They'd travelled for one hundred and twenty-three days.

This was their final morning waking up in the tent. As soon as Sam got the chance he'd be throwing the damn thing, together with the camping mats into the trash. The sleeping bag he might keep for sentimental reasons but everything else could go! Mercedes was still asleep and he took the moment to just watch her breathing.This was going to be permanent! She was going to be his wife!

He was still stunned that she'd said yes and that she loved him. This was something huge for her and there was no way he was going to screw this up by coming across as not being completely serious about this. During then night he'd been plagued by thought of Mercedes coming to her senses and realizing she didn't want to be with someone like him after all.

By the time she woke up, he'd been alone with his thoughts for a while. She'd been embarrassed and despite a few kisses and cuddles where admittedly his hands had got a little out of control, and quickly left the sleeping bag before anything serious could happen. Sam packed up in record time and before they knew it they had eaten their final breakfast in near silence.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

She smiled shyly, clearly feeling self-conscious under his intense gaze.

He grinned and scooched closer to her so that he was totally pressed up against her side, kissing her cheek softly. "I was just thinking how beautiful you are and how lucky I am to have you by my side now and forever."

She flicked her spoon at his nose playfully. "I think I get something out of this too you know."

"I know. But…" Sam knew that from now on he wanted to be honest with her in everything. "When I woke up this morning I was still convinced that this was all a dream and that I made up last night in my head. I was so sure that you would never give me a chance. I even dreamed that you turned me down because I'm an Unbeliever."

She averted her head and cast her eyes down with a sigh. "I know. I did think about that too and you're right. But you know what sold it for me?"

"Nope. But you're about to tell me!"

She looked him in the eye and stroked his exposed cheek. "It's the way you asked. You're committed. You didn't just try to kiss me, you offered me everything. You offered me marriage. Anything less than that isn't worth it in my books. I have my reputation and that's important to me. My whole life I've been saving myself for someone who could truly love me and make me happy and I only ever wanted to be with someone that I could make feel the same way. I'm not Rachel. I'm not here for instant physical gratification and fun. I'm here for love and forever. That's what you offered and that's what I'm taking."

He placed his hand over hers before removing it from his face and kissing it softly. "I want nothing more than forever with you Mercedes. Until the diner I had no future. Now you're my future. I love you for who you are and that includes everything that made you the way you are."

"And I love you too Sam. You're not what my Sector would call ideal for so many reasons. You have the wrong skin, you have a bad past and you don't share my faith, even though it's such an important part of my life. But you are a man of heart. You're a man of honor and bravery. You've proved yourself willing to learn, to be humbled and to compromise and share. I know that I'm probably not the kind of girl you imagined seeing yourself with when you were growing up, but we've both had to see beyond the external, and the beauty we've found underneath is far greater than what we are on the outside. Neither of us are perfect but we make each other the best that we can be. I can't imagine my life without you Sam and I don't want to ever have to-"

He cut off her words by leaning in for a kiss. Kissing her was never ever going to be a chore. Breakfast was forgotten for a moment as he tasted the sweet vanilla porridge on her lips as she responded to his kiss more bravely than ever before. It was only as his hand, of its own accord, slid down her back, onto her hip and slightly round to her ass that she pulled back. He'd crossed a line and her reluctance to have to be the one to pour water on the flame was palpable.

"Sam…"

"I know. I'm sorry. I need us to be married so I can show you just how much I love you."

"All in good time."

"Of course." He stood up, taking his empty bowl over to the tent, knowing that he needed to take a few steps away from her to work off his frustration. "I just wish…"

"What do you wish Sam?" Mercedes was by his side. She didn't want to leave him for an instant.

He stopped what he was doing and pulled her into his arms, dipping his head for another kiss. She had instantly managed to synchronize her movement with his, their lips finding a rhythm which was uniquely theirs. One thing he'd quickly noticed was that Mercedes always gave herself completely in a kiss. Whatever passion he gave she accepted and gave back with equal force. Her lips, even on waking still seemed to be swollen from their kisses. As soon as his lips touched hers she would melt and his tongue was given automatic entrance to trace and explore her lips and mouth. A kiss with Mercedes was far more sensual than any sexual escapade he'd experienced previously. "I wish that I hadn't waited so long to tell you how I felt. I wasted so much time when we could have been doing this sooner!"

