The Butcher's Traps

Chapter 7: Resemblance

Morning came too quickly. Jessica tried to tiptoe around quietly to gather her clothes but it was closing the bathroom door that woke both Charlie and Mike. The former opening her eyes to the comfort of warm sunlight on the walls and the latter sitting upright with a start as the jacket fell off his face. Mike sunk back down onto the couch with a tired groan while Charlie sat up to look for Sammy.

It didn't take her long to find him as he was sitting on the bed behind her, legs crossed and blanket still cocooned around him, finally relaxing now that Jessica left the room. She knew from one look at him that he hadn't slept, and though he didn't need as much as a human she did know he required some.

"Morning, Sammy," Charlie greeted with a stretch. He greeted her back with a smile and a caring chime. As she sat up the rest of the way, he wrapped his arms and blanket around her for a hug, which she returned. She could feel him leaning on her more than usual; definitely worn out.

"Did you get any sleep at all?" Charlie asked with concern. Sammy paused a long moment but then caved and shook his head. Then apologetically pressed his mask into her shoulder to not see her concern of disappointment. Of which her face showed more of the former than the latter. She patted his back and asked, "Maybe you can try to take a nap sometime today? I think we should be safe while it's daylight."

Though she didn't know this for certain. Her only hints to this being the case being that nobody saw the animatronics during the day and that Bear Trap Freddy had spent the day before outside, directly in the yard, and yet hadn't made any attempt to attack until once it got late at night. Even if it wasn't the case, she assumed they had a better chance during the day.

Sammy gave a sighing sound and nodded. They stayed like that for a few minutes and tried to decompress from the night before.

With a defeated huff, Mike finally sat up from the couch and tried to stretch the tightness out of his back. He looked over at the two and got a slight smile. It faded away as he rubbed his eyes and quickly fixed up his hair. Finally, he greeted them with a to-the-point, "Morning. What's the plan?"

"It kind of depends. Do you know if there's a place in town that down same-day photo developing?" Charlie asked. Mike considered it a second before shrugging. "Either way we need to see Clay. I know you two aren't on good terms, but I think you should come with me. It'll help get the point across."

"I'm going to have to. I'm going to have to file some sort of report on my apartment since the place's probably been cleaned out by now," Mike said tiredly. Though he sounded as sarcastic as usual, she could see a dejected look settle on his features and only now did she really think about what he was going through, having basically lost any security in his home and possibly his stuff.

"Maybe not. Someone might've called your Landlord by now, and it's not like the front door was left open, just unlocked… Things can be replaced, lives can't. If we would've stayed and tried to barricade in the house, they would've gotten to us. You made the right call in getting us out of there," Charlie reassured him.

"Yeah, I know…" he said. That didn't mean it was any easier to swallow. Sammy looked to him with a troubled look, both of worry and regret. He almost looked more upset for the man than he himself was.

Until Jessica came back out of the bathroom and he promptly had to pull the comforter back over his face. The blond noticed everyone awake and got a sheepish smile.

"I didn't wake everyone up, did I?" she asked. This received a couple of shakes of heads. "Oh, good! That's the last thing I wanted to do after last night's craziness. So… Do you guys want to get some breakfast? Mike, I think you look young enough that we could probably slip you into the cafeteria. They shouldn't ask for ID if you pay cash."

"Nah, I'm good. I'll get something later. You guys go ahead," Mike declined.

"Actually, I think I'm going to wait too. We really need to get to Clay's as soon as possible. Hopefully, we'll catch him before he leaves," Charlie said. Sammy turned slowly to look at her and then leaned down behind her and reached for her bag. Charlie didn't notice him as she continued, "We're going to need a way to move Sammy. I don't think we should leave him here alone."

"One of you told me he sleeps in boxes. Why don't we get a box and carry him out?" Mike asked.

"That's exactly what I was thinking. He doesn't need a large box either. If we could just get a carboard box about… This size." Charlie measured an invisible box with her hands, trying her best to mimic the size of the box Sammy used sometimes in her bedroom.

Jessica was caught between listening to Charlie and watching Sammy's long arm fish into her backpack. By now Charlie heard what her brother was doing but paid it no mind. Jessica looked back to her friend with a confident smile. "Sure thing! I'll go ask around and see if anyone has any moving boxes left."

She headed out of the room and shut the door behind her as Mike headed into the bathroom. Charlie turned back to Sammy only to have a meal bar thrust up towards her. She got a little smile.

