Avery's Desire Pt. 15

"Fut 'ew!" Mikey cringed from the pain in his jaw. The numbing shot the doctor had given him earlier was starting to wear off and the pain was even worse than he'd first thought. "Owwww." He groaned.

"I'd keep my mouth shut if I were you." Hanson told him. "Rest your jaw while you can; I'm sure it will get a pretty good work out in lock-up."

"Gawww..." Mikey moaned. " 'awt 'unny!"

Fayette county airport left much to be desired. It was small and had a rather country feel too it, not the hustle and bustle of the big city that Grayson and his wife were accustomed to. When they stepped off the plane the first thing that caught their attention was how poor everything and everyone around them seemed. The Airport terminal was stuck in a retro time loop of mixed eras from the fifties, to the late eighties though nothing seemed to have been replaced or updated in the past three decades.

Vivian wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck and then looked at her husband with a less than impressed gaze.

"It's...quaint." She said, searching for the right word to describe the scene laid out before her. "Maybe a little dirty though."

Grayson nodded in agreement. "Hopefully they have a decent hotel in this town. I hope you don't need to use the facilities. I would seriously caution going into one of these public toilets."

"I'll be fine until we get to the hotel." She assured him. The very thought of using a public restroom made her skin crawl. Images of cockroaches, homeless people, and drug addicts suddenly leapt into her mind. She moved closer to her husband as a slight feeling of paranoia began to creep over her. She would be glad when this little excursion was over. How Grayson had ever talked her into leaving home and coming here was a complete mystery to her.

"Come along dear." Grayson said as he picked up their bags. "I see the information desk over there. I'll rent us a car and get the name of a good hotel."

"Do try and locate a clean one." Vivian told him. "And one with large rooms. I so hate feeling cramped you know."

"I'll do my best darling, though I seriously doubt that this town has any five star hotels anywhere in the vicinity. I think we'll be lucky just to find one that isn't build inside of a barn."

Everyone was so damn encouraging and supportive, it was seriously making Avery's head ache. He knew that he should be happy, he was alive, and he was expected to make a full recovery, but something inside of him had changed. He couldn't smile. He couldn't laugh, and he sure as hell couldn't be happy. If anything, he was angry. Not at Rick or the others, maybe not even with himself.

He couldn't really put a name on it. Sure he was angry at Mikey but it was more than that. He felt angry all the time, and about every little thing. It was like this pain and hurt was trapped inside of him and with each passing day it was growing louder and more viscous, like a pack of wolves howling and snarling, demanding to be let out of their cages. He just couldn't take it anymore, not the well wishes, or the constant reminders that everything was going to be okay, or that he was doing so great.

He wasn't doing great. He was dying inside but he couldn't tell the others that. Even if he could speak, which he still had trouble with, he couldn't let on to Rick and the others what he was truly feeling inside. They were so hopeful and he didn't want to destroy that hope or cause them anymore pain. He loved them all greatly, especially Rick, but Avery just didn't feel like himself anymore and he prayed to God that the others would still love him when they realized this.

"Try to squeeze this for me." The nurse put a rubber ball in Avery's hand then watched as Avery slowly began to wrap his fingers around it. "That's good." The nurse smiled at him. "You're doing really great. Don't worry if you can't squeeze it hard. This isn't strength training we're just trying to see how much motor control you have back."

Avery frowned. Or at least he thought he did. He wasn't sure yet how much of his facial movements actually showed through the bruises and swelling. His eyes were completely open now and he could see clearly. He could hear fine out of his left ear but there was a slight hum in the right ear like static. It almost sounded the way water sounds when it gets in your ears while swimming. The doctor said it was likely that the hearing loss wasn't permanent but there was really no way to tell for sure.

His jaw was starting to heal as well. He could open and close his mouth and suck on a straw though it would be some time before he could chew anything solid. For the past few days since waking up he'd been fed solely on the diet of pudding, jello, yogurt and mashed potatoes. He was given small sips of water or milk but that was it as he tended to choke on the more thinner liquids and the doctor was worried that he would aspirate on them if he drank too fast.

