Time moved on. Time moved their summer into a war. A war Bass and Miles fought together in. A war where brothers were able to fight side by side. A war they won.

Davis escaping under suspicious circumstances, Truman out there, stories about people who were not there anymore roaming the Texan fields. Whispers about unnatural things. Somewhere in the middle of that simmer, Charlie could not look the other way anymore as it was one late summer night and she had walked to Rachel.

Telling her mom she needed and wanted to know all there was to tell. Tell her about everything Charlie only came to understand in bits and pieces, pieces they had touched in the Tower and days after that, all that her mother and Ben were involved in. She needed to know, through the shame and guilt of her mom.

It was a late summer night that moved into a deeper Texan night, when Rachel eventually started talking and Charlie started to listen. The project she and Ben had been working on, how it all went horribly wrong. What it had cost them. What it had cost the world.

Charlie knew Miles was around when her eyes were serious and on her mom. Her mom had even let Bass and Connor close to the spot they had chooen near a fire. As she not only told her daughter her story, Ben's story that filled her with so much shame. But Rachel also told Bass, and Miles, after long years, the whole story they had both kept her for in Philly for so long.

Aaron sat gently and quietly, the guilt he carried because of his part in this story, always there on his shoulders. He looked from Rachel to Charlie. Knowing he would never be prepared for when Charlie would hear the truth about Rachel and Ben. But that nothing had prepared him for a Charlie crumbling down with the weight of the truth right before him.

Realisation started to form, as Charlie realised what her parents part was in the history of their world. Another thing had started to work its way in, as she could not see Bass, but she felt him there, his broody darker eyes near the fire, the flames falling over his face, as he had been silent and listening to Rachel. He stood right behind Miles.

She had accused Bass of so much. Miles too. But Bass, he had been the black and white man in her past. Even in the present there was so much of her hate and anger of how this world was and how she had and still felt the limitations of this post black out world in it every single day. Of who she would not never be, of colleges she would never visit, of worls she would never see.

Bass had done unspeakable things, to the world, to her, to her family. But so had Miles.

So had her mom. So had Ben, the man she still could only think about as her father as well.

After what her mother told her, she realised black and white would not do. Not anymore.

That the story had started sooner. Bass had once lived his life, until his world, together with the rest of the world, had crashed down before his feet as he sat next to Miles in a car that broke down on a highway in the dark, a car they would never listen to rock music in anymore, talking about Miles' stubbroness to ever buy a different phone and Bass' receiving messages from woman on his own, with a wide grin and another right on his best friend, his brothers face.

That Bass, had turned into the man she knew now in that world her parents had created for him to discover all the darkness in in, in a world without limitations anymore. Just like the rest of them. He baceme hardened throug life, rough, crude. Man, general, brother. Lost in mad grieve and decisions in a world gone mad of its own.

It was the moment she realised it, as things clicked into a new reality. All of it. It was the moment it changed everything for good. It was the moment she could not sit with her mom anymore. As there were no more questions to ask, only raw emotions to be felt.

As hurt, and disbelieve and shock for what her parents did, for anger how different things could have been, and for all the things she had to adjust now, hit the surface.

She pushed herself up from the log she had been sitting on.

Rachel was crying, her hands going for her daughter, until she realised too, her daughter, her little girl would not want here there. She had left her behind that day with Ben and Danny on thar path in the forest. She made that descision, she had cried for hours. And now, the full realistion hit her, a mothers realisation moved into her heart, of what she had chosen, of where she had gone after she walked away crying for her husband, and little boy and Charlie. Philly. Miles. Charlie had changed, she had grown up. She had missed all these years and because of that, Charlie would not allow her close. SHe would not want her there. As now other men fulfulled thar role, were there for her.

Charlie stood, as she felt the men around her react to her. Still silently processing what Rachel just told all of them. But still on alert.

Miles was looking at her with so much pain for her, pain he wanted to spare her from. Aaron's eyes filled with tears behind his glasses. Connor looking at her with deep eyes, genlte eyes, that were there too behind him being all cocky and so full of himself at times, as he was standing next to Bass. Realising his dad had been right that day in the storm cellar, that they all had their sad stories, that all of them, went through their hell. That even how strong Charlie looked and acted, her pain, matched his own. And Bass, his eyes had been following her, burning into her like the brand on her wrist, not missing any single movement from her.

She had walked away as the realisation caught up and left her nowhere to go and with blinding tears in her eyes with the weight of so much. Her parents. They had destroyed a time and world that once was. Her family. Hers alone.

