A/N: Hii! It's been over a month since I've posted an episode of Brooklyn Carter but it's finally time in Words so here it is :)

The only song used in this chapter is:

Sad Dream by Sky Ferreira


"Carter!"

With the left side of his face sunk into his pillow, Carter opened only one eye to look at the door. The muffled voice of his mother, Carol, was coming closer each time she called him. She opened the door and raised an eyebrow at him.

"You not going to school today?" Her Italian accent was thick, and made her sound sassier than she already was. Which was infinitely sassy.

Carter darted his eyes to look at the clock—he was running twenty minutes late. It may not have seemed like too much time, but every minute counted on his morning commute into the city due to train schedules. And this was going to definitely make him miss half, or possibly all, of homeroom. He pushed himself off the bed and almost fell onto the floor. He reached for his uniform while his mom watched him rush, her eyebrow still arched. "Son of a—"

"Don't you dare, Carter."

Carter groaned, throwing his shirt on.

"Hey, tell Johnny and the guys to come over for dinner," she told him, and he looked at her when his head popped out from his shirt. "I'm makin' pasta, and I haven't seen them in a while."

"Yeah, I'll tell 'em." He grabbed the rest of his clothes, kissed his mother on the cheek, and almost tripped on his way into his bathroom. She rolled his eyes at him.

"Have a good day at work!" he yelled through the door while she passed by, and she tilted her head down, smiling.


Carter stared at his leg; it was restlessly bouncing up and down the whole ride on the subway. He hated days when he was this late. He hated that if kids in his school woke up twenty minutes late, it just meant they had to eat their breakfast on the go rather than their staff serving it to them in bed. He hated that any wrong move always proved the kids in his school right—that he didn't belong there. Carter was so annoyed with himself, and in general, that he didn't even take out his iPod to listen to music. He also got cursed out by anyone in his way when he ran from the subway station to his school.

Out of breath and slightly shaking as he tried to dig through his pocket for his inhaler, Carter pulled the school doors open, his shoes squeaking in the hallway as he made it towards his homeroom. He looked at his watch, scoffed, and threw his bag against the lockers. He slammed his back against them and slid down, his knees up when he sat on the ground. He shook his inhaler, took two pumps, and then the bell rang. He breathed heavily when the kids from his homeroom began to file out, giving him looks on their way to their first class. Finally, he made eye contact with Katie, who was already searching for his face through the crowd of the hallway. She walked over, and he looked up at her.

"No doughnuts today."

Despite her efforts not to, she smiled and held out her hand, while her other arm held all her books. "Come on. Don't wanna be late for our first class too."

Carter gave a hearty laugh.

"Too soon?"

He took her hand and she pulled him up. "Too soon."

When he stood up, he towered over her, but she kept their eye contact. "I don't take it back."

Carter rolled his eyes, reaching for his backpack on the floor.

"Mr. Alessi." He turned around and found Ms. Amoretto standing at the homeroom door. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Uh." Carter looked at Katie. "I have—"

"I've give you a pass," she interrupted him. He nodded, knowing it must have been a little serious. He gave a nod to Katie, who was already walking towards another class.

Carter walked past his homeroom teacher, and she closed the door behind him. He sat at the desk in front of hers and inclined his head.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, unable to look at her. "I know these late days put me at risk."

Ms. Amoretto sat in her desk and put her head in her hands. "It doesn't matter how long you've been here, Carter. Whenever you're late enough to miss homeroom, they question my judgement in letting you in."

Carter looked up now. He nodded. Him and Ms. Amoretto only had this conversation a few times. But a few times was enough for him to feel bad for the one who got him into this school. The one who helped her own family by getting him into this school. Getting him in erased all their debts forever.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I—"

"Are you alright?" she asked him.

Carter furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah, I'm alright. Why?"

"I heard something." She made eye contact with him. "Somethin' 'bout Manny Sintini." In response, Carter leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "Is that why you're running late today? Because you were a part of that last night?"

