Fallen for You

Charlotte Hanson watched as a little girl ran up and wrapped her small arms around the neck of her father, her mother had smiled seeing her husband and gave him a hug and a kiss. A real family. Charlotte quickly turned away and sighed as she started to walk over to get her suitcase. She had three bags...not sure if it'd get her by but living at home wasn't getting her by either, she shivered at the last thing her drunken father had said. Her gaze dropped to the ground as she fixed her book bag so it was situated better on her shoulder. Before she could look up to see where she was going she collided into what felt like a wall and she stumbled backwards before tripping over her feet and falling to the ground.

"Shit. I-I'm so sorry." Sargent DeValsted said as he realized someone had gotten into his blind spot, he looked down to see a young woman with a shocked look on her face. Charlotte looked up to see a guy wearing a black t-shirt, a pair of jeans. And what caught her attention was the eye patch covering his left eye. He held out his hand to her. "Are you alright?" his deep raspy voice asked. Accepting his hand Charlotte was pulled to her feet.

"Yes, I'm fine." she said in a slightly quiet voice.

"You got into my blind spot and-"

"It's ok. I wasn't hurt." she said with a small smile; he sighed before shaking the hand of hers he was still holding.

"I'm Jack."

"Charlotte." she said with a shaky voice. Jack noticed how she seemed a bit frightened about something.

"You just land here?" he asked.

"Yeah...I'm from Dalestin a town three states away." she replied.

"You visiting Fortsville?"

"No, I was actually moving here...as soon as I got a cheap apartment."

"Oh, you in a hurry to get somewhere?" he asked her, she shook her head.

"No."

"How about I buy you a cup of coffee from over there and we can talk a little bit? I just landed about an hour ago. I'm just waiting for them to find my last bag." he said, Charlotte smiled.

"Coffee sounds nice." she said before following beside him slowly.

"I've lived here ever since I was born." Jack said as he sat down across from Charlotte and slid her cup over to her.

"Does this mean you might be able to show me around?" she asked hopeful, he smiled.

"Well I have about a month."

"A month?"

"Yeah before I got back to Iraq." he said, Charlotte starred at him for a second, scruffy, really tan, eye patch, muscular...he was a soldier.

"You're in the army?" she asked, he gave a slight smile.

"I was snuck up on got a knife sliced hitting my eye. Luckily no major damage, but enough where I had to wear this patch and had to come home for a month or until I can see clearly out of this eye." Jack said.

"Do you want to go back?" she asked, he sighed his face dropping a little.

"It's really all I have, after high school I was just going to do a 3 year term, but my parents died in a car accident half way through my service and before I knew it I had signed up for a longer term and here I am at 27 and I come home to nothing but a small apartment. I had friends but slowly we lost contact and now really all I have is myself.

"No one to worry about you?" Charlotte asked, he lifted a shoulder.

"In a way, yeah I guess so."

"I've never had anyone..." Charlotte said before looking down at her hands.

"I'm sure you've had someone." Jack said.

"My mom abandon me and my dad when I was 4. After that my dad blamed me for everything. Her reasoning for leaving...the reason we lost the house...the reason he lost his job. And I was the reason he drank a lot." Charlotte said sighing.

"He didn't abuse you psychically did he?" Jack asked, Charlotte lifted her head and brushed her bangs back to reveal a scar that went from her eyebrow back to her hair line.

"He threw an ashtray at me because I slept till 7 instead of being up at 6 to help him get ready for work. Because it's a 7 year olds responsibility to make sure a 37 year old is up and around. At 14 he broke my arm because I pierced my ears. Before I moved out he told me I should have never been born and to never come back when I do leave. He told me I was the worst daughter any father could have. So here I am...a 20 year old girl who has no clue what to do now."

"Oh wow. If I ever met your father I'd make sure he regretted everything." Jack said, no man should ever lay a finger on a woman to be in pain.

"Here's you suitcase sir." an older man said wheeling a camo suitcase up next to Jack.

"Thank you."

"So I guess this is where we part?" Charlotte asked as Jack stood up. He wobbled a bit making Charlotte think he was about to pass out. "Are you ok?" she asked in a panic.

"Oh yeah, I just think the medicean I took is now kicking in."

"Maybe I should help you to the taxi or-"

"My Dodge stays in the parking lot till I return." he mumbled.

"Here I can help you out to your Dodge then, I'll take you suitcase." Charlotte said taking it quickly, he nodded and she started leading the way towards the front doors.

"It's a black Dodge...right over there." Jack said pointing a pretty nice sized Dodge Ram. It was a 4X4 double cab truck. Charlotte lead him over to it and she bit her lower lip thinking maybe it'd be better if he didn't drive.

"Isn't there anyone who can-"

"Remember we're alike. We have no one." he said pulling out his keys, Charlotte snatched them from him.

"Well you're wrong, we have each other now get in and I'll drive you home."

"I like me a woman in charge." Jack smirked before walking around to the passenger side.