Wow, thanks for all the reviews! You have no idea how happy I am to see all the emails for tracking the story and comments. I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday, regardless of what you celebrate-I know I have!
Anyway, let's get on with the story...
Skye was lying in her bed in the house she shared with her roommates. Hunter had stopped in her room a few hours ago to check on her and she told him she was sick. Another lie.
She pulled out the slip of paper from underneath her pillow; she didn't know why she kept it—every time she read it her heart skipped with terror—but she couldn't bring herself to throw it away. It was a piece of solid evidence that she hadn't killed him. How he survived was beyond her, but then she remembered the scars along the back of his neck: Lucas Taylor could take care of himself.
She had left the bucket at the base of the tree, feeling no need to take it home with her. She didn't kick it or throw it into the trees; she didn't scream or run away; she just put the note in her pocket, looked around into the night once more, and set off back to the colony. She was terrified of him, yes, but she didn't want to give him the pleasure of knowing he scared her.
There was a knock at the door. Since no one else was home it was up to Skye to answer it.
"Just a second," she called out as she placed the note back under her pillow. She didn't want to have to explain to anybody what it was about, not even Commander Taylor.
She opened the door to find Josh on the other side.
"Hey," he said, putting his hands into his jeans pockets and rolling back on his feet slightly. "Hunter said you weren't feeling well. It isn't a parasite, is it?"
She grinned, "Nah, parasites only feed on hormonal teenage boys."
"Whew," he said, running a hand over his forehead dramatically. "I'm safe then."
Skye hit him playfully on his shoulder.
"Want some company?" Josh asked, his eyes hopeful.
Skye knew he was grieving over his girlfriend, that he was the one that really needed the company, but she couldn't bring herself to comfort him. She cared for him still, and she really did want to help him, but she had her own problems she needed to deal with first.
"I don't want to get you sick," she said as kindly as she could.
Josh's face fell a little and Skye immediately felt awful for turning him down.
"How about tonight?" she suggested. "I just need to rest up a bit today first."
"Sure," he said immediately, his eyes lighting up again. "Just nothing with fruts."
She smiled and shut the door, leaning against it and putting her head in her hands. She had feelings for Josh—she thought he was cute and sweet, if maybe a little quiet and boring at times—but right then those feelings seemed so tiny in comparison to everything else happening. She really didn't want to go hang out with him that evening, but she knew she had to if she wanted to keep their friendship. Besides, he really needed her, and she couldn't just ignore that.
She stood up straight with a new vigor, "I'm not just going to hide like a coward…"
She changed into some hiking clothes and packed a backpack with water and food and a sonic pistol. She also grabbed the piece of paper under her pillow and tucked it into her pocket.
She managed to make her way to her spot along the gate without having to stop and talk to anyone. Like the previous night, she slipped under the gate and ran for the protection of the trees, but today she had a different purpose completely. Instead of escaping her problems like the previous night, she was going to face them.
She knew Lucas would be watching the clearing she frequented in case she returned so she made her way directly there. The bucket was still there, except today it was filled with flowers of different colors and shapes.
"Lucas!" she shouted as loud as she could. She wasn't worried if any creatures or military personnel would hear her.
After a few minutes she was starting to fidget. Maybe he was off hunting or doing whatever crazy bastards did in their free time.
She took a deep breath and shouted again, "Lucas!"
"No need to scream," came a voice behind her. She spun around to face the man she had been dreading to see for a week now. She didn't know how he managed to sneak up on her without making a sound, but she didn't care.
She grabbed the note from her pocket and threw it at him, "Stop following me."
Her voice was strong and angry, just how she wanted.
"Ah, bucket," he said, grounding one of his feet into the ground. "It's so nice to see you too."
"I'm not joking," Skye said angrily. "Leave me alone or I will tell Commander Taylor."
He grinned, but she could see the unease under it.
"Running to daddy, dear sister?" he asked. It was the first time he had addressed her as his sister in a while. She hadn't missed it; they both knew he didn't have sisterly feelings towards her.
"Yeah," she snarled. "I will run to your dad and he will kill you."
Lucas took another step towards her and she notice a tiny grimace of pain on his face—apparently his wounds were still bothering him. She examined his chest for blood or bandages: nothing.
