And memories weigh heavier than stone – alternate Chapter 6
A Revolution fic (Blackout AU): Sebastian (Bass) Monroe/Charlotte (Charlie) Matheson; Charloe, Miles and Rachael Matheson, Aaron Pittman, John F Fry, the Nano & the Patriots… Set after 'A holiday in New Xanadu' Bass and Charlie are back on the road to Willoughby – only things are a little different this time…
Rating M…
Authors note: Thanks so much for reading for sticking with me on this story - I'm sorry to have made you wait so long and I really hope that you like this chapter. If you have a moment, please leave a message – it helps me believe that people are reading…I really love to know what you think too :)
Some partial lines of dialogue are included from relevant episodes of the show where they fit into this story. I don't own any part of Revolution – I continue to love it though and I find Charlie and Bass especially wonderful… Cheers, Magpie
Chapter 6: Sticks and stones
Bass grinned…'Nice of you to drop in, Thea…'
Thea grinned tiredly back…'Hey Bass, Charlie, good to see you both again so soon…' then her eyes moved past them to the doorway where Rachael stood with Miles…and the grin faded…'General Matheson…'
Miles stepped forward, moving in front of Rachael, who let him go, although when she saw his face she looked at the newcomer more closely, suddenly wary… Miles looked as though he'd aged ten years… and he ran his tongue over his bottom lip in a gesture that Rachael had seen him make many times when the crap was about to hit the fan… 'Thea… Sergeant… I'm glad to see you made it out of Baltimore...'
Thea stood still, her body tense and poised for action…her eyes hard; 'I didn't think you cared whether I did or not, General, but you aren't a General anymore are you, you're Stu Readman, town drunk…' She took a couple of steps further into the room…
Charlie could feel Bass tensing up beside her, ready to move between them, the muscles of his arm hard almost rigid beneath her fingers… She understood; this didn't look like anything good…
'Jim made it out of there too… but you knew about that didn't you' and her lips curled in a tight smile that didn't reach those dark eyes… 'Because you used him to cover your back when you decided that President Monroe was better off dead, and then you just left him behind in Philadelphia to take the fallout when you changed your mind…'
Miles let out a deep breath… his arms limp at his sides…'I… It was complicated Thea… I'm sorry…'
She choked…'You're sorry…?' she shook her head... 'That's not enough... because you couldn't leave him alone could you, you couldn't just… leave him be' her eyes raked him, everything about her angry and hard…'He'd made a life for himself – a good life like I did, away from the Militia and the mess it turned into… we had our family back, at least what was left of it…' her hand started to move towards her sword hilt… 'And Sophie loved him, they were happy until you came along again and just…just... swept it all away…'
Miles took a step forwards, his hands high, showing her he was unarmed, 'Thea, I'm sorry…' pacifying…'I never meant for any of that to happen'
Rachael stayed where she was, her eyes coolly assessing the woman in front of her…
Bass stared at Miles…'What's this about, Miles…?'
Charlie stared at Miles, a horrified realization spreading across her face… Sophie, Jim's wife… before the Tower... Miles saying they needed Jim, that they had to go find him…so they went to the beautiful, peaceful, tidy town of Culpeper, Virginia, to find Jim Hudson, hiding out there as someone else, happy with his books and his sweet, innocent wife - but joining in the battle there against the Militia, because Miles had made it impossible for him not to… Jim agreeing to help in the mad scramble to get their band of rebels trained only because his wife had said she couldn't accept him for who and what he really was.
The same Jim who went on the awful journey to the Tower in the helicopter with she and Miles and poor, brave Nora, and Jason, doomed to follow his father because no one else could trust him… The lot of them following her Mom and Aaron to the Tower… desperately trying to get there before Monroe and Randall did… And then the shock of betrayal…finding out that Jim had been working for the Militia in a desperate bid to save a captive Sophie... Jason shooting him to stop him killing anyone else… Before events at the Tower blew everything apart.
