Charlie

"She's fine", Raymond said to me as he got off the phone. We had just landed from our flight and I was feeling super uneasy about leaving Sam in a whole different country than me. What if she got hurt? What if she is bullied? She could upset someone with her lack of empathy. I know Scar face was there with her but it was clear he brought out the worst side of her, that being a sarcastic brat. That's not who she is as a person and I really hope the family don't think of her that way. 

"Did she say that or did Adam say that?", I asked quickly as he shook his head at me. 

"She will be fine, she is in the safest possible place on this planet", Marino replied in a calm and relaxed manor, his sun glasses on his head even though it was England and the chance of sunshine here wasn't exactly likely. 

I nodded in his direction as we walked out the airport, a few bodyguards placed around us. A lot less than when Sam was with us. Is that to cause less attention or was it because Sam was there? I didn't care anymore, as long as she is safe. 

"Alright, let the driver know where we are heading and you can tell us the whole story on the way, not a fan of surprises or not knowing something", Marino asked me with a smirk as he put his arm around my shoulder. In a threatening or an endearing manor, I wasn't a hundred percent sure. I nodded as I got my phone out, checking the address before messaging James that we were on the way.

He had been weird with me since then, as if he didn't believe that I was coming. 

"So is this kid got something on you? To travel to a different country just to see his mother seems a bit far fetched", Marino questioned me as I sighed in annoyance.

"Hey, let the kid be, we can find out as soon as we get to the hospital. Remember, this is our fault anyway", Raymond said to Marino as he put his arms around both of us, endearingly. 

"Oh yeah, grandpa mentioned that, care to explain cousin?", He asked me as we got into the car, slamming the door as I realised the hospital was a few hours drive from the airport. 

Great. 

[2 and a half hours later]

"Okay, we are here", Raymond said as he looked out the window, oblivious to my faces I've been making as Marino asked me more questions throughout the journey, even the driver was sighing slightly by his insistent questioning.  

"Thank god", I mumbled under my breath as I got out the car, grateful that it was over.

"So, do you want us to come in with you or stay here?", Raymond asked me as Marino quickly turned to him with a look of confusion on his face.

"What? We just drove for nearly 3 hours and sat on a plane for ages just for us to sit outside?", Marino complained as Raymond shook his head at him slightly. 

"Yep, come on", He replied as he led Marino to the car as I heard him complaining once more. 

"Why did we even come if we are just going to sit in the car?", He said loudly as Raymond rolled his eyes at him, annoyed at his childish antics. As he opened the car door, Marino complained once more.

"We are here for Charlie, now are you going to be quiet or do I need to get you a colouring book", Raymond said sarcastically with a smirk. Marino rolled his eyes at him and slammed the door shut.

So much for grown men. It's like as soon as Sam was gone, their childlikeness comes out and they act all stupid. 

I quickly headed into the hospital and asked for where Juliet was as they questioned how I knew her.

"Son", I replied as they nodded, asking me questions about her as I answered quickly and honestly. 

"Charlie?", I heard a little voice ask me. I turned around to see a tearful James stood in the corner, two bottles of water in his hands. His mouth was wide open as he started to repeat my name over and over, starting out as a mumble until he was speaking loudly until he was shouting. He dropped the bottles of water onto the floor and raced into my arms. 

I pulled him into a tight hug as he cried on my shoulder, still mumbling my name over and over again. 

"I thought you wasn't coming", He sobbed into my shoulder as I used my hand to pat his head, messing with his hair until he looked at me in the eye, bright red as tears stained his face. 

"Of course I was coming, now where is your mother?", I asked him with a grin as he smiled, crying slightly as he held tightly onto my hand. I had this rush of protective instincts that I normally reserved for Sam but right now, James was my little brother and Juliet was my mother. 

We quickly rushed down many hallways and went up two lifts before we arrived at the ICU of the hospital. 

"She's in here", He said in a rushed tone, now appearing more stressed and nervous. What the hell happened? What did he see that made him appear so afraid?

I opened the door quickly to see Juliet laid on the hospital bed with a few empty water bottles surrounding her. She was unconscious with her brown hair spread across the pillow like a sunflower, her mouth open slightly as we stood in silence, her strong breathe filling up the room. It was thick, like she was struggling to breath, struggling to survive. 

"Oh my god", I whispered into my hands as I sat on my legs, kneeling down in complete shock. 

"Charlie?", I heard James ask me as he came up to me, putting an arm around my shoulder and messing with my hair the same way I just did to him. It caused me to tear up, sobbing slightly within hiccups as I watched my mother be strapped up to what it seemed to be hundreds of machines, her eyes closed shut. 

"She's alright, the doctor said the bullet was taken out and she just needs to rest, quietly. They also said she needs lots of water so whenever she does wake up, I make sure she always has water to drink just in case", He said with a small prideful smile as I turned to laugh at his loyalty, one I admired. 

"And what about you, have you been eating well?", I asked him as he turned away from me nodding. It was his tell for when he was lying, he would never look you in the eye. 

"James? Have you eaten anything?", I asked him in concern as he turned back to me, only noticing now that his tummy was rumbling, I was just too preoccupied to hear it. He looked at the floor and pointed to the empty crisp and sweet wrapped on the side.

"There is a vending machine, I got mums card and use it to get food if I'm hungry", He said with a small smile as if Juliet wasn't going to mind him using all her money to buy gummy bears and chocolate bars. I rolled my eyes at him playfully as I grabbed him into my arms, tickling his tummy as he laughed. 

"Charlie stop it", He giggled as I let him go. He went straight over to Juliet and sat in a blue chair, a chair which had blankets and pillows covering it. He had been sleeping here with her this whole time.

"She will get better, I promise", He said to me with a grin, causing me to tear at his concern for me. 

"I know bud. It's alright, how about I get my brother and cousin to go grab us some real food", I said with a grin as he quickly nodded his head in excitement, holding tightly onto Juliet's arm.

"It stinks of hand sanitiser in here don't you think?", I asked him as he nodded slowly, waiting for me to continue what I was saying.

"How about burgers!?",I shouted in glee as he jumped up in his chair, trying to make him feel better even though his mother was laid right there. 

"Yes!", He replied, punching is fist into the air as his other one stayed firmly around her hand.  

"Alright, I'll let them know now", I said to him as I called Raymond on his phone, watching James jump up and down in his chair as Juliet moved in her sleep, causing James to stop jumping and look at her with concern, his other hand waiting patiently on a bottle of water. 

I asked Raymond to get the food as I heard an excited Marino in the background, thanking the lord he can leave the car. 

"I want to meet them", James asked me as I reluctantly agreed, knowing for the next few hours all we would hear was Marino and his stupid questions. 

"Alright, they are off to get the burgers now, be patient and stay with your mum, I will be back in a moment", I said, off to get more water before a very quiet voice stopped me from walking out the door.

"Charlie?", They mumbled. I swiftly turned around to see Juliet staring at me with open eyes. 

"Hey Jules", I replied back. Right, this was going to take a lot of explaining, with or without Raymond and Marino.