old soul | matthew gray gubler

24. just a flight away

Matthew trudged through the airport with a blank expression on his face. His head was ducked, sunglasses and a hat hopefully blocking out his identity to the people around him. When he brought Charlotte to the airport a week ago, it was 5 AM. Two people recognized him on the way back to his car. Right now, it was 3 PM, meaning 10x the amount of people, 10x the amount of recognition.

The echoey sound of wheels rolling against the shiny floors of the airport was like background music to the hundreds of voices around him. Matthew was tired, feet sore from standing all day, eyes burning with the need to just shut themselves for a while. He had managed to talk to the scheduling crew, who got him in and out of filming a few days earlier than he was supposed to. He did this last Monday, and had known for a week now that he'd be able to fly out to Charlotte without her even knowing.

CeCe had put him in contact with John, Charlotte's Uncle, who questioned him deeply at first. He was trying to play that father figure trope, and Matthew knew Charlotte would appreciate his advances. Even though she was a grown woman...

Matthew was boarding the plane before he knew it, neck pillow allowing him to rest his eyes once they were in the air. He slept through the entire flight. The lady next to him tapped his shoulder and let him know it was time to go.

"Thank you," he spoke through a yawn. He gathered his carry on from beneath his seat and joined the lines streaming from the plane. Illinois was warm, just like Los Angeles, but a lot more humid. He wasn't a huge fan of that.

But he swallowed his complaints and continued his way through the airport. The flights came in about thirty minutes from Charlotte's uncle's house, so he flailed down a taxi, and hopped in. He only brought one suitcase, filled to the brim with anything he might need, and Prune in his cage, of course. Hopefully it would be enough.

Prune was eager to get out of the cage. Matthew felt sad that he was probably anxious the entire flight, but that would all be made up for when he jumped into his mom's arms. Matthew sent a quick text to John, letting him know he was on his way, and told CeCe he landed. He noticed his text message notifications were up in the 20's and he opened them with a confused expression. 

The Criminal Minds group chat was discussing the end of the season party. But that was only half the texts. The others were from Charlotte. She was sending him pictures of flowers she had found on her hike with Sheila a few hours ago. He smiled widely and saved a few of the selfies she sent to his camera roll. Maybe he'd post them later.

She had called him twice, FaceTimed him once. He hadn't answered and he felt a little guilty, but he knew she wouldn't care in the end. He shut off his phone after texting her a few hearts and slid it into the pocket.

The scenery was nice, full, green trees and fields of corn standing taller than himself. The countryside bled out from the city, rural houses and farms filling his eyesight and nostrils. Cow manure. He crinkled his nose at the smell. Prune stuck his nose through the holes in the fencing at the front of his crate, his snout wriggling as he took in the new scents. Matt laughed to himself, tickling the nose with his finger. Prune's tail banged around inside the crate.

The Uber rolled to a stop at the base of a drive way. Matthew thanked the driver, tipping him whatever pocket bills he had, and popped out of the car. He stood there for a moment, taking in the sun that was setting across the sky above him. He turned towards the house in the east. His heart stopped a beat when he thought of the girl behind those big, yellow doors. He quickly gathered his things and walked the steps up onto the porch. He knocked on the door enthusiastically, and waited but a minute or two when it whipped open.