So I got distracted by the start of ArtFight 2023, and then posting of this chapter got delayed by the DDoS attacks on AO3 (I cross post this story there)

But anywho, here is the next chapter.

Also, had to change the date of arrival of the bros to earlier in the year to fit the timeline I have set out. So they crash-landed in June, not September. I edited the previous chapter to reflect this.

Planet: Earth

Location: The Last Chance Garage, Chicago, Illinois

Time: 8th July 1992

After a few days, the bros moved into the Scoreboard, scavenging some old furniture with Charley's help to make the place hospitable. Modo didn't think the move could have happened sooner. Throttle was as tense as a bowstring around Charley, and Modo was sure Charley was picking up on that tensity. She was way too smart not to notice it.

It had really thrown Modo for a loop when Throttle asked him to mind-walk with Charley. At the time, he hadn't thought much beyond Throttle wanting to avoid contact with Charley. But over the next few days, Modo noticed just how distant the mouse was being. He could never describe Throttle as being cold, but there was no other way to say it. He was actively shutting Charley out, and Modo suspected he was doing it on purpose.

The most recent incidents with Limburger could have gone much better. After he had his goons impersonate the bros and kidnap the Mayor of Chicago, they had run into some trouble with Lectromag, his newest Blackrock-imported villain. After taking care of him, they had barely managed to save the Diamond-mart from total destruction by Limburger's excavators. It was then that Charley appeared, dressed as a secretary and missing her heels, and revealed she had snuck into the Mayor's office to find out where Limburger had taken the Mayor. Modo could see how Throttle had bit his tongue to keep silent, but after stopping Limburger's drill and rescuing the Mayor, Throttle had nearly destroyed the already beat-up punching bag in the Scoreboard, ranting about Charley's disregard for her own safety.

His frustration only seemed to mount about a week later, when Charley insisted on trying to defuse a bomb that Karbunkle and Greasepit had used to pin Vinnie to the wall. Throttle had wanted her as far away as possible while they dealt with it, but Charley wouldn't back down. It had resulted in a near screaming match between them before Modo finally had enough and used Lil'Hoss' tow line to yanked the bomb out and toss it away.

And when the Loogie Brothers grabbed her, oh man, Modo was shocked that Throttle hadn't murdered them outright. His bro's fear and panic at the sight of Charley falling from the sky had nearly shattered him, and it was only Vinnie's quick thinking that had ensured Charley didn't become sidewalk-soufflé.

Modo looked up from his task of buffing out his metal arm to Vinnie and Throttle, as the two were currently sparring in hand-to-hand combat. Vinnie had been the one to suggest it, after the umpteenth time of Throttle using the punching bag to near destruction. Throttle swung high and Vinnie ducked, stepping back swiftly.

"So, are we gonna talk about this or are we just gonna watch you destroy yourself?" his white-furred bro grunted.

"Not in the mood, Vincent." Throttle snarled and rushed him, but Vinnie side-stepped.

"This is not gonna help things. We are stuck here. On Earth. With her. You need to come to terms with that and deal with it." Vinnie argued back as Throttle growled and swiped him with his tail, knocking Vinnie's legs out from under him. The mouse deftly caught himself and landed back on his feet, barely bracing himself in time to catch Throttle's fists in his hands to wrestle him.

"What is it you think I've been doing?" Throttle ultimately lost the wrestling and pulled back, grunting as Vinnie landed a solid kick to his middle.

"Oh, I'm well aware of what you've been doing. I'm also aware that Charley doesn't deserve this. You can't be worried about her only to turn around and treat her like shit." His bro was breathing hard, glaring at his friend. "The Throttle I know wouldn't be a coward about this."

"And what is it you suggest I do Vincent? Tell her everything? Explain to her that I know her as my sister, who died 7 years ago and I was unable to stop it? How do I tell her she's going to die because of me?!" Throttle shouted as tears started rolling down his cheeks behind his specs. Vinnie winced at the word 'died', but Modo ignored it as he set the file down and stood.

"Charley didn't die because of you, bro. It wasn't your fault." He said softly.

"She wanted to change the past for us. She wanted a better future for us, for me. If she weren't friends with us, if she hadn't known us, she would still be safe on Earth."

