(A/N:To celebrate CMT picking up Nashville for a 5th season, here's chapter 2! Also, thank you for the reviews and reads:) I hope everyone continues to enjoy the story. )
Layla was sitting on the top step when Avery pulled up in front of Gunnar's house. He sighed, annoyed to see her there as if she belonged nowhere else. She couldn't possibly think that he'd have anything to say to her, did she? He had said all that he wanted to say. Determined to ignore the intrusion, he got out of the car and started up the stairs.
"I know that I'm the last person that you want to see right now," She spoke, just as he inserted the key into the lock. "But just hear me out, okay?"
"I have nothing to say to you," He didn't even turn around to look at her. It wasn't that he was hurt by her admission of guilt. He was angry, on Juliette's behalf if nothing else. Layla had caused Juliette grief on what should have been a happy night for her. It hadn't been an accidental leak either. It had been purposefully done and meant to harm. Layla had wanted to destroy Juliette in the eyes of the public by leaking that news!
"Good. You don't have to say anything. Just listen."
Avery rolled his eyes and gave a tired sigh. He was in no mood to deal with Layla. But the girl won't leave him alone until she had her say. He might as well get it over with now. "Fine. I'm listening."
Layla nervously swallowed down her nervousness as Avery turned to face her. "Look, you're right. When I saw you at the wedding, my whole plan was to seduce you to hurt her. I had loved Jeff and she took him away from me. I wanted to do the same to her I wanted her to feel as lonely and wretched as I had felt. You had been a means to hurt her. But then...I got to know you and...I began to really like you. What we had...it was real. I swear on Jeff's grave that it was. I was so happy when you chose to be with me...for the first time since Jeff's death, I didn't feel alone. I felt as if someone really cared about me..."
"Well then why did you tell the media about Juliette and Jeff? What was the point of that if you were so happy with me?"
"It was like I told you. I had to show you what a horrible person she is. I mean...you were always going over to her place...talking to her..."
"I was dropping off Cadence! We have a daughter together, I wanted to at least keep everything civil for Cadence's sake! You didn't show her to be a horrible person! You showed yourself to be a horrible person! I can't be with someone who did what you had done!"
"She would have done the same and you know it! What is the difference?!"
Avery squeezed his eyes shut then opened them agian, looking at Layla as if he was seeing her for the first time. "You are wrong there! Juliette would never have done this! She would never use the press to destroy another person or to get more attention! She would never set out to destroy anybody! That is the difference between you and her! Juliette is a lot of things, but she's not hateful! You know, the funny thing is that I could have forgiven you befriending me to get back at Juliette. I could have forgiven you calling the paparrazzi in that alley, but I can not forgive you for trying to destroy the mother of my child and the woman that..."
"What? You love? And you wonder why I was so desperate!" Layla crossed her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"No. I wonder why you are so full of hate. I feel sorry for you, Layla. Do yourself a favor. Go get help before you end up bitter and alone," Avery shook his head before unlocking the door and entering the house, leaving Layla on the porch crying.
...
The sky was the bluest that he had ever seen it. Fluffy clouds floated past, each one a different shape from the last. Looking around, he realized that he was in a big field full of white daisies, Juliette's favorite flower. He was sitting before a nice spread and across from him sat Juliette. She was wearing a blue checked dress and her hair was braided back away from her face. It gleamed golden in the warm sunlight.
"It is so beautful here," Avery looked around, not feeling surprised at all to be in this place with her. In fact, it felt as if he belonged here.
"This is my favorite place in all of Nashville. I haven't been here in a while though. Too busy," Juliette sighed, leaning back on her hands and smiling up at the sky. "It's so peaceful here. You can think."
"Have you been here all of this time?"
"Yes. Thinking about Cadence...I haven't been much of a mother to her, have I?" Juliette sighed, guilt clear in her eyes.
"That wasn't your fault. You were sick. It couldn't be helped."
"Yes it could have. It had just taken Jeff's death to make me realize it when it should have only taken the pain in your eyes. I've hurt you so bad..."
"That's the past. I understand now."
Juliette looked at him with deep sadness in her eyes. "But you can't forgive me, can you? Not really. I've done too much damage."
Seeing the sadness in her eyes made his own heart ache. "We can work through the damage. It's not too late."
"How do you know that it's not?"
"I just do. We can fix it. But I need you to come back. Cadence and I are waiting."
She placed a warm hand over his and looked imploringly into his eyes. "Promise?"
"Of course..."
"Avery!" Scarlett shook him awake. He frowned and glared at her, angry that she had awoken him from his dream, the only way he could be with Juliette.
He grimaced and rubbed his eyes. "What the hell, Scarlett?"
She pushed the telephone into his hand. "Here. Emily is on the phone for you. I'm going back to feeding Cadence."
Hearing that it was Emily on the line woke Avery up fully. A part of him dreaded what she may have to say, afraid that it was bad news, but a more hopeful part hoped that it was something that he wanted to hear. "Emily?"
"She's awake, Avery. Juliette's awake!"
Avery didn't even say good-bye. He hung up the phone, hopped out of bed and slipped on his boots before grabbing his keys and heading for the door, running past his friends, who were all on the couch wanting a turn to play with Cadence.
"What did Emily say?" Scarlett spoke, knowing that it must be important to send Avery out the door like this.
"She' awake. Juliette's awake! I'll keep you updated, I have to go!"
They watched him leave also hoping for the best. Avery had not been himself since the plane crash. Hopefully, everything will end happily for his friend. After all that he's been through, he deserved the happiness that they now shared with each other.