*Hey guys! I'm so so soooo sorry for updating so damn late! But I'm done with finals and school for the next month so yay me! I hope you all had a wonderful end of the world lol! Anyways, this is my consolation. This chapter itself is 3k words, compared to the previous chapters so hope ya'll enjoy! Oh and kudos to anyone who finds a Supernatural reference! Hehe Please leave comments and do critique! *
I think I'm drowning
Asphyxiated
I wanna break this spell
That you've created
You're something beautiful
A contradiction
I wanna play the game
I want the friction
You will be the death of me
Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it
Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
I wanted freedom
Bound and restricted
I tried to give you up
But I'm addicted
You will squeeze the life out of me
You will suck the life out of me
Song excerpts: Time is Running Out by Muse
"Get the hell away from me!"
Charlie pulled her hand away from Bass' grasp and swiped his neck with her left hand with the little screwdriver. He stepped back almost immediately knowing what was coming. Charlie had grazed his neck, but nothing that would have fatally injured him. Bass grabbed both her hands and twisted it behind her back. She cried out in pain and Bass smiled.
"You're a feisty one aren't you?" Bass asked, while wiping the oozing blood with the back of his hand.
He trailed his index finger slowly down her back and up again. Charlie shivered at the touch and tried to get out of his hold.
"You know, I was saving this dress for your mom, but I guess I made the right choice of waiting." She could hear the amusement in his voice and all she wanted to do was shoot the bastard in the face.
Miles eyed the cells and saw three men standing around chatting without any disregard to their surroundings. He took this opportunity to climb over the railing and jump to the nearest wall. The guards turned around because of the faint thud they all heard. They all readied their weapons and walked slowly towards the entrance. Miles grabbed the man nearest to him, using him as a shield while they shot at him and he shot them both point blank. He released the dead man in his grasp and ran to the cells. Nora, Danny and Rachel were all in individual cells and were pressed against the bars to see what was happening.
"Yeah, yeah I know I'm late. I'm here though aren't I?"
Nora smiled at him and stepped back before he shot the padlock. She ran forward and pulled him into a quick hug before she knelt down to pick up the extra guns. Miles did the same for Danny and Rachel. Danny stepped out with an appreciative smile and Rachel just nodded at him. They still had a few things to sort out from their past, but they'll eventually get there.
"Alright let's go! By the way where's Aaron?"
"Long story short, he was the traitor. And where's Charlie?" Danny asked.
"That son of a bitch!" Miles pressure spiked because of the recent news and because Charlie. Fuck. Charlie. My Charlie.
"Don't worry about her." I'll get her. Even if it kills me. She really was gonna be the death of him.
He handed the extra gun to Danny and Nora gave the other one to Rachel. They all looked at each other and nodded, like a silent agreement that whatever was about to happen they'll try to come out of this alive. Miles led them out of the building safely before they started hearing gunshots firing their way. They all scrambled and ducked before firing back and running towards the fence. Nora and Rachel helped Danny over it, then Nora. Rachel turned to Miles,
"Please get Charlie back. This is the only favor I'm asking you." Her tired eyes were filled with concern and fear.
"I will. I promise." Miles looked at her with determination in his eyes before lifting her over the fence. He nodded at Nora and Danny and ran back towards the chaos he had started.
Meanwhile, Charlie was still struggling against Bass' hold without the knowledge of what was happening outside.
"You know it would be a lot easier if you'd stop resisting." Bass whispered into her ear before he let go of her completely. Charlie shuffled forward losing her balance and her arms clasping onto the table in front of her. There was a fork placed next to the plate that she picked up. She turned her head around to glare at him before stuffing the utensil in the back of her dress then turned her body completely.
"What do you want?" Charlie said angrily.
"Well for one, some cooperation. And two, for you to join me." Bass looked at her expectantly and continued.
"You see, since your uncle doesn't, might as well have one Matheson then none at all. Plus, we make quite the pair don't we?" He grinned and stepped closer to Charlie.
"And what if I don't?"
"If you don't comply then you can kiss your family goodbye." Bass' tone changed into a serious one. Charlie debated on what to do. She could stab the son of a bitch right now, but then she had tried that earlier and was too fast for her or she could obey him and sacrifice this much for her family. Bass' eyes bore into hers and he made his way closer to her. Charlie was pinned against the table already and didn't want to do anything brash. Her actions could bring consequences to her family. Bass was now so close to her that he could feel the light brush of air, her breath, hitting his chest. He brought his hand to her chin and lifted her chin to him. His left thumb slightly caressed her chin all the way down to her throat. Charlie blocked out everything and her eyes closed envisioning a beautiful and serene field with lush flowers and green grass. The air around her was untainted and there sat a cute but small cottage. There was smoke coming out of the tiny chimney and heard the sound of wood being cut. Her essence travelled to the side of the cottage to see a man chopping wood, before he looked up and smiled brightly at her. It was Miles. His arms were extended before him and were beckoning her for a hug. Her essence was running to him happily and clung to him, never wanting to let go.
