Nights in white satin, sweet dreams – the road less travelled…
A Revolution fic: Bass Monroe/Charlie Matheson, Charloe; Blackout AU. Miles Matheson, Rachel Matheson, Aaron Pittman, mention of other characters from the show. After the Tower, and before he found New Vegas, Bass headed towards Philadelphia, aiming to see what was left of the Monroe Republic… Somewhere along the way, something happened that made him wonder about the power of dreams, and why Charlie Matheson kept turning up in his…
Rating M
Author's note:
Hi there and thanks so much for having a look at this, and for some lovely and encouraging reviews… I hope you enjoy this… This story is based on prompts from the Orgy Armada's Revolution, The Second Coming but it wanted to go further…
I don't own any part of Revolution and am writing this purely for love of the show and its characters.
Nights in white satin, sweet dreams – the road less travelled…
Bass watched from behind the corner of the building as the riders approached the Motel, close enough to see but far enough away that he wouldn't spook the horses…
They were Bounty hunters by the looks. And in rough, weather worn leathers, patched jeans and Militia issue boots they looked like they'd been on the road for quite a while. They wore sabres at their hips and had rifles in their saddle holsters; one had a machete as well and Bass thought he could count on at least three pistols between them by the bulges… The horses, one a big, rangy black, the other liver chestnut, with a heavy laden pack mule tethered behind, were sweating in the morning sun and with the climb, their legs moving with the steady, ground covering plod of seasoned travellers.
He watched as the riders pulled up under the shade of one of the big trees that bordered the drive in front of the old Motel reception; the two men swinging down out of their saddles with the easy economy of long practice. They left the horses and mule hobbled and grazing on the long grass that grew at the edges of the road, then headed off on a pretty basic circuit of the buildings…
He followed, keeping out of sight but they were noisy, careless – and he found himself wondering how they'd survived this long - crashing through the tall growth around the buildings like amateurs. The older one was using his machete to slash a path through the tall shrubs that surrounded the place, swearing every now and then as a branch swept back in his face…The other guy kept very close behind, hunched over, muttering under his breath all the way and looking around as though he expected something to leap out at him any second.
Bass considered it, just to see how high the guy could jump, but he held back just in case either of them said anything useful – like who they happened to be hunting and if they were expecting any friends - but apart from the swearing and muttering he didn't hear anything useful, yet anyway…
When they'd finished thrashing around outside; machete guy occasionally peering in through a window, but neither of them trying to get into any of the buildings…they headed back to the horses, and pretty soon he was back behind his wall, wondering how the two of them actually ever caught any bounties.
Second guy went over to the pack mule, pulled out a couple of water bottles and a bottle of whisky and both of them sat down on one of the old logs that framed the entrance to the Motel. First guy pulled out a pouch of tobacco from an inside pocket of his jacket, rolled a smoke and lit up, and soon wafts of aromatic smoke rose into the air, drifting towards the wall…
Bass was impressed, tobacco was pretty rare – and very expensive these days, and it was the good stuff too, by the smell of it… He liked the look of the horses as well; they'd make the going a lot easier than walking, although it was harder to hide with one, let alone three… He debated, letting the men go might put others off the trail if they reported no sign of anything, but on the other hand, Bass needed all the resources he could get, it was still a long way to what was left of Philadelphia, if that was where he was going…
Smoking guy coughed, then took another toke; 'I told those Patriot guys it wouldn't be worth the fucking climb to come all the way up here' he said…'but oh no, they wouldn't listen to me…' he waved a hand at the quiet hotel 'I mean, look at it… the place is deserted, blind Freddy could see that...'
