AN/
Hello! TYSM for your support and reads and reviews. They make my day to read them. Makes me feel like my writings more important and motivates me to write.
This chapter is Nava centric. Right now the two couples are sorta apart (except the chapter with Franco and Ava) but they'll have more together and things will make more sense the farther into the story.
Enjoy!
-END of AN-
"Ava, there you are." Nikolas said to her as she came through the front doors of the castle. He approached her, pulling her into his arms for a warm embrace. Hugs weren't really her thing, but she needed this one. "Where were you? I came home after dropping off Avery and you weren't here. Did it really take that long at the station?"
"No." Ava told him letting go of him. "I stopped by the gallery so I could tie up some things and take the rest of the day off."
"What happened at Sonny's?" Nikolas asked her. "I wasn't sure but to be safe I have some people watching Avery's school."
Ava smiled at this. He really did care about her daughter and it showed. "Thank you." She said caressing his cheek and looking at him. She just wanted to embrace this moment, where she had someone caring for her and her daughter. She didn't need it. She'd been a single mother to Kiki and she was more than capable as an independent woman, but having that allowed her to put her guard down and share her worries with someone else. Not always need to do everything for herself. Know someone cares enough regardless of how capable she is. To just not deal with it alone was a blessing.
Nik held his hand on top of the one she'd placed on his face and pulled it into his hand, holding it. "Let's go talk in the main room."
Ava nodded and allowed him to guide her in there, their hands still intertwined as they walked to the couch and sat down on it. Even after they sat he still held her hand closely to him.
"Short verison…..Michael's dead." Ava told him. "He was shot. Murdered."
"Oh my god!" Nikolas exclaimed. He'd been there and hadn't even known. "Michael's actually dead?"
"Yeah." Ava nodded. "I found him. He was laying there in the living room and he was bleeding. He wasn't responding. Maybe he was already dead when I found him, I tried to find a pulse but between all the blood and the phone, I couldn't."
"Avery-"
"Was upstairs." She finished for him. "Thank god."
"She didn't see anything right?" Nikolas asked.
"No. Just me." Ava shrugged. "But despite trying my best I think she could tell something was wrong."
"Hey, you kept her safe and you also tried to help Michael too." Nikolas told her, not wanting her to feel bad. "Where was everyone else?"
"I don't know!" Ava exclaimed. "The one guard who showed up later said they'd been taken down. Carly showed up at the scene when I was going to the station. Sonny was nowhere to be found."
"I'm just glad you and Avery are okay." Nikolas told her.
"For now." Ava exclaimed again, getting worked up.
"Ava, what are you talking about?" Nik asked her, seeing how she was getting.
Ava stood up as her anger rose. "Oh we all know that while Michael has some people who dislike him this was clearly one of Sonny's enemies."
"You think this was mob business?"
"Yeah." Ava said, convinced.
"Well you were involved in all that once….do you know who it could be?" Nikolas asked her.
Ava shook her head no as she did her best to hold her temper. It wasn't Nikolas she was mad at and he didn't deserve a fit thrown at him.
"That could have been my baby girl, Nikolas." Ava said, holding her chest with emotion. "She could still be next!"
"Hey," Nik said standing up, realizing this was less about Michael and more about Avery as he emotions wavered in her voice. "Don't think like that."
"If i don't it could cost her her life." Ava reminded him. "This is my daughter. She's so young. She shouldn't be involved in any of this let alone be a target."
"You're right." Nikolas agreed.
"I already lost one daughter," Ava's voice cracked. "I cannot lose another. I can't!"
Nikolas stood up again and pulled her into his arms again. For a person who wasn't the hugging type this was the second hug within minutes and goddammit she just needed comfort as she stained his shirt in her tears. The thought of losing Avery was too much when she'd been there before. If Avery was so much as touched by any of Sonny's enemies it would kill her. She needed to stand up for her daughter who was much too young to understand the dangers posed. To understand that some mobsters didn't care if they hurt a child. Her child.
"I'm not gonna let anything happen to Avery." Nik soothed her. "Or you. I'm gonna protect you guys."
Ava looked up at Nikolas, tears still glossing over her eyes. "Nik….I want to- no- need to get full custody of my daughter."
Nikolas knows Ava is emotional but he also knows by the way she's looking at him she's serious. He hadn't thought about it as it hadn't been brought up before. He supposed if there ever was a reason to fight it was now. He wanted Avery safe. To be a normal kid who could just play and live life. He wanted his wife to watch her daughter do so without worrying.
"Okay." Nikolas breathed out, knowing how much work it would be to go up against Sonny. "You want that, then we'll get that."
"What if we can't? What if we fail and she pays the price?" Ava worried. "Or what if I lose my current rights? Sonny won't play fair."
"You let me worry about that." Nikolas told her, giving her a comforting kiss. Ava was right about what she said but she was forgetting one thing. Nikolas was still a Cassadine. Who said he'd play fair either?
