Marc rested against the soft fabric of the living room couch with Cassie nestled against him. He could feel her chest rising and falling against him. Elijah was taking a nap in his room while Marc and Cassie's afternoon reading session had turned into an unexpected nap. Though Marc could tell Cassie wasn't asleep, he could tell she was beginning to slowly drift off by the way her eyes remained shut and how her head had somehow found his shoulder to lean against.

He grinned at her resting face and leaned back, drawing the blanket a little closer to both of them to combat the winter cold. When all this was over, which could be in a few months, Marc hoped he could have endless moments like this with Cassie. His eyes darted down toward the engagement ring on her finger. He grinned slightly, his heart rate beginning to pick up just at the very thought of spending his life with her.

Marc shut his own eyes, beginning to feel sleep overtake him when footsteps interrupted both of their slumbers. He watched Cassie's eyelashes flutter with growing noise, and she let out a quiet groan.

"Ah, good. You two are already down here. I was just about to plan a meeting," Cherie stated, stepping into the living room.

"Right in the middle of naptime?" Marc complained, whatever doze he had entered completely gone.

Cherie rolled her eyes. "There will be plenty of time for that later. I think your brother's watching T.V. The girls are upstairs. Wyatt is probably napping as well."

"What's the meeting about?" Cassie drowsily asked beside Marc.

"Just what some plans will be for the siege ahead. I promise it won't take too long," Cherie said, quickly scurrying off.

"You think she'll talk about The Tiger?" Marc asked once Cherie's footsteps could be heard squeaking against the stairs.

Cassie shrugged. "I feel like this will all be directed at me more than anyone else."

Marc rubbed a hand up and down her arm before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Her soft hair tickled his nose as he did so. He watched as the others began to trickle in, his brother being one of the first. Conny had been acting off for the past few days, though Marc couldn't tell why. Conny, as a joy spiritkeeper, always seemed to be in a good mood. He couldn't think of anything that would've caused his brother to lose that almost annoying cheerfulness of his.

As Marc thought this, Conny let out a loud yawn.

"You good?" Marc asked.

"Just a little tired. Looks like you two were napping as well. It must be this weather," Conny said before becoming quiet again.

Marc nodded, though he felt like there was another reason for Conny's tiredness. He was not normally a lazy person. In fact, he was always up and about and trying to occupy his time with someone else.

Wyatt appeared to have just awoken from his own nap as he meandered to a free seat while Lillian and Mitsuki squished together on one chair. Mitsuki was practically sitting on Lillian's lap as her legs draped across the arm of the chair. They were almost more intertwined than he and Cassie were.

Cherie clapping her hands together made Marc jolt. Cassie sat up straight next to him, her eyes gazing forward. Whatever little chatter there was in the room died down in an instant as Cherie cleared her throat.

"The operation has a set date. January 14th. About two months from now," Cherie stated. "It'll be mid-week, not too long after New Year's. We're hoping to take them by surprise, which is why this process has been sped up so rapidly."

Marc noticed that Francesco was also strangely quiet today. He sat in his normal chair, though he looked a bit pale and out of the loop. Was Cherie going to say something upsetting?

"We will all be a part of major military ranks, which is why it's important to keep up training and to practice the strategies sent to me by the official leaders of this revolution. Review the protocols in your pamphlets frequently so you have a good knowledge of the exact plan. We'll be doing more intensive training as this date grows closer. I already left the pamphlets in your rooms, did I not?" she asked.

Marc nodded, though he repressed a groan. The last thing he wanted out of all of this was homework, even if it was for the greater good.

"It's important you do," Cherie said, turning her eyes toward Marc as if she were reading his thoughts. "Because you'll all be putting yourself in much more danger than ever before. I can't guarantee your safety. I don't think we will all come out of this alive, which is why it's important you do your best to survive."

The room had grown eerily silent with this realization.

"I hate to bring the mood down, but this is the reality. I will try to keep us in safer ranks and in ranks together, but Cassie will especially be in danger as the Preservers are willing to do anything to get ahold of her and her power. Do you agree, Cassie?"

Cassie nodded beside Marc.

"I will be giving extensive updates, so don't think I'm sending you out into battle alone. As of now, you're all welcome to attend any meetings along with Cassie, Francesco, and I. The other leaders and I came to this decision not too long ago. I encourage you to come if you can," Cherie stated.

"Is that all?" Lillian asked as Cherie began folding her papers.

"Yes...for now."

"Nothing about The Tiger?" Mitsuki asked.

"I'll have an update after Thanksgiving, but nothing to share for now," Cherie said, quickly putting the subject to rest.

