This is a 'one shot' that just seemed to write itself. You may or may not want to have the tissues handy, folks.

Thank you to my sis spook for her support and beta. You're always there for me, no matter what.

As always, I don't own any of the LOCI characters.


Forever and Always…


Bobby rolled over, aware of the voices coming from downstairs, but was unwilling to open his eyes. Instead he reached his arm out, touching the empty pillow that rested on the other side of the bed. Opening one eye, he looked at the clock on the nightstand and sat up. He needed to get ready, Charli was waiting for him.

He showered and shaved, picking out a black suit and white shirt. He looked through his ties, selecting the one that he and Charli had picked out together for the twin's christening. She had liked the gray and lavender stripes that seemed to overlap each other. He tied it carefully, wanting to make certain she would approve of how he looked.

He peeked into the nursery although he knew both cribs would be empty. Jacob and Maggie hadn't let the children out of their sight since their arrival the day before. He paused long enough to retrieve the diaper bag from the floor alongside the changing table and take it downstairs with him.

"Good morning," Maggie looked up when he entered the kitchen. "Do you want some breakfast?"

"No – thank you," he shook his head. "Where are Jake and Emma?"

"Jacob took them for a short walk before we head over to the sitter's," she told him. "Do you want to ride with us or…?"

"No, I'm going to head over. I want to spend some time with Charli before anyone else gets there," he replied softly.



Alex found Bobby sitting alone in the small reception area, his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands. She stood just inside the doorway watching him for several moments before entering the room.

"Bobby?" She watched him tense as he wiped his eyes and looked up at her. "I wasn't sure if you were here yet."

"I've been here a while," he told her, rising to his feet. He smoothed his tie and straightened his tie clip. "Have you – did you see Charli yet?"

"I did. She looks beautiful," Alex assured him.

"She's the most beautiful person I've ever known," Bobby told her, softly. "Emma looks just like her."

"Bobby…"

"I need to get back inside. I don't want her to be alone," he sidestepped his partner and left the room. Alex heaved a heavy sigh and ran her fingers across her forehead. This was not going to be easy.


Mike and Bailey Logan found Alex leaving the reception area, Mike raised an eyebrow in her direction. Shaking her head, she replied:

"Stay close and make sure Lewis isn't too far away, either."

Flowers lined the walls and sat on tables, all different colors and arrangements. Easels stood in several areas containing photos of Charli's life, from infancy through Bobby's birthday party just several weeks earlier. Kaitlyn and Marti stood with Bobby, but it was obvious that he wasn't aware of anything or anyone but his wife. Charli was indeed lovely, even death couldn't rob her beauty.

"Damn drunk…" Logan muttered, keeping his arm secure around his wife's waist. "Bastard walked away without a scratch."

"Anger isn't going to help Bobby right now," Bailey said softly. "He needs to deal with his grief and take care of Jake and Emma."

"How's he doing?" Jimmy Deakins joined the trio.

"Holding it together, just barely. I don't think he's eaten or slept since the accident," Alex told him. "I'm afraid for him. Charli's his life – she was the one single reason he found his way back to us…"

"We'll just all need to be there for him, remind him that he's got his children to worry about now," Jimmy's kind gaze moved over Goren. The large man looked lost and forlorn as he stood alongside his wife, his brown eyes full of unshed tears.


Once the service was over and the mourners had said their farewells, Bobby was left alone to say 'goodbye', before the casket was closed. Alex, Logan and Lewis waited just inside the door, far enough away not to be noticed, but close enough if their friend needed them.

"You weren't supposed to go first," Bobby whispered through his tears. "What – how am I supposed to do this without you? I've never needed another person before, but I need you. I – You promised me forever, Chuck…"

He leaned down, kissing her forehead gently before his fingers stroked lightly over her cheek and hair.

"I love you," he whispered. Somewhere in his memory he saw her, turning to smile at him over her shoulder as she called "Love you back."

"Bobby," Lewis laid a gentle hand on his back. "It's time to go."

"I can't – I don't want to leave her alone," Bobby's voice trembled as he spoke.

"She's not alone, Bobby and neither are you. She'll always be with you."



It was a crisp September morning as the coffin was lowered into the ground. Bobby couldn't move, he couldn't pull his gaze away. It wasn't fair. For the first time in his life, he had found a home. He had known true, unconditional love with Charli, only to have it snatched away at the hands of a drunk driver.

Sitting alone now, he felt Charli's hands on his cheeks when she had cupped his face to kiss him before she left to run a few errands. He heard her laugh as he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her soundly, telling her to hurry home. The sound of her voice as she told him she loved him resonated in his ears and he couldn't stem the flow of his tears, as he closed his eyes.

"You promised me, Chuck," he told her. "You promised me…"



"Bobby," the soft voice broke into his troubled sleep and he opened his eyes.

