Yours truly ; Charlie Weasley

Twenty-seven

"There is a reason for why I wanted everyone to be gathered." I said, nervously fidgeting with my fingers as my family sat in front of me.

Crispus, Valencia, Calypso and Romany had all taken up the sofa while Crispus' wife Carrie sat on his lap.

Brazier and Amethyst sat on the floor in front of the sofa while Avalon sat in the armchair with Amber in her lap and Mahlon sat on the arm rest of the chair.

Dad was standing behind the sofa, leaning on the back of it with his hands, and mum sat on the small round ottoman on the other side of the sofa.

"You all know how Charlie left me, right?" I asked earning both nods and hums from my family members. "Well— you see... he feels very sorry about that and is really beating himself up about it. He gave me an explanation and though I'm still very angry and hasn't forgiven him, I—"

Dad straightened up, slowly folding his arms over his chest which automatically made me freeze both my actions and my sentence.

I might be twenty-five, but my dads reactions still always scares me.

"Charlie's back?" He asked. "The same Charlie who left England, broke my little girls heart? That Charlie."

"I'm twenty-five." I mumbled. "Not that little."

"Is he in the loft?" Amethyst asked. "Is he in the loft right now?"

"Ames—"

"Is he?" Calypso pressed.

I've started a war. My family against Charlie. Oh fuck. I watched and listened as my siblings all started protesting, raising their voices at me.

Well, the twins didn't say anything. Romany looked tired and Brazier was smirking — probably over the fact that I gave him a lot of money to keep quiet and now I'm here, telling them myself.

"Listen!" I raised my voice, causing everyone to go quiet. "Charlie is already beating himself up about it. He doesn't need you all to go confront him. I'm not excusing his decision to leave, but now he's back and I can't just throw all those years away."

"He threw all of those years away." Valencia said. "And you're just taking him back?"

I inhaled sharply, placing my hands on my hips as I dug my nails into my sides.

"We're doing couples counselling." I said. "I just wanted to let you know. Though I'm not interested in your opinions because I already know what you think and I know you're gonna give me hell about this for a long time."

"We're not gonna give you hell." Valencia scoffed. "We're gonna give Charlie hell."

"I still don't understand why the fuck you're with him again." Brazier spoke. "I mean— you're saying you're not excusing his decision to leave, but you fucking slept with him! What— where you trying to get pregnant again?"

He immediately clamped a hand over his mouth as I sighed and closed my eyes while pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I am going to kill you." I said and looked at him again. "Give me my money back."

"Oh— uh... I kinda already bought something for them." He said and stood up. "Don't have them— sorry."

He left the room and I dreadfully turned to look at the rest of my family who looked in shock.

"You were pregnant?" Mum asked. "Oh sweetie... why didn't you tell us?"

"Well—" I breathed. "I had an abortion. It's that simple."

"Did he know you were pregnant?" Calypso asked as she stood up. "Did he know? Because if he did, I am going over there and I'm going to hex him!"

"Oh for fuck sake." I breathed. "That's it. I told you he's back, now I'm going home."

I walked out into the hallway, took on my shoes before I grabbed my wand from the holder on the wall, then I apparated to outside of my shop.

When I got up to the loft, Charlie was sitting in a chair by the table in the kitchen, though he had fallen asleep, his cheek pressed against the wooden surface of the table.

He had had a really long night. I had woken up with a nightmare and I walked out into the kitchen to see if there was any alcohol though I knew he had gotten rid of it all. Charlie had woken up and he sat with me on the sofa until I fell asleep. When I woke up in the morning, he was still awake. We were lying in the same position as when I fell asleep. My head on his lap, his hand playing with my hair. He said he had stayed awake in case I had another nightmare and needed him.

I sighed, pushed off my shoes before I walked over to the table. I put my wand own, then ran my hand through his thick and curly hair that was getting longer and longer with each day.

A small groan came from Charlie's lips and his eyebrows fell into a frown. He now wore the same expression he always did as he was waking up.

I couldn't help but smile at how cute he looked. I kept brushing my fingers through his hair, watching him as he slowly sat up and yawned into his hand.

"When did you get back?" He mumbled tiredly, looking up at me with one eye closed.

"Just now, actually."

He nodded slowly and wrapped his hand around my wrist, forcing my hand out of his hair. Instead he moved my open palm to his mouth and planted a kiss on it.

"How did they take it?"

I shrugged and leaned against the table next to where he sat. He moved my hand to press my warm palm to the cold skin on the side of his neck.

"You really want to know?"

"I'll take that as a; they didn't take it well?"

I hummed, sighing again as I looked into the living room while chewing on my bottom lip. I so wanted my family to react differently. I understood perfectly why they reacted the way they did, but I just needed their support. I think both Charlie and I need their support to be able to move on and get back to how it used to be.

"They probably need some time to get used to it." I said. "Plus, Brazier blurted that we slept together and that I've been pregnant. I'm gonna kill that little shit the next time I see him."

"He— well, your family definitely hates me after hearing that." He said and stood up, letting go of my hand. "Though I can't blame them. You've always been the perfect girlfriend and then I go and screw that up. Call it a moment of insanity — I don't know."

I ran my hand up his chest, patting it gently before I pushed myself off the table. I walked around him, letting my hand trail around his shoulders until I let go of him to go and get something to drink.

I had been drinking a lot of water since Charlie took away my pain relief. When I crave alcohol, I drink water just to be able to drink something.

"Do you think we'll ever start a family?" I asked. "I mean— I know we need to figure this thing out first but — do you think we'll get to that point one day?"

I looked back at Charlie as I took a sip of the water in my glass. He offered a small smile, nodding.

"I'll do anything to be able to give you a child."

I fully turned around and leaned on the counter, drinking some more water.

"I don't want a child unless you want it too."

"I do." He hurried to say, making his way over to him. "I want a child with you. I'm sorry I fucked it up, Emmy. I promise that we'll be parents one day, yeah?"

He kissed my forehead as he twirled a lock of my hair around his finger and tucked it behind my ear.

"From now on, it's you and I forever." He whispered. "No more running away."