WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

112. Life is Strange 2 Sean and Daniel 21

Wolf Brigade

Svenne14

Summary:

Daniel did not understand. He was only a child when it happened. Only a child when bombs fell from the sky. Forced to leave home with his brother, someone he has a strained relationship with, Daniel's met with a new world. A new world, and all the evil that comes with it.

Can the Diaz brothers unite as one, to survive the horrors of war?

Notes:

DISCLAIMER!

This is just the "intro" chapter, giving a feel as to how the characters are going to be. Now, that being said...

This fic will have literal WAR in it. Now, considering the... current events (cough, cough), some might think that this is in poor taste. I mean NO OFFENSE WHATSOEVER. If you're easily offended, DO NOT READ!

If you want to read, read...

(See the end of the work for other works inspired by this one.)

Chapter 1: Before The Storm

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Seattle, Washington — 2016…

Daniel Diaz didn't have an easy life. Few people ever spent any time with him, unable to stand his overwhelming excitement over the smallest of things. Not even his family cared for him. At least he felt like that was the case. His mother always worked night shifts, spending most days sleeping. Karen Diaz was her name. A gentle soul. But Daniel always had this feeling that she had many dark secrets.

His father, Esteban Diaz, spent his time downstairs in his precious garage. A place Daniel was strictly forbidden to go under any circumstances. It pissed him off. He's never broken anything down there. However, the last member of the Diaz household did, many years ago. His older brother.

Sean.

Daniel's uncertain of his relationship with his older brother. From an early age, Daniel's felt alone. Like a lone wolf, howling at the blood-red moon. Every time that feeling hit him, making him unable to express what he felt, he wanted his brother to comfort him. Not mom, not dad, just Sean. And every time, every single time, the result was the same.

Sean got angry, annoyed, sometimes even furious. Then, he pushed him away. Sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively. Many times both. It always hurt. Daniel couldn't understand it. Why? Why does Sean hate his guts? He's never done anything bad to him. Just the opposite. All he's ever done is try to get his brother's approval. Just once in his life, Daniel would want to hear Sean say "wow, Daniel. That's awesome. I'm proud of you, little bro." Just once.

But he doesn't. Not only does his older brother ignore him as much as possible, but he's also a shitty brother in general. He never greets Daniel in the morning, well, unless their parents tell him to, but that doesn't count. Daniel never gets any presents from Sean on his birthday. Not even one of his drawings. Daniel once promised himself that when not if Sean gives him a drawing, he would buy an expensive frame for it. He began putting one dollar in a jar, every day until that day would come.

He's not sure about the amount of money in the jar at this moment. But he stopped counting after one-thousand dollars. Nothing makes sense. Sean treats him like dirt, and still, Daniel looks up to him. More than anyone or anything. But why? Sean doesn't care for him. Why should he care about Sean? It doesn't matter. Not like he can just decide to stop doing so.

"Why do you hate me, Sean? I don't hate you." Daniel whispers to himself in the loneliness of his room. From the room across, he could hear laughter. Sean's on the phone with one of his friends again. Who is it? Eric? Lyla? Jenn? Ellery? He doesn't know. It would be nice, he thinks, to have what Sean has. Friends…

But he doesn't. Today, schools across the entire country closed due to the escalating situation in… whateverthefuck, Daniel wasn't listening. Everybody else was already making plans with each other, but nobody invited him. Nobody invited Daniel the lone wolf. Instead, Daniel had to stay home with his brother. Great. He just ruined Sean's plans. What a great way to get him to not hate you. Idiot.

They've been sitting like this all day. In their own rooms, two closed doors separated them. It doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel like two brothers. But he doesn't know what to do. Sean strictly forbids him from entering his room under any circumstances ever. It's a shame. Judging by the few glimpses Daniel's seen, Sean's room is filled with cool stuff. A skateboard, his drawings, a weird pipe that looked kinda cool. But he can't.

Daniel sighs heavily. Then, he's brought back to the real world as the door to Sean's room opens. A couple of minutes passes by before Daniel hears the television. Sometimes, Sean tolerates his presence next to him on the couch. Most times, however, he does not. He's got a really shitty taste, but if Daniel's got to listen to king Theoden screaming "DEATH!" Then that's what he'll do in order to spend some time with his brother. Silent time, but still, time.

Daniel opens the door to his room, trying to be as quiet as possible. He walks out to the living room, seeing his brother on the couch. Daniel briefly stops. Sean's not watching Lord of the Rings. He's watching some slasher movie. It looks scary. Daniel knows this is bound to give him nightmares, but joins Sean on the couch anyway.

"Hey, Sean." Daniel greets his brother, trying to sound happy. It's more difficult than one might think when you haven't been happy for a long time.

"Hmm? Yeah, whatever…" Sean didn't even look at him. Still, Sean acknowledging his presence makes Daniel smile.

"I got you this, Sean," Daniel whispers as he hands over a Chock-O-Crisp to his brother. Sean turns to him, face red-hot with anger. At least until he saw what Daniel offered him.

"Oh. Thanks, Daniel." A small, but genuine smile, followed by a quick pat on the shoulder. It made Daniel feel warm on the inside. It made him feel happy, even if it only lasted a second before Sean went back to ignoring him completely. Still, progress had been made.

The movie was the scariest thing he'd ever seen. Chopped off heads, torture, and god only knows what else. But Daniel endured. These moments were so rare, he had no other choice. When the movie had ended, it is long after midnight. The credits roll as Sean's asleep and Daniel's eyelids begin to feel heavy. He should go to bed, quit while he's ahead. But he's too tired.

Daniel leans his tired head against the shoulder of his older brother. Within a second, he felt like a completely different person. He felt safe, loved, cared for, and protected. Maybe this time, Sean had changed? Maybe Sean's finally accepted Daniel as his little brother?

Yeah… no.

"Uhhh… what- what the hell?" Sean slurs as he wakes up. Upon noticing his little brother's head, resting against his shoulder while the body sleeps calmly, Sean did something. In an act of rage, disgust, and hate, he did something.

"DANIEL! Get the FUCK away from me, you FUCKING BRAT!" Sean screamed while pushing his little brother away. With Daniel asleep, he had no time to react. And the little brother of Sean Diaz, is very little. Blame it on the rage, or Sean misjudging his own strength, but it still happened.

Sean grabbed his brother's shoulders, pushing him away with all his strength. As a result, Daniel went flying, landing face-first on the floor. The five seconds that followed, were the scariest in Sean's life. Daniel didn't move, nor did he make a sound. The same amount of seconds was the most painful in Daniel's life. Physically sure, but that's irrelevant. The real pain could not be seen, it could not be heard. He could only feel it.

"Why- why would you do that, Sean? Why do you hate me so much? I'm your brother, Sean. I'm your brother." The look on Sean's face said it all. He knew that he had gone too far this time. Daniel, however, didn't give a shit. He ran back to his room, locking the door behind him, not giving a shit about his bleeding nose.

Everybody hates him. Mom hates him. Dad hates him. Sean definitely hates him. The world hates Daniel Felipe Diaz. He's not sure which he hates the most. The world, or himself. Nobody gives a shit about him. He's got nobody to turn to. He's all alone. That night, Daniel Diaz cried himself to sleep. Silent sobs while trying to stop his nose from bleeding. Sean had done mean things to him before. But he had never been violent towards him. This proves it.

Sean's not to be trusted. He's a lost cause. In the midst of tears, Daniel swears to himself. He swears not to waste any more time with Sean. He swears that he'll move on. Daniel tells himself that he doesn't have a brother.

However…

Little did he know, just how much his life was about to change.

Notes:

So, this is my new attempt at a story. I have yet to decide whether Daniel should have powers or not, but I guess time will tell. I also took the liberty of completely rewriting Sean and Daniel's relationship. In this story, they're not close at all. This is something that I will go deeper into at a later point.

Depending on how this is received, I might turn it into another "long-fic". Just keep in mind that this is just the "prologue". Chapter 2 or 3 is where things are gonna start happening.

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

His approval.
You long for it.

His time.
You want it.

His comfort.
You need it.

His love.
You crave it.

Your brother.
You need him.

Approval.
He never gives it.

Time.
Not for you.

Comfort.
Not his job.

Love.
Hate.

Your brother.
He doesn't need you.

Chapter 2: Judgment Day

Summary:

He can't understand, nor should he ever have to. Daniel Diaz is just a child. Nothing could prepare him for this. Absolutely nothing.

Notes:

Read tags, stuff's about to get real.

EDIT: This chapter now has a music cue. Play it VERY LOUD! Trust me...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Inside Daniel Diaz's distant dizzy dreamland…

Sometimes he dreams, and sometimes not. He's not sure if he likes it or not. Nightmares he hates, obviously. But dreams, just… regular dreams. Daniel had a love-hate relationship with them. He could dream that Sean's the best brother in the world, playing with him, talking to him, and just… being with him. In his dreams, Sean told him "the story of the wolfbrothers" every night before bed. Daniel had christened himself "The Lone Wolf" in real life because the Sean he knew would never do something like that.

However, tonight is not a night of Sean-related dreams. It is not a night of emotional trauma making itself known. Nor is it a night of nightmares, which is weird because it would be kinda fitting. But either way, it's not.

Daniel finds himself in the middle of the desert. To his right, left, and behind him, lies nothing but sand. His bare feet are red with blisters from the scorching hot sand as he stands there in his Hot-Dog-Man pajamas. Of course, because dream-logic. Daniel rolls his eyes at the stupidity of it all. In front of him, however, lay a wall. A massive wall, nothing but thick steel and concrete.

He knew that he had to get through.

How he became aware of it, he couldn't tell. But somehow Daniel knew that he was… gifted. Special. He had powers. Powers to tear this wall down. Daniel slowly pulls his hands towards his chest, believing it to be a decent way to charge… it. Then, he pushed his arms out quickly in the direction of the wall, bringing it down within less than a second.

He did it. He should feel victorious. Why does he feel worried? From nowhere, a sound appears. A loud, high-pitched, whistling sound. But Daniel's not whistling, and he's the only one here. The sound gets louder and louder, coming closer and closer every second. What is that? Weird. It almost sounds like it comes from…

Above him?

BOOM!

Daniel woke up with a startle, jumping out of the bed, only to immediately crawl back in under the covers. That sound. He's never heard it for real before, but he's seen enough movies to know what it was.

A bomb.

Here, in Seattle? No, it was just a dream. But it felt so real. It sounded so real. But- but- it can't be real, right?

"Dude, get a grip. Just a dream. Even your own head works against you. Go back to sleep." Daniel whispers to himself. However, he's not going back to sleep. Before he knows what happened, Sean bursts through his bedroom door with a panicked look on his face.

"DANIEL?! DANIEL?! WAKE UP, WAKE THE FUCK UP! WE HAVE TO GO, NOW!" Daniel, however, doesn't hear the words, coming out of his brother's mouth. All he hears, is Sean screaming.

Screaming at him. Again. Daniel hated Sean for making him bleed earlier tonight, but he knew that Sean didn't mean for it to happen. Still, it had been the final straw. Barging into his room like this in the middle of the night, that's something else. Here, Daniel's scared of his older brother. He hides under the covers, knowing it to be useless.

"Daniel! Get up!" Sean pulls away the covers, removing what little safety Daniel felt like he had. There's something about his big brother's look. Something about it makes Daniel uncomfortable in a way he can't quite describe.

"Piss off, Sean," Daniel says decisively, turning his back on Sean while pulling his knees to his chest, doing his best to not cry.

"Getupgetupgetupgetuuup!" Sean chaotically shouts at him. It takes everything in his being to remain strong and ignore his psychotic brother. However, when Daniel did not react, someone else got him to. That someone, being his father.

"Daniel, Hijo! Get up, NOW! I'm fucking serious!" Something clicked in Daniel's mind. His father never swears. Like, never ever. Whatever this is, it must be serious. Daniel turns around, only to see his father equally panicked as Sean. He decides to do what he's told, saving questions for later.

"Sean? Are you ok? SEAN?!" Esteban shouts at his oldest son. The fact that he wasn't ok was all too clear.

"Mhm- ye- yeah- sure, dad." Sean could barely speak. He's never seen him like this. What the hell's going on?

"Sean, listen to me." Esteban continues to speak to Sean, in a more calm manner.

"I have to go and-" Esteban goes silent, briefly looking at Daniel.

"I have to go and pick up your mother from work. Do you understand, Sean?" Daniel's never seen his father this serious. He's almost intimidating.

"No- no, dad. Please-" Esteban holds up a finger, silencing Sean. Please don't WHAT? Why won't anybody ever tell him anything?

"You need to look after your brother, Sean. Protect him." Just listening to his father's instructions makes Sean a sobbing mess. For Daniel, it only creates confusion.

"I- I can't, dad. I just… can't." Daniel could see his father taking a deep breath, preparing his response, however, before he could say anything, a deafening explosion caused the earth itself to shake, and the Diaz family to fall to the floor. If it wasn't official before, it was now.

It wasn't a dream. It was real. Very real.

Daniel's in a state of shock. He's standing on all four, shaking like a leaf, and all he hears is a loud ringing sound. A ringing sound that not only drives him mad but is eerily similar to the one from his dream. He's not sure how much time passes by. Whatever concept he's had of anything evaporates into thin air.

Then…

From nowhere, he felt a pair of hands grabbing his own two firmly. It got Daniel to snap out of his trance. He looked up, expecting to see his father. Instead, he saw Sean. Looking at his older brother's face, he didn't think about the pain that Sean's caused him. Nor did he think about the time he's wasted, trying to get his approval. Daniel didn't think because Daniel was unable to think. Unable to even function as a human being.

He could see Sean's lips moving like he was trying to say something. But Daniel didn't hear it. All he heard, was ringing. His head feels like it's about to explode. However, from one second to the other, it just… disappeared.

"DANIEL!" He jumps back a bit, startled by his brother's voice. Noticing that Daniel's back to being somewhat normal, Sean attempts to calm down. He kneels next to him, looking into his eyes for what feels like the very first time.

"Daniel. We have to go. I'll explain everything later, promise. But now, we need to get out of here, please." Daniel can't even speak, settling for a few shaking nods. Then, he stands up on wobbly legs, walking over to his wardrobe. If they're going away for a while, he sure as hell ain't doing so in his pajamas.

He's not sure what he heard first. Hell, he's not even sure any of it was real. A door getting kicked in. Gunfire. Lots and lots of gunfire. Between whom, he did not know. Screaming. Loud, painful screaming, shilling to the bone. A pair of familiar arms grabbed him, followed by the sound of a window breaking. Was any of that real? Maybe, maybe not. However, Daniel knew one thing. What he saw when Sean ran through the streets in panic, carrying his little brother in his pajamas…

That was very real.

Daniel wanted to bury his face in Sean's chest, sparing himself from witnessing the horrors. But he didn't dare to. He couldn't trust Sean. The problem was that he couldn't trust himself either. Daniel couldn't trust himself not to look. Now, those sights are forever etched into his retina, never to disappear or fade away.

Giant pillars of smoke emanating from houses he used to go play at. Marching the streets were military convoys. Soldiers, tanks, trucks, everything. And they weren't American soldiers either. The flag, Daniel hadn't seen before, but he didn't care. All around him, new signs appeared. Planes, far up in the sky, dropping dozens of bombs. All of them landing, and exploding, in the city Daniel lives and loves.

War.

Everywhere, people screamed. Some of them were fast and got away. Most of them, however, did not. Middle-aged, old, young, teenagers, children, even babies. All of them were shot dead in the streets like they didn't matter. So much blood, so much panic, so much chaos. Daniel wants to stop looking, but he can't. He's unable to take his eyes off this sickening ordeal. He wants to scream, needs to scream. But he can't. Daniel can't make a sound. It's all too much for him.

He's only nine. A child. An innocent child, whose biggest issue five hours ago was getting his brother's approval. Now, he's getting carried by the brother he thought hated him. They're both terrified, witnessing their city getting blown to shit. Daniel could feel the rapid breaths of his brother as he ran through Seattle, carrying Daniel in his arms.

He took no break. No matter what horrors they witnessed, how many fires were blocking their path, he never stopped. Sean kept running, attempting to get as far away from here as possible. It wasn't until they reached a forest on the outskirts of Seattle, were Sean stopped running.

Literally.

While at the top of a hill, Sean stumbled on a rock and fell flat on the ground. He lost his iron hold on Daniel, giving him a hard landing on the ground. Neither brother spoke. They didn't move, nor acknowledge their pains. Daniel, too shocked, unable to comprehend what just happened. Sean, too exhausted after running at full speed for hours while carrying his little brother.

After a small eternity, Daniel forces himself to stand. He doesn't want to do this, but he needs to. He walks towards the edge of the cliff, staring out across the abyss. He's been here before, many times. It's a beautiful place with a great view over the entire town. You can see everything. Their house, the school, mom's job, the hospital, everything. Well, at least you used to be able to see all of that.

Daniel gasps as he looks across Seattle. His hometown. Everything that has ever meant something in his life, happened here in Seattle. He feels tears pouring down, but he does nothing to stop it. What he sees right now, it isn't Seattle. This isn't the town he knows and loves. This can't be the same town as the one he learned to ride a bike in. and it sure as hell isn't where a girl once kissed him. HIM! Daniel, the lone wolf. His eyes only see one thing.

A war-zone.

Daniel stands frozen like a Popsicle, staring at the fighter jet in the sky as it dropped its load. He could make out one large, black object. It dropped from the plane, down towards the very center of Seattle. Faster and faster. Call it an instinct, or maybe just a gut feeling, but Daniel suddenly knew that there was only one thing to do. He turns around to look at Sean, the latter has just stood up. There's no time to explain.

"SEAN, GET DOWN!" Daniel screamed, but Sean's too exhausted, too out of it. He barely reacted. Daniel ran towards him, using every pound of his small frame to tackle Sean to the ground.

So he did.

The brothers went down hard, tumbling down a slippery slope on the other side of the cliff. The side that didn't face Seattle. The very second they reach the ground, Daniel covers his older brother's face with his own body. Then, Daniel pressed his eyelids together as hard as he could, while covering his face with both of his hands. The very second he pressed his head into the ground…

It was the most surreal experience in his young life. Words could never give it justice.

At first, everything surrounding him went silent. The fighter jets in the sky, gone. Birds, dogs, bees, everything, gone.

Then came the sound. It was nothing like an explosion. Just this one, massive, barrier of sound. Daniel thought his eardrums would pop. He screamed. Louder than ever before. And yet, he never came close to hearing himself screaming. But the worst was still to come.

An enormous shockwave, destroying everything in its path. Daniel had always been afraid of storms. But he'll gladly take a million storms before having to endure something like this. And then, the "what the actual fuck" factor, went up to a thousand. He only saw it for a couple of seconds. But he already knew that he would never be able to forget.

His eyes closed, covered by his palms. His head, buried in Sean's shirt as his brother had hugged him tightly during the blast. This, if anything, was surreal.

It felt like looking at an x-ray. At least, in some sense. Radiation from the shockwave, made Daniel temporarily see through the skin of his closed eyelids. Instead, he saw the literal bones of his hands, clear as day. It freaked him out. Daniel removed his hands, only to end up looking at Sean's ribs going up and down at an alarming rate. Then it disappeared.

What the fuck just happened?

The deafening sound begins to fade away, the effects of the shockwave do the same. Sean slowly releases his little brother from his grip, letting him roll off of him to the ground. Each brother lies there, next to the other. Both, are unable to speak, unable to move, unable to understand. Simultaneously, they open their eyes, looking at the sky above.

They didn't understand what was going on. But they did understand one thing. That giant mushroom cloud, covering the entire sky? It means that Seattle is gone. Mom, dad… they're both dead. Everyone they have ever known… dead.

"Sean?" Daniel whimpers in silence while pointing to the dark-red cloud of death. Sean, in his first-ever act of being a good brother, grabbed his hand. However, he found it impossible to look away from the cloud above them.

"I know, Enano. I know." Two young brothers lay there. Two brothers with an almost non-existent relationship. Two brothers, now bonded as one, through the horrors of war.

Notes:

Well, now the story has officially begun. As you can probably tell, I'm kinda going "all-out" with this one. And yet, I have barely begun, in more ways than one.

I have purposely avoided mentioning any specific country as the one doing the invasion. For now, I'm keeping it like that.

Daniel's experience regarding the nuke/x-ray thing is something I remember reading somewhere long ago. Soldiers "back in the day" experienced the same thing. If that's true or not, I have no clue.

One more thing. You know how in movies people say that "anything but an on-screen death means that someone can be alive?" Well, the same goes here at the moment...

Remember, I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

You fall asleep.
Everything is normal.
You wake up.
And nothing is.

Bombs.
Bullets.
Blood.
Guts.

They're here.
War is here.
Judgment day is upon us.

Run.
While you still can.
Do it now.
Before they catch you.

RUN!

Chapter 3: Aftermath

Summary:

Sean and Daniel survived the blast. Now, they have to leave the remains of Seattle behind. Along the way, Sean slowly begins to wonder if maybe, just maybe, he hasn't been the best brother to Daniel.

Notes:

This chapter is from Sean's POV. As always, tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Many hours later…

Was it night or day? Sean couldn't tell. The blood-red cloud of death, the one that wiped out his home, his friends, and his parents. That cloud of death. Its remains brighten the sky in ways not even the most horrific nightmares could. Sean was no expert by any means, but he knew they had to get as far away from the blast zone as possible. Although any soldier that tried to shoot them is reduced to less than dust, there are far more dangerous things here.

Something you cannot see, cannot hear. Supposedly, you should be able to taste it. At least if the dosage is lethal.

Radiation. An invisible poison, accompanied by a metallic taste. From there, things only get worse and worse. A fate Sean has no intentions of suffering. He stands up, looking at his brother. Looking at that small child. Daniel stares emptily at the sky, face red with tears.

"Daniel, we gotta go." At least he thinks that's what he tells him as he offers him a hand. His ears are still ringing, so he can't hear shit. Daniel grabs his hand, standing up on his feet. Shit. What the hell happened back there? Daniel's not even wearing any shoes. He's- he's still in his pajamas, for fuck's sake.

They begin a slow walk alongside an empty road. A road, usually packed with cars heading in both directions. Now, it's empty. Completely empty. Hell, not even the lights seem to be working. It's a fucking ghost town. The longer they get from the blast, the colder it gets. On the upside, the ringing stopped. At least that's something. The downside is, Sean began to realize the magnitude of the situation.

Parents, dead.

Friends, dead.

Brother… alive.

Contrary to popular belief, Sean didn't hate his little brother. However, he didn't love him either. To him, Daniel Felipe Diaz kinda just… was. He existed. Sometimes, Sean accepted it. Others, he hated it. He never accepted, nor hated, Daniel the person. He knew that he was an asshole at times. But Daniel could be a real pain. The kid constantly bugged him, invading his privacy. Almost like he wants Sean to pat him on the back, telling him "wow, Daniel. That's awesome, and I'm so proud of you."

Sean always felt like they had nothing in common, other than the same parents. Daniel seemed to like him. Why, Sean couldn't tell. Sean's shy, not very confident, and the definition of an introvert. As a result, he has few friends. Only Lyla is a real, true friend to him. Daniel, however, radiates confidence, is anything but shy, and everybody loves him. That kid should have plenty of friends. So why is he so obsessed with him?

A part of Sean always wanted to just ignore his little brother. Push him away, letting him live his own life while Sean does the same. To some extent, he did it. But he always had that second part. The one, keeping him from completely pushing Daniel out of his life.

The big brother heart, the instinct if you will. It told him to love him, care for him, comfort him, talk to him. It told him to be a big brother. Sean, on the other hand, told himself it was too much work. And now, he's starting to regret it. He's stuck in this war zone. Stuck with a child he barely knows. But Sean's got zero doubt, this child knows everything about him. The realization makes him dizzy. Sean drags a palm down his face as he looks at his brother.

At least Sean had enough time to pack a few of his things in a backpack. Daniel, not so much. Dragging behind him is a tired boy, wearing a Hawt-Dawg-Man pajamas. His feet are bare, and every step hurts more than the last. Every step, drawing slightly more blood from his swollen feet. His blue pajamas have red lettering that reads "work hard, mustard big!"

"Yeah, Daniel. You worked hard. You really did, little bro." Sean thinks to himself while approaching the sad figure. The image in front of him causes great pain to Sean. He feels like a failure. But he can't have failed as a brother, right? Daniel looks up to him. If he does, then Sean must be doing something right. Right?

"Daniel, I think we should stop. Get some rest and-" Sean tries to take his hand, but Daniel pulls back in anger.

"Fuck off, Sean." He bit down hard. The chaotic night they've just had is bad enough. This, however, is a situation where Sean would usually scream at Daniel. Sometimes, he'd even chase him around the house. And it wasn't for fun. He never caught him, and thinking back, it was probably for the best. Sean's anger gets the better of him sometimes.

"Ok then. Could you just follow me, Daniel? Please?" Sean points towards the forest.

"Whatever…" The boy tried to sound angry, tried to sound tough. That much Sean could give him. Now, Sean may not have paid attention to these signs since Daniel was a toddler, but it didn't take much if he was to be honest. The voice. Angry at first, high-pitched at the end. Daniel's eyes. At first, deadlocked onto his own. He could see them pressing back the tears with all of their might. His brother's head, and how it turned away from him before he'd finished speaking. Daniel's on the verge of a breakdown. And if that happens…

What the actual FUCK is he supposed to do?

Sean's never comforted his brother. At least not since he learned how to walk on his own. How the fuck is he supposed to do it here? Hours after they've been nuked by country whateverthefuck, and nearly shot to death on multiple occasions. For the first time in hours, Sean's the one to walk behind Daniel. Eventually, they reach the forest. When Daniel feels that they're somewhat safe, he sits down, leaning against a tree. Well, not sits down as much as he just… drops down. Exhaustion, pain, shock, fear. Everything. It affects people like Daniel the most during a time of war. People like Daniel.

Children.

Meanwhile, Sean sits down. He's distancing himself quite a bit from his brother. Is it out of habit, perhaps? But deep down, Sean's afraid. Terrified. Horrified. Make no mistake about it, had Sean been given the chance to bring back one parent or friend to life at the price of Daniel's, he'd take it. Without even hesitating. But, it wouldn't be for the reason most people would believe.

Sure, Sean could definitely use someone right about now. The calming presence of his loving father, the comfort of his intelligent mother. Or, maybe just the smart-ass antics of one Lyla Park? Either way, Sean himself would be fucked, and he knows it. At least in the long run. However, he would gladly sacrifice his brother to bring someone back from the other side. That way, he'd be doing the kid a favor. Daniel would be spared from the horrors of war, going away fast, feeling no pain. But that's not an option. Mom, dad, Lyla, they're all dead, never to return. Sean's afraid.

Daniel.

Well, he's not afraid of Daniel. The kid's more innocent than anyone. But that's just the thing. Innocent. What would this do to him? How would he handle it? And how would Sean handle him? Could he even handle Daniel? As it turns out, that question was put to test immediately as Sean heard something. The sound of rapid breathing, followed by small hiccuping sobs. Heartbreaking sobs attempted to be held back, only to fail and sob even more. The source of those painful sounds was sitting against a tree to Sean's left.

Shit. It's happening. He broke. SHIT!

Sean doesn't know what to do. Daniel desperately tries to muffle his crying, hiding it from him. Sean could just ignore it, pretend to be asleep. It worked for him so far in life. Besides, what else would he do? He can't tell him that everything will be alright because it won't. Everything won't be alright, because "everything" is bombed to shits. Sean tries to ignore it, boy does he try. But the sound of Daniel sobbing is so painful, so helpless. And the worst part is, he feels the same. He sighs loudly before standing up to approach his brother.

He sits down next to Daniel silently. Sean hoped that Daniel would initiate some sort of conversation since he's the talker of the two of them. But all he does is cry. What should he do? This is something new to Sean. He feels lost. He tries to remember what his father did to comfort him as a child. But thinking about his father almost causes him to cry on the spot.

"You wanna… talk about it, Daniel?" Sean says in the most awkward way possible. Daniel seems a bit taken back by the question, removing his hands from his face.

"Those- those people, Sean? On the streets? They were-" He's not sure why, but Sean interrupts him.

"Yes, Daniel. They were." He could see how Daniel's small body began to shake as his breathing increased rapidly.

"But- but- they were our neighbors? Why would someone do that, Sean?" Well, if that ain't the question of the fucking millennium?

"I don't know, Daniel." A look forms on his younger brother's face. A look of horror, and fear.

"Sean? Mom and dad, are- are they-" Maybe it was the big brother intuition he had buried deep within him or was it the way Daniel slowly broke into pieces in front of his eyes? Does it even matter? Either way, Sean pulled his little brother towards him, embracing him in a comforting hug. Daniel had wanted this Sean to appear for as long as he could remember. Now when he finally did appear…

Daniel pushed him away.

"NO! Don't you fucking touch me! You're lying! Liar, liar, LIAR!" Daniel screams while violently breaking away from Sean's embrace.

"Daniel, calm down-" Ok, rule number one. Whenever someone's pissed, do not, under any circumstances, tell them to calm down. Especially not a young child who's just lost his parents in a war that came out of nowhere. Daniel ceased to move, staring into the eyes of his older brother as he spoke with a calm voice. Calm, yet painful, and almost threatening.

"Fuck you, Sean. All I ever wanted was for you to not hate me. For you to spend some time with me every now and then. For you to talk to me. All I ever wanted Sean… was a big brother. But instead, I got you. I know everything about you, Sean. But you don't even know who I am. I wish you died in that blast. Fuck you, Sean. Fuck. You." Daniel unleashes a decade worth of disappointment and sadness as he finally reaches rock bottom.

"Daniel, you- you don't mean that-" Sean choked on those words as he realized how much they truly hurt. But it was too late. Daniel had already moved away from him, sitting in the distance with his back turned at Sean.

Fuck. Is this parenting?

No seriously, is it?

Fucking hell…

Sean makes a mental note that whatever happens in his future, he shall never become a father. A few minutes later, Sean gives in to the exhaustion as he falls asleep.

Sean awoke with a startle. The loudest explosion this side of the nuke woke him up. Five seconds passed before he realized that it was just the thunder. Normal, completely harmless… thunder. By the look of it, it's still night. Back to sleep it is as he closes his eyes.

Wait…

There it is again.

The sound. Those heartbreaking sobs. Only this time, they're not muffled. He turns around to look in the direction Daniel's supposed to be. His brother lays there, back still turned against him, and he cries. Loudly. His entire body shakes like a leaf about to be taken away by this very storm. Sean hasn't made a sound and could easily ignore him without him ever knowing it. Considering how last time went, it's what he's going for.

"No, no, no. Please. Help me, help me, help me." Sean froze as he heard Daniel whimper in the dark. Is it just a nightmare?

"Daniel?" Sean whispers only for Daniel to go completely silent. Sean's decided. He's not ignoring him. He scoots closer to Daniel, sitting next to his brother, the latter lying on the cold and wet ground.

"I know I've been an asshole, Daniel. But whatever you may think, I never hated you. Not for a second. It's just… complicated, I guess. But it's ok to be sad, and it's ok to cry." Sean tries to remember what his psychiatrist used to tell him. Well, one of the few good ones at least.

"Don't bury your emotions inside, Daniel. It's easier, sure. But it's… not good for you. It's better to just let it all out. Trust me, I know." Daniel sits up right next to Sean. It almost seems like he's considering his options. For the moment, the crying has stopped. Meanwhile, Sean awaits the next move. Another fit of rage directed at him, or would his little brother break… again?

The latter.

Very much the latter.

Sean saw the signs coming from a mile away.

"I'm scared, Sean. Mom and dad are gone, they're- they're dead, Sean. Dead." Sean bit his tongue to avoid tears himself.

"And- and I'm so scared, because there's this forest, and- and it's so dark. And thunder, Sean, I'm so scared of- of thunder. I hate it. I don't know what's going on. All I know is that I wanna go home. But I have no home, and everyone's dead, my feet hurt, I'm cold, and- and-" He let Daniel ramble for as long as the boy could. He let his brother vent. When he appeared to have hit a wall, Sean put an arm around him.

This time, Daniel did not break away in anger. Instead, his little brother slowly leaned into his chest. Sean put both his arms around him, hoping that Daniel could find some sense of comfort in it. He tried to think of something soothing to whisper in his brother's ear, just like dad used to do. But he couldn't think of anything. Daniel's a child, sure. But Sean's not exactly an adult either. He's sixteen. Sixteen. Old enough to understand the concept of war, along with the consequences of it. But too young to handle the experience itself.

Maybe you never get old enough for that?

For a lack of things to say, Sean rubs Daniel's back, over and over again. He hugs him tightly as Daniel whimpers the same hurtful words repeatedly.

"I hate you, Sean. I hate you so much." It hurt just as much every time Daniel said it. But Sean always gave him the same answer.

"I know, Enano. I do too." Eventually, Daniel stops crying. His body feels more relaxed, instead of the trembling mess from before. Sean, however, keeps him in his hold. If this makes Daniel feel better, he can stay like this for the time being.

"Sean?" Daniel sniffles while crawling up from Sean's arms.

"Yeah, Daniel?" Just the sight felt so sad. Somewhere deep inside, Sean starts to realize what he's missed out on. His brother, so full of life, a sparkle of joy and pure energy. All of it, gone. And Sean never appreciated it. He never taught Daniel how to draw. Hell, he's pretty sure he never even made a drawing for him. Neither did he listen to one of Daniel's stories, told with the utmost excitement and joy. Now, it's too late. That version of his little brother's gone. Replaced by a broken brother.

"What does Enano mean?" Uhm… shit. Sean's a shitty liar, always has been. But Daniel giving him those puppy eyes, not knowing that he's in for another heartbreak? Fuck…

"Well, it means- it means-" God. Sean could see a small sparkle in Daniel's eyes. He probably expected it to mean something cool, like "king" or "wolf" or… whateverthefuck.

"It means dwarf, Daniel," Sean says with defeat in his voice. He felt ashamed. He looked away, not daring to see his brother break once more. A moment of unbearable silence followed.

"Hmm… dwarf? Well, I still like it, Sean. Enano…" Daniel says while giving him just a tiny hint of a smile. Maybe the brother he grew up with isn't completely gone after all? Sean embraces his brother, this time not because he needs to, but because he wants to. A completely new emotion for him.

"Daniel? Shit, you're shaking. What's wrong?" Only now did he realize it. Sean's wearing a T-shirt with a hoodie on top of it, and a pair of jeans. And he thinks it's fucking cold out here. Daniel, a nine-year-old boy in his thin pajamas and no socks or shoes? Shit. He must be freezing.

"I'm so cold, Sean. So cold. And- and my feet hurt, really bad. Do something, please." Daniel's shivering like crazy. Poor Sean doesn't know what to do. First things first. For now, he'll check on his feet.

Ok, that would've been better saved for last.

"Oh, fuck!" Sean exclaims without thinking properly. Immediately, Daniel looked at him with eyes widening in terror.

"What? Is- is it bad, Sean?" Yes and no. It's bad, but not "bad" bad. But he doesn't want to frighten his brother.

"No, no, Daniel. Not at all. I just- thought you wore shoes, it's all." Great, Sean. Remind him of what a shitty brother you are by not packing any of his stuff. Sean looks in his backpack for something of use. Flashlight, water bottle, and some gauze. That's step two. First, he'll have to get through step one.

"Ok, Daniel. I need you to lie down, and try to relax, ok? And just so you know, this will hurt. Be brave, Enano. You can do it." Daniel gives him a frightened nod of approval. Lacking anything he might use as a tool, Sean's forced to manually remove debris out of Daniel's feet with his bare hands. Scrap metal, glass shards, and fuck knows what else.

At first, Daniel's entire body tensed up. Turns out his little brother's a lot tougher than he thought. Then, his breathing increased. Then he began to cry. All of that, Sean could handle. What he couldn't handle, however, was when Daniel started to scream. Screaming in pain, begging Sean to stop what he was doing. Sean, feeling like he had no other choice, held Daniel's leg, preventing him from crawling away. He did his best to block out the screams, the cries, and the pleading.

It didn't work.

After what felt like weeks, Sean's confident that every piece of debris has been removed. He acts quickly before Daniel's able to calm down and clean the wounds. And there were a lot of them. Deep cuts, varying in size and depth. Some of which were still bleeding. Sean used the small amount of water they had to clean them up and finished it off by wrapping gauze around his brother's bloody feet. By the time he let go of Daniel's legs, the gauze was more red than white.

"There, Daniel. It's over. You did it. I'm proud of you, little brother." Sean says with a weak smile, attempting to look strong. He would never be able to forgive himself for causing his brother that much pain. Those screams would haunt his nightmares until the day he died, only to follow him to the deepest depths of hell and beyond.

"Really?" Daniel had trouble getting the words out. He hyperventilated, both face and body soaked in sweat.

"Do you-" He desperately tries to breathe.

"Do you really mean it, Sean? Do you?" Sean's done a lot of shitty things to his brother over the years. He's ignored him, threatened him, tried to hurt him, recently he succeeded at that. But he's never lied. A shitty brother he might be, but a liar he is not.

"Of course, I do, Daniel." Sean pulls his brother up, letting him lean against his shoulder while they're sitting against a massive tree.

"I'm still cold, Sean." Daniel whimpers. Sean felt it. Daniel's hands were like ice cubes. Then again, Sean feels like one single ice cube.

"Oh…" This creates two very different paths in Sean's head.

On one path, is the easier choice. Do what Sean Diaz always does best. Not giving a shit about his brother. Let him freeze and maybe, maybe not, risk serious illness, while you only freeze a little.

On the second path, is the difficult choice. But also, the one true choice. The brotherly choice. Daniel could get very sick, spending this much time outside while wearing next to nothing. Sean could at the very least give him his hoodie, along with a pair of socks. Sean's bound to freeze either way, but Daniel? That hoodie would be like one giant blanket around him, warming him up good, eliminating any possible risk of getting sick. But then, Sean would have to spend the night a shivering mess.

No. Who's he trying to fool here? It was never even a choice. This is war. And war forces people to make sacrifices. Some big, some small. Some newsworthy, others not. However…

Sean Eduardo Diaz is too young to go to war.

Therefore, he goes with the first option. He lets his little brother freeze while pretending to not have a solution to his problem.

"S- Sean? It's so cold. Can't I have your hoodie? Please, Sean? It's so cold I can't feel my fingers." Any hint towards his decision being wrong, Sean buries in the deepest pits of his memory banks.

"No, Daniel. You can't. I'm… sorry." Was he really? Sorry? He lay next to his brother on the ground, watching as the small boy shivered. Sean desperately tried to ignore it.

"Please, Sean. I just need a- a- shoe, or a sock- or- or-" Sean's had enough.

"Daniel, enough. Fucking knock it off, you hear me! Go to sleep!" Daniel's face takes on a look of- not sadness, but almost acceptance as he crawls away from his older brother, mumbling back to him.

"I knew you wouldn't change, Sean." Daniel lied down, once again with his back turned against Sean. He cried. He cried because his life would never be the same again, he cried because he was now homeless. Cried because he's in the middle of a war, cried because of the horrors he's seen. Daniel cried because he was in deep physical and emotional pain, from which he might never recover. And Sean? He cries because the sound just tears his heart to shreds.

That night, neither brother got much sleep.

Notes:

Three chapters in two days, that's a new one (I think). This chapter gives the reader a look at Sean, and how he views the relationship with his brother, among other things. Take note of the fact that Sean never hated Daniel, but he didn't love him either. He just kinda "was". This chapter focused more on the relationship between the brothers, letting the "war-part" rest a little. But it's coming back. Very soon...

Sean distancing himself from Daniel in the forest is his way of avoiding having to comfort Daniel in case he breaks down. And when he does, Daniel instantly rejects him, only thinking about all he's lost and how mean Sean's been to him over the years.

But the second time he doesn't fight back. Daniel feels safe and cared for in a desperate time of need. This brings me to my next point. Sean cleaning up Daniel's wounds shows us that he's willing to make an effort for his brother. However, Sean not giving his hoodie to Daniel, sacrificing himself so Daniel won't freeze? It shows that he's willing to make an effort as long as it doesn't affect himself too much.

The old Sean is still very much there, influencing every decision he makes. Especially those related to his brother. But in this chapter, they've taken the first step, as shown with the "what does Enano mean" line.

Anyway, feel free to leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

War.
You've heard of it.

Read of it.
Watched it on TV.
You've even played it.

War.
Up.
Down.
Left.
Right.

It surrounds you.
Molds you into a different child.
A damaged child.

War.
All day.
Every day.
This is your new reality.

Can you live in the war?
Or will the war live in you?

Chapter 4: The Road Of Death

Summary:

The brothers are still in shock after what happened. As walking on a highway without shoes wasn't bad enough, doing so in a time of war may present you with some unsettling experiences...

Notes:

Some serious tags for this one.

Also, I'm trying out some new things here. So, this chapter has one sequence where a soundtrack is to be played. Give it a shot, and let me know how it worked/didn't work. Like I said, trying out some new stuff.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The next day…

Daniel felt empty. Just… empty. Everything he knew, everything he's ever loved… gone. Wiped out, never to return. It hurt. Everything did. Both inside and out. His feet were bleeding. Again, or still? He could not be sure. Did it even matter? His heart. His small heart ached as a thousand tiny knives pierced it, all at the same time. What the fuck is happening with their lives?

War, that's what's happening. But he already knew that. What he doesn't know, is why? What could possess someone to shoot innocent people in public? Why in the blue hell would someone drop a nuke here? Why would someone drop a nuke anywhere for that matter? He tries to not think about it. That experience was the scariest of his entire life. He'd rather die than go through it again.

Death…

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad? Right now, it feels like it. Sean walks ahead of him as usual, with Daniel lagging behind. He wished his brother would slow down. He's so tired, and in so much pain, he just can't keep up. Who knows, maybe Sean doesn't want him to? The brothers walked on a highway. Not as much a highway to hell, as a highway in it. Cars were burning, piles of rubble and glass, the destruction was everywhere.

Daniel kept his eyes locked on the ground, doing his best not to look at the horror surrounding him. However, he should've paid a bit more attention to his surroundings. A brief second of pain in his gut, followed by Daniel falling to the ground without even knowing what hit him. Soldiers? A sniper? Or maybe he just walked into the rearview mirror of a car?

Yeah. Lucky for him, it's the last one. Daniel looks around as he realizes the stupidity of his actions. At least Sean didn't see. Not that he's surprised.

"Ugh, stupid fucking car!" Daniel mutters while kicking the door.

That… he would regret.

The door opens, and out of the car falls a man. A large, overweight man, with a thick beard. Daniel's got no time to react before the sheer size of the man tackles him to the ground, landing on top of him. The bearded man is covered in blood, which now soaks Daniel's clothes. He can't escape, nor can he move. He's stuck here. A silent gurgling sound could be heard. Almost like the bearded man used his remaining seconds in life to call out for help. But for him, it's too late for help.

Daniel?

"Ahh, Sean! Help me! Help, help, help!" To his own surprise, Daniel barely got the words out before the bearded corpse flew off of him. Daniel could feel a strong arm, pulling him up to a sitting position as he looked his older brother in the eyes.

"Daniel? Oh, shit- fuck- are- are you… ok?" He's not. And it's highly unlikely that he'll ever be again. Still, he nods.

"That- that man, Sean. He- he- he was-" Sean stops him.

"Don't look, Daniel. Don't look. It won't do you any good." Daniel hates this. All of it. He wanted his brother's time. Well, guess what? He got it! All it took, was the fucking nuclear holocaust, to get Sean to care for him. He hates it, so much.

But he doesn't hate Sean.

"What's happening, Sean? I- I don't- I don't understand." Daniel launches himself at Sean, wrapping his arms around him, not giving a shit about the possible consequences. Sean, however, doesn't push him back. He wraps his arms around Daniel, a bit awkwardly perhaps, but still.

"I don't know, Daniel. I- I don't get it either." The fact that Sean had no answer didn't matter. When Daniel sat there, covered in the blood of a dead stranger while hugging his brother, he felt something. Something he's been chasing for a lifetime.

Comfort.

Safety.

Love.

Acceptance.

Brother.

They sit like that, with Sean waiting for Daniel to be ready to move on. When Daniel breaks their embrace, they both stand up and keep heading in whatever direction this road takes them. At least some positives came out of this creepy incident. Sean was there for him. Like, really there. He felt comforted by Sean, loved by him. Daniel found new strength afterward, walking hand-in-hand with his older brother. Although the latter felt slightly uncomfortable doing so.

The hours went by, and few words were spoken between the pair. Did they have a plan? Daniel didn't know. Dad had talked to Sean about something, but then the bomb went off. After that, Daniel can't remember much. Maybe he passed out? Or maybe his brain just kinda… tells him to forget? The blast he remembers though. Never will he be able to forget it. That much he knows.

"Ow- Sean? What the hell?" Daniel held Sean's hand, walking on the road. However, the older Diaz had come to an abrupt stop, almost causing his younger brother to fall. What the hell did he do that for?

"Sean?! Hellooo? Are you-" Daniel never finished that question. His brother literally did not see him. He only saw what was in front of them. Now, Daniel saw it as well.

He gasped. They both stood there, frozen in place.

Blocking their way, was dozens of vehicles. Above them, was a never-ending pyre of black smoke. The brothers held onto one another as they walked through it. Corpses, death, and decay. So much of it. Some of them were old. Some were not much older than Daniel himself. Children, desperately clutching onto their parent's remains. Parents, trying to save the life of their children by giving theirs instead. All that accomplished, was forcing a child to watch his parent die. These people tried to escape, to get away from it. Instead, it got to them. War, got to them.

Suddenly, Daniel let go of his brother's hand, slowly walking off on his own. He saw something. Someone. On the ground in front of him, lies a girl. Her eyes are open, just as beautiful as he remembered them. But her soul is not there, her heart does not beat. Not anymore. Sarah-Lee Hackerman. The girl who once kissed Daniel. The only girl who's ever been nice to him. Daniel ignores his tears while closing Sarah-Lee's eyelids with his fingers. He places her hands on her chest, then he kisses her forehead. He wipes his tears before going back to Sean. War has no mercy. It has no winners and losers. Only victims.

The brothers continue to walk slowly through the massacre. Everywhere they turned, he was there. Death, the grim reaper of misery, laughing them in the face. Bodies without heads and limbs. Small bodies. Some of them burning. But none moved. This road of death had left none alive. When they've finally made it through, Daniel collapsed to his knees. The young boy let out a wail of broken despair, echoing around them. Sean stood behind him, blank expression. Then, he collapsed on all four, throwing up.

"Fuck, Daniel, get down!" Daniel had no clue what Sean said. He didn't listen. He didn't want to. The shock of it all was too much to process for a nine-year-old boy from the working-class of Seattle.

So instead, Sean acted for him. Covering Daniel's mouth with his hand, while using the other to grab his brother and roll off to the side of the road. Sean gestures for him to be silent. Daniel nods back for a lack of better response, and Sean lets go of the hand that covers his mouth. While laying in the grass on the side of the road, Daniel heard it. He heard… them. Whoever they were. Now he saw them too. But they didn't see him, he's invisible. It made him no less scared though.

A massive military convoy. Tanks, troops, turrets, and whateverthefuck they carry in those cars. Roaring tanks driving, not around, but over, anything and everything in their path. Generals barking orders in a language Daniel did not understand, yet somehow found it to be familiar. He thought he heard Sean gasp as the soldiers spoke, but he wasn't entirely sure. He knew the important part. This is them. The people that killed his family, destroyed his home, his life, his mental health, his childhood, his innocence, his- his- fucking EVERYTHING! He felt his breathing increase. Not, because of fear, but anger. Hatred. Pure rage.

He wants to hurt them.

Actually no, scratch that.

He wants to… kill… them.

But he's just a boy. He can't kill them. Give him a gun and he would. Give him a fucking water pistol and he'll fucking die trying. All Daniel sees, is death.

Mom, taken by death.

Dad, also taken by death.

Just about everyone else he's ever known and cared about, taken by death.

Sean? For now, alive.

Daniel? Death takes him from the inside. A slow process, more painful than any disease on the planet, uglier than the worst of wounds. It makes him reckless. Makes him want to just run out there, and punch a soldier in the face. For mom, and for dad. However, before he could act on any of his mad thoughts, a pair of arms grabbed an iron hold of him while covering his mouth again.

Sean.

Daniel wasn't glad. He screamed. Out of anger, hate, sorrow, sadness, or despair? Nobody knew. Perhaps neither? Perhaps all of them? Lucky for them, the roaring engine from the tanks made sure they couldn't be heard. Sean holds his brother until he's confident the convoy is out of range. When he finally lets Daniel go, his little brother just rolls down on the ground, a sobbing mess.

"I can't do it, Sean. I- I- can't." He buries his face in the grass, desperately trying to hide his crying from Sean. Then he felt it. A hand, stroking his back in a comforting way. Instantly, he felt just a teeny-tiny bit better. Still, he did feel like utter shit.

"Shh. I know it sucks, Daniel-" Sean comes to a stop, considering his words.

"Listen, Daniel. Hey, look at me, Enano." His new nickname, Enano, gets him to look up at Sean. He really likes that name.

"I know it's horrible. But it's ok to be scared, Daniel. I am too. We both are, Enano." If only Sean knew how much he appreciates him trying to give him a pep-talk. Still, it doesn't work.

"But I still can't do it, Sean. Where are we even going? I- I don't want to die out here, in my pajamas, without any FUCKING SHOES!" He's not angry at Sean. His anger is directed at life itself, and whoever decided to pass this much pain onto him.

"Shit, Daniel. I'm- I'm so sorry." Sean looks at his little brother in shock like he just realized what Daniel's been saying for the last two days. Great job, big bro…

"Wait here, Enano, ok?" Sean tells him while standing up to walk away. Daniel, however, doesn't want to be left alone. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. He grabs Sean's arm with both of his hands.

"NO! Please- please, Sean. Don't leave me." Sean kneels and gives him what almost qualifies as a smile.

"I'll be gone for just a few minutes, Enano. I promise you, Daniel, I will never abandon you. Understand?" Daniel nods almost automatically. Then Sean left him there, alone.

Nine years of age.

Alone.

In a war zone.

He wasn't sure any of it was real. But he swore he could hear gunfire, explosions, and screaming. So much screaming. Daniel covered his ears, attempting to block it out, but it had the opposite effect. It got louder.

And louder.

And louder.

And louder.

"Enano?" He's back! Sean's back! The screaming stopped as Daniel's pulled out of his traumatic pit of oblivion.

"Sean? You- you're alive?" Sean sits down next to him, pulling him closer. Daniel could feel his brother's heartbeat, and for just a few seconds, his fear, and pain disappeared.

"Listen, Daniel…" Sean begins to speak in a serious manner. Daniel sits up and turns to him.

"Yeah? What- what is it, Sean?" Whatever it is, shit can't get any worse than they already are, right?

"I tried to find some clothes for you-" Daniel, overjoyed by the fact that his brother actually did something for his sake, interrupts him.

"Really, Sean? You did? Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you." He attempts to hug Sean, but the latter decisively stops him from doing so.

"I tried, Daniel. I- I really did. But this… was all I could find." Daniel's eyes widened in both horror and disgust as Sean revealed the clothes to him with a look of shame on his face.

A white T-shirt that reads "Space Mission". At least he thinks it's white. The amount of blood made it difficult to tell. A flannel shirt, in blue, his favorite color. Also, soaked in blood. You could even make out the exact spots the bullets had hit the child who wore this on his date with destiny. One pair of blue jeans, covered with dark-red spots of blood from a child that died a brutal and vicious death. At least the shoes appear to be fine. Got to count for something.

What the fuck, Sean? He can't wear this shit.

But he can't freeze either. Last night was horrible. He couldn't feel his hand, nor his feet. Fuck…

"Sean…" He whimpers, knowing he's got no other choice, but still wanting his brother to tell him "you don't have to, Enano. We'll find another way." But he doesn't. Sean, while looking incredibly hurt, puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I know, Enano. And I'm sorry." Daniel nods, and Sean turns around to give him somewhat of a privacy.

The pants he could handle. Jeans are so thick you won't notice a few blood stains that much. A soaked T-shirt? Completely different. Daniel took a deep breath, slowly breathing out to avoid having to smell it. He'd planned on just putting it on as fast as possible, not thinking about it too much. However, just like everything else in his life, it went to shit.

A soaked shirt is a sticky shirt. And blood is very sticky. The gross substance nearly glued itself to his entire face and body, forcing him to drag it over his head, inch by inch. He felt the blood of another child, covering his face, finding its way inside his mouth, making him sick. The taste, the smell, the everything. Who was this child? Did Daniel know him? Did they ever talk, or play, or- or- shit…

When it's finally done, Daniel immediately bends over to empty the contents of his stomach onto the ground below him. What the fuck are they even doing? Every breath he takes, Daniel smells blood. Whenever he looks down, he sees two holes around the area of his heart. They didn't settle for shooting him once. They had to be sure…

"Daniel, come here a second," Sean says while snapping him out of his trance. His legs are trembling as he makes his way over to his brother.

"You good, little brother?" He's never seen this side of Sean before. So caring, so protective, and… brotherly.

"No, Sean. I'm not." Daniel says with an unsteady voice as tears begin to pour.

"Hey, we'll get through this. I promise you that." Daniel looks at him with a face that says "how do you know?"

"I know where we can go, Daniel." This caught his attention. Until now, he thought they were just walking to nowhere. But if there's a plan, then there might even be some sort of… hope?

"You- you do? Where, Sean?" Daniel cries more by the second.

"Beaver Creek, Daniel. Beaver Creek." His little brother looks at him in confusion.

"To grandma and grandpa?" Daniel loves his grandparents, and they adore him. But still… why? Sean fights back tears as he responds.

"It's what- dad told me to do. Look after you, and get us to Beaver Creek. Then, we would meet up there. All of us. Grandma, grandpa, you, me, mom, dad…" The sadness in his brother's voice is not of this world. Daniel, feeling like the stronger one at the moment stands up and offers Sean his hand.

"Ok, Sean. I- I trust you, big brother. Let's go to Beaver Creek." Sean takes his hand and the journey continues. It took almost ten years, but now, he finally said it out loud without lying. He trusts Sean. Still, there's one thing bothering him. No, not the clothes Sean took from a dead child, only to give to him instead. It's something else. Something he doesn't quite understand.

"Sean, I wanna ask you something." Sean barely reacted.

"Mhm, go ahead." They kept on walking on the road of death.

"Those soldiers. I heard you before." Sean came to a dead stop and Daniel could feel how his older brother got very tense.

"You could understand them, couldn't you?" Sean keeps his eyes locked on the horizon while whispering.

"Spanish, Enano. They spoke Spanish."

Notes:

Well, I sure do go into deep detail on this fic, aren't I? In this chapter, Daniel feels a bit confused when it comes to his relationship with Sean. His brother comforted him, then ignored him, then comforted him again, but then helped him in a really shitty way. In a way, Sean tries. But he doesn't try like "Sean" Sean would.

The music part where the brothers walk through the massacre I tried to write specifically for that theme. Also, the name of the song "Bridge of Death" & the name of this chapter "Road Of Death" The Chernobyl series has an amazing soundtrack. Anyone who hasn't seen it, do it now! I feel that the music sequence worked pretty good. I even had it play in the background while writing it. It's eerie asf... But let me know what you think of it.

As for the Spanish-speaking soldiers? Well, think about it. Sean and Daniel? To someone like Hank Stamper, they're gonna look pretty "Spanish" am I right?

NOTE: The invading country isn't necessarily Spain. I probably won't even mention it by name.

Anyway, as always, please leave a comment down below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

A reaper of misery.
Your misery.
He laughs at you.
He taunts you.
He dares you.

He robbed you.
Home.
Parents.
Safety.
Innocence.
Childhood.

You can never get it back.
However...
Be mindful of your actions.

If to be taunted back.
A reaper of misery.
Becomes a grim reaper.

If one ignores him.
The grim reaper shall appear.
And lay his duties onto you.

Be mindful, little wolf...

Chapter 5: A New Beginning

Summary:

Like a gift from above, the brothers find an abandoned gas station. Food, water, clothes, everything. Here, they can recharge their batteries, and maybe get to know each other a bit more...

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Day five of the war…

In a way, Daniel found it amusing. In others, not so much. He remembered something his father used to say as a half-joke.

"Kids of today. So spoiled by their technology." He never understood what his father meant by that.

Until now.

"Just give up, Sean. It's not working." Daniel tried to convince his brother as he desperately held his phone up, searching for that one bar of reception. But there was none. Nowhere. No internet, no phone, nothing. Sean wanted to check the news for a clue as to what the actual fuck is going on. But no. He can't. Nobody can. The entire fucking infrastructure of the United States of America has collapsed in less than a week.

Where's their troops? The one they're always told to support? Shipped off to another country? Already dead? Who knows? Either way, they're not here. Nobody's coming to help them. The Diaz brothers, Sean and Daniel. Alone, against the world. It's a miracle they're still alive. The question is, how long could they last? Daniel felt it, and he began feeling it four days ago. From there, it got worse and worse.

Hunger.

Not your usual hunger either. You know, the kind of hunger you feel when you skipped lunch? No, this is something completely different. Daniel's so hungry it's painful. His stomach hurts, but he can barely lift his arms towards it. Going days without food forces the body to ignore less important functions, in order to keep the heart beating. He felt so weak. Oh, the things he would do right now for just one slice of pizza. Just one.

But no. This road, the road of death? It never ends, and it's empty. They haven't seen a car for miles. No car, no people, no animals, nothing. Empty. Dead. Is this even the road to Beaver Creek? Daniel doesn't know. Does Sean? Are grandma and grandpa still alive, or did a bomb get them too? Or maybe the soldiers dragged them outside, shooting them in the back of the head like they were worthless filth?

Fuck…

Daniel noticed it a few days ago. After their horrifying discovery on the road of death. His mind. Although it could be plagued by disappointment and loneliness at times, one thing never changed. He always felt like himself, like Daniel. Excited, curious, mischievous, trusting, and innocent. Now, all of that was gone. Taking its place was darkness. This massive lump, growing inside him, telling him that it's over. He's over. All is lost. He tries to ignore it, but his thoughts spiral to more and more dark places. Sometimes so dark it scares him.

"Hey, Daniel? I think I see something up ahead." Sean says, sounding exhausted. Daniel looks up at his brother's find.

"A gas station?" Granted, at this point, he'll even take an outhouse. Anything to just rest for a while. Plus, this place might actually have some food. Using his remaining energy, Daniel sprints towards the gas station. It looks deserted, but Daniel doesn't think of it. Instead, he runs towards the automatic doors, expecting them to open for him. Expecting the smell of hot dogs and motor oil, combined with some shitty music.

The door didn't open.

Daniel stopped himself at the last second, preventing himself from running into the door itself. When he realized that the place had closed, he put his forehead on the cold glass while dragging his palms downwards.

"No. Why- we have to- there's stuff in there, Sean?! I- I-" Daniel stops rambling and settles for a depressing sigh. It's all there. Daniel could see it from right… fucking here. Food, water, camping equipment, clothes not covered in a dead kid's blood. But no, fuck you…

"This is war, Enano. Come on." Sean had a strange look on his face, hinting for Daniel to follow him. He followed Sean to the back of the building. His older brother turned around, looking all around them. What's he up to?

"Daniel, I hate to ask this-" Oh fuck…

"See that window? I can help you up there, and you could unlock the door from the inside. It would be quick and easy. Then, we're inside. Just you and me, Enano." Shit. Daniel hates being alone. It doesn't matter that Sean's five feet away from him when he can't see him. He feels very uncomfortable with this. Then again, "just you and me, Enano." Fuck…

"I'll do it," Daniel says with a weak voice. He's scared, confused, and already feels guilt. He wasn't raised to break into places. But desperate times…

"But Sean? How am I getting through the window? It's closed, you know?" Believing to have found a hole in his brother's plan, Daniel's only met with Sean's smiling face. He's hiding something behind his back, but Daniel can't see what it is.

"As I said, Daniel… this is war," Sean says as he reveals the object hidden behind his back.

A hammer.

A very large hammer.

Ok, now he gets it.

"Cool…" Daniel smiles for what feels like the first time in days. He takes the hammer proudly as Sean hoists him onto his shoulders. A week ago, Daniel would have done anything for Sean to carry him on his shoulders. Now when he does it, Daniel feels nothing. He's like an empty shell, a shadow of his former self, a body without a soul.

NO! Dude, stop it!

Daniel shakes his head rapidly, attempting to get rid of the negative thoughts. He takes the hammer, he aims, and he swings.

"OW, FUCKING SHIT!" He dropped the hammer mid-air, sending it down on Sean's foot.

"Oh my god, Sean! I'm so sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry." Sean makes a motion with his hand for Daniel to be quiet.

"It's ok, phew," Sean says with a very strained voice. Daniel gets his hammer back, and this time, he doesn't miss.

"Great job, Enano. Ok, in you go. I'll be right here." Daniel nods while Sean gives him the final push to get inside.

In his mind, Daniel had it all figured out. He would land on the floor with one fist and one knee touching it, just like in the movies. From there, he'll be not like a ninja, but a ninja. The ninja. Leaving no trace, making no sound, no fingerprints, no DNA. Daniel "The Ninja" Diaz. Invisible, untouchable, and just… awesome. That was his plan. How did it go?

"Ow, fuck's sake and damn-it to hell!" Several loud noises followed by Daniel using a vocabulary most his age wouldn't dream of.

"Daniel? Everything ok?" Sean asked him through the broken window. He checks his surroundings. While attempting his super-awesome ninja landing, Daniel cut himself on some broken glass. He lost his balance and tumbled down onto a desk and rolled onto the floor. Did it hurt? Fuck yes. His body hurt, but that he could take. However, the fact that his already fragile confidence took another brutal blow hurt so much more. Daniel groans loudly while getting up and moving towards the door. This if anything, confirmed the store to be abandoned. Daniel's spectacular entrance must have been heard all the way to Beaver Creek.

"Ok, Sean. Come in." Daniel says with obvious defeat in his voice.

"Awesome job, Daniel." Sean gave him a pat on the back and a smile, and he felt nothing. Slowly, he follows his older brother into the store itself.

He could see how Sean had just stopped in front of him. What is it this time? What crime against humanity shall be permanently etched into his skull now? When he stood next to Sean, he understood why he had just stopped.

Food. So much of it. A generator provides electricity for the store, meaning they have power too. Hot water, and- and- fucking everything. So much of it. He doesn't know where to start. Hot-dogs? No, cookies. Or, maybe a sandwich… or ten?

Actually, scratch that.

Scratch all of that.

While looking across the store, Daniel realized that there's one thing he must do before anything else. Hell, even before he eats. If he doesn't, he might not be able to keep any food down. He didn't even have to tell Sean. His older brother understood. He understood all too well.

Daniel stood inside the bathroom of the store. Inside it, were a shower. It didn't have a bathtub which kinda sucked, but he'll take it. No questions asked. The first thing he did was remove the gross T-shirt. The one covered in a dead child's blood. He ripped it off, throwing it out the window. He felt the tears coming. Daniel turned around, only to freeze in absolute horror.

Someone was in here.

But when Daniel ceased to move, so did the figure facing him. Slowly, Daniel begins to realize that this is no stranger. He's looking at himself in a mirror. Which option was worse he couldn't tell. Daniel approached the mirror image with caution, fearing it might jump him if he got too close.

"Who- who are you?" He whispers in a state of shock. The boy he saw in the mirror didn't have the same dark-brown hair that Daniel has. His hair was red. Red of blood. Neither did he have the brown deer-eyes, capable of getting him just about anything. His eyes looked dead. Not literally, of course. But still, they looked so sad, tired, and broken, they might as well be dead. The boy in the mirror doesn't have tanned skin like Daniel. His skin, just like his hair, is red with blood. Gross, sticky, disgusting blood. None of it, coming from him. Daniel rushes into the shower before this image of himself becomes permanently etched into his sick and twisted mind.

A shower did wonders for him. Exiting the shower, he'd already prepared some fresh clothes from the store. A pair of soft, cozy sweatpants, color dark-blue? Check! T-shirt in a green color that reads "L.I.C." check! He's never wearing red again, ever. Still, he hit the absolute jackpot with his next choice. Perhaps his inner child isn't dead after all? A raccoon hoodie, complete with ears on top of the hood and all. Daniel puts on his new, favorite hoodie.

"Perfect, dude. Perfect." Time to have some brotherly bonding.

Daniel went back to the store. Now, the hunger hit him again with full force. He felt like he could eat everything in this store. Even the fucking broccoli. But he wanted to do something else first. He's starving, but if he's going to spend some time with his brother, he wants it to feel… right.

"Hey, Daniel. Come on, eat something, dude." Oh, god. Today, Sean's called him "dude" and "bro" and that he did "an awesome job. Holy shit…

"Uhm, why don't you fix us something to eat, Sean? I'm just gonna… take care of this… thing that I got." Bulletproof. Like always. Daniel heads to the other end of the store, browsing the camping section. He always wanted to go camping with Sean. This would have to do for now. He takes a tent, emptying the contents of the bag onto the floor. It can't be that hard to put it together, right- holy shit, that's a lot of… stuff.

"Aw, for fuck's sake." The only instructions he could find are written in Polish, or Swedish, or whateverthefuck, a language he doesn't know. Time to improvise!

Time passed as Sean prepared dinner for them both. God, he's fucking starving. But after this hell, they needed some real food, not just candy bars. He made his father's special pasta, at least he did what he could. Today, neither of them will care much about the taste. Over the last half-hour or so, an increasing amount of metal hitting the floor had been heard. Most of them, accompanied by words Sean had no clue what they meant. He chose to ignore it at first. Daniel's a smart kid, he can handle himself.

Then he got a bit curious as to what his little brother's up to.

When the swearing continued to get worse, he began to worry. The food is ready, so Sean goes to check on his brother. The closer he got, the more silent muttering he heard.

"Come on, you fucking piece of shit. I know you're supposed to fit there." The pure bitterness in his brother's voice couldn't be described.

"I can't do shit. So fucking useless, always. A fucking loser, and-" Sean intervenes but makes a mental note to ask Daniel about those words at a later point.

"Hey, Daniel. What's wrong?" Daniel's face went from angry to panicked in an instant. He spread his arms out, desperately attempting to hide the massive tent behind him. At least Sean thinks it's a tent. Kinda hard to tell at this point.

"No, no, Sean. Don't look, don't look! I'm not done yet. Go away, go away." Sean, unable to understand why his brother seemed so afraid, took a few careful steps towards him.

"What are you doing, Daniel?" Sean could see how that question hurt his little brother. Why, he didn't know.

"Don't- don't you see, Sean? It's a- a tent." Daniel says while holding back his tears.

"I just thought that-" Daniel starts to cry.

"That we could sleep in the tent. Pretend like we're on a camping trip, you know? I- I always wanted to go camping with you, Sean. But- but- you never wanted to go with me." Fuck. Those last words hit him hard. Is that really how Daniel feels? What he always feel? Sean makes the greatest brotherly effort in his life as he puts on his most genuine smile ever.

"Hey, don't be sad, Daniel. The thing about camping is this. Rule number one, never put up a tent alone. Seriously, never." Daniel looks even sadder before picking up everything, putting it back inside the bag.

"Whoa, whoa, what are you doing, Daniel?" What the fuck did Sean do to this kid? He expected him to refuse, to deny, to push him away. Could he blame him? Maybe, maybe not.

"You- you don't want to-" Sean grabs his brother's arm, almost violently.

"Dad taught me how to camp, Enano. His dad taught him, and so on. Now, dad's-" They both go silent for a few seconds.

"So I'll teach you. We'll put it up together, Daniel." Carefully, Daniel approaches him, almost afraid to ask him.

"Like brothers, Sean?" He pulls Daniel towards him, putting their foreheads against each other for reasons unknown.

"Like brothers, Daniel." To say that it was a struggle, would be too mild. Daniel might be smart, but following instructions on an empty stomach isn't exactly his strongest side. He could tell, however, that the boy had fun. He enjoyed himself. Sean, however, experienced something he's never felt before.

Brotherhood.

For the first time in his life, Sean Eduardo Diaz felt like a real big brother to his little brother. Not the best by any means, but still. It must have taken them hours, but eventually they did it. A tent, two sleeping bags inside. Outside, a bunch of rocks surrounded a lantern, acting as their campfire. Unfortunately, the lantern has batteries inside, meaning no roasting marshmallows. Still, they did it.

After a quick meal during which both brothers were too hungry for conversation, they sat down at their beautiful campfire. Sean held a beer bottle in his hand. Getting hammered felt like a tempting option now. Just… drinking the pain away. But he hasn't touched his beer. Next to him, on the floor, lies Daniel. He's got Chock-O-Crisps on his face, body, legs, arms, feet, and everything. Daniel had taken a box, filled it with every Chock-O-Crisp in the store, lay down on the floor, begging Sean to just pour it on him. Finding it amusing, Sean did it without question.

Daniel had barely moved since. Nor has he eaten any chocolate. Only now, when they're not hungry anymore, and things have calmed down, along with the shock having settled. Only now do they realize what truly went down. Neither brother mentions it. What would they even say? "Holy fuck, bro! We got nuked!" Yeah… no. there's nothing to say. However, from a bathtub of chocolate, Daniel chooses to sit up. Sean sees it several times in the corner of his eye. Daniel opens his mouth, then closes it. Opens it, close it.

Open.

Close.

He wants to say something. And whatever it is, it's troubling him deeply. Sean knew it was coming when Daniel took a deep breath.

"Hey, Sean?" Daniel says weakly while looking at him with sad eyes. His raccoon-hoodie covers most of his face, plus it's fucking awesome if Sean could say so.

"Yeah, Enano? What's going on?" He could hear how Daniel's breathing became uneven. He never used to notice this kind of things? Now, it's like a sixth sense.

"Why do you hate me?" Sean dropped the full beer bottle to the floor. The fact that its contents now soaked his jeans, Sean couldn't have cared less about. It felt like a dagger through his heart. He tried telling himself that he wasn't a bad brother. But this confirms it. This is proof of it. To call Sean a bad brother would be too flattering.

In order to be a bad brother, or even a horrible brother…

One has to actually be a brother in the first place.

Something that Sean never was. He never cared, and now it comes back to bite him in the ass. Fuck. Sean looks at their sort-of campfire to avoid having to meet his brother's eyes.

"I- I don't hate you, Daniel." In the corner of his eye, Sean saw Daniel's eyebrow twitch a bit. He didn't expect that answer. Fuck, it's even worse than he thought.

"You- you don't?" Daniel asks, and his voice carries so much hope, so much emotion, it makes Sean feel horrible.

"No, Daniel. I never did." Sean keeps his gaze locked at the fire.

"But- but- why-" Daniel sighed and went silent for a few seconds. Then he scoots closer to Sean.

"Why did you never hang out with me, Sean? If you don't hate me, why did you act like you did?" Shit. Sean could feel the disapproving looks of his parents, all the way from heaven. He's not sure what's worse. This conversation, or himself. A silence takes over the room. Sean knows that he must be the one to break it. But how? What does he say? What does one say when there's no answer? At least not a good one.

"I don't know. Guess I just… didn't care. Sometimes, I've hated how you've acted, things you did or said-" Sean becomes more confident as he speaks. Now, he turns to Daniel.

"But I never hated you, Daniel. I know I haven't been a good brother to you, but I'm still your brother. I could never hate you." Sean expected his little brother to be pissed. Instead, Daniel let his head rest on Sean's shoulder. Both of them, looking into their made-up campfire. Both of them, thinking the same thing. The last time they sat like this, Sean caused Daniel to bleed. This time?

This time he did not.

He puts his arm around him. At first, nobody moved, nor made any sound. Then Sean could feel his little brother start to shake. More and more. It didn't take long before silent, hiccuping sobs filled the room.

"Shh, we're gonna get through this, buddy. I promise." They're already dead and Sean knows it to be true. But Daniel deserves better. He deserves to have hope where there is none.

"It's not that, Sean." It's not? If it ain't the war, then what the hell is it?

"I- I feel like I know everything about you, Sean. But you- you don't even know me, Sean." Ok, Sean could admit to being a bad brother. But come on? This is just ridiculous. However, Sean keeps his cool.

"Prove it, Daniel." No way this kid knows everything about him.

"How, Sean?" Daniel looks at him, confused.

"What's my favorite type of fast-fo-" Daniel one, Sean zero.

"Double cheeseburger with fries, but absolutely no onion. You hate onion." Ok, Sean has to give him that one. Let's try something more advanced.

"Who are my friends?" Due to Sean finding his brother annoying, he never brought home any friends. Daniel couldn't know them. There's just no way.

"Lyla Park is your best friend. Then there's Eric, Ellery, and Adam." The fuck?

"Ok, but what about my girlfriend?" He's got him now.

"You've never had one. You're too awkward whenever you talk to them. But… dad always encouraged you." Daniel's voice sounds incredibly sad when he mentions his father.

"Ok, then. You win, Daniel. Now, your turn. Try me, Enano." Sean's got his game face on. But in reality, he's terrified. Does he even know his little brother?

"What's my full name?" Easy.

"Daniel Felipe Diaz." Ok. So far, so good. Little did he know, Daniel gave him that on purpose.

"What is the name, or names of my friends?" Had Sean been paying attention, he would have seen how Daniel bit his lip to avoid another breakdown.

"Oh, Daniel, you've got tons of friends, man. There's Noah, Chris, and- and- uh-" Daniel's posture got so much worse. Like the disappointment weighed him down.

"Noah moved away five years ago, Sean. And Chris lives in Beaver Creek, so I only see him when we visit our grandparents." Daniel says sadly.

"Oh…" Sean couldn't think of anything to say. He felt like a failure. Daniel looked at him, eyes full of disappointment, and a small glimpse of hope.

"What's my birthday, Sean?" F. U. C. K. Sean's got no clue. Not even a little. Shit.

"Uhm…" Whatever hope Daniel had left, now died.

"You don't even know me, Sean," Daniel says with a mixture of anger and disappointment. The worst part was that he was right. The small child next to him was his brother. Still, it might as well be a complete stranger. Is it too late to change?

"So… tell me then," Sean says while trying to sound a bit joyful. He probably didn't, judging by Daniel's confused look.

"Tell you what?" His younger brother asked him angrily. Sean had to fight against his instincts, telling him to become angry. Telling him to scream at his little brother. Instead, he managed a forced smile.

"Tell me who you are, Daniel Diaz." Sean takes two Chock-O-Crisps, giving one to Daniel, and taking the other for himself.

"Tell your stupid older brother, who his little brother is." The look on Daniel's face said enough.

The look of excitement.

Well, Sean's in for a looong night.

Four hours later…

He's pretty sure that he zoned out after the first hour or so. But damn, his brother can talk. After four hours of listening to stories, ranging from how Daniel got the "lone wolf" name, to which cartoon he prefers, they both feel tired.

"Ok, raccoon-boy. I think it's time we get some sleep." Daniel just smiled at him. Sean turns to put out their fake fire.

"No, Sean. Don't. The fire will scare the bad people away. Please…?" A nine-year-old giving him the sad puppy eyes… while in a raccoon costume. That's just not fair. Seriously.

"Right. Uh, clever thinking, Daniel." It still felt weird to compliment his brother. Sean enters the tent with Daniel following him. They lay down into their respective sleeping bags. Sean lies on his back with his hands under his head, staring emptily. Then, a small arm placed itself over his chest.

Daniel.

Sean looks over at his brother. He's already asleep. The kid must be so tired after this entire clusterfuck of days. A lot of things happened today. Sean spent some alone time with Daniel and, dare he say, sort of liked it? A strange emotion. One he's never related to Daniel before. Still, the kid opened his heart to Sean tonight. Some of the stuff he told Sean, not even mom or dad knew. Daniel trusted him. Daniel looked up to him.

What did he ever get in return?

Sean's mind goes back and forth. He knows he's treated Daniel wrong, and yet, he's unable to remember anything specific he's ever done. Or perhaps that's the problem? That he never did anything? Fuck, this is a mess.

What are they going to do? Fuck's sake, Sean.

What's he going to do? He's the adult now. Sean. The sixteen-year-old. He is now the parent, sole guardian, and protector of his little brother Daniel. What the fuck is going on with his life? Beaver Creek, sure. But he doesn't even know where they are. Hell, he doesn't even know in which direction to go. North, south, east, west? Up, down, left, right? He's got no clue which one's which. And with no internet, they're fucked. Sean cries silently, not wanting to wake his brother up.

That night, no lights were visible as far as the eye could see. Except for one. Inside a small gas station, located in Rednecktown, Washington. Two young brothers of Mexican descent had broken into the store as a last resort. The older brother had made dinner while the younger did his best to set up a tent. The older brother succeeded while the younger did not. But the younger brother's failure became a bonding moment for the pair. A time to reboot their relationship, perhaps?

Later that night, they both fell asleep. The older brother, crying himself to sleep. Afraid and alone. Not knowing what the future holds for them. Feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. The younger brother, sleeping soundly. This was one of the best moments in his life. He's waited for it since the day he was born. Today it happened. Daniel Diaz falls asleep without nightmares, knowing that today he bonded with his brother.

However…

Daniel did not know…

And neither did Sean…

They weren't alone.

Someone was watching them.

Credit: johnson_blazkowicz

Notes:

Another chapter focusing a lot on the relationship between the brothers. They've made the first step towards having a "real" brotherly connection. It's a long way to go, but their journey has only just begun. In more ways than one.

The part at the beginning about "no internet? Me fucked!" I put it in there because It's basically the reality of today. Myself included. Cut off the internet, and it's over.

Daniel and his dark thoughts feel like a somewhat natural reaction to what he's going through. That, and I may have something planned for it later on. The reason Daniel chose to clean himself up before eating when he's literally starving, is that he feels so disgusted by himself. Covered in someone else's blood, walking around in a dead person's clothes, it obviously affects him a lot.

Now, about the tease at the end? The next chapter... won't be pretty.
That being said...

The beautiful art at the end is only one of many works by "Johnson Blazkowicz". If you haven't seen it yet, do so now!
Twitter: johnsonterminal
Instagram: johnson_blazkowicz

I give him full credit for the art. If by any means the creator wants the artwork removed, just contact me.

Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Tonight.
It was good.
He was good.
He had time.
Time for you.

Tonight.
The best one.
In a long time.
A bond was created.
To you, it is holy.
To him, you cannot tell.

Tonight.
Someone watches.
You're not alone.
Enemy?
Ally?
Every man for himself?

Tonight.
It was good.

Tomorrow.
Won't be.

Chapter 6: The Dawning Of Daniel Diaz's Disturbing Descent Into Darkness

Summary:

Tonight had been great. The Diaz's brothers had bonded for the first time in their lives. Little did they know, however, they were being watched. Now, they're in for a rude awakening...

Notes:

Tags!

Also: If someone knows how I could've fitted more words starting with the letter "D" in the chapter name, please let me know.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Daniel knew this was a dream. He knew, but for once, he didn't care. Right now, he's back in his home in Seattle. No bombs ever fell, and no soldiers march the streets outside. Next to him, sits Sean. Neither brother talks, but Daniel's fine with that. They don't need words. They're the wolfbrothers. Suddenly, Sean turns towards him with a blank expression on his face.

"Sean?" Daniel asks, wondering what's wrong. He receives a short, three-letter answer.

"RUN!"

Daniel woke up in horror. He tried to sit up, but couldn't. He wanted to scream his brother's name but was unable to do so. A firm hand covered his mouth while pressing his small body down, preventing him from moving. Daniel looks around in panic. Sean?!

His older brother's still asleep as a large shadow crawls into the tent. Daniel desperately tried to find Sean's hand with his own, but was quickly stopped by a sharp object pressed against his throat. A knife.

"Don't test me, beaner. Move, and I'll cut your brother's eyes out while forcing you to watch." The voice of an elderly female whispered in his ear. Staying still has never been his strongest side. But now, Daniel didn't move an inch. He didn't dare to. Daniel felt the blade, slicing through his skin, drawing blood. It hurt so bad. But he couldn't move. Not a chance. He won't move. Stay strong.

The second shadow, the larger one, moves closer to Sean. The shadow pulls out a knife, pressing it against his throat, instantly waking him up.

"Listen to me, boy, and listen good. Try anything, my wife Doris will take care of your brother over there. Daniel cried as he saw the fear in his brother's eyes.

"You two shits are inside my store. But that's not the worst thing you've done, isn't it?" The shadow slowly releases his hold on Sean, while the woman known as Doris, got Daniel trapped.

"Follow me, beaner. I got something to show you." Daniel's dragged out of the tent by Doris, knife digging deeper and deeper into his throat.

"No! Don't you fucking touch him!" Sean gets up, moving towards the shadow in pure rage.

"Hold it right… there." The shadow takes out a gun. He aims it, not at Sean, but Daniel. Well, not aims as much as he presses the barrel of the gun into his mouth. Daniel cried, he whimpered, pleaded, and begged.

"Ok, ok. Just… don't hurt him. Please, he's only nine. Nine." Sean says as he accepts the fact that he can't do shit to save his little brother.

"Come on, Hank. Let's go. I got this one!" Doris yells at Hank. Well, at least shithead's got a name now.

"Follow me, beaners. We're going downstairs. If one of you tries something, the other one dies." For now, neither brother could think of anything better to do. They did what Hank told them to.

The basement of the store was small, had no windows, walls out of concrete, and only one lonely light in the ceiling. In the middle of the room stood a chair with a table in front of it. When they reach the chair, Hank points the gun at Sean.

"You. Sit your ass down." Daniel whimpered. He had a very bad feeling about this. Sean did as instructed and Hank tied his feet and wrists to the chair. Daniel felt an old, troubling sensation, starting to erupt within him. He's sweating like crazy, his heart pounds faster and faster, and he can't breathe.

Panic attacks.

He remembers having them when he was younger. In time, however, they disappeared. Until now. Daniel looks around frantically for an exit. Looking for a way out. But there is none. Sean's trapped, and so is he.

"Daniel, Enano?" Sean's voice got him to look up. His brother looks so scared. Tied to a chair, unable to move, and Daniel can't even answer him. He can't, because of the fucking knife against his throat.

"Whatever happens, Daniel, don't look. You hear me? Do. Not. Look- ah!" Hank gives Sean a slap to the face. Daniel whimpers as he sees his brother in pain. If only he knew what was about to come…

"Quiet. Speak, only when spoken to." Hank firmly tells him. Daniel once again felt the knife digging deeper into his flesh.

"Don't close your eyes, little one. And do not even think about looking away. You will watch this. Watch… and learn." Afraid of what might happen to Sean if he refused, Daniel did what she said. He watched Hank slowly pace around Sean, like a predator, waiting to strike.

"The two of you… it's a rare thing, you know that?" Hank begins in a wondering tone.

"I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. Not the first time they've used child soldiers, and it won't be the last. I almost want to give them an A for effort. Almost. You're dressed like us, you talk like us. Hell, you even behave like us. But still…" His voice turned into something much more sinister.

"You're nothing like us. Nor will you ever be." Holy shit. Does he think- no. It can't be, right? No one can be that delusional.

"Now, every time this great nation deployed its troops in another country, they did so with a purpose. They did so, to liberate it. However, somebody decided to invade us. Invade the liberator, bombing it to shit. How you people got together without us knowing, is beyond me." Poorly hidden anger starts to show.

"Be it Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, or any of you. Mark my words, your day… it will come. The fact that you all got your little alliance won't matter. This is America. We'll take on the world, leading it by example." Ok, wait just a second. The fact that most of the countries down south are pissed at America sounds familiar, that he could admit. But this guy, and his wife? Do they actually believe that Daniel's a child soldier? He's nine. Fucking nine! Just like a child soldier…

Shit.

"I will only ask you this once, beaner. How did you get into the country?" What the fuck? He and Sean were both born here. Daniel's never been outside America, and he's pretty sure Sean hasn't either.

"Fuck you, hillbilly! We're American!" Sean spat in his face. Hank barely reacted. Daniel could see the smallest hint of a smile on his face as he closed his fist.

"Fine. Have it your way then." In a moment he felt would never end, Daniel saw it happening. The closed fist, making its way towards Sean's face. His older brother's expression, more angry than afraid. He saw it change to pure terror. Then, the face of Sean Diaz met the fist of Hank Stamper.

"SEAN!" Daniel screamed, bit, scratched, and clawed. But no matter what he did, he couldn't get out. Sean was bleeding. There's so much of it. Hank doesn't even ask Sean any more questions. Perhaps that was never the important part?

"You fucking people. Hell, you're not even people. You're nothing." He spits at Sean.

"Please, stop. Don't hurt him." Daniel tries to beg. Whatever innocence he's still got, wants him to believe that he can make them free Sean.

"Shut the fuck up, boy!" Hank gives Daniel a slap to the face, causing him to fall to the floor. Doris, however, did not pick him up. She didn't pick him up, forcing him to watch his brother being abused.

Interesting…

"Think, dude, think. Daniel, you dipshit, THINK!" Daniel tries to collect himself while pretending to be unconscious. Carefully, he examines his surroundings, looking for something, anything. What, he did not know. Most of his focus went on trying to ignore the guttural sounds his brother made as Hank repeatedly punched his gut. Wait-

Daniel looks at Hank. He sees it now. A solution. A risk, yes, he's smart enough to realize that. But what choice do they have? But, what if he has to-

No. There must be another way.

"You know, ése, my hands are starting to hurt. I think it's time for plan B." Hank goes to the corner of the room and opens a toolbox, picking something up.

A scalpel.

"Now, I can be a generous man. So, which eye… should we take out?" Hank slowly moves the scalpel dangerously close towards Sean's left eye.

"Left…?" Then towards the right.

"Or right…?" Daniel freezes. This is sick, inhuman, insane. His brother's too scared, too shocked to answer the question given to him.

"Alright then, I'll just take the left one!" Hank prepares to remove Sean's left eye, scalpel in hand. The brother's eyes meet for just a brief moment. Sean could never read his brother too well. Daniel, however, could read Sean like a book. And now, Sean's eyes screamed one word.

Help.

So, Daniel helped. He didn't like this plan, but he had to.

"SEAN!" Daniel screams as he runs towards Hank, intending to grab the object tucked into the back of his jeans. Meanwhile, Sean acted fast, managing to sort-of run while tied to the chair and tackle Doris to the floor. She hit her head on the concrete wall, losing consciousness.

"What the fucking hell-" Hank calls out in surprise, but he was too late. Daniel got to him. Daniel got the object he wanted.

It felt strange. Almost surreal, but most of all, it felt scary. Daniel's only seen guns before. He's never held one. Until now. Within less than a second, Daniel's able to calculate the very real risk he's in. Sean's on the floor, conscious, but still tied to the chair. Between them, was a seven-foot behemoth named Hank. And Hank's pissed. In the corner of his eye, Daniel saw his brother slowly getting himself out of the ropes. But would he make it in time?

What happens if he does?

What happens if he doesn't?

The young lone wolf, felt like time stood still. He slowly raised the silver-colored piece of metal, aiming for Hank's head. But he's so tall, and the gun is so heavy. And Daniel's hands are shaking with fear. Hank, had at first been cautious. Now, he almost seems amused. The fact that his wife lays unconscious against a wall doesn't seem to bother him.

