Only Takes One Night-- {TooManyThoughts & guitarfan2810}

Laura was spazzing out because her friends were throwing her and her fiance, Charlie a dual bachelor/bachelorette party. She wanted everything to be perfect as she always did. She had an agenda she expected to follow. She demanded her bridesmaids to keep her informed on the plans. She hated surprises.

A few of their friends hadn't arrived at and she was afraid they would be late. She was wearing a hole in the carpet from her pacing. Charlie started drinking already, because if he didn't, his future wife would be driving him crazy. "I can't believe they are running late."

"They aren't late. They have ten minutes. Calm down babe." He took a drink of his whiskey and looked out the window. The groomsmen that have already arrived were giving him looks like they would kill his fiance. "Why did you agree to this man. You should have just let us take you out and there would have been twice the amount of drinks and strippers. Not itineraries." His best friend Dean shook his head.

"I didn't have a choice." He said quietly. There were two guys he was waiting to show up. Two groomsmen. If they didn't show up, Laura had no problem leaving them behind. Laura walked by and grabbed his drink from him, "We haven't even left yet. Really? We will be in public Charles." Charlie hated when she called him Charles. His father was Charles. "Isn't that the point of a bachelor party? The groom getting drunk?" She shook her head, "Not yours."

Dean shook his head. "You want to marry her?" He asked as she walked away and Charlie took Deans drink and finished it off with a sigh. He was starting to wonder if he could handle being married to her.

Emily was slightly behind time. If she still knew one thing about her former best friend Laura, then it was that in order to be not late in her eyes, you had to be there 10 minutes early.

The 5'1 tall young woman cursed about her heels when she left the bus and walked into the place they were supposed to meet up. Her red hair was pulled up into a pony tail because it was a windy day and she was wearing a dark green dress without sleeves that hugged her chest and then fell down in wide, soft folds to just above her knees. Black heels and a black purse completed her outfit.

Before she stepped into the room, she hesitated for another moment. Emily wasn't sure if she was ready to face Laura again. In school they had been best friends, all through college even. But Emily had grown up a lot and she had seen Laura since they graduated. Officially she told everyone that life was just so busy and they couldn't make it. But the truth was, Emily had been sick of Laura manipulating everything and everyone around her. She had finally learned that she was a good person, even more so without Laura.

With a final deep breath, she stepped into the room that was already filled with people. "Hey Laura! Sorry I'm late" Emily called out as her green eyes found her friend easily in the room. She walked up to hug Laura, hoping to not get scolded.

Laura had on a small tight black dress. When she saw Emily, she went over and hugged her and sighed a bit of a dramatic sigh of relief. "It's about time. I was worried you weren't going to get to go. We have to leave on time. We can't wait around." She pulled back from the hug. "Come, you have to meet my Charles." She grabbed her friend's hand and took off to find Charlie.

Charlie and Dean were talking to some of the other guys. Charlie had on a pair of nice jeans and a black and white checkered shirt that buttoned up the front. He had another drink in his hand but the minute he saw Laura he handed it to Dean. Dean looked confused then saw Laura and understood.

She wrapped her arms around Charlie. "Hi sweetheart. I want you to meet a good friend of mine. Charles this is Emily. Emily this is my Charles." She always referred to him as Charles when she talked about him to anyone. Charlie looked at Emily and froze for a moment. He met her before. Hell he knew her pretty well. He extended his hand. "Nice to meet you Emily."

Emily rolled her eyes a little bit when she hugged Laura back. "I know, it wasn't my fault." She explained when Laura dragged her over to meet her fiancee. But when Emily saw him, saw his face, she froze for a moment. It couldn't be. It was impossible.

"Nice to meet you too" she brought out, her eyes stilled glued to his handsome face as she extended her hand and shook his gently. Slowly she let go of his hand and forced herself to keep smiling. "So, tell me again where we're spending the evening?" she said to Laura, even though her eyes kept wandering back to Charlie. Ever since their first and last meeting, he had been on her mind. For more than one reason.

But now... Now it all seemed so wrong. To think about him and even more, what they had done. He was engaged, had been when they had met three months before. Emily wanted to leave, right away. But she had to play along, she didn't want to ruin the wedding.

