Corrode - [Charles Leclerc]

𝙌𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖

A/N: You didn't forget about Francesca yet, did you? ;)

Joanne looked down at her hand that was resting on the armrest of the leather seat. They were flying back to Monte Carlo this evening and as the golden sunlight shone through the small windows of Charles' jet, lighting up the sparkling diamond ring around her finger, she couldn't do anything else but think back of that amazing evening a week and some days ago, on the yacht, where Charles asked her to marry him. She thought back of the time when she was a single mother, only Liam was important in her life, and her job and it was basically the same day in day out. Francesca had adviced her to start dating again, but there was never more than just a drink with the men she had been out with. A year ago, she had never imagined herself ever getting married and now she was here with her fiancé and the sweetest boys of her life and she couldn't wait till their little girl would be born. Charles' hand moved to rest on her knee, causing her to look up at him. "Penny for your thoughts?". He asked, a gentle smile on his lips. "Just thinking of us". Joanne replied. Charles looked into her eyes, happy that she was happy. His eyes closed briefly when she caressed his cheek.

"We're going back into the normal life tomorrow". Charles softly said, his eyebrows furrowing together. "Will you manage it?". He asked. "I'm going back to work". He followed up. Joanne nodded. "I'll be fine. Marcus and Mick have always been guarding me". She added, making him nod and hum in response. "The boys will go back to school in the new year. I don't want them to associate school with the terrible scare they have over come". Charles said, briefly looking over at the boys who were behind them, playing with the playstation on the jet. "I don't want them to miss any necessary education. If needed, I'll homeschool them". Joanne said, making him smile again. "And I don't want you to over work yourself. You're nearly five months in, mon amour". He reminded her and she let out a playful sigh. "You know what, let's see when we're home". Joanne said and Charles contently grinned at her. "Whatever we will find on our paths, I'm sure we will overcome it. Spending these weeks in Amalfi with you has been amazing, Charles". Joanne spoke up again. "I'm happy you say that. I loved this time we had together too". Charles said, leaning forward to kiss her lips.

"An hour more and we'll be home, quietly back into our own beds". He continued, resting his head against the seat and his eyes fluttered closed, making her chuckle. "Peaceful". She added, causing his lips to curl upwards, but he didn't say anything.

As if Charles predicted it quietly in his nap on the plane, their return to the mansion in Monte Carlo was everything except peaceful. They barely got out of the car or Mick stormed out of the house and up to them. "Mr. Leclerc, there's a woman in the house and she refuses to leave!". His eyes were wide and he clearly didn't know how to solve the situation. "Calm down, Mick. Did she say who she was?". Joanne asked and the guard turned to her. "She said she needed to come in and speak to you, Joanne, else she would go, and I cite, 'bad shit crazy'". Charles looked at him as if he had turned crazy and they both frowned at Joanne when she started to laugh. "I think I know who she is". She said, moving past the men and passing the threshold to go inside. "Love, wait". Charles was quick to follow her, holding her wrist to pull her back as he drew his gun from the back of his slacks. "Oh, is he really?". The shrill voice of the Italian echoed nearly through the house. "Charles, put it down. It's Francesca". Charles relaxed a little and slowly let his gun down, stopping it from pointing it at her. "I was about to tell that hot piece of a snack that he shouldn't point his gun at a lady, but glad you got the control, Jo". Francesca stood up from her chair.

Joanne laughed, she could easily imagine how the Italian had barged in, demanded to Mick to speak to her and then made herself comfortable in one of the seat at the kitchen table, not really bothered by anyone who wanted her out. Joanne approached her, Francesca's arms tightly curled around her for a hug and she gasped loudly. "Oh my god". Francesca whispered, her hands slowly coming down to Joanne's baby bump. "You have grown so much". She said. "Let's not talk about me now, Fran". Joanne said, frowning at her friend when she looked at her face, one of her eyes looking black and blue. "Did you turn your phone off for about a month?". Joanne asked, both of them sitting down at the table. "Charles, please, sit. You're making me nervous". Francesca told Charles, who rose his eyebrows at the woman before sitting down next to Joanne. "It's been a difficult time". Francesca started. "Let's start from the moment where I texted you that you needed to get out of the school". Joanne nodded, taking a deep breath as it was a moment she wished to forget.

