Atlas hissed in pain as the damp cloth was brought to his forehead, gently pressing against the bloody skin.
"I'm sorry" a sweet voice whispered, placing a light feathery kiss to the tip of his nose, "I hate it when you're in pain, I'd rather it me then you".
"How can you say that Isla, how can you wish that when it is you, almost every fucking time and I can't do shit about it" Atlas snapped harshly, pushing away the cool cloth.
Isla flinched a little, her small frame cowering away instinctively, she didn't want to be afraid of him but couldn't quite help it.
Atlas took a deep breath in collecting the anger that practically seethed out from him, looking at Isla his eyes instantly softened.
"I'm sorry baby" his voice came out a light whisper, shaky as if he was about to cry himself.
Cautiously approaching her, Atlas buried his head into the crook of her neck wrapping him arms tightly around her small waist.
"I j-just hate that he does this to you, why won't you let me help, it can be legal. I'll call the police, I'll take the blame just please let me do something " Atlas begged now desperate.
He couldn't see her hurt anymore, she didn't deserve to live her whole life vulnerable to the pain and abuse that had been inflicted on her for years now.
Isla dug her fingers to depths of Atlas dark roots massaging them through soothingly, "You've done so much already, you've shown me more love than I thought possible and for that I am forever grateful to you Atlas DeLuca".
"Atlas"
"Hmm"
"Atlas get up"
Atlas groaned at the nagging voice of his eldest brother rolling over only to find a little body sprawled out next to him.
"What Leo?" He lazily grumbled snaking his arms around Charlie's little frame and bringing her into his chest as if she were some kind of teddy bear.
"You're on Charlie duty today, I've got work and Oscars had to sort some shit out at the bar".
"Hasn't she got school?"
"It's the weekend"
"I've got work of my own"
"Getting high doesn't count as work, you're watching her" Leo spoke sternly giving his brother the 'you fuck up and I'll kill you' look he always sported so well.
"Fine" Atlas quietly growled moving his head to rest on top of Charlie's falling back into a light sleep.
•
"Atlas, you have to keep your hand still" Charlie giggled moving the little nail polish brush to layer a coat of paint over her older brothers nail as neatly as she possibly could.
Atlas groaned miserably at his little sister, "I can't believe this is my fucking Saturday " he spat, a little
more meanly than intended.
"Oh", Charlie's heart dropped a little, "I can stop if you want" she offered not wanting to worsen his mood anymore.
The older brother sighed tiredly placing his hand to cup the back of Charlie's little head, "no monkey, I'm sorry you're good. I just didn't get enough sleep last night".
"Bad dream?" Charlie questioned going back to painting Alas's nails, baby blue.
Atlas chuckled dryly at Charlie's more than accurate guess nodding a little, "exactly that".
"Do you want to cuddle Paul? That always makes me feel better" The little one offered causing Atlas to smile, "Plus he needs a new smell".
Pushing the back of her head forward Atlas placed a loud kiss right between the five year olds eyebrows making sure he didn't disrupt her work, "you're too sweet for this world, y'know that?"
"Maybe" Charlie giggled cheekily pushing his head away so she could finish his nails.
"And done" The five year old sang once she was certain his nails looked fabulous, Atlas rolled his eyes fondly lightly blowing on the paint so it would dry more quickly.
"Now that we've damaged my beautiful hands is there anything else you want to do little monkey ?"
"Hide and seek"
"God, I regret asking that"
"Please" the girl pouted, plastering on her best puppy dog eyes.
Growling in fake anger Atlas reached down to playfully squeeze her little foot and then began to count down.
"20, 19 , 18-I suggest you go hide little monkey "
Charlie let out a squeal of anticipation jumping up and running out of the living room as fast as her little legs would let her.
Quickly evaluating all her options she bolted into Oscars bedroom routing for the wardrobe.
"Monkey" the loud voice of her bother resonated through the house, Charlie cupped her mouth with her little hands to stop any possible giggles from escaping.
She was not about to give up her hiding spot.
"Come out come out where ever you are " his voice sang noticeably closer than last time.
