Runaway

I surrender

Charlotte got dressed and walked over about an hour later.

Her bad day turned out to be a good one and she felt happy....for now. She walked into the pub everyone turned to look at her.
          "You look stunning." Polly said.
Charlotte thanked her and then sat down in between Michael and her brother.
          "You look beautiful." Michael whispered.
          "Thank you." She smiled.
Tommy couldn't look away because she looked so effortlessly beautiful, but he also couldn't stand to see her and Michael so close. The night went on and Charlotte was sitting with Polly as they watched Alfie and Ada give each awkward looks.
          "I can't take these awkward looks anymore." Charlotte said as she stood up.
She pulled Alfie and Ada together.
          "What are you doing, Charlie?"
          "You think she's beautiful?" Charlotte asked him.
          "Char!" Ada scolded.
Alfie nodded.
          "And you think he's hot or whatever." Charlotte said to Ada.
          "Thanks." Alfie said sarcastically.
          "You think she's beautiful and you think he's hot and you two had a moment...so go fucking talk. Oh my God I'm going to get sick if I see one more awkward face."
They both looked at her.
          "Go and talk, kiss...whatever...just do it. It's time." She said as she pushed them into each other.
Charlotte gave a small laugh as the two hesitantly walked to an empty booth. She turned around and Polly was laughing.
          "If you could've seen their faces." Polly laughed.
          "It had to be done." She laughed.
          "Tommy can't take his eyes off of you. Grace keeps kicking him."
Charlotte sighed and before she could say anything the whole group was at the table and John was giving a toast.
          "A toast to CW. Happy birthday. We love you!"
Everyone toasted and drank. Grace got everyone's attention.
          "Since everyone is here.."
          "What are you doing?" Tommy spit.
          "Telling them the good news, dear."
          "Not tonight." Tommy said as he grabbed her arm.
She jerked her arm away and smiled.
          "Tommy and I are getting married!"
Everyone's jaws dropped. Charlotte felt like she had been punched in the stomach.
          "We have been secretly planning it and it's in two weeks!" She added.
Tommy put his hand to his mouth and looked at Charlotte, who looked like she did the night he cheated on her.
          "Married?" Charlotte whispered.
Grace bent down and picked up a shopping bag.
          "This is sort of a gift for you Charlotte...well more of the baby." Grace said as she pulled out a little onesie.
Charlotte laughed and then covered her mouth because she couldn't believe this was happening.
          "I can't wait to be a mother." Grace said.
          "Mother?" Charlotte questioned.
          "Well you know when the baby is at our house..I'll be it's mother...like a step mom, but it can call me mom."
Charlotte looked at her and then Tommy.
          "I know you and Tommy both work, so I'm excited to spend so much time with the baby." Grace smirked.
Everyone was looking at Grace like she was stupid and then Charlotte couldn't hold in her laugh anymore. Grace provoked Charlotte just like she had planned.
"What's so funny, Charlotte?" Grace asked.
"You...this....all of this." Charlotte laughed as everyone watched.
Charlotte shook her head and walked around the table.
"I need some air." She said.
"Why do you need air?" Grace smirked.
Charlotte whipped her head around and grabbed Grace's throat.
"I need air because if I don't walk out of here right now I will put your head through that window." Charlotte threatened.
She let go of Grace and walked out as John smirked.
"I see what you mean, Grace. That temper around a baby is just too dangerous." Linda said.
"Shut the fuck up." Ada screamed.
Everyone looked at Ada as she stepped closer to the two girls.
"She should've put both of your fucking heads through that window. Maybe it would shut you up." She yelled.
Linda looked at Arthur for backup and didn't say anything.
"Can't fight your own battles?" Polly questioned as she stepped closer to Linda.
Linda looked terrified as Polly got closer.
"I'd start praying now because if you say something like that about her again...you'll find out how Christian you really are." Polly threatened.
Polly bent over her shoulder.
"Would you go to heaven?" Polly asked.
"Polly." Arthur yelled.
Polly looked at Arthur.
"If she can't handle the consequences then maybe she shouldn't start something she can't finish." She said.
"Nice pick, Arthur." Ada scoffed.
Linda made a face and then ran out. Grace looked at Ada.
"Seriously Ada....that was rude."
"Everything that comes out of both of your mouths is fucking rude. It's not our fault she can't take it." Ada said.
Grace started to go at Ada, but Polly stepped in.
"He might not have the balls to kill you." Polly said as she nodded towards Tommy.
"But I sure do."
"Damn." Chase whispered like he was impressed.
"She's a badass." John whispered back.
Grace stared at Polly and knew she wasn't playing around. Grace looked at Tommy and then she stormed out.
"Yeah, you can fucking pick em too." Ada said sarcastically making Alfie, Chase, and John laugh.
"I really hope whatever reason you're with her is a bloody good one." Polly said to Tommy and then she walked off.
"I'm going to check on Charlotte." Michael said as he started to walk away.
Tommy stopped him and sort of shoved him, but no one said anything.
"I'll go." Tommy said.
Michael rolled his eyes and then Tommy walked out.
Alfie started to walk out after Tommy.
"Where are you going?" Chase asked.
"I'm going for backup in case Charlie needs me."
