Nomad'er What

Chapter 6: A plan

Aileen's POV

I woke to find myself tangled around Pierce. He felt like a sack of potatoes with all his weight on me and was softly snoring while heat emanated off him like a warm camp fire. Despite all that his presence was confusingly pleasant so, instead of waking him I just lay there watching him until he woke shortly after and we untangled our selves. "Are you ok?" I asked.

"Fine, how is your leg?" He asked

"Fine." Pierce searched the bag for bandages and our emergency beef jerky; I chewed on the end of it as Pierce's steady hands worked at my wound.

"Eloped couple thieves assailants and arsonists?" I heard Amir before I saw him.

"What?" Pierce asked before I had a chance to. Amir threw the newspaper at us.

"Today's headline," he explained.

"Damn! You believe this junk?" Pierce accused. My head twirled, yesterday I thought Pierce and Amir were friends, But by the display of angry alpha males bristle and ready for action proved that I was very wrong it seemed they hated each other's guts.

"I don't know what to think anymore, but I didn't come here to fight with you" Amir snarled at Pierce. "I came here to warn you," he turned to me, "This place isn't safe anymore you need to leave. The neighbouring town has a small, underfunded police force, but a few gangs, still, you have a better chance there than here. I can get you a ride...."

"Oh really and what's in it for you?"Pierce snapped.

"I...uh...want to go with you."

"Why the f_ck would you want to do that?" Pierce blurted belligerently.

"Because I learnt right and wrong and right now my life is very wrong, but yours seems right."

"Ha," Pierce snarled and this started a glaring match.

"Fine you can come with us," In saying this both of their grisly glares impaled me.

"What?" Pierce practically spat.

"If you can get us a vehicle," I told Amir. He smiled, "deal." I forced a smile despite how guilty Pierce's shocked angry expression.

"I'll have one ready behind the train station at midnight tomorrow," Amir promised.

Once Amir left, Pierce turned to me, "why did you do that? What's wrong with you?!"

"He helping us. It's only fair that he can come with us," I said logically.

"Easy enough for you to say you psycho!" he yelled at me. That's when I couldn't fight the tears from my eyes, I hadn't felt so wounded in months, why couldn't he just shoot me instead?

When my step mom moved in I hated her so much I put itching powered on her side of the bed, that night she woke me at 2 o'clock to yell in my face, she became this terrible monster, she hit me. I never forget how she shook me awake and spit in my face you psycho were the words she used.

I looked away from Pierce so he couldn't see the weeping wreck of my blotchy face.

"Aileen... I didn't mean it," he said in such a soft voice I barely heard it. "The thing is for as long as I remember it's just been you and me we grew up together learned to depend on one another I'm just not sure I'm ready to take on another member," he confessed, "I want to be the person you depend on."

"Amir is not going to change anything between us! I refuse to let that happen! You're my-everything, can't you see that?"He kissed my forehead and I nuzzled my face into his neck, drying my tears against his muddy ash-covered skin.

+ + +

We ended up finding this weird cave thing to shelter in. We shared the wool blanket that Pierce shoved in his pack before we went for our fire run. "Good night" Pierce said, he was facing the cave wall his back to me and mine to him.

"Good night" I responded. His back is close enough to mine that I could feel the heat. A pit boiled inside of me, I'd never felt so compelled to do anything in my life, but in that moment every atom in my body and every onlooking shadow was persuading me to curl up around his muscular torso. Finally I gave in and wrapped my arms around his broad chest, butterflies fluttered in my stomach but a sort of relief made them bearable, he hadn't stopped me, there was nothing stopping me.

To my delight he turned over and kissed me, the kiss was long and filled with so many emotions. Heaven froze as he paused to see my reaction, satisfied I was comfortable he continued with several more passionate blows, each a little stronger a little reckless and more explosive. His tongue was course against mine and his teeth were sharp, I bit his bottom lips and press my tongue to his. We continued fighting for dominance only stopping occasionally to catch our breath. Between kisses he whispered, "You'll never lose me I'm yours for as long as you'll have me."

I smiled and kissed his ear, "then your mine forever."

He pulled me close to him and massaged my lower back. He licked my bottom lip waiting for me to allow entrance to deepen the kiss, but instead I pulled away. He looked disappointed until he saw my wicked grin, I then started trailing teasing kisses along his strong jaw line right up to his ear, "Last chance to take back that promise," I told him. He flipped me onto my back pulling me so I was paced underneath him, his weight distributed on his elbows and as an answer he started to really kiss me.

+ + +

What happed? For the first time in a ling time I was finally happy, and happiness is something very hard for me to achieve.

The police arrested Pierce this morning, I woke to the commotion Pierce was causing and I watched the car leave with him in hand cuffs.

I remember how his head hung as he fell to his knees in defeat no longer fighting the justified men restraining him. I no longer have a will to live.

I spent hours staring at the cave wall, I watched the shadows reform as sun light came and went.

"Aileen?" Amir sounded concerned, I crawled out of the cave trying desperately not to limp, but as soon as I saw his face raw tears ran down my face. "They have him," I choked "They have Pierce."

"It's ok every thin'll be ok," he reassured me, "Pierce is tough."

"What am I supposed to do?" I am not proud of how I was bawling. Amir pulled me into a hug.

"Follow the plan," his voice became stern, "We need to get out of here before you're in cuffs too!" This reminded me of Pierce and I's survival pact, I should honour him by living on, but I'm a hobo, a street rat, a thief and a liar I don't follow any plans and I don't keep any pacts, I'm a rogue I have no honour so I wouldn't be able to honour my partner in crime either way. I'm going to get Pierce out of this. Scared that Amir would never understand I decided to lie to him so that I can go and save the only constant in my life.

"Ok" I nodded, "see you behind the train station at dark." I lied shamefully. Once Amir scampered off I spit at the ground, "no way!" I seethed, "no way am I letting you rot in jail, no f_cking way!"