The Fallout

Deanna pulled at the sleeves of her pink sweatshirt, bouncing her weight from foot to foot while she waited for Austin. "Fuck," she muttered, glancing at the sky and then back at the streets. If she didn't leave soon, she would miss her chance to see Mike for the night.

They'd worked out a plan to see each other, with reluctant assistance from Jaime and Austin: Mike and Deanna would see each other three days a week, never consecutive, and always with Austin and Jaime playing sentinel on their side of the forest. The two sentinels would do a bird call, a different one for each, should anyone come within range of the clearing to warn the couple, who could either run or hide in the trees and brush at the clearing's edge.

Just as Deanna was about to give up on Austin, she spotted his tall form detach from the shadows outside of her home. He rapped twice on the door, which Deanna immediately opened, shutting it quickly and quietly behind him. "Goddamn it, Austin," Deanna growled. "You're late."

Austin ducked his head apologetically. "Sorry, Anna. There was a patrol outside when I was trying to leave," he explained, and Deanna sighed, gesturing for him to follow her as she walked to the back of the house.

He watched as Deanna slid open a window, then wiggled out of it, disappearing into the shadows below the window and becoming a blur. Austin saw her pale hands lift and gesture for him to follow again, and he did, mimicking her movement exactly, with the exception of pulling the window almost shut behind him. Once Austin was on his feet, Deanna took off running towards the outskirts of the city, where the forest had begun to encroach, and Austin was on her heels.

Once the pair were deep within the woods, well outside the city boundaries, Deanna slowed to a light jog, and Austin ran along side of her. In seemingly no time at all, they were at the edge of the clearing, where Austin would retreat back along their path about five yards, and Deanna would go into the clearing to meet up with Mike.

Austin grabbed his best friend's arm before she went into the clearing. "Don't forget, I'll come get you when it's time to go," he told her, and Deanna nodded, her eyes already locked on the clearing. The second Austin released her arm, Deanna ran into the clearing, probably into Mike's arms, and Austin sighed, watching her go.

Deanna burst into the clearing, seeing Mike perched up on the rocks. She felt the smile spread across her face. "Mike, " she gasped, seeing his head lift and turn in her direction. Mike pushed himself off the rocks and turned to her, opening his arms for Deanna to run into, which was exactly what she did.

"Hiya, gorgeous," Mike murmured, kissing the top of her head. "Missed you."

Deanna lifted her head, and Mike kissed her lips, hard, feeling Deanna's fingers knot in his hair. "I missed you too," she whispered, her lips still on his.

The couple hadn't seen each other in several days. After almost getting caught the week before, they'd decided it would be better to hold off for almost a week. They had no way of communicating with each other outside of their late night meetings.

"I love you so much," Mike declared, kissing Deanna's forehead and pulling her down onto the ground and into his arms.

Deanna smiled, curling up against Mike's body. "I love you, too, Mikey," she whispered, tilting her head up and kissing his jaw. "I love you, too."