I'm searching for a beta, I think... if anyone would like to be such for me, send me a PM and let me know!
Had a bit of a (really) hard time writing this chapter, hope it turned out okay...
Enjoy!
X.x.X.x
"Charlie..." Miles knelt down beside Charlie, a frown etched deep in his features. The young woman was pulled up against a tree, her head was resting on her left shoulder and her arms were pushed under her brown leather jacket which she had draped over Jason's chest. Jason himself was pulled up between her legs with his back against her chest and his head resting on her right shoulder. Both young adults were unconscious but they were both still breathing, so he took what he could with a grain of salt. "Charlie, wake up..." He said softly, bringing her head up so it was upright and brushed her matted hair out of her face.
She took in a deep breath and let it out with a soft sigh of what seemed like relief as she pressed her cheek into his hand for warmth. "Mmmm,"
"That's it Charlie, wake up..."
"Miles," she started. "It's so cold." Charlie shivered and frowned with her statement.
After a moment of hesitation Miles' head snapped to his left, where the rest of the group stood by the edge of the river with blankets, "Give me some blankets here!" He ordered impatiently, why were they just standing there?! As soon as he shouted at them though, they jumped into action, doing what they were trained without second thought.
Miles took Charlie's hands away from Jason's wound, flinching when it took more effort than it should have due to the dried blood sticking her hand to the flannel shirt Jason was wearing, so that the medics could get to work at stabilizing Jason. However, when they moved to pull Jason away from Charlie the young woman became agitated; clinging onto his shirt and refusing to let anyone take him.
Grabbing her forearms, Miles held her down so that she would be forced to release Jason's shirt and the medics could take him away to patch him up well enough for the trip back to camp. "Charlie, stop! You have to let us do this," Charlie looked at Miles, almost through him "let us help Jason." He added and she nodded her okay. Carefully they pulled Jason out of her lap and started to cut away his shirt to tend to his injury. ~While most people were focusing their abilities to help Jason, few came over to look Charlie over, only finding a few minor lesions on her hands and knees and a small bump on her head.~ "Everything's going to be okay now, Charlie..." he soothed and held a canteen to her lips, his other hand cupped under her chin to both tilt her head up and catch any water that dribbled.
Charlie blinked a few times, before finally coming out of her trance. "Wh-what took you so," She paused to swallow, "long?"
Miles paused, unsure of how to answer, that he got lost in the dark? He stalled by grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders then clinching it in the front, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "I'm sorry," was all he could muster before gripping her arms and helping her to her feet.
"Ah, ah..." Charlie flinched but moved up with him however stiffly, stretching her legs a bit once she was standing.
"Are you hurt?" Concern laced his voice as he looked her up and down.
"Nah," She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "Just sore..." She admitted and pushed her hair behind her ear.
"Alright," he said gruffly as he put his arm around her waist. "Let's get you out of here."
As they passed Jason's prone form, Charlie couldn't take her eyes away, "I want to stay with him."
"You'll see him when we get back."
"But-"
"No buts, Charlie..." He said, somewhat impatiently.
Charlie kept her gaze on Jason but didn't argue further, instead just followed Miles lead as he guided her sore body around the trees and across the river as best he could.
X.x.X.x
Charlie sat at Jason's bedside, both of her hands holding his. He looked much better now; he had color back in his face, he was warm, and he appeared peaceful, even in his sleep. The doctor had said that Jason was rather lucky, the bullet was easy to remove and did minimal damage since it had only caught his side. In addition he only walked a way with a minor concussion and some bruised ribs, which was most likely from Miles performing CPR.
She had had no idea that Miles literally saved his life by jumping in after him, Jason would have drowned otherwise.
"Charlie," Jason rasped, his dark eyes barely opened to see her. Charlie sat up straighter and flashed him her most brilliant smile.
Squeezing his hand just a little bit she replied, "Hey, it's good to see you awake..."
"Barely..." He mumbled and coughed. "Is there any water?" Charlie nodded but realized he had already re-closed his eyes so she uttered a single, 'yes'.
"Here," She held the glass to his lips in a similar manner that Miles had done with her back in the woods. "Slowly..." When he finished he let his head fall back against the pillow with a sigh of relief. "How do you feel?" She asked.