"Oh, I see. You're gonna kill me? You? Are gonna kill… me? Hah! I see it in your eyes, boy. You don't have it in you. You failed in your home country, and you failed here. That's all you ever will be. A failure." Hank's face is so close, Daniel could smell his gross breath. He closes his eyes, doing everything in his power to pull the trigger. He must do it.

Kill him.

Kill him.

Kill him.

Kill him.

"Fuck…" Daniel lowers his hands. He can't do it. The world would be a better place without Hank Stamper in it, but he still can't fucking do it!

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Now, hand it over." Hank reaches out to grab the gun from Daniel. However, the young wolf refuses to let go. He can't let go. If he does, they're both dead.

"It's over, you fucking beaner. Hand it over!" Hank screamed at him, causing Daniel to fall backward in fear. He crawls into the corner of the room as if he's trying to hide.

"Give up now, and I'll make it quick. No suffering. Well, not for you. Your big brother? I've got plans for him. I'm gonna tear him apart, piece by piece until he begs for the sweet relief of death. Perhaps, an eye for an eye…" Something just snapped in Daniel's mind. Maybe all the shit over the past few days finally got to him?

"AAAHHH!" A loud scream, dripping with hate, pain, and agony, followed by a sound. The sound of a gun. Daniel's memory from here would never come back. He could, however, remember that Sean knelt next to him. Just as Hank Stamper's body fell to the ground.

"DANIEL!" Sean panicked. He couldn't see shit but had just gotten himself out of those fucking ropes. Now, he heard a gunshot. He stood up, expecting to see Hank smiling victoriously over his dead brother's body. He saw something completely different.

Perhaps, worse?

Daniel held the gun. DANIEL?! That on its own is bad enough. But then, Sean saw what stood between them. Hank Stamper. His skull, split wide open by the bullet, fingers twitching awkwardly, like the rest of his body didn't quite understand that he was… dead.

Dead.

Daniel killed somebody.

Enano.

Daniel doesn't move, nor does he flinch. His expression remains blank, and his eyes empty, like a void. Only when Hank's body fell to the floor did Daniel drop the gun. Still, he didn't move a muscle. His little brother couldn't fathom what he had just done. Sean runs to him, kneeling at his side.

"Daniel, are you ok? DANIEL?!" The boy starts to cry. And it's more painful to listen to now than ever before. Sean doesn't think, he just acts. He picks his little brother up, and he runs. He doesn't care about all the shit they're leaving behind in their tent. Neither does he care about the fact that grabbing Daniel covered him in both blood and brain. Sean just runs. To where? Fuck if he knows. He doesn't even know where they are, he never did.

For how long, Sean doesn't know. The last time they ran, screams and gunfire echoed around them. This time, screams, and gunfire echoed inside their heads. Daniel's scream, and Daniel pulling the trigger. All Sean hear, is his little brother's scream. Over and over again. So much anger. So much hate. How could Daniel have something like that in him?

Meanwhile, in the younger brother's mind, the gunshot repeats itself on a constant loop. It never ends. Again and again, Daniel sees Hank's skull just… explode. Most of its contents soaking Daniel completely. It just never ended. He tried to focus on something else. Anything else.

"Shit, dude. You- you just- killed- no. get it together. Focus." Daniel desperately tries to clear his chaotic mind. He looks up at his brother, still running in panic. Well, Sean's not helping at this state.

"God. Breathe, just breathe. Look at the-" He looks around, searching for anything to take his mind off what just happened.

"Trees. Just, look at the trees, dude. The Ents. They're good, safe." Slowly, Daniel calmed down. Sean, however, did not. His older brother followed a trail leading them upwards. A trail Daniel recognized. He wasn't sure why, but this place felt very familiar. He's been here before, he's sure of it.

"What is this place?" He wonders gratefully for the distraction. Daniel looks around for any clues as to their whereabouts. It seems like they've reached the top of- whateverthefuck this place is. The trail ends, but Sean does not. Instead, he kept running. When they passed a lookout point, Daniel knew where they were.

He knew, and he thought his heart had stopped.

Mount Rainier National Park. Their parents used to take them here every summer. Daniel always loved every second of it, even when the thunder had scared him. Sean, however, hated it. A desperate attempt to get Sean to care about his little brother. That had always been those camping trips in a nutshell to him. But he didn't care. He never cared. Not when Daniel wanted to learn how to make a fire, not when Daniel fell in the river. And not when Daniel got lost in the forest for hours.

At the campsite, there were many trails. Some lead to the mountain itself. Others, deeper into the national park. A few of them would even take you into parts unknown. The night he got lost, Daniel had chosen the latter of those. Then, there's the trail Sean had taken now. The upwards trail. A trail leading them to a lookout point.

Although he's confident that he's been here many more times than that, Daniel could only remember three earlier camping trips here. On all of those trips, the lookout point was always the best part. The old-school binoculars, jammed into the ground, looking towards his hometown. Looking at Seattle.

"Hey, Sean, come here, quick! I can see our house from here! Look, look!" That is what Daniel always told his older brother. He never saw his house, just the rest of Seattle. But it didn't matter. His brother never came to look anyway.

"Uh… Sean…?" Daniel almost whispers to his brother. He needs to scream, but he's unable to take his eyes off of it. He wants to, but he can't.

"Sean?" He tries again. This time, a bit louder. Still, his brother keeps running a road to nowhere.

"SEAN!" Daniel takes his blood-stained hands, grabbing a hold around Sean's throat. Sean wouldn't listen, he never does. And Daniel? He doesn't know what to do. For a few seconds, Daniel could take his eyes away from it, focusing on his older brother instead.

"Ah, Daniel?! What the fuck, man?!" Sean swore at him as he finally came to a stop. The pain in his arms catching up with him makes Sean set his brother down on the ground, carefully on his feet.

"The fuck's wrong with you, Daniel? Why the hell are you trying to choke me?" Daniel didn't answer. Instead, he turned his back on Sean, walking to the lookout point. He could feel Sean's hand on his shoulder. This time, it didn't comfort him. Not even a little.

"You wanna talk about it, Daniel? I mean- what happened back there-" Daniel had almost forgotten about that. Almost. No, he doesn't want to talk about it. Right now, he wants to talk about something far worse.

"You don't remember, do you, Sean?" Daniel asks sadly while looking at the horizon.

"We used to come here every summer. I loved it. But you- always bitching about no cellphone reception, sleeping in a tent, and- and- me." Daniel continues before Sean's able to say anything.

"I love this lookout point, Sean. Do you know why?" Sean slowly removed his hand from Daniel's shoulder. His older brother sighed deeply.

"No, I don't. I'm sorry." Daniel could tell that he wasn't lying. Not that it mattered at the moment.

"It's because from here I can see all of Seattle. All of it." Daniel's voice starts to shake. Meanwhile, Sean begins to remember where he is, and what this means.

"Or at least I used to, Sean. Look…" Daniel, voice shaking, face covered in tears, raised his right arm. He pointed with his trembling index finger at the horizon. Now, Sean saw it too.

They both saw it.

Seattle.

At least what little was left of it.

Neither brother said a word. Unable to speak, unable to move, unable to even comprehend that this was real.

Daniel, just like any kid, could have those boring nights on his computer sometimes. He would browse random videos on YouTube. What could begin with something as innocent as "how to make your own ice cream" could, hours later, end with him watching videos of nuclear tests. He always found it frightening. Still, a bit fascinating, and almost… cool. But this? This was different.

Nothing about this was fascinating. Nothing about this was cool. Hell, he couldn't even call it frightening. There wasn't a fitting word to describe what he felt right now.

In the far distance, where Seattle should be, was a massive crater. Not being sure why, Daniel looks through the old binoculars pointed at his hometown.

Every skyscraper, every bridge, tree, road, along with even the smallest of houses in the outskirts of Seattle. Gone. Obliterated, to the point where it became less than dust. In their place, was a massive hole. A black hole, deeper than Daniel's eyes could reach. A black hole, filled with death and destruction. Here, nobody could have survived. Nobody would ever be able to live there again. Not humans, not animals, nothing. Not even plants would grow there again. It truly was a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

And yet, that's just the damage caused by the explosion.

Unable to stop himself no matter how much it hurts, Daniel continues to look. The giant pit of oblivion disappears from his field of vision as he lays his eyes upon the actual remains of Seattle. He's only nine, so he's not an expert on nukes. But he did know that there's an enormous shockwave, along with a massive release of heat. In what order, he didn't know. If his eyes were anything to go by, it probably didn't matter either.

Vehicles, buildings, mountains. All of it turned to shreds. Daniel couldn't distinguish one from the other. Was he watching a pile of rotting corpses, a crushed car, or a wrecked house? He didn't know. Everything… gone. His life… gone. It's gone and it fucking hurts. He can't watch this anymore.

Meanwhile, Sean had remained frozen as his younger brother slowly looked out across the wasteland. He's not sure why, perhaps he was in shock? But the very second Daniel took a small step back, sighing sadly, Sean lost it.

"Move! Out- out of my way! I- I gotta- I gotta see-" Sean screams with a broken voice, poorly hiding his fear. He roughly grabs Daniel by the shoulder, pulling him back. Sean neither noticed, nor cared, that his brother fell to the ground.

"Ow, Sean. You- you hurt me. You hurt me." Daniel starts to cry while sitting on the ground. His face is sticky with blood and brains, neither of which is his. His knee, dripping blood from a fresh wound. A wound, caused by Sean. But Sean doesn't notice his little brother's pain. Sean's in a world of his own. He looks out across his hometown, not caring about anything else.

He lasted about five seconds.

"Fuck…" Sean looks away, turning his back on the wasteland. His legs could barely hold him up. He puts his hands on his knees, trying to breathe. Daniel might be angry and disappointed in Sean. But he knows pain when he sees it. He knows because he's been in pain his entire life. Nobody ever helped him. But maybe, he can help someone? It hurts to move, but he stands up to walk to his brother's side.

"Hey, Sean-" What the fuck is he supposed to say? He takes his older brother's hand.

"It's gonna be ok. We'll take care of each other. I'll look after you, and-" Nope.

Sean already knew that both of their parents were gone. He also knew what it meant. But seeing the remains of Seattle made that real. There's no denying it any longer. Sean Diaz, until the day he dies, is now the sole guardian of Daniel Diaz. Fuck. To some extent, he'd slowly been getting used to the role. Bonding with Daniel actually felt somewhat good. But… no. just, no. He can't be a parent to this fucking kid.

"I'll look after you, and-" Daniel's last words before Sean pushes him away, both in a physical, and symbolical fashion.

"And you look after me, Sean." Is what he imagined Daniel's next sentence to be. And that scared him. Sean storms away. Struck with grief and despair, too heavy for one man to carry.

"FUUUCK!" Sean marches towards the closest tree. A massive freak of nature, twenty times taller than Sean himself. He closed his right fist, and then he punched the tree. Over and over again. Fully intent on unleashing his grief onto anything else but himself. Sean didn't notice the blood on his fist. How it dripped at first, only to later, pour in a steady stream. He didn't hear the sound of his bone, snapping into pieces. Not the first time, nor the second. Not even the third.

Daniel watched it happen, frozen in horror. He didn't know what to do.

"Stop it, Sean. Please." Daniel tries to beg, but Sean doesn't even hear him. He's too afraid to come any closer.

"Sean, stop!" Daniel tries another time, but his sobs make him barely audible.

"STOP IT!" During his almost ten-year-long lifespan, Daniel could safely say that he's never screamed that loud before. Not even close. Sean immediately ceased his actions and collapsed to the ground. His older brother looks at his hand as if in shock. The adrenaline fades away, replacing it, is pain. Pain, coming from broken bones.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. Sorry. I- I don't know what to do. I don't even know where we are. We're lost. It's over, Daniel. Over." Sean whimpers in despair while clutching his hand. Daniel should help him. He wants to help him. But how? All of their stuff is back at the gas station. Maybe Daniel's got something in his pockets?

"Yes!" A small safety pin, deep inside the pocket of his raccoon hoodie. Why they put those in there, he'll never understand. But for now, he won't complain. Now, all he needs is some kind of fabric to use as gauze. Then, he can tend to Sean's idiotically self-caused wounds. So… fabric?

His socks? He walked barefoot for days, so that's a big no-no. Daniel's socks are worth their weight in gold to him.

Underwear? The fuck's he even thinking? Gross!

T-shirt? No, it would get cold.

Raccoon hoodie? HELL NO! Daniel loves his hoodie. It's warm, cozy, and even has ears- shit.

"Well, guess I'm gonna have to be a one-eared raccoon now. Way to go, Sean." Daniel sighs as he rips off an ear of his hoodie, using it to wrap around Sean's wound. His older brother already drifted in and out of consciousness, making the process a lot easier.

"Well, you're all patched up now, big brother. Dumbass…" Daniel looks at the unconscious Sean. Daniel sits down next to him, leaning back against the same tree Sean unleashed his inner demons. He swears at Sean for ruining his hoodie. He swears at himself as he feels wetness, making its way down his back.

Blood.

Sean's blood.

Where it came from, he did not know. But he quickly pushed the thought back to whatever depths of hell it came from. It told him to leave. Alone. It told him that he would be better off on his own. For a split-second, he entertained the thought. Then, he condemned himself for even thinking about it at all.

"Don't worry, Sean. I'll look after you, and- and- I'll protect you." Daniel whispers to his brother. In his fragile state, he succeeds in making himself believe that he can actually protect his older brother, if necessary.

"Sleep tight, Sean. Rest. You- you need your strength. I'll watch over you, wolfbrother." That night, Daniel Felipe Diaz did not sleep one single second. Although most, if not all, of the horrors that happened at the gas station had been repressed by his already damaged mind, the damage was already done.

Daniel watched over his brother, no longer scared of the darkness. Not even the thunder affected him. The damage was done, indeed. The short-term effects, easy to discover, therefore, easier to repair. However, the real question remained.

What would the long-term effects be for Daniel Felipe Diaz?

Credit: johnson_blazkowicz

Notes:

I kinda feel like this chapter got off to a bit of a "meh" start, but got better along the way. The Stampers "interrogating" Sean doesn't feel too far-fetched. Age aside, he would look the part. So it's definitely a credible scenario IMO. If you haven't noticed already, most of this story takes place through Daniel's POV. I feel like that's the more interesting (damn, does that feel like a bad choice of words?) perspective. War through the eyes of a child. Plus, Daniel's much easier for me to write than Sean.

A lot in this chapter, as the name suggests, will have a major impact on the story in the future. What kind of impact? We shall see. Positive? I wouldn't bet on it, I really would not. Also, I'm starting to see a sort of "bigger picture" as to how Sean and Daniel react when they feel overwhelmed by emotions. Sean acts out, plain and simple. He doesn't want to hurt his brother, but if the situation is bad enough, and Daniel's in his way, it could happen. COULD HAPPEN. Daniel mostly shuts down. Sometimes he talks. But when he does, it's about things he's kept locked away for years. Not the more recent trauma. And keeping those things to yourself can cause great harm (trust me, I know).

The beautiful art at the end is only one of many works by "Johnson Blazkowicz". If you haven't seen it yet, do so now!
Twitter: johnsonterminal
Instagram: johnson_blazkowicz

I give him full credit for the art. If by any means the creator wants the artwork removed, just contact me.

I always enjoy comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

War.
One does not win it.
One does not lose it.
One survives it.

Defeat in victory.
Never victory in defeat.
Scars on the body.
Scars on the mind.
Scars on the soul.

War.
Destroys.
Shatters.
Burns.
Obliterates.

Leaving a path.
Of death.
Destruction.
Blood.
Tears.
And burning bodies.

War.
I've mastered the art of war...

SIDENOTE: I work at a store. I wrote this while in desperate need to kill time in the register a few days ago. I just felt like including it...

Chapter 7: Hope?

Summary:

Daniel hasn't been able to sleep since it happened. Perhaps he'll be able to find something that gives him comfort?

Notes:

Tags!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

In the middle of fuckknowswhere — One week later…

Daniel's tired. So very tired. No, it's not because they spend every hour of every day walking. Nor is it because he's starving. The cause is not something he does. It's caused by something he doesn't. He won't do it anymore because he can't. And even if he could, he still wouldn't do it, afraid of what to expect.

Sleep.

Those who sleep soundly at night? They don't know how good they have it. Not now, not ever. Until you take it away from them. By default, if he was still awake after one hour, it would mean that Daniel had a "bad night." He always had an easy time falling asleep.

Had. That's the keyword here.

Now, he's gone over a week without sleeping a single second. Barely conscious, his legs move on autopilot. His ears are ringing, his vision feels weird, and he's having a hard time focusing his eyes. Talking? He hasn't said much since it happened. Since he killed.

Daniel could still hear the sound in his head. The gunshot and the sick splatter that followed. He looks down at his T-shirt, covered in dried blood and brains. It doesn't look so new anymore. He sighed. Why can't he ever have nice things in life? Maybe this is how life's supposed to be? Not just for him, but everyone? Life sucks… and then you die.

"Daniel? Keep your guard up. I see some houses up ahead." Daniel snapped out of his despair, if only temporary. Since the incident at the gas station, Sean had told him to always be aware of his surroundings. He wasn't, of course. Daniel didn't care if he lived or died. Right now, he just… existed.

The brothers entered a small neighborhood, consisting of around ten houses. It seemed to be deserted. But these days, you could never be sure. It was every man for himself.

"Hey, Daniel? Let's check out this house. Come on." Daniel feels guilty. All his life, he wanted Sean to just try. Try to be a big brother for once. Now when he does, Daniel can't be bothered to even answer him in words. Instead, he relies on a simple nod. Sean smashes a window and goes in to open the front door for Daniel. This house seems empty. But again, you never know.

"Ok, Daniel. I'll check this floor, you check the upper floor, ok? Remember, we need first-aid shit, camping gear, clothes-" Daniel nods in rapid succession. But every word enters through one ear, only to exit throughout the other immediately. He goes to the top floor, intending to do what he's done every time so far.

Any time they entered a house, Daniel didn't give a shit about looking for supplies. It's over, so what's the fucking point? What he did look for, however, was sleep. Every time, in every house, Daniel tried to rest in every bed. And every time he failed. This would be no exception. He lies on a very comfortable bed, staring at the ceiling. Daniel sighs. He sighs again. And again. And again…

This ain't working. He sits up, looking around the room. It looks like a child's room. On a shelf, Daniel sees a picture. Curious about it, he inspects it closer. The picture depicts three people, sitting on the porch of this very house. To the left, is a teenager. Slightly older than Sean, and dressed in all-black, matching his hair. The teenager's left arm is placed, almost in a protecting manner, over the person in the middle.

To the right, another teenager. This one is close to Sean's age. His eyes had a deep sadness hidden behind them. Still, his right elbow protected the person in the middle. And in the middle sat a boy. A boy, no older than Daniel is now. A boy, wearing an ugly green jacket, and for some reason, he had a bowl cut. Still, the boy could barely be seen in that picture. The teenagers Daniel assumes to be his brothers? They protected him so much, not even the person who took that picture would get to him.

Brotherhood. Daniel never had it. This child, did he?

"It's not fair. It's just not fair." Daniel sobs as he speaks his first sentence in days. Seconds later, Daniel jumped out of the bed as he heard a sound.

"Fuck! Fuckfuckfuck!" He thinks to himself, believing that he just revealed their position. He must get out. Warn Sean. Daniel keeps his head low, planning on escaping through a window out the backyard. This, however, meant that he had to enter another room. By doing so…

He discovered the source of the sound.

He couldn't believe his eyes. This wasn't real. It had to be a dream. But it wasn't. It's real. So real.

"SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAN!" Daniel screams for all he's worth. It didn't take too long before he could hear the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. Sean came up behind him, kitchen knife in hand.

"DANIEL?! What- what's wrong? Are- are you hurt? Daniel?! Talk to me!" Sean looked around the room for the person that scared his little brother. He didn't want to, but if he had to, he would hurt them. If he could…

Daniel doesn't answer him. Instead, he collapsed to his knees as he leaned against the wall. And then- what is that? He's holding something- Ok, now Sean gets it.

"Isn't she cute, Sean? Can we keep her? Please, can we? Oh, pleasepleaseplease?" Daniel begged him, eyes full of hope and excitement.

A puppy.

Sean expected a mountain of a man, wielding a shotgun or some shit. He did not expect a puppy.

A puppy.

It was a bad idea. Puppies are loud, shits all over, and it's just another mouth to feed.

But still, it's a puppy.

NO! Bad idea. All of it. Everything just screams bad idea. Sean closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. He could almost hear his little brother's heart as it broke into pieces… again.

"Daniel- I- I-" He looks into his little brother's eyes. If that puppy has puppy eyes, then what the actual fuck do you name what Daniel's got now? This was not only bad, this was stupid. But Sean knew. Daniel needed it. His little brother needed something stupid, funny, and cute to happen for once.

"I- I- yeah, Daniel. Sure you can." Daniel, refusing to let go of his adopted little brother, hugs Sean while holding the puppy in his arms.

"Thank you, Sean. Thank you so much. You're the best big brother ever, you know that?" He knows. Sean knows that he's not. Still, he would be lying if he said that hearing Daniel say it, didn't make his heart feel warm.

"What should her name be, Sean?" Daniel looked at him, already in deep thought.

"Hey, your dog, your name." Daniel's face lit up like never before. The fact that one small dog could make this much difference, Sean would never have thought.

"Ok. Uh… let's see- I'm gonna call you-" Daniel's quiet for a long time, clearly putting some effort into this.

"Mushroom." The name made Sean's blood run cold. All he saw in front of him, was that mushroom cloud. The one that took their whole lives.

"Uh, are- are you sure, Daniel? I mean- maybe you should-" FUCK! How do parents do this shit?! Daniel, however, had him on this one.

"I know what you're thinking, Sean. It's ok. That cloud. It took everything from us. Our lives. One mushroom cloud of death, ruining our lives forever. I just thought that one mushroom alive, sweet, and loving, could help us. To restart, you know? Forget it. It's stupid." Daniel starts his speech full of confidence and excitement. Slowly, it disappears as he watches the blank expression on Sean's face. Thing is, Sean's impressed. To him, it sounded so… deep. Did it make sense? Meh. But still, deep.

"It's not stupid, Enano. Honestly, I think it sounds like a perfect plan." Daniel's face regained some confidence.

"And another thing, Daniel," Sean says as he realized that he's still holding the kitchen knife in the air, ready to strike.

"What-" Sean leans his back against the wall, dropping the knife to the floor. Then he interrupts his little brother.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, little brother. Please!" Sean held him tight. Meanwhile, Daniel's too busy with his puppy along with the fact that Sean called him little brother to even care.

Bad idea as it was, Sean couldn't help but smile. Daniel scared him, which seriously pissed Sean off. Bringing a dog on their journey might be a recipe for disaster too, but none of that matters. Why? Mushroom, a name that needs some time, getting used to, helps Daniel forget. Helps him forget all about his dead parents, and all the horrific things that he's seen… and done. Sean looks over at his younger brother, and- to his surprise…

Daniel's asleep. For the first time in a week. Like a baby, holding Mushroom in his arms as the puppy did the same. Sean carefully takes a blanket from the bed, placing it over his brother. Beaver Creek isn't far now, he's sure of it. Well, somewhat sure. Almost. Sort of. He can figure shit out tomorrow. Sean leans his head back against the wall, knowing that for once, both brothers can sleep.

The next morning…

"¿Qué diablos estás haciendo, idiota?!" Sean awoke with a startle. Soldiers. Fuck. How many? Two, ten, or a hundred? Will they see him if he looks out the window? Also, another thing bothers Sean.

Daniel.

Where the hell is he?

Sean begins to look around the room in a panic, avoiding the impulse to scream after his brother. However, his whereabouts were revealed when Sean felt a small hand cover his mouth from behind his back.

"Shh, Sean, quiet. It's me, Daniel." He removes the hand, covering Sean's mouth. Sean looks back at him with red-hot fury.

"Are you fucking insane?!" Daniel motions for him to be quiet.

"There's four of them. They've been here for about two hours. Looks like they're just waiting for something. I- I don't know Spanish." Sean didn't expect that. He thought his little brother would hide in a corner, crying in fear. Hell, Sean's fighting hard not to do so himself. Daniel's changed so much. Sean doesn't know if he should be impressed or worried. Perhaps both?

"Wow, Enano. Uh, great job. You sure they didn't see you?" Sean asks him to reassure.

"No way. Me and Mushroom, we're invisible. Like ninjas." Daniel's invisible, and Mushroom alike. Hell, even Sean's invisible. However, not everybody shared that luck.

The door on the house across the street opens. Out came two soldiers, dragging a young teenager after them. A boy, older than Daniel, but younger than Sean. Even from this distance, Sean could see the fear in his eyes. Empty, blank, and defeated. He knows exactly how fucked he is.

"Oh, no. Sean, what are we gonna go? We gotta save him, right?" Fuck. Life isn't fair. Sometimes, life is just cruel. Sean knows that his little brother's right. They should help that kid. They should help him. It's the right thing to do, and they both want to do it. There's just one problem.

They can't help him.

They don't have any weapons, so they can't do shit. If one of them would've had superpowers, things would have been different. But now, this is how it has to be. No matter how much Sean hates it.

"I'm sorry, Enano. We can't." Sean moves closer to his brother. They both look on as the soldiers force the teenager on his knees.

"NO! Please no. I- I- I have money! You- you want money? Please- ah!" The young boy desperately tries to bargain his way out before a soldier silences him with a boot to the face.

"Sean…?" Daniel whimpers. Sean pulls his younger brother towards him, covering his eyes.

"There's nothing we can do, Daniel. I'm sorry. Just… don't look. Don't look." Daniel didn't look. But Sean did. He's not sure why, but something made him do it. Something made him want to burn this image into his retina forever. The sounds and cries, however, he could do without.

"Mom… please. Mom…" The young child sobs while a soldier points a rifle to the back of his head. A loud sound echoed across the neighborhood, and he fell to the ground dead. Sean felt his little brother's body tense up. He could hear Daniel sob silently. Meanwhile, Sean felt something else.

Anger.

These people didn't deserve to live. And yet, death would feel like an easy punishment in their case. Fuck. Sean watched as the soldiers posed with the dead kid like he was a hunting trophy. It disgusted him. He either kills them all or takes off right now. Which ones are right or wrong, he's not sure of. Either way, he chooses the latter.

"Hey, Daniel. I think it's time to go." Daniel crawls into a corner, hugging his knees.

"Daniel? We gotta go." Sean whispers a bit more decisively. But Daniel just shakes his head. He's terrified. In fear of his life. Sean can't exactly blame him. He tries to grab Daniel's hand, but his brother pulls away to his corner. His safe corner.

Shit. Sean looks around, noticing the yawning puppy about to wake up. Damn, she sleeps hard. Not even gunfire wakes her up. Sean grabs the dog, holding it up towards Daniel.

"Hey, Daniel. Mushroom wants to get out of here too. You wanna help her with that?" Daniel nods. Progress…

Daniel grabs his puppy, slowly standing up. The brothers move fast. Out of the house, and into the forest. Luckily, nobody saw them. That could have been really bad. But now, Daniel's back to not speaking again. He's already seen so much. Too much.

"Don't worry, Enano. Beaver Creek isn't far now. I promise." He could see the tears in Daniel's eyes. But Daniel didn't talk, so Sean had no clue about what to say or do. All he can do is hope that Daniel feels better when he hugs his dog like that. The kid hangs on to it for dear life. Maybe in more ways than one? Honestly, it kinda worked. It took a while, but Daniel eventually seemed to be more relaxed. He wasn't shaking, nor did he hug Mushroom so tight, her eyes almost popped out.

Mushroom made Daniel feel safe, plain, and simple. The realization makes Sean smile as he reaches out with a hand to ruffle his brother's hair. Daniel came to a dead stop, making Sean believe that he fucked up. Maybe he did? It wouldn't be the first time. Nor the second. His little brother raised a trembling arm, pointing at something.

"Sean… look." Sean saw it.

"Welcome to Beaver Creek!"

But no, Daniel didn't point at the sign. He pointed at something far more intimidating than a sign. Daniel pointed at a fence, longer than their eyes could see. A fence, covered in barb-wire. He pointed at the tanks, trucks, and of course, the soldiers. Fuck. This can't be. This was the only plan he had.

"Sean? What do we do?" Daniel whimpers to him. Sean briefly entertains the idea of running like fucking hell, however…

"It's too late, Daniel. If we can see them, they can see us. They already know we're here. Just- follow my lead, ok?" Daniel nods as he lets Mushroom down next to him. Sean raised his hands above his head, very slowly. Daniel followed his brother as he did the same. The brothers walked towards the blockade. They were so close now. Sean could see parts of the town from here. But also, he could see a group of soldiers marching towards them.

"Everything alright, citizen? Are you injured- wait. The fuck?!" Before he knew it, Sean's down on the ground, and a thick, metallic fluid, fills his mouth. He could see Daniel bend over him to say something, but he couldn't hear him. It felt weird. Is this a concussion? If it is, Sean doesn't like it.

Three soldiers grab Sean, pushing him up against the fence. A fourth, hold Daniel in the air, with only one hand around the boy's throat.

"How fucking stupid do you think we are, huh? Do you think we're retards? DO YOU, HUH?!" One of them spat in his face. Sean didn't give a shit about him. All he saw, was Daniel, slowly choking to death.

"Privates! Just what the FUCK do you think you're doing?!" A new, yet familiar voice screams. The soldiers instantly let go of both Sean and Daniel, turning their attention to the person that screamed.

"Sergeant, I- uh- I mean- we believe that these individuals might be spies." The private who choked Daniel says, all his confidence gone.

"Oh, you BELIEVED. But you didn't KNOW, did you?!" Neither person answered.

"These boys are the grandchildren of Stephen Reynolds, our local war veteran, for fuck's sake!" Sean's concussed brain now recognized the voice. He slowly stood up on wobbly legs.

"Oh. Sorry, s- sir." One of the privates stuttered. Sean could see him now. Damn, he truly is an intimidating figure when he's mad.

"You nearly choked a child to death… and you're sorry? You almost killed my son's best friend… and you're sorry? You're a disgrace, soldier. Get the fuck out of my sight." The privates ran away as fast as they possibly could. Sean felt a strong set of arms, pulling him to his feet.

"Sean, are you alright? Sean!" Charles Eriksen. Semi-somewhat high-ranking army officer, and father of Daniel's best, if not only friend Chris.

"Uh- yeah. I'm good. Just… good-" Sean throws up on the spot. It wasn't because of the concussion, it just happened. He could feel how Daniel grabbed his hand.

"Is Chris alright, Charles?" Daniel asked him, voice full of innocent hope.

"Chris is just fine, buddy. He'll be happy to see you. Come on. I know someone else who will be too." Being in command had its benefits. One of them, a huge Hummer, bulletproof and everything. Charles even forced them to wear bulletproof vests, something Sean refused at first. But he couldn't deny that it made him feel a lot safer. Everything felt safer now. Beaver Creek still had electricity, running water, and a large food supply. Maybe this, is it? This is where they're meant to be? It's all here, intact, and under American control.

"Well, guys. Here we are. I have to get back, so I'm just gonna have to drop you off. But-" Sean interrupted him.

"Thank you so much, Charles." Before he had another nervous breakdown, Sean got out. Right behind him, came Daniel and Mushroom.

"I can't believe it's still here, Sean. All of it." Daniel whispered while they were walking towards the front door.

"Me neither, Enano. But we'll be safe here. Claire and Stephen, they'll take good care of us.

"I know, Sean." Daniel places a finger on the doorbell, looking at Sean.

"Are we ready, big brother?" Sean placed his finger over Daniel's.

"Let's do it, little brother." They both ringed the bell.

Time almost stood still. It felt like hours. God, why do old people move so slow? Eventually, Sean could hear footsteps coming from inside the house. On pure instinct, he stopped breathing, and he knew, Daniel had done the same. Slowly, the door opens. Both brothers, expecting to see their grandparents on the other side of it. But, the person behind the door…

Is not Claire Reynolds.

Nor is it Stephen Reynolds.

Hell, not even Captain Spirit himself, Chris Eriksen.

Sean looked at the person in disbelief. It wasn't possible. He could almost hear Daniel's heartbeats next to him. Then, at the exact same time, the brothers utter the same phrase, in equal shock and disbelief.

"Mom?"

Notes:

Ok, the Diaz brothers have finally reached Beaver Creek. This kinda marks (unofficially) the end of episode 1. But since I'm not making this into a series, there's really no point in having episodes.

The photo Daniel finds in the house is a description of my favorite photo with my two older brothers. Yes, I had a bowl cut. Come on, gimme a break, I'm a 90's kid...

I felt like including Mushroom in order to give Daniel some kind of comfort. Just remember that I rarely do things without planning something down the line...

Also, I'm trying to portray Daniel as someone that becomes more and more "used to it". Gunfire still scares him, but soldiers in the distance don't.

Oh, yeah. Karen's alive, so there's that as well. Surprise... I guess.

Remember, I like reading comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Mom.
You loved her.
She loved you.
She is no more.

Burned.
Disintegrated.
Wiped out.
Destroyed.

She died.
You were sure of it.
You didn't want to.
But you knew it to be true.

Now.
She stands before you.
Alive.
Mom.
You're alive?

What the fuck?!

Chapter 8: Falling Down

Summary:

Mom. She's alive. But how? And what about dad? While in safety, Daniel's head begins to process the entire situation, causing him to descend even further down the rabbit hole...

Notes:

Tags!

It took a little longer than usual to get this chapter out. Food poisoning's a bitch...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Mom…

They all cried, trembled in both shock and relief. But nobody dared to speak. Not Sean, not Daniel, not even their mother. Nobody had words for this moment. So many questions, but so few, if any, answers. She's alive. Mom's alive. But how? It made no sense. That explosion wiped out the entire town. Daniel saw it, felt it, heard it. Sometimes, he still does in his nightmares. This makes no sense. Nothing about this makes any sense.

But, fuck all of that. His mom's alive!

"Mom…" Daniel breaks the silence with a whimper as he runs into his mother's arms. His older brother isn't far behind him. Daniel hugs his mom, with Sean doing the same, not caring that his little brother can barely breathe. Daniel barely noticed it himself though. For a good ten minutes, the Diaz family felt complete. It felt normal. Life felt normal. They all stood there, crying, apologizing, rambling, but nothing made sense to anyone. Instead, they decided to just have this moment of calm.

"You made it. You made it-" Karen cries into the shoulder of her oldest son.

"We did, mom. We did." The fact that Sean says "we" and not "I" makes Daniel feel even better about this moment.

"Sean took care of me, mom. We took care of each other." Daniel points at Sean's broken hand, still covered with the raccoon-hoodie-ear for gauze. Sean tries to hide it in a moment of shame.

"What happened to you, Sean?" His mother asks him with a disturbed tone. Daniel looks at the floor, with a blank expression. How will she react? How does any mother react when she learns that her nine-year-old son, is a murderer? Meanwhile, Sean scratches his neck nervously.

"I- I don't- a lot of-" Sean's mumbling gets interrupted by Mushroom barking from behind them. Both brothers welcomed the interruption more than ever.

"Oh! Mom, look- hey, look, mom! This is our puppy. I named her Mushroom Diaz." Karen's eyes widened slightly as she learned the name, but she said nothing. It was, however, clear that she was happy to see Daniel so excited in times like these. With Daniel tending to Mushroom, Sean chooses to ask the one question he might not want the answer to.

"Mom. Where's dad?" Karen's expression, so full of joy, and relief, changed in a heartbeat. Joy became sorrow. Relief became concern. If it wasn't obvious before, it was now.

"I think we should go inside, boys," Karen says sadly. She goes inside with Sean right behind her.

"Come on, Enano. Time to go inside." It hurt saying it. Daniel played around with his dog, and he looked so happy. So normal. Covered in dried blood and brains, but still… normal.

"Oh, come on, Sean. Why?" Sean sighs. He turns his back towards Daniel, not wanting to see his reaction.

"You know why." The worst part of it was that Sean could hear how Daniel ceased to move. No more jumping up and down. Sean would've preferred it if he'd just cried. He holds out his hand as a gesture to Daniel. After many seconds of silence, he could hear slow footsteps closing in on him. The brothers went inside, hand-in-hand. This would be the most difficult conversation ever.

Neither brother cared about how hungry they were, how badly they needed a shower or a change of clothes. Sean didn't care about the pain in his hand. Daniel didn't care about the pain in his heart or the disturbing thoughts that sometimes troubled him. Right now, one thing mattered. Only one.

Their father.

"Your grandparents are fine, they're just not home right now. They'll be back soon. Why don't we sit down?" Karen points at the kitchen table. They all sit down. Karen is on one side, opposite Sean. And Daniel, next to his brother. This house, it's always been so clean. Almost too clean. It still is. Within seconds, the kitchen table has blood from Sean, and brains from Hank smeared all over it. Nobody cared.

"I'm so glad that you're both alive. And I'm so proud of you both-" ENOUGH!

"How did you survive, and what about dad?" Sean blurts out, in a not-so-nice way. He needs to hear it. Not tomorrow, not later, NOW! Karen takes a deep breath.

"As you may remember, the day it began, I was working night-shift." Yeah, they both remember. They wish they could forget, but they can't.

"The office I work at, as you already know, is- fuck…" Karen comes to a brief stop before collecting herself.

"My office was located downtown. In the very center of Seattle, where the bomb fell." Yeah. They both sure as hell didn't forget about that one. Both Sean and Daniel stay silent, waiting for Karen to elaborate. Daniel, however, remembered the image. He would never be able to forget it. A lone plane. Black, and weirdly shaped. It dropped a large piece of black something, to the city below it. Looking back, Daniel knew that pretty much directly below it, lay a building called "Immigration and Customs Enforcement". Or "ICE" for short. Also known as "mom's job".

"When it began, I tried to call home. Nobody answered. I called, over, and over again. But nobody answered. I panicked, and- I just ran to my car. I thought you were all gone. I had to get out. Then, Esteban called me." Karen sighs as she tears up.

"He told me that you were both safe and that he's coming to save me. I tried. Sean, Daniel… I tried. But we all know that when Esteban decided to do something, it was always difficult to speak up against him." Both Sean and Daniel giggle a little, even if they knew what's about to come. Still, it's dad just… being dad.

"I tried to tell him that I had almost left town, heading for Beaver Creek. I don't think he ever understood that. He sounded so afraid, worried, and yet, doing his best to sound brave. Then the call got cut off. I never spoke to him again. Hours later, I stopped the car. I thought it was an earthquake. Then I looked back. At Seattle." Daniel leans at his brother's shoulder, remembering that moment of horror. How surreal it was.

The blinding light, followed by the massive wall of sound, seconds later. How loud he screamed, and yet, he could never hear his own voice.

The image that forever remains etched into his retina. How he covered his face with his hands, while Sean hugged him tightly. For a brief second, he saw every bone in his hands. He saw his brother's rib cage going up and down, up and down. Like a real-life x-ray.

"Your father… died in Seattle. I don't know how far he made it, but he never made it out. If he did, one of us would know by now." An eerie silence fills the room. Every remaining member of the Diaz family is mourning in their own way. Karen stares emptily at the wall, looking like she's wondering what to do next. Sean, just like Daniel, knew this was coming. But hearing it out loud was different. It made it more real. He's not sure how to react.

Anger? It's how he usually reacts. But he doesn't feel angry.

Crying? Would be more fitting to the loss of a parent. But he almost feels too sad. Too sad to cry.

Meanwhile, Daniel sobs into his older brother's arms. He knew it. He knew dad was dead. But he didn't want to hear it. Too much pain. Again. Darkness, surrounding him. Daring him. Torturing him.

"It's your fault, Daniel." No. it's not true. Go away. He knows it isn't true, but his traumatized mind keeps falling down the same loop of thoughts.

"It's your fault he had to go. If it wasn't for you… dad would still be alive." Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!

"Your family was complete on the day Sean was born. On the day you were born… it was ruined." Daniel can't take it. Usually, he just "mentally" pushes back these thoughts. Now, he can't.

"STOP IT, PLEEEEEASE!" Daniel screams out in desperation, begging for the horrors to stop. He could feel Sean's strong arms around him. He felt no safer, no happier, nothing. Daniel felt nothing.

"It's ok, Daniel. We're safe now." A modified truth, at best.

"I- I want dad…" Daniel cried with a modified truth of his own. He did want dad. More than anything, he wanted his dad. Still, that's not the reason for his breakdown. He never talks about it. Nobody can know. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Nobody can know. Not even Daniel himself.

"Maybe we should call it a night here? You two look like you need some rest." Karen tells Sean with a strained voice, holding back sobs of her own.

"Come on, Daniel. Let's go upstairs." Rest. Yeah, like he'll be able to sleep tonight. Daniel follows his older brother upstairs with Mushroom in his arms.

A shower could do miracles. Before everything went to shit, Daniel always hated the fact that his grandparents didn't have a bathtub. However, that was probably a good thing this time. Daniel had to close his eyes to avoid looking at the red water that poured down. It took forever, but eventually, he felt clean. God, he's so grateful for having some spare clothes here. You know, "just in case."

"Thanks, dad." Daniel both smiles and sighs as he looks in the mirror. His father probably left these pajamas here in case he got sick, pissed himself, or whatever. He definitely didn't do it in case of a nuclear holocaust.

The Reynolds house consisted of three bedrooms. The master bedroom where his grandparents slept. His mom's old room, and a guest room. Until now, Karen had slept in her old childhood room. However, she did know her sons. They couldn't share a room. No chance in hell. Tonight, Karen slept on the couch, Sean in the guestroom, and Daniel in Karen's old room. Before going to bed, Daniel wants to say goodnight to Sean. Just to make sure that he's… alright.

"Sean? Can I come in?" Daniel knocks on the door. Both of them thinking the same thing, "holy shit, Daniel/I remembered to knock." Neither of them mentions it though. Daniel enters the room as he hears two tired groans. Two means yes…

"What's up, Daniel?" Sean asks him. Daniel clearly woke him up.

"Nothing. I just- I wanted to say goodnight, I guess." Daniel says while sitting down on the bed. Sean looks at him slightly annoyed.

"Oh. Goodnight, Enano. See you tomorrow." Daniel could feel his heart sinking, not really understanding why. He sighed quietly before leaving Sean's room, moving towards his own.

He closed the door behind him. Shit. Daniel hasn't slept alone since- since the night it began. That was then. This is now. It can't be that bad, right? The bed feels cozy and warm. Just like the one in his old room. Yeah. Maybe he can get through this night-

FUCK! What was that? Something outside. A deer? Or the wife of Hank Stamper, out for revenge?

"No, dude. Calm down. You're safe here. Nobody can get you. It's safe, and it's quiet." Almost… too quiet. This is the first time since Seattle that Daniel feels safe. With him feeling safe, his mind travels back to that night. The night it all went to shit. He could hear it all happening again. The shooting, the screaming, the bombs falling. Everything.

"No, no, no. Not real, not real, not real." Real or not, it felt unbearable. Daniel rushes to the bathroom, emptying what little contents of his stomach into the toilet. He splashes some water on his pale face, trying to ignore the dark bags under his eyes. He exits the bathroom, but he doesn't go back to his own room.

"Sean?" He whispers into his brother's ear, trying to wake him up. No reaction.

"Sean!" Louder this time. Still, nothing.

"Wake up, Sean." Daniel pokes at his brother. Damn, what he wouldn't give to be able to sleep like that.

"Sean!" Daniel uses his hands to shake Sean awake. Now, he got a reaction.

"Wuhwu?! Daniel? The fuck you doin', man?" A groggy brother questions him.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I- I can't sleep." Sean lies back down with a heavy sigh.

"So why wake me up?" Sean mumbles, clearly agitated.

"I just- I don't wanna be alone, Sean. I'm scared." Sean looks at his crying little brother.

"Go to mom, Enano." Of course. Daniel should've known.

"But- but, Sean-"

"GO, DANIEL!" He should have known that his brother didn't really change. With their mother back in the picture, Sean doesn't have to be the responsible one anymore.

"I knew you hated me. You always did." Daniel hissed at his older brother. A decade of bitterness and disappointment, allowed to slip through the cracks in a moment of weakness. It did, however, make Sean react.

"What… did you say?" Sean looks like he's seen a ghost, slowly sitting up at the side of the bed. Daniel remains standing, looking down at the floor.

"You hate me, Sean. At least admit it. That way-" Daniel starts to cry.

"That way I know I don't need you." In less than a second, he felt Sean's arms around him. Daniel wanted to fight. He wanted to punch, kick, scream, bite, and claw his way out. But he couldn't deny that he felt a lot better already. Still terrible. Just, less terrible.

"Daniel, don't ever say that. I don't hate you, and I never did. I'm just- I'm just a shitty brother. And, I'm scared. Sorry." Daniel continues to cry with Sean whispering into his ear, words of comfort.

"I'm- I'm scared too, Sean. So scared." He manages to say between sobs. Sean slowly pushes him away, looking into his eyes.

"Hey? You wanna sleep in here tonight, buddy?" Daniel nods but doesn't smile.

"Sorry for being an asshole, Daniel. I really am." Sean uses his thumb to remove a tear from his little brother's face.

"You really suck sometimes, Sean. You know that, right?" Daniel's eyes were sad, but his voice had a small hint of joy in it.

"Yeah. I know." He can't really argue on that one. Nor should he.

Daniel climbs into the bed. On one side, lies Sean. On another, a concrete wall. Safe on both sides. Nobody can get him now. Safe, safer, safest.

"Hey, Daniel? You feeling alright? Daniel?" Sean asked, receiving no response. Daniel, exhausted and safe, fell asleep within seconds. Too tired to beg for a story, too tired to chat, hell, even too tired for nightmares.

The next day…

The morning gave the brothers a tearful reunion with their grandparents. Everybody cried, hugged, "I'm-so-glad-you're-alive'd" and so on. Grandma Claire made sure that her grandkids didn't starve, that's for damn sure. Grandpa Stephen went outside with Sean. They had a long talk. About what, Daniel didn't know. Perhaps it was for the best?

Daniel also saw them walk into the forest, disappearing in the distance. Later, he heard many faint gunshots. Each one, reminding him of Hank Stamper's brain, splattering all over his face. He wasn't worried about them. Still, Daniel felt relieved when Sean and Stephen came back. Daniel, knowing all of his brother's facial expressions, immediately knew what Sean was thinking.

"I failed." The question is, at what?

"Daniel, could you come with me for a minute? Let's go for a walk, son." Stephen invites him. He gets a bad feeling. Whatever this is, he won't like it. Still, he follows his grandfather. They walk slowly. Stephen let Daniel choose the pace. When they're far enough from the house, he speaks.

"So, how are you holding up, Daniel?" Not this shit. It pisses Daniel off, making him kick a pine-cone as hard as possible.

"Ok, I guess." Just, tell him what he wants to hear. That way, this conversation will end sooner.

"Sean told me. He told me about that man. At the gas station." Don't go there. Please, don't.

"You want to talk about it?" No. Therefore, he doesn't even answer the damn question. Stephen sighs.

"I'm not gonna pretend to know what you're going through, Daniel. But, I do know what it's like… to kill another human being." Daniel came to a stop. He always knew that his grandfather was a war veteran. But he's just seen the old Stephen. In a nice suit, covered with medals, badges of honor, all that shit. It never crossed his mind what the young Stephen had to do to be awarded those.

"During my service, I saw many things. Disgusting things, shocking things, impossible things, deranged things, insane things… it takes years to get over it. I won't judge you, son. If you need to talk, I'm here." Daniel considers his options. Talking about it might feel good. Especially with someone that understands. Then again, talking would mean… retelling, reliving.

"I'm ok, grandpa. Thanks." It takes every fiber of his being to avoid a breakdown. Stephen sighs in defeat.

"Ok, then. Just, keep it in mind, Daniel." The rest of the walk is silent. When they reach a clearing with a small cabin, Stephen stops.

"Wait here, Daniel. I'm just gonna get some things in that cabin, ok?" Daniel nods. What are they even doing here? There's nothing here. A cabin, a couple of trees, most of which are- wait? No, no, no, no, no!

That can't be why Stephen took him here. Sean? Sure, he's almost an adult. But not him. He's just… Daniel. Just Daniel.

"I hate having to do this to you, son. But, this is war. And you need to know how to defend yourself." Stephen says while putting up targets on the trees. Daniel wanted to run.

"Here, Daniel. Take this." Stephen hands him a gun.

"I- I don't wanna." His grandfather kneels with some difficulty.

"I know you don't. But if you think like that, then you won't stand a chance. It's the bitter truth." Daniel hates it, but he takes the gun in his hands. It feels heavy. When he shot Hank Stamper, he had a rush of adrenaline due to fear. Now, he can truly feel the weight of the gun.

"Try hitting that target over there." Daniel tried, and almost shot himself in the foot as a result.

"Use both hands, Daniel. You can't count on the enemy showing mercy." Enemy. That's it. Enemy…

Daniel tries something else. He aims using both hands. Then, he pictures a very specific person as his target. A person he despises, more than anything else. He pulls the trigger, again and again. Simultaneously, a mantra of words goes through his mind.

"You are disgusting." He shoots a bulls-eye.

"You are terrible." A second bulls-eye.

"You are ugly." A third bulls-eye.

"Freak." Four in a row.

"Monster." Five.

"You should kill yourself." Six in a row.

"Everyone would be better off if you were dead." Seven.

"Daniel Felipe Diaz." Eight bulls-eyes in a row and no more bullets left. Stephen watches in awe while Daniel pulls the trigger a good ten times before noticing that nothing happens. He drops the gun, collapsing to his knees in tears.

"It's ok, Daniel. It's ok. You did- you did good." Stephen whispers to him, unable to take his eyes off the targets.

How he came back to the house is anyone's guess. This entire day is kind of a blur to Daniel. He woke up in his room, and sitting next to him on a chair, was a blonde boy. Chris. His only friend.

"Hi, Daniel." God. Not even a nuclear war could make this kid sad. How does he do it?

"Hey, Chris." Daniel sighs as he sits up.

"I'm glad you're ok, dude," Chris tells him.

"I'm not," Daniel said sadly, not entirely sure about the meaning of his own words.

"You wanna talk?" Yes. Yes, he does. But, Chris might think he's crazy.

"I- I don't know-" Chris interrupts his ramblings.

"Come on, Daniel. You know you can trust me. Plus, you know I hate it when you act like that. I swear that-"

"You swear that one day I'm gonna be the death of you if I keep acting like this, yeah, yeah…" Daniel finished Chris's sentence, having heard it a hundred times before.

"So? Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Daniel takes a deep breath, calming himself down.

"I think I almost killed myself today."

Notes:

Since this chapter is written during a span of several days, it's a bit "meh." I kinda feel like it consists of a whole bunch of smaller chapters.

First of all: Esteban Diaz is dead.

There are a few other things in this chapter that I've put there for use in the future. More than that I won't say for now. The fact that Sean pushes Daniel away when he's scared is a way to show that Sean's still trying to learn how to be a better brother. Change doesn't happen overnight. And speaking from experience, no teenager takes kindly to being awakened. Ever.

Daniel's mental health continues to decline, but there's a reason for that. For now, we'll just have the scene where he fires the gun to show how he views himself. Also, subconsciously, how he believes others view him. Depression's a real bitch...

The "horrors of war" will be on a slight break for a few chapters. But trust me, when "it" happens... "it" will make up for it...

Anyway, please leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Voices.
Calling to you.
Calling at you.
Calling for you.

The voices.
They don't exist.
They are not real.
You made them.
But...
You can't destroy them.

The voices.
Are you.
All of them.
They always were.

Freak.
Monster.
Kill yourself.
The voices said it.
You made them do so.

Now...
A real voice asks for your trust.
Your heart says yes.
Your voices says no.
How can you trust someone,
When all the time,
Something whispers in your ear...

Trust me...
Trust me...
Trust me...
Trust me...

Trust me...
Trust me...
Trust me...
Trust me...

NOTE: Daniel's NOT literally hearing voices. It's more like literal depression/trauma. You tell yourself that you're shit, until you believe it.

Chapter 9: The Oath

Summary:

Daniel finally gets to talk things out with someone who understands him for who he is. Meanwhile, some alone time makes Sean realize a thing or two about himself, and his brother...

Notes:

Tags

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Wow, dude. That's- that's a lot…" Chris exhales. For hours, they've been sitting in his treehouse while Daniel told him his story. The full story. All of it.

"Yeah. I know." Daniel whispered sadly.

"Hey! You're not a bad person, Daniel." Chris said it with such determination, Daniel jumped a bit. Still, it did little to help.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore." He sighs heavily.

"Daniel, what you told me- you know, that voice? Telling you how shitty you are?" He shouldn't have said that. Soon, everyone will know. Soon, everyone will know that he's crazy.

"It's not some disorder, or you, losing your mind. It's just your own thoughts. You've convinced yourself that you're a terrible human being." Daniel looks at him in confusion.

"What- what do you mean, Chris?" The blonde looks down, remembering a time of pain and misery in his life.

"After mom died- it was just an accident, nobody to blame. Everyone told me, but I didn't hear it. All I could hear was this voice, telling me how it was my fault she died. I knew it made no sense. Still, I believed it. For a very long time, I believed it. But, it was just an accident, Daniel. That voice? It was just me, wondering what if anything, I could have done to save her. Don't go down that road, Daniel."

"That's just bullshit. Not the same." Daniel mutters bitterly. Chris, refusing to lose hope, points at the window.

"Look outside, Daniel." Slowly, he stands up to join Chris.

"You can see most of Beaver Creek from here. Now, think back to that day, Daniel. You saw the plane, how it dropped something, correct?" Chris has an almost smug smile.

"Uh, yeah- yeah." He really doesn't want to remember.

"So, what did you do?" Chris's expression goes from smug to puzzled.

"I- uh… what?" The fuck's he talking about?

"You were probably the only person to see the bomb. Did you try stopping it? Did you try to get people out?" Chris questions him while sounding almost eerily calm. But, he couldn't have done any of those things. Nobody could. Chris doesn't know, Chris doesn't understand! And Daniel? Daniel's angry.

"NO! No, I didn't! I ran! I ran, like the fucking coward I am! And if I hadn't, I would've been blown to shit, Chris. There was nothing I could do. NOTHING! I had no other choice, you dipshit!" Daniel holds back tears as he turns his back towards Chris. Meanwhile, the blonde boy smiles more genuinely than before.

"Exactly, Daniel…" Wait, what? Daniel slowly turns around, noticing how Chris is all smiles.

"What did you say?" Daniel whispered. Slowly, his mind began to understand what Chris told him. But his heart was too afraid to act on it.

"It's what I've been trying to tell you. You had no other choice. It sucks, but that's just how it is. You couldn't stop that bomb any more than you could get that man to release you and Sean. So, you got his gun, Sean's incapacitated, meaning you're alone against him. Pull the trigger, and you'll live. Don't pull the trigger, and he'll take the gun back, likely killing you both. What you did- it wasn't easy. But, I think it saved your lives." Wow…

Daniel never thought about it like that. At least, not in such a deep way. Usually, he avoided thinking about it if possible.

"But- but- I- killed-" Unable to finish whatever he intended this sentence to be, Daniel Diaz crumbles. Collapsing to the floor in a fetal position, sobbing quietly. Chris sits down next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You're gonna be fine, I promise. I won't tell anyone. Captain Spirit will keep you safe." Daniel should feel relieved. Chris made him realize that he's not crazy. At least that's something. So why, oh why, does he feel… worse? He can barely cry any more. It's like the pain is too much. Maybe it was? Then again, everything these days felt like it was too much.

Sean lay on the couch in his grandparent's living room. One arm under his head, the other on his chest. He stared up into nothing-the-fuck-at-all while going through the last few weeks in his head. He's been so preoccupied with taking care of Daniel, he hasn't had time to process any of this. Sean looks at his hand, mentally shaking his head.

"Dude, you're lucky Claire worked as a nurse." Also, Claire managed to fix Daniel's raccoon-hoodie.

"Daniel…" Sean's thoughts drift towards his brother. He felt part proud, part ashamed. Sean enjoyed spending time with his little brother for once. That, he feels proud of. Proud, but also a sense of happiness. Then there's the shame. The realization that it took a nuclear war and a dead father to get him to spend some forced time with Daniel… that's the shame.

Still, Sean looks at his younger brother in a different light now. He still doesn't know as much as a brother should, but he knows so much more than he did a month ago. Sean remembers the many times in Seattle, when Daniel would burst through his door, screaming his name. Sean would get pissed and throw him out. Now, Sean regrets it. Daniel didn't try to upset him. Daniel, the little brother, just wanted the attention and affection of Sean, his big brother.

Something Sean never gave him.

The more he thinks about it, the more guilt he feels. He can't make up for those years, but he can make sure that Daniel gets a real brother in his life. Sean drags a palm across his face.

"Uh, enough, dude. Do something else. Watch TV or some shit!" Sean needs a distraction. The TV will have to do.

"Aw, shit. Of course…" Just like the internet, every single channel is dead. The only thing available is the emergency broadcast system. Well, he could use an update…

Sean expected, at the very least, a voice to read the news. Not a never-ending loop of headlines filled with nothing but misery and pain.

"Seattle gone." Yeah, he kinda knows that one already.

"Capital under SAA control." The fuck?

"South American Alliance, SAA, nukes major cities. Millions dead." No surprise on that one. It all goes too fast for Sean. Too much, and too fast. He could only make out a word here and there.

"Prison camps?"

"….. using ...ld …..ers?"

"LOST?" Well, if nothing else, Sean lost it here.

"FUCK!" He turns it off, throwing the remote at the TV with such force, the screen cracks. He feels weak. Sean wants to run away, but he can't even stand up. What the fuck is happening with his life?

"Sean? Is everything ok?" His grandmother asked him from the kitchen, not even bothering to come check on him.

"Oh, yeah. I'm great. Everything's just… great." He answers in the most sarcastic way possible.

"That's good, Sean. Could you get your brother, please? Dinner's almost ready?" Yeah, that's your solution to everything, isn't it? Food. Sean goes outside without answering.

When he last saw Daniel, his little brother looked more miserable than ever before. Therefore, Sean's left stunned when the first thing he heard outside- was laughter. Daniel's laughter. He looks across the yard, finding his brother in a world of his own. Daniel and Chris, running, laughing, playing… being kids. Sean, not wanting to ruin his brother's moment, sits down on a chair. Out of habit, he reaches for the sketchbook and a pencil, only to realize he doesn't have it any longer. Fuck. The one time he actually wants to draw his brother…

Instead, Sean sits there, doing his best to not cry. Attempting to hold back tears, knowing that he could've made Daniel feel such joy once, had he only cared. But he messed up. It's what he does. Sean Diaz. The fuck-up, idiot, loser, and-

"OOOOOOOWWWWW!" A loud scream pulls Sean back to the real world. Daniel's scream. He runs towards its source, towards the two boys. One standing, one on the ground.

"Holy shit?! Daniel?! What- what happened? Are- are you hurt?!" Sean's panicking. Was it a sniper? A landmine? Some type of gas? Fuuuck!

"Sean… my- my knee-" Daniel holds his leg with one arm while the other points at something. Shit. A landmine. Yeah, a landmine. Or-

It's a rock…

Daniel fell and hit his knee on a rock. No sniper, no landmine, nothing. Just a kid getting a kid injury. Sean's never been so relieved. However, he struggles to hide it. To Daniel's defense, hitting your knee on a rock, seriously fucking hurts. Sean remembers.

"It's ok, Enano. You're gonna be just fine. You just need to take it easy, ok?" Sean gives his hand to Daniel, offering him help to stand up.

"It hurts, Sean." He struggles to ignore the old part of himself. The part, telling him to just walk away and leave Daniel to his misery. He tried, Daniel whined.

That part, he ignores.

"It's ok, Enano. I'll carry you inside." Sean, albeit with some struggling, manages to lift his brother and carries him inside. Carefully, he sets him down on the couch.

"Can I take a look?" Sean points at the knee. Daniel nods. Sean rolls up Daniel's jeans, so he can see the knee. There's no blood and no swelling. Daniel's struggling a bit to lift the leg, sure, but he's clearly not in that much pain. Sean remembers how he sometimes could fake injuries, just to get his dad to care for him. Dad…

"Sean?" Daniel asks him with a concerned voice. Well, this is as good of a time as any to be a good brother…

"Well, nothing's broken. But you definitely need to rest, Daniel. At least today, that's for sure." For less than a second, the widest smile became visible on Daniel's face.

"Ok, Sean. Can I watch TV?" His little brother asks. Make no mistake about it. Daniel did hurt himself. The accidental injury is real. The magnitude, however, was not. Still, he was a child in pain. In more ways than one.

"Sorry, Daniel. Every channel is dead because- you know? The only thing available is the emergency broadcast system, and nothing good comes from watching that." He could see Daniel's eyes falling into sadness yet another time. It never got easier.

"Oh. Well, I think the TV is broken anyway. The screen is cracked, Sean." Daniel points at the spot where Sean threw the remote.

"Yeah. As I said, nothing good can come from watching the emergency broadcast system." Sean tells him sadly.

"Oh…" Daniel's eyes widened as he realized the implications.

"So, what do we do all day?" We? God damn-it.

"Could you sit down, Sean? I just- I don't like it… when I'm alone." He got the impression that Daniel wanted to say more about why that was the case, but decided to not press it. With great care, Sean lifts his brother's legs, sitting down with Daniel's legs in his lap.

"Ow, Sean, fuck!" Ok, somewhat great care. He tried at least.

"Sorry, sorry, you're ok, Daniel." Each brother leans back. Sitting like this in Seattle would have been suffocating for Sean. Now? He doesn't really mind it. He thinks of it more like "making up for some lost time."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Daniel. You know, in Seattle." Sean whispers while keeping his eyes forwards. He feels like he needs to say it, must say it.

"I'm sorry too. I mean- for you not being there, I mean…" Daniel mumbles. A minute of silence followed, neither brother knowing what to say.

"It's not too late, Sean. You can be a brother for me here, and now." Daniel tells him with confidence.

"I- I don't even know how, Daniel." Why is he even telling him this? Still, Sean refuses to look at his brother, afraid of his reaction.

"Well… you could tell me a story?" FUCKING, HELL NO! Slowly, Sean turned to look at his brother. Daniel smiled at him while his eyes looked more like puppy-eyes than Mushroom's.

"What…?" His blood ran cold. All those times in school he had to read shit out loud in front of people. He started to sweat, his knees buckled, he even began to stutter. He ain't doing this.

"Dad-" Daniel pauses for a few seconds to breathe.

"Dad always told me stories. But he kinda sucked, Sean." This gets a laugh out of both brothers.

"I always wanted you to tell me a story, Sean. But- but you never did." Back in the day, Sean would've thought that his brother was trying to guilt-trip him. Now, however, he can see it, he can hear it. This is no guilt trip. It's just Daniel, telling him the facts. Plain and simple. How the fuck can he escape this?

"Listen, Daniel- I'm terrible at this stuff-" Gonna have to do better than that.

"That's ok, Sean. I got you covered. You see, I used to have these dreams about us. We did all sorts of things together, and you were the best brother ever." Yeah, that really helps…

"In my dreams, you called us the wolfbrothers, Sean." It did have a nice ring to it, he could admit that much.

"Could you tell me the story of the wolfbrothers, Sean? Please…" Shit. It's not like he can just get up and walk away either. Daniel's injured leg is in his lap.

"Listen, Daniel-" His little brother starts to move.

"If you don't do it, Sean, I'll kick your ass!" Daniel playfully kicks Sean on the shoulder.

"But I told you- wait- Daniel? Did- did you just kick me with your injured leg?" The fear in his little brother's eyes told him that he did.

"No, I didn't." Nice try, kid.

"Yeah, Daniel. You did." Daniel looked ashamed, defeated, humiliated.

"You're pissed… aren't you?" Daniel says sadly. Sean takes a moment before responding. The initial response was anger, yes. But that's "old" Sean. How does "new" Sean feel about this?

"I think I'm just glad you're not seriously hurt. You kinda scared me out there, Daniel." His brother looks surprised by his answer.

"It still kinda hurts though," Daniel says, his previous smile, now gone.

"So… you still up for it?" It takes every ounce of courage in his body to say these two sentences. Meanwhile, Daniel looks at him in confusion and, a small glimpse of hope.

"Do you still want to hear the wolfbrothers story-" Yes. Yes, he did.

"Oh, my god, Sean! Yes, yes, yes, please, yes- ow, shit, fucking-" Daniel forgot all about his leg as he launched himself at Sean. He did not fake this pain.

"Shh, calm down, Enano. If grandma hears you, we'll be sleeping outside again." Sean jokingly says, getting Daniel to smile.

"Get comfy, dude…" It took some time, but Daniel manages to turn around so his back leans against Sean's side.

"Ok, then…" Sean wraps an arm around his younger brother, hoping that it might protect him from the evils of this world.

"Thanks, Sean. I mean it, wolfbrother…" Sean had no response to that. It's a good thing Daniel isn't facing him. He didn't want his little brother to see him cry. Be it tears of joy or otherwise.

"Shit. This is it. No escape. Think, Sean, think! Story. Wolfbrothers. Story." Sean's brain runs at full speed, trying to come up with something acceptable. He doesn't. He'll just have to make shit up as he goes.

"Once upon a time, in a wild, wild world… there were two wolfbrothers, living in their home lair with their mama and papa wolf. Some of them happy… some of them… not." He looks at Daniel, silently cursing himself for the way he's treated his brother over the years.

"Then, one fateful night… war came…" For hours, Sean told his brother the story of the wolfbrothers. Technically, it was just their own real-life story. Sean knew it, Daniel knew it. But neither of them cared. Sean? He's just glad that he actually managed to tell his brother a real story without falling apart. Daniel? Well, after almost ten years of waiting, just about anything would have been ok. The only thing he minds is that this actually DID happen to them for real. But for now, he's enjoying the moment.

"… where they hope to find peace." Sean finishes the story on a sort-of cliffhanger, considering how the source material isn't exactly complete yet. He looks at his brother. So small, so vulnerable, so fragile. And yet, he did kill someone. Sean's arm is still around his brother, protecting him. He could feel Daniel's slow breaths.

In…

And out…

In…

And out…

The young boy is sleeping. Daniel's far away in a dreamland only he knows. And Sean? He comes to a realization. Over the last couple of weeks, he's seen Daniel afraid, sad, angry, shocked, just about every negative emotion imaginable. Now, when he's asleep? All he sees is a normal boy. A normal, peaceful boy, without trauma, resting after a long day. It awakened something deep within Sean Diaz's heart. He whispers into his brother's ear, voice filled with determination, yet silent, to not wake Daniel up.

"I can't make up for the past. But, I will do everything in my power, here, now, in the present, to make sure that you have a future. No matter what happens, I will protect you with my life, Daniel. I want to protect you, so that you never… die. Daniel Felipe Diaz, I swear on my life, that I will keep you safe." He should've said those exact words the day Daniel was born. Hell, he should've said it the very day he found out he was going to be a big brother. This was long overdue.

"Mhm… that's… really… cool… dad…" Daniel said in a state of mostly asleep. Sean wasn't sure if it was cute or sad. Maybe both? Not wanting to wake Daniel up, Sean chooses to remain on the couch. He pulls a blanket over his little brother and lets him lean back towards Sean's shoulder. His protective arm is back in its place, keeping his brother safe.

"Sleep tight… little cub." Although the young boy was asleep, his mind, however, was not. Anybody looking at Daniel's face would have seen a wide smile, full of pride and excitement. Far away, in Daniel Diaz's Distant Dogdy Dizzy Dreamland, he howls in victory. Daniel howls in victory, joy, pride, and- just about everything positive you could feel. And with him, howled his brother. His big brother Sean.

His wolfbrother.

Notes:

So, Daniel finally got a little break here. Some therapy, and long overdue brotherly bonding. Hopefully, the conversation with Chris feels somewhat natural. I'm no shrink (just a regular visitor of them) so It's hard sometimes to really know how the human mind would react.

Then, there's Sean. First off, I got no clue how the real emergency broadcast thingy works, I just did what I felt sort of fitting here. Now, the "enemy" has a name at least. South American Alliance (or SAA, for short.) I changed the name a bit since I didn't want to just rip it off. Still, I do appreciate "Al3ssio97" for giving me the tip about the South American Federation in Call Of Duty. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have done anything with the "enemy name". So thanks for that. More updates on the war situation will be given along the way...

Daniel hurting himself is something that works as a "test" for Sean. He relaxes on the couch, thinking "wtf did I do? I must do better!" Well, here's your chance. It was a struggle, but he passed without a doubt. Oh, btw: When you were a kid, it really fucking hurt when you hit your knee like that, right?

And then we have Sean's oath. Past, present, and future. The past is the past, but he can focus on the present to give Daniel a future. Also, I believe this is the first time (not counting dreams) in this fic, I've called them the wolfbrothers. So... yay, the wolfbrothers are back!

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Safety.
Some have it.
Others not.
Are you safe?

Ask yourself this.
The people around you,
Do you trust them?
Or, will they stab you in the back?

Family?
The loved ones.
You know them.
They know you.
You trust each other.

Friends?
Neighbors?
Random people?
Do you trust them?
Yeah.
Didn't think so.

Keep your friends close...
And your enemies closer...
OR
Keep your enemies close...
And your friends closer...

How does one tell the difference?

May the road rise up to meet you...

Chapter 10: Reaper Of Everything

Summary:

Daniel decides to help a worried Chris. Meanwhile, Sean's bothered by something. The question is what...?

Notes:

Read tags!

Be prepared...

Voluntary music cue at the end...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The next morning…

When Daniel woke up, he felt at peace. It felt strange, in more ways than one. He never truly felt at peace in Seattle. His parents ignored him, his brother hated him, and he got bullied in school. Now, in the middle of a war? Daniel Diaz's mind is at peace for the first time in years. Maybe, just maybe, he's on his way back?

"NO! You're not! You're a killer! A disgusting killer!" The voice in his head screams at him. The reaper of misery is back, taunting him. No. It's all bullshit. Remember what Chris said. It's not real. It's just his mind, playing tricks on him.

"Yeah. Fuck you too…" Daniel mumbles in response, waking Sean up in the process.

"Huh? What- what's that, Enano?" Sean blurts out in a state of mostly asleep.

"Nothing. I'm gonna go eat something." Daniel gets up before Sean's able to reply. A quick breakfast and then he runs out to meet Chris in the treehouse.

"Hey, Chris, I gotta tell you something-" Daniel stopped speaking. Something was wrong, very wrong. Chris looked out over Beaver Creek, which wasn't exactly an uncommon thing. However, him ignoring Daniel, was.

"Chris? What's wrong?" The blonde boy turns to him, revealing a face of fear, terror, and defeat.

"They're coming closer, Daniel. Dad said they can't hold them back forever. I'm- I'm scared. I don't know what to do." Daniel looked at his friend, wishing he could help in some way. Chris may have a dad in the army, but he sure as hell couldn't use a gun. No wonder he's afraid. Wait-

Gun…

"Come with me, Chris. You helped me, it's my turn to help you." Without a word, Chris follows Daniel towards a very specific place, deep inside the forest.

"Where are we even going, Daniel? Dad says it's not safe to be this far out." Yeah, he kinda said that before the war too.

"We're almost there, ok? Just, trust me." Weird. For some reason, the last two words gave him the creeps.

When they reach the clearing with the cabin, Daniel focused on not showing any emotion whatsoever. Chris can't know what a wreck he was here.

"Wait here a sec, ok?" Chris nods without a care in the world. He's got no clue about what to expect. Daniel goes to the back of the cabin. No point in trying the door, grandpa's smarter than that. He sees a window and a rock of decent size. Perfect. Ok, here we go. Breaking into grandpa's cabin in the woods to steal guns at age nine. Let's do it…

One…

Two…

THREE!

The window breaks easily. Daniel could almost hear Chris gasp from here.

"Daniel? What was that? Are you ok?" No. He's not. Nor will he ever be again.

"I'm fine, Chris. Just, don't freak out now, ok?" The silence that followed would most likely mean that Chris was about to freak out. Daniel climbs through the window and jumps down. Like a ninja. Invisible. Well, better than last time at least.

"Ow, shit!" He did get the landing this time. However, a piece of glass in the window corner managed to cut his arm up quite a bit. It looked much worse than it felt, he's had worse. A lot worse. If that's good or bad, he's uncertain of.

As he looked around the cabin, which was the size of a small shed, Daniel saw many things. Things that would have made him jump up and down with excitement about a month ago. Medals, various caps from the army that Daniel thought looked cool, miscellaneous items of unknown type and origin that he'd loved to hear the story behind.

Loved…

Now, he couldn't care less. He's here for one reason, and one reason only. Like it or not, he's here to get a weapon. And holy shit, there's a lot of those in here!

"Wow, grandpa. You were prepared for this, weren't you?" Daniel couldn't help but smile a little. It's an entire arsenal in here, most of these weapons, Daniel doesn't even know the names of. But it's irrelevant. For now, a simple handgun will do, along with some ammunition. To be honest, it's the only thing Daniel knows how to use… kinda.

"Ok, dude. You can do this." Daniel knew it was coming by now. Only this time, he didn't listen to the voice in his head. He didn't want to hear how horrible he is, how worthless he is, how bad he is. The voice called out to Daniel, and Daniel did respond.

In his own way…

By pressing the barrel of the gun hard against his temple.

"Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. Head." Daniel received only silence in return. Did it work? Only time will tell. He takes a few seconds to wipe his forehead from sweat before going out to Chris.

"Finally, Daniel. Feels like I've been standing here forever- what's that?" Chris points at the gun, slowly taking a few steps back.

"I told you, Chris. Don't freak out. Listen, I get it, you're scared. I am too. But, if something bad happens, you can't count on your dad to always protect you. You gotta be able to protect yourself, Chris." Daniel holds out the gun, waiting for his friend to take it.

"I- I don't want to-" Oh…

"What, you think I want to?! Grandpa dragged me out here to practice as well. You think I wanted that, Chris? I fucking killed a guy! I didn't want to, but I had to. Me or him, Chris. It was me… or him." Chris reluctantly takes the gun in his hand.

"How do I- what- I don't even?" Christ. This is going to be even harder than Daniel thought. Deep breaths, dude…

"Ok, see that button there? That's the safety. Right now, it's on, meaning you're cool. However, now-" Daniel turns off the safety.

"It's off, meaning you should probably stop aiming at your own foot." Chris makes a gasping sound before quickly raising his arms, aiming at nothing in particular. He's shaking so badly he can barely hold on to the gun.

"Just, try hitting that tree over there." He could forget about making him hit the actual targets.

"Ok. Ok. I'll try…" Chris shoots.

And misses by a mile. Hell, almost two. Daniel shakes his head.

"Dude, you're not even trying." They both sighed.

"I don't even know what to do, Daniel." He could relate to that one.

"Here, let me show you." Daniel takes the gun. He still felt some reluctance towards it, but it didn't feel as heavy as the last time.

"You see that target over there?" Chris nods.

"Keep watching." Daniel aims, mentally replacing the target in front of him with a target of his own. This time, however, the target isn't himself.

His target was no taller than himself in stature. Dressed in long, black robes which covered its face almost entirely. Under its hood, the palest form of white could be seen. Was it the color of its skin, or something different? Daniel didn't know, nor did he care. His target stood before him. The reaper of misery stood before him.

The reaper of his misery. Daniel's misery. Time for payback. Time to end it. Daniel squeezes the gun so hard, his knuckles turn white. This morning, he felt at peace. Now, he digs down deep, searching for those emotions he needs to be able to pull this off.

This time, he doesn't just think it. He doesn't even say it. Daniel screams it.

"You took EVERYTHING from me!" Just the sheer volume of his voice startled Chris so much he fell to the ground.

"I HATE you!" He never missed a shot.

"I fucking HATE you!" Not a single one.

"FUCK YOU!" Chris decided to remain on the ground for now.

"DIE!" Daniel's body starts to shake.

"DIE!" Tears start to flow.

"Just… fucking die…" Seven shots, zero of those missed its target. The gun fell to the ground, and with it, a crying nine-year-old boy. Did he destroy his reaper? Maybe, maybe not. In a way, after his last time here, he did begin to feel better about himself. And he had himself as the target on that day. Maybe the same thing will happen now? In time, he'll find out either way.

"Daniel?! What- I- I- holy fucking shit, dude…" Chris looks at him in both shock and awe. Daniel, picking up on a certain detail, turned to Chris.

"What did you just say?" Daniel smiled, watching as Chris's face went from complete shock to confusion, to realization, and…

Everybody laughed. Chris literally never swears. He really was in a state of shock. They both needed a while to take in what just happened. Daniel lay down on the grass, and Chris did the same. Both of them with their eyes at the sky. No fighter jets flying around, waiting to drop bombs, just a beautiful blue sky. For a brief moment, life felt normal.

"Hey, Chris?" Daniel says in a low tone.

"Hm?" Chris's response was even lower. They both acted like the smallest of sounds might attract the enemy. Yet, neither considered the fact that they just fired a gun multiple times.

"Do you think it will ever end? The war, I mean." Chris tilted his head towards him, appearing to be in deep thought.

"I don't know." He turns his head up to the sky, inhaling deeply.

"Some wars are short, some not. Some countries have been in a war for generations. So, I really don't know, Daniel. I'm sorry. But, I do know one thing." Chris tilts his head to Daniel again.

"Even if the war ends today, our lives will never be the same again. Never." He sighs sadly before standing up. Daniel regrets asking a question that kinda ruined a nice moment, so he does the same.

"We should get back," Chris tells him as he starts to walk in the direction of his house.

"No, Chris. We're not done here." Daniel picks up the gun.

"Daniel, come on-" Daniel interrupts him. Maybe- the same thing could work for Chris?

"Just, picture something else in front of you." Chris looks at him in severe confusion.

"What do you mean?" Fair question.

"I wasn't trying to hit a target. I was trying to hit-" Don't say myself, don't say myself, don't say myself!

"I was trying to hit the source of… my pain. Let's just call it that. You've been through a lot of pain, Chris. I know you have-" Something changed in the eyes of his friend.

"Fine!" Chris took the gun out of his hands. His eyes, always so friendly, seemed to have dropped whatever mask they wore. The pain it revealed was unlike anything Daniel had experienced. Two shots in rapid succession, followed by an endless amount of clicking, signaling that they had no bullets left. Chris hit the target. Twice.

"Chris? Are- are you… good?" He carefully lay a hand on his friend's trembling shoulder, only to be shoved away.

"Let's just go, Daniel." Chris drops the gun, walking away.

"It was you, wasn't it, Chris?" Daniel didn't ask him. This was more of a statement. Chris came to a dead stop in front of him.

"What?" Daniel could hear the pain in his voice. Broken on so many levels, in so many ways, for so long.

"The source of all my pain was… myself. It's the same for you, isn't it?" He could hear Chris's shaky breathing.

"I- I don't wanna talk about it. Let's just go, please." Chris said in a more friendly tone, already putting the wall up again. Daniel admits defeat and follows his friend back in awkward silence.

Meanwhile…

Sean didn't forget about last night, nor did he want to. He swore an oath to protect his brother, and he intends to keep it. Sean knew that Daniel went out into the forest with Chris. Chris knows the area and he's smart. Daniel's the reckless one. But they should be fine. However, if they're not back in an hour or so, he'll go out looking for them… maybe.

Something else had caught his attention today. Well, someone else, to be more specific. Earlier today, his mother and grandmother had a huge argument. About what, he doesn't know. Sean couldn't stand it, so he went outside. It's a good thing Daniel wasn't around to hear it. But something bothered him about it.

Since their argument, both Claire and his mom avoided Sean. At least it felt like they did. If he tried to have a conversation, he'll only get the shortest answer possible. Yes, no, maybe, I don't know, ok. Whenever he walked into the same room as one of them, they walked out. Claire, looking almost afraid of him. Karen, with a strange look, impossible to decipher. Then again, that's how she always was.

Still, it gave him a feeling. Thing is, he wasn't sure what this feeling was. But he'd decided to find out.

"Hey, mom? Can we talk?" Sean asks his mother, the latter sits on the couch. She looks so tense. Then again, who isn't nowadays?

"Sorry, Sean. Not now. I just- have a lot on my mind since this morning." Karen walks out of the room, leaving Sean alone. He sits down, sighing deeply.

"She's worried about you, son." Sean jumped a bit, not realizing his grandfather stood behind him.

"This morning, when they argued? It's worse than you think, Sean." Stephen joins him on the couch.

"What do you mean?" Worse in what way, exactly?

"The country's line of defense is finished, more or less. All that's left is, a few soldiers here, a few soldiers there, and some militias. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, Sean. The militias are growing, and with them, other things…" Stephen looks out the window.

"Nationwide, militias have put a price on people's heads. People who look like you, Sean. It doesn't matter if they committed a crime or not. Old, young, children, crippled, sick, it doesn't matter. Where do they end up? I don't know, but it can't be good." Sean's eyes widened at the implications of that statement.

"Your mother… wanted us all to leave, together. As a family. Claire, however, did not. She feels safe here, and so do I. For now, we're staying here." So many questions. Where should he even begin? Does he even want the answers?

"Thanks, grandpa." He doesn't want the answers. What good will it do? Sean stands up, exiting the room to go after his mother.

He finds her sitting on the bed in her old childhood room. Sean's never seen her like this. So fragile, afraid, worried. About him, about Daniel.

"Sean?" Karen noticed Sean and quickly stood up while using her sleeve to wipe the tears off her face. Without a word, Sean walked up to her and hugged her tightly. His mother burst into tears immediately.

"It's ok, mom. I know. Grandpa told me. We'll be fine, we'll find a way." A child should never have to comfort his mother. Doing so almost broke Sean.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I'm so sorry for everything." His mother almost screamed at him, over and over again. That she's sorry.

"We're gonna be fine, don't worry-" Karen pushes him away.

"It's too late, Sean." He's not sure why, but suddenly his blood froze.

"What do you mean? Too late for what?" Sean asked with a desperate tone. Karen looks away from him.

"A contact from my work said he could get us out of the country. All of us. You, me, Daniel, Claire, Stephen, Chris, and Charles." Damn. That sounds… good?

"So, what's the problem?" Because there definitely is one.

"I fucked up, and my contact got killed. I had to-" Karen pauses for a few breaths.

"I had to make a deal with the people that killed him, in order to save my own life." Sean can't help it. His instinct, telling him to run. But why? He doesn't understand.

"Mom, what did you do?" Karen looks at him with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I had no other choice. I love you." His mother's words, followed by the sound of a window breaking made Sean come to a horrifying realization.

Mom. She betrayed them.

With too much information to process, Sean's unable to decide his next move. Strangle the traitor in front of him, run for his life, or just give up? Wait. He's not supposed to do either of those. He swore!

"DANIEL!" Sean screams repeatedly while running down the stairs, but his little brother's nowhere to be found.

"Daniel?! Where are you?!" The window in the living room breaks, and through it, comes a small black object. Considering how many hours Sean's spent on various FPS games, he should've known better than to look at it.

BANG!

Flash grenades in video games suck. They're stupid, annoying, and a pain in the ass. Flash grenades in the real world? That's an entirely different story. His ears were ringing so loud it hurt, he couldn't see shit, and his legs couldn't hold him upright. Sean fell to the floor, desperately trying to make sense of the situation. As he gradually got his hearing back, Sean heard screaming. He felt someone grabbing him, forcing him to stand on his knees.

"Hey, wake the fuck up!" Sean receives a slap to the face by a large behemoth of a man.

"Where's the other one?" The behemoth asked another man.

"I don't know, Joe. He's not here, we've searched the entire house." Daniel. Wherever you are, stay there. Hide, Enano. Hide.

"Shit, Chad. Ok, you-" He turns to Sean.

"Where's the kid?" Yeah. Good luck with that.

"Fuck. You." Sean spits at his feet.

"If he's gone, you won't find him." Sean went from terrified to filled with rage as he heard her voice. Walking up from behind him was Karen. His mother. The traitor.

"You… you fucking-" Sean receives another slap to the face.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I truly am. I had no choice. These people, they're gonna help me get out of the country. To Ireland." He doesn't even know what to say. What kind of mother is she? He feels sick. So sick, he didn't notice the man called Chad picking up his gun.

"Yeah, Karen. We'll help you." He pulls the trigger, splattering Sean with the blood of his mother. Meanwhile, his grandparents are forced on their knees in front of him.

"So, once again… where is he?" Chad points the gun at Claire's head.

"Don't tell them, Sean. Don't-" Another gunshot echoes as Sean watches his grandmother fall dead to the floor.

"Last chance, Sean. Where's the kid?" Stephen remains calm when he feels the gun to the back of his head. It probably wasn't his first time. He didn't speak, but the look he gave Sean said more than words ever could.

"Protect your brother." Sean looks at his grandfather, trying to somehow thank him for everything. Then, he turns to Chad.

"I said… fuck… you-" One last gunshot echoes inside the Reynolds household. Sean looks around for anything else to focus on. In a corner, he sees Mushroom. The poor puppy hides in fear of her life. She's the smart one. But nowhere to be seen, is Daniel. If that's a good or bad thing, Sean doesn't know. He was never able to finish that thought. The very second he looked forward, a massive fist traveled towards him, rendering him unconscious.

Not too far away…

The walk back had been silent and awkward. A rare thing when Chris was around. Whatever he awoke in his friend, Daniel hoped it was only temporary. The Chris he saw back there, scared him. Chris, scaring Daniel? Another rare thing. Daniel sighs.

"Hey? Are you ok?" Stupid question, but the silence is killing him.

"I guess. Sorry about… before. It's just complicated. But I guess everything is complicated now, huh?" Chris says sadly.

"Yeah, guess you're right about that." It felt like a small eternity, but now, they could finally see their houses. The boys walk to the treehouse, where they usually part ways.

"Ok, Chris. See you tomorrow-" Daniel stopped speaking as Chris held up a hand to his face.

"Quiet, Daniel. Something's wrong. That window, it wasn't broken before, right?" Chris looks at him in a serious manner.

"Riiight…?" Daniel isn't quite following the logic. However, anywhere he looks, he sees something. Multiple footprints, shells from a rifle, and- fuck. This is bad.

"SEAN!" Daniel runs towards the house but Chris stops him immediately.

"No, Daniel. Stop. It's dangerous, you don't wanna-" Chris's right. He doesn't wanna, but he gotta.

"Get the FUCK out of my way!" Daniel punches Chris in the face before bursting through the door, directly into the living room.

It felt like running into a wall.

Actually, scratch that. Replace the wall with thousands of rusty nails, barbed wire, knives, cover it in salt and lemon juice, and set the fucking thing on fire!

He'll gladly take that option any day of the week. Anything, but this.

He saw his mother first. Karen lay on the floor with her eyes open. For a brief moment, Daniel contemplated asking her what she was doing. Then he saw the blood. His breathing became erratic, he felt sick, the entire room was spinning around in circles. His small heart felt like it were about to explode. Daniel's legs felt weak. He bent over, hands on his knees, and threw up on the floor.