Bass grinned; hooray for blind Freddy…
Non-smoker took a swig from his canteen, 'Yeah, and why would Monroe come up here anyway? Chances are he's already high tailed it off to somewhere like Alaska where no one's heard of him, somewhere far away from here anyway…'
Smoking guy nodded…'That's what I said' he took another drag…'I mean, there's nothing left in Philly, and what's left of the Militia are just wandering around like the walking dead, or joining any clan that'll have 'em'
Non-smoker shrugged…'So where to next then?' he circled his shoulders and stretched…'Patriots have got plenty of other names on those pretty posters of theirs, some of them worth almost as much as Monroe' he pulled out a sheaf of papers from inside his jacket, 'They've got 60 diamonds on Miles Matheson, alive' he chuckled, looking at the one on top…'although I heard he hooked up with Georgia so he could be ashes and gone by now…'
'I get the feeling these guys wouldn't bother offering 60 diamonds for ashes…' little wisps of smoke streamed out of smoking guy's nose as he spoke…'so they must know something we don't…'
Non-smoker shuffled the pile of papers…'what about Rachel Matheson, there's 80 on her…' he grinned… 'They must want her pretty bad; is she his wife or sister by the way?'
Smoker spat a gob onto the road, the spitball hitting the dust like a little meteorite, impact crater and all… 'Don't know...Patriot guy said he thinks she'll be heading to Texas to join her old man and that Matheson would probably be with her. Her pop's a doctor in a town called Willoughby, been working with the Patriots for years apparently…' he grinned 'and yeah, she's the important one, they want her real bad, and they'll be waiting there for her if someone don't catch her first' he chuckled…'that's 140 diamonds for the two of them, and it'd be a shame to let all those lovely diamonds go to someone else wouldn't it?'
Non-smoker nodded and licked his lips… 'Damn right…'
Smoker leaned over and tapped the bounty sheet…'So I say we go catch 'em now, it'll be too late once they get anywhere near Willoughby - if the Patriots don't catch them then, the Rangers will, and Texas'll just hang em, especially after Matheson tried to kill their President…'
'So how do they know all this anyway?' non smoker pulled a piece of jerky out of a pocket and chewed…'you talked to them…how'd they find out all this stuff?'
Bass held his breath, that's what he wanted to know too.
'They've had spies here for years, Tanner, since before the blackout… Sleepers, had em all over the place' Smoker took a last toke and stubbed his smoke out on the log next to him, 'Texas, the Monroe Republic and Georgia before they fell, the Plains Nation, Cali, even some in the Wastelands I heard, although they've probably been eaten by now, food's been real short down there and folks don't care where their protein comes from…' He pulled out his own canteen and took a long pull then reached for the whisky…'They're all coming out of the woodwork now that their boss has arrived…' He spat again… 'President Davis, my ass… That guy Davis ain't my President' he shrugged…'still, diamonds are diamonds...'
Non-smoker pondered for a moment…'Monroe's trail's been cold for days; we only had a few vague rumours that he'd come this way. Maybe he's headed for Texas too – maybe he's gone to join up with Matheson and the woman?'
Smoker snorted…'Matheson tried to kill him in Philly, why the hell would Monroe want to hook up with him again…'
'Maybe they've made up – I mean, they worked together for years, and those ex Militia guys, the ones we bumped into near that Tower place? They said they had Monroe prisoner but someone saw Matheson help him escape…' Non-smoker pulled out another piece of jerky and started chewing…
'Yeah, I heard that too…' Smoker shrugged… 'Ok, three'll be even better than two, and besides, I like Texas, I've got some family down that way, we could call in there and get a decent feed…' he looked around…'this place looks alright though, why don't we stay the night here and head off in the morning'
Non-smoker shook his head…'No fucking way, this place gives me the creeps' he looked around, his head hunched over a little, his voice hushed…'How come no one lives here, Bud? How come the people in town looked at us so funny when you said we were coming up here to look for Monroe?'
The other man smirked…'Are you telling me you believe in some silly ghost stories?'
Non-smoker shrugged, 'I don't know nothing about any ghosts; I don't like the place, that's all…' he stood up…'Come on, there's plenty of daylight left, we could be well on our way by dark'
Smoker stood up and coughed, a long wet sound…'Ok, ok, if you say so, they're just stupid stories though…'
Non-smoker started walking, calling over his shoulder…'I don't care… and you should stop smoking, Bud, it's bad for you, my dad smoked and he got the cancer, he just faded away.'
Smoker huffed and gathered his things.
Bass got ready to move, cancer was the least of their worries… They'd been as good as dead as soon as they mentioned going after Miles and Rachel – because Charlie was there too...
