Mitsuki had grown tired of Cherie's strict training implementations. She hated to admit that she wasn't in as much shape as she thought she was. Ever since she had taken a break from training the younger girls, she had lost focus on her vigorous exercise routine, especially with the cold weather that forced her to train inside.

Because of her less-than-frequent exercise over the past few months, Mitsuki was frequently exhausted when the day ended but still forced herself to sit up and read over the strategy. Cherie had asked the others about implementing Irene's idea to stage a turn-in of Cassie to the Preservers. There had been some concerns and questions. Marc himself was not pleased with the idea at all, but overall, Cassie agreed, and the slight shift in plan was underway.

Mitsuki was glad this new plan gave Irene a little something extra to do. She was still trying her hardest to not grow envious of Irene whenever Lillian spoke to her, and while Mitsuki had improved, it was hard to put out the flames of jealousy permanently.

"Mitsuki, can you help me practice this move again?" Wyatt asked as he was stationed near a punching bag. His skills had grown a little weak too with time, but Mitsuki was glad to be a teacher of some sorts again.

"It's like this. Remember?" she said, demonstrating the move to her old trainee.

"Oh! Got it! Thanks!" Wyatt exclaimed. She stood to the side, watching him practice some more for a bit. It was hard to believe it had been a few years since she had trained him. He was different from the scrawny early teen who had come to her for practice. Though his leg always concerned her, Mitsuki knew he would do well in battle. He had made that leg his own, she thought, throughout the years she had trained him.

"Are you going to keep staring at me like that or practice yourself?" Wyatt asked, noticing her gaze.

"Sorry! I was just thinking of when I was teaching again," Mitsuki admitted.

"I'm sure you can go back to that once this is all over," Wyatt assured her.

Once this is all over? Mitsuki wasn't sure what was in store for her. She wanted to keep training, yes, but was that all she wanted to do? What if she found her brothers in the prisons of the Preserver headquarters? That would mean she would have a family again. She hoped Lillian would remain in her future as well. They could get a little house of their own in the woods and plant flowers, own a few pets maybe, listen to the wind sway through the trees in the afternoon...

Mitsuki let out a yelp as someone brushed against her.

"Sorry!" Marc exclaimed. He had accidentally run into her, she realized, as he was sparring with Cassie.

"It's okay," she said, standing off to the side more. Her mind had wandered for a few moments there, more than it usually did.

I have to focus. There's a battle coming up, she reminded herself. Mitsuki glanced at some unused training equipment and got back to work, trying to focus on preparing her body for the upcoming siege.

...

Later that night, Mitsuki sat up in bed, reading over the strategy again with some notes added under the pale glow of her lamp. Cherie had mentioned a little more about how they would all meet in the morning as the military would be planning to invade as soon as Cassie and the others entered. Other than that, there had been no other significant change in the plans.

This is really happening, Mitsuki thought. Her eyes were growing droopy as she continued to look over the text. Her body was slowly sinking downward, her head resting softly on a pillow until a finger nudged her awake a little while later.

Mitsuki jolted awake and caught her breath. Lillian was peering over her, staring at her curiously.

"It's barely nine o'clock, and you already fell asleep?" Lillian asked.

Mitsuki rubbed her eyes. "Cherie's curfew must be working, then. Sorry, did you come in here for something?"

"Not really. I was going to ask to read over those wordy sheets of paper with you, but it looks like you're a bit too exhausted to keep reading," Lillian teased.

"I've read it fifteen times already, I swear. I'm just tired from training," Mitsuki said, curling her body toward Lillian's.

"Mind if we talk then?" Lillian asked, crawling under the covers with her.

"What about?" Mitsuki asked, her eyes growing droopy once more.

"Just regular talking," Lillian said, scooting her body closer to Mitsuki's. She gently placed her hand on Mitsuki's cheek and kissed her before turning her attention to Mitsuki's hair. Mitsuki could feel the drowsiness overwhelm her as Lillian softly stroked her hair.

