Hide and seek - the ballad of Jimmy King
A Revolution fic: Bass Monroe/Charlie Matheson, Charloe; No blackout AU. This loosely follows on from 'Hide and seek – Maree's Cornucopia'. Bass and Charlie work together for Matheson/Monroe Security and one of their favourite ways to spend some of their vacation is to play hide and seek – one hiding from the other somewhere in the USA/Canada while the other tracks and finds them within a certain time – or pays a forfeit. This time it's Bass' turn to hide…
Author's note:
Hi there and thanks so much for having a look at this… the story is part of the Good ship Charloe, Cornucopia/Pornucopia fan fic challenge. Thanks to LemonSupreme for suggesting the location for this story – I had a great time researching it, however any resemblance to any fictional or non-fictional participant or situation in a re-enactment, past or present of the battles at Gettysburg is completely and respectfully coincidental. I don't own any part of Revolution either and am just writing for the love of it…
Hide and seek - the ballad of Jimmy King
Charlie lowered the binoculars and put them in her pack, a slow smile spreading across her face. This was going to be fun, although it had been way too easy finding him this time and she was pretty sure that he hadn't tried too hard. She made a note on her calendar to talk to Bass about the rules of the game – maybe it was time to make things a bit more challenging. Still, she'd had a good time – especially tracking him on foot through the forests and parks around the lake, he knew she loved stuff like that… She had another look at Bass, who was looking almost unbelievably good in his uniform.
He'd led her on a trail from their base in Chicago right around Lake Michigan back to O'Hare and by the time she tracked him from airport to greyhound bus to a train heading towards Pennsylvania, she knew exactly where he was going and why, especially given that the date tomorrow was the first of July.
The trick had been finding out which of the already in character groups camped in the hills around the Gettysburg National Military Park he was hiding in without him spotting her.
Charlie was kicking herself for not figuring it out earlier though. She'd known that he loved everything about the Civil War; he even had two crossed cavalry sabres on the lounge room wall instead of a tv like other people… And he must have been planning this for months because she'd found out that he'd pre-registered. The name he was using in the online lists of official re-enactors hadn't clicked with her though until she remembered a story that Miles had told her years ago about James, or Jimmy King and how Bass had used the name as an alias when they were kids.
Anyway, James King was registered as a Major in one of the US Cavalry units, and she'd found him outside what looked like his tent dismounting after he and his unit had finished a run through of their routine for tomorrow.
Her lips curved into a wide grin under the black rim of the glasses, he'd even had two of his own horses trucked down here. She'd know the Generals anywhere, as well as the man who was leading the big matched bays off the field towards the horse lines. She refocused…yeah; it was definitely Jeremy. Dressed as a 19th century US Sergeant, he had a grin the size of Texas on his face, even though Lee and Meade were bouncing around like yearlings with all the excitement… What was it about men and tents, guns and horses; they all turned into big kids...
Charlie chuckled, hell; she was excited too. Anything too obviously from this century was tucked away out of sight and the view was like something straight out of a period movie. Rows of A frame and campaign tents, milling cavalry, artillery – big guns being towed into position for the battles tomorrow, blue and grey uniformed men in ranks marching through exercises on the battlefield, smoke rising into the air from campfires and test firings, the scent of gunpowder, leather, sweat and crushed grass…
She breathed it all in; tomorrow was going to be amazing, even on top of meeting up with Bass again - and wasn't her whole body singing in anticipation of that little item… The thought of his lips on hers, the soft scruff he grew on vacation, his muscled arms and fine hands – the lovely spot just at the base of his spine just where the hollow between the tight cheeks of his ass began, she so loved running her fingers over the little triangle of soft, sensitive skin there, feeling his breath get faster... she loved the hard, sculpted chest; his long, strong legs and his… She cleared her throat; fanning her suddenly hot cheeks with her spare hand. Time to go, Charlie…
She started to wriggle back out of sight then a movement down at the tents caught her eye… She hunkered back down and brought the glasses out again. A rider in Union Blue on a gorgeous chestnut thoroughbred had pulled up next to Bass, the rider swinging down from the saddle in a strong, graceful movement that had her almost close enough to fall into his arms.
