Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Bass watched the podium as President Blanchard gave another update on the power situation in Austin. He wanted to laugh. The Texas powergrid sucked even before nanotech shut it down for sixteen years. Getting it up and running so that the whole state ran smoothly once again would take years probably. For now, Blanchard had two crews, one at Decker Creek and the other at Sand Hill, working round the clock to keep the power on for Austin. It was tricky though, repairing them. There was almost no one left alive who knew anything about natural gas-fueled power plants.

No one except fucking Rachel Matheson.

Was there anything that bitch didn’t have her finger in?

Up ahead off to the side, he saw Miles looking up at her on the podium, extremely pregnant. One of his spies told him that a doctor had put her at her last visit put her at eight months along. At her age, it would come early, most likely, and have possible complications. 

Good , he thought spitefully, turning away when she started to speak to the crowd. I hope you die in childbirth. Just like Shelley. He drew the line at wishing the baby harm. After all, that was Charlie’s new brother or sister. And he wasn’t a total monster. Not anymore anyway.

He walked away toward the old apartment complex he’d made his home but was intercepted by a man he paid well to spy on Charlie in New Vegas, where for some reason she’d made her new home. His gaze sharpened on his face. “What is it, Garza?”

“You told me to report back if anything out of the ordinary happened to Miss Charlie.” 

Bass motioned impatiently. “Yes, and?”

“My son keeps watch over her. There’s trouble brewing in the Plains.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“Big war clan making their move on New Vegas soon.”

Bass’ eyes narrowed at that. “War clan? What war clan? I thought they were all wiped out by the Patriots?”

Garza shook his head. “Most were but there were some left over--stragglers. And then when the crazy stuff was happening with the air,” He waved a hand in the air presumably to signify the nano-fireflies, “many months went by. This war clan has a leader. Very bad man. Calls himself La Espada.” 

“La Espada? What the hell does that mean?”

“En Espanol, it means ‘the sword’.”

Bass rolled his eyes. Wannabe. “Cute nickname. How do you know all this?”

“My friend, he drinks with some of the clan.”

“Why the hell do they wanna take over that shithole? Haven’t they heard the power’s back on?” 

Garza shrugged. “But if Miss Charlie is there and they come…” He shook his head. “No bueno for her.”

“Who’s the top dog in New Vegas now? After Gould and Duncan were killed?”

Garza answered, “Kovacs and--”

His tone sharpened. “Kovacs? Big white guy?” He raised a hand high to indicate height. “Slight accent?”

“Si, Senor.”

A slow smile spread across Bass’ face. The Hungarian. Interesting. “Good work, Garza. I’ll ride back with you. Give me a couple hours to pack up my shit. Meet me at the stables, si?”

“Si.” Garza bowed and left.

Bass continued on to his apartment, thinking things over as he went. He hadn’t seen Kovacs since his Jimmy King days and before that it’d been an interesting relationship between the two men. He was surprised that the guy had set up a permanent gig at New Vegas. Usually he roamed around like a fucking nomad, taking on odd jobs or fighting for coin. Someone fell into step beside him. Without looking he knew it was Miles. 

“What’s made you so happy?”

Bass stayed silent. For the last month, he hadn’t spoken to Miles any more than necessary. But he couldn’t resist a chance to get a dig in. “Forget what happiness looks like?”

Miles snorted. “Who was the guy you were talking to?”

“Jealous? Don’t worry, Miles, I haven’t replaced you. Yet. Now if you don’t mind, I’m busy.”

Miles grabbed him by the shoulder and stopped him. Bass let him for now. “You heard something about Charlie didn’t you?”

Bass simply looked at him. “So she’s not speaking to you either. Still? Figured you would’ve wormed your way back into her good graces by now. It’s been over a month.”

Miles looked guilty. “I know you’ve been keeping an eye on her. I just… Rachel could have the baby any day now. I can’t just leave her.”

Bass’ expression told him what he thought of Rachel’s health and safety as he pushed past Miles to get to his apartment.

“Just tell me she’s safe,” Miles called after him. 

“She will be once I get to her.”

XXXXX

New Vegas was different this time around. When people weren’t trying to kill her partners and sell her into sexual slavery it was really quite fun. Especially now that the power was on. There was a wind turbine farm nearby and Kovacs had his people schlepping solar panels from all over. The fuel from sixteen years ago was all bad and no one had the knowledge or resources to start collecting it again just yet.

Maybe Texas is on it, she thought. 

And then because thinking of Texas always made her think of the three people she’d run away from she immediately shut down those thoughts and started vigorously wiping the bar top. 

“My bar is the cleanest in this dump,” a slightly accented man’s voice boomed from across the room. “Thanks to you, Charlie.”

She smiled and shook her head, flinging the rag down. “Kovacs, the usual?”

Kovacs walked over and took a seat in front of her. “Of course, my lovely. Double.”

