Genesis Crisis IC

Prisoner Convoy

Arya scooted back in her original position when they closed the doors to the trucks again. She felt safer with a wall to her back. For a few minutes she waited for Darcy to answer, however when he did not say anything she turned towards him, trying to make out his face in the dark.

"What is it?" she asked. "Why aren't you saying anything?" She bit her lip and pulled her hands together nervously.

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Peterney

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead," he said and took the glass and the bottle to return them to the bar. Of course it hadn't escaped him how Keynes kept looking over to Jane more frequently. James stopped again when Keynes gave his advice and after hearing it, gave the older man a thumbs up. "I'll keep it in mind."

Upon returning to the bar, he was surprised to find that Rise appeared rather drunk, while Jax was not drinking at all and Alex seemed to be the voice of caution. His eyes drifted over to the Commander, well he knew she could keep up.

"Are you sure she should be drinking so much?" he asked Alex with a hint of concern in his voice as he looked over to Rise again. He then poured himself another drink and proceeded to put the bottle back into the rack before he sat down next to Jax, well Rise and Jax as she was still clinging to him. Swirling the liquid in his glass without drinking it, he watched for Jax's reaction. If James was honest with himself, he was a little unsure what to think of the Commander. Her answer had surprised him a little bit and she was quite different from what he expected.

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Somewhere Downtown

He could see the emotion on her face and more tears appeared. That was answering all his doubts and questions. And then... it was gone. Lizzy gave him a sad smile and tried to pull away. Snow loosened his grip and gave her a little more room, but still didn't let her go. Instead he gently lifted her chin up and looked at the tears before wiping them away again.

"In this case, the answer would be no," he said, clearly more in control of what he was doing than she was. "Under different circumstances…maybe." His mouth curled into a smile for only a second before he became serious again.

His chest was in pain by seeing her so hurt and broken. He wanted to see her happy again. "Why won't you believe me?" he whispered. "I don't care what happened in the past. I care about the present and right now, all I want, is to be with you."

Snow slowly leaned forward, still gazing into her eyes and planted a gentle and soft kiss on her lips.

Peterny
-Alexander Dranos

"It's never good, but she looked like she needed some.." Said Alex, however it was revealed that his decision to give her any more drink was a bad idea.

Alex palm slammed his own forehead, and Alina's straightforward answer surprised him too. Alex quickly grabbed Rise by arm pulling her away from Alina. Alex sighed, "Stop it, Rise. What's wrong with you?" said Alex with concern

Peterny

"Well, you don't mince words," Jane said wryly as Keynes took a crack at her aim. As expected, he came in close to adjust her form, melding their bodies together. She felt the rush of warmth against her back as he pressed into her, the vibration of his deep voice as he spoke, and the brush of his fingers against her own.

"This is cozy," she mused as he finished with his instructions before stepping back. Taking a deep breath, she aimed and threw the dart as he instructed. It certainly improved, hitting inside one of the inner circles. But it still wasn't quite good enough to reach the bullseye.

"I guess you are a pretty good instructor after all," Jane said with a wink. "Though I don't think I'm quite ready for graduation just yet. Any more tips?"

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"R-Rise, I think you're a little.." Jax began as the girl drooped over his arm awkwardly. This certainly wasn't what he'd been imagining when Jane mentioned a night out. He turned to Alina for help, only to have her delicately trace her fingers over the muscles in his arm and shoulder.

That was..

Suddenly interruped as Rise seemed to fall over him. He and Alina both seemed to move to try to catch her, but Jax suddenly froze as his stared at her hand on Alina's -

"Rise!" he groaned, mortified at what she was doing and saying. He was expecting Alina to be just as embarrassed and offended, but instead she seemed to up the ante.

"W-what are you saying?" the Red Rider gasped, goggling at the commander. Rise seemed equally, perhaps even more, stunned, but was saved the need to answer by Alex's sudden intervention. Rise wrenched her arm out of Alex's grasp and stood up.

"Ssstop mothering me!" she complained loudly, turning and marching up to the jukebox. After picking a new song, she headed onto the stage and cleared her throat.

"Another song! Let's keep this party goiiiing!"

The music, which had been slow, suddenly sped up.

It's not her fault that she's so irresistible
But all the damage she's caused isn't fixable
Every twenty seconds you repeat her name
But when it comes to me you don't care
If I'm alive or dead, so

Unlike the last time, where her dance was cute and a little flirtatious, it was now fully sultry, with hips swinging and shaking.

Objection
I don't want to be the exception
To get a bit of your attention
I love you for free,
And i'm not your mother
But you don't even bother
Objection
I'm tired of this triangle
Got dizzy dancing tango
I'm falling apart in your hands again
No way
I've got to get away

Next to her cheap silicone I look minimal
That's why in front of your eyes I'm invisible
But you've got to know small things also count
Better put your feet on the ground
And see what it's about, so

And yes, this time Jax definitely had his eyes on her.

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Prison Convoy

Darcy mentally kicked himself, realizing that Arya would become suspicious if he kept quiet.

"Oh, just feeling jealous," he said teasingly. "I never got to have a dance with you at a fancy ball or anything. Some people have all the luck."

Well, it wasn't entirely untruthful. And probably better than what he was really thinking.

Army Squad (Aera)

"Um... Xennox." Aera said pointing to the metallic parts on her ears, as she looked at his with a less serious look of contempt. Though, when Xennox mentioned the light sense of gratitiude Aera couldn't help but soften up a bit for him. As she loosened her stern expression, into a more open one.

"We're a team Xennox, matters like those are also our matters." Aera quickly stated, as she crossed her arms, silently returning Xennox's silence with her own, waiting for him to say something about the event. She wasn't about to give up so easily, especially since this matter intrigued her more then most. In any case, the question he presented was interesting as well... to say the least.

Hm, that depends, if he was talking about a legion solider then she would re murder the man before he had even time to process his new found life, but from Xennox's tone it had deeper meaning then that. Maybe... someone like her family?

"Sure, though things don't tend to turn out like that for me." Aera replied simply, as she took a step towards Xennox with a cold stare, not backing down in the slightest.

Army Squad (Daemond)

Daemond had already started treating patients, as apparently a small batch of injured solider were wounded from a skirmish with the legion fores. It was a horrible site to see, the weaponry of the legion seemed basic but very brutal at the same time. And compared to their squad, these squads didn't seem so lucky.

"Diarama." Daemond stated, as the soldier's mumbles of pain began to quiet down until they eventually stopped with the man passing out. The man had an arm that had a very heavy wound, thankfully it was treated with first aid, but it would take some time for Daemond to fix. That was until one of the nurses' tapped him on the shoulder to indicate to take a break.

