A/N So this is my first attempt at writing anything. Ever. So I apologize in advance if it's awful. Also, I was never very good in English so apologies for my for any misspellings and poor grammer. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading! :-)
"Will you shut up!" Conner looked taken aback at her outburst, but she was having a hard time caring at the moment. He had been talking non stop for the past five miles and if he didn't stop soon she might 'accidentally'shoot him.
"Well excuuuse me" he dragged the word out to try and show that he was offended, but all that did was irritate her even more. "I didn't realize mother nature had come for her visit already."
BAM. She didn't even think about it, the moment the words left his mouth her fist connected with his face. He stood there holding his jaw, eyes wide and buldging. It would have been funny if she wasn't so angry. "You have not stopped talking since we left town and I'm sick of listening to you! I don't care how many guys you took down yesterday, or about the number of guys you used to be in charge of in Mexico, and I sure as hell don't care about your idiotic attempt to rebuild the Monroe Republic!"
She turned around to stomp off only to find Miles and her mother, hand in hand of course, with Monroe hovering around behind them. Rachel looked concerned, which just annoyed her, Miles looked amused and Monroe was looking his usual stoic self, which again, just annoyed her.
"What?" She was trying to look like she hadn't just completely freaked out, but she knew it wasn't working.
"Sweetheart are you alright?" Rachel sent Conner a quick glare before turning back to her daughter, her sickly sweet smile on her face.
"I'm fine" she caught Miles eye and said "I just need a break."
Miles nodded "alright let's take five and then we need to get moving" he took Rachel's hand and headed off into the woods on the left side of the old blacktop road they were following. Charlie glanced at Conner and Monroe before taking off to the right, glad for even a few minutes of peace.
She waded through the overgrown brush and took some deep breaths to let the forest air clear her head. She found a small stream and used the cool water to wash her face and neck, the cool water calming her down. She sat back on the grass and closed her eyes. She hadn't meant to snap at Conner, but she was sick of being stuck with him all the time. Lately, Miles won't be parted from his beloved Rachel, and if she didn't know any better she'd say Monroe was avoiding her.
Unfortunately, her peace didn't last long though, she heard loud footsteps coming her way and was instantly annoyed thinking that it was Conner following her again. "Didn't I just say I needed a - ", but whatever she was going to say was lost in her throat because it wasn't Conner looking at her while leaning care-free against the tree. No, Monroe's clear blue eyes were looking at her with a mixture of amusement and something else she couldn't quite identity.
"I just wanted to make sure your alright, you seemed pretty upset back there" he hooked his thumb in the direction of the road and looked at her. Anyone who didn't know him would say he looked bored, but she knew better, underneath all his tough-guy bullshit there was a good guy in there somewhere. You just had to dig down really far and poke in all the right places to find him.
"I'm great" she gave him a big smile, which even felt fake, "you can head back up I'll be there in a minute." She turned back to the stream hoping he would walk away but when he didn't she couldnt help the small smile that found its way onto her lips.
He seemed to be hesitating, which was funny because she'd seen this man shred ten guys in under a minute with nothing but a sword without so much as blinking, and yet here he was, with no one else around to hear, struggling with simple words. "What ever happened to you and Conner being all buddy-buddy?" The way he said it implied he meant more than just getting along like regular travel companions.
She looked at him, "seriously, that was months ago, your still going on about that?" She couldn't help but smirk, for some reason Sebastian Monroe had a problem with his son getting laid. She tried to squash out all her thoughts of other reasons why he may have a problem with it, like who he was with, because it just wasn't possible. Right? Right. Now shut up.
He looked at her carefully for a moment, his gaze making her slightly uncomfortable but she met his eyes with her own, never backing down. "Oh, I thought you two had a regular thing going, is that what you guys were arguing about?" He still looked a little bored but she couldn't help but notice the glimmer in his eyes. She couldn't tell if it was from making fun of her or maybe something else. No, definately not.
