Charlie covered his mouth as he coughed, taking steps away from the group to try and steady his breathing. The man watched carefully at his desk as Charlie held his hand against the center of his chest, rubbing it as it ached. Charlie wiped what he thought to be spit on his dark jeans, squeezing the pump beside him to release hand sanitizer.
He turned to see Stiles leaving with Mr. Yukimura, hearing his, Kira, and Malia's names being called by a man in a yellow hazmat suit.
"We need you three to come with the rest of the class and get your blood drawn," the man ordered.
Charlie froze, "I-I can't," he sputtered.
The man rolled his eyes, "You can and you will." He said, motioning him to follow Malia and Kira, "Now, go."
Charlie whined in exasperation, following after Kira. He had a phobia of needles. It wasn't like he had a traumatic event scar him; he just couldn't stand the thought of something metal and cold piercing his skin and taking blood from his body.
Charlie also had a weak stomach when it came to blood. At least, copious amounts of blood. In his defense, blood was messy and smelled bad; there was nothing he could do about his not liking of blood, he was just born that way.
Charlie stood in a small gap beside Kira and Malia, slowly moving in the long line to the tables where the needles and the blood vials lay.
"Oh, Jesus," Charlie muttered, wiping nervous sweat from his forehead.
"Uh-Kira," Malia started, Kira turning around with an airy smile on her face.
"Do you ever get the feeling that Scott and Stiles aren't telling you everything?" Malia asked lightheartedly.
Charlie tried not to show his nervousness. Had he and the other two been caught in their lie? Did Malia know more than she let on?
"What do you mean?" Kira asked nervously.
"Like, they hide stuff," Malia said, overly perky as she spoke with a wide smile on her face.
"I think if they did, they probably have a pretty good reason," Kira told her.
Malia's shoulders fell along with her smile as she sent Charlie an annoyed glance, "Do you know what they're hiding in the bag under Scott's bed?" Malia asked shortly.
What bag? Charlie wondered to himself. I was never told anything about a bag.
"What?" Kira breathed. "No, I've never been under Scott's bed. Or in it. Just on it.. Wearing clothes.." Kira trailed off, both Malia and Charlie giving her odd looks at her sudden awkwardness.
"Charlie Acton," a woman at the tables behind the group called.
Charlie's head slowly turned to where a woman in a yellow hazmat suit stood, prepping the needle to draw his blood.
Charlie looked back to Malia, and she gave him a word look, obviously not knowing of his fear of needles, "What? Why're you looking at me like that?"
"I can't stand needles," Charlie admitted, glancing nervously between Malia and Kira.
Malia gave Charlie a blank look, "Seriously?"
"I can't help it!" He exclaimed. "I get freaked out by the fact that they're literally forced into your arm!"
"Charlie Acton," the woman called again.
"What better way to get over your fear, than to do it right?" Kira said.
Charlie groaned, turning back towards the woman, letting her clean a spot on his arm in preparation for the needle.
The woman smiled, "Afraid of needles?" The woman wondered.
Charlie swallowed the lump
in his throat, nodding, "You have no idea."
"Well, I'm sure you'll do just fine," the woman said, "this'll be quick and painless."
Charlie only nodded, watching as the needle neared his arm. He squeezed his eyes closed as he felt the needle touch his skin. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the needle imbedded into the skin of his arm.
"Oh-God," Charlie breathed as he watched the woman quickly pull the needle from his skin, turning to the trash bin beside the table of needles, puking.
"Oh, gross," he heard Malia and dozens of other mutter.
"What the..."
Charlie slowly turned his head, seeing the needle that had just been in his skin slowly melting, the metal slowly wilting till it was completely melted and gone.
Did... Did I do that? Charlie thought, feeling hands pulling him from the prying eyes, away from the drama.
"Lets go, Charlie," Malia grunted, tugging him down the hall.
"What was that?" Kira decided to ask after the three of them had gotten away from the students.
"You're asking me?" Charlie asked her.
"I mean, you are the one who did it," Malia reminded him.
"Not intentionally," he muttered. "I'm still trying to get the hang of all this."
"A-all of what?" Kira asked again.
Charlie looked to Kira, "Uh..."
"Guys! Guys, hey," Stiles rounded the hallway's corner, scrambling over to the group.
