Ok so this is my first story and I'm new to writing fan fiction so this should be interesting. I hope you guys like it, cause I'm sorta making up the plot line as I go at the moment... but hey I'll figure it out. I'm also really busy, so my updating times will be a little wonky and maybe spread out. I'd love for any advice and reviews would help me a lot! Thanks for reading!

The bolded words in the story are in Russian, since I don't speak the language.

"RUN CHARLIE, RUN!" Yelled Tommy.

I stumbled over a stump, falling onto the hard ground below me. My shin dragged over a jagged rock and I could feel the sticky warm blood beginning to ooze from my leg.

"AHHGH!" I cried out in pain. I attempted to lift myself up off of the ground, but a sharp pain ran up my leg. Immediately I dropped back down. Looking ahead into the forest I saw figures approaching me. God, why did this have to happen? Why did we volunteer for this op? I closed my eyes, knowing death was inevitable and that there was no escape from my fate. They were getting closer and I could hear the pounding of their feet was becoming louder and louder.

Hopefully they'll kill me quickly, since I don't really want to have the full death experience of laying on the ground in a puddle of my own blood, moaning in pain. I was pulled away from my thoughts as someone pull me up.

"Come on I'm getting you out of this alive!" Yelled Tommy. I opened my eyes to see him firing at the enemy, which was pretty hopeless at this point. Although, he's pretty damn persistent on getting us out of here alive.

After finishing off as many enemies as possible, he jogged over to me and wrapped my arm around his neck. After narrowly dodging a bullet he picked me up and began to sprint in the opposite direction.

"Put me down! Save yourself and leave me. If one of us is going to survive it should be you!" The blood was rapidly pouring from my leg now, making me feel dizzy and lightheaded. I wasn't enjoying our situation one bit.

"Don't be so noble and shut up. What kind of brother would leave his sister to die in a forest filled with Russians? Here take this." He shoved a G18 into my shaking hands. "Don't miss." Tommy joked.

"No promises!" I yelled over the gun fire.

An explosion nearby threw Tommy off his feet, which brought me down with him. My body hit the ground with a thump and we rolled down a rocky hill. I felt my leg snap when it hit a bush on the way down.

"HOLY SHIT!" I screamed. The pain was unbearable now. I must have broken it, which makes my chances of getting out of here even slimmer.

Wait, where was Tommy? Panic began to set in as I looked around for my brother. Finally, I spotted him laying next to a rock. But my rapid heartbeat only picked up when I saw the blood streaming down the side of his head.

"Tommy? TOMMY?!" Oh God please don't let him be dead. I began to crawl over to him, using every bit of strength left in me. After I lightly slapped his cheeks a few times he began to move his head.

"Charlie? Where are you?" I finally reached him and grabbed his shoulder. Quickly he turned over, revealing a large and bloody cut on his forehead.

"You ok?" He said, placing a hand on my arm.

"Well I probably broke my leg...but yeah I am. You?"

"Fine I guess." I gave a weak smile, which fell into a frown when I heard Russian voices approaching us.

"Sir, I think I saw them go this way." The voice sounded like it belonged to a younger soldier.

"Remember comrades, we want them dead. Russia doesn't need anymore POW's." An older man yelled. Sounds of agreement rang out from the group.

"We should probably get going." Tommy sprang up and grabbed me by the waist, supporting my injured leg. Damn did it hurt. We continued running, well more like limping, away from the Russians who were getting closer by the minute.

"Charlotte..." Started Tommy. This must be serious since he never uses my full name.

"Yeah?" I answered through my clenched teeth.

"If I don't... If we don't make it, I just want you to know I love you. You're the best sister I could have asked for." I could hear them getting closer.

"Tommy we don't have time to be sentimental-"

"No seriously, I mean it. You're like a mother to me. You were always there for me and cared for me when Mom couldn't. I never thanked you for that."

"Well you can do that later. I think we're a little too busy at the moment to be worrying about stuff like that." I felt like I was fading.

"Sir, I see them!"

"Ptelvoisky shoot the man , he's stronger. He must die first." Fuck, why did I have to get hurt? Tommy could have gotten out of here if I hadn't broken my leg. This is all my fault...

"On my mark. One...Two...Mark."

I felt Tommy fall to the ground, soon I was crumpled up next to him.

