The people who are there

Written for the lovely Lemonsupreme

1.

Jeremy hears a ring in his ears. His head feels numb. His mind is slowing down in a nice fuzzy way and soothed with many pain killers who are starting to do their job.

There are a couple of stitches in his body. Well, there are a lot of them actually but he had stopped counting them and focuses again on the very pretty doctor in front of him. Maggie Foster, Jeremy had read on her white doctors coat. Apparently, trying to make a good impression while currently staying in a crowded ER with a swollen eye and a shitload of painkillers in his system was not that good of an idea.

'Sit still Mr. Baker,' Doc Foster says. The British accent is not lost on him. He is not going to lie. He might have some steamy doctor fantasies every now and then and that accent is one hell of a nice little touch to that fantasy.

Jeremy grins at her but does what she asks. 'You know you can call me Jeremy.' He tries.

Maggie just laughs with her eyes at her patient tonight but the rest of her face looks concentrated while she keeps on working with focus on his last three stitches. She has to put them right under his eye on his cheek and she wants to get them right. He is very charming but also on his way to be very high on painkillers.

Maggie just wants to get her shift over with and then return to her apartment she rents a little further downtown, so she can catch her two children and see them through their connection through internet and screens of phones and laptops. Being divorced is already rough enough, taking the job that was offered to her here even more. But missing her children, is taking its toll on her. She wishes the economy was better, but jobs like hers are not easily available anymore. So she made a choice. A very hard choice. She looks forward to seeing them at breakfast in the UK on her phone. The time difference is a challenge, but her moments with her children are everything to her. She misses them.

In a while she gets to go home, pour herself a glass of wine and maybe call that one friend later. A friend who has been there since she met him while she was drinking coffee in front of the hospital on her break. She was just about to pour some milk in her coffee when he had accidently bumped into her table. He had apologized. She had smiled, told him it was okay.

He had been here for his kid and one quick coffee lead them slowly into to a friendship that maybe is on its way to more. But there cannot be more. She has seen the pictures of his children. They are amazing and Maggie Foster feels like they should always come first. So she will enjoy her friendship with him, with wine and conversations that keep her strong. But there cannot be more.

When she is done with making sure her last patient of the night is taken care of she pushes the little metallic stool with tiny wheels under it back while she removes her gloves.

Jeremy tries to think of a way to save the whole situation with a wide grin but doc just nods at him.

'Al right, take these...' she gives him more painkillers to take home with him as she starts to give him instructions how to take care of the wounds.

'Take care of yourself Mister Baker.' Maggie says friendly. She moves back the curtain that has been around his bed.

Jeremy salutes her. 'Will do Doc. Thanks.'

Maggie cannot help but throw him a real smile this time before she greets him and walks into the crowd of people that is buzzing in the ER.

And now, he is sitting on a stupid plastic chair. In a stupid hospital. Alone with his thoughts. It had happened again. It had not happened in a very long time. But tonight, anger and grieve spiked again. They are still in his body, although the pain of bruises on his jaw, cheek and one swollen eye keep the worse out. For now.

Jeremy shuts his eyes. It is that one day that comes back every damn year. He had already felt it when he had gotten up this morning. The day had ended here, with him sitting in a hospital room after a fight in front of a bar. A fight he started.

Jeremy sighs, than hisses from the pain of a couple of bruised ribs as he tries to grab his phone from his pocket. He is looking for one name. He does not want to interrupts Bass' evening. He had told them earlier with a proud grin on his stupid face he was getting laid tonight and Jeremy does not want to spoil his best buddies evening. The killer sad puppy eyes he would get from Bass were good for a nice guilt trip.

So his hand moves over the screen of his phone until he finds what he is been looking for. One name.

Miles Matheson.

13 years ago

Jeremy had already been on the filthy wet ground when he had seen the contours of two men at the beginning of the alley. His cheeks and jaws were hurting. Blood was gushing down from his face and now everywhere and moving into his mouth. The haze of too much alcohol he had just conquered in a bar only a block away still in his system. The grieve not far too. But the bruises and pain spreading made that buzz of whiskey and grieve disappear quickly. Giving way to sharp pain.

