The Morning After part 3 ~Let's talk about Frank~

a.n. I'm not particularly happy with this chapter, but the sooner I post it, the sooner we can move on to more smut. Everyone in agreement? Excellent.

She rubbed at her chin with the back of a soap covered hand as she contemplated where to start. "It wasn't really one thing as it was a bunch of other things that kept getting bigger and bigger."

"Well that was a non-answer if I ever heard one."

"I wouldn't even know where to start."

"I hear the beginning is always a good place."

Charlie gave him a dry look as she handed him the last dish. "Fine. I'll tell you about a few things tonight."

Bass' eyebrows shot up. "A few things? Just how many things were there?"

"We were there for how many months?"

"You were out in the field for a lot of that time."

"I had help. Kept him on his toes. I also couldn't let him think that you and Miles were helping me in any way."

At that, Bass narrowed his eyes. "We got caught in the crossfire."

"A few times…in the beginning."

"Uh huh," he muttered taking her by the elbow and steering her back to the living room.

"Sit." He ordered pointing at the couch as he disappeared and returned a few moments later with a blanket from the hall closet covering her with it before finding his own spot and pulling her up next to him.

"Talk."

"Well, you know how it all started."

Bass couldn't help but crack a smile remembering the look that Charlie had on her face when Blanchard wrapped his arms around her like an octopus, grabbing at various pieces of anatomy before getting a knife shoved up against certain parts of his. "Yeah, I remember."

She elbowed him in the ribs. "That was so not funny, no matter how hard you and Miles laughed. But, I decided to wait a few weeks to get my revenge."

Flashback~

Camp Waco – 2 weeks into the Patriot war

Charlie walked into the med tent carrying a small burlap sack and an Aloe Vera plant, looking for her grandfather. She found him in the back, in an area that had been curtained off for use as an office. "Hey, Grandpa."

"Charlie." Gene said with a smile always happy to see his granddaughter. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"I need your help with something."

"Why do I not like the feeling I'm getting about this?"

Charlie shrugged innocently holding up the plant in her arms. "There's an Aloe plant in it for you."

Gene eyed her for a moment before motioning for her to hand the plant over. "What do you need me to do?"

Thirty minutes later Charlie was leaving the med tent with a small vial of gel.

"Hey, Baker." She greeted the guard on duty at Frank's tent. "Is he home?"

"Nope, won't be back for a few hours."

"Think there's any way I could get a few minutes inside?"

"Charlie, I ….."

"I'll make it worth your while," she replied placing a few diamonds in his hand.

The soldier shuffled his feet. "Alright, but hurry up."

Charlie smiled broadly at him. "Thanks, Baker."

Entering the tent, Charlie went straight for the humidor setting on Blanchard's desk. Lifting the lid she removed all the cigars and went to work. When she finished with those, she took the water pitcher on the side desk which held all the liquor bottles and lifting up the bottom of the tent, poured the water out. Pulling a large bottle out of her pack she poured the contents into the pitcher. Putting the cigars back into the humidor, she picked up her stuff and with a wink at Baker, left Blanchard's tent heading towards her own.

She was just getting ready to head out of camp with the rest of her unit on her first mission when yelling and shouting could be heard from across the way as Blanchard, Miles, Bass and several other higher-ups, tumbled out of Blanchard's tent headed towards the water barrels on the side of the Mess hall.

"What do you think that's all about?" Asked Riley who was standing next to her.

Charlie shrugged. "Who knows? Let's get going."

End flashback~

"Holy shit, Charlie," Bass stammered in surprise, "You were responsible for the chili pepper cigars and Moonshine? Frank was madder than a wet hen. How did he find out it was you?"

"Baker ratted me out."

Bass chuckled, "Well in Bakers defense, the last I saw of him, Blanchard was threatening to rip off certain body parts of he didn't get any answers. What happened once he found out?"

"He called me into his tent, congratulated me, informed me that he took his practical jokes very seriously and advised that I should watch my back."

"So, you're telling me that we're married because you nearly killed all the brass, including me and Miles, with pepper laced cigars and moonshine?"

"Nope," she replied popping the p. "That was child's play compared to everything else."

Bass rubbed his head as his eyes drifted closed. "So there was retaliation for the cigars."

Charlie nodded her head. "He found out about my issue with Green Apples."

"And had everyone's food packs replaced…" Bass groaned.

"And no one expected that trip to end up lasting a week. By the time we were able to catch anything substantial to eat, I was way past dehydrated. I at least got a thinly veiled apology when he stopped by the med tent to see me. He fell for the "Maybe this has gone on long enough, Frank," spiel, hook line and sinker."

"You little emotional blackmailer, he walked around for the two days you were in med like someone had kicked his dog. Not to mention me and Miles nearly worried ourselves mad."

Charlie shrugged. "Sorry."

"No, you're not." Bass chuckled as she burrowed further under the blanket.

"Yeah, you're right." She grinned.

"So, what happened next?" Bass asked smiling down at where her head rested in his lap as he began running his fingers through her hair. He enjoyed seeing this side of her and had no idea that she was this mischievous.

"It was a few more weeks before I attempted anything, but the next time I was in his tent, I noticed that he had a picture of his late wife on a table next to his cot. I decided to hold it for ransom."

"You held a photograph for ransom?"

"Mmmhhmm."

"And what exactly was the ransom?"

"That he had to fly his boxer shorts, with the word walnut printed on them, under the Texas flag the entire time I was gone."

Bass threw his head back against the couch laughing. He remembered the day they were run up the pole. He and Miles had looked at each other and just shook their heads in amusement.

"Lucky for him I got the information I needed and was back in two days."

"And you returned the photo?"

"First thing. Went straight to his tent. We had a drink and I returned the photo in pristine condition."

"Did he say anything?"

"Until we meet again, Miss Matheson." She said in her best Blanchard voice before hiding her mouth with a hand as she yawned.

"Tired?"

She nodded with a sleepy smile. "My schedule's all out of whack."

"It's been a crazy couple of days hasn't it?" he asked softly as his fingers continued to card through her hair.

"Yeah, but good crazy," she replied smiling back at him, eyes heavy with sleep.

"Come 'on," he nudged at her, helping her to sit up. "Go get in bed. I'll take care of the lamps."

"Okay," she murmured as she let her hand trail over his body as she stood. "Don't take too long."

"Be right there," he whispered as he watched her walk down the hall blanket trailing in her wake.

Stoking the fire in the pot belly and making sure the fire in kitchen stove was out, he double checked the locks and blew out the lamps on his way back through to the bedroom.

Charlie had turned the lamp down low, and was curled up in a ball under the blankets, her pajamas tossed haphazardly at the end of the bed.

Getting undressed, he folded his clothes neatly, setting them on the dresser and blowing out the lamp before slipping under the covers with her. She immediately sought out his warmth, letting him maneuver her to her side so that he could pull her back, snug against his chest.

Charlie sighed, already half dead to the world, as Bass pressed his lips to her neck. "Sweet dreams, Charlotte."

"Love you," she breathed out, going silent as she lost her battle with consciousness.

"I love you too, Charlie," Bass whispered as he pulled her even closer.