"Okay, okay. Thanks." She accepted the bar and peeled the wrapper off, hesitating before she bit in. "…You know, maybe you should get one out for Mike."

Sammy held up a second bar and she gave him a thumbs up. Then, as soon as Mike walked out of the bathroom, the Puppet gave a sharp whistling noise and threw it to him. Or more so at him, hitting him in the chest before it dropped to the floor. He stared at it momentarily before picking it up, giving a dry thanks, and eating it without another word.

Jessica returned a few minutes later with a cardboard box that was only a little longer than Charlie had described. In short, it was perfect, and she sat it down beside the bed.

"There you go, Sammy! It looks like it's going to be a tight fit, but it's clean and sturdy," she said. He leaned over the bed to look at it, cloaked in the blanket again, and then climbed down off the bed to get a closer look. Jessica turned her attention back to Charlie who was getting a spare change of clothes from her bag, having thankfully replaced the last set. "Hey, maybe you should call John," the blond suggested.

Charlie inwardly flinched at the thought. She could just imagine that explanation now:

"I was spending the night at Mike's house, again, when rabid robots broke down the doors and chased us across the city, and instead of calling the police we all piled into Jess' dorm room."

She could already picture the look on his face, imagine the disappointment that he would never confess to. It was almost easier before they started dating because then she never had to answer questions she didn't want to or check in at inopportune times. Or worry about dragging him into something so dangerous when she knew he would throw himself in willingly.

"Or you don't have to. He's not going anywhere," Jessica said after the long silence. Though Charlie could see the questioning in her gaze when she looked to her.

"No, I know I should… Later. He's at work now, I don't want to have him worrying about me while he's working with power tools," Charlie agreed. Jessica gave her a somewhat doubtful look. "I'll call him as soon as we get finished with Clay, I promise," she said. The more concrete swear seemed to assuage Jessica and she let the subject drop. That, and her focus shifting on the shuffling noise in the blanket covered box.

Mike picked up the blanket partially, keeping it tented over him, as to let Sammy fold into the box. He then knelt and closed the box before moving the blanket and looking at the work, almost in disbelief that the Puppet was fitting in the tight space. He shrugged it off and hoisted it up without too much difficulty. It wasn't too much heavier than an average television.

It wasn't until they got out into the parking lot that Mike remembered the state of his car and immediately groaned so loudly that it could be heard halfway across the parking lot.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. My car is now completely undrivable," he vented as he lugged Sammy's box over to stare at the mess on the hood. "How am I supposed to get this off? I can't afford a new windshield. I can't even afford to get my alternator fixed and that's the thing that's going to get me stranded."

"I'll drive. We're all going to the same place anyways," Jessica offered.

"Thanks, but unless you plan on chauffeuring me to and from my apartment for the rest of the day, I'm still going to need a car."

"Then use mine," Charlie said. He almost looked a little surprised by the offer and she smiled. "You let me stay on your couch, I'm just returning the favor… And I don't mind having a personal driver."

"What? Me carrying around your brother isn't enough?" Mike quipped. He got a more honest smile afterwards. "You've got yourself a deal."

Jessica studied the dried mixture on the hood a little closer, tapping cautiously with her fingernail, but couldn't figure out what it was. "If you really want to get this stuff off, I'd say your best bet is probably kerosene, but you're not going to want to breathe in those fumes," she warned. Then she started off to her car, beckoning them with a wave. "In any case, let's get moving."

After another slow drive, they were back in Hurricane. Charlie didn't know what she was expecting to see when they got there but there wasn't much that had changed. It was as though the night before hadn't happened at all and, in a way, it was no different from the attacks and nights before it. It was an unsettling thought to know they had been there the whole time.

They pulled up to Carlton's house to see that Clay's car was parked in the driveway. Jessica pulled in behind it and they all started to get out of the car. Charlie quickly replaced Mike's place in the back so she could lean over and tap on the box that Sammy was in. The Puppet made a slow rattling sound, his half-asleep or tired noise.

"We're going to head inside, Sammy. Are you going to be alright?" She knew he was, but she didn't want to leave him without asking. He let out a dull but positive chime. "Okay. I'm going to lay my jacket over the box so you'll be covered and my cell phone's in the pocket. If something happens, I have Jess' number programmed into my phone. I love you." He gave a more affectionately musical chime and she closed the door.

Charlie braced herself with a deep breath before turning to Mike and Jessica. "Let's go see Clay."