She shook her head to try and dispel the unwelcome thoughts running rampant through her mind and looked at him. He tilted his head as if asking her to explain, so she took a deep breath "that was just a one time thing, he had been following me around like a puppy since you guys brought him here. I figured let him get it out of his system and then he'd leave me alone." She shrugged trying to make him understand that it really hadn't meant anything to her. Who cares if he understands? It's none of his business. He should stay out of it. Yeah... oh, who am I kidding.
His silence was unsettling, she was starting to worry that he didn't believe it when he suddenly broke out into a smug grin. "So your telling me you banged my son, not because you like him, but because you figured that was the best way to make him back off?" She merely nodded in reply. He blinked at her for a second before he threw his head back and laughed, like a full blown, body shaking laugh. "Seriously! You could have just told him to take a hike Charlie, you didn't have to have sex with him to make him leave you alone. Hell, why didn't you say something I'm sure Miles would have been more than happy to help you out."
She was speechless. Monroe hadn't spoken to her for over a week and now here he was laughing because he thought she needed help taking care of some wanna-be-dictaor, like she was just Miles stupid niece. She could kill a guy with her bare hands, and had done it, she didn't need Miles help. "Well I'm sorry, I just figured you'd be a little upset if Miles ripped your kid limb from limb. I was trying to deal with it in a way that kept Conner alive, and unfortunately, my options were pretty limited." She stood up and stalked off back towards the road her arms crossed over her chest, she wasn't sure why she was so angry, she just knew she was.
"Whoa, whoa, Charlie that's not what I meant" she composed herself and turned around, raising her eyebrow to show him she was listening. "I..." he hesitated "I didn't mean that you you couldn't handle it yourself I just-" he seemed to be struggling to find the right words. "Look we both know you can handle your own but if you were backed into a corner you should have just said something, I would have helped you if I'd have known." The sincerity in his eyes ignited a fire in her heart and it took everything in her to stomp it back down. Stop it. It's not like that. He's just protecting Miles niece.
"Hey, it's not like he forced me, it was my idea. Yes, I regret it but I regret sleeping with him because of what it caused not the actual sex part. Well, the sex part wasn't that great either, but that's not the point." She looked directly into his eyes trying to make him see what she wanted to say, he looked back at her, searching. He seemed to find whatever he was looking for because he gave her a small smile and said "it would be kind of fun to watch you kick his ass though, teach the kid a lesson."
"Well the day is young," she gestured elaborately around her as they started to walk "I might be able to make that happen before lunch." She smiled sweetly up at him.
"Now Charlotte, play nice, wouldn't want mommy and daddy to be disappointed ."
"Really?" She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, "I'm pretty sure Miles would be cheering me on and my mom would probably throw a party to congratulate me."
He threw his head back and laughed, again. Did I make that happen? Again? He looks so different when he laughs, younger, healthier. Sexier. No, shut up. Not gonna happen.
She hadn't noticed that they had stopped walking and that he was looking at her, eyebrows raised. He had caught her staring but she couldn't make herself look away, instead she looked into his eyes. They seemed darker, completely focused on her, until they trailed down to her lips and quickly back up to her eyes. No, I definitely did not imagine that.
Her heart was in her throat beating like she had just run for her life. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out so she wet her lips to try again, but as her tonge traced the line of her lips she saw his eyes follow it and whatever she might have said was completely forgotten.
He swallowed thickly, she could hear it in the silence. They looked at each other for a moment longer, "we should head back," his face was carefully blank before he turned and headed back the way they came. Trying to hide her disappointment, she resumed her walk back towards the road. But she hadn't imagined it, they had just talked, really talked where he treated her like an adult, not just Miles niece, and if she wasn't completely insane, he had almost kissed her. I am not crazy.
The stream was barely fifteen yards from the road so the walk back was quick and quiet. Lost in thought about what had just happened it took her a moment to notice that Miles and her mother were once again, hand in hand, with Conner now hovering just behind. And that they were all staring at them, though this time there was no amusement in Miles face.
