A/N: I do not own nor will I ever own anything by Falling Skies, TNT or Steven Spielberg. I will try to keep most of the characters and important events the same but most of these chapters will be original.

Also as a warning I realize the grammar is poor at best, so if you can read it and enjoy it then that's all I am asking.

Chapter 11

Another Step Closer

Looking down his custom map, Hal picked up his pencil and began writing a few notes about last night's patrol. Ever since they had set foot in Charleston he started keeping a map of the area, thinking they wouldn't stay long like usual. Well that was a little over 2 months ago, and by now his map was filled with small reminders, locations, roads to take, and potential targets they still need to check out.

"Hmm,"he said putting down the pencil to study the map.

At any moment the 2nd Mass could pack up and leave South Carolina, making all his work for the past 2 months completely useless. It was during these difficult times he often wonder if they could actually drive the aliens off Earth. Not to mention the added weight he felt for being the regiment's head advance scout, knowing that a lot of lives depended on the choices he made during his recons.

Sighing, Hal couldn't help but being amazed at how captain Weaver could handle that kind of stress without letting it consume him. It was then, he remember what his father told him about never giving up as a child. Every person, no matter who they are, must find that something that drives them. That makes them get back up no matter how many times they keep getting knocked back down. For the longest time it was his family. The will and the want to always keep them safe. Even if that meant dying for them.

Turning his head, Hal spotted his girlfriend toss in her sleep. Reaching out, she unconscious patted his side of the bed. Not finding him there, Maggie rolled back on to her right side and pulled the cover over her shoulder once more.

Chuckling, Hal understood that his new reason was sleeping only a few feet away from him. While he would still do anything for his family, now he wanted to give Maggie and their unborn child the life they truly deserved.

"You know...I can tell your watching me,"she said with a smile on her face while still having her eyes closed.

"Really now?" He asked sounding like his father and smiling back at her.

Opening her eyes, Maggie sat up in against the headboard. "Yeah...cause your so predictable."

"How's this for predictability?" He asked standing up and jumped on the bed, making her to yelp in surprise.

Climbing on top of her, Hal immediately started tickling her causing Maggie to laugh in response.

"Okay, okay,"she said in between laughing from his assault to her sides.

"Okay, what?"

"You win."

"Wait,"he said and stopped tickling her,"I must be going deaf. Did you just say I was right?"

Looking down into her brown eyes, Hal couldn't help but grin like a kid back at her. "No, I said you win. I didn't say anything about you being right."

"Same difference,"he replied slowly leaning his head down so that he was only a few inches away from hers.

"Whatever you say Mason."

Closing the gap that was between them, Hal kissed her. Gently rubbing the sides of her arms, he started to prob the inside of her mouth with his tongue as the kiss intensified. A minuter later the advance scout pulled away from their hot and heavy make out session, leaving the both of them breathless.

"Have I ever told you how incorrigible you are?"

"Maybe...but you know you love it."

Shaking her head back at him, Maggie leaned in and gave him another quick kiss. Pulling the cover off her body, she slide out from under him and head towards the bathroom only wearing a white tank top and blue pair of panties. Watching her disappear inside the bathroom, Hal flopped himself on the bed.

Sighing in content, he couldn't believe how happy he was despite the fact that there world was invaded by a race of advanced Aliens.

"Hey sweetheart?"

"Yes?"

"When did you get this water?" She asked poking her head back around corner of the door jam.

Sitting up, Hal had to think for a moment. "Maybe 15 minutes ago. I wanted to make sure you still had some hot water after I took my own bath."

"Awe...your so sweet. Remind me to thank you later."

Chuckling, Hal watched as she quickly disappeared back inside the bathroom once more. Folding up his custom made map, he tucked it back inside thigh cargo pants pocket. Grabbing his navy seal knife that Maggie gave to him as birthday gift, he began to sharpen it against the sharpening stone.

"Nice to see something of me is rubbing off on you,"she said emerging from the bathroom some time later wearing a clean pair of blue jeans, and a new white tank top.

Holding up the knife to the light, Hal examined it carefully before sheathing the weapon once more. "I like the look my love."

Maggie who was bent over grabbing her black sweater, simply rolled her eyes at him. Putting on her sweater, she grabbed a clean pair of socks and her boots before joining him at the table.

"How much time we got?"

"Don't you got a watch too."

"Yeah, but right now it's inside my leather jacket,"she said holding on her left wrist showing him she didn't have it on.

Shaking his head, Hal looked down at his own watch. "8:15, so we've got 45 minutes before 9am meetings."