Charlie was absolutely certain that the rider was female, even in the crisp blue uniform, the full breasts, slim waist and curving hips were a dead frigging giveaway. The woman tore off her cap as she reached the ground, lustrous black hair tumbling out over her shoulders and swinging like a shining curtain with the wind of her movement… then she casually dropped her reins on the ground, leaving the horse standing where it was and Bass reached out to catch her, pulling her into his arms…
Charlie looked at the lovely, strong face laughing up at Bass who was laughing back at her, the bastard. Then he leant down and kissed those full red lips, and Charlie felt her throat close up, shit, she was so…so totally jealous, her hands itching to wrap themselves around the other woman's skinny neck and pull her the fuck away from him.
For a brief moment, the urge to run down the hill right freaking now and confront them both was almost irresistible; except that by the time she got there she'd just look stupid… With a huge effort and her heart pounding, Charlie held herself back, she couldn't even ring him – it was against the rules damn it although she was sorely tempted to forget all about the frigging rules… Maybe the woman was just an old friend? Yeah… and maybe a blue moon was actually blue… An old girlfriend though? Bass had plenty of those.
She got up; eyes narrowed, grabbed her crap and headed back down the hill to the road and her hire car. Bass would know she had to be close although he might not know how close, and there was no way he was running again, not when he was living his dream. It definitely looked like he was having the time of his life…
Later, then…
….
Back in her room at the hotel, Charlie closed her laptop with a satisfied smile – by the time she realized where he was going, she'd been way too late to register as an official re-enactor, but had been able to swing a ticket to the costume ball being held in town tonight. She'd checked the guest list for the ball and James King was definitely on it. She assumed Jeremy was too, although didn't know what name he was using – or who the dark haired hussy was… but she was really, really hoping the other woman would be there, maybe she could tread on her foot…
She'd been able to hire an outfit too – one of the local formal hire businesses had a lucrative sideline in Civil war costumes and had had some nice things left, a quick side trip later and it was hanging in her closet. She was really looking forward to getting all dressed up…
Time to get ready Cinderella…
…..
The hotel wasn't far away from the beautiful old mansion where the Ball was being held and Charlie decided to walk, although she didn't really have a choice, there was no way her skirt would fit in the car...
One last look in the mirror and she almost didn't recognise herself… She smiled and flicked open her fan just for fun, holding it in front of her face so that her eyes showed above the top; huge and a deep, mysterious blue, her silver and pearl earrings glittering…
Charlie knew she looked beautiful (take that, black haired stranger…), the dress was a gorgeous, deep sapphire blue and her dark golden hair was piled up into a gleaming loose knot of curls on top of her head, secured by a couple of pearl tipped combs. The silky blue skirt flared out into a wide circle away from her legs, held by the stiffened frame of the crinoline. It made her waist look impossibly tiny and rustled as she walked and she felt deliciously, decadently bare underneath. She wriggled her hips, Bass would know she was commando just by looking at her, he always did…
Her breasts were full and pale (no bra either…) above the low curved neckline of the close fitting sleeveless bodice and her arms and shoulders looked pale and graceful against the dark of the dress and the long black gloves that reached to just above her elbows… A midnight blue and silver gossamer wrap fell in floating folds from her elbows and the fan and a matching velvet drawstring bag hung from her wrist, just big enough for her phone, wallet and her ticket…
The only down side to the outfit was that she'd had to wear heels – the skirt was a shade too long for flats, but they did make her look taller…
Time to go…
She flicked the fan closed, turned off the light, shoved her phone into the bag and left…
Outside, it was a lovely night, warm and clear; the light from the antique streetlamps, a full moon and a sky full of stars making everything seem magical, otherworldly. The few cars parked along the road and the modern buildings somehow softer, shadowed, a little unreal and the scent of flowers, perfume, and men's aftershave with a low note of mothballs and athletic liniment floated into her nostrils…
She wasn't the only one walking to the ball; all around her were people in costumes from the past, mixed up with tourists in shorts, shirts and summer dresses. Couples strolled arm in arm looking like they'd stepped out of a historical documentary, small groups of soldiers in dress uniforms strode quickly past, laughing and joking and the occasional horse drawn carriage rolled and clattered down towards the house and the elegant, pillared and plaster buildings of the old town made everything feel so real. It was all a perfect backdrop to the people walking along and as the lilting sound of an orchestra playing came from somewhere up ahead she found herself keeping in time to it as she walked… It was easy to believe that they had somehow slipped back in time.
