Shadows

The rope burned her wrists. Tied mercilessly tight it painfully secured her to the steel chair. She was in some kind of warehouse; the torch light was dim keeping most of the room in shadows, but she knew they were there. Miles was going to kill her for this, for getting captured, 'again' as he would put it. It wasn't really Charlie's fault though, she'd been out hunting, sure a little further out from camp then she usually did but still, when they had come across her; Monroe's men. She'd managed to break one of her attacker's noses, and shoot another in the shoulder. But with five against one she didn't have very good odds. What had angered her more than anything was that 'Nate', or whatever the hell his name actually was, was with them. He'd seemed reluctant and unhappy about the situation, but it wasn't as though he were helping her get out of this.

"Where is he then?" The man whose nose she had broken asked walking towards her. Her gaze was immediately drawn to the blade he held. She swallowed as he continued to advance towards her. "Huh?" He came to a stop right in front of her his knife against her throat.

"I don't know." Charlie answered glaring up at him. "We split up-" She was backhanded roughly, her head snapping to one side. Charlie slowly moved her head back and looked up at him throwing as much hatred and malice into her expression as she could.

"Don't lie to me!" He raised his hand again, but as Charlie prepared for the impact a hand shot out wrenching the man's arm viciously behind his back making him cry out in pain.

"Leave her alone." It was Nate. He shoved the man away placing himself between her and the other Militia men. The suspicious and dark looks on his companions' faces must have spurred him to continue. "We don't need her to talk. We can use her as bait." Charlie was grateful for his actions but his words sent a cold shiver down her spine. He was absolutely right, Miles would come after her; he'd know it was a trap but he'd still come for her. Charlie had absolute confidence in Miles' abilities but he'd just barely recovered from his injury, it wasn't in any condition for a rescue. Maybe he wouldn't come though, maybe he'd be as selfish and uncaring as he pretended to be. A girl could hope.

"You sweet on her boy?" The tallest man, clearly the leader from the way the rest look at him, asked. Nate scoffed, but the tall man's expression didn't change. The atmosphere in the room had become electric. Charlie could see how tense Nate looked, how agitated some of the other men looked.

"She's bait." He repeated flatly, "We don't need to torture her for information." The tall man cocked his head to the side seeming to consider his words. He smiled, it gave Charlie chills.

"Her father might have told her something, something about the power." The way the other men looked at her after he said those words sent fear coursing through her. She swallowed hard and took a breath trying to keep it out of her face, trying to suppress it. It wouldn't help her in a situation like this.

"She doesn't know anything" Nate said tersely, receiving a snort from the tall man.

"Well I still think I'll question her all the same." The tall man smiled coldly, practically daring Nate to defy him. The man with the broken nose handed his knife over to the tall man when he held out his hand. He made a step towards her.

"I'll do it." Nate growled grabbing the blade from the tall man's hand. He turned on her. She stiffened as he approached. She took a small intake of breath as the cold metal met her neck. Looking up from the blade and into Nate's eyes, his face seemed almost apologetic. "Just give them something," he whispered softly, surprising Charlie. "Anything, just…lie…so I don't have to hurt you."

Suddenly there was a sharp hissing noise, an arrow cut through the air and imbedded itself into the broken nosed man's neck. Nate jerked around and Charlie stifled a grunt of pain, a shallow cut formed along her neck where the blade had been. There was silence for a long moment. The Militia drew their guns, their eyes darting across the shadows.

"We want him alive boys." The tall one reminded them.

"Yeah, well, I want you dead." Without warning Miles' blade cut up and through the tall man's back from the shadows behind. The two Militia men still standing fired their weapons, but Miles used the tall man's body as a shield. Another arrow whizzed out of the darkness slicing through one of the men's necks. It must have been Maggie. Charlie had been showing her how to handle a crossbow, something Maggie insisted on since they seemed to keep getting into trouble. Reloading seemed to be her biggest problem, but her aim was spot on. Miles ripped his bloodied sword from the tall man's body and raced towards the last standing enemy. Or second to last.

Nate, still standing in front of Charlie, drew his own pistol. Charlie could see he was aiming for a non-fatal shot but she couldn't help the panicked gasp that slipped from her when she realized what he was about to do. Nate glanced back at her, giving her a split second to try to stop him. With all the strength she could muster she brought both her legs up and kicked at the back of his legs. She ended up pushing off of him, making her lose balance and tumble onto the floor sideways. Luckily he lost his balance as well, his shot hitting the floor by Miles' feet. Charlie couldn't see much from her new position but she heard the arrow that pierced Nate's shoulder. Miles' was just finishing the other Militia member off, Nate would be next. Obviously he realized this as well since, with one last glance at Charlie, that apologetic regretful look ever present in his expression, he took off into the shadows. Charlie heard Miles growl as he started chasing after the boy.

"Miles!" Charlie's voice made him stop. He turned away from the boy's path and headed to where Charlie lay on the floor. Drawing his knife he cut through her restraints easily. She sat up and rubbed her wrists, they were red and bruising. Crouching next to her Miles brushed her hair away from her face and off her shoulder finding the cut on her neck. He scowled.

"Are you alright Charlie?" Maggie asked coming to kneel next to where Charlie sat. Aaron was walking nervously out of the shadows navigating around the bodies of the dead Militia. Charlie nodded.

"I'm going after him" Miles started to stand but Charlie grabbed his arm, stopping him. She looked up at him, seeing a myriad of emotions play across his features. Mostly anger, annoyance, and every other negative emotion you could name.

"He'll bring more men."

"He's injured. We'll be out of here before he could get back." Charlie reasoned.

"He…" Charlie saw his gaze flit to the cut on her neck. 'He hurt you', that's what she thought he was going to say. But he fell silent. She didn't know why, but she felt disappointed. Miles sighed in exasperation. Miles turned away from her to look to where Nate had run, to look into the shadows. Charlie tightened her grip.

She'd tried to drag him out of the shadows in the beginning, but found him unmovable. Today he'd come out the shadows to save her, and she'd be damned if she was going to let him go back in.

A/N

So silliest metaphor ever, and poorly constructed (did it even make sense?). I though writing some dabbles about these two would get them out of my system...but there still there :(

So, when does everyone think Nate's going to do a heel face turn in the show? Seems to me like it has to happen eventually.

Also, Rachel and Monroe, I bet that has some interesting history eh?

Please review! Criticism is always, always welcome (that's how you get to be a better writer right?).

Thanks for reading!