Becca didn't allow her tears to fall until she was safe in the guest house at the back of the property. Charlotte wanted her to stay in the house, but Becca wanted to somehow distance herself from the family. Staying in the house would make her seem more of a guest than an employee. Charlotte had suggested the guest house instead and Becca had agreed.

The guest house was generic, but the main house would be filled with family photos, reminders of Charles.

After deciding to leave Charles' home, Becca found that finding a job for a woman in 1952 was difficult. She couldn't sew, cook or clean. She never had to do any of that before. She wasn't a nurse, she had no qualifications to teach in this time and she wasn't strong enough to do any of the men's work. Not that it would have mattered in the long run. She was a woman, she wouldn't even have been considered.

It was at her lowest that Charlotte had come forward asking her to be her companion. Although it wasn't a complete break from Charles, Becca took the job and moved out his room and his home.

She sat on the couch and let the tears fall. She didn't have long before it would be time for dinner, but she had to get these emotions out while she could.

Charles was alive, and well, and he was back.

He was shocked to see her, but he didn't say a word to her. He had just stared at her like he didn't understand what he was looking at. He must have been confused because she didn't write him back, but what could she have said? He had made himself very clear.

He cared about her, like a sister. Not as a woman. It hurt, but that was the way it was. She had heard Madam talking to Charles about a possible wife for Charles. She had learned to stay out of the room when the subject came up.

Not that it helped with making Madam like her. The last time Becca had seen Charles' mother, the woman had glared at her like she was a demon out to make her life miserable. She hadn't been back to the house since that day. A woman must have been chosen that Madam didn't approve of, but there was nothing Becca do that would change that.

She took a deep breath and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes before standing and walking into the bedroom to change. Charlotte preferred formal dress for dinner, and with her grandson joining, Becca knew that this was not going to be a rare exception.

She couldn't let Charles know how he affected her. Charles would get married to whoever it was Charlotte had chosen and she had to be strong enough to accept that and congratulate him with a true smile.

It was the way he wanted it after all.

Charles couldn't believe the words that had just come out of his grandmother's mouth.

Marry Becca? His Becca? The one he wanted more than anything in the world?

"You wish for me to marry Becca?" he asked, if nothing more than just to clear his mind.

She smiled wider. "Yes. As I said, I've grown quite fond of the girl. She's smart, kind and can support you in a way no society woman could. Plus," Charlotte's smile changed to a more mischievous look, "Becca can hold her own against my daughter-in-law. That fact alone proved that she would be the best choice for you. She won't make a decision based on what society or your mother would think, she would make the best choice for you."

Charles didn't know what to think. After writing that letter to Becca, telling her that her feelings were not love but more likely a strong companionship towards him instead, he never expected things to turn out like this.

He had wanted to write to her of his feelings originally, but every letter was tossed. Becca was too innocent and new to the feelings she didn't understand. She didn't know what love was. As smart as she was, there was no way she could know what she was feeling unless someone explained it to her.

He had instead written her from a place of logic, hoping that she would see what he saw the same way and understand.

Instead it seemed to cause her pain to even look at him.

Suddenly he wondered if someone had explained it to her, and if so, who? He didn't want to think about it.

"What if Becca refuses such a proposal? You cannot force her into it." The very thought that she would refuse caused a sharp pain in his chest. He didn't even know why he said that out loud.

"No, I can't force her," she said softly. "However, I'm sure if you ask her, she would accept."

Charles took a deep breath, suddenly nervous. He wasn't sure she would accept, but he didn't voice those concerns to his grandmother. Let her live in that dream for now. He wished he could join her, in that dream where Becca was his wife.

"Very well, I'll ask her tonight, after dinner."

His grandmother smiled softly and Charles tried to return the smile but found that it was strained. How could he smile when he was sure that his heart was about to be broken?

Becca entered the room a few moments later to announce dinner. Charles turned and found that she had changed and pulled her hair up in a bun. The dress was green and more formal, it wasn't right on Becca. She wasn't this stiff.

His grandmother smiled at Becca and Charles watched as she smiled back, that beautiful real smile that he missed since she had left Korea.

"You look lovely my dear, reminds me of a younger me back in the day," Charlotte said as they were situated at the dining table.

"Thank you Ma'am," Becca said before taking her seat to Charlotte's right, Charles on Charlotte's left.

Dinner was a pleasant yet awkward affair. The food was delicious and he enjoyed the conversation. However, anytime his eyes met Becca's, he was shocked to see that they seemed dull and lifeless. Her smile was the same polite smile she had used on him the first day they met.

When dinner was finally over, they sat and talked for about another hour before Charlotte called and end to the night.

"Charles, would you please walk Becca back to her room?"

Charles seemed confused until Becca chimed in. "It is only across the garden Ma'am. I am sure I can make it on my own. There is no need to trouble Dr. Winchester."

