I guess everyone wanted MORE Jason -Nate-/Charlie from me… so here's a new story for you to (possibly) obsess over. (if you like it was much anyway)
Takes place a couple of months after Charlie and crew find a new home, it's a rather large town like where Charlie and Danny are from, but it's couple of states away from there.
Enjoy!
X.x.X.x
Charlie stood with a bemused smile on her face, standing only a couple of yards away from the sitting figure of her recent boyfriend, Jason. "Jason…?"
The man jumped and spun around, still holding the fishing rod in front of him, "God, Charlie, you scared the shit out of me!" He turned back around when Charlie started to walk over to him, sitting to his left side and watching the bobber bounce in the small ripples of the lake before them. "You're getting better at sneaking up on people…"
"I never thought you to be a fishing kinda guy," She said, amusement tinting her voice her mouth twisted into a smirk, disregarding his previous comment humbly.
Jason shrugged and looked over and down to her a thoughtful look on his face before looking back out across the lake. "Only when I need to think about something, it lets me think but it keeps me focused on something so I don't get too lost within myself." There was a pause and Charlie felt her smile falter before picking back up when he spoke, only to fall completely at his words. "Reminds me of a time before the blackout… when my dad was still my dad."
Charlie's frown deepened and she looked away from the sparking lake, the sun was casting a beautiful orange hue on the usually greenish lake in the sunset. "Do you-"
"No." He growled and looked down at Charlie a scowl set on his face before it softened at seeing her surprised reaction. "No," he said gently and looked back to the bobber. "I don't regret leaving him there. He wasn't my father. The man that I shot and left for dead was a ruthless monster with no regards to my well being," He looked back down at her, his lips twitching with sadness and pulling the corners of his lips down further. "A monster who nearly killed you." He finished and cupped the side of her cheek with his hand.
She tilted her head further into his touch and smiled at him reassuringly, "but he didn't…" she broadened her smile, "because you saved me." She held his hand to her face with one of her own.
"You saved me…" He countered and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
She leaned into him and he brought his arm around her shoulders, holding her close as they watched the sun set over the lake, enjoying the serene feeling of it all as they listened to the music of nature; birds and crickets, frogs and the wind in the leaves.
"You know there's no fish in here, right?" Charlie asked with a teasing smile on her lips. His eyes went wide before relaxing with his own smile.
"Yea-"
A gunshot sounded in the valley and they both ducked out of instinct, when they realized the gun wasn't near them they stood and began running back to their home. Charlie felt her gut wrench as she ran, this was so like the day her father died… when Danny had been taken. She had been off on her own and when she came back her dad was dead and Danny was gone.
That wouldn't happen again, not if she could help it.
The ran through the side entrance of their gated community and froze when they saw the armada of horses and militia, Monroe sat on the black horse holding Danny by the hair as his hose trotted around in circles. "Where is your uncle, boy?!" He boomed his voice carrying across the entire town.
The entire town's population stood on the town line, watching as Monroe and his men bullied the young 17 year old boy, helpless. Without thinking Charlie ran from the shadows, shaking Jason's attempts to stop her, and shouted at the older man to stop. "Leave him alone!" She demanded, stalking up to the horses like she owned the place. "Who do you think you are to keep bullying us like this!" She screamed and ran up and grabbed Danny away from a shocked Monroe.
"Why if it isn't Charlie, the stubborn girl who blew up my bird then stole my prisoner." He tilted his head to the side in interest, his eyes flickering over to Jason's scowling face, a knowing smirk playing over his features. He leaned back in the horses saddle before snapping his fingers at his footmen, "Take 'em both" he said, his tone uninterested in the situation.
"No!" Charlie pushed Danny back behind her and raised her hands in the air, "Please just leave him alone, take me and do whatever you want to me… I'm the one who caused you all the trouble…" She heard Jason start to protest, running up behind her but the men who were sent to grab her intercepted him instead and pulled him back to the town line, one man on each arm. "Just take me and leave everyone else out of this." She would not allow another family to be torn apart by violence if she could stop it with negotiations.
Monroe stared down at her and then looked over the rest of the town who torn between going to Charlie's aid or to slink away into their homes and wait until they left, with or without Danny. "Fine," he said finally, "Take the girl, leave the boys."
