To those of you excited about them getting out of that well. I share in your enjoyment...however, I am so, so sorry for this chapter. ^_^..-~-..

**The Lieutenant**

"Some nights," Carol confessed as they headed home, keeping to the high ground for fear of another damned journey into a well. "Daryl gets a little frisky after I scold him."

The Lieutenant was quiet long enough to earn a worried glance from her, but she only found him shaking with laughter, head bent, boots planted firmly in the leaves.

"Too much information?" She asked.

"Not enough," he replied. "You need to elaborate on this scolding you give and just why it riles him so much."

"No, think that would be too much," she replied.

They walked on for a ways, before she asked, "you ever think you're messing up horribly?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning with this whole leadership thing. I feel like, I don't know. I'm mucking it up somehow."

He struggled to keep up with her, as she moved her small frame gracefully through the woods and he hefted a dead deer on his shoulders. To be honest, he felt like a servant following a queen and he was oddly okay with that. It felt right.

"Mucking it up? Ange, I know of at least ten leaders who screwed the pooch worse than you."

"Well, here I am, my baby girl is probably starving and my people are sans leader," she said. "Think I messed up somewhere."

"This is my fault, angel, don't blame yourself."

"How is this your fault?" She demanded, laughing at him.

"Well, I didn't get you home, I failed you in that. And I swear—"

"You like to take the blame for things all the time," she said, stopping to look him in the eye. "Why?"

He swallowed thickly. "Do I?"

"Is it a form of self-punishment?"

"Well, in this case it is my fault. You've done everything right. I happen to think you're a great leader."

"But a terrible mother."

"I didn't say that," he argued lightly. "It's extenuating circumstances. That's all it is. You're just doing the best you can in a world that's full of danger. Carol," he urged, "that little girl back home is the luckiest little girl alive. She has a mama who is fighting to get home to her, a mama who…hell, honey, you're a leader. You're a role model for her. That little girl can look at you one day and see this strong, beautiful example of how to grow up, couple that with a daddy who never quits, who never gives up, who holds onto hope even though he's so scared of having it taken away from him. She had strong, good parents and I don't see that as you failing her at all."

"But here I am—"

"Hey," he leaned forward and bumped his forehead against hers gently since his hands were otherwise occupied for one of his patent hugs. "No more of that talk. We'll be home soon and you'll be with your little angel again."

"And you'll see your son."

He beamed broadly, unable to stop the grin from spreading. "Yeah. And I'll toss my petit princesses into the peach tree for being brats, I know they're giving Gracie hell. They always do."

"I think you love them for it."

"I would never encourage my children to be rude," he explained. "But I'll encourage them to be them, most certainly. And if that means allowing them to be spirited, then I will not stop them."

Her smile faded and she stared up at him with such serious blue eyes that his heart skipped a beat for a moment.

"You're a good father," she said simply.

That meant the world to him and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to prevent his emotions from showing.

"I'm alright," he responded, heading onwards again. "Nothing like a queenly mama, but I try to keep my babies safe."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short," Carol said. "I've seen you with those girls, you are their entire world."

"Mais, I think they just like me because I'm the one who doesn't tell them 'no'. Grace is the one who actually tries to give them structure. Takes a lot more guts than I have."

She chuckled and stepped from the trees into the ditch of an old country road. "Well," she began, stopping quickly at the sight of a flashy black SUV, stopped not more than a few yards from them.

The Lieutenant spied it as well and they both dropped down quickly into the dead winter grass, the deer falling down the steep embankment behind them.

They would have stayed that way, if it wasn't for the snapping of twigs that came from the trees to their right and an uggie who sauntered out.

By the SUV there was a jovial laughing as some men in black SWAT gear stepped out from around the side, spying the thing.

"Stupid bitch," one of the men murmured under his breath.

The other laughed.

Carol tensed at his side and the Lieutenant narrowed his eyes as the two men from the dark SUV, with their dark armour and their dark sunglasses, watched the thing.

Unfortunately it was heading for the Lieutenant and Carol on the banks of the ditch and this the men saw, immediately straightening up from where they were casually watching the uggie.

They snapped into action, the one drawing his pistol, the other heading for them.

"Don't worry," the man assured them. "We have this covered! Just come with me." He seemed to paused as he spied the Lieutenant in all his gear, before turning his eyes on Carol.

He reached out anyways and grabbed her firmly by the upper arm. "Come with me!" He ordered, half hauling her, half dragging her up to the vehicle as the other man put down the uggie.

The armoured man holding Carol pushed her a little hard against the SUV and pointed at the Lieutenant. "You just stand there and hold your position!"

Deciding to just go along with it, the Lieutenant at least moved to keep Carol from the man's rough grasp, sliding his hand around her waist companionably.

Both armoured men approached and eyed them.

"It's okay, ma'am, sir," the one began. "We have the situation under control." He studied the Lieutenant. "You military?"

"Marine," he said, after a moment of quiet contemplation.

"We could use you, Marine," the other man said.

"Have someone drowning?" The Lieutenant asked playfully. "Because I can't swim really, I just sort of float—"

"Your President needs you, Marine," Man Number One insisted firmly. "Would you refuse?"