He too couldn't get Emily off his mind. She was amazing and he wanted to blame it on the fact he had been drinking, but that wasn't entirely the case. Laura had been hounding him for weeks about wedding things and he wanted a night out with the guys and she threw a fit about it. She kept blowing up his phone until he finally shut it off. It was nice to finally get to talk to a woman who wasn't degrading him and ordering him around. He paid for it the next two weeks though cause he was in the dog house. It took a lot of apologizing, flowers, and gifts before she wasn't mad anymore. It was the last time he was out with friends without Laura attached to his hip.

"We are starting at the country club for drinks and dinner. Then we are going to the night club downtown. That probably is all we are doing. We don't need to get out of hand." Laura smiled. Dean looked from Emily to Charlie. Dean was his best friend, he was out when he talked to Emily, but Dean hated Laura so his secret was safe with him. Hell he'd probably help him hook up with her again. Dean gave Charlie a look and Charlie just took a drink. "I may take the guys off to do some guy things." Charlie tried not to laugh as Dean spoke up. No way in hell Laura would go for that.

"No no. We stick together. Dean, I told you no strippers. It's degrading to the women. And the thought disgusts me and Charles would never do anything to disrespect me. Would you Charles?" He just shook his head but looked at Emily. Dean looked at her and enjoyed getting under her skin. The guys had fought about it a lot because then Charlie had to smooth things over. "Charlie. His name is fucking Charlie." Laura snapped her head at him. "No his name is Charles. It's on his drivers license. It was the name his parents gave him." Dean made a face at her to mock her when she looked at Emily and asked what was new with her. Charlie shook his head at Dean to let it go. He wasn't in the mood to spend the night making her happy.

"Okay everyone it is time to go. I have cars out front so no one has to drive and will get everywhere safely." Laura was beaming from how organized she was and the planning. Charlie finished his drink and started to head outside. He found Emily by herself. "Can we just...pretend nothing happened?" He asked softly. "You know how she gets."

Emily had a hard time keeping her cool around Charlie and Dean and especially Laura. This night with Charlie, it had been the best night of her life so far and she had fallen for him. Hard. And now here he was, getting married. And she was there to celebrate with him and his future wife.

She watched how possessive Laura was over Charlie, how she insisted on calling him Charles and insisting on controlling what they did. It disgusted her to no end and while she wanted Charlie to suffer as much as she did, she knew that he didn't deserve this.


She didn't get in between the fight of Laura and Dean, who seemed to fight Charlies fight for him, but she watched it with growing amusement.

Everyone was going out to get into the cars and Emily stayed behind for a moment, taking a moment of being alone to take a deep breath. The moment didn't last long though when Charlie walked up to her and spoke to her.
Not only had the night they spend together broken her heart because he had left without a note, but what he was saying now .... that made it even worse. Especially since she... well, it didn't seem to matter to him now.

"It was almost four months ago. I don't even think about it anymore." She lied, not meeting his eyes. Without looking at him once, she turned on her heels and headed over to a car, getting into the same car as Dean.

Charlie sighed when she wouldn't even look at him. It was pretty clear she was either angry or hated him for spending the night with her like he did, then just left. But how do you leave a note to say it shouldn't have happened because you have a fiance. A fiance he called over forty times and texted even more. Truth was, he didn't want to leave. In a perfect world he would have stayed with Emily.

He got in the car with Laura. It was something he didn't understand with being on his bachelor party why his fiance had to be attached to his hip. He sighed and looked out the window. She started rambling about something going on at the country club. It wasn't something that amused him, the only reason he was ever at the country club was because of her. Instead his mind went to Emily. He missed her. It was an often thought though about her and what life would be like if they were together instead of Laura and himself. Laura was a manipulative spoiled brat. Whenever Charlie tried to leave her she'd have a major meltdown and threatened to call her father. Charlie didn't want to deal with the drama so he'd apologize and they'd stay together. Laura just wanted him because he was a successful Marine.

"Charles? Charles?" He looked at Laura. "Yeah." "You aren't even listening. You will not embarrass me at this party. Do you understand me?" Charlie was annoyed already. "Yes ma'am so I will only breathe all night." He rolled his eyes and looked out the window. She got offended and angry instantly. The moment the car got them to the club he got out and could care less she was upset. She'd pretend everything was fine in public but just not talk to him. It was exactly how he wanted it to be.

