text: After a night of fitful rest, Madeline awoke with a start. *Something was wrong!* Freezing, she listened closely. Besides her own shallow breaths, she could just about make out the sound of someone else breathing. At least it *sounded* human. She couldn’t remember ever having *heard* a Poiloog breathe, other than the strange rasping sound they sometimes made as they died. A creaking floorboard confirmed her suspicion. She was halfway to standing by the time she heard a familiar voice. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you!” Catching herself before she put too much weight on her bad leg, Madeline sagged back onto the sofa. “Lena?” she sighed with relief. “What are you doing here?” “We figured it’s best to head out as soon as possible -- should be able to put enough distance between us and the meeting place today.” She walked further into the room as she spoke, setting her pack down on the floor. “Then we won’t need to move on again for a while, and we can get you properly rested and healed.” Madeline glanced out the cracks in the curtains. Although there was some light breaking through, it was still the greyish-blue of predawn. “So you’re an early riser too, huh?” “When I have to be,” the woman chuckled. “But if it helps, I got a similarly rude awakening from Billie. They were very eager for me to check on your injury. May I?” “Go ahead.” Lena stooped to grab a few things from her pack while Madeline pulled her trousers down far enough to make the wound visible. The doctor worked as quickly and effectively as before, her touch firm but gentle. In a matter of minutes, the injury had been cleaned and redressed. When she’d finished packing away her things, Lena turned to ask, “Do you need anything? Food? Drink? Or are you good to go?” “Errr...” Madeline considered herself, trying to listen to her body’s complaints instead of suppressing them as she usually did. “I should probably eat something, but I think I’ve got plenty.” “Alright then. I’ll let Billie know. Then they’ll probably come and bother you so... Be warned.” A wry smile tugged at Lena’s lips. “And don’t dilly-dally.” “I wouldn’t dream of it!” Madeline chuckled. \ She was ready just in time for Billie’s face to appear at the door. “All good?” they asked. “Yep.” As she started limping over to them, they dashed forward, grabbing her bag and slipping their arm into its now familiar position under her shoulders. Soon, they were on their way. The day passed similarly to the one before. Lena kept her distance, sweeping the area they were travelling through in preparation for the slower-moving pair and keeping in contact via walkie-talkie. For the most part, that left Madeline and Billie alone. They passed the time in quiet conversation, wary of making too much noise lest they miss the hum of an approaching Poiloog ship. Though she felt as close to Billie as she ever had to anyone, Madeline realised it was the longest she’d ever spent in their company, for fear of drawing the Poiloog’s attention. They might have stayed up all night talking via radio, but never this long in person. And never while in such close proximity to each other. She could feel the ripple of her friend’s muscles under her arm and the warmth of their skin next to hers, smell the sweat built up over the day practically carrying her, and see practically every pore in their olive skin. It made Madeline conscious of what she must smell and look like. With her injury, everything felt like so much more effort than normal, and she was sure it showed. But she was equally sure that Billie would never judge her for that. That was if they even noticed. She couldn’t imagine her friend was paying her anywhere near as much attention as she was paying them, busy scanning the streets for signs of danger as they were. Over the course of the day, they paused a couple of times at Lena’s instruction. Whenever she heard a Poiloog ship, she’d let them know. Then, Billie would hide Madeline somewhere safe before retreating to a nearby building in the hope they would avoid detection. It was a system that seemed to be working, though Madeline couldn’t help but feel that they’d got lucky so far. And soon, that luck would have to run out. But, despite her misgivings, the journey passed without serious incident. By the time the sun was grazing the horizon, they’d reached the outskirts of a new city. Lena scouted out the houses again, selecting a few that she deemed the right balance of proximity and distance. While she kept watch, Billie helped Madeline into the middle of the three dwellings. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” they asked as they half-carried her to the sofa. “I feel like I should be here with you in case... Well, in case anything.” “Of course,” Madeline replied. “As much as I might enjoy your company, I do need a break every now and then!” Although it was said in jest, she instantly regretted the words. Why would she say something so completely untrue? “Besides,” she added hurriedly, “it’s safer this way. You know it is.” Billie sighed. “I just wish...” “I know. Me too.” A sad smile pulled at her lips. “But we’ve got the walkies. You can check in any time. And I promise I’ll let you know if I need you.” “Alright.” They nodded before looking around the dishevelled living room. “Do you need anything before I go?” “I’m all set,” Madeline replied, patting her bag lightly. “In that case, I’ll leave you to it.” Unbidden, something rose inside her that she couldn’t bite back. “Billie?” she called out after them. “Yes?” They turned back to her, eyes wide. “I just wanted to... to say thank you.” Madeline paused, taking a deep breath before plunging onward. She’d started now, so she may as well finish. “You changed me and my life for the better when I met you. I don’t think I’d have coped without you, to be honest. And now, all this.” She gestured at her leg. “You’re a literal lifesaver. So thank you.” Billie’s eyes widened further still, boring into hers. Madeline glanced away, embarrassed by the outburst. The creak of a floorboard warned her of their approach seconds before strong, warm arms folded around her. “I’d do so much more, Mads. You know that,” they whispered, breath tickling her neck. “Thank you for being in my life.” Slowly, when the shock had worn off, Madeline returned the embrace. The pair remained like that for what felt to her like a flash of eternity. When Billie eventually pulled back, their eyes were swimming. They muttered, “Sleep well, Mads.” Then, they hurried out the door. Alone, Madeline became acutely aware of her racing heart. And then there was how her skin tingled where Billie’s arms had been moments before. In a way, she felt as if she was still held in their warm hug. But as the corners of her mouth lifted further and further, reality came crashing back. Given the world they were living in, how could she possibly be indulging a silly little *crush*? And worse still, she needed Billie. Not just because of her injuries, but because of everything else. The support. The connections. The knowledge. She definitely shouldn’t do anything to jeopardise that. Besides, from what she’d seen, Billie seemed to have a way with people. She didn’t want to just be another in a long line of conquests. Pushing the foolish thoughts out of her head, she lay back with a *humph* and closed her eyes. But no matter how much she *decided* she wasn’t going to think about it, her mind had other ideas. It looked like she was in for another long, sleepless night.