It sounded as though every bounty hunter in the country could be heading towards Texas so he needed to get to her soon, and for real – he couldn't wait around here hoping she'd come back…. She and Miles needed to know that Willoughby was a trap and that Charlie's grandpa was a Patriot spy.
He didn't care so much what happened to Rachel, but Miles did, and if the Patriots wanted her it couldn't mean anything good for anyone else, so, obviously he and Miles needed to keep her away from the Patriot bastards… He shrugged… finding out that her dad was a traitor might be enough to send Rachel totally over the edge of crazy, but that wasn't his problem, Charlie was…
Bass moved out, ghosting his way up behind smoker and slitting the guy's throat like he was a watermelon… The man died without a sound, falling to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Non-smoker must have heard something because he turned in time to see what was coming at him, his eyes going wide in shock… He had just managed to get his sabre out when Bass got to him carrying enough momentum to shoulder the other man in the sword arm and knock him off balance before sliding around behind him to slice his knife up under the guy's well padded chin, severing the artery and a few other things on the way.
He let the body fall; then wiped the blade on the guy's ruined shirt.
The horses didn't even look up…
…
After he'd persuaded the mule to help him drag the bodies into a nearby gully, Bass led it and the two horses out the back, unloaded and tethered them where there was plenty of grazing near his cabin and out of sight of the road. He didn't think he had to worry too much about anyone sending out search parties for the two bounty hunters but it was better to be cautious.
Then he sat down again in front of his cabin, took the pack of Tarot cards out of their box and placed them on the table in front of him, poured himself some whisky and considered the options…
Option one – he'd completely lost his mind and everything that had happened was all in his head. Possible, but something didn't feel quite right about that, everything else was so... normal. And she had felt so real, so had Miles and the others.
Besides, things had only become weird since he'd found this place.
Charlotte Matheson had moved into his dreams and into every moment of his waking life like she was meant to be there, which was something that a couple of days ago he would have said was as likely as him making old bones. He couldn't deny that he wanted her now in every way it was possible to want someone, and if he ever got the chance to try and make her want him back, love him back? for real, he'd do fucking anything to take it…
He took a deep breath and a sip of his drink…
Option one – part two...
Whatever, or whoever it was had somehow taken him to where Charlie, Miles and the others needed him, because he was pretty damn sure that they'd all be dead by now if he hadn't turned up… So… miracle?
Or had that been all in his head too?
He stretched a leg out along the bench and leaned back...
Option two… If it was really happening, whatever was doing it seemed to be on his, on their side, and he wasn't complaining about that. It felt like a long, long time since anyone had weighed in on his side of the equation…
Bass sipped his whisky and looked down at the pack of cards… He'd taken them from the militia deserters near the Tower but nothing weird had happened with them until he got here. So, had whatever it was used them to communicate with him? The lovers card coming up three times had been pretty funny… so maybe they had a sense of humour too…
The bounty hunters had talked about this place being haunted, that people told stories about it…
He looked around; it looked just like any other run down Motel after the blackout - no spookier than anywhere else. In fact he'd seen plenty of other places he'd have said looked more haunted… and besides, he'd never heard of ghosts being able to move people around; that was crazy.
He drained his glass and poured another.
But it didn't matter anymore anyway…
Because now, thanks to the intel from the bounty hunters, he knew where Charlie, Miles and the rest of them were heading and he was pretty sure that he could find them – especially now that he had horses…
So it was decision time.
He could just forget about the dreams. Forget about everything that might, just might, have happened here. He could leave Charlie, Miles and the others to whatever fate awaited them and keep on going towards Philly to see what was left of his Republic. That's if there was anything left of his city or if his own men didn't try to kill him because they thought he'd sent the fucking nukes.
Or, he could head off towards Willoughby, find Charlie and Miles, warn them and maybe join them. Because they needed his help, even if they didn't want it, even if Charlie didn't want it - or him... He could feel the truth of that in every bone he had.
He frowned, his eyes a hard, icy blue; there was another reason to find Miles – and Rachel too, if she hadn't gone too far down the path to crazy to see the truth.