Charlie backed up further and further into the wardrobe, placing her hands behind her to compensate for the lack of light .
Moving backwards her hand gripped onto a wooden like frame as she remained absolutely silent.
Suddenly the high pitch creaking of the door opening filled the room, "monkey" Atlas's voice cooed tauntingly.
"I know you're in here Charlie, your clumsy little feet knocked the carpet" he spoke amused.
"God Oscar needs to clean up his crap" Atlas's voice groaned as he ducked under the bed in search of his little baby sister.
A faint giggle came from the other side of the room instantly catching Atlas's attention as he looked towards the wardrobe.
Gotcha.
Atlas sighed in fake sadness, "It looks like my baby monkey is no where to be found " he fake cried stomping his feet a little to make it look like he'd left the room.
The shit he'd do to keep her entertained.
Quietly creeping over he grabbed both closet handles and counted to three in his head.
The eighteen year old suddenly opened both doors in surprise, causing Charlie to let out a loud high pitched shriek .
"I got you " he grinned grabbing her tiny waist and throwing the five year old over his shoulder, spinning her round in circles.
Charlie's giggles filled the room as she she pounded on his back to let her go.
Soon both were dizzy and out of breath sitting on the floor of Oscars room, opposite the open wardrobe.
"Another round?" Charlie questioned looking up to her brother hopefully. Shaking his head in disbelief his eyes fell down to Oscars wardrobe widening all of a sudden.
That wasn't good.
"Go hide again monkey " he spoke almost frantically, not taking his eyes off the wardrobe.
Charlie nodded eagerly, jumping up and going to hide again.
The second Charlie was out of sight Atlas stormed over to wardrobe reaching in to retrieve what he had oh so regretfully seen.
He pulled out a large wooden like frame with an old dusty cloth covering the front of it and placed it on the ground.
Pulling away the tatty material, Atlas threw it to the side growling at what sat in front of him, Damiens features had been captured perfectly.
He only looked about twelve yet he still held such a devious look in his eyes. Each brush of paint had been placed perfectly, the painting was phenomenal.
Atlas's thumb grazed lightly over the bottom of the large wooden portrait, collecting specks of dust as he outlined his mother's name.
Pulling out his phone from his pocked, he roughly typed in Oscars name growling darkly as it began to ring.
"Hell-"
"You fucking idiot"
"It's nice to here from you too Atlas" Oscars voice held pure amusement, oblivious to the fact that he had almost made such a reckless mistake .
"She nearly found it, do you know how completely fucked we'd be if she did" Atlas harshly scolded pacing frantically through Oscars room, "You know she's been talking to him".
"Why the hell was she even in my wardrobe in the first place?" Oscars tone had completely changed, now furious to the fact that he'd so nearly fucked up.
"Doesn't matter" Atlas muttered covering up the old portrait, "I'm taking it".
"What no Atla-"
Atlas hung up not wanting to here his older brothers annoying voice anymore.
Once again he was left dealing with their mistakes.
•
"I heard she went back to the witches coven"
"Don't be ridiculous, she was probably sent to jail on countless charges of being meanest meany of all time"
"What do you think little fairy?"
"Huh?" Charlie's head whipped towards her two best friends in slight confusion, "what d'you think happened to Ms Warner?"
The next week the infamous teacher had failed to turn up to school eliciting curiously from the young students, she may of been a dreadful educator but she never missed a day of work.
It had been rumoured that Ms Warner hadn't come home after school on Friday leaving her boyfriend no choice but to call the police and file a missing persons report.
An investigation had started but they weren't getting anywhere, it was if she had fallen of the face of the earth.
Charlie couldn't help but worry for the cold hearted women, her mind kept taking her back to Damiens chilling words.
"Its alright though bambina, Damien will sort it out"
What had he meant by "sort it out"?
Despite his kindness towards her, Charlie knew Damien was a tad unstable when it came to his temper.
She could distinctively remember the cold look in his eyes when he saw the red marks on her arm. Luckily the skin was only temporarily irritated so the five year old didn't have to face her brothers fury too. If they had found out about her arm they would of definitely found out about Damien meaning endless drama and one very guilty Charlie.
