EXPLODE

twenty two

A plush towel was wrapped around my body. I absorbed the feeling of the cotton and air-conditioning of the room.

It wouldn't be long until Liam and I left for the Rebellion's headquarters, and no one suspected a thing.

I stare at my appearance in the mirror, trying to spot exactly what had changed in the two months I'd lived in the castle, but other than the glow from the night before and the rings under my eyes, all changes were internal.

Glancing at my outfit hanging on the back of the door, I sigh quietly. The last outfit I could possibly be wearing, and it looked horridly uncomfortable.

I had to be disguised as a person of the Third Faction until we got to the camp; which mean scratchy, worn jeans, an unshapely wool sweater, worker boots, and a bandanna to keep my hair back. I knew I would look utterly atrocious in the outfit.

But it would be worth it.

Slipping on the pair of jeans, a knock sounds on the door. I cover up my breasts as Liam walks in and he chuckles.

"You don't need to hide anymore, doll," he whispers, bringing my arms down to my sides and pressing a kiss to my lips. I blush, but my insecurities washed away as he pressed loving kisses all over my face and neck.

I glance at the mirror and notice the pink and bruised portions of my collarbones and neck from Liam's sweet love-bites, and smile, letting out a content sigh.

"Happy?" He asks, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. I nod, stepping around him and pulling on the scratchy wool sweater, the material chaffing against my skin. Pulling my head out of the sweater, I see a frown etched on Liam's face before disappearing back into a smile.

"Aren't you happy?" I ask quietly, a wave of insecurity washing over me. He vehemently shakes his head, taking my wrists and wrapping them around his neck.

"Of course I'm happy. I'm scared I'll lose you, Dawn. I don't want to lose you," he responds. I let my gaze drop to the floor, feeling bad, but Liam hooks his finger underneath my chin and matches my gaze to his. "I love you, Dawn."

"I love you." I tell him earnestly. I look out the window at the rising sun, knowing that it wouldn't be long until the castle would be back in business. "We should go."

Liam nods, grabbing my bandanna for me, tying it around my head. I smile at him before returning into the bedroom and thrusting the window open.

"This is how I always got out. Take the vine down the side of the house-- I promise it's sturdy-- until you get to the bottom. It faces the back of the home where there are no windows and never any people around. After that it's a straight shot to the woods," I explain to him, wrapping my hand around the familiar vine lining down my window.

He nods. I demonstrate by climbing down the side, using the soles of the boots to keep close to the side of the building. Seconds later I'm at the bottom, looking up as Liam pokes his head out the window before doing the same.

"Let's go." He commands, breaking into a jog towards the woods. I glance around before following, the only sounds were of our feet crunching the fallen leaves and birds beginning to chirp a song.

I felt the sweat trickling down my back and onto the scratchy material of the sweater as we began running through the humid morning, making my breathing labored.

We ran for a good half hour towards the direction of the Third Faction, which I knew would be heavily guarded.

"What's the plan?" I pant once we were within a distance to the Third Faction where we could see it through the break of the trees. Sure enough, there were groups of guards lining the Faction.