Bass and I sat next to each other on top of an old yacht. The running had made my ankle hurt again, and I sat rolling it around, cringing every time it hit the spot that hurt. "This is stupid, we're wasting time," I said finally.

"Miles told us to wait here," Aaron said. "They'll be here."

"We don't even know if they're alive," Bass said.

"If the Patriots were waiting on you, they probably knew where Miles would be too," I told Aaron. "The longer we sit here, the more likely it is that the Patriots will find us." I glanced over my shoulder at Cynthia. She'd locked herself in the cabin. "She doesn't know how to fight, and my ankle is killing me. Plus, Bass isn't exactly in prime condition."

"Hey, I'm doing just fine," Bass told me.

I ignored him. "If anything happens, we'd basically be relying on your new spontaneous combustion superpower."

"We're waiting here," Aaron said with finality.

I groaned. "Fine, if we all die, I warned you."

OoOoO

We waited, and waited. And then we waited more.

We spent the entire day sitting on top of that stupid boat. Miles never showed. "I can't take this anymore. I've got to go back into town. I'll find out if they're alive."

"You're not going back alone," Bass told me.

I waved him off. "My ankle feels much better after a day of sitting on my ass. Anyway, you can't go back, they'll kill you."

"Only if they find me." He stood up, offering me a hand to pull me up.

"You're going to get yourself killed one day," I muttered.

He shrugged. "I'm not worried, I've escaped death a few times." I rolled my eyes, but let him lead the way. We ducked under the railing and hopped down to the ground.

Aaron jogged after us. "Where are you going?"

"To find Miles, we can't wait any more."

"He's coming," Aaron insisted.

"It's been a day."

"Miles has information that I need," Bass said. "I held up my end of the bargain, now it's his turn."

Behind Aaron I saw lights, I pulled him and Bass behind a boat. "I told you we needed to leave," I hissed.

A branch broke behind us, and we turned to see a Patriot. Bass stood up, grabbed him, and slit his throat before he Patriot could call for help. I grabbed the Patriot's gun, to prepare myself for the rest of them. I could see the lights getting closer. Bass climbed atop another boat. I ducked, waiting for my moment. As soon as I heard them, I stepped out and opened fire.

"There's more coming," I called to Bass.

Bass looked at Aaron. "You, they won't kill. But me, they definitely want dead." He nodded for me to follow him as he jogged in the opposite direction.

"Hey, wait, you can't just leave us!" Aaron called after him.

I gave him an apologetic look, before jogging after Bass. I could hear Cynthia screaming, and I felt the slightest glimmer of guilt for abandoning her. But, Patriots had swarmed the area. If we'd stayed, we never would have gotten away.

OoOoO

"I can't see a damn thing," I mumbled. We trudged though woods at a slow pace. It was foggy, which made it impossible to see if anyone was coming. Bass grabbed my arm, yanking me to a halt. A group of Patriots walked by, not ten feet away. "How are we supposed to find Miles? I can't even find my own feet."

There was a gunshot in the distance. "This way," Bass said. I followed him through the woods, almost running into a few trees along the way. Finally, the fog thinned enough for me see the Mathesons, as well as a few Patriots. Bass snuck up behind them, and took them out.

"Come on, there's more out here!" I called. I motioned them to follow us. Once we were all out of the woods, we found a barn with a cellar, and Bass ushered us all down.

"What the hell happened?" Miles asked. "Where's Aaron?"

"We were sitting ducks waiting for you to show up, we had to get out of there," I told him.

"We have to find him," he said.

"No, screw your fat friend. The only reason I saved you back there, was so you could tell me where to find my son," Bass told him. Miles guided us into the other room, away from Rachel and Charlie. Miles rolled up his sleeve, revealing a nasty wound. "Holy hell."

"It's infected," he told us.

"Yeah, I can see that. You need to get help."

"From who? They have Gene," he told us. "Look, I'm having a hard time swinging a sword, I need your help."

"Aaron is not worth dying for," Bass told him.

"I disagree."

"Is this about Rachel?" I asked narrowing my eyes. "Is this some test to show her how you're a good guy, or whatever?"

"Just help me find Aaron and I'll tell you where he is," Miles told us.

I groaned. "Fine, I'll help."

"This is not my problem," Bass said.

"It is now," Miles told him. "If you don't help, I'll never tell you where your kid is."

They stared at each other for a moment. "Fine," Bass relented. "What are we waiting for?"

OoOoO

We returned to where we'd last seen Patriots. Charlie tracked their footprints through the trees. They eventually ended at an abandoned high school.

The halls looked deserted. "Split up," Miles ordered us. He and Rachel went one way while Bass and I went the other. Charlie followed behind us. We checked each classroom, but Aaron and Cynthia were nowhere to be found. Scraping metal, followed by the sound of boots on tile stopped us in our tracks. Charlie stepped through the closest door, and Bass followed me around the corner.

Dead ahead was a door with a red exit sign. I pushed through the door, my self-preservation instincts guiding the way. Before the door closed behind me, Bass caught it. "Charlie can't get across the hall without being seen," he told me.

I shrugged. "Ok."

"You just want to leave her there?"