They rung the doorbell and tried to pull themselves together as best as they could. Charlie felt almost naked without her jacket, Mike already had a look like he didn't want to be there, and Jessica was just the third wheel along for the ride, quickly reapplying lip gloss before the door could be answered.

Instead of Clay, it was Carlton. This was unexpected since he was known to sleep in later than this on his off days. He looked just as surprised to see them at their door and confused in the case of Mike.

"Uhh… Hey guys? I didn't know you were coming over," he said unsurely. "What's up?"

"We need to talk to your dad. We know what's been attacking and murdering people around the city and it's not animals," Charlie said cryptically.

"What, you saw something?... Or wait, did something happen?" Carlton looked over the three there and realized how weird it was that Mike was there. "Did something happen to Sammy?" he guessed.

"…We were attacked at Mike's apartment last night. They weren't animals, they were animatronics, and it wasn't Baby."

Carlton's eyes widened slowly as he processed the information. Then Mike casually added in over the girls' shoulders, "Which is sort of an understatement. Technically they attacked us outside the apartment too."

"Where's Clay?" Jessica asked more bluntly. This finally snapped Carlton out of his stupor enough to usher them into the house. He led them back to Clay's office, not the one in the basement but the main one on the first floor. They found him at his desk typing at his computer.

"So… Dad, we've got company," Carlton said. Clay looked up from the screen and saw as Charlie and Jessica walked in and smiled. It became a much more confused look when Mike came in after him. Charlie didn't even give him time to ask and instead delved right into an explanation.

"Clay, we need to talk. I'm sorry to suddenly drop in without calling, but something happened last night and I know you're the only one who can help us. Or believe us, I know it's going to be unbelievable, but you just have to listen and keep an open mind..." she realized she was rambling and fumbling her words and stopped momentarily to regroup. Then said simply, "It's going to sound crazy but you have to trust me on this. Last night I was over at Mike's apartment and animatronics broke in and tried to kill us."

"What?" Clay asked startled.

"That's Mike Schmidt by the way," Mike chimed in as he leaned against the doorframe. Jessica sent him an unamused look at his interruption but everyone else ignored it.

"They were animatronics. Animatronics that looked like Freddy and Bonnie, but- but twisted into something horrible. Like they were mashed together with traps. The Freddy was made like a bear trap with detachable hands and buried underground where it would keep its mouth open and try to catch someone- it sounds unbelievable, I know. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it," Charlie explained. "And then we were attacked in the parking lot of the laundromat by Bonnie. I got pictures of it but I have to get them developed."

"Wait a minute, slow down here. Are you saying…? You're saying that these are what murdered those women? These… Animatronic bear traps?" Clay asked. He seemed to be having trouble grasping it, but after Charlie nodded, he almost got a distant look. Like he was lost in thought.

"If you don't believe her then you can drive over to my apartment. They broke down the back door, broke out my window, dug up my yard, and repainted by car with black sludge that I'm going to have to use harsh chemicals to get off," Mike said, coming to Charlie's defense. "And you know that I've worked with animatronics. I know what I'm looking at when I see a Freddy."

"No, I believe you… I have been suspecting for a while that there was more to these murders, but there's been little evidence to go on. It's difficult to back up an intelligent killing when the bodies show scratch marks and bite wounds… You said something about sludge?" Clay asked and looked to Mike, who nodded.

"Bonnie shot the stuff straight out of his arm. I kid you not," he said.

Clay got a grim expression and contemplated this for a moment. Then he looked at Charlie for a long time, then stood from his desk. "Come to the basement. I need to show you something."

Charlie wasn't sure why, but something about that last exchange made her nervous. She still nodded and followed him out of the room, with Jessica, Carlton, and Mike following behind them. Clay led them downstairs, him and her being a little ways ahead of the others. Enough space for him to discreetly ask, "What were you doing at Mike Schmidt's apartment?"

He had a suspicious look. Not the kind of a detective scouring for clues, but of a father figure who didn't trust Mike much. Apparently that feeling was mutual.

"We're friends," Charlie defended. Clay seemed a little doubtful. "He's been helping me with a robotics project I have at the university… A project that was probably destroyed when the house was ransacked."

Clay seemed to believe her and just responded with a hum. Then he flicked on the basement lights and led her over to the desk he kept downstairs. She noticed a map on the wall beside it with three small, red tags stuck to it. Since one of these seemed to mark the park, she could only assume that these were labelling where the murders took place. She was somewhat relieved to see that there were still only three.

