P3 VI

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"Why are you asking me?" Mars inquired.

Peter frowned, Mars seemed irritated that he was asking.   Peter didn't think Mars would actually say no but it looked like that was what was going to happen.

"You won't do it?" Peter asked in disbelief.  How could he not want to stay behind and take care of his own family?

"Of course I will," he replied, to Peter relief, "but I can't believe you'd ask me."

The boys had arrived at the sensor and Peter knelt down next to it to figure out what was wrong.  One of the wire was completely chewed through as they had suspected.

"Trust me it's not my ideal plan.   I'd rather send the group ahead and wait for Venus to heal up enough to make the journey,  but the camp is ready to move.  Before you all came along I always thought about the great good of the camp," Peter told him.

"And since Venus arrived you've been putting her well being before everyone else's?"

Peter looked up at him and nodded, "I suppose you've heard some complaints."

"A few," he replied.   Mars had heard several, in fact, many of his fellow hunters were pushing Shaw to usurp Peter's authority.   Even Bridget was trying to convince him.

Mars wasn't completely against the idea of Peter being in charge,  but he wasn't for it either.  

Not being in charge meant Peter would have a lot more time.  Which would be spent with his kids.

"No one in the camp knows about New Anada, yet.  We are planning to discuss it at a community meeting in the next couple of days," Peter goes on to tell him. "We aren't forcing anyone to go with us.  So some of the new kids might want to stay.  The idea of being too far from their parents might be too much for them."

"So basically you're telling me that,  on top of taking care of my family, I am going to have to watch out for a bunch of kids too?" Mars asked.

"Shaw's sister, Hecta, has volunteered to stay behind with any that wants to stay behind.   You won't have to worry about anyone,  but Venus and the babies, " Peter told him.

It was a relief to Mars someone else was staying behind.   Hecta was a year younger than him but had more experience with how the camp ran. But the idea of living a free life was too good to pass up.  In fact,  he had every intention of going to  New Anada the moment Venus was ready.

"Why would she volunteer to stay behind?" Mars asked.

"She visits her parents often and isn't ready to leave them," Peter told him, "she also wants to stay behind and send others like us, that escape, to New Anada."

"Does she know the route?" Mars asked, hoping that she did.   He didn't want Pepa and Dex growing up like that.  Constantly on the run, and working hard just to survive.   He wanted them to have a chance at a normal life,  or at least as normal as he could provide since he didn't know what normal actually was.

Peter nodded, "She's offered to shuttle them to the border where I will help them cross over and get settled in New Anada."

"Good, we'll at least have a guide then," Mars commented.

Peter looked at him surprised,  "I  assumed you'd try to take the opportunity to cut me out of her life forever."

Mars chuckled, "As tempting as that sounds, and trust me it's very tempting, the appeal of a normal life is even more appealing."

"I wasn't trying to take your place," Peter told Mars, "I know it seemed that way, but I really wasn't.   I was just trying to make a place for myself.   It wouldn't be fair to your kids or to Venus to try and push you out of their lives.  I just...I just fell in love with her and you can't blame me for that.  I  can tell by the way you act around her that you love her too, or at least you did once."

"I did," Mars admitted, "and I guess a part of me still does,  but I'm not sure if it's enough."

"Please, for her sake,  make up your mind soon.  She waiting for you to decide if you want her back. "

"And how do you know that?" Mars grumbled

"Because," he told him, "if she was waiting for me, we'd already be together.  I don't want to see her hurting over you anymore."

Mars sighed and looked up into the forest canopy.   The summer sun was filtering through the fresh leafy canopy above, sending emerald rays of light showering down around them.  He was going to miss the woods when they got to New Anada.   Especially moments like that.  Where it was quiet and he didn't have to worry about Bridget feeling insecure or making sure Venus was alright.   The weight of a mature life was pressing down hard on him, and it was nice to get away and just breathe.  Listening to Peter filled him with guilt.   He once prided himself on being her best friend and since they left the Cube he could do anything,  but fuck up.

"I would choose her, in a heartbeat,"  Mars finally told Peter.

"Then why haven't you?" Peter asked as he gathered his things and got ready to head back to camp.

"I want to know for sure that she's in love with me, not just because I'm her kids' father, and it's better for them,  but because she really loves me.   I've seen the two of you together, " he told Peter,  "the way she looks at you makes my blood boil, and it's because she has never once looked at me that way."

Peter smirked, "Well, I  guess we're going to have to leave it up to her then.  And to be perfectly honest,  I really hope it's me."

"Over my dead body," Mars smiled.

Peter chuckled,  "Well...that would better my odds."

Mars followed Peter on the long trip back towards camp, but before they got there Mars spoke up, "I've never thanked you for taking care of Venus when we first got here."

"And you'll never have to," Peter smiled.

When the got into camp Peter sluffed off the pack, "Thanks, for the date, Mars, I had a wonderful time."

Mars rolled his eyes and shook his head as he muttered,  "Asshole," with a small smile.

A/N:

Okay, so sorry for the freakout.   I decided not to change it.   Partly because I'd hate to make everyone re-read a chapter,  and partly because stoned me has something going and I think the story is actually going to be better off!  Now to clarify,  I was "stoned" on Tylenol, lol.  Meds and I do not get along.

Anyway, thank you for reading and for all of your feedback. And sorry about the strong language in this chapter. 😳

Loves,
Reading Mermaid

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