What if Jason (Nate… whoever the kid is) did more than just throw Charlie off the train? What if he REALLY stood up to his dad…?
-Really not sure where this is going… But I've always liked Jason and always thought he had potential… even when I was afraid he was a minor appearance and wouldn't last long in the show. I hope he continues to show up and play a part in Charlie's mission.
And yes, I re wrote the fight scene in an attempt to make this work. This isn't supposed to be better than what happened… just a "what if".
Enjoy!
X.x.X.x
"Charlie!" Danny yelled before grabbing hold of a vase and smashing it over Neville's head. Charlie slumped to the ground, gasping for the air her lungs burned to get. Danny pulled her to her feet and she quickly embraced him, holding onto him as though she would never let go.
"I'm so sorry I let them take you…" She breathed, she had made a promise to her mom and she broke that promise. "I'm so sorry I let go."
Danny shook his head, his hair brushing her cheek as he did. "I can't believe you found me…" He admitted his chin quivering.
She pulled away from him, holding him at arm's length. "Of course I found you… and I'm never letting anything happen to you again." She promised.
Suddenly Charlie felt her leg get swept from under her, Neville's hand around her ankle. Charlie let out a startled cry and felt her hands slap the ground to save her face. Charlie cried out as Neville covered her body with his, holding her hands down with one of his massive ones while the other held her head down by the neck.
Before Danny could move to tear Neville away from his sister someone else did, grabbing him by the shoulders just as he began to berate her. Thinking it to be Danny, Neville spun around and in one easy movement took a knife from his belt loop and plunged it into the side of his would be attacker.
Time seemed to slow as Jason fell away from his father, his shaking hands hovering over the hilt of the knife still sticking in his chest. As this happened it set off a chain of events; Neville spun around to catch his son before he hit the ground, Danny ran for the door, expecting his sister to follow, Charlie grabbed a statuette and smashed it over Neville's head.
Once time caught up with the events Charlie dropped the statue and pulled Neville's unconscious body away from the man who just saved her and her brother. "Charlie…" he called to her as she knelt beside him.
"It's going to be okay… you'll be alright…" She said quietly, her hands hovering over his chest as she tried to determine whether or not to pull the knife out.
"Charlie c'mon!" Danny whispered harshly, "We need to go!"
Charlie looked up from the wounded person in front of her, to her brother. "No, I won't leave him here!"
A cry came from the man she only knew as Nate or Militia Boy and she looked back at him, her eyes going wide and eyebrows seemingly off her forehead when she saw why. "Nate…!" She cried and watched as he finished pulling out the knife and let it fall to the ground by his side.
"My name's not Nate…" He said softly and Charlie nodded, knowing that much already. "It's Jason." He admitted and her features softened.
"Jason…" She echoed and he nodded with a small smile.
"Charlie…" Danny urged, his voice desperate.
"I can't leave him here!" She argued, finally getting enough courage to press her hands into his stomach in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Danny rolled his eyes shifting his weight a couple time as though debating on jumping the train right then or going to grab his sister first. "Charlie… he's right. You need to get out of here while you still can."
"What about you…?" She asked, her voice rough with emotion.
"They'll take care of me…" He assured.
"What about after… what will they do to you for helping us?!" She countered.
He swallowed noticeably and she flinched but even through whatever pain he was in he managed to sound calm. "Charlie…" He covered her hands with one of his. "I know it's hard for you to trust me… but I need you to trust me, now." He pinched his eyes closed and sighed. "Take your brother, cover your heads… and jump off this train." When she didn't move he added a promise that he would be okay.
When he opened his eyes again he was met with tear filled ones. "We'll come for you." She whispered and took her hands away from his chest, cupping one side of his face with her right, relatively clean, hand. "I owe you that much."
"You don't owe me anything…" he started but was silenced when her lips met his. Jason closed his eyes, his face soft as he took in the moment. Charlie pinched her eyes closed in hopes to stop the tears from escaping but still she felt her tears slip down her cheeks and could only hope they didn't land on Jason's face. They pulled apart but even then they didn't move too far away from one another.
"Please don't die before I can save you…" She whispered.
Jason opened his mouth with a retort when Neville stirred. They both looked to him before back at each other. "Go… before he gets up." He took her hand in his and pushed in the direction of the door. "Go!"
Charlie stroked the side of his face, her eyes darting over his features one last time as though trying to memorize his face. Her heart clenched as she said her goodbye, "Thank you…" She whispered before pulling away and running for the door with Danny, following Jason's instructions by covering their heads and rolling down the hill.
X.x.X.x
"He sacrificed himself for us!" She shouted, her hands in fists by her side.
"Yeah, and look…" he indicated to Danny who was sitting beside Nora and Aaron on the soft ground, "You got your brother back." When she didn't look impressed he rolled his eyes, "Isn't that what you wanted?!"
"Yes but not at the cost of another person's life!"
Miles shook his head and turned his back to her before spinning back around with a finger pointed at her face, "Don't you dare think you can drag me on another one of your stupid quests!"
"Stupid?!" She looked offended and even more angry than before. "You-"
"No, you listen. That militia kid-"
"Jason! His name is Jason!" She cut in and it was all Miles had in him not to shake her until her teeth rattled in her head.
He dropped his hand away from her face and huffed, "Jason did an honorable thing… don't waste it on getting yourself killed going after him." He continued. "Why do you care so much about what happens to him anyway!?"
"Spy or not… he hasn't done anything bad towards me. He's only ever protected me." When Miles rolled his eyes Charlie continued, holding her head higher as she did. "What was he reporting anyway?! That we were camping in the woods? Neville – not once – did he ever set a trap for us… so what does that mean for Jason? Nothing! How do we know he even reported us?"
Miles growled. "How do we know he didn't?! huh?" He looked to Danny again, pointing in his direction. "He wouldn't even help us find your brother! What has got you so hung up on this guy huh?"
Charlie twisted her lips into a scowl. "We're going to find him." She said finally. "You're going after Monroe anyway… I might as well come with you."
He laughed darkly. "You're joking right?" Charlie's face was set in stone so he continued. "We barely survived finding Danny… what makes you think you would do any good in a militia base. You would only get killed along with Militi Bo-"
"Jason!"
"What good are you to him dead?" Nora intervened before Miles could shake her until she saw sense. They both turned to face her and she continued. "We need to bide our time." She said quietly, "We can get you some training so you know how to fight better…"
Miles shook his head and took a couple advancing steps towards Nora, "That is not-" Nora held up her hand to silence him.
"- it'll give you a chance. Then maybe you can find Jason and we'd all get out while Miles does his own thing."
Charlie nodded to Nora while Nora and Miles had a silent argument. When Charlie went to Danny is when Nora and Miles really started to argue but whether Miles liked it or not Charlie was going.
X.x.X.x
Abrupt ending I know… but I didn't like any of the endings I typed up. I would write one ending then delete it then write another then delete that… I probably did that at least 4 times before I finally just gave up.
I kinda have idea about the "rescue" but I don't even know if you guys are gonna enjoy this enough to care about it.
Leave a review with your thoughts on this story whether it be:
~ How you think I should have ended this chapter
~ If you think I should continue and if so how…?
~ Or just general thoughts on this story…
I'd love to hear your feedback!
So let me know if you want me to continue… otherwise.
That's all folks!