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What Do You Fear? [randomname98766789 and Amaranthine]

It was closer to the latter before Bryce finally woke. Truthfully, Alicia managed to wear him out. That was nothing unexpected, though. Whenever they had a full day of making love, Bryce always felt exhausted. So, about 90 minutes after Alicia woke up, Bryce would begin to rouse for the day. His eyes slowly lifted open and the first thing he noticed was the firm feeling against his face. It immediately told him that her breasts were right against his head and it reminded him of the way he had fallen asleep last night. Yes, it was a perfect night. It was a perfect beginning to the day for him as well. When he lifted up his head, Bryce stifled a yawn to smile at his wife.

“Well, hello there, babe. I could get used to sleeping against your boobs.” Bryce teased. To start the day, he leaned up and allowed their lips to touch. The kiss was held for about ten seconds before he pulled back, noticing that she had seemed pretty awake. He hoped she had not been waiting on him for too long. Then again, how many times were the roles reversed? Whenever they slept together and they could afford to stay asleep longer when one of them woke, they would just let the other sleep and admire them. Alicia always looked so peaceful in her sleep. He imagined her motivations for allowing him to sleep on were the same.

“I wish we could stay in this bed, in this position all day. I really don’t want to move.” He groaned, tilting his head over just a bit, his chin resting on her collarbone. It allowed his lips to kiss her neck. When Bryce woke up, he did often seek out intimacy like this. Starting each day by coating Alicia in kisses was his favorite thing to do and he was not holding back from that, especially with her showing so much skin

--

It was Nick’s fear that he was in a lose-lose situation. If he said the wrong thing, it could set off Anna’s timer. If he spoke too carefully, she might see that as a slight. Truthfully, Nick did not mean any harm by it. Did he have pity on her? Did he see her as weak? Hell no. It was empathy. Going back to what Anna has been telling him, it made sense why she might mistake empathy for pity. Nick had to clean this up. He had to find something to tell her. Something personal to tell her, to make an impact. Nick had something in mind. It was the honest truth and he hoped it would show how strong she was. She was so strong that she gave him strength. He figured that would say more than anything else he could have tried to tell her at that moment. Before doing that, however, Nick just listened to her speak, wishing he could have changed the past. Not only did he want to change his previous actions, but he wanted to change the horrible things she was forced to endure. He wanted to take her pain away.

“I know you’re talking about how you see yourself, but I just want you to know that I don’t define you as the bad shit that happened to you. You mean so much to me. You are the most important person in the world to me. And you know what? I almost broke my sober stretch, when you were out. I thought about ransacking the medical supplies when I was alone in the tent. But, I couldn’t. Because of you. I thought about how strong you had to be to make it this far, to stave off the temptation. I thought about how I didn’t want to disappoint you and how I wanted to be strong for you because you are always strong for me.” Nick explained, hoping that it helped her. To him, that was one of her strongest acts yet. To actually convince Nick Clark to not use drugs without actually being conscious – that was so impressive.

Nick held her hand right back when she grabbed it. “Also, it isn’t on you to do this right alone. It will take two of us. And I will do right by you, too. I won’t ever let anything come between us again. I cannot take back the past, but I can change now and I can change the future so that’s what I’m going to do and it starts by letting you know how strong you are, how I love you.” It was the first time in a while that either of them would have said that big “l” word, but Nick thought it was necessary right now.
 
While lazing around with Bryce so peacefully passed out, Alicia slightly dozed in and out. She never quite found sleep again but that didn't mean she was actually a part of the real world around her - and that was okay. Sometimes (all the time) an easy start to the day was exactly how it needed to be. Shortly before Bryce opened his eyes to start his day was when she'd finally dozed back in to reality for the last time. When he had opened his eyes and leaned up to kiss her, Alicia's fingers had been very gently twirling through her hair as she admired him.

"Hey handsome," she said with that sweet smile of hers on her face after he'd pulled away from their soft, loving start of the morning kiss and rested his chin atop her collarbone. The way he looked at Alicia want to melt - she found Bryce incredibly attractive at all times, but there was just something about early morning haziness and half-lidded eyes peering up at her that made it crystal clear this was how she wanted to spend every morning of the rest of her life.

Alicia sighed as he started to kiss along the soft skin of her neck. Like Bryce, she loved to start the day off with a good cuddle session and plentiful physical affection. She still had her arm beneath his body from how they had slept, so as he kissed her she brought both of her arms around his body. For a moment she ran her fingers along the bare skin of his back before wrapping him up in a hug. "I gotta say, I'd much prefer to do this too," she said as she then kissed the top of her husband's head.

- - - - -

Anna's lips turned in to a frown when Nick said that he'd been close to using - not because she would have been disappointed in him or anything, no one here understood what those feelings were like better than she did, but because she had put him in a spot where he had wanted to sink that low. It seemed to be that sometimes she underestimated the effect that she could have on people, at least those close to her. It was strange for her to think about, but then again... She'd had Molly at her side every day possible since the days when she'd been nothing more than the quiet little stoner girl hanging out in the smoker's area in her freshman year of high school. People did care, at least a few.

"I wouldn't have blamed you, if you did. I'm not sure that I wouldn't have if our spots had been reversed," Anna said to him, though that probably could have gone unsaid. Both of them understood just how difficult maintaining sobriety could be. It was something else to hear that thinking of her had been what kept him away, though. That was pretty powerful. Not once in her life had Anna thought she could have that kind of affect on people. Like most things in life the best way to describe how that made her feel was uncomfortable, but... not in a bad way? She could have the emotional intelligence of a snail sometimes.

Slowly, Anna was able to let go of Nick's hand just a little bit. He was right - it didn't feel right, but at least when it came to their relationship she wasn't working by herself. And now Nick could have a bit of an idea why she was the way she was. A moment of difficult conversation and vulnerability might end up making things a lot better for the pair in the long run. She was quiet for a moment after he finished talking, and then Anna leaned her head over to kiss Nick's shoulder. "... I love you, too."
 
“Well, I guess we better take our time, then. I have no idea what is going to happen once we wake up for the day. I will want to stay here with you all day instead, whatever we are told to do.” Bryce showed no signs of slowing down. His lips were essentially attached to her skin at all times. He smiled as he was kissing her, loving the way her skin felt against his lips. He never wanted to stop. Once he pulled back from this, he leaned up to kiss her directly on the lips, moaning against her mouth.

He could not help himself. His hands raised up and he started to grope her breasts, giving those perky tits of hers a nice squeeze. “Oh, god. I’m such a lucky man.” He murmured after his hands touched her breasts for the first time that morning. “And I love starting out each day with some groping, too.” Sleepy Bryce could be a horny Bryce, both at night and when the morning started. It showed right now. After giving her breasts a squeeze, he finally relented and pulled his hands back from her for the time being.

“I slept so well with you in my arms. I hope you slept good, too.” He whispered quietly, looking up into her eyes from this angle. She really did look angelic from here. This angle was just perfect. “I am never going to get tired of seeing your beautiful face when I start my day. You mean so much to me.” Bryce whispered, gazing deeply into her eyes, just wanting her to feel loved, wanting her to feel attractive. That’s all he wanted for his wife to start the day right now.

--

Wow. This was crazy. When Anna said that she loved him, Nick understood something special was happening. Something he said must have resonated with his girlfriend. The way she showed so much affection was almost startling. It meant he had to take what she said extra seriously. While she curled up to him and spoke, Nick nodded his head understandingly. He just smiled softly at her, allowing one arm to drape gently around her neck while they continued to lie together underneath the sky. Even if she would not have blamed him for using, Nick understood they were trying to stop using while they were trying to survive the apocalypse. They had to be better and Nick was doing that. She managed to make him better. Nick wanted Anna to know that. Nick wanted Anna to know how she impacted his life in a positive way. If she was truly just the sum of her mistakes, that would no be possible.

