"What's with the frown pretty girl?" Leo's hand caressed the little pout on his sister's lips in hopes of offering any form of comfort.
Since the very awkward breakfast scenario, Charlie had been rather glum and shy, too much for her brother's liking.
However, Charlie was adamant that her mood wouldn't change as long as SHE was here.
Okay, maybe Charlie wasn't giving her the fairest chance but things had only gone from bad to worst when she was blamed for a cup of milk slipping, a cup of milk that her brothers knew was too big for her little hands.
A cup of milk that Lucy had insisted she pick up and drink like a big girl.
If Charlie was being honest she was sick of being threatened with the same term, she knew she was a big girl. She did not need any mean nanny to confirm that.
"M'not talking to you right now bubby," Charlie whispered, her little hands fidgeting with the hem of her cardigan.
"Oh really?" Leo couldn't help but let the amusement take over his tone, "And why would that be?"
"B'cos you're leavin' me with her."
"She has a name, Charlie." Leo was not so amused now, he knew that his little sister could be extremely cheeky from time to time however he was also able to differentiate between that and her being borderline rude.
"Well she doesn't know my name, she called me Charlotte at the end of breakfast." Charlie wiggled away from his light grip around her waist not wanting to continue this annoying conversation.
"Oi, come back here." Leo protested, his long footsteps catching up to hers instantly before he scooped her up into his arms.
"You don't get to waddle away from me babygirl."
He informed this time a little playfulness coming out in his tone.
"Now tell me what's wrong." He sat down with her little body trapped on his lap.
"I don't want Lucy to be my nanny and I don't want her to take me to school, or-or call me Charlotte, or take away Paul, or-"
"Alright baby calm down I think I got the gist of it." Leo interrupted as soon as her breaths became irregular not wanting the little girl to get worked up.
"I don't think you do Leonard, otherwise you wouldn't be leaving me with her."
"Firstly bean, you know very well we don't call bubby 'Leonard"- Leo said almost painfully before continuing, "and secondly we already talked about this. You're going to give it a try for a day and see if it fits. Nothing is set in stone yet Charlie but I think Lucy will be good for you." He finished with a little peck on her nose, catching the small smile slowly forming on her previously pouty lips.
"We on the same page?"
"I guess" Charlie mumbled out with as little enthusiasm as possible making Leo tut.
"I guess? That's not good enough." He shook his head before playfully poking up and down Charlie's sides getting a ticklish reaction from his little sister.
"Let's try that again, are we on the same page?" The brother questioned for the second time, his tone filled with pure amusement as the toddler began to let out a burst of giggles.
"Yes, Leonard!" Charlie spoke much louder this time, not being able to help but add the name in at the end as a form of revenge for the sudden tickles.
Leo gasped in fake anger shaking his head at his cheeky sister
"What did you call me, you little brat? Use my proper name." Leo demanded with a chuckle as tickled the squirmy girl's tummy.
"L-Leonard!"
"Charlie, you know that's not what I want to here pretty girl." He grinned not ceasing the light-hearted torture as Charlie's little legs attempted to kick him away.
"But-t it is, s'on your passport n'everything!" The stubborn toddler cackled out as she saw Leo's glare.
"Right, that's it." He sang before pulling up her jumper and blowing a loud raspberry on her little tummy.
"S-stop you fart head!"
Before Charlie had the chance to annoy her brother more the sound of the door abruptly opening caused both siblings to pause.
"Well isn't this an adorable scene?" Lucy's voice filled the room, her tone much like her smile remained sweet.
Though Charlie was still having none of it.
"Sorry, Lucy but we're playin right now." Charlie sassily dismissed making Leo's eye widen slightly in embarrassment.
"Oi, we use our manners around here little miss." He gave her side one last squeeze before standing up and placing the little girl back onto her feet.
"Actually Lucy your timing is perfect. I've got to get to work, so I will see you tonight." Leo ruffled Charlie's hair before walking up to Lucy placing his hand on her shoulder and saying something inaudible to Charlie making her frown.
