Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It's been ten years since my son Charlie was last seen. Disappeared with no trace or anything at all.

"Dad, I'm gonna go out right now ! Quackity's waiting for me at the café. Gonna study there for our exam."

I could still remember that day vividly. I wondered if I had stopped him from going. Would he still be here? With us? 

"I will be back, Dad. just before dinner, I promise. I have to go now! Love you Dad! See you later! "

I've waited for him to come back home that day. He didn't came home. I called him. He didn't answered. I called again and again and again. Until I decided that I should call Quackity if he's still with him.

The number you dialed isn't available at the moment. Please try again later.

The number you dialed isn't available at the moment. Please try again later.

The number you dialed isn't available at the moment. Please try again later.

-

"Good evening Quackity, I just want to ask if Charlie is with you rignt now? "

"Oh, Good evening too Mr. Philza. No, Charlie isn't with me right now. We were supposed to study at the café together earlier. But...he didn't came to the café. I tried calling him but he didn't pick up. It says his line is busy somethin' like that."

" Huh? But he left earlier to go at the café. He said he was gonna go there to study the exams with you. That's why I'm calling you whether you're with him or not. 'Cause he hasn't come back home for 7 hours now."

"What? Did you try calling him, Mr. Philza?"

" Yes, I did. Several times already. Yet, he hasn't answered any of my calls. Are you sure he isn't with you?" 

" Mr. Philza, I am sure that Charlie isn't here with me. As I said, he didn't came to the café either."

" If he's not with you. Where is he then?"

" I don't know, Mr. Philza. Maybe he's with Mariana?"

" Mariana? Do you think he could be there? "

" I don't know. Maybe? I could try calling Mariana if Charlie's with him or not."

" That would be helpful. Thank you, Quackity. Please call me if he's with him or any updates."

" No problem, Mr, Philza. I will call you later once I have called Mariana."

After I called almost everyone that might know where my son is. To my prevail, no one knows Charlie's whereabouts. Not even his siblings knows where he was. 

The next day came. And Charlie was still missing. I had decided to go at the police station to file a missing person case. Once, I got there. 

I've told the police everything as I can. They'd said that they will start looking for my son. After that day, they have started their investigation and started looking for him.

They have went to our house, neighbors, and some places where he was last seen. Yet, they couldn't find him. It was as if he just simply disappeared of out nowhere. 

And later on, we started putting missing posters around the neighborhood and outside of our town. But even after we've done that. There was still no clue nor a trace where he went...He was still missing.

Three months later, I had received a call from the police station. Saying that they've found a CCTV footage where Charlie my son was last seen. Of course, I went there immediately as fast as I could.

When I got there, they led me to a room where they show me the footage. In that footage, I saw my son right there just walking at the sidewalk. Then he stopped and turned around slowly. 

I was confused why he had stopped. Only then, a tall figure walked forward to Charlie. I didn't see his face as the footage showed his back only- until he walked over to Charlies side. Only then, we saw his face. It was Mariana; Charlie's boyfriend. They seemed to have a short conversation there. Then after that, Mariana left but Charlie followed Mariana. It seemed like they were going somewhere. 

Then that was the last time the footage saw Charlie. 

After I have seen the footage. My thoughts that time was that Mariana lied to Quackity and me. He was with Charlie. My son was with him. I was fuming in disappointment and anger. Mariana had said that Charlie wasn't with him. Yet, the CCTV showed that they were together. 

I needed to go at Mariana's place and asked him everything. The police had beaten me to it. They had told me that Detective Santos had already went there and that he should be back now. 

Yet, I remember how I stubbornly said I will still go there, and almost did. Not until Detective Santos came before I left to go at Mariana's place. 

When I saw him- I immediately asked him of what did he find. Did he find my son? Was Charlie there? Every racing thoughts was coming to my mind like an earthquake. 

Detective Santos had calmed me down and told me the details. He didn't find my son. Charlie wasn't there. Apparently, Charlie helped Mariana to carry his stuff to his truck as he was moving into another place. And Charlie was with him by 30 mins. He told me that they even searched at his apartment. Yet, no signs of Charlie was there. But it still doesn't explain why Mariana hadn't told us about it nor why Charlie never came back home. 

After that event, police still tried to find Charlie. Yet, no signs of Charlie again. Days, weeks, and months- they still haven't found him. And eventually months turns to years. 

10 years. Yet, my own son is still missing. Everyday, we waited- hoping that he comes home; back to us. Our family was never the same. We endured pain and grief together. We can never find peace until we see our Charlie again.

Then at July 23rd of 2016. I have received a call from Detective Santos. 

"Hello, Good afternoon Mr. Philza. This is Detective Santos from the Police Station."

The normal authority voice that he uses every time seemed a bit different, I noticed. It seems stiff and there's something more that I can't pinpoint out.

"Good afternoon too, Detective Santos. Why did you call today? Is there an update of my son?", I greeted him back too- and asked him if there was any update. A wave of nervousness shocks me out of nowhere. I did not like the feeling of this call. Whatever it is, I prayed that it is a good one. 

