and here is chapter seven, hope you enjoy!
Note:
Written for the glorious Young Avengers Big Bang thingie! The few characters that are not originally from The Young Avengers or Avengers comics are not fictional, they are real historical people who lived and breathed in 1898. All facts about surroundings and such have been researched, at least as far as could be researched...
Warnings:
Mild violence, AU, character death, antisemitism, homosexual insinuations ;) enjoy!
The street around the corner was Canal Street from left to right, crossing the street he was on. There was nothing on it, but he heard movement coming from somewhere not too far away. He hesitated, not knowing whether it was clear to cross the road and continue down Broadway until they reached Rutgers Street and let it take them to the water, or if to take another rout and lose time but maybe not risk their lives. He looked back at the family, knowing they were probably safe where they were, at least for now. "Stay where you are" he whispered, knowing they probably couldn't hear and tried to show what he meant by holding his hand up for a moment. William was nodding. Good enough.
His first few steps out on the street were hesitant and he chose to leave his pack behind. If all was clear he could just come back and get it. After all, he would have to tell the Kaplans it was all good too. He looked around, eyes flickering and heart almost breaking his rib cage while trying to keep him alive. Being a policeman had never been this scary... He had never felt this vulnerable, never this fragile...
Suddenly there was a bang behind him, coming from the neighboring alley of the one he had just left, a bang sounding frighteningly much like a gun, releasing its bullet. He panicked and looked for a way out that wouldn't lead anyone to his friend's hideout, but all he could see was the empty streets and more alleys he didn't even have the names for. There were voices now, and before he had the time to make a run for it, the street seemed to be filled with people. It wasn't, there were only about twenty of them, men dressed in black... Theodore thought his heart would stop and crouched next to the wall, hoping his figure wouldn't be noticed in the darkness around them. People were shouting and there were guns firing, his breath quickened and all he could think about and wish for was that the ones he had been trying to protect wouldn't come running out the alley or wouldn't be discovered by someone who had taken another rout.
He saw Anthony now, his right eye bleeding and his coat ripped at the arm, but he was very much alive, shouting orders as he went. There were a lot of officers now, but not all of them old timers. Had they stayed behind..? Probably not. Anthony would have wanted to surround himself men he could trust and fight with.. not men like these. Had they fallen..?
Theodore didn't have time for this, when judging it was right, he got up and hurried back into the alley, making sure he wasn't seen by anyone close by before he ran up the street, carrying his things as high of the ground as he could until dropping it again when arriving at the terrified group of people he had left behind in the darkness only moments ago. Before he had time to speak, he had both the younger boys and their big brother thrown in his arms, William hugging him tightly around the neck while whispering how stupid he was over and over until Theodore finally managed to break free of his grip.
"We don't have much time.." he explained, unable to look the dark one in the eye but gripping his hand hard in his own without even thinking about it himself. "...they're down there, all of them... we need to take another way or else we'll all be caught or possibly worse..."
"Which way then?" Mr Kaplan hurried, apparently starting to realize that he had been acting carelessly earlier, now that Theodore almost hadn't made it out of there alive.
"I don't know..." Theodore sighed and regretted the desperation he had let slip along with his words. "Grand Street..?"
William shook his head and tightened his grip around Theodore's fingers, making him realize they were actually still holding hands... "We can't go back up there, the entire street must be on fire by now... and if not, the fire brigade will be there and a lot of people with them. We can't risk getting separated, not now."
"Then we wait?" Mrs Kaplan sounded scared but calm, for a woman in her position. "We have nowhere else to go if not back or forth..."
Silence fell between them and Theodore gripped the other's hand back just as hard, eyes stinging from smoke and fright. They had to get through this, no matter what. The youngest was clinging to his mother now and she picked him up, smiling at him even though there were tears in her eyes.
"We can't give up... that's for sure..." he finally managed to say without sounding as if though he was about to break down form the inside. "We'll make it through this, somehow... we'll just have to wait and see what happens, yes?"
