Not what I thought

Hiding

Charlotte's POV

It was a nice morning. The rain had finally subsided, the air was crisp and the sunlight projected through the few remaining clouds. I couldn't sleep again.

I assumed my spot on the couch staring out the window. Footsteps jolt me from my relaxed state.

"What is it with you are being awake so early?"

"Trust me. There were mornings where I refused to be awake before ten. I don't know what's going on."

The room was dimly lit by the rising sun but it was just enough to make out his features. His eyes despite looking tired, stare straight through me.

"You ok? You look more tired than me."

"I'm fine."

I turn back to the window. The clouds change so quickly. I fully expected Xavier to go into the kitchen but he threw his body down next to me on the couch with a moan.

"I lied. I'm tired."

I stare at his body, half hanging off the couch, with a grin.

"Why are you so tired?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Why couldn't you sleep?"

"Thoughts kept me up."

"What kind of thoughts?"

"You ask a lot of questions don't you? Messed up thoughts. You'd think I'm crazy if you read my thoughts."

His voice is groggy and hard to hear with his face buried in the couch.

He lifts himself off the ground that he has slowly melted onto and sit next to me on the couch with his eyes closed and head back.

"Dad said he had to talk to you tonight once he gets home. Something about you working and him needing your help with something. I was half asleep when he told me."

"What time is he home tonight?"

"Five or six. Later depending if he gets leads on anything. He didn't come home for over a week after he cracked a case. Paid off though. He got promoted and a big new pay check."

"Sounds good."

We sit in silence. I continue to watch the sky change and I'm pretty sure Xavier goes back to sleep for a while.

The doorbell rings. Xavier shoots up and wipes his eyes before walking to the door.

I sit quietly waiting to hear who it is. He tiptoes back to me and grabs me by the wrist.

"You go into my room, hide in the bathroom. No matter what you hear you do not move. Don't make a noise. Go now. Be quiet."

There was an urgency in his voice and a stern look across his face. He sounded just like Alastair when he called me. I knew he wasn't messing around. I crept across the floor, up the stairs, into his room and hid in the bathroom. I shut the door and sit against it, hugging my knees.

This feels like a repeat of hiding in my cupboard. My heart beating loud enough for me to hear it racing through my body. I don't know if all the rooms are soundproof because I can't hear a thing. I wouldn't say I scared but I would say I'm concerned.

I want to get out of here. I have no idea what's going on. In the distance I can hear shouting and arguing. Then a crash and some grunts. I stand up and back myself on the wall opposite the door.

Footsteps pound up the stairs and grow closer and closer. My fear suddenly is replaced with calm. I have no explanation for why this may be happening. There could be someone
on the other side of the door with a gun. I could die and I'm calm. No idea.

The door swings open and Xavier appears on the other side. A large, dripping cut sits across his shoulder. His shirt is torn raggedly along the cut. His face displays pain and urgency again. He charges at me grabbing my wrist again, dragging me behind him.

"Come."

I stay close to him as we go into what I believe is Alastair's room.

"Sh..shut the door."

I lock it. Xavier disappears into a smaller room off the main bedroom and crouches down next to a metal safe, his hands shaking and and covered in blood.

He turns the combination, mumbling and unable to do it.

"I'll do it. What's the code?"

I crouch down next to him and place my hand on his. He stares at me.

"16-24-1-39"

I turn the combination back and forth till it clicks and opens.

There's a procession of pounding of fists at the door. I stare at the door waiting for someone to come through it. Xavier grabs me, a hand wrapped around my waist and pulls me away and into a small room, part of the cupboard, shutting and locking the deadbolt behind him.

The only things in this room are a small table, a blanket and a phone on the wall.

Xavier drops a pistol on the table and collapses next to it, hand over his wound. His grey shirt is now stained with a large streak of blood. His hand tightly gripping the wound.

The blanket looks old and is tattered. A very convenient rip sits along one of the edges. I rip it further into smaller strips and take them over to Xavier.

"Let me see."

"If I let go, it's going to pour out."

"Take your shirt off and I'll help you stop it bleeding."

"You do it."

He manages a slight smile. I grip the bottom of his shirt and prize it off his body and over his head. His stomach is perfectly sculpted with strong muscles. His abs and v-line stretch with his quivering breaths.

"Take your hand away for a second."

"You sure?"

"Trust me."

He looks into my eyes as I move his hand aside.

"What happened?"

"Glass happened."

"It's cut the vein. We need to get you to hospital. This is going to need heaps of stitches."

"How do you know all of this?"

"My aunty's been a nurse for over 30 years and gory stuff is kinda my thing."

He manages another forced smile. I take one of the strips and fold it across the wound, a second one I tie around his arm to apply pressure.

He winces as I tighten it.

"I can loosen it if you want me to."

"Nah. It'll be ok."

The constant drip has stopped, for now at least.

"Thank you."

"Stay alive otherwise all my hard work will be for nothing."

Xavier laughs, it hurts him, but he laughs.

"I'll pay you back someday."

"You better."

I smile back at him.