" Yes, I have an update regarding to your son, Mr. Philza. But it would be best if you would come here instead."

" Why is that? Why can't you tell me right now?", I asked to him in worry and confuse. The nervous feeling seems to get worse. I don't like this feeling.

" Mr. philza, It would be better if you'd come right now. We will tell you everything, once you're here."

" All right, I will go there right now. ASAP.", I said- as I knew that they wouldn't tell me in the phone for I know that it is really important. Yet, the feeling I had seemed to get worse. 

I ended the call before he can even say anything. I immediately moved- Get the keys and go to the Police Station. I grabbed the keys from the kitchen countertop and immediately going for the door- until I was stopped by my eldest daughter Baghera. ( Baghera is my only child who stayed in our house. Other than Tommy)

" Where are you-"

" Get ready. Faster. We're Going to the Police Station. There's news about Charlie.", I said. As I cut her off before she could ask.

The look Baghera gave was a look of surprise and hope. Immediately getting her coat and her bag. And instantly, she was right beside him. Ready to go and prepared. I looked at her and she looked at me with a face of determination. That's when I knew we were ready to face what news they were gonna tell us. 

As we left the house. The feeling I had before grow worse.

-

We have arrived at the Police Station.

The officers saw us and proceeds to led us a room. They told us to wait there for Detective Santos.

And we did. We sat our chairs and waited 'til Detective Santos came. 

" Dad, do you think they found Charlie?", Baghera asked, as she is hoping to see her little brother and nervous.

"I don't know, but I hope they do.", I said, as I grabbed her hand caressing it. We both shared look each other in hopes that they would get to see Charlie.

The sound of the door open made them look up to see Detective Santos. He was carrying folders and put it on our table. 

" Good afternoon, Mr, Philza and Miss Baghera. I will not waste your time. I will say the news to you. Please be ready." The sound of his voice made us nervous. 

" Did you find Charlie? DId you find him? ",I asked immediately. Hoping, that they did find Charlie.

 "Yes, we did. We did find him.", He says. 

Baghera immediately gripped my hand. And I could see that she is crying in tears. I too, It has been 10 long years and our Charlie is found. The relief and the happiness was short lived.

" How did you find him?", I asked him. But Detective Santos didn't seem joy about this news. 

" Yesterday, a dogwalker found your son. The dog went inside the woods with their owner. Dragging them and started snoofin' around. That's how we found your son."

"Oh, the woods? How is my son ended up in the woods? Alas, where is my son?', I questioned him. Baghera started to ask the same too. Only then he looked us with pity. The growing feeling inside of gets worse. 

"I am sorry to tell you this. What the dogwalker found was the bones of the remains of Charlie Minecraft. Your son has been dead for atleast 9 years. He had been hit by a car it seems: and was likely put aside in the woods. We had identified through DNA of the bones and technology. I am sorry for your loss."

Chapter Text

July 26, 2016

Today is the funeral of his son- Charlie. It has been two days after they have been told that Charlie had died. 

That day, when Detective Santos had told them all the details. Baghera, his eldest daughter, wouldn't stop crying while Philza barely listened to Detective Santos. As the only thing he could think of was his son- his own son has been dead for years. 

The sunken feeling of regret and grief came to him. 

If only he had kept looking for Charlie. Maybe, he would have been alive. Maybe, his son would’ve been alive. Yet, time is lost forever, lost like his son. 

He had lost his wife. Now, he had lost his own son too. He lost two of his loved ones, again. 

He pulls his daughter to him, and hugged her gently; as she holds onto him and continues to cry with him.

Later on, they told the others at his home. 

Jaiden, his second daughter, cried as Baghera held her. His two sons, Foolish and Cellbit had been shocked, and devastated as they found out the details of what happened to their younger brother. But his oldest son, Tommy, was more devastated. He had refused to believe that his little brother was dead. 

“ No! He can’t be. He’s alive, they just got the remains wrong. My brother isn’t dead. He’s not.”, Tommy shouted, breathing heavily. As he had refused to believe it.

“ Tommy-”, As Philza tried to talk to Tommy. But was cut off by him.

“ I don’t care what you all say. He is not dead, I’m telling you he’s not!” Tommy says again. 

Philza remembered how Tommy looked like that day. He was in denial, grieving, and devastated. 

Philza had hugged him, as Tommy broke down into tears. 

At that moment, everyone had started to mourn for Charlie. 

As Philza looked around at the funeral. He sees familiar faces, one of them is Quackity. Who was Charlie’s childhood friend ‘til college. Then there’s Jshclatt and Ted, who was also Charlie’s friend too from highschool to college. When he starts to look around more. His eyes landed on the particular guy. 

It was Mariana. Charlie’s old boyfriend. He remembered him. Of course, who wouldn’t. He was with his son before Charlie disappeared. And almost accusing him. Yet, he didn’t know where Charlie was.

He had quite remembered how he didn’t like Mariana at first. Well, he’s a nice guy. It’s just that he was a few years older than him by 4 years, he thinks. Charlie was 19 when he got together with Mariana: who was 23 at that time. He doesn’t know quite how they started or anything at all. All he knew was that they met at the party of one of his friends. 

