Runaway

Us

Late that night.
"You're paralyzed Ms. Wilson." The doctor said.
Charlotte made a face and then laughed because she couldn't believe it.
"That's funny." She said.
"Ms. Wilson, the bullet hit your spine and paralyzed you from the waist down."
She shook her head.
"No. I don't believe you. I'm not paralyzed. I can walk." She laughed.
"You're in shock. We are removing the bullet tomorrow morning in hope that this paralysis is only temporary." The doctor continued.
The shock was taking over and she looked at Tommy with fear written all over her face. Tommy's face confirmed it and she started to panic as she finally realized.
"I can walk." She said trying to convince herself.
She pushed off the bed with her arms and tried to move her legs but couldn't. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Tommy.
"I..I can't move...I can't move my legs...Tommy I can't move my legs." She said as she started to become hysterical.
Alfie looked down and Chase put his hands on his head as he turned around. Michael and Finn stood in the corner and just stared off. They couldn't handle seeing her like this. Charlotte cried as it all finally hit her. Tommy sat on the bed and put his hand on her leg out of habit. She looked at his hand on her leg and then looked at him.
"I can't feel your hand....I can't feel that." She sobbed.
Tommy put his hands on her face.
"I..I just learned how to ride a horse...how am I supposed to do things with Carter....I...I have to walk for my job."
Polly put her hand over her mouth as she watched.
Charlotte made eye contact with Tommy and it broke him to see her like that.
"I won't be able to walk down the aisle...I have to....I have to....I have...." She trailed off as she cried.
Tommy pulled her into a hug and just held her. Everyone else walked out with the doctor so the two could have time. He calmed her down after a while. Tommy wiped her tears away and pushed a piece of her hair back.
"Carter is in the waiting room with Ada. Do you want to see him?"
She nodded and he softly kissed her and then walked out. Tommy came back in with their son in his arms. Carter's face lit up when he saw his mother.
"Look. Here's mama." Tommy said as he sat on the bed.
Carter stuck out his arms for Charlotte.
"Mama." Carter said slowly.
Charlotte and Tommy looked at each other as they were shocked. He handed Carter to her and he stood in her lap as she had her hands holding him up. He put his hands out towards her again.
"Mama." Carter said once more.
Charlotte hugged her son and smiled as she looked at Tommy.
"His first word." Tommy smiled trying to lighten the mood.
Charlotte had a hand on the back of Carter's head as she kissed his cheek. A tear fell down her cheek and Tommy wiped it away. A while went on and Carter fell asleep on Charlotte's chest as her and Tommy talked. She went silent and looked away from him. He held her left hand and ran his thumb over it.
"What's on your mind, Wilson?"
She looked at him as the tears fell down her cheeks. Charlotte pulled her hand away from Tommy and took her ring off and then handed it to him. He didn't take the ring as he gave her a weird look.
"You don't deserve this. I'll be too much trouble now. Your whole life will be revolved around this and that's not fair." She said.
"Charlotte."
"You deserve a woman who can follow you wherever you go. Someone that won't have to worry if she can go somewhere because there will be stairs. I don't want to be your burden, Tommy."
He shook his head as he held her face.
"You are not and will not be my burden. You will be my wife and be the woman I love...whether you can walk or not. You could never be too much trouble, alright? This is just another obstacle we have to get through and I know we will because it's us. I love you, Wilson."
He leaned his forehead against hers.
"I love you too, Tommy."
He kissed her and then pulled away.
"Now...can I put your ring back on you please?"
She nodded and he slipped the ring back on and the rest of the group walked in.
"It's really late, Tom. You should take him home." Charlotte said as she rubbed Carter's back.
"I'm not leaving you alone."
"He needs you. He won't understand why I'm not home." She said.
"You go home, Tommy. I'm staying." Chase said.
"Me too." Michael said.
"Same here." Finn agreed.
John sat on the bed and smirked at Charlotte.
"Sleepover in the hospital!"
Tommy hit him and he stood up.
"Not in her bed." He warned.
Alfie put John in a headlock and messed up his hair as he laughed. John pushed him off and Charlotte actually laughed.
"I'll be back to stay after I make sure Ada gets home." Alfie said.
Tommy said his goodbyes and then took Carter home as everyone left. Alfie came back shortly and all the guys sat around the bed.
