A/N: Things are finally getting to the fun part ;)

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02 - 06 - 2089

I have never walked for so long in my life.

We have been walking the whole night, and Cade tells me the sun will make an appearance soon. That thought gives me extra energy to keep going, even though my legs are burning and my lungs ache. My fingers are also numb even though I have them jammed in the coat pockets.

But the sun. Having only seen it once, my excitement cannot be described in one word. To see nature up close, even if it is cold and white, is something I have dreamed about for my whole life.

Cade has my hand wrapped tightly in his as we pick our way across the frozen landscape. About an hour ago we entered a forest, full of leftover trees from before the snow and pines that are rich green. The first green I have ever seen. After having said for so many years that green is my favorite color I can indeed confirm it. Green is the most beautiful color. Like I said before, the color of life. The color of newness.

And now the color of freedom.

The world smells so magical too. Everything is so vibrant. I can't stop taking large, gulping breaths of the pine scent, of the fresh air, and I can't state it enough how thankful I am that I don't have to smell antiseptic anymore. Antiseptic was always so strong at the facility that nothing else could ever break through the haze it created.

But here, in the wide wide world, there are so many scents. Too many, and I can't stop asking Cade what they are. There are too many for me to name or figure out, as I have never smelled any of them before.

A low moan echoes across the dark sky from a distance and I stop in my tracks. "What was that?"

Cade gives a low chuckle, something he's done quite a few times since we have been walking. "Wind. I think a blizzard is coming."

My eyes widen. A blizzard. Snow. Lots of snow. "Will we get to see it?"

"Hopefully it will pass over us. But just in case, we better find some shelter. I had planned on us reaching town by the time the sun rose, but we are still pretty far away." Cade starts walking again, and I follow, still hand in hand.

"Town? So, I'll get to see other people?" I try to imagine what that would look like. A whole bunch of buildings all scattered together with lots of people living there. It sounds strange in my mind, but then again, a lot of things sound strange to me right now.

"Yeah, hopefully we can get some tickets out of here once we reach the town." Cade pauses to push back a low hanging branch and hold it while we walk under it.

"Where will we go?" I ask, once again trying to imagine some place other than here. The world is much too large for my mind to comprehend, but I remember from some of my books that there are many places besides here.

Cade shrugs. "I don't know. Anywhere but here."

"Where is here? I was told it was called Anteria, but I don't think they were telling me the truth."

He gives me a funny look for a moment, before it clears. "Alaska. More specifically, we are near Fairbanks. At least, that's where I hope we are, but without a map I have no way of being sure."

"Alaska." I test the word on my lips, enjoying the sound.

"No one ever told you?" Cade pauses and turns to look at me.

I shrug. "I asked, but they always told me I couldn't know where we were." Cade gives me another look that I can't decipher, but a loud howl of the wind breaks his gaze, and he ushers us on.

As we walk, the wind grows louder and more insistent, blowing us along and whipping my hair every which way. The braid it had been in is long gone, and now it dances freely about my neck and face, the black tendrils dancing to the wind's tune.

I wish we weren't in this forest, then I might be able to see coming snow better. I can only catch glimpses of it from between the trees, and above us. The sky is still quite dark, with only the hazy glimpses of morning beginning to reveal itself.

"Let's stop here until the blizzard passes." Cade pulls me to the right where a low hanging rock ledge is covered in snow. Peering closer, I notice it's actually a cave, untouched by the white of snow except at the edge.

"Wait out here while I check to make sure it's empty." Cade enters the cave, almost disappearing completely in the darkness. I hear him stomp about inside, before he turns and ushers me in after him.

We huddle down at the back of the cave, facing the entrance. Cade wraps his strong arms around me, and I huddle into him, feeling warmer with our bodies entwined. I bury my face in his shirt and breathe in Cade's familiar scent. Usually, I also smelled antiseptic on him, but now I smell pine and dirt along with the scent I have always smelled on him. A clean, wood smell. I think it's from his hair, but I can't be sure.

In fact, I have never mentioned his smell to him before, and just thinking about it makes my cheeks hot. I don't think it's normal to notice how someone smells. Or maybe people do it all the time, but they just don't talk about it.

"Are you warm enough?" Cade mumbles, and I realize his chin is resting on my head. I can feel every single place he is holding me, and it does warm me. I barely feel the cold anymore. A warm tingling sensation spreads throughout my body instead and I shift further into Cade's arms.

But my heart is pounding so hard in my chest I'm afraid Cade can feel it. I don't know why I care, but for some reason it matters. "Yes," I whisper finally when I realize I hadn't answered, then repeat it louder to be sure he heard me.

"Good. You can rest if you want. I'll keep you safe."

And just like that, sleep enters the cave and wraps it's strong, insistent arms around me, pulling me into the dark.

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I wake to the sound of howling. But not from an animal. This howling is the loud call of the wind as it whips the snow outside the cave every way. I lift my head out of Cade's shirt to peer outside the cave. Everything is white, and completely disorientating. Suddenly I'm glad we are in here, and not outside in the elements.

"Did you sleep good?" Cade readjusts his arms around me and I meet his gaze, staring into those glorious pools that are his eyes. The skin around his eyes crease ever so slightly as he smiles, and before I can stop myself, I run my fingers along them. My touch is feather light as I feel the creases and smoothness of his skin. Cade lets out a staggering breath, and I force myself to lower my hand as I realize what I'm doing.

"I'm sorry." I try to look away, but his eyes hold me captive.

"Don't be." He leans forward, resting his forehead against mine. I almost jump back in surprise, but manage to hold myself still, hoping it doesn't feel weird to him. How does my forehead feel? I can't remember, but I hope it's smooth like his face. I hope it doesn't seem awkward, or strange.

"Cade, can I ask you something?" There goes the moment. I chide myself, but I can't help the random thoughts that start to pop up in my mind to distract myself.

"Anything."

I hesitate before voicing the first question I can think of. "Can you tell me something about yourself?"

Cade pulls back and looks me in the eyes, and I wonder if I said something wrong. I'm about to ask him when he speaks. "What do you want to know?" He sounds genuinely curious, which brings me to search my mind for something I want to know. For some reason, the realization that I can learn anything about him makes me giddy.

"Um... well, what's your favorite food?" As the words leave my mouth, I regret them. Once again, my stupid brain wouldn't work properly. Ask anything, he said. Oh great, what's your favorite food. Come onnnnn, Gis.

Cade chuckles. "Well, let's me think. I like waffles with orange paste. And butter. Lots of butter." He grins, really grins, and I drink the sight in. His smile is so... wonderful.

"Wait, what are waffles?"

Realization dawns on Cade's face. "Oh, right. Well, they're kinda hard to explain. But they are sort of like sweet bread in the shape of a circle, and you dip them in things like syrup and butter." My mouth waters as he speaks and I unconsciously rub my stomach.

Cade stops talking. "I'm sorry I don't have any food to give you. Hopefully we can purchase some when we reach town." Don't make him feel bad, Gis.

"That's okay. I'm not that hungry anyway," I lie, staring at my hands to hide my face. Cade doesn't allow it. He lifts my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"It'll be okay. I promise I'll take care of you. Always."

I swallow and blink back the tears that threaten to burst forth. I don't know why I feel like crying. I'm not sad. On the contrary, I'm ecstatic. I am free of Doctor Acosta and Barr, and I am with Cade. What is wrong with me?

Of course, much to my embarrassment, Cade notices my expression and pulls me against him. He doesn't say anything, and neither do I. So there we stay, silent in the midst of the blizzard, safe together.

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