Charles Donoghue ran a hand through his hair as he let his leg hang off the edge of the bed. He licked his lips as he stared at his prosthetic that was propped against the nightstand. He grasped the leather strap and dragged it over to start putting it on. Charlie knew the leg was so he can better his life but he can't help but resent it, he sees the look of pity on people's faces. A few people have even come up to him and thanked him for his service and by the time Charlie finds the words to explain, they're already gone.

The truth is much more heartbreaking, it was back in Ireland 8 years ago. Charlie had risked everything when one of his classmates showed an interest in him. He doubted it for a moment, knowing that if Charlie was wrong and the kid was pranking him then Charlie could be sent to jail, or worse. The classmate led Charlie to the alley for protection and they started to kiss when they heard a yell. It turned out to be the classmate's older brother picking him up from school on his way home from work. The brother saw red and pulled Charlie off of his younger brother, he kept punching Charlie violently, and when Charlie could barely breathe the older brother got off of 16-year-old Charlie, he remembers taking a giant gulp of air thinking it was over when the brother had grabbed a nearby trashcan lid and slammed it over Charlie's leg, almost slicing it completely in two but they couldn't save it.

Charlie blinked quickly to get rid of the memories, he was beginning to get deeper into his memories and he needed to stop before he got to the moment his parents rushed into the hospital room. He unbuckled the leather strap and started to wrap it around his waist, he smoothed his nightshirt over before he moved the prosthetic over his stump, and he winced as the wood dug into his skin. He hadn't even stood up on it yet, which he knows would hurt even more. Charlie closed his eyes as he carefully lifted himself using the nightstand as leverage. He had to bite his lip so as to not cry out and alert anyone that he was getting out of bed himself.

"Oh Darling, why didn't you call me? I could've helped you." Charlie's sweet Mother, Shannon protested as she quickly stood next to Charlie so he could use her for leverage. Charlie rolled his eyes gently as he let off the nightstand when he was ready. "Mum, I'm fine. I need to learn to do these things myself." Charlie was beginning to feel like a broken record having to explain this to his family many times before. Shannon tutted before she slowly started to walk out of the room, Charlie knew it was so she could be close enough if he fell but Charlie pushed through, he had to if he ever wanted to move away from his family, he's already caused them enough pain because they had to pack up their lives when he was 18 and move from the only home they've known, the family farm in Ireland.

Now all of their lives look very different, instead of the farmer he once was, Charlie's Father Theodore works at a pharmacy, while Shannon is a librarian. Luckily things haven't changed much for Charlie's little sister Amelia, she's a babysitter whenever she isn't going to the all-girl catholic school their parents enrolled her in. Charlie limped into the kitchen and pulled out one of the dining chairs to sit at, the plastic seat squeaking as he sat down. "Father already at work?" Charlie questioned as he pushed his sleep pants over his knee so he could rub where the wood was rubbing him as he walked. "Yes, he is. Amelia is at school and I have work in about 30 minutes. Will be okay here by yourself?" Shannon raised a questioning eyebrow as she wiped her hands on the apron that was around her waist from where she was cooking breakfast.

"Yes Mother, I will be fine." Charlie gave Shannon a soft smile, she looked at him suspiciously. "Charles, we only want to keep you safe. Okay?" Shannon walked over and sat down his plate of breakfast before grabbing his chin and giving a gentle squeeze. "I know, and I appreciate it." Charlie was grateful for his parents, he expected when they found out about his homosexuality they would turn him in, instead, they haven't brought it up, at all and Charlie hasn't tried. He knows that silence is better than the alternative.

He dug into his food while he was his Mother stepped into His Father's and Her's bedroom shutting the door softly behind her. Charlie wasn't in the habit of staying put when his Mother told him to, he knew why they wanted him to take it easy but Charlie wasn't like that, which is why he had plans with James Barnes and Steve Rogers today, his two and only friends in New York, and Charlie is okay with that because two best friends are better than none, at least for Charlie.