AN: And here we go...

Charlie ends the call with a sigh. Her parents and brother are in Washington for the next week, they called to let her know they landed safely. Danny is in his middle school's Robotics Theory Team, and they were invited to apply their theories to real life models. He's been working on it for months now with his team mates and they finally get to show case their work in a week long competition, where they will be judged on five different categories. At the end of the week they will be ranked from first place to fiftieth place. Charlie is unhappy about not being there for her brother but she still has a few more weeks of school.

"Stop pouting kid, it's not like Nora and I are super strict. You can still do whatever the hell you want to do. We'll just be here, judging you and all your choices." Miles grins at his niece's exasperated huff and eye roll.

"I just think it was stupid. I'm seventeen and they'll only be gone a week. I don't need babysitters."

"We're not babysitters, just chaperones. Adult support, if you will."

"Pfft. I'm more of an adult than you are."

"True, but we're here with you for the week regardless so stop bitching. It'll be like an extended sleepover, like when you were a kid."

"But I'm not a kid anymore. And I haven't slept over since I was like eleven."

"I know, and truthfully it hurts my feelings. It's why I insisted we stay with you."

"You did not. Mom bitched and nagged at you until you finally said yes, and you're just too afraid of her to lie about it."

"I'm not afraid of Rachel, it's just easier to say yes. She wears you down, like a persistence hunter."

"Are you saying my scientist mother has more stamina than you?"

"No brat, I'm saying that your mother is relentless. Besides what are we interrupting? School? Hanging out with your friends? Texting with Bass? Pining over Bass?"

"I don't pine."

"Sure you don't." Miles out right laughs at her glare. "Come on kiddo, it's not gonna be so bad to hang with me and Nora for a week. And with me here it'll give Bass an excuse to come see you, so you guys can keep pretending you're not giving each other heart eyes."

"There are no heart eyes."

"Oh please, you've had heart eyes since literally the first moment you laid eyes on him. It's only gotten worse in the last year. He's just as bad. I know he's sticking to his guns with you about the age thing but you two are so pathetic it's almost not funny. Almost."

"I seem to remember you being a pathetic mess the year before Nora turned eighteen."

"Oh I definitely was. I was in love within a week, the rest was just technicalities. You two are worse though. Trying to act all cool when you're not fooling anyone."

"Oh shut up old man."

"If I'm old, so is Bass."

"Nah. He aged like fine wine, you aged like a grape left in the sun."

"Did you just indirectly call me a raisin?"

"An old raisin." Charlie was smirking at him, waiting for his comeback.

"Jailbait."

Charlie shrugs at him. "For eleven more months."

"I'm gonna tell your mom you snuck out, went to a crazy party, got completely hammered, and then got an illegal tattoo."

"Mom's a scientist, she'll need proof."

"I have a friend who does tattoos, I'm sure I could talk him into it."

"Jeremy right? We've met, he's Bass' friend too."

"You're a snarky, sarcastic little shit who's too smart for your own good."

"So basically you, with a vagina." Nora says as she comes in from the kitchen where she was checking on dinner. It's her night to cook.

"Oh come on, I don't need to hear about her... that!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, you did change her diapers when she was a baby right?"

"Like twice. It was gross. It's why I supported Rachel when she wanted to start potty training as soon as Charlie could walk. Girl was accident free by two."

"Is that how you're going to react when we have kids?" Miles' eyes widened and look down at Nora's flat stomach.

"Are you?"

"No Miles, I'm not pregnant but would it be so bad if I were?"

"Of course not. I just thought we agreed to wait until Bass and Charlie are at least together so our kids can grow up together."

"We did. I'm just wondering if you're going to be anti diaper changing?"

Miles turns to face his wife and takes her hand in his. "Nora no. When we have kids I'm gonna be right there with you, doing as much as I can."

"Aww, you two are so sweet you make me want to throw up." Charlie interrupts as she stands to leave them alone. It's obvious they're going to be all mushy now and as much as Charlie supports their relationship, she can't deny the little twinge of jealousy that she feels. She wants what they have with Bass.

"Jealousy isn't a good look on you, kid."

"Don't be stupid Uncle Miles. I'm gorgeous, everything looks good on me." Charlie calls back, flipping Miles off as she climbs up the stairs and out of view. The only response she gets is both of them laughing at her sass.

