Warnings: Smut! Smut at last! More smut to come, these two just gotta work out some stuff first ;)

The next morning a storm raged.

Clouds with dark swollen bellies crowded the sky, the ominous rumblings of thunder echoing in the distance. The rain started lightly at first, enabling the women to get out and serve breakfast as usual, but by lunchtime it was torrential, sheets of rain pouring down and strong winds battering the creaking buildings. It was impossible to work in, so Lily and Maya found themselves trapped in the house, relegated to Mickey's room. The man himself had ordered them to stay put, then trudged outside into the gale to help with reinforcing the house and barn.

Maya had tried to peer outside, but the rain and dark sky made it near impossible, everything was just a grey blur. Even with the window shut she could smell the rain, the clean crisp scent of new beginnings, and wished it could just wash the whole house away, leaving only a bad memory.

"I hope they can't see out there," Lily said. The girl was curled up beside Maya, her sleeping bag draped over her shoulders. Maya had found a dog-eared book stowed away in Mickey's boxes and had been reading it out loud to pass the time. It was a trashy sci-fi, but it was lighthearted enough to keep them occupied. "Then maybe a zombie will get them and save us the trouble."

Maya couldn't exactly argue with that, but she couldn't wish that on Mickey. A Wilkerson he may be, but he was helping them, and Maya had seen his gentler side now, knew that there was more to him than the growling Wilkerson persona.

Her forehead tingled where he had kissed her the night before, and she rubbed it idly, setting the book down. "That's not a very nice thing to say, Lil."

Lily scowled at her. "They're not very nice people. You know that."

Maya's heart sank. Already Lily was starting to become angry and bitter. Maya couldn't blame her of course but it hurt to see the normally cheerful girl brought low.

"I do," she said grimly. "But I'm doing it because it keeps us alive."

"It's not your fault!" Lily hurried to say, snuggling closer against Maya's arm, her anger dissipating as quickly as it came. "I'm not…I'm not judging you, Maya. I understand how screwed up things are here and I'm scared but...you make me feel better. I just wish…"

She glanced up at the ceiling where the rain continued to thrum. "I just wish I could help you too. Say the word and I can smother Mickey in his sleep or something."

Maya went cold. "No, Lil. Don't…don't even think it."

"Why not?" Lily shifted so she could look at Maya straight on. "He's hurting you. He deserves to die."

Had life truly been that black and white when Maya had been Lily's age? Or was that just thanks to this new horrible world?

"Listen to me," Maya reached over to take Lily's hands in hers. Her fingers were cold, and Maya rubbed them with her own, massaging Lily's stiff knuckles. "Mickey is what stands between us, and them. We need him. So no talking about….killing him. Even if it's just me. Okay?"

Lily frowned at her, and Maya squeezed her hands.

"I mean it, Lil. Promise me."

"Fine," Lily rolled her eyes and Maya had to smile at the teenage action. "Fine, I promise. For now."

Maya chuckled, grabbing her around the shoulders and hugging her. "Stubborn brat."

Lily ducked her head with a smile. The storm raged on above them, wind battering at the rotting wood with screeching fingers. It was a miracle the drafty room wasn't leaking, still watertight somehow. Maya listened to the wind, wondering if the other women were safe and dry in the barn, or forced to find shelter outside

"Maya…do you know where my brother is?"

Maya glanced back over at Lily. The girl had pulled her knees up to her chest, arms wrapped around her knees. Maya wished she could give the teenager some good news. Job's words from the night before haunted her, but she couldn't let it show. Lily didn't need more fear and stress right now.

"No, Lil. I'm sorry." It wasn't exactly a lie, Maya wasn't sure Jacob was in the basement. "He's probably…probably just locked away somewhere until he agrees to join this crew."

"You mean tortured," Lily said quietly, hugging her knees even tighter. "I may be just a kid to you, Maya, but I'm not stupid. Job is going to blame Jacob for Eli dying."

