Let's Do Some Living
I know I dreamed you a sin and a lie,
I have my freedom but I don't have much time
Faith has been broken tears must be cried,
Let's do some living after we die
Wild Horses,
Couldn't drag me away,
Wild, wild horses,
We'll ride them someday
-The Rolling Stones
"Someone's in trouble, M-O-O-N, that spells trouble," Tom said hearing the man yelling to be released.
Ralph looked at Nick. "That him?" Nick nodded. "Just ignore him, Tommy. It's nothing." Tom looked troubled but continued helping them pack the truck back up.
"What do we do with him? I have a list of things I'd like to do. Leaving him there to starve to death it at the top. I guess that's not an option though. We can't exactly let him go with a promise of 'I'll never rape again' either. I'll admit, I'm lost here," Nick wrote.
"Hell, Nick... I don't know. Should we... just execute him?"
Nick sighed, shrugging. "Maybe. Pre-plague he'd get a couple years in jail- tops. We aren't taking him with us, though."
"I guess not. So our choices are, let him go or execute him?"
"Execute?" Tom asked finally puzzling the word out. "Kill?"
"He can just stay there tonight," Nick wrote. "We'll talk some more about it in the morning."
"Sounds good," Ralph nodded. He turned to Tom. "Don't worry about it, Tommy." The three climbed in the truck and drove to the barn. Kate came out to meet them as they climbed out.
"Everything okay?" she asked.
"Yep," Ralph nodded.
"Well, I wanted to go get some clothes for the girl but Dick said you'd probably be angry if I went alone," here Nick nodded, "so I waited."
Nick turned to Ralph who waved him off. "You two go on. Tom and I will look after the little one." Nick allowed himself to be led into town. He watched her as she looked into the windows.
She was gorgeous and had such a gentle nature. He couldn't help but compare her to Julie. Of course, on the heels of that thought came another. How would she be in bed? He was startled out of his reverie when she bent over, giving him a great view of her ass. He closed his eyes cursing his hormones.
She grabbed a nice sized rock and chucking it at the window of a department store. The window broke, and looking very pleased with herself, she climbed through it. She opened the door for him. He walked in and held a backpack as she stuffed it with clothes. She also grabbed a large teddy bear, which Nick was also delegated to carry.
"So, what are you going to do to him?" she asked finally. He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging and nodding to her. "What do I want to do?" He nodded. "...Let him go, I guess. I don't want to be responsible for someone's death."
He had figured that she'd say that. "Are you sure?" he wrote after sitting the bear down. "You wouldn't be responsible."
She smiled shaking her head. "Don't lie to me, Nick, yes, I would. I'm not blaming myself for what happened just stating a fact. If I asked you to kill him, what would you do?"
He grinned ruefully and made a sharp motion across his throat.
"Exactly. Besides, he's a creep but he's still a human being. I'm okay, so I don't think he should have to die for what he did."
"Point taken. I hope you realize that you won't be left alone now. Ever."
"I somehow guessed that this would end up with you guys getting all over-protective."
"What happened scared me too, Kate. I don't want anything to happen to you. So before you go anywhere promise me that you'll get one of us. No matter what time it is."
"I promise," she relented with a sigh. "Are you ready?" He nodded and picked the stuff back up. They walked back to the barn. The little girl was sitting up talking.
"Guys, I'd like you to meet Gina," Ralph smiled.
"Hi," Kate said.
"I guess we should get dinner ready," Dick said.
"I'll take care of it," Kate said digging some cans out of a bag. The group settled down and ate. Gina talked all through dinner. After dinner they sat talking, Tom showed Gina his trucks, the two played together. She grew quiet as Dick told Nick that he guessed that they could move on tomorrow.
"You're leaving?" she asked looking crushed.
"You're coming with us," Ralph said tickling her with the feather in his hat. She giggled.
"You mean it?" she asked looking from one of them to the other.
"Of course we do," Ralph said.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm exhausted," Kate said after putting Logan to bed. "I'm going to go to bed." She spread her sleeping bag out and laid down. Soon her breathing evened out.
"She asleep?" Nick asked in a note.