"What's going on?" Charlie asked Stiles.
Stiles waved the group forward, "Follow me."
~~
Charlie watched curiously as Scott's alpha eyes flickered between brown and red.
"Its still happening," Mr. Yukimura sighed.
Scott and Charlie looked to Malia, the rest of the group's eyes following as she sighed, holding her clawed fingers up, "I can't make them go back," she said.
"Obviously the virus is affecting the two of you in a way it won't hit any human being," Mr. Yukimura said.
Charlie didn't mention his not being human as he rubbed his chest, the pain and irritation from before beginning to reoccur.
"You guys have to stay out of sight," Stiles announced. "We have to quarantine you from the quarantine."
"Where?" Charlie asked.
"Yeah, I mean, what if they get violent?" Kira asked. "Like on a full moon."
"We shouldn't stay in here. Not in the locker room," Scott said.
"Um, I-I don't think a classroom will exactly work," Charlie said.
"A classroom will not hold us," Malia said.
"What about the basement?" Kira asked.
"Too many ways out," Scott panted. "We need something secure. Somewhere nobody can find us."
"The vault," Stiles muttered.
Scott rose his head, face soaked with sweat as he looked to Stiles, his face showing surprise from the suggestion.
"The Hale vault," Stiles said.
"The Hales always have an escape route," Scott explained. "Like their house. There has to be another way in."
~~
Charlie watched as Stiles rolled out the school's blueprints; how exactly he got them, Charlie had no clue.
This is where the school sign is, so the vault's got to be right about here," Stiles gestured to a small spot on the map.
"I suppose if there's a second entrance, it would probably be accessible from the basement," Mr. Yukimura nodded.
Charlie's mouth suddenly felt dry as he cleared his throat, seeing Malia wiping her sweaty hair from her eyes as she tried to keep herself steady.
"Its probably somewhere in this hallway. Or this corridor," Charlie grabbed Stiles' arm quickly as Stiles fell against Mr. Yukimura.
Stiles froze, "Whoa."
Mr. Yukimura rolled up Stiles' sleeve, seeing the same pink and purple markings that Sydney had. "Its happening to you too," he said. "You're getting sick-"
Charlie suddenly coughed, an odd wheezing sound being heard as he felt like the air in his lungs was suddenly stolen. It was Stiles' turn to steady a dizzy looking Charlie, Malia helping as she watched Charlie wheeze into his hand.
Charlie was handed a random bottle of water, and he took a sip, gasping as he pulled the bottle from his lips. He turned his head to Malia and she touched his cheek shortly before letting her hand fall back to the table.
Scott and Stiles shared a worried look, neither of them noticing just how much Charlie was being affected by the virus. Stiles put aside whatever secret Charlie was harboring, more worried than curious in this moment.
"You all are," Mr. Yukimura finished, his eyes finding Kira.
"I don't feel sick," Kira told her father.
"I think its affecting you differently, neurologically," her father said.
Kira and Scott shared worried looks as Mr. Yukimura pulled out a sheet of paper, "I found your test answer sheet here in a pile with the others," he said, unfolding the booklet to show that Kira hadn't bubbled one answer, instead having her answers outside the bubbles.
Another coughing spell came across Charlie, and he suddenly felt like he was choking. A strangled wheeze passed his lips as he struggled to breathe.
"What's happening to him?" Malia panicked, tired eyes wide as she watched Charlie holding his hands to his throat.
"I-I think he's choking," Mr. Yukimura stammered, rushing to Charlie.
"Well, what do we do?" Stiles asked, his voice almost shrill as he panicked.
Charlie let out a gurgle as something spewed from his lips. He turned his head as he vomitted onto the floor of the room, odd grunts leaving him as he heaved.
"Oh my-what the hell is that?" Stiles asked, seeing Mr. Yukimura investigating the oddly dry black mess.
"I believe its...ash," he said, poking the black and white powder with his shoe.
Charlie straightened slowly, taking the outstretched water bottle and chugging the rest of it. "It-it felt like I was suffocating," he managed to gasp out.
"Its because you were," Mr. Yukimura said. "Charlie, this ash was blocking any air from accessing your lungs."
