Enjoy!

X.x.X.x

Charlie placed another small food ration at the foot of an oak tree, looked around nervously before she turned to run back to the rebels. It wasn't much but it was all she could afford to "borrow" away from the group. Charlie knew that Jason could hunt for his food easy enough, but on the days he can't get enough food or water on his own she figured that her rations were helpful. Knowing he was following her, not off of seeing or hearing him more from past experiences and knowing him well enough to figure out his actions. Aaron jumped when he saw Charlie jump through the bushes and fell into step beside him. "Charlie, where have you been?" He said in a hushed tone, bowing and turning his head toward her.

She shook her head and stuck up her nose a bit, "Bathroom," She replied with a bit of attitude her face saying, "what business is it of yours?"

"You should tell someone, what if you got left behind?" He pointed out worriedly.

Charlie glared at him, "I found my brother despite impossible odds, I think I can find a large group of rebels walking through the woods." She scoffed a bit before picking up her pace to catch up with Miles and Nora. Aaron paused for a moment before realizing how stupid his comment really did sound, unable to reply to the young adult he just remained quiet and walked among the rest of the group.

As Nora and Miles discussed business and plans with the leader she walked beside them - listening but not participating, her mind was on Jason. She hadn't wanted to send him out on his own, turning down his offer to help, but she had no choice. Just because she trusted him, however mildly, nobody else would. He would be shunned and under constant wary eye, which doesn't seem as bad as being in the woods alone with no one to back you up if you run into trouble... at the thought of him in trouble and getting hurt or worse, with nobody to help him, she shifted uncomfortably.

X.x.X.x

At night fall the group made camp in a small clearing in the woods, about half a mile off the main road. Fires were lit and tents were pitched, she could see the silhouettes of all her family; Miles, Nora, and Rachel, all of them talking over a table pointing at places she couldn't see and nodding at comments she couldn't hear. Aaron was fussing over his pack by the fire pit across her, she squinted her eyes and tilted her head to the side before making an excuse to leave. Grabbing her bag with her own uneaten rations, her bow and her quiver, she left the camp and into the woods behind them.

She walked through the woods with only the moonlight to help her see, flinching every time she heard her own boots snap twigs and rustle leaves. Charlie didn't truly know why she felt the need to actually see him after all this time of staying ahead of him, only leaving rations behind as both a way to keep him fed but also leave a trail of breadcrumbs for him to find her. Suddenly the thought that she wasn't leading Jason to follow her but some militia guy... or a hobo... or something that wasn't Jason, filled her mind and she pulled out her bow and pulled a bolt back into it.

Eyes wide and bow at the ready she continued to walk through the woods, fighting the urge to just call his name. Hearing a twig snap she jumped and turned around, raising her bow she opened her mouth to call Jason's name when she realized she had been the one to snap a twig under her own boot. She sighed, annoyed with herself before turning to keep going when her own name was whispered sharply.

Jumping again, less than the first time, she looked around the dark woods trying to make out a figure amongst the trees and brush. She gasped when she felt a pebble bounce off the side of her face and turned to her left. "Jason?" She started to walk in the direction the pebble came when her name was called from her right.

She started to walk, sullenly towards the camp. If she ignored her mothers call she would likely send out a search party for her, which would not only embarrass and annoy her but also possibly compromise Jason. Charlie sighed and took the bolt out of her crossbow and started to walk a little faster when suddenly she felt hands on her arm. She let out a surprised gasp and turned a left hook on her surprise attacker, catching him right in the jaw. She fell away from the man and pulled out her knife from her boot.

"Charlie!" Miles called out surprised, he stood straight up and caught the moonlight enough that she could see his face. "Jesus, what were you doing out here?" He walked up closer, his hand still rubbing his jaw.

Charlie's eyes went wide, what was my excuse?! She shook her head a bit and pushed out her bottom lip as though dismissively. "I thought I heard something..." She replied eventually, tilting her head to the side and down a bit.

Miles squinted his eyes, "Right," he let out a slow sigh before nodding his head to the right, in the direction of the camp. "Rachel is looking for you." He said blandly.

"Yeah," She nodded, "I know, that's why I was coming back this way." She appreciated how Miles just accepting things how they were, not asking questions and treating her like an adult.