"Oh, thanks..." Daemond mumbled, as he sat down on one of the couches in the waiting room with another one of the medical staff sitting next to him. However, he was surprisingly familiar, oh he must of been the one that was treating Lymond.

"You're the one who was treating my squad mate right? Lymond? How was he, it was rather strange to see him recover so suddenly." Daemond asked the staff in a curious tone, as he waited for an answer.

Somewhere Downtown

Why didn't she believe him? Was there a reason not to? The questions swirled in her head, but before she could come up with the answers to them, Lizzy realized that he was way closer to her face than he'd been a moment before. A moment too late, she realized what his intention was, and before she could turn away, his lips pressed over hers.

Damn him for being gentle, now of all times... If he'd been forceful, she could have easily pushed him off, but the tenderness of his action kept her trapped, seemingly spellbound by his lips over hers. It took several seconds after he'd finished the kiss before she could even blink, and immediately after that, her hand collided with the side of his face, leaving behind a red mark where she'd slapped him.

"Bastard!" She yelled at him as fresh tears began to run again. "That was my first kiss!" Damn and double damn this man. She'd never kiss another man again because there was no way it could compare to that...

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Peterny

"Do you like cozy?" Keynes whispered in her ear as he backed off to let her take the shot. It was a surprising improvement from her previous ones, and he gave her a wry smile.

"I've taught a lot of soldiers how to use ranged weapons." He responded to her comment. "If you'd like the more advanced method..." He snatched one of the darts from her hand and tucked it between his first and middle finger. "You can get better accuracy like this." His arm shot upwards suddenly, and the dart sank into the center of the board. "The key is lining up the angle with your elbow and then letting the force of the swing send the dart where it needs to go."

He turned back towards the others to see what they were up to and winced at the sight of Rise dancing. She'd clearly had a few too many. Well, he couldn't fault her for it, but the girl should have known by now that her tolerance wasn't very impressive.

Alina frowned as Rise pulled away from the table and moved back to the stage. This wasn't going to end well. Dancing that much when you were drunk was just asking to puke later, and the choice of song wasn't particularly flattering either. With a sigh, Alina got up from the bar and picked up the still half-full bottle. "I'm gonna step outside for a minute..." She said, sounding calm, even though she was feeling stuffy in this confined space.

Somewhere Downtown

Crack

It took a few seconds for Snow to realize what just happened. A moment ago he kissed the most beautiful woman and in the next second his cheek was stinging with pain from where she slapped him and she yelled in his face. Perplexed he let go of her and ran his hand through his hair.

"And I dare say it won't be your last" he said huskily, his voice still emotional, but not angry.

His cheek was still red, the contour of her fingers clearly visible and the sting just started to fade now.

Snow stepped closer again. He refused to be pushed away by all her defensive actions. Her expression before and during the kiss already told him everything he needed to know. As long as she stayed in denial about what she felt, he would keep trying until she realized her own feelings too, even if it killed him.

"Let's try this again slower and maybe you can try to not hit me this time?" he asked softly and stepped even closer. Snow looked into her eyes again and held a finger under he chin. This time, however, when he leaned in close, he simply gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and then decided to pull her in close, his strong arms holding her tightly while the tears still ran down her cheeks.

His lips were close to her ear when he spoke again. "Why are you still crying?" he asked, his voice still gentle. "I can't stand to see you sad, tell me what I can do…"

____________________________________________

Peterney

James turned half around when Rise walked up on stage again, her walk much more unsteady than before. Her performance however was even more provoking than the first and even though he watched, amazed by her voice, he thought the previous one better, more natural. It fit her more than this one.

He still hadn't taken another drink from his glass and wasn't even sure if he intended to do so. Alcohol held no fascination for him and never understood those who drank purely for the sake of drinking.

Of course it didn't escape him how desperately Rise tried to get Jax's attention and he sighed, knowing that tonight was lost, especially seeing how tipsy Rise was.

"That escalated quickly," he finally said, glancing to the Commander who decided to step outside before his eyes returned to Rise. "Can't say I'm surprised. She's quite stubborn, isn't she," he added, speaking to Jax.

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Prisoner Convoy

"Oh," she said surprised. Arya didn't really know how to respond. It was the last thing she expected him to say, especially in a situation like this.

I am flattered?" her voice was doubtful and she could feel her cheeks burn as the blood shot through them. For once she was glad the truck was only dimly lit and Darcy was not able to see it.

"I do not usually attend these social events, let alone go dancing," she admitted shyly and ran her fingers through her long ponytail. "I was happy with my work, but the military ball…" she trailed off an shrugged. It was hard to explain. The chance to pretend to be someone you are not for one night...

Alexander Dranos

Alex sighed, then saw commander walking out. Alex eyes then shifted to Jax, wondering if Jax was going to go after her. As Jax known commander better than any of them, it seemed like it would be better that he would go after her.

Then Alex eyes shifted to Rise, who obviously was too drunk, Alex shook his head. Even it was supposed to be a night out, a break, Alex didn't know it was going to be about "letting out what you feel" night.

Alex muttered, "Shouldn't this supposed to be some kind of bonding time...?" said Alex with little annoyance.

================================================

Xennox Xylon

Xennox smiled at Aera's response, "You never know... One of my old squad had his family member come back to him, he was lost in words." said Xennox, but his head told him. 'Well actually I was doing that when I realized you were my sister....' Then Xennox stared at the dummy once again. "In any case, what I want to tell you is that, Aera, your family might be living somewhere... There was no burnt bone found, they might have escaped the terrible faith... So keep the hopes up. You might find them one day..." Then Xennox expelled long sigh. "We should focus on the training. We should be ready for the new missions that this new captain of ours going to throw at us."

Peterny
 
Jax sighed as Alina got up and left. His first instinct was to follow her out, but he didn't want her to feel smothered by him. He did have a tendency to always go after her and make sure she was feeling all right.
 
"I wish I knew where all this was coming from," the Red Rider muttered, rubbing his forehead. "I told them drinking wasn't a good idea.."
 
Objection
I don't want to be the exception
To get a bit of your attention
I love you for free,
And i'm not your mother
But you don't even bother

Objection
I'm tired of this triangle
Got dizzy dancing tango
I'm falling apart in your hands again
No way
I've got to get away

Get away
Get away
Get away!
 
Rise finished with a dramatic flourish, beaming quite happilly out at the audience. Yes, Jax only had eyes for her, and that horrible woman was nowhere in sight. Prancing down from the stage, she headed back over to the bar and flopped down on one of the stools.
 
"Well, whatdjaaa think?" she asked, forgetting that her hair was no longer in its usual pigtails and playing with the air where they would have been.
 
"Uh, Rise, I think.." Jax began awkwardly when she suddenly clambered to her feet, looking white.
 
