Trust Me (Phil Coulson Love Story)

Second Sighting

      After a few failed attempts at getting any school work done, Charlotte decided to take a break and walk to a small café a couple blocks down. 
        As she made her way down the street, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was following her. She turned around several times and all she saw was a large crowd of people, trying to get to where they were going. 
        After the fifth time turning around, she was sure she was being followed. A man wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses had been following her since she left the apartment. 
        Charlotte’s heart rate picked up as she increased her speed slightly, trying to put more distance between her and her stalker. 
        The café was just a few yards ahead. If she could make it to the café she could figure out what to do from there. She let lose a deep breath that she wasn’t aware she had been holding, as she stepped through the doors to the café. It was busy and if she was lucky, she could hide in there for a couple hours until her stalker left.
        She waited in line for a few minutes and ordered a medium roast coffee in a small cup. She sat at a small table near the back, next to the restrooms and waited. 
        She tensed up every time she saw her stalker pass the café. After the fifth time he was gone for half an hour and Charlotte figured she was safe to leave. She would go back to the apartment and get her things and leave New York. It was getting too risky staying here.
        Stepping out of the café and on to the sidewalk, Charlotte frowned up at the sky as it pelted her with the first few drops of its oncoming storm. Looking around she realized she should have brought an umbrella as she saw people everywhere opening up theirs. 
        There was only one other person who didn’t have an umbrella and Charlotte tensed as she looked into the eyes of her stalker, standing a few feet beyond her. He had been hiding just beyond the window to the café, so she wouldn’t have been able to spot him from inside. 
        He smirked at her as he walked toward her. Charlotte wanted to run, but found herself frozen to her spot like a deer trapped in the headlights. He stopped less than a foot away from her and stared down into her eyes. The sky opened up and it began to down pour. 
        “There you are little rabbit.” her stalker whispered in a voice that only she could hear. Charlotte snapped out of it when he spoke and turned and ran. She could hear his chuckle as he started after her. She ran several blocks, turning every few blocks or so, but her stalker stayed the same distance behind her the whole way. 
        As Charlotte turned down a deserted street, she realized what was happening. He was herding her away from the public eye. He was waiting to catch her when she got somewhere where no one could see her. 
        Darting down the street, Charlotte’s heart pounded and her head started to spin. She had been warned when she was released from the hospital that she would need to take it easy for a few more days. As she darted past an alley, much like the one she was in a few days ago, a hand darted out and grabbed her by the arm, causing her to let out a little scream of fear. Before she could let the scream out however, another hand clamped over her mouth and she was pulled into the alley. 
        She found herself held tight against a warm muscular body, the hand still over her mouth. She struggled to get out of their grasp, but the person was strong and not letting go. The harder she struggled the dizzier she got. If the person let go now, she had no doubt in her mind she would find herself on the ground in a heap.
        “Don’t scream or he is going to find us for sure.” A familiar voice whispered in her ear, causing her to freeze for a moment. She knew that voice. It was her rescuer from the other day! Her body instantly relaxed and she sagged against him in relief. 
        His grip loosened as he turned and led her down the alley and away from her stalker. Once they were out on populated streets again, Charlotte was surprised to find that they were at her apartment. 
        “You are quite a bit of trouble, you know that?” He chuckled as he looked down at her slight form, soaking wet and shivering in the wind and rain. Charlotte stared at him for a moment, then turned on her heel and started to walk away from him stiffly. The sound of his soft laughter followed her as he walked behind her. 
        “I just wanted to make sure that you were ok and I come to find you in more trouble.” He explained, defending himself, but Charlotte was beyond hearing him. Her head was throbbing and she knew if she didn’t sit down soon, she was going to faint. 
        She stomped up the front steps to her building, but the wet made them slippery and she slipped on the second one, falling backwards. Strong arms caught her and he chuckled again as he set her on her feet. Charlotte’s legs had other plans and he caught her around the waist as she started going down. Her head hurt so bad she could hardly focus on anything. He seemed to know what she was feeling and he picked her up gently in his arms and walked up the steps. 
        “Don’t think. Just relax. You’re going to be just fine.” He murmured to her as he walked inside the building and up towards her apartment. How did he know where she lived? 
        Charlotte allowed him to carry her into her apartment and into her bedroom. She felt too weak and hurt too much to protest. She didn’t seem fazed at all when he began to strip her wet clothes off of her even though she knew she should be furious at his taking advantage like that, but she felt a trust in him that she could not explain and didn’t utter a word. He grabbed a pair of sweat pants and a sweater and dressed her in them. Then taking a towel out began to towel dry her hair. 
        “You need to rest.” He said in a soft voice that helped to sooth her towards sleep. He handed her some pain pills and some water, which she accepted and downed quickly. Helping her into her bed, he pulled the small blanket she owned over her, frowning at her lack of stuff in general. One small blanket and a flat pillow was nothing to be impressed at. He turned to leave the room. He would walk over to his apartment, which was just down the hall, and change into dry clothes. Then gather some things he was sure she should have. The large comforter from the bed in his spare room was the first thing on his mind. He would come back over and make sure she got the rest she needed. 
        “Who are you?” Charlotte’s small voice asked in a whisper, before he could leave the room. He turned to look into her enchanting eyes. 
        “My name is Phil. Phil Coulson.”