By the end of the first day of traveling, Miles was worried. The meds were nearly gone and Charlie couldn't keep the pace, no matter how many times she'd insisted she could. At the first hint of sunset, he'd decided it was time to stop for the night, even though they had at least two hours of light left.

"Give her one of the pills. I don't like how she's looking." he demanded of Rachel, who raised her eyebrows at the tone but complied as she did agree with him.

"Miles, there aren't more then a handful left, enough maybe for tomorrow but that's it."

"I know. We'll just have to find more." he said.

"How? We're in the middle of nowhere, we're headed to a militia camp to be in the midst of what I can only imagine will be a bloodbath and you think you're just going to magically come up with more pain meds?" Rachel all but yelled at him.

"Camp'll have some." he remarked.

"If she can make it that far. We barely made eight miles today!"

"Will the both of you argue quieter?" Aaron broke in. "Charlie's sleepng, something we all should probably be doing soon.

"I don't want to wake her," Rachel spoke quietly now, a bit abashed.

"There's crackers, if you're hungry. They're not very good but it's food." Aaron explained.

"Thanks." Rachel took the offered tin. She glanced at them curiously. "Where'd you get these?"

He looked a bit sheepish as he admitted, "The Tower. I figure they stole my code, the least they could do is give us food."

"So you stole it." Miles stated, amused.

"Fair is fair." he shot back.

"He's right." Rachel put in. "Eat the damn crackers or don't, Miles, but he's right. They owe him a lot more the crackers."

Jason lay on his cot, trying to decide what the best plan of action would be. He knew time was running out, his father was not a stupid man and would soon find out what he'd done.

The tent was small and seemed even more constricting as he lay on his cot. There was only one way out. He knew his father had stationed guards on him, knew they would never simply let him walk away. He had nothing to bribe them with, no money or any kind of special food or favors. In the Republic, he would have access to lots of things for bribing, his father's name opened doors for him.

Here, though, in the Plains Nation, with his father hellbent on taking over the Republic and vendetta against the Mathesons and Sebastian Monroe, Jason didn't have any idea who to trust except Charlie. Even then, he couldn't really explain why he did.

"Rachel, you want first shift?" Miles looked at her over the fire Aaron had built. It crackled merrily, Aaron had built it a little too well.

"Fine." she answered.

"Aaron, you want third?" Miles inquired, as if they were just discussing what to have for dinner.

He nodded his agreement, obviously not caring which guard shift he had.

"All right then." Miles stood up. "Guess I'm going to catch some sleep while I can. Rachel, wake me up in about three hours." With that, he sauntered over to where Charlie already was asleep and stretched out a few feet away from her. He'd never admit it, but he slept close to her to make sure she was all right.

Aaron shrugged and said, "I'll be heading to bed in a bit myself."

"Suit yourself." Rachel remarked, staring into the night, lost in thought.

"What do you mean, he's not there?" Neville barked.

"Sir, your son isn't in his tent. I have ordered men to search the camp and the surrounding area." the soldier meekly explained.

"You mean the way they did for the girl?" he asked, sarcastically.

"They'll find him, I'm sure, sir. He can't have gotten far."

"Go away!"

"Yes, sir." The soldier scurried out of the room.

If anything, this current turn of events cemented together the puzzle of how Charlie Matheson had escaped for Neville. He sighed, he wasn't truly surprised but the betrayal of his son hurt more then he would've thought.

"I have the right to know about the woman who raised my kids!"

The anger and grief flashing in Charlie's eyes. Would she ever forgive what had happened?

Aaron had been angry,too, sweet mild mannered Aaron, who'd become a loyal soldier, something Rachel had a hard time reconciling with the Aaron she'd known in the past.

"Just leave her alone, Rachel." he'd said. "She doesn't talk to anyone about Maggie or Ben or even Danny anymore."

But Rachel knew otherwise. She'd seen the look in Miles' face when Aaron spoke. Charlie talked to him, she was sure. What did Charlie know? What had Charlie told him? Worse, what had he told her?

Rachel was sure Ben had never told Charlie about how Miles had been why she walked away all those years ago. She was also sure Ben hadn't known, but had only suspected about her and Miles' true relationship. That stupid relationship had, in the end, cost her everything. "Well," she admended, "not everything." She still had Charlie.

More then anything, Rachel wanted to know her daughter, wanted to be able to talk with her and love her. But she knew Charlie all too well, for Charlie had grown up to be just like her parents - strongwilled and stubborn. She'd never just sit down and let Rachel have her way.

"Thought I told you to wake me up." Miles came up behind Rachel, startling her.

The fire had burned low while she'd been lost in thoughts and the past, and their campsite was shrouded in shadows. The night had gotten cloudy and the moon was partially covered casting an eerie glow to everything.

"Sorry." she murmured, not really caring.

"No matter." Miles sat down and poked a stick into what was left of the fire, stirring the coals to start up the fire again. "Just so long as you didn't fall asleep."

"No, didn't do that." Rachel suddenly felt nervous around Miles.

He glanced over at her. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Hmmm? No, just worried about Charlie." she quickly answered.

"Yeah." he agreed. "You should probably try to get some rest. Long day tomorrow, Charlie's going to need you."

"She shouldn't have to do this."

"No." Miles answered, quietly. He looked up into the clouds. "But she does. Charlie's a tough kid, she'll be fine."

"What exactly does that mean, Miles? She'll be fine?" She flung his own words back at him and then, without waiting for an answer she stomped over to their sleeping area.

Miles watched her go. "I wish I knew, Rachel, I really do." he whispered into the night.

A/N - long time since update. Sorry :/ I just haven't had much muse on this one. I really do want to finish it though, so ideas are welcome. I have the next chapter partially written, so that's good.

Also, I don't have access to internet every day so I can't always get to reviews, PMs, or updates. Soon, this may change!