Major Charlotte Powell Status: Military Officer Captain Station: Chicago QZ + adventurous, incorruptible, intuitive - insubordinate, difficult, insulting. “Duty, Honor, Country” -U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Charlie storms from the building. She can’t look back and she is on a war path. For the first time in the two years she has been there Charlie feels trapped inside the walls of the QZ. It feels to small, much to small and Charlie again feels like she can breathe and the only thing she wants is to get outside of these walls.
In a stupid angry haze she starts heading to the gate. He was so calm in there. So calm she he ripped her last bit of hope away from her. She held onto the idea that her father was still alive that now with out that here, Charlie feels like she has nothing. If her father, her biggest hero and the man she believes could do anything, couldn’t survive a month into this new world how the hell could she make it this far?
Still, Daniel had been so calm. There was very little reaction to her telling him off and screaming in there. Charlie is petty and childish and above everything she is insubordinate. She had been in good behavior lately. She thought, hoped maybe, there was something there between her and Daniel that she tried to be a bit more on the behaved side. Now she wants to make him mad. To piss him off at least a little bit of how mad she was. One way to do that, break his rules.
Charlie makes it to the wall by the time she is able to hold back any more tears. She is just pissed now. Filled with anger and when Morgan is sitting on the wall with a few others and he gives her a dirty look for him not getting promoted tonight Charlie is done. “Open the gate.” The words are just as cold as her’s to Daniel earlier and it is clear she is not playing games.
“It’s to late and you can’t go out on your own.”
He looks so smug, so happy to be telling her no when Morgan answers. Charlie crosses her arms and glares at him and if looks could kill he would be falling from the tower right now. “I am a fucking Major, your commanding officer and I know how pissed you are for not getting promoted tonight how would you like to receive a demotion instead for insubordination because I can make that happen. Open the gate because you won’t like it if I have to come up there and do it myself.”
Charlie can hear whispers from the other two, comments about maybe going to get someone. But Morgan shrugs clearly not caring and also a bit scared she might demote him on the spot and he does it. The gate opens and Charlie takes off into the night.
It closes tight behind her and Charlie looks back up at the tower to see one of the three faces disappear. She has a feeling they are running straight to Daniel or anyone right now. Reporting the way she acted and the fact that she left. She knows the other two are watching her. Morgan because be is an ass and the other is more then likely been told to see what direction she moves in when the third comes back. Charlie doesn’t care. She can move fast enough to get away and she wants Daniel to know that she is out here. That she doesn’t care what he says or about his rules. She wants him mad and to know how mad she is.
She takes off to the left and around the wall to the west. It’s a path taken many times before on patrols and even in the dark Charlie can find her way. She waits until she is farther out to turn on the flashlight attached to the shoulder of her bag. She was glad that she takes it everywhere with most of her gear and didn’t have to be out here with out anything.
Moving from one place to the next Charlie keeps heading in the same general direction for almost an hour. There are a few small groups of runners but they are easy to avoid. When Charlie does run into one on it’s own she takes the chance to get a bit of her anger out as she sneaks up on it and wraps her arm around it’s neck until it stops moving.
It doesn’t help. More so makes Charlie freaked out and put in the gas mask around her neck even if there isn’t a single spore in sight. She can’t stand being that close to infected. For a second she kicked herself wondering why in the hell she thought that would help before moving on. She travels longer. The walking helping her cool off the anger until she is left with nothing but complete sorrow and grief over the lost of her parents. Even if it happened years ago it feels like it happened seconds ago to her. She holds it together, swearing she won’t break down out here and keeps moving. She walks for almost an hour when she sees a bigger group of infected ahead.
Charlie makes her way around the side of an old car. The windows have long been broken out. There are only three of them standing there in a close group and Charlie would much rather keep going this way instead of having to make a path around them. She places the back beside her, reaching in and grabbing out the molotov she brought from Victor so long ago. Lighting the end she aims. It hits the around at the feet of the closest one and the other two are stupid enough to run right into the flames.
It’s a loud smash and even if the flames don’t last long they are bright. Charlie puts the bag back onto her shoulder and moves forward. She’s not the only one this time. After the other side of the infected a group of three people walk out and up to the scorched bodies. Charlie ties to back up but they are too close and notice her before she can. It is clear from the looks of them they are not people from inside who sneak out.
