Out Here Belongs To Me (Jack Lex)

As bad as it sounds Charlie was very pleased to finally have Fish somewhere safe and in the district, it was no longer on her hands if something happened. The last thing that she needed was for her to end up with her Father, or without a tongue in the capitol. A brutal shiver went down Charlie's spine at the thought of that, being forced to follow directions day in and day out by horrible people. Let alone the fact she'd be handing over the control to the second oldest Elias, and that was not going to happen on her watch. That'd be too easy for Elias, he'd have to really work to tear such a responsibility from his big sister. For the first time ever Charlie finally realized the care she had for her younger siblings, knowing it was her one and only job to make sure they were all good; even Elias and Heather.

Of course everyone was asleep by the time Charlie returned home, which was actually a good thing on account the sun was just beginning to peak out of the horizon as she unlocked the door. If she was lucky Jaime won't be waking her up to escort all the younger ones to school, hopefully it was the weekend or something of the sort. Slicing the meat into small pieces and wrapping it up for safe keeping Charlie placed her game in the fridge right in the very front so everyone knew what breakfast was going to be. She of course wasn't going to prepare it any further, but she caught the thing anyways, someone else could cook it...right? Once everything was good Charlie grabbed her first chance to crash, even if it meant only for a nap.

The mouth-watering smell of meat cooking awoke Charlie, the sun now high in the sky, and household filled with noises. It toke two seconds for her to slip on some clothing and get downstairs. "Smells good." Charlie compliment to her younger brother Jaime on his cooking, it figures it'd be him. The younger children were all around the house playing, and who knew where Elias and Heather were. "Is it Saturday?" Charlie asked her assumption, it's not like everyone would decide to skip on the same day.

"Sunday." Jaime corrected placing the cooked fox evenly among the nine plates all set up, with half a potato and some veggies already occupying the plates.

"Mm." Charlie couldn't help when taking a bite into the juicy meat. "Celebrating?" Was her second question, before remembering it's just lucky game.

"Just Sunday." Jaime told, beginning to bring the plates over to the table two at a time. Of course Charlie quickly joined in on helping, soon enough the table was set and all nine siblings were around the table eating.

There was small chit-chat as always, several conversations floating around as everyone filled there stomach. "Haven't done this since Dr. Smith left." Charlie commented suddenly, leaving the whole table to fall to a hush. She certainly wasn't expecting that, but then again everyone had avoided the subject until now.

"Why do you have to ruin everything?" Elias questioned with a harsh look, the same kind of expression Dr. Smith was famous for.

"You mean Father." Heather of course scolded that part, she had to be the one most effected by his absents. Even being the third oldest Heather had to be the closest one to Dr. Smith, crying more over what had happened then the baby of the household.

"You guys are ridiculous." Charlie cut-in, rolling her eyes and scratching her chair across the wooden floor as she couldn't sit at the table any longer. "I'm taking it to go, thanks Jaime, enjoy lunch everyone." She didn't even bother hearing any objections, but then again there wasn't any. Only the older ones had anything to say, the ones that actually enjoyed Charlie's company-the younger ones- to intimidated to speak.

"Thanks for getting it for us." Jaime showed his appreciation, not bothering to convince Charlie to stay, it was pointless with the duo of Elias and Heather. Before either of them had anything else to say Charlie packaged some of the lunch and left the door swinging behind her. Certainly by now the Fish guy had to be starving.

There was no need to Charlie to stay in the household today at least, she needed to get away for a few hours and get her mind off of things. Maybe Fish will be up to going out, or if anything she'll check on him and then go out to a bar or something solo. If there was any chance of getting him out of the cabin he'd need help with his injury, except that Charlie had no clue what was wrong with him. She didn't even bother to ask. The only thing she could thing of would be some pain-killers, so she brought along that to. After all food and pills was too nice of an offer, if Charlie helped anymore she'd have to take away the comment about having no heart.

