Disclaimer: I do not own Falling Skies, any of it's characters or any of the original plotlines.
Hal gingerly stepped around a large tree, his head whipping from side to side. He surveyed the woods around him, his eyes catching every single movement. He heard a twig snap behind him and he spun around, only to see nothing. Fear tingled up his spine and he rolled his shoulders to loosen them. Hal ran through the mental checklist in his head again, he had a knife in his boot, two in his belt and another firmly held in his hand.
If it came to hand-to-hand combat, he was prepared. He heard a whisper of leaves and turned again; nothing. Hal gulped, a light sheen of sweat covering that back of his neck. His heart pounded hard against his ribcage, a loud 'thump thump'. He crept through the woods as silently as he could, while he kept all his senses on full alert for the prey he stalked.
He avoided the mounds of muddy leaves, tiptoeing on the soft dirt so as to make less noise. Hal slipped in a puddle of thick mud and slid down an embankment, crouching at the bottom as he scanned the quiet woods. He slowly stood and jumped in surprise when a bird dashed out of a tree.
Hal saw a flash of brown and black behind a nearby oak, and he grinned devilishly. He gripped the knife in his hand loosely and snuck forward stealthily, like a jungle cat. He took a deep breath after reaching the trunk, his hand drifting across the rough bark. He raised his knife and jumped around, only to see nothing once again.
His arms fell in disbelief as he growled under his breath. He was about to turn back when he felt the cool blade of a knife against his throat. He raised his knife in defence, but it was kicked out of his grip, the blade tumbling out of reach. He tried to spin around and fend off his attacker, only to grunt in pain when a cold hand grabbed his wrist firmly and pulled his arm behind his back.
Hal snarled angrily, struggling furiously. He was kicked in the back of his knee, sending him to the ground. Hal was forced to his knees, his arms pinned behind his back, the knife still at his throat. He struggled for a few seconds before sighing and kneeling still as a statue, admitting defeat.
The knife came away from his neck and was replaced with a pair of soft lips, kissing and playfully nipping at his skin. He heard a low chuckle as he was finally let go, turning to see a grinning Maggie.
"I win again," she taunted playfully. He picked up his knife, replacing it in his belt, before he turned to face her, grabbing her hips.
"How the hell do you do that?!" Hal asked, kissing her hungrily. She laughed and pulled away, wiggling her fingers at him.
"I guess I just have a light step, whereas you scrape your heels." Hal smiled and kissed her again, his hands circling around her waist. It was a week since Maggie had her stitches removed, and their argument that night in her room was long forgotten. Hal growled against her lips and pulled away.
"Again," he commanded.
Maggie raised a sceptical eyebrow, "is it a good idea to do this on a patrol? We're supposed to be patrolling?" Hal smiled teasingly.
"Aww c'mon Maggie, we've been at the hospital for weeks now without any signs of skitters. Besides, this is good practice for me. I WILL win at some point." He smiled, knowing she wouldn't deny his challenge. She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Give me a minute head start." Hal grinned and closed his eyes.
"One…two…three…" he cracked open an eye to peek; Maggie was already gone. He counted in his head until he reached sixty seconds, before he set off. He tried a new tactic and found a large tree with low hanging branches, and started to scale the tree, pulling himself from one limb to another. Once high enough, he held around the trunk tightly and looked about. He saw nothing at first, but a few moments later he spotted her blonde hair as she jogged from tree to tree.
He climbed down and jumped the last few metres, landing on the balls of his feet. He set off towards her at a steady pace. He was mindful of where he stepped and made sure to pick up his heels. He removed his knife from his belt as he crept over the leaf littered landscape.
He saw her follow a trail, and he followed silently, slipping behind trees for cover. The trail led to the sunny space of a clearing, the trees making a small, almost neat circle around the edge. He watched Maggie as she pushed a bush out of her way to step in, hiding from Hal's sight again. He lurched through the bushes after her with a victorious grin. He looked around and stopped dead in his tracks, she was gone, again! He almost yelled in frustration, before he managed to stop himself. He walked to the middle of the clearing and slowly turned around, completing a full turn. She was gone.