She walked. And walked. She cried. Anger, betrayed tears with so much sadness of how the world really was, something her mom, and dad, both had hidden away from her. It brought everything in a new perspective. Every word her dad told her, every warning from Ben, telling her that out there, there was nothing to see. She walked. And cried. And had nowhere to go. But kept on walking.

And when Bass found her, because that is what he did that late night in that silent forest, he let her turn towards him the moment she knew he was there and he let her crash her fist with so much rage and hurt at him. Rage at what this world would never be, rage of how she could never see her parents again.

Rage, she never knew she could feel, anger that it was Monroe, that it was Bass. That out of all people that it was him who stood here, letting her rage, taking each and every one of her hits. After everything she had accused him, after all the cold looks, after all that. He was still here. Willing to look at her, willing to catch her pain.

Bass had followed her, after Miles had given him permission with his eyes, as he had watched Connor give him a nod, understanding what he had to do. He had kept his distance, checked their surroundings as he gave her a free path for her anger and grieve, but he had never let her out of his sight.

He had once signed the warrant for Ben himself. Miles standing behind him, whiskey glass in hand. His idea, Miles' idea, because Miles had been the last one talking to Ben. And they knew, they knew they had not been able to watch the world go to hell anymore. Woman raped, men murdered for food on the road to Chicago when he had joined his brother to go after Ben and his family. So Miles and him, had decided to get Ben to Philly. Before the madness for more control and power had become his new goal.

He had wanted the truth to come out. Fuck, he had wanted it the night Charlie had sat on that couch in front of Rachel in Philly and next to that damn unfinished amplifier. I'll bet there is a lot you don't know about your mom. He had felt it then, the cruel need to use it against Rachel. But then Charlie had found his way under his skin. And what should have been the moment Charlie saw everything her mom did and and who she really was, and what should have brought him dark satisfaction turned into pain he felt for her.

So he followed her. He found her. He let her fight, he let Charlie cry. He watched the wild doubt in her eyes, the realisation that things were not how she thought they were. He felt the sting of her pain. So he held her.

And when Charlie's shoulders slowed down their movements of shock and sobbing, he moved a finger under her chin, moving her face towards him. Looking at everything he knew what was swirling inside of her her tearfilled eyes.

She looked him straight in the eyes, as she tasted the salt taste of her tears at the back of her throat.

'None of this,' his voice was low and filled with empathy and a feeling that made Charlie return more to herself and the forest, 'is your fault. Do you hear me?' His voice was more rough now, to underline each and every of his words. 'None of this bullshit is your fault Charlie.'

Hell, he needed her to know, to understand, before guilt for something she did not do would consume her and eat her whole. Beause he knew her, she would go there. ANd dammit, he would not let her go there, he would not loose her to that.

She did not even blink, with her mouth slightly open, as his words streamed in. She nodded, but maybe she did not. She watched him understanding her anyway.

Bass watched how she listened to him, how his words made a difference, how he mattered to her, how he was able to reach her. Dammit, he felt fucking stupid tears ambush him. He swallowed them away as he stood there with her, her tears in her eyes and drying on her cheeks as he let Charlie lean against him.

Two weeks later

She had made a choice. Charlie would fight with Miles. She would fight with him. After Bass had walked her back to camp, after Miles and Connor and Aaron had been waiting at their fire that night, in that camp, near Willoughby. She ahd given her mom one nod, silently letting her no that no matter how fucked up things were, they were still family. But that she needed time, and space, and room to be her, with the people she chose around her.

Not much later after that night she had walked to Blanchard, and offered her services. He had accepted them. Offering her a whiskey and asking her is she was damn sure she wanted to fight with those two idots plus junior. She had told him, that they were idots, but that they were her idots. She had finished her drink in one swig, but the glass in front of him and had asked Blanchard if he needed something more.

When Miles had asked about his meeting with Charlie later, when he had to talk some shit through with Blanchard, Frank had told him, and Bass the story. Making Bass and Miles grin like idots. Making Blanchard mummble something about how very right he was about calling them idots.

Miles had made a choice. A choice to let Charlie completely into his heart, after she had done the same for him. He had no idea if things were going to work out between him and Rachel. Bass had grunted something about him being a lovesick puppy. First, there was this war, with hell breaking loose, and his daughter at his side. With Bass fighting with them, with Connor there too. Brothers side by side again.

Their kids close. He took another swig of his flask,sitting on a crate in between the tents of their camp, realising that was a thought he would never hear himself think. He almost grinned, as he met the light amused eyes of Bass, who raised an eyebrow at him, standing next to Charlie.