Charlie didn't know what to feel, Miles had just decided that they needed Jim so he just went and took him regardless of what it would cost… and Jim was Thea's family, so what happened in Baltimore?
Thea moved closer to Bass on her way to Miles…passing by Aaron with no more than a cautious, dismissive look once she saw he wasn't armed, ignoring the Patriot completely…
Bass reached out and put a hand in front of Thea; blocking her path…'Hey, Thea…take it easy…' he met Charlie's eyes for a moment, frowning when he saw the look in them… He turned back to Thea… 'Tell me what's going on…'
Thea met his blue gaze with her own dark one…'Jim Hudson was my brother, Bass, I don't think you ever knew that, but then why should you…' she frowned and turned away…'you were still General Monroe then, you didn't know everyone or everything…' She sighed heavily, her body slumping and exhaustion lining her face… 'Not long before the bombs dropped, he…' her chin lifted towards Miles…'went to Jim's hometown in Virginia' her dark eyes narrowed and her lips twisted in a bitter smile. 'Said he needed Jim's help with the rebellion, to finish you off… but somehow the Militia found out where he was and they sent a squad to Culpeper and Jim had no choice but to fight and leave with General Matheson… and so the Militia took Sophie' she zeroed in on Miles again… 'She got word to me General, told me what happened, they let her go once they knew Jim was dead…' tears welled in her eyes…'do you want to know what they did to her?'
Miles ran his tongue over his lip again…'Thea…' he turned his head away, regret twisting his face… 'We didn't have a choice…'
'You could have found someone else, Miles or Stu or whatever your name is now… You could have left him alone…'
Bass took a deep breath…his hand still blocking Thea's path to Miles…
Aaron had backed up towards the wall; John Fry kept very still, face neutral … Nano stood where it was, calmly watching, still standing next to Rachael although her attention was currently on Thea and Miles.
'Thea…' Bass said quietly… 'Every one of us in this room has done things they regret… some more than others, but awful things happen and people die, that's life… ' He slipped out of Charlie's grasp and took a step closer to the tall woman… 'It was a bad time for all of us… and I'm really sorry about your brother - and Sophie…but we've got a job to do now… You've got a job to do… You need to focus…'
Thea blinked… and took a deep breath…'I know you're right, Bass, but I just…. I didn't know how it'd feel to see him again…' she took a deep breath… then turned to face Miles once more 'I saw you in town with Rachael and you two looked pretty close to me… has she forgiven you then? You're all cozy together now?'
Rachael glanced quickly over at Charlie then at Miles, who stared ahead, his lips tight, then she looked back at Thea….'We're working things out…'
Thea caught the look Rachael gave Charlie and her lips twisted in a tight grin…'Charlie doesn't know does she…'
Charlie stepped forward…'That's enough…' her eyes flashing she looked around the room…'Like Bass said… we've all done things we regret but can we please get the fuck on with what we're supposed to be doing and whale on each other later?' coldly furious, she turned to Thea… 'I'm sorry about Jim, but we all made tough decisions to get the job done… Jim too… he could have told us what had happened to Sophie and we could have gone to get her, but instead he murdered some really good people and nearly got us all killed…and if he had then no one'd know what really happened at the Tower or about how bad the Patriots really are…'
There was a stunned silence…
Bass turned to Charlie, a proud smile on his face…'I love how you cut right through the crap, Charlotte…'
She smiled up at him although her eyes were still a stormy blue, her cheeks flushed with an angry red… 'I'm hungry and tired and I want to go to bed – with you …' she turned to Thea…'You can sort things out with Miles later, we need to talk to the Patriot, give Rachael the stuff from Petra' she swept her gaze around the room… and then we all need to get some sleep…Ok?'
