Ava frowned as she pulled her suitcase through the door of the rented house, somewhat glad it was temporary. The Seattle house had been an anomaly, it seemed. As spacious as it had been, this one was the opposite, small and cramped. It'd be a squeeze for the five of them, but they'd make it work. It wasn't as if they had a choice.

It had been five weeks. Five weeks and she still hadn't found an opportunity to question her uncle on his lies, to find out what had really been going on all those years ago. She didn't want to bring Matty and Chloe into it unless she absolutely had to, and she couldn't know if she needed to do that if she didn't know what was going on herself. After Hailey's visit, it had seemed that one of them had always been with her, so a chance to confront her uncle just hadn't arisen.

Now though, as she stepped through the house, she knew the opportunity was upon them. Both of her siblings had gone straight to unpacking when they had arrived. Ava had taken her time, wanting to enjoy the Chicago atmosphere for as long as she could, and some twenty minutes had passed before she finally made her way into the house, finding her uncle sitting alone on the couch, obviously having chosen to read instead of unpacking himself.

"Uncle John?" She called out to him before she had the chance to change her mind. Closing the door behind her and leaving her suitcase behind as she approached him. "I need to talk to you."

He looked up at her, curiosity in his gaze, and moved his book aside. She knew that somehow he would know exactly where he was when he went back to it later.

"What is it, kiddo?"

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"With Rick." She sighed, biting her lip softly before sitting down next to him. "You didn't borrow any money, did you?"

He looked down for a moment, the look on his face told her he had been expecting this day to come, but he wasn't angry. If anything he seemed relieved.

"No. I didn't borrow any money."

"Then why did you say you did?"

"It was an easier explanation than the real one."

"Uncle John."

"You have to understand, there are certain things I never wanted to have to tell you. I've always suspected that I would have to, but I've never wanted to."

"Like what?"

He frowned, his shoulders sagging. "I feel like it's not really my story to tell."

"How isn't it?"

"Because it wasn't about me as such."

"It was you that he said owed him money."

John nodded. "Yes, but not because I borrowed any, it was something else."

"What?" Ava queried. "Why didn't you tell the truth?"

"Because you didn't need to know that he was blackmailing me."

She froze for a moment, unsure how to react to the revelation. She couldn't think of anything that Rick could have used. Sure, they'd been friends for a long time, since before she herself was born, but John had always been one of those people that did everything right, that never had enemies. She couldn't imagine a world where someone would have something to use against him.

"How?"

He didn't answer, and his silence left her searching her mind for an answer she wasn't sure how to find. The most contentious thing in his life had been the custody battle that had followed her mother's death. When her father's parents had tried to overrule Eve's wishes, insisting that their son would want his children to be with them. She'd always scoffed at that claim – he'd left no evidence of this, if anything, the only indication he had given as to what he wanted for them had been that he wanted them dead.

That had been a long time ago, and she was sure he hadn't had to play dirty to keep them safe. Eve's wishes had been clear, and he'd had a solid support system of both family and friends behind him.

"Uncle John, how?"

He looked down again. "It's not my story to tell."

"Really?" Ava rolled her eyes. "I don't see whose else it could be."

When he looked up at her again she noticed there were unshed tears in his eyes. "It's Ella's."

"Ella?"

She could tell he really didn't want to continue, but knew that he would in some form, even if it required her putting the dots together herself.

"Chloe was very sick. After the crash."

"I know."

"Ella," he paused. "You need to promise me that you won't let this change anything."

"You know I can't do that."

He nodded in acceptance. "Ella was only considered critical for about 12 hours. I never really understood what the doctors were telling me, I guess you would." Another hesitation. "By the 48 hour mark, if it wasn't for the broken ankle and the cuts and bruises, you wouldn't have known anything had happened. She was so good at hiding those broken ribs."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"I need you to remember that she was only nine." His tone was serious, concerned. "She was scared and confused. She was in pain. She was just a little girl."

