Chapter 14: A New Normal

The next week Affleck, Charlie, Miles, and Monroe plan their government and their military. They go the National Archives and look over the original Declaration of Independence, Amendments, and Bill of Rights. Miles and Monroe plan the military to be about protection and not aggression, and Charlie plans how the government and military will work together on behalf of the people and not just those in power. They're calling their plan A New Hope.

The team slides into their new normal. Miles, Rachel, Aaron, and Connor moved out of the White House to a hotel closer to their lab, leaving Bass and Charlie alone in the White House together. They have also slid into a new normal, best friends and lovers who were used to essentially living together, except now they're doing it while sharing a bed in the most revered of houses. They don't talk about their relationship, each knowing how much baggage comes with it. They just enjoy it.

One morning two weeks into their arrival Bass wakes up before Charlie. He lays on his back, looking down at her against his side. It's the exact position they were in when they first shared a hotel room, but everything is different now. He listens to her soft breathing as he thinks about everything that's happened over the last few weeks.

Charlie opens her eyes. "Hey," she says, her voice raspy from sleep. "Hey." He entwines her fingers with hers. "How long have you been awake?" "Long enough to start overthinking."

She gives a soft laugh. "Uh oh."

He looks around the room with his eyes. "I thought about being here one day but this isn't quite how I pictured it."

She runs her hand down his chest. Sometimes she finds it hard to believe that this man in her bed was the evil dictator of the Monroe Republic. "Did you ever really want it though?"

He places his hand over hers, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. "You know I didn't."

She can tell that he's overthinking to the point of melancholy, so she shifts to lean on her elbow to look at him. "You know, I think I outrank you now," she teases.

He laughs. "Jesus, you sound like Miles. And just so we're clear, as Ambassador we're equals, as Veep," he moves his head from to side in that way he does. "Questionable."

"We'll see."

He laughs, bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing her knuckles. They lay in comfortable silence. Again, Charlie thinks how crazy it is that she's lying in Sebastian Monroe's arms. And yet also how simple it was. The only thing strange about her relationship with Sebastian Monroe is how not-strange it feels. Same thing with her being in the White House about to help lead a new government – it feels inevitable. Like her entire life has led her to this point.

Bass marvels over the gift that's been handed to him. One that he's determined to deserve. He's fixing what he broke, and he's doing it with his best friends, one of whom also happens to be his lover. He's never had his lover be his best friend before. Not really. And Charlotte Matheson, of all people. He rolls his head on the pillow to look at her.

"What?" she asks.

"Nothing." He searches her face. He's in love with her, he knows this, and yet he can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.

"Okay, well I'm starving." She flips back the covers and gets out of their bed.

** Later that day, Bass and Charlie walk to the White House from the National Mall where they've been training early recruits. They walk close to each other, their fingers sometimes touching but not holding hands.

Bass fills Charlie in on government history as they cross the lawn. "Aaron never taught you any of this?"

"We didn't exactly need to know about things like what a Speaker of the House was. We were just trying to stay alive." She looks at him pointedly.

He opens his mouth to say something, when he spots a young boy standing next to a girl about 8 years old. She's pointing at them, and then they cross the lawn to Charlie and Monroe.

"Isn't that the kid from the train?" Bass asks Charlie.

She looks. "Yep. Member of your fan base, probably." They slow to let the kids catch up with them.

"It's her." Says the little girl. She looks to her brother and then at Charlie. "Are you Girl Warrior?"

"Oh. Um." Charlie looks at Monroe. This was unexpected. He just raises his eyebrows and shrugs. "I think people call me that, yes." Charlie goes for honesty.

"I told you I saw her on the train," the boy says. The girl looks at Monroe and her eyebrows draw together. She looks back to Charlie. "Is Sebastian Monroe your boyfriend?"

Charlie pauses because she doesn't know how to answer this one. She slides her eyes to Monroe, who's grinning, daring her to define their relationship. "Well, does it matter if he is or not? That doesn't change who I am."

She feels proud of that answer but the girl doesn't like it. "But he's a bad man! He's going to hurt us!"