He pressed another kiss to her lips but this time she stiffened and backed away, confusing him. "What's wrong?"

She looked guilty and cast her eyes downwards. "I wanted it too. But I'm glad it didn't happen."

"Really, why?" He tilted her chin up so that her eyes met his again.

"It would have put us in an impossible situation."

"But you said you'd love me for ages!"

"And I have. But now is the only time I can act on it. Any time before this would have been impossible. You know my rules on morality and chastity. While we wandered around like Non-Sectors, there was no way that we would be able to marry. The only reason I could share a bed with you was because I knew you were too protective to let anything happen to me. You were a complete gentleman even though I knew it was hard for you and even though your hands had a habit of wandering while you slept."

He blushed. "They did?"

She nodded and averted her gaze. "And I liked it." She was blushing even more than he was and it was the most endearing look on her. "I should have stopped our sleeping together when the weather warmed up but I selfishly ignored it."

He smiled. "I'm glad you ignored it too."

"But that doesn't change things Sam. Nothing could have happened between us while our future was uncertain."

"So if I'd spoken up sooner?"

She sighed and shook her head. "You have to understand Sam, to leave my home and make this journey I've had to break so many rules and tell so many lies. It sits on my conscience every day. To add sinning with my body on top of that would have been too much to bear. I didn't want to end up in a position where I hated myself and resented you." Her eyes lifted to meet his and he saw the pain in them. "Telling myself you didn't feel the same was about me allowed me to keep you at a safe distance and was a protection. I don' think I would have been strong enough to hold back but what we had is was too good to throw away."

He pulled her to him and held her tight. "But what we have now is better."

"Precisely. Temporary stolen kisses and physical companionship on the journey aren't the same as long term commitment. While we were travelling you weren't looking for commitment, you were looking for company. Marriage didn't enter your head and I would never have been the one to bring it up."

Sam opened his mouth to deny it but knew that he couldn't. That he couldn't live without her was something he'd known for a while. But to offer the permanent commitment that someone of her caliber required hadn't entered his consciousness until the moment he'd proposed. Suddenly he felt it. something had been holding him back. He'd thought it was simply his cowardice but it was too coincidental. If he'd approached at any other time he would have been shut down, however reluctantly, but now that the time was right he'd found the words and the setting needed to make her finally say yes without guilt. For the first time he fully understood why she believed there was sometimes an external force controlling and maneuvering events to only happen at precisely the right time.

Reaching up she tenderly caressed his cheek. "Waiting gave our feelings a chance to grow from more than just attraction and desire to real and lasting love."

He had no words to reply to that so he met her upturned lips for one of their most searing and passionate kisses yet. Her mouth was so warm and yielding to his exploration as his hands roamed, wishing it was another warm wet part of her body that he was plunging into.

"Sam!" She broke free and only then did he realize that his hand had ventured to her breasts.

"Dammit woman! Stop talking about waiting in the past tense! I'm still waiting for the chance to show you just how good things can be between us."

Mercedes shot him a smile that was equal amounts coy and flirtatious which did nothing to help his situation. It was almost as if she knew what she did to him and reveled in it. "I look forward to it!" was her ominous 'threat' before spinning in his arms and walking away with an added swing in her hips had made his mouth water.

Turning his attention to the final packing that needed to be done served as the distraction he needed to calm himself down and get them moving faster.

Packing up had never been so fast and before long they were walking hand in hand along the beach.

Mercedes had seen multiple entrances and they had debated whether it would be better to enter directly into the Sector or via the Transit Sector. Even though it was slightly more risky, Sam opted for the Transit Sector first because it would make their story more believable of how they'd travelled to the Sea Sector via the Transit Highway rather than through the Outside which most people had no knowledge of.

"Why are we walking this way?" It suddenly occurred to Sam that the Transit Sector couldn't possibly begin on the beach, could it?

She squeezed his hand. "We're just taking a little detour. I wanted to conduct one last quick experiment while we're Outside. Just to satisfy my curiosity."

"Curiosity about what?"

"I'll tell you when it happens."

