The ceremony was fun as Miller put on a robust, dramatic display as he led them through the moment. He proclaimed them 'man and wife' and they kissed, then retired to the bedroom, making love for most of the afternoon and napping late into the night.

They found that Kim-Ly and Miller had settled beside Catalina and Diego, and they refused to retake the bed, insisting that the newlyweds enjoy their wedding night. After making mugs of hot cider, Hitch and Kieu-Linh returned to the bedroom and made love again, Hitch filling Kieu-Linh's mouth with a small, salty load.

Morning found the weather milder, warm sun coaxing the lingering layers of snow to slowly melt, forming a crunch, icy on top. The cows had to be tended, and despite Miller's protests that they should continue to celebrate by relaxing, Hitch and Kieu-Linh trudged to the barn and ensured all was in order, laying out fresh hay and milking those which were ready to produce.

It took several more warm days before the snow was finally reduced to isolated patches in shade or in holes in the soil. With the help of Miller and Kim-Ly, Hitch was able to expose Kieu-Linh to more field exercises, reinforcing previous lessons and adding new considerations.

Hitch was eager to hump back to the bunker, and he and Kieu-Linh set out as soon as it was light on May 12th, they settled into a quick pace to the south.

After nightfall the next day, they arrived earlier than expected thanks to warm weather which had first melted the snow, then partially dried the ground in the most difficult stretches.

A message from Jimmy was waiting for them. “He's coming back in ten days... Damn. Wonder what's bugging him... He doesn't leave me any clue why he's trying to get in touch, but I bet this is not a social visit.”

“What are we going to do?”

“I want to wait here and talk to him. Jimmy's probably taking some risks coming up here, something important he wants to tell me.”

“Alright.”

“But... I'd like you to return on schedule.”

“James--” she started, defensively.

“Your parents know when to expect us, they'll worry if we aren't back on time. I don't want you to go, but I think we need to ensure they aren't stressing themselves over us. I think that's only fair...”

Kieu-Linh was quiet then said, “okay. You're right. I'll go back to them in the morning.” She leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his body from the side. “But I'll come back as soon as I tell them. I can't bear the thought of being away from you for long...”

He started to protest but found that he felt the same way. There was already a pit in his stomach thinking about the nights he'd have to spend without her. He smiled instead, and replied, “I'd like that.”

Despite being worn down from the hike, Kieu-Linh rode Hitch for almost an hour, sometimes slipping off to suck her slickness from his cock, eventually settling her asshole over his rigid flesh and coaxing him to ejaculate into her bowels while her hands explored his chest and stomach.

At dawn the next morning, they kissed goodbye, a more difficult moment than Hitch had expected. Before she'd risen from the mattress in the dark to prepare, Kieu-Linh had knelt between his legs and brought him to orgasm with her lips and tongue, a parting gift she'd insisted on giving him.

He watched her disappear up the ridge and was left standing, suddenly feeling unbalanced. His stomach was a knot already. He couldn't help but reflect on how much he had changed, emotionally, over the past year. She hadn't been gone an hour before he felt utterly isolated and alone.

But Hitch steeled himself again, setting out some of the stored supplies, then heading out on the hunt. He saw no deer, but caught one rabbit beside a brook, and added a bundle of mushrooms he found growing on a ragged, fallen tree nearby.

The days passed too slowly. Hitch was bored. He missed Kieu-Linh, and he found, also, that he missed the others. He had come to enjoy the presence of Kim-Ly and Miller, Diego and Catalina. As he sat outside the bunker, three days after Kieu-Linh had departed, he smiled at memories of making love with his young wife, images of watching Diego and Catalina together. He masturbated for the first time in months, spilling his seed on the ground as he relived cumming inside Kieu-Linh's mouth days before.

He grew worried when Kieu-Linh didn't arrive back when he expected. Hitch paced around the bunker on the sixth night around dusk. He stopped to listen, hoping that he'd hear Kieu-Linh's footsteps coming down from the ridge line. Other than the bubbling chirps and tweets and leaves rustling, he heard nothing. He barely slept that night, beginning to worry.