Miles nodded, his tongue snaking over his lip again…'Fair enough, Charlie…' he turned to Thea 'I thought you were dead Thea, I saw you fall…'
Rachael shot a look at him…'Maybe its time you started checking that people are actually dead before you leave them behind, Miles…' She and Thea exchanged a long look… and an understanding of sorts passed between them…
Miles shook his head and rubbed a hand over his eyes…
John Fry had been studying Bass, a strange smile playing around his mouth…'I gotta say Monroe, you're a lot different than I expected…'
Bass raised an eyebrow 'What were you expecting…?' he said, his eyes flickering briefly to the Ranger then back to Thea.
The Ranger shrugged…'You've lost the Republic and all your pretty things... you've been on the run for months…' he chuckled 'And everyone and their dog wants to string you up from the nearest tree for nuking Atlanta and Philly – I just thought you'd be more…you know… bat shit crazy…? Not the fucking peacemaker…'
Charlie reached out a hand and Bass took it in a firm grip, running his thumb over her fingers… 'First of all it wasn't me who dropped the bombs, John, it was one of the Patriots, a crazy son of a bitch called Flynn - while Rachael and Aaron were trying to turn the power back on in the Tower… '
John Fry frowned 'What…?'
Bass ignored that for the moment…'And yes, I was crazy, for a while…' he brought Charlie's hand up to his lips and dropped a kiss on the knuckles…'but I guess I found something worth being sane for…'
A flurry of fireflies appeared in the middle of the room and Nano stepped forward towards them… Thea looked the robot up and down in surprise, the anger on her face dissipating just a little…'You've got a body…'
The fireflies dropped into Nano's golden skin and vanished like pebbles thrown in a pond… 'It became convenient to complete this form' the robot head tipped to the side…'Your scouts will arrive shortly with food and drink – and with the packages from Petra for Rachael Matheson...' the robot lifted a hand and pointed towards the Patriot soldier, still sitting in a trance 'Perhaps now would be a good time for you to hear what this man has to say?'
Miles had stepped back level with Rachael…'Well it sure can't make things any worse…'
She moved closer to him and put a hand on his arm, a little frown creasing her brow… 'Quiet Miles…Ah… Nano? '
Nano turned its head towards her…'yes Rachael?'
'What did Petra send me and why?'
'There are various chemical compounds and plant samples in the packages, Rachael, and I believe that Petra included a coded message that explains their purpose and composition… and her reasons for asking for your help'
Rachael looked surprised and a little intrigued…'My help?'
Aaron cleared his throat; he had been watching Nano, fascinated by the robot, and by the way it had assimilated the incoming fireflies… 'So, this Petra, she's a biochemist?'
'Would you like to see her face Aaron? It might help you to identify her…'
Aaron shrugged…'Well yeah… if you guys have a picture…'
A cloud of fireflies appeared in front of Aaron and started whirling, in a few moments a three dimensional portrait, apparently solid, of a lovely Asian woman appeared, her shining black hair held back from her face by a jeweled barrette…The picture rotated so that everyone could see…
John F and Miles shared a look of baffled astonishment while Bass, Charlie and Thea simply looked on, used to Nano's abilities….
'Incredible…' Rachael shook her head in amazement and took a couple of steps to see the image closer… 'Aaron – It's Petra Cartwright,' she glanced over at Aaron…'you know…' he nodded, Rachael examined the image with a scientists eye; cool and from a distance…. 'She and her husband set up some sort of alternative think tank, a cultural ark if you like…hidden away underground - she invited Ben and me to join them but Ben was determined to see the Nano project through, we needed the money for Danny…'
She looked around the room although everyone else except Aaron was plainly mystified… 'Petra worked for the DoD too – in a different department, but she had a big falling out with Randall Flynn, didn't approve of what he wanted her to do so she destroyed what she couldn't take with her and ran… She and her husband just up and disappeared a few months before the blackout…'
Aaron nodded…I knew her work, she was a sort of celebrity at MIT…'
Rachael looked at the face revolving in front of them and frowned…'Petra was brilliant...she was working with a guy called Horn I think? For the Dod…they were developing bio-weapons, neurotoxins, plant based communications systems…pretty interesting stuff really…'
Miles raised an eyebrow as he locked eyes with Bass across the room…'Bio-weapons huh? Well that makes me feel a whole lot better…'
Charlie was thinking the same thing, remembering Xanadu's garden… and even John Fry was looking a little worried…Thea's face was tight set and she was carefully avoiding meeting Miles' eyes.
