A quick disclaimer: Although I was excited to try the Good ship Charloe Valentine's Day challenge, I do not own any of the Revolution characters. I hope readers find this enjoyable and review - and I promise to get back to my other story now that I have completed this separate 1 shot. Thanks for reading - B

When You Were Young

It was 8 in the morning and Miles could already hear the screaming between Rachel and Charlie. "God… that woman had better give it a rest or Charlie will just take off again." Not wanting to stick around for today's lecture based fight, mostly because he could guess the topic, Miles saddled the large black bay and galloped off toward town and what passed for alcohol these days. "I miss my bar, damn it!"

Inside the farmhouse, Charlie continued to mumble to herself as Rachel paced the kitchen, waving her hands and droning on, "You have to understand, either he moves on or I'll turn him in. I know you and Miles think we needed him, but the Patriots have been defeated and I am not spending another day in the same town as that man."

"What?" stunned today's newest threat, Charlie looked up, "Turn him in? He helped us – without Bass we would have lost. And what exactly are you going to turn him in for? Blanchard pardoned him and Miles for how they helped or did you forget that while you were off with Aaron cleaning up the mess you and Dad created?"

Whipping around as if she had been hit Rachel glared at Charlie, "I created, it wasn't my fault that Bass became a lunatic and destroyed half the continent with war. And even if he was pardoned…" pausing the look she had was disturbingly psychotic, "I am sure there are plenty of stories that could convince the townspeople to lynch him and this time he will just have to stay dead."

Likely the threats would have continued if Charlie hadn't tossed the glass full of water directly at her mother. "You will say nothing – because I will tell everyone in this town and in the entire of Texas that you caused all this chaos by creating the blackout and then your twisted need to be right caused the lights to go on just long enough to drop nuclear bombs on Philadelphia and Atlanta. Let's be clear you are responsible for killing millions of people more than Bass all over the entire globe, you destroyed people's families and lives and my childhood, so shut up!" Seeing her mother's sputtering look, Charlie stormed out of the kitchen and up the stairs. As her door crashed open she looked around at the items she had collected in such a short time, grabbing her pack she stuffed the contents of the drawers in before reaching for a few keepsakes; the last of which was a picture of Miles and Bass holding her when she was just a small squirming girl with ringlets. Looking at the picture she smiled and fingered the rip along one side. After an earlier argument she had torn her pregnant mother out of the picture – likely it was her father that had taken it. Moving toward the closet she grabbed a bag full of heavy winter clothes that she had laundered and bundled up after the weather started to turn warm and then charged down the stairs. Tossing her bags over the back of her mare, Charlie hooked her leg into the stirrup and hoisted herself up, before kicking the flanks and charging off to town.

As she rode she considered finding where Miles was hiding, figuring he might be able to talk her mother around, but he had been attempting to control her for months and that was not getting anywhere. Then it occurred to her, reining in her mare she changed directions and headed to Bass' small gingerbread house. She would remove him from the line of fire for a few months, it was early February now, if they rode northwest she could keep him busy until Rachel found a new target. Pulling up to the side of his house she dismounted and tied off her horse before waltzing in Bass' front door – God the man needed to learn to lock that damn thing. Stumbling around the darkened house she was surprised to see the shades still drawn and no candles lit, could he really still be asleep? With a mischievous grin, she tiptoed to his bedroom door before slamming it open and yelling out, "Good Morning Bass!" at the top of her lungs.

Charlie grinned as she leaned against the wall; watching him bolt upright and then clumsily roll off the bed in search of a weapon. A second later she found herself smiling at the sight of his tight ass covered in blood red, skin tight shorts, "Nice red panties you're wearing there."

Grumbling Bass turned on her, "Charlotte they are boxer briefs and I was asleep!"

"And now you're awake!" she said in her cheeriest voice, "and we are leaving on a road trip."

Puzzled Bass looked at her, "A road trip? What? W..ww..Why? Where? Who?"

Sarcastically she looked at him, "Wow, if you only added the when and the how you would have been an expert in Aaron's English class." Not waiting for him to respond to the rebuff, "Get packed and bring warm clothes we are headed to the Rockies."

