I Can Hear Your Silence (A Heartstopper FanFic -- BOOK 2)

12. Promise

Despite the supply cupboard being an otherwise excellent place to make out in, it didn't exactly provide guaranteed privacy. Nick and Charlie became far too worried about being walked in on by any possibly angry hospital staff members so Nick helped Charlie up from the floor and they shut the cupboard door behind them.

As they set off down the corridor toward the main entrance, Charlie definitely still felt a bit shaky. He had a plan now; he knew how he could regain some control -- and that was very calming -- but all he wanted now was to see the plan through.

Jane and Julio looked up in relief as Nick and Charlie approached them in the entrance way. Tori was practically holding Oliver up, the little boy ready to fall asleep standing up.

"Charlie, are you alright?" she asked when she saw them.

"Yeah," said Charlie with a shrug. "I'm okay. Mum, please may I go home with Nick?"

He'd known his mum wouldn't be impressed so he was unsurprised when she looked like she'd been force-fed a lemon.

"Really, Charlie?" she snapped. "After everything that's happened today, why do you have to add one more --" Jane cut herself off and took a long-suffering breath. "I would have thought you would have wanted to be at home with your injured brother."

Nick's blood boiled as Charlie seemed to physically shrink under his mum's guilt tripping gaze. He was very glad Tori was there to say what he could not.

"Mum," she groaned. "Leave him alone, for god's sake. He's been there for Olly more than any of us today. He was at the crash site, he found him and made sure he got here safely."

"Tori's right, dear," said Julio. "You must be exhausted, too, Charlie. I don't blame you for wanting some time to yourself."

"But it's not time to himself he wants, is it?" Jane said through gritted teeth.

"Well, time away from us lot, then," said Julio, smiling kindly to Nick and Charlie and ignoring his wife's huff of irritation. "I'll drop you both off at your's, then shall I, Nick?"

"Thanks, Mr Spring."

Charlie nodded his thanks, avoiding his mum's eye. He suspected that the fact he had been there at the crash when Jane arrived today had made everything that happened to Oliver somehow Charlie's fault in her eyes. It made absolutely no sense, Charlie knew, but he couldn't help the part of his brain that agreed with her. He had been in town; he had been so close. He could have gotten there sooner. Could have done... something...

He could have kept his mouth shut and avoided the police station completely. And now a man was dead.

~~

The first sound to reach their eyes as they stepped into the Nelsons' hallway was the familiar, happy scurry of little doggy paws against the floor as Nellie hurried to greet them.

Charlie took his shoes off and bent down to ruffle Nellie's ears. The comforting scent of the Nelson's house, the soft colours, the peace and the quiet, and of course, it's occupants, never failed to envelope Charlie into a warm bubble of safety. When David and Portia weren't home, at least...

But right now, the house was quiet.

"I should probably just talk to my mum for a sec," said Nick. "Meet me upstairs?"

"Okay." Charlie nodded and Nellie followed him up the stairs.

Nick found his mum sitting at the kitchen table, doing some work on her laptop with a large mug of tea steaming beside her.

"I thought I heard you two come in," she said with a smile. "You look tired, Nicky. Have you and Charlie been getting any sleep?"

He wasn't sure he wanted to know what that tone meant. "Err... Yes?"