"What happened?"

"I went to check on Chloe, I had a feeling something was wrong. I thought Ella was asleep. I don't even know how she managed to get herself into that wheelchair, but she did, and the nurses on the night shift, they just didn't care. She found him."

"Found who?"

His eyes closed briefly. "Your father."

"She went to see him?"

John nodded. "He'd been conscious. I hadn't known that. They hadn't told me, but when she found him he was alone. I'd wanted him arrested but they said they didn't have enough evidence."

"Did he do something to her?"

John shook his head. "But he said something to her. I don't know what. She never told me. When I got there she..."

He trailed off, his eyes pleading with her to let him stop talking, but she urged him to continue. "She what?"

"He had this tube or something in his arm." John turned away again. "When I got there she was pulling it out." He threw his head back, staring at the ceiling. "I wanted to let her, but I knew your mom would never forgive me, so I pulled the chair back, that didn't stop it coming out." Another hesitation. "I called a nurse, told her it had got caught on the wheelchair when she had got too close. I don't think she believed me, but she never reported it."

"She tried to kill him?"

"She thought she did." John shrugged. "He died later that day."

"How long after?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "No one came and told me, I didn't find out until your social worker came to see me."

"Depending on how soon he died." Ava stated. "She could have."

"She trusted Rick." John frowned. "And she was so angry all the time, especially with me, he volunteered to try talking to her. I didn't know she'd tell him, but she did."

"And he used it against you."

"He used it to get me to hide his dirty money." John admitted. "Only Chloe found it. You know how she was back then. Rebelling against anyone and everyone that told her anything. To her credit she did ask me about it first, but I guess when I told her it was Rick's she didn't see a threat. And why would she, she'd known him almost her whole life. I didn't realise she was taking it until half of it was gone."

"Why'd you say you borrowed it?"

"I didn't want Ella to know what had really happened." He explained. "I had to lie, she's always been so fragile, she wouldn't have coped."

"But you told the police the truth?"

He nodded. "That he had blackmailed me. They didn't even seem interested in what Ella had done, but they gave me immunity and agreed to protect us all if I testified."

Ava sighed. "And then Dalton got the rest of us involved." She refused to call him Rick. Rick was a family friend, and he wasn't that any longer. "Why would he do that?"

"I think he wanted Ella to be the one to go and get Chloe from him. That he wanted to taunt her, tell her it was her fault."

"And I went instead."

He nodded. "I wish I had known who he was. Or at least who he became when we weren't in contact. So I'd have known to walk away. So he'd have never been around any of you."

"Would have helped."

"It would have done more than helped. I should have figured him out sooner."

Ava sighed. "How much does Chloe know?"

"She knows the money was never borrowed. I'm not sure if she knows anything else."

Ava let out a sigh, feeling a familiar sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Do you think the thing in the hospital is why Ella was always so angry?"

-Ghosts-

Connor stumbled into Molly's, intent on drinking the hard day away. It had been a long one, what had started as a minor school fire had spread quickly, and the majority of his day had been a succession of burns, crush injuries and an ED full of obnoxious teens creating unnecessary chaos and demanding updates they weren't allowed to be given.

It almost seemed as though the world was conspiring against him, intent on making his bad mood worse, and he decided there was no harm in drowning his sorrows every once in a while, even if he had to do so alone until Will decided to show up.

He spotted Upton across the bar, Jay by her side as he usually was, and sighed. Will would likely want to join them at some point, he seemed to have become closer to his brother recently. It wasn't a bad thing, but Connor didn't really feel like a group social situation.

He was half way through his second drink, having been putting more effort than usual in avoiding those in the bar that he knew, when he heard a familiar laugh. It was so quiet that he almost thought he had imagined it, but when it was followed up by a louder "Calm down, it wasn't that funny." he knew it hadn't been in his head.

