Freddie's P.O.V.

There was a bout of silence. His eyes averted me and looked down at his bed instead, he swallowed hard. I was half hoping he'd answer me straight away with a 'you, Freddie, of course...' and his answer be unanimous but he hesitated a little too much for my liking.

I could feel my heart sinking the longer I waited.

"You..." he finally whispered, glancing at me shyly.

I should have been celebrating at his answer, but I wasn't convinced he meant it, he thought about it an awful lot.

"But...?" I asked.

He sighed and hid his face in his hands, "I still feel responsible for Charlie..." he stammered, looking up at me cautiously.

I looked away from him. I knew it. I knew I didn't fully have him.

"Do you want to be?" I braced myself for his answer.

But this time, he shook his head straight away, "No. I-I just don't feel like I have a choice. Whenever I think he's gone he just pops back into my life and I still feel like I need to do something to help him whenever he does return..." he looked pained about the matter.

I tried to sympathise, but I was never very good at doing so, "He was your first proper boyfriend, Bri. I suppose you always think you're first is going to be your one and only. You fell in love with him, you're an easy lover...of course there's going to be a part of you that's always got a soft spot for him, no matter what. And he obviously realised what he had, now it's gone...and he wants it back." I shrugged.

"I suppose so...I just don't want to be like that though. I'm tired of helping him. Why the fuck should I? He was horrible to me..." he swallowed.

"Realising he was disgusting is one step further. I still can't believe you let him walk all over you like that, he was sleeping with anyone he could get his hands on. We tried to tell you, darling." I put a hand on his leg.

He laughed a little, "Yeah I know. I knew I should've been listening to you but I was in denial, I guess. Blinded by love..."

"Everyone's the same, Bri." I smiled.

"I want to get rid of him, Freddie. I do. I promise. He's just never given me the chance to properly get over him because he keeps walking back into my life without an invitation. He's not letting me move on. And I want to. I want to focus on...you and me." There was a glint of desperation in his eye and I knew then, he was completely serious. It was just the prospect of Charlie popping up again that was stalling him to devoting himself fully...to me.

If Charlie was gone for good with no risk of him coming back...would things be any better?

Should I tell him about what I found out at the police station? The restraining order?

"Well...can I tell you a few things that might help to put you off him?" I suggested.

He rolled his eyes playfully, "Go on then..."

"Whilst I was at the police station...which, by the way, I got cleared of any assault allegations ten minutes after I arrived thank you very much. I was held there to help the police arrest Charlie. It turns out they needed more evidence and I was the perfect source. Charlie, is actually a very wanted man." I paused to read his facial expression.

His eyes were wide and he looked confused and shocked, "How do you mean?" He whispered.

"You don't think he could get into our studio and clear the place of our stuff in such a short amount of time if he'd never done it before, do you?" I hinted.

"Are you saying he'd done this before?" He looked increasingly unamused the further I went on.

I nodded, "Many times. He's so well known to the police that whenever they get a call to report a burglary, they know who it is...trouble is, they've just never been able to catch him. He broke into people's houses, stole their shit and sold the stuff on to make money. That's why he was so well off."

Brian had turned very pale now and I knew he believed me, he didn't think I was telling him some kind of made up story just to try and put him off Charlie.

"He always did go out in the early hours of the morning..." he muttered in some kind of moment of realisation.

"There's more." I fought back a giggle.

"Oh, Jesus..." he breathed.

"What's the one thing you hate to see me and Roger do on nights out?"

He grimaced, "Take drugs..." he knew where this was going.

I nodded slowly, "He was a dealer, Bri."

He'd pulled his knees up to his chest and now his head was buried between them as he groaned in upset and anger.

"Is that enough to put you off him?" I cheekily asked.

He never lifted his head up but plainly nodded, "I need a shower." He groaned.

"Why?" I chuckled.

