Hey! Sorry about taking so long. Kinda got hit with the hurricane. Living near New York City will do that to ya. Anywho, It's been a while. The hurricane hit right as I finished the chapter and I lost power for almost a week, then my editor had finals approaching and didn't get a chance to edit the chapter until just recently. I also got promoted at my job and my schedule is a lot more heavy now. I may not be able to write much over the holiday break but I will do what I can. The story, coincidentally has hit a slow point as far as action is concerned. But these breaks in the action are needed to flush out the plot. And I plan on giving a lot more back story on Karkat in the coming chapters. I may even add some back story for John, Jade, Dave, and Rose. But look aat me, getting all ambitious. Isn't it adorable. Anywho, sorry about the long wait. Enjoy!

-Twiin-Vii2iion2

...

Karkat stirred at the sound of hushed voices. He rolled on his side, facing away from them, trying to go back to sleep.

"We can't stay here."

"I know, but she can't move, and we aren't leaving her behind."

"Dave… Can't we move her?"

"Not without causing her more hurt, John. I'm not moving her."

"We can't stay though."

"Too bad. She's not moving, and neither am I. You can move if you want to but I'm staying here."

Karkat gave up and sat up as John huffed in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Karkat asked as he stood and walked over to the two, John standing just inside the entrance to the cave, Dave just outside, facing away from them. Dawn had broken, and light flooded the clearing in front of the cave in small beams through the tree branches.

"We need to keep moving, but Rose isn't strong enough to… She's gotten worse overnight," John answered, looking at Karkat.

Karkat looked to him, and their eyes locked for a second before John turned away blushing. Karkat wondered if it was because he was remembering last night. "Well then I have to say Dave is right."

John looked shocked.

Karkat rephrased, "Well, I mean, we did make a stop to get her, it would be senseless to leave her behind, especially since she's your friend. So leaving her behind is out of the question, and if we can't move her without making her condition worse, then there seems to be only be one possible answer. We stay until she gets better." Karkat shrugged. "Besides we're relatively hidden here."

Karkat moved to John's side. "Where's the other girl? Jade?"

"She went to get water from the creek," Dave answered. "She should be back soon."

"Okay. I'm gonna go look for food. Maybe some firewood as well, it's gonna get cold tonight," Karkat said, and he walked past Dave and off into the woods. He had made just out of view when he heard John call out.

"Wait!" John came up behind him, jogging to catch up.

"Be quiet. There may be someone looking for us," Karkat hissed.

"Sorry. I just thought you might need some help." John blushed lightly.

"Sure. What about Dave?"

"He wanted to be alone anyway. I mean, Rose is his sister."

Karkat nodded and just assumed that that was some kind of human thing. He kept walking, looking around for some sign of life, some bushes with fruit or something.

"So… About last night…"

Karkat froze. 'Not this again…' he thought. Then he felt something warm in his hand. He looked down to see John's hand there in his. He looked up to see John looking at him with a wide smile and a light blush. Karkat allowed himself a half smile and gave John's hand a squeeze and didn't let go. They continued to walk, looking around for anything of use as they did. When they finally found a fallen tree, Karkat reluctantly let go of John's hand to tear some branches off for firewood and kindling.

"Hey, Karkat… I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"When we were preparing for breaking out the others, I asked if you would want to save your kind and you said they killed someone. Who did they kill?" John asked tentatively.

Karkat stood still, his mind racing. He finally sighed and decided he should open up a little.

"My matesprit," he said.

"Your what?" John looked confused.

"My matesprit. Well, we started off as Moirails but it turned red…"

"More what? Turned red?" John obviously wasn't following.

"My lover," Karkat said exasperatedly.

"Oh." John sat on the tree.

"It was almost one and a half sweeps ago. Gamzee had been called into service for the Condesce, and I went with him. It was okay until they found out my blood was red…" At the look of incomprehension on John's face, Karkat explained. "My race has different blood colors and a social standing based on each. The rust colors are the lowest on the social ladder then the yellow bloods. Next comes the green bloods, followed by the blue bloods. The purple bloods are considered royalty. My blood, well, my blood is bright red. It doesn't really exist in the spectrum, so they want me culled to 'Maintain the purity of the race.'

"Anyway, they found out my blood color, and I had to run. My matesprit helped me escape, but he stayed behind to fend off the pursuers. I watched as they beat him up. They held him down and kicked him while others threw punches. All I could do is watch as they beat him mercilessly. I screamed at them to stop but they didn't. Then the escape pod shot me out, leaving him behind…"

By the time Karkat finished telling the story, a stream of red tears was flowing from his eyes. His fists were clenched as he stared at the ground. John sat in stunned silence, not knowing what to say. He stood and wrapped his arms around Karkat.

"Don't cry… please… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to dig up bad memories… Just, please don't cry."

Karkat stood with his arms at his side for a while. He slowly brought his arms up and wrapped them around John. He buried his face into John's shoulder and let his tears flow. The last time he'd cried on someone's shoulder was a long time ago. And he'd swore he'd never do it on anyone else's shoulder.