- - -

“James?”

He was on his feet in seconds, M9 in his hand without thought. Kieu-Linh had arrived and stood near the entrance to the bunker.

“Linh! I was worried...”

“I know... I'm sorry. Dad wasn't feeling good, so I stayed around to help out. I knew you would worry, but...”

“No, don't apologize. I'm glad you're alright. What's wrong with your dad?”

“Just feeling sick, just a cold or flu, but he didn't feel up to getting out of bed for a couple of days. He was doing better when I left, though. I came back as soon as I could.”

“I know.” He let out a relieved breath that felt like it had been held for days. “I really missed you.” He hugged her and kissed her chapped lips gently.

“Me too.”

Before they broke their embrace, Hitch's cock was rising, and he turned Kieu-Linh around, bent her against the wall of the bunker, and slid into her vagina, fucking her steadily, the teen cumming twice before he pulled out of her and spurted cum against her butt cheek.

The next few days were much easier. They hunted and killed a doe and a small buck, and another rabbit, plenty of meat to have fresh supplies and some to add back to the stores.

- - -

The pop and hiss of a trip flare outside the bunker tore Hitch out of a sensual dream about his young wife and into a crouch, sidearm in hand, beside the entrance. He listened carefully.

“Major?” a male voice called out. “It's Jimmy.”

Hitch slowed his racing heart with slow breaths, keeping his gun drawn, then stepping out of the bunker and behind the tree near the front. “Jimmy?”

“Yeah... I'm coming in...”

“Just you?”

“Yes.”

“I'll guide you so you don't set off another.”

He crept out after letting his eyes fully adjust once the trip flare finally burned out, the intense brightness blinding in the dark. The point of a trip flare was to alert defensive units that the perimeter might have been breached. It popped and burned bright like a thick sparkler, making it easy for machine gunners and riflemen to view the area around the flare. A couple of times, some large game had likely set them off around the bunker, but Hitch had always slept a bit better knowing that he might get a few seconds of notice should it not be an animal approaching.

Hitch found Jimmy crouching near where the flare had discharged. The thin black man was wearing his utility uniform, the camouflage molted greens and browns, the patch with 'Kingman' ragged but still readable on his chest. He still looked like the skinny black kid Hitch had seen last when they broke up the Turtletown Patriots six years before. Jimmy had to be in his late thirties, but Hitch had a hard time not seeing the eager young man he'd served with first along the Colorado.

Jimmy smiled and shook his hand. “Good to see you, Major. It's been a long time.”

“Too long, Jimmy. Really good to see you, too.” Hitch turned back towards the bunker, “I'll walk you through, let's get in and warm up.”

He guided Jimmy to the bunker and paused. “My... wife is inside. Let me tell her you're here.” Hitch stepped inside and said evenly, “Linh?”

“Yes?”

“Jimmy's arrived.”

“Okay. I'll light a candle... and pull my pants up...”

Hitch hid a grin as he returned to Jimmy and told him, “come on.”

They stepped in and by the spare candlelight, Jimmy looked around the bunker. “Nice. Build this yourself, Major?”

Hitch nodded, “just another foxhole. Well, a lot better than any foxhole I ever had. Damn sure would have been nice more than a few times, right?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“This is Kieu-Linh, Linh, my wife, we... just married a few days ago. This is Jimmy Kingman, I told you a bit about him.”

Jimmy reached out his hand and paused, his eyes noticing for the first time Kieu-Linh's youth. The hesitation lasted only a second before he smiled and said, “very nice to meet you, Ma'am.”

“Nice to meet you, Jimmy. Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, Ma'am.”

“You can call me Linh, Jimmy.”

“He won't,” Hitch chuckled, “he's too polite. His mom and dad raised him tight-laced, I think.”

Jimmy grinned, “guilty, Sir.”