"Okay, we-we have to go. Like, now," Stiles said, rushing the teens from the room. "Someones coming down the hall."
~~
The group pushed down the stairs, quickly running to the bottom of the stairs. Charlie released Malia's hand, moving away from the group as he searched for the entrance to the vault. He sighed as he leaned back, eye widening as he pushed against one of the metal shelvings.
Everyone turned to watch as Charlie tipped over a large shelf, the contents on it spilling over the floor as Charlie gave everyone a sheepish look, "S-sorry."
Scott and Stiles shared a look, Scott shaking his head, "Don't be," he said, gesturing behind Charlie.
"Look at the cracks on the wall," Stiles said, tracing his fingers over the lines forming the triskelion. "Looks like the entrance outside, it only opens with claws. Anyone's claws, right?" Stiles asked Scott and Charlie.
Charlie sighed silently as he shook his head, blue eyes flashing to Malia before looking back to Stiles. Stiles looked in between Malia and Charlie, subtly nodding towards Malia.
Charlie cleared his throat, "Malia," he rasped, instantly attracting Malia's attention, "will you open it?"
"Why me?" She asked.
"Because I don't have control," Scott excused himself, holding his fingers up to show Malia the human nails.
Malia glanced at Charlie and he rose an eyebrow, "I don't have claws," he said.
They're talons. He corrected.
"Okay, I'll do it," Malia nodded.
A loud breath of air was released as they group sighed in relief.
"But first, tell me what you've been hiding from me."
"Um, what?" Charlie coughed, this time from surprise.
"I know you think you're trying to protect me, but I can handle it," she said.
Charlie stepped forward, "Malia-"
"I know I'm on the list," Malia revealed.
Charlie looked back to Scott and Stiles before nodding, "Um, yep.. Yes.. You, uh, you are.."
Malia nodded slowly, "So how much?"
"How much what?" Stiles asked.
"How much am I worth?" She asked, looking straight at Charlie.
"Four million," Scott told her.
Charlie felt bad as her eyes fell to the floor, her face giving away how deeply she thought over the number.
Charlie took a step closer, "Are you- are you okay?"
Malia looked up, "Yeah," she said. "Scott's worth twenty-five, Charlie fifteen, and Kira six. They'll take you guys out way before me," she explained, walking past the group to the stonewall.
Charlie's eyes widened at the amount put out for his name, Scott and Stiles having similar looks of surprise on their faces before they realized what Malia had said.
They looked to Charlie, waiting for him to scold her, but he shrugged, "We never finished our powerpoint," he said.
Malia pushed her claws into the lock, twisting it each direction before it slowly opened, the sound of grinding stone being heard as the giant wall opened to let the group enter. They each entered the vault, turning back to look at the wall as it closed behind them.
"I don't like being closed in here like this," Malia mumbled.
"If it keeps you safe," Charlie started, "I'm all for a little containment."
~~
Charlie brushed the hair from Malia face gently before he stood to join the boys, pressing a kiss to her head before letting Kira hold her for him so that he could talk to Scott and Stiles.
"We need to tell her the truth about Peter," Scott whispered to Charlie, causing him to freeze. "She's going to see the rest of the dead pool eventually." Scott said.
"Scott, I just-" Charlie looked back to where Malia sat by Kira, struggling to steady her breath. "I-I can't lose her, okay? She's- her and Sophie are all I have," he whispered.
"Yeah, I mean, try to remember that Peter is the one name missing on that list," Stiles whispered hushly, moving closer to Charlie and Scott. "Which either makes him incredibly lucky with the benefactor, she finds out about him, she's going to go to him, you know she is."
Charlie heart nearly skipped a beat, "And he'll find a way to manipulate her and turn her against us; against me. And he-he'll just walk over us like he's some sort of savior, and act like nothing ever happen."
"He wins, we lose," Stiles stated.
"We're already losing," Scott muttered, holding his hand up to show the black blood draining from his fingers.
Charlie sighed, "You're right," he muttered before coughing into his hand, holding it up to the boys. "We are."
Scott and Stiles watched as Charlie dusted the black blood onto his jeans, bits of ash staining his pants as it mixed with whatever he was coughing up.
<>
Charlie watched as Stiles got up from his spot in the corner of the vault, readying himself to leave the room. Charlie quickly moved from Malia, going to grab Stiles' attention before he left.