When he stood up again, he saw his grandparents. Stephen first, then Claire. He didn't know what had happened here, nor did he know where Sean was. Daniel walks to the center of the room, leaning towards a wall. He slowly allows his body to descend to the floor in a sitting position. Immediately, he hears a familiar sound, followed by Mushroom jumping into his arms. That used to be such a comfort to him, even in the worst of times.

But not now.

(Cut music.)

"Daniel? Is everything ok? I just-" Chris walked through the door. Daniel paid no attention to him, but he seemed to be just as shocked.

"Fuck…" Chris cries as he sits down next to his orphaned friend. Daniel, however, doesn't cry. He wished he could. But sometimes, the pain is simply too great. Daniel did not speak, at least not with Chris. Somebody else, however, took this opportunity to remind the young boy of something.

"You were warned, not to ignore me, not to taunt me." This time, Daniel doesn't give a shit if it's in his head or not. He just lets the darkness take him. It won't matter.

"And what did you do? You ignored me, you taunted me. This is on you. It is your fault they're dead." Daniel doesn't ignore the voice, nor does he taunt it. He doesn't even talk back against it.

"I know." The young wolf said as he's slowly consumed by pain so great, it changes not only who you are…

It changes what you are.

Credit: johnson_blazkowicz

Notes:

Well, how about that? From here, the story will go down a horrifying path. It's just begun...

Daniel starts this episode in a much better way. He continues to rid himself of his inner demons, only to have it backfire. In his mind, they died because of him.

At the end of the last chapter, I left a (very) small clue in the notes "May the road rise up to meet you..." By Googling this phrase, a lot of Irish-related results come up. The Reynolds family is part Irish. Not the most obvious hint towards Karen's betrayal, but I didn't want it to be obvious either.

The creepy/sad music is from a documentary where 3 people died. Two of them are named Chris and Daniel (no joke).

The beautiful art at the end is only one of many works by "Johnson Blazkowicz". If you haven't seen it yet, do so now!
Twitter: johnsonterminal
Instagram: johnson_blazkowicz

I give him full credit for the art. If by any means the creator wants the artwork removed, just contact me.

Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

You were warned.
Do not taunt me.
Do not ignore me.
Obey me.
Always.

I am the reaper of misery.
Your misery.
Taunt me.
And I shall become grim.
Ignore me.
And I shall make you grim.

But you.
You did both.

Your mind.
Belongs to me now.
Anywhere you go.
I shall follow.
I see what you see.
I hear what you hear.

I own you.
I control you.
You cannot hide.
You cannot run.
I won't let you.
You can never escape me.
All you can do,
Is to obey.

Obey.
Obey.
Obey.
Obey.

Chapter 11: Starting Over

Summary:

With his real family gone, Daniel wonders if he's destined to die alone...

Notes:

Tags!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Two children are alive in the Reynolds household. Daniel Diaz, and Chris Eriksen. The first, sitting on the floor, unable to take his eyes off his mother's corpse. His breathing is slow, methodical, and calm. He cannot cry, nor can he scream. Nothing would be enough. The boy next to him stands up. Chris starts to sweat, his breathing becomes uneven, and his entire body trembles in fear and shock.

Gunfire. Explosions. They're coming closer.

"Daniel- we have to go." Chris tries to be as gentle as possible, considering the loss his friend just suffered. Daniel didn't even hear him. Perhaps he did hear him, but just didn't care anymore?

"Daniel, please? They're coming! We gotta go, now! Come on!" Chris starts to panic and tries to pull Daniel's arm. But his friend was in a different realm, not even acknowledging his words. Under normal circumstances, Chris would gladly die together with his best friend. Or, so he thought.

Nothing was normal anymore.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel. I'm so sorry." Chris whimpers to his friend before running away, leaving Daniel to his demise.

He's not sure how long he sat there. Everything felt like a blur. This day started so great. He felt at peace. He conquered his inner demons. Then, this happens. Why did he have to leave the house? If he didn't, he would've died with them. No more suffering, no more pain, no more fear.

In the distance, Daniel hears gunfire and explosions. He should be afraid, run for his life. But, why run for your life when-

"I don't have a life I want to run for…" Daniel whispers to finish off his inner thought. His body hurts from sitting in the same position for hours. Daniel's not sure why, but he slowly stands up. For a while, the surrounding combat went silent. Everything went silent. Not even Mushroom's breathing could be heard. Not a sound. Nothing. Daniel stands up on wobbly legs while looking around the room.

Grandpa Stephen lay dead, holding the hand of his wife, Claire. Daniel's grandmother. If there ever was a time were Daniel felt like he needed his grandfather, this was it. He needed the wisdom of someone used to similar situations. Now, it's too late. Too late for the wisdom of his grandfather, and the delicious cookies his grandmother makes. Or, used to make.

Then there's his mom. Why? She didn't deserve this. She never harmed a soul in her life. It's just his mom. His mom and Sean's-

Now it hits him.

Three people are dead, meaning one is missing. Where's his brother? Where's Sean? He's not here, meaning he's not dead. But, where is he?

"Sean…" It all started so innocently. A few strands of tears made their way down his face. Daniel sniffled as he sobbed in silence, not wanting to disturb his mother or his grandparents. Then, he comes to a frightening realization.

He's alone now. Wherever Sean is, he's not here. Daniel's all alone, against the world. And the world?

The world is a scary place.

He looks around, only to discover that everything he sees scares him. The door, the carpet, the shy fish in the aquarium, everything feels like it's out to get him. Fear. Anywhere and everywhere he looks, fear looks right back at him. Daniel can't breathe, his legs can barely hold him up, and he feels dizzy. Fuck. He can't stay here, he must go someplace safe. Daniel could only think of one place at a time like this.

Too afraid to utter a single word, Daniel runs up the stairs as fast as humanly possible. Running away from all the horrors he feels are watching him from every possible direction, yet knows that they don't. Daniel runs away from them, towards the only place he ever felt safe. He almost ran through the door to Sean's room, almost expecting him to be upset for waking him up. But Sean wasn't there. Daniel felt both horrified and relieved as he discovered it.

But he wastes no time on that now. Daniel slams the door shut behind him and drags the curtains over the window. The room isn't dark, but the window is secured. Every time Daniel slept in the same bed as Sean, he slept with Sean on one side and the wall on the other. He liked it that way because it always made him feel safe. The pure concrete prevents any bad guys from getting to him on one side. And Sean, his big brother, protecting all other fronts.

Now, Sean wasn't here.

Daniel quickly grabs the pillow from his brother's side of the bed. Then, he crawls not into the bed, but under it. He crawls until he's right where he usually sleeps. Daniel turns his back against the wall, closing his eyes. He hugs Sean's pillow tightly, feeling like his life depended on it. Daniel's life, or Sean's? Maybe both, or neither? Maybe Sean's already dead? Perhaps all that's left of his wolfbrother, is this pillow? It reeks of cigarettes and sweat, but Daniel doesn't care. He didn't feel safe, not even close. But he did feel safer.

The wall protecting one side, a part of Sean, the other. The bed protects him from above and below. Nobody could see him here. Slowly, the fear began to fade away. However, taking its place was…

Grief.

Something Daniel Felipe Diaz… has a lot of. This would be the moment where a nine-year-old, orphaned boy, marked by war, in all his loneliness… breaks.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He never even felt it coming. Out of nowhere, Daniel found himself screaming, again and again. He clutched the pillow so tight, that his nails went through its fabric, and into his skin. Blood poured, but Daniel felt no pain. At least no physical pain. His emotional pain was so deep, so evil, and so raw, he could only scream.

"SEEEEEAAAAANNNN!" Daniel screams in both grief and guilt. He's so buried by emotions, that he doesn't even notice how the combat is much closer to the house. Nor does he care about Mushroom's terrified whimpering from downstairs.

A bomb explodes. The horrible sound, roared through the house, briefly giving Sean's room a dark-red color. The windows shattered into a million pieces, but the house itself remained standing. The bomb was close. Neighbor, perhaps? Either way, Daniel doesn't give even the slightest shit. He's got nobody. Everyone he loved are dead. Those that meant the most to him just left. Disappeared. Sean, his big brother, his wolfbrother. Chris, his best friend. It's his life in a nutshell. Hell, it's his fucking destiny.

Daniel Diaz, the lone wolf. That's what they called him back home. Now, it kinda makes sense. Nobody gives a shit about him, nobody ever did. Sean took off, the first chance he got. He never wanted to change.

"I- I believed you, Sean. I trusted you. Why?" Daniel whimpers silently while wondering how he could fall for his brother's lies. Mushroom's frantic barking didn't bother him. Right now, shit couldn't possibly get any worse. In a way, Daniel probably knew it. Or, at the very least, suspected it. Mushroom's reason for barking?

People.

Daniel didn't hear the silent footsteps until they made their way up the stairs. How many, he couldn't tell. Not like he tried though. He just stayed right where he was, not caring if they heard him or not. Whatever happens next is up to fate.

"El lugar está vacío, jefe." Daniel heard a female voice say. He didn't understand Spanish because his asshole of a brother never taught him. He did, however, know that "jefe" means "boss."

"Voy a revisar esta habitación." The voice of a male answered. Daniel didn't know what it meant, nor did he need to. He found out immediately when the door to Sean's room opened and someone entered. Usually, he would tense up, and struggle to control his breathing while not making a single sound. Now, Daniel didn't care. He remained under the bed, in the deepest, darkest corner, sniffling quietly.

The sound of a rifle aimed in his direction, followed by several seconds of silence. Daniel almost wanted to beg whoever was there, to shoot him. To end his suffering. Something heavy lands on top of the bed, and the person kneels to look under the bed. Looking in his direction, is a dark-skinned man. Had Daniel looked back, he would've seen the sudden change in his facial expression. How it went from angry to soft, in less than a second.

"Hi there, kid." The man says with a friendly voice. Daniel ignores him.

"Are you hurt, kid? You need help?" Daniel gets it, he's just trying to help. But… he just can't handle it. He just can't.

"Not much for talking? I don't blame you. How about this? My name's Jonathan, but most people call me Merrill. Do you have a name?" Daniel, feeling like he's got nothing left to lose, chooses to trust the stranger.

"Daniel." He answers so quietly, that Merrill barely heard him.

"Hi, Daniel. You ready to come out of there, buddy?" Daniel nods as he crawls out from under the bed.

"Watch it-" Merrill grabs his arms, preventing him from getting glass everywhere. Daniel sits down on the bed, face-to-face with Merrill.

"Those people downstairs, you know them?" Daniel held back a sob. Why, he didn't even know.

"I see. You have any other family, Daniel?" Merrill asks him, with Daniel shaking his head in return.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You know if you want to, you could come with us." What?

"Us?" With so many things to process, he couldn't get the words out.

"A group of people, some of them, like you, orphaned. We take care of each other. Stay with us, and you'll have a new family." Family. Not alone. It's all he needed to hear.

"Yes. Thank you." Daniel didn't even think before wrapping his arms around his new friend, hugging him.

"It's going to be ok, Daniel. Now, we should get going. I want you to close your eyes, ok?" Daniel nods. He knew why. The sight downstairs isn't something he wants to experience again.

"Can- can I bring Mushroom? My- my puppy?" Daniel didn't see how Merrill's eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Sure. We'll get your puppy too. Now, close your eyes." Daniel does as told, feeling how strong arms lifts him. If he concentrated hard enough, it almost felt like his dad. Almost…

Minutes later, Daniel feels a familiar creature placing itself in his lap. Daniel opens his eyes, finding himself on the back of a military truck. Mushroom sits happily in his lap, no longer barking in horror. In the front sits Merrill, driving the truck, leaving Daniel alone with strangers. About ten strangers. All of them dressed in camouflage clothing, sharing the exact same facial expression.

Emptiness.

They all seemed just… empty, almost dead inside. Then again, he's no different. Daniel sees another pattern among his companions. A pattern that, for reasons he doesn't quite understand, bothers him.

They're all very young.

Most of them seem to be about Daniel's age, some a bit older. But nobody's an adult. This felt weird. Did Merrill save all these kids today as well?

"You ok, Daniel?" He's pulled out of his thoughts when a woman speaks to him. Ok, so one of them was an adult.

"No. I'm not." Daniel hugs Mushroom tighter, begging for it to have the same amount of comfort as it used to.

"Don't worry, kid. You're safe as long as you're with us. Stick with us, listen to Merrill, and you'll do fine." The woman told him, smiling nicely.

"Ok." Daniel started to cry. The woman moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around him.

"You know who I am, Daniel?" Obviously, he did not.

"My name is Hannah, and I'll look out for you. I promise." She said with a confident tone.

"Thanks… Hannah." Daniel said between sobs. He never saw how much Hannah cried herself. Nor did he realize that the other kids didn't move a muscle or make a sound the entire time. Daniel didn't even notice the many deep cuts, covering Hannah's arms. For now, Daniel's just relieved to have a shoulder to cry on.

Many hours later, the truck came to a stop. A small compound, deep inside a forest in the middle of fuckknowswhere. Daniel had started to suspect it during the ride here, and now it's confirmed. Those flags? Symbols? They're American, sure.

South American, to be precise.

This camp and everyone in it, are part of the SAA. The same people that killed his entire family. He should be angry, or at least scared. But he's not. He's not scared because they treat him good. Daniel's no prisoner, he was given a choice, and he took it. Now, he got a family.

Hell, he even gets his own little cabin. Considering how few actual houses the compound had, it meant a lot to Daniel. The first thing he did, was take the longest shower in his life. But no matter how long he stayed in there, no matter how hot the water was, he couldn't wash away the guilt. On the outside, Daniel seemed clean. However, on the inside, he felt branded for life. In more ways than one. Hopefully, this could help him start anew.

Immediately after exiting the shower, Daniel found a pizza waiting for him on the table. He'd forgotten how hungry he was. First, he checks the fridge for something to drink. Pizza and water aren't a winning combination. Inside, Daniel finds no soda. He does, however, find a few bottles of cider. No, he can't drink those. It's alcohol. Then again, he does have a vague memory of Sean telling Lyla that it's "just like soda."

"Fuck it…" Nobody can tell him what to do. This cabin, small as it is? It's his, and his only. Daniel eats his pizza, drinking cider along with it. Sean's right. It did taste just like soda. It made him feel like a grown-up.

Now, cider isn't very strong. The alcohol levels are low. However, the alcohol tolerance of a skinny, nine-year-old boy, crippled by depression is far lower. Alcohol changes people. His father always had awesome ideas after a few beers, or so he thought. His mother wanted to do something, anything, NOW! Run, play video games, or whateverthefuck. It could be a pain at times. Sean? He laughed. Oh, how he laughed. All of them, however, became happier. Daniel?

Not so much.

He wanted to forget about his shitty life. Instead, it had the opposite effect. Memories Daniel buried years ago came rushing back, and Daniel didn't hold it in this time. He pictured his brother in front of him. Then, he had a way overdue "talk" with Sean.

"All I ever wanted, Sean… was for you to not hate me." Since Sean began changing his behavior, these emotions became buried, deep inside. Now, they came back. No matter how much he denied it, he couldn't escape it.

"Why did you hate me? Why, Sean?" Daniel stares at the corner of the room, picturing his brother sitting there.

"Why did you start acting like you cared about me? Like- like you- loved me? Only to leave me behind with… that?" The picture of his mother's dead eyes appears, making Daniel shake his head.

"Whatever. I don't need you, Sean. I have a new family now. One that won't leave me. Fuck you, Sean. Fuck you." Daniel throws an empty bottle towards the corner, picturing it hitting Sean's head. Somewhere, deep down, Daniel felt regret for doing it. But he instantly pushed it back.

"No, dude. You don't need him. Remember, he never needed you. He never wanted you." Daniel stands up, feeling the entire room spinning.

"Woah- shit. I think it's time to crash." He lies down on the bed. It's super-cozy and soft. Daniel's head barely touches the pillow before he passes out.

"Mmm, gunight, Shroom," Daniel mumbles before entering the dreamland of drunkenness.

The Drunken Dreams of Daniel Diaz — Parts Unknown…

Daniel's sitting on a chair. Behind him is a house. A house he's never been to. In front of him is a beach. A beach he's never been to. Also, there's the ocean. A place he never got to swim in. Daniel may not have been here before, but he recognized the place immediately from old photographs.

Puerto Lobos, Mexico. His father's hometown.

"So… you're here." A voice startles Daniel. He looks to his right, finding Sean sitting on a chair next to him. At least… he thinks it's Sean. It has to be, but- fuck.

His brother doesn't have a left eye, instead, he just has a black piece of… something. It looks creepy and gross. Sean's wearing a tank top, revealing how his body is covered in two things.

Scars.

Tattoos.

What is this? This isn't his brother, it can't be.

"What's wrong, Daniel? Afraid to look at your own work?" What's he talking about?

"S- Sean? What do you m- mean?" Daniel stutters, feeling more uncomfortable every second.

"You're wondering what happened to me. How it happened. All my scars, my eye…" Sean pressed his index finger hard against the glass eye.

"I'll tell you what happened, Daniel." Sean leans forward, grabbing Daniel's shoulders.

"You, Daniel. You happened." No. it's bullshit. He's lying.

"No. It's not true. This is a dream. You're not even real." Sean seems amused by him.

"Just because it's a dream, doesn't mean it didn't happen, Daniel. Why do you think I took off, huh?" Daniel doesn't want to admit it. He refuses.

"Say it, Daniel," Sean says in a more sharp tone.

"No, I won't." Daniel whimpers.

"SAY IT!" Before Daniel's able to reply, something else happens. Something wakes him up, ending his weird nightmare.

"Get up!" Merrill kicked the door in, screaming for Daniel to get up.

"Huh? Wha- what? What's going on?" Nobody answers him. Instead, Merrill pulls the covers off of him.

"I said, get the fuck up!" Merrill wasn't like that before. What's going on? He's scaring Daniel. Without any further questions, Daniel gets up.

"Outside, now." This wasn't a question. Did he do something wrong? They're kicking him out, aren't they? He's not gonna have a family.

"Ok, can I just put on some shoes-" Nope.

"Outside, NOW!" Merrill pushes him from behind with such force, that it causes him to fall on the outside. He bites back his tears as he stood up, trying to make sense of the situation. Daniel's outside in his pajamas, wearing no shoes, and it's fucking freezing. Around him, stand Merrill, Hannah, and a lot of other people of Daniel's age. Most of them, wear camouflage clothing. What is this? Daniel looks at Hannah, who swore to look after him. She motions for him to be silent. Like he's got much of a choice?

Merrill steps forward to Daniel. He addresses him, and him only.

"So, you want to be a part of our family? That's fine by me." Ok, good. Can he go back to sleep now?

"However…" Aw, shit.

"Before you become one of us, you must prove yourself. Are you ready, are you willing to prove yourself, Daniel?" Again, he doesn't have much of a choice. He doesn't want to die alone.

"Yes, sir. What do I have to do?" Merrill kneels in front of him.

"We need to know that you can be trusted. That this is your one and only family. Sever all connections to your past. Start a new life here, with us." Well, that's part easy. He doesn't have any connections to his past. His entire family's dead, except for Sean, and he's missing. Sean's dead to Daniel anyway.

"I can be trusted, Merrill. This… this is my only family." Merrill looks him right in the eyes.

"Are you ready to prove it?" How, exactly?

"I'm ready." He's not sure what to expect, but he's ready.

"Good, my child. Now, I want you to close your eyes. Don't look until I tell you to." Daniel does as he's told. He could hear Merrill standing up to walk away. Daniel's desperately trying to hear what Merrill's up to, but Mushroom interrupts him by jumping into his arms.

"Oh- hi, Shroom." Daniel picks her up, still not looking. God, he loves this dog so much. It wasn't until he heard footsteps approaching that he began to wonder…

How did Mushroom get out?

"You can look now, Daniel," Merrill tells him. The first thing he sees is Mushroom's happy face. It took every fiber of his being to let her down on the ground. Mushroom sits quietly in front of him. Daniel stands up, facing Merrill.

"This, Daniel. This… is your test. Prove yourself, and you're one of us. Forever. An equal. Fail, and you'll spend the rest of your life alone." Still, what the actual FUCK… is the test? Merrill reaches behind his back.

"Take this." A gun? But, it makes no sense. Who is he supposed to-

NO!

NONONO!

What the fuck is this?!

"No." Daniel whimpers as he takes the gun in his hand. Immediately, he lowers it, holding it around his waist.

"You must break all connections with your past life, Daniel. That dog- that pet, is a weakness. It's something you're holding onto. Here, your life will start anew. Pull that trigger, and start your new life. Be free. Be who you want to be. Fail, and you will fall even deeper down the abyss of self-pity and despair.

Fuck. This isn't happening. It's not real. No. Maybe he should just… shoot himself? But, then what will be of poor Mushroom? First her, then himself?

"There's only one round in the chamber. Don't try anything stupid, kid." Fuck, fuck, fuuuck! Alone or family? Family or alone? Kill or be killed? It's not right. It's just… not. Evil. It's the one thing Daniel would use to describe this. Slowly, he raised his arm, aiming the gun.

"Do it now, and do NOT look away." Fuck. Mushroom looks at him, completely unaware of what's coming. So sweet, so innocent. She helped Daniel through some tough times. She deserved better than this. Whatever this is.

"I'm sorry, Shroom." The nine-year-old boy aimed the gun at his adorable puppy and pulled the trigger. A gunshot echoed, quickly followed by a loud howl as Daniel Diaz severed his final connection to his past life.

Notes:

I've had this chapter done for quite a few days, but decided to hold it for a while. I write just as much as before, however, I've decided to keep updates to 1-2 times a week.

A few short things. Chris running away, leaving Daniel behind, is Chris showing how he isn't a "brave super-hero" but just a scared kid.

Also, in order to understand a bit more about the future for Daniel, I've done some research. Not a pleasant read. But that's why he's allowed to stay in a nice cabin of his own. He feels like an adult, more mature, more grown-up. Then, he's put to a "test" and must cut all ties with his past life. Sorry Mushroom...

Btw: The "drunk-personality traits?" I'm Sean...

Anyway, I always enjoy reading comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

It is I.
Your reaper of misery.
Now.
Did you think it was over?
You never learn.

Starting now.
All day.
Every day.
Is hell.

You wish to wake up.
But you cannot.
This is no dream.
Horrible things.
Everywhere.
And you?

You are the one doing them.

Bit by bit.
Torn apart.
We never win.
But the battle wages on.

Chapter 12: War Pigs

Summary:

Daniel goes through the final initiations that his new family demands of him. Meanwhile, Sean ends up at a place where the darkest deeds of mankind take place.

Notes:

MASSIVE FREAKIN' TAGS!

This chapter moves toward a lot of disturbing stuff that may not be for those that are easily offended.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

He hated this. He hated himself. Smoke from the gun was still in the air. The pain Daniel felt inside his chest could not be put into words. It probably was a good thing. He didn't want to show any weakness. If he did, then he did that for nothing.

Mushroom… that poor puppy. She deserved better. The question is, did Daniel deserve any better? This time, the gun felt even lighter in his hand. Is he… getting used to it?

No. Not him. He's Daniel, not a psychopath. Right? His thoughts are put to an end as Merrill kneels in front of him.

"Well done, my child. You have severed your final connection to the past, therefore proving yourself worthy to be one of us." Daniel hoped for the kind, caring version of Merrill from before. But no. This Merrill? He's cruel, sadistic, manipulative, and dangerous.

And he's the only family Daniel's got.

"Th- thank you, s- s- sir." Daniel stutters with a low voice as he looks down at the ground, unable to take his eyes off Mushroom's corpse.

"Give me your arm, Daniel. It is time." Daniel extends his right arm, Merrill takes it and rolls up the sleeve. He grabs something from behind his back.

A knife.

Fuck…

"War, Daniel. It takes a toll on you. Mind, body, and soul." Merrill addressed him as if dozens of people weren't watching them.

"Your mind is strong. Severing all ties with the past is not an easy thing to do." Like he had much choice.

"Your soul is in pain. To do what needs to be done, Daniel… you must learn to disconnect the body from the soul." Daniel looked at Merrill like he was an alien.

"Watch and learn." Merrill takes the knife, moving towards his own lower arm. He looks Daniel in the eyes before making an incision below the elbow, slowly cutting all the way down to his hand. He didn't even flinch, and neither did Daniel. Judging by the countless scars on his arms, this wasn't the first time Merrill did something like this.

Once more, Daniel gives Merrill his arm. This time, he knows what to expect. He doesn't want to, but if it's what he has to do to get a new family?

He'll do it.

"Daniel. Remove body from soul. Feel no pain. Not for yourself, nor others. Only then, can you do what must be done." Without warning, Daniel felt incredible pain, just below his elbow. The knife, inside him, moving towards his hand.

He wanted to pull the arm back, lay down in a pool of tears and blood, hugging Mushroom's corpse while screaming for dear life. But if he did, it would be over for him. He had to endure. No matter the cost. His arm was shaking and he almost felt like he would faint. Then, finally, he felt the knife leave his body.

"The mind," Merrill says firmly, so everyone could hear. Daniel realized what that meant about half a second before-

"The body." Merrill again exclaims equally loud. Once again, the knife enters Daniel's arm. The cut isn't exactly deep, but it doesn't have to be. He's nine. NINE! Back up a few months and the worst pain he'd ever felt was falling and scrubbing his knees. Still, he endures. Daniel does everything in his power to stop his body from shaking in fear and shock.

He made it through round two.

"The soul." For the third consecutive time, the knife cuts him open.

However…

The third time was different.

Daniel didn't move an inch. Nor did he flinch. He stared Merrill in the eyes, almost daring him "is that all you've got?"

His entire right arm was red with blood. The young boy's face was covered in sweat and tears. His facial expression though, completely blank, and his breaths were even and calm.

The soul of Daniel Felipe Diaz, disconnected for good.

The knife left its third mark on his lower arm as Merrill pulled it out. He slowly pulled the arm back while looking at it. Blood poured freely from those wounds, but he felt no pain. Which should be good now, right?

"What is your full name, child?" Merrill stands up, putting his hands behind his back. Daniel answered. This time, without stuttering. He felt like a new person, weird as it was.

"Daniel Felipe Diaz." Merrill looked down at him. Daniel took this moment to look around at the people surrounding them. Children of various ages. Most of them looked to be his own age. All of them, with three, long scars on their right arms with various degrees of healing. They all went through this. All of them.

"Welcome, Daniel Felipe Diaz, to your new family. From here on now, these are your brothers and sisters." Merrill pointed to the children surrounding them. All of them raised a fist in the air, showing off their scars while welcoming their newest little brother.

Their new Enano…

The night was long, the music loud, and the refreshments weren't… appropriate for nine-year-old boys. War or not. But it helped Daniel forget about the pain for a while. No wonder his big brother former brother used to smoke it all the time.

Daniel's not allowed back into that nice cabin anymore. Instead, he'll be sleeping in a small room that smells of mold and is infested with vermin. It's ok though, he doesn't mind. Why?

It's because he shares the room with someone. Granted, he hasn't met the person in question yet. But the way Daniel feels is that the closer he is to his new family, the better.

Still on a high, figuratively and literally, Daniel carefully opens the door to his new room. The smell kinda sucked, no point denying that part. Then again, nothing's perfect, is it? Daniel can barely see anything inside the room. All the lights are off, and there are no windows. He did, however, hear something.

Well, someone…

Breathing.

Sobbing.

The kind of sobbing you do in silence because nobody can ever know about it. If there ever was a case of that being true, this was it. Daniel tries to navigate his way through the dark, hoping to find a light switch. Thing is, being drunk and high while trying to do… well, anything, isn't the best combo. Daniel stumbled over something that may have been his own pair of feet, slamming his forehead into the floor.

"OW- FUCKING SHIT!" Then, he realized his mistake. The sobs from his roommate disappeared. Fuck. Did Daniel upset him? Whoever "he" is? Is he about to get his ass kicked by a sixteen-year-old? Or… worse? Well, he's about to find out as the light turns on. Daniel could see someone sitting up on the bed in the corner of his eyes. He didn't dare move. He may not feel pain anymore, but the fear is still very real.

More movement was followed by some groaning and rubbing the eyes. Then, Daniel could hear a faint gasp.

"Daniel?" That voice? Impossible. Is it? Could it be? He can't be that high, can he? Daniel slowly sits up, turning his attention to the person sitting on the bed.

"Chris?" Holy shit…

Meanwhile, somewhere in Nevada…

Sean felt a throbbing pain in his skull. Fuck, it hurt so badly. What happened? Where is he? And fuck, is it hot here or what? He tries to move his arms, only to discover that it causes him even greater pain. Sean, concussed and too out of it to even open his eyes, has no clue as to what's going on.

He could hear voices in the background. Voices, calling for help. Voices, calling for their mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. Wait…

Brother's…

"DANIEL- OW, FUCK!" Immediately, Sean remembered everything as he sprung to life. Their own mother betrayed them, only to suffer a fate better than she deserved. Claire and Stephen, executed in front of him. But Daniel? What happened to his little brother? Sean tried to run after his brother, the very second he opened his eyes. However, the chains around his wrists and ankles prevented him from doing anything remotely close to running.

His wrists, secured high above his head, making sure to punish him for even thinking about running away from here. Speaking of which…

Where exactly is "here?"

Sean looks around inside the small room. Judging by the sound and the bumps, Sean believes that this is the inside of a van of sorts. There's only one other person inside it. A black male, cuffed like an animal, just like Sean.

"Hey, man? Do you know what the fuck this is?" Sean asks the other male, receiving only a deep sigh in reply.

"Hey! Answer me, dickhead!" Sean doesn't want to be an asshole, but he's starting to get a little freaked out.

"What's your name?" The man asks him without even looking at him.

"Sean. My name is Sean." He's in no mood for small-talk, but he'll play along for now.

"Hi, Sean. I'm Penny…" The man called Penny says with a distant tone.

"Ok… Penny. Do you know what the fuck is going on here?" Sean tries to sound somewhat nice. However, as Penny turns to face him, Sean realized that it probably wouldn't have mattered.

"You really don't know do you, Sean?" Fear, defeat, death, and insanity. All of it, Sean could hear on Penny's voice.

"Know what?" The longer this conversation went, the more Sean felt like he didn't want to know the answer. Also, like he didn't want this car to ever reach its destination.

"We're dead. You. Me. People like us. All of them. Dead. Anyone they can get their hands on, they send to wherever it is we're going. Everyone enters. Nobody leaves. At least not alive." Penny said with an empty look in his eyes.

"What? How- they can't do shit like that. You're lying. America would never-" Penny cuts him off.

"America? There is no America anymore. The president's dead, along with the entire fucking government. Our entire defense is blown to shits, meaning it's every man for himself. No laws and nobody to enforce them. The militias run things now in any US-controlled zone. Which is bad for people like us." Sean wanted to ask how exactly it was bad.

However…

The car stopped. Penny probably stopped breathing with it. Footsteps, the sound of ammunition being put into a rifle, and the opening of a door. The light felt blinding to Sean as he could barely make out a shadow move towards Penny.

Screaming.

So much screaming. Penny screamed in fear of his life as two guards dragged him away. Sean desperately tried to make some sense of the situation. But it was no use. This? You cannot make sense of what has no sense, to begin with. Sean's eyes start to get used to the light as he sees a new shadow enter the back of the van.

A familiar shadow.

However, familiar doesn't always equal good…

"Holy shit, did I win the fucking lottery or what? Sean fucking Diaz. It's been a while, has it not?" Things go from bad to worse as the shadow turned out to be Brett Foster. The old racist asshole neighbor from Seattle. Brett dropped out of high school after a few incidents with teachers and students from different countries and colors. Then the rumors began. Rumors of him joining an extremist group of sorts, doing all kinds of shit. Well, seems like it's true.

"Hi, Brett, wassup? I- I must be on the wrong bus. I thought this one would take me to school, but you're here, so this can't be school… right?" Pissing off a heavily armed Brett Foster isn't a very smart thing to do, however, Sean just couldn't help himself.

Then again, neither could Brett as the backside of his rifle met Sean's nose. Always with the fucking nose.

"Get your ass up, Diaz. You're gonna want to see this." Brett's sick smile made Sean want to vomit. Still, he didn't have much of a choice. He hated it, but he had to follow Brett's command.

Exiting the vehicle, the first thing Sean felt was the heat. A desert sun, burning him alive, unlike anything he's ever felt before in his life. The first thing he saw wasn't the barbed wire, nor was it the countless militiamen wielding rifles. The first thing Sean Diaz saw?

Children.

Just a stone's throw away, standing side-by-side. How many could it be? Fifty, one-hundred, or even two-hundred? Difficult to tell. Sean didn't understand what the fuck was happening.

"READY!" A voice shouts from a distance. Sean looks around, only to discover dozens of soldiers facing the endless line of defenseless children.

"You will watch this, Diaz. You fucking people… you destroyed this country, killed my entire family- you will watch this." Brett tells him in a hateful voice. Only now did Sean realize what was going on. The deep trench behind those kids. How they all cried after their parents.

"AIM!" The same voice screams. Sean can't breathe.

"No." He wants to do something, anything to help them. But he can't. All he can do is watch. Watch as a hundred soldiers aim their rifles at a hundred children. Small, young, defenseless children. Children no older than Daniel.

"FIRE!" The sound of gunfire Sean could handle. The sound of hundreds of small bodies hitting the ground one by one, Sean could not handle. He collapsed onto all four, unable to comprehend what he just witnessed. He couldn't understand, didn't want to understand.

"Hah, stop crying, Diaz. It's still nothing compared to what you people did in Seattle. Here!" Brett says as he jams a shovel in the ground mere inches from Sean's head.

"Wh- wha- what?" He could barely speak. Still, he got up and grabbed the shovel. For what purpose he did not know.

"Don't play dumb, Diaz. Those traitors? Sure, they might have dug their own graves, but they sure as hell can't fill them." Sean drops the shovel to the ground as he realizes the implications.

"No." He mumbles.

"The fuck did you just say?" Sean knows this is a battle he cannot win.

"Nothing. Sorry." Fuck!

"You will be, Diaz. You will be." Sean moved towards the mass grave.

Then, he was sorry. So very, very, very sorry.

The first thing he noticed was that every single child was either black, Hispanic, Asian- pretty much everything except white. Somewhere in the distance, Sean knew Brett was watching him, laughing at his misery.

The trench seems to be endless. And the bodies that fill it lay there, not moving, not breathing, not crying for a parent. Nothing. He can't do this. How? Just… how? Then, Sean almost jumps out of the trench when he heard a sound behind him.

A cough.

He turned around and saw an unsteady arm raise itself in the air. Without a second thought, Sean runs towards the source of the sound.

"Hey, hey, you're gonna be alright. Just, relax-" Sean stopped speaking as soon as he saw the child's face.

He knew this kid.

Well, kinda. So very similar, yet so very different.

A young boy, no more than ten years of age. Dark brown hair, and brown eyes. If Sean were to guess, this boy must have some kind of South American heritage. For a good ten seconds, Sean believed that Daniel was on the ground in front of him.

"He- help m- me." The boy begs Sean to help him. Help him with his pain, find a way to make it stop. Sean wished he could do that. More than anything, he wished he could. He briefly glances at the gaping wound on the boy's chest. He's been hit right above the heart. Since it didn't kill him immediately, it didn't hit the heart itself. However, judging by his strained breathing, it most likely pierced a lung. And now, said lung, is slowly filling itself with blood, drowning him.

"Hey, look at me, kid. I'm Sean, ok? What's your name?" Sean took his hand, squeezing it.

"Sean? I'm Da- Da- David." Phew. Once again, so similar, yet so very different.

"Listen to me, David. You're going to be just fine, buddy. I've already called for help, and they'll be here any second, just… stay strong, ok?" Sean knew, of course, that this poor child would never be fine. He would never run around with his friends playing soccer, nor would he grow to become a teenager. No. This boy's story ends right here. In a trench, in a mass grave in the Nevada desert.

"Really? You- you mean it, Sean?" The boy coughs.

"Of course, I do, buddy." No. He didn't mean it. Not a single word. He did, however, want a dying child to feel a little safer while crossing to the other side. If that meant telling an ugly lie, it's worth it.

"Thank you, Sean…" He could feel the small hand grow weak, only to drop to the ground. The light in the brown eyes disappeared, replaced by nothing. The boy named David, so similar, yet so different to his little brother Daniel, was dead.

Sean closed the eyelids of the boy before placing his small hands on his chest. He even allowed himself to have a moment of silence, a moment of calm before the storm, perhaps. Although, not a literal storm, but a storm inside the mind of Sean. He came here to perform a task. If he didn't do it, he had no doubts that severe punishment would be immediate. Brett never gave him any sort of timeline as to when he's supposed to be finished. So…

He tried to do it as fast as he could. Like his life depended on it. Which, to be fair, it probably did. All those bodies, all of them, dead. Blood, brain, guts, and other sights that would haunt him for an eternity. But he never stopped. He just did the best he could to avoid looking at their faces. The few times that he did, he would regret it.

A small girl, maybe six years old. Her eyes closed and her clothes were red. Red by default, and with blood. She almost looked as if she were asleep. So peaceful. No tears, no wounds, no nothing. Her hand held tightly onto a slightly older child. A brother or a sister, perhaps? Difficult to tell, considering the way the bullet split the small skull in half. This is where Sean threw up the first time.

After filling the trench with dirt, Sean stands on top of it. He feels like he should say something. Like he should do something. If he doesn't, then nobody ever would. Then these children would just be forgotten. He looks around, trying to find something. Fucking desert. Nothing grows out here, meaning these children wouldn't even get a flower on their sad grave. They're all destined to be forgotten, to remain buried, and never be found by anyone.

"I'm sorry," Sean whispers before crumbling into a ball on the ground, a sobbing mess.

The next day…

Sean was never the best student in high school, that much he could admit. However, he knew more than enough about concentration camps to be able to tell if he was in one or not. And right now?

He was.

Getting back from the grave-digging, Sean felt sick. Sick and tired. Brett threw him into a barrack with hundreds of other "prisoners of war" which was just a term for "people we don't like and want to kill slowly."

It was small, crowded, and the so-called bed was just wood without sheets. Then there's the smell. Dear God, the fucking smell. Take the Nevada desert during the hottest time of the year. Now, drop a couple of barracks made for about ten people each into it. Then, jam a hundred people each into every single one of those barracks.

The results?

A foul, disgusting stench of shit, piss, blood, sweat, vomit, and literal death and decay. People died in there every night, but nobody knew until they started to rot. If there was a hell, this is it.

No.

This is not hell.

Not even near it.

If you die and go to hell…

Then, you die while in hell…

That's when you'll end up at a place like this.

Sean wanted to sleep, needed sleep. But he couldn't. He tried to close his eyes, but all he saw when he did, were the faces of those children. Like that wasn't bad enough, all around him, people either cried, screamed in despair, or even tried to commit suicide. Screaming children, desperately trying to find their parents who may or may not be there. And every time it happened, Sean only heard one thing.

"Sean? Sean where are you? Please, Sean. Help me. I'm scared." Every single time, he heard Daniel, calling out to him. Every single time he knew that it wasn't him. Still, every single time he turned toward whoever made the sound, only to be disappointed. Still, he would do anything to hug his little brother. But he would never want Daniel to be at a place like this. If Daniel faced the reaper, perhaps it's for the better? Sean would rather see that his little brother's pain ended than have him put here or be alone and afraid. Still, not knowing what happened to Daniel? It's a fate worse than this camp to Sean. He sighs heavily.

"Daniel." He whispered, uncertain of why. The level of sound inside the barrack was so high he could've screamed without anyone noticing.

"Little brother. I don't know if you can hear me. If you can, it means you didn't make it." Sean chokes on his own words.

"If you can't, it means you're still out there somewhere, alive." The smallest smile forms on Sean's lips.

"I- I just want you to know-" Sean starts to cry.

"I just want you to know how sorry I am, Daniel. For everything. I was a terrible brother to you in Seattle. You looked up to me, and all I ever did was to push you away." Sean's hugging his knees, sobbing like a child.

"I'm sorry, Enano. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I only hope that wherever you are now… is a better place than this. I love you, little brother. I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner." Sean cries himself to a disturbed sleep within seconds. Little did he know that at the very same time, guards were moving for the doors of the barracks, intending to wake everyone up for another day of hard labor.

Simultaneously, in a place far, far away. A compound, deep inside the forest. A lone wolf, no longer lonely, was deep asleep after a night of meeting both new and old friends. All of a sudden, the young wolf awoke as he felt pain. A deep, almost crippling pain, inside his chest, unlike anything he's ever felt before.

Then it disappeared.

"Weird…" The young wolf lay back down, unable to fall asleep. Instead, his mind drifted to his big brother former brother Sean. The young wolf wasn't sure why he felt a need to say it, but he did.

"I'm alright, Sean. I'm safe." A lone tear made its way down his face as the former lone wolf let sleep take him away.

Notes:

First off, as I said in the last chapter: I will update this once a week. That decision has nothing to do with me not having enough time to write, but more a way to avoid publishing too much at a time. Don't believe it? Well, a certain someone asked me (in a good tone) for the next chapter. I was literally on my way to start writing this chapter as I read that comment. That was about five hours ago. So, I write fast, and non-stop. (Don't worry, we cool though)

Plus, I've had a different writing project take up a lot of time recently. Anyone that wonders why I always write everything so dark and depressive I highly encourage you to read my work "Memories". It's word-for-word my own experiences. Give it a shot...

Anyway...

Each brother gets to see the very worst of mankind and war. Daniel and Chris (surprise!) are in for a hellish ride, and Sean's pretty much in a concentration camp. However, I'll do what I can to avoid it being a carbon copy of one.

Daniel's slowly being brainwashed, which is why every time something is from Daniel's POV there's the "big brother" part that's crossed over, followed by the "former brother" part. Think of it as Daniel reminding himself that "no, Sean's not my brother anymore."

And, just to be clear: The thing at the very end with Daniel kinda "feeling" how Sean spoke about/to him? It's more in a symbolic way. So NO powers.

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

The mind.
Key to survival in battle.
Sharp.
Quick.
Creative.
Ruthless.

The body.
A mere tool for the mind.
The grinder.
Does as the mind tells it to.
Brute strength?
Cannot defeat a sharp mind.

The soul.
A weakness.
A fatal flaw.
Compassion.
Mercy.
Fear.
Doubt.
Regret.
The soul creates it.

The mind.
The body.
In battle.
Necessary, they are.
The soul?
Must be disconnected.
To avoid any sense of compassion for your enemy.

Step by step...
Without a heart...
Left-right left...
You cannot fall down...

Chapter 13: Toy Soldiers

Summary:

Daniel attempts to deal with the conflicting emotions he shouldn't even have to begin with. And what is really the meaning of "do what must be done?"

Notes:

A lot of tags here!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Daniel! You're alive, thank god!" Chris wrapped his arms around his friend like nothing ever happened between them. Like he didn't leave Daniel to his demise, staring at the bodies of his mother and grandparents.

"Chris…" He wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to hug Chris and try to find some comfort in this madness. Then again, Chris left him to die. Could he really trust him again?

Then it hit him.

The soul is nothing but a weakness. He cannot show emotion because the enemy will take advantage of it. Daniel can't be sad, he can't be angry, and he sure as hell cannot cry. Plus, there's one more thing.

Chris is a part of Daniel's past, and Daniel's a part of Chris's. Anybody finds out that they know each other, and at least one of them is dead. Now, finally a part of a real family, Daniel doesn't want to die anymore. There's just one problem…

He doesn't want Chris to die either.

No matter how much he tried to deny it, Chris had always been there for him. Well, until recently. Still, he's always been more of a brother to Daniel than his real brother former brother. Whatever happened to his former brother, it doesn't matter.

"Maybe he's the one that killed mom Karen, grandma Claire, and grandpa Stephen?" Daniel wonders to himself. Either way, it doesn't matter. He doesn't matter. Sean… doesn't matter. Dead or alive. Someone else, however, matters to Daniel. Although the three scars on his lower right arm tell him that they shouldn't. At least, not more than the others.

"Chris…" Daniel hugged his friend back, feeling like a normal child again for a second or two. Still, Daniel's face did not change its blank expression. However, underneath the facade, an emotional war exchanged blows. Daniel still wasn't sure what to do here.

He trusts his new family, and with them, their rules. He cannot show any emotions, at any given time. Daniel understands it. Emotions are a weakness, waiting to be exploited. He believes the rule is a righteous one. So, why then, in this given moment…

Does it feel so wrong?

He wants to break down, needs to break down and just cry, scream out his pain. But he's not supposed to cry, nor feel pain. Then, there's another part of him. The part of him that wants revenge. A part filled with a decade of bottled-up anger and rage.

"Anger can be useful. It can be a weapon. But only if you use it right." Merrill told him before giving him the same knife used to make the cuts on the nine-year-old's arm. Said knife is still in his pocket. Chris deserves it. He left him there, not giving a shit about what happened to him.

Revenge, cry, or obey? Daniel considers his options. But before he's even remotely close to deciding anything, Chris collapsed to the floor.

"I- I can't do this, Daniel. I- I just can't." Daniel looks down at his friend as he cries in both fear and sorrow. He sits down next to Chris, noticing how he's got only one small cut on his arm. Not three large ones like Daniel.

"What do you mean, Chris? You have to. There's no other choice." Chris looks at him in a way that says "you really don't know, do you?"

"What's with your arm, Chris?" Daniel wonders. Is it good or bad? Chris raised his right arm but pulled it back as Daniel tried to touch it. Always so fragile. Even the smallest of wounds would cause Chris great pain.

"I'm kind of on a trial period of sorts, Merrill told me. I'm not fully initiated yet, but-" Chris looks away and sighs.

"But what, Chris?" There's something more to it. Neither of them are very good liars.

"I was about to be initiated before you got here. Thing is, there's a difference between your initiation and mine. I'm just on a trial period. They believe that I'm weak, and I must prove myself." Ok, nothing wrong about that.

"By making those myself." Chris points at the cuts on Daniel's arm.

"I tried, Daniel, I really did. But I couldn't. It hurts… so much. I only have one more chance. And if I fail, they're throwing me out." A massive conflict played out inside Daniel's head. No, he didn't think about how wrong it is to force a nine-year-old boy to cut himself. It was more complicated than that.

Chris is his friend, his brother. Daniel doesn't want anything bad to happen to him. Throw him outside this compound alone, and he's dead for sure. He needs to be initiated, but he can't do it. And if he can't do it, is he really worthy? Fuck…

Why can't life ever be simple?

"Chris… do you trust me?" Daniel's expression changed into determination as Chris looked at him.

"Of course, I do, Daniel. We're like brothers." Daniel tried to ignore the pain he felt in his chest, considering what Chris did to him.

"Lay down on the bed." Chris does as he's told with some confusion. This fucking room has nothing in it. Absolutely nothing. Daniel hoped to find something like a piece of wood for Chris to bite on. He didn't exactly handle pain well. For a lack of anything at all, he's got no other option than to just…

Go for it.

"Chris, listen to me. Do not move, do not pull back your right arm, and do not make a sound." The realization hit the other boy's face, and with it, fear. Very real fear.

"No. Nonononono, please don't!" Chris tries to get up, but Daniel holds him down.

"You have no other choice, Chris. If they throw you out of this place you're dead, Chris, dead!" Daniel desperately tries to convince his friend.

"Maybe I want to die? It would be a lot better than… what we're about to do here." Chris sighs in defeat before giving Daniel his right arm. The lone wolf takes out his knife, preparing to do what must be done, repeating to himself the same mantra Merrill taught him.

"Disconnect body from soul." He whispers repeatedly. Just as he's about to cut, he looks into Chris's eyes. This isn't the usual Chris Eriksen. This is the same boy he saw a glimpse of back in the woods, firing a gun. The mask is removed, showing the rage underneath it.

"Just so you know, Daniel… I'd rather die before turning into whateverthefuck you have become." If it was any truth to that, Daniel didn't know, nor did he care.

"The mind," Daniel says blankly as he slowly makes the first cut. It's deep. Far too deep.

"Ahhh! Fuck you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" Chris screams loudly.

"The body." The second cut. Not as deep, but still very sloppy.

"I hope you- I hope you fucking die, Daniel! You're- you're fucking SICK!" Maybe he was sick? Those insults just bounced off of him before dissolving into nothingness. His entire focus was on the task ahead.

"The soul." Third and last cut. Not too deep, not too shallow, and in a perfectly straight line. Chris cried like a small child.

"Please- just stop. I- I can't." He could, and he did.

The soul of Chris Eriksen disconnected for good.

Daniel stood up, putting his hands behind his back as Merrill did.

"What is your full name?" He asks him. It took a few seconds for the other boy to respond. He seemed a bit out of it.

"Christopher Eriksen." Chris did his best not to stutter.

"Welcome, Christopher Eriksen, to your new family. From here on now…" Daniel gives Chris his right hand.

"We're officially brothers." Chris takes his hand as Daniel pulls him to his feet. The two brothers embrace and Daniel feels no guilt about it this time.

However…

Chris never thanked Daniel for helping him. Perhaps he wasn't sure if staying here was a good thing or a bad one? Daniel, of course, was blissfully unaware of the cruel reality ahead of them. Sometimes, the truth is so visible, that it becomes invisible. That is the case with Daniel Felipe Diaz. Christopher Eriksen, however, had some strong suspicions about the truth behind Merrill and why so many kids were here. And he didn't like it.

Sure, he could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. But the burning, unholy pain in his lower right arm tells him otherwise. It tells him, that he's right. It tells him to run and don't look back. If he's wrong and chooses to stay, he could have a good life here. Hell, he could even have a great life. If he's right, however, the bad things he suspects?

Are very bad.

They're horrifying. Long after Daniel's asleep, Chris lies awake. His lower arm throbs with incredible pain, but it cannot compare to the worry and fear he feels when he thinks about the next morning.

The next morning…

Merrill looked surprised as he gazed upon Chris's scars. Surprised, but pleased. He welcomed another lost brother to his flock of followers. Merrill may be cruel at times, but he's more than fair. At least if one were to ask Daniel. He brought Daniel here when all hope was lost. Now, Merrill gave him a family. To live for, fight for, die for, and-

Kill for.

Daniel had no intentions of losing the trust of his fellow brothers and sisters. No matter the circumstances. Thing is, he never really thought about what those circumstances could be. He just felt happy to have a sense of belonging somewhere.

Enter the circumstances…

Chris and Daniel, dressed in cameo clothing, sitting on the back of a truck on the way to parts unknown. The sound of explosions and gunfire becomes louder every second, and with it, Chris's breathing. Meanwhile, Daniel's completely calm. His mind is present. His body is controlled by his mind. Daniel's soul? Non-existent. Destroyed. Disconnected forever. Just like the other children next to him, Daniel's mind focused solely on whatever task lay ahead of him. The loud explosions did not bother him, nor did the increasing amount of gunfire. He didn't react when the vehicle stopped. Only when a voice screams "move, move, move!" does he get outside.

Daniel's fast to get out of the vehicle, with Chris dragging slowly behind. They're outside a war zone, in a small town of sorts. Most of the buildings were blown to bits either partly or completely. It appeared to be a temporary command center of sorts. However, the few people remaining appeared to be packing it up. Apparently, this area was now safe. Daniel's not given more time to look around before feeling something heavy in his arms.

"No…" He could hear Chris's faint voice from behind him before he too received the same heavy object. Daniel looks down, wondering what the object in question was. Then he looks at Chris, noticing that they got the same objects.

Shotguns.

Daniel Felipe Diaz wields a shotgun that weighs almost as much as he does. At least it feels like it. Impossible to carry with only one arm, barely possible with two.

"You two, with me." Hannah. Daniel hasn't seen her since- well, since she promised to look after him. Still, she's probably been busy out here, Daniel tells himself as he follows her.

She takes them around the corner of a building. Six other people are present. Three of them were heavily armed, wearing ski masks. Three of them, are on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs. Daniel could hear a whimper coming from Chris.

"It's time. You're no longer kids. Do what must be done. Do not hesitate. Show no-" Daniel watches Hannah's every move as she loads her shotgun, pointing it at one of the people on their knees.

"Mercy!" Hannah pulls the trigger, splattering blood all over the place. Chris let out a shriek, but Daniel didn't even flinch. There was a time, not too long ago, when this sight would have put him in a state of shock. Not now. All he is now is broken.

A boy without a soul.

Hannah motions for Daniel to step forward. She doesn't need to speak. Daniel knows his task. He did his best, trying to mimic what Hannah did when she loaded the shotgun. It took a while before he got the hang of it. Hannah points at one of the people on their knees. A middle-aged woman with long hair, dressed in something similar to a ceremonial robe, and a cross around her neck.

This woman is a priest.

"No-no, don't. My child, you can still be saved. It is not too late for you. Do not listen to them. It is all lies. Please, little one, have mercy-" She begs Daniel before she starts crying so badly that she can't even speak. Daniel raises the shotgun to her head. It's so heavy. So, so heavy. He lets it rest against her forehead while contemplating how much his life's changed. Only that it changed, never did he contemplate what it changed to. What he changed to.

He never hesitated. Not even a little. He didn't have to disconnect the body from the soul because only one of those remained intact nowadays. The barrel of the shotgun rested on the woman's forehead as Daniel pulled the trigger.

His mind felt completely numb to what just happened. To what he just did. Sure, he's killed once before. But that was in self-defense. This was anything but that. A loud sound caused his ears to ring. Daniel felt something wet on his face, and sharp pain something weird in his right shoulder.

Returning to the real world, Daniel feels like hours have passed. But in reality, it had barely been ten seconds. In front of him lies the body of a dead woman. Her entire skull was blown to shits by him. By Daniel. Enano. He's got a weird taste in his mouth, choosing to spit on the ground.

Blood.

He slowly moves his right hand towards his face, only to have it fall back down due to incredible pain unknown reasons. With his left hand, Daniel touches his face. He feels the thick layer of blood that seems to cover most of it. And he knows, for better or worse, that not a single drop of blood belongs to him. As for his right shoulder? Well, shotguns have quite the recoil on grown men that know how to wield them. On a nine-year-old boy that can barely lift it?

It dislocated his shoulder.

Sure, it popped back into place on its own. But the feeling was… not fun. He won't admit to it being painful. He can't and won't.

"Well done, Daniel. Now, it's your turn, Christopher." Hannah motions for Chris to step forward. The blonde boy trembles in fear and his breaths are uneven.

The person kneeling before Chris is a captured soldier. Coincidence, but it only makes it even harder for him. His father's a soldier. Or… was a soldier? Only now does Daniel begin to wonder if Chris even knows the fate of his father. Daniel, however, knows Chris's fate. He could see Hannah getting impatient, and all the signs on Chris, signaling a nearing breakdown. Chris couldn't do it. He's not cut out for it. And Daniel knows what awaits those that are deemed unworthy. And he agrees with it. It's just… he doesn't want it to happen to Chris.

So… he acts.

Only having one single shot in his shotgun, to begin with, now meant it was useless. Daniel dropped it to the ground. Instead, he marched forward, faster and faster for every step. The closer he got, the closer to a complete breakdown Chris got. In the corner of his eyes, Chris must have seen him. He turned towards Daniel, his eyes begging for some sort of comfort. This kid really could not handle it. Were Daniel to wrap his arms around Chris here and now, and tell him that everything would be alright, it would get them both killed. So, Daniel walks right past Chris.

To the soldier on his knees.

Daniel takes out his knife and, without hesitation, uses all of his strength to impale the soldier's throat with the knife. He falls dead as a low gurgling sound could be heard. Chris looks at him in shock and, almost disgust. Hannah seems impressed with Daniel but disgusted by Chris.

"Let's go! Time to get the fuck out of here!" She screams before heading back to the truck. Daniel bends down and pulls out the knife, wiping the blood on his pants before following Hannah. Meanwhile, Chris follows silently, not knowing what to do, or say.

The ride back to camp was silent. Fewer returned though. Perhaps not everybody made it? Who knows? Daniel felt more numb than ever before. Like he could barely even think. It isn't until they're back and inside their room, that they speak again. Chris sat down on his bed, pale as a ghost. Daniel sat down opposite him.

"Daniel… your face?" Chris pointed at him. Daniel moved a finger to his face, feeling a sticky substance all over it.

"Oh…" The blood. He kinda forgot about it. Well, he's kinda tired now, it can probably wait.

"Yeah, whatever. It's late and I'm tired. I'll deal with it tomorrow." Chris looks at him in a way he can't really decipher.

"What happened to you, Daniel?" He's not sure why those words stung in such a painful way.

But they did.

A few short words from Chris left him completely speechless. Still, he felt the need to explain himself. Daniel stood up and moved to sit next to Chris.

"No- no, it's not what you think. I- I just-" Daniel puts a hand on his shoulder as he continues to ramble.

"I don't know- can't- I- I- I" He felt his voice break and stopped talking immediately. Chris turns towards him, and gently, but decisively removes Daniel's hand. He then speaks with a more firm voice than Daniel's ever heard before.

"Do not touch me again. Do not speak to me again. When you got here… I was so relieved. I was so glad that Daniel Diaz was alive. My best friend is alive. But I was right. I didn't want to be right, but I was." Daniel does something, to him unthinkable, as he lets tears pour down his blood-covered face.

"Chris…" Daniel tries to beg. Why? He doesn't know. Deep down, very deep down, he knows it to be true. He probably felt it coming. Still, it made it no easier to hear.

"The Daniel Diaz I know… is dead. He died in Seattle. The Daniel Diaz that exists now? I wish he was dead. I do because the real Daniel would be horrified by him. Everyone he knows would despise his actions. And me? I, Chris Eriksen, would rather die than turn into a monster like you."

The words struck him in worse ways than any bullets ever could. Chris turned around to lay down, his back facing Daniel. The lone wolf moves to his own bed, laying down on his back. He stares up at the rotten ceiling. Daniel doesn't feel any remorse about his actions today. Still, what Chris just said? It got to him, somehow. Daniel whimpers silently in a moment of what he considers to be a weakness. Great weakness. And in a time of weakness, Daniel needs comfort. Usually, Chris was the one to provide it. However, the one Daniel wanted it from?

"Sean! Sean, please. Help me, big brother. I- I need you, and I miss you. Help me, please. Sean? I- I love you, Sean…" Some of it, very silent whimpers. Some of it was his own thought. A few minutes passes by before Daniel mentally erases all he just said and thought. Then he curses himself for being so fragile, so weak.

Meanwhile…

Sean woke up in the middle of the night. No, not because Brett punched him in the chest like a few days ago. This was something else. He didn't have any dreams, nor nightmares. Hell, he lived in a nightmare. He's not sure how he knew it, but he did. Sean knew it, and it hurt him in ways beyond his own understanding. The very second he woke up, Sean realized something.

Horrible actions took place a mere hours ago. People died. More than one. More trauma is added to a pile for every second. Sean knew, somehow, that his little brother was alive. But also, in danger. Grave, grave danger. From others, as well as himself. And if Sean were to not act, more people would die at an alarming rate.

Why?

The horrible actions in question, only a person without empathy would commit? Sean's brother, his sweet, cute, adorable little brother, his Enano, his wolfbrother, and little cub?

He's the one committing them, feeling no empathy or remorse.

Sean had to do something. He had to save his little brother before it was too late.

Now…

How the fuck does one escape this place?

Notes:

Well, Daniel's now more lost than ever before. He did some insane things in this chapter if I'm being honest. However, some of them were to protect Chris. To protect his best friend, someone he saw as a brother before all of this. Chris is not cut out for it, Daniel can see it, and "helps" him. Thing is, he doesn't realize the damage he's doing to himself in the process.

Again, every time a word has the "strikethrough" you can think of it like it's Daniel reminding himself to not use those words any longer (mom, grandma, etc.). It also shows how damaged he's become at this point. Like the blood on his face didn't even bother him.

Still, he's got one ounce of humanity left in him. And that's his friend Chris. The same friend who calls him a monster at the end, giving him at least a call. Is it enough to wake him up? We'll see...

And just like last time: Sean waking up, knowing that Daniel's done something bad is more of a "symbolical" thing. No secret power.

Also: The poems for the last few chapters with whole "left-right left" bits? Eminem's "Toy Soldiers"...

Anyway, I like reading comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

This was you.
Mischievous.
Trusting.
Innocent.
Curious.
Sad.
Alone.
Enano.

This was you at a later stage.
Afraid.
Confused.
Traumatized.
Lost.
Angry.
Hurt.
Suicidal.

This is you now.
Remorseless.
Lack of empathy.
Murderer.
Victim.
Damaged.
Conflicted.
Child soldier.

This is you in the future.
Here lies Daniel Felipe Diaz
April 11th, 2007 ✝ ? 00th, 2017
Rest In Peace little cub

Chapter 14: Brawl For All

Summary:

Sean meets a new ally as he's planning his escape. Meanwhile, Daniel desperately wants to prove himself, with unexpected results.

Notes:

Sorry this took so long, but I've decided to make a few slight changes to the directions of this story. TAGS as usual...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Sean knew three things right now.

He knew that he had to escape this horrific place. Not for himself, but for his brother. To help him escape whatever he's gotten himself into. Or, whatever has gotten itself into him.

Sean also knew that if he did not succeed, Daniel was as good as dead. That child, so intelligent, yet so easily fooled sometimes. Daniel's life was now in the hands of his older brother, leading to the third thing that he knew.

Sean knew that escape was impossible. It could not be done. He saw people every day, trying to make a run for it. Nobody ever got close. All of them were shot in the back or captured a second time. Sean tried to look for weaknesses in the defense, in the fence, any fucking thing he could think of. Hell, he'll hide in the back of those trucks if he has to. But he would never get there alive.

How could he?

He's starving, he's dehydrated, and in constant pain. He can barely walk at times, let alone run. How the fuck is he going to get out of here? All day and all night, one word goes through his mind. One single word, over and over again.

How?

Sean looks towards the gate, towards freedom. And, without even thinking about it, he prepares himself for a final sprint towards either freedom or death. However, before he's able to act on his foolish impulse, a large hand placed itself on his shoulder.

"I know what you're thinking, man. Don't do it. You won't make it." Sean turns around, looking at the face of a dark-skinned man in his mid-thirties.

"I- I have to try. My brother- I have to save him." Sean's on the verge of a breakdown in front of a complete stranger. Then again, that wouldn't exactly be the worst thing happening around him.

"What's your name?" The stranger asks him. He sounds so calm, comforting even. How can someone be calm in a place like this?

"Sean." A barely audible answer.

"Hi, Sean, I'm Joey. Now, you can't save your brother if you're dead. You need to wait for the right time." What the hell is he talking about?

"What- what do you mean?" There's not going to be a right time. Not here.

"You'll know when you see it. Just know this, Sean. You're not alone." Joey's voice had that calm, that confidence. Hearing it made Sean able to collect himself again, realizing what he was about to do only moments ago.

"I- I don't know what to do." Sean's almost crying out of desperation.

"Low profile, Sean, low profile." And just like that, Joey turned away to continue with the task they were ordered to do.

Digging trenches around various parts of the perimeter. Considering that this time, no dead children are involved, Sean sure as hell prefers this. Still, the desert heat almost kills him at times. He's part Mexican, but he can't stand the sun? Fucking hell…

All those trenches, however, got him thinking. It couldn't possibly be that simple because nothing ever is, but still.

Sean cannot escape through the entrance or any other parts of the fence.

Obviously, he cannot escape from above it either.

That leaves only…

Below?

A few days later…

Daniel woke up in the room alone, again. About a week had passed without Chris even speaking to him. He even got up before Daniel every day so he wouldn't have to spend any time with him. Merrill could say all he wanted about not showing emotions, but-

Feeling them?

That's something else. Daniel struggled to understand this new reality of his. Why he felt things that he shouldn't, and how one side of him is angry. Very angry. Ready to explode. He wants to unleash all of his anger upon whoever happens to be in front of him. Preferably Chris. But, another side of him tells him not to. It's buried deep inside him, but there's no denying its existence.

This side is the remains of that small boy from Seattle. The one that just wanted his brother to say "wow, Daniel. That's awesome, I'm proud of you."

Now? All it tells him is to calm down. But he doesn't feel calm. Everything around him, it's all chaos. He hasn't been outside this camp for days. The safety it provides should make him feel calm. Instead, the boredom drives him insane. He expected something different, something good. Most of all, he expected a family. And yet, a week in, barely anyone speaks to him.

The people suck, the food taste like shit, and he's starting to realize how gross the room he sleeps in really is. Why can't he at least get a fucking tent? He's already proved himself. What else does he have to do?

Daniel gets up, eating his shitty breakfast in lone wolf silence. He doesn't even realize that not a single person is nearby. It isn't until he's finished eating that he hears it.

Chanting.

People chant in various languages. Too much noise for Daniel to be able to make out any real words. Instead, he did what any kid would do. He followed the sound to its source. Far away, in the very corner of the camp, a crowd stood. Chanting, screaming, laughing, booing, and cheering. Those sounds reminded Daniel of when his father once took him to a Lucha-libre match. He couldn't help but smile. So much for not showing emotions, but apparently, the same goes for everyone else here.

His small frame allows him to squeeze through the crowd with relative ease to get a view of what's going on. In front of him lies a somewhat flat, squared surface of mostly grass and, maybe a rock or two. Around said surface was the wall of the compound, and the crowd. The wall and the crowd acted as ring-ropes on their respective ends.

Except this wasn't a wrestling ring.

Nor was it boxing.

Not even UFC.

More like an underground street fight. No gloves, no protection. Few, if any rules.

The last man standing.

Inside the make-belief ring stood two people. One of them was around thirteen years of age, tall, and with a very large frame for someone his age. The other boy couldn't have been older nor younger than Daniel himself. He was about the same size, and length, and appeared completely harmless overall. Daniel didn't know their names, nor did he care. But everybody else did. They cared a lot.

A punch hits the mark and half the crowd boos while the other half cheers. The other kid hits the mark, and the opposite thing happened. In the end, the smaller boy emerged victorious after knocking out the teenager with a final blow to the side of the jaw, leaving him in a bloody pulp. Half the crowd groans in disappointment while the other half cheers louder than ever before as the boy raised a trembling arm above his bloody head.

"Looks like we have a winner. Good work, son." Merrill applauded as everyone else quiets down in an instant. Daniel didn't even notice him being there.

"Now, to anybody willing to demonstrate their skills…" Daniel turned his head towards Merrill, suddenly listening very closely.

"Speak up now, and prove yourself. But only do so… if you can fight. Step up and fail, and the consequences could be dire. Succeed, and the rewards shall become greater every time. Now… step up!" Daniel felt as if Merrill spoke directly to him and him only. This is it. This is how he proves himself, once and for all. It's how he earns the respect of his fellow brothers.

"I want to prove myself," Daniel shouts as he raised his arm which barely reached above the crowd. Merrill looks skeptical about his statement.

"Do you know how to fight, Daniel?" Merrill asks, probably already knowing the answer to his own question.

"Yes, I do." No. He really has no clue how to fight. Still, how hard could it be? Besides, that teenager is almost unconscious. Daniel's most likely fighting him, so he'll do fine.

"Step inside then, Daniel Diaz!" Just hearing Merrill call out his name to the crowd gave him chills. The good kind of chills. The fact that barely anybody reacted to him wasn't on his mind.

"And Daniel's going up against…" Merrill looks out at the crowd as if searching for someone.

"You!" Daniel didn't know who Merrill pointed at, but people began cheering at least.

Just not for him.

The person Merrill put him up against was about Sean's age. However, a lot taller than Sean, and had so much more… mass. This person? He's fucking huge in comparison to little Daniel. He looks at Merrill, and Merrill looks back at him in anger.

"Let this be a lesson, kid. Don't ever lie to me… again." Merrill leaves the ring and with it, Daniel to his fate.

"Fuck… now what?" He mumbles to himself while trying not to show how terrified he truly is. Daniel puts his hands up because that's what people do when they're about to fight, right?

It didn't matter.

A massive fist sent him to the ground while taking a tooth with it. He probably blacked out for a few seconds since he wasn't sure how he ended up on the ground. But the pain said enough. Daniel Diaz could see his own blood. Taste it too. He lays there in defeat, feeling hope leaving him once again.

No.

Not this time.

Slowly, the nine-year-old manages to stand up. He feels dizzy, and everything hurts, but he's not giving up without a fight. Very literally. That's just the problem, isn't it?

Daniel Diaz doesn't know how to fight.

"FUCK YOU!" He screams as he charges the behemoth at full speed. He intended to jump him, maybe. Or was it to kick him in the nuts? Either way, he failed. Massive pain in the lower part of his gut. The same pain again, except worse. And, to finish it off…

Daniel's kicked in the nuts.

Yeah, no rules, and absolutely no protection. Daniel couldn't move. He cried, and he threw up. People began to walk away, acting like it was over. Like Daniel had lost. He probably should stay down. Then he remembered.

"This is how I earn their respect. This is how I become a real brother." He cannot quit. Everything hurts. Every muscle tensing and stretching, and every movement his body does. All of it, incredible pain. A very slow process, but eventually, Daniel stands up for the second time.

"Hey! Where- where you going-" Daniel's out of breath just from standing up. The amount of pain it caused him felt surreal.

"I'm still standing!" The behemoth marched towards him, grabbed him by the collar, and pressed his small frame against the wall. Repeatedly, Daniel received blows to the face and gut. Over and over again. He managed to get up two times.

There would be no third.

However, drifting in and out of consciousness, Daniel made a promise to himself. He swore that no matter the cost, he would earn their respect. He would learn to fight for real, and then come back. Then they'll finally see him as a brother.

He swears it.

Hours later, Daniel woke up. He still lay in the same spot on the ground. Nobody took care of him. Nobody carried his unconscious bloody wreck of a body back to his room while helping clean his wounds. They just left him there. This scenario felt familiar in such a heart-crushing way. Surrounded by family, but none of them gives a shit about him. Not even the one he cares about the most.

"Please… help me… Sean-" Daniel stops himself at the last second. It didn't matter how much he tried to deny it. Nor did it matter how many times he pushed the feeling back deep inside his brain… it always returned. Especially when he felt sad and alone.

He misses his brother.

Not his former brother.

His big brother.

His wolfbrother.

Sean.

He misses him so much it nearly breaks him. But Sean's gone. Dead or alive, it doesn't matter, he's gone forever. They'll never see each other again. Daniel might have a broken nose, cracked ribs, and god only knows what else? But the worst pain could not be seen, nor could it be heard. But he sure as hell could feel it. The young child's heart ached more than the rest of his body combined as he slowly began making his way back to his room.

Every step hurt. Breathing air into his lungs hurt even more. It felt like a never-ending road. Usually, it would take him no more than two minutes to walk this distance. This time, he needed fifteen. The very second Daniel walks through the door, he lets his body fall on the bed, not caring about the pain he's bound to feel. The exhaustion's just too great.

"It's your own fault. You know that, right?" Great…

"Leave me alone, Chris." Daniel sighed as he tried to hold back tears. He could almost hear the other boy shaking his head.

"I saw it, Daniel. What were you thinking?" Seriously? Is this really the time for a moral reprimand?

Then again… what was he thinking?

Did he even think?

Beat the shit out of people for respect? What's happened to him? Daniel doesn't even notice himself breaking down in tears.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. I'm here, Daniel." He forgot all about the hurtful words Chris told him a week ago. Right now, Daniel Diaz's just a broken child getting comforted by another broken child.

"I- I- I don't know… what the fuck's happening to me. What am I, Chris?" For a brief moment, all of Daniel's walls broke down. He saw himself for what he really was, and all he's done to get to this very moment. The person he saw, he did not recognize.

"You're gonna be fine, Daniel. We both are. Just… hang in there." Daniel let Chris tend to his wounds. So many conflicting emotions. Daniel cried like a baby, and it felt… right. It felt like he had to do it. Still, he felt like he shouldn't have to do it because it was weak.

Hours later, when Daniel's all patched up and cried out, they both sit next to each other on the floor. Daniel's wrapped his arms around his knees, and Chris an arm around Daniel. Nobody says a word. They're both thinking the same thing.

"Chris?" Daniel whispers and receives a low sigh in response. Obviously, Chris knew this was coming.

"Yeah…?" Another sigh. This time, not very low.

"Did you mean what you said that night? Am I… dead to you?" Daniel could barely get the words out.

"Do you… hate me, Chris?" Daniel's voice almost broke as he finished his question. An awkward silence filled the room. Several minutes passed without either of them saying a word. Eventually, Chris would be the one to break said silence.

"You've always been different from me, Daniel. You carry so much anger and grief, you always did. And if you have to do something to survive, then that's what you'll do. Me? I'm the kid that runs from danger. You, Daniel? You challenge danger, sometimes even running towards it." Daniel stares at the wall, too afraid to look at his friend.

"You're a survivor, Daniel. You never wanted any of this to happen, it just did. It was you, or them." Thank god. Chris doesn't hate him.

"But…" Shit.

"You've done some terrible things. Murdered people in cold blood, getting in a fight for fun, and-" Chris stops for a moment.

"Some of the things you've done, Daniel? They disgust me, they scare me, and I hate them. But it doesn't mean that I hate you. I don't think I could ever hate you. You're the only friend I've ever had. I'm just… really worried about you." Daniel takes a few minutes to let the message sink in. After said minute, every breath feels more and more strained.

"I miss Sean." Daniel whimpers.

"I know you do. You call out for him, you know… in your sleep." Chris looked at him sadly.

"Please, Chris, help me find him. He needs help, I know he does." Chris still looked at him sadly as if he felt sorry for him.

"You do realize what that would mean, Daniel?" The look on his face had turned more serious.

"YES! Yes, I do. Just, please. Help me find my big brother." Chris had a difficult time hiding his smile. Perhaps Daniel Diaz isn't beyond saving after all?

"Don't worry, Daniel, I'll help you." Daniel looks so relieved it's almost sad.

"Really? You- you mean it?" A small glimpse of hope, deep down in the gut of Daniel Diaz emerged.

"I mean it, Daniel. But I'm gonna need a few days to come up with a plan to get us out of here. So for now, we'll just lie low. We're gonna have to do as we're told, no matter what horrific actions it might be. It's the only way we won't attract any attention. Then, when I've figured out a way-"

"We'll find Sean?" Daniel interrupted him as he blurted out his desperate question.

"Yes, Daniel. We'll find Sean." Daniel embraced his friend, however, this time it didn't feel like some punishable action. This time, it felt like hugging his best friend. Still, something did tell him that it was wrong, that Chris is not to be trusted. For now, he didn't go with his gut, nor his brain. Just his heart.

"Thank you, Chris! You're the best." Right now, Daniel truly felt like nobody could beat Chris Eriksen.

That night, three people went to sleep.

A sixteen-year-old boy, imprisoned in a labor camp in Nevada. The boy, exhausted, dehydrated, starving, and in pain, had only one thing in mind as he drifted into sleep.

Finding his little brother.

In a different part of the country, two young boys fell asleep, sitting next to each other on the floor.

One boy, slightly older at ten years of age. His head, resting on the head of the other, more vulnerable boy. This child fell asleep with a slight smile on his face as he, almost protectively, wrapped an arm around the shoulder of his younger friend. Maybe, just maybe, his one true friend could be saved?

The younger boy was only nine years old. His head rested on the shoulder of his slightly older friend. A troubled child long before this night. Plagued by nightmares, and weighed down by grief and anger. Now, only two things exist in the mind of this boy.

Conflict.

And…

Finding his big brother.

The question is, can this boy handle any more conflict in his life?

Notes:

Sorry this chapter took so long. I've changed a little in the direction this story is going and had to think a bit.

If it seems like I've made a complete turnaround with Daniel, this is NOT the case. More than that I will not say for now (Keyword: conflict).

Sean's getting to know Joey and they're planning their escape, while Daniel & Chris do the same. Each brother tries to escape to search for the other. Also, I don't believe Chris is the type to really hold a grudge. He cares about Daniel, no matter how disgusted he is by his actions. Plus, he probably knows that Daniel's his best shot at staying alive.

The "fight club" thing is a theme that will continue onwards. It serves to create further conflict with Daniel's emotions. He felt abandoned by his family (again) when he woke up on the ground alone which made him want to search for Sean even more. However, if he tries and succeeds in another fight, he'll be rewarded and encouraged.

Also, Daniel's slowly realizing what he's actually done lately. His breakdown with Chris was more of a temporary thing, but still, it's the "beginning" of something much bigger.

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

You act.
But never think.
You do.
But never tell.

You think past.
You think present.
Never future.

Your mind.
Stuck in the past.
Your body.
Imprisoned at the present.
Your soul.
Missing in action...

Your life?
[STATUS REDACTED]

Chapter 15: Conflict

Summary:

Daniel can see a way to get the attention and respect that he craves, causing more than a few doubts about things. Meanwhile, Sean slips into more and more despair, as he comes closer to ending it all.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The next morning…

Today, Daniel woke up before Chris. Carefully, he removes Chris's arm from his shoulder to avoid waking him up. Daniel steps outside to complete silence. Nobody's up yet. Just a few guards in the distance, minding their business of guarding. Daniel walks around aimlessly without a direction in mind. Eventually, he finds himself in a familiar spot.

That make-belief ring in which he got the shit beat out of him. Dried stains of blood cover the ground in more than a few spots. His blood or someone else, impossible to tell. He stands at the very center, right where he was last time. He should feel fear. Perhaps even anger. The kind of anger that makes you run and never look back because the injustice is too great. Daniel should know that what he did was stupid, reckless, dangerous, and wrong. One part of him knows just that. The other part, however…

Remembers.

It remembers the chills he felt as Merrill called out his name, telling him to step forward. Chills that began at the very top of his spine, only to continue throughout his entire body, ending at the very tip of his toes. It almost felt addicting. Like a high of sorts. A giant fucking thrill of an experience that, unfortunately, ended in a beat-down. Maybe it's for the best? It's not exactly the morally good thing to do.

Then again, who exactly taught him anything about morality? Not his parents, they always had to work. They never had the time. And Sean? Deep down, Daniel always knew that his brother wasn't the best role model to have. His entire life, Daniel's made his decisions after asking himself one of the following two questions.

"What would Sean do?"

And…

"How would Sean feel about this?"

Those two questions and their answers have controlled his entire life, and he's never even realized it. Until now. And this time, things will be different. Obviously, the young wolf is more than aware of the fact that his brother would disapprove. And Chris? Well, he did say that they should go on, as usual, do what they're told. Daniel feels like this might qualify as he whispers in silence, asking himself.

"What would Daniel do?" Saying it out loud felt weird, but it was the good kind of weird. Like those words have been inside him for years just waiting to be spoken.

"How would you do it, Daniel?" The bigger, more difficult part of this puzzle. Right before he asked himself the final question, Daniel's lips formed a wide smile.

"And… how would you feel about it, Daniel?" For the first question, Daniel had no answer. The second, even less. However, the third question seemed to have given him two answers. Daniel would fight, and he would feel awesome doing it. Now, that leaves only the third.

How?

He is, or was, the shortest kid in his class at 4ft 2in (ca. 127 cm), and weighs like 55 lbs. And that's before the war, back when he still had plenty of food and Chock-O-Crisp. He sure as hell ain't going to outsize anyone. Then, a brief flash of something goes through his head. Flashback of happier times or PTSD? He doesn't know himself.

"Get back here you little shit! Get the FUCK back here!" All the times Sean chased him around the house in Seattle. Many times they were, and every single one of them, Sean was out to literally beat the shit out of him without mercy. Daniel always knew this, however, he was never afraid of Sean catching him. It didn't matter if he was nine, seven, or even four years old, Daniel always had the advantage of speed. He always had it, and he always knew it. More importantly…

He knew how to use it to his advantage. Now, how can he put it to use here? His small brain analyzes every single detail it could remember about what he saw and experienced here. How they moved, when they moved, everything. But he got nowhere.

"Accentuate the positives, hide the negatives." An old quote that sometimes pops into his head at the most random of times. He never understood the point of it.

"Wait…" Maybe that's it? Maybe everyone's busy trying to look good, tough, and strong? Perhaps even too busy? Daniel mentally slaps himself in the face. He's been focusing on an opponent's strength when he really should've looked into their weaknesses. Learn what they are, when they appear, and then…

"The wolf will strike…" A little smile on his face as he feels that, while he's nowhere near ready, this is definitely a start.

Meanwhile…

Sean wasn't sure how much more of this he could handle. The heat alone is almost killing him. And even if it doesn't, he'll either starve to death, die of dehydration, or get himself killed. At times, it felt tempting. Hell, taunting Brett Foster was kinda tempting back in Seattle at times. The guy was just too easy to piss off. Well, not like Sean's one to speak…

Sean and his new friend Joey had discussed this as they were trying to figure out a legitimate way of escaping this place. Naive as he was, Sean actually believed that Joey had a plan ready to go. This appeared to not be the case. Sean suggested digging a hole underneath the fence, crawling underneath it at night. Joey, however, said it wouldn't work. They're working all day long while being watched, so digging a tunnel without any guards noticing is almost impossible. Besides, the tunnel would have to be huge to fit both of them. It's not like the movies. Best case scenario? They might be able to dig a tunnel able to fit a small child.

"Fuck, where's Daniel when you need him?" Well, not here at least. Sean's glad that he's not.

"You say something, Sean?" Shit. He didn't mean to say that out loud.

"Nothin', Joey. I'm just… thinking." Joey moves even closer to him as he whispers to Sean.

"Your brother's fine, Sean. I promise you." Don't go there. Just… don't.

"You can't- how-" Sean couldn't get the words out. The image of Daniel wandering around in the ruins of Beaver Creek still haunted him. It felt worse than him being dead. His little brother, alone, scared, vulnerable, and- Sean felt like he just came to a horrifying realization.

A lonely nine-year-old boy, parents dead, grandparents dead, and he probably believes Sean to be dead as well. Daniel had always been far too trusting at times, always wanting to see the good in people. In a way, that's a wonderful ability to have, however, you must be able to see a person's bad side too. Otherwise-

"Daniel…" Sean whispers as his eyes widened.

"What did you do? What did you do, Enano?" Sean whispers as he feels a chill down his spine. What on earth did his little brother get himself into? Call it big brother intuition or whateverthefuck, but Sean knew that Daniel's deep in something bad. Something very bad.

"Sean, are you ok?" Joey asks him, sounding slightly worried.

"Am I ok…" Sean repeats the words, almost laughing as he does.

"Sure, Joey. I'm fine. Juuust fine." Nope. He wasn't. Not even a little.

"I saw my father die in a fucking nuclear explosion, Joey." Sean felt angry. So angry he could scream. Instead, all that came out was a dead tone, barely audible.

"I hugged my little brother when it happened. Not to protect him. I didn't give a shit about him back then. That kid… he looked up to me, adored me. And all I ever did was corrupt him." Joey tries to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, but Sean brushes it off.

"I saw him kill a man, Joey. He had no choice, sure, but it's my fault that he didn't." Joey says nothing, speechless at the implication that a nine-year-old child had killed someone.

"I don't know what's worse. My brother lying dead in a gutter somewhere, or my brother doing whatever it takes to avoid the gutter." The reason Sean doesn't know is that whenever Daniel did whatever it takes, he did so very literally. Would he even kill someone if he had to?

In a situation like this, Sean's afraid to find out. Perhaps it would've been better if Daniel just-

No!

"Stop," Sean mutters to himself as if he's trying to push the thought aside. Still, he couldn't deny it. Daniel would be better off dead. And so would Sean.

More often than not, he fights against the impulse. The one that tells him to walk up to a guard and taunt him until someone blows his brains out, ending his misery forever. He could've done it yesterday, earlier today, an hour ago. Hell, he could even do it right now. It would feel like such a relief. Well, almost. The one reason it wouldn't be a relief is the very same reason he hasn't gone through with it long ago.

Daniel.

The fate of his little brother remains unknown to Sean. Until he knows the fate of his younger brother, Sean tells himself to not give up. The results, however, vary. Some days, he feels certain that Daniel's dead. In his darkest moments, Sean struggles with the image of his little cub laying dead on the ground. His small body was filled with bullets, covered in dried blood. Sean's haunted by nightmares in which Daniel's big brown eyes are pale white and his rotting corpse, is covered in flies.

Those are the days he believes his brother to be dead.

Some nights, Sean just gets this feeling. It only lasts for a second or two before disappearing, but it feels like a sixth sense of sorts. Why that would be the case, he cannot tell. It makes no sense whatsoever. Then again, does anything these days make any kind of sense? It could be a sharp pain in his chest like an invisible iron fist grabbed a hold of his heart and squeezed.

Maybe Daniel's in great emotional pain?

Or, maybe Sean's finally going insane?

It could be this one single breath, feeling very strained while his ribs hurt. Shit, did someone just beat up his little brother? Or, did Sean get beat up again today? Sometimes, he struggles to remember. Perhaps he doesn't want to?

Finally, there's the middle ground. Those days when Sean doesn't know or feel if Daniel's alive or dead. Days when Sean struggles to decide which of those alternatives is the lesser of two evils. Today happens to be one of those days. And it is on those days Sean tells himself the same thing, over and over again.

"Don't give up. You can't risk leaving Daniel alone in a world like this." The keyword is "risk."

Sean would not in a million years want to abandon his brother to his fate. That, however, only applies if he's alive, to begin with. If Sean escapes this place, only to find the remains of his little brother, it would mean game over for him. But there's one thing that worries him even more. A lot more than finding Daniel dead or rescuing him from something bad. Sean's worst fear is that…

He won't find his brother.

That he goes on an endless pursuit across the country, only to end up with nothing. Less than nothing. No clues about Daniel's whereabouts, and still no idea whether he's dead or alive. It's the worst possible scenario. Fuck. Any time Sean didn't worry about his brother, his thoughts sometimes drifted away as he wondered…

Did Daniel worry about him?

Deep inside an unknown forest…

Daniel lay on his stomach on the ground. In his arms, the child held a rifle of caliber large. Due to it being too heavy and large for him to hold steady, Daniel leaned the rifle on the ground while aiming at his target. Next to him, also on the ground, was Hannah.

How long they had been there, Daniel couldn't tell. It felt like hours. He's cold, hungry, and his arms hurt from holding this fucking thing constantly. But he never complained. How he could remain still for such an extended period is anybody's guess. He just lay there, awaiting his target.

"Get ready, kid. There's one of them." Hannah whispers to him. Daniel looks through the scope, into the eyes of the defenseless deer. How it just stood there, completely oblivious of what's to come.

Hunting. You get food and target practice. A "two-for-one deal" according to Merrill.

"Now?" Daniel whispers back to Hannah.

"No. Not yet. Don't look at it like an animal. To you, it is simply target practice. It is an object. Clear your head, and when you're ready, shoot the object. There is no animal." Daniel concentrates on his target.

"Not an animal, just an object." He thinks to himself as he aims and slowly applies pressure on the trigger. A loud sound echoed throughout the entire forest, quickly followed by a flock of terrified birds flying away towards the horizon.

"I got you," Daniel muttered sadly. He's not sure why he felt sad. Then again, he wasn't sure about many things these days.

"No, you didn't. It's still alive." Hannah says as she stands up. Daniel follows her but stops dead in his tracks as he hears a sound. A sound that makes him sick to his stomach, his chest hurt, and his soul aches.