"We don't know that," Maya said, and she almost believed her own words. Almost. "We just don't know, so there's no point in upsetting yourself. I'm sure…I'm sure he's okay. If he wasn't, Job would want us to know."

She bumped Lily's shoulder with her own. "No news is good news."

"I hope so," Lily sighed, leaning against Maya. "I really do."

Boots echoed on the stairs. Maya motioned for Lily to move, and she reluctantly moved back towards her sleeping spot, wrapping the sleeping bag even tighter around herself. There were raised voices, one of which was Mickey's. Maya strained to place the second, but before she could, the door clicked open and a very bedraggled Mickey stomped in.

He was soaked from head to toe, his hair plastered against his skull and leaving puddles in his wake. More quietly, Sarah trailed after him, the older woman looking slightly less wet.

"Maya, Lily," she acknowledged, smiling slightly. "Lovely weather ain't it?"

Maya looked curiously at Mickey, who just seemed to simmer unhappily, a steadily growing puddle at his feet.

"Sarah, what brings you to our comfy little corner?" Maya asked, Lily shifting from her sleeping bag excitedly.

"Managed to blag the kitchen for us women," Sarah said. "We're all gathered downstairs tellin' stories and drinkin' lukewarm tea while the men folk get wet. Wanna join?"

"Yes!" Lily was on her feet immediately. "Maya?"

Maya was still looking at Mickey, who just grunted noncommittally. "You go ahead Lil, I'll be along. Shout if there's any trouble, okay?"

Lily rolled her eyes already hurrying Sarah out the door. The girl hated being around Mickey, took any opportunity to avoid him. "Yeah, yeah, Mom."

Maya didn't miss the evil look Lily shot towards Mickey before the door closed, the two women's footsteps moving further and further away.

"Is it okay for her to be down there?" Maya asked, getting to her feet. Mickey turned and started rummaging through the nearest box for dry clothes.

"Job went out this mornin'," Mickey found a dry blue flannel and threw it onto the chair. "He's hunkered down in town somewhere 'till the storm passes."

Far away. Good.

She felt a little awkward after her small breakdown the night before, but Mickey didn't mention it, pulling out a pair of threadbare jeans. He managed to spray water everywhere at the action, and grumbled unhappily to himself.

Maya stifled a chuckle. "Here, let me help."

Stooping she rescued the dry clothes, setting them aside and ushering Mickey down into the chair. There was a loud squelch as he sat, and Maya did laugh then, crouching down to unlace his boots. The laces were slippery, and it took her a few tries to undo them.

"You look like you took a dip in a lake," she smiled, pulling his boots off, then his socks. She grimaced at the wet cotton, wringing them. "I think I just saw a fish flopping around in your boot."

Mickey sighed, trying in vain to shake his hair out slightly. He looked like a dog, and Maya got a few fat drops of water to the face for her efforts.

"Feels like that's what I did. Slipped out behind the barn where there's a bit of a trench, went down and coulda drowned I swear."

A clap of thunder shook the house. Maya shook her head, leaning up on her knees to start unbuttoning his shirt. "Everything okay out there though? None of those big ones?"

"Naw, not yet," Mickey leaned forward to help her get him out of the shirt, grimacing at the wet fabric sticking to his skin. "Hard to see, but we picked off a few screamers this mornin'. If we're havin' as much trouble out there, hopefully those dead bastards are too."

"We can hope."

Mickey was shaking slightly, the cold temperature not helping with his drenched body. Maya frowned at him.

"You're paler than a ghost. If you're not careful you'll come down with something."

She cast around for a towel. The only thing she could spot was a dog-eared dish cloth, but she took that, offering it to Mickey who gratefully scrubbed his face.

"Bet the lil' one would love that," he muttered. "Seen her stink-eyein' me. Might get a knife in the back one o' these nights."

"She won't," Maya chuckled. "If anything she'd use a pillow to smother you, but I made her promise not to."

