Days pass with Nora taking the reigns to plan the funeral, Charlie's only additions that they all be cremated and no church. Her family was a family of science, not religion. Nora took care of almost everything else, with Bass, Gene, and Miles taking turns staying with Charlie. The day of the funeral Charlie was stoic and calm, having cried herself into a state of near numbness in the days prior. It's only after the wake and everyone has left the house that she starts to feel like she's falling to pieces again. She looks around her home that's empty and cold, highlighting how alone she feels.

"I can't stay here anymore." She whispers to Bass who's got her wrapped in his arms on the couch.

"What do you need?"

"Can I stay with you? Everywhere I look here is just a reminder that they aren't coming back."

"Of course. Why don't you go pack a bag while I talk to Miles and Gene." Charlie nods, leaving the warmth and safety of his embrace to go upstairs. Bass goes into the kitchen to see Nora with a glass of wine in hand, Miles and Gene with a beer each. They all look at him, expecting to see Charlie holding his hand. She hasn't left his side all day.

"Charlie doesn't want to stay here right now, not having them here with her is like rubbing salt in the wound."

"Of course. Miles you have a couple guest rooms don't you? It'll still be familiar and she'll still have family around without being constantly reminded that the rest of her family is gone." Gene says, looking at Miles expectantly.

"Actually Gene, she asked to stay with me." Bass interjects, watching Gene's face pinch in obvious disapproval.

"Do you really think that's appropriate Bass? I've held my tongue about you sharing a bed with her because of extenuating circumstances but this is not a good idea. She's only seventeen."

"She wants to stay with me while she fucking grieves for her dead family Gene, not move in and play house. If this is what she needs to get through it, then she's damn well going to get it. The only say you have in this is whether you want to stay in one if my guest rooms or stay here by yourself?"

"I think you're forgetting just who you're taking to Sebastian Monroe. I'm her grandfather, I do get a say." Gene replies sharply. Miles interjects here, feeling his own temper flare.

"Actually Gene, you don't. Ben and Rachel named me Charlie's guardian in their will. All legal decisions, including where she lives are mine to make. So if my niece decides that she wants and needs to stay with her soulmate while she grieves, then that is what's going to happen." Gene looks at the three people in front of him, all of them clearly agree with each other and he knows that he's not going to win this argument. He'll have to play this another way.

"I think Charlie should come back to Texas with me, fresh start and all that."

"No!" Comes Charlie's voice as she stomps into the room. "I'm not leaving my whole life and everything I know! I'm not going and if you guys try to force me, I'll run away!"

"Woah! Hey Charlotte, look at me. No one is forcing you to do anything. Gene was just suggesting it but you're old enough to make your own decision about where you want to live." Bass cradles her face in his hands as he speaks, maintaining eye contact and she calms down at his reassurance.

"I'm staying here in Chicago, with you. And Miles, and Nora."

"Okay then it's settled. Did you pack that bag?" She nods and takes a deep breath, letting her head fall forward to rest against his chest. Bass pulls her close to him, holding her tightly.

"Why don't you two go home Bass? I'll call you later to check in." Miles suggests, watching Gene closely. The older man is clearly not happy about the way things are going and Miles doesn't want to fight in front of Charlie.

"Gene if you want, you're welcome at my place. I've got a couple of guest rooms."

"Thank you for the offer but I think I'll just stay here." Gene returns stiffly and Bass is glad that Charlie isn't paying attention.

"Okay. Miles, Nora, the offer is open to you guys too." Miles nods and comes over, pulling Charlie out of Bass' arms to hug her tightly before moving so Nora can do the same. Gene waits until they are done before hugging Charlie as well.

"Charlie, sweetheart I want you to think about coming to Texas with me. No pressure or anything, I just want you to consider it."

"I'm not leaving my whole life behind. Or the only family I've got left."

"You'd still have family, I'll be there."

"It's not the same. Please stop trying to convince me to do something I don't want to do."

