Why?
It had taken everything she had in her to convince the Commander to let him stay after they got him healed and on his own again. Lucas was…grateful…that she saved him, in a way; he wasn't ready to die, despite his previous actions. The Commander had his own head to worry about. This wasn't the same boy who shook with nerves when he held a gun, this transformed…man, the years alone in the jungle had made Lucas more sure of himself, giving him a steady hand. But he agreed and stationed Lucas far away from the colony, leaving him to work on mindless projects and always stationed with a guard close by. He even went as far as to give him a house, again always guarded, just in case Lucas slipped back to his old ways. Skye did her best to convince the Commander that his son had changed, that he was a stronger, better person than he was when he was banished or when he stabbed his flesh and blood.
The Commander knew better; the guards stationed by Lucas' side stayed put.
"Why, Bucket," Lucas coughed when he woke up, weeks later in the infirmary. His body tired and weak.
"Believe it or not, Lucas," she began with a shake of her head, "you deserve to live."
"Why?" he questioned softly, grabbing her hand and giving it a light squeeze, "Why, Bucket?"
Skye only shook her head and left the room with a sigh.
Time slowly passed and she would see him walk by, head down, and up the steps to the Commanders hut. Lucas only wanted an answer, why did she let him live, why did she convince his father to let him stay in his precious Terra Nova. He would have gone back to the jungle, but what would the point in that be, here he had permanent shelter, a steady supply of food, and her. She was always there, no more roaming OTG for her, she had no reason too. He knew she watched his every move within the colony, as he did her. He made it a point to leave the weekly meeting with his father at the same time she would be leaving to continue her internship with one of the Shannons, Elizabeth, the one who brought him back from the dead, due only to his Bucket's constant badgering.
"Why?" he gruffly asked as they crossed paths.
Skye held his gaze, getting lost in his hurt jade irises for only a moment, a moment too long, before she cleared her throat and continued on her way.
He would sneak out at night to come see her, all abandoned in her new home, while her mother still lie ill. The guard with him looked at her, confused. She nodded and stepped aside allowing Lucas entrance, locking the guard out. No words were shared, only a building heated passion between them. Scarred lips instantly caressing her smooth ones, his chaffed fingers running up and down her spine, lifting her shirts over her head gently, dropping kisses on her bare shoulders. She let her fingers trace around the new scar tissue on his chest and placed a genuine kiss over them, allowing tears to seep out and coat them with her sorrow. Lucas knew she had pulled the trigger on instinct, and didn't hold it against her, he simply tilted her head towards him and captured her lips with his own once more, relishing in the fact that she allowed him entrance to this wonderland. Slowly he backed her into the wall and his hands went to rest firmly on her hips and she promptly hoisted herself up and secured her legs around his waist. His hands traveled to her bottom, holding there, and fueling his desire. She nipped his lower lip and welcomed his begging tongue allowing him to finally lower her down onto her neglected bed.
When all was said and done, they lie in silence, listening to the clicking of the chain striking the ceiling fan. Skye was curled into Lucas' side and he would prop his head atop her hair after pressing a delicate kiss to her temple and breathed her in.
"Why?" he would finally speak, his voice husky and quiet.
She would shake her head and bury herself further into him, letting stray tears soak into his chest.
Their meetings continued and his question remained, but her tears kept his pestering at bay. Somewhat. He still asked, and she never answered. They never spoke, about anything, now words were ever exchanged between the two, except for his one, and her tears.
A year had passed and he had come again to her front door, the guard simply stepped aside as she let him in, trusting now that he would come out on his own accord. The nights grew colder, they both had on more layers now, she stood waiting for his lips to come down on hers, for his body to keep them both warm.
"Not tonight, Bucket," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.
She was taken aback at his sudden decision to speak to her, something other than what she had come to expect anyway.
"I'm leaving, I only wanted you to know," he sniffed. "As much as I like living here," he sneered, "I need to go back to where I belong," Lucas paused and watched as a new kind of tear slipped from her eye, "the jungle is my home, we both know that," he uttered quietly and apologetically.
She nodded and brushed her tears away, losing him was hard, a feeling she wish she could do without.
"Lucas," she whispered.
"Yes?" the light slowly sparkled into his eyes, he was ready for his answer, and after all this time he was sure she was about to give it to him.
Skye said nothing. She took a deep shuddering breath and sobbed openly.
"Why, Bucket?" he asked for a final time.
She crossed the room quickly and closed her lips over his, pouring everything into what she knew would be their last kiss. Their fingers tangling in each other's hair and they breathed each other in one last time. She hated goodbyes and refused to utter the words, and was glad he felt the same. He simply ended their kiss with a chaste press of his lips to her temple and slipped out her front door. He never saw how her small body slumped against the back of the door and slowly slid into a melting puddle on the floor.
She knew it was his last day and watched as they renovated his home, preparing it for some other family to occupy. If only she had opened her mouth, if only she would have provided him with the answer he needed to hear, the answer she so desperately wanted to give him. She waited until the painters left and crept inside what used to be his living room. They had left behind a ladder and tossed haphazardly nearby was Lucas' bag.
He is still here! She thought excitedly to herself, keeping her demeanor calm. Finding an empty paint pail she tread outside and scooped up some fresh mud nearby and made her way back in, picking up a stray paint brush on her way, prepared to give him her form of an answer.
Lucas went back to his house one more time to fetch his belongings and head out to one of his shelters; the one by the old sixer camp would probably be most efficient. He stopped in his tracks and his with his mouth slightly agape, ran a hand through his hair. She left him his answer, painted in mud on the wall.
"I loved you" That was all it read, simply and beautifully left there for him to find.
"Finally" he whispered to himself and made a dash to her house. He banged on the door, only to get no response, and when he jiggled the handle he found it locked. "Bucket?" He cried out. "Bucket, open the door!"
She watched with tears in her eyes as his once calming beautiful eyes searched frantically for any sign of her. It had to be this way, she knew it, their feelings didn't matter, they couldn't be together.
Score one for Greek Tragedy.
Burying herself into her pillows she let out a pained cry and wept openly.
"Bucket?" he yelled again and pounded away at the door, tears stinging his eyes.
"Come on son," the Commanders voice came from behind him. "I'm sorry it came to this I really am, but she just won't speak to me anymore, maybe this will fix things," he said calmly.
Lucas nodded and turned away, his cheeks streaked with the sorrow he would carry with him for all eternity.
"Always, Bucket," he whispered through the door, hoping that some part of her would hear, no feel him, through the steel barrier. Little did he know that she did hear him, she had moved to the door and was slumped against it, caressing its steel form, pretending he could feel her as well.
A/N: yea. . . Do you hate me? I hope not. Don't forget to press that little review button. Cookies to all!