Much love to you all. Enjoy.

The car sped along the derelict road reaching a pace of around seventy miles per hour. The tyres hitting the tarmac brushed past stray leaves knocking them into the grass. The afternoon's sun blazed down upon the dusty windscreen, causing an immense amount of squinting between the pair of them no matter how low they attempted to position the car's sun screens. Apart from the soft chirping of the birds, the rattling engine of the Jeep was the only sound that could be heard.

Milton had his hand placed firmly around the safety handle, the whites of his knuckles clearly visible due to the tight grasp. His face a perfect sheet of white. Andrea found it amusing that after everything he'd become witness to and after everything that'd happened that day, the speed of the Jeep still had this sickening effect on him. However, her mind was sorely focused on getting to the prison. The sooner they got there...the better.

"Do you know how far it is?" Milton enquired, his eyes never strayed from what was straight ahead as he breathed in and out trying desperately to ignore the speed which kept him on edge. He dared not glance at the speed meter. Andrea just shrugged.

"It's quite a trek on foot, shouldn't be too bad in this though." She answered tapping the steering wheel as a way of acknowledgement. "At least...at least we're away from Woodbury now." She said turning her head to the side to face him. He didn't look at her.

…

"Dammit!" Andrea yelled. They'd been sat in complete silence for nearly twenty minutes and the abrupt exclamation from Andrea had made Milton almost jump out of his seat.

"What is it?" He asked snapping his head round to face her.

"The damn cars' cutting out...Christ we're out of gas." She cried pushing her foot even harder down on the pedal. Choking sounds soon made themselves known and the dusty Jeep began to lurch itself forwards. The tyres bashed against the tarmac, the Jeep itself now slowing.

Andrea bared her teeth together holding tight onto the wheel. Keep going, keep going she repeated the words over and over again in her head. Harder and harder she pushed down. It was no use because any moment now the car was going to come to a crawling halt. Milton sat in anticipation awaiting the result. "No, no, no!" Frantically bashing her fists against the steering wheel Andrea decided to stop the Jeep herself. Through desperation she threw her head into her hands holding back the outcast tears. What now? She thought.

Milton hadn't ushered a single word, instead he stayed both perplexed and silent watching her with some descriptor of intent. All she wanted was to go home and be with her people. They were so close and yet now, so far. Instead, here they where in the middle of nowhere with only themselves, two rucksacks and broken down Jeep to get them there.

He watched as her body curled itself up as she brought up her legs and feet, perching them on the seat. With her arms resting around her legs, her head was cast down, burrowed into the gap between both knees. Milton couldn't see her face. He guessed she was crying. Perhaps maybe, he thought, she didn't want him to know she was crying.

Milton had never been good in these situations, he wasn't sure how to handle them. He could never tell if the person required comforting or would just simply want to be left alone. What would Andrea want? Hesitating while he thought he lifted his left hand. Should he? He remained in thought, weighing up both options. Andrea wept, clearly the day had taken its strain on her. Left it's cruel scar. She'd been strapped to that chair for hours and Heaven knows what Philip had done to her. Tired, hungry and distressed she must be. That was what he concluded.

Do something, do what? I can't, she might not want me to. Maybe...oh I don't know. Just wait a second, she's crying. Should I? For God's sake Milton Mamet, for once in your life...no I just can't. Milton!

With a heavy heart full of pity (not to mention, out of nowhere) he seized the moment and took it completely. He could feel her shoulder through her jacket, his hand instinctively moulding around it. There was a warmth beneath his hand, but he wasn't sure if it was just because his heart rate had suddenly increased due to the physical contact (something he wasn't used to).

It was only her shoulder but it felt as though he was doing something good; giving her a shred of consolation. She hadn't flinched had she? That must prove something surely?

He took the fact that she'd failed to respond as being the right thing to do, that he was relieved of. Andrea obviously needed the comfort, no matter how tough she made herself out to be. At that realisation Milton wondered. He wondered when the last time had been when she'd felt any sort of true solace.