What they don't know won't hurt them.
Well that was what Charlie had kept telling her self, she couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed as the secrets began to pile up .
"Maybe she went on a holiday?" Charlie mumbled innocently, in all fairness she really did hope she had just gone on holiday.
"In the middle of term" Mia challenged incredulously, "no way Jose, maybe she was eaten by a pack of leopards" the child wondered her face suddenly full of hope.
"We live in New York "
"Okay then a pack of pigeons"
"You really think she was eaten by a pack of pigeons" Mason giggled finding Mia's weird yet disturbing imagination rather amusing.
"One can only dream"
Charlie frowned a little at her friends pessimistic attitudes, she was genuinely worried about the women knowing she was at risk of Damiens wrath.
"Hey" Mason smiled, poking one of Charlie's chubby cheeks gently, "what's wrong ?"
He could see something was not quite right, throughout Mias long list of theories and conspiracy's her face had held nothing but concern.
He knew she was hiding something, now it just a case of finding out what.
"Nothing" Charlie mumbled not giving her signature Charlie smile much to Masons disappointment , "Right, you're coming with me".
Grabbing her little hand Mason gently led Charlie though the class room away from an amused Mia and over to the sand pit.
"Sit" he ordered pointing to the wooden ledge, Charlie raised her eye brow at the demand crossing her arms somewhat sassily.
Manners wouldn't hurt.
"Please" Mason added soon after realising she wasn't going to oblige, "m'not a dog Masey" Charlie chastised sitting on the edge of the wooden sandpit.
"I know" Mason sighed sitting next to the little girl, "and I'm sorry, but you're acting very suspicious fairy" he spoke placing his head on her shoulder.
"I think, I think I might know" Charlie mumbled quietly, "know what ?"
Charlie opened her mouth to speak but then hesitated, could she trust Mason with such secretive information? The five year old worried he would get mad, despite his young age he had always acted somewhat protective over her.
"I think I know what happened to Ms Warner, well not exactly what happened more of a who happened"
Mason was at a loss for words, how did his little fairy know such things? The police had been working non stop in search of answers yet Charlie somehow knew more than any of them combined.
He could see how conflicted she was, Mason didn't like that. No five year old should be worrying about the mysterious disappearance of their teacher, but here they were.
"H-How?" He questioned somewhat shakily still taking in her previous statement, "How do you know that Charlie?"
The girl let out a little sniffle, this was no fun."B-Because when he saw my a-arm he got really really mad" she explained making Mason even more confused.
"I'm gonna need a little more information than that m'afraid " Mason softly mumbled. "What happened to your arm?"
The almost seven year old gently took Charlie's hand in his offering her the only reassurance he could currently think of.
"I'm sure it was an a-accident, she just held it a little roughly giving me an ouchy when taking me to him" Charlie whispered.
"Was this the other week after we were colouring?"
"Yeah"
"I'm sorry she hurt you" Mason pouted raising her hand and placing a little kiss to the back of it, "Who was she so desperate to take you too?"
"My cousin, Damien"
Mason nodded processing the new information, "Do you think he did something bad to her ?"
Charlie nodded slightly, she loved her cousin but how could she not think that? This had his name written all over it.
"Then me and you fairy, we're gonna do some investigating"
•
A/N
Sorry for the late update, I keep getting stuck when writing these chapters but hopefully that will wear off soon!
I hope you liked the chapter, turns out the brothers know more then they're letting on *wink wink
During all this free time I've been thinking about starting a second book and would love you guy's input, I would love to write a sequel to catching Charlie as I think it would interesting to see an older Charlie once this book comes to an end (not any time soon).
So I would love to know what age you think Charlie should be in the next potential book, I'm stuck between early teens, around 12 or 13 or maybe an older Charlie around 16.
I think it would be cool to see how her relationship with her brothers, Damien and Mason change at an older age.
Also if you guys have any questions about the story or characters or me as an author or even book suggestions I'd love to here them !
Please feel free to vote and comment
As per, I'm sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes
Lots of love xx