"Like I was shot then jumped off a bridge into a river," He replied with a smirk on his face.
Despite feeling a pang of regret, for letting him go off alone, she smiled. "So, great...?"
Jason opened his eyes to look at her again and smiled, "Yeah, I feel great." They fell into comfortable silence and Jason wondered silently if Charlie realized that she was rubbing her thumbs in small circles on his hand or if it was just subconsciously. Either way, he enjoyed the feeling. "Where are we?" He finally asked, looking around the room, it appeared to be a clinic's room, it was somewhat clean and he was in a clean bed, the sun cast a warm orange glow throughout the room. He felt safe, safer than he'd felt in a long time.
"Atlanta." She replied and looked around the room herself while she answered. She was sitting on his right side, both her hands and his were resting in her lap.
"How did you find me?" He asked, turning his hand to catch hers and intertwining their fingers. His voice was still rough, she imagined it was from sucking in river water, then having it forced out. Possibly even a sign he was sick from being out in the cold for so long, he was extremely lucky he hadn't caught pneumonia.
"I almost didn't, it was just a lucky walk to get some food and I heard you shouting."
"So you saw..."
"Yeah... but it's good that I did... otherwise." She lowered her gaze, unable to think of such a terrible mental image. To think that he could have died and she'd never know it, for him to be drifting in a river for the rest of time. Tears sprang to her eyes despite her efforts to keep them at bay, one slipped over and slid down her cheek. "Otherwise I'd never see you again..." She choked and he frowned.
Sitting up he started to say something but she cut him off, "I thought I'd lost you, back there..." Her grip on his hand tightened as she tried to anchor her emotions. Gently, Jason brought his left hand up and cupped the side of her face.
"But you didn't..." He couldn't remember much of what happened after her hit the water, just that he couldn't tell which way was up... it was cold and dark. He remembered feeling a sense of panic, even when he felt a hand grab his wrist under water. After that it was all a blank aside from hearing voices beside him, likely Charlie and Miles. "I'm still here..." He leaned in a bit further while she bent her head to meet his.
When their lips finally touched they both relaxed, feeling a sense of euphoria wash over them. Charlie released his hand, placing her right on his chest and her left on his bicep, massaging only slightly. Once his hand had been released, Jason placed his other hand on her hip, and deepened the kiss. After they had pulled away they still remained close, teasing one another with soft kisses and nose bumps.
Charlie wanted to be angry at him for leaving without such as a word about where or why, she wanted to be angry that he nearly got himself killed, but the fact he was alive and shared her feelings for him equally was enough to quiet those angry thoughts. "Please don't leave me again..." She repeated a part of what she'd said in the woods.
Jason couldn't help but smile, despite that he knew how fragile she was by opening up like this. "Charlie," He pressed his forehead to hers, feeling her breath tickling his face, he continued. "Charlie, I will never leave you again, nor will I let you leave." Charlie's breath hitched as she listened to him, "What we're a part of is dangerous... but as long as we're together..." He paused and closed his eyes though kept their contact, "We're a team Charlie, together we can survive this... all of it." He pulled away then, bringing both hands to her face, so he could get a good look at her. His gaze was intense but not intimidating, she needed to know he was serious.
A single tear slipped down Charlie's cheek, this time it was caught by Jason as he used his thumb to catch it and wipe it away. After all they'd been through, after all the pain, the names, the fights... somehow they'd managed to become part of one another... a team. "Everyone leaves me" She remembered saying when Maggie died, since then those words became even more true. She'd finally found her brother and her mother and within days she'd lost them both again.
"Promise...?" She finally asked, she knew how vulnerable she sounded but she was nearly alone now. Miles had become even more distant than when they first met, Nora was... well... she wasn't sure and Aaron had left with her mom. She was on her own, she needed someone to be by her.
Jason smiled only briefly before he pressed his mouth to hers again, "I promise," he said against her lips.
"Thank you..." She whispered and kissed him gently. Again, they fell into silence while Jason fell back into the pillows. Simply enjoying one another, both of them safe. When Jason's eyes started to get heavy and his breathing evened out Charlie smiled, "You should get some sleep..."
Jason closed his eyes and pushed into her hand further when she placed it on the side of his face. "Stay with me," He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Jason... you need your rest..." She hesitated, only slightly.
