A/N: Did you think I had forgotten about this universe?

They were both up early the next morning. Neither one could sleep well and the sooner they got this over with, the better. Miles hustled into casual clothes while Nora used a spare dress that she kept there. They didn't want this to seem too formal. An actual confrontation would only upset Bass. This needed to be a more subtle confrontation. "Ready?" Miles ask as Nora came down.

"As I'll ever be," she shrugged.

"Want breakfast?"

Nora shook her head. "Food won't sit in my stomach. Not this morning."

"Same," Miles nodded. He adjusted his jacket. "Let's get this over with."

They made their way, arm in arm, to the house next door. No one paid them any attention. This was completely normal. Jeremy met them on his way out. "Thank god you're back," he said. "Bass has been going nuts."

"You off shift?" Miles asked.

Jeremy nodded. "Hoping to catch some sleep before I go back on. I'm on recruit inspection today."

"Go get sleep," Miles ordered. "I'll have someone cover you."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "You feeling okay?"

"You want the relief or not, soldier?"

Jeremy saluted. "Aye, aye, General."

Miles gave a half salute back. He glanced at Nora. "Into the lion's den."

"Don't talk like that," Nora frowned. "This is going to work. It has to." Miles said nothing as he led her back inside.

It didn't take long to find Bass. They just had to follow the noise. He was drunk as ever, blundering around looking for Nora. She grimaced every time she heard her name. Miles wanted to comfort her but he was pretty sure it wasn't a good idea. He didn't want to anger Bass if he could help it. And it sounded like the slightest thing would set Bass off right now.

"I don't' want to go in," Nora admitted as they approached the office.

"We have to," Miles reminded her. "Besides, you don't have to worry. I'll be there every step of the way."

"I'm glad I have you," Nora murmured.

"Soon you'll have Bass too," Miles promised her. "Now you first."

Nora pushed the door open a crack and ducked inside. She could tell Bass was already deep into his bender of the day. His eyes were wild and his movements were jerky. The sour smell of whiskey permeated the very air around them even with the windows opened. Nora was not a timid woman by any means but the whole scene was making her very uncomfortable. "Hello Bass," she greeted softly.

Bass turned to her, relief and anger mixing on his face like the drinks he had been taking to soothe the pain. "There you are," he snapped. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I was looking everywhere for you." He began to stalk closer and Nora had to fight to remain still. It got worse as he grabbed her. "I woke up and you were gone. What the hell, Nora? You can't just disappear like that."

Miles looked at Nora's expression and stepped in. "Bass, she was with me," he said, trying to edge between the couple. "I thought she told you, I'm sorry."

Bass turned to his best friend with wild, red eyes. "She was with you?" he repeated.

"Yeah. She slept at my place. She…uh, she thought you wanted some space."

Bass looked between the two of them and his expression turned to disgust. "Space," he spat. "Is that what you want Nora? Space?" He pushed her away from him. "This is the third time this week you've wanted *space* from me. It's like you can't even stand to be in the same room with me."

Nora hurried to his side as he sat at his desk. "That's not it, Bass, I swear," she insisted. "You were just so…I love you, baby. You know that."

"Do I? Because it's really looking like the opposite."

"Bass, how could you ever think That?"

Bass turned to her with fury in his gaze. "How could I think anything else?" he demanded. "My own wife won't let me touch her! Hell you can barely look at me Nora! Even now you're trying to act like I'm not here!"

"Bass, it's not like that," she insisted. Miles could see the tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean to upset you, I swear. I just wanted you to—"

"Shut up!" Bass screeched. "I'm sick of your prattle."

"Bass, I just want to help you!"

Bass surged to his feet and back handed her. Nora twisted to avoid the sharp edges of his desk and ended up falling over. "Stop lying to me!"

"I'm sorry."

It was that quiet, barely there statement that did it. Miles just snapped at the thought of the woman who taught them to make explosives cowering in her own home. His vision became a red haze as he moved toward Bass who was raising his fist again. Without thinking he had the President locked up against his desk, arm twisted behind his back. Miles leaned into whisper in Monroe's ear. "Touch her again and I will rip off your hand," he warned.

Bass looked over his shoulder at Miles and then at Nora who was slowly getting to her feet. With a might heave he freed himself from Miles' grip and grabbed his gun. "So this is how it's going to be," he murmured. "I see it now."

