Sky woke up as something cold touched her face. For a second she expected to see the weird people in masks but it was Jet, cooling her forehead with a wet cloth. She had been dreaming again. And this time it had been so much more intense. Her brain couldn't even make sense of it just yet.

'Welcome back. How you feeling?' Jet said and handed her a glass of water, helping her sit up and drink. She felt okay, apart from a little headache that she surely could get rid off by getting some food and liquids in her.

'I'm good. Why? Did something happen?' she replied, gulping down some water. Jet just looked over to Poison's bed and she was surprised to see him there, asleep.

She knew immediately something was wrong and got up to run over to him. He was covered in sheets and blankets, as though he was cold but there was sweat on his forehead. He looked vulnerable.

'He passed out a few hours after you did. Also with a fever. It went down a little since then but he's been asleep for almost 20 hours.' Jet had followed her to Poison's bed, handing her the bucket with the cloth and she started wiping his face with it. He didn't move at all but his breathing was calm and regular.

She had never seen him sick or even hurt. It scared her. As naive as it was, she had always thought of him as indestructible. Of course she knew he wasn't but that was just his personality. He never complained, never felt the need to rest, even when he was clearly in need of rest, he kept going. She felt horrible.

'It's my fault. I made him ill.' Sky whispered.

'Don't be silly, Sky. How would you have made him ill when you two got the fever almost simultaneously? That's not possible. Whatever made you sick, made him sick too, so it was no one's fault. Plus, he'll be fine. You're fine, right? It's nothing serious.'

Jet's words made her feel a bit better but all she wanted was for Poison to wake up and tell her himself.

'Wait, if he's been asleep for 20 hours, how long was I asleep for?' she asked, looking at him.

'A whole day. We checked in on you both, Kobra even tried to wake you up at one point but you were out. Maybe it was the medicine, it's quite strong.' he answered but Sky knew better.

The dream. She wondered if he was having one too.

'Did we talk in our sleep or something? Did we say anything?' she wanted to know but Jet shook his head.

'Not that I know of. But when we got Poison in bed he was trying to grab you. Maybe he was hallucinating or something.'

All of a sudden, she remembered her dream. She remembered details. Shapes, sounds, faces. The little boy in her dream.

Sky got up and despite Jet's warning to take it easy, she left the room in a hurry, looking for Kobra. She found him in the booth with Ghoul, eating breakfast. They both stared at her in surprise when she sat down next to them, looking like a crazy person.

'Hey, are you feeling b-'

'What color was Poison's hair when you and your parents found him?' Sky asked Kobra breathlessly. He looked at her, obviously confused.

'Why? What does that have to do with anything, are you feeling okay? What's wrong?' he replied and she grabbed his hands, looking into his eyes sternly.

'It was black, why?' he finally said. She had known the answer anyway but hearing it made her dream change into a memory.

*

Her eyes were the first thing he saw when he woke up. The same blue eyes he had seen in his dream. He whispered her name but she put her finger on his lips. She knew.

'Are you okay?' she asked and he nodded. And after getting rid of some of the blankets, she crawled into his bed, huddling up against him and resting her head on his chest.

Poison felt better. Whatever had taken control over him was now gone, almost like the clouded sky had disappeared after the storm at the gas station, taking away the pressure in the air, leaving nothing but clarity. He had seen it in Sky's eyes, she had had the same dream.

'I'm sorry I couldn't help you.' he said, his voice still croaky from the fever and the long sleep. She didn't respond but instead just tightened her hug.

He didn't really know how long they stayed like this, without talking. It was all they both needed at the moment. The realization that the dream hadn't just been a dream but something that had really happened, years ago, when they were children, was frightening but oddly calming. It took them one step closer to finding out the truth. It was one less question to be answered. Poison tried to remember more details. How old had they been in the dream? Six, maybe seven. Where had they been? A hospital? Someone was doing tests or medical exams on them but they didn't seem to treat them badly. He remembered their soothing voices, how they had comforted them. Even though Sky had been crying, something was telling him it was because she hadn't been able to see him at first and later when he had been taken away from her. Of course, he could be wrong. It was just a little fragment, not the whole piece.

'Maybe the Phoenix Witch put a curse on you or something.' Ghoul said. It was evening and they were all sitting in a booth together, eating dinner.

'Yeah maybe she gave us the fever so we would have those dreams, you know like people have these experiences in a sweat lodge, where their spirits are awakened? I bet that's what happened to us.' Sky was messing with him.

'Hey, who knows. Weirder things have happened.' Jet argued.

'Tell me about it. But let's not get carried away. We probably just caught an infection sleeping out in the desert. Or when we got all wet in the storm.' Sky replied. She had a point. It at least explained the fever.

'Anyway, it helped you remember something so that's good, I suppose. And you feel better, right?' Kobra said and Poison nodded.

He hadn't really talked to his brother since the conversation in the car. Neither did he really want to although he could tell Kobra was making an effort. At the end of the day, he couldn't expect anyone but Sky to understand all this. Maybe he didn't know how to love but he knew that he was capable of it.

