Emotional Connection

sleeping in

Ashley-Rae had never understood Valentine's day. She'd loathed it at school, mainly because it usually only provided people with an excuse to talk all the time about crushes and boyfriends or girlfriends - and she couldn't stand it, especially when she was just trying to study.

No, she didn't hate it, more didn't understand it. But if other people wanted to celebrate it, good for them.

Except when Laura took it as an opportunity nearly a week prior to gush about her boyfriend taking her to a nice restaurant in the town for dinner after Pete had confirmed her time off with James. In all honestly, Ashley tuned most of it out, if she was honest, nodding along and giving what she felt like would be appropriate answers whenever prompted. But she really didn't care about how difficult it was for Laura with her boyfriend working the day shift with the dragons and her on the night shift.

And then four days later the inevitable happened: James got the flu and the measles at the same time (either he was just incredibly unlucky or pissed off some Deity) and Laura had to cancel her date, so Ashley had to listen to her crying about that too. She was really beginning to re-think stopping by the hospital at nights.

Finally, Ash couldn't take it anymore, talking to Pete about an idea she'd had just to make Laura shut up.

"And you're sure you can do an eighteen-hour shift? Of course, you'll have breaks, but are you sure you can manage that?" Pete asked sceptically.

Ashley nodded, "if it'll shut her up, then yes, I'll manage. If you can manage this shift without me, I'm good to go."

Pete nodded, "go catch up on some sleep then, you'll need it."

Ashley nodded, returning back home, where her father was just heading out to work. She smiled at him, trying to hide the crushing feeling inside her chest, unlocking the door before remembering what Charlie had said. She looked over to his place where there was still a light on in his lounge, so she decided to just suck it up and ask to crash in his spare room. She'd need the sleep for her upcoming shift, and there was no way she was making it through with the two hours she'd get in her own bed. She knocked, standing back from the door, plastering a smile on her face when Charlie opened the door looking half-asleep still himself, with two baby dragons crashing in the background.

"Oh, Ashley!" His face lit up, "What can I do for you?"

It took her a second to find the words before blurting out, "can I sleep in your spare room?"

He looked confused, but opened the door for her. "Aren't you supposed to be at work in like five minutes?"

"No," Shaking her head, she told him she was working the night shift to cover Laura. "Anyway, how come you're here, not in the pits?"

"Babies." He sighed, watching the two dragons - Mila and one Ashley hadn't seen before - play rough on his living room table. "Little Mango there was abandoned, someone sent her to us so we can care for her. whenever we get baby dragons I care for them, always have done, so I stay here with them to help them until they grow big enough and old enough to care for themselves."

Ashley nodded. "Do you have any tea? You look like you could use some."

He nodded, sitting again, pulling the dragons apart before they incinerated the carpet, while she went through his cupboards for mugs and tea, finding them easy enough.

She made two cups, handing one to Charlie, before saying goodnight and heading to his spare room. she placed it on the side before realising she'd forgotten to bring any pjs to sleep in or even a change of clothes for her shift. Sighing, she pulled off her jeans, deciding she'd have to run home once she woke up for a spare top, before climbing into bed. She could still hear the crashes in the living room and Charlie trying desperately to calm the two of them down as she finished her tea, falling asleep laughing quietly at his outbursts of, "kettles and chips" and similar unconventional sentences.