Lucas noticed her gaze, "I have to say, you really hurt my feelings."
He said it in a carefree voice, like he was just playing with her, but Skye could tell it was the truth. He had been hurt by her betrayal and he was angry with her.
"Damn," she gave him a twisted smile. "I didn't mean to offend you, brother."
His expression darkened.
"Don't forget, I can still—" he started to warn.
"You can still what?" Skye asked. "There is nothing you can do now, Lucas. You are done. You are weak. You are powerless."
He stormed towards her, favoring his right side, but stopped dead when she pulled out the gun from the back of her pants.
"Let's get this straight," she told him. "You leave me alone, you don't follow me, and you go somewhere far away from Terra Nova. Got it?"
He eyed the sonic pistol warily.
"Could you really shoot me again, Skye?" he asked softly. He sounded so vulnerable in those words that she faltered and the gun dropped a little. He took advantage of her weakness and shot forward, grabbing the pistol and yanked Skye around until her back was pressed against his chest. She struggled and tried to break his hold on her, but he was still stronger than her.
He pressed the gun against her side and murmured into her ear, "I've missed you, bucket."
He rubbed his cheek against her hair and she could feel the low groan in his chest.
"It is hard being alone all the time," he said wistfully.
"That's because you're a sick bastard," she snarled, her eyes darting around the clearing to find something that would help her get away from him.
He tightened his hold on her, making it difficult for her to breathe.
"You still owe me, remember?" he said, the gun travelling down to her hip slowly.
Skye's heart sunk. She should have never come out here; it was cocky and completely stupid. Why did she always think she was invincible?
"I have some terras," she said. "Will those do?"
He ignored her, "Are you dating the Shannon boy?"
"No," she said shortly.
"But you want to. I've seen the way you look at him."
"Josh is my friend," she said. "Something you wouldn't understand."
"And what are we, bucket?" he asked, brushing her face with his hand that still held the pistol.
"Fucked up," she said immediately.
He laughed heartily, which quickly changed to a deep, painful sounding cough.
"Those wounds aren't healing very quickly, are they?" Skye pointed out with a savage pleasure.
"You shot me, bucket," he said, his voice much weaker. If Skye was going to escape from him, her chance would be coming soon. "And now you need to help me get better."
"Like hell I am," she protested, nearly laughing. "There is nothing you could do to make me heal you."
"Do you really think my employers didn't plant spies within Terra Nova?" he asked. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a small device.
"It's a comm, so what?" she said.
"Does the Shannon girl have her wedding all planned out yet?" he asked in a poisonous voice.
Skye took a quick breath. He did have spies in the Terra Nova camp; she needed to get to Commander Taylor as fast as possible. Though explaining how she knew would be difficult.
"These aren't just moles like you, though," Lucas continued. "They are trained soldiers. They have orders to follow any direction I give them."
Skye could tell he was going somewhere dangerous.
"So, if I told them to shoot someone in the market some morning, like Josh Shannon for example, they'd do it for me."
"What do you want?" Skye asked fearfully.
She could feel his lips pull up in a smile.
"I knew you'd help me, bucket," he said.
Skye felt sickened. She couldn't do the spying thing again—she'd go straight to Commander Taylor and he would know what to do. He'd help her.
"I need some medical supplies to clean and disinfect my wounds," he said. "And I need an extractor. One of the bullets is lodged in my chest and I am having difficulties getting it out."
Skye almost winced at the idea of having to dig out a bullet from your own chest.
"That won't be easy to get," she said with a sinking feeling.
"I'm sure you'll manage," he assured her. "Or I'll shoot your boyfriend."
He pushed her away harshly, pointing the gun at her. Skye stumbled a little over some dried vines and looked at him cautiously.
"Hurry up, please," he said derisively. "If you aren't back by tomorrow morning, well...I guess you can guess."
She turned around to run back to camp when he yelled on last thing at her.
"If you tell the Commander, the boy is dead!"
Tears streamed down her face as she ran back. She was back in the same position as with her mother: she was going to help an enemy in exchange for the life of someone she loved. Would she confess to the Commander or help his son?