Venus assumed that Peter already knew.  She thought Pepa would have told him that and she turned to the still struggling Medic for help.

Pepa shifted in her spot.  The feeling had come back to her legs and stiffness and pain was what she found when it did.

"Yes, she's pregnant," Pepa told her brother, "but what difference does that make?"

"A lot of difference.  The camp is always on the move and we have no medical resources," he told her.

Pepa rolled her eyes, "The ancients had children for centuries by themselves in the woods before medicine stepped in to help, besides, I'm actually a doctor, remember."

"I'm sorry," Peter sarcastically replied, "I didn't realize you were trained in ancient medicine."

"Shh," Mars hushed and looked up the hole that led to the outside.  A whoop whoop whoop could be heard in the distance that steadily grew closer.

"It's a Ramjet," Peter whispered,  "They're searching from the skies first."

The whooping drew closer and the ground outside the cave was flooded with the sharp glow of a bright white light.  Venus and Cas drew back from the light that flooded in like it was a poisonous fog.  

Venus quickly glanced around the cave and saw both Mars and Pepa Trying to look out the hole while staying safely back so they wouldn't be seen.  Cas had her face buried in Venus's shoulder praying that the well-disguised cave that they were in would stay hidden.

But it wasn't until her eyes met Peter's that she stopped glancing around.  He was calmly sitting next to his sister just watching Venus.  She could tell that he was mulling over several thoughts and she didn't like not knowing what those notions were.  She confidently sat there staring him down with a comforting arm around her friend.  

The light soon passed over them and only the soft glow of the moon again dimly lit a small portion of the cave.  All five refugees breathed a sigh of relief and calmly leaned against the damp walls.

 "I suppose we should try and get some sleep," Pepa suggested trying to get comfortable on the cave floor.

Mars and Cas both settled in.  Mars using his arm as a pillow and Cas tightly snuggling up against Venus for warmth.  it wasn't long before the three of them were asleep and heavy breathing added to the melodic tune of dripping water.

Venus couldn't see Peter anymore after the Ramjet had passed over and assumed her had laid down to rest as well.  It wasn't until she herd is soft whisper echo across the cavern that she realized she wasn't the only one awake.

"You could have killed them all, you know."

Guilt filled her knowing full well that his statement was true but she still didn't regret her decision. 

"I knew the risks" she admitted, "but I also knew the risks of staying as well.  Danielson was going to dangle them in front of me like a carrot until he finally killed them."

"What about my sister?" He asked.  "She would have never been at risk."

Venus didn't have an answer for that.  It was Pepa decision to help them she could have easily have turned Venus in for asking for help.  Venus only asked her on a hunch.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but I was desperate.  Your sister was the only person in that hell hole to ever show an inkling of humanity.  She was my only hope."

"I get why you wanted out, and obviously why you wanted your boyfriend out but why the girl?"

Venus glanced over at the showed sleeping form of Mars, "He isn't my boyfriend."

"But he's the father of your child," Peter pointed out.

She was surprised he didn't know the workings of The Cube, with his sister working there, she assumed he knew the protocol.

"We were bought," she informed him, "or at least our genes were.  We were forced to be together to produce someone's idea of a perfect child."

"Sounds awful," even though his words seem sympathetic his cold nonchalant tone said otherwise.

"You have no idea."

"So...why the girl?"

She looked down at the peacefully sleeping Cas.  Even though she was a year older than her Venus had always felt like the big sister.  Cas wasn't as strong when it came to dealing with the aftermath of the Breeding Pods.  When they had first met it was Venus's first year at The Cube.  Cas had already been in the system for a year prior to that.  Cas had just left the Breeding Pod and was in the girls' washroom scrubbing herself over and over until she had herself so raw that she began to bleed.  

Fully clothed Venus raced into the shower and wrapped her arms around her to get her to stop.  Cas collapsed into her crying into Venus's shoulder.  Hot water from the shower mingled with her tears but Venus never let go.  From that day on they were inseparable until they were forced to be.

Venus gently ran her hand over Cas's silky hair, "Because she needs me as much as I need her... I love her."

"Touching."

Venus scowled into the darkness, "I don't expect you to understand.  You have no idea what it's like in there."

"And you have no idea what it's like out here.  It isn't going to be easy now.  Your life is going to seem like a dream compared to what it was in The Cube.  You were served three meals a day.  A staff of people took care of you and waited on you hand and foot.  You're not going to have that now."

"True," Venus agreed, "that part of it may seem wonderful.  But there is something that I have now that I didn't a few hours ago."

"And what is that?" Peter asked. By the sarcastic tone in his voice, Venus could tell his question was accompanied by an eye roll.

"Freedom over my own body and that will be completely worth any hardships that I will ever have to endure," she told him.

Silence met her statement and with a deep breathe she sank into Cas's embrace and let her warmth envelop her as the darkness pulled her into a deep sleep.

A/N:

Well, this might be the last chapter with a song because I am literally tapped out.  I will try and do some research though.  I have been getting so much positive feedback that I feel like my heart is about to burst.  You are the best readers a girl could ask for.  I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Love,

Reading_Mermaid08