#charlottebolton

[alisondepartedbear]

Just Breathe

Everything is not what it seems in Swellview, a kidnapper is running amok while Henry faces some challenging trials in his life. The boy most overcome what is inside to deal with major life changes.

Part One / Part Two / Part Three / Part Four

Can be found on wattpad and fanfiction.net, usernames in tumblr bio

^^^^^^^^^

Chapter Five

The police station smelled like burnt coffee and mildew rotted paper. Just from walking in here, my nose started to run. Inside a questioning room, Elena and her parents were crying over each other, thankful for more days together. Watching them made my heart swell and want to call my sister, I couldn't imagine thinking you'd never see someone again because of some monster human.

Outside the room stood Captain Man, Officer Bladell, and myself arguing.

"I found her. Therefore I take her statement." Captain Man's voice booms in the hallway.

Officer Bladell laughs sarcastically, jutting out his hip to rest on the wall. "Well Captain Underpants, you have no say so here. This is my house."

"Actually-" I begin before Bladell cuts me off.

He waves his hand in my face. "Cool it, kid. Convo for grown ups."

I'm not sure if I've ever wanted to hit a man so intensely before. Balling my hands into fits I put them behind back and squeeze my nails into the palm. Someone walks by and a whiff of mildew comes in causing me to sniffle so no snot fell from my nose.

"Aw, little baby boy, gonna cry."

"I'm gonna hit you, man!" I scream pulling my fist back.

"Hey, hey," Captain Man grabs my waist while I try to grab Officer Bladell's hair.

"Wow, Kid Danger, what's going?" Detective Shapiro shows up with his Skyscraper cup. How much coffee does he drink?

"This chub won't let us take Elena Gilbert's statement even though we have the authority to."

"You don't, you child!" Officer Bladell's cheeks turn a ruddy red.

"They do, actually." Detective Shapiro says taking a sip. "Just two weeks ago Captain Man graduated from the police academy. He is much apart of the force as you are, Bladell. Now let him do his job."

Officer Bladell's fists tighten and he huffs out an angry breath before stomping out the back alley door of the precinct. A brief silence falls over us before the detective clears his throat.

"Well," He taps his foot. "Shall we?"

Captain Man asks Elena's parents to leave the room while I sit at the table across from her. She gives me a wiry smile and plays with her fingers. "Do you need water or a snack?" I ask unsure what to say to her.

She shakes her head and folds her hands.

Captain Man comes to sit next to me before clicking a pen open. He flips his little notepad open and smiles up at Elena. "Elena, will be needing to go through your schedule on the day you were abducted. Now if you begin to feel uncomfortable at anytime, tell us and we'll stop."

Elena's blond hair slides off her shoulder as she nods. "I understand."

Elena starts explaining her day. She had woken up around 7:30 to the sound of her mother making breakfast in the kitchen. After eating, she walked to the nearest bus stop to get a ride to school.

"Everything seemed normal," She shrugs running her finger around her pointer fingernail. "That evening my parents and I went to Junk'n'Stuf to strictly browse. My mom told me we couldn't get anything since we had to pay rent this week. But I saw a mini porcelain ballerina and begged her to get it for me. When she said no, I screamed in her face and walked out."

Elena leans forward on her elbow and uses her hand to cover her eyes as she looks down. "I got so mad and I kept running. But when I turned on Salvatore there was a van, a black van. Of course, I'm not stupid...I didn't want to walk anywhere near it so I crossed the street. Then I heard a voice call for me. They knew my name. I stopped but I didn't get to turn around." She places a hand on the back of her head. "I think he hit me, or injected me with something because everything went black."

I hand a tissue to her when I see a tear drop to the table. The room stays quiet for a few moments and then the AC turns on. Elena leans back in her chair and looks up towards the vent letting it hit her face. Her cheeks were red.

"Are you ready to continue?" Captain asks putting a gloved hand on her's.

She nods licking her lips and taking a breath. "When I came to, it was dark and green."

"Green?"

She nods again. "There was a green glow that came from a pool. It looked just like jello with the bubbles inside and steam always rose from it. Its what he put in us."

"H-he put things inside you?" I couldn't control my voice.

"Just whatever that was," With every word, she never waivers. "I noticed tubes in both my nostrils, the green goo running through them. There was such a disgusting burn in my throat. I tried to move my body but nothing happened until I flung my arm backwards hitting flimsy rubber. I could feel something move in my ear which I just think were more tubes. Then I saw the boy. He was hooked up like me. Big, metal handles were clamped around his waist. I tried to see if I was like that but my head wouldn't move. His head though...it just hung there. I called after him but he never moved."

Elena takes a moment before continuing. "I was there for a long time before he came in."

"Who do you believe this he was?"

"The man who kidnapped me,"

"Can you explain him? Features? The way he walked?"

She thinks about it, tilting her head side to side. "He wore dark jeans and regular tshirts but always wore a Nixon mask."

"Richard Nixon?"

She nods. "He was always so cocky. Talking how clueless the police are, how they couldn't follow a clue even if it was right next to them." Her fingers tap on the metal table. "He took something from us, something blue. Almost like the green goo. It was collected in beakers that he drank from." Elena shudders.

Captain Man wrote profusely in his notepad so I took the next question. "How did you escape?

A smile forms on Elena. She shakes her head. "He made me to take showers twice a day. He'd walk to the facility with me and stand outside the door. I kept the water running and waited until I heard him walk away. He's stupid. I simply walked out, and found the stairs. At the top, there was a metal latch door that opened up. I crawled through it to find myself in the woods. So I started running, running so fast." She takes a deep breath and wipes a tear away. "I didn't know I could go that fast. I heard the latch open and him scream for me. Saying I'd die out there alone. But then the door slammed shut and I heard a car start. But I didn't see any road near the opening so I think it was hidden or camouflaged. I ran until I saw a sign splitting the wood between Neighborville and Swellview. I figure that I was close to the park so I just continued. Then I saw your uniforms and knew I was saved."

Captain Man nods, doting and crossing his letters. He looks back up and smiles at Elena. "Did you notice anything special while you were walking through the dungeon?"

Elena nods. "He had a police uniform on the floor near the entrance. A real uniform, not some costume. I think he's on the force." She whispers.

"So did she say anything good?" Detective Shapiro asks. He was sitting at his desk with his feet propped on it, swirling his Skyscraper cup around.

"That and then some," Captain Man says sitting opposite of him. He goes on to explain the situation. When he got to the blue goo part, Detective Shapiro gags on his coffee.

"What in the world would he drink from them?"

"Your guess is as good as ours." I shrug. "We'll know more about that when we speak to our scientist." Hopefully, Schwoz would have some answers.

"The last thing she said is that she found a real police uniform. She believes it's a man on the force."