"Charlie, no!' Jason shouted but the rest of his arguments were cut off by a strip of cloth being forced between his teeth, pulling the sides of his mouth back like a horses bridal. Charlie turned around and ran to Danny first holding his head between her hands to force him to look up at her, tears springing to her eyes at the sight of his own tears. He too was held back by two men, keeping him from embracing he.
"Charlie, don't do this… you don't know what they're like to prisoners…" He said with a heavy voice, she knew all too well what the effects of being held by militia did to him, his night terrors were evidence enough.
"I know, Danny" She forced smile onto her lips and kissed his forehead. "Everything will be okay," She kept close as she whispered, "I'll be back before you know it." She pulled away and held him at arms length. "Please don't follow me… don't be a hero." He diverted his gaze so she bent down to grab his attention again, "Promise me you won't follow." She demanded, her eyes tearing into his soul.
He nodded slowly and muttered that he promised. Charlie kissed his cheek before running to Jason, wrapping her arms around his middle and resting her head on his chest before pulling away and demanding they take the gag out.
Monroe nodded and they obliged her request. "Charlie…" he breathed and dipped his head in mourning.
"I can't lose you…" She whispered and placed her hand on the side of his face, her fingers brushing into his hair, since they'd escaped he had grown his hair out, long enough that she could actually push her fingers through it. "Not again, I thought I was too late once." She glanced back over to Danny, this had applied to him too. "I thought I lost both of you, I can't go through that again." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Not if I can help it."
Charlie stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his, feeling lightheaded as the weight of their kiss fell on her heart. This could be the last time they got to do this… to be this close. A tear slid down her cheek for the first time in months and she pulled away, barely. Her hand lowered from his face to his chest, "I love you." She whispered, her lips still close to his as she spoke.
Before he got a chance to reply Monroe rode up behind her and another footman came up and cuffed her hands in front of her then scooped her up and placed her behind Monroe on the horse, ordering her to hold onto his belt loop. Her eyes never left Jason's as they rode away, her heart aching as he and her brother got smaller and smaller until they disappeared behind the tree line of the woods that bordered their secluded town.
X.x.X.x
Jason threw a couple of extra food rations into his bag, zipped it up and threw it over his shoulder. He stalked over to his door and tore it open freezing at the sight in front of him. Danny stood on the doorstep of Charlie and Jason's home, a bag over his shoulder. "Did you really think I wouldn't be coming?" The younger boy asked, stumbling out of the way when Jason pushed passed him.
"You made a promise to Charlie." Jason said still walking away from Danny as he did but stopped and spun around and pointed at himself with his index finger. "I didn't." He continued to walk towards the way that Monroe and his men left with Charlie as he finished. "You stay here and wait for Miles and Nora to come back."
"Uhm, if they come back?" He jogged to catch up with Jason, falling into step with him. "They didn't' even tell Charlie where they went. How do we know where they are let alone when they'll come back." He huffed when Jason said nothing and grabbed his right arm to bring them a stop in the middle of the road. "She's my sister." Jason opened his mouth to argue but Danny wouldn't let him. "She came for me, went through hell to get me back… what makes you think I can't return the favor?"
"Why do you think I'm going after her, now." When Danny didn't remove his grip from Jason's arm he sighed. "Okay, alright." He nodded towards the house, "We need to leave a message for Nora and Miles though."
Danny nodded and released Jason, and together they went back to the house that Miles and Nora knew them to stay in and wrote a message saying what had happened and what they where they were going.
Once finished with preparing their packs and leaving the message they shrugged on their jackets and left the town quietly, but once outside they nearly ran in an attempt to catch up with the militia and Charlie. The thoughts of what they may do to her pushing them forward.
X.x.X.x
Fluff to start, angst to follow. Wha'd you think?
Thanks goes out to:
~ Sportygirl23
~ hoplessromantic0510
~ Kotero
~ scifigirl10
~ link53
~ Seekerhottie101
and
~"Guest"
- For following my story and leaving such kind and supportive reviews, I couldn't have done it with out you guys! Thank you! -
Special thanks to:
~ inhalelove - exhalehate12
~ Kotero
and
~ sportygirl13
- For inspiring me to go further with this and for your regular messages and inspiring reviews! -
Thank you all and I hope this was what you were looking for!
