This Is The Moment (9-1-1: Lone Star)

Chapter Forty-Two

It's the end of Avery's first month at Safe Haven. Everything is going well. Whilst Avery has started speaking to T.K.,Carlos and the guys from the 126, she still refuses to speak to, or to see, Megan.

Jason is walking with Avery down the corridor towards the music therapy room when they see Dr Braun walking towards them. By her side is Harry Styles. Avery freezes.

'Ave, it's okay.' Jason assures her. 'You're safe.'

'I-,' she shakes her head, eyes filling with tears, 'I can't.' She rushes into the closet room to her, the music therapy room and shuts the door. Dr Bruan and Harry reach Jason.

'She freaked.' Jason tells them. 'I don't know if this is going to work,' he shakes his head.

'We have to give it a shot.' Dr Braun says. 'One of the ways that people overcome trauma as big as Avery's, is attempting to face it.'

'She couldn't even stand the sight of him,' Jason argues, 'sorry.' He winces, looking at Harry.

'It's okay.' Harry replies. 'I know what you meant.' They hear the noise of a piano playing coming from the room and faint singing. They listen for a few moments as Avery plays, and sings, Forever and Always by Taylor Swift. 'She's talented.' Harry nods appreciatively.

'We used to play together all the time.' Jason states. 'Then she moved here to Austin, I was still in L.A. so we couldn't do that anymore. Then when I did move, I think she'd already lost the motivation to play until my girlfriend, and her friend, went back to rehab.' He carries on. 'It's always baffled me how she's able to just sit down at a piano and just play a song. Even if she's just heard it once. When she does play, she gets lost in the music, and it calms her, so if you do want to speak to her, now's your chance really.'

'Do you mind?' Harry asks the doctor.

'Go ahead.' Dr Braun nods. 'I'll have to be in the room though, obviously.' She opens the door and the three of them walk in just as Avery is finishing the song. She closes the lid on the piano and takes a deep breath.

'You're quite talented.' Harry states, making Avery jump and turn around. 'Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump.'

'It's okay.' Avery says quietly, barely loud enough for them to hear.

'Do you mind if I sit with you?' He asks and Avery nods. He walks over and sits on the bench beside her. 'You're really good.'

'It's just something I've picked up.' Avery shrugs. 'I'm sorry for running off when I saw you. I'm just- when I saw you I was right back in that arena, getting shot, being in and out of consciousness. My friend who helped me, not realising she'd been shot too. Then the recovery, it came down on me like a shit ton of bricks.'

'You don't need to apologise.' Harry shakes his head. 'It was traumatic. There's no timeline on overcoming trauma.'

'Yeah, don't I know it.' Avery chuckles softly. 'I take it you're here because Dr Braun thought it'd help me overcome what happened?'

'Yeah.' Harry nods. 'You know, the day after the shooting, I visited everyone who was in hospital because of it.'

'You did?' Avery raises an eyebrow. She turns to Jason. 'He did?'

'Yeah.' Jason confirms. 'The psychiatrist at the hospital recommended we don't tell you in case it spiked your blood pressure.'

'Why would it spike my blood pressure?'

'Because you're you and he's Harry freaking Styles and need I remind you you've laid on the floor belting out his songs?' Jason grins, smugly. Avery responds with her middle finger before turning back to Harry.