Detective Shapiro nods. "That's makes sense, since she requested to only speak to female officers." He runs a hand through his curly hair. "I'll have a background done on all the officers. See if any are fishy enough to be suspects."

"From what we gathered, this man likes his authority and almost hates the force. Maybe look for someone who isn't on a higher rank, someone who is a big talker, but not much bulk behind it." Captain Man suggests.

Detective Shapiro nods, writing something down in his notepad. "I'll put someone I really trust on this. If you can, keep this part of the down. We don't want anyone to be suspicious and run."

"Of course,"

"Schwoz!" Ray yells when he steps off the elevator.

"He's not here." Charlotte says from the computer. "He went out with a friend, won't be back until tomorrow."

"Damn it," Ray whispers before retreating back to his room, probably to brood.

"So," She says turning to me. "What happened at the precinct?"

I shake my head. "It's just messed up, Charlotte. Elena thinks he's a police man."

"Of course," Charlotte huffs a breath out. "You can't freakin' trust cops. I hate that for her. She'll never feel safe around one again probably."

"Yeah," I walk closer to the moniter and peer at the screen. "What are you doing?"

She spins around and starts to scroll through listings. "I'm looking at records of unmarked black vans. There's not much to go on but I feel bad for not doing anything. There's not much for me to do here."

I lean down and put an arm around her shoulders. "You're doing great just thinking of this. You're very useful, Char."

"Thank you," She smiles.

I pull into the driveway and immediately slam on the breaks. A silver Mazda sat in my parking space, Mom's car. Before leaving the car, I take a couple of centering breaths, something Charlotte told me to start doing. When I open the door, I hear something fall. Peering behind the door, I see three suitcases. Then I hear my mother's voice from upstairs. A door slams and she comes down the stairs, leaning on the rail heavily. She almost trips on the last step. When she sees me, her eyes flare.

She points a bony finger at me. "Did you know about this?"

Dad walks down the stairs. I look at him. "Know about what?"

"Your father is kicking me out!" She takes a swig out of her water bottle, but even from where I'm standing I can smell that it's not water. "He claims I'm cheating on him and that I drink too much."

"Mom-"

"Kris, I know about the motel room in town you keep. Why else would you need something like that if you weren't cheating?"

Mom stares at him for a moment, caught in a lie. Her cheeks flush to a pink color. "Well, I'm taking the kids with me!" She screams. "You'll never see them again."

Dad shakes his head. "No, they will stay here. If they want you to, you can visit them here."

Mom races over and pushes him. "What do you mean if they want me to? You can't keep them from me!" She hits his chest.

"Stop this," He grabs her wrists. "Hitting me is not going to make me change my mind."

"You're an ass!" She screams fighting against his grip. "Let go of me!"

He does and she stumbles in to the suitcases.

"Let's ask them then." She says cockily. "Let's see who they'd rather stay with, Jake. Piper!"

"This isn't a discussion."

"Piper, get your ass down here!"

Piper comes around the door arch slowly. "What's going on?" She asks timidly. She comes to stand next to me.

"Your dad is kicking me out, baby." Mom puts on her nurturing voice. "And we need to figure out where you and Henry will stay. Now don't you wanna stay with momma?"

Piper's eyebrows raise and she looks at Dad. "Really?" She takes another look at Mom.

"Who do you want to live with?!" Mom asks Piper pointedly. Her eyes never met Piper's due to them crossing and closing. "Who do you love more?"

"Kris, do not ask her that!" Dad raises his voice, which he never does to Mom. He puts his hand out to Piper. "You don't have to answer that."

"She's a big girl, Jake. She can speak!" Mom swings her arms motion to her daughter.

I step between Mom and Piper. "Mom, I-"

"Dad," Piper whispers.

"What?" Venom almost leaks from her mouth and her brown eyes almost look red. She takes a step towards Piper, stepping on her untied shoelace. "What?!"

"I'm-" Piper's terrified eyes find mine. I put my hand on her shoulder.

"We're staying with Dad." I say lowly.

"You little-" Mom steps out with her hand drawn back. Before I can move Piper out of the way, her mouth forms an 'o' and she falls, tripping on her shoelaces.

Dad rushes to her, grabbing underneath her arms. "Kris, are-"

Mom pushes him away. "Get off!" Her voice began to be rough and scratchy. Her fire eyes flare at Piper and me.

For a moment the scene reminds of Charlotte and me. I had done the same thing. I pushed her away. Forcing myself to stay on track, I try to remind myself I'm not my mother.

I take a hesitant step to Mom. "This-It doesn't mean we don't love you. But you need to get better." I reach a shaking hand out.

She smacks me away. "You're ungrateful!" She pushes herself up using the coffee table. She sways while yelling. "Who do you think you are? I pick out your clothes! I gave you life! Who do you think picked the best school in the county? Me! I chose the house! I gave you what you have!"

Piper scoffs. Her hands in white knuckled fists. "That doesn't matter when you're a shit parent! You could give me forty PearPhones but it wouldn't matter because...You're. Not. Here. You think you know your husband and children. You don't!"

"Sweetheart," Dad's voice is very small.

Big tears swim down Piper's face. "Did you know I got second place in the science fair? Did you know Henry got straight As? Dad's here! Dad shows us he cares."

Before anything else can be said, Mom starts to cry. A heavy cry I've seen many times. Its the cry when drunks are faced with too many truths. Her shoulders begin to shake and snot comes out of her nose. She's looking at Piper and me. I know she's expecting Piper to apologize. When she doesn't she starts crying harder and looks at me. But I've grown such a disdain and disconnect from my Mother that I can't feel for her tears.

Dad steps forward and sits beside her. He quietly pats her back.

I take Piper's hand and walk out the front door. Without speaking we get into my car. Slowly I back out onto the street.

"I'm not sorry for what I said." Piper says.

"You shouldn't be. She needed to hear something real from us."

After that Piper and I drove around Swellview, talking about school and everything but Mom. She told me about a boy she was starting to like and how she thinks he likes her too. I embarrassingly tried to give her the talk but she wasn't having any of it. She plugged her ears and yelled "la la la" until I laughed and changed the subject.

"Hey, your phone's vibrating." Piper says handing me it, she'd been switching songs. "Charlotte's calling."

I grab the phone and put the device to my ear. "Hey, what's up?"

"Ray wants you here now. There's been another kidnapping. The guy got two young kids this time."

Trying to remain as calm as I could, I said goodbye and hung up the phone. My heart raced and sweat began to bead up on my forehead. How young are they?

"Piper, you mind waiting in Junk'n'Stuf while I go talk to Ray?"

She shrugs. "It's cool. I just hope Jasper doesn't try to talk to me."

