To Love and Blood

And her luck just gets worse, as headlights cut through the darkness and glare down at her and Layla as the truck it belongs to rumbles its growling roar. Shouts and gun shots fire from the truck as it begins the descent down the dune and rumbles towards where Layla and Kat desperately try to drag Steven back but they have no time.

The truck barrels down on them and Layla has to drag Kat away from Stevens unconscious body. Kat fights her all the way, not wanting to leave Steven so defenseless.

Layla's grip on her arm is the only thing that keeps Kat from rushing in front of Stevens' prone body as the men in the truck get out and jab at him. They appear to be satisfied that Steven is dead and start looking for Layla and Kat, shouting commands to each other in arabic.

“Car.” Kat whispers to Layla, slinking around the car's side and staying out of the mens sight, “Get in the car and pass me those flares.”

“Flares?” Layla questions, following Kat around to the passenger door.

“Yeah, I saw them when I was in the back.” Kat explains hurriedly, holding her breath as she opens the door and prays the men won't hear.

“And what about you? What will you do?” Layla asks as she climbs into the jeep and begins searching for the flares.

Kat gives her an impish smile that spells ‘bad decisions’, “Improvise.”

Giving Layla no more details, Kat ducks around the jeep and dashes through the shadows until she's far enough from the jeep so Layla’s not in firing range. The men are back in the truck now, driving around the jeep where Layla hides and shines their headlights through the windows. Kat holds her breath for a tense moment before the truck turns away from the jeep to search the area around it. In the back of the truck, where a man stands with a fully loaded machine gun, Kat spies the signature red of fireworks peeking out from under a tarp and an idea, a stupid reckless idea, comes to her mind.

Jumping out of the shadows and into the light of the moon, Kat jumps up and down, waving her arms madly as she shouts to the men in the truck.

“Heyyyy! Over here!” Kat goads, steeling her nerves and fighting down the instinct to run as the headlight glare at her and blind her, “Oi! You gonna come get me or are you just cowards?”

‘Well that certainly got on their nerves.’ Kat thinks as the sharp ringing of bullets firing echoes through the empty desert.

Ducking into a roll, Kat dodges the gunshots and starts running a random pattern. She thinks quickly and begins leading them past the jeep. Bullets whiz past her head, close enough that she can feel the air shift with their movement.

‘Come on, just a little more.’ Kat thinks desperately as she nears the jeep and her legs burn with the effort of her random direction changes in the heavy shifting sand.

As she's reaching the jeep, Kat shouts to Layla, “Throw it in the truck!”

Kat ducks down and slides down under the jeeps carriage, wincing as sand finds its way into her shoes and shirt and everything in between. Kat stares at the mechanics of the jeep above her as an explosion rings around her, bright light blinding against the dark night.

Kat can't help the grin spreading across her face as she crawls out from under the jeep. Layla stands in front of her, watching the impromptu fireworks show with a begrudged awe.

“That was awesome.” Kat breathes, grinning widely and squeezing Layla's shoulder.

Layla turns back to Kat with a huff of laughter and a smile, teasing, “I am never letting you improvise again.”

Kat laughs giddily, biting the inside of her cheek as her cheeks burn from the strength of her smile. Examining the wrecked truck, Kat determines that the men are most definitely dead. She doesn't feel too bad.

A groan from the sand brings Kats attention back to where Steven lays, beginning to shift as he gains consciousness.

“Oh crap, Steven!” Kat shouts, rushing over and dropping to her knees to help Steven sit up.

Stevens' eyes flutter open, dazed and confused. Kat is leaning over him, taking up the entirety of his vision and Steven thinks she’s the most beautiful angel he has ever seen. Her cheeks are a rosy red and her lips look soft and plush, Steven has half a mind to kiss them and see if they are as nice as they look.

Stevens hand lazily reaches up to trail his fingers along her cheeks, brushing at the pink hues spotted along them. Her brown hair is a curtail that falls around them, shielding him from the rest of the world.

“Uh, Steven?” Kat questions, her voice soft and low as her heart hammers in her chest, acutely aware of the feeling of Stevens fingers on her skin leaving electricity in their wake, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Steven breathes, the action bringing a sharp pain and bringing everything back into focus, “Ah, nope.”

Kat leans back to give Steven space as she helps him sit up, a hand on his back that rubs soothingly. Stevens' body feels tired, like a bag of bones. Kat absently brushes sand from his hair as she waits for him to recover.

