Gone Country

Chapter 15 (The Strong Ones)

Over and over, I watched helplessly as Charlotte was tossed up in the air. It kept replaying, kept haunting me. My best friend was probably dead, and I was too scared to wake up and find out whether it was true or not. I forced myself back into sleep every time I would feel myself begin to wake up. If she was gone, there's no way I could handle it.

Nurses came and went, dosing me with pain medication when my machine alerted that I was out. Minutes turned into hours, but I refused to open my eyes into a nightmare. I wouldn't even wake for my own mother who pleaded through her tears for me to wake so she would know that everything else was alright. She didn't understand, so I continued to sleep.

During the replays of Charlotte's accident, I heard the voices of everyone who came to see me. "Get better Champ, we have a shelf to build for your new trophy," my father told me while patting down my hair. He'll always be one of the number ones in my life.

"Hey man, I'm just going to sit here for a while and check out the hot nurses, is that okay?" was Austin's words. I internally laughed, knowing that he was only saying that so he didn't seem crazy by staying by my side.

Avery came in for a short while and laid next to me with Jax whispering comforting words to her like I was going to be fine. My sister and Charlotte were the ones who really knew how to tug at my heart strings. When she began to cry, it took everything I had not to envelope her in my arms.

And then when my father came to retrieve her in order to carry her home to rest, I was alone once again. I was taking the fact that Charlotte hadn't come to see me as bad news. No one had mentioned her. Couldn't they tell already that I wasn't going to wake without her? I'd die here if it meant being with her again. She was the Charlotte to my Wilbur, only my Charlotte doesn't have a million kids to keep me company if she really was gone.

Then I got a visitor I hadn't expected. "Brant," Clay spoke. "I'm sorry about Caroline, and I'm sorry for acting like an idiot yesterday over Charlotte. I do love her, Brant, but you love Charlotte more."

What was that suppose to mean? Did he really think that I was seeing Charlotte? I'm not going to deny that I do love Charlotte more than him, it's just not the same way. I heard him move, and then it sounded liked he kissed something. I couldn't keep my eyes closed any longer, I let my eyelids slowly lift a centimeter. I peeped out, my hands clenching at my sides when I saw him pulling away from Charlotte's lips.

Then it hit me.

Charlotte was here! She was alive! Clay didn't stick around to talk any longer, leaving the sleeping Charlotte and I alone. My eyes flew open, my heart pounding in excitement to see that she was okay, that she only had a stitched up cut a over her eye. The whole dang time she had been right here, waiting for me to wake up like everyone else, only she fell asleep in the hard looking plastic chair by doing so.

It was in the middle of the summer and the crazy girl was in pink sweatpants and a black hoodie that had New York Girls written in white lettering cursive across the front. If that wasn't bad enough, she was wearing black fuzzy boot bedroom slippers. Leave it to her to dress like this at a place like this. Then I noticed the big black framed glasses sitting on her face. I've never seen her wearing them before. I kind of liked them.

"Charlotte!" I whisper shouted over to her. She wouldn't wake, she was too exhausted too. I tossed one of my pillows at her, hoping it was a big enough disturbance to wake her. It wasn't. The only thing left to do was get out the bed. It hurt like crazy just to sit up, getting out of bed was pure torture. I did it anyway. I walked over to her, pulling out my IVs and everything that was restraining me from reaching her. My heart monitor flat lined, but I could care less if the nurses and doctors freaked out. I had to make sure she was really here.

"Charlotte," I tried again, shaking her this time so she would wake. She groaned at the movement, cutely swatting at me as if I was a nuisance. "Charlotte, please!" I begged.

She opened her eyes, pulling a face full of complaint at me until she fully realized who she was becoming annoyed with. "Brant!"

Her arms tossed around my neck allowing me to pick her up in arms. It hurt so much, but holding her made everything feel better. "I love you, Charlotte," I immediately told her before I didn't have the chance to.

"I know that," she whispered into my neck. Her fingers gently gripped the hair on the back of my head as she said, "I love you too."

