Monroe's Pov:
After a few days I thought I lost the trail, but kept heading the same direction the wagon was headed. I eventually found myself in a small port town off the east coast. I was lucky after weeks of no hits; one of the town's folk, an elderly woman recognized the drawing I had of Charlie.
The first night I made camp, I drew her to help when I asked people if they've seen her, which helped lead me to the older woman named Ellen.
Ellen looked at the drawing and smiled. "You mean Miss Monroe?" She asked. Monroe?
She took my name as an alias?
Confused I nodded my head to Ellen. "Yes. Do you know where she is?" I asked urgently finally being close to finding her.
The elderly woman's smile faded slowly as something came to her. "Her and that man boarded one of the ships for Ireland. She was so exhausted." Ellen whispered the last part.
"What do you mean?" Her soft green eyes looked startled for a moment before looking down to my arm where the skin was burnt. Ellen looked back up at me with smile on her face and grasped my hand pulling me into her home.
Once inside she buried through some of her books and found an envelope with a circle around a capital M on it. The Monroe –Matheson emblem. Ellen turned towards me and handed the envelope over. "She said you would come, said you or Miles, but most likely you."
"I don't understand." I told her opening the letter. Ellen left the room only to return with two mugs of tea.
"That vile man," She hissed out, "kept her sedated a lot, I'm not even sure if she remembers coming here. She was exhausted and tried to hurry, before he caught her speaking to me." I nodded. "She kept telling me that you would come."
"How did you know it was me?" I asked her taking the mug of tea from her.
"My boy . . . how could it not be you?" She questioned back. I didn't understand. "A man with eyes like the ocean . . . you'll see the mask he wears, the man he wants everyone to see, but if you just look into those eyes you'll see the man he is. He's broken and scared, but loyal and loves with no end. This is how she described you to me. Are you who she speaks of?" I couldn't voice my answer to the lump rising in my throat. With tears swelling into my eyes I asked a question instead.
"She said that?" Ellen nodded.
"Your girl also said that you would wear a mark of shame on your arm." I touched the burnt skin and looked back up at Ellen. "How did you know I wasn't Miles?"
She began to chuckle, shaking her head. "Because to be frank, you don't fit his description and I quote, "Brown eyes that over calculate everything. He'll be demanding, over obnoxious and probley have the stink of some type of booze on him. He'll think it's his fault I'm gone, pushing him harder. He's also broken, but not as much as Bass."
"She sounds almost drunk explaining who we are to you." Ellen shook her head.
"No General, she sounds insightful. Miss Monroe has a very old soul with the fire of a raging storm. She's marvelous." I nodded my head agreeing with her before looking down at the short letter. Hoping she has some type of explanation as to where she is.
Dear Sebastian Monroe,
I knew it would be you, you always come. Just encase I can't tell you . . . encase I don't see you again I want you to know I don't hate you Bass. If I'm being honest I never have. Growing up things were hard, but that's the way it is now, right? After Rachel left it was my job to watch over Danny and I did. I still wake in the middle of the night to make sure he's breathing.
Rachel was the first to leave, then my Dad, Maggie, Danny, Nora, Jason . . . . everyone I love leaves or dies. And stop with the guilt, because I don't blame you. I don't. Not anymore. I was hurting Sebastian, I needed someone to put the guilt on, somewhere to place the blame. I think I chose you for a reason though, through all the good, bad and the ugly you've been there.
In the past what little memories I have of my life before the black out I remember the man you were before all this. Before your wife and child died, before Miles did what he did and I still see that man daily with the man who makes sure our crew always has someone watching their back. The man who eats last and takes the littlest, the man who fights and works the hardest for those he loves.
You are a beautiful man and what I'm trying to tell you is that I care about you. Please don't allow Conner or Rachel get in the way of your happiness. You do deserve it, just as much as anyone else. And give Miles time, you two have always been brothers, that bond is never going to break no matter how much Rachel pushes for it.
If the two of you couldn't break it with how many times you tried to kill each other, you're not ever going to break it. Give him time to get to know himself again . . .to trust himself again. You're both on the same page right now; you're trying to forgive yourselves for the past. But listen to me Bass, not everything is on your shoulders. Rachel and my father with countless others made this the world it is today. You and Miles simply tried to help make it better, yes you both made mistakes, but you tried.
Everyone has their breaking point. You broke, he broke, she broke and I've broke. Now we have to help each other pick up the pieces. If you find me, remind me of this letter. I'm not sure if I'll remember, but I needed you to know.