"Love you bubby," Charlie called waiting for his voice to echo back but hearing no such thing as Lucy shut the door in time to block out his voice leaving her alone once again.
"Put your uniform on Charlotte. We're going to be on our best behaviour today, yes? No sulking or whining, We wouldn't want to tell Leo that you have been misbehaving, would we?" Lucy spoke slowly and condescendingly, kneeling down and bringing her hands up to Charlie's cheek almost painfully pinching it.
"Hm Charlie? I asked you a question, it's rude to not answer." The women's eyes narrowed harshly at the five-year-old.
"N-No." Charlie lisped quietly, "I be good."
Lucy nodded instructing the little girl to collect her belongings for school and get into her shirt uniform, giving her another harsh look when she requested to say goodbye to Atlas and Oscar before they left.
"S'not nice Paul," Charlie mumbled to stuffy as she sat on her bed, attempting to button up her uniform shirt.
"S'not nice to pinch people's cheek and to not let them say bye-bye to their brothers, and to say their names inc-correctly." She ranted to stuffy sat by her side.
"S'just not nice!"
Charlie eventually had herself ready for the day. She gave Paul a big kiss goodbye before grabbing her school bag and making her way down the stairs where she was met with a waiting Lucy.
Lucy took a glance or Charlie's appearance before her lips curved upwards into a smile.
"You know Charlie you're brother told me a lot about you. That you're smart and kind and always behave." Charlie smiled fondly and the thought of her brother's words as Lucy kneeled down next to the girl so their heights were no longer different.
"He seemed to be wrong." Lucy's smile dropped as she pointed to the mismatched buttons of Charlie's shirt.
"I would have thought a girl your age could have at least gotten dressed by herself. It's quite embarrassing for you, isn't it Charlie?"
"What's embarrassing?" The voice of Oscar suddenly comes into action as the suit-clad man came into the room apparently in a rush.
"I was just telling Charlie how I almost put on two different shoes this morning, silly me huh Charlie?" Lucy suddenly began to laugh confusing Charlie.
What in the world was she talking about?
Nonetheless Charlie let out an awkward little chuckle nodding her head and letting Oscar kiss her goodbye before he left for work much to her dismay.
An awkward silence filled the home as Atlas was the next to depart also kissing her on the forehead as he did so.
Charlie had tried with all her might to get at least Atlas to stay but alas she had no luck.
The little one had grown so desperate that she was considering lobbing Paul at his head just so he could read her signal but turned against it at the thought of Paul turning cold on her too.
She needed him to remain on her side at least.
Twenty minutes later Lucy and Charlie had left to walk to school, it was a very quiet walk but Lucy had grabbed Charlie's hand so maybe there was hope of becoming friends after all.
Charlie attempted to swing her and Lucy's hands but was stopped immediately as Lucy gave her a cold look down.
"What did I tell you earlier? To not misbehave and not be naughty however here you are Charlie being naughty and misbehaving. Do you think your brothers want a sister that acts this way, Hmm?" Lucy questioned as they arrived outside of the pre-school.
Charlie was about to answer with a wobbly lip and teary eyes but was interpreted as a blow-up ball came in the direction of Lucy's head, hitting the back of it not hard enough to cause any damage but enough to knock her head forwards.
"Oh goodness, would you look at that I'm just so clumsy sometimes?" A smug-looking Mia feigned in shock.
"I do hope I didn't do even more damage to your hair, c'mon Charlie we should be getting inside don't wanna be late. Say goodbye to your assistant. Bye Charlie's assistant."
Mia grabbed Charlie's little hand in her own and quickly dragged her away before the stunned woman could say anything more.
Once inside the building Mia brought her little friend into a big hug, "I missed you weirdo!"
"I missed you too Mia." Charlie blushed swinging her hand in Mias as they walked towards their classroom.
"Now are you gonna tell me who that was and why she was treating my best friend like a slug on the ground?"
"Who was treating fairy like that?"
Charlie's head whipped around so quickly that her curly locks bashed against her face almost painfully.
"Mason!"