But alas, it was time for him to go and make a speech. 

As he walks over at the front where Charlie’s urn was. He looks at the urn with every emotion he feels for a min and looks at the people who attended his son’s funeral. He saw his children's beside him as he started grabbing the mic to start the speech.

He blew a breath and started his speech.

“Good afternoon, everyone.”, He greets them all.

“ I would like to thank you all for coming to my son’s funeral.”, He looks at them all slowly.

“ Today is a heartbreaking moment for all of us. My son was full of life. He truly was. He was the joy of our family.”, He says with emotion.

“He was also a troublemaker too.”, He laughs half-heartedly. The people did too.

“ But…my son was also the kindest too, he was smart; Academically smart. Yet, he was also friendly to others. He liked a lot of things. Mostly, he liked to parkour a lot- he also liked knitting too. He liked to sing. He was the singer of our family including Baghera. They were both the musicians in the family. That’s if you put them together in one room. You will start hearing them singing together.”, He says with a bit of a laugh.

“ He has some favorites. I remember how much he loves poppy flowers the most. He loves his vegetables. The only one who liked to eat vegetables in the family. He loves avocado sandwiches too. You can never see him without eating that one always.”, He laughs again heartedly.

“I remember this one particular memory. When Charlie was just 6, he had sneaked out with his eldest brother Tommy- late at night. I didn’t know they sneaked out. Until, I heard a crash in the living room. When I got up and went downstairs to check if there was a burglar going on. Imagine my surprise when I see Charlie crying and Tommy trying to shush him. And the window was open. Well, a broken window. They broke the window. And Charlie got scrapped by the shattered glass. That’s why he was crying. Apparently, they tried to sneak back to our house after they went to Tommy’s crush. He brought Charlie along, as Charlie caught his brother sneaking out, that’s why. After that event, I scolded them and banned them from playing video games.” He sighs at the fond memory. 

“ You know? Charlie wanted to be a musician just like his sister. He wanted to sing in front of the crowds. Create a band and make a name of himself. But now, looking back to it. My son would never get to do his dreams of what he wanted.”, He says emotionally.

“ When he told me that day- that he was gonna go to the café and study there with Quackity. I didn’t know that-...that was gonna be the last time I’ll see my son alive. I could still remember his last words. ‘ I will be back, Dad. Just before dinner, I promise. I have to go now! Love you Dad! See you later!,’ Those were the last words he told me before he left. Now, every time I look back at that day. I wished I hadn’t let him go. If I did, would my son be here alive and found? His disappearance and his death will always leave a scar to our hearts. But, I was glad that we finally found him. He can finally rest- knowing that he’s with us all; with his loved ones, right now.”, He can feel himself tearing up. But his daughter, Baghera had hugged him on his side. Comforting him. All his children came to hug him. He inhales deeply and releases them, and continues the last part of his speech.

 “ Charlie, my son. I hope you’re doing okay up there. I hope you can see us right now. Don’t worry, we’re not mad at you. We’re sorry for finding you so late. I am so sorry, Charlie. I’m so sorry. But, we’re glad that you’re back home with us. We promise to you, Charlie. We will be alright. We’re gonna be alright, okay? Just rest, you no longer have to suffer anymore. We love you son.” After that, the tears had spilled. All of them hugged together and cried. 

At that moment. The gush of wind blows them with the poppy flower petals. They felt Charlie’s presence hugging them…

After the speech, it was time for the burial. Everyone was given a Poppy flower to throw at the burial. One by one, they threw a flower to the burial. Until, it was Mariana’s turn. 

Philza noticed that Mariana had been looking at the burial for a long time. He noticed the way he looked at the burial. It was pain and grief. Yet, he notices it again. Mariana had this look. It was as if he was haunted and regretting it. Philza tried to brush it off. And focus at his own son’s funeral instead. 

After everyone gave the flower at the burial. Charlie was now buried. 

Everyone starts to leave, leaving the family behind. Except for Quackity. He came to us. Expressing his condolences and everything before he left. 

Now, looking at his son’s grave. He felt the grief again.

 It should’ve been me, he thought.

But no amount of time will bring his son back..

-

Baghera looks at his brother’s grave one last time before going inside the car. Her Dad had left a second ago. Her sibling also left after they bid goodbye to us. She was the last one to leave. 

As she was about to start her car. She saw Mariana at Charlie's grave. She had thought that he left already. But it seems like he went back again. 

She sees him talking at his grave. She doesn’t know what he was saying. As she could only see his mouth moving instead. Yet, she noticed the way he looks at Charlie’s grave. 

His looks give her an eerily vibe. To her, his own eyes seemed haunted about something. She decides to leave as her dad is calling to her asking where she is. 

She told him that she’s coming home.

-

I’m sorry

I’m so sorry

 

I didn’t mean to

 

I regret it

 

Stop punishing me 

 

Por favor

Chapter Text

Should I continue this? I don't know honestly HAAHAHHA.

It's been almost a year since I last updated this story.
And if, I'm going to continue this. I might have to edit the two chapters isnzjsjjs 😭