So, in last chapter on old friend of Charlie's crossed our group's path. Charlie was delighted, the rest of the guys, well, were not.
Chapter two – Let's train, and he does not like you
It was a clear day and as the group lunched outside in the vicinity of their old run down barn in the sun, Bass' eyes were as clouded as could be. Bass was acting strangely remote. He stood a bit further ahead, his hand clipped around his jeans, the other leaning into a thick branch of a tree.
There was something going on there as her face was serious and his eyes were on her. He looked up for a moment. She was used to his push and pull, to his frame next to hers before he would kick her out with some kid line, reference to another movie she did not get or him just being an ass. His eyes were on her, as he was talking with some shit it's good to be a Monroe grin to Miles who sat down in front of him and bad as ever at hiding his grin for being back here with him. As she bit onto a piece of meat she remembered the early morning dew, her getting up early as the rest had not started their day yet. All of them, but him. He had walked over to her, his eyes casually on some non existing things on the ground, and then his eyes had been on her.
His eyes were everywhere , the sky, the tree line, the grass, his boot digging into the grass, but again, not on her. The brisk of the early morning, the bright sounds of birds and animals moving towards them, the air around them filled with a held day that was about to unfold. Cool air coming from the ground. Charlie liked this moment. The day felt more light, more easy, like the bound before everything started again. His eyes were not on her. Until they were.
'Shouldn't you be huddled up on Johnny boy's bearskin ?' He said, with a tired sigh that stretched out his words and a raspy insult trapped in his words.
She decided she would not acknowledge his words. One moment he fights with, for her. One moment she was glad to see his ass, quite literally. The other moment he was like this. Exclusively finding her, to spill his guts.
But then she did.
'Jesus,' she muttered. Looking away from him, towards her right, her face tired because she stayed up well in the night catching up with John. Talking, joking, shaking her head.
But somehow he still stayed around, and somehow she still sat there. He leaned against the wall of the shed.
'So, he is a friend of yours?' His voice was sandy from the early start, like his voice always goes for an extra inch of rough roughness each morning.
She should not think it is so very him. A gentle normalness in her day. She shouldn't. Because that means Monroe was getting into her little routine. He was, something is pissing her of about herself of how she noticed it.
'Yeah,' she nodded at him.
'You close?' He pouted his lips, his tone screams nonchalance, and this is not like the questions he asked her on the road to Willoughby. Those questions were to see where he stood, with Miles, with her mom, in what storm he would in.
This was not about Miles. This was not about anything else.
And that was where her insides told her he was preying after something. She decided not to bite, although she would not be able to go over this part of their conversation later again. And again.
'Nah, it is nice to have somebody from home.'
He nods, he understood. He was relieved. Annoyed that he was.
He broke the piece of bread he held in two, offering her a piece. She took in without saying something. They ate.
And now it was lunch, and now the sun is higher in the sky over their safe house just outside Willoughby. She was eating and cleaning her weapons.
He is in her view.
That is, until John walked up to her, bucket it hands.
'So, a couple of days ago we ran into some assholes. You know, really intense. I was able to catch them in surprise, kill two of them without them even noticing.'
Charlie could take a lot of shit, but bragging men who were really proud of themselves and using that to get into her panties were not one of those things.
She put her face in the serious I am really listening to your story features.
'Wow, you are so brave.'
He smiled boyishly proud at her. God, she was disgusted, but she could also not find it in her heart to take that boyish happiness away. This was little John, who fell in love with Mellisy from two doors down and made a present for her himself.
She pretended she did not feel his eyes somewhere. He pretended they were just still talking. Charlie smiled at him. Her voice going a bit more compliant and friendly.
'Hey, why don't we train in a bit. You know, maybe you can teach me some things.'
'Sure, Charlie.' He nodded, smiling proudly, 'You sure ey, don't want to hurt you little one.'
She walked up to him, put the knife in his bucket as she padded him on the shoulder.
'That's very cute of you John.' She straightened her back, 'All right, see you then.'