He scratched his head, his knife still in his hand. The clearing was covered in thick, long green grass, damp from the morning dew. There were hundreds of wildflowers everywhere, orange, yellow and red ones poking up everywhere in the grass. Hal bent down to pick a flower, rolling it between his fingers. He stood and sniffed it, before letting it fall back down to the grass.
Hal heard a low growl and at the same time, felt Maggie jump onto his back. She locked her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, growling like a savage animal. He stumbled and almost fell, but managed to stay standing. He sank to his knees and leaned back, sitting on the ground. He pushed back, lying in the grass and rolled around, trying to dislodge Maggie from his back.
She held on fiercely, her grip firm and strong. Hal stood again and decided to play dirty. He reached around with his arm and tickled her side. She gasped and squirmed slightly, but still held on. Hal reached out with his other hand and tickled both her sides, his fingers gently scratching her ribs. Maggie giggled and squealed.
"Hal!" she yelled, before she finally let go and fell in a heap to the ground. Hal turned quickly and wasted no time. He pinned her arms to her side and sat on her legs, just above her knee, without putting his full weight on her so as not to cause her any pain. She looked into his face, stunned, and Hal could only smile in response.
"I won!" he sang, pleased. He pushed a few loose strands of her hair from her face, and caressed her cheek softly. Maggie smiled sweetly back up at him, before twisting her head to the side and sinking her teeth into his hand.
"OW! Shit, Maggie!" Hal pulled away and jumped up, inspecting the small bite mark on the side of his hand. Maggie took the advantage and pushed Hal's chest, sending him sprawling backwards. She lunged up and now it was her turn to sit on his legs, pinning both his hands above his head. Hal lay under her, slightly winded. He had to admit, Maggie was good. She walked with the stealth of a cat but attacked with the speed of a cobra.
She bent down and kissed his neck teasingly, right under his jaw. He squirmed hopelessly, and Maggie retaliated by twisting his wrist slightly. Hal scowled up at her. "Damn Maggie, you play rough."
Maggie laughed, throwing her head back. "I said I'd fight, I never said I'd fight fair."
Hal pouted up at her, finally laying still. "Couldn't you let me win just once?" he complained.
Maggie frowned and tossed her head, flicking her hair back. "If I let you win, you won't learn," she reprimanded, "you're too cocky. You need to remember to kill your victim before you celebrate." Hal smiled up charmingly at her, and Maggie rolled her eyes, smiling back after a minute.
Hal shifted his legs slightly and huffed. "Maggie, as fun as this is, I can't feel my legs." Maggie grinned, but didn't get off like Hal expected. Instead, she shifted up, straddling Hal's waist. She bent down slowly and kissed him gently, running her lips teasingly over his. She moved her lips down his jaw and to his neck again, nipping his skin gently every now and then.
Hal squirmed under her, his hands still pinned over his head. "Maggie," he groaned, frowning slightly. She let go of his hands and his fingers immediately speared through her hair when she bent down to kiss him again. He rolled them over and now he was the one hovering over her. He attacked her lips feverishly, growling against her skin. He buried his face in her neck, kissing and sucking on her throat. Maggie moaned and turned her head to the side, giving him better access to her neck. She knew they should stop. One reason being they were on patrol, the other being that she still wasn't ready.
"Hal," Maggie whispered, trying to tell him to slow down. He mistook her intentions and began kissing her again, seeming as if he was trying to inhale her. Maggie moaned softly and tried to clear her clouded head. She closed her eyes tightly but Hal filled her senses. She could hear him, see him, smell him, feel him and taste him all at once. She turned her head again as he began to nibble gently on her earlobe and she felt warm, despite lying on the cold, damp grass.
Something caught her attention and for a second she was distracted from Hal, trying to see through the grass. She saw something that stood out, white against the vibrant green ground, long and dirty, laying still. Maggie gasped and pushed against Hal's chest, trying to get him to stop.
"Hal, there's someone here," she whispered urgently, pushing Hal more firmly. He stopped and blinked, his face turning serious.
"What do you mean? Where?" she gestured with her head and he looked over, his eyes widening. He pushed himself up and reached a hand down to help pull Maggie up. Hal pushed Maggie behind him as they walked over, making her tut in irritation.