Weirdly, she didn’t mind when he called her little pet names. Maybe it was because of his accent? Or maybe it was because she missed Lee and his easy familiarity.

Lee doesn’t exist, she reminded herself, pouring Kovacs a double of the new batch of vodka. It was a nice change from whiskey all the time. She poured herself one too and downed it with him.

“Not bad.” He wiped his mouth with one arm and grinned. “Charlie, what’s a nice girl like you doing all alone in a place like this? And no lies. I can always tell when you lie.”

“I told you before I don’t wanna be with any of these alcoholic, smelly, short-tempered gambling addicts.”

“You wound me.” He laughed hard. His long hair slid over both shoulders. “I wish you could’ve met my son before he was killed. You would’ve liked him. All the girls liked him.”

She looked at him sympathetically. “I wish I could’ve too. If he got even a fraction of your good looks I’d consider myself a lucky girl.” Her tone was teasing and light.

He smiled and shook his head. “You’re a good girl, Charlie. I hope you stay here always.”

She thought of her family and wondered if her mom had her baby yet. Taking a deep breath she asked if she could go on break. Kovacs waved her away, and she hurried out of the bar and over to her trailer. He’d made sure, after she’d saved his life a month ago, to get her a good one. Inside it was neat and clean and--what the hell?

She stopped and stared at a large knife plunged into the top of a small dresser. Something was pinned with the blade. She looked around quickly even though there was no way she’d miss another person in this trailer unless she was blind drunk. Stepping closer she saw what it was. 

That’s strange, she thought, jerking out the knife and picking up an old bloody patch of the USA flag. Like the Patriots used to wear on their uniforms. 

Why would someone leave this in her trailer? The Patriots were all dead. Everyone said so. They’d lit up like Christmas lights all over the area the last night she and Bass had been in Austin together. Could the nano have missed one? Someone who knew her role in the destruction of the Patriots and wanted to creep her out? 

The nano did make mistakes , she reasoned, putting the knife and bloody patch back down on her dresser and expelling a breath. I’ll deal with this later. She turned to her bed and flopped down on it. There was a fight tonight. It would be busy. Best get some sleep before then.

Maybe Bass would stay out of her dreams and finally let her. 

XXXXX

Two guys walked up to the bar and ordered whiskeys. She eyed them nonchalantly as she poured. “You boys here for the fight?” The crowd roared outside. Someone must’ve gotten a good punch in.

“Hell, yeah. My money’s on Thomas,” the younger one said. He had dark hair and a scar over one eyebrow, a small one. There was a tattoo on his arm. 

She handed them their drinks and looked closer at it. A sword dripping blood. Classic, but around here that only meant one thing: La Espada. 

“You like it?” he asked in a semi-challenging tone. 

She smiled. “Sure. Just wondering what it is?”

His friend or brother, they looked alike, held up his arm too. Same tat for him. “It’s a bloody sword.”

“La Espada,” she added still smiling so that there could be no miscommunication. The guys from this clan were short-tempered. They made her increasingly wary, ever since she’d caught a couple of them in the back room trying to rape one of the girls who worked in the bar. Those guys hadn’t left walking upright, and now she always made sure to keep an eye on her. She was only sixteen, and for some guys that was all they needed.

Both guys smiled at her. “You’ve heard of us?” the older one smiled.

“Of course. Who hasn’t? They say your leader never leaves camp and no one knows what he looks like. Is that true?”

“Well, we do, but yeah, something like that.”

Her eyes widened as if she was impressed. “Ooh, mysterious. Well, enjoy the fight boys. Come back if you need a refill.” As they turned away, she let her expression drop.

They left her a small solid gold ring for the drinks and she tested it first before putting it with the rest of the stuff Kovacs took home every night. Something clanked behind her. “Be right with you.”

“Take your time.”

Charlie straightened abruptly, staring unseeing at a few dozen bottles of gin, whiskey, and vodka on the shelf in front of her. It couldn’t be. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned around.

Bass leaned against the bar top, watching her with those sexy blue eyes she’d missed so much over the last six weeks. She’d missed everything about him, really. 

“One whiskey, please.”

“What are you doing here?” Her voice sounded so faint to her ears.

“Hopefully drinking soon.”

She numbly poured him a shot of whiskey in a glass and then pushed it across the bar. “Did you know I was here?”

He looked at her and downed the drink in one gulp. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“Yes,” she snapped, finally feeling something other than longing and confusion and shock. “I thought when I said I didn’t want to see your face you’d know what I meant.”

“How long are you going to punish me?”

God, when he looked at her like that it made her feel sorry that she’d ever broken up with him. He looked so sad. “I’m not trying to punish you.” Her mouth was dry and she decided to pour herself a vodka. She downed it. That was better. 

“Well, you are. I can’t sleep anymore without you, Charlie. The nightmares come back. Or worse… the dreams. Of you.”