"You want to get some breakfast?"

Smiling, he stood back up and put on his desert military jacket. "You read my mind darling."

Grabbing their weapons and gear, the two advance scouts exited the train compartment. The moment they stepped outside they could see some type of commotion was taking place at the front entrance of the Amtrak station. Jogging forward, they had to fight their way through a crowd of people to see a group of skitters and harnessed children all gathered on the other side of chain link fence.

"Ben!" He shouted out spotting his brother standing next to the leader of the skitter rebellion called Red Eye.

Pushing his way past a group of fighters who had their weapons raised, Hal made his way in front of the fence with Maggie right behind him.

"It's good to see you too Hal."

"Like wise bro."

"Ben!" Yelled the voice of his father causing the rest of the crowd to turn around and stare at him.

"Okay everyone this isn't a staring contest! Stand back!" Shouted captain weaver as he slowly made his way down the steps and started heading towards the front gate.

Immediately the crowd started to disperse, leaving a group of fighters behind. "Dai, I need you to get colonel Porter here."

"Yes sir,"he said running past the fighters and towards a motorcycle.

"Tector, I want you and the rest of the Berserkers on advance patrol. Take two scouts teams and make sure our escape routes are secure."

"Sir,"he said turning to Anthony, Crazy Lee and Christine before they all quickly disappeared through the crowd of people.

Joining Hal, Maggie, and Tom at the front of the gate, Weaver approached Red eye. "Are you ready to talk?"

The rebel Skitter leader turned to look at Ben. "Yes captain. I suggest we go some where more private."

Weaver nodded his head. "I agree. Open up the gate!"

Giving the captain apprehensive look, the two guards manning the front gate unlocked it and slowly opened it for them. Stepping away from the gate with there guns still drawn, Ben and Red eye made there way inside the camp.

"Lead the way captain,"added Ben right before his father embraced his son in a tight hug.

"Dad...I haven't been gone that long."

Tom gave his son an amused look. "You could have been just returning from patrol a second ago. Your still my son and I worry."

15 minutes later, colonel Porter and a small vanguard of 1st continental fighters arrived at the 2nd Mass compound. Waiting inside the captain's office, Porter finally arrived so they could start talking. Red Eye looked up at Ben who nodded his head and suddenly went limp. Immediately his spikes lit up signaling to them that they were now talking to the rebel skitter.

"It's good to see you again professor Mason."

"Same to you. I am sorry our last meeting didn't end so well."

"There's no need to apologize. Our mutual enemy is to blame."

With Maggie standing right next to him, Hal felt around until he found her hand. "I love you."

"I love you too,"she whispered back to him.

"Captain... I don't think you understand the prize you had when you captured the overlord 2 months ago. If you did, then you wouldn't have let him live."

Weaver simply glared back at the alien. "Perhaps. But we were more worried about surviving than killing a fish head."

"Understandable."

"But how can one alien be that important"? Asked Porter crossing his arms.

Red eye then turned his gaze on Porter, before Ben spoke once more. "The Espheni, as they are called have no need for databases or computers to store knowledge."

"So what, they store everything inside there head?" Hal asked making the rebel Skitter turn it's gaze on him.

"In a manner of speaking...yes. If he would have died then all operations on eastern side of this continent would have been thrown into complete disarray."

It was then a strange silence settled upon everyone inside the room. Looking around, Hal could see the many minds all digesting the information the skitter had told him.

"So what are you suggesting?" Asked his father with a troubled look on his face.

"I don't know if the Espheni understand what fear is, but after you nearly killed him he has been reluctant to show his face. What you need to do is keep disrupting there operations and eventually force him to come out of hiding. Then we strike with everything we've got."

"So where does that lead you?" Asked Weaver giving the alien a questioning look.

"Right now our numbers are small. But with more time I can gather more allies and intelligence to help our cause. Just as a lot of humans are slow to trust us, there are several of my kind who are weary of you. It is best we don't rush into things too fast. Although our enemy might force our hand sooner than later. Like you captain, we really can't afford to take too many losses or everything we have worked for will be all for not. But fear not...we will be close by. This way if either one of us is attacked then we can to each others aid,"said Red eye through Ben before he finally released his hold on the young Mason.

Shaking his, Ben finally returned to normal. "There is a large network of tunnels and sewers one county over. That is where will be staying. Also there will be a few deharnessed kids stationed every mile or so, just encase if you need to contact us."

Getting ready to walk out with rebel leader, Hal's dad stepped in front of his son. "Do you really have to go already?"