He figured they would have to get to sleep soon. He hoped they would be able to stay out here for the night. Sure, the floor might not be comfortable but it was better than nothing at all since they were together. They could possibly just cuddle up together and it would feel just as nice. Or, maybe they would be able to figure something out instead if they did not want to lay on the floor the entire night. It sounded like this deep conversation was ending now, though.

Therefore, he decided to stay quiet and did not decide to continue the deep conversation. If she wanted to talk more, the door for that was always open. He just wrapped his other arm around her from the front, just gently cupping her face for the time being as he kissed the top of her head with his lips, hoping that it felt good for her just to be held like this. “Well, I’m always here for you.” Nick just wanted to gently remind her of that.
 
A soft moan escaped Alicia’s lips as Bryce moved to kiss him and his hands started feeling up her breasts. It was a good thing no one had come home last night, or else a moment like this may not have been possible. Alicia didn’t think too hard about how they were alone - she hadn’t seen anyone else in the cabin during the time that she had been awake and that was really what mattered. As Bryce kissed her, Alicia’s hands wrapped around his shoulders and towards the back of his head, holding on to him with a lover’s care.

Alicia was also the kind of person who was more sexually inclined first thing in the morning, so she was not about to stop him. In fact, she was just about to start trailing her hands down his back and sinking lower on her husband’s body when he first pulled away from her. She, too, found herself to be pretty damn lucky. Who wouldn’t with a man like Bryce to call their own? Other people could only dream of finding someone as amazing as he was.

”I slept like an angel,” Alicia assured, taking the moment to instead gently trail a lock of Bryce’s hair behind his ear - it was just long enough for her to be able to do such a thing, but that was all she needed. She met his gaze with a soft smile on her face. He was always saying the right things to her, making her feel like the most important and most attractive person in the world. “I couldn’t imagine any better way to wake up than with your handsome face next to me. Honestly, I think I have the better side of this deal.”

- - - - -

The sum of her mistakes was a very apt way describe the way Anna viewed herself and with that the outlook she had on her own life. In a way that view made a self-fulfilling prophecy, never believing she’d amount to anything more than the bare minimum keeping her from even trying. She both didn’t give a shit and cared way too much at the same time, and every perceived fuck up and slight was read by her as another reason why she wasn’t good for anything at all. Knowing that Nick was on her side meant more to her than she was able to properly voice.

One thing that she had always appreciated about Nick was that he could be comfortable in silence, not always trying to fill the void with words. Anna didn’t want to talk anymore, she just wanted to curl up to Nick’s side and stay close. Without realizing it the way her hand held his had grown soft, that feeling like her skin was vibrating faded. Nick probably found the way she was being affectionate a little strange, but if he did then he didn’t find it problematic.

With Nick’s arms around her, she rolled on to her side to cuddle up properly. Her injured arm was on his chest where she didn’t have to stretch it, fingers curled loosely to rest above his collarbone, while her head found a comfy spot on the other shoulder. She didn’t mind hanging out here, tonight - it wouldn’t be the first time she didn’t have a proper bed to sleep on, and it wasn’t like either of them had lived a life of luxury in the past. Anna looked up to the stars high above them. “You’re a cheese ball, is what you are,” she said, bringing back the teasing tone more typical of her. Like almost always, she meant it in the best way possible.
 
Part of the appeal in kissing Alicia to begin the morning ended up being the moans she released. That partially motivated his desire for playing with her tits, too! That sound was so beautiful. He never wanted to stop listening to her in this state. It was a perfect way to begin the day. Noticing how they were alone, Bryce decided they should take advantage of this opportunity. Not every morning would allow them such a chance. There was the possibility that someone could walk in at any given time. That would never cause Bryce to be too careful, though.

Feeling her hands all over his body caused Bryce to beam. He could not believe how wonderful it felt. Feeling Alicia’s hands over his body to begin the day made Bryce think today would be perfect. He remembered Alicia saying yesterday, that she hoped today would be amazing. Well, if the way this day began meant anything, he had a feeling that it would be. He hoped that she would agree. Bryce would begin every single day just like this if they were able to do so. However, privacy did not always find them to start the day!

“Well, that’s good. You look like an angel.” Bryce retorted when she talked about sleeping like an angel. “I’m glad to hear you say that, but I feel like I got the better end, too! I guess we both made out of this pretty well, huh?” He asked with a big smile on his face, leaning his head down against her, just letting her know how much she meant to him. “I love you so much, babe.” Bryce murmured softly, squeezing his arms around her tightly again. It was going to be tough for him to release her.

--

Nick understood that it was not necessarily his job to make Anna see herself differently. She did have to figure out things on her own and she was strong, which meant she could work through it. However, as Anna’s boyfriend, he wanted to have a role in that. She did not need to fight this battle alone. She had someone who loved her and would help her see the light at the end of her tunnel. That was what he wanted the most. He was not sure how long that would take or even if he would ever find that moment with Anna. He was going to try, though. He was going to try his best.

Nick learned quickly that silences did not have to be uncomfortable with Anna. Sometimes, she just needed the silence to gather her thoughts. Nick would use that silence to gather his own thoughts as well. It was important to take this slow. This was not an answer they were going to find in the matter of one night. Nick thought tonight was a great starting point, though. Hopefully, now Anna understood how strong she was in his eyes. He hoped she could begin to trust him and he hoped that having real conversations with each other did not have to feel like pulling teeth every single time.

He loved being a cheese ball, if he was being Anna’s cheese ball. “If you would rather not sleep on the floor, I’m sure we can find something. I could go back to the cabin to get some blankets and pillows or something. I guess I should have thought about that first but I could only think about getting everything set for our dinner.” The bedroom was a no-go. That was the main room that had been destroyed in the fire, so good luck being comfortable in that room at all.
 
Alicia enjoyed the way that her and her husband interacted with each other, both always seeming to feel like they had the better part of the arrangement. Neither of them thought that they were above the other or in any way unequal, and that faith and respect lead to them being able to explore power dynamics and BDSM in a safe and healthy manner. Alicia truly had never expected to have so much love and trust for anyone, but she had gotten so so lucky.

”And so do you,” she returned when Bryce called her an angel, giving his torso a little squeeze as she did so. One of her legs looked around his so that she could turn her body just slightly to face him more than she was. How could one person look at her like she was so perfect!? It was still more than Alicia could have ever planned for. Bryce was so, so good to her - every day nonstop, no matter what they were up against. Like him, she was going to have a difficult time moving away from their sweet little moment when the time came.

“I think I love you more,” she teased as she pressed a kiss to the tip of Bryce’s nose.

- - - - -

"You're the one stuck on the floor," Anna shrugged the idea that she might need something off. Some padding underneath them might be nice but it was warm enough in the southern California heat that she didn't mind not having anything to cover up with. There would be no objections if Nick wanted to head down to the cabin to grab what they would need to get a bit more comfortable, but Anna was comfortable enough to feel lazy and didn't really want to get up. She also felt like she had already asked a lot of Nick just opening her mouth and wasn't about to make him do more work.

"If you want to, I don't mind. You'll have to go by yourself, though," she told him as she repositioned her body just slightly and leaned in as if to kiss Nick's neck. She did, but not until after grazing her teeth along his skin. "Thank you, by the way. For dinner, for this place. It's been nice to get away from all of the crazy going on." Starlight above them, candles all around them... it really was a sweet little night, all things considered. It had been a long time since Anna had felt like she wasn’t just part of chaos, and somehow this ranch of all places seemed to have everything that she needed to feel at home.
 
“Now, I can argue about that all day.” Bryce teased her right back. It meant the relationship was pretty damn healthy when their biggest argument was about whether he loved Alicia more or whether she loved him more. Well, obviously, they were not real arguments, but it just showed how perfect they were together. Any issues that arose, they would talk through and take care of. There was no going to bed angry or storming out when they got upset. Even during the moments of disagreement, which were few and far between to begin with, they handled it like mature adults and nothing was damaged. They were a special couple.