He lifted his head up, his curls strewn all over the place, "I fucked a criminal." His voice flat and unimpressed.

I couldn't help but laugh at his curt remark, I nodded, "Well, y-yes...that's one thing on your list that's not on mine." I giggled, earning a little chuckle from him. There was a short silence, "Anyway, you silly bastard. Why the hell were you scared to come and see me? Why did you think I'd hate you?" I playfully slapped him.

"Because I called the police on you?!" He exclaimed.

"True...but it's worked to our advantage. And umm...whilst I was there...I filed for a restraining order against him. For all four of us. I mean if that's not what you want I totally understand I-!" I began to ramble but he cut me off.

"No. No I want it. I-I want the restraining order." He stared at me seriously, nodding.

I nodded with him in slight bewilderment, I was apprehensive about telling him that, I thought he might reject the idea and demand I cancel it, but I was so fucking relieved he wanted Charlie out of his life and away from him for good. It gave me that slight glimmer of hope that maybe, if it gets accepted...we'd have a chance at being normal together.

"Okay...w-we'd have to go to court though. You know that...right?" I pushed.

He nodded determinedly, "Anything. I just want him away from us all. For good."

"Good. Because so do I." I nodded, standing up and heading for his door, "They said that if there was enough evidence for the case to go to court then they'd contact us..."

I was about to leave his room when I heard him scramble off his bed and grab me by the arm, pulling me back into his room, "Wait..." he pulled me close with his hands on my waist, he looked down at me, his eyes were sad, "Thank you..." he whispered.

I smiled in return, not really knowing what to say but enjoying the closeness anyhow.

"Let's go for a drive. I've got somewhere to go. I'd like you to come with me." He softly said, a small smile pulling at his lips.

I agreed, nodding my head, "Okay...where?" I said, rather breathlessly.

It was an odd feeling, Brian had practically called the police on me and had thrown me into custody for more than 24 hours...but being there meant Charlie might finally be kept away from us. Being there had made myself and Brian actually talk to each other about what the fuck was happening between us. It felt marvellous. Especially as he had finally chosen me over the person I thought would always have his heart.
Even if it had been after a long fought battle. Up to now, with years of want and thinking I'd ever get this close...everything that I had been through, all the upsets and hurt...were all worth it.

"I just need to go see somebody, I won't be long, about an hour or so." He smiled, letting his hands drop from my waist as he now went over to his wardrobe to pull out a light jacket.

"Do I know them?" I asked.

"No. And neither do I." He was being secretive.

He was probably going to see somebody about a piece of equipment or something, it wouldn't be the first time he's done that. I felt like I should go with him, to mend this little bit of atmosphere that had been created between us. I honestly and truly had no hard feelings towards him or what he'd done, I just think he feels extremely guilty.

"They hate me though, don't they..." he suddenly asked, looking sheepish.

"Who? Roger and Deaks? No. Of course not!" I reassured.

He raised his eyebrows, "Really? Because they were literally in the house five minutes before they knew something had happened, when I told them they went absolutely apeshit at me and then stormed out to see you."
He looked saddened and my heart wrenched for him, I could tell it had hurt his feelings. I knew the other two had been angry with Brian but I didn't know they had argued and shouted at him, poor thing.

We exited Brian's room and we went to put our shoes on, I poked my head into the living room.

"That's going to be more like iced tea now, you've been up there that long." Roger said sarcastically, nodding towards a cold and stale cup of tea he had made me.

"Sorry..." I chuckled, "We're popping out for an hour or so."

"Where to?" Deaky asked, looking suspicious as if he didn't believe that myself and Brian were okay with each other and as if I should be angry with him.

I shrugged, "I don't know. He says he needs to see someone."

"Right." Roger scoffed.

"What." I spat, getting slightly irritated at their attitude.

"Oh nothing. Not like he threw you into a cell or anything. You go ahead and have a nice time." Roger said, venom in his voice and daggers in his eyes.