She was one of the greatest girls on the planet, what was there not to love? I had been so scared that I couldn't put her down. Trust me, I was in some agonizing pain, my left side felt like I was being kicked repeatedly by that bull over and over, I just needed to hold her for a while.

Soon the nurses and doctor came bursting in thanks to the flat line alarm probably going off outside. I didn't let go of Charlotte, not even when the doctor explained that I had severely bruised my ribs and needed to rest until it was time for me to be discharged out. "You don't understand," I told the man. My mother, Austin, and Jax all ran into the room in a panic to see what was going on. "I thought she was gone for forever." I turned my eyes back to Charlotte, my lips stretching upward when she cupped my face when her dainty hands.

"You're girlfriend isn't going anywhere," the doctor said, making my head snap to him.

"I'm not his girlfriend," Charlotte light heartedly giggled. "I'm a friend..."

"Best friend," I piped in. I had to make sure she knew that I didn't just see her as a plain friend. She was special to me and she was the best. "Is she okay? Nothing serious is going on with her right?" I put Charlotte down, inspecting her for any bruising or cuts. She was all clear except for the cut above her eye.

"Brant," she softly laughed. "I'm perfectly fine, you're the one who needs to lie down. You almost fractured your ribs, all I have is the cut." I wrapped her up in a tight hug, smiling in her hair as her sweet warm vanilla fragrance filled my nose. "Please lay down for me."

I moved back to the bed, dragging her along and making sure she got into bed with me. "You also have a concussion and we were scared you were never going to wake," Charlotte explained when the nurses began to hook up my IVs again.

"I don't care about any of that," I whispered. "I'm just glad you're okay. I swear if you ever do something that insane, I'll..."

"You'll what?" she muttered, slowly bringing her lips to my cheek.

I looked to her, knowing that I couldn't really threaten her to any physical harm. I would never hurt her. "I'll never forgive you," was all I could come up with. She heaved a sigh, but agreed that she'll try to hold off the acts of heroism. My mother, friend, and my sister's boyfriend gathered around once the nurses had finished hooking me up to the machine's. My mother suffocated me in kisses, and Austin laughed while she did it.

"Jax, you should be at mine taking care of Avery," I told him. "Austin, take him to my house and then go home. I'm fine you guys, quit being girls about this."

I let my eyes fall onto my tired mother who had probably stayed up all night wondering if I was okay. "Mom, you go home with them and get some rest, I'm perfectly fine." She opened her mouth to protest. "I'm not a baby, mom, I can take care of myself. Just sign the release forms and have dad come back with the truck."

She let out a frustrated sigh, but leaned over the bed and kissed my forehead goodbye. "Be careful," she murmured, kissing my forehead once more. I loved my mother, but I know her like a book. Despite that I was almost officially a man, she felt like she needed to bandage every scrap, cut, and bruise that occurs. Everything was fine, and I was more worried about her health than my own. She needed sleep, especially during this tough time we're going through with the bills and everything.

"I'll be home later," I told my mother. She slightly smiled when I stroked her hair. "You be careful, I love you."

She told me she loved me, then told Charlotte the same thing when she leaned over and kissed the cut above Charlotte's right eye. "Thank you for wanting to save Brant."

Charlotte bashfully nodded, making sure to tell my mother that she loved her. It was nice for Charlotte to have my mother in her life. With Lillian gone, Charlotte doesn't have a nice womanly influence in her life without my mom. So far Charlotte has learned to cook, clean, and be a beautiful lady thanks to my mom. My best friend was starting to become so appealing that I was feeling things I had never felt before. Her courageous heart, although my mother is bold at times, I knew Charlotte got her courage, pure heart, and ability to love everyone from her mother. She was really something else.

When my mother left with Austin and Jax, it left Charlotte and I alone to do nothing but rest and talk. It wasn't awkward talking with her so close. How close were we you ask? When I looked at her, my nose was firmly pressed against hers. Our eyes staying locked while he hung onto every word we shared. I could practically feel her lips on mine, it made me move in closer, hoping that her lips would accidentally graze across my own.

