Chapter 36:
Focus. Focus. Charlie thought to herself. She found herself back in the lack again. Cackling laughter coming from the dock while dead fish floated around her. The panic she felt wasn't taking over her body, she knew she needed to stay strong.
"You might as well just die!" He laughed viciously. "I don't see why you try. He's not coming to save you!"
Yes he is. Charlene told herself. The water started to weigh down on the jeans and tee she wore pulling her further beneath the surface and soon her whole head was under. Come on get control! She screamed to herself. But after several minutes of trying to control her dream world the feeling of lacking oxygen began to get to her and she started to become frantic.
Reid paced beside the bed watching Charlie. She'd fallen asleep about a half an hour before and had showed no signs of anything. Caleb was trying to use at a distance to see in to her head, but he wasn't having a lot of luck.
Watching Reid began to worry that Chase knew what was coming and had decided not to come that night until Charlie started to toss a little. He moved close and heard her grunt and water began to splutter from her lips a little. "Caleb! He's trying to drown her again!" Reid said panic stricken.
"Talk to her, but don't touch her Reid!" Caleb instructed. Reid knelt beside the bed and leaned in to her ear. I heard her when it was most important, I hope she can hear me. HE thought silently.
"Charlene, I need you to be strong. You aren't drowning I promised you, that wouldn't happen, now focus baby." He whispered in her ear.
Charlie thought she'd imagined Reid's voice, but it helped her realize this was her world, not Chase's and she wasn't going to let him win. Steadying herself she stopped flailing her limbs in the water and closed her eyes, thinking about an empty morning wood.
Before she knew it, she was no longer submerged in water and when she opened her eyes she was standing dry to the bone in the middle of a forest fog skimming the ground and light gently peeking through the tops of the trees. She could feel the dirt under her bare feet and the light breeze under her skin, but paid no mind to it as she heard a few twigs snap and branches rustling.
"I can work with this." And her body lifted from the ground and flung back against a large tree. Her body fell to a heap on the ground and she looked up and saw Chase stalking closer to her. "I don't know how you did that, but you aren't getting rid of me that easily."
"Stay...away...from...me." Her words were clear, precise and drawn out.
"Granted you wont die from your worst fear, but I'm sure a large tree falling on top of you would be just as delicious for me and just as painful for Reid."
Charlene closed her eyes and focused her mind. "Now." She whispered softly just before she went flying in to another tree. This time after falling to the ground Charlie got up and started running, her legs in tact still and not sore or to hurt see just ran ducking around trees and through bushes trying to throw him off till the guys could come.
"Oh Charlie!" He hollered laughing and evil.
The water had stopped coming from Charlie's mouth and had disippated like it had never been there in the first place. Then silenced filled the room as everyone held their breath. After a few moments Reid watched Charlie's back arch off the bed as if she was in pain. "It's not working Caleb we need to pull her out!" Reid was terrified. For Charlene, for his baby, for himself. If anything happened to Charlene and his son he'd never forgive himself for asking her to still do this and he knew he'd snap and turn to using until he killed himself.
"No Reid just wait, she's smart she'll think of a way to let us know..." Caleb paused when he saw her arch again.
"He's hurting her." Reid panicked.
"Caleb maybe..." Sarah and Kate were holding hands as silent tears leaked from their eyes.
Reid went to grabbed Charlene and shake her awake. "Reid!" Caleb yelled loudly making the blond look up at him and glare.
"Now..." It was barely above a whisper but every head turned towards Charlie.
Caleb nodded. "That's it, now. Reid you sit on that side, Pogue on that side and I'll sit on the end." The three sat on the floor leaning back against the bed. Sarah and Kate each kissed their boyfriends softly and Tyler gave them all a nod as the looked at him.
"No worries." He said certainty in his voice.
"Baby boy anything happens, you wake her up!" Reid said sternly. "You understand."
"Yeah. I will."
"And if something happens to..."
"I will Reid." Tyler promised without Reid having to say what he needed to. Reid nodded.
