#charlotte breaking after she's supposed to almost bump into the captain when turning around (complete with cap head movements)

[jus-alilcomforblelad]

my favorite blooper? thanks for asking I think it's the one when fanny goes "ooaauuuhh prophylactic." and pat says "you what?" and fanny goes "a gentleman's sheath" and then ben breaks and jim looks at the camera like this.

[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.

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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

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