The first few months after Davis is outed Miles, Charlie and Bass spend on Texas' payroll, hunting down the last of the Patriots. They leave Rachel, Aaron and Priscilla behind in Willoughby with Gene, working on the nano problem. Miles notices the change almost immediately. Charlie is less volatile with Bass, more friendly. She's still snarky and sarcastic but there's a genuine level of trust between them that goes beyond having each other's back on the battle field. At first both men are wary of her change in attitude until one drunken night Charlie tells Bass that she's proud of him for making the right call with Davis and the mustard gas.
After that Charlie and Bass are officially friends, and officially double pains in Miles' ass. They bicker constantly and over everything, sometimes just for the sake of arguing. Miles can't argue with results though, the three of them rip through enemies like rice paper. They are simply put, a dream team.
Once most of the Patriots are handled they tell Blanchard they're done fighting, at least for a little while. Blanchard tries to convince them to stay but they refuse, for the immediate future anyway.
That night Bass says goodbye, informing them that he's going to look for Connor, not going back to Willoughby with them. Both Mathesons look at him like he's lost his mind (again) and tell him they're going with him. They won't take no for an answer, so the next morning they start heading in the general direction of Idaho. They ask around, trying to track Neville and Connor but months have passed since Bass last saw either of them and leads are scarce.
When they get to Bradbury they find themselves meeting up with the rest of their group, as well as Neville who takes great pleasure in informing Bass that Connor is dead. The nano couldn't control him so they eliminated him. Neville gets an arrow to the head after that. Rachel, Aaron and Priscilla find a way to defeat the nano but they tell the others that the power will probably never come back on.
When Bass tries to slip away in the middle of the night, its Charlie that stops him. She takes his hand in hers and guides him away from the rest of the group. They drink that night until they are drunk enough that nothing is off limits, and then they talk about everything. They end up holding onto each other as they sob. Miles finds them the next morning, still clinging to each other with a couple of empty bottles next to them and an air of sadness lingering. Its more heart breaking than worrisome so he leaves them be, figuring they both needed that.
That night is the turning point. Any and all walls that existed between them are eradicated. They become more than friends, more like family. Its different than what Miles and Bass share but just as deep. All six of them head back to Willoughby, simply because they don't know where else to go. They all take some time to heal both physically and emotionally, especially Bass.
Its five months after Bradbury the first time he smiles again. Miles and Charlie have taken to hanging out with him as often as possible. One day Charlie tosses a bottle of whiskey at Miles. The man drops the knife he was sharpening and falls out of his chair to catch it. Bass can't help himself, the smile just overtakes him. Its the crack in the ice and after that he smiles, talks, laughs, and just lives more.
That's right around when the flirting starts. At first its just small touches, glances that last too long, standing closer than necessary but eventually it turns to innuendo and suggestive comments. Miles worries but he doesn't say anything at first, just watches them. He sees it before long, the emotions behind the flirting, the affection. He worries even more but still keeps it to himself. They are all passed Miles stepping in like an over protective father.
Blanchard comes to them around that time, offering them each a job. Its contract work and they get to pick and choose what they will or won't do. Bass and Charlie accept immediately, both grateful for the chance to recover but ready to get back into the action.
Miles hesitates.
Rachel asks him not to go, asks him to stay with her. When he brings it up to Charlie and Bass they both tell him to do what's right for himself. Charlie adds in a hug with a promise to watch out for Bass and keep the stupid to a minimum. Bass gives him a slap on the back and swears to keep Charlie alive. The next morning Rachel and Aaron meet them at the town gate, Miles still hasn't made a decision at that point when Rachel begs him to stay. Miles smiles at her, leans in to place a kiss on her forehead and promises to bring Charlie home in a few months.
Its the last time Miles ever kisses Rachel.
Their biggest demand as far as the jobs go, actually comes from Charlie. She wants to travel, she wants to see the world when she's not a fugitive on the run or fighting for her life every five minutes. She wants to experience life. Blanchard gives them every job outside of the Texas borders he can. Charlie tries everything new they come across, she never says no.
Its their third job for Texas and its taking them to New York. She's so excited she can't sit still in the wagon, she keeps hopping out and walking alongside them. Bass and Miles tell her what they remember from their one trip to New York before the blackout. It doesn't prepare her for the sheer size of New York City. Or the way life moves, everything happens so quickly and Charlie feels like she's being pulled in a hundred different directions.
