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𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝘼𝙄𝙉 𝙄𝙉 Charlotte's head had increased tenfold by the time they reached Tannyhill.

The house seemed virtually empty as they emptied. Rose wasn't here yet, and if Wheezie was, she was tucked away in her room.

Bags sat gathered at the front door, alerting to the fact that they were indeed leaving.

Charlotte looked over at Rafe as they passed the pile of luggage, her heart breaking slightly.

"Don't worry." Rafe assured softly as he led her toward his bedroom, cognizant of the pain she was in.

"No, Rafe, we gotta talk about this." Charlotte maintained as they entered his room. "We have to talk about the cross."

Rafe's face twitched slightly as he set the keys to the truck down on his bedside table. "There's nothin' to talk about."

"Yes there is." Charlotte maintained, a sharp pain splitting through her head as she turned to face him. "That cross belongs to Pope's family...we were the ones to find it. It belongs to him."

While it was always painfully obvious that the two were on opposites sides, Rafe and Charlotte never really openly argued over these matters.

The expression on Rafe's face was a tell of that.

"Lottie, we have the cross now. You don't have to worry about them anymore." He had taken a few steps toward her, taking a hold of one of her hands.

Looking down at their intertwined fingers, Charlotte let out a deep sigh. "I can't just abandon them."

Rafe shook his head, his face tight in confusion and betrayal. "Why do you care so much about them?"

"Because." Charlotte answered firmly. "They're my family."

Hurt flashed across Rafe's face as he recoiled slightly. "I'm your family."

Nodding, Charlotte kept a grip on his hand when he tried to let go. "You are. But so are they. We need to figure this out, okay? Maybe we can all work together or—"

"No." Rafe argued gruffly, shaking his head. "There is no working with them. They screwed us over—"

"They didn't do anything." Charlotte shot back. "Your dad stole the gold from us, you and Renfield stole the cross. Those kids deserve something good. Please don't take that away from them."

Rafe studied the fierce expression on Charlotte's face, his own face softening slightly. "I don't want to argue with you about this, Lottie." He whispered in defeat.

He knew there was no winning this battle. Charlotte would choose the Pogues over him.

Taking a small step forward, he brushed a piece of hair from her face, studying one of the wounds left by Renfield. "You should go shower." He said softly, all mention of their previous conversation disappearing completely.

"No." She argued, swaying slightly. "We can't just—" The words fell mute as Charlotte cut herself off, her head spinning, the room seeming to do the same. 

Rafe's face paled in worry as he grabbed onto her, backing the two of them up so Charlotte could sit on the bed. "Lottie, you gotta take it easy." He instructed in a worried tone. 

Charlotte was silent as she dropped her head into her hands, willing the blinding pain to subside. Warm tears brimmed at her eyes as she finally spoke. "I'm tired of all of this." She admitted, voice wobbling. 

"I know." Rafe whispered, holding onto her just a bit tired. "It'll all be over soon."

Charlotte didn't know what he meant by that, and honestly she was too afraid to ask. 

"Come on." He said softly, pulling Charlotte up to lead her toward the washroom. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Allowing him to guide her, Charlotte entered the bathroom off his bedroom, her head, and entire body, aching with the events of the past few hours. She felt numb...drained. 

Finally letting go of her for a moment, Rafe reached over to turn on the shower. The sound of the water filled the room as he looked over at her. "I'm gonna help you, alright?"

Charlotte knew she should have argued with him, told him she could do it herself, but truthfully, she wanted him near. She needed his comfort, no matter how wrong she knew it was.

Upon her small nod of consent, Rafe stepped forward, gently reaching out to slip Charlotte's dirt covered cardigan off of her shoulders. A shiver ripped through her as he bare shoulders were exposed to the air. 

Rafe's eyes flickered to meet Charlotte's, another silent ask for permission. Nodding, Charlotte lifted her arms, allowing Rafe to pull her tank top up over her head.