They continued walking for a few more minutes before Sam suddenly stopped.

"Why did you stop walking Sam?"

"I- I don't know." Actually, he didn't. There was nothing but miles more of beach ahead of him. There really was no reason to stop.

"Come on, let's keep going." She pulled at his hand and he took one more step but then stopped again, an unexplained feeling of uneasiness filling him.

"What's wrong Sam?"

"I don't know. I just feel weird."

"What sort of weird?"

"Weird like I don't want to go any further."

She smiled triumphantly. "That's just what I thought!"

Sam remained confused. "Are you going to explain this to me anytime soon?"

"Uh huh. Basically, we're standing right at the edge of the Sector. It actually extends onto the beach and out into the sea. Theoretically people should just be able to walk along the beach and end up Outside completely unintentionally. But somehow, not only do you not see the edges of Sectors and their entrances, you also seem to have no desire to unwittingly go near them. People probably go to the beach and take long walks, but will always feel the need to turn around when they get to the edge. I don't know why, or how it happens, but I guess that's how the entrances stay hidden in plain sight." She stepped forward and pushed into what appeared to be nothing, but his view of the beach suddenly warped and he realized that what she was saying was true. There was something there but his subconscious was telling him to back away before he even got to it.

"Anyway…" Mercedes had grabbed his hand again and this time pulled him inland, "Enough experimentation. Let's go and start the rest of our lives. And I'm also thinking that I want the next food that I eat to be in some sort of restaurant, even if it's the dingiest of fast food dives."

"Food!" Despite just having eaten breakfast Sam's stomach let out a loud rumble. He didn't need telling twice.

When they reached the entrance they stood and held each other one final time, this time adding a passionate kiss into the mix. Kissing her was something he would have been quite happy to stand there and do forever if it wasn't for the fact that they needed to go inside and get married before they could make the slow sweet sweet love that he'd long fantasized about.

This time they were a little less cautious entering the Transit Sector. That early in the day it was almost completely deserted and many of the stores hadn't even opened yet. Also, they were much further away in both distance and time from where they'd started. Months had now passed.

Although there were places to eat, they opted to pass through quickly and stop where it was safer. Passing through into the Transit and into the main Sector was so surprisingly easy that they almost walked into an older man in their excitement at getting through. Sam felt terrible, especially was the man had a wooden leg and crutches! But the man with the graying hair dark and thick glasses simply smiled at them. "Just arrived?"

Sam's words were lost but Mercedes nodded and smiled back at him. He seemed friendly enough.

"Well then in that case, let me be the first to welcome you to Sea Sector 5!"

"Thanks!" Sam felt himself warming and found his smile.

"I'm afraid, I'm sorry I can't stay and chat, I'm already late for an appointment. But one word of advice, don't stay too long in this part of the Sector. It's too close to the Transit Sector and it's not always safe. The daytime is usually fine but it's not worth the risk."

Sam nodded. "We're just passing through. Once we've eaten we'll go to Sector Center and get ourselves sorted out."

The man nodded. "Well, if you're all about the food, there's a restaurant on the next street called Mario's. I used to come every week with my wife. The food is amazing but they're suffering because of the decline in the area. He could really do with your custom and you won't regret it."

"Thanks for the recommendation. We'll definitely try it out."

"Great. Tell them Artie sent you and they'll look after you."

"We will!"

The man quickly hobbled away and Mercedes smiled up at Sam. "If everyone's as friendly as he was, I'm sure we'll be just fine!"

"I hope so!" And he did sincerely want to believe it.

The flashing neon sign for Mario's was a welcome sight. There was only one person inside eating and the chef was busy talking to a man who appeared to be Mario himself. He seated them quickly and telling the owner that Artie had sent them earned them the best table and a complimentary basket of warm breadsticks. Sam had forgotten how much he had missed something as simple as bread. It was nearly as good as the bread Mercedes had made and served for breakfast in her home.

The food was divine and as this was their first sit down meal together in a restaurant as well as their first official 'date'. Everything was the wrong way round with their relationship, sleeping together before becoming an item and getting engaged before their first ever date, but they wouldn't have had things any other way. For Mercedes, root beer was the drink she'd missed while Sam went for a real beer. He offered some to Mercedes to try, but after one sip she decided beer was definitely not her thing.

