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“Yes,” Nerit said simply. “But that is not the case, is it?”

Kevin nodded sadly, his green eyes staring deeply into hers. “I wish it was. ”

Nerit looked away and stared at the elevator door. “Me, too. ”

Just before the elevator reached their floor, Kevin pressed a firm, hard kiss to her cheek. To his delight, Nerit blushed.

The doors dinged then opened. Kevin stepped out onto this floor, waving at her.

Nodding once, she tucked the detonator into her jacket pocket and took a breath as the doors closed.

3. And The Clock Winds Down. . .

It was an odd moment. One of many, considering the last year. As Katie was staring out the window over the fort’s defenses in front of the hotel, the ascending sun caught the glass. A flash of light blinded her instantly.

When her eyes cleared, she was driving the old white truck. Jenni sat next to her in jeans, a tank top and a cowboy hat with a good pair of knock off Fendi sunglasses perched on her nose. Jack sat between them, the hot wind ruffling his fur as it poured through the open windows. Beyond her was the desert, hot and fierce. Waves of heat rippled over the endless stretch of highway.

“Jenni,” Katie whispered, confused, her fingers gripping the steering wheel.

“This could have been it. You know. Our future. ” Jenni grinned at her and turned her face into the scalding wind. “The desert. ”

The heat was amazing and the sun was unrelenting. Jack woofed beside them and licked at his paw.

“I thought about it,” Katie confessed. “Before we found Nerit and Ralph. ”

“Me, too. Even after we found the fort. I thought about us and Jason just going away. ”

“You would still be alive if we had,” Katie said after a beat. Tears were in her eyes again.

“Maybe,” Jenni agreed. She leaned over the dog and kissed Katie’s cheek and hugged her tight. “You miss me!”

“Well, yeah, you bitch. You went and died on me!”

Jenni laughed. “Yeah, but it was one kick ass exit. ”

“Oh, fuck you,” Katie snapped, but couldn’t help but smile.

“It was worth it! Everything was worth it!” Jenni grinned at her. Reaching out, she gripped Katie’s wrist tightly and leaned toward her. “You know it, Katie. You know. Every moment was worth it. Every little tiny bit of it…all building up to this. ”

“Which is?”

“The beginning of everything new,” Jenni said and winked. “Or the end of it all. ”

Katie rolled her eyes. “That is not encouraging. ”

“But every moment of happiness we had this year was that much sweeter because of every other horrible moment that we experienced. Admit it, Katie. ”

Katie gripped the steering wheel more firmly as she thought of all the loss, the pain, the death, but then of all the good moments. Dancing with Jenni, kissing Travis, her swelling belly, playing with Jack, hugging Juan’s kids, learning how to two step…. all of it. “Yeah. You’re right. ”

“Totally worth it,” Jenni said firmly.

The light caught her again, blinding her, then she blinked to see she was back in the hotel. Travis walked toward her as the sunlight streamed through the window. He drew near her and slid his hand behind her neck and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. Closing her eyes, she relished the moment and felt its sweetness fill her.

“I love you,” Travis said softly.

“Yeah, well, good. I’m crazy about you, too,” she said.

Ruffling her hair, he winked. “We’ll be okay. ”