What's wrong with me? I couldn't be thinking these things about Charlotte, I mean, it's Charlotte. I couldn't want to kiss her, that wasn't friendly at all, but I wanted to so badly. All I could think about was that bull nearly killing her, that if it had I wouldn't be so close to her right now. All of my fear was urging me to be as close as possible with her, even making it where it was impossible for her to turn away. She was so beautiful, I almost never got to see this gorgeous face again.

My fingers fell in her hair when she went on to explain, after I asked, that she was wearing the sweatpants and hoodie because she was cold. I hadn't really paid attention to the temperature of the room, but I did notice that she had chill bumps on her neck. I made them disappear when I trailed a finger down her skin.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she softly whispered.

I grinned, not daring to reply. How was I suppose to explain to her the things I've suddenly taken notice of? There was no way I could tell her that I yearned for a kiss from her perfect lips. She would think I had lost my mind, and I'm pretty sure that I have. I shook my head at her, letting her know not to worry about it.

"Don't you fret over anything Brant, I'm going to take over while you recover and I promise that nothing will slack off. I'll do yours and my own chores, I'll supervise Avery's dates when needed, I'll even take Ranger out for rides..."

I softly laughed at that one. "You just want to ride my horse," I claimed.

She shrugged, flashing a bright smile. "It's a win for me!" But it wasn't a win for me. With all the hard work she's been doing lately, I feared my work would overwhelm her. I'll be independent when it comes to taking care of myself during my healing process, but she'll be independent when it comes to working.

"Promise me you won't over do it. I don't want you dealing with something that's too much for you. Stay away from the hayloft, Charlotte. My dad will handle the heavy lifting."

She gave a nod of agreement, my heart racing when I felt her leg creep it's way over mine. In reaction, my hand dropped down, grabbing ahold of her thigh to keep her leg in place. "Brant Young..."

Charlotte and I both looked to the nurse who had entered the room. "You're free to go. I gave your medication to your mother, she knows what to do." Of course I would have to leave right when everything was getting more intimate with Charlotte and I.

The nurse came over and started unhooking everything after just moments ago reattaching everything. Charlotte got up, groaning while doing so. I grabbed her hand, worry immediately rising. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah" she grunted. "Just a little sore."

How could I let myself think that she was possibly okay after everything that happened last night? Of course she was sore! She was thrown six feet in the air and fell hard onto the dirt floor of the corral. "Take it easy Char." I brought her hand up to my lips, placing a kiss on the back of it in hopes she would feel better.

She fetched a paper shopping bag under the chair she had slept in that I was guessing had my clothes in them. I wasn't going to leave this place in the hospital gown they had dressed me in, that was for sure. "Do you need my help dressing him?" the nurse asked Charlotte. I looked at the nurse in her mid forties as if she had lost her mind. There was no way a stranger was going to touch my body unless I'm being prepared at a funeral home.

"It's okay," Charlotte giggled, seeing my look toward the nurse. "I can do it."

The nurse gave a nod, then left the room to give us privacy. I watch Charlotte pull out some jeans, one of my favorite shirts, a pair of socks, and my boots were near the hospital bed. "Alright cowboy," she sighed. "Let's get out of here."

I carefully got out of bed, ripping off the hospital gown off of which reveal my plain black boxer briefs and a baseball sized bruise in the shape of a hoof print on my side. When my eyes found Charlotte's, for some reason her Celeste blue eyes showed guilt. There was no way of her knowing that this was going to happen, and she definitely shouldn't have felt guilty for it.

"Come here." I took her hand in mine, tugging her into the body, not even flinching in pain when her body collided into mine. My arms comfortably wrapped around her, and I smiled when I gave her forehead a comforting kiss. "Everything is fine now, Charlotte."

I let her go, urging her to hurry and dress me so I could get home and eat, I was starving. Piece by peace she slid my clothing properly on me. My shirt was easy, but my pants and socks were a little more difficult. I stepped into my pants and Charlotte eased them up my legs. I'm not going to lie, I liked the way she was touching me.

My brain must have gotten scrambled during the accident.