While she studied the map and Clay went through papers on his desk, Carlton beckoned Mike and Jessica beside the stairs and pointed into the back corner where Lefty still laid in pieces. Jessica got an uneasy look at seeing it, having remembered dumping it in the desert and hoping to never see it again.

"That's the only Freddy we have on record," Carlton said. He then turned to Mike a feigned a sympathetic look, "It must be hard seeing your former co-worker broken up like this." He got a slight smile.

"Yeah, it's tearing me apart inside," Mike flatly replied. Though he stepped closer to look at what had once been the animatronic bear. "It's hard to believe Sammy came out of that."

Charlie and Jessica both froze and hoped that Clay didn't catch the quiet slip up. Except this was Clay Burke, seasoned detective and clearly suspicious of the man in question, so he did.

"I'm sorry?" Clay asked.

"It's hard to believe something came out of that," Mike said coolly. He looked back at the man with no expression while pointing a thumb at Lefty's remains. "That's what it looks like, that the endo climbed out."

"And that happened frequently?" the detective asked with mild disbelief.

"Considering that random endoskeletons walking around was a thing at Freddy's, I'd say so." While he sent Mike a suspicious look- as though he didn't know if he was joking or serious- Clay turned away and returned to the task at hand. Mike was let off the hook and everyone seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief, but only for a moment.

"Charlie, I need to show you something that may disturb you," Clay said. "Normally I wouldn't want to bring you into an investigation like this, but considering the circumstances… I don't have much of a choice." He handed over a paper to her. "This is Bridgette Mathews. She is believed to be the first victim."

She took the paper and looked over it. There was a printed picture of the woman- thankfully, a driver's license photo instead of one from the crime scene. She looked to be in her twenties with shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes. Underneath it was a list of information about her, including her address, blood type, and a confirmation that she was twenty-four years old.

"Tracy Horton was found the same morning. We believe they were killed within hours of each other. She was last seen leaving JR's at around one in the morning and it's unclear what led to her attack," Clay explained. He explained as he handed over a second paper. Charlie accepted it and passed the first one back to Jessica where she could look at it, Mike and Carlton looking over her shoulders.

The woman in the photo had a bright smile, brown hair that hung past her shoulders, and brown eyes. She looked younger than the girl from before and a quick look at the information showed that she was, in fact, only nineteen years old. A different address, a different blood type, a different girl entirely, but she suffered the same fate.

"Finally, we have Laura Parsons. She was found in a field beside a gas station. A synthetic mixture that resembled tar was found at the scene which matches the description you've given about Bonnie."

The last paper showed a young woman of only twenty-two with a heart shaped face, large brown eyes, and brown hair that hung down over her shoulders. By then Charlie had noticed the trend.

"They all look like me," she said, dread creeping up into her chest. "I mean, not exactly like me, but the details- they're still there. Brown eyes, brown hair, about the same age…" She looked up at Clay and he nodded.

"Up until now I believed that we were dealing with a serial killer who was disguising their crimes as animal attacks to cover their tracks. The wounds were clean enough to be done by a weapon and it wouldn't be the first time we've seen someone dismember a body... But now that you were attacked by an animatronic, and you are sure it is an animatronic-." Charlie gave an insistent nod. "…Then I don't think it is a coincidence that all of these women look like you."

"Wait… Are you saying you think they're after Charlie?" Jessica asked.

"I believe so. If solely because your history with Freddy's itself is so strong. This can't just be a fluke," Clay explained. Charlie was thoroughly disturbed and looked down at the paper, lost in her thoughts. It sounded so absurd and yet it made sense to her. It was the only thing that could explain why they had pursued her so relentlessly and why they staked out the apartment once they found her.

"Let's really stop and think about this for a second," Mike said in disbelief. "You're saying that someone purposefully built these giant, weapon-filled animatronics to hunt a single woman. Those things were clearly built to hunt people, but whose to say they aren't just hunting women in general? Sure, those girls look like Charlie, but brown eyes and hair aren't exactly uncommon in this town, and it's women around her age who are going to be out later. You're just guessing that they're after Charlie because she's connected to Freddy's."

"We can't ignore the connections, not when there's this many," Clay said. A suspicious glint took his gaze. "I find it strange that you're so opposed to the idea when you yourself witnessed these bots."

