Charlie's Devil

6 - "Wounds of the heart are slower to heal."

We didn't go to the gala.

I tried and I tried to convince Frazier to go without me, even telling him that I'd send him back to Langley if he didn't follow instructions, but he was adamant on his answer of...well, no.

Right now, he was crouched before me, eyebrow downwards in worry, with my wrist between his fingers, slowly cleaning off the dried blood.

He was muttering in Italian again. I realised he did that when he was stressed.

"You got hurt, Charlie," he mumbled, his fingers softly, ever so softly grazing over the gaping section in my wrist that did not look very pretty. "Your CIA told me you wouldn't get hurt."

"It's okay, Frazier it's part of my job-"

"FUCK YOUR JOB!" He suddenly exploded, his grey eyes angry as hell. I gulped slightly, feeling his fingers subconsciously tighten around my wrist. I realised then that it was the first time he'd sworn in front of me. I'd never seen him so...disorientated. He took a deep breath in through his nose and closed his eyes, before opening them, running a hand through his hair, and returning to wrapping a gauze around my wrist.

"Hey," I breathed out, using my good hand to gently put against his cheek. He leaned his face into my palm and I licked my lips, consciously allowing myself this moment, just this once. "I'm okay, Frazier. Just calm down."

He tightly closed his eyes and I felt his breathing turn ragged. When he opened his eyes again, they were darker than before. "Charlie, how many times do I have to tell you?" He asked, quiet and dangerous. I tensed. "Your life holds more value to me than my own."

"Jesus, Bennett, I haven't died-"

"Let. Me. Finish." He growled. I gulped, licking my lips. "This-" he held up my wrist. "-may seem insignificant to you, it may seem like part of the job for you. But for me, a drop of your blood has the same worth as every river in heaven itself. If ever you are hurt... I can't describe it to you, Charlie, for I can not describe it to myself." He leaned up slightly, still crouching but raised enough to lean his forehead on mine. "You are my world, Charlie: you are my heaven, and you are my hell. I can not let this happen again. Selfish as it may be, Charlie, a world without you, is a world I do not classify as worthy to live in."

I gulped and closed my eyes, feeling them get warm. Why do you let him get to you Charlotte? Remember who he is. Please, for the love of god, remember who he is.

When I opened them again, they were blank of emotion, as they should have been. He silently got back to work.

A few minutes later, I spoke. "Where did you go?" I asked quietly, afraid of showing him... showing myself, even, of the emotion coursing through my body.

"Benny," he said, equally as quiet. "I went to see Benny."

A smile subconsciously came to my face. "How is he?" I asked, voice a mutter. He breathed out a laugh.

"Benjamin is still Benny." He explained and I understood right away, scoffing out a laugh of my own. "He- er- he was asking about you."

I raised an eyebrow. "He was?"

"Yeah, he wanted to know how you were feeling after-"

He was cut off by the ringing of my phone. I gave him a silent look when he glared at it and, after swiping, bought it to my ear.

"Charlotte, Jesus, please tell me you're okay." It was Dan. My expressions immediately relaxed and changed. Frazier noticed that, but silently finished the gauze he was wrapping.

"I'm okay, Danny." I said, smiling and leaning my head into the side of the phone. "I'm just glad you told me those people were there. I'd probably be six feet under by now if you-" I didn't finish that sentence upon seeing Frazier clench his jaw and stand before silently going to sit on the couch opposite me.