I don't own Gears of War or its characters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A day at the Beach~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-The more things change the more they stay the same-

The ground trembled as the dill's oversized tires rolled in, leaves bowing out of the way as it burst down an unused utility road; out thru the windows they saw a dirty looking woman banging on a generator. "Stop the dill Baird." Marcus shouted thru the ear piece.

The sauna like temperatures made sweat trickle down their necks as Marcus and Dom sat on top, trying to catch a breeze as they rode from where they were dropped off by the king ravens. Their lancers sparkled and shined, cradled in their arms as they watched the over sized greenery flow in the breeze.

"What? You got to be kidding me?" Baird shouted back. "Do you not get the backward stranded twang playing in your head; you know the kind where they set a trap and steal my dam baby."

The woman stood up, a large wrench resting on her shoulder as she turned to face the interlopers in her space. The old generator behind her sputtering away with a bit of exhaust as it tried to power the water pumps. Her empty hand fell to her cocked hip; she watched them slow to a stop, the engine still roaring life. She stood there watching the two up top dressed in C.O.G. armour. The closest one seemed like a mass of rock hard muscle, dark skinned compared to his companion sitting next to him. Black little curls swaying in the humid island breeze. His warm brown eyes watched her; curiosity swirling in the soft earthen hues as to exactly what she had in mind with that wrench. El then turned to her attention to the one who seemed to be talking to his self. A black do rag almost like hers, but with the crimson cog on it. Another mass of muscles but a farer complexion, chiselled out scars reflecting that he had seen his fair share of everything. But when Elaine looked up to his face after a cloud moved over the sun. "Aw shit." She murmured. It was the same face, regal nose, high cheek bones, the only difference was instead of a moustache was a little patch of hair under his lip. Between the two, El would bet that the companion with the chocolate eyes would be the friendlier type.

As Marcus stared down at Elaine; she didn't look much like much, a lean, slightly toned mess of long inky black hair in loose, sloppy braids; gathered up in a black, improvised do rag. A pair of black cargo pocket fatigues, which were definitely meant for some one bigger than her petite size. Hiding any hint of a curvy and attractive woman existed under the fishing net top. Her black scuffed up boots crushed the long grasses in front of her as she moved to her tool kit.

"Is she wearing fishing net as a shirt?" Dom asked.

"It's the fashion baby, do as the islanders do." Cole shouted.

From her black netting, to her black fatigues, she didn't look like much of a threat, slowly approaching the dill she kept her side arm tucked in the back of her pants, the wrench still resting on her shoulder. The humid breeze didn't cool things down as she counted four more inside the loud shit box. "What do you want?" She shouted up to Marcus.

"She isn't C.O.G." Anya whispered in the ear piece.

Marcus nodded and looked down. "We are C.O.G. Just…"

He started but she wasn't going to let him finish. "Look you aren't welcomed here. Keep going for another click you'll find your kind there. "She ended the conversation there and then, turning on her heel she picked up the tool box.

Marcus looked at Dom then back. He was confused. "Did I just hear her right?"

Bernie was sitting in the back when she noticed something about the girl, thru the black netting. There it was the red tattoos. "Let me out." She shouted. Her hand gripping the handle of the door as it jammed up. "Lemme out I think I know her…"

"Ah shit granny's got to go piss again." Baird shouted out.

It took several minutes for Bernie to finally get out, her sniper rifle slung over her shoulder, she was bolting thru the brush after the woman. 'It couldn't be. She was just a kid when I left. No… but I have to find out. It can't be her… she would be with people.' Bernie was out of the dills sight.

"Ah shit. Boomer lady moves fast." Cole looked around, trying to figure out which way she went among the tropical leaves, hanging lime colour vines, and various pockets of coloured flora.

Marcus and Dom both jumped down as Marcus growled. His finger rammed in his ear, pressing on the ear piece. "Baird you stay with the Dill. Under no circumstances do you leave it. Anya stayed with him."

Baird blinked. "Hey what happens if I got to piss?"

Anya nodded, while rolling her eyes. "Got it, Marcus."

Dom smirked, looking back at Baird with a shrug. "Then you piss your pants."

Marcus smirked; it was good to see his brother in arms, and best friend starting to be himself again. But he had to focus on getting Bernie back. And why she would run off like that. With Cole, and Dom helping shouldn't be hard to find her. Hopefully. As soon as they passed the generator, the followed the feed lines down a weedy path. Breaking in to a roadie run, guns a blazing.