Aaron extended an index finger and cautiously touched the outside edges of the image, the tip of his finger glowed green where it touched, but the image was just that – it wasn't solid like the Nano robot… 'Er… Nano? How are you making us see this…?'
The robot face turned to him…'We instructed some of our assemblies to manipulate the properties of light within the range of your human perception to create a desired image… In this case the image is derived from a memory of the last time that Thea saw Petra in the flesh' Nano stretched out a hand and the portrait flowed through the air, condensing into a green stream that flowed into the golden palm, then vanished… 'I need to inform you that there are less than thirty minutes remaining before Thea's scouts arrive…so we will release the Patriot and you can ask him your questions…'
The man in the chair was suddenly very awake, struggling and looking around him wildly, then his eyes fixed on Miles and Rachael…'You – and her…?', then he apparently recognized John Fry as a Texas Ranger because he went very still… his tongue working in his mouth, becoming increasingly panicked as he obviously realized the cyanide tooth was gone. Then his eyes widened further when he spotted Bass…'Monroe?'. His eyes had skated over Charlie, Thea and Aaron but returned in a double take when he caught sight of Nano standing near them… 'What the hell…?' he focused on the golden shape of the robot, ignoring the others… 'What the fuck is that…?'
Miles and Bass shared a look; Bass nodded over to the Ranger…'You want to take this one John?' he said, the corners of his mouth twitching as the Patriot's gaze briefly settled on him as he spoke but returned to the robot like it was a magnet…
John Fry reached into his pocket and pulled out the handkerchief with the tooth in it, holding the bloody object up so that the man could see it… 'Hey you, look over here…do you recognize this?'
The Patriot nodded grimly…his eyes darting from the Ranger and back to Nano with a sullen defiance…'What is that thing…?'
Nano stepped forward, little flames suddenly dancing along its arms and around the golden head, sending flickering sparks out into the room… 'We are your worst nightmare, Anthony...'
The man's eyes opened wider…'Stay away from me…and how do you know my name? I didn't tell anyone my real name…'
John moved forward…'Listen, son… you know you ain't got many ways out of the mess you're in, but you could make it a whole lot easier by telling us what's going on in Willoughby' he said, his face and body exuding a calm strength…
The Patriot's eyes moved to John Fry as though he was a light in the darkness…
When Charlie recognized what he was doing – taking the role of good guy to Nano's bad…and doing a very good job of it, her liking for the Ranger increased by a healthy measure of respect… She felt Bass squeeze her hand and she glanced up at him, meeting his gaze…His eyes gleamed in the lamplight, the corners crinkling a little and she realized that he was enjoying this… She shook her head, bemused… then looked over at Miles, his face was set in grim lines and his hand was hovering near his hip - where his sword handle would normally be, she realized with a pang of something lost… She saw the damage that the blackout had done to all of them in the lines on his face… Her Mom too… But maybe they were all trying to be better, she hoped so anyway, like Bass had said back in Xanadu… then she jerked her attention back to Ranger John and the Patriot…
The man was still casting quick glances at the fiery golden robot; standing impassively far too near him…Nano brought its hands together – fiery arcs racing between the fingers of each hand… the man paled…
John Fry moved a little closer…'What's so special about Willoughby?'
The Patriot spoke out of the side of his mouth – not taking his eyes off Nano…'She's here…Rachael Matheson… Horn wants her – something about some crazy science…' he shrugged…'and I think I know what he's after now… but my orders were to use the War clan to scare the town and then we were to waltz in and… you know…save it'
The Ranger frowned 'that's a lot of trouble to go to for one person… why didn't you just come on in and take her?'