"Ms. Amoretto," he whispered. "You know I can't…"

"I know. I'm sorry I asked," she replied immediately. "Look, Carter. I just wanted to warn you. There was talk about it around the neighborhood when I was leaving this morning."

"I'll let Johnny know." He put a backpack strap over his right shoulder when the bell rang.

"Okay, good." She began to scribble something on a piece of paper, and then handed it to him.

He gave a nod and turned around, stopping before he opened the door. "Thanks for always lookin' out, Ms. Amoretto."

He looked over his shoulder at her. She held her hands together. "You're a good kid, Carter. I wish you didn't have to do this."

Carter glanced at the floor for a moment before making eye contact with her. "Yeah, me too."


Poured myself a warm glass, and laid awake

I prayed the lord my soul to take

I thought about you all day, how we have the same face

I fell asleep so confused, parts of me remind me of you

How could I ever wish away?

"It's been a while since you've missed homeroom," Katie pointed out while she and Carter sat beside each other on the steps of The Met. "Was Ms. Amoretto really mad?"

Carter swallowed the hot dog he was eating, since he didn't bring his lunch. "No. She just…" He shrugged. "She was just making sure I'm not gonna need to be talked to or anything."

Katie smiled to herself. "You're her favorite."

"Yeah, well, she's my favorite."

Only ever in dreams I wrap my arms around you.

And standing in the water with me,

I can tell you what I wanna tell you.

And I hope it's not just a bad dream,

Hope it's not just a sad dream

Katie didn't respond, but continued eating the "healthy" lunches her mother packed for her every morning. They usually contained tasteless things and parfaits. Katie hated it, but always declined to have Carter buy something for her, because she was convinced her mother had a radar for whenever Katie ate anything relatively unhealthy.

The two listened to music while they continued to eat in their usual comfortable silence. Katie sat on the left, the right earbud in her ear, while Carter sat to her right, the left one in his.

I wake up and I hear my phone ring,

I hear your call and I let my phone ring

When I got into my car and drove away,

I listened to the stereo play

I live by my own laws,

I stick to my guns and hold my head up to midnight sun

I hope the guilt will dim and fade,

The fire baptism engulfed in my shame

He nudged her elbow with his. She looked up, and he looked at her from the side, taking a bite of his food. "How was the gala?"

"Mundane. As usual." Katie shrugged. "Luckily, I didn't know anyone, so I had the pleasure of sitting alone."

Carter chuckled, shaking his head. "My favorite anti-social socialite."

"I may be the only one, but I'll take it."

Only ever in dreams I wrap my arms around you.

And standing in the water with me,

I can tell you what I wanna tell you.

And I hope it's not just a bad dream,

Hope it's not just a sad dream

She laughed, and Carter glanced at her. He could never grasp the concept—and fact—that this girl was his best friend. And that it was her choice to be.

Carter could never understand why she befriended him, and why she refused to be friendly to anyone else. She chose him that first day of high school and didn't look any further for company. Carter figured he could make it through his year high school years bullied, but relatively unharmed. But she sat next to him in homeroom and had been in that same seat for the last three years. She never failed to be kind. She continued to be fierce when challenged or ridiculed. And she always dreamed for a life that didn't include vanity and a false world.

He didn't know what he could've done in a past life to earn the friendship of Katherine Nolan. He knew for damn sure that he hadn't done anything in his current life for it.


Carter reached for his phone once he got out of his subway stop, texting Johnny and the guys that dinner would be at eight. He started to speed-walk, knowing his mom would need help making dinner. She always wanted to have a good meal set up for Johnny—she loved him like a son. Because, in her eyes, Johnny was protecting her son when no one else was there to help her do it.

Johnny was an older brother to him. Even Joseph and Ray. Anybody in that restaurant was. Hell, his entire social life was only with them before Katie came around. That, and grandmothers that always ended up loving him at the restaurant when he was a young cook and waiter.

Johnny was there to pick up the pieces when Carter's father, Fred, was killed on a job. Fred was the eldest of the group and like the little brother of Johnny's father. So, when Johnny's father passed, Fred took the reigns.