It was funny as well how wearing costume seemed to bring out the actor in everyone too… Men tipped their top hats and bowed to her as they walked past, their ladies nodding and smiling. The soldiers in dress uniform were mostly too involved with discussing strategy and order of battle to pay much attention to anything else but she did get a few lingering glances and curious smiles – and more bows. Bowing seemed to be the in thing around here although she hoped that curtsying wasn't, she had no idea how to do it.
She wondered where Bass and Jeremy were – and the dark haired hussy. A possessive growl started at the back of her throat…
Then a Japanese couple asked if they could take her photo and she posed in a suitably languid position against the columned portico of a bank trying to channel Vivien Leigh while they oohed and aahed around her, taking shot after shot; their delighted smiles and sincere appreciation lifting her mood considerably. The couple thanked her with more smiles and bows and she waved them goodbye and moved on.
She followed the crowd through a pair of tall, wrought iron gates, standing wide open, waiters with trays laden with glasses of iced champagne hovering just inside in front of white draped tables holding ice buckets with more bottles of champagne … She took one, the glass delightfully cool through her gloves, then wandered on down the torch lit circular drive and up the steps to the classical entrance, her heels tapping on the stone, joining a queue of laughing, jostling guests at the door to the mansion waiting to go in…
The house was huge, a vast, black and white tiled, columned and vaulted entrance hall opening out on either side into high ceilinged, candlelit, many windowed rooms thronging with people in period dress, a great, curving stone staircase on the back wall leading up to the second floor where there were yet more rooms and more people, the hum and buzz of conversation and laughter, the tinkling of glasses and the music from the orchestra in the main ballroom loud enough that the air seemed to vibrate…
Charlie had absolutely no idea how she was going to spot Bass in this crowd and was almost tempted to try to call him, except of course for the little fact that they'd agreed on no phones during hide and seek, unless it was an emergency, and this wasn't an emergency, because she would find him…
She headed for the stairs and the river of people going up and down; she needed a good vantage point…
Quite a lot of invitations to dance later, she got to the top of the stairs, still laughing; a young Confederate Lieutenant following close on her heels…
'Please?'
She turned to him, he was tall, sweet looking, with deep, honey brown eyes, broad shoulders and a delightful southern accent, and he was probably no older than Danny, 'I'm sorry, but I'm looking for my husband'
He grinned…'well, why don't you dance with me until you find him?' he held an arm out…'he's a fool to leave you alone anyway…'
She smiled and took his arm, if Bass could kiss the floozy, surely she could flirt just a little…'well maybe you could show me where the food is? I'm starving…'
It was as though she'd given him a present, his eyes lit up, it was very cute…'Yes ma'am' and he turned her towards the room to the right of the stairs then stopped dead in his tracks…
Almost tripping over him when her heel turned because he'd stopped so fucking suddenly, she grabbed at his shoulder with both arms trying to stay upright…'What are you doing?'
'Is that your husband ma'am?' his face had gone pale…
Shit… She turned to look and saw Bass in Union blue bearing down on them from the room on the other side of the stairs, his eyes furious, their icy glare fixed on her poor little Confederate.
She sighed, God, he was gorgeous…
'Ma'am?'
Then she saw Jeremy and the floozy following just behind Bass, and she somehow managed to get her balance again, damned if she was going to let that woman see her fall flat on her face…'What?'
'I'm truly sorry if I'm offending you Ma'am, but could you let go of me, please?'
She giggled…'it's alright, I won't let him hurt you…'
He drew back…'I'm not concerned about myself, ma'am…' he cleared his throat, 'I…I just don't want your husband getting the wrong idea...'