She knew what he meant. She hadn’t slept either. Not in a long time.

“I love you, Charlie.”

Her heart stopped on those words she'd longed to hear.

“And you love me too. And if it’s real then it’s enough. You said that.”

She remembered. She turned away from him so she could think. “I do love you. And I know it’s stupid, especially because of Connor. But you don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand, Charlie.”

How could she when she herself barely knew what she was feeling? How could she put into words how her mom’s spiteful bombshell made her feel like her whole world was ending? How picturing them together made her sick? How just thinking of her mother’s face made her want to punch through glass?

“You think the image of you, naked, in bed with my son, isn’t seared into my brain?” he asked quietly. “But it was before we were together, even though I wanted you then. Nothing that happened before us matters.”

“You lied about it though. You let her throw it out there to try and destroy me. Her , of all people. I lost Miles to her--shit, I lost my whole life to her, and now I lost you too.” Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away. 

“You’ll never lose me. Even if I have to watch you from a distance forever, you’ll never lose me.”

A sudden hope bloomed in her chest that made her think that maybe she could work past whatever hangups she had. They could just go to her trailer and be together like she’d wanted for months now. Just the two of them with no Rachel-Miles drama.

“Sebastian Monroe, you old bastard! What the hell are you doing here?”

They both turned toward Kovacs booming voice. Charlie slipped away from the bar at the distraction but not before Bass saw which direction she went. If there was trouble later or if she didn’t come back, he’d be able to track her. For now…

He stood up, arms wide, and clapped his hands on Kovacs back hard. “I hear you have a little Espada problem. I came to help.”

Kovacs drew back and then shrugged. “They’re no problem. Sometimes they get crazy but they always leave.”

“Well, allow me to correct myself. I hear you have an Espada problem, and I came to make sure Charlie doesn’t get hurt.”

Kovacs frowned. “Charlie? My bartender?”

Bass nodded. “She’s important to me, and I also figured what the hell? I’ll take in the sights while I’m here.”

The bigger man’s eyes narrowed. “Are you the one who broke her heart?”

“What?”

“She thinks I don’t know, but no one knows more about a broken heart than Kovacs. She mopes, drinks too much, doesn’t eat well. Won’t give any of the guys around her the time of day. Classic.”

Bass scowled at the mention of other guys. “Let’s get a drink and talk. Maybe about some work?”

Kovacs smiled big and swiped a bottle of whiskey from behind the bar. “Planning on staying?”

He hadn’t known until just now that the answer was, “Yes.” At least until Charlie moves on again.

Chapter Text

Bass sent his man, Garza, off to keep an eye on Charlie, and he followed Kovacs through the bar to the back room where more than one shady deal had gone down during his time as Jimmy King. “You took over Gould’s operation,” he commented, noting how everything was basically the same back there. “Profitable?”

Kovacs shrugged and took a seat, motioning Bass to do the same. “Some things are different. My son negotiated with the whores before he was killed. They run their own deal, but I get a cut of their profits. In return, a few of my guys take turns guarding the girls, making sure no one gets too rough or steals from Nickel.”

Bass frowned, trying to remember the name. “Nickel? Skinny blonde girl?” Kovacs nodded. “What, she runs the sex trade now? That chick?” From what he remembered, Nickel wasn’t anything special. The only reason he even remembered her was because she was friends with a favorite of his back in his boxing days. 

Kovacs nodded again. “Yes, Nickel saved some of the girls from being killed by the Patriots when they came through here and then took over. Nature abhors a vacuum.” He laughed and poured them a drink. 

Bass took the glass and frowned. “But there’s no way she has any real power here. The sex trade was always Gould’s steady income. Why don’t you just take it from her and reap the benefits?”

Kovacs sighed. “My son, Dominik, he was a good boy. He had a good heart. That’s why he was killed, you know? Nothing good lasts long in this world.” He was quiet with remembrance for a moment. “Anyways, he didn’t like that the girls were forced into that life. Nickel got to him and convinced him that it would be profitable to let the girls run themselves and give us a cut.”

“But Nickel really runs them, right?”

Kovacs smiled. “Correct. But Dom negotiated lower rates for my guys to use their … services. And he said there was a moral high ground. I don't know. He was a softie. I keep the agreement out of respect for his memory.”

Bass remembered how Gould took Charlie and chained her to a wall in a trailer and figured maybe Kovacs’ deal wasn’t so bad. He’d have to pay a visit to Nickel though. Get a feel for the way things were done here now. 

And, because he remembered her being incredibly stupid, to figure out who she answered to. If not Kovacs, then who? 

“So you make all your money off the fights?”

“Fights, booze, gambling… There isn’t much that I don’t have a hand in around here. There’s another player in New Vegas besides me, besides Nickel, and that is the Cherokee. Cherokee pays tribute to me though. Everyone does, but I keep my eyes on him. Always looking to get ahead.”

