Love Bird.

Are ya' Prepared?

Two AM was here. It would take us eight hours to reach where Victor was being held. I hauled the last duffle bag full of assorted weapons into the trunk, slamming it shut as I turned and looked at the three standing there, waiting.

"See? Told you I had it."

Logan raised an eyebrow at my obviously labored breathing, but didn't say anything.

"So, how 'bout it?" Finn asked, eyes settled on me in a serious expression. 

I rolled my eyes and held up my hand, with one arm bent behind my back in a rightful pose of respect, as I vowed in a loud voice,

"I, Jane Harrison, promise that this is not a suicide mission, but a retrieval of stolen property - which is completely disrespectful to call Victor property by the way-," I began, shoulders relaxing a bit as my hand curled into just one finger pointing loosely into the air.

"Keep going," Logan ordered, cutting me off with a stern expression.

I really needed to stop rolling my eyes. But with one more eye-roll, I stiffened back up, and began again.

"A retrieval of stolen property, and an ass-kicking to send Ike into oblivion. O' this I solemnly swear," I finished off with a flat tone, my hand dropping as soon as the words were out.

"Happy?" I huffed.

Logan grinned, as Finn's arm dropped onto his shoulders. "Very," They replied.

"Quit with the buddy-buddy act and let's go," I grumbled, turning on my heel. "We're wasting time."

Instead of heeding my command, they laughed together as they followed me to the car. I swore I could even hear Dad chortling to himself. I didn't want to think about the new information I was bursting with, so I tried to ignore his presence as much as possible. 

I got into the passenger seat of the car, as Finn settled into the driver's seat. Logan and Dad were getting settled in the back, and I was fiddling with the radio when I realized Finn was staring at me. All emotion was gone from his face. Only the hint of an edge to his eyes. 

I stared back, sober as well. 

"Are ya' prepared?" He asked, and I heard the shuffling come to a halt in the back.

I stared into his familiar gaze, swallowing thickly. I knew what he was asking. There was no guarantee of what we would find. Victor may have already been dead. I'd considered the possibility, but quickly discarded it from my mind. I couldn't think like that.

But I couldn't help the wry smile that crossed my face, as I tilted my head. "Of course not. Was I prepared six years ago?"

He stared at me for a beat more, before he broke out into a devious grin. "'Suppose not."

"Then stop asking dumb questions and let's go," I replied, shooting him a wink.

This time, his laugh was loud, setting the mood for the night to come as he threw the car into drive. "Alright then!"

He sped out of the old muddy drive on two wheels, as I cranked up the radio and tried to pretend that this was a normal dumb adventure that I was embarking on; instead of the horrible journey it was. AC/DC, Back in Black roared over the speakers, and we flew down the old dirt road as if the wheels weren't touching the ground - with how many bumps we hit at 70+ miles and hour, we probably weren't on the ground too often.

Logan was in the back, holding onto the handlebar for dear life. Dad sat with his head against the seat rest, eyes closed as if he were being floated along on a cloud....a very tumultuous cloud that threw him every which way. Maybe he was used to it. It probably felt like home to him.