When Destinies Collide {Ana Lucia}

[Charlie Pace]

For a moment, Charlie was sure Libby was going to say no. And it wasn't even about the need to get completely smashed anymore, because he knew that if he was out with Libby, that went right out the window. But it was just the simple fact of being with her. That's what he needed more than anything at the moment. His brows narrowed slightly as he saw her head shake, and he lowered his eyeline slightly to try to meet hers, until she lifted her head and she yes.

"Yes? YES!" Charlie said, moving to wrap his arms around Libby and spin her around slightly. "You don't know how happy you've just made me. You've gotten me out of a night with my brother. This is smashing, I gotta go get dressed. YOU gotta go get dressed! I'll ring up my friend right now and see about getting us in. This is going to be a smashing night, just you wait and see." Charlie said excitedly, moving to kiss her cheek quickly. "Now go! Get glam! I'll meet you up at my room."

Charlie moved from her, feeling happier than he had in days. Even after everything, Libby still wanted to go out with him, to just be around him. The feeling was like a warm glow that made him smile, and as he entered his hotel room, he saw Karen in the living room with Megan.

Karen arched an eyebrow, watching Charlie enter. "You look chipper. What's the reason?"

"I'm going out."

Karen's smile immediatly faded. "Oh, Charlie. You know you can't go out." Her tone was slightly sad, which made Charlie frown.

"Bu-But I'm going out with Libby! You've met Libby! We're going to that posh resteraunt that Freddie owns. You know, the one with the artsy cow with seven legs painting outside the place?"

"Charlie--"

"Oh, no! No, no no," Charlie said, moving quickly to Karen who was sitting on the couch. He moved, getting down on his knees as he took her hand. "Please? Please let me go out. I won't even touch a drop, I promise. Please? Please? See, even Mae agrees with me, she's laughing at the fact that you've made me get down on my knees." Charlie felt a smile itch at his lips, and he saw her own break out into a slight smile. "A-ha! You smiled, I'm off the hook!" Charlie said quickly moving to his room. "Where's Liam anyway?" Charlie asked loudly from the other room.

"He went down the street to get some pizza or something like that."

"Oh." Charlie moved, stripping himself of his current clothes to switch for some more upscale ones. The pants were taken care of, but the shirt... "If you were going to an upscale resteraunt, what would you wear?"

"A dress?"

"Ha-ha. Can I borrow yours, then? The one with the sparkly glitter on it. I'll need to look my best."

"It's in the closet."

"I'm being SERIOUS. What should I wear?"

"Good lord, Charlie, you'd think you've never been on a date before."

"It's not a date! And I'll have you know that before Lucy, I had meaningless, dateless sex. Clothes weren't exactly important."

"How about the darkish red one? With the buttons?"

Charlie pulled it out, glancing at it. "Yeah, I guess." Charlie said, pulling it on and buttoning it up. He looked in the mirror and shook his hair out slightly. "Look like a sodding homeless person who beat up a Abercrombie and Fitch model and stole his clothes." Charlie muttered to himself, and moved back to the living room. "So? Do I look completely homeless?"

"Minimally."

"See, that's what I said!" Charlie said with a frown and watched as Megan laughed and clapped her hands. "Oh, you think this is funny, do you? I'll get you, I'm gonna get--" Charlie started towards Megan, showering her in a flood of tickles which made her scream out in laughter.

[Libby]

Libby laughed in surprise and delight when Charlie lifted her feet slightly from the ground and spun her around. He was so happy, so genuinely happy and excited, that any reservations she’d had about her decision immediately melted away. Still smiling brightly as he disappeared down the hall, she pushed her cart toward the elevator and made her way back downstairs.

After finishing up her last minute tasks and clocking out, she walked quickly to the locker room to get ready. Stripping off her uniform she freshened up as quickly as she could after a long day of work, then opened her locker, her smile returning quickly to her face. She wasn’t sure why she had chosen such a fancy dress just to hang out with Charlie and his family in their suite, but now she was glad that she had. She knew it was silly, they were best friends and they had planned on staying in, but she supposed she’d just wanted to look pretty for him. He always saw her in her uniform, or something casual, but tonight was her night to be a princess.