"No you're not. You know Tommy wouldn't do anything. You're going to listen." Michael said.
Alfie scratched his chin.
"Don't act like you guys don't want to come with me." He said.
John, Finn, Chase, Ada, and Michael all looked at each other and then followed Alfie out. Tommy walked into Charlotte's house as she paced.
"Charlotte."
"What?" She yelled.
The group just got to the house and put their ears against the door.
Tommy walked over and lightly grabbed her arm.
"Let's sit down and talk, okay. This stress isn't good for you or the baby."
She pushed his arm away and walked away from him.
"Yeah and who do you think is causing me all of this fucking stress?" She asked.
"Charlotte, I never meant to—"
"To have a baby with me?" She questioned.
"I want this baby." He said.
"Yeah? You've never said it until now and you sure as hell haven't showed it."
"There's a good reason, Charlotte. I promise you."
"And why should I believe you? I mean everything that's come out of your mouth for the past few months have been lies."
She shook her head as she passed him.
          "I'm so stupid. I was stupid to ever think that this would've worked out when I came back."
She put her hand over her eyes.
          "I was such a fool." She yelled as her voice broke.
Ada covered her mouth and Alfie held her shoulder to comfort her as they listened.
          "You missed the baby's first kick, you weren't here to go shopping for the nursery, you weren't here to help put the crib together...where have you been? Where are you Tommy? Where is the man I used to know?"
          "I thought putting the crib together was something we were going to do?" He asked.
          "It was two weeks ago when you were supposed to come and help do it, but you never showed." She said.
He looked down.
          "I've had all the support and help from everyone else and I'm more than grateful, but I walk in that room and shut my door and I'm alone. I reach for you in that bed and you're not there. I have nightmares about what happened, but I have to muffle my screams because I know the only person that could help me...isn't here." She said as tears fell down her cheeks.
He looked up and walked over to her. Tommy held her face and she gave in for a second.
          "Charlotte." He said as he wiped her tears with his thumb.
She looked him in the eyes and then pushed his hands away.
          "No. You can't just bat those blue eyes at me and fix this. Nothing you say will fix this." She yelled.
  Tommy put out his hand like he was surrendering.
          "Okay...okay." He said quietly.
He wanted to tell her so bad, but he knew he just couldn't and he didn't want to keep making Charlotte upset right now, so he just surrendered. She wiped her tears and cleared her throat.
          "This isn't about me...it's about the baby. You can let me down and break my heart a thousand times....but you will not break our baby's heart."
He looked at her from across the room.
          "If you're not going to be a father or if you're not going to be here for our baby, you need to let me know now so I can spare our child the heartbreak."
Those words cut him to his core.
          "Of course I will be here for our baby. It might not seem like it, but I promise you, Charlotte. Everything I'm doing is for you and our baby."
   She swallowed hard as she studied him, trying to see if he was lying. Tommy got closer to her and they made eye contact.
          "I will be here for our baby. I will be a father."
          "I really hope that's true. A person only has one true thing and it's their word....and I'm really afraid you've lost yours." She said.
          "Charlotte." He pleaded.
She looked at him and could feel herself about to lose it.
          "Congratulations on the engagement. I hope you get to live in that big house like you've always wanted." She said as she fought back tears.
  Saying that hit her hard, but it completely devastated Tommy. It destroyed him. He nodded and then walked to the door. Tommy held the door handle as he heard Charlotte muffle a cry and in that moment he thought about telling her everything, but didn't. He opened the door to see everyone standing there. Chase looked in and saw his sister crying so he punched Tommy in the face. Tommy felt blood from his nose as he looked at Chase.
          "Now we're even." Chase smirked.

(Mmm Jax Teller has my heart, but the smirk after the hit is what I imagined Chase did!)

Tommy just walked away without saying anything. Charlotte went straight to her room and was about to shut her door until Chase stopped her. She let him in and then shut it. He held her until she fell asleep, which was a regular thing he did for her when she was with Noah. She'd be so beaten up that he was scared she would die in her sleep, so he would always stay. Chase put her in her bed and ran his hand down her tear stained cheeks. He walked out to see everyone still there.
          "Is she okay?" Michael quickly asked.
          "I don't know, but at least she's asleep."
Everyone nodded. Chase looked at the Shelby siblings.
          "Look...I'd say sorry for hitting your brother, but I'm not."
          "It's okay..I wanted to hit him too." Ada said.
Finn and John both agreed.
Everyone stayed for a while and then John left. Ada left with Alfie shortly after. Finn went upstairs to bed and Chase talked to Michael.
"We all should get some rest." Chase said.
"I will...I'm just going to stay on the couch in case she wakes up and needs something."
Chase patted Michael on the shoulder.
"You're a good man." He said and then went upstairs.
Michael grabbed a blanket and got on the couch, but didn't sleep.