"So basically, we're lost," Charlie sighed.
"You were the one that wanted to lead," Miles shrugged. "Next time leave it to someone who knows the way."
"You don't have to rub it in," she snapped.
"Of course he does," Nora said with a roll of her eyes. "It's a Miles thing."
"Look there's a village up ahead," Aaron pointed out. "I suppose we can ask someone there for directions."
"Worth a shot," Miles grudgingly agreed. "As long as we're careful about it. The Militia is still hunting us as much as we're hunting them."
They made their way into the village trying to attract as little attention as possible. Nora and Miles scanned the people going by for likely candidates to ask for directions. They didn't someone who would report them to the militia or worse blow them off. Miles had picked out his first choice when a voice came shouting at them. "Grandpa! Grandpa Charlie!"
Miles realized the young woman was coming towards him. He held his hands up in surrender. "Kid, I don't know you," he stated.
She stopped and studied all of them. "You're not Charlie," she murmured.
"No I'm…" Miles face fell. "Please tell me you don't mean Charlie Swan," he sighed.
As Miles' face grew dimmer, the woman's smile got brighter. "Oh my god, you must be Miles." She nearly let out a squeal. "You need to stay right here, okay? I'll be just a minute."
Miles groaned but before he could ask her to just forget about it, the woman had already darted off. "Who was that?" Charlie asked as they formed a little huddle in the middle of the street.
"I don't know her but I'm betting she's going to get Charlie Swan," Miles groused.
"I vaguely remember this name."
"He's a second cousin or something like that. We don't' much talk about him." Miles rubbed a hand over his face. This was the worst possible situation. He glared at the other three as footsteps began approaching them. "I swear to god if any of you speak before I give you permission I will snap your fucking necks right here and now and leave you for the buzzards to feast on." He whipped around. "Charlie, good to see you."
Charlotte wasn't sure if she should be more surprised that Miles had managed to go from threatening to awkwardly agreeable in the same breath or at the man he was greeting right now. If you shaved off his mustache he could easily pass for Miles' identical twin. As far as she could see there wasn't a single difference between them other than facial hair. He was accompanied by the young woman from before and two of the most perfect human beings Charlotte had ever seen in her life. "Miles," he greeted. "Been awhile."
"Blackout," Miles shrugged.
"Yeah, I guess. Heard you were running some sort of army unit."
Miles made an unconcerned gesture. "Past tense. I run a bar in Chicago now."
"Sounds like a business that would suit you."
Miles nodded briefly. "So who's this?" he asked, gesturing to the young woman from before.
"Oh, this is my granddaughter Renesmee."
"It's nice to meet you," Renesemee smiled.
"And you remember my daughter Bella. Bella, Miles Matheson."
"Right, Bella," Miles nodded. "The past few years have been good to you."
"Thank you, Uncle Miles," Bella said. "You look really good too. Oh, this is my husband, Edward."
"Nice to meet you," Miles greeted stiffly. "Charlie, I don't know if you actually met my niece Charlotte. She's Ben's girl."
The Miles clone turned to Charlotte with a smile. "No, but I remember ben writing about having a daughter. Good to meet you."
"You too," Charlotte nodded, trying very hard to act like all this was normal. She was still trying to process everything.
"So why are you guys here?" Charlie asked.
"Just passing through," Miles assured him quickly. "Sorry, can't really stop to catch up. Actually we could use your help."
"Anything for family," Bella smiled.
"Can you point us toward Philly? Someone got us lost." To Miles' credit, he didn't glare at Charlotte when he said that but she knew full well the remark was meant for her.
"Why would you want to go to Philly?" Renesmee asked. "Isn't that where most of the trouble is?"
"Gotta go get something back," Miles replied with a shrug.
"Not gonna say what?" Charlie challenged.
"It's a thing I promised Ben I'd do," Miles hedged.
"You two always were close," Charlie agreed. "Alright, fair enough. "Keep going straight through town. When you get to the forest head west. You'll find your way soon enough."
Miles stuck out his hand. "I owe you, Charlie. Thanks."
"Are you sure you can't stay and rest?" Bella insisted as the men shook hands.
"Have to keep moving," Miles insisted. "Maybe some other time." He led them off quickly before further questions could be asked.
Bella glanced at her husband. "What are they really doing?" she asked quietly.
"Nothing that concerns us," Edward promised.
Miles refused to answer a single question until they were well outside of town. In fact, he didn't let anyone speak until they were almost at the woods. "He looked exactly like you," Charlie said once Nora finally convinced him to stop so they could catch their breath.
"I told you we're related."
"Yeah but that was an identical twin," Aaron insisted. "Where did he come from?"
"I don't know. He and his family lived in some small town up in Washington. They weren't even supposed to be this far east. I have no idea how they ended up here."
"This is so crazy," Nora said.
"And this is why we don't talk about him much," Miles replied.
"But seriously, how is that even—"
"Charlie, I swear to god if you keep talking about it I will go straight back to Chicago and you find Danny on your own."
Charlie glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Someone's grouchy today."
"Save the breath for walking kid."