"Well that's damn comfortin'," he said wryly. "I'll be sleepin' like a babe."

Maya's smile faltered, her fingers hovering over the collar of his t-shirt. They hadn't talked about it, but Job's words still hung head over her head.

Mickey noticed and sighed, reaching up to take her hands in his. His skin was cold and damp, more like a zombie than a man.

"'M sorry," he rumbled. "My big mouth-"

"It's okay," Maya gave herself a shake. "It's something we need to talk about. Why not now?"

She tugged on the collar of Mickey's soaked t-shirt, and he took the hint, raising his arms so Maya could help pull the sodden clothing over his head.

"So Job wants a baby," Maya said, tossing the shirt towards the soaked flannel. It made a loud splat on the wood. "It's a long-term plan, I have to say. Who's to say we'll even be alive for the next twenty so years it takes to raise a kid? What's the end-goal there?"

Mickey rubbed his shoulders and chest down with the dish cloth. Maya kept her eyes on his face.

"Family is everythin', that's what our old man used to say. My mama's long dead, my old man a few years ago and now, Eli. Job wants to build the family up again."

Mickey snorted, rubbing his hair next. The brown strands stood up in spiky columns, and Maya reached out to smooth a few down.

"Dunno why, our family was fucked from the start and Job couldn't give two shits 'bout it. He'd be better off tryin' to make alliances with other groups. Got some big gangs formin' across the river and it 'aint gonna be long 'fore they cross and try to take what we got."

"But the men follow him," Maya said. "They seem to agree with him, so that's the way things are. No-one stands up to him."

Mickey looked at her then. "I know what you're thinkin'. Why don't I say somethin'? Kick up a fuss? But you heard 'im last night. I don't do what he says; he'll hurt the both of ya. Hell, he'll probably sick the men on me to serve as a warnin'."

"He wouldn't do that," Maya frowned as Mickey undid his belt. It was alarming how used she was getting to seeing Mickey undress. "You're his brother."

Mickey snorted, the belt clattering to the floor. "Could be that used to mean somethin' but now…now I dunno. Job wouldn't think twice 'bout throwin' me to the men if it meant savin' his own skin. And the men….they're like rabid dogs. If they weren't afraid o' me, I'd have nothin'. As it is I try and keep 'em in line best I can. If I didn't-"

"They'd run even wilder," Maya sighed. "I get it. We're both just as screwed as each other."

Mickey shucked his jeans down his thighs, Maya helping pull them down over his feet. The material was heavy, and she heaved it towards the other soaked clothes. They'd need to be dried properly at some point.

Mickey sat in front of her in only a thin pair of boxers, shivering. "Yeah. But I said I'll figure somethin' out, and I will. 'Aint no-one gonna force a babe on you, Maya. I swear."

Maya leaned back on her heels, regarding him. "You're serious about that."

"I'm serious 'bout all o' it," he snapped back. "I know you don't trust me none, and that's fine n' dandy but you gotta at least believe me on it."

He was so vulnerable right now, unclothed and shivering. She could put him down quickly, easily. Creep downstairs, take Lily and just run, use the rain to cover their tracks and hope they could make it far enough away that no-one would follow.

But Maya wouldn't. Couldn't. She had the others to think of, and now, she was beginning to consider Mickey one of them. Finally, she let her eyes trail down his chest, studying the droplets of moisture that clung to his skin.

Was it such a bad thing to encourage him? Mickey had been good to her so far, but interest could only go so far. What if he got bored of her and decided she wasn't worth the effort anymore?

She needed Mickey, she could admit that now. But he didn't need her. She had to make him need her.

Maya didn't have it in her to be disgusted at herself. Maybe Crystal was right, maybe Maya was so hung up on what was right and wrong that she was just making life harder for herself. And why? She was stuck in a horrible situation. Why shouldn't she try and make the best of it, make it easier on herself?