Sighing heavily, Ben nodded his head. "I am afraid so dad. Whether it's justified or not, I have been placed in charge of the deharnessed kids."

Letting go his girlfriend's hand, Hal walked over and join in with the hug his father was giving him. "Now you can't go before you at least see Matt."

Chuckling, Ben offered him a smile. "Now that much is true."

6 hours later Maggie and Hal were back to what they did best, scouting. A pair of 1st Continental scouts had failed to return from a scouting mission in Georgetown city attempting procreate any more food supplies from a local grocery store.

"You know this city remains me of my home town back in Massachusetts,"said Maggie as they both stopped their dirt bikes so they could get a better view of the city.

"How's that?" Hal asked using his pair of binoculars to look down the main street of the small city.

"Well...back in Easton the population was barely over 20,000. It had that small town charm, but also gave off that snobby attitude that made everyone think they were better than most people. I hated it,"she added with a sound of disgust in her voice.

Handing her the pair of binoculars, Maggie gave the city a look herself. "Yeah a lot of people are like that. Back in Somerville, a lot of people thought that about themselves since we didn't leave in the city of Boston. But when your only about 5 miles north of the capital of your state, I don't know who they were trying fool."

Shaking her head, Maggie handed him the binoculars again. "Let me guess...you were one of the those people."

Slowly, her boyfriend turned to look at her with a sheepish look on his face. "Ha, ha, ha. Your so funny I forgot to laugh."

"Hey be careful Mason, that comeback is an antique."

"Come on Margret, we've got a mission to do,"he said starting up his dirt bike once again.

Starting up her own bike, Maggie couldn't help but smile. "Awe...does Hal Mason not like to be picked on."

Smiling back her, Hal reached out and grabbed a hold of her bike. "Oh just you wait my love. I have only just began."

Racing forward, the advance scout was forced to play keep up the whole way. All the way they darted around abandon cars, and other large debris that was strewn around the street. 10 minutes later they finally approached the local grocery store which remained mostly intact despite damage of the surrounding buildings. Pulling there bikes about 100 feet away from the store, the two advance scouts slowly leaned around the building they were hiding behind.

"Something's not right about that place,"said Hal examining the store through his binoculars.

Grabbing the binoculars from him, Maggie spotted bike tracks and even a few shell casings near the front of the store.

"I agree. That store has ambush written all over it,"she said handing back Hal his binoculars and grabbed her M4 off her shoulder.

"Come on...lets give that store a wide birth and see if we can spot anything,"he said taking his AK-101 off his shoulder and moved out.

Moving through a series of back yards and alley ways, the pair of scouts reached a building that was over looking the grocery store from the rear. Running up to a broken wooden fence they easily made there way through the several gaps that had formed due to the years of neglect. Walking up the small porch, the two advance scouts pressed themselves against the sides of the door.

Nodding back at her, Maggie reached out and find it wasn't locked. Turning the knob, she slowly pushed open the door showing them the kitchen of the house. With his rifle at the ready, Hal entered the kitchen first with Margret right behind him. Looking around they could see the house was mostly clean with only a few things strewn on the floor. Telling them the family who had previous lived there abandoned it a long time ago.

"Hey look, Cheerios,"he said grabbing the box of cereal off the counter and began eating some of the stale cereal.

Ignoring him, Margret began opening up a few cupboards trying to find anything useful. Grabbing a few cans of spam, kidney beans, and a bag of floor she quickly put them inside a book bag her boyfriend found hanging up on coat rack.

"Looks like they left in a hurry,"she replied examining the coffee table in the living room which had a game of monopoly left on it.

"Understandable, I hated playing monopoly."

"How come?" She asked throwing him a candle lighter she found on the nearby window ledge.

"Because they always ended up with a fight in our house. Then someone would complain about the banker (usually Ben) of cheating,"he said slowly backing away from the board game,"not to mention it took like 3 hours to play. I would rather be outside and doing something constructive."

Laughing, Maggie picked up the family photo which had a middle aged man and woman surrounded by four kids. Setting it back down, she couldn't stop herself from laughing even more.

"Okay...what's so funny Miss Walker?"

"Nothing Mr. Mason. It's just that...I can picture the frustrated look on your face. Not to mention you can barely sit still for fives before you start getting all fidgety."

Smiling back at her, Hal made his way past her and started heading up the flight of stairs. "This coming from a woman who talks in sleeping asking for her teddy bear."

