Maura gripped the handlebars tighter. "Hang on!" she yelled, not bothering to look over at a very pregnant Jane in her sidecar.
She hit the throttle and they skidded over the uneven pavement. The bombs had been brutal in Boston, but up this close to Canada the roads had been torn up by mines, exploding the ground from underneath rather than leaving from above. Maura had become proficient in all terrains. Maura had learned to spot the mines, and she veered to the left, hearing Jane curse. She spared her a glance in the mirror; Jane's scarred hands gripped the chassis tightly and Maura accelerated. They'd found supplies in the abandoned gas station, but someone else had found them. Maura didn't want to end up as someone else's supplies so here they were, speeding through the dark night with one headlight.
They outpaced their followers easily and Maura pulled over down the road. She dismounted on shaking legs and helped Jane to her feet, her pregnant belly brushing Maura. There was no space between them.
"You're okay?" It was always Jane's first question, even as she chewed half an energy bar, shoving the rest into Maura's mouth before she could answer. She uncapped a water bottle - they'd been very, very lucky today - and drank before holding it to Maura's mouth, who obediently drank as Jane steadied her. She'd thought she was past all the feat and adrenaline. Jane finished the water, holstered her gun and reached for Maura. They'd been through this before, the late night raids, being targets. Maura's feet scuffed the glass glittering on the asphalt in their Timberlands she'd picked up from an abandoned outlet mall somewhere along the way. She felt so short and helpless. She was wearing Levis and leather, just like Jane. It looked good on Jane.
Maura nodded numbly, letting Jane tilt her chin so she could look Maura in the eye, to check for herself. Maura never lied, but she did the best she could.
"As okay as anyone could be." Jane nodded and released Maura's chin. "We have to get you somewhere safe soon. That baby's not going to wait much longer."
"Honey," Jane said, her voice low and soft, almost condescending. "I don't think there's anywhere safe left in the world."
But Jane was wrong, because when Jane's arms wrapped around her, it was the safest Maura had ever felt.