"Why not?" It was his turn to shrug. I turned towards the outside door. "Come on, Charlie can take care of herself. Let's find Aaron." I pushed the door open, and then came to a halt. "I'm not doing anything wrong."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. You appear to think I'm a better person than you, for some reason. That's a lot of pressure to put on a girl who just wants to live to see tomorrow." I sighed. "I can't leave Charlie."

I turned around and went back into the hall. A Patriot soldier grabbed Charlie and threw her against the wall. He held her there at gunpoint. Another soldier stood just in front of us, Bass slit his throat. That distracted the man holding Charlie, long enough for her to get the upper hand.

"You came back," she said, surprised.

"We need to move, there's more where those two came from," I said.

I could hear voices around the corner. "Go, go," Bass said, pushing Charlie and I down the hall in front of him. We ran up in what used to be the gym with the Patriots right behind us. I vaulted over some debris and used it as a barricade to shoot at the soldiers. The shooting continued for a few moments when suddenly the Patriots burst into flames.

"Well timed, Aaron."

OoOoO

We met Rachel outside the school. She was dragging an unconscious Miles alongside her. "Stupid bastard," Bass mumbled. He helped Rachel hold him up.

"He needs help," Rachel said. "We need my father."

"I'll get him," Charlie said. "I'll take Monroe with me." He nodded and I took his place holding Miles up.

"Hurry up, he doesn't look like he has a lot of time," I called after them. As they jogged away, Aaron came out of the school. He was wide-eyed, and his hands were shaking.

"Is he ok?" He asked, looking at Miles.

"No, not really." I eyed him. "Are you?"

"Cynthia is dead."

"Oh."

"Aaron, I'm so sorry," Rachel said.

He didn't say anything, just looked at the ground. "Not to be insensitive, but Miles is really heavy," I said quietly. "Can we get out of here?"

We made the trek back to the cellar, dragging Miles along with us. Aaron opened the doors for us, and helped us get him down the stairs. Rachel rolled up Miles's sleeve, the infection had spread. I looked up at Rachel, worriedly. "He's going to be okay, isn't he?"

"I hope so."

OoOoO

We sat with Miles forever. Neither of us spoke, we just stared at Miles, willing him to be okay. Finally the cellar doors flung open, and Bass and Charlie came down. Gene followed them, I let out a sigh of relief. Rachel jumped up to hug her father. I didn't move. "Can you save him?" I asked.

Gene came in and looked at Miles. He nodded. "I'm going to need a few things, I need to go them."

I went back to watching Miles, this time with Charlie. Rachel and Gene didn't take too long. Rachel put a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "You girls should get some sleep. You're going to need your rest." We were reluctant, but we slowly made our way into the other room.

I knew in the back of my mind that Miles was the only person who could help me find Connor. But, he was more than that. He was family. "He's going to be okay," Charlie said, as if she could read my mind.

I nodded. "You're right. He's tough."

OoOoO

The next morning, Charlie and I were awake early. We were by Miles's side when he woke up. Charlie handed him some water, he coughed when he took a swig. "Bring me some whisky, you know water makes me sick."

I hit him on the shoulder. "You idiot."

"Hey, be nice, I'm injured."

Rachel appeared in the doorway and smiled at him. "You scared the hell out of me." She came and sat next to him.

"Don't make this all about you, Rachel," he told her, but he smiled back at her. Charlie and I shared a knowing look.

Bass came down stairs next. "Where is he, Miles?"

"Not now, Bass," Rachel said.

"Yes, now."

Miles sighed. "Give us a minute." I followed Charlie into the hall, though I knew I wasn't the one being asked to leave. We sat down outside the door.

"Do you remember your cousin?" She asked.

I shrugged. "The last time I saw him he was four. Nine year olds don't really pay attention to little greasy kids. I do remember being forced to watch cartoons for hours while our moms talked." I shook my head. "Kids are annoying." Charlie laughed.

The door opened and Bass stepped out. "Miles is taking us to Connor."

OoOoO

Charlie helped me saddle the horses. "You think you'll find him?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I hope so, but who knows? It's been years since Miles hid him, maybe he's moved on by now. I mean he's your age."

She looked over at me. "That's the same look you had on your face when we went into New Vegas. You think you're going to find him."

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. "I have a good feeling about this. It's been awhile since I had one of those."

She smiled slightly. "You know, Miles is only going with you so Bass will come back."

"I would've made him come back anyway."

"Really?" Charlie asked skeptically.

I smirked. "You guys are hopeless without us."

"Oh, shut up!"

"Good to see the two of you getting along," Miles said, behind us. Charlie and I harrumphed at the same time. He patted me on the shoulder. "Rachel's coming with us."

"What?"

"Well, don't get so excited, Ciara. Someone might actually think you like us."

"We don't need her," I protested.

"You're right, but I want here there."

"Miles."

"It's not up to you," he told me. Rachel came upstairs and nodded that she was ready. "Alright, saddle up, let's get this over with." I pulled myself up into the saddle, and waited while the others did the same.

"Have fun," Charlie said wryly.

Miles and Bass turned their horses around and took off at a canter. "Oh, it'll be like just like going to Disney World."