She was staying in the guest house then. She also didn't want to be alone with him, that much he could easily figure out. It hurt to know that they had come so far back from where they were before. He would give anything to go back and never have written that letter, back to before Pierce and Hunnicutt had returned, when it was just the two of them and they were just friends who hadn't realized their feelings were stronger than that.

Had Hunnicutt never said anything, it was possible that Charles would have come to the conclusion that he was in love with Becca on his own. If only whoever had pointed out to Becca that he feelings for him were special hadn't said anything then he would be able to smile at Becca like before, convince himself that she couldn't, wouldn't feel the same about him.

He cursed Hunnicutt every day since and the idiot who had opened up Becca's eyes to the feelings between them. He almost wanted to say it was Margaret who had done it.

"I understand dear, but I would feel better if he accompanied you. You two used to know each other while he was overseas and haven't had a chance to catch up. Why don't you take that time now?"

Becca looked at Charles, her eyes wary. She turned back to his grandmother and smiled. 'Very well Ma'am."

They bid her goodnight and then exited out the back door into the gardens. The sun had set, but there were still lanterns lit in the gardens to light the pathways. It gave the gardens a lover's glow.

"Becca, I..." Charles wasn't sure what to say to the girl. He wanted to tell her everything, admit it all and then take her into his arms, but she had been standoffish all evening and he wasn't sure what to think anymore.

"It's alright," she said, her first real words to him all evening. "You don't have to walk with me the whole way. Besides I'm sure that you have a lot on your mind, with the wedding and all."

Charles froze. His grandmother had said that she hadn't approached Becca regarding this, so what was she talking about? "Wedding?"

Becca stopped and looked back at Charles. She looked beautiful in the dim lighting of the gardens, even with that confused look upon her face. "Yes. Charlotte said that when you return she would be ready to start planning your wedding. I'm sure your fiance has been eagerly awaiting your return as well." Becca took a deep breath and looked out across the gardens. "I understand why you wrote that letter now, why you pushed me away. You knew that your grandmother and mother would find you a woman worthy of you. It would have been wrong to accept my feelings when you had another woman you would have to marry back home. Besides, you only saw me as a sister, like Honoria. I was foolish to think otherwise."

Charles took two steps, closing the distance between them and turned her face towards his. Becca was surprised at the anger she saw there, anger she didn't understand.

"Grandmother does want me to marry," he said after several moments of silence. Becca tensed as the pain she thought had faded started anew in her chest. His hand on her chin held her face in place, but even without that she couldn't have looked away from him. "But I haven't asked them woman she wants me to marry yet. I am not engaged."

Becca pushed the relief she felt away. Just because he wasn't engaged yet didn't mean that he would be soon. She forced a smile, trying her hardest to keep her feelings from flowing out of her. It was difficult with him so close. "She's a lucky girl."

"I'm glad that you think so."

Becca kept the smile in place as she then tried to back away from Charles, put some distance between them to calm her racing heart. Instead she found that he had pulled her closer to him. Her soft body pressed up against his firm one. Becca couldn't stop the flush from filling her cheeks at the intimate way he was holding her.

All her senses were overloaded at once. He smelled so good, even better than when he was in Korea. She wanted to touch him with her own hands but found that she couldn't more. His eyes were so intense on her, reminding her of the way he had looked at her in the supply tent. Then tension was the same between them. So strong, so fierce, so intense. It terrified her and yet she wanted to explore it more. She licked her dry lips, drawing his eyes there. For what felt like forever he looked at her lips before slowing looking back up into her eyes.

"Will you marry me, Becca?"

Becca's blood filled with heat at those words. Charles was asking her to marry him. Asking her. Was she dreaming? She hoped not.

"What?"

"Marry me, please."

Becca's heart pounded harder in her chest, her blood boiling hot. She was so confused about this turn of events. She somehow found the strength to push herself out of his arms and moved back from him, her body cooling with every step.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Why?" That was the only question she could ask. "Surely there are better women for you, once that don't remind you of your sister."

Charles winced at her words. He remembered ever word of that logic filled letter that he regretted ever sending. He wished he could just burn that letter from existence. "You and Honoria are different people," he said firmly. "I'm asking you because..." he faltered. He loved her, that was why but he couldn't get the words out. "...because...my grandmother thinks that we would be a good match and because I agree with her."

That was not what she wanted to hear apparently. Her eyes filled with tears, but the look she gave him was fierce and angry. He had never seen this from Becca before. It was worrisome, and strangely arousing.

"You want to marry me because your grandmother told you to?"

Charles shook his head. "Yes...I mean...no, I..."

She took a deep breath before turning from him. He looked at her back in terror at what she would say. How could have screwed this up?

"I accept."