“Well, I guess we better actually move. We need to get dressed soon and we need to stop to get breakfast before we get into our day.” Bryce whispered softly, head still buried against her skin. Every fiber of his being told him to just stay in that moment. Then, reality hit him like a ton of bricks and he knew that was not possible. “Maybe… a couple of more minutes won’t hurt, though.” Bryce chuckled, bargaining for the chance to just stay with Alicia this way for a little while longer until they were really left with no other choice, but to get up

--

“I wouldn’t say stuck.” Nick chuckled playfully. Nick had no desire to move. The floor had never felt so comfortable. His position was less awkward than it had been the previous night at Molly’s place. Plus, with Anna in his arms, how could he not be comfortable? He truly meant it when he thought about the way Anna could make the floor feel comfortable. Now it was no longer a thought. It was real and they were living that moment out. Nick felt just as lazy and just as comfortable. It was not a necessity for him. So, if she was comfortable enough to use him as padding and as a pillow, he saw no reason to end this moment.

Nick wanted to grab this moment and hold it forever. There might not be a more romantic moment for these two, with the candles and the sky… the deep conversation. They were turning into a regular old mushy couple! Nick grinned at the thought, knowing that would never happen, but it was nice to know they could have a night once every while to take a break from their usual nature and be sickly sweet. “You are welcome. I’m way too comfortable right now to move, so I’ll pass on that. Maybe we’ll have something better for tomorrow night if you end up wanting us to stay here again.” Nick would plan accordingly if she did.
 
Alicia whined as Bryce said that they should probably get up and moving. Couldn't they just stay here forever? She was about to gently pull his head up so that she could kiss him when he suggested that instead they stuck around in bed for just a couple more minutes. It seemed that Alicia's mere existence had been enough to convince Bryce that it definitely was not time to get up and moving yet. That was more like it! As much as reality was pressing on Alicia's mind as well, it was hard to want to leave their sweet little moment of peace. If there were pressing issues they would have been bothered by now.

"I like the sound of that more," she said, agreeing that a few more minutes sounded like an incredibly good idea. Her hands started to roam around her husband's body, fully appreciating every inch of his skin as her fingers trailed along it. Once she had touched everything that she could, she wrapped her arms to the him in to another affectionate hug. She then pressed kisses to whatever she could- the top of his head, his forehead - down towards his nose and cheeks and lips if she could reach. Alicia was just as affectionate as Bryce was, and it made for very touchy and affectionate mornings.

- - - - -

Did Anna want to come back here again after tonight? Nick had said he'd been welcome to fix it up and stay here so it wasn't like they were intruding on anywhere they didn't belong. Anna didn't mind the lack of a roof or the stars over her head. They definitely would need to put some effort in to making this place a bit more comfortable if they were going to spend more time here but that wasn't a big deal. There was bound to be some spare blankets and stuff somewhere, at worst on the bed at the cabin Nick had originally been with his family.

"That would probably be a good idea, one night is whatever but we might start getting sore any longer." Anna was glad that Nick didn't want to get up and move - she might not have gotten up to too much until recently but healing took up a lot of energy and now that she was cozy with her person beside her, she was starting to feel pretty damn tired. She would be able to fight it for a little bit, but not for much longer... Not much longer at all, given the way her eyes were starting to close. She was surprised at how she could feel so comfortable around someone who wasn't Molly.
 
“Really? I had a feeling you might say that.” Bryce could not stifle a chuckle when Alicia responded in such a way. Neither of them had ever declined the chance to kiss or hug each other. Honestly, Bryce thought it would never happen. They were an overtly affectionate couple no matter what. If Alicia ever asked him to stop kissing her or to not touch her, he would assume something was wrong. Plus, even if Bryce did not feel great, just one kiss from Alicia and whatever sickness or ailment he had would be healed. That’s how it felt, at least. He loved how they had an unspoken understanding of it. They would both want to spend as much time kissing as they possibly could.

Bryce sighed in a content manner. He already felt his passionate desire for her building, but he knew it would be a while before they decided to entangle in some fun again. That was alright. They had some business to take care of today, he presumed. Plus they needed to check for news about whether Madison had returned or not. He hoped one day they would have a lazy day like yesterday, but now, he forced himself to pull back just a bit, looking into her eyes. “Oh, babe. If you keep looking at me like that, I’m never going to be able to stop!” Bryce joked.

--

Even though Nick was never a handyman, how difficult could it be to fix up this place? Jeremiah even offered to help get him started. That would be nice. Nick learned so much since the outbreak started. There was so much more for Nick to learn, though. He could grow and tend a garden now thanks to his time in La Colonia. Who was to say that he could not learn something about home improvement as well? It would feel like something that would truly be theirs. They could stay in the cabin with Madison. They could figure out an arrangement with Josh and molly. Regardless, they would not truly have anything of their own. Nick liked the idea of building their own house.

“Sounds like a plan to me, then. Good night, Anna.” Nick whispered quietly. That was it. No moving anywhere. Just go to sleep. That was a plan Nick could stick with. His eyes slowly slipped closed and he allowed his body to comfortably rest against hers. He slowly slipped off to sleep now with the woman right beside him, enjoying the way it felt. He fell asleep in just a few minutes, peacefully drifting off even if he was on the ground. Just her presence in his arms like this made it bearable and even comfortable!
 
“Then never stop,” came Alicia’s smart remark, speaking from the heart although just staying in bed kissing and touching each other wasn’t a luxury that they could really afford. She hadn’t seen her mom since the day before and Madison Had never returned… That was enough to raise some alarm bells for Alicia, although she couldn’t say that she was surprised. Her mother always had a way of leaving her kids, especially Alicia, wondering what in the world was going on. At least this time she knew it probably had nothing to do with an AWOL big brother… Or, at least, she was pretty sure. There really was no telling for sure, knowing the character her brother had.

The way she looked at him was meant to evoke the same response as her words did - sweet but kind of scheming, all too aware of the effect she had on her husband. Like Bryce, though, if they didn’t stop she was going to end up wanting so much more than a cuddle fest. It was at that point her stomach rumbled from inside of her abdomen, as if to remind Alicia that she did have other needs than just her husband’s existence. Perhaps it was time to get up and see what the day had in store…

- - - - -

Somehow Anna felt more awake after Nick fell asleep, and for a while she laid there curled up to his side. He looked peaceful, and she found herself wishing she could feel so serene. There was only one person in the world she was more comfortable with, it wasn’t about Nick, it was about having time virtually alone with her thoughts. Molly would be proud of her for opening up and it hadn’t gone bad, but that didn’t make anything feel like a bad idea. As much as Nick had kept her calm, once he was passed out she was essentially alone again, and Anna was left alone with her thoughts.

Eventually she managed to pass out too, though - and as much as the roof above them meant that they had a lovely starlight view late at night, it also meant the sun would beam straight on to them once daylight returned. The brightness woke Anna immediately, who grumbled as she turned her head in towards Nick’s body to shield her eyes from the bright rays of sunlight. “No,” she grumbled to no one in particular, not feeling up for starting the day.
 
Seconds later, Bryce had forced himself into a standing position. Spending all night cuddled up to Alicia felt rewarding, but the guy needed to stretch. All four limbs were slightly spread out as he stretched both arms and legs. He groaned and yawned one final time before wiping the final sleep from his eyes. Just like that, Bryce was fully awake and ready to attack the day. With a pair of boxers already on, Bryce did the thing he should have done last night and packed away his dirty clothes in lieu of something clean – or as clean as clothes could get these days. A black t-shirt was pulled over his chest. Jeans were pulled up over his waist. After that, Bryce pulled on some socks and tennis shoes.