The dress was long, dipping low in the front and the back, and made of a sparkling gold material. There wasn’t much she could do about her hair so she just removed the pins that had been holding it up, brushed it out and left it down. Make-up was a different story, though. Going dramatic on the eyes, dark mascara and shimmering highlights, they were the definite focal point with a touch of lip gloss to finish the look.

Scrutinising her reflection closely, she decided that princess wasn’t the proper term. No, it was far too sexy for some wholesome Cinderella. More like a Bond girl, super spy extraordinaire. This wasn’t the first time she’d thought along these lines, that her job as a maid was just a guise for something much more important. It made getting up and coming here each day much easier. That, and seeing Charlie.

Spinning slightly in her high heels, she tossed a look back over her shoulder at the mirror. She felt like she should have a tiny gun concealed somewhere on her body, perhaps strapped to her thigh or hidden in her clutch purse. Without thinking she opened her purse and started looking through it. No gun. Where was her gun? Every spy needed to be armed in case their identity was discovered, they cornered the suspect in a dark hallway. Her hand closing on her cell phone she pulled it quickly from her purse and flipped it open, aiming it t the mirror. Tonight was going to be her night. Tonight was –

Hearing a noise suddenly in the doorway she turned quickly, levelling her gun at the intruder. After a moment she recognised the short, plump maid and lowered her weapon. Weapon? Looking down at her hands, the cell phone caused her a moment’s confusion. Was she planning on calling someone? Stowing it away in her purse she looked back up to Joan, who was looking at her with a mixture of confusion and fear. Yes, fear. They all looked at her like that when they met her alone, but when they were in groups they snickered and made fun of her. Cowards, drawing strength from numbers. Those little bitches would get a good laugh out of this tomorrow.

Oh, but there was something else in Joan’s gaze. Was that... envy? Oh yes, poor little Joan. The crazy woman got the smoking body and the rock star date on New Years, and what did she get?

Slamming her locker shut and locking it, Libby sauntered toward the door, making sure to sway her hips and stand tall, towering over the other made who sidled skittishly out of her way.

“Happy New Year, Joan,” she said as she passed, a sly grin on her face. It felt good to have that advantage over them after how horribly they treated her. It felt good. It felt... awful. Alone in the elevator, Libby’s self satisfaction faded. Why had she just been so cruel? Joan could not help her appearance, and she wasn’t nearly as bad as the others. She was just a sheep, just doing whatever she though she had to do to get others to like her. It was sad, really, and Libby felt horrible for hurting her self esteem even more. Maybe she should do something nice for the poor girl tomorrow. Tomorrow. It could wait until tomorrow.

Stepping out of the elevator she slowly approached Charlie’s door, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She couldn’t wait to see his face when he saw her. She knocked softly.

[Charlie Pace]

"Charlie, stop. You're smoking like a chimney."

"I'm NERVOUS. I can't very well do coke, can I? I always did coke when I was nervous. So I smoke." Charlie told her with a frown, chewing on the end of a blue fingernail before he frowned. "W-What if she's not coming? What if she's--there's second thoughts?"

"Charlie, she'll come. She's--"

Knock Knock...

Charlie jerked slightly as he heard the knock at the door. "Oh god. She's here! She's here. God, what I would kill for a line right now." Charlie muttered to himself, standing up as he brushed off invisible dust, much to Karen's amusement. "Shut up!"

Charlie moved to the door, took in a breath and let it out in a sigh, before he opened it.

He almost did a triple take. This wasn't Libby standing before him, the maid that he saw every day and sometimes every night, this...this was a bloody Bond girl that had found her way to his door. "Oh wow." he whispered, too awestruck to say much o anything else. "I, uh...bloody hell, Libbs, you look...you seriously look like a right bloody sex bomb." And she was all his. She wasn't Liam's, she wasn't anyone elses, she was completely and utterly his.

"You really--smashing. You look completely smashing, love." Charlie said, moving to kiss her cheek before he leaned back into the hotel to look at Karen. "Bye, then!"

"Have fun, Charlie."

