FREAK SHOW

Chapter 27: Alice in Wonderland

"I love you," she whispered, so soft that it was evident it was only said for her ears to hear. He still heard though, and brought his arm out to grab her hand, to cradle it in his large one. It was said that life flashes before people's eyes right before they die. It now seemed certain, that if he was ever in some unfortunate situation where there wasn't enough time, he'd choose to see everything he'd ever experienced with her, even the bad, because regardless, she will always the best thing that's happened to him.

Scarlett felt the same.

"I've been thinking about our baby," Scarlett stated, hand still entwined with his. He tightened his hold.

"What about?"

"What do you want to name it? If it's a girl or if it's a boy? We should start thinking about it; we have maybe only a month and a half left."

Charlie brought his head up, his eyes bright and no longer hazy with lethargy. So close, such little time to seeing their baby. Excitement was building in his chest steadily. "I don't know. I mean I've thought about it...but haven't decided really."

"I was thinking Aberdeen if it's a girl."

"Aberdeen?" he repeated, the picture of confusion as he tried the name in his mouth.

"Don't judge me," she laughed, "I like it. I know it's strange but it sounds pretty to me."

"I'm not judging!" Charlie was quick to protect her feelings, "I think it sounds pretty too."

Scarlett wasn't dumb enough to think he was being truthful but she still appreciated it. She would let him choose a boy name since he swore to her that he could tell it would be a boy...as if. "What about a guy name then?" she asked.

"Deacon, Kurt, Elliot, William," he blurted out, so quickly she nearly got whiplash.

Dumbfounded, Scarlett gaped at him for a moment. Then she burst out into a high-pitched laugh. "Oh my god Charlie, you've had this planned for a while haven't you! Bullshit you haven't decided!"

He snorted, giving her a lopsided grin, "No, no- I haven't decided...between these four names. That's what I meant."

"I like all of them," she sighed in an almost dreamy way. She was staring at the wall now. Charlie watched her blink and smile softly at it. He knew she was seeing their future, a future that was wonderful but a scary future at that. Who knew what would happen in the coming weeks and months? Would they run away? Would Axel murder them in their sleep? He couldn't predict anything.

He lightly grabbed her knee, rubbing his thumb over it in a soothing manner. "I guess we can just see what our baby looks like before we give him a name."

"Yeah we can." Scarlett stopped staring at the wall and kissed the corner of his mouth. Charlie turned his head and pressed his lips onto hers properly. She tilted her head and kissed deeper, her tongue in his mouth, his in hers, and god it was love.

It was slow and gentle, like waves softly crashing against the shore. It was suffocating but freeing all at once: intimacy. He sat up, Scarlett aching to protest, but was too deep in it to offer much resistance to him moving about. She raked a greedy hand through his hair; he trailed his lips against the column of her neck in response. She would always love when he did that.

Right when she was about to get up and straddle him, he took a loud breath and backed away. She looked at him with wide eyes, and he to her. She watched as he took her hand and shimmied the engagement ring, the brilliantly beautiful shackle, off of her finger. He put it down on the nightstand. It sat there, glinting at her with menace. She almost felt like it was a spy for Axel, but that would be nonsense. "I don't want to see it right now," he murmured into her ear.