He stood up and smiled back at Alicia to see what she had decided to wear for the day. Obviously, it was not going to be a dress just as it was yesterday. It would be something more practical for the day since the day was not really theirs. Still, she always found a way to look stunning in anything she pulled on. Even if she did not wear a dress, Bryce still enjoyed other clothing items and she usually managed to find a way to fit them in, so he was eager.

--

Nick and Anna managed to sleep in an opportune position for the sun. The glowing light hit their eyes and face around the same time. The light screaming in Nick’s face combined with Anna’s movement ended up being enough to cause his eyes to open. There was a soft grumble because as soon as his eyes opened, he was nearly blinded by the sun. He jerked his head away from the direction of the sky and closed his eyes right back. That was one hell of a way to wake him right up. It was time to move, he supposed.

Other than the sun trying to make him lose his vision, Nick felt so comfortable. Waking up beside Anna was something he realized was a luxury. It would never be something he took for granted again. He turned into her as well, trying to hug her close. “Yeah… that was nice, but we need a roof.” Nick laughed, realizing that Anna probably wasn’t ready to wake up yet and start the day. Nick understood the sentiment. “Well, how did you sleep?” Nick murmured softly, deciding to wrap his legs around her for a moment. Nick figured they would have to get moving soon, but he wanted to drain this moment for every second.
 
After taking a big stretch herself, Alicia joined her husband in getting ready for the day. She stripped off what she was wearing before digging through her bag for clean underwear and a bra before throwing on a form-fitting dark grey tank top and her favourite pair of jeans. They weren't just her fsvourite because they were comfortable and easy to move in, though. More than once she had seen her husband admiring the way her body, especially certain aspects, seemed to look in them... or at least she swore that was what was going on, as much as she had never poked about it.

"Well aren't you looming absolutely stunning today," Alicia said as she finished up putting her shoes on and made her way over to her husband. She got on her toes to be able to stand as close to his height as possible and wrapped her arms around his body. As she leaned in to kiss his lips, she also reached around to take a playful squeeze of his rear. She wasn't lying, Bryce did look amazing to her.
It didn't matter what he was wearing, though. Bryce always looked absolutely amazing in her eyes. She couldn't imagine anyone thinking differently about him, either.

- - - - -

"Mmm, floor was kind of rough but I've had much worse," Anna mumbled, tripping over her words in a half-asleep slumber. She was awake enough that she wasn't going to be falling back asleep, the sun had assured that, but like Nick she had absolutely no desire to get up and get moving. It wasn't like there was anything interesting for her to be a part of, anyways. At best her and Nick would spend the day doing nothing in particular, maybe down at Molly's, and worst case she would end up down at Molly's while Nick ran around doing who even knows what. Hopefully soon she would be a little more useful.

Anna leaned in to Nick further and it was hard to ignore the stiffness in her arms as she did so, especially the injured one. As each day went by, it also became harder and harder to ignore the way that she struggled to open her hand or the slight tremor in her fingers when she pushed towards either end of her range of motion... That was something she was hoping would go away before anyone had a chance to notice or think it was strange. Even she didn't know if it was strange or not in her circumstances, but it was enough to bother her. More than trying not to stretch her arm out did. "What about you? Nice hard ground make for a comfy bed?"
 
Tank top. Jeans. Wow. His girl looked breathtaking. When she commented about his appearance, Bryce smirked at her ever so slowly. His own arms wrapped around the brunette, meeting her for the kiss. Humming softly when she grabbed his rear, Bryce enjoyed the way her hands felt on his body. “Thanks, babe. I always try looking my best for you.” The jeans were worn for the same reason Alicia wore hers. They seemed to fit his form nicely and always appeared to accentuate certain aspects he knew Alicia adored. It was perfect. “Now, let’s not overlook how gorgeous you look, either.”

That tank top was low-cut enough to be a huge tease, while still leaving much to the imagination. It was not all about the jeans. He did not pull away until he had stolen a final kiss from those full lips of hers. After the next kiss, he pulled back and released her from his grasp. She was only out of his arms for half a second before he had grabbed her right hand with his left. “Let’s head on out, sweetheart,” Bryce whispered in a gentle voice while they walked out of the cabin, locked it up. He was going to lead Alicia to breakfast, but there was some commotion at the front gate. “Let’s see what this is… maybe it is your mother.”

--

What was it about Anna first waking up in the morning that made her seem so cute, so adorable like this? Her half-asleep mumbling wiggled its way into his heart every single time. It was impossible to not grin at Anna while she talked to him about the floor. She was gorgeous in every angle he had ever seen her, but seeing the sunlight framing her face and seemingly making her eyes sparkle more than usual? Well, Nick was no match for her right now! If he had not been on the ground, his knees probably would have buckled and he would have ended up there anyways. Nick hoped they did experience many more moments like this.

“Well, the ground didn’t really make a difference. But sleeping next to you? Well, that certainly had an impact. The floor is no good unless you’re sharing it.” Nick laughed, leaning against her. He noticed most of the candled ended up blowing out overnight. No surprise, as it had gotten a couple of windy gusts through the roof. Nick’s body was rather chilled, but the sun combined with Anna’s body heat kept him at a comfortable temperature. Finally, he did move slightly, just to push up on one elbow, but not enough to break away from Anna as he tried to hold onto this moment for as long as he could. “I know neither of us wants to but… we really gotta get up.”
 
Alicia grinned as Bryce returned the compliment - it seemed that she had chosen well. She had a very good feeling that he would appreciate her in this outfit, more so than normal. She paid attention, and over time noticed what pieces of clothing got the best reactions out of him and this outfit was definitely part of that. What could she say - she always wanted to look as amazing as possible for him. She wished that she could never stop kissing him but alas, breakfast was a thing.

Until she had noticed that there was something going on down by the gate, her main goal had been to get something to eat. That changed when she saw the commotion, and like Bryce she thought that maybe her mother would be involved. Madison should be back by now - they had been gone a long time, and Alicia wasn’t the only person anxiously awaiting. Other people had loved ones out as well.

“Mom!” Alicia cried out when she saw the scene that laid in front of her. The people who had left were looking incredibly worn out as they hobbled their way back on bloody feet. As Madison collapsed to the ground, she started to run towards her mother along with many other people.

- - - - -

“That’s… probably a good idea,” Anna admitted as Nick pulled away from her just slightly, keeping his arms around her. Just a moment later she leaned back to about the same degree. The sky was awake and so was she, and as much as Anna loved the days when she could do nothing there were other moments where she would wind up on the other side of the spectrum, understimulated and aching to get involved in something - even if that something was as simple as getting up and going for a walk. Being holed up and unable to do a whole lot was bound to get to her in time, worse than it already had.

Anna looked at him for a moment with as sweet of a smile as she could muster - there was always a little bit of mischief behind the way she looked at him, though. Would Nick be able to tell that the first thing on her mind after properly looking at him for the first time that day was that she wanted to jump his bones? But there he was… talking about getting up and doing things and all that blah that he was right… neither of them wanted to do. She kissed him quickly and then rolled her body away from his, straightening her torso in the same motion. “What’s on your bill today? Anything interesting?”

In the distance, barely visible past the wreckage of the fire, several people could be seen making their way to the gates.
 
Dozens of the community sprinted out beyond the gates as they squeaked open. Madison, along with a few other militia members collapsed about fifty yards from the entrance. Thinking quickly, Bryce grabbed a canteen of water while running alongside Alicia. Everyone was walking barefoot, which meant they could barely move now. Madison accepted the water canteen and started chugging almost immediately. Bryce would stand beside Madison as Alicia stood on the other. Loudly, Jeremiah demanded to know what the hell happened.

Vernon Trimbol, presumably a worried father of one of the members thought otherwise. “That’s bullshit. We deserve to know what happened. We have a right to know how to defend ourselves.”

