Quick aside: Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! I truly appreciate your thoughts and I LOVE a good Legend discussion! I'm going to try to update about once a week although I've discovered I always end up writing considerably longer chapters than I had planned…

I hope you all continue to enjoy this crazy love letter to Marie Lu and her amazing series (which is, perhaps, less crazy than the pile of pulled apart twisted up paperclips I have sitting on my desk at work…)

DAY

For Eden's twelfth birthday I took him to Antarctica's National Zoo a colossal building ten times the size of a trial stadium with thousands of rare and exotic animals in elaborate synthetic habitats. Watching Eden rediscover the world as his eyes healed was a source of real joy in those confusing early years after I woke up.

Eden's favorite part of that day was the big-cat exhibit. I was something of a celebrity, even in Antarctica and Eden and I were given a private tour of some of the restricted areas. One of the cats, a huge female tiger had recently given birth to two tiny cubs that weren't yet on display to the public. The zookeepers had brought the cubs out and allowed Eden to hold them. To say his face lit up is the understatement of the century, the happiness in eyes was priceless. The mother tiger though, still haunts me.

I had never seen such a giant animal before, my Father had told us bedtime stories with beasts like that in them but I'd thought they were just tales. The tiger had paced just behind the glass less that a foot away from where her offspring played in Eden's lap. Her huge powerful body moved in utter silence and the piercing yellow eyes that watched my little brother made me anxious. Part of me had wanted to snatch him away, the glass was four inches thick but I was convinced she might will herself right through it to reach her cubs and destroy him.

June reminds me of that tiger now.

I watch her pace slowly from one end of a semi circle of soldiers to the other. Every single step she takes looks graceful, calculated and deadly, the wound on her hip must hurt like hell but I sure can't tell from the way she moves. Her eyes burn with a ferocity that could set the whole goddy restaurant up in flames and even though she speaks softly the men and women around her look as though they want to crawl into a hole and die.

June turns and walks to where Anden stands, surrounded by soldiers, a protective hand rests on his girlfriend's shoulder and his own expression is almost as dark as June's. The girl, Alisha visibly shrinks as June approaches, if she wasn't afraid of her before she is now. I don't blame her. June may have saved her life but anyone would be frightened by the look on her face. A memory crashes back into my mind and suddenly I remember fifteen-year-old June glaring down at me where I lie on a dirty prison floor. Maybe the memory is faulty but the anger in her eyes pales in comparison to what I see there now, considering she thought I murdered her brother back then that confuses me. For the hundredth time today I wish I knew what was going on in that brain of hers.

"Someone here gave the assailant information." June states. She isn't saying anything every single person in this room doesn't already know. I shove my hands into my pockets and walk over to join her.

"No way that trot was working alone." I nod to the corner where five huge guys are guarding the unconscious gunman. I knocked him out when I brought him down but some over excited rookie thought it'd be a great idea to slam the butt of his rifle into the guy's temple a few times when he started to stir. It'll be a miracle if he doesn't die before they interrogate him, before I interrogate him. Because what I don't say is that I know exactly who the man is, what organization he works for and that I just spent two weeks tracking him. I'm keeping the information to myself for the moment since it's obvious someone here betrayed us.

"You're right, he wasn't alone." June says catching my eye for the first time since the swarm of soldiers started arriving on the scene demanding her attention "The guards on the entrance saw someone trying to break into a window on the second floor of this building, they called for backup and only left one guard at the ally door…I don't think the assailant was the one who took him down" her mouth is grim when she says this and it takes a lot of effort not to roll my eyes at the information. How stupid are these guys!? Create a diversion has got to be the oldest trick in the book. Sometimes I think the military types would learn a lot from a year or two on the streets.

"It would've had to be a whole operation." I agree "someone on the inside, a couple guys outside and short straw over there who got stuck in here with us" I can't help but think that my guy must have become disposable to his bosses because even if he had succeeded in killing Alisha he never would have made it back out alive. Something about this whole thing reeks and I can tell June senses it too. The operation was way too clumsy, what was the motive? Why not just kill The Elector's girlfriend when she was alone on some street corner? If this was supposed to be a message it's a muddy one and I've seen how the black market trade mobs work...subtly isn't really their style.

