Win Or Go Home

Talia hauled the last of her stuff off the bus and into the busy city street. She looked around just to make sure a stampeding mob of Japanese pedestrians wasn't about to run her over. She pulled her phone out and quickly texted to Charlie, "Hey I'm almost there!"

She picked up the two bags and started off towards the building. The cold winter evening cut right through her coat causing her to shiver. The hello kitty earmuffs kept her head warm at least. As she turned the corner and marched up the stairs to Charlie's place, she favored her right foot. It was still sore from her experiences in the ring not too long ago. She knew it was gonna hurt when she knelt over or stretched up to grab things. She still had bruises all over her back and abdomen, but the bump she got on the head and gone away by then. In her mind, though, those kind of injuries were in the past.

Talia knocked on the door, tapping her good foot partly out of impatience but mostly just to keep it warm. "Come onnn, the games starting soon!"

Charlie had been sitting back, watching TV with Little Charlie sitting on his lap in his old recliner. He yawned as his phone began making noise at him.

"What the.... oh yeah!" Charlie said as he checked the message. It was s slow, sleepy day and he nearly forgot that Talia was coming over. He quickly sent a message back.

"All righty, coming down to meet you at the door Tal-babe"

Charlie rushed downstairs to let Talia in. As he ran down, he opened the door to his apartment and saw that lovely red-headed angel of his standing outside in the cold. He opened the door and pulled her in, embracing her. "Sorry to keep ya babe, I will make it up to ya I promise.." He said with a little wink.

Talia's face lit up when the door opened and she saw Charlie there.  Her hands were full, but she leaned into the hug as best as she could, making sure to kiss Charlie on the cheek as he embraced her.  "Hey baby," she said in response as she put her stuff down.  "This is the last of it!" she exclaimed.  She had removed the last of her stuff from her apartment on the edge of Tokyo and vacated it for the landowner.  She was officially moved in with Charlie now, and she felt like it was a good reason to celebrate.

"I bought some steaks we can roast or grill or something.  And some potatoes for some fries.  And I was thinking of baking some cookies for the week or something," Talia kept going on and on about food.  Her tiny, cramped one room apartment had a small oven and stovetop.  Charlie's apartment was big enough for two people and the kitchen showed that.  She saw LC in the room and immediately added.  "Don't worry, I bought three steak!" she added as she emptied the groceries onto the table.

She checked her watch.  "Ohhh, the Chargers game should be on soon!"  She was semi excited about it.  Football wasn't something she always watched but it was nostalgic to her.  She remembered at a young age her brother her taking her to a couple games a year.  And if they won the game tonight, they'd go to the playoffs. If they lost, though, then there was no chance they'd go.  "Do you watch football often?"

Charlie gave Talia a good squeeze as they hugged. He was happy to have her move in. Since Alaina moved out it was a lot quieter. Quiet was boring. Out with a friend, in with the girlfriend. Little Charlie came running over, wagging his small tail. He was also pleased to see Talia again.

"Tal, I am going to be too fat to climb the ropes if we eat like this all the time!" Charlie said as he helped Talia unload the food. He couldn't help but look at her and smile. It was still setting in that things were going so well for him lately. As Talia mentioned football Charlie scooped her up and carried her over to the couch. "Yeah I catch it when I can."

Charlie sat on the couch with Talia sitting across his lap. He kissed her on the lips, brushing her hair to the side. "It will be hard to focus on that with you here though." He said with a sly grin.

Talia giggled as Charlie scooped her up unexpectedly, but bit the inside of her lip as he sat them down. Her back twisted lightly which, to any normal person wasn't a problem. But her tender, beaten up back wasn't prepared for it. Wanting to cover up the pain, Talia quickly wrapped her arms around the back of Charlie's neck to help hold herself up, smiling in a really goofy manner. Her smiled warmed up even moreso after hearing his little flirt. She leaned in and kissed him back. "Well...we can focus on something else then if you want," she whispered into his ear, holding her face close to his and grinning. Out of the corner of her eye, she could make out LC curiously looking at the food on the counter. "In a little bit," she added with another kiss.

LC seemingly understood Talia, leaving the kitchen and wandering into the other room for a nap.

"Well if thats the case I am overdressed aren't I?" Charlie said as he began to take his shirt off. He gently caressed Talia's arms as he looked into her eyes. "I am a little beat from my last match but I think I have enough in the tank to make this afternoon a memorable one...."

Charlie kissed Talia again, this time on the neck, moving his hands to her back.

Talia nearly said "Me too" right back to him, but caught herself. She kissed him back on the lips, grinning as he took his shirt off. He didn't seem too willing to let her take her own t shirt off but she wasn't about to protest that. The kissed on her neck tickled her and she leaned back on the couch, smiling up at Charlie, enjoying their intimate contact. "Did you do well?" she asked clearly more interested in Charlie than his match at that point.

"Mmmmhmmm, win number two." Charlie said as he took a brief break in kissing Talia. "Ya know, you seem way overdressed too babe."

Charlie gently slid his hands down to Talia's abs, slipping them under her shirt and slowly worked them up her front. Charlie loved just about everything about Talia, and it had been a long time since he got a chance to kiss every square inch of her body.....

Talia smiled and kissed Charlie on the lips once more. "You're doing great baby. Making me proud," she whispered, letting him pull her shirt off. She didn't even think twice about it, caught up in the romantic moment. As Charlie pulled off her shirt, it revealed her lacy pink bra...but it also showed the two nasty bruises on her abdomen that she had gotten from the match with Mamouru. She didn't notice it, though, and leaned up to kiss him on the neck as well, her hands slowly moving down his back.

Normally, nothing captured Charlies attention more than Talia's sexy choice of undergarments. However, these bruises weren't normal.

"Tal, how did you get those bruises? Are you all right? Did someone do this to you babe?" Charlie asked, with his voiced drenched with worry. He held her close and whispered into her ear. "Baby..... talk to me"

Talia meant more to him than anything. He thought that she knew that she could come to him with anything at all. He was worried he did something to make Talia see him as unapproachable but that was quickly overshadowed by a rising anger. Anger at whoever or whatever would do this to Talia.