"Yes..."
There was a gush of wind, grabbing their clothes and making him freeze. His bowler blew off but he had no strength to get it now. Everything else seemed so meaningless now, from his job and memories of his father to the fact that if someone saw him holding hands with this man he would probably be hanged when all this was over. Ok, maybe not hanged... But still. He couldn't bring himself to care anymore, whatever happened after this day was worth nothing, if he couldn't hold his promise to these boys, to their family. Nothing.
The youngest, now with dried eyes and the stuffed toy in his arms, jumped down from his mother's arms and ran off after it. Maybe he could get to keep it, as a memory and thank you for brightening Theodore's life, at least for a little while. He could always by a new one if he'd need one. He sighed and took a step closer to his friend, wanting him closer... His eyes followed the boy on his journey after the hat, how he jumped forth as if nothing was happening and he was just playing back in the park with his brother and friends... If he'd never found him by the ice that day, if he hadn't taken him home or listened to William's words... this wouldn't have happened. Anthony wouldn't have suspended him, they would never have been down there, fighting to the death against a street gang that would probably keep roaming the streets anyway, no matter how many policemen where after them. Theodore would never have pulled Steven into it all, never had put William's family in this mess... They might have been alright on their own...
He snapped out of it with a gasp, letting go of William's hand as he dashed forward. The boy had stopped to pick the bowler up from the ground, brushing it off with a smile on his face, back turned to the man in the mouth of the alley, a man pulling his gun.
"Get down!" he heard himself scream, not even knowing if he was heard or if the others were fast enough to react. The boy in front of him looked up at him, eyes wide and his toy falling to the ground as he was about to turn, to see what his blond protector was so terrified of. Theodore got to him just before he had the time to see the gun and the man with it, swiped him up in his arms and dashed after William, who had pulled his parents and brother into the narrow opening between two houses. Everything happened so quickly and all he could think of was to get the little one to safety, get him out of there. There were three shots fired, he heard them, felt his heart race from the adrenaline rush, his feet hitting the ground harder and harder with every step before excruciating pain exploded in his body and left him unable to move, stuck in the crossfire with nowhere to run and no control over his own body, losing the grip of the boy before it all got blurry.
"Theodore!"
He opened his eyes and tried to gasp for air but it seemed almost impossible for him to breathe. Had he gotten the air knocked out of his lungs? He blinked to try and bring the world back into focus, only slightly aware of the numbing pain in his lower abdomen. What caught his attention was the cold fingers clasping his cheeks and straightening his neck, the brown, tear filled eyes meeting his own and the hot drops hitting his forehead and nose.
"That's right..." William half whispered and smiled, his lips shaking and his eyes flickering up as if he was half expecting someone to pull him away from there. "...Stay with me, you're going to be just fine. You hear me..? Theodore?"
"Y-yeah..." he responded, smiling when realizing he had been able to. He wasn't at all clear about where he was or what had happened, but judging from the tears still hitting his skin, he suspected it was pretty bad, whatever it was. "Your brother..?" he then tried but stared coughing uncontrollably and without any visible reason to him. It was only then that he noticed the strong, metallic taste in his mouth. Was he bleeding?
"It's ok, sshh, don't talk..!" the dark one hurried and his voice gave away his panic, laid his emotions bare on the ground next to him. "He's alright, you saved his life..."
"Oh good" he smiled back, trying not to think because his head hurt more than it usually did. Maybe he had hit his head as well? "I'm a real hero then..."
"You are" William almost sobbed out and smiled too, his fingers digging softly into Theodore's skin as he did so. "Now don't talk... I'll get you out of here, you'll see. You just need to rest... You'll be fine..."
Somewhere in the distance someone was calling for the other, but William only shook his head as more tears fell. For a man saying everything would be alright, he sure cried a lot. Theodore didn't like it and tried to reach out to touch the other, only to realize that his hand was heavier than usual and his body aching as he tried to move it.
