Shedevil |Vamps|James McVey|

Chapter 12

Dinner that night was the nicest night both James and Charlotte had had in a long time. James' mother had immediately accepted the offer of dinner and sped her way over. Without knowing her son had arrived in town, his mother got a good fright when he jumped out from behind the door. She was over the moon that he had come to visit. That, however, didn't stop her from giving him a good talking to about scaring her. James didn't mind though; he had missed him mum too much.

After embracing each of the guests, Charlotte's mother had begun her work in the kitchen. With the help of James' mother, between the two of them, dinner was more like a feast. In celebration of James' success and the return of Charlotte, they had said. Everything just felt, right. Everyone  fell into easy conversation. Everyone caught up with the other. Max had made captain of the football team and Steven had gotten a promotion at his work. While James' mother was starting her own home jewelry business, Charlotte's mum was looking for a hobby to pick up. When they partnered up, it was like destiny. The both of them were like two peas in a pod and it made the two young adults happy their families got on so well.

After dinner was done, everyone helped to clean the dishes as well as the table. As cliche as it is, Charlotte and James got stuck with doing dishes. As it must, a soap fight ensued and the both of them ended up sopping wet. With a laugh, the mother's sent their children upstairs to get changed. James borrowed Max's clothes and Charlotte took out the clothing she had left behind.

Soon enough, the two disappeared to the backyard. The only light to illuminate the dark was the soft glow from the living room; shadows of laughter and conversation could be seen through the white curtains. Charlotte took James' hand and led him towards their secret hiding place. It was still there, after all this time. Just waiting for them to return.

The ladder up to the treehouse was as stable as the last time they had ventured up there. The little tree house had been their place for as long as the two could remember. A big pile of blankets sat in the corner of the wooden room, just as they had left it. James lit up the oil lamp from god knows how long ago and the room erupted in a soft glow.

Charlotte had wordlessly began to unfold the blankets from their undisturbed state and laid them across the floor. Falling down across them, she waited for him to fall next to her, like they had done so many times before. He was there in an instant.

Taking the plunge, he wrapped his arms around her. With a sigh of relief on his part, she snuggled her way into his arms, breathing him in. They laid like that for what felt like hours. Long enough for the chatter from their parents to disappear; long enough for the lamp to run out of fuel and long enough for each to commit the moment to memory.

"Thanks again, James," she said into the darkness, knowing he was right beside her, "For everything."

"I didn't do much, love," he whispered into her ear, feeling his breath hit her neck, "It was all you. You fought through it. I'm so proud of you."

"It's because I met you again," she said again, needing him to understand how much he'd done for her, "Even if you did hate me for the better part of two years; you didn't give up on me."

"I'd never give up on you," he told her, smiling to himself, just for the fact that he had her back in his arms, "I promise you that, Char. For the rest of my life."