The Baudelaires (Unedited)

chapter nineteen

An hour later
I was lying in my bed, placed in the room full of spyglasses
I was reading as usual, but getting bored, I decided to get out of bed and get dressed again.
Everybody else was asleep, far away from my room; the penthouse was massive.
I got out of my room, and I went downstairs and outside, I wanted to see the world for a bit.
I needed fresh air, the penthouse was musty due to the lack of use.
I had my spyglass out, I was looking around, nobody was outside.
It was about one in the morning.
I was suddenly pulled behind the corner of the building.
"What are you doing out?" A familiar voice asked.
"Who are you? What do you want?" I asked in reply.
"You know who I am, Charlotte."
"No I don't."
"I don't sound familiar?"
"You do."
"Then who am I?"
"I don't know." I shook my head.
The person got out their spyglass and turned the light on.
It was Father.
"Father?" I teared up.
"Hey, Charlotte." He smiled and hugged me.
"How did you get here? You died I saw it."
"I faked my death to get you out of there."
"You knew they were coming?"
"And if I didn't all of you would've been in there, I needed to get you to realise how dangerous this was; to have them back."
"So you died."
"Yep. Technically."
"Oh my god, Father. You scared me."
"I'm sorry, I really am."
"They-" I couldn't speak.
"They what, Charlotte?"
"Tommo..." I burst out crying.
"They didn't.."
"They did."
"I should've stayed out of VFD, I knew I should. But Jacques insisted."
"Good. I wouldn't of found them, you wouldn't of kept going. We would all be dead." I smiled slightly.
"Who killed Tommo...?"
"Earnest..." I sighed.
He sighed and let go, "you should go back inside."
"What about you?" I asked.
"Don't tell anyone that I'm even alive, Charlotte. But, I'll be following. I'll see you at least once every two nights."
I sighed, "Okay, but why?"
"Frank will try to employ me again."
"Oh.." I backed off, beginning to walk back toward the entrance, "can I see you in the morning?"
"Of course, if that's what you need. Once again, I'm sorry."
"It's fine, Father."
"Charlotte, keep safe."
"I will." I promised and walked inside.

I got back up to the penthouse to find one of the lights on, specifically in my room.
I walked in to find Klaus waiting.
"Where have you been?" He questioned as I dropped my spyglass on the bed.
"Outside." I answered.
"Why?"
"I needed fresh air."
"Do you know how much danger there is out there?"
"Yes."
"And that it is about three in the morning?"
"Yes."
He sighed, "Charlotte...seriously?"
"I just went out to get-"
"Fresh air. I'm sorry, I am just worried about..everything."
"I understand, Klaus."
"What happened to Isidora is probably going to scar me."
"I know, but it's okay." I hugged him, "don't worry."
"I'll try, I promise, Charlotte. I'm sorry if I snap at any point. I have a hunch on what might happen while I'm in this state."
"It's understandable if you've read the-"
"Book on grief."
"Exactly." I laughed.
"Sorry."
"Don't be." I smiled.
He looked down at me and smiled.
I looked up at him and smiled.
It stayed that way for a while, us staying quiet staring into each other's eyes, answering questions silently, or just talking without words.
"Your glasses are falling off." I broke the silence with a giggle.
"Oh!" He pushed them up.
I looked at the ground, thinking about what happened outside.
I didn't know whether I should tell him, to make sure he'd keep quiet.
"You seem troubled." Klaus observed.
"I honestly am."
"About what?"
"You won't tell anyone, especially Frank?"
"Promise."
I nodded, "Father is alive."
Klaus stared at me for a moment.
I shrugged.
"What?" He asked.
"He's alive, he faked it. Every single bit."
"Charlotte, this seems like a very farfetched idea."
"I saw him, Klaus."
"Then why isn't he here?"
"He doesn't want Frank knowing, just in case he tries to employ him again."
"By that you mean.."
"He doesn't want to be a VFD member anymore..due to what happened to Tommo.."
He stared at me with disbelief for a minute.
"Klaus, just forget it.."
"Okay."
I sighed, trying to forget it myself. I could've just been dreaming, or making stuff up.
As Klaus said, this is was happens when you're dealing with grief.

The next morning
I woke up normally, realising I was still in my clothes, Klaus had left. I hadn't an idea of what happened last night, I was tired.
I walked into the main part of the penthouse and sat on the chair closest to the wide window, looking down as I had done the day before, "wow..." I said again.
I looked back behind me and saw the others walk in, just as tired. Frank wasn't awake.
"Hey." I smiled.
"Hello.." Violet and Sunny yawned.
Klaus looked the most awake out of all of them, he looked like he always did.
"Hey, Charlotte." He smiled.
"What's the plan for today?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. We'll know when Frank gets up." Violet said, her voice sounding a little more up.
I got out my spyglass and looked out the window, trying to spot some familiar ruins.
I could slightly see Caligari Carnival, way into the distance, same for Heimlich Hospital and the Mortmain Mountains.
I sighed. I couldn't see the Hotel Denouement where it would usually be; a small tower in the horizon line.
I put my spyglass down.
"What's wrong?" Klaus asked.
"Nothing, just tired." I sighed again, smiling a little.
I got up and walked into the spyglass room, looking through my bag, trying to find a nice book. I didn't feel good, as if I'd seem to many bad things in my lifetime, maybe I should've just looked away like they told me to.
I couldn't find one that would lift me up, so I returned just as Frank sat down on the sofa.