Randall Flynn had worked for the DoD; so had Ben, and Rachel... It was all tied up together, and there was no fucking reason living now why Rachel shouldn't tell them everything she knew.
There was something really off about these Patriot guys, he knew it, and if it was true that they'd been planning this since before the blackout, even planting sleeper spies for fuck's sake… Then it made sense that they had had something to do with causing the blackout; maybe they had everything to do with it.
In fact it sounded a lot like a conspiracy, and if that was true, then the Patriots were responsible for the whole fucking thing; for everything, the blackout, the nukes…
Everything… And if that was true, he wanted payback.
He tossed his whisky back and set the glass down on the table, hard…
Ok, Willoughby it was.
One of the horses whickered and he swung round to check things out, gun ready, but after a couple of minutes and nothing happening, he relaxed, all three animals were grazing peacefully now…
Then he turned back around and nearly jumped out of his skin, his hand bringing his gun up ready in a reflex as automatic as breathing…
There was a woman sitting at the other side of the table. A slim, attractive woman in a loose, floating summer dress, long, slightly greying brown hair curling around her shoulders, bright green eyes in a sweet, strong face; she looked to be in her thirties or forties maybe? And he could see through her to the wall behind…
He felt his mouth drop open as he made himself lower the (totally useless) gun…'Who are you?'
She smiled at him… 'I live here' then she shrugged, her dress moving in a breeze that wasn't here at all… 'I've been watching you…'
He just stared…'you live here? So your're a…' He stopped; he had no idea what the polite word was for ghost... 'You know, a….' he cleared his throat… 'So was it you? The dreams?'
She nodded, the lime washed bricks behind her making strange patterns across her face…
Bass put the gun back in his belt and picked up his whiskey instead… 'How?
'I was here when the blackout happened…' she looked away…'and I never left…' She lifted her eyes to his again and he had the strangest feeling of vertigo, of falling into them... She swept a hand up along her body…'It wasn't always like this though, I wasn't always as strong, I'd even forgotten my name…I've only been able to do…this… and the other things since the night of the lightening, before that, I was just a shadow…' she gazed out into the distance…'Something happened because of the lightening, something that changed things, changed me, helped me see further, be more…' her eyes came back to his, the lines of her face rippling slightly…'and it's still changing…'
Bass remembered that night very well… He'd been standing in a field and the lightening had rippled and cracked across the sky for what seemed like hours...
He needed to know, 'so were they real? The dreams? Charlie?'
She nodded again, 'in a manner of speaking; Jung called it the collective unconscious and I suppose that's as good an explanation as any… I simply helped you find the people you needed and who needed you in a place where you could be together; then you – and they - did the rest…'
He sat back, ok, so that made perfect sense, maybe… 'And the cards?'
She laughed, a far away sound…'I liked them. I needed to let you know that those men were coming but I wasn't ready to meet you like this yet, not until you'd made your choice…'
Bass let out a long breath, then met those strange eyes again…'Thank you' he had another drink…'but why help me? I've done so many things…why not help the bounty hunters and the Patriots?'
'I like you, Sebastian, and I think you deserve another chance…' her lips curved in a smile, 'I like your Charlie too...' then the smile vanished and the eyes grew stormy, tiny streaks of lightening flashing in their depths 'I don't like the ones who sent the bombs though… the Patriots. They're bad people' the eyes somehow came closer, holding his…'they're growing in numbers and strength very quickly though, Bass; they're deceiving people, using them, and worse… You have to find a way to stop them, you, Charlie, Miles and the others…'
He looked into those eyes and felt himself falling back against the wall behind him, sleep taking him like a wave…
Her voice reached him from a long way away…. 'Don't worry, Bass… I'll keep watch till you get back'
…..
