Carolina leaned against York enjoying his presence because more like likely than not they would not have a moment like this for a long time. "You sure about this?" He asked his breath warm in her ear as he wrapped his are around her. They were hidden in a side tunnel well out of sight and where whispers would not be heard.

"No, but we need to get off this planet, otherwise the Insurrectionists will keep coming. Plus we need to keep the girls safe and for the moment the project offers the best." York nodded twisting her so she was facing him. The kiss that followed was long and left both breathless. She rested her head on his so they were looking into each others eyes. "We will be fine. Even if we have to go back into the field. We aren't the soldiers we were four years ago. I won't make the same mistakes I did last time. I know my priorities and they are you and the girls."

"Same, and this time the director is going to get more than he bargained for." He said with a smile. Unfortunately the sweet moment was ruined by a pair of guards who had apparently been patrolling the caves. How they had missed the entire freelancer squad was unknown but they definitely saw York and Carolina. In a heartbeat Carolina was at their side lashing out for the cloth parts of their armor. She slammed one against the wall knocking him out and ducking the other which was thrown by York. "Watch it!" She laughed slightly.

"Not bad for two people who claim not to have fought for four years." Said North stepping into the light from the main cave system. Carolina and York turned to look at the purple freelancer.

"Where is everyone else?" Carolina asked.

"Finishing off. They will be out momentarily I came out to make sure there were no surprises waiting for us but clearly you two have it under control."

"Clearly Carolina still has some pent-up aggression." York said laughing

"Oh then what do you call throwing that guard across the cave?" Carolina retorted. "What?" She directed at North who was staring at her in surprise.

"I don't remember you being this laid back on a mission."

"I haven't exactly been in stressful situations these last years and it's not like I am unaware of what is around me." North shook his head but simply lead the way back to the main cave where the freelancers were appearing from the access door. "Okay let's move." Carolina called and turned starting to run out of the cave. Everyone followed and soon they were in the woods. It was when they had been running a mile if the burning in Carolina lungs was a good measure of distance, that the explosion happened. The base was destroyed again.

"So much for that base. They should really just give it up." York said from Carolina's side." She nodded and continued running.

To her displeasure she was more out of shape than she expected from civilian life and her pregnancy. Her chest was really starting to ache. The run felt farther than it was. They quickly approached the clearing where the ship was and Carolina looked around for Geia. "I got movement on our left." Wash called raising his guns.

" Don't shoot!" Three voices called. The Freelancers paused looking at York and Carolina in confusion before turning back to the girl who had appeared out of the woods. "Meet Geia and Allison they are coming with us." Allison took this moment to gurgle and make her presence known.

"A kid and a baby. You got to be fucking kidding me!" South shouted. All three frees shushed her not wanting to disturb Allison.

"Are you sure about this Carolina? Don't they have any family they can stay with?" North asked conceded.

"No. We have been taking care of them for a while they have no other family, and the locals know we took care of them, they won't be safe from anyone who survived the explosion." Carolina explained as the hatch dropped. Geia leapt in with the ease of some one who had been around pelicans all her life. She unstrapped Allison and had settled herself in a seat as far in as possible holding Allison's bag between her legs carefully so she wouldn't slide around. York took the seat across and Carolina sat next to her. The others found their seats and everyone strapped in. Carolina took Allison from Geia and held her tight as 479'er got ready for take off. Allison was not pleased with space flight and for once decided to be vocal about it but soon gave that up for sleep saving the freelancers from an uncomfortable situation.

Geia soon leaned against York falling asleep immediately and leaving her guardians to stare down all the freelancers. The flight was silent till Carolina looked at geia and turned to york. "How much sleep did she get last night?" Geia had already dropped into a deep sleep and had bags under her eyes.

"I don't know she said Allison had been fussy last night and I did feed her around three and she was up at six so I guess four hours plus she's been having her own nightmares for the last week so you can't blame her for being tired." York respond looking at the young teenager.

"I wish she'd let us take over more nights or take some PM meds. And let us help with Allison after all…" York laughed slightly at this.