"Hi, fairy!" Mason and the little one came towards each other with nothing but excitement falling into a massive hug with Mia eventually joining in at the side.
"All is right again."
•
Charlie had given both of her little friends a lengthy debriefing of Lucy and her antics. It was needless to say neither was pleased.
"I don't like this woman." Mia tutted as she began to swish her paintbrush faster and faster against the canvas.
It was art time in school, the trio had come to realise that they had most of their serious conversations in front of a canvas with paints.
Mia claimed it was when she created her best work.
"Big people who pick on little people have issues, she can't be treating you that way. You want me to have my way with her." Mia rambled.
Both Charlie and Mason peered out from behind their canvases at the same time giving Mia an identical look of insanity.
"And what does 'Have my way' mean exactly?" Mason chuckled nervously as he watched the little girl paint her picture with more and more aggression.
"Oh, nothing too horrible, just a little gum in her hair, maybe I could step on her foot. Just something to teach her not to mess with our Charlie. I already threw my ball at her this morning, trust me it can get a lot messier."
"You know what Mia that's not a bad idea."
"No Masey" Charlie shook her head, "S'gonna make Leo mad and I don't want him to be mad at me, we have to be nice.
"But fairy, she's not being nice to you. We can't just stand here and let that happen, in fact, we won't." Mason argued taking a step towards the little one and grabbing her hand in comfort.
"You guys are disgusting!" Mia pretended to vomit making Charlie and Mason step apart with embarrassment, "but your boyfriend right Charlie, we're not having the ms situation again."
"He's not my boyfriend." Charlie's mumbled shyly as both she and Mason went bright red at the comment.
"Have you told your brothers about your feelings fairy?" Mason wondered allowed, confused as to how the most protective men he had ever met before were letting this happen.
"I told Leo that I didn't need a nanny and that I was a big girl but not that Lucy was a big meany, s'gonna make him upset and I don't wanna make him anymore sad." Charlie sighed.
Mia shook her head before adding, "Then you know what we gotta do! We gotta give them an ultimatum. It's a new word I learned on a TV show I watched the other day. You have to say it's you or Lucy and that if they don't choose you you'll..." Mia thought for a second tapping her chin before looking over to Mason with his hand on Charlie's shoulder in comfort.
"Huh, that's it! Or you'll move out and marry Mason! It's perfect. It's a win-win situation after all. They'll be so scared that they'll probably send Lucy away forever and ever and if not you and Mason can just hang out all the time. Also with me of course."
Charlie gasped in shock at the outrageous idea, "I can't marry Mason now! M'not even old enough to answer the door by myself yet."
"Yeah, Mia I don't know if my Mumma would say yes to this either." Mason scratched his head in conflict.
"You wouldn't actually get married! No way your brothers would let it get that far. It's just a tiny little threat is all and if it doesn't work then I know a guy who can get you two hitched within the day."
"How old are you again?" Mason snorted in amusement as Charlie giggled away at Mia's crazy plan.
"Ha ha very funny. Listen Charlie just try it. What's the worst that could happen? It takes some people years to find a husband so I'm really doing you a favour hear anyway." Mia concluded with a swish of her brush before revealing her painting.
Both Charlie and Mason tilted their heads to see what looked like two camels riding unicorns going into battle holding Twizzlers as their jousting sticks.
"I'm a genius."
•
After an unpleasant but predominantly silent walk home with Lucy Charlie was finally rid of the women and ready to put Mia's crazy plan into action.
The little one had slid invitations under Leo, Oscar and Atlas's doors to come meet her for a very important conversation in the living room.
She had only drawn three smiley faces at the end of the letters so they knew she meant business.
The little one wished Damien had not been busy with work as she had the feeling he would have seen Lucy's true colours in an instant.
Walking down to the living room she found three of her brothers sitting and waiting as per her request.
The five-year-old took a deep breath before nervously walking into the living room with her best serious face passing her confused brothers in the process.
"No, I sit by m'self." Charlie denied Oscar as he patted his lap as an invitation to cuddle with his baby sister.
Charlie really wanted cuddles right now but alas there were bigger things to talk about.