“Hey look at the uniform. You far from home aren’t you?”
“Bet she has a lot of supplies on her. Military always got all the good.”
Charlie takes a step back, hand on her revolver when they rush her. She turns trying to out run them but they are too close. “Just give us your bag and you’ll be free to go.” Charlie doesn’t listen thought. Instead she pauses, aiming the revolver at one of their shoulders and shots. It’s a warning shot. It won’t kill him for certain, but when Charlie expects it to stop them and it doesn’t. “She fuckin’ shot him.”
The hand grabs the back of her head and she is pulled to the ground. To much rubble. Charlie’s head smashed the ground and stars start to flash before everything gives a little dark then slightly more and more. “Take her shit and lets go.”
Sam smiles and lets out a small laugh, “I want to thank you again, for fighting for me. It’s not something that happens often but I’ve been lucky with CO’s and I’m glad to say you’re a friend too. I’m just, thank you.” She doesn’t really meet Charlie’s eyes when she speaks, focusing on the road ahead of them, vigilant and aware but she really wants Charlie to know how much it means to her that she wouldn’t back down.
When they get close to the store, and Charlie pulls out her gun, Sam follows and pulls her pistol out of it’s holster. “One can never be too careful these days. Laughing she lets Charlie take the lead, as the approach the store, “I’m sure we’ll find something, some of the sugar only stuff has to still be good.”
“Shhh.” Charlie pushed off the thanks. “Captain Donovan,” she really just enjoyed saying that “you deserved this. You worked your ass off for this. You are the one who pushed and fought for it. I just was so lucky to have you in my platoon and have a super loud and stubborn mouth.”
Charlie pauses wanting to pull Sam into a hug but she doesn’t at this time. They are on a mission and Sam know how much she means to her. She be lost with out her friend. She pushed for Sam even knowing that might mean Sam getting moved somewhere outside the zone. But she knew that much that Sam deserved this.
“It better be.” At first glance the building is clear. Charlie looks through the broken areas where windows use to be before pulling the door open. She crosses her fingers it is still clear or if it isn’t it is just runners.
But now it’s time to come clean. She’ll be angry with him, for however long that she needs to be, and then maybe they’ll discuss it. Or maybe she’ll tell him to fuck off and never speak to him again. Either way Daniel stands by his actions, for better or for worse. He can’t imagine what it must feel like, to read those words almost two years later. To have even the tiniest shred of hope be ripped from your chest.
Daniel’s hope was gone very early. His parents were frail, older. They didn’t last a week into the apocalypse. Daniel didn’t really have time to grieve though. Everyone lost family, lost lovers, hell, even some people lost children. He could resign himself with the fact that they lived long, happy lives before the infection hit. Not everyone had that luxury. Now, he’s the one taking it from Charlotte, and he feels awful. Her words hit him like punches, strikes to the chest one after another fueled by anger. He doesn’t attempt to block or soothe her, no. He’s brought this on himself and these are now the consequences.
“Your father and I were stationed together for the first month of the actual outbreak. Before the news cameras came in and the world went to hell in a hand basket. Same unit, part one one of my platoons. There was a breach in D.C. We lost hundreds of civilians and officers that day. I circled back to his office, but he was gone. The letter was on his desk.”
Everything he says it just makes her more angry. There really isn’t anything he could say that wouldn’t now. The dropping feeling in her stomach as she reads over the letter again and again. Each time she is closer and closer to having the dams holding back the tears break and the last thing she wants to do is cry in front of him right now.
“You have had this for two years and decided to hide it from me? How fucking dare you. I thought.” Charlie cuts off mid sentence. While they hadn’t spoke about anything that had happened there was something there. And even with that Daniel has spend this whole time lying to her and it hurts just as much as losing the hope of her parents still being a live. She thought she could trust him.
“You had no right.” She turns bolting at the chance she gets to unsure where she is going to go but if she stayed there much longer that promotion would be out of the window.