How could he have... Charles shook his head. She had accepted, but she sounded so angry about it. He took a step towards her but she didn't move.

"Stop!" she said, her voice still fierce. "We will be married per Charlotte's wishes. I owe her a great debt." She turned to him, her eyes still filled with angry tears. "However, this will change nothing about our daily lives. In my time, marriage is something that the government regulates taking personal preferences and tastes and putting together two people of similar values in order to create a nurturing environment for the future child they may chose to have. They live separate lives but reside under the same roof so no one lives alone their entire lives. I'm not exactly sure what marriage life is like in this time, having never experienced it, but I assume it is the same concept only partners are chosen on their own with no government interference. The major difference being that those who marry in this time typically marry because they love each other." She looked at Charles with such anger and pain that he felt it as if it was his own. He had no one to blame but himself for this though. He had written that stupid letter. "I see that won't be the case with us."

Charles could hear the pain in her voice at those words. Everything else had been said with strong conviction, but that last sentence, Becca's pain had flowed out with the words. She still cared about him in some way. Why had he been such a coward before? Why didn't he just tell her how he felt?

He understood now why Becca told him mere seconds before she fled on the bus. This was scary.

"I will allow Honoria and Charlotte to plan the event as I'm unsure how such things go in this time," her voice was back to being strong, although she wasn't looking at him anymore. "They will make it wonderful, I'm sure. Until such time I think it would be best if we did not spend a lot time alone together. If your mother is able to convince Charlotte to change her mind about me and choose someone else more suitable for you before the wedding day, do not hesitate to tell me. I'll step down." She turned from him yet again. "I've already had my heart broken once, I do not wish to have it happen again. Good night Dr. Winchester."

With those words, he watched as Becca ran from him, her shoes being left behind. She must have removed them under the dress so she could take off running the minute she had said her piece. He took a deep breath before taking off after her.

In Korea, he had let her leave him and he hadn't chased after her. He refused to tell her his true feelings after she put her heart out there and he crushed it. Now she was agreeing to what she believed to be a marriage of convenience simply because he was too much of coward to put his heart out there. She thought he was just following his grandmother's request and not because he wanted her. He refused to allow her to continue to believe such a thing.

She had agreed to marry him. She was going to be his. All those repressed feelings came rushing back, pushing him to chase her faster through the garden paths.

He caught up to her just as she reached the door to the guest house. Before she could open the door, he placed both hands on the door, one on each side of her body, trapping her between him and the door.

"What are you doing?" Becca said turning towards him, her eyes filled with anger and pain, tears running down her flushed face.

Charles wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline from chasing after her or the way her face was flushed or even knowing that for a year he had been holding back these emotions for her, but he couldn't have stopped himself.

"You are mistaken," he said before he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers.

Charles poured the months of pent up tension, hope, anger, frustration happiness, sadness and mostly desire into that kiss. He was sure that she would push him away, but instead he found that she even joined into the kiss, adding her own emotions into it, her own desires. Her hands came up and rested on his chest before sliding up and around his neck, her body pressing against his.

He groaned before pressing her back against the door, his hands moving down her curves to rest on her hips. He pulled her closer to him, letting her body come into contact with the proof of his desire for her.

She gasped and then pushed him back and away from her. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion and desire, the same desire that was sure to be reflected in his own. Her lips were swollen as a result of his kisses, her hair had come loose from the bun and was wavy around her shoulders, her breathing was shallow. He wanted to take her into his arms again but found that even he couldn't move.

"Becca...I..."

She moved so fast that he almost missed it. One second she was right in front of him, the next she was rushing into guest house and slamming the door in his face.

Becca didn't move from the door, instead sliding to the ground and sitting. She could still feel his body against hers, his lips on hers. She lifted her hand and gently touched her still tingling lips with her shaking hands.

She had agreed to marry him, be his wife, live with him and care for him in all things. What was she thinking? What was he thinking? She was so confused now.

That wasn't a kiss between friends, nor a kiss one would give a sibling. She had seen and read enough in this time to know the difference. That was a passionate kiss between lovers, like something she would have read out of one of Honoria's novels.

She and Charles weren't lovers, but that didn't stop her from wishing that they were. How could he kiss her like that when he said that he was only marrying her because of his grandmother.

He had said she was mistaken...what about? Becca was so confused.

She shook Charles out of her head. It was just a kiss, a kiss that he had forced on her and she was too shocked to pull away from. That was all it was, although her racing heart disagreed.

She stood on shaky legs and walked into her bedroom. She changed into her nightclothes, making a mental note to retrieve her forgotten shoes in the morning, and laid down.

Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but she closed her eyes and pushed them away, willing herself into a restless sleep.

They finally kissed! :)

Probably only 1-2 more chapters left of this story, but I do have another Charles story in mind if y'all are interested. Or a Hawkeye one as well. Let me know. :)