She remembered how it had felt to have Mickey touch her in the privacy of this very room, the warm strength of his arms and the press of his lips when no-one was looking. It had felt good, and damn if Maya needed to feel something good in all this chaos.

He wasn't Maya's age, probably in his late thirties, but he was handsome, well built. His body was fit, muscled; she had seen him with his shirt off enough times to know she liked the view. She even liked his beard, the rough feeling of it against her cheeks. It wouldn't be a hardship to be with him, now she knew how careful he could be with her.

Resolve bolstered, Maya got up, settling her hands on Mickey's cold shoulders. He must have read something in her face because he tensed up, eyes darting towards the door as if estimating how far away it was.

"What you doin?" he demanded, swallowing hard as Maya settled down onto his lap, legs astride him like the first night. "Maya, what you-"

She kissed him then, properly, for the first time. The kisses he had given her before were for show, claiming and marking, but this one she gave to him willingly, tracing the stern lines of his lips with her tongue. He gasped and Maya seized the opening, sinking herself into his mouth, leaning her body up against his. The cold seeped into her own clothes as his skin borrowed her warmth, and she felt him tentatively rest his hands on her hips as if unsure.

He pulled his head back, away from her searching touch. "Jesus woman, the fuck you think-"

"I'm warming you up," Maya said, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look back at her. "Plus I figure you got to have your claiming fun, so now let me have mine."

She swallowed his protests with her lips, aggressively exploring his mouth like it belonged to her. To her surprise, he let her, leaning back on the chair and letting her take what she wanted from him.

They kissed for a while, but Maya eventually grew impatient, skin buzzing and she growled at him, shifting her hips against his daringly.

"You just gonna sit there and take it, Wilkerson?" she asked, startled and amused at the stern authority in her tone. Grabbing one of his hands, she slid it under her shirt, pressing his cold palm against the warm skin of her stomach. "Or are you gonna show me some fight?"

Mickey's eyes darkened, and there was no mistaking the hard jut of his interest against her thigh.

"Don't rightly know what you're after 'ere." Without Maya's prompting his hand slid upwards, fingers trailing against her ribs, brushing the underside of her bra. "If anythin'. Maya we-"

"Less talking," Maya murmured against his cheek, biting lightly at his jaw. His beard was damp, the hair at his temples still dripping and daringly, she slicked it back with her hands, away from his face so she could kiss him without getting a mouthful of wet hair. "More touching. Make…make it good."

The echo of their first night was a memory she'd rather replace with something better. Something…willing. She pushed her chest into his questing hand, thrilling as his eyes went darker. It excited her, she realized, seeing how she affected him. And he wasn't taking, she was. She was in control here, not him.

It was far too powerful and heady a feeling. Maya reveled in it.

"Fine," Mickey said quietly, nose bumping against hers, beard smearing moisture along her cheeks. His voice was tight, but Maya was too caught up to take much notice, especially as he stood, supporting Maya's weight as he shuffled them away from the chair.

It wasn't far to the camping mat, Mickey tumbling them down so he covered her, his hips snug in the cradle of hers.

This wasn't pretend sex. Maya didn't know what it was, but he felt good against her. She could feel how much he wanted her, the hard press of him that sent bolts of liquid heat pooling in her belly every time he pushed against her. His hair dropped forward, hanging in wet straggles to caress Maya's face. She laughed, knowing that soon enough she'd end up looking just as drowned as Mickey.

A voice of reason kept tugging at her, tried to make her sit and think about this, but she squashed it down. Let her have this, just for a little while.

Her hands roamed his chest and shoulders, following the lines of muscles, pausing when she noticed the raised bump of a scar. He had a lot of them, and Maya mentally catalogued them to ask about later.

"Well congratu-fuckin-lations," Mickey groaned into her mouth, his hands fumbling under her shirt at the back of her bra. He had pulled her up, trying to hold her and work the bra at the same time and just growing frustrated. "Feel like I got lava for blood now. Happy? And fuck what are these damn things closed with, magic?"