^^^^^^^^

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taglist: @violetride @craploadofandoms @junknstu1f (i tag you since you liked the story so much!) @sasunarushiita

[jessychi21]

WE. LOVE. WINNING.

[thunderfam]

I found this pic on the twitter (Nickelodeon España). For me, of course 1, 3 & 5 😁

[ttaddict-blog]

Henry: honey, it sure is muggy out today.

Charlotte: if I go outside and see all of our mugs are on the front lawn, I'm leaving you.

Henry: *sips tea from bowl*

[writing-excuses]

Now I have to go through all of my hd posts and change #charlottebolton to #charlottepage.

[alisondepartedbear]

Just Breathe

Everything is not what it seems in Swellview, a kidnapper is running amok while Henry faces some challenging trials in his life. The boy most overcome what is inside to deal with major life changes.

Part One / Part Two / Part Three

~~~~~

Chapter Four

"Good morning, this is Cheryl Gomez with Channel Six News." says the very attractive newscaster as she does every morning. I've had a huge crush on her since I was twelve. Every time I've been interviewed by her, being Kid Danger, I blush insanely under the mask and always have the biggest toothy smile.

"At 3:30 this morning, Elena Gilbert was reported missing. She was last seen crossing the street from Melbourne to Salvatore. She's five feet tall, dark brown hair-"

Piper gasps beside me when the photo of the girl appears on screen.

"She's in my grade! She's in my 3rd block!" Piper yells.

Oh my god.

"I saw her on Friday. She walked into the store." I whisper remembering her and her family.

"That would've been the day she went missing," She says. "You know, since it takes at least 24 hours to report a person."

A chill runs through my body at the possibility of her parents, Jasper, and me being the last people to see her. I have to go talk to Ray before school. Picking up my phone for the time I see its only seven. Ray couldn't possibly be awake but this was serious.

"Uh, Piper, I gotta go swing by work." I get up and grab my keys from the console table by the door.

"What do you mean? You're my ride!"

I spin back to her and tap my foot, putting my hands on my hips. "Piper,"

She rolls her eyes and looks to her phone. "Fine, I'll get a friend to take me."

"Thank you," I bow to her before walking out.

When I pull onto Thames street, I notice a cop car outside Junk'n'Stuff. I pull in behind them and park. Walking into the store, I see Ray, a cop, and an unknown man standing at the counter.

"Hey, kid," Ray says trying to conceal a confused face.

"Hey, what goes on?" I ask. My heart starts to speed up as I near the policeman. I always have this gut feeling that they know who Ray and I are.

Both men were dressed in the classic blue slacks and button up. Their badges shine from the lights in the room, almost blinding me. A man with thick framed black glasses and an Afro smiles at me.

"I'm Detective Shapiro," His voice was smooth and soft; trusting. "How are ya this morning?"

"Henry Hart, and I'm fine. What about yourself?" I can almost see the physical cringe when he clasps his hand onto my sweat soaked one. He shakes quickly before taking his hand back and wiping it on his shirt.

"Oh, just dandy. Do you know Ray or are you just a customer?"

"He's my second-in-command." Ray says with a smile that makes me beam. I get giddy when someone brags about me. It's like a dog wagging its tail; I almost always sit up and smile. "My left hand man,"

"Oh, that's great! Ray and I go way back, went to high school together."

I glance at his partner and know he's annoyed. This guy had a five o'clock shadow and tired eyes. He kept switching his gaze from his partner and the security monitors. He looked how I felt...dead. After my family's pity party yesterday, I couldn't help but create my own in my bedroom until late in the night. Standing here under the bright lights were making objects beat and pulse, I can't imagine what it'll be like at school.

"Oh, really," I force out. "Ray doesn't talk much about high school."

"There's a reason for it." I hear Ray say under his breath.

I look at him. He has his back turned to us doing what seems to be searching in a box. "Hey, Ray, can I help?"

"Yeah, do you know where the security tapes are from yesterday? For inside and outside."

I nod and walk behind the counter to get them.

"I can't believe you still use tapes. You're probably the only guy in town." said the unnamed partner.

Ray scoffs like he knows something magical about using tapes. "Well I guess we just like doing it the original way." He leans on the glass. "So have you guys got leads on the girl yet? Heard she was headed towards a bookstore on Salvatore,"

"There's not much to say." Detective Shapiro says shrugging. I turn back to them and set the four tapes on the counter. He picks them up. "But these tapes will sure help." He tapes them a few times with his fingers.

"Well, just hit me up if anything else is needed."

Detective Shapiro winks. "Of course, of course, let's go Parker." The silent cop follows after the Detective. That wink didn't help my nerves.

"Do you think they know who we are?" I ask Ray when the door shuts.

"No," He immediately says. Ray turns to me now, looking up and down. "You look a wreck. Why are you here?"

"For Elena! I just saw on the news. We gotta do something. This is the second kidnapping-"

"I know, and I got it. I'm just thinking." Ray makes his way to the back. I follow him.

"What are you thinking?"

Ray stops at the elevator and turns back. "Fine, I don't have any thoughts. But I did make an extra copy of those surveillance tapes." He says with a wicked smile.

"Good! We can go-"

"Nope," He grabs hold of my arm before I make it passed him. "You're going to school."

"I need-"

"I'll watch the tapes with Schwoz and make highlights. There's probably nothing on them. They said she was on Salvatore Street anyway."

"Ray, ple-"

"No, get out." Ray points to the front door sternly, eyebrows raised high.