"Gene." Miles warns.

"I just want her to think about it Miles."

"She clearly doesn't want to think about it. She made up her mind, now drop it." Gene looks like he's going to keep arguing but wisely keeps his mouth shut.

"Come on Charlotte, let's go." Bass takes her hand in his and together they leave.

(Charlie doesn't find out for years about the fight that follows her departure. That Gene threatens to take Miles to court over custody of Charlie. Or that Miles threatens to have Gene arrested for conspiracy to kidnap a minor, citing that he had several friends from the marines that are cops now. The conversation ends when Nora, in a deadly calm voice, tells Gene that her cousin has connections to the Mexican cartels and it wouldn't be too hard to arrange an accident if he doesn't drop the issue of Charlie's custody. She grabs Miles' hand and they leave Gene in stunned silence. He expected Miles to be the one to threaten physical violence, not sweet little Nora. Never the less, he doesn't bring it up again.)

Later that night as Charlie lays in the guest room closest to the master bedroom, she tosses and turns but sleep eludes her. It's been nearly three hours since Bass pressed a kiss to her forehead and told her not to hesitate if she needs anything but she finds herself unsure if she should go to him now. Finally when she looks at the clock and sees the time she growls in frustration and throws the blankets off her body. Climbing out of the bed, she quietly makes her way to the master bedroom. The door is open and when she peaks in she finds Bass still awake. He's got a clipboard on his lap, a pencil in hand, and a pair of glasses over his blue eyes. He looks up at her immediately.

"Hey. I thought you were asleep."

"I couldn't sleep. Am I interrupting?" She gestures to the clipboard and Bass shakes his head, putting the clipboard and pencil away before waving her in. Charlie climbs onto the bed and allows a small, tired, and fleeting smile to form when Bass pulls her against his chest.

"I didn't know you wear glasses."

"Only when I read or have to do paperwork for the bar." Charlie yawns and snuggles closer.

"I like them." She whispers, her eyes fluttering shut as she tries to stay awake.

"Yeah?" Bass asks, playing with the tips of her hair.

"Mmmhmm." The vaguely positive sound is the last semi-coherent form of communication from Charlie before sleep claims her.

Bass watches her for a long time. In truth, he couldn't sleep earlier either. In the last week he hasn't slept alone at all and until tonight he didn't know how much he had grown used to having Charlie in his arms. He thought she was asleep though, which is why he decided to do paperwork rather than bother her. Now with her sprawled out across his chest Bass feels sleep tugging at his mind and body. Letting his eyes drift closed Bass falls into a peaceful sleep, knowing Charlie is safe with him.


Days drift into weeks, and then into months. Gene eventually goes back to Texas when it's clear that he's got no legal standing and Charlie flat out refuses to even consider going to Texas with him. Charlie remains living at Bass' place after Miles asks her exactly once where she wants to live, and she confirms that she's staying with Bass. In that time Charlie also starts her senior year of high school.

"Charlie." Bass calls out one evening when he comes home from work only to receive silence which is unusual, normally she greets him loudly from the dining room where she does her homework (even though he's offered the library/office to her repeatedly). He frowns walking further into the house, only to find her with a pair of bright blue ear buds blaring music into her ears and glossy pamphlets covering the dining room table. Waving his arms around he gets her attention causing her to jump in surprise and yank out the buds.

"You're home!" Her voice comes out too loud and kinda squeaky as she stands quickly and moves in front of him, blocking the dining room table from his view.

"Yeah, funny how coming home means I actually get to come to my house."

"Are you early?" She looks confused.

"Nope. Is something going on Charlotte?" Charlie considers shaking her head and pushing him into the kitchen, telling him that she's starving but they don't lie to each other. She sighs and steps away from the table.

"I want to sell my parents' house." She explains quietly, her eyes downcast and for the first time Bass sees the pamphlets clearly, they're all for realtors and banks. Looking back at Charlie he notes her body language, the way she's curled in on herself.