“They slaughtered them. They slaughtered all of them.” Mike stood to his feet and broke the news about what they had seen, regarding the Native Americans whom they encountered. Troy tried to insist that they would be able to handle it, but Bryce could sense the growing sense of unease in the ranchers.

“They are all dead and we are gonna die too if we don’t leave!” Mike, despite Troy’s command to stay quiet, insisted on showing the desperation to the other ranchers. “If we stay, we die.”

Bryce listened, wondering exactly what they found. Madison even seemed pretty shaken up, now that she caught her breath.

--

Before Nick could even offer a response for his girlfriend, his eyes widened. The gates were opening and he could see his mother from the distance.

“Holy shit… Sorry, Anna. I have to go check.”

Because of the rocky relationship between Anna and Madison, Nick almost felt like he needed to justify going to speak with his mother instead of staying nearby. Nick understood it was not the case. He just did not want Anna to feel like he was ditching her. If she wanted to follow, that was fine. If not, he could find her later. He was worried about his mother and it showed how he sprinted toward the gate. He passed dozens of people on his way to her side, finding his sister there, too.

He tried to ask her what happened, but the tense moment between his new friend Troy and Trimbol endured. Some of the medics were walking out to tend to these people, providing socks, shoes, and bandages to wrap around their feet. When the dust settled, Madison stood up and insisted that Nick help her to the Ottos' place. Jeremiah and the two Otto sons wanted her to sit in on their meeting. Nick argued that she needed to sit down, but either way, he helped her to the house (thankfully, not that far away inside the gates). Once Madison was inside, Nick stood outside to wait, assuming that his sister would be there with Bryce. He was slightly hoping that Anna would check on the situation, too. She made him feel better.
 
Alicia did not have to be the favourite child to care that that was her mother - in a moment where she was hurt, none of the drama and low-key petty feelings she had towards Madison because she so obviously played favourites mattered. Bryce being at her side meant the world to her, and for a moment there was nothing that she could do other than listen and try to calm her mother’s shaken nerves. This hit her incredibly close to home but she tried her best to remain unshaken or at least appear that way, and she was surprisingly good at maintaining a level head all things considered. Having Bryce at her side helped immensely.

It was clear that Troy specifically did not want to tell anyone what had happened, but they needed to find out. Everyone needed to know what would happen. When Mike spoke of it, Alicia was disgusted. Another slaughter - the last one this place had lead down at the border, shooting up innocents. This time around it was at least because of a battle that the Clarks hadn’t known was going on. Militia members were the casualties rather than civilians - people who had chosen to go to war. That didn’t make it seem any less vile, though. Her mom was a part of it and it involved the home she was living in, and that made it hit so much closer to Alicia than a massacre she hadn’t witnessed.

In fact, the only reason she knew that existed was because she could see the bruising on Anna’s shoulder where she’d been stitched up as she stood close to Bryce outside of the house after her and her brother had helped Madison up to the house so that the Ottos could talk to her. With the initial adrenaline wearing out, Alicia was growing antsy. She had Bryce, though - who would have her back forever. She had Nick around, too, who probably cared as much as she did.

”I thought this place might be safe,” Alicia mumbled to Bryce as she tried to peer in to a window, anxious to know what was going on inside. The fantasy world that they had lived in for the last couple days was crashing down on her.

- - - - -

Anna was confused more than anything when Nick suddenly jolted of, and until she saw Madison amongst the group returning that confusion had included mild (for her) irritation. She couldn’t claim to understand the Clark family dynamic, though, and as much as she personally didn’t like Madison it was Nick’s mom. That was a complicated relationship she could never seem to understand. To her things should have been a little more black and white - either he cared or he didn’t, wanted to be around her or away from her… Nuance, especially when it came to parental relationships, was not her forte.

She wandered after the crowd, dipping her way through people - she wasn’t running like Nick was, it was too early and she was too sore, but she did make her way there as the Clark siblings tended to their remaining parent. Once she saw the state that Madison was in, it was clear that Nick running off was really for the best. Anna didn’t have to like someone to not want to see them hurt, and there were significantly less people people returning than had left. That… was not good.

This place had seemed like it’s own kind of threat but with the way the survivors talked about what had happened out there, the ranch started to seem better and better. It seemed that she saw going to see some kind of action today, even if it wasn’t the fun kind. Outside of the house Anna stood with Nick, leaned back against a railing with an arm around Nick’s waist. She could tell that he was really bothered by what was going on.

“Your mom is back… She’s going to be fine,” Anna said to him quietly, feeling like the outsider in the little group outside of the house. If they wanted Madison dead… she would have been dead. She couldn’t say that the ranch was going to be fine, though, and with her own family here Anna was just as on edge as everyone else seemed to be.
 
As Alicia tried getting a peek inside the window, Bryce stood behind her. His right hand was resting on the small of her back. At a time like this, of course, it was nothing sexual. It was simply a loving, empathetic touch. Bryce could see the way Alicia was trying her best to hold everything together. God, his wife was so strong. She did not have to be strong alone, though. That hand served as a reminder to Alicia that he was going to be there for her. He had a hunch that, now they were no longer practically carrying her mother, she might relax into his arms, seeking some comfort. Bryce was prepared for it.

Inside the house, the four discussed a course of action. Madison would learn about Walker, the Black Hat Reservation, and the land disputes preceding the massacre. Madison had no idea about this. Not many of the ranchers did. Troy wanted to fight Walker. Jeremiah thought it was foolish because he did not perceive Walker to be a real threat despite the evidence. Jake, in classic lawyer form, suggesting negotiating might be the best way to proceed. Three different men. Three different opinions. They were not on the same page at all.

Madison learned about the history Jake had in court with Walker before the world fell. During the conversation, Madison did ask Jeremiah bluntly about whether the land was stolen or not. He maintained the land was sold to his family legally, although he mentioned something about how all land was stolen. It told Madison everything she needed to know, along with another handful of racist remarks that told her where Troy had probably gotten his ideology from. Nonetheless, Madison would end up leaving the house without a real plan.

While they were waiting outside, Bryce kept close to Alicia. He wanted her to know that he was right there for her. “I’m sure your mother will figure something out. She’ll have some good news for us.” Bryce whispered to Alicia, holding her hand while they waited. However, when the door opened and she reappeared, there was no such news to report. All she wanted to do was get back to the bunkhouse and get some rest. Bryce would help that happen, along with her son.

--

Nick was more than thankful for Anna’s presence. He was not certain if she would have waited around or not. Besides, the relationship between Madison and Anna was nonexistent. If it did exist, there was nothing positive about it. However, Anna would really be there for Nick and not for Madison, so he hoped she would be there. He felt more relaxed when they started toward the Ottos’ home and spotted Anna trailing behind. While they waited, he leaned against her, wrapping his right arm around her shoulders, draping his hand around her upper arm. It was a calming presence.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine. I’m just… worried.” Even though her injuries were not fatal and did not appear life-threatening, it did not mean Nick felt good. It was not further from the truth. Nick worried for his mother, but he worried about the safety of this ranch even more. He cared about what happened to the ranch because of the people inside it. Anna, Molly, Josh, Alicia, Madison… hell, even Bryce, he was technically family, he guessed? If something happened to this ranch, Nick had a lot to lose with Anna clearly ranking first on that list.

There was little time to think. Madison was walking out, ready to lie down. Nick would support her left side as Bryce approached to support her right side. They would make the trek from the Otto cabin until they reached the Clark bunkhouse. Nick annoyed his mother by repeatedly asking her if she was alright. Madison insisted she was, although she walked with one hellacious limp.