"Fine, whatever, just go down to the kitchen and make sure you pack enough food, it could be a while before we see a town." Continuing to mumble Bass moved to start stuffing his clothes and a few personal items into the bags he had pulled from under the bed, then grabbing his weapons he headed down the stairs to join Charlotte in front of the house. As he began to saddle his horse, "So why does Miles have us taking his little road trip to Colorado for Valentine's day?"

Without looking up, Charlie decided that blaming Miles wasn't a half bad idea. "He said something about a guy there he needed and you know he's not leaving my mother." She tried to contain the venom at the reference to her mother.

"Yeah," laughing Bass responded, "… now if you want to talk panties clearly she has got hers twisted in a bunch."

Ignoring that thought, Charlie took off toward the northern road out of town. As the two passed Aaron walking along the street she called out to him, "Hey Aaron, I'll see you in a few months. Tell Miles, Bass and I are taking care of that trip for him."

4 days –

"He has to realize it is going to take us at least a month to get to the Rockies. Hey did say where in the Rockies we were meeting this contact?" Bass stopped his horse up short and stared at Charlotte, "Awe Hell, please tell we are not going to Aspen in search of that idiot cousin of his Jason?"

Not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, Charlie quickly latched onto the name Bass had offered, "Yes, that was who Miles said we were looking for." Hoping to change the subject, "Anyway explain to me what you meant by a Valentine's Day trip?"

Looking at her funny Bass shook his head and smiled, "Valentine's day used to be a big thing – all romance and coupley shit. When I was in Philadelphia we kept a calendar, I've long since lost track of the exact day it is, but this is February and on February 14th everyone would celebrate love. Couples would go out to dinner, men would give women chocolates and flowers, there were even these cute little sugar candy hearts that kids got and they would say things like 'U R Sweet' or 'Be Mine'. Some couples would get married on Valentine's Day or even take a romantic road trip."

Slowly Charlie asked, "What was the best gift you ever got? I mean you said men gave women chocolate or flowers; what did women give men?" Choking out the laughter Bass grinned at her before she smacked his shoulder, "Ok, fine I get what men got out of the holiday, or at least what you got out of it."

Reaching out for her arm, Bass showed her a broad genuine smile, "How about the next town we stop, do a little shopping and celebrate Valentine's Day? I can't promise chocolate, but we could have some fun?"

"Don't think all you have to do is find me some flowers and then I'll sleep with you! I am not that easy." Charlie kneed her mare's flank and took off.

However, she wasn't quite far away to miss Bass' response, "I noticed you didn't say you weren't interested!"

It was another two hours of near silence when they reached the border town trading post. It was mid-day as they approached the cross roads between the interior of the Texas Republic, the Wasteland, the Plains Nation and Colorado. People had tables set up with their wears, baked goods, handmade products and pre-blackout items. Charlie smiled at the sight before issuing a challenge, "Person who finds the best Valentine's gift gets to use the bathtub first!"

Bass took off down the main street walking Charlie's abandoned mare and his stallion toward what was likely a bar and boarding house. Tying up the reins, Bass grabbed the bags off of both horses and stepped through the door. "Welcome," called out a kindly looking older woman, "how can we help you?"

Based on the woman's age, Bass made a strategic choice not to offend her sensibilities, "My bride and I are in need of a room. We got married for Valentine's day and decided to take a few days away from her family."

The woman cooed and smiled at him, "Oh, how wonderfully romantic! I have just the thing – a big room with a claw foot tub and I even have special red satin sheets that we only take out for special guests."

Bass gave the elderly woman his most devastating grin and thanked her, "My girl would truly love that, and I know the hot bath would be a real treat." As he said the words if occurred to Bass exactly what the perfect gift was, "Um, you wouldn't happen to know if any of those stalls have a nice quality soap and body cream? Maybe even shampoo? My Charlotte would surely love to have those treats." The smile he was graced with said he was on the right track, and she pointed him toward a lifelong friend of hers that made products using goat's milk, sage and honey. As he made his way down the main street to gather his purchases, Bass found Charlotte and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Sweetheart, they have a room waiting for us, so we can enjoy our honeymoon trip." Covertly, Bass took the distraction to slide his mother's ring on to her finger, then with a final kiss to the back of her neck he continued toward the stall at the far end of the road.