"What happened..?" he asked, trying to remember but it was all a blur. The other wasn't listening. His head was turned away from him and his hands trembling just as his lips had done just now. "William... what happened?"
"You... you we're helping my brother, he... he was fetching your bowler hat and then..." his friend tried but his voice broke off and his eyes widened as Theodore finally managed to reach for his face. His own hand was covered in red liquid; blood. Was it his own? It probably was... William looked terrified and Theodore pulled his hand away again.
"I'll be fine..." he then smiled and tried to move his body but there was no response, no movement other than his arm. "It can't be that bad, see? I can move my arm and everything..." William only shook his head. "Don't be so negative, I've been through worse, trust me..." Theodore tried and reached for him again but it was impossible to stretch that far. "Can you come closer... I want to look at you..."
He didn't know why he wanted to see him so badly, maybe because his body was hurting and he needed all the comfort he could get. But really, it wasn't that. It was something else. At first he thought William wouldn't move, but after about a minute, the dark one wiped his eyes and removed his coat to put it underneath Theodore's head before moving. He seated himself next to him instead and leaned slightly forward so that Theodore could see him better.
"You have dirt on your nose..." Theodore smiled and reached for it in an attempt to wipe it off but instead smeared some red onto the other's pale skin. "I'm sorry..."
"Don't be..." William hurried and drew a deep, shaking breath. "Don't be sorry. I'm here now..." At this, he grabbed Theodore's hand gently and pulled it to his chest, holding it tight to his heart. "See? Everything's going to be alright..."
"You already said that..."
William gave a soft half chuckle, half sob and looked up at something Theodore couldn't see, but he saw the sadness in those brown eyes which he was sure the other didn't want him notice.
"Don't be sad..." he tried and gave the hand holding his a soft squeeze, making the other shed even more tears. "No, no I said, don't be sad... No more tears William..."
"You're in no position telling me that..." the dark one objected and looked back down at him, his eyes over flooding and his bottom lip trembling even more than before. "You're leaving me, I have all right to be sad!"
"Nobody's going to leave anyone..." Theodore's smiled and felt his heart skip a beat again, not sure if it actually did it for real now or if it was just something that happened when he looked into those deep eyes. He hoped it was the latter. "Calm down, please... Tell me what happened?" He felt stronger now and the numbing pain from before had almost vanished. He should be alright soon, no worries.
"There was a man from the police station... I recognized him. He shot you in the back..."
"Oh..." It really was the only thing he could say to that. He hadn't been expecting to hear that... He'd thought, at least for a while there, that he might have tripped and fallen? Not gotten shot at... "Is it bad..?"
"You've lost a lot of blood..."
"I see..."
William shuddered and closed his eyes for a moment, looking cold and lonely where he sat and Theodore tried to move his hand and stroke his cheek but... it felt as if though he was lifting it, yet, it went nowhere. "You fell to the ground and my father took my brother and ran for it... my mother followed. I stayed behind with you..."
"Why did you do that..?" The surprise was evident in his voice and it almost made him smile. Why was he even being surprised his friend had stayed? He would have done the same thing for William after all.
"I couldn't leave you..." the dark one admitted and lowered his gaze to the ground. "And the man who shot you, he... ran off. I saw no reason why I couldn't stay with you..."
"And your family..?"
"They're waiting for me... my father called for me but I won't go. They'll have to leave without me. Nothing could make me leave you... this is all my fault. I can't just abandon you when you're injured. Theodore, you're all I've got... please. Don't die on me, alright? You'll make it through this... right?"
"Hey, William..." he smiled and nodded the best he could. "Calm down... of course I'll be alright? One bullet's not enough to kill me, I promise."
The other smiled. "You're a very bad liar, Theodore... has anyone ever told you that?"