The first time he'd eaten, the nurse had fed him, and had a difficult time getting him to open his mouth. He turned his head away and stubbornly refused to eat anything but when he saw that this upset Rick he decided to be more cooperative and he let the nurse feed him. After that Rick took on the job when he was there though Avery hated to be fed like a baby. It was humiliating. Everything was so humiliating.

He had to be picked up and transferred into wheel chair when he ate. The nursing staff had to wash and dress him, brush his teeth and hair, and even toilet him which he hated more than anything. He felt so helpless and exposed. The feeding was enough but he'd never in his life had to have someone help him to the toilet and it was just more than he could deal with. He didn't want Rick to see him in this condition either. He secretly wondered how long it would be before Rick got fed up with him and decided to leave; after all, who wants an invalid for a lover?

"Now lets see if you can pick the ball up off the table. That's really good, great job!" The nurse gushed over Avery's progress as she jotted notes down on a clip board.

Avery let his hand drop back down onto the table he was seated at and leered at the nurse. She was really starting to annoy him. With the next direction she gave him Avery had had enough. He took his right index finger and flicked the ball so that it rolled off the table and onto the floor.

"Well I guess we're done for the day." She laughed. "But it looks like your strength is slowly coming back. Maybe tomorrow we'll try holding a spoon."

Avery rolled his eyes.

"Is he going to need physical therapy?" Rick walked into the room and sat a plastic shopping bag down on the bed.

"Well, that's up to his doctor but I'd say he probably will. It's almost always ordered for cases like this. His body took quite a shock and he needs help and time to heal completely. But, he's doing really well. He's actually coming along quicker than I thought he would."

"When do you think he'll be able to walk again?"

"Oh that I can't say. There's really nothing wrong with his legs or his back, he's just sore all over and he needs to rest his muscles in order for his strength to return then he'll be able to start moving around slowly and gradually, over time, he'll get back to normal."

Rick sat down on the bed and looked at Avery. he smiled at him and ruffled his hair some. "You hear that baby? You're going to be back to your old self in no time."

'Not likely.' Avery thought.

The nurse patted his hand and told him again how great he was doing.

He wanted to slap her. 'I'm not a child.' He thought. 'Don't treat me like one.'

Rick thanked the nurse for the information and she asked if they needed anything before she left. Avery shook his head.

"No we're fine." He looked at Avery and his eyes were full of love for him. "I think he's doing pretty good today."

God Avery wanted to smile at him. He wanted to tell him he loved him and throw his arms around him but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get his body to comply. Instead, he dropped his head and sighed, feeling defeated again and miserable.

When the nurse had left Rick turned back to Avery and the smile faded from his lips.

"She's gone now." He said softly, touching Avery's shoulder. "I know something's wrong Ave. I just wish you could tell me what it is."

Avery looked up at him and a tear slipped from his eye. He wished that he could tell Rick something, anything. Even if he could just open his mouth and scream it would be something, but there was nothing, no words, no sound, no voice. 'Why?' Avery silently cried to himself as he looked at Rick and shook his head slowly.

'Take my legs.' Avery thought, 'Take my arms or even my eyes, but why? Why take my voice?' He opened his mouth and tried with all his might to say something but nothing would come out. All he could do at this point was sit there, head hung in despair, and sob silently, unable to tell Rick why.

Rick could feel his pain. It was like they were one being. Tears leapt into his own eyes when he saw how sad the boy was. He put his arms around him suddenly and pulled Avery against him.

"Don't..." He told him. "Don't cry baby. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out, just don't cry. I love you so much and I can't stand to see you like this. I wish you could tell me what's wrong."

Avery took a deep breath and laid his head against Rick's chest. He closed his eyes. 'That's the problem.' He thought. 'I can't. I can't tell you anything. I can't speak...'

Trash and Kat had just walked through the front doors of the hospital when they saw Cole and his wife walking towards them. The four of them stopped and greeted each other and the women hugged.

"You leaving?" Trash asked.

"Yeah." Cole said. "We're going to grab dinner then go get the kids from the sitter. Rick's with Avery though. I swear that kid never leaves his side."

"Yeah he's devoted." Trash agreed. "I've tried to get him to go home but I think it's too hard for him to be in the apartment alone right now."

