Disclaimer: Of course I do not own anything off the Host, it's all owned by Stephenie Meyer. I'm just using her characters for my imagination :)

Chapter 9.

"You won't catch me Mel!"
Jamie flashes past me. A few seconds later Melanie runs by as well. She will catch him. Jared is the only one who ever outran Mel. And her competitive side didn't like that, so she kept training until not even he managed to beat her anymore. Jared is walking up to me.
"Where is Ian?"
"He went ahead to get the jeep to the nearest cave." I told him I could walk to the cave where we hide the cars, but Ian didn't want me to. So he got up early this morning in to get the jeep. Jared smiles.
"He still isn't letting you make the walk out there?"
"Of course not."

It has been almost two months since my miscarriage. In those two months I have been going out on two short raids to just get some necessities, Ian wouldn't let me stay out for more than a day. But really everyone in the caves has gotten used to the luxury articles I was able to get them. And we're running out of them, so I convinced Ian I needed to get out.
When Jared and I get to the end of the cave, Melanie and Jamie are standing there. Jamie's panting, but Mel is relaxed. I don't even ask who won. We walk out of the cave and get into the jeep. Jared gets in the front with Ian; I sit behind Ian, Mel behind Jared and Jamie's in between Mel and me. Ian starts the jeep and we take off. When we get to the cave hiding the other cars, Jared takes the van, Mel joins him and Jamie stays with me and Ian in the jeep.
It's a long drive. We go to different locations every time we go on a raid. This time we ride a full day. On the way back home we'll be going through different shops. It's sunny out these days, so each time one of the group comes into a store with me, wearing sunglasses. It'll be the first time walking into a store for Jamie. I'm still not comfortable with it, but Melanie and Jared thought it would be good. Jamie really wants to do it and it's been going well for so long that they agreed with him. I'd just rather not have him go anywhere at all, but off course, I can't lock him up.
When we get to the first motel, Ian let's me out of the jeep at the front door. He's still tense about letting me walk in alone somewhere, but we decided this is the best way. While I book us two rooms, Ian and Jared park the vehicles and everyone waits for me there. We take out the empty suitcases and walk to the rooms. Because of the suitcases there will be no suspicion about the fact that I'm booking the rooms on my own.

Jared and Melanie take one room and Ian and I share the other room with Jamie. Ian pulls me close and easily falls asleep. I can hear Jamie turning in the bed for some time. After an hour, he still isn't sleeping. I sit up.
"Jamie, are you okay?"
"Yes, of course I am."
"Jamie, why aren't you sleeping?" He usually falls asleep just as easily as Ian.
"It's nothing." Okay, now I know something is up.
"Jamie, just tell me." I walk towards his bed and sit on it.
"I'm kind off nervous…" Jamie looks uncomfortable. "I know all of you have done this plenty of times. And I've been with you on raids a lot of times. But I never went into a store myself."
"Are you scared?"
"No, not scared, just… I don't know… Anxious, I guess."
"If you don't want to do it…"
"I do! I knew I shouldn't tell you, you're not going to let me come anymore, are you?"
"You can come, Jamie, we already decided on that. I just want you to be sure."
"I am! I want to do it. I just feel a bit nervous about it, that's all."
I lie down next to Jamie and hold his hand. "I can understand that Jamie. Try to get some sleep though." Jamie pulls me closer to him, so I just make myself comfortable.

I wake up to a shadow falling over my body. Ian looks at me, smiling.
"The boy needed some company?" He whispers. I just nod; I don't want to wake Jamie up yet. I take Ian's wrist and look at his watch; 7 in the morning. The stores will be opening in an hour. We need to get up. I regret having to wake Jamie. Just as I want to move, there's a knock on the door. Ian goes to open it and Melanie and Jared walk in.
Jamie woke up from the knock on the door and now sits up, pulling me up with him. He looks at me, apparently wondering why I am in bed with him. I can see on his face that it's dawning on him. He blushes. I'm glad for him that no one asks anything. While I'm off to the reception to return the keys, the rest take the suitcases back to the jeep and van. We drive off to the first mall. Ian and Jared park on one of the ends of the parking lot. I turn around to look at Jamie.
"Let's go."
We walk into the mall and go straight for a clothes store. Jamie seems tense so I whisper to him.
"Relax, slouch a bit more. Look comfortable."
In the store we get some men's clothes first and then I pick out some maternity clothes. It's not necessary to get these, but since I'm here anyway, I want to get them for Jodi. I know she will appreciate it. When we get to the counter, the Soul looks at my belly.
"You aren't showing yet. Are you exited to have a baby? It must be so great to fulfill a calling as Mother." I blush.
"Oh, no, I'm not pregnant. We're getting the clothes for a neighbor. Her body is not dealing that well with pregnancy, so I offered to get her the things she needs."
"Oh. I am sorry for being wrong. Tell your neighbor that I hope she'll be feeling well soon."
"Really, don't be sorry, thank you." I take the bags from her, pass some to Jamie and we walk out of the store back to the parking lot.
"Wow, that was easy." Jaime looks relieved.
"Don't think too lightly about it Jaime, it's still dangerous." Jared warns him.

"Well, I'm hungry, let's go get some food Wanda." Melanie and I walk back into the mall. I head for the supermarket to get some sandwiches or something like that, but Melanie really wants fast food. We order some fries and burgers for everyone. Melanie feels comfortable enough out here that when the Soul handing us the food looks puzzled at the amount we take, she explains:
"Our friends are outside waiting. They are enjoying the sun so much that they didn't want to get inside." The Soul just smiles at her and Mel and I walk outside.

I brought the food for Ian and me and get into the jeep next to him. Jamie gets into the van with Jared and Mel. We finish our fries and throw the package material into the bins outside. Ian nods at Jared and we drive off to our next location.

All day we have been getting clothes and more luxury items. We will get some fresh food when we get close to home. I book rooms at a hotel again. This time Ian and I get to have a room alone. We really need a shower. It was a warm and long day. When I'm in the shower for about five minutes I hear Ian coming in.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Before I can answer him his mouth is already on mine. His arms are around me and his hands move to my buttocks to lift me up, I clamp my legs around his waist. My back gets pressed to the cold wall and I gasp at the shock of it. Ian tries to pull back and of course it's not like I'm physically strong enough to keep him from it, but I pull him back to kiss him. The streams of water tingle on my already sensitive skin. There is some agitation in my kisses and Ian kisses me back just as heated. I can't think straight anymore, I'm panting for breath and I move my hips.

Ian freezes at the spot. He just stands perfectly still and looks at me.
"Wanda."
How is it that he can talk? I'm struggling for breath as it is, let alone that I have to talk.
"Wanda, how are you feeling?"
What?
"I'm fine, what are you doing?"
Ian takes a towel and puts it around his waist. Then he hands me a towel as well.
I'm really confused now. What is he doing?
"I think we need to talk first."
"What is there to talk about?"
"Wanda, are you sure your fine? I mean, it's just been two months."
Just two months? It has been two months. Two long months. And in those two months he barely touched me. We've kissed a lot. We've cuddled a lot. But he never went further than that. And when he came into the shower I thought that he must be 'over it'.
"Ian, I'm fine. Really."
"But…" I cut him off by kissing him. I let go of my towel and pull away his.
"Ian, believe me. I'm fine. Let me prove it to you." Ian looks into my eyes for a very long time. Then he leans in, kisses me, picks me up and takes me to the bed.