Daniel isn’t expecting a nice, calm reaction, but Charlie manages to catch him off-guard. The look on her face shows that Charlotte knows exactly who the letter is from. Daniel delivers it with a heavy heart, but he delivers it nonetheless. It’s what her father would have wanted.
Her anger crashes over him like a wave and Daniel almost takes a step back as it hits him. Charlotte’s voice is loud and angry, and Daniel shoots a look around the room. No one would dare report Powell since she’s talking with Daniel, directly, but the interaction is still slightly uncomfortable. The look Daniel shoots the remaining soldiers in the room is enough to clear them out, and Daniel clears his throat again before answering her.
“A while.” His voice is quiet, like he knows he’s done something wrong. Daniel had been stationed with Charlotte’s father twice. Once, very early in his career, and again, at the recall back to Washington D.C. The second time, they ate together, as equals, and Daniel knew about Captain Charlotte Powell well before he met her. The most important information he got out of some of those late nights was that he was worried about her, about whether she was ready to deal with war, either war. Daniel sensed his hesitation over well aged bourbon, and when he circled back to Powell’s room to find him, the letter was still on his table.
“I didn’t think you were ready for it. Now, you are.”
A while. He has had it for a while. Charlie knew that was going to be the answer but it still hurts. He has been carrying this around for how long? A month, two, a year? Maybe he has had it since before the outbreak? The last option sounds the most correct and that makes her even more mad. He knew. He knew how much she still held onto the hope that her father was alive and well somewhere.
Still he kept this from her. He thought it was okay to not give it to her. He didn’t think she was ready for it. Those words sting. A lot. Charlie clenches tight fist to her side. “You didn’t think I was ready?” Charlie is trying to hold back but it doesn’t happen.
“Who the fuck do you think you are to know when I am ready or not? Who the fuck?” Charlie is a bit to loud. She has no clue if there is anyone still there or if they have ran scared or if they are just starring. All Charlie’s attention is on Daniel right now and that isn’t a good thing. “You have no fucking right. No right at all.”
She can’t help it. Despite being pissed enough to want to deck Daniel, Charlie can feel tears falling now. This letter is the last thing from her father. A note that pretty much states that he is dead now. “Did you read this? Did he give you this?"
Sam laughs, and it’s deep and real and full. She feels a weight go off of her at Charlie’s repetition. And she laughs and gives Charlie a light shove. When she mentions paperwork Sam thinks about how now, all that work Charlie used to do will be hers, and Charlie’s going to be off to something new, something more. The wall is Sam’s now, it’ll still be Charlie’s but it’s going to be under her care now.
Her laughter dies and she watches Charlie for a moment, “I’ll take care of her for you, she’ll be as strong as ever.” She’ll knock her people into shape if she has too, this wall will never break even if she has to fight forever for it. Sam hopes the other’s in the unit can accept her as the new Captain, she’s younger and the promotion does come earlier than it would had the outbreak not happened. But if there’s one thing Sam can do is keep them in line, she’ll make them fight for the wall as much as she will.
“You damn well better.” Charlie pushes back slightly with a laugh. “Of course you will. I have no doubt in that. You are the only person I trust with her.” Charlie looks over at Sam with a much softer smile. It isn’t filled with the excitement as before. She smiles at Sam like the girl is her best friend and she trust her with everything, and she does. “That why I fought for you. You are the best and most trust worthy person for the job.”
Charlie was so distracted in their talking that she didn’t notice that the old store was less then a block away from them now. The place doesn’t look much different from the last time they walked by it on almost every patrol outside. Charlie still slows at bit. Just because it was emptied out before she still needs to keep her excitement down to be able to pay full attention to this. Still there might be candy in there and Charlie smiles as she pulls out her revolver.
“To bring down the mood just slightly, we should probably keep an eye out while here.” Charlie smiles. “And of course grab all candy and unexpired junk food you can find.”
Sam laughs at Charlie’s excitement, it makes Sam even more excited because they’ve been promoted. They’re Major and Captain now and Sam can’t stop the smile from growing on her face. “Any kind of sugar is good.” She was never a big sugar person, Sam’s always been more into eating salty things but Erin was always wanting something sweet, and for a moment Sam thinks about how proud Erin would be right now. To hear she was promoted. It sends an ache down her heart.
