wild fire - djats

chapter nine

it had been almost a week since everything had happened, and charlie hadn't done much of anything except stay home, in her room.

teddy was starting to get worried.

she hadn't been coming to work, and she never missed work. sure sometimes she was late, but she never ever missed work. she loved making records so much.

teddy had come home one night, and had this bad feeling in his gut. so he walked over and knocked on charlie's door.

he opened it slowly after and saw her. she was lying on her bed, staring at her ceiling.

"hey teddy." she spoke, her voice cold.

teddy leaned against her wall and just looked at the girl. "hey. noticed you haven't been coming into work lately." she didn't have any reaction whatsoever. "care to talk about it?"

charlie sighed. she glanced at teddy and sat up against her bed.

"nothing much, just some... off days."

teddy walked and sat next to her on her bed. he understood that something happened, and he understood that she didn't want to talk about it.

"are you okay?" he asked.

charlie gave him a small smile. "i will be. it's just... gonna be a bit." her eyes started to wonder. "i really am sorry about work though. it's not cool for me to ditch."

"yeah not cool." he shook his head. "at least lie to me and say you're sick next time."

charlie laughed with him. "will do boss."

teddy just smiled at her. "you see billy since he came back? cause i saw him yesterday and i can honestly say the only thing rehab changed was his body. he's still his self absorbed, asshole, talented self."

"of course he is, he's a dunne. talent runs through our veins." charlie said. "not assholism though, that's just his lovely personality."

teddy smiled at her.

CHARLOTTE DUNNE: i remember really feeling like myself around teddy. even in moments like those where my whole life had fallen apart, i was still able to laugh and crack jokes around teddy.

"well kid. it's pretty late, you should get some rest. i know i sure as hell need some." teddy said, getting up and starting to walk out.

"hey teddy." charlie spoke. "i think i may be sick tomorrow."

teddy nodded. "ill bring some soup." he joked, then left her for bed.

CHARLOTTE DUNNE: everyone always thinks that eddie kept me sane. that he saved my life, and yes. he did save my life, many times, in many different ways. but teddy... teddy was my rock.

-

sometime in between those days, eddie had dropped off graham's car at teddy's. sure, her brother has called wondering where the hell his car was, but charlie didn't leave the house.

she didn't leave the house until today.

she stood outside of the house she used to live in, holding onto the top of her brother's car.

the wind was blowing on her face, giving her a feeling of freedom. she took it all in, a smile printing on her face, fake or not, she couldn't tell in that moment. she then spun graham's car keys on her finger and headed towards the house.

"hello?" she asked whilst knocking on the door and walking in. "anyone home?"

she could hear a bunch of people in the living room. she heard a couple of them gasp, but watched as the people she considered her family ran around the corner.