Jim's Folly

When should I have the Christmas party, children?

Chapter Forty Five

The tear was silver as the moon glinted off the drop as it fell to the ground. The cheek from which it fell was pale, the lips clenched as sobs were withheld. The figure was on his knees in the darkness before the window as the moonlight bathed him, the only light in the entire suite.

Behind him, the door opened slightly and another boy poked his head inside.

"Avery? You in here?"

Avery, startled, wiped his eyes feverishly and whipped his head around, relieved to see Andrew standing there. Closing the door behind him, Andrew entered the room, frowning. "You okay?" he asked cautiously, approaching his kneeling friend.

Avery's glance fell to the ground, to his hands which were clenched tightly in his lap.

The tears were hidden in the carpet, but they weren't hidden on his face. They'd left small, wet trails on his pale cheeks.

Andrew narrowed his eyes. "You're crying," he whispered, kneeling down next to Avery, who nodded.

"I'm having a rough night, if you couldn't tell," he replied quietly, still staring at the ground. Andrew sighed. "Can I do anything to help? Do you want a drink or a cloth for your face or something?"

Avery's mouth went up in a half-smile and he chuckled. "So quick to help. I like that, Andy, but no. Thanks anyway…I just need to fight this by myself."
"Fight what?" Andrew was confused. Avery was acting very strange, but based on his recent behavior, Andrew also wasn't surprised.

"Myself. I need to fight…myself."

Andrew squeezed his friend's shoulder. "Want to talk about it?"

Avery looked up at Andrew with teary eyes and shook his head. "Not yet. Maybe…later. But…I'll be okay, Andy. Thanks for…caring."

"Don't do anything stupid," Andrew commanded him before standing and leaving.

Avery continued to look at the ground where the moonlight captured his kneeling form.

"I can't live like this much longer…"

---

It was early on the morning of the Christmas party when Raven arose, aware of the thick smell of turkey in the air.

Though it was an old, old tradition, turkey was still cooked by families all across the galaxies. The turkeys, of course, weren't all together 'earthly' turkeys, but more like hybrid turkeys. Nonetheless, they tasted and smelled the same: delicious.

Jim was still asleep when she got up, but she didn't bother waking him. She thought the sleep would be good for him. She'd made him come with her to go on a mad goose-chase yesterday, anyway.

Raven had done all the searching she could for Ricky Jordan, the new star of the music of young people.

She'd found nothing on Ricky, but plenty on Avery. Ready to do an investigation, she purchased his music album and a few other things related to him.

That morning in her favorite chair by the fireplace, Raven discovered many things about Avery: he was young like her son, but older by a few years, he liked to dress like a woman, he was pretty, caring, warm and friendly. Raven was unsure if he was straight.

The books didn't say, after all.

"Who's the girl?" Leland asked, looking over Raven's shoulder, causing her to jump.

"Leland! You startled me!" she gasped. He smiled and walked over to the couch, chuckling.

"Sorry there, lass. I just noticed you looking at a picture of a familiar face…who is she, anyway?"

"That's actually a man, believe it or not," Raven said. "His name is Avery December and he's a rising star in the world of young people music…"

Leland shrugged, staring into the flames of the fireplace. "Yeah…well, does he sing anything of quality?"

Raven held up a small disc. "I was about to find out," she replied softly.

---

"So what should I wear tonight?" Raven asked herself, opening the closet. She saw a blue dress, sparkly, velvety. Dark as midnight itself. Seeing it reminded her of Andrew.

"Wear that one, Mama." His voice was that of a little child's. There was no way he had gone through puberty in her head. She wanted to see him on the news, she wanted to hear people talking about him and cry out "That's my son you're talking about!" She wanted to see him again.

Jim walked into the room and smiled at his wife. "Picked something out yet?" he asked her quietly, hugging her from behind as she looked over her dresses, distress creasing her brows.

"Maybe…"
Jim let her go and reached into the closet. "Wear this one," he said simply, pulling out a knee-length red dress. "Red is hot."

"According to you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He laughed and nodded. "Well, red makes you look hot." He paused. "Heck, anything makes you look hot, but whatever! Wear this one, please?" he asked, blinking several times.

Raven eventually caved and chose Jim's outfit for him in return.

Singing quietly to herself in the mirror, she smiled. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas…"

---

Seven PM, Christmas Eve.

The Hawkins', Silver, Morph, BEN, the Dopplers and a few guests all gathered together at the dinner table and enjoyed a huge feast of turkey, purp sauce, mashed potatoes, guarvel dessert, and other such delicacies Sarah had prepared with the help of Amelia.

The food was terrific. After wining and dining, music was put on and the guests milled about, chatting here and there. The dress was formal. Everyone was wearing something nice.

Jim and Raven sat close together on the couch while Leland sat in Raven's research chair, chatting with Raven. Jim sat still, rather stiffly as Raven laughed and joked with his own father.

Jim said little, but listened intently.

"So," Leland started, bringing up a new topic. "When are you two going to have children?"