After a double knock Charlie let herself in, after-all it was neither of their cabin, but she didn't want to have him startled again. "I brought you some food." Charlie didn't even bother with a greeting, but dropped the bag on the table. Laying everything out as if she had OCD, Charlie grabbed a slice of the meat and dug in herself. "To share, I haven't eaten yet." She informed, figuring it wouldn't be a problem on account a good portion of food laid in front of her.

Remembering her second offerings Charlie dug into her secret pocket that was on the inside of her boots; the one that kept the valuables of money and pills. She wiggled her fingers around until having a grasp on every pill that laid in there. "Shit." Charlie muttered laying all of the round blue pills next the food, the seven identical pills. She knew that she only grabbed three, meaning that four of them were something much stronger then pain-killers. "I kind of mixed them up with my fun pills though." She explained, examining them to see if she could spot any differences. "They make them identical so that if a peacekeeper catches you he assumes it's legal medicine." As far as Charlie's vision could tell there was absolutely no way of extinguishing all the pills a part.

"Yeah, dig in." Charlie assures, a bit baffled because the first thing she started off with was that she brought Fish some food...maybe the lack of a greeting confused it, or Fish was just foggy. She couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the thought of how confusing she was in general; claiming to not have a heart but doing all this. Was it possible to be heartless but still kinder then the capitol freaks? Their citizens consume all they want and desire before leaving their scraps for the lower class, as they already do on a daily basis.

A light blush fell over Charlie's cheeks as Fish questioned her title of Fun Pills. He wasn't from this district so how would he understand the code words anyways...still she couldn't help but fill slightly embarrassed off the silly name, it toke no time for Charlie to cover it up though. "Like Acid?" Charlie informed though it had a hint of being a rhetorical question, something to counter-act Fish's question. Finally he understands which clears the air of whether where ever he came from also had hallucinogens. After all District Six was the district of scientist, who knows if it was the only place smart enough to form such an escape.

"Exactly." Charlie agreed with Fish's statement of being lucky and unlucky, it wasn't unlucky for everyone to consume a drug that makes you trip. "They help me whenever I get badly injured, not sure if you're the type..." She tried to get a better understand of this guy she was helping, the one that figured the nickname Fish would be a better alternative then a simple first name. "Whatever you wanna do." Charlie offered, placing down one that she was examining.

The light eyes dart over to the door that Fish points to; the one she told not to go in. Why would he question it? "You know curiosity killed the cat." Charlie suggested, pulling her eyes from the stupid door. Only one time had she ever been down there, one and only for that matter to. She was very young, but the rebel personality had already kicked in. Exploring was her favorite thing to do, and what better place would be then the cabin her Father forbidden anyone to go into. The first to catch her attention; the large wooden door that led to the basement.

Down there was a young, beautiful girl who had to be no older then twenty and possibly even younger. She was being held hostage down there, along with her giant stomach that would soon be the youngest son of the Smith family and the smartest of them all. There was no explanation given before Dr. Smith intruded and was completely furious with his daughter, yanking her upstairs to feed her some lie about why she was down there. It wasn't until recently that Charlie had learned that the beautiful pregnant women never made it after the birth of her son. None of their mom's did.

"Not sure." Charlie finally answers after snapping out of her daydreaming. It wasn't a complete lie, it had been quite a few years since she was down there, and honestly nothing down there gave any signs of it's past events. Dr. Smith was certainly crazy, but he was very smart. "Just don't like the vibe." She gives some kind of explanation, pushing her food away due the lack of appetite that usually followed when thinking about the horrible things her father had done. "You go right ahead and find out. I don't want to be here, nor do I even want to know." She gave a bit of a harsh statement.

"So what's your plan for today at least?" Charlie felt the need to switch the conversation, and after all it was an important question.

From Fish's answer Charlie could tell that the supplement of Acid -or fun pills as she calls it- wasn't available, or maybe it was just not as known. Either way it didn't phase her at all on account that only meant more pills for later. "Touche." Charlie agreed with Fish being messed up enough already, she wasn't going to brag and convince him that it'll actually make him feel better. After all she needed to keep up her word of not having a heart. "More for me anyways." She joked, scooping up all the round blue pills and sticking them back into her boot pocket. The only time that she ever consumes fun pills alone is when Charlie's actually alone, it made her too out-of-control and taking her inability to have the coy ways she was built with.