Bass ran a finger along his bottom lip. “Cherokee. Never heard of him.”

They had another shot and Kovacs wiped his mouth. “There’s not a lot of people here now that you would remember. All the old ones are dead.”

Duncan’s face flashed through his mind and he felt a stab of sorrow, brief but potent all the same. “Yeah.”

“But what about you? You came for Charlie, you said. What happened all this time? We got drunk one night, her and I, and she told me the most fantastical story about tiny robots. And now the power is back on. People cried that day.”

“It was nanotech. I don’t know if they’re robots or computers or whatever, but they were keeping the power off. Rachel Matheson created them and she’s the one who killed them. By proxy.” He remembered Gene Porter and although he never liked him he gave a silent salute for his sacrifice.

“Rachel Matheson? Matheson like Miles?”

Bass smiled and nodded, forgetting that Kovacs knew Miles very well from their time in the Monroe Republic. “Yeah. His sister-in-law. Now his baby mama.”

Kovacs laughed. “Sounds like Miles. What’s that old dog up to nowadays?”

“Being totally pussy-whipped and sober.”

Kovacs shuddered and made a horrible face. He muttered something in what Bass presumed was Hungarian and then took another shot. “They take another one.”

Bass clinked glasses with his old friend and chuckled. 

“But not you?”

Bass’ smile faded away into a scowl. “No. I’m only here because I’ve heard stories of this La Espada fucker and his guys. She’s pissed off at me right now, but that doesn’t mean I’m just gonna let her get killed. Or worse.” 

“La Espada. He’s a strange one. Not your regular war clan leader. He’s got strategy and aspirations, apparently.”

“Aspirations?” Bass’ attention was caught. “What kind of aspirations?”

“Some of his guys come in here and drink and let loose their lips, or they overshare with a whore. Things get around. Anyways some people around here think La Espada is planning on raiding New Vegas.”

“Have you talked to this guy ever?”

Kovacs shook his head. “No one knows what he looks like. Anyone who’s ever seen him says he wears a mask. A face covering like a bandit in an old Western movie.”

“So there’s no treaty with him? You know where his base is?”

Kovacs shook his head. “He moves around. He’s somewhere in the Plains, but where exactly we don’t know. Sebastian, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. Our numbers are greater than anything a Plains tribe has.”

“That you know of,” Bass pointed out. “How do you know how many guys he’s got if no one’s ever seen him or his tribe?”

“Well, maybe that is a job for you, Sebastian. Find out what you can about the La Espada tribe and stay here while you do it. Drinks on me.”

Bass nodded slowly. “Alright.”

“And what about a fight? Or are you too old now?” Kovacs asked slyly.

“Too old? Why, I was thirty just yesterday.” He laughed at his own little private joke. “No fighting for coin. If I fight, it’ll be because someone is trying to slit my throat.” He ignored his friend’s downcast expression and brought up Charlie once more. “How’s she been? Happy?”

“Sometimes I think she forgets about whatever is troubling her, but mostly no, I don’t think so. She seems to enjoy the concerts we put on and taking care of my bar. If my son Dominik was alive I told her she’d be my new daughter in no time. No girl could resist my Dom.”

Bass scowled again. “Quit trying to set her up with people, Kovacs. She loves me. She belongs to me.”

A loud booming laughter escaped Kovacs mouth at that. “Oh, yes? Does she know that?”

“She will. That’s why I’m here. Enough is enough.”

Chapter Text

A knock sounded on her trailer door. She sighed and got up. It wasn’t hard to figure out who it might be. Hours had passed and it was now well into the night. The fight had ended and she knew everyone was headed to the red light district or to the bar or to bed.

She jerked open the door and as expected Bass stood there, hands in pockets. She walked away but left the door open as an invitation for him to come in. “You know Kovacs.” It was a statement, not a question. 

Bass stepped up into the trailer and shut the door behind him. “For a long time. Ten years maybe?”

Charlie took a seat at the table. Despite everything she’d outwardly said to him, it felt really good to just be in the same space as him again. It felt good to know that he still cared about her. It felt good when he said he loved her earlier. 

And despite all that, she just couldn’t shake off everything that had happened in the Nano-world. She was sad all the time. Her dreams weren’t just dreams--they were memories. Memories of people she’d never see again, who she’d never really met in the first place. Memories of a life she’d never really had. For crying out loud, she still remembered her alternate childhood. She wanted to turn to Bass every time she woke up from her troubled sleep. And then the guilt set in that everything was her fault and he wasn’t there because of her.

“He’s been good to me. I feel bad for him. For his son’s death,” she murmured, casting a look off to the side. “He talks about him all the time.”

Bass nodded, although a slightly irritated look crossed his face. “Dominik was a good guy. How did he die?”

Charlie shrugged. “I don’t know. He was killed before I got here. During the six months we were out of commission.”

Understanding dawned on Bass. “I’m still trying to catch up.”