"TOMMY!" Tears began to stream down my face. "Fuck...Tommy...It's ok...I've got you..." I whispered between sobs while applying pressure to his bleeding stomach.

"Charlotte...It's...no use...I...Love you..." He said silently. I laughed weakly as I held his hand. Tears began to fall down my face despite my attempt to hold them back.

"You just told me that..." I know that this wasn't the time for joking, but I needed to distract him from the blood pouring out of his stomach.

He smiled a bit, but went limp shortly after.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARDS KILLED HIM!" I shouted at the Russians. "WHY DON'T YOU FUCKING SHOOT ME TOO? JUST LIKE YOU DID TO HIM!"

They began to laugh. The older one raised his gun at me. I closed my eyes, preparing myself for the pain. I heard him fire, but never felt the bullet hit me. Confused, I opened my eyes. I didn't believe what I saw. The group of Russians began to fall left and right. An older looking man with a bowie hat and a gruff beard had shot the Russian soldier, who was about to do the same to me. A group of soldiers behind him had taken out the rest of the Russian squad. Some of them had a SAS patch on their arm. A large man with a Mohawk began to approach me. I began to back away with what little strength I had left.

"It's ok lass, I won't hurt you." He said with a heavy Scottish accent. "I'm Soap." I stopped and starred at him, tears still pouring down my cheeks. I could barley make out his figure through thanks to the water filling my eyes. My head had never hurt as badly as it did now.

"Who's the lad that was killed?" He asked.

"His name's Tommy, and he's my brother." I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and I slipped into an unconscious state.

5 years later

"Mummy look! I got a dolly!" Squealed my now three year old daughter Emma. Pink frosting was smeared all over her rosy cheeks. Some even ended up in her curly red hair.

"It even has a pet kitty!" My Grandfather winked at me.

"Honey, open up the big box in the corner." He said. Emma put down the pink plastic doll box and wobbled over to the wrapped surprise. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face. She began to rip open the paper with great force, piling it up on the floor next to her.

"Mummy, why did you get me a box with holes?" I chuckled and made my way over to the confused toddler. I knelt down and helped her open up the box.

"IT'S A KITTY!" She picked up the squealing kitten and began hugging it against her chest.

"You got her a kitten! You know very well that she's too young-" Began my grandmother.

"Oh hush up Mary! It won't hurt her! Besides, look at her face!" Said Gramps. She glanced at Emma and smiled at the young girl. As I was clearing the table for dinner, the phone began to ring.

"I'll get it Gran." I sprinted to the kitchen and picked up the blaring phone.

"Hello?" I was answered by a familiar Scottish voice.

"Charlie, it's Soap. I'm afraid we're going to have to cut your leave short." It was my CO, as well as my closest friend.

"What happened? Is everything alright?" I tried to hide the urgency in my voice, but apparently didn't do a very good job of it.

He chuckled. "Don't worry everything's fine. Shepard's just being an ass again. He wants you to be here to help train the new recruits."

"When did we get new recruits?" The TF 141 hasn't received new recruits in months. There was a pause.

"...Tomorrow..." Soap said cautiously. I almost lost it, but remembered that I was in the presence of my Grandparents and three year old.

"How the hell am I suppose to get to the base by tomorrow?" I whispered into the phone so my family couldn't hear me.

"Don't worry I've sent Nikolai to meet you. And how was Emma's birthday party?"

"I can't give you the full description since we're having it now." My voice still sounded slightly annoyed.

"Oh sorry. You can tell me when you get here." He replied.

"Tell Ghost I said hi. Bye Soap." I hung up the phone. God, how was I suppose to tell Emma I was leaving tomorrow?

"Mummy look at me!" I turned around and saw my daughter dancing in the pink tutu and tiara that Soap and Ghost had sent her. Her green eyes were shinning and she wore a giant grin as she danced with her kitten. How was I supposed to leave her so soon?

"What do you mean you're leaving? You only got here last week!" Gran said angrily as she was picking up the wrapping paper from this afternoon.

"I have to go back, the General wants-" I started.

"It's always the General! If I ever meet that man I'm going to tell him what I think of him! And do you have to have your gun on you at all times? It's very unnerving." I rolled my eyes. Gran continued to mumble to herself until Gramps spoke up.

