Miles woke up mid afternoon the next day to find Bass and Charlie on either side of his bed. "Last time I woke up to this much tension I got laid the night before," he muttered.
"Are you hungry?" Charlie asked. "You were asleep for a long time."
"They have really good drugs here in Philly." He cracked his back. "Someone help me sit up. I'm going to hurt my neck looking up at you guys." Bass moved first and put pillows behind Miles' back so he could sit up right. "That's better. Is there food around here? My stomach is not exactly happy with me right now."
"Right here," Charlie said, placing a tray in front of him.
"So what did I miss?" he asked, as he started eating. "Other than you two eye fucking each other." He looked at Bass. "She's legal but you should really get Rachel's permission first."
"I'll keep that in mind," Bass agreed dryly. "The doctor is going to be here in an hour to look you over."
"Doctor? Really, Bass? You had a doctor in here yesterday. And he told you I was dying."
"You want to live under my roof you'll follow my rules," Bass insisted.
"You realize my house is right next door right? Sick as I am, I could walk there."
"Correction, your house used to be next door. How do you know I haven't given it away? You've been gone for four years."
"Did you give it away?"
"No," Bass admitted.
"Then my point stands. Look, don't you have presidential duties or something? I mean I remember a time when I could barely get you to put your John Hancock on an execution order you were so busy." Miles made a shooing motion. "Go look after your country. I want to talk to my niece."
"I'll be back later," Bass told them.
"I'm not sure if that was supposed to be threatening or comforting," MIles said as he watched the other man leave. "Anyway, how have they been treating you?"
"Alright,' Charlie shrugged. "I've only been here like twelve hours."
"Trust me that used to be long enough to get a confession in some cases."
"AM I supposed to be confessing to something?"
"Don't know, you've got something you want to get off your chest?"
"Miles, you're not funny."
"True," Miles admitted. "But you could at least pretend. I'm dying remember?"
"You won't let me forget."
"Because you seem real big on not dealing with that fact."
Charlie pursed her lips. "I don't want to talk about that."
"Alright, what will we talk about?"
"How long are we going to be here?"
"I told you, a while." Miles pushed the mostly full tray away. "I can't exactly go anywhere right now Charlie."
Charlie tilted her head. "Maybe you could if you ate more."
Miles looked at the tray. "Not really that hungry."
"Miles, please."
"I'll eat later. Just…not now."
"Alright," Charlie sighed.
"Look, help me up. I need to use the bathroom."
Charlie helped him to his feet but he couldn't seem to stay on them. "Do you want me to call someone?" she asked.
"The bathroom is no more than a foot away and I am not using a goddamn bed pan," Miles snapped. It took him a good ten minutes but he made to the bathroom on his own power. Getting back was even harder. He was panting by the time he laid down again.
"What can I get you?" Charlie asked.
"A new body?" Charlie frowned but Miles laughed at his own joke. "I'm fine, Charlie. Just tired."
"You just slept for twelve hours."
Miles swallowed. "It's fine. Just let it alone."
They both looked up at the sound of knocking. "Come in," Charlie called.
Bass leaned around the door frame. "I'll be in meetings all day but Jeremy will be just outside if you need anything."
"I do need something actually," Miles said. "I'm expecting a package in the next few days from one of your outposts."
"I'll make sure to tell the soldiers to keep an eye out for it."
"Thank you."
The days flew by as Miles got weaker and weaker. But he beat the doctor's predictions of one week. In fact he seemed determined to hold on until his package arrived. It was only the beginning of the second week but Miles was still around. Bass was starting to pray the package would never get here when Nora Clayton was marched into his office. "Nora,' he greeted.
"Bass," she smiled. "You're looking well."
"You're not."
"Chains don't suit me," she shrugged.
"Let her go," Bass nodded. "She's no threat."
Nora pouted at him. "That's a little hurtful Bass."
"My soldiers report that you walked right into an outpost, put your gun down, knelt on the ground and informed them you had a package for Miles."
"That's right," she nodded.
"But they searched you and couldn't find any package. So they brought you straight to me."
Nora grinned. "We could always play strip search. I remember having a lot of fun with you and Miles at that game."
"Where is the package?" Bass asked.
"Let me see Miles first and then I'll tell you," Nora countered. Her easy demeanor slipped for a moment. "He is still alive isn't he?"