Emily spend the ride in the car similar to Charlie, she looked out of the window in silence and though about him. She had hoped so much that one day they would meet again, but now...now she wished they didn't. It would be easier to think of him as a stranger, than to know that he was married to a friend of hers. Married to a horrible, horrible person. Emily closed her eyes and stopped herself.

When no one was looking, she lightly ran her hand over her stomach and sighed a little. Finally the car stopped at the country club and Emily got out of the car immediately, not even caring if someone had been talking to her or not. She saw from the look on Laura's and Charlie's faces that something had happened between them in the car and she didn't know how to feel about it, so she tried to not care. Instead of waiting for anyone, she went straight up to the bar, had a quiet talk with the barkeeper and shortly after, was handed a whiskey glass with an amber liquid in it.

She downed it and handed the glass back, receiving yet another one before she turned around and mixed herself between the people that were there for the pre wedding party.

Charlie couldn't help but keep glancing at Emily. He realized he needed to watch himself because all he needed was for Emily to freak out on him for looking at her friend. Dean walked up to the bar and got two whiskeys, one for himself and the other for Charlie. When he handed the groom to be his drink he looked at him, "It's my job to piss off your future wife and get you drunk. If she kicks you out, you can stay with me tonight. My couch is comfortable." Both men laughed and he took a drink. "Good, then keep them coming."

He talked to other people at the country club. Everyone had a couple drinks and mingled then they sat down for dinner. Dean sat on one side of Charlie, Laura on the other. There was a seat across from Charlie for Emily. Laura looked at Charlie and Dean. "You two need to slow down." Charlie looked at her. "Don't...I'm not in the mood." She got in his face, "Do not embarrass me tonight. Or you will pay for it the rest of your life. Do you know what this means to me? If you do you will be a good fiance. Make everyone envious." She said quietly and gave him a small peck and smile to make it look like they were being affectionate. Charlie hated being told what to do especially from Laura.

Dean and Charlie both could sense a huge blow up happening if Laura kept up her antics. So what did Dean do? Ordered another drink for them both. Charlie chuckled and looked at Emily, his eyes checked her out and his face lost his smile. She was beautiful. And he couldn't help but remember the wait her fingertips ran over his skin or the taste of her kiss. Damn he wanted to kiss her again. Her kiss knocked the air from his breath. Laura's, well... it used to do that but hadn't for a long time. He was crazy, but he wanted to kiss her again. He had to before the night was over.

Emily talked to a few of the people around and tried to forget about Charlie. It was rather useless to even try though because she felt her emerald eyes being drawn back over to him again and again and sometimes she even caught him looking over at her too.

When it was time to sit down, Emily sat down across from Charlie and next to one of his friends, Brad. They got to know each other, talking quietly and Brad managed to make Emily laugh a few times, quite easily. The first course was served and Emily got yet another glass of whiskey, drinking from it while she ate the soup and concentrated fully on Brad. They found out that they were from the same home town and began to compare their school teachers, laughing every now and then about how silly they had been.

For a few moments, Emily even forgot about Charlie and how much she missed him, but then she looked over at him again, meeting his eyes, and all the feelings were there again.

Charlie couldn't help but get jealous of her talking to Brad. He made her laugh when they had their night together. She was smiling the entire night. Hell she even rolled her eyes at him a few times. It was hard enough seeing her and not being able to truly talk to her but now he had to sit there and watch Brad flirt with her. It drove him crazy.

He ate and tried to concentrate on Laura and the party. It was impossible cause then he'd hear her laugh and she looked happy. It made him jealous cause she seemed happy when he was miserable. In his mind though they'd be spending the night together. Doing something simple and just spending time together.

He had seen all he could for now. He needed a break. Charlie excused himself and put his napkin on the table. He got up and walked towards the bathroom. Once in he went to the sink and turned on the cold water. He splashed it on his face and looked at himself through the mirror. It was one night. Shit. No it wasn't just one night. She'd be at the wedding. He let out a sigh at the thought. Two nights of him watching Brad flirt with her. It was nearly impossible. He stood in there a few moments before deciding to brave it and go out and sit through the rest of dinner. It was something he probably should grab another drink for.