Now standing in only a bralette and her jeans, Charlotte felt more vulnerable than ever. Despite the countless times she and Rafe had slept together, the countless times he had explored every part of her body, she had never felt more exposed. 

Rafe sensed her unease, and for once, he didn't push. 

Gently, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'll lay out some clean clothes for you."

As he turned to leave the bathroom, Charlotte turned. "Rafe?"

He spun to look at her, his eyes soft.

"Thank you." She whispered. And she meant it. Despite everything, all the shit they had been through, Charlotte knew that he would always take care of her when she really needed it. 

Rafe nodded, a small smile coming to his lips. "Of course." He responded. "I'll always protect you, Lottie. You know that."

The door closed behind him with a quiet click, leaving Charlotte alone in the steam filled washroom. 

Shakily, she reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out her phone. She hadn't checked it since the church, and when she turned it on, it was full of texts and calls. 

The first few texts alerted her to the fact that Pope was okay, something she was extremely grateful for. 

But as the night went on, the texts turned to panic. 

The last thirty texts on her lockscreen were her friends begging her to respond, to let them know that she was okay. 

Glancing over her shoulder to ensure Rafe hadn't quietly re-entered the bathroom, Charlotte clicked on the groupchat that the Pogues had. 

She didn't want to do this to Rafe, but she knew that it was what needed to be done. 

Quickly, she typed out her message and hit send, forgoing any mention of what had happened to her in their absence. 

charley: cross is at tannyhill. hurry.

With a pit formed in her stomach, Charlotte switched off her phone and set it on the counter, not having the energy to field off the dozens of questions she was about to receive in response. 

Finishing undressing herself, Charlotte slipped into the warm shower, allowing the water to wash away the dirt and blood that had coated her body. She stood frozen in place for a while, as if hoping the water could wash away everything that had happened. 

When she finally managed to force herself to wash up, Charlotte forwent the bottles of her shampoo that still sat in Rafe's shower. Instead, she used his, the smell bringing her the comfort she so desperately needed. 

By the time Charlotte stepped back into Rafe's bedroom, wrapped in a towel, wet hair clinging to her shoulders, the room was empty. An outfit had been laid out on the bed, a collection of clothes she must have left behind at some point. 

Careful of the pain in her head, Charlotte got dressed quickly, awaiting Rafe's return. Her eyes scanned his room for a moment, snagging on the keys to the van that sat on his bedside table...those would be needed soon she was sure. 

The door creaked open, drawing her attention toward the front of the room where Rafe was entering, balancing a glass of water and a plate of toast. 

"Here." He said gently, passing Charlotte the glass before setting the plate down on the bedside table. "I brought you these for your head."

He took Charlotte's hand, slipping two pills into her grasp with a small smile. 

"Thank you." Charlotte rasped out, a grateful smile coming to her lips. The way he was taking care of her...it hurt her even more that she was betraying him. 

Quickly downing the pills, she lowered herself onto the bed, slowly sipping at the glass of water that had been given to her. "Is Rose home yet?" She wondered, hoping to prompt him to tell her what was going on...why they were leaving .

"No." Rafe answered with a small shake of his head, removing his watch before setting it next to the keys. "I'm gonna take a shower. You okay, Lottie?"

He was watching her with a gentle look, studying her eyes for something she couldn't decipher. 

Charlotte returned his gaze for a moment before nodding. "Yeah." She promised, giving him a small smile. "I'm good. Go."

With a soft smile twitching at his lips, Rafe leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You should eat something." He advised, pointing to the plate of toast as he backed toward his bathroom. 

"Got it, doc." Charlotte mocked, giving him a thumbs up as he disappeared into the other room. 

But Charlotte wasn't hungry, not at all. There was no way she was going to eat. 

Her stomach felt like it was in a series of knots as she laid back against Rafe's pillows, letting out a low sigh as she brought a hand to her pounding head. She prayed that the pills Rafe gave her were going to kick in soon. 