Miles suggests food and Bass wonders out loud if China Town still functions. It does. They find a tiny, shabby looking restaurant advertising authentic Chinese food and go inside. Charlie can barely contain herself. She's never had Chinese food before. She makes them each order something different so she can try as much as possible. While they're waiting Miles and Bass teach Charlie how to use chopsticks.
Her favorite dish winds up being a honey glazed shrimp on Bass' plate. She eats most of it and when she goes for the last piece Bass snags it first, holding it just out of her reach. He makes her asks for it nicely, slapping her hands away when she reaches to take it from him. Miles watches the whole thing with a grin, happy to see them both smiling. He turns away when they lean in close, Bass guiding the food past Charlie's lips. Just because he's come to terms with whatever the hell they've got going on, does not mean he wants to watch them be... intimate, in any way.
They stay a week in NYC for Texas, on their last night Bass spots a hole in the wall authentic Mexican restaurant and points it out to Miles who grins. Time to show Charlie real Mexican food, not the Tex Mex they get in Texas.
Miles leads the way, behind him Charlie is walking backwards talking to Bass who has his hands on her waist, guiding her. Miles freezes just inside the door making Bass drag his eyes away from Charlie's smiling face. The color drains from his face and Charlie turns just in time to see Connor look up from his place behind the bar. He sees them at the same time Bass pushes passed both Mathesons, shoving other people out of his way.
Charlie watches Connor look uneasily at his father but the moment Bass clears the bar between them and yanks his son into his arms Connor relaxes. As they talk quietly, Miles and Charlie slowly make their way to them to give them some semblance of privacy. Connor speaks to an older woman briefly, pointing to Bass before leading them all to a table with a bottle of tequila and four glasses.
Miles offers the younger man a hand shake and a nod. Connor turns to greet Charlie and receives a left hook to his jaw that she explains is for trying to kill Bass. The following slap is for letting Bass think he was dead for over a year. Before she can do anymore damage, Bass wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her back against his chest, soothing her anger at his son with a few whispered words. An exchange that Connor doesn't miss.
The four of them sit and drink, while Connor explains his supposed death. Its a long, complicated tale that ends with him stumbling half dead and starving into NYC, only to meet Abuela Rosita who took pity on him and was happy to meet someone else who spoke such fluent Spanish. He's been working as her bartender/bouncer for about six months, living just up the street in a shoebox of an apartment.
By the time Connor finishes the bottle is empty and Charlie volunteers to grab another one. As she walks away from the table, her fingers trail absent mindedly across Bass' shoulders. Once she clears the table, Connor fixes his father with a look. 'Anyone but Charlie?' Are the only words that Connor says but Bass understands immediately. Miles doesn't know the context but he gets the jist of it. Fortunately Charlie didn't go far, one of the waitresses noticed their empty bottle and met Charlie half way between the bar and their table. She makes it back just as Connor speaks. Bass looks up at her without answering his son. Heavy silence blankets the table as Charlie sits back down next to Bass, purposefully closer than she was before.
Miles breaks the awkwardness by telling Connor what they've been up to. Eventually the food, the tequila and change in subject gets them all in a better mood but Connor still can't help noticing the way Charlie leans against his father in her happily buzzed state and Bass wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her even closer. In between talking to Miles and Connor, they whisper to each other looking to all the world like a couple in love. Once the sun goes down and they've all eaten Connor has to get back to work, so they vacate the table and sit at the bar.
Music starts up on the stage, a band playing a little bit of everything. An old song from the 60s starts up and Bass stands, pulling Charlie over to where a few tables have been moved to make a dance floor. Charlie smiles and pretends that she's not going to dance with him so Bass simply picks her up, Charlie's laughter floating behind them. Connor and Miles watch them in silence until Connor can't stand not knowing anymore. He tries to ask but Miles cuts him off, explaining that they don't talk about it but he's accepted whatever it is between them.
One dance turns into three and by the time they make it back to the bar, Charlie is blushing and Bass looks wrecked. By the end of the night Miles wishes they had rented two rooms at the hotel and wonders if he'll be able to get a separate one. Whatever is happening between Charlie and Bass is going to come to a head tonight, he can feel it. Apparently so can Connor, who invites Miles to stay at his place for the night. They close down the bar, Bass and Charlie walking the few blocks with Connor and Miles to Connor's apartment before taking their leave.