"My President?" He demanded.

"Come on, get in the vehicle," Man Number One said, opening the back door.

"Ah, do—"

"This is not an option, Marine." The man eyed Carol long and hard in a cold, calculating way that settled uncomfortably in Fay's gut. "This woman important to you?"

For a moment the Lieutenant was unsure. If the men only meant to leave Carol if she was of no use to them (which he assumed was the case) then he'd let them know she meant nothing to him so that she could get home to her baby. But.

But.

If they had no use for her (and if they laughed at that uggie so callously) he assumed she was expendable and invaluable and they probably wouldn't leave her in one piece.

So he claimed her, because he'd rather her be valuable to them through him than for her to be put in any kind of danger.

"She's my wife," he said smoothly. "We've never been apart for…what is it, honey? Ten years?"

"Twelve," Carol corrected sweetly, smiling at the men. "You boys are awfully brave. But we just want to get going. Thank you for the rescue."

"Sorry, ma'am, your husband is a Marine, he has his duty to his country."

"And who are you to dictate duty, couyon?" The Lieutenant inquired. "I'm sorry, but I only follow—"

"We only answer to the President, Marine."

"Lieutenant," he corrected. "Vancoughnett."

"Vancoughnett, I'm Wilkins, this is Hartnell. We're the President's men."

"Like…his lovers?" The Lieutenant played dumb, he liked people to think he was dumber than he was, especially potentially dangerous people.

"Like, his Secret Servicemen."

"Honey," Carol said, rubbing his arm. "I think…I think they're serious."

Looking down at Carol, they two exchanged a look and in her eyes the Lieutenant spied the sparks of understanding. She was prepared to play the same game he was and he admired her for that.

He didn't buy this President bullshit, but he certainly could play along. If these men wanted to think he was that dumb and if it would keep Carol safe until they could make a break for it, then he could certainly be the village idiot.

"Wait," he said, turning to the men. "Are you…the President is alive?"

"Come with us, sir," Wilkins ordered. "We'll explain everything at the compound."

Seeing they had no choice as of yet, Fay nodded and gently helped Carol into the back of the SUV, keeping very, very close to her in order to avoid separation. At this moment in time, keeping her alive and healthy enough to get her back to her baby was his main priority. Finding out who these bossy dicks were came in second.

"Where is this compound?" He asked as the men piled into the front seat.

Finding there were no handles on the doors in the back and the locks clicking, he suddenly understood just what sort of shit waters they were free floating in. This wasn't a willing trip, it was very much like the machinations of some military force.

"That is to remain undisclosed until we get you debriefed, Lieutenant," Wilkins said.

"We're so glad you came along," Carol gushed. "It was getting dangerous out there again."

Hugging her in close as Wilkins eyed them in the rear view mirror, the Lieutenant smiled at her. "We'll be safe now, honey. These men are highly trained professionals."

"You must be highly trained yourself, Marine, to have made Lieutenant," Hartnell said.

"Oh, that's just because I'm good at paperwork, sir. Tell me," he began. "Why is the President not in Washington? Shouldn't he be—"

"If things went south this badly, Lieutenant, would you want to be in the first place criminals would look?" Hartnell demanded.

"No, no I guess not."

"Just relax," Wilkins said. "We're holed up nearby, you can get cleaned up there and we'll find you some fresh gear."

"Wouldn't mind some dinner," the Lieutenant said. "My little angel here has gone far too long without a meal for my liking."

"You were never any good at hunting, sweetie," Carol returned playfully.

He leaned down and blew a raspberry against the side of her neck as Wilkins continued to scrutinize them in the mirror.

While he seemed relieved and carefree, his gut was churning. These men, this situation didn't settle right.

"Stay close," he whispered in her ear, before sitting back up straight.

Carol reached over and squeezed his hand in understanding, her face grim, eyes on the passing countryside. He knew she was mourning the reunion she didn't get to have with her family, he was mourning the same loss. There was, not only two little imps waiting for him, but a sweet, gentle woman and a boy, a small diamond of a prince he wanted to get back to.

Hell, he couldn't even remember what his son looked like, he didn't have that time to imprint it in his memory. His son was too young, only too new to the world.

Things must have been bad. They must have been bad because he was praying to be back in that goddamned well again.

These men who took them, they were shady as hell and he wouldn't trust them any further than he could throw them. But maybe they knew, maybe they were the ones, maybe they had some kind of answers for everything that had been going on lately.

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DarylDixon'sLover - Really? Uh oh? They got out of the well...how can that possibly be an 'uh oh' moment?

Ciao Bella - Hehe...

Brazen Hussy - I don't know. The Lt certainly didn't think so.

Surplus Imagination - I bet it smelled like horse sweat, dog breath and cat farts. Just speculating. ^_^

vickih - I kind of like Diego...the nickname sticks!

Claire Randall Fraser - Oh, honey, we're going on a rollercoaster ride in these next few chapters if you enjoyed that moment. ^_^

RandomMoonshadow - Hehe...

Yazzy x - Yep! Their return should be interesting!

jaibhagwan - Sassy Daryl has become my new favourite kind of Daryl.

itsi3 - When they get home, I imagine they'll stroll up pretty as you please.