"What are you doing?" she hissed under her breath, trying to stand next to Hal.
"We don't know who they are," he whispered, "they could be dangerous." Maggie huffed and forced herself past him. She stood beside the person before stumbling back, her hand over her mouth.
"It's a kid," she gasped. Hal stepped closer and crouched down. It was a little boy, no more than ten years old. His skin was pale and blue; no clothes covered his body, only mud and leaves. Hal's fingers covered the boy's neck for a second, but he didn't have much hope. His suspicions were confirmed when he pulled his fingers away.
"He's dead," he whispered. Maggie walked a few feet away, turning her back. Hal stood and rubbed his hands on his jeans.
"Hal," Maggie called, her voice shaking slightly, "Hal there's more." He stepped up behind her and found himself standing at a dump site of dead children. She pointed to a girl lying on her stomach, silver spikes protruding from her back.
"They're de-harnessed," she said softly. Hal nodded and rubbed his head.
"We have to check they're all dead," he said urgently before moving to the first kid. Maggie moved further down and started checking the kids further away, moving towards Hal.
Hal got through three kids before he heard Maggie calling him from a short distance away.
"Hal, over hear, she's alive." He rushed over to where Maggie was kneeling, trying to roll over a naked blonde girl. He grabbed her arm and helped push her around. As Hal cleared the leaves from her face, her eyes shot open, revealing intense blue irises. She latched onto Hal's arm and looked into his eyes, startled.
"Karen!?" he choked. Her eyes fluttered closed and her body fell back to the ground, her grip on his arms loosening. Hal noticed her fingers and toes were slowly turning blue, so he ripped off his jacket and wrapped it around her as best as he could. He picked her up and her head lolled against his chest, still unconscious.
Maggie gripped Hal's shoulder firmly, forcing him to stop. "Hal wait, she could still be connected to them. We need to think about this." Hal shrugged her hand off, confused.
"What are you talking about? She needs a doctor Maggie, she's barely breathing. Tell me you got my back?" he asked her desperately. Maggie hesitated before nodding. She would always have his back, they were partners. Hal turned to leave the meadow, jogging back towards the hospital. Maggie followed right behind Hal, her gun at the ready if anything should happen. They were a good fifteen minutes from the hospital but Hal held a steady pace, with no sign of stopping.
They reached the border where the sentries were posted, running past their confused expressions. Hal was starting to sweat from the effort of having to carry Karen, running her all the way to the hospital. Tom, Ben and a handful of fighters were loading a truck outside the hospital when they ran up. Tom glanced over concerned, and rushed in front of Hal when he saw the bundled heap in Hal's arms, blocking his way to the hospital.
"Hal wait a sec," he said, putting his hands out, "who's that?" Maggie noted Hal's heavy breathing and spoke for him.
"Karen. We found her and a bunch of other kids left de-harnessed and naked in the woods." Hal tried to step around his dad, but Tom mirrored his movements and blocked his path again.
"Hal, wait. Think about this. She tortured me on that ship; she could still be connected to them." Maggie watched Hal carefully for his reaction and wasn't surprised when he suddenly flared up in anger.
"Dad she's barely breathing! She needs a doctor, or she's gonna die. Her harness has been removed, she isn't a threat!" on his last statement, he shoved past Tom and jumped up the entrance steps, Karen curled in his arms. Tom cursed under his breath and paced in a short, tight line before turning to Maggie, who was still rooted to the spot.
Maggie raised her arms hopelessly and shook her head. "I tried to talk sense into him Tom, I don't know if it'll work, but I'll talk to him again."
Tom grimaced and scratched the back of his head. "If he's going to listen to anyone, it would be you."
Maggie nodded before trotting up the stairs, surprised for a moment when she heard Tom following her. She pushed open the door and looked around, but Hal was already out of sight. Maggie stood, thinking for a moment, tapping her thumbnail against her teeth, before heading down a hallway that led to an alignment of examination rooms.
Maggie opened the first door, which led only to an empty room. She tried the next door and she stumbled on a woman cleaning a cut on a man's forearm. She mumbled an apology before backing out and opening the third door. She peeked inside before pushing the door fully open, and stepping inside.