The sound of someone pounding the door broke her vision and a single tear escaped her eye. Bass ignored the call and was leaning in to kiss Charlie. The pounding continued on loudly and then there was a bang!
"Get the fuck away from her!"
Both Charlie and Bass looked to the direction of the familiar voice. It was Miles. Here to save her again. He dropped the dead militiaman next to him and walked forward.
"Miles!" Charlie beamed at him and got around Bass to run towards him. Bass grabbed her arm and twisted it around bringing her back towards him. He quickly brought a knife to her throat and smirked at Miles who stood in the doorway covered in blood.
"Oh, look what the cat dragged in."
"Don't act stupid Bass. You want me, not her."
"Oh c'mon. Have you seen her Miles?" Bass buried his nose into her hair and inhaled the sweet scent.
"Mmmm she smells heavenly. And you know my type Miles." He grinned at him again. Miles clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth.
He should have killed him when he had the chance. But here he is paying the consequence of his dumb decision.
"You're probably thinking you should have killed me huh? Well that's right. What happened to you Miles? You're such a sap now."
"Let the girl go. You wanted me and here I am." Miles said, ignoring Bass' question.
"Yeah, here you are and I want you dead. I want you to shoot yourself. In the head." Bass looked at Miles dead in the eyes and spoke to him challengingly.
Charlie gasped,
"NO! Miles NO! MILES!" She screamed his name over and over and saw him lift the gun to his already bloodied face.
"Do it Miles. I'm waiting. We're waiting. Just think about all the people you've killed so it'll be easier for you to do it. Think about all the lives you've ruined, all the families you've broken up, and all the kids who don't have any parents anymore. And especially for creating the Militia. Your brother wouldn't have died if it weren't for you. And Charlie here, wouldn't be fatherless. You must really hate yourself Miles." Bass had touched the core of Miles hatred. His eyes brimmed with tears and put his finger on the trigger.
Charlie was the only one who had forgave him and accepted him for who he really was wholeheartedly. The monster that he truly was. He looked at Charlie and fought back tears.
"I'm sorry Charlie." He readied the gun on his temple and looked at Charlie one more time before closing his eyes.
Charlie quickly dug out the fork from her back and stabbed Bass' left side.
"Fuck!" Bass cried out in pain and stepped back. Miles opened his eyes and assessed the situation before he ran towards Charlie. He grabbed a hold of her and looked at Bass before raising his gun and shooting his childhood friend in the face. This time he didn't think twice. He held her hand before opening a secret passageway that he knew Bass and him had built if the occasion arose. The door opened slightly with a creak and let Charlie enter before he went in and closed it behind him. There were stairs leading down to a long walkway.
"This'll take us out all the way to the woods."
"Where's everyone else?" Charlie asked.
"Don't worry I got them out. Safely. We'll find them soon."
Charlie and Miles ran and ran before they noticed a ladder leading up to an escape hatch. Miles climbed the ladder and pushed up with all his strength before the wooden flap opened above him and landed on the ground with a thud. He poked his head up to see if anyone was around and didn't see a person. Miles quickly climbed the ladder and emerged from the opening before lifting Charlie up. They started running and heard a noise behind them. Miles pulled out his gun and saw a figure moving through the trees before showing himself. Jason, also known as Nate, appeared from behind a tree without a weapon in hand and put both his arms up.
"It's just me. Don't shoot."
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't?" Miles huffed.
"I'm not the bad guy okay. I wanted to help Charlie escape." He whistled and a horse galloped towards him. There were two bags tied to the saddle and an old bottle filled with what looked like water.
"Nate…Thank you so much." Charlie stepped forward and ushered him forward.
"Well it's the least I could do. I guess. I found out about Aaron and I myself didn't know he was part of the militia."
Charlie pulled him into a tight hug before he also returned the hug surprised.
"Good luck. I guess this is good bye." He stepped back from the hug and looked past Charlie to Miles.
"Good luck to you too." Miles nodded at him and Jason disappeared into the woods. Charlie pulled the dress up to her knees and then got Miles to help her onto the horse before hoisting himself up behind her. He put his arms around her and held onto the reins.
They rode into the night for what seemed like hours and stopping every now and then to let the horse rest. Miles slowed down and a lake came into view before his eyes drifted to an abandoned cottage. Charlie's eyes travelled the same path and rested on the small cabin and were overjoyed with the sight. They both got off of the horse and tied the reins on a tree branch. Charlie untied the bags and pulled it over her arm. The coast seemed clear so they made their way to the vacant shelter. They walked on the stone steps and arrived on the porch. Miles kicked the door open and found it completely unoccupied. They both entered in and coughed at the dust. It was small but cozy.
