The more they talk about it the more aggravated Venus got.  The two guys kept talking around her and not to her.  She knew her body,  she knew what she could endure, and yet Mars seemed to be the expert on what she could handle.

"Besides, " she thought to herself,  "when the hell did he start caring anyway?"

The boys dropped the subject and decided to tackle the issue in the morning.

Peter, Mars, and Bridget all had a pack on them and had a well-stocked supply of NEGS and water.

After they all forced down their dinner Mars and Bridget decided to do a quick perimeter check.

Peter rummaged through the bag and pulled out a couple of blankets.

He handed one to Venus, "The ground isn't going to be a comfortable as a cot," he warned.

Venus wrapped the blanket around her, to protect herself from the cold ground.  Or, at least,  that's what she attempted to do.  If she would have been smaller she would have fit better.

No matter how hard she tried either a leg, arm, or her belly seemed to hang out.

Peter noticed her struggling, "Do you want to share?  We could lay yours flat on the ground and mine on top.  It would cover us both, and the extra body heat would keep us warmer."

The only time that Venus ever shared a bed with a boy was in the breeding tanks at the Cube. Which was to encourage the Breeders to breed.  She was confident that wasn't the goal that Peter had in mind, but she was still apprehensive about it. 

She didn't want to lead Peter on when she wasn't even sure what her feelings toward him were, but she also didn't want to freeze.

She finally agreed and laid out the blanket on the ground as Bridget and mars came back.

"Everything is clear for now," Bridget updated Peter.

"We should probably set up a watch though," he replied.

Bridget nodded in agreement, "With it being four of us it should only be about two or three hours each."

Peter quickly glanced toward Venus who was climbing in between the blankets and shook his head, "Just the three of us."

He had tried to keep his voice low enough for Venus not to hear.  He knew she would argue because she wanted to pull her weight and do her part in helping. She needed her rest though.

Bridget didn't seem happy about it but she nodded.

"I'll take her extra time," Mars told them.

Peter glanced over at him, "We'll split it between the two of us.  I'll take the first watch."

Both of the hunters nodded and started getting ready for bed.  Peter walked over to Venus who was already laying down and half asleep.  The hike had completely wiped her out.  

He crouched down next to her and bushed a dark strand of hair out of her face, "Are you warm enough?"

Her eyes were closed for the heavyweight of exhaustion and couldn't open them but she nodded.  

The warmth from the blankets radiating the heat back to her soon wrapped her in a cozy cocoon of slumber.

The cold breeze blew against Venus's face.  She tried to move but she was bound tight.  She looked down to see ropes tightly bound her to a tree.  Voices in the distance drew her attention up.

Danielson was beaming ear to ear as he stood next to a cliff.  To bundles wrapped in blankets laid in his arms.  In front of him stood the couple that had bought her months ago.  Danielson handed the bundles over to the man and woman and they instantly sneered.

"We wanted her violet eyes," the woman whined.

Danielson's smile faltered and shot Venus a quick glare, "You were told that there was no guarantee of how the hair and eye color would turn out."

"Yes but these are brown eyes," the woman said handing the baby back to him, "we partnered her with a blue-eyed male.  They should have at least been a lighter color than this."

Panic rushed through Venus when she realized that those where her babies the people were holding and started tugging against the ropes.

Turned toward her and she froze in place.  It wasn't the couple that had bought her.  It was Mars and Bridget facing her and holding her children.

Bridget looked up at Mars, dissatisfaction was evident on her face, "They don't even look like you."

Mars nodded, "They can't be mine."

"They are your, Mars," Venus cried and wriggled.  The ropes started burning her arms and rubbing her skin raw.

Both Bridget and Mars turned in unison toward the cliff.  In horror Venus watched both of them toss the bundles over the edge.

Venus shot up awake covered in sweat.  She tried to push the bile that was threating to come up back down.  Her hands were trembling again and her breath was heavy.  The frigid air stung her lungs as she gasped from air.

Peter was asleep next to her with his arm draped over her.  Gently moved it off her, trying not to wake him, and slid out from beneath the cover.

As she stood up movement caught her eye.  Mars adjusted his position next to the tree.  The sight on him tossing his child over the edge of the cliff pushed it's way to the forefront of her mind, causing her to become nauseous again.

Venus took a deep breath and steadied herself against the nearby tree.  

"Sound like a terrible dream," Mars whispered.

Venus glanced over at him.

"You talk in your sleep," he told her.

"It wasn't great," she admitted.

"Why would it be," he grumbled, "it was about me."

"Enough, Mars," she exhaustingly sighed, "enough of your wallowing.  I have to worry about my kids, and can't focus on stroking your ego."

Mars huffed and turned his head away from her.

Venus stretched her legs in front of her.  they were sore from the day before's long walk and she dreaded the morning, knowing more walking and climbing was ahead of her.  She looked down toward her feet and smiled.

"Hello, old friends," she smiled as she thought to herself.  She hadn't seen her own feet for almost a day, and if it wasn't for the pain, she wouldn't have known they were still there.

Mars looked back at her saw amusing herself with her own feet.  She would lift one into the air and wiggle it about, then, do the same with the other.

For the first time since they left the Cube a small smile crested his face.  He didn't want to be bitter toward her.  He wanted everything to be the way it was before, but he wasn't sure how to get there.

He watched her as she leaned her head back against the tree and pull her legs up as close to her as she could get them.  She looked uncomfortable and he wondered how much bigger she was going to get.  She already looked huge and was only a little way over halfway there.

She rubbed her sore legs and Mars couldn't take it anymore.  He put away any sour feelings he had and stood up to walk over to her.

A/N:
Just for sheer curiosity and fun. I would love to know if you are team Peter or team Mars.

I know Mars has been a pill lately so I'm sure a lot of you have some grudges but give him a chance he'll start to make a comeback.

So let me know, #teampeter 💚 or #teammars ❤?

I would tell you mine but to be honest I'm both.