Endlessly complicated. Baird shifted uncomfortably. She rolled her eyes and patted the floor next to her. Baird chuckled, but it felt forced. He complied. Complaining all the while.

A roar of thunder jolted them both from their slumber. The room lit up in a flash and died down in an instant. Baird sat up; Liz rolled to her side and stared up at him.

"I could get used to this," he found himself thinking. Baird shook the thought from his head.

"Wonder if Marcus and Dom are out there," Liz commented.

"Cole too," Baird added.

"Maybe Anya made them come back for the night."

"You really think Fenix would stop looking for you?" Baird snorted.

"Of course," Liz lay on her back, "We're just a painful reminder to the other of what could have been."

"It's been years."

"A lot of shit has happened."

Desperate for a change of subject, Baird asked, "Where'd you learn to shoot?"

Liz stretched and yawned. "Had a snub for the longest time. I'd go shooting on the weekends. Paper targets, clay birds. That sort of thing. Vic gave it to me for my birthday one year. Carlos never really thought I'd ever use it."

"Huh," Baird muttered.

"Marcus taught me how to shoot. Carlos didn't want to."

"Why?"

"Who knows," Liz turned away from him.

Baird sighed. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"You?" she asked softly.

"Me?"

"Smart cookie like you? I don't think COG was your first choice."

He lay back down, "Wasn't supposed to be a choice. Enlist or no inheritance. I needed the money to go to engineering school."

"What'd your parents do?"

Liz faced Baird again. She shifted and rested her chin on his chest. Her gaze set itself on his face. He tucked an arm under her.

"Stabilization," he told himself.

Aloud he said, "Old man was a magistrate."

"Mother?"

"Appalled I'd disgrace the good Baird name by working with machines."

"They must be so proud," Liz said flatly.

"Probably not," he snorted, "Dead or not, I'm still disgracing their name."

"E-Day?"

"Yeah."

They remained silent. Another flash of light flooded the room. Liz rested her head on his arm.

"Baird," she said.

"Hmm?"

"Tell me I'm pretty."

"What?" he snorted.

She inched closer, "Were you unwed, would you take me in a manly fashion?"

"Because you're pretty?"

"Because I'm pretty."

"Liz," Baird began, "I'm not married, and you're not pretty."

She giggled. Baird's eyes widened in disbelief, but she did not notice. As she spoke, he found it difficult to wrap his mind around the fact that Liz managed something girly.

"You're all charm, Baird," she assured him.

"That's me," he closed his eyes, "All charm."

"You think too much."

Liz shifted again. She faced away from Baird and tugged on his arm. He grunted and, unhappily, moved with her.

"Your hair is in my mouth," he grumbled.

Liz shook her head. More hair in his face and mouth. Baird sputtered and coughed; she laughed. He ran a hand, lightly, up her spine. Chills followed his finger tips. Baird's hand slipped through her fingers, he gripped, and yanked.

"OW!" Liz shoved herself away.

"Don't put your hair in my mouth!"

"What are you? A fucking child!?"

"You were having a moment with a girl," his brain taunted.

"Shut up and come back here," he rolled his eyes.

"Fuck. Ow. No," Liz pouted, "You can sleep in the cold."

She kicked him out of the blankets. Baird scoffed and folded his arms.

"You ruined the moment," Liz (and Baird to himself) said.

Another semester down! Four more to go! Happy summer :D