"Umm.. I'm going to g-get a little air," she said, trying to walk as casually as possible through the doors out the balcony. Once they were shut and she was out of sight and earshot, she dashed to the railing and emptied the contents of her stomach over the side. As Rise sank to her knees, feeling herself beginning to sober up, she realized that there was someone else near her. Instinctively, despite the alcohol making it difficult to think properly, she knew who it was.
 
"I've been making a complete ass of myself, haven't I?" she moaned, covering her face in self-loathing.
 
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Jane watched Keynes sink the dart into the center of the board and gave a small clap.
 
"Very nice," the high agent commented, winking. She moved around Keynes to stand in front of him before backing into him slightly.
 
"Now, let's see if I can get this right," she said softly, bring Keynes arm around her waist to retrieve a dart from his hand with her opposite arm. "And yes, I like cozy."
 
She aimed and let the dart loose, hitting closer this time.
 
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Prison Convoy
 
Darcy grinned at the sound of Arya being flattered.

"Are you really?" he asked, taking her hand. "Ah, maybe we should try having our own dance right here. Do you fellows mind making room?"

The other prisoners glowered darkly at Darcy before turning back to their private musings. Darcy shrugged and leaned back in his spot.

"Well, it was worth a shot," he sighed dramatically. "Maybe you'll just have to describe it for me."
 
--------------------
 
Taurus Barracks
 
The medical officer in the hospital wing looked up from the form he was filling and gave Daemond a friendly smile as he adjusted his glassed, tucking them into the thick, dark hair. At the sound of the ensign's question, however, his smile faded.
 
"That's.." he began, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "Y-yes, he did recover very suddenly, didn't he? We were all very surprised. How fortunate for us, now that he's our captain."
 
The man tried to get up suddenly, accidentally dropping his clipboard and causing the papers attached to scatter. Although he tried to keep a smile and appear calm, it was obvious that he was flustered.

Somewhere Downtown

Lizzy stiffened when he leaned forward again, and her hands moved instinctively, trying to force him back before he could kiss her, but as his lips touched her cheek and he pulled her in, it was as if all her bones suddenly melted. She couldn't resist the urge to just let herself be held. It was a sensation she hadn't experienced since she was a child and her father would come home from a mission expecting a big hug.

"I'm still crying because you deserve better..." She sobbed into his shoulder. "You deserve so much better than someone who spent her whole life plotting revenge on you, only to find out that you weren't even the root of her own unhappiness. You deserve so much better than the mess I am and probably will be for quite some time."

Lizzy sniffed, trying to get control of her tears but to no avail. "I'm still crying because I'm afraid you'll realize you deserve better when you find her, and then I'll have nothing again. So, it's better to just not let myself believe I've got anything in the first place."

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Peterny

"Oh?" Keynes asked, raising an eyebrow at her, even though she couldn't see his face from this angle. "You didn't seem to care much for cozy when we first met." He said playfully, leaving his arm wrapped around her waist, where she'd pulled it. "What changed?"

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Alina had only been standing outside for a few seconds when the doors flew open beside her and Rise rushed out to lean over the balcony. She winced at the sound, and her heart went out to the girl. That was never a good way to end the night.

"I've seen people do worse things under the influence." She responded to Rise's question as she sat down on the ground beside the girl, leaving just enough space between them so that their shoulders didn't touch.

For almost an entire minute, Alina simply sat there in silence before tipping back the bottle that was still in her hand for another long sip. Letting out a long sigh, she sat the bottle beside her and leaned back, resting her palms on the ground to keep her sitting up. "I'd offer you a drink if I thought it would make you feel better, but I think you've already had more than enough. Maybe you'd take a shoulder to lean on for the walk back to the bunker though?" She asked, trying to sound as comforting as possible.

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"I don't think the night has been as unsuccessful as you think." Will said over his shoulder to Alex. Through the window he could see the two girls outside, finally talking to each other without animosity for the first time. "Don't expect me to give any of you a hug or anything tough." He continued gruffly, tipping back the remainder of what was in his glass.

Somewhere Downtown

Snow listened quietly as Lizzy kept crying. He could feel these things really bothered her and was glad when she had gotten it all off her chest. He pulled her a little bit closer.

"Don't be an idiot. What if I already found her?" he asked, his voice warm and full of emotion.

"No one knows what I deserve. What if this is the best thing that can happen to me?" he asked. "And I don't care about the past. I'm used to people trying to kill me." He brushed it off knowing it didn't matter to him, while at the same time wondering if she could live with it and if it didn't burden her too much. Was it selfish of him to still try?

Something dropped on his head and he looked up. The clear sky was gone and instead it started to rain. Suddenly he picked Lizzy up, seemingly effortlessly, and walked over to his old motorcycle. "Let's get outta here. I have no intention on getting drenched out here," he said glancing up to the darkened sky.

He could tell she was still worked up, sobbing. Slowly he sat her down on the motorcycle and put his jacket around her shoulders. "Calm down, it's gonna be alright, I promise." he said and took her face in his hands. Snow leaned down and kissed her again, gently pressing his lips on hers. it was a longer kiss this time, more passionate and Snow closed his eyes, concentrating on the warmth of her touch.

_____________________________________________

Prisoner Convoy

Arya did not pull her hand back immediately. However when Darcy suggested they should dance right now, she withdrew her hand and shook her head. She didn't say it, but felt relieved when the other prisoners refused to make room. Dancing in front of all these convicts…men, spiked her heart rate with nervousness.

"You want me to describe the dance for you?" she asked, wondering. "Surely you have been to one before. What could I possibly tell you that is new?"

_____________________________________________

Peterney

James jumped up when Rise looked rather white and staggered towards the balcony door. He wanted to follow her to make sure she was okay, but stopped when he saw the Commanders silhouette outside. She would make sure Rise was okay, right?

Slowly he returned to the bar and finally downed his drink.

"I think Will wouldn't hug you if you paid him," he said to Alex with a grin. He pushed the bottle towards Will, who had just emptied his glass. "Maybe another drink will make him feel more at ease."

Peterny

Jane gave a small noise of amusement as she pressed closer into Keynes under the guise of taking aim again.

"I guess you just grew on me," she said lightly, a delicate smile curving her lips as she let the dart fly, sinking into the bullseye.

--------------------

Rise tried to still her breath and get her body back under control. The cool night air certainly helped, but the sound of Alina taking a long sip of her drink made Rise shudder.

"No.. thanks," she answered weakly to Alina's offer. She couldn't accept the other girl's kindness. It would only make it that much harder to hate her. Getting up slightly shakily, Rise headed to the door, only pausing for a moment.

"I'll see you back inside," she said quietly before shutting the door. Without checking to see if Alina followed her, Rise walked back over to her stool and sat down, much quieter and subdued than the last time she occupied it.

