’m not worried. I’m always calm and cool and collected under pressure.” He offered her a flinch of a smile to drive home just how false the statement was.

Avery shook her head at him, her mouth scrunched into a tight smile - the kind that was only reluctant because she wanted to feign embarrassment. "Oh, alright." She reached over and picked up a fallen leaf off of the banister of Bridget's porch, transfiguring it into a flower as Keiran had once taught her on a whim. It was, of course, properly yellow. And while it wasn't entirely suitable for her black dress and light purple-and-pink spotted scarf, she reached around behind her and tucked the stem into the pin she'd used in her hair. She wasn't half as good at her spellwork as Keiran, besides, so it looked rather like a fake hair ornament rather than a revived plant.

"Is that good enough?" She teased, turning so Sophie could see it too. The smaller blonde let out a bright laugh, hopping a little. Sophia may have only been three and a half, but she certainly knew what she liked. "Alright, darling. Let's go."

When the door open, Sophie wandered in, surprising everybody when she caught sight of the Headmaster and called out to him. "Kee!"

Keiran turned, amusement working its way onto his face. "My, my. Look at you!" He took her hand and led her into a little spin. "Very pretty." But then he looked up and spotted the other two, and his eyebrows lifted. Keiran's eyes drifted from Teddy to Sophie and back again, extremely pointed.

Avery turned, showing off her flower, before gesturing over at Teddy. "This is his fault. He mentioned ducks."

Sophie had moved over to the coffee table, where she found the book in question, holding it up for her uncle.

"Ah."

Moments later, she had tricked him into reading it to her again, so Avery drew Teddy towards the kitchen to look for Bridget and the other children. There, Darcie was on the counter, watching her nan make cookies and stealing chocolate chips when Bridget pretended she wasn't looking. They walked in right as she grabbed another one, and Avery held back a laugh as she stuffed it into her mouth so they wouldn't catch her. "Hello, you two. Where's Kelly and Liam?"

"Upstairs," Bridget replied as she dusted off her hands to rid them of flour. Then she crossed over to greet Teddy. "So good to see you again, love. I hope you like quiche. I made a couple other things, but it's Avery's favorite." The blonde blushed, pleased to have been thought of. "This is about her and her family after all."

Okay, Avery didn't really want to think about that until they absolutely had to. So she quickly stepped in, one hand twining back with his and the other wrapping around his forearm. "It's about all of us, Mum. We're far overdue on this."

Teddy felt a mild discomfort, but it was only for fear that he might disappoint, that he might not be able to provide whatever support it was Avery assumed he was capable of providing. He wanted to be that for her, and for Sophie, and he knew that doubt wasn't going to help, so he tried to keep himself relaxed and calm. Keiran was an unsettling addition to the company. It wasn't because Teddy didn't like his boss; in fact, the fact that he admired the man made it all the more difficult for Teddy to feel relaxed and at ease. He wondered if he could ever come close to Keiran in Avery's eyes. He was an intelligent, responsible leader and a caring, protective friend with so much to offer and Teddy... wasn't sure what he had to offer.

It also didn't help that Keiran was his boss, he supposed.

Teddy grinned sheepishly at the explanation between their matching yellow garments, before shaking Keiran's hand and offering a quick greeting before Sophie drew Keiran back to reading. He relaxed considerably in Bridget's company, as the elder woman just seemed to have that effect. He smiled between the two women and just said, "I think it'll be good." And he was on his way to believing it.

Claire was a realist, so she wasn't going to assume tragedy. Assuming the worst was just as misguided and illogical as assuming the best, so she wasn't going to do it.

But she was pretty sure it wasn't going to be great, either.

She had dressed as casually as she felt she could for the occasion, not wanting to look to stiff in one of her typical pantsuits, but certainly not comfortable enough with her family for jeans and a t-shirt. She looked up at the house, a beautiful home, and realized how on the outside she truly was to the events about to go down. When their family had fallen apart, Avery had the Hayes as her second family. Claire had no escape, before Elsie.Her father had been an absent man, and she rarely saw her mother or sister. She was entering a realm of familiarity she had almost no experience with. It strangely aligned her with her mother, which was almost as rare as the stars themselves aligning. She doubted that knowledge would provide much comfort.

There was no point wasting time. She went up the path, crossed the porch, and gave a curt knock on the door.