Long walk to Henry's Place

Author: Lyle180

Pairings: Henry x Charlotte

Summary: 18 yr old Charlotte is taking a walk to Henry's place.

Don't own any of the characters, but I do own this original story, so that's good.

Charlotte hummed her favorite song as she walked up the hill to Henry's place and as usual there was a clamouring behind her as her boss slash best-friend walked behind her in his faux sleuth way.

"You know I can hear you right?" she got no answer as he continued his useless attempt at slinking around quietly.

"~ooooh I am a ghost drifting in the background ~oooh" Charlotte snickered and turned around at that one.

"Aww come on Charlotte how do you always know I'm here?"

"Well you're not exactly the quietest sleuth in Swellview," she continued her walk as Ray caught up behind so that they could walk side by side.

"Why were you following me anyway?"

Ray flushed with embarrassment. "I wasn't exactly following you-I was just" he glanced around as if an excuse would jump out of thin air. "Well it's routine for me to test my employees perception skills." Charlotte looked at him oddly.

"That's funny I've read the manual cover to cover and I've never seen that," Ray palmed his forehead as Charlotte continued walking. "I should read it again just to be sure, but asking Schwoz will probably be quicker," she said, wondering aloud.

"Oh uh no you don't have to do that-" he fell silent when she looked at him knowingly. "Look Ray I know you have a crush on Henry's mom but she's married okay? She's off limits." Ray's smirk dimmed to a thin line as he nodded and they started their trek again in thick awkward silence. The mood was bringing Charlotte down and it was a Saturday where she was supposed to be free from school… from work.

"Well now that you're here what are you going to say when you show up with me?" Ray stopped he hadn't even thought it through.

"I don't know I'll just say I'm visiting Henry. I can do that, I'm his boss I can do whatever I want," he pouted and just like that the jovial air was back between them as she giggled at his joking behavior.

"Why are you going to Henry's place anyway don't you have other friends beside him and Jasper?" Charlotte blushed.

"Didn't Henry tell you?" Ray raised a curious eyebrow and stopped.

"Tell me what?" She started to mumble Ray leaned in closer.

"Um, nevermind I'll let Henry tell you later when we get to his house." Charlotte looked up at him expectantly; hoping he would start walking again.

"Ok," Ray said and sped the pace of his walking. It broke Charlotte out of her trance.

"Hey, hold on wait for me what's with the sudden rush?"

"I want in on the secret, so I want later to be now." Charlotte became flustered.

"It's not that serious Ray just wait for me."

"If it's not that serious why can't you tell me then?"

"Because you're closer with Henry," Charlotte held his arm to slow him down. He looked back at her and saw that she was out of breath- realized that he was running.

"Sorry- besides the point- you're just as close to me as Henry is, you're the brains of our operation you have been for years now." Charlotte's face went through fazes. Confused. Elated. Confused again and then back to flustered. She was going to say something Ray saw it on the tip of her tongue.

"Hey Charlotte how's it-hey Ray what are you doing here?" When did they reach Henry's front door? There was a glance between the two; a quick nod.

"I just came to hang out with you Henry..why?"

"Oh uh no reason yeah it was nice to see you..." he pulled Charlotte inside. "see you at work on Monday Ray bye." The door closed on his hand.

"Ow, but I'm ok." Ray pushed the door open with ease. Henry and Charlotte fell on each other- well Henry fell and a quick arm movement cushioned her fall. Henry was the first to get up and he helped Charlotte up holding her carefully around the waist. Ray's gaze stayed on Henry's arm that had lasted a little too long on Charlotte's waist. When Henry noticed Ray noticing he quickly diverted his attention by waving toward the tv and mumbling about Ray missing his patrol. Lots of mumbling today. Charlotte whispered something to Henry that he caught the end of. "...followed me here." Henry's smile downturned.

"Hey Ray, what did you say you came here for?" He said getting Ray's attention which had still been lingering on Henry's arm, which had been, around Charlotte's waist.

"Nothing really, just saw Charlotte on the way over." He said glancing in her direction.

"Yeah Charlotte and I have something to take care of today. You can come back another time, right?" Ray looked at Charlotte again who was nodding along with Henry.

"Yeah...sure okay I'll just be on my way. Bye guys." Ray walked out of the house and circled around to the backyard.

"Okay babe, I know…." Babe? Ray thought. When did Charlotte become babe to Henry? Had he missed something? "...I think he'll eventually catch on with him always following you around." Who are they talking about? Me? He thought.

"I don't follow Charlotte around," he whispered to himself.

"Did you say something Henry?" Ray assumed Henry shook his head when she said, "ok" after a short pause.

"Back to the issue at hand, I can take care of you no matter what anyone says, so don't sweat the small stuff it's bad for our baby. Okay?" Charlotte walked into Henry's open arms and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks babe but let's keep us and our miracle a secret for a little while longer until I've reached the end of this month after that I'll have gotten past my first term and be less worried about anything." Ray stumbled away from the window almost running into Piper's old playhouse. He stumbled all the way home ignoring the world and falling a few times. When he finally got home and crashed into his bed he finally smacked himself to wake up from the dream he was in. "Ow, but...I'm not ok...I'm..I'm …..jealous?..."

TBC?