"God, she'd playing him for a sap," Kokonoe muttered darkly, eyes fixed with unbridled animosity toward the couple at the dartboart. Rise followed her gaze before frowning in annoyance.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. Kokonoe laughed and took another sip of her drink.

"What, you think she doesn't know how to throw a dart? Agents may not be combat-oriented, but that doesn't mean they don't train them for eventualities. I've known agents who could skewer a rat through its left testicle."

Jax winced and looked uncomfortable, but Rise's brows furrowed.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Why would Jane to trick Keynes?" she demanded. Kokonoe looked exasperated.

"Why do you think? Look, apparently you're woefully naive about agents. Especially a high agent like her," the researcher muttered. "They only play for one side, and it's not the Army or Legion, or you're little entourage here. They play for the winning side. And that means they'll do whatever it takes to manipulate every side to make sure they end out on top."

"Jane's not like that. She's proven herself to us, and we trust her," Rise said angrily, cheeks flushed. "Right? Right?"

She looked around at the others, but she didn't quite get the response that she was anticipating. Jax looked away uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. Rise's eyes moved around searchingly, imploringly, hoping someone would come to her - and Jane's - defense.

--------------------

Peterny

Darcy knew he was embarrassing Arya, and ordinarily he would avoid going too far with that. But since he knew it was at least distracting her from what was going on around them and the inevitable future, he pressed forward.

"Yes, I regularly attend fancy army balls," Darcy replied, voice tinged with playful sarcasm. "Come on, darling, describe it for me."

He leaned back and looked expectantly at her, grey eyes drawing her in. Surprisingly, the other prisoners seemed to be listening as well, though attempting rather unsuccessfully to be discreet. Perhaps their curiosity at what seemed like a whole different world superceded their indifference to the life they were about to depart.

Alexander Dranos

Alex gave Will a gentle smile, "You are right, life has its mysterious way of working things out." said Alex then he let out short laughter as Will said about not giving hugs, "If you did that I would have to take you to hospital to see what's wrong with you" Then James joined them "Well, I'm sure they are girls who wants to hug Will if he wears a sign that he would give a hug." Then chuckled, "But you are right, James. I don't think I will see Will hugging people even if he was paid to do so, he is definitely saving his hugs for someone special."

It was then Alex saw Rise finally getting up and went to bar again. Rise and Kokonoe started conversation and next they were being asked by Rise if they completely trust Jane. Alex did trust Jane, but not all of it. Alex was somewhat aware of the risk factors for Jane being part of the group. She had to play manipulated role or manipulating role for Legion, Army and Aegis.

Question of her trust shouldn't have been asked, it should have been the question that everyone should have been asking that unconsciously, as matter of fact, Jane was being straight with them. And yet, it looked like his friend Rise did not understand where Jane actually stand.

Does he have to give his friend straight answer of what he thinks? That Jane shouldn't be trusted fully or should he shut his mouth and let Rise guess what he wants to say?

Long sighed escaped Alex, then looked at others to see if they want to say something about it.

Peterny

"What, am I a fungus or something now?" Keynes asked in mock dismay as she let the last dart fly. "Oh, nice shot." He said, letting a smile spread across his own face. "How about another drink then?"

He slipped away from her, crossing the distance to the bar and picking up a bottle. Bits and pieces of the conversation fell on his ears, but he acted like he'd heard nothing as he made his way back to Jane. Trust was a big issue in the group, but that was no reason to be rude about it...

"Join me for a glass outside?" He asked Jane, holding up the bottle and offering her his arm to hold onto.

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Will gave Rise a flat look before pouring himself another glass of whiskey. He raised it towards James in silent thanks before tipping it back and draining half of it in one go. "Honestly, I don't trust anyone." He commented, swirling the glass so the ice cube in it rolled around. "Call it a character flaw." His middle finger went up in a gesture towards Alex, and he took another sip. "Mention taking me to a hospital again, and I'll put you in one." God, he hated hospitals... That sterile smell...

"I trust her." Alina said as she stepped back up to the bar and sat down the now empty bottle. After contemplating the shelf for a few moments, she selected another and popped the cork. "But maybe that's because I know her better than any of you. Jane isn't the type to play for the winning side. She's the type to decide who she wants to win and then manipulate the others into losing."

She held the bottle under her nose and inhaled the aroma before taking a sip, which was immediately followed by a cough. "Damn... This was a good year for Tarisian Ale... It's like liquid fire."

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Somewhere Downtown

Lizzy's eyes moved to Snow's locking with them in that moment. She heard so much truth in his words, but could she allow herself to believe it? Would she survive it if this was all some sick joke the universe was playing on her? No, if it felt anything like losing her father, she wouldn't survive it a second time, but that was the trap, wasn't it? Not trying would mean giving him up anyway. So, what choice did she have but to give in?

Before she could react, Lizzy found herself in Snow's arms, and he carried her over to her bike. Instead of struggling, she actually leaned into him, enjoying the warmth of his chest against her shoulder. It was over too quickly though, and he sat her on the back of the motorcycle before tossing his jacket over her shoulders.

Rain had begun to fall all around now, and it was quickly soaking through his shirt without his jacket on. Damn, that was hot... Before she could say anything, he leaned forward and kissed her again, and this time, she didn't flinch or fight back. Instead, she leaned into it, taking control and turning it into something far more seductive than Snow had intended. When the two of them finally pulled away for oxygen, their breaths making clouds of steam in the cooling air, she laid her forehead against his shoulder. "Please don't let this all be a sweet lie..." Lizzy whispered with her arms still wrapped around his neck.

Prisoner Convoy

"That is true I suppose," she finally said and some of her good humor seemed to return. She was well aware that some of the other prisoners turned around a little bit to listen, well after the scene Darcy made, she expected to draw their notice. 

"Very well," she said melodically and sat up. "As I mentioned earlier, it was my first time attending the annual military ball. We had arrived early and checked into the hotel to prepare. I had heard so much about the ball, I was incredibly excited and nervous," she laughed embarrassed. "Of course way too early, I dressed up, because the attire is labeled formal. Some decided to wear their military uniform, but most of us dressed up in suit, tuxedo and dresses."

"So, I had acquired this yellow dress, with a one strap shoulder and some flowers and gems on it," Arya said and could feel how her cheeks began to glow at the memory. "And I went downstairs, quite embarrassed, though I suppose it did look good. Finally it was time for the ball. They have it at the royal palace and the palace on its own is a very impressive building. They restored it from the renaissance. However, with all the decoration for the ball, it looked simply spectacular."

