I Can Hear Your Heart (A Heartstopper FanFic -- BOOK 1)

13. Protection

"Get in the car, Nick," said Helen. "I'll drive you home. I need to speak to your mum."

Nick exhaled, having expected this instruction but still not liking it. Charlie's hand was fisted in the side of Nick's t-shirt and he didn't want to pry it away any time soon.

Helen turned to Jane, Julio and Charlie, glancing as well toward the open front door.

"I think it's best if the rest of you stay in your home for now. Don't go anywhere else until I call you. That's probably not going to be until morning now, so please do not call or text anyone else other than myself and then only if it's an emergency. That goes for your other children as well, okay, Mr and Mrs Spring?"

Julio nodded.

It took Jane a few moments to follow suit. Julio had his arm around her. Nick suspected Julio was grounding himself as much as Nick was with his own arm around Charlie.

"Can't I go home with Nick?"

The smallness of Charlie's voice made Nick's heart clench painfully. He could tell even Charlie knew the effort was fruitless but was grateful for him trying at least.

Jane made a noise, somewhere between a scoff and a tut, that made Nick want to slap her.

"I'm sorry, Charlie," said Helen. "But it really is safest for you both to be in your own homes for now. Now, I need to deliver this poor fellow to his owners. Let's leave the boys to say goodnight, shall we?"

She gave Jane and Julio (but mostly Jane) a dangerous look, as if daring them to argue.

Julio tugged his wife's arm and gently led her back toward the house. Nick could see Tori and Oliver standing in the doorway. Obviously, Oliver had not been placated for long.

Helen bent down over the dog.

"Do you need some help with that?" Nick asked Helen quietly.

"That's alright, Nick. Thanks for the offer but I've got him."

"His name was Reggie," said Charlie. His hand in Nick's shirt tightened. "He was a good dog."

Nick buried his face in Charlie's curls and kissed his head. He couldn't help but think of Nellie.

He and Charlie watched Helen carry Reggie the short distance across the road, then turned to each other under the light of the nearby street light.

Charlie let go of Nick's shirt, reached down to grab the bottom of the hoodie he was wearing and pulled it over his head.

"What are you doing?"

Charlie held it out for Nick to take.

"You don't need to give me that back, you know?"

Charlie pressed the hoodie firmly into Nick's hands. "Bring me a fresh one?" he said with a faint smile. "Next time we see each other."

Nick swallowed the lump in his throat and forced a smile in return. "Don't say it like that. People only say that in films and stuff when you know they're never going to see each other again."

Charlie wrapped his arms around him and Nick held him close. "This isn't 'films and stuff' though," said Charlie. "This is real life."

"It doesn't feel like it sometimes," Nick mumbled.

Charlie squeezed him more securely. "But this feels real. Our love."

"You are a little tree..."

Charlie chuckled. "Then you, sir, are a tree-hugger!"

"We both are." Nick smiled down at him as they pulled apart a little. "Two trees in love."