They sat quickly with cups of hot tea, and Hitch asked, “what's going on, Jimmy? You seem awful eager to talk.”

Jimmy nodded, glancing at Kieu-Linh before speaking. “I've heard a rumor that you should hear.”

Hitch leaned forward.

“There's this Patriot Brigade out of Denver. Guess they are one of the ones still fighting hard, and they have a pretty solid Free America force behind them. They've been making progress south, together. North California is still up in the air, but there is indication the Imps are giving ground and giving it fast.”

“What are you getting at, Jimmy?”

The black man swallowed and looked at Hitch. “The Denver Patriots... I think your daughter might be leading them.”

Hitch started at Jimmy blankly, not comprehending. “What?!”

“I don't know for sure, Major. I don't. But I've heard from a couple of sources that there's this woman named Hitchens running things there.”

Hitch didn't believe it. “That could be anyone, there are lots of Hitchens women out there, I'm sure. My daughter died at Chelan.”

“She was MIA, but as far as I know, no one ever found her dead, not officially, Major,” Jimmy replied. “Like I said, I don't know. But... I have a couple of buddies that are still in the fight, out west. We've been using our hams to talk from time to time. They send me some info about The War. One of em, fighting with a company of Free Americans near Las Vegas, said they were engaged just north of the city, and covering their flank were the Denver Patriots. He got hit, not too bad, was back at a field hospital when this woman comes through during a lull in the shooting, looking for one of her soldiers.”

Jimmy looked at Hitch again, “she had a tattoo of an eagle, globe, and anchor on her neck...”

Hitch was jolted into images of his daughter as he'd last seen her. Willow had been born with a birthmark on her neck, an irregular brown patch that she'd hated. They'd let her get a tattoo to cover it when she turned sixteen, and she'd chosen to use the Marine Corp symbol as what she wanted the world to see instead.

“That's... that's... oh my god...” Hitch couldn't think straight. He tried to quash the rising excitement he felt. Could my daughter really be alive? I was so sure she was dead... so sure I'd dealt with that...”What else do you know? Anything, Jimmy!”

Jimmy shook his head, “not much, nothing more about her other than he said she was tall, long neck, and she looked like she could chew up Imps and spit them out without much effort. That's all I know.”

Kieu-Linh had slid to Hitch's side and held her hand on his leg. “James?” she said when he grew silent.

“I'm thinking...” He tried to piece together what it meant in his world. I have to go to her, don't I? I have to see her again...

“That's why I've been looking for you, Major. I thought you should know,” Jimmy said calmly.

“Yes... yes, thanks... I just... I can't believe it might be possible... I don't want to trust it, Jimmy. I don't want to trust it.”

“I understand, Major. I do. Damn sure sounds like her, right?”

“It does... if your buddy is right...”

“So what do we do,” Kieu-Linh asked quietly, now holding his hand, “go find her?”

Hitch had to smile suddenly at how his young wife had moved past what 'he' was going to do and ensured that she was involved, whatever it was. He kissed her cheek, then replied, “I don't know... I'll need some time to think...”

“Ok... whatever we do, you're not leaving me behind.”

“I know. I would never dream of it.”

Jimmy cleared his throat. “If you would be obliged, Major, Ma'am, might I take shelter here a couple of hours and rest? I've been chasing wild hogs for days, good haul, but worn out.”

“Of course,” Kieu-Linh said, “here, please, take the mattress.”

“Oh, no, Ma'am, I could no—“

“I insist.”

Jimmy's eyes pleaded with Hitch to intervene, the man clearly uneasy about taking a comfort from the young woman. Hitch smiled and nodded his head to indicate that it was out of his hands.

Jimmy thanked them and curled up to sleep.

Hitch and Kieu-Linh sat near the bunker entrance and sipped hot tea in silence until dawn.

- - -

“I'm thinking of taking up the fight again, Major,” Jimmy said as he set to depart a couple of hours later. “I feel like I have something left to give, and the way the Imps are treating people... it just makes me furious, Sir.”