I make it to school but not into the building. Something has me rooted to the seat. Glancing up at the school, I see our security man walking the perimeter, making sure no one was leaving cigarette butts in the parking lot, and that no kids were out smoking weed, skipping class, or having a panic attack.

A gasp runs through my chest with a sharp pain that makes me clench the skin above my heart. Closing my eyes, I try to breathe through my nose and out my mouth, but each release is gasps of air. My eyes squeeze shut and I lean forward. Without a thought, I recline the seat and lay back to curl into myself. Dad's words run through my head from last night, wondering how long he knew. The tears from last night return too. They fall harder when the images of Elena pops in my mind. Wishing I could go back and tell her parents to watch her all night. Last night I found the name of the boy that was kidnapped. Trevor Millton. He's only 11. I wonder how scared they are. How fast their hearts of beating from fear. If they're being feed. Trevor's been gone for almost five days. The body can't go without water for long.

I lay curled up and crying for a while, letting my mind slip into circle thoughts. Thinking about the kids dying, and about how I want to die. I wish it were cold enough to freeze me. I wouldn't need to deal with this if I were a ghost I think. But now, right here, my eyes burn and hurt. They feel tired from all the crying from the past twelve hours. Blindly, I reach in the back floorboard for a water bottle. After finding two, I take the cold bottles and press them on my eyelids. Some shuddering breaths come out from the sudden cold but I give in to the numbness it brings and sleep.

*knockknockknock*

...

...

*knockknockknock*

I peek with an eye over my shoulder to see Charlotte with a pinched face. Huffing a huge breath as I flip over, I raise the seat. When I open the door a warm breeze whips through almost shutting it again, Charlotte grabs a hold to open it wider.

"What are you doing?" She doesn't miss a beat.

"Taking a nap," The sun have risen a bit and I squint my eyes at her with a little smile. "What are you doing?"

"Checking if you're dead," She crosses her arms and leans against the door. "Officer Poke saw you and rather than yell at you, called for me to."

I snicker before letting my smile fall, remembering why I was taking nap. Charlotte sits on the concrete in front me. She wore jeans and a yellow shirt marked with little white sharks. Her hair was up showing off her dangling diamond flower earrings. I raise my finger to my ear and flip the lobe.

"Cute,"

She smiles and puts her hand to her ear too. I don't know if it's the heat outside but I could've sworn her cheeks looked tinted just then. "Thank you,"

I wave my hand at her, trying to be nonchalant. My fingers play with the frayed strings on the cut in my jeans. Another breeze comes through.

"What's going on?" She taps my shoes with her's.

I look down at her as I curl into my knees. "My-" I shield my eyes from her with my hand. "Things aren't great."

"I know, Henry. But I really believe that you and Ray-"

"Besides the obvious," I raise my voice. She's wrong. She's wrong.

Not wanting to get irritated, I close my eyes and try to control my breathing. Then the smell of orange blossoms come and I open my eyes again. Now Charlotte's standing in front of me, leaning against the door frame. Just a lot closer than before. Her doll eyes search over my face.

"What else is wrong?"

"My family," I could only manage a whisper. I didn't think she heard me until she reached with her hand and grabbed mine.

Squeezing my hand, she whispered back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I shake my head. She steps back and lets go of my hand. Whipping my head up, not ready to let go, I see her with her arms a little open. "Hug me then,"

Stepping out of the car, my legs feel wobbly. She grabs my waist and pulls me close. I put my arms around her and lay my head against hers. My chest swells and I can't breathe again. I gasp and she starts to rub her hand on my back. With all my muscles I want to relax and let her comfort me, but a shake runs through my body and I let my head fall to her shoulder. My fingers grip her shoulders while I try to steady myself.

"Charlotte," I gasp out.

Charlotte holds me tighter, bringing me down further. "I know, I'm sorry." She repeats a few times. "I wish it wasn't like this."

A few minutes pass before I know I can look her in the eyes again. I pull away and sit back in the car. She looks down at me with soft smile and squeezes my shoulder.

"Please, talk to me when you're ready, even if it's super late. Okay?"

I nod.

"Alright," She steps back. "I'm telling Ms. Polly in the office that you need ten more minutes and then you'll be in. You cannot miss school. Ray will have you're head."

I nod returning the smile. "Thank you,"

She nods too before turning to leave.

That afternoon Charlotte, Jasper, and I went straight to Junk'n'Stuff. Jasper took his post upstairs while Charlotte and I headed down to Ray and Schwoz.

"We watched almost seventeen hours of footage, and found nothing." Schwoz says popping a cheese puff in his mouth. He looked very tired while he rested his head on the table with the couch.

Charlotte puts her hands on her hips. "You guys suck." She walks to Ray who was sitting at the computer.

"We have nothing to work off of!" Ray stands to pace about the front of the room. Charlotte takes her usual seat at the computer. "If we had all those security tapes the police do, we'd be golden."

"Well you don't." Charlotte logs into the computer and begins pulling up websites and programs.

"Little girl, we won't be friends if you keep talking like that." Schwoz snaps his fingers at her.

"Are we friends?" She asks putting an emphasis on the first word.

Schwoz scoffs in annoyance. I laugh at them as I sit next to him. When I steal a few cheese puffs, he pats my hand away. "So how was school?" He asks as he does everyday like the dad he is.

"Lame," I tell him shoving the puffs in my mouth, grabbing more.

"He's just saying that because he lost at HORSE twice." Charlotte doesn't even look back as she sasses.