Not five minutes ago he had watched a tall bald guy spit something in his face when he had walked past his and his buddy. He had already threw them an amused drunken look for even trying to talk like that to him. Next to bald guy stood another smaller guy. Then their eyes had gone to a couple walking behind Jeremy on the sidewalk. They whistled to the girl and said something disrespectful.

And Jeremy had already felt old rage that was born the day he had lost so much building up deep inside of him the moment tall bald guy had opened his mouth. He had not been able to walk away. So he had turned and started what had knocked him of his feet.

And before he knew it, the couple next to him had walked on and he had been on the ground at the beginning of a dark alley. Being beaten and punched. He had fought back. But the two assholes had gotten him on the ground. They were still beating the shit out of him when Jeremy had heard another voice. Then another. It made the two assholes next to him stop.

Bass stood a bit behind Miles. And as Miles' eyes were filled with disgust and the start of rage of what was happening right in front of him in this alley, it had been Bass who had been the one trying to keep everyone calm.

'Miles...Miles,' Bass said, his voice slower than normal, but with more urgency to reach Miles when he watched Miles take another step forward.

But Miles did not listen. He had watched the two assholes that were beating the shit out of the dark blonde man about their own age in front of them, now laying down in the alley.

He was tired of everything that was going on in dark alleys and shadowy corners of this world. Miles stepped in quickly and punched the taller bald guy right in his face. His fist made contact with the guy's jaw. The guy went down and did not open his eyes.

'So what, we are now just walking around the city and knocking guy's unconscious ourselves?' Bass had yelled, shock and disbelieve in his eyes for Miles' fast punch and the way he was interfering with what was going on.

'Someone has to do something, Bass.' Miles said with force in his words. Bu also with a raw layer of pain in his voice.

Bass locked eyes with Miles. He watched pain there that had been there for so long. Ever since they were brothers and Bass had walked home with Miles after school through the streets of Jasper, he knew that things at Miles' place were not what they were at his.

His own dad, fair, decent and with a good heart and with gentle hands and a strong jaw line had meant home. Always. But Bass had always felt the shift in Miles when Bass watched him walking into the front door of his own home. Miles' father drank. A lot. He tried to be a father. But the drinking had taken its toll on him. And that, had taken its toll on Miles. Bass had watched Miles with his father. Miles' dark brown eyes filled with too much helplessness.

Miles had been there for his mom, as he had taken over too many tasks that belonged to a parent. It had left traces of anger and deep hurt in his brother and changed the way he was and looked at the world for good.

Bass hands were already on his way to grab his phone and call the police when he was not letting Miles go with his eyes. 'I'm calling the cops.'

Tall bald guy's friend stepped slowly to the left.

'Oh, you are not going anywhere.' Miles said. Even when beaten up, Jeremy picked on an easy sarcasm.

The guy next to the taller bald one looked like he was going to wet himself. He was not moving anymore, just looking at Bass and then back to Miles with wild eyes.

The police arrived quickly. Both men were arrested and taken away from the alley. Bass and Miles had helped Jeremy up slowly. Both men supporting him. Bass had slowly moved his arm around his neck. It had been the beginning of their friendship.

And now, Jeremy sits on a stupid plastic chair. History had repeated itself. It is late. His head hurts. He remembers Miles' necklace hovering right over him, on that day. In that alley. He remembers Miles asking him if he was all right. He remembers thanking him for saving his life.

He presses the phone to his ear and let out a grunt of pain. 'Pick up man, come on.'

Someone does pick up. But it is not Miles.

'Hey Miles, it's me man.' Jeremy starts.

'This is Charlie.'

Jeremy stars to grin slightly, cursing through his pain for even think about grinning.

'Charlie Matheson. Niece of Miles Matheson himself and damn founding father of the drunken Christmas reindeer game?' Jeremy asks with a grin in his words

'Yeah, that would be me.' Charlie's smirk is radiating through the phone. Jeremy can feel her strength and warmth through the phone.