She pulled my socks onto my feet after complaining about the non existing smell radiating off of them. I didn't stoop to her level. "At least there isn't a windshield on my face," I growled.

She stuck her tongue out at me, but pulled off her glasses in embarrassment. I shouldn't have said it, they looked perfectly fine on her, and I know how she has those moments when she takes teasing literally. When she stood up, I took the glasses from her and slid them back into place so she could see properly. "I was only kidding, Charlotte. You look cute."

Her new peach skin she has gotten from working outside couldn't hide the blush that filled her cheeks. I never understood why my compliments meant so much to her. Why did she care what I thought? I guess for the same reason I didn't want to look stupid in front of her. I valued her opinion about me.

"Put your boots on and we'll go see if your dad is back yet." I listened to her and slowly slipped my feet into my boots. She went into the bathroom and changed out of the clothes she had slept in over the night into whatever my father or mother had brought her.

I waited patiently for her, although only a couple of minutes felt like hours. Being separated from her right now was agonizing. I didn't know what else to do while she was away but worry and miss her. She was there behind a door only a two yards away, and I still felt like she was in New York again. Then she came out dressed in some blue jeans, a pale pink loose tank top, and her boots. I swear it was like an angel had stepped into the room.

She extended her hand to me with an angelic smile and said, "Let's go."

My fingers slipped through hers once our palms met. The way she held my hand was something I have always admired. It was like she counted on me to keep her steady, that my touch was how she stood up and walked. "I wanna take you out for dinner tonight with my Peggy Ann's gift certificate" she said on our way out the room. "If it's okay with you."

It was strange thinking of us going out to dinner together, alone, just us. I nudged her so she could see my smug smile. "Charlotte, are you asking me out on a date?"

She hit my arm, laughing with me at how ridiculous that sounded. A part of me wanted her to agree that it was a date, I just laughed over it because I was absurd for wanting to go on a date with her. She was Charlotte, my best friend, my pal, my amigo.

The most beautiful girl in the world.

I grimaced at my wavering mind. "Dinner it is! Wear something classy, we're going all out tonight to celebrate," I told her when we reached the entrance of the hospital. She nodded in agreement, playing with my fingers while we waited for my dad to come carry us home.

"We won't stay long, your side will probably start aching if we do. How does it feel right now?"

I let myself focus on the pain instead of how amazing it felt to hold her dainty hand in my bigger one. The pain wasn't too severe, I could handle the ache and stabs it produced when I breathed, I was guessing that it would've been worse if I wouldn't have been doped up with the pain medicine they had me hooked up to earlier.

"I feel okay, a little stiff," I grunted.

She lifted my shirt, inspecting the spot of either inspecting my body. I had a feeling that my bruise was going to be an excuse for her in order to see me shirtless. "It looks terrible," she complained. I hadn't expected it, but she leaned down and pressed her lips to my sore spot.

I urged her to stand back up before someone saw how intimate she was being. "Save that for the bedroom," I joked when I brought her hand up to my lips and returned a personal kiss.

She rolled her light blue eyes, murmuring that I was crazy under her breath. I wasn't crazy until I was with her. Charlotte Jackson was the source of most, if not all of my problems, but without her I'm not completely happy. I don't know how if she's the same way, but I was hoping she was. I wanted to be a highlight of her day.

While she typed something on her phone, I reached to her head and poked the bun she had created with her hair. It looked like she had just tossed it up there to sit. Even when she doesn't try, she still looks beautiful. I'll never understand it.

"There's my champ!"

I turned my eyes away from Charlotte, laughing when my father tugged me into a hug. We have been wanting to win the amateur bull riding competition for forever now. "How shiny is it dad?" I asked on our way out the sliding glass doors.

"Very," my father laughed.

I glanced at Charlotte, seeing that she was softly smiling at nothing. I couldn't resist, I had to tug her over to me and kiss her temple. Her smile was then directed towards me. She let go of my hand, rubbing my back when she moved closer to my side. I let my arm drape her shoulders, holding her as close as possible to give myself security. I felt secure knowing that I could protect her with her being so close. After yesterday,it was a relief to be there by her side.

