With life in Independence Hall finally back to some semblance of normal, Charlie can't help but start causing problems again. Nora had been spotted earlier this morning trailing the Vice President around to all of her meetings. Bass only knows this because Miles had come running into his office looking more scared than he'd ever seen him.
"This is a terrible idea," he'd whispered harshly, checking through a crack in the door as if he were afraid the girls might come knocking.
"Nora is more than qualified to do the job Miles. And Maggie said that Charlie needs to take it easy. I don't want her doing more than what's absolutely necessary."
"I'm not talking about Charlie," Miles hissed. "I'm worried about Nora."
Thankfully, Marla had come in with lunch and saved him from listening to that rant again. Apparently Nora is still refusing to speak to Miles so he hasn't even had the chance to explain the whole Rachel situation to her. Charlie told him that Miles had asked her to speak to Nora about it. Judging by the fact that Nora is still ignoring Miles' existence, Charlie wisely decided to stay out of it.
If only everything could be that easy though. Since she's been busy training Nora, there hasn't been much time for Charlie to dwell on Danny's cool attitude towards her, but Bass can tell how much it's hurting her. She hides it well, but he knows her better. The fact that Jason and Danny having been spending so much time together certainly isn't helping things. On more than one occasion, Bass has spotted Charlie watching her two brothers with barely concealed jealousy. It's breaks Bass' heart that his wife feels so left out, but unfortunately there isn't much he can do about it.
So far, his attempts to make her feel better have come off as hovering more than anything else. Charlie has told him on multiple occasions that she doesn't need a babysitter to grow a baby. It's all piling on her like mountain and Bass can tell that the stress is starting to get to her. She hasn't been sleeping well and every time he tries to comfort her she misinterprets it for coddling. The entire situation has been draining on everyone, even the staff are starting to feel the tension.
Maddox, the head of his personal security, is the one who finally comes up with an idea that isn't complete shit.
"Take her on a day trip. Just the two of you, well, and me of course. We'll pack her into a wagon and take her out by the river, you guys can have a picnic, and she can relax."
"You're a genius." Bass tells him with a smile.
"Does that mean I get a raise?"
Bass tosses a crumpled up piece of paper at him and Maddox chuckles the entire way out of the office.
XxX
"Where are we going?" Charlie asks for the hundredth time.
"I told you," Bass says patiently. "It's a surprise."
She huffs and sits back in her seat on the wagon with her arms crossed over her chest, her mouth puckered in a petulant frown.
"Come on, Baby. Can't you just enjoy it, just for a minute?"
Charlie peers at him out of the corner of her eye and sighs in defeat. "Fine."
Bass smiles, reaching out to uncross her arms and take her hand. Their fingers lace together automatically and the tiniest little smile pulls at her lips. Bass takes that as a victory, and asks, "do you remember right after we got engaged, we spent that whole weekend so busy with everyone congratulating us and then your birthday that we didn't even get a moment alone?"
She finally smiles. "Of course I do. We were so busy that we didn't even get to speak until the next Monday, and even then it was only between meetings."
Bass nods, a grin pulling at his lips. "Yeah, and you got so sick of being apart that you finally just dragged me into Marla's broom closet and-"
"-I remember what happened perfectly fine, Bass." She's says with an embarrassed smile. "But why are we talking about it?"
"Because I feel like we've been so busy lately that I haven't even got to celebrate the fact that I'm about to be a father with my beautiful wife yet. That's why we're going out today. I miss you. I miss us."
Tears well up in Charlie's eyes and she brushes them away impatiently. "Stupid hormones," she mutters, leaning over to give him a lingering kiss. "I love you," she adds as she scoots closer and cuddles into his side. Bass wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head.
"Love you too."
XxX
Nora knocks once on the Vice President's door before letting herself in. "Hey Charlie, what is this strategy meeting supposed to be about?" Her voice trails off as she looks around the empty office. "Charlie?" She even checks the closet before heading back out into the hall, only now noticing that Zimmerman, the guy who usually guards the door, is gone. She approaches one of the Privates at the end of the hall and asks, "where did Charlie go? We have a strategy meeting in ten minutes."
"Oh, the President took Mrs. Monroe out for a day trip."
"OK... Well what about the meeting?"
The Private shrugs. "I don't know. That's above my pay grade."
"Of course it is," Nora mutters. "What about Captain Baker, is he around?"
The Private frowns. "I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I heard someone say something about him taking the day off so he could help Doctor Foster move her stuff from her room at the clinic to his room here."