The bullet hit the target in its kneecap, causing it to fall to the ground. However, it was still, very much alive. It would never recover, not in a million years. But the injury itself wasn't enough to kill it either. At least, not for quite a while. So, the deer screamed. Could a deer scream? Well, Daniel wasn't sure what else to call it. Either way, it truly sounded horrific. And even worse was the fact that he was the one that caused it.

"Come on, kid. Finish what you started. Take your knife!" Hannah shouts at him to come forward, causing him to snap out of his trance. Slowly, Daniel approaches the wounded animal. He kneels, taking out his knife.

"Shit…" He whispers to himself. From a distance, it looked so small. However, as he kneels, it feels anything but small. He puts his left hand on the animal, feeling the rapid breathing increase along with his own. Then he raised the knife.

"Shhh, shhh, it's almost over, buddy," Daniel whispers as silently as he possibly can to avoid Hannah hearing it. Right before striking, Daniel accidentally made the mistake of looking into the eyes of the animal. People always told Daniel that he had either puppy, doe, or deer eyes. He never really… got that. Until now. Two big eyes, pleading with him. Not to kill, but to save.

But there was no saving it. A few seconds later, the horrible screaming stopped as Daniel saw the light leave those eyes for good. The final look they gave him, asked only a single word.

"Why?" A good question. One he did not know the answer to himself.

Daniel parted ways with Hannah back at the camp. She even told him that he did a great job today which felt equally great and terrible to hear. The more time passes, the more Daniel thinks about his current situation here. He thinks about why he might want to leave, and why he might want to stay.

He's got one reason, and one reason only to leave this place. That reason would be to find Sean. But where would he start? He's not in Beaver Creek, that much is certain. And Seattle's reduced to less than dust. Those are pretty much the only two locations Daniel's familiar with. He and Chris would be on their own, walking aimlessly without a direction. Of course, that's taking into account that Sean's alive, to begin with.

The reasons to stay are a bit… complicated, to say the least. He's starting to understand how things work around here. You do good, impress people, show them you're not to be messed with? Merrill will respect you. And if Merrill respects you, everyone else will as well. Daniel could see his way to the top. A way for him to make things better for not just himself, but Chris as well. Play his cards right, and he could protect the fragile Chris without having to fight someone.

However…

To get there, he would have to do a lot of fighting. Blood, blood, and more blood. It's the only way to earn respect around here. These days, blood doesn't bother him. Or so he thought. Why did he feel so disturbed by shooting an animal today? He tries to remember every detail. Shooting it was easy, without any real hesitation. What bothered him was-

The screaming.

That sound echoes in his head while he finishes the job at close range with a knife. Shooting something, or someone, that's one thing. You aim, press a button, and that's that. Killing anything with a knife, however, that's something else. You have to be close, and you really must… do it. Want it. Granted, he's killed a human once, using only a knife. That captured soldier. However, he did that in the heat of the moment as a way to save Chris from punishment. That soldier would've died either way. At least Chris lived.

Daniel shakes his head. His own mind drives him mad at times. Half of him wants to leave while the other half wants to stay. Half of him feels somewhat sane considering the circumstances. The other half looks back at the things he's done, realizing that he's an absolutely bat-shit insane borderline psychopath.

In times like these, he misses the soothing voice of his older brother. He seriously needs to hear "it's ok, Enano" right about now. However, since Sean's not around, he'll have to put his faith in Chris. Hopefully, he can come up with a plan quickly. If he doesn't, Daniel's afraid.

He's afraid he'll do something stupid…

Notes:

Ok, I'll admit this to not be the best chapter so far. Without saying too much, I know what I want to do "later" in the story. I'll just have to get there first.

Daniel "deciding" to fight is him making a major decision solely based on what HE wants for the first time in his life. He's smart enough to know (to some extent) it isn't right, but considering the circumstances, why should he care? It would give him respect, which is the closest thing to affection he'll be getting there, and it would get him rewards of sorts. Plus, he may/may not have a lot of anger to vent...

"Accentuate the positives, hide the negatives." - A quote said by Paul Heyman, a wrestling promoter.

Sean just survives day by day, wishing to be dead. His part of the story will be expanded more as we go further.

The part in which Daniel shoots the deer is more or less Atreus in God Of War (at least to some extent). Some might find it weird that Daniel's ok to kill people with a shotgun, or close-up with a knife, but it's like it says. "You press a button, and that's that." And the soldier he killed with a knife was to save Chris. Daniel himself may not be aware of it, but slowly, his actions might be catching up with him.

Now, each brother has their own set of conflicts. Will they reunite before one of them does something stupid? Or perhaps something stupid needs to happen in order for them to meet again?

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Anger.
You carry much of it.
Almost a decade of it.
The lid is still on.
Waiting...
... To be opened.

The time is now.
Your anger.
Will turn into a weapon.
It is time to strike.

Quick.
Cunning.
Strategic.
Remorseless.

You shall feel no pain!
You shall not give mercy!

The wolf is free of its chains.
Now...
The wolf will strike.

Chapter 16: Violent Wolf

Summary:

Daniel decides to test his new game plan. Find a weakness, and exploit it. Meanwhile, Chris attempts to come up with a different type of plan.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Seattle, Washington — Unknown date…

"Hey, Enano? Time to get up. You got school today." The calm voice of his older brother whispered in his ear.

"Uh, I- I can't, Sean. I don't feel so good." Not only did he feel like shit, he just had the weirdest dream. What was it? Something about a cop shooting dad, Sean took him and ran, and somebody had superpowers? Yep. He definitely has a fever.

"Nice try, bro. Come on now." Sean opens the curtains, letting in the sun. Daniel feels blinded by this massive strangely shaped cloud outside. It almost looked like a giant mushroom, just… scarier.

"I- I can't, Sean. I- I think I'm gonna be-" Yes. Yes, he was. But his older brother didn't get mad at him for covering the floor in vomit. Instead, he held his younger brother, helping him through the painful ordeal.

"It's ok, Daniel. I'm right here. I'll look after you." Sean comforted his little brother.

"Thanks, Sean. I'm glad you are." It took Sean some time to clean up the mess, but he didn't complain a single time. He didn't want Daniel to feel more guilty than he already did. Then, Sean carried him to the living room, placing him on the couch. Daniel lay down as Sean put a pillow underneath his head and even brought the cover from Daniel's bed.

For Sean to be able to sit on the couch, he had to have Daniel's feet in his lap which he didn't exactly love, but that's a sacrifice he gladly took at a time like this. Daniel knew it as well. He knew because these moments, when he's at his most fragile state, are when he realizes just how loved he is. No matter how much he hated being sick, Daniel loved being spoiled. It was almost worth it… almost.

"You want me to put on a movie, Enano? Anything you want?" Sean tries to cheer him up and get his mind on something else.

"No, thanks, Sean." He's just not feeling it. It's just… something feels off.

"You sure, buddy? We could watch anything you want…" Sean tries again.

"You think you could just, I dunno, tell me a story instead?" Sean looked a bit surprised by the question but smiled nonetheless.

"Sure thing, man. Ok, let's see…" Sean drags the words out to buy himself time to think of something decent.

"Once upon a time, in a wild, wild world…" Sean begins to tell a harmless story about to wolfbrothers. It's obvious to Daniel that the brothers in question are themselves and Sean's making shit up as it goes. But it's entertaining. No blood, death, or tragedy. Just… good.

"The little cub was almost a small wolf… but then…" Sean's voice changed tone, sounding almost sad.

"Then what, Sean?" Daniel asked worryingly, knowing that this character was pretty much him. Sean turns away from him, looking straight forward as he continues.

"The little cub did something. He did it because he had to. The little cub killed a man." Sean's voice sounds completely dead. Meanwhile, something begins to stir in Daniel's head. Is this…

A dream?

"The little cub became deranged, he became sick. He was a danger to himself and those around him. Disgusted by his actions, the oldest wolf ran away from his cub. Far away, in hopes that he'll never have to see him again." Those words. They hurt so much. It felt like daggers in his chest.

"Sean, please stop." Sean looks at him with tears in his eyes.

"I'm not the one you really want to stop, am I? You used to be so good, so innocent… but now?" He sobs.

"Sean, what are you-" From one second to the other, Daniel remembered. The war, what he did, everything. If he understood that this was just a dream, however, remains unclear.

"You remember, do you?" Sean asked him with a hint of pity in his voice. Daniel could just nod his head in tears.

"It's ok, come here." Sean embraces his younger brother, pulling him close to his chest. Daniel feels like he's suffocating. Literally. He's unable to breathe. Daniel tries to get away from Sean, but his brother refuses to let go of him. Daniel ceases to move only seconds later. Innocent, good, and… dead.

Present day…

People whispered around Daniel as he moved through the small crowd. Merrill looked down on him as he raised his hand again, wanting to fight. Actually, scratch that. Merrill looked pissed off, that's how he looked. But Daniel didn't see it. The crowd called him names, calling for his blood to be spilled once again. He did not hear any of it. Not today. Right now, Daniel focuses on only one thing.

Weaknesses.

Find them.

Exploit them.

Merrill calls for Daniel's opponent to enter the sort-of ring. A boy, slightly older than Daniel. Taller, but all skin and bones. Daniel studies him as he walks, searching for a slight limp or anything else he could use to his advantage.

Nothing.

The other boy cracked his knuckles, looking at Daniel with contempt. Those eyes show no fear, no mercy, and no emotion. What the hell was he thinking? Daniel's starting to get second thoughts. Maybe this was a bad idea after all?

Wait-

There it was. Only for a brief moment, but there's no doubt. The other boy stretched his arms before grimacing in pain for a second while holding his lower right arm. That's it, that's his opening. Wait for the right moment, then go for the arm. Until then, he's just got to keep his head cool… right.

The fight begins…

Daniel stands there, waiting for his opponent to make the first move. The other boy moved slowly. Daniel got the impression that he didn't want to do this, that he didn't want to be here. But they both knew that refusing wasn't an option. Daniel could see a fist coming toward him, but he ducks under it with ease. Another fist was also avoided, however, at the cost of Daniel losing his balance and stumbling a bit.

He did not avoid the uppercut.

The taste of blood in his mouth felt all too familiar by now. As for the pain? Maybe Daniel's gotten so used to it, that his threshold of pain is much higher than the average person's? Maybe the other boy punched weakly since he probably didn't want to fight at all? Perhaps both? One thing was certain, however, one person screamed in pain.

And it wasn't Daniel.

The other child had punched Daniel with his right arm. The arm that was already hurting for reasons unknown. Now, he screamed in pain while holding his arm to the confused crowd. Daniel needed a few seconds to recover. The pain wasn't too bad, nothing he couldn't handle. He spits out a small amount of blood before making sure his teeth are still there. Then he saw it. His opponent clutched his arm in pain, too busy to even acknowledge his existence. This was the moment.

Now, the wolf strikes.

Daniel had no real plan in mind, he just acted, making things up along the way. He runs towards his opponent, using his body as a weapon to tackle him to the ground. The older child landed flat on his stomach which made the next move somewhat easy. Daniel puts his knee to the right elbow of the other boy as he grabs the arm. He proceeds to bend it backward at an angle that no arm should ever bend.

The other boy screams. Horrible, sickening screams. The surrounding crowd was surprised at first. Nobody believed Daniel had it in him. Now, they chanted something. No, not his name. Something they wanted him to do.

"Break that arm!"

"Break that arm!"

"Break that arm!

"Break that arm!"

To Daniel, it felt like time stood still. The wolf had struck. And it was quick, cunning, strategic, and without remorse. He's already won the fight, and he knows it. However, it was always about more than just a fight. If he doesn't do what they want, they'll look down on him anyway, and this would've been for nothing. Then again, permanently injuring someone who cannot defend himself? What would Sean think of him-

"No. It's not about Sean." Daniel mumbles angrily to himself as he feels the arm, shaking in his grasp.

"It's about you. It's about Daniel." And what does Daniel want?

A fast movement, followed by a loud cracking sound. Then screaming. So much screaming. Daniel slowly stood up on wobbly legs, taking uneven breaths. He raised his shaking fist in the air with some hesitation, trying to declare his victory. That's when it happened.

People cheered for him, applauded him, and congratulated him. It felt like an amazing rush of adrenaline through his entire body. From the shadows, he could see Merrill emerge with his usual cold expression. The closer he got, the more silent everybody got. Merrill kneels in front of Daniel, looking at him.

"Well, well… Looks like you can fight after all." Merrill takes his palm, placing it on the side of Daniel's face. It didn't feel like his father, nor did it feel like Sean. Still, it felt good enough.

"You did good, Daniel. Very good." Merrill gives him a pat on the back before walking away. Daniel noticed blood on Merrill's hand which got him thinking. The crowd had begun to leave, and the adrenaline rush disappeared. Daniel carefully moves his hand across his face.

"Ow, motherfuck-" It hurt. It hurt a lot. He hurries back to his room, hoping to clean himself up before Chris sees the mess that he's made. Daniel gets inside, ignoring the pain and how it gets worse by the minute. Chris doesn't appear to be here, so he's got plenty of time to-

"I saw you, Daniel." A disappointed voice says from behind. Daniel already knew what awaited him as he turned around.

"Holy sh- your face. Daniel…" Chris sounds really worried. Is it that bad?

It turns out that the answer was yes. Yes, it was. Apparently, the uppercut that hit him, split his upper lip in two. Just below his nose was a gaping wound, bleeding constantly. Only when Chris forced him to a mirror did Daniel feel the true extent of its pain.

And it hurt. So much. He wanted to cry but refused to do so. Not now, not ever.

"Why did you do it, Daniel? We should lie low, remember?" Chris doesn't try to hide the fact that he thinks that Daniel's a real dumbass. Maybe he is? Why did he do it? Was it about respect, or did he just want to… beat someone up?

"I- I dunno, Chris. I just- feel so confused. All the time." Daniel felt sad. But he did not cry. He spoke with a low voice.

"I don't want to live, but I don't want to die either. I want to run away from here because of this place… it's horrible. It makes us do terrible things. But some of them- I- I almost… enjoy them. I want to find Sean, more than anything in the world. But a part of me wants him dead as well. I- I dunno what to do, Chris."

"Wow. I- I don't-" Chris stops speaking as he realizes that he can't answer what Daniel just said. An uncomfortable silence fills the room.

"Do you still want out?" Chris asks his friend, hoping for the right answer. Still, he can't stand to look him in the eyes.

"I- I think so, yes," Daniel says in silence. Upon hearing this, Chris's eyes lit up with newfound hope.

"I know a way out, Daniel," Chris says as Daniel turns to face him.

"You do? How?" Daniel sure as hell couldn't see any way out of here. Granted, it's not like he's been actively searching for one either, but still.

"I overheard Merrill speaking today. In about a week, he'll be leaving the camp. He said that he would bring a lot of soldiers, but no rookies. We should be left behind here. That's the opening. That's when we make our escape." Chris seems so confident. Daniel, however, isn't that certain that both of them will be left behind at the campsite.

"And until then, Daniel… we lie low." Yeah, that's not exactly his strongest side, isn't it?

"Ok, Chris. Seven days. Just, seven more days." How much could really happen in that short amount of time?

Three days later…

People say that violence never works. That it isn't the path to choose, to get the things you want in life. People also say that violence cannot solve problems, only create them. Well, guess what?

People are wrong.

At least if Daniel Diaz were to be asked his opinion on the matter. Two more fights won which gave him and Chris a small cabin to sleep in, instead of the dump they previously had. Why they say violence is never the solution, Daniel shall never truly understand.

Still, it wasn't all good. The small cabin felt comfy, and so did his bed. But his scars felt deeper than ever before. Mental scars, as well as physical ones. Every time he got into a fight, Daniel knew Chris despised it while everyone else cheered for him. More and more every time. It's the kind of high you can't get anywhere else. Then again, he didn't want Chris to despise him.

But…

If he didn't fight, everyone else would look down on him. He'd be the lone wolf again. And even worse was the fact that he knew that he sure as hell isn't lying low. He just can't help it. For nearly ten years, Daniel's tried to get the attention of those around him. His parents, his brother, classmates, everybody. But he never succeeded.

Until now.

And that makes it so much harder to let go. He should let it go, and he knows it. But he can't. The one time people cheer for him, chant his name, push each other back to be the first to pat him on the back? Why should he give that up? He never had something like that in his life. Other kids had.

Not him.

Daniel's mind wanders back to his life in Seattle. To the treatment he suffered from his family.

"Dad, dad! Look at this drawing I made!" Five-year-old Daniel ran through the house in excitement, searching for his father. Eventually, he found Esteban Diaz in his garage, as always.

"I can't, Hijo, I'm working. And remember, I told you not to come down here, right?" His father never even looked at him. His mother was asleep after another night shift which left only-

"Sean!" Daniel bursts through the door into thirteen-year-old Sean's room.

"What the- get the FUCK OUT!" Daniel felt a hand around his wrist as Sean dragged him out of his room. He just stood there, eyes staring emptily at the floor. The drawing he proudly wanted to show had crumbled into pieces as Sean grabbed him.

"Fuck. Get a grip, dude." Daniel shakes his head. No point in being stuck in the past. He always knew that nobody cared about him, so what's the point? Daniel always wanted attention, but never got it. And now, when he finally has it, he's forced to let go of it. It's not going to be easy, that much is certain.

But he'll be damned if he couldn't do it. He's faced worse fears in his life and beaten most of them. For now, all he has to do is to endure. Wait, and not do anything stupid. Just four more days.

"I'm coming, Sean. I don't know where you are, but I'm coming for you, wolfbrother." Daniel whispers to himself before looking around, making sure that nobody could hear him.

"Oooowwwooooooooooo… owoo oowwoooooooo…" Daniel howls in silence, hoping that his older brother will somehow get the message. Soon, the wolfbrothers will reunite. One way or the other.

Notes:

I've kinda hit a minor writer's block with this story. The quality has been declining a bit as of late and I'm having difficulties figuring out the next move. Bare with me, I will NEVER abandon a story though.

The idea with the dream in the beginning is that dream-Daniel is all sweet and innocent. Then, Daniel "dies" in the dream, murdered by his cruel brother. Instant cut to real-Daniel breaking someone's arm...

I'll try to get another chapter out this weekend. As soon as I get past this "episode" things will improve.

Please leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

I told you.
Many times.
Did you listen?
No.
You did not.

You're paying the price.
For your lack of obedience.
Foolish child...
Do not go against me again.

If you do...
I shall have you both walking through hell...

Trust me...
Trust me...
Trust me...
Trust me...

666
666
666
666

Chapter 17: Make It Look Good

Summary:

With only a few days left, Daniel intends to enjoy the attention he's given. However, unexpected events leave little room for enjoyment.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Day five out of seven…

Lie low, stay out of sight and trouble. It is not in the nature of Daniel Diaz to do such things. With just two days left to enjoy this amount of attention people give him, Daniel has every intention to make the most of it. And make the most of it he did. No matter the opposition. Big, small, fat, skinny, older, younger, they all felt the wrath of the wolf.

Today shall be no exception.

Daniel stands in the middle of the make-believe ring awaiting his opponent to be chosen. Sometimes Merrill was the acting judge, jury, and executioner. Today, however, Hannah made the calls. Daniel's opponent? A boy close to his age with tears in his eyes. Why that was the case, he did not understand. Either way, he needed no more than five minutes to end the fight. Daniel raised his fist in the air as he looked down at the unconscious child below him.

"Well done, Daniel. But that's just the warm-up." Hannah tells him, hinting toward more blood and violence.

"Sometimes, we ask you to step up, prove yourself. This time, however, I feel like someone else must prove himself. Someone that hasn't done it yet." Daniel feels like she's talking in riddles. The fuck's she on about? Hannah looks over the crowd, searching for… someone.

"You. At the back. Get your ass in here." Hannah points at someone in the far distance. Daniel couldn't see who it was due to his small stature. He did, however, notice the eerie silence that replaced the chants that took place just moments ago.

"I wonder who it is?" Daniel thinks to himself. The behemoth who kicked his ass in the first fight? Merrill himself? A fully grown, three-hundred-pound man named Bubba? Well, he's about to find out.

"Shit-" Daniel whispered before quickly stopping himself as he laid eyes on his opponent. A young boy, ten years of age, give or take. Pale skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair. A young boy, trembling in fear of what's to come.

A boy named Chris Eriksen.

Fuck…

Daniel did his best to remain focused on the task at hand. Then again, what was the current task at hand? Should he really beat the shit out of his best friend? His only friend? Their eyes met as they exchanged looks of disbelief, fear, and confusion. For the first time, Daniel didn't even hear the crowd. All he heard were the uneven breaths from his lungs.

He can't do this. Sure, if he wanted to, he easily could. But he doesn't want to. He doesn't even have to look for a weakness to exploit. Chris has a lot of them, but here, only one is enough. And that is the simple fact that Chris Eriksen's afraid. Daniel could end this in a heartbeat, leaving his friend in a bloody pulp. But he can't. Then again, what happens if he refuses? Does he even want to know? Before he's able to finish this thought, Daniel finds himself pushed up with his back against the wall. Apparently, Chris acted first.

"You- we have to, Daniel. Low profile, remember? Just… make it look good." Chris whimpered into his ear. Daniel could hear him struggling to hold back tears. He knew what those words meant. He knew what they meant, and no matter how much he hated it, he agreed with them. They have two more days until they can make their escape. To avoid any unnecessary attention, they must fight each other, and it must be real.

And they both knew who should walk out of this as the winner. Now, both of them wondered the same thing.

"How can Daniel Diaz beat the shit out of Chris Eriksen, without actually beating the shit out of him, but still looking like he beat the shit out of him?" A complicated question. The answer, however, was far more simple.

He can't.

Daniel can fight but doesn't want to. Chris can't fight but is willing to do so for their survival. He slaps Daniel in the face with an open palm. Chris knows he's got no chance to win. He just wants it to end.

"Come on! Just… hit me!" Daniel ignores him, only to receive another slap to the face.

"I said… HIT ME!" Daniel knew his friend better than that. The tone of his voice, how close it was to breaking, told him that he sure as hell didn't want Daniel to hit him. Still, getting slapped in the face is enough to make anyone angry…

"Get the FUCK away from me!" Daniel pushed Chris to the ground, then knelt next to him before freezing. Daniel went down on his knees on an impulse. He did it, however, not to perform an act of violence. He did it to check on his friend. To see if he's alright.

Chris knows that the only way for them to survive this is for Daniel to beat him. And the only way for Daniel to beat him is to kick his ass which he won't do. He truly hates himself for even considering this in the first place, and even more for deciding to use it. But desperate times…

"Hey, Daniel?" Chris whispers to get Daniel's attention.

"Remember when we saw your family dead? Back in Beaver Creek? And I left you there?" He did his best to maintain his composure, but it wasn't easy. His own words disgusted him.

"Huh? Wha- what? I- I don't-" Daniel's caught off guard by that comment. He remembers, of course. How could he not? He did, however, feel a familiar emotion making a return. Rage. His rage against Chris for just leaving him to rot along with his dead grandparents and mother.

"I left you there, Daniel. I did it, and you deserved it. It was all your fault. I ran around the corner, and I laughed at you." Chris will never forgive himself for this, but for them to survive, he must get Daniel angry. Angry enough to beat him up.

"What? No- no, that's-" Daniel can't breathe. Deep down, he knows that Chris doesn't mean any of this. However, that's very, very deep down. On the surface, it feels like the truth. The pieces put into place, one and one becoming two, it all makes sense. Chris grabbed his collar, looking deep into his eyes as he said the next words.

"And I know that Sean blames you for everything." Chris could've sworn that he saw something in Daniel's eyes change. Those brown eyes, no matter how sad, lost and depressed they were, always had a certain spark in them. To Chris, this spark always told him that Daniel's not completely lost in an infinite abyss of blood and gore. Now, however, that very spark evaporated. Taking its place, was something far more terrifying.

"You fucking traitor." Daniel deadpanned as he grabbed Chris by the hair.

"You were my friend, Chris. My only friend." Daniel's eyes burn with intense rage. A fire fueled by enough trauma to last a thousand lifetimes. Daniel delivers a punch to Chris's jaw.

"I trusted you, Chris. You were like a brother to me." Chris receives a punch, splitting his eyebrow open. The boy cries, screams, and begs for mercy. But Daniel's in a world of his own. And in this world, there is no mercy. There is no mercy because the real world had no mercy on Daniel Felipe Diaz.

"You did this to me, Chris." Another punch. How many now? Daniel lost count.

"If you never left me, Chris, I wouldn't-" Daniel comes to a startling realization. After Chris left him to his fate, Merrill ended up as the one to save him, bringing him back here as a result. Conflicted he may be, but stupid he is not. Daniel knows to a large extent that he's done many wrongs in his life. But he also knows that the worst of them began after his arrival here.

His arrival here. Had Chris not left him there, but helped him instead, then what would have happened? Could they have avoided capture together perhaps? Unlikely, but not impossible. It's all Daniel needed. One punch after the other, drawing more and more blood, coloring Chris's blonde hair red. Daniel's vision faded to black as he lost all control of his actions.

Little did he know that the fight officially ended and everyone had left, long ago. It was probably for the best.

"You- you did this to me. You made me into this, Chris. Why… why?" Daniel cries out in both pain and hurt as he collapsed on the ground, not giving a shit if he lived or died at this moment.

Later...

Several hours passed with Daniel just looking at the stars. He felt emotionally numb to what just happened. Almost as if he couldn't process it mentally. Perhaps he didn't want to? He sighs. He sighs another time, like a small child trying to get a nearby adult to ask "is everything alright?"

Then again, that's part of the problem, isn't it? He's a small child, nobody will ask him if everything's alright, and even if they did, it wouldn't make a difference. He already knows the answer.

"No. It's not fucking alright. Nothing is!" Daniel's pulled from his train of thoughts by a painful groan coming from his side.

Chris.

Now it hit him. It all hit him with full force. What the actual freaking fucking fuck has he done? He beat Chris up. Abused him, manhandled him. Hell, Daniel nearly killed him. Chris told him to "make it look good." Yeah. He kinda did a bit more than that though. Daniel's on his knees, looking at his creation. He tries to not think about it. Easier said than done, however, when the same blood that pours down the other boy's face, also soaks your fists.

"Chris? Come here, man- shit. Let me- let me help you." Chris was too out of it to know what was going on and simply rested his arm around Daniel's shoulder for support. Slowly, Daniel helped him back to their cabin.

Daniel let Chris sit on the bed as he closed the door behind them. Then, he grabbed a towel and soaked it in hot water. The least he could do is to tend to Chris's wounds. Daniel sits down next to him. Chris still appeared to be in shock.

"Chris? Hey, Chris? Look at me!" Daniel snaps his fingers in front of him, finally getting his attention.

"Are- are you-" Daniel's almost glad that Chris shook his head slowly, therefore saving him from having to complete the sentence. What an unbelievably stupid thing to ask at a time like this. No, he's not alright. There's so much blood, his hair's gone from a bright blonde tone to a redder. Blood-red.

"It hurts," Chris whispered. Still, his voice sounded normal which likely meant that all his teeth were intact. Unlike Daniel's- NO! Stop it. This is not the time. Daniel mentally curses at himself.

"I'm sorry, Chris. I lost control, I don't even know what happened. I- I- I-" Daniel frantically tries to come up with an explanation as Chris only sighs.

"It's my fault too, Daniel. You didn't want to fight, so I had to make you want to. I had to… make you angry. I'm sorry too." Although his facial expression is impossible to decipher in his current state, his voice reeked of shame.

"So, what? You mean-" Daniel stops to think. It does make sense. A lot of sense even.

"So, those things you said? About me…?" Daniel tries to hint at it, too afraid of saying it out loud.

"… Was just a bunch of bullshit that I made up to piss you off on purpose so you would beat the shit out of me, saving our lives in the process? Yeah, that's pretty much it." Although Daniel felt incredibly relieved, he couldn't answer. There's one more thing Chris must address. An uncomfortable silence fills the room as each boy turns their eyes to other places.

"Daniel?" Chris decides to break the silence after what felt like hours.

"Yeah?" Daniel's voice almost broke as he spoke.

"What I told you today, is the second-worst thing that I have ever done. It will haunt me, until the day that I die. But the worst thing I have ever done, Daniel, is leaving you in Beaver Creek. There's no excuse. I should never have done that. And I am so, so sorry." What used to be an uncomfortable silence, was now a more eerie silence. One person awaits the other's reaction, the other uncertain of how to react. Several minutes passed before Daniel Diaz, along with most of his mind came to a decision, and acted on it. The child needed to vent a lot of anger, indeed. But sometimes, violence isn't the way. Instead, you might just want to-

Hug it out.

"You're a fucking asshole, Chris, you know that?!" Daniel both cried and screamed simultaneously while wrapping his arms around Chris tightly.

"Me?" Chris almost laughed.

"I just told you to make it look good, Daniel. Not split my eyebrow in half and knock me out. Dude, you punch like a motherfucker!" It was very clear to them both that although the words spoken were horrible, there was a certain tone to them. Something only true friends understand. Those with an unbreakable bond.

"Oh yeah? Well, you kinda asked for it by pissing me off, didn't you?!" Daniel smiles as he hugs Chris even tighter. He didn't, however, think about the fact that Chris is in a lot of pain.

"I sorta had to- OW, SHIT, OW!" Chris screams in pain as they let go of their embrace. Chris due to pain, Daniel due to fear and guilt.

"Oh my god, Chris! Shit, sorry, are- are you ok?" Daniel's mind was filled with scenarios that all wracked him with guilt. Chris looked plainly at him, taking a few seconds to collect himself, letting his breathing slow down to a more normal pace.

"Yeah, I- I think I'm good." Chris lies down to let Daniel clean up his wounds. Daniel cleans his face from blood, knowing that the worst is yet to come as he puts a bottle of alcohol on the table next to them. He could hear Chris gasp.

"How- how bad-" Daniel stopped him right there.

"After Seattle, Sean and I walked for days. I didn't even have any shoes on. My feet were full of glass and shit. Sean had to remove it and clean them up. It's probably the worst physical pain I've ever felt." Chris's eyes widened.

"That much pain? From alcohol?" Well…

"No. Sean didn't have any alcohol, so he had to use water." He could hear Chris mumble several curse words, feeling slightly surprised that Chris even knew them.

"Seriously?" Yep. Very much so.

"Yeah…" In other words, this would hurt, and it would hurt a lot.

Indeed. Hurt it did. There was screaming, pleading, begging, sobbing, sweat, tears, and most of all, blood. Daniel patched up his best friend, only feeling like he was hurting him even more while doing so. Eventually, however, he could look at Chris and finally say it.

"There, Chris. I'm finished. You're all patched up now… kinda." He did his best, but the result was sloppy at best. At least it seemed to have stopped the bleeding, got to count for something.

"You- you have a mirror, Dan- Daniel?" Chris struggles to get the words out. He still sounds like he's run a marathon. Daniel manages to find a small hand-held mirror which he gives to Chris. Only afterward did Daniel realize his mistake. Chris is about to witness the true extent of what Daniel did to him. Would he still see him as his friend, or would he see him as the monster that Daniel sometimes feels like he is? He holds his breath as Chris studies himself in the small mirror.

Chris placed the mirror back on the table next to him.

Daniel saw his face starting to twitch. He was about to cry. His best friend was about to break down because of him. Everything bad happens because of him. Because of Daniel. Always. He could see more subtle features on the face of Chris, indicating what was to come. A few whining sounds and then-

It happened.

Chris laughed.

The most innocent, childish laugh known to man. Daniel couldn't believe his eyes, and even less, his ears. Did Chris finally lose his mind?

"Chris?! Chris?! Talk to me, dude! What's going on, what's so funny?" Daniel could barely remember the last time he genuinely laughed at something funny. That's just sad.

"I- I look- I look absolutely horrible, Daniel. I look like shit, but it doesn't matter, and you know why?" Daniel's not sure if he knows anything right now.

"No, Chris. I don't know." This is starting to worry him. Were Chris to go insane, Daniel would lose the one anchor he's got left on this cruel earth. He doesn't want to imagine what would happen to him if that were to become a reality.

"It doesn't matter, Daniel. It doesn't matter because-" Chris points at the clock. It's way past midnight.

"In about twenty-four hours, Daniel, we'll be leaving this shithole of a place. And thanks to you, I know exactly how we're doing it." Daniel needed a few seconds for the words to really sink in. One more day here before they make their escape. Then, he'll find Sean. So, three days, and he's in the safe arms of his older brother? Ok, not that fast. Five days, at the most. Just the thought of it made Daniel smile.

Soon, the two boys burst into giggle fits of their own. Maybe their lives felt so insane, so sick, that all they could do was laugh at it? Or maybe it was a way to avoid the massive amount of fear they both felt around the corner?

Nobody knows.

Not even themselves.

"We- god- we're so dead, Chris, am I right?" Daniel says while attempting to catch his breath.

"Yeah. We're so dead- so dead, it's fucking pathetic." Serious and depressive statements, yet, none of them took it to heart. All they did was laugh. If their attempt at freedom would end up costing them their lives, at least they spent this brief moment again as just kids. Innocent kids, without a care in the world. Were the reaper to come for his soul at this moment, Daniel would always remember the last time that he laughed, along with the emotions he felt at that moment.

But for now, laughing would have to do. Two children laughing away their trauma. Some of it shared, some of it not. Their future, as clear as it is uncertain. They knew what to do, how to do it, the purpose of it, and its endgame.

However…

They had absolutely no clue if they were able to pull it off.

Notes:

Ok, I'm starting to feel the writer's block sorta "disappearing."
The fight between Daniel and Chris is something that I've had in mind for a while, however, the result ended up very different than I expected it to be.

At first, I planned for Chris to be either scared and/or angry at Daniel after the fight, therefore not speaking to him, and putting their escape plans at risk. Obviously, that's been scrapped as of now. Also, this fight may be (or not, only time will tell) the start of a "new" Daniel. He's slowly been catching up to what he's been doing wrong, but now he realized that as soon as he got "here" things went south. Also, that's when he beat up Chris...

When Daniel's helped Chris inside I first planned for Chris to be angry/scared, but I kinda felt like they both needed a little "talk" with each other and something to kinda just "ease up" a little (read: laughing).

So, In the next chapter, we're officially moving the story toward the next unofficial episode. I guess that means that the next chapter is the unofficial "end" of this episode, but oh well...

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Fools.
Both of you.
Prepare yourselves.
For the longest journey of your lives.

Your shoes shall melt.
Your skin shall burn.
The heat shall kill you.
Almost...

Nowhere can you rest.
The ground.
It boils you.
OR
It fries you.

No water.
No food.
No wind.
No life.
No salvation.

It has many names.
Hel.
Hell.
Helvetet.
The Underworld.

Me?
I call it home.
Welcome, Daniel and Chris.

Welcome home...

Chapter 18: Twist Of Fate

Summary:

The time has come. Time to escape. The two toy soldiers pray for things to go smoothly. The question is, will it?

Notes:

Tags.

This is the unofficial ending of episode 3.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Day seven…

Daniel didn't wake up. He couldn't. He couldn't wake up because he never fell asleep, to begin with. Two nights ago, Daniel and Chris laughed themselves to sleep as they pointed out various horrific scenarios their journey might end. At the time, it was all good and fun.

At the time…

This night, however, it all started to sink in. They would attempt to escape, and hopefully, they'll make it. Or, they could get captured. Prisoners of war. Tortured, beaten, humiliated, and far worse things than any of them could even imagine. That is what hit them both on their last night.

Daniel stares emptily at the ceiling above him. He gave up on sleep long ago. On another bed to his right, lies Chris. His back turned towards Daniel in a failing attempt to make it look like he was asleep. At least he stopped crying. Daniel didn't know what to do. They both knew what the other one was thinking about. And they both knew that there's no such thing as comfort for this. Daniel looks at the clock next to him. He sighs.

3:00 AM.

It's in that gray area between really late at night and very early in the morning. He's not sure that he wants this night to end, but right now, he just wants this whole ordeal to be over.

"Chris?" Daniel whispers, almost wishing that he'll be asleep.

"Yeah?" Fuck.

"Do you think we'll, you know… make it?" Chris rolls over to his back, observing the ceiling along with Daniel. A long silence fills the room. Not an awkward silence, but a long one. Eventually, Chris sighs deeply.

"I don't know, Daniel. I really don't know." Without realizing it, Daniel let out a short, high-pitched whimpering sound.

"But I know this, Daniel. If we stay here, we're fucked. And yes, if we're caught while trying to escape, we're even more fucked, but we have to try. We just… have to." It's not what Daniel wanted to hear, but it's pretty much what he expected. However, there's another concern on his mind. It shouldn't be there, but he can't help it.

"Chris?" Daniel turns to his friend while speaking in an almost pleading tone.

"You're not leaving me again, are you?" Chris's head turned quickly to face him. He almost seemed shocked by the mere suggestion that something similar would happen. However, upon seeing Daniel's expression, he remembered.

"Daniel. I promise that I will never abandon you again. We either both make it, or we go down together. I swear it!" Chris had never looked so serious in his life. He sure as hell wasn't bluffing.

"You- you sure?" Daniel's close to tears.

"Hey, leave no man behind, right?" Chris gives him a weak smile that clearly shows how afraid he is beneath his mask.

"Leave no man behind." Daniel gives an even weaker smile back.

"So… what's the plan, Chris?" Well, this is as good of a time as any.

"Well, Merrill's gonna leave, right? And he's probably gonna want a lot of people to go with him. Not me though. I'm injured and I suck. You? You can use me as an excuse to stay behind. Tell them that you have to look after your pathetic roommate or whatever." Yeah. That's the easy part.

"And then, we're gonna-" No.

You're not.

Fate has something else in mind.

Again…

"Get up! I said get the FUCK UP!" Hannah literally kicks the door in, causing Chris to fall out of the bed in horror, and Daniel to almost shut down out of mere shock.

"I won't tell you again… get the fuck… up. Outside. Five minutes. Get ready. We're going for a long ride." Shit. Nono, damn, crap, damn-it-to-hell, son-of-a-bitch-

FUUUCK!

Why is this happening? Why now? Fuck. Lacking any better options, the boys get ready as fast as they can. They've both seen what Hannah's capable of when she's angry. None of them wants to be on the other side of that.

"What's going on, Daniel?" Chris grabbed his arm in near-panic before they went outside.

"I don't know. But I know it's not good. Just… stay alert, and don't freak out." Right. Easy-peasy.

The boys meet up with Hannah outside. She points towards the back of a truck, telling them to get in. they obey orders without question. Good soldiers follow orders. Hannah gets in the driver's seat, starting the truck.

For every passing hour, the pulse of both Daniel and Chris increased as they discovered more and more things that felt off. It was just them and Hannah. Nobody else. The back of the truck had no weapons, no food, no water, no supplies, no nothing. This isn't good. This might be their undoing.

"Chris. Whatever happens, I just want to-" Chris shook his head.

"Don't. We're gonna make it. You hear me?" He did. He just didn't believe it. Either way, they're about to find out since the truck just stopped.

"Get out," Hannah tells them. So they did.

And fucking hell…

They were both so scared while sitting in the back of the truck, they didn't even notice it. Now, they found it impossible to miss in the first place.

The biggest sun they've ever seen, blinding them upon exiting the truck.

How every breath felt painful due to the incredible heat in the air.

Their skin almost immediately suffered burns. This would apply even more for the pale-white Chris.

And even weirder. The ground creates a sound, similar to that of a piece of meat in a frying pan.

In front of them, just like behind them, was a road. A long, never-ending road. Surrounding them was nothing short of a wasteland. Not a wasteland created by the recent war, but created by nature itself. Sand, as far as the eye could see. Hannah had taken them to the middle of the desert. But why? What's their purpose here? They've both seen supposed traitors executed on the spot. Something's up.

"Alright, listen up!" Hannah says while giving them a water bottle each. Daniel and Chris exchange looks, confirming they both thought the same thing.

"Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, drink this water!" Seriously…

"Christopher, you're here to watch and learn. Keep your mouth shut, understand?" Chris nods.

"Daniel. Today, you have the chance to do something truly great for our cause." Daniel says nothing as he awaits an explanation of this great thing.

"The Americans have set up detention facilities for people like you and me, Daniel. People like him…" She points at Chris.

"… Are spared, of course. We want to free our brothers and sisters from captivity, and have them join our cause." Daniel felt a second-long unbearable pain in his chest. Could it be that- Sean's in one of these "detention facilities?"

"Ok. What do I have to do?" Daniel asked sounding every bit as serious as he looked. Hannah looked into the distance at an approaching car.

"Another one of our units captured someone. They haven't told me much about who it is, or the circumstances regarding the capture. I don't even know in what capacity he was at this facility. I just know one thing. And that, Daniel, is where you come in." Daniel didn't understand. Why him? It made no sense.

"Ok…? But, why me?" Hannah almost smiled. The other car had stopped. Three masked men in camo gear dragged out the fourth man. Well, not as much of a man as he was a teenager.

"We've done our research, Daniel. It's someone you'll recognize." Daniel couldn't tell what increased the most. His pulse, or his breathing?

"We know where the facility is. What we need, is a way inside. Your mission, Daniel, is to make him reveal it, using any means necessary. And I do mean any. Understand?" Daniel nodded. He couldn't speak right now. It's too much information to process. This person, this teenager forced on his knees in front of him to… torture? Could it be- no. but he doesn't know anyone else. He never did. Fuck. It must be-

"Sean…?" Daniel mumbles in silence, so nobody could hear. A black hood covered the head of the person in front of him while an orange jumpsuit covered the rest of his body. The only part that wasn't covered was his hands. Still, they were tied behind his back, and Daniel had no intention to go behind him. Nor did he have any intention whatsoever to torture him.

It's him.

Sean.

He knows it.

He can feel it, hear it, even smell it. The three masked men go back to their car and drive off into the horizon, leaving them alone. Chris, the reunited wolfbrothers, and Hannah. One of those gotta go. The question is how?

"I need some, you know… tools?" Daniel looks at Hannah.

"Right. Wait here, and keep an eye on him." Hannah goes to the truck to get him some tools. Daniel saw it now, clearer than ever before. Her left leg, and how painful it is for her to put weight on it. The most obvious limp ever. He looks at Chris.

"Hey, Chris? When she comes back, do something, ok? Just, get her to turn her back from me. Can you do that?" Chris knew that this was the time. Do or die, and leave no man behind.

"No. But I'll do it anyway." Close enough, buddy. Close enough.

"Here! I got your fucking tools, now get to work, kid. We ain't got all day!" Hannah's starting to get upset, making Chris's mission even easier.

"Hannah, there's people coming, look, look, look!" Chris screams his lungs out causing Hannah to run towards him in a fit of rage.

"The fuck? Where-" Daniel never let her finish that sentence. He grabbed the first thing he saw in the toolbox and ran towards Hannah as he aimed at her left knee.

His weapon of choice, a hammer, would probably have been a lot more effective if used on the kneecap directly. Still, it did the job as Hannah went down on the ground, screaming in pain. The boys froze for a few seconds, uncertain of their next move. They both knew that Hannah was a threat to them, and she deserved death. But Chris isn't a killer, nor an executioner. Daniel, however, used to be both.

Used to be.

Recently, he started to realize the error of his ways. And the more he thinks about it, the worse he feels. Especially, considering that there's still a part of him that, very much enjoyed it. But now? All he wants to do is to run to the hooded figure, free him from his cuffs, rip off the hood and scream "SEAN!"

Chris can't finish the job, nor can Daniel. This, as it turned out, gave Hannah an opening. She moved at the bigger threat first. That would be Daniel. The fury of the wolf had no chance. He felt like a pathetic little cub. Useless, defenseless, and worthless.

"You fucking scum! I'll enjoy choking the life out of you! Traitor! That's what you are! A fucking traitor!" Daniel saw the massive body of Hannah sitting on his chest. He felt the desert sand as it boiled his skin, bit by bit. He felt Hannah's large hands forming a vice grip around his throat. Daniel couldn't breathe in, nor could he breathe out. But that wasn't the worst part.

No.

Not even close.

The worst part was Chris. How their eyes met, and the silent words exchanged when it transpired.

"Help me, Chris. Please, help me. Leave no man behind." Daniel tried to tell him by just exchanging looks.

"I'm sorry." That is what the eyes of Chris replied before he ran away.

Again.

His best friend abandoned him to his demise for a second time. Daniel stops resisting the grip around his neck. Not because he can't, but because he doesn't want to. His heart, once again, broke into more pieces than he cared to count. Daniel's vision briefly went black for a second, indicating that the end is near. Soon, this will all be over. No more pain. Just sleep. One, long sleep-

BANG!

Daniel's vision had already faded to black and was only a mere second or two from doing so permanently when he heard it. People say that when you die, your hearing is the last sense that you lose. Well, Daniel can officially confirm that to be true. He heard it alright.

A gunshot.

A loud, echoing gunshot, followed by the sound of a body hitting the desert sand. Then he heard something else. Breathing. Not just any breathing. His breathing. Daniel Felipe Diaz could hear himself breathing in… and out. He couldn't process what just happened, nor could he feel any pain, move his body, see or speak. It felt like hours, although, it was probably closer to seconds. When Daniel opened his eyes, he could not believe the sight.

Chris stood there, gun in his hand, frozen in fear as he realized what he had just done. Yeah, Daniel kinda relates to that one. Not a good feeling. The very second he sees Daniel move, Chris drops the gun like it was on fire.

"Chr- Chris?" Daniel stops speaking as he feels an incredible pain pulsating through his entire neck and throat. Chris kneels, pulling him up to a sitting position.

"I told you I wouldn't leave you, stupid. No man left behind, Daniel. No man left behind." Chris never ran away. He ran to the truck, hoping to find something useful. And he definitely did.

"No man left behind, Chris. Shit…" Speaking hurt like hell, but he had to say it. Daniel admits to himself that he could just rest inside the truck for an eternity, but something else comes to his mind.

Someone else…

"Sean?" Daniel looks around, and there he is. Still on his knees, and still wearing a hood.

"Easy, Daniel. Don't rush it-" Yeah. Nice try, Chris. He's got all the reason in the world to rush towards his big brother.

"SEAN!" Mother-of-all-fucks, Daniel's body hurt. It hurt, but he didn't care. Not now. He gets to his feet, ignoring the fact that he's out of breath from simply standing up. For so long now, he's been told, taught, that emotions are a bad thing. Compassion, love, comfort. All of them, are signs of weaknesses to be exploited. Today, right here and now, Daniel could see Merrill for the bullshit manipulator he truly is. But he doesn't waste Merrill a single thought as he sprints towards his brother.

"SEAN, SEAN, SEAN!" He didn't even feel the pain anymore. Right in front of his brother, Daniel stops. The wolfbrothers are about to officially reunite, and Daniel wants them both to see it. He's waited so long to hug his brother again. Just a few more seconds. Then, everything will be back to normal. Daniel grabs the hood that covers the face of his idol. In one quick motion, he pulls it off.

"Sean, I missed you so much-" Daniel had his arms wide open, prepared to embrace his brother as he stood before him.

Daniel froze. Suddenly, the desert felt cold. Very, very cold. What sick, twisted person would do this to him? Why? He's not sure what he feels. Angry, sad, disappointed? He's not sure. Daniel, however, is sure of one thing. The person in front of him?

Is not Sean Eduardo Diaz. It is not his big brother, wolfbrother, role model, and idol.

The person staring into his eyes right now?

Brett Foster.

The fact that it wasn't Sean was bad enough on its own. This, however, was just insulting. Daniel thought it to be over, but no. Instead, he'll have to look at Brett's ugly face as he feels his confidence evaporate just as fast as Brett's gaining his back.

"You- you?! No. No!" Daniel stumbled backward.

"The fuck you doing here, little retard?" Seems like his attitude hasn't improved.

"Se- Se- Sean." Daniel feels so small, so weak, and so helpless.

"Aw, isn't that fucking sweet. The retard baby, coming to rescue his criminal big brother? How fucking noble…" Brett spat on the ground in front of Daniel. Then it hit him. Hannah said that the prisoner, meaning Brett, was in a facility in some capacity. Well, he sure as hell wasn't a prisoner, that's for sure. And yeah, Daniel could definitely see him as a guard.

"Have you seen Sean?" Daniel looks at him while speaking with a bit more confidence.

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. The fuck should I tell you?" Chris stands next to Daniel, taking the part of "good cop."

"Dude, trust me. If you know, you're gonna want to tell him. This kid? He'll fuck you up, and he'll fuck you up bad." Daniel gave Chris a quick nod as a way of saying "thanks for helping."

"Who the fuck are you? The retard's boyfriend?" Brett tried to keep his composure, however, he clearly realized how helpless he was in this situation.

"Last chance, Brett. Where. Is. My. Brother?" Daniel gave him a look that could kill even the most innocent of people.

"Fuck… you!" Brett spat in his face. Daniel barely reacted. He couldn't say that he was surprised. After all, this is Brett Foster. He uses the sleeve of his shirt to wipe the spit from his face. Then, he turns around. Daniel comes back after a few seconds with a toolbox in his hands. He sits down cross-legged on the ground with Chris following him. The scorching hot sand doesn't bother him now. This is all about finding Sean.

"You see that woman over there, Brett?" Daniel points to Hannah's corpse. He speaks with the most innocent tone imaginable to man. Under normal circumstances, people would find it cute, adorable, and sweet. But this?

These aren't normal circumstances.

"She wanted me to get this very information from you, using any means necessary. Let's see…" Daniel opens the toolbox.

"We can do this the easy way, Brett. Or…" Daniel takes out various tools, putting them on the ground.

"We can do it the hard way. I've done many things, you know. Bad things. I'm not proud of them. I'm not because most of the people I did it to were innocent. They didn't deserve it. But you do, Brett." They had clearly struck a nerve as Brett's becoming more and more nervous.

"No- you can't- shit. What the hell-" He didn't have a smart-ass thing to say to this one. Daniel picks up a pair of pliers.

"I could use this. Losing a tooth hurt like hell, trust me. Mine didn't get pulled out, so I would kinda have to improvise." The fear grows in Brett Foster's eye every second.

"Trust me. He'll do it. I've seen it." Chris tries.

"Or, I could use this." Daniel takes a scalpel, putting it below Brett's left eye.

"You know, I never did like the look you gave me." Daniel pretends to wonder as if he hasn't made up his mind long ago.

"Fuck it. An eye for an eye, Brett." Daniel quickly takes the scalpel in hand, forcing it towards the retina of Brett Foster.

"OKOKOKOKOK, I'LL TALK!" Thank. God. Brett would've deserved every bit of this pain, but Daniel's not sure if he'll be able to inflict it on him and live with it. Daniel stops the scalpel a mere inch from the eye.

"You'll what?" Daniel shouldn't do it, but it's too tempting. Power. The feeling of it can be… addicting.

"Talk, I'll talk!" Brett nearly cries.

"I can't fucking hear you!" Daniel screams back.

"I'll talk, s- sir." Better.

"Now. Where is my brother? I won't ask you again." Daniel sits back down but keeps the scalpel in his hand.

"The detention facility is just a couple of hours that way, impossible to miss." Basically, just follow the road then.

"How do we get inside?" Brett sighed.

"You'll need the codes. They're in my pocket. I knew I shouldn't have fucking written them down." Ok. They can get inside, that's good.

"Is Sean alive?" Why. Oh, why did he have to ask that question to the very last person he ever wanted to answer it?

"He is. For now…" A smug smile showed on the face of Brett Foster as he said his next words.

"You'll never reach him. Nobody gets out alive. If you're lucky, you'll find the rotting corpse of your big brother, hanging on display as a warning to everyone else. His eyes removed, guts hanging outside his body, and-" Daniel stopped listening. There's no point. They got what they needed from him. He picks up the gun. The very same gun Chris used when he saved his life. Then, he marches towards Brett, pressing the gun to his forehead.

"I could do it, Brett. I could do it right here and now. Nobody would care. Why? It's because nobody would miss you. I could do it, and feel no remorse." Daniel's calm and collected while Brett's trembling in fear.

"Do it! Come on, you little shit! Do it! Shoot me!" Brett wanted him to end his life.

"I could do it. But I won't. I'm better than you, Brett." Daniel lowers the gun as he turns to Chris.

"Let's go, dude." The two boys begin their slow walk toward the horizon. Daniel, however, turns around.

"Oh, and Brett?" The teenager looked at him in defeat.

"You hurt my brother. I can't forgive that. But I won't kill you." He could almost see how Brett relaxed slightly.

"But I won't save you either…" Chris had collected all the tools from the ground, putting them inside the truck. Brett had no chance of setting himself free.

"No. No, no, no, no, no! Don't! Don't leave me here!" He tries to beg, but to no avail.

"And just to make sure…" It kinda sucks that they're so short. The truck's useless to them. Instead, Daniel shoots a couple of bullets through the engine, just in case.

"No! You little fuck! Get the fuck back here!" No. Chris and Daniel turned their backs on him, and none of them looked back.

"Goodbye, Brett. Have fun, dickhead." With a destination in mind and a long walk ahead of them, the two former toy soldiers begin their journey on the highway through hell.

Credit: 6_Laetitia_9

Tumblr: manon-garden

Notes:

This chapter marks the unofficial end of episode 3. Daniel and Chris have now gone AWOL. Some might wonder why Merrill didn't get what's coming for him, but hey, the story ain't over yet.

I did my best to make the reader believe that it was Sean under that hood. If I succeeded or not, I'll leave it up to you to tell. Either way, I pretty much expected people to have forgotten about Brett at this point so I figured "fck it."

It also gives Daniel hope. He believes it to be over. He feels safe again. Only for it to come crashing down on him like it always does. And that's why he's willing to do whatever it takes to get the information from Brett. He doesn't like it, but he has to. It's the only way to find Sean.

Then, instead of killing him in cold blood like the Daniel of old, he spares his life. Well, kinda. He can't forgive him either, nor can he let him go. So he just does nothing, leaving him to his fate. It shows that while he's slowly becoming a better person, the cruel side of him is still there.

Please leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

I feel honored by the incredible artwork shown at the end of this chapter. Full credit goes to "6_Laetitia_9" and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it. Also, check out the Tumblr account for more artwork.

Tumblr: manon-garden

I look at you both.
What do I see?

Bravery.
Friendship.
A bond.
Inseparable.
Is what I see.

Now...

None of that matters.
You're in my dominion now.
The reaper's lair.
I watch your every move.

The air.
Too hot to breathe in.
The ground.
Too hot for walking.

You shall not leave this place.
Not in life.
Not in death.
This, my child.

This is where you end.

666.
666.
666.
666.
666.
666.

Chapter 19: The Reaper's Lair

Summary:

Daniel and Chris begin their journey through the desert wasteland, quickly realizing that this isn't just a walk in the park. A few clicks away, Sean's experiencing new forms of horror as his mind falls deeper.

Notes:

Severe tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

On a highway through hell…

The Nevada desert. Barely anything grows there, nor does anyone or anything live there. A person would have to be stupid to travel on foot through it. Stupid, or desperate. In the case of Daniel Diaz and Chris Eriksen, perhaps both of these traits apply?

The very second Brett Foster was out of their line of sight it hit them. Daniel stopped dead in his tracks. Chris, as if he read his thoughts, did the same thing. The realization hit them.

They're free. Nobody points a gun at them, telling them to commit horrible acts that a child shouldn't even be aware existed. Free to do whatever they wanted. With a newfound rush of adrenaline, Daniel and Chris went running along the highway, not even bothered by the heat. Why did they do it? Not because they had to, but because they just felt like it.

They ran, with Daniel stopping for a howl of freedom which caused Chris to burst into laughter every single time. For a short while, they both felt like kids again. Just… normal kids, enjoying their freedom, without a care in the world. The way it should have been.

However…

Little did they know…

Their burst of energy, along with their joy and all of their hope?

Twenty minutes later…

A never-ending highway, right in the middle of the desert. The sun shines brighter than ever before, burning anything and everything it touches. Including the two children, walking alongside each other on the highway through hell. It is a slow walk. Slow, and painful. Every step hurts more than the last. What the fuck were they thinking? Did they even think?

"Hey… hey… Chris?" Daniel's exhausted. He's out of breath, dehydrated, and everything hurts. This is bad. This is very bad.

"Yeah, wh- what?" Chris looks even worse than Daniel, and that's saying something. Chris's pale skin has turned to a red tone, due to sunburns. This heat. It's going to be the end of them.

"Do you have-" Chris answers before Daniel finished the question. The answer, just like last time, and the time before that, is-

"No, Daniel. I don't have any water. None of us do. We're fucked." The look on his face shows that he's not joking.

"I survived a nuke, Chris. A fucking nuclear bomb. And this? This is what's gonna get me? Walking on the fucking highway?" Daniel feels like sitting down, maybe resting a little. But there's nowhere to sit down. The sand boils you, and the asphalt fries you. Why even continue? Everything looks the same. Sand, more sand, a lizard, and sand. Fuck…

"Come on, dude, don't give up. We're so close, we gotta be." Shit. Daniel had kinda forgotten the reason they were here, to begin with. Find and save Sean. Less than an hour ago, it felt within his grasp. Now, however, it feels so far away, that it makes him cry. Daniel falls to his knees in the boiling hot sand, the pain on his knees nowhere close to the pain in his heart.

"Sean…" He whimpers as Chris kneels in front of him, doing his best to avoid freaking out himself.

"Don't worry, Daniel. We'll find Sean. And we'll get him out. I promise." Chris wanted to believe that. He truly did. But what's the point of making a promise if you cannot even believe in it yourself?

"Sean. I miss you so much, Sean. Where are you, big brother? Where are you…?" Daniel lays down on the ground, purposely letting the sand burn his body in hopes of easing the pain in his chest. It didn't work. Nothing worked. They fucked up big time. They're both going to die here, in a place nobody will ever find them, nor will anybody ever know what happened to them. It's all his fault. Everything. It always was. This is it. The grand finale of his lifetime of fuckups. Daniel Felipe Diaz shall leave this world as he entered it. A failure, a walking plague that drags down the people he loves the most. He doesn't even know if Sean's alive or not. He probably died long ago. And now, Daniel's dragged the last living person he cares about deep into the desert.

"I'm sorry, Chris. We're both going to die, and it's my fault. I'm so sorry." Daniel closed his eyes. He didn't even think about it, he just expected Chris to do it because that's who he is. He expected Chris to comfort him, and tell him that it's not his fault.

But he didn't.

Chris Eriksen leaned backward, allowing his back to burn against the asphalt. He didn't care. Sure, it wasn't Daniel's fault either. But he just… didn't have the heart to tell him. He didn't, because his own heart was now broken by the realization that he would die here. He would die here, and nobody would ever find him. Only those vultures above him.

Meanwhile…

Sean can't take this.

Not a second longer.

Fuck. His head hurts.

"Daniel?!" This… sound. Fuck.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sean's locked inside a large room. Except for Sean himself, the room is empty and completely white. Sean's on the floor with his wrists and legs tied up, making it impossible to move, not to mention-

Remove it.

When Sean heard that Brett Foster's gone missing, he thought that he would get an easier time. That could not have been more wrong. The new guard, Sean could recognize. Chad. The asshole that killed his grandparents. He felt like running for him the very second he saw his ugly face. Maybe he should have? Worst case scenario, Sean would've died. He'd rather die than go through any more of this. Now, what exactly is "this?"

Chad told him that it's called "sensory deprivation" which didn't mean shit to Sean. However, the bright, white room did. And even more so did the headphones he could never remove. And boy, did he try? Sensory deprivation, as Sean found out the very hard way, could also be called torture. A sick, twisted way of torturing someone without leaving any visible wounds. Sean did, however, get plenty of invisible ones.

He could never get the headphones off by himself, leaving him with no other choice but to endure. At first, it wasn't too bad. Just annoying. Then it got worse. His head started to hurt, he got nosebleeds that lasted for hours, and he panicked. Sean screamed, begging for mercy, threatening everyone and everything, or crying like a baby. And that's not even the worst part.

Not even close.

This is where the "white room" comes into play. They leave Sean in cuffs, unable to move, however, they didn't put a blindfold on him or anything like that. He could still see everything in front of him. And the mind of Sean Diaz? Lacking nutrition, fluids, and sleep, and he's under enormous amounts of pressure and stress. Add to that a form of torture, focusing solely on the mind. Endless hours of hearing the same fucking horrific sounds? That can sometimes make your mind believe things. See things.

That isn't there.

Sean couldn't believe his eyes the first time it happened. The ringing in his ears just disappeared. The white room suddenly became a vibrant blue color instead. Sean's back in his little brother's room in Seattle. The fact that Seattle's reduced to dust doesn't make him believe that this is any less real.

In the corner of the room, sitting in his beanbag is Daniel. Enano. Sean's so out of it, that he doesn't even realize that this makes no sense. He's just happy to see him again. Daniel smiles, waving at him. Sean waves back. Daniel stood up, wanting to hug his brother. But the very second they should've embraced-

The ringing came back, worse than ever before. Sean screamed, cried, and pleaded for mercy. To end it. Put an end to his misery. Just, kill him right now. But no. They couldn't kill him. Why?

Somehow, they believed that Sean had important information on the SAA, and its plans. The entire idea is fucking ridiculous. Sean was born, and raised, in America. He's never in his life, stepped outside the US border. How the fuck could he be involved? It didn't matter. They believed that he was, and wanted intel that he couldn't give to them even if he wanted to. Sean tried to tell them, he really did. That's why he's still here.

At one point, he even tried to give them a made-up story with some fake intel. Sean, however, isn't known to be a credible liar. He sits here, stuck in this room with his eardrums almost exploding. The hallucinations are getting worse every time. So far, Sean's hugged his brother once. Also, Daniel's killed himself twice in front of him. Hell, Sean even saw his little brother tear down the border wall using his mind. How much more can he take?

The answer?

He can't.

Sean tries anything and everything he can, trying to just- end it. But he can barely move. All he can do, is slam his head semi-hard into the floor. Not even close enough to kill him, all it does, is hurt. Still, if he does it enough times, maybe he's lucky?

What the fuck happened to his life? He used to have dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Now? He's cuffed in a cell, repeatedly slamming his own head against the floor, hoping to hit that magic spot that will finally end his pain. Nobody's coming for him. Sean's father's dead. His grandparents are dead. His mother? She killed them. Fuck her. Treacherous fucking cunt. Sean hopes that she burns for all eternity. And then, all that leaves is…

Daniel.

Sean couldn't even think of those words. It hurt too much. But he can't go on like this. He just… can't. One last hallucination appears as Sean slips in and out of consciousness. The image of his little brother kneeling next to him. Sean knows this isn't real. But it looks so real. So real.

"It's ok, Sean. Doctor Daniel's here." Daniel reached out, putting his small palm on Sean's forehead. He could feel it. A small hand. He could fucking feel it. Sean sobbed.

"Don't cry, Sean. Doctor Daniel's gonna look after you. I promise, big brother." Were Sean Diaz to pass away now, he would do so with a smile on his face. The last thing he sees before succumbing to unconsciousness is the wide smile of his little brother.

In the middle of absolutely nowhere…

Far too many hours later…

Daniel slowly began to wake up. Usually, he likes to sleep with a window open to avoid the room from getting too warm. Apparently, his asshole of a brother closed the said window again.

"Damn it, Sean. I told you, don't close the window because I'm sweating like a pig." Daniel thinks to himself. He's not opening his eyes. Not yet at least. He must have slept in an awkward position or something because his body kinda… hurts. Daniel moves a little, trying to readjust himself.

Yeah. It hurt alright.

"Ah!" Daniel's eyes shot up only to close again with haste. The sun. The fucking sun! He remembers now. Shit. He's still panting due to the mere shock he felt by simply trying to move. Fuck. If it was bad before, then, what do you call this?

"Chris?" It hurts to speak. Daniel's hyperventilating, and the air that goes into his lungs, is so hot that it's painful. The vultures above them have grown in numbers. They're up there circulating, speaking vulture language, and, of course, doing what vultures do best.

They're waiting.

For the meal of a lifetime.

By the look of things, it shouldn't be too long now.

"Chris?" Daniel calls for him again, but he's so weak, so dehydrated that it's almost impossible to speak.

"I'm here, Daniel," Chris replies, although, he doesn't sound much better than Daniel. With Chris conscious at the very least, Daniel had forgotten what he wanted to say to begin with. Are they still alive? They shouldn't be. Dehydration in the desert makes you believe the strangest of things. The young wolf lifts his right arm, albeit with great pain. He places the palm on his chest, right above his heart.

Yeah. It's still beating. Daniel let out a breath he wasn't even aware that he held in, to begin with.

"Is your-" God. Daniel's gasping for air from just speaking a few words, and the air fucking steam-boils him from the inside.

"Is your- Is your heart… beating?" Daniel feels like he used the very last of his energy to ask that question.

"Hang on…" Daniel saw how Chris put a palm over his own heart as the body of the blonde boy tensed up.

"Yeah. Yeah, I- uh, I think so." They're still alive. Against all odds, they're still fucking alive. They can't go on, and they can't die. What the fuck will they do?

Daniel's not given enough time to think of an answer. Chris let out a horrific scream as he quickly sat up. Obviously, the asphalt wasn't too kind on his back. Daniel didn't dare to move. Not after hearing that sound.

"Come on, Daniel. Give me your hand." Chris reaches out, trying to grab his hand, but Daniel avoids it.

"You have to- we have to. Come on." Daniel refused to move. Well, Chris kinda took advantage of it…

"Ok. I'm sorry about this-" Chris grabbed Daniel's hands, pulling him up to a sitting position. The little boy screamed in pain. He would cry, but he's so dehydrated that his body cannot produce tears. His arms, and his back, were covered in blood-red wounds. Burnt into him, never to disappear. Chris remained silent as he let Daniel catch his breath.

"Fuck you, Chris. I- I fucking hate you. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, but you're my best friend, you saved me, and-" Daniel ended his rambling. The two boys sat silent for a few minutes, letting it all sink in.

"What are we going to do, Chris?" Daniel's at a loss. He's got no clue. It would feel so good to just… let the vultures decide.

"I don't know. I don't think we can do anything, Daniel. It's over for us. We're never getting out of here." The answer was expected, however, still horrible to hear. Daniel looked down in sadness. Then, he sees something.

A solution.

Their way out of this literal hell.

"Chris. We both know that we're not getting out of this. We both know that we're… dead." Daniel sad in a sad, yet serious tone.

"Maybe we should, you know, go out on our own terms?" Daniel drags his fingers across the gun. The same gun that killed Hannah.

"Yeah, Daniel. I- I think so too." Neither of them sounded excited. But they both knew that this was the best option available to them.

"So… how do we- you know?" Chris asked him without really asking him. Well, Daniel wondered why in the fuck his pants had an old coin in one of its pockets. Guess this is why. Daniel takes out the coin, holding it in his hand.

"Heads or tails, Chris. Whoever… wins, goes first, I guess." Chris nods in agreement. It's official. Within five minutes, their lives will be over. No more suffering.

Chris chose heads, leaving Daniel with tails. The boys sit cross-legged on the asphalt, facing each other.

"Are you ready, Chris?" He nodded again. Soon, they'll be best friends in another realm. Daniel tosses the coin. It takes an eternity for it to hit the ground. The coin hit the ground with the weight of an anvil, or so it felt. Like the sound of it could be heard miles away. The result?

Heads.

Chris stared emptily, knowing that his time had come. Daniel, however, panicked. Remorse, guilt, shock, fear, horror, and all other negative emotions overwhelmed him. He regretted that he ever suggested this, to begin with. The only reason he did it, is because he believed that he would go first. But now he won't. He can't stand the thought of watching his best friend blow his brains out in front of him.

"No! No, no, no, Chris, no. I- I don't wanna- I'm sorry, ok?" Chris, gun in his hand, put a firm hand on Daniel's shoulder.

"It's ok, Daniel. We're gonna be ok now. This isn't your fault. Don't be sad. You've been a great friend, you hear me? You're like family to me, like a brother." Daniel cried without shedding tears as their eyes met for one last time.

"I'll only be gone a few minutes, Daniel. We'll see each other soon. Still… I- I- I lo- miss you, Daniel. Goodbye." Chris closed his eyes. He then raised the gun to the side of his skull. Daniel didn't want to see it. He wanted to look away while holding his ears. But he found himself frozen in horror, unable to turn away from Chris.

Chris Eriksen pressed the gun to his temples hard. His arm began to tremble in fear as the boy cried.

"FUCK!" Chris drops the gun to the ground. Daniel let out a sigh of relief.

"Fuck you, Chris! You're fucking pathetic! Can't do shit! Can't do shit!" Daniel holds back tears while listening to his best friend cursing himself out. But the worst was yet to come.

"Here, Daniel. I'm sorry, but you have to… you know." Daniel's eyes widened as he realized the implications of Chris's statement.

He wanted Daniel to shoot him in the face.

"No, Chris. No way. I- I could never do that." Still, Daniel finds himself holding the gun. However, he keeps it on the ground.

"You have to, Daniel. I- I can't do it. I can't fucking do it. I want to- but I can't. Help me, please. It's our only way." No. Chris is his friend. He can't. No. Just… no. It's wrong. And he can't stand the thought of seeing Chris die.

"No. I'm sorry, Chris. I- I can't." This would be the moment Chris Eriksen broke.

"Yes, you can! I know you fucking can because I've seen it! Do it, Daniel. End this fucking pain for me, please." Chris pleads for Daniel to kill him. It hurts Daniel in more ways than he could count.

"NO! I WON'T!" Daniel screams to his face, more sad than angry.

"Like you haven't killed before, huh? I see that look in your eyes. The one, telling me that killing is a good thing. That you enjoy it. The power of another human being's life is all in your hands. Now, stop holding back that monster inside, and FUCKING DO IT!" Chris screamed but Daniel didn't hear it. He heard something else. Someone else. A voice of old, telling him what to do.

Obey.

Obey.

Obey.

Obey.

So, Daniel Felipe Diaz obeyed.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Daniel screamed as loud as he possibly could in a fit of rage as he aimed at the skull of Chris Eriksen. His best friend. Their eyes briefly met. At first glance, Chris seemed almost thankful. Like he was saying "Thank you. I'm prepared to go." However, that look quickly changed into that of sheer terror before Daniel pulled the trigger.

A loud gunshot echoed throughout the desert, sending the flock of vultures away in fear. They would, however, be back soon for their feast.

Notes:

So, how 'bout that for a cliffhanger, huh?

At the beginning, I kinda wanted Daniel and Chris to just mess around a bit, enjoying their newfound freedom. Obviously, running in the desert isn't exactly a real thing, but come on, they needed to have some innocent fun...

Sean's torture? Well, I literally just "happened" to see a documentary about Guantanamo Bay and- well... yeah. It's a very real thing, and people do hallucinate and all kinds of shit.

Also: Me in a nutshell: (Watches documentary about torture.) "Hmm, this would be great to use in my writing."

Plus, Sean making stuff up in an attempt to get out of it? That's basically me showing how effective "enhanced interrogation" is.

And yeah, Doctor Daniel got to make a cameo... Have no fear...

Daniel saw no other way out of their situation, and neither did Chris. The end result (for now) was the end of Christopher "Chris" Eriksen (RIP).

Anyway, remember to leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

I always win.
One way.
Or the other.

I broke you, child.
I've corrupted your very soul.
Blackened your heart.
Made you damaged goods.

I hold the patience of stone.
The will of stars.
Power beyond your understanding.
And I own you.
You are mine.

Property.
Slave.
Servant.
That is you.

Your demise...
Is just as inevitable as...
My ascendance...

Obey me, petty servant...
Always obey.

Chapter 20: Daniel's Demise

Summary:

This is it for you, son. You're all alone now. End of the road. You'll never leave this place. And nobody will ever find you.

Nobody...

Notes:

A lot of tags!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

In the deepest bowels of the reaper's lair…

The gunshot echoed across the wasteland. And then, nothing. Not a sound. No vultures awaiting their feast, no rattlesnake in the sand. Silence. Daniel needed a few seconds to fully comprehend what he had just done. He screamed as loud as humanly possible before pointing the gun toward Chris, and-

"Dan- Daniel…?" He didn't even realize that he had his eyes closed. Upon hearing the voice of Chris, Daniel felt a boulder disappear from his gut. Chris is fine. Whatever just happened, what he did, or didn't do? It's just his dehydrated brain, playing tricks on him. Daniel takes a few breaths before opening his eyes.

He would regret doing so, for his entire life and afterlife.

It was no trick. No cruel joke, created by his exhausted mind.

No…

It's real. Very, very real.

When Daniel screamed, he completely lost control, therefore turning the gun on his friend. Still, before he pulled the trigger, one small part of Daniel told him not to do it. He almost obeyed that voice, instead of the reaper. The result ended up somewhere in the middle. Or perhaps even worse?

Chris sat up, slightly pressing his palm against a bullet wound in the gut. He looked at Daniel, and Daniel looked back. Daniel's in shock, horrified by his actions. Chris, however, almost seems glad. It only takes a few seconds before he's unable to sit upright any longer. Chris lies down on his back.

"No, no, no, Chris?! Please, don't…" Daniel almost jumps over to his side, hoping to do something, anything to save his life. He's made a lot of mistakes in his life, but this? God…

"Chris?" Daniel cries while grabbing his hand. Deep down, he knows it's over. He can't do shit.

"I'm fine, Daniel. It- it doesn't even hurt." Chris smiles at him. Shit.

"But- but- I don't want you to die. I don't…" Daniel's not sure what else to say. He fucked up big time, again. No surprise.

"It's ok, Daniel. I'll only be gone a few minutes, remember? We'll see each other again." Chris's voice sounds weaker with every word he speaks. He doesn't have much time now. Fuck.

"You've been the greatest friend I could ever ask for, Chris. Like a brother. Goodbye for now…" Daniel whimpers. This feels like the worst moment of his life.

"See you soon… brother." One last breath before the light in the blue eyes of Chris Eriksen vanished forever. Daniel didn't think. He didn't want to process what he had just done. Instead, Daniel continued their plan as he took the gun in his hand.

His arms were too exhausted to hold the gun up. Daniel's on his knees in the scorching hot sand, feeling it burn his skin. He takes the gun, pressing the barrel hard against the underside of his jaw. Daniel closed his eyes as he prepared himself… to end it.

Within less than a second, thousands of moments played in his head on a constant loop with an infinite speed. His memories. From before this happened. None of them were particularly good memories. Sean running after him in a fit of rage. His parents never having time for him. Getting bullied. Daniel remembered how sad those things made him back then. Of course, how could he forget? But now, he looks back at that time, feeling nostalgic. Those memories, they make him feel happy.

What the fuck happened to him? His life? What happened to the small boy that fell asleep on his brother's shoulder one night? And how could the same boy end up here? In the desert, next to the body of his best friend, whom he just killed? How could he sit here, pressing a gun to his jaw, preparing to kill himself? What happened to him?

War.

War happened to Daniel Felipe Diaz.

So much blood, so much violence. But now, it's about to end.

"I'm so sorry, Sean. I hope we'll see each other again. I love you big brother. Goodbye." The last words of Daniel Felipe Diaz before pulling the trigger. The boy's body fell into the desert sand. Here, nobody would ever find them. Not in this life, and not in death.

Unknown location…

Sean just got back home from school. Today's an important day. Today, Sean's going to a party, in hopes of getting together with the girl he likes. He enters the house but nobody's there to greet him. Dad's probably just working as always. Sean kinda wants to check on his brother though. He's not sure why, but he feels like he needs to check on him.

"Hey, Enano? Can I come in?" Daniel says something that kinda sounds like a "yes." Sean enters his room.

"Hey, man. What's up?" Daniel immediately stands up, hugging him tightly. Sean's caught off guard a bit but doesn't complain as he hugs him back.

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you too." Then, Sean felt it. His little brother's body shaking. Seconds later, Daniel cried. It hurt Sean, hearing him in so much pain. He sits down with Daniel on the bed.

"You wanna tell me what's going on, buddy?" Sean comforts him while removing a lone tear with his thumb.

"I- I hate this, Sean. It's so unfair." Uhm… ok?

"What do you mean? What's unfair?" Sean tries to not sound too confused.

"This, Sean. This…" Daniel points rapidly at himself, then at Sean. He repeats the same motion several times while crying even more.

"You mean- you hate… us?" Sean asked in confusion. Daniel, however, looked almost insulted by the mere suggestion.

"What?! No, Sean. You're my brother. I- I love you. It's just-" Daniel stops himself, unable to finish the sentence.

"It's ok, Daniel. You can tell me. I promise I won't be mad. It's just…?" What's going on with him? God, Sean's gotta take an aspirin before going to the party. His head really fucking hurts.

"I- I hate this, Sean. I hate this, and it's so unfair. It's so unfair to you." To him?

"What's unfair to me, Daniel?" Sean's almost getting angry. His ears are starting to hurt.

"It's unfair because you think that I'm real. But I'm not. You're still in the white room, big brother. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry-" At first, Sean didn't understand what he heard. He reached out with his hand, attempting to pull his brother in for a hug. But no…

Daniel Diaz, sitting there next to him one second. He could feel him, see him, hear him, smell him, anything and everything. But the next second, his little brother disappeared. Poof.

Sean's still trapped in the white room. The headphones, still stuck on his head, are off, sparing him the terrible noise. But the silence replacing it, is just as bad. The room is completely soundproof. A bomb could go off right outside, and he wouldn't hear a thing. All he could hear right now was his breathing, and his thoughts.

"Daniel. I want you to be alive. I want you to be alive because I want to see you again, take care of you, as a big brother should. But- I hope you're not. I don't want you to be alive because you would have done terrible things to stay that way. And I just can't stand to think about it. I failed you, little brother. I failed you." Sean whispers in a dead tone while staring at the bright, white wall. Slowly, tears begin to pour down his face.

Then it starts. A high-pitched sound at low volume comes from the headphones. He wished that he hadn't been born. He wished for death. Sean wanted death to come for him. He wouldn't run from death, nor would he freeze in his place out of fear. No. Sean Eduardo Diaz would greet death as an old friend, and take his hand while accepting his fate.

"No. Please… no more. I- I can't- no more. Just- kill me. Just fucking kill me…" Sean whimpers as he realizes that not even death shall come to his aid.

In the deepest bowels of the reaper's lair…

CLICK!

"Ow, motherfucker!" Daniel swore loudly as his body hit the ground with full force. He needed a few moments for the realization to sink in, and when it did…

"No. No, please don't. No…" Daniel's arms are trembling with shock and fear alike. He picks up the gun, removing the ammo clip.

Empty.

EMPTY!

FUCKING EMPTY!

He's stuck here. He'll die out here alone.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Daniel drops the gun to the ground, and then he screams. Only one thing could be heard in his screaming, but it was more than enough.

Pain.

Only pain.

All pain.

Constant pain.

Daniel looks at the body of Chris, realizing he won't be joining him yet. Fuck.

"I'm sorry, Chris. So, so sorry…" Daniel collapsed on the ground, slipping in and out of consciousness, hoping to never wake up.

Daniel didn't know much time had passed, nor did he care. He woke up to a sound. A strange sound. Maybe there are people nearby? He tries to open his eyes, managing to see the silhouette of a large, bird-like creature. It kind of looks like a vulture-

No.

NO!

NO!

"No, stop it! Get the fuck away from him, you assholes!" Daniel used whatever reserves he had to get to his feet and scare off the vultures feasting on the corpse of his friend.

"I'm so sorry, Chris. But I can't stay here. I- I just can't. I hope we'll meet again… brother." Daniel bids his farewell to Chris Eriksen before walking away. He could see the vultures descending from above, but tried not to think about it. He didn't dare to look back.

Every step felt like a marathon. He's so dehydrated, that he couldn't even sweat anymore. In the distance, Daniel could see the sunset. Back in the day, he would've found it beautiful. All it is to him now is a chance to avoid getting burned to death for a couple of hours.

Well, technically speaking, the chances of him burning to death were about the same as Chris coming back from the dead. How the fuck? How the actual fuck could a place this unbelievably hot during the day be so freezing cold at night? It made zero fucking sense! Daniel's frozen like a Popsicle, shivering with uneven breaths. His arms, wrapped around his chest, attempting to warm himself up to no avail. He's desperate.

Desperate and afraid. Darkness. It's all around him. Complete and utter darkness. And silence. Not a sound. No wind and no animals. He can't see shit, and he's so tired. Physically, and mentally. After all of his struggle, Daniel's body finally hits the breaking point. His legs cannot hold him upright any longer as he falls to the ground. Daniel landed face-first in the sand. The same sand that moments ago, boiled his skin and flesh. Now, however, that intense heat is gone. Taking its place was cold. A painful kind of cold. The one you feel, squeezing a piece of ice in your bare hand.

Except a thousand times worse.

Daniel crawls towards a large rock, attempting to use it to pull himself up to a standing position. It's pointless. He's finished. Game over. He could feel it. Daniel leans his back against the large rock as he accepts his fate. His time has come. All he could do now was wait.

It's happening. Finally…

There it is. The light at the end of his, oh so dark, tunnel. Daniel moves towards the light. Or, is the light moving towards him? It was difficult to tell, but it wasn't important. In a few seconds, this would all be over. For real, this time. Daniel felt slightly surprised as the light came to a screeching halt in front of him before his vision faded to black.

"Finally. I'm so fucking done with this shit. Time for some rest." The last thing that goes through the mind of Daniel Felipe Diaz as the light at the end of the tunnel goes out.

Credit: 6_Laetitia_9

Tumblr: manon-garden

Notes:

So, we gotta talk about Chris. Why? Because DAMN, that kid's had many lives in this story. With him now officially dead, I can reveal a few of my previous plans for him.

At first, Daniel would stab him to death while they're both were still soldiers. Daniel would basically be brainwashed, and kill Chris for being "weak" and showing emotions. This was the plan until maybe chapter 13.

Then I entertained the idea of having Chris alive until the final choice at the end (yes, that's a thing I'll always do). Although the idea has potential, it doesn't quite fit in with other stuff I've planned which is why it was scrapped.

So, we end up here. This... this is where you will hate me. Daniel shooting Chris at the end of the last chapter was always intended as nothing else but a way to show how desperate they are. Basically, Daniel would've shot on the ground next to Chris, meaning nobody died. Also, I didn't think that anyone would truly "believe" it. However, judging by the comments, people did.

So, I'm like "ok then. Looks like Chris is dead now." Yep. True story...

Anyway, remember to leave a comment down below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

I absolutely love the amazing artwork at the end of this chapter. Full credit goes (once again) to "6_Laetitia_9". Keep 'em comin'!

Check out the creator's Tumblr for more.

Tumblr: manon-garden

Pain.
You live it.
Breathe it.
See it.
Fight it.
Cause it.

Pain.
Everywhere.
Nowhere.
Invisible.
Yet, you see it all the time.

Pain.
Your price.
For disobedience.

You.
No one.
Nothing.
Monster.
Freak.

You long for death.
Take my hand.
And I shall grant your wish.

Trust me...

Chapter 21: Felipe's Fortitude

Summary:

Daniel believes it to be over. He is, however, in for an unexpected wake-up call. Meanwhile, Sean takes one more step toward losing his mind.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The realm between realms…

Daniel could feel it. His body began shutting down, one limb at a time. His vision became cloudy and faded away. It's over. Finally, after so much pain, it's over. Daniel could feel the hands of God, lifting him towards heaven itself. Or, perhaps the blood-red hands of the devil incarnate, dragging him downwards to an even worse type of suffering?

He doesn't give a fuck. Daniel's not religious. Sure, he's had those moments of desperation in which he's prayed to god, but who hasn't? He never believed any of it. Especially, since it never helped him in any way, type, or form. He's just glad that it's over.

"I'm- I'm coming… Chris." Daniel mumbles as his body rests in the arms of someone, something, carrying him to somewhere.

The young wolf balanced on a thin line. Were the wolf to fall to his left or right, certain death awaits him. Fall forward or backward, and the wolf must carefully strategize his next move to save himself from demise.

"Why do we fall?"

"So we can learn how to get back up again." Thing is, Daniel doesn't want to get back up. He's sick of it. While drifting in and out of consciousness and/or death, Daniel noticed several things about this situation that just felt… off.

Scrambled words directed at his face in a language he recognized slightly, yet did not understand. Something eerily similar to a weak palm, slapping the side of his face. The rapid breaths of, not something, but someone, as Daniel's rushed away to parts unknown. His back rested on softer ground for the time being. Something roared nearby, and Daniel could feel a soft hand on the side of his face.

"No te rindas, pequeña." A female voice whispered to him. But Daniel didn't hear it. He lost consciousness the second he felt the hand on his face.

Elsewhere…

For the time being, Sean's out of the torture box. But he knows it's just a matter of time before they take him back there. Fuck. Is this how he's going to go? Begging for death inside a prison camp? It's late at night when he's sent back to the barracks. The very second Sean heard the door lock behind him, Sean rests his back against the wall, sliding down to a sitting position.

He's sad, but cannot cry. Thirsty, but cannot drink. Hungry, but cannot eat. Tired, but cannot sleep. His body, full of visible wounds that should be causing him pain. A great deal of pain. But it doesn't. His pain cannot be seen on the outside. Sean, however, could see it. Sometimes, he could still hear it as well. A constant ringing in his ears, making him feel like his head's about to explode. That sound remained with him, popping up sporadically, just to make itself known.

Still, he'll gladly keep that if it meant that he could forget the rest of it.

The hallucinations.

Horrifying visions of Daniel killing himself. Hurting himself. Slitting his wrists, hanging himself, shooting himself, and so many more horrors. His little brother, murdering, slaughtering, torturing people. A vision of Sean himself almost beating Daniel to death in a forest somewhere. All of it was horrible. No matter how much he tried, Sean couldn't get them out of his head. They felt so real, looked so real, and- sounded so real.

"WHY?! WHYYYYYY?!" The two words his little brother screamed in one vision where Sean took a bullet in the throat due to Daniel somehow forcing their car to keep going. Seeing himself die in third person was odd but the one thing he would never forget was Daniel's reaction to it. It made Sean wonder how the kid reacted if he ever came back to the house in Beaver Creek.

"Hey, Sean?" That calm voice from somewhere. Joey walks up to him, sitting down at his side.

"How- how you holding up, Sean?" It's clear at this point that even Joey's struggling to maintain his positive views. Sean, however, doesn't even acknowledge his presence. What's the point? They're not escaping this place.

"Jesus, Sean. What the hell did they do to you?" Joey sighs. Sean, however, needed no more than that. He could literally feel how something deep inside his brain just… broke. Either it broke, or it just couldn't resist anymore. Sean cried. He cried, and he cried, and he cried. Joey wrapped an arm around him but said nothing. Sean could only say one thing.

"I'm sorry." He apologized to every person he's ever known in his life. Sean apologized to his father for failing to do the final, and most important thing he asked of him. He apologized to his mother for being such a terrible son that she felt the need to sell them out. Deep down, he knew that wasn't the whole truth about Karen, but it's Sean's truth.

He apologized to Lyla, his best friend, for leaving her behind to be obliterated in the blast. His grandparents for not doing anything to save them. But most of all, Sean apologizes to his brother. To Daniel. He apologizes for all those years he treated him like dirt, and for not protecting him when he needed it the most. Sean Diaz cries out his pain for hours upon hours.

