Miles woke Charlie in the early hours of the morning, the moonlight was bright through the uncovered window. They moved silently, Charlie slipped from the bed and pulled on her boots while Miles fell down into the warm spot she had left for him. He rolled over and wrapped an arm around Rachel who merely snuggled in closer to his warmth.
Charlie left the two in peace, Miles loud snores filling the house before she even had the front door closed. She sat down on an old chair on the front porch, testing it first to make sure it would hold her weight. Looking around there was nothing in sight except bushes and trees, no noises besides those of a forest at night. The sound was soothing, it reminded her of her life before the militia had showed up on their doorstep.
Her mind wandered in memories of better times. Helping her dad in the garden, taking Danny with her while she hunted, even arguing with Aaron about the importance of trigonometry. That last one made her chuckle. What would Aaron think if he knew how I felt about Bass?
And here she was again, back to thinking about Bass. He didn't seem to want to leave her thoughts alone. I wonder where he is? Is he alright? Is Miles right? Will he really follow me?
Almost as soon as the thought crossed her mind she heard footsteps and voices approaching. Whoever it was, they weren't even trying to be quiet. She loaded an arrow into her crossbow, crept silently towards the road, and took cover behind a tree.
"We should stop soon. I know your tired, I was just hoping that we would catch up with them tonight." She knew that voice. Bass.
"Even if we did catch up with them now, Charlie's probably asleep. I doubt she'd be very happy if you woke her up just to say 'hey I'm sorry I'm a fuck up.' " Conner's voice was light and full of humor. Wait, did he tell Conner about-
But she never got to finish that thought, the two men were passing her hiding place and had just noticed the shack.
"Hey we can stay here toni-"
"Hey guys." She stepped forward, and both of them jumped back. They went for their guns and had them pointed at her face before either of them even bothered to look at her. Bass' eyes went wide at the sight of her standing there, crossbow in hand, looking at them like this was the normal way to greet people. He nearly dropped his gun in shock but quickly recovered.
"Charlie." His voice came out as more of a squeak. He had been thinking about this all day. What he would say, how he would say it. But as she stood there, shimmering beautifully in the moonlight, his throat didn't seem to want to work.
Sensing the awkwardness that was quickly filling the space around them, Conner broke the silence. "I know you guys have a lot to talk about so I'm just gonna head inside." He bounced on the balls of his feet for a moment before taking off towards the house.
Charlie was trying to wrap her head around the fact that Bass was really here. He had come for her, just like Miles said. All she really wanted to do was wrap herself around him and never let go, but before she had the chance he seemed to finally find his voice.
"Charlie, I am so sorry-"
"Bass, I-"
"Charlie, I know your mad-"
"But I'm not-"
"Please just listen to me, for one minute." He clearly wasn't going to let her speak until he had his say, so she nodded her head and waited patiently.
He looked relieved that she agreed to listen and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. They way I acted was horrible and unforgivable." She opened her mouth to tell him that wasn't the case but he held up his hand. "Please, just listen." He waited for her to give her assent to continue before moving on.
"All you've ever done is given me a chance. You took me back to Willoughby with you when you didn't have to, you could have left me on the side of the road with an arrow in my chest, and I would have deserved it. You convinced your mom to save my life, even after I took everyone that you cared about away from you. You talked to me, you gave me a chance. You gave me a choice, a choice to be different, to be better, to be a better man." He swallowed thickly and met her eyes, his own a shimmering blue. "You gave me your trust... and I broke that."
She wanted to stop him right there, she wanted to tell him how wrong he was. But deep down, she knew he needed to finish this.
He stepped forward and was within reaching distance, but he resisted the urge to take her in his arms.
"Your amazing Charlie. Every part of you and you deserve so much more than this fucked up world can offer you." He was practically shaking, unshed tears brimming in his eyes. "I just wanted you to know that I love you. That no matter where you go or what happens to you, I'll always love you... I can't help it." He gave a shaky laugh and stepped away from her. He turned towards the house like he was going to walk inside and leave her standing in the yard.
Her mind was spinning. He loves me? Loves me? Then where is he going! But it was like her body suddenly didn't want to cooperate. She was standing there, frozen, calling out to him in her head but her mouth wouldn't listen. He was walking hunched over, his feet shuffling on the ground.
