Work Text:
Charlie heaved as he grabbed the ledge of the boat, holding himself above the water as he gasped for breath. He pulled himself up and rolled over onto his back. Until it clicked.
“Hey, Tubbo? What the fuck do you mean we're in blast range?” He looked over and just barely saw Tubbo turning the corner. He looked the other way, over at the beach. There was no sign of anyone else coming.
He felt his communicator buzz on his wrist. He ignored it in favor of catching up to Tubbo. Or rather try to. He had never been on this boat before, okay? It was really easy to get lost.
He found himself in the Captain's quarters. Whatever you'd call this place. The control room. He let himself fall into the seat. He leaned forward, propping his elbows up on the desk when the ground shook and a loud thud was heard. Ah, shit. That must've been what Tubbo had met.
He quickly stood up, glancing out the doorway to see the crater in the beach just behind the boat. A repeated string of swear words left his mouth as he ran over to the control panel. He picked up the intercom as he began presses buttons and flipping switches.
“What do you- what do you say about an early departure, huh?” He stumbled over his words and let the com fall from his hand to press more buttons. Nothing fucking worked. Why the hell was nothing working!?
Charlie brought his wrist up to type something into his communicator while rushing back towards the back of the boat. He had completely forgotten. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have been so stupid, stupid, stupid!?
Roier was calling out for Cellbit, typing away at his communicator with watery eyes. Baghera had sent a message saying she refuses to leave her daughter behind. Etoiles had said he had Richas but died moments after. Phil and Roier were the only two here. Jaiden, Foolish, Carre… they weren't going to make it.
He'd been so caught up in getting back to JuanaFlippa that he'd forgotten about all of his friends. The ones that he fought through thick and thin with. The ones that burned themselves alive with him when things got too tough. Subconsciously, a hand reached to his left side to trace over a burn scar that had yet to heal despite his various respawns.
“They're not gonna make it…” He hears Phil say. It seems like he's already come to terms with it. He sounds absolutely devastated, sure, but Phil… Well, he's Phil. He knew it wasn't going to be this easy.
But something about what Roier whispers sets off alarm bells in his head. “Cellbit, please.” He sounds so broken. Charlie knows Roier and Cellbit were perfect for each other. They were attached at each other's hips and couldn't live without each other.
And he's reminded of Mariana.
The stupid smile constantly thrown his way because they always managed to make each other laugh. The brown eyes he gets lost in because despite everything he can still feel the comfort in them. Soft lips on his own in the middle of the night and waking up the next morning with his taste on his lips.
Something in Charlie, if there was anything left, breaks. It shatters into thousands of pieces and his mind zeros in on one singular thought.
He can't lose him again.
Despite this, despite everything. The court case, the murder, the sex, all of it. Fuck it. He doesn't care. It won't matter anymore if the only time he's reminded of it is when he's sitting in front of a grave with their daughter in the backyard. He can't do this again. He just got him back. He can't do this to him.
He only has half a thought to text him before begging Tubbo for his base coordinates. He waits the most agonizing 5 seconds of his life for a response. He tries to trick himself into seeing the three little dots pop up, the typing indicator, but he gets nothing. There's nothing but the taunting ‘delivered’ beneath his message.
Something in him tells him that asking Tubbo is a waste of time. He eyeballs Phil beside Tubbo and he agrees. Phil would never let him leave the boat. Which, fair. He probably just lost his children. But Charlie's already been there and he's not about to lose his wife.
He makes a break for it. He sprints down the few steps, nearly face planting into the water, and tries to make his way to the shore. The water is just as freezing as before but he pays no mind. He pushes himself through the water as fast as he can. Water seeps through the edges of the gas mask and he doesn't care. He sputters and coughs as he breaches the surface for air, clawing at the shore and lifting his mask to let the water drain out.
Charlie only manages to get one foot on the sand when someone starts pulling him back. “Charlie, you can't!” Phil. Nails as sharp as talons dig into his arm as his body hits the water. He thrashes and flails in the water to no avail.
“Let me go!” He tries and only gets a mouthful of water as he goes under. Water splashes around him as he tries to break free and kick Phil away. Curse Phil and being a good parent.
He's brought back onto the deck and cherishes the way the edge of the deck digs into his back as he's dragged. If only it hurt enough to kill. “Charlie, what are you doing!?” Tubbo all but yells at him. He knows Tubbo’s stressed but the kid could at least try and calm down.
Charlie twists his arms around, Phil’s grip coming loose as he rushes over to the edge of the boat once more. “Fit!” He hears Phil yell and before he knows it calloused hands are pulling him back from the railing.
“Let me go!” He cries, tears slipping from his eyes. He tries to twist his arms again but Fit’s grip is too tight. He thrashes and moves towards the edge but only manages to nearly fall if not for Fit.
“Charlie, Charlie, calm down!” Fit says and Phil grabs him as well. Phil standing in front of him, hands on his shoulders. That doesn't stop Charlie from trying.
He twists and he shifts and he hears Fit hiss as the code on one arm flares up, sending a cold shiver up his arm. “Mariana!” He cries out. His voice was drowned out by another meteor striking somewhere in the distance. Charlie catches a glance of Phil’s communicator and sees final goodbyes of other islanders. Other teammates. Other friends.
“Please-” He chokes out, “Let me go! Mariana!” His eyes darted over to Tubbo, “Tubbo, you have to help me-” Tears drip onto his glasses.
Tubbo locks eyes with him for less than a second. Blue-green eyes tainted by war and death and betrayal meet the green eyes of someone who has lost so much and is desperate for that one final piece he has left to hang onto. He never got to know Tubbo much. But he knows Tubbo wouldn't just betray him like that.
Tubbo looks away.
“Tubbo-” He coughs and his head falls, tears blurring his view. His body shakes and his knees give out. By now, he's being supported only by Fit as Phil went over to console Roier. Charlie chooses to ignore that part.
“Mariana!” He screams as Fit helps lower him to the ground. He reaches forward, clawing for purchase other than ground. Tears stain his face and mix into the blood and dirt caked there. “Please! I can't do this without you… I've already lost Flippa… Not you too, not you too.” He pleads.
“It's okay, it's okay.” Fit tries while he tries his best not to think of his own person he's lost. “We have each other.”
“But I don't have him. Flippa doesn't have him.” Charlie replies as he's quieted down, defeated. “I can't, I can't, I can't-” he whispers, banging his head into the deck.
“Why?” He asks no one in particular, yelling at the sky as another wave of tears drips onto the floor. “Why me? Why him? Why can't we just be happy!?” He cries and chokes and sobs. His face is red and his chest hurts as he heaves.
“Is that too much to ask for!?” His voice scratches his throat and he feels the bile rise in his throat when the boat begins to move. He scrambles to his feet, arms grasping the railing. Fit stands behind him, ready to pull him back if need be.
“No! No, no, no, no!” He screams, “No! Mariana!” He can hear Roier, somewhere to the side, screaming for Cellbit as well. “Mariana!”
Charlie collapses on the deck, head on his knees. The island burns behind them as they sail away. The ground shakes and water thrashes as the bomb detonates. Charlie doesn't look back but he can smell the smoke and hears the whimpers of Tubbo as it all goes up in flames.
Their friends.
Their family.
Their children.
Mariana.
Oh, Mariana…
Gone.