Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog) by Iron & Wine

It had been a few days since Fragile and Sam had shown up. Fragile had gone to stay elsewhere but Sam had been staying with me the last few days while I got everything in order, mostly wrapping up what I had been working on for Mama. Our first delivery would be taking things to her. Sam had also connected my shelter to the chiral network. And Higgs hadn't come back. He was probably licking the wounds of his ego. At this point in his life, I'm sure that he hates me. Not that he ever loved me. He just pretended that he did. And he got off on the fact that he had managed to fool and betray me to such a degree. I'm not sure why he left when he did, only that his powers had grown en masse for his exit. Fragile didn't know either. But she was just as angry as I was.

"You sure that's everything?" Sam questioned as I handed him two small pieces of cargo.

"That's the big stuff, I have the small things," I replied, pulling my necklace out of my suit. It had three memory chips on it. "This'll help Mama immensely." He grunted in reply. We stepped out of the shelter, the door locking securely behind us. We began the journey in silence. I've learned that Sam is a man of few words. Which is fine with me, sometimes it's nice. And right now it was nice. The weather was clear, it wasn't too cold, and the air smelled of only nature, no chiral junk.

We managed to avoid tripping any of the mule camps or getting caught in any BTs and made it to Mama's shelter in record time, just over four hours. She let us in as Sam unhooked his BB, surprised to see both of us. "Well this is a surprise, Taylor, you never leave your mountain," she smiled. She noticed our cufflinks. "Oh good, you've already upgraded. You make my job so much easier. That makes me feel better about leaving."

"Leaving?" I questioned. She nodded, absentmindedly grabbing the BT cord coming out of her stomach.

"It's time." Sam seemed surprised but I was worried. I've never been able to sense her emotions. I knew it had something to do with the BT baby attached to her, but I wasn't sure if my assumptions were correct. She saw my hesitation and shook her head. "You're right. But it's time." Then, to Sam: "Take me to Lockne."

Sam plugged BB back in, readying his cufflink to sever the cord.

"I'm sorry, Mama," I said softly. She shook her head, her eyes sad. She held her deceased baby to her chest one more time. Sending it as much love as she could muster.

"It's time. Just do it." Sam hesitated as she released the BT baby into the air. "Do it." He glanced at me before slicing through the umbilical cord. Mama steadied herself on the table, catching her breath. She seemed smaller, weaker.

"I'll take the cargo and take it to Lockne," I told Sam, grabbing it off of his back. "You'll have to carry Mama." She nodded. I retrieved one of the body transport bags before helping her into it and then helping her lay on the floor. I zipped it for her, my hand lingering on hers. She shook her head, smiling as she tried to hold back the tears.

"This is why I never had you visit. You'd have been able to see right through me and the baby," she whispered, a single tear falling from her eye.

"Don't worry, we'll get you to Lockne. She'll be glad to see you." Mama nodded. Sam knelt as I helped move Mama onto his cargo carrier. I kept her steady as he stood. The sound of rain caught my attention. "Well that's unfortunate." I deployed my hood, as did Sam.

"Let's go," he nodded. It wasn't until we were outside that I realized it was an ambush.I was barely able to drop the fragile cargo inside of the shelter before my legs were seized by some BTs. They pulled me down into the tar, bringing me to HIggs feet, keeping me on my knees.

"Taylor!" Sam yelled, anger staining his voice. It caused red to flash before my eyes, making me breathless and dizzy. Higgs growled softly to himself, his own rage growing. His was a crimson-tinted-orange. It was disorienting. I was secretly glad I wasn't standing. I didn't want him to see me fall. Again. As if sensing how comfortable I was on the ground, Higgs yanked me to my feet by my arm. He was wearing his golden mask, getting close enough for me to feel his breath on me.

"Now you're one of Fragile's little pets?" He reached into my hood, bringing my hair to his face and inhaling. "You don't smell like strawberries any more." He shoved me away. He was hurt. Somehow, out of all the shitty things he's done to me, he still thinks he's the victim and I've gravely betrayed him.

"I thought that was always a fantasy of yours?"

HIs mask flew off without him touching it as he glowered at me. Immediately, however, he realized what I was doing and recoiled from me.

"No, not again. You don't get to do that again," he pointed at me, causing the BTs to drag me back to Sams' side. Mama looked at me in surprise. Sam, however, threw a hermetic grenade onto the ground in front of us. I closed my mouth, shielding my eyes as his blood coated everything around us. The BTs shrieked and retreated. While Higgs was distracted, Sam pulled me to my feet, studying my face. I nodded, reaching around him and grabbing two grenades from his grenade pouches. I handed one to him, taking the other in my hand. We pulled the tabs at the same time, hurling them at Higgs. Bullseye.

"Ugh, Sammy Boy! Taking the side of my ex-wife. I'll remember this," Higgs hissed between his teeth before disappearing. Sam and I waited tensely until the weather cleared.

"Well now we all need showers," Mama joked.

"Sorry," Sam reddened a bit, stepping further away from me.

"It was a joke, Sam. That was quick thinking."

"Sorry, Higgs just wants to fuck with me...and apparently you," I apologized, feeling guilty again for not knowing how terrible of a person Higgs was when I had fallen in love with him. Sam shook his head.

"That ain't on you," he said gruffly, trudging on ahead. I stared, perplexed. Mama shrugged as best she could. I shook my head, throwing the discarded cargo onto my back and following at a slight distance, lost in thought.