Bass already made a choice. He would fight next to her, just like he would always fight next to Miles. They were brothers and god, there was so much fucked up hurt and battles ahead, but there is where he wanted to be. He would fight, with her, with his kid, with Miles. To fight every and each of these kaki's into the ground, getting his revenge one kill at a time. Letting loose his rage on all of them.

He knew he loved her. Fuck, he was already fucked when it came to that. Deep love, respect. Just like with Miles. Just like the love he felt growing with every day Connor was with them. But so much more different.

They would move out tomorrow, follow the other where they went from this day one.


That night, and in many nights that summer that would follow, Charlie walked to the small fire that was burning slowly. She found Miles already snoring, asleep. Her mom, Gene and Aaron and Priscilla shared a tent further ahead.

She watched Connor in the distance with some girl, her shoulders close to his chest as they were busy flirting and talking. She had watched Connor earlier this night and it looked like he was getting lucky tonight. Good for him, Charlie grinned. Connor had been flirting with one the girls that had been roaming their camp. Connor had looked away from his new discovery to grin at her, and Charlie had smirked back at him before he turned his attention back on the brunette in front of him, in the middle of his stories to impress the hell out of her. Charlie knew those stories and Connor was lucky he was that cute, because those stories, well, they never impressed her.

That left one man, sitting near the fire. The one Monroe that was able to jank her chain, to rock something deep inside of her, every damn time. Bass' eyes distant and brooding. His boots in the ground in front of him, his jackets close to his wide chest. Charlie knew her was going through strategies for tomorrow and would follow. She found her bedroll already next to his. She smiled, but hid it from him. She knew either Miles or Bass had put it there, never making it not clear who she belonged to and that other men from camp should leave her the hell alone. She kind of liked it, she thought it was kind of cute. But she never told them.

She sat down next to Bass, as he offered her a swig of his bottle. They listened to Miles snore.

'So, he is going for it.' Charlie said drily, as another wave of sound from Miles reached them, and probably half the camp, nodding at Miles.

'Oh yeah, luckily for me, you don't snore...' Bass took a swig of the booze, '...well, at least, not that loud.'

He watched Charlie getting pissed at him, her whole face starting to protest.

'What? I think it is adorable, Charlotte.' He said, eyes with a smile in them, that boyish one, that made her stomach swirl for many reason, as Charlie watched him and stumped him with her elbow right in his ribs.

He did not even move a muscle as her ellbow made contact with his chest, hardness waiting there for her to pump into, as he took another swig from the burning drink in their shared bottle.

When they exchanged the bottle, their fingers touched, in a casual familiarity. Bass looked at her. Fuck, she was beautiful. He watched Charlie drink, a Mini Miles sitting next to him. Long blonde messy curls falling around her face. He could not fucking help himself, restraint had never been his strongest side. He let his hand move into her hair, his fingers going over the soft skin on the back of her head.

He did not give a fuck who would see. He did pulher close, watched her grin and kissed her slowly and deeply. She breathed into his mouth as Charlie felt Bass' firm strong lips as he took her the way he wanted.

His lips were firm and subtle and so good. She softly moaned and of course the son of a bitch took pleasure in that. Every single time she gave away how much her body wanted him, he took it as a victory. She moved back, watching him grin his stupid grin, rolling his eyes. And then, the asshole winked. And she could not help but laugh with him.

Her bedroll looked inviting as Charlie moved in it quickly, pulling an extra blanket over her roll that Bass had managed to find somewhere. When she had managed to find her best mocking look, and to say how sweet that was of him to get that for her, in her Matheson mocking voice, he had just looked pissed, threw the blanket against her chest and stomped out.

Bass moved to his bedroll. Crouching down behind her as he shoved his bedroll closer to hers. Miles moved to her form, instinctively in his sleep. Another snore that made both Charlie and Bass roll their eyes. And then, smile. Smile at knowing each other and each others sounds through the night so well, a sound you only know because you are family.

A warm smile on her face that moved her eyes into gentle blue. Bass watched her. She pulled a warm smile out of him, fuck he swore she was good at that, that reached his eyes and made the lines around his eyes crinkle.

Charlie moved and found a comfortable place. Her body close to his thigh, his chest, his shoulders, the scent of his leather jacket.

Tomorrow they would move out. Charlie watched his eyes changes and she knew exactly why Bass was smirking. Why his eyes moved with blue steal lust, that made her remind herself why she was still pulsating between her thighs.

Bass watched her, as he had watched her less than an hour ago, as he had been banging her against a tree, Charlie encouraging him to fuck her even harder, a challenge he had happily accepted. Always the gentleman he was. The memory made him grin, and his cock grew hard under her look. She knew, bcause hell, she was messing with his head the way she moved her body close when she lay cloose, too fucking close to his groin.

