Charlie Watson

Charlie doesn't reply but he wipes the tears from his face and takes a deep breath. He was ready for this. He had to be.

"Denial... I..." he would've known. He would've seen the signs. Wouldn't he? "Just... Just get me out of here, Liam. Please."

"But... I wouldn't... No. You're wrong. You are." He says and shakes his head.

Charlie shuffles back slightly and looks at Liam with wide eyes. "St-Stockholm— No. It's not. He... I'm not..."

Charlie furrows his brows again and curls up. He was scared. Afraid to leave. He wanted to though. "I'm scared..."

"I am smart." He snaps and looks away. He was. He just felt like he had turned it all off with Jim around. There was no need for it.

"So I'm just supposed to trust you at your word that you're doing this for me just because?" He says hesitantly and rubs his arms.

"So why..." he asks softly and furrows his brows up at the man. He couldn't accept that maybe Liam just wanted to help him. It made no sense

"There's no reason you would want to help me otherwise. What is this then if you don't want anything? Is it just to get one over on Jim?"

"What do you want in return?" Charlie narrows his eyes, not used to trusting others.

Charlie blinks in disbelief and looks up at him. "You? But... You're his brother..."

"Plain sight," he scoffs. "Jim has eyes everywhere. Adler is in pocket. Holmes would sooner lock me up. I have no where to run to. And I have no one who can help."

"A vacation implies coming back... If I don't, I won't be safe... I have no choice but to be dependent on him, Liam. I'm stuck."

"Care for a drink then Alex's? Get to know one another..." he smiles brightly and tilts his head in the direction of a small cafe.

"I can't just leave him! No one fucking leaves James Moriarty until he says so. With a bullet through their skull at that!" He growls and slams his fist into the earth below him

"Don't take it to mean too much when it comes from me. When you deal with psychopaths, sociopaths, and pro doms, your idea of normal becomes a little skewed." He chuckles

He smirks and tilts his head.

"You're... normal." He chuckles, "It's a nice change."

Charlie, a pleasure, I'm sure.

Hello handsome. Who might you be then?

"Well , I *plan* to just see where the night takes me. I already know I could take home anyone here without issue. And getting plastered is easy enough. Don't need to plan much for those two." He downs the rest of his drink and gets up from his seat with a smirk.

"Care for a dance or two?"

Charlie's head tips back as he laughs, and he wipes a nonexistent tear away from his face. "That's quite a plan you have there. It's fitting for a night like tonight."

"What is it then? What do you want more than anything on a day like today?" He takes a sip before tilting his head

"Alright, maybe not always," he shrugs, "but definitely a lot."

"What about you? Are you someone who always knows what they want Jimmy?"

"I always get what I want. Eventually." He grins and takes a sip of his drink once they were slid over.

"I don't want to be broken... I just want to be away from him..." he sighs and attempts to sit up. It was a bit of a struggle. He had lost a lot of weight since William had last seen him, but he managed it anyway.

"Watermelon margarita with jalapeño cucumber tequila. Extra salt on the rim. And just keep them coming doll face," he blows a kiss at the bartender before turning his full attention on Jim.

"You always know how to treat me to a good time, Jimmy dear."

Charlie winked at one of the bouncers as they walked in and let out a small content sigh when the music and atmosphere of the place hit him.

"Perfection."

"I don't want this anymore. Don't you understand? But he won't let me. He would never let me just leave. That's not how it works. So I lay here. Maybe if I'm broken, he won't want me anymore."

He tries hard to come back to himself. William didn't deserve the shell of a man he made himself into. But it was difficult to be human after all this time

"I... I'm no good for you like this, William. You weren't supposed to come back before I was gone."

"That's what I thought." He shakes his head and gets out of the car, leading them up to the door and ignoring the side-eyes and glares from those who have to wait.