Shaking the memory from her head she turns her attention back to Charlie, “today feels pretty great, and I’m probably never going to get tired of hearing that name.” If all this hadn’t happened, she imagines she’d never have been promoted. Her father never seemed that supportive of her promotions, especially when her brothers never got the same ones she did. Many told her she was on the fast track, and her father would get a look on his face, as if it hurt him to hear she was doing well.
“I think the better question is how does it feel to be a Major now?”
Charlie smiles at the challenge. “Are you sure Captain Donovan? Because Captain Donovan I am pretty sure I can say Captain Donovan a lot, Captain Donovan. Captain Donovan is a name I could never get tired of saying. That is for sure.” She pauses for a second just because she can’t help but laugh. Through the laugh she still manages to say “Captain Donovan” one last time.
It really did have a great ring too it. Major Powell and Captain Donovan. Charlie enjoyed the sound of both names. They sound important. And of course they were. Even now, in the middle of having fun outside the zone Charlie still didn’t doubt her first though of how it should be Sam to get promoted. The thought was even more clear when Daniel told her the person was going to be taking her position. Sam was the best person for that.
“I am dying under the weight of paperwork that for once I can’t at least make interesting by drawing on the side of it but I guess if you minus that fact it might be the greatest feeling I have had in a while.”
“It’s a letter, Major. For you.” Daniel clears his throat. He’s not sure what Charlotte’s reaction is going to be, which is a little unsettling. The letter is from her father. Daniel hadn’t actually seen him, after the infected breach. He has no clue of what happened to him, but he knows if he was still alive out there, he’d have made contact. It’s been almost two years, and Powell has to know that he’s dead. Being faced with the last letter he had ever written her, however is something else.
Daniel can still remember the day. It started just like any other day. It’s funny how life-changing days aren’t marked by something else, something bright and flashy. Daniel was doing his routine paperwork, just like normal. He was on his way to officer mess, bright and early for lunch, when the alarm bells went off. Daniel rushed around, trying to make sure the building was vacated, and gathered to the spot. He doesn’t remember when or why the papers made their way into his belongings, but the base nearly fell and it was a wake up call for all them.
He tries very hard to meet her eyes, but it’s a big struggle. The smile drops off her face, and Daniel feels awful for possibly ruining her night.
Charlie stares at the paper like it is some sort of monster. Like Daniel is holding a clicker in his hand out to her and it is going to bite her if she reaches for it. She knows it is a letter. Well, she at least knows that is her father’s hand writing on the front of it. She has so many questions.
But the one that sticks is when. When did Daniel get this letter? She doesn’t ask it out loud, not yet. A small piece of hope lights up and Charlie wonders if it it just dumb luck that her father has been found and has been able to contact her with her getting the letter on the day of her promotion. A small piece of hope that this is saying he is still alive somewhere. It’s what she has to hold on to to make herself reach out of the letter because the other options are much worse and Charlie doesn’t know if she can handle that.
She goes back and forth from looking at him to the paper before finally reaching out of it. Then she just stares at the writing. The small blocky letters. He use to always make fun of what shit her hand writing was. No where near as neat at his. It takes a bit for her to open it up, then a bit longer for her to get past the first word.
The letter is clearly old. The stains on the paper are far more older then if it had just been mailed a few days ago like she had hoped. In spots the ink is faded and Charlie has to read slowly to know what it is saying. But what it is saying is clear and Charlie is finding it really hard to breathe. The letter is clearly written as her father knew he wasn’t going to be making it and Charlie’s heart is in her throat and she feels like she could easily hurl on Daniel’s shoes.
Daniel. Charlie snaps her attention. Watery eyes locking with his and she is pissed. This letter is old. Very old. “How long have you had this?” He doesn’t answer fast enough and Charlie’s voice raises, anger clear in the tone as she bites back tears and the rage that is starting to burn in her stomach. “How fucking long have you had this? Where the fuck did you get it at?”
She’s to loud and this is not how a major should be talking to their commanding officer. But he is more then that. Daniel is more then that and Charlie remembers that and it makes her even more pissed off as she stands waiting for an answer, none of which will be the right one, or the more so, the one she wants.