"Well he's always welcome to stay with us." Cole's wife smiled. She was a pretty, petite thing, with short wavy brown hair and large, doe like, brown eyes.

"I'll tell him." Trash promised. "Though I really doubt he'll leave. He runs home long enough to shower and eat and then comes right back. But it won't hurt to tell him I guess. Now that Mikey's in jail he might feel better about leaving Avery for a while."

"Yeah, mention it to him." Cole said. "It couldn't hurt."

They stayed there another couple of minutes. Cole gave them an update on Avery's condition and then told Kat and Trash that they had to go. They said their good-byes, the women hugged again, and Cole and his wife left.

Trash looked at Kat. "Sounds like Avery's doing a lot better."

"I'm glad." She smiled.

"Well, lets head on up." They turned and headed towards the elevators when a Trash heard someone behind calling out to him.

"Excuse me." It was an older man and his wife. They'd been standing in the lobby when Kat and trash had walked in but neither of them had given them much mind. "Excuse me, young man?"

Trash turned around. "Yeah?" He asked the man.

"I heard you mention the name Avery. You wouldn't be talking about Avery Duprey would you?"

Trash blinked. "Uh...yeah actually I was."

"Oh good." The woman smiled. "We were trying to find out which room he is in but there doesn't seem to be anyone at the concessionaires desk."

Trash raised an eyebrow as he looked the couple over. He'd never seen either of them before in his life and in all honestly, they didn't look like they belonged there. They were dressed in expensive clothes, business clothes, and seemed a bit uppity; not the type of people that Avery normally associated with. Hell they weren't the type that any of them associated with. That fact alone told him they were probably safe. There's no way that they were related to Mikey or there to cause trouble. But still, Trash had no idea who they were or if he should give them any information.

"We're headed up there now." He told them. "I guess we could show you where his room is."

"I would greatly appreciate that." The man said. He seemed stern, not as friendly as his wife. He wasn't exactly rude, just kind of stiff and all work no play.

"Who exactly are you?" Trash didn't want to appear snotty but he still wasn't sure about these people. With everything that's happened over the past couple of months he wasn't about to take any chances.

"Oh, I apologize." The man said as he extended his hand to Trash. "I'm Grayson Duprey and this is my wife Vivian. We're Avery's parents."

Trash nearly fainted. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Avery's parents had actually come? It was really hard to believe but there they were, in the flesh. Now he understood why they looked so out of place standing there. These two were used to the loud and busy streets of a large city and one that came alive at dusk. The small, quiet of the suburban town they were in now was probably alien to them.

Besides that, they most certainly would consider living there as slumming it. Avery came from money, his parents were rich and they were high profile, high society types. Trash was sure that they would be disappointed when they saw where their youngest child was living, but then what did it matter? They were disappointed with his life style anyway and in all honesty they had only themselves to blame. They were the ones that threw him out after all.

Kat noticed the shock and confusion on Trash's face and she quickly jumped in to save him. "I'm Kat Dollenger." She said while taking the man's hand and shaking it firmly and enthusiastically. "My silent and spaced out friend here is Tracy Album. We're friends of Avery's."

The man nodded as he looked each of them over. "Tracy..." He said as his eyes focused on Trash. "You're not the one that I spoke to on the phone then. I believe his name was Rich?"

"Rick." Trash corrected. "He's Avery's...well...He and Avery are..."

"Lovers?" Grayson raised an eyebrow. "It's okay; I know of my sons sexual preference. I don't agree with it, but I am aware of it."

"Yeah, well..." Trash ran a hand through his hair as he searched for what to say next. "Well, why don't we just show you where he is."

Grayson nodded. "We would appreciate that."

Kat and Trash turned and headed for the elevators. Grayson and his wife followed closely behind them. Once in the elevator the four stood in silence as they waited for the number above the door to reach four. Avery was located on the forth floor of the hospital with the general admissions patients and those in recovery.

Because of the nature of his condition and the threat that was posed to him by Mikey's previous visits, Avery was moved to a room directly across from the nurses station where he could be more closely monitored. The new room was also closer to the family waiting area as well as the elevators and vending machines.

The elevator dinged cheerfully and the doors slid open.

