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Chapter Twenty Six - Home Sweet Home


As soon as I step into my house a shiver runs up my spine. Before I left the car Theo told me the officers took the broken laptop and phones as well as pictures. I slowly walk down the hallway as memories of what happened flash through my mind. Shaking my head, I look over at the kitchen where the grocery bags I used that day are folded on the countertop.

"Ari?" I call as she starts walking towards her bedroom. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Okay." She nods as I grab her hand and move us towards the couch. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong baby. I just wanted to talk to you about how you're feeling." I smile as I run my fingers through her hair. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about what happened?"

She bites her lip and is quiet for a long moment. "I thought I would never see you again."

"I know, I thought so too but thank you for listening to me. You'll always be my top priority." I smile when she nods.

"Why did he do that to us?" She asks with a deep frown.

"He wanted to build a relationship with you and be more involved in your life. I understand our family isn't like most of your friends because you don't have a dad. So, I was giving him a chance." I whisper as tears brim my eyes once again. "I'm so sorry."

"But you didn't do anything wrong?" She frowns in confusion. "He did."

"I-I know but...some things happened and I should have told the police but I didn't." I inhale shakily as I wipe away a traitorous tear. "That's why I'm sorry Aria. I should have protected you better but I didn't see through his lies and acting."

"It's okay but don't be sorry mum. You did protect me...when we were in that place you told me to leave first." She smiles and hugs me tightly. "And I don't want a dad. I have you and grandma...and Theo too now."

That makes me laugh and I nod. "Thank you. If you ever want to talk about it come to me okay? If you have nightmares or feel scared come to me. I'm always here for you."

"Uh...I had a nightmare when were in the hotel." She admits softly and pulls back to look at me sheepishly. "It was about him but you and Theo were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you up. You looked tired in the hospital."

"Wake me up next time please. Don't think about how I'm feeling or what time it is okay? I don't care about that and will always take care of you no matter what." I explain and she nods in understanding.

"Thanks mum. I love you."

"I love you too...more than I can tell you in words." I smile and pepper kisses to her face.

"Stop crying then!" She giggles as she wipes my tears.

"Okay, let's go pack." I grin and she immediately starts rambling about how excited she is to go to the ranch and see grandma, Noah and of course, her beloved horse Crystal.

With a soft sigh I grab our luggage bags and start packing quickly. I can't shake the feeling of what happened though and it only confirms my decision to find somewhere new to rent. This doesn't feel like home anymore. Theo agreed easily when I talked to him about it on the plane.

I called my grandmother before our flight and again as soon as we landed. Theo told her to go over to the ranch since we'll be heading there and she agreed. I help pack the last of Aria's things next before looking for any food that may perish. Thankfully, Theo seems to have taken that too.

With one last look we turn and leave the house before locking it. Getting back into the car Theo shoots me a small smile before we drive off to the ranch. He hasn't even parked the car properly when Aria jumps out and sprints to our grandmother. I shake my head and get out before Theo tells me to go while he gets our bags.

"Come here, I missed you both so much!" She smiles with tears brimming her eyes as I walk into her arms.

"We missed you too." I close my eyes as her familiar scent washes over me.

"Let me see you." She pulls back and scans us for any injuries. "I'm so glad you got out of it okay. How's Judah?"

"He's doing fine and just needs to be kept in observation for a while before he can get on a plane." I explain as we follow Theo inside.

"Poor thing, I hope he heals quickly. He went out of his way to find you guys and protect you." She sighs in relief as she kisses Aria's hand.

"He really did. If he weren't there we would have been hurt more by Liam." I nod in agreement and smile at Elena as we step inside.

"I love you two, go meet the rest." She says and we kiss her cheeks before stepping forward.

I hug Noah as he whispers a welcome back in my ear with a smile. Elena embraces me tightly right after and we stand there for a longer moment. "I'm glad you're back home safe Charlie."

"Me too." I smile when she pulls back to hug Aria.

"Is he still alive?" She asks once we've settled down and Noah has taken Aria outside.

"Yes, still in recovery because of his wounds. The police said they'll be transporting him to Dallas so he can be kept in jail until the trial." I explain before Theo comes back downstairs and sits beside me.