They finally did reach the bunkhouse and the two men helped Nick’s mother down into a chair. Nick assisted with the removal of her jacket while Bryce gathered a pan of water and new bandages. It was a job for the two of them, perhaps even Alicia if she could find something to do, but now they were focused on cleaning up the wound with a towel and water as they replaced her bandages with something new. Nick hoped Anna understood why his attention was here right now instead of her, but he would return to her side as soon as he could.
 
The way that Bryce treated Madison just as much like family as he did Alicia was part of why Alicia respected and adored him so much. There were many tales about strained in-law relationships but Alicia was lucky enough to not have to experience that with Bryce. Given that his parents had both passed away there was a zero percent chance she would not get along with her in-laws, but even back in the day she had gotten along pretty well with Bryce's parents. It was just something small that made her feel even more blessed than before. Of course, had Bryce not rushed in to help support her mother's weight it would have been Alicia at Madison's side.

The young woman didn't venture far from her mother as the group began the trip back to the cabin, and while the guys supported Madison Alicia had slipped ahead of them to pull a chair out to an easy to reach spot. Once that was done, she had zipped back to the door to hold it open so that no one would have to worry about anything being in the way. She didn't move until everyone, even Anna tagging along behind the group, was through the door. Alicia had nothing but patience and was not going to try to rush anything, not when her mom so desperately needed to get off of her feet and be cleaned up.

Only once Madison was actually cleaned up did what happened matter - until then, getting her mother cleaned up was the top priority. The story of what happened was horrible, and Alicia was disgusted. She also became incredibly afraid for her family, because they were going to be pulled in to a war that they had not signed up for if nothing was done about this new threat that they faced. Immediately, Alicia knew that they needed to find some way to bring in peace. As the guys helped each other remove bloody bandages and worn out socks, Alicia found a container of ointment that would hopefully help with the healing process. She placed it in a convenient location and then wet a cloth as the guys removed the bandages. She was making sure that they everything they would need would be ready when they needed it.

When all was said and done, Alicia knew that she just wanted the craziness to end. There had to be some way to make that happen.

- - - - -

For quite some time Anna did not wander far, sensing that Nick could use the moral support. There wasn't much that she could do, though. Between the guys immediately taking to tending to everything Madison would need and the fact that she only had vague use of her injured arm, there was nothing that Anna could add to the situation. It didn't help that she hadn't yet been in this little bunk house and it might have been the place assigned to house the entire group, but that didn't make it an environment that she was welcome to be in. No one seemed to have anything to say and likely no one even wanted to say anything (except maybe Madison) but this still felt like a moment she didn't belong in.

There was another threat here, though. The white people slaughtered Mexicans for daring to come to the border seeking safety, the native americans were slaughtering the white people for being on their land... They had somehow found their way in to the middle of one big convoluted race war that made Anna innately uncomfortable. She was a lot of things and disliked a lot of people, but skin color had never been something that affected her opinion of people. This kind of racism just did not sit with her and the beliefs that the Ottos at the very least seemed to hold were incredibly discomforting.

She helped however she could but there were too many people to stay busy - took Madison's coat as Nick pulled it off of her, and then settled on to one of the beds. She had no idea whose bed it was, but she didn't seem to care much. Anna only saw one person here as family, though - just saw bad memories when it came to Madison, she'd never even tried to get along with Alicia before. These weren't her people and she felt out of place. Because of that, after a moment she walked up behind Nick and gently pulled his head towards her so she could kiss him above his ear. "I'm no help here, you know where to find me," she said to him before moving off and slipping out the door - it wasn't the first time she had left him alone with his family, but it was one of the more benign reasons she'd had to walk away.

It wasn't personal, she just didn't see what good she was doing standing around.
 
Bryce focused every ounce of his attention and his effort on cleaning up Madison’s feet. She needed some assistance getting to the bed after the bandages and socks were replaced. It only took a few seconds before she reached the mattress. Not long after Madison decided to lie down, she fell asleep. The trio of Bryce, Alicia, and Nick would watch over her for about an hour. Nick told the other two they should leave and see how else they can help around the ranch. He would stay with Madison. Bryce did not think that idea was terrible. There had to be something they could do.

Bryce and Alicia spent much of the next few hours tending to the injured militia members. Bryce wondered how many of these people were good. None of them looked familiar from the depot, other than Troy. Regardless, this ranch was their temporary home. They had to pitch in and help, even if they were helping some of the undesirables. The couple would eventually finish up their day together and retire to the bunkhouse together for another night of sleep. They were both tired and they were both checking on Madison throughout the night. All signs pointed to her making a steady recovery, thankfully.

During the next day, Bryce decided to speak with Jake Otto. Jake seemed to be the most level-headed of the bunch. Jake had built a friendship with Bryce and Alicia as well ever since they met. He was the main reason they managed to make it to the ranch alive and safe. He informed them of his plan to negotiate with Walker, which required him to venture into enemy territory. Bryce and Alicia did not really even need to talk about it in-depth before deciding they should probably join him.

There was strength in numbers. They needed to help. Plus, Bryce and Alicia had pivotal roles wherever they were as a group, from keeping the hotel alive as long as they did to hold the group together. So, despite their youth, they were still able to be leaders wherever they went. Bryce and Alicia decided they were going to join him. They were back at the bunkhouse to find that Madison was already up on her feet, probably playing politics with Jeremiah. That was fine. They never kept her that informed about what they did anyway. She never exactly kept a close eye on Alicia. Now, they were going to pack a bag or two for the trip, not knowing how long it would take.


--

Moral support was needed. Having Anna close gave him a boost of confidence and reassurance. To be honest, Nick almost forgot she was there. Not because he did not care to think about her. Nick always would. Instead, he was just so focused on his mother that nothing else ended up mattering to him right now. The man was thankful to have help from Alicia and Bryce. They were taking up any other role. Anna literally could not do anything else, so it made sense. Nick gave her a genuine “thank you” before watching her leave. He stole a kiss from her cheek as she walked out as he promised to find her later. When would that be? Nick could not say for certain. It would be as soon as he could.

There was so much on his plate right now, though. Nick could not think about anything else right now. He was just focusing on helping his mother. There was a war around them. Nick would not be surprised if they were attacked at some point. From what he overheard about Walker and his group, they could be ruthless. If they committed such horrible acts, it would not be ideal. Granted, did the Ottos and their racism cause something before? Was it retaliation? It was impossible to tell for sure, but it sounded like it was so.

It was another trip getting her to the bed. He helped lay her down easily onto the bed once everything was done. The man offered her a nod as he made sure she was comfortable. It was wise to keep her legs and feet elevated, he found a couple of pillows to slide underneath her feet so it might help with some blood circulation. With that done, it only took her a few minutes before she had fallen asleep. Nick pulled up a chair along with his sister and his brother-in-law.

They sat together for a few hours, but there was nothing left to do. After he told the other two to leave, he spent a few final minutes with his mother before deciding to head out as well. She was doing just fine here and there was nothing anyone could do. Nick figured Anna meant he could find her at Molly’s, so that was his first stop as he stood outside the door, knocking and waiting for an answer.
 
Alicia felt a lot more guilt about walking away from her mother than Bryce seemed to be. As much as she didn’t need three sets of eyes on her, Alicia was as much her child as Nick was and part of her felt like she belonged there. At the same time, leaving Nick to look after their mother meant that her and Bryce could find some other way to keep busy. There were a handful of other people who had returned along with Madison and they were all in similar states, which allowed the pair to stay busy for a bit. They would return, of course, at the end of the night. She wasn’t walking away forever.

Alicia found the choice to go alongside Jake just as obvious as her husband did, and it came naturally to her to want to follow along. She had no idea what was awaiting them but Jake seemed to think that Walker could be reasoned with, and Alicia couldn’t explain why but she trusted Jake. He seemed like the most level headed member of the Otto family, and he seemed like the only one who was seeking out a proper peaceful resolution. It was a cause worth being a part of.