Putting her foot on the next step, Maggie brought her gaze up to see the smug look of her boyfriend staring down at her. "Oh your going to get it Mason."

Giving her a wink, Hal ran up the rest of the stairs taking them two at time. Giving chase she spotted him run into the nearest room. Going inside, she could see it was a kids bedroom with a pair of bunk beds, two dressers and kids toys scattered around a toy box. Taking her eyes of the bedroom, the advance scout could see her boyfriend still had a grin on his face as he made his way over towards the broken window.

Giving him an amused look, Maggie made her way over to the twin bunk beds. Picking up the old teddy bear she could help but think about her first child. Despite the fact she knew he was more than likely dead, that didn't stop her from feeling regret over the whole situation. Setting down the teddy bear, Margret placed her hand on her tummy knowing life of another child was growing inside of her. This time things would be different she told herself.

It was then she heard her boyfriend chuckle. "Well I guess that explains it."

"What are you talking about?" She asked making her way over towards him.

Through the blinds she could see the two teenage scouts sleeping in a bed with there clothes strewn all over the bed room floor. Shaking her head, Maggie couldn't help but grin at the scene. "Kids I swear."

Turning around, she slowly slide her way down the hall and sat down on the hardwood floor. Setting the book bag down, Hal quickly joined her and put his arm around her shoulder.

"You alright?" He asked staring up at the drawings one of the kids must have done.

"I guess...with all things considered."

"Tell me about,"he said taking his gaze of the pictures to look down at his rifle,"at least now we might actually have a chance to really drive these bastards from our planet."

Maggie smiled up at him before placing her hand on his knee. "Indeed my love. Plus it was nice to know that Ben is safe and nearby again."

"Wait, are you saying your actually happy to be a part of the Mason family?" He asked pretending to have a stunned look on his face.

Giving him a sheepish look, she playfully smacked his arm. "You know what I mean Hal. The only family I still have left is my bitch for an Aunt and a dumb ass for a cousin. I don't like to complain but I envy you."

"You envy me?"

Maggie nodded back at him. "Yeah, the way you and your brothers look out for each other. The way your father some still makes time for all you while still letting each of you do your own thing. Not to mention how doctor Glass has stepped in and been the motherly figure that Matt needs. The only thing I am not sure about is, what my role is in all of these?"

Giving her an amused look, Hal pulled her even closer to him. "Well that's easy my love. Your the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"Wait...what are you saying?" She asked feeling like her heart was going to beat right out of her chest.

Sure enough, he reached inside his right front pocket and pulled out a gold ring with one diamond on it. "I found this inside a jewelry shop almost 2 months ago. I have always known your the right woman for me, but I knew I had to give you time. I didn't want to scare you off. But when I found out you were pregnant, I didn't want you to think I wanted to marry you just because our carrying my child."

It was then Maggie reached up and put her a finger on his lips, silencing him. "Hal...just ask me?"

Offering her a bright smile, Hal took a deep breath. "Margret Bethany Walker...will you marry me?"

"Of course I will,"she said grabbing him by the his jacket's collar and kissing him with passion.

She didn't know how long they sat there kissing, but quite frankly she didn't give a damn. The old Maggie would have run away and never looked back if anyone ever proposed to her. But the new Margret knew things were different, and she deserved to be happy.

"I think you still need to put the ring on my finger Mason,"she said reaching up and wiping a tear of joy out of the corner of her eye.

Resting his forehead against hers, Hal slowly put the ring on her hand. While it wasn't a perfect fit, she could see they didn't run the risk of it falling off her finger either. Looking down at the ring that was on her left hand, the advance scout gently laid her head on his shoulder.

"We can't stay here much longer,"he said gently running his hand through her long blonde hair.

"I know. We wouldn't want to reunion our reputation by being late as well."

Laughing, the two scouts finally stood back up. "So how do you want to do this?"

"I think embarrassment will work best. Trust me, I understand more than most how we need to live for the moment. But those two need to learn that there is a time and place for fooling around. Being on a mission with a deadline is not one of them,"she said grabbing her M4 off the ground and switching the safety back on.

Grabbing the book bag, Hal quickly shouldered his AK-101. "I couldn't agree more."

"Well I am so glad that I have your approval."

Rolling his eyes at her, Maggie started laughing again. "Oh and Hal?"

"Yeah?"

"Try and keep up,"she replied before bolting down the stairs with her boyfriend in hot pursuit.

A/n: These chapters won't be long and I am not sure how long I will make this story but then again I guess that's the fun. Feel free to leave any questions or comments!