So, this is the last official chapter. Tear, tear. I'm seriously sad to be ending it, but there's still the epilogue and it will be about a year or two from the end. I haven't decide. I do know it will be posted on April 16 for specific reasons, haha. And writing a sequel with Avery as a teenager is seeming more and more interesting, but it's not on the immediate horizon at the moment. Maybe once I finish one of the two new stories it'll happen. I want to plan it out more, anyways. I hope you all like this last post and thank you SO much for reading and reviewing and taking so well to Avery. I haven't created a such well-liked character since Nic Quincy, so I'm glad you all like her. Again, thanks so much.

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

"Avery Justine, let's go, darling!" Jude yelled into Avery's room early Saturday morning. "Our flight won't wait because you can't get your t-shirt to go over your tank top just perfectly."

The door opened and Avery appeared, looking upset. "Well, they should. This is a fashion catastrophe. Where's Nic?"

"In my room!" Nic called out. "Come here, I'll style you!"

"I feel like I've been here for months," Jude sighed as she sat in the living room with Sadie. "Literally, it's been the longest week of my life."

"Well," Sadie rationalized, "a lot has happened. You fell back in love with the love of your life."

"Love is probably pushing it," Jude said. "Things are going good and I don't want to ruin it by jumping ahead, you know?"

Tommy, who'd been in the basement, heard this and stopped. He counted to twenty, took a deep breath, and opened the door. "Hey. You guys getting ready to leave?"

"We're waiting on Miss Fashion Diva," Jude explained, hoping he hadn't heard her.

"Nic?" he replied. "She's staying here for another week, then heading to LA to close up their house there. She won't be in Toronto for almost three weeks."

"Avery," Jude informed. "Something about a tank top and a t-shirt not going together right. I don't know. She's up with your sister, but I told her to hurry."

"Oh," he breathed. "Well, I forgot to tell you this, but I've got to go to New York for a few days before I come up to Toronto."

Jude's face fell. "Oh. Why?"

"Just have some things to do before I move," he shrugged. "Pack stuff up to have it shipped."

"Right," she nodded slowly.

A moment later, Avery descended the stairs with Nic, wearing a completely different outfit than she'd started in.

"You changed," Jude noticed.

"Her outfit was not good for flying," Nic reported. "A t-shirt is so inappropriate. They wrinkle and there will be photographers in both airports, waiting to see if Tommy comes with you."

"Which I'm not," Tommy filled in. "New York needs me a bit longer."

"Wait, you're not coming with us now?" Avery realized, rushing to stand in front of him. "But you are coming, right?"

He smiled down at her softly. "Yes, Avery. I'll be there by Wednesday, at the latest."

"Good," she said simply, though still eyeing him in slight disbelief. "I leave for camp on Thursday, so you can take me out to dinner Wednesday night."

"I can?" he joked, feigning excitement. "Well, I'll start planning."

"Good luck," Kwest spoke up. "She's a pickier eater than Jude."

"Well, Tyler was picky, too," Jude replied. "So she got it from both sides."

Nic saw the sadness flash through her brother's eyes at the mention of Jude's ex-husband and Avery's father, as if he'd wanted that role all along. "Umm, you guys are going to miss your flight if you don't get outta here. Don't forget to swing by and pick up James."

"I'd be a lot more sad if I weren't going to see you for a while," Jude laughed as she hugged her old band and Nic. "But, I'll see you in a couple of weeks, and probably for the rest of my life after that, so I'm not."

"You can't get rid of us twice," Kyle shrugged, punching her shoulder. "Besides, you'll have to see a lot of us if we're going to record together again."

Jude quickly looked to Tommy. "I'm recording with SME again?"

"If you want," he nodded. "That's up to you and whether you've still got it in you to rock."

"Please," Spiederman scoffed. "Jude Harrison will never lose the rock in her."

"Thank you," Jude grinned smugly. "But, he's right, I won't. I can't wait. I have so much stuff I've written over the last ten years that's been too heavy for the genre I fell into."

"We'll get to work as soon as they're settled then," Tommy stated. "Now, really, you should go." He pulled Jude into him and kissed her softly. "I'll see you soon."