“Why did you come here?” Charlie asked quietly.

Bass leaned back in his chair and regarded her with a calm expression. “I heard about La Espada. There’s gonna be an attack on New Vegas.”

“La Espada?” Charlie frowned. “He’s just a war clan leader on the plains. Some of his people come here. They drink, buy whores, go to the fights…”

“And no one knows who he is or what he looks like,” Bass pointed out. “That’s weird.”

Charlie conceded it was. “What are you gonna do?”

He smiled. His blue eyes glittered in the low light. “I’m gonna find out who the bastard is and, if necessary, kill him.”

She sighed and shook her head, propping it up on one finger, elbow on the table. “Kill him? Just go straight to murder?”

Bass leaned forward. “Do you know what these animals do when they attack a village? What they do to the women? Believe me, Charlie, you’ll be happy this bastard is dead.”

She acknowledged that maybe he was right. This was a brutal world and brutal choices dictated it. Not like the other one where she was warm and had a coffee machine and her sanity.

“Miles says ‘Hi’.”

That broke her concentration and her gaze flew to him. “Did the baby--?”

“She’s still as big as a house.”

Some part of her was relieved to hear that at least so far everyone was still safe. She’d never get the image of Shelley bleeding out on a cot out of her mind. Even though she hated her mom right now, she didn’t want her to die. Or the baby. My new brother or sister, she thought. “Good for them. Still doesn’t mean I want to talk to them.”

“Why are you mad at Miles?”

She didn’t really know. Her feelings were complicated, but the fact that he knew how devastated she was by what her mom had told them and hadn’t come to see her in person had a lot to do with it. 

“Is it because he’s such a pussy-whipped bastard?”

She glared at him. “Don’t ever say that again. The mental image that gives me…” She shuddered and poured a finger of whiskey from her rapidly dwindling decanter.

Bass laughed and motioned for her to pour him one as well. They drank together in silence for a minute or two. “They’re in Austin working on getting the power plant up and running. Not as easy as the movies make it sound.”

Charlie dug around in her memories for any Nano-world post-apocolyptic movies she watched while she’d been under and then nodded. 

“However, solar-powered generators are a thing, and they got their hands on an ultrasound machine.”

Charlie frowned. “What’s that again?”

“You see inside, with the--” he motioned around his abdomen, “You can see the baby while it’s inside. It’s a boy.”

She’d known there was a fifty-fifty chance it would be a boy, but the news shocked her. Her throat thickened. A boy. A little brother. Danny. Danny was dead. This baby would die too--

Suddenly Bass was in front of her, kneeling down. “Hey, hey, Charlie, breathe. Breathe. Through your nose. In and out.” He rubbed his hands up and down the tops of her thighs while she had a panic attack. “In and out, that’s it.”

She forced her breaths through her nose and out her mouth, over and over until her vision cleared and she was hunched over, braced on her knees. Another glass of whiskey was shoved under her face. 

“Drink this,” he ordered. She took it with shaky numb hands. He helped it to her mouth.

“Shit,” she breathed out, finally feeling under control somewhat. “I just suddenly started thinking about Danny and lost it.” The whiskey burned a path to her stomach and woke up her brain.

Bass rubbed circles over her back, his fingers touching her face in concern. 

“God, I hate her so much, but the thought of her dying--They both could die. Or the baby could die. Miles would be devastated. And if my mom loses another son…” She shook her head.

“Charlie, Miles and your mom have something on their side. Power. I heard that Blanchard personally guaranteed her the use of generators and machines and all the doctors when the time comes. It was her condition for helping with the power plant.” He snorted. “Not saving lives and righting her wrongs--selfish reasons. But still. It’s good for you guys.”

That actually made her feel better. 

Suddenly, she was very aware of his hands on her body, his warmth, the way he smelled like smoke and the wind. They looked at each other for a long moment and then Charlie was on her knees on the floor in front of him and they were kissing. Hands and arms entangled with one another. Bass kissed her hard, like a man who was dying of thirst. She couldn’t open her mouth wide enough to drink him in. 

Her hands flew over him, sliding his shirt over his head and then doing the same for herself. He unsnapped her bra while she undid the button on his pants and unzipped them, reaching her hand inside to palm his hard length. His hips surged against her. 

And then they tore away from each other and undressed quickly, falling into her bed just like old times. When Bass slipped inside her it was like coming home. Everything felt right in the world. He gripped her tight and thrust deep, hard, and fast. Charlie pressed her fingers into his ass, holding him tighter to her. She clenched around him every time he withdrew, just the way she knew he liked. He shuddered his release inside her, moaning hoarsely against her neck. 

Then he rolled off her and groaned. “Dammit, Charlie. That was embarrassingly quick.”

She grinned and rolled onto her side, tracing her fingers down the hard plane of his stomach toward the fun part. “That’s okay. We can go again in a minute.”

