Spoiled (Charlie/Open) - The White Tower

"Yes of course. Just a minute" he smiled, putting the glass down before getting up himself and disappearing up the stairs.

A few minutes later he returned with the memory card in hand.
"Safe as promised" the you walked up to the Rose, handing it to her.

"Thank you," she smiled and slipped the memory card into the camera and turning the device on.

She clicked through a few files-- the pictures, for the most part, looked fairly old-- 1930's and 40's. But, she did speed through the files, not really taking the time to look at many of them.

She stopped on one in particular. A house that looked like it was falling down. A family of African descent stood outside, looking directly in the camera. The sun is up-- though it is close to sunset. A young man in the photo is standing with a bundle of daisies and an English grammar book, which is clear in the picture. He is also standing with a slip of paper in his hand, looking particularly proud of himself.

"This is one of mine."

Slipping around so that he was standing behind her, he eased his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder while he looked at the picture.
"Who is it?" he asked softly, one hand closed around the wrist of his other arm as he held her close enough to rest her back against his chest.

"His name was Abraham," she smiled gently. "He and his family worked the cotton fields. Had for generations, actually-- both during slavery and after. He was the first in his family to learn to read."

"Before my time..." Charlie said gently, touching his lips to the side of her neck though not taking his eyes off the picture. "It's a good memory Cass. And a good picture..." he smiled. "Thank you.. for sharing it with me"

"1941, Charlie. That was the year," she smiled.

"Heh... sometimes I forget how damn long it took the so-called civilized west to advance..." a light hug pulled her close to him for a moment. "-41... could've been a different life altogether by now if it hadn't been for the memories to keep us company"

"Ain't that the truth, sugar?" She laughed, leaning her head back on his shoulder. "If things had gone differently, I would be old and gray with grandkids running around a brick house in the Bronx," she grinned.

He smiled, turning his head slightly again to brush his lips across her cheek.
"Had things been different..." he would've been just another nameless soldier lost on a battlefield without as much as a cross to remember him by. "You would've still looked lovely in gray" the youth chuckled.

She laughed again. "Yes, but I would have probably lost my fire."

"Oh, I seriously doubt that" he chuckled again, pressing a set of manicured nails lightly against her stomach. "Some fires burn throughout an entire life without fading one bit. And I have no doubt yours is one of them"

"You're sweet, Charlie. Did you know?" Leaning her head up slightly and turning it to press her lips to his cheek.

"I try" he closed his eyes with a lingering smile as her lips touched his cheek, still with his arms around her. "Sometimes I even succeed"

"You succeed more than you think," she smiled as she rotated the camera's lens so that it focused on their faces, displaying them on the screen. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not" the youth rested his cheek against hers, one arm still around her waist while the other moved up to rest with a gentle touch at her shoulder.

She looked at the screen, adjusting it slightly to get their faces in just right. She clicked the button-- the flash was not on. But the picture showed up, just the same.

"A good memory," she smiled.

Charlie looked looked at the screed for a moment, briefly studying the picture.
"A very good memory" he said softly before turning her around so to face her, moving a hand to lift her chin as he locked those steel blue eyes of his with hers. A gentle expression to his youthful features.
"I'm honoured... to be worth you remembering me"

"How could I forget you?" She leaned into him and pressed her lips to his.

He didn't really answer in words, simply closing his eyes as their lips touched and returning the kiss with soft lips and a warm sigh as he held her close. Allowing the touch to linger for a good while before almost reluctantly breaking the kiss with a whisper.
"I'm glad..." the youth smiled.

Her smile was infectious. For a moment, she leaned against him with a sigh and then slowly and reluctantly, she pulled away from him, taking her camera and sitting back in the sofa. She took the drink in her hand and scrolling through the images of a time since past.

If she didn't mind, he'd join her on the couch, moving an arm around her shoulder as he held her close and rested his glass in his free hand while looking through the pictures with her.

The pictures were almost all from the same era-- and all but a handful were taken outdoors and in the sun. Most of it looked fairly happy. Only a few looked serious or near depressing. They were of people, animals, sunsets and it was all pure Southern United States.

And the last one was... interesting. A night scene in a large, well lit gazebo. Tables and table cloths were turned over, glass shattered over the wood floor. A rush of fabric exiting the right side of the camera with what looked to be bloodied bodies in the background. In the forefront was simply a face-- remarkably, looking just like Cass. She had to have been on the ground and her eyes were looking right into the camera. Her neck was a mess of flesh and blood and a small line of liquid glistened from the right side of her mouth. But her eyes... Her eyes still held life.

Cass couldn't have taken this picture or captured all of this blood and carnage.

And Cass didn't really wait to look at this picture. It was a second, maybe two, that the picture popped onto the screen. Nor did she say anything about it.

As she switched past the picture, Charlie turned his head just enough to kiss the side of her neck again. It was obvious that it wasn't a memory she much liked to look back on, and while it surprised him that she would've kept such a picture if it clearly upset her, he wouldn't ask her about it. Not when she finally seemed to be in a better mood.
"Means a lot that you're willing to share these with me you know" the youth smiled.

"They are a part of me. And really, the only things I have in this world. If I didn't share them, then I wouldn't be sharing me," she smiled softly to him.

With his arm still around her shoulder, he brushed his fingers down the side of her neck and turned her head gently so to look at him. He met her eyes with a warm gaze and a soft smile though didn't actually say anything as he leaned in and softly pressed his lips to hers.