"Bro, have you forgotten what she was dealing with before we arrived? Have you forgotten what happened the night we arrived? Charley's probably been safer since we got here, even with everything that's been happening." Vinnie pointed out, Modo nodding in agreement. Throttle vehemently shook his head, wiping the tears away.

"You don't get it. Charley would never understand. And I can't let her get involved." He marched away before they could say anything more. Vinnie groaned and face-palmed, muttering to himself. Modo turned to his bro.

"What's up with you? Why are you so determined to change his mind?" he asked. Vinnie shared a glance in the direction Throttle had stalked off to and gestured to the door that lead to the Scoreboard balcony. Modo followed him out into the late afternoon sky, which was dark, cloudy and very humid. There was a strange smell in the air, but Modo ignored it as Vinnie leaned against the railing.

"You're…probably gonna think I'm crazy but… Harley and I have had a theory for years now." Modo's ears perked up at the mention of his bro's wife. "We've kept it to ourselves, mainly because we can't say for sure if we're right, and because… we didn't wanna give Throttle and Stoker false hope. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense."

"What does?" he prompts. Vinnie ducks his head before squaring his shoulders and straightening, looking Modo in the eye.

"What if Charley didn't die?"

Modo's eyebrows shot up, but Vinnie continued.

"Think about it, bro! We never found her body, only her necklace. The necklace that Stoker wore for years without losing it in all of the battles we took part in. The necklace that, need I remind you, wasn't broken at all. That thing didn't just fall off her neck willy-nilly and Mace hadn't snapped it off either. On top of that, think about her behaviour in those last few hours bro. Think about what she said to Stoker. She knew she wasn't coming back from that battle." Modo stared at his bro, confused but hopeful.

"Then, if she's not dead, where did she go? Why didn't she come back?"

"That just it. Harley and I believe she did come back. To her own time. Somehow, someway, Charley-girl is still alive and well, and back in the future with us. But for whatever reason, she had to make us believe she was dead to do it." Vinnie turned around to face the field. "You and I both know that Charley girl was smart. I know she survived somehow. We just gotta figure out how."

Modo thought over his bro's words. Try as he might, he couldn't argue with his logic. The circumstances surrounding Charley's death had been off, but at the time, Modo had been too caught up with grief and being there for Throttle to notice them. If Vinnie and Harley were right…

He approached the railing and leaned on it, looking over the field. "You planning on sharing this with Throttle?"

"He's not ready to hear it yet."

Modo couldn't argue with that.

They stood there in silence for a bit before a distant rumble made them jump.

"The heck was that?" Vinnie asked eyes turned to the sky, which had become even darker over the course of their discussion. The crackling of the radio from inside caught their attention, and the bros rushed inside as the heard Charley faintly calling out to them.

"10-17 Guys, you there?"

Modo grabbed the CB radio and held it up. "10-2, what's up Charley-ma'am?"

"We're receiving some intense weather reports. I'd prefer it if you guys got out of HQ and spent the night with me. For safety reasons."

Modo glanced over his shoulder at Vinnie, who rolled his eyes and went off to find Throttle. Modo turned back to the radio. "10-4. Got it, Charley-ma'am. We'll see you soon."

"Thanks, Big Guy. 10-10."

Modo set the radio down and sighed. This was gonna be a long night.

Throttle's mood matched the dark clouds as they rode through the streets of Chicago. He'd had every intention of staying at the Scoreboard, but Vinnie had dragged him out. Lady had beeped apologetically but had not heeded him when he made it clear he did not want to leave. Apparently, Charlene's message on the radio had been enough to worry the bikes.

He didn't get what the problem was. So it was cloudy as hell today, and maybe a little bit windy. So what? They had far worse sandstorms back on Mars, and those came with little warning.

They pulled up to the garage, Charley waiting for them by the open door. "Get the bikes inside guys, wouldn't want them out in this weather." Throttle fought not to roll his eyes.

