The Great Unknown

Here with Me - REO Speedwagon

*

"Excuse me?" She asked looking at him in shock.

"What's your secret, how did you grow up with a brother and not kill him?" He asked, his annoyance with Luther clear in his tone. Charlotte chuckled covering her sign of relief.

"Oh um," She thought for a moment tucking her hair behind her ear and clearing her throat. "Well, it helps I only see him once a week." She joked. Klaus gave a small laugh but then laid back on to his bed. As he stared up at his ceiling he swayed his foot to some random tune clearly oblivious to the near panic attack Charlotte had just almost had.

"Can't wait to get out of here," Klaus mumbled dragging his hands down his face.

"Honestly though," She continued. "James has always had my back. In his own annoying way, he's always protected and supported me." She said as a sorrowful memory crossed her mind.

September 7, 2001

It was a bright sunny fall day, the trees were filled with a wonder of warm colors that shined brightly with the sun, a soft breeze played through the branches causing a soft rustle. Charlotte, James, and their mother stood. The three stood with their feet planted to the ground as they stared down at the fresh grave. Not a single one able to utter a word, they had been like that for almost two hours now. The funeral was lovely, family and friends all saying kind words, but the trio couldn't bring themselves to leave to join the others for lunch. They stood a few feet apart from one another. Eleanor wrapped herself in her scarf, not because of the brisk fall air but because the thick fabric still smelled like him. James stood tall with his hands deep in his front pockets, his gaze was hard on the name pressed into the grey stone. Charlotte's eyes lingered over the flowers that people had left for him, one arm wrapped around her waist while the other was over her chest as she bit at her fingernails. The three all in their own worlds forgetting about the others.

"Mom," The twelve-year-old boy's voice croaked out. He hadn't cried the whole day, at least not in front of anyone, but as he called to his mother it was clear a tidal wave waited behind his brown eyes. His mother didn't respond, she didn't even react to his call.

"James," Charlotte whispered out reaching out for her brother. Her small hands clasped around his jacket sleeve, the black fabric was yanked out of her grasp as the twelve-year-old step towards his mother.

"Mom." James' voice was now stern and demanding but yet again his mother didn't react. The young boy's eyes were brimming with tears as his begging calls for his mom went unnoticed. Eleanor deep in her own thoughts, the way her husband smiled, the soft curl of his hair.

"James," his sister called as tears formed in her brown eyes. Her brother didn't respond instead he stepped closer to his mother grabbing her arm and shaking her with all his twelve-year-old might.

"Mom!" He yelled loudly, his cry echoing around the empty graveyard but still, his mother didn't respond, tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the spot her husband now laid. Charlotte walked over pulling him off with all her might.

"James!" She yelled grabbing his attention. There was a moment of silence again before James wrapped his arms around his sister pulling her into a hug as the boy cried. She wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back as she cried silently along with him. "We need to leave." She whispered and the two twins walked away together. Charlotte looked over her shoulder to watch her mother drop to her knees and bury her head in her hands.

Current Day

Charlotte pushed herself off the mattress finding that she had fallen asleep at some point and that she was now alone in Klaus' room. She sat up, placing her feet on the floor she found that she was no longer wearing her shoes, she glanced around the room searching for them but when she couldn't find them she stood up and stretched.