Runaway

Seven Days

Chase pulled away from Charlotte and looked at her.
          "You killed him, didn't you?"
She just looked at him.
          "You killed Noah and my family died." He yelled.
          "Chase." She said.
          "My wife and children are dead." He yelled as he became hysterical.
          "It was kill or be killed. He attacked me in my house when I was pregnant." Charlotte said calmly.
She knew he didn't mean to blame her. He was just heartbroken and lost. Chase had wide eyes as he looked at her.
          "And my family paid for it."
He got closer to her and grabbed her arms.
          "Why didn't you tell me? I could've protected them." He screamed in her face as he tightened his grip.
          "Chase." She said quietly.
She tried to move away from him, but he gripped her arms tighter.
          "My girls were six and four, Charlotte. Don't you get that? They're dead. They're just gone now."
          "Chase, you're hurting me."
Tommy stepped up and grabbed Chase's arm.
          "Let go of her."
Chase laughed as he stepped back. He pointed at the two and looked at Charlotte.
          "You see that? Him protecting you...my girls didn't have that. They didn't have a chance. They died alone and scared." Chase yelled.
Charlotte has never seen her brother like this and it broke her heart. Her eyes filled with tears as Chase broke down.
          "He left a note and said my girls screamed for me before he put a bullet in each of their heads." He yelled.
Before Charlotte could respond, they all heard Carter start crying. Chase's whole demeanor changed. Charlotte looked at her brother and was about to say something, but Tommy lightly touched her shoulder.
          "Go." He said as he nodded towards the steps.
She looked at her brother.
          "I'm so sorry, Chase." She whispered and then went upstairs.
Tommy looked at Chase.
          "You know this is no one's fault but Max's." Tommy said.
          "I know." Chase said as he looked down.
          "He tried to kill her and our son. She did what she had to do to survive and now she'll never be able to forgive herself because of what you said."
Tommy cleared his throat and stepped closer.
          "I'm sorry you lost your family, but if you ever put your hands on her again..."
Chase looked at Tommy.
          "You won't have hands." Tommy said and then went upstairs.
He got upstairs and Charlotte was calming Carter down. She wouldn't look at Tommy as he walked over.  He lifted her chin and made eye contact. He wiped a tear from her cheek.
          "It's not your fault, Charlotte."
          "Well it really feels like it is."
Tommy was stroking her face and she looked down.
          "Maybe Noah should've killed me. My life to save his wife and two daughters."
Tommy held her face and made her look at him.
          "And then you would be dead."
He ran his thumb over her cheek and looked at Carter.
          "And he wouldn't be here." Tommy added.
She looked at her son and he looked at her and put his head on her shoulder.
          "You did what you had to do to survive and to keep him alive. Do not feel guilty about that, okay?"
She nodded and Tommy kissed her.
A few days went on and it was the day before Charlotte's wedding dress show. Chase apologized for blaming her. He really didn't blame her, he was just so hysterical that night. She was helping him try and get through the loss of his wife and children, but he was just spiraling. He barely talked and stayed drunk and she still silently blamed herself. She couldn't stand to see her brother like that. The morning came and Tommy was kissing Charlotte's neck to wake her up. She woke up and pulled the covers over her head as she turned away from him.
"That's not going to help you, love." He laughed.
"I'm not going."
"Yes you are." He said as he pulled the covers off of her.
She looked at him.
"You do this for me and I'll do whatever you want in this bed." He smirked.
"You already do whatever I want in this bed."
Tommy rolled his eyes.
"Just go get dressed, Charlotte."
She sighed and got up. A few minutes later she came out in tight riding pants with boots. She made a face at him.
"Tommy..this is not a cute look."
"I don't know...I could get used to seeing you in those tight pants." He smirked as he playfully slapped her ass.
"You're not helping." She said as she walked out the door.
He followed her to Carter's room where she was holding him.
"Never forget that I love you, Carter. I might die today and you'll be stuck with your father."
Tommy shook his head and laughed.
"You're so dramatic." He said as he pulled her out and down the steps.
"That could've been the last time I'll see my son and you ruined the moment."
"You're learning how to ride a horse, babe. You should be a natural."
She hit his chest and he laughed. Chase saw the two walking outside. He sat on the porch steps and watched them. Tommy and Charlotte got close to the stables and she stopped walking. She rested her head on Tommy's back and wrapped her arms around him.
"Can't I just ride it with you like this? I'll hold on real tight."
He grabbed her hands.
"You're learning whether you like it or not."
She whined and then stepped in front of him. She backed her body into the front of his, knowing exactly what she was doing. Charlotte grabbed his hands and put one on her boob and the other on the waistband of her pants.
"Or we could ride it like this." She smirked thinking it would work.
He stayed there for a few seconds and then pulled his hands away.
"Charlotte, no." He laughed.
She put her hands on her hips as she looked at him.
"So you're really going to make me ride a one thousand pound beast?"
"Yes."
"Okay." She nodded.
Tommy nodded because he thought he won until she started to run away from him. Chase started laughing as he watched from the porch. Tommy quickly caught her and threw her over his shoulder.
"You're out of moves, Wilson."
"Why do I have to learn? I can drive and walk and plus you can carry me places."
Tommy shook his head and walked in the stables as Charlotte was still over his shoulder. Curly walked by them.
"Hi, Curly." Charlotte said casually.