Charlie moved, shutting the door as he looped his arm through Libby's. "See? Shouldn't we have done this earlier? I believe we should have."

[Libby]

When the door opened Libby could feel how nervous her smile must have looked, but Charlie’s reaction couldn’t have been more perfect. For a moment he said nothing, simply stared at her, struck speechless. It was the confidence booster that Libby needed, and would have been enough even if he didn’t find his voice. But he did, and his choice of wording caused her to chuckle lightly. A ‘right bloody sex bomb’?

“That’s a new one,” she smiled. She loved his accent and the little sayings that were just so... British. “Thank you, Charlie. You’re looking very... dapper yourself,” she complimented in a playfully ‘hoity-toity’ voice. And he did. Gone were the faded jeans, band t-shirt and black hoodies, and in their place he had dress slacks and a button up shirt. Very presentable.

Looking past him a moment, she barely had time to give Karen a little wave before Charlie was closing the door and hooking his arm through her own. The thought crossed her mind that maybe she should have rethought the shoes. They were roughly the same height in normal footwear, but her strappy heels tonight brought her a few inches taller than him. Just as quickly, though, the thought passed. It didn’t matter. Trivial things like that didn’t matter with them.

“Yes, we should have,” she agreed, placing her other hand on his elbow. “But better late than never, right?”

[Charlie Pace]

"Indeed." Charlie said with a nod, happy that she'd finally agreed to go ou to dinner with him. It had only taken begging and pleading, but Charlie knew it had been for her own reasons that she didn't want to go out; it hadn't been him. As they walked to the elevator, Charlie let her enter and then followed her, pressing the number for the lobby.

He leaned against the railing for a second, watching her with a slight smile. "You really do look beautiful." he told her honestly until he turned, hearing the elevator ding. They exited and made their way to the front of the hotel. He opened the door, walking out onto the sidewalk before he frowned as his cellphone rang. "Hey, that's Frankie." Charlie told Libby, moving to answer the phone.

"Yeah, hiya Frankie! What's--Oh no! No, no, no, Frankie!" Charlie said with a frown. "C'mon, Frankie! I've done ALOT for you! Well kick em OUT!" Charlie brought a hand to his nose, pinching at the bridge of it. "God, you bastard! No! No, just forget it. I'll take my money somewhere else." Charlie hung up the phone, and silently mulled over the other places in his mind. "Shit. Shit, shit, shit." he whispered to himself, and then dialed a number, holding a finger up to Libby before he smiled. "Hey! Bash! Please tell me you can help me. I'm dyin' here, and I need a table. Yes, of course I'm serious, you sod! I underSTAND it's New Years--Hello? Basher?" Charlie slammed the phone shut angrily. "I can't BELIEVE this! Why the HELL does everyone in Los Angeles have to be eating at EVERY resteraunt that I want to go to?!"

Charlie suddenlly realised that Libby was next to him, and his eyes widened slightly. "No. No, I can fix this," he told her surely with a nod. "I-I can fix this. I just--I just gotta think of some more people. I can fix this, it'll be okay."

God, what he would murder violently for a line of coke. His hands shook as he tried to dial another number, and he frowned, shaking his hands to try to stop them from shaking. "Shit! It's okay. It's okay, I can fix it."

[Libby]

Keeping her eyes forward as the elevator made its quick decent, Libby could feel Charlie’s eyes on her and it made her smile in satisfaction. It was the sincerity behind his compliment, though, that brought a faint blush to her cheeks. Shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she cast a sideways glance toward him as they exited the elevator and made their way outside.

Stepping aside as Charlie received his call, Libby busied herself with watching the cars passing by and the sidewalks full of partygoers as they laughed and carried on to their next destination. Sometimes she wished she could be as carefree as them, but she knew, no matter how hard she tried, she could never be truly normal. She hated how alcohol made you loose hold of your senses, how it changed people, made them different people, made them forget things. It was much easier to abstain, to stick to her healthy regiment that excluded alcohol, drugs and cigarettes and consisted mostly of health food and exercise. Now that was something that made her feel in control of herself, her body... everything.

