Hey yall! Sorry for the long wait, have had some issues, but I hope to do better! (no promises though)

Also, I know that the writing style has changed a tiny bit, I'm just trying to work out a few things and what sounds better. Plus I am working without a beta.

Enjoy!

Charlie had dropped things off at Bass' when they were all first settling in. She would bring him game or a message from Miles. But that never really required her to enter his little house on the other side of town, not that he had time for her to stick around anyways. Since he had been settling down it was wake up, go to his shop, go to the bar, go to bed. She tried not to think about whether or not he had been going to bed alone.

It was early evening as the pair stepped up onto his porch, the sun beginning its decent over the horizon, one of the only signs of winter approaching being the suns earlier departure. Bass opened the door for her and she stepped inside. She paused to look around the open space, there was a couch that faced the front window and a bookshelf, with a fireplace on the opposite wall. Behind that there was a dining room table that probably sat four but just had three mismatched chairs. She saw an entry to the kitchen but it didn't look like he spent much time in there.

Bass observed her perusal silently. When he saw her cock her head at the sight of the kitchen he chucked, "I don't use the kitchen for much, except I did manage to modify the old freezer so that if I have ice it will keep it frozen."

She turned to him with a smile, "Cool. Does that mean you can get milk and stuff?"

"If I ever feel the need to get 'milk and stuff' yeah I guess I could."

"Just a thought." She winked at him and walked to run her hand along the back of his couch.

He had forgotten what that smile and wink combo on her beautiful face could do to him. He cleared his throat trying to get his words out, "So uhm, you want the rest of the tour?"

"Yes please."

He picked up her duffle bag and turned down the lone hallway. He pointed to the first door on his right. "This is the bathroom, I can't pump water in, but I got the plumbing where it will drain so you can bring water in and heat it then bathe and what not." He proceeded to the end where there was a door on either side of the hall. "The one on the left is mine, and I guess the one on the right will be yours."

He turned to look at her and she smiled, "Awesome." She opened the door and walked in. There was a double bed with a blue quilt on it and a small bedside table. On the far wall there was a small empty closet.

Bass rubbed the back of his neck, "I know it's not much, and I will get you a dresser, and if you can think of anything else.." Charlie's hand on his arm cut him off.

"The dresser will be plenty Bass. It's perfect. Thank you."

"Yeah, well, you're welcome. Friends are for and all that."

She chuckled at that. She could tell he was nervous for some reason and said the first thing she thought that of to alleviate that. "Okay, so now that I know where I am staying, let's see this shop of yours."

She knew she had said the right thing by the way his face lit up with a big grin. "Yeah. This way Char."

She smiled a bit to herself at the nick name of her nick name. He just couldn't seem to call her Charlie on a regular basis. He couldn't be like everybody else. She followed him out the front door and to the small building next door.

Bass took a deep breath as he opened the door to his shop, the smell of the wood and sawdust permeating the air. He had always loved working with his hands. Laying out a plan, measuring everything twice, cutting, hammering, putting all the pieces together until you come out with a finished product.

"Sounds kinda like going into battle."

Her voice startled him, he hadn't realized he had been talking out loud. "Yeah, I guess it kinda does. I like it because it gives me some other way to direct my energy. It engages both my brain and my hands."

Charlie looked around at the work bench laid with tools, various projects spread over tables and weird stands also made of wood. "So…you're gonna teach me right?"

He chuckled at her apparent nervousness. "Yeah Charlotte, I am going to teach you. Or at least I am going to try." He wasn't really sure what he was getting himself into offering to teach her and let him help. He was already concerned about how much time they would be spending together while living under the same roof, let alone all day in the shop as well. But her answering smile reminded him why he had offered, and he decided then and there he could do it. Even if he had to constantly sit on his hands to keep them to himself.

They walked back over to the house side by side. Charlie going in and sitting down at the table.

"I'm glad you are making yourself at home Charlotte." He winked at her before taking a seat across from her.

"So are you going back to the bar this evening Bass?"

"Not tonight, I thought I would cook up some of that deer you brought by, not to mention I have a bottle of the whiskey Earl made last month that tastes way better than the stuff he's currently passing out."

"Okay then." She chuckled, "Well I am gonna go out back for a bit before then okay?"

"Uh, sure?"

Charlie walked back to her room and grabbed her extra knife and strapped it to her thigh, before strapping on her sword belt. She walked back into the kitchen and out the back door. Bass had been busy getting a fire started in the fireplace so it didn't get too cold with the sun going down. He heard the back door open and walked over to peek out the window, and his breath got caught in his throat.

His beautiful Charlotte had her sword loose from her belt and was going through her fighting stances, dancing with her invisible opponent. He couldn't help but to stare. She exuded a deadly grace as she moved, true poetry in motion. He picked up a little bit of Miles in her footwork, but it was mostly his style that she leaned towards, after all she had most recently spent the most time training with him. Though under it all, she had her own style too, movements that was neither Miles nor Bass, purely Charlie. She was truly beautiful. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad for Miles to find out she was living here sooner rather than later, some accountability would probably be a good thing. He really didn't wanna screw up his friendship with Charlie by thinking with the wrong head and doing something foolish.

Bass didn't even realize how long he had been standing there until he could hear the fire truly roaring in the fireplace. At this point Charlie had been through quite a workout and paused long enough to wipe her face with the hem of her tank top, exposing her taunt, tan abs and tiny waist, before sheathing her swords and heading to the house.

Bass took a few steadying breaths before pulling the meat out and heading towards the fireplace. "Dinner will be ready in a few Charlotte."

"Okay, I am just gonna go wash up and change."

He gave a noncommittal nod in her direction, still not looking at her. When suddenly he could feel her presence right behind him, and her voice was soft as it reached his ear.

"Oh and Sebastian, I hope you enjoyed the show." She turned and headed down the hall with a triumphant smile.

Bass took a shuddering breath, still facing the fire. "Holy shit. I am so screwed… on second thought, maybe I don't want Miles to EVER know about her being here."

Alright! Let me know what you think! Next chapter, Miles finds out...uh-oh lol.

If you have someone you want to see make an appearance, or a suggestion let me know, I am trying to finish outlining the rest of this story.

Much love,

Ash