"Hey." Bass gets down so he's the same height as the little girl. She steps back in fear. "Sometimes people make mistakes. But I'd never hurt anyone."

Charlie gets down to her height too. "No one is going to hurt anyone. We're here to help."

But the girl looks at Monroe again and then turns and runs. The boy looks at Monroe. "I knew that was you on the train. I want to be in the military. You're fierce!" and then he runs after his sister.

Charlie and Bass are left staring at them. "I don't think that went well," Charlie says.

Bass is lost in thought, and then turns and starts walking without waiting for her. Charlie sighs and moves to catch up with him. "Bass."

He doesn't even look at her. "Charlie, I told you. I could be dangerous for you."

"You can't just leap to that conclusion." She puts her hand on his arm.

He stops. "People don't forget. They're not all like you."

"Oh I didn't forget. I chose to move on and believe people can change."

"People don't change Charlie." He turns and takes the steps of the portico two at time and enters the house.

"Look." She grabs his arm again and stops him, stepping in front of him to look into his eyes. "I still believe that murderous General Monroe is in here." She taps his chest. "But I also know that you are choosing to put that part of you away."

"Charlie –"

"Maybe that side will come back. Maybe not. I don't worry about the future. And I'm definitely not worried about a couple of ten-year-olds."

"It's their parents that I'm concerned about." "Stop borrowing trouble. We'll worry if we need to worry."

Later that night.

Affleck, Miles, Monroe and Charlie are finishing up in the Oval Office. Affleck finally tosses her writing instrument on the desk, and slumps back in her chair. "All right, that does it for the night. We don't need to use up anymore candles. You all go have lives, it's late."

Miles doesn't have to be told twice. He heads out to be with Rachel. Affleck looks at Bass and Charlie with a small smile on her face.

Bass doesn't like that look. "What's up your sleeve, Affleck?"

"Nothing." She raises her arms as if to indicate she has nothing up her sleeves. "We should all be so lucky to find someone we share such chemistry with." She gestures to them. "You two going to make it official?"

'What, chemistry?" Bass tries to change the subject.

"How long have you been together?" Affleck asks.

"Yeah, let's change this subject," Charlie says.

Affleck's smile turns into laugh. "Yeah, you're perfect for each other. Probably haven't even admitted to each other that you're dating."

"Dating? Do people still do that?" Bass quips.

"In a relationship? Girlfriend-boyfriend? Lovers?" She leans into the teasing, enjoying this.

"Yeah, okay Jen," Bass stands up, blowing out the candle nearest him. "You can go now."

She stands. "I'm just saying that you might want to put a ring on her before some younger man sweeps her away." She blows out candles on her desk and heads to the door.

"Yeah, there will be no sweeping. Good night Jen." He turns to find Charlie leaning against the desk laughing at him.

"What?" he asks. She lowers her voice to mimic his. "There will be no sweeping."

He slowly moves towards her. "You're welcome to find some young guy to sweep you off your feet." He gestures to the door.

"I'm good." She looks into his eyes as he leans into her, putting an arm on either side of hers on the desk.

He speaks softly into her ear. "You say that now. We both may regret it later." "I'm used to living in the moment. Stop borrowing trouble."

Her runs the back of his hand up and down her arm, kissing the goosebumps that follow. He pulls back her hair, and kisses her neck. "I never stop wanting you," he whispers in her ear.

Her breath catches. " And you fuck well for an old man."

"Oh that's how you're going to play it?" He put his hands under her thighs and lifts her to the desk, stepping between her thighs. He leans to whisper in her ear again, telling her in detail everything he's about to do to her on this desk. "Then you can call me an old man again."

She breathless, as she wraps her legs around his hips. "Prove it," she whispers, and kisses him.

A few days later.

Finally the team feels ready to move forward with their plan. Affleck has called Miles, Monroe and Charlie to the Oval Office to decide on a strategy.

"We need to get everyone else on board, which means first we need to get the word out across the entire U.S. I've already talked to the press, so we can get this into the newspaper and have the traveling press ready to go. Then Charlie, we'll follow that up with a visit from you."

