ELEVEN

"How will you deal with your teachers?" October asked later that night. "It's gonna take quite a long time for Knox's nose to get normal again. You can't really expect it to go unnoticed."

Charlie shrugged, kicking a stone on his path.

"We will fake an accident while playing soccer tomorrow, as soon as we get up. It's not the first time."

Just like some hours before, they were strolling with their fingers intertwined, the only difference being in the landscape. They were in the woods, alongside the silvery stream, bathed in pale moonlight. Two of the boys had lifted Knox up and were on their way back to the academy at that moment, carrying him on their shoulders, while another one was dragging off his bike. Charlie had opted to stay with October and walk her home, since it was dark, late and he couldn't do anything for his friend.

"I still think we should have taken him to the hospital" October remarked.

"Nah, better let sleeping dogs lie. I don't even want to think about Knox's father's reaction. Not to mention that, in his opinion, it's always my fault. You see, my warped mind is too noxious for Knoxious."

October chuckled, listening to the tale of how a baby Knox once broke his arm falling from a tree within Charlie's estate and, from then on, Mr. Overstreet senior had always blamed Charlie for any misfortune that occurred to his son.

"… But I don't care, I mean, I know I'm not responsible in any…"

"But it wouldn't be bad to be approved by him, since he's one of your best friends' father, right?"

Charlie briefly averted his eyes. He clenched his jaw in uneasiness, but chose to cover the feeling in indifference.

"I don't have my own father's, do you think I could care about the approval of someone else's parent?"

"Yes, I think you do, rock" she confirmed with a smile, gently squeezing his hand. "And it's okay."

Charlie stopped and took a deep breath, but didn't let her hand go.

"Listen, Sibyl, I don't want you to think I…"

"No" she cut him off, delicately resting her free hand on his mouth. "You don't have to explain. I didn't mean to make you feel exposed. I just wanted to point out that you yourself have your own walls, just like me and anybody else."

They stared at each other for a while in silence. He got what she meant. He had no right to insist on her opening up her mind when he himself was not ready yet. There were things buried just too deep inside to be dug out that easily. She was respecting his pace, it would be just fair to do the same.

Charlie moved her hand from his mouth to his cheek, keeping it there; he then tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, brushing her jaw with a finger.

"How can you do that?" he asked.

"Do what?"

"Read me. It seems you always know how I feel and how I'd occasionally like to get rid of that feeling."

A sweet smile graced her lips.

"I told you I love books, didn't I?"

Charlie smiled back. He studied her features, cherishing how the moonlight was blessing her complexion and the breeze was playing with her hair. As he had thought the first time he had seen her, she indeed looked like a fairy. When his pupils ended on her lips, he felt his heart go wild at once. Carpe diem. He leaned towards her, ever so slowly, as if to savor the expectation. Her eyelids fluttered and she caught her breath, but then broke the moment only a heartbeat away.

"Wait… I don't think this is a good idea" she whispered, slightly pushing him with both hands on his chest, refusing to meet his gaze. He didn't move an inch.

"Why not?" he murmured back.

"I… There's a chance…" She paused to swallow. "I won't be here forever."

Charlie could distinctly hear a soft crack sound from somewhere inside him.

"Well, all the more reason to have a good memory of this."

"Darlie…"

"You don't really wanna call that a kiss, do you?" he joked, eliciting a chortle from her.

"I'm sorry for that, I just acted without thinking."

"Hmm. I like when you do things without thinking, you should stop thinking entirely."

She laughed again.

"And how can you do that?"

"What, be a lecher?"

October's cackle bounced all over.

"No, you twerp. I mean make me smile no matter what and bring light to my world."

Charlie beamed. So she was happy. Thanks to him. He couldn't ask for more.

"Your fault. It's overstocked light" he answered after thinking it over a bit.

She frowned in confusion, questioning him with her eyes.

"Due to you being a supernova in my life."