"Okay big girl can I at least have a kiss, I haven't seen you all day. It's hard being deprived of any Charlie love." Oscar gave the little one a cheeky grin as he tapped his cheek waiting for some love.
"Kay fine but then I need to speak to you all and you have to listen otherwise 'm not givin any more cuddles or kisses for 9 and half weeks," Charlie spoke as she tapped her chin thinking of a suitable number.
The little one waddled over to Oscar giving him a quick peck on his cheek, shrieking and jumping away when he tickled at her side.
"That's all I get?" He spoke in an offended tone, "What am I? Chopped liver?" He teased at least expecting a little cuddle for the normally very cuddly girl.
"No, you are an Oscar and you're annoying me right now. I have to speak." Charlie shook her head and went over to the chair opposite the sofa, tuning out the chuckles and scoff coming from her brothers.
The particular chair she had decided to sit on was normally Leo's designated chair, it was high up and Charlie's opinion rather serious looking.
Perfect for what she was about to say.
Being just a little too small to get up onto the chair Charlie gripped onto the seat with one of her little arms whilst swinging her chubby leg up over onto it in hopes to hoist herself up.
Within a second she had Leo get up ready to lift her small form onto the seat safe and soundly but Charlie denied holding her hand out to stop him.
"No, I do it, m'a big girl bubby."
Consequently, this was also the hand that had her gripped onto the chair meaning Charlie fell to the floor with a thump.
"Ouch."
A few minutes later Charlie had successfully got herself up onto the chair and was now staring down at her big brothers on the sofa.
"So bean what's this all about then, hm?" Leo questioned resting both his arms on his knees and leaning slightly forward toward the toddler.
"Thank you f'asking Leonard." The baby quickly raised her chubby little hands to her mouth to cover the rouge giggle that escaped her at the mention of his fake name.
"Watch it, little girl."
Charlie ignored Leo's playful glare already having faced the consequences of using that name in the morning.
"I have something to tell you all, and s'really important. M'hoping you will be happy f'me and my decision." Charlie took a deep breath before letting it out.
"M'moving out with Mason and we're gonna get married."
A few seconds of silence followed before each brother burst out into a fit of loud laughter.
This made Charlie frown.
"S'not funny stop it." Charlie's lip wobbled a little with embarrassment unknown to her brothers, their laughter only continuing.
Charlie had enough standing up on the chair with her arms crossed letting out a deep breath.
"STOP IT!" The little girl shouted with all her might successfully quietening down her brothers as they saw the little pout on her face.
"Okay, okay we're sorry monkey," Atlas spoke sympathetically although Charlie could see he was still trying to fight the laughter away.
"Can I ask when this engagement happened and how it came about?" Oscar stood up lifting the little girl back too her sitting position before returning to the couch, entertaining her new announcement.
"Thank you f'asking Oscar, it was t'day in painting time. I was telling Mia about you know who." She looked directly towards Leo as she said that giving him a pointed look to which he raised his eyes brows at.
"Who's you know who?" Oscar questioned in confusion.
"My guess is Lucy. Am I right monkey?" Atlas chimed in looking up to an angry Charlie with a wink who gave a nod of confirmation.
"I just don't get why you don't like her so much sweetheart. I've never seen you treat anyone like this before, you're normally my polite kind little girl." Leo spoke out his voice laced with disappointment.
That felt like a stab to Charlie's little heart as she remembered Lucy's words.
"You just don't get it." She mumbled under her breath before continuing. "I can't stay if Lucy stays, she makes me sad and m'sorry if that makes you sad bubby but S'true. So now I have to leave and get married to Mason cos you want Lucy to stay."
"Has she been doing something to make you uncomfortable monkey?" Atlas furrowed his eyebrows with concern.
Charlie nodded quietly looking down at her fingers not wanting to see the looks on any of her brother's faces.
Before she knew it she felt two arms being hooked under her armpits and was now sitting on someone's lap.
Looking down at their hands she could instantly recognise it was Leo because of the particular rings that littered his fingers and fancy-schmancy watch she was always scared to break.