”Stay close to me, okay?” Alicia said to Bryce as she threw together some basic gear. She had a knife that she normally carried, and a loaded gun tucked in to the pocket of her jeans with the safety on. They didn‘t need much else— a couple bottles of water, a small amount of food in case they ended up out there for a while. She was saying that for as much his benefit as her own, as she knew that they would both feel safer and be more focused if they kept together. Alicia, obviously, was not planning on having to part from him.

Eventually they had finished up, and Alicia slung her backpack over her shoulders. She’d thrown a loose, light open shirt on over her tank top to protect her shoulders and arms from the sun, and she was ready to go. “Well… Here’s hoping for the best,” she said as she held her hand out to her husband.

- - - - -

Anna had no idea how long Nick would be busy but that was okay - she was never the type to need her partner around her at all times, and sometimes in life there were simply more pressing priorities. She had wandered down to Molly’s, where the pair inside of the house had asked her about what was going on. They had seen from the sidelines but not ventured in to the drama, and Anna had answered all the questions they had with the limited amount of information that she had. “Nick can probably tell you more later,” she’d said to them.

After that, it was mostly a quiet day. Madison seemed like she was going to stay pretty damn alive all things considered so Anna wasn’t too worried about Nick, although she was even more wary about the safety of this ranch. Molly was viscerally uncomfortable, as well. Anna got it - she had a kid here, after all. It wasn’t long after that Josh left the girls alone in the house, as he needed to go figure out what was going on. As a member of the militia, he had a right to know.

Just like that, the girls were left alone. Molly was a mother hen of a woman and had gotten to checking out Anna’s stitches and playing with her arm to see how well that was moving. She knew how not to push limits, of course. Everything had seemed mostly alright until she’d asked Anna to stretch out her hand, and Anna’s fingers trembled as they fully extended and as she tried to make a closed fist. She told Molly not to worry, but Molly was definitely going to worry.

The knock at the door startled both girls, but it was Molly who got up and answered it. The girls had talked about more than just Anna’s injury, and the way that she looked at Nick said that she knew about the conversation from the night before and was trying to read him for any signs of hostility or negativity. None was expected, but Molly was the type to play things carefully. “Hey, finished up with your mom? Anna’s inside.” She was no less friendly than normal of course, and stepped aside to let Nick in.
 
“Of course. Always.” That was Bryce’s response when Alicia made the comment about staying close. Bryce would not have it any other way. When she reached out for his hand, Bryce allowed it to be taken. Then, the couple started walking together, leaving the bunkhouse behind. They met Jake at the gates and started walking to the Black Hat Reservation. It was the location where Walker and his people were staying. It was not far from the ranch, which was both good and bad. It was good because it meant they did not need to walk too far. It was bad because the enemies would not have far to travel if they chose a violent route… or another violent route, he should say.

During the walk, Bryce’s hand never left Alicia’s once. They were fortunate enough to not face the dead or any living on the way. While they walked, it felt like more rapport-building with Jake Otto. Bryce and Alicia told him more about their past and their relationship. It was nice to get t know each other more. It felt like he could trust Jake. Jake seemed like nice enough of a guy and he did not seem to share the horrible ideologies his family shared.

By the time they reached the camp, Bryce felt pretty impressed. It was amazing how people could turn any location into a camp. The first stop was the Black Hat Cafe. They were surrounded by armed guards who confiscated their weapons. Walker emerged, machete in hand, and dropped a severed pig's head on the ground in front of them. Bryce did not enjoy turning over his weapons, although he understood why it had to happen. He doubted anyone would have been allowed into any camp still armed.

Walker asked the trio to join them for lunch, so they did. Jake asked Walker to honor their prior court agreements and end the violence. Walker refused, saying that court decisions were no longer relevant. He ordered Jake to vacate Black Hat territory. Jake managed to negotiate a parley and a cease to the violence, at least temporarily. Jake would need to return to the ranch and tell his father. However, each side needed a hostage exchange. Ofelia, who happened to be with this group, would go with Jake while Alicia and Bryce agreed to stay here until Jake returned with Ofelia.

--

It came as no shock to Nick when Molly informed him of Anna’s presence inside. Indeed, just as Anna told him, he knew where to find her. Nick entered the house as soon as Molly made the offer. Nick nodded his head in response to her question as well. “Yeah. All finished. She’s just resting now. She’ll be fine.” He appreciated the inquiry about his mother. Obviously, she would know little to nothing about Madison, other than what she would have heard from Anna or Nick himself over the years. He imagined it was no that much information, though.

Regardless, her concern was appreciated, whatever the motivation or reasoning might be. Nick walked through the house and found his way to Anna. He had no clue what the girls had been talking about in his absence. He really did not care to think on it too hard. Their conversations were always private, but they just interested him. Nick swore most things he learned about Anna came from Molly since she could be so closed off at times. More than anything, Nick was simply thankful that Anna had found Molly. These days, it was important to have a best friend like this around.

When Nick spotted her, he simply flashed her a grin in greeting and sat down. He was exhausted. Taking care of Madison and watching her sleep had worn him out, not knowing whether or not she would need something. The only reason he stepped away now was that a medic from the ranch checked on her and gave him assurances of her safety. Maybe leaving her behind like that made him a bad son. Nick just had to get out of there and get back to Anna. “You said I would know where to find you. You were right.” Nick teased. “Are you two getting into any trouble without me?” Josh’s absence was notable, although Nick felt like it was easy to assume where he was and what he was doing right now. This felt like an “all hand on deck” situation for the ranch and anyone in the militia.
 
Alicia was shocked when she first saw Ofelia - and then she was a little bit angry. There was no forgetting the hotel and the way Ofelia had up and ditched them out of the blue, taking their vehicle along with her. Along with that anger came confusion as to how the woman had ended up here of all places - it was like everything from Los Angeles was coming full circle. Her family was together, Ofelia was alive and fairly local, Nick’s girlfriend seemed to be buddy buddy with the people who had the baby back at the ranch. It was incredibly strange to think about how many coincidences had to occur for a situation like this.

She had agreed to be left behind, though. Bryce staying with her was a mandatory condition, of course, but if trading hostages would ensure a chance at peace she would take it. The Black Hat natives would be better off keeping her and Bryce safe as if something were to happen to them, they would never get their own girl back. Or, at least, that was the theory. Alicia was cautious and keeping her eyes and ears on watch lest something go wrong, but to start everything seemed to be okay. There was no knowing how long that would last, though.

Jake and Ofelia were still in eyesight when Alicia squeezed her husband’s hand. ”They should be back some time tomorrow at the latest,” she reasoned, factoring in time for the people of the ranch to decide the hand they wanted to play. They would be able to manage a day here, though they needed to be on guard. They knew all too well what had happened to her mother and the others with her.

- - - - -

“Man, sobriety must be fucking me up. I’ve never wanted to be that predictable,” Anna returned as she leaned back against the couch and put her good arm up over the top so that she could rest her arm around Nick’s shoulders. Realistically she was just as predictable as she always had been - in the past, there was a solid 99% chance that if one girl was found the other would be found with them. What would they be doing? Who the fuck knows - but they would definitely be doing it together.

She wasn’t overtly touchy, her fingers were only low enough to rest curled with her knuckles against approximately Nick’s collar bone. It’s her way of casual affection. When Nick asked if they’d been getting in to trouble, Anna laughed a little bit. There wasn’t that much trouble two recovering women and a baby could get in to unsupervised… Well, yes there was. Anna was the queen of finding trouble, especially when she didn’t want it. The last few hours however had been nothing but the girls just hanging out and having a couple joints while the infant slept. Nick would probably love that - her taking it easy. Anna on the other hand was starting to get restless.

“Only as much trouble as we possibly can,” she returned, leaving her answer open to interpretation. “What about you? Everything okay?” She’d missed what Nick said to Molly at the door, and at the same time Anna was asking more about how he was rather than how his mother was.
 