'Look kid, I am in some kind of trouble. Kind of landed my ass in the hospital and need somebody to pick me up...' Jeremy starts. 'Is your uncle around?'

He pretends he does not hear her snort when he had reached the I am in some kind of trouble part.

'Miles forgot his phone before he got to work this evening. He is at the bar now.' Charlie answers.

Jeremy curses, Miles hates his phone. He leaves it behind at the same rate woman leave their underwear behind in Bass' apartment.

'Listen ..' Jeremy can hear her hesitate as he is picturing her looking at the screen to catch his name, '...Jeremy it is right? ' She does not even wait for him to answer. 'Just tell me where you are and I will come and pick you up.'

He has just enough time to tell her which hospital he is in before she has already hung up on him and he looks kind of sheepishly in front of him.

'Well, that is going to be interesting.'

When Charlie finds the right hospital room after following the directions she got from a nurse at the nurse station, her eyes fall on him first. He is sitting with his back a bit towards her in the small ER room.

Bass Monroe. Bass. Miles' best friend, brother and partner in many crimes involving woman and whiskey.

She has not seen him in years. He is busy with work, Miles is busy too. The last time she has seen him she was still a teenager. Last years have been busy ones for her too with college, life and family still waiting for her next to that college and taking care of and making sure her family keeps it all together. She is trying and starting a life for herself. Life has not been easy, but Charlie is too stubborn to not make it work. She always finds a way.

Bass sits on chair not far from Jeremy. Jeans, boots, simple shirt. He does not need more, Charlie decides with a grin. He has a phone in his hand and he looks up, with his thoughts still with his phone. But then his eyes disconnect from the screen again as he sees her and recognises her.

Before Bass can open his damn mouth, Jeremy, the asshole, is taking all the attention away from him. He is torn between the girl that is grabbing his attention in the room fast, and the one girl he can honestly say he does not remember her last name from. He does know she is 22 and kind of not shy. But she fades with Charlie in the room.

'Charlie..' Jeremy says with a surprised grin on his face. As he is looking at the woman walking in to the ER room he is currently in. Jeans, simple tank, blue eyes and that wide Miles Matheson grin plastered around her face. Oh, this one is Matheson and all grown up, he thinks to himself.

Bass looks at Jeremy, as he watches the grin on his face. And he does not like the way he is looking at Charlie. Jeremy just grins at him smugly to piss him of while Bass looks at him behind Charlie's back with a pissed hint of blue in his eyes.

'And you must be Jeremy...' She laughs. And walks to both men. Bass is still looking at her and Charlie can feel his eyes now on her.

'Ah, so you have already found some help to get you home?' Charlie grins to Bass.

'Yeah, the nurses found my number in his phone,' Bass says before Jeremy can talk to her, throwing her blue eyes and a wide grin.

Charlie cannot look away from him. There is something about the way he pronounces the words nurses with a playful grin that catches her attention. It is a rough edged flirtatious play with his voice and words.

But then he gets up and walks over to her, giving her a fast hug. And he is Bass again, the Bass she remembers and likes so very much.

'Good to see you Bass,' Charlie says into his neck.

Bass feels her against him. They have hugged many times like this, but now, things are different. She is different. Older, grown up. With eyes that hold her Charlie lightness but also carry much more, a kind of slow worry that he does not like to see there.

'Good to see you too, kid.' He mutters into her hair.

Charlie tenses up at the word kid, and Bass feels her muscles tense under his hug. But then the moment is over. Charlie steps away, looks at Jeremy as Bass' phone starts to beep again. He grabs the phone and looks away from Charlie with regret. Throws Jeremy another dirty look for looking again at Charlie. This time, Charlie does not miss the swing and shift in both Bass' mood and eyes that come and go quickly.

Jeremy grins at Bass and then shakes his head, before turning his attention back on Charlie.

'Forget he is even here Charlie,' Jeremy's starts, getting up from the chair in the small ER room. 'He is just a bit pissed at me of interfering with his plans in the getting laid department.'