"You're going to need more than goodwill, you know that," Miles says. "I do. Which is why Charlie and Monroe are the perfect people to spearhead this." She stands up and walks to her desk. Charlie and Monroe share a look. This doesn't sound good.

She picks up a piece of paper from her desk and holds it up. "Here's an idea of what I'd like to release." She quickly reads out the salient points. "Formation of a new central government for the New USA...we'll include the bit about each state retaining its own power...President Jennifer Affleck of the California Commonwealth...Vice President Charlie –or should it say Charlotte? – Matheson, who most of you already know as The Girl Warrior."

"Who?" Miles looks at Charlie. She shrugs and rolls her eyes.

Affleck continues. "Now it moves into our position of power. That we are not fucking around here. Let's shock and awe them a bit." She looks back at her paper.

" – Former General Sebastian Monroe will be leading the New USA Army and keeping all of us safe. Former General Miles Matheson will be aiding him in this as Director of National Security."

"Sounds like you report to me, Miles. I like that." Bass grins. "You're a dick." Miles looks to Affleck. "You'll need to change that part."

"Fine." Affleck makes a note, and then looks at Bass and Charlie. "Now bear with me here, but I'd like to mention your relationship..."

"WHAT?" Bass and Charlie say at the same time.

Affleck looks a little guilty. "We need something about your relationship. We need to tie the old regime to the new, and it needs to be something happy."

"Not using us, you aren't." Bass thunders. "Yeah, that's not happening." Charlie says.

Affleck looks back and forth between them. "People are going to figure it out anyway, so we might as well get ahead of it."

"Is this what politics is going to be?" Charlie looks at the group. "If it is, I don't want any part of it."

"You're not using our personal life to suit your needs," Bass says. "That is off the table." "But you're living in the White House together. People are going to talk." "Let them. We're not adding to it." "If you get ahead of the narrative –"

"Narrative?" Bass, stands up from the couch, apoplectic. "Are you even listening to yourself? This is a hard NO. I'm not putting her safety at risk, and this is no one's business anyway."

"No." Charlie calmly says to Affleck, before turning to Bass. "Don't worry about my safety." He glares back at her before turning to Affleck. "NOT GOING TO HAPPEN."

Affleck holds up her hands in surrender. "Okay. But if you want to keep this secret you might want to stop looking at each other in that way you do."

Bass sinks back onto the couch in frustration. He and Charlie share a look. "That's the one I'm talking about," says Affleck, totally amused.

Finally Miles speaks up. "Well, people will have to get used to it, just like the rest of us have. So let's move on Jen." He's both horrified and amused by the conversation that just took place.

That night.

Charlie is asleep in the warmth of Monroe's embrace when she's awakened by the sound of someone in pain. He eyes flash open, at the same time that Monroe slides his arm away from her body and rolls onto his back. She turns and sees that the person in pain is Monroe. He's dreaming. A nightmare clearly. His breathing is labored, and calls out "No. Please. No..."

"Bass." Charlie leans to him, talking gently in his ear. "You're dreaming. You're okay." She wants to touch him to sooth him, but she's experienced his nightmares before and knows that he lashes out. "Bass. Wake up."

"Charlie..." he says, with panic in his voice.

"I'm right here. I'm okay. You're just dreaming." He starts to calm down. "It's Charlie. I'm right here next to you Bass. Right here in bed next to you. We're in the White House, and we're sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom. You're okay. You're dreaming."

His breathing quiets. She puts a hand on his chest. "You're okay, Bass. And I'm okay. I'm right here next to you."

He opens his eyes and looks at her. She sees fear in his eyes and all over his face. 'Charlie," he whispers.

"I'm right here." She takes his hand.

"Charlie, I'm not good for you." He squeezes her hand, and then closes his eyes and falls back to sleep.

** The press release is sent out with the roving press – minus any mention of Bass and Charlie's romantic relationship – and Affleck calls for a meeting on the town square. This is the first time that Bass and Charlie see the actual release that went out, and it includes a drawing that they didn't approve.