He chose not to answer and only looked up at his friend, his vision started to blur up again. He was shaking, William, he must be so cold. "Maybe this would be the time for you to tell them you're staying with me..?" The other nodded and looked up again, towards his family Theodore suspected. "Otherwise they may end up missing their only chance to get out of here..." He started coughing again and his throat felt like it was about to burst. He closed his eyes hard and heard the other gasp and felt him clasp his hand harder. "I'm so glad to have met you William..."
"Shut up..! Don't talk like that... you can tell me when you're all fixed up and better... just rest for now, you'll be fine. You promised..."
"You said I lied"
William's eyes were large and his breath quick, but there was something calm about him still, something strong beneath all that sorrow. "You did" he said and let his right hand stroke a strand of damp hair out of Theodore's face. "But you still promised..."
"I can't feel my body anymore... and I can't see you very well..." He didn't know why he said it. His words sounded harsh and like the words of one who has given up. They would only hurt the other more but... he couldn't lie. He didn't want to lie to him. William shifted and bent closer to him, slowly coming into focus, his brown eyes still large and filled with terror but his movements calm and composed.
"You see me now..?"
"Yeah..." Theodore smiled and enjoyed the warmth from the other's breath against his cold nose. "I can see you clearly now..."
"What do you see?"
"You"
"Please don't leave me..."
"I'll never leave you..." he promised, his own eyes filling up with tears which made it harder for him to see again. He felt the other's fingers dry them away, shaking they were but comforting against his cold skin. They seemed neither hot nor cold now... or maybe it was just his own cheek that had grown cold? "I swear to you... I'll always be here... right here..."
"I know..." the dark one replied and closed his eyes as his tears mixed with Theodore's, dripping down his cheeks to hit the ground beneath him. William leaned closer and rested his forehead against his, the warmth from it almost overwhelming, breathtaking. "I know..."
"William.."
The warm skin was suddenly gone from him and when Theodore looked up, all he could see was blurry colors and tones of grey. He couldn't move and he could scarcely hear. The muffled voice of Mrs Kaplan was soon all around him and he closed his eyes to try and focus on her words, feeling William's hand still gripping his to his heart.
"Sweetheart it's time to go..."
"Mother..." his friend tried, his voice already breaking and Theodore could feel the vibrations in his chest as he spoke. "You cannot possibly ask me to leave him like this... you'll have to go without me.."
"We can't do that" she answered almost immediately, as if she had been expecting that to be his answer. "Your brothers refuse to go..."
"Then make them..? You seemed to be perfectly fine with making me go? And those two you can just pick up and carry onto the boat..."
"I won't do that to them..."
"But to me you would..?!" He was losing his cool and somehow, the deja vu Theodore was having was scaring him. Would she hit him again and force him to go without them saying goodbye? Would she scream and blame him at a moment like this? In a place like this, where they could be discovered and in worst case scenario be killed? Would he let him go... just let his fingers slip away and never touch him ever again..? "I've made up my mind... I'm staying with him"
"He'll die..." she almost whispered, as if fearing what her son would do if he heard those words spoken out loud. "Soon.."
"Not if I get him help!"
"If you get him help they will lock you both up for the rest of your lives..."
"William..." Theodore managed to cough out and smiled as the other one reappeared inside the circle of blurriness where he could be seen. "...I think, maybe... you should listen to your mother this time..."
"No.." the other replied and his eyes widened once more. "No, no no... don't say that... not you too"
"I know you want to stay... William, I would have loved it if you'd stayed... but if I don't make it through this, who will make sure you don't get caught or perish..? I could never forgive myself for leaving you, so... you have to leave me now"
"How can you say that?! How can you ask this of me I..."
"Please..." Theodore interrupted and closed his eyes, his chest hurting for some reason when he tried to breathe. Strange. "Do this one thing for me..?"
"You're asking me to do something impossible..!" William's grip around his hand suddenly hardened. "You say you would never forgive yourself for leaving me than how do you think I would feel if I left you here to die?!" As he spoke, his tears burned Theodore's skin where they hit and the woman walked away, as if she knew there was nothing she could say to make her son change her mind, it was up to the man on the ground to do that. Theodore was glad she left... he felt monitored and judged whenever she was around.
