Chapter 10: Years

"You know, I'm glad I get to spend more time with you." Miles stated as he rolled over on his side to face Rachel. She was just starting to wake up.

"Me too." She mumbled still trying to wake up completely. The blonde pulled him closer to her and rested her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat. It was his day to patrol Willoughby, but he knew five more minutes wouldn't hurt anything. He hated leaving her. Miles figured that he would pull his weight now so he could ask Bass to take over when Rachel was closer to her due date. He was glad that she and Charlie had grown closer. She was trying to help out her mother in any way that she could as well. Miles knew that between Charlie and Gene, Rachel would be taken care of while he was out working.

"I know you won't like this, but it's my day to work." He admitted hoping that she was coherent enough to understand what he was saying.

"Five more minutes?" She begged and gave him a convincing look to go with it. He couldn't resist her. He was still in love with her years later.

"How can I say no to you?" He replied as he looked into her eyes. She sighed in content as he pulled her as close to him as he could. Her growing bump prevented them from getting closer together than what they already were. They didn't stay that way for long. Rachel rolled back over on her back to try and get more comfortable. As she propped herself up against the pillows she felt it.

"Miles, give me your hand!" She exclaimed as she grabbed his hand before he could ask her why. She placed it where she felt the movement. Miles gasped when he actually felt it. Actually feeling the baby move made Miles realize that this was actually happening.

"He can't stay still, just like his father." Rachel joked. Miles was still in awe that he felt his child for the first time since Rachel told him when she first started feeling movement.

"He?" Miles asked and Rachel nodded. She had a feeling that this one was a boy.

"I have a gut feeling that this one is a boy." Rachel admitted as she gasped. The movement was now in a different spot "He's more active than Charlie and Danny were." She added as she leaned back against the pillows.

"I think this little lady takes after her mother." Miles laughed as he looked at her to see her reaction to his comment. He mentioned that Rachel didn't stay still either. She shook her head and pretended to be offended. She honestly didn't care either way, but wanted to have fun with Miles. She just wanted a healthy baby.

"Do you now." She laughed. He nodded and went on about how he loves all of his ladies. This made Rachel wonder if now was the right time to come clean, but then decided to wait until Charlie was with them.

"Yes, I do." He answered confidently as he got up off of the bed to go get ready. Rachel, Charlie, and the baby gave him a reason to put an end to all of this. "Rachel, I don't care what out child is. As long as he or she is healthy, I'm happy." Mile assured her. He joked around to make her laugh. He loved it when she smiled, and she had been doing that a lot lately. The last time he saw her smile like that was before the blackout.

As he was getting ready she got up to get dressed as well. She wanted to do something besides sitting around all day, and she figured she could give Charlie a break. Miles was confused as to why she was getting up. She noticed that he was staring at her as she was changing.

"What? It's not like you haven't seen me before. I know, I don't look as attractive as I used to." She mumbled going on about how her body wasn't as young and perky as it used to be as she got dressed. Rachel was in great shape for her age.

"You're just as beautiful as you were when I first met you, and that will never change." Miles assured her that she was still attractive to him years later. He also told her that her growing bump was adorable too before she could argue.

"You won't be saying that later." She chuckled. At the rate her bump was growing, it was going to look like she was already full term within the next few months. Miles disagreed with that too.

"Rachel, you will always be beautiful to me." He said causing her to tear up. She was touched by his words and the hormones were now getting the better of her. Miles noticed this and was confused.

"I'm fine." She assured Miles that he didn't do anything wrong before he could say anything. Miles nodded as he was looking around the room for his belt. He grabbed it and was putting it on. He finished getting ready so he could make his rounds.

"I love you." He stated as he came up behind her. "You do know that, right?" He asked as he gently turned her around to face him. She nodded as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She didn't answer him back, but she stayed like that for a moment.

"I'll see you later." She finally spoke as she got out of her safe space so that he could go. Once they were downstairs he made his way to the door. She stood in the doorway watching him as he left for the day. Years ago, I'll see you later meant that he wouldn't see her until they had another chance to be together. Now when he told her that, it meant that he would come back home to her at the end of the day.

As he was walking to the police station, Miles was thinking about the same exact thing. He made the mistake of letting her go once years ago, and he wasn't going to do it ever again. Now that she was with him again, he would do everything that he could to keep her safe. He would put his life on the line to make sure Rachel, Charlie and their child were safe.

Miles wanted to redeem himself. He couldn't bring back all of the people that were killed when he was General Matheson, but he could help the ones living now by eliminating the Patriots. Miles was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Bass walking in.

"How's it going?" He asked startling Miles. He looked up from what he was working on at his desk and nodded at Bass.

"Being productive." Bass laughed at his response hoping he would explain. He was looking at the paper on the desk. He gestured at the paper asking about it.

"Aren't you quite the artist." Miles rolled his eyes before explaining what the drawing was about. Miles was actually glad that they were making a lot of progress with the town.

"I drew a very simple map of the town and I marked down the area's that could use more protection." He began explaining what they were going to try and get accomplished today.

"Let's get more people in those spots." Bass answered before Miles could say anything else. Their teamwork was reminding Bass of old times. Old times being before the blackout or Monroe republic.

"On it!" Miles got up from the desk with the map he drew and made his way out. Bass followed him out of the office. They were not short on men because they had been training them to help fight. The men gladly volunteered to protect the women, children and the elderly.

It was mid July and they were closer to the goal that they had set. They may not have defeated all of the Patriots, but they did strengthen the defense in Willoughby.

"You know this actually feels very rewarding." Bass admitted. Miles looked at his best friend confused as to what he meant.

"What do you mean?" Miles asked then it dawned on him what Bass mean by that.

"Helping take down the Patriots so they don't dominate what's left of the United States." Bass began. "I feel like I'm doing something good for once." He added as they continued walking around the town making sure everything was in order and safe.

"I feel the same." Miles agreed. "Do you have regrets too?" He asked his best friend only to get a nod.

"I do." Bass replied and took a breath before going on. "Over the years I became someone my family wouldn't even recognize. I lost myself." He admitted. "I want to be someone my mother and sisters would be proud of." He added.

"I'm sure they are proud of what you are doing to help everyone, Bass. I know I'm proud of you. You changed a lot over the years. Now you are changing for the better." Miles stated as they continued inspecting.

"This is much more satisfying than having complete control over everything." He admitted. He also liked the fact that he was no longer hated by everyone that he came across. People were actually starting to take comfort to the fact that he was around to keep the town safe.

Both men were starting to like the idea of staying in Willoughby and settling down. First they wanted to make up for the awful things they had done in the past. They were well on their way to freedom. Miles finally realized that he truly loved Rachel, and Bass has come to terms with everything that had happened. Defeating the Patriots would get both men closer to having the freedom that they truly wanted.

"Yes it is." Miles agreed. "We cannot change the past, but we can make a better future." He added. Miles was right, they couldn't change what they had done over the years, but they could start living in the present and making improvements.