"Good, and how's Judah? Is he healing okay? Any problems?" She crosses her arms with a worried expression.

"Convinced Roman to get him fast food." Theo snorts and she rolls her eyes playfully.

"You know he has a soft spot for Judah so I'm not even surprised."

"He's recovering well otherwise. No infections or irritations." I smile and she sighs in relief.

"Hey everyone!" A man walks in with bags of what seems like takeout and a large pizza box.

He has jet black hair with dark brown eyes. He's very muscular with broad shoulders but the friendly smile on his lips is a stark contrast to his intimidating appearance. The mix of soft and sharp features helps a little too.

"Hey Mac, good to see you again!" Theo grins as he stands and hugs him. "Charlie this is Mac, Roman's partner and team member. Mac this Charlotte Davidson and her daughter Aria is outside."

"Oh yeah, I met her and Noah. She's a sweetheart." He chuckles before shaking my hand. "Hi Charlotte. How are you?"

"Hi, I'm good thank you." I nod with a smile.

"I'm glad you guys are okay. I hear Judah's doing well?" He asks as he helps Theo get the food out of the bags. I tell him what the doctors have said and how he's healing. "That's great to hear! Now, I bet you all are hungry...I certainly am so let's eat! I got a variety."

I chuckle at his excited expression before calling Aria and Noah back inside. He really did get a mix of foods ranging from a pizza to burgers and chips to tacos and chicken wraps with salads. We all dig in and decide to watch a movie together. In that time the triplets wake up and Theo helps Elena bring them into the sitting room.

I've only seen pictures but they're even more adorable in person. Federico and Alessia look a lot like Roman whereas Jeremiah has inherited all his features from Elena. Naturally, everyone's attention is on them and we take turns in holding them, the room filling with baby talk and coos over how cute they all are. I laugh when I see Elena focused on the movie and her food.

"You won't find them so sweet when they start bawling at the top of their lungs. I'm going to enjoy my minutes of peace." She winks which makes everyone laugh.

"I can vouch for that." Noah grins cheekily before panicking when Federico slams his hand onto Noah's burger and pizza.

Mac jokingly brings Alessia closer to his plate and following her brother she smiles and smashes her hand on the pizza. Noah groans when everyone bursts into laughter before grabbing a tissue and cleaning their hands. Elena shakes her head in amusement and winks at me when our eyes meet.

I smile before looking up at Theo when he kisses my head. He grins boyishly and I lose myself in his eyes before catching a hold of myself. I hear his low husky chuckle as he bumps his shoulder against mine before handing me some olives off his plate. I laugh at the sense of normality and count my blessings that I have such great people around me.

"Shit – are you serious?!" Noah groans he spills his drink.

"Noah! Language!" Everyone exclaims albeit playfully to which he just rolls his eyes in response.

Mac laughs a lot harder than everyone else but his jaw drops when Noah steals his drink and downs it in one go. I chuckle at them and we spend the rest of the evening joking around, playing some games and watching movies.

After all that's happened I really needed this and find myself feeling a lot better.



***



Two weeks later.


I get out of the car and start making my way inside the house. Theo's hand rests on the small of my back as we watch Aria run in. It's finally the weekend and we're visiting Judah who arrived two days ago.

Me and Aria took a week off to recover and got some therapy sessions in. I'm a lot more focused on her mental wellbeing and quickly found a new house to move into. We've spent the week moving in and I got her up to speed with schoolwork too. Grandma has also been over almost every day or we've visited her which we loved.

My friends, Ella and Ryder, Zoe and Hunter, as well as the rest of the Jacksons have been checking in on us almost daily and helping as much as they can. Me and Aria have had multiple group chats where we've spent hours talking which has been amazing.

I greet Michelle and Evan who hug me tightly before moving to Judah. He's sitting in the armchair with his legs on a footstool, two pillows supporting his torso. I can see the white bandage peeking out of his collar and the table beside him has many pills with some water.

"Hey, how are you feeling now?" I ask as I sit on the couch near him.

"Much better, it still hurts every time the painkillers wear off but it's not as bad. I feel like the hunchback when I have to stand or walk around though." He chuckles and runs a hand through his wet hair. "Glad I got to shower though otherwise you would've passed out by how bad I smelt earlier!"