And then she walked of, feeling his eyes on her as she was looking forward, really looking forward, to that fight. And kicking his ass.
And making John remember, that she was Charlie Matheson.
Later that day
Charlie had walked up to him. Charlie had felt the eyes of Miles and Connor on her. Charlie had walked up to the middle of the field.
Charlie was ready.
John walked up, throwing his jacket on the ground as their little sparring match was about to begin.
Bass was ready to see his little tiger into action. This pink was underestimating Charlotte, and god, he swore, he hoped she would put the son of a bitch right in his place. His girl could hit. He looked at the punk, pulling of his jacket like he was putting on some show, no, dammit, he was putting on some show. And then, he saw Charlie.
He would still wake up way before dawn, a reminder of his days as president, and days before that, when things had been so much simpler. And he still knew he would find Charlotte there. Caught in the morning light, the sun about to shine on her hair. It was a simple moment, but somehow they had grown into that rhythm and hell, he liked sitting there with her. They were facing all this bullshit back here, but her, there, it was his remainder of when it was him and her and the fact that there was somebody with him, that apparently still gave a fuck whether he was alive. He never asked, she never told him. But he knew she saved his ass.
He followed Charlie with his eyes. He knew fighter boy was not going to hurt her, but if he did, and some part of him hoped the punk gave him some reason, not a lot, but enough, he would show her how Charlie should be treated.
And with one movement, her feet moving fast, she delivered her first punch. Straight in his face.
And it was a full hit.
John staggered behind. His hand going to his nose.
'Fucking hell, ey,' He grumbled lowly, as some other grunts accompany his agony.
The blood came from his nose now in earnest.
Charlie threw down her weapon and walked towards John with fast steps of her boots.
'Why didn't you deflect?' She was pissed off and concerned at the same time.
Both Miles and Bass had walked over in a quick pace.
John's voice was muffled when he answered.
'Because you are little Charlie Matheson.'
'Seriously?' Now Charlie was just pissed.
Gene rushed over. 'What happened?'
Charlie's face was frustrated. 'Can't believe this happened again.' She said, her hands on her hips.
'Again?' Connor asked.
'Yeah, he just moved to our town, we got into a little fight, and I accidentally gave him a bloody nose.'
'Accidentally?' John grumbled, annoyed at the way the guys around him were soaking up her story.
'Well, you were an asshole.' Charlie said stubbornly.
'So, what did Robin Hood over here do?' Miles said, a smile on his face as Bass stood grinning behind him like a toddles on Christmas morning.
'He touched my crossbow.'
'Oh yeah, don't touch her crossbow man, she is very serious about that.' Bass added. He grinned at Charlie who shot him a look like she was not amused, while he was. He really fucking was. Seeing Charlotte kick this guy's ass, made him proud.
Gene had walked over, soft cotton in his hand. He examined John, but other than his ego, nothing was hurt seriously.
'There you go son.' Gene said.
Well, I would have apologized to you, but that's before you became such an ass, I have changed my mind. I am pissed John, Jesus.'
'But at the end of the day, you have your nosed stuffed with cotton, looking like a complete moron.' She patted him on the back. 'That's payback enough for me.'
John looked up and behind him.
'For now.' She added with a light green adding to her blue in her eyes. Miles was holding his hand before his eyes to not burst the hell out in laughter. And not to piss of Charlie anymore. Bass, the guy he think he hated, no he did not think, he knew, he hated more, for a lot of reasons, even more than his cocky little kid, was grinning that grin of his. He looked down, he sighed. Little Charlie Matheson did a lot of growing up.
She turned, deciding she would give the poor guy a minute.
'That's our girl.' Bass grinned. He patted Miles on the back, when he walked away from Johnny boy. Oh man, did he love to get his hands on the guy as well. And a little blood coming from the kid's nose would be the least of the boy's problems.
Authors note Thank you for reading everyone, in next chapter, we will see that fight between Bass and well...yeah, him. More fighting, dirty looks and realisations next! Love form Love