No, there's something else going on here and I'm positive that the man I got eyes on in Dakota is involved. I desperately want to take June aside and tell her what I know. I'm almost certain now that there's a connection to June. If I show her that picture maybe she'll know something. The Antarcticans won't like it if I get her involved. I should've already reported to my bosses but I feel guilty for not warning June about my suspicions this morning, and they'll want me to keep my mouth shut. Better to act now and ask forgiveness later since there's no way in hell I'm keeping this from her, not if it's going to get her hurt! I need to get her alone I think, there are just too many things I don't understand right now, and it's not helping that I she's keeping things from me. I need some answers.

Answers are what the Elector wants too "Have the medics take the assailant to the hospital in Batalla as soon as they arrive. I want him awake and available for interrogation by sunrise." he snaps at some poor captain. "Commander Iparis, I want you to ride with them to the hospital and have your wound treated, no arguments, we can decide how to handle questioning the security team tomorrow." He's trying to keep his voice even and it softens a little when he speaks to June but he looks like he wants to hit something. I wonder if he has a punching bag hanging somewhere in his home like June does.

June, of course, refuses to go to the hospital. Only she would argue with a direct order from the Elector, she's probably the only one who can. June does it in such a way that it doesn't sound like an argument, rather a categorically logical list of reasons why it's "only reasonable" for her to be looked at by the medics when they arrive and spend the night resting at home.

I marvel at how cleanly she manipulates him until I start to wonder if I'm as pliable in her hands as the Elector. For a woman who failed so miserably at feminine chitchat earlier she is a master at this. Then again they were together for years, I forget sometimes that June and I have only been dating for a few months it feels like she's part of me. Something like jealousy unfurls in my chest when I think of June with the Elector, it's clear he still cares for her and I've never asked why they split. I push the thought away. For whatever reason June is with me now.

When the medics finally arrive they set up a makeshift triage in the restaurant owners office to treat June and the solider that was knocked out cold at the back door. The Elector personally escorts June into the cramped office, which sends the medics into an uninspiring panic. I grit my teeth, the last thing I want right now is to let her out of my sight but the room barely looks big enough for two people and at least half a dozen are headed in there. June looks like she's thinking the same thing and her eyes hold mine for a moment like she's willing me not to evaporate before she takes a breath and follows everyone else inside.

I've been so focused on June that I hadn't really noticed much of anything else. After she disappears into the office my eyes wander aimlessly around the room until they fall on Alisha, she sits perfectly still in her chair and her face has that empty, glazed over look. I feel a little bad for her so I crouch down and gently pry her hands from where they clutch at her elbows, "Hey." I say in my best soothing voice "Rough night?" she looks at me like she's just realized there are other people in the room.

"Yeah." she manages in a horse whisper "a little."

She must see pity on my face because her eyes narrow and she says, "I'm not weak you know." I nod, but I don't know, next to June she looks like a broken doll.

"I wasn't afraid." Her chin comes up a little at that and I give her a wry smile.

" Well then you're cracked because that trot was trying to kill you."

She winces. "I just meant that I'm stronger than I look." Her eyes wander to the room where June and Anden disappeared.

"Most of us are." I respond, not really sure if that's the right thing to say.

"Not her."

I laugh, "Lucky for you she's just as terrifying as she looks, yeah?"

"I'm sorry she's hurt." she looks down at her knees "Will you tell her I said thank-you, you know for saving me?"

I pat her shoulder a little awkwardly and nod I don't want to talk about June getting hurt so I change the subject, "So, tell me more about this fan club."

She looks up at me startled and turns bright pink "I can't believe I told you that. "

I sit back on my heels "No really, I'm curious, did you have weekly meetings and posters?"

"Yes. And no. Well…we had a scrapbook." I have no goddy idea what a scrapbook is and I don't think I actually want to find out "My little sister was an even bigger fan of yours than me. She'd die if I told her I met you" her eyes darken for a moment and I wonder what happened to her sister.