"You'd better," she murmured. "Everyone else, see you in a couple of weeks. Av, let's go."

Avery waved to everyone sadly as Sadie pushed her out the door, shutting it behind her as she did.

"Tommy, since you're not the most subtle guy in the world, tell me what's going on," Nic demanded as soon as the two cabs pulled away with the Toronto-bound crew. "You're weird now and you weren't yesterday."

"Does it have anything to do with this?" Spiederman wondered, holding up the little black velvet box, showing off the brilliant cut diamond ring. "I thought your jacket from last night was mine?"

Nic gasped and a hand flew immediately to her mouth. "Dear God, you're proposing? Are you out of your damn mind?"

"You're the one who's been waxing poetic all week about not letting her go!" Tommy cried. "Now I should?"

"No!" Nic yelled. "When I said not to let her go, I meant to date for a while! I didn't mean go out and spend thousands of dollars on a ring." She grabbed it from her husband's hand. "A very nice one, though." She snapped it shut. "Tommy, you can't do that. You've been so afraid of scaring her off and this would be pretty scary for her."

"She's right," Spiederman agreed, jealous of his friends who got to escape this conversation for the basement, even though he knew he had to be involved. "Dude's still got major baggage with you, Squinty, and proposing would be a big no-no."

Tommy groaned in frustration and sank down to the sofa. "I'm a complete dumbass, aren't I?" He looked at Spiederman. "That's rhetorical."

"Fine," Spiederman rolled his eyes. "Look, Tommy, I get that you love her- who doesn't?- but you need to take things slower. She's seen that you've changed, so she's not going anywhere. It's been like, three days that you two have been together, you know? I've heard of couple getting engaged in like, two weeks, but not three days. That's crazy."

"This is weird for me," Tommy admitted. "Of all the women I've ever known and pursed, Jude's always been the only one complicated and independent enough to not lose her head. Even now, fifteen-year-old girls lose their heads because I've produced the latest Kanye West or Madonna song. Jude, though, practically laughs at my accomplishments."

"That's not true," Nic denied. "Dude's totally proud of what you made yourself into; we talked about it last night. She's seen that you've been so successful in the last fifteen years that she's afraid you're giving all that up for her and Avery."

"I am," Tommy confirmed, "but because I want to. People see success, but I feel emptiness. I mean, you all have been in LA, Darius has Maya and Portia and Max, so I've spent a lot of time alone in Manhattan. If giving up my prosperous career meant I got to be in Toronto with Jude and her crazy kid, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

"Then, for now, do that," Nic suggested. "Go from there."

He glanced at the box in her hand and took it. "You're right. I'll save this for a rainy day."

"About a year from now," Spiederman added. "Not tomorrow, or next week, or next month. Patience is a virtue, my friend."

"One you don't possess," Nic teased.

"I'm gonna go finish packing," Tommy told them, heading into his bedroom. "I leave tomorrow afternoon."

Spiederman stretched. "I think I'm gonna go down and play some video games. You wanna come?"

"No," she shook her head, standing up from her place on the coffee table. "I think I'm gonna call Lee, see if she's doing anything."

"Speaking of Lee," he said, opening the basement door. "What's going to happen with her and Wally?"

Nic smirked. "She's my financial advisor; she goes where I go."

"Nice," he laughed. "Have fun."

Two and a half hours later, flight 243 landed in Toronto and Avery, who'd listened to her iPod most of the way home, yawned as they exited the plane. "It's nice to be home, especially since home is about to get a lot more exciting."

"Avery, you wanna go with us to pick up Chris and Al?" Kwest offered. "See your grandpa and Yvette?"

"Sure," Avery shrugged. "Is that okay, Mom?"

"Yeah, I'll go with Jamie," Jude told her. "Go ahead."

Once they'd all gotten their luggage and separated, Jude rode in a taxi with Jamie to her townhouse.

"You nervous about him being here permanently?" Jamie asked, typing on his BlackBerry, preparing for his move to Florida.

"Yeah," she answered quietly. "The last four days were amazing, but I'm just afraid it's going to change if we're together all the time now."

He put his phone into his pocket. "Jude, we both know Quincy has never been my favorite person, but he's a different guy now. I don't think he'd be stupid enough to let you go again. He's grown up, just like we all have."