"Jen, what is this?" Bass waves the release. "The press release."

"The drawing." "It's a drawing of you, Miles, Charlie, and me." "Charlie and I look like we're holding hands. We told you that you can't use our relationship."

She looks at the picture. "I guess it sort of does. But honestly Bass, that's usually how you two stand next to each other. I didn't invent anything for this picture. I just asked an artist to create it when we were all together the other day watching the recruits. Come on, grab Charlie and let's get to the stage."

But Charlie is already there. "What is this?" She waves the press release. "That's what I said!" Bass says. "Why does it look like I'm holding an arrow?" Bass and Affleck both look at the press release.

"Ok, so I cheated that one," Affleck confesses. "I just wanted to make it visually clear that you're The Girl Warrior."

"This is stupid." Charlie rolls her eyes. "What about the fact that we're holding hands?"

Charlie looks at the press release. "What about the fact that my bow is nowhere to be seen? Stupid."

They get on the stage, along with Miles, Rachel, Aaron, and Connor. The crowd in the square includes press and locals.

"Can I have your attention please?" Affleck steps forward, using an old-fashioned megaphone. "Thank you all for coming. I know that you've all seen what's been going on here the last couple of weeks and you probably have a lot of questions. So I'm going to tell you what is going on and then I'll answer all your questions.

"First, as you all know, I am Jennifer Affleck from the California Commonwealth. I came here to put some order to a government that was clearly broken."

Some polite claps. People seem to like Jennifer Affleck.

She continues. "The plan for the immediate future if that I will remain President of the United States. This great country needs someone with experience. Georgia Federation, the Republic, Texas, Plains Nation, and California will all retain their current laws and systems. As President I will ensure that those laws and systems work together. That we are helping one another.

"To further that goal, and because I recognize that this great country is eager to hand the baton of power to the next generation – one that didn't break the country," she pauses for the laugh, "I'd like to introduce Charlie Matheson, who you all know as The Girl Warrior." She turns to Charlie.

Charlie steps forward and nods her head to the crowd before stepping back. "I hate this," she murmurs to Bass.

"Welcome to the awkwardness of everyone looking at you."

"It's excruciating," she says out of the side of her mouth as she continues to acknowledge the crowd.

"That's politics." "Behave yourselves," Miles smirks from the other side of Bass.

Affleck has continued. "Charlie will be Vice President, with the goal of her taking the reins someday. She will also be Ambassador across the United States, making sure that everyone has what they need. She's already done some extensive traveling, and well, had some scuffles." She smiles and pauses for the laugh. "They call her The Girl Warrior for a reason."

Then she puts her serious face on. "But we live in a potentially dangerous world right now. That's the honest truth. So I thought about who would be the best person to ensure the safety of the citizens of this country.

"And I was lucky to get two people: Miles Matheson and Sebastian Monroe." The crowd starts to sound unsure and a little restless.

Affleck holds up her hand. "Now wait. I know what you're thinking. They are the enemy, right? Well I worried about that too." She surveys the crowd to make sure she has their attention. "But I am telling you that these two men," she gestures behind her, "Want what's best for this country. They are the best of the best and they will in charge of National Security. All of our National Security."

She turns to the group behind her. "General Miles Matheson and General Sebastian Monroe." They step forward, nod, and salute the crowd before stepping back.

"Oh nice touch," Charlie teases them about their salute. "We practiced," Bass says.

Affleck has continued. "As you've probably suspected, General Matheson and our Girl Warrior are related. They are uncle and niece." She turns back to Miles, Charlie, and Monroe. "Miles and Sebastian have always been best friends. Charlie is now part of their ...best friendship as well." She leaves just enough of a pause before friends for someone to fill in blanks.

"Goddamn her." Bass mutters. "Politics sucks," says Charlie.

Affleck moves on to Rachel, Aaron, and Connor, explaining that they are working their hardest to get the power back on.

"No mention of your 'best-friendship' with Rachel, I notice," Bass mutters. "Our 'narrative' isn't quite as sexy," Miles replies. "Tell me about it."