"This is it." Kat announced. "He's right around the corner, room 4015. I think Rick's already here."

"When is he not?" Trash smirked.

"True." Kat smiled. "He's pretty devoted to Avery." She directed that statement to Avery's parents, wanting them to see that what Avery and Rick had was a real relationship and not some fling.

Vivian smiled half-heartedly though her husband chose not to respond. Kat wondered why they had even made the trip to see Avery. It was obvious that neither of them wanted to be there. They were uncomfortable and certainly out of their element. It wasn't her place to question though she supposed, they were Avery's parents after all and had every right to visit. As long as their intentions were not to upset him, she wasn't going to say anything about it.

The four of them filed out of the elevator two at a time with Kat and Trash in the lead. The older couple followed them down the hall to the door of Avery's room. Kat and Trash entered first and found Avery sitting in a lounge chair near the bed. Rick was seated on the bed next to him. He smiled when he saw his friends enter. Kat gave Rick and Avery a hug then remarked on how good Avery was looking. Trash hugged Avery and playfully punched Rick in the shoulder.

"What's new?" Trash asked.

"Not much." Rick answered. "Avery spit some pudding out at the nurse but that's about it."

Both men chuckled lightly.

"That sounds like our boy." Trash smirked.

He sat down on the bed beside Rick and Kat sat in the wheelchair that Avery had been in earlier. Grayson and his wife had been standing at the door watching the scene before them with mild interest, seemingly unnoticed by either Rick or Avery. Vivian walked slowly into the room, looking around.

"Avery, darling; You look so..." She gasped suddenly when she saw him. "Oh my." She put her hand to her mouth and stared at him, eyes wide. "Oh my poor boy."

Avery looked up suddenly and his eyes locked with his mother's. The expression on his face was of disbelief, more so when he looked behind her and saw his father standing there.

"Hello, Avery." His father said in his stern and authoritative voice that Avery was all too familiar with. "You're looking...well, I'm glad to see that you're on the road to recovery anyway."

Avery looked from his parents to Trash and Kat as if to ask them what was going on.

Trash shrugged. "We met them in the lobby Ave, they came all this way just to see you."

Rick stood immediately and went to greet Avery's parents, extending a hand to each of them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Duprey." He said. "It's good of you to have come, I know it means a lot to Avery."

"Thank you." Vivian said as she shook Rick's hand.

He nodded to her then looked to Avery's father. "I'm Rick Meyers." He told the man. "I'm the one you spoke to on the phone, sir."

"I remember." Grayson said as he took the offered hand. "You made quite the impression. I gave a lot of thought to what you said before you hung up on me. You were right. Avery is my son and if for no other reason I owed it to him to come."

"I'm glad." Rick smiled. "Avery needs all the support that he can get right now."

Vivian walked up to Avery and touched the side of his face. He watched her closely, his lips pushed tight together and his eyes wide and alert. Oh how he wished that he could open his mouth and speak right then.

"I'm happy to see that you finally cut your hair." His mother told him as she touched his short cropped hair. "It looks lovely dear. Much more masculine than that long hair you used to have."

A tinge of anger shot through Avery in that moment and he quickly pulled his head away from her hand, narrowing his eyes.

Rick coughed slightly and both Grayson and his wife turned to look at him. "Uh...his hair was cut off when he was assaulted." He told them both, speaking in low, soft tones as not to further upset Avery. "He didn't do it himself."

"I see." Avery's mother smiled. "Perhaps it was for the best. Either way it's an improvement."

Trash and Kat sat gawking at the woman in disbelief. Was she really that insensitive?

Avery rolled his eyes.

Avery's father looked around the room anxiously. He wanted to get out of there so badly. The longer he stood there, the more he began to think that coming there was a huge mistake. he and Avery had parted ways on such bad terms and it was obvious to him that nothing had changed. The very incident which brought them all there was something he'd feared would happen from the beginning. Though he wouldn't admit it openly, he partially blamed Avery for allowing it to happen in the first place.

What could he say to Avery now? The boy had chosen his own path and there was nothing that anyone could do or say to change his mind. From what Grayson could see, Avery was as stubborn as ever, maybe more so.