That makes me laugh as Aria greets him with a peck to his cheek. He pulls out a chocolate bar and hands it to her, making her eyes light up in surprise. I narrow my eyes at him playfully to which he just winks in response. She runs off to share it with Noah who grins and high fives her.

"I'm happy you're feeling better. You're staying in Dallas until you've healed completely right?" I ask and he nods with a heavy sigh.

"Yeah..." He grumbles and fist bumps Theo who comes in. "Mom and dad refuse to let me go back to the UK –"

"You need a break from being a workaholic." Roman rolls his eyes as he walks in with everyone else.

"Is he on about wanting to go back to UK again?" Evan grunts as he takes a seat on the couch.

"Why would I when it's so amazing here! I'm having such fun!" He fakes enthusiasm as he replies.

"Your idea of fun is working Jude." Elena snorts as Michelle takes Alessia from her. "Chill out will you?"

"Fine! If I must!" He sighs dramatically but fails to hide his smile. "Any update on Liam?"

"He's being moved back to Dallas in two weeks. Healing is taking longer because of multiple injuries alongside gunshot wounds." Roman explains while trying to balance both Federico and Jeremiah on his lap. "Charlie will be sent a trial date soon. It doesn't look good for him already with the amount of evidence the police and her lawyer have gathered."

"We're all here for you honey." Michelle smiles just as Theo takes my hand in his. "Roman and Elena finished moving into their new place yesterday. Have you moved into your new house yet Charlie?"

Right before me and Aria were taken Roman and Elena had closed on a house that's much more accommodating for their family. So, they were in the same boat as me where we have spent the past two weeks moving.

I mentally thank her for the subject change and nod. "Yeah, finally finished this morning."

"Girls night soon." Elena smirks and Michelle grins cheekily.

"Definitely!" I laugh before looking over at Aria and Noah playing a board game.

"You're next to find someone Judah so be prepared unlike the rest of us." Elena snorts which makes everyone look towards her in confusion. "What? Don't you all see a pattern? Me, Ella, and Charlie were kidnapped. Hunter was blackmailed and threatened to leave Zoe. The Jackson boys sure are an unlucky bunch."

She shrugs and I stifle a smile as Roman and Theo frown at her thoughtfully. Judah however perks up in excitement but immediately groans with a hand over his chest at the movement. Everyone moves to get up but he shakes his head and settles again.

"Oh, I'll definitely be prepared." He smirks as mischievousness flickers in his eyes. "I got this new flamethrower and a spiked metal bat that I've been dying to use –"

"Absolutely not." Roman grunts whereas Elena says, "Yes! Good for you!"

We watch as Roman glares at her and she shrugs innocently in response. "Hey! You know what they say...the more weapons the merrier!

"Nobody has ever said that except you Lena and I'm the agent here." He mutters with a roll of his eyes.

"Wait – what?" I frown in confusion as I stare at him.

"Oh, I'm actually part of an FBI division. We take care of the undercover operations that stretch beyond the regular police department duties. I couldn't tell you before sorry." He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"And if you don't mind you'll have to sign an NDA." Elena looks up at him with an amused smile.

"Yes! That too, you can't tell anyone." He nods and I chuckle softly.

"Of course, you can trust me. Whenever you need them signed let me know."

"Great, I'll get the papers later." He nods and the corner of his lips quirk ever so slightly.

We talk some more before deciding to have dinner in the sitting room so Judah doesn't have to move. After much debate and objections, a movie is chosen that everyone agrees with. Elena leaves to feed the triplets before Roman joins her to put them to sleep. They join us after a while before Michelle gets a group facetime call from both Zoe and Ella.

"Oh! Hold on...how do I do this again?" She mutters before putting her glasses on and accepting. "Hi sweethearts! How are you two?"

"We're good – oh, great everyone's here!" Ella laughs as Michelle pans the phone around to us all. We all wave at them before she turns it back to herself.

"We have some news actually." Zoe grins excitedly just as Hunter and Ryder come into the frame. "Ready guys?"

Everyone frowns in confusion before Evan murmurs, "What's going on?"