“Yeah, they should,” Bryce whispered, on full alert. They were in the thick of it right now. Nobody knew for certain what would happen. Basically, Walker agreed to seek out peace in exchange for bottled water. It was a fair deal, Bryce thought. The ranch should be able to spare it. Would they spare it? That was the question. That’s why it was better for Jake to go back to the ranch rather than Alicia and Bryce. He could get through to his father, who ultimately made these decisions. Bryce and Alicia would not have been able to influence much of anything.

That left Bryce with the question, what now? What did Walker want them to do while they waited? Well, it seemed as if he had a sickly tour in mind. The first stop was the downed helicopter. It seemed they had recovered parts from the chopper and he was proud to speak of it. It was a chilling sight. Travis lost his life on that helicopter. Bryce almost lost his own that night, though Walker seemed uncaring. Walker simply reasoned the contempt they feel about this helicopter was only a fraction of what Walker felt toward the Ottos. Not that it made it any better, though.

Walker showed the skull of his great-grandfather to Alicia and Bryce, explaining that they had to desecrate their ancestors' graves to save their bodies from the Ottos. He said that Black Hat relics prophesied an apocalypse that would shed the land of the impure, and return the land to his people. Before Bryce could digest this information, one of Walker’s group members walked by him. Without even saying a word, he ended up tripping Bryce as the man walked. He released Alicia’s hand while falling, landing on the ground with a hard thud as it had been unexpected. The perpetrator did not say anything and just started to walk away. It seemed like Walker had no issue with it, either.


--

Nick just laughed softly at Anna’s comments about the sobriety making her predictable. Yeah, Nick knew, just as Anna did, that it really did not have anything to do with it. When it came to Anna and Molly, they were both actually pretty predictable. They were always spending time together in some manner and if you found one of them somewhere, the other was probably not far behind. Nick knew that and that’s why he made his way here immediately. He would not have known where to look if she had not been here. In fact, he probably would have sought out Molly for some instruction. If anyone would know where Anna might be if she wasn’t with Molly, it was Molly herself.

Thankfully, it was easy to find her. Almost as soon as he saw her, things felt better for Nick. There was a smile on his face as he looked at her, not wanting to look anywhere else because she truly made him feel good. She made him feel much better than he was before leaving the bunkhouse. Yeah, she was special. Nick realized just now how much he missed having her around. The support she provided him earlier was much needed.

He leaned into that gentle touch she had given him because it was needed. He didn’t feel like talking too much about the situation because there was not too much to say about it. “Yeah… things are alright, I guess. Madison’s fine. I’m fine. Just tired. Just wanted to hang out with you again.” He admitted, leaning his head against hers gently.
 
The helicopter. Just seeing it brought Alicia back to that day so soon ago, a dying girl fading in and out on her lap while Travis and then the plane were shot down. She’d been separated from Bryce and nearly died that day - and people had died that day. Walker said he had hoped to take out an Otto, the casualties were an unintended side effect, but that wasn’t going to bring people back to life. That night may not have been the result of generations of war for them, but it was something just as personal - they had lost family.

She wasn’t liking this place very much but this was also the end-times, the rules of reverting to the laws of men rather than that of government. Now, people could take what they wanted and act how they wanted… and it grew more and more clear that Walker planned on taking the ranch back one way or another. Had it not been so close to her - her family - Alicia would have understood the sentiment much more. It wasn’t just the Black Hat tribe who had lost their land and their livelihood to the government and the people moving in on it.

Alicia had little sympathy at the moment, though. Especially after Bryce’s hand flew free from hers and he fell to the ground, body stopping against the dirt as he had been tripped mid-step. “Hey!” She called out as she spun to face the person who had done that to her husband, obviously upset. No one else seemed to care, so she would have to. “What is wrong with you? He didn’t do anything!” There was anger in her eyes, that protective nature that she had for Bryce just like he had for her. Alicia would fight a bitch if she needed to.

The people around her did not seem to like how intensely she reacted so quickly.

- - - - -

“That’s kind of cheesy,” Anna said to him as she stretched the arm that was over Nick to reach towards the side table on his part, pushing him with the weight of her body as she did so. Obviously she wasn’t trying to cause any problem, just grab something that she had left over there without having to do a whole lot of moving. Once her fingers wrapped around what she was looking for she straightened back up, and opened her hand palm-up once it was closer to Nick’s face.

“So these guys got pot plants,” Anna said to him as she revealed the joint in her hand, her way of offering it to Nick. ”I told Molly you wanted to make me a house and she said she could spare a couple once it’s ready. I guess despite being all gross ‘fundamentalist Christian’ here they have a bit of a sense of how to let loose. Actually, get this. Molly saw your sister and what’s his face going off with a few of the lil rebels.”

“They’re not rebels, they’re good kids,” Molly corrected, referring to Gretchen and the others that made up the cover story band/bible study group. “They’re eighteen and deserve to be able to enjoy being that age. They don’t cause any trouble at all, unlike someone-“ Molly eyed Anna up “- did at that age. So don’t go saying anything around the wrong person.”
 
“Alicia, wait, no!” Scrambling to his feet, Bryce made up the ground he lost quickly. From what he understood about the people in this group, they were not to be fucked with. They just managed to secure a peaceful parley between the ranch and the tribe. It was easy to tell that the people nearby were not fans of Alicia’s little display. The man who had pushed Bryce down turned around immediately and faced Alicia with a smirk. He had not introduced himself at any point in time. Bryce knew nothing. Was he a co-leader of some sort? Was he just another member of the group? Whatever he was, Walker did nothing to stop what happened next.

“Well, well. The girl is feisty, isn’t she? If they’re going to stay here in a hostage exchange… shouldn’t they be treated as such?” He eyed her like a piece of meat. Things were quickly changing. Bryce stepped up now, just as Alicia stepped up for him. “You better not dare t-“ Bryce was silenced as one of the men nearby sucker-punched Bryce back down to a knee. Then, when he looked up, there was a gun aimed at Alicia’s head. “If you don’t want anything to happen to this pretty woman of yours… you’ll do exactly as we say…. You too.” The man spoke, looking to Alicia at the end, threatening her life if she did not comply.

Walker did not make any attempt to dissuade the man. Instead, he gave a curt nod of his head that pretty much said he could do whatever he wanted. Bryce grumbled as he stood tall, standing beside Alicia. He would stand in front of her between the threat and his wife, but there were threats on all four sides, so good luck with that. Now, he heard the man demand they started following. He knew they had to play along, so Bryce gave her hand a little squeeze to show he was right there with her.

--

“Oh… sorry…” Nick mumbled the apology underneath his breath. He apologized because she said he had been cheesy. Now, did he feel compelled to apologize? Not really. He doubted she was actually angry with him about being cheesy. He just did not mean to act that way. He really had to learn when he could and could not be that way around Anna. He did not want to annoy her and it was not his intention. Since she did not really appear bothered by it, he just let it go and focused on whatever it was she tried to do by reaching over him. He quickly realized where this was going. It seemed as if Anna always knew exactly what he needed.

Whether she planned this for him or not was a mystery. Regardless, he would be thankful and grateful to her for giving him a distraction on many levels. Without any hesitation, he accepted the joint. It was nice to hear this. He could use something to take the edge off right now. He was not very alarmed when he heard about his sister hanging around the others, so he shrugged.

“Good for her. Hasn’t really been able to enjoy herself in a long time.” Nick added. During some of the infrequent conversations they have when it got deep, he often told Anna about how guilty he felt, thinking about how much time and affection he stole from Alicia, so he was glad to hear it. Plus, he trusted Molly when she said they were good kids. Alicia could handle herself anyway. So, he took the joint and took a hit from it. “Josh out there trying to make sense of it all?” He asked neither girl specifically.
 
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