A/N: This story takes place right after Season 1 Episode 12, The Ghost.
Miles was feeling antsy. The ride from Culpepper to Echo base was silent and uncomfortable. Nobody wanted to broach conversation when almost any topic was a potential powder keg. The wounds Jim had sustained from his wife turning her back on him and the loss of the happy life he had created for himself in that sleepy town were still fresh and oozing. Nora just wanted to get back to her rebels and feel like she was fighting for something that mattered. And maybe rekindle whatever it was she once had with Miles. That, however, seemed a long way off as all Miles seemed to want to do was get back to base and drown himself in drink. What a time they made.
But that wasn't why Miles was feeling antsy. When they first rode up to Echo and saw no sign of rebels, Miles felt a little shiver go up his spine. Something wasn't right. As they got closer, it was clear there had been a fire-fight. At this point, Nora started to look a little anxious as well. Miles jumped off his horse. There was no sign yet of his niece and her mother. Did they espcape? Were they hurt? Miles pushed inside the door without waiting for Nora and Jim.
The halls were deserted. Every now and again bullets littered the floor and holes covered the walls. Miles was beginning to think everyone got out unscathed when at the far end of the hall he saw a body.
"Miles?" Nora called from behind him, as he jogged to the corpse.
He breathed out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding as he got close enough to see that it was a large man, not a blonde woman or young girl in a belly shirt. And best of all, the man had a crossbow bolt shoved into his esophagus. Good girl, Charlie! She was definitely alive and well for this part of the fight at least.
Nora laid her hand on his shoulder after she approached where he was crouched by the body, fingers tracing the fletching on the tip of the bolt.
"I'm sure they got out fine," she assured him.
Miles stood as Jim jogged around the corner, informing them "It looks like they all got out. Where would they go?"
Both men turned to Nora.
"There's a rendevouz point, south of here. They would congregate there and wait for us," she told them, locking eyes with Miles.
She knew he didn't want to admit it, but he was worried. This was the first time he had been separated from Charlie since she found him in Chicago, and she managed to find danger without him around to help her out of it. Nora just hoped, for Miles' sake that Charlie really was safe.
So here they were, trekking through kudzu and swarms of mosquitos trying to find yet another rebel hidey-hole, where he may or may not find his... Where he may not find Charlie and Rachael. They weren't his. As he had just finished reminding both himself and Jim Hudson, guys like him don't get the happily ever after. They don't get to have a real family. Charlie and Rachael weren't his girls. They were just Ben's wife and daughter. And now they were his responsibility. And they had just suffered a Militia raid while he was away and unable to protect them. So forgive him if he was feeling a little antsy.
"How much further?" he rasped to Nora.
"Just through this clearing. I think I can even smell smoke from the camp fires!" She smiled, lifting her head and sniffing the air. Almost there! And then they could really begin putting together some plans to rally against Monroe, especially with Jim and Miles' help.
Miles said nothing in response, but urged his horse to move faster.
True to Nora's word, in no time they were greeted by rebels standing guard outside the camp, who kindly took their horses. Miles, however, had no word of thanks, as he spotted Aaron, and immediately moved towards him.
Apparently, Nora had the same idea, and quickly asked, "Hey, what the hell happened? We looked for you guys at Echo base; it was a mess!"
"It's a long story," the large man sighed. "I'm just...glad you found us."
Alright, niceties were now out of the way. Miles just wanted to make sure Charlie was okay and then drown his nerves in a nice bottle.
"Where are Rachael and Charlie?" he asked Aaron.
The bearded man nodded to a small fire across the camp, where they could just make out Charlie standing a short distance from her mother.
As they watched, Charlie slowly approached Rachael, who was seated on a log staring into the fire.
Miles couldn't hear what they were saying, and was about to head over greet them when Rachael stood and quickly wrapped Charlie in a strong hug. As the two stood there swaying, Miles checked his movement. That's right. They weren't his. Rachael was there for Charlie now. She didn't need him. He fulfilled his role. They got Danny back. And while that didn't last long, she had her mother. Her mother who could hold her and comfort her the way she really needed. Not the man who ordered men in front of firing squads like he was ordering breakfast. Not the Butcher of Baltimore. No. That guy didn't deserve a family.
Nora saw Miles begin to move forward to Charlie and then stop when the two women embraced. What would it mean for him now that Rachael Matheson was back from the dead? Would he think he had no one? Hopeful that he would realize he wasn't alone, no matter what the future held for his blood relatives, Nora slipped her hand into his larger one as he watched his family comfort one another.
After a moment or two of silence, Miles turned to Jim, who had come alongside them. "Let's get our packs from the horses and then grab some grub. If we have to sleep on the ground again tonight, at least I'm gonna do it with a full stomach," he groused.