It’s a very proud day. They start with the enlisted men, and then the junior officers. Charlotte’s promotion is one of the last ones, and by the time she stands in front of Daniel, there’s a proud smile glued to his face. The ceremony goes over nice and easy, and the shine in everyone’s eyes makes Daniel feel like he’s accomplished something big. The infected might still be there, and humanity might be slowly suffering, but this kind of morale boost was sorely needed.
It doesn’t make what Daniel has to do next any easier. The letter feels heavy in his chest pocket, like Daniel could bow over at any time. He waits off to the side, letting everyone have their minor celebration. Daniel’s sure dozens of codes will be broken tonight, but he doesn’t have the heart to try to stop them. As long as everything is confined to the military quarters, let them celebrate.
“Charlotte, do you have a minute?” Daniel asks as Charlie finally breaks from the crowd. He keeps the smile light on his face as she approaches, curious, and reaches for the papers he’s been holding on to for far too long. It’s time now, he thinks, as he hands them over to her.
“It seemed like the appropriate time to deliver these.”
Charlie can’t help but smile and yell a bit to loud as members of her platoon get called forward and get promoted. While most the time she acts as she could she can’t help but yell and clap a bit to loud as Baker and Sam’s name get called out and they move up in ranks.
The smile grows as Charlie moves closer and soon she is standing in front of Daniel herself slightly blushing as she looks at him. It’s strange to have something feel so normal in the middle of the outbreak. But this does. It feels like the world isn’t going to shit outside and that there isn’t a high chance of each of them dying every day. Charlie soaks it in, the feeling of normality, wishing it could always be this way.
Once the actually ceremony is over Charlie is with the group. Cheering for each other and giving congratulations all around. Most plan to go get drunk in the bunks, the safer bet, but Charlie makes her plans with Baker and Sam to go give Ray a visit later that night. They deserve it. Tomorrow everything will be back to normal and tonight, tonight they all deserve to let loose.
She almost doesn’t notice Daniel as she passes, caught up in her conversation with Greene she parts way when she hears her name. He looks serious, too serious for Charlie right now and it makes her smile falter just slightly.
Raising an eye brow she looks at the papers he hands out to her. Her name written on the outside of the papers he is handing out has an all to familiar look to it. For a second Charlie can’t breathe and her smile completely falls. “What is that?”
Sam catches the red of Charlie’s face before she turns away from her but Sam chooses to ignore it. Charlie’s business is her own, and Sam’s not one to pry, if Charlie ever wants to talk she knows Sam’s there for her. She smiles at the mention of their new ranks and lets a laugh fall from her mouth, “I would be up for anything Powell, I’m sure we can do what we like to an extent.”
At the mention of her shift Sam smiles and nods, she’s got quite a few hours until she needs to be on patrol, and it wouldn’t hurt to stretch her legs a little bit. She follows Charlie, letting her take the lead. Shrugging her shoulders at the mention of an expiration date. “I wouldn’t know anything about that, quite a bit of it probably. We could get lucky.”
Expiration date or not, Sam’s glad to go out for a bit with Charlie, get some fresh air and get outside the wall for a little while.
“What are you talking about? To an extent? There is no extent, we can do anything!” Charlie knows that is in fact completely and totally wrong but what the hell. She is excited. Completely and totally over the moon happy and even knowing that they can’t exactly do anything they way, the sure as hell have the power to walk out of that QZ and good look for chocolate.
And they do. They walk right out and start moving through what was once the downtown streets of Atlanta. Charlie clearly pouts at the idea of having to deal with expiration dates. It is a downside that most will be but Charlie honestly doesn’t care but more so just can’t get by with out being over dramatic on everything.
“Well if we can’t get cholocate any candy will do I guess.” She draws the word out as they move. Charlie is almost certain there is what was once an old convenience store not to far out. It had of course been searched for anything useful and cleared out a while back. Charlie hopes it is still clear and that no one else got candy cravings since the outbreak.
Turning to Sam as they walk Charlie smiles happy to be spending time with Sam and not have to worry about saying things were others can hear inside the wall. “So how does it feel Captain Donovan?”
