Things Aren't Always What They Seem

***Charlotte's First Night in Chicago***

It was freezing, it was late, and there was one thing that crossed Charlotte's mind: it's about time. Charlotte had taken the long drive and could finally call herself a resident of Chicago. She clunked up the stairs of her building and fumbled with her keychain until she came across her new house key. It was almost midnight and Charlotte was exhausted from so much driving but as she opened the door to her new residence she found she had a burst of energy. Jon wasn't there to greet her, he was on the road, but that was okay with Charlotte. He'd done so much to help her as it was, she didn't want him to keep going out of his way. He was just as exhausted as she was with how busy hockey kept him.

She'd had her bigger things shipped the week before she left home and Jon had received it for her and set it up in her apartment. She walked in her new, almost naked apartment and smiled. It was hers. The only things that filled her new place was furniture-- now she needed to make it her own.

Charlotte felt her heart flutter when she walked over to drop her stuff down on the table by the door and she saw she had a huge bouquet of white roses perched on it in a vase. There was a card with her name on it leaning against the vase and she opened it, still smiling wide. It was a congrats on your new place card which was obviously from Jon since he'd already gotten a copy of her key. She put her hand over her heart when she saw what her friend had handwritten--

welcome to Chicago. Sorry I can't be there for your first night. Glad I've got my best friend with me now.
-Jon

Charlotte put the card back down on the table and explored her place again-- the place that Jon had helped her pick out-- the place that was less than ten minutes from him. She went to put stuff away in the kitchen where she saw another big vase of roses, this one full of pink roses, sitting beautifully on the counter. She took a deep breath and smiled again. By this vase was a little white bag which caught Charlotte's attention. She walked over to the bag and saw the post-it that Jon had attached.

best brownies in town-- thought you might like them.

Charlotte opened the bag and took out the brownie-- it looked delicious. She was pretty hungry after her drive and the brownie hit the spot. She couldn't believe how damn good it tasted. She knew right then, not only did Jon know her better than she realized, but this was a bakery they were going to frequent quite often.

She went back by her front door, grabbed her suitcase and dragged it down the hall into her bedroom. She left the other boxes by her front door, she was too tired to put her stuff away and planned on getting all her unpacking done in the morning.

Charlotte walked into her room prepared to collapse on her bed but instead was greeted by yet a third vase full of roses-- these were red. There was no card leaning against these, nor were there brownies, but there was something that made Charlotte's stomach erupt with butterflies. It was her favorite picture of the two of them framed and perched by the roses on her side table. She had a copy herself, but this meant more to her. Her copy she'd put in the kitchen or living room. This one was from Jon and she sat on the edge of her bed and grabbed it, staring at it as her heart skipped a beat. She was so tired it made it easier to let the tears fall down her face. She was so in love with her best friend, and there wasn't anything she could do about it. It broke her heart that he loved her...just not the way she wanted him to. But he was there for her nonetheless, and she wouldn't risk losing him to be selfish. He was the best thing in her life.

When she realized that her phone was ringing she reached across the bed where she'd tossed it to grab it.

"Hello?" she asked groggily as she wiped the faint tears from her eyes.

"Hey Char, you okay?" Jon asked immediately sensing something was wrong.

"I'm fine," she semi-lied with a smile. Hearing his voice was enough to settle her emotions. "I just got in, I was about to call you."

"Good, I was getting worried. You're there then?"

"Yeah," she nodded though he couldn't see it. "I was greeted by three bouquets of roses-- each in a different room, and a card, a brownie and a beautiful picture. Know anything about that?" she teased through the phone.

"Nope," she could tell he was smiling pretty big by the tone of his voice. "I wonder who did all that. That's pretty sweet."

"Yeah," she laughed. "Thank you, you really are the best."

"Don't even mention it," he brushed her off, or so it seemed. "I just feel bad I can't be there tonight. I mean you moved here at my insistence and I'm not there to help you move in."

"Please. I know the second you get home you'll be helping me. I have a feeling you won't be leaving even if I try to kick you out."

"Which," he gave a quick response. "We both know you won't be able to do."