And his name is Andrew. He works close with the higher part of the government. Bass he's worse than both you and Miles combined. Part of me wants to scream and tell you to go home. Go find a woman you can love and settle down with, get to know your son, I'm not worth it, but I know you won't listen.
Just please be safe,
Your Charlotte.
Looking at the letter over and over again I memorized every line, every tear drop, and every scribble. I look to Ellen no longer being able to old back my tears, she smiled slightly. "You're in love with her aren't you?"
Could I be? I thought about Charlie, about her eyes, her hair, the way she walks, her attitude, that smart mouth, her fire. . .her love, the way she forgives so easily. I knew I had feelings for her, but love . . . I never let myself think that word with her name attached. I didn't think there would have been a future for it. I didn't want to let my guard down.
I look back over the letter and feel the pain in my chest tighten at her words of not knowing if she'll see me again. Glancing back up at Ellen I tried to answer her truthfully, but only ended up telling her, "It's complicated."
Her smart reply was why. "Because she is your friend's daughter?" She asked.
"He's like my brother and she's his niece." All though I've had my suspicions about it for years.
"Charlie thinks Miles is her biological father."
"You know her real name?" She nodded her head.
"We had a very nice chat. The drugs didn't help, but I've had three children I can understand most non-english English." She chuckles off. Ellen goes quite for a few minutes before picking up another envelope with just a capital M on it. "She would want this sent to him." I nodded my head. Wiping my face I try to collect myself, eyeing the steaming cup of tea still on her coffee table I take a deep breath.
"Do you know where in Ireland their heading?"
"The last ship, the ship they left on was headed to Belfast, but I heard one the men that found her talking about Bangor." I smiled a real smile for the first time in weeks.
"I have friends staying there. If I remember correctly that's about 15 minutes from Belfast." Ellen smiled at me I started making plans in my head. I would need to find a ship to ride over there on, preferable one that was fast.
"Would you happen to know of any ships that are taking passengers . . . that will get there the fastest?" I tried to trend softly, hoping to not offend her. She lived here in this port, saying something about ships could offend her or her family. Ellen only nodded before leaving the room for a second.
When she returned she had her coat and hat on. "You will stay here for the night; you'll leave in the morning. I'll be back in Jiffy. Make your plans Sebastian." I didn't question her only nodded as she walked out the door.
I sat there on the couch for a good 10 minutes trying to wrap my head around everything. Charlie didn't hate me. Charlie thought Miles was her father. Charlie cares about me. I think I'm in love with her. Charlie is in Ireland. Charlie cares about me.
Shaking my head I get up off the couch and walk over to Ellen's desk. It was one of those old roll topper ones, so I pushed the top back and sat down. Grabbing a piece of a paper I wrote my own letter to Miles.
Miles,
I believe I found her! You're never going to guess where . . . Ireland! Bangor, Ireland no less. Apparently they've reopened the business of imports and exports, taking passengers also. I'm headed their tomorrow morning myself.
Charlie wrote both of us letters knowing one if not both of us would come after her. I'm warning you, if yours is anything like mine, grab a bottle for me and you both. Hopefully the next time you hear from me, it'll be in person.
If not I love you Miles . . .and I forgive you. I did along time ago. And I understand about Conner, I don't think it was right, but I understand. Should something happen to me, please look after my son . . . your nephew.
Give him my love. See you soon.
Your Brother.
I put the pen down and reread my letter and nod to myself, it's to the point. Taking Charlie's letter and the one I wrote I add them both to a second, larger, envelope before writing Mile's name on the package. I'll ask Ellen to send it Miles later tonight.
Just as I was finishing going through my bag, making sure I have everything ready for the voyage a head Ellen walked back in with a young man tailing her. He was about Conner's age, but instead of tall, dark and angry, I saw a young man with a smile on his face. The young man had dirty blonde hair with blue eyes, a shade darker than mine, a round face, with a little bit of a beard growing in. He was the male version of Ellen other the eyes. She had green.
"Sebastian, this is my son Abel. Honey this is Bass, he's the one were going to help." He nodded his head at me.
"Hello." He said. Abel then turned and kissed his mother's cheek before coming over to me. We shook hands and got down to work on how we were going to get there, how fast his ship was and about my past. I found it was easy to talk to Abel and Ellen, something I didn't find easily.
The next morning after breakfast we set sail on his ship, Pandora. If Abel's calculations were correct we would dock in Belfast in two weeks, a week behind Charlie and the son of a bitch who took her.
I took a few calming breaths before lying down on my bunk, rereading Charlie's letter. My eyes started to drift down as I read the line I couldn't help going over and over.
I feel asleep to her voice whispering that she cared.