Cameron actually had known about one of her most important kills to her, and if it were successful like she usually was, they would've been paid very well. But unfortunately she was not, so they were overall just fucked, with so many people after them.
He flopped down onto the seat next to her with a groan, dropping his head into his hands and scratching his fingers across his scalp in his stress, little white flecks dropping down. He didn't even care, honestly, and he doubted she would at this point. One of the dogs trotted over– little Rose– and whimpered, her tail stuck underneath her legs. The jet was big and noisy. Cameron sat up and picked up the dogs, sitting back with his overly fluffed hair.
"This is fine. We're fine. This jet won't get shot down, they barely have time to report us. At least it worked out for us," He murmured to the ceiling of the jet, gripping Rose in a hug. "We're going to have to keep our heads down when we're there. I don't want my dad getting in trouble because of us." He glanced at her once, his face taught and stressed with no trace of a smile.
Despite this major fuck up, they're going to be okay. Even without the money from this kill, she's well-off. If that money runs out then they fortunately will able to turn to her father for finical aid. Figuring out where to go from here is going to be the shitty part.
Ava glances over to him, biting the inside of her cheek. Watching him just makes her feel even more guilty. She slides out of the chair and sinks to the floor. "Kreja," She calls out softly, desperate to have her precious dog next to her. No matter how stressed out she is, he always makes it better. With a soft bark, the dog trots over to her and flops down, resting his head in her lap. Sighing, she runs her fingers through his soft fur. A lot of it has gone grey which has her worried but the dog is still his usual crazy self.
"Yeah, everything is going to be fine," She mumbles half heartedly. "I promise that I won't do anything that'll get your father in trouble." The last thing she wants is to drag his family into the mess that she created. It's bad enough that she got him and the dogs screwed over.
Zore bumbled after Kreja, wagging her tail a little as she gazed up at Ava with her big eyes. The little pup had opened up a lot, and now was a good-sized dog in the few months she had of growing. She sat down next to Kreja and snuffled his snout, laying down slowly with a big yawn. She didn't really seem to mind the big jet.
Cameron laid down on the seat he claimed, sighing and covering his face. He knew where they were going, but he wasn't sure Ava knew. He talked with his dad about moving in and taking care of the house as he grew older, and to help him out financially. His dad was going a bit senile, which was okay of course. Cameron was happy to help his father, but he hoped it wasn't too much stress on the guy to suddenly appear. Well, knowing his dad, the guy would be stunned but very glad to see him again. So that was really the least of Cameron's worries as they flew in silence.
Ava glances over to Zore, allowing the smallest of smiles to cross her face. "Hey, baby." Reaching over with her free hand, she pets the pup's silky ears. She doesn't know what she'd do without the dogs. Leaning her head against the front of the chair, she closes her eyes and just listens to the dogs breathe. The sudden jolt of the plane causes her heart to lurch. She definitely hates this. A wave of nausea rolls over her when the plane hits some turbulence. She wiggles away from the dogs and jumps to her feet before hurrying into the bathroom.
Kreja lifts his head and sloppily kisses Zore's cheek. Despite not quite understanding the puppies at first, he's grown to really love having them around. Stretching out, he yawns and settles down next to the pup. When the turbulence starts, it doesn't bother him in the slightest. He's only be on a plane a few times but he's never cared about the noises or the jolts. This is the only time his crazy behavior ceases.
Cameron moved with the lurch, gently stroking the pup on his chest, who started to whine and whimper loudly. Like Kreja, he didn't mind the turbulence or the lurches of the jet. He had been on so many rides back and forth, this was like riding in a car to him. But he stood with Rose in his arms to cross the jet to the bathroom, standing by with a bottle of water for Ava. She wasn't as fortunate as he was on these trips. He shushed Rose gently, kissing the top of her head. She quieted down but still whimpered.
Zore rose her chin when Ava jumped up, and the usual calm pup started whimpering with her sister. The puppies didn't quite know what was going on, and that seemed to scare them quite a lot. She whimpered up at Kreja, occasionally yapping.
Ava dies a little on the inside every time the plane lurches or rocks unsteadily. She’s been flying on planes for almost her entire life but she’s never gotten used to it so getting sick like this isn’t a rare occurrence. If they hadn’t been in so much of a rush then she would’ve taken a pill to knock her out like she usually does. After a few minutes of throwing up and being miserable, she brushes her teeth twice and cautiously steps out of the bathroom. Hopefully the ride will go back to being smooth.
Kreja reaches down and licks the top of Zore’s head, his tail wagging in reassurance. At her yapping and whimpering, he curls around her and rests his chin lightly on her bed. Nothing about planes bothers him.
Cameron waited patiently and handed her the cup of water he got once she walked out, then went back over to his spot to plop down and gently stroke Rose's small head. He cooed to her softly, gently rubbing her little white spot on her forehead. Once the plane stopped rocking, the pup was back to normal with her tail-waggling self.
