Title: E: Earthquake
Summary: Chuck and Ellie get stuck in an earthquake.

He didn't remember what he was doing before the earth started shaking. The only thing he could remember was standing still in fright as everything shook and things started to fall. He remembered his sister Ellie grabbing him and pushing him into the door frame of his room after running in screaming his name. They had stood there for what felt like forever to him at the age of six but was probably only a few moments.

Afterword's he was frightened. Too frightened to leave Ellies side. She had looked down to him, staring him in the eyes and asked him pointedly if he was alright. He couldn't even nod; he just starred up into her eyes, with his wide and didn't reply. Ellie had reached down and wrapped her arms around him holding him tightly and whispering to him that he was alright.

When she let go he watched her as she looked around the room surveying the damage. All his toys and books that were on shelves on his walls had tumbled down and lay in heaps on the floor below them. She tisked a bit at the mess and began to clean it up. Not quite sure what to do himself and still in shock he just followed her example and began to clean up.

Once his room was back into some semblance of order they began to clean the rest of the house. Things lay broken on the floor and Ellie cautioned him to stay away and clean something else. She had tried the phone several times to see if she could reach their parents but the lines were down. Chuck didn't even think about what happened to the babysitter who was supposed to be there with them, the only thing that mattered was that he wasn't alone and that Ellie was nearby.

"Do you want something to eat?" Ellie asked him a little while later. Again he didn't respond just standing right next to her. Ellie watched him concerned and wished that their parents would hurry up and get home, once again trying the phones.

Being the responsible one Ellie walked them into the kitchen and motioned him onto the stool in the breakfast area. She went about making them a light snack/dinner of sandwiches with some chips. She set the plate down in front of him with a glass of milk. Sitting in the chair next with her own plate and glass she stared at him intently as he looked at his own plate.

"Sorry it can't be something else. You know I'm not allowed to cook yet." She said taking a bite of her sandwich. He watched her intently for a few moments as she chewed before picking up a half of his own sandwich and taking a small bite. She smiled at him encouragingly as they ate in silence.

"Eleanor? Charles? Where are you?" Their father's voice shouted a half hour later from the front door. Ellie quickly got out of her seat and waited for Chuck to follow before running into the living room and into her father's arms. "Oh goodness you're fine. Thank the stars. Where is your sitter?" He asked them wrapping his arms tightly around them. They both shrugged.

"You were both here by yourself all this time?" Their father said worried. He looked around the house noting that for the most part it was clean. "At least things were fine here."

"We cleaned up." Ellie told him proudly. "And I fed Chuck. Didn't I Chuck?" she said and he just nodded.

Stephen made them giant ice cream sundaes as a reward for being good, for cleaning the house, and just too generally reward them for being brave and being ok. Ellie was enthusiastic about it and dug right into hers, which had extra cherries, just the way she liked it.

Chuck didn't feel much like ice cream as he picked at it. Normally it was his favorite treat but right now he just didn't feel like eating it. His father kept talking at him, noticing he was quiet but he didn't want to talk. He just kept looking at Ellie as she dug into her ice cream.

Once bed time came Chuck through a fit. There was no other word for it. After ice cream and some TV Stephen Bartowski announced it was bed time and ushered them into their rooms. Chuck quickly changed into his PJ's that somehow ended up under his bed and ran out into the hall in record time and proceeded to go to Ellies room.

"No Chuck. Play time is over go to your own room." His father told him but he stood there outside her door.

Eventually their dad went to pick up him and placed him in his own room, shutting the door only to have it opened right away and Chuck running out. Ellie stood in her doorway at this time watching curiously. He ran over to her and stood next to her.

"I think he wants to sleep with me tonight." Ellie told their dad.

"He's a big boy he can sleep in his own room." Their dad told them both. Ellie gave him a sad look but he was determined. He didn't want to be alone, especially if the earth shaked again. But his father picked him up once more, placed him on his bed and walked out, turning off the light.

Like lighting Chuck was out of bed running for the door. He flipped on the light and turned the knob to find he couldn't open it. He didn't understand, it gave a little bit but wouldn't turn enough to open. After a few desperate attempts Chuck finally gave up, sat on the floor and wailed as loud as he could.

He looked under and saw feet and tried to reach his tiny fingers under to grab them as he sobbed his heart out. He was frightened and he was locked in the room.

Finally the feet walked away only causing Chuck to cry even louder. His pleas and sobs were being ignored, he was scared and he was alone. He felt abandoned and the world was falling apart.

"Sshhh its ok Chuck." Ellies voice whispered from under the door. He quieted a little bit but continued to whimper as he lay on his stomach to look under.

There a few inches away was his sister's eye, and her fingers wiggling underneath reaching for him.

Chuck wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, each on the other side of the door but he felt calmer once his sister was there.

She must have heard their parents coming because she whispered to him that she'll be right back after their parents went to bed and quickly hurried away. Chuck panicked again but held his sobs.

He could hear the feet of his parents walking by and his mother's soft whispers. He heard his name and saw her feet stop outside his door as if ready to open it but his father's voice just as quiet coaxed her away.

The hall light was turned off and soon everything on the other side of the door was pitch black and scary. He wanted to cry again. Once again feeling abandoned.

Until he felt the door open a little bit.

He sat up and moved a little as the door opened a sliver and he heard his sister's voice.

"Psst, Chuck, move over so I can get in hurry." She said to him and he stood up. She quickly came in closing the door quietly and was greeted by Chucks enthusiastic hug as he began sniffling again, about to cry once more.

She led him away from the door and pulled back the blankets on the bed they made earlier and told him to get in.

"Shhh, no more crying Chuck or we'll get in trouble." She told him. He lay down and she ran to turn off the light and ran back to him hopping into his bed.

Chuck snuggled up to her as close as possible as she wrapped the blankets tightly around them.

"I'm glad you came back." He whispered to her, the first thing he said since the earthquake. Ellie gave him a kiss on the forehead and held him tighter.

"I'll always come back for you Chuck. Remember that ok?"

With that they closed their eyes and went to sleep.

A/N: Honestly these are so tiny why do i have such problems writing them? maybe cause its not dark dank and depressing. I'm determined to make these semi cheery.