"No, you've never been one to take a hint." Every time she talked to him it made her smile. He made her laugh every single day, and she appreciated him more than he knew. It made her heart sink just a bit to think that if he was so good to her and she was nothing more than a friend to him, the day he met the girl that would kick Charlotte out of the number one spot in his life-- that girl was going to be treated like a princess.

"So you're in okay? Doors are locked?" Jon asked in his protective way. He was always extremely watchful over her.

"I'm in just fine, don't worry. Geez you worry more than my parents sometimes," she shook her head as she laughed. "I promise. If I get into trouble I'll call you, but you don't need to worry. I'm so tired from driving I think I might sleep til next week."

"I'll always be here for you-- I'll always care too much. Sorry to break it to you," he said soft and sincere.

Charlotte felt the pull at her heartstrings again. He had no idea what he did to her. "Stop. You're too good to me."

"You make it easy," Jon shot back.

"Alright," Charlotte changed the topic. "I'm exhausted. You should be too. I'm going to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," he answered. "I'll check in with you tomorrow. I'll be home in two days, so I'll see you then. I can't wait."

"Me either," she breathed out.

"I miss you," he said after a few seconds pause.

"Oh, you're just saying that because you know I have no one else here to hang out with til you get home," she teased him right back.

She heard Jon's laugh over the phone and it made her smile. "Alright smartass, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you."

"Yeah, love you too," she said before hanging up for the night.

Neither of them knew just how much the other meant those simple words.

***

Charlotte woke up in her bed and was hoping to feel Jon's arms around her but to her surprise not only was he not holding her-- he wasn't in bed. He wasn't even in the room. She sat up quickly and looked around expecting to see him, but it was pointless. She scooted back down and curled under the covers, her heart beating just a little faster, until a few minutes went by and she heard who she knew to be Jon unlock her front door and walk inside. Her body relaxed and she smiled to herself-- him coming back made it all real. She was his and he was hers-- nothing meant more to her than that.

She heard the footsteps she was so familiar with walk down her hall and open the door to her bedroom. He walked around to her side of the bed and sat down on the edge of her bed. She looked up at him with a smile and saw he had a cup of warm Starbucks in his hand.

"Thought you might like this," he said softly as he sat it down on her side table .

Charlotte scooted up and slid her arms around him. "I like this better," she said as she nuzzled her head into his chest.

Jon kissed the top of her head and ran his fingers through her hair. Charlotte pulled back and looked up at him. "Thank you." Her voice was laced with sincerity and love and Jon didn't say anything back, he just leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

"Come back to bed with me," she requested as she tugged at his shirt.

"Okay," he nodded as he undid his pants and stripped down to his boxers fulfilling her plea. "I was going to make you breakfast but..." he trailed off as he climbed into bed and pulled Charlotte tightly into him, breathing her in.

"But what?" she asked knowingly.

"Well, the love of my life wants me in bed and I can't say no to that."

A grin spread across Charlotte's face and she intertwined her fingers with his, which were wrapped securely around her. She inhaled and let out a little moan as she released it, "I love you, I love everything about you," the words fell from her lips and Jon's heart swelled. "Wanna know something?" she flipped over in his grasp so that she was facing him.

"What's that?"

"Do you remember that night I made you dinner before you went on a road trip-- when you got back I came to surprise you and made you breakfast at your place-- do you remember that?"

Jon swallowed and nodded his head. Of course he did. Every time he thought back to that morning and how it went down it made him sick.

"I told you last night when we were on the boat that I almost told you how I felt even though I didn't want to make the first move. Well, even though I was terrified of telling you. Anyway. That morning I was going to tell you I loved you. I thought that there was something there and that maybe...maybe you felt the same way and it gave me the courage to do it..." she trailed off and looked down as she swallowed hard.

"Until I screwed that up," Jon said as his jaw tightened. He shook his head as he thought back to how much it hurt him to see the look on her face when she realized that morning he had a little friend at his place. He never did know what she was going to say but he always hoped that she was there to tell him she loved him. Then again if it were true it just would have made it hurt all the more.

