I have 12 "followers", where are my 12 reviews per chapter? lol ;) Ok I hope you enjoyed last chapter. Enjoy this one!

Free to go

Taylor had called Lucas and Damon at dawn, and asked them to come to his headquarters urgently.

"Boys, we've got a problem," he started. "And when I say problem, I mean global crisis. Alexandra and Skye have spent the night in a cell."

"What?" They both asked, surprised.

"What happened?" Lucas asked, concerned.

"The girls were fighting in the middle of an alley."

"Jesus Christ," Lucas cursed, upset.

"Why?" Damon asked Taylor. He couldn't figure out why they would have done it. On the other hand, Lucas had already a good idea why.

"Josh dumped Skye," Lucas said, avoiding the 'because I kissed her and Alexandra found out' part. "She was quite upset when I saw her yesterday."

"Skye is not the one I'm the most worried about. Alexandra has literally hit her down. From what I've heard, she started it."

"Why would she do that? Doesn't sound like her." Damon knew Alexandra well and was quite surprised by her attitude. He knew she was having a hard time though, being kept away from them. For all that, he was sure there was something else. Maybe something linked to Skye? Actually, Alexandra had never said why she had dumped Lucas. A theory was forming in his mind.

"I don't know. Why did she kiss you at the bar? Huh? Doesn't sound like her either," Lucas mocked nastily, reorienting the subject on Damon.

"She what?" Taylor inquired, eyes narrowing tightly on Damon. Damon glared at Lucas, annoyed.

"It's nothing commander. She was just acting to get Lucas jealous," he confessed, smirking at Lucas.

"You do enjoy crossing the line, don't you?" Lucas smirked nastily, walking to Damon.

"Lucas, you have to stay away from her. You know that, right?" Taylor warned him.

"Do you think I don't know where this would send me if I don't? Do you think I'm one of your fucking stupid soldiers?"

"Are you talking about me?" Damon asked angrily, clenching his fist, ready to fight.

"I don't know! What do you reckon?" Lucas asked furiously, stepping closer to Damon, his head inches from his.

"Ok boys, this is not a good time for a testosterone exhibition," Taylor said, pushing them apart. "We've got a more important thing to do here, remember?"

"His love for her makes him act like he's besotted. He's gonna ruin our plan if he doesn't keep to it," Lucas was talking to his father and his father only, like Damon was not in the same room.

"I can hear you, I'm right here dick head!" Damon spat.

"Yeah, can't forget that, can I?" He spat coldly.

"Stop it, both of you. Lucas, give us your daily intel on Charles and Alice."

"I might kick your ass later," Lucas continued, pointing his finger to Damon.

"Ok, Lucas, focus. What did they say to you? What do they want?" Taylor stopped him. Lucas kept his dark stare on Damon a minute then looked back at his father.

"They want me to create a key to open the portal they have created."

"They already have a new portal? Where?"

"I don't know, they didn't tell me. But it sounds like it's a movable one."

"How can that be possible?"

"I'm not sure. It's only a theory. In any case, they'll be ready soon. Once I finish my part, they'll be gone, I'm sure of it. And I won't need much time to finish it, they gave me everything I need."

"How long?"

"A week, max."

"You have to find out what their plan is. You have to be part of their plan. If they are going to leave us soon, you must be with them."

"I'm working on it. I don't want them suspecting something. They are already acting very carefully with me. They only give me drops of info."

"Do your best. I know you can do this. There is nobody who can do this better than you." Lucas didn't know if it was a compliment or an insult. Yet, he knew his father was right. He was the only one who could solve this. "Ok. I've got to go and free the girls. You stay put, both of you. Act like adults for once. Lucas, you can go. Lieutenant Keagan, you stay here." Lucas gave his father a quick odd look and left them. He didn't like his father talking to Damon alone. He hoped he was going to sermonize him for his previous attitude but he wasn't sure. He just hoped he was not going to talk tactics with Damon without him.

