The Morning After pt. 2

a.n.I've been re-watching the series again (for plot bunny reasons that I've shared with a few of you) and I have to ask...Isn't there a flashback scene with Miles standing over Bass, holding a gun in "the assassination" attempt? Or is my imagination simply that good? Also, if there isn't a drinking game for this show, there should be. Take a drink every time Bass looks at Rachel like she's 10x crazier than he ever thought about being, Miles is done with everybody's shit, and Tom looks down his nose with haughty derision. In the meantime, have this "current day" addition to this story and you should have the naughty smut filled flash back to the friends with benefit chapter tomorrow.

Crawling out of bed, Charlie put water on to heat before dumping Bass' bag out on top of the bed and putting his things away in her dresser and closet. There was very little she didn't recognize and what she didn't, respected his privacy enough not to snoop, simply placing a few wrapped bundles on top of the dresser for him to put away later.

Satisfied with the luke- warm water on the stove, she hauled it to the tub so she could bathe. Cleaning up after herself, she dressed and grabbing her jacket entered the kitchen. Putting out the fire in the stove, she began to rummage through a catch all drawer until she found what she was looking for. Leaning over to smell the flowers on the bar she smiled to herself before heading out. There was a stop she needed to make before work.

Entering the bar, Charlie scanned the area not seeing Bass anywhere in sight. Timmy, his part-time help was working the bar and smiled when he saw her.

"Hey, Charlie! The usual?"

"No thanks, Tim. I'm on my in to the clinic, just needed to talk to Bass for a minute."

"He's downstairs," he said waving her on to the back.

She made her way through the double doors that lead to the kitchen and then to the back where the stairs leading to the still were.

She squeaked in surprise as a hand sneaked out to grab her arm, spinning her back into the wall, Bass' smiling face suddenly close to hers.

"Damn it, Bass!" she huffed at the unexpected motion before forgetting what she was mad about in the first place as he bent down to kiss her.

She hummed as he pulled back, but kept her close. "I like the fact that I get to do that out in the open now."

"This isn't exactly the open," she chuckled looking around the gloomy room.

"Was there something you needed or did you just stop by to argue semantics with me?"

"Actually, I needed to give you something." She said reaching into her pocket. She pulled out her hand and held up a door key. "Thought you might need this."

Bass looked at her to the key and back again before slipping it out of her fingers and into his pocket.

"We both have crazy hours at times and you do live there now…." she trailed off at the look on his face. She didn't think she had ever seen this particular one before. It was soft, like how he looked before he made love to her, but there was something else to it, contentment, maybe? Relief? She wasn't sure, but she knew she liked it.

He reached out to stroke her cheek. "Thanks. I'll probably beat you home tonight, by the way. Timmy's going to start working a few more hours during the week in exchange for free room and board." He explained as he followed her up the stairs and through the kitchen, a hand resting low on her back.

"Oh, yeah? You can tell me about it over dinner."

"Want me to walk you to the clinic?"

"Nah, I'm good." She said rising up to brush her lips against his cheek now that they actually were out in the open.

He grabbed her arm pulling him back to her as she began to move. "Hey, what did I just say a few minutes ago?" he asked taking her chin between his thumb and finger pulling her in closer as sought her lips out with his. Breaking the kiss, he smirked at her slightly dazed appearance. "Better get to work or you're going to be late."

Bringing her fingers to her lips, she met his eyes as she nodded. "I'll see you at home."

"You can count on it."

Charlie walked in the clinic doors still distracted by what had just happened at the bar, not realizing that Rachel and her Grandpa were propped up against his desk waiting for her to arrive.

"Charlie?'

"Oh, hey, Grandpa. Mom?" Everything ok?"

"I don't know." Gene answered truthfully. "You're Mom told me about what happened with you and Bass and frankly, Charlie, I'm worried about you.

Charlie turned to look at them.