"Ok let's do this." Caleb said.
Charlene was standing back against a tree, holding her breath and only breathing her nose when absolutely necessary. "Come out! Charlene! You're stuck here, with me you might as well come out."
Something pulsed through Charlene's body and a smile graced her face. She knew that feeling, it was enhanced but she knew it. It was probably the feeling of the power from all three and not just Reid. "No you're stuck! You asshole!" She yelled moving out from around the tree. He was walking in to her line of vision and stopped smirking at her. "You're stuck floating around in peoples dreams because Caleb kicked your ass to another plain and now this is the only fun you can have. Torturing people in their sleep. How pathetic can you get?"
"Pathetic?" Chase growled. An orb formed in his palm and just as he was about to thrust it at her in his rage a stray power orb hit him sending him back against a large tree.
"Hey asshole stay away from my girl!" Charlie turned her head and saw Reid, Caleb and Pogue running over their eyes black as night. Reid ran to Charlie keeping an eye on Chase but left him to Pogue and Caleb while he checked on his girlfriend. "Legs you ok?" Reid asked her.
Charlene nodded. "Yeah."
"Oh how sweet! The boyfriend comes to save the day!" Chase snided. "And look you brought back up."
"You might as well just give up Chase, three ascended against one is no match." Caleb said angrily.
Chase smirked at him. "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here!"
"Well allow me to fix my mistake!" Caleb growled. Reid joined the three and they stared at Chase waiting for him to make a move. Chase gave a short smirk and then ran towards them dodging the oncoming power orbs the three hand begun to toss.
Chase threw a few of his own before leaping over their heads and running after Charlene. Charlie saw this. "Guys!"
"No!" Reid yelled. He reached out his hand making a grabbing motion and pulled back, Chase went flying back over their heads in to a tree.
Chase laughed as Reid's power held him against the tree. "Nice parlor trick Garwin." He said sarcastically. His body dropped from the tree. "But mine are better." With a snap of his finger Charlene's form dematerialized and then reformed held firmly in his grasp. She struggled. "Stay still my sweet." He held tighter one arm around her throat the other demobilizing her arms held around her waist.
"What do you want?" Pogue asked.
Chase smirked. "Glad I've got your attention." Reid was fuming, Caleb was weary and Pogue was trying to be level headed. "Had Reid bothered to let me re enter his dreams he might have known already. I want out of this plain and you three are going to help me."
"No!" Charlene gasped. "They're not." She struggled to say.
"They don't have a choice princess!" He snided whispering in her ear glaring at the three standing before him. "They know as well as I do, that if you die here, you die in the real world."
"Let her go! We don't know how to get you out of this plain!" Caleb said.
Chase laughed maliciously. A knife appeared in his hand and he released Charlie's waist and held it to her throat. "You might want to rethink that." He snapped.
"I'm telling you the truth!" Caleb yelled. "There's no way!"
"There has to be! This is fun, but I can't live like this!" Chase said angrily.
Caleb and Pogue watched Charlene's eyes go black. "Then you die." She said in a voice unlike her own. Her hand reached up grabbing the knife he held to her throat twisted his arm down and around slinking out of his grabbed and piercing the blade through his heart.
They looked over at Reid who head hung and his eyes were closed. Chase gasped for a second before blood started to leak from the corner of his mouth. Caleb and Pogue saw Reid's head lift and his eyes open. Charlene's eyes bled back to hazel and she gasped backing away slowly stumbling slightly over her own feet.
"Oh my god." She muttered. "I..."
"I did it." Reid murmured as they watched Chase fall to the ground spluttering as he looked at the knife in his chest. The fire that had consumed his very being when he'd first come to enter the plain, barely living or dead, began to consume him seeping from the wound as torturous screams racked his body. Charlene turned away in to Reid's arms burying her face in his chest.
When the flames ceased there was nothing left but a pile of ash that was blowing in the fake breeze. "How..." Charlie stuttered.