I was very taken aback with his bitterness, even John looked at him shocked.

"What the fuck, Rog? I'm here aren't I? I'm fine. I haven't gotten into trouble for anything. And be nice to him. Stop being horrible." I lowered my voice to a whisper, I did not like how they were talking about Bri.

The blonde rolled his eyes and focused his attention back to the telly.

I shook my head and walked out of the room.

"Ready?" Brian smiled.

"Certainly." I said, walking out of the door, I loved Roger dearly but he had never reacted like that towards me.

We both got into Brian's car and I scowled out of the window, "Everything alright?" He asked.

I huffed, "Those two. They're fucking annoying me. It's like they want me to be nasty to you for calling the police."

He had set off now and he chuckled a little, "Well, they have always been so overprotective of you."

"You think?" I asked, a little shocked.

"Oh god, yes. They smother you. I sometimes find it hard to get near you because those two won't leave your side." He cringed.

I'd never noticed them being overprotective but I guess they did always stand and up for me and worry about me. I hummed in reply, not really knowing what to say...I didn't know what to make of it.

"Here." Bri suddenly threw a map into my lap, "My map reader, tell me where I'm going, the street is circled in pen."

I stared at him in panic, "You are joking right."

"You know how to read a map, don't you?" He laughed.

"No! Do I fuck!" I started to unfold the map and found the street he had circled, "Where the hell are we now?"
My eyes unable to focus on anything as the maps details were so tiny.

"Our street is also circled, we're still on it." He grinned.

I found the other circle, we were bloody miles away!

"If we get lost. Don't fucking blame it on me, okay?" I warned.

I tried my best to read the map as we drove and to tell Brian the directions but in all honesty, I had not a clue what I was looking at and was just guessing, we were most likely nowhere near where we wanted to be and staring at this map whilst being in the car was making me feel travel sick.

"Fred, which way?" Brian asked as we neared a junction.

"Right..." I murmured, not looking at the map, my head tipped back on the seat and my eyes closed as I tried to focus on my breathing so the sickness feeling would go away.

"You're not even looking at the map!" Brian yelled desperately.

Either way, he went right but shortly after that pulled up. We were on a quiet road, what should've been an hour long journey there and back was turning into more than an hour just to get there.

He grabbed the map from off my lap and started to study it, he then looked at me with wide eyes.

"What..." I asked lazily.

"You could've done worse. But we're still ages away. We've taken the scenic route, let's put it that way." He half smiled, I expected him to be really unimpressed.

I swallowed thickly and raised my head from the seat, "Don't make me read that anymore, I feel ill." I smiled, laughing a little.

"You do look a little pale." He looked amused.

"Your fucking fault." I giggled, opening the door and getting out.

"Where are you going?" He called from inside the car.

"To get some air."

I heard his car door open and close and footsteps behind me, there were fields all along the side of the road with a wooden fence separating them from the road, I perched on the fence, breathing in lungfuls of the fresh air, feeling better already.

Brian took a seat next to me, there was a pause as we took in the surroundings, "Fred...have you ever thought that..." his voice trailed off.

"What?" I pushed.

He looked at me and inhaled deeply, "I don't know. H-have you ever thought that maybe...Roger might...like you?"

My eyes nearly popped out of my skull, "Roger?!" I scoffed, "Fuck off with that!" I cackled.

He started to laugh too, "It's just he always wants to be with you and talk about you. I can't help but feel he's a little bit jealous..." he grinned, looking quite proud of himself.

I shoved him and he nearly fell of the fence, "You're mad!"

"No but really! If I wasn't around and he told you he had a thing for you, and he wasn't with John...would you?" He questioned.

I side glanced at him, "Would I what?"

"Fuck him."

"Fuck him?! Roger?! No. Maybe if he was my last resort then...maybe. But I'd say that about anyone!" I laughed.

Brian was chuckling away.