"Chuck?" He whispered into the darkness.

"You must have been dreaming, Bobby…"

Bobby ran a hand over his face, recalling the horror he had just experienced. He and Eames had arrested a man that afternoon, charging him with the vehicular homicide of a young mother. The photographs of the woman had haunted Bobby, her resemblance to Charli had been frightening.

"It was a nightmare," he told her, pulling her into his arms and holding her close against him, unable to stop shivering.

"You kept saying that I promised you – what did I promise?" she asked, wrapping her arm around him and hugging him to her.

"You promised me forever," he kissed the top of her head.

"Forever and always," she assured him.

Thanks for the tissue warning, next time I that you give one I'll take it seriously. I usually don't cry with these stories, but this one had me going. Thank God it was just a nightmare, Charli's one of the very few fictional women in Bobby's life that I like,.I was almost ready to come throttle you for killing her off. This was very beautifully written and you captured the emotion perfectly. Just do us a favor, keep her death in Bobby's nightmares.

This was a beautiful story Judy.....you've got a knack for these.

::sniffling:: dang it! why didn't I listen to you about the tissues??

Hey you posted it here too. Yay. Now I did have tissues handy, always do with my allergies and for such warnings from you because your stories always make me cry. This one was no exception. I, however was worried that you were going to kill off Charli. I should have know better. You wouldn't kill off a main character. Thank goodness for the dream or nightmare, whatever we shall call it. Loved the story, as always.

I was a little shocked at first, but then I realized it was a dream, whew! As I said before, Bobby would be lost if Charli's gone. She's his life, you know. You really got me there. I loved it!

Great job on this short fic!

Thanks for the kind comments VDObessed - I promise that Charli is no danger of being bumped off by me. I couldn't bring myself to do that for Bobby. I'm glad you like Charli, I'm partial to her myself.



Hi Goddess! Thanks for reading. I had an emotional week last week and this seemed to help me get through. I'm glad you liked it.



Thanks cifan! I always look forward to your thoughts - keep the tissues handy for the end of Bum Rush, too. You're going to need them.



Thanks Enaka - I agree. In my LOCI world, Bobby and Charli belong together so she's in no danger in my story lines, I promise.

Over at ff.net I said that you got me good with this one. In between my tears I was planning to e-mail you and beg you to write another story making this all a bad dream. And then I got to the end and it was a dream. Can't tell you how relieved I was! That image of him remembering Charli saying "Love you back" just about did me in. This was just SO well-written and pulled me into Bobby's grief.

AND -- he wore the tie that he and Charli had picked out together for the twin's christening.......I wasn't in tears, but I was in disbelief as I read, then was like "YAY!!!" to find out it was all just a horrible dream!

"There's no place like home....there's no place like home......there's no place like home....." lol

Thanks, ciaddict - I KNEW where I was headed with the story but I was in such a sad mood when I wrote it that I was crying by the time I got to the "Love you back" - they've said that to each other since Haven and it's become part of their relationship. Bobby would be devastated without Charli and she without him.



In my Charli/Bobby world the twins haven't been christened yet - so, does Bobby where 'the tie' to the christening as a foreshadowing of the dream OR does he look at the tie and pick out another because it reminds him of the nightmare he had?

He skips it cuz it reminds him of the nightmare! Don't you dare foreshadow with them choosing the tie, cuz we'd all really, seriously, literally hunt you down, shoot you and disown you from these boards FOR EVER!!!!!!

Maybe you should write a one-shot about MB as well while we're waiting for the new loci premiere

Man, that will really keep yah busy

Forever and Always came to me very unexpectedly - it's my first 'one shot'. Once Bum Rush is done and the new story is underway, I'll see if Mike or Bailey is talking to me, like Bobby did for this one.

I was thinking that this could easily be incorporated into your Bobby/Charli universe. You and FM were discussing Charli wanting more kids and Bobby not wanting to risk losing her. This dream would just reinforce his fear, I think.

This is strange. Last night (or the night before, I can't really remember) I made a fan art (GIF image) by the name "Always and forever."

I guess great minds think alike.

~kerli~

OMG! So glad to get to the end and realize he was having a nightmare. Tissues, indeed! I just finished editing my own story where there were tears and sniffles, and now I've got more. Very nicely done, too!

Thank you Outerbankschick! I'm always surprised when one of my stories finds its way back to the first page. This was a one shot based on characters in my other stories. I'm glad you enjoyed it. If you're interested, you can find some of my other stories on page 2 or all of them over at ff.net.

I've heard wonderful things about your story and I've read the first chapter. Summer is a crazy time for me so reading is a luxury I can't always indulge in. As soon as my work schedule slows down, I hope to catch up on my reading and What Matters Most is on my list.