He was somewhere in amongst some tall trees. The sun was shining through scattered clouds and the leaves and branches around him were dripping with the remnants of rain…
There was a small, weathered looking farmhouse in a clearing up ahead, visible through the trees. Miles and Staypuft were leading Rachel between them up the couple of steps onto the veranda and inside, her steps dragging, reluctant… The two men looked tired; Miles moving as though he hadn't slept in days, and even from where Bass was standing, his eyes looked bloodshot, the creases around his mouth deeper, harsher than Bass remembered. The other man just looked tired…
'Hey…' her voice came from behind him 'you came back'
He swung around; she looked tired too, those blue eyes gleaming like jewels out of a mud streaked face, her hair dirty and hanging in damp, stringy waves around her shoulders. Her jacket was tied round her hips, bow strap between her breasts with sweat stains bleeding away from it over the front of her dirty tank top. Her knives hung on that chain belt of hers and the faded jeans were covered in stains and rips, and one of her boots had a hole in the toe… She was beautiful…
'Charlie…' he was cautious, this was different and he didn't know how different – there were no white satin sheets here… He drew his sword, just in case, searching the woods behind her for targets, possible hostiles…
'Put it away, Monroe, I've done a sweep… we're clear' She came closer, looking up at him, her head tipped a little to one side, those full, gorgeous lips curving at the corners.
He always forgot how small she was… 'Are you ok?' Shit… he didn't know what to say, he felt… exposed, unsure…
She was right in front of him now, one of her hands running up over his chest to his shoulder and up further to run through the scruff on his cheek, leaving a path of superheated flesh behind it…
Those beautiful blue eyes narrowed as she looked up at him… 'No, I'm not ok, Monroe, you left me right in the middle of a fuck and I woke up with Aaron staring at me like I was a new science project; he's still going on about transporter beams and checking my aura every five minutes…' she slapped him lightly on the cheek, then she grinned…'how about you?'
'You wouldn't believe me if I told you'
One of her eyebrows lifted 'try me…'
He looked around, 'is there somewhere round here we can talk?'
She pointed with her free hand 'there's a shed over there, I'm supposed to be hunting but I've already bagged a couple of rabbits' she started walking, pulling her bow strap up over her head, slinging it over her arm with her bag instead 'they won't expect me back for a half hour or so at least'.
He followed…'so how's Miles been?'
'Sober… it's kind of weird, I don't think I've seen him take one drink since you gave him the lecture…' she swung around, strands of hair clinging to the fabric over her breasts…'I think he thinks you're dead or something, that you came to warn him…'
'Did you tell him I'm not? Dead I mean…'
They reached the shed door and she yanked him inside, pulling his head down into a searing kiss that rocked his bones.
She spoke against his lips, 'I haven't told him anything, it won't hurt him to stop drinking for a while.' She kissed him again…'besides, I want you to myself for a while longer'
He laughed, his hands busy at her breasts…the fabric of her tank and bra loose enough that he could slide his hands underneath, cupping the soft mounds with his hands, his thumbs circling the pebbling nipples.., feeling them spring to hard peaks… He reached down again, grasping the edges of the tank and pulling it up and over her head then unsnapped her bra.
She gasped as he bent down and caught a nipple between his lips, his teeth and tongue playing there…
Then he looked up again, his eyes used to the gloom now. The shed had obviously been used as a garage and nearby was the bulky shape of what looked like a sports car – covered in thick tarpaulins. It had a long, low bonnet and he backed Charlie up against it… her legs moving with his, her breasts bare and tantalizing in brief glimpses as her hair moved over them. Her butt hit the metal and she stopped, her hands reaching for his belt, undoing it then working on the pants…
He was busy with hers too…then they both realised that her boots were going to be a problem. He yanked her jeans down to her knees and swung her round so she faced down, folded over the front of the car…
She laughed…'I always wondered what people saw these in these old things …' she sucked in a breath as he bent down and pressed kisses down her spine towards her ass… Then he went lower, crouching behind her, his hands kneading the pliant, springy globes, parting them so that he could reach the soft, wet folds of her pussy and clit with his lips and tongue, breathing in her sweet, spicy, earthy scent, her juices covering his cheeks and chin…
She fell forward onto the car bonnet, her breath coming in harsh gasps as he worked her harder; her fingers scrambling for a handhold on the stiff fabric of the tarpaulin…'Monroe…please.'