Emily saw Charlie get up and walk over to the restrooms. Her first instinct was to follow him, but she just couldn't. Not like this. He was going to be married in only a few days. So instead, she stayed at the table for another minute and then excused herself. "I'll be right back" she promised Brad with a smile and grabbed her empty glass.

Emily walked over to the bar and leaned against it, nodding at the barkeeper who gave her right another fill of her poison. "Should I ask?" he asked her with a smile and Emily smiled back at him, shaking her head. "It's complicated." She sighed, sliding on one of the bar stools.

Brad came up at her side then and brought his arm around her waist, smiling at her gently. "I missed you at the table. It's not as funny without you there." He grinned and kissed her cheek, obviously slightly drunk already. Emily smiled at him politely. "Well, I will be right back over there soon, I promise."

Charlie went to the bar and saw Emily and Brad. There was no getting away from them. He sighed and rolled his eyes. He walked right up beside them. "I need a refill. And...a shot. Tequila. No lime or shit after." He glanced over to Emily and Brad. "Wow Brad. We haven't even made it through dinner and you are hitting on Laura's friends. You are ballsy." He smiled and looked at Emily. A slight sight of pain could be seen from his eyes.

The bartender set the glass on the bar and poured the tequila in it. Charlie did the shot and set the glass down. "Thanks. Add it to my tab. Whatever these guys are drinking too. Enjoy yourselves." Charlie walked away and went back to the table. Laura turned to him asking him where he was. "I went to the bathroom and stopped at the bar." He held up his full glass. "That okay? I know I didn't ask permission first." She gave him a look and went back to talking to other friends.

Every was served the main course and Charlie was glad for that cause he could just eat in peace and things be quiet for a bit. The meal was good but fancier than what Charlie normally liked. He had to get used to it though as they would be eating a lot of meals at the country club. He was starting to get a nice buzz on and he couldn't help but keep watching Emily and Brad in infuriated him. It was impossible for him to even talk to her, but there was Brad flirting away and she never even thought about Charlie. Truth was he thought about her nearly every day. He regretting leaving that morning and leaving no contact information. But he had to pretend it didn't happen. Even though Laura was a horrible girlfriend and fiance, didn't make it right to cheat. He felt horrible. He took a sip of his drink and looked at Emily. He had to figure out how to talk to her. Apologize. Steal a kiss...something.

The food was good and Emily ate everything that came near her. She was very hungry for various reasons and enjoyed the food in a quality that she rarely was able to afford for herself. She kept laughing and having a good time with Brad, but not for two minutes she could keep her eyes completely off of Charlie. At some points, she wondered if no one saw how they were looking at each other, but then she quickly averted her eyes and made sure to not show a sign of what had happened between them.

After desert, Emily excused herself from the table for a moment. She walked over to the door that lead outside into the rose garden, to get some fresh air. She stretched a little and took deep breaths, enjoying the cool night air. Gently she rubbed her stomach and walked over the stone walkway that lead through the rose bushes, around a fountain and deeper into the garden. Emily loved the scents of the roses and the mild temperature, she sat down at the fountain with her back towards the entrance of the garden, thinking about Charlie again. This would be so hard, being around him the next few days, seeing him stand in front of the aisle, waiting for his blushing bridezilla to come and marry him and make him unhappy for the rest of his life.

A deep sigh left her. She really had to get a grip on herself.

After dinner, Charlie noticed she got up and walked outside. He let out a sigh and waited a few moments. Dean knew what Charlie was thinking. "Man...go. I'll keep an eye out. Just...be smart." The two guys pumped fists and Charlie kissed Laura's cheek to keep her happy as he got up.

Charlie grabbed his glass and headed to the bar. He got it filled up with more whiskey and he made his way outside. He looked around for Emily. Then he saw her on the fountain. Damn even just sitting on a fountain made her look beautiful. "Seems like you are having fun with Brad..." He said softly. Charlie made his way over to sit next to her.

"Maybe you don't feel the same way, but it is torture watching you two together. The reason I said to pretend it didn't happen was because you know how Laura is." He sighed and took a sip. "Look, I'm sorry I just left. I freaked out. I'm not a guy who cheats on his fiance. But...there was just...something about you..." His hand reached over for Emily's hand. His voice was quiet.