They don't talk on the way back to the hotel, Bass has an arm thrown over her shoulders and Charlie's arm is around his waist, thumb hooked into his belt loop. They step into the dark room and go straight for the bed that Charlie has been using. Bass only needs to see Charlie's raised eyebrow before he explains everything about New Vegas. They talk most of the night, about the only topic they've kept off limits in the last year, their relationship. Voicing admissions that they would never speak of outside of each other.
They talk until the sky begins to lighten before Charlie leans in and kisses him. Their first kiss isn't lustful, its nearly chaste but the underlying emotions come through strongly. It deepens quickly but neither of them move to take the moment beyond kissing. This is new and as much as the physical attraction has been a part of their interactions for a long while, they don't want the moment to be overwhelmed by sex. Bass and Charlie fall asleep in each other's arms, the new aspect of their relationship cherished.
They wake up the next morning wrapped around each other, eyes soft as they smile sleepily in greeting. This time Bass kisses Charlie first. Slowly they undress each other, the morning sun giving the whole room a golden glow as they make love for the first time.
They spend the day in bed.
The sun is setting when they go down to the front desk of the hotel, requesting two single rooms (on opposite sides of the building) rather than the double they have now. They move Miles' stuff into the smaller of the two rooms and their own stuff into the other room before deciding to track Miles and Connor down. They're both at the restaurant, Connor behind the bar and Miles sitting at it. Bass tosses Miles a key and grins happily. As soon as he sits next to his brother, Charlie immediately occupies his lap. They danced around their feelings for too long and she's not holding back anymore.
Miles and Connor don't comment, both were prepared last night for the change. The night goes surprisingly smooth, they talk whenever Connor has downtime and he even eats dinner with them.
When the music starts up, its Charlie that pulls Bass towards the dance floor this time. Miles and Connor don't watch them dance tonight, there's too much familiarity and intimacy between them now. Not to mention wandering hands and heated kisses. The four of them close down the bar again before they separate from Connor for the night. On the walk back to the hotel they decide to stay a few extra days, Bass smiles in relief when Miles suggests it and Charlie immediately agrees.
Of course Miles makes a comment about not wanting to be in the next bedroll while they're still in the honeymoon phase but they all know its about Bass spending time with Connor.
The next day Miles takes Charlie sight seeing and Bass spends it with Connor. Its the first time they've had time alone and Bass is nervous but when Connor breaks down and apologizes sincerely for trying to kill him, he knows that whatever issues they have can and will be worked through. They talk about almost everything that first day, both their pasts and the small time they did have together before. Bass and Charlie's relationship is not mentioned at all, that is a very different conversation that neither man wants to breach.
They meet with Miles and Charlie for dinner, both Connor and Miles looking away when Charlie literally jumps into Bass' arms and Bass dips her low while they kiss. Dinner that night is loud as the alcohol and conversation flows openly between the four of them. They avoid any heavy or serious subjects, instead they spend time talking about road trip mishaps.
The night winds to a close when a very drunk Charlie starts getting handsy with Bass, making Miles wish he had a completely different hotel in the opposite direction but Bass manages to get Charlie's hands under control by offering up a piggyback ride.
The next three days fall into the same pattern and on their last night in NYC they promise Connor they'll drop by in the morning to say goodbye. Bass also extracts a promise from Connor to keep in touch, giving him his address in Willoughby.
When they get to Connor's apartment the next day they are surprised to see Connor waiting outside with a horse and a couple of bags. He asks if there's room for one more on their return trip home. Charlie can see he's nervous, probably afraid of rejection but Charlie knows how deeply Bass mourned him so she smiles brightly and tells him to toss his stuff in the wagon.
Three becomes four as they start on their way home.
They get rooms whenever they can and camp only when they have to as they slowly make their way to Texas. When they step into Blanchard's office, Bass and Charlie are holding hands, the older man laughs and says its about damn time. They collect their pay with Bass, Charlie and Miles each giving Connor a recommendation for a job. Blanchard says he'll have to think about it but they all know he'll be offering Connor something in the near future.
Before they leave Austin Blanchard lets them know that they'll probably be out of jobs for about six months. He eyes Bass and Charlie, and asks if that's enough time. Charlie sends him a blinding smile (that actually makes the President of Texas blush) and says its perfect. They start on their way home. When Willoughby comes into view Bass nudges Charlie gently and she smiles up at him.
"I love you." He says softly for the first time. Her reply comes without hesitation.
"I love you too."
fin.
AN: So I've been rewatching Revolution and Charloe still does it for me. I have like 5 other stories in progress for them. Not sure when I'll be posting them but hopefully soon.