"Kate?" Ralph called. No answer. "Yeah."
"She wants to let him go," Nick wrote. "And I guess we should listen to her."
"I guess you're right," Ralph nodded. He shook his head. "Hell of a day." Nick nodded in agreement, glancing over at Kate, seeing her frown in her sleep.
"So, when will you let that guy go?" Dick asked.
"When we leave," Ralph read Nick's not aloud. "Which I guess means we'll have to feed and water him tomorrow."
"I thought you'd want to leave in the morning," Ralph said surprised.
"I'd rather not move her just yet," Nick said. "If she's still okay in the afternoon we'll leave."
"I guess you're right," Ralph nodded. "And it'll give us a chance to refresh our supplies." Nick nodded.
"We should get her a gun," he wrote. "I don't want this to happen again. We should have had her armed before."
"You're right, I just never thought..."
"None of us did," Nick wrote. "That's the problem. Unfortunately, this is probably a pretty common event now." That was a sobering thought. "I told her to get one of us before she goes anywhere alone, at least for now."
"I don't blame you," Ralph nodded.
"I guess we should get some sleep too," Dick said noticing that Gina and Tom were yawning. The three grabbed their sleeping bags and one extra that they had kept just in case for Gina. Nick stretched his out next to Kate's. Ralph blew out the lamp and they quickly succumbed to sleep.
Kate woke up early the next morning just as they sun was rising. She stood, rolled up her sleeping bag and grabbed her backpack before remembering her promise. With a groan she walked back to Nick and shook his shoulder. He came awake immediately. "Sorry," she said. "I was about to get cleaned up and suddenly I remembered a promise someone made me make."
She arched an eyebrow at him. He gave a rueful smile and sat up. He grabbed his own bag and followed her, leaving a not for Ralph and Dick. They walked to a lake on the edge of town. "If you want we can bathe together." She blushed at his raised eyebrow. "I mean-"
He smiled raising a hand before getting out his notebook. "I know, I was just teasing you."
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Could you turn around?" He nodded and turned. She got undressed and stepped into the water until it covered all the important parts. After he figured that he had given her enough time he turned back.
He motioned for her to turn, she obeyed. She heard splashing and turned back. His black hair hung in his one visible blue eye. The water ran off his shoulders and down his pecs. Her mouth was dry as she looked at him.
Nick was fighting his body's reaction to the knowledge that the woman that he wanted was less that five feet away and totally naked. He wondered if she knew how she was looking at him, as though she wanted nothing more than to tackle him and have her way with him. Somehow, he doubted it. She licked her lips and he was barely able to resist the urge to walk over to her and kiss her senseless. As it was he lost his battle with his hard on. She took a deep breath and turned away started to wash herself. He followed her example, letting the cold water calm his body.
Kate closed her eyes. She had never felt like this before. Her body felt so hot and heavy. She tried to ignore it and hurry with her bath. She turned back just in time to see Nick exiting that water in all his naked glory. Luckily for her (or unluckily), he wasn't facing her so she just got a good look at his butt.
She turned away hurriedly until the sound of his rustling clothes stopped. She turned back to see him sitting on a rock, still shirtless, watching her. She motioned for him to turn around, he obeyed, smilingly putting a hand over his good eye for good measure. She got out and dried herself off before getting dressed. They walked back to the barn in silence.
"Mornin'," Tom called happily.
"Good morning," Kate smiled.
"You got back just in time for breakfast," Ralph said. "How do you like your eggs?"
"Eggs?" Kate asked excitedly.
"We found a chicken coup," Dick said holding up a hand so they could see the band-aid. "They didn't want to cooperate." How long had it been since she had eaten something that wasn't processed? Too long, her stomach told her.
"I found a sporting goods store," Ralph announced passing Nick a gun and holster. Nick nodded his thanks and passed them to Kate.
"I've never shot a pistol," she protested.
"We won't be leaving for a while," Nick wrote. "Someone can teach you." She knew it was pointless to argue.
"Okay." They had breakfast after which Kate told Nick that if he insisted upon her carrying the gun he could teach her how to use it. Nick looked to Ralph as though for help to see the older man laughing at him. He nodded in resignation.