Finally, when he feels like the crying has ended, Sean just stares emptily. It is here, when Sean's at the lowest of lows, Joey tells him.

"I overheard some guards today, Sean," Joey told him, even quieter than a whisper.

"It seems like they're preparing for an attack. An attack by the SAA. Supposedly, they intend to free us, and have us join their… cause." Joey continues with Sean barely paying attention.

"We can't escape this place before that attack, Sean. I don't know exactly when it's coming, but I know it's soon. Very soon. All we can do is- well, the enemy of my enemy, you know?" Thing is, both sides are pretty fucking bad enemies in this scenario. Sean wants nothing to do with either of them.

But he's got no choice.

"Yeah. I- I know, Joey." Sean stutters reluctantly. He hopes that whatever goes down, goes down soon. Also, he prays that he won't have to visit the white room before it does. Sean's not sure that he'll survive another day in there.

An underground bunker, not too far away…

Daniel's senses slowly began to wake up. He could hear something that sounded like a fan of sorts, along with a buzzing sound. Then, his sense of touch came back. It wasn't a fan, it was an air conditioner. Wherever he is, it's not scorching hot like the desert during the day, nor is it freezing cold like the desert at night. It's just the way he likes it. Cold, but not too cold.

Daniel tries to move a bit, only to be met with the most unholy amount of pain in every muscle and joint in his entire body. He opens his eyes, fully expecting to see a sign reading "Welcome to hell" or "welcome to heaven."

He saw neither of those. But, he did see a sign.

Well, more like a note.

"Press this button when you're awake." Only now, Daniel realizes that he's in a bed. A real bed with fresh new sheets. He lifts his trembling hands, looking at them. Dozens of small cuts and minor bruises cover his hands almost entirely. Slowly, Daniel removes the blanket and sits at the bedside.

"Fuck…" He drags his palm down across his face. Daniel's hair didn't feel soaked in sweat like it usually did. Instead, it felt clean. He looks around, noticing how his clothing has changed. No longer is he wearing military gear. Good. He won't miss it. Instead, he's wearing what looks like hospital clothing. The type people wear before going into surgery. Basically, it does jack-shit to cover things up. But at least whoever saved him let him keep his underwear on. Had Daniel woke up in a stranger's bed with a new pair of underwear, or none at all, it would not do his mind any favors.

Daniel looks at his legs. The skin on his thighs has the same brown color as always. Daniel gasps slightly as his eyes land on his knees. Wrapped in a thick layer of gauze, each of his knees has suffered greatly in the lair of the reaper. Daniel continues, looking at his lower legs. His feet, just like his knees, are wrapped in gauze. Just moving them hurt like hell.

Daniel's attention turns to the rest of his body. He remembered a few years ago when he, as the foolish child that he was, burned himself by accident, yet on purpose.

The Diaz family was having a barbecue, and little four-year-old Daniel was excited like never before. His father told him to not touch the grill due to the heat. Daniel being Daniel, however, tried to steal a burger directly from it, using his bare hand. He missed the burger. For weeks, his hand had a large, red burn. Its skin fell off, it hurt, and it scared him. That situation reminded him of what he's looking at now.

Except, this is worse. So much worse.

Daniel's arms had a dark-red color, almost scary to look at. A tone that didn't belong on any human. He slowly reaches out with his left hand, letting his index finger brush against the skin on the right arm.

"Ow- fuck." Yeah, he's burned alright. But- but-

"Am I… alive?" He's so exhausted that he didn't even realize it. But it must be- he's alive. He fucking survived.

"I- I fucking beat you…" Daniel whispers in both fear and uncertainty, not entirely sure who or what the recipient of those words are.

"I did it. I'm still alive!" Daniel burst out into hysterical laughter. Not even the desert can tame him. Not even a place with locations such as "Death Valley" or "Route 666" can kill him. All he needs to do now is find his brother. Find Sean, and then, they get out of here. Sean, Daniel, and-

Daniel quit laughing abruptly. His body froze, and a chilly sensation appeared around the neck area, slowly making its way downward, through his entire body. Now, it all came back.

"Chris…" Daniel whimpered as laughing turned to crying. This time, he wasn't dehydrated. This time, there were tears. Lots and lots of tears. He killed his best friend. They made a pact. Chris did everything he possibly could, trying to keep his end of it. But he couldn't. That is- fuck- that was always his greatest weakness in a way. Not having the guts to do what's necessary. Christopher "Chris" Eriksen dies the way he lived. Innocent and blissfully unaware of the darkness inside him, he fought to keep hidden without even knowing it himself.

Daniel might be free from the reaper's lair. Someone found him. But Chris? He's still out there. Still dead, on the exact same spot, Daniel last saw him. His body shall rot away in that unforgiving place. That is, of course, unless the vultures get to him first. Either way, Chris would never rest in peace. Only… pieces.

He's not sure how much time passed. Hours, perhaps. But it felt like years, almost. Daniel sobbed in his loneliness when it suddenly hit him. He's not sure how, or why, but when it hit him, it never left.

"What the fuck are you doing, Daniel? You can't stay here, feeling sorry for yourself. Not now. Sean needs you. He's been a shitty brother in the past, but when shit went down, he took care of you as much as he could. Return the favor, dickhead!" Daniel mutters not to himself, but at himself. Time to step up. Put the past in the past. At least for the time being. Right now, he's going to find and save Sean. No matter the cost.

Daniel sits up, looking around the room. A pair of clean clothes lay neatly folded on a chair. He stands up, feeling how his vision blurs due to the incredible pain it caused him. His feet are killing him. Well, not quite. But damn close to it. He takes the clean clothes with him to what looks like a bathroom.

Daniel stares at the bathroom mirror. Is that really what he looks like? Is that Daniel Felipe Diaz? The young boy from Seattle who loves Chock-O-Crisps? It's difficult to believe. The sunburns are bad enough, but even if he looks past them, Daniel can't recognize himself.

His face, chest, back, arms, and legs, are covered in cuts varying in both age and size. Daniel's taken his fair share of beatings, that's for sure. His hair is actually short now. Whoever saved him must have cut it for him as well. He likes it. Actually, he loves it. It looks like Sean's haircut back in Seattle. Nostalgia. The best and the worst emotion one could feel. Right now, however, it only felt good.

Daniel both heard and felt his stomach grumble. Looking at it in the mirror, it wasn't difficult to see why. Back in Seattle, Daniel would've been classified as the skinny kid without any fat or muscle, in desperate need of a pizza or two. Now? After months of starvation and mental decline, Daniel could count his ribs from where he was standing. Every breath he took made him think of the kids in those UNICEF commercials.

One thing, however, stood out more than the others. Or, to be precise, three things. Three long scars on his right lower arm. No matter what happened after today, these scars would never truly heal. They'll follow him for the rest of his life. No matter how long or short it may be. And they'll follow him in more ways than one. Daniel takes his left hand, hovering slightly above the first cut.

"The mind," Daniel whispers while slowly running his finger the same way Merrill had cut him open. The first time had hurt the most.

"The body." Daniel runs his finger through the second cut. A painful one, but he knew what to expect at that point. Then, he's left with the third one.

"The- the-" He doesn't want to say it. He can't say it. The implications feel far too great.

"The soul…" Daniel whispers as silently as possible in fear of anyone hearing him. He may have escaped whatever fate awaited Daniel Diaz the child soldier, but it didn't automatically mean that he wasn't a prisoner any longer. No matter how much he denied it, Merrill still had an invisible leash around his neck. But maybe, just maybe, Daniel could put Merrill's teachings to use? Just this once to save Sean. Then, he'll put them away for good.

"No. I- I don't wanna do that." Daniel decides to deal with that part of the plan at a later stage. He puts on the clean clothes. A pair of beige cargo shorts, and a black t-shirt featuring a wolf, howling at the lettering "Lone Wolf xSquad" above. Daniel always wanted an identical hoodie to the one Sean had. This kinda felt like life, telling him "no. fuck you. You can't have it!" But at this point, he's gotten used to it. Feeling afraid of what's to come, worried about who will appear, and totally unprepared to defend himself if necessary, Daniel pressed the button next to the bed.

He sat down on the bed and just waited. Whoever it is, it can't be a bad person, right? They saved him. Then again, so did Merrill, and look where that got him. About thirty seconds later, Daniel heard footsteps followed by a slight knock on the door. The person behind the said door wasn't entering unless he permitted them to do so.

"Come in," Daniel says in a depressing tone. Is this the point where some creep will enter the room and…

Daniel buries that thought in the deepest, darkest parts of his mind. Hopefully, that's where it shall stay. He holds his breath as the door opens. Afraid to look, he closes his eyes.

"How do you feel, little one? You almost didn't make it, you know." Almost on instinct, Daniel let out the breath he held in as he opened his eyes. In front of him was a woman. The early forties, perhaps. Long, dark hair. She felt- she felt… safe. Good. Daniel opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. He couldn't speak. The woman sat down next to him, still keeping a little distance as if she didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

"It's ok, it's ok. You're safe here. Nothing bad will happen to you. Now, take your time, little one. Perhaps, start with telling me your name?" Her soothing voice helps Daniel calm down. He takes a few deep breaths.

"Daniel. My name… is Daniel." More silent than a whisper.

"Hi, Daniel. It's nice to see you up. I'm Maria Flores. I found you in the middle of the desert and brought you back here. You were close to death, Daniel. What were you doing out there, all by yourself?" She sounds worried, but also, caring.

"I- I wasn't by myself. I- I- Chris-" Finally feeling somewhat safe, Daniel didn't feel the need to repress all of his trauma. The floodgates opened up like a tsunami as Daniel threw himself into the arms of his newfound savior Maria Flores.

"You're alright, Daniel. You're safe. Nothing can hurt you here. Nothing, and no one." But Daniel didn't feel alright. He could feel safe here for the time being, but not in the long run. Perhaps nobody could hurt him in here because nobody could get here? Except for the woman comforting him right now.

No.

Daniel Felipe Diaz shall never be safe until he finds his brother.

No matter the cost.

Notes:

Obviously, Daniel's not going to die. Well, at least not yet...

Now, he's been saved by Flores and brought to an underground bunker. More on that in the next chapter. In this chapter, each brother is at their lowest of lows. Sean's breakdown with him blaming himself for everything bad that's happened and everyone that died along the way. Daniel's trauma catches up with him while he's got a motherly figure in front of him. They both break, plan, and simple.

The quote in the beginning, "Why do we fall?" and the answer "so we can learn how to get back up" is from Batman Begins if memory serves me right. (Why do we fall, Bruce?)

The way Daniel harms himself in Sean's hallucinations are references to various other fics of mine. Kinda messed up when I think about it, but oh well...

Also, speaking from experience (like, a whole lot of it), when you're really goddamn exhausted, you need quite a while to figure out stuff. No matter how obvious they might seem. EXAMPLE: I woke up once, wondering why the refrigerator was inside my room. Turns out I was on the kitchen floor...

Daniel's got his work cut out for him now. Will he be able to handle it, or must he use other, more sinister ways?

Time shall tell.

Anyway, love comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Be not proud.
The reaper.
Comes for all mankind.

I do not eat.
I do not drink.
I do not rest.
I only do misery.

I have seen the best.
I have fought the best.
I have beaten the best.

You?
You were lucky.
But you cannot hide.
I see you.
I own you.

You shall not.
Rest...
In...
Peace...

Only suffer.

Chapter 22: Diaz's Detainment

Summary:

Daniel's recovering inside the bunker. However, his past comes back to haunt him in more ways than one. Also, he's wondering what the deal with Maria Flores really is.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

One week later…

"Hey, Daaaniel…?" No. Please, stop. Not again. He's just trying to sleep.

"Why did you do it?" Fuck…

"I thought you were… my friend." Daniel covers his ears, however, that's only helpful to sounds coming from the outside. The sounds created by your own twisted mind are much more difficult to silence.

"I am your friend, Chris. I promise you…" Daniel sobs silently.

"Then, why did you kill me?" Fuck! The guilt, the pain, and the fucking betrayal.

"Shut up. Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Well, if he wasn't awake before, he is now. Daniel looks at the concrete ceiling, sighing heavily. Every night is the same.

Every fucking night.

Chris returning from the dead to haunt him. Then again, he deserves no less. He killed his best friend, and he deserves to suffer for it. Lack of sleep feels like punishment enough after a week. Daniel already knows that he won't get any sleep tonight either. He gets out of bed.

Putting aside his emotional suffering, the last few days had actually been… good? Could things still be that?

Good…

Maria Elena Flores, the woman who found him in the middle of the desert was the only other person in this small bunker. She used to have a son, about the same age as Daniel. Sometimes she told Daniel that he reminded her of her son. She never said it out loud, but Daniel kinda suspected that her son died a brutal death at the start of the war. Also, she's a former federal agent, and the bunker itself was built to hide important government personnel in the case of war.

Yeah, that worked out well, didn't it?

Flores herself was a bit of both. Mostly, she was kind, caring, almost like a mother to him. Sometimes, however, she could be very controlling, stern, and strict, in ways that made grandma Claire seem like nothing. Especially when Daniel tried to convince her to help him save Sean.

"Absolutely not, Daniel. Never go outside, it's too dangerous! Promise me!" He promised. But he had no intentions of keeping that promise in the long run. He's here for now until he figures out a plan. Then, he leaves. It's a real shame though. This bunker has an enormous food supply, electricity, running water, and- hell, Daniel could even watch television again.

Sure, he had to watch whatever Flores had recorded on the HDD, but hey, it's still TV. Usually, that's how he kills time on these nights. Daniel wanders around in the bunker. His still burned feet were cold against the solid concrete. He never thought he would miss the heat, not even a little. But sometimes, it's pretty fucking cold in here. And nothing to see, not even a fucking window. It's just… sad.

Daniel walks into a small room, closing the door behind himself. The room kinda looks like a small recording studio of sorts. Or maybe… an interrogation room in the making? He doesn't want to know. Daniel sits on the single chair available, placing himself right in front of the monitor. The monitor's built into this massive wall of buttons and whatnot. A year ago, Daniel would've thought that he'd be starting a nuclear apocalypse if he pressed the wrong button here. Now?

Well, kinda doesn't matter…

It roughly worked like a regular TV hooked up to a computer. Daniel browses through whatever video files are available, hoping he won't find anything labeled "XXX". That was the first, and last time, he used Sean's computer.

The available tapes are some of the most random things ever. Daniel, however, managed to get lucky and found a few episodes of Family Guy to watch. Better than nothing. Still, every time he sits here, he tries the same thing before doing anything else. He knows it's not going to work. It's not going to work, because it literally can't work anymore. Still, he must try. What if…?

He opens Internet Explorer.

"No wonder we got our ass kicked. The fucking government uses Internet Explorer. Idiots." He mutters while moving to the empty tab.

" " He presses enter.

Nothing. Obviously.

"Fuck…" Everything feels so hopeless. Daniel continues to look for something to watch. After a while, he sees something familiar on the screen.

Seattle.

His home.

Without a second thought, he opens the video.

The very second the video starts playing, Daniel's taken back in time. No, not to that night, but to the time before this nightmare began. The video in question isn't exactly special, but he knows exactly where it is.

It's surveillance footage from his school.

Considering how much he despised the school, it felt weird to be nostalgic about that time in his life. Then again, a lot of things felt weird these days. The camera's placed outside the building, perhaps on a tree, and gives Daniel a view of the school itself. Not a single person seems to be there. Not exactly weird since it's dark outside.

He remembers it so well. How miserable he was at that place. Still, he drags two of his fingers across the monitor, silently wishing for things to return to the way they used to be.

"Fuck…" He sighs while resting his head on the table. His eyes briefly turn towards the bottom-right of the monitor. Two minutes past midnight. It's late, sure, but he doesn't care about the time. What he does care about, is the date.

April 11th, 2017.

His birthday.

His tenth birthday.

Ten…

"Happy birthday to me… happy birthday to me…" Daniel sings sadly with a low voice.

"I miss you, Sean. I really wish you were here with me." But he's not. Daniel celebrates his birthday alone, in a room, watching footage of a place that made him miserable for years. Daniel's just about to turn the footage off when something happens.

The dark footage lit up like a thousand suns set it on fire. Only that this, this was no ordinary fire. He wanted to look away, turn it off, erase it from existence, so it wouldn't be real. But he couldn't move. Hell, Daniel couldn't even look away. Far away in the distance, the dark-red mushroom cloud of death began its ascent to the sky. And Daniel knew, somewhere in that cloud, his father died.

Tears pour down his face, and his body trembles in both fear and trauma equally. But, it could never prepare him for what he saw next.

The entire building he used to go to five days a week began smoking. Like it was on fire, but no fire could be seen. The colors on the footage kind of… inverted? At least Daniel thought it looked that way. The cloud of smoke increased in size, the ground started to shake, and then-

For one split-second, maybe two, Daniel saw the very real devastation of the nuclear bomb with his own eyes. Immediately afterward, the footage ended. The camera, just like anyone and everything else in Seattle, did not survive.

"Dad…?" Daniel just stares emptily, unable to comprehend what he just witnessed.

"Papito…?" He slides down on the floor, crawling into the corner of the room. Daniel covers his face with his palms, crying in silence as he suffers through another night without sleep.

The next morning…

Daniel knew Flores had put a blanket on him when she found him in there. He just pretended to be asleep to avoid having to talk about it. About anything. Thing is, pretending to sleep doesn't give you any real rest. And he really needs it, right now. This place, this bunker? It's starting to feel like a prison. He's not allowed to go outside, meaning he can't go after Sean.

This is bullshit.

"Another bad night?" Flores asks him, sounding slightly worried. Daniel only nods in return.

"You should try to eat something. You need the energy." For what? He can't fucking do anything in here?!

"I'm… not hungry." He answers with a barely audible tone. All this food. Bacon, eggs, orange juice, cereal- so much to choose from. A month ago, he dreamed of having this. Now, when he finally does have it, he doesn't want any of it. He feels like throwing up.

"Come on, Daniel. You have to eat something." Flores desperately tries to convince him, but Daniel's in no mood.

"I want my brother," Daniel says sadly.

"Daniel… we've talked about this." Flores looked calm, but Daniel could hear the subtle change in her tone. She didn't like the thought of-

Him leaving?

Him potentially dying?

Sean coming back to live here?

Perhaps all the above?

And no, they've never talked about it. "It" being Sean, and Daniel wanting to look for him. Her way of talking about it was just to remind him to never exit this bunker because it would be too dangerous. Well, he's had enough. The wolf wants to find his wolfbrother.

He needs to find him.

"I want… my brother!" Daniel says again, louder.

"Daniel, that's enough." Flores tensed up, turning her back to him.

"I want Sean! My brother! I wanna go look for my brother! I wanna save him! Save Sean!" Daniel sheds tears out of both anger and grief, slamming his fists on the table. Flores quickly sits next to him, grabbing his wrists to stop him from slamming down his fists.

"You can't, Daniel! You can't. He's-" Flores hesitated a bit, but Daniel didn't notice in the state he was in.

"You can't go because it's too dangerous out there. It's a miracle that you survived this long. And Sean- you may have to accept the fact that your brother's… gone." Flores knew she fucked up the very second she saw those dark-brown eyes turn fiery red, evaporating any tears.

"NO! Fuck you! Sean's not dead, you- you're lying! He's not dead! No! He can't be! He-" Daniel screamed at the top of his lungs, punching Flores with the weak punches that only a sad child could. Then he just went silent.

"He… can't be?" Daniel whimpers as tears start to pour again. He finds himself crying into the shoulder of the same woman he's trying to get away from.

"There, there… you're safe here, Daniel. Stay here with me, my son, and nothing will ever hurt you." Shit. Seattle-Sean was right all along.

He really is a fucking retard.

How could he not see it sooner?

All the loving care and comfort whenever he felt sad, and yet, so strict as soon as he wanted to do something. Especially when it involved another person or him leaving this bunker.

Maria Elena Flores's got zero intentions of ever letting him leave this place. Quite the opposite. She intends on replacing her supposedly dead son with him. Flores doesn't want him to be Daniel Diaz, brother of Sean Diaz. She wants him to be-

Damn…

Daniel Felipe Flores?!

It doesn't even have a nice ring to it. Fuckin' hell…

Daniel cries in anger, grief, and- now the shock adds to it as well. Still, in his weakened state, Daniel makes a decision. A decision he should've gone through with days ago, but better late than never… or so he hopes.

Tonight?

Daniel Felipe Diaz shall leave this bunker, and seek out his wolfbrother.

Using any means necessary.

The day went by slowly. Daniel kept a low profile while keeping an eye out for anything usable to take with him. A medicine cabinet, check. Small storage room with weapons, check. Well, not "check" check. He'll have to do it tonight. After Flores's asleep.

He can't do much preparation unless he wants to be caught, so all there is now, is a whole lot of waiting. Daniel sits in his room, trying to draw to kill time. He's never been much of an artist. That's more Sean's thing. Feeling frustrated, Daniel tears the paper into pieces before taking a new one. This time, however, he doesn't draw. Instead, Daniel writes.

"Hey, Sean." Daniel paused to look around the room, afraid that someone, anyone, would read this. Someone who wasn't his big brother. When he's sure that nobody's watching, Daniel continues.

"I'm not sure if I'll see you again. So… I just wanna say that-" Daniel's vision becomes cloudy with tears.

"I'm sorry, Sean. You apologized to me. Now, I'm doing the same thing to you." Right now, Daniel only sees his own mistakes from Seattle, ignoring any action Sean made in the aftermath.

"I'm sorry for never listening. For never leaving you alone, and always going through shit in your room. And I'm sorry, Sean… for being a terrible brother to you. It's just- I wanted you to care. I wanted you to protect me, to love me. But I didn't know how. I'm sorry, Sean. Please forgive me. /Enano"

Daniel folds the paper before putting it in his pocket. If he doesn't make it, he'll carry a message to Sean with him to the other side.

A few hours later, Daniel ate dinner. He knew more than well that this could be the last meal of his life, or at the very least, for a very long time. Still, he didn't have any appetite. A real shame considering Flores made him a pizza. He only ate a slice before retiring to his room for the night. There he sat on the bed, waiting.

Waiting for the right time.

One hour.

Two.

Four.

The time is now.

"Hold on, Sean. Enano to the rescue." Daniel whispered as he prepared to escape.

Notes:

Slightly shorter chapter here, but I'll try to get one more out before the weekend's over.

The whole "Daniel replacing Flores's dead kid" thing was kinda added at the last second since I felt like she needed a reason to keep him there. However, since I thought about it so late, I can understand if it doesn't feel very... good.

Daniel watching footage from the nuke was just something I wanted for the heck of it. As for the description of the whole ordeal, see the link below for what I used as a source.

Video source

Other than that, there's not much to say about this chapter. Semi-filler, in a way.

Please leave a comment down below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

_

There is no life.
There is no death.
Not for you.

For you?
There is only pain.

Suffering.
Agony.
Despair.
And misery.

I am its master.
I do not feel pain.
I inflict it.
I sense no despair.
I only create it.

Anail nathrak.
Dorthnei diednei.
Bathnal nathra.
De era.

Accept the Lord of Darkness as your savior.
Allow the purity of evil to guide you.

Chapter 23: Brother

Summary:

Daniel intends to leave the bunker and free his brother. It all sounds so simple. Perhaps too simple...?

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The bunker — Zero hour…

Daniel got dressed in silence. He learned his lesson now. At the moment, it's midnight and cold as shit outside. But soon, the unforgiving desert sun shall rise, and burn anything and everything it touches, including him. Especially him. The cold he can handle, but the burns?

They still haven't fully healed since last time.

He must protect himself this time. Think before he acts. Daniel puts on a pair of dark-blue, long-legged pants. No shorts this time. A red shirt with long sleeves protects his arms from the burning sun. His shirt had a white space rocket and the writing "Space mission to Puerto Lobos" which kinda made him feel nostalgic. Daniel swore that he'd heard that name before, but couldn't remember where.

Then again, it felt like most of his previous life began to fade away.

A pair of black fingerless gloves, a blue FBI cap, and Daniel's ready to go. He really wanted to find a pair of sunglasses though… too bad.

"Ok, dude. Let's go." Daniel stands in front of the mirror, turning to a persona he wanted to stay buried for all eternity. Daniel Diaz the child soldier. The ruthless killer, and near-psychopath. He doesn't like it, but if that's what it takes to save his brother then so be it.

Daniel sneaks out of the room carrying an empty backpack. Time to loot the shit out of this place. The first destination to loot shall be the kitchen. Daniel opens a cabinet at random, finding a gigantic goldmine.

"Holy shit…" He whispers, not too loud, but not quiet either. Inside the cabinet, is about one year's supply of Chock-O-Crisps. He wants to fill up his backpack with them so badly, but no.

Think first…

"Act later, dude. Act later." He wants the chocolate, but he doesn't need it. Besides, carrying chocolate through the desert might not be the best idea. Daniel closes the cabinet and opens the next one.

"Yes, score." Water bottles! No matter how hard he tries, he'll never forget how thirsty he was while walking through the desert. A fate he wouldn't wish upon his worst enemy… probably. He takes ten bottles. It's going to be a bitch to carry on his back, but he's got no choice. Next cabinet!

"Fucking really?" Daniel internally cursed at the contents of the cabinet. Filled to the brim with a type of protein bar. He could fill up his backpack with those, and it wouldn't weigh a thing. They're healthy, take little space, weigh next to nothing, and survive in the desert heat. There's only one problem.

They taste like sawdust.

Not the good kind of sawdust either, but the old, rotten, asbestos-filled sawdust your uncle's cabin's made out of.

"Shit…" Still, it's the best choice. That, and he can't waste any more time here. Daniel takes as much as he can carry in his backpack. The next stop is the medicine cabinet.

"Damn… the feds really stocked this place up." It shouldn't come as a surprise since this bunker's built for government officials. God forbid if any of those get sick…

"What the fuck? Where do I even start?" Daniel questions himself. This isn't a cabinet as much as it is a room. He picks out something from the cabinet at random.

"Sleeping pills? Fuck yeah, I'll be needing you, buddy." Daniel loots a few cartons.

"Morphine? Take one pill against severe pain… side effects may include severe hallucination, addiction, and random death." How 'bout no?

"Anti-depressants? Hm…" Daniel didn't need to read more before he grabbed as many he could carry. Third stop…

Weapons storage room. The one place he's not allowed to go in this bunker.

Daniel rests his hand on the doorknob, closing his eyes. Large pearls of sweat start to pour down his face. He could hear someone screaming, begging him for mercy. But he opened his eyes to see that nobody was around. Still, he heard the shotgun blast. It felt just as real as the blood that splattered on his face. It felt so real.

But it wasn't real. At least, not this time.

He needs to get his head in order if he's going to pull this off. Daniel leans against the wall, sliding down to a sitting position. He opens his backpack, grabbing a bottle of water. It didn't help shit. He put it back, only to notice what lay beneath it.

Pills. A mountain of pills.

Maybe… just one? To help him focus?

"No, man. Focus, you idiot, focus!" Not now! He stands to his feet, taking a few deep breaths before entering the room.

Inside, was nothing but a small arsenal. Pistols, shotguns, rifles, grenades, all kinds of shit. They even had a rocket launcher. The thing looked bigger than himself. But Daniel can only take as much as he can carry. He scans the room, considering the best tactical move.

Grenades? No. Too risky in the desert heat. Might explode or some shit.

Shotgun? No. Too many… memories. Daniel shakes his head rapidly, attempting to get rid of the screaming.

Pistol? Small, easy to use, and practical. That's a yes. Daniel tried not to look at the black-colored pistols since they reminded him of Chris's fate. He picks out a silver-colored one along with some ammo.

Rifle? Heavy, impractical, loud, complicated, and a major no.

Sniper rifle?

Fuck…

Just as heavy, if not heavier. Ten times louder, and a bitch in general. It did, however, had one major plus.

The scope. It doubled as both weapon and long-range binocular. Daniel sighs as he hangs the heavy rifle around his shoulder. Food and water, check. Medicine, check. Weapons, check. Now, it's the final stop.

The room of Maria Flores which contains the keys to the bunker. Hopefully, she's a really heavy sleeper. If not, Daniel's prepared to use any means necessary.

He stands outside her room, listening to her breaths. She seems to be asleep. Daniel opens the door with great care. All his stuff, the backpack, the large sniper, he left next to the very exit. Here, he'll need to be quiet. Daniel looks at Flores on the bed. Next to her on the bedside table, is a photograph of a young boy, about Daniel's age. It appears to be slightly burned around the edges. Daniel's right. Her kid died.

Now, where are those keys?

A pair of pants hang over a chair. Daniel searches the pockets but ends up with nothing. Reluctantly, he opens a drawer with the utmost care he's ever done anything in his life. Still, he comes up empty. Nothing but random government papers.

"TOP SECRET — Project MK-ULTRA 2.0" Whateverthefuck that is?

Daniel opens another drawer, right next to Flores. Little did he know, however, that the cable of the alarm clock was in the way. In the corner of his eye, Daniel could see the alarm clock fall to the floor. It felt like time moved in slow motion. He threw himself on the floor while reaching out with one hand, catching it mid-air. Flores briefly moved around, grunted a bit, but did not wake up. Daniel remained in the same position for over ten minutes before he dared to move.

"Fuck…" His lips move as if he were speaking, but no words came out. Daniel put the alarm clock back and looked inside the drawer.

There it is. The key to freedom. The key to saving Sean. Daniel grabbed it, closed the drawer, and left the room.

But…

As the adrenaline began pumping, Daniel forgot to close the door behind him.

He walks for the exit, neither caring nor realizing how much sound he makes. The rifle's still there along with the backpack. Daniel puts the heavy backpack on his back and the rifle on top of it. He reaches into his pockets for the keys and unlocks the door. This is it. Just a few seconds from freedom. Hold on Sean.

"Don't move." Daniel froze as he heard the all too familiar sound of a gun getting loaded behind him.

"Fuck…" He swore silently. So close, yet so far away.

"Hands up!" Flores yells at him. Daniel does as he's told while turning to face her. Great move, Enano. You put the gun in your backpack. Great. Move.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Daniel? You can't go out there. It's, it's too dangerous!" Big words, coming from the woman threatening him with a gun.

"I'm going after Sean," Daniel tells her matter-of-factly.

"No, Daniel. You're not going after your brother. He's dead. You're going to stay here, with me. You'll be safe here, I promise you that." She's still pointing the gun at him, and he's still got his hands in the air. Is this the FBI's term for safe?

"I'm not staying here, Flores. I'm leaving. Whether you like it or not." Daniel fought to remain calm. His internal fury, begging to be unleashed, however, did not make itself visible on the outside.

"Daniel! If you try to leave… I will shoot you!" Daniel raised an eyebrow in pure reflex. This escalated faster than he anticipated. He's not going to try to run for it. The risk is simply too great. And he sure as hell won't be begging for mercy. He knows from experience that there's no such thing as mercy. Time to improvise.

Daniel lowers his hands, letting them hang freely as he slowly walks up to Flores. She seems uncertain of how to react, but the gun remains in place. Daniel slowly presses his forehead against the barrel of the gun while looking Flores in the eyes. Before speaking, he puts on his innocent look of weaponized cuteness.

"No, you won't. You can't shoot me. You can't shoot me, because you care about me. I remind you of your son. The son you failed to protect. What happened to him? Did he die fast without pain, or was he tortured, beaten, battered, and burned to death? Perhaps you don't even know? Perhaps, he became like… me." Flores starts trembling, unable to utter a single word in response.

"You think I'm just a sweet, innocent little boy, don't you? But you're wrong. I've killed people. In self-defense, for fun, and even without any reason. Do you know what that does to a small child? Imagine what it would do to your child? Me? I'm haunted by it, but I do not fear it." Daniel could feel the barrel, pressing against his forehead even harder.

"The reaper doesn't scare me. I do not fear death, Flores. I embrace it, welcome it. If Sean's truly dead, then I've got nothing more to live for. You wanna shoot me… shoot me. But we both know… you won't." Maria Elena Flores cries as her body trembles in shock.

"I'm leaving now. Goodbye." With an ice-cold tone, Daniel turned his back on the woman who saved his life and began walking towards the door. He heard the sound of a gun dropping to the floor behind him, accompanied by heavy sobbing. But he didn't care. Daniel exited the bunker and locked the door behind him. She'll never be able to get out now.

Wait…

"Fuck, dude…" Daniel opens the door, making eye contact with the broken Maria Flores.

"Here's your keys. There's no reason for me to have them now." Then he left.

Daniel Diaz may have done unspeakable horrors over the last few months. But that doesn't mean he can't change.

"Ok, wolfbrother… where the fuck are you?" Daniel looks up at the sky in hopes that his brother shall answer.

Twelve hours later…

He kinda knew what to expect this time. Also, he was a bit smarter about the whole thing. No running, no sitting down on the asphalt, careful with the water, all that shit. Still, it didn't make things very easy. His backpack weighed a ton, and don't even mention the sniper rifle.

Holy fucking shit…

What was he even doing out here? He didn't even have a real plan. Right now, he's just walking aimlessly, hoping to find something or someone that leads him to Sean. All he's got is the supposed camp Brett Foster mentioned. It's his only hope. But it's Brett fucking Foster!

"God, what am I doing? Sean?" Daniel empties another bottle of water before throwing it on the road, watching it melt. He wants to sit down so badly. Rest his legs for a while. Hell, rest his mind. But he can't. Not now. He can rest later when Sean's safe.

"Fuck… won't you ever go down, you asshole?" Daniel looks up at the sun. It's more than a few hours until sunset by the looks of it. Shit.

"Wait… is that-" In the far distance, Daniel saw something.

Smoke.

The risk of a forest fire here is slim to none. So, there must be people over there. With renewed strength, Daniel walks toward the source of the smoke.

"Wait…" He stops abruptly. If this is indeed the camp he's looking for, then he can't just come walking on the open road. Someone would see him, and either capture or kill him. Leaving him with one single option.

"Fucking hell…" Don't follow the road. Walk right through the sand while trying not to think about how much it hurts.

Easier said than done. He grimaced, he cried, and he fell. But he never made a sound. From here on now, it's complete radio silence without a radio. Daniel stood at the bottom of a hill with sand halfway to his knees. It burned him all the way to the bone itself. At least it felt like it did. The smoke was close. He could actually smell it. Weird. It smells like-

Barbecue?

He could hear machinery, gunfire, and people screaming. All of it, at the same time. With the panic hitting him, he ran to the very top of the hill, grabbing the sniper rifle. It's far too heavy for him to hold onto while standing, meaning he must lay down in the boiling sand. But now, he runs on adrenaline. Daniel feels no pain.

"Come on, come on…" He looks through the scope, begging for his brother to be there. He can't believe what he's witnessing.

"Fuck…" Brett Foster said detainment camp. Well, that's one term for it. The source of the smoke, as well as the barbecue smell?

One giant pile of human bodies burning.

Daniel felt sick.

People lined up, only to be shot in the head.

Daniel felt even sicker.

"Sean… I'm so sorry, Sean. I- I was too late." Daniel whimpers as he continues his desperate search. For every passing second, he felt more hope leaving him, along with more pain coming to him. Physical and mental pain alike.

However…

Just as Daniel's about to give up, and let the sand swallow his body, something happens. A door opened.

Literally.

A door on one of the barracks opened, and from it, came two people. The first one, was a mean-looking guard, carrying an assault rifle. The second?

Daniel gasped, cried, shouted, and smiled. All at the same time.

"Sean…" He looked at his big brother through the scope, only after removing his entire hand from the trigger. Just to be safe. He could barely recognize him. So small. Beaten, battered, bloody, and broken. But there's absolutely zero doubt. This is him.

Sean Eduardo Diaz.

His big brother, his idol, his role model, and his wolfbrother.

What the fuck did they do to him?

Daniel could feel the anger, boiling inside his veins. A million times more dangerous than the heat that comes from the sand below him. Daniel takes a deep breath as he turns his attention to the guard next to his brother.

This asshole. He's got no idea what's coming. Daniel studies that ugly face, and the smug smile covering it. Slowly, he starts to squeeze the trigger.

It all happened so fast.

One millisecond before Daniel's able to fire, something got the guard's attention. Quickly, he grabs Sean by the arm, dragging him into a nearby building. His older brother didn't even put up a fight.

"FUCK!" Daniel looks in the same direction as the guard did, trying to find out what caught his attention.

From all sides, vehicles were rapidly closing in on the camp. A lot of vehicles. Some of them with flags on top. Daniel felt a knot in his stomach as he turned his attention to the truck heading for the main gate. On the back of the truck, there he was. In full battle-ready gear, complete with a bulletproof vest.

Fuck…

"Merrill. You fucking asshole!"

Notes:

I believe that we're nearing the unofficial end of episode 4. Perhaps next chapter, but we'll see.

Daniel not remembering Puerto Lobos is for two reasons. First, he wasn't as close to his father here as in the original story. Second, a lot of trauma tends to kinda make you forget about the past, making you only see the "bad stuff" in the present. Speaking from experience...

Daniel walking up to Flores while she's holding the gun is a way to show that all the time he spent as a soldier has made a deep impact on him. To an extent, he can be without emotions. At least if he absolutely has to. This is why he doesn't lock her inside the bunker but chooses to give the keys back instead. She's no longer a threat to him, and he's made it out. Still, he does not fear death. Something which can make you reckless...

Oh, and speaking about Daniel's time as a child soldier...

I told you Merrill's time would come...

Or maybe Sean's time has come?

Or maybe Daniel's?

Maybe none?

Maybe all?

Well, remember that I love comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

Found him you did.
Beaten.
Battered.
Broken.
But still...
Brother.

And you.
Hope.
A future.
Normality.
All of it.
Within your grasp.

Then...
He arrives.
Your personal reaper of misery.

His eyes.
Others see comfort.
You see a burning flame of hatred.

His arms.
Others see badges of honor.
You see the three cuts on your own arm.

His personality.
Others see him as a father.
To you, it is the reaper incarnate.

And the reaper...
Is thirsty for your blood...

Chapter 24: The Grey Servant

Summary:

This is it. Do or die. Time to save Sean, or die trying.

Notes:

A lot of tags!

The unofficial final chapter of episode 4.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

All Daniel could do was watch. Merrill. Here? Fuck. What's he supposed to do now? Daniel watched in horror as several trucks rammed through the fence, breaching the perimeter. Gunfire, screams, fire, and explosions, all echoed through the mind of the young child watching from a distance.

He felt so useless. So scared. Like a worthless little ant, alone against the fucking universe.

"STOP!" He screams at himself. This is it. It's now or never. Either he saves his brother, right here and now. Or, he'll watch him perish with the rest of these people.

Daniel looks through the scope. He looks directly at Merrill. Directly at the source of so much pain in his life. Who would've thought that one day, Daniel would hold that man's fate in the palm of his hand?

"I could do it, you dickhead. I could do it right now, maybe I'll finally fucking sleep for once? I could do it, I want to do it… but I can't." At least not now. Daniel doesn't want to risk revealing his position. This is all about his brother. Get to Sean. Get to that building.

Enter.

Get Sean.

Leave.

Victory.

Daniel moves towards the building while leaving the sniper rifle in its place. In his hands, however, Daniel holds a pistol. There used to be a time when he didn't have a second thought about using it. Even now, however, with his brother's life at stake, things are different. He doesn't want more bloodshed. He can't handle any more of it.

The reality, however, is not very forgiving towards young Daniel Diaz.

He enters the camp, only to freeze on the spot. Daniel looks around at the chaos, unknowingly letting it consume his already fragile mind. People ran for their lives, but nobody made it. Some ran around in circles, their screams silenced by the massive flames that swallowed them whole.

Daniel just stared.

He's pulled back to reality, however, as he feels someone tugging his arm. Daniel turns around, fully expecting to see Merrill pressing a shotgun to his face. It wasn't Merrill. Still, it wasn't necessarily better either.

Behind him, stood a young boy. Much younger than himself. Perhaps five or six years old. Daniel would guess that he's a prisoner here, judging by his clothing. Also, the blank stare in his eyes would suggest that the boy's in a massive state of shock, at best.

"Could- could you help me, please?" The boy whines out of either fear or pain, Daniel cannot be sure.

"Uh- help- help you with what, E- Enano?" Daniel's not sure why he called the child that. Perhaps as a way of comforting him? It always helped him at least.

"This. I- I can't fix it." Ok then. That would explain the empty look in his eyes.

This boy was dying.

In his right hand, he held his left hand in an iron grip. The left hand was not attached to his body. Blood poured out of his arm. More and more for every second. What the fuck?!

"I- I- I don't-" Daniel didn't know what to say. He couldn't do anything, that much he knew already. But could he say anything?

"Please, help me. I'm- I'm scared." Daniel doesn't hesitate as he wraps his arms around the young child, ignoring the surrounding horrors.

"It's fine. You're safe. Everything's gonna be just fine, I promise." Fuck…

"You- you promise?" The boy asked with a much weaker voice.

"I do. Nobody will hurt you again." Daniel felt the boy's grip getting weaker.

"Thanks. Oh, what does Enano mean?" The boy would never know the answer to that question as he let out his last breath, and the light in his eyes disappeared forever.

"Sleep tight, buddy… shit." Daniel's voice nearly breaks. No time for mourning. Sad as it is, this boy won't get a funeral. Nobody shall ever put a flower on his grave.

"Snap out of it, dude, focus!" Before you end up like him. Daniel continues towards the small building. Only one guard outside, and he's too busy taking cover to notice little Daniel.

"Disconnect body from soul. Body… from soul. Your body is only a tool for the mind. Let your mind do the work." Daniel repeats the mantra that Merrill taught him. He hates it, but it's the only way he'll be able to do it.

He'd forgotten how it felt. Taking another life.

Chris didn't count. He wanted Daniel to kill him. Hell, he even begged him to do so. This, however, is different. Sneaking up on an unknowing person, ending their lives in an instant. Daniel stared at the dead soldier on the ground beneath him. It happened so quickly, his eyes were still full of life. The rest of him, however, wasn't. His throat had a deep gash from Daniel's knife. He never saw it coming. Dead before even hitting the ground.

He made it. Time to get his brother.

Daniel opens the door, carefully stepping inside while holding the gun in his hands. All his senses are on high alert. He hears it all, smells everything, and he sees-

"SEAN!" Daniel saw a thick glass panel. On the other side of it, sat Sean. In a bright, white room, hands and legs, were cuffed to the floor while wearing some sort of headphones. The room must be soundproof, but Daniel could tell… Sean's screaming in agony.

"SEAN!" Daniel runs to save his brother. Finally, after all this time, the wolfbrothers are reunited.

"Sean- ow, shit!" Daniel lost all his focus the moment he saw Sean, and it cost him dearly as he was tackled to the ground by the guard he saw escort Sean inside. Idiot…

"The fuck you think you're doin' in here, little beaner?" Interesting. An asshole this guy may be, however, he's not a smart asshole. Daniel could see his assault rifle in the corner of the room. He's unarmed. Then again, so is Daniel. He dropped the gun to the floor.

Stupid!

Maybe… Daniel could trick him? He does seem stupid after all?

"What have you done to my brother?" Daniel asks him calmly, uncertain if he wants to hear the answer.

"Oh, you- you mean him?" The guard points at Sean. To see his older brother in so much pain tears him apart.

"That kid, he knows things. And me? I wanna find out what they are. He's not talked yet, but he will. They all do eventually. All I gotta do is play them some music. Then… they'll talk." The guard has a sadistic smile on his face, sending chills down Daniel's spine.

"What- what do you mean? Music?" Again, does he really want to know? By the looks of it, the guards seem more than happy to tell him. The dumbass turns his back on Daniel for less than a second to pick up a pair of headphones. Daniel took that opportunity to take one giant step closer to the gun.

"Here, beaner. Listen. This is what your brother hears all day, every day." Daniel's not sure why, but he puts on the headphones.

His head felt like it would explode. His ears hurt, his pulse tripled, and he felt dizzy and collapsed on the floor. Daniel threw the headphones to the other end of the room. What the fuck was that shit?

Torture. That's what. Literal torture.

"Haha, couldn't handle it, could ya? Well, you're not like your brother then. He's spent days here, you know…" Daniel felt the rage build up. This asshole's spent days, torturing his big brother. His brown eyes glow red with a fiery hatred. Daniel's face, however, smiles.

Why?

It's because now, while on all four on the floor, he realized something.

He's already beaten this asshole.

In front of him within his grasp, lays the gun. Daniel grabs it in his hands, quickly firing off two rounds into each of the guard's legs.

"AHHH, FUCK- SHIT-" He collapsed on the floor while Daniel stood up, pointing the gun at him. Daniel looked down at his defeated enemy. That look, he knew it. He knew it because he's had it himself on so many occasions.

The look of fear.

"No, please don't- ah, shit! Here, take these. It's the keys to unlock the door. You can help your brother. Just… leave me behind, ok?" Daniel takes the keys but keeps the gun steady.

He knows what he should do.

He knows what he wants to do.

The first thing is the right thing.

The second?

He would call it justice.

But it wouldn't be right. He knows that now. Daniel must do better, or fall down a rabbit hole so deep, that he'll never be able to climb out of it. Daniel can't do it. He shouldn't do it. He won't do it.

Then again…

He hurt Sean. His own flesh and blood, tortured for endless hours as he begged for it to end. Daniel Felipe Diaz can be a very forgiving child at times. However, nobody hurts his loved ones.

Nobody.

"For Sean," Daniel says decisively before firing one round, directly at the guard's skull, killing him on the spot.

Daniel shot him again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

Not stopping until the gun was out of ammo. The guard no longer had a head. All that remained, was a red and purple mass, consisting of blood and brains. Daniel drops the gun to the floor.

"Sean…" He mumbles while rushing to the door, fumbling with the keys. Entering the room was one of the worst experiences of his young life. The brightness blinded him worse than the desert sun, and it reeked of sweat and piss. But the worst part was the screaming. To hear his older brother scream in fear, pain, horror, and despair, all at once. It's the worst sound he's ever heard. Not even the nuke could compare.

"Sean?" Daniel tears the headphones off his brother's head before unlocking the cuffs around his wrists and ankles.

"Sean, are- are you hurt? Sean?" He stopped screaming at least. But… he's not responding. What the fuck did they do to him?

"It's me, big brother. It's Daniel… Enano." Daniel rests his palm on the side of Sean's face.

"No… no. You- you're not… real. I know you're not real. You're in my head…" Shit. This is bad.

"Sean… I- I am real. I'm your little brother, I-i love you, Sean." Still, nothing. Fuck. They can't stay here. Daniel's not proud of what he's about to do, but he's running out of options.

"Get your ass up, prisoner!" Daniel shouts as loud as he possibly can while hiding his tears. It did, however, work. Sean stood up on very unsteady legs.

"Follow me!" Daniel orders his zombified brother as they exit the building.

"Oh, shit…" Outside, the battle had ended. Who walked out the winner? Judging by this, Daniel would say that the battle ended in a double knockout. Neither side won, but they both lost.

"We'll take that car." It hurts to order Sean around like this. He's so out of it that he believes his ten-year-old brother to be a guard. Fuck. Sean sits in the driver's seat of the car. He sure as hell cannot drive in the state he's in, and Daniel's too short to reach the pedals. Guess this is going to be a team effort. Daniel's just about to enter on the passenger side when something else catches his eyes. Someone else.

The reaper of misery himself.

Jonathan Merrill.

Sitting on the ground, leaning against the remains of a building while attempting to stop the bleeding from the wound in his leg. Daniel sees his chance to close this chapter of his life permanently. He takes out his knife and walks toward Merrill.

"Merrill!" Daniel's angry. So angry. And hurt. Whatever remained of his innocence, this man took away from him.

"I knew you would return, Daniel. You all come back in time. Back… home." Merrill doesn't seem surprised to see him. He's not even angry at him for going AWOL. and he sure as hell ain't afraid of Daniel holding a knife.

"Go ahead, kid. Do it. I know you want to." Fuck… Daniel could swear that he's a mind-reader sometimes.

"What? You don't think I've been right where you are now, Daniel? Don't you think that I tried to run from it as well? I did. But I came back. This… made me stronger, Daniel. It made you stronger. Deny it all you want, but you know that I speak the truth." Daniel wants to do it. So fucking badly. He wants to take this knife and stab his black heart with it. Over, and over again, until he begs for mercy.

He wants to.

But…

Does he really need to?

If he goes through with it, then he's no better than Merrill. All that would accomplish, is to make sure that the never-ending cycle of evil would continue. Daniel takes a deep breath.

He's made up his mind.

"I want to kill you, Merrill. But, I'm not going to. Unlike you, I actually have a soul. You have no power over me anymore." Daniel put the knife on the ground before turning around to leave him to his fate. He could hear Merrill scream behind him, but he didn't bother to listen.

A powerless reaper…

… Is a reaper beaten.

Daniel sat in the passenger seat of the car. Time to get the fuck out of here.

"Drive. That way." Daniel cries inwards as his barely conscious brother somehow starts the car. Simple words, dude, simple words.

"Don't worry, Sean. We're going someplace safe. I promise." Say what you want about her, but she was right about one thing.

It's always safe down there.

The ride was slow and very unsteady. A barely conscious Sean, pressing a foot on the pedal while Daniel used his hands to keep them on the road… mostly. Still, after an hour or so, Daniel recognized the spot. He told Sean to stop the car. Sean did as told, but he's so close to passing out that he's not even aware of what's going on.

"Come on, Sean. We're here now. Let's- let's go." Daniel tries to keep his spirit up, but it's not easy. Just a few more minutes. Then, they can rest safely.

In the bunker.

The question is, how do they get inside? Daniel tries to bang his fists on the door.

"Flores?! Hey, Flores?!" Thing is, it's still open. Just the way he left it. Daniel's seen enough movies to know this isn't a good sign of things to come. Still, they have no other choice but to enter.

"Flores?! It's me, Daniel! You still here?!" Daniel shouts, receiving nothing but silence back.

"Stay here, Sean. I'm just gonna look around a bit." Sean's eyes widened as he heard his own name. Daniel, however, did not see it. With his older brother waiting at the entrance in case they need to make a quick exit, Daniel begins his search. He begins with the door to Flores's bedroom.

"Hey, you in here-" Yep. She's in here.

"Shit…" She really did want him to stay, did she? Hanging from a noose in the ceiling is the body of Maria Elena Flores.

Dead.

Suicide.

Daniel grimaces before cutting her down with a loud sound as her body hit the floor. Did he do this? Is this his fault? Maybe. Still, she did it to herself. Daniel grabs hold of her legs, trying to drag her body outside. She may not be a large woman, but fuck, is she a heavy one? At least if Daniel's to be asked. However, from out of nowhere comes Sean, grabbing her arms to help him. He seems more… lucid?

Usually, Daniel's the kind of person who would've wanted to at least bury Flores somehow. Considering the circumstances, however, they left her around the corner, more or less. Feed the vultures or whateverthefuck. Daniel's got more important things to attend to. They enter the bunker, closing the door behind them. Daniel takes Sean to the room he's spent the last week in. they both sit down at the bedside.

Daniel just stared at his brother. He couldn't say big brother. Right now, Sean's almost as small as he is. It hurt so much, seeing him like this.

"You- you're not real. I- I know… you're not… real." Sean whimpers painfully like this wasn't the first time he's had a conversation like this.

"Sean… it's me. Enano." Daniel cries in desperation. What the fuck will it take?

"I'm your brother, Sean. I'm- I'm your fucking brother!" Daniel screamed before launching himself into Sean's arms.

Or so he thought…

His older brother screamed in horror as he pushed Daniel away. Sean crawled into the corner of the room, hugging his knees while sobbing in silence.

"No. No more. Please… no more. Make it stop…" Fuck. What the hell did they do to him? Then, Daniel thought of something.

"Of course. Daniel, you fucking idiot." He mumbles to himself. Sean's been tortured, yes. But he's starving, and he's probably dehydrated too. He needs to get something into his system to get things running again.

Hopefully…

Daniel takes his backpack, sitting face to face with Sean.

"Hey. Drink this, Sean. You need it." Daniel hands him a water bottle. Sean looks skeptical, even smelling it at first. Then, it only took five seconds to down the whole bottle.

"Here," Daniel says with a bit more optimism while handing him a sawdust-protein bar. His older brother took it without question. After four bottles of water and fifteen protein bars, Sean closed his eyes while leaning his head against the wall. Daniel moves to sit next to him, leaning his head against his shoulder. It wasn't as comfortable as the last time he did it. He could almost feel the actual bone due to the amount of weight his brother's lost. Still, it fulfilled the most important purpose.

It made him feel safe.

He'd forgotten how it was, not being afraid all the time. Building up that mask of anger just to hide who you really are. A small, scared little boy. Apparently, it affected Sean as well. Daniel felt the arm of his older brother, wrapping itself around him. He didn't question it but decided to enjoy the moment. He did, however, notice the exact moment Sean's mind put the pieces together. The exact moment when Sean's entire body froze, and his breath became uneven.

"Dan- Daniel? Is that- is that you?" Terrified of what's ahead of him, Daniel looks up, deep into his brother's eyes. They're not empty anymore. It's a look of disbelief. A look that says "this cannot be happening."

"Hi…" Daniel cried so much, that he couldn't get another word out. He did, however, keep his eyes locked with his brother's.

"Enano…?" Sean lifted a palm to his little brother's face. He still couldn't believe this was happening. Daniel felt his big brother's hand on the side of his face as tears poured down. Then, Sean froze for less than a millisecond.

It was difficult to tell who made the first move. Perhaps it didn't matter? What did matter, however, was that the wolfbrothers were now reunited.

"DANIEL!" Sean wrapped his arms around his little brother. He hugged him tightly, never intending to let go.

"SEAN!" Daniel collapsed into Sean's chest, safe at last. He cried, and cried, and cried so much. None of them talked for hours. They just sat there. Beaten, bloody, starved, dehydrated, scarred, tortured, traumatized, but still… together. The Daniel without a soul, Daniel the soldier, is gone. Now, all there is, is Daniel Felipe Diaz.

A ten-year-old boy who idolizes his big brother. And today, Daniel saved the life of his idol. Perhaps unknowingly, also the life of himself? Daniel could be lying dead, vultures pecking on his rotting corpse.

Instead, he's about to drift away to a land of dreams while safely wrapped in his brother's arms. The wolfbrothers are finally back together.

Tonight?

The boy had no bad dreams.

Notes:

So, the wolfbrothers are finally reunited. Each of them with a lot of emotional baggage, to say the least. Also, this is the unofficial end of episode 4.

I wanted Merrill's "invasion" to be as full of chaos as possible which is why there are people burning and such. As for the kid wanting "help" to fix his hand? Supposedly, it's one of those things you read about here and there. In real wars, similar things (allegedly) happen. People looking for their arms and stuff, but not feeling any pain because they're already dying.

Going inside the camp, Daniel's mindset is similar to that of Daniel the child soldier. Basically "do what must be done." However, he doesn't kill for the sake of killing. Unless someone hurts his loved ones, that is...

Seriously, hurt Sean, and he'll fck you up. No joke...

Daniel having mercy toward Merrill is to show that he's better than him. In Merrill's own logic, Daniel shouldn't have any mercy whatsoever, therefore kill him. In short, Daniel NOT killing Merrill shows that he's not a blind follower without a soul. However, Daniel going overkill on Chad the guard shows that there's still a part of Daniel the soldier inside of him, very much alive.

Also, I know that "temporarily zombified Sean" isn't exactly the best thing in the world, but I had to make them move quickly, and I've already established that Daniel's too short to drive. The next chapter will be the start of episode 5 which means that we're slowly getting towards the endgame.

Anyway, remember to leave a comment down below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

You did it.
You saved one.
And beat the other.
He'll never hurt you again.

The one you saved.
Looks after you.
Takes care of you.
Protects you.
Comforts you.

The one you beat.
Evil.
Remorseless.
Soulless.
You wish to forget him.

However...

He left scars on you.
Four scars.
Three visible.
And one not.

The scars on your arm.
A life-long reminder.
You belong to him.
To the reaper.
You are not a person.
You are property.

The invisible scar.
Deeper than all others.
A distant voice.
It tells you to do things.
Bad things.

You do not want to.
But.
You have to.
How long?
Before it happens?

How long?
Until you lose yourself?

Mors tua.
Vita mea

Chapter 25: Flashback

Summary:

Sean escaped the camp, but how did it really happen? Also, Daniel asks his brother a question that has been a long time coming...

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Previously, in the mind of Sean Diaz…

That sound. He couldn't stand it any longer. It made him feel things, see things, and, had he not been cuffed to the floor, probably do things as well. Horrific sights that would haunt him in this life and the next.

BANG!

He heard a gunshot. It wouldn't be the first time that happened in his warped hallucinations, so Sean doesn't think twice about it.

BANG!

Another one. This time, he couldn't deny how real it sounded. His hallucinations, real as they felt, were still only in his head. But this felt… different. Several more gunshots go off in your vicinity, each one feels more real than the last.

He felt the sound in his ears becoming more and more distant while a voice took its place. This is a fate worse than the sound of horror. Hallucinating his long-dead little brother.

"Sean…me…Enano." Sean's eyes are ringing, making it nearly impossible to make out any words. He tries to look away from the non-existent being looking down on him. That's when he felt something.

A hand on the side of his face.

But it wasn't the large, rough hand of a guard, slapping him into oblivion. This was the small, comforting hand of his little brother. It couldn't be, but it was.

It's now official. Sean Eduardo Diaz has lost his mind. His grip on reality is gone forever. He looks at the abomination in front of him. He looks at… it. Not him, it. And it hurts him so much. Whatever his mind's cooked up, it looks just like him. Just like his little brother. His Enano.

Daniel.

But Daniel's dead. This is all in Sean's head. A vision caused by hours upon hours of torture, sending him into madness. It looks so real. Like Daniel's actually standing there, in front of him. Daniel's palm on the side of his face feels so real. The tone of his brother's voice matches exactly what Sean would expect him to sound like in a situation like this one. But it's not real. Please… get out of my head.

"No… no. You- you're not… real. I know you're not real. You're in my head…" Sean tries to scream, but the result is something of a combination of a whisper and a whimper. Sean blocked out whatever words this impostor told him next. From what he's learned so far, listening only makes it worse.

"Get your ass up, prisoner!" A voice shouts at him, causing him to rise to his feet quickly. The guards did not take kindly to those who refused to do as told.

The next hour felt like a massive blur to Sean. He remembers faint details, such as gunfire, the smell of smoke, and burning flesh. The desert sun on his skin, a roaring engine, and a heavy door closing, only to be followed by a breeze of cold air.

His worst hallucination in history leads him by the hand, making him sit down on a soft surface.

"You- you're not real. I- I know… you're not… real." Sean wants to believe that this is his real brother, he truly does. But he's believed before, many times. And not a single of those times ended up being real. And every time it hurt just as much, if not more, than the last.

"I'm your fucking brother!" He heard it say before Sean felt something press against him. A hug or a punch? Either way, he panicked, crawling on the floor and into the corner. The impostor sits cross-legged facing him.

"Hey. Drink this, Sean. You need it." He offers Sean a bottle of water. If this is all in his head, then no harm could come from drinking it, right? Still, he's skeptical about it. The guards sometimes put drugs in the water, just for the hell of it. There's nothing wrong with the smell, so he takes it, emptying the contents in seconds.

"Here." He's offered a type of protein bar which he takes without hesitating. That, and about fifteen more of them. Sean leans his head against the wall, exhausted. He closed his eyes while preparing to either wake up in the white room or die… again.

Then, that little something in the back of his head slowly began to move.

Why now?

A combination of things, probably. Escaping that torture camp, getting some food and water into his system, resting a bit, and most of all… brotherly love.

It began to move without Sean realizing it himself. He felt a familiar weight on his shoulder, accompanied by even more familiar breaths. Breaths that should not be taken because the person in question died long ago. Out of habit, Sean reached out with his left arm without even realizing it. In mid-air, he silently cursed himself because he knew that there was nothing there. Nothing but air. No little brother to keep safe.

However…

Sean's hand doesn't land on thin air but another person. Still, acting out of habit, Sean wraps his arm around the person protectively. A few minutes go by without him noticing anything. His chaotic mind needed a while to catch up to him.

And when it did…

He froze on the spot. Terrified of opening his eyes, of speaking, of moving, hell, even terrified of breathing. Any sudden movement might cause him to… disappear again. It didn't make sense, of course, but neither did him being alive. He had to find out if this was for real or not. He had to, but he was afraid to hear the truth. Sean takes a deep breath while preparing himself for the most difficult question of his life.

"Dan- Daniel? Is that- is that you?" Sean stutters as he opens his eyes to look at either nothing or everything.

"Hi…" Daniel smiles at him, crying uncontrollably but never taking his eyes away from Sean's.

"Enano…?" For every passing second, this hallucination feels more and more like reality to Sean. The look on Daniel's face felt like the tipping point. But Sean's got to make sure before reacting. Otherwise, he might break yet again.

He raised a trembling palm to the side of his little brother's face. Sean felt his brother's struggle to control his emotions. Something wet dripped on Sean's thumb. A tear. Sean uses his thumb to remove it from his brother's face, and-

"DANIEL!" He's alive. He's actually alive. The kid not only survived but saved his ass in the process.

"SEAN!" Daniel cried in his brother's arms, feeling safe at last. That night, the reunited wolfbrothers fell asleep on the floor. Sean kept his little brother in a protective embrace the entire time, making sure that nobody would get to him. For once, both brothers slept a good night's sleep.

The next morning…

… well, more like lunchtime.

Sean woke up first. His back hurt like hell from sleeping while sitting against the wall the entire night, but he's used to worse pain. He looks down at his brother who's still in a state of deep sleep. Sean doesn't want to let him go, for fear that he'll disappear again.

With great care, he stands up while carrying Daniel in his arms. Sean sets him down on the bed carefully, so as to not wake him up. He lies down next to him on the bed, staring emptily at the ceiling while listening to his little brother's snoring.

"I swore to protect you, Daniel. No matter what happened, I swore to protect you." Sean turns to look at the sleeping figure next to him.

"I failed, Daniel. I failed you, little brother. I failed you, and I'm so, so sorry." Sean whispers to him, receiving nothing but silence in return. Daniel, however, moved around a little, exposing something horrifying to Sean.

"What the fuck…?" Sean whispered in both shock and horror as he witnessed the state of Daniel's lower right arm. Three separate scars, varying in depth and width, starting at elbow height before continuing down to the hand itself. These scars, they're sloppy, crude, brutal, dangerous, and… self-inflicted?

No.

He wouldn't.

Then again, Sean remembers how worried he was about Daniel's mental well-being in Beaver Creek. It was bad at that point. Who knows the horrors he's been through since then?

"I'm so sorry, Enano. I failed you. I- I- I failed you." Sean let his brother's arm rest in his left hand while taking his right hand, carefully stroking the first scar.

"Huh… no- no. Please, no…" Daniel, still asleep, pulls back the arm before crawling into a little ball, looking anything but peaceful. Wherever he's been, it hasn't been good to him. Sean realizes that a very tough conversation's very soon.

First, however, he seriously needs a shower.

Sean roamed around what appeared to be an underground bunker, trying to find some spare clothes. In the end, he finds a plain black T-shirt along with a pair of blue jeans. Better than nothing. He goes into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

Sean just stood there. He couldn't believe his eyes. This person, this thing, looking at him in the mirror. It doesn't look like him. But… it is him. Scarred, deformed, and so malnourished that his cheekbones are visible on his face. He doesn't even recognize himself.

About an hour later, a long shower had cleaned the dirt away. At least on the outside. But no amount of hot showers or clean clothes would get rid of the invisible dirt and wounds that he's suffered. So much death, misery, and suffering.

He'll be better off dead.

They both would.

But they're not.

Instead, they're deep underground, inside this bunker of doom.

Sean Eduardo Diaz.

Traumatized, tortured, victimized, beaten, and starved.

Daniel Felipe Diaz.

Traumatized as well, however, in a much more complicated way. Instead of suffering through torture, Daniel is the one who tortures. He's been beaten many times and beaten others even more. Still, he too is a victim of war.

"Fuck… what are we going to do?" Sean mumbles to his mirror self.

"What… the fuck… are we going to do?" Sean lets his back rest against the wall as he glides down to a sitting position. There, in his loneliness, Sean sobs in silence.

Meanwhile…

Sleep.

Daniel can't remember the last time he had it. At least not this much. An entire night without any nightmares. Just regular, boring, deep sleep. He doesn't want to wake up, but it's kinda hard to fight against it.

"Hmm… weird." Daniel thinks to himself. Well, Sean probably moved him to the bed. God, this bed is so cozy. Slowly, Daniel moves his limbs, one at a time. It hurts, but not too much. He's in no hurry to get up though.

"Sean?" Still, with his eyes closed, Daniel mumbles his brother's name.

No answer.

"Sean… wake up. I'm hungry." Still nothing. Daniel flips over to his side, reaching out with his left arm, expecting the hand to land on his brother.

It doesn't.

Nobody's there.

Daniel felt a warm knot inside his stomach as his eyes sprung open.

"Sean? Sean?! No… no, Sean?!" Daniel looks around frantically for his older brother but finds him nowhere. How stupid could he be? He saved him, only to lose him again the next morning.

"SEEEEEEEAN!" Daniel runs out of the room and into the kitchen area. There, at the table, sits Sean.

"Daniel? What's going on- ow, what the hell-" Daniel walked up to his brother, punching him in the gut. These days, Daniel Diaz could punch much harder than your average ten-year-old.

"I- I thought you left me, Sean. I thought you left me…" Daniel embraced his brother with a strange combination of emotions. Love and hate. Anger and humor. Worry and relief.

"I'm not leaving you, Enano. Never." Sean whispers while trying not to stare at Daniel's scarred arm. But he noticed. Seconds later, the right arm was covered by the sleeve of a shirt.

The brothers broke their embrace, and Daniel sat down on a chair in silence.

He sighed.

He sighed again.

Another time, but louder.

"What is it, Daniel? I can tell you wanna ask me something?" Sean felt proud of himself in a way for noticing these things. Back in the day, he wouldn't care for any of it. But now, it's like a sixth sense.

"It's just… I- I don't know." Daniel looks down at his hands, probably wishing to be anywhere but here.

"It's ok, I won't be mad. Take your time." He could almost see how his little brother prepared himself. Whatever it is, it's something big.

"What happened, Sean?" Yeah, Sean's been asking himself that a lot lately.

"In Beaver Creek. What happened?" Oh… shit.

"I came back to the house with Chri-" Daniel stops. He doesn't want to talk about Chris. Not now, not ever.

"I came back, and- and-" Fuck… Sean could see his brother tear up.

"Grandma and grandpa were dead, Sean. Dead. And-" He's beginning to crumble.

"Mom, Sean. Mom's dead." Sean's lost any concept of time since the Beaver Creek incident, but he does know one thing. Whatever happened in the aftermath was so disturbing and fucked-up, that Sean kinda forgot about that part. All at once, it came back to him, playing on a constant loop inside his head.

His mother's Karen's betrayal before she got her brain splattered all over the place.

Now, Sean's left with a dilemma.

Keep the promise he made to Daniel, and tell his little brother the truth. Tell him how his own mother betrayed him, getting his grandparents killed, his big brother sent to a fucking concentration camp, and god only knows where Daniel's been.

Or…

Keep the promise he made to himself, and protect his little brother from the truth. It's the easier alternative for them both. Sean's spared by not having to relive it, and Daniel's spared by remembering his mother as a good person. But if he keeps the truth from him, Daniel can NEVER find out.

Daniel cries into his brother's chest. Loud, heavy, and painful cries, soaked with pain and suffering. Then, he looks up into the eyes of his older brother. His expression just screams at Sean to "make it alright again."

"How- Sean-" Daniel used his sleeve to wipe his face from tears.

"How did mom die, Sean?" This is it. Sean sighed inwards.

There never really was much of a choice.

"She died a hero, Enano. A hero. She- she saved us." Sean pulls his younger brother in for a hug as comfort, and to hide his facial expression. Two brothers cried. One cried out of sadness, mourning, and loss. The other cried out of anger, hatred, and pure spite.

But Sean wouldn't have it any other way. He doesn't want Daniel to find out the truth because he doesn't want Daniel to end up like him. Sean needs to keep him safe.

The question is…

Had Sean known at this time what his little brother's been up to in his absence, would he still believe that?

Credit: 6_Laetitia_9

Tumblr: manon-garden

Notes:

This is the beginning of the end, I guess. A bit of a softer start here. Also, I kinda wanted to show the escape from Sean's POV. Sean not telling Daniel about Karen felt natural, but who knows, things might change...

Now: After being dangerously near a writer's block of doom, I've figured out the rough part of the FOUR ENDINGS (what? I like having/giving options). For now, I shall say no more on that part.

Each brother has his scars. Some physical, and some mental. There's going to be a bit of brotherly therapy in the near future me thinks.

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

At the end of the chapter is another awesome artwork. I absolutely love these! Full credit goes (once again) to "6_Laetitia_9". Keep 'em comin'!

Check out the creator's Tumblr for more.

Tumblr: manon-garden

War.
It is all you can remember now.

Bombs.
Blood.
Screaming.
Suffering.
Pain.

Sometimes...
You bleed.
You scream.

Other times...
You make one bleed.
You make one scream.
You make one suffer.
You cause one pain.

Now.
Safe at the home lair.
You do not bleed.
You do not scream.

But...

Your pain?
Your suffering?
Is worse than ever.

Sleep tight, little cub.

Soon...
The past shall haunt your dreams.

Chapter 26: Post-Traumatic Sean & Daniel

Summary:

In a somewhat safe environment, events from the past begin to haunt the wolfbrothers. Perhaps some brother-brother therapy is needed...?

Notes:

Tags

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

On a desert road…

Daniel's back in the desert. How and why he cannot tell. The heat feels even worse than he remembered it. Still, something felt different this time.

"No soul…" He whispered to himself.

"I am useless, soulless… worthless." Daniel continues to whisper.

"I feel nothing because I am nothing… nobody." Daniel takes a knife and turns his attention to his lower right arm. Three large scars are still visible. He makes an incision in his arm, begging for his inner pain to fade away.

No.

The very second the knife pierced his skin, Daniel became overwhelmed by visions. Visions of events he'd almost forgotten by now. The dark-red cloud of death which swallowed his father along with his entire hometown. Hank Stamper, the very first person he killed. Poor Mushroom. How he found his mom and grandparents executed. His life as a child soldier.

All of it played inside his head at the same time, over and over again, at the speed of light. His pulse increased, large pearls of sweat poured down his face, and he screamed, but no sound came from his lips. Daniel felt something grab him, and shake him back and forth. He screamed again but still could not hear a thing. Then, his fear made itself known. Daniel fought back against whatever was holding him. He punched, scratched, clawed, and bit-

"Daniel, Enano?! Wake up!" Sean desperately tried to wake his little brother up from whatever horrific nightmare the kid was having. After a lot of struggle, Daniel's eyes sprung open.

"AAAHHH! Get off me! Stay the fuck away!" Daniel screamed at his brother, forcing Sean to let go. Daniel rolled out of the bed and crawled into the corner of the room. There he sat, back against Sean, and eyes to the corner of the wall. Sean's shocked, worried, and helpless, all at once. He's not sure what Daniel's been up to in his absence, however, it sure as hell wasn't good. Sean wants to help him, but… how?

Daniel went through hell, but so did Sean. Nobody's helping Sean, and yet, he's supposed to help Daniel? How the fuck is he supposed to pull off that one? Without a word, Sean sits down on the floor. He keeps a bit of distance, allowing Daniel to have some privacy. That, and he needs to fucking think about what to say.

"Daniel?" Sean says hesitantly. Shit, just looking at his little brother almost broke his heart. His uneven breaths, the way his entire body trembled in fear, and most important of all… how his left hand squeezed those three cuts on the right arm. It seems like the time has come for that difficult conversation. Like it, or not…

So, what the fuck does he say? No matter how much he thinks about it, Sean cannot for his life figure out something decent to start this conversation with. Wait-

Maybe that's the problem?

Perhaps he's thinking too much?

Daniel needs him to act, not think. Whatever happens, happens.

Sean scoots closer to his brother. Still, eyes on the corner of the wall is Daniel. Back resting against the wall with his brother sitting next to him, is Sean. He said nothing. Whatever happened to his little brother, seems to be haunting him now. Sean's not sure what, if anything, to say. From the corner of his eyes, Sean could see Daniel's face.

Eyes wide open, and not a single tear. What scared him the most, however, was Daniel's expression. A look of, not trauma, nor PTSD, anger, sorrow, loss, or any of that. Daniel's face told a whole different story.

Emptiness.

Like a shell, without the person it used to contain. A mind so damaged, there's nothing left of it. The original person changed into something else. The look of somebody that could not care less if he lived or died.

The look of Daniel Felipe Diaz.

Enano.

Sean could see how his brother slowly calmed himself down. The trembling stopped, his breathing returned to normal, and the scars were discreetly hidden with the sleeve of his shirt. Daniel leans on Sean's shoulder, but he still doesn't cry.

"What happened, Enano?" Well, he was going to act first, and think later.

"I just- I had a bad dream, Sean. I- I'm sorry." Daniel answers him quickly, making it obvious that he didn't want to talk about this.

"I know you had a bad dream, bro. That's… not what I meant. I mean, what happened to you, after Beaver Creek? Where were you, and how did you survive?" Sean felt his brother tense up for less than a second.

"Oh… I was just- I kinda went back and forth, I guess." Daniel mumbles unconvincingly.

"So, where were you?" Realizing that he'll have to pull the truth out, one piece at a time, Sean takes it slowly.

"I dunno. Just… places, I guess." Daniel answers the question without really answering it.

"Did people help you there? Anyone took care of you?" Sean tries to be patient.

"Yeah. People were good to me. I got food, clothes, and everything. Oh, and Chris was there too." Sean could feel a small hand grabbing hold of his own. Somehow, he hit a nerve with Chris.

"And what about Chris? Did they treat him well?" Daniel didn't answer. At the very least, that means that Chris Eriksen's dead. The question is, how? And why?

"Daniel. Did they hurt you?" Sean's slowly starting to freak out. Daniel's hiding something from him, and it's big, bad, and ugly.

"No, not really." Not really. That's basically a "yes" from somebody too scared of admitting it.

"What do you mean with that, Daniel?" Sean tries, more than ever before in his life, to draw out the truth from his little brother.

"I- I just- I dunno-" Daniel sits up, and holds his right arm tightly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Daniel, but… can I see your arm, please? I'm your brother, and I care about you, so much. I just want to help you, ok?" The shake on Daniel's face is obvious as he gives Sean his right arm. He rolls up the sleeve, exposing three long scars. Sean lets his fingers touch one of them while asking his brother.

"Do they… hurt?" Sean's struggling to maintain his calm. He wants to cry, needs to cry, but he can't. Not now.

"No. I don't really feel much of anything on that arm now." Sean sighed painfully. There's still a question, yet to be answered.

"Did you hurt yourself, Daniel?" His little brother looks down while shaking his head.

"So, how did you get them?" Sean's starting to wonder what's worse. His brother doing that to himself, or someone else doing it to him?

"I- I had to, Sean," Daniel says with a calm voice.

"They were going to kick me out if I didn't prove myself worthy by disconnecting body from soul." Sean's surprised by his brother opening up, and shocked by what he learns.

Daniel spoke.

He opened up like a book, speaking in a calm tone, devoid of any emotion as he described to Sean what he's been through. All of it. Every excruciating detail, with nothing too small or deemed unimportant. Daniel spoke for over three hours.

Chris leaving him in Beaver Creek. How the bombs fell outside the house, and the only sound one could hear above them was Daniel's cries for help.

Merrill taking him away, forcing him to shoot poor Mushroom, and scar himself for life. The brainwashing. How he truly believed that Sean wasn't his brother anymore.

All the horrible acts he's committed.

Sean could do nothing but listen the entire time. Daniel. His Daniel. His sweet little brother… a child soldier? Murderer, torturer, abuser, and- FUCK!

"We were going to die out there, Sean. In the middle of the desert. So we felt-" Daniel paused while explaining the journey he made through the desert with Chris.

"We wanted to go out on our own terms, you know?" Still, Daniel's shown no emotion throughout this ordeal. Sean, however, cries like never before.

"We still had that gun from before. We flipped a coin, and whoever won would go first. It was Chris. But, he- he couldn't do it, Sean. He couldn't do it." Now, for the first time since he opened up, Daniel's mask fades away.

"Daniel? What- what happened? What did you do?" Sean asked in horror, realizing that he already knew the answer.

"I- I- I killed him, Sean. Chris. I killed Chris. The gun had no more ammo, so I couldn't- I couldn't… kill myself, Sean. But I wanted to. I think I still do." Daniel broke down right in front of him. The walls around Daniel Diaz crumbled into dust as he sat there with tears pouring down his face, waiting for his brother to comfort him.

Sean's fragile mind isn't quite sure what to make of this.

Sean's been tortured, and Daniel's tortured others.

Sean witnessed hundreds of executions and Daniel's executed people.

Sean buried the bodies of murdered children, and Daniel's murdered at least one child.

If he ever needed proof that he's a failure as a brother, this would be it. Sean doesn't want to, but he cannot help but picture Daniel surrounded by strangers. He's afraid, broken, and still in a state of shock. Then, one stranger pulls out a knife, and- FUCK!

"Sean? Could you- could you say something, please?" Daniel looks at him. Sean recognized the look like the "Daniel in need of comfort" look. Still, something seemed different compared to how it used to be. Daniel no longer had that childish sense of "I'll never get over this, but if you'll give me a hug, I'll forget it in five minutes."

All Sean could see in his brother's eyes, was pain. A pain even worse than what he sees in the mirror. What could he possibly say to help him?

"Daniel… I- I-" Yeah, that's right.

The very second he opens his mouth, reality caught up with him. Sean's overwhelmed by the horrors his brother endured in his absence and runs to the bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

Throw up.

Swear.

Cry.

Throw up.

Swear.

Cry.

Rinse and repeat!

Isn't freedom wonderful?

Meanwhile, Daniel leans his tired head back against the wall while trying to make sense of everything. When he spoke about it, it didn't feel like his life, but the life of someone else. At least from the start. But the further he got, the more difficult it became.

Daniel, however, began to realize something. It made him equally proud as it made him sad. Now, when he's told Sean about it, he doesn't need to cry on his brother's shoulder for hours to feel better. Granted, it would definitely make things better, that's for sure. Also, he'd prefer that option if given the choice.

However…

Daniel doesn't have to. Perhaps he's growing up? After all, he's ten now. Or maybe his past has broken him mentally in so many ways, that his emotions don't work like they used to? The former would be preferred here. Either way, Daniel's stopped crying long ago, but his brother, however, has not.

Daniel stood up, rubbing his face with a sleeve. He walked to the bathroom, finding Sean sitting in the corner with his back to him. Daniel kneels behind his brother.

"Hey, Sean? Don't worry. I'm ok now." Daniel placed his hand on Sean's shoulder while doing his best to ignore how his right arm sometimes hurt when he moved it.

"No, Daniel. It's not…" Sean whimpers like he's lost all hope.

"Come on, Sean. I- I know I did a lot of… shit-" Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to ignore the visuals that appeared.

"But I didn't want it, Sean. I didn't want it. I didn't want it any more than you wanted to be stuck at that camp." Sean's body froze on the spot. It would seem like his brother had struck a nerve.

"You have no idea… what happened to me there, Daniel. No idea." Sean says with a serious tone without turning to face his brother.

"So… tell me, big brother. What happened to you?" Sean turns around to look Daniel right in the eyes.

"Do you really want to know?" This, without a doubt, was the most serious question that Sean had ever asked him.

"I- I have to, Sean. No more secrets, no more bullshit, please?" Daniel told his story, his horrible, traumatic experience, with one-hundred percent honesty, leaving nothing out. He expects Sean to do no less than the same.

"They- did things to me, Enano. Horrible things. It made me see shit that wasn't real. I almost lost my mind. Hell, maybe I did? Some of the shit I saw, felt so real, and it sounded so real. But none of it was real." Daniel's a bit confused as to why Sean's story begins at the near-end, but he plays along.

"What did you see, Sean?" His older brother turned away from him, unable to look him in the eyes.

"You, Enano. Always you. The first couple of times, you were just kinda… there. Eating a Chock-O-Crisp, playing Minecraft, or whatever. Then you just… disappeared. I was so out of it, that I couldn't understand why. The longer they kept me there, the worse it got. Sometimes, you would appear in front of me, take out a gun, and shoot yourself. It felt real every time." Sean's voice trembles in horror while he's remembering.

"It didn't matter which way I turned, or even if I closed my eyes. No matter where I looked, you were still hanging from the ceiling with a noose around your neck. I preferred the times you killed me. Sometimes, I hoped that they would be real, just to make it end." Daniel's hurting just by hearing this. He can't even imagine how it must hurt his brother.

"It wasn't real, Sean. I'm here now, alive. That's what matters, right?" He takes his older brother's hand.

"You just have to talk about it, Sean. It helps, you know." Daniel does his best to encourage Sean to open up. The effect, however, is the opposite.

"It's ok, Daniel. I'm good." Sean mumbles back to him while producing the fakest of fake smiles. Daniel could clearly see that his brother's anything but good.

"No, Sean. You're not good. You haven't even told me what happened. I told you everything, Sean. Everything. And you haven't even told me how you got there, to begin with." Daniel says stubbornly with a hint of anger.

"There's- there's nothing to tell, Enano." The reality of it all is that there's too much to tell. Most of all, how he got there, and why.

And who's to blame for it.

Karen.

Which is why Sean's got zero intention of speaking about this ever again.

But time and trauma have taken their toll on the wolfbrothers. One brother barely crawled out on the other side as a damaged, crippled wolf. The little cub creates an exit large enough to fit them both, walking through it as a full-grown wolf at heart, mind, and soul.

Whatever strength Sean used to have, is now present in Daniel. Except the kid's got willpower ten times that of Sean.

"Sean! I told you… everything. You're my wolfbrother. Don't lie to me, please." Daniel looks at his brother with disappointment, but speaks confidently, albeit sadly.

"I- I can't-" Sean doesn't want to tell him. Nothing good would ever come from it. But Sean's mind is weak, broken by endless torture. Meanwhile, say what you want about Daniel's mental well-being, but his willpower and determination were stronger than ever. Without even realizing it himself, he saw Sean's weakness and took advantage of it. Sean's weakness being Daniel guilt-tripping him for being a bad brother.

"Yes, Sean. You can. I tell you my darkest, most disgusting moments in life, and this is what I get in return? I saved you, Sean. I saved your life…" Daniel struggles to maintain a steady voice at this point.

Sean's faced yet again with the worst decision imaginable. Except for this time, the consequences are far worse than before.

He could tell Daniel the truth. It would be a massive weight off his chest, and it would generally feel good to just talk about it. Then again, he'll also have to explain to Daniel why he lied to him the first time. She sure as hell didn't die a hero while saving them.

Then again…

He could keep lying. Tell Daniel how he ended up at the camp, but leave out certain details while making up some others. It's risky. Very risky. One day, he's bound to say something that goes against his own fake story and makes Daniel question everything, including Sean himself.

Also, he could just refuse to talk at all. But Daniel's not going to give up. He knows that Sean's hiding something. In the end, chances are that he'll end up pissing Sean off to the point where he screams the truth to his face.

None of these options are very tempting. Basically, it's "shoot yourself in the left kneecap" or "shoot yourself in the right kneecap" or "cut off both legs with a rusty hacksaw."

Sean's made his decision as he pulls his little brother close for a hug.

"Daniel, come here…" Daniel leans towards his brother, knowing that he's won. Still, deep down his gut, he felt something big was coming.

"What happened, Sean?" Daniel whispered to his older brother, uncertain of what to expect. He felt Sean's arms wrap around him tightly, almost painfully. Then, the eyes of Daniel Felipe Diaz widened as his brother told him the truth.

"It was mom. She betrayed us, Enano."

Notes:

This chapter feels kinda "meh." I got stuck on how Sean would react to Daniel's story to the point where I considered starting the entire chapter over from scratch.

The wolfbrothers "new" traits are starting to show a bit here. Sean's mentally broken due to his time in the camp which is more than understandable. Daniel's been broken down mentally as well, however, he's also been trained to "detach" himself from moments of emotional pain. Although he doesn't want to admit it, that time of his life has left deeper scars than he expected. Some of which, could even be useful.

Now, either in the next chapter or the one after that, I will begin the slow build towards what will eventually become the end (sheds tear). I just felt that the wolfbrothers needed a bit of therapy after all they've been through.

Speaking of which...

PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
PTSD - Post-Traumatic Sean & Daniel.
Talk about a perfect fit...

Feel free to leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.
_

Trauma.
You do not see it.
Nor can you hear it.
You can only feel it.

And you?
You feel it a lot.

It haunts you at night.
Turning dreams into nightmares.
Sleep into wide-awake in fear.

It ruins your day.
A knot in your gut.
You cannot get rid of.

You do not eat.
It says you're not hungry.
You do not speak.
You cannot feel happiness.

Fun.
Laughing.
You barely remember what they are.
What they felt like.

Trauma.
It's a part of you.
Wherever you go.
It follows.

Run all you want.
Try if you want to.
The result shall be the same.
Every time.

Nowhere to run.
Nowhere to hide.
Suicide is the only way out?

Chapter 27: The Price Of Honesty

Summary:

Daniel's reaction when finding out the truth about his mother is slightly unexpected. It also leads the wolfbrothers to a new discovery that may change things forever...

Notes:

Tags!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"It was mom. She betrayed us, Enano." Daniel's overwhelmed by the image of his mother lying dead on the floor, executed without mercy. What the fuck's wrong with his brother? Sean wouldn't make up shit like this. Hell, not even the old Sean would do such a thing. It's not true, lies- all lies!

Still…

The way Sean bear-hugged him, combined with the very obvious fact that he was holding something back? Deep down, Daniel knows his brother's telling the truth. He didn't want to believe it, but he knew it to be true.

"What- what do you mean, Sean?" Daniel whispers, doubting that he can handle the answer.

"She had a plan of sorts, to get us out of the country. All of us. You, me, dad, grandma, and grandpa… everyone." Daniel listens closely as his older brother relives the most painful moment of his life.

"Something went down. People found out. The same people that…" Sean stops speaking abruptly as he realizes that this is how he ended up in that camp from the start.

"It's ok, Sean. I- I understand. Just… take your time. Deep breaths, remember?" God, his little brother's grown so much. Ok, maybe not physically, but the mentality of this kid? For every step Sean's taken backward, Daniel's taken two forward it would seem.

"She told me- she told me that she fucked up, and-" Fuck, he can't do this.

"She told me that she would get a one-way ticket to Ireland in exchange for-" Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shiiit!

"In exchange for what, Sean?" Daniel asked a question he already knew the answer to. He knew it, but he had to hear it.

"Us, Daniel. In exchange for us. She sold out her kids to save her own ass." Daniel still can't believe it. He may not have had the closest relationship with either of his parents, but he always trusted his mother.