The first phone call hadn’t gone well, she noticed when she looked back over at Charlie, but he wasn’t done trying. Wrapping her arms around herself, she listened as he got the same reception from the next call, his earlier jovial attitude quickly turning angry. Then anger changed to desperation. His hands were shaking and he was mumbling to himself, the withdrawals starting to rear their ugly head again. Concern almost overwhelming her, Libby stepped forward quickly, taking Charlie’s shaking hands in her own.

“Charlie, it’s ok,” she said soothingly, trying to catch his eyes. “It’s ok, Charlie. It doesn’t matter where we go as long as we’re together, alright?”

[Charlie Pace]

No. No it wasn't okay, because he promised. Promised Libby a nice proper dinner and it was all going to SHIT, Charlie thought, his mind racing. This was completely and utterly going not as he planned.

"No, no, it's NOT okay because I promised you dinner. I promised you dinner and--and I'm going to get you dinner. I wanted to take you to a fancy resteraunt with a name I can't pronounce and--and I wanted to take you to the beach and show you a lovely time and now it's completely and utterly gone all to shit."

Charlie felt his hands still shake, and he frowned deeply. "And look! I can't even hold my sodding HANDS steady now. And you--you look smashing, like a bloody queen and we can't even get a sodding table at Mr. Sodding Chow's because I'm not able to give anyone heroin anymore!" Charlie protested frustratedly. "I've lost the only bloody barganing chip I had in this bloody town! And it DOES matter where we go, because--because you look great! Completely shagable and we can't very well walk into a bloody McDonalds lookin' the way you do." Even though McDonalds would be cheaper and you'd get more than a half a spoon full of food, Charlie thought.

"It's pointless, bloody pointless. I shouldn't have even asked you here, I fucked it all up and I'm sorry."

[Libby]

Libby’s brows furrowed as Charlie ranted, and she held a hand to her chest as if it could hold her heart together. It hurt so badly seeing Charlie like this and knowing there was so little she could do for him besides just being there. The comment about her being ‘shagable’ brought a small smile to her face, but the sadness remained in her eyes.

She had to snap him out of this, make him realise that he wasn’t the complete screw up he thought himself to be. He wasn’t a failure, he wasn’t a disappointment. He was just misguided, and he just needed help.

“Charlie, no. Listen to me, alright? Listen to me,” Libby said firmly, placing her hands on either side of his face. Stroking his cheeks with her thumbs she tilted his head up, forcing him to meet her eyes. “I didn’t get all dressed up like this to go out and show off. I did it for you. It’s not for anyone else, I wanted to look good for you.”

[Charlie Pace]

Charlie felt a frown spread on his face, trying to keep his eyes locked on her and yet, wasn't able to do so. He knew he held himself up so highly that he was bound to fall. It was bound to end badly. Her voice was so soothing, so comforting that he wanted to keep it in his head for always. Her hands were soothing on his cheek, and he brought his hands up, pressing against them. "I told you I'd do this for you. I want to do this for you and--and I can't do it."

He felt the tears of frustration burn at his eyes, and she spoke about wanting to get dressed up just for him. A sad smile spread at his lips, as he brought his hands to her cheeks. "You're beautiful, y'really are." And then, without even thinking about it, he placed a simple kiss on her lips. It wasn't anything, but it was something simple for them. "I love you, y'know that right?"

He tucked a strand of fire-red hair back behind her ear and he realised that his hands still shook. "Y'like the beach?"

[Libby]

He was so frustrated, so disappointed in himself that Libby just wanted to wrap her arms around him and pull him close. It was a comfortable gesture, one that was common for them. The kiss, though, was a complete surprise. Her eyes widening slightly, she felt her heart leap. The butterflies started raging in her stomach again.

He was making it very hard for her to stay true to the vow she’d made to herself regarding their relationship.

Recovering as quickly as she could, Libby returned the smile. “I know you do,” she said, a bit of playful smugness in her voice although mostly sincerity. “I love you too, Charlie.”