The next week goes by in pretty much the same manner. They take turns cooking, they talk and snark with each other, Bass comes over for dinner a few times. Charlie talks to her parents and brother every night, asking how the robotics competition is going.

"Calm down Charlotte, I'm sure they'll be calling any minute." Bass says as he watches Charlie bounce in her seat, eyes on her phone. She glances up at him, a smile curving her lips as their eyes lock.

"I know but Danny and his friends have been working on this design for over a year and putting it together for the last six months. This is huge."

"Just getting invited was a huge deal Charlie." Nora reminds her.

"Of course it was but I want him to win."

"You definitely get that competitive streak from your mother. Danny got your dad's competitive nature, that whole 'As long as everyone plays by the rules and has fun, everybody wins' thing." Just then Charlie's phone rings cutting off whatever she was going to reply back to Miles. Her whole face lights up when she sees Danny's name.

"Danny! Did you win?"

"First place Charlie!"

"Woohoo! I fucking knew it! Oh my God Danny I'm so proud of you! This is amazing! We have to celebrate! When are you guys coming home?"

"There's a whole lunch thing we have to do tomorrow afternoon but we're leaving early the next day. So day after tomorrow."

"Your ass better sleep on the plane because we are going to celebrate until we drop!"

"I'm looking forward to it sis." They talk for a few more minutes as Danny gives her the highlights of the competition, promising more details once they get home. They have to end the call when Rachel tells Danny it's time to go to dinner with the other members of his team and their families.

"Enjoy your dinner Danny Boy, I love you."

"Love you too Charlie Girl." They hang up smiling.

"So I take it Danny's team won?" Bass asks from his spot across the table. Charlie's beaming smile is all the answer she gives him. "That's great Charlotte. He really does deserve it. And you were right, we need to celebrate when he gets home."

They spend the rest of dinner planning a last minute party for the weekend, Charlie doesn't stop smiling once.

The next morning Miles is making breakfast, Nora is trying to get Charlie out of bed. She mentioned something about reminding Charlie that Bass spent the night on the couch. That should do the trick, Charlie will probably jump in the shower and get ready before coming down stairs. When his phone rings he recognises the area code as Washington from the hotel number Ben gave him before they left. He answers, thinking it's his brother calling from the hotel before they leave for the airport.

"Ben?"

"This is Officer Smyth, calling from the Washington P.D. I'm looking for a Miles Matheson." A pit forms in Miles' stomach at the words.

"This is Miles. What happened?" Miles can feel his heart starting to jackhammer in his chest as he listens in stunned silence as the officer tells him that Ben, Rachel, and Danny were all killed in a hit and run on their way back to the hotel after dinner. She keeps talking but Miles isn't listening. He just stands there, numb. He doesn't notice Nora come into the kitchen and rush towards the stove, turning off the burners. It's not until she takes the phone from him that he even realizes she's there.

"Hello? Who is this?" Miles listens to her end of the conversation.

"I'm his wife, Nora Clayton-Matheson. What's going on?" Silence, and then.

"What? No that's... you have to be mistaken. They can't be..."

"Oh, oh God no." Nora drops the phone and turns to Miles, tears streaming down her face.

"Miles?"

"They're gone." The words come out flat and Miles can't stop repeating them as though saying them will make it easier. Nora takes him in her arms, trying to hold her own tears back.

"Miles, baby I'm so sorry." Miles is stiff in her embrace but Nora just continues to hold on, knowing he needs her right now as he tries to process this. As she holds him Bass comes, scrubbing the sleep out if his eyes. He's wide awake the second he catches sight of her tears and the way she's clutching Miles to her.

"Miles, brother?" At the sound of Bass' voice Miles pulls out of her arms and turns towards his best friend.

"Bass..." The way he chokes on the single word had Bass stepping closer, gripping Miles' shoulders tightly.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Ben, Rachel, Danny... they're gone."

"Gone? What do you- No! No, they can't be."

"Bass, what do I do?" Bass can feel grief, familiar and unwelcome, crushing down on him. He can't do this again. The last time he barely survived it. Charlie was the main reason that kept him going.

"Oh God, Charlie." Bass whispers and that seems to be Miles' breaking point as he finally let's his tears falls and crumples to the ground, Bass falling with him. Nora kneels next them, wrapping her arms around both men. They stay that way for a few minutes until Miles pushes his grief down. He shuts himself off and just doesn't feel anything.

