Until My Final Breath Escapes~ A Will Ramos Romance~

24. Free Me From This Mortal Shell

The next few days for Will were extremely difficult. He spoke to his band mates and his manager, telling them he knows he's been out of control for a long time and he was well aware he needed to try rehab. He knew he would get the therapy he needed for his losses and grief. It would be step one in a very long healing process.
The guys supported him 100% as they were the ones subjected to baby sitting him at every single outing. They were there to watch when he would constantly get fucked up and they would have to help him get home. Will apologized profusely and they all hugged him, willing to do whatever it took to get their band brother healthy again.

Will and Charlotte had begun to text daily ever since the night he had stayed with her, talking more than they ever have in the past year. She wanted to see him off before he left and offered to take him to the airport. He found a really nice spot in California to go to and he knew he needed to get as far away as possible from his negative influential surroundings if he was really going to give this a fair shot.

The morning of, Charlotte drove to Will's place feeling nervous butterflies in her stomach. She hadn't been able to stop thinking of the other night when they laid together and consoled each other. She still longed for him deep down, and she was really hoping with everything in her that he would get better again. They knew he could be gone for a minimum of up to 3 months, but they were both apprehensive to see how long it would actually take him to recover. He had a feeling, however, that maybe he might prefer California. New Jersey had too many emotional ties.

Charlotte waited in the drive way and he came out with a carry on bag wearing a hoodie with his hood up. He looked exhausted and he had bags under his eyes. It had been a couple days since he had shaved, and she could tell he more than likely spent the last few days bingeing.

Charlotte got out of the car as he came over to her not saying anything. Charlotte grabbed his bag, loading it into the trunk. When she came back around to her side, Will snaked his arms around her to give her a tight hug. They didn't have to speak in order for Charlotte to know this was another apologetic gesture....even after all he did to her, she was still there for him. And he appreciated the loyalty in her. She always loved and supported him. Not too many people would still be there for him after how he's acted.

Charlotte embraced him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and standing on her tip toes. They hugged for a few long minutes. She felt Will lean down and gently press his lips to her forehead to give her a kiss.

"Are you ready to go?" She quietly asked him, not wanting to let him go.

"No....but we probably should I guess." Will sighed, hesitantly pulling away from her. They locked eyes for a minute and she rubbed his arms.

"You've got this, Will. I know you can do this."

Will felt a warm, endearing feeling come over him. It was immensely reassuring to him that she still had faith in him. He leaned down and kissed her forehead again and just went to get in the car knowing he had a flight to catch.

They rode in the car in silence on the way to the airport. Will had his feet up on the dash and was leaning back in the seat just feeling like sleeping. Before he fell asleep completely he reached over resting his hand on Charlotte's lap. He wasn't trying to push things with her but he found it so hard to be close to her and not be touching her. Charlotte reached down and entangled her fingers with his still resting their hands on her leg.

Neither of them said anything but Will felt pleased, slowly falling into a nap on the ride there.
___________________________

When they arrived, Charlotte walked with him to the gate until she wasn't allowed to anymore.

"I guess this is it." She said with a lump in her throat. She had been trying to be stoic for him, to be supportive, but she felt a pain in her chest where her heart is. She felt like crying.

She noticed when they locked eyes that Will's obsidian eyes were welling up with tears. It made hers do the same

"I'm so proud of you, Will."

He sighed shakily looking into her eyes just so scared deep down about everything. But her words meant everything. And he was hoping that she would still want to talk to him when he came home.

"Thank you, Char. For everything." He embraced her trying to be strong, wishing he could just go back in time to before he started fucking up.

Before she could even really think, she went on her impulsive feelings and stood on her tip toes, giving him a soft kiss on his lips as a couple of tears rolled down her cheeks. Will rested his hands on her face, wiping her tears with his thumbs. He deepened the kiss and massaged his tongue against hers feeling a fire ignite in the pit of his stomach. He never thought that he would ever get this feeling ever again. It was like nothing around them existed. They were, once again, back in their own little bubble. Eventually, they pulled away knowing Will was limited on time, and will held her little hands in his, starting to walk backwards toward the terminal, their hands slowly slipping away from each others. As he walked he kept looking over his shoulder at her, standing there, softly crying with her hands in her jacket pockets. He wanted so badly to run back to her.

"See you when you get back!" Charlotte smiled a little, just happy he was doing this for himself.
Will blew her a kiss before he couldn't see her anymore. He boarded the plane just knowing he needed to try his best so he could come home to her.
_____________________________

Charlotte eventually made it back home just thinking about everything, knowing she needed to try and keep herself occupied or she would go crazy wondering how Will was and what he was up to.

She decided to do a deep cleaning of the house and she started with the living room. She wanted to vacuum and moved her couch over a bit so she could get underneath: she came across something square and small. She reached down to scoop it up and realized it was an I.D. It was Noah's. She realized he must have dropped it during the scuffle between he and Will and she quivered with memories of what happened that night. Her eyes scanned it out of curiosity until she realized it was a Virginia I.D

Virginia.

Hmm....

She thought back to a memory she had stored in the back of her head.

That night not long after Will and Charlotte were attacked, and they were speaking with the detective that was on their case on their phone. She remembered his words so vividly.

"...we were able to trace the number that texted Charlotte that night. It's a burner phone and it  was purchased at a gas station in a small town in Virginia. Do you guys know anyone from that area?"

Charlotte didn't notice her anxious breaths becoming more rapid, really thinking about it. She thought back to a few nights ago when Noah had attacked her.

That look in his eyes....

The disassociation. And pure evil.

She thought about the deja vu she felt when she looked deep into him. Those were the same eyes that night that looked back at her, in her bedroom , when Will and her were almost killed. The intruder was wearing a ski mask, but that spine-chilling look in those very unique eyes...it all came to fruition for her.

Charlotte started shaking as she went in her phone, scrolling down to the detective's number. It had been a quite a while since they had spoken,  and they still couldn't get Rebekka to talk on who worked for her. But she did admit she hired someone. The detectives still kept the case open but eventually days turned into months it fell cold.

"Detective John D'Angelo..."

"Sir....it's me...Charlotte...Winter's mom.........I think I found something that might prove who the person was that stabbed Will and I...." Her voice trembled and the detective was all ears.

"Can you come down to the station to talk?"

"Absolutely, I'll be right there." She hung up, wishing she could call Will in this moment. Instead, she called the next best option, Austin. She didn't want to do this alone.