"Charlene, I don't understand what the problem is here. It's just a few clou—"

A sudden bright flash of light caused the fur on his arms to rise up. The boom that followed was deafening to his ears. His mind was filled with images of laser fire, the sound of bombs, the smell and feel of his mother's blood soaking his hands—

"-et inside! Hurry!" He was pulled back from the sea of dark memories by Charlene, literally pulling him into the garage. Lady followed close behind. "Modo-honey, close the door please?" he noted his bros were in similar states of distress as he.

Modo nearly broke the button with how hard he slammed it. As the door shut, Vinnie spoke up, stuttering. "W-wh-what the hell was that, Charley-girl?"

As his senses returned to him, he noticed the woman was still holding onto his arm. He yanked it away (probably with more force than was necessary) and stepped away, ignoring the look of hurt and confusion he received for his actions.

"Have…have you guys never been in a thunderstorm before?" Her question was followed by another white flash and a resounding boom that seemed to rattle the walls. All three mice froze, but the human seemed totally unbothered by it all. Charlene bit her lip as she watched them. "Guys, it's ok. The flashing is lightning, and the boom that follows is thunder. C'mon, let's head upstairs. You girls alright down here?" the last part was hesitantly directed to the bikes, who beeped gleefully in return. Yet another slap in the face to remind him. Charley had been so natural with the bikes. Charlene practically jumped every time one of the girls moved an inch.

He allowed his bros to lead the way after her, stopping in the living room, where he saw the same set up as the last time they stayed here. She seemed quite prepared. Several blankets lay folded up on the couch, two flashlights were on the table, and pillows were piled on one of the chair.

"You guys go ahead and make yourselves comfortable. Hopefully this will be the worst it—" She was cut off by a sharp flash and boom, and they suddenly found themselves standing in the dark. "Aaaannnnd… there goes the power."

A soft pattering suddenly caught his ears, and he spun to the window. There, before his very eyes, were drops of water, hitting the window.

"Is… is that…?" Modo whispered, soft with amazement.

"Rain…it's…actual rain." Vinnie's gasp of awe followed. They watched the window in silence, staring at the wonder of a world that still held water.

"How…have you guys never seen rain before?" Charlene asked, voice soft like she was unwilling to break the calm.

"Water was one of the first resources the Plutarkians stole from Mars. The last time it rained on Mars, I was…maybe 14 years old." Modo murmured to her. Throttle shut his eyes. He remembered that last rainfall. He had been helping his mother take down their laundry when the downpour hit. His mother had pulled him into a dance, and they had laughed as they got soaked.

The Plutarkians arrived shortly thereafter, and made quick work of sucking up the ponds, rivers and oceans of Mars before aiming for the underground water sources.

Throttle bit back the age-old pain and opened his eyes again as Charlene clapped her hands together. "Whelp, thankfully I had the kettle on before this. Vinnie, could you pass me a flashlight, please? Would you guys' like some tea or hot chocolate?"

"Uh, what's hot chocolate?" Vinnie asked as he grabbed one of the flashlights with his tail and tossed it over to her. Charlene chuckled as she caught it.

"Come help me and I'll show you." She said with a smile, and Vinnie deftly followed. Throttle glared at him as he left. Another flash of light made him tense the rumble of the thunder made him shiver. A hand on his shoulder made him turn to Modo.

"You ok bro?"

"Just…bad memories. Vinnie hasn't been helping matters either."

"You know he's just trying to help bro."

"If he really wanted to help, he'd drop the subject." Modo squeezed his shoulder and moved towards the kitchen to follow Vinnie. Throttle sighed and followed behind. They were just about to enter the kitchen when he heard Charlene talking with Vinnie.

"So, he lost his mom in the war?"

Throttle froze.

"Yeah. Amelia was killed during an attack on his home, Quiet Grove. It tore him up pretty bad. That's the only reason I can think of as to why he's acting like this."

How…dare…he? Throttle's hands curled into fists as his breathing quickened. He stormed past his grey-furred bro, stopping in the doorway. "Vincent. Can I have a word?" If the white-furred mouse knew he was furious, he made no indication of it.

"Sure thing bro. Be right back Charley-girl." Throttle turned and waited for Vincent to pass him, gesturing to the garage.

"Modo. Stay and help Charlene." He stormed after the white furred mouse. As soon as door was shut, he grabbed Vinnie by the bandoliers and slammed him against the wall. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to jumpstart you into getting your head outta your ass." He snarled back, making Throttle grind his teeth.