Karkat pushed John up against an upright tree and lifted his head to plant a kiss on John's lips. John gasped as Karkat pushed his tongue into his mouth. Karkat felt the warmth of John's body against his and that comforted him. Karkat let out all his passion into the kiss. He pressed his body into John's, pinning him against the tree. He grabbed John's wrists and pinned them above his head. Karkat moved to John's neck and licked it lightly before he started nipping. John let out a whine but didn't fight back.

Karkat let go of John's hands and lifted up John's blue hoodie, But John grabbed his hands and shook his head.

"Not yet…" he begged.

Karkat growled but let the hoodie fall back in place. He moved his head and kissed John's lips, his tongue sliding along John's lips. As John's lips parted, Karkat shot his tongue into the waiting mouth. John's tongue tentatively played with Karkat's. Karkat moaned deeply as he pulled John against him. John wrapped his arms around him and returned the kiss in full, his confidence rising. Karkat's hands roamed John's back, feeling his shoulder blades and the small of his back through the sweatshirt material. Suddenly, Karkat broke the kiss, gasping for air.

"We should return before the others come searching for us," Karkat panted. John nodded and pulled his hoodie back on. Karkat bent over and picked up the firewood that he had pulled from the tree. John picked up the rest and they set off to return to the cave.

….

When John and Karkat returned with the firewood, Jade had already returned with water. She was knelt at Rose's side, giving her some water. John dropped his wood just inside the mouth of the cave and went to check on Rose. Karkat dropped his as well and set about finding stones to create a fire pit. He heard the whispering over near Rose, but he didn't really pay attention to what was said. He was too lost in his head, thinking about what he and John had done in the forest. He couldn't help but think that maybe this wasn't right. He felt better with John though, but not like it was with Gamzee. Maybe this was what it felt like to be on the other side? Maybe it was just that he was dominant in this relationship. Somewhere behind him he heard his name, but it didn't register.

"Karkat!" John yelled, snapping Karkat from his thoughts.

"What?" Karkat looked in the direction of the voice. John was looking at him with concern.

"I've been talking to you for a while, are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just was thinking."

"Okay." John eyed him suspiciously. "Well, Rose has gotten worse… We can't move anytime soon."

Karkat looked at the limp human over in the corner. She looked so pathetic. His heart tore at the sight. He turned away from her. When had he become so soft? Hadn't he sworn to harden his heart to everything when he lost Gamzee? Yet here he was, pitying a dying human, making out with another and helping two more escape. Maybe he just couldn't change. Maybe he was doomed to always have this soft spot. He always tried to hide it, yet it always won over. And he really did miss his troll Romcoms. He was always particular to "The One in Which the Protagonist Flushes Red For His Moirail Who is Red For the Protagonist's Kismesis And is Secretly Pale For His Kismesis Who is Flushing For the Protagonist's Kismesis, Thus Strengthening the Kismesitude Between Her And the Protagonist's Moirail."

"Should I build the fire pit closer to her?" Karkat asked. John nodded

"It'll be easier than moving her," John replied.

Karkat picked up the stones and went to build the fire pit next to Rose. He set them up in a circle and went to get the wood, returning to finish building the pit. He glanced at the motionless Rose. He sighed.

"Why do I care? I don't even know you guys," he said aloud since the others weren't around. "I guess because we're all on the run… But why do I feel for John this way… I swore I'd never feel like that about anyone other than Gamzee… I just… I'm so lonely…but… I just… I'm so confused…" Karkat let his head drop as he fell back on his ass. He bit his lip to fight back tears. "They took him from me… I lost my matesprit to them… I want him back… but he isn't coming back…" The tears dripped from his cheeks. "I… I miss him…"

"Hey Karkat, come here real quick?" John called from the mouth of the cave. Karkat stood and wiped the tears from his eyes, trying to regain his composure before he went to join the others at the mouth of the cave. He turned around and strode to the opening.

"What do you need?" he asked as he stepped out into the blinding light.

"Dave and Jade were just telling me about something they heard about in the compound," John answered.

Dave merely nodded.

"Yeah." Jade spoke up. "We heard about a rebel group. They're apparently trying to regain Earth from the trolls."

"Do you know where they are?" Karkat asked, his interest piqued.

"No, at least not exactly. They said they had some kind of underground base," Jade said, looking down.

Karkat thought for a moment. "How did this person know of this group?" he asked.

"Well… they said they were headed there," Jade answered.

"So it may just be a rumor," John offered up.

"But it's better to take a chance on this rather than run forever," Karkat stated. He turned to Dave. "What about you?"

"Could be cool" was all Dave offered. Karkat scoffed.

"I guess we should go looking for it as soon as Rose is well enough to move," Karkat said. "But we'll need to figure out where to head. It'll have to be somewhere hidden…" Karkat stared off into space, deep in thought. The others thought as well, staring off in various directions. No one could tell exactly where Dave was staring, not that it really mattered. After a few minutes, their thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Rose coughing from within the cave. Jade gave a startled noise and ran in to help her. John looked around, trying to find something he could do to help before rushing in to help. Dave stood stock still, his mouth and emotionless line, his body unmoving. Karkat went in after the other two, ready to start the fire. He cursed in his head. This was not good. They had no way to make her better. She was dying, and they could do nothing but watch.