Counting Stars

“Come on, please,” Jon’s only been back for a few days and it’s been hard enough waking up with Avery and not doing anything, but now she’s started begging and he really isn’t sure he can handle this. She looks like she’s about three seconds away from pulling out her old standbys, batting her eyelashes or pulling off her shirt, and either option will have him giving in immediately.

“We said we weren’t going to tell anyone else until we told James,” Which, sure, is only four days away, but still.

“Jon, I haven’t seen TJ in ages, and now you’re going to deny me this?” Her bottom lip juts out a little but it’s just enough for Jon to give in.

“Damn it,” He mutters. “Fine. Fine. You can come to dinner with us,” She cheers, throwing her arms around his shoulders. “Good god, do you ever not get your way?”

“Not when you or Sid are involved,” She’s pulled back a little, but her arms are still wrapped around him. She’s smiling at him and all he really wants to do is kiss her.

“We really do spoil you,” He shakes the thought away. “You have to go get dressed now though. I was supposed to leave to pick TJ up five minutes ago,” He reluctantly unwraps his arms from her so she can run to change. “He’s going to be pissed.”

“Not when he sees I’m there,” She says confidently, and yeah it’s probably true, but Jon doesn’t really want to sit here for another hour while she throws half the closet around their room.

It’s a short wait, for once, only about fifteen minutes before she’s back out in jeans, boots, and a plaid flannel shirt. “I’m ready,”

“That’s the fastest I’ve ever seen you get ready,”

“Lies and slander,” He tosses her favorite fur lined parka over to her and pulls one of his own out.

“You are the slowest changer ever!” Jon pulls the door open and ushers her out quickly. They are still late, after all.

“Fu—“She stops abruptly, seeing the neighbor’s down the hall waiting patiently outside their door for their nanny, and instead mouths the next words to him as they wait for the elevator. “Fuck you,”

Jon laughs loudly. “Language,”

“Language,” She mimics, laughing. “I’ll push every button in the elevator. Don’t think I won’t,”

Jon doesn’t even hesitate before flipping her off.

TJ’s waiting in front of the hotel when Jon finally pulls up, 30 minutes after Jon originally agreed to meet him. “Bro,” He throws his hands up when Jon gets out of the car to greet him, even though Jon had texted to say he was going to be late. “What the hell?”

“Don’t get excited to see me, fine,” Avery huffs.

TJ’s eyes widen hilariously and his jaw drops. Avery grins brightly but it’s immediately covered when TJ grabs her and pulls her into his chest. “Bro,” Jon mimics dryly. “What the hell?”

“Fuck off, JT,” TJ mock glares from over Avery’s shoulder, holding her as tightly into his chest he does his daughter.

“Teej,” Avery, ever laughing as always, tries to shove him away. “You’re suffocating me,”

“I’m just excited!” TJ bounces up and down a few times, Avery still in his arms, but then releases her.

“Be excited at the restaurant.” Avery smiles. “I’m hungry!”

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“And Lyla throws the Cheerio’s at the shoe lady; it bounces off her eye and—“TJ cuts off abruptly and Jon frowns as he does so. “Uhh…” TJ trails off.

“What’s wrong?” Jon turns in his chair to follow TJ’s gaze and immediately stands.

It’s been a little while since Avery left for the bathroom, but not long enough that Jon was worried. At least, not until he looked up and saw Avery trapped in a corner by James.

“What’s going on?” Jon doesn’t even bother addressing James, looks directly at Avery.
“Nothing that concerns you,” Jon has personally never met James before, but from what he’s been told though his and Avery’s friends and heard from the grapevine, he’s not surprised the words are practically spit from his mouth.

Avery’s response is the shake her left arm, drawing attention to the tight grip James has on her forearm. Jon steps in front of her, breaking the contact between them. “Alright,” Jon commands, much calmer than he feels the situation warrants. “That’s enough. You don’t touch her again,”

“Yeah?” James flicks an eyebrow up. “Says who? You, Toews? Where’s that authority coming from?”

“Jon,” Avery pleads, and Jon knows he shouldn’t, but this guy’s such an asshole, he can’t help it.

“You don’t get to put your hands on my wife,” The fist comes out of nowhere, striking Jon’s cheek. It stings more than anything (he’s been hit way worse than this), but a shriek escapes from Avery anyway.

“Let’s go,” TJ’s voice comes as a surprise to Jon, but he goes easily as TJ pushes between his shoulder blades to get him moving out the door. Avery’s wrapped up in TJ’s arm, tucked into his side, gasping breaths in way faster than she should. “Keys?” He requests, holding his hand out to Jon.

Jon trades them for Avery. “Hey,” He says gently, pulling her into his arms. “Hey, hey, hey, look at me,” She does; he exaggerates a few breaths until she matches his pace. “Good, good. It’s okay. Ave, you’re okay.” Avery reaches up and brushes her fingers against the tender spot on Jon’s cheek. “I’m good, babe, don’t worry. Kaner punches harder than that,” It doesn’t get the laugh he was hoping for, but she does drop her fingers from his face and rest her forehead against his shoulder, relaxing just a bit in his arms. “It’s done now, over. You never have to see him again.” Jon rubs his hand up and down her back. “It’s all over,”