chapter twelve
back to normal

James sat next to Steve in the hospital, Hopper on his left as Nancy, her mum and the boys all on the opposite side of the room. They had found Will, he was alive and back and now they were all waiting for him to wake up.

James looked around the room, taking note of the lack of a certain brunette. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion about where she could be. The door then opened slowly, everyone turning to see Avery stood in the doorway, chocolate pudding in her hand as she made her way in the room.

Avery ruffled Mike's hair before moving and sitting next to Hopper, who wrapped his arm around her, "You okay?"

"We lost El. I don't know where she went, she just disappeared." Avery whispered when Jonathan walked in to tell the boys Will was awake. The boys ran out excitedly, Jonathan turning to face James, nodding for him to come along.

James jumped up, following after the boys, who practically jumped on Will as a greeting. James stood next to Jonathan, the two smiling at the boys. James simply watched with a small smile on his face, glad the four boys were back to normal.

When the three boys were finished, they decided to leave the room, going to get some food. Will smiled over at James, when he noticed him. James walked towards the bed.

"Hey, buddy." James greeted. "How you doing?"

"Good." Will smiled.

"That's what we like to hear." James told the boy.

"You know, I had more drawings to show you before it got me." Will spoke, surprising the brunet.

"Yeah."

"Hmm." Will nodded. "I was really proud of them too."

"Well you'll have to find them and shown them to me." James stated, Will nodding excitedly before he looked past James.

"Was it really as awesome as they say it was?" Will asked, James turning to see Avery stood in the doorway.

"You missed a lot." Avery told him, walking towards the bed. "But I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too." James agreed, the two smiling at Will.

"I'm glad everyone's okay." Will nodded, making the two laugh slightly.

———————————

one month later.

Avery sat in the diner, Christmas decoration hung around as Robin and Daisy laughed at something the brunette had said. Theo and Lorelai stood behind the girls, making hot chocolates as they watched the girls.

Avery jumped up when the phone rang, walking over to it and picking it up. "Hey Avery."

"Hey Nance, how's it going?" Avery asked the girl.

The two had become closer after they found Will, now considering each other friends. Nancy was glad to have another female friend, especially one as amazing as Avery.

"I'm good, just calling to say merry Christmas." Avery could hear the smile in her voice.

"Merry Christmas Nance." Avery told the girl.

"Merry Christmas Aves." Nancy responded, the two girls hanging up.

Avery made her way back over to Robin and Daisy, who were giggling at each other. "Can you two stop, you're making me feel sick."

"Oh, shut up, Aves." Daisy laughed.

"I cannot believe you're replacing me." Avery faked cried.

"You'll always be number one Avery don't worry." Robin held the brunette's hand.

"Good." Avery smiled. Daisy smiled at the friends, standing up and hugging both Robin and Avery.

"I better head home." Daisy bid goodbye. "See you soon Lorelai, Theo."

"Bye Daisy." The four waved her goodbye, Lorelai and Theo walking over, placing the hot chocolates in front of Avery and Robin before sitting opposite them.

"Thank god, just what I needed." Robin practically moans over the hot chocolate, making everyone laugh. The bell chimed above the door when someone walked in, all four speaking in sync.

"We're closed."

"Uh, I can here to say Merry Christmas." The voice spoke up, making Avery groan when she recognised it.

"Parker." Avery narrowed her eyes,

"Monroe." James smiled.

"What do you want?" Avery asked, getting up from her seat and walking towards him.

"Well I came here to say Merry Christmas so..." James trailed off, shrugging innocently. "Merry Christmas."

"Uh, Merry Christmas to you too Parker." Avery sent him a confused look. "Is that all?"

"Well, uh, you know." James stuttered, trying to get his words out.

"Okay, Parker, your voice is really annoying me right now, like we... you're around too much. I don't like it. So if you're just gonna say random stuff then." Avery took a breath. "Excuse me while I go and drown myself in chocolate pudding, so I don't have to hear your voice anymore."

"You love my voice, Monroe, especially when it's telling you that I got 99 on that test and you only got 97 which means I won... again." James smiled, annoying Avery to the extreme.

"You got ruined my Christmas." Avery huffed.

"And yet, you made mine." James nodded, smiling before turning to leave.

"Hey, Parker." Robin called making the boy spin around. "Wanna stay for some hot chocolate, Lorelai makes the best I've ever had."

"Please don't." Avery shot Robin a glare.

"We'd love to have you, if you have nowhere else to be." Lorelai smiled at the boy.

"Please have somewhere else to be." Both Avery and Theo grumbled making Robin and Lorelai laugh. James looked towards an annoyed Avery, smiling at her anger filled face.

"I'd love to stay." James smiled, settling in the seat next to Avery, who had sat down minutes prior. Lorelai jumped up.

"I'll make you some hot chocolate." Avery's mum told James.

Avery sighed as James turned to her. "You ever hear about El."

"No." Avery looked at him. "Not a trace."

"She'll come back."

"I hope so." Avery mumbled as Lorelai walked back with James' hot chocolate.

The five spent the next few hours laughing and talking about their lives. James noticed a lot of things in the hours he spent with the Monroes. The first thing being that Robin was more a part of this family than any other family friend was ever. The other things he noticed he rather not tell anyone, and if anyone asked him if he noticed them he denied it.

He noticed how Avery's eyes would always widen before she laughed, and when she did it was this beautiful throwing her head back laugh. Her hair would always fall into her face, and then she would push it behind her ears, smiling as she did. He noticed how she scrunched her nose when she was really happy and play with the rings on her fingers when they brought up something that made her nervous.

He noticed a lot of Avery in those few hours and, not that he's ever admit it in a million years, the one thing that stuck out to him most, was that, he noticed how he didn't hate her company. In fact he found it nice having her around. James Parker was beginning to like Avery Monroe and he didn't completely hate the idea of it.

          He didn't hate the idea of it at all.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
last chapter of season one and james'
feelings are changing :)
season two here we come