A/N: Another mini-fic. I love Pike, but I was ridiculously excited to get a non-Pike prompt.

Prompt: things you said when i was crying from lovelymary

Charlie mindlessly stared out into the ocean.

Despite how much pain she was in, both physically and emotionally, she felt so numb.

She rested her hand over her stomach out of habit, despite knowing her child was no longer growing inside her.

Her son was gone. Her stubbornness in wanting to catch Germaine at any cost, cost her son his life.

Charlie stiffened when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind, but relaxed once she realized it wasn't Paul. He had every right to be upset, but she couldn't deal with him right now. Couldn't deal with his grief or his disappointment. Her own was eating her alive.

"This wasn't your fault," Johnny whispered.

Charlie's eyes closed, angry tears streaming down her face. She wanted to believe him, but after the first scare she had with Germaine, she should've been more careful. But she couldn't rest with him out there. Her carelessness caused this.

"Johnny, don't."

"I'm sorry. Charlie, I don't care that you lied about having an abortion, that doesn't mean you wanted your baby to die." Everything was so fucked up right now. Mike was still detoxing from oxy. Briggs was on a rampage. Paige was too involved with the Armenians. But none of that mattered right now. Jakes was sitting with Mike right now, so he was going to focus on Charlie.

"I should check on Mike, see if he needs anything."

Johnny tightened his hold on her, resting his head on her shoulder. "You always take care of all of us. Let me take care of you. Jakes is with Mikey right now."

Next to his mother, she was the strongest woman he knew. But that didn't mean she couldn't break. It didn't make her weak if she did.

What happened to her was horrible. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in the aftermath of his love life crashing down around him, maybe he would've seen the signs. If he had been around more, maybe she would've confided in him and he could've helped her out with catching Germaine instead of leaving her to fend for herself. Maybe things would've turned out differently if he had been there for her.

Johnny took a few deep breaths, trying to get Charlie to relax in his arms, hoping she would mimic his breathing. He wasn't sure what to do, what to say. But he needed her to know he was here for her.

She hadn't pushed him away yet, that was a good sign. She had kicked Briggs out of her room twice already. Threatening to go to a hotel if he didn't leave her alone. Briggs lost a child too, he couldn't imagine what was going on in his head right now, finding out he lost a child he already thought was gone. He couldn't wrap his mind around it. But Charlie, she never said goodbye to her baby that night.

Charlie rested her hands over his, leaning back into his embrace, letting him hold her as she silently cried in his arms.

"Whatever you need, Chuck, I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

THE END