"We went inside and there was the longest buffet you can imagine with everything you could ever dream of eating. Appetizers with shrimp and small pastries. Then hummer side by side with beautiful venison…" She continued to describe the main course and desserts and went on to tell of the guests and how impressive it was.

"I did not really know anybody beyond my own party, however soon I was introduced to quite a few people. Before I could express my desire to dance, one of my new acquaintances suggested Chief Raidon. Surprisingly he quite he excellent dancer and a more willing partner than I excepted." 

"Dancing when the ball room is perfect makes everything so much more…amazing. The acoustics were beyond great. Imagined a brightly lit hall, warmly decorated and with arches that carry the sound of the orchestra through the whole room. Simply breathtaking."

"We danced for… I don't know how long, time just flew by. Eventually he was called out on business and I returned to my colleagues and the left the ball quite soon afterwards."

It seemed her voice lost some of its animation after she told Darcy that Raidon left.

________________________________________________________

Peterney

James immediately turned around when Rise came back inside, but he didn't anything since she still looked a little pale. He decided to let it go for now and looked at Alex, still grinning. "You really think Will would ever get a girl?" he asked, clearly joking.

However, the smile faded from his face when Kokonoe spoke, raising suspicions about Jane. James bit his lip. There was always doubt, especially about high agent, after all she had just shown up out of nowhere. The same could be said about Kokonoe though, or even himself. But if they didn't start trusting each other eventually, where would they stop being suspicious? Would they ever stop. 

Still, when Rise's searching eyes landed on him, he looked down as well, unable to bring up anything in Jane's defense. He couldn't deny Kokonoe had a point, but pointing out for how many of them this applied seemed hypocritical.

________________________________________________________

Somewhere Downtown

A light smile played around Snow's lips when he finally pulled away from Lizzy. It seemed the distraction had more than worked. Before mounting the bike in front of her, he pulled a strand of her hair that had gotten lose from her ponytail back behind her ear. "It won't be a lie," he promised calmy. The motorcycle roared to life. "Hold on, alright?" he asked Lizzy. He was already drenched and the water dripping in his eyes made it a little harder to see. Still, it didn't slow them down.

Once he felt Lizzy's arms around his waist, he shifted into gear and they sped off. Even though Snow rode the motorcycle much faster than Lizzy, they couldn't avoid the worst of the rain.
Eventually they made it to the track and Snow stopped for a second at the gate. "Tell Charlie I need him to pick up the other bike," he said to the guy standing guard and sped on once he nodded. A few secods later they pulled into the garage and Snow realized he left his place a mess when he saw the tipped over couch and the empty alcohol bottles.

He got off the bike and ran his hand through his wet hair before helping Lizzy. Despite his jacket, she was wet from the rain too. Snow took her hand and guided her upstairs, but even before they reached the top, he spun her around and kissed her again passionately. Despite being completely wet, his body was still giving off heat and he pulled Lizzy up, carrying her the last couple steps.

"Sorry for the mess," he said a little breathless and gave her a little room. His blue eyes never left hers and his gaze was full of love and playfulness. Upstairs it was nice and warm and the rain remained only a muffled sound. "You're so beautiful, Lizzy," he whispered and leaned in to kiss her again completely forgetting that they were both still wearing wet clothes. His hands ran from her hair down her back, keeping her close.

Taurus Barracks (Aera)

"How do you know all that?" Aera looked at Xennox with a viscous glare, as he brought up the matter with her family.  Though the actual glare wasn't the threatening part, it was the look of absolute disgust like someone had just did a horrible act that couldn't be forgiven.  A kind of glare that Aera had never given anyone ever before.

"Listen here, you have no idea what I went through that day, what the army had to do just to save me..." Aera stated, as she pointed her finger in the direction she suspected Xennox's chest would be.

She knew she was being unreasonable, but the fact that Xennox had dug up all that information just irked her the wrong way.  She heard the blood terror screams from her family and the sound of the burning wood crashing down on them.  She may not of saw them, but the fresh smell of blood was enough for her, what Xennox was doing was undermining all that the army had done.

"So don't you dare mock their names by giving me a sort of false hope, let them rest in peace, the event was tragic enough." Aera stated as it degraded into a mumble with her almost cutting off at the end before she turned away from Xennox, her head lowered and her gaze dulled.  She casted the hamaon spell right at the dummy at that moment, as the thing was severely damaged from the rage bound in Aera's spell with her walking off and not saying another word to Xennox in a weaker version of her usual formal manner.

Taurus Barracks (Daemond)

Daemond didn't bat an eyes, as he shot a brief glance at Lancar who was still in the room about this situation.  At the next moment, he was helping pick up the papers for the man calmly to give him some extra time to talk to him without too much problem.

"What happened?" Daemond stated quickly to the point, as he made sure he sounded like he wasn't going to take another evasive answer.  Though that might not be enough, as the man seemed to take a quick look around the room right after Daemond brought up the subject.  It was obvious he was worried about someone else listening.

"No one will find out it was you, just tell me." Daemond demanded with a whisper that sounded kind but it obviously had a more threatening undertone then it should have.  A few others seemed to be drawn to the situation due to the papers falling, so Daemond simply held up his hand to show that he was helping the man out and they took that as enough as they continued on their way.

Though in all honesty, he was nervous as hell inside. The man seemed like he would run the moment he pushed him in the wrong way... So, hopefully this was enough to convince him.

Peterny

"You're a little cuter than that," Jane said with a wink. "And yes, a drink would be nice."

As she waited for Keynes to return with the drinks, she could see that the others all seemed to be engaged in a conversation. And from the looks of it, it might have been about her. If she noticed or minded, however, she certainly didn't show it. When Keynes returned, the agent took his arm with a smile and joined him out on the balcony. After he poured the contents of the bottle into two glasses, they tapped them together with a delicate tink before taking a sip.

"This is nice," Jane said with a soft expression. "Maybe sometime we can do a nice restaurant though. I'd love to see you in a suit."

She gave him a teasing wink before taking another small sip.

--------------------

Rise couldn't believe it. After all Jane had done for them, still no one would trust her. The only exception seemed to be Alina. For the commander to be the only one on her side.. it was quite the irony.

"I can't believe all of you.." she whispered accusingly, standing up. "After all she's done for us, you treat her like this."

As she walked away from them, she could feel her temper rise. How could they think such things about her? She couldn't believe that. She wouldn't believe that. She couldn't lose -

She stopped short, feeling her blood drain. She shouldn't try to figure out what that meant. Just let it lie. It'll only be painful if you dig further. Just leave it.

But no. That wasn't her. She couldn't let that go. Why was she so determined not to think anything bad about Jane?

Thoughts of them in the kitchen, cooking together. The teasing winks and laughs.. the conversations about her feelings and life.. it was as if Jane was her.. her..

Her mother.

