'Cause I'd Find You In Any World (Nick and Charlie - Alternate Universe)

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty One.

Nick:
Shit. Shit. Shit. That's all I can think as Sebastian walks down each step. Now both of Charlie's parents are going to hate me. Good job, Nick.

"Dad, if I'm being honest with you, I really don't care what she had to say. Nick was just defending me, just like you, James, Mia, Richard and Jane have so I don't want you treating him --"

His Dad cuts him off.

"No one is going to treat Nick differently for defending you, Charlie. Actually, from what I was told, Nick's approach to her was the calmest between all of us, minus Jane and Richard. Charlie, can we talk in the kitchen?"
"Dad if I'm being honest, anything you say to me, I'm going to tell James and Nick. Honestly, probably Mia too, so you can just say it here."

Sebastian looks at Charlie and slightly smiles.

"I do love how you have such a strong support system. Okay, well your Mum actually apologized again and for the first time, she sounded sincere. She sounded like she truly regretted how she acted. She made an appointment for her and I to start seeing a therapist and would eventually like you and James to come if and only if her and I can find a common ground. I will not ask you or James to come if I feel like it is an unsafe space for you, you know that right?"

Charlie looks at me and then James.

"Do I have to come even if you feel like she's changed?"
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."
"Thanks, Dad. Because as of right now, I really don't think there's a time where I'll feel okay being in the same room with her. Just you talking about me potentially seeing her has my hands sweaty and breathing uneasy."

James puts his hand on Charlie's shoulder.

"And until Charlie is ready to talk to Mum, I won't be talking to her either."

Sebastian nods his head as James and Charlie walk into the living room. I go to follow him but feel Sebastian's hand on my shoulder. I turn around to look at him.

"I'm not sure what you said to her, but this is the first time she came to me actually apologetic. So I want to thank you because whatever you said, got through to her."

I shrug.

"I just told her that this whole life she built with you and her family could be stripped away from her for these choices she is making based off of who her son wants to date."
"She told me you talked for almost five minutes and didn't let her get a word in."
"Well, I summed it up for you," I say with a smile. "I just want Charlie to be happy."
"I know you do. He's lucky to have you in his corner."
"I'm lucky to have him too. Lucky that most of his family have been so great and welcoming too."

We both smile as I walk into the living room with him.

Charlie:
Dad leaves to go get the pizza, more food and dessert I'm sure; I think he's overcompensating after what happened with Mum. Nick's Mum is on her way to pick up Erin, Will and Michael. Meanwhile, Mia is walking over here now. A couple of months ago, my circle was really... a triangle? Just me, James and Mia. Now Nick is in my life and brought more genuine people that I can really see myself building friendships with. It makes me feel more at ease with the fact that James is leaving next year. Oh shit. Nick's leaving next year. What are we going to do? Are we still going to date? Is he planning on going to school nearby? Is he going to the same Uni as James? Okay Charlie, relax. Lets take this one big issue at a time. You already have enough on your plate, deal with that first before you even go there. You haven't been dating Nick that long and you don't want to freak him out. But then again, you love him and he loves you. He wouldn't break up with you just because he's going off to school, would he? Is he?

"Charlie, are you okay?" Nick asks.

All of a sudden, the door slams open.

"Whose ready to party?!?" Mia says as she closes the door and hugs us all.

We all laugh.

"Coming to the party and didn't even bring anything? What a user," James jokes.
"Oh shut up. Are you going to say that to Erin if she comes empty handed?"
"Of course not, that's my beautiful girlfriend. You're just Mia," he teases.
"WOW. Thanks for that, James," she says as she laughs.

Nick looks at me again.

"Where were you before? You seemed out of it. Thinking about your Mum?"

I pull on the sleeves of my shirt.

"Yeah."

He places his hand on my leg.

"I know I haven't known you very long but I'd like to think I know you well. Are you lying to me?" He asks.

Damnit, he's good.

"It's really not important Nick, I promise."
"So then why don't we discuss it before the party starts so it can be out of both of our minds and we can have a nice time?"

I sigh. I need to get a better poker face. I take Nick's hand and lead him to the backyard.

"Okay, so I'm not sure where this came from or how it popped into my head. Well, I do. I was thinking about how nice it is to have more people in my life; like you, Erin, Will and Michael because when James goes to school next year, I'll have more people around. But then, I remembered that you are also leaving next year and we haven't really talked about it. But then again, we haven't been dating long and I'm not sure where your head is at when it comes to us. I mean, you did tell me you love me and I definitely love ---"

Nick grabs both my shoulders with his hands.

"Charlie calm down, you're rambling."

I take a deep breath.

"I tend to do that when I'm a little nervous."
"I'm usually the one nervous around you," he says with a laugh. "So I'm not sure what your exact question is; but I have thought about this already so can I tell you what I've thought about?"

I nod.

"So of course I do not want us breaking up just because I'm going off to Uni next year. I love you and I didn't say that to you for convenience or because I thought we had an expiration date. I've been looking at Universities that are close by and also the one that James is going to. I want this to work Charlie, and I don't want you to have any doubts about that."

I smile, probably looking real dorky right now.

"Well, that's good to know. Glad I didn't freak out about it."

Nick laughs.

"Yeah, good thing."