God, did she ever. She couldn’t imagine her life now without him in it. She wouldn’t make it. She wouldn’t survive without him anymore. Closing her eyes, she leaned her forehead against his. “The feel of sand between my toes, the comforting roar of the surf... what’s not to like?"

[Charlie Pace]

"The slow hardening of our arteries because of the amount of grease in the burgers we're going to have to get? This sounds perfect." Charlie told her, and it did. It was sounding more and more and more perfect as the seconds ticked by. He hadn't exactly wanted to do dinner at some fancy resteraunt; he usually hated it. And having to pay for it...his cash flow wasn't exactly busting the bank. When she said she knew he loved her, Charlie arched an eyebrow, hand dropping from her cheek to take her own as he gave her arm a tug.

"Oh-ho. Is that smugness I hear in Elizabeth's voice?" Charlie asked, eyes widening playfully. "You seem sooo sure of yourself, Miss Libby." he told her with a smile. "And you know what? I would be in love with me, too. I'm loveable. Quite, in fact." Though he was a big giant fuck up, he thought silently, but tried to push the thoughts away.

"I love the beach. You should see some of the ones they have in England, they take your breath away. It's like looking over the greenest cliffs to the clearest water you've ever seen. It's the stuff priceless pictures are made of." Charlie said with a sure nod and a smile.

[Libby]

Libby couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a hamburger. It didn’t exactly fit into her health food regiment. But the more she thought about it, the more appetizing it sounded. In fact, it did sound perfect, and even if it didn’t she would have eaten anything just to see that smile.

Laughing as Charlie started tugging her along, joking around about how loveable he was, she threaded her fingers through his and fell into step beside him.

“Yes, you’re completely, utterly, and irresistibly loveable,” she replied jokingly... even if it was the truth.

She never tired of listening to him talk of his home. England held such a special place in his heart, and she could only dream that one day she could share it with him.

“I was in Cuba once and the water was so green it was breathtaking, but being on a resort feels so... confining,” she offered. She was sure it was nothing compared to England.

[Charlie Pace]

"There's a place we used to holiday to. It was this small little stretch of no where on the coast that we used to drive to just get away. My mother loved that spot." He told her honestly. "We spread some of her ashes into the wind off the cliff." He looked over at her with a slight smile. "I'll take you there. We'll go." he told her honestly. "I want to take you there. I think my mom would have loved to see you there."

He took in a breath as he saw Burger King, and he smiled slightly. "God, it's been forever since I had a burger. He silently wished that it was a another place, but she'd promised him it was okay. "So. So, here we are." he told her. "At least we don't have to stay in with a bunch of stuffy uppercrust people turnin' up their noses."

"We can take it to the beach?"

[Libby]

Even though she knew it made him sad, Libby loved to listen to Charlie talk about his mother. She sounded like a wonderful woman and mother, someone to really admire. Someone who would love their child no matter what like parents should. If only all were like that.

When Charlie finally pointed out their destination, Libby looked up and chuckled. Realising how this could be misconstrued, she gave his hand a quick and reassuring squeeze.

“It’s perfect, Charlie,” she said as they approached the building. “And we won’t have to starve for the next half hour waiting for our meal. We’ll already have our own moonlit patch of sand warmed up while the rest of those... ‘uppercrust people’ are still crunching on breadsticks.”

[Charlie Pace]

"Yeah, well," Charlie muttered with a slight still self-loathing frown. "I still woulda liked it." However, the beach sounded more and more interesting than a dimly lit resteraunt where the menu was in french or italian and you were expected to know how much things cost.

Charlie entered, ignoring the looks from the people in the Burger King. "Hey, you order, alright? I gotta go to the toilet." he told her, moving to kiss her cheek before he moved off towards the bathroom.

Pushing the door open, he brushed past a man who was exiting, and moved to the sink. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, and sighed. "God, what I wouldn't give for a line right now." he whispered, and then moved to splash his face with water before he grabbed a paper towel to wipe it away. "You can do this. You're not even hungry, but you can do this." he told himself, and then moved back out of th ebathroom to where Libby was. He moved to her side, wrapping his arm around her waist, looking at the pimply face of the teenager behind the counter before looking at Libby once again.

"So, you order then?"