Chapter 10

The two occupants of the bed cried out, startled by the addition of light and a third person. Ava watched, unmoving with wide eyes, as an unfamiliar, naked woman turned to face her.

"Oh shit." The woman mumbled, her eyes going straight to the sidearm that still graced the agent's hip.

"Ava." Kate practically shoved the other woman off of her, sitting upright and covering herself with the bedsheet. Ava's mind was blank, still trying to process what was going on right in front of her, as she blinked rapidly at the woman. Kate scrambled out of bed, throwing on a robe to hide her naked body, and approaching her fiancée slowly. The agent's eyes danced around the room, taking in its contents as if she was at a crime scene. The empty bottle of tequila on the nightstand was only her first piece of evidence.

"Out." Ava growled at the other brunette that was still frozen in fear. She took a warning step forward when the woman didn't move. "Now." At the sight of the trembling, approaching woman, the stranger shot up and collected her clothes, running out the door without even bothering to put them on, leaving Ava and Kate alone.

"Ava," Kate came dangerously close to her, "Ava, please just listen to me." The brunette remained stoic, her expression reminding Kate of the eye of a storm. "Oh God, Ava. I fucked up. I was so alone- so scared- after what happened last night that I just…I thought I'd lost you." Ava had so many things to say- so many hateful and almost brutal things to shout at the woman- but she couldn't find her voice. All she could hear- all she could feel- was her own heart breaking. Kate continued to beg, giving excuses to justify her reprehensible action, but Ava heard none of it. She simply stood there, in front of the bed she had promised to share with Kate for the rest of her life, wearing the ring that all of a sudden felt too heavy to bear, and thought you're the biggest fucking fool that's ever lived. How could she have been so stupid- so blind? When Kate had proposed to her, it was as if she was living in a dream world. It was unthinkable- the happiness that they had shared up until a few months ago. Three years of her life wasted, just like that. Wasted on a person who clearly never loved her, who thought of no one but herself and manipulated her until the very end.

"Please," Kate cried, Ava's silence driving her mad, "please, just say something. Anything! Curse, scream, throw something! Just please…anything!" Ava swallowed hard at the temptation. She was trembling uncontrollably with what she assumed to be rage. She had never felt that emotion before- not like this. Forcing her eyes to land on the blonde's now wet eyes, Ava choked back her emotions and said, in the calmest voice she could muster,

"When I get back, you, and everything you've ever touched in this apartment, better be gone." The statement was cold and hard, like the steel of the knife Kate had so carelessly slid into her heart. Kate broke down at the words, falling to her knees in front of Ava and taking the brunette's hands.

"I'm sorry, Ava. Please, God, I am so sorry." The words were muffled by sobs and the fact that she had pressed her face against Ava's legs. "I'll do anything, Ava, just please forgive me! Do you want to hit me?" The question not only sickened, but surprised the brunette. She looked down at the begging woman. "You can if you want. It might make you feel better. Please Ava, just do it! I deserve it, we both know that. I deserve whatever you want to do to me." While Ava couldn't argue with her logic, the simple fact that Kate was near her made her sick to her stomach. Touching her in any way shape or form would undoubtedly make the brunette lose what little food she had in her stomach. Besides, the last thing she wanted was to be anything like her. Wordlessly, Ava reached down and took the woman by the shoulders, pulling her to her feet. Kate's sobs seemed to decrease, as if she was expecting that the offer had made everything better and Ava was no longer upset. She stood, anticipating a blow, and was startled when Ava didn't deliver.

"When I get back, you, and everything you've ever touched in this apartment, better be gone." She repeated. Kate's knees were weak as the phrase truly began to sink in. She raised a shaking hand, placing it on Ava's cheek. Ava didn't know why, but she let her. Perhaps it was because she knew this was the last time she would feel Kate's skin on hers.

"Please," Kate's voice was quivering as she brought her lips close to the brunette's, "I love you." The utterance was the last straw for Ava as she swiftly turned on her heels. Kate grabbed onto her hand, falling to her knees once more, as she tried to pull her back. Ava didn't even glance back down as she forcefully yanked her hand out of the blonde's grasp and collected her purse, coat, and shoes. Standing at the entrance of the apartment she had shared with the woman who had destroyed her, Ava removed the once beautiful engagement ring from her finger. Kate watched from the floor outside the bedroom door, sobs wracking her body, as Ava placed the ring on the table, and walked out. Even as Ava descended the stairs as rapidly as she could, she could still make out Kate's breathless sobs. She ignored them, stepping out into the cold air.