"What's going on?" Miles tone was nonchalant but his eyes were boring into Monroe like he thought if he looked hard enough he could read his mind.
"There's a stream down that way, went to wash up." Monroe's words were simple and to anyone who wasn't Miles Matheson they may have been overlooked. However, Miles being Miles, he stared at his oldest friend for a few unnecessary seconds, eyes narrowed, before nodding. "Lets move. We got a lot of ground to cover." He spared his brother one last suspicious glance before taking off down the road.
As they restarted their hike to wherever the hell they were going Charlie found herself walking next to none other than Monroe. She didn't look at him, just kept him in her peripheral vision, and smiled when he simply held his head high and continued to walk. Chancing a glance in Conner's direction it was hard not to notice the frown he was aiming at his father's back. It was also incredibly hard to hold in the laugh that was threatening to escape her because of his obvious confusion. Monroe looked at her, eyebrow raised while she shook with silent laughter and when she couldn't control it anymore the laughs burst loudly out of her mouth.
Now eveyone was looking at her as though she had lost her mind and that sobered her up quickly. "What?" She looked around at them, "is it against the law to laugh now?"
"No, but five minutes ago you were gonna rip Conner's face off, so what changed?" He was looking suspiciously between her and Monroe.
Charlie opened her mouth to reply but Rachel beat her to it, "leave her alone Miles, so she changed her mind, she's a woman! We're allowed to do that." She set her icy gaze on her lover, daring him to contradict her, but Miles said nothing, just smiled and nodded before continuing on the road again
Charlie frowned at their backs thinking that Rachel had no right to answer for her and that Miles shouldn't let her control him like that, but who was she to say anything. Oh, I'm nobody, just your daughter and your niece. But hey, don't listen to me! But it wasn't worth the fight it would cause to say anything so she kept her mouth shut. Until she heard Conner muttering in the backround.
" 'Changing her mind' is just girl code for mood swings, or otherwise known as a period." Ok, I'm gonna kill him. She turned around and made to grab him when two strong arms wound themselves around her waist.
"He's not worth it," Monroe's words were just a whisper in her ear but she stilled instantly, hanging awkwardly in his arms. He set her down gently but kept his hands on her shoulders to hold her in place while she glared daggers at his son. "Maybe me and Charlie should scout ahead and find a good spot to stop for lunch," he aimed his suggestion and Miles with a significant look on his face.
"Yeah, good idea just don't get to far ahead. Wouldn't want you guys to get into trouble without me there to save your ass." He was using his usual sarcasm but Charlie could tell he knew something was up and that she just needed a break.
"Right, because we haven't saved your ass a thousand times in the last month," but Monroe's words held no real bite. The brothers both knew that for better or worse, most likely worst though, they would always have each others backs no matter what.
Charlie was still fuming about Conner's 'moods swings' remark so she didn't join in on the banter like she normally would have. Instead she gave Miles a small smile and took off down the road at a faster pace, Monroe a half a step behind her.
They had gone barely half a mile, and the others were still well within range, but she knew they couldn't hear her. "You know, for the record, I am NOT on my period."
Somehow Monroe managed to keep his straight face, "I knew that already Charlotte."
She stared at him open mouthed.
"What? Unlike my son I actually pay attention to the women around me. I don't think they only have one use." He looked at her steadily and she understood. Monroe doesn't think that she's only good for sex, he trusts her to have his back and in her mind that was the best thing that had happened all week. She was about to tell him that it was about time she got some recognition for saving his ass when he spoke again. "But I'm sure your very good at everything you do Charlotte." His voice was a low whisper and his eyes were staring openly at her lips, it sent shivers down her spine and brought a blush to her cheeks.
But she held herself in check and looked into his dark blue orbs. "You have no idea what I'm capable of..." She let the words trail slowly off of her tongue and gave him a sexy little grin before taking off back up the road again.
Monroe stood there staring after her for a moment before muttering quietly so she couldn't hear, "no shit."