"By sheer force of will," Bass agreed.
Nora grinned. "Miles Matheson is nothing if not sheer force of will. Now let me see him."
"Right this way," Bass gestured. He led her to the room Miles was occupying down the hall and knocked.
"Please tell me you're the stripper I ordered," miles called through the wood.
Nora opened the door with a mischievous grin. "I heard there was a dying man in here. Can't be if you're ordering strippers."
Miles grinned at her. A real grin that made him look as though he was only a little bit sick, maybe just recovering from a cold, rather than dying. "It's my dying wish," he explained. "I refuse to die without getting laid."
They both laughed as Nora made her way to his bedside and kissed his cheek. "She walked into an outpost claiming to have a package for you," Bass explained as he closed the door behind him. "But my soldiers couldn't find anything. Neither could I."
"Of course not,' Miles grinned. They both looked at him like they had some terribly engrossing secret he hadn't figured out. "Come on Bass. What was the first thing I said to you when I first met Nora?"
Bass groaned. "You won't believe the woman I just met," he quoted.
"It's like she's the total package," Miles finished, grinning at Nora.
"So the thing you were waiting for was Nora?" Bass asked.
"Got her in here didn't it?" Miles replied smugly.
"And without a scratch on me," Nora agreed, taking his hand.
Miles looked at her earnestly. "Did you send it?"
"Just before I came, like I promised." Nora squeezed his hand. "She'll get it I promised."
"Good." Miles yawned. "Sorry, they've got me hyped up on all sorts of drugs these days. I don't get to spend much time awake."
"You sleep," Nora told him. "I'll be here when you wake up."
"Haven't…seen you in…weeks."
"It's alright. I'm not going anywhere now." Nora hummed and Miles' face softened into a smile. "Well bless my soul, what's wrong with me?" she crooned. "I'm twitching and shaking just like a leaf/My friends say I've been bitten by the bug/I'm in love/I'm all shook up."
"You are the only woman I've ever met that could turn Elvis into a lullaby," Miles chuckled.
"I can stop."
"No. Please."
One hand ran through his hair while the other held onto his hand. "My hands are shaky and my knees are weak/I can't seem to stand on my own two feet/Who do you thank when you get such luck/I'm love."
"I'm all shook up," Miles finished. He kept smiling as he drifted off to sleep.
Nora ran her fingers through his hair once more. "What's that old line? 'Haven't we played this scene before'?" she asked Bass.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't you remember? The rebels? It was Miles' birthday and you two were in the restaurant starting your celebration. And a bomb went off."
"And Miles was knocked out," Bass nodded. "We both stayed in his room until he woke up."
"And here we are again," Nora sighed. "Except soon when he falls asleep he won't wake up again."
"You don't believe he's going to get better?"
"Not without medicine that we lost in the Blackout." Nora turned to him. "There was one thing I never understood."
"Which was?"
"That rebel and his family, you draped their coffins with the American flag."
"So?"
"So why not the Republic flag? Show off your superiority."
Bass gave a disdainful sniff. "I didn't want them profaning my flag."
"Right." The sarcasm wasn't even hidden in Nora's voice. "Bass, I might not have known you all your life like Miles but I have known you since before you were…this. So don't pull the 'crazy, intense dictator' card with me. Because I know who you are when no one else is around."
"So you think you know me?"
"Not like Miles but yeah. And I know that his death is going to hurt even more than his betrayal did. Because when he leaves his time, he doesn't get a chance to come back."
Bass scowled at her. "You can Charlie can move into Miles' old house. It's hers by right after all. Jeremy can take you both; let him know if you need anything."
"There is one thing," Nora said.
"Yes?"
"My job for Miles was to send a message. The rebels are smuggling news of his illness to Rachel. I can't tell you where she is but hopefully you'll receive a message saying she's awaiting pick up. Let her come Bass. Charlie shouldn't be alone during this."
Bass nodded slowly. "I'll have my ear out for that. Though I'm not sure Charlie will want to see her. She hasn't mentioned Rachel in all the time she's been here."
Nora didn't bother to ask how he knew about that. She wasn't stupid. "She'll need everyone she can get for this." Nora glanced at Miles. "We all will."
A/N: The ballad version of "All Shook Up" is sung by Avila and is really worth the listen. The line "Haven't we played this scene before" comes from the song "Sequel" by Harry Chapin.