He turned instinctively at the words, freezing when his eyes confirmed what he had heard. Ava. She hadn't noticed him. Her hand was resting on the shoulder of an unfamiliar man, and he had to force down the pang of jealousy he felt. It wasn't as if he had a right to it, he'd made sure of that.

Turning away, he decided not to approach, it would only be awkward. The card he'd sent her had gained no response, and as much as he wanted to know why, he didn't want to ruin her fun.

"You know," It was around half an hour later that he heard Stella's voice, and looked up assuming he would find her watching him, about to comment on his still being at the bar with that same second drink, but it wasn't him she was looking at. "I'm not sure I like you."

"You're gonna love me."

Connor only just managed to resist rolling his eyes at the arrogance. This was the sort of person Ava was around now?

"You've had one drink all night and have been asking for water ever since. You're gonna put us out of business."

The man laughed. "At least you have firefighting to fall back on." He glanced back to the group, and his smile didn't falter, Connor noticed, until he looked back to the bar. "Didn't really want to come out tonight, but my sister was in a weird mood, didn't think her going off alone was a good idea."

Sister?

"Yeah, she looks like she's in trouble." Stella nodded. "All those cops around her."

"They're drinking." The man pointed out. "I thought at least one of them wouldn't, seeing as we, Maddie especially, aren't even meant to be here."

"Maddie?" Stella looked confused, glancing over to the group.

"You probably know her as Ava."

"Matty!"

Connor tensed at the voice. While following the conversation, he hadn't considered that the woman herself would approach.

"I might have to cut you off."

"I've only had two!"

Connor couldn't help but smirk, letting out a quiet laugh, but it seemed to be loud enough for them to hear.

"Can I help you?"

Connor sighed, turning slightly and resting an arm on the bar, meeting Ava's eyes for the first time in months. "I'm good."

She remained focused on him as he answered Matty's question, and he knew instantly that she wasn't as drunk as the man had suggested.

"Connor."

"Hey."

"You're Connor?"

Connor finally turned, locking eyes with the younger man. He saw it now, the messy blonde hair, the mouth, the ears. Definitely Ava's brother. He decided not to verbally respond, opting only to nod.

"Gotta say, I've been given some conflicting reports about you. I'm not sure whether to shake your hand or punch you."

"Matty..."

"Obviously I'm not actually going to punch him."

Connor barely registered what he was saying, his gaze had returned to Ava, and she was yet to break the contact, even when she had scolded her brother. They stayed there for a moment, taking each other in, and Connor had just been about to break the silence when she beat him to it.

"We should talk."

"Yeah." He responded quickly, not wanting her to change her mind. "We should."

She nodded, stepping towards the doorway of the bar before her brother once again intervened.

"Where are you going?"

"Just outside."

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Ava rolled her eyes, turning back to him. "He's not out there, Matty."

"You promised Hailey that if she brought us here you wouldn't take risks."

Connor watched as the blonde sighed, noticed her eyes moving to her friend for a brief moment.

"I can take care of her."

Ava looked back to him as he spoke, brow furrowed. "I can take care of myself."

"You've been shot twice." Matty reminded her. "Literally shot."

"I recovered."

"What if you don't next time?"

"There's not going to be a next time."

Connor could see the understanding in her eyes, but he knew the stubborness he had always known her to have was winning out. She wasn't going to back down.

"What if..."

"I'll be fine."

Matty let out a sigh. "Five minutes. That's all I can buy you anyway, without Hailey realising you're not here."

She nodded, and Connor followed close behind her as she stepped out the door, leaning against the wall in the cold night air.

"Conflicting reports?"

He'd decided to try and lighten the mood.

Ava frowned, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "Chloe really doesn't like you."

"Ah." He paused, finding himself slightly relieved that she hadn't been the source of the less than desirable reports. Still, he was unsure of how to proceed and beginning to wish he hadn't had that second drink. "I wasn't sure you'd still want to talk."

