April 2015- Two and a Half Years After the Blackout

Nora woke up to roaring winds, heavy rain, and the hushed whisper of voices in the next room over. She sighed into the pillow, stretched lazily in the bed, and reached over for Miles, who was missing. She opened one eye at that realization and scanned the dark room. The door was opened about three inches. From here, she could see the flicker of candlelight and shadows moving across the wall. She was only half awake and therefore barely listening to what pieces of conversation she could hear. If it was important and involved her, they would have woken her up.

Then again, they were boys. Grown men with important responsibilities but boys nonetheless. They would leave her on the outside to have all the fun themselves. Because she wasn't there to do it, it sounded like Jeremy was playing the peacekeeper. Miles seemed to be on his last ounce of patience, Bass was quickly following, and the fourth voice she didn't recognize. But they were arguing about something. She strained to listen, heard the unknown man talk about raiders along the Indiana border. It didn't sound like anything she had to worry about at the moment. She burrowed further under the blanket, trying to block out the sound of the rain, and dozed off again.

The next time she woke up, it was to Miles's voice and his hand on the back of her neck. She opened her eyes slowly to see the room still dark, though a few candles had been lit on the night stand. He was sitting next to her and leaned down so their faces were close together.

"I have to leave." he told her quietly. She simply stared at him for a moment, still trying to wake up and distracted by the gentle massage of his hand.

"What time is it?"

"Early, not even six."

"Come back to bed then. We'll get up in a few hours and I'll go with you. Where are you going?"

"Sounds enticing but I can't. I'm going to border with a few of the guys. There's problems in Ohio. We're going to try and squash it."

"Expanding our horizons?"

"Always. Bass will be here to look after you."

"You mean, I'll look after Bass." she muttered, smiling slightly. He laughed quietly and tipped his head in agreement.

"Keep an eye on each other."

"I still think I should come."

"I still say no. It's not worth it."

"So why are you going?"

"I said it's not worth you going. We're going to meet up in Richmond in two weeks. If things haven't calmed down by then, then you can help."

"You know, one day you're going to have to accept I'm a part of this too and I can handle my own in a fight. You're lucky I find your concern to be cute and endearing for now."

"I do accept it. I'd just rather you not be involved as much as you want to be." he leaned in and kissed her. She turned herself slightly so she could get an arm around him. "I really have to go. They're waiting outside."

"You sure about that?" she flashed a flirty grin as they pulled away, making him let out a short laugh.

"You're making it difficult but yes." they exchanged another quick kiss and he finally pulled away from her. "See you in a few days."

"Be careful."

"I will. You do the same."

"I have Bass and Jeremy. I'll be okay. It's you I'm worried about."

"Actually, Jeremy is coming with me." a frowned formed on his face at the thought. "Yeah, I'll be worried too."

"Stop." it was her turn to laugh and she tugged him back down, unable to resist. "He's got your back."

"Doesn't mean I won't try to kick him off his horse. Alright, I'm really leaving this time."

"Keep telling yourself that."

He smirked as he moved off the bed and grabbed the bag sitting on the dresser.

"I love you."

"I know." he winked at her as he left the room and shut the door quietly behind him. She sunk back into the bed, pulled the blankets up to her chin, and let out an audible sigh.

Things had changed in the time since the blackout. They had spent months looking for Ben, Rachel, and the kids with no results. There was simply too much ground to cover in every direction. While they continued their hunt, they became more aware of the devastation that was occurring. Being in one localized area had made them see that these weren't just isolated, random events. This was how life was for the time being. Towns were struggling, people were dying, there was no basic structure of an organized civilization anymore.

She saw the toll it was taking on Miles, saw the flash of panic and pity every time he saw a child that could have been his niece or nephew. It was clear to her that he felt a growing sense of guilt and believed he was useless. He was a Marine. On the grand scale, this was the country he had sworn and fought to protect and now it had crumbled down around him. On a smaller scale, this was his family who was at risk and in danger and he needed to protect them.

She remembered the night he had first voiced his idea to her. It had been four months after they had arrived in Chicago, sometime in November, and it had been close to freezing and the threat of early snow hung in the air. They had been huddled together on the couch with two blankets wrapped around them.

"What if someone finally took a stand and did something about this?"