"Hey, Charlotte look at me." She glances up at him through her lashes quickly before looking back down at her shoes. Bass sighs and steps closer, tucking his knuckles under her chin and tilting her head up so their blue eyes can lock.

"Talk to me." Her eyes well up with tears and her chin wobbles.

"I can't go back to living there, not without them. I've been staying here for three months, and Nora goes over there once a week to get stuff for me and I just don't know what to do." By the time she's finished, large thick tears are sliding down her cheeks and she's sucking in shaky breaths.

"Breath baby, I've got you. Come here." He pulls her into his arms, letting her cry it out like so many times before in the last few months. Once she's cried herself out and she starts to calm down, Bass leads her into the living room so they can sit on the couch together and talk it through.

"Okay, first things first. You aren't just staying here as though you're a guest, you're living here because this is your home too. Second, we're going to go to your parents house this weekend and pack up anything else you want or need, so you can officially and completely move in. Third if you want to sell the house, that's your choice and I'll support whatever you decide. If you really want to do it we gotta talk to Miles because he's the only one allowed make legal decisions like that right now since you're technically still a minor."

"Do you think he'll be mad at me?"

"What? Charlie, of course not. You know Miles and Ben sold their parents house after their dad died, and I sold my parents house too. We all felt the same way as you do, that living there without them isn't something we could do." He feels the last bit of tension leave her body and she practically melts against his side in relief.

"I haven't gone back since the funeral."

"I know."

"I've tried a couple of times, drove down our street but I either turn around or drive past it. I just can't seem to make myself go in."

"I'll go. If I have any questions, I'll call you." She's quiet for a few minutes before she shifts to look up at him.

"I think I need to go in, to have... closure."

"Whatever you need to do, is what you need to do. I'll help you in any way I can."

"All I need is you to be there."

"Then I'll be there." Bass hesitates before asking her the question on his mind.

"What about everything else in the house Charlie? Rachel, Ben, and Danny's personal stuff?"

"I don't want it. Get rid of it, give it to people who need it or sell it. I don't care." Bass doesn't argue with her, remembering that was his reaction after he lost his family too.

Rachel and Ben were the ones that went to his parents' house and sorted through his family's things, deciding what to keep for him for later when he was ready and what to donate. Nearly a year passed before he confessed to Miles that he regretted having kept nothing, only for his brother to admit that the Matheson attic had six large boxes full of his family's things. He remembers crying like a baby when he realized that it wasn't all lost. Now it's time to do the same for Charlie and when she's ready, he'll give it all back to her.

"Okay. We'll go talk to Miles tomorrow, about the house. Maybe see if he and Nora are willing to go with us this weekend to help with the packing?" He could use them both if he's planning on sorting through and keeping stuff without Charlie knowing.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Charlie agrees, and they just sit there for a while in silence. Somewhere along the way in the last three months they've found that they can still sit comfortably together in compete silence. Nearly twenty minutes pass like that when Charlie looks up at him.

"Bass?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm hungry and it's your night to cook."

"Ugh, I don't feel like it. Let's order in. What do you want?"

"Pizza and egg rolls."

"God you're weird." Bass says with a smile as he digs his phone out of his pocket, she and Miles are literally the only people he knows that prefer to have egg rolls with their pizza rather than breadsticks. He orders a large pizza with everything and a small order of breadsticks before calling the Chinese place down the street for the egg rolls.

Half an hour later they're eating on the couch and watching 'A New Hope' while Charlie sneaks small drinks of Bass' beer and he pretends not to notice. She glances at him with a mischievous smirk on her face before swiping the beer straight out of his hand and finishing it off.

That's the moment it hits Bass, he's completely in love with her.


AN: I said in the last chapter that year seventeen would be 3 parts but I meant 4 parts. Things will start to pick up on the romantic front soon. Until next time, faithful readers!