Suddenly Bass was in front of them, his eyes snapping…'Hello Charlotte, who's your… friend?'
Charlie smirked…'I don't know, I just met him, who's yours?'
Jeremy arrived too, a little out of breath and with an 'Oh shit' look on his face…'Hey, Charlie, how's it hanging?'
She narrowed her eyes at him, traitor….'I'm just fine, Jer, how are you?'
The floozy was standing next to him, laughing behind her fan and looking amazing in a shimmering bronze dress.
Charlie felt her blood start to boil…
Her Confederate soldier gulped (really), gently but firmly untangled his arm from hers then stood to attention and saluted, facing Bass…'Sir, I was about to escort your wife to the refreshment table in your absence, Sir, at her request, Sir'
Bass slanted a glance in her direction, an eyebrow lifted in a question and his lips twitching… Then he turned his attention back to the younger man and came closer, looming over them, playing it for all he was worth, the bastard…'Thank you, lieutenant, but that won't be necessary, I'll take it from here…'
The young man stammered something unintelligible and bowed again avoiding her eyes (what was it with all the bowing?) then left at a fast walk…
Bass held a crooked arm out towards her 'I was wondering why it was taking you so long to find me'
She put her hand on his forearm, enjoying the feel of the hard muscles under the fabric of his jacket, and smiled tightly up at him, her eyes narrowed…'I knew where you were, I saw you down at the campsite with the Generals and Jeremy…' She tightened her grip on his arm as they turned to join Jeremy and the other woman…'so who is she, Bass?' she hissed under her breath… 'An old girlfriend?' and she couldn't help stressing the old bit, because she was, older that is…
He chuckled, 'I guess you could say that…'
Charlie kicked his ankle, her smile widening out as he winced…'She's lovely…'
'Yes, she is…' He kept walking.
Shit… Charlie knew that her expression was giving her away by the look of alarm on Jeremy's face as they got closer… 'Bass?'
He ignored her, coming to a halt in front of Jeremy and the dark haired woman, who was looking at her with genuine amusement in those dark eyes… 'Duncan, I'd like you to meet my partner, Charlotte Matheson'
Duncan smiled, not looking jealous at all…
Bass went on 'Charlie, I'd like you to meet Captain Duncan Paige of the United States Marines, just returned from active service and soon to be Mrs Duncan Baker'
Jeremy put his arm around his fiancée…
Charlie felt her face go pink…'Oh…wow…that's…wonderful, congratulations, both of you…' She blinked, her eyes suddenly wet… 'Jer, why didn't you say anything about getting married?' she felt a big smile spread over her face and a lump as big as an apple in her throat…
'I didn't want to say anything, Charlie, not till Duncan got back anyway…' Jeremy pulled Duncan in closer…'and I didn't know she was going to make it to Gettysburg until she turned up this afternoon, but she did and we decided not to wait any longer to go public…'
Duncan grinned at them all 'I flew in last night, drove down in the truck with the horses this morning and got here just in time to make rehearsals, I thought I'd surprise everyone…' she nodded at Bass…'I recognised this guy first and followed him off the field, and then I found Jer.' Her eyes were very bright as Jeremy lifted one of her hands to his mouth, kissing the fingers…
Charlie swallowed, understanding rolling over her like a wave; Duncan had been on active service… She swallowed again and held out her hand…'I'm really happy to meet you.'
The other woman's grip was firm but not too much, and her eyes up close were kind as well as lovely, 'That goes for me too, Charlotte…'
Charlie decided that she liked her very much…'call me Charlie?' She slanted a glance up at Bass, who was carefully looking at the ground… 'People usually only call me Charlotte when I've done something stupid…' She slid her hand down and took his, lacing his gloved fingers through hers…
He squeezed back, 'Would you like to dance, Charlie?'
She nodded…
….
