Chapter Text
The next time Charlie woke up, it was quiet. He could tell that the room was not empty, as it was filled with deep breathing and shifting furniture, but no one was talking this time. His left hand was still being held tightly, wrapped in a large warm grasp belonging to Babe, and his right wrist was still covered with the icy fingers he knew to be his brother’s. When he finally opened his eyes, Charlie saw that he had once again moved rooms. This one looked far fancier than the last.
“You’re awake,” Babe’s voice was less rough than the last time Charlie had heard him speak, though he still looked disheveled, “How are you feeling?”
Caught slightly off guard by the soft tone, Charlie froze for a second, “I’m okay,” before he could say anything else Babe placed a tender kiss on his exposed temple.
“I love you,”
Warmth spread through every fiber in Charlie’s body, “I love you too. I love you so much,” he recognized that the medication was distorting his inhibitions, but still felt compelled to continue, “You really love me, huh? Like really, really?”
“Of course, I love you, Charlie,”
“You were disappointed…” the words slipped out without Charlie’s permission, he had no intention of saying such a thing — Babe had been angry and misunderstood his intentions, justifiably so.
Softly, Babe cupped Charlie’s face, “I was stupid and upset,” his voice broke making Charlie whine, “I’ve never been disappointed in you…”
“That’s not — I didn’t mean to say that — I’m not upset,” he tried to backpedal, frowning at the sad look on Babe’s face, “it’s okay to be disappointed. I should have been clearer and — I didn’t mean it how it sounded,“
“Those meds are really doing a number on you,” Dull pain fluttered through Charlie as he flinched, Alan was sitting on the other side of him slowly running his hand up and down Jeff’s back as the younger slept leaning against him, “I told them to up the pain medication slightly after the last time you were awake — you need to speak up if you’re in pain,”
Two warm fingers grabbed Charlie’s chin, just above his newly freed neck, and turned his head back towards Babe, “How much pain are you in? Don’t say you’re not,”
“It’s okay,” Charlie responded almost apologetically, pain wasn’t a problem he could normally overlook it.
Alan hummed, “Sonic and North are in the waiting room when you’re up for visitors. And I tried to get him to go back to your apartment or something to sleep,” he motioned to Jeff smoothly, “but he refused.”
“The doctor wanted you to try and eat something as well,” Babe added, “They’ll remove your tube once they know for sure you can keep food down,”
“How,” Charlie started confused, “long have I been in here?”
“The crash was six days ago,” Alan shifted to prevent Jeff from falling forward, “you’re extremely lucky…”
“If you weren’t an alpha…” Babe began but stopped midway through, shaking his head, “They think you might be able to go home in a couple of weeks, maybe earlier if you’re progressing, but you’d still need a lot more time to recover,”
“Who’s going to look after you then?” the pout came naturally.
“I’m looking after you,” another sad look passed over Babe’s face, one that Charlie couldn’t figure out.
Charlie started to move his right hand to try and scrub the look away, but the second he did Jeff jolted awake and gripped his wrist tight.
“Careful!”
“Stop that,” he tried to pull his wrist out of Jeff’s grasp, though he couldn’t, “you shouldn’t force visions, you’ll make yourself sick…”
A slow sleepy smile spread across Jeff’s face, “you can’t nag me until you are walking again,”
*~~**~~*
Walking again turned out to be a far greater challenge than Charlie anticipated. While he hadn’t broken any bones in his legs or his pelvis, the trauma done to his back and abdomen made even the smallest step feel as though it was ripping him apart. Because of this, he’d strategically scheduled his physical therapy sessions in the few spaces where Babe would run home to shower or eat. They were few and far between — it had taken a combined effort to get him to leave at first, and the promise of Alan not only remains by Charlie’s bedside during those moments but updates every twenty minutes. Charlie also managed to convince Jeff to go home during those times and in the evening with Alan.
“Just one more step,” the nurse, an older woman with bright red glasses, encouraged. She was nearby in case he fell.
