Unbound

Gerard stood there in the elevator and watched as the girl he was shouting with passed out and hit the floor with a loud thud.

“Dammit.” He muttered rolling his eyes as he reluctantly stepped off the elevator to help the girl. “Hey…” He said, nudging her leg a little with his foot. “Hello? Hey are you alright?”

But she didn’t respond. She was out cold.

“Why me?” He muttered to himself as he knelt down and picked her up into his arms bridal style. She was even lighter than he thought she would be. He decided that she passed out most likely from lack of food and stepped back onto the elevator with her in his arms to go down to the hotel restaurant. The doors opened a minute and a half later and Gerard ignored the stares from various people as he walked with Charlie in his arms across the lobby to the restaurant.

“Table for t-” The seating hostess started but stopped short at the sight of Gerard holding Charlie in his arms. “Oh my God!”

“Two please.” Gerard said pleasantly.

“Is she alright?” The hostess asked.

“Yeah she just need some food.” Gerard said. “Do you have an empty booth or something?”

“R-right this way.” The hostess said, not taking her eyes off Charlie’s limp form.

The restaurant was just as empty as it was the night before. They probably don’t get very much business during the week. The hostess led Gerard to a booth near the very back of the restaurant and he set Charlie down carefully, sitting her upright on the wall of the booth and putting her feet up on the seat.

“Um…your waiter will be right with you.” The hostess said uneasily as she tuned and walked away.

Within minutes, the same blonde waiter who had served he and Frank came to the table. He was about to ask what they would like to order when he caught sight of Charlie, slumped against the wall of the booth.

“Oh God.” Joey said. “Is she alright?”

“She will be.” Gerard sighed.

“What happened? Does she need anything?” Joey asked.

“Some ice water and food.” Gerard said.

“What kind of-”

“Doesn’t matter, just some food.” He said cutting him off.

“I’ll be right back.” Joey said, pocketing his order notepad and rushing to the kitchen.

He retuned in a few minutes with a glass of water and a plate of spaghetti in his hands.

“Thanks.” Gerard said as Joey set the food on the table. “I’ll take care of her from here.”

“Let me know if you need anything.” Joey said.

“Okay, thanks.” Gerard said.

Joey left and Gerard looked across the table at Charlie’s form, head on her shoulder still passed out. Sighing, He dipped his hand in the ice water and flicked some of the water on her face. She awoke with a start almost instantly.

Charlie looked around, confused at her surroundings. “How did I get in the restaurant?” She thought as she sat straighter in the both she was in.

“You passed out.” Gerard said, reading the confused look on her face.

Charlie looked at who was talking to her and her eyes widened. “YOU!” She shouted. “What did you do to me?!”

“Me?” Gerard asked. “You did this to yourself sweetheart.”

“Myself?” Charlie asked quietly as she tried to remember what had happened.

“Yeah. I guess that not eating had something to do with it.” Gerard said smartly.

Charlie narrowed her eyes at him angrily and tried to get up when he got up from the table and held her down in the booth by her shoulder.

“Get your hands off me.” She spat as she struggled to get up.

“With pleasure, as soon as you eat something.” He said nodding at the plate of spaghetti on the table.

“Like hell I’ll eat anything you give me.” She said angrily as she continued to try to get up.

“I’m not letting you go until you eat something.” He said. “I haven’t poisoned it if that’s what you think, and I’m not carrying you anymore if you pass out again.

“Carrying me?” She asked as she stopped struggling for a minute.

“How do you think you got here?” He asked.

“Why did you…?” She trailed off. “You didn’t have to…”

“Well I wasn’t about to leave you passed out in the hall way.” He said rolling his eyes as he sat back down opposite her. “God knows what could have happened.”

“I would have been just fine.” Charlie said proudly, getting up from the booth.

“Three…two…” Gerard counted as he watched her take a few steps before wobbling slightly. He got up quickly from the booth and caught her before she hit the floor again. “One. Still think you would have been just fine?”

Charlie glared at him but didn’t say anything.

“Now will you eat?” He asked. “Or do I have to keep catching you every time you fall over?”

“Fine.” Charlie grumbled.

Gerard smirked and sat her back down in the booth.

“Eat.” He said, pushing the spaghetti towards her.

Charlie gave him a murderous glare but then picked up her fork.

“I never caught your name.” Gerard said as she started eating.

“Charlie.” She said.

“That short for something?” He asked.

“Yes.” She said darkly.

“And?” He asked.

“Charlotte.” She answered.

“Well I like Charlie better.” He said.

She looked at him but then back down to the spaghetti she was eating.

“Well aren’t you gonna asked me what mine is?” Gerard asked after a minute.

She looked up at him and then rolled her eyes. “Fine, what is it?”

“It’s Gerard.” He said.

“That short for something?” She asked sarcastically.

He ignored her comment and continued talking. “So, where’re you from?”

“Why?” She asked suspiciously.

“Just asking.” He shrugged.

“New York.” She said after a minute. “You?”

“New Jersey.” He said.

“Why are you here?” Charlie asked after a few minutes.

“That…is a very good question.” He said as he paused to think. “Well, I suppose you could blame my manager. He got me and the guys-”

“No I meant here, here.” Charlie said cutting him off. “This restaurant, why are you here? Why didn’t you just leave me?”

“Did you want me to leave you?” He asked.

“You’re avoiding the question.” She said, taking a small bite of the spaghetti.

“So are you.” He pointed out.

“I asked first.” She countered.

“You were alone.” He said quietly.

Charlie sat back in the booth. She hadn’t noticed before but as they were talking, they were steadily inching closer to each other across the table.

“Well so what?” She said. “You were alone.”

“I wasn’t the one passed out on the floor. He answered.

“So that’s it?” She asked, her face darkening. “You stayed because you felt sorry for me?

“That’s not what I-” Gerard started.

“Oh but that’s what you were thinking.” She said angrily. “Spoiled little rich girl who knows nothing about life, nothing about pain, or even the meaning of hard work. Remember?”

“Charlie I-”

“Oh save it.” She spat, getting up from the table. “I don’t need your pity.”

Charlie took a few steps away from the table. The food Gerard had made her eat helped with the pain in her stomach. Not her balance.

“But you do need my help.” Gerard said, as he caught her again.

“Stop that.” She said weakly.

“Stop what?” He asked as he held her.

“Helping me.” She said.

“What if I want to.” He said, his voice barely a whisper.

“People don’t always get what they want.” She said as she stood up straight and walked away, concentrating very hard on not falling.