Sam isn’t sure where she’s going but she just wants to get around a little bit before she needs to start her patrol. Promotions are just around the corner and Sam can’t help but feel a little giddy at the idea that soon she’s going to be a Captain, and Charlie is going to become a Major. She liked when people noticed how hard she works, but she liked it even more when her friends are recognized for their hard work.
She had no real plan to buy anything in the Market but it never hurt to look around, and when she spotted Charlie she thought why not see what her friend was doing. This week was a good one for the both of them and Sam wanted to talk someone who was feeling the same joy she was.
She saw her talking with someone at a table and Sam approached just as Charlie spoke. And Sam couldn’t help but chuckle. “Charlie, I’m thinking if you want chocolate, General Cox won’t say no to an outside run.”
When it is Sam who shows up next to Charlie she can’t help but smile even more. It’s been a good week. A great week. Charlie can’t help but keep a smile on her face as of lately even with the early morning watch she has tomorrow. Maybe it be because later after that watch her, Sam, and whoever else will be getting promoted and a celebration for it, but that is only part of it.
Charlie flushes just slightly at the mention of Daniel but she hopes she turns her face fast enough, faking looking at the table again, that Sam doesn’t notice. She moves away, looking over to the gate which is less the 10 feet away to see who is on the gate watch now. They are of course familiar faces but Charlie is glad to now see Morgan there.
“Why Captain Donovan I think you are right. And as Captain and Major now we can do anything we want right?”
She laughs finally looking back over to Sam since her cheeks no longer feel warm. The idea of an adventure sounds wonderful, especially since who knows when they will be on the same schedule to get another chance after tomorrow. While Charlie is in love with what her new job will be, it means less time with Baker and Sam and that just isn’t far.
“Come on, you still have a ton of time before your shift right?” When Sam answers Charlie heads to the gate, it is easy for them to be let out and soon they are on their way. Charlie pauses mid step once they are outside. “Wait,” her face is nothing but serious now. “You don’t think it will all be expired do you?” She holds it for a second before laughing again.
Sam can’t help but laugh about the wall comment, “I’ll keep it safe, don’t worry about it, and as for Morgan, if he’s not moved out of the unit, he’s going to wish he was.” Morgan has a lot of potential but his attitude is in need of major adjustment, he’s afraid of Charlie but he’s going to regret a lot of his comments now.
Sam hugs her back tightly, when Charlie mentions not being the only one moving up Sam realizes that Charlie’s earlier comment clicks into place. Charlie is not longer a Captain, she’s a Major now and Sam hugs her tighter, and whispers back to her, “congratulations Major.”
She pulls back and notices a few eyes on them, a quick look and they go about their business, but the smile doesn’t drop from Sam’s face. “I hate to share great news and run but, I’m still a Lieutenant and I have a patrol to get to.” She pulls Charlie back in for a hug and smiles, “when it’s official, we should hit up Ray’s.”
Charlie lets go of Sam only when she pulls away. It’s exciting. All of this is exciting. “Yes get back on that wall so I don’t change my mind.” Charlie sticks her tongue out at Sam just in case the completely joking tone wasn’t enough. “By hit up Ray’s you mean empty Ray’s out?” Charlie knows there is no way they could do that but still a good picture.
Sam shrugs and nods, her smile mirroring Charlie’s, “you fought for me, I still had some time to go before I would be really eligible. No one else would bat an eye at me getting it, but you fought for me. I wouldn’t have gotten it if you didn’t do that.”
She looks at her watch and she’s still got a little time before she needs to get going, “I don’t know what’s going to happen after but it’s been an honor having you as my captain.”
“Time means nothing now. You deserve this. Just because I fought for you doesn’t mean this wasn’t what you deserve.” Charlie is still grinning from ear to ear and long forgotten about the plate of food sitting in front of her now. She doesn’t care about it. She cares about how excited Sam is and how she helped with making Sam that happy.
Charlie turns a bit more playful with her next comment though. “I mean who else can I trust me my wall and hope secretly with you now as the Captain you will throw Morgan over?” Charlie laughs and gets up, moving to the other side of the table and wraps her arms around one of her best friends. She knows she isn’t suppose to say anything and she was so good around Baker at not going there. But she is to excited.