She stared up at the ceiling, listening to the sound of the water running from the bathroom. Embarrassingly, her mind wandered to Rafe and the current state he was in. 

"Snap out of it." The words tumbled from her mouth as she sat up, letting out a groan before dropping her head into her hands. 

How did she always end up here. Traumatized and somehow wanting to jump her ex-boyfriend's bones...she really needed to get it together. 

She decided to distract herself from her less than pure thoughts, and took to exploring Rafe's bedroom. It hadn't changed much over the years, and that brought Charlotte a comfort she couldn't quite explain. 

Arriving at his dresser, she leaned forward slightly, a smile tugging at her lips at a framed photo of the two of them. It was homecoming, sophomore year of high school. She couldn't help but let a small laugh escape at the sight of them. 

They were both still in their awkward phase at that point in time, but the look of love the two fifteen year olds shared was hard to miss. 

"That's one of my favourite pictures of us."

Charlotte jumped, not having heard the water turn off, nor Rafe re-enter the bedroom. 

She turned, her eyes landing on his bare chest, his lower half only covered by a towel. Dragging her eyes upward, she cleared her throat. "Mine too." 

Rafe smiled, tossing a bag of toiletries down onto the bed. "Remember how excited you were about that dress? I swear you bought it like 6 months before the damn dance."

Grinning, Charlotte nodded. "Obviously. Had to look good for my cute new boyfriend."

"Trust me," Rafe assured, gaze locked on her. "Your boyfriend would have thought you looked gorgeous no matter what you wore."

The blush rose on Charlotte's cheeks before she could even think to stop it. "Right." She whispered, the tension in the room building. 

The sound of a door slamming somewhere in the house caused the two of them to snap out of their tension-filled stare down. 

Rafe was the first to move, reaching over to pick up a pile of clothes from his bed. "I should get dressed."

Charlotte risked stealing another glance at his bare chest before nodding. "Good idea."

Grinning, Rafe disappeared once again, leaving Charlotte mentally kicking herself over the googly eyes she was surely giving him. 

Flopping back down on the bed, Charlotte felt a wave of fatigue wash over her. She was sure it was the result of the action-packed day, but she didn't want to leave before having an actual conversation with Rafe. If he was leaving, she needed to know where he was going and just for how long. 

His bedroom door flying open shook her from her tired thoughts. Sitting up in a hurry, Charlotte's eyes landed on Wheezie who had just barged into the room. 

The youngest Cameron gave the Carrera girl a shocked look. "Charlotte?"

"Hey Wheez." Charlotte greeted, knowing how odd it must have been to see her here. 

"What are you doing here?" Wheezie inquired, hand still latched on the doorknob like she was ready to run out at any point. 

Now how in the hell could Charlotte acurately describe why she was here?

Giving the younger girl a sheepish look, Charlotte shrugged. "Hangin' out?" Her words came out as more of a question, causing Wheezie to let out an exasperated sigh.

"You guys never tell me anything." She muttered, eyes then moving around the empty room. "Where's my brother?"

Charlotte jerked a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the bathroom. "In there."

"RAFE!"

Wheezie's yell caused Charlotte to jump again, shocked at the volume of the words that had just come out of the thirteen year old's mouth. 

It seemed to startle Rafe as well, as he came rushing out of the bathroom, now dressed in dark jeans and a pullover. "What?"

Wheezie's hand fell from the doorknob as she seemed to twitch slightly...something was going on. "Can you help me with my suitcase?"

Rafe glanced at his open suitcase, then to Charlotte, then back to Wheezie. "I'm not your slave, Wheeze. I'm busy, okay?"

Charlotte wanted to offer to help, but she could tell there was more to this story than Wheezie needing help. Her mind darted back to the text she had sent to the Pogues...they were here. 

Wheezie's eyes darted to Charlotte for a moment, the brief look saying it all. When she looked back at Rafe, she tried to hide any sign of an ulterior motive. "I...I can't get it to close. Can you just help me? Please?"

