For a few days we travel by car, finding gas through siphoning it through other abandoned cars and gas stations.

We alternate who drives every few hours, so we can both sleep and rest equally.

Currently it's dusk. Aaron's driving, and I'm curled up in the passenger's seat, eyes closed and pretending to be asleep. Aaron's being cute, humming an unfamiliar song suspiciously like a lullaby whilst simultaneously tapping his fingers against the wheel in a steady rhythm.

Oh. I just associated Aaron and 'cute' in the same sentence. Brilliant.

I had actually woken up a few minutes ago, but Aaron doesn't know that. He's been particularly quiet after my small breakdown a few days ago. I think we're both waiting for the other to apologize straight-out for the argument. To be quite frank, I'm not entirely sure who's going to apologize first, but it's likely going to be me. I can't ever go too long without apologizing in a situation where I was somewhat in the wrong.

Suddenly, Aaron utters a curse and slams on the breaks, causing me to fall forward and smack my head against the dashboard.

I let out a small yelp, cursing myself for not wearing a seat-belt.

"Damn. Are you alright, Brie?" Aaron asks reaching over to me.

I groan, moving back into my seat. "Fine," I assure him. "That's one hell of a wake up, though."

"Sorry," Aaron replies. "I saw a body in the road and we almost ran it over. Scared the living hell out of me."

I rub my sore head. "It's fine. No damage done."

Aaron chuckles. "Alright. You staying in here, or do you want to check it out with me?"

I snort. "Like I'd let you go out there alone in the almost-dark to check out a body when there could still be people out there to kill us," I say sarcastically.

He grins and unbuckles his seatbelt, getting out of the car. I open my door and climb out, shrugging back into my jacket that I had used for a blanket as I do so.

The body Aaron saw was sprawled in the road,  blood soaking the blue uniform signifying the individual. They're laying face down on the street, blood pooling out of a bullet wound through their shoulder.

Aaron nudges the body with his foot. The body doesn't respond.

My breath hitches as I notice the hair - raven black, cut short like a certain traitor I know. 

Aaron glances at me, sees the look on my face. Understanding crosses his features and he kneels down, turning the person onto their back. The man's too old to be Justin, thank God. Should I be concerned that I was worried about Justin being dead? Probably, but I'll write it off to not wanting anymore deaths in my circle.

Aaron checks for a pulse, before shaking his head. "Dead," he says, confirming my thoughts.

"Probably been dead for a few days," I add with a small nod, kneeling next to him.

Aaron looks at me, eyes wide. "Brie, do you think it's possible...?"

"Logically they should have been passed here days ago. But if they were held back, then yeah, it's possible it was them."

"What do you think personally?"

"Knowing Brian? They'd have waited a few days to wait for us. Then they'd have left. Also, under the circumstances, unless there's another Escapee group that we know of, this would have to be them. Alex prefers shots to the shoulders. Less chance of them dying, but enough power to prevent them from continuing on." I shrug.

Aaron grins as we stand. "So they're alive? They have to be nearby, right?" 

Not wanting to spoil the moment by pointing out that they could have died in the attack, I nod, smiling. "Yeah, I think they're alive, Aaron. And chances are they're somewhere close."

He grins wider, looking extremely happy. I can't help but grin as well when he lets out a small, delighted laugh and have to ignore the sudden butterflies at the sound of his laugh. "She's alive, Bryna," he says, ecstatic. "She's close, and she's alive."

I laugh at his excitement, nodding. "Yeah. She's alive. Brian's made sure of that."

He laughs again and steps over to me, wrapping me into a hug, making sure to be gentle because my ribs are still extremely sore. His chin rests on my head as I hug him back, smiling at his mood. I rest my forehead on his shoulder, acknowledging the relief that courses through me at this revelation.

"They're alive," I whisper. I had had a feeling about it, but knowing for a fact that they're out there still is so relieving that I have to physically will my legs to hold me upright.

Aaron nods, and I know he's smiling. He shifts slightly and pulls away to look at me. Dammit, I'm freakin' crying again. My emotions are so stupid right now it's not even funny.

He wipes a tear from my face. "You're crying again."

"I know," I groan, closing my eyes and letting my head rest in his hand. "I don't know why the hell I'm so emotional recently." I scoff. "I'm such a girl."

Aaron chuckles and keeps his other arm wrapped firmly around my waist. "Really now? Could've fooled me."

I laugh, smiling. "Until now, I fooled myself, too."

He laughs softly. "You're definitely not what some would expect."

"I do try." I open my eyes and look at him, noting how close he is. 

He opens his mouth, as if to say something, but then closes it and looks away. "I'm sorry, Brie. For everything. I shouldn't have gotten on you like that. I was worried, frustrated, and I let it out on you."

I tilt my head. "Aaron, it's alright. I forgave you a long time ago. I shouldn't have put you into a position where you had to feel like I was putting you into danger."

"I made you cry." He frowns. "You don't know how guilty that made me feel."

I scoff. "I wasn't crying because of you. Well, I mean, technically, yeah. But I was crying because I was overwhelmed. Not your fault. I've been holding in my tears for six goddamn years. I just broke."

"Still. This sounds incredibly cheesy, but I don't like seeing you upset."

I nod slowly. "Yup. That sounded extremely cheesy."

He laughs. "I know." He removes his hand from my face, rubbing his face in exhaustion. "I feel extremely guilty, Brie. I can't say it enough."

