Kris is leaning against my car, while Jake has his arm draped across her shoulder in a protective manner. Hearing my footsteps, her head spins into my direction and she runs towards me and tackles me into a bone-crushing hug. 

Welcoming the much-needed hug, I embrace her tightly trying to reassure myself that she is fine and in front of me. Thought of losing her in any way is too much to bear.

"I was so scared," she mumbles into my shoulder.

"Yeah, I know, I was too," I admit honestly.

"But at the same time, I wanted to smack you for dating that bastard." I pull back from the hug and frown at her, "What did you actually see in that dipshit?"

"Probably nothing." She shrugs, her lips slightly raising in a sheepish smile.

"But whatever happened was for good, because then I and Jake would not have been possible." She peered over her shoulder to look at Jake, who has a small smile playing on his lips as his eyes are filled with adoration.

"Thank you so much, Avery." Jake's smile turns into a grateful one, as he looks at me, "If you hadn't got there in time, God knows, what could have happened. I can't thank you enough for saving her." He gazes Kris with so much love, which speaks how much Kris matters to him.

"What the hell was going on your mind when you were provoking him to shoot you?" She glares and slaps my arm.

"Probably nothing, apart from the thought of keeping you safe and teaching him a lesson for attempting to hurt you." I shrug and honestly admit.

"I love you, but sometimes your anger scares me." Kris sighs as she links her arm into mine, as we walk to my car where Jake is standing.

"But I am little offended, sweetheart." His tone turns playful, obviously trying to breaking the seriousness around us, as he glances at Kris, "You called her, instead of me. You know these are not just for show." He points at his muscles and flexes his them, earning a giggle from Kris.

"Oh, dear, haven't you heard sisters before misters." Kris wraps her arm around me and arches an eyebrow at him. "I know I can trust this girl with my life, even today until you reached she was already about to put that bastard into his grave."

"When she has got my back, I don't think I need anyone else's protection. She is a freaking killing machine when she is mad." She proudly smiles at me, making me roll my eyes at her.

"No one can deny that." Jake smiles then frown when his eyes shift to my hands.

"You need to clean that." He points at my battered hands. Raising my hands I inspect them.

Yep, needs some thorough cleaning.

Kris and I are sitting on the bonnet of my car, as she wraps her one arm around my waist, and keeps her head on my shoulder. While Jake is patching up my hands standing in front of us.

"I can't believe at one point I used to think you would not even curse." He shakes his head as he cleans my knuckles. "I mean look at her innocent face? She looks too innocent even to harm a fly." He lightly laughs and points at me while looking at Kris. She nods her head with stifling a laugh.

"Looks can be deceptive," I smirk raising my eyebrow.

"I think you should show your hand to the doctor, there is slight swelling on your wrist." He continues to apply antiseptic cream.

"Nah, I think I will live, little icing and one painkiller that's what it needs." I shrug and flex my fingers feeling them a little stiff.

"How long have been since your cast has been removed?" He asks as he checks my wrist by applying little pressure, which makes me wince causing Kris to scowl at him.

"Probably six days, maybe a week," I answer him.

"Wrist doesn't look bad, apart from little swelling which forming around it, but I'd suggest you should see a doctor." He leaves my hand and puts away the first aid box which he brought from the infirmary of the Battleground.

"I will if it will get worse." I nod my head reassuring him, but there is no way I am going to a doctor.

"You look so hot behaving like a doctor, babe." Kris winks and smiles at him. He looks down and shakes his head, as his ears turn red.

God, he is blushing.

"Should I gift you guys, doctor and hot nurse costumes to spice up your night adventures?" I tease them, making Jake's eye widen in shock as his face completely turns red in embarrassment. Whereas Kris being used to my comments doesn't even look slightly bothered, in fact, she discreetly nods her head. I lightly laugh and raise my eyebrow, to which she simply shrugs.

After saying goodbye to Jake, I drive Kris to her home. 

Knowing Kris, she wants to know what is going on in my mind, but she will not ask me as she never pushes me for answers.  She knows why I nearly lose it when I think about her or Pops getting hurt. She has seen me at my lowest and understands my urge to protect. I love that she even understands my need to isolate myself.

"Kris, I know you have questions, but..." Removing my hand from the steering wheel I run in my hair, as I park in front of her house.

"Later, Avery." She gives me a knowing smile and squeezes my other hand,  "We will talk about this later only if you want to." 

"However, I want to know about you and Alec." She turns to me in her seat, "You two seems to know each other, I mean I know you have met and sort of became friends, but as I remember you told that, your friendship didn't last for more than a few days..." She waves her hand, as she recalls everything which I have told her. 

Sighingly, leaning my head against the headrest of my seat, I rub my fingers across my temple. Alec is the last person I want to talk about now, but I know she deserves to know. 

Taking a deep breath I launch into telling her about what happened and how we again become friends, in short, I tell her whatever has happened between me and Alec. I haven't shared with her everything, just the things which she needed to know, along with leaving out the part where we were chased and shot. Because Kris might get scared easily, but I am a hundred percent sure she will have Alec's balls if she found that because of him, I kind of landed in any trouble.

"Woah..." Kris's eyes widen and she slumps back in the seat.

"That is a lot." She turns her head to me.

"He is kind of scary, you know, the silent and terrifying type." She purses her lips and nods, "But I haven't heard anything bad about him, just he mostly keeps to himself."

"However, I am not surprised that you both clicked, because you both are somewhat similar. Like he is your male counterpart, but of course, you are better than him. I would have liked if you would have made any normal friend who is less complicated, but still, you made a new friend all by yourself that is a big thing." She laughs, "I am happy with that."

"But scary or not, I am going to set him on fire if because of him anything happens to you." She suddenly turns serious. "Whatever may happen Avery, but we will always going to have each other back." She firmly looks into my eyes, her gaze held a promise and determination to be with me under every circumstance.

"Averis forever." She holds my hand and squeezes it, being careful of my knuckles, with a smile.

"Averis forever." I return her smile.

After dropping Kris, I go straight home. Opening the door, I find Pops sitting in the living room reading some book. He raises his eyes from his book when he sees me entering the home.

"Here." I take out fifty bucks from my pocket and hand it to him.

He arches an eyebrow questioningly at me, as he takes the money.

"Dislocated arm, bruised ribs, broken nose and maybe some facial bones, too, but I am not sure about them therefore, don't count them. So, yeah...that's all." I shrug nonchalantly sitting on the edge of the couch.

Pops always makes me pay him money, whenever I hit anyone. Mostly, the money is according to injuries I have inflicted on anyone. But when I am on my best behavior, and I haven't beaten up anyone, then the money increases after every week. Because Pops want to make it up for the weeks in which I haven't paid him anything, so in one go he can set the balance.

And this time it is both.

"When? Who? And why?" He simply asks, not bothered by the fact that I have beaten somebody. Because he knows no matter what, I don't beat anyone without a solid reason.

"Today, Kris's ex, he held a gun at Kris," I answer each of his questions in one sentence.

Pops jaws clench in anger, and his nostrils flare as he exhales a sharp breath.

"Timings?" After taking a breath to calm himself, he asks.

"Approximately five minutes." I stare at my hands, biting inside of my cheeks as a smile makes its way to my face.

"Good." His lips slightly tugging upward in a proud smile, making my smile a little bit wider.

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