Charlie loosens the hug but still holds on, it an excuse to be close enough to whisper. “I mean I would say look you are on my level, but you aren’t the only one moving up in the world.”
“Did I?” It’s Daniel’s turn to play dumb, to level a big stupid grin at her this time. He’s got the upperhand, very clearly, and he isn’t going to back down. No, he’s going to use this all to his advantage.
It’s a clear challenge, the line they’ve been dancing around for weeks now, months. There’s an obvious attractive between the two of them that’s just gotten worse and worse as the days go by. What started as fleeting thoughts have developed into day dreams, into longing ideas and lingering stares. And now they’re here, in his private room that only a half a dozen people know about and no one bothers him in. Charlie’s looking at his mouth, trying to out bluff him, and Daniel knows the honest to God solution to all of this.
“In your dreams, Charlotte.” He takes his shirt off, leaving him in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs. Daniel’s hand comes out to cup the side of her face, fingers threading into her hair and he leans forward to kiss her. Unlike the others before this one isn’t awkward or clumsy or chaste. It’s real and passionate and there are just a few flimsy layers of cotton seperating a very dangerous mistake that Daniel’s been itching to make for a very long time now.
She wants to smack the smile off his face. Or well, more so, she wants to kiss him and make him forget about smiling. Acting as if he doesn’t know how much work she put into trying to find someone else when it was Sam he picked. Asshole. She keeps the smirk on her face until he speaks again.
Charlie has a line of witty and smart ass comes backs that are always planned and on the tip of her tongue at a moments notice. And her mouth opens up for them to come but her jaw just falls. His shirt comes off and Charlie doesn’t have time to act, speak, think, anything really, before his hand is cupping the side of her face.
It’s easy to act then. Almost a mindless action to raise up to her toes and press all to close to him as she kisses him back. This was his fault this time. He had to not put clothing on before opening the door. And then taking his shirt off. This is his fault. Her arms are up and around his neck in seconds after the kiss started. One hand laced through what ever about of hair, which isn’t much, she can and the other making sure this time she and try to make sure she will at least expect it when, or more so if, he pulls away.
Daniel crosses his arms over his chest and quirks his eyebrow as Charlotte clearly looks him up and down. He’s mostly flattered by her eyes. Not only is Charlotte younger and attractive, she’s a well put together and keeps up with her appearance. She could honestly take her pick of the men and women around Atlanta. Daniel wants to say something about it, but then Charlie finally seems to snap back into her head and poses a question.
“Captain Donovan was your first choice, was she not, Major?” Daniel answers using the appropriate titles so that he can get used to them and keep a level of professionalism while Charlie stares at him. A smirk tugs onto his face when she refuses to meet his eyes, and Daniel steps closer to Charlie, knowing she won’t back away.
“But that’s not why you came up here to talk to me half-naked, was it Charlotte? Did you miss me?”
“Well yeah but.” While the title does make her smile again she is shocked at him questioning her. “You clearly told me that she was not going to get the promotion. You made me meet with you and talk about other people and suggest someone else because Sam wasn’t going to get it.” Charlie pauses for a minute.
Even now Charlie is looking at a spot on Daniel’s forehead or a spot behind him, she refuses to make eye contact with him. Eye contact will lead her her looking at his lips, or looking him up and down again. Then he steps closer and Charlie has to focus to breathe for a minute.
While she refuses to back away, she also can’t. Charlie crosses her arms over her chest matching his position. “That is why. I just. I just...” Charlie has lost her train of though again. She actually makes eye contact but her sights does exactly what she expects, they fall to his lips and Charlie stares for to long before she can draw her sight away. “I didn’t know you would be half naked. You could have at least, well put anything on before opening the door.” Oh god, Charlie is so glad he didn’t decide to do that. “You knew it was me knocking.”
Charlie gets a shocking wave of courage and takes a step closer to Daniel, closing in on the space between them. A smirk reaches her face and she looks eye contact with Daniel and holds it this time. “Me? Miss you? You are all ready for sleep it looks like and you are keeping me here. Who misses who?”
Sam smiles and nods, “I have to say, I wasn’t surprised when he told me that the performance reviews were a cover, but to find out it was a cover for promotions, that was a surprise.” Leaning forward to keep anyone around them from hearing Sam sits her chin onto her hand.