"What about me?" Cassie asked.

"I'll speak to you privately about meetings and such. You already seem to have a good idea of your place in this revolution. We haven't made a specific role for you yet. Your participation will be the most valuable, but we've already gathered a crowd. I'll let you know if any situations arise that you need to perform a speech or sway a group. For now, you'll just be training as any other soldier."

"O-Okay," Cassie stammered.

He turned, seeing her shoulders shaking slightly. It was beginning to set in for him as well that this was soon going to become very real. The fantasy he'd had for years, ever since his parents had died, had nearly come true. One day very soon, he might finally be free.

...

Marc was half-asleep when Cassie entered their bedroom in the evening. He sat up slowly as she quietly shut the door and extended his arms.

"Come to love me now?" he asked.

"I thought you were asleep," Cassie admitted as she crawled onto their bed and fell into his arms. He held her close to his body, breathing in her scent. She had just finished talking with Cherie for a bit after putting Elijah to bed.

"How did the meeting go?" Marc asked, his arms still grasped tightly around her. He began to loosen his grip for her to talk, but she held him tighter.

"Don't move. It's freezing in here," Cassie said, burying her face in his chest.

Marc chuckled softly and pressed tiny kisses around her face before she finally settled down next to him in bed. He laid on his side, staring at her, as she began to speak.

"It really wasn't anything that fascinating. The same old. Just me attending meetings, speaking if I need to. Obviously I'll be a part of this mission. I don't know how much they'll try to pump the publicity though. I've already rallied the crowd so..."

"Did she say anything about which rank you might be in?" Marc wondered. "Or what you'll be doing?"

"No. I think the ultimate goal would be for me to kill Lynch myself. But I don't know. Nothing's been said. And if someone else wants to steal that thunder, so be it. He hasn't done as much to me as he's done to all of you, even if people victimize me," Cassie mumbled.

"I'll try to be in the same rank as you," Marc promised.

"That's not your decision when it comes down to it," Cassie warned. She let out a sigh and interlaced her fingers with his. He could feel her metal ring pressing against his fingers as she did so. "I know you want to protect me. I feel the same. But when it comes down to it, you need to make sure the Preservers don't win, even if that means—"

"Stop. Please stop," Marc begged, tears beginning to sting his eyes. He hated thinking of what could possibly happen during the attack. He didn't want to die and leave Cassie alone or attend her own funeral. Not when they'd already been making plans for a future together.

"I need you to acknowledge it. We don't need to talk about it now, but...but we'll have to eventually," Cassie said.

"Do you think about it often?" Marc wondered.

"Yes, but I can't help it, not when everyone glorifies me as the leader of this entire revolt. Lynch will have his eyes on me the moment we come into contact with the Preservers. So, I want to make sure that—"

Marc broke her off with a kiss. He expected her to quickly push him away to finish her speech, but she instead rested her hand on his cheek and deepened the kiss, eliciting the faintest moans from Marc himself. He slowly pulled away and blinked dreamily before Cassie struck a hand against his cheek. He gasped in shock and placed his hand to the aching spot she had hit.

"Cut me off when I'm saying something important again, and you'll go sleep on the couch," she warned.

There was the lack of affection Marc was expecting.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, chuckling slightly. Even when Cassie was angry, he still couldn't take her completely seriously. The way her cheeks puffed up and her face turned red always had the opposite effect.

"Will you think about what I said?" Cassie asked.

"Yes, not that I want to. Let's not think about that for now. Thanksgiving is soon. Aren't you excited I'm coming with you?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, yes. The house will be crammed full, but it should be fun. Unfortunately you will be sleeping on the couch then," she teased.

"Whatever," Marc mumbled, leaning up to kiss her again.

"Don't," Cassie warned, her hand pushing into his face. "I'll divorce you."

"We're not even married yet!" Marc exclaimed, causing giggles to exit Cassie's mouth. They laid in silence a few moments before Marc finally exhaled.

"Everyone seems to be on edge lately," he murmured.

Cassie tilted her head. "I mean, I am, but everyone else seems okay. Did you notice something off?"

"No," Marc lied, thinking about Francesco's paleness and Conny's strange attitude. He supposed he could attribute Cherie's lack of cheerfulness to The Tiger and general stress over battle coordination, but he had no explanation for the others.

"It'll be okay. Let's rest," Cassie said, snuggling closer to him.

Marc grinned, turning slightly to turn off the night. He held Cassie in the darkness, though he too was beginning to grow increasingly worried with each passing minute as he thought of the future to come.