It was almost a certain that Fish was showing is way of being concerned towards Charlie, trying to understand why she avoids the basement without actually knowing what happened. "I'm not worried." Charlie reassured with a small sarcastic chuckle. "I just don't want to be here or know for that matter." It was as simple as that. Maybe the child inside of Charlie was fearful of what was down there, the memories and past events that filled the room and seeped through the cracks of the door, as for the present Charlie though she needed to be strong.

At least Charlie was able to switch the conversation, hopefully stay away from it forever. There was a little bit of relating to having to stay in hiding but not really, at least enough for Charlie to have sympathy towards. Nearly every rebellious move she made she had to stay secretive and undercover, but never for long. "I can sort of relate." She attempted the empathy card, though her voice didn't sound sincere at all, it never did though.

Suddenly the need for water springs into Fish, like nothing else no longer matter. Now that Charlie could certainly relate to, then again anyone could on account water was the most vital thing for human life. It almost appears that Fish is slightly drunk while getting over to the front door, it was most likely from the lack of vision and headache he appeared to have. "Don't tell me you found the bar." Charlie couldn't help but joke as she followed Fish, not before grabbing a half-way filled water-bottle. "Here, this will last you until we can purify some water." She suggested, offering it before leading the way outside and to the back of the cabin.

While taking the short walking, Fish was curious about Charlie's situation, including why she was being this risky to help a stranger. "There's nothing you really need to know, and if there is you can just ask." Charlie offered a clear floor, if he wanted to know something he had to ask her straight up. "I'm not one to talk about myself." She felt the need to give a small explanation. "Are you stupid enough to get caught?" She questioned when he asked her if she was aware of how much danger she was in for hiding him.

"I figured." Charlie wasn't shocked at all when finding out the person she was stashing in her district was a fugitive. After all who else would be running away? Someone completely innocent. "Damn so does that mean you've been caught before, and there for probably going to again?" She couldn't help but spit out another joke as she picked up the bucket on the side of the wall and brought it over the tiny pond that occupied the back-yard so to say.

"Ever purify water before?" Scoping up a bucket full of water she went over to the bin -on the side of the house- which held a big hole on the top and a tiny one on the bottom. "Dr. Smith made this." She shared, pouring all of the water in the top hole, and placing the bucket on the bottom to collect water from the tiny hole. "It's sand, gravel, sand, gravel, sand." She attempted to explain. "It traps all the large bacteria you can't get just boiling the water, then you boil it to get rid of all the small ones." Was the best explanation she had, slowly the water ran through it's cycle, dripping into the bucket with a cleared coat.

Just because Charlie was giving a lesson on how to clean water didn't mean she was avoiding the previous conversation, and as the bucket was slowly but surely filling up, she toke it upon herself to return back to the conversation. "Well nobody knowing that you fled is a very good start." Charlie praised a bit, especially because she knew that her next few words were going to sound a bit harsh. "I know how to get away with things." She admitted, though it was entirely true. "Well for the most part, I at least know how not to get killed, or sent away." She left it at that for the sent away part, certainly Fish had to know she meant being sent to DC or worse turned to an Avox.

To share her tricks or to not share her tricks was the question. If Charlie explained how she was going to get away with it Fish could rat her out, or take in the knowledge and figure out a good excuse for himself as well. "Now see if you were caught, I just claim not to know you. Simple as that." Charlie shared her secret, hoping it didn't sound mean and/or rude. After all in this life you have to look out for yourself and yourself only. Well more importantly Charlie just wanted to look out for her younger siblings. "If we're caught together, I lie and say I assumed you were a District Six citizen." The alternative, though it was probably only making Charlie seem untrustworthy with how easily she could spill out a lie and convince everyone it's true.