"But it backfired, Enano. They killed her right in front of me. Then Claire, and then Stephen. They wanted me to tell them where you were." Sean looks at him, and Daniel could see the deep pain in his eyes.

"I didn't know where you were. But even if I did, I wouldn't have told them. They knocked me out, and- you know the rest…" This is a lot to take in. Daniel sat in that house, all the way back in Beaver Creek, and he cried over his mother's dead body. The blood underneath her head had scared him at the time, but he remained next to her anyway. She gave him a sense of comfort and safety.

Fast-forward…

That woman. His mother. He cried for her, he mourned her, and he missed her so much. But he never should have done any of those things. It's her fault Sean got locked up in a fucking concentration camp, and Daniel almost ended up there as well. His fate, however, isn't much better. Daniel's still not sure whether he has a soul or not. The three scars on his arm serve as a permanent reminder that he's not a human being any longer. He's property. A damaged piece of goods, past its expiration date.

Defective is what he is.

He was a defective son. He's a defective brother, both before and during the war. A defective grandson, defective friend, and even a defective fucking soldier.

His entire past flashes before his eyes at lightning speed. Bombs, screams, gunfire, and pleading voices. Daniel tries to shut them out, but nothing helps. It just keeps getting worse, and louder.

"Daniel?" The voice of his brother takes him back to the real world, and Daniel lets out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in. He looks around, barely noticing his older brother's nervous stare at him.

"I- I have to get out." He's not sure why, but he wants out. Now!

"What do you mean, Daniel? We shouldn't go outside unless we really have to. At least for the moment." Yeah, spare that shit. Daniel stood up and ran for the exit.

The very second he exits the bunker, Daniel's blinded by the sun.

He doesn't see it.

The air he breathes into his lungs almost boils him from the inside.

He doesn't feel it.

Daniel runs past the rotten corpse of Maria Elena Flores.

He didn't smell it.

A flock of feasting vultures temporarily ascended to the sky.

He never heard them.

Daniel empties the contents of his stomach onto the ground.

He didn't taste vomit.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

He's not sure what to make of this. How to feel about it. Daniel should feel angry, sad, heartbroken, and betrayed. Deep down, he probably felt all of those things and countless more. At least he thinks so. There's a part of him that's afraid to find out.

He doesn't want to be angry anymore because he knows what he's capable of when that happens. And that's a person he's intending to leave in his past from now on. Sad? Daniel's always been kinda chronically sad at times, to the point where he's uncertain if his heart can break again since it can't be much left of it. And don't even get him started on betrayal. Everyone around him betrays him, in one way or the other.

Dad left him with Sean and never returned.

Mom sold them out.

Chris left him to whatever fate had in store for him.

And Sean? His older brother might be there for him now, but he wasn't there for him until he had to. It took a nuclear apocalypse to get him to care. Sometimes, Daniel can't blame him.

Not even Daniel cares about Daniel these days…

The young wolf stood with his feet buried in the desert sand, looking out across the wasteland. Slowly, his senses are returning to him. The pain, the heat, everything. He's not sure if he cares. To his left, Daniel saw the truck he used to get himself and Sean here. He walks over to it, sitting down on the passenger seat while turning on the air conditioner.

Ok, he cares a little.

He couldn't cry anymore. There's just no point to it. What's even the point of anything anymore? Bad as it was, back at Merrill's camp, Daniel felt something he never felt before in his life.

Purpose.

He had a purpose there. Sure, it took him a while to find his place, but when he did, few dared to touch him. Daniel refuses to admit it to himself, but sometimes… he missed it. Daniel didn't miss Merrill, the shitty food, or the moldy room he got to sleep in. What he did miss, however, was the thrill.

He hated it, he hated himself for feeling like he did but denying it was pointless. Daniel Diaz got a taste of blood, and he liked it. It gave him a purpose, a sense of accomplishment, and-

"Fuck…" Obviously, it scrambled his young mind completely.

"Get out, you asshole," Daniel mumbles angrily while looking outside blankly.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Head." Daniel says with a purpose, looking himself in the rearview mirror.

"Your dead, I know you are." Daniel grit his teeth, realizing that-

He doesn't know.

Merrill. His personal reaper of misery.

Daniel left him there, injured, expecting fate to take care of the rest. Did it? Or, is he still alive?

"No, please no…" Ten seconds ago, Daniel remembered moments from Merrill's camp with nostalgia. Now, he's terrified. Perhaps he's still out there, plotting to take Daniel back… there? He can't breathe. Panic starts to spread throughout his entire body.

Then, the door to the driver's seat opened…

"Hey, Enano." Sean sat down next to him. Within a millisecond, Daniel's fear was hidden beneath an invisible mask on his face. He needs to stay strong because he knows that Sean's a walking shell of his former self.

"Hey…" Daniel mumbles back while trying to get it together.

"How are you holding up, Daniel?" He wants to. So badly. He wants to cry, scream, and most of all, ask Sean why in the fuck… he lied about their mother. But doing so will only weaken Sean even more. And he's in a bad state as it is. Daniel can't be honest. Not yet, at least.

"Not good. But… I've been through worse, Sean. I'm fine, I guess." Definitely not what he intended to say, but it'll work as a truth without telling the truth.

"Ok then…" Sean replied before putting the keys in the ignition and starting the car, causing Daniel to bang his head on the roof out of surprise.

"Ow- Sean?! What the fuck, dude?!" Daniel's pissed at Sean for scaring him like that.

"I'm a victim of torture, Daniel, not stupid. I know you're not alright. But I won't force you to talk about it if you don't want to. Whenever you're ready, we'll talk. But now… we're going for a ride." Sean puts his hands on the steering wheel.

"What? Are you crazy? You said it's too dangerous?" Daniel tries to sound like the voice of reason. His smile, however, betrays him.

"We both know you don't give a shit about that, Enano," Sean answers with a wide smile.

"Thanks, Sean," Daniel whispered as his brother began to drive away.

Neither brother knew what, if anything, they were heading towards. For now, they just followed the road. Daniel's glad that Sean didn't decide to go the opposite direction since somewhere beyond the horizon, lies Chris. He tried not to think about it.

"What do you think will happen to us, Sean?" Although he might try to be the strongest of the pair, Daniel's still only ten years old. There are certain questions that he cannot find an answer to himself. Sean sighed deeply before answering.

"It's a good question, Enano. I think that-" Sean paused as if he was in deep thought.

"Before all of this happened, Daniel… I barely knew you. Then, I was forced to take care of you in a war zone. That's how it felt at first. I'm alone with a kid I don't know, but the kid knows everything about me." Daniel smiled a little, knowing that his brother's got a point there.

"Then, I realized something. I found out what I've been missing for almost ten years, Daniel. I missed my little brother. And I know that I can't make up for that time now, no matter how much I want to. I just want you to know that-" Sean went silent for a brief moment, taking a deep breath.

"I just want you to know that no matter what happens in the end, I'm glad to have a little brother. No matter what I've said in the past. I'm just sorry that it took the end of the world for me to realize it." Daniel's stunned. That's quite the speech, big bro. Sean's admitted before to being a shitty brother. This, however, felt different. Like an ancient weight in Daniel's chest began to fade away. Not completely though. Carry weight around for that long, and it leaves scars. Still, the weight itself is gone.

"Thanks, Sean. For being honest with me." Daniel couldn't figure out what else to say, except genuinely thank his older brother for speaking the truth.

"I know I'm a bit late but happy birthday, gran hombre!" Wait, what? That's like the first time that Sean's congratulated him on his birthday voluntarily.

"You remembered, Sean?" Daniel asked while trying to keep his voice steady.

"I never really forgot, Daniel. It's just… I wasn't a great brother, you know?" Sean sounds almost proud at first but finished the sentence with a shameful tone.

"It's ok, Sean. I'm just glad you remembered." And Daniel was glad. Very glad.

"Still, you didn't answer my question, Sean. What do you think will happen to us?" Daniel's just messing with his brother now since he realized that Sean's as clueless as himself.

"I dunno. I mean, you've technically gone AWOL which makes you a traitor, Enano. And me? Well, I just escaped the Mexican death camp-" Sean speaks sarcastically as his brother interrupts him.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't bullshit me, Sean. I didn't go AWOL, I just kinda left… without asking, which makes me a deserter. Plus, you didn't escape, bro. I got you out, Sean. I got your ass out of the Mexican death camp of-" Maybe it was the way Sean spoke of it so sarcastically, or maybe how weird it felt to say the words "Mexican death camp." For a brief moment, Daniel went completely silent.

"Gotcha…" Sean whispered before it happened, however, Daniel failed to hear it. Why? Because now, Daniel did something he hasn't done in a very, very long time. Something he's almost forgotten how to do, just like he could barely remember the feeling of it, not to mention how it sounded. What did Daniel do?

He laughed.

The loudest, purest, and most innocent kind of laughter that only a child could produce. He didn't even know why he laughed, but he didn't fucking complain. Daniel couldn't even remember the last time he laughed because he found something funny. Granted, he had no fucking clue what was funny at this moment, but he knew that something was. Compare that to the last night at Merrill's where he and Chris had laughed for a lack of better things to do, once they realized that they were probably dead?

Contrasts, to say the least…

"Sean- I- I- god-" Daniel tries to say something, but he can't form a complete sentence.

"Stop- stop the car, Sean. I- I- can't-" Daniel's laughing so hard, that he begins to cough. Sean pulls over to the side of the road, just like his brother asked.

Then he just looked at his brother, enjoying the fact that deep down, underneath all that pain, there's still a child, very much alive.

"It's ok, Enano. Just… let it all out." Sean struggles not to laugh at this point.

For a good twenty minutes, Sean watches his younger brother as he's struggling to regain control of himself. Eventually, however, he seems to have succeeded. Sean reaches to grab a water bottle as Daniel Felipe Diaz crawls up in his seat. He's soaked in sweat, and his face is dripping with tears. For once, it's tears of joy.

"Oh… god…" Daniel mumbles while Sean hands him the water bottle.

"Mhm…" Daniel takes it and empties it in about four seconds. Then, he rests his head on the seat of the car.

"Oh my… FUCKING… GAWD, Sean." He's out of breath and clearly exhausted.

"If you ever have any doubts, Daniel. Any thoughts that tell you that you're beyond redemption, remember what just happened, ok?" All Daniel could do was nod. Perhaps his older brother sees more than Daniel realizes?

"I will, Sean. I promise you-" Wait a minute- is that?

"Sean! Sean look, look! Someone's there!" Daniel points at something in the distance. It's difficult to tell, but yeah, there's definitely something there. Sean heads along a dirt road, closing in on what appears to be a military-style tent. The military, however, abandoned this place long ago. That is if they were ever here at all.

"Be careful, Sean. I don't think we're alone here." Sean felt weird, having his little brother tell him that. He didn't argue though. They step out of the car, walking slowly towards the tent. One step at a time, slow breaths.

Well, that escalated quickly…

The fast click-click sound of someone loading a shotgun, followed by a deafening shotgun blast in the sky the next second.

"Who the FUCK ARE YOU PEOPLE! Leave me the FUCK alone!" A man dressed in army gear jumped in front of them, blasting the shotgun into the sky before aiming it at the wolfbrothers. Sean immediately put his hands in the air while trembling in fear. Daniel, however, let his hands hang alongside his body while showing no sign of fear.

"What the f-" The stranger looks at the wolfbrothers. Obviously, he wasn't expecting a pair of kids. Realizing the threat is slim to none, the man lowers his weapon.

"Shit, sorry folks. I didn't expect two kids to be walking around out here. You can't be too sure these days." Sean, having lowered his hands, makes an attempt at small-talk. Something he wasn't good at before the war.

"Uh, sure. That's fine, I guess. I'm Sean, and this is my brother, Daniel." Sean makes the introduction while Daniel's eyes stay on the stranger constantly. Analyzing him. Be it for an exploitable weakness or a lie, Daniel watches him constantly, looking for any sign that he's dangerous to them.

"Well, Sean, Daniel, it's good to see some other people again. The name's Nicholas Durand. As you can tell, I serve in the army, or-" Nicholas sighed.

"I guess I used to now. Everybody's dead, and there's nothing left here." Daniel looks at him. He told the truth about one thing but lied about the other.

"So, what are you doing all the way out here?" Sean asked curiously, feeling like Nicholas was almost baiting him to do so.

"What am I doing? I'm waiting, Sean." Daniel follows his every move. Every little twitch in his face. So far, he's only lied about being in the military.

"Waiting? For what, Nicholas?" Sean said in confusion.

"I'm leaving this country. Some old friends of mine are gonna help me get the fuck out before it's too late." Sean cannot believe what he just heard. Daniel, however, remains focused.

"Leave the country? How?! When?! And- and-" Sean could barely speak. He saw a small, small light at the end of the bombed-to-shit tunnel.

"Relax, Sean. I know what you're about to say. The answer is… yes, Sean. I can, and I will take you and your brother with me, out of this country." Thank god!

"… For a price, of course." Fuck the fucking what now?! Sean lost it. He got a small glimpse of hope, only for it to shatter in seconds.

"Who the FUCK do you think that you are, HUH?! This is a FUCKING WAR ZONE, and you, you're talking about money?!" Daniel acted quickly as he grabbed his older brother's arm, dragging him to the side for a private talk.

"Calm down, Sean, calm… down, ok?" Daniel tells him with confidence.

"Ok. I'm- I'm good." Sean takes a few deep breaths.

"Listen to me, Sean. He's bullshitting us about being in the army, but the thing about having a ticket out of the country? That, Sean, is real. I swear it. Whatever price he wants us to pay, we have to pay it. We have no other choice, Sean. Trust me on this, please." Sean tried to comprehend the fact that his little brother was a walking lie detector, but can't draw any decent conclusion from it.

"Ok, Daniel. I trust you. Let's do it." The wolfbrothers turn around to walk back to Nicholas.

"Ok, man. You said that you have tickets for us as well, but it comes at a price. Name it!" Nicholas grabbed the shotgun, once again pointing it at the wolfbrothers.

"My price, Sean, is not negotiable. My price is…" Nicholas's face changed expression as he turned to look at the little cub.

"Him." Sean's eyes widened, Daniel's even more.

"Wh- what?" Sean stutters.

"My price is him. Your little brother, two hours, my tent, alone." Fuck this shit!

"Fuck. You." No chance in hell he's forcing his brother through that shit! He'd rather go back to that camp, spending an eternity in the white room.

"Go to hell, you sick fuck! I'm not gonna sell you my brother-" Oh dear…

"I'll do it." Sean's left stunned, unable to speak a single word. Those horrible three words were said by Daniel.

"Here, kid. Put these on your big brother." Nicholas throws a pair of handcuffs at Daniel, ordering him to cuff Sean to their truck. He does as told.

"No, no, no, Daniel. What are you doing?" Daniel, however, was so fast that Sean barely saw it happen. Sean carried a knife in his back pocket. Daniel hugged him while simultaneously taking Sean's knife, hiding it under his shirt.

"Don't worry, Sean. I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine, trust me, brother." Daniel whispers confidently into his ear before going inside the tent with Nicholas.

"DANIEL! DANIEL! DAAANIEL!" Sean screamed in desperation after his brother. But at this moment, Daniel Felipe Diaz had ceased to exist. Taking his place was Daniel the defective child soldier.

And now?

He had a purpose.

Notes:

Slowly, the buildup towards the end(ings) has now officially begun.

Daniel feels a great deal of conflict in this chapter and hates himself for it while Sean supports his younger brother in the ways that he can, considering his own mental state.

Is Nicholas to be trusted? Well, that remains to be seen. And yes, his "price" is exactly what you think it is. However, you may want to keep in mind which Daniel entered that tent...

Not much else to say at this time. I got the rest of the week off from work (yay freedom & sleep), so I'm gonna dedicate a whole lot of hours to this story in the coming days.

In the meantime, please leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

The oldest wolf.
The little cub.
Imprisoned.
Not by law.
But, by danger.

No escape.
No exit.
No plan.
No one.
And nothing.

A stranger appears.
With an escape.
With an exit.
With a plan.
Someone.
With something.

But...
It comes at a cost.

The stranger wants the cub.
The little cub agrees.
The thing is...
This stranger?

He won't face the little cub.
Nor shall he face a teenage wolf.
No.
Not even close.

The stranger wanted two hours.
The.
Biggest.
Baddest.
Meanest.
Wolf.
Shall give it to him.

... Without mercy.

Chapter 28: Honoring The Deal

Summary:

Daniel intends to find out exactly what Nicholas knows. Using any means possible...

Notes:

So, quite a bit of tags on this one...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Daniel raised his foot off the ground to step inside the tent. The second that foot touched the ground again, Daniel Felipe Diaz, was no more. Daniel the ten-year-old child, was no more. Enano was no more.

He had entered another state of mind. A part of him that he'd sworn to bury in a place where he'll never be able to find it again. Now, he's found it. Nicholas has information. A vital piece of information that could save the wolfbrothers from this nightmare. Daniel realizes that for the better or worse, Merrill's right, to an extent at least.

"Show no mercy to your enemy because they will show you even less." Daniel's got exactly zero intentions to do whatever Nicholas wants him to do. But even if he does, what guarantee does he have that Nicholas will give them a way out of here? Because he does have it, Daniel's certain of that much. However, he believes that Nicholas intends to… receive his payment, only to then kill them both. That is, of course, if Sean doesn't get to him first.

But Daniel's got a plan of his own. Although he's not sure about the details of it, the plan builds up with every step he takes. He carefully looks around the inside of the tent. It's massive, big enough for twenty people at least. Daniel could see some old radio equipment, most likely broken. A first aid kit that would definitely come in handy, and more than a few handcuffs.

"Here, kid. Sit down." Nicholas points at a lone bed bunk in the middle of the massive tent. Daniel walks towards it, passing by a metallic pole. It's stuck, deep in the ground to support the roof of the tent. Inside, there are four of them, somewhat spread out. Slowly, Daniel begins to realize what the first step of his plan must be.

"That pole. If I could just get him on the ground for a few seconds, then I'll get some handcuffs, and- BOOM. Gotcha, bitch." Daniel runs the plan through his mind a couple of times. It all seems good enough. There is, however, one problem. Nicholas's a big man, and Daniel's… well, Daniel. How on earth is he supposed to get him on the ground long enough?

Daniel analyzes every inch of Nicholas as he moves to sit down next to him. He desperately tries to find a weakness but comes up empty. No limping, no arm hanging lower than the other, nothing. Shit.

Guess it's time to improvise then…

"Those two hours, they haven't started yet, kid. Your shirt. Take it off." Clearly, this wasn't a suggestion. It's an order. Do it, or else…

Daniel grabs the shirt with his left hand while the right hand grabs a firm hold of the knife he took from Sean. Now, he's just waiting for the right moment.

"Well? What the fuck are you waiting for?" This.

"Nothin'. I'm just… looking for somethin'." Daniel mumbles while feigning fear and confusion. For a split second, Nicholas's eyes rolled into the back of his head as if he thought "what the hell's wrong with this kid? Is this his first time selling his body for plane tickets or something?"

That split second was all Daniel needed.

With his soul temporarily erased from existence, his body acted as a tool for his mind. And the mind of Daniel Diaz, be it Daniel the child or Daniel the soldier, is quick, clever, and cunning.

Daniel grabbed the knife he had hidden under his shirt, proceeding to stab it in the kneecap of Nicholas. The man screamed in pain as blood poured down his leg, but Daniel didn't notice it. Nor did he notice his brother calling his name from the outside.

No.

Daniel's on a mission. He'll do whatever it takes to make sure it succeeds. He runs as fast as he can, grabbing four handcuffs before returning to Nicholas. Then, he puts one pair of cuffs on both his hands and feet before securing the screaming man to two support poles in solid steel. Nicholas lies on his back with his arms stretched high above his head, unable to move.

Daniel stood up to study him while he waited for the screaming to stop. The knife, was still stuck between his kneecap and the rest of the leg. That's the easy part. Now, it's time for the really difficult stuff. But first-

Daniel walks for the exit, looking at his broken big brother.

"I'm fine, Sean. He never got to me." Daniel tells him.

"Daniel- what- what happened?" Sean's too much of an emotional wreck to comprehend what Daniel just told him.

"I'm gonna find out what he knows, Sean. No matter what you hear, do not try to enter this tent. Do you understand?" Daniel didn't ask him. Hell, he didn't even order him. It was his way of saying that "if you come in, you will regret it."

"Uh- yeah. Yeah…" Sean's almost afraid by the look in his brother's face. That stare, whoever or whatever it is, it's not his little brother.

Daniel walks back to Nicholas. He no longer screams in pain, but instead looks for a way to escape. Daniel kneels next to him.

"You can't escape, you know. I won't let you." Nicholas didn't answer him, instead settling for groaning in pain. Daniel looked at the knife in his kneecap.

"You think that hurts… don't you?" Daniel speaks with a calm tone that would sound innocent in any normal circumstances.

"Of course it FUCKING hurts, you FUCKING retard! Let me the fuck go! This wasn't the deal!" Daniel only smiles back at him while mockingly shaking his head.

"You know nothing of pain." Daniel quickly pulls the knife out, causing Nicholas to scream even worse than before. He wipes the blood on Nicholas's clothes.

"The deal…" Daniel pretends to be in deep thought.

"The deal we had, was that the two of us would spend two hours in here, without my brother. You never mentioned any specifics. You're still here, I'm still here, and my brother's still cuffed outside. The way I see it, I'm honoring our deal. But, we both know that you intended not to do so, right?" There it is. Fear. He's on the right track.

"Fuck you, kid." Nicholas spat Daniel in the face. Daniel sighed as he wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Ok then. Have it your way, asshole." Daniel rolled up the sleeve on his right arm, exposing his scars. Nicholas couldn't help but stare.

"You see this? Yeah, you do. They did it to me when they forced me to become a soldier. Three scars. Mind, body, and soul. The third one I barely felt. It separated my soul… from my body. That way, I don't feel anything when I do shit like this. So, last chance. Give us the way out, or shit's going down!" Daniel made his intentions clear. The only problem is that Nicholas did the same.

"Fuck. You." Ok then…

"Well, I tried to play nice. Now, let's see. Your mind…" Daniel slowly drags the knife across the forehead of Nicholas. Not hard enough to draw blood, but more than enough to feel pain.

"No. I need your mind intact. At least for now." Daniel could hear a low sigh of relief as he pulled away the knife from his face.

"Your soul?" Daniel slowly pressed the knife through Nicholas's shirt until it barely pierced the skin over his heart. The man gritted his teeth.

"Dude, you tried to fuck a ten-year-old in exchange for plane tickets! You don't have a soul." Daniel removes the knife from his chest. This time, however, he's a lot rougher when doing so, leaving a scar in the process.

"I guess that only leaves… the body." Daniel sighed while looking around the tent for something he could put to use.

"What do you value the most, Nicholas? Me? I'm small, and not very strong. I value my legs because they make me fast. I can outrun danger whenever I want to." Daniel walks out of sight for Nicholas to pick something up.

Something heavy…

"But you, my friend… won't be doing much more running," Daniel says while lifting a sledgehammer above his head, aiming for the other kneecap.

"NO! GOD, FOR FUCK'S SAKE NO- I'LL TALK, I'LL TALK!"

BANG!

Kinda lucky there. The weight of the sledgehammer made it difficult to aim, causing Daniel to miss the mark by a mere inch. Instead of crushing a kneecap, he could play this off as a warning about what would happen if Nicholas were to lie.

"I'm listening." Daniel leans his arm against the sledgehammer.

"The desk over there. Open the top drawer. There are papers there with coordinates, date, and time." Daniel opens the drawer, taking whatever contents in his pockets.

"What is this?" Daniel asks reluctantly in confusion.

"It's a ticket out of the country." Yeah, Daniel gets that part. What he doesn't get, is who takes them out of the country.

"These people, who are they?" It's definitely not something official since all the airports are down.

"Smugglers. People I used to deal with when I sold drugs." Ah, so he wasn't a soldier then.

"They're safe, and somewhat decent considering the business they're in." Seems like the truth so far.

"We get here, and then what? How do we know that this isn't a setup? How do we know that they're not gonna demand more money?" Daniel asked him skeptically.

"You don't. But you have no other choice, don't you, kid?" Daniel Diaz could take an insult. Hell, he's done it his whole life. Daniel the soldier, however, is another story. He got what he came for. At least he thinks so. Hopefully, Sean knows more than him about coordinates. These notes just look like random gibberish to Daniel. What he did understand, however, was the time.

Seven days…

One week before they could get out of the country.

Now, time to finish up here and leave.

"Ok, good. I got what I came for. Now, you wanted two hours alone with me, right? Right now, we've been here for about…" Daniel looks at the very dead watch on his wrist.

"One hour and three minutes. So… what should we do for the remaining fifty-seven minutes?" Nicholas's eyes widened in horror as Daniel unleashed the inner demons he'd sworn to bury forever. Outside the tent, Sean desperately tried to shut himself down, so he wouldn't hear it. He had, however, little success doing so.

Painful screams, pleads of mercy, the crunching sound of bones breaking.

Sean desperately tried to convince himself that his little brother wasn't the one causing those horrific sounds. Whether he succeeded or not, it didn't matter. Fifty-eight minutes later, Daniel comes out of the tent with a blank stare on his face. The boy's pants, shirt, arms, hands, shoes, and face, are covered in blood. Not a single drop of it belonging to himself. Somewhere in the distance, Sean thought he could hear the voice of an adult man, silently calling for help. But he wasn't sure. It could be the shock, making him imagine things… again.

"Don't worry, Sean. I got it." Daniel kneels to unlock Sean's cuffs. Sean expected his younger brother to fall into his arms a crying mess. Instead, Daniel stands tall above him, offering him a bloody hand to get to his feet. Reluctantly, Sean takes it.

"What did you get, Daniel?" Sean mumbles, uncertain of- probably everything right now.

"Our way out. I'll explain later, Sean. Let's go back to the bunker." The wolfbrothers got in the car and began the ride back. This time, their journey was silent. Sean still felt the shock of Daniel, offering himself like a lamb for slaughter. Not to mention what happened afterward. Meanwhile, Daniel slowly began to fall back to his regular self. One piece at a time. Slowly, his mind connects the dots, realizing what he just did.

"S- Se- Sean?" Daniel whimpers while raising a trembling arm, finding it to be covered in blood.

"Stop the car, Sean!" He needs to get out. He feels sick. Fuck, he IS sick!

"What? What's the matter, Daniel?" Sean realized the very second the words left his mouth, just how stupid that question was.

"Sean, would you please stop the FUCKING CAR!" Sean doesn't even bother to pull over to the side of the road. He stops in the middle of the road, and Daniel exits immediately, running to the side of the road before stopping. Sean grabs some things before going out to him.

"You wanna talk about it, buddy?" Sean asks his little brother, receiving no other answer than Daniel shaking his head rapidly.

"Ok. Let me help you out then. Come here." Sean takes a towel, soaks it with a water bottle, and uses it to carefully clean his brother from all the blood. Unfortunately, he couldn't wash the pain away.

"Sean, I- I don't-" Yeah, buddy. Sean knows. We all do.

Daniel threw up.

Sean took him in his arms, carrying him into the car. While sitting in his brother's lap, Daniel handed him the papers he got from Nicholas. Sean wanted to say that he did a good job, but wasn't really sure how he felt about it.

"I got it, Sean. But- what I did- what- what the fuck's wrong with me, Sean? What the fuck is wrong with me?" Daniel cries into his chest. This is the invisible scar his brother has from his time as a child soldier.

"Nothing's wrong with you, Daniel. You've just been through a lot of shit. We both have. But, it's ok now. We're going to be fine, Enano." Sean believes that. Daniel, however, does not.

"No, Sean. I'm not going to be fine. I can never be fine. You can't fix what's wrong with me. Nobody can." Sean hugged his brother tightly but didn't respond. He didn't respond, because deep down he started to wonder.

Could Daniel Felipe Diaz still be saved?

Or…

Did his Enano die in that basement along with Hank Stamper?

Beautiful Wolf Brigade fanart on my wall. Also, to the left, is a painting my grandfather made (RIP). To the far left, are random masks I got from work.

Artist: 6_Laetitia_9

Tumblr: manon-garden

Notes:

This chapter if anything is the beginning of the end. The wolfbrothers have a way out. The question now is, how do they get there, and is it really safe? Most important of all, where does the road take them?

Also, it showcases the more depraved side of Daniel and his "invisible scars". He knows that he did something horrible, but he didn't know it until it was too late. He's got some form of hope for the future with them leaving the country, but he feels like he's irreversibly broken. And Sean? He's having his own doubts.

The story continues as the wolfbrothers make the final break for freedom.

Feel free to leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

At the bottom of this chapter, is one of the beautiful artwork that "6_Laetitia_9" made. In five days' time, June 13th, a year to the day has passed since I published my very first work here. I never believed in a million years that people would appreciate my work, even less, make artwork of it.

In short: It meant so much to me on a personal level, I thought "fck it, I'm gonna have that framed."
Cost me about 200 dollars in total, but it's easily worth it. The photos don't really give it justice, but it's difficult to take a decent picture of something when it's behind glass. 6_Laetitia_9/manon-garden, I'm removing family heritage from my wall, to make space for this (yes, I'm gonna frame the other two as well). That's how much it means to me.

P.S. Hope you'll forgive me for photoshopping the green line though...

The way.
You found it.
Is the way shut?
You do not know.
Nor do you care.
You must take it.

Where does the way take you?
Nobody knows.
Least of all you.
But you have no other choice.

The way is shut.
You open it.
The way is gone.
You find it.
The way is ruined.
You rebuild it.
You do it.
Because you have no other choice.

Pain.
Misery.
Blood.
Death.
Despair.

You're prepared.
Nothing shall stand in your way.
Nothing.
And no one.

To freedom...

Chapter 29: The Mirror Child

Summary:

Daniel tries to handle his trauma with catastrophic results. Meanwhile, Sean tries to figure out a way to help his little brother. If such a thing is still possible...

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Sean didn't say a word on the ride back to the bunker. He didn't know what to say to make his brother feel better. Hell, he began wondering if such a thing was still possible. No matter how much he hated the idea, Sean couldn't deny it.

Maybe his little brother's gone?

Upon entering the bunker, the wolfbrothers went separate ways. Daniel locked himself in his room, and Sean locked himself in one of the bathrooms. He studies himself in the mirror. His dark hair is long, and oh so dirty. The time in detainment made him lose about half his body weight, some of which he's now gained back. Still, he's skinnier now than he ever was before the war.

The dark, heavy bags under his eyes are still there. Sometimes, his past likes to creep in at night. It wants to remind him, let him know that "I'm still here, and I'll never leave." Sean Eduardo Diaz looks physically unrecognizable compared to the angry, insecure teenager back in Seattle. Still, while looking in that mirror, a moment of calm took place as he realized that there was only one thing he saw there.

Sean Eduardo Diaz.

Battered, bruised, scarred, and traumatized by the horrors of war. But, it's still Sean Eduardo Diaz. Nobody else. Deep down, he's still Sean. For the better or worse. He puts his hands on the sink while tilting his head down. Sean sighs, wondering.

"What am I going to do, Daniel? I don't know how to help you. I want to, but I don't know how. Just, tell me how, Enano." Sean asked in silence, knowing he would get no answer. On the outside, Sean's words could not be heard by anyone or anything. On the inside, however, Sean screamed it. Loud, in pure desperation while trying to deny the fact that he's all alone in this.

Meanwhile…

The ride back was torture for Daniel. Sean never said a word to him. Daniel, however, wanted him to. He wanted Sean to talk to him, comfort him, and… fix him. But Daniel understands now. Sean's silence said more than words ever could.

Daniel asked his older brother "what's wrong with me?" And Sean had told him "nothing's wrong with you." Daniel didn't necessarily believe it, but Sean saying that felt good.

Daniel said that "You can't fix what's wrong with me. Nobody can." And Sean did not respond. He didn't respond because he knew that Daniel's right. He's defective, beyond repair, and past salvation. Sure, he did get the location for what might be a way out of the country. But at what cost? The things he did? He didn't enjoy them, but he didn't hate them either. He felt nothing. Like his soul truly was disconnected from his body.

The moment Daniel entered the bunker he walks into his room, locking the door behind himself without a word. He's not sure what hurts the most. The monster he's become, or Sean realizing it?

Daniel leans against the wall, slowly sliding down to a sitting position. Usually, this is the point where he would wonder where things went wrong. Now, however, he's so emotionally drained that he can't even think straight. He needs to get his mind on something else. Daniel looks around, finding his backpack on the floor. He opens it, going through the contents inside.

"Oh. I forgot about you guys." Daniel completely forgot that he kinda raided the fed's medicine room before breaking Sean out. He takes out the various cartons of pills, putting them on the floor.

"Sleeping pills. Sleeping…?" Daniel's not stupid, far from it. He's well aware of the fact that he shouldn't take any of these pills. But now, he's just so desperate to forget about his misery for a short while. He's even willing to risk the sleep becoming a permanent one, just so he could rest for a while.

"Anti-depressants?" Well, he's pretty much chronically depressed at this point. His parents were too poor to take him to a psychiatrist. That, or they just didn't give a shit. He knows that the latter's true for his mother.

"Morphine?" The only one that he's not familiar with. Daniel's not sure about what exactly its purpose is. What he does understand, however, is the wording on the carton.

"For severe pain." The depression he could live with. Hell, he's been living with it for ten years, give or take. The lack of sleep is more complicated than that. Usually, he doesn't have much trouble falling asleep, nor staying asleep either. The problem, however, is the nightmares. Horrific sights that visit him every night as a painful reminder.

A painful reminder…

Painful as in "severe pain."

"Fuck it…" Daniel knows it to be a stupid idea, but he doesn't care if he lives or dies right now. He opens the carton, taking out one Morphine pill, placing it in the palm of his hand. Using his thumb and index finger, Daniel carefully picks it up, looking at it closely. It's so small. Barely half the size of the nail on his little finger. Daniel swallows the pill, expecting that it won't help.

"Nothing can help me. I would be better off dead." Daniel thought as he was slowly drifting into sleep. Or so he thought. The boy's head leaned against the wall as the temperature in the, usually chilly room, began to rise. It began to rise at an alarmingly fast rate.

"Holy- holy shit… it's so hot in here." Daniel tries to find something to use as a fan. A magazine, a stack of papers, anything. Inside the Morphine carton, he finds a small piece of paper. His eyes skim through the text as he instantly knew that he'd fucked up. Big time.

"Side effects may include increased body temperature, sweating, hallucination, suicidal tendencies, seizures, death, and insanity." Poor Daniel, amid a Morphine high, missed the fact that some of those things happened to less than one in a million people.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" It's getting warmer by the second. Daniel feels sick and runs for the toilet while doing his best to ignore the world spinning in circles around him. After throwing up, he splashes some cold water on his face, hoping to get himself back to normal again.

Yeah… no.

The very second he looked up at the mirror, an identical boy looked right back at him. It looked like Daniel Felipe Diaz, but, was it? Daniel took a step back from the mirror, and the boy did the same. He blinked his eyes, and the boy follow through.

Daniel slowly dragged his palm across his face. The boy, however, remained still.

"I told you." The boy told him sternly. Daniel nearly fell backward in horror. That voice, it wasn't his. Not even close. It's the same voice that's haunted him since this whole mess began.

The voice of the reaper.

"What- what the fuck… is this?" The boy in the mirror slightly facepalms while shaking his head.

"You're not real. This- this isn't happening. It's just… in my head." Daniel wasn't sure who he tried to convince. Himself, or the boy in the mirror. Either way, he failed miserably.

"Of course, I'm in your head, dumbass. But that doesn't mean this isn't happening. And it sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm not real because I assure you… I am very real, Daniel." His mirror twin told him calmly.

"What are you?" A cliché question, but what the hell's he supposed to say?

"I am you. I am the part of you that you despise the most. The part you call defective. I am Daniel the toy soldier." He can't wrap his head around this, none of it makes sense.

"What do you want?" Daniel asks angrily.

"I want to help you, Daniel. Your journey nears its end, and the two of us gotta learn how to co-exist. If we don't, we're both dead." The boy in the mirror speaks in a serious tone, but Daniel's having none of it.

"I don't want you, or your help, fuck off." Daniel splashes some water on his face, trying to wash this clusterfuck away.

"Deny it all you want, Daniel. But I know the truth. You can't lie to me since I'm literally inside your head, dude." The mirror twin stands with his arms crossed, looking at him.

"No. Shut up! Go away! Leave me the hell alone!" Daniel starts pacing back and forth in the room.

"I helped you survive at Merrill's, I helped you save Sean, and I helped you get that information. Still, I only helped. You, Daniel, were the one who did it. And somewhere deep down, you enjoyed it. I know you did." Daniel covers his ears, trying to block out every sound.

"Shut up, shut up, shut the fuck up!" Daniel's starting to panic as he's screaming frantically.

"You can't keep me locked up forever, you know? Sooner or later, your actions will have consequences." And that's when Daniel snapped.

"Leave me alone! Get the FUCK out of my head!" Using the remaining adrenaline of his Morphine high, Daniel closed his fist and aimed at the jaw of his evil mirror-self.

The sound of glass shattering into a million pieces.

A scream.

The sound of a small child collapsing on the floor.

And crying.

So much crying.

Three days later…

Four days until the plane leaves…

"Hey, Daniel? It's dinner." Sean knocks on his brother's door, hoping that today's the day.

"No, thanks, Sean. I'm not hungry." Sean sighs while putting a plate with a sandwich on the floor outside the door.

"Ok, guess I'll just leave the food outside then… again." Sean tried not to sound spiteful about the last part, but it was starting to get difficult. Daniel hasn't left his room since that day. He won't eat, sleep, and he sure as hell won't talk. That day, Sean found his little brother on the bathroom floor in a pile of blood, vomit, and shattered glass. Daniel told him what he had done, to Sean's horror. No matter how many times Daniel said that he wasn't trying to commit suicide, Sean didn't believe him. At least not fully.

He did, however, confiscate all of Daniel's pills. He put them back in the medicine room, locked the door, and threw away the key.

Literally.

And now, he's got no clue about what to do. Daniel refused to speak about what happened in there. Sean could put one and one together when he saw Daniel's bloody fist. He just didn't understand why. Sean didn't understand, and it scared him. For the last three days, Sean's tried just about everything to start some kind of conversation with his little brother.

Hell, he's even offered to teach him how to draw. But nothing works. He's been thinking of a backup plan, but it's a risky one. In more ways than one. If it fails, Daniel would hate him forever. If it succeeds, however, it's therapy and brotherly bonding equally. He's got to do something.

All he needs is in the truck.

Fuck it.

Time for the backup plan.

"Hey, Daniel?" Sean knocks on the door again.

"Leave me alone…" Daniel responds painfully.

"I'm coming in, ok?" Sean made it clear that this wasn't a question. Daniel sighed.

"Whatever…" He sounds so sad and so broken. Sean just begs that he's not broken beyond repair.

"Ok, Daniel, listen-" Sean enters the room, finding his brother sitting on the bed with an empty stare. The sight made him feel a pain that he could never describe.

"You need to get out of this room, Daniel. Get up, take a shower, and put on some clean clothes-" He could see how Daniel's eyes went from blank and empty, to full of widespread panic.

"NO! I don't wanna-" Daniel stops for a moment before continuing in a more silent tone.

"I don't wanna go in there, Sean." Daniel points to his bathroom.

"It's ok, Enano. Just, use the other shower, ok?" Daniel nodded before exiting the room.

About an hour later, Daniel's all ready to go. Sean got him to eat something as well, but his mood hasn't changed. He still doesn't speak.

"Ok, Daniel. Let's go. Follow me to the truck." Daniel's eyes widened in fear as he remembered the last time they went outside.

"S- S- Sean?" Daniel's hesitant about going outside. This, Sean had expected. He kneels in front of his brother.

"I know things went bad the last time we were outside, Daniel. I didn't want that, and I know you didn't either. I want to make it up to you, ok? Trust me, little brother." Sean extends his hand to Daniel. His younger brother appears to be considering his options while staring at the hand he's offered.

"Ok, Sean. I- I trust you, I think." Daniel says before grabbing Sean's hand.

Well, good enough…

They get inside the truck with Daniel remaining silent. Sean begins to drive towards the canyon in the distance while praying that his plan will work.

Upon their arrival, it was almost dark outside. The air was still hot, but not too hot. Sean exits the truck while grabbing his backpack with him. Slowly, Daniel follows behind him with a complete lack of interest. Still, not a single spoken word since they left. The brothers began a slow ascent towards the top of a cliff with Daniel looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

After the sun had set, Sean could hear a large thud behind him. He turned around, only to see Daniel trying to get to his feet as fast as possible while muttering curses. A few drops of blood could be seen on his left knee.

"Daniel? Are you good?" Sean asks, concerned for his younger brother.

"I'm fine, Sean. Leave me alone." It would be so easy to just brush those words off as Daniel being angry. Easy for someone else, perhaps. But not Sean. He could hear the pain that his brother tried to hide behind them.

"Are you sure, Daniel?" Sean presses the subject even more.

"I said I'm fine!" Daniel turns his back on him as he's close to the breaking point. Sean doesn't say anything.

This time, he simply acts.

He planned on wrapping one arm around Daniel, letting him slowly lean into him if he wanted to. It didn't exactly go as planned.

Still, that doesn't mean that it went to hell.

The very second Sean's fingers brushed against his brother's shoulder, Daniel turned around and wrapped his arms around him as the floodgates opened up like never before.

"I wanna go home, Sean! HOME! To Seattle. I wanna see dad, and my mom that didn't sell me out! I want my biggest worry to be the bullies at school again, Sean! Hell, I even want you to hate me again… I just- I just want a normal life again." Sean had no good answer to any of that. Nobody did.

"I know, Enano. I do too." Except for the part about him hating Daniel.

"Soon, this is all gonna be over. And then, we'll work on putting this behind us, ok?" Sean tells his brother.

"How, Sean? How?" Another question he's got no real answer to.

"I don't know. Not yet. But I do know that it helps to talk about it. And you, Daniel, need to talk about what you've been through. Do you understand?" Sean says with a serious tone.

"Yeah. I- I know, Sean." Daniel broke their embrace but refused to let go of his brother's hand.

"Good, Enano. I'm glad you do." Sean stood up and slowly began to walk again.

"So, where are we going?" Daniel asked with a small hint of curiosity.

"I'll show you when we get there." Sean couldn't help but smile when he heard Daniel groan in disappointment. He's not beyond saving after all. The kid's still in there.

The wolfbrothers arrived at the top when the sky was pitch black and stars were visible. Daniel sat down, resting his back against a large rock while looking at the sky. He always loved the stars, however, that's only part of the reason for them being here.

"Here, Daniel. Take this, I'm just gonna fix a little something." Sean throws a Chock-O-Crisp to his little brother. Daniel didn't exactly question why, meaning Sean had a few minutes of distraction.

He digs around in his backpack, placing all of it on the ground in front of him.

A lighter.

Two pencils.

A stack of papers.

And…

Two lanterns.

"Hey, Daniel? Come over here." Sean calls for his brother.

"Yeah, what is it- wow… what is this, Sean?" Daniel stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the lanterns.

"Why don't you sit down?" Daniel does what Sean asks him to.

"These lanterns, Daniel… they have many purposes." Daniel listens closely as he waits for Sean to elaborate.

"Some people use them at parties, for fun. Others use them as just a cool-looking thing. But, they can also be used as-" Sean takes a deep breath. It's difficult for him as well.

"A way to pay respect. Celebrate the memories of those you've lost." He could see Daniel holding back tears as he realized what Sean meant.

"One lantern is for you, Daniel. And here-" Sean opens a small compartment under the lantern itself.

"You can write messages to those you love, and tell them anything you want… if you want to." Sean felt a lump in his throat as silence filled the air.

"I'd like that, Sean." Phew! Progress…

Daniel took a pencil and some paper before sitting down on the ground, far away from Sean. He's lost so many people. Where the fuck should he even begin? Instead of overthinking it, Daniel just does it. Whatever comes to mind, he writes.

"Hi, dad. I hated you a lot, did you know that? No, you didn't. I just want you to know that no matter what I thought about you in life, I still love you in death. I just wish you could've spent a little more time with me. Still, I do miss you, Papito. /Daniel"

Daniel sighs while putting the note to the side in favor of a new one.

"Mom. I miss you FUCK YOU! Fuck you for betraying your family to save your own pathetic skin, fuck you for getting grandma and grandpa killed, fuck you for getting Sean locked up and tortured, and FUCK YOU MOM for making me into the monster that I am! Wherever you are now, it's better than you deserve."

Daniel angrily puts the note to the side, making sure it doesn't touch the one to his father.

"Chris. I miss you, and I'm sorry."

After some thought, Daniel decides to write a final note.

"To all the people I've hurt… I'm sorry."

Meanwhile, Sean settled for only one note.

"Hey, dad. You told me to look after him. Well, I tried. Things didn't always work out, but at least I did the one thing you've asked of me for the last ten years. I became a big brother. You would roll over in your grave if you knew the things we've done, but if you knew the things we've accomplished… you would be proud, dad. I know you would. / Sean and Enano (that's Daniel now)"

"I'm finished, Sean." Daniel's unsteady voice says from his side.

"Ok, man. Put the notes in here." Sean opens the small compartment on one lantern to put his note in while Daniel does the same on the other.

"You want me to light them up?" Daniel didn't answer. He simply grabbed the lighter out of his brother's hands. Daniel lights up his lantern first, and then Sean's. The brothers stood up and grabbed their lanterns.

"You ready, Enano?" Daniel turns to him, smiling for the first time in days.

"Yeah, Sean, I'm ready." It seems like the backup plan worked.

"Let's light up the sky, bro," Sean says before they drop their lanterns into the air simultaneously. The plan had worked. Daniel had started to open up a little. What Sean didn't count on, however, was the effect it would have on himself. It really felt like he just said those words to his father. Hopefully, he would be proud. He'd like to believe so.

Meanwhile, in Daniel's mind, a thousand weights slowly began to evaporate. Some of them, fading away almost entirely. Others remained, only much lighter to carry. It didn't, by any means, make Daniel Diaz feel like a normal child again. Not even close. It did, however, give him that small amount of hope he so desperately needed to carry on. The small amount of hope that maybe, one day he'll have an ordinary life again.

" Hey, Sean?" Daniel says while leaning towards his older brother as they're watching the lanterns ascending.

"Yeah?" Sean wrapped an arm around him.

"Thanks. Thanks for making me feel better." This time, Sean didn't respond. But Daniel didn't need him to. The tears pouring down his big brother's face was more than enough.

"Maybe… I can be fixed?" The young wolf thought while studying the small light, high up in the sky as it rose higher and higher. Eventually, he saw the light fade away, and with it, so did a large portion of his trauma.

Progress has been made.

Notes:

This chapter focuses a lot on Daniel's trauma, and how powerless Sean feels when he wants to help him.

My reasoning with the whole "mirror-parts" goes something like this.

Sean sees an unrecognizable person in the mirror, but he still sees himself. Therefore, he's still Sean.

Daniel sees a person he recognizes, but he feels like it isn't him. He's changed so much that he can't recognize himself anymore.

As for the Morphine trip? Well, I wanted Daniel to sort of "talk" to his evil counterpart. Since he's not clinically insane, I had to find other methods to make that happen.

One other thing: Anybody that might think that "Nah, you don't get like that on Morphine." I welcome you to read a chapter of my work "Memories" which I will link below. Morphine makes beds fly around in space, doing hula-hoops...

Memories

Daniel's breakdown in the canyon is him letting out the most basic of wishes and dreams he's had since it all began.

Also, the lantern scene serves a purpose as well. Hell, just the regular lantern scene in itself is enough, but here, each brother gets a bit of therapy. Somewhat similar to "Writing Exposure Therapy" which I'm currently trying out ('sup Yuval? You can actually take credit for that one)

At the end of the day, Sean feels that his brother's not beyond saving after all. Meanwhile, Daniel got that glimpse of hope he needed.

Feel free to comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

He wants to help you.
You want to bury him.

He says you cannot hold him back.
You know him to be right.
And it scares you.
More than anything else.

Nuclear warfare.
Concentration camps.
Becoming a toy soldier.
Murdering people.

No.

What scares you, child.
Is what you see in the mirror.
Or the lack of it.
What scares you.
More than anything.

Is yourself.

Chapter 30: Nemesis

Summary:

After a night of brotherly therapy, Sean and Daniel begin to look into the plane's location as they're planning the next step. However, unexpected circumstances are bound to make things much more difficult for the wolfbrothers...

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Three days until the plane leaves…

Slowly, Daniel began to wake up. The wolfbrothers had to camp outside due to Sean misjudging how difficult it was to find their way back to the car in complete darkness. It wasn't the plan, but Daniel didn't complain. For once, his older brother came prepared. Sleeping bags and everything. Daniel fell asleep while looking at the stars. He still felt like shit, but in a different way.

No longer did he feel that hopeless self-loathing that drives him to the point of insanity. Of course, he still felt sad and depressed, but he felt a renewed sense of hope in his heart. After a night of uninterrupted sleep, Daniel's ready. Sean promised him that they would take a look at the papers they got from Nicholas, first thing in the morning.

"Mhm… Sean? You there?" Daniel groans tiredly in a state of mostly asleep.

"Sean? Are you awake-" Daniel opens his eyes, finding his brother's still asleep. Also, on the ground, next to Sean's hand, crawls a scorpion. Daniel did not hesitate.

Acting equally quick and carefully, Daniel grabs the scorpion in his right hand without waking Sean up. Then, he uses his left hand to lightly stroke the sharp end of the tail. One error, and he's dead. Poisoned. That much he knows. But he does not fear death. If anything, Daniel Diaz fears life itself, more than anything else.

"It pisses you off, doesn't it, li'l fella? You try to fight, try to resist in the only way you know. But, just like me, you don't know. You don't know that in the end-" Daniel snaps the scorpion in half without flinching.

"It's pointless." He throws the carcass over the cliff before going over to Sean's backpack. Daniel takes out two items. A water bottle, and the papers from Nicholas. He takes a sip while attempting to study them. Daniel understands the concept of coordinates, but he's got no clue on how to interpret them. This location could be around the corner, but it might as well be in Kazakhstan or some shit. He does, however, hope that the former of those is true.

"Good morning, Enano. Sleep well?" Sean's tired voice asked him from behind his back. Daniel froze for a few seconds, realizing what the answer was.

"Uh… yeah. I did. Thanks, Sean." Daniel answered without turning to face his brother. Still, he could practically smell Sean's smile from where he was sitting.

"Good, man. So, what are you doing?" Sean sits down next to him, taking out a water bottle along with some of those sawdust protein bars.

"I'm trying to read this, but I don't get it, Sean." Frustrated, he hands the stack of papers over to Sean.

"Ok, just give me a minute, Daniel. I'm gonna try to figure this out. Hopefully, it's not too far off." Daniel does as he's told while Sean studies the coordinates with a map in his hand. Seconds turn to minutes. Five minutes become ten. Ten become twenty. In the end, Sean sits there, silent.

"Sean? What's wrong?" Sean sighed deeply.

"I know where we have to go, Daniel. And, just like that creep said, we got three days to get there." Sean says it like it's a bad thing though.

"So… that's good, right?" Daniel knew something was up, and he knew that it wasn't good. He just couldn't help himself sometimes.

"We have a long-ass way to go, Daniel. And this? This doesn't tell us where the plane takes us. It could be anywhere in the fucking world. For better or worse." Daniel knew the implications of his brother's statement. They could end up in a country far away from here, safe and sound. Then again, they could also end up in Canada which would be just next door to this shithole of a mess.

"So, where are we going, Sean?" For a lack of anything better to say, Daniel asked about the next step. Sean pointed to the map.

"Here, Daniel. An old airstrip nobody's used for years. We'll go back to the bunker, get whatever supplies we can, and leave right away." Daniel nodded while slowly beginning to understand the gravity of the situation.

The wolfbrothers packed their bags and began descending towards the truck. Barely a word came from either brother's mouth. Daniel began to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Meanwhile, Sean began to feel like he had fulfilled the promise he'd made to their father on that fateful night. He looked after Daniel, cared for him, gave him comfort in a time of need, and considering the circumstances, Sean feels like he did a fucking great job too.

The brothers enter the truck, and the ride towards the bunker begins. One quick stop, then they leave on their final journey. Daniel sighs.

"Hey, Sean?" He mumbles while looking out the window at nothing in particular.

"Hm? Yeah, man, what's up?" He tried to play it cool, but Daniel could hear how nervous his older brother was.

"What do you think will happen to us? Do you think we'll make it? If we do, where do you think the plane's going, and where do you want it to go, Sean?" Daniel spits out a handful of the hundreds of questions he'd like to ask his big brother. Sean remains silent for a long time before answering him.

"I guess you're old enough to see through my bullshit now, huh?" Sean laughs a little.

"Dude, I could see through that when I was like four years old," Daniel exclaims, sounding almost insulted.

"Ok, ok, I get it. You want me to be honest, Daniel. What do I think? Well…" Daniel braces himself for whatever Sean's about to tell him.

"This could go wrong in so many ways. The plane could be guarded, they might shoot us on sight, or maybe they want money on the spot. If we make it, however, I kinda like Greece. What about you, man?" Daniel takes a minute to consider everything that Sean just told him. Sure, it could go very wrong, and it probably will too. Daniel, however, has suffered through worse. Sean equally so. No matter what happens, they'll make it somehow.

"Greece sounds kinda nice, I guess. But, what about-" Daniel went silent as something in the distance caught his attention.

"What about what, Daniel?" Sean asked him, but Daniel didn't hear it. He sat there petrified, looking into the distance. Far, far away, a truck could be seen. Next to it, Daniel saw two figures. Armed or not, he couldn't tell. He could, however, tell that the two figures were significantly smaller than the truck. This struck an all-too-familiar cord on the young wolf.

"Sean…" Daniel hyperventilates. Shit, what happened to the air-conditioner? Unfortunately for him, Sean fails to notice his little brother's state of mind.

"Stop the car, Sean…" Daniel panted while attempting to grasp what the fuck is happening.

"What, why, Daniel?" Sean asked, sounding like he was about to burst out laughing at any time. This only pushed Daniel closer to the breaking point though…

"I said… STOP THE CAR!" Daniel grabbed the steering wheel, causing the truck to go off to the side of the road, effectively stopping it.

Sean was not amused.

"DANIEL?! Just, what the FUCK are you doing?! Are you completely FUCKING insane?! You could've gotten us both killed, and-" Daniel silenced his enraged brother by pressing his palm over Sean's mouth. No matter what happens, even angry-Sean's got some sense of intelligence in him… at times. Luckily, this happened to be one of those times. Sean knew by the look on his brother's face that something was wrong.

"Sean. Do we have any weapons in the truck?" Daniel asks while removing his hand from Sean's mouth.

"What? No- I- I don't think so, why?" Sean's face showed massive confusion while Daniel did his best not to show fear.

"Fuck. Grab a pair of binoculars and follow me, Sean. Oh, and Sean? Do you trust me?" What the fuck? Daniel's showing him a side that he's never seen before.

"You're my brother. I trust you with my life." Daniel looks at him with an expression so serious, that it nearly scares Sean.

"If you want to follow me, you have to do everything I tell you to do, without question, and without hesitation. I tell you to run, you run. I tell you to stay down, you stay down. Can you do that?" What the fuck… is going on right now?

"Uh, yeah- no problem." He sure as hell ain't letting his little brother go alone to- whereverthefuck he's going. Sean followed his younger brother through the scorching desert sand while doing his best to ignore the pain it caused him. Daniel, however, didn't even seem bothered by it. Sean didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. After a couple of minutes, they begin to ascend a small hill. Well, more like a large pile of sand.

"Sean, get down," Daniel whispered to him while getting down on his stomach. Reluctantly, Sean did as told.

"Don't worry, Sean. You'll get used to it in a few minutes." Daniel turned back to him before whispering in an almost sad tone.

"What? Get used to… what, Enano?" Sean bites his tongue to stop himself from screaming in pain.

"The pain. In a few minutes, you'll barely feel it. Trust me, I know." Fucking hell. The things this child has suffered through.

"Now, come on, Sean. We're almost at the top." The wolfbrothers crawl their way to the top of the hill. Sean assumes they do it to avoid detection. There's just this one question though. And it's starting to bother him.

Detection by whom?

"This is close enough, Sean. Did you get the binoculars?" Sean hands his brother a pair while taking the other for himself. From their location, the wolfbrothers have a perfect view of the entrance to the bunker.

Sean looks through the binoculars. He sees a few trucks outside the entrance, a couple of kids just standing there, and- FUCK! Sean didn't lock the goddamn door when they left, meaning these people are looting the shit out of the bunker. Food, clothes, supplies, all of it, gone. Shit…

Meanwhile, Daniel couldn't care much less about that. What he saw through the binoculars was far more intimidating than any looters could ever be. Sean only saw a few kids standing there. He did not, however, see the scars each child had on the right arm. Three vertical scars on the lower arm. One to strengthen the mind, one to harden the body, and one to separate the soul from the other two.

On the outside, Daniel's face has large pearls of sweat pouring down. On the inside, however, tho young boy's blood froze to ice.

Fuck!

Daniel had to look twice to make sure. Then he blinked, only to look again. Still, it changed nothing. The person he saw barking orders at those children refused to disappear. He hates to admit it, but it's true what that asshole once told him.

"Mercy is nothing but a weakness. Show no mercy towards your enemy because they shall show you even less." Jonathan Merrill told him that once. Daniel wanted to prove him wrong, he wanted to change. So, Daniel showed mercy. And now, just like everything else in his life it comes back to bite him in the ass.

Merrill.

He's alive. That motherfucker's alive.

Sure, he's struggling to walk on his injured leg, but there's no denying it. He's alive because of Daniel. Shit. This is bad. This is very bad.

"Daniel? Doing ok, buddy?" The soothing voice of his older brother pulled him out of his disturbing train of thought. He didn't even realize how rapid his breaths were.

"It's- it's him, Sean. It's him…" Sean looks at his younger brother in confusion, however, as Daniel pointed at the scars on his arm, Sean understood more than well.

"That- that motherfucker!" Sean looked at Merrill, trying to memorize the man who destroyed his little brother forever. The first thing that popped up in his head was to walk down there and beat him to death. Luckily, the more intelligent side of Sean Diaz won that argument. That being said, it was a close call.

"I- I wanna go, Sean. We have to go, now. I don't want him to find us. I- I don't want you to suffer as I did." It hurts Sean in so many ways, to see his brother like this. Daniel's always been a very needy child that cries a bit too easily at times. Since he saved Sean, however, it's like the kid's got two different sides to him.

One side is the remains of Daniel Felipe Diaz. He's traumatized, prefers not to talk about it, loves his big brother, and is haunted by a past he can't fully comprehend.

The other side is Daniel the toy soldier. A person, trained to not show, have, or even talk about emotions. A ruthless killer without remorse, a torturer, a fucking ninja, and- the strongest mind that Sean's ever seen.

Now, however, the walls around him came crumbling down as the source of his trauma came back to haunt him. The full extent of Daniel's trauma became visible to the horror of his brother. He's never seen him so small, so powerless, and so vulnerable.

"Ok, Enano. Let's get back to the car." Taking great care, the wolfbrothers make their way back to the truck. Sean turns on the ignition, and they drive away as fast as possible in the opposite direction.

A few minutes later, it all began to sink in. No food, no water, no supplies, no nothing. Still, they've got three days until their plane leaves the country. That is if they even make it there in the first place.

"Fuck…" Sean whispered as he realized what they were up against. Meanwhile, Daniel's hyperventilating next to him.

"We're dead, Sean. It's- it's over. He's gonna get us, Sean. He's gonna get us." Daniel whimpered in horror and despair. His reaper of misery was back from the dead, tormenting him once again. Sure, they don't technically know that Merrill's hunting them. It could just be a coincidence.

It could.

Still, as Sean desperately tried to come up with some way to comfort Daniel, he found himself unable to do so. He just had this feeling. This really bad feeling that today's events would have life-altering consequences for him and his brother. Whatever path they choose from here on now, they must choose it wisely.

Notes:

As I've mentioned before, anything that isn't an "on-screen death" means that the person in question might still be alive. The build-up to the end has begun, and it's closing in. So is the word count for this fic (almost 100 000). It's definitely gonna be longer than my "Brotherhood" series, but I'm not sure if it's gonna beat "Life Is Cruel" though (I kinda want it to).

However...

At the time of writing, "Wolf Brigade" has officially become my most read fic! The other day it passed "LIS2 Anthology Series" and took its rightful (I believe) spot at the top of the mountain! Thanks to everyone!

Another thing: Yesterday, June 13th was the one-year anniversary of my writing career on AO3 (and in life, I guess). What began as a random conversation in an office downtown has grown into something much larger than I could have ever dreamed of. Thanks to all of you who supported/supports me!

Leave a comment.

Enjoy!

K. S.

I told you.
A long time ago.
Did I not?

When you least expect it.
The reaper shall strike.
With a vengeance so fierce.
So brutal.
And so bloody.
You'll regret the day you were born.

You had the chance.
To stop me.
You, my child.
You did not take it.

You showed the reaper mercy.
But know this, little one.
The reaper?
He shall not return the favor.

Everything from here...
... Is on you.

EVERYTHING!

Chapter 31: The Good Ol' Days

Summary:

A journey back in time to a more... normal life.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Seattle — A few years ago…

Sean just got home from another boring day at school. He went into his room, closing the door behind him. Sean lies down on the bed with his hands behind his head, wondering what lies ahead of him.

"Fifteen. Fuck, dude… you're growing up. Lyla wanted me to come over tonight. I'm sure she's up to something. She's the best." Sean wonders about the possibilities of a surprise party and all that would come with it. He is interrupted, however, by a careful knock on the door.

"Hey, Sean? Can I- can I come in, please?" It's his little brother. Sean groans internally, wishing that he knew the right thing to say to this kid.

"Ok, Daniel. You can come in." Sometimes, Sean tries to be a decent big brother. The problem is that he's got no clue what to do.

"Hi, Sean." Daniel comes into his room, holding something behind his back. The kid looks a lot more nervous than usual. Still, he's all smiles.

"Hey, Enan- dude- Daniel." Fuck. Why is he so god-damn awkward? It's his brother, for fuck's sake!

"I just wanted to give you this, big brother. Happy birthday, Sean." Daniel put a neatly wrapped box next to his brother on the bed. Finally, Sean cares enough to at least sit up.

"Oh- uh, thanks." Daniel reached out with his arms as if he'd expected a hug from Sean. He did, however, realize his mistake quickly as he pulled his arms back. Neither brother mentioned it.

"So, aren't you gonna open it, Sean?" Daniel asks in a not-so-subtle way.

"Nah, I'll open it later. I have to get ready for Lyla's now." Future-Sean would have noticed how Daniel's demeanor, along with his entire posture changed in the blink of an eye.

"Oh…" Daniel replies sadly in a barely audible tone.

"Now get out, Daniel. I have to get ready." Sean looks at him in a way that says "do as I say, or else…"

Daniel begins a slow walk out of his brother's room. He suspected it, but he didn't want it to be true. Now, he knows it is. Sean, the brother he cares about, more than anyone or anything else on this planet. That Sean.

Doesn't care about him.

"You hate me… don't you?" Daniel regrets the words the very second they leave his mouth.

"Huh? You say something?" Aw, come on…

"Nothing, Sean. It's nothing." Daniel holds back tears, wishing that Sean would've heard what he said.

What did he get Sean for his birthday? Well, Daniel's pretty much obsessed with his older brother's art, and he'll do anything to make sure that Sean continues with it. For his birthday, Daniel wanted to buy him a brand-new sketchbook. Not a cheap-ass one either, but a real one. The expensive type that the real artists use. He did, however, run into a major problem.

It would cost him 250 bucks.

A lot of money for any common man, and even more for the Diaz household. For Daniel Diaz, however, it's an astronomical amount of money. He had just turned eight years old. His father gave him ten dollars. Ten dollars and Daniel gasped when he saw it.

Still, he didn't give up that easily. Daniel did what he could to earn some extra cash. He lost count on how many lawns he'd mowed during the summer. He hated it. Every second. The lawnmower, was too heavy for him to push properly. The sun burned him, and Brett fucking Foster had the time of his life.

The poor Mexican kid, mowing people's lawns for cash?

Sighs…

Still, he made it. He got the money in time and bought his brother that damn sketchbook. Only to find out that he didn't care enough to open the fucking package.

Daniel suffered for that gift. He sacrificed his entire summer to be able to buy Sean that gift. He endured hundreds of insults from Brett Foster… for nothing. All he wants is for Sean to care about him. Why can't he have that? Daniel sits down on the floor inside his room, crying at his own stupidity.

Meanwhile, Sean opens the gift, gasping at the contents inside…

"Shit…" Sean finds himself questioning his relationship with his little brother. The kid cares about him, that much is obvious. So, how does Sean feel about him? Does Sean care about his little brother?

That's just the thing. He can't really answer that question. He doesn't hate Daniel, that much is certain. However, he doesn't exactly love him either. In a way, it hurts Sean, knowing that. Sometimes, he truly wants to wrap his arms around his brother and make him feel loved. Sean would spoil him, let him stay up late, watching scary movies. He would teach him curse words in foreign languages, all that shit. But every time he tries- because he does- every time, the same thing happens.

Daniel goes from zero to a hundred immediately, making Sean feel really awkward. He doesn't know what to say, how to say it, or when. Instead, Sean's self-defense mechanism sets in. That would be anger. Whenever Sean feels uncomfortable, he gets angry. More often than not, Daniel's the one that has to suffer his outbursts. Sean would chase him around the house, screaming horrible things at his younger brother while the latter ran for his life. Good thing the kid's faster than him.

Hours later, after having calmed himself down, Sean felt so guilty. Every single time. His heart told him to apologize to Daniel, but his mind didn't know how to do it. Honestly, Sean's mind didn't even know if he should apologize or not. Either way, he never did it. This left wounds in each brother that would never fully heal.

Fall 2014 — The first day…

It's late August. Leaves are falling from the trees, the unbearable heat is no more, and kids go back to school. Well, some go back to school. Sean Diaz, for example, returns to school for his eighth year. Then, there's his little brother.

Daniel.

Today, he walked to the bus stop for the first time in his life. He wanted Sean to take him but his older brother refused. Daniel, however, had no problem with it. This day was something that he's been looking forward to for a long time. The first day of school. He felt older, more mature, like a big kid.

Then, the first day of school ended…

Daniel walked home slowly while staring at the ground. Nothing about today was good. It all sucked. All of it. The other kids were mean to him, calling him names, and beating him up for being different.

"Nobody likes me…" Daniel whimpers while using his sleeve to wipe tears off his face. He really needs to talk to someone right now. Daniel enters the Diaz family residence, immediately going towards his brother's room.

"Sean? Hey, Sean?" Daniel says sadly while knocking on the door to Sean's room. He could hear a loud groan from inside.

"Go away, Daniel," Sean yells at him without even opening the door. Daniel, however, had yet to understand how his brother felt about him. This is why he opened the door, entering Sean's room uninvited. His older brother sits at his computer, clueless about his presence. Daniel felt a sense of calm when he entered the room. Here, he felt safe, comfortable, and happy. In here, nobody could ever hurt him.

"Sean? Can we talk, please?" Daniel sounds so unbelievably sad that the mere tone of his voice frightens his older brother, sending him into defense mode.

"What the fu- DANIEL?! What the fuck did I tell you about going into my room?!" Sean screams in rage at the small child.

"Please, Sean? I- I really need to talk about something-" Daniel tries so hard, he really does. But Sean's in no mood for talking. He grabs Daniel by the wrist, dragging him out of his room.

"Next time, try to fucking listen to me, you deaf-ass brat!" Sean slams the door shut behind him. It is right here, at this very moment, that Daniel Felipe Diaz begins to wonder. The seeds really start to grow…

"My brother. My own big brother… hates me." Daniel walks into his room, closing the door behind his back. Then, he leans against the door while sliding down to the floor. He sits with his knees against his chest, crying. His father doesn't have time for him, his mother doesn't care about him, and his brother hates him.

Daniel feels so alone in this world. Nobody to talk to, nobody to hang out with, nothing. The crying boy sighs as he looks out the window.

"I care about you more than anything. What will it take for you to care about me, brother?" A question that, at the time, Daniel would've done anything to get the answer to. However, one must wonder though. Had he learned the answer…

Would it be worth it?

Would the young boy sacrifice his parents, grandparents, hometown, and best friend, along with his own innocence? All of that, just to get a hug from his big brother.

Or, would he choose to stay in his current life of loneliness and despair?

The answer to that is easy.

The little cub chooses the big bad wolf.

Always…

Notes:

A very short chapter this time, but I wanted to make a "flashback" chapter to the Seattle days as a comparison to show how much their relationship has grown since then.

Now, here's the thing. Next week (June 20th) I'm going away so there won't be any chapters for a whole week I'm afraid. In the meantime, why not read some of my other works? Enter shameless self-promotion...

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

For him to care.
It was all you wanted.
Now he cares.
And you?

You ask yourself.
Was it worth it?
The price you've paid.
Part of you had to die.
For another part to live.

Was it worth it?
You ask yourself.
Every morning.
Every day.
Every night.

The answer?
Always the same.

Yes.
Yes, it was.
You would do it all again.
Because now.

Now, you have support.
You have a rock.
You have a guide.
Something you didn't have before.
You have a big brother.

Before.
You had only yourself.
You had nothing.
You were nothing.

Yes.
It was worth it.

Chapter 32: The Bad New Nights

Summary:

Daniel attempts to deal with the inner demons that haunt him. The results are... unexpected, in more ways than one.

Notes:

Tags.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Two days until the plane leaves…

"I'll never stop hunting you, Daniel. Deserters must be punished." The voice of Merrill echoed in his head. Daniel's too dazed to realize that this is a dream.

"No. Just, leave me alone. Please!" Daniel screams at the shadow standing before him.

"Good soldiers follow orders. Daniel, my child. You had such promise. You could have been my successor, my equal… but now…?" The shadow seems more disappointed in him than angry.

"But, I may still have some small use for you. I still have enemies to find and destroy. You will do my bidding until I find a new soldier. And then, like those before you, you will be cast aside." Daniel twists and turns in his sleep, desperately trying to escape. He turns his back on the shadow, running for his life.

The shadow pops up in front of him.

"You cannot run, you cannot hide. I see…" Daniel panics and makes a run to his left.

Once more, the shadow pops up in front of him.

"There is no peace nor life in the void…" Daniel runs to his right.

Yet again, the shadow pops up in front of him.

"Only… DEATH!" This is where Daniel Diaz wakes up.

"Ah!" Daniel awoke with a startle, quickly sitting up in his seat.

"Ow- shit…" Stupid fucking hobbit car. No matter how much the nightmare scared him, or how much it hurt to hit his head on the car roof, he still smiled a little. If only for a second. Daniel never used to hit his head like that before.

He's getting older, taller, bigger. It worked as comfort for about two seconds. Then, he remembered the dream he just had. Daniel looks to his left, wishing that he could be as heavy of a sleeper as his older brother. Sean's night terrors seemed to have stopped after about a week or so. The difference was remarkable. Daniel couldn't wake him up even if he wanted to. Usually, he didn't, so that's all good.

Sure, he likes it when Sean cares about him and makes him feel better. But not even his brother could remove his mental demons. Daniel had tried to talk about it a few times. It was difficult, to say the least. Sean convinced him that he'd be feeling better afterward. But Sean's wrong. His demons returned with a vengeance, torturing his fragile mind into oblivion. During the day, he's still Daniel Diaz. At night, however, he's haunted by horrific visuals from his past.

A woman begging him for mercy. Mercy he did not give her.

The complicated emotions regarding his mother's corpse on the floor with her eyes already white.

His best friend taunting him into killing him, sparing him any more pain.

The dark-red mushroom cloud of death.

And the nights where the images don't haunt him, the reaper does.

Merrill.

The reaper of misery tells Daniel that he's coming for him, and he's going to take him back to where he belongs. That, or punish him for running away. Daniel's not sure which option he'll prefer if he must choose.

No. Nobody can remove this from his demented mind. Nobody and nothing.

"Fuck…" Daniel whispered while resting his aching skull against the windshield. Surrounding them was nothing but desert. The wolfbrothers were forced to leave all their supplies behind, meaning that whatever happened to be in the truck was all they had now. No food, no weapons, no camping gear, no clothes, no first-aid kit.

But hey, at least they had a decent supply of water. Got to count for something. Realizing that sleep won't return to him, Daniel exits the truck, taking great care to not wake his brother. He grabs a bottle of water, looking at the horizon. The sun's rising, making for a beautiful view.

Daniel sits at the very edge of a cliff, letting the lower half of his legs hang freely. He intended to watch the sunrise, however, something else caught his attention. Something much more disturbing, yet so very tempting. With his legs going back and forth in the air, Daniel found himself staring into the abyss below. Tons of boulders, sharp rocks, and god only knows what else.

It would be so easy.

He could do it right now. One split-second of fear, followed by a millisecond of pain before it would be over for good. Daniel looks at the sunrise, back to the abyss, then back to the sunrise again while considering his options. That sunrise. Two more of those in America. Where would the third be? It could be anywhere. The possibilities are equally frightening and exciting.

It could be Italy. A land of peace, art, beauty, and awesome food.

However, it could also be Syria. A country ravaged by war to the point where little of it is left.

Then again, it could also be Switzerland. Swiss chocolate, what else is needed?

Or, it could be Somalia.

Leaving the country is a massive risk. They could go from bad to worse in a heartbeat. He's going crazy just thinking about it. Maybe it would be easier if he just ended it? At least then he'll know what to expect.

"Hey, Daniel. Can't sleep?" Holy fucking shit that scared him. Daniel was in such deep thoughts that he didn't hear his brother come up from behind. Sean sits down next to him while enjoying the view. The look on his face is one of concern.

"No. I don't really sleep much." Daniel kept his eyes on the rocks below him while Sean stared at the horizon.

"So, what are you doing here?" His older brother asked him curiously.

"Nothin'. Just… thinking, I guess." Daniel mumbles back.

"I know you don't want to, Daniel. But I really think you should try to talk about it." Daniel closed his eyes and sighed. Not this shit again. He can't do this any longer.

"I know it's difficult, Daniel-" Something happened. Perhaps the lack of sleep caught up with him? Either way, Daniel Diaz finally snapped on his big brother, unleashing years' worth of repressed emotions.

"You wanna know what I did, Sean? What I did here? I thought about killing myself." Daniel says calmly. This, however, wasn't the emotionally detached child soldier speaking. One could hear the sadness behind each word coming out of his mouth.

"You- you what- no- why?!" Sean's taken completely off guard, and can't even form a complete sentence. His little brother continues in the same calm, sad voice.

"I know it's difficult, Daniel. You say that all the time, Sean. Do you know what it's like? Do you?" Daniel never looks at his older brother. Instead, his eyes are on the rocks below him.

"Do you know what it's like to grow up in a home, feeling like nobody cares about you?" The guilt in Sean's eyes was obvious.

"How it feels to seek your brother's approval for years, receiving only screaming and threats in return?" Sean began to cry. Daniel, however, pushed the tears back.

"How it feels to realize that only when his parents are dead, along with all his friends, and his entire hometown… only then, your brother bothers with you?" Daniel's voice begins to break.

"The worst part of it is that it's worth it. You always wanted one thing in life, and now you got it. You wouldn't change it for the world. Still, you hate that it took all of this shit for it to happen." Sean's got no answer for any of this. He thought he'd made peace with his past fuckups, but he had no clue about the magnitude of them.

"Do you know what it's like, Sean? To care about one person, more than anyone else in the world on one day, only to wish him dead on the next? You wish him dead for all the pain he caused you, and still, you blame yourself somehow." Daniel can't hold back his tears any longer.

"So tell me, Sean… how the fuck do you know what's difficult for me, and not?" Daniel looked right through his brother's eyes, staring into his very soul. And Sean's terrified. He's terrified because he didn't know what to say, and he's terrified because he knew that Daniel's right.

Sean doesn't know. He simply can't.

"Say something, you ASSHOLE!" Daniel screams at his face when Sean stays silent.

"Daniel, I-" Yeah, maybe staying silent would have been a better idea.

"FUCK YOU, SEAN!" Daniel takes all the negative memories regarding Sean, all the screaming, negligence, all the threats, all of it. He compresses them into the size of his right fist before sending it towards his big brother's eyebrow, splitting him open with ease.

Then, he got up and walked away from his brother, sitting down with his back against a large rock, crying. Meanwhile, Sean got those old emotions he usually got back in the day. Anger and rage. There was, however, one major difference. This time, he's not angry at Daniel.

He's angry at himself.

Angry for effectively ruining this kid's childhood from day one. Angry for not giving a fuck until he absolutely had to. Sean could taste the blood, pouring out of his busted eyebrow and into his mouth, but he didn't care. Right now, only one thing is on his mind.

"Hopefully, it's not too late." Sean prays while going to his brother. Daniel's turned his back against him, and Sean sits down while choosing to keep his distance. Several minutes passed without either brother speaking a single word. Daniel, however, would be the one to break the silence with a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry, Sean. I- I didn't mean to-" Daniel stops as he's not sure what to say.

"Don't be sorry, Daniel. I feel like I kinda deserve it. Plus, you spoke about it. Like I said, it's hard at first. But you've taken a big step forward now, Daniel." Those words got his little brother's attention.

"I- I have?" Daniel asked him, slightly confused.

"Yeah, man. What you just said, painful as it is, it's been buried deep inside you for a long time, Enano." Sean cursed himself for making his brother feel like that.

"Oh… that's cool, I guess." Daniel's not sure how to feel about it. He did, however, turn around to face Sean. Still, the brothers keep their distance.

"Is your eye ok, Sean?" Daniel asked him with a slight hint of remorse.

"Yeah, it's fine. Not as bad as it looks. I didn't know you could punch like that, Daniel." His little brother looked down at the ground.

"I- I kinda had to because- you know?" Sean nods understandingly, accepting the fact that Daniel's not up for talking about that part right now.

"So, we leave the country, and get a fresh start someplace else, right?" Daniel says in a worrying tone.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it, I guess." Somehow he suspected that Daniel wanted a little more of an answer.

"Then what, Sean? I mean- let's say we end up among good people, in a good town, in a good country. Still, we have no one." His younger brother wanted a plan laid out for their possible future. This would be as good of a time as any.

"Well, I guess that I could get a job somewhere. That way we would have money. As for you, Daniel, you would go back to school. A good school where nobody's mean to you. A place where you'll make friends for life." Sean could see a small glimpse in his brother's eyes.

"Will it- will it still hurt, Sean?" Daniel looks at him with whatever remained of his childhood innocence. Sean wanted to lie so badly. He wanted to lie to his little brother and tell him that as soon as they leave the country, the pain will just disappear. But he knows that won't happen. Also, he seriously doubts that Daniel would fall for it.

"Yes, Enano, it will still hurt. When we get out of here, and things have calmed down a bit, we both should talk to someone. Then, over time, the pain fades away. It will always be there, one way or the other. Just not as bad as it once was." Sean held his breath as he awaited his brother's reaction.

"Oh. I think I can live with that, Sean." Daniel said while his face took on a look of acceptance.

"Good, Enano. I'm proud of you, little brother." The one phrase that Daniel's wanted to hear all his life caused tears to pour down his face as he moved to sit next to his big brother.

"Thank you, Sean. Thank you." Daniel whimpered as he leaned against Sean's shoulder.

"Hey, it's ok. We're gonna make it, you know?" Sean tried to sound reassuring. Thing is, he didn't have an older brother to reassure him.

"If we don't, can you promise me something, Sean?" He didn't want his brother to have that kind of thinking, but the look on Daniel's face made it impossible to say no.

"Ok, Daniel. What is it?" Sean reluctantly answered.

"Don't let him take me, Sean. I- I don't wanna go back to that place." Daniel fought to keep his voice steady.

"I promise you, Daniel, he won't get to you-" Daniel grabbed Sean's shoulders.

"I mean it, Sean. I can't go back there. I'd rather… die." Sean understands what his brother wants to hear.

"Daniel. You will never return to that place. I give you my word." For now, that would have to do. Hopefully, things wouldn't go that far.

"Ok, Sean. I- I trust you." Daniel takes a minute to calm himself down.

"So, how much longer to the airstrip?" Daniel asked as a way of changing the subject.

"Not far, Enano. We've got two days left, so there's plenty of time. We're way ahead of schedule." Still, Daniel didn't feel safe.

"Will they have guards, Sean?" God, Daniel wants this to be over so badly. They both do.

"I don't know, Daniel. I'm sorry." Daniel threw himself at Sean, wrapping his small arms around him. However, not for the reasons one might expect. His mouth, now right next to Sean's ear, made sure Daniel could speak safely.

"Sean, listen carefully. We're not alone out here. Sit your ass down, pretend like shit's normal, and don't do anything stupid. Just, be prepared, ok?" Sean had no time to consider the very serious words he just heard before Daniel sat down on the ground again, pretending to play with a rock.

Sean did his best to pretend as if nothing happened, but he couldn't help but let his eyes wander away. And when they did, he saw them. Well, one of them at least. On a small cliff, very well hidden, on the ground, only the barrel of the sniper rifle poking out ever so slightly.

Shit…

"What do we do, Daniel?" Sean whispered.

"Nothing we can do, Sean. We're surrounded and unarmed. For now, we'll play along. We have no other choice." Fuck. He's right. But still… FUCK!

The sound of a vehicle approaching gives the wolfbrothers a reason to stand up straight. Right behind their own truck stood a bulletproof jeep. One single man steps out of it. He did, however, have the size of two men. The giant began a slow march towards the wolfbrothers seemingly unarmed.

"Oh fuck. It's- it's him. It's fucking him…" Shit. Sean didn't mean to say that out loud.

"Who is he, Sean?" Daniel whispered in return while remaining calm.

"He was at the house… back in Beaver Creek." Sean could hear his brother stop breathing for a second. The mountain of a man comes to a halt in front of the wolfbrothers.

"We can do this the easy way, kids, or we can do it the hard way. The choice is yours. Get in the car." The man points at his jeep while neither brother moves a muscle.

"You… you killed them." Daniel felt the rage build up inside him.

"Get in the fucking car, kid, or I'll make you!" The man screams at him. Daniel knows that he stands no chance against a man that size. The circumstances, however, got the better of him.

"FUCK YOU!" Daniel shouted before running dead ahead with every intention of beating this asshole to a bloody pulp.

"Aw, for fuck's sake. Guess we'll do it the hard way then." Daniel's eyes widened, but he never had time to stop. He ran right into a massive fist, sending him onto the ground unconscious. His older brother, Sean, suffered the same fate as he ran to check on his little brother.

With two days left, a lone jeep could be seen driving deep inside the desert. The jeep carried two unconscious wolves to a place they would never leave. The two brothers were deep asleep as of now, however, they're in for a rude awakening.

Notes:

Ok, looks like I had time for one more chapter this weekend. Now, however, I'll leave you with this cliffhanger for a week or so.

One of Merrill's lines in the dream is from Star Wars The Force Unleashed, see the link below for the clip.

Palpatine being badass

Another of his lines is from LOTR. See the source clip below.

Sauron

That would be all for now, please leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

K. S.

The finish line.
You see it.
You hear it.
You smell it.
You taste it.
You can even feel it.

However...

You cannot cross it.
For now.
You are put in a cage.
And the key is nowhere to be found.
You cannot escape.
There is no way out.

How do you escape what cannot be escaped?
How do you find a way that does not exist?
How do you open a door when the key is lost in time?

You do not know.
But you must find out.

T-minus 48 hours to liftoff.
The countdown has begun...

Chapter 33: Daniel Vs Goliath

Summary:

The wolfbrothers were captured at the near finish line. Who are their captors, and what do they want? Most important of all, how can they escape?

Notes:

A bit of tags here!

I'm back and I've hit TWO MAJOR MILESTONES with this story!

Number one: With this chapter, Wolf Brigade has reached over 100 000 in word count. 25 000 more to beat the "Life Is Cruel" series and claim the place as the longest story I've ever written.

Number two: Wolf Brigade has now become my FIRST, but hopefully not last work to reach 1000 hits. Thanks to every single one of you!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Several hours later at an undisclosed location…

The young wolf awoke to a faint ringing sound in his ears. Is this how it feels to be concussed? Probably, yes. His head hurts like hell. Daniel tries to lift his hand to his forehead.

He tries and fails.

Something holds his hands in place. A pair of handcuffs is wrapped tightly around his wrists to make sure that his hands remain behind his back. The boy attempts to move his legs, only to realize that he's tied to a chair.

"The fuck's this shit?" He can't remember how he got here. Daniel looks around the room, finding nobody but himself to be there.

The room in question is quite large. About twice the size of his old room in Seattle. After that, however, the similarities ended. While Daniel's old room was colorful, filled to the brim with toys, and had a window from which he could see trees and flowers, this room was different.

The room he currently resided in was almost entirely empty. Its only contents were the white chair on which he sat. The walls, floor, and ceiling, all had the same bright white color. A window did exist, however, he could not see the outside world. He couldn't even see through it. Daniel knew what that meant.

Someone's watching him.

Observing him.

Studying him.

Automatically, Daniel starts repeating the same mantra, over and over again in his mind.

"Remove body from soul. Compassion is a weakness. Love is a weakness. Show no emotions. Train yourself to let go. I have no soul, I have no soul, I have no soul." Over and over again with a blank stare into oblivion.

He didn't want to, but he knew one thing. Whatever is about to happen here, it won't be good. To survive it, Daniel must use the part of him that he wants to destroy. Like it or not.

"Emotionless, remorseless, soulless." Daniel opened his eyes when he heard the door open. A mountain of a man steps inside, closing the door behind him.

Right. Now he remembered. Well, not all of it, but he remembers enough. Still, Daniel's completely devoid of any emotions at this moment. His intentions to kill Big Joe, however, remain the same. Big Joe comes to a stop in front of him, staring down at Daniel with a look that would've made the normal Daniel Diaz spontaneously combust.

This, however, is not the normal Daniel Diaz…

"'Sup, big man?" Daniel deadpans while smiling at Big Joe. The latter made a poor attempt to hide his frustration.

"You got an attitude, I can tell. But we'll fix that. We broke your brother, and we'll do the same to you." Daniel seriously doubts that they can break him in a worse way than Merrill did. He doubts anyone could do so.

"You were in Beaver Creek, weren't you?" Daniel asks in a neutral tone while keeping his eyes on Big Joe.

"Oh, I was there alright. I took care of your brother while my brother in arms took care of your lousy family, one… by… one." The brother in arms that Big Joe's talking about is Chad. Sean's torturer.

"I'm glad you did," Daniel tells him while managing to sound honest.

"You- what?" Big Joe's caught off guard by Daniel's response.

"My mother, she betrayed her own flesh and blood. She deserved it. Had you not done it, I would have done it myself." He says in pure spite.

"And my grandparents? They had maybe five years left at the most, so you just did them a favor, I barely knew them anyway." Not true. Daniel loved his grandparents, but here, he's doing whatever it takes to survive.

