"Lucas, you can't kill them." I pleaded as he stomped around what I now referred to as our apartment, since we spent so much time there together.

"Watch me," he growled.

"Don't kill Josh." I ordered.

"And why not? He's caused me nothing but trouble. And he's triggered all of your memories to come back at once! And I don't have any more of that drug to get rid of them. Trust me though," he stepped closer, and his breath hit my face, "that when that batch of cargo goes over to 2149, I'll order some more of this…medicine, and you'll be mine, all over again. Of course, I have to get rid of the Shannon boys, because they'll tell everyone you're alive."

"If you let him live, I'll stay with you. No charge. I'll pretend you never hit on Skye or caused Josh pain. But please, don't let him die."

He was about to retort, when a knock at the door stopped him. He didn't even go to open the door before, speak of the devil, Skye walked in and asked to speak with him.

"Dear sister, whatever you have to say, you can say in front of my Kara." He turned to play with my hair, but I slapped him away.

"Do we have a deal?" I questioned, glaring at him.

He narrowed his eyes and turned back to Skye, "So what is it you wanted to see me about?"

"You have to let Josh go."

"Well doesn't that sound familiar?" I muttered, crossing my arms and rolling my eyes.

"Ladies, since you both want this boy so badly; I'll let him go free. Just for you two. I can only wonder who he'll choose." He added the last part on almost soundlessly, but I heard.

Skye headed for the door and turned when she realized no one as following. "Well, let's go." She urged, exasperated.

I shrugged and followed, and then Lucas came after.

We got there, and I could hear Josh's voice echoing through the ventilation shafts, saying he now understood why Mr. Shannon had gone off on that officer back in the future, and how he wasn't angry anymore- because he understood.

I sighed. Josh had made peace with his dad; something I'd wanted for a long time.

Lucas and some officers walked in and Lucas said the good news was Josh could go.

"No, I'm staying with him." Josh acted defiantly and went to stand beside his father.

"Believe me, I wanted to kill you young Shannon. A lot. But I uh, was persuaded otherwise."

Skye and me came into view, our arms crossed.

Josh stared at us, his expression unreadable.

The soldiers came farther and took him away towards the door where Skye and I were, and he was panicking.

"Don't touch him!" Josh screamed backwards to Lucas.

Skye and I walked out ahead of them, no despair or sadness evident on our faces.

….

I was locked up in the command tower once more, Josh safe, and far away from me. I wasn't going anywhere soon.

Nobody got in or out, except soldiers and Lucas.

But Washington did somehow.

No, I knew how she did it. She charmed her way up.

But the second she got in, she marched over to me and told me all about a plan to escape the colony the next night. The Shannons were getting out, and Josh had ordered them to save me too, or he wouldn't go.

"How did you get up here?" I whispered.

"I have to find a shirt." She said, and reached in a drawer of the desk and pulled out that article of clothing. When she saw my confused look, she explained that she needed a way for her to get up in the command tower if something drastic like this happened otherwise. She'd told Taylor this plan when she had been setting t up about several months prior.

"Tomorrow night, by the cargo load, the Shannons will be there. Don't be late." Then she left. And suddenly, I was hopeful again. I'd be free, and with the people I'd come here for in the first place, how much better could that get?

….

Over the past 12 hours, I'd formulated a plot to get out of the tower. Wash hadn't told me how to get to the cargo, so I'd been left to let my imagination run wild. Lucas was busy, so I didn't see much of him in the tower, which was good.

So, when I figured my time for stalling was up if I wanted to get to Josh on time, I screamed as loud as I could, then jumped up on top of door, holding the beams from the ceiling with my hands. I just curled my feet up, and voila, I was above their heads. The soldiers rushed in, frightened I may have been taken, because their job was to guard me. They went over to the window with no blinds, as I'd ripped them off again as a diversion. I then let go of the beams and hit the floor with a tiny thump, but they were too scared to hear me. So, I took my backpack by the door, and ran.

Freedom! Except now, I knew where I was heading. The moment I started running towards the cargo, the alarms went off. They knew I and the Shannons were gone.

Wash found me first.

"Kara, good to see you. Let's go." She pulled my arm to follow her, and then we were both sprinting.

We got there, and I sat beside Mr. Shannon, across from Wash.

Everyone was gaping at me for a small moment.

"Kara." Zoey smiled, whereas Maddy looked to her brother as if to say, at least you'll be happy now.

"Wash, come with us." Mr. Shannon said.

She shook her head. "You've got five minutes. It's 100 yards, you and your family won't make it unless someone distracts those guards."

Then she ran off, and Mr. Shannon took her spot against the cargo, leaving Josh next to me, his arm protectively around me.

There was an explosion moments later, the plume like a mushroom, and we took that as our cue. We ran.

"Go, go, go, go." Dr. Shannon rushed us under the fence.

I ran with the girls, Maddy holding my hand on the end. The guys were close behind. I was out of the colony…what a fresh feeling that was!

We got to the rover where Commander Taylor was, and I got in on one side, the Shannon girls on the other. Josh clambered in beside me, and took me into his arms, as I climbed up onto his lap. I burrowed my face in his shirt and breathed in deeply, my own arms around his torso.

I heard the shot that killed Wash and whimpered, causing Josh to kiss my hair and pull me harder against him.

At our new camp, I stuck to Josh like glue, and that night, we were making out in the greenery, against a tree, making up for lost time.

"I love you so much." I told him.

"I thought I'd lost you." He told me.

"Well, I'm here now, and Skye is going to take care of Lucas in a few hours. Then we can go home." I smiled through the next kiss.

But thing is, Skye failed, and Lucas escaped. Mr. Shannon went through the portal to the plaza on a secret mission, and I felt basically useless all the while.

So, I decided to go out and help.

Josh didn't want that.

We fought, but as I stood beside Skye as she shot Lucas, you can easily tell who won.

When I'd left, Josh had made me promise to come back to him, because he didn't think he could stand losing me for a second time.

"It's not my fault." Lucas was crying. "Help me dad. Forgive me." Lucas begged from the ground. Taylor was in the middle of saying something, when Lucas got up and hugged his dad."I'm so sorry." He was sobbing, and suddenly, I pitied him. If I didn't have Josh, I'd probably actually be with Lucas.

Taylor hugged his son back, and then Lucas literally stabbed him in the back. Taylor fell to the ground, and now Lucas stood on top.

Then, Skye shot, and Lucas stumbled. He looked up, and saw his two girls. He frowned, then to spite us, went to ram the knife in his dad again when Skye shot once more. It hit his chest, and he stumbled backwards and fell. Skye whimpered and I gasped. Maybe I shouldn't have come, but I had originally joined up so I could be a peacemaker, see if I could get Lucas to change. Because once upon a time, he was sweeter around me, and he let his walls down. But that was evidently a bust.

I couldn't help myself, I ran forward to where Lucas lay, checking his vitals, hoping he was still alive. I cared, that I couldn't deny. When he'd fallen over, all our kisses and fights ran through my head, and it was unbearable. In a sick way, I loved Lucas. I loved Josh much more, but still. And while Skye helped Taylor, I wept by Lucas. Then, I saw movement, and got up, awareness kicking in, and I went back to Taylor and Skye. Then, when we helped Taylor up, Lucas was nowhere to be seen.

...

Merry Christmas!

You know what you could give me on this holy day as presents?

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