Emotional Connection

this is goodbye

Ashley-Rae stared out at their packed bags. It seemed as though they were taking more than they arrived with, but that didn't make much sense considering they usually didn't acquire anything extra or 'unnecessary' when travelling.

"Can't sleep?" Michael appeared in the entrance of the hallway.

She just shook her head.

Nodding, he sat in the armchair nearly opposite her. "Having second thoughts?"

"No. Just... I can never sleep before we travel." She shrugged, "I don't know what it is."

"Ah. Because I was thinking it had something to do with a certain redhead about three houses down?"

Ashley stared at him, mouth open but no words coming out. "H- how-"

"I'm your dad, Ash, give me some credit for knowing you," he laughed, "so? Is it a thing? Is that what's keeping you up?"

Shaking her head, Ashley looked down, messing with the sleeve of Charlie's hoodie. "No. He doesn't... I don't think he likes me. Not in the way I like him." She'd have to return it. Her dad had already packed one of them thinking it was hers, and she hadn't been able to find it yet in the mess of everything, so she'd have to deliver that one back at a later date, but this one she'd return. But for now, she'd wear it as long as possible.

"That's a tricky one." He hummed. "Have you spoken to him about it? Actually told him how you feel? Because let me tell you, Ashley, men are stupidly obvious to hints no matter how obvious you think you're being. We just can't pick them up!"

Laughing, she shook her head, "I wouldn't know what to say, and I don't want to make a fool out of myself."

"and here lies your issue." He grinned, "seriously though. Tell him. Chances are he has no idea. And if you don't, you'll be haunted by what-ifs your whole life. Write it down if you need, but tell him."

"And what? Assuming he even likes me back are we supposed to have a long-distance relationship from Scotland to Romania? Unlikely. Not to mention if he doesn't."

"that's the whole reason to do it now, surely? When you can escape miles away if he doesn't. If he does, you have an answer and you can come back at any time."

Ashley paused. It made sense, as much as she hated to admit it. Would it be so terrible to tell Charlie about her feelings towards him?

Her dad, satisfied with his advice, settled back with a book he pulled from one of the bags and began reading, leaving her to deal with her own thoughts and doubts about it all.

She tore a piece of paper out of a notebook, taking a pen and leaning on the arm on the sofa, using the notebook to steady it so she didn't tear through the paper.

How was she supposed to pour her heart out onto paper? Writing simply that she liked him felt too blunt, too harsh, too like a teenager. But what was she supposed to write instead? She could barely understand her feelings, barely able to separate them from that nervous feeling he gave her when he walked in the room or even just looked in her general direction. But she refused to back out now, deciding to just write and hope that she managed to write something at least coherent enough for him to understand.

-

Ashley had known this day was coming since they'd arrived a year ago, but she hadn't known it was going to hurt quite so much. Of course, she'd broken nearly every rule in her book since arriving, and she could definitely give credit to Charlie for half of her offences at least. Not that she blamed him, but a small part of her definitely thought it was his fault,

Charlie had walked them to their leaving place, even carrying one of Ashley's bags for her. Pete had stopped by earlier and bid them both goodbye, reminding Ash that she'd always have a place in the hospital - but hopefully as a Healer rather than a patient.

"I guess this is it." Ashley sighed, staring at the portkey before taking hold, not wanting to miss the time of departure.

Charlie didn't respond, but she could see the sadness in his eyes that he was trying to hide.

"Oh," she remembered, pulling the hoodie off, "here. I can't very well take both of your hoodies to Scotland with me, I'll have to return the other one later, I'll send it by owl maybe when we get there and settled."

Charlie looked at her as though she was speaking nonsense. "You very well can take both, and you don't need to return either."

"Charlie, really, I can't. Please just take the hoodie." She tried to insist.

"Only if you promise not to send the other one back." He grinned, making her smile a little, but roll her eyes anyway.

"Fine, just take the hoodie back." She laughed, shouldering her bag, taking hold of the portkey.

He stared down at the hoodie in his hands for a moment. "Will you be coming back?" He didn't look up.

Ashley paused, trying to smile but feeling like it came across as more of a grimace. "Maybe."

Trying his best to stay optimistic, Charlie smiled at her. "Well then, I suppose I'll see you later."

And seconds later, he was alone, hoping that she'd come back, even if just for a few minutes, just so he could give her one last hug, see her smile one more time.
He pulled on the hoodie that she'd just given him, breathing in and smiling to himself, walking back towards the sanctuary. He shoved his hands in the pockets, frowning as his hand closed around a folded piece of paper. He pulled it out, opened it, and nearly cried as he read the words he'd been too afraid to say to Ashley-Rae since she'd first called him 'princess' that day in the hospital.