She sensed Bernie coming a mile away. There was no mistaking when some one was following you. Even if they had done their best to use the landscape to their advantage, it wasn't enough. Elaine grabbed her knife from her boot, holding the blade back along the length of her forearm. Hugging it close as she spotted the C.O.G. blue lights in the dense under brush near her run down shack she called home.

In a second, Bernie was starring up at the calculating, ice blue eyes that seemed to have a storm lurking some where along the edges. 'Shit it is her.' The woman's weight wasn't impressive, but the way she bore it down was. The cold steel of the knife resting against the older woman's neck as the trio of men came running up.

"Bernie, seriously you're getting sloppy." Pushing her body up off of Bernie's then Elaine held out a hand for Bernie.

Marcus had his weapon aimed at Elaine. He wasn't going to take any chances. Cole slowed to a halt as Dom came up side Marcus. Bernie stared up from the ground for a minute. The old woman blinked hard out of shock then took Elaine's hand. "El I thought you were going to stay with …"

Sighing as she made sure Bernie was standing before she tucked her knife away. "Look things change. War is war. Etc. You still aren't welcome here. Even with the sordid, painful past history together or not Bern. "Elaine turned looking right down the barrel at Marcus. Sneering at him with the left side of her upper lip curled up at him, barring some teeth. "Geez'us you look like him. Either shoot me or stuff it soldier boy. I got work to do."

Marcus lowered the gun as she walked by. If he was perplexed he didn't show it. Dom looked between the girl and Bernie. "Uh what just happened?"

Bernie followed her. "Elaine…. Tell me what happened? Maybe I can help." Bernie couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for the girl. She left her behind when she went to find others. Ten years seemed to pass by since being a C.O.G. then stranded, then hooking up with Delta. But this wasn't the same kid. She was more feral.

She dropped the wrench down near her food and water. Bringing a canteen up to her poised lips, taking a long swig of the warm water, feeling the contents dribbling on either side of her naturally red lips; as she pulled the bottle away, running the other arm over her mouth getting rid of the sweat and excess drink. "Nope, Can't you help me, it's been dealt with." She turned tossing them a water bottle full of freshly pulled cold stuff then bent down eating some grubs.

Dom cringed seeing her eat sun dried bugs. Marcus caught the bottle; sniffing it first before taking a swig. "Why the hell not?" He asked gruffly.

Elaine looked right at him. She was polite enough to answer his questions but she rather sees them all go. Even her friend and mentor Bernie. "Cause half of him is over there. " She gestured with a quick thumb point over her shoulder to the water. "And the rest of him is some where buried in the ground. I mind where you walk from now on if you go traipsing thru the bush." She turned to look Bernie, "Look as fun as reunions are … leave."

Bernie stood there stunned. "What happened?"

Sighing again, Elaine found herself annoyed. "Look you want the story. GO to town."

"But…"

"Leave."

"Look…"

"Leave!"

Marcus finally got the hint. "Everyone get back to the dill."

Bernie frowned, but followed orders. Dom shook his head. "What did you think she did?"

"Ah, baby she got impressive skills. I think she can handle herself on and off the field. Let's just give the woman space." Cole bustled back.

Marcus paused, looking back. 'What did she mean I look like him? Does she mean my father?' Shaking his head he moved out with the rest of them. Marcus punches the ear piece with a gloved finger, "Baird start up the dill. We got a click to go before we hit that town."

"Smart move. Bernie, sorry but I just can't face you after what has happened since you left." El watched them move out as she went to the fallen apart beach house. Her own sanctuary with running water and generated electricity. Elaine's slender, bare hand grasped the one half of a chain saw staff like weapon. Tossing the blades over her shoulder and walking away with water in hand. "But things change."

The dill rolled in the small town, Bernie had been silent the last bit of the ride in. Marcus could see the tension in her. But they didn't push her for information. As Delta all climbed out of the dill, their boots pounding the ground as they looked around. Seeing wooden shanties with corrugated steel roofs, outhouses met them; wafting in the breeze with the salty ocean and sickly sweet, over ripened fruits in the trees on the outskirts. Delta stood there as some of the male occupants of the thrown together village approached. Anya stepped up as diplomat under Hoffman's orders. They were on a mission to see what each of the surrounding islands had to offer and gain. This was the third largest island in this stretch. Marcus cradled his lancer as did Dom. Cole and Baird with Bernie went to find lodgings for the night. But three other groups of C.O.G. soldiers arrived first. Mostly technicians and scouts sent ahead to make sure there wasn't any stranded pirates lurking and lying traps.

"Hi, I am Lieutenant Stroud. " She stated with cool confidence as she held out her hand. It was easy for her to snap in to the role after so many years as C.I.C. mouth piece. Anya found out the history of the village, the location in the middle of roads leading North, South, East, and West; and the residents. She probably could tell them any line and they would believe her.

