Emotional Connection

distraction

Ashley had sorted out her accompanying her father to Scotland before he was even lucid enough to understand what she was saying when she told him. Of course, it was her way of making sure everything was settled, keeping her mind occupied by something other than her dad or Charlie.

Though keeping Charlie out of her thoughts was proving difficult as she spent most of her time with him at home or with the dragons, or sleeping in his spare bedroom. It certainly wasn't helping matters, but Ashley was too far into things to back out now, and besides, what excuse could she give for suddenly never seeing him anymore: "I've been practically in love with you for months but have been too oblivious of my own feelings and scared of rejection to tell you"? That would not go down well.

Besides, he really loved showing her all of the dragons, telling her all about each species and all of his techniques with dealing with each of them and she didn't want to ruin that for anything. She couldn't.

She glanced up at him from her side of the sofa, watching as his hair fell into his eyes as he tried to read and she smiled softly. Ashley had found a few books on dragons she knew Charlie hadn't read yet and had brought them over for him so they were sat at opposite ends of the sofa reading. His face when she'd handed them over to him to read made her heart ache, giving her an empty feeling in the bottom of her stomach.

"Ash? Everything ok?" He dragged her out of her thoughts and she blushed slightly, realising she'd been staring and caught.

"Sorry, I spaced out."

"You doing ok? You seem anxious. Is it your dad?"

Ashley didn't respond at first, prompting Charlie to lean forward and pull her on top of him on his side of the sofa, the two of them half sitting half lying against each other. "I told him I was going with him yesterday. I've already sorted everything out for it, but... I don't think he's quite back yet. I don't think he even knew what I was talking about."

Charlie traced circled onto her back with his fingers. "That's ok. You can tell him again when he's feeling better and I bet he'll be ecstatic you're going with him and even sorted it all out."

"I know you're disappointed." She closed her eyes as she felt Charlie's hand pause on her back, wondering for a second if she'd said the wrong thing.

"I'm not at all disappointed." He pulled back, pushing her up and letting her rest against his hands while he addressed her. "I'm not disappointed. You've made your decision and it was a difficult one for you to make. I understand, he's your dad. But I'll miss you." He let her back down, going back to tracing circles on her back. "Especially being called 'Princess' when I argue with you in the hospital." He joked, smiling as he made her laugh a little.

"You can always get Pete to call you Princess." She suggested, grinning at the image.

"It wouldn't be the same. But really. I'll miss you. But I'm not disappointed. Besides, you can always come visit, Mango will wonder what's happened to you if you don't."

At that moment, Mango jumped up onto Ashley's lap and curled up against her. spurting some smoke as he slept. She sadly smiled and started petting Mango.

Ashley relaxed into Charlie, feeling all her worries slipping away for a bit. "I'll miss you too. So much."

he hugged her tightly before saying, "me or the dinners? Or the hoodies maybe?"

"Oh, definitely the spare room." She looked up at him with a wicked grin, "the free dinners were a bonus though."

"I knew it! Using me for my spare bed and my cooking! How dare you!" He laughed, thankful he'd distracted her from her anxieties even if just for a moment.

There was a part of him that wanted to try and convince her to stay, but he knew that if he did and anything happened to her dad in Scotland, he'd never forgive himself. Besides, the guilt would eat him alive, and admitting his love for her was way out of the question.