Nora groans in frustration. "Of course he did! Which means the only person left that I can ask about this stupid meeting is the only person here I don't want to talk to!"
The poor Private backs away from her with scared eyes. "I'm sorry," he mumbles. But Nora just huffs and stomps off. Leave it to Charlie to take the day off knowing that Nora would be forced to spend time with the General. In fact, she wouldn't even be surprised if that had been the younger girl's plan.
But no, Nora refuses to give Miles the satisfaction of her being uncomfortable. So instead she squares her shoulders and knocks politely on his office door, even waiting for his permission to enter.
"What is it?" He murmers, not even bothering to look up from the paper he's squinting at. Nora stops herself from asking where his glasses are and asks instead, "What do I need to bring for this strategy meeting?" He looks up at her in surprise and Nora has to shove down the smug smile threatening her lips.
"Uh," he pauses, blinking rapidly as if he isn't sure she's really there. "Umm..."
"Yes?" Nora goads.
Miles snaps himself out of it with a quick shake of his head. "Nothing really, Charlie should have all the paperwork."
Nora rolls her eyes. "Yeah, well, Charlie isn't here. Apparently, she and Bass decided to take a day trip out of town and she left me to do whatever is that she usually does for these meetings."
It takes a second for the information to sink in but when it does, Miles shallows audibly. "They just left?" He asks in an unsteady voice. He coughs to clear his throat and clarifies. "Both of them, I mean, they didn't even say anything to me about it."
Nora shrugs. "Don't look at me. I just found out." Miles nods, his eyes glued to hers in a sort of trace, making her shift uncomfortably. "So about this meeting," she prompts.
"Oh, right, right." Miles shakes his head again and rifles through the papers on his desk nervously. "It's nothing really. Just a routine check in with the heads from the major cities. Philly, Baltimore, Trenton. No big deal. We just talk about crime rates, stuff like that. Charlie usually just hangs out and takes notes it she thinks something is important."
He says this all rather quickly, avoiding looking at her the entire time. Nora clenches her jaw in frustration. They can't have the General of the Militia acting like a jittery schoolboy.
"Miles."
"Yeah?" Though he doesn't look at her.
"Miles."
He looks up this time, guiltily meeting her eyes. Nora has to look away this time. Those brown eyes have caused her more heartache than she cares to admit and she's not about to start again.
"Look, if we're going to work together then we at least need to be able to speak to one another." She tells him.
Miles nods in agreement. "You're right," he says quietly. "Listen, I owe you an apology-"
But Nora holds a hand up to silence him. "What you do on your own time is your business. And frankly, I don't really care-"
"-I loved her," Miles blurts out.
Nora is stunned into silence. Never in the ten years she's know him, has she heard Miles use the word love towards anyone except Charlie.
"I loved Rachel," he says, quieter this time, his head bowed down to stare at his desk. "A long time ago. And she thought she could use that to make me send Charlie away." His voice regains it's usual volume and he looks up to meet her eyes. "But it didn't work because I don't love her anymore. I haven't for a long time because... I fell in love... with you." Miles blinks and looks away from her again, his cheeks turning pink. "I just thought you deserved to know," he says flatly, then grabs a stack of papers, clearing his throat. "Come on, we've got a meeting to get to."
Nora stares at him with wide eyes as he moves to brush past her towards the door. He opens it and turns, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "You coming?" He asks in a falsely cheery voice.
Shock courses through her, followed quickly by a bubbling rage. "Are you kidding me!" She screams.
Miles' eyes go wide with shock, and possibly fear, but she ignores them.
"Ten years! Ten years I spent following you around, going everywhere you went, doing whatever job you needed done. All the fighting and the arguing, and all the mixed signals. And now, when I finally decide that I'm done, you tell me you love me? Gah!"
Nora rushes forward, her fists hitting every part of Miles she can reach. "You. Stupid. Bastard. I. Hate. You." She stops for half a second to catch her breath and makes the mistake of looking into his eyes. Those brown eyes could melt her soul in a heartbeat, and they do. She reaches up and grabs a fistful of his hair on the back of his head and yanks it down, crushing her lips against his in an angry kiss. Miles hesitates for a second before wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off her feet. Nora obediently wraps her legs around him, oblivious to the office door slamming closed as he walks them over to his desk. Papers scatter across the floor as he drops her onto its surface, his lips still attached to her own.
"Say it again," she gasps against his lips.
"Love you," he breathes, reattaching his lips to her throat.
They never quite make it to that strategy meeting.