Zore's tail followed suit and she fell silent, moving closer to her older friend with a soft noise as she quieted down. She set her chin on his paws with a small yawn.
Ava accepts the cup of water, with an appreciative look. “Thanks.” Rather than heading back over to the chairs, she decides to try her luck on the couch. She’s not sure that it’ll help at all but it’s worth a shot. After downing about half the cup of water and setting it in a cup holder, she climbs onto the couch and curls up, wrapping her arms around herself. This is going to be a long trip.
Kreja yawns again, having grown more tired with his old age. He makes sure that both Zore and Rose are calm and happy again before he shuts his eyes and tries to catch a nap.
Cameron grunted and glanced up when she joined him, moving his legs so she could sit with him. Rose moved down his chest and to Ava, sniffing her softly before curling up against her legs with a few soft noises. The man sat up and gently picked up the pup, setting her down and wrapping his arms around Ava and resting his head against hers, glancing at her.
"Do you want to play some music?" It was really quiet.
Rose trotted over to them and curled up in the big, furry pile to sleep with them. Rose pawed her way in under Kreja's nose and relaxed, getting a few whines of protest from Zore.
Ava pulls her legs up to her chest and rests her chin on her knee, basically making herself as small as possible. Running her fingers through her much shorter hair, she sighs softly. She had gotten it cut a couple of weeks ago so now it’s around her shoulders in length. Her attention shifts to Rose when the pup lays down by her legs. All of the dogs are cuddly and she loves it. When Rose is placed down on the floor, she almost protests but doesn’t bother to when all of the dogs start cuddling. It’s definitely sweet. She leans into Cameron’s touch, feeling slightly less on edge. “Yeah.” Some background noise would be nice.
Kreja shifts around to make room for Rose when she joins them. He certainly doesn’t mind cuddling with them both. The more the merrier in his opinion.
Cameron stretched across her and grabbed the remote to the stereo, putting on an album he linked from his phone that they both liked, and was nice enough background noise to help her calm down. He sighed and cuddled her closer, moving his legs around her and pulling her into his chest. He knew how much she hated plane rides, so he wanted to make it as nice as a trip over after their incident. They were going to a new life.
The pair of pups finally settled down under him, their tails wagging just a small bit as they dozed off. The big pile of fur was complete.
Ava cuddles up against him, her heart beat steadying when the music starts. The music is great but it doesn’t drown out the noises of the plane nearly enough for her taste. “Did I tell you that my brother’s witch of a fiancée is pregnant? Chris is overjoyed and my father is in love with the thought of being a grandfather. I doubt that the baby is actually Chris’s but I don’t want to burst his bubble when he’s this happy. They’re throwing a huge party to celebrate but because of this I have an excuse not to attend and have to pretend like I don’t hate her.” The talking helps keep her mind off of everything. Her family’s soap opera like drama is pretty interesting too. “I think my father is just happy because he can retire and let us take over everything once he gets a grandkid or two.”
Yawning once more, Kreja completely settles down. It’s not long before he drifts off into a peaceful sleep.
Cameron listened to her ramble with a few chuckles. "I dunno, Ava, his wife is quite nice. Remember that time you brought me in to meet your dad, and she was there? She was so nice. I think you might just be jealous, baby. Someone's taking your brother away. And hey, I felt the same way with my sisters' husbands." He rocked with her in his arms, pressing a kiss to her head.
Ava puffs out her cheeks and glares at him. “It’s going to be a scandal when everyone finally realizes that I’m right about her.” There’s no way she’s changing her mind about Mallory. “I feel bad for the kid though. Being born into this family is crazy.” Its not her fault that she doesn’t want to see her brother’s heart get broken, she’s really close with him and would hate to see him get hurt. “It’s different! Chris is too damn nice for his own good. I love him but he’s naive. Your sisters are smart enough to know if their husbands are asses.” She probably is overprotective of her older brother but it’s not something she can help.
Cameron rolled his eyes at her overreaction, shaking his head. "Mallory is just a kind woman. If she's done nothing wrong to Chris, then I'm pretty sure she's not doing anything behind his back. She seemed very infatuated with him when we were there. And we were over a lot. Let your brother live, baby. There's not gonna be a scandal. You're just worried and it's natural," He assured her calmly, smiling down at her puffy cheeks. He pushed on them and made a farty noise.
Ava grumbles a few less than nice things about her sister-in-law, still not convinced. “Chris is a fucking genius but he’s also a huge dumbass when it comes to understanding actual people.” Despite the slight overdramatized the statement is fairly accurate. She rolls her eyes and chuckles when her cheeks are pushed on. “Real mature, Cameron.” She nudges his shoulder, smiling. “I know that I’m overprotective but it’s not just my brother that I’m worried about. There are rules of sorts, right? When my father retired then Chris takes over Lacerta Corp and I take over the less legal business. Then Chris’s kids will take over and then if I had kids they’d take over. Introducing someone from the outside into the family is dangerous. If Mallory finds out about what my father and I do then our entire world can come crumbling down. It’s a very fragile system based off of raising different kids to take over each business.”