He cracked his eye open and gave her a partial glare, he was feeling tired, too weak to actual argue with her... though he would never make her stay if she didn't want to. "Please? I swear I'll go right to sleep..." He smirked at her and tugged on her arm.
Charlie, closed her eyes and shook her head though her smile gave her away. "Okay... just until you fall asleep."
Jason scootched over to make room in the narrow hospital bed as she laid down beside him. Jason wrapped his right arm around her shoulders while Charlie laid on her side, her arm draped over his stomach where Jason's hand met hers and again they intertwined their fingers. With her head on his shoulder she moved her head up only a fraction to look at his face, watching as he drifted off to sleep.
He looked peaceful, which put her at ease but he still looked ragged around the edges; dark circles around his eyes, bruises on his face from where, she was certain, he had bumped along the bottom of the river, and his breath was still strained. Still, he was alive, he was with her, and they were going to survive. As long as none of that changed, she was happy.
X.x.X.x
Nora stepped into the room, her mouth open to greet the two, but froze at the sight of them both sleeping in each others arms. She'd, personally, never seen Charlie so comfortable. Slowly, Nora backed out of the room and closed the door as quietly as she could behind her. "Hey," Miles started, trying to get past her to get into the room.
"Miles, wait..." Miles ignored her and opened the door with the same intention as Nora but stopped just the same. "Just let them sleep..." She insisted, pulling on his arm to come back into the hall. However, Miles wasn't so ready to watch his "innocent" Charlie become and adult. It was hard enough to watch her turn against her morals she started off with, but now she was falling in love? What was next? "Miles..." Nora asserted and pulled harder on his arm.
Barely looking over his shoulder he nodded at her before backing up into the hall with Nora, "When did that happen?!" He whispered harshly.
"Sometime between the train incident and now, I'm assuming." Miles was so blind to some things. "Likely even longer."
He shook his head, irritated. "Swear to God..."
"I know, Miles..." She nodded though there was a small smirk on her face, "but she's an adult now... she can handle herself."
Miles went to reply but instead just mumbled and huffed like a bitter old man he was destined to become. Turning he looked through the small rectangular window, watching Charlie cuddle closer to Jason which in turn the young man turned his head and kissed her brown unconsciously. Miles scowled and growled deep in his chest but stopped when he watched the smile on Charlie's face. He'd have a talk with boy band in the morning, that was for sure.
X.x.X.x
"Miles," Charlie greeted as she walked up behind him.
Currently, Miles was 'talking' with another 'authority' that had been designated by Ma'dam President, which he didn't mind being interrupted from. "What is it, Charlie." He turned to face her, she was walking swiftly so her hair bounced around her shoulders... it was her determined walk.
"I need to talk to you about what happened on the bridge." She replied, coming to a stop in front of him.
He rolled his shoulders a bit and craned his neck before he nodded, "Okay, what about it?" He asked gruffly.
Her left eye twitched as she looked up at him, head tilted slightly to the right side. "I wanted to thank you... for," She paused, searching for words and squinted her eyes. "-for saving Jason. He would have died if it wasn't for you."
"Yeah, well... if I hadn't done it, would've lost ya both." He squinted his eyes as well, though diverted his gaze.
Charlie shifted awkwardly before dropping what was on her mind, "Well, thanks."
She turned and started walking back the way she'd came, her pace more comfortable this time, and Miles made a face. "Sir, the troops..." The man tried to get Miles back on track with their previous discussion.
"Yeah, yeah..." He turned and continued the debate, though his mind was still on Charlie and just how much she'd changed from the desperate sister wanting to find her brother to the soldier she was today. Despite his lack of trust in Jason at the moment, he had a feeling that he'd keep her on the right track. The two of them anchored one another, they'd be okay as long as they were together... however long that was.
X.x.X.x
Ending, sucked.
And I had a really hard time keeping my time line straight... kept trying to integrate last episode into this, with Neville and the "Jason/Charlie/Nora mutiny" on the boat...aaaaand I couldn't. Next week looks INSANE, and I'm super excited to see Jason and Charlie have their moment.
Anyway, let me know if I made any time line mistakes or you have a better ending... I was just blank the whole time I wrote this... so. PLEASE lemme know...