IV

Warner grunted and pounded the heavy bag harder, releasing his fears and frustration. If there was one thing he was good at, one thing he felt truly comfortable doing—it was fighting. Unlike conversing or leading, it took no thought or effort. It was pure, mindless action. Destruction. He pulled back then released a final barrage of punches and kicks, feeling anxiety drain out of him.

Whenever Juliette was far, tension coiled up in his muscles and worry tore at his head. She needed him here, keeping everything together as their plans became more and more complicated. Things were chaotic and he needed to clear his head of everything, but he still feared for her safety. She could take care of herself, but hell, he hoped she was okay.

He was sitting, drinking water, deep in his thoughts when a voice intruded:

"Hello?"

Warner glanced up in surprise, who else was up before the sun? James was poking his sleepy head through the door looking tired but determined. A strange combination for a ten year old.

"James? Why are you already up? Are you okay?" The concern slipped out before Warner could filter it. Both James and Juliette seemed to have that effect on him. They made him say things he would normally never say, and cause him to feel like he was teetering off a cliff.

"Yeah." James hesitated. "Um, do you always train this early?" Warner gave a brief nod, wondering what the kid was up to. James continued, "Does anyone ever come down?"

Warner looked at him curiously, "Why?"

James shuffled his feet suspiciously before he blurted, "I want you to train me to fight. Kenji's always busy and he'd tell Adam. Juliette is away and has too much to do, and Adam wouldn't let me if he knew. But I can do it! I can help!" He started bouncing with energy as he talked. "I know thing are really crazy right now, and Juliette's gonna save everyone, but she needs help! I can protect people too!" He was talking very fast now, tripping over his words, emphatic and eager to prove his point. He took a deep breath to continue, but Warner held up a hand, cutting him off.

"Wait. You want me to teach you?"

James nodded fiercely. "You can say no, but I'm still going to find someone to teach me! I'm still going to learn!" He took rocked back on his heels.

Warner bent forward on his knees, thinking. The kid was right; it was still a dangerous world. It was important to know how to fight in such tumultuous times. He looked up at James' pleading face and made his choice. "I'll do it. But you can't tell anyone. It has to be a secret, especially if Kent thinks it's too dangerous. And you can't go around trying to fight people, it's just in case you absolutely need to. Fighting is an art, and it can't be taken lightly."

James' entire face had already lit up, and Warner wasn't even sure he'd heard the last part. "Really? I won't let anyone know! Oh man, this is so cool! You're like, the best fighter! Wow, thanks, when do we start!?"

His rapid-fire speech was already making Warner doubt this. He didn't know why he'd agreed to it, and took a sip of water to steady himself. James was dizzying.

"Tomorrow morning. 5am. Don't be late."

"Oh yay!" And with the enthusiasm only a ten-year old can muster at five in the morning, he hugged Aaron and ran outside, leaving behind a very bewildered looking Warner.

12:07am

Aaron could stop pacing. Juliette should have been back five hours and seven minutes ago. Five hours. If she wasn't back in five minutes, he was going to snap and send troops. Even though he'd sworn not to.

There had been rioting in Sector 336 when, somehow, rumors had leaked that Juliette was in the Sector. The whole area was dangerous. It was a sleeping beast, under the charge of one, very dangerous, Commander Gills. And Juliette had crawled right into its mouth. He gritted his teeth. Gills was going to pay if Juliette wasn't returned safety.

3:49am

"Why're you still up?" Adam's quiet voice broke through the black silence. Warner looked up at his half-brother. Sometimes he hated him for being the first person Juliette had loved. Or thought she had loved. But then he remembered that…Adam was family. And Juliette had made her choice. She loved Aaron now. Only him. All of him— broken, and bent, and terrifying. And he couldn't resent his own brother. Not when he'd finally met him.

He managed to tame the hurricane of emotion rising within himself. "It's nothing."

"What time was she supposed to come back?" Adam stared hard at Warner. Adam still cared about Juliette. And she still cared about him. Maybe not in the same way, but…maybe Warner owed it to his brother. And to himself.

"Eight hours and forty-nine minutes ago. She was supposed to be back eight hours and forty-nine minutes ago." Saying it out loud made it that much more real. He stopped pacing for the first time in hours, and fell exhausted onto the sofa. This waiting was killing him. The terror filled every cell in his body. The fear that she might not return was choking.

Adam stared impassively before clenching his jaw. He seemed to come to a decision. "I'll wait here." It wasn't a question.

Warner stared at him, about to refuse, before he unexpectedly nodded his assent. His hands were clenched into fists. Adam came and sat on the other end of the sofa with his brother, waiting for the girl he had once pledged his heart to.

It was another hour before the silence was broken by the sound of a truck entering the military compound. It was with shaking hands that Aaron encircled Juliette as she leaned into him in tired satisfaction. And it was with a confused heart that Warner lay in bed wrapped around Juliette, wondering about Adam who had waited with him and then slipped out silently.

a/n: Thank you so much to everyone who has read this fic so far and left a review! I'm so grateful, and would love more comments and critique! I'm planning a lot more for Warner and Juliette!

xoxo

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