Cameron laughed at her comment, grinning as she spoke. "Oh, so introducing me is fine, then. What if your brother feels the same way you do about me, huh? How would you feel?" He asked her gently, basically ignoring the second half of her speech. "You gotta learn how to respect and accept people. Your brother is going to move on, and that's just a fact."
“Yes, introducing you is fine because you already know about all of the dark stuff and you used to do it too. I trust you but everyone else is thinking more along the lines of you not being able to tell because then you’d be screwed as well,” Ava informs him, nodding. She pauses for a moment to consider his words. “I hate it when you’re right.” The thought of having Chris hate Cameron is awful. “In all fairness, I’m perfectly nice to Mallory and I never say anything mean to her face and I act like I don’t hate her around Chris.” That’s about as good as it’s going to get. “It’s still a delicate system whether I dislike her or not.”
"Well, maybe she's used to it, then," Cameron chided after her. Then a wry grin crossed his cheeks at her admitting he was right. In her defense, he was almost sure Chris didn't dislike him. They had shared a couple beers and talked about movies, and it was pretty nice. But hey, the guy might be implementing the same thing Ava is.
"He might be doing the same to me, Ava. That would suck if you found out. It's a delicate system that shouldn't exist because you're too protective of him."
“Chris isn’t capable of disliking anyone.” Ava grins at him, uncurling a little so she can stretch. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even know the definition of dislike.” Her brother is like a giant goofy dog who loves everyone. “It’s a system that works. The only person in the world who knows of my dislike is you and I’m positive that you aren’t going to be a tattletale.” Technically Kreja, Rose, and Zore have heard her rant but they aren’t going to tell anyone. “If it makes you feel any better, I dislike her slightly less because I’m going to be getting a niece or nephew to spoil.”
Cameron moved back so she could stretch, stretching a bit himself with a yawn. "I'm sure he doesn't. They're in love, and the system doesn't have to exist, that's all I think. I'm not gonna tell anybody, I don't even have their numbers." He booped her nose gently. "A niece or nephew to spoil is the best thing, think about the positives."
“Even if he did, it wouldn’t matter, Chris thinks you’re great.” Yawning, Ava looks up at him. “Yeah, I’m working on it but thinking positive is easier said than done.” She’s hoping that she’ll actually be on good terms with Mallory by the time the baby arrives. “Having a kid run around is going to be pretty fun. There hasn’t been a kid in the family in forever.” Her nose wrinkles up upon being booped.
Cameron watched her expression changes with amusement, and the way her face moved as she talked. He couldn't be mad at her for too long. He absolutely adored her, and it wasn't her fault that they had to leave early.
"I bet you will be. You can do anything if you set your mind to it." He gave her a kiss on the cheek for an apology for the nose boop.
Ava smiles slightly at the kiss before she tucks her head against his chest. “Don’t give me too much credit. I’m only going to be thinking positive because I want to be around to expirance a cute baby. Chubby baby cheeks are the best.” She’s never really babysat as a teenager so she’s only been around babies and little kids once or twice. Babies kind of scare her and she’s never actual held one before but they’re cute to look at.
Cameron nodded with her and laughed at her chubby baby speech. "Chubby baby cheeks are the best. Cormac used to have the cutest ever. My sisters think he got them from me, which is not true," He defended, even though as a baby he had a nice pair of chubby cheeks and he still sort of does. Though, he had a lot of experience with children, so he'd assist the baby in not getting its cheeks pinched off by her.
Ava laughs and shakes her head. “Cormac definitely got the chubby baby cheeks from you. I’ve seen your baby pictures and you were adorable.” Seeing the pictures had killed her. She couldn’t get over how cute he was as a baby. “What happened to you, huh?” She teases, grinning at him. “Chris was a really cute baby. He had such dark curly hair and the cutest damn dimples.”
Cameron chuckled, only to gasp dramatically at her question. "What happened to me, huh? I grew up and got handsome, that's what happened," He defended himself. "I hated my cheeks, I'm very glad they're not with me anymore." He stuck his tongue out at her. "Like you weren't cute. You were pretty cute yourself."
“Are you sure about that? I don’t think you lost all of those cute cheeks,” Ava teases, poking at his cheeks and grinning. “How would you know? You saw one picture of me and it was blurry as hell.” The foster system was pretty shitty about taking photos. “Although I can’t blame you for automatically think I was cute, I mean just look at me now.” She winks at him.
"Ahhhh I lost all of it I don't care what you saayyy," Cameron said, covering his ears with a grin, only to uncover them to listen to her talk. "I think you're cute anyway. I bet you were so cute, the camera exploded." He hugged her, kissing her cheeks.
Ava laughs as she gently squishes his cheeks to prove her point. “You are a suck up.” With a smile, she happily cuddles up against him. “I’m sure jay we can both agree that our babies are cuter than both of us,” She says, gesturing to where the dogs are sleeping together. It melts her heart seeing them like that.
