"You're leaving?" Matt Mason gazed up into the big eyes of Lillian, his mood sad.
"I'm sorry, Matt, but I have to," Lillian said with a heavy heart. She knew how hard it'd been for Matt, with Ben and his mother gone. But certain things had to be done, and this was one of them.
"C'mon, Matt, we're leaving soon," Tom called to his son. The young child gave Lillian one last big hug, then ran off to his father. Tom and Lillian had already exchanged goodbyes, which were full of political debates and strategic moves. And tears.
"Hey, Lil," Lillian turned around to see Hal. She thought about how much she'd miss him. With Ben gone, Hal was there for her. He loved her in times where love seemed extinct. "Whaddya want us to do in case something big happens and you gotta know?" Lillian smiled.
"Find me," She answered simply.
"How?" Hal asked.
"Fate," That was the last word she said to Hal Mason before she left to lead the 8th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment into their new lives. Before departing, she stood atop a high pedestal before her regiment.
"Hey there," She greeted. An obnoxious laugh answered.
"This is our leader? A teenage girl?" Lillian searched the crowd until she found Richard Blax. The richest and snottiest high-school senior around. He wore a curly mop of red hair and also (quite a few) layers of fat. Lillian rolled her eyes. She'd always hated Richard.
"Lay off," Lillian's heart leapt as some boy helped her. And this wasn't just 'some boy', this was an ultra-mega-10-on-the-hotness-scale senior boy. "Detrix Finnegan," The boy climbed up so he was equal to me. "And, if Commander Javries will allow it, I would love to be your second-in-command," I smiled.
"We'll see," I said slyly. "Now, come on! Let's move out!" And so the 8th Mass departed, leaving behind so much. Including safety.
Lillian and Detrix (who had been deemed second-in-command) soon found an abandoned hotel. The location was perfect because it was out of the way and there was plenty of room. The regiment, it bring a volunteer regiment, didn't fight the Espheni, just pushed them away. Their point wasn't victory, it was survival.
"Okay," It was a weekly regiment meeting. Lillian had decided that once a week the civilians and soldiers should adjourn and they could discuss anything. This was the fourth meeting they've had.
"We're looking for a doctor, anyone with medical experience," Detrix, standing proud next to Lillian, announced. He scanned the crowd. Nobody budged. "More soldiers are coming back injured because of our recent decision to venture further," This was a lie. The soldiers weren't venturing any further than they had been, the Espheni were getting closer.
"I'm a surgeon," A tall, handsome man spoke up. "Dr. Yaxley Curtis," He stepped up to the front of the crowd.
"I was in medical school during the attack," A teenage boy stepped forth. "You can just call me Emile," He added. Lillian smiled at her volunteers.
"Thank you two, very much," She said. "Now, I hate to put you right to work, but there's injured soldiers waiting for assistance in the kitchen," The two men set off to the kitchen to aid the fighters.
"Meeting adjourned," Detrix released everyone. He and Lillian then retreated into the manager's office behind the lobby.
"The Espheni are pushing closer," Lillian said, running a hand through her hair. She felt so stressed lately.
"We'll push them back," Detrix answered simply. Lillian rolled her eyes.
"How are we supposed to tell these people that the soldiers' lives are at risk? They'll rebel, they'll stop listening to me, they'll realize I'm only fourteen again," That was Lillian's biggest fear, people realizing she was just a kid.
"But I'm nearly nineteen, they'll listen to an adult," Detrix added. Lillian looked up at him. She'd had a bit of a crush on him, but he was almost five years older than her. He probably thought she was just a kid.
"You need to relax, Lily," Lillian smiled at the boy's name for her. She felt his warm hands enter hers. "Just let fate happen," And suddenly Detrix was very close, his Bohr breath tickling Lillian's nose, until...
Inside, Lillian was hoping the kiss would feel wrong. That she'd hate it and could continue moping around about Ben. But it didn't feel wrong at all, it felt perfect. She wished she could compare it with Ben's, but they never kissed. Not even once.
Detrix pulled away, smiling down at Lillian. He'd felt the completeness of it, too. The void that had separated the two of them was now empty.
But, of course, happily ever afters don't last. And this particular ever after ended in flames...
Yes, I know, short again. I just really wanted to end in this cliffhanger. URGENT: There has been a time jump of maybe a month or more in this chapter. I felt uncomfortable writing all of this 8th Mass stuff, so I shortened it to one chapter. There will be no 8th Mass next chapter.