Jim nodded, and followed Miles to their packs.
Nora, however, had a different destination. While the boys got their gear and set about finding some food, she ambled over to the Matheson women, who were now talking quietly to one another.
Before she got close enough to interrupt their conversation, Charlie looked up and spotted her across the fire.
"Nora!" She called, and moved over towards the older woman. Nora noticed Charlie's smile wasn't as bright as she'd seen it before, and the girl stopped just short of her, rather than rushing to hug her, like Nora expected. Side effects of her grief over Danny? A temporary shadow on her personality, or would dealing with the loss of her brother affect Charlie in more permanent ways? Nora knew what Charlie was going through. She went through a similar grief when she lost her child. All she could hope was that Charlie would find meaning the same way she did—in fighting for something that mattered.
"I'm glad you're alright," Nora smiled at Charlie, and glanced up at Rachael who had approached and was now standing at Charlie's shoulder. "When we saw what happened at Echo base...let's just say it was a tense ride from there to here."
"Well we're all here now," Charlie assured her. Charlie's small grin faded as her eyes darted back and forth around Nora. "Where's Miles?" she asked, a note of worry seeping into her voice.
"Don't worry," Nora said. "He's fine—he's over with Jim unpacking the horses."
Nora had barely finished when Charlie made for the small paddock.
As they unloaded the bags from the horses and began to wipe them down, Miles attempted to outline to Jim some of his plans for readying the Militia to take on Monroe.
"First and foremost is their training. These are just a bunch of kids and old men with dreams, not fighting experienced. They need some basic weapons and tactics training, as well as—"
Before he could finish, Miles turned at the sound of a cracking twig. Years of that sound heralding danger forced him to alertness, despite his presence in an armed camp. What he was not expecting to follow that sound was his niece throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his shirt.
"We had to leave Echo," she said into his chest, "and they swore Nora would know where to go, but you'd been gone for days, and Randall could have intercepted you..." Her words trailed off as she finally relinquished her hold on him and took a step back.
Miles let out a deep breath.
Next to him, Jim just raised an eyebrow. "Well if that's how rebels greet their commanding officer, you're right about them needing some serious training," Jim deadpanned.
Miles turned to glare at his former friend, unable to tell if the man was attempting to joke or if he was actually being serious. "She's not a rebel," he quickly corrected. At Jim's confused expression, Miles added, "Charlie's my niece."
Jim's brow shot back up again.
"And before you ask, Jim," Nora added in, hearing the last part of the conversation as she'd been trying to catch up with Charlie, "yes, he does have family. Apparently most people do," she smirked at Miles, throwing back at him the first things they had exchanged once she'd been introduced to the youngest Matheson.
"And she knows who you are?" Jim asked, still raw from his dealings with his wife.
"Ye—" Miles began, only to be interrupted by Charlie.
"Yeah, I know he used to work with Monroe. Used to be head of the whole Monroe Militia. Killed lots of people. Fought lots of wars," Charlie told Jim, not flinching as she listed off some of her uncle's infamous achievements. Then she paused before continuing in a slow, sure voice, "But he's also family. He's the guy that stuck with me over 1,000 miles to get my brother back. And now he's the guy who's agreed to help the rebels fight back against Monroe and his Militia. And really, that's all I need to know."
With that, Charlie turned to Miles and tugged lightly on his jacket. "C'mon," she said to him, "I managed to shoot a buck on the trek from Echo, and we still have some venison on the fire."
With that, the Mathesons headed off to the fire in question, leaving Nora and Jim with the horses.
"He left you with all the packs, didn't he?" Nora asked, still watching Charlie tug Miles over to the spit of roasting meat.
Nora turned to look at Jim just in time to catch his nod. She sighed.
"Sorry about that," she told him, as she reached to take Miles' half of the load. "I think he was more worried about her than he let on when we found Echo," she shared. "And he kinda has a soft spot for her, so good luck to anyone else who wants his attention the rest of the light." Her smile was just a bit sardonic.
"So all that talk about how neither of us can have a family..." Jim griped, "He ruined mine, but here he is, with his just fine."
Nora glanced up at Jim.
"But he doesn't see it that way," she explained. "He's only just begun to realize that he wants to be in Charlie's life, and she's finally accepted him for who he is, but now Rachael's in the picture. Before Charlie clung to him because she didn't have anyone else, but now she has her mom. Where does that leave Miles? Personally, I think that's one of the reasons he left to find you," she hefted the packs over her should and began walking back towards the rest of camp. "He didn't think he belonged in their family."
"Pfft," Jim huffed as he followed Nora. "Idiot doesn't know what he's got."
A/N: I'd like to make this a multi-chapter fic, but we'll see how it goes. This is totally not how I wanted this fic to turn out when I first started writing it... oh well! These things happen!