"You have no idea how much that hurt," she whispered as she looked into his eyes. Jon could see how much it really did still eat at her.

"I'm so sorry about that," he breathed out. "It was wrong, there really is nothing I can say that will make it okay. My actions were terrible over the years. But I can tell you that the reason that girl was there that morning was because I was nauseous over how much I loved you and how much I couldn't tell you. I wanted to tell you everyday. Being with you, but not being with you really took a toll on me. Each time I thought of the possibility of losing you it made me stick with the status quo."

"I know," she said gently and lightly rested her fingers on his cheek. "I'm not going to tell you that it doesn't bother me, because I'd be lying to you."

"But, what was it? A week? After that incident you and Kaner started up." This was a sensitive issue for Jon.

Charlotte nodded. "Yeah, I had completely given up at that point. Figured why not. And you know how that turned out. I guess I must be pretty bad in bed for him to cheat on me with her, huh?" she tried to lighten the mood but it was clear she really meant what she said.

"Hey," Jon pulled her closer to him and made her look into his eyes. "I can assure you that isn't true. I thought about it for years, I wished for it, I imagined it more times than I should have...and when we were finally together...Charlotte it was better than anything I could have dreamt up in my mind."

She leaned in and kissed him, running her hands over his soft, muscular back and arms. "Even compared to all the girls you've been with?"

"What girls? I don't remember a single one other than you."

She couldn't help smiling and felt her heart flutter once again.

"Can I be honest now?"

Charlotte nodded her head, "About what?"

"You really..." he took a deep breath. "You don't know how hard it was for me to know you gave it up to him."

Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut. His words were like a dagger to her heart. She looked back up at him and said nothing as she waited for him to continue speaking.

"It really broke my heart. I know it had no reason to, and it wasn't my business, but it killed me." Jon looked away and shook his head clearly reliving that pain. "I thought somehow, someway, it'd be me. And it shouldn't matter, I know this too. But it was so important to you that it became important to me."

Charlotte ran her fingers over his forehead and down his cheek as she looked in his eyes. "This is gonna sound cheesy, I'm warning you now. It happened with Patrick, you know it did. I never told you that I cried the next day, the entire next day-- I never told anyone. I wished I didn't do it but I couldn't take it back. I thought I was in love and I thought he loved me...but up til that point I'd been saving it for you. Then I knew-- well, at that time-- that you and I would never happen, so I moved on. Being with you means more to me than it ever did with him... in so many ways."

Jon's lips curled up and he leaned it and gave her a hard, lingering kiss. "I love you," he breathed out. "God I love you."

"I love you too," she said back in-between chaste kisses. "You have a game tonight right?"

"Yeah," he nodded as he nuzzled his nose against hers. "You're coming right?"

"You think that's a good idea?" she looked at him seriously unsure and he took a deep breath as he understood why she was asking.

"He should be fine," Jon answered unconvincingly.

"Really? Does he know?"

"Well," Jon shrugged. "No he doesn't. Duncan is the only one who knows you're back. I needed his help. I knew you wouldn't go to Patrick, I knew you wouldn't go to Sharpy....so I figured Duncs was my best bet. Thank God I was right or I would have wasted a lot of money to rent out that boat!"

"Funny," she gave him a playful shove. "I'm serious though. I don't want him to give you crap. I doubt he'll be thrilled."

"He deserves it," Jon shot back coldly. Charlotte glared at him and Jon rolled his eyes. "Okay, I see your point but I don't want him giving you a hard time either."

"I wanna come tonight, I wanna come knowing I'm yours. I just...I don't know what to expect. I just want to make it easier on you. I don't wanna cause any problems."

"You could never cause me any problems, so get that out of your head. How about this," he tucked her hair behind her ear. "You come if you feel comfortable and you don't if you don't. I can take whatever tantrum he throws, so I don't care. I just want you."

Charlotte smiled and pressed her lips to his. "I"ll be there. Making you happy is all that really matters anyway."

Jon kissed her back silencing her and neither of them said another word. Charlotte could feel his erection pressed against her and she didn't object one bit when he crawled in between her legs and on top of her.