Gavin wrapped his arms across his chest, earnestly waiting for Jethro to start speaking. If he had missed his favorite TV show to visit Jethro and ended up helping him scrub a toilet, then having a full interesting story of all he had been starved for would be welcome compensation, aside from taking his cakes.

"Why the silence? Thinking of where to start, anywhere dude. Anywhere." Gavin prompted excitedly while Jethro just rolled the curtain up in response like he was going to reveal a stage where the storyteller would emerge from.

"Did I tell you about a letter I saw from Jessy?" Jethro asked when he was done with his needless task.

Gavin squinted at him, trying to remember if he had been told that, "No." He finally shook his head and added sharply, "See, I think you shouldn't ask if you've told me anything or not. There're lots of them you haven't. So just say them as they come. Spill everything." Gavin sang those words out and Jethro grunted at his antics. Gavin should be Rose's brother. They would jell perfectly well. Both were always eager to hear gossip and could run their mouth for hours.

"On the first day of school resumption, I saw a letter dropped from Jessy on the bus." Jethro disclosed and as expected, he was given some sound of interest from Gavin.

"What's in the letter?"

"Ava wrote it and.." Jethro paused, giving a shiver when a cold breeze surged through the window, "I think she sent Jessy to deliver it to Finn."

"Really?" Another eager input from Gavin.

"Yeah," Jethro scratched his head, "She was explaining what led to those pictures to him and made a statement about her soul dying. That's why I decided we go see her earlier."

Gavin hummed understandably at the end of his narration, "Did she write that she was unaware of how those pictures came to be?"

"Yes." Jethro nodded, giving him an acknowledging look that he had guessed so right.

"Jessy also said the same thing." Gavin stated with some conviction in his voice, "She said Stan was behind all that happened that night."

"That's a lie." Jethro retorted.

"Really?" Gavin's eyes rolled at him, "Two people are saying the same thing here."

"And the two people are friends. Trust me, they both lied." Jethro remarked in a harsh tone.

"Ava?" Gavin asked indistinctly, hinting at his surprise at hearing Jethro accuse Ava of lying.

Jethro's face broke into a small smile on seeing his friend's reaction, "Yes, Ava lied. I confronted her and she said the truth."

"So what's the truth?" Gavin cocked his head keenly at him, the story was reaching a climax now.

"I told you about meeting with Stan right?" That was entirely not a question. Jethro could remember vividly when he told Gavin that. That was the fateful afternoon he had a wild fight with Finn in school.

Gavin only nodded mutely in response, too engrossed to utter a word.

"Yeah, Stan told me the truth." Jethro revealed and saw a shock flickered across Gavin's face, "He told me exactly what happened even though I was hostile to him that night. I never believed all that he said until I confronted Ava."

Gavin took in a sigh responsively and slumped on the bed, "Wonder why Ava would lie. That wasn't helpful for her, was it?" He said to the ceiling rather than to his friend.

"That was the best explanation she could give Finn. Yunno, Finn warned her against coming to the party that night because Stan was coming too."

"The reason Jessy lied too?" Gavin mumbled, spreading wide on the bed.

"She's only taking her friend's side." Jethro shrugged as he shuffled towards his wardrobe to get a smock. The night was running colder.

"Dude, I want to ask you something." Gavin propped himself up on an elbow and studied Jethro as he rummaged the dark spaces of the wardrobe.

"What's that?" He grumbled, not looking back.

"What's your motive?" Gavin asked indistinctly and Jethro instantly stopped his frantic search, taking a chance to look backward.

"Motive?" Jethro's lashes joined in confusion, his tone demanding clarification.

"Like.." Gavin started and took an intentional break, "All these fights you're doing for Ava. Why ?"

"Because I care." Jethro simply said before turning back to continue his search.

"Why do I think you don't need to." Gavin snorted behind him.

"Because you're a human with a callous soul." He reproached, breathing relief when he finally found the elusive cloth.

"Really?" Gavin laughed harshly, "I think I'm only trying to protect a friend. This could turn grim than you could imagine." Gavin said solemnly and that made Jethro chuckle as he closed the wardrobe back. Stan had told him the same thing that night they met.

"Stan said that also." He smiled nonchalantly, laying the smock across a shoulder, " He told me to back off but..."

"But you're still not scared?" Gavin scoffed in amazement.