Rafe had busied himself with packing his suitcase, the action causing Charlotte's heart to clench slightly. He was really leaving. 

"Can't you do it yourself?" He prodded his younger sister.

"No." Wheezie answered, her voice teetering slightly. "Please?'

A frustrated sigh fell from Rafe's lips as he slammed his suitcase closed, turning to look at Charlotte for a moment. "Can you just—just don't go anywhere...please."

Charlotte gave him a close lipped smile and a small nod. "I won't." She assured, pushing down the lump in her throat...he won't want to speak to her after he finds out what she did. 

"Okay." Rafe breathed, moving to grab a hold of Wheezie's arm. "Let's go."

The door slammed behind them, and much to Charlotte's dismay, she heard the lock click from the outside...he had locked her in. More likely, he had locked the keys  in, but Charlotte was collateral damage it seemed. 

With her heart pounding, Charlotte leaned back into the bed, her eyes becoming heavier with every passing minute. She wasn't sure she was going to be able to stay awake long enough to even have a conversation with Rafe. 

For the second time that night, the sound of the doorknob jiggling from the hallway caused her to open her eyes again. 

Charlotte's chest tightened as she pulled herself to her feet, taking a few hesitant steps toward the door. "Rafe?"

There was a beat of silence after the words left Charlotte's mouth, followed by a voice that definitely belonged to a Cameron, just not the one she had called out for. "Char?"

It was a mixture of relief and slight heartache that washed over Charlotte at the sound of Sarah's voice. 

The Pogues could get the cross like they deserved...but it required Charlotte turning on Rafe. It needed to be done. That's what she told herself at least. 

"Unlock the door!" Sarah pleaded when Charlotte hadn't answered her right away. 

Snapping out of her dilemma, Charlotte shook her head, a yawn escaping her lips. "I can't." She whispered, leaning against the door so Sarah could hear her. "He locked it from the outside."

A quiet curse came from the Cameron girl's lips, followed by the sound of quiet footsteps away from the door. She returned a moment later, the knob jiggling as she attempted to pick the lock. 

After a brief moment, the lock clicked. 

Charlotte took a step back as the door swung open, a wild look on Sarah's face as she scanned Charlotte's body. "Are you okay? God, we were all so worried. We saw blood at the church, and—and—I swear JJ was about to lose his mind. I mean Kie almost told your parents she was so worried and then we got your text—"

"I'm okay." Charlotte assured, giving her a small smile. 

Sarah studied Charlotte, narrowing her eyes slightly at the tired expression that covered the older girl's face. "He didn't hurt you? You look...you look rough, Char."

The he in question was obviously Rafe. 

"No." Charlotte answered with a bit more intensity than she had intended. "I think I'm alive because of him."

It seemed that Sarah wanted to discuss further, but she knew she didn't have time. "Where are the—"

Charlotte was already pointing at the bedside table where the keys still lay. 

Moving to scoop them up, Sarah let out a shaky sigh. "Okay, let's go. The boys are waiting outside."

Conflicted. 

That was currently exactly how Charlotte Carrera was feeling. 

"I'm staying." She said, giving Sarah a look that didn't seem fully convinced with her own decision.

Sarah's face fell as she glanced over her shoulder. She needed to get out of there. "Char—"

"Maybe I can distract him long enough for you to get away." Charlotte reasoned, that not being her main motive for remaining in Tannyhill. 

Knowing she didn't have the luxury of time on her hands, Sarah didn't push any further. "Text your sister. Let her know you're okay."

With that, she was moving back toward the door. 

"Be safe." Charlotte ordered, another yawn falling from her lips as she sat back down on the bed, unable to stand any longer. 

Through tired eyes, she watched as Sarah hurried from the room, making her way toward the stairs. 

Rafe's bed suddenly seemed like the most comfortable place on Earth as Charlotte laid her head against the pillows.

A little nap couldn't hurt...right?

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