Dom watched Anya for a moment then turned walking a bit near the dill. "So you think that we are going to find any of the stranded here that attacked the old farmer's house?"

"I don't know…but anything seems possible."

Anya came back to the dill frowning. Her slender hand ran thru her short blonde hair as she came to a stop near Dom and Marcus, frustration and ire vibrating thru her after speaking with the leaders. "Well this was pointless. "

Marcus looked at her; she looked just as beautiful in her C.O.G. armour as she did in her command dress uniform. He looked to the leaders and then to her. "I take it they don't want our help either?"

Anya shook her head. "No they do. But it seems the two tact groups that arrived before us created quite a stir, they want to meet with us tomorrow when the last two village leaders arrive. But there is no where for us to stay. And the villagers aren't going to just invite us in."

Bernie entered the small market the village had to offer. Baird was off looking at tools, and parts. Cole stayed close to Bernie… 'Good kid.' She smiled a bit. Cole had always been right by her side. She hadn't figured out if it's because she reminded him of his deceased mother that he wrote too. Or because he was scared she twists her ankle again. But right now she liked his company. She turned again looking at some things that seemed El would have liked at one time.

It was all a barter system in the village; the same one that was the central hub between the six on the island that were social able. You wanted a bushel of vegetables from the southern tip; you had to trade parts from the western hills. Or maybe some scavenged bottles to the northern ones. It was all what you had that they didn't. If you had the right things and a silver tongue you would get far. Most popular objects were building supplies, parts and tools. Weapons here weren't traded openly and not with in village boundaries. For the protection of those who didn't know what they were doing, or those who would double cross you. It was the haves and the have not's.

As Baird was soon learning, he coveted a few different parts. Some necessary tools for general maintenance, wrenches, screwdrivers, a timing belt, hoses for the run down dill. But with out the right currency, all he could do was bitch; and rejoin Bernie with Cole.

"What's got your panties in a bunch Blondie?" Bernie asked gruffly trading some worn out clothes from her rut sack for some food and drinks.

"Can't get anything, everything is Too dam steep."

Cole laughed, "Awe baby. Maybe if you're a good boy sandy Claus will bring it for you."

"Heh- heh real funny; no seriously, you guys should be comedians."

Elaine stood off in the fringes with several large, freshly caught fish on her line. Two lines total. She was cool as she approached the market. Of course she would know even in the hastily built and rebuilt wooden constructs, which she would run in to Bernie's group again.

"No! No! No! No!" One of the men Anya was talking to run up to Elaine. "You can't be here. We made an agreement."

Elaine looked at him. She shook her head, causing her jet black braid swayed against her back while she disagreed with the deal that was struck because no one could survive off the land on their own. 'Morons, going to run around with their heads cut off every single time I come around. Gee almost makes a girl feel loved.' Elaine changed her stance, revealing the fish as their bodies still flapped, wriggling on the line she held over her should; feeling the icky slime seep in her fatigues. "Look you don't want to eat fine. But remember our deal was as long as I supplied food I can be in the market."

A couple of burlier men showed up. One of them was carrying a large machete in his large, tanned hand. "Fine. Leave the fish and go."

Her brows both rose up. Elaine fighting the fits of laughter that was threatening to erupt thru her tough girl façade, amused at the fact they was trying to swindle her now. "You want to eat?" She saw them nod. "You have to trade me for it. Got eggs too…"

Deflated now the leader nodded. 'You trade then leave. I don't want any more incidents where you are concerned."

She shrugged, pushing her way past the group of men as one grabbed her arm. Squeezing the toned bicep he had ensared as she tried to get past "Then we deal with you."

Elaine looked up at the guy. She scoffed. "I wasn't scared of your friend what makes you think I would be of you? Now let go."

Delta all watched as the petite looking girl made her way past. Dom looked to Anya. "Makes you wonder now huh?"

Anya shook her head with both hands on her hips. "It's not fair for them to pick on her like that. We can't just allow that."

"Anya it looks like she can handle her self. Right now we need a place to bunker down for the night."

Elaine continued on her merry way. First heading to the tools and parts stall. Baird watched as everything he touched, wanted, was gone just like that. And for 6; twelve inch fish. "At least they were fat fish." He sulked watching the parts and tools being boxed up.

She moved past Bernie and Cole, ignoring them as she traded more of her fish off. Then the containers of freshly picked chicken eggs she had in her bag. Seemingly the chicken eggs were a rare commodity. The brutal and harsh whispers against the kid Bernie for years were getting harder to ignore.