"You had no right to tell her that." He bit out, slamming Vinnie against the wall harder.

"Well, at least I'm trying to tell her something. According to Stoker, we didn't tell her shit last time." Vinnie growled, glaring at him. "And I'm starting to see whose fault that was."

"Don't you dare -"

"You're so scared for losing her, so your answer is to just treat her like crap and ignore her, again! Need I remind you how that turned out last time?" Vinny spat. "At least I have learned from that mistake, unlike you!"

"Don't push me Vinny!"

"You can't keep treating her like this Throttle. Charley is—"

"She isn't Charley." He released Vinnie's bandoliers as the mouse stared at him in shock. "If I have anything to say about it, she never will be. This is the only way I can keep her safe." He whispered and turned to walk back into the house.

"You shouldn't be Patriarch of the Threemane clan." He paused at Vinnie's scoff. "You're too much of a coward."

Before he even knew what he was doing, his fist struck Vinnie's jaw hard. The mouse hit the table filled with tools next to him hard, clutching at his face with one hand while the other supported him. After a few moments Vincent turned back to him, dropping his hand to reveal the split lip and the spot where his Nuke Knucks cut into his cheek. Throttle controlled his breathing and straightened, pointing a finger at him.

"One word to Charlene about any of this, and I will make sure you spend a week in solitary confinement when we get back to Mars. Understood?"

Vincent glared him, giving a mock salute. "Understood…Sir."

That cut deeper than it should have. Throttle had earned the Rank of Commander in the Freedom Fighters three years ago, but his bros had never acknowledged it, at his request. In his mind, they were bros. He may call the shots most of the time, but rank would never get in the way of their bond.

He left Vincent in the garage to clean up.

Throttle ran as quickly as he could up the hill to the edge of the cliff. He couldn't see her yet, but he could hear her, screaming for him.

"Throttle! Help!"

He gasped for breath as he tripped. He could see her hands, gripping onto the edge of the cliff. Her head poked over them, eye green eyes wide with terror as she reached out to him, desperate. He had to reach her. He had to save her. "Hang on, Charley! I'm coming!"

A hand shot up and grabbed his ankle, making him fall and hit the ground. He looked back and saw the mangled face of Mace, face smashed and covered in blood, his jaw loose and broken as he spoke in a demonic voice.

"Where do you think you're going?" His other broken hand grabbed onto Throttle's leg, gripping tight. "The nightmare is only just beginning." All around them, the ground fell away, until it was just him and the fearsome broken form of Mace on a lone platform.

"Throttle!"

He turned back to see the rock crumbling beneath her grip, and Charley plummet into the chasm below.

"No!"

"Throttle!"

He shot up, tears streaming down his face as he gasped for breath. Soft, familiar hands stroked his hair, settling on his cheeks.

"Easy, easy. You're ok." He looked up into his sister's eyes and sobbed, grabbing her and pulling her close.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I couldn't save you. I should have saved you." He kept repeating, over and over as he buried his face in her torso. He felt her fingers running through his hair, just the way she knew to calm him down. "I missed you."

"Throttle?" Her voice sounded confused. Why was she confused? "I'm…not Amelia."

Amelia? Why would she—?

He dropped the embrace and pulled away suddenly, as Charlene's shocked face watched him. He turned to see Modo and Vincent still passed out on their spots. Charlene bent down to sit next to him, and Throttle shifted slightly so she couldn't touch him.

"Are…are you ok, Throttle?"

"I'm fine." He didn't dare to look at her. He knew he would lose it if he did. He glanced out the window and saw it was no longer storming, just a light drizzle. "Looks like the storm's over. I'm heading back to the Scoreboard." He stood from the cot, grabbing his vest and boots as he went.

"But…it's the middle of the night."

"I can't stay. Tell the bros where to find me in the morning." He slipped his vest on and reached for the doorknob.

"Throttle." He knew he shouldn't, but he stopped and waited. "Vinnie had no right to tell me about your mother. That should have been your story to tell. But…he's just trying to help."

Throttle allowed a single tear to escape.

"I'm sorry, but he can't help. No one can."

He left.

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