Maya laughed, pushing him back to sit up properly as she reached back to help with her bra. Her face tingled from his beard, her skin humming beneath his fingers as he impatiently squeezed her hipbones. Bra free, she shrugged it off the same way she had the night before. She wasn't a shy woman, but to bare herself completely took more trust than she was willing to give at the moment, so she kept her shirt on. Mickey didn't comment on it, didn't attempt to pull her shirt away from her skin.

"Yes actually," she smiled. "And now you can thank me when you don't die of hypothermia."

She arched her spine with a gasp as he tugged her back towards him, one hand diving back beneath her shirt to cup her bare breast. His fingers were rough, calloused against her skin but they felt wonderful, Maya's nerves singing as he hefted the weight of her breast gently.

"Mm," he hummed. "Well if this is the cure for a damn cold, sign me up for multiple treatments, Doc."

Maya wrinkled her nose. "And there goes the mood. Do you think about him a lot when kissing women?"

Mickey laughed, loud and genuine, ducking to kiss her again. Maya kissed him back fiercely, for a moment both of them fighting for dominance, the only noise in the room the dirty wet sounds of open mouthed kissing and breathing.

Mickey backed down first, letting her overpower him and push him down, Maya clambering on top of him triumphantly. She ground her hips down over his, deliberate and firm, and his hands flew to her hips, fingers digging into her skin as he bit down a groan, the muscles in his neck straining. Maya bent down to mouth at them, following the movement of his throat with her lips and teeth as she ground him into submission with her pelvis.

"Maya, darlin'," Mickey protested between pants, and the small fire in Maya's belly was suddenly stoked into a roaring flame. "What're we doin'? I'm gonna…what do you-"

"Just…just, touch me, please," Maya managed, her hands hovering above the waistband of his boxers. "Let me-"

Mickey growled, surging up to kiss her, toppling them over so Maya was the one on her back. She felt a mild surge of panic, but it was assuaged as he kissed along her jaw, gentle. His wet hair trailed across her temples, marking her with warm damp lines.

"You sure?" the vibrations of his voice rumbled against her. "I don't wanna…do somethin' you don't want."

She tugged on his hair, sliding her fingers against his scalp. "You won't."

Mickey didn't need telling twice. Palm flat on her belly, he slid his fingers down beneath the waistband of her yoga pants, the fabric giving around him as he pushed lower.

The first brush of his fingers against her sex was enough to send sparks fizzing along Maya's nerves and she whimpered, hips arching up towards him. Mickey looked wrecked over her, his eyes practically black and lips swollen from Maya's kisses. His hair was tugged out in all directions, and Maya keened as his fingers rubbed her, one hand clutching at his back and digging her nails into his skin.

"You're goddamn beautiful," Mickey said huskily, kissing her cheeks, her jaw, whatever he could reach as Maya writhed beneath him. "So beautiful."

Maya would have flushed more if she could. As it was her mouth fell open in a pleased gasp at the first nudge of his finger inside her, probing cautiously. She wanted him there, she wanted him inside, she wanted him inside what did this mean she was crazy what-

Mickey hissed, grinding his hips against her thigh. "You're so wet, goddamn. You want me, Maya? Want me…to…"

Maya bared her teeth playfully. "You're one to talk about wet, Wilkerson-ah!"

All of Maya's thoughts went scattering as he pushed a finger inside her slowly, crooking his finger just so. She gasped, grabbing the back of his head and sealing their lips together. She mimicked the movement of the finger inside her with her tongue, pushing into the hot cavern of Mickey's mouth possessively.

"Yes," she finally managed when she broke away for air. "Yes I want-"

A second finger joined the first, and Maya couldn't stop the sounds spilling out of her as Mickey shallowly fucked her with them, the sensations too much. When had this ever felt so intimate? She couldn't remember. Even her casual flings with unmemorable strangers in army base bars hadn't felt this intense.