"Hello, Ms. Charlotte."
Tommy set her down and she watched Curly talk to the horses. She looked back at Tommy.
"I want to teach you because it's important to me...and it's something we can do together and eventually teach our son." Tommy said.
She gave a small smile.
"Okay. I'm happy to do it."
He nodded.
"But only because you're cute." She joked.
Tommy made a face and then kissed her. Tommy brought a beautiful horse out. He was rubbing his nose as Charlotte just stood there.
"Come here."
She got closer and Tommy took her hand and ran it over the horse's nose.
"They're gentle giants. He can also tell if you're scared..and you being afraid makes him afraid."
She nodded as he explained how to make the horse stop and go.
"You're in control. If you want to stop, you just pull back on the reins."
"Does that hurt him?" She asked.
Tommy gave a small smile because she was cute.
"No, it doesn't."
"You're riding my horse and I just don't let anyone ride him." He added.
He helped her get on the horse and then he got on another one and lead them outside.
"This isn't that bad." She said.
She was doing really well for a beginner. The horses walked side by side.
"Look! I'm doing it."
He smiled at her and then made her horse run.
"Tommy!" She yelled in fear as she held on to the horse tighter.
He laughed as he caught up to her as she made the horse slow down. Chase was laughing at his sister and then stopped as the tears fell down his face.
"See. It's not that scary." Tommy said as they got off the horses.
She smiled and took his hand. They got to the porch and she saw her brother. Tommy squeezed her hand and left the two. Charlotte sat beside her brother and put her arm around him and he rested his head on her shoulder.
"It's a cruel life we live, big brother."
"That it is, little sister."
"I can't imagine what you're going through. I can't sit here and try to say the right things and pretend like I know what you're going through because I don't...but I can tell you a few things."
He looked at his sister as she talked.
"I can tell you that your girls absolutely adored you and you were a great father and husband. You're one of the strongest people I've ever met and you're so selfless."
He looked at her as the tears fell down his face. She wiped them away and made eye contact.
"I can tell you that this will probably be the most painful thing you'll ever have to go through, but you're not alone. I can tell you that the sun will come up tomorrow and it will be a new day. We'll take this hand in hand, step by step, and day by day."
He kissed her cheek and then rested his head back on her shoulder and the two sat there for a while. The next day came and it was time for Charlotte's fashion show. She was in a beautiful wedding gown in her dressing room when Tommy walked back there with Carter. He stepped in and immediately froze as he looked at her. He was utterly speechless.
"What?" She asked.
Tommy walked over and just kissed her. She pulled away and looked at him. He ran his thumb over her cheek.
          "Only seven more days until you're my wife."
          "We just have to get through tonight and then the week will fly by." She smiled.
He nodded and then kissed her again. During their sweet kiss, Carter made a cute noise and put his little hand on Charlotte's face. They pulled away and she looked at Carter as Tommy looked at her.
          "I will give you a kiss too." She said and then kissed her son.
He just smiled. There was a knock on the door and then a lady walked in.
          "Five minutes until showtime."
          "I'll be right out." Charlotte said and then the lady left.
"Good luck, Wilson." Tommy said and then kissed her.
He walked to the door and turned around as he just looked at her.
"Tommy, what is it?"
"I just wanted to look at you again."
She smiled and then he left. Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, but then took a long breath because all of a sudden she became nervous. She just shook it off because she just figured it was Tommy seeing her in a wedding dress and just overall wedding jitters because it was a week away. Tommy took his seat with the family and all the models got ready. The show started and the girls were walking down the runway. It was Charlotte's turn and Tommy couldn't look away from her. He was almost smiling.
"Is that a smile on Tommy Shelby's face?" Ada whispered to Polly as they both looked.
"I haven't seen that look since before the war." Polly smiled.
Charlotte smiled as she got to the end and looked at Tommy and Carter. All of the models stood along the runway as everyone clapped and then all of a sudden the lights went out and gunshots went off. Terrified screams filled the building. Tommy ducked to the ground and protected his son as Alfie pulled Ada and Karl down and shielded them. Arthur grabbed his wife, Michael covered his mom, and John pulled Finn down. The lights came on and the gun shots stopped as people were scrambling around in a panic. Tommy looked at Carter and made sure he was okay and then he scanned the room for Charlotte. He couldn't make out anything from all the people running around. Chase ran up to him.
"I saw Max go out the back. It was Max." Chase said.
"So that means..." Tommy trailed off because he didn't want to say it out loud.
"Charlotte was his target." Chase said.
Alfie ran up as Tommy stood there in complete shock. Alfie said his name a few times and Tommy finally snapped out of it as Carter cried.
"Charlotte...I need to find Charlotte." Tommy said as he walked towards the runway as the guys followed.
He saw blood and started to walk faster. As he approached he noticed her wedding ring and knew it was her. He got to her and her dress was covered in blood. He couldn't tell where her wounds started and ended. Tommy bent down and ran his hand over her face.
"Charlotte...Charlotte. I'm here. Are you okay?"
She slowly opened her eyes and grabbed his wrist. Carter reached for her as he sobbed, but she didn't move.
"Tommy...I can't feel....I can't...." She breathed heavily.
Tommy felt her grip loosen and watched her eyes close.
"Charlotte....Charlotte...please wake up. Your son is right here. Look...just open your eyes. Please just look at our son."