Charlie silently followed Miles out of the woods as the sun was setting over the hills.
Miles was walking swiftly and Charlie was doing what she could to keep up with him.
"Can we just talk about this for a second?" Charlie said, walking beside Miles.
"What's there to talk about?" Miles huffed. "You're not a kid anymore, Charlie...I can't tell you what to do or who you can be with...I had just hoped to God that you would make better decisions."
"This whole thing has been really confusing from the start," Charlie replied. "I went to New Vegas intending to kill him...but then he saved my life."
Miles slowed down then, turning to look at Charlie and listening.
"We started working together when I found out that there were bounty hunters in Vegas looking for him. That's when he wanted to come and find you, so could warn you about the Patriots," Charlie continued.
"Was that before or after you started sleeping with him?" Miles retorted. Then he shook his head and turning to walk faster, "Never mind- don't tell me...I don't wanna know..."
The two continued walking in silence for a few moments.
"Was it true? About Monroe and my mom?" Charlie couldn't help but ask.
Miles sighed. "Unfortunately, yes...apparently, after I left Philadelphia, the two of them were spending time together and some things happened."
"How did you find out about it?" Charlie asked.
"Your mom told me a few months ago. I think she felt guilty about it...but Charlie, I honestly didn't know she was still in Philly. If I had known, I never would have left ...things had just gotten so out of control...Bass, he was just out of control back then..."
Charlie nodded in understanding.
Charlie shook her head. "Miles, you should know- he didn't force me into anything-"
"-Well, that's good- at least I don't have to immediately kill him then," Miles said wryly.
"If anything, I sort of initiated some of this-" Charlie said.
"Stop!" Miles said loudly. "I really don't wanna hear about this- how it happened, or why...not interested."
The two continued walking, the awkward tension slowly beginning to dissipate.
"Ya know, it's strange- when we were in New Vegas, I started seeing a different side to him, a gentler side," Charlie said.
"Yeah, that's the old Bass coming out," Miles agreed. "Even after you brought him here, he was acting in a way that I had not seen from him in years...he seemed lighter, happier...I honestly thought that part of Bass was gone...and I was trying to figure out if losing the Republic had actually helped him out...like losing the power had restored his humanity."
Charlie remained silent, listening as he continued.
"The tipping point for me was finding out that he had let you co-lead the mercenaries," Miles spoke up again after a moment. "That is completely unlike the Bass Monroe of the past fifteen years...hell, that would be rare for even Pre-2012 Bass."
Charlie spoke up, "Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise to me too."
"It means that he really trusts you," Miles replied, looking at Charlie.
Charlie nodded, feeling so conflicted about everything that had happened over the past couple of weeks. To think all of this had transpired over the course of a couple of weeks- it felt like so much more time had passed.
"Like I said, you aren't a kid anymore, Charlie," Miles said. "...and to think of you with Bass is completely odd and weird...but I won't judge or question it...but make no mistake, that doesn't mean that I want to see or hear anything about it either."
Charlie half-smirked.
"To be honest, I think it ended before it ever really began," Charlie replied. "There is so much about him that I don't even know, and the fact that he was with Mom...I just don't know if I can get past that."
Miles shook his head, understanding how Charlie felt. "To say that this situation is complicated would be a huge understatement, that's for sure- but it will ultimately be up to you to decide how you feel and what you should do...but Charlie, just be careful. I have known Bass a really long time...he is a pretty volatile guy."
"So I have noticed," Charlie replied quickly and Miles snapped to look at her. Charlie was quick to clarify. "He's never hurt me...if anything, he's always been really protective."
Miles nodded, starting to wonder himself if he was wrong in his assessment of Bass' involvement with Charlie.
"Even though this whole thing is a mess...he is right though- we can't do this alone- we need him and the mercenaries if we want to go up against the Patriots," Charlie stated.
Miles sighed again. "I know. Just let me be pissed off tonight...we can go back to the camp and talk to him tomorrow...but Charlie?"
Charlie looked at him questioningly.
"Under no circumstances does your mother find out about this..."
"Well, that goes without saying," Charlie responded as the two finished the walk up the road to the Porter home, just in time for darkness to settle over the land.