Rebels → F.W

21

Again, it had been a very long day at Charlotte's work, and she got home slightly late. Again. She collapsed on the sofa for a few seconds before realising how silent the flat was, and got up, starting to look for Fred. After all, he should have been home before her. 

However, looking for him did nothing for Charlotte's peace of mind, and she immediately went into a state of panic when she discovered he wasn't around. As she didn't really have a way of contacting him (although after this, Charlotte was definitely going to get them the device Muggles called phones), she sat back down on the sofa, deciding to wait to see if he'd come home. Hours passed (or felt like it, anyway) until he came back home, looking as tired as Charlotte felt. He let out a winded gasp as Charlotte threw herself at him, breathing a sigh of relief. 
"Where were you?" she asked. "You came home later than me. You never come home later than me! Do you even know how worried I got?" 
"For your information, I stayed late at the shop. George and I had come up with a new invention. And now you know how it feels," Fred explained. Although he sounded calm, Charlotte could tell he was slowly getting riled up. 
"What, to not know whether or not you're dead?" Charlotte asked sarcastically. "With no note? Do you even know how much danger you're in every day, just from being with me? How about we start with my job, or my parents, or-" 
"Yes, that's exactly it! You go out every day to that damn job of yours, where you could get killed at any moment, or where your family could come for you at any moment to kill you or hurt you! It was not long ago, Charlotte, your brother came here to kill you!" Fred yelled. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "And do you know how hard it is to think- no, to know- that I can't even do much to protect you? That there is little I can do?" 
"I have the training! You don't! And at least my workplace has top security measures; your shop has next to none! And if you were attacked there, I'd have no way of knowing until the day was over! Or what if your family got hurt? I couldn't see you in that pain, especially knowing it could be my fault! I have nightmares about you getting killed and hurt, and thing is, Fred, I don't know what I'd do without you!" 
"Oh, and you don't think I do, either? You don't think I worry, from the moment you leave the flat, and every second we are away from each other, until you're back, next to my side? Don't you think I worry even when you're in my sight? You don't think it would hurt me either if you were murdered?" They were no longer hugging but instead facing each other. Fred stormed pass her without saying a word. Charlotte stood there for a moment, just registering their fight before she shook her head. Before she could make any harsh decisions, though, her work phone went off. She checked who it was before picking it up. 
"Malfoy. What is it, Connor?" she asked. 
"Well, you know how Jim and I call each other every night, right? Well, you might not but-" 
"Get to the point, Connor!" 
"His car crashed. I sent the address to your phone. Big Boss wants you there asap," he informed her. 
"I'm on my way, then," she told him. Charlotte took a second to grab her coat, write a note and apparate away. 

"That's his car. There," Rian pointed. James' car was in a ditch. It was too dark to see if he was inside. 
"Is he in the car?" she asked, voice her thoughts. Rian only shrugged. A few seconds later, Charlotte was skidding down the path. A few seconds later, she shouted back up. 
"He's not in the car!" she yelled, confirming their worst fears.