"I hope she doesn't wish to trade with me."

"I heard she's not to be trusted."

"Whore!"

Bernie had enough. She marched up to one of the stalls. Acting like she was looking for something in particular. "What she do?"

They took in Bernie's appearance, the armour and the two matching thugs. Locals didn't talk to any one really outside of their own ilk, but the woman licked at her lips. The gypsy like woman moved closer to Bernie with a limp. "She sawed one of the Leader's sons in half."

Cole blinked and laughed as he looked to the woman. "You're kidding right?"

The woman shook her head then shut up as Elaine stopped at her booth. Handing Baird the box of parts he was wanting. Elaine's blue eyes looking right at Bernie, piercing thru the facade Bernie was desperately clinging to like a life raft in the torrents of water. "Consider it payment for services rendered back then Bern." In Elaine's mind that was the reason they were there. As far as she was concerned, shameful of what had happened she wanted Bernie not to particularly find out. Moving off with the other items she traded. She went to collect the fishing hooks.

"No. I don't have them. I traded them off better price."

"Then give me back my dam fish."

"No. No. We need to eat." The man had beads of sweat roll down his eyes. His hand gesturing to the tanned and tattooed machete welding man in a subtle swish of the wrist setting Elaine up in a well planned trap.

Elaine didn't miss much as she growled. Her arm shot out, her fingers curling around the trader's collar, pulling him closer to her; as they stood nose to nose. "Look you don't fuck with me! You want my fish. Then you dam well give me what I wanted or give me some dam nails. I'll make my own dam hooks from them."

"I am all out of nails." The man whined.

Pushing him back, she grabbed two large fish by the gills. And with a quick shake of her head, "Then you don't get any fish."

Bernie saw the glint of the machete arch up close to Elaine. Pulling out her lancer she aimed it at the man. She could hear the others coming doing the same. But Bernie wasn't going to sit by watching some kid she helped recover.

"Give the man back his fish."

Elaine smirked and turned looking up to the man. "Tell him to give my hooks." She showed no fear. Her eyes went intense as she stood there.

"Put down your weapon." Marcus yelled out at man. His gun trained.

The stall trader turned. "She's taking my fish." He whined.

Dom rolled his eyes. "From what I saw you were trying to swindle her out of the fish. Why not give her the dam hooks?"

"She's a murdering whore under that beautiful islander image, leading men around by the nose with her ample traits. Then she kills them by leading them off away from security and safety under the guise of being helpful and wanting the best for our benefit. She doesn't deserve to be treated like anything but an animal."

Elaine shook her head. "You want an animal I will give you one."

"She sawed my baby brother in half after leading him on. Killing him in cold blood with her chainsaw staff she carries with her every where. The whore lives and my half my brother lays buried in the ground."

"And the other half in one of these fish." Elaine laughed out.

Bernie could tell that there was more to the story. Elaine's stance was all wrong. It wasn't loose or relaxed. Elaine's muscles were rigid and taunt, the thing toned line flaring up, shaking under the strain. Even if poised for an attack. The kid was like a cat. She possessed feline grace. Something wasn't adding up. But within a blink of an eye the machete came down, the inches closing in on Elaine's left shoulder.

With a quick slide out of his way, El side stepped away. Lifting her boot up, landing square in the ass as she held a fish in either hand by the gills. A loud gun shot rung out. "Enough!" Marcus yelled. The whole market looked at him. "Whatever happened has happened. It can't be undone. But what you are doing now. Swindling her out of what looks like several good meals isn't right either."

The older brother didn't care as he caught El's side with the machete. Enough to cause an incision that would need stitches. Growing she dropped the fish on the ground. Elaine's slick hands grabbed the man's weapon arm, her nails biting in to his skin. Pushing his arm away from her trying to avoid the machete as it swung away, then bringing up her right leg bending it slightly, as it nailed him in the groin with her knee cap forcing him to fold in half; feeling sure pain from his groin. As her attacker came down his breath came out as"oof," She cracked her head in to his face. Elaine had smashed his nose, the attackers eyes were watering from the pain by the time crimson life's blood flowed down over his lips.

The trader watched her, knowing her lethality tossed her hooks at her boots and took off with the fish. Elaine held her side. Picking up her hooks and started back to the way she came with her bag in hand. But it wasn't over yet. The older brother didn't know when to stop. Or that he should have stopped. Anger fuelled his actions. He came after again. This time Dom fired. The bullet had punctured his arm. It was a clean wound.

"That's it you, and you" the leader pointed at Delta and El. "Get out of my village. You can stay with the murderer."

"Aw shit." Marcus murmured.

