Chance Encounters

Part 3: Bargaining

Charlie had been forced to slow down. Miguel had halted the caravan clinic until everyone was satisfied she had rested enough. Even the Mayans had gone back to fixing their own wounds unless absolutely necessary. She found herself back on the 72 hour shift and two 8 hour shifts that used to fill her weeks.

On top of that she found her free time filled with conveniently timed visits, or as she liked to call it - babysitting duty. She didn't know if it was Happy or Neron that ratted her out but either way both were banned from her house. Today it looked like Nestor drew the short straw as he pulled up to her house.

"You must be the best paid nanny in the state." She said as she let him into her home.

"Good morning Nestor. How have you been?" He said in a high pitch voice before swapping to his normal voice. "Buenos días, Charlie. Oh thanks for asking, it's been great. I got this new assignment where I get to chill out all day and even catch a nap."

"You're such an asshole." She said but couldn't help the smile that creeped on her face. "I'm going for a swim. Can I be trusted near water or do you need to supervise that too?"

"You in a bikini, of course I'm supervising." He smirked. "Might be the only time I save a life."

"That would be a change." She said quietly before disappearing to her room to change.

She emerged a few minutes later in a yellow poker dot bikini that caught Nestor's attention. He hadn't really seen the doctor in anything other than scrubs or sensible clothes. He trailed out to the poolside after her and found an infinity pool that rivalled Miguel's. He took a seat on the lounger closest to the water and watched as she dove gracefully into the water.

"Where did you grow up?" She asked Nestor as she swum up to the poolside and laid her head on her folded hands.

"Here, there, everywhere." He shrugged. "I was an army brat."

"Makes sense." She hummed before letting go and sinking to the bottom of the pool.

Nestor waited a minute before sitting up and then standing. He looked over the edge and saw Charlie laying still on the pool floor. He looked at his watch and began unbuttoning his shirt as she still didn't move. Getting panicked he pulled the shirt over his head and kicked his slacks off before diving in.

Nestor swum down to the bottom and grabbed her waist before pushing off the floor and rising to the surface. They broke the surface and he looked down to see her smiling mischievously. She leisurely paddled on her back with a wide grin, enjoying Nestor's worry.

"I figured I should test my lifesaver's ability." She said and received a splash from Nestor.

"You can hold your breath a long time." He said as he swam out to where she was floating.

"UoC Free diving team." She said before swimming under the surface and pulling Nestor's feet down.

He took a deep breath and let himself sink down with her. It had been a long time since he had to test his lung capacity and he felt the burn begin immediately. He reached the bottom and saw the blurry image of Charlie sitting cross legged, like she was meditating. Pushing off the floor he rose again and gasped as he reached the fresh air. Nestor was sat on the edge of the pool for another two minutes before Charlie rose up slowly.

"Its peaceful underwater, quiet." She commented. "If you could be any animal, what would it be? I'd be a jellyfish."

"They have no brain." Nestor snorted.

"It's perfect, no brain means no feeling. It would be freeing." She replied, voice full of melancholy.

"That's a bit dark." Nestor said as he laid back enjoying the sun. "And you wonder why you have babysitters."