John had wanted more for Sam than this.
Another night, another shitty motel, another false name and another fake smile for the desk clerk. Sam, trying fighting back tears, fighting off the nightmares and fighting her memories of what happened. John, frustrated at his inability to help Sam, with either her nightmares or the lingering pain from her injuries.
They're wearing cheap gold rings so that the desk clerks will assume they're married, not to mention the unexpected benefit of being able to show affection without worrying about anyone watching. If the UAC goons that were almost certainly trying to track them down showed up at one of the hotels they'd stayed at and if the desk clerk actually remembered them, they'd subconsciously eliminate John and Sam from the list. They'd be trying to remember twins, not the newly wed couple on a road trip that couldn't keep their hands off each other.
Sam had always been his weakness. As kids they'd been inseparable, but they hadn't grown out of it when they'd reached their teens. If anything, they became closer, until the night when they were laying in front of the fire, talking about their day and Sam had just leaned over and kissed him.
He'd left so Sam could have a better life. If he'd stayed, things would have gotten messy. Their classmates were already whispering about the amount of time they spent together. They would have spent the rest of their lives sneaking around, hiding their relationship from the world. So he joined the Marines, knowing that it was one of the few places she couldn't follow him to. She was meant to move on, get married, have kids, make a name for herself as a forensic archaeologist.
Instead she'd run to Olduvai. Even now, John wonders if she did it as punishment, knowing that he'd rather cut off his own arm than go back there voluntarily. The really fucked up part was knowing that if he hadn't been so naively self-sacrificing and had stayed on Earth, they wouldn't be in this situation now. A fake marriage driven by real passion and all in the name of survival. If the UAC found out he'd been injected with C24, they'd stop at nothing to take him in. As it was, picking Sam up from the hospital and getting straight on the road had tipped off some powerful people that they knew more than they were telling. It had been stupid of them.
But at the same time... he loves it. Loves the way she slips her hand into his as they walk into a diner for lunch, loves being able to just lean down and kiss her on the mouth. The way she reaches for him at night and the way she moans his name as she comes. For the first time, the fear that holds them so tightly isn't one of being caught out. John's both exhilarated and guilt ridden because they're both been through Hell, are still fighting their way through the flames and he shouldn't enjoy it as much as he does.
He wants it to be real so badly it hurts.
They make their way to Panda, a Marine buddy of John's who has a reputation for helping people disappear off the face the Earth and giving them new lives. John tells him nothing, just that they're in trouble and need new identities. Panda doesn't ask any questions, just tells them it'll be a couple of days, but there's speculation in his eyes whenever he watches the two of them together.
When the papers arrive, there's a marriage certificate in the envelope with their new birth certificates. Panda tells them he has a plane that will take them and where ever they want to go. John lets Sam choose and next thing he knows, they're on a plane bound for Peru, Sam curled against him looking far more relaxed than he can ever remember seeing her.
John knows there'll be no happily ever after because they've both been through too much for that. She still has nightmares and he occasionally has moments when the past catches up with him. But they get through it, because they have to and they're in love and they're still young enough to believe that's enough.
And it is - until the day they hear about someone in a nearby village with an American accent and a military ID asking questions about any newcomers.