CrazyWomenLovesYou: Me too! Normaly I don't like mushy junk, but Charlie and Claire are just so darn cute, i couldn't resist.
Leaviel: Thank you for the help with the spelling, but I never actualy got the corrected copy. Feel free to send it again, I'd really apreciate it. Thank you.
The Last Thing
Claire's eyes slowly fluttered open. The sun shined gold through a crack in the curtins in a window to her left, leaving one golden streak acorss the black compherter. She stared at the bed for a moment before realizeing it was not her own. A slight wave of confusion fell upon her as she sat up, still half asleep as she looked around. Then it dawned on her, she was at Charlie's place.
She turned to the right, and saw Charlie beside her, laying half way on his back, half on his side. One of his arms streched out behind her, and the other still laid limply across her lap. She had to look down to make sure she wasn't naked, witch she wasn't. She sighed with releif, holding her hand to her chest incase she had been. Charlies eyes opened.
"Morning" he muttered, closeing them again as he turned onto his back. "Morning" Claire beamed in return, slideing back down into the matress and laying her head agenst the fat pillow. The room was still pretty dark what with all the lights of and the curtins being closed, only that one beam from the tiny opening lit the room.
Claire streched out beneath the blankets, laying her arms up behind her head, takeing in the room around her. The air was warm, and his bed was so danm comfortable, she didn't want to ever get up. Charlie rolled onto his side, laying his hand on her stomach and placeing a kiss on her forhead.
"you know, I'm realy glad you stayed" He explained, traceing his fingers over her bare arm. Claire smiled and snugled agesnt him. "I might have passed out on the way" He added playfully. Claire laughed soundlessly, laying her forhead on his shoulder.
"You look cute when you sleep" She noted, playfull, twirling her finger around a tiny peice of his hair. "Liar" He scoffed, skepticly. "What? You do!" She insited, reasuringly. "if you say so" He rolled his eyes, playfully. Claire proped herself up on her elbos and pressed her lips agenst his to prove it.
His mouth opened to hers, pulling his arms tighter around her. She ran her fingers through his hair and trailed them down his neck, all the while falling deeper into his kiss. He finished the kiss with a few short pecks, then layed his head on her chest, keeping his arms tight arond her. Claire storked the back of his head, feeling her chest rise and fall gently beneath him. Feeling the warmth from the early afternoon flood in through the air.
The sound of a cell phone ringing startled her. "Is that yours?" She questioned, turning to Charlie. "No...I don't have one" he explained, slightly confused. The phone rang again and Claire Scurried to the edge of the bed, spotting her jeans on the floor with her cell tucked in the pocket, witch was when it dawned on her that she was not wearing them.
"Hello?" She answered the phone hurridly. "Claire, I've been trying to call you all night? Where in the sam hell are you?" Leo exclaimed on the other in, flustration in his voice. "Why whats wrong?" Claire asked in concern while looking down to make sure she was wearing cloths once again. Sweat pants, that defenetly did not belong to her.
"Thomas came over at about nine last night, he dropped off Skyler" Leo explained. "Oh my god, did he say why?" She asked, slideing out of Charlies bed as she spoke, holding the phone tightly to her ear.
"No, he didn't really say anything. He looked like he was in a hurry or something. He was acting really weird" Leo expalined, casualy. "Mommy, mommy" She could hear Skyler chanting in the background. "I think he wants to talk to you" Leo noted with a laugh before handing the phone over to him.
"Hi sweetie" Claire smiled, holding the phone with one hand while pulling down the sweat pants with the other before picking up her jeans. "Hi mom. Where were you?" Skyler questioned curiously. Claire glanced over at Charlie as she struggled with her jeans.
He sat up in the bed, blankets down to his waist, legs crossed, watching her paitently as she attempted to get dressed. "Uh, I was with a friend" She explained, aqwardly.
"When will you be home?"
"Soon" She promised assureingly, unbuttoning the slightly over-sized shirt. "Ok. Heres Leo" Skyler explained before handing the phone back. "Your on your way, right?" Leo questioned urgently. "Yeah. I just have to get dressed" She explained before thinking, then kicked her self for doing so.
"What?"
"I'll explaine latter" She assured, hurdily, pulling the shirt off and tossing it onto the bed. "Alright, just get home soon" Leo insisted then hug up. Claire stared at the phone for a moment before shoveing it into her pocket once again, blowing a strand of hair away from her face. She turned to Charlie once again, who was steady stareing, and became aware that she was in nothing but jeans and a bra.