He chuckled. “A minute. Jesus, Charlie, you remember I’m actually old here, right? I’ll need two minutes at least.”

She laughed. “So I take it you haven’t been getting laid in my absence?” She played if off light and airy, but the thought of him having sex with anyone except her made her heart clench.

“Nope.”

She noticed his jaw ticked and he didn’t ask her if she’d slept with anyone. “Good.”

Then he rolled over and pushed her onto her back. He started kissing her slowly, moving his hand down and cupped between her legs. She made a noise of appreciation in her throat and parted them to give him better access. His fingers slid into her velvet warmth, tracing circles around her clit just the way she loved, rubbing softly in the slickened pathway his seed had produced. She moaned her pleasure against his chest, loving the way she felt his heartbeat quicken. His fingers dipped downward sliding inside her and back up again to her clit. He circled faster until her body started giving signs of heightened desire then he kept the pressure and rubbed quickly until she arched and cried out her release. The waves of ecstasy washed over her from head to toe, undulating and wrenching every last drop of pleasure out of her. 

“Fuck, Bass,” she breathed, swallowing hard and trying to gain control of her breathing. “It’s been awhile.”

“I’ve missed you so much, Charlie.” To her surprise, he slid quickly on top of her and slipped inside again making her gasp at the intrusion of her overly-sensitive flesh.

“Bass.”

He moved slowly with long even strokes, cupping a breast and stroking her nipple. “Forgive me for hurting you,” he whispered, resting his forehead against the side of her face as he moved over her. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for it.” When she closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, he added, “I love you, Charlie. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.”

And suddenly a heat started spreading over her body. With every stroke, the fire inside her stoked higher and higher. 

“Charlie,” he moaned, thrusting hard deep.

She cried out, clutching at him hard. She’d never come this way before, from penetration. It felt different but just as amazing. “Bass,” she gasped, “don’t stop.” She met him thrust for thrust, wrapping a leg around his hips and sliding her hand over the side of his face. “I love you too.” She wanted to look at him while she came, but as the orgasm hit her, her vision blurred and she was taken once more to heaven. She threw her head back and rode out her pleasure until she could move no more and Bass collapsed half on top of her, breathing hard. 

Everything quieted down and Charlie’s breathing evened out into a deep sleep, the first real sleep she’d gotten since she’d been back. Bass opened one eye, smiled, and then he too fell under.

Chapter Text

On the plains, in the middle of a large encampment, two men pushed their way into a tent past two guards. “La Espada, we have news.”

Sitting in a high-backed chair, a tall man with black hair and dark eyes looked up from his coffee with interest. “What is it?”

One guy younger than the other spoke first. “You told us to tell you if anyone interesting showed up in New Vegas.”

La Espada cocked an eyebrow. “And?”

The older stepped forward now. “Last night Sebastian Monroe rode into town. He spoke to the girl and then had drinks with Kovacs. We followed him to her trailer after that.”

“And?”

They looked at each other and shrugged. The younger one smirked. “He spent the night there. It was very … loud.”

“He’s on the list, right, Boss?”

La Espada’s smile widened. “Yes. Yes, he is.”

“What do you want us to do?”

He went back to his coffee. “Just continue watching the girl. And report back every morning about Monroe. I want every detail. And if any of the others come, I want to know about it immediately.”

They nodded and left the tent. A low chuckle followed them out.

Connor set his cup down and leaned back in his chair, resting his hand against the side of his face. Good ol’ dad. It’d been awhile but when the power came back on he knew he’d seen him again. That bitch Rachel Matheson had to have had something to do with it, and where Rachel was Miles was sure to be. It hadn’t taken any time at all to learn they were all in Austin working with the Texas government to get things going again. The thing that had surprised him was that Charlie hadn’t been there. Imagine his shock when he saw her one day in New Vegas tending bar. She hadn’t seen him and he’d taken that as a sign. His men had been spying on her ever since.

He’d waited a long time to get what he wanted and things were finally coming together. 

*

Charlie woke up in Bass’ arms. She shifted once and smiled when his hand slid down to cup her ass against him. She rolled over on top of him until he could slide right in and then dropped onto his chest and lazily began to rock back and forth. His breath hitched. His pulse fluttered wildly against her cheek. 

The more she moved over him the less tired she was. Finally, she lifted up and braced one hand against the trailer wall above Bass’ head, increasing her pace until he sucked in a breath and tilted his head back. One hand slid around to grip her hip. 

“I’m gonna come, Charlie,” he moaned, his voice hoarse from sleep. 

She slid off quickly and let him stroke himself to completion, falling to the side as he came in his hand and on his stomach. She rolled over, grabbed an old sock from the floor, and handed it to him for him to clean himself off with.

“That’s exactly how I wanna wake up every morning,” he murmured, rolling his head over to look at her.

She smiled and placed a hand under her cheek, moving her hair away from her face. “Sometimes you have to be on top.”

