Charlie and Miles were greeted by Nora as they rode into camp two days later. Concern was etched on her face as she made her way towards them. Miles leaned over and whispered something into Charlie's ear that made her smile. She then took the horses to unload the rifles at the armory.

"Things seem better between you two."

"Honestly, the jury's still out, but we're working on it."

"Glad to hear it. I honestly thought she'd run off or kill you."

"Well she did try to run, but so far she hasn't tried to kill me, unless you count her cooking."
Switching gears into general mode Miles asked, "Everyone make it back alright?"

"Yeah, you're the last to get here. We've also had a few more rebel recruits show up. Including your favorite young buck."

Miles looked up to see Jason come out of the armory tent and make his way toward Charlie. "When did he get here?"

"Late yesterday. I will say he's been chomping at the bit to see Charlie again."

Miles watched as Jason moved closer to Charlie and as they talked he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. He could barely contain a growl. He started toward them when Nora's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Let her be Miles."

"Have you forgotten who his father is? He could hurt her."

"He hasn't yet, he's done everything in his power to protect her."

"He threw her from a moving train."

"Better that then a bullet from his father."

"Point taken. I just don't want to see her get hurt, more than she already has."

"You mean more than you've already hurt her?"

Miles looked down at Nora and sighed, "yeah" then started walking toward the command tent.
Nora kept pace beside him, "Miles you have to forgive yourself before she will ever be able to forgive you. You aren't that person, not any more. The fact that you are so concerned about Charlie proves that."

"Oh I'm still that guy Nora, a part of me will always be that guy."

Nora stood in front of Miles and put her hand on his chest. "Yeah well that might be true, but that guy also has a warm gooey center bubbling to the surface."

"Gooey center my ass," he growled as he smacked Nora's butt and pushed her inside the tent. He leaned down to kiss her when someone cleared their throat at the opening of the tent. "Enter at your own risk." Miles barked.

"Sorry sir, we just received this report from one of our scouts."

Miles looked at the piece of paper then handed it to Nora. "Wow, that's a lot of Militia," she sighed.

"Yeah it looks like Monroe is gearing up for a final offensive, one meant to wipe us off the map."

"So what's the plan?"

"We'll I'd hate for him to walk all this way for nothing." a mischievous smile spread across Miles' face. He walked out into the court yard and gave orders for the men prepare for an attack, he spotted Charlie and yelled. "Charlie, gear up, you're with me."

Charlie nodded, grabbed her pack and walked into the command tent, followed by Jason.

"Guess where she goes you go?"

Jason only nodded.

Miles rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, god help me, now I'm a chaperone.

As they made preparations for the Militia's attack Miles called Charlie over to him. "Charlie this is going to get nasty. We've been in battles before but nothing this big. I want you to stick to my side. You do what I say when I say."

Charlie nodded. "I mean it Charlie, if I tell you to run, you run and don't look back. If things go bad I want you to go to Texas." Charlie started to protest but Miles cut her off. "No arguments young lady." Miles then turned to Jason, "promise me you'll get her to safety."

"Yes sir."

"Hey, don't I get a say in this?"

"No!" Jason and Miles answered at the same time.

"Like hell, I'm not going to run, I'm not going to abandon my friends and family. I'm in it to the end and there is nothing you can say about it."

"Dammit Charlie, for once just listen to me."

"You didn't leave me, I'm not going to leave you."

Miles turned to Jason, "Can you give us a minute Junior?"

Jason reluctantly moved away.

"Charlie, you don't understand, this battle is going to be bad. We are out numbered and out gunned. This is Monroe's big push to wipe us off the map and he just might succeed. I need to know that no matter what, you'll be safe."

"Miles if I've learned one thing from all of our time together, the safest place to be is right beside you."

"I'm not so sure about that kid, but I'm selfish enough to keep you by my side for as long as possible. But when the time comes for you to run, and it will, you run. Monroe has to have heard by now how much you mean to me and he will use that to hurt not only me but you. There will come a time when the safest place for you will be as far away from me as possible. I don't care what he does to me but I'll be damned if he so much as touches you."

"Miles, I don't want to argue with you."

"Then don't, just say 'yes Uncle Miles, whatever you say Uncle Miles' and we'll call it good."

Charlie laughed. "Okay fine, yes Uncle Miles, whatever you say Uncle Miles, I will follow your orders and I will run when you tell me to."

"Was that so hard?"

Charlie just shook her head and walked off. She might have agreed to run, but she didn't say how far she would go. She might still me mad and hurt about what Miles had done to her mother all those years ago, but she couldn't lie to herself. She loved him. He was her family, her only family, someone she thought of as a father and she would be damned if she let him go it alone. She saw the concern and fear for her in his eyes. She knew that he was hurting and he was trying to make it right. He had changed, and he deserved a second chance. Maybe forgiving him wouldn't be as hard as she thought it would be. Not nearly as hard as getting him to forgive himself.

Charlie's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of the warning bell, the Militia was here.