Chapter 7- Fate's Magic

Well, I'm back after another long wait. I don't have any excuses; you guys know I suck at updating quickly. I started writing this chapter right after my last update, but I got distracted with school and other crap. I'm back now and it seems you guys were really worried about Claire getting hurt or even killed. Would I do that? Okay I might… I hope you weren't too upset about the major drama. I actually think that chapter was my favorite so far. Here's the update!

"Liam, stay back or I'll shoot her!" Lenny demanded, the gun trembling next to Claire's head.

"Liam, get back now!" Charlie demanded keeping his hand tightly groping his wounded shoulder. Liam took a few steps back.

"Lenny, please just let her go so we can talk this over."

"No, I let her go and I lose my only bargaining chip."

"Take me." Charlie said staring into Claire's moist blue eyes.

"Charlie…" Claire whispered to him, letting him know she didn't like the idea.

"Come on Lenny, she has nothing to do with this!" Liam yelled.

"Shut up Liam! Just shut up!" Lenny yelled out pointing the gun at him.

"Why are you doing this Lenny, huh? You are trying to get back at us for kicking you out of…" Lenny walked over to Liam, dragging Claire with him. He put the gun to his forehead.

"One more word and you're dead." Lenny said in a low tone. "All I want is my cut of the money… give me it and I'll leave."

"Leave? How do you expect to leave with our money and not get caught?" Liam asked with anger in his voice.

"Simple… You give me MY money and don't say a thing to the cops." Liam looked away from him. "You called them already didn't you?" Liam didn't answer. "DIDN'T YOU!" Lenny yelled his face a pure red in color.

"Yes…" Liam said regretfully.

"Alright, give me the cash and when the cops come tell them you don't know who I am and you didn't see my face."

"We don't have the cash; it's all in the bank." Charlie said groggily sitting with his back against the wall.

"Okay, where are your car keys?"

"Kitchen table." Charlie answered looking as if he would pass out any second.

"You follow me or tell anyone where I'm going and I'll kill her." Lenny said pointing his gun back at Claire's head. He let go of Claire and pushed her ahead of him, pointing his gun at her back. "Walk." Lenny's back was now turned to Liam, which gave him the perfect opportunity to take him down. He ran up behind him and grabbed his arm that held the gun, so it was pointed to the ceiling. He slammed Lenny against the wall, which made the gun fall to the ground. Lenny pushed Liam against the opposite wall using his left forearm to pin Liam's neck flat against the wall. Liam gasped for breath and Claire stared in horror, she didn't know what to do. Luckily, Liam was able to push Lenny away from him and stagger towards the gun. Lenny saw this movement and reached for the shiny silver gun on the wooden floor. Claire saw a hand grab the gun, but was unable to tell whom it belonged to. The gun rose to face level, Lenny recovered the gun. He pointed it back at Claire, but kept his eyes glued to Liam. "Move, let's go!"

Claire turned her back to the two men and walked toward the stairs. Liam and Charlie watched the two of them disappear down the stairs, but only for a moment.

Charlie managed to stand in obvious pain and walk over to the night stand by his and Claire's bed. He opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a gun very similar to the one Lenny was holding to Claire's head.

"Charlie what are you doing?" Liam asked in shock as he watched his little brother slide bullets into the gun.

"What does it look like Liam? I'm getting Claire back."

"You're gonna get her killed." Liam said following Charlie out of the bedroom.

"What am I supposed to do Liam?"

"Go to the hospital, instead of asking to get yourself killed."

"Then what? Sit there and wait? Come on Liam… I can't do that. I have to make sure Claire's safe. I have to protect her."

"By killing Lenny?"

"If that's what it takes… yeah."

"Charlie, listen to yourself! You sound like a bloody loon! You can't kill Lenny like you did Ethan!"

"Don't bring up Ethan, you know nothing about that!"

"I know you killed him and now you want to kill Lenny… Who are you, because you're not my little brother?"

"Don't say that…" Charlie said with pleading grey eyes as he looked up at his older brother.

"Then give me Charlie back." Liam said in a whisper.

"How?"

"Give me the gun." He said holding out his hand. Charlie looked down at Liam's ghost whit, shaking hand and then at the gun. He swallowed hard and gently placed the gun into Liam's hand, which made Liam envelope him in a tight hug.

"Ugh… Liam, watch the shoulder." Charlie said, eyes scrunched together.

"Sorry!" Liam said quickly releasing him.

"Can we go find Claire now?" Charlie said storming down the stairs.

"Of course." Liam said putting the gun on the bed and walking down the stairs.

They arrived at the bank to see the place surrounded by cops. The two walked over to one of the officers.

"Excuse me…" Liam said getting the man's attention. "Does Lenny still have the hostage, Claire Pace?"

"Yes, and a whole bank full of people. Who are you?"

"Liam Pace and this is Charlie Pace, Claire's his wife."

"Has he been shot?" The officer asked looking at the blood stain on Charlie's shoulder.

"Yes, and he needs medical attention, but he refuses to get any until his wife is safe."

"We're doing everything we can."

"I know…" Liam said nodding his head.

A gunshot could be heard from inside the bank.

"Claire…" Charlie mumbled as Liam aided him to a nearby seat.

"What's going on?" Liam asked the officer he had been talking to.

"It seems the men inside overpowered the suspect."

"What makes you say that?" Liam asked, eyebrows raised.

"Because the hostages are being released." The officer said nodding his head toward the doors of the bank. An officer was escorting Claire out.

"Claire!" Liam shouted gesturing for her to come over to him. Claire ran toward him, giving him a hug.

"Charlie! Why aren't you in the hospital?" She asked letting go of Liam.

"He wouldn't go until he knew you were safe." Liam explained.

"That's so sweet, yet so dumb at the same time." She said smacking Charlie's good shoulder. Charlie didn't respond, which worried Claire. "Charlie." She said looking at his face for some kind of response.

"I'm alive… but my shoulder hurts and I feel like going to sleep for a very long time." He responded in a barely audible whisper.

"I'll go get a paramedic." Liam said hurrying off.

Soon Liam was back with the paramedics who placed Charlie on a stretcher and lifted him into the ambulance. Claire hopped in, and Liam followed close behind in his car.

So, it was a very drama filled chapter, but next chapter will be some good old fashioned fluff. I hope you like it, and don't forget to review… If you don't, then I might do something evil… like another cliffy! AH!

According to the rules for I cannot put review responses anymore. Sorry, but it's the rules… I don't want to get in trouble. So let me just say I love all of you for reviewing! That's not a review response… just a comment. Hehehe!