Emily looked up when she heard Charlie and watched him sit down. When he mentioned Brad, she instantly knew that he was jealous. And that made her angry. He had no right to be jealous! He was the one engaged to be married! But before she could even take a breath to scold him, he kept talking.

What he said so gently and quiet made her look down and her anger just vanished. Carefully she let him place his hand on hers, lacing her fingers with his gently as they sat in silence for a moment. "I wished you hadn't left. I wished you had come and found me." She whispered softly, admitting what she was feeling about the night they had spent together.

"But now....now I wish I would have never come here to see you marrying Laura. You're not even happy." She looked over at him, so much pain and despair in her eyes.

Charlie let out a sigh. "I know. I should have found you. I thought about it. I did. But I was trying to be the honorable guy I know to be." He looked in her eyes. "Don't say that. Maybe this...Maybe this was the way for us to find each other again." He said softly as his fingers played with her hand.

She hit the nail on the head. He wasn't happy. Not at all. But with Emily, he felt he would be. His hand reached up to move hair from her face. "I missed you. I missed you so much. I can't get you out of my mind." He spoke softly.

Charlie leaned close to Emily. "I missed your kisses. Your hands on me. That night...it was the best night of my life...I'm so sorry I left." He leaned in and kissed her lips slow and softly. The thought of making out with her in the garden thrilled him, then he even thought of a quickie. He missed her that much.

There was nothing she could do against it, when he moved the strands of hair from her face, she tilted her head and leaned into his touch. Everything that he said...it was everything she had dreamed of hearing him say. Aside from the fact that he was engaged.

"It was the best night of my life for me too" She whispered, just before their lips touched and that electric sparks that she knew from their night surged through her body. With a soft sigh she melted against him and kissed him a little more, so happy that he was feeling the same thing she felt.

The sudden sound of the door to the garden opening made her jerk back from him though. "We shouldn't be doing that." She whispered painfully, then got up and left his side, walking back to the country club house.

He sighed when she broke the kiss and pulled away. His eyes followed her. She was right but it just felt so right. It felt normal, natural. Charlie finished his drink and got up.

Charlie made his way back inside and to the bar. Laura came over to hound him about how much he had been drinking and that they would be heading to the night club soon. He didn't say much but just gave her a nod. She went off to talk to some others as Dean walked up to Charlie. He asked how it went and he filled him in.

"Dean, I don't know if I can go through with this. This is going to be my life. I'm going to become an alcoholic just to deal with her." He shook his head. What the hell was he thinking.

"How the hell are you going to end it though?" Charlie had no idea.

"It won't be tonight that's for sure." Then Laura rounded everyone up to get in the cars to head to the club. He got in with Laura but was quiet again.

Emily didn't really feel like going out into a night club, but it was part of the evening plan and she didn't want to draw attention to her by dropping out early. Maybe she could vanish quietly from the club when everyone was dancing. She definitely didn't want to see Charlie dance with Laura.

She ended up in a car with Brad and he talked to her quietly, somehow managing to take her mind off of the kiss and help her relax a little.

At the night club, Emily got out of the car and walked into the club with Brad. She couldn't take it much longer, all those thoughts, all those feelings... It was really driving her insane.

The music was loud inside the club, so loud that it made Emily squirm a little. Brad brought her over to the VIP area that was reserved for them and Emily was glad that she didn't have to go through the big crowd on her own. Brad slipped his arm around her waist and held her close as they walked up to where they were supposed to meet the others.

Dean went straight to the bar to order a round of drinks for the entire party. Charlie went over with Laura to the VIP section. It wasn't long before Dean showed up sitting on the other side of Charlie. The waitress brought over drinks for everyone. There was also shots for the guys to do.

Charlie thanked Dean and all the groomsmen did their shots then Charlie took a drink of his whiskey. Laura gave him a dirty look. Charlie just rolled his eyes and just kept enjoying himself, well the best he could. His eyes kept wondering to Emily. It drove him crazy watching Brad flirt with her. Part of him wanted to tell Brad to back off but he didn't.

Laura was busy talking to her friends and socializing leaving Charlie by himself. Dean and Charlie enjoyed themselves drinking. Dean was getting Charlie pretty drunk and Laura was just getting angrier. "You need to stop." She scolded him. "I'm not buy them. I'm not driving. It's my bachelor party. I'm supposed to be drunk." Dean looked at Laura before motioning for the waitress and ordering my drinks just to piss Laura off.