"Talk to me baby, it's okay." He cooed holding her body tightly in his arms the way he knew it made her feel secure and safe.
Charlie looked down not being able to make eye contact with anyone in the room.
"S-she s'not nice bubby. L-Lucy says nice things in front of you b-but she doesn't mean them. Like she means the opposite. A-Also she pinches my cheek I hate when people do that and she walks too fast when we walk to school together and I almost falled to the ground!"
Leo encouraged his baby sister to go on with a nod and kiss to the top of the head. Charlie couldn't tell what their reactions were or even if they believed her. They all just say listening intently.
"She said that m'bad and don't behave but m'not. Promise I was trying to be really really polite."
"It's okay sweetheart, I know you were. You're my kind girl." Leo spoke into her hair as he ran his hand up and down her arm.
"Well, she's never gonna be seeing that bitch again." Atlas clapped his hands together not wanting Charlie to ever have to be around this woman again.
Pointing Atlas a look as if to say not in front of the baby Leo spoke up, "Thank you for being honest with me baby, you won't have to be around Lucy again, I promise."
"So I don't have to move out?" Charlie smiled with happiness making Leo's guilt only worsen.
"C'mere you little weirdo." Charlie was stolen from Leo's arms in an instant and was not trapped in Oscar's grip being peppered with kiss after kiss on her face.
"You think I'm ever gonna let you move out and leave me? You think I'm ever gonna let that happen?" He grinned at her little giggles.
"I'm gonna have to leave at some point!" Charlie said as if Oscar was being the most ridiculous person in the whole world.
"When? Just so I know when I can trust to not be woken up at ungodly hours by a little mob of blonde curls." Atlas joined in with the teasing grabbing her little socked foot and tickling at her toes.
"When m'atleast ten!" Charlie squealed with giggles at all of their horrified faces.
"Ten!" Oscar cried gently collapsing into Charlie to trap her as he pretended to sob in her neck.
"But you're gonna be so old by then anyway, you'll need to move out yourself." Charlie was red with laughter as her words were muffled under Oscar's body.
"Atlas if you would tickle the little brat's feet again that would be great, someone needs to learn that big brother is not in fact old but actually in his prime years." Oscar lectured with nothing but amusement in his tone.
Leo watched as his brothers interacted with their baby sister, distracting her from her sadness surrounding Lucy.
The eldest brother felt like an idiot. He was so confused but most of all guilty. Charlie had come to him time and time again feeling unsure about Lucy but Leo had just brushed it off as nerves.
He had mostly wanted her to have a strong female figure in her life to look up and to and feel confident enough to come to and trust but everything had backfired.
How had Marcus, someone he trusted the opinion of so much recommended her?
How could a grown adult of been so outwardly cruel to a child, someone so vulnerable and innocent?
"Hey." Leo jumped as he felt Atlas's ring-clad hand on his shoulder.
"Don't beat yourself up man, you couldn't have known she would have treated Charlie like this."
"She begged me not to have a nanny Atlas and I kept blowing her off as if she was being dramatic. If I had just listened instead of being a stubborn prick, the poor thing was ready to leave home she felt so uncomfortable. How is that not my fault?"
Leo watched this giggling toddler in front of him climb onto Oscar's back as they playfully fort on the floor, not an ounce of sadness on her face.
"Leo, you couldn't have predicted this shit," Atlas told him sternly. "I was the one who encouraged you to get help remember? You did everything right. Beating yourself up about it is gonna do shit all for that little girl now. We just need to let her know that we support her and that she's never gonna have to deal with that woman again." Atlas concluded as he pulled out a cigarette to go smoke outside.
If Atlas was being honest he wanted to murder Lucy. Slowly and painfully just like he would with any person who dared to treat Charlie like that but he knew that what she wanted was to feel secure and safe with her big brothers instead.
So alas the murder would have to be side barred.
"What are you gonna do with her?"
"I want her looked into" Leo breathed out heavily, "and I want to speak to Marcus too, see how he knows her and why on earth he recommended her. So before then, I don't want anyone to even speak to Lucy. I can't have her think something is up and then flea or change her story. I don't want Damien knowing about this yet either because god knows he wouldn't be able to keep his cool."