Steven looks around him, Layla stands behind Kat and gives him a smile that Steven returns easily. Steven then spies the burnt out truck, wide eyes turning back to Kat, afraid to ask.

“Yeah, um,” Kat rubs at the back of her neck, a nervous tick she has picked up from Marc, “I- well technically Layla did it too- so we kinda blew up a truck. But,” Kat hurries to defend herself, raising her hands, “they were shooting at us, so no love lost really.”

Steven stares at her open mouthed, not saying anything. His silence makes Kat shift on her feet and worry she’s ruined things again.

‘Stupid, stupid, stupid!’ She mentally scolds herself, ‘You already scared him away, don't make it worse.’

Her mental tirade is interrupted by an abrupt and unexpected chuckle from Steven, his lips parted in an unsure smile. He still looks uncomfortable by the smoking truck, but he isn't looking at Kat with disgust or fear like she had thought. Instead he looks more confused at himself and his own reaction.

“I think you broke him.” Layla whispers to Kat, nudging her side playfully.

Kat watches as Steven continues to laugh, his eyes almost fevered in their daze.

“Oops.” Kat grimaces and watches Steven with curious horror.

A beep from within Layla's bag where her tablet is tucked safely away reminds them of their goal as together, they usher Steven into the front seat and Layla in the back, passing the jingling keys to Kat as she slides into the driver seat.

“Seatbelt.” Kat reminds Steven who jumps to click his into place.

Kat retapes the loose wires together and the rumble of the car starts, vibrating the jeep and sounding like a lullaby to Kats ears.

“Wake me up when we get there.” Layla says, laying down across the back seat and pillowing her head with her arm, her curls cascading over like a waterfall.

Kat nods and shifts the jeep into drive, pressing down on the gas and accidentally lurching forward. Kat mutters an apology and tries again, using less pressure, and they slowly start moving forward, the sand shifting easily beneath the tires as she navigates them back onto a main road.

Kat drives down this road for a while. It's empty of any cars, the only light provided being the moon and her headlights. The night is quiet except for the distant song of birds waking in the early morning and the hooting sound of a jackal's call. Steven sits silently beside her, his head tipped back to rest against the headrest and his eyes closed softly. Kat knows he's not asleep by the way his fingers tap at his thigh, but he looks so peaceful he might as well be.

“Konshue’s gone.”

Stevens' voice breaks through the quiet, soft and sad as he opens his eyes and looks at Kat.

“I can feel it.” Steven continues, “The absence.”

Kat nods her understanding, glancing over at Steven and giving an apologetic smile.

“Bastet’s gone too. Not imprisoned, but weakened.” She reveals, releasing a heavy sigh as the absence of her goddess feels like a gaping wound, “She doesn't know when she'll be back.”

“I'm sorry.” Steven says quietly.

“Not your fault, no need to apologize.” Kat tells him. The softness of the moment and the way it wraps around them like a bubble of their own, draws out Kats words as she quietly speaks, “I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I’m an avatar.”

“I don't think I would have believed you.” Steven tells her with a derisive chuckle, “It makes a lot more sense now, why you believed me so easily with all the insane things I told you.”

Kat turns her head to give Steven a gentle look, one so fond and soft that it takes his breath away, as she confides, “I would have believed you no matter what you said, even if I hadn't been an avatar. I will always believe you.”

Kat turns her attention back to the road and keeps her eyes firmly ahead as Steven stares at her. The atmosphere falls back into quietness as Steven cannot formulate any words to reply with that would sufficiently summarize the way his heart beats faster and feels warm with affection.

Logically, Steven knows that this attraction to Kat is dangerous, that it shouldn't be and that he needs to ignore it. She is, was, an assassin and he knows that she's dangerous, but that danger is exactly what makes her so alluring. Even before he knew of her past job, while they would walk together and chat, there was always that small lingering edge of danger about her, one that draws Steven closer despite himself.

In the side view mirror, Steven can see Marc glaring at him vehemently, ordering that he give him back the body and to ‘not even think of it’. Steven ignores him and turns his attention back to Kat. As he watches her face, her hair dancing in the warm wind coming in from the shot out windows, his mind unhelpfully supplies the image that is forever burned into him.