Suddelny becomeing very embarased, she began looking around the room for her shirt, messing with her hair and pulling it over her shoulder in an attempt to better cover herself. "Here" Charlie offered, holding up her shirt.
"Thanks" She replied, blushing, and took the shirt. "So, I'm going to assume your leaving?" Charlie noted, leaning back on his elbows. Claire turned her back to him as she pulled the tight little shirt over her head. She pulled it down and adjusted the herself before turning back once agian.
"Yeah. I'm sorry. I don't mean to rush out like this" She explained, apologetcily. "Its alright." He assured, pulling himself out of bed. Claire nodded, still feeling guilty. "I guess I'll see you soon" He walked over to her, running his hand up the side of her arm. "Yeah" She smiled reasuringly. Chalie her a soft little kiss on the lips, and another on the forehead.
"Thanks for letting me stay over" She looked down, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing. "Belive me, I enjoyed it way more than you did" He assured playfully, getting in one last laugh before walking her to the door.
CLAIRE BOLTEDTHROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND SLAMMED it behind her, kneeling down and opening her arms to her sun and she came railing towards her.
"Hey, sweetie" She gave him and effection squeeze and russled his soft blond hair, giving him a kiss on the forhead. She looked up at Leo, who watched them form the opening to the kictchen, arms crossed over his chest. I am so sorry, she mouthed pulling her arms around Skyler again. Leo's face remianed blank and unreadable. She was in trouble.
"Hey, Skyler, why don't you go watch some TV, ok? I need to talk to Leo real quick" She explained, hideing her worry. "Ok" Skyler agreed, and hoped up on the couch. Claire rose to her feet and fallowed Leo into the kitchen.
"I already can guess where you were, so i don't need to ask. But please tell me why you thought you had to disapear without telling me like that?" Leo demanded, anger in his voice. Claire's eyes narrowed to the floor. "I wasn't thinking-"
"Danm right you wernt thinking! I was worried sick! You disapeared and then you wouldn't answer your phone, i was this close to calling the police" He exclaimed through grited teeth, trying to keep his voice down for Skylers sake. "What the hell were you doing anyways?"
"We were talking. I never heard my phone ring, I swear" Claire explained, feeling rather horible. "You exspect me to belive you spent the night at Charlie's house talking?" Leo questioned skepticly. "Claire, I really wish you could just tell me the truth. I mean, am i really that mean?"
"I am telling the truth!" She exclaimed, an offened look across her face. Leo rolled her eyes. "Fine. You keep yourself in denial all you want. I'm going to my room to get some sleep, seeing as how i didn't get any last night" He explained angrily, then stormed into his room. Claire leaned her hand agenst the counter, trying to grab a hold of herself.
In one night, she'd managed to mess everything up. Leo was pissed at her, and thought she was lieing, Skyler had to spend yet another night with out his mom, she'd messed up big time. But she knew one thing was for sure, she wouldn't be screwing this up again.
Claire sucked in a deep breath, whiped her eyes, and went back into the living room to sit with Skyler.
THREE DAYS LATER, Leo left work and walked down to the little dinner Shannon had taken them to before. He didn't want to admit it, but the coffee there was way better then the Starbuks around the corner. Besides, he never really liked chaines anyways. He took a seat at one of the boths and began to look over the minue.
"Morning Charlie" He greeted to the man that came at his side, without even looking up from the minue. "Morning. Let me guess, coffee?" Charlie replied.
"You got it" Leo answered with a grin, closeing the minue back up. "Right" Charlie nodded, and began to head off. "Wait a second" Leo insisted, before Charlie was less then a foot away. Charlie turned back in confusion. "What's wrong?" Leo asked, in concern.
"Nothing" Charlie shrugged, a look of confusion on his face. "Why haven't I heard from you lately?" Leo questioned insistently. Charlie looked down and scratched the back of his head. Leo tisked under his breath. "You know, normaly I have nothing agenst one night stands, but not when it comes to Claire-" Leo began angrily, refuseing to look at Charlie.