The bucket was finally filled again, and Charlie toke it upon herself to grab it on account it didn't seem like Fish was in the best shape yet. "Lying doesn't keep you completely safe." Charlie felt the need to tell Fish, none of her crimes had gone unpunished even if she was able to get away with a lot. Not even lifting up the back of her shirt an inch two large scars permanently occupy Charlie's back, the end of them not even revealed on account whips are very long. "And there's a lot more." Charlie shared, almost sounding a little proud about the punishments that now will never leave her. She pulled out a large boiling pot, and poured the almost completely filter water into it. "But I'm not an Avox." Was the only truly good news she held from her story.

"Dr. Smith." Charlie answer Fish's question, her voice filled with pure coldness. Usually thinking first was a smart move, she could of lied and said she was smart enough to build this on her own but then again that would give him the expectation that she was actually smart. "The guy that uh..." She was trying to come up with a simple explanation, this Fish dude probably had no interest in knowing about Charlie and her past, not in the condition he was in anyways. "..lived here last. But don't worry he's not coming back." Now the only way that he'd have a connection is if Charlie shared her last name, but she couldn't remember that far. Now all she could do was note not to mention being a Smith herself.

Part of Charlie felt bad when Fish felt the need to defend himself, the other part a bit amused. "Well hey you got this far." She attempted to compliment, but given how he looks and must feel it wasn't a weak attempt. "Makes me very curious of this horrible act against the capitol you must of made." She actually admitted, after all she was pretty certain being straight forward with Fish would be the only way of getting information out of him.

It was kind of sweet to hear that Fish would also attempt to keep Charlie out of large, dangerous trouble...at least it sounded that way. Would the Capitol actually believe that Fish forced someone like Charlie to keep him save and hidden? Maybe if she didn't have the background and relationship with the local peacekeeper that she does. "If they don't believe my story they certainly won't believe you forced me. Me and keepers around here are super close." Yes another sarcastic comment flew from Charlie's mouth, all the peacekeepers knew who she was, none of them liked her to say the least.

As soon as it was clear that Fish was able to get a glimpse at Charlie's ugly scars she let go of her shirt to fall back into place. She had a love/hate relationship with the various ugly marks around her body; a sense of pride because of her rebellion and being ashamed on account in meant she actually got caught. "It did at one point." Charlie admitted. "Just sucks when all the girls go bikini shopping." Of course another sarcastic comment had to follow the truth.

As soon as the bubbles begin to emerge on top the purifying process is over and Fish has enough water to at least last him through tomorrow. Taking it off the burner to cool Charlie listens to what sounds to her like a compliment though no one else would take it that way. "Awe, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." Sarcasm and sincerity fought one another during that sentence. After all Charlie would make the worst Avox and would probably end up getting killed before the first week was over.

"Yeah, of course." Charlie agreed to keeping her ears open while around others, try to find out if anyone has any clue of what's going on here. "Let's stick with the first steps, you might not have to ditch." Charlie tried to calm Fish down a bit, with his inability to walk around the cabin clearly indicated he wouldn't make it more then a day trying to run. "You at least need to be able to actually run. You can hardly walk." She felt the need to comment, especially before any drastic decisions like going to the upper districts or ever the capitol was made. "Do you have any idea of where they think you are?" She asked hoping basic information would be enough to form a plan.

First things first though, and the number one most important thing was getting Fish back on his feat...without the need to take a break every few yards. "Luckily your in the District of Doctors." Charlie shared the good news. "Don't get your hopes up, I'm no where near smart enough to be a Doctor." She felt the need to clarify, she hardly knew how to clean up her younger brother after a fight. "If you'r okay with it I can ask my little bro to come take a look at you?" She offered, knowing that it was Fish's only chance.