Alan was, for the first time, not also hovering — this was Charlie’s fourth time walking since the accident, the first being yesterday morning and Alan had been so anxious about the whole thing he’d practically held Charlie by the elbow — instead he was seated in the far chair by the window watching, “You’re doing better than yesterday,”
He couldn’t answer. Charlie was not a stranger to pain; between the beatings he’d received at Tony’s and the few occasions he’d let someone get the better of him since he knew how to tolerate it. Pain ended eventually, but this was different. It wasn’t going to stop once he returned to bed. Last night he’d barely been able to convince Babe he was fine, tonight he wasn’t so sure.
“Okay, good job Charlie,” the nurse praised when Charlie reached the bed, which was now covered in a vibrant blue blanket North and Sonic had brought a couple of days ago, “let’s just get you situated,”
He could feel his body shaking from exertion and pain, but did his best to hide it, “thanks…” The word broke in half as his muscles gave out and he fell back against the pillow.
Though Alan had been prepared, and slowed his descent, “You know,” he waited until the nurse had reattached Charlie’s monitors and left before starting again, “Babe would want to be here for these sessions. He wants to take care of you,”
Releasing a shaky pain filled breath, Charlie sighed, “he shouldn’t have to. I’m supposed to take care of him. Plus, he needs to rest, he’ll get sick…”
“You know,” Alan stood and stretched, “you’re worth more than you think,”
If Charlie hadn't been riding off the lingering tearing pain, he might have argued back with vigor. This time, however, he simply didn’t have the strength, “I know that Babe loves me, Alan. He’s just suffered enough.”
“You know,” he started again, disregarding Charlie’s response, “X-Hunters is a family. I know that probably seems stupid… with Way and Dean…” he added darkly, “but to me, it’s a family. I was glad Babe brought you into it and I was happy to bring Jeff in too. I didn’t stay around the hospital just for their sakes — Sonic and North didn’t wait in the waiting room each day for their sakes either,” There’s a knock on the door before either can continue, “come in,”
Charlie could tell it was Babe even before the door opened. It’s like a wood stove that has just been lit and suddenly his body was filled with warmth and protection. The latter is a new feeling. He’d always connected warmth with Babe, but protection wasn’t ever something he thought he needed. Though now he covets it, “Babe,” he whined slightly once the door was open, “you were supposed to be resting and eating,”
“I brought food for us to share. Are you alright? You look pale,” Babe’s typical brashness disappeared quickly as it had over the last few days. He placed the bag of food down on the floor and put a hand on Charlie’s neck, “You feel clammy,”
“He had physical therapy,”
“Alan —“
“Walking. Did pretty good, but it was clearly painful,”
“You should have them wait until I’m here,” Babe commented quietly, “I don’t like you doing that without me…”
“He planned it that way because it’ll stress you out,” Alan raised one eyebrow, as if daring Charlie to deny it, “says he’s protecting you,”
Babe sighed moving the bag of food from the floor to the small table near the head of the bed. Without saying anything else, he stood and walked into the small bathroom.
“You don’t need to be worried,” Alan’s voice startled Charlie, “he’s not angry with you,”
Whether or not that was true, Charlie couldn’t help the tightness that grew deep inside his chest. He hated the idea of disappointing Babe again.
Babe reappeared with a small bowl of water and a clean white towel, “let’s get some of that sweat off before we eat,”
“I’ll leave you to it then,” Alan gently patted Charlie’s leg before continuing, “Jeff will likely be back shortly — and Sonic wanted to stop by this afternoon too, so don’t be surprised,”
He involuntarily flinched when the cold water brushed up against his neck as Alan closed the door behind him. The medications were still affecting his basic abilities making Charlie feel oddly vulnerable.
“Sorry,” Babe whispered, though the water had already warmed against his skin, “Why are you worried?”
“I didn’t want you to have to see me struggle to walk and I thought –”
“No, Alan told you not to worry,”
He stayed quiet for several seconds, as Babe continued to wash off the remaining evidence of his physical therapy, “I… wasn’t…”
“I’m not angry that you are trying to shield me,” he sounded almost frustrated, “I’d be surprised if you didn’t try, I’m just –”
“Disappointed… I know. Sorry,” Charlie had felt so dysregulated since the accident, every emotion was a hundred times stronger, and half the time he was only seconds away from breaking into unnecessary tears. He’d hoped it would go away once he no longer needed pain medication. It was embarrassing and uncomfortable. He wasn’t even this vulnerable with Jeff.
