A/N: I had to write a new chapter (because I really felt like it) but again, I'm not promising anything! School starts tomorrow too so, wish me luck! Always, Happy R&R ^v^

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

Trying to Manage

"…What's up?"

As soon as he heard this, Sam snapped out of his reverie and turned around to the source of the voice that had caused him to do just so. "Huh?" The person he caught sight of was no other than Six, looking at him uncaringly and bored as usual yet something in the way her eyes sparked beneath her mask told him of her somewhat 'hidden curiosity'. After a couple of weeks getting to know Six, he knew that she wasn't really 'cold' as others think of her to be. If she was trying to fool anybody, it definitely wasn't and will never work on him. The reason? SAM GOODE WAS WAY SMARTER THAN THAT! He was not 'dense', and if there was anything about himself that he could brag about, it was his ability to see what is, in her case, the hidden or the unseen.

From the very beginning Six had introduced herself as "Jane Doe", Sam knew that there was more to her than that negative witty attitude of hers. Inside, he knew that she was way different than that 'purposely' created visage.

"You've been looking at the fire for twenty minutes now without even blinking once," the mysterious Six said like it was the obvious and rolled her eyes. "So, what are you thinking of, Daydreamer?"

"Why do you care?" he snapped, and tried to avoid looking at her by focusing gloomily at the leafy forest floor instead, which they had been camping on for the past couple of weeks. It was very unlike for Sam Goode to be…mopy. If John was asked about it, he'd say that his best friend was usually…high-spirited and…talkative! Definitely talkative! Sure there were times when he was depressed but he'd always completely hide it and never, truly never, did Sam Goode ever became mopy! It was sort of, out of character?

"Oh I don't," Six replied bluntly. "I just came to tell you that we'll be needing more wood. We're gonna be here for a while."

She stood up to leave but before she could even take her first step, Sam stopped her by asking, "Tell me again why we're doing this? I mean, we're all in a hurry yet we're here camping in the forest with whatever supplies we have left instead of looking for the others and my…..um…." Sam wanted to say his father but found himself silent about it. Like he said, why would she care? Moreover, he could say whatever he bloody wants to say and not bloody care! So why was he hesitant to say 'his father'?

Six looked irritated and annoyed for having to always explain to him the reason. This is probably what, the hundredth time?. She thought, 'How thick-headed is this guy?' Finally, she spoke: "John is being hunted by the police, accused of being a terrorist, and the news about him is probably all over America, probably even the world. Before we continue to search for the others and your father, we have to erase ourselves for awhile and until anything relating 'us' in the media world dies down, we can reappear back to civilisation. At the same time however, we need to be on constant move! Got it?"

Sam made a face, discuss at Six dumb tone direct at him. "Yeah. I got it." He then stood up and suggested, "You said we're low on wood so I'll go and get some." Sighing, he ruffled his already dishevelled oily hair from the lack of showers. Bothered, he thought, I can take another night. Yeah, I can take another couple of weeks! A month! Just have to tolerate the lack of proper hygiene a little more while…'

Right now, all of this was getting in Sam nerves. He was, after all, just starting to realize fully what he got himself into but nonetheless, did not regret a single thing. What he didn't understand at all though however, was why they had to stay in a forest. There are other places more suitable and more comfortable to 'erase themselves' besides the forest, so why a bloody forest? This choice, he could never fully understand.

"No need," answered Six, stopping his leave.

"What?"

She smirked. "John's doing it already."

Confused, Sam then asked, "Then why did you –"

"Beats me," she shrugged, and then sat down beside him again the moment he did, and noticed how he shivered while trying to keep the fire up. "Geez, sorry for troubling you," she murmured then continued with a few more insults about him.

Meanwhile, Sam tried his best to ignore Six by letting the sounds of the forest meditate his mind. If only it wasn't pitched black in this madness, then everything else would be….less chilling? Creepy? What else, eerie? If only it wasn't madness! Since this wasn't working for him, he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on his Emily instead. Was he zoning out?

"Getting tired already, human?" Six chuckled looking at his somewhat devastated state. She knew that he had never experienced this – he should have known that it was harder that he thought it would be anyway. They were in the middle of the war for God's sake!

"Huh?" Sam's eyes bolted open. "No," he said. "Besides, if I feel that, then I would be in your way." Feeling awful, he imagined what John's life was for the past few years: no friends because of the constant move and because of his role, John had no one but Henry by his side. And when Henry had died, Sam didn't want to imagine how much pain his best friend had felt. It was simply too much! Though, this didn't mean that he couldn't relate to it. When his dad disappeared, his family fell apart as well as his 'happy' daily life.