((OOC: How would you feel about me asking someone to join in on the thread? Charlie actually has an active brother that is training to be a Doctor))

There wasn't much that Charlie knew about the other Districts, she's been beyond hers but never far enough to reach another one. The only information given was about the products they made, and one could figure out how they dressed and acted by the yearly Hunger Games. "It'd be between blending in with freaks or farmers." Charlie commented, after all the upper districts were filled with fashion and makeup when the lower just poverty. "You'd certainly blend in with the farmers more." She agreed to his best spot for after this District.

Finally some good news escaped from Fish's mouth, the possibility of where everyone believes he is. "That's a great." She said, sounding a bit excited. "Six feet under is exactly where your old persona needs to stay." She suggested, after all for someone to pull off there death must be running from something horrible. But unless he was noticed no one would be searching for him. "They'd already have both our tongues if someone was following you." Charlie commented, hopefully not sounding too harsh. But after all the keepers would of raided the place by now.

As much as Charlie hated the next suggestion she was going to make, if anything did happen Fish needed a hideout. "Down over there in the dungeon there's quite a few hideouts that Dr. Smith created." Charlie told, in-case he ever needed it. She really wanted to add that it was the only time Fish was allowed down there, but commanding people wasn't an enjoyment for Charlie, he could do anything he wanted.

A small chuckle came from Charlie's end when being questioned about her doctor brother. "He's almost sixteen." She didn't feel the need to lie, after all it was kind of Fish's best option. "He's smarter then any other Doctor I've ever met, and honestly your best and pretty much only option." She felt the need to add, but it was still in Fish's court, what ever he wanted to do. "A lot safer then scaring some doctor to fix you up while shaking from the gun on his head." She couldn't help but laugh again as she picture Fish forcing an older doctor to help him, using the forceful measure of a gun.

It was very interesting to hear Fish claim that the women in the upper district could never figure out that he wasn't an actual citizen, this guy must have been wondering for quite a while and ever before whatever had damaged him. Of course Charlie couldn't help but laugh once again, she understood what he meant, after all Fish didn't seem like the guy to sleep with men. "So you're a player it sounds like." Still laughter filled her voice, most girls would probably get offended over that but it just seemed like something to note down for Charlie. "I'll remember to keep you out of my bed." Her giggles were finally slowing down, after-all she was the rare type to only sleep with men without forming any emotions and only doing it once...most guys liked this while others didn't, it was surprising how many sensitive guys the Doctor District held.

Already Charlie had gotten to know Fish too far, it'd break her own rules to have any connections, and that made him stuck in the friend-zone. Didn't seem like he'd mind though, nor even capable. Snapping back to his conversation, she was a bit confused to hear that on their plates was living being once. Did they eat each other because it was so bad in the lower districts? "They eat each other?" Charlie asked, a bit jokingly on account she was almost certain that wasn't what Fish meant. Each district had a different unique ways of talking.

Thinking about all her run-ins with the peacekeepers, all the punishments, or hardly getting by was pretty much impossible, Charlie had lost count a while back. "Yeah they're pretty strict to." Charlie shared. "They want to protect their Doctors, and also because of how smart doctors can be." After all District Six was nearly the smartest District, filled with Doctors and Scientist. "And because they're at high risk of going insane." Her eyes were glued to the door that led down stairs, how her own Father went crazy before finding a way to have children. No wonder the peacekeepers were always on everyone's case.

Fish didn't sound at all interested in Charlie's suggested hiding-spot, but then again she had only been sharing weird things down there. "If you have peacekeepers banging at this door I bet you'll run down there." She respond with more sarcasm though it was completely true, hell she'd run down there right now if it was the choice between down there or loosing her tongue.

"You'd be surprised with how much they teach sixteen year olds now a days." Well Jaime wasn't quite sixteen yet, but he had skipped a few grades because of his intelligent mind. Looking closer at the two scars on his chest, at least he was lucky enough to have an opened wound anymore. "You got the bullets out right?" She questioned, though she was pretty sure that would of killed him by now if they were still floating around in his chest. "I'll tell him about it tomorrow." She promised, not wanting to return home until at least late tonight if not actually tomorrow. "Don't worry, the one thing i'm actually proud of is my younger Brother."