Right, first things first, I need to get down on my knees and apologise for how long it has been since I updated this. I didn't realise it had been this long. I kept thinking how it's only been a few months, it is okay, and I can do this. But my motivation was gone. I hope that this story still has the followers that it did before; they mean a lot to me. I hope you enjoy this, I must call it filler, bringing in more of the relationship between Sophie and Charlie before the drama kicks in.

Time passed with little being said about the letter, Sophie's mother and her past as an abused child. She was thankful for this, to be honest. It had given her a chance to build herself normality with Charlie. She knew that Charlie was still protective of her and had plans to keep her safe no matter what no matter what it took. She had caught him ringing friends in New York to make sure that no more letters had arrived and checking that her mother had never made effort in any other way of contacting her. It had made her laugh, how determined he was to make sure she was safe. She had told herself that her mother could not find her here in Italy, and when they returned to New York as a couple, she would be safe with Charlie. She wasn't scared when she was with him.

Charlie could not put into words how much Sophie meant to him, how much he would put on the line to keep her safe. He had spent hours researching various restraining orders and court policies that he could have put into place if ever Sophie's mother tried to come near her. He wouldn't let any harm come to her, for he could not bear to think about losing her. If her mother had been a monstrous control freak when her daughter was a defenceless little girl, why would she be any different now? He was not going to take any risks. He did not bring the subject up at all

….

Sophie sighed signing off of her emails and shutting down the laptop before leaning back in her seat. It was just her luck, just her rotten luck, that at the moment when she felt she was finally putting the letter behind her and trying not to think about her past, Bobby would write with a new assignment. A special double page spread, for mother's day. Of course, she had said she would do it as he didn't know about her past, no one did other than Charlie, Claire and Lorenzo and of course her father. And double page spreads did not come up often, especially for someone who had only just become a writer. With a deep breath, she run her hand over her hair and turned when she heard someone speak behind her.

"Are you alright darling?" Charlie asked softly walking to her. "You seem tense". He had been standing there for a while now, watching her deep within her thoughts as she sorted out her work. He was proud of her, without a doubt, for working so hard to get where she wanted to be.

"Yes Charlie, I'm fine, just a little agitated" Sophie said smiling as she felt his warm hands on her shoulders, rubbing her skin gently

"Why? Work getting busy" He asked leaning down and kiss her cheek as he knelt down to face her better.

"Bobby wants me to write this article, and I said I would. But it's hard because it's a special entry for mother's day" Sophie sighed looking at him.

"A mother's day article, oh Sophie" Charlie sighed brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "And he doesn't know?"

"No one knows, except you, Claire, Lorenzo and obviously my father" Sophie replied "I have to do it anyway, it's a double page spread and they don't come often. I'll do it and put everything aside. It's what I have been doing for years"

With a gentle nod, Charlie stood and drew her up to stand bringing her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her head on his shoulder as he held her. "I will try and help you all that I can baby, and you know that you can tell me anything don't you?"

"Of course I do Charlie" Sophie nodded leaning back to look him in the eye. "I also know that you will anything to protect me"

"You know that is true, you're my girl, I love you" Charlie smiled giving her a chaste kiss "Everything is going to be alright. You will write this story and it will be incredible, because everything you write is, and if your mother attempts to contact you again or God forbid, she tries to come near you, there will be trouble ahead for her."

Sophie nodded. "I know, you think you've been secretive but I know you have been looking up court policies and orders. I appreciate it Charlie, really I do, but we have got to work through this whole wild mess one step at a time. She might not try to get in contact again and to be completely honest that is the option I am hoping for"

"Me too" Charlie nodded kissing her forehead. "We will go home to New York, and it will be perfect. If you had asked be months ago if I would be excited at the idea of living in the big city of New York, I probably would have called you crazy but know I must admit it will be amazing"

Sophie smiled brightly "Have I broken the great Charlie Wyman? Have I made him want to leave his precious London?"

Charlie laughed pulling her up into his arms "I believe so darling" He smiled kissing her "You can work wonders"

"Though before I thought I could only do it with words" Sophie smiled

"That as well, but you can break me just by looking at me" Charlie replied.

….

Charlie awoke in the early hours of one morning to the sound of tapping laptop keys. They had been in New York for a week now and Sophie was stuck in the writer's mind-set that made her want to make her story perfect. She would write for hours, typing a paragraph and then deleting it. Every sentence became linked to a memory of her past, whether it was a memory of a day she spent with her mother hiding and hoping that she would make it through the day without acquiring new bruise or one of the happy memories that she clung too. A memory of a day she spent with her grandmother. Those memories of course linked to the memories of the days she spent wishing her grandmother was still with her.

"Sophie, it's 3 am" Charlie said as he walked to the office in the next room along from the bedroom. "The story can wait until the sun comes up, come to bed darling"

"Charlie this story needs to be finished and it needs to be good" Sophie sighed looking up at him. "It needs to be perfect". She was exhausted, but she wanted this story to be the best she had done, it was her first double page spread and if it was not good enough she knew that she would be in trouble with Bobby. And as she always said, she was a perfectionist.

"It will be perfect, but you can make it perfect in daylight hours" Charlie said "After all, you won't be able to write to the absolute best of your ability when you are tired"

Sophie nodded. "I guess you're right"

"I tend to be" Charlie smiled taking her hand as she stood, the comment making her roll her eyes. He led her back to the bedroom, laying down beside her and brushing hair out of her eyes.

"It really does have to be perfect Charlie, but it's hard" Sophie sighed

He nodded "I know baby, I wish I could help in some way"

"I know you do" Sophie replied cuddling up to him. "But I can do it; I just need to keep working"

"Well work tomorrow when you are rested, it will be better that way" Charlie said wrapping his arms around her and keeping her close.

I know that this is short but I just wanted to get an update up here, its been far too long