"It's okay to grieve Miles. You need it." Nora whispers, cupping her husband's face and looking into his eyes. He shakes his head and rubs a hand down his face, wiping away the tears he let fall. He stands, pulling Nora up with him. Bass stands with them, at his back.

"I can't, not now. Charlie is gonna need me."

"She's going to need all of us Miles but that doesn't mean you can't grieve."

"I will, just not now." He walks around her and goes into the living room, straight to the liquor cabinet. He pulls out a bottle of whiskey, drinking straight from the bottle like he hasn't done in years before passing it to Bass who does the same. He holds it out to Nora but she declines it, for now.

"How are we going to tell her?"

"Tell who what?" Charlie's bright voice comes from the stairs but she stops dead in her tracks when she sees their tear streaked faces.

"Oh God, what happened?" Nora doesn't answer just stands to take Charlie's hand, pulling her to sit down.

"Sebastian? Uncle Miles?" Her voice comes out small and hesitant.

"There was an accident." Nora says when neither man can bring themselves to start.

"What accident? Is someone hurt?" Charlie is shaking her head, like she already knows what they are going to tell her and is refusing to believe it.

"They're gone Charlie. Your mom and dad, and Danny." Miles finally finds his voice.

"Of course they're gone. They're in Washington and they're coming home tomorrow."

"No Charlie kid, they... died."

"No. You're lying, or wrong... or, or, or something! Look I'll call Danny to prove it." Charlie fumbles with her phone, as she tries to hold back to her tears. The phone rings until Danny's voicemail turns on. Charlie hangs up without a word.

"If they're at breakfast mom doesn't let us use our phones while we eat. I'll call mom though, she'll answer if she sees its me in case of an emergency."

"Charlie please -"

"Shh it's ringing!" Once again Charlie hangs up without leaving a message when the voicemail comes on.

"I'll call dad then!" She's breathing hard now and lets out a sob when Ben's voicemail sounds, ending the call.

She calls him again. "He never picks up the first time." As she puts the phone to her ear Bass slides off the couch and kneels down in front of her, taking the phone from her hand.

"No." She tries to take the phone back but Bass cups her face in his hands.

"He's not going to answer Charlotte, none of them are, no matter how many times you call. But you can keep calling, as many times as you need and I'll be here when you need me."

"But they're supposed to come home tomorrow."

"I know baby, and I'm so sorry."

"No, they can't be. I don't accept this! This isn't logical. They can't just be dead. Not all of them. It's not..."

"I know." Bass pulls her into his arms, feeling her surrender to her tears as she grips fist fulls of his shirt and buries her face against his chest. He rocks her, keeping her cradled against him even as Miles and Nora hug them both. The four of them, all the family Charlie has left, cling to each other as they cry. Eventually Charlie exhausts herself and falls into a fitful sleep in Bass' arms. Miles helps him stand cautiously so as not to wake her. Better to let her sleep right now, Bass has a feeling she's going to have a hard time sleeping in the future. Even after all these years, he still does.

He sits on the couch, Charlie still clinging to him even in sleep and looks up at Miles.

"How do I help her when I feel like I'm just gonna crumble into dust at any minute? I don't know what to do Bass."

"Just be here for her, and be honest about what you're feeling. She needs to know, now more than ever that she's loved, and not alone in her grief."

"And when you feel like you can't go on, lean on me. I'm here, for all three of you." Nora says, taking Miles' hand in hers.

"I think I'm going to take her upstairs, let her sleep in the comfort of her bed. I'll stay up there with her, I don't want her to wake up alone." Miles and Nora both nod, allowing Bass to take charge of Charlie for now.

Bass looks down at Charlie's tear streaked face after he settles her in her bed, wishing like hell that he could take her grief away. He wonders if opening the emotional connection between them would help, it did when she was a child but it's been closed for five years. It might make things worse. He continues to think it over as he runs his fingers through her long, blond curls. He wouldn't wish this level of pain on anyone, especially not Charlie. He sits next to her for nearly an hour before she starts showing signs of waking. Her blue eyes flutter open and when they lock with his, she smiles for just a moment. Then reality comes crashing down on her, and tears well up in her eyes.