Six studied Sam as he got sucked into his thoughts again. He's weak and it was surprising that he had actually survived the first couple of days on the move. He's human though and she knew for certain that he'll give up this whole charade of his soon. The kid's a couple of inches shorter than both her and Four...would this be a disadvantage? Moreover, she gotta teach him how to fight if he decides to stay. How ironic! He's already in her way even after saying that he wouldn't be.

Deciding that the teaching should start now, she abruptly yelled, "Hey, get up!"

"What?" confused, Sam was surprised when she suddenly drags him up. Before he could say anything further, he was suddenly on his knees when he felt a damn punch on his stomach, sputtering some blood. Groaning, he struggled to get up and asked, "What the hell was that for?"

"Stop the chatter and give me some blue," she said in her Aussie accent, before giving him another blow – on his left eye this time.

"Some blue? What?" Sam put a hand over his eye but quickly put it down because it hurt more while the other was against his stomach. He wished for John, who was with Bernie, to be back soon because he doesn't know how much longer he could hold off this hysterical Six.

"Fight, Sam! Give me some fight! If you could anyway," she teased.

This was the first time Six had called Sam by his real name and whether he should be happy about this or not, he couldn't think straight because of the severe pain from the two blows he had just received. With only one undamaged eye enabling him to see, he tried to sent a strong punch towards Six but she turned invisible and before he even knew it, both his hands were twisted behind his back. Turning visible afterwards, at least now it would be a fair fight.

"Tsk, tsk. You're lucky enough that you were left unharmed during the battle. Seeing as how weak you are, you are obviously no match for any of us, Mog or not. How do you expect to save someone with your state? Pathetic!"

Sam, completely provoked, found himself turning the tables around. He had now held firmly both Six's hands but she held her chin up and whether she was surprised about it or not, she didn't show it. "I am not weak! Call me anything but that!... And I will be able to save my father, Number Six!"

With that, he released his hold on her and ran back to the tent he was sharing with John and Bernie. He needed to get out of this depression. He needed to calm down, be the Sam that John sees him as and be this Sam Goode whatever this Sam is! First, he needed to keep his unwanted emotions in check and only to himself. He was an expert of this after all, with all the bullying he had gotten over the years and keeping quiet about them, this shouldn't even be any problem.

Composed, he decided to get out of the damp tent and while doing so, he saw on the ground some sort of ice pack. That's what it looks like anyway and when he bent to pick it up, his guess of the item was confirmed. With only Six knowing his state, she was the one who probably prepared this and how she did it, he was very curious to know. Taking the icepack, he placed it over his bruised eye and walked over to where she and John were: beside the blazing campfire.

John, sensing that someone was coming, turned to see Sam and only until his best friend got near enough that he got a better view of him. Sam looked terrible! Paler than usual, in pain obviously, yet there was a smile plastered on his face – not to mention that he seemed to be covering his eye with something. "Sam, what happened?" he asked.

"Tripped then fell face first and down I went with a bang...Figured afterwards that my eye landed on some rock," he falsely explained while chuckling. "So glad Six was there to help me out…" and this was actually partly true for him even though she was the cause of the black eye he'll probably get later in the morning from her damn punch.

"Ouch," commented John. "Don't worry man. We'll leave this place first thing first the day after tomorrow." It was Six who actually told him this. He was minding his business while going back thinking about Sarah when she appeared out of the blue and told him that they will be leaving soon and will be looking for some hotel to stay at instead. She told him that the place was a stink and even blamed him for it when she was the one who suggested it in the first place. John was left baffled afterwards.

"It's cool. I'm just glad we have internet reception here. Keeps someone like me from getting bored!" joked Sam. In fact, if there was a list of things he couldn't live without, the internet would definitely be one of them. For the past couple of weeks they had been here, the internet had been his only connection to his world and thank God it wouldn't be any more soon. In two days, they'll be out of here! For an alien freak like him, he should be happy about his situation staying with two actual aliens but what was to be happy about when at any moment now, he could be killed? If they weren't fighting for their lives, he was so sure that there was nothing he'd love to spend a day questioning aliens to satisfy his needs of information, pestering them both about it.

Now that they'd be leaving soon, he was finally content. So content that he completely forgot a while ago's painful fight with Six! And what was not more fun than spending their second last night talking to his best friend? Hell yeah! Sam Goode can definitely manage right now!

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