My dad had parked out front at the circle drive through for easier access. I let Charlotte climb inside first, but not because I thought my dad would accidentally elbow me in the side while driving. Charlotte crawled in, giving me a perfect view of her perfect backside. I don't know why I think it's perfect, it was just nice.

A hit to my chest made me blink back to the present. I had been caught red handed by her. She mischievously grinned when she reached to me, letting her fingers gently grip my chin. "Come on," she quietly rushed. There was a sadness in her eyes that made my insides quake. "Let's get you home."

I didn't know what she had been through while I was passed out over night, but if it was enough fear to make her fingers tremble while touching me and a look of utter relief on her face, I knew that it had to be a rough night for her. I hadn't even thought about how upset she might have been to wake up and hear that it was possible for me to slip into a coma. No wonder she had fallen asleep in that plastic chair.

To ease her mind, I quickly got into the truck with her. This whole time I had been freaking out over whether or not she was alive and she herself was going through some bad news. "When we get home, you and I are going to ice up and talk in bed."

She agreed to the plans, but she didn't really have a choice in the matter. I needed to take care of her just as much as she needed to take care of me. Once again, our hands met to hold on to one another. She didn't want to let me go and I definitely didn't want to let her go.

My dad and I mostly talked on the way home. He picked on Charlotte by telling her she looked like super woman jumping the fence last night. She just laughed and cuddled with my arm. All she had wanted was to save me. The crazy girl risked her life to come help me. She didn't care about anything but me in that moment, but it seems that's the case a lot of times.

I have never wanted her to feel like she owed me from when we were younger. What I did by telling her that she was beautiful was just what I had wanted to say to her. I thought she was beautiful, I never knew that my words were things that she strived on or anything. The only thing she owed me was nothing.

Just when we reached the house, she lifted her head from my shoulder, her lips grazed my cheek on their way to whisper something in my ear. I relaxed at the feel of her lips, secretly wishing that she would kiss me all over.

I have got to stop thinking these things.

It was hard to do when she smiled against my ear and whispered, "I love you," without a worry in her tone. Her words were sweeter than any sugar coated candy you could by.

I whispered that I loved her too, which made her smile the widest she has ever smiled. Before the truck could stop, the passenger door was ripped open and I was painfully embraced by sister. She started to cry over me just like she had at the hospital. I got out of the truck, lifting her into my arms as if she was still a toddler. "I'm fine Avery," I consoled.

"You almost weren't fine!" she wailed.

I rubbed her back, softly laughing at the fact that my sister was a pretty tough girl. She's been through a lot and doesn't admit to fear very easily. This was the first time she has cried since forever. I never knew I meant so much to her really. "Come on now, Avery;" I begged while she uncontrollably sobbed against my shoulder. "I'm perfectly fine sis."

My mother was waiting at the front door with a sad smile directed towards Avery. I pulled my other favorite girl in, giving her temple a kiss on my way in. "Told you I would be fine," I said to my mother.

"You wouldn't have been if Charlotte wasn't there," she shot back.

I would've been fine with or without Charlotte, but having her there helped. By the time I would've dressed myself and found my dad, I would have been in some serious pain. "Are you done crying yet, squirt?" I mumbled in her hair. She shook her head, so I held her tighter in solace.

With my sister clinging to me like monkey, her arms around my neck and legs around my waist, I walked to the kitchen to see if my mother had made any lunch. No aromas were lingering in the air, that could only mean that she hadn't cooked. "Ma!" I yelled. "Are you cooking lunch?!"

I looked in the oven, frowning when I saw nothing. Avery held on while I searched the fridge for anything to eat. We didn't even have any left overs in the fridge. I heard ecstatic foot steps run through the house and near the kitchen. Charlotte ran in with her arm raised high, urgently waving her hand so I would notice her.

"I'll cook!" she eagerly volunteered.

Avery pulled her face away from my shoulder, shouting, "You'll kill him Charlotte! I almost lost him once, I'm not about to again!"