“I know... I... I know. Where would you go, Jimmy? Who would you join?”

Jimmy shrugged, “dunno. I figure I've got some choice with the Brigades, nothing like the Corps where some dumb-dumb officer might, I dunno, insist I shave in the freezing rain instead of getting ten more minutes under my Corps-issued poncho.”

Hitch laughed, “you were looking like a hobo.”

Jimmy cracked a smile, “yeah, but at least that hobo was warm. Anyway, I'll probably head to the coast. There are strong salients around Wilmington and near Jacksonville, might be the way to go.”

“I wish you luck, Jimmy. How can I find you again? Where are you staying?”

The younger man pointed to the far ridge, near where Hitch had previously noticed tendrils of smoke. “A lot like this place, hard to get to. Had to build a vent array to hide the fires.”

“How did you find this place, anyway.”

Jimmy turned and grinned, “remember that fall back through those hills in Arkansas?”

“Of course.”

“You drew me a map, trying to show me the best place for setting up there, when we were considering an isolated garrison for Bravo. I pretty much took that same idea and, when the trader in Mountain City told me he'd seen a guy who came down from somewhere to the north who sounded a lot like you, it wasn't too hard to figure out the spot you would have picked to defend.”

Hitch laughed and shook the man's hand. “You always were sharp, Corporal. Good to see that hasn't changed. You gotta learn, however,” Hitch said as Jimmy turned to leave, “to stop setting off those goddamned trip flares.”

Jimmy laughed. “Semper Fi, Major.”

“Semper Fi, Jimmy.”

- - -

Hitch and Kieu-Linh set out immediately afterwards, heavy packs loaded with the rest of the things he'd wanted to retrieve from the bunker. He pulled up the trip flares before leaving so that he could put them around the cabin.

They walked in silence for a couple of hours before Kieu-Linh said, “you're very quiet, James.”

“Sorry. Thinking about Willow.”

“I hope she's alive.”

“I'm trying hard not to believe it,” he replied quietly.

“Afraid to find out it's not true?”

“Yes.”

Kieu-Linh stopped him and kissed his lips, saying, “we could go look for her.”

“It's more complicated than just you and me deciding to go. There's the others to think about. They need help, there's so much to do.”

“I know. I just meant that... that's what I want to do. For you. I don't think you'll be at ease unless you find out...”

Hitch chewed his lip a moment. “Yes, that's true...”

“Then we'll figure it out.”

“We should keep moving,” Hitch said, not wanting to bog down on conflicting emotions, “those clouds don't look friendly.”

- - -

It rained in the night while they huddled together in the small pup tent they shared on each hike. The ground was muddy and slippery the next day, slowing them, and it was another day before they trekked into the clearing below the cabin.

Kim-Ly met them with a smile as they climbed the porch. She hugged Kieu-Linh, then James. “Glad you two are back. Storm's coming in fast.”

The afternoon sky had darkened and looked threatening in the west.

“How's Miller?” Hitch asked.

“Fine, he's fine. Cranky. He won't admit it, but he was worried about you while you were away. I think that old man rather cares for you both.”

“I'd like to see him. Excuse me,” Hitch said, heading inside.

“Hello, Major,” Miller said with a cracked grin, “thought you'd'a run off an' lef' us.”

“Never crossed my mind,” Hitch responded. “You doing alright?”

“Eh, could use ta res' my knee, bu' I'll survive. Meet with yer man?”

“I did. I'd like to talk to you and the others about something we learned. Let me get cleaned up a bit, then I'd like to discuss it.”

“Fair 'nuff, Hitch. Ease on down an' relax. I'll getta supper goin'.”

Hitch joined Kieu-Linh at the spring where Diego and Catalina were finishing up their baths. They exchanged happy greetings, and soon departed, leaving the newlyweds a moment to scrub the sweat and dirt from their bodies.

The thunder and lightening moved in fast and interrupted them as they started to make love in the water, chasing them back to the cabin as rain began to pour down.