Heart pounding, Milton's hand tightened and he gave her shoulder a delicate squeeze of hopeful reassurance.

"Andrea?" Whispering her name he sighed. "Ple, please don't, don't cry." His voice was soft and low and was soon eaten by the straight silence which continued on inside the Jeep. Eyes darting while he bit his lip his thoughts buzzed around inside his head as he thought of something else to say and do. "A...Andrea?" Was all he managed. He waited. Ever so slowly she began to move. He watched her intertwined fingers break apart. Grasping her legs with her hands, her head lifted and her blotchy eyes flickered open. Though she did not face him. Milton's hand remained pressed against her shoulder, he'd forgotten it was there. Parting her lips, a tear streamed down her cheek and rested itself on her bottom lip. Already she could taste the salt. It was bitter...as she'd expected. Then it occurred to her, was that what sorrow tasted like?

"Milton?" It was a silent cry for help disguised as his name. She wanted to scream out, wanted to shout, wanted to bawl. She wanted him to listen. It grazed her mind because she knew she had to be the strong one. Milton couldn't pull through this world on his own, she knew that she'd have to keep him standing strong.

"Yes." He responded. At the sound of his voice she looked at him. She looked into his light green eyes. Focusing on them she could see he was staring right at her, almost as though he was looking straight inside her like and X-ray. Was he reading her? Probably not. She was unsure, but she knew he was listening.

"You know," She began. "I, um," She sniffled. "brought your glasses...I forgot to tell you." There was a forced smile as she announced this, not to mention confusion on Milton's part. Was she really addressing a conversation about his glasses right now? "They're in one of...the um bags." More tears came flowing through her eyes. Gulping she attempted to choke them back. Milton shook his head in protest.

"I don't see how, how my glasses come into any, any form of importance right uh...now." Milton admitted with a smile in the hope she'd return it. There was a moments silence as they looked at one another. He waited for her to say something or at least acknowledge the fact that he'd just spoken. But she didn't. Clearing his throat with a light cough he finally removed his hand from off of her shoulder. At his movement Andrea watched his arm draw back away from her. "I'm sorry for what Philip did." He breathed out watching her closely, afraid he'd put a foot wrong and say something she wouldn't want to hear.

Things, however, needed to be said. He needed to say something, put things as much as he could right. He knew that he'd never be anything of importance within her life and he knew that once they got to the prison he'd be the least of her priorities. After all, she'd known them longer than she had him. She had true, meaningful bonds with those people. She'd escaped Atlanta with them, been on the road with them...through thick and thin. They were her people and what worried him was that he believed that she'd only see him as a constant reminder of Woodbury...and of Philip.

It was then, that his curiosity got the better of him. "Did...did he...did he?" The look on her face was enough to make him stop right where he was. Again he gulped, he'd said to much and he knew he had.

At times he could be so insensitive, he knew that, but he also knew that he never meant to be. He'd never say anything to upset anyone. He was used to playing the victim, he knew how it felt. Maybe it was the scientist in him. What had he accomplished though? What had he really accomplished with his work? Perhaps that's why he could never quite find the missing piece, solve the rest of the puzzle. It was his character, he wasn't built to be stone hearted, to kill things without a seconds thought. He was too...human. Breaking his thoughts Andrea answered his question.

"No." She muttered. "No, he didn't."

"Good" He nodded trying hopefully they could change the subject. Andrea cried a little more. He felt a stab of guilt, he reckoned he'd triggered memories she'd sooner forget.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." Hurriedly he spoke, his words sounded muddled despite being in the perfect order. It was the embarrassment. She raised a hand.

"It's fine."

"No I shouldn't have."

Milton it's okay."

"I'm sorry."