Karen was laid out on an examination table, still unconscious, while Anne bustled about her, wiping away the dirt and prodding her limbs gently, checking for injuries. Maggie's eyes scoped the room and Anne noticed her searching, when she looked over her shoulder.
"Hal just went to find her some clothes," Anne explained. Maggie stepped closer as Tom walked in, Ben right behind him. Anne's face turned stern as she placed her hands purposely on her hips. "Is this intrusion necessary?" she asked, exasperated.
Tom stepped forward, crossing the small room in just one large step as he grabbed Anne's shoulders gently and stared into her eyes. "It's Karen, she tortured me on the ship, remember? She isn't safe; we need to get her out of here."
Anne looked confused from Tom to Karen and back again. "She's de-harnessed, she's normal now Tom. She was being controlled by the aliens when she was on the ship."
Ben, who up to now had been silent, stepped forward. "No, she's still connected to them. We need to get her out of here." Tom turned to look at Ben, still holding onto Anne's shoulders.
"How do you know?" he asked suspiciously. Ben hesitated and chewed his lip.
"I can hear her," he whispered. Tom looked back to Anne and raised his eyebrows questioningly.
Anne's gaze flickered sympathetically back to Karen. "Why don't we keep her in the psych ward until Weaver comes to a decision?"
Hal walked in at that moment, holding a small pile of folded clothes. He froze at the sight of everyone in the room, the tension thick in the air. His eyes darted from Karen to his dad as he put the clothes on a table. "What's going on?" he asked warily. Tom let go of Anne and stepped closer to Hal.
"Ben says Karen is still attached to the overlords," Tom explained carefully," we need to think seriously about this Hal; she could be a huge threat to us."
Hal looked at his brother, hurt, before standing next to Karen's table. "Her harness has been removed," he said firmly, "there's no threat anymore."
Tom shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably, a silent answer to Hal's statement. His eyes drifted around the room, looking at every single person. "Please," he whispered quietly, helplessly. His eyes locked with Maggie's, who was silently standing in a corner of the room. He pleaded silently with her, his eyes begging her for help.
Maggie hesitated before slowly walking forward, the whole room silent. Hal's face turned confused when she stood in front of him, and not by his side, holding her hands out calmly.
"Hal, calm down. We don't know everything about how the aliens work, maybe she really is still connected? Alright, I know how much she means to you, but we need to think of the safety of the second mass." She whispered quietly to him, stepping closer. "We'll put her in the psych ward, she'll be more secure there, and we can all wait for Weaver to make a decision after that."
Hal hesitated, his eyes dancing around the room once more, before he nodded stiffly. Everyone relaxed a little, but there was still a tangible tension in the air. Tom whispered a few private words to Anne, giving her a quick kiss before leaving with Ben. Anne went back to checking over Karen, cleaning the last of the mud from her skin. She picked up the clothes Hal had found, a black singlet and a pair of faded jeans. She began to carefully slip them on, pulling her arms through the shirt first.
Hal shot Karen a quick look before gently pulling Maggie to the other side of the small room. He hugged her firmly and Maggie sighed after moment, before gently hugging him back.
"Thanks for believing me, Maggie. I knew you'd understand." Maggie shifted uncomfortably against Hal, stepping back slightly.
"Hal, I think you need to think seriously about this. We found her barely two miles from the hospital, with a group of dead kids. What are the odds that only one person would still be alive? I think those odds are even more unlikely, considering that person was Karen. Karen, Hal, what are the odds? Out of everyone it could have been, we found her. The Hal I know would think longer about this situation, and I'm sure you still would, if it was anyone other than her."
Hal looked over at Karen, who although still unconscious, was now dressed, before back to Maggie. He stepped closer, bending his head down to look into her eyes.
"Her harness has been removed, Maggie. We found her minutes from death. I'm not denying that it's not strange, but we still need to help her. We can question her when she wakes up, and until then, I'm going to make sure nothing happens to her."
Maggie's face softened and she lifted her hand to gently cup Hal's face. "I know you care about her, just promise you'll be careful?" she whispered.
Hal's eyes widened slightly, before he flashed her a small smile. "Even though she's back, nothing's going to change between us," he whispered, placing his hand over hers, where it still rested on his cheek. Maggie was surprised when she felt relief flow through her, although she was careful to hide it.