"Yeah," Mickey said roughly, his voice doing things to her. Her hips followed the movements of his hand, pushing down greedily every time he pulled away. "Fuck, you're too, goddammit I-"

She was close. But Maya wasn't the only one in this rat race, and with a satisfied hum, she dropped a hand to splay over Mickey's belly. She could feel the muscles bunching and relaxing beneath her palm as he shallowly thrust against her thigh, seeking friction.

"You want something, Mickey?" she asked, and his hips stuttered against her. "You want me to touch you?"

Her breath hitched as he curled his fingers more, rubbing at the sensitive walls inside her. "You don't gotta- fuck!"

Maya shoved her hand down his boxers, curled her fingers around his hard length. He was painfully hard, and Maya felt a surge of pride that she had such an effect on him. He jerked in her grasp, jaw tensing as he stared down at her, panting.

"Don't you do it," he growled menacingly. In his current state, the intimidation was lacking and Maya just laughed, leaning up to kiss his chin. "I mean it, don't you even think-"

Maya moved her hand, sliding up and down him in a motion that had pleased her lovers in the past.

Mickey was no exception, doubling over with a groan like she had hurt him. The fingers inside Maya resumed their pleasant torture, but his movements were quicker, less focused.

It didn't take very long to have them both in a sweaty writhing state, neither willing to be the first to relinquish control.

"C'mon, Mickey," Maya jeered, working him faster, her thighs quivering as he continued to drag pleasure out of her with every movement of his hand. "Give it up."

Mickey's jaw was tense, his eyes flashing as he struggled to hold back. "Ladies first."

"Fuck you," Maya said playfully, biting lightly at his throat. Her mark from the day before was visible even in the grey light, and she traced it with her tongue, drawing grunts out of him.

"Godammit," Mickey said frustrated. "You-"

Maya bit down, slotting her teeth into the same imprint she had made previously. Mickey lost the fight with a long groan, his hips thrusting up into her hand once more before stilling, a flood of warmth dripping down Maya's hand.

His fingers thrust up into her hard and Maya lasted only a moment before her muscles seized too, spots dancing in her vision as she arched her back, mouth open in a silent shout. Mickey stroked her through it, only reluctantly slipping out of her when she shoved on his shoulder, hissing. He rolled onto his side, breathing hard.

"Jesus woman, give a man some warning," he grumbled, but his gaze was soft, his lips gentle as he ducked to kiss her shoulder. In all the moving and tugging the old t-shirt had slipped, her shoulder poking through the neck hole.

Maya peered over at him blearily, her body humming happily. "You were being stubborn. I just thought I'd…hurry the process along."

Mickey rolled, grabbing the discarded dish cloth and wiping himself down. Grabbing Maya's hand he cleaned her fingers one by one, not even embarrassed.

"And what was that?" he pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist when he finished, beard tickling the sensitive skin. "You 'aint got to do that, I told ya-"

"I wanted to," Maya said quietly. It was true, she had made a conscious choice to do it, had taken control of something. "I'm not a victim, Mickey. I make my own choices."

His eyes were sad when he looked at her. "'Aint much of a choice is it?"

Maya frowned at him, sitting up. Her hair was tangled, and she shoved it out of her face angrily. "Don't look at me like that. If anyone was taking advantage here, it was me. I wanted this, Mickey."

Mickey threw the dishcloth. "Like hell you did. Like hell you'd ever let me put my hands on you willin'. Bullshit."

Thrown by his sudden mood change, Maya watched him get up, grabbing the dry clothes he had picked out.

"The hell is your problem?" she demanded, grimacing as he pulled the dry jeans on over his wet boxers, willing to face the discomfort than undress in front of her more apparently. "I'm telling you I wanted this and you're angry?"

Mickey pulled the shirt on, shoving his feet into his boots without socks. "I'm checkin' on the barn."