And she melted. When he leaned in again, she didn't push him away, and caressed his neck with her fingertips instead. He wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly got closer, until their breaths blended and their smiles met. He softly brushed his lips on hers, teasing them with the tip of his tongue. But he couldn't forget she was a woman, not a shy little girl, so he wasn't really surprised when her reaction was to pull him against her. And he liked it unreservedly. She came into possession of his tongue, asking it to dance with hers, to twist together like spirals in the wind. He sank his hands into her hair, loosening her braid. She bit his lower lip, and a growl reached her ear. He relished her mouth, instantly realizing he would never have enough of it. She tasted of vanilla and peace. She tasted of alcohol and laughter. She tasted of tobacco and victory. She tasted of freedom. She tasted of love.

"You ain't an alien in disguise from Roswell, are you?" he suddenly asked upon spotting her guesthouse in the distance. October giggled in amusement.

"What if I am?"

Charlie shrugged.

"Fine with me."

They both snickered and took some more steps, before she broke the silence again.

"Why did you ask that?"

Charlie chewed his inner cheek, halting.

"Lots of reasons, indeed. For example, you're one of a kind, have they ever told you?"

October rolled her eyes, secretly pleased.

"We are all one of a kind, and nobody is. We become unparalleled in someone's eyes when they care about us, you know that."

Charlie gave a half-smile.

"See? You're so unpredictable."

"And that makes me an alien?" she asked chuckling.

"No, I was kidding, of course. But you are different. You think differently. You behave differently, don't say otherwise. Plus, you just mentioned that outrage about leaving, so maybe you have to get back to your planet."

She laughed and he kissed her before resuming their walk, both content with their comfortable silence, only shattered by their footsteps.

"Can you promise me one thing?" Charlie suddenly requested, his voice lower than before. October sensed the difference in his tone and cast a sideways glance at him, but he was keeping his stare straight ahead.

"What?"

"If you really have to go, don't disappear overnight. I'd rather bid you a heart-wrenching goodbye than mourn over such a rip."

October's shoulders slumped as her heartbeat increased in an unpleasant way. Stopping by her guesthouse, she stood in front of him and took a deep breath, searching for a proper reply.

"Darlie… You have to understand I don't have control over every single thing. I'm not sure I can make that promise."

She stared at him. His jaw was clenched and his expression was heartrendingly hurt. She felt the sudden desire to cradle him until he fell asleep, so she leaned in, cupping his face in her hands.

"Hey, don't…" she sighed, closing her eyes. When she opened them back, she stroked his cheekbones with her thumbs. "Listen. I promise I'll make every moment spent together count. Okay?"

Charlie swallowed a couple of times.

"Why…" His voice cracked. He cleared his throat to regain his composure. "Why do you call me Darlie?"

October smiled at his change of subject. He was being strong. He was strong. He was stronger than he thought, and he was a man, through and through.

"Can't you puzzle it out?"

He had his lopsided smile for her.

"I think I have a vague idea, but I still want to hear it."

October lowered her eyes, shaking her head, before diving into his again.

"It's a blend of Dalton and Charlie. And it sounds like darling."

Charlie stared at her with a hard and blazing look on his face. He pulled her head towards him and kissed her soulfully until they ran out of oxygen, only to start again. Yes, he would probably lose her. But, in that very moment, she was thoroughly alive and warm and soft in his arms, so it was pointless to despair. The only important thing was to have her there and then. Anything else could wait.

A/N: A big thank you to Jess again for her reviews and her enthusiasm for the updates ^^ I want to let you (and all of the other readers, I know you're there :D) know that I cannot guarantee new chapters during the week (they still might be, just not for sure) but, in all likelihood, you'll find new ones during the weekends. So stay tuned ^^

If you find some words that are slightly similar to… Other fandoms… You guessed right. It's just a wink to movies/books/songs I love, and there are/will be more throughout the whole fanfiction. If you can find all of them, you're my new idols ;p