A Place In This World - Adopted By Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

Chapter 2

Travis quickly packed a bag of the essentials they might need for an overnight stay, figuring that Avery might prefer to stay in her own home if it was at all possible. He wasn't sure if she was aware of how serious her mother's condition was, but he couldn't imagine how scared she must be right now. He had met Avery a few times at this point, between the game she had attended last season and the few times they had hosted her and her mother for dinner. She had been incredibly shy around him at first, but had opened up around him a lot more the last time she was at the house.

Once they were on the road, Travis gently took Taylor's hand into his own, trying to bring her any small amount of comfort he could. They had opted to let security drive, knowing that Taylor really needed Travis to help keep her grounded. Her mind was moving at a million miles per hour, trying to process the heavy news she had been given. Her heart physical ached for what Avery was going through right now, the thought of her baby cousin having to navigate this pain bringing tears to her eyes.

"Trav? I'm scared," Taylor whispered, almost too nervous to say the words out loud.

"Shh. I know, honey. I'm scared too," he admitted, "But everything is going to be okay. We're gonna take it one step at a time. Right now, let's focus on getting to Avery and making sure she has our support."

Taylor nodded, laying her head against Travis's shoulder. She knew this was going to be a long night, so she wanted to take a few minutes to rest while she could. Travis held her tightly, a physical reminder that she wasn't alone in this.

When they arrived at Emily and Avery's house, Taylor was surprised to see the driveway so full of cars. They were met at the door by a police officer who quickly introduced herself before leading them inside. There was a young girl on the couch, probably no older than 16 or 17, who Taylor assumed must be the babysitter. She was talking to an older woman in a suit, and Taylor noticed that both of them were crying.

The older woman introduced herself, explaining that she was a social worker who was assigned to Avery's case. She explained to Taylor and Travis that Avery had already been asleep when the accident ocurred, and they didn't want to wake her to tell her the news until she had family there to support her. Now that Taylor had arrived, they were ready to break the news to her.

"Are there any updates on Emily?" Taylor asked.

"Did no one call you?" the social worker asked, "Taylor, she didn't make it."

Time seemed to stop around her as she processed the fact that her beloved aunt was gone. Travis was at her side in an instant, physically holding her up as they walked the short distance to the couch.

"I've got you, Tay. I know, it's okay," he soothed, letting her have a much-needed meltdown.

In all the chaos, no one noticed that Avery had woken up and wandered downstairs. She stood in silence, taking in the sight of all these strangers in her living room before spotting Taylor and Travis on the couch.

"Taylor? What are you guys doing here?" she asked nervously.

"Avery, sweetie, there's something we need to tell you," Taylor started, her voice wavering as she tried to hold back her tears.

Travis gently squeezed Taylor's hand, trying to give her the courage to continue. After a few seconds that felt more like an eternity, it became clear that Taylor couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. Travis cleared his throat before turning to Avery.

"Avery, honey," he began, trying to keep his voice steady, "Your mom was in a car accident tonight. She uhh... she didn't make it. I'm so sorry, sweetie."

Avery immediately burst into tears, allowing Taylor and Travis to wrap her in a hug. The three sat huddled together on the couch, tears flowing freely as their grief washed over them. The social worker let them know that she would be back later that afternoon to discuss longterm arrangements, leaving Taylor and Travis alone with Avery for the first time.

"What did she mean by arrangements?" Avery sniffled, "What's going to happen to me now?"

"That's what we're going to talk with her about later," Taylor reassured, holding Avery close.

"But for tonight, Taylor and I are both here with you and we aren't going anywhere," Travis promised.

Taylor looked over at him, completely in awe of how naturally he interacted with Avery. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he already felt incredibly protective over her. They still had a lot to talk about before the social worker came back, but here, in this moment, she really thought that maybe it wasn't so crazy to suggest that maybe Avery could come live with them.