𝖑𝖊𝖌𝖆𝖈𝖎𝖊𝖘||𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖔𝖘

3.5

oct 12 2007

"Are you two sure you're going to be okay," Thomas asked as he climbed into his truck.

"We're going to be fine brother," Charlie smirked. "I've got everything under control."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, damn Tip," Nakia said. "We'll be fine. It's only a couple of hours."

Thomas nodded before slowly pulling out. He had been asked to stay at S.H.I.E.L.D late to finish up some work. Nakia didn't necessarily want to stay there later so Thomas dropped her home with Charlie and doubled back to his office.

Now Nakia and Charlie were home alone. The night was supposed to go very smoothly. There was food in the fridge. No candy or soda. One or two movies- maybe a board game. And in bed no later than ten thirty. Very simple schedule.

And Nakia and Charlie made sure not to follow any of Thomas's rules.

"Pizza?" Charlie asked. "Pizza," she nodded.

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An hour later, Nakia and Charlie were parked in front of the TV watching a show Charlie called The Boondocks and eating candy. They were waiting for the pizza to arrive.

"Hey kid," he said. "Game of Dominoes?"

"You're on," she chuckled. "I'm gonna wipe your ass."

"Bring it, short stack,"

They sat on the coffee table playing Dominoes, no longer paying attention to the time. They went back and forth winning and Charlie was getting worked up.

"Ha," the child cheered. "I won again!"

"Fucking little cheater," he muttered.

"Suck it," she spat.

"Hey, watch your language."

"Sorry,"

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Charlie looked at the door. "Finally, the pizzas here." He stood up and walked to the door, and looked through the peephole. Sure enough, there was a man in a red uniform holding a pizza box.

Charlie opened the door to greet the man, taking the pizza.

"Thanks, man," he said. "How much do I owe you?"

"I think that," the man said, in a gravelly voice. "я у тебя в долгу." Charlie raised an eyebrow, when the man pulled out a knife, stabbing his stomach. Charlie let out a blood-curdling scream and Nakia turned her head.

The man was wearing a red hood covering his face. He began to pin Charlie to the ground, stabbing him in the stomach repeatedly. The man turned to look at the girl.

"Charlie," she screamed. She ran over to the attacker, jumping on his back. She felt her hands warm, placing them on the attacker's face. He groaned, trying to take the burning sensation off of his face but her grip was too strong.

She flipped the attacker to the ground, kicking and punching him. He had gotten a hold of his knife and stabbed Nakia's arm. She felt the stinging sensation but tried to keep her hold of the man. He grabbed the small child and threw her against the wall.

She crashed into the lamp crumbling to the ground. She groaned, grabbing her head in pain.

The man inched closer to her. She could make out a sharp blue eye with an eyepatch and greasy hair under his hoodie. She could see the charred parts of his face but the rest was hidden behind a mask.

The man grabbed Nakia by her hair pulling her up toward him.

She screamed which caused him to slash her chest, causing her to scream louder. He covered her mouth.

The man was suddenly thrown over the couch by Charlie who began to clutch his bleeding stomach.

"Kid," he breathed, "You have to get out of here."

"I can't just leave you here," she whispered, watching the man stand up.

"I can barely move, I won't make it."

Nakia's breath hitched. "Charlie!"

The man was charging at them, finally stabbing Charlie twice in his chest.

Nakia began to sob, vision blurring as Charlie dropped to the ground.

"Накия, приятно наконец познакомиться...," the man snarked.

Nakia clenched her fists. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Я был хорошим другом твоей матери,"

Nakia froze. The man began to move closer to her when he suddenly stopped. He tried to move but his body wouldn't allow it.

In a swift turn of her head, she sent the man flying through the door. He crashed on the front lawn with a thud. She quickly locked the door, panting heavily.

Nakia hobbled her way over to Charlie dropping down next to him. "Shit," she whispered, scanning his wounds before pressing down on his stomach trying to stop the bleeding. "Charlie, can you hear me? Please groan if you can hear me." There was silence for a moment before he let out a pained sigh.

"Good," she smiled, relieved. "Charlie, stay with me. Please just hold on." Charlie coughed, blood beginning to pool in his mouth.

"Fuck," she screamed, tears streaming down her face. All of that stupid training Reginald put her through and she couldn't even save one of her friends. Charlie gained enough strength to peer at his wounds before collapsing back to the ground.

"Wait," she cried. "Don't-don't look at it. You're perfectly fine." She looked over at the couch to see Charlie's phone. She ran and grabbed it before crumbling down next to Charlie's body.

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"Why am I filling out the paperwork," Thomas groaned. "I wasn't even with you guys in Algeria."

"Protocol," Phil smirked, taking a bite of his sandwich. "You heard from Charlie?" Thomas shook his head.

"Those two really warmed up to each other huh," Natasha added.

"Damn right," Thomas said. "Now I can't even say anything without being shot down by both of them."

Thomas felt a vibration in his pocket. He fished out his phone to see his brother calling. "Speak of the devil."

"Hey Charlie,"

"Thomas," Nakia sobbed. "Thomas, I don't know what to do!"

"Nakia," Thomas said. "What's wrong? Where's Charlie?"

"We thought he had pizza, he stabbed Charlie...Thomas you've got to help me you just gotta!"

"Stabbed," he repeated, causing Phil and Natasha to turn their heads. "Nakia, where are you?"

"Home," she cried. "Thomas-I don't know what to do. I don't think he's going to make it. Please Thomas!"

"Shit," Thomas said, jumping out of his seat. "Nakia call the police and then call me back okay? Understand?"

He hung up before running out of the building.

✁- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nakia had called the police, who had assured they were on the way. Now she was laying next to Charlie who was barely breathing. She wrapped his wounds with some of Thomas's curtains. She hadn't mustered the strength to call him back. She figured she'd take a nap while the authorities arrived.

Before fading into blackness the last she heard was someone asking if she was alright.