Author Note:

Hey guys!

Thank you so much for all your reviews; you don't know how much they mean to me.

Because I seem to be in a thoroughly depressing mindset currently, and only seem able to write the darker stories, here's another update for you all.

Enjoy. Read. Review.

Leanne xx

WARNING: This chapter comes with a warning of mild violence, so please proceed with caution if you feel this may affect you!

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Waterloo Road.

Half Alive

Part Five

It had been a surprisingly busy morning and after four tablets and numerous cups of tea Karen's headache had started to subside. She'd dealt with two instances of bullying and confiscated what appeared to illegal drugs. It was now nearly lunchtime and she hadn't seen either Charlie or Rob; the former the cause of great relief.

"Knock knock!" She tried not to grimace as her husband's head appeared around the office door. Janeece had gone on her lunch break some ten minutes previously so it meant that people were just free to knock on Karen's door.

"Hi," Karen started apprehensively; finishing the sentence she was writing and putting her pen down. "How's your morning been?"

Charlie came in shutting the door behind him, and Karen tried to disguise her mounting fear. "So – so," He commented off handedly. "You know what year nine can be like." He didn't offer anymore explanation than that so Karen nodded dutifully. "I thought we could have lunch together." He held up a brown paper bag that Karen knew had come from the café down the road.

"It's a lovely thought," Karen said with a half-hearted attempt at a smile. "I'm just really busy today Charlie," She gestured to the pile of papers spread across her desk.

"Surely you've got time for a quick bite to eat," He said silkily. "I had it made especially for you after all." Charlie passed the bag across the desk to her and, feeling his eyes on her, Karen tore the label sealing the bag, hoping he wouldn't notice her trembling fingers. Mayo chicken and bacon on seeded white bread. It used to be on of her favourite sandwiches bit today she could only toy miserably with it, watching warily as Charlie began to eat his own lunch.

"I saw Jess on my way up here!" He commented through a mouthful of tuna and cucumber.

Karen immediately thought back to the conversation she and their daughter had engaged in that morning, and wondered if he could possibly know. "Oh-" She started, trying to keep her tone neutral. "Was she okay?"

Charlie swallowed, removing the lid of his take-away cup of coffee and stirring it with a plastic spoon. "She wasn't exactly what you'd call conversational."

"So about normal for her then," Karen forced a smile as she attempted to pass off Jess's behaviour. "It's just a phase she's going through, I expect." Truthfully her attitude and behaviour was better than it had been in a long time but Charlie rarely saw that side to her. He always seemed to rub her up the wrong way at the best of times, and especially now with what she thought she knew, she was hardly going to be very receptive to his presence.

"That'll be it," Charlie agreed, although his eyes narrowed and he looked at her suspiciously. Karen tried to meet his gaze but quailed under his ferocious glare. "She seems to be under the impression that you've said Vicki MacDonald can stay over tonight." Silence briefly followed his words, and she could tell that he'd reached the point of their lunch together. He leaned closer towards her and she tried not to shy away from him. "I said she must have got her wires crossed, because I don't recall it being run past me."

Karen swallowed convulsively and defiantly raised her head so she was finally looking him directly in the eye. "No she's right," She said, feeling a sudden strength from somewhere within to challenge Charlie on the matter. "I gave Jess permission to ask her." She was instantly ashamed at how weak her voice sounded, and mentally reprimanded herself for it. She stood up, trying to make herself appear more significant but when he followed suit – a smirk firmly in place – the height difference was now more impressive.

"Oh did you now?" Charlie asked advancing towards her. "Well you'll just have to tell Jess to uninvite her then because I don't recall you asking me."

"Perhaps I could have asked you this morning if you weren't still sleeping off a night out drinking." Karen said bravely, amazed at her own boldness. She knew she'd pay dearly for her moment of courage later, but tired of being downtrodden; her mouth seemed to have overtaken her brain. There was a time and a place for getting a smart mouth though, and this certainly wasn't it. "Vicki can stay tonight."

Charlie laughed humorlessly, "What have I told you, eh Karen?" He began patronizingly. "Don't play games with me." His voice was gruff, as he caught her wrist in a vice like grip as she made to move away from him.

Karen bit down on her lip to stop tears spilling down over her cheeks as he twisted her arm behind her back. "No, because playing games is what you do isn't it?" She managed, letting out a gasp when her back collided with the desk.

"I always win," Charlie hissed in her ear, his face contorting with rage, twisting her arm further and causing her to let out a whimper of discomfort.

There was a knock at the office door and Charlie froze, giving Karen enough time to wrench herself out of his grasp, and yank her sleeve down over her arm. "No Charlie," She said, colour flooding back to her cheeks. "You don't." Not meeting his gaze, she turned to answer the door, to find Rob standing in the doorway.

As much as she'd wanted to see him earlier, Karen couldn't help but to think he'd picked the worse possible time. Standing up to Charlie had completely shaken her… not to mention he was still stood there, watching intently as she addressed Rob. "Rob, hi," She started awkwardly, "Come in."

Rob frowned at her demeanor. She looked thoroughly rattled and as though she was about to burst into tears at any given second. "I can come back later if now isn't a convenient time," He said looking between her and Charlie, having no idea who he was.

"No it's fine," Karen said, trying to inject a slightly more assertive note into her voice. She could feel Charlie's eyes boring holes into the back of her head and turned to him, a fake smile on her lips. "Charlie this is Rob Scotcher, my site manager." She introduced him before turning back to Rob who was still stood rooted in the doorway, perturbed by the atmosphere that lingered in the room.

Karen could tell as she said the words that further introduction would be quite unnecessary; the hard look that crossed Rob's face making her acutely aware that he now knew exactly who this was. Charlie however was looking at her expectantly, so she was left with little choice.

"Rob, meet Charlie my h-husband." The words caught in Karen's throat and caused the site manager to feel a sense of utter revulsion, especially as Charlie held out a hand for him to shake.

Karen's eyes silently pleaded with him not to make a scene and she shook her head almost imperceptibly, before training her eyes on the wall she'd previously been staring at. Rob's eyes locked on Charlie's as he gripped his hand in a firm handshake, the muscle in his jaw twitching furiously as he struggled to contain his anger. "Site manager? Isn't that just a posh name for school caretaker?" Charlie asked flippantly.

"And what is it you do Charlie?" Rob asked, biting down on his lip to prevent a cutting retort, but still being unable to keep the scorn out of his voice as he spoke.

"Charlie works in teaching," Karen answered quickly, "He used to work full time but wanted to spend more time at home with the family." Only Rob was perceptive enough to notice the double meaning behind her words. "Now he does mostly cover work."

Charlie thrust his hands deep into his pockets, "Yes well, I'd better get back. I have year eleven this afternoon." He said, leaning down to kiss Karen on the cheek, and glaring at her vindictively when she flinched away from him because he realised this hadn't gone unnoticed by Rob. "I'll see you tonight at home." To anyone else his words would purely have been valediction between a husband and wife, but Rob who was listening intently picked upon the malice lacing his tone and felt Karen tremble beside him.

Without taking a second glance at Rob, Charlie strode from the office. Rob closed the door behind him as Karen sank down onto a chair, shaking violently and clutching her desk for support.