originally posted: May 02, 2008 at little-dumpling [dot] livejournal [dot] com/4677 [dot] html
Title: A Family Moment (1/1)
Author: Little Dumpling
Warnings: Cuteness alert, other than that, none.
Summary: Flashbacks into Chuck and Ellie's childhood. Family love! (^-^)
Rating: PG
A/N: In this flashback little Chuck has trouble pronouncing L's, which is exactly how one of my brothers was when he was that little.
Six-year-old Ellie sat on the cement steps and ran a plastic pink brush through her Barbie's hair.
"Mary, Mary," She chanted softly, "Quite contrary; How does your garden grow?" She paused and tilted her head so she could see the dark haired toddler standing not far away. The curly haired boy currently stood bent at the waist, hands on scabby knees, head down.
"Chuckie, what are you looking at?" Ellie asked playfully; chances were, he wasn't looking at anything. Chuck was a strange child. Many times when he would stare at something he would really be off in his own mind, thinking, or making up stories.
"Elwie, Elwie, wook!" He smiled pointing behind a bush.
Little Ellie rolled her eyes. Dropping her Barbie on the step, she moved closer to her excited brother.
Chuck had managed to overturn one of the larger rocks in the garden, and was pointing at something slowly moving on it's dirty bottom.
"Chuck, it's just a centipede." She said without enthusiasm.
"Centre-"
"Centipede, Chuck. They eat spiders."
Chuck's brown eyes opened wide. "Real-wy? Do dey eat…?" Chuck paused and then pointed at himself.
Ellie rolled her eyes again, "No, they don't eat people."
"Oh." He blinked and looked down at the centipede slowly lazing on the rock.
Ellie watched passively as her brothers face turned from let down, to an intense stare, to an all out grin. The wind rustled softly through the summer trees as she watched him reach down to pick the insect up.
Upon touching the bug, his face grew wide in surprise, and he cried out as he drew his hand away quickly. Before Ellie could process what had happened, fat tears began to well up in her brother's eyes.
"Elwie!" He began to sob, "You said no eat peopwle." With that he stuffed his finger in her confused face.
Ellie looked at the reddened finger and blinked. Cocking her head to the left she took in her little brother, eyes leaking, nose beginning to drip and felt her heart tighten. Clasping his arm gently she lead him up the steps and into the cool house.
One cold rinse and four fumbled band-aids later, Ellie sat at the table and pulled Chuck into her lap.
"I'm sorry, Chuck." Ellie wasn't exactly sure what she was sorry about, but she said it anyway.
Chuck's red-rimmed eyes looked up imploringly before he buried his curly head into her breast. "I want mommy," he sobbed quietly.
"I know," Ellie soothed and began to stroke his soft brown curls. She had always loved his beautiful dark hair. "I do too. But," She paused and looked out the window, "You'll always have me Chuckie. I'll always be here for you."