"It's going to take us all day just to get up this damn hill," Bridget muttered just loud enough for Mars to hear.

Mars looked over his shoulder to see Peter insisting that she rest... again.

Venus didn't argue, telling  Mars that she actually needed another break.  Bridget was right, saying that it was taking to long, but he knew they couldn't rush her.

She was barely halfway through her pregnancy and already looked full term. The heavy weight of the twins was evident in the way she walked.

Peter knelt down next to her, and quietly whispered something in her ear, causing her to give him a small smile.

It made Mars's jaw twitch.  The vile poison filled words fell out of his mouth before he could reign them in, "We've been here long enough.   We need to keep going. The two of you are slowing us down."

Venus looked up at him.  At first, he thought Venus's jaw was open in surprise, but he realized she was panting.  He instantly regretted saying anything, but Bridget was beaming at him and Peter was glaring.   The satisfaction that he finally that he had gotten under their brave and fearless leader's skin, set in.

Mars stomped down the hillside toward him, after Peter turned away to ignore him, "Didn't you hear me?  We have to go."

"She needs to rest," Peter firmly told him.

"You need to quit babying her," he replied,  "She's stronger than you think.  Come on, V, we got to keep moving."

Still breathing hard,  Venus started to stand.

Peter stuck his arms out to help her, but said, "There's no rush, V, catch your breath."

She quickly glanced from Peter to Mars.  Her body was telling her to listen to Peter, but her head said to follow Mars.

She and Mars had just started getting along again and didn't want to ruin it.   But her lungs were being squished by the babies and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

She was still holding onto Peter's arm after he had helped her up, and his other arm was gently wrapped around her back.

She desperately looked over at Mars, "I just need a couple more minutes."

"V," he started to say but Peter cut him off, quietly literally.  Peter stepped between Mars and Venus.

Peter's stance screamed, 'I dare you to take another step,' but to Venus, she just assumed he was being protective.

Mars sneered at him wanting to accept the challenge.   What nerve did he have stepping between him and the Mother of his kids?

Mars stepped forward to accept the challenge,  Peter was a thin guy and about Mars's height, he was sure he could take him.

Peter stretched out his hand to stop his advances.  With a gruff warning tone Peter suggested, "I think while V resting, it might be a good idea to scout ahead and make sure it's clear."

"Come on, Mars," Bridget called out.

Mars glanced at Venus, who was too wrapped up in trying to catch her breath, to care about what was going on.

"Fine," he said before going up to Bridget.

Peter watched Bridget and Mars disappear into the woods before he turned back to Venus.

"What an asshole," he muttered. He was talking more to himself than to Venus.

"He wasn't always like that," she replied.

Peter sat next to her, "You'd think he'd be more grateful to you."

"You have to understand," she started to tell him as she pushed against a tiny foot that felt like it was trying to poke it's way out of her stomach, "I didn't ask their permission.  I didn't even ask of Cas and Mars wanted to leave the Cube.  I just grabbed them and ran.  Now, Mars is strapped down with the responsibility of being a dad.  It wasn't his choice to make these babies.  It was forced upon us but it was my decision to escape before they were born.  He never had to worry about the responsibilities of fatherhood.  Like me, all the babies were sold to whoever bought them.  It's a lot to for him to absorb."

"He doesn't have to be the dad," Peter said so quietly that Venus almost didn't hear him.  Peter glanced up at her, "I just mean... if he doesn't want to be there is someone who wouldn't mind stepping in."

She gave him a small smile, "Thank you, Peter."

A heavy dread hung in the air while he waited for the 'but' that never came.  Instead, Venus sighed and pushed herself up from the rock, "I think I'm ready for concur this stupid hill."

Peter jumped up next to her and offered his hand to her to help her climb.

"This is the hardest part of the hike, right?" She asked.

Peter nodded, "Yeah...until you get to the cliff that is."

"Right," Venus nodded, "this cliff."

the thought of going this whole way to find out that she wouldn't be able to get down to the cave was dishearting.  She almost wanted to just give up and figure out a different way to survive the winter.

"Venus?" Peter asked as he helped pull her up onto one the boulders.

"Yeah."

"What rule did you and Mar break in the Cube that would have had him killed?"

Venus didn't like talking about what happened in the breeding tanks, and she particularly didn't want Peter to know what had happened between her and Mars, even though she wasn't sure why she cared if he knew.

"Nothing, at least nothing important.  I was the one that broke the rule anyway.  It's just Danielson didn't want to kill me.  I made to much money for him."

"Must have been serious if he was willing to kill Mars and Cas just to keep you in line."

"The rules aren't strict in the Cube.  We aren't humans to them we're profit," she told him.

"You're not human outside the Cube either," he gruffly replied more to himself than to her.

"Don't your parents at least miss you?" she asked, "Pepa was their daughter and she completely adored you.  Aren't they the same way?"

Peter shrugged, "Maybe.  Pepa would tell me what was going on with them.  When I ran away it caused them a lot of grief.  They were watched carefully and interrogated almost on a daily bases.  They were ashamed that I didn't do my civic duty and even told Pepa once that they should have just stopped when they had her."

"That's terrible," Venus gasped.

"It's fine," he sighed as he tried the push the painful memory from his mind, "stress can make people say horrible things.  They were really good parents to me.  I had a great life up until my draft age hit."

Venus remained quiet for a few moments as they climbed the steep rocky hillside.

"I've never had a good life until now," she finally said as they reached the top of the hill.

"Living like a cavemen in the middle of the forest is a good life?" He chuckled.

"Compared to what it was, yeah."

Peter smiled, "I'm glad I can be a part of your good life."

"You really are, Peter," Venus told him, "you've been a rock for me since we got here."

Peter stared into her violet eyes for a while, before he shook off the thoughts that was running through his head, and turned away.

"Peter," she said as she reached out to stop him,  "the other night, when you tried to kiss me, and I stopped you.  I don't want you to think it was because of you."

"Please don't give me the it's not you it's me thing," he groaned.  The impish grin said he was joking but the sadness in his eyes said otherwise.

"I didn't know it was a thing."

"I think it's been a thing since the dawn of man," he laughed.

"But it really is me," she admitted. "You have to understand what I came from.  Showing affection gets people killed."

"That won't happen here, " he assured her.

"I know, or at least a part of me knows that, but part of me doesn't."

"Look, V, I'm here for you anyway you'll take me, and I'm not going anywhere either.  But," he said, "you need to realize that I like you...a lot."

"I know," she admitted.   She'd have to be blind and deaf not to notice.

She would have been blind and deaf not to notice that Mars was crazy about her either, and that bit her in the ass.

A/N:
Sorry about the long wait. It's been a long week that involves me being high on Benadryl. 
I got ahold of Peppermint chapstick and guess what I'm allergic to,  yeah it sucks.
Anyway Benadryl completely knocks me out and I haven't had the energy to write.
Since Thanksgiving is next week I'm not sure how much writing I'll get done.

Thanks and lots of loves,
Reading_Mermaid08