Then he emerged from the dark, slowly moved towards her; unwrapped the hanky from her face and hugged her breathlessly.

" I'm sorry. I caused this danger again but I have no choice."

" Calm down." He kissed her forehead and she's teary eyed as she hugged him tight.

"I'm sorry too." He closed his eyes and felt how she grasped his uniform at the back with her tiny hands, relying her safety - where the past became meaningless and the musing of the moment outstand.

" Don't attempt to leave me anymore." He said.

" Yes, I wouldn't. I was scared George."

" But you brought grenades in your bag, you are more scary than that man." He smiled and wiped her tears. After a moment, he buried the dead man inside the cave while they offered a prayer.

When they got back to rest, she asked.

" How did you know I'm here."

" Its a husband's instinct and I snooped. Every time I got out of our door, I stayed to listen to your footsteps, to whatever you do till this afternoon, I discerned you were moving the bar counter and sank on the granite door going outside. It was awful and I followed you going here."

" Oh dear, you must be very tired. I did not know you kept on eavesdropping." Then she pulled him slowly to the long table.

" You stay here, I still have to tidy our erstwhile beds, may I borrow your flashlight."

" No. I'll do it. You stay here instead." He moved out, used a wet cloth and wiped the surface of Magee's bamboo bed."

She was meters away but spoke.

" The other one, I mean your bed."

" Its broke, damaged and rotten. I can't sleep on it anymore." He reasoned out.

" Ah, its okay. I'll just stay here and you sleep on my bed." She smiled.

" What?" He motioned closer to her and smirked.

" I'm reading. Lolo wrote this for us, so I have to absorb all texts." She smiled at him and closed the journal.

" George, let's try to check the barracks for a while up there at the mabolo tree, I brought kuya's binoculars. Can we?"

" No!" It seems he put down a sack of rice on the table, his voice seemed heavy.

" Why? let's just take a look if how are they doing right there." She insisted.

" No, most of them are as young as me." He looked up at the ceiling.

" I thought its serious but you're kidding, right?" She laughed.

" Ha? I'm not kidding, I'm serious." He said.

" Ah, I see, okay." So I will just read." She then she was completely quiet.

" Are...are you jealous of...Amanda?" He whispered.

" And why should I? I'm more interested to really track if its miscarriage or if the baby really grew up." She said softly.

" So you didn't believe in me." He bowed down his head.

" Of course, I did. What I'm doing now is crosschecking, validating the facts you've given, still, it anchors to it. Marriage is lifetime. At least despite war, I'm trying to find ways. It isn't bad, you know. Its for my children."

"Haha! when you mentions children every now and then I've got gooseb.u.mps. Can't even stay so close to you." He pressed his head.

" Aha, so here, you sit by my side, no worries. Just imagine how big the cave is, and we spare a seat like there's no one left, Hey, I'm just kidding." She smiled.

" Hmm you're so strict and has no mercy on me." He sounded like an old man.

" Its because we have an agreement. Its still what binds us today and besides I'm trying to find out something." She smiled, took his hand and put it on her face.

" But you are jealous." He whispered.

" Haha! say that in many times. I won't buy it. Its maybe how a man weakens a woman's heart. See you're moving too close to me now."

A bomb fell nearby and it shaken the place. Instantly, he blew the candle light and pulled her near him. Another bomb blasted and he pulled their bags. She then placed the journal inside and put her bag on, like what he did and held her hand tightly in a jet black cave.

" We'll go home now." He whispered.

They went up to the mabolo tree and observed for a while. He noticed that the barracks' soldiers were busy disembarking some sort of weapons from their vehicles. Outright then, Magee handed to him the binoculars while putting her hand on his shoulder. Magee did not know but he was smiling while using the binoculars. She was unaware that she's too close on him.

"Why we stayed too long." She asked.

" I still have to spot some parts of their place, they're too busy." But he smirked every now snd then.

" We're almost an hour here. I'm sleepy, its maybe 0300 hrs." She yawned.

" Ah, okay Mag, let's move. They are maybe planning to have an operation early morning. It seems that they're preparing." Then he put back the binoculars inside Magee's bag then led her to go down.

When they were trekking down beside the mountain, he noticed a few men running, heading to the place where they'd left.

"Those were maybe the guerillas of Gabok."

Sadly, they've heard a handgun's sound, then one to another.

"We will help them." Magee said.

" No! they fought like they have 7 lives. This is not a good timing. See how risky they're doing."

"Boom!" A sound of grenade and exchange of handgun shooting.

" Come, let's go home, quick. Its not safe here.

When they reached beside their house, its already 0400 hrs.

"Hah, its my first time to open this. Which one?" George asked.

"Step on to this b.u.t.ton on the ground covered with withered leaves."

It opened then they entered holding her hand. "Wow! such a rare door. Still an Egyptian way." When the door had closed again they went up on a spiral staircase and George immediately slept on their bed while she entered inside the secret room.