Mistakes of our past | Rhekker

Chapter 28- Found

Ava kisses the top of Sophia's head, holding her tight. Ava sits on the edge of the bed and Sophia climbs onto her lap, Ava winces but pulls Sophias head to her chest.
"Ava" Connor sees her discomfort, rolling up the leg of her scrubs he finds her knees bloodied and cut.
"Avery" he sighs getting an alcohol wipe.
"I always said those wood chips were lethal" Ava chuckles softly.
Connor cleans Ava knees as she clings onto Sophia, Connor carefully putting two square plaster on each knee.
"Mama had a boo-boo" Sophia points out leaving down to kiss Ava's plastered knees.
"Our clever girl" Connor kisses her forehead.

Voight, Hailey and Jay all arrive minutes later, ready to question Sophia. Voight walks over to Ava and wraps an arm around her shoulders, "It's okey kid" he says into the top of ava's head, in a parental way Similar to what Ava had just done to Sophia.

*

Sophia has been questioned in private as Connor and Ava waited in the canteen. It's had gone seven o'clock and they were being to serve breakfast. Ava ate for the first time in days, just some light porridge, but at lest she kept it down.

Ava and Connor were called into the conference room of the hospital, a quite space to discuss the events of this morning.
"All of Sophias tests came back normal, she was mildly dehydrated and was in a bit of a shock from the cold, but she'll make a full recovery" Jay explained reading Nat's notes from a tablet, handing it to the doctors to read themselves.
"Thank god" Ava breathed a sigh of relief.

"When questioned as to where Sophia was the last five days, she said she was taken from the apartment by her "mommy's friend", they drove for a bit, he had a car seat, and they spent in five days in an apartment" Voight explained.
"We questioned if she could see out the windows to the apartment as she mentioned trees, building, general things like that. But she did tell us that they were high up, because she was afraid to fall through the window, and that she could see the river" Jay explained
"She couldn't give us a very detailed description of the man that took her, other than he was claimed to be a friend of Ava, he was tall and smelt nice. So not much to go off their"
"At lest she's home, where she belongs" Connor squeezed Ava's hand.

"Ava can you tell me about what was said on the phone to you" Voight questioned.
Ava took a deep breath, "It was just before three am, I woke to my phone ringing and picked it up without a second thought, I was so used to doing that for work. When I answered the caller asked if I was Ava Bekker, it was a mans voice, I panic and realised this could have been a reporter that managed to get my new number. I told him it depends, he said he knew it was me and told me to go down to the park, that their was a child their I might want to see" Ava took a shaky breath before continuing. "I woke up Connor, write him a message telling him to get Detective Halstead. I got dressed and went to the park. When I got their was walked for a bit before I heard Sophia call out for me, I went running to her. She was wrapped in a bed sheet. Behind her their was a figure, it looked like a man but it was dark so it may not have been. Whoever they were they were approaching Sophia and myself, I called for them to fuck off, and then detective Halstead appeared" Ava explained calmly.

"Did anything about the call stick out to you, and words or phrases?" Jay asked as he scribbled in his note book.
Ava shook her head in certainty, before letting it slow, swallowing hard she shifted in her seat. "Ava" Voight probed, noticing her change in behaviour.
Ava eyes trailed up to Connor, meeting his blue ones. "He called me Avery" Ava said in a barely Audible tone, but Connor could read her lips, seeing the horror was over his face.
"He called me Avery" she repeated louder.
"Dose that name have some significance to you?" Jay was completely lost.
"About two months after Connor and I stared dating, Connor began calling me Avery as a pet name. And then as we know I left Chicago, Connor and I have since gotten back together to raise our daughter, but our relationship wasn't public. So for someone to know about the Avery name" Ava's voice got weaker and weaker before it trailed off.
"It must be someone we've met and we know" Connor finishes for her.
"And recently as well, I never called Ava, Avery in public until about two months ago" Connor added, squeezing Ava's hand.
"Where could someone have heard you call Ava this?"
Connor racked his brain, thinking "Anywhere in the hospital I suppose, the canteen, the Gala definitely. I'm not sure I don't keep a tally everything I use it"

Sense how uncomfortable Ava and Connor where at this new knowledge he redirected the Conversation
"We did get some description from the baby sitter however, he didn't speak much but she said he sounded American, was about 5 foot 11 or 12, with pale skin and fair hair. He wore a black wool had so we don't have a hair colour, but he had fair eyebrows. He also made no attempt to hide his face" Voight read out from his note book.
"She also said in the photos he showed her, it look as if they were in a playground together, and their was a colourful background" Jay added.

Ava has been silent to past few minutes as they read out their descriptions, racking her brain for who could have taken her daughter, would would want to hurt her like this?
Ava reminded herself to relax, Sophia was safe in the doctors lounge sleeping while Natalie watched her. 
"If you'll excuse me for a minute, I'd like to get some water" Ava said calmly, pulling her hand back from Connor.
Voight nodded and Ava slipped out the door down the hall. Something about what Voight had said seemed to familiar, it didn't sit right with her. Getting a drink for the water cooler, she let the metallic taste sit in her mouth for a minute before swallowing. Ava sat there for a few minute, sipping her water slowly as she looked out the window.
Connor came looking for her after the seven minute mark, knowing it doesn't take that long to get water. Finding Ava sat on a bench he joined her quietly, "Hey sweetheart" he whispered taking her hand in his.
"Colourful background" Ava said coldly, still staring out the window, not breaking her gaze.
"What" Connor questioned, worried for Ava.
"Like a rainbow" She nodded straight ahead out the window, down to the playground that the hospital surrounded, the large artificial rainbow smeared across the wall.