"Bass?" Finally, her voice decided to work. He turned around slowly and looked at her with sad eyes. "Where are you going?" Seriously! After everything he just said, that's all you have to say?
"I told Miles that I would help him, I can't just walk away now." He looked at her and hesitated for a second. "Unless you want me to go." He was shaking his head at himself as if he thought he should have seen this coming. "That's fine, we'll go, just let me grab Conner." He started up the steps.
"Bass wait." She ran up to him completely out of breath, though not because of the running, and grabbed his arm. "Don't go."
"Charlie it's ok, I never expected anything-"
"Will you shut up and let me talk now?" She hadn't meant to sound so mean, she just wanted him to listen to her.
He snapped his mouth shut and nodded his head. She opened her mouth to speak but ended up closing it. Now that she had his attention, she didn't know where to start.
"I... My dad, Danny, and Maggie, they're all dead. Nora's gone, so is Jason." He could see all of the hurt running unchecked across her face. "Miles, and my mom, and Aaron, they're all I have left, but they all have someone else. Miles and my mom are together, and Aaron has Priscilla. That just leaves me, by myself." In that moment Charlotte Matheson looked as broken and lonely as he felt every single day.
"That's why I left Willoughby in the first place. They all had someone, they didn't need me. And then one day I woke up in some stupid swimming pool and all of a sudden I wasn't alone anymore. I know that I fought you from the very beginning but you've been there for me this whole time, and I treated you like crap for it. So I'm sorry." Charlie stepped forward and put her hands on his chest but didn't meet his eyes.
"You don't have to leave... please don't leave, I don't want to be alone anymore." Her voice was barely a whisper but he would have heard it a mile away. He gently took her chin in his hands and tilted her face up, and waited until her eyes found his.
"I'll be here. Always, I promise."
It was like a weight lifted off of her shoulders and that hope she had long since abandoned burned in her chest.
"Promise?" How could he ever say no to that? He couldn't. He hadn't stood a chance from the moment she left Wisconsin and set out for Philadelphia.
"Promise. Always." It felt so childish to be reassured by something as simple as two words, but standing there, looking into his eyes Charlie knew. He loved her, and he wouldn't let her down.
That happiness flooding through her prevented her from using actual words, so she stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his. Gently at first, just a touch, but as memories filled her head her body burned for more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her level, his arms found their way around her waist to pull her closer. His tongue ran across her lips, begging for more, but she pulled away.
He looked upset at the interruption at first, but his face quickly turned to concern. "What? What's wrong?"
He looked so adorable when he was worried she couldn't help but smile. She pulled him back down to her but only put her forehead against his. "As much as I would love to have it out right here in the front yard, maybe we should wait until your son isn't watching through the window." She turned her head towards the house and he followed her gaze, his eyes reached the window just in time to see the curtains sway and a dark head of hair disappear.
He laughed. "I guess subtlety isn't really his thing."
"No, defiantly not." Her eyes were glinting in the moonlight. "You should go on inside and get some sleep." She went to pull away from him but he yanked her right back so she was flush against him.
"I'm fine, I can go a day without sleep." He lowered his head and she allowed him to kiss her. He bit playfully at her lip and she had to fight the urge to tear his clothes off right there. So she pushed him away from her before things got out of hand.
"We can't. I'm on watch, and you need sleep."
" I'm fine, don't worry about-"
She put her hand flat over his mouth and put her lips close to his ear. "Go inside, and get some sleep." She pushed him back into the door and started to turn away. "Besides your no use to me exhausted. Especially not for the things I plan on doing." She grinned that sexy little grin at him as she hopped down the steps.
"And what might that be?" He couldn't help but call after her.
"Oh, your gonna like it, I promise." She walked back to the road, hips swaying, to check the perimeter (or just so he could stare at her ass) and he couldn't help but smile to himself as he opened the door. Yeah, he really never stood a chance.
As Charlie made it out of his range of vision she stopped and tried to wrap her brain around what had happened. He loved her, and she loved him. She hadn't said it to him but she would. All in good time. First things first, I have a promise to keep.
A/N Yay! Everyone's happy! All except Rachel when she finds out, which will happen in the next chapter. Because who doesn't love a pissed off Rachel? And don't worry Charlie will keep her promise! Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and special thanks to those of you who use your precious time to review, you guys make me smile. :-)