just let me do it

"Charlie, stop harassing me! I can do it!"

Charlie eyed her skeptically, sighing heavily. She avoided his eyes, instead intently directing her focus to the task at hand.

"I don't need your goddamn help, alright?" She hissed through gritted teeth, her death grip on the railings tightening.

She hobbled down the first step painfully slow before having to stop and breathe. Placing a tentative hand on her lower back, she stretched up to look at the sky.

"I hate this."

Charlie rolled his eyes and groaned loud enough for the whole hospital to hear, but a small twinge of concern twisting in his gut betrayed his animosity.

"Dee, you just popped out like, a whole baby. Will you relax a little?"

He moved to help her before she suddenly locked eyes with him, a furious rage burning beneath her tired eyes causing him to stop dead in his tracks.

"For the last goddamn time, no."

They stared for a few seconds before Charlie backed down and shook his head. He was going out of his way, you know? I mean sure if he didn't go home with Dee she'd have to get a cab, and that'd be quite risky given her... current state. Not that he gave a shit, but whatever. He scoffed and turned on his heel, continuing alone.

She looked ahead determined before noticing what was ahead. There were at least twenty more steps down towards the street where her car was parked. If she hadn't have been such a stingey bitch and just payed for the parking lot she wouldn't be currently feeling the instant need to either scream bloody murder or burst into tears. Fuck feeling this weak. Fuck babies.

Charlie was already half way down the concret steps, cursing furiously under his breath. He knew this baby thing would be annoying. He knew he should have been more careful about which straw to choose to decide on who took Dee home. God damn Dennis and his god damn straws.

A muffled sound he almost missed caused him to stop in his tracks. He almost didn't turn around, ready to let Dee enjoy her chance to be dramatic alone as payback for making him come here in the first place. But curiosity got the better of him, and he glanced over his shoulder.

Dee was bent over, clutching her stomach worryingly while her face was screwed tight in pain.

A panicked jolt shot through his chest and he bolted up to join her in a second, quickly finding her hand and squeezing it tight.

"Woah woah, you okay?" She breathed slowly, regaining her composure as she leant against the railing, eyes still shut tight.

"A human being just dropped out of my vagina, Charlie. It's not exactly painless."

He gave her a sarcastic smile.
He wasn't about to admit he was only being a dick because he was worried. In a way he didn't feel like he had to, as Dee's biting pessimism was accompanied only by her hand gripping his tighter.

He swallowed nervously as he waited, but she didn't move.

She could feel the railing imprinting on her fucking forhead but she couldn't move, couldn't even think about moving without giving her sudden onset of nausea and back pain the satisfaction of crippling her.

Charlie must have noticed as an idea sparked in his head. He wordlessly positioned himself so that one arm was around her waist and another travelled down her leg. Dee nearly kicked him so hard in the balls that the experience of having children would be eternally limited to just one of them, before he looked her in the eyes earnestly.

"Just let me do it."

Dee didn't know if it was the exhaustion, assuredness, or seemingly genuine concern in his voice that made her gaze soften and shoulders relax, but it did. She relented, and wound her thin arms around Charlie's neck as he hoisted her up fireman style.

"Jesus Dee, you weigh like, nothing. You really are a bird."

Instead of her usual retaliation, she opted to say nothing. She was so tired, tired of the whole past nine months of hell she'd been through, tired of the gang's treatment of her, tired of always having to hold herself up alone (metaphorically and literally).

So instead, she dropped her head onto Charlie's shoulder. It was partly out of exhaustion and partly to hide her reddening cheeks at the embarrassment of the current situation.

"Thank you." She whispered into his neck. She could already feel sleep taking over her, struggling to hold on.

He held her securely, tucking her closer to his chest.

"Whatever."

If at her words Charlie's step had hesitated for a split second, or his breath hitched, they both pretended not to notice.