Now Bass' eyes really shoot steel thunder at Jeremy. Charlie rolls her eyes at all the men banter and she decides to step in.

'All right, let's get you home.' Charlie says firmly. She looks from Jeremy to Bass, unsure for a second how to take care of everything.

'Yeah, that would be in your car, Charlotte, I walked over here.' Bass replies quickly as he scratches the back of his head. There is a hint of something raw in his voice when he gives her the once over with blue eyes and he calls her Charlotte.

She feels pissed fast. No one calls her that. Not anymore. Bass used to call her that once or maybe a couple of times more and a long time ago, when she was ready to be a princess and take the world by storm in ballerina shoes.

But she is not that girl anymore and it is Charlie now. Charlie Matheson. She always liked Bass, but right now she thinks he is an asshole.

She throws him a fast Matheson smirk in his face and Bass thinks she might be about to hell him to go to hell. She doesn't. She does turn her attention back to Jeremy who is grinning now at Bass from getting so much attention from such a lovely girl.

Bass rolls his eyes and walks behind and catches up with Charlie and Jeremy. Jeremy finds himself between a Matheson and Monroe once again, as they slowly walk out of the ER into the Philly night and

Bass has been finally able to reach Miles at the bar. The place sounds crowded and Miles has to raise his voice to reach over the people there drinking and talking over loud music. Bass can just imagine his friend behind the bar, before the many bottles of booze and with the phone pressed against his ear. Miles curses as Bass tells him what happened. Then it is silent at the other side of the line Bass hears Miles think.

'Is the moron all right?' Miles wants to know. Not being able to keep worry out his voice.

Bass looks at a Jeremy playing the role of the poor wounded guy and Charlie helping him to his bed.

'He will be fine.' Bass informs Miles with gritted teeth and a lock of his jaw as he watches Charlie taking care of Jeremy. 'Got to go man.'

Charlie grabs some pillows and puts them under his head as she helps Jeremy lay back in his bed. She is rolling his eyes at him as Bass is walking into the room.

Bass cannot believe how Baker is fucking playing this.

'You know, you are enjoying this a little bit too much.' She says to Jeremy with a firm voice.

'She is not wrong there.' Bass adds, pressing his lips together and watching Charlie taking care of his best buddy.

'Miles just promised to check on you first thing in the morning when he is done closing up the bar.' Bass reports back.

'So, phone, painkillers, water.' Charlie sums up.

'A kiss goodnight?' Jeremy tries.

'Another punch in the face and Miles killing you?' She asks with a sugar sweet voice.

Jeremy decides to keep quiet as Bass snorts now behind her. Charlie misses two things as she adjusts the glass of water on his nightstand. Bass rolling his eyes and the flash of the start of some good old fashioned jealousy on his face at Jeremy's words. Jeremy doesn't. They all can really mess around, him, Bass and Miles. But it is an honour code to not mess with the girls you know the other likes.

And then Jeremy locks eyes with one of his oldest friends. And he gives Bass an understanding nod. Because even through the mess that is tonight and the painkillers Jeremy can see that Bass feels something for this Matheson girl.

Charlie walks back to her car. Bass follows her. Knowing Jeremy is safe at home and Miles only a couple of hours away from checking up on him and Jeremy's bark to get out they had left his home moments ago. Telling him he should call if he needed anything. Charlie offered Bass a ride home when they traded Jeremy's palce for the steps down right in front of his appartment.

She starts the engine. Bass is sitting next to her as some good old AC/DC is on the radio. He cannot hide the grin on his face at hearing the first words of highway to hell and many memories rush back. So, Charlie does know her music. He smiles as he looks at her in between texting some girl back. His thumbs rush over the screen with experienced movements.

A Mini Miles indeed.

'So, got any plans?' Bass turns his head towards her when he just sends another message to a girl he is not that interested in anymore.

'Well, I was about to find myself a good drink after a long day but then your buddy called and kind of prevented from me actually getting to that drink.' She smiles at him.