Babe froze, wash cloth resting just under Charlie’s exposed collarbone, “I’m not disappointed… I’m worried. I don’t want you to be afraid of my reactions to things,”
“I’m not…”
“Okay,” Babe let it slide, quickly finishing up and getting the food situated, “The nurse said that you’ll be able to come home in a couple of days – I know that my place isn’t going to be easy with crutches, but I’d like you there… Or, we can join everyone else at Alan’s,”
A tightness in Charlie’s chest eased some, “Everyone? Jeff’s been there too, right?”
“Yes, Alan refused to let him stay at your condo after what happened,”
“Good. I thought that was the case, but Jeff is – well – Jeff, and he never confirmed it,”
“Alan has been taking good care of him, you don’t have to worry,”
With a snort, Charlie took a small bite of the fried noodles, relishing the salt – hospital food had been bland, he half-joked, “he’d better – Jeff deserves the best after all,”
“And you?”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t you deserve the best?”
Charlie paused, noodles half slurped hanging from his lips. He was caught off guard. What kind of question was that? He bit the noodles off with his teeth and chewed quickly, “What – I mean, no. I don’t know. Maybe… I guess…”
“You do,”
*~~**~~*
Alan had taken the attack on Charlie to be a threat, even with Dean’s confession, and insisted that all of his team members stay at his place until further notice. He had room for them — in fact, he made sure each had their own bedroom. Babe’s had been the first, taking over the only first-floor bedroom equipped with a small bathroom and decorated much like his own house. Though it had been seldom used in the last decade, Alan made sure to keep it clean and tidy. Jeff and Charlie had been the newest additions — the latter’s only meeting Alan’s standards three days before the accident. The youngest had been completely taken aback to discover Alan had thought of them as family. He had been adamant that Babe bring Charlie as soon as he got the all-clear from the doctors; for everyone’s benefit.
“Are you sure Alan wants me here?” He’d been discharged from the hospital only an hour ago, walking was still painful and tiring but Charlie could manage a few dozen meters before it became too much. He was also still on multiple medications, painkillers, and antibiotics among them.
“Yes, he insisted — everyone is staying there, Charlie,” Babe was driving slower and less aggressively than normal, “though you’ll have to stay in my room. I don’t think going upstairs would be a good idea just yet,”
Charlie hummed, completely missing the insinuations, “You’ve got a room there?” He was doing his best to keep the conversation going and not fall asleep, but the morning’s events had drained him already. Plus, sitting upright in the car was creating its own problems. The seat belt was putting an uncomfortable amount of pressure on his still-healing ribs.
“We all do, yeah,” Babe glanced at Charlie briefly, “yours is upstairs,”
“Mine?”
“Yeah, Alan sent me pictures once he figured it all out. It’s mostly blue, has a computer desk set up by the window, I think you’ll like it — connects to Jeff’s room too,” Babe heard the confusion drift over, “he sent that picture before everything happened. I just didn’t know how to say it… it’s a weird thing, I guess. Having rooms set up for your friends, but Alan has always said we’re family,”
“…” Charlie wasn’t exactly sure how to respond. He was confused more than anything else, but it made sense. He’d been with Babe for nearly six months, Jeff was basically dating Alan — Charlie had yet to corner his brother and get an exact answer, but he had a hunch — and he was Jeff’s brother, “he didn’t have to,” he eventually muttered out, wondering if it had been Babe or Jeff who suggested it.
“He wanted to,” Babe glanced again as they pulled onto the main road, “he only waited because he was worried,”
“What?”
Babe hesitated, looking guilty as he pulled up to a stop light, “He didn’t want to get your hopes up necessarily… because of how I can be… and he didn’t want to freak Jeff out,” he added quickly, “your brother is a bit like a cat – I think Alan was scared he’d hide and never come back to the garage,”
“So, you asked him to?” the sentence was interrupted with a yawn.