"People aren't thinking like that. They think it's every man for themselves."

"So they would rather watch their kids die and their houses burn rather than accept help? I don't believe that."

"Neither do I."

"If we started to round up a group of people, show what can be done, others will start to follow."

"We?" she lifted her head off his chest and stared up at him in confusion.

"No one else is doing anything."

"What about your family?"

"I don't know where to go. I don't know what to do for them. I don't... I don't even know if they're alive. But... at least I'd be doing something and maybe this will work and if they are alive, they'll have a better way of life. I can't keep sitting here and doing nothing or chasing dead ends. But I can do this."

He looked so determined at that point and confident in what he was saying. She didn't know if she was biased because she was in love with him or there was some other charisma to his personality but she was mesmerized and, after she thought it over, believed in him. They weren't going to transform the world in a day. That wasn't what he was saying. Baby steps.

"Okay." she said simply. He looked a little surprised at that.

"Okay?"

"Why not? It's not like we have anything to lose, right?"

"We?" he mimicked her earlier question and she smiled, found his hand under the blanket, and curled her fingers around his.

"We."

It hadn't taken much prodding to get Bass on board. Hell, Miles had barely explained what he wanted and Bass had jumped and said, "I'm with you brother. I've got your back." Jeremy had shrugged in a 'what the hell' way. Then, it spiraled. Miles and Bass began to do good deeds and dole out justice around the city, like they were modern-day vigilantes. They gained the trust of a few people, then a few more people. Miles took action, Bass charmed. People joined them, wanting to help the fight and/or wanting their protection. Miles had been right. They needed a push in the right direction and then they would fall right in line, especially when they had an incentive waiting for them. Miles and Bass used their Marine training to get their followers into shape and set up a basic system for everyone to follow. It was helpful when former military members or cops joined to throw their experience into the ring as well.

Now, Illinois was a viable state once more. Indiana was halfway there. Their merry band of people had turned into a number somewhere easily in the hundreds when they counted the stations they had throughout the two states. The Militia, as they had taken to calling it, moved like a sponge. It absorbed anything in its path, whether it was done willingly or by necessary force as Miles referred to it. "I know some people are skeptical. Once we get a stable way of life and they see we're only trying to help, they'll come around. Right now, sometimes we have to make the tough decisions to do what is best for everyone."

Ohio was next. They were moving east. Bass had suggested trying to get to the coast, that it would open up more options for them. With the rate they were going, Nora couldn't foresee any possible end at the moment.

"Sebastian,"

He sighed when he felt Nora splay her hands over his shoulders from behind and lifted his head from the maps he was looking at.

"Why do I feel like I'm about to get into a shitload of trouble?"

She laughed as she came around to the front of his desk and smiled sweetly at him. He tilted his head, observing her, then shook it.

"No, whatever it is, I'm not participating."

"I haven't even said a word."

"Yeah, you don't have to. I have already spoken to Miles and I am under strict orders that you are not allowed to participate in any sort of danger whatsoever while he is away."

"That doesn't sound very fair to me."

"I'm not the one dating him. Take it up with him."

"Bass, if you're not here to babysit me, how do you know I'm not participating in any sort of danger whatsoever?"

He opened his mouth but couldn't come up with any sort of retort. He met her eye reluctantly and the sweet smile turned slightly deadly, which was unsettling on a face as innocent looking as Nora's.

"Who said I was going anywhere?"

"I overheard you talking to Peter."

"What do you want?"

"You could use me in Decatur."

"Who is going to watch the base?"

"Do I look like June Cleaver to you? Does the fact that I have boobs negate my usefulness in a fight? I should just be relegated to cooking and tending the fire?"

"I will let you come only if I don't have to listen to another one of your feminist rants. But only if you can hurry and pack your things. My group is getting ready to leave."

"Already set."

"How did you know I would agree?"

"I didn't but if you said no, I was going to come along anyway."

"No wonder Miles looks like he's gotten his ass beat every time he leaves your tent. You just steamroll over him, don't you?"

She chuckled as they left the old motel room and started for the field where the horses were tethered.

"No, usually I just have to pout and he gives in. Or threaten to withhold sexual favors."

"You are a cruel woman Nora Clayton."