Kat, golden and glowing, eyes a bright gold as energy shoots around her like fireworks. Her hair suspended in air around her like a halo and her body floating off the ground, an angel incarnate. Beautiful and otherworldly, powerful and strong. `

“What is it? Do I have something on my face?” Kat breaks Steven out of his memories as he realizes with embarrassment that he has been staring.

Kats staring at him and he feels pinned by her gaze.

“No, you're beautiful.” Steven breathes, his mouth working faster than his brain which belatedly catches up and realizes what he just said, not at all awkwardly correcting, “Ah- uhm, no, nope, face is fine. Completely fine.”

Kat laughs, a pleasant sound that brings a soft smile to Stevens face, as she asks, “Do you remember what I asked you when we first met?”

Steven thinks back, pursuing his lips in thought. Honestly what he remembers most is thinking ‘Wow, a beautiful woman is talking to me and isn't weirded out at all!’ and vowing vengeance on Donna for interrupting them.

Steven shakes his head and Kat supplies it for him, “I asked whether or not you were always awkward. Well Steven Grant, I think I have my answer now.”

Kat turns her teasing grin of Steven and really, it shouldn't make his heart beat like it does. Completely ridiculous.

“I remember someone,” Steven gives Kat a pointed look, “leaning against a display, which is against Gallary rules.”

Kat gives a mock gasp, hand fluttering over her chest as she exaggeratedly rebuffs, “Moi? Never!”

Stevens' lips split into that adorable grin that Kat loves so much, sadly she needs to keep her eyes on the road so as not to crash and kill them all, so she hasn't much time to appreciate it.

From the back seat, Layla gets up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and leaning forward over the middle console.

“If you two are done flirting,” Layla says looking between them, very unsubtly, “I can drive and one of you can sleep.” Layla pauses, thinking before saying, “Or both of you could sleep, though it might be a tight fit.”

“You're very unhelpful, ya know that?” Kat quips, a frown that is easily pulled into a smile on her lips.

“I try.” Layla shrugs, an impish smile on her face.

Stopping the car, Kat turns to Steven, offering, “You should sleep, I already got some earlier.”

Steven shakes his head, “No, I was unconscious for a while, got plenty of rest then. You should sleep.”

“I was also unconscious for a while before.” Kat scoffs, not giving up on this, “You should take it.”

“I'm not taking it, I don't need it.”

“I don't need it either.”

“What you both need,” Layla cuts in exasperatedly, “is to shut up and one of you get back here so I can drive.”

Properly scolded, Kat and Steven hang their heads and Kat slides out of the drivers side and into the back. Layla starts the car and starts driving again while Kat tries, and fails, to adjust to a comfortable position that doesn't press on the dark bruises littering her body.

Grabbing the first soft thing she can, Kat pulls a jacket over her like a blanket and nuzzles her face into the surprisingly soft fabric. It smells nice, she notes, wrapping it tighter around her. It isn't until her mind decides to finally connect the pieces, that her eyes fly open and Kat realizes that she had snuggled up in Marc's jacket.

Throwing it to the floor as if burned, Kat sits up and decides that it would be better to stay awake.

“So…” Kat begins, playing with the loose stitching of Stevens seat, “anyone know any good road games?”

Steven and Layla stare at Kat incredulously, disbelieving that she can be so casual about a death sentence mission. But really, Kat is quite used to heading into danger headfirst. This is nothing new and honestly, all her talking is more to settle her own nerves.

“I'll take that as a no.” Kat responds to their silence, pouting and leaning her chin on the shoulder of Stevens seat, her lips quirking as Steven blushes and shifts in his seat.

Layla sighs and looks over at Steven, a regretful look on her face. Kat immediately understands what she is thinking, Kat had been thinking it too, thinking about the promise she had made Marc.

“We're gonna need Marc.” Layla finally says, deciding to just get this conversation over with and hoping that Steven will be understanding.

Stevens' gaze flits over to the mirror where Marc is agreeing animatedly with Layla, before turning back to Layla and Kat who both are looking at him apprehensively.

“No.” Steven decides, feeling the frustration at Marc bubbling up in his chest as he remembers the time spent trapped inside his own mind.

“No?” Layla questions, shocked at Stevens answer and his boldness.

“No.” Steven repeats, continuing, “See the thing is, we made a deal, Marc and I, that when he was done with Konshue he would disappear for good.”

Kat winces as she sees the hurt and pain flash over Layla's face before it's replaced by a simmering anger. Kat slowly sits back in her seat, not wanting Layla's anger to turn on her and silently apologizing to Marc for leaving him to dry.