"Why do you gotta tell him?" I whine. Ray passes me for a third time while pacing. "Why don't you ask your detective friend for help again? He seemed nice."

"Shapiro?" Ray scoffs. "No, he won't help. Too loyal to the force," He mocks.

"I'm not. Charlotte, you think you can get into police records?" I ask.

The phone on the desk rings. Charlotte picks up without answering me or the phone. She just sits and listens.

Ray walks up to stand behind her chair. "What are you doing?" He whispers.

She holds a finger up signaling him to be quiet. Silently, she writes a couple things on a piece of paper with her fluffy blue pen. Before too long, Charlotte puts the phone down.

"I got cop information." She says holding the paper as if it was gold. "There's a lead."

Ray snatches the paper from her to read. He smiles at Charlotte. "Good job. She found out about a tip. The person said there'd be another kidnapping at Swellview Park."

"How'd you do that?"

"There's a cop at the precinct that I pay to give me tips, as long as when he calls me I stay silent. He said there's a chance the line is recorded." She shrugs. I smile at her with pride. As always, she's three steps ahead of the rest of us.

"How much you pay him?" I ask.

"100 or 200 depending on the case,"

"That's smart," Ray nods then he whips his head to her. "Whose money are you using?"

"Yours," She says with a smile. "You don't pay me that kind of money to use my own."

"I know that's why I asked! You can't-"

"Shouldn't we go to the park?" I ask stepping in. "See if they need help,"

Ray gives up on yelling at Charlotte to grab his bubblegum. I do the same. We head to the tubes to leave.

"Wait, you need to be sneaky. He said they were planning to set up around the perimeter and put decoys in. So look for a big van or something they'd be in." Charlotte warns.

"What are you doing here?" The officer asks looking us up and down. He stood in the doorway of an unmarked black van parked near the back exit of Swellview Park. Two other cops are stuffed in behind him sitting at monitors.

"We figured you'd need the help and all." Captain Man says with a forced smile.

"Look, Captain Man," He leans against the door frame. "We don't need your help or your kid's. So go on back to the Bat Cave."

This happens a lot. We try to help and the police turn us away. They typically don't like us coming in and saving the day. Lately people have been gossiping about the police force and the hundreds of unsolved cases they set aside. Yesterday I even heard people saying Captain Man and Kid Danger were faster than the ambulances and the emergency teams. An elderly lady said we were the true heroes since we didn't get paid by the public. People in Bordertown and Neighborville were even chatting about wanting their very own Captain Man and Kid Danger.

Captain Man balls his fist before pointing a finger at the man. "Alright, loser-"

"Captain Man, how nice of you to join us?" Detective Shapiro says stepping out of an SUV. The car quickly speeds off after he shuts the door.

"Detective," He crosses his arms over his chest, looking up at the officer and smirking. "Just seeing how we could be of service,"

Detective Shapiro takes a sip from a Skyscraper Coffee cup. He smiles. "Of course, the more to help the better." He looks up at the van. "Evening, Officer Bladell,"

"Did you call him here?"

"No," Detective Shapiro pushes his glasses up his nose. "But we need the help if we want those kids back. You want those kids back, right, Officer?"

Officer Bladell says something under his breath as he backs into the van. Detective Shapiro hoists himself on the steps before turning back to us.

"How about you patrol the east side of the park near the woods? Also, if possible try to remain unseen. We don't want to tip this guy off."

Twenty minutes later, we're sitting in the woods. I found a fallen tree and took a space. We were at the edge of the woods and park, just barely hidden by low branches and leaves. For a moment I curse our red and blue suits for being so obnoxious and bright. I poke at the colorful fabric. To be honest, I don't think anything will happen tonight. The police department get tips like this all the time. But something must be different about this one. I wish Charlotte could get the written report instead of just word of mouth. We need a description of the voice. Was it a man, woman, or a child? Did they sound scared or cocky? Could they trace the call? Or was-

"Do you hear that?" Captain Man asks looking over his shoulder into the deep wood. I look with him.

Peering in the darkness, I see the over grown trees that have tangle together, vines, and even rope from old tire swings. I stare for a minute. "No, I don't hear anything."

Captain Man turns fully now to look into the woods too. I can see him really straining to mark out any noises that were animal, human, or vehicle.

"Hello," It was a far off echo. The voice was so faint I thought I made it up.

And then there's a wisp of white and I hear an echo of the word. I stand up, facing the direction. "I hear it now."

Captain Man begins marching to it and I follow him. I see another wave of white and start to move fasting.

"Hello," echoes around.

"Hello," I call back.

Branches break and another "hello" surfaces."

"Stay where you are," Captain Man calls. "Let's go, kid."

We run towards the noise and color. Thorns scratch my face and catch on my suit, I'm pretty sure ripping it harshly. My stomach feels bloated and large as I make it to a small meadow clearing. What was I expecting? I look around the area in excitement and terror. Then I notice a girl standing in a white gown near a black tree. Almost like ghost.

"Captain Man," She screams. The dark haired girl runs the remaining feet to crash into Captain Man. "Thank you. Thank you. I'm so cold! I've been running for hours."

"Shh," Captain Man hugs the girl back. "It's alright. You're safe with us."

She looks up to meet my eyes and smiles. "I knew you'd be the two to find me."

My mouth falls open and a lump forms in my throat. I force out words. "Elena Gilbert?"

Her smile doesn't falter. "Yes,"

Chapter Five