"We are talking about the girl who refuses charity and won't take anything more than children's pain killers right?" The two had forgotten for a moment the other freelancers around them going back to the comfort of their old bickering.

"I forgot how much you two talk." Carolina and York both looked at CT with raised eyebrows.

"CT Carolina never talked unless it was an order" South cut in

"To us but those two were always bickering about anything."

"Still do" York replied.

"Where'd you find them any ways?" North asked nodding at the sleeping youths.

York and Carolina glanced at each other trying to figure out what they were going to say. They were saved temporally by 479'er announcing their imminent landing. Carolina could see from her seat a bit out the front and for the first time in four years saw the mother of invention. "Never really thought we would be here again." She murmured and York nodded.

Geia woke up when they landed slightly disorientated by her surroundings. She scooped up Allison's bag and carefully put the pack on before letting York help her out of the pelican. "Agents please report to the director." Philiss called out. Everyone headed to the bridge. Geia looking around curiously but also staying by Carolina's side. Carolina put a arm supportive around the girl. "It will be okay. We will stay together."

They step into the bridge and Geia edges behind Carolina further. "Good Job agents. Mission complete but Philiss tells me there are four unaccountable people on board. Care to tell me what happened?"

"Sir-" Wash sounded unsure of how to proceed and from the shifting about of everyone else they weren't sure either. They had unintentionally concealed the two old freelancers from sight.

Carolina took a deep breath and pushed forward pulling Geia along. "They found us." York stepped up to her side. For the first time in the freelancers' memory the Director looked shocked.

"Carolina? How-?"

"Our suits kept us alive and we found a way through the ruble."

"What have you been doing for the last four years? I assume that crawling out of the ruble did not take that long."

"We got jobs, became civilians."

"And the two other people?"

"Geia and her sister we were taking care of them before and we will continue to do so." Carolina's voice promised no compromise.

"Surely they have some relations you can send them to." The Director was not one for small children Carolina could remember that from her own childhood.

"No. We will pay for them to stay on board that is if you make us freelancers again."

"Of course. You two were some of our top agents, though you will need to go through an accelerated version of basic again. You do still have your AI don't you?" The response was the three AI to appear at York and Carolina's shoulders. Eta and Geia had quickly discussed the situation and had agreed that it was safer to pretend Carolina still had both AI. The director looked at the AI for a moment before nodding more to himself than the agents. "In that case Carolina you are reassigned to room 214, York you are sill in 218. You are dismissed." He turned away as the squad filed out.

York and Carolina went to Carolina's room and gathered her things mostly just clothes then they walked down the hall to 214. It was only a few meters but was a room with three beds. Immediately the Frees started moving things around, Geia took a bed in an alcove like space and York and Carolina pushed the other two beds together. It wouldn't be as good as their bed on Sherman IX and York certainly wouldn't be able to sleep there at night but at least it was something. After locking the door and ensuring there were no bugs of any kind the AI appeared and York and Carolina sat in the bed with Allison. Carolina started to nurse the seven month girl while Geia moved around the room unpacking the bags. "Geia you don't need to do that."

"I know but I want to get to the tablet and that is buried at the bottom of the bag so I might as well put things away while I get to it." York just leaned against Carolina and rested a hand on her thigh. When Geia finally pulled the tablet out of the bag with a cry of victory the two adults smiled. They may have just sold their souls to the director again, but really they were still fighters at heart and besides Geia needed this as much as the two of them, plus this way they could stay close to Allison. It was strange but even in this place where death was a high probability and the room was probably ten by fifteen it felt almost like home. Carolina sighed and learned back enjoying the peace and knowing it wouldn't last long.

Hi People!

So finished this during lunch and am now posting. I am amazed I thought I wouldn't get anything done for another week but this is a good way of avoiding homework. Anyway please review because it really makes my day and I want to know what you think. Now if you will excuse me I shall now take a nap for the remaining 15 minutes of lunch. I own nothing.

Olivecat