Notes: *breathes big sigh of relief* Now I can stop worrying about those death threats that we were getting...

Dedicated to all of those Charlie and Adam shippers, especially the ones that claim they sprung up because of the Queertet.

Chapter 7: Here Comes the Sun

By Victory Thru Tears

Charlie's POV

I tap my feet on the ground, searching the area for Adam. I wish I had a watch to check, but I don't. I'm sure it's past six, though.

I don't know what I'm doing here. Well, yeah, I do…I'm here to patch things up with the love of my life. …Love of my life? Where did that come from? Gah, I get so melodramatic when I'm nervous.

No, but what I don't get is how Taz (and Maya and…Connie…) managed to get me here. I guess I'm just that desperate to get him back.

I hear the clearing of a throat behind me. My heart actually skips when I whirl around to see Adam, as clichéd as it sounds.

"H-hi…" I stutter, standing to meet him.

"Hey." He sounds cool and collected, but I can tell he's nervous. His hands are clenched into tight fists, and his face has a slight tinge of red to it.

"Uh, sit down." I motion to the bench where I had been waiting for him. He nods awkwardly and moves to sit. I plop down next to him. Silence reigns for a good six minutes.

It's my move, isn't it? I mean, I know I basically initiated the contact before, that day I threw my shoulder out. But I was supposed to be stoned out of my mind…Adam was the one with the real courage. I totally respect him for that.

Right. So me. Being Prince Charming and winning my boyfriend back.

I have to suppress my laughter at the thought of calling myself Prince Charming.

"So, how's your summer going?" I ask, deciding that's a good start for a conversation.

"Not bad so far, I guess." He raises a hand to scratch his cheek, and my eyes move across his face. My gaze immediately focuses on a purple bruise surrounding his eye. Alarm rises inside of me. That bruise was not there when I saw him at the mall, only a few hours ago.

"Adam?" I ask tentatively.

"Huh?" He snaps his head towards me, a bit bewildered. He looks like he was lost in thought.

I raise my hand to his face, lightly tracing the mark. I flinch when he does, and for a second it seems just like old times. Not necessarily good old times, but old times nonetheless.

"What happened?" I ask softly.

He averts his eyes, but I keep my fingers on his cheek.

"Daniel happened." He responds softly. "My dad pissed him off this morning, and he took it out on me, like he usually does."

I sigh, finally moving my hand and leaning back on the bench.

"Bad things just always seem to happen to us, don't they?" I muse.

He shrugs. "Sometimes we make bad choices, too."

I look at him. He has that tone. You know, the one where he knows what he's talking about, and he's got a specific incident in mind, but he's discreetly beating around the bush, for unknown reasons.

"Banksie – " I start, but he cuts me off.

"Look, I'm sorry. I made a bad choice, and I've been pussyfooting around for two months trying to pretend like I had a legitimate reason for everything I did. Ok, so maybe I did. But maybe I was stupid to take the path that I did. And maybe even though you used to spend a lot of time with Taz or something and generally not with me, maybe I should have been a little more understanding. You know, maybe try to get you to talk about it. Or maybe – "

He stops as he notices that I'm doubled over with laughter.

"What?" He asks indignantly.

"And then I saw you, and I ran. So then I found him and I ran. Then when I saw her, she ran. And then I ran." I say in a slightly mocking tone, nearly choking through my mirth.

"Huh?" He wrinkles his nose, looking puzzled. I wave my hand and shake my head. I didn't expect him to remember that moment, but I do. It was pretty funny, how much running Adam did through the first two months of school.

I clear my throat, trying to get my mind back on track. Subtracting the "maybes", Adam did a lot of sharing in that last mini-speech he made.

I try to choose my words carefully. "I think…that you did a good thing by breaking up with me."

His head snaps up sharply, and he looks extremely confused.

I smile slightly as I continue. "We needed a break. I needed to remember why I loved you. Not that I ever forgot…" I add quickly. "But taking a break let me understand my mistakes, and figure out ways not to make them again. I'm sorry that I'm not the ideal friend sometimes. I mean, that's part of the job as your boyfriend, and I kind of skipped out on it sometimes. I know I didn't really make an effort to talk to you about everything that happened – and I guess is still happening – with the Ducks, or even just the stupid dumb teenage boy stuff. And I'm really sorry for it."

He smiles slightly. "I'm sorry I'm such an obsessive psycho freak."

I have to laugh at that. We both pause for a few moments, occasionally looking up at each other and half-smiling.

"So…does this mean that we're…" I trail off at the sight of Adam's stern look.

"Always jumping to conclusions, aren't you Charlie Conway?"

My eyes widen but I relax as he starts to laugh. We're both so wound up, we're making weird jokes at even weirder times.

This time I don't mind the silence after my unanswered question. It's not a tense stillness, it's blissful. I don't need to ask Adam what he's thinking, because I have a feeling that I already know. I reach over cautiously and take his hand in mine. He responds by lacing our fingers together, and we sit contentedly staring at the pond.

But a funny thought comes into my head, and I clear my throat. I'm definitely taking a risk here…I have no idea how Adam will react.

"So, erm, who's this Damien guy?" I ask, bracing myself for a possible attack.

"Damien Calvert? Just this guy who moved in next door to me. He's pretty cool, I think." Adam answers nonchalantly.

"Oh."

"Why, are you jealous?" Adam smirks.

I blush a bright shade of red and sneer at him. "No…"

"Haha, Charlie's jealous…" Adam mocks, but I notice that he tightens his grip on my hand.

I shake my head thoughtfully. "No, I was just thinking that he seems a little suspicious. I mean, he just gave me a bad feeling, that's all."

"This is coming from the guy who is currently dating his childhood worst enemy." Adam snickers.

"You weren't my worst enemy, and – " I cut off, giving him a narrow-eyed look. "Currently dating?"

Adam grins. I grin back. Now this is how it should be – us, joking around and just being together. Sure, we might have to work on a few things this time around, but we'll be ok, now that we're in it together.

I lean forward to kiss him, something that I haven't done in way too long.