"You'll walk again, Charlotte. I just know it." Michael said.
"Yeah...and your surgery tomorrow will be successful." Chase said.
"How do you know?" She asked.
"Because there are just certain things I know. Like I know the sun will come up tomorrow and Tommy will still love you no matter what happens. We all will."
All of the guys agreed and Charlotte nodded.
"Then I need you all to promise me that you will help me walk again. No matter how tired or upset I get...you have to keep pushing me."
"But Charlotte." Finn started.
"I have to walk down the aisle. I never thought I'd ever have someone that loved me so much that they wanted to marry me. I will walk down the aisle to him."
"And you shall." Michael said.
"Now we are going to see how tough you are. I was trained for the war and that's exactly how hard I'm going to be on you." Alfie smirked.
"Bring it on." She said.
The next morning came and Charlotte had her surgery to remove the bullet from her spine. She had lost too much blood the night she was shot, which is why they had to wait to perform the surgery. She was out of her surgery and would be asleep until the medicine wore off. Tommy arrived late with an upset Carter.
"Why are you late?" Polly asked.
"He's been fussy all morning. I don't know what's wrong."
She took Carter and tried to soothe him.
"He missed his mom last night." She said.
"So did I." Tommy said quietly.
Polly rubbed Tommy's arm.
"What did they say about the surgery?" He asked.
"It was a successful removal and repair. It's a 50/50 chance she'll walk again." Polly said.
Tommy nodded.
An hour or so went on and Tommy sat beside Charlotte's bed with Carter in his arms as she started to wake up. He kissed her hand and then held it.
"How do you feel?" He asked.
"I'm in a little bit of pain, but I'm alright. Better now."
He gave a closed mouth smile and ran his thumb over her hand. The doctor came in and asked Charlotte a ton of questions. He then walked to the foot of the bed and uncovered her foot.
"Can you wiggle your toes for me?"
Charlotte made a face as she tried her hardest, but she couldn't.
"That's okay. Don't get discouraged. Most patients don't show signs of movements this early. It happens gradually for some and then all at once for others. I'll be back in later." He said and then left.
"You'll get there." Tommy encouraged.
He stayed most of the day and then left at night to take Carter home. Charlotte and the guys were playing cards as Finn sat at the foot of the bed. Charlotte won and Finn playfully hit her leg and she made a face.
"What?" Chase asked.
"Do that again, Finn."
He hit her leg and she smiled.
"I felt that....I felt that!"
All of the guys smiled as Alfie got the doctor. He got her to try and wiggle her toes again and she did. She even could move her ankles. The doctor smiled as he covered her legs back up.
"You're progressing quickly. We will start your rehab tomorrow."
"We have to start it now. My wedding is in six days and I will walk down that aisle."
"I don't see it happening, but we will do whatever we can to help get you there." The doctor said.
"No one can tell Tommy, alright? I want to surprise him at the wedding." She said and everyone agreed.
The doctor gave her simple exercises to do to help gain strength back. Charlotte sat in her bed and did them all night. She worked endlessly for the next few days and did it without Tommy knowing. They were two days away from the wedding and the doctor thought she was ready to take her first steps today. Chase helped her up and then she held onto Alfie's arms as she got used to the weight being back on her feet. She went to lift her leg, but couldn't. She kept trying and trying, but failed. Charlotte shook her head in disbelief as she teared up.
"Really, Charlie? This is all the fight you have?"
Her head shot up as she looked at Alfie.
"The seven year old you had more fight than this. Actually that Charlie wouldn't even need me to hold her up." Alfie said as he backed away.
Charlotte staggered, but regained her balance.
"Walk to me." Alfie said.
"I can't."
"I bet Grace could."
Charlotte's whole demeanor changed after that.
"What?" Charlotte questioned.
"You heard me, Charlie. I know she could take these steps and you couldn't."
"Alfie." She threatened.
Michael, Finn, John, and Chase watched the two best friends.
"What are you going to do, Charlie? Are you just going to let me talk to you like this just like Grace did?" Alfie continued.
"Shut up." She said as she grew mad.
"Make me. Come over here and make me."
She swallowed hard as she glared at him. Alfie smirked and pointed at her.
"Remember when you walked in on Grace and Tommy?"
Her eyes went wide with fire.