"There's no need to feel guilty, Aaron. You gave me the reality check I needed. I did have a complex of sorts, and it's not your fault you pointed it out to me. I'm working on it, though."

He grins. "Yes, I saw that when you didn't tell me to get the hell out of there without you."

I laugh. "That was also because there would have been nowhere to go. And there was a chance that if you did leave, I would have died, so..."

"Fair enough." He looks at me. "So we're alright?"

I roll my eyes, whacking him upside the head. "Duh."

He grabs my hand. "Ow."

"You're welcome."

He lets out a low chuckle, leaning closer to me. His lips brush mine briefly, before we both pull back in shock.

"Err..."

I stare at him a moment, and then glance at the body a little ways away. I look back at him, smiling. "I'd love to delve in on that moment, but perhaps this isn't the best place to do this," I suggest.

His neck flushes in embarrassment. "Probably."

My smile turns amused and I plant a small kiss on his cheek. "Maybe when there isn't a dead body, like, two feet away?" I suggest.

His mouth opens in slight surprise, and he looks flustered. I grin, slipping out of his grip and walking back to the Jeep.

"Want me to drive?" I ask.

"Err... Sure."

I smile again and climb into the driver's seat, waiting for Aaron to get in before shifting the car into gear and heading off.

Aaron rests his head against the head rest, eyes closed. It doesn't take an expert to know that he's embarrassed. To be honest, the entire scenario took me by surprise. Romance definitely wasn't on my to-do list. But I'm not opposed to it. Especially if it's with Aaron. 

I'm in trouble.

~~~

Soon the body count prevents us from moving on. Seems like Alex and them had a miniature army on their hands. 

Aaron and I slip out of the car, walking to move the bodies out of the way. In the light of the car's headlights, we start dragging the dead bodies out of the way of the Jeep. 

It surprises me how heavy some of these men are. And then I realize that I'm still a sixteen-year-old girl who's trying to drag a twenty-something-year-old dead man who's pretty much all muscle, armed to the teeth with heavy weapons and shoes that probably weigh more than my pistol. So, all things considered, I'm doing well, having dragged my fifth body out of the way in the span of ten minutes.

There's a shout, and then a beam of light on me. I let out a curse, dropping the body I was carrying, and flip my hood on, moving out of the shine of the light as I pull out my gun. Aaron's on the opposite side of the Jeep from me, and I see his figure reach for something in his belt, probably the gun I know is there. 

"Who's out there?" a familiar voice bellows. "Show yourself!"

I hesitate for a moment, before walking back into the light, letting my pistol hand dangle at my side. His shock is evident.

"Bryna?"

~~~

Alex's P.O.V

I had left the store we were holed up in upon hearing the sound of an engine running. Those Sentries don't know how to give up, do they? 

But when I found the vehicle, I didn't expect it to be a Jeep carrying two people who don't look remotely like Sentries in any way whatsoever.

So, naturally, I make myself known, thinking that the two must have been part of that group that attacked Bryna all that time ago. 

The shadowed figure that had been dragging a body out of the way dropped it upon being caught in the beam of my flashlight. They moved into the shadows, so that I could only make out their silhouette in the darkness. 

"Who's out there?" I shout. "Show yourself!"

The other shadow doesn't move. My eyes don't flicker to that one. They remain on the one that walks forward in such a familiar way that I have to stop myself from launching forward when she stops in front of the Jeep, looking extremely awesome and in her zone.

"Bryna?" I ask, astounded.

The smirk that's visible beneath her hood confirms that, yes, this is my Bryna, and she's all well.

"Alex. You're looking well. Almost scared the hell out of me though."

I let out an incredulous laugh and she pulls off her hood. It's Bryna Lexington in all of her beautiful glory. I let my pack fall off and run over to her, wrapping her into a bear hug.

She lets out a gasp. "Alex, my ribs!" 

I loosen my grip on her and pull back. "Sorry! What's wrong?"

She smiles. "Just a small incident. My ribs are bruised. Where's everyone else?"

"They're in one of the buildings. I can take you two there."

Aaron steps out of the shadows, tucking his gun into his belt.

 "Sure. Lemme just hide the Jeep and you can take us there," Bryna says.

I nod and she walks off.

"You didn't die," I say to Aaron.

"Nope. Brie wouldn't allow it."

"Sounds about right. What happened to her?"

"She... Took a beating. It was pretty bad, but majority of it's healed."

"She took it for you, didn't she?"

Aaron hesitates, then nods. "Yeah."

"Sounds about right." I nod slowly.

"Yeah... How's Lea?"

"Lea's fine. Glued to Brian's hip, but alright."

The Jeep pulls away.

"What happened?"

"There was an ambush. Sentries came and shot both Justin and Brian down. Justin took a bullet meant for Lea and Brian took one meant for Justin."

"Is everyone okay?"

"Brian's damaged the worst with a bullet wound in his side. Justin was barely grazed." I sigh. "We've been here for days, waiting for Brian to heal. Bullets aren't easy to find around here, you know."

"Yeah. Well, we have more medicine in our bags, and we have a way out of here now with the Jeep."

"Great. Makes everything so much easier."

"It does," Aaron agrees.

Bryna comes back a few minutes later, tucking a set of keys into her pocket.

"Shall we?" she asks. 

I study her for a moment before nodding, leading the way to the store we had made our base.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Hey! Sorry this is a little later than usual, but I got caught up. Whoops.

What do you think of Aaron and Bryna's little moment?

Eh, that's pretty much it for today.

Off to slaughter more fictional characters,

-Musical_Author