The Outbreak (The Nursery Nurse)

Four

It had been a couple of days.

Charlotte was laying alone, wide awake in bed listening to Rodger's screams as they echoed the house filled with tension.

They certainly weren't going easy on him.

She tossed and turned trying to drown the noise but couldn't. She didn't feel sorry for him, not one bit. And it terrified her a little.

She had watched the way Rodger had influenced his children's and her girlfriend's life.

The way it shaped Autumn's cold persona and Reece's inability to express emotion.

How it resulted to Reece's emotions being buried and how Autumn took his temper.

How Mia yearned for her father. The amount of times she had held her and it reminded her of a young child, damaged and vulnerable. Always looking for answers.

Charlottes own children flooded her mind and she choked back a sob. She quickly got up and started her routine of pacing the house.

She was on her third lap when Marjorie called her name.

She turned to see the woman staring at her from across the hall expecting a rude remark about her babysitting nightmare.

But Marjorie's expression threw her off guard, she looked as though she'd been crying.

Charlotte was quick to get to her. "Marjorie what's wrong?" She asked putting a hand on her arm.

Marjorie shut her eyes and inhaled deeply. "It's Autumn, we can't find her, Winters gone to look for her but it's been hours." Her voice was slow and trembled slightly.

Charlotte wasn't surprised at her disappearance, she understood why Autumn would want to leave at this time. She tried to think on her feet, keeping her worry at bay as not to push her friend over the edge.

"I can go and look for her if you'd like, she can't of gone far, If anyone can find her it's Winter but if you're worried about the both of them I'll put your mind at ease." She concluded.

Marjorie inhaled deeply, debating it.

"Before you say no, I'll be completely safe, I can look out for myself, I won't go into any possible danger zones." Charlotte pressed.

"Okay, okay my love but take Mia with you." Marjorie pleaded.

Charlotte sighed and took Marjorie's hand, "Mia needs closure from Rodger, she needs to be here, not only for herself but for Reece, I know we don't like it but they have a bond, they understand each other in a way that we cannot understand." She sighed sadly but smiled.

"I'll never forgive myself if something happens." Marjorie choked.

"Hey, it'll be okay, I've survived this long for a reason, you can't get rid of me that easily, if I can't find them within an hour I'll be back okay?" She reassured.

"Okay." Marjorie sighed pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Just promise me you won't tell Mia or Reece I've left, Mia will want to be with me and Reece will loose his mind not knowing if his sister is safe, they have enough to deal with here okay?" She pleaded softly.

Marjorie pulled her back before nodding. "Okay, I promise, please be careful."

"I always am." She smiled.

-

"Just like that sweetheart." Mia grinned watching as Jodie aimed her arrow and shot it, it landed firmly in Rodger's arm.

Rodger cried out in pain, his voice hoarse.

"I missed!" Jodie sulked looking down at her feet.

Reece was sat on the staircase watching the interaction unfold. He never felt happier, his father was finally suffering. Slowly and painfully.