Infuriated, Maya yanked her clothes back into place, getting to her feet. "So that's it? Just wham bam, no thank you m'am? That's pretty damn cold, even for a heartless bastard like you."

Mickey didn't even look at her. "Keep an eye on the girl."

And like that, he was gone, clomping away without even lacing up his boots. Maya followed him out, boards creaking under her bare feet as she stormed after him.

"Dammit Mickey there's a monsoon out there," Maya snapped, trying to catch up to him. Mickey clattered down the steps making enough noise to wake the proper dead, ignoring her. "Don't be an idiot, just…stop for a second and listen to me!"

Without a word Mickey threw the front door open, ducking his head and just barreling out into the downpour. Maya watched him go helplessly, the cold air sweeping in through the open door and chilling her to the bone.

"Mickey!" she called again, but the rain swallowed her words, Mickey's shape disappearing into its murky depths.

Cursing colorfully Maya slammed the door, breathing hard. She glared at the wood, trying to figure out just what the hell set him off.

"Maya?"

Lily stood in the kitchen doorway anxiously, shifting from foot to foot. Maya pushed away from the door, pasting a smile on her face.

"Hey there, Lil. Sorry, just uh…got caught up."

Kelly appeared at Lily's back, resting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Go on Lil, Sarah made another thermos of tea. Go get some while it's hot."

Lily obeyed, but shot Maya another worried look. Maya sighed, rubbing her forehead as Kelly looked on sympathetically.

"Everything okay?"

"No," Maya groaned. "But I'll get over it."

She padded towards the other woman, forcing herself to smile. "So what's the gossip? Sarah mentioned story-telling and tea."

Kelly laughed. "Well this was kind of the best we could do. We're actually having an impromptu baby shower."

Maya's smile faltered. "Oh. Uh, congratulations are in order I guess. Who's the…lucky lady?"

"Ladies," Kelly corrected, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "Penny, who's carrying a Wilkerson now, and…well, me."

"You?" Maya asked incredulously, gaze dropping to Kelly's flat tummy on instinct. "And…who's the proud dad?"

Kelly shrugged. "I don't know. Job doesn't keep as tight track of us women as he'd like. Could be any of four."

"Four?" Maya stared at her, aghast.

Kelly just nodded. She rubbed her stomach gently, lips curved in a smile that had Maya wanting to crawl out of her skin.

"But now I'll have something of my very own. Oh I hope you get to feel like this soon, Maya. It's…there's no describing it."

Maya could happily live her entire life without knowing, thank you. Especially if it meant she never got that same look on her face. Kelly looked spaced out, there but not, somewhere far away.

Unnerved, Maya pushed past into the kitchen. "Let's hope not for a while. Wouldn't want to steal your thunder."

The women sat in a circle in the center of the kitchen. Penny kept to herself, quietly sipping a mug of steaming tea as the others chatted around her. Maya chose the spot next to her, needing something quiet and stable.

Across the circle, Lily eyed her suspiciously. "What happened?"

Maya shrugged, taking the cup Janet offered her. "Mickey lost his temper. No surprise there."

The women made sympathetic noises.

"Always tough when you get a hot-wire like that one," Janet was saying. "Hair-trigger, I swear. That's how I got this bruise; guy I was with just went bonkers during the night. Didn't even say anything."

Crystal made an agreeing noise in her throat. "I had that once. Elbowed me right in the face."

"I hate them," Lily said viciously, everyone falling silent. "I hate them all, especially the Wilkersons. I hope they die."

Sarah clucked at her, throwing a wrinkled arm over the girl's shoulders. "I know, lamb. They're brutes is what they are, but we need 'em."

"Job's the reason we're still alive," Crystal chimed in, glancing at Penny. "We might not like him, but we do owe him."

They all looked at Maya.

"You have our sympathies," Janet said, like it was some huge fucking deal and Maya should care what they thought at all. "Having to deal with Mickey. Meanest one of them all."

No he isn't, Maya thought as the women resumed their gossiping. And that's the problem.