They stood there staring at one another for a moment, Charlie eventually biting her lip. Neither one of them had talked since they got out of Philly, Charlie knew that he wasn't one to talk about how he was feeling about their situation but she wished he would. She looked away but looked back just as Miles got ready to say something, his lip twitched a little on the left, squinting his left eye a bit while tilting his head to the left... his awkward beginning into something he wasn't sure he wanted to really say. The younger Matheson waited patiently, tilting her own head to the right a little while drawing her lips into a thin line.

Finally Miles said something, but they both knew it wasn't what he had wanted to say, "Let's go." He said while nodding at the camp again, waiting for her to lead. Once she nodded and started for the camp again, shoulders back and crossbow pointed to the ground, Miles looked behind them feeling concerned that Charlie felt the need to investigate a sound.

X.x.X.x

Around midnight everyone had gone to sleep with the exception of the men and women on watch but for the most part anyone who would ask about her had gone to sleep. She slowly crawled from under her blanket and replaced it her jacket under it, even left her bow and quiver. Once she had cleared the woods without being seen she finally shouldered her pack and pulled her knife out in front of her. A few paces in was all she needed before someone came up from behind her and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Charlie, it's me." Jason whispered in her ear, she relaxed a fraction but she still didn't appreciate being surprised like that. Finally he released her and she sprang away from him, not threateningly just, needing to face him at a fair distance. "You don't have to scare me like that, I might've killed you." She pointed out and Jason nearly choked on a laugh he tried to suppress. "You don't believe me?" She said aggravated.

Jason became serious, knowing full well what she was now capable of. "No, I know you could..." He said and tilted his head back a bit.

"Well..." she shifted, "Good." They stayed like that, neither knowing what to say. All that could be heard was the crackling of the fire in the rebels camp and the sound of nature all around them. "So what happened, why are you," She shook her head and rolled her eyes a bit, "alone again?"

Jason swallowed hard, diverting his gaze for a moment. "My dad-"

"Neville..." Charlie cut in earning a curt nod from the still bruised man.

"We had a..." He shifted and looked around awkwardly, "Disagreement."

"So you left?" She shivered a bit at the brisk air, only having a long sleeved shirt, jeans and her boots on... she left everything else to make it look like she was still there to the naked eye.

"Something like that..." He said sullenly. "but I can't go back... never again."

Charlie pulled her lips into a thin line, "I'm sorry..." The wind blew up around them, pushing strands of her blond hair into her face. Quickly, Charlie pushed her hair back behind her ear.

"What for?" Jason looked confused.

"I just wish things could have been different..." She said and shrugged while tilting her head to the side, allowing her hair to fall from behind her ear.

Jason took a step forward and Charlie instinctively took a step back before taking two steps forward, "Sorry... it's a bit of a -" She paused, "An old habit I guess..."

"I understand," Jason offered a smile.

"How've you been holding up?" She asked ducking her shoulder and tilting her head at the same time.

"Good, thanks to you..." He said honestly.

"I wish I could do more... but rations are small as it is..."

"I appreciate it... really. You don't have to-"

"I want to." She furrowed her brows worriedly, "You gave us a chance against Monroe... to find Danny... I think I've lost count on how many times you've stuck your neck out to save me... and you gave us a chance against the..." she gestured in the air to represent a helicopter while she thought of its name, "the helicopters."

Jason hesitated while he thought about whether or not to say what he wanted to, "I'm sorry about Danny, Charlie, really I am."

Charlie felt sick and even swayed at the mention of her late brother. "Thank you," She managed. Jason took the moment to step closer again, they were now a normal distance away when having casual conversation with a friend or colleague. Another moment and he even managed to place a gentle hand on her forearm. She froze and tensed a bit, he was dangerously close to her "M" militia brand, which was still healing. Looking away from his hand on her arm she looked up at his face and bit her lip, his eye was still swollen, nose looked broken and his lip was cut and discolored still. "Your dad did this to you?" She asked and moved her hand to touch the side of his face, where a bruise coloured his cheek.

Jason smirked a bit but his brow was worried, "Like I said, my dad and I had a disagreement." Before she was able to pull her hand away Jason gently brought his hand over hers. "I wish things could have been different..." he echoed her previous remark.

She nodded loosely, feeling emotional. She felt a conflict inside; one voice saying that she had to stay... stay with him even just for a little longer, the other voice screaming for her to turn around and run like Jason was Neville himself. "Ah... I have to go..." she pulled her hand away from him and started to go back the way she came but he grabbed her wrist, right on top of her brand. She gasped and bit back a cry of pain, Jason immediately released her wrist but caught her bicep and pulled her back to him, pulling up her sleeve.