"I remember hitting her." She smirked.
All of the guys watched her.
"You only hit her once though. You saw her with the man you love and you only hit her once. You really have lost your fight."
"I have not lost my fight." She raised her voice.
"Really? Then why did you let her blackmail Tommy for months? Why did you let her say she would be the mother of your child?"
Charlotte breathed hard.
"Alfie I swear." She said through gritted teeth.
"She's the reason Tommy wasn't there for you during your pregnancy. She's the reason he missed out and what did you do about it? Nothing."
She scoffed.
"I did nothing?"
"Yeah, you did nothing just like right now." He raised his voice.
"Oh yeah? Well if I did nothing...how about you go to the hole we put that bitch in and ask her who put her there...and while you're there...say hi to Campbell for me."
She shook her head.
"I have no fight. What the fuck do you know about fight?" She yelled at Alfie.
"I know that you've got it." He smirked.
She made a weird face at him and then she realized she was standing right in front of him. All of the guys cheered and hugged her.
"I knew you could do it." Michael smiled.
The next two days went on and they were some of the hardest days Charlotte's ever had. A lot of crying, yelling, and struggling. She was exhausted mentally and mostly physically, but she built up enough strength for the wedding. She was determined and even though it was super painful and they told her she couldn't. She could and she did. It was finally the day of the wedding and Tommy had no idea she could walk. Charlotte was in the bridal suite with Polly, Ada, and unfortunately Linda, but even she couldn't ruin the day. Charlotte came out all ready in her dress and the girls smiled.

Polly wiped a tear away.
"You are the most beautiful bride...I am so proud of you and all of your hard work to get here. Tommy will..." Polly stopped because she choked up.
Charlotte smiled and hugged her and then Ada wanted a hug of course.
"I thought getting married and having kids wasn't for you?" Ada questioned.
          "It wasn't until I met Tommy."
The girls smiled and then there was a knock at the door. They opened to see Chase in a suit. He put his hand over his mouth as he looked at his sister standing.
          "You are so beautiful."
          "You guys are really trying to make me cry." She smiled.
She took his arm and walked out as the girls went to find their seats. Tommy picked Alfie to be his best man because of everything he did for Charlotte. The two guys stood at the altar as they waited.
          "I hope she didn't have a hard time this morning. She was heartbroken that she wouldn't be able to walk down the aisle." Tommy whispered.
           "I'm sure she's alright." Alfie smirked.
Tommy made a weird face as he stared at the closed doors. They finally opened to reveal Charlotte standing as she held Chase's arm. The two walked down the aisle and Tommy had both of his hands over his mouth in complete shock. She smiled at him and he took his hands away and smiled back. There wasn't a dry eye in the audience. Chase kissed her cheek and she held Tommy's hands as she walked up the steps. He was still in shock as he looked at her.
          "Surprise." She whispered.
He shook his head and kissed her even though it wasn't time to. Jeremiah performed the ceremony and the two finally said, "I do."
          "I know pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Charlotte squeezed Tommy's hand because she was so excited and he couldn't hide his smile. He kissed her for a bit longer and then they turned to face the crowd. Everyone stood and cheered as they started to walk out. They stopped and grabbed Carter and then walked out.
          "How?" Tommy smiled.
          "I had a lot of help." She said as she looked at the guys filing out.
He thanked them and everyone arrived at the reception.
          "Tommy, do you mind if I sit for a few minutes?"
          "Of course. Are you alright?"
          "I'm great. My legs are just a little tired from all the standing and walking."
They both sat at their table and he kissed her cheek. Dinner was served and toasts were made. It was now time for their first dance as husband and wife.
          "If you can't right now..it's okay, Charlotte." He said.
She stood up and took his hand.
          "I'm not missing our first dance." She smiled.
Tommy held her like someone was trying to take her away as they danced.
          "I married you because of your courage and because of your heart. I've never seen someone still stand up after everything you've been through, but you did. I hope our children get that from you. I knew the day I met you..there was no one else like you." He said remembering her asking why he wanted to marry her a few weeks ago.
She kissed him and then rested her head on his shoulder.
          "I love you, Tommy."
          "And I love you."
She pulled her head up and made eye contact.
          "I told you we could get through it, Shelby." He said.
She smiled and they kissed once more.