In Our Blood

Chapter Ten

She wasn't sure how long she had been in his arms for. She wasn't sure how long he had let her cry into his jacket, she was surprised he had spent time trying to soothe her and trying to calm down.

"Better?" He kissed the top of her head as he softly ran his fingers through her jagged haircut.

She nodded slightly.

"Let's do something about this hair." He began to lead her down the hallway to the dining room.

Charlie didn't put up a fight, she felt mentally and physically exhausted with the games her father was playing with her.

He pushed open the dining room door, she didn't put up a fight as she sat down in the chair.

The dining room was slightly different; no cutlery waiting for use, no tea lights and the dark curtains were pulled open letting the sunlight beam into the room.

Charlie placed her hands on the dining table, she kept her focus on her hands.

He looked to Macy who had appeared next to him in the doorway, she handed him a pair of scissors and a brush. He stepped closer to Charlie as Macy closed the door, leaving just Charlie and her father in the room.

Charlie felt him run the brush through her poorly cut hair, she felt the tugs of tangles being pulled from her hair, she felt the bristles of the hairbrush run through her hair and she felt his hand run down her hair after the brush had gone through.

She listened to the sound of the scissors chop across her hair. She side eyed glanced as she noticed a few strands of her hair fall onto her shoulder, she returned her gaze to her hands as her father continued to attempt to neaten her hair.

"Quite disappointed by this." He calmly spoke as he concentrated on evening up her hair.

"A ponytail is a weakness." Charlie breathed.

He pursed his lips together; he knew she was being a smartass, yet he also knew it was his own words being used against him.

He stepped to the side of her when he believed he was done cutting "Look."

Charlie didn't fight his instruction, she looked up at his face.

He wasn't a magician with hair nor was he the worst at it. He had at least cut off the noticeable awkward lengths that were left behind by Charlie's rash haircut the day before.

"It'll do." He sat down across from her in his chair. He kept the scissors in his hand as he placed the hairbrush on the table.

Charlie brushed her hair off her shoulders and neck "Don't trust me?"

He smiled a little. He let his eyes wonder over Charlie's bloody shirt "You need fresh clothes."

"Geez, thanks for only just realising. It's not like this was the only thing I could change into yesterday after showering."

He rose up to his feet, Charlie watched him as he brought her up to her feet.

"Another practice?" She scoffed.

"Enough, Charlotte."

"When you stop calling me Charlotte, I'll stop." She toyed with his words.

He ignored her as he forced her to follow him.

Charlie noticed the blood droplets in the hallway, she liked that they hadn't been cleaned up yet. She hoped he hadn't noticed.

He pulled his key out of his pant pocket before unlocking the door and opening it. "In."

Charlie stepped into his room; he closed the door behind him. She focused on the countless photos of her pinned around the walls.

She turned her attention when she noticed him disappear into his bedroom. Charlie clenched her fists; she felt her nails dig into her palms.

She listened as he rummaged around, she tried to hide her heavy breathing as panic washed over her.

She watched as he stepped back into sight, she watched as he placed down the scissors on the bench, she watched as he dumped various bandage packages on the bench.

"Shirt off."

"What? No."

"Charlotte, shirt off."

Charlie fought his words "No."

He stepped closer to her, he roughly and forcefully pulled her shirt off. He inspected her upper body, paying close attention to the open wounds on her body "Should've taken care of this yesterday."

"Not my fault that I couldn't."

He carefully inspected her bullet wound "And you didn't tell me about this."

"Hmm, wonder how I got that."

"Charlotte, enough."

Charlie scowled at him.

He looked at the back of her shoulder "Shame it's not a through and through." He paused for a moment before looking at the items on the bench. He moved over to the sink before crouching down, he opened up the cupboard and pulled out a box of gloves. He grabbed the first aid kit box before placing them all on the bench.

Charlie watched as he pulled out two gloves and pulled them over his hands, she watched as he flipped open the first aid box lid and search for wipes.

He ripped open the packet and pulled several wipes out. He stepped over to Charlie and began to clean her bullet wound "Just because you practiced yesterday, doesn't mean you should ignore these."

Charlie rolled her eyes.

He carefully inspected her bullet wound after he had wiped away the dried blood "It looks too far for me to get it out."

Charlie watched him.

He ripped open a gauze package before placing it over the gunshot wound.

Charlie breathed deeply as she felt the pressure over her wound. He looked up at Charlie.

"I'm fine." She stated.

He moved his attention to her back, seeing carpet burns as well as markings on her back from previous wounds that healed over the years.

He grabbed a tub of antibacterial cream from the first aid box before returning to standing behind her.

Charlie felt the coldness of the cream soothe her back.

He moved to the front of her, checking over the bruising that was forming over her face and the visible parts of her body.

"I hate this part." She sighed.

"I know you do, sweetheart." He attempted a sympathizing smile "So do I." They had both been through their fair share of cuts, bullet wounds and bruising while avoiding medical professional to assist them, Charlie and her father had taught themselves to tend to their own wounds unless it was beyond their own capabilities. "You were pretty good yesterday." He couldn't hide his proudness of her skills during her practice.

"yeah, well. Some things never disappear." Charlie reluctantly spoke.