"I know," she replied, returning his smile. Hal bent his head and kissed her softly. Maggie closed her eyes, savouring the feeling. He pulled back and looked at Karen again.
"I'm gonna make sure she gets to the psych ward safely," he said quietly, "I'll meet you later?"
Maggie bit her lip, her gaze flickering from Karen to Hal. She nodded her head before giving him another quick kiss. She left the room, looking back only once to see Hal and Anne talking quietly as they prepared to move Karen to the other room. Maggie left without another word, wandering the empty halls.
Hal straightened the sheets across Karen, tucking the thin material loosely around her. He looked around the room and sighed. It was small, containing only a small bed, a chair and a small set of drawers. The one small window was covered with a set of steel bars, on the inside and outside. The door remained locked, and Tom had ordered a guard to be posted outside at all times. It was an unwelcome sight, but better than dumping her in the woods. He looked over at Karen again, she was still unconscious, but she looked the same as the day Hal watched Ben drag her away, all those months ago. He worried about what would happen when she woke up. Would she still remember anything about the aliens? Would she really be normal? Would she still love him?
Hal sat down in the only chair and waited patiently. Ten minutes passed and Hal slumped drowsily in his chair. He snapped to attention when the door swung open, revealing Anne.
"Is she awake yet?" she asked hopefully. Hal shook his head, frowning slightly.
"How long until she wakes up? She's been asleep for ages."
Anne stepped into the room and stood beside Hal's chair, looking at Karen carefully. "When you found her, she was really close to death, Hal. She's only been asleep for a few hours, you just have to give her body time to recover and rest." Hal nodded glumly, accepting her statement without complaint.
They stood silently for a few more minutes, and both turned when the door opened again, this time introducing Tom. He wordlessly stood beside Anne and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I take it there hasn't been any change? Weaver wants to be alerted the second she wakes up, so she can be questioned," he said bluntly, with no emotion. Anne bobbed her head slowly, understanding the possible risks if Karen was still connected to the overlords. Hal decided to say nothing and silently kept his eyes on Karen, feeling anger slowly boil up inside himself.
Tom glanced at his son and sighed when he didn't meet his gaze. "I'm sorry Hal, we have no choice," he whispered before leaving again. Anne closed the door behind him and walked back to Hal.
"I know you think it's cruel," she said, "but they have a point Hal. She could be a liability." Hal nodded curtly once, before pulling his chair closer to Karen.
"She was harnessed for so long," he whispered, "what if she doesn't remember anything?" Anne smiled sadly, leaning against one of the smooth walls.
"Then she won't be able to tell us anything," she said simply. The door clicked open again, and Maggie entered, standing by Hal's side.
"Has there been any-"
"Change?" Hal interrupted her. "No, she's still unconscious." Maggie reached out and gently squeezed Hal's shoulder, silently reassuring him.
Maggie watched Karen silently before sighing under her breath. "Hal maybe you should-"
"Shhh!" Hal interrupted again. "Look, she's waking!" He leapt out of his chair to kneel beside the bed, fingers gripping the mattress tightly. Karen's eyelids fluttered, and a small moan escaped her pale lips. Her eyes slowly opened, her intense blue eyes jumping erratically around the room, before locking sight with Hal's.
"Karen, you're okay, you're safe now," Hal soothed softly.
Karen pushed herself up so she was sitting up in bed, her arms wobbling slightly as she tried to support herself. She blinked a few times before squinting up at the young man in front of her.
"Hal?" she asked softly. Her eyes widened and a smile of relief split across her face. "Oh my god, Hal, it's really you!" she threw herself forward, locking her arms tightly around his neck, as she began softly sobbing.
Hal rubbed her back gently, holding her tight. "It's okay Karen, you're here with us, safe and sound."
A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy this chapter :-)
I'm sorry it took so long to get up, I know I was really late this time .-. to be honest, it's been finished for a while, but I had no internet connection to get it up. Life's also been busy with exams, moving out in and into a new temporary home, and all the other things that life likes to throw at people.
Please read and review, have fun, and thank you to all those people who still read this story, even though I can't keep a deadline ;) you're all so amazing x