Charlotte stopped where she was, weakly smiling in remembrance that she wasn't the best chef around. She has cooked us some edible meals to help my mother out, but just because it was edible didn't mean that it was top notch cooking like my mother's. She was getting there in her culinary skills, she just hadn't reached it quite yet.

"Avery, don't say that about Charlotte," I grumbled. I looked back to Charlotte, trying to see if her feelings were hurt in any kind of way. She wouldn't let me look at her, she hid her face with the freezer door as she rumbled through it looking for a ice pack. "Char? Would you like to cook?" She peeped out from around the freezer door, nodding that she did. "Then cook," I encouraged. I grabbed my mother's apron hanging on the handle of the stove. She smiled when I walked up to her and pulled the apron over her head with one hand. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy, I don't even care what it looks like, I'm just starving."

I let my nose brush against hers, the closeness making me smile for a second. After she almost got killed last night when she ran to come save me, I'd eat a million burnt dinners for her. She didn't owe me a thing, but I felt like I owed her.

I carried Avery to the living room, tossing her on the couch in hopes of cheering her up. She smiled for a moment, but then tears welled up in her eyes once more. I didn't understand why she was so upset. Sure, she saw me get kicked by a bull and I have injuries, but couldn't she see that everything was alright now?

"Avery, I love you, but you can't keep blubbering on like a baby. It's over with, I'm okay..."

"I love you," she sniffled in interruption. I sat down next to her, smiling at how big and innocent her identical to mine eyes were. She was still my baby sister, she always will be.

"What's going on Ave?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

Her face scrunched up in agony, a look that cut me deep. "I was so scared," was all she could say. I knew she had been, I had been scared of losing Charlotte. Fear was natural, that's what I told her, only with her recurring nightmares she has after something we never want to relive, I could understand why she feared more than anyone else.

"I'm not going anywhere, Avery. I'll protect you until you get married and Jax takes my place."

She slightly laughed at the fact that I said she was marrying Jax. I didn't want her to live in fear everyday, but after what happened a couple of years ago I don't think that was up to me anymore. "No one is ever going to take you again," I made sure she knew. "It will never happen twice."

I tightly hugged her to my chest, letting her feel the secure way I locked my arms around her. Her past was a tough thing to relive. Even though he was the brother of Clay, Jax pretty much saved her life, I'm not sure I can let anyone else marry my sister in the future but him.

Avery pulled away from me and said that Jax was upstairs waiting on her. I decided to go up and talk with them both for a little but while I waited for Charlotte to cook. All three of us sat on Avery's twin bed, there was plenty of room with how close Jax was holding her.

"Jax, have I ever told you how grateful I am that you saved my sister?" He went to protest on the fact that he did, but I cut him off before he had the chance. "If you wouldn't have told your teacher when you saw that man pull Avery into that truck, we could still be searching for her."

He gave me a sad look. "But she was there for two days, he hurt her, I didn't..."

"Without your description of the man, vehicle, and license plate number, she wouldn't be here," I went on to convince. I seen his arms tighten around her. The way he wished he could've done more to save Avery from fearing so much, it was noble of him. She's come a long way since then. It took a lot of nights cramped in this tiny twin bed of hers for me and plenty of visits from Jax to get some of old Avery back, but he and I did it.

"She's safe..." I wiped a few of my sister's tears away. "A little bruised up, but safe."

The things my sister had to tell us about that monster, also known as her kidnapper, and what he did to her, those details will never leave my mind. I always remember holding her at night while she cried and talked to me about how he hit her and made her do things that no eleven year old should be forced to do to a grown man. The thought still makes my blood boil and wish I could visit him in prison just so I could strangle him to death.

"Brant, is it alright if I come and see her more?" Jax asked. "I won't if you don't want me to, I just don't like it when I'm not around her."

I ruffled his hair, nodding in agreement. "I don't care if you come over Jax, you know that, just keep your brother at home."

Jax kissed my sister's cheek, cheering her up immediately after I had tried for the last ten minutes. "He's really upset about losing Charlotte," Jax informed. "I'm pretty sure he loves her."

