Lavender ~ Jack Avery

Fight Back

"Jack-"

"Tell me that's not a gun!" Making sure the safety was on, Camryn slipped the gun back in its place. Jack didn't understand the fear she felt at the thought of Jackson coming anywhere near her. She could still feel his hands around her throat, his boot in her ribs. "Camryn?" He slowly started toward her, still angry. "What the hell are you thinking-"

"I'm terrified, Jack." Camryn finally exploded, standing up. "All the time, constantly. I've slept a total of two hours in the last week, and I've lost twelve pounds." She talked with her hands, not noticing how her husband was unusually quiet until she was finished with her rant. Her chest started to rise and fall rapidly, tears trailing down her cheeks as she hyperventilated. 

Jack caught her right before she hit the ground, pulling Camryn into his lap after sitting on the bed. "I know, princess. I know," She curled up into the fetal position, crying into his shirt. "Focus on my heartbeat, okay?" A steady drum echoed in her ears, resting her hand there to feel his chest rising and falling. "I'm sorry I yelled," Jack ran his fingers along her spine until her breathing was even. 

"I just, I need something to protect us, okay? I'm not all for guns either, but I know Jackson. He wouldn't expect me to fight back," She tried explaining herself, struggling to convey what she thought. Jack listened the whole time she spoke, not allowing himself to speak until Camryn was completely finished speaking. Camryn took a deep breath, about to tell him something she'd never told anyone. 

"He raped me, Jack."

All the air whooshed from Jack's lungs, his hand's stilling. It physically hurt him to hear her say those words. "One night we were arguing and he faked an apology, made me a cup of tea. I just didn't realize he'd drugged me," Camryn didn't notice the tears rolling down her face until Jack wiped them away with his thumb. Listening to her explain multiple different experiences of abuse killed him. From the time he raped her to when almost he beat her to death several times. But then there was one that he didn't expect. "I had a miscarriage from the rape, Jack."

"You were pregnant?" His voice came out as a whisper, receiving a pained nod. "I had no idea, when?" Jack wanted to know if it had been after he broke her heart by ditching her. Camryn confirmed his thoughts with pure silence, Jack gasping with pain. "Oh, I'm so sorry, princess. I'm so so sorry," She straddled his lap, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. 

"It's not your fault, Jack." Camryn brushed his curls back, leaning her forehead on his. "Do you understand why I have the gun now?" Jack nodded furiously, holding her as close as humanly possible. Rocking them back and forth, Jack quietly sang Cold In LA to try and calm her down. He knew it soothed her to hear him sing, just like it calmed him to hear her. "I should've told you when I bought it,"

"Yes, you should've," Jack answered truthfully, carefully sitting her on the bed and pulling the covers over her. "But now I know, so you need to sleep." Camryn tried to protest, giving up with one look from Jack. "I'm awake, and I'll protect you, okay? Zach and Bailee can bring the kids home when they get Piper and Eli." By the time he'd finished his speech, Camryn had already fallen into a painfully deep sleep. He chuckled quietly, kissing her temple.

"You're so much easier to deal with when you're asleep,"

---

JackAvery |

I'll always protect my family

Remember that

Tagged: @WizardsOfAveryPlace | Liked by @CorbynBesson and 1,928,374 others

- Comments Disabled -

---

"Where's Mom?" 

Those were Lavender's first words as soon as she entered the house. Not 'hello' or 'hi dad', but 'where's mom'. It actually didn't bother Jack in the slightest bit since he knew Camryn was always right there when the kids came home. She always had an array of snacks and drinks on the kitchen table. 

"Hello to you too, buttercup." Jack teased his daughter, leaning down to hug her. "And she's upstairs sleeping. Mom hasn't been feeling well," JC was already munching on celery with peanut butter at the table, Naia and Lani doing the same. "So we're gonna leave Mom alone for right now," Lavender nodded, getting herself something to eat.

The six of them, including Asher, were huddled on the living room floor by the time Camryn woke up. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban displayed on the tv, they were all buried under a mountain of blankets and pillows. It brought a smile to her face, the sight of her family being so normal when she was crumbling on the inside.

"You're watching Harry Potter without me?" Her voice came out as a low croak from lack of use. She'd changed into one of Jack's old shirts before coming downstairs, a pair of shorts hiding underneath. Camryn climbed in beside Jack, entangling their legs and resting her head on his chest. Lavender watched her parents interact, especially the way Jack always had his eyes on Camryn. "Lav, how was school today?"

"Great! I got an A+ on my spelling test," Camryn gasped proudly, reaching over to high-five her daughter. "That's amazing, Lavvy!" Jack smiled when he saw the old Camryn slowly returning. She was an amazing mother, even after all the pain she'd gone through. "How about you, JC?" He explained that he could write out the entire alphabet neater than any other kid in his class. Something he definitely didn't get from either of his parents.

"Wow, that's great! Lani?" Lani told her she found a new friend, a girly girl named Chloe. "She sounds nice, Naia?" Naia spoke about how well she could play dodgeball in gym class. Jack smirked over that, knowing she got that from him. "I'm very proud of you guys, each of you. Now, let's finish this movie!" Camryn grinned up at her husband, kissing his jaw.

"Thank you,"