ONE
Charlie wasn't supposed to be getting close to Nate. He was a stranger. He could have been anyone. Someone just waiting for their chance to take down all three of them. Maggie continually warned Charlie about trusting people on the road.
But Nate had saved her. He had protected her. Surely that meant he was on their side. Besides, if he wanted to kill he'd had ample time over the past few days. Charlie was certain that he was a good guy despite Maggie's constant warnings. Maggie just liked to predict doom around every corner like her father had done. Charlie was going to trust her instincts.
"Hey," she called. Nate whipped around, an arrow already notched in his bow. "Sorry," she said, holding her hands up. "It's just me."
"It's alright," Nate nodded, dropping his bow. "I was just taught to always be prepared."
"Good lesson," Charlie agreed. "Is it alright if I come join you?"
"Of course," Nate gestured. "But aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"
Charlie shrugged. "I'm still getting used to sleeping outdoors. I miss my bed at home. So I thought I'd sit watch with you."
"You'll be sorry when it comes time to start walking tomorrow."
"Probably. But if I can't sleep I might as well watch."
"Alright."
Charlie tilted her head. "How do you keep awake on watch?"
"Coffee."
"Coffee?"
Nate laughed. "You've never had coffee?" Charlie shook her head. "Lucky for you, I've got extra."
Charlie watched curiously as he went through what looked like a very complex ritual to come up with a brown beverage that he poured into a tin cup and handed to her. She sniffed it to find it had a very strong odor. Nate gave an encouraging nod and she took an experimental sip. The liquid was acrid and burned her tongue. "You drink this?" she asked.
"Keeps me awake," Nate explained. "And the taste isn't so bad once you get used to it."
Charlie tired it again. "You sure?"
"Promise."
They spent the rest of the night with Charlie slowly making her way through her cup of coffee while Nate told her about how popular it had once been before the power went out.
TWO
Nate was Militia. That not only made him dangerous but also responsible for Danny. Charlie hated him. She wanted nothing to do with him. Except when she did.
Like right now. They were holding him in some make shift cell and Charlei wondered how he could look so rundown and pitiful. She wondered how he could just look at her and make her ice heart melt towards him.
"Are you going to stare at me all day?" Nate asked.
"You could be a little less rude," Charlie snapped. "You are a prisoner."
"I'm goig to be killed. Why should I be polite?"
Charlie frowned. "Who said we were going to kill you?"
Nate rolled his eyes. "Do you really think your uncle is just going to let me go? You've heard the way he talks."
"I won't let him," Charlie replied.
"Like you can stop him," Nate snorted.
"He'll listen to me," she insisted. Nate looked away. Charlie just rolled her eyes and went back to checking her arrows. She wasn't going to get anything of value out of him right now anyway.
Nate tilted his head as a familiar smell hit his nose. "Is that coffee?" he asked.
Charlie looked sheepish. "I use it to stay awake," she explained almost apologetically.
Nate gave her a crooked smile. "I thought you hated the taste."
"Well, you were right. It gets better the more you drink it." Charlie let her hair fall around her face and peeked at him through the golden curtain. She didn't' know what it was about him that made her feel shy. "Would you like some?"
Nate considered it for a long moment. Just before Charlie was about to rescind the offer he nodded. "Sure."
Charlei passed him a cup. This time they spent the watch talking about the first time they had shared coffee. It was a very comfortable and almost made them forget that they were on different sides of the battle.
Charlie tried not to feel hurt when Nate left on the train with the Militia. She knew she wasn't supposed to get close to him.
THREE
Nate wasn't Nate but Jason. And his father was the man that killed her father and took her brother. And now Na-Jason was a rebel. And Charlie really wasn't sure how to process all of this so she generally avoided him. It made things easier. Because things in her life were confusing enough, she didn't' need the extra headache.
"You've been avoiding me."
"I've been busy." Charlie didn't' look away from her sword.
"Bull." Jason deliberately sat right next to her, forcing her to look at him for a moment before her eyes lowered again. "Charlie, tell me what's wrong."
"What's wrong?" she repeated. "God, Jason, what's right?"
Jason bit his lip. "I'm sorry."
"You should be."
Joasn didn't know what to do. He just wanted to be able to talk to Charlie like he used to. She hadn't ever been this cold to him. Even when she found out he was militia she seemed to like him. Then an idea struck him. "Don't move," he ordered, "I'll be right back."
Charlei raised an eyebrow but didn't think too much of it. Jason was soon back with two cups. "What's this?"
"Coffee," he replied, handing a cup to her and taking up his previous spot.
"Coffee? Really? Your answer to this problem is coffee?"
Jason shrugged. "It's our thing isn't it? We have problems and we drink coffee."
"I didn't realize we had a thing."
"Pretty sure it counts as a thing."
Charlie shrugged and sipped the coffee. "You're in trouble," she stated.
"What did I do?'
"Don't tell me you didn't know this was Miles' stash when you swiped it."
Jason smiled. "It was worth it."
"Coffee is worth your life?"
"No but the company is."
PLUS ONE
Charlie placed a hand on her stomach. She was happy to be Jason's wife. She was excited to be a mother. She was really hating everything that came along with pregnancy. Why hadn't someone warned her about all the pain and exhaustion and weird cravings? Charlie wasn't sure she would have agreed to marriage if she had really known what to expect.
Jason poked his head in. "How was the doctor's visit?" he asked tentatively.
"You would have known if you had been here," Charlie snapped.
"I'm sorry. I meant to be here. I got caught up with other things."
"More important things than how to take care of our first child?"
"Charlie, I said I was sorry. I can't go back and change it."
Charlie scowled. "I still can't believe you weren't here."
Jason opened the door fully to reveal that he was carrying a tray with a pair of cups on it. "I really am sorry," he insisted. "But I brought coffee to make up for it." He grinned. "Tradition right?"
Charlie took slow deliberate steps towards him. "See, this is why you can't miss the appointments, Jason," she said in an even voice. "If you had been there, you would have known that the doctor has given me a long list of things that have to be cut out of my diet. If we want the baby to be healthy that is."
Jason held his breath as Charlie picked up a cup. "Well, you just give me the list and I'll make sure to stick to it."
"I will," she agreed. Jason barely had time to blink before coffee landed on his face. "Coffee was number one and you still in the dog house," she snapped, slamming the cup back on the tray before swishing out.
Jason sighed as he stood there with coffee dripping down his face. "We need a new tradition," he declared to the empty room.