“Ok. That’s fine with me too.” 

She giggled at his easy acquiescence. 

“Do I have to leave now?” he asked.

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. “No. Not if you don’t want to.”

“So I can move in?”

“Well, since we were practically engaged in the Nano-world I suppose letting you move into my shitty trailer isn’t much of a commitment,” she joked. “So yes, you can move in. Besides if you don’t, that whore, Nickel, will be up your ass just as soon as she hears there’s fresh meat in town.”

“Were we practically engaged in the Nano-world?” he asked frowning as if trying to remember.

She nodded. “They were my memories, not yours. It was a whole thing. But you wouldn't introduce me to your parents so I was getting pissed off and rethinking your ability to commit.” She snickered into her hand when he rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, well, you got to meet them, sort of, didn’t you? God, that was the worst thing I’ve ever had to go through. Not only because they’re all actually dead, but because I’d forgotten what a controlling, narcissistic bitch my mother was. And my dad…” He groaned. 

“I liked when she called Miles white trash.” 

“Charlie,” he groaned in warning. 

“He does have that ratchety look about him sometimes--Ah!” She dissolved into giggles when he attacked her ribs with his fingers. “Bass! Stop! I’m going to pee!”

He stopped only to kiss her, covering her body with his warmth. She was shocked to feel he was hard again already. “Charlie,” he breathed, breaking off to swallow hard and run a hand down her bare side, “do you ever miss the other me? The younger one, I mean?”

She drew back in surprise. “No, I don’t. I mean, I sometimes miss that life I lived, but if you mean specifically because you were younger then no. I like you best this way. It’s kind of hot that you’re so much older than me.” She grinned cheekily when he gave her a look. She wiggled a little underneath him, pressing lightly against his erection. “The other you was pretty cute, but the real you is much better.”

He raised an eyebrow and glanced down between them. “Oh, yeah?”

She nodded, shifting a bit to raise a hand to his face. “Yeah.” Her fingers lightly traced some faded old scar on his temple. “What about you? Do you ever miss the other Charlie?”

He slowly smiled. “I mostly miss those yoga pants.”

She gasped out a laugh and slapped his arm. “You’re a pig.”

He laughed and bent down to kiss her briefly. “I’m kidding. I mean, I’m not, but what I mean is, no, I don’t miss that other Charlie. She was okay, but she wasn’t you.” 

“Even though she was blonder and wore sluttier clothes and gave blowjobs whenever you wanted?”

Bass’ grin widened. “I mean when you put it that way--Oof!”

Charlie lifted her knee to make him think twice about finishing that sentence, and he deftly maneuvered between her legs in an effort to remain safe and also be closer to the place he loved the most.

When Charlie bit her lip and moaned playfully at the sudden contact, he quieted down and stared at her, contemplative.

“What?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Marry me, Charlie.”

*

Miles sat at the table and watched Rachel writing something in a notebook across from him. Even incredibly pregnant the woman didn’t slow down. “Bass left yesterday,” he finally said, watching her reaction. 

She paused for a second over the paper. “Why?”

“He wouldn’t tell me. I assume he found out where Charlie was and went off to get her.”

“Why can’t he just leave her alone?” she muttered, resuming her scribbles.

For the first time since he’d found out about Bass and Charlie’s relationship, Miles had a different answer than usual. He looked down at the floor and felt heavy. “Because he loves her.”

Rachel stopped and looked up at him. “He’s obsessed with her. There’s a difference.”

“No, Rachel, you’re wrong,” he said tiredly. “He loves her. You’ve done everything you could to break them up and it didn’t work. You crushed her, Rachel. She’s out there, God knows where, suffering because of you.”

“You’re still mad at me.”

“Dammit, Rachel, I’m not mad at you for sleeping with Bass back then. I was a bastard. I deserved it. I’m mad at you for breaking Charlie’s heart and driving her away.” He slammed a hand on the table causing her to jump in her chair. “I’m mad that you forced me to choose between the two of you.”

“You’re mad that you can’t go off with Bass.”

He looked at her coldly. “I’m mad that you don’t give a shit about Charlie at all. She could be out there, dead for all we know, and you’re sitting here writing some shit in your notebook.”

Rachel never blinked. “I love Charlie. I told her what I did to save her from that monster you call your best friend. He’ll hurt her or get her killed, you’ll see.”

“Being out there without her family is what’ll get her killed. And you caused that. I can’t believe you said that to her.” He shook his head and stood up. “Get your head out of your ass, Rachel. After this baby’s born, you need to figure out a way to make things right with her.” He walked off before she could say anything, leaving her staring at the spot he’d been sitting seconds before.

Chapter Text

Charlie stared up at Bass with wide unblinking eyes. “What?” She must’ve misheard him or mistook a joke he’d made.

He repeated what he’d said. “Marry me. Please?” He stared at her expectantly, watching the shock slide into doubt slide into panic, and more disbelief. 