"Please tell me it was all a horrible, terrible nightmare and now that I'm awake everything is fine." Bass shakes his head and swallows the lump forming in his throat.

"I wish I could, I would give up everything to make that true for you."

"I don't understand! How can they just be gone? It's not logical, it doesn't make sense."

"Death rarely does. Sometimes it just is, no matter how much we wish otherwise." The tears she's been trying to hold back fall and she curls in on herself. Bass watches her for a moment before climbing up on the bed next to her, and wrapping her in his arms.

"I'm not going to say that it's okay because it's not. All I will say is I'm here and I love you." She doesn't say anything but he feels her wrap herself around him, clinging to him like he's all that's keeping her together.

She comes in and out of sleep throughout the rest of the day, and the following day, sleeping fitfully and crying when she's awake. Miles and Nora come in a couple of times each day. Miles doesn't speak, just looks at Charlie like she's the most precious thing he's ever seen. Nora makes Bass eat, pointing out that he'll be no good to Charlie if he passes out from lack of food. She leaves food for Charlie too. When he offers it to her the first day she sobs harder, so he puts the plate out of sight and holds her until she's exhausts herself again. He gets her to eat a little the next day and drink some water but not much.

He tries not to fall asleep for too long, wanting to be there for Charlie anytime she needs him. He must have fallen asleep at some point because when he wakes up its dark outside on the second day since their death, and he's alone in Charlie's bed. Panic tries to well up inside his chest but does his best to push it down. She's probably down stairs. He practically runs down the stairs, literally jumping the last four to reach the bottom. He sees her immediately, sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. A few more steps and he sees the scrap books that Rachel loved making spread out on every flat surface.

"Charlotte?" He calls out softly, not sure if she heard him coming down stairs.

"She loved making these stupid things. She used to guilt us all into helping her but then would kick us out because we weren't doing it right."

"I remember." He comes to stand next to her, and that's when he sees the bottle of whiskey sitting next to her, less than a quarter of it left. He wonders if it was full when she started drinking or not. When she finally looks up at him her eyes are red and puffy from crying and her face is flushed from the alcohol.

"How much have you had to drink Charlie?"

"Not enough to forget." She stands on wobbly legs, grabbing onto his arm to steady herself. Bass reaches out and grips her shoulders to keep her upright.

"There's never enough to forget."

"But enough to not care that this is a bad idea."

"What are talking-" The rest of his sentence is cut off when Charlie slides her hands up to his hair, grabs two fist fulls of his curls, and tries to drag his mouth down to hers. Bass is actually thankful that she's drunk because her coordination is off and all she manages to do is yank on him so hard they both go tumbling to the floor. He does his best to take the brunt of it but Charlie winds up underneath him. She tries to kiss him again and he manages to dodge that, pushing himself up and away as quickly as he can. She's lying on the floor, looking up at him with tears in her eyes when looks at her again.

"I want it to stop! Please, help me make it go away."

"Charlie even if it worked for a few moments, I wouldn't. This is not how were going to have our first time."

"It's not like it matters. It's just sex."

"Not for us it won't be. I want it to be special."

"Bass please! You said you love me. I heard you. If you meant it, help me forget." She brings her hands up to her face, trying to wipe her tears away.

"Charlie, look at me." He waits until he's got her full attention, taking her hands in his.

"I do love you Charlotte, more than anything in existence. You understand me?" She nods wordlessly as her tears continue to fall. Bass presses her hand against his chest, over his heart.

"You feel that? It beats for you, and only you. So you can doubt other things and people in this life but never me."

"I just want it to stop hurting."

"I'm not going to lie to you, it never stops hurting. Over time the pain becomes manageable. There will be days, a long time away from now, where you don't notice the ache of their loss at all but then something will trigger it and you'll feel like you're losing them all over again."

"I don't think I'm strong enough to survive this."

"You are strong enough but if you ever feel like you aren't just remember I'm here." She nods and Bass stands before leaning down to help her to her feet. Charlie wraps her arms around his waist, tucking her head under his chin and burying her face into the crook of his neck.

"Don't leave me okay." The words are muffled against his skin but he hears them anyway.

"Not for a second." He promises, rubbing her back in slow, soothing circles. He feels her whole body relax against him and knows she's about thirty seconds from passing out.

