AN: Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope you're all spending time with the people you love. Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed - it really helped inspire me to get this chapter out in time for V-day. And never fear, even though our favorite couple isn't exactly together for Valentines day, it doesn't mean that they aren't still thinking of one another... I really hope you enjoy this and please leave a review if you have time! Happy V-day!

STOP

"Bass, stop. Please! Stop. Please Bass... please! Stop." Charlie squealed happily. "Your just supposed to get the garter and GET OUT." Her husband's laughter tickled the skin of her thigh, making her almost wish she hadn't let Rachel talk her into a small reception after the wedding ceremony. But, Charlie couldn't take that away from her mom - as unhappy as Rachel was about Charlie's choice in men, she'd been ecstatic at the opportunity to help Charlie plan her wedding. With the way things had been over the past couple of years, she'd never thought she'd get the chance. And after all, Rachel's own marriage to Miles only a few weeks earlier had put her into quite a sentimental mood.

"Bass, what's taking you so long?" Charlie asked the man submerged waist-deep into the folds of her wedding dress, trying to keep the smile out of her voice. "You know, most men know what their doing when it comes to-" Charlie broke of in a gasp as/when Bass' teeth grazed her inner thigh, just below the lacy garter. Damn that garter! Who'd come up with this... this stupid... tradition... But Charlie's heart wasn't in her internal ranting. In fact, if it weren't for all the people watching - including Miles and her mom - Charlie might've gained a healthy respect for the tradition in... all it's forms. But for now, well, thank God she was sitting down.

The roughened hands holding her slim leg still tightened slightly and Charlie braced herself for another assault. But Monroe knew her too well. He ran his nose along the curve of her knee, making her shiver and relax. That wasn't so ba- That's when he bit her. Not hard, but not gentle either. It wasn't a nibble and it wasn't a mauling. It was... intoxicating. Bass' lips lingered on the sensitive skin of her lower thigh, pressing a gentle kiss over the subtle marks his teeth had left. Placing one hand on her upper thigh, and one hand on her lower, Bass' mouth finally closed over the garter and he began to pull.

"Thank God," Charlie breathed. She seriously worried about her ability to stand after Monroe's little self-guided tour. She'd experienced a lot in her 22 years, but never anything quite like that. Bass nearly had the garter at her ankle now, and Charlie was weighing the wisdom of her sudden desire to kick her new husband in the face, but at that moment some man in the crowd of wedding guests took it upon himself to clear his throat, rather loudly. Charlie's head snapped up and she could feel Bass pause. Slowly, her eyes lost some of their bridal haze and she focused on the throat-clearer. Miles. Why was she not surprised? Beside him, Rachel was gazing up at the man she'd married, a small smile on her lips.

"I don't mean to rush this, Bass, but if you could get out from under my niece's skirt sometime before we both turn 100, that'd be great." Shouts and laughter bounced through the crowd, and more than one father slapped Miles on the back while their own daughters hung back, blushing furiously in embarrassment.

But instead of feeling embarrassed, Charlie felt more at ease than she'd felt all day. This was how things were supposed to be. Bass and Miles giving each other a hard time, Charlie rolling her eyes and laughing right along with them, and Rachel always trying to be the responsible one but secretly happy about getting getting sucked into their childish banter all the same. For the first time since she and Bass had told her mom and Miles that they were getting married, Charlie truly believed that they could all actually be a family someday.

Bass' hot breath blew in between her legs as he laughed and shouted out a reply.

"Brother, I didn't try to screw you over on your wedding day, so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep the commentary to a minimum on mine. You're embarrassing my wife." Charlie laughed loudly at this, and he pinched her calf playfully in return. "And if you can't contain yourself, I'd like to personally invite you to go to Hell." Another wave of laughter and cheers went up from the crowd - this time from all the young men standing steadfastly beside their sweethearts - and Bass took his own sweet time pulling the garter free of Charlie's foot.

Finally, delicate garter in his mouth, Bass emerged from beneath the silky fabric of Charlie's wedding dress. He looked up at his bride, his blue eyes shining, and slowly took the garter from his mouth. Rising, Monroe moved to stand beside Charlie, his right hand coming to rest gently on her back and his left holding the garter out for the crowd's inspection. Bass smiled like'd he'd just seen the sun for the first time.

"If you don't mind, gentlemen," Bass paused, looking down at Charlie and smirking, "I do believe I'll keep this." Boisterous laughter followed, swirling around the new couple like mist, allowing them a brief moment of privacy.

Charlie swallowed, trying to recognize the feeling that was making her stomach clench and her mind go startlingly blank. All of a sudden, her palms felt sweaty and she hoped that her husband wouldn't notice. Nervous? Was she really nervous? It was just Bass, just... Her husband... Without a thought, her eyes flew to Bass's, which were already smiling down at her from his handsome face. Time seemed to slow down around them; or maybe it sped up, who knows? But either way, the two of them were in a world entirely of their own.

