The Nursery Nurse ONE SHOTS! - Relationships!

Chartumn? - An Unexpected Duo

A/N: Reader request for a Char and Autumn ship! I struggled with this one as I do not 100% see them together, but Autumn and Mia are so alike it makes sense on some level! In this version, Winter never started at the nursery, and Mia hasn't returned from her travels at all. However, the 'Fallout' still occurs between Marj and Char...Enjoy! I'll gladly take more requests!

Autumn sat in her desk chair, watching the clock tick by, waiting for lunch. She just wanted to get away from Marjorie, annoying her per usual as she tends to do. Marjorie recently got into an argument with Charlotte over her behavior at the office, which was an unlikely spat as these two rarely disagree with one another, and Marjorie was throwing attitude in every direction. Normally Autumn spent her lunch break at her desk, her comfort zone, knowing people couldn't bother her and she could be alone - silence - just how she liked it. However, she craved an escape. 

Finally, the clock turned 12, and it was time for Autumn to go on lunch. Without saying anything to Marjorie, the deputy stood from her desk, grabbed her water bottle, and headed for the staff room. When she entered the lunch room she saw her coworker, Charlotte sitting at a table, by herself, scrolling through what she assumed was social media. Charlotte was normally the happiest and most understanding person in the office, always welcomed to conversation or friendly chit-chat. However, since the fight with Marjorie, Charlotte has been reserved, sitting by herself, ignoring others, and staying quiet. Autumn felt maybe this was a good time to check in on the girl. Knowing that personal topics of conversation were not normally her thing, Autumn felt uncomfortable doing this. Still, worst comes to worst, Char could go off on her, and Autumn would have an opportunity to let the 'guard dog' out - her other personality which 99.99% of the time brought people to their knees.

Autumn approached the table, "Charlotte..." she said, coldly, nothing out of the norm from her usual tone.

"Oh, hello Autumn, do you need something?" She responded, her voice quiet, soft.

"No." She stated, "I needed a change of scenery from Marj-" she paused, hesitating at the look of sadness flashing over Charlotte's eyes as she mentioned her once best friend and manager, "from the office. My computer was giving me a headache." She lied. Hoping she deflected the conversation enough.

Charlotte pulled the tears back in under her eyes, hoping Autumn didn't notice, "I see. Well, I'm just about done if you want some space." She offered.

"No!" Autumn, quicker than she would have liked to admit, shouted in her direction, feeling as though she wanted to reach out and grab the girl's hand, holding her back from running off. Her tone as she spoke jumped an octave or two, a sense of urgency in her voice. Autumn felt a blush come to her cheeks as her 'no' pleaded for Charlotte to stay. Char looked up at her confused.

"Autumn is there something you wish to say?" She said? Her tone more curious than before.

"No. Charlotte. I just wanted to check in with you. See how you were doing." The cold tone returning, her scowl (what most would consider her normal facial expression), painted on her porcelain skin, and her arms crossed over her chest.

As Charlotte thought of a response, she couldn't help but admire the beauty of the deputy. Her soft red-tinted hair draped over her shoulder, cascading slightly as it wraps around her neck on one side. Her lips pushed tightly shut, and her eyes remaining focused deep at the brunette, feeling the icy chill of her signature stare, many would know as her "voo-doo mind trick." 

"Autumn would you want to get drinks sometime?" She asked? not answering the original question, but feeling as though she wanted to talk about something more with her, outside of the walls. Outside of the world that surrounds her following her divorce from her husband, her fight with Marjorie on her behaviors with the parents, the stress of solo parenting, and the world fo the nursery.