Notes:

I finally named the story! Finally, right? Well I had a couple different ones that I was trying to decided between, but I love the one I choose. Also I update the summary for this story, I'm so happy. Lol

Big thanks to Liz for editing my babbles and making them awesome (:

Hope you enjoy!

Charlie's POV.

When Miles and I finally reached the gate a couple of the guards came up to us asking where I was and why I had left. They haven't seen me in a while.

"I went hunting. We were running low on supplies and we can use the meat to trade." The one with the long nose and dark eyes nodded before letting us through. Something was off about him, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Miles and I didn't really talk on the way back to Grandpa's. It wasn't uncomfortable, we just didn't have anything to say. Once we did reach Grandpa's we set the buck just outside the mudroom and walked into to see what everyone was doing.

Grandpa was in the kitchen cooking what smelled like maybe rabbit soup. I smiled at the apron he was wearing. 'Kiss the Cook!' When he looked up from the pot his entire face lit up before stepping from behind the counter and embracing me in a bear hug.

" Oh Charlie I was so worried. " I nodded before kissing his cheek.

" Kiss the Cook. " He blushed a little before nodding.

"So, where were you?" I have a feeling I'm going to be asked that a lot.

"Hunting and then some. I'll explain later." He nodded, but knew I was holding something back.

"What ya cookin?"

"Rabbit. Didn't want it to go bad." I nodded before walking away to find Miles. I figured he was probably with my mom. Sure enough once I reached the living room I could hear their hushed voices.

"I'm serious Rachel, you should have seen her! It's like she's, I don't even know." He started out talking, but ended in a whisper. Rachel caught sight of me and smiled before walking towards me.

"Charlie." I hugged her and just took a second to welcome her embrace. Usually I'm so angry or hurt that I want nothing to do with her, but after last night I just kinda took in the fact that my mom was here hugging me. I stayed like that a couple more minutes before letting go and making my way upstairs to my room.

"See what I mean?" I heard Miles say as I climbed the stairs, but I didn't hear Rachel say anything back.

Once I got to my room, I noticed something was different. For starters there was a pack sitting on my bed that wasn't mine. I was about to turn around and go ask Miles who was staying in my room when I bumped into something.

When I looked up I saw that it wasn't a what, but a who. Here was the notorious Jeremy Baker in my room.

"Well isn't this a lovely welcome back." He smirked. I glared at him and walked away.

"Aww don't be like that love!" I flipped him off before going back downstairs, I could hear him chuckling.

Everyone else was busy so I went back outside and took the deer into the garden to start the field dressing. I knew I should have done it in the woods, but we needed proof.

Plus I needed sometime to think.

I grabbed a plastic tarp and some more rope from the garden shed and found a good sturdy tree. I tied the rope around the bucks head before heaving it up, so the body was dangling from the tree branch. I cut from the crotch to the sternum, to cover the smell I crossed my arm over my nose for a few seconds before I started to pull the guts and all out.

I dug out all the good meat we could use and then cut the deer down before picking up the meat and heading inside.

When I stepped into the kitchen Grandpa saw how bloody I was and asked, "Deer?"

I nodded, "Um where do you-?"

" I'll take care of it. Here, let me take the meat. You go get cleaned up sweetheart." I nodded before handing over the meat and heading towards the bathroom, but then stopped and turned back. " Hey Grandpa? "

" Yea Charlie? " He asked making a face from all the meat in his hands. I giggled.

" Don't get rid of the body. Michael from town will use the fur for clothing and I should be able to sell the antlers for a good price." He nodded before stepping outside. I continued towards the bathroom, happy that I was able to have a hot bath. It was one of the things I was glad about for living with grandpa , the water is heated.

Because of him being the town doctor they had a wood furnace under the tub to warm the water through pipes and such. I'm not sure how it worked, but I was grateful. I walked over to the bathroom and closed the door before I began to strip off my bloody clothing.

I turned the water on as hot as I could get before stepping into the long crow footed bathtub. I laid down and relaxed my shoulders against the cold frame.

I dragged the washcloth up to my hands and arms to wash off the blood and dirt from hunting. I couldn't help but think about the night before. I was in so much pain, it was like everything that ever happened, everyone I lost, came out and began to tear out my heart in pieces. I missed them, but what I told Bass today was the truth. He was part of the reason, but he wasn't all to blame.

Aaron said that Tom came to collect my father alive, but the townspeople wanted to fight it. Danny pulled a weapon and Dad intervened. Danny's death, again, wasn't really Bass's fault. I can blame him all I want, but in the end both my father and brother's deaths were brought about by their own choices. It was Danny's choice to pick up a gun and fight. I still held anger towards Bass, but I knew I couldn't hate him anymore. It took too much energy to hate him and in all honesty I didn't want to hate him. A couple tears fell as I remembered holding pressure against Nora's stomach as my mother walked away. I knew what my mother was trying to do, but sometimes it felt like my mother never even saw me. Growing up it was always about Danny, because of him being sick. When she left, it was my job to take care of him. I still wake in the middle of the night trying to make sure he's alright.

Everything isn't going to be just okay and get along like kittens with a ball of yarn, but it's a start. Some things are going to have to be dealt with sooner or later. I took a deep breath as I dropped the washcloth and pulled the plug from the tub to wash the dirty blood from it, before refilling it and taking a bath to get officially clean. I stepped out of the bathtub and wrapped my towel around my frame when a knock came to the bathroom door.

"Yea . . . one minute. "

"She didn't even grow up during the pre-blackout and still gotta wait on a girl for the restroom!" I could hear Miles whisper to himself from the other side of the door. I smiled and wiped away the last of my tears before tightening my towel and opening the door.

"Yea? "

"I need to take a piss? " I rolled my eyes, no shit!

"And why couldn't you go outside like normal? " This time he rolled his eyes and looked at me as if asking really?

"Because Charlie." He said smirking.

"Because why, Miles?" I emphasized his name and got the satisfaction of his smirk falling.

"You didn't seem to mind showing your goods when we were in the war against the militia." My smile grew as his eyes hardened.

" Your grandfather is out there humming. " He snapped.

" So? " I giggled.

" Charlotte!" He snapped again. Really?

" Aww come on." He began to move back and forth doing the potty dance. I pointed towards the back door, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the way before rushing into the bathroom and locking the door.

"Hey!" I heard Jeremy chuckle before running back upstairs.

"Dammit Miles, hurry your ass up!" I could hear him chuckling as he flushed the toilet. He came out of the bathroom with a huge smile on his face. He sneaked a glance at me before joining Rachel in the living room.

Charlie 0, Miles 1