"I'm sorry?" Charlie raised an eye brow. "I'm not an idiot Charlie, I know what happeneds when girls and boys spend the night together" Leo explained defensivly. "Well, if your implying sex then you have the wrong idea" Charlie replied, firmly. Leo rolled his eyes skepticly. "Well, if it wasn't a one night stand, then why haven't you talked to Claire since?"
"I've tried, belive me. I called about fifteen times. Claire is avoiding me" Charlie explained bitterly, "Now if you'll excuse me, i have work to do" and with that he stormed off, leaving Leo in a state of confusion. When his coffee returned, it was from a difforent waiter, and Leo looked over to the front door just in time to see Charlie walk out.
"Thank you" He said to the weighter, who nodded and walked off. Leo laid out a few dollar bills on the table, picked up his cup of coffee and went out the door.
LEO CAME IN THE FRONT DOOR of their apartment to find Claire in the kitchen. "Claire-" He began, pulling off his coat as he walked. "Shh, Skylers sleeping" Claire explained, softly. Leo picked up the phone and headed into the kitchen. "Call him" he ordered, placeing the phone in her hand.
"Call...who?" Claire looked up at him in confusion. "Charlie" Leo insisted, his voice in a flustaited wisper. Claire contenuied to look confused. "I talked to him today. He says he's been calling her and your not answering. The boy's a fucking mass, Claire" Leo explained.
Claire's eyes narowed to the floor, and she bit her lower lip. She didn't want to hurt Charlie, out of all the things in the world that was the last thing she'd wanted to do. But she had a son to take care of, one who was sick at that. She didn't have time for a relationship, but she didn't have the heart to tell him, so she avoided him instead. But knowing that he had been hurt, that he was a 'fucking mess' as Leo so delicetly put it, hurt more than anything.
"Call him" Leo repeated his order, and turned back out of the kitchen. Claire stared at the phone in her hand, trying to clear her thoughts. She tried to think of something to say, but her mind was blank. How could she talk to him, knowing that she'd delibretly ignored him? Knowing that she let him down? Claire sat the phone down on the counter and walked into the living room. She grabbed her coat off the hanger and pulled it one.
"Did you call?" Leo questioned, eyeing her curiously. "Nope" She answered simply, glanceing in the mirror on the wall to fix her hair. "Can you watch Skyler?"
"Sure...but where are you going?" Leo asked in confusion. "Charlies. Do I look ok?" She turned to him nervously, takeing a deep breath. Leo smiled. "You look great" He assured. "Good. I won't stay out to late" Claire promished, still a little nervous.
"Like hell you wont!" Leo insisted, hopeing out of his chaire. "I've got a date that I have to cancle, there for I'm inviteing him over. If you come home, I'm locking you out" He assured playfully, laying a hand on either side of her shoulders. Claire couldn't help but smile. "Alright, just make sure you keep it down. I don't want explaine sex to Skyler just yet...let alone gay sex" Claire explained, teasingly.
"Don't worry. I'll be good." Leo assured, and gave her a kiss on the cheek for good luck before turning her out the door.
CHARLIE CAME INTO HIS APARTMENT and slumped down on the couch, tiredly running his hand through his hair. He was exausted form working, and even more so for the lack of sleep in the past three days for worrying about Claire. He glanced over at his answering machine, still no messiges. He let out an sigh and leaned back agenst the couch, closeing his eyes.
He tired to relax, maybe get some rest, but it wouldn't work. When ever her closed his eyes, he saw Claire, when ever he opened his eyes, He saw Claire, and he swore atleast fifty times through out the day he had heard he voice. But he was determined to get over her. I'm not about to let some girl ruin my life again, he thought, hopping up from the couch once again.
He unbuttoned his shirt as he headed into his room. He finished undressing and threw his work close aside before ploping down on his bed in nothing but a pair of boxers. He ran his fingers through his hair once again and stared up at the ceiling. He needed a way to get his mind off Claire, anything. Well, not anything. Nothing stupid, that would end up messing things up even more.
I need to get out, he decided after a while of laying in silence. He pulled himself out of bed and went over to his closet, pulling out a shirt and a pair of jeans and quickly putting them on. He found some shoes, and his coat and headed for the door, nearly running into Claire when he pulled it open. He stoped, stareing down at her in confusion for a moment.
