𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

fifty six.

─☼☼☼─

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝘼𝙄𝙉 𝙄𝙉 Charlotte's head had increased tenfold by the time they reached Tannyhill.

The house seemed virtually empty as they emptied. Rose wasn't here yet, and if Wheezie was, she was tucked away in her room.

Bags sat gathered at the front door, alerting to the fact that they were indeed leaving.

Charlotte looked over at Rafe as they passed the pile of luggage, her heart breaking slightly.

"Don't worry." Rafe assured softly as he led her toward his bedroom, cognizant of the pain she was in.

"No, Rafe, we gotta talk about this." Charlotte maintained as they entered his room. "We have to talk about the cross."

Rafe's face twitched slightly as he set the keys to the truck down on his bedside table. "There's nothin' to talk about."

"Yes there is." Charlotte maintained, a sharp pain splitting through her head as she turned to face him. "That cross belongs to Pope's family...we were the ones to find it. It belongs to him."

While it was always painfully obvious that the two were on opposites sides, Rafe and Charlotte never really openly argued over these matters.

The expression on Rafe's face was a tell of that.

"Lottie, we have the cross now. You don't have to worry about them anymore." He had taken a few steps toward her, taking a hold of one of her hands.

Looking down at their intertwined fingers, Charlotte let out a deep sigh. "I can't just abandon them."

Rafe shook his head, his face tight in confusion and betrayal. "Why do you care so much about them?"

"Because." Charlotte answered firmly. "They're my family."

Hurt flashed across Rafe's face as he recoiled slightly. "I'm your family."

Nodding, Charlotte kept a grip on his hand when he tried to let go. "You are. But so are they. We need to figure this out, okay? Maybe we can all work together or—"

"No." Rafe argued gruffly, shaking his head. "There is no working with them. They screwed us over—"

"They didn't do anything." Charlotte shot back. "Your dad stole the gold from us, you and Renfield stole the cross. Those kids deserve something good. Please don't take that away from them."

Rafe studied the fierce expression on Charlotte's face, his own face softening slightly. "I don't want to argue with you about this, Lottie." He whispered in defeat.

He knew there was no winning this battle. Charlotte would choose the Pogues over him.

Taking a small step forward, he brushed a piece of hair from her face, studying one of the wounds left by Renfield. "You should go shower." He said softly, all mention of their previous conversation disappearing completely.

"No." She argued, swaying slightly. "We can't just—" The words fell mute as Charlotte cut herself off, her head spinning, the room seeming to do the same.