The guys shook their heads. "I don't know and I don't care. He's gone for good." Caleb said.
"He isn't going to be like a part of me now is he?"
"No, whatever plain he was on, that was just his spirit and now that it's gone his body if he still has one is dead. You don't have anything to worry about." Caleb informed her. Charlie hugged Reid who had his arms around her securely. "And Reid that was reckless and dangerous..." Reid was about to defend himself but Caleb interrupted. "But it worked."
"Can we please get out of here? I want to get back so I can yell at Reid for taking over my body..." Charlene said softly. Caleb and Pogue gave short nods and then disappeared.
Reid looked down at Charlie. "I was just protecting you."
"I'm going to yell at you for taking over my body and then I'm going to thank you for saving my life." Charlie smirked at him playfully.
As he laughed lightly he placed a gently kiss on her lips and then he was gone. Charlene looked around, the sun was shining through the trees brighter and the foggy mist on the ground had lifted. She smiled.
After coming too Reid got up and shook Charlene. She opened her eyes and yawned. "Hello sunshine." He teased.
Charlie glared at him. "Could I have a moment alone with him." She said as she sat up looking at the others. The others nodded and headed out of the rickety old room. Sarah, Kate and Tyler were all very confused. But Caleb shut the door behind him and they walked away.
"Babe let me..."
"That was by far the..." Charlie paused and then a smile appeared on her face. "Strangest, but sweetest thing you've ever done. You saved my life Reid, thank you." Charlene jumped up from the bed wrapping her arms around his neck and Reid hugged her back.
"I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Reid whispered kissing her temple.
Charlene pulled back from the hug and planted a passionate kiss on his lips and Reid deepened it slipping his tongue passed her lips. A soft drawn out moan escaped Charlie as her fingers moved to grip Reid's blond shaggy hair.
Reid's fingertips skimmed over her collarbone and shoulders and then reseted lightly on the sides of her neck. There was a knock at the door and they broke away panting slightly as Reid rested his forehead against Charlie's. "What?" He asked loudly.
"Would you two hurry up, Gorman's a little testy after Charlene's pregnant outburst." Tyler said through the door.
"Tyler, don't go there." Charlene growled walking over and opening the door.
Tyler jumped back at her glaring eyes. "Sorry." And he walked off down the hall back downstairs.
Reid chuckled. "Babe come on it was a joke." Reid said walking out of the room with her and they headed towards the downstairs.
"I'm not going to be the butt of jokes because I'm pregnant Reid Garwin." Charlie defended herself.
Reid put his arm around her waist as they walked down the old steps together. "Ok, I'll tell the others."
"Thank you." As they reached the bottom of the steps Gorman scowled at Charlene and she glared at him back. She really didn't like the way he treated the 'outsiders' of the group. "Keep it up you're face will...oh wait it's too late for that." Charlene said bitchily.
Before Gorman could retort Caleb stepped up. "Are we ready to go?" He asked diverting the confrontation.
Everyone agreed and they headed out to the cars. Charlene drove her car with Reid in the passenger seat, while Caleb took Sarah and Tyler drove Pogue and Kate back to Pogue's house.
Five Weeks Later:
Charlene sat in the doctor's office on the small bed while Reid looked around the room anxiously. "Is it always so cold in here?" Reid questioned.
"I guess." Charlene said. "I haven't ever been to this doctor before..."
The door opened and a woman mid forties with light brown gray hair came in. She wore a long white coat and held a clip board. "Miss McKenzie I'm doctor Carla." The doctor outstretched her hand and Charlie shook it.
"This is my boyfriend Reid." Charlene said gesturing to Reid who was by now blowing up a rubber glove. "Reid!" Charlene scolded.
He released it and it went flying around the room as he extended his hand to Dr. Carla. "Sorry 'bout that. I'm Reid Garwin."