"We're pregnant!" The four yell happily and Michelle almost drops the phone in surprise.

"Oh my – Evan! Oh my god, you're both pregnant?!" She all but screams as tears brim her eyes.

"Yes, I'm three weeks ahead of Zoe." Ella laughs as Ryder hugs her from behind.

"Hunter came up with the idea to tell you guys at the same time when we found out." Zoe grins up at him and he chuckles in response.

Everyone erupts into cheers and hollers as we congratulate them. Michelle laughs when both Ryder and Hunter tell her not to cry. Evan shakes his head knowingly as he pulls her into a hug and kisses her cheek.

"Are you guys visiting anytime soon?" He takes the phone and asks them.

"We'll be there in two days for your wedding anniversary."

That cheers the family up even further. Theo tells me that his parents throw a party every year to celebrate. We discuss some of their plans before Ella and Zoe say goodbye. I grab mine and Aria's empty plate before taking it to the kitchen.

"Looks like Judah's tired." I chuckle when I catch him nodding off as I walk back.

"I'm fine." He waves me off but a yawn escapes him seconds later.

"Nope, let's get you in bed." Theo grins before he and Evan help him off the armchair.

I feel bad for him when he winces and groans as he moves. He sends me a knowing look and shakes his head before finally standing. As he said earlier he hunches slightly and walks slowly towards the hallway. Michelle follows with his water, medicines and pillows.

"Night everyone!" He raises his hand a little and we bid him goodnight. "Noah hit me up later."

"Will do brother." He replies as he takes a card from the deck and nodding at Aria to make her move.

"For what?" Evan asks suspiciously as he turns to look at Noah.

"Nothing." They both answer which elicits a chuckle from me and Elena.

Me and Elena talk while they're gone and plan to go shopping for some things I need tomorrow. There's also the anniversary party soon so we need outfits for that too. Eventually Theo comes back downstairs and I grab my bag before standing.

"We should get back too, it's getting late." I say and he nods while I turn to hug Elena. "I'll see you tomorrow yeah?"

"Yeah, I'll text you when I'm leaving around two." She nods before walking us to the door.

"Bye Noah!" Aria waves before running out to Theo's car.

I chuckle and wave goodbye before following Theo. We get inside and he drives off towards the city. Halfway there Aria falls asleep and we chuckle as her soft snores fill the car. When we reach Theo lifts her up and I unlock the door so he can put her in bed. He walks back out just as I've taken off my coat and wraps his arms around my waist.

"What do you think about living together some day?" He murmurs softly as he pecks my lips.

It takes me a moment to get over the surprise and respond. "I would love that."

"Then I can't wait to wake up to you in the mornings and hold you every night as you drift off to sleep. I can't wait to spend most of my days with you, cook with you, do chores together, and so much more." He smiles handsomely and I reciprocate the action.

"Neither can I." I lean forward and press my lips to his.

It's a slow burner that has me clutching tighter onto his jacket. He wraps his arms around me tighter and pulls me flush against his body. My body hums in bliss and pleasure, a constant feeling whenever he touches me. I moan softly when he nips at my bottom lip before we break away for air.

"I should go before we have a repeat of last time." He chuckles and I blush fiercely.

"O-Okay yeah." I stupidly stammer and cover my face in embarrassment.

He laughs before pulling my hands away and peppering kisses to my heated cheeks. Last week after Aria had fallen asleep hours ago we were having sex when we heard Aria call for me. She had woken up to go the bathroom when she heard me cry out. Although I had been trying to be quiet the whole time it still managed to slip out. It was mortifying having to lie to her and I made up the bullshit excuse that I fell out of bed. She bought it thankfully.

"Whenever we start living together we need to soundproof our bedroom." I mutter and he nods with an amused smile.

"Yes ma'am." He whispers as he teasingly nibbles on my earlobe.

"Theo..." I groan and he chuckles before kissing me hungrily.

He pulls away quickly though and leaves me stunned. I stare at him as he winks and starts walking backwards to the door. "Sweet dreams my love."

I roll my eyes playfully as I follow. "That wasn't very nice Theo."

"Oh really? I thought it was great." He shrugs with an innocent smile.

"I guess I'll just satisfy myself all alone." I hum with a smirk

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