Don't let go: Joel Miller x OC

Repercussions

Ava sat back on the couch rocking the small child in her arms as she cooed "Oh, isn't he just beautiful?"

Maria responded with a warm smile, "I'm a lucky mama"

If only she knew just how lucky she was, to have a family of her own. The more she held the infant the more she realised it was something that she wouldn't get to experience herself. Her face slowly dropped as her eyes stayed fixed on little Charley. She would never get to experience motherhood. Never get to have a family of her own.

She snapped out of her thoughts promptly, returning Maria's warm smile and passing the baby back to its mother. What was she even concerned about? It's not like she wanted to bring a child into this cruel and unrelenting world... right? It was just hormones making her feel this way, surely.

Maria could see her friends brain ticking and quickly started a new conversation, "How have you been? I've not seen you around much recently?"

Ava couldn't help as a small smile crept onto her face. If she was being honest, she was doing great. All she ever wanted was to feel beautiful, respected and mostly to be wanted by someone and well, recently that had been achieved, "Yeah, I'm doing really good"

Maria's face dropped ever so slightly. She had to say something, "I must admit, I didn't think Joel Miller would be your type"

Ava shrugged, the smile still very much  present on her face "It just sort of happened but I really like him...He respects me and treats me right, Y'know"

She at least expected some sort of acceptance from her friend but nothing. She watched as Maria shifted awkwardly in her seat and raise her brows in concern, "How much do you know about him?"

The blonde paused, taking note of the concern in her voice. As far as she was aware she knew most things. She knew he was from Texas, knew he had a daughter, knew he travelled here from the Boston QZ and of course she knew about the smuggling and Ellie... maybe it was that, that concerned Maria. It had to be, right?

She sighed and rolled her eyes "I know he used to be a smuggler back in the QZ and I also know the story behind Ellie, if that's what you're getting at?"

Maria raised her brows further, her tone almost condescending "You do know that would have been classed as human trafficking back in the day? Highly illegal"

Ava couldn't help but scoff. She knew her friend was just looking out for her but as far as she was concerned, it was not needed "Oh Maria, there are people far far worse out there."

Maria bit her tongue. Oh how she just wanted to blurt it out. How she was sleeping with someone who was once a hunter, who murdered hundreds and only god knows what else but she couldn't do it. She thought back to Tommys face, pleading her not to say anything and how upset he would be with her if she did, "I just want you to be careful, that's all"

The blonde thought about her friends words. She was being careful, right? They had been taking things slowly and got to know each other first. She hadn't just jumped into bed with the man from the get go- she wasn't that irresponsible, "I know... I am being careful"

Maria nodded and forced a small smile before changing the subject to something less controversial. 

They continued to chitchat for another couple of hours, forgetting about their previous conversation. Ava looked up at the clock that sat on the wall, "I have to get over to Ellie, I've been pinned down for a movie night whilst Joel's on patrol"