Runaway

Roommates

Charlotte woke up and looked at everyone asleep in her room. She smiled and everyone else started to wake up. Michael and Finn sat on the side of the bed and Charlotte sat between them as they looked at Alfie and Ada cuddling.
          "Throw a pillow at them." Charlotte said.
Finn did and the two slowly started to wake up. Alfie and Ada slowly looked at each other and she smiled as he smirked and then Michael cleared his throat. The two looked at everyone and quickly let go of each other as Ada blushed. The three friends laughed at the two. Tommy heard the laughter from downstairs and he looked at Polly. He walked upstairs and everyone was laughing at John cuddled up to his shotgun.
          "Now this we need a picture of." Finn laughed.
          "Let me go get dressed and then I'll come and help you." Ada said to Charlotte.
          "Well if you're busy..I can help her." Finn said.
Alfie muffled a laugh as Tommy hit Finn. Finn held his arm.
          "I would close my eyes." He whined.
          "I'll help her." Tommy said.
Ada and Alfie looked at Charlotte and she made a face.
          "I'll see you downstairs." Ada said.
Everyone walked out because you didn't disobey Tommy. Alfie didn't leave though.
          "Are you good, Charlie?" He asked.
She nodded and he walked out. Tommy kicked John and woke him up.
          "Get out. I have to help Charlotte get dressed."
          "You get out. I can help her." John said half asleep.
Charlotte gave a small laugh and Tommy was not amused. He pulled John up and pushed him to the door.
          "Oh come on, Tom. I wouldn't look."
          "Finn said the same thing...go see how that worked out for him." Tommy said as he shoved John out.
He closed the door and looked at Charlotte.
          "I can get dressed on my own."
          "Charlotte."
She turned away from him and tried to take her slip dress off, but couldn't. Charlotte put her hand on her head because she was frustrated. Tommy walked up and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him.
          "Did you clear this with Grace?" She mocked.
He just looked at her and she looked away.
          "Let's just get this over with." She said quietly.
It broke his heart that she felt like this. He helped her get dressed in a casual, skinny strap dress because she couldn't wear anything with sleeves with her cast. She was dressed and Tommy stood right in front of her as they made eye contact. She put a piece of hair behind her ear.
          "Your house is ready."
          "Thanks." She said and then walked out.
Tommy watched her walk out and he let his head hang. He got downstairs and Michael was holding the back of Charlotte's chair as she sat and everyone talked.
          "Work...everyone." Tommy ordered.
All the guys kissed Charlotte on the cheek and then left. Tommy and Charlotte shared a look and then he left. Charlotte was rubbing the back of her neck where her tattoo was. The girls all talked for a while.
          "I'm not scared to be by myself...I just...I.." Charlotte trailed off.
          "Would feel comfortable if someone else was there?" Polly asked.
Charlotte nodded.
          "Why don't you move back in with Alfie?" Ada asked.
          "No..I can't do that to him. He's dropped everything for me and it's not fair. I don't want to be a burden. Me and my baby aren't his responsibility...he has his own life and I've taken up enough of his."
          "You know he doesn't feel that way." Polly said.
          "I know, but still."
          "Well you can always stay here." Polly smiled.
          "Thank you, Pol, but then I would be taking over your life...I've just been a burden to too many people." Charlotte said as she stood up.
They gave her sad looks because she felt that way.
          "Tommy said my house was ready, so I'm going over there."
          "We'll stop by later." Polly said.
Charlotte smiled and then walked out.
___________________________________
Tommy got to the office and Grace was sitting at his desk with a smirk. She held up Charlotte's gun.
          "Looking for this?"
Tommy walked over and tried to take it from her, but she wouldn't let him. Grace stood up and laughed.
          "Oh if I didn't have enough leverage before...I sure do now, because now it's Charlotte and your baby's life at stake." She smirked.
          "I'll do whatever you want...just leave them out of it."
          "Yeah, you'll do whatever I want." She said.
"So what do you want?"
She smirked.
"I want to get married." She said.
Tommy laughed.
"I'm sorry...I thought I just heard you say you wanted to get married."
"I do and we will because you have no choice."
"No...no I'm not fucking marrying you." He said as he walked closer to her.
"Maybe they'll hang you two together...oops I meant three because they won't wait for her to have the baby when they convict her of murder."
"Grace."
She stood in front of him and straightened his jacket.
"You either marry me or Charlotte and your baby die."
He looked at her as she smirked.
"What's it gonna be, Tommy?"
___________________________________
The day went on and it was around dinner time. Charlotte was hesitant about being in her house, but she didn't want to burden anyone, so she toughed it out. She was in the kitchen as she cooked herself dinner when someone knocked on her door. Charlotte opened it and Michael and Finn walked in with suitcases. She gave them a weird look.
"I hope you cooked enough for us." Finn said.
"I always do." She said as she made them plates.
They all sat down at the table and she nodded at their suitcases.
"What are those for?" She asked.
"I hope you're okay with two new roommates." Michael said.
"You guys don't have to do this."
Michael grabbed her hand.
"We want to." He smiled.
She smiled and then John walked in and immediately started to get food.
"Yeah, come in and have some dinner." She said sarcastically.
He set his plate down and wrapped one arm around her neck as he kissed her cheek.
"You know you love me, CW." He said and then sat down.
She laughed as she shook her head and then Alfie walked in.
"Now I know my Charlie wouldn't cook dinner and not tell me."
"It's good." John said as he ate.
"It's good." Alfie mocked.
John playfully shoved him with one arm and Alfie shoved his arm away. Alfie made a face at John and then he made a plate and sat at the bar. Before anyone could say anything, Ada and Polly walked in next.
"I know you guys didn't start eating without us." Ada said.
Polly walked to Charlotte and kissed her head and Charlotte squeezed her hand. Ada got her food and sat beside Alfie. He looked at her and she smiled. Polly sat down at the table with Charlotte and the boys and everyone ate. Charlotte loved everyone in the room and really felt like part of a family. After everyone left, she started to clean up and Michael and Finn started to help her.
"You guys don't have to help clean."
"We live here too...we are helping." Michael said.
After they finished Michael got out a deck of cards and sat on the couch.
"Finn is up four games...it's getting to his head." He said.
"Is not." Finn said as he sat in the chair.
"It so is." Charlotte laughed as she sat beside Michael.
"Well how about we let the cards decide." Finn said.
They were playing their game and Michael and Charlotte were cheating together so Finn would lose. Finn lost to Charlotte and he just couldn't believe it. Finn insisted on playing until he won and before they knew it, it was two in the morning. Finn set his cards on the table and so did Michael and Charlotte. Finn threw his head back and his hands in the air.
          "I hate this game." He groaned as Michael and Charlotte laughed.
Charlotte felt the baby kick for the first time and she quickly stood up with wide eyes. Michael stood up.
          "Charlotte, what is it?" He asked.
She smiled and put her hand over his as she put it on her stomach. Michael smiled once he felt the baby kick.
          "Is this the first time the baby has kicked?" He asked.
She smiled and nodded.
          "I wanna feel." Finn said as he stood up.
He smiled as he felt it kick and he looked at her.
          "Does it hurt?" Finn asked.
          "No." She smiled.
The two boys were amazed by the life inside of her. They all looked at each other and just smiled as they enjoyed the moment.