"Dr. Carla, and it's quite alright." Dr. Carla smiled tightly and gestured for Reid to have a seat while she knelt down and picked up the lifeless glove on the floor at her feet. She tossed it in the trash while Reid suppressed his laughter. "So, Charlene, you're pregnant."
"Yeah."
"And you are just now coming in to be seen. How far along do you think you are?" Dr. Carla asked.
"Well almost ten weeks or so and I've been busy is all the last few weeks. We've been busy trying to find a place in New York, and still spend time with our friends before we all go off to college." Charlie explained.
The Dr. pulled over a rolling stool and took a seat. "You are aware it's recommended to be seen by the eighth week of pregnancy?"
"No, sorry. I'm eighteen and pregnancy stupid." Charlie joked.
"Well, while it's recommended you're only about a week overdue for an exam. Would you like your boyfriend to stay or go?" Dr. Carla inquired.
Charlene shrugged. "He can stay." So the exam proceeded. A little while later Charlene was talking with the doctor about what medications she would need, and what she could and couldn't do for a while. "I want a prenatal paternity test."
"Is there doubt as to who's baby it is?" Dr. Carla asked her a little startled since Charlie had been so happy to share the sonogram with her boyfriend, Reid.
Charlene sighed. "Yes." She said softly, even though their wasn't legitimate reasoning for it, she still wanted it so she'd have to lie.
"You are aware of the risks of a procedure such as that?" Dr. Carla asked. Charlene nodded. "Well see the reciptionist on the way out and schedule an appointment for next week and we can do that procedure then."
"Thank you." Charlene said kindly. "It was nice to meet you."
"And you. After the paternity procedure you'll need to come in for regular check ups."
"Is there anyway you can refer me to a doctor in New York, we'll be moving there come the end of summer break."
Dr. Carla nodded. "I will. You're in good hands. You two have a wonderful day."
Charlie and Reid said goodbye to her and Charlene jumped off the hospital bed and began to get dressed. She wore a simple gown nothing underneath. She slipped her panties on before taking the gown off completely and putting on her bra and then her jeans and finally a t-shirt. She slipped her feet into her black chucks and turned to Reid who had a goofy grin plastered on his face.
"Don't look at me like that, you've seen me dress before." Charlene said smirking at him.
"Yeah, well you're just incredibly sexy."
Charlie scoffed. "Not for long. I'm gonna become a growing balloon in a few months." She said softly.
Reid stood from his seat wrapping his arms around her waist as she pulled his extra pair of black fingerless gloves from her purse and slipped them on. "You'll still be incredibly sexy to me."
"No Reid I'm going to be fat and ugly." Charlene said dramatically.
"Not possible." Reid said kissing her neck softly.
Charlie sighed contently leaning back against him. "Oh trust me it is."
"Not. Stop being over dramatic. Come on lets go make that appointment and get out of here."
Two Weeks Later:
"Reid!"
"What?" Reid came running in to Charlene's room dripping wet minus a towel. He'd spent the last few nights with her and was finally getting around to taking a shower.
Charlene squealed with excitement jumping off her bed and ran over jumping up and hugging him tightly not carrying that he was completely naked and wet. "He's ours!" She said happily.
"What is?" Reid questioned as she kissed along his neck and jaw several times. He wrapped his arms around her middle to hold her up.
"The baby! He's ours Reid. My DNA and your DNA!" She said and kissed him passionately. Reid stumbled back by her fiery force and grinned against her lips. He walked back in to the bathroom kicking the door shut behind him and turned the water back on with a little using and then climbed in the shower with a still dressed Charlene.
Charlie finally broke away from his lips when the warmer water started beating down on her. She grinned at Reid as he set her down and started stripping out of her clothes. "It is ok to do this right?" Reid asked timidly as he nibbled her neck.
Charlene sighed and nodded as her wet shirt slammed against the floor of the porcelain tub. "Uh huh." She muttered as he helped her out of her flannel pajama bottoms and panties, having slept without her bra the previous night. "Definitely." She murmured as he pressed his lips to hers.
"Good."