He chuckled, the sound vibrating against her flesh…then he stood up again, his cock a thick hard column rising against his flat, muscle ridged belly, and reaching down he held the heavy, rounded head against her core, sliding it up and down the cleft between her legs, through the soft, wet flesh…
She quivered underneath him, waiting… and they both gasped as he slowly slid inside her, her core squeezing him in a delicious, warm grip…
Then he pulled out and did it again, and again, until they were moving in a rhythm that got faster and faster, his hands on her shoulders holding her still against the give of the material under her, giving him leverage to plunge harder, their breath sounding loud in the small, dark space… on and on, feeling her tension building under and around him too until with a halting groan he came, emptying himself deep, deep inside her, his arms stretched along hers, his chest bowed over her, sweat sliding between them, his hands over hers, their fingers twined together, feeling her walls pulsing around his cock as her own climax hit, her breath halting for a brief, frozen moment, then starting again in little gasps, gradually slowing…
They stayed where they were for a little while, catching their breath, Bass stroking along her body, tracing the curves…
Charlie turned beneath him, sliding round and up so that she could look at his face… 'So what happens next?' she reached up and wiped a bead of sweat off his brow before it could drop into his eyes… 'Something's changed, hasn't it?'
He nodded…'I heard some bounty hunters talking today, Charlie…' he stroked a strand of hair away from her face, dropping a kiss on her lips, 'The Patriots have got bounties worth a fortune on Miles and your mom, especially your mom'
'What do they want with my mom?' her eyes were startled, anxious…
He hated that he had to spoil what they'd just had by telling her all this…'They want your mom because of what she knows, Charlie, because she worked for Randall Flynn before the blackout…' he saw the pennies drop in her mind, God, he loved that she was so smart, he didn't have to explain much, she just knew… There was one thing though, and that was hard, he took a deep breath and she saw, of course she did…
'What is it?'
'It's your Grandpa, Charlie, he's been working with them for years, they'll be waiting for you in Willoughby, if bounty hunters don't get to you first…'
Her eyes were wide…'Grandpa? They know about Willoughby?'
He nodded…'I'm so sorry, Charlie'
She looked away, he could see the thoughts, the plans going through her mind…then she turned back to him…'there's nowhere else we can go, Mom's really sick, Grandpa's a doctor… and I don't even know if we'll make it anywhere else' her eyes filled…'we have to go to Willoughby, surely Grandpa wouldn't put mom into them, would he?'
Bass caught her face in one hand, gently… 'I don't know, Charlie, I'm just telling you what I heard' he kissed her…'This?' he kissed her again…'this has all been a sort of dream, Charlie, it feels real, now, and it has been real in a way, because someone…special… has been helping us, but it's not and I can't stay, not for long anyway'.
Her eyes were huge… 'But you're here now, I don't understand…'
He took a deep breath...'Charlie, when I wake up I'll still be in the mountains outside of Colorado,' He put every ounce of conviction into his voice that he could… 'But I'm leaving there today, and I am coming here to you, for real, I promise, and we'll work something out, ok? You and me and Miles, we'll work it out'
She just looked at him…
He ploughed on, knowing how crazy this all sounded…even to him… 'It'll take me about a week's ride I think, give or take, but I'll find you, I promise I'll find you, I just don't know if I'll be able to come to you… like this… once I'm on the road, but you have to believe that I am coming to help you…'
Her eyes were getting bigger… 'that does help to explain how it was warm by the river, when it was rainy and cold here…'
'Yeah…' he managed a smile…'now, do you think you could convince Miles to hole up here for a few days? It's as good a place as any, as long as no one saw you…' his worry showed in his eyes…'you've got to keep out of sight, Charlie, all of you, every bounty hunter within range will be coming after you…'
She looked up at him with something in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat…
'Do you believe me Charlie?'
She nodded... 'Yes, I believe you…' then she reached up and touched his face, tracing the lines of it with her fingers…'I'll make him wait, somehow, mom could do with a rest anyway…' she pulled his lips down to hers…'but you'll be quick as you can?'
He kissed her, hard, hoping that it wasn't going to be for the last time… 'I promise…'
This time, as he faded, part of him stayed aware enough to watch, and he saw the name of the street, and a town…
He knew where she was...
….
AN: you were probably wondering how I was going to explain all of this, I hope you liked how it turned out, another update soon I think… cheers, Magpie