“ Marry you? You’re joking.” She watched his face until she was convinced he wasn’t. “We can’t get married .”

“Why not?”

She broke out into a nervous laugh and tried to push him off her. He didn’t budge. “Because… We just can’t.”

“Well, we can, so your reason is invalid. There’s even a guy who does weddings here. I think he owes me a favor--”

She interrupted him. “Bass, you don’t really wanna get married. You’re just caught up in the memories we were just talking about and we just hooked up--”

“Twice.”

“Twice,” she agreed. “And you’re just feeling happy right now because of all that.”

“Charlie, I want to marry you because I love you,” he said quietly, relaxing his body so that he could talk to her seriously. “I never thought I would love anyone ever again, not after Shelly. And it scares the hell out of me, thinking something could happen to you and I’d lose you. But you gave me something I haven’t had in a long time. Hope. Hope that our future has a different ending. And I want to marry you because I want everyone to know how I feel and how important you are to me.”

She didn’t know what to say. The enormity of what he was telling her and asking of her made her mouth go dry and she realized she was paralyzed with fear. She sat up quickly, her heart pounding, her vision blurring. 

“Here, take it easy. Drink this.” He handed her a small sip of whiskey much like the night before and she drank it down. “Why are you having so many panic attacks?”

Charlie breathed through her nose and calmed down. “Bass, you’ve never said any of this ever before. Nothing about … getting married. Why now?”

“Because it suddenly hit me when I was looking down at you just now. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, as short or as long as that might be.” He smirked with humor.

She turned to him, mouth trembling. “The ‘short’ part’s what I’m afraid of. Every time we turn around, something horrible happens to pull us apart. The last time…” She buried her head in her knees and squeezed her eyes shut. “I thought it was over for good.”

He sat up and rubbed a hand down her back and up again. “You’re right. We’ve been through a lot of shit together. But what happens every time we’re pulled apart, Charlie?”

She raised her head, sniffing back tears, and thought. Then she gave a smile.

He answered for her. “We come back to each other. That’s the point. And when I didn’t even know who you were, I still loved you. You found me and I’ll always find you. Marry me, Charlie.” He pulled her backward with him until she was safely cradled in his arms. She let him. “Say yes.”

She shivered against him. “It’s crazy. You’ll change your mind.”

“Do I seem the flaky type to you?”

She smiled. No. “What about everyone else? Miles?” She left her mother unmentioned. 

“Screw them. They’re having a baby soon. They’ll be too busy with that to bother us--finally.”

That was true. She sat back up again. “I mean, we’ve never even talked about anything important. What if I get pregnant?” When he didn’t answer her, she turned to him in dread. He was smiling wide. “What?” 

“I can’t believe I haven’t gotten you pregnant yet, actually. Do you want kids?”

She almost couldn’t believe they were talking about this. “I mean, I always assumed I would at some point, but the thought terrifies me.”

“So we’ll be more careful, and we won’t have kids unless you want to.”

“Okay, but where would we live?”

He frowned. “Wherever we want. Hopefully not here, but hey, if it’s what you want I’m game.”

“What about your delusions of grandeur? Your love of power? The Monroe Republic?”

“First of all-- rude . Second of all, I’ve decided to give up getting my republic back. I’ll run for office someday, but as far as the republic goes--” He made a cutting motion with his hand and seemed to be enjoying himself. “Anything else?”

She really couldn’t think of any other reason why she shouldn’t say yes. She wanted to marry Bass, that much she knew. “I mean, do we have to have some dumb wedding? That seems ridiculous.”

“We can do whatever you want.”

“What if you’re just trying to trick me and this is all one big joke?” 

Bass drew a hand down his face, much like Miles did. “Is that a serious question?”

“No. I guess not. But what if you’re hiding some other big secret in your life that you haven’t told me?”

Bass suddenly seemed to understand. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Charlie. A lot I never even want to tell you. I was a bad guy for a long time.”

She knew that, and, suddenly, realized she didn’t want to know everything he’d done anyway.

He laid back and stared up at the ceiling. “I will tell you though, if you want. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” 

Instead of saying something, she leaned over him and gave him a kiss. His body was so warm beneath her hand. She felt his muscles tighten under her touch. When she withdrew from him, she felt a lot better. He always made everything better. 

“So will you marry me?”

She thought about it for a few more moments and then smiled. “Sure.”

“Sure? That’s the answer you give me after all the torture you just put me through?” He lifted up and pushed her down on her back, covering her body with his once again. 

She grinned. “You deserved it.”

He kissed hard and long until she felt the familiar heat rise inside her once more. “Tell me again.”

“Sure,” she murmured against his mouth. 

“‘Sure’ what?”

“Sure, I’ll marry you.”

And then they were kissing and he slid inside her tight, wet, heat, moaning a little as he did so. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, wishing she never had to let go.