Lavender ~ Jack Avery

I Win

* Day 1 *

Cold.

It was all she felt, from her tiptoes to the ends of her hair. Her eyes refused to open, leaving her in pure darkness. She couldn't hear a single sound, not even her own heartbeat. To be perfectly honest she wasn't even sure it was still inside of her, that she was even alive. A part of her wondered if she was in hell, the custom one Jackson had tailored. But then she felt it. Or more like she felt him.

A large warm hand covered hers, bringing feeling back to the numb limb. That touch could send her to a breaking point, but it could also bring her back. She knew that scent, that faint notes of sandalwood. Every part he touched brought life back to her body, heat, and happiness. It caressed her right arm, wrapping so tightly it could cut off her circulation.

Jack Robert Avery clutched her comatose hand, pressing his lips to the palm. The kiss brought audio back to her, a faint beeping ringing in her ears. Jack, turn it off. She frowned when it didn't stop, her voice raising this time. It wasn't until he spoke that she realized something. "I need you to wake up, princess. Come back to me,"

Camryn Melanie Avery was in a coma.

And unable to tell her husband she still had brain function.

---

* Day 5 *

Jack was losing it.

Camryn still hadn't woken and he hadn't left her side. Well, he showered but only because Corbyn had threatened to drag him to the psychiatric floor and place him under a 72-hour hold. Everyone was currently staying at the Avery and Besson household since they were just down the road from one another. They took turns watching their children, even Corbyn helped. But Jack couldn't bring himself to go anywhere. 

"Please, Camryn. The kids miss you, I've been debating on whether to let them visit. But, I know you'd kill me if I let them see you like this." Jack chuckled humorlessly, tracing patterns on Camryn's cold and lifeless arms. He didn't know if she could feel pain, but he hoped to God she couldn't. Otherwise, she would've been in agony.

He could feel himself breaking more each day. Her bruised face had become less swollen, now it was simply black and blue. The same pattern littered her entire body from top to bottom, back to front. Jack took a sharp breath in, opening his mouth to reveal some good news. "Asher said 'Mommy' yesterday," And just like that, Jack broke down, panicked sobs racking his body. Corbyn opened the door, hurrying over to his brother-in-law and pulling him into a hug.

"He said Mommy,"

---

* Day 16 *

"You need to wake the fuck up,"

Christina climbed into bed with her best friend, pulling Camryn's unconscious body into hers. Jack was in the shower. "Joey's pregnant again and she needs you. Jack and Corbyn, the kids, we all need you." She aimlessly started braiding Camryn's hair. Some of it had been ripped out by Jackson but it was slowly growing back. "Charlotte made you a picture last night," The picture was a sloppy flower, Christina displaying it on a table across the room

"You know what? I'm a little pissed at you right now," The dark-haired girl paced back and forth, anger radiating off her thin frame. "Because I know you, Cam. You're strong enough to pull through this," Christina yelled at the girl as if she was sitting straight up, awake and alert. Not like she had been sleeping for sixteen days straight.

Sitting back down on the edge of Camryn's bed, Christina put her head in her hands. She didn't even realize she was crying, no, more like weeping until her lungs begged for air. Christina crawled into her side, resting her head on her chest to hear Camryn's heartbeat. She needed it to remind herself that she wasn't dead yet. 

"Wake up,"

---

* Day 22 *

Bailee hadn't slept for 96 hours.

"The doctors said it was under control," Camryn had a scare four days ago when one of the stab wounds got infected. Zach worked all the time to simply get Bailee to take a nap. She obviously refused, making casseroles to feed all the guests. It was something Camryn would've done, ever the good hostess. After burning the first few, Bailee eventually got the hang of it.

Joey was pregnant, as Christina had stated, and vomiting every few seconds. "Thank god," She sat in the chair beside Camryn, holding onto one hand. Bailee had the other, Ashley having painted her nails last night when she visited. The room was silent for several moments before Joey stood abruptly, leaning close to Camryn's ear. "If you wake up now I'll make you godmother of the baby," Bailee made a small noise in the back of her throat, looking at Joey incredulously.

"Hey, it was worth a shot."

---

* Day 28 *

Corbyn Besson was grasping.

"Did you hear Jack punched out an intern?" He laid beside Camryn, Grease playing on the tv before them. Corbyn had hoped it might help wake his twin from her catatonic state. "Yeah, the dude thought it'd be smart to mention pulling the plug on you." He shook his head, his laughter growing weak until he was crying.

"Damnit, sis." Corbyn sobbed until Camryn's shirt was soaked in saltwater. He held her in his tattooed arms, tracing their matching ones. "You need to wake up." It hurt to see her like this, still bruised after almost a month. But he didn't know how much him just being there was helping Camryn.

Because with each visitor, Camryn was slowly coming back to them.

---

* Day 31 *

"Thank you, Camryn."

She could hear Gabbie's voice, feel her hand slipping into her own. The girl carried a faded scent of vanilla, brushing back Camryn's hair. For what? I got my ass kicked. Gabbie would've rolled her eyes if she could hear Camryn's thoughts. "Jackson's paralyzed, the bullet hit his spinal cord." Yes, fucking finally. "I owe Jack a really nice steak," She joked, Camryn laughing in her head. Gabbie grew serious, closing in on her friend. 

"Don't let him win, Camryn." Gabbie squeezed Camryn's hand. "If you don't wake up then he wins this. Sure, he's going to jail for the rest of his life. But is that enough?" She ranted to her, pacing the room. That's when she got an answer to her question. But the most surprising thing is that it came from a very unlikely source. 

"I win,"