“You made a deal?” Layla questions slowly, dangerously calm as sharp words linger under the surface of her tongue, “That he would just disappear from my life?”

Steven gulps and presses himself further back in his seat, looking to Kat for help. Kat shrugs and shakes her head, she doesn't know what to do either.

“And you didn't think that maybe I should have been made aware of this?” Layla continues, hands gripping the wheel so tightly her knuckles turn white, not shouting but in the quiet car it sure feels like it.

“I'm sure it's not as bad as it sounds, right?” Kat says warily, looking to Steven for support. Steven stares back at her and slowly shakes his head, Kat groans and buries her head in her hands, cursing the ground Marc walks on for his ineptness.

“Well, hadn't he disappeared from your life already?” Steven asks, trying, in his own fumbling way, to make Layla feel better.

Layla scoffs derisively, “Yeah, I mean whatever. His suit was his best feature wasn’t it? Doesn't even have that anymore.”

Layla tries to play the hurt off but Kat can see it in her clenched hands and jaw, her shoulders that shake with the tension held by them. Somehow, in all of this, Kat had forgotten about the betrayal that Layla must be feeling.

“Plus, he would wanna ‘lone wolf’ this whole thing.” Layla continues with a sardonic smile.

The sun has risen by now, bold and bright against the glittering sand they drive through. It catches in Layla's coppery brown curls and reflects off of the mirror that Steven is currently having a heated whispered conversation with.

Pursing her lips, Kat withdrawals to her mind. Her heart torn in two places at once creates the emotional pain and turmoil she has fought so hard to repress. On one hand, she had promised Marc she would have Steven give back the body, on the other, she really enjoys being with Steven and doesn’t want him to leave so soon.

But Kat misses Marc, even though he probably hates her now, no, scratch that, he definitely hates her now. Her hand strays up to the cool weight of her necklace, her fingers tracing the amulet dangling from the chain as she muses. Perhaps giving Marc some time away would actually be beneficial, plus, Kat loves being with Steven and his adorkableness.

“No one is lone wolfing this thing,” Kat says, giving a smile to Steven and a pointed glare to the side mirror where Kat is sure Marc is listening from, “we are all in this together. It's either all or no one.”

“Yeah.” Steven agrees, sending a smug look to Marc in the mirror, “It's just you, me, Layla, and the open road.”

Steven leans back in his seat and gets comfortable for a long ride with a lazy smile that warms Kats heart. Not even a second later, Layla slams on the brakes, sending Steven and Kat flying forward.

“We're going on foot from here.” Layla announces, hopping out of the jeep and slinging on a backpack.

Righting herself, Kat grabs her own satchel and jacket and slides out as well. Noting Layla's frown and tense lines, Kat walks up to her and gives her shoulder a comforting squeeze. Layla smiles at Kat and silently assures her that she will be okay before starting walking down the sandy dune and towards the thick slice of path walled by high sturdy cliffs.

Handing Steven a backpack of his own, Kat follows after Layla, craning her head back to look up at the cliffs with wonder. Jagged and a rusty red, the cliffs almost seem to jut into the clear blue sky as the brilliant golden sun shines beams through the crack in between where a gravel path lays waiting for travellers.

Layla leads them through expertly with Kat and Steven filing after her like ducklings, two easily distracted ducklings.

“Oh! Steven, come look at this!” Kat calls with a large smile, pointing to a chunk of the wall where the water had eroded layers of rocks together and created an interesting group of banded colors.

Steven walks over and leans over Kats shoulder, exclaiming what a wonder these stones are.

“Ooh, and over here!” Steven points, grabbing Kats hand and pulling her further through the path to where a layer of limestone is hit by the sun and glitters brilliantly.

“Children!” Layla calls, turning with a huff and her hands on her hips, “This is kind of time sensitive, come on!”

Chuckling, Kat grabs Stevens hand and pulls him along as she skips after Layla. Sure, Harrow and his band of psychos await them, but she has Steven and Layla with her. She doesn't have Bastets protection right now, so she needs to be more careful, but she could fight before she had Bastets help and she will be able to fight without it.

The loose gravel crunches under their feet as the three of them make their way through the cliffs, the hot sun beats down relentlessly but the heat is more of a comfort to Kat, a warm blanket against her skin.

