Author's Note: I wanted to write something 2x14'ish, so this drabble happened. This story used to be called "The Second Time", but I've changed the name so it will match up with the one at A03, making it a collection of not-necessarily related drabbles. They probably all take place in the same universe, but I doubt they will ever make a coherent story. Chapter 1 of Crazy Train is on the way, I hope to have it completed tomorrow. Haven't forgotten about The Rescuers, either.

Summary: This drabble happens just after the fight in 2x14 but before they all meet up back at Duncan's camp.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Kripke, NBC, JJ Abrams, whoever, just not me.

As We Forgive Our Debtors

After Charlie released Monroe and Connor, and Duncan and her men had killed Gould and all of his guards, Duncan led them all back to her camp. Charlie fell back several paces before she veered off on her own, hoping no one would notice her absence. She needed to retrieve the rest of her clothing and her shoes, and she preferred to do it alone. She didn't feel like answering questions or dealing with anyone's looks of pity.

She should have known better. Monroe caught up to her not a minute after she split off from the rest of the group, but he didn't say a word, didn't ask her where she was going. When they arrived at the trailer, he barred her from entering. Instead, he walked in alone first. She followed after a moment, noting the clenched fists at his sides and his tense posture as he observed the rumpled bedding, the strangled corpse, and the chains on the floor.

"Hey, you know he didn't-" she began, but he cut her off.

"I know," he said shortly. He glanced at her, then flicked his eyes away quickly. "You did good. Get dressed."

The quarters were too cramped for him to exit without brushing up against her as he sidled past, leaving her with goosebumps on her flesh. She dressed hurriedly, anxious to leave the filthy trailer behind as quickly as possible. When she stepped outside again, he was leaning back with one foot propped on the side of the trailer, waiting for her. He fell into step at her right side as they headed to Duncan's camp together.

"How'd you get caught?" he asked in a conversational tone after they had been walking several minutes.

For a moment, Charlie wrestled with the notion of telling him the truth. "Doesn't matter," she said finally. "Everything turned out alright in the end, didn't it?"

He gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "Never thought you'd cover for Duncan. Do you honestly expect me to believe she didn't hand you over to Gould?"

"Maybe if you'd treated her like a decent human being in the first place, I wouldn't have to," she retorted.

"Maybe if you hadn't come hunting for me, I wouldn't have left," he countered darkly.

That brought Charlie up short; she hadn't thought about the fact that she was the one who had lured him out, making him an easy target for the bounty hunters. That was likely the last time Duncan had seen him until two nights ago. No wonder she was so angry, Charlie thought.

She and Monroe continued walking together in silence until they neared the bonfire at the camp. Charlie welcomed the wave of heat and the scent of woodsmoke that greeted them, even from several yards away. Connor was already seated nearby, hungrily devouring a plate of food as he carefully observed his surroundings. Duncan was deep in conversation with a group of men, but she looked over as they approached, nodding once at Charlie. Monroe started toward Connor, but there was something Charlie needed to say to him first.

"Wait," she said quietly. Monroe halted in his tracks and turned back in her direction, looking at her quizzically with his hands shoved in his front pockets.

Charlie cleared her throat nervously, but her voice was still husky when she spoke.

"I never thanked you, before, at that bar. Or any of the other times," she added. She took a deep breath before continuing. "So…thank you. Even though I don't understand why."

He took a step toward her, watching her warily, as if he expected her to attack him if he let his guard down.

"You don't have to thank me, Charlie," he said. "I should be thanking you. You didn't have to come back.

He glanced briefly over his shoulder at Connor before adding, "I'm glad you did."

Then he folded his arms against his chest and looked down for such a long moment that Charlie couldn't decide if he was debating with himself or if he was just done talking. She started to move past him but he put his hand on her arm to stop her, and when he spoke again it was in such a low voice she had to strain to hear.

"As for why," he began, pausing to finally look up and meet her eyes with the intense gaze that had begun to haunt her waking thoughts and her dreams, "maybe I just think you're worth saving.

He turned and walked away to join Connor at the bonfire before she could reply. She hoped he already knew what he didn't give her the chance to say: the feeling was mutual.