traumatized minds, luke hemmings

are those hickeys?

Charlie slowly opened her eyes to see an unfamiliar bedroom around her. She kicked the blanket off and knitted her eyebrows together as she looked around.

But then, she remembered.

"Oh no," she rubbed her face gently after she looked around and exhaled.

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened and it startled Charlie, causing her dad to pause. "Good morning, Charlie. It's me." He pushed open the door further. "I brought you a hot drink."

Charlie watched carefully and nodded. "Thanks." She said as she took the cup from her father. "Sorry about last night, you didn't have to help."

Oliver shook his head. "It's no big deal." He said, "I'd save you anyday."

Charlie took a sip of her drink to ignore the statement her dad said.

"I got the number of your doctor, and he'll be here once I inform him you've woken up." Oliver informed her, "I brought you some clothes from Mary's closet. We were gonna donate them, but they'd fit you better."

Charlie once again nodded. "Thank you." She hugged her knees.

"Yeah." Oliver nodded, "By the way, I hope you don't mind, but Mary's twin girls are downstairs excited to meet their big sister. They're two, and twins."

Charlie's eyes widened slightly. "Right. I'll be down in five minutes."

"Alright, see you in five then." Oliver said, backing out of the guest room and closing the door behind his exit.

After Charlie was in the clear, she put her head in her hands again and exhaled. What a day, she thought.

A few minutes later, she got up and went in front of the mirror residing in the guest room and examined how bad her body was from the previous night. She noticed hickeys lining her shoulders and collarbone, along with her right jaw.

"Fuck," She whispered, tugging the collar of her t-shirt down to examine how bad it really was. Hickeys lined her lower chest and her cleavage.

"Thank you, Beck." She pursed her lips and let go of her shift collar. Quickly, she changed into the leggings and t-shirt Oliver had brought her and walked down to the kitchen area where her step-sisters awaited.

Mary waited at the end of the staircase, and smiled when she saw Charlie. "Goodmorning, sleepy-head."

"Morning." Charlie greeted her.

"I have some breakfast and Tylenol for you when you're ready. It's on the kitchen island," Mary said, leading Charlie to the kitchen. Charlie sat down on the end stool, about to chow down when she felt a hand on her knee.

Shocked, she looked down to see a very small two-year old with brown hair and a toothy smile. "Hisie!" she shouted. "Are you Charlie? I'm Alana!"

Charlie's cheeks flushed. "Yes, I am." she nodded. "It's nice to meet you Alana."

"Thanksies!" She cheered, pulling another little two-year old into Charlie's eye view and smiled. "This is Elena! We're twins."

"Hello Elena, I'm Charlie. Or Charlotte. Whichever one you'd like," Charlie smiled.

"Can we call you Lotte?"

Suddenly, Charlie remembered a man from her past. A man with black hair and brown eyes who cared for her. Aiden.

Before she could think more on Aiden, the doorbell rang.

Her eyes widened and she glanced at Mary, who was also looking at the front door.

Footsteps ascended down the staircase and Oliver chuckled, "It's your doctors!" He shouted, opening the door. "Hello doctors! Come in, I'm Charlie's father."

"You're Charlie's dad?" Michael asked.

"Yes," Oliver chuckled nervously. "Charlie, why don't you go grab your things from upstairs while I meet your doctors?"

Charlie didn't need to be told twice. She ran right up the staircase and into the guest room, ignoring the angry glare from a certain blonde doctor. Charlie gathered her things and shamefully walked back down the stairs.

Charlie made eye contact with Oliver who smiled nervously and mouthed, "I am so sorry." Which alarmed Charlie.

"Charlie." Luke stated firmly.

"Hello . . ." Charlie chuckled, scratching the back of her neck.

"You look rough." Luke commented, "Where the hell were you! We were worried sick—" He paused. "ARE THOSE HICKEYS?"

Charlie paused. "Well, that's our cue to go." She laughed nervously, turning to her father. Charlie hugged Oliver, who took it by surprise and hugged her back, and she hugged Mary and the twins.

"We're going to miss you, Lotte!" Alana said loudly, hugging Charlie's leg and Elena tugging on Charlie's shirt.

"I'll miss you too as well." She kneeled down. "I'll see you soon." She booped the two girl's noses, which caused them both to laugh.

Charlie walked out of the house with Ashton next to her and sent her relieved smiles. She slid into the backseat and as they drove away, Michael spoke.

"Was that really your dad?" He asked.

Charlie expected a bunch of angry shouts but this was better. "Yes, that was." She nodded.

"How did he find you?" Calum asked.

Charlie shrugged. "Just kind of bumped into each other, I guess."

[]

"You were with who?!" Vincent shouted, nearly falling out of his bed— which alarmed the guys. "How? When? Why?"

"He just found me." Charlie rubbed her left arm and looked down at the floor.

"Why did you go with him?" Vincent shouted. "I told you never to speak to him again."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Charlie said, "He wasn't bad. He has a wife, and she has two kids–"

"Wife? Kids? I thought he was—"

Charlie interrupted his sentence, knowing if what he really was got out, it would be bad for her.
"—Gas station worker? No!" She laughed nervously, nodding her head toward the 4 guys behind her. "Not anymore."

"Are you hurt?"

"No." Charlie shook her head. "He helped me."

"Fine." Vincent leaned back. "He's out of our lives now. A new subject, I'm getting released today."

Charlie widened her eyes and didn't expect this. "You are?"

"Yep!" He exclaimed. "We're getting an uber and going home. I've got your packed bags next to me so that we can go straight home. I'll be better."

Charlie swallowed and nodded.

Another doctor began to walk in, and froze when she saw them. "Oh! Hello Dr. Hemmings, Irwin, Hood and Clifford. I'm sorry, I'm just giving Mr. Abbot here his discharge papers. Can I help you?"

"No, I'm just taking Charlie—" Luke paused to put a hand on her shoulder. "To get a quick check up."