"I hope," she sighed as they pulled up to her house. "We're going to dinner on Tuesday before you leave. Me, you, Avery, Sadie, and Kwest."

"Sure," he agreed, kissing her forehead. "I'll see you Monday."

Jude let herself into her house and immediately went to her answering machine, finding she only had seven messages, probably because she'd changed her voicemail to say she'd be out of town. The first five were her parents, just reminding her to call them when she got home, but the sixth one caught her attention.

"Jude, hey, it's Tyler," her ex-husband's voice came through. "It's Wednesday night, at about 5:40 my time, and Avery just told me you're on a date with Quincy. I know you're getting this back in Toronto, and I don't really know what's going on with you two, but be careful. I know that deep down, he's the reason you and I got divorced and I don't want to see you get hurt by him again. If I don't get to talk to Avery again before she leaves for camp, tell her I'll be in Toronto the second week of August for a conference and I'd like to spend time with her. Thanks."

"Odd," she mumbled, erasing that message and the last one, from Spiederman, pretending to be Kurt Cobain, calling from beyond the grave, a joke he used to play when they were younger.

"Hi, Ma," Avery greeted her later that night after Kwest dropped her off. "What's up?"

"Call your dad," Jude told her. "He'll be here in August and he wants to see you."

Avery stood in front of the TV, on which Jude was watching My Girl. "How do you know that? Did you talk to him?"

"He left a message Wednesday night after you two talked," Jude reported. "Why didn't you tell me he called you?"

Her daughter shrugged and sat down on her lime green bean bag chair. "I didn't want to upset you. I know you hate when I talk about Dad and you and Tommy had gone on your date. He was being stupid, anyways. Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Jude told her softly, wrapping an arm around Avery's shoulders. "I wouldn't have been mad or upset. It's normal for a girl to talk to her dad, regardless of where he is."

"Okay," Avery breathed. "Well, Christian broke his uncle when Grandpa took his jet-skiing this morning."

"Ouch," Jude winced. "The Harrison side doesn't do well with broken limbs. Sadie broke both arms twice from the ages of eight to fourteen."

"I've heard," Avery smiled. "Mom, do you think you and Tommy will work out?"

"I hope so," Jude told her. "I know you adore him, and vice-versa, and I never realized how much I missed him until we were together again. I mean, I've always missed him, but it really intensified Sunday afternoon."

Avery grinned. "Good. He's make a great dad, whether it's for me or another baby sometime in the future."

"Oh, geez," Jude muttered. "I don't know if I could handle another kid after you."

"Please," Avery scoffed. "I'm the kid parents dream for."

Jude looked away. "Uh-huh, right."

"Mom!" Avery whined. "You love me."

"I do," Jude confirmed. "But to others, you might come on a little strong. You have to boundaries or barriers with the people you've grown up around, so you're more adult-like. And vulgar," she added. "And that, I worry, will only get worse with Spiederman and company around constantly."

"I cannot wait," Avery gushed excitedly. "They're like, my favorite people ever."

"They were mine once upon a time," Jude replied. "Three brothers I never had and never really wanted. I just got stuck with them."

"What do you think your life would've been like if you've have stayed with Spied?" Avery wondered.

Jude rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I'd be wild and carefree, just like he is. Nic's a nice balance for him, so we never would've worked out the way they do. She's a good influence in his life."

"I think they should have a baby," Avery decided. "A little boy."

"Tell her that," Jude smirked. "A baby is not on their agenda."

Avery eyed her mother. "They might not have a choice. When she helped me this morning, she rushed to throw up in the bathroom and she hadn't eaten breakfast, nor did she eat much at the party last night. It could be morning sickness."

"It could be a virus," Jude put in. "Nic and Spiederman are not ready for kids yet. They still have a lot they want to do."

"I'm just saying, they might not have a choice," Avery stated, turning up the volume on the movie. "Pregnancy isn't exactly predictable."

"Yours was," Jude said. "I wanted you."

"Well, duh," Avery shrugged nonchalantly. "Who freakin' wouldn't? I'm adorable."

"And so humble, too," Jude teased, closing her eyes.