"Yeah." Jethro winked, his arms twisting together in front of his chest, "I just think Ava needs to be vindicated. She doesn't deserve all these happening to her."

"Alright." Gavin curtly sighed. There was no point in trying to convince Jethro. He was hell-bent on taking this dark adventure.

"So, are you also in?"

Gavin gasped when he heard Jethro's question, "In for what?"

"The fight to vindicate Ava." Jethro gave another wink and Gavin just stared at him with some funny expression.

"Callie hasn't gotten another child." He reminded.

"You're dumb." Jethro hissed and finally made to wear the smock.

"Don't worry, I could replace you when you're gone." Gavin joked and Jethro burst out laughing.

"You crazy!" He guffawed and threw the smock at Gavin's face.

Gavin also joined in the laughter and shoved the smock off, "But you need to be careful, dude." He managed to sound serious in the afterglow of his laugh.

"True," Jethro nodded tentatively, "But I want to defy all warnings whenever I remember Ava attempted suicide because of all that happened to her."

"Really?" Gavin shrieked, clearly astounded, "She did that?"

"Yeah," Jethro answered dryly, his eyes going dreamy to the time he saw Ava sleeping on her bed and Buddy nuzzling her tresses.

"That's sad." Gavin mouthed in pity.

"You see, the thing is more serious than you're thinking. Ava needs help." Jethro inserted, hoping his words could now persuade Gavin to join him in the adventure.

"Maybe I would join then." Gavin pouted.

"You will?" A notch of excitement echoed in Jethro's voice.

"Maybe." Gavin accentuated.

"C'mon. Yes or No, the options." Jethro chuckled, hope rising in him.

Gavin pulled himself up from the bed and threw the smock back at Jethro before answering, "Yes, I'm in."

"Thanks." Jethro grinned as he caught the smock, "There's absolutely no way I would be able to do it alone." He acknowledged, finally putting the smock on.

"Someone is suddenly becoming aware of my value." Gavin laughed just as the door creaked. Jethro wanted to say something but then paused to look towards the door. Rose shuffled in with a plate in her hand.

"Mum made some fries for you." She said in a sleepy voice, dropping the plate on the shelf.

"For us?" Gavin asked playfully and Jethro shot him a false frown.

"Two can certainly share." Rose supported and gave a loud yawn, "Are you at all checking the time, Gav, it's running late." She notified in her drab voice.

"I can sleep over. Who looks for me?" Gavin replied, casually lifting his shoulders.

"He's an errant son, you don't know?" Jethro said to Rose who was staring at Gavin in a baffled manner.

Gavin laughed on hearing Jethro's statement, "I'm sure Rose better know who the errant son is."

"Of course, I do." Rose said through another yawn as she headed towards the door, "Someone who's still sat in a friend's house at past eight all because of fries." She dropped and Gavin's lips fell in an amused shock while Jethro chortled. Rose also gave a muffled laugh as she exited the room.

"Jeez. She's..." Gavin certainly had no idea of how to finish the sentence.

"Now you see what I go through every day in the house. Her wit coupled with Mother's sarcasm could drive anyone crazy." Jethro shrugged in his laughter as he moved to the shelf to get the fries.

"But I have not waited because of the fries," Gavin said in a hurt tone.

"Really?" Jethro hummed, "Like if I offer you one, you won't take it?"

"You must be kidding." Gavin beamed.

"Then you should accept you're still here because of the fries." Jethro taunted and threw him a fry.

Gavin grasped it and buried it into his mouth, "Your Mum is the best at this." He said through his sweet munching.

"Callie?" Jethro asked playfully.

"She tries." Gavin dismissed and Jethro smiled as he also filled his mouth with a fry.

"I'm going to see Ava tomorrow. Would you go with me?" He proposed.

"Of course," Crooned Gavin, his eyes craving another fry would come his way, "Which other buddy do you have that would."

"I know one other buddy apart from you," Jethro said when a silly, humorous thought flashed through his mind.

"Really? And he's better?" Poor Gavin wasn't aware of the heck he was driving at.

"No, you guys are kind of the same." Jethro chuckled, "Maybe some twins you can be."

"Nice. I'll like to meet that buddy someday." Gavin grinned, happy as Jethro threw him another fry.

"Someday?" Jethro mocked, "You'll meet him tomorrow."

Gavin rolled his eyes questioningly at his friend.

"We're going to see him tomorrow. He's Ava's dog." Jethro laughed and Gavin gasped in horror.