For the meal itself, Mercedes decided that money was no object. Sam wasn't happy about her being the one to pay but also respected her rule about his money. Besides, once the food arrived he quickly realized that argument was best saved for another time. Nothing was going to be a distraction from the food. To start they had prawns and crab, tasting food from each other's plates. Mercedes cracked crab claws and Sam chucked as he sucked morsels of the sweet flesh from her fingers, making her laugh with delight. For their main they both went for steak, Sam medium-rare, Mercedes well done. Mercedes with salad and his with mashed potato, green beans and gravy. Both side-eyed the other's choice but enjoyed every morsel of what they'd ordered. The additional vegetable sides went down just as fast as the meat. To truly taste real cooked food after their travels was bliss of the most intense kind and it engaged all of their senses. Fresh vegetables were one thing he would never have believed he could miss so much. Any other date would have left him skeptical for her reasons for ordering salad but after devouring half of Mercedes' he understood why her choice was inspired. Those were the sweetest ever tomatoes and cucumbers he'd ever tasted!

While they waited between courses, they sat, holding hands across the table and spoke quietly, finally getting to be the young couple in love that they were with Sam doing his best to make her giggle and blush and reveling at his easy success.

For dessert they shared an ice cream sundae and a slice of the most heavenly cherry and vanilla cheesecake in the world. Just as their sweets were being brought to the table they saw Artie arrive. He embraced the owner who immediately showed him to a table nearby where he also rested the small bag he was carrying. He'd barely sat and rested his crutches against the wall next to him before a waiter brought him a slice of what looked like a homemade cake and glass of dessert wine. Clearly it was his regular order. Catching their eyes he smiled warmly at them and raised his glass to them.

"Shall we ask him to join us?"

Mercedes was discreetly watching as he ate alone, a sad smile playing at his features.

Sam shook his head. "He seems lost in his thoughts."

"But I wanted to do something nice for him. He was so welcoming to us."

Sam thought about it. "Why don't we get his check. It won't be much."

Mercedes's face lit up. She liked the idea. Sam called for the check then explained that they wanted to pay for Artie as they'd come on his recommendation and enjoyed the meal so much. As they were leaving, Artie got up and joined them, thanking them profusely for their kindness.

Sam smiled warmly at the man. "It was nothing. A small gesture of thanks. You're the first person we've met here and you were so welcoming it's made us far less nervous." They waited as Artie embraced Mario and they walked along the street together as they were initially headed in the same direction.

"So what brings you to this Sector?" Artie asked as they walked.

"We want to get married. We can't get married in our home Sectors so we decided to come to somewhere where we can marry and set up our lives."

"Well you've definitely come to the right place. I pretty much came here for the same reason. To be able to marry my wife I mean." He reached into his pocket and handed Sam a business card. "Take this. Its details of the place you need to go to get your marriage arranged and legalized. Tell them Artie sent you." They reached the corner of the street and he stopped. "This is where I leave you. I have one last errand to run." He pointed them in the opposite direction. "That road takes you to Sector Center. It's a long walk or you can take a cab. I'd take a cab with those bags you're carrying."

"Thanks for all your help." Sam was truly grateful. He wasn't used to people helping him for nothing. Mercedes had taught him a lot about human kindness but it still surprised him.

"No problem." The man genuine seemed happy that he could help. "And best of luck for your nuptials and new life!"

They watched as he turned the corner and were still standing debating walking or taking a cab when they heard a panicked shout in a voice that sounded a lot like Artie's. Sam didn't think, instinct kicked in and he instantly ran towards the sound with Mercedes hot on his heels. It took only seconds to reach the alley where they saw Artie slumped on the floor and a shadow of someone running away.

"My bag!" Artie raised his hand towards the retreating shadow.

Sam immediately slipped off his backpack went in pursuit of the retreating hooded figure while Mercedes went to check that Artie was alright. The thief clearly didn't realize he was being followed because he'd stopped as soon as he'd turned the corner and was starting to look in the bag. The next thing he knew Sam's fist met his jaw and he was wrestled to the ground. "Why the fuck did you steal a bag from a frail old man!"