Bass lowered the arm holding the garter and tucked the little ring of lace safely into the pocket of his freshly ironed trousers. Then he raised a hand, hesitantly at first and then more sure of himself, to brush one of Charlie's wispy curls out of her face. That done, his warm hand came to rest on Charlie's cheek, making her heart skip a few beats. Sebastian Monroe's icy blue eyes were filled with happiness and love as he stared down at Charlie, thanking the God he'd stopped believing in for every single part of her.

"I love you, Charlotte." Charlie's eyes closed briefly, and then reopened, failing to hide the happy tears that had gathered on her lashes.

"I love you too, Bass."

As the memory came to an end, Monroe found that the familiar rocking motion of his horse beneath him was far from comforting. Bass grimaced, easily recalling every detail of her beautiful face - tanned skin, long blonde waves, and sparkling blue eyes... Reaching for the thing he'd carried with him every day since his wedding, over 6 months ago, Bass' fingers brushed against the familiar feel of the lace and silk he kept in his uniform's breast-coat pocket. Charlie's lace and silk.

Eyes dry and itchy, Bass indulged in his memories for just one moment more before pulling his hand away. He scanned the empty road ahead and then looked back at the soldiers following him. They'd find Charlie. Maybe even today. But what then? I'll convince her to come back with me. Really? You'll do that. Yes. How? I'll tell her how much I- Love her? Yeah. Because that kept her from running in the first place didn't it? Oh, no. Itdidn't. Shut up! She'll come back once I tell her- What will you tell her? That you'll give up the Republic? That everything you've done was to protect her? You know that won't work. Charlie sees black and white, good and evil. She'll never believe you. You're not even sure if you believe you- I said SHUT UP!

Monroe's head was pounding. Strangely enough, the little voice inside his head was getting to sound a lot more like his first in-command, Hamilton, with each passing day. Either way, it was getting harder for Bass to even think without it chiming in. Monroe groaned quietly. The pain in his head was getting unbearable, but there was no way in Hell he was going to stop until he found Charlie. He just need a drink. And a soft bed. And his wife. Bass sighed.

Yeah, there was definitely somewhere else he'd rather be on Valentine's day than searching for his valentine.

When Annie woke up - she must've fallen asleep at some point during the night - the first thing she noticed was that it was very very bright. Like, interrogation room bright. The two of them should've been long gone by now; Monroe's men wouldn't be far behind. Sitting up quickly, she took stock of her surroundings.

What the Hell?

The sun, high in the sky; the birds, making the trees around their little camp rustle; Charlie, sitting and staring off into thin air-

"Charlie?" No answer. "Charlie?" Annie tried to keep the panic out of her voice. Her friend's eyes just looked so vacant. She'd never seen Charlie look like this before - like she'd finally given up. Well, Annie was not going to let that happen.

"Charlie, dammit, answer me!" Charlie's head turned slightly in her direction, but her expression remained as blank as Annie had ever seen it. And her skin looked a little pale too... Annie got up quickly and ran over to her.

"Oh God, Charlie. What happened to you?" Annie checked her forehead, looking for a fever. Nothing. "Charlie, you've got to tell me what's wrong, otherwise I won't know how to help you." Annie's voice was getting frantic. "Come on, Charlie. Monroe's could be here any second, and we. Need. To. Go."

Before Annie realized what was happening, Charlie's head snapped up and she shot to her feet. The vacant look was gone, replaced by a wild woman's gaze. Charlie's breath had become rapid and labored.

"We have to go. Now." Charlie raced over to where she'd set her pack and stuffed the supplies she'd taken out back in. Slinging it over her shoulder, Charlie marched over to the fire, stamping out the last embers, and scattering the remaining logs with her foot, all the while muttering. "We need to go."

"Charlie. Charlie stop," Annie pleaded, and was surprised when Charlie whirled around to look at her like Annie'd just hit her with a stick.

"What'd you say?" Charlie's eyes were wide and wild, waiting for Annie's reply

"I told you to stop." Charlie's eyes cleared somewhat and she looked down in exasperated confusion. Annie infused her next words with as much authority as she could manage. "We do have to get moving, Charlie, but we're not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong with you?"

Slowly, Charlie's eyes met Annie's again. And this time, there was neither madness nor apathy in their depths. Instead there was fear.

"Annie," Charlie began slowly, hesitantly as if she were unsure whether or not all of this was real. "I'm pregnant."

Dun, dun, dun... Hope you enjoyed! And brownie points to the people who caught my season 2 Charloe reference. Lemme know what you guys think of the story so far...