The ballroom was full of music and dancers; Jeremy and Duncan already out amongst them. The room was brightly lit by masses of candles and coloured lamps – no electricity to fit in with the period feel, and as Bass walked with her onto the dance floor Charlie thought about how it must have been for people back then… so many fighting, wounded, dying, there wouldn't have been much time for dancing then, although maybe people needed time for dancing…
Bass slid one arm around her waist and took her other hand in his and they circled, her free hand resting on his shoulder, fingers playing with the curls at the back of his neck… Other couples moved around them, each in their own little world, swaying, laughing, the music rising and falling…
'I'm sorry, Bass'
He leaned closer and kissed her shoulder, his lips soft and sweet, his body tall and wonderfully strong next to hers… 'What for?'
She leaned back so she could meet his eyes, the candlelight making them look endlessly deep. 'For being jealous? For not trusting you?'
He chuckled and tightened his grip around her waist… 'I like that you're jealous.'
'Do you?'
'Yeah…' he kissed his way towards her lips… 'It makes me feel wanted'
She laughed low in her throat 'You don't need to worry,' she turned her to meet his lips her tongue flicking out, teasing…
He pulled her tight against him, his cock a hard ridge against her belly… 'It's nice to know though…' Then he hesitated, his hand moved down over her hips, searching…'You aren't wearing anything under this dress, are you…'
She met his eyes again, it looked like there were little blue flames dancing in them…'Nope….'
He took a long, shuddering breath in and she felt his cock jump, get bigger, harder…'Shit…' He looked around the room; 'Charlie, there's a way out over there'
She laughed, holding on as he steered them both towards the open French doors a the back of the room, nodding apologies to people they bumped into along the way… Then, suddenly they were out in the moonlight, a broad stone balcony leading down onto wide lawns bordered by huge, shadowy trees and tall hedges, flagstone paths leading off into mysterious, outdoor spaces.
He took her hand and grinned down at her, 'which way?'
She looked around; it was all so beautiful, but she could see some topiary figures off to the right, just visible above a hedge, she pointed… 'There…' She kicked off her shoes, leaving them on the step and they ran across the lawn, the grass soft, spongy and cool under her toes…
Behind the hedge it was dark and quiet, the music and sounds from the ball muffled and distant. Tall topiary chess pieces stood in formation on alternating squares of silvery pale and dark green groundcover plantings, their shadows stretching like giant ink blotches…
Charlie stared; it was incredible… 'Wow…'
Bass grinned…'Yeah, someone must really love trimming hedges…' He pointed to a small summerhouse just visible behind the Knight, candlelight glowing through the spaces in the frame… 'Look'
Inside the wooden framed building, the air was soft and scented by the candles placed in coloured lanterns as a shield against the breeze. Wooden bench seats, scattered with soft cushions followed around the hexagonal shape of the building, and a waist high shelf held covered jugs of water and beakers.
No one else appeared to have discovered it yet…
Charlie put her fan and the bag down on one of the benches, her whole body buzzing, her skin super sensitive with anticipation, her clit sending little electric shocks to her belly and her breasts, her breath catching in her throat, he looked like something out of a story, the tailored uniform setting off his powerful frame and long legs, his moustache and beard setting off the sculptured lines of his face…
Bass took her hands in his…'Have I told you how beautiful you look yet, Charlie?' he let go of one hand and lifted the gossamer folds of her wrap from around her shoulders, letting it drift down next to her bag...
She shook her head, her dimple playing in her cheek…'no, you haven't'
He leaned over and kissed the curve where her shoulder met her neck, on one side then the other…. His fingers trailing over the soft skin of her breasts where the fabric of her dress began… 'You…' he kissed her mouth…'look,' his lips found the hollow at the base of her throat, his tongue dipping in and leaving a trail that made her shiver when he blew on it…'beautiful…' He stretched his hands around her waist, 'I love this dress…'
Charlie was breathing hard and fast, her nipples rubbing against the silky material, making them pebble… 'So do I…'
He stretched his thumbs over her ribs…'I'll buy it for you…'
She licked her lips...'I'd like that…' she ran a hand up over his chest, feeling his heart beating hard under her fingers, 'and I'll buy your uniform for you'
He laughed….'It's mine already'
Charlie laughed back…'you really are a Civil war tragic aren't you'
He lifted her up in his arms, setting her feet onto the bench so that her head was a little higher than his…her skirt belling way out in front of her… 'Totally…' He peered under her skirt at the way the frame was put together, face intent… Then he grinned 'clever…' fiddled with something at the hem, pulled then something else just let go and the hoops collapsed.