"Milton." Andrea said sternly and he took the opportunity to stop making a fool of himself. There was another moment of silence. Andrea watched him carefully, she watched his shoulders rise up and fall back down as he breathed in and out. He did indeed look remotely different without his glasses. His beaten face a constant reminder why she hated Philip and a reason why she was leaving Woodbury. It pained her seeing him like that. Milton was so...so helpless. Her eyes were still glued to his face and for some reason she couldn't look away. They were stranded here in this Jeep and would soon have to make their way out in the open if they wanted to get to the Prison. That was their only option and they both knew it was a risk. But, that was their only option. They'd been through so much in less than twenty four hours. "Milton..." She whispered his name again yet he remained silent. For some reason the silence was right and there was no need for a response.

Andrea blinked, raising her hand towards his face. Her body leant forwards and as her hand reached his cheek she inhaled sweetly as she caressed his soft skin. It was soft, save for the occasional cuts she came across as her fingers made their way down towards the curve of his neck. Milton stayed where he was without moving. His heart thumped inside his chest as it skipped beats taking him by surprise every couple of demanding seconds.

Her fingers trickled along his cheeks again and watched with intent as she slowly closed her eyes. It was then that time stopped. That pain eased. That everything about the world was forgotten. That nobody else existed. It was just them, there and now.

Her lips drew closer and with delicacy she placed them to his own. A surge of electricity ran through him as she kissed him tenderly. He'd failed to notice that he to, had his eyes shut. Was this really happening? Surely it was a dream...maybe Philip had killed him...maybe this was Heaven? If this was Heaven then why was Andrea here? Was she dead to? Realising his stupidity he drained away the thoughts in a hurried instant. He'd paused just like the time had done, unsure of the situation.

His head swam with questions as she persisted in her actions, forcing her body against his. He couldn't understand why he longed to kiss her back...but he just couldn't do it. If he couldn't do it, why was she still kissing him? For God's sake it was only a kiss!

Perhaps it was that fact that here and now, Andrea had confessed she loved him. She did love him, right? No...she couldn't possibly. Not Milton, not Milton Mamet, the Governor's cowardly, socially awkward advisor? HA- surely not?

She could never love a man like me. No woman could love me. She doesn't love me. She can't love me, this is just some act of wild female passion. She's distressed, we all do crazy things when we're in a state. It's not possible she could ever love me. Besides...I could never take care of her. I can't look after her in this world...I wouldn't even be capable of it in the old world. I can't even shoot. I'm useless. Why would she want me?

"Milton?" Andrea pulled back, her hands still cupped around his face. She panted catching her breath. Milton opened his mouth slowly...he could breathe again. "Do you not want this?" She asked him carefully. Milton sat and stared like a rabbit caught in the headlights. How could he tell her his true feelings? He couldn't. They'd be sat there all day if he did. There was a burning desire pulsating throughout his body and brain telling him he loved her. Even if now had been that realisation, he knew now that she'd always been the one. He couldn't accept her feelings though. Andrea wasn't supposed to end up with a man like him, that's what he thought. She was supposed to have some dashing, handsome, strong and tough prince charming...right?

Andrea cocked her head, awaiting his answer. Milton Mamet this could be your last chance to ever admit your feelings. For once in your pathetic excuse for a life do the right thing. And finally with that thought in mind, he kissed her back. His soft lips brushed against hers and awkwardly he placed a hand around her back, attempting to pull her close. He couldn't help it, he just had to do it. He loved her. Andrea was now halfway between both seats, pushing him against the side of the door. Over and over she kissed him again and again. They sat pushed up against the door of Jeep in each others hold.

"Andrea?" Suddenly he broke the contact taking her by surprise. "I don't...don't understand. Why me?"

"Are you seriously going to have a conversation in between our first kiss?" She whispered placing a finger against his lips to shut him up. He didn't quite understand what she was doing.

"No seriously, why me?" He repeated. Realising he was being serious she flickered her eyes up at him and gently laid her head against his chest and said.

"Because I love you, you fool."

Hope you enjoyed that chapter. Finally we have our first kiss. To be continued...