"You're not going to leave me to die... William" he smiled and closed his eyes softly again. There was something sticky near them, causing his eyelashes to almost glue themselves together and they were hard to open again. "But I need you to do this for me... and I promise you, I will not leave, I will not die... I won't give up, William. As long as you don't"
The dark one cried harder, his forehead now resting against Theodore's chest. For some reason the weight seemed to make it slightly easier for him to breathe again and he drew a deep one, clasping William's hand back hard with all his might. The other's free hand curled itself up in his hair, giving Theodore the strangest goosebumps all the way down his neck and out to his fingertips. "Don't ask this of me... please..."
"Then I'll beg it of you, until you let me go..."
William shook his head and looked up, a red mark on his forehead from where he had been resting it against Theodore's body. He was bleeding a lot now. That was never a good sign. "Theodore..."
"I never meant for this to happen..." he smiled and managed to stroke the other's fingers with his thumb. "I never meant to hurt you or anyone you care about..."
"The only one who's hurt is you..."
"And you don't care about me?" he chuckled but regretted it immediately as his throat filled up with liquid, forcing him to cough repeatedly until there was blood trickling down his chin. The other's eyes were wide with terror but he was soon there again, a napkin in hand to dry the blood away. "That won't do any good..."
"It's the only thing I can do..." William sighed and his tears smeared a drop of blood which had landed on his pale cheek. "...the only thing I can do for you..."
"No it isn't..." he objected and blinked slowly, his eyelashes sticking together again. "You have to go, William. That much you can do..."
"But I told you I'd..."
"William" He interrupted, his voice raspy and his vision so blurry he couldn't see his friend anymore. "William.. for me. Please. For me..."
His thoughts drifted now, no matter how hard he tried to stay focused, he couldn't stop himself. He was cold, but still warm. It was like the presence of the other kept him clear, but the more he cried, the more Theodore ended up drifting. He wasn't even sure if what he heard William say was really something that was happening or just a voice he was imagining. He could hear his name being spoken, hear it being cried out but he couldn't respond... he couldn't open his eyes again. He wanted to talk to him longer, wanted to see him smile, hear his laughter. He wanted to smile with him too, pick his brother up and run around in the sun with them, wanted to stay longer... with them. With him.
"I'll be back for you..."
The words made him smile on the inside, made him warm and cozy somehow. William would be back for him, would come back from where ever he meant he was going... Where was it he was going? It all got very cold, very suddenly and Theodore gasped for air, his back hurting as he tried to move, hand freezing and lonely against the hard stones covering the street where William had left it. He was alone in the dark alley now, alone in the darkness. He should blame himself and no one else. He had been the one to tell William to go... Even though he wished he hadn't.
"Theodore!" William's voice was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard and the other's knees hitting the ground even more so. His fingers gripped his hand once more and his presence almost forced Theodore's eyes open again. He couldn't see much but the blurry outlining of the other's face but it was enough to make him smile. "Thank God..." the dark one exhaled and smiled as well, even though his tears were still falling. "Told you I'd be back for you..."
"Where did you go..?" His voice sounded strange and weak but at least he could still speak. The taste of iron in his mouth made him nauseous though, and he had to swallow hard to be able to breathe properly again.
"I went to get you help..." the dark one smiled but there was something in his voice which sounded different from before. He didn't have much time.
"What do you mean..?"
"Theodore, listen to me..." William interrupted and drew closer, his fingers trembling as they gently stroked his cold skin, leaving warm trails behind them as if they had the power to warm up everything they touched. "I... I don't want to leave but..."
"Please..."
"Shut it, I'm talking..." came the sobbing reply and Theodore closed his mouth, wondering if he would ever be able to open it again. "You'll survive this, you hear me? Because you promised me you would... You promised that if I go, you'll survive... right? So I'm going... for you. You said I could do that for you do you remember..?" Theodore could only nod slightly, his head pounding loudly enough to drown out all other sounds, but he focused as hard as he could on the other's voice. "So you promise now, and I... I'll go... So please... never leave. Never. You hear?"