~~~~~

Please comment if you’d like to be apart of a taglist.

taglist: @craploadofandoms @violetride

[alisondepartedbear]

Just Breathe

Everything is not what it seems in Swellview, a kidnapper is running amok while Henry faces some challenging trials in his life. The boy most overcome what is inside to deal with major life changes.

Also can be found on Wattpad and Fanfiction.net 

Part One 

Part Two

~~~

Chapter Three

I run around the side of Junk'n'Stuff to the sidewalk. With just the help of street lamps, I can see someone small walking a few feet away. My heart thumps hard against my chest. Is she even willing to talk to me?

"Charlotte," My voice cracks, and I see tears spring into my eyes. "Charlotte, please, wait."

She stops walking and turns around. Her arms are crossed, and I can see fresh tears on her face. I dig my fingernails in my palm deep. Ashamed I made her cry, I let my head drop.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte. I...I didn't want to hurt you. My..." There's no real excuse for putting my hands on her. "There's stuff inside that I..." I shake my head and run a hand over my face, that when I realize it's wet. Great, Henry, you emotional loser. "I don't want you to be afraid of me, Char. I'm sorry I pushed you."

I look up and watch her take a couple steps to me. Her eyes shine like pretty lights under the lamps.

"You didn't scare me, Henry." Her hands wring together for a moment before she lets them fall by her side. "I'm just worried about you."

"I know," I whisper, falling to the sidewalk. I scoot to sit on the edge.

"And I wish you'd let me help," She joins me on the curb.

I glance at her. She's close, so close her orange blossom shampoo finds it's way up my nose. You'd never know this without being up in her business, but Charlotte's eyes hold the most precious shade of amber in them. Flecks of the colors shoot from the iris, falling into a dark brown that reminds me of old movies and rainy Sundays. Suddenly I feel dizzy. A shaking breath escapes me, "I don't understand how you can help, Char. It's too much for me. So why wouldn't it be too much for you? Does that make me stupid-"

"Stop," She reaches her hand out to put on my shoulder but stops.

My stomach drops knowing she'll never touch me again without wondering if I'll push her away. Without a second thought, I grab her hand with both of mine. "Please, you don't have to second guess yourself around me. I don't want this to change us."

Charlotte's hand tightens around mine. "Henry," She says in the softest tone I've heard from her, almost like pretty bells. Wait-

"What are you guys doing?" Jasper asks.

Whipping my head back, I see him standing in the doorway of Junk'n'Stuf. He has a goofy smile on his face. I think he knows.

"We were just talking." Charlotte stands, pulling me with her. "Has Ray gotten back yet?" She asks walking past him into the store.

I dust my pants off, trying to ignore Jasper's questioning eyes. When I look up I see his eyes haven't left me.

"No, but he left a message downstairs."

"I'll go see what he wants then." Charlotte moves and dodges her way through to the back.

Jasper watches her leave as he makes his way back to the register. When we hear the elevator 'ding', his eyebrows raise into his hair and his mouth forms an 'o'.

"No," I point a finger at him, running to the counter. "Shut your mouth!"

"You were kissing her!" His goofy smile hasn't left his face.

"No!" My god, I'm dealing with a child. "We were legit talking."

"While sitting all cutesy on the sidewalk, oh, please!" He smacks his hand down on the counter. "You have all the material, and you do nothing!"

He wasn't wrong. My cheeks heat up. "She's not going to like me like that." I say poking the lucky cat on display

A hint of a voice tells me "Of course, she likes you, look at you!" while a monster yells "Why would she like a stupid, ugly boy?" See why would she be with me if I can't even decide what I think of myself. People always talk about how you have to love yourself before someone else can. Or maybe its love yourself so no one has to?

"Is this what its like for the side character in the movies?" Jasper gives an exaggerated sigh and lays over the counter top. "Just watching two lovers not love each other,"

"You're making me uncomfortable, man." I let out a nervous laugh. The heat from my cheeks moves to the back of neck, I reach up and scratch the area.

Jasper rolls his eyes, pushing himself to his feet. Before he can speak and embarrass me again, the store's door opens bringing in a girl and what seemed to be her parents. I recognize the girl as being Elena Gilbert, an eighth grader from school. Maybe one of Piper's friends. Elena and her family didn't have much time to themselves before Jasper pounced, talking about all the deals Ray had recently added and the new shipment of crazy, cool items. With the wild man distracted, I duck away to the elevator.

Piper and I sit in our living room quietly. When school let out today, I called Ray and said I'd be in late due to a family emergency. Of course, he asked about my mother in a suggestive way which made me cringe and honestly angry. Maybe if he knew what kind of person she is, he'd stop. We've been sitting here in silence due to Piper's inability to keep a conversation. Not to say she wasn't thinking. I could practically hear the gears grinding in her brain. Like me, she's probably worrying about how to tell Dad. In honesty, I'm not sure if I want him to come home. We'll just ruin his day.

From the corner of my eye, I see Piper's leg bouncing up and down. No doubt she's scared too.

"We don't have to do this today." I nudge Piper's shaking leg with mine.

She looks up from a place on the floor she'd been staring at to meet my gaze. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes but there's a clear effort. "Dad deserves to know. It's just weird..." Piper's eyes drift off again. Her fingers tap along on her knee caps. "I can't believe Mom would do that to him. I just...love Dad and would never want to hurt him and to think-" A squeak cuts off her voice and she covers her mouth. She looks at me with watery eyes.

"Piper, I-" But what do I say? "Come here,"

I open my arms and she falls on to me. Piper emits cries I've never heard from her before. Her small hands curl around the front of my shirt pulling me closer to her. Protectively, I tighten my arms. Closing my eyes, I sit my head on top of her's and I'm hit with the realization that my little sister is just fourteen years old. Her worries should consist of cute boys or girls, silly TV shows, and late nights with friends. She shouldn't be worried about our mother's infidelities. I don't want her to worry about this. Red, fury boils in the pit of my stomach. Mom shouldn't be making us worry like this. She's the adult.

The knob on the front door begins to jiggle before swinging open. "Oh, hey, Hen, didn't know you'd be home today," Dad walks in past us to the kitchen, setting his lunch box on the counter. He turns around with a smile that falls when he see his daughter. "Piper, what's wrong?" He asks like a father should. He strides to the couch and sits with us.

Piper pushes off me and sniffles. I hand her a few tissues from the coffee table. "Dad, we gotta talk." She says in a raspy voice.

Dad pulls a confused, pinched face. "Henry,"

Piper looks to me too. All wet, big puppy eyes from both of them. Why do I need to be the one to say something? Why is it me? Suddenly it feels as if there's a full staff working their way through my chest and stomach. My heartbeat thuds in my ears, and I almost believe I can see my eyes beating as well. I grab the couch cushion for comfort and support.

"Dad, we...we wanted to wait until we were sure. But now there's a lot of evidence. And..." Why didn't the words come out?

You're. Wife. Is. Cheating. On. You.

The words don't come out because I don't want it to be true.

"She's cheating on you." Piper blurts.

"Piper," I hiss.

"You weren't doing anything!" Her red face yells at me. Angry tears slide down her cheeks.

"What?" Dad's face was emotionless.

I close my eyes and flex my fingers on the cushion. "Mom's cheating on you. We've heard phone calls where she's talking to unknown men in really gross ways. She's always out drinking. She comes home drunk! She's never here!" I bit my lip before I say something I regret. When I look at Dad though, I wish I hadn't said anything.

Dad sits back from us and falls against the couch. His hand runs through his thinning hair and red starts to creep onto his cheeks. He takes a few meditative breaths before speaking. "Kids, I..." He wipes his hands on his pants and I can see dark spots from where he's sweating. Closing his eyes, he begins nodding his head. "I've had a feeling she was doing this."

Piper moves to be beside him and lays her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"No, Piper, I'm sorry." He puts his arm around her. His eyes turn to me. "I'm sorry for not doing something sooner. I knew what was going on but...I didn't want to see it. Believe it."

I watch as the storm builds behind his grey eyes and a few tears slip out. Before I know it my vision is blurry. Dad holds out his hand and I grab on to it. Before I can really think, I realize I don't remember the last time I held my Dad's hand and I break. Fat tears fall down my face as I heave out breaths that won't come fast enough.

"Henry,"

I crawl across the couch and cuddle up to my Dad. Something I haven't done since I was twelve. My eyes close and I let myself cry. Soon I feel wet dripping on my hair. I hear my Dad sniffle and I feel more tears drop.

"I'm sorry I haven't done anything about her drinking." He says. "I foolishly thought it was going to go away."

A while later I'm laying in bed with dried tears all over my face. My head hurts and my eyes are swollen. Blinking hurts. I think about my Mom, Dad, Piper, Charlotte and Jasper. I think about the Kid Danger job. I've always said 'the Kid Danger' because sometimes he really doesn't feel like me. But that's the point. Its not me but someone better. Someone that wouldn't push his friends.

Charlotte's shocked, betrayed face rumbles in my brain. I roll over and press my face into the pillow to will the image away. But it stays. Her falling, her walking away. Her tears when I found her. I pinch my eyes shut, forcing tears out. A gasp mixed with a sob escapes me. My body begins to shake and sweat beads up on my neck and forehead. I don't want to be my mother. I don't want to be my mother.

I. Don't. Want. To. Be. My. Mother.

Part Four

~~~

Please comment if you’d like to be apart of a taglist. I want those interested to be notified :)

[alisondepartedbear]