"Come on, you need to rest. Sleep the whiskey off." She leans against him heavily, her steps slow and uncoordinated as they try to walk up the steps. Three steps up and Bass just lifts her off her feet, cradling her small frame against his chest. Charlie's eyes flutter shut as her head lulls against his shoulder. When Bass looks up Miles is sitting at the top of the steps, eyes red as he tries to stop himself from crying.

"We need to hide the liquor for right now." Bass whispers as he climbs the stairs. "I'll do it once I've put her to bed."

"I'll do it, you stay with Charlie."

"Maybe you should stay with Charlie for a while Miles. I think you guys need each other right now."

Miles shakes his head. "She needs you."

"She needs us both. Come on brother, just sit with her for a bit. It'll be good for her, and you." He looks like he might say no but then his eyes drop down to Charlie's sleeping, tear streaked face and he relents. He follows them into Charlie's room and sits on the chair Nora had dragged in here so Bass wouldn't have to sit on the floor.

Bass leaves them, and goes back down stairs to clean up. He puts all the scrap books back on the shelf before digging around the house until he finds an empty box. Opening the liquor cabinet he pulls out all the bottles and puts them in the box, trying to think of the best place to hide them for now. All the places he can think of are obvious and it honestly wouldn't take Charlie much digging to find them if she were motivated. He finally decides on the truck of Nora's czar, stuffing an old blanket around the bottles so they don't rattle. He'll take them to his place as soon as he can.

When Bass comes back inside Nora is waiting for him.

"Gene will be here in the morning, he finally got a flight out. Also we've been getting calls from people that want to know when the services are. We haven't planned anything because I didn't want to over step, all this is Charlie's choice but Bass I didn't think she was ready."

"She'll never be ready but we'll talk to her about it tomorrow after Gene gets here. Maybe having her grandpa around will give her some comfort." Nora nods before gesturing to the obviously empty liquor cabinet.

"I see you took the alcohol."

"Yeah, the last thing Charlie needs to be doing is constantly drowning her pain in alcohol at her age."

"Did you get the ones from the kitchen that Rachel uses to cook with?"

"No, Fuck."

"Bass go lay down and get some sleep. I've got the alcohol, Miles is with Charlie, and you look like you're about to drop."

"I'm fine. I slept earlier which is how Charlie was able to get drunk in the first place."

"You slept? For what an hour or two? No you need real sleep." Nora doesn't say anything else just pushes him towards the stairs while she walks to the kitchen. Bass sighs but finds himself climbing the stairs anyway but he stops at the top. He's been staying in Charlie's room with her but Miles is in there now so he's not sure where to go. He veers toward Charlie's room, intending to check in the two of them but when he peaks in Miles sees him and waves him inside.

"She wake up at all?" Miles shakes his head.

"No she's out cold, hasn't so much as moved since you put her down."

"She's gonna have a hangover when she does wake up."

"How much did she drink?"

"Honestly? I don't know if that bottle was full or not. I hope it wasn't."

"You look tired Bass. Go get some sleep."

"Yeah, Nora said the same thing. I just wanted to check on you two before I did."

"I think we're okay at the moment." The words have barely left his mouth when Charlie sifts on the bed and her eyes open. Miles leans forward and pushes her hair away from her face.

"Go back to sleep kiddo. You're safe." Even as Charlie grips his hand tightly she looks around the room.

"Sebastian?"

"I'm here Charlotte." Bass assures her, coming forward so she can see him. She reaches out for him and Bass doesn't hesitate to sit next to her, taking her free hand in his.

"Can you hold me?" She asks quietly, eyes already closing even as she tries to keep them open to look at Bass.

"Yeah, I can do that." Charlie nods, only letting go of his hand so he can circle around the bed, his arms wrapping around her slim frame once he's behind her.

"Don't leave uncle Miles. I need you." Her voice is so low Miles barely hears her but her words bring him a small measure of comfort, make him feel like he's doing something to help.

She sleeps through the rest of the night, feeling safe and comforted by the two men with her.

AN: So originally this chapter was waaayyy longer (like four times longer) but I chopped it up into three chapters because there's a lot of stuff to cover in the year before Charlie turns 18. I just felt it flowed better, and I'm probably going to do it for her 18th year as well. Until next time, my faithful readers!