Yeah, I kind of already got that hint with how hard he was trying to win her back. I'm surprised actually, he's never tried this hard before. "I almost feel bad," I admitted. I stood to my feet, feeling a uncomfortable shooting pain in my side. I needed to ice my ribs. "I'll see you two later, go ahead and make out like the weird, hormonal, teenagers you are!"

Avery threw a pillow at me, only to become distracted when Jax planted his lips on hers. I had to get out of there before I puked, I was starving anyway. I left them to do what they do and hurried back downstairs. Some hunger inducing smell was levitating in the hallway. My nose twitched, guiding my feet into the kitchen where Charlotte was cooking away.

I specifically told her that it didn't have to be anything fancy, apparently she didn't understand the meaning of that. She was going a million miles an hour, tossing things into the skillet and adding this or that. My eyes could hardly keep up with her movements. The only thing I notice was when she abruptly stopped to rub her sore back.

I strolled over to her, my hands automatically going to her waist. She glanced over her shoulder at me, giving a smile when she saw who it was. "Are you almost finished?" I asked. "You need to lie down and rest."

I massaged her shoulders in hopes to relieve some of her muscle pain. She groaned in approval. Her head tilted to the side, my eyes immediately drifting to the peachy skin of her neck. I couldn't fight the urge to drop my head and give her neck a little kiss, I had to lean down and kiss her there just once. "Are you sure you wanna go out tonight? We can just have something here or even at your place if you're trying to get me alone," I told her in a teasing tone.

She laughed over the hissing of the frying pan before her. I let myself get lost in her company by just standing there and giving her a back massage. Charlotte loved it, not just the attention but the fact that I wanted to ease her pain. She knew I loved her, it was just when I showed it was when it really counted.

"Charlotte, sweetie, you should call your father, he's still waiting on some news," my mother told her when she came into the room.

"I will as soon as I finish Brant's food."

I decided that I would call him myself while she finished what seemed to be some chicken, cheese quesadillas, with some peppers added in. She was the best! I gave her cheek a big kiss that would've toppled her over if I wouldn't have been holding her so close. She grinned at the affection and playfully wiped away the sloppy kiss when I pulled back.

"To answer you earlier Brant, I'm fine with doing something at mine," she said as I walked over to the telephone.

"Are you guys eating dinner at Charlotte's old house or something?" my mother asked.

"Yep" I replied in the midst of dialing Phillip's house number in New York that I knew by heart. I haven't thought of that number in a while, but as many times I have called it growing up, it was still fresh in my mind.

"Hello?" Jives answered.

"Hey Jives, is-"

"How is my baby girl?!" he shouted. "Is she okay? Is she recognizable? How badly is she injured? Do I need to come down? Phillip get away from me, my little girl needs me...."

"She's my daughter!" I heard Phillip yell in the background. I laughed to myself, listening to them argue while they fought over who loved Charlotte more and who was going to talk on the phone.

"I've taken care of her most of her life, I love her more!" Jives shouted.

"Well I created her! She's my flesh and blood, she came from me, and I love her more!" Phillip fought back.

I looked to Charlotte when she came over with my plate of food, wiping perspiration off of her brow. Even though her forehead was damp, I kissed her there as a thank you for going out of her way to cook me lunch. "Your family is crazy," I softly laughed when I heard Phillip and Jives still arguing on their line.

My forehead met hers, allowing me to put the phone in between our ears so we could both hear the argument. She sighed, cutely rolling her eyes while she shook her head at them. "Guys!" she loudly spoke up. They went quiet. "Have you forgotten that I was tossed up in the air last night by a thousand pound bull?"

"Charlotte!!" they cried in unison. "Are you okay? We're coming down tomorrow, just Jives and I, it was the earliest I could do on such short notice," her father quickly explained before Jives interrupted.

"Are you okay? Sore? Bruised up? Armless! Good grief woman, please tell me you didn't lose an arm!"

Charlotte giggled at Jives' frantic worrying. Jives really did love her as if she was his own. He has spent most of his life taking care of her, of course he would be like a second father to her. When Phillip wasn't there, she could always count on Jives to be there in his place. Actually, Jives acted more like a lover around her than a father. They couldn't have possibly had a thing once, could they?

