Let me take care of you

Getting to Tao

"Charlie! It's Nick!" Charlie's mum shouted from the other room. Charlie was in the kitchen trying to finish the pieces of toast Infront of him while Tori sat beside him, glancing at him occasionally, her face not showing her secret worry she has for him.

"Coming." Charlie said, standing up, using his crutches to pull himself up, wobbling heavily. Tori quickly stood up and held his arm steady, holding him up,
"Just let him in mum!" Tori said, her face still expressionless. Charlie smiled kindly at Tori,
"Tori I'm fine. You know that." Charlie said, sitting back down. Tori rolled her eyes,
"I'm your older sister and I'm going to worry. Even if your annoying 70% of the time." Tori hid behind her older sister 'hate' to not show how worried she truly was about him. Being her, she noticed things no one else did, like how Charlie's breath would get quicker when someone touched him and sometimes he would flinch. How adamant he was about walking and going back to school, and how he completely seemed to forget what got him in that state, ignoring when people brought something even remotely related to what happened. So she just had to make sure, just had to keep an eye on him, even when he was with other people.

Nick came into the room and gave Charlie a hug, greeting Tori politely before sitting in between the both of them. Tori took note of the slight nervousness in his posture,
"Hey Charlie..." He said, not sure what to say.
"Hey Nick, what's up?" Charlie asked, turning to face him. Nick hesitated for a moment, trying to use his words properly,
"So, I was wondering, because we haven't seen Tao in a while. We were thinking, if you wanted to like... I don't know, want to see him?" Nick had been debating whether to ask or not, he didn't know how Charlie would react, he didn't know if it would trigger him or not. They were all just so worried about him, and with Charlie there, maybe it would be easier to talk to him?

Fortunately, Charlie had been wanting to see him aswell,
"Are you kidding? Of course!" He said excitedly, already trying to lift himself up from the table. Nick sighed in relief, giving Charlie a warm smile. He looked over at Tori for permission to take him there, she just stayed expressionless, before slowly nodded and very quickly smiling at him.

Tori stood up, walking to the opposite side of the table and helping Charlie up, with struggle as she wasn't very strong. Nick stood up aswell and handed Charlie his crutches, and the two of them helped Charlie out of the kitchen and out of the front door, where a large car was waiting, all of Charlie's friends already inside. Charlie's eyes lit up,
"We're all going?" He said, happily looking up at Nick. Nick nodded, helping him into the car where he sat beside Isaac and Elle.

Nick got into the passages seat and Aled was the driver, and Darcy suggested that she and Tara just walk to the house instead, as there was no room and neither had a car. Tori went back inside and Aled started the car, besides Elle and Charlie, he was the only one who knew the best how to get to Taos house the quickest.

Tao didn't live to far, it was probably around a twenty minute walk or a few minutes of driving, so really not much. So before they knew it, and before Charlie could even think of what they were going to say, they had arrived at his house.

Everybody got out of the car and approached his door. Elle was in the front as everyone knew she was Taos mums favourite, and she was most definitely going to be the one that answered. Charlie stood behind her, on his crutches, steadily holding himself up, Nick was behind him making sure he didn't fall. Elle looked behind her, at everyone who was there, Darcy gave her a goofy smile and two thumbs up, which made her giggle. She turned back towards the door and knocked three times.

The response was quick, they heard quick steps and a chain being pulled down, before the door opened and Taos mother opened the door. Her face lit up when she saw Elle, she hugged her as usual, before even noticing anyone else that was there.

When she did, her face fell and her hands went up to her mouth. She saw Charlie standing there, on crutches, he waved at her and smiled kindly, keeping balance. She ran up to him and hugged him, sniffing,
"Charlie! Your okay! Tao in his room, I cannot believe your here. Go see him." She said, pointing upstairs. Charlie nodded, she kissed him on the forehead and he and Elle started heading upstairs, and Tao's mother greeted everyone else on the way in.

Elle waited for everyone to be upstairs, before gesturing to the locked door on her right. Everyone nodded, Elle knocked on the door, there was no response. Elle looked back at the others,
"Tao, it's Elle." She said, pressing her head against the door. There was a grumble from inside,
"Elle I've already told you to go away..." Taos voice was muffled and quiet, as if he hadn't used it much. Elle put her hand on the doorknob,
"It's not just me this time." She tried to open the door, rattling the doorknob. Everyone said hello, Charlie pulled himself forward to the door,
"You don't want to say hi to your best friend? Come on, these crutches are killing me."

There was a thump from inside the room,
"Charlie?" Tao croaked, closer this time. Charlie laughed,
"Yeah it's me, I'm alive!" The door unlocked and opened very quickly. And there he stood, he was wearing a white short sleeve shirt and grey sweatpants, his hair was messy and not brushed and the room behind him was the best,
"Hi Tao." Charlie simply said, Elle had now moved to the side, so that Charlie was facing him.

Tao ran up and hugged Charlie, basically knocking him off his crutches. Charlie hugged back tight, so glad to see his friend again. Tao cried into Charlie's shoulder,
"You're okay, you're okay." He mumbled into Charlie's neck, Charlie sniffed himself and nodded,
"I'm here, I'm here." He laughed, Tao laughed back, his crying turned into laughter,
"You're okay!" He made sure Charlie was stable on his crutches before letting go again. He wiped his eyes, a smile on his face.
"I can't believe it..." He hugged the others, before his smile was now a sad smile, as he looked at Charlie's state,
"You should've seen me before." Charlie chuckled, lightening up the mood.

Tears fell down his eyes, he turned around and sat down on his bed, face in his hands,
"I'm so so sorry, I should've stayed back with you, I should've been with you." He said, crying into his hands. Everybody say by him on his bed, Charlie put his arm over him,
"It's ok, it's ok, I'm here now, I'm here now. Don't worry."