*

The next couple of days went by in a haze. Ghoul and Jet spent hours trying to figure out the map they had found at the gas station, with Jet adding the route they had taken as well as what he remembered seeing to their existing maps. It wasn't a lot but it was something. They also consulted Poison and Sky to see if they could add anything but Jet had covered most of it. Kobra went on patrol, voluntarily and Sky was aware that he was trying to avoid them, probably because of what he had said in the car on their way back. She couldn't help but keep Poison at a safe distance, for fear of losing control again. They were cuddling and sleeping together but their kisses had regressed to something more innocent and sweet again. The fact that she missed making out with him almost scared her though. Now that she was already so familiar with him, there was more to crave for. She knew he felt the same way but he didn't let it show.

There hadn't been any more dreams since the fever but they had written down every single detail they could remember and even tried sketching the room they had been in. But eventually, their progress hit a wall and it was more frustrating than anything else. Poison kept telling her to be patient, that they had come this far and it would only be a matter of time until they found out more. He tried to make her focus on what the Phoenix Witch had said and on what they could do for now. Which was finding more rebels to help them.

They discussed their plan and came to the conclusion that they needed Dr D in order to reach more people. It was dangerous, BLI was known to listen in on radio broadcasts but they had to take the risk. If they were to find them, at least they would come prepared. So a few days later, Poison, Ghoul and Sky set off to the Paradise Motel, where Dr D had agreed to meet with them.

It had been a while since Sky had seen other rebels and she didn't exactly feel comfortable returning to the motel, last time she had been there, she had gotten into some trouble. And surely enough, Tommy Chow Mein frowned when they entered the room.

'Well look what the cat dragged in. Fucking thief, you got some balls showing up here again.' he hissed and pulled a gun from under the counter. Poison jumped in front of her immediately.

'Woooooo, how about we all calm down, Tommy? Sky? What's going on?'

'Don't tell me that little rat is with you? Caught her stealing food twice before I told her to scram unless she wants her ass ghosted.' Tommy answered and Sky felt sick remembering what she had done. It's not like she enjoyed having to stoop so low as to steal in order to survive. But back then, she simply hadn't had a chance.

'Okay. I'm sure she's sorry and I'm sure she had a good reason to steal so whatever, we are even, she's one of us now and without her, you probably wouldn't have gotten any of these.' he picked up a can of Power-Pup, knowing it had come from the BLI truck they had blown up.

Finally, Tommy put his gun away and Poison turned around to her, raising an eyebrow. Sky just shrugged and started looking around the room which had been converted to a shop. Most of the stuff that was sold here was totally useless and people only ever came here when Dr D announced a new shipment. Today, there were three other rebels visiting the motel, all of them eyeing the Killjoys curiously.

*

Ghoul had stayed outside, keeping watch. A meet-up was always risky but Killjoys meeting up with Dr D was more or less asking for trouble. Especially at a public place like the motel. But if they wanted to recruit more rebels for their cause, it was time to stop hiding.

'So where is he?' Sky whispered as they pretended to look through the shelves.

'He's notoriously late. Sometimes I think he's more elusive than we are. Or at least he's trying to be.' he chuckled, acting as though he didn't notice a younger boy staring at them. He was with an older man with long grey hair and a woman, maybe in her late twenties who all did their best not to be too obvious.

'Elusive? Me? Word on the dust paths is that you and your new companion here had a lil get-together with the Phoenix Witch. And you're calling me elusive?' a familiar voice said behind them and they turned around. Dr D.

He had aged since the last time Poison had seen him. There was something about him that reminded him of a pirate. For a moment D looked him up and down before beckoning Sky over to him. Poison could tell she was intimidated by him and by the way D was inspecting her now, rightly so. He circled her in his wheelchair and she blushed, not really knowing what to do.

'Skinny little thing, isn't she. Just like you, Party Poison.' he looked over at him with a smirk. 'What's your name, sweetheart?' he then asked Sky and she answered.

'Sky...hmm. Alright, come on then. Let's talk.' and they followed him out the shop and into a room a few doors down.

Their plan was solid. They would use the bunker as a sort of mailbox, for people to register. Whoever wanted to join them would write their name and coordinates and leave it there for them to find. If they could gather enough people, they would meet with them at a secret location and discuss further details. Dr D would spread the word daily, during his two minutes of safe morning static. Hopefully, once the message got out there, more people would pick it up and it would travel like a wildfire among the rebels. And then, all they needed was a bit of courage to come forward. It would be hard. Poison knew that. People hated the way they had to hide out here but they had gotten comfortable with it, out of necessity. And so had the Killjoys. Keeping to themselves, just like D had said, elusive. They were too aware of the fact that the people had given up. And right now, Poison couldn't tell whether or not they could get them to believe in themselves enough to just try, with them.

'Need anything from the shop before we head back?' he asked Sky and she nodded, running off.

'Where did you find her?' Dr D asked him, watching her disappear inside the shop.

'Long story.' Poison replied with a smirk, offloading some boxes of supplies he had brought for D.

'If you took her to find the Phoenix Witch I bet it's a hell of a story.' Poison could tell Dr D was fishing for some gossip but he knew better than to give in. 'Ahh, I see. You like her. Should have known from that little spark in your eyes. Haven't seen that before. I was in love once. But that was a long, long time ago.'

Poison froze. In love? Why would he say something like that?

'Don't be scared, kiddo. I know you think it's easier not to give in but believe me, if you have the chance to be with someone you love then it's worth dying for it. It should be the one thing that you don't have to hide from.' Dr D extended his hand and Poison shook it.

A few minutes later, Sky came strolling out of the shop and after she had said goodbye to D, they set off, Poison holding her hand for the entire ride home.