n

n

nChristian would describe himself as a moderate leaning left. He didn't agree with a lot of the things happening in this country but wasn't the type to attend protests. He wondered if Avery and Angelo were. Even so it wouldn't matter. There was nothing illegal about peaceful protesting; it was in the Constitution.

n

"Are you guys protestors or something? Is that why he acted like that?

" he asked.

nHis fiancée sighed.

"You're still not letting it go, are you?

"

n

"Just give me a minute to process this. It's possibly the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I love you; I don't care what politics you're affiliated with!

"

n

"I know.

"

n

"Why does he have to be like this?!

"

nAvery sat on the arm of the couch and kicked her feet, looking straight ahead.

"Here's the thing about Angelo. Two things matter to him: computers and family. He's a huge tech geek but even that doesn't compare to how much he worries about his own. Even if he doesn't always show it in the right way.

n

"He's gruff and opinionated but once he's in your corner you're set for life. A ride-or-die kind of friend. I can't tell you how many times he's looked out for me over the years. He's an indispensable part of my life so even when I know he's being ridiculous I still love him.

n

"He says I don't worry enough and I say he worries too much so we sort of balance each other out. It's how we've always worked. He was there for me when my mom left, I was there for him when his mom died, and we were there for each other when our dads died. He might be prickly and difficult to deal with at times but at the end of the day he's all I've got.

"

n

"You do mean aside from me, right?

" Christian couldn't help but ask.

nAvery snorted.

"Of course aside from you! You know what I meant. Come on, Christian, you have an annoying brother! You should know how to deal with stuff like this.

"

nThat was a fair point. Liam was a lot worse than Angelo was most of the time. He had been supportive of this relationship though because he wanted a 'domestic goddess' to marry into the family to keep taking advantage of her cakes.

n

"I don't even have a response for that. You nailed me.

" A thought occurred to him a moment later that never had before and he brought it up for clarification.

"The way you said when your dads died. It happened around the same time?

"

nChristian had known that Angelo's father was dead but Avery never said anything about how or when it had happened. He only knew at all because she referred to Horatio in the past tense.

nHer hands clenched on the armrest she was sitting on.

"They died in the same car accident.

"

nOh. Oh no. He hadn't known that. How had he not known that? He didn't even know Levi West died in a car accident because she never brought it up!

n

"I'm so sorry, Avery. I didn't know,

" Christian said lamely.

nAvery shook her head.

"It's not your fault. You can't know what I don't tell you. I just…don't like talking about it. That was such a horrible day. One minute everything was normal and the next two of the three most important people in my life were gone. You can't imagine what that's like.

"

nNo, he couldn't. She had been so young too. Too young for that kind of loss. Yet she was still one of the brightest people he knew.

nChristian walked over and moved her from the armrest onto his lap so he could hold her tightly. He might not understand her pain but he could be there for her. She wasn't alone.

n

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. I wish I could have been there for you when it happened.

"

nWhen they died he was back from law school and working at his current firm. She wasn't at the bakery yet though so he don't know how else he would have been able to meet her. He might not have been able to help get her through the worst thing that ever happened to her but he was determined to be there for her from here on out.

nAvery let out a small, sharp laugh.

"Don't worry about it, Christian. I still miss them terribly and I always will but I'm okay. I have things to look forward to now that I didn't then when it felt like the world had been pulled out from under me.

"

nChristian hugged her tighter. She was talking about him, wasn't she? Their future.

nIt was amazing she was willing to give it a shot considering how hesitant she had been about committing before. He wouldn't let her down!

n

"I'm glad you see things that way. You DO have a lot to look forward to. I'll make sure of it,

" he promised.

nAvery snuggled closer to him.

"You're sweet.

"

n

"I mean it.

"

n

"I know you do.

"

nThey cuddled until she fell asleep but Christian was still wide awake thinking. He might not have known her nearly as long as Angelo had but he would be there for her from here on out. He would do his best to keep her smiling.

nHis anger had calmed down by the time Avery woke up and realized she was still in her uniform. She immediately went to shower and change while he made dinner. She had been upset earlier so he didn't want her to have to worry about that. He had been on his own long enough that he knew how to cook even if he hadn't had much time for it back when he was a hero. Mostly he had lived off of takeout while flying around. A LOT of takeout.

nThe part Christian truly missed about being Mercury was having the excuse to fly around everywhere. He hadn't flown in weeks and was itching to feel the wind on his face again.

nHe had never wanted to be a hero but felt like he didn't have much of a choice between his sixth sense and having superpowers. Having something yelling at him constantly to jump into the fray was hard to ignore.

nVillains had been terrible to deal with but there had been times he took genuine satisfaction out of helping people. That had been what got him through the day before he met Avery.

nRetirement suited him much better, missing being able to fly more aside. He would much rather be here making dinner for his fiancée than chasing down some rogue villain.

nThat being said, he was antsy. He wanted to get out his frustration from the whole mess with Angelo earlier so when dinner was done and Avery was asleep for the night he went out onto the fire escape.

nHe couldn't just fly around as himself but he could do it in his Mercury mask and regular clothes. He had done it the last time he confronted Nox and hadn't gotten caught. This would be fine! The only thing he had going on tomorrow was engagement pictures and that wasn't until later in the day. It didn't matter if he slept in.

nChristian missed flying. He wanted to see the familiar lights of the city at night and blow off some steam so he fixed his mask on and headed out in the same sort of lazy clothes he had the last time he did this.

nHe had to fly occasionally or it felt wrong. Usually, he just went onto the roof and did some loop-de-loops where no one could see him but he needed more than that right now. So off he went looking like Mercury but in sweats and a long-sleeved Yankees t-shirt he had been given as a gift because he saved someone who worked for the team last year.

nHe didn't have the time or patience for watching organized sports but his dad was a big fan. Liam preferred playing video games. He only participated in their family's annual Super Bowl party because of the food.

nChristian hadn't even been able to attend one of those since he was in high school because he was busy fighting villains on the weekends though he did watch when he was in law school for the same reason. There was no turning down chips, dip, and buffalo wings even if he didn't understand the appeal of the sport.

nIt was strange flying around like this after so long. Familiar yet not. The lights and sounds hadn't changed but it still felt too quiet without his sixth sense being activated.

nHe had nowhere to go. No one to stop. No destination in mind at all.

nHe simply wanted to experience the sensation of flying again. Truly flying, not just floating around the apartment when Avery wasn't home. Flying freely. That was what he hadn't been willing to give up.

nChristian sighed in relief as he felt the embrace of the wind. He had never quite been able to explain this feeling to Liam when he asked. He used to lift him up and fly him around when they were kids until their horrified mother made them stop.

nLiam had never flown more than a few feet above the ground where no one outside of their family could see. It was different.

nHe wasn't sure how long he flew around before he settled on top of one of New York City's many bridges and let his feet dangle off the ledge. He had needed that. All of his frustration had blown away with the wind.

n