"Tomorrow's our last day at the cabin," Lillian realized. "We'll be setting off the next day."

"It seems crazy," Mitsuki breathed. "Things will be different when we return, for better or for worse."

"I hope they're for the better," Lillian said, her hand now sliding down to rest on Mitsuki's waist. "I wonder what happens when all this is done."

"I don't know either," Mitsuki murmured quietly. "I've never really tasted that freedom before."

"We can do anything we want," Lillian said. "We could leave the cabin and go elsewhere, take on actual jobs, learn to drive, live closer to civilization. There's so many possibilities. It'll probably take a while to rebuild everything though and get the government back on track again."

"I like the forest though," Mitsuki said.

"Well, it is tradition for spiritkeepers to live in the woods. What do you want to do when this is over? Do you want to stay here for a little bit? Get a house of our own?"

"Live together?" Mitsuki questioned. "We don't even share the same room."

"We nearly do," Lillian said. "There's only one or two days a week we aren't sleeping in each other's beds at night."

Mitsuki curled her body closer to Lillian's, feeling warmth radiate off her girlfriend. She'd imagined living together countless times, even if they had barely been dating six months. Yet something just felt right being with Lillian. She couldn't imagine her life without her.

Lillian's arm squeezed Mitsuki just a bit tighter. Her head was now resting against Mitsuki's, and her eyelids were fluttering slightly with the onset of drowsiness.

"I love you, Lillian," Mitsuki breathed, her eyes half-shut.

"I love you, too," Lillian said, pressing the softest kiss against Mitsuki's forehead, so soft Mitsuki wasn't even sure if her lips had met skin or not.

"What about Irene?" Mitsuki asked.

"Oh, for the love of God!" Lillian exclaimed, pulling away slightly. Whatever intimate moment they had been sharing was immediately eradicated.

"I didn't mean to suggest I'm second-best again. What happens to her when this is done? Will you feel some responsibility toward her? Will that keep you from being with me?" Mitsuki wondered.

Lillian let out a sigh. "Irene is a grown woman, perfectly capable of handling herself. That's not to say we shouldn't offer her our hospitality."

"Oh, great, so she gets to live with us in our little cabin in the woods?" Mitsuki asked.

"Who said anything about a little cabin in the woods?" Lillian wondered.

"Nevermind," Mitsuki growled.

"I don't mean that, but I'd like to still be there for her as she rebuilds her life. I think it will be the duty of everyone here. But we still don't know what will come with this battle. I...I don't think everyone will make it out alive," Lillian admitted.

Mitsuki felt her stomach clench. She knew it was true, but she didn't want to believe it. The last thing she wanted was for either her or Lillian to die, not when they'd only just entered into their relationship. Mitsuki suddenly was angered with herself for waiting so long to tell Lillian how she had felt. They could have had years together, not months. But then again, would Lillian have accepted her feelings if Mitsuki confessed so soon?

"If I die and you hook up with Irene again, I'm going to haunt you from the grave," Mitsuki warned.

"None of us are going to die. We're going to stick together, right? It'll be okay. We only have room for bruises and scratches," Lillian said. "And then we can get married."

"Neither you or I have even proposed," Mitsuki stated.

"True, but do you think there would be any other outcome?" Lillian asked, her lips brushing against Mitsuki's again.

No, Mitsuki thought. She was growing far too tired to speak any more, so she loosely interlaced her fingers with Lillian's and shut her eyes.

"Oh, I suppose I'm the one turning off the light then?" Lillian said.

"Yes," Mitsuki grunted, feeling Lillian move away from her slightly as she leaned over Mitsuki's body to turn off the lamp. Lillian then settled down next to Mitsuki, tightening her grip on the other's fingers.

"Good night," she said softly as her head hit the pillow. Mitsuki felt Lillian give her hand one more tight squeeze.