"What is it?" Annoyance was audible in his voice. He could feel the lecture coming and he didn't want to hear it.

"Like any addicted person, my son can have extreme reactions to get what he wants," Taylor warned him. He was really worried for his son. He really hoped that their plan was going to work and that Alexandra would forgive them for what they were doing. Otherwise, it would break his son down, they would all suffer from this. "His love for her is at the edge of addiction and I might not be able to control him. Damon, I hope you know what you're doing here. I'm well aware of your love for Alex. It's been obvious for me since the beginning. But here is not an occasion for you to steal her from Lucas."

"I have nothing to steal. He is already out of the equation. She dumped him."

"Let her be single then," he commanded him. "Do I need to add that this is an order?"

"No sir. Copy that."

"Damon, if you need to act like a jerk with Alex, you do it. You probably should do it right now so she does not think she got you yesterday."

"Yes sir." Damon hated this situation. He wished Lucas would have never come back to Terra Nova. He wished Alexandra would have forgotten her feelings for him. He wished he would have had the time to win her heart and that she eventually would have fallen in love with him. It was foolish and utopist to wish all of those things, yet he couldn't stop hoping for them to have happened.

"Morning girls," a male voice woke Alexandra and Skye up. They rubbed their eyes and noticed they were tightened against each other. Alexandra grimaced and stood up quickly, soon followed by Skye. She stretched her body and rubbed her painful neck. "I hope this night has been helpful," he teased, looking for every reaction from them.

"It has," Skye said firmly. Taylor looked at Alexandra who nodded in agreement.

"I told your parents you were working last night." He informed them. "I lied to protect your ass. Don't forget it. It won't happen twice."

"Thank you Commander." They both said.

"You're free to go. I hope you've learnt your lesson." Skye gave Alexandra her blouse back. They discretely nodded to each other, like there was a secret understanding between them, yet Taylor had the time to notice it. They were leaving when he added. "Alex, you stay. I need to talk to you." Skye gave a worried look to Alexandra who shrugged in response.

"I've heard about your performance yesterday… Climbing up the fence, huh?" Taylor started once Skye was gone.

"You should not listen to rumors," she joked.

"And what about last night?" He asked her more seriously.

"Misunderstanding," she stated, forcing a smile. She really didn't want to have a serious conversation so early in the morning.

"You used your army knowledge to hurt someone weaker than you. I would not call that a misunderstanding," he replied severely.

"Skye is not that weak," she grimaced. She didn't like the idea Taylor was implying, like as the strongest she should have never done that. Like she should have let it go, be cleverer like her father would say. Sometimes she was just fed up with doing the right thing.

"I don't understand you. Why are you so upset?"

"I am not," she murmured, annoyed.

"I can feel it. You're a pack of nerves."

"Lack of sleep maybe," she guessed. Taylor frowned at her answer.

"You should be happy. Your parents are safe and back with you. Why can't you enjoy it?" He asked her very seriously. She looked at him, bewildered.

"You know, I missed them so much that I forgot a really important thing. I forgot my father was that strict and somber. And I forgot my mother loves him so much that she would do whatever he wants. I love my mother, she's kind. But I remember now why I was not close with my parents. I was too lively to fit in their world. They need people to be calm, quiet and obedient." Alexandra didn't know why but she just blurted out the truth. One night in a cell and she had had plenty of time to think. Taylor nodded, showing he understood her. "Why did you ask me to go?" Taylor stayed silent, pursing his lips. "Time for true answers," she added.

"Sometimes some missions need to stay in private."

"I know. I understand that. It's just… I have this permanent deep anguish that can't go away telling me that something bad is gonna happen." Taylor's heart flinched at the wrench in her voice. She was expressing her distress for the first time to someone and the stress was twisting her voice.

"I swear to you that everything is going to be fine. You don't have to worry," he lied to her. He needed her to be strong, he needed her to believe him. He wanted her to feel better.