The man shrugged again…'President Davis doesn't want a war with Texas just yet I guess…' he glanced up at John then over to Miles, 'especially with him here as well…'
Miles looked up, eyes narrowed…
The Patriot curled his lip…'Yeah we know who you are General Matheson, have done all along, Truman's been laughing at you so hard… Stu Redman, my sweet ass… Davis wants to come in as the hero… saving the day and all that… can't be a hero if he sends his troops in to Texas to kidnap one of its citizens… Coming in to be a good neighbor now, saving Willoughby from a big bad old war clan, that's a different thing altogether… We get the town and Horn gets Rachael Matheson if we play our cards right…' He turned his head to look at Bass, grinning…'and you're the icing on the cake… once people see your face they're gonna be begging us to save them from big bad ex President Monroe… You'll make a real nice deal sweetener for Carver…'
Bass grinned back although it didn't reach his eyes...'I guess that's something to look forward to… So how did you know Rachael was here in the first place?'
The man laughed… then stopped himself…glancing at Nano then back to Bass…'Hell, might as well tell you… it won't make any difference now anyway, we've got the town and you can't do anything about it…' his eyes slid to Rachael…'Horn's on his way here for you. Davis has got Truman working with Carver to make a treaty with Texas… and once Texas signs up, the jobs half done, Cali ain't gonna be much of a problem and Georgia...well…' He looked Rachael up and down…'You and Stu here talk a lot in front of your old man, and even more when you don't think he's around…' he snorted…'He's been in our pockets for months now, singing like a bird…'
Rachael's eyes narrowed very slightly, her mouth tight although a tremor showed in her bottom lip…
Charlie's face was set but her eyes were brimming… Nano had shown her and Bass what her grandfather was doing but to hear it confirmed like this was hard to take…They hadn't heard what her Grandpa had to say though, there could be a good reason, couldn't there? She felt Bass move a little closer to her, his solid warmth comforting…
Bass turned to the Ranger…'have you heard enough John?'
John hesitated…'I've got enough for some reasonable doubt, Monroe, but I'm not sure I've got enough to convince Carver that he's being taken for a ride…he wants a treaty not a war…' he turned the tooth over in his hand and put it back in his pocket…'I can take him to Austin with us though, the other guys will accept my word that we need to question him… Carver will make up his own mind… ' He looked around the room…'one thing's for sure though, you folks can't stay here once we go… Carver might still decide that a deal is better than a war…'
Bass nodded…'Miles?'
Miles nodded…'we've got places we can go, John…'
Nano stepped forward, the little flames gone now, its skin smoothly gleaming… 'Sebastian, you haven't asked it, but if you would like us to finish this one for you we are willing; he does not have good thoughts about any of you…'
Bass shook his head…'Thanks Nano but no thanks…you could make him go to sleep though if you wanted to help...'
The Patriot looked Nano up and down…then glanced at Bass 'do you really think you know what you're doing with this…thing… Monroe?'
Bass looked at the golden shape of Nano and nodded…'Yeah, I really think I do…' he smiled…'when you're ready Nano…'
The Patriot slumped back in his chair…
'Where's your horse John?' Bass turned to the Ranger…'Oh…and tell Carver he needs to find someone who reads Arabic, these guys use it as a code – Charlie and I came across a couple of Patriot couriers on the way here and everything but the maps were written in Arabic…'
The Ranger's eyes creased as he smiled 'that's a good thing to know, thank you, Monroe' he cleared his throat…'well this has been…a truly unique evening' he took a couple of steps closer to Nano…'I'm curious…what are your plans?'
The golden head tipped a little and the mouth seemed to smile...'We are still evaluating possible options John Fry…'
…
AN: phew, this was a difficult chapter to get my head around – I will have another chapter up soon – although I'm still evaluating possible options… Cheers, Magpie