"I'm not saying I'm opposed to the idea; I'm just saying that us jumping to conclusions isn't going to help anything," Mike said, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "And I already know what you're getting at."

"I think Clay has a point," Charlie chimed up. Largely to stop any budding argument, which thankfully seemed to work. "But so does Mike. Those bots couldn't have been built just to hunt me alone. They don't even look like they were built recently. Mike, you saw them; they looked old, their fabric was torn and faded. They look like something that was built ages ago and only just activated and got out." She looked back to Clay with certainty in her eyes. "I know they must've come from Afton Robotics."

"Considering the things we've seen down there, it wouldn't surprise me," Clay agreed.

"And you guys were just down there. Maybe you could've accidentally let them out while searching for Baby!" Jessica added in.

"But that doesn't explain what sent them after Charlie. If they have been down there and just got out, how would they even know about her?" Mike pointed out. "These things don't act like they're haunted. The haunted ones are smarter, have their own little patterns and quirks. These act like they're programmed."

"Which could be the case, and as I see it there's two possible options for who would've had the means," Clay explained. "The first option and the less likely is that it isCircus Baby. Being an automaton herself she may be capable of controlling other machines, but I find it very unlikely that she alone would be capable of this. The other option is that it is William Afton. To bring everyone up to speed, William Afton was a genius when it came to both building elaborate animatronics and hiding his tracks, and as of now his whereabouts are still unknown."

At first Charlie mentally protested this idea, as William Afton had died in the fire, but then a new thought sunk in. "If Sammy was right and William was an animatronic, then maybe he survived the fire. Sammy and Baby did, why not him?" she wondered. These were worries she couldn't voice to the others.

"But figuring out who is behind this is my problem, not any of yours. Right now, our top priorities are to secure Charlie's safety and to put out a bulletin warning Hurricane about these continued attacks. We'll keep with the violent animal story as to not draw unnecessary panic, and I'll look into a formal evacuation order if it comes to it," Clay said as he took charge. He turned his attention back to the brunette in question. "Since they found you last night, I think it would be safest if you stayed here tonight in our guest room."

"I don't know. I don't want to put you in danger," Charlie said. Really, she was thinking about Sammy. Until another fleeting thought said, "But if I stay with Sammy, I'll be putting him in danger." She remembered how eagerly he fought Bear Trap Freddy. If he would've done that same thing with Glue Trap Bonnie, he could've been ruined by the sludge. She couldn't imagine how it could've damaged his fragile electronics.

And if it was William Afton who was behind this, having somehow survived her father's trap, then she would be leading him right back to her brother. He could take him again.

"You wouldn't be putting us in danger. I'm more than comfortably armed and can have patrol cars stationed outside the house. Considering these circumstances, I'm more than justified in doing so if it means protecting you," Clay said. He then turned to Mike. "The offer is the same for you, Mike. We can't be certain that the animatronics haven't identified you as a target now that they've seen you with her."

"Thanks, but I've got it under control. I'll just stay at a motel or something. One way far on the other side of town until I straighten out my apartment," Mike declined. A motel on the edge of town sounded miles safer for Sammy- the further from her, the safer he would be, though Charlie knew he wouldn't like it. Jessica noticed her distress and came to her side.

"If you don't feel safe staying in town then we could maybe try the dorms again. It might be out of Clay's jurisdiction, but I'm sure he could convince the St. George police to station extra security there," she said. Charlie shook her head.

"No, he's right. I would be safer here. Let me just… I need to go out to the car for a second." Jessica knew she was going to see Sammy and nodded, and nobody stopped her in going up the basement steps and heading out of the house. A silence fell over the room the moment that she left.

It was Carlton who eventually broke that silence. Muttering under his breath with a not too subtle, "This is nuts."

While Clay wouldn't have worded it like that, he shared the sentiments. He couldn't help but feel sorry for Charlie and what she was having to go through. It was that that turned his attention back onto Mike.

"Mike," he began, controlling his tone to keep the man from becoming defensive. It didn't work as Mike tensed up instantly. "If you know more than you're letting on then you need to come clean now. Charlie's life could be on the line," Clay said sternly. The younger man's eyes popped open and he spun on him.

"Oh, I knew this was coming. Look, I had nothing to do with this. I'm the one who had my apartment ransacked by those things!" he defended. While both Jessica and Carlton looked uncomfortable, Clay was entirely unmoved, and that only made Mike more frustrated. "This is just like with the fire. You hear my name and you start placing me at the scene."

