Just an idea I couldn't get out of my head. Really loved Sniper Zero, though!
"Charlie, stay down!" Don bellowed as he saw the bullet go straight towards his younger brother. Shit, shit, shit! What the hellw as Charlie doing there, anyway?! He cursed himself again. Dad was right. Charlie wasn't cut out for this line of work.
He couldn't remember the last time he ran so fast, but he also didn't notice how out of breath he was. Charlie was the only concern he had in him at the moment. He stared in horror at his little brother laying so still on the cold pavement, with his eyes closed.
"Charlie?" Please answer, he begged silently. Please, don't let these last few months of reconneting be it. "Charlie, answer me!"
Charlie gasped suddenly, and his eyes flew open.
"Are you all right?" Both Don and David helped him up.
"I think so,"Charlie rasped. He then winced and his hand touched his side. Don stared in horror as he saw blood leaking from in between Charlie's fingers.
"No..." color drained from his face. Charlie shook his head.
"Just...a nick, I think."
David removed the hand and looked for Don. He nodded.
"I think it scraped the skin. And there's no bullet inside of you. You'll need stitches, though."
"Sure hurts like I got shot for reals," griped Charlie while his breathing slowed.
Just a nick, it was just a nick.
Charles glanced at his brother.
"Hey, are you okay?" Don was unware of the eyes that were looking at him.
"Don?" Terry asked.
"You...you got shot Charlie, and I couldn't stop it." Don was shaking.
"Hey, you heard what David said. It was just a nick. I'm just going to need stitches, that's all." Charlie smiled. "I can be a big boy and take stitches, Donnie."
Donnie. Dad would call him Donnie, but rarely Charlie. It still felt right in that moment. He had to be brave now. He heard is mom's voice
"Be brave, for Charlie. He's going to need his big brother now more than ever,"
Don swallowed and steadied his voice. Come on, Don, Charlie needs you right now.
"Let's get you to the ambulence." He noticed the small sighs as Terry and David recoginzed his normal tone of voice. Good, he was fooling them think he was okay, that was good.
He helped Charlie limp to the ambulence and the paramedic instantly started cleaning the wound. Don hid his own grimace when he saw Charlie wincing in pain.
"Come on Charlie, if you need to squeeze my hand, Terry suggested. Don cursed at himself. He should have thought of that. But Charlie weakly obeyed.
"You're doing fine, Charlie." Don heard his own voice, but it felt like an outer body experience.
"You're not going to tell dad, are you?" Charlie asked, and acted like the question pained him more than the shot and stitches.
"Charlie, you know he'll find out, and if we don't tell him..."
"Yeah,yeah, yeah...I just don't want him to worry about me so much, or you." Charlie eyed Don.
Don sighed.
"Sorry Charlie, that's what happens when you're part of a family. People worry about you. He noticed Terry squeeze Charlie's hand at a particulary painful stitch and mouthed his thanks. She silently nodded.
"Well, at least wait until we're done here," remarked Charlie. Don nodded and stared at the wound as the paramedic carefully stitched up his brother. He refused to look away, guitl shaming him. He remembered his father's words
"He can't say no to you, Don."
And swallowed. Was he really taking advantage of his brother's brains and desire to please him? He didn't think he was. He just really liked finally getting a connection out of his younger brother who always had trouble with relationships. Hell, Don did too.
"And we're done!" THe paramedic annonced. Don looked surprised.
"That was it?"
"I told you," Charlie assured his older brother. "It was just a nick." Don nodded.
"Is he allowed to leave now?"
The paramedic also nodded.
"Yes, but take him home. I want him off his feet for a few days. No work," he added to Charlie which caused him to groan.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Larry will fill in your classes," Don replied. "Come on, let's get you home. He thanked Terry and David for their help and led a slightly limping Charlie to his car.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Don asked, grimacing. "Maybe you should go to the hospital and get checked out..."
"The paramedic cleared me Don." Charlie glared at him. "I'm fine."
"Sorry," mumbled Don sheepishly, and helped Charlie into the car.
"It's all right," sighed Charlie after a while,once Don was buckled. "I know you're just worried about me." He watched as Don gripped the steering wheel. "Donnie?"
Don flinched at that nickname, and sucked in his breath.
"When you were lying there, I thought..."His voice trembled, which surprised him. He couldn't even look at Charlie. "Charlie..I thought."
"I know." Shockingly Charlie's voice was the steady one. "I'm really sorry about this, Don. I was an idiot."
Don shook his head.
"No, I was. I shouldn't have gotten you invovled. We had Ian. I should have made sure you stayed with dad, where it was safe."
Charlie sighed.
"You saw what happened, I have to be part of the action now. I WANT to help you, Don. I love...I love helping people. Please don't take that away from me."
Don could feel Charlie's eyes begging him.
Finally he swallowed, and replied.
"All right, But promise me one thing?"
"Anything."
"Nextime you go to a crime scene, you wear a bullet proof vest."
It felt good to hear his brother's laugh, and he let himself smile.
"Deal."
Don nodded, and slowly started the engine.
"Donnie?"
"Yeah, Charlie?"
"Thanks.." Charlie's voice was serious now. "For always being there for me. For having my back. That really means a lot."
"I'll always have your back," Don replied quietly. "And I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't around..."
"Well I plan on being around for a long time, and probably bugging you to death," Charlie quickly interrupted him with that sly grin of his. Don trembled on the inside, but on the outside he was all smiles.
"I'm gonna hold you to that promise, buddy."
With that he started the car to head for home.