"Really?"

"Yes. Believe me," he lied again. His stomach was tightening at the sound of his lies. He was suffocating from his deceit.

"I'd like to believe you," she truly replied.

"I can't tell you everything all the time," he tried to explain. "You already know too much for a simple soldier." His voice was warm, smooth and paternalist now.

"I'm not asking you as a soldier," she answered, holding his penetrating icy gaze. Taylor knew perfectly what she was implying. She was using his feelings for her to get what she wanted. Yet, he knew she was not doing it on purpose, she really meant it.

"Look, all I can say is that this is about Lucas. I can't tell you. He'll tell you when he'll be ready. He needs a little bit of time."

"I guess I should not be surprised he kept other secrets from me," she said, the sadness in her voice betraying her disappointment.

"You'll know what it is soon. He'll tell you soon enough, believe me. Stop thinking about it."

"I don't care. When it comes to him, I don't give a shit anymore." Taylor arched his eyebrows. "Sorry if I'm gross but this is how I feel."

"What happened to you two that makes you upset like that?" Taylor truly asked, concerned. She looked away, staying silent.

"Can I go now?" She simply asked after a minute. She would not be the one to tell him what happened.

"Yes," he sighed after a moment. She started to walk to the corridor and stopped.

"I know you have a training session this week. I want to be part of it." Taylor scowled doubtfully at her. "Think about it as punishment," she added, grimacing.

"Ok. You're in," Taylor agreed, knowing that keeping her busy would help them. She'd better be occupied while they were working on their mission. "It starts in less than an hour. You better hurry."

"Thanks," she forced a smile; before leaving. When she walked outside the brig, she grimaced as the sun hurt her eyes. She blinked few time to make her sight alright again. She blinked again in disbelief as she realized what was in front of her. Damon and Lucas, standing next to the other one, obviously embarrassed to be side by side. Yet, while Damon was fidgeting on his feet, Lucas was casually leant against the wall, arms folded.

"So… You are doing street fighting now?" Damon tried to lighten the mood. Alexandra gave him a blank look.

"You are talking to me now?" She asked, arching her eyebrows, arms folded on her chest.

"Come on Alex, don't do that."

"Do what?" She said, a hint of anger pointing in her tone.

"Don't be ridiculous." Damon was doing his best to be an ass and he didn't have to push Alexandra too far to get what he wanted. Alexandra chuckled nervously, looking away, then her face was serious again. She gave a quick glance to Lucas who was there without being really there.

"You said you loved me," she said to Damon, noticing immediately Lucas' body tensed at the words. "Both of you," she added, pointing her index finger to them. Lucas scowled at Damon. How did he dare say to her that he loved her? When did he do that? Lucas was boiling inside and Damon could feel Lucas' eyes boring into his back. He was going to kill him when their mission was over. "And now, you are lying to me, both of you. You know what, you both should be together, you look like a pretty good couple of liars." Lucas and Damon exchanged a dark glance. "Your father told me I had nothing to worry about. And you know what? I've decided to believe him. Because actually he has never lied to me. So now, I'm gonna ignore you two 'cause you're such a headache! I don't wanna live that way, reading into every word you say. So you don't want to talk to me, then stay alone, I don't care. I won't talk to you either." Damon was about to argue when she raised one finger up. "Do I look like a stubborn child? Yes. Do I care? No. Now, if you would excuse me, I need a shower." She gave them a bright proud smile and left them.

"You're quite good as a jackass," Lucas chuckled bitterly once Alexandra was gone.

"Shut up," Damon replied angrily before leaving Lucas on his own. Damon was not the kind of person who would hurt people on purpose, above all people he loved. Being stupid and arrogant with Alexandra was killing him, even if it was for a good cause.

Lucas stared at Damon as he walked away. He hated the guy, yet he knew exactly how he was feeling right now. Lucas would have never thought he could be hurt by loving too much someone. Now he knew he could and he didn't like it.