Just Breathe

Everything is not what it seems in Swellview, a kidnapper is running amok while Henry faces some challenging trials in his life. The boy most overcome what is inside to deal with major life changes.

~~~~

Part 1

Chapter Two

Ray and I were getting snacks when Charlotte called about a burglary in progress. Completely ready for action, Ray drops everything and runs to the car. He had to come back and pull me out. Time seemed to fly by as Ray drove wordlessly. I knew he was glancing at me, but I was concentrating on not vomiting from the swirling street lights dancing on the windows.

"So," My hands clench the red fabric of my pants. I think I'm stress sweating. "What's the game plan?"

Ray raises an eyebrow at me suspiciously. "What we usually do,"

"Right, right," I nod. My god I want to throw myself from the car. Closing my eyes I do a brain search of all the fight moves I've ever learned but I couldn't even come up with how to jump.

Charlotte's voice suddenly comes across the radio causing me to jump out of my seat. "Are you guys almost there?"

"No, but Kid almost pooped his pants just now." Ray laughs while turning right at the traffic light. I punch his shoulder making him laugh harder.

Charlotte's laugh runs through the car's speakers sending a shiver down my spine. I grip on to the door handle and try to ground myself.

"Well just hurry up so we can go home. I'm tired."

"Okay, over and out, Little Deer." I say loud enough so she could hear me.

"That is not my code name!" Charlotte leaves the channel with a click.

I smile and turn the radio down. Around the time we installed the radio, Ray and Shwoz said we needed code names. They argued about which one would get the name Daddy. Ultimately, no one got it since we decided the name was a bit much.

Ray ended up with Koala. Shwoz is Caliente. Charlotte gave Jasper the name Hobbit. Jasper said I am Bigoof; honestly, no idea where he got that. Then I code named Charlotte Little Deer. She opposed greatly, saying the name was demeaning to her height, and work inappropriate. Thankfully, the guys insisted she keep it.

"Oh, there he is!" Ray parallel parks adjacent to an apartment building and gets out. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths before following.

Slowly, I shut the door, scoping out if this robber had nearby help. The street was free of traffic; there's just a few parked cars. I jog to catch up with Ray. "No one's around, I think."

Ray stops walking and puts an arm out to stop me. I look up at him but he's staring at the blue and white apartment building. A man, about Ray's height, in dark clothing was making his way up the building's fire escape. Is this guy hitting multiple places?

"He went in on the fourth floor, left corner apartment from the front." I say watching it happen, thankful for the moon and streetlights.

Ray looks at me and smiles. "Good, kid. Now you take the elevator, and I'll take the fire escape. Make sure he doesn't leave the apartment, and keep any residents safe."

I nod reluctantly, holding out a fist. "Let's go,"

He bumps my fist then takes off to the side of the building.

Going into the lobby, the desk clerk gasps, and hits the desk. "Kid Danger, what are you doing here?"

"A criminal scaled your building and is currently stealing stuff. Please, try to let the residents know this place is on lock down until further notice." My words were rushed since I was terrified of forgetting them.

The guy seems frazzled but he does as told. I always love it when people are cooperative. Hurriedly I get to the closest elevator and press '4'.

I pace the little box, pulling at my hair, and pretending I knew what I'm doing. The doors open and close once before I get the courage to step out. From the hallway, I can hear screaming from apartment 413. Busting through the door, I see a lady in a blue robe trying her best to cover herself and screaming. She lets out an exhausted sigh of relief when she sees me.

"Oh, Kid Danger," She runs over and points down the apartment's hall. "Captain Man ran him back there."

"Okay, thanks." I nod and go to leave.

She grabs my arm. "My kids are back there."

Her wide teary eyes make me stop and grab her hand. "I understand. Please, go into the hallway for your safety."

I see it in her eyes when she glances to the hallway that she doesn't want to leave. But she does. As soon as the front door shuts, I hear Ray yell and some furniture breaking. Based on the noises, he and the robber are in the master bedroom. Searching for the kids, I open every door in the hall until I find two crying little girls huddled in the corner of the bathroom.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." I whisper crouching next to them.

The younger of the two wails and throws herself on to me in a hug. "Kid Danger, there's a bad man in the house."

I pat her back and try to sooth her. "Sweetie, it's okay. Let's get out of here, okay?" I stand up with her in my arms. Holding my hand out, I look towards the older kid. "Come on,"

"Where's my mom?" She stood her ground but her voice was shaking.

"In the hallway," I explain. "Now when we walk through I need you to be very quiet, no matter what you hear. Okay?"

I make sure both of the girls understand before we leave the room. In the living room, a big bang runs through the apartment. The little girl in my arms squeaks while basically cutting off my breathing. When I open the door, the mom cries, and the older girl runs to hug her legs. I hand off the little one, feeling good that I could get them away from everything. I turn to go back into the apartment but I'm pulled away.

"Where's my son, Brady?" The mother's eyes are wide and fiery now.

"Huh?" My chest sinks to my knees.

"Did you not see him?!" She starts walking towards the door.

"No, no, I can't let you go in." Putting my hand on her shoulder, I pull her towards the elevators. My god, there's another kid. I didn't see another kid! "Please, just wait here."

A few tears escape her eyes as she holds on tight to her youngest. "Please, he's my baby."

I can feel my face getting hot and my hands getting sweaty. Willing myself to be strong, I suck back tears for the mother and go back in. Without a second thought I head to the master bedroom and open the door.

"Come on, man, this is all for some jewelry and a watch?" Ray stood with his back to me. His hands were up in a surrendering pose. He glances back when I close the door.

The robber was standing near the open window with the young boy, no more than twelve, in a headlock. "I'm not stupid." The man laughs.

"No one called you stupid." Ray takes a tentative step forward. He holds his hand out. "Now, hand me the child."

The little boy is crying terribly. "Captain-"

The man tights his arm around the kid's neck. "Shut up!"

"What are we supposed to do?" I whisper to Ray.

He doesn't say anything. His wide eyes are on the boy. "Man, please, he's just a kid."

"Precisely," He says with a smile. With a simple shove, he pushes the boy out of the window.

"No!" I run, reaching for the man. He jumps out before a hand lands on him.

Looking out the window, I don't see any blood or mutilated bodies. Instead I see the boy and the man on top of a white van. "Captain Man, they're getting away!"

He looks out the window to just to see the van take off. "How does that happen?!" He yells turning around to pace the room.

"There must of been a plush top to the vehicle."

"It was a rhetorical question, Kid!" Ray storms out of the room.

I follow him to the elevator. Angry fumes are sparking off Ray as we walk in to the lobby. The mother and her children come up to us. Ray carefully tells her what happens. As he does, I go to the clerk and ask him to phone the police. I hear the mother begin to cry hysterically. Soon the police arrive to take over the scene. When we walk outside a small group of fans scream, asking for Ray to sign papers and talk to them. Typically, he'll stop by but he pushes pass to the car. Inside the compact space, my chest feels tight. The boy's crying face replaying in my head. I let it fall in my hands as I try to control myself. My eyes close.