"I hear..."
"Swear it..."
"I swear... cross my heart..."
"Theodore, I'll never forget you, and what you've done for me... for my family... you know that right?" His voice was forced and it sounded as if he was trying to hold the tears back. He really shouldn't need to. The last thing Theodore had wanted was for the other one to lose yet another important person like this... It was all his fault.
"Likewise..." he responded and felt his fingers slowly numbing. Soon, he couldn't feel the warmth of William's hand against it anymore. Typical. His skin had felt so good against his own. "Thank you, William..."
"For what..?"
"For everything you've made me feel this week..." he smiled, his cheeks feeling stiff. Was he really smiling or had he just had that intention and not succeeded? "Everything.."
"Theodore..?" There was panic in his voice again but he was so comfortable that he really didn't feel the need to respond. A tiny voice at the back of his mind told him that might not be his best choice of action, but the warmth still lingering against his arm and his cheek was soft and comforting. He only needed this and nothing else. There was a soft pressure against his entire body, a warmth he had not been expecting, warm fingers against his cheeks, through his hair... against his lips. His lips.
"I love you..." Theodore sighed but there was no answer. Only silence.
"Theodore... No no no, Theodore, can you hear me..?" This was another voice, a darker one. The pressure against his body was still there, but it wasn't warm anymore. Had he left..? He hadn't heard him leave..? He hadn't even noticed...
"William..." he tried to say but it only left him as a whisper.
"No, he's gone.." the man next to him answered, hand reaching to rest underneath Theodore's head. Large hands. "It's Anthony... I'm here now... And I won't go after him. I promise... just stay with me, please?"
"Anthony..?"
"Yes" the older man nodded. His voice was strong but with cracks in it, the sadness flowing straight through them as he spoke. "Now don't speak... I'll get you looked at. Please stay with me, alright? You'll be fine, I'll make sure of it just... just don't speak"
"How did you..?" Talking made him cough but there was not much more he felt he needed to say. His throat burned when he tried to swallow and his body was growing numb more quickly now than before.
"He came running out on the street..." his godfather explained, footsteps vibrating all around him suggesting there were paramedics working on his wound, but he could feel nothing. "...calling for me apparently, did you tell him my name? I wasn't there... but someone went to fetch me, saying that you had been hurt I... Theodore..."
"I only wanted to help..." he responded weakly, already drifting off again, but this time there was no warmth to keep him, no soft hands or fingers through his hair. "...don't hurt him"
"I promise... I won't even send someone after him but Theodore.." His voice was rough now, was he crying? Theodore tried to open his eyes, tried to look into the other's but realized they weren't the eyes he wanted to see... He blinked very slowly and looked straight up at the deep blue blur that was the sky.
"Thank you..." he whispered and made the other one call out for more help, but he could hear no response. "There was a man..." he then mumbled, not sure why. "...he was going to hurt the little boy..."
"I'll find out who did this to you..."
"I won't make it... will I?"
"Don't even ask that! Of course you will... Theodore, you have to make it through this, see? Your mother needs you to, I need you to..."
"I don't need me to..." It was the truth. He had promised, but he had known he couldn't keep it. Anything to get William to safety... Anything. "I don't need me to..."
"Of course you do!"
There was warmth again, no pain, only warmth. The pressure against his body still lingered, a soft nudge of the same kind against his lips. He wondered what his mother would do, and Cassandra. What would be said about him? Would they know what he had done to help a poor family from the slums, or would they learn great stories about his fall in the battle? Just like his father had been made out to be a hero... when all he must have done was cry and wish he had just stayed home that day... He smiled a little, the suffocating feeling almost gone now, the cold air feeling good as it entered his lungs for the last time. Probably. "Tell Steven..."
"Tell him what? Theodore..? Tell him what..?"
