This is part of the Charloe fanfic gift exchange from -thegoodshipcharloe dot com- and this story is for ShyRomantic and I really hope you like it :)
December 24th – Sebastian Monroe's House
Over the last six years or so, ever since Bass moved back home to Jasper, it had become a tradition of sorts for the Matheson family to gather at the Monroe house on Christmas Eve. Which is why tonight found Miles, he long time girlfriend Nora, Miles brother Ben and his wife Maggie, and Ben's two children Danny and Charlie, gathered in the cozy living room at Bass' house along with his two younger sisters, Cynthia and Angela.
About six years ago, Bass' parents were in a car accident that took their lives, prompting him to move back home after living in Chicago for the few years he had been out of the service.
After the death of their parents, he was the only family his sisters had left and he wanted to be closer to them, as well as help them take care of settling their parents affairs, so he moved back to the quiet town where he now worked at the local youth center, helping troubled teens.
Miles had moved back home after the service, and met Nora. She currently worked in the next town over at a small twenty-four hour diner while she was taking night classes.
Ben, Miles older brother, had been thrilled when his brother moved back home after the service. Having their uncle around had made the blow of losing his first wife, Rachel, easier on the children.
It was around ten years ago now, and no one would ever really know for sure all the details surrounding her death. Rachel had been working with the DoD on a top secret project, and one night something went wrong. Half a dozen people on her team were killed in the lab accident that took her life, and if he hadn't been home with a bad case of the flu, Ben would have been among them.
It was about a year later when he met Maggie on an ER visit for stitches on his arm after a failed home improvement project, and it was another year after that, that the two were married.
Charlie was nineteen when Bass moved back to town. She had graduated high school and decided to forgo college. She had learned at an early age that she had a natural talent for just about any instrument that she put her hands to and had started giving piano lessons when she was still in school. After graduation her lessons had picked up, most of them coming from a couple of towns over, about twenty minutes away, and she realized that she could actually charge more if she moved there.
So she took her savings and rented a small house where she started giving lessons out of her living room, and before she knew it, she had built up enough business to rent a little studio space and had expanded her clientele to guitar and drums as well.
Over the years, Charlie had flirted with her uncles friend many times. She had known him most of her life and had been surprised when he started flirting back once she was grown.
It had never gone beyond the harmless flirting though and Charlie never really thought it would ever be more than that, until one day this past summer when she was at Miles house for the day and Bass had come over.
She and Miles had argued about something, like they always do, and after she had won, like she always does, he had walked away, grumbling about ungrateful children, while Bass followed after him, a smile on his face.
Nora, who had witnessed the exchange, nudged Charlies shoulder with her own. "What was that about?" she asked, motioning after the guys with her chin.
Charlie frowned slightly in confusion. "What was what about? Arguing with Miles?"
Nora shook her head and smirked. "No I mean the way Bass was watching you, he hasn't hardly taken his eyes off of you since you got here." she said. "I know you guys flirt and play around and stuff, but you would tell me if something really happened wouldn't you?" she asked.
Charlie laughed. "Yeah, no nothing is going on there, I think you're just reading too much into it." she said. "He was probably just amused at Miles thinking he could ever actually win an argument against me." she said with another laugh.
Nora looked at her a moment before nodding. "Alright." she said. "If you say so."
Nora had gotten to her though, and after that Charlie started watching, paying more attention and she realized that Nora was right. He wasn't just playing around anymore, he was flirting with her for real now.
After she realized this, Charlie upped her game; making it clear, or so she thought, that she was up for more and just waited for him to make a move.
But here they were, a few months later and he still hadn't made a move. They were still in the same old pattern and she was getting tired of it. If he wasn't going to do something, maybe she would.
…
As was tradition, they were playing monopoly. It was down to just Charlie, Danny, and Bass, and they were taking a short break while everyone else was getting ready to head home. It was getting late and the weather had called for a snow storm to hit any time now.
Angela had already left, heading to her boyfriends house to spend the next day with him and his family, and now Bass was helping Cynthia into her coat.
"Be sure to tell that bum husband of yours how much fun he missed tonight." Bass said.
Cynthia smiled, knowing he was only joking. "I will when he gets home from work." she said.
Bass smiled and laid his hand on her rounded belly. "And Merry Christmas to you little one."
Cynthia smiled and hugged her brother again before opening the front door and shivering as a blast of cold air rushed in.
Bass tugged her hood up for her and turned serious. "Drive safe." he told her. "And call me so I know you got home safe." he said, always a little leery of letting either one of his sisters drive in questionable weather.
"I will." she said and kissed his cheek. "Love you big brother." she said and smiled one last time as she headed out to her car.
Miles and Nora, and Ben and Maggie were all getting ready to leave at the same time. Ben turned to his children as he pulled his coat on. "You might want to hurry up with that game, it's already starting to snow." he said. Charlie was going to bring Danny home and stay the night at their house so she didn't have to drive home in the snowy weather just to turn around and drive back in in the morning.
Charlie kissed her father on the cheek and smiled at him. "We'll be fine, I just have to kick their butts real quick and then we'll be ready to head out." she said.