"What are we supposed to do?" I couldn't bring myself to look at Ray.

"Leave it to the police," The car roars to life and we leave the scene.

I laugh bitterly. "What? That's basically asking a baby to help! My god!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" The car swerves to the left.

I jump at his voice and curl in towards my legs. My hands start to shake. "Ray, it's my fault."

"No, kid," Ray takes a big breath. "It's nobody's fault except for that messed up guy's."

I shake my head. "No, no," I hear the car turn off.

"Henry, I know it's difficult seeing that. I hate we can't do more for the boy."

I feel him put a hand on my back and pat. My head pounds as I try to force my breathing to be normal, I can't show Ray this, not now. A cough breaks through my lips and I shake.

"Hey," Ray puts his hand on my chest and pushes me up. "Breathe, kid, you're safe."

I shake my head as I gasp for breath. "Ray-"

"Shh, concentrate on you for a second."

My eyes shift to his, I want to punch myself when I see the concern and fear. Henry, why does it have to be about you? A freakin' kid just got kidnapped and you're having a panic attack. You should be helping! I push against the seat and breathe through my nose, letting my shoulders fall. After a couple times repeating that I loose the tension I had in my legs.

"Are you okay?" His voice is soft like he is talking to one of the victims of a crime.

"I'm fine. You can stop touching me." I move closer to the door.

Ray sits back in his seat. I can feel his eyes on me. "Henry, if you need to talk about something you can talk to me,"

"I don't have anything to talk about to you." I say through gritted teeth.

"I said if,"

I wonder what the police are doing for the kid. Are they any closer to bringing him home? Usually kidnapped children are dead within the first twenty four hours. I glance at the clock, it's been twenty hours. My breath lodges in my throat and a couple tears come to my eyes.

"Hey, will you call Mom? Ask her if she's eating dinner with us." Piper hops in to the kitchen.

I wipe my eyes and start chopping the vegetables again. "Okay, then you mess with the noodles."

Piper complies and takes the noodles from the stove to the sink. I grab my phone and flip it around to phone Mom. A few rings later she picks up but doesn't say anything.

"Mom," My phone is squeezed between my ear and shoulder while I try to continue to chop. "Mom, when are you getting home?"

Mom doesn't say anything again. I hear muffled voices and rock music. Keeping the phone on, I distribute onions, potatoes, peas, and carrots in to the boiling pot of broth. Piper is still standing near the sink.

"Piper, bring the noodles. Mom, are you coming for dinner?" I yell into the phone.

"No, not tonight, sweetheart." She giggles, and says, "Oh, stop."

I grimace and end the call. "So," I toss the phone on the counter. "To no one's surprise, Mom's not showing for dinner. Now give me the noodles."

I keep an eye on the boiling broth, reaching backward. When I hear drops of water, I turn to look back. The sink was over flowing and Piper was staring out the window.

"Piper!"

"What?"

Before she can look back, I reach over her and turn the faucet off. I unclog the drain as well.

"I'm sorry-Sorry, I'll clean that." She grabs a towel and starts to soak up the water. Her hand moves fast around the floor.

"Piper," I say trying to get her attention. My voice falls without a response. Taking a deep breath, I bend down in front of her. "What's got you frazzled?"

Piper huffs and plants herself back on to her calves. "Do you think Mom and Dad are getting a divorce?"

I raise my eyebrows. "Wh...What made you think that?"

"I heard Mom on the phone talking real flirty with someone that wasn't Dad." Piper twists her hands together. "Should I tell Dad? I don't want him to be blindsided."

Picking the noodles up from the sink, I race back and forth trying to come up with what to do. No doubt Dad should know. It was just difficult to adjust to the thought of my Mom as a cheater. I hand off the spoon to Piper to let her spoon the noodles in.

I lean on the island. "We should talk to Dad."

Piper nods. "Whenever I'm on the phone with her, she seems so distant. I don't remember the last time she had dinner with us."

Come to think of it, I didn't either. My mind racks through memories of Mom. I shake my head, steadily getting angrier. "The food tastes just as good when she's here. We...we don't need her around."

"You don't mean that." Piper shakes her head and walks away to get Dad from the backyard.

"I do." My voice is quiet. I'm pretty sure she doesn't hear as she leaves the house.

Alone my breathing begins to pick up and get heavy. My Mom's a lying cheater. I lie to my whole family. Am I actually as mean and bad as her?

After dinner, I had to get out of the house. The air inside it feels dirty and hot. Needing to shake whatever I'm feeling off, I walk instead of driving to Junk'N'Stuff. I'm angry at myself, my mom, and that stupid psycho. Flashes of the kid falling through the window split my brain in half as I try to keep myself steady. But that's what I've been trying to do all day. I didn't go to school because I couldn't stand the thought of sitting in the classroom knowing what I saw.

When I get to the Man Cave I see Charlotte sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine. She smiles when she sees me. Her presence lifts something inside away and I wish I had gone to school today.

"Hey, missed you at school today," She says.

I sit beside her and relax against the cushions, blushing slightly. "Yeah, did anything exciting happen?"

"As if," She shrugs, looking at me all over, and sighs. "How are you?"

"I'm okay." I look down at my hands and twiddle my thumbs. It's quiet for a while before she speaks again.

"How are you feeling about last night?"

I suck in a breath and squeeze my hands together. How do I feel? Terrible, stupid, guilty.

"It's not your fault." She whispers to me.

I bolt up and walk away from the couch. Shaking my head I want to scream at her, and tell her she wasn't there, that she doesn't know. I wrap my arms around myself and puff out some breaths.

"Henry, it's okay. Turn around," Her hand lands on my shoulder.

I push it off and walk further away. "Stop treating me like a baby, Charlotte!"

"I'm not treating you like a baby, Henry. I'm simply caring about you. I would hope that if you saw Jasper or me falling the way you are right now you would do something." Her voice is steady and even. The clicks of her boots come closer.

I run my hand through my hair and keep my back to her. The buzzing in my head wouldn't stop, I couldn't even bring one thought to the surface. Holding my head in my hands, I say, "Leave me alone, Charlotte. I don't want to talk."

"Henry, pl-"

I spin around and try to push my anger into every word. "Don't you get I don't want you around. Go!"

Charlotte bites her bottom lip and grabs my hand. My instinct is to grab her other hand and ask what to do, but I want her to know she isn't entitled to everything, every feeling in my life. I shove Charlotte and her hand away. An empty feeling sinks low in my abdomen when she falls. A moment passes and she looks up at me completely shocked. I believe she's going to let me have it when she opens her mouth but she stands and walks to the elevator. Before I can say a word, she's gone.

Holy shit, I keep screwing everything up! I reach up and smack myself in the head, shocking myself at doing so. Charlotte's not going to talk to me again. She's going to release I'm a monster like my Mom and leave. I can't believe I tried to hurt her. Without even waiting a moment more, I dash to the tubes.

Part Three

Please, tell me what you think! Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

Also, if you guys want a taglist make sure to tell me. I want all of you to stay up to date!

[ttaddict-blog]

Henry: the stars sure are beautiful tonight.

Piper: HOW DID YOU GET IN MY ROOM?!

Henry: you know who else is beautiful..

Piper: GET OUT YOU FREAKIN CREEP, THIS IS NOT OKAY!

Henry: Charlotte Bolton

Piper: *INCOHERENT SCREAMING*