"Somethings not right here, Marcus has never disappointed me like this before. This should never have gotten to this stage." Leo sighed tiredly before getting up to the kitchen to start dinner.
"What do you want to eat tonight baby girl?" Leo called for Charlie's request she giggled away standing on a collapsed Oscar's back.
"Um, pizza please!" She squealed as Oscar moved a little making her little legs shaky.
"I'll order some after I'm done dealing with this little brat, no worries Leo." Oscar's muffled voice came out making Leo nod a little released here could go take some time to think.
•
Charlie sat in bed with Paul at her side completing her daily night ritual of wiggling her little toes until the bed didn't feel so cold anymore.
The toddler liked to count to 57 before she could be satisfied with the temperature.
Almost done with her counting Charlie became distracted as the door began to open revealing a pyjama-clad Leo.
"You wiggling your toes still?" He smiled a little as he could see her tiny feet moving under the covers of her bed.
"M'almost done, just gotta do three more wiggles." Charlie counted before she had completed her ritual. Now satisfied Charlie snuggled up under her covers Leo now sitting beside her on the bed.
"You've been read your story yet baby?"
"Yeah, Oscar read me a Mr men book."
"He did?" Leo stroked her hair soothingly as he engaged in the conversation, "Which one?"
"Mr tickle since that seems to be him in real life." Leo snorted at the faux annoyed look on Charlie's face as she said that knowing she loved to wind him up about it.
He moved his hand to Stoke gently across the toddler's freckled forehead, soothing her slowly to sleep with the motion.
"You know how incredibly proud I am of you for what you did today sweetheart? You were so strong for me back there and I'm so sorry for making you go through that. It will never happen again, I swear to you." Leo spoke just above a whisper as he didn't get much but a sleepy smile and nod from his little girl.
"My smart, smart girl. You're too good for this world." He leant down to place a kiss on the crown of her head before switching her lamp off and pulling the covers up to her Charlie and Paul's necks.
"Good night bean."
•
The next day Atlas had offered to take his baby sister to school considering he once again was woken up at an godly hour and couldn't get back to sleep after that.
He had threatened to hang Charlie upside down on the balcony if she dared to ever do it again but they both secretly knew it was the best part of the morning.
"My friend Mia wants to talk to you by the way Atty." Charlie looked up to him as they approached the gates of the pre-school where a little girl in dungarees stood waiting outside.
"This is Mia, my best friend."
"So you're the the little pest who's been looking after my girl while she's at school." Atlas acknowledged with a nod.
"And you're the big pest who's been lookin' after my girl when she's at home." Mia nodded back.
A small smile curved upwards of Atlas's lips at the child's response, her sass amusing to the eighteen-year-old.
"Always."
"I heard you have something you want to ask me, isn't that right monkey?" Atlas patted the top of Charlie's head making her huff.
She was not a dog.
"Yes, I do. My best friend has told me all about this Lucy lady and I think I should be the one to tell her she's fired. In fact, I'm not asking this has to happen." Mia spoke her arms crossed telling Atlas that she meant business.
Atlas let out a low chuckle bringing Charlie into his side to give her a hug goodbye, "I like this kid." He bent down to give her a kiss on the forehead.
"Be good, love you monkey." He bid goodbye.
"Hey!" Mia called out as Atlas went to walk away. "Is that a yes then?"
"No!" Atlas shouted back in amusement before crossing the street away from the school.
"Then is that a no?"
"No!"
Mia smiled to herself smugly before putting her arm over her best friend's shoulder.
"I thought he'd be taller." The little girl began as they walked into the building together, Charlie telling Mia all about how her plan had worked.
A/N
Hiiii
Please don't hate me I realise its been a very very long time. I've had a rough year to say the leasg and things just kept getting worse and worse but I missed you guys and my favourite story family so so much.
I hope you like this chapter, I am so grateful to those of you who have stuck around for me and my very late update
Lots of love xx