Malia caught his wrist as soon as she felt his arms leave her, "Where're you going?" She wondered, voice rasping as she spoke.
Charlie analyzed Malia, crouching down to smooth the tangled hair from her face. She leaned into the warmth of his dirty palms, not carrying about anything other than where Charlie was leaving, and why he was leaving her.
"I just have to talk to Stiles," Charlie whispered to her. "You'll be fine, okay? You're strong."
Malia slowly processed his words before nodding, a smile on her face at his words of encouragement.
Her hand slipped from Charlie's wrist as she sank back into a ball on the floor. Charlie felt his chest constrict in fear of Malia's health, so he rushed to his feet, stumbling to Stiles.
Stiles caught Charlie as he fell into him, "Whoa," he muttered, steadying his friend, "Calm down, C."
"Just-just promise me something," Charlie slurred drowsily.
Stiles gave Charlie a weary look, "What?"
"If the cure, if its just out there, or something, and you find it..." Charlie's eyes slowly raked the floor to find Malia, locking his blue orbs onto her shivering form. "Give it to Malia before me."
Stiles gave Charlie a baffled look, "Charlie-"
"Please!" Charlie's voice cracked as he pleaded with Stiles. "Please, Stiles, that's all I'm asking."
"That's a lot to ask, Charlie," Stiles whispered, knowing how selfish he sounded. He didn't want to skip one of his best friends at the chance to live, and give it to the girl who showed no interest in him.
But Stiles knew that wasn't how Charlie's brain worked. He knew Charlie didn't think of himself as highly as his friends thought of him. How high Stiles thought of him.
"Stiles," Charlie wiped black spittle from the side of his mouth, trying not to shudder at the smell. He'd already vomitted, and his low tolerance to blood, be it black or red, was not helping him.
"Okay," Stiles whispered softly, clearing his throat, "yeah, yeah, I promise," he said, clasping hi hand onto Charlie's shoulder, his hand instantly warming as he squeezed.
Charlie nodded, "Okay," he whispered, turning away from Stiles, "thank you."
Charlie went back to Malia, sitting beside her and closing his eyes, almost instantly feeling her shift to lay across his lap, tugging on his hoodie. Charlie looked to Stiles as he heard the stone wall slowly grind to a shut, sending him one last nod before Stiles was locked away.
Charlie pulled his hoodie from his body, helping Malia sink into it. He heard the faintest sigh pass her lips as the hoodie engulfed her cold upper body. She sank back into Charlie, and he closed his eyes again, the couple both drifting back to sleep.
<>
Charlie didn't both opening his eyes at the crinkling sound of paper unfolding, he was way too tired to be bothered by a simple noise. He noticed the lack of weight in his lap, figuring Malia had chosen to curl up beside him.
"Malia," Charlie heard Scott call.
Malia didn't reply, and Charlie now struggled to open his eyes, wanting to know what was so important about what Malia was doing.
"Malia?" Scott slowly spoke, voice cautious.
Charlie slowly opened his eyes, vision extremely blurry as he looked into between Scott and Malia's blurred figures.
"What the hell.." Charlie muttered, his vision never clearing as he heard Malia begin to panic.
"I can't see," Charlie heard her say, her hand patting the floor to find Charlie's as she took it tightly in hers. "I can't see anything," Malia sounded like she was on the edge of crying, and Charlie could feel his own emotions begin to get the better of him as he gripped Malia's hand tightly.
Malia scooted closer to Charlie, pushing into his side, fearful of just what the virus was doing to them.
"You're gonna be okay," Charlie whispered to Malia. "I promise."
<>
"What's happening to us?" Malia panicked. "Charlie?"
Charlie could barely register his name as he arched his back against the floor in pain; he had since distanced himself from the group, completely terrified as his vision was lost and his control over his abilities was taken.
"I-I can't-" Charlie grunted, "I-I don't know what's going-ah-on," he stammered in pain, random burst of flames pushing from his arms and hands.
"Charlie-" Scott grunted, trying to find the source of his grunts of pain, suddenly falling back against the stone wall entrance.