Raven paused. "That was unexpected," she replied. Leland grinned. "Just wondering when I get to be a grandpa! Haw haw haw!" he guffawed. Jim raised an eyebrow. Was the man drunk again?

Amelia milled about, watching intently. This Hawkins Sr. sure was a card, if there was no other word to describe him. Always meddling in his son's love life.

The feline woman tsk-tsked to herself and chuckled. This was none of her business, so why was she so adamant about getting Leland off of the subject?

She approached the couple and sat on the table between all of them. "Evening, folks! Lovely party you're having, Mr. Hawkins," she said, addressing Jim.

"Thank you, Captain," Jim said, grateful for the distraction.

Amelia proceeded to lead them away from the discussion of children and onto something else until the party died down and there were only the embers glowing in the fire.

Jim sat on the couch still, his arm around his wife, who sat snuggled against him. The room was warm, and there was no one else around. They had all chipped in to help clean up the kitchen and within an hour, all the dishes were done and everything was ready to serve customers in a few days from then which would be once the holidays were over.

Jim looked at Raven, who smiled faintly, her smile tired.

"I'm gonna go up soon," she said quietly.

He nodded. "Yeah, me too." The two were silent for a moment. "So…does it bother you when my dad was talking about…what he did?"

Raven shrugged. She didn't like talking about miscarriage nor childbirth since she was experiencing plenty of the first and none of the second option.

She'd rather talk about something else...something like…

"Oh, I don't mind at all. It's just…yeah."

Jim chuckled. "Yeah indeed," he muttered. "What are the odds of you getting pregnant at all?" he asked her, meeting her eyes.

She smiled. "Well, Andy was a success. The percentage is higher because of that," she told him, thinking back to her pamphlets. Research was a good thing to do.

The corners of his lips tugged at what seemed to be a smile and he nodded.

"So the odds are up…" He paused. "I'm going upstairs now. You're welcome to come with me, if you like." His tone was suggestive. She raised an eyebrow. "James Hawkins, what are you implying?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Nothing gets by you, does it?"

She shook her head and stood up, pulling him up with her. "Nope. Nothing at all."
He took her hand and they went upstairs, the only light in the room the light of the embers in the fireplace.

In the dim light of their room before Jim leaned in to kiss his wife, he told her he loved her.

"It will work this time, Ray…"

---

In the dark of night, Avery lay curled up in the same spot of moonlight. The tears had stopped flowing, but his face felt tight, dried up tears making his pale skin itchy.

He wished Andrew had come back later. He was dreadfully lonely. But, he knew Andrew was in the next room. He dared not remove himself from the light, but he knew he had to to get over his fear.

Standing, he fought the fear that crept up inside as he went to the adjoining door that stood between Andrew and Avery's suites.

He knocked quietly. No response. Avery wasn't surprised: it was late.

"Andrew?" he whispered. He opened the door which wasn't locked, to his surprise.

Creeping inside, he saw Andrew on the balcony, staring at the sky. Avery almost ran to his friend. "Andrew," he called a little louder. Andrew turned to Avery, frowning.

"What are you doing still awake?" he asked, reaching his arm out to the troubled young man.

Avery bit his lip and his eyebrows creased together.

"I can't sleep, I'm…just…"

"You're a wreck," Andrew finished for him.

Avery nodded. "I am a wreck. I thought maybe you could help me…"

"With what?" his friend asked.

Avery sat on the ground by Andrew's feet, wrapping his arms around himself.

"I'm scared," Avery whispered. Andrew frowned and knelt down. "Of what?"

"…" Avery's eyes were looking elsewhere, but Andrew took Avery's face in his hand and made him look up at him. "What are you scared of, Avery?"

Avery's face wrinkled as if he wanted to cry and he tore his face from Andrew's grip.

"Everything!" he whined. "I…Andrew, you don't know the half of what I go through…"

"Well, tell me," Andrew asked quietly, sitting next to his friend.

Avery was quiet for a moment. Looking at his own bare arms, he realized it was now or never. "Okay. Well, you know…I like to wear funny clothes, right?"

"Yeah," Andrew replied. Where was he going with this?

"Some of my wardrobe is really cool…involving cool capes and whatnot, but that involves me not being able to cover up my midsection."

"So?" Andrew replied. That seemed totally in Avery's taste. So what was he leading to?

"If I bared my midriff, people would see this," he whispered, getting up onto his knees so Andrew could get a better look as he lifted the corner of his shirt. On his lower abdomen was an ugly black bruise.

Andrew paled slightly. "Where did you get that?" he asked quietly, meeting Avery's firey eyes.

However, the beautiful Asian-looking man said nothing and turned and left the room.

Andrew shook his head at Avery's departure. There was more to him than he had thought. Much, much more.

---

Author's Note: Wow, I have a way of dancing around sex scenes, don't I? :P Well, not like you want to read them, eh? Go somewhere else if you're looking for the like. I don't go for that sort of thing. ^_^

Oh, and the Avery/Andrew scene was totally thrown in on a whim. *shrugs* Got me to five pages, though. They're NOT gay, people! Avery's just really…fluffy, one might say. Androgynous, if you will.