Her head was swimming, her vision blurring, and she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because she hadn't eaten since this morning. Maybe it was the sight of that woman straddling her fiancée and making her moan. Regardless of the reason, Ava quickly found herself on her knees, emptying the contents of her stomach onto her complex's front lawn. She knelt there for a moment, catching her breath and willing her sight back to normal. Standing, her hand immediately went to her phone. JJ's 'call me if you need anything' rang in her head but Ava ignored it. Dropping the phone back into her purse, she began to walk. With no set destination in mind, Ava knew that getting behind the wheel of a car was a terrible idea. She was still trembling, whether from anger or dehydration it didn't quite matter. As she walked for close to a half hour, Ava realized that she had reached the livelier part of town during this time of night. She checked her phone: 10:57PM. It wasn't as late as she thought. With a sigh, she forced herself to walk towards where the voices were loudest. Seconds later, she was face to face with the entrance to a bar.

Why the hell not?

"Hello?" JJ's voice was harsh, her speech somewhat slurred given the hour. She checked the time: 3:39AM.

"Is this Agent Jennifer Jareau?" the voice was unfamiliar and JJ frowned as she sat up in bed, knowing that Will wouldn't wake.

"Yes, who is this?"

"Uh, this is Manny." JJ frowned at the name. "I'm a bartender up on Q street and we're closing in 20 minutes but there's a woman here, I think she said her name is Ava."

"Is she ok?" JJ shot out of bed immediately, startling her husband. She yanked on a pair of sweatpants and coat as quickly as she could.

"Uh," the man thought, "honestly, I don't think so. Your number was the number one speed dial in her phone. I think you should come get her."

"I'm on my way." JJ breathed. "Please, stay with her until I get there."

"No worries," the man promised, "I still have to close up anyway. I'll text you the address." JJ thanked the man and hung up, already halfway out the door.

"I'll be right back." She kissed her husband quickly on the lips. "I'll explain later." And was gone before Will could respond.

Less than fifteen minutes later, JJ skidded to a stop outside Manny's Sports Bar and practically sprinted inside. She took in the empty bar and large man that was cleaning tables.

"You must be Jennifer." The man- presumably Manny- said. JJ nodded. "Your girlfriend's over there." He tilted his head towards the bar and JJ saw the slumped silhouette of Ava Thorne.

"Oh god." She mumbled to herself. "Has she said anything?" Manny shook his head.

"She wasn't really capable of conversation by the time she got here." JJ approached the woman, almost afraid to turn her over for fear of seeing any cuts or bruises staining her face. Thankfully, only the little cut on her lip greeted the blonde. JJ let out a sigh of relief.

"She was already drunk when she got here?" JJ asked as she tried to wake the woman. Manny scoffed.

"'Drunk?'" he shook his head. "Girl was plastered. If you ask me, this must've been her third or fourth bar of the night." JJ swallowed hard, wondering what could've happened between her and Kate for Ava to reach this point. Slowly but surely, she managed to get Ava to stand, almost gagging on the stench of alcohol that seemed to radiate from the younger woman.

"Come on, Ava." She urged the brunette. "We're going home."

"Kate?" the slurred name caused the blonde to pause for a moment. Manny seemed confused but continued to wipe down the tables in silence.

"Thank you." JJ told the man. Who knows what would've happened had he been less than decent?

"No worries. Good luck." He waved as JJ took one of Ava's arms and secured it around her own neck. The blonde nodded as she opened the door, making sure Ava didn't trip over herself as they went out on the street.

"Damn," came a low pitched voice as the two women approached JJ's car, "how about you lemme get in on some of that, blondie?"

"Back off if you know what's good for you." JJ didn't hesitate to move her jacket to the side, revealing the gun and badge she had brought for this exact reason.

"Shit, girl. Alright, chill." the boy, no older than eighteen, raised his hands defensively before turning and sprinting down an alley. JJ heaved as she opened the car door and, as gently as possible, placed Ava inside. Putting on the woman's seatbelt, she felt Ava grab hold of her hand with surprising strength.

"I don't want to go home." JJ managed to decipher. She placed a hand on Ava's shoulder as the woman's eyes finally opened. JJ could see the array of unshed tears that swam amongst beautiful, rich jade.

"Don't worry," she told the woman, "everything's going to be just fine, OK?"

"Mkay." Ava nodded, her trust in the woman far outweighing her drunkenness. JJ, given the current state the younger woman was in, took that as a compliment of the highest regard as she got into the driver's seat.