Just before dawn, Spalko woke to the sound of quiet footsteps. A light wind was stirring in the trees, and she caught the smell of smoke and leaf rot. Dragging a hand over her eyes, she sat upright, and glimpsed Jones kneeling before the fire. He stirred the ashes with a fallen branch, trying to coax them back to life. After a moment, he gave up, and fished the box of matches from his pocket. Sparking a match and tossing it among the coals, he glanced back at her.

"'Morning," he said gruffly.

She gave a curt nod, and approached the fire. The air was unexpectedly chilly, and she was grateful for her jacket. Settling beside Jones, she gave him a sidelong glance. "I take it your watch was uneventful?"

He shrugged. "And yours?"

"Without incident."

There was a long silence, as Jones stared thoughtfully into the fire. His hands were laced tightly in his lap, and his brow was furrowed. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and decisive. "As soon as the sun comes up, I'll continue my search."

Spalko wrinkled her nose at this proclamation. "Actually, Jones, I have a proposal…"

"What?" He seemed surprised.

"Why not continue to travel together? It would be far safer, and we could pool our equipment."

"Why not? I'll tell you, sister. I need to keep looking for Marion." His tone was heated.

"I am sure you realize that that is foolishness."

He didn't reply, but the wrath in his eyes told her enough.

She turned away indifferently, tucking the jacket more tightly around her. It was missing several buttons, but she had nothing with which to replace them. Her fingers toyed absently with the remaining fastener, as she tried to process Jones' response. She had slept rather poorly the night before, plagued by vivid dreams. The events of the previous day had called up old ghosts she'd long ceased acknowledging, and try as she might, she couldn't keep them at a distance.

She had dreamed that she was back in Alushta, combing the smoldering ruins for the dead. She couldn't inhale, because a foul smoke hung thickly in the street, blocking out the sun. One hand gripped her rifle, while the other held a kerchief over her mouth and nose. Her memories were quite specific here, and she could feel the rough wood of her weapon against her palm. She was sure there had been others with her, but in her dreams, she was always alone.

She had reached the end of the street, counting the dwellings under her breath. Stepping through the ashes, she rounded the corner, steadying her nerves. But at that precise moment, something shifted, and she was standing in an empty lot, surrounded by shattered buildings. There wasn't a trace of the house in which she'd been born, nor the people who had occupied it. She stood in the charred grass, spine crawling, suddenly sure that the house had never existed.

The nightmare had ended suddenly, and Spalko had awakened to the reassuring light of morning. Now, she shook off her lingering unease, focusing on the present. Jones was looking at her curiously, brow lifted.

"You okay?"

She ignored his question. "If you wish to continue our partnership, I am willing to wait for you to finish your search. One day more, and then-"

"I don't exactly trust you, Dr. Spalko," Jones said cuttingly.

"You have my word that, once we reach base camp, I will allow you to leave unhindered."

He squinted at her, getting slowly to his feet. As he spoke, he stirred the coals with the tip of his boot. "Give me an hour. I need to think."

Indy picked up a stone and tossed it out across the water, growling under his breath as it fell with a splash. The grass under his feet was damp with dew, and his arms were itchy with mosquito bites. Straightening up, he ran his fingernails over the small welts, sighing in frustration. He really didn't want to make the decision facing him, but time was running short. Spalko would be waiting impatiently for his return.

He knew in his gut that Marion had survived, but he saw no sign of her here. Perhaps she had moved on, sure that he had been killed. But he liked to think that she would have searched for him. He tried to imagine her reaction, as she emerged from the temple only to find him missing. Had she panicked, had she searched frantically for a sign of what had happened? Indy thought it was likely.

But then, where was she?

Indy rocked back on his heels, mentally running through his options. Good sense told him that he should leave with Spalko. After all, the rainforest was a dangerous place, and it would be foolish to trek through the wilderness alone. He remembered his last trip to the Amazon; he'd contracted a nasty case of typhus that had cut his expedition short by several weeks. Another researcher in the group had also contracted the disease, and they'd needed to be airlifted out of the jungle. The second man had later suffered long-term damage to the liver.

It was becoming obvious to Jones what his choice needed to be. I'm sorry, sweetheart.

He didn't realize he'd voiced the thought aloud until he heard the echo come back to him over the water. A sudden feeling of calm drifted over him. Marion would be all right, he was sure of it. As much as he hated to admit it, Spalko had been right about continuing to search. He knew he wouldn't find anything here.

Indy turned away from the water, stepping through the long grass that edged the shore. Sliding the brim of his hat down his forehead, he headed back to camp.

Marion Ravenwood swung her legs over the side of the vehicle, landing with a thud on the leafy ground. It was dark this deep within the jungle, but a greenish glow emanated from the canopy far above her head. The ground was muddy, and she picked her way carefully to the front of the duck, sliding into the driver's seat beside her son. Mutt blinked languidly.

"Time to switch off?"

She nodded. "Oxley's already in back."

The boy seemed to perk up, and he pulled distractedly at his tee shirt, wrinkled and damp with sweat. Lifting one hand, he rapped his knuckles on the console. "Be careful. Ox says the brakes need maintenance."

"Dammit," Marion cursed softly. Looking over at Mutt, she shook her head at his disheveled appearance. His hair was thick with dust, and his arms and face were sunburned. A barely healed scar showed on his cheek, and his eyes were red. The journey hadn't been kind to them, and Marion was sure she looked similarly worn.

Appearances were the least of her concerns, however. They'd been traveling for nearly two days, and already the vehicle was beginning to wear down. She recalled that it had taken a full week for Spalko's convoy to reach Akator, so the duck would need to last a few more days. Given that the Russians had cleared a path from their base camp to the City of Gold, it wouldn't be difficult to find their way back. Still, if the group lost their means of transportation, the trip would take much longer.

Stamping the brake, Marion put the car into gear. There was a disconcerting roar from the engine, but as she steered onto the newly-cleared road, it quieted to a steady hum. Sunlight fell in patterns on the road before her, and a slight breeze stirred her hair. She gripped the steering wheel firmly, unable to let go of her frustration.

In the back of her mind, Indy always lurked. She still felt guilty about leaving without him, although she knew it had been the right decision. What she hated most was the uncertainty of his fate, her inability to gain closure. She had dealt with the death of her father by telling herself to move on, by reminding herself that she couldn't honor her Abner Ravenwood's memory by wallowing in her grief. But this was something entirely different. She had no assurances that Indy was dead, and no reason to believe that he had survived. The ambiguity rested on her like a physical weight.

If he was alive, there would be quite a bit of unfinished business to settle. She loved Jones, she couldn't deny it, but things had changed. Marion had grown up, and she couldn't imagine carrying on as they had before, all those years ago. Now, she wanted permanence.

Mutt tapped her shoulder, and she turned to find him holding up a canteen. "Want some water?"

She nodded in thanks. Taking the bottle from him, she used one hand to lift it to her lips. The water was warm, with a tinny taste, but she took a few gulps anyway. Replacing the cap, she handed it back to her son, who stashed it under his seat.

"You drink some too, Mutt." She glanced over at him, narrowing her eyes slightly. He caught her expression and nodded quickly, snatching up the discarded canteen.

Marion returned her attention to the road. Again, Jones crept into her thoughts, but she sternly pushed him away. Either he was alive, or he wasn't, and worrying wouldn't do a bit of good. She brushed a strand of hair from her eyes, and stared directly ahead. Soon, her head quieted, and she let herself be lulled by the motion of the vehicle.

A/N: Hey! Sorry for the infrequent updates; life's crazy. As always, reviews are much appreciated! :)