Ben did not see Miles again until several years after the wedding and several years after Charlie and Danny were born. They invited Miles to the wedding, but never expected him to show up or even respond to the invitation. They invited him when Charlie celebrated her first birthday, but he did not turn up.
Ben and Miles did speak to each other over the phone, but it was far and between, and Miles did meet his niece and nephew a couple of times. Both times, carefully planned, when Rachel was away on business. That was one topic that was off limits for both brothers, they both knew, if they wanted to hang on to their already fraying relationship. The last time they spoke was the few seconds before the blackout.
Ben never knew how Miles found out where he, Rachel and family had settled down, just outside of Chicago, at Sylvania Estates. But as Commanding General of the Monroe Republic, he guess Miles had his sources. One day, about seven years after the blackout, a letter came addressed to Rachel. It was typed,
"Your presence is requested by order of the Monroe Republic. Present yourself at the Old Crater Barn by Abess Farm and Old Dominion Road by the end of the week." Then handwritten and unsigned below it - "This is actually not a request, if you want your family to remain safe and protected."
"You do not need to go," Ben said to Rachel firmly, "Miles will not hurt us."
"Ben, he has changed. You've heard the stories, the rumors. Can you associate the brother you knew with those stories, the bloodshed, the fear?" Rachel questioned.
Ben kept silent.
After a while, Rachel continued, "just let me go and see what he wants." "But I think you are right. Whatever our history or whatever he is now, I don't think he will intentionally hurt me. I'll be fine, and I'll be back before you know it."
...