"I just have a cut above my eye that had to be stitched up and my body is a little sore, but Brant..."

"Is fine," I keyed in.

"No he isn't," she grumbled, squinting her eyes at me. "He has bruised ribs and a concussion." She ran her fingers through my hair, sadly smiling up at me. "I hate it," she continued. "That he's hurt that is. I guess it could've been worse."

It would've been worst if I would've lost her. Someone like Charlotte deserves to live their life until they're old and grey. Now I wish I could put her in a bubble to keep her safe, of course that was no way to live. "He's a man Charlotte," Phillip spoke. "He's going to be fine, right Brant?"

"Yes sir, I feel great. I'll show you my trophy tomorrow." He laughed and told me that he would help me shine it when he got here. That's what I was looking for. I wanted to spend some quality time with him and Charlotte some time during his visit. Phillip needed to bond with Charlotte more, and I would make it happen, bruised ribs or not.

Charlotte held a quesadilla to my lips, allowing me to eat the lunch she had prepared. One bite, that's all it took for her to suddenly become the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. My forearm slipped under her bottom, lifting her up off the ground, I twirled us around in excitement, savoring every chew of her delicious lunch.

It was suppose to be one of those cheesy moments, instead I just ended up getting us tangled in the phone chord. My mother laughed at our predicament, watching as I hopped around, untangling us from the constricting wire.

"Dad, Jives.." Charlotte laughed. "I've gotta go, be careful getting here tomorrow." They promised they would, telling her goodbye and that they loved her. "Not as much as I love you guys," is how she responded.

"Charlotte!" her father shouted, stopping her from hanging up. "I'm sorry for arguing with you over Chanel. She's never going to replace your mother, but she makes me happy."

His words were a blow below the belt hit for Charlotte. All she wanted was for him to be happy, Chanel wasn't the woman who that was suppose to happen with. "I know," Charlotte sighed. "I love you, I love you too Jives."

The men told her that they loved her, and we carefully unraveled ourselves from the cord. She hung up the phone and I grabbed the plate of delicious quesadillas I was ready to devour. "Don't worry Char, it's never gonna work out between your father and Chanel. Come help me eat these."

I pulled her into my side, picking up the ice packs on the counter to help with our soreness. She waited until I sat down before she stretched across the couch on her stomach and ordered me to lift the back of her shirt so she could apply the ice. I did like she wanted then turned to my food. "Want me to ice your side?" she sweetly asked.

"Please." She lifted my shirt, letting her warm lips caresses my bruise first. I hissed when she pressed the ice to my side.

"Sorry," she giggled when she saw my glare. "Feed me."

She could be so demanding. I let her take a bite of the quesadilla I was eating, watching her expression when she realized that she was perfecting her cooking skills. Her eyes lit up in a little pride, not a conceited pride, a accomplished pride. Now she knew why I was so ecstatic earlier. I was pretty proud of her too.

We shared the food in between some conversations we had. She wanted to know what I wanted to eat tonight. Steak has been on my mind lately, we just couldn't afford it right now, not even with some of the bills dying down. I wasn't going to tell her I wanted a steak, she would take her own money to go get it and I wasn't having it. "Anything is fine, Charlotte," is what I ended up telling her.

Dissatisfied, she poked my stomach with a poked out lip. "You don't want anything special? Pork chops? Chicken? Ham? Ribs? Steak..." I shifted uncomfortably. "Do you want steak?"

Why did she have to ask? I couldn't lie when it came to her, it was completely impossible. "I do and don't want steak, Charlotte. If you're buying it, I don't want it. If a free steak appears out of no where, sure, I'd love to have it."

She got that glint in her eye that said she had a plan. I groaned when she sat up and hugged my neck, not 'cause I was in pain, but because she was going to make sure I got that steak no matter what. I should've kept my mouth closed.

___________________________________
AN:)


She's okay :)

I may update earlier because of how I ended this chapter, so I would expect an update Tuesday.

Trivia Question: Who saved Avery's life by giving a description of her kidnapper?