Unintentional Father

Chapter 1: Silent Comfort

Rachel looked across the camp and saw her daughter sitting alone staring off into space, her expression blank. She was worried about Charlie. Since Danny's death she's been cold and withdrawn. Rachel expected sadness, despair even anger, but not this. She kept watching expecting her to crack, to breakdown at any moment, to turn to her and need her. Rachel didn't realize till that moment how desperately she wanted Charlie to need her.

Just as Rachel started to move toward her daughter she saw Miles approach Charlie.

Even though she was lost in her thoughts, Charlie could sense Miles sit down next to her. She immediately felt a small sense of calm come over her. Miles always had that effect on her. He didn't push, not like her mom, he was just there. Charlie tired to hide what she was feeling, to be strong. Yep on the outside she was cold, ready for battle - just like she always thought Miles was. Yet on the inside she was filled with anger, hurt and despair. Danny was gone and it was all her fault. She wanted to rip apart the Monroe republic with her bare hands.

Then there was her mom. She should be glad to have her back, and she was, she really was. But she had so many questions and no matter what Rachel did Charlie just couldn't connect to her. Granted if she was going to honest with herself, she really wasn't trying all that hard There were just so many secrets and at this point Charlie didn't know if she even wanted or needed to know them, unless it was a way to bring Monroe down.

As her thought tumbled down the dark and bloody path of what it would take to kill Monroe she felt Miles hand on her shoulder. He leaned in and simply whispered "One day at a time kiddo. Focus on the here and now. We'll get Monroe but only if we stay focused."

"How did you know? Charlie gasped.

"You think really, really loudly. And well I'm just that damn good."

"Right" A ghost of a smile hinted on Charlie's lips and she shoved her shoulder into his.

"I'm always thinking about what it's going to take to kill Monroe."

"You and me both. I just hope it's long, bloody and painful."

Miles softly chuckled. "Careful kid, you are sounding more and more like me and that is so not a good thing."

Charlie just shook her head, and leaned her head on his shoulder. They didn't say anything more to each other. Just sat in silence, which had become their ritual as of late.

Rachel watched their exchange from across the camp. It was the first smile she'd seen from Charlie and it was Miles who put it there. Thinking back Rachel couldn't even remember if Charlie smiled when she found out she was alive. How was it that Miles of all people could comfort her baby girl. He was THE GENERAL MILES MATHESON for crying out loud. He was a ruthless murderer and not a person she wanted around her child. Overcome with an urge to get her baby girl away from him she started to make her way over to them with every intention of dragging Charlie away by force if necessary when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Aaron.

"Don't Rachel, let them be."

"He could hurt her."

"Are you kidding, he would never, I think he would rather slit his own throat before he let anything happen to her."

"Look," Aaron said as Rachel shot him a look that said he'd either gone insane or grown two heads. "I've been traveling with them for a while, through some pretty nasty crap and I know he would die for her. Yes he is bastard and he's ruthless and there were times I wanted to deck him. I know you don't want to hear this but she's good for him and she needs him to get through what's coming. Do you know anyone better to prepare her for war?"

Rachel couldn't answer, she didn't want to.