Bass had hit a spot deep inside of her that made her grin and moan all at the same time there against that tree in their stolen moment. Bass had smirked back as he had moved her higher up his thighs, as he had moved deeper inside of her and changed the pace as both of their grins had moved away and there was only the need for release on their faces and in their bodies as he banged her even harder against the tree, making her come over and over again with shocks through her body until he had pumped himself into release that hit the ground between her legs, her shocking still from coming in his arms, as he had to let out a fucking breath with her intensity and their fucking.

He watched her, here, laying close to him, between him and Miles, near their fire. Sated, because of him, and a little blushed from what he had done to her, showing in her eyes as a aftershock of how he took her there, against that tree.

He watched her eyes go heavy with sleep and he fucking loved how she still chose to sleep next to him.

'Ready for another round, Charlotte?' His voice was teasing, but his eyes were serious.

'Oh I am, Bass.'

She used his nickname but still found that sweet mocking Matheson tone. It made him snort briefly. Sure, let her be like this. Meanwhile both her, and his brother, were here, next to him.

They both knew what they were asking the other.

'Are you ready?' Her warmth reached him, as her voice was raspy with sleep. And something else, that moved straight to his damn insides.

His eyes were filled with blue fire, as he pulled her in for a kiss. Slow burning like the fire. Their faces were close as she moved closer to his shoulder, placing a slender hand on his chest, her fingers touching the leather around his shoulder, and he moved through her hair with his nose, gentling nuzzling her.

His voice was low and soft, meant for only her when he spoke.

'Hell yeah, Charlie.'

She smiled at him, lazily. He whispered more into her ear. He told her to go to sleep, that he was here, that Miles was here. His words slowly moved her into deep safe sleep.

He knew his kid would return soon, or maybe enjoy his night with that girl he had seen Connor flirt with like a true Monroe man he was. Bass knew he would be back. His place was with him. his kid silently accepting him, and the placee his kid was safe, the place he wanted to give Connor so fucking much.

He watched how Charlie moved to his chest, how she looked at him before she fell asleep, gorgeous lips and curls around her face.

Choices.

Charlie had made a choice to practice until her tiny feet hurt from wearing her new ballerina shoes. Charlie had made a choice to not let go of Danny's hand in a small wagon in a city on fire. Charlie had made a choice to teach herself how to hunt with her new bow in a week. She made a choice to never let anyone tell her what she could do, or who she could be. Even in the face of a gun aimed at her.

She made a choice to walk to Chicago to find one man. She made a choice to bring back another man to Willoughby. She made a choice to not let her heart turn dark with the lack of forgiveness. She made a choice to never stop fighting for who she was, together with two men and the love she felt for them, as she was not able to catch their bond in any word. They just were.

Bass had made a choice to draw the letter M on his forearm, Miles sitting next to him against that tree, as brothers were brothers and they would never be something else. Bass had made a choice to follow Miles to Chicago, as all of his brother's bullshit was his.

Bass had made a choice to keep his faith, until he had watched Miles shot two men who had been raping and attacking their way through a post blackout world. He had decided to turn dark grieve and loss into rage. He had decided to fight alongside Miles. He had decided to stand, to fight, to keep any fucking grip on his Republic, their Republic,until Miles would find his way home after Miles had left him.

He had decided to save her life in that bar. He had decided to fight with her. For her. He had decided he would find his son, and take any pain he could absorb for him. Bass had decided to fight with his kid, with Miles, with her. With people that were his family. The people that accepted him, that slept next to him in a long night around a fire here in fucking Texas.

Choices.

Life was full of them.

But what Charlie Matheson and Bass Monroe have in common, is that when they make a choice, they stand behind it. With all they have.

The End


There will be an epilogue, to show you where they all are now. I wanted to let Rachel tell her story to Charlie. To show her how she made choices too. I wanted to tell that part of the story so Charlie would understand the story did not begin with Monroe being the ultimate bad guy here, but with a moment Ben and Rachel turned this worlld into darkness. Thank you so very much for reading this one! It has been such a great story to write and I love hearing from you, so thank you for all your feedback! I wanted to conclude the story here, as this story has been all about choices. Choices from all the characters, through moments of time.

After the update for trouble earlier this week and the conclusion ( the epilogue for this one will be here soon) to this story it is now time for me to focus on a new story. A lighter story, with a lot of fun moments, which include Aaron, Miles, Charlie, Bass, Connor and Rachel in Willoughby, right after the war. It will include a Charlie in high heels, a Bass that is happy to offer his help, coffee, a Bachelor party for Aaron and much, much more.

Love from Love