Just then Anden walks back into the room, I stand a little too quickly as he comes towards us, he answers my question before I ask it. "June is well. The bullet only grazed her hip and the medic says the wound is superficial." his eyes rest on Alisha and he reaches out to brush a stray hair from her forehead, the anger from earlier has faded. Now he just looks tired "I am grateful for your quick response Mr. Wing," he says quietly. My history with the Elector is almost non-existent in my memory, but I think it's safe to say it was complicated. For a moment though I feel like I understand him.

"Daniel." I correct. He nods "Daniel."

JUNE

RUBY SECTOR

2103 hours

Day and I walk shoulder to shoulder in silence back to my apartment. Anden had wanted to send us with a security team in a jeep, but I refused. It's only three blocks away and I needed a chance to breathe in the night air and organize my thoughts. For the past two hours my body has been coursing with adrenaline and barely contained fury, I am calmer now but unfortunately the effects of the endorphins have begun to fade and I am really starting to feel the pain in my hip.

The medics had wanted to give me painkillers and IV antibiotics but I would only allow them to irrigate the wound and apply a topical numbing agent before they stitched it up. I don't know much about pregnancy but I wasn't going to risk taking medications without knowing for sure they would be safe, since there were seven other people in that room including Anden I didn't ask. My fingers clasp at the ultrasound printout Tess gave me in my pocket I'll call her in the morning and see what she has to say, at least the pills she gave me for nausea seems to be working.

A block away from my apartment, my right boot catches a crack in the sidewalk, a hiss escapes my lips as pain shoots through my side. Day stops and reaches for me, eyebrows furrowed in concern. I quickly school my features but he isn't buying it, he rolls his eyes at me, shakes his head and scoops me up before I have a chance to protest. We continue on, moving faster than we had been before. At first I am rigid in his arms, embarrassed, grateful there is no one else out on the street to witness my show of weakness but then the warmth of his body seems to wrap around me and I rest my head against his neck, taking in his scent and allowing myself to relax for the first time all day. I am suddenly exhausted. Day holds me tighter and I feel his lips press against my hair. No one has held me like this in years…not since he carried me through that underground tunnel a lifetime ago. I wonder if he remembers that? I shudder when I think about our argument that day "you're the reason they're dead." I think of Tess telling me it's time to let go but I'm not sure I can.

.

It's been twelve years since Metias died but sometimes I still wake from dreams where I watch Thomas stab him through the heart. Thomas believed he was doing the right thing, I even think he truly loved Metias but if he were still alive I don't know if I ever would have forgiven him. So how can I accept forgiveness from Day and Eden? After all, what I did to them was no worse than what Thomas did to me. I don't deserve something I can't give.

Metias would have forgiven him. I know this, and Day is so much more like Metias than I am.

We reach my apartment and Day carries me inside carefully setting me on the worn leather couch before going off to rummage around in my kitchen. Three minutes later he emerges tosses me an icepack and hands me a cup of slightly over brewed tea before sitting down next to me.

"Ok. " he starts "Lets play the sharing game. Why don't you tell me what you're keeping from me and then I'll tell you what I know about the gunman."

That catches me off guard. "You know something? Daniel you have to tell me what you know!" I mentally replay and analyze his reactions all night and it's suddenly obvious "You recognized the assailant." It's a statement, not a question. I must be losing it because I don't know how I didn't make the connection before.

"I did, yeah." He sighs and rakes his hands through his messy blonde hair "He's someone I've been tracking for months now June."

"Tracking him? Why? Did you know what he was planning? Why didn't you say something at the restaurant?!" my thoughts are running a mile a minute and for one horrible moment I feel betrayed.