"I was at the airport of Rome at that moment, I was busy to get out of Italy and fly somewhere Gabriel couldn't find me easily. He got mad at me when I protested against his plans and I didn't want him to...". Francesca swallowed hard. "I didn't want to become a person he wanted to get rid of. So I packed my stuff and left after he had taken off to get to the school. His guards didn't catch my climbing out of the window. I threw my phone away in case he could track me, so that's somewhere in a bin on Fiumicino airport". She let out a soft chuckle. "I went to take cover in Paris, I have an old friend there and spent time in an hotel while trying to find a way to get back to you and to make sure Gabriel didn't find out where my ex-husband and my kids are". Celia had meanwhile put a glass of water in front of her and her fingers were slightly shaky when she took a hold of the glass to take a couple sips. "I got back at my apartment in Milan five days ago. When I went out for groceries this morning, I came back to find my place completely thrashed, they were still there and they beat me up, but I managed to run off and I just jumped into my car and drove here". Fracesca explained.

"But Gabriel is dead". Charles spoke up. "Why would they go after you?". He asked. "I don't know". Francesca replied. "And I didn't want to bring trouble here, but you were the first one I decided to go to, the place where I might be safe". Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes. "That's okay, Fran". Joanne nodded, her tone soft. "It looks like you need some rest. You can stay in one of our guestrooms until it's safe and comfortable enough for you to go back to Milan, alright?". She asked and Francesca nodded. "Thank you". She muttered, the strong posture she carried earlier had faded out completely. "Celia, help Francesca to the bathroom and her room for the upcoming nights, please". Celia nodded and walked away from the kitchen with Francesca. Charles stood up roughly, the chair's legs scraping over the floor. "What if she led Gabriel's crew right to us?". Charles said right away, his hand moving through his hair and his palm briefly moved over his face. "We went away to have rest and come back to pick up the normal life, Joanne". He said, making Joanne stand up too.

"This is your normal life, Charles". She said, her eyes had taken a hard look in them as her expressions were serious. "This is part of the mafia world we live in and we can only accept it and conquer it". Joanne continued. "She has to get out". Charles gritted. "Gabriel declared war and his soldiers are now coming to finish it. It's because she came here!". His voice rose, but Joanne didn't step back or even flinch at the loud volume. "And you knew that this could happen! You knew from the moment we stepped into that plane to have a holiday together that this could happen. Don't you dare blame this on her. She is the person who tried to goddamn help me in the school that day. La brise de la mer stepped into his war as soon as you accepted his invitation to come and save me and the kids. You're part of this now too and we can't walk away from it!". It was quiet for a moment when Joanne finished, causing some of the guards from the hallway to look over at them and see if they were alright. "Get out". Charles growled at them from over his shoulder and they hurried to get back to their posts.

"I fucking hate it how you're right". He snarled, but it didn't bother her as the tone was more directed to himself than to her. "This war is mine now". Charles towered over her and they were glaring at each other. "And while I'm going out to end it, you are going to the safehouse with the kids, with Francesca, Mick, Marcus and Pierre. You do as I say and when you're there, you do as they say. I don't care if you think I'm an asshole, but I want you to obey what I'm asking from you right now". His nostrils flared and Joanne could see that his eyes had turned watery from worry and anger. "No one lays a hand on you or the kids. Especially not while you're carrying my child". She could feel his hot breath on her face and she hadn't felt intimidated by him yet, but the way his eyes had darkened now caused a shiver to run up her spine. Joanne swallowed hard and she nodded slowly. "Okay". She breathed, turning her eyes away from him and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Look at me, Joanne". He spoke, making her direct her eyes back up at his. "It's going to be dangerous, but I will come back to you". The words tugged right on the strings of her heart and her fingers curled around the material of his blouse.

"Promise me". She said, her eyes tearing up. Charles was silent for a moment, until his hands slotted around her waist. "I promise". He softly said, his lips pressing to her forehead. "Tell the kids that we're leaving to the safehouse tomorrow morning, it will be early. I'm going to make some phone calls and have an emergency meeting with my partners now". Joanne nodded. His hands glided to her bump, stroking her belly softly before he kissed firmly. She watched him go into his office and the way he kissed her, so firmly, hard, as if it could be the last time, made her fingers clench into her fists and the lump in her throat became too hard to swallow.