Which was what Johnny had to do when Fred was murdered. He may have been the youngest, but Johnny was doing jobs as long as Carter could remember.

And Johnny loved Carter and Carol. He was his brother, and she was like his second mother. When Carol was left to mourn her husband angry at those who took his life, and overwhelmed because she had to raise Carter on his own, Johnny immediately took him in at the restaurant. It was when Carter was ten that he began to figure out the books for the restaurant. And then, when Johnny felt he was ready, he became the official bookie. For everything.

Carol hated it. But she also didn't have much say. They were indebted to Johnny, and she knew that Carter would be protected.

"Ma!" Carter yelled, throwing his backpack on the couch. "You need help?"

He made his way to the kitchen, and he could feel the heat of the cooking immediately.

"Make the sauce for me, Carter." Carol didn't take her eyes off the pasta she was making from scratch.

Carter went to wash his hands and grabbed an apron that said "Mom's Little Chef" on it. He grabbed a cutting board, a knife, and tomatoes, and then sat at the kitchen table, looking up at the daytime soap his mom watched every day.


"This sauce is delicious, Ms. Alessi," Ray said, scooping it up to pour onto his spaghetti.

"Thank you, Ray, but Carter made that." Carol nudged Carter as she walked past him to the sink.

Joseph looked up, and Carter looked down at him when he did this. "You made this, Cartier? It's real good."

Carter rolled his eyes when Joseph turned around, and Johnny chuckled to himself.

"We made chocolate cake and cannolis for dessert." Carol held up the large plates, displaying them when she took them out of the fridge. The boys whooped and Carter laughed, turning away. He opened the trash, pulling up the strings.

"I'll take this out," he told his mom, and she squeezed his shoulder.

"I've got the best son in all of Brooklyn."

Carter tied them up. "In Brooklyn? That's it? There's some brats out there, Ma."

She laughed, throwing her head back as she brought the desserts to the table.

He looked over his shoulder, watching them enjoy food and company, before he pushed open the screen door. He walked down a couple steps, kicking the top of the garage can off, which clattered to the ground. He dropped the bag in and bent to pick up the cover. His eyes got wide as he saw a pair of Converse right in front of him. He stood up, holding the cover out for protection. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"What the hell, Mikey? You scared me, standing in the shadows like that. What's wrong with you?" He dropped the cover, and the metal clanged.

"Manny's in the hospital. You know that?" Mikey's jaw clenched, and Carter looked down. For a moment, he almost forgot what reality was. "Oh, 'course you know. You called to tell me where to find him." He chuckled. "Although you did forget to mention that it was you who did it."

Carter looked up, shaking his head. In front of him was the only friend he had as a kid. Until Carter became fully involved in the bookie business, and Mikey's older brother was a constant customer, who always owed money.

"Mikey—"

"Don't, Carter. I'm not here to exchange pleasantries with you, or to hear that you had to do it." Mikey crossed his arms.

Carter raised an eyebrow. "What you here for, then?"

Mikey smirked, and Carter knew that look. It was never anything good.

"You."

Carter took a step back and felt a hand wrap around his mouth. He knew the moment Mikey smirked that this would happen, but panic filled his mind, and he struggled for air. He wanted to scream, but the hand was held against his mouth so tightly that he could barely hear his own muffled cries for help. Instantly, Carter's view went completely dark when a black bag was thrown and tied over his head.


A/N: Carter Alessi, you have my love. Also, Katie & Carter forever. How did you guys like it?! I know the ending is such a cliffhanger but what is a television episode without one? Let me know what you guys think! I'd love to know if you guys like this whole idea, and the story so far. Reviews and feedback, please :)

Shout out to rippingbutterflywings and cfire27 for your reviews! Thank you to anybody who favorited and alerted, and just thanks to anyone who read the first chapter. You are all wonderful.

Shout out to rippingbutterflywings (again) for being a wonderful beta. Thank you for enjoying the characters as much as I do, and supporting me through the writing. Tomato emoji's for you, CH Clary.