"You do what you need to do Charlotte. We'll watch after Emma." He placed a shaking hand on mine and flashed me a smile on his wrinkled face.

"Thanks Gramps. I'm going to go tuck in Emma then go to bed. Night." I made my way up the creaky staircase to Emma's room at the end of the narrow hallway.

"Emma?" I opened the door and found the little girl cuddling her calico kitten. Her head perked up. She smiled, but then noticed my upset expression. "Mummy, why do you look sad?" I sighed.

"I have to go back to work tomorrow sweetie. I'm sorry." Her beautiful face suddenly became soaked with tears. I began to hug her, holding back tears of my own. After about 15 minuets her sobs finally subsided and she fell asleep in my arms. I decided to stay with her for the night, never wanting to let my baby go.

I was about to drift off to sleep at about ten o'clock, but I sprang up when I heard yelling from the living room. It wasn't Gran and Gramps usual bickering. No, it was something foreign.

"Stay away from him!" Yelled Gran.

"So brave for such an old women."

Two shots were fired and I heard her scream. Emma sprang up from her sleep.

"Mummy...what's happening? I'm- I'm scared..." Emma squeezed my waist.

"It's ok, everything will be alright." I stroked her hair as I retrieved the pistol from my holster. "Stay here and be quiet." She nodded and I left her room.

"Go check upstairs. Kill anyone you see." The voices were getting closer. I hid behind the wardrobe near the stairs, waiting for the Russian to walk by.

As the soldier passed me I pulled my knife out of my belt and placed my hand over his mouth so his screams couldn't be heard. With a quick movement I slashed his throat. Goodnight,I thought. Slowly I made my way downstairs, watching for the creaky steps. My pistol was pointed at the head of one of the soldiers. I pulled the trigger and he fell to the ground. The other turned around and I put a bullet in his brain.

"Charlotte?" Gramps called weakly. I ran over to him laying in a pool of blood next to Gran. A tear ran down my cheek.

"It's ok Gramps, you'll be fine!" I held his hand.

"Get out of here. Get Emma and go. Be a good girl." He closed his eyes.

Not Gramps too. No, no, no...

I heard more gunshots outside. Quickly I wiped the tears from my face and ran upstairs, practically bursting into the little girl's room.

"Emma, we need to leave now. Don't open your eyes until I say so, ok?" She closed them immediately.I grabbed her and hurried to the garage. I opened the door and strapped Emma into her car seat.

"We're going for a ride ok? Keep them closed!" I sped out of the driveway onto the street, which was cluttered with debris and bodies. The roads were crowded with cars.

Russians were everywhere.

How are we going to get out of this? Moments later I felt my pocket vibrate, eventually hearing my cell phone began to ring.

"Hello?" I said, narrowly avoided a falling piece of metal.

"Would you like a ride, Charlie?" Thank God, it was Nikolai!

"Yes! Wait, you weren't suppose to come until tomorrow! What's going on?"

"I'll explain it to you when we get to the base. Meet you in 5 minuets on the freeway." He replied.

"THE FREEWAY WILL BE FUCKING PACKED!" I yelled, forgetting there was a child in the backseat.

"Don't worry just be there!" He hung up. Yup, we're screwed...

I continued to drive towards the freeway. The traffic was terrible and the whole thing seemed like it was going to fall apart, but I still sped through the masses of cars. Emma began to whimper.

"It's ok we'll be there soon hun." I check the mirror. Her eyes were still closed.

A chopper flew overhead and landed over the side of the freeway. I could see Nikolai in the pilot's seat.

"That's our ride." Swiftly I pulled over and opened my door, then retrieved Emma from the back seat. I threw her over my shoulder and weaved through the rows of cars.

"Now keep your eyes closed!" I yelled to the shaking three year old over the roar of the wings. Quickly, I jumped into the chopper.

"Hello comrade!" Nikolai said as we took off. I returned the greeting and sat down on the floor in the back.

"Can I open them yet?" Asked Emma. I chuckled. "Yes you can." She opened them, her green eyes glanced around the chopper, then they began to spill over with tears. I held her tightly for the rest of the ride to the base.

As I was chatting with Nikolai, I heard a soft meow come from Emma's pocket.

"What was that?" I asked her.

"I brought the Kitty!" She exclaimed. I couldn't help but smile at her. She was just like her uncle.