The six of them marched North out of Texas. It had been two weeks since the incident at the school and feelings within the group hadn't improved. They walked in pairs. Specially arranged by Miles who had taken back the lead of their little unit.
Miles walked up front with Aaron. His bitter rhetoric was setting the others against him. Bass was close to shivving the guy and Rachel's mental health was nowhere near strong enough to handle Aaron's constant condemnation .
But Aaron's words had little effect on Miles, whose self-abhorrence outweighed any comments Aaron could dream up. Standing with him upfront lifted the damage he could do to the rest of the group.
There were times that even Miles seriously wanted to 'knock the guy out' but then he would see watery eyes hidden behind those glasses and was instantly reminded that Aaron was just a man grieving for his loved one.
The middle of the group paired Rachel with Gene. It gave the two time to slowly mend bridges of all that had happened back in Willoughby. But Miles had mainly matched them because neither could be partnered with Bass. There wasn't a person in the group who thought putting Bass with the guy who stuck him with a lethal injection was a good idea and he and Rachel still seemed incapable of exchanging a civil word.
That left Bass bringing up the rear with Charlie. Much to Miles' irritation. He was constantly trying to stop his mind running wild, wondering what was going on between those two.
He hoped all Bass saw in Charlie was their similarities. She had definitely gained some of the Matheson family traits. Any that she hadn't inherited from Ben, Miles had instilled in her during their time together over the last year.
She still questioned far too much and was fairly defiant but that just proved she had a large amount of Rachel in her too.
So Miles hoped that was all Bass saw in Charlie. Parts of a friendship that had broken down between the two of them over the years. The thought that Bass saw something other than friendship in his niece was something Miles wouldn't let his mind entertain.
For the moment he needed to keep them together. The route out of Texas had not been easy and the fact was, the two worked well as a team. While Miles concentrated on keeping the others from killing each other Bass worked with Charlie on her sword skills.
Her shot with a rifle was still pretty bad and wasn't likely to improve since they were out of bullets from a fire fight a few days earlier, but he was a good teacher and she actually listened to him. Right now it made the best sense to keep them together.
The plan was to head into what was once Oklahoma and then eastwards to old Tennessee. This was the last known location of Bass' son. The route out of Texas wasn't the most direct but it was the safest. Miles had promised his friend information on his son and the this was the best he was willing to do. If Miles revealed too much information he feared his friend would leave and he needed his help at the moment.
Miles' long term plan was to reach DC. Gene had told him that the Patriots had set up in the White House and that meant the top orders would come from there.
Those images, back at the tower of the missiles hitting Philly and Atlanta would forever be ingrained in this memory. He couldn't let those responsible fool people into believing they were the heroes. He was going to find out what they were up to and how to stop them.
The clouds above seem to be darkening as they walked on. The idea of sleeping in the rain was far from appealing so Miles shifted the route back towards civilisation hoping to find some kind of roof to lodge under.
The group followed their leader in relative silence. Charlie bringing up the rear noticed that her partner was quieter than usual.
"What's going on with you?" Charlie quietly asked him as they continued walking.
"Sick of being used" Bass replied referring to the minimal facts Miles had provided on his son. Information was being dangled like a carrot to get him to follow his friend blindly into what ever he had planned and it angered him.
Charlie was on the outside of her uncles and Bass' relationship. She had spent time with both of them over the last year. She was able to see past all the hurt that stood between them. Yes, Miles needed Bass help in whatever plan he had going on but Charlie knew he also just wanted his old friend back. He wanted the brotherhood they had but just didn't know how to or if he could get it back.
After looking at the hurt look in Bass' eyes she decided to reveal something that Miles probably wouldn't thank her for.
"That night in Willoughby when you were…." she refrained from adding the word 'executed' but he knew what she meant
"I was with Miles while he drank himself into oblivion. He was inconsolable Bass. He'd lost his best friend, his brother. The guy that always had a plan couldn't do anything to save you. I have never seen him like that before" she said
Bass laughed and shook his head. Showing Charlie that he didn't believe a word of it, but those famous puppy dog eyes of his showed her that whether or not he did believe her he at least wanted it to be true.
Up ahead Miles and Aaron had stopped abruptly. They had spotted a old farm-house up ahead. It looked empty, an overgrown porch with broken windows. All clues that it had been abandoned for some time. But something didn't feel right, Miles cast an eye over to Bass who confirmed the same hunch. He opened his mouth to order everyone to find cover when a shot rang out.
Something hit Miles by the ankle. He collapsed to the ground as the sharp pain hit but after a quick check it turned out the bullet had just scratched him. He gathered himself together as Bass crawled over to him and they quickly planned how to respond.