“I was even more surprised to hear that I’m no longer a Lieutenant. And I hear I have you to thank for it.” She leans back slightly, laying her hands on the table and sitting up straighter, “you put your neck out for me and I’m just…I wanted to tell you in person and thank you before anything happened. I’m honored by the decision and I’m honored you fought for me.”
Charlie starts to take another bite as Sam is talking. Charlie knew about the promotions and Charlie gave her list of who she would like and want to be promoted. Sam was number one on the list of course but still listens to Sam. So Sam knows about the promotions? Is this her way of saying she heard Charlie got a promotion? How would she have heard that?
Charlie looks over at Sam. The mouth full of chili is luckily swallowed when Sam says she is no longer a lieutenant. She drops the spoon to the table. Sam is no longer a lieutenant? Daniel told her that wasn’t going to happen. Charlie pauses looking completely in shock before she burst into a huge smile. “You have yourself to thank. You are amazing Sam. I would fight for you any second for anything. You deserve this.”
Sam still can’t believe the news, she’s been promoted and she can’t believe it. She’s waiting to wake up from whatever dream she’s currently in. She’s never been more honored than she is now, the time is a little early for a promotion and she knows there would be other in line before her, but whatever it is that Charlie saw in her pushed her to the front of the list. Now Sam wanted nothing more than to find Charlie and thank her for fighting for her.
She heads to the mess hall for a good meal, and her spirits are high, she knows she’s more likely to find Charlie there. She spots her at a table and Sam makes a beeline for her, not bothering to head for the meal line yet.
She quickly moves around a few tables and sits in the empty seat in front of her, grin wide on her face. She waits for Charlie to finish chewing and she leans forward a little, she’s got patrol soon and but she couldn’t wait to give the good news to her friend and commanding officer.
“So, I just had an interesting meeting with General Cox.”
Charlie has a mouth full of food when Sam first sits down at the table. She tries to eat and swallow quickly to give Sam a proper hello. She had been eating with Baker earlier, the reason for half of her tray to already be empty. While the chili isn’t the best in the world it is still great despite the increasing heat in Georgia. Charlie will almost never complain about a meal though, unless that meal is meatloaf.
Setting the spoon down Charlie gives Sam her full attention. Raising an eye brow she takes a drink washing down the bit. “Did you?” If Sam hadn’t been knocked off the list of people who were getting a promotion then Charlie would know what this was about. Now after her and Daniel’s last talk Charlie is curious as to where this conversation could be leading.
Daniel recognizes Charlie’s voice instantly. He lets out a large sigh, dropping his revolver to his side and easing his finger away from the trigger, before crossing the room to the door. He should have suspected it’d be her. Daniel gave Charlotte a lot of trouble for a week and a half, making her go through different officers. In the end of the day, he went with Sam, because it was to be Charlie’s replacement, not him. Donovan has the energy, she’s got the dedication, and most importantly, Charlotte will still be there to keep an eye on Sam, just in case.
When he opens it, she’s got that big goofy grin on her face and Daniel just rolls his eyes, motioning for her to come in. Daniel closes the door behind her, not wanting to disturb anyone else in the hall.
“What are you doing here, Charlotte?” Daniel asks, cutting straight to the point. He’s tired, he’s underclothed, and they’re in his personal quarters. Not only is it dangerous, it’s ridiculously tempting.
The door opens and Charlie laughs at Daniel rolling his eyes at her. “What did you not find my joke amusing?” Charlie is in Daniel’s room before she actually turns around and gets a solid look at Daniel. Oh. He was clearly about to go to sleep, at least that what she assumes.
His question pulls her back but she has completely forgot about what she was thinking about, why she came here. “I.. um.” Charlie pauses again and her eyes move from Daniel’s head and then down. She can’t help but clearly be looking him over and yes this is is own room but does he have to be standing there mostly undressed? Does he understand at all how distracting it is?
Charlie tries to pull herself back to reality. Sam. That is why she is here. “You... You promoted Sam? You said you weren’t going to. I was, just, thank you.” She pulls her eyes back up from anywhere but making eye contact with Daniel.