"Charlie," Rachel began, "Grandpa said that someone's been hurting you for month's now and we're afraid that it's Bass."

Charlie shook her head vehemently. "No. You are not allowed to go on another Monroe witch hunt. In case you were too drunk yesterday to comprehend, I told both you and Miles to mind your own business. But not one of you actually ever listens to me." She nearly shouted throwing her arms in the air.

"Charlie, we're just worried."

"Mom, I'll tell you like I told Grandpa. Bass hasn't done anything to me that I haven't asked him to. What he and I do together in private is no one's business, not even yours."

Rachel looked at Gene, who shook his head encouraging her not to press matters, and sighed. "Okay, honey."

"Okay? That's it?"

"You're a grown woman, Charlie. Just know that we're all here for you if you need us."

"Thanks, I think." Charlie hesitantly replied immediately on alert. That was not the reaction she was expecting.

"I'm starving, Rachel. What's for dinner?" Gene asked as he herded her mother towards the door, leaving Charlie standing at the nurse's station shaking her head.

She sighed with relief as blessed heat hit her chilled skin when she entered her home. Bass had obviously been home long enough for the pot belly stove in the corner of the living room to heat the house and to start dinner as something was making her stomach rumble.

As he came out of the kitchen to greet her, he saw her leaning against the door. "Where are your gloves?" he demanded pulling her small hands into his larger ones as he rubbed them together.

"Well, unlike you, I don't have a barometer in my knees." She replied repeating his often voiced complaint back to him.

He narrowed his eyes, "Are you calling me old?"

She scooted closer to his heat. "No, I'm saying I had no idea the weather was going to change."

His hands shifted to rub up and down her arms. "Why don't you go change clothes and I'll move our plates to the living room where it's warmer."

"K," she whispered nudging her nose into the hollow at the base of his throat before moving past him with a smile. She could definitely get used to coming home to this.

As she changed clothes she noticed that the packages that had been on the dresser had been put away, but in their place was a small framed photograph that looked like it had been through hell and back. Hanging off of it by a piece of ribbon were three rings. Picking up the photo, she looked closely at the family it contained. The only person she recognized was a much younger Bass. She assumed that this must be the mysterious family that was occasionally referenced but never spoken of. Setting everything back where she found it, she pulled out a set of white thermal underwear and changed out of her work clothes. She slipped on a pair of thick wool socks and made her way back to the living room.

'Nice." Bass smirked as she plopped down beside him on the couch accepting the plate that he handed her.

"That's not pajama judgment I hear, is it?" she asked as she brought a bite of food to her mouth.

Bass eyed her from where she was sitting. "Charlotte, I'm not sure who you think you married, but I would never dream of judging a lady over their choice of pajamas."

Charlie snorted loudly into her glass of wine before turning back to her plate. He had combined the left over pheasant with some fresh vegetables that he had scrounged up from somewhere and pan fried it all together causing Charlie to sigh as she chewed.

Bass raised his eyebrows in question.

She smiled as she caught his look. "How many times did we survive on nothing but green apples or deer jerky for over a week at a time? I don't think I won't ever not be grateful for having a market where I can get eggs and fresh vegetables."

"And if I remember correctly your stomach does not like green apples."

She nodded, talking around the food in her mouth. "If I never eat a green apple again it will be too soon."

When they were finished, Bass picked up the dishes carrying them back to the kitchen, Charlie following him, offering to clean up since he cooked.

As she washed and he dried, Bass suddenly spoke up. "You said something yesterday, and we talked about it briefly this morning, that's made me curious, Charlotte."

"Hmm? What's that?" She asked as she handed him another plate to dry.

"That you're the reason we find ourselves married."

She gave a small grimace. "Are you mad?"

"No," he said seriously making sure she saw it in his face. "But, I know Frank Blanchard and for him to go to the elaborate lengths that he did to pull off a stunt like this and so long after the fact, I have to ask. What the hell did you do?"