"I don't need your name to place you at the scene, Mike. You're always there," Clay chided. A glint of surprise passed Mike's face but he stood his ground. "First the vandalization of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza two years ago, then the fire at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Place, and now here you are in the center of a murder investigation involving what may be Fazbear Entertainment animatronics. Now I am not accusing you of anything, I am simply asking if there is something you are not telling me that may help the investigation."

"Just because I've got a history with Freddy's- Just because I worked at Freddy's- I told you exactly what happened, okay? I didn't "place myself" at the scene. The scene was my apartment. In fact-!" Mike was getting so worked up that he was about to snap, but before he could say anything incriminating, he caught himself and took a different route. "You know what? I don't need this. I'm out of here. Consider this my statement to the police."

With that, Mike trudged back up the basement stairs and slammed the door on his way out. Clay pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. That hadn't gone the way that he intended it too.

Jessica and Carlton just stood there witnessing the scene in silence. It wasn't until it settled down for a few seconds that Jessica decided it was time to go.

"We'll just get out of your hair," she excused, grabbing Carlton by the arm and half-dragging him to the stairs. He didn't even have a clever quip as he sent one last look back at his father before leaving him be, knowing he needed the space.

Outside and oblivious to the argument, Charlie got into the backseat of Jessica's car and sat there alongside the carboard box. Since Sammy hadn't stirred, she assumed he was still asleep. She hated waking him.

"Sammy?" She tapped gently on the top of the box. There was a soft shifting noise and a muffled ring, he was still half asleep. She supposed this was the best time to give the news. "Sammy, we spoke to Clay and he believes us, but… He showed me pictures of the women who were murdered. They look like me. Same hair, same eyes, same general face shape, almost the same age. He thinks that- considering the family history with Freddy's- they might be hunting me."

Charlie expected a reaction but Sammy was silent. She couldn't tell if he had fallen back asleep or was just listening silently. She took a deep breath and continued.

"Clay offered for me to stay here so he could protect me and I think that's what I'm going to do. He's going to bring in more cops to watch the house and if anything shows up then they'll… I don't know if they'll be able to stop them, but they'll see them, and it should give me enough time to get away if I need to. Mike's not going to be staying and I know you're not going to like this, but I think you should go with him."

Still, prolonged silence. It was too silent now; she knew he was listening. Though at least he was hearing her out.

"If Clay's right and I am the one they're following, then staying with me will just put you in danger. It's just safer and easier if you go with Mike tonight. It'll be like I stayed over at Aunt Jen's and I'll come to see you as soon as morning comes. I just- I can't let you... I'm not going to let you get yourself hurt protecting me. Not when there's another way. Let me protect you this time, okay?"

Still silence and Charlie took a deep breath and exhaled in a sigh. "I'm going to go see if Mike and Jess are ready to go. We still have plenty of time before nightfall," she said.

Charlie turned to reopen the car door when the box beside her suddenly burst open. It seemed like the moment her hand landed on the door handle, Sammy's hand landed on her wrist, his long fingers wrapping tightly around it. She looked back to see him half unfurled out of the box, mask marred in fear and desperation. An expression she was sure matched hers very well.

He didn't say anything, but she could read everything from that look alone. "Don't do this." "It doesn't have to be this way." "We can do this together." "Don't leave me."

And she didn't want to. She didn't want to lose her brother, which was why she made this decision. Even if she knew that it would hurt him now, it would keep him safe in the long run.

"I know you're scared, Sammy. I am too. This whole thing is terrifying… But it'll be okay." Charlie gave him a smile. "I'm going to be fine! It's just one night and if all goes well then maybe it'll be the only night."

Sammy lowered his gaze with an almost lost look before giving a hollow sigh of acceptance. Reluctantly he agreed with her plan. Not out of any concern for himself, but because he knew he had little choice in the matter. Charlie had already made up her mind. Maybe she would be safer with Burke, if he was sure that she was the true target-.

Suddenly he remembered his nightmare from a few nights ago. He had thought it had been about Charlie, but instead he had caught the glimpses of the last moments of someone who looked like her. He squeezed her arm as he was hit by guilt and remorse. He couldn't have done much for that woman, but the look on her face would still haunt him.

Seeing his distress, Charlie reached for him and pulled him close like he had to her that morning, trying to offer some comfort. He rested his head in the crook of her arm with his hand still securely on her wrist. They stayed like that for a short while, just existing in a moment of safety.

Just in case...