"I mean what the fuck is this? A game of 'Let's Fuck All My Band Mates'? Watch out Deaky, I'm coming for you." I joked.

Brian was now in hysterics.

"Roger. Get out of here you silly goose." I grinned, shaking my head, hoping off the fence I stood in front of him, I pushed a curl out of his face, "Besides. He knows I don't like blondes." I shrugged playfully.

We made cheeky eye contact for a split few seconds before I willed myself to lean in and let my lips fall upon his, I sighed in satisfaction, he slipped off the fence to his feet where our lips still stuck together.

Our kisses were getting more and more adventurous, I still got embarrassed about being an awful kisser though. But he was making me dizzy, lightly biting on my bottom lip. My heart thudded and I felt his cautious hand wander up and settle at my neck, I shuddered and felt him smile. All too soon, he pulled away, resting his forehead against mine, he side smiled, nodding, "Hmm...you're getting better." He mumbled, biting his lip.

He then took my hand and started to drag me towards the car.

We both got back in and started to drive again, a silly little permanent smirk on my face. I was in a strange position, with all the hook ups I've ever had or all the flings I've had, I've always been the dominant one, the one to kiss first, to make any move first, to tell the other what to do...but with Brian...it was the other way round, he shrunk me down into this little being where I just melted at his feet and let him say or do anything. On one hand I didn't like it, I wanted to be the one to flirt with him and drop dirty little one liners at him, to slap him on the arse and kiss him roughly. But I felt like I couldn't do that. Not yet. Especially  when I was still such a novice when it came to kissing. Brians expertise in that area automatically made him the dominant one at the moment as he was showing me the ropes. Things would change. I would make sure of it.

Although, Brians random question about Roger had started to make me think. I'd never thought about it in that way, I knew he was quite possessive of me, but I would have never said that he likes me. But this did bring back the memory of when I stayed at Rogers house one night, when we all lived separately and I caught him staring at my almost naked body, he got very bashful once I got caught him. No, I what a silly alibi. He had John.

Things went so much more smoothly now that Brian was looking at the map whenever he could as he actually knew how to read them, it didn't take as long as we thought it did to get to where we wanted to be.

"Ahh! It's there!" Brian pointed to a house on the street that we had arrived on, "Come on." He beckoned, unbuckling his seatbelt after parking up.

"I'm coming in?"

"Yes." He nodded eagerly.

We both strolled up to the house and Brian knocked on the door, it was quite a large and posh looking house.

"Good afternoon!" He answered the door, beaming, "Which one's Brian?" A well dressed, well spoken old man stood in the doorway.

"Oh, that's me. Robert, is it?" Brian smiled, holding out his hand.

"Yes, yes, lovely to meet you!" He grinned, he turned to me, his hand out.

I shook it gratefully, "Freddie." I smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Freddie. Come in! Come in!" He waved us in and we followed him into his house.

"Would you like anything to drink?" He bellowed, a jolly old man he was.

"No. We're fine, thank you very much. We can't stay long." Brian answered.

I should probably have followed them to wherever they were going but I was so struck with Robers artwork he had hanging from his walls, I couldn't help but stop and take it all in, they were absolutely beautiful. He had such a wonderful collection of paintings.

"Exquisite, aren't they?" A voice startled me from behind.

I turned around quickly to see Robert grinning, "Stunning..." I breathed.

He nodded, "I have something else to show you. I hear there was a bit of a mixup."

I started to follow him down the hallway of his house, I looked at him confused, "A mixup?" I followed him into another large room, "I'm afraid I don't know...what you...mean..." my words started to trail off when he pointed to something in the middle of the room, Brian stood behind it, his arms stretched out wide and a smile on his face.

All the oxygen in my body left me as I stared at it lovingly, a lump in my throat beginning to form.

I felt Robert pat me on the shoulder as he chuckled, "I think this one belongs to you."

I managed to whisper two words, "My piano..."