"Of course I didn't know June! How could you think that? It kills me that you got hurt tonight, I…I don't know what I would've done if you…" he doesn't finish the thought and I recognize the ghost of all my own fears as they flit across his face. He leans towards me "I'm going to tell you everything I know June. Everything even if it means I get fired and the Antarcticans put out a warrant for my arrest. I need your advice on this… But it's a long story and… " He stands up and walks away from me agitated "I feel like I'm losing my mind worrying that something is wrong with you that you aren't telling me. So just tell me and then we can move on, yeah?"

He turns back around to face me his palms turned up like he's pleading. That simple, huh? Just tell him and we can move on… I don't know if I want to laugh or cry. Part of me wants to argue with him, to demand he give me all of his information before we get into this, but I promised myself earlier at the clinic and again at the restaurant I would tell him as soon as we were alone, he deserves to know.

I set my teacup carefully on the coffee table and reach for the folded piece of paper in my pocket clasping it in both hands like it's a life raft. My mouth has gone absolutely dry, I look up at him and notice that one of his thumbs is worrying at the paperclip ring he still wears on his finger. If he can carry that piece of me, of us, through all those years how can I question that he won't want to carry this with me into our future? I take a deep breath and steady myself.

"I'm pregnant."

His face freezes and his body goes still. I can tell that whatever he thought I might confess it wasn't that. For a long moment we just stare at each other. Finally he walks slowly over, his eyes never leaving mine, and sinks to his knees in front of me. "You're sure?" he whispers. I nod and hold out the paper I've been crushing in my hand. His long fingers unfold it carefully and his eyes go wide when he understands what he's looking at "Oh my god, June is this…? Oh my god." His hand hovers just over the image "How long have you known?" I don't know what he wants to hear so I settle on the truth "Almost two months."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" he asks quietly and for once I can't read his face, I have no idea what he's thinking.

"I…was afraid" I had no intention of admitting that but I can't seem to stop myself from being honest now that I've started "We've never really talked about the past Daniel, not since right after my birthday. You don't remember everything, but I do. I remember every detail. I sawhow much I hurt you. I can't…I don't ever want to cause anyone that kind of pain again least of all you." I take a deep breath and summon the courage to finish the thought "I thought I wanted you to be able to walk away if you needed to ... but I maybe I was guarding my heart in case you did. A child is a forever sort of thing… I was afraid you wouldn't be ready for forever."

"June, you're totally cracked" I start to protest but he reaches up a hand to stop me "Just give me a second here, ok?" His eyes go back to the ultrasound image "This is…a lot." He takes a deep breath, "But it's a good thing, yeah?"

I hesitate for a moment before I nod. "And I may not have taken biology classes at Drake June but I'm pretty sure these things are a joint effort so it's goddy ridiculous for you to act like you're in it alone!" He reaches a hand to my cheek and his blue eyes bore into me "I'm not gonna walk away ok? Not unless you kick me out when you realize what awful tea I make. But you can't walk away either. Not again. I know why you did… I love you for wanting me to be happy but from here on out we walk together, yeah?"

My vision swims with tears and I don't trust my voice to speak so I just nod again. Day nods back and then his eyes are drawn back to the photo, "Hell June, This kid is going to be goddy brilliant…we are in so much trouble." I laugh and a feeling of relief washes over me,

"That's pretty much what Tess said".

Forty-seven minutes later, as promised, Day and I have circumnavigated back to discussing the events at the restaurant. He filled me in on his work over the past few months and explained his nagging suspicion that the man he found in Dakota has a connection to me.

I am not particularly surprised. After tonight's security breach it's clear that someone close to Anden is working for the organization Day described. Since I am familiar with just about everyone who's closely connected to the Elector it makes sense that I would know him. I am constructing a mental list of everyone that Day might remember from ten years ago when Day, who left the room to retrieve his tablet with the photo on it calls out to me. "June…" his voice sounds odd. I rise stiffly from the couch wishing I had asked the medic for a packet of the numbing agent when Day walks back into the room and hands me his tablet.

It is totally blank.

"Wiped clean." He says "No-one could have gotten through the firewalls that easily without the AIA noticing and alerting me."

"What does that mean?" I ask but I already know.

"It means the Antarcticans are cutting off my access. They think I'm involved"