Jason felt a hot rage inside of him at seeing the familiar mark. "Who did this... how did you get this mark?" He was holding her hand firmly in his, refusing to let her go despite her efforts.

"I got it helping a kid... the "under cover" part went a little too far -"

"A little?!"

"It helped us get out of Philly with little incident!" She barked, "And you have one too, so..." she finally got her hand free and pulled her sleeve back down over the "M".

"It's permanent... you'll have to see that the rest of your life!" He said angrily and gestured down to her arm that was now hanging by her side, though Charlie was certain it wasn't directed at her.

"Why are you so bothered by this?" She shot back, her hair was in her face again as the wind pushed the strands around, which only added to her agitation.

Jason held his hands up and motioned like he wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled. "because..." he ground out, "- Because...!" He started to get exasperated, even using his hands were communicating frustration.

"Because...?" She shook her head and held her arms out, waiting anxiously.

"Because this!" He rushed towards her and held her face in his hands while he pressed his lips to hers roughly. Charlie squeaked and tried to pull away but as his kiss softened, so did she... soon it became an equal hunger for one another. Her arms wrapped around his neck, fingers carding at the hairs at the base of his hairline, while his left hand wandered down her waist to wrap around her back, his right hand pushed from her cheek to the back of her head. When they pulled away, both of them had swollen lips and wide eyes, unsure of what they really just did with such a simple act.

Suddenly Charlie felt the need to slap him, so she did. Hard. Right across the left side of his face. He didn't react, just let her do it. Immediately after she felt a stab of guilt, "I'm sorry... I just..."

"No, I deserved that..." He looked right into her blue eyes, his brown eyes filled with understanding.

Charlie shook her head and furrowed her brows, "No, no you didn't... I, ah, I kissed you back... so..."

"You saying I get to slap you?" He joked then realized how it sounded and took it back. "That came out wrong.. I-" He was abruptly silenced by her lips pressing to his again. She was on her toes to meet him, her hands on his chest for support. She had to force herself not to blush at how firm his abs were, or how his lips felt against her... how he smelled weirdly amazing... a smell of woods but cleaner than what would be expected. She pulled away and smiled when she was able to watch him lean forward as though still expecting her to be there.

Jason opened his eyes and stood up straight again and rose an eyebrow to match her expression of, amusement and lust. "I do have to go..." She whispered, "I'll let you know when it's safe for you to... join." He nodded his understanding, "Take care of yourself..." She said worriedly, pressing her hand to the side of his face which he leaned into, closing his eyes for a moment before making eye contact with her.

"You too..." he whispered as she pulled away, walking back to the camp quietly. She whipped around suddenly, opened her bag and tossed him a canteen full of water.

"Almost forgot, that's for you..." She winked before turning and leaving.

He watched her go with a small smile on his face before turning and going back to his camp, laid down and tried to sleep thinking of blue eyes, blond hair and a mischievous smile.

X.x.X.x

Charlie packed up her blanket and shouldered her bag and bow, smiling at Nora when she looked over. Once on the road Charlie kept feeling the need to turn and look to see if she could place Jason but knew she wouldn't be able to. Smiling about their meeting last night she used the memory to anchor her need to find him now, just picturing his smile, his brown eyes... and the way he felt pressed against her.

"What are you thinking about?" Rachel startled Charlie out of her thoughts, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you alright?"

Charlie shook her head dismissively and rolled her eyes annoyed, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just," she sighed and tried to think of what to say. "-thinking."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Her mother inquired, trying to be helpful and 'motherly'.

"There's nothing to talk about... mom." Charlie added at the end in an attempt to end the conversation with satisfying her mom's need to be recognized as her mother and not some woman who left her family.

"Okay," Rachel smiled supportively.

Charlie smiled in return but more in relief that the conversation was over. "Thanks..." After a moment she finally looked over her shoulder, no Jason but she smiled nonetheless – she knew he was there... and that made her feel better. She turned back and watched Miles back, hoping that soon she'd be able to convince her uncle that Jason was trustworthy enough to join them again. Jason saved her life many times... put his neck on the line for her more often. In her book, he was even safe enough to kiss...

Soon...

X.x.X.x

The end...