Major Charlie Powell

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?”

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.”

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.

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.

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?