I lose track of the hours as I drag Cel through the tunnels. There are long gaps of silence, and then she'll make a comment. How lovely the top of the tunnel looks. The loveliness of the rancid smell as we pass over gratings to the sewer underneath. She's in a foul mood and it only makes my own worse. I'm relieved when I see sunlight, and I jostle her as I start running towards it. She can deal with a little jostling, especially since it shuts her up.

We're in a part of town the runners didn't often go. The buildings all look alike and getting here via our usual routes meant at least a mile on the ground. If someone paid enough, we did it, but none of us liked it.

This is someone here who can help, though. Wraith's brother lives in this neighborhood and by all accounts he's an ally. He's probably the only chance Cel has right now. I look down at her. She's so pale. She looks at me, and the emotion in her eyes makes me uncomfortable. I'd almost rather have her complaining. I look away before she can see the reflection in mine, but it's probably too late for that.

Pulling her over behind a dumpster, I get her settled. "I'll be about five minutes. I'm going to need help getting you somewhere without being seen. Don't go anywhere."

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll just run away." Her tone is scathing and I don't have anything I can say to that. Her fingers slide across my cheek and into my hair, and I don't stop her when she pulls me down. Our lips meet again, and the walls of denial I've built up crumble away.

Celeste is on top of me. Her fingers are pushing and stroking and pinching and I'm lost to the world. I can smell the sweat of our bodies, feel the muscles of her back flex under my fingers, hear the way our breathing comes so ragged and racing. And those fingers. They're strong and nimble and it takes every ounce of willpower I have not to scream her name. I muffle myself against Cel's neck as she brings me back down slowly. Where she was rushed and heated she's now gentle. One hand caresses my face, and my hair.

When I think I can see again, I pull my head back to look at her. She's got a cocky grin on her face, and I wish I had the energy to wipe it off.

"If I didn't know better," she tells me. "You were easier to catch that time."

"If I made it too easy you'd give up." This time I'm the one petting her face and hair. I don't know if I'm in love with her. If I'm ready for that. Maybe I never will be. I'm not ready when she kisses me. I'm not ready when Cel's words slip out against my lips.

I barely get my clothing on before I'm out Cel's door and I'm running. Burn away the adrenaline burn away the emotions. I have to run

Would things be different if I hadn't run away? I muse on that as Cel rests her head in my lap. Wraith's brother (a stocky man named Bishop) works at a nearby hospital. He does the best he can for Cel's knee, but he doesn't have the equipment he needs. I'm forced to disentangle myself from Cel so we can talk about it without her overhearing.

He hands me some coffee, and even though my hands are now clean I still wipe them on my pants when I take the cup. "It's bad isn't it."

"With a brace, she'll be able to walk again. Not normally, and she'll never run." His eyes are kind, dark pools of empathy. Cel is the one that deserves that, not me. He seems to sense my guilt, and puts a hand on my shoulder. "There's an alternative. I'll tell her about it when she's coherent, but she's gonna need your help."

"You don't even need to ask twice. What would I have to do?"

He doesn't get a chance to answer. The back door opens, and it's Wraith and Kate. I'm in my twin's arms in the space of two heartbeats and I squeeze her back hard enough to choke the life out of her. "What were you doing?! You should be twenty miles outside the city by now!"

"I couldn't leave you to die, Faith." She leans her forehead against my own. "You gave up everything for me."

"And it would have all been for nothing if they got to you, Kate!" Maybe it's not fair to yell and maybe being exhausted isn't the best excuse, but I don't really care. "You're all that matters. You're all that matters."

"Not all," Wraith says, nodding her head towards the other room where Celeste is. And she's right. I dragged that woman how far just to get her to safety?

But I refuse to admit it. I'm not going to give them the satisfaction. "I owed her, that's all. It's my fault she's hurt."

For what it's worth, Kate takes my yelling in stride. "What's the story with you two, anyway? I mean, I know you… oh. Oh."

"No." I wag my finger in front of her face. "It's not like that. Okay? We were just friends with benefits."

The lie tastes terrible and I step away from my sister. "Bishop, what do I have to do to help Cel?"

The man has been standing there this whole time, pinching the bridge of his nose while I have my episode. "You all done now?"

Wraith's laugh grates on my nerves. "Looks like it. Okay, what're you planning?"

"Grand theft prosthesis." He gestured for us to follow him. We passed Cel, still out on the couch, and though I want to stop and check on her I keep walking. I don't even look at her, not with Kate and Wraith there.

Upstairs, he shows us some magazines. They're all medical journals, and in one there's an artificial limb. It looks fairly realistic and according to the accompaning text promises to be the most advanced to reach production. "If you want her to run again, you're gonna want one of these."

I trace my fingers along the picture. "Will it?"

"Athletes have been using them since before the 2012 Olympics, Faith." He took the magazine from me. "I'm sure with practice she'll adapt."

My mind is made up before I open my mouth. "What do you need for this?"

"Faith…" Kate put her hand on my arm. "Think about this for a second. You're talking about robbing a hospital. I… well I'm not a cop anymore but that just kind of strikes me as wrong."

"No more wrong than shooting someone in the knee mid run. Or trying to execute a good cop who was in the wrong place." I turn from Kate back to Bishop. "What do you need?"

"Her consent first. And then I'll need the prosthetic, and I have a list of tools too. But Faith." There was a note of caution in Bishop's voice. It's not a note I like, and I sigh. "I'll need to amputate her leg."

"What?" A sinking sensation takes over and I prop myself up on the table. If we fuck this up, Cel could lose a leg, and be even worse off than she is right now. But if this works…"Okay. Okay. If she wants this, I'll get it. I'll get everything you need and then some."

I didn't think we need to ask. I already knew what Cel will say. I can already see the hope that's going to kindle in her eyes. It'll be a beautiful sight, and it'll kill me if I end up extinguishing it.

Kate isn't the only thing that matters. Wraith does, and Biship now, and Mercury always did. And Cel.

I can't run away this time. I love her.