Charlie looked down in awe…'how did you do that?'
His eyes twinkled…'it's amazing what you pick up in science class…' Then he wrapped his hands around her ankles, sliding his hands up her legs along with the fabric of the skirt, 'mm… your skin looks amazing against the blue…' He bunched the masses of fabric and frame together behind her waist with one hand, the other resting on her hip and looked up at her, his eyes the intense, riveting blue they went when he was totally focused on something. 'Were you really jealous, Charlie?'
She nodded…'Totally…'
'Good…' he leaned close, his lips blazing a trail from her belly button down to each hip, her skin singing as he licked and kissed his way down to her bare pussy, his free hand kneading the resilient flesh of her ass.
She gasped, her hands reaching blindly for his shoulders as his lips and tongue found her clit, his tongue, warm and wet and everywhere, sliding over her clit, slipping into her core, his lips and teeth sucking and nibbling until her belly clenched, her knees started to go and she started to feel all the earth move…
He laughed against her flesh then pulled back, his free hand busy at his fly, his eyes glinting up at her, his lips and chin shiny with her juices…
Charlie felt the tip of his cock as he slid it over her clit, sliding it through her wet folds, teasing her until she was frantically following him, her hips circling, wanting him inside…'Bass, please?'
He lifted her leg, wrapping it round his waist, his eyes holding hers, a little smile playing with his lips…
And then, she was drowning in those eyes, her body liquid, flowing over his, her hot core pulling him all the way in, his thick length thrusting into her over and over, his lips on hers, tasting her own spicy wetness in his kiss… She felt the wall at her back, holding them both up as he filled her up, her leg sliding up so she was doubled up against him, her other leg frantically circling his hips, her foot slipping on the fabric of his pants… and then the only thing holding her up was him as he kept on fucking her, faster and faster until they were both panting, her arms reaching for something, anything to hold on to, everything spinning round and the world shattering into sheer incredible, amazing sensation with her yelling out his name…
It really felt like the earth actually moved then, but it was the bench collapsing…'Shit… Bass?'
He was laughing so much as he caught her just before she hit the ground that she thought they were going down in a heap anyway, but he somehow managed to swing them both around so that he landed on the next bench along, with her on his lap…
Her skirt came floating down to cover her up, which was a good thing, because right then Jeremy appeared at the door, an eyebrow lifting and a grin from ear to ear… 'I thought I'd better come and tell you that the band was on a break and we could hear you two yelling clear across the ballroom…'
Charlie felt her mouth drop open… but from under her hair, which had fallen out of its knot, Bass just laughed louder, bastard…
….
The next day, Charlie watched as the Cavalry wheeled and charged the enemy through the ranks of infantry, sabres held high, horses and riders weaving paths through the smoke billowing from the artillery shots and muskets towards the other side... It all looked so real, so… incredibly real….
Her heart was pounding, racing into her throat as she cheered for Bass, Jeremy and Duncan and all the others, her eyes shining, waving with all the others watching from the sidelines… It all looked so exciting from the safety of today, of comfort, easy medicine, ice angels, electric generators; it looked like so much fun… until you remembered all those who'd died right here, not that long ago…
She saw the same realization in the faces of the people around her as they watched the re-created battles unfold like a window into history, and for her as well as for many others that morning there were long moments of quiet, sober reflection, and sometimes tears… And as the last battle ended, she grabbed her crap and headed over to the tents to join Bass and the others…
This had been one incredible vacation but it was time to get back to work. Then she grinned, it was her turn next…
…..
AN: thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I haven't been to Gettysburg – or seen a re-enactment such as the one I describe, but when I was researching it for this story, I realized that it was something that meant a great deal to a lot of people, so I hope my impression of how it might be for those watching – and participating, did it some justice…cheers, Magpie