Stepping out of the stifling path, Kat breathes a sigh of relief to be back in the open air. The sky's expanse above her and the tan glittering sand beyond. In the near distance lies a camp of tents with supplies scattered around. Camels are tied to a post nearby and birds squawk noisily as they land.

“It looks like they're already inside.” Layla notes, making her way down to the camp, “We’ll need to find another way to beat them to Ammit.”

“I guess we’ll just have to be smarter than them.” Kat suggests, her feet slipping slightly in the loose sand, “They may have taken a long way round, so we should just find the shortest route to the tomb.”

“How will we do that?” Steven asks, offering his hand to Kat to help her keep balance.

Kat turns to him with a wide smile that seems almost manic, “I have absolutely no idea.”

Layla laughs, throwing her head of curls back while Steven gulps nervously.

Entering the camp, Kat immediately walks over to the two camels tied to a post. Their large eyes blink lazily at her, not caring of her approach and instead continuing to chew slowly.

“Hello.” Steven greets the animals with a nervous dorky smile and wave.

Kat laughs at Steven with a twinkle in her eyes as she runs a hand through the camels smooth fur and ushers Steven over to try it himself. Steven eyes the camel hesitantly but edges closer to Kat and the camel anyways.

“C’mon Steven, it's a camel, it won't hurt you.” Kat says, leaning forward with a teasing smirk, “Plus, I'll protect you.”

Steven blushes and looks away as he slowly reaches out and lets his fingers thread through the coarse fur of the camel, he totally doesn't wonder what Kat's hair would feel like running through his fingers. Definitely not.

Kat smiles at him and Steven feels like he may just melt on the spot.

“Let's split up to look for supplies.” Kat suggests, Layla having already broken off to do the same.

“Yeah- uh, um, yeah.”

Kat gives a bright laugh and ducks into a nearby tent, leaving Steven helplessly staring after her.

Inside the tent, Kat fights down the heat in her cheeks and sighs. This stupid crush thing is getting out of control. Just a smile from Steven and she feels like she's on cloud 9, a single rumble of Marc's low voice makes her veins buzz. Absolutely ridiculous.

Inside the tent is a simply made bed, maps scattered across a rickety wooden desk, and something that gives Kat a laugh. Picking it up from the desk, Kat turns the short handle of the small scythes in her hands. Not quite the same as her normal half circle blades but similar enough that they would act much the same.

Kat tucks these into the side of her satchel and stuffs some maps in as well. She is about to leave the tent when she thinks better and grabs the sheets off the bed, in case they ever need a rope.

In another tent, Steven has a heated conversation with Marc.

“You're not alone.” Marc tells Steven from the dirty small mirror hanging from the post of the tent.

Steven scoffs, fed up with Marcs whole act and his stupid american accent, “I know i'm not alone, I know I'm bloody not alone. I've got Kat.”

A soft smile creeps over Stevens lips as he thinks of her, “She's got my back.”

Marc stares at Steven, a fear that he had been pushing away blossoming in his chest as he sees the look in Stevens eyes. His chest hurts like someone has smashed it in their fist as he realizes with startling clarity, he loves Kat. And so does Steven. Shit.

“Are you in love?” Marc scoffs, rolling his eyes and trying to hide away the pain tearing at him by covering it with mockery, “Are you in love with Kat?”

“Are you?” Steven rebuffs, glaring back at Marc.

Marc looks away and shrugs, a deep frown on his face.

“Huh? What was that? I can't hear you.” Steven mocks, jealousy and frustration bubbling in his chest.

“Shut up.” Marc grumbles, glaring at Marc as his shoulders shake with restraint, “Just shut up Steven.”

Steven laughs derisively, “See! You can't even admit it!”

“There's nothing to admit.”

“Sure, yeah,” Steven says, a twinge of sadness in his frustrated voice, “Whatever you say, bruv.”

Steven grabs the sack he had made of supplies and hikes it over his shoulder, lifting up a tent flap before turning back around and walking up to the mirror again.

“I appreciate your concern mate, really I do, but we’ve got it from here.” Steven says with a glare before turning and walking away, calling over his shoulder, “If I need a protein shake recipe or something I'll call you!”

Behind him, Marc shouts after him, “Steven I swear, I will throw us off a cliff!”

The flap closes and Marc's shouting cuts off. Steven stands outside the white tent, soft breeze blowing in his hair, and wonders what the bloody hell just happened.