"Why?" Her head tilted slightly as she spoke. He wondered if she was aware that she did that sometimes.

"When you didn't respond to the card, I..."

Her eyes widened at the mention. "Oh."

She had seemed more surprised than anything.

"Oh?"

"I forgot." She shrugged sheepishly. "I was going to, but I wanted to wait until Hailey wasn't around. It was an intense couple of days, by the time she left, I had a lot on my mind. I guess I spaced."

He nodded. That made sense.

"Connor..." She hesitated for a moment when he didn't respond. "I didn't leave to get away from you."

"I know." He admitted. "I get it. You had to go." He paused. "How've you been?"

There was so much more he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure how far to push her.

"Good."

He could tell that wasn't the whole truth.

"Good?"

She sighed. "There are still some concerns with my shoulder."

"How bad?"

"I don't know for sure. I'm hoping to check in with Dr. Evanson next week."

"Sounds like a plan."

"He's serious, you know."

"What?"

"Matty." Ava elaborated. "If I don't go back in there, Hailey will notice I'm gone, and he won't be able to cover."

"She's protective?"

"She's not what we need to talk about."

He nodded, sensing her slight frustration at what was essentially small talk. "I'm sorry."

"I know that was abrupt but we don't have long and..."

"No." Connor interrupted, realising she hadn't interpreted the words the way he had meant them. "I'm sorry. For not believing you. For the things I said. The accusations. For everything."

She remained silent for a moment, eventually nodding. "I was distracted."

"What?"

"In the OR." She gave a small grimace. "Hailey called that morning. Told me I might have been compromised. It was a false alarm that day but... I should never have been in the OR."

He nodded. He'd assumed, but he had to admit it was nice to have the confirmation. "I shouldn't have assumed you'd..."

"You shouldn't have." She agreed, turning away to gaze across the street. "But I shouldn't have made out that it was your fault, either. I knew you felt bad about it and..."

"And?"

She let out a sigh. "I wanted to hurt you. I hated that I wanted to, but I did."

"I get that."

She didn't answer, opting to watch the cars as they passed. For the first time he noticed the slight fear in her eyes as they did, the anxiety in a gaze that wasn't leaving each vehicle until it had safely passed them – and for the first time he realised it was something she had been doing since they left the bar. She'd tensed as soon as they had stepped outside, and he had assumed it was the cold evening air. Now he wasn't so sure.

"Are you okay?"

She looked back to him, giving an unconvincing nod. "It's just strange being back here."

"It's more than that."

She didn't answer straight away, jumping at the sound of a shout somewhere down the street. He watched as she calmed herself, but noticed the lip bite.

"I was shot in New York, and when I left the city, I never went back. So coming back here after the same thing happened, it's weird."

"You didn't want to come back?"

"I did." She was quick to confirm. "It's still strange, though. It feels different."

"Things will go back to normal. When things have calmed down and you're back at work."

She nodded. "That might be a while."

"Why?"

"I haven't been cleared for surgery." He could hear the disappointment in her voice. "And even if I had, the trial is weeks away, and I don't know when I'll be called to testify. I can't be at work until that's done."

"Are you worried?"

She took a moment to think about it. "A little. I've spent the past few months trying not to think about it, but that was easier to do when it was just Maddie's story and I wasn't her any more. Now it's Ava's too."

He couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Sorry."

"What's funny?"

"You. Still talking about yourself as if you're two different people."

"I've spent the summer realising that that's exactly what I am." She forced a weak smile. "The more I let Maddie back in, the more Ava slips away."

"Nah." He disagreed. "You've always been both. You just don't like people seeing both sides."

She hesitated before taking a step away from the wall. "I'd better get back."

He nodded, placing a hand on her back and guiding her to the door, pausing just before opening it. "We'll talk more another time?"

It took a brief moment, but she nodded, and with that, he pushed open the door and they made their way back inside.