"Hey!" Bass and Danny said at the same time and Charlie laughed.
Ben kissed her forehead and smiled. "Alright, just drive safe when you come home."
Charlie nodded. "I will." she reassured him before telling both him and Maggie goodbye.
Miles and Nora left with a chorus of byes and a wave, leaving the three to finish their game.
…
Charlie smiled in victory as she counted up her money. She had just taken the last of Bass' properties and the last five dollars he had. Danny had been out for a while now. "I told you I would kick your butt." she said as she waved a handful of colored money around.
Bass rolled his eyes and shook his head a smile on his face. "Well you know the rules, winner puts the game away." he said.
Charlie shrugged, eyes still on him as she reached out and started scooping up hotels and houses. "A small price to pay for such a sweet victory." she said with a smile of her own.
Danny rolled his eyes and got up from the floor where they all sat around the coffee table. It was getting to the point where it was almost painful to watch the two of them together.
He walked over and looked out the front window. "Whoa, it's really been coming down out there." he said. "How long have we been playing that game?" he asked the other two.
Charlie glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised to see that it was as late as it was. "Oh, a while I guess." she said. "I guess the time got away from us."
She and Bass walked over to the window as well and she was surprised to see that there was already a few feet of snow on the ground and it was still coming down pretty hard with no sign of slowing.
"We better get ready to head out Danny." she said, turning away from the window. "I better go start my car, let it warm up for a few minutes before I try to drive it." she said as she reached for her coat. "She doesn't like the cold weather."
Bass put a hand on her arm, stopping her. "I'll go start the car, you guys get your stuff together." he said and Charlie smiled and pulled her keys out of her pocket. "Thanks." she said, holding her hand out.
He took the keys, his hand lingering longer than necessary on hers. "Not a problem." he said with a smile.
…
"Slight problem." Bass said as he came back inside a few minutes later.
Charlie raised her brows. "What's up?" she asked, not surprised her car was giving him trouble. It really was a piece of junk.
Bass rubbed his hands together and blew on his fingers to warm them up after taking off his coat. "Well, not only does it not want to stay running," he said. "but you're not getting it out of the drive with all that snow, and it's way too cold out there to try and shovel it tonight." he said.
Charlie sighed as she pulled her gloves back off and tossed them onto the coffee table. "Well..." she said, not really knowing what to say.
Bass shrugged. "You guys can just crash here tonight and I'll call Miles in the morning to come and help dig you out."
Charlie nodded and smiled. "Thanks." she said and Bass shrugged again. "It's not like I can let you walk." he said and she laughed.
Danny walked into the room from the bedroom where his coat had been stashed.
"You can go ahead and take that back off." Charlie told him. "It looks like we're staying the night." she said.
Danny shrugged and pulled his coat off and headed for the kitchen to find left overs from the dinner they had all shared earlier in the evening.
Bass just smiled and shook his head at Danny's easy acceptance of the situation.
"Why don't you call Ben, let him know what's going on and I'll go track down some extra blankets and pillows." Bass said and Charlie nodded and pulled her phone out of her pocket.
…
Bass sat a stack of bedding down on the couch as Charlie put her phone away.
"Dad said to tell you thanks for letting us stay." she said. "And he'll buy you some more groceries after Danny eats all of yours."
Bass laughed. "That'll work." he said and placed a hand on the bedding, drawing her attention to it. "You can take my bed." he said "and Danny and I will crash out here."
Charlie frowned and shook her head. "No, I can't take your bed and make you sleep on the couch."
Bass held up a hand to stop her. "If my mother were here, she would have my hide for even thinking of making a woman sleep on the couch while I slept in the bed."
Charlie smiled as Danny grabbed a blanket and went to make himself at home on the recliner. "Well I guess we wouldn't want to make her mad." she said then she looked up at him through her lashes and smiled again. "Besides," she said. "I kind of like your hide how it is."
Bass raised his brows, slightly surprised by her boldness, and watched as she said goodnight to her brother before heading down the hall. She smirked at him when she turned to close the bedroom door and caught him still watching after her.
When the door closed Bass sighed and shook his head slightly. It was going to be a long night.
…
December 25th - 2:30am – Sebastian Monroe's House
Bass sighed and turned over once again, trying to do the impossible and find a half way comfortable spot on the old couch, as his legs hung over the end.
Danny was snoring away in the recliner, his ear buds in his ears, oblivious to the world around him.
He gave up and tossed the blanket off and got up, heading for the kitchen to get a drink. He had changed into a pair of flannel sleep pants and an old threadbare t-shirt, and as he walked across the cold kitchen floor with his bare feet, he wished he had thought to put on socks as well.
He had just pulled the orange juice from the refrigerator when he heard someone else enter the room. Turning around he found Charlie. She had changed out of her clothes and into one of his t-shirts and a pair of boxers, and she had her hair tied up in a messy knot on the back of her head.
And suddenly the room didn't feel so cold anymore.
She mumbled a quiet "hey" as she got a glass out of the cabinet and walked to the sink, filling it half way with cold water.