"You got a big mouth now, kid. We'll see how long that lasts." The next words, however, make Big Joe question what exactly he's dealing with.

"You did, however, make one fatal mistake. You took my brother, and you hurt him." Daniel's facial expression changed into that of unimaginable anger and hatred.

"Your friend? That brother in arms? He's dead. I killed him." Daniel gives Big Joe a sinister smile as the latter raised an eyebrow.

"You're bluffing. Really expect me to believe that, huh?" But Daniel could see it in his eyes. Big Joe's off his game.

"You found him in the same building you kept Sean. At least you think it was him. You had a difficult time to tell since he barely had a head anymore." Daniel speaks calmly while maintaining a look of innocence on his face.

"What- what the fuck is this-" Big Joe mumbles before Daniel interrupts him.

"He begged me, you know. Please, don't kill me, have mercy, I'll do anything you want…" Daniel imitates the voice of a person crying for mercy.

"But I learned a long time ago… there is no mercy." Daniel saw it happen in slow motion. Big Joe closed his fist, raising his arm, and sending it towards his face. Daniel did not move, nor did he make a sound. He didn't even flinch. Not even when the bare-knuckles made contact with the side of his jaw.

Meanwhile…

"OH, SHIT!" Sean woke up screaming. Thank god… it was just a nightmare. The nightmare of all nightmares to say the least. He looks around the room, just to make sure that everything's in order.

Yeah.

Life is good in Seattle…

Still, he can't seem to get his mind off that nightmare. Sean only remembers bits and pieces, but it still feels so real. What was it even about? Something about nuclear war, wolves, and- it doesn't matter, it's gone now. Gone, but not forgotten since he's unable to go back to sleep.

"Fuck it…" Sean gets out of bed. Might as well go watch a movie if he can't sleep. He exits his room. The first thing he sees is the door to Daniel's room. As the good brother that he is, Sean knows what he must do next.

He needs to check on his little brother.

Carefully, Sean opens the door to the bear's lair, finding the little cub sleeping soundly inside with a comic book over his chest. Sean walks inside, removes the comic book, and replaces it with a stuffed animal. He smiles at his younger brother before leaving him to sleep, closing the door behind him.

"Weird…" Sean whispered as he left his sleeping brother. Why did that feel so odd? Sean always looks after his younger brother, and he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Although a bit of privacy wouldn't hurt at times.

So, why did this feel so weird?

"Can't sleep, son?" Sean would jump ten feet in the air had it been any other voice than that of his father. Esteban Diaz always sounds so calm. Hell, he even sounds peaceful when he's furious.

"Oh- I mean- hi, dad. No, I couldn't sleep either." His father gestures for Sean to join him on the couch. He sits down with a heavy sigh.

"Something troubling you, Sean?" Esteban asks him with concern.

"I- I- I don't know." A bit of a modified truth. Something's up, that much Sean knew. He did, however, not know what it was.

"You need to look after your brother, Sean. Protect him." Esteban said in a plain tone while looking dead ahead.

"That's the one thing I told you when we last met, Sean." His father continued in a sad tone.

"I know, dad. I- I did my best, I swear." Sean's not sure why he just said that, but he couldn't deny the fact that it felt right.

"Sean. You did everything you could to keep yourself and your brother safe. It took you a while, but you've finally become the older brother I always wanted you to be. For that, Sean, I'm proud." Sean's mind struggles to understand what's happening. Stuck in a place between dream and reality, Sean starts to crumble as he opens up to his father about his darkest fears.

"I can't do it, dad. I can't do it because I'm scared. Scared of… him." This is the one thing that Sean would never tell his younger brother. But he can't deny the truth either. Deep down, Sean's afraid of his little brother.

"And why would that be, Sean?" Esteban asks him curiously.

"The things he's done. Killed people, tortured people, threatened people, and hurt people. That's not Daniel." Sean starts to cry.

"Sean. This conversation between us, is it a reality, or is it a dream?" His father asks him in a strange tone.

"You-you're de- it's a dream." Sean couldn't say the word "dead" for fear of his father disappearing. He wanted to hug him so badly but feared he would dissolve into dust the moment Sean touched him.

"You're right about one thing, Sean. I am dead. However, that doesn't have to mean that none of this is real." His father smiled at him.

"What- what are you talking about, dad?" His father extended his hand.

"I'm talking about-"

Nope.

Esteban Diaz's not able to finish the sentence before Sean wakes up.

"AAAHHH!" Sean screams his lungs out in both physical and mental pain. It was all a dream. A cruel fucking dream to give him false hope. But no, fuck you, Sean. You're still here in the nuclear apocalypse. Still here with a ten-year-old boy that you're almost afraid of at times.

Now, where exactly is "here?"

Sean looks around the room. It looks like some sort of basement. The walls are dark, and dirty, just like the floor beneath them. Above him, one single lightbulb acted as his only source of light in this room. He tries to move, only to realize that he's tied to a chair.

Fuck…

"It's over." Sean whimpers in defeat as he realized the impossible position that they're in.

"It's fucking over." Saying it out loud only made it more painful. It made it feel more real.

"I'm sorry, Enano. I failed you… again." This is the moment where Sean Eduardo Diaz gives up.

In a different room…

Daniel could taste blood. Smell it too. But he felt no pain. In this vulnerable position, he couldn't afford to feel much of anything. The massive fist of Big Joe connects with the ten-year-old's gut, but Daniel barely reacts. His mind was too occupied with other matters.

Such as finding a way out of this.

"You little shit! I'm gonna make you beg for death!" Big Joe spat at him in anger and frustration alike.

"How?" Daniel asked him without even thinking about it.

"Huh?" Big Joe's surprised by the question Daniel asks him. The seeds of doubt had now been planted. All Daniel had to do now, is make them grow.

"How are you going to make me beg? You can't just keep hitting me because it's obvious that it doesn't work, right?" Calm, collected, and yet very firm, Daniel begins to talk the giant out of his game.

"Listen, kid-" No. Daniel's not going to listen.

"You don't know, do you? What to do with me? It freaks you out. How someone so small can endure so much pain." The towering giant in front of him has nothing to say, so Daniel continues.

"But don't worry. I took care of your friend, and I'm going to take care of you as well." Big Joe grabbed Daniel by the throat, slowly choking him.

"Oh yeah? Maybe I should just take care of you right now then? Just to be safe? I should kill you right here you fucking brat!" He's angry, unfocused, and desperate. That's good.

"Go ahead. Do it. I'm not afraid of death. But you are." The vice grip around his throat weakened only to be released completely moments after. Big Joe left the room, slamming the door behind him in anger.

"Fucking asshole…" With his adrenaline dropping, Daniel began to feel the pain. However, he set that aside for a later time. Right now, he must get out of here.

Step one would be to get out of the handcuffs.

With the handcuffs removed, Daniel should be able to untie the rope around his ankles. The room doesn't appear to be locked, meaning he could just walk out of here. After that, it's all improvising on his part.

Oh, right…

Sean's important too.

Daniel shakes his head in rapid motion, trying to rid himself of the dizziness caused by his very likely concussion. The result was decent at its best.

"How do I get out of these fuckers…?" Daniel whispered to no one in particular. There's nothing he could use to pick the lock. And even if it was, he wouldn't be able to get it because he can't fucking move. This leaves him with only one option. It won't be a very fun one, but it's all he's got. All he can do is hope for the best.

"Shit. Here I go…" Daniel tries to make his hands as small as possible. Then, slowly, and very painfully, Daniel attempted to pull his hands out of the handcuffs.

This is where the pain started to become real.

"Ow- shit, shit, shit-" He tries to make as little sound as possible. It is, however, not that easy. The boy could feel the cold and unforgiving steel as it began to peel off the skin on his hands. He could hear the blood as it started to drip behind his back, only to pour in a steady stream moments later. The amount of pain was so surreal that Daniel lost consciousness for a few seconds.

After those seconds, however, he continued. Then, he hit a roadblock of sorts. Daniel feared it would come to this. His thumb blocks the path to freedom. Cutting it off isn't an option since he still can't fucking move. So, in order to get out, Daniel must use all of his force to pull back his hand, and…

Dislocate his thumb.

Hence the fear. The worst part is that he's not even sure it would work. He could end up sitting there with a dislocated thumb, but no closer to freedom. Thing is, he's got no choice.

"Oh, shit…" Daniel tries to prepare himself for what he's about to do.

"One…" Shit. Is he really going through with this?

"Two…" Seems like it.

"Three…" God fucking damn it!

"Four…" No. He can't do it.

"Five-" FUCK IT!

Daniel uses his entire small frame along with all his strength to pull his arm back. A cracking sound could be heard, and even more so, it could be felt. But, one thing mattered more than any of the others.

He's free.

Well, sort of. His other arm still has the cuffs around its wrist, and he's still got the rope around his ankles. But now, he can at least move his arms. Progress has been made. Running out now, however, would be too risky. He must take care of Big Joe first.

Well, speak of the devil…

"Ok, you little shit. You think you can escape me, huh?!" Big Joe barges through the door, barely giving Daniel enough time to put his hands behind his back. All he needs now is for Big Joe to get close enough to him. Then, the wolf shall strike.

"I didn't say that… asshole," Daniel said the last word in a barely audible tone. Still, more than enough to piss off Big Joe.

"What did you say?" The mountain of a man takes one step closer.

"Cunt…" A mere whisper as Daniel keep his eyes pointed at the floor.

"What… the fuck… did you just call me?" No, you dipshit! Don't just stand there, bend over! Closer, you fucking freak of nature, closer!

"You're gonna die in here. Just thought you should know." This time, Daniel spoke loud and clear, however, his voice reeked of self-confidence and fear. Big Joe kneels in front of Daniel, staring him in the face while smiling mockingly at him.

"You know what kid? I really think-" Daniel would never find out what Big Joe thought about his previous statement. For now, it was time for the wolf to strike.

The young wolf took his hands, proceeding to press his fingers into the eyes of the giant before him. A deafening scream echoed in the room as blood poured over Daniel's hands, arms, and all over the floor. The giant's blinded, wounded, and temporarily paralyzed by pain. Daniel takes the opportunity to untie the rope that holds him to the chair.

Then, it's payback time…

No soul.

No regret.

And absolutely no mercy.

With Big Joe on all fours in front of him, screaming in pain, Daniel stands behind him. Then, he places his hands underneath Big Joe's big chin. Daniel used his free hand to grab onto the handcuffs that used to hold him in place. Then, with one arm cuffed and the other holding them, Daniel pulled the cuffs back against Big Joe's throat.

Daniel did not think, he did not feel, nor did he utter a single word. He just did. On the inside, he felt nothing as the massive pile of meat began to twitch around in panic, only to go limp moments later. Had anyone seen him, however, they would have seen an expression of loss on the boy's face, accompanied by a waterfall of tears. Even after Big Joe's ceased to move, Daniel keeps his hold intact for well over two minutes, choking the already dead man.

"Fuck…" Daniel collapsed to the floor, exhausted, in shock, in pain-

Yeah… pain.

"Ow… it- it hurts. Help me. It hurts so much, Sean. Please, help me. Sean?" The worst part was over and Daniel could just walk out of here to find his brother. What he didn't count on, however, was that his own mind would fail him. One can only switch on/off so many times before burning a fuse.

Well, the fuse inside Daniel Felipe Diaz's brain has officially been burnt out.

The little wolf planned to free himself, and his brother so that they could both escape. His plan did not work. He succeeded in setting his physical self free. The boy never got further than that. Instead, he lies on the floor, a defenseless little cub, wondering…

Will anybody come to free him?

Notes:

After roughly a week's hiatus, I'm back and will be posting normally from here on now.

This chapter shows to some extent the contrasts between Sean and Daniel. Sean's locked in a small, dirty, and dark basement. In there, he quickly realizes that "it's over" and more or less gives up without even trying. Daniel, however, is locked inside a large, bright, white room. He scans the entire place while constantly trying to come up with a way to escape. And when he does, he follows through, no matter the cost.

I also want to remind everyone that in this fic, Big Joe does NOT work with Merrill. For a bit of a "reminder" read chapter 10 "Reaper Of Everything".

In this chapter, Daniel's acting very emotionally cold with no regard for his own safety. This is one of the reasons why he collapsed in the end. It all just caught up with him.

Then there's Sean's dream sequence. I really like doing dream sequences because they're a great way to display a character's deepest emotions and/or fears. This time, however, it went through so many changes that I'm not entirely sure about the result. It is what it is, I guess...

Anyway, remember that I like comments.

Enjoy!

K. S.

You have training.
You put it to use.

Your lack of empathy.
It confused your enemy.

Your lack of physical pain.
Broke the chains which held you.

Your lack of mercy.
Gave you another victory.

You had a plan.
And your plan...

It failed.

You broke.
Again.

Like the child that you are.
And always will be.

Weak.
Pathetic.
Broken.
Alone.

Don't bother calling for help.
Nobody shall come for you.
For you.
Are now...

The Lone Wolf.

Chapter 34: Salvation

Summary:

One brother questions his previous defeat while the other meets an old friend...

Notes:

A bit of tags here as well.

Wolf Brigade has now OFFICIALLY passed "Brotherhood" and it's 102 730 word count!

Next stop: "Life Is Cruel" and 124 665...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

24 hours until the plane leaves…

Sean stared blankly into the wall as he wondered where he fucked up. He shouldn't be surprised. After all, it is what he does. He thinks up a plan and believes himself to have everything covered, only to have it backfire spectacularly. Well, this time he truly fucked things up.

He went through it over and over again. From the very first night of horror in Seattle, all the way until this point. He's made so many mistakes. He let his little brother walk through a war zone without any damn shoes while wearing nothing but his pajamas, for god's sake. Sean's mission was simple. One objective, and one objective only.

Take care of your brother.

Well, by the looks of it, Sean failed that mission. He neglected his little brother, therefore putting him in grave danger. In the end, the cost was great. The things that Daniel's seen, done, and had others do to him, aren't something that Sean would wish on his worst enemy. He failed that boy, he always did.

"Sean?" Somewhere in his guilt, Sean could hear a familiar voice. But it wasn't Daniel.

It was his father.

Is he… dying?

"Sean, I'm proud of you, Hijo." The voice of his father echoed inside his aching skull. The words his father spoke only made the headache even worse. His father's proud of him. Of him. He's proud of Sean. And how does Sean thank him for those words?

He gives up.

Sean Eduardo Diaz gives up on his life, the life of his little brother, and any hope for some kind of future whatsoever. That's Sean Diaz saying thanks. He might as well spit on his father's grave. Oh yeah, that's right… his father doesn't have a grave.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry, dad. I- I can't do this anymore. I- I just can't. I-" Sean stops speaking. Tears are pouring down his face as he realized something.

"You're proud of me, dad. You're proud of me even after I screwed up so much. It's too late to change the past, but it's not too late to change the future. Hold on, Daniel… I'm coming…" In a way, Sean's fine with both himself and Daniel dying here and now. He is, however, anything but fine with having to meet the judgmental look of his father on the other side. That alone would be motivation to continue. Still, there's that small part of him that screams the same two words over and over again.

"Save him!"

"Save him!"

"Save him!"

"Save him!"

The question is, how the actual fuck is he going to pull off that one?

Step one would be getting the fuck out of this chair. His hands are tied to the chair behind his back with a simple rope. Sean's feet and legs, however, remain free. He tries to stand up, but he could barely walk around in his current state. Hell, even if he could, there's nothing he could use in here. The only thing in here is that damn lightbulb-

That's it!

"Ok, motherfucker. How do I get you down?" So simple, yet so very difficult. Make the lightbulb drop to the floor, break it, grab a piece of glass, and use it to cut off the rope. Hopefully, he'll be able to do so without slicing an artery or some shit. Sean tries to jump without any real success. While standing, his head barely reached the lightbulb. Sean attempts to headbutt it instead, but all that accomplished was a minor burn on his forehead. This is starting to piss him off.

Like, really piss him off.

"Why won't you just FUCKING DIE?!" Sean headbutts the lightbulb another time, sending it crashing into the wall, breaking it. Apparently, all he had to do was bring out the old Sean. Seattle-Sean.

It took some patience, but eventually, Sean managed to grab a decent piece of glass in his hand. Without the slightest clue of how or where to do it, Sean began to carefully cut through the rope. The process went both quicker and easier than he expected it to. Less than a minute later, Sean's free from his restraints. Slowly, Sean stood up with only one thing on his mind.

"Ok, Enano. Where the hell are you?" He moves for the door, opening it with great care. Luckily, it wasn't locked. On the other side of the door, is a dark corridor. One of those creepy corridors where you could hear another person's footsteps from a mile away. For Sean, that's equally good and bad. In the far distance, Sean could hear a lone guard closing in on him. Judging by his movements, however, the guard appeared to be unaware of the Mexican wolf hiding in the shadows.

"It's just you and me, asshole. You… and me. Where is he?" Sean debates whether to go through with it or not. The guard passed by Sean without noticing him in the dark corner of the hallway.

"Join us, Finn, you said… It'll be fun, you said. Assholes. I should've fucking gone for Costa Rica when I had the chance." The tattooed guard muttered bitterly.

"But no. You had to go with them, and now you're stuck here." The guard sighed while taking out a joint along with a lighter. Sean sees his opportunity and sneaks up from behind, kicking him in the nuts with full force.

What?

Sean's unarmed, and the guard's wielding an assault rifle. It's effective, to say the least. The guard falls to the floor, barely able to scream due to the intense pain. Sean rolls him onto his back before grabbing his throat and looking him in the eyes.

"Where is he?" No answer. Perhaps he kicked a bit too hard? Still, Sean's got no time for this shit. His grip around the guard's throat tightens as he slowly choked him.

"Where… is he?" The guard got a certain look in his eyes which told Sean that he knew who he was talking about. Sean temporarily releases his grip.

"Ah- shit-" The guard coughs and curses, but Sean gives him time. For now.

"Tell me where my brother is." Sean's never heard himself sound so determined before. It almost scared him.

"Wha- what? The kid? The floor above us. He's in interrogation. You'll never get to him in time though. Big Joe's gonna crush his little face before you get there." The guard mocked Sean, and it pissed him off. He got what he needed, meaning the guard had served his purpose. Sean wrapped his hands around his throat and squeezed as he watched the light in the other man's eyes go out. Then, Sean grabs a knife along with a pistol from the corpse before walking to the upper floor.

Inside the captain's flying fortress…

Daniel knew this wasn't real. None of it. He's not back in Beaver Creek, and he sure as hell ain't back in Chris's tree house. Chris is dead, his grandparents are dead, and Beaver Creek's probably blown to shit. This is just another hallucination caused by his demented mind.

Still, he could admit that it was a pretty damn good one.

Daniel sat down, letting his legs hang over the edge while he just enjoyed the view. He felt like he could stay in this moment forever. Like nothing could ruin it. Absolutely nothing.

"So…" Well… shit. Daniel recognized that voice. He didn't dare to turn around. The fear, the guilt, the trauma, all of it felt like a massive boulder in his gut. Daniel couldn't stand the thought of being judged by him. But he cannot escape it. Daniel could never escape.

"Here we are, Daniel." A disappointed voice tells him.

"Yep. Here we are…" Daniel sighed. He refused to look at the figure behind him.

"You're scared, aren't you?" No shit?

"Leave me alone, Chris." Daniel still won't look at his long-deceased friend, for fear of what he might see.

"What's wrong, Daniel?" Chris sits down next to him. Daniel keeps his eyes on the horizon.

"Everything. I don't even know who I am anymore, Chris. I just feel empty, and dead. Like there's nothing to live for." Daniel whispered sadly.

"I get that. I don't know who you are anymore either." Something about the tone of Chris's voice told Daniel that he won't like this.

"You kill, you torture, you hurt, and you do it with no remorse. I thought I could save you, Daniel, I really did. But, I was wrong. I was wrong, and it cost me my life. I'm dead because of you, Daniel. You killed me, and you can't even look at me." The odd combination of hurt and determination in Chris's voice made Daniel look at his friend.

"Chris, I- I didn't mean to-" Yeah… he should've kept looking at that horizon.

"What's the matter, Daniel? Afraid to look into the eyes of your own creation?" Yes. Yes, he was. There's no doubt that the figure next to him was Chris Eriksen. He had the same kind, calm voice, and the same blonde hair. This, however, is where the similarities ended.

The eyes of his friend, once bright blue, was now entirely white. His once pale-white skin had turned dark-brown as the flesh underneath it began to rot. From his gut poured a steady stream of blood, right where the bullet had hit him. His face had almost no skin left courtesy of the vultures in the desert.

"Ch- Chris?" Daniel didn't know what to say. Could he even say anything?

"You did this to me, Daniel. To me, and countless others. I wanted to die, so I wouldn't have to be in pain anymore. Thanks to you, I'll spend an eternity like this. Look at this, Daniel! Look at what you did!" Chris shouts at him in anger and disappointment alike.

"I'm sorry, Chris. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" Daniel reached out with his hands in an attempt to hug his friend, not giving a damn about how disgusting it would feel. Chris, however, slapped his hands away.

"You're sorry? Is that going to make my pain any less? Will it stop this wound from bleeding? No, Daniel, it won't. It's too late to be sorry." Once again, Chris Eriksen judged Daniel Diaz.

"Tell me what the fuck to do, you asshole! What do you want from me?!" Daniel screams in desperation. Chris turned towards the horizon.

"You will need to make a decision soon, Daniel. I do not know what, when, or where it is, but when it happens, you must make the right call." His voice had changed into something much more serious.

"How do I know what's right, Chris?" Daniel asked nervously.

"You don't. But hopefully, you'll make the right call." Daniel needs more than that.

"Come on, you gotta give me something!" Chris sighed.

"Are you sure?" His friend sounds more serious than ever.

"Yes. I'm sure." Honestly, he's beginning to doubt that statement already.

"Once you've seen this, you cannot unsee it. If you're truly sure, Daniel, then I want you to close your eyes." A bit weird. Then again, this is a dream that feels real in which he's talking to the rotting corpse of the friend he killed. Weird is just the tip of the iceberg.

The young wolf closed his eyes.

He no longer felt in control of his own body. Daniel finds himself in a car next to Sean. In front of them, is a massive wall, and dozens of cops.

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Huh? The fuck? Did he say that? It took a few seconds for him to realize it, but Daniel believes he understands to some extent what this is. It's one of those alternate dimension thingies. Apparently, they need to get to the other side of that border.

"I- I think their story ends right here." It was the strangest thing. Daniel felt the emotions of the alternate Daniel, plus his own emotions as well.

"Wow, Sean. You gave up on me… again." His own thoughts. But they paled in comparison to the heartbreak that alternate Daniel felt. The pain, the disappointment, and…

The anger.

A few brief motions with his hands, and his alternate twin drives the car towards the border crossing at full speed. By the looks of it, he's got superpowers here. That's cool. He felt the anger, the intensity, and the deep focus of his other self. The bullets didn't hit them, the car crashed through the border, and Daniel could feel how his twin breathed a sigh of relief.

"You see?! Mexico, look, we made it!" A euphoric burst of joy as both incarnations of Daniel waits for the older brother to reply.

Joy turns to confusion.

Confusion turns to worry.

Worry turns to fear.

"Sean?" He saw everything in first person from his twin's perspective. As his older brother desperately tried to stop a bleeding wound in his throat while coughing blood, Daniel tried to open his eyes to wake himself up from this nightmare, but he couldn't. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't escape this. A few seconds later, his big brother passed away right before his eyes.

"WHY?! WHYYYYYY?!"

"AHHHHHHH!" Daniel's back at the treehouse. Looking down at him is Chris.

"That is only one of the things that may happen if you were to choose unwisely." Chris lectured him.

"I- I was angry there. That- that's it, right?" His anger clouded his mind, making him careless, killing his brother in the process.

"Good. I gave you something. Now, put it to use, dipshit." Chris jokingly told him while offering him his hand.

"I think I get it now, Chris. I'm sorry." Daniel took the hand, allowing Chris to pull him to his feet.

"Don't be sorry, Daniel. Be better. Just… be better. Goodbye… for now."

"DANIEL?!" Sean burst through the door waking his little brother up from the horrific nightmare. What was it even about? Something about Chris, telekinesis, and decisions?

Yeah, decisions. He remembered that much. Make the right decision when the time comes.

"Daniel, are you ok? Did they hurt you?" Daniel ignores the idiotic question his brother blurted out. He just made his decision.

"I want you to leave me here, Sean," Daniel tells his brother in a neutral tone, hinting that he accepts his fate. He couldn't even bother to look at Sean. Not because he felt ashamed or scared, but even something minor such as moving his eyes felt exhausting right now.

"What?! What are you talking about?! We gotta go, man!" Sean's starting to panic as he stood next to his brother, gesturing wildly with his arms.

"Just leave me. I'm done for. It's too late for me, Sean." Daniel sounded so sad, so tired, and so defeated. Sean fought back the impulsiveness of his old self, telling him to scream "get the fuck up" to his younger brother. Instead, he kneels next to him.

"Enano. I know you're tired, I am too. But, we're almost there. Once we're on that plane, you can rest for as long as you'd like. But right now, we have to go, Daniel. Please." Sean offers him his hand.

"I- I can't. I've done too many mistakes. I don't even know who I am anymore." Daniel tried to push back his tears. Meanwhile, Sean looked around the room for the first time since entering.

He gasped.

In the ensuing chaos, Sean had failed to realize what kind of room this was. A near carbon-copy of the white room he spent days in while becoming tortured beyond sanity. That on its own makes it traumatizing for Sean to be in here. What made it even worse, however, is the fact that the white room wasn't just white. It was also red. Very, very red.

Blood-red.

A white chair, bolted to the floor was covered in blood. Underneath it lay a decent pool of it as well. Sean looks back and forth between the chair and his brother. He didn't need much time to figure out that the blood came from Daniel. Then, he saw the rest. At the other end of the room, laying on his stomach was a figure that Sean instantly recognized.

Big Joe. Also known as one of the two assholes that killed his grandparents, made his mother turn on him, and put him in a fucking concentration camp.

To put it mildly, Big Joe was dead. Very dead. Blood came out of his eyes, and a pair of handcuffs lay on his back. Sean, however, easily noticed the marks on his throat, similar to that of a small chain. Perhaps the chain of a pair of handcuffs? Someone strangled him with such force that the chain cut through part of his throat.

"Fuck…" Daniel did this? Daniel? His little brother? Enano? Shit. Sean could understand why Daniel felt the way he did to some extent. He didn't want to do this but felt like he had no other choice. It was kill or be killed. So, what's his choice in all this? What is Sean's choice?

Save Daniel?

Or…

Or…

Or…

Or…

No. There's no choice. There are no alternatives and no excuses. He's going to save his brother, no matter the cost.

Sean turns his attention to the corpse of Big Joe. Disgusted by himself, he searches the man's pockets, hoping to find something useful.

"Yes!" A pair of car keys. Perfect.

"Ok, Daniel. I know you don't want to keep going, but just hold on to me, ok?" Daniel did not respond. However, as Sean lifted him in his arms, a small smile could be seen for a short period of time. Daniel wrapped his arms around Sean's right arm so tight it hurt him. The small child buried his face in the chest of his older brother, not wanting any more horrifying visuals burned into his retina.

The brothers exited the room in hopes to avoid any further troubles on the way out. Sean carries his younger brother all the way, and while Daniel doesn't weigh much, Sean's weak and malnourished. He sees a restroom sign and goes for it. Sean locks the door behind them, putting Daniel down on his feet. At least he could stand.

"Come here, Daniel. We should clean you up a bit." Since they won't have any supplies whatsoever for the next day, it's probably the right thing to do. Sean grabs some paper towels for a lack of anything else and starts to clean the blood from his brother. About twenty minutes later, they're both good to go.

"Does it hurt?" Daniel nods slowly.

"Can you walk by yourself or do-" The boy quickly shakes his head. Once again, Sean lifts him up. He looks from a window in an attempt to see where the car in question may have parked. And, of course, it's on the other side of the compound.

Shit…

Thing is, there are not that many people here. Most of them are probably just out "fightin' the good ol' cause" or some shit. The door next to him gives Sean an idea. Not a very original one, but these rednecks might be dumb enough to fall for it. The only problem is Daniel. Sean enters the dressing room and sets his brother down on a bench.

"Daniel, I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?" His brother nods while paying attention. So far so good.

"We have to get to the car on the other end of the compound. But people like us will draw attention here. They'll see us." Once again, Daniel nods.

"So, we have to hide, right? Make ourselves blend in?" Slowly, the reality began to sink in for the young wolf.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel, but we have no other choice," Sean says as he takes out some military clothing for the both of them. Daniel felt like he was taken back in time, and not in a good way. The very second he saw that gear, he felt like he was back at Merrill's, killing, fighting, and hating.

"No. Sean, please. No." He felt like screaming, but his voice didn't allow him to. Before Daniel knew what had happened, Sean stood before him in full camo gear, helmet included. Daniel's been chased by his older brother countless times. He always knew deep down that was Sean to catch him, there would be hell to pay. Still, he was never afraid. Not even a little. This, however, is the first time Daniel's truly afraid of his big brother.

"It's ok, buddy. I'll be with you every step of the way." It took Daniel over thirty minutes to get changed. For every second that passed, he felt more and more like Daniel the toy soldier. He wasn't afraid, yet that alone made him afraid at the same time. One massive clusterfuck of emotions. After he's finally dressed, Sean picks up a helmet.

"I know, Daniel, I know. It's the only way, I'm sorry." Each brother sheds his tears as Sean puts the way too large helmet on his little brother's head. They exit the dressing room and prepare to walk outside. Just before opening the door, however, Sean stops.

"Are you ready, Enano?" Daniel shakes his head.

"No. I'm not." He could never be ready for this. And even if he could, he wouldn't want to.

"Right. Walk slowly, don't make eye contact with anyone, don't speak unless spoken to, and we'll be fine." Sean didn't sound very convinced.

"You promise, Sean?" Daniel whimpers as he desperately searches for reassurance.

"I- I- let's go, Daniel." They're dead.

The very second that the wolfbrothers set their feet outside, Daniel grabbed his brother's hand in an iron grip. Gone was the Daniel who would search the area for weaknesses to exploit or dangers to avoid. All that remained was a scared ten-year-old boy that held on to his only lifeline.

It wasn't that far to walk, but it felt like a marathon. Not because of the heat, however, but because of the danger. Around them were towers with snipers at the top, prepared to fire at any given moment. Or perhaps just any of the militia members who randomly walked around in the compound wielding rifles? Make one wrong move, and it would all be over. Thankfully, their clothing hid the color of their skin, leaving only their hands exposed. Meanwhile, the helmets covered their faces. The wolfbrothers blended in.

"This is it, Daniel. I can see the car." So close. Almost there.

"I'm scared, Sean." And he was. Sean felt the nails of his younger brother, digging into his hand.

Somehow, the wolfbrothers managed to get into the car undetected. Guess there's a first time for everything? They both breathe a sigh of relief as Sean starts the car. Since barely anyone saw them, everyone believed it to be Big Joe inside the car and therefore didn't think twice about it. Little did they know, however, that Big Joe lay dead in the white room, choked to death by a ten-year-old.

"Get us the fuck out of here, Sean," Daniel mumbles exhausted.

"Couldn't agree more, little bro," Sean says while driving towards the gate-

Gate?

GATE!

Shit.

Sean didn't think about that part. He didn't think about it because he didn't know about it. The only way in or out of the compound is through a large steel gate. They could drive through it with ease. But then, everyone from the militia would be after them.

"Shit…" The worry on Sean's voice managed to wake Daniel from his temporary slumber.

"Oh, no! What- what are we going to do, Sean?" Daniel shouts in panic. Sean stops to consider his options. Do nothing and see what happens, or just drive through the whole thing? By doing nothing, it could go fine, or they could be shot right here.

"Just, stay calm, Daniel. We're gonna play their game and see what happens." Sean wished that he felt only half as calm as he sounded.

"But- no. NO! We did all this SHIT… for nothing?!" Daniel felt the anger, the disappointment, and the hurt inside him. Sean just decided to head for a slow and certain death.

"Daniel, come on…" Somehow, Daniel got a sense of déjà vu. It made him rethink his previous words while calming himself down.

"It's ok, Sean. I- I trust you." Deep breaths.

Sean drives closer and closer to the gate, stopping right in front of it. Whatever happens now, they can't stop it. Someone pulls a gun on them, and it would be too late to turn back or drive through the gate. All they could do is pray. And the Diaz family is not a very religious one.

"Enano. I'm gonna need you to let go of my hand now." Sean whispered painfully to his brother. Reluctantly, Daniel did as told. One guard stood in front of the vehicle while another approached it. Both guards carried assault rifles. The guard knocks on the windshield, indicating for Sean to roll it down. Sean plays along.

"Alright, I'm gonna have to see some ID-" Everybody froze. It was difficult to tell who was the most shocked.

Sean?

Daniel?

Or the guard?

The wolfbrothers knew that guard. And he knew them. Way back when this mess began, he saved their lives. He looked like hell. One couldn't exactly blame him for it either. Sean forgot about him long ago. Daniel, however, spent many nights wondering about his fate. Especially, since his best friend never spoke about it.

The guard right next to them is Charles Eriksen, the father of Chris Eriksen.

"Charles?" Sean whimpered. He was never that close to Charles in the first place, but just seeing a familiar face felt like such a relief. That is until the reality of it all dawned upon him. The wolfbrothers lives were now exclusively in the hands of Charles Eriksen.

"Sean? Daniel? You- you're alive?" Charles stuttered silently to avoid anyone hearing them. He did sound happy to see them, that's good, right? Then, Charles turned his attention to Daniel. He asks him the one question Daniel did not want to be asked, and he does it with such desperation and sadness that it becomes very clear to the boy.

"Daniel, you must know- please, tell me. What happened to Chris? Is he alive or is he… gone?" Daniel knew immediately that his answer may very well decide whether the wolfbrothers live or die.

Charles wanted the truth, believing it would bring him closure of sorts. But Daniel knew that the truth would break him. Plus, there's no time to sit here and tell him how his sensitive son's forced into becoming a toy soldier, only to be killed by his best friend in the middle of the desert. Oh, and the thing about vultures feasting on his rotting corpse just a few hours away. No, that would make him fall apart, alerting everyone else.

Simply telling him that Chris is dead isn't much better either. The same result in a shorter amount of time. Daniel can't tell him that either for the same reasons.

He could lie, and tell Charles that he doesn't know. Then again, he's seen Charles angry before. This may awaken the beast. And the beast inside Charles Eriksen is very angry and desperate. This is an option, but it is a bad one. Daniel sighs internally as he realized what his final option becomes.

"He's alive, Charles. He's fine." The relief on Charles's face was obvious. Daniel, however, felt like someone stuck a dagger through his heart repeatedly.

"Alive? Thank god, Daniel. Where- where is he?" Shit. Think, you idiot, think! Location, location, location!

"A few hours from here. There's a bunker just next to the road. The door's unlocked. He's inside. Chris has stayed with us since Beaver Creek. I went out with Sean to get supplies, but we got captured and ended up here. Chris stayed at the bunker that day." Charles's face lit up like never before.

"Thank you, Daniel. I'll never forget this." Charles quickly wiped a tear from his face.

"HEY! What's the fucking holdup?!" The guard in front of the car screamed. Charles looked at the guard, then back at the brothers.

"Tell Chris I'm coming for him, ok?" One final word before Charles turned his attention to the other guard.

"Sorry, man. Just exchanging some road stories, that's all. Everything checks out, open the gate." The other guard steps aside and the gate opens. The brothers left the compound for good along with the hopeful Charles Eriksen. He would hope to find his son alive at that bunker. Little did he know that all he would find there was Merrill's crew and the dead body of Maria Flores.

"Get the fuck out of my life!" Daniel screams while tearing his helmet off, and throwing it out the window. Sean did the same only seconds later. A brief silence followed. Each brother tried to comprehend what had just happened. Daniel looks out the window while tears pour down his face.

"Sean? We've only got twelve hours left until the plane leaves." Daniel noticed the clock inside the car. Sean, feeling the need to ease things up a bit, tries to change the subject.

"You're right. Remember the first time we got on a plane together, Daniel?" Oh, does he ever? It's kinda difficult to forget.

Daniel was around seven at the time, making Sean about fourteen. Their grandparents were taking them to Miami for a week. One week of sun, beaches, swimming, and whatnot. Stephen had broken his arm at the last minute, and couldn't go with them, leaving Claire as the only adult. Also, the same morning as the flight would take off, Sean began to suffer from a bad case of food poisoning.

He spent six hours on that plane, swearing, shitting, and screaming in pain. Daniel learned a lot of new words that day.

"Grandma, what does fuck mean?" And grandma Claire wanted the plane to plunge into the furthest ends of the earth as she scolded her grandsons over and over again. Sean spent the entire week inside and bedridden with Claire taking care of him. This also meant that Daniel couldn't go out at all. The vacation sucked, plain and simple.

"Oh, yeah. Hah, you were so sick, Sean. You even shit yourself on the plane." Daniel laughs at his brother's previous misery. But, it's all good and harmless fun.

"I did not, Daniel." Sean denies it to this day, however, his face did turn very red.

"At least I didn't ask grandma what fuck means." Now, it was Sean's turn to laugh.

"Hey, I was just a child back then, Sean. No fair!" Daniel tries to defend himself.

"Dude, it's three years ago… barely." Sean mocks his younger brother's statement.

"Yeah well, a lot has happened since then, Sean." An eerie silence takes over as they both knew what that meant.

"Yes, Daniel. Yes, it has. But soon, this will all be over. I promise." Sean got an uncomfortable itch on his throat as he wondered if he would be able to keep that promise to both himself and Daniel.

Notes:

Well, this chapter was a bit longer than I intended it to be. But hey, I do want to beat the 124 000 plus word count of my "Life Is Cruel" series...

Daniel got a dream sequence of his own here. Originally, I intended it to be the exact opposite of Sean's. In the end, however, it served a deeper purpose of sorts with Daniel learning to think twice about his decisions as we see later in the chapter.

A few cameos here as well. Finn enters, dies, and leaves. Those who follow my fics probably know this by now, but I don't like him. Also, Charles is alive.

NOTE: I seriously must learn to take notes better somehow. I wasn't 100% sure if I had decided about Charles's fate earlier, but a quick search made it look like I didn't. Let's hope that is the case. He's basically in the militia for his own survival, not because he believes their "cause".

We're getting very close to the end now. The final chapter before the endings will be either the next one or the one after that (35 or 36). The end is indeed near...

Please leave a comment below.

Enjoy this way too long chapter!

K. S.

T-Minus 12 hours.

Soon...
Your fate shall be decided.

Four paths.
Two wolves.
One choice.

What to choose?
When all you do is loose?
To a goose...
... Riding a moose...
... Holding a noose... (Sorry, couldn't resist)

Ask yourself the following.
Who controls the wolfbrothers path?

Is it Daniel?
Strong.
Trained in combat.
Yet, a broken boy.

Is it Sean?
Traumatized.
Scared.
Unwilling to carry on.

Is it you?
You are the one.
The decisionmaker.
The power is in your hands.
Is it not?

No.

It is I.
The reaper of misery.
I never forgive.
I never forget.
But you?
You have forgotten about me.
Haven't you?

Don't worry.
After this.
You shall never forget me.

Chapter 35: The Reaper's Reprisal

Summary:

The wolfbrothers are free and closing in on their goal. Hopefully, nothing unexpected will happen to disrupt them...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Three hours until the plane leaves…

The brother's never stopped. Not for rest, for they could not afford it. Not for food and water, for they had neither of those. During the entire night, Sean Diaz continued to drive towards that airstrip, forever grateful that he remembered its location since the map was no more. Next to him, his brother stared emptily into the abyss, unable to relax.

Three hours, give or take. That's all they got. In other words, they know what the future holds for them within four hours or so. Death, prison, or some kind of future in a land far beyond? None of them dared to even mention it. The possibilities, but also the risks. They both knew, however, that the other thought about it. Sean gripped the steering wheel with such force it made his hands turn white. Meanwhile, Daniel used his left index finger, stroking the third of his wounds on the right arm.

The first wound represented the mind. His mind's scarred by all the trauma that he's suffered over the last year or so. The child that used to be, was gone. The remains of it sometimes scared Daniel. However, occasionally, his inner child pops out to make itself known. Almost like a way for Daniel's subconsciousness to remind him that he's still a small child, and he can still be saved. And, to some extent, it seems to be working. Putting all the trauma aside, Daniel Felipe Diaz has matured a lot lately and knows himself better than ever before.

He knows that he needs therapy, and he knows that the road is long, difficult, and painful. But, given the chance, he'll take it in a heartbeat.

The second wound on his arm represented his body. Supposedly, just a tool for his mind. While he could understand, and somewhat even agree with that statement, it was of no concern. While his small frame may be covered in scars, varying in both size, type, width, length, and depth, it did not bother him. It didn't bother him because they were just that. Scars. Most of them will heal over time, but some will always be visible as a reminder that he survived it all. He endured a living hell, coming out stronger on the other side of it.

There is, however, one scar that bothers him.

The third one. The one that represents his soul. No matter what Sean told him, Daniel always felt like something inside him had gone missing, never to return. Something you could not see with the naked eye, and yet somehow, this was the most important part of the human body. And Daniel Diaz no longer had it. At least he felt like it. That's what worries him about the future.

Can he be fixed? Or, perhaps he's just a lost cause? Damaged goods way past their expiration date?

Set the plane aside, and this is his biggest fear of all. That he cannot be fixed. That he'll spend the rest of his life feeling too miserable to live, but not miserable enough to kill himself. Sean would probably abandon him too when he realized what a freak his little brother was. His mind twists and turns around all the possible chaotic scenarios, one worse than the other.

Meanwhile, Sean sits next to him in deep thought. One single phrase played on a constant loop inside his head.

"You need to look after your brother, Sean. Protect him." The last words his father ever told him. Well, technically them, however, they were directed at Sean. He remembered how he felt at the time. Sean wasn't afraid of the bombs that fell from the sky, or the soldiers that marched the streets. Most of that shit he hadn't even noticed yet. Sean felt one thing and one thing only.

"Why me?" He remembered so clearly how his entire mind just screamed those words at his father. Sean, however, could never raise his voice against his dad. Still, he did feel that at the time. Why do I have to look after that kid? I don't even know him.

Only now, has Sean realized how far he's truly come. Back in Seattle, he never knew how to communicate with his younger brother. Anytime he tried, it got awkward and Sean ended up getting angry. In the end, he stopped trying. It just felt easier that way. He always believed that Daniel bothered him constantly because he wanted to annoy him, tease him, and push him to the limit. Sean realizes now that he couldn't have been further from the truth.

All Daniel ever wanted was for him to care. He wanted Sean to pat him on the back and tell him that the giraffe he drew is awesome even when it looks nothing like a giraffe, but that's what brothers do, right? Daniel wanted them to spend time together, talk, watch movies, anything, but Sean was too dumb to see it. He chased that poor kid around the house more times than any of them could remember. Sean doesn't want to imagine what would've happened had he caught him. It's a good thing the kid's fast.

Fast-forward about a year, and things are very different. Instead of doing things to his little brother, Sean's doing things for him as a way to keep him safe and sound. Sure, the results have varied at times, but he needed a while to get there. Not everything's perfect, but Daniel's alive. And he's alive thanks to Sean. It's taken him almost seventeen years, but now, Sean could finally say it to himself.

"I'm a big brother." From the corner of his eye, Sean saw Daniel twitch slightly. Shit. Did he say that out loud? Why is he always so god-damn awkward?

"Huh? You say something, Sean?" Daniel mumbles while continuing to look dead ahead.

"Nothing. It's nothing, Daniel." Fuck, Sean.

"Hey, Sean?" Daniel turns to him while grabbing his hand.

"Yeah?" He heard it, didn't he?

"You're the best big brother." Daniel rests his head against his shoulder while closing his eyes.

"Thanks, Enano. It means a lot to hear that." It really did. Sean forced the tears back, not wanting to break down this close to the finish line.

"We're almost there, little cub." Sean felt the knot in his stomach growing larger by the second as the wolfbrothers were closing in on their destination.

Later that day…

Sean looked at the time. They should make it. Barely, but still, they should make it. On his shoulder, rests the tired head of his little brother, in deep sleep. For once, the boy fell asleep without horrific nightmares haunting him at every corner. Perhaps this could be a sign that things had finally changed in the wolfbrothers favor? Either way, Sean felt almost ashamed over the fact that he had to wake him up. It's been a long time since he saw him like this. So calm, so peaceful, so childlike. Nobody could even begin to guess what horrors this boy had seen, heard, experienced, and… done.

But the time for those thoughts is not now. There will be a time for that, and probably a thousand more afterward as well. But, for that to happen, Sean must maintain his focus until he's certain that they're safe aboard that damn plane. Right now, nothing else matters.

"Enano? I'm sorry, but you have to wake up." Sean gently tried to move his arm to wake Daniel up.

"Mhm… I don't wanna. Just a little longer." Daniel said in a state of more asleep than awake.

"We're almost there, Daniel. You have to get up." This, however, had a very different effect on the child.

"WHAT?! We're there now?! When- OW! Shit…" Daniel woke up and managed to hit his head on the roof of the car.

"Shh, calm down, man. We're almost there. I just want you to be prepared that's all." They might be close, but Daniel saw nothing but desert in every direction. He needed a distraction.

"I don't really care where this plane takes us, Sean. I just want you to promise me something." Daniel speaks in a serious tone while Sean waits for him to elaborate.

"When this is all over, I want to- I need to- talk to someone about it, I guess." It sounded so great and confident in his head. Saying it, however, was something completely different.

"And I want you to promise me, Sean, that you'll never leave me, no matter how broken I am." Daniel managed to keep the same tone in his voice without breaking apart another time. Sean remained silent for a few minutes while considering how to best respond to this.

At this point, it's safe to say that the basic "you're not broken" phrase isn't what Daniel wants to hear. To be fair, the kid is broken, and so is Sean. Still, nothing on the face of the earth could ever make Sean abandon him.

"When this is over, Daniel, I'll get you the help you need. And- I probably need some as well. We've both seen a lot of shit, and done it too." Sean saw his brother grab his wrist in shame.

"And I promise you, Daniel. You're my brother, and I will never leave you. I swear it." Sean meant every word he just said.

"Thanks, Sean." Seemingly content with the answer, Daniel sits back in his seat and looks out the window.

It didn't take him long.

"Sean? I see something…" And there it was. Their salvation, their ticket out of here, their path to their new lives. In the distance, the wolfbrothers saw a military-style cargo plane. Battered, weary, in desperate need of repair but somehow still kicking.

Just like them.

"Sean, look! It's the plane! We made it, Sean! It's the fucking plane! We made it!" Daniel released his buried emotions, leading to an odd combination of laughter, tears, relief, and exhaustion.

"WE FUCKING DID IT, DANIEL!" Sean had sworn to not claim victory too soon, but the pure joy from his little brother made it impossible to resist. They did it. It's over. Sean let the tears pour down his face while enjoying the knowledge that from here on, things would finally be alright. In front of them lies the plane, engines already up and running, and the door to the cargo hold is open. Nobody's around. They made it.

Except for the fact that somebody was around.

It all happened so fast. So very fast. Neither brother had any time to react. Sean could hear the roaring engines of the plane, but his eyes caught something else. A small red dot had suddenly appeared out of nowhere on the hood of the car-

FUCK!

The sound of a loud gunshot, followed by a popping tire as the car spun out of control. Dozens of vehicles closed in on them from every direction, surrounding the wolfbrothers.

"FUCK! SHIT!" Sean swore loudly while hating himself for cheering too soon.

"Are you hurt, Daniel?" But his brother didn't hear him. His attention was elsewhere. His worst fear was about to come true. In front of the brothers lay the plane. Between the plane and the brothers, however, a truck had just stopped. This is Daniel's fear. A door opens and Daniel saw one boot hit the ground with decisiveness. Then another, however, with much less force. He's still hurting. Even the devil bleeds.

"Merrill." Daniel whimpered his name in fear, anger, hatred, and almost every negative emotion possible. Merrill made him into what he is today. Merrill killed Daniel Diaz the child. He deserves to die for what he did. Given the opportunity, Daniel would love to make that happen. But here, he's in no position to make that happen.

"It's him, Sean. It's- It's him." Daniel whispered in horror as he realized how screwed they truly are.

"What do we do, Sean? I- I don't know what to do." Daniel begins to panic as he looks back and forth between Merrill and Sean.

"You know why I never bothered with you in Seattle, Daniel?" Sean leans his head backward in exhaustion. Hearing his brother in so much pain made Daniel feel awful, however, it did make him feel much calmer.

"It wasn't because I didn't care about you or because I hated you. I always loved you, Daniel, in my own way. I just never knew how to show it." Daniel remains silent, waiting for his brother to get to whatever point he's trying to make.

"I gave up on you, and that's my fault, Enano. But you- you never gave up on me. No matter what I did to you." Daniel starts to cry.

"When dad told me to look after you, I wondered why. Why me? I don't even know this kid." Daniel feels genuinely hurt by that comment, especially since it's true.

"Sean?" He's unable to utter another word before choking on tears.

"But then I got to know him. And I'm so glad I did. No matter what happens, Daniel, I'm just glad to finally know you. You're my brother. I love you, and I'm so proud of you, no matter what happens." Sean cried while embracing his younger brother.

"Get out of the car now, Daniel!" The boy froze as the reaper called out his name. This is it. This is the moment he was warned about. Think twice before making a decision. Have a calm mind.

"Have a calm mind…" Daniel repeats the phrase to himself while taking a few deep breaths. He could see him right there, clear as day. Merrill. The reaper of misery stood with his arms crossed waiting for him to make his move.

"I am not out for blood, Daniel. A deserter you may be, but you're far too good of a soldier. I did not come back to punish you, my son. I came back to welcome you back home." No. Daniel felt like throwing up. Anything but that. Anything. Daniel would rather die than go back there. And Sean? What would become of Sean?

Yeah, like he needs to ask?

"Daniel, I- I don't know what to do here, Enano." Sean stuttered between rapid breaths.

"All I want is my best soldier back. You will be rewarded beyond your imagination, my child. Come with me, and your brother goes free." Daniel sees through his bullshit now. The fact that he once fell for it is downright pathetic. He looks at Merrill, then at Sean, then at the three scars on his arm.

"It's over, Sean." Daniel realized it now. What must happen.

"What do you mean, Daniel?" Sean was so afraid and so confused that he could barely understand what was going on.

"The story of the wolfbrothers. It's over. It ends here, big brother."

Indeed, it does. The question still remains though.

How does the story of the wolfbrothers end?

Notes:

This chapter turned out a lot shorter than the previous one, but oh well.

Now, here's what will happen: There will be one interlude chapter, four different endings, plus another thing I'm still considering. So at the very least, there are five chapters left. All of which will be published AT THE SAME TIME!

Needless to say, this will take some time to finish. Stay with me though, I believe that the end result shall be worth it.

Please leave a comment below.

The next time this updates, it will be the last (boy, did that feel strange to write).

Enjoy!

K. S.

I told you.
When you least expect it.
I shall return.
And I shall bring vengeance upon you.

This.
This is my vengeance.
And you.
This is the price.
For your disobedience.

You cannot have victory in this defeat.
But I shall enjoy the defeat you feel in victory.

Make a decision, child.
Go on.
It matters not.

I shall emerge victorious.
Trust me...

Chapter 36: Interlude...

Summary:

A guide shall present itself to show you the way. But beware, for he may not have your best interest in mind...

Notes:

Read this chapter to learn how to choose your path.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The wolfbrothers are trapped, right at the finish line. They are surrounded by hunters, threatening their very existence. The concept of time ceases to exist for the moment. Meanwhile, the wolfbrothers field of view splits into four different black-and-white pieces.

This… is where you come in.

You find yourself in the middle of a wasteland. Blood-red sand as far as the eye can see. Mountains are made not of rock, but fire. A pitch-black sky with clouds of poisonous fumes is looking down on you. No such thing as a sun exists here. Still, the sand boils you, the fire burns you, and the air going into your lungs poisons you.

This place… is hell.

In the distance, a dark figure approaches you. The figure in question is no larger than a child. But make no mistake about it, this is far from a child.

The mysterious figure stops in front of you. It's dressed in a large, black cloak that covers the entire body, its arms, and most of its face. All you're able to see is the lower half of its face and the hands of the figure.

The skin, if one could call it that, is pale white. The creature's lack of lips made its black rotten teeth even more visible. Around its mouth, where a normal man would've had lips, the creature had several deep scars as if it carved them off voluntarily. The creature tilts its head to the side as if studying you.

"Welcome, my friend. I am the reaper of misery, and this is my domain." The reaper bids you welcome while raising a rotten hand to the side, showing off his dominion.

"I gave them simple instructions, did I not?" The reaper continues with a slow, deep tone.

"All they had to do… was to obey." The reaper shows signs of frustration.

"Now… they've humiliated me. Mocked me. Ignored me." The mountains of flame in the distance increase in height along with the reaper's anger.

"They no longer control their own destiny."

"However, neither am I. The reaper of misery can only create certain paths, but he cannot decide which path a mortal shall walk upon."

"I hereby present to thee, four different paths. You must choose one for Sean Eduardo Diaz and Daniel Felipe Diaz to walk upon."

"You can choose to FIGHT YOUR WAY OUT. Let Daniel use his training one last time. This is what he's been waiting for, whether he likes it or not. Now is his chance to prove himself. Just remember that the reaper is very unforgiving and has a long memory."

"You can choose to RUN. Go ahead. Flee, like the cowards that you are. Maybe you'll make it, or maybe the both of you will get shot to death? Daniel Diaz may not fear death, but he shall learn to fear the reaper."

"You can choose to BUY TIME. When all other options are terrible, what does one do? One must buy time, in hopes that salvation shall appear. Can the wolfbrothers be salvaged? Are they worthy in the eyes of my old friend upstairs?"

"You can choose SACRIFICE. To achieve victory, one must accept the cost. The question is only who or what the price is?

"These are the paths given to you."

"Will you go out in a fiery blaze as you march your brigade of wolves into their final fight?"

"Shall the brigade dissolve forever as the wolfbrothers flee like cowards?"

"Will the pack become separated as the wolfbrothers are imprisoned and tortured for all eternity?"

"Or, shall the brotherly bond break as one brother gives his life, so the other can live?"

"Perhaps those things will happen, perhaps not. I do not know. I only hold the questions, not the answers."

"The answers… lie in you."

"The time has come to choose your path."

"A few words of wisdom, however… I am the reaper of misery, indeed. But, ask yourself this. The reaper of whose misery?"

"Sean Eduardo Diaz? Daniel Felipe Diaz? The reaper of your misery, or perhaps even that of my own creator?"

"Choose your path, my friend. Remember that your actions have consequences, and the memory of the reaper is long and unforgiving."

"Choose wisely…"

"To FIGHT YOUR WAY OUT, go to chapter 37."

"To RUN, go to chapter 38."

"To BUY TIME, go to chapter 39."

"For SACRIFICE, go to chapter 40."

Notes:

Take your time before choosing which path to walk upon. After you've begun to follow a specific path, you cannot turn back for your actions shall always have consequences.

Choose wisely...

Chapter 37: Fight Your Way Out

Summary:

You have chosen to fight your way out. Shall you achieve freedom through blood and gore or shall you die an honorable death on the battlefield? Either way, your fate has been sealed.

Prepare for battle...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Fight Your Way Out

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Daniel asked, however, he already knew the answer. Perhaps not the answer Sean would give him, but he knew what mattered.

How does the story of the wolfbrothers end?

That's something he already knows. The answer is simple. Two short words.

It doesn't.

Their story won't end here. Not today, not tomorrow, and not the day after that. The wolfbrothers would go on to live normal, happy lives, and perhaps one of them would have his own cubs one day? Either way, this isn't the end of their story. This is where it truly begins. For after today, the wolfbrothers shall roam free forever.

"Daniel, I- I don't see a way out of this." Daniel knows his brother better than that. Sean saw at least one way out, however, he refused to take it. To be completely honest, Daniel's not exactly thrilled about it either. But anything's better than going back to that place. Anything, including death.

"Sean? You know what we have to do… don't you?" Daniel tried to be a little smooth about it, but he wasn't asking for Sean's permission. Not for this. He didn't ask because he knew that his brother wouldn't give it.

In a way, Daniel understood why. It felt strange to him that he could understand such things now, but that's all part of growing up. And growing up he has. Over the past year, Daniel Felipe Diaz has gone from a needy, clingy, and insecure child to a small adult, capable of great things. Terrible, yes, but also great.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I- I don't want that. Anything, but not that, Enano." Sean looked at his younger brother, almost pleading with him to find another way. But there was no other way.

"Sean, there is no other way. You know it as well as I do, wolfbrother. Daniel did not budge. He's fairly confident that he could pull this off without the help of his big brother. Hell, it would probably be easier to do it alone. Still, that morale boost would do him good right about now. The kind of mental upswing a young boy gets when his big brother tells him "I'm with you on this, and I believe in you."

That's what he needs right now.

"Fuck. I don't want you to create even more pain for yourself, Daniel." Understandably, Sean's worried about the effect this would have on his little brother in the long run.

"But, Sean… I'm in pain, right now, big brother." Daniel pushed back his tears as he pointed at Merrill and his thugs.

"You see that, Sean? Right there? You see him?" Daniel raised his voice, sounding almost angry.

"That right there, Sean, is the fucking reason I'm in pain. The source of my fucking trauma. The one who did this to me." Daniel points at his scarred right arm.

"Out of the car, NOW!" Merrill shouted at the wolfbrothers from afar. Sean looked back and forth between Daniel and Merrill as he realized that he's lost this battle.

The war, however, could still be won.

"Let me put an end to my devil, Sean. Because I'm sure as fuck not going back with him to hell." Daniel spoke with determination and confidence. He knew that if he ever was to have peace in his life, Jonathan Merrill had to be removed from the face of this earth. Daniel knew it, and so did his brother.

"There's no other way out… shit. Ok, Daniel. What's the plan, little brother?" That's a pretty good question actually.

Plan.

What is Daniel Diaz's plan?

Merrill can't be reasoned with, Daniel already knows that as a fact. Given enough time, Merrill, just like anyone else, could be outsmarted. Time, however, wasn't a luxury they had now. With not enough time to make a decent plan, only one option remains for the wolfbrothers.

Improvise.

Few people ever defeated Daniel when it came to improvised tasks. A young, quick, and creative mind already started storming up something that might be called a plan.

"Sean?" Daniel puts his small hand on the back of his older brother's head, pulling him closer so their foreheads touch.

"Yeah- yeah?" Sean's terrified, and can't even get a word out. Daniel, however, feels no fear at this moment. He almost missed that feeling sometimes. Almost…

"You have to do everything I tell you to do, no matter what. Do you understand, Sean? Do you trust me?" Daniel held his breath as he awaited his brother's answer.

"I promise, Daniel. And, I trust you. I trust you with my life, Enano." Those words were the last push Daniel needed for his next move.

He let go of his brother, and along with Sean, he also let go of any human emotion. Daniel dug down deep inside his mind, taking out the part of him that he wanted to kill. Fate had other plans, it would seem. This, however, would be the last time that Daniel the toy soldier roams the earth.

Empathy, compassion, mercy, joy, and love. Daniel's not capable of those emotions right now, for Daniel the toy soldier has taken over. Temporarily, the ten-year-old boy from Seattle is dead. In his place, is a cunning warrior about to go up against his superior. Only one of them shall leave this battleground alive.

There is, however, one slight alteration.

This time, the toy soldier felt things he had never used to before.

Fear.

Anger.

Hate.

Suffering.

Loss.

Sorrow.

Sadness.

In front of him, still with his arms crossed, stood his reaper of so much misery. Daniel used to fear him so much. Toy soldier or not, Daniel has no fear for Merrill any longer. He only fears going back to that place. Still, he can't help that he's angry at himself for buying into Merrill's bullshit in the first place. How could he be so stupid?

Then, the anger he directed at himself became hate towards Merrill. And with the hate, came the realization of it all. How much he suffered, his lost innocence and youth, all of it, courtesy of that man. The sorrow he feels because of it, and how sad it makes him.

"The gun, Sean. Give it to me." Daniel hated this. So far, Sean hasn't seen this part in action, so to speak. He's heard the stories, seen the aftermath, heard things from a distance, but never has he seen it live. Until now, Daniel was very grateful for that. And, even if neither of them would ever bring the subject up, they both knew that Sean was grateful for it too. Perhaps even more so than his brother.

"Here, Daniel. Don't forget who you are… Enano." The words had little effect on the young wolf of war. With the young wolf carrying a gun and his wolfbrother a knife, the wolf brigade prepares to do battle for the last time.

One way or the other…

"Stay behind me. If I go one way, you go the other." The cold tone in Daniel's voice made Sean's skin crawl. He sounded so… different. Like a completely different person. Still, Sean trusts him with his life and nods in approval.

"Let's go." Daniel hides the gun under his belt as he exits the car with Sean quickly standing behind him as ordered.

"Hands in the air!" Merrill shouted at them. Sean looked at the child in front of him, hoping for a cue.

A child.

That's just what he was. A child. So small. What's wrong with this world? Daniel shouldn't have to deal with this shit. He should be home, playing Minecraft, and eating Chock-O-Crisp. Not making plans to kill his former warlord.

"Hands in the fucking air, boy!" Merrill screams at them again. Daniel did not do as ordered, and neither did Sean. He wondered what plan his little brother thought up in that little brain of his. Either way, he hoped that it would work.

Then, things happened fast.

Very fast.

Daniel began a steady, yet decisive march forward, towards Merrill.

Sean, remembering what Daniel told him, ran backward, taking cover behind the car.

BANG!

A gunshot echoed throughout the desert. Flocks of vultures flew away as they spoke the language only vultures understand. And Sean Eduardo Diaz stopped breathing. He didn't want to look. He had to, but he didn't want to. It can't be, it just can't. Not now, not here, at the finish line. Daniel? Enano? Sean gathered whatever courage remained in his body before taking a deep breath and carefully looking from his cover.

BANG!

Another gunshot, equally loud. This time, Sean saw the person firing the bullet in question. And no, it wasn't Merrill who shot his sweet little brother. And it sure as hell wasn't some random goon of his either. The reality was something completely different. For the better or worse? Well, that would be a question for another time.

Daniel marched right towards Merrill, knowing that nobody would hurt him since Merrill wants him alive and relatively unharmed. Then he acted quickly as he drew his gun, shooting Merrill once in each knee cap. The devil of Daniel Diaz's is on the ground, screaming in pain while his guards attempt to comprehend what they just witnessed. By the look of things, Daniel tries to do the same.

Daniel Diaz or Daniel the toy soldier. It matters not. Sean knows his little brother now. At least well enough to see that Daniel's frozen in either shock, disbelief, or both. Sean promised to trust him, and do whatever Daniel told him to do, but Daniel's in danger. Sean must act before the guards do it for him.

So, Sean acted.

Knife in hand, Sean ran towards his target while repeating a constant mantra in his head.

"Don't think about it. I have to save Daniel." Focusing more on the "saving Daniel" part, and less on the "killing" part, Sean forced the knife deep into the throat of a guard. He tried to ignore the sickening sound it created, just like he tried not to hear how the guard choked on his own blood. By the time Sean gets back to the real world, Daniel's crawling to his feet right next to the body of another guard. How his little brother killed him, Sean cannot be sure of.

He never heard a gunshot.

Then…

All hell broke loose.

Gunfire, gunfire, and even more gunfire, coming at them from all directions. The wolfbrothers were surrounded. At least it felt like they were. Sean didn't know what to do and went behind one of Merrill's trucks for cover. Meanwhile, Daniel had no intention to back down. Instead, he used all his previous training to take out the opposing soldiers, one at a time. No mercy, no hesitation, and no remorse.

"It's over… it's fucking over. We're dead." Sean takes a moment in the middle of his despair to look at his brother from where he's hiding. What he sees scares him. A small child that kills people mercilessly, and does it without any regard for his wellbeing. Daniel acted carefree as if he didn't care if he lived or died today. Perhaps that was the case?

Moments later the gunfire died out.

Once again, Sean looked from behind his cover, uncertain about what to expect. Around the area lay about twenty or so bodies. In the epicenter stood Daniel. His breaths were loud, fast, and heavy. Slowly, Sean approached his little brother. He did his best to ignore the fact that his brother just killed all those people.

It wasn't easy.

"Daniel-" Sean could barely finish the sentence before Daniel turned around to point the gun at him.

"Hey- hey! Calm down, Daniel. It's me. It's Sean." Daniel's in a state of shock, unaware of whom he or Sean is.

"Sean?" Ok, maybe not…

"Yes, Enano. I'm here. Just… put the gun down, ok?" Daniel's eyes widened as he realized he just pointed a deadly weapon at the person he cared about the most.

"Shit- sorry," Daniel mutters in shame while quickly tossing the gun to the ground. He may not have said it, but here, Daniel Diaz made a promise to himself.

"I'm never touching another weapon, ever again." Daniel thought as he looked at the plane in front of them.

"We did it, Sean," Daniel said happily as his brother stood beside him.

"No. You did it, Daniel. You did it." Sean knows that they should run to the plane as fast as possible. Still, he felt like they could afford this brotherly moment of victory.

That, as it turned out…

… Would be their salvation.

Behind the wolfbrothers lay the reaper. Injured, defeated, but yet to die. He's unarmed, and the extreme pain in his kneecaps prevents him from standing up to find himself one. Still, he has one last card to pull. Jonathan Merrill opened his eyes and studied the victorious brigade of wolves that stood before him, oblivious of his existence. Merrill accepts his fate for he does not fear death. He will, however, get the last word.

"Hey… kid!" Daniel's blood froze as he recognized the voice behind him. In the middle of the ensuing chaos, Daniel had completely forgotten about Merrill. He screwed up, and now, he's about to pay the price for it. Daniel's afraid to turn around, fearing that Merrill will shoot Sean the second he does it. He can't even shoot Merrill because he dropped his gun on the fucking ground.

Stupid!

Stupid!

Stupid!

Stupid!

Still, he's got no other choice but to turn around. He does it, attempting to put on a brave face in the process. The image he saw made both his and Sean's eyes widen in fear, and would haunt them both for the rest of their lives. Merrill looked at them with a face that said many things. Anger, humiliation, determination, but most of all, it said vengeance. In his hands, Merrill held something. A device.

A detonator.

"You won the battle, my son, but I shall win this war." Those ominous words would never stop haunting the wolfbrothers. Merrill pressed a button on the device in his hands. A loud beeping sound followed shortly thereafter, and then-

BOOM!

An explosion.

The brothers turned around to look at the source of the said explosion.

Sean let out a scream of despair as he fell to his knees. Meanwhile, Daniel just stood there and watched.

A bomb had just exploded. The bomb was placed inside the plane. Now, Daniel could only watch as his one ticket to an ordinary life goes up in flames. Sean screamed, over and over again, but Daniel felt nothing. Almost as if this became his point of no return. Whatever happens from here on now, he cannot be saved.

Daniel Felipe Diaz. Unsalvageable.

It is what he's become.

The realization makes his blood boil with anger. No fear, no nothing. Just anger, anger, and motherfucking anger. He did this. Merrill. The reaper. It's time to end this shit. Time to end him. Daniel turns to Merrill and picks up the gun.

"I told you, Daniel, I would get the last word. You're like me now." No. Daniel's nothing like Merrill, and Merrill's nothing like Daniel. At least that's what he tells himself.

"The mind," Daniel announced in a cold tone before he emptied the entire clip into the other man's skull, therefore ending his life.

Then, he reloads.

"The body," Daniel announced again, even colder before emptying another clip. This one, into Merrill's legs and arms.

He reloads another time.

"The soul." Daniel empties an entire clip into the heart of Jonathan Merrill, the reaper of misery. He should feel better. He should feel free.

Instead, he felt so much worse.

That plane was their only ticket out of this hellhole. What the fuck would they do now? Daniel just wants to lay down and die.

Die.

Die.

Die.

Die.

He's never going to have a decent life. Not after this. Tears are starting to pour down the young wolf's face as he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know, Daniel, I know. But… we can't stay here. Let's go." Deep down, Daniel knows that his older brother speaks the truth. Reluctantly, he follows him to one of Merrill's cars. Driving away from the airstrip, Daniel wondered what the future had in store for the wolf brigade.

Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico — One month later…

The wolfbrothers couldn't escape the continent, but neither could they stay in the country they grew up in. So, what became their plan?

If you can't beat them, join them.

Well, kinda.

The wolfbrothers traveled deep into enemy territory, realizing it would be a lot safer for more reasons than one. In Mexico, nobody suspected them of anything because their skin tone was slightly darker than others. Here, they blended in among the crowd. They knew that war was unlikely to come to this part of the continent since the entire American government's dead or arrested.

They would just go here, find a quiet place, and settle down. Sean could do some odd jobs here and there while Daniel got to be a kid again, perhaps even going back to school. It all sounded so simple in Sean's mind. Simple and perfect. Perhaps too perfect?

Yes.

Yes, it was.

To get a place to stay, they needed money. Sean refused to let Daniel do any more harm to anyone, so he took the gun and tried to rob some tourists.

It did not go well.

Luckily, Daniel was there to save him and get them a shitload of money too. Well, enough to rent a small house for a while at least.

"Well, here we are, Daniel. End… of the road." Sean stops the car in front of a run-down beach house and turns off the engine. Daniel looks at his new home. He doesn't like it.

"We're gonna live in that thing, Sean?" Daniel sounds skeptical, to say the least.

"Sure thing, man. It's gonna be great, dude. You can even come into my room if you want to." Daniel smiled a little at Sean's desperate attempt to cheer him up. The brothers left the car and went inside their new home.

"Yuck, Sean! What the hell's that smell?" Damn… it's worse than he feared.

"Mold, Daniel. It's mold." Sean sighed heavily in defeat. He sat down on the rotten floor while leaning his head back against the equally rotten wall. Another deep sigh as he watches his little brother walk around slowly inside, kicking the floor slightly. His brother deserves better, so much better. Why can't Sean give that to him? He feels so useless.

"I- I don't like it here, Sean." Daniel's voice broke as the boy held back his tears. Sean hated this. He hated this so much.

"I know, Enano. I do too." He's so tired. This endless running must end, but is it really right that it ends here? In a rotten and moldy house?

"Sean, can we please… not stay here? Please?" Daniel cried as he begged his brother that they leave this awful place. Sean, however, got an impulse in his brain. An impulse of old. It told him, no, it ordered him to become mad. To become angry, and scream at the helpless child in front of him. Sean remained silent for over five minutes as he resisted the urge to act on that very impulse.

Then, he took a few deep breaths before standing to his feet. Sean wrapped his arms around his brother, letting the latter cry out his fears and sorrows.

"I'm doing the best I can, Daniel. I'm so sorry because I know that it's not even close to being enough. You deserve better, Enano." Sean couldn't hold back his tears any longer. The brothers cried together now, sharing each other's pain.

"You deserve better too, Sean. I wish I could give you something better than this." Daniel cried into his brother's chest as the brothers wondered what their brigade would have to do in order to stay intact.

Three years later…

"Are you sure nobody saw us, Daniel?" His younger brother only nodded in return. It wasn't fair to call him a little brother anymore. These days, Daniel's almost as tall as he is.

"Ok, Enano, it's your turn." Sean hands his brother a shovel. Daniel only stares at him. An empty stare. Dead, lacking any joy and happiness that once was.

"Fine, I'll do it then!" Sean turns his back on his brother and starts digging.

A grave.

A grave intended for the man they just killed.

It wasn't exactly an honest living, but this isn't just Mexico, this is Sinaloa. Here, the cartel rules with an iron fist. You're either with them or you're dead. No exceptions. No matter how much he hated it, Sean couldn't deny that the cartel paid them good money for their work. They wanted something better.

Well, they got it.

BANG!

Sean jumps ten feet in the air as he heard a gunshot behind him. He turns around, only to see Daniel holding a gun which he's pointing at the corpse on the ground.

"Daniel?! What the FUCK, MAN?!" Sean screamed at his younger brother. It scared the shit out of him. He thought that Daniel's dead or some shit.

"He moved." Daniel deadpanned before sitting down on the ground, waiting for Sean to finish. Well, at least Daniel answered him. The boy didn't speak much these days.

A moment later, the hole's deep enough and the brothers bury the body of the unnamed man inside it. Sean takes a look around before leaving the area. He wonders how many bodies they've buried here over the past year or so. Does he even want to know?

No, he doesn't.

The brothers arrive at their beach house. No longer did it smell of mold and rotten materials. The house has been renovated with the best possible materials available, and inside are technological features that few in the area have even heard of. By the looks of it, Sean Diaz and his brother Daniel live the perfect life.

Except that they both hate it.

Daniel hasn't slept a good night's sleep in over two years. He's constantly haunted by nightmares in which his past comes back in the worst possible ways. Daniel's killed Chris dozens of times in a single night before waking up, covered in sweat, screaming for Sean to kill him.

No. Not screaming. Begging.

He begged Sean to kill him, just so he could rest without his horrifying past disturbing the peace. Things had gotten so bad that Daniel tried more extreme methods. Sean didn't suspect anything when Daniel suddenly began wearing long-sleeved shirts exclusively while refusing to go for a swim.

Then he saw it. He saw them.

Daniel's new scars. His cuts. And there were a lot of cuts. Sean had cried in both fear and desperation equally. Daniel had told him that it wasn't his fault. He knew that what he did was bad, but at the time, he felt so bad that he had to. He had to try. In the past, Daniel learned to distance himself from his emotions, such as pain, remorse, loss, and sadness. The very same emotions that cripple him on an everyday basis nowadays.

The way he saw things, he hoped that he would be able to distance himself from it once again if he repeated the same actions he previously did.

That action was cutting himself. It didn't work the first time, nor did it work the second time, or the third, fourth, or fifth. Somewhere along the way, the young wolf got lost in his crushing pain and suffering. He feels no joy, no happiness, no anger, no hate, and no hope. Daniel doesn't feel much of anything these days. Sometimes, several days pass without him uttering a single word. The once so cheerful boy is dead, and in his place, is a child forged by war.

Meanwhile, Sean feels helpless as he watches it all happen before his eyes. He's twenty now, and Daniel's thirteen. Sean's greatest worry should be not if, but when Daniel decides to steal booze from him to get drunk for the very first time in his life. Or maybe it should be the "birds and the bees" talk he must have with him since Daniel's way too young to have a cub of his own.

That's what should be Sean's biggest problem. And yet, none of them are. Daniel's not going to steal booze from him to get drunk. And even if he did, it wouldn't be his first time. The first time Sean got drunk, he was twelve, and that's far too young to be having alcohol. His little brother was nine-years-old and in a camp for child soldiers.

Sean swore to look after Daniel, protect him, and give him a better life. He did neither of those things.

Sean swore to his father that he would look after Daniel. He failed that promise the very second that Daniel became a child soldier.

Sean swore to himself that he would protect Daniel. He never protected that boy. Hell, if anything, Daniel's protected him.

Sean swore to Daniel that he would give him a better life. Instead, he got him a life of more blood, murder, and trauma.

Sean Diaz has failed his little brother.

He failed him, and he's spending every single non-cartel moment repairing the damage that he's caused. Inside Daniel's room are the newest video game consoles, along with dozens of video games that Daniel never plays. He's got a television in his room that he never watches. The computer he only used once, and never again. The boy had searched one little word on Google images before breaking down completely.

"Seattle"

But it doesn't stop Sean from trying. Deep down, he probably knows that the boy he calls "Enano" is gone forever, but then again, he's never going back to who he was either. For better and for worse, probably. Sean tries to joke with his brother, to be nice to him, to buy him stuff, anything, and everything he can think of. He wants to be the that big brother that Daniel wanted.

And sometimes, not often, but sometimes, it works. Sean could give his little brother a Chock-O-Crisp, receiving a wide smile and a genuine "thanks, Sean, you're the best" in return.

These moments are what Sean lives for. The moments where the brother he knows peeks through the curtain for a few seconds, only to quickly go back to hide in the shadows. It creates the small amount of hope that Sean so desperately needs to continue. He wants Daniel to come back, to be like he used to be. Sean missed the brother that laughed, played, constantly bothered him, and couldn't shut the fuck up to save his life.

If the Daniel he knew is gone, then maybe he'll find some peace in knowing that Sean's looking after his sad remains?

Or something…

Sean's not sure about much these days.

One thing he's sure of though.

He may have failed Daniel. He will, however, never leave him behind. Sean will protect that boy with his literal life if it comes down to it. A long time ago, back in Seattle, two people existed. Sean and Daniel. Two brothers with little in common other than the fact that they were brothers. One knew nothing of the other while the other knew everything about the one.

A bloody war created something between the brothers. Something that neither person, be it living or dead, could see with the naked eye. It created a bond. A brotherly bond. Their bond increased in strength as it was stretched to its very limit. In the end, however, the wolf brigade comes out of their battle united, and stronger than ever before.

The list of things that were lost in the war could be made long.

Childhood, innocence, sanity, family, home, trust, safety, and himself.

That would be Daniel Felipe Diaz.

Youth, friends, freedom, family, home, safety, and his moral compass.

That would be Sean Eduardo Diaz.

They both, however, gained one thing throughout this whole ordeal. One single thing, helping them get through the toughest of times when the reaper felt the closest or hope had begun to fade away.

Sean.

Daniel.

They both lost so much in life.

But…

They both gained a brother.

Notes:

You decided to fight your way out, therefore finishing the story with the ending entitled "Brotherhood". Please continue to chapter 41 for the epilogue of this ending.

Before.
You hated your life.
You hated yourself.
You began to hate him.
Because he hated you.

All you wanted.
The one thing in life.
A big brother.
You had Sean.
But no big brother.

Now.
You hate your life.
More than ever.
Every aspect of it.
You despise it.

You hate yourself.
What you've become.
It disgusts you.
It makes you sick.

However...

You do not hate him.
Your brother.
Sean.

You wanted him to care.
He cares.

You wanted him to comfort you.
So he does.

You ask yourself.
Was it worth it?
Losing so much?
While gaining a big brother?

The answer to that...
... Is far too easy.

Yes.
It was worth it.

Chapter 38: Run

Summary:

You have chosen to run like the coward that you are. Shall the wolfbrothers run to safety and freedom, or shall their brigade dissolve as the vultures feast on the remains? Stand by your choice and the question shall soon be answered.

Trust me...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Run

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" Daniel asked his older brother a question that made his entire body shiver in fear. No. It can't end here, it just can't. That's it, right there. The wolfbrothers ticket out of this year-long nightmare. That plane. The things that they've gone through to get this far. All the things Daniel's done, Sean's done, and he doesn't even want to think about the things people's done to them over the past year.

All of that comes down to this. If they give themselves up now, then all the pain they endured would have been for nothing. Surrender, and Merrill would kill Sean while bringing Daniel back to that awful place of nightmares. And that's probably the best scenario for them surrendering. Merrill's a cruel man, capable of horrible deeds, and Daniel's got no intention to find out what he plans for the wolfbrothers.

He'd rather die before giving him the satisfaction. And he sure as hell ain't going back there. Anything would be better than that. But he's got no clue about what to do here, and by the looks of it, neither does Sean.

"Sean?" Daniel tries to get his older brother out of his trance-like state. He receives nothing but silence in return.

"Please, Sean, don't do this!" Daniel's voice breaks as the boy start to cry. He attempts to grab Sean's arm, shaking it to wake his brother up.

"It's over, Daniel. I've killed us both. There's no way out of this." Sean speaks in a silent done while resting his aching skull on the steering wheel.

"No, Sean. Don't say that." Daniel's shocked. He's heard his brother say similar things before, but he's never heard Sean sound so defeated. So tired, so defeated, and so done. His big brother crashed into an invisible brick wall at the worst possible moment.

"We can't do shit, Daniel. It's over, and you know it." Sean slowly turned to look at him, and Daniel knew that Sean's lost all hope. The look on his face said more than any words could.

"Get out of the car, NOW!" Merrill shouted at them from a distance, reminding them that he was still there. Sean cannot move further. He's too tired and too broken. The same could be said about Daniel, but he had no time for emotions right now. He had to figure out a plan. Or at least something similar to one.

They can't fight their way out of this. Sure, they have a knife and a gun, but the odds are not on their side, to put it mildly. They would both be dead within seconds. The car cannot go any further due to the asshole sniper. A real shame because now, Daniel saw it.

An opening.

The wolfbrothers way out. Well, technically their way in, but still. Behind Merrill and his goons, Daniel saw the ramp of the cargo plane wide open. Hell, it's wide enough to drive a car into. Now, the question is, how do they get there? Merrill's attention is solely on the wolfbrothers as he completely ignores the plane behind him. Maybe, just maybe, Daniel just found a weakness to exploit?

"Sean?! Hey, Sean, look! The ramp, Sean. If we can get to it-" Daniel tries to sound hopeful, but Sean's not seeing what he sees.

"No, Daniel. Don't you get it? Don't you fucking get it?! It's over. We're done." Sean nearly screamed at his face. Now, Daniel might be scared as well, but at least he's trying something. Sean's despair only pisses him off.

A lot.

Daniel grabs the gun from his brother. At least now, Sean reacted a bit.

"Daniel- what the fuck?!" Sean sounded shocked by his little brother's action. Daniel, however, stared back at him with eyes that screamed rage.

"You think we're done, Sean? You feel like it's over for us? Here! Go out on your own terms! If you wanna end it, end it. But don't you fucking drag me down with you. I'm getting the fuck out of here, Sean. Are you coming with me, or are you done?!" Daniel screamed at his brother's face as tears poured down. Obviously, he didn't want Sean to kill himself. He just didn't know what the fuck to do anymore.

Sean, however, did.

"Shit, Daniel. I'm so sorry. I'm with you, Enano. You know I am. No matter what happens." Daniel felt such a relief knowing that no matter what happens here, Sean would always stand by his side.

"So, Enano. How do we get there?" Sean asked Daniel the very same question that Daniel had planned to ask Sean. How do they get there? That's just the thing, is it not?

"I- I can't, Sean. I just can't-" Daniel felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't dare to say it, but Sean didn't need him to. Daniel's afraid. Not just afraid in general, but afraid of Merrill. He's afraid that any bullets that hit him will only bounce back, hitting someone Daniel loves instead. He wants Merrill dead, but fears that his ghost would haunt him every night for the rest of his life.

"It's ok, Enano. You're my little brother. I'll protect you." Sean did his best to look and sound comforting, but the fear could be both seen and heard.

"You promise, Sean?" Time was running out. All he needed before walking down the green mile was to know that his brother would protect him from the evil that stood before them.

"I promise, Daniel. I promise." Sean wraps his arms around his brother, and for a brief moment, everything felt normal. For a few seconds, Daniel felt like he wasn't a damaged child, but instead a normal ten-year-old boy.

"You have ten fucking seconds. TEN!" Merrill's getting impatient. Time to get a move on. Daniel looks at his brother as he prepares to quickly explain the plan that will decide their fate.

"NINE!" Hurry up.

"Ok, Sean, listen up." Daniel was so stressed he could barely breathe.

"EIGHT!" Fuck, fuck, fuuuck!

"Merrill expects me to move slowly until I find an opening or he fucks up and gives me one. So, here's what we'll do." Sean's never paid this much attention to his little brother in his life before. If that's a good or bad thing bothered exactly nobody at this point.

"SEVEN!" Almost ready…

"Ok, we're gonna…" Daniel explains the plan to his older brother.

"SIX!" This is it.

"You understand, Sean?" His older brother nods.

"FIVE!" The wolfbrothers grabbed each other's hands for a short moment.

"Are you ready, Daniel?" The older wolf asked his little cub.

"FOUR!" The reaper neared the end of his countdown.

"No. Are you?" Daniel looked at the source of so much of his suffering. Why did he buy into that bullshit? Why?

"THREE!" Almost at zero.

"Fuck no. But let's go, Enano. If we go down, we go down together. Like brothers." Sean managed to give him a weak smile.

"TWO!"

"Like brothers, Sean!" The wolfbrothers exit the car with their hands in the air. Slowly, side-by-side, they walk towards Jonathan Merrill. The reaper of misery incarnated.

Hopefully, Daniel knows him as well as he thought he did. If that's not the case, then this would not go well.

"Hold it right there!" Merrill shouts at the brothers from a distance. Daniel could see him right there, crossed arms, and a grin on his face as he smelled victory around the corner.

"Get down on your knees, and keep your hands in the air!" Merrill shouted at them once again. The wolfbrothers, however, had no intentions of doing what he told them to do. Instead, they increased their pace slightly while walking toward Merrill.

"Remember, Daniel… stay behind me," Sean whispered at his younger brother.

"I said STOP!" Merrill fired a warning shot at the ground right in front of them. This, Daniel had anticipated. So far so good. Merrill wants Daniel back at his side, therefore, he won't hurt him. At least not yet. And Sean? Sean's the one thing that Merrill can use against him. Kill him, and Merrill's lost the one thing he could use to put pressure on Daniel's frail mind. Sean won't be hurt or killed until the time would be right.

This is Daniel's take on Merrill and the current situation. He could only hope to be right.

"One more step, Daniel, and your brother dies!" Merrill aims a gun in Sean's direction. This is it. Could Daniel outsmart the same man who taught him to outsmart others?

"No, Merrill. He won't." Daniel says calmly as the wolfbrothers start to walk even faster.

"The fuck are you doing?!" Merrill's confused, out of balance. Just like Daniel predicted, he's not used to someone standing up to him like this. At least not someone he wants to keep alive.

"What am I doing?" Daniel mumbled to himself as he prepared for phase two of their plan.

"I'M LEAVING!" Quick, cunning, and ruthless, Daniel put his knowledge to use one last time. He reached for the knife that Sean gave him before they left the car. Daniel aimed for Merrill's head.

He missed.

He missed Merrill's head. Instead, the knife impaled his already injured leg. The reaper of misery screamed in pain as he fell to the ground, unable to get to his feet. Two soldiers stood at Merrill's side. One looked down at his commander while seemingly in a state of disbelief. The other, however, raised his assault rifle towards the person who injured his commander.

"Oh, fuck-" Daniel thought before he heard it.

BANG!

The sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the desert. Moments later a body fell to the ground. The body in question was not that of Daniel Diaz, but the body of the guard intending to kill him. Daniel looks to his left, noticing his brother holding the gun with trembling hands as he just saved his little brother's life.

"Sean…?" Daniel asks without really knowing why. The remaining guards begin to realize what just happened.

"Get behind me, Daniel." In the distance, more guards approached the area.

"Now, Daniel! We have to get the fuck out of here, let's go, hurry!" Daniel had done what he could. At least it felt that way. The source of his trauma had yet to move on to the depths of hell where it belonged. Instead, it screamed out words Daniel had no idea existed in the first place. Cursing them, damning them, swearing vengeance. One phrase, however, stood out among the others.

"Alive! Don't kill them you assholes, I want them ALIVE!" And there it was. The reaper wants them alive, no matter what. This right here.

This is the reaper's weakness.