Rise swallowed hard, looking at Keynes and Jane on the balcony, and she finally understood. Even though she'd never put it into words, she'd always seen Keynes as more of a father than her own. And with Jane here now, and the two of them getting close.. was she so desperate to recreate a family for herself that she was willing to blind herself to anything that might destroy it?

Taking the last few steps, she opened the balcony doors and swallowed, avoiding looking directly at either Keynes or Jane.

"Umm.. sorry to interrupt. But could we head back now? I'm.. I'm really not feeling well."

--------------------

Prison Convoy

It was strange to see all these prisoners listening so intently to Arya's story. But Darcy hardly noticed them; he was also quite focused on the story. But more than that, it was her voice, and the expression as she spoke. He could tell that the memory was more special than she would admit. And judging by the way she spoke of Raidon.. Yes, he could tell his conviction was right.

Oh, fate was cruel mistress indeed.

"Sounds like quite the evening," Darcy said with a whistle. "If I'd know the Army's parties were so swanky, I might have reconsidered joining."

It was a joke, of course, as Arya was sure to tell. But he couldn't just rely on jokes to keep her mood up. She had to keep talking.

"So, what kind of stuff did you do as a lieutenant?" Darcy asked interestedly, folding his arms and watching her.

--------------------

Taurus Barracks

The medic swallowed nervously, again checking his surroundings before chosing his words carefully.

"He wasn't unconscious that long," the man said quietly, eyes still darting about. "He only pretended. Said it made things easier. I was to keep up with the charade while he set things up with Commander Chastenay. That's all I know."

He stepped away, and when he didn't see Daemond trying to stop him, hurried away. Lancar, who hadn't been watching the situation until toward the end, furrowed his brows in confusion.

"What's going on?" he asked, approaching the ensign.

Army Squad (Daemond)

"I was just helping him with his papers." Daemond stated with a shrug at the confused the lieutenant, but his eyes indicated otherwise.  A more serious and worried expression, as he gestured the lieutenant to follow him as he walked out of the medical bay.

Daemond continued to walk forward normally until they reached the lounge again where there wasn't anyone in sight.  With Daemond looking around to make sure that no one was sneaking around the area.  Originally he wouldn't what he heard a big deal, but the frantic man told him otherwise.  There was something sinister with Lymond, more so then usual.

"Alright, it turns out that Lymond healed a lot quicker then we thought." Daemond stated with his voice as quiet as a whisper, as he looked around the room again "Apparently, he made them say he was okay, the man actually said he set up a charade that he set up things with Chastenay."

That's when the realization hit him, if he had faked setting up his position as a captain.  Then, he would of had to pull a lot of string or break them to do so... hopefully their old captain was alright...

"Anyways, I'm going to check on Xennox and Aera.  Hopefully they're doing alright with their training." Daemond stated trying to act casual with a fake smile, as he began to walk off towards the training grounds.

Snow's Garage

Lizzy held onto Snow from behind as he drove them back to his garage, leaving almost no space between herself and his back. Right now, she needed to feel the warmth of him there, the comfort of his presence after starving herself of it for the last few days. It wouldn't be a lie... He'd promised her. Did she dare trust it? Did she dare not to?

The stopped very briefly for Snow to let someone else know his bike needed retrieval, but after that, they sped on to the garage. Even though there was a roof over their heads now, the two of them were already soaked. Between the shivers she was getting from the cold and the ones that ran down her spine whenever Snow touched her, which was constantly, she didn't even notice the apparent disarray of the garage.

To her surprise, he kissed her again and swept her off her feet for the last few steps. Although she had the urge to let him know she was fully capable of walking on her own, Lizzy didn't exactly dislike the feel of his arms under her as he held her to his chest.

Now that they were in the tight space of his apartment, he moved away a little, giving her room that she didn't want. Stepping forward, she closed the gap again, pressing herself into his arms as he whispered over her and leaned down to kiss her again. Damn if she couldn't get used to that though. The man tasted delectable...

His words gave her pause though. She'd never been called beautiful before, and her eyes drifted to the mirror on the far wall to take a look at herself. What she saw made her mouth fall open in despair. "Oh God... We're soaked to the skin..." She glanced down at her chest and then looked back up at him, her face turning red. "This top is practically see through..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Peterny

Keynes leaned back against the wall behind him as he sipped the alcohol he'd chosen for the two of them, savoring the taste of it. "A nice restaurant I could do." He responded gruffly. "But as for the suit... You can dream on." Keynes finished with a soft laugh.

The two of them stood there for a few moment, simply enjoying the silence of the evening before Rise stumbled out of the bar, still looking pale. Keynes gave her a worried look, and when she asked if they could go, he handed his glass to Jane and walked over to the girl, sweeping her off her feet to piggyback her.

"If you're ready to turn in, I'll take you back to the bunker. You look a little green to be walking." He said playfully before sticking his head back inside to say he was taking Rise back.

Will tipped back the remainder of his glass and sat it on the table before sliding to his feet. He took a stutter step to one side but quickly righted himself and stepped towards the door. "I'll go too. If I drink any more, I'm gonna need a nap."

Alina watched them head back out the door with a pout, and then she looked over at Jax, James and Alex to see if they'd be leaving too. To be honest, she wasn't even buzzed yet, although the particular bottle she'd just cracked open was definitely beginning to get her there. "I don't suppose I can bring this with me?" She asked, motioning towards the bottle.

Peterney

James watched as Keynes headed out with Rise on his back and Will also started to get up with unsteady steps. "Maybe we should leave as well?" he suggested.

Jax and Alex weren't drinking at all, and he himself wasn't planning on getting drunk either. That left the Commander, Kokonoe and Jane and he was not really comfortable with leaving Kokonoe with either of the other two women alone. There seemed to be some unresolved tension and the alcohol would only make it worse.

James looked over to the Commander, who just opened a bottle of good Tarisian Ale. "You should bring it. Can't let that go to waste, Commander," he commented and pointed at the bottle. "It's one of the finest brews this country has seen."

__________________________________________________

Prisoner Convoy

Arya smiles a sweet smile at his joke. For this moment it was easy to forget where they were and what awaited them. However, once he asked his next question, her face turned serious in an instant.

"No," she said firmly and crossed her arms. "I cannot talk about that. I am neither allowed nor interested to disclose any classified information to a group convicts, no matter how dangerous or guilty they are." In an instant, there was a different air about her…an authority and strength that was missing for the past couple days.

In reality, she was afraid of their reactions. What would they do if they found out she was party responsible for a lot of the weapon systems that now killed people?

After a few minutes of awkward quietness, she relaxed her pose a little. "I am sorry. I just do not think it a good idea…" her voice trailed off and she looked around, well aware that the attention of most of the prisoners was still on her. "Why don't you tell me something about what kind of work you did, Darcy?" she asked Darcy, her voice more melodic now that the hard edge was gone.