“No Charlie. He wanted to. You’re family and Alan likes to have his family safe,”
“Oh…” Did Alan consider him family? Or was it because Alan considered Babe family and Charlie was obviously not leaving?
Confusion and speculation spiraled around in his head and eventually, Charlie started dozing off. It was comforting, to be in the same space as Babe. It had been since the very beginning in a way that was far different than with Jeff. Warmer, maybe. When the car crashed – in the moments leading up to the rollover and before he’d lost consciousness – Charlie had wondered if he’d ever get to experience that warmth again if Babe would want to offer it. If Babe would forgive him for the argument they’d had just minutes prior. Even with reassurance, Charlie wasn’t entirely convinced. Yet, in the car alone with him, he could at least pretend.
“Charlie,”
“Mhmm?” a warm laugh brought him closer to consciousness. Had the car stopped moving?
“You can sleep more once we get inside and you have had another dose of antibiotics and pain pills,”
Not only had they stopped, but Babe had already walked around to the passenger side of the car and Alan was carrying their belongings and Charlie’s miscellaneous medical equipment into the house, “You should help him…”
Babe leaned over to unlatch Charlie’s restraint, smiling as he did, “I’m going to help you – Alan is big and strong, I’m sure Jeff has told you –”
“Oh my god… stop,”
“Come on,”
The walk from the car was harder than Charlie anticipated. His legs were sore from his earlier physical therapy and stiff from the drive, but Babe hovered protectively the entire distance.
Alan greeted them at the door, looking years younger than his last visit to the hospital and much less stressed, “Jeff is the one who moved your things into Babe’s room, so if anything is missing scold him,”
“Nothing will be missing,” Jeff defended quietly from across the room, arms crossed, watching each step that Charlie took. He’d stopped forcing visions, mostly because Charlie had started dodging and almost fell out of bed the last time he tried, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still concerned, “The only thing I didn’t bring was your work computer – I don’t think you should worry about that right now,”
“I need to catch up on everything I missed,” he stumbled some, grabbing onto Babe’s forearm for balance, “How else am I going to cover all the bills?”
“I’ve already covered all your bills,” Alan muttered, clearly embarrassed by something, “so don’t worry about that for now,”
“But –”
“You can argue with him later,” Babe tugged gently, “Right now, you need your medication and a nap.”
“Glad you're back, Charlie!” Both North and Sonic shouted from somewhere on the second floor, “We missed you!!”
As Babe steered him towards the open door at the base of the stairs, Charlie caught Jeff’s eye who looked more hopeful than he’d ever looked before, “everything will be alright, Charlie. This is real,”
That caught the attention of both Alan and Babe, “of course everything will be alright,” Alan emphasized almost desperately, “no one is going to hurt you or your brother again — or Babe,” he added watching the question grow, “or anyone else,”
“Come on,” Babe pushed them forward again, anticipating Charlie’s unease at the attention, “Alan means it, you know?” He commented once Charlie had been carefully deposited in the bed, “he won’t let anyone hurt his family if he can help it. And you are family,”
“But… I’m supposed to,” he faltered, accepting the medicine from Babe and the glass of water that followed, “my job is to protect you and Jeff — with my life if —“
“No! Your job is to recover and let others protect you,” he hadn’t meant to snap, but the idea of Charlie laying in some hospital bed again, or worse, a morgue somewhere, was just too much.
“That’s all I’m good for,” his voice wavered, unsure. That was all he was good for — the only good things he’d done were protecting Jeff and Babe. Everything else was questionable if not downright wrong, all the things he allowed Tony to do.
“You are good for many other things,” seeing the argument fester just beneath the surface, Babe took off his jacket and carefully joined Charlie on the bed, pulling him close until they were flush with one another, “From now on, we protect each other – equally,”
“But…”
“And you are going to let the others in. Let Alan protect Jeff sometimes – let our family help,”
Charlie felt warmth seeping into him once again, not just physical warmth but something greater. He could feel the pain medicine soothing his aches and let himself melt into Babe more fully, “I, honestly Babe, I don’t know how… it’s always been me,”
“That’s okay. We have lots of time,”