The cottage was definitely well preserved considering the circumstances. A king sized bed, wooden desk, washbasin, pots/pans and a drawer were pressed against the wall to the right. To the left there was a fireplace, small loveseat couch, a rocking chair, and a long rug. And right ahead of them was a mirror. Charlie and Miles both looked at each other through the mirror. Miles was dirty and was covered with blood, while Charlie was unscathed and radiant with only her hair a bit disheveled but still intact.
Miles turned to Charlie and took the bags out of her grip. He placed the bags on the bed and looked through the contents. There were 3 loaves of bread, a container filled with garbanzo beans, walnuts, beats, and 2 packs of matches. In the other bag he found 2 pairs of pants and 3 pairs of a black t-shirt. He guessed these clothes belonged to Jason. He was suddenly grateful for the boy who had helped them escape and silently thanked him in his head. Miles turned back to Charlie.
"I'm gonna go wash up." He walked out towards the lake. Charlie hadn't said much because she was dealing with her inner turmoil. There was fear, anger, and sadness in the pit of her stomach. Was he really gonna kill himself? This question was nagging at the back of her mind throughout the whole ride and here she was thinking about it again. She was still standing there and looked back to Miles direction. He was stripping off his shirt and unbuckling his belt. Charlie forced herself to look away and walked to the drawer. She rummaged through the drawer and found nothing but an old pair of jeans, a washcloth and a picture of a couple. They looked so happy and in love. I wonder whatever happened to them. I hope wherever they are, they're safe and with each other. Charlie closed the drawers and ventured outside without looking at Miles and went to gather some wood for the fireplace.
Miles was fully submerged in the cold water and came back up. He washed himself thoroughly without leaving the trace of any blood and dirt behind. His was about to get out of the water but he remembered he didn't have anything to wipe himself with. He would have with his old clothes but they were obviously dirty and drenched in blood. Fuck it. As soon as he was about to get out of the water, Charlie appeared with a cloth in her hand.
"Here." She handed him the cloth and turned around to walk back to the cottage and closed the door. Miles got out of the water and wiped himself before putting the clothes Jason had given them on. He still felt dirty, deep down, but he knew he couldn't just wash his sins away.
He started walking back to the cottage and opened the door to find Charlie kneeling down near the fireplace stoking the fire. The dimly lit room accentuated her beautiful form. Her back was bare and lovely. His mind was once again drifting back to the realm of his twisted perversion and could feel the rise of his arousal. Charlie was already looking up at him and slowly rose to face him. This is the first time, after they had gotten captured; he got a good look at her. She was stunning. The most gorgeous woman he had seen in all his life. Miles' breath hitched and he forgot how to breathe. The thoughts of his sins slowly disappeared into the depths of which it came and his thoughts were only of her. She walked towards him and pulled him into a long and tight hug.
"Thank you." She whispered into his chest. He held her tighter and could feel every inch of her bodily shape pressing into him. Her warm breath tingled the spot on his chest and that brought him back to reality. He was feeling disgusted again. Charlie's thoughts were filled with joy in being back in his arms again, alive. Miles let go of her slowly and just looked at her.
"I'm sorry. Again. For everything. I really fucked up you know."
"Look Miles, I've forgiven you and I'm not judging you for anything okay? But one thing has been eating me up, were you really gonna…uh..shoot yourself back there?" Her eyebrows were knitted in concern and looked up at him expecting the truth. Miles inhaled deeply and let out a sigh.
"Yes. Charlie you don't understand how hard it is to carry this burden-this burden of guilt. All those people…and my brother. All my fault."
"Don't you see Miles? You're a changed man! No one's perfect. Look at how many people you've helped along the way, sure all you needed was a little push but look…you saved me. You saved me many times."
Miles' eyes were still filled with self-hate and Charlie cocked her head to the right and approached Miles.
"You don't think you deserve to be saved?" She asked, looking at him perplexed with those beautiful blue eyes. Miles didn't have an answer but the silence was the answer to the question. Charlie raised her right hand and cupped his cheek.
"Everyone deserves to be saved Miles, even you." Miles heart fluttered at her response and felt a great weight lifting from him slowly but surely. He leaned into her touch and they just looked at each other. Miles brought both his hands and held her hips, while Charlie wiped away the water that was dripping from his hair to his forward. Her right hand was still on his cheek and her thumb was caressing the soft but rough skin. The pink hue of his lips caught her attention and her thumb absentmindedly brushed his bottom lip. Realizing what she had done, she stopped and met Miles' gaze. His eyes were dark and glossy intently watching her. Charlie stepped in closer, closing the space between them and as soon she did Miles dipped down and put his mouth on her red full lips. The taste of their tongues intoxicated them both. They both closed their eyes and relished in the moment ignoring the red flags that was being suppressed in the back of their minds.
*Hahaha I know I suck! You'll just have to wait till next chapter to read the juicy stuff! ;) But yeah let me know your thoughts on this chapter! *