His obsession to get Daniel back at his side, his refusal to admit defeat, and his overconfidence in himself. Merrill taught Daniel how to look for a person's weaknesses, and exploit them to his favor. Well, now the apprentice outsmarted his master. The student used the teacher's lessons against him, surpassing him along the way. Daniel read him easier than he thought he did. Now…

Time to get on that god-damn plane.

The wolfbrothers ran from one car to the other, avoiding swarms of bullets along the way. The fact that Merrill wanted them alive only seemed to reach some of his troops. They're so close now, so very close. Daniel felt the air coming from the engines of the plane. Almost there.

"We're almost there, Sean. Just a little further." Daniel received only a wide smile in return.

"Let's go home, Enano." With a gun in one hand, and his little brother's hand in the other, Sean Diaz ran the longest distance in his entire life. No more than twenty meters, but it felt like a thousand miles. His feet touched the ramp as bullets went right past his ears, missing him by mere inches. A few seconds later, however, they made it.

They're inside the plane. Now, time to convince the pilot to get the fucking thing in the air. Sean let go of his little brother's hand, moving towards the cockpit. Inside it, sits the pilot. The poor man's trembling in fear of his life. He did not sign up for this.

"Raise the fucking ramp, and get this shitty thing in the air!" Sean screams in his face while slapping him to wake him up.

"We're dead… we're all dead." The pilot whines in response.

"We're only dead if we stay here! Get this fucking plane in the air, and none of us will die!" Somehow, that seemed to have snapped the pilot out of whatever abyss he fell into. He did not speak, but he did sit back in his chair while giving Sean a nod. The pilot pressed a button, and Sean could hear the sound of the ramp raising itself.

Meanwhile, on the ground, a man limped towards the plane. This man was a tyrant, a warlord, and a conqueror. Today, he had a plan. And his plan failed. For his greatest creation had outsmarted him, humiliated him, and once again, deserted him. Jonathan Merrill gave Daniel Diaz a second chance. He won't give him a third. While closing in on the plane, Merrill saw the ramp as it began to raise. He did, however, see something else as well.

Someone else.

He takes out his gun.

"You're a good soldier, Daniel. But, you're also a deserter. A crime punishable by… death." Merrill fires one round before the ramp closed permanently.

"Daniel?! Hey, Daniel?! The plane's moving, we made it." Sean shouted with a massive sense of relief while running to his brother. In the back of his head, however, he knew something was off since Daniel just stood there with an empty look on his face.

"Daniel?" Sean's tone changed into a more worrying type.

"Se- Sean? I- I can't feel my-" Daniel pressed his palm against his chest, likely without even knowing it himself. Upon releasing his grip, however, blood flowed freely to the horror of Sean. He could only watch as his little brother collapsed on the hard floor of the plane.

"DANIEL?! No, please, no!" Not now. Please, not now. They made it. Let the boy live, so he can have a normal life. He deserves it after all that he's been through.

"Sean?" Daniel's voice says in a frail and weak tone. Sean could barely hear him. He felt the pressure increase as the plane took off, but he didn't care. All he cared about was his brother. Was there nothing he could do?

"Daniel, I'm- I'm gonna get you help, buddy. You hear me? You're gonna be fine, Enano. Just… fine." Sean broke into tears while saying it. He had to look away from his brother. He had to look away because he knew that it wasn't true.

"Sean? Is it over? Did we… did we make it?" Daniel asked him. Sean understood what he meant. His little brother knows that he's about to die, and accepts it too. All he wants to know before moving on is if they made it. If Sean made it.

"Yes, Enano. We made it. Thanks to you. You saved us both. I'm so proud of you." Sean took his younger brother's hand and smiled.

"Thank you, Sean." The eyes of Daniel Felipe Diaz closed as he slowly passed on to the other side.

Sean just sat there, holding his little brother's little hand between both of his own. He couldn't process what just happened.

He could, however, hear things. Such as the footsteps coming from behind him. Sean closed his eyes, silently accepting his fate as he awaits the silent assassin to slit his throat.

"Sean?" A voice says his name. This voice instantly made him open his eyes. He knew who that voice belonged to. Sean thought him to be dead. Instead, he returns here, when it is already too late.

"Joey?" Sean turned around to look at the person behind him. A lot more scarred, starved, and broken, but there he was. Joey. The person who kept Sean somewhat sane during his detainment.

"Sean, I can't believe you're still alive-" Yeah, he's in no mood for tearful reunions right now. Sean only remembered one thing and one thing only.

Joey used to work as a nurse.

"Please, Joey, my brother! Help him, please… help him." Joey had stayed hidden during the recent events, and therefore not seen the wolfbrothers when they ran into the plane. While sneaking up on Sean, he failed to notice the ten-year-old on the floor due to focusing solely on the crying figure before him.

"Shit. What happened, Sean?" Joey rushed to his side, saving their reunion for later. Sean couldn't speak, hell, he couldn't even move. Sean could only watch as Joey grabbed a first-aid kit in hopes that it wasn't too late.

He looked on in a trance-like state. Sean never looked away. He never spoke, and he never moved an inch from his brother's side. It felt like the nightmare would never end.

"I've done all I can, Sean." Joey didn't sound too optimistic. Sean understood why, but he tried not to think about it. A plane, surrounded by nothing by air and ocean as far as the eye could see. Salvation, if such a thing existed for them, was far, far away. Sean held his brother's hand throughout the whole flight. He didn't want Daniel to be alone or afraid. No matter what happened to him.

"I'm so sorry, dad. I failed you. I swore to look after him, to protect him, and I tried. I really tried. But it wasn't enough." Sean could feel Daniel's hand squeezing his own. Very weak, but there's no doubt about it. He's still fighting.

"Hang on, little cub. Nothing can separate the wolfbrothers." Sean cried while carefully squeezing back as a way to tell his brother that he was not alone.

It felt like the plane would never land. No matter how much his back ached, Sean never moved from his little brother's side. He didn't even notice how the plane landed. Only when the ramp begins to lower itself does Sean take his eyes off his brother.

They're here. He's got no clue where "here" is, but anywhere is better than the place they came from. Sean's not given any time to figure out their location, however, as the sound of sirens rang all over the place.

"Shit, cops." Sean believes that they've left one hell in favor of another. The sirens, however, weren't cops.

Paramedics exited an ambulance, running up the ramp with a stretcher. It seems like the pilot called ahead and prepared things.

"Sir, come with us quickly, we don't have much time." A paramedic explains to a very confused and afraid Sean. He nods in response as his brother's carefully placed on the stretcher. Sean got in the back of the ambulance, right next to his brother.

"Hold, on, Daniel. Just a little longer. Don't give up." Not even the deafening sirens could get Sean out of his current abyss. Sean felt so close, yet so far from his goal at the same time. He tried squeezing Daniel's hand.

He did not return the favor.

By the time the ambulance slowed down, the hand began to feel cold. The doors opened with a bang, and doctors wheeled out the stretcher that carried his small brother.

"No, Daniel! Daniel, wait-" Sean panicked, and began to run after them. He never caught up. Instead, he's faced with a closed door, two police officers attempting to calm him down, and a glowing red sign reading "Surgery".

Sean had experienced a lot of traumas. If he's forced to answer the question, he'll likely say that before today, the worst experience was his time at that camp. One long nightmare from which he could not wake up. Sean, however, would gladly go back to that camp in a heartbeat if it meant that this day would end. No matter how it would end. This. What he does now. He can't take it anymore.

Hours upon hours of waiting in an empty corridor, alone, afraid, and miserable. At any given moment, a doctor will walk through those doors, and tell him that his brother's either alive or not. Until then, he can't do shit. It's been four hours plus. He's not sure exactly since he took the batteries out of the large clock on the wall. The ticking sound drove him mad.

Tick… tock.

Tick… tock.

Tick… tock.

Tick… tock.

Sean tries to look outside, maybe figure out where the hell he is. Well, it's a city. He didn't figure out much more than that. He's so exhausted but can't even begin to relax. Hell, even if he were to fall asleep now, he wouldn't want to know what horrors would haunt him there.

Sean heard a clicking sound. He looks up.

The sign "Surgery" no longer glows red. Whatever they did in there, it's over. Sean could hear a door opening in the distance, and footsteps following it. He wanted to run. He couldn't hear what they had to say to him. All Sean wanted to do was run away. But his legs refused to obey him. Instead, Sean remained on the uncomfortable couch as a doctor walked through the door, standing in front of him.

"Sir?" The doctor asks. That accent. Sean knows where they are now. Considering the circumstances, however, he couldn't care less.

"Is he- is he-" Sean couldn't say it. The words physically hurt.

"Your brother's going to be just fine, sir. He just got out from surgery, it was a close call, but-" Yeah, Sean's heard enough.

"Can I see him? Please?" Sean stood up, preparing to knock this lady down if he gets the wrong answer.

"Follow me, sir." Sean followed the doctor through endless corridors that felt like they would never end. They eventually end up outside a door. The doctor turns to him.

"Remember that he's been through a lot, so he needs to rest now." Sean nods while wondering what exactly happened to his brother during these hours. Did they have to amputate an arm? Both of his legs? Perhaps he's a vegetable or some shit? Sean never thought about that. All of Sean's horrors multiply by the second as he enters the room, closing the door behind him. He feels more afraid now than ever before.

Then he turned around.

All of his horrors, along with his fears?

Vaporized in an instant.

In front of him, stood a hospital bed. In the bed lay a ten-year-old boy dressed in a new, green pajamas. His hair wasn't dirty from months of blood and sweat. Instead, it was clean and much shorter. The boy's face showed no signs of all the trauma he's suffered. This boy was asleep, and he seemed so calm. Sean took each step with great care, not wanting to wake him up.

He sits down on a chair close to the bed. Looking at the seemingly innocent child sleeping soundly made Sean feel comfortable enough to say it.

"We did it, Enano. We're safe now." Although Sean whispered, Daniel began to slowly move around.

"Shit, did I wake him up?" Sean wondered in complete silence.

"Uh… Sean?" Daniel opened his eyes with great effort and scanned the room. Without a second thought, Sean moves to the bedside, sitting closer to his brother.

"Hey, buddy. You're awake." Sean struggled to not cry. He felt so relieved that Daniel's alive.

"Where- where am I?" The million-dollar question. Sean could think of only one thing to say.

"Safe, Daniel. You're safe." From one second to the other, Sean could see tears in his brother's eyes.

"Is it over, Sean?" Daniel needed him to confirm it, and Sean was more than happy to do him the honors.

"Yes, Enano. It's over. The wolfbrothers made it." And just like that, the floodgates opened for both brothers. No longer feeling the pressure to remain strong for the other, the brothers broke down simultaneously.

"We did it, Daniel." Sean cried loudly while grabbing his little brother's hand.

"It's over, Sean. It's finally over." Daniel breathed a sigh of relief as he wondered what his new life has in store for him.

Dublin, Ireland — Two years later…

Daniel woke up in the still comfortable bed inside his room. It felt so cozy, just staying here, not moving, not doing a damn thing because he didn't have to. Then, his five minutes passed, and he remembered it all. Every morning his past comes back with a bang. And every morning he hates it.

"Ow- shit." Daniel tried to roll over to his side, but yet again his past came back to haunt him. He may have survived Merrill's gunshot, but it did leave him scarred. He cannot move his body like he used to. Bend down to pick something up from the ground, and sharp pain in his gut reminds him that the reaper left his mark on him. Daniel can't even run anymore. Well, he can, but the moment he's out of breath his chest hurts.

When Sean had told him that they lived in the land of the wolves, Daniel thought it was the coolest thing he's ever heard. That is until he learned what country it was. Ireland. The same country their mother had roots in. Just the thought of being in the country she sold them out for made Daniel sick. At least it did now. From the start, it didn't bother him that much.

He enjoyed a new life of peace. Laying in the grass just looking up at the sky without any plans whatsoever. The first two months were some of the best of his entire life. Daniel would spend his days outside, just relaxing, resting, and living. The afternoons were usually spent at home watching cartoons on the couch. More often than not, his brother would join him. Almost every night, Daniel fell asleep on the couch, and Sean had to carry him into his room. It felt like the life he wanted back in Seattle. He had someone who cared for him, had time for him, loved him, and kinda spoiled him as well.

Then…

Sean wanted them to begin therapy, both separately and together. Daniel agreed even if he knew it would be very difficult.

He wasn't wrong.

Three times a week, one with Sean, and two by himself, Daniel sat there. Alone, afraid, and a stranger as his only company for the longest hours of his life. It took weeks for him to finally open up. And when he finally did open up, he held nothing back. He told his therapist everything. How Sean treated him back in Seattle, how he witnessed a plane dropping a nuclear bomb on his hometown, and his time as a child soldier.

Everything.

It took him over a year of intense therapy before he started to feel like a human being again. The nightmares became fewer and further between. Fear of Merrill waiting around a corner began to fade away. Daniel eventually returned to school while his older brother explored an art college of sorts.

Slowly, life began to turn around for the better.

Daniel liked school for the first time in his life. He made a lot of friends, and most people liked him. Those who didn't like him, rarely said it to his face though. Bits and pieces of his past had made their way to the public, making him the "refugee boy" crippled by war. Some looked at him with pity, others in disgust, and some even looked at him in awe as they begged him to tell them what it was like.

"Tell me, dude, how was it? Did you kill someone?" He's lost count on how many times he's been asked that question. None of them know, however, what he really did. They don't know that he actually did kill people.

"Dude, it must have been so cool, right?!" Yeah, totally. Daniel's only had that question asked once, and with good reason. He always wore long-sleeved shirts to cover up the scars on his arm. His marks from the reaper. That question, however, made him snap. Daniel pulled up his sleeve, revealing the scars underneath it.

No. It wasn't cool. None of it was.

The false people at school are something Daniel can live with. Considering his past, it almost makes him laugh when he realizes that this is something he's concerned about these days. He shares a sweet apartment with his big brother, and while they're not exactly rich, money's not an issue for them either. Life seems good for the wolfbrothers.

No, it's not.

Some things he could live with, others he managed to work his way through. But it came at a cost. At first, Daniel believed that he just imagined it. Perhaps his mind played a trick on him? Daniel got home from school one day and found Sean on the couch watching television. He went to sit down next to him like he always would.

"Leave me alone, Daniel. I just want to be alone right now, please." Sean told him in a hurt tone. Daniel found it strange for Sean to reject him like that but blamed it on his brother being tired.

Until it happened again.

And again.

And again.

His big brother avoided his company, and Daniel didn't like it. He tried to talk to Sean about it, but it never worked. Daniel's afraid. He's afraid that he's learned the truth.

Afraid that now when things have calmed down, the wolfbrothers realized that they have nothing in common. Every day, things get worse. The wolfbrothers live a good life here. Hell, one could even call it a great one. But, what's the point of living if you cannot feel alive anymore?

The horrors of war brought them closer together, but the peaceful aftermath made them slowly drift apart from one another. They both knew it, and they both hated it. Still, they couldn't do anything about it. They're just too different from each other. So very different, and yet so very similar to one another. The wolfbrothers lost many things when the war began, but they both gained a brother. At the end of the war, however, they earned their freedom, but at the cost of the brotherly bond, they held so dearly.

Sometimes, Daniel thinks back to those first few months they spent here. Every night, Sean would let him stay up for as long as he wanted to. Daniel would eat ice cream, and watch cartoons, only to fall asleep on his big brother's shoulder. He remembers these moments with tears in his eyes. He misses his big brother so much.

Meanwhile, Sean's starting to realize that he's far too damaged inside to take care of his little brother. If anything, someone should take care of Sean. The fact that the wolfbrothers grew apart hurts him every second of every day, but he's got no idea of how to save his relationship with his brother. He feels like he's back to square one. Alone with a kid, he barely knows and has no fucking clue what to do. Sean hates to admit it, but it's how it feels.

Nothing can separate the wolfbrothers.

Except themselves.

Notes:

You decided to run, therefore finishing the store with the ending entitled "Severed Bonds". Please continue to chapter 42 for the epilogue of this ending.

War.
It destroys all in its path.

Men.
Women.
Children.
War feels no empathy.

It has no winners.
It has no losers.
It has only two sides.

Those who survive.
And those who did not.

You, my friend.
You survived.
It is in your nature.
Is it not?

You are a fighter.
A survivor.
Still...
You paid a heavy price.

Your brother.
Back to ignoring you.
Perhaps he never cared after all?
You shall never know.

The reaper cannot get you any longer.
But he took a part of you with him.
A part you'll never get back.

Your brotherly bond.

Chapter 39: Buy Time

Summary:

You have chosen to buy time. Will you succeed in buying enough time for the wolfbrothers to make their escape, or shall their time run out? Stand by your choice, and follow the path you've chosen to have your question answered.

Trust me...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Buy Time

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" The words alone made the brothers cold with fear. End? They didn't want it to end. Not today, not tomorrow, and fucking hell, not here. Not fucking here. And never by his hand. But what could they really do?

Merrill's many things. A murderer, a warlord, a sadist, and a psychopath. He is, however, no fool. Merrill trained Daniel and taught him everything that he knows today whether he likes it or not. That knowledge has kept him alive. It helped him escape from Merrill in the first place, it got him through the desert, it saved the life of his big brother, and it gave him the knowledge of this god-damn plane.

And yet here they are. Daniel struggles to resist his impulse and what it tells him to do. Sean has a gun. Daniel could do it. He could do it right now, and he knows it. Grab the gun and shoot Merrill right in his ugly face. He won't miss it. Not this time. It's what he wants to do.

Unfortunately, he can't.

Not because he knew that someone else would shoot both him and Sean the next second. It's much worse than that. Daniel's mind screams at him to pick up the gun and do it. Sometimes, however, the body tends to ignore what the mind tells it to because the soul just isn't there anymore. Daniel had the will to do it, the heart to do it, but his soul wasn't in on it. This left the boy paralyzed in fear.

"Get out of the car NOW!" Merrill shouted at them while firing a warning shot in the air. Daniel turns to his older brother in hopes of a plan.

"Sean…?" Sean just stared emptily. The look of defeat spread across his face. He had no way out of this. Sure, they could try fighting their way out, but they would most likely get themselves killed doing so. The car can't go any further either with a flat tire, meaning they can't just turn on the engine and drive as fast as possible out of here. So, what option remains?

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I promised dad to look after you. I promised, and I failed." Sean looked at his little brother in disappointment. His disappointment, however, was not directed at Daniel, but at himself.

"Sean, no. Don't say that. It's bullshit, and you know it!" Daniel cried in fear and anger equally. He knew it to be only a matter of time before Merrill dragged them both out of this car, separating them forever. He didn't want it to be true, but he couldn't get rid of the feeling.

"We've both learned a lot, Daniel, and I'm glad we did… before it was too late." Sean cried while putting a hand on Daniel's shoulder.

"No. It's- It's not too late, Sean. Can't we just… go?" He knew that they could not. Still, the remains of his inner child desperately reached out in search of comfort as he begged his brother to just make the pain go away. But this pain would not go away. It refused to go away because the source of it stood before them with his arms crossed as he studied them like animals in a cage. Like a predator stalking its prey, awaiting the right time to strike.

This predator?

Not even two wolves could defeat it in combat due to its intelligence, resilience, and endurance. The wolf brigade cannot outrun the predator either, for the predator has a large flock that serves him. The wolves would stand no chance. In a case where one cannot defeat his enemy, nor outrun him, what does one do?

One must outsmart him.

The riskiest move in the game played at the very end. Play along, do what the predator wants you to do, and buy time. That way, you might get an opportunity to escape. It's a long shot, but it's all you have.

"Sean, I- I think I know what to do." His brother looked at him with relief he didn't even bother to hide. Daniel's words were somewhat true. He had the first half of the plan but not the other.

"What, Daniel? What- what do we do?" Sean asked in horror while looking back and forth between his little brother and Merrill.

"Do you trust me, Sean?" Daniel tried to sound serious, but his voice wouldn't allow it as it broke halfway through the sentence. His brother wrapped his arms around him.

"Yes, Enano. I trust you with my life." Sean whispered into his ear. Daniel took this moment to close his eyes for just a few seconds. He may not live much longer, so this would be as good of a time as any. Daniel imagined himself back in his room in Seattle while resting his head on Sean's shoulder.

"Yes, Enano. I trust you with my life." His big brother told him. Sean, his idol and role model told him. It was all Daniel wanted to hear back in those days, and all he needed to hear today. Daniel takes a deep breath as he prepares to utter the next words that will forever decide the fate of the wolfbrothers, for the better or worse.

"We have to give up, Sean, and turn ourselves in." Daniel felt a sharp pain in his heart the second the words left his mouth. Meanwhile, he noticed how Sean's body tensed up.

"I don't like it either, Sean. Going back there, with him, terrifies me. But we have to do it. Just to buy time, Sean. There's no other way out of this." The previous tension in Sean's body ceased to exist as the realization dawned upon him. A deep breath could be heard, only to be followed by an even deeper sigh.

"You're right, Daniel. You're right. There's no other way." Once more, Sean embraced his younger brother. This time, however, it was more to comfort himself rather than Daniel.

"It's gonna be alright, Sean. Nothing can stop the wolfbrothers. I promise." Daniel said with determination, unlike anything Sean had ever seen in any man, woman, or child.

"I love you, Daniel, and I'm so proud of you. I know dad would be too." Sean could see how much his brother has grown since Seattle. Not just physically, of course, but mentally as well. After all he's been through, his little brother's still a smart, kind, caring, and sensitive child.

"I love you too, Sean. And- dad would be proud of you as well. I know he would." Sean had no good answer to that. Perhaps Daniel didn't expect him to either? Still, it felt good to hear it. A strange sense of peace was inside him.

"Are we ready, Enano?" Sean's voice trembles while he asks the question.

"No. Are you?" Daniel sounds calm, but the fear in his voice could not be mistaken.

"No, but let's do it." A weak smile is directed at the brother he swore to protect, then Sean exits the car with Daniel following him.

"Hands in the air!" Merrill screamed at them. For now, the wolfbrothers played along while looking for a way out of this mess.

"Daniel! Walk towards me slowly!" He stopped breathing. Merrill demanded him to leave Sean while walking over to him instead. He didn't want to. Every fiber of his being told him not to do it. But he knew. Daniel knew that he had no other choice. Play along and look for an opening. Look for a weakness to exploit.

Focus.

Daniel glanced at his older brother, receiving a small nod in return. Sean trusted his judgment. With this in mind, Daniel began walking toward Merrill.

Every step felt heavier than the last. Each time his feet touched the ground, Daniel's breaths became more and more uneven as he did what he could to figure out a plan. When he's right in front of Merrill, he saw how the man's face turned into a sadistic grin. The sight alone made Daniel want to vomit. In a few minutes, however, that grin would be no more. At least he hoped so.

"Welcome home, Daniel. It's good to have you back, my son." Don't buy into his bullshit. Not this time.

"Fuck off, Merrill. You can't make me go back there. I see through your bullshit." Daniel tried to stand his ground but almost broke down by just speaking up against Merrill.

"Hm… we'll see about that." Something changed in the eyes of Merrill. Something changed, and it wasn't good. A subtle nod towards another soldier before things escalated.

A pair of soldiers walked up to Sean, proceeding to beat him down. All Daniel could do was watch while feeling completely useless as a brother.

"No! Sean, don't-" Daniel tried to run towards his brother. He wanted to do something, anything to save him. Merrill, however, held him back.

"Take one more step, Daniel, and your brother dies." Daniel ceased to move on the spot. He didn't know what to do. This was a hopeless situation.

"Sean!" He screams his brother's name, hoping for an unknown savior to hear him and come to the rescue.

But none appeared. The wolfbrothers are all alone in this. The soldiers dragged Sean's beaten body towards Merrill and Daniel. His big brother was so beaten up, that he fell to his knees.

"Go on, Daniel. Go to him. I know you want to." Merrill tells him while trying to get inside Daniel's head. He wasted no time as he ran to his brother and hugged him.

"Help me, Sean. Please… help. I'm so scared." Daniel whispered into his brother's ear. He wanted Sean to tell him what to do, to give him a plan, so they could get out of here. All Daniel wanted was for this to be over. Why can't his suffering ever end?

"Daniel, listen to me." Sean held onto his little brother tightly.

"Whatever they tell you to do, I want you to do it, ok? To save yourself, Enano. Then, the first chance you get, I want you to run. Promise?" Daniel didn't fully grasp the meaning behind Sean's words. All he heard was that his big brother's got a plan, and for it to work, Daniel must promise something.

"I- I promise, Sean." Daniel cried with the knowledge that soon, this would all be over. Soon, the wolfbrothers would be on a plane heading for the country whateverthefuck where they would get a fresh start in life.

A sound.

A low, clicking sound came from behind him. Daniel immediately recognized the source. It was here, in the arms of his older brother, that the little cub realized that he made a mistake.

He's been taught to adapt himself to various life-threatening situations while searching the area, and its people, for weaknesses. But the little cub forgot about one thing.

The man who stood before him?

Is the same man who taught him all that he knows. Merrill knows how Daniel thinks, acts, plans, and fights. But the worst part of it all was that Merrill also know about Daniel's weakness. The one thing he could use to bend him to his will. This weakness simultaneously acts as his greatest strength.

His brother.

Sean.

Daniel had no time to react. None of them did. All he heard was a low gasp from Sean before two gunshots were fired.

Daniel just stood there, unable to move, unable to breathe. His older brother slowly fell to the ground while screaming in pain that must have been out of this world. In a state of shock, Daniel looked down at his brother. Each kneecap had a bullet wound that bled massively. Daniel began hyperventilating as he realized what had happened.

"No… no…" A silent whimper, heard by nobody. Daniel turned around to look at Merrill.

"A good soldier you might be, Daniel. But, you are a deserter. And deserters must be punished for betraying their cause." Merrill looks right into whatever remains of Daniel's soul.

"Why- why?" Daniel cried out a barely audible question. He had to get out of here. He and Sean. Nothing else was an option.

"That right there, Daniel, is your weakness." Merrill points at Sean.

"I'm giving you a second chance, my son." Merrill's face changed into something similar to determination.

"I shall welcome you back into my family if you can turn your greatest weakness…" Merrill hands over his gun to Daniel.

"Into your greatest strength." Standing face-to-face with his reaper, Daniel knew exactly what he wanted him to do. Just thinking about it made him feel sick to both his stomach and head equally.

Merrill, his reaper of misery, wanted him to kill Sean.

"Never. I- I- no. he's my brother." Daniel tried to keep his voice from breaking but to no avail. He can't do this. It's his brother. Sean. It's… Sean.

"Do you not hear him screaming, Daniel? He's already done for, and you know it. You're a smart kid, I know you do. He cannot be saved. You, however, can spare him the suffering by putting him out of his misery." Merrill speaks calmly as he slowly attempts to manipulate the young wolf.

"Or, perhaps you're not the soldier I thought you were?" Daniel felt a barrel to the side of his head. The boy closed his eyes, wishing for all of this to be just a bad dream.

But no, this was no dream. This was real. Very, very real. Daniel opened his eyes, realizing that Merrill's placed the gun in his hand. In front of him on the ground lies Sean, still screaming in pain. Next to Sean, standing with his arms crossed is Merrill.

The reaper of misery, back with a vengeance.

Daniel lifts the gun to remove the clip. One round left. One single round. Merrill's right. He hates it, but it's true. Sean won't make it. He's lost too much blood, and even if he did make it he'll never walk again. It felt like time ceased to exist. This last round. It had three options, neither of them good.

He could shoot Merrill. Daniel knows he wouldn't miss it. His victory, however, would be short-lived since any of the other guards here would kill him moments after. Still, he would be lying if he said that he wasn't tempted to go out in a fiery blaze of glory. After all, he does not fear death. He does, however, fear what might come after it. All his sins in life? Would they be punished in his death? He's got no intention to find out.

Daniel could turn the gun at himself. The pain would be over. At least in life. But his fears of the afterlife keep him from doing so. Then, there's the third option. Merrill's option.

The reaper's option.

"Do it, child! Prove your worth!" Merrill shouts at him.

"Daniel…" Sean's weak voice called for him, but Daniel didn't react. Too afraid, too broken, and too conflicted.

"Enano…" Daniel snapped out of his trance as he heard his brother call him by his nickname. He looks at Sean and almost breaks into pieces while doing so. His brother must be in so much pain. Daniel wants to hug him and tell him that everything will be alright. But he can't.

"Sean…?" Daniel looked into his brother's eyes as he begged for help. Help that he knew would not come.

"Remember what you promised me, Daniel?" Sean looks at him with serious eyes, but his voice was uneven.

"Ye- yeah?" No. He doesn't want to remember. He wants to go home. To Seattle. Home to his father that never has any time for him, his mother that always sleeps, and his brother that hates him.

"It's ok, Daniel. It's ok. None of this is your fault." Sean pushed his tears back in an attempt to give Daniel that last push he needed to get through this nightmare.

"No, Sean. I- I can't-" Daniel stopped speaking mid-sentence. Time was running out, and with it, Merrill's patience.

"You've been a great little brother, Daniel." The small boy slowly raised the gun.

"I love you, Enano." He aims at his brother's head. Fuck, is he really going through with this?

"I- I love you too, Sean. And- I'm so sorry." Daniel used every muscle in his small body while squeezing the trigger. It felt so heavy. Moments later, a loud gunshot echoed throughout the desert as the body of Sean Eduardo Diaz fell to the ground.

One month later…

Daniel slowly began to wake up. The first five minutes were always the best part. Those minutes were so great because he's awake to the point where he's able to think and feel, but not awake enough to remember. To remember what he once was, where things went wrong, what he's become, and…

What he did.

Daniel tortured people, slaughtered people, and at one point in his life, he even liked it. Still, there's one thing that kept him going. One single factor, keeps him anchored to the real world instead of falling into the never-ending abyss.

Sean.

His brother.

And now, that anchor's gone. Dead and rotting away in the desert while vultures scavenge the remains. Just like they did with his best friend, Chris. And for what? What exactly, did he get out of this? Sean told him to do what Merrill wanted him to. Sean told him to obey the reaper. Where did Sean's grand plan take him? Did he manage to find an escape route before it was too late?

No. The poor boy never stood a chance. Not on that airstrip, not against Merrill, and probably not in his entire life.

After Daniel shot his idol to death he just stood there. He wanted to look away from what he had just done, but he couldn't. His body refused to do what he wanted it to. A mere seconds later, Daniel felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. The last image he had before losing consciousness shall forever be burnt into his retina. Daniel landed a mere inch from Sean's dead body, and with his last strength, Daniel reached out with his hand to touch his brother's face one last time.

When he woke up, Daniel did not know where he was, or how much time had passed. The location he woke up in is the same one he's in now. A cold, dark prison cell of sorts. There are no lights whatsoever, and the room is completely empty save for the chains that keep him from moving.

Tight, painful restraints, made out of thick steel kept the small child from doing much else than laying on the floor. The first time he woke up, Daniel panicked, screamed for Sean, and tried to get out of his chains. After hours upon hours of silence, Merrill entered the cell. That's when Daniel remembered what happened. Needless to say, the lone wolf screamed in horror at his actions. Merrill, however, had grabbed his collar, looked into his eyes, and said three short words.

"Who are you?" The already broken child did not manage to respond to that question.

"You are not ready," Merrill told him after less than ten seconds before knocking him out cold once more.

That was the first day. How many days is it now? Daniel doesn't know, nor does he care. Nothing matters anymore. Nothing and no one. Every day is the same. Like clockwork.

Endless hours of silence. Not a single person in the vicinity. No birds in the air for he could not see it, no dogs barking for Daniel could not hear them. Then, the door opened, and in came Merrill. Daniel's got no way to tell the time here, but he believes that he comes here once a day or so. And every time is the same.

"Who are you?" A question asked the same way, in the same tone, to the same boy, by the same reaper. Daniel knew that Merrill was trying to break him down, only so he could build him up again to his ideal. But he refuses to give him the satisfaction. Quit now, and Sean died for nothing. Then again, Sean died to save his brother. Those two statements are one and the same.

Daniel repeats that moment hundreds of times every day. The airstrip. Sean. Everything. He hates himself for thinking first and acting later. Had he acted on his first impulse, maybe, just maybe, everything would've worked out? Either way, it couldn't have been worse than this. Nothing could have. He doesn't want to live, he's not afraid to die, but he's too afraid that his actions in life shall have repercussions in the afterlife to kill himself.

"Why, Sean? Why did you die to let me live? I'm not worth saving, Sean. I'm not." Daniel sobs as he craves the comforting arms of his big brother. Instead, all he receives is the cold, unforgiving concrete.

Time inside this horrific prison changed who Daniel Felipe Diaz is, was, and would be. Days turned into weeks, weeks into a month. One month became several months. And every day was the same. The young lone wolf had the heart and will that few others do. Given time, however, everyone shall break eventually. Especially a wolf without a pack.

Once more, Daniel could hear the door open in the distance. He's been here for so long that he's memorized the most useless things as a way to keep himself somewhat sane.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and… ten. As always. Ten footsteps from the first door to the second. Almost every time. Four silent beeps followed by a loud beep indicated that the second door has a code. A four-digit code.

Four, five, and… six. That's when Merrill arrives outside Daniel's cell. Sometimes he hits his head on the ceiling, swearing loudly. Daniel doesn't know if the ceiling inside his cell is low or not. He's never seen it.

BANG!

The reaper kicks the door in. Daniel becomes overwhelmed with fear and blinded by light after spending months in nothing but darkness. The reaper grabs him by the collar once again as he prepares to ask the same question as yesterday, the day before that, and the day before that.

"Who are you?" He's not sure why it happened. But it did. Daniel did not know it at the time, but his words here would have consequences far beyond even his darkest imaginations.

"I'm- I'm-" Daniel speaks so silently that one could barely hear him. The boy that once found it difficult to stay quiet for more than five minutes has not spoken for several months.

"I'm nobody. I'm nothing." Whenever Daniel spoke with Sean about a difficult topic he used to feel relieved in the aftermath. Here, however, no such thing existed. He didn't even feel sad. Merrill releases his hold, instead taking out a key to unlock Daniel's chains.

An eternity of pain has changed the boy's body for the worse as he finds it difficult to move. He looks up and sees a hand offered to him.

"Come, my son. Take my hand. You are now ready to come home." The reaper of misery told him as he offered Daniel a hand. Daniel lost this battle long ago. It didn't begin at the airstrip. Hell, it didn't even begin when he left Merrill for what he believed to be his death. It began a long time ago, all the way back in Beaver Creek when Daniel bought into Merrill's bullshit during a time when he was at his most vulnerable point.

That day, Merrill had gotten into his head. And he would never leave him alone. Daniel takes the reaper's hand while dragging himself to his feet. Side-by-side, the reaper of misery and Daniel Diaz leave the cell and enters a new life.

April 11th, 2027 — Somewhere in Oregon…

Over a decade has passed since the war broke out. The United States of America was no more. Still, nothing had taken its place either. A merciless civil war broke out as the Americans admitted defeat. Instead of celebrating victory, everyone fought each other from within, slowly destroying themselves one piece at a time. No armies, no cops, no politicians, and absolutely no laws existed. All that remained was endless amounts of hostile militias, and civilians just trying to stay out of it.

Somewhere in the deep forests of Oregon, a lone truck pulled over to the side of the road. Inside the truck was a young man. A man of mystery according to those who know him. Well, nobody really knows him, they just know of him. The man in question wears green camouflage clothing, making sure to blend in wherever he goes. On his lower right arm, the man has three large scars. When asked about their origin, he answers that he cannot remember. Also, the young man turned twenty years old today. He did not remember that either.

This young man was Daniel Felipe Diaz.

With Merrill long gone, Daniel took his rightful place at the top of the food chain. People who thought Merrill to be cruel had yet to feel the wrath of Daniel Diaz. Few ever spoke up against him, and those that did would never speak again. He shows no fear, no empathy, no emotion, and no mercy.

Daniel Felipe Diaz is dead.

This is what remains.

A damaged human being, incapable of feeling the most basic emotions. He feels no joy, no sorrow, no pride, no shame, nothing. Today, however, Daniel pulled to the side of the road in a heartbeat. He did it because he saw something. He saw a sign.

Literally. The sign has seen better days, meaning only parts of the text could be read due to wear and tear.

"W_lc_me to B_ _eek!"

"Welcome to Beaver Creek…" Daniel mumbled automatically. Why did he know that? He's never been here before, has he?

Something about this place felt familiar in a strange way. Daniel didn't like it. Still, he kept on driving. The closer he got to Beaver Creek, the more familiar he felt. Almost as if he's been here in a past life. Not a single person could be seen. This place was abandoned years ago by the looks of it. He drives past what appears to be an old comic book store.

"That dream…?" Daniel dreams sometimes. Memories from his past life are all locked away, deep inside his mind. Sometimes, however, they make themselves known during his sleep. A name here, a word there, but never faces. No faces and nothing from the voices they belonged to.

Some names return more than others. Rarely does he think about it, but Daniel believes that he used to have a brother. Was he older, younger? He does not know. He's fairly sure that this brother's name was "Shawn" though. Other names include Chris, Karen, Claire, Stephen, and many more. Daniel's not sure about his past relationship with any of those people. Perhaps he had more siblings?

"FUCK!" Daniel comes to a screeching halt in the middle of the road. In front of him stood a house.

"Fuck… shit…" This is it. He's not exactly sure what "this" is, but he knows that he needs to go inside that house. The young man exits the car.

"Reynolds?" Daniel reads the name on the old mailbox. Something felt familiar about that name. He's been here before.

Daniel enters the house, immediately noticing how anything worth stealing has already been stolen long ago. Long ago, this was probably a really nice place by the looks of it. Still, nothing in here felt familiar. Daniel goes upstairs into a small bedroom, taking a seat on the bed. The mattress smells of mold, but he's slept on worse. A lot worse. He's not sure why, but he feels a need to look under this bed.

Underneath lies a pillow covered in dried blood. Nobody knew if the young man understood that the dried blood belonged to him. Not even himself. Still, a part of him understood that he's been there before. On that exact spot. And he didn't like it. He didn't like it then, and he doesn't like to be reminded of it now.

"Fuck…" Daniel shakes his head a few times, attempting to get rid of whatever thoughts move around. He stands up and pulls out a drawer to check its contents. The drawer is empty save for one single item.

Daniel froze on the spot. His pulse increased, and he could barely breathe.

A photograph.

It depicts two young boys of Hispanic backgrounds. The younger appears to be around eight years old, and the older is around fifteen. The younger boy has an arm around the waist of the older one who looks like he'd rather be anywhere else at the time this picture was taken. The small boy, however, seems to be having the time of his life. Far in the deepest depths of Daniel's mind, something moves around. Still, it has yet to move enough to be woken.

Daniel stares at the photo for a good ten minutes, wondering why this makes him feel so uncomfortable. Why does it make him feel at all? Then he turns it over to look at the backside. On the back, someone had written with large lettering and poor grammar. A child perhaps?

"Hi granma and granpa! I hope u have a great sumer. I have a great sumer in Seattle. Miss u! / Daniel and Sean" Slowly, it dawned upon him as he turned to look at the photo once more. He wrote this. Over a decade ago, he wrote this. That small boy in the photo is him. And the older boy in the same photo is-

"Sean?" Daniel slowly drags his scarred fingers over his brother's face. Then, he looks at the younger boy. He looks at himself. How happy he is was. So full of joy, innocence, and childlike curiosity. He wouldn't even know how to describe who what he is today.

"Daniel?" Daniel just said his name out loud for the first time in years. He studies his image as a phrase pops into his head.

"Enano?" Then he remembered. All of it. His life before the war, how it broke out, the life he lived during his first year, and Sean. He remembers Sean. His big brother. Millions of images fly through his head at a pace too quickly for him to process. That is until they reached the end. An image of himself on the ground, reaching out with his hand towards the bloody face of the brother he just murdered.

It all became too much.

Daniel stood up and tore the photo into pieces. Then, he exits the former Reynolds residence as tears are pouring down his face. Daniel got into the car, turned on the ignition, and began to drive away from Beaver Creek as fast as possible. He did not stop, he did not look back, nor would Daniel Diaz ever return to Beaver Creek ever again. Instead, he would try to drown the memory of this day with a variety of alcohol and drugs.

"Emotions make you weak, so you cannot have them." Daniel repeatedly tells himself as he tries to push back the guilt and sorrow that begins to appear, now that he's starting to realize what kind of person he's become. In the end, however, Daniel falls back to the one thing he knows how to do. He listens to that non-existent voice in his head, and then…

He obeys.

Notes:

You chose to buy time, therefore finishing the story with the ending entitled "The Reaper's Slave". Please continue to chapter 43 for the epilogue of this ending.

Step by step.
He lost his heart.
Left-right left.
He fell far down.
A toy soldier.

Bit by bit.
He's torn apart.
Feels no pain.
And has no soul.
A toy soldier.

Left-right left.
A broken mind.
He cannot stop.
Nor go on.
A toy soldier.

For toy soldiers.

Chapter 40: Sacrifice

Summary:

You have chosen the path of sacrifice. Your fate is now sealed and the other paths are locked. Follow the road ahead of you if you dare to find out who or what "you" are...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Sacrifice

"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" The words sent a chill all the way down to Sean's broken bones. It's not fair. Why should it have to end here? Sean's story began almost seventeen years ago which isn't even enough to drink stronger liquor. Meanwhile, Daniel's story began ten years ago, but it feels like just yesterday. Their story, however, the story of the wolfbrothers?

It barely got started.

And now? Now it's over. Unless some kind of miracle happens, of course. But he's not exactly holding his breath for that to happen. How would they get out of this, not only alive but together? Was such a thing even possible? And what would they do if they can't get out?

They.

They?

No.

"Fuck. Get a grip, man." Sean tries to tell himself the truth. He can't rely on his ten-year-old little brother to make these kinds of decisions. He promised his father to look after Daniel, and damn it, he's not letting his father or Daniel down. Sean Eduardo Diaz must make a decision here. The question still remains, however, what the actual fuck that decision should be.

Surrendering is not an option. Sean could only wish to forget the stories Daniel told him about the man who stood between them and the path to freedom. There's no chance in hell that he's letting that asshole take his brother again. Over his dead body, and probably Daniel's as well.

They can't run to the plane, and they can't fight their way through to get to it either. So, when you cannot surrender, escape, or fight, what the hell do you have left?

Everything or nothing.

Pretend to surrender and when the time is right, you make your move. You run, gun, and fight your way to the freedom you so desperately crave. It feels like a far-fetched option, but they don't exactly have much else to choose from. Sean knows what to do. Daniel won't like it, for more reasons than one. Hopefully, he'll understand one day.

The single priority of Sean Diaz is to make sure that his brother gets on that plane safely. That's his first, second, and third priority. Obviously, Sean wants nothing else but to go with him, but he cannot afford to think about himself. This is where he looks after his brother, keeps him safe, and makes sure he gets the better life that he deserves.

"Sean?" The trembling voice of his younger brother brought Sean back to the real world. This is it, isn't it?

"Remember that night in Seattle? When it began?" Daniel's eyes briefly turned downwards. Yeah, he remembered.

"I think about it every day. I do it because of dad. He made me promise. I promised him to look after you, take care of you, and keep you safe." Daniel failed to hold back his tears when Sean mentioned their father.

"I don't think I lived up to that promise, Daniel. But whatever happens here, I just want you to know that I did it for you." Daniel starts to cry at his brother's confusing words.

"Sean? You- you're scaring me." Sean wrapped his arms around his crying little brother. He knew very well that this might be the last time he hugged him.

"It's gonna be ok, Daniel. You're gonna be ok. I promise you that." Daniel did not react when Sean said "you" instead of "we".

"What are we going to do?" Daniel gathered the courage to ask him, hoping for a solid plan to wipe Merrill off the face of the earth. He did, however, get a bad feeling when Sean's eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Daniel, do you trust me?" Sean looked right into his eyes while asking the question.

"Yes, Sean. I trust you." Daniel answered as he realized that he wouldn't like what Sean had to say.

"We're gonna try to trick him. A fake surrender-" Nope. He really didn't like it.

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! I can't go back- no. Not back there, please." Daniel panics and begins to look around the area for possible escape routes.

"Daniel?" Sean tries to calm him down without much success.

"I can't go back there, they'll kill me. I'm dead, Sean. Worse than dead." Sean put his hands on Daniel's shoulders.

"Enano…" Calm, collected, and soothing. Daniel slowly calmed himself down.

"Breathe, Daniel, breathe…" Daniel closed his eyes, taking slow breaths to calm himself down before Sean spoke to him again.

"Ok, Sean. I'm good." Daniel said in a low tone.

"Listen to me, Daniel. You're not going back to that place. I'm not letting him take you. He wants to get to you, he'll have to get past me first, ok?" Daniel probably didn't understand how literal that statement was. Perhaps that was for the best.

"Ok, Sean. I still don't like it, but it's the only chance we have. I trust you, wolfbrother." Daniel even managed a smile. Not a wide one, but still, a smile.

"So, what's the plan?" Once again, Daniel asked his brother, and once again Sean explained to him the various steps of his plan. Some details, however, were omitted on purpose. Just in case…

"Get out of the damn car, NOW!" Merrill screams at them from a distance. They don't have much time.

"Do you know what to do, little cub?" Daniel couldn't speak and nodded rapidly in return.

"Are you sure we can do this, Sean?" Daniel felt so helpless. All his previous training was lost, and in its place, was fear. Fear of the future, fear of the past, and fear of the unknown.

"Whatever happens, Daniel, wherever we end up after today, we'll be there together, alright?" Sean smiled reassuringly at him while avoiding the question. Daniel couldn't understand how he did it. To Sean, everything seemed so clear. Like he knew exactly what to do next. To Daniel, however, everything just felt like a massive blur right now. In a way, he almost hoped that they would both die. That way, they could both get some well-deserved rest. Plus, they would be reunited with the people they've lost.

Grandma, grandpa, Chris, mom, and dad.

All of them reunited together. Claire would bake those awesome cookies while Stephen would make everyone laugh by falling asleep in the most ridiculous of places. Daniel would get to see Chris again, and tell him how sorry he was, but everything would be fine since Chris could never be angry at anyone or anything. Sean would be the best brother in the world to him. Give him drawings, Chock-O-Crisp, and just spoil him in general. And…

Their father would be so proud of them both for finally acting like real brothers. Yeah, maybe death isn't so bad after all…

"I said, are you ready, Daniel?" Sean shook his brother awake from the dreamland.

"Yeah, Sean, I'm ready. Let's swerve the reaper." The temporary heaven-fantasy sounded great, Daniel could admit to that much. Thing is, it sounded too great. And if there's anything he's learned over the past year it is that if it sounds too good to be true, it always is. Not usually, but always. Fucking always. He never gets good things in life, at least not without fighting for them. So, he's not exactly inclined to believe that he would get them for free in death.

Therefore, Daniel Felipe Diaz has no intention to die today as he exits the car along with his older brother.

The very second his feet hit the scorching sand he felt like he couldn't breathe. Slowly, Daniel began his march towards the reaper of misery with every step feeling heavier than the last. Meanwhile, he repeats the same thing in his head, over and over again.

"Wait for the signal." Sean would give him a signal of sorts, and when that happened, shit would go down. In more ways than one.

"Hold it right there!" Merrill shouts at the brothers. They both cease to move while keeping their hands in the air. Daniel could hear the calm breaths of his brother who stood beside him.

"We're fine, Enano. Trust me…" Daniel did trust him. But he could not for his life see how they would make it out of this. The boy felt his small heart beat faster and faster as Merrill approached him.

"You made a wise decision, Daniel. I am not known to be a forgiving man, but I am willing to let the past stay in the past so I can welcome my best soldier back where he belongs. Welcome, my son, welcome home." Merrill gave him a sadistic smile that Daniel could easily see through by now. Still, this was a man that he feared. He hated him, he despised him, and he wanted him dead. More than anything else, however, Daniel feared him.

And fear is a powerful thing.

"Take my hand, child, and come with me." Merrill extends his hand to Daniel, offering him to join him in hell. Daniel doesn't want to, not even a little. Still, his fear is what gives Merrill control over him. Therefore, Daniel takes his hand and goes to stand next to Merrill.

"A wise choice, my boy," Merrill says as he turns his attention to Sean.

"So, Shawn, is it? Any last words to your former brother before I shall have you killed?" Daniel didn't even hear those words. He stood in the middle of the desert, and yet he felt so cold. So very, very cold. The air, going into his lungs felt like it turned his body to ice from the inside. He did, however, see one thing.

Sean's face.

How Sean looked at him, twitching slightly, and then turned back to Merrill.

"Yeah, I got something to say." Sean turns to his little brother, the latter now paying close attention, although barely.

"Daniel…" Then, Sean turns to Merrill again while reaching for something behind his back.

Fuck…

"RUN!" It was probably the fastest thing that Sean's ever done. Still, Daniel felt like it took hours for it to go down. Sean screamed for his brother to run, only to then reach for the gun. Without even the slightest hesitation, Sean took the gun, pressed the barrel against Merrill's forehead, and pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed across the entire desert, and the reaper of misery fell dead to the ground.

"Don't just stand there, Daniel! Run! Run, run, run!" Sean screamed for his brother to get a move on, snapping him out of his trance. His demon is dead, but their mess remains. The wolfbrothers went for cover behind one of Merrill's cars as a storm of bullets rained down on them. They both knew that one way or the other, this is it.

And they have to move fast. The pilot seemed to have said "fuck it" since the plane's engines grew louder and louder. Within five minutes, that plane would be in the air either with them or without them. With not enough time to think of a real plan, Sean came to a realization.

A painful one. Something he wished he didn't have to do. But Sean knows in his heart that it's the one true choice if he is to get Daniel to safety. He looks at the small boy behind him. The child cries and screams in fear, begging him to make it alright. He wished that it could be so simple. They both did.

"Daniel, I need you to listen to me." Daniel quickly turns to him with a seemingly focused mind. Well, as focused as one could be in these surroundings.

"Help us, Sean. Get us out of here. I- I wanna go… please!" Daniel screams at Sean's face in fear. Just hearing his brother in so much pain nearly breaks Sean.

"Daniel. I'm going to give you some covering fire, ok? And when I do, I want you to run, Enano. Run to the plane as fast as you can, and don't look back." The fact that Sean managed to keep his voice steady is nothing short of a miracle.

"But- what about you, Sean? Aren't you coming with me?" Daniel said in the most innocent and childish ways he ever could while looking at Sean with those brown puppy eyes. Sean tried to push back his tears but failed.

"Don't worry, I'll be right behind you, wolfbrother." Seeing how his older brother was about to break down, Daniel wrapped his arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Promise, Sean?" Fuck. In times like these, Sean hates how kids are easy to fool.

"I promise, Daniel, I'll be right behind you." The brothers let go of their embrace as they prepare for their final push towards freedom.

"Now, go, Enano. GO!" Daniel Diaz stood up, turned away from his brother, and then…

He ran.

Ignoring the pain in his legs every time his feet touched the ground, ignoring the lack of oxygen in his lungs, and ignoring the absence of a big brother right behind him. Daniel ran because he knew that after this, he won't ever have to run again. He knew it to be true because Sean told him so. Therefore, Daniel did exactly what Sean told him to do, and not to do. He ran as fast as he possibly could towards the plane.

Through bullets, explosions, hellfire, and brimstone. The young wolf ran, but he never looked back. Not a single time. After what felt like a hundred miles, Daniel could hear the metallic clank of the ramp underneath his feet. He's almost there. Just a few more steps.

BANG!

Daniel stumbled and collapsed on the floor of the plane, exhausted, and in pain. He screamed. It hurt so much. His feet hurt from the fucking desert sand, his legs hurt from running and walking, and his head hurt because of all this shit. Daniel lay on the floor, helpless, and in pain, as he awaited the arrival of his older brother. Slowly, Daniel managed to crawl close enough to be able to see what was going on.

Right below the ramp stood Sean, using a car for cover as soldiers tried their best to shoot him. He's so close. They made it. Just, get your ass on the ramp, man.

"Sean!" Daniel cries weakly for his brother, begging him to get on board the plane. Sean turns around to look at his little brother. His Enano.

The very second their eyes met, Daniel understood.

Sean never intended for them both to get aboard that plane. His main priority was to protect Daniel, keep him safe, and give him a better life.

No matter the cost.

"Sean, hurry! The plane's taking off! Come on, wolfbrother, come on!" Daniel reaches out with his small hand, begging Sean to grab it and come with him.

Sean, however, knew that he couldn't.

The plane slowly began to move, meaning the soldiers focused their fire on the plane instead. Sean knows what to do. He must create a diversion, so his brother can get away safely.

"You're a good kid, Daniel. Don't forget where you came from, ok?" Sean said in an unsteady voice while tears poured down his face.

"NO, SEAN, NO, COME BACK!" Daniel screamed in despair while desperately trying to get up and go to his brother. But he couldn't. His body had just given up on him. He's done, plain and simple.

"I love you, Sean… please, don't leave me." Daniel tiredly whimpered to his idol as the ramp began to close.

"I love you, Enano… goodbye." Sean looked at his brother for what could very likely be the last time in his life. He wanted to really burn Daniel's face into his retina, even if it was a crying face. Moments later the ramp had closed for good. Sean prepared himself for what could very well be his end.

"I did my best, dad. He's safe now." Then, Sean stood up, aiming the gun at the soldiers in the distance.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" The storm of bullets was barely audible as a massive cargo plane lifted simultaneously.

A few hours later — Somewhere over The Atlantic Ocean…

High above the ocean flew a lone cargo plane. Surrounding it was nothing but clouds and water as far as the eye could see. The destination was unknown to all but the pilot himself. A cargo plane of this size usually ships large quantities of various types of cargo to all corners of the world. Today, however, the cargo was only one.

Only one small piece of cargo.

To one, the cargo was invaluable. To himself, the cargo was worthless. Who would receive him and why? Wherever this plane lands, it won't matter. Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, or fucking Liechtenstein, they all had one thing in common.

Nobody's waiting for Daniel Diaz there.

After the plane took off, Daniel didn't move for over an hour. He didn't believe it was real. Sean promised to come with him. He looked him right in the eyes, and he promised. Deep down, Daniel understood why Sean did what he did, however, he's so struck with grief that he can't process that part right now.

The boy screamed. For hours upon hours, the boy screamed. Not words of help, not words of sorrow, not even words of anger. Just screams. Then, when his voice had failed him, Daniel just stared emptily while trying to take it all in.

That's when it hit him.

He's alone now. Not lonely, but alone. Ten years old, and alone against the world. Like that wasn't bad enough, he's on his way to a foreign country. He's afraid. Everything scares him. He's never felt anything like this. Daniel crawls into the corner of the plane, hoping to at least make sure that nothing can get him from behind. It didn't help his fears.

He still feared all that surrounded him, be it above him, underneath him, in front of him, behind him, or on his sides. It's still freezing in here, meaning that crappy blanket didn't do shit, and the engines are so fucking loud. He collapsed into a fetal position as he whimpered the same pair of words repeatedly.

"Why, Sean?" It would take many years before the poor boy would understand why.

Oslo, Norway — One month later…

Daniel hadn't heard of a country called Norway before the plane landed in it. Well, now he's heard of it. Still, he's yet to see much of it though. The last month was nothing but hell. Daniel spent every hour of every day locked inside a juvenile detention facility, only being let out for something far worse.

He's lost count on how many times he's gone through his story. Still, that never stopped them from trying him again. It's like they refused to believe his words. To be honest, he couldn't exactly blame them for it. They just believed that they saved another poor child from trafficking or some shit when they arrested that pilot. Little did they know that the poor and defenseless child had done far worse things on his own.

Whenever he's not recounting his past, Daniel's alone with his thoughts. He wonders about Sean. Is his brother still alive? Maybe, maybe not. It destroys him to not know the truth. He tried to draw something to kill time, but he can't even do that. Just something as simple as drawing made his mind drift back to his brother only to have him in tears moments later.

"Sean… why? I trusted you, I really did." Daniel sobbed before hearing the familiar buzzing sound and the large door opening. Slowly, the defeated little cub sits up on the steel bed in his cage. Approaching him is a prison guard. Daniel doesn't like him, and the feeling's probably mutual. Accompanying the guard, however, is an unknown woman.

"Hello, Daniel. How are you feeling today?" She smiles at him while sounding kinda nice. Like he cares.

"Bad." He could barely speak, that's how broken he felt. The door's unlocked and the unknown woman kneels in front of him.

"I have some good news for you." Sean or GTFO.

"All the papers are in order, and if you want to, I can take you to a place where other children like yourself live. You will have care, comfort, and a loving family with many brothers and sisters." But Daniel doesn't want brothers. He only wants a brother. His brother. His wolfbrother.

Still, it can't be worse than this dump.

"Sure," Daniel mumbles and follows the woman to a car outside. The boy looked out of the windows as the car began to drive away. Daniel Felipe Diaz wondered what his life would look like from now on. But more importantly, he wondered if Sean looked up at the same sky as he did.

Alesund, Norway — Three years later…

Daniel Diaz has lived here for almost three years. All that time without a single word from his brother. Three years of nightmares, crying, bursts of anger, and one breakdown after the other.

Daniel lives in a small town called Alesund. Although he'd trade it for Seattle without hesitation, he couldn't deny how beautiful it was here. After all the misery that he's been through, this place managed to give him a sense of peace. Not that it happened overnight though.

His foster parents were really nice to him. They reminded him of his grandparents, only younger. The other kids at the foster home were a bit of both. Some were mean to him since he was the new kid while also the youngest. Once or twice, some even tried to beat him up. They would, however, realize that Daniel didn't lie when he told them what he went through. So, nobody ever picked a fight with him again.

The older kids were cool. They knew he missed his brother, and they all tried to fill that spot at the same time. Daniel could give them credit for trying, but nobody could replace Sean. And even if they could, he wouldn't want them to.

Meanwhile, Daniel tried to adjust himself to ordinary life again. To say that it was a struggle would be a bit too kind. Not only did he have to learn Norwegian which is difficult as fuck if he's to be asked his opinion, but also, Daniel had to catch up on over a year's worth of school. All this while simultaneously studying the same thing as his classmates. A struggle to say the least, but he pushed through to the other side and came out stronger.

The one thing that had everyone around him worried was that he refused all forms of therapy. He just couldn't. Speaking of it felt too painful, to begin with, and adding Sean to that mix just made it unbearable. Daniel, however, managed to find his own self-therapy.

Around the entire town, is beautiful mountains as far as the eye could see. Daniel felt this one emotion he recognized from long ago every time he saw them.

Curiosity.

He wanted to explore every inch of those mountains. Call it a way of running from your problems or perhaps just the lure of adventure. All he knew is that he wanted to do it. Convincing his foster parents took a bit of trial and error, but he won in the end. He usually does. The first time Daniel went up there alone, he was barely eleven years of age.

He brought no tent. Hell, he's slept on the cold ground before, why would he need a heavy fucking tent? Daniel only brought a sleeping bag, a lot of Chock-O-Crisps, and a lighter.

Today's no different, except that Daniel's also brought a pencil and a stack of papers.

He walked for hours, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Eventually, he's so far away that he can't see or hear the town. The boy decides to make camp for the night. After he got a fire going, Daniel takes the stack of papers along with the pencil. Then he writes.

"Hey, Sean. I don't know if you'll ever read this. Shit, I don't even know if you're alive. Everyone keeps telling me to just let go of you. But I can't do that, Sean. I just can't. I miss you so much, big brother. So much. You told me that day, Sean, and I never forgot it." Daniel paused for a few seconds to close his eyes and remember that fateful day along with Sean's words to him.

"Whatever happens here, I just want you to know that I did it for you." Daniel didn't get it at the time. He continues his letter.

"I understand it now, Sean. I know why you did it. I'm not sure how to feel about it. A part of me is grateful for it. But there's always this part that tells me that you just wanted to get rid of me. But I know that's not the truth, Sean. I know it. STOP IT, SEAN, don't give me that look." Daniel smiles as he imagines his brother's face in front of him.

"I just hope that if you're still out there… we'll see each other again. You would love it here, I know you would. So beautiful, and so peaceful. It helped me a lot, you know. I'm rambling now, aren't I? Yeah, I am." Daniel giggles slightly. It felt good that he could laugh sometimes. Not often, but it happened.

"Take care of yourself, Sean. I love you. /Your wolfbrother & Enano Daniel" Daniel shed a couple of tears before neatly folding the letter and placing it in his backpack. Then, the soon-to-be thirteen-year-old boy saw something. The sky was covered in a bright, green light that brightened up the entire area around him.

The northern lights.

Daniel's only heard about it but had never seen it. He sits down at the very edge of a cliff to get a better view. Daniel watched the sky for what felt like hours, unable to take his eyes away from the beautiful sight. Then he felt something. Why it came now, he couldn't tell. Perhaps a sign? Either way, the boy did not complain. He did not complain because he knew the truth now.

"You're still alive, Sean." Felling a sudden burst of joy that he hasn't had in years, Daniel takes a deep breath.

"OOOOWWWOOOOOOOOOOO… OWOO OOWWOOOOOOOO!" The young wolf howls at the night sky in hopes that his long-lost wolfbrother shall hear him.

Meanwhile, in a remote little cabin, deep in the forests of Canada…

Deep inside the Canadian forests stood a cabin. Inside the cabin lives a young man. But few would believe him to be in his early twenties if they saw him. The filthy clothes, the long beard, the slow and painful way that he moves. He might as well be in his seventies.

Nobody knew this man's name. Nobody knew because he kept to himself. Few people knew where he lived, and those who did would usually leave him alone. This man had no job and no money. He lived entirely off what he could get from the surrounding nature. Some people said he was American, others said he was Hispanic.

The man in question is Sean Eduardo Diaz.

The very second the plane had lifted, Sean got into the closest car, only to drive away without stopping to look back. He didn't stop to think about the fact that he'll never see Daniel again. It felt too painful. All he had in mind was getting out of the country.

Since the entire infrastructure had gone to shits, there was no border control. This meant that Sean could just drive over the border with ease. Then he kept driving straight forward until the car ran out of gas. When it did, Sean got out of the car and walked for days until he stumbled upon this cabin. Seemingly abandoned for decades and in horrible condition. He decided to stay the night.

One night turned into two.

Two became three.

Three became a month.

And so on.

Now, he's been here for almost three years. Sean avoids any contact with people if possible. Upon arriving in the area, the war was still in full effect but had yet to reach Canada. Obviously, the sudden arrival of a Hispanic teenager would not be treated with open arms.

More like closed fists.

Since then, Sean avoided the locals, not caring that they'd come to their senses. He doesn't need them. He can fish and tries to learn how to hunt, and it's worked for him so far. Hell, the only company he's got out here is the fucking moose.

Still, every week or so, Sean went into town to pick up a discarded newspaper. He wanted to be up-to-date with things. About a year ago, the war ended, and apparently America's rebuilding. Guess there's a backup plan after all? Then there's the other reason he wants to be up-to-date with things.

Daniel.

Enano.

Little brother.

Where is he?

Is he still alive?

The more he thought about it, the more Sean realized that he had to find out the truth. No matter how much it might hurt him. He tried to think of something, anything, but always came up empty. How would Daniel contact him if neither of them knows where the other is?

After two years in the cabin, Sean went into town almost daily. He sat at the public library, browsing the internet for something that could hint at his whereabouts. Social media, his name, a phone number, Sean tried it all but got jackshit in return.

Then it hit him.

His old email account. Daniel always sent him stuff on it, but Sean, the asshole that he was, cursed him out every time. This would only lead to Daniel sending him even more links to funny cat videos and Minecraft let's plays.

Sean types in his email address. Now, what the fuck was the password? Sean both laughs and curses at himself when he remembered it.

"Go2hellDanielUlittlesh!t" And he's in. the first thing he sees is a mail from his mother, dated before the war. He deletes it immediately before going further. Then… he sighs deeply. It's been four years since he checked his inbox.

Spam.

Spam.

Spam.

Old mail from Lyla. God, he hasn't thought about her in literal years.

Spam.

More spam.

Wait…

" From: enanothenorweigianwolfofwar " Outlook. All these years and the boy still hasn't learned?

"Subject: I'm looking for my long-lost wolfbrother" It's him. It's fucking him. Sean opens it.

"Hey, Sean. It's me, Daniel, Enano (no shit, right?). You can see my phone number below this line. Call me, big brother. I miss you. Oh, and check out the attachments, bro!" Sean's crying tears of joy in a public library. Wait?

Attachments?

Sean looks closer, revealing a .zip file that he downloads without hesitation. Inside it was over a hundred pictures. Sean, however, only saw the first one. Dated less than a month ago, a close-up of his younger brother smiling.

Smiling.

He looks so happy.

Daniel looks like a sweet, innocent child again. Sean no longer has any doubts. He now knows for a fact that he did the right thing that day. He knows that he succeeded in protecting his little brother.

Hang on-

"PHONE NUMBER!" Sean got so caught up in everything that he missed the fact that Daniel emailed him his phone number. He runs to the woman at the desk, begging her to let him use the phone in private. Reluctantly, she agrees. Perhaps out of pity? Either way, Sean got what he wanted.

Now, here he stands. A phone in his right hand, and a note with a phone number in his left. He dials the number and holds his breath.

"Come on, Enano, please, pick up…" Sean mumbles as the phone keeps ringing. After four tones, Sean begins to lose hope. Then, all of a sudden…

"Hello, this is Daniel?" Sean couldn't breathe. That's him, right there at the other end of the line. His voice sounds a bit deeper, but there's absolutely no doubt about it.

Daniel.

"Hellooo? Say something, dickhead, or I'm hanging up." Daniel's not grown more patient over the years, that's for sure. It took every fiber of Sean's being to utter just one single phrase.

"Enano?" He could hear how the annoyed rapid breaths on the other end stopped. Neither brother spoke for over two minutes as they both tried to recover from the shock. Daniel, however, would be the one to break the silence.

"Sean? Is- is that you? My wolfbrother?" He heard it now, clear as day. The boy on the other end cried like a baby. Sean looked around the room in an attempt to collect himself before saying anything. In doing so, he noticed today's date. A wide smile spread across his face.

"Yes, Enano, it's your wolfbrother. Happy thirteenth birthday, little cub." This was the first time in three years that the wolfbrothers spoke to each other. It would not, however, be the last. Would they ever meet again? Sean wants nothing else. He knows, however, that Daniel's doing good now without him. Perhaps, things would be better for his little brother if he would just remain where he is now. After all, he would make sure that Daniel got a better life.

No matter the cost.

Notes:

You chose the path of sacrifice, therefore finishing the story with the ending entitled "The Guardian Angel". Please go to chapter 44 for the epilogue of this ending.

You swore an oath.
Protect him.
Guard him.
Watch over him.

So you did.

His pain.
It is over.
Yours.
Grows bigger every day.

He talks about it.
You talk around it.

Big brother.
Big brother.
Come and see me.

You cannot do it.
You are afraid.
For you do not want to break him.
Again.

This.
Lying to the boy who idolizes you.
Telling him of your great life.
Making up excuses to not see him.
For his own good.

That.
Is your sacrifice.
And it hurts you.
But you'll gladly pay it.

Time and time again.

Chapter 41: Epilogue - Fight Your Way Out

Summary:

Your journey has reached its end. Your guide wishes to speak with you one last time...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Epilogue – Fight Your Way Out

Your journey has reached its end as you're now taken back to a familiar location. Underneath you lies the blood-red sand which boils your feet. Looking down at you is the pitch-black sky with the poisonous clouds that cover it entirely. In the distance, mountains of flame rise high up into the air as an all-too-familiar shadow approaches you.

"You made your choice to be a daring one, did you not?" The reaper of misery says in a slightly annoyed tone as the mountains of flame rose higher.

"You believe yourself to have outsmarted me, do you not, hm?" The reaper tilts his head while grinning with either amusement or anger. It is difficult to tell.

"I must ask you though… friend. Are you pleased with your outcome, hm? Or perhaps you began to walk upon a different path, only to change your mind at the last second like the coward that you are?" The reaper raised an accusing rotting finger towards you.

"No. I do not believe you did such a thing. You stood by your choice as one should. Therefore, I can tell you now that you should be pleased with this outcome, my friend. Then again, you do not believe much of what I tell you, hm?" The reaper grins at you, exposing his black teeth.

"We both did a number on one another, you and I. Courtesy of you, the reaper of misery can no longer walk the earth as a mortal. Well played, my friend, well played. Then again, I always get the last word. You won this battle, but only I shall win the war."

"The soul of Daniel Diaz shall slowly degrade until none of it remains. His older brother shall then leave him there to rot. Alone, afraid, and traumatized. The boy shall beg for death, but my friend the grim reaper shall not grant him his wish. No, for the boy must suffer for his crimes." The reaper laughs at your face.

"Perhaps all of that will happen, perhaps none of it will. You do not know if I'm speaking the truth or not, do you?"

But you do know this, friend. The boy is in pain now. Imagine…" The reaper takes a deep, slow breath as he enjoys his next words.

"Imagine the suffering these events would have on the boy, hm? And know that if it happens, it happens thanks to you, my dear friend." The reaper gives you something that resembles a smile.

"Farewell, my friend. We shall meet again…"

Notes:

Your journey has ended and your brigade is intact, but no longer themselves. You have chosen poorly. Please go to chapter 45 for the author's notes.

You had one mission.
Just one.

Take care of him.
Keep him safe.

That was your mission.
A mission that you failed.

He pays the price.
Not you.

You may have outsmarted the reaper.

But...

The reaper outsmarted you too.

Enano.
Is no more.
This is what remains.

Nightmares.
Anxiety.
Fear.
Crippling trauma.

Little brother.
You saved me.

I do not know.
If I can save you.

But...
... I'll never stop trying.

Chapter 42: Epilogue - Run

Summary:

You chose to run. Now, an old friend wishes to speak with you...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Epilogue - Run

The story of the wolfbrothers, for better or worse, is now over. You are taken back to a familiar location, instantly choking on the toxic fumes while the fiery mountains blind you.

"You were lucky, my friend…" The reaper of misery appears from nowhere.

"Who would have known that running from danger would lead them to freedom?" The reaper tilts his head while grinning to expose his rotten teeth and blackened tongue.

"So, friend… are you pleased with the result that you caused?"

"Or perhaps you'd like to… go back? Change the future by going back in time? You have done it before, that much I can tell. A word of advice I give thee."

"You always want to buy time when making these decisions, do you not, hm?" The reaper grins yet again.

"Now, how do I feel about your decision, you ask?" The reaper's voice tensed while the fiery mountains in the distance increased in height.

"You had them escape me. Know this, my friend… I shall come for thee. And mercy shall not be given by the reaper."

"Still, you do know, don't you? The children? One cannot feel alive without the other. In time, their life force shall simply fade away. In the end, the reaper always wins."

"Farewell, my friend."

"Until next time…"

Notes:

Your journey has reached its end. Your wolf brigade is in shambles, but its members are alive and well. You have made a wise choice. Please go to chapter 45 for the author's notes.

You feel safe.
And you hate it.

You have no nightmares.
And it scares you.

You're surrounded by friends.
Yet you feel alone.

You feel alone.
For he has forsaken you.

Your brother.
Your own flesh and blood.

You can only watch.
He can only rot away.

You know it.
He knows it.

Neither speaks of it.
For you no longer know how to speak to one another.

That is the price.
For the reaper to leave you alone.

Chapter 43: Epilogue - Buy Time

Summary:

You chose to buy time. Your guide calls for you once more...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Epilogue – Buy Time

The story of the wolfbrothers, for better or worse, is now over. You are taken back to a familiar location, instantly choking on the toxic fumes while the fiery mountains blind you.

"So, you made your choice." The reaper of misery appeared from out of nowhere.

"Tell me, friend… are you pleased with it? I can tell thee, that I am pleased by your wise decision. I owe thee a favor, friend, for thee have helped me secure vengeance upon those who mocked me." The reaper tilts its head, grinning in what appears to be sadistic joy.

"Or perhaps you're one of those people…?" The reaper raised a pale, rotten finger, pointing it at you. Its grin disappeared in favor of suspicion.

"One of those cowardly types, afraid to stick to their own decisions. You did it, did you not? You chose a path, and followed it for five minutes before realizing that you did not like the outcome? So you went back and chose a different path. Tell me, my friend… am I wrong?"

"Was the second path better, or was it even worse?" The reaper smiles cruelly, exposing his rotten teeth, and blackened tongue.

"Did you honestly believe that a child could outsmart the reaper of misery? They never stood a chance, just so you know."

"Now, the mind of Daniel Felipe Diaz belongs to me for all eternity. All that I tell him to do, he does without hesitation. The small boy from Seattle is gone. All that remains is a slave. My slave. And we know what a slave does, don't we?" The reaper gives a wide smile as he declares his final victory.

"A slave obeys his master's command."

"I know. Life can be cruel sometimes… to the living."

"Perhaps you should try a different path, just in case? Or maybe, like those who created me… make paths of your own? This story is over, but I shall remain."

"Misery… never sleeps."

"Farewell, my friend… until next time."

Notes:

Your journey has now reached its end. The wolf brigade has been destroyed and reduced to less than a memory. You have chosen poorly. Please go to chapter 45 for the author's notes.

I told you.
You ignored.

I warned you.
You mocked.

I punished.
You fought back.

This.
This is on you.

You are not in control.

What you see.
I shall see.

What you hear.
I shall listen to.

Your thoughts.
I shall read them.

Your body.
Shall move at my command.

Now, petty slave.
Obey thy master.

Obey.
Obey.
Obey.
Obey.

Chapter 44: Epilogue - Sacrifice

Summary:

Your journey has reached its end. Now, you get a visit from an old friend...

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Epilogue – Sacrifice

Your journey has reached its end, be it for better or for worse. You find yourself in the all-too-familiar location where the ground boils your skin, and the air poisons you from the inside.

"Not what you expected, was it?" A deep voice speaks to you from behind your back. The reaper of misery has returned.

"It is, however, a daring choice. One that few mortals would take. You, my friend… have courage. You dare to make the one choice that none else shall, and for that, you have the reaper's respect." The reaper gives you something that resembles a smile.

"Perhaps you feel pleased with this outcome, perhaps not. But now this…" The reaper raises a rotten finger of warning.

"It could have ended so much worse. The boy could have died, saving his older brother who would go on to spend eternity inside what he calls the white room." Black foam leaks out from the reaper's mouth as he takes great pleasure in every single word.

"Now… are you still not pleased with your outcome, hm? It is none of my concern." The reaper sounds almost bitter.

"I know what you are thinking. You wonder… why am I not angry? I lost, did I not?" His tone sounds almost sarcastic.

"Well, the reaper of misery holds grudges, that much is true. He does, however, know when to admit his defeat." The fiery mountains in the distance decreased until they could barely be seen.

"You, my friend, have bested the reaper of misery. Few mortals if any have ever done such a thing." The reaper offers you his pale, rotten hand to shake. Reluctantly, you take it.

The reaper pulls you close to his face, making you stare directly into what should be his eyes while his ice-cold hand makes your own hand numb.

"I do not forgive, I do not forget, but I always win in the end!" The reaper roars as the mountains of fire shoot all the way up to the sky.

"We shall meet again soon, and you would do wise to remember those words… friend."

Notes:

Your journey has finished and your brigade is dissolved, yet alive. You have made a wise choice. Please continue to chapter 45 for the author's notes.

Your idol.
Your big brother.
Your wolfbrother.

You miss him.
A part of you feels lost.
You wish to find this part.
And never let it go again.

But.

You start to wonder.
Does he even want to see you?
It hurts your little heart.
The mere thought.

Still.
The more you think about it.
The closer it feels.
To the truth.
And sometimes.

The truth hurt more than the lie.

Chapter 45: Author's Notes

Summary:

My own personal summary about this fic.

Notes:

IMPORTANT: I'm linking to more than a few video sources in this chapter. Also, obvious spoilers if you haven't read the other endings...

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Author's Notes

Well, here we are (once again). End of the road…

This fic began as a very basic idea with the only note I had being "war-fic". The core concept was that we would see war, mainly through the eyes of a child (Daniel). I had yet to decide on powers vs no powers at the time. Then there's the "Russian-sized" elephant in the room as well…

Chapter one of "Wolf Brigade" was published on 2022-03-05. And yes, I admit that I got the core idea from the Russia/Ukraine conflict that went south literally nine days before that. This also contributed to me feeling very much doubt about this fic overall. Not necessarily in terms of quality, but I felt that some might see it as something in poor taste. Some might not believe it, but I'm VERY self-conscious about my writing, so if I were to get bombarded with bs, I would probably crack.

Luckily, the feedback has been great, and "Wolf Brigade" is now my most popular fic ever! I made the decision early on to not make it into a series since it felt like a mistake to do so with the "Life Is Cruel" story in hindsight. This time, however, I believe that I've made the right call.

A new thing in this fic was the inclusion of music in a few parts. This is something that I'll admit to always skipping myself when reading other people's stories, but it's a fun thing to try out. Plus, if the part is written to fit the music itself, then it fits. If you write first and then try to find a fitting track, then you're gonna have a hell of a hard time.

I also changed the relationship between Sean and Daniel to a more distant and complicated one. I felt that it would contribute to a more complex and original story while also giving each character a new set of values. That being said, this story has changed direction more times than I can remember right now. Here are just a few things that, at some point, I had planned to happen.

Daniel and Chris would've been out on a battlefield of sorts, and ordered to kill some prisoners. Daniel does it, but Chris does not. This would be around the time when Chris screams at Daniel that he's a monster. Chris is deemed "weak" and Daniel walks up to him, and hugs him "hey, it's ok, Chris. It's ok…" BAM- stabs Chris with his knife. That's only one time Chris escaped the reaper.

Remember Sean and Joey talking about how it would be impossible to dig a hole large enough for them to escape? How it might be possible to dig a hole large enough to fit a child? Yeah, I had sorta planned for Daniel to crawl in there and- something… which is why it got scrapped.

Also, Daniel's time as a toy soldier originally was going to be a lot more gory and brutal. Yes, even more…

Then, there's Sean and the white room. That happened because I literally stumbled upon a documentary in which people got to try out (yes, really) what it's like to be a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay. Basically, what happened to Sean's a real thing.

I also really like how I wrote Daniel in this. A tragic fate, no matter the ending, yes. But the point is that I had a vague plan in mind for him at an early stage. Something bad would happen which starts a snowball effect, causing him to spiral out of control. Something bad ends up being Hank Stamper shot to death. He did it in self-defense, of course, but it's still a major trauma. After that, the child in Daniel was forever changed. Then… things went south.

The Reaper Of Misery

Ok, so one simple comment from "Supyovalk" at the end of "Life Is Cruel" gave me this idea. Reaper of misery… "hmm, I like how that sounds." At first, I used the reaper as a symbol for Daniel's trauma while also representing his "bad" side at the same time. Basically, whenever Daniel did something bad, the reaper told him to do so. Except that he didn't because Daniel's not schizophrenic or anything, so I don't blame you if you got confused at times. I struggle as well…

The reaper appears a lot in the end poems throughout the story. More often than not, he speaks either directly to Daniel or speaks of him in ominous ways. Two phrases have been used regularly by the reaper.

"Obey." Needs no explanation. Do as I command, and no harm shall come to you. Daniel being Daniel, however, does not simply obey.

"Trust me." Also pretty self-explanatory. Although I came up with the idea to use it here after hearing THIS theme song used by Jake The Snake Roberts. A quick google search on his name should reveal why one might not want to trust him…

Also, he kinda gets a "human" form in Merrill.

Finally, the reaper of misery makes his physical appearance in the "Interlude…" chapter, acting as your guide. I imagine him looking like something of a combination between a Dementor from Harry Potter, and the Mouth of Sauron from Lord of the Rings.

Think of a creature that moves and dresses like a Dementor, but its facial features are similar to the Mouth of Sauron. His manners, his voice, and his mood are like the mouth of Sauron. Yes, that includes his "ahaw" that I just couldn't figure out how to write properly. That is how I envision the reaper of misery personified.

Music

In this fic, I tried to include some soundtracks for the very first time. The nuclear bomb part was added in at a later point and wasn't technically the first. The real first time was chapter 4 "The Road Of Death". Here, I used a bit from HBO's Chernobyl series called "The Bridge Of Death" and the result is as good as it gets I believe. Hell, it better be since I spent hours trying to find the right damn theme for it…

The nuke bit? I just wanted a "big boom" for the heck of it, and didn't spend too much time rewriting anything. It is what it is.

Then there's the third one. Fucking ominous one, ain't it?

Chapter 10 "Reaper Of Everything". The soundtrack is from VICE's Dark Side of the Ring series. The specific episode in question? A double-murder-suicide where two of the dead are named Chris and Daniel. Where I used it, Chris and Daniel are the only ones to make it out alive, not counting Sean who got kinda kidnapped.

Toy soldiers

A recurring thing in this fic has been the use of the phrase "toy soldier" to describe Daniel's time as a child soldier. This kinda just happened. At some point when I wrote the end poem for a chapter, I remembered Eminem's song Toy Soldiers and looked it up. The lyrics fit perfectly.

" Step by step, heart to heart, left right left, we all fall down…" It just kinda grew from that point. The lyrics were rewritten on a bunch of end poems, and Daniel the child soldier got renamed to Daniel the toy soldier.

The Endings

Fight Your Way Out: Wolf Brigade's blood brothers ending. Daniel uses his training one last time, so he won't ever have to use it again. Instead, he's further traumatized while missing out on his only ticket out of the country. He loses himself bit by bit, killing, stealing, and smuggling. All those things that he tried to escape. He hates himself, what he's become, and he hates his life.

And Sean's worried. Worried and afraid. Sean's aware of what he's become, but he can deal with it. What he can't deal with is watching his brother decline the way that he does. He feels like he failed Daniel, and will spend the rest of his life, trying to make up for his past mistakes, only to get little to nothing in return. Not even Sean's confident that he could keep it up forever.

This ending's called "Brotherhood". A short, simple, and fitting title for this ending since it's the only thing that Sean and Daniel have now. Plus, it's the title of my book that I shall receive any day now. That part may or may not have contributed slightly… ok, a lot.

Run: Originally called "The Cost Of Peace" this ending is Wolf Brigade's version of the Redemption ending. I thought a lot about where that plane would take them but never really came up with much. Then I thought about Ireland since their mother hailed from there. Not much, but it's enough to have them stay there while also giving them a reason to hate it. So, here's the thing…

Similarly to "Life Is Cruel" I wanted a location with a fitting name, preferably something wolf-related. I Googled around a bit before finding this massive list of Irish villages/small towns and what their names meant (like, seriously long list. It was fucking perfect!). Then I'm like "Nah, I'm tired, I'm gonna go to bed. Do I need to bookmark this very useful page? Nah, I'll find it again."

I could not for the life of me find that fucking webpage!

Dublin it is…

Here, the brothers are slowly getting back to somewhat ordinary lives. But the closer they get to ordinary lives, the further they get from each other. They both know it, but neither brother knows what to do about it. Slowly, their brotherly bond shall break which is why I renamed this ending "Severed Bonds".

Buy Time: This is Wolf Brigade's version of the lone wolf ending. Well, more like the lone wolf ending on acid. It's sad, it's insane, it's horrifying, it's tragic, and I'm incredibly proud of this ending, to be honest. Not that I enjoy torturing a ten-year-old kid (because I don't), but because I feel like from a writing perspective, I made this ending exactly what I wanted it to be.

Every single trace of the Daniel we know… is gone, and nothing can ever bring it back. Nothing and no one. This is the reader's worst possible outcome, just as it is Sean and Daniel's alike. It is, however, the reaper's best outcome, and the writer's favorite. This ending is called "The Reaper's Slave" because Daniel will spend the rest of his life, obeying the dark thoughts in his mind for reasons he doesn't know or want to know. At first, I named it "Enano" but decided to rename it to something more fitting.

Sacrifice: Well, this one ended up completely different than I intended it to. Originally named "A hero's Way" this ending was supposed to have Daniel die. It would be written in a way that makes the reader believe that Sean's about to sacrifice himself for Daniel. Then, when he does it, he stands there with his eyes closed "BANG" and Daniel got in between to save him instead. In the end, I decided to change that, and I believe it was for the better. This ending kinda feels like Wolf Brigade's version of Parting Ways.

They haven't had contact in a long time, and Daniel's doing somewhat good, but Sean's sacrificing his entire life by living like a hermit. Still, I decided to leave a little tease in there about America rebuilding, so maybe they'll meet again someday? Sean, however, feels like it's better for Daniel if he just stays out of his life. Basically, this ending is Daniel getting a good life, but the sacrifice is the brotherly bond. Unlike the "Severed Bonds" ending, they still care about each other more than anything, and they do stay in touch. They most likely, however, won't see each other again.

Epilogue chapters

I felt like I wanted to try to have a very brief epilogue chapter for every ending. Here you would meet up with your guide once again, and depending on your choice, he would either be grateful or even angry. It's just a small little thing. Also, I'm purposely breaking the fourth (or is it third?) wall when the reaper accuses the reader of changing his mind and going back to pick another ending. Just for the heck of it…

Fun fact, however, is that I originally intended for Chris to act as the guide for three of the epilogue chapters. "The Reaper's Slave" would still have the reaper since Daniel's his slave now, and therefore he needs to gloat a bit. Hell, I even wrote a whole epilogue chapter with Chris, but it got sent to the scrap heap for reasons I can't quite explain.

End poems

This has become an interesting addition to me. Sometimes, I'll just be rambling on about random nonsense while trying to make it sound meaningful, but other times, I try to hint at a future event or show how different characters feel at the moment. I use all kinds of sources on this and linking all of them would be too much. But if I were to name a few places I've borrowed and/or remade quotes from it would be…

Grand Admiral Thrawn from Star Wars (literally anything that includes the word "war"). The sith emperor from Star Wars. Various wrestling theme songs and promos by The Undertaker (be not proud, rest in peace, etc.). And that's only to name a few.

Special thanks

Omuyev: For inspiring me to use music in my writing, which is something I used to hate.

Al3ssio97: For convincing me to give "the enemy" a name, instead of just calling it "the enemy."

Very special thanks

Supyovalk: For always giving feedback. Especially when I needed it the most. Also, for (unknowingly) giving me the "reaper of misery" idea, although I may/may not have overused it a bit.

6_Laetitia_9: For giving me two sets of review-like comments that made me rethink the direction of the story. Looking back, I believe it was for the better.

For the amazing fan art that now hangs on the wall of my living room (75x50 cm). I cannot put into words how much something like that means to me.

…

…

…

…

That being said, I hereby declare Wolf Brigade completed.

I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it.

Thank you for reading, commenting, and contributing.

And remember:

Never…

Ever…

Ever…

Ever…

Ever…

Stop howlin'!

OOOOWWWOOOOOOOOOOO… OWOO OOWWOOOOOOOO!

/Karl S

Notes:

This officially marks the end of this fic. It's been a great experience writing it, and "Wolf Brigade" shall never leave my mind as I have three framed fanarts to remind me of it.

Thank you for all the feedback, support, and so on.

Never stop howlin'...

OOOOWWWOOOOOOOOOOO... OWOO OOWWOOOOOOOO!