___________________________________________________

Snow's Garage

His strong arms still held her while she lamented over her wet shirt. Snow looked up and a playful grin appeared on his face. It was too cute how she blushed. "You know, I really don't mind that," he whispered as his eyes wandered over her body. "But I don't want you to catch a cold, so we should get rid of it."

As he spoke his hands slowly wandered down her body to her hip and he watched her carefully, making sure she felt comfortable with his actions. He pulled her shirt over her head with a smooth movement and threw it on the floor where it was quickly followed by his own dripping wet shirt.

Snow could tell she was a little bit embarrassed by her glowing red face and softly stroked her cheek with his hand and leaned in close, his body radiating with heat. "Relax, Lizzy. I won't do anything you don't want me to," he whispered huskily and his lips tickled her ear when he spoke. With her body so close, he could feel the shivers and when her hands touched him again, they were still cold. "Now, let's get you warmed up."

Since she hadn't protested before, he picked her up again, holding her just below her shoulders and under her knees. Looking at her face, his own expression full of emotion, he carried her into his bedroom and gently laid her down on the bed.

"Do you trust me?" he asked just before kicking the door closed...

Xennox Xylon

Xennox didn't know what came over him, but his mouth opened itself. "I saw your brother and he is alive." then he continued, "And he thinks that his parents... I mean your parents are alive too." Xennox head was buzzing with warning alarm.

After the researcher was transported, an email came from him to Xennox. The researcher mentioned about how Xeon's parents had escaped, and actually how he had met them during their escape. The problem was Xeon, who was now calling himself Xennox, doesn't remember the event in great detail.

Xennox licked his dry lips quick. "Well that's what he said to me to tell his sister if I get a chance to meet her. They are hiding from the Legion." The last part was Xennox guess; the researcher only said they managed to get away from Legion's grasp, but where they are hiding, or what they are doing now was a mystery even to the researcher.

How Aera would react to that, Xennox wasn't sure. But he had to give his sister little bit of glimpse of hope. For some reason, Xennox felt that he had to tell her. To tell her that she was not alone. Xennox been there and for some reason Xennox didn't want Aera to feel the same way he did. Then again, was he doing it for himself? To make himself feel better? That he was not alone too? Xennox sighed, "You can ignore what I just said Aera, but be prepared for it. If that is the truth." Xennox quickly walked out from where he stood, his walking speed was usually faster than Aera and he intended to walk passed her.

=========================================================

Alexander Dranos

Alex did not say a word; his eyes drifted down.

However soon it appears that everyone decided to leave the place; 'everyone had enough of it, I guess...' thought Alex as he started to walk right behind them. Then his eyes drifted to where Keynes had swept Rise for piggy bag ride. His eyes drifted to Jane. "Jane, you coming?" Alex asked carefully as he open the balcony door little, he was hoping she did not hear any of that. Then again, he didn't know what he was thinking when he said this though. "You know that we do believe you, partially, right?" Alex sighed, "That came out wrong... but when you need help, I know some of us will risk our lives to save you, that's including me." said Alex and closed the balcony door, and started to walk towards the researcher who did not move from where she started drinking. "You coming?" asked Alex, in hopeful manner.

Squad Lounge (Aera)

What Xennox had said rather startled her, and her body went slightly pale as she slowed down a bit.  Did this man just say he met her brother?  It didn't sound like some baseless speculation anymore, but that fact remained is that for him to know this much.  It would be very strange indeed.  Even if this man was a friend of her brothers, all that Xennox has done until now had made little sense unless he had a thing for her... which she doubted.

"You met my brother hu?  That's rather interesting." Aera stated, as Xennox walked past her with an interested glare.  At that moment, Aera got into a casting position as she held her blade out in front of her with her reading her shield like a book.

"Angel eyes." Aera mumbled out of Xennox's hearing range, as she looked dead set at Xennox with now crystal clear eyes.  He had black and a little messy hair with a rather cold gaze though the pale skin is what threw her off.  Her brother had tanner skin then that, but that's probably because he was out in the sun all that time.

But at the same time, that skin gave it away.  When someone blacksmiths it's a very dangerous job, it has various stages.  That's when she remember her brother received a particular wound on his arm when he started to blacksmith, and with this skin color their should at least still be a mark.

Aera tiled her head to the left to see if the mark was there, and sure enough it was still there for her to see.  A slight scar from a burn that hadn't healed yet....  At that moment, Aera closed her eyes deactivating her angel eyes with her continuing to walk forward back to the squad lounge with a cold and serious stare.

Peterny

Rise didn't protest as Keynes scooped her up and carried her piggyback style from the bar. Honestly, as embarrassing as it was, she really appreciated it at the moment. She gave Jane an apologetic look for spoiling their moment, but Jane only smiled and shook her head, as though to wave it away.

"I suppose we might as well all pack up then. Better to stay together," Jax said, standing up. He had to sigh when Alina seemed reluctant to leave behind her bottle of alcohol.

"You can bring it," Jane said, an amused smile playing on her lips. She waited for the others to walk out, until only Alex was left. He fumbled with his words a bit, but they were genuine and sweet.

"Thank you," the high agent replied kindly. "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

She walked slowly to the door as Alex disappeared around the corner. The look of placid tranquility on her face faltering for a moment as her hand closed on the doorknob. For a moment she gazed back upon the room, then softly shut the door, sealing the ghost of the memory off from her mind.

--------------------

Bunker

Once they reached the bunker, Keynes carried Rise back to her room, laying her down gently upon her bed. Jane followed in after him, handing Rise a glass of water and a pill.

"This should make you feel better," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed as Rise swallowed the pill and took a sip of water.

"Thanks, Jane.." Rise mumbled, setting the glass aside and snuggling into her pillow. Jane watched the steady rise and fall of Rise' chest and made to leave, but Rise's voice suddenly stopped her.

"Jane.." she said sleepily, eyes still closed though her hand searched for Jane. "Promise me we'll cook again."

Jane's lips parted momentarily in surprise before she smiled tenderly at the sleeping girl, her hand delicately grasping Rise's own.

"I promise," she said softly, standing and heading to the door. She closed it with a gently click before turning to Keynes.

"Would you mind checking to make sure I didn't leave a light on in the kitchen? I think I may have," she said wih an apologetic smile.

--------------------

Prison Convoy

Darcy winced at the sudden change in Arya's tone. That had obviously been a very poor choice of topic.

"Right.." he answered awkwardly, scratching his neck. "Work off limits."

When Arya changed the conversation to his work, he gave a chuckle.

