(Char's POV)
I wake up in Mia's bed almost forgetting that I stayed the night at her house. I turn over and smile as I see her fast asleep. Trying not to disturb her, I pick up my phone from the bedside table and start looking through my messages when all of a sudden I hear sniffling. Thinking it must be Mia's allergies, I grab a tissue box ready to offer her one when I notice small water stains on the pillow next to her. "Mia," I say softly. "Is everything ok my sweet?" She starts shaking and sniffing even more and I see more droplets from on her pillow and it's clear that she's crying. I'd never seen Mia cry before and it breaks my heart to see her like this.
"What's wrong?" I ask rubbing her back gently. "Nothing," she sniffs. "Mia sweetheart it really doesn't look like nothing you can talk to me," I say moving her hair out of her face. She turns around slowly, her beautiful eyes looking even bluer filled with tears. "Everything," she sniffs before her eyes start pouring out. "Come here,"
I say softly. She wraps her arms around me tight and I rub her back gently. I can feel her body shaking and the tears running down my shoulder. I hold her there for a few moments as she finds her breath again and her body starts to relax. "It's all ok I'm here," I say. "I'm always here. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to I can just hold you as long as you need."
Mia slowly releases herself from the hug and wipes her eyes dry. "It's just," she sniffs. "I can't stop thinking about it all. About my dad and Rodger and how I treated Reece and Aut and how awful I was to Carly. I know it was ages ago it just... it hits me sometimes." I wrap one arms around her back gently. "Mia sweetheart listen to me. What happened with Rodger was not your fault ok? And yes it's going to take a while for them to forgive you but you're not a horrible person, ok? You have a heart of gold and it's one of the things I love most about you." "I know," Mia sniffs. "I don't even know why I'm crying like this now I'm so sorry I..." "Please don't apologise sweetheart," I say cutting her off. "It's a lot for one person to go through it's ok to be upset sometimes. Because no matter how long ago something was it can sometimes still hurt as if it was only yesterday. I'm proud of you, ok?" Mia takes a deep breath to compose herself. "I love you much," She says softly as she wipes her tears once more.
I move myself closer and hold the end of the silver heart necklace Mia has around her neck and kiss it gently like she did with mine. "Here, now if you ever need me and I'm not around I'm there ok?" I say releasing my hands from the necklace. Mia smiles, holding it tightly before pulling me back in for another hug. "No one has ever held me like that when I've cried before," she says. "Well that's never gonna be the case ever again you've always got me," I say stroking her hair gently. I feel her start to cry once more, her body shaking slightly and her breathing speeding up as she does. I rock her gently and rub my hand down her back. Her breathing starts to slow back down as I do. "That's it breath," I say softly. "Would you like me to get you a coffee?" I say as I notice her stop sniffling. "Yes please," She says.
I unwrap my arms and go downstairs to Mia's kitchen hoping I can remember how her coffee machine works. I eventually remember and get us both a mug and make her a black coffee and myself a latte. I also make her a toast with marmite, her favourite breakfast, before coming back upstairs. "I've got you your coffee and toast," I say. Mia sits up against the pillow as I hand her breakfast. "You're the best," she says as I sit next to her.
"Do you know you always say I'm braver than I make myself out to be but has anyone ever said that to you?" I ask. "No," Mia says biting into her toast. "Well they really should have because you are so very brave and you don't give yourself enough credit for that," I say. "No one's ever called me brave," Mia says. "A wench? A witch? A coward? I've heard plenty of those." "Sweetheart you are the opposite to a coward. You've just let yourself be vulnerable around someone and opened yourself up to me that's the bravest thing a person can do," I say wrapping my arm around her. "They might see a wench and a coward but what I see is an incredibly kind, brave and caring woman with so much love to give."