They ordered Charlie to stay and protect the others, then both men moved stealthily in opposite directions through the undergrowth. Ten minutes later they returned to the group having eliminating six particularly vicious bandits.
Once everyone was safely inside the farm-house Gene forced Miles through to a room to check on the wound. Rachel followed them into the back bedroom, her arms folded and a look of intense concentration while she waited for her fathers verdict. The last thing they needed was another infection.
Miles looked over at her and the worry she wore made him chuckle.
"Hey, Rachel it's just a scratch, relax!" he said but she barely acknowledged him choosing instead to bite her lip whilst waiting for the ok from her dad.
"Right, I've cleaned it up and it looks fine" Gene relayed as he packed stuff back into his bag and left the room.
Miles pushed himself off the dresser he'd been leaning against and stood upright feeling nothing more than an annoying sting. His eyes were fixed on Rachel. This was the first time they had been alone since the school. They hadn't had the opportunity to discuss what happened back there. His little death-bed confession had yet to be mentioned.
She had looked so worried just a moment ago, Miles couldn't help but play a little trick. He stepped forward, feigning pain and stumbled into her.
"Oh God Miles, Are you Ok?" Rachel panicked almost beside herself.
"I'm fine" Miles quickly mumbled into her collarbone. The trick had failed. It was supposed to get Rachel to lighten up but having her pressed against him felt too good.
Miles lifted his head a little higher until his eager lips met the warmth of her throat and further to her neck. Rachel's reaction was fast. Gone was the panic of a moment ago. Her hand threaded through his hair as she tipped her head to give him better access and whispered his name on a wave of dark desire.
Miles froze. The intensity of Rachel's reaction had taken him by surprise. This was not how things went between them. Generally as soon any intimate moment happened, guilt of some sort or another set in and everything was over before it started. This time something felt different. He quickly lifted her by the waist and carried her to the old dresser, sitting her on the edge, moving himself between her legs as he continued to kiss her neck and up to her jaw line.
"My dad could come back at any minute" Rachel breathed, sounding like a teenager sneaking around with the bad boy.
Miles stopped. That comment was more like the normal Rachel. A reason for not taking it any further. But she still had her hand gripped in his hair, her breathing still laboured from the feel of his mouth hot against her neckline.
"We had better make it fast then" Miles joked in response to her earlier comment. Then started to pull away knowing the moment to be over.
"No!" Rachel called out as she gripped at his shirt stopping him from backing away.
"I don't want to make it fast…..I want it slow, I want it to last" the words fell nervously from her lips and she felt unable to look him in the eye whilst she waited on his reaction.
Miles on the other hand couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. He wasn't completely sure that what he just heard wasn't his imagination, but her obvious vulnerability told him he needed to respond to her soon.
He lifted his hand to her cheek caressing it gently, feeling the woman who he'd never been able to get out of his system. Miles' heart thumped fast as he felt his own nerves threatening to overwhelm him as he spoke
"I can do slow, I can make it last" he whispered gently pressing his lips to hers.
The kiss turned more intense as he shifted Rachel closer to him, but true to his word he kept it slow, agonisingly slow. He could feel Rachel starting to fidget under him demanding more but he kept her wanting.
Her hands eventually found their way under the fabric of Miles' shirt and he felt the feel of nails run across his back. The act transported him back twenty years when the same sensation was new to him. For a moment the word slow seemed to lose all meaning. Miles shunted forward pressing tightly against her, lost to the moment.
It was then that the door to the room was thrown open and Charlie stepped inside already talking directly to Miles. She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes slowly registering what was happening in front of her.
"What do you want Charlie?" Miles shouted with equal amount of annoyance and embarrassment.
He had his back to her and was temporarily unable to move from his current position. Rachel's head was pressed against his chest, she was unable to look her daughter in the eyes and Miles could hear her whispering, 'Oh God' over and over into his shirt.
Charlie paled at the scene she was witnessing and stuttered in response to Miles question.
"I…I just wanted to talk to you" she said quietly, her eyes filling up. Then she turned and ran from the room.
Miles swore loudly into the air, making Rachel jump. He had noticed ever since the train-car that something was bothering Charlie, but he hadn't had the time to ask her about it. Now she had run from him probably straight to Bass. And he really didn't want her getting any closer to him.
He looked down at Rachel and at yet another ruined moment. He had to pull away. He couldn't let Charlie go like that. She was the one person he hadn't managed to completely disappoint and he desperately wanted it to stay had way.
He kissed Rachel lightly on the head, moved away from her and went in search of his niece.