"Well, I prefer to think of it more as an artform than a job," he said with a wink. "I made my living from gambling and conning people. Just like daddy taught me. Make money fast without any of the work. Just how I like it."

--------------------

Taurus Barracks

"So he was in the medical wing that whole time pretending to be unconscious when people came by?" Lancar asked in a hushed voice, looking stunned. This smelled strongly of a conspiracy, but the lieutenant couldn't even guess where to begin figuring it out.

"Yes.. you should do that.." he murmured, waiting till the ensign was out of sight before turning and heading back to his room. Whatever was happening here, he would need to make sure to be very careful..

Snow's Garage

"Get rid of--?" Lizzy started to ask, but she stopped when she realized what he had in mind. Her discomfort level skyrocketed when he peeled the shirt over her head, but after he removed his own, she was thinking that this might not be so bad after all.

His gentle words touched her somewhere at her core, and she shivered again when his hands ran over her arms. What could he possibly do that she wouldn't agree to right now? "I want a lot of things." She whispered into his chest as he picked her up again. "But warm would be a good start."

It was only after he laid her on the bed that the full realization of what was about to happen hit her, and if Lizzy's face had been red before, it was scarlet now. "I trust you, but..." Her eyes drifted to the floor, unable to look into the intensity of his gaze any longer. "I've never had..." She licked her lips, as if trying to coax out the words that were stuck in her throat. "I mean, I don't know what to..." The longer she took to say what was on her mind, the more she sputtered, but as Snow took a step towards her, she closed her eyes and just said it.

"I've never slept with a man before."

-----------------------------------------------------------

Bunker

As she stepped inside the front door, Alina tipped back the remainder of the bottle she'd brought with her and threw it into the closest trash can. She still seemed coherent enough though, and as soon as she was inside the bunker, her fingers went to the ties holding her hair back. Unfortunately, all she managed to do was make the knots worse. Grumbling under her breath, she continued to fiddle with it, but to no avail. This was why she never tied it up in the first place...

Jane seemed preoccupied with Rise, so she couldn't ask her to help... Alina's eyes traveled to the guys standing nearby. "I don't suppose one of you could give me a hand with..." She pulled on the braids. "You know..."

Will gave her a flat look before shaking his head. "Just cut it." He said before ducking into his own room.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Keynes left Jane to take care of Rise while he made sure everyone else had gotten inside alright and secured the door. The air outside was cold now. It was raining somewhere...

With a sigh, he moved back towards Rise's room to check in on her again, only to have Jane ask him to check on a light in the kitchen. Well, he could at least take a hint. They wanted a minute or two for girl talk. Still, he took the time to go to the kitchen, and to every other room in the bunker, before heading back towards his own.

"Just another night then..." He said to himself as he stepped inside his own room for the night.

Bunker

Jax paused awkwardly in his doorway as Alina fiddled with her hair. None of the guys seemed to be volunteering to help - quite the opposite. And as Kokonoe passed him by, she gave a snort and a shove in the commander's direction.

"Uh.. sure," he said, walking slowly around behind her. He moved his hands up hesitantly, checked himself, then reached for the ties.

"It's safe to warn you that I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing," the Red Rider warned with a slightly awkward chuckle, rough fingers working intently at the knots.

--------------------

As Keynes entered his room, his eyes traveled immediately to the thing that had certainly not been there when he left.

Jane lay across his bed, eyes fixed on him with a sultry light. Her long auburn hair, normally fixed up, lay splayed across the sheets around her. Her blouse and corset were undone, allowing a tantalizing glimpse of the milky-white skin beneath. The soft light from the ceiling seemed to cast a hazy glow on her, as though she were merely an illusion that might come undone at any moment.

Spoiler:

“You sure like to keep a girl waiting,” she said with a coquettish look, pulling her lips into a delicate pout.

Peterney

James followed the others outside, his eyes wandering to the front again and again where Keynes still carried Rise. Once they were back at the bunker, he saw that both Jane and Keynes took care of her and decided he would only interrupt if he was there as well.

Everyone retired to their own rooms, while the Commander fiddled with her hair ties. James grinned but lifted his hands defensively. "Sorry, I've got two left hands when it comes to things like that," he said and walked towards his own room. Besides, Jax appeared more than ready to help.

"Night guys," he said and closed the door behind him.

___________________________________________________

Prisoner Convoy

Arya smiled apologetically and shrugged again.

She cocked her head a little to the side and listened attentively. "So you are a conman. Truthfully, I would not have guessed that." The curiosity about his profession was clear in her voice.

"I am not sure what to think of that, as you are obviously not a bad guy," she moved her head to the other side, thinking. "Gambling, well I never tried that in case you could not tell. Conning on the other hand, that is rather wrong, isn't it?"

She paused before continuing. "Is that not also dangerous?" she asked.

Arya leaned her head back and pulled her arms around herself once again. It was becoming rather uncomfortable and cold in the vehicle, so it must be getting late. Even though she learned to be content with only little comfort, she felt worn down and was slowly reaching her limits.

Suddenly the convoy stopped and after a few minutes the doors were opened and before they could even move, bright lights turned on. Arya closed her eyes, feeling blinded for second. Her sense of time had been right and it was already near nighttime outside, hence the floodlights. Obviously they tried to make sure no one got accidentally lost in the darkness.

___________________________________________________

Snow's Garage

Snow stood at the end of the bed and watched Lizzy stumble over the words, her cheeks red with embarrassment. That was unexpected and for a second he asked himself if he was pushing too hard. When she finally said it, he could only look at her, it touched him that she did trust him that much. She looked so beautiful with her flushed cheeks. Slowly sat down on the edge of the bed and took his boots off.

He turned to face Lizzy, taking her hand and gently kissed it. "Hey," he said and waited until she opened her eyes to look at him. "You trust me, right? That's all you have to do." His voice sounded husky, struggling to be steady. "It's nothing to be afraid of."

Snow leaned forward and kissed Lizzy again, his lips tenderly parting hers. The kiss quickly became more passionate and he pulled her on top of him as he leaned back into the sheets. He could feel her warm, soft skin on his chest and kept her close while his hands slowly explored her body; his left hand ran down her back while the other moved up her neck and he dug his fingers into her hair.

Finally he pulled away from the kiss for a second to give them some air and his eyes, that had been closed to feel her proximity even more, opened and gazed into Lizzy's eyes. "That's not too bad, is it?" he asked her playfully and a little breathless. Snow could feel her heart pound, it was beating just as fast as his own, though maybe for a different reason.

Before pulling her in for another kiss, he caressed her face with the tips of his rough fingers gently. "Are you feeling warm now?" he asked to make sure she was comfortable. This woman was more than important to him than anything in the world right now and he would be damned if he couldn't make sure she was happy.