For a moment Charlie stood their stunned, then a shudder pushed her into action, "You mentioned a lace nightie and stockings?"

A woman, not much older than her smiled, "Yes and if you are a little adventuresome I have another idea that I will slip into your bag."

Charlie nodded reaching into her pocket and taking out a few silver pieces to pay for the items. She smiled and then walked down toward the inn. When she entered moments later the grandmotherly woman greeted her with a broad smile. "Oh, my you are quite the beauty. I can see why your husband decided to treat you to satin sheets."

Laughing Charlie decided that if satin sheets were her gift she could start her bath now, "Could I have hot water? I want to freshen up and look perfect for my Bass."

Half hour later Bass used his key to enter their room and was greeted by the sight of Charlie naked in a large claw foot tub, water still steaming. "Well someone jumped the gun… are you so confident that you have a better gift for me that you didn't feel the need to even wait and let me show you mine?" Bass challenged.

The hearty laugh from the tub was followed by a quip of, "Oh, I would love for you to show me yours, but I can guarantee that my gift is better than red satin sheets."

Confused Bass tilted his head before lifting a bar of soap and two bottles, one of shampoo and one of body lotion, from his pack. "I don't know why you thought the sheets were my gift, but I got you these." Handing them to her, Bass was treated to a wonderful view of large soft breasts floating at the waterline with dusky rose nipples hardening in response to his leering.

Leaning forward she reach in utter joy for the bath treats and beamed up at Bass. "Oh, you are tough… but I still think I can win. Check the bag on the bed."

Bass moved toward the bed and sticking his hand in lifted up a frothy lace negligée with what felt like silk stockings. The growling rising deep from his throat and his already hardening member indicated that she was right to have bathed first. Without turning around he whispered, "please tell me your gift is you in these?"

"Actually, no…" Charlie announced as she stood from the tub. She waited for Bass to turn before she continued, "My gift for you is you get to take them off me."

Chuckling Bass shook his head before stepping toward her, "Charlotte, you win, but since you are not currently in them I guess I will get to open my gift another time." Then he took her face in hand and began kissing her deeply, pulling on her lower lip and sucking on her tongue. Not bothering to dry her body, Bass lifted her from the water and walked to the bed where he gently placed her in the center of the silky soft sheets. Slowly he removed his shirt and seconds later he watched her lift her arms back above her head forcing her luscious breasts up. Bass fumbled with his jeans in his rush to get out of his clothes and it was as he looked down to toe off his boots that he heard the distinctive clicking noise. Shocked he stopped and looked up, realizing seconds later that the noise had in fact been his Charlotte handcuffing herself to the headboard. "Oh hell! You are one amazing woman and this is clearly the best Valentine's Day gift ever." Slowly he licked up the inside of her thigh before settling at her folds to suckle her sensitive bundle of nerves. Gently at first he applied pressure, varying the speed and power of his lips as he felt her lift her hips toward his beard roughen face. When she screamed out his name and begged for him to fill her, Bass lifted himself up and settled between her legs, thrusting in and groaning in pleasure at the first feel of her surrounding him. Sliding his hands up, he cupped her breasts, squeezing in time with her contractions on his straining cock. Wanting to feel her come again before he pulled out he replaced his fingers on a nipple with his lips and sucked deeply when his thrusts became more erratic.

Feeling him close, Charlie hooked her legs around his ass and screamed "Now Bass, I want to feel you let go inside of me. PLEASE!" she finally wailed, her body crashing over the edge and taking him with her.

Bass collapsed onto her, still buried deep inside of her warm, welcoming body. Reaching up Bass flicked the switch on the trick cuffs and released her arms, before rolling them over so she lay draped atop him.

An hour passed before he softly questioned, "Charlotte, my beautiful wife, do we have to go all the way to Colorado to search for fake cousin Jason or can we just spend the next two months in this bed?"