He scans her face with his eyes. Charlie wishes he didn't. It reaches all the way through her. When Sebastian Monroe looks at you, he really looks at you

'You?' She says with a smile in her eyes, now focussed back on the road.

'Well, I think my chances with this girl are pretty down to zero after I kind of stood her up.' Bass grins, his honest answer not surprising Charlie.

Bass is a kind of a womanizing drunk as her mom had once said. But Charlie disagrees with Rachel, like she disagrees with her mom about mostly anything.

Bass, he is all right. Honest, kind, a good heart. Bass does have fun, as he enjoys his time with the many ladies that have been there. But she has never seen him treating a woman like he shouldn't. He is respectful and never makes you feel his attention is not all on you. So why not enjoy life and have some fun? Life is short, Charlie knows that.

'Jeremy kind of ruined your date there?'

Bass grins at her being so open. This is a whole new field they are playing on with this grown up, smart mouth, all kinds of good strong woman that Charlie is, sitting next to him in her car.

'Well...date...' his voice sighs in a deep rumble with a grin in his words, 'so far, we were in the middle discussing her black little dress.'

Charlie laughs out loud. 'Oh I see...' She makes a right.

'You know, I can make you that drink myself?' Bass tries. Then curses at himself. There is no way in hell this is going to work.

Bu then she surprises him.

She is watching the road. Then she is watching him again with blue eyes and a smile that do already way too fucking much to him.

It is late, and it is just them on the road. Her family far away, the shit he is facing every day shoved back by her eyes and daring smile when Charlie answers him.

'So, where is that place of yours you can make me that drink?'

The drink that he is going to pour for her into a small whiskey glass, comes from a bottle on a small table in his living room. Charlie watches him throw his keys on a table in the hallway and then walk over to that small table. She watches him poor the whiskey into the glass with a steady hand. She feels his eyes on her. Curious and burning blue.

Something on her left catches her attention. His home does something to her. It is sturdy but yet warm and welcoming. She realises quickly it is so much like Bass.

There is a large strong looking wooden desk in the middle of the room on her left. It is impossible to not see it. It is demanding her attentio, just like Bass can. Drawing her eyes to that part of his home. The wood of the desktop belonging to the desk is deep brown and filled with maps.

Bass walks over to her as he cannot look away from her. He takes slow steps and hands her over a glass filled with liquid amber whiskey. She looks up from the maps in front of her and locks eyes with Bass in a slow way. Both of them taking their time and feeling the effect of the strength of their eyes pulling the other in for the very first time.

Her fingers wrap themselves around her glass and she starts sipping it. Bass has seen a lot of things, but a Charlie with whiskey in her hand and her lips slowly touching the glass when she is appreciating the whiskey like a true Matheson in his damn apartment, makes something stir deep inside of him.

Charlie's hand move around the glass as she looks back to the table.

'So, what is this?' She asks, drinking her whiskey. She feels him so close now, right behind her and a bit next to her. If she would lean back she could feel his chest. It is an inviting thought that is crashing in. And she is curious, so curious all of a sudden what it will be like. Him.

'Work,' He answers shortly, his voice too close to her ear. She can scent the whiskey on his breath now he is drinking his whiskey and they are standing here in his living room so very closely.

'I organize all sorts of training events and workshops about survival techniques and teambuilding with Jeremy. Mostly for companies.'

He moves closer and moves his arm and hand over to one map on the table. His body is still behind her but his arm is moving past her left arm and left breast. And Charlie takes, needs to take, another sip of her whiskey. She is now standing in the nook of his tall body.

Bass points at the map, his fingertip she cannot look away from, touching the paper.

'We think about this part of the area here...' his breathe is now against her ear, '...and here for our next gig.' He moves his finger over the map. Charlie watches the military precision with how he is moving his finger over the map.

Bass is fucking aware of Charlie so damn close. He talks about his company and is drinking his whiskey but all he can do is feel a shiver moving through Charlie's back. Fuck, this is going fast into all kinds of direction that makes it impossible to keep his dick under control.