"Please don't tell my mom!" The hooded figure revealed his face and which couldn't have been older than thirteen or fourteen. He was just a kid! Why the hell was he stealing? Sam had been seconds away from beating him mercilessly for what he'd just done.

"You attacked an old man!"

"I didn't attack him! I snatched the bag and he lost his balance and fell. I would never attach someone on crutches!"

"So why did you take the bag?"

"I don't know!"

"How can you not know?"

"I was trying to impress a girl!"

"Huh?"

"I saw the bag. It's from an expensive jewelry shop. I figured if I could give her some jewelry she'd notice me!"

Sam internally screamed shoved him hard back against the ground, rubbing his temple. "I can't believe this shit!"

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone sir! I'm not a bad kid! I swear I just saw it and took a chance. There's nothing but papers and stuff in the bag anyway. No valuables."

Sam stood and pulled the kid upright by the back of his hoodie. Even though it was just a kid, Sam still wanted to kick the shit out of him. But Mercedes wouldn't like that. And luckily for all of them his gun was well hidden in this discarded backpack.

So what would Mercedes do? It was liberating to think differently to the way Zeben had taught him. Mercedes strongly believed in consequences for actions. What should his be? "You're going to give the bag back and apologize!"

The kid's eyes widened at the terrifying and humiliating thought. "Wait! I can't-"

Sam wasn't listening. He was already dragging the kid back around the corner when he caught sight of Mercedes and a now upright Artie talking to a pair of Sector Patrol officers. He nearly released the kid and broke into a run himself when he suddenly realized that for the very first time he wasn't the criminal. He wasn't the villain. He was the hero. He'd actually done something good for society. Mercedes would be proud of him.

It was a thought that made nearly made him burst with happiness.

Artie had said that there were plenty of Mixed marriages in this Sector. Hopefully he and Mercedes would draw less negative attention here. Maybe this really could work for his new life.

All eyes turned to Sam as he approached, clutching the collar of the boy and the Sector Patrol Officers stepped forward for the handover. "He's all yours Officers. But there's something he needs to do first." Sam hauled him in front of Artie and held him until he gave what he felt to be a genuine apology.

Artie wasn't hurt, only shaken, and after seeing the age of his assailant and hearing his pathetic excuse, decided not to press charges or even make a statement, but the boy would still have to be taken to Patrol Headquarters and officially cautioned. Thankfully the Patrol were happy to do less work and once they were satisfied all was well with Artie, they called him a cab and left.

Sam couldn't help but be relieved when they disappeared. They hadn't looked at him with any suspicion at all, despite his unkempt appearance, but the older of the two officers did seem to be looking curiously at the tip of his tattoo that showed on his neck when he'd turned his head. Sam had forgotten that it could be used to identify him and hopped it hadn't triggered any thoughts in the man's head. Most of the time, Sector Patrols were the enemy of the criminal classes, but occasionally some went rogue making them dangerous on both sides.

Sam dismissed the thought. Paranoia would get him nowhere. "Are you sure you're okay?" He was still nervous about how shaken up Artie really was but the older man laughed it off. Even Mercedes seemed more concerned about him than Artie and clung to him as though her life depended on it.

"I'm fine son. I've survived the death sentence in Sector 31. Some kid making me lose my balance isn't going to do a thing to me!" Sam stared at him in wonder. He'd heard all about the cruel atrocities of Sector 31 and his respect for the man suddenly hit stratospheric levels.

Naturally, Artie shared the cab with them and was profuse with his thanks, taking their hands in his. "I don't even know the names of the wonderful people that saved me!"

"I'm Sam and this is Mercedes."

"And you guys already know I'm Artie, Artie Abrams. So where are you young people going now?"

"We need to find a couple of rooms to stay in and get freshened up then look up how to get married here. There's probably a whole heap of hoops to jump through for people like us."

Artie beamed at them. "And how soon are you planning to get married?"

Sam looked into Mercedes eyes and they clasped hands together with a smile. "As soon as possible."

A mischievous twinkle suddenly appeared in Artie's eye. "I was hoping you'd say that! Would this afternoon too soon for you?"