Dean leaned over to Emily. "Steal him from her. She's fucking psycho." He whispered into her ear with a smile.

Emily looked at Dean, surprised that he would say something like that to her. He was right, Laura was nuts, but still. Telling Emily that was kind of strange, she thought. But then again, it was exactly what she wanted to do.

She sighed and looked at Dean, so much need for Charlie in her eyes. "I want to, but I don't know how. And I know how pissed off Laura and her family will be. But I also don't want to raise this child without his or her father. I just don't know what to do." She blurted out. She emptied her glass of whiskey and sighed deeply again. "Maybe I should just go and never come back. I mean... He's a grown man, why didn't he break this off sooner? Why did he let it get so far? He obviously doesn't like her, yet he asked her to marry him? I don't get it."

She shook her head and then squeezed Dean's arm. "I am sorry. But I should go." She was about to turn and go, when someone bumped her and she fell into Dean. Her front pressed against his and if he payed attention, he would feel a growing bump in her belly press against his waist. "Sorry." She got out and freed herself, then turned around and left the VIP area, Brad following. He soon needed to put his arm around her shoulders and hold her close because Emily had started to cry.

Dean stopped when she mentioned a child. Woah. Game changer for sure. "Look, it's complicated. She wasn't always this crazy with him. Plus her father was going to give his father a job. Plus he isn't a bad guy. He doesn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't entirely ask, she more told him." He chuckled a bit.

Charlie watched the two of them and put things together. He looked at Dean surprised. His hand ran through his hair before getting up. "I'll be right back..." He took off towards Emily. Then of course he saw Brad. "Hey buddy. Why don't you go get us some drinks. I'll stay with her." Brad hesitated but finally went to the bar.

"You want to explain what is going on? Are you...?" He looked at her stomach then her. "You've been drinking tonight...and is it..." He let out a sigh. His heart was racing. Charlie had no idea what he was going to do if she said she was pregnant with his child.

Emily nodded softly at Brad, telling him silently that it was okay to leave them alone. She then wiped over her cheeks discreetly before she looked up at Charlie. For a few moments she just looked at him, trying to think of a way to lie to him without hating herself for the rest of her life.

"Apple juice. I drank apple juice all evening. I payed the barkeeper to keep my glass free of alcohol and he did his job well." She sighed and ran a a hand through her hair. "Yes I'm pregnant. And yes it's your child." Emily finally admitted and looked up at him, watching his reaction. "Of course we can do a test. I'm sure Laura will want one because she won't believe me." a sigh and a shrug followed her statement.

"I want to go now Charlie. It's too loud here and I'm tired. I can't watch you with her anymore. How she controls your every breath and makes your life miserable. You may accept it for whatever reason, but I can't. I can't see you this unhappy and I sure as hell cannot watch you make the biggest mistake of your life." She felt the tears rush to her eyes again and wiped over her eyes angrily.

"I will leave and you won't hear from me again. Don't worry, I don't want your money, I will provide for our child alone. If one day you decide you don't want to be with Laura anymore, you can come seek us and I will gladly allow you contact with our child. But not when she is still in your life. I'm not letting my child see his father become an alcoholic and be gravely unhappy." She was slightly shaking when she finished her speech, never having stood up for herself like this. It was hard to do this, when all she wanted was throw herself into Charlie's arms and be happy with him. But it needed to be done, she needed to think of her child more than herself.

"Goodbye Charlie."

Charlie stood there shocked. He didn't even ask for a test. He trusted her. Oddly, he trusted her despite not really knowing her. "I'm not worried about what she wants..." He said softly.

He just stood there blinking and not sure what to think as she spoke. It was like she kicked him in the gut. Not because she was pregnant. But more because she was leaving. And she didn't want him around their child because of how Laura treated him. She was completely right. As she walked out he just stood there a moment.

It only took a second before he took off after her. He pulled her to the side of the building so if someone came out they wouldn't spot them. "You aren't leaving without me knowing how to find you. You may not want my money, but I want to support you and our child." His eyes met hers. "Our night together was the best night of my life. I left once. I'm not letting you leave without knowing how to find you. What if I said I'd leave her?"