Charlie leans in closer to his chest, just to see what would happen. She listens to Bass. There is something about Bass standing next to the desk and talking about a new training, the location and his work with a strong and in control tone of his voice that is pulling her in. Making her lean in closer just to see what happens. What he will do. What she will do next.

His voice is so in control and low and rough that it is turning her on. It should not turn her on. But this side of Bass, his territory, his field of expertise and standing next to his desk and his maps, turn her into liquid desire.

So she listens, her back towards hard muscles that make her almost gasp. He is wide, and tall and so hard. Defined with muscles under his tanned skin. She watches his arm, the Monroe tattoo on his forearm. His arm looks strong and she likes the tattoo there, black ink on smooth skin. She almost craves to touch his arm.

She moves her eyes from the tattoo to the v of his shirt and then meets his eyes. Bass takes another sip from his whiskey and she cannot look away from his lips touching the glass.

Bass sees her and he craves to taste Charlie like whiskey.

When she follows the scruff of his beard with her eyes he dives in. He moves slowly, taking her mouth, playing with their distance as he lets Charlie come to him. His free hand moves to cup her cheek. The kiss is slow and deepens with every second that passes.

Until the fire, just like the slow burning fire in whiskey, is too much. Charlie tastes him. A sweet colliding of Bass, whiskey and the hint of manly strength on his tongue.

She leans in, this time against his chest. Bass puts his whiskey on the table with a slow determined pace and then puts her whiskey on the table as well and takes control of their next step. Just like the control she just heard in his voice.

He moves his large hand on her lower back. Pulling her in for another kiss. It moves into frantic touching and exploring. Bass guides her completely into his arm as Charlie moans into his neck. She needs to feel more of him, everywhere, her body now screaming with lust for him. She cannot stop it.

Neither does Bass. Neither of them want to stop this. It is dark outside and in his living room, only a couple of lamps glowing in corners around them and there are two glasses of whiskey on the table right next to now forgotten maps.

Charlie kisses him, touches him, lets Bass take control again when he moves back into the large chair behind his desk. Taking her with him. She ends up sitting on his lap. His wide thighs under her, his hand roaming her body. Moving under her top and freeing her breast from her tank just enough to suck on them.

His cock twitches with the sight of her tits flowing over the fabric of her tank and the taste of her skin, the feel of perfect tits against his scruff and jaw.

The moment she feels Bass hard between her thighs and realises how much strength radiates from the anticipation of his hardness waiting for her, she cannot control herself anymore.

Bass has just enough time to grin smugly at her wanting him so fucking much before she whips that grin right of his face by opening the button of his pants. She frees his cock and works her magic over the head of his hard dick. This time, Bass shuts his eyes and groans. Before he remembers again that Charlie is in his lap and he needs to see her. All of her.

When they are in, they are in. They both realise it at the same time. It is how they live their lives, how they fight for the people who are there and mean the damn world to them.

It is also how they want to take the other, hold the other and find release with the other. Charlie wriggles out of her pants as Bass' eager hands help her out of her jeans enough so he can place her over his cock. Charlie braces herself with her hands on his chest as Bass fills her.

'God...' She moans deeply as she fills the room with her deep moan.

Bass has to push his tongue between his teeth before he cups her cheeks with both of his hands. Demanding and needing all of her. Then he pulls her in for a kiss. Their kisses become wet, just like the wet heat between their bodies and Charlie's belly touching his stomach when he is fucking deep inside of her. They move, they grunt, they sweat. Two glasses on the desk next to them forgotten as they move as one on their way to shattering release.

Dear Lemon, I hope you liked this start in this first chapter. It started with a small idea but it is going to be a longer story now. With more back story, with more from Jeremy and more from his character. With Charloe and a lot of story for Jeremy, Miles, Charlie and Bass as the story moves them in time. Together with other characters and things waiting to happen there for them. Thanks for reading everyone. Feedback or a review is alwaysso ver welcome. Love from Love