I was trapped like a prisoner in my skin.
I was punished like an enemy for my sins.


So yeah, he was being a jerk. He knew as much - he had reverted to acting like a fifteen year old kid who would tease a girl he liked...that was the only he could maintain his sanity and not give in to the temptation to make whatever she was dreaming about happen in reality.

If he was being truthful, he had been longing for her for a long time. He had felt an intense attraction to her when he first met her, when Strausser had that gun in her face. Her bravery and loyalty were so appealing to him and he had immediately been drawn to her.

Even when she had been trying to kill him in New Vegas, there was still some level of attraction on his part- hell, maybe it bordered on masochism. Now, just the thought that she may reciprocate that physical attraction would send a surge of heat through his veins. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so- alive.

He knew it was all just in his thoughts, that's where it had to stay. Nothing sexual could ever, under any circumstances, happen with Charlie Matheson. She was Miles' niece...so Bass knew he had to be content with the banter, that's all it could ever be.

Three nights later

The group had agreed to go back to Gene Porter's to gather some gear after an unfortunate run-in with some Patriot soldiers. Miles, Rachel, and Aaron were helping Gene while Bass had opted to go straight back to camp. Charlie had also decided to go straight back as well. "I thought you would probably want to see Gramps," Bass spoke up as they walked the trail back to camp.

"What I really need to do is clean up," Charlie said, her arms and hands spackled with Patriot blood. Deep down, it still really bothered her, what they had to do just to survive. It's definitely not the life she had envisioned for herself.

The two walked the rest of the way back to camp in silence and went their separate ways. Charlie grabbed some of the homemade soap she had gotten in Willoughby and headed down to the stream with a blanket and a change of clothes.

Bass went the other direction to grab another shirt from his pack and to wait for Charlie to finish up so he could have a turn at the stream.

After a while, he could see her walking back up the hill, her fingers combing through her wet hair and wearing a fresh change of clothes. Her tank top was snug around her upper body and her jeans did very little to hide her flat stomach and subtle swell of her hips. Bass turned away and pretended to focus on something on the ground.

"Stream is all yours," Charlie said with a smile. Bass half smiled and nodded. Grabbing his shirt and standing up, he started to walk toward the stream, figuring it would be the best alternative he had since a cold shower wasn't available.