"Bass, don't jump to conclusions," Nora warned, keeping her eyes on the gun.

"Jump to conclusions?" Bass repeated. "You mean like the conclusion that my wife and best friend are sleeping together? Is that the conclusion you're talking about Nora?'

"Bass, don't be stupid," Miles tired. "Just…just put the gun down okay?"

Bass was still focused on Nora. "I should have put the pieces together before now. But like an idiot I actually thought you two were loyal. That you two actually cared. Clearly I was wrong. I mean, why else would you be spending so much time with Miles?"

Miles swallowed back his retort of Bass being an abusive asshole and of course Nora would want to spend more time with Miles than her crazy husband. But that would only inflame Bass further. "Come on, Bass. You know we're loyal. We always have been."

"Bass, baby, don't do something you're going to regret," Nora added.

Bass gave them a cracked smile. "I'm already too far down that rabbit hole," he whispered.

Miles saw the gun raised and charged his friend. "Bass!" Because he grabbed Bass around the waist the shot went wide as the two fell to the ground. Nora screamed as she watched them grapple for the gun. Miles got to his feet with the weapon right as the guards burst through the door.

Bass was the first to recover his wits. "They tried to kill me!" he shouted, pointing at Nora and Miles. "Arrest them!"

Miles could have kicked himself for giving Jeremy the day off. IF it had been Jeremy or Tom or one of the older officers, he could have easily talked his way out of this situation. But these were new recruits, barely out of the academy. Eager to please and willing to do whatever they were ordered in hopes of making a favorable impression. And with Miles literally holding the smoking gun…

Nora was surprised by the jerk of her body as Miles grabbed her hand and began to run. "Can you ride bare back?" he demanded as they tore out of the house.

"Yeah, why?"

Miles didn't answer, instead pulling her towards the stables which were thankfully not too far away. Kip was in there readying his horse for his daily ride. "Miles?" he frowned.

Miles shoved him out of the way and clambered onto the horse. He reached down to Nora. "We need to move," he said when she hesitated.

"Bass…" Nora was cut off by yells of Militia searching for them.

"Bass is nuts and he will have us executed if we don't' leave now," Miles insisted.

Nora looked back one last time before taking his hand and throwing herself up behind him. Miles kicked the horse into a gallop and aimed it towards the city gates. Nora held on for dear life as she saw the Militia soldiers waiting for them outside. None of them was prepared for a full grown stallion though. Miles managed to blow past them easily. Nora glanced back to see them trying to ready their own horses in hopes of catching her and Miles. As her entire life began to fade in the distance, she buried her face in Miles' back to sob.

They rode into the forest and didn't halt until the horse was nearly ready to drop from exhaustion. "Here," Miles murmured as he helped her down.

"Miles," she began but Miles held up a hand. They could hear Militia in the distance. Miles swatted the horse and it went off in one direction while Miles pulled Nora in a different one. They hurried up a tree and watched as soldiers passed right under them.

"I think they're gone," he finally said.

"How long do you think they'll look for us?" Nora wondered.

"Until that husband of yours gets his head out of his ass," Miles sighed as they climbed down. Nora frowned at him. "I honestly don't know," he admitted. "I didn't' think it would get this bad in the first place. But Bass loves you at least. He has to cool down eventually, right?'

"You0 would know better than I would," Nora shrugged.

"Well whatever happens, we can't be found together. We stand a better chance of riding this out if we split up. They won't know which way to go then."

"Do you really think it's going to be that bad?"

"Probably."

Nora sighed. Miles was right. Bass could have the entire Militia on them by now. And there had already been rumors spreading that she and Miles were sleeping together. In one move they had turned an entire Republic against them. "Look, just promise me one thing," she said.

"Anything," Miles agreed.

"If one of us makes it back to Philly, we bring the other one home too. Can you promise me that Marine?"

"You have my word, Twig."

"Then I guess I'll see you when Bass finally cools down. Whenever that is." Nora gave him a half smile. "It can't be more than a month, right?"

"A month," Miles agreed. "Maybe two. Just until Bass realizes how everything goes to shit without us." He reached out to grip her hand. "We won't be on our own for long. Bass is going to call for us. Just watch."

Nora nodded. "He loves us. Both of us. He won't want us gone from him for long." She leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I'll see you around Marine."

"See you in a few months, Twig."