Because I refuse to accept canon.

Un-beta'ed and written in two minutes.

- o – o -

One Last Hope

Danny was so still on the ground. He was just laying there. Charlie shook him, screaming his name. She couldn't—wouldn't—accept that he was dead. She. Would. Not.

She cradled her younger brother, the only reason she'd had an adventure, left home, sobbing for all she was worth. He wasn't dead. She could… She still had to save him. There was no way she could let him die… Not…

Not after she'd found him, saved him, not after he'd been so cool.

Charlie sobbed as they tried to take him. She couldn't!

The young woman pelted after them, one thought on her mind. She…She could still try. One last trick, one last escape for both of them to pull.

"WAIT!"

It was a long shot. So extremely long she didn't know anyone who would place odds on it. Even Uncle Miles wouldn't bet on that. Not now. Not ever. The odds were so long, but she had to try them. Those were the last odds she had to play.

Danny was laying on the floor in the middle of the store. He was pale, but... Just there. She… Her breath caught in her throat as she saw, ever so slowly, a flutter of Danny's eyelids. That was her only hope. Her only thought. Just the last one she had to play. The very last one.

Charlie pressed her fingers to her brother throat, praying that there was a pulse. Just one. She needed one last pulse, and all would be well. She sniffed back tears, trying so very hard to believe that Danny would still be breathing. Just one breath. One tiny flutter of his pulse. That was all she needed.

He was still so warm under her hand… Charlie sniffed back more tears, but couldn't stop some of them from falling to her brother's face. Oh… Danny, please…

And there.

There.

Just under her fingertips, so very softly, the faintest, softest flutter of a pulse.

Charlie collapsed to the ground, sobbing.

She almost missed the soft groan from her brother.

He.

He wasn't dead.

And that was all that mattered.

- o – o -

So, what did you think? Good? Bad? Should I continue this 'verse? Drop a line and let me know.