Charlie's hearing was suddenly gone. Taken. He couldn't see, nor hear. And he couldn't help the scream of fear that vibrated through his chest as he realized these were his final moments. All these years of fighting for his life and he was just going to die by a simple supernatural virus.
"Ch-arlie?" Malia tried to call out to him, his screams echoing in her head as if they were on repeat.
Charlie couldn't hear Malia or Stiles calling for him, his body still seizing on the floor as he shifted uncontrollably.
Is this what dying feels like? Charlie thought to himself as his movements suddenly halted, a slow breath exiting his blood covered lips.
Charlie felt a crash happen from behind him and he took a gasping breath of air, like his body was taking over and saving him without him even thinking. The smell was tart, gaseous even, but Charlie couldn't get enough of the relief he felt in his body.
He didn't move as his hearing came back, the sound of rustling paper seeming even louder than it had been just minutes before. Finally, his blank vision was restored, and he could feel his energy slowly moving back into his veins.
"M-Malia?" He coughed, throat sore from his screaming.
No reply was spoken and Charlie slowly stood to his feet, wavering before he turned towards where Malia sat, head held downcast as a dark look shadowed her face. Charlie didn't know what was wrong as he crouched in front of her, going to grab her hands when she caught his wrists.
Charlie sucked in a breath of air at the deep look of betrayal and hurt Malia had hung over her features. His mouth opened and closed for seconds before he could muster up something to say, "I-what? What's wrong?"
Malia said nothing as she roughly let go of Charlie's wrists, standing to her feet and simply brushing past Charlie, oddly blank faced as she went to leave the vault.
Charlie's eyes caught sight of the paper that he had heard being opened and he threw himself to his feet, chasing after Malia, "Malia, please, wait! I meant to tell you-" he tried to grab her, but Malia whirled around, lunging forward just enough to scare Charlie into cowering away, covering his face.
Malia's eyes softened in their narrow gaze at the utterly vulnerable look Charlie held to his face, but she remembered what he did to her, and she turned away from him again, stomping from the basement.
"Charlie..." Scott trailed off, holding Kira safely in his arms.
Charlie let his hands fall from his face, his head slowly lifting to look at Scott, "Did you put that in my hoodie, Scott?"
Scott's eyes widened in surprise at the accusation, "What? No!" He denied.
"Scott," Charlie croaked, tears welling in his eyes as he felt his world come crashing down, "when? When did you give this to me?"
Scott licked his lips, his face falling as he let out a sigh, "I thought you'd wanna see that your name was on the list, so I found one of your hoodies in your locker and put the list in there so you would see it," he explained. "I didn't do this on purpose I-"
Charlie sniffled, roughly wiping his face, "You ruined this, Scott. This-she was the first girl that I-" Charlie shook his head, covering his face with his hands stressfully.
"Hey, man, its okay-" Stiles went to lay a hand on Charlie's shoulder, but Charlie slapped it away.
"Its not okay, Stiles!" Charlie yelled. "Its okay to you because at the end of the day you and Scott still have someone, but I am left with nothing because you ruined it!" Charlie cried. "And-and all these secrets you've been keeping from me.."
Scott and Stiles shared a look and Kira let her eyes fall as Charlie nodded, "Yeah, Scott, for someone really wanting me to tell Malia the truth, you seem to have a hard time doing that yourself," Charlie crumpled the dead pool in his hands, throwing it at Scott's chest before storming away.
<>
"Charlie? Oh my God- Charlie!"
Charlie looked up to see his aunt rushing to him in her work uniform. Charlie froze as he made it outside the school, not being able to relish in the fresh air as he saw his hoodie suddenly thrown against the hood of his car. Sophie took Charlie in her arms, ignoring the blood on him as she gripped the back of his neck, brushing the ruffled hair down.
"She left me," Charlie muttered.
Sophie slowly pulled away, resting her hands on his shoulders, "What?"
Charlie peeled his eyes from his car, meeting his aunt's gaze, "Malia, she's gone," he said.
"What happened?"
"Me," Charlie sniffled loudly as he looked to the floor before looking back up, "me, aunt Sophie," Charlie cried.
<>
A/N:
I put a lot of gifs in here bc you guys deserved the best chapter I could get out!
This took me almost a week to write, so I hope you all enjoyed it!
Until next time, everyone!