It had been three whole days since he'd seen her little form, her long, curly blond hair the flodded over her shoulders, her adorible mouth, the way she bit her lip when she looked up at him, they way her big, round, sparkling blue eyes stared up at him innocently, nervously, logingly. He couldn't breath, let alone speak. He took in a nervouls glup, and held onto the doorway to keep himself from falling over.
Only a moment of aqward silence passed between them before Claire lifted her hands to the side of his face and pulled herself up to him, pressing her lips agenst his as hard as she could. For a moment, Charlie couldn't think, and could have eaisly fallen backwards. But he regained thought enough to let go of the wall and pull his arms around her as tight as he posibly colud, opening his mouth to hers, feeling the rush flood through him.
Claire wraped her arms around his neck, standing on the tip of her toes to better reach him. Charlie literly lifted her off her feet, turning so that she was inside with in seconds, and with little effort at that. He held her to him with one arm while he reached for the door nob and pulled it shut.
They'er lips parted after a moment, both shakeing and out of breath. Claire contenuied to stare up at him, feeling his heart beat beneath her hand as she trailed it down the callar of his shirt. "I've missed you so much" He explained honestly, his voice still a little shaky. "I missed you too" She assured softly, feeling the guilt all over again. It was even harder to ignore now that he was infront of her, and she could see it in his eyes, and hear it in his voice. Leo was right, he did have an amazeing voice.
Claire looked down, bitting her lip again nervously, hopeing to good that he didn't confront her. She didn't know if she could handle haveing to explaine herself to him. Charlie lifted her chin so that her eyes meet his before he leaned down and kissed her again, and again, and again, and again.
Claire borke off breathlessly, feeling her own hear race. She couldn't see straight, evey thing was blurred. Every thing but him. She laid her forhead agenst his chest, despretly trying to catch her breath. She closed her eyes, and took in a glup before opening them again. The room spun around her, Charlie was the only thing keeping her from falling. She lifted her forhead form his shoulder and stood on her toes once again, so that her lips were right beside his ear.
"I love you" She wispered, softly, running her hand up his chest, and feeling him shutter agenst her. His arms went tighter around her waist as she began to kiss his neck. She could now feel his heart beating agenst hers. "I love you" He replied, breathlessly, burrying his face agenst her shoulder, moveing his lips agenst her skin.
She pulled back, fliping her hair over her shoulder before cupping his face and pressing her lips to his once again. His hands ran over the curve of her hips, pulling up the material of her shirt as they moved up even further. Claire let out a moan that was muffled by his mouth. She let her hand trail down the side of his cheek, pulling back and stareing into his eyes before sliding her jacket off her shoulders.
Charlies hand trailed down her cheek, traceing the line of her neck, her shoulder, running gently down her bare arm. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder, hearing her gasp when his lips touched her skin.
He was in love, no dobt about it. He'd told girls he'd loved them before, and he hadn't been lieing. When your young, you always seem to think your inlove. But Charlie had grown up fast, a learned from every girl, every broken heart, every mistake. He now knew what love really was, and her name was Claire.
She slid his coat off his shoulders and he helped pull it off the rest off the way and threw it aside. His mouth returned to hers as his fingers grazed over her cheeks, then trailed down her back. Claire wraped one arm around his shoulders, pressing herself agenst him as she reached for the door nob to the bed room with her free hand. She found it after a moment and pushed the door open. They moved into the room without parting, and closed the door behind them.
Claires hands moved up his chest, lifting the fabric of his shirt with them before pulling it off. Charlies arms went around her waist, pulling her tighter agenst him as they kissed. His lips sliped away from hers and moved down to her neck. Claire sucked in a breat of air, running her fingers through his already matted hair before colapsing onto the bed breathlessly.
She looked up at him, captureing his eyes as she undid his belt and slid it off. She watched as his head rolled back, takeing in a nervous gulp. She leaned forwared, leading a trail of kisses up his bare chest untill she meet his lips. She kneeled on the bed, holding her arms around his neck as they kissed.
Charlie's hands moved all over her, lifting the fabric of her shirt unitl she finaly pulled it off and flugh it aside. He held his arms around the small of her back, pulling her close to him Before they slowly moved back onto the bed. He pressed his forhead agenst hers as she laid her head agesnt the pillow, both stareing into each others eyes. Both nervous, and shaky, and warm, and despret.
He knew now that he could never stop loveing her, no matter how hard he tired. He had himself convinced, now all he had to do was convince her, and he was going to do it in the best way posible.