Anya went in to damage control mode. Trying to soothe over the ire that rose up with the incident in the market that they tried to help resolve peacefully. Bernie shook her head. "Something isn't right…"

"Yah think granny?" Baird held the box.

Marcus and Dom walked back to the Dill. As had Cole and Baird, cradling their lancers, looking around as if they were policing the island. Bernie stood there for another couple of moments until she noticed the globs of blood on the ground where El walked. Bernie broke out in to a roadie run after Elaine. Bernie was off.

"Ah fuck." Marcus growled. "Cole. Baird stuck with Anya. Dom you're with me. We got to go get Bernie again." shaking his head as he rubbed his eyes.

Dom chuckled. "It's going to be one of those days." Both broke into a roadie run after Bernie. Not sure what to expect this time. At least they had a trail to follow. And both seemed quite happy to get out of that village. Though the thought of leaving half his squad behind didn't bode well with Marcus, he didn't have a choice. Something didn't seem right about those people. Even the story seemed to be missing half the story.

The further in they got, the finally slowed in to a walk. "So you think she did what they said?" Dom asked to break the silence.

Marcus' shoulders lifted slightly. "Hell I don't know. It seems a little fishy to me."

Dom nodded. They broke into a ground pounding jog looking for Bernie and Elaine thru a hidden path towards the beach. "There's Bernie."

Bernie was kneeling Elaine's prone body. Bernie was trying her best to stitch up the wound, but El's flinching and moving wasn't making easy. "Sit still. And suck it up." Bernie chided.

Elaine rolled her eyes. "Look I said I can do it myself" Elaine winced.

Marcus caught up to Dom as they watched. "Man you look like a stuck pig."

Elaine shot Marcus a cold look. "Great then the locals can put me over the fire again." She looked at Bernie with a sharp intake of breathe. "OW! That hurts."

The older woman stopped, pushing Elaine down on the ground. "I do this now or carry you back to you little hide away. Either way it's going to be painful." Elaine stiffened but then let Bernie finish. "Its good to see that you're head wasn't too injured to hear the voice of reason. Now tell me what exactly are you being accused of."

Closing her eyes as she heard the two men shift, probably making sure no backwards locals were going to ambush them at any second. Elaine placed her arm over her eyes, giving Bernie better access to the wound on her side. "I killed the guy's brother."

"Yeah we heard that part. How bout what happened to provoke you."

Bernie shot Marcus the 'you're not helping any' look but continued fixing up the gash. "His brother and I were on patrol. But before that he drank a lot of the local flavours. Which must have meant in his drunken mind that it was time to get frisky with the female walking along with him? Sadly he didn't get a chance to dip his wick. Happy?"

Dom blinked, watching her sit up with a cough. Shifting around as she took the pain in stride. "They let him do that?"

She looked right at Dom. "They didn't stop him. His brothers were there too, and some of the leaders. I am female. They are male. That's the way things around here. "She pushed herself up wobbling a bit as pain racked thru her.

Dom was the first to help her. She tried to push him off. Bernie shot her a look, and El backed down. Elaine was allowing the unwanted help from Dom.

"Marcus. I soothed everything over with the leaders but they don't want us around tonight. It seems they have to soothe the natives." Anya broke thru their ear pieces.

"Copy that."

Sighing Elaine then muttered under a breath, "Look you can stay with me. But don't get too comfortable. They probably end up trying to retaliate tonight."

Several hours later, the fire had freshly caught fish stakes roasting. Some freshly picked green, native vegetables. Anya, Dom and Cole talked quietly to themselves trying to figure the rotation of patrols. Marcus scanning the area around, he wasn't relaxed while sitting at the fire, only expecting the worse. Elaine rose up and handed Marcus a drink. "Don't worry. They don't attack in daylight. But if you feel something chewing on you; Or if a fork and knife is trying to cut in to you, it's them"

Marcus looked at her. "You're saying…"

She sighed. "They are cannibals. When they say half is lying in the ground it's because it's only the bones."

Every one stopped and looked up at her.

"Ah no." He drawled out. "Hell no. No." Baird shook his head. "The chairman isn't going to like this."

"That's just not right baby." Cole muttered. Looked sickly and green, at the thoughts of people eating other people came to mind, 'Ah man that's just not right.'

El shrugged. "Look not all the villages are like that. Not all of them are but the ones who keep attacking me are." Elaine tugged her braids into a knot at the back of her head. She studied their faces with great concentration as they took time to absorb the information about the locals. "And we haven't been under C.O.G. rule here officially. You got to do what you need to do if you want to survive."

Bernie looked at her and nodded. She knew what the kid meant.