"Hey." he said back after a quiet moment, finally able to get the word out.
This wasn't the first time he had seen Charlie in pajamas, having just woken up. He's known her her whole life, it was bound to happen a time or two.
But this was the first time he had ever seen her in his clothes, and in that moment, he couldn't think of a single one of the reasons he had been reminding himself of for why it was a bad idea to think of her the way he had been thinking of her the last few months.
In fact, as he watched her raise the glass to her lips and take a drink, all he could think of was how to get her back out of those clothes.
Charlie looked over and noticed he was still staring and she raised a brow. "Are you ok?" she asked.
Bass shook himself out of his wayward thoughts and nodded as he closed the refrigerator door. "Yeah, I'm good." he said.
Charlie placed her glass in the sink and took a couple of steps towards him, stopping when she was right in front of him. "I feel kind of bad." she said as she looked up at him.
Bass furrowed his brows. "Why what's wrong?" he asked, concern in his voice.
Charlie shrugged a shoulder. "About you sleeping on the couch, it's obvious you're too tall to fit comfortably."
Bass shrugged. "It's fine, I already told you, I can't let you sleep on the couch."
Charlie nodded. "I know, but I was thinking, you have that big bed in there, and I don't take up much room." she said.
Bass frowned. "What are you saying Charlie?" he asked.
"We could share." she said.
Charlie noticed his gaze drop to her lips for a moment before he cleared his throat and took a step back. "That wouldn't be a good idea." he said.
Charlie took another step closer. "Really? Because I think it sounds like one of my better ones." she said.
He took another step back and she smiled slightly at his look of surprise when he bumped against the wall. If she wasn't busy trying to seduce him into the bedroom with her she might have laughed at the look on his face when he realized he had nowhere else to go.
"What are you doing Charlie?" he asked as she once again took a step forward, filling the space between them.
Charlie reached out and laid a hand on his chest. "What we both want, but you've been to scared to do." she said.
The look of surprise was back on his face but this time for an entirely different reason. Charlie raised a brow and cocked her head slightly. "I'm not stupid Bass, I can see the way you look at me." she said as she ran her hand up his chest, coming to rest on the side of his neck. "You want me just as much as I want you."
She saw his gaze go to her lips once again, and as if there was some unseen signal Charlie raised up on her toes just as Bass leaned down, and they met in the middle, their mouths crashing together.
Charlies arms went around his neck, holding him close as his arms wrapped around her waist, one hand on her back, the shirt bunched in his fingers, his other hand finding the bare skin on her hip where the boxers rode low, barely hanging on.
When the need for air became to great, Charlie broke away with a gasp and they rested their foreheads together, eyes still closed as they both caught their breath.
Bass' hand flexed on her hip as Charlie's fingers twined through the curls at the back of his head.
Charlie opened her eyes and pulled her head back so she could look at him. "So," she said, a small smile on her face. "still want to go back to the couch?"
Bass chuckled. "Sharing the bed is sounding better by the second." he said.
Charlie smiled as she stepped back, out of his embrace, and grabbed his hand. "I knew you would see it my way."
He let her lead him to the bedroom, but he stopped her right outside the door.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked her. "Because if we do this, everything changes."
Charlie interlocked their fingers. "Good." she said as she smiled at him. "It's about time."
…
Later, just as Charlies eyes are closing, sleep ready to overtake her, Bass wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest.
"Merry Christmas Charlie." he said quietly into her ear as he nestled his face in her hair.
Charlie smiled sleepily as she grabbed his hand and snuggled a little closer. "Merry Christmas Bass."
…
December 25th – 4:00pm – Ben Matheson's House
After sleeping in and then getting Miles to come and help dig out the car, they all met up at Ben's house for Christmas dinner with Rachel's parents and Aaron and Priscilla Pittman, a couple that Ben has worked with for years and had become good friends of the family.
Charlie and Bass had decided to hold off on announcing the status change of their relationship until after the new year; but when they all gathered in the dining room for dinner and Bass pulled out Charlie's chair before taking a seat beside her; an act that had been preformed many times before; something must have given them away, because when Charlie looked across the table Nora was looking back with a smirk on her face and one brow raised.
Charlie smiled at her friend but remained quiet.
Miles on the other hand wasn't quite as subtle. He frowned as he looked back and forth between Nora and Charlie, then Charlie and Bass, before once again looking at Nora.
A look of understanding dawned on his face and he turned back to his long time friend and raised his brows. "Are you serious?" he asked.
Bass looked at Charlie then back to Miles and smiled.
Miles looked at him for a moment before nodding his head once and Bass knew that they had his support.
No one else at the table was aware of the revelation that had just taken place, so no one knew quite how to react when Miles raised his water glass and said dryly, "Merry freaking Christmas."
Nora chuckled and Bass and Charlie smiled as they held hands under the table, out of sight of the prying eyes around them.
Bass and Charlie glanced at each other one more time before starting in on their dinner along with everyone else, both thinking the same thing...
Thank God for Monopoly and snow storms.
Merry Christmas!