Inside, the smells of fresh bread and rich meat made Hitch's stomach growl. Miller dished out venison steaks with a brown onion gravy ladled over top, canned hominy in a small pile on the side. Hitch ate ravenously and belched, drawing a giggle from Kieu-Linh. “Sorry.”

Miller eyed him evenly after they'd finished the meal, saying, “so wha' on yer min', Hitch?”

He sucked in his breath and told the others what they'd learned from Jimmy about the possibility that his daughter was alive and somewhere out west. Kim-Ly asked the obvious question first, “are you going to find out for sure?”

“I... I'm torn, Kim... I owe you a debt here, I can't just leave after you've taken me in as your own. I can't abandon this place to go chasing ghosts.”

“It's only a problem if it is truly a ghost you seek,” Kim-Ly replied, “what if she is alive?”

“Then... I would like to see her again...”

“The' ya mus' go, Major,” Miller proclaimed, “no two ways 'bout it.”

“But here—“

“We'll be fine here,” Kim-Ly cut in. “We managed before you came to stay just a few weeks ago, I'm sure, with Diego and Catalina here now, we'll manage just fine.” She looked at her daughter, “and I have no doubt this one is going with you.”

“Naturally,” Hitch said with a grin.

“Then it is settled,” Kim-Ly declared. “Just a matter of when and how you get there.”

Hitch was silent a moment. “We can't go right now. The weather in these parts won't get mild for another couple of weeks, if the past is any indication. I don't want us to get stuck out in the bush night after night in snow or cold rain. Plus... I really don't know where she is, just where she might have been a few weeks ago.”

“And there's the Empire to think about,” Kieu-Linh added. “Doesn't it still control pretty much the whole way there?”

Hitch nodded, “probably. It won't be easy, I think. Wish I had a lot more information to work with here. I don't like setting out blind.”

“I'll see wha' I can stir up on tha bands, maybe I can raise someone who knows somethin',” Miller suggested.

“Thank you,” Hitch said, effectively ending the discussion, then changed the subject, “If this storm passes quickly, I'd like to start on the addition as soon as possible.” He looked down at Catalina's growing belly. “Gonna need more space here before Winter.”

“We can try tha', Major. Tomorrow, ya an' me'll pull ou' tha ole rig I used ta brin' down tha lumber.”

“Great.” Hitch yawned, very tired suddenly. “I must admit I'm worn out. I'll settle down for sleep if you'll excuse me.”

Kieu-Linh joined him in their usual place near the fire, leaving the rug open for Diego and Catalina. The others talked quietly in at the table, but for the first time in a long time, that didn't keep Hitch from closing his eyes and finding sleep quickly.

James "Hitch" Hitchens, Male, 50

	- US Marine Corps and Turtletown Patriot officer, veteran of The War

	- 6'0, 180lbs, tanned beige skin, cropped brown hair

Kieu-Linh Miller, Female, 16

	- Daughter of Miller and Kim-Ly

	- 5'10, 145lbs, cinnamon skin, shoulder-length silky black hair

Jefferson Miller, Male, early-60s

	- US Marine Corp Sergeant, veteran of The War, Father of Kieu-Linh, husband of Kim-Ly

	- 6'2, 195lbs, tanned pale skin, white unkempt hair

Kim-Ly Miller, Female, mid-30s

	- Mother of Kieu-Linh, wife of Miller, veteran of The War

	- 5'9, 150lbs, cinnamon skin, shoulder-length black hair

Diego, Male, 14

	- Boyfriend of Catalina

	- 5'8, 130lbs, rich brown skin, unkempt dark-brown hair with bangs

Catalina, Female, 14

	- Girlfriend of Diego, pregnant

	- 5'7, 125lbs, mocha-brown skin, long straight dark-brown hair

Jimmy Kingman, Male, early-30s

	- US Marine Corps and Turtletown Patriot rifleman, veteran of The War

	- 5'11, 160lbs, medium-brown skin, unkempt curly black hair