Spoilers for the latest season ahead…. OK so there was such a buildup for the oncoming war that when it got here I was super disappointed. I mean I didn't want the world to end but there could have been more of a 'battle' and why get the families united if they weren't even going to use any help beyond the gang? I'm done venting, for now, but I challenged my angst into fic and this was the result. I would love to hear thoughts. I own nothing and mean no harm.

The war had taken so much already. Kenzi paused at the battered door, resting her forehead against the stripped wood. She was weary right down to the bone, days and days had passed since she had been able to sleep more than an hour or two at a time. Food, when she thought to find something edible, rarely stayed down long enough to fill her.

Things were bad, yes, but she was falling apart.

The first cracks had appeared after Hale, and then the splintering began after they lost Lauren. Now, with Bo in the wind, she wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Without warning the door opened and she felt herself falling.

Impact came.

Not the hard wood of the floor.

No, strong arms had wrapped her up, pulling her in close.

She wanted to be strong to say that she could survive without this.

Without him.

But she couldn't.

And truthfully she didn't want to.

There was one thing holding her together, "Kenzi," his voice was sleep and food and a stop gap for the bleeding heart she had been carrying around in her chest.

She snuggled against the lean chest, squeezing her eyes closed tightly. Intimate knowledge of the skin buried under the dark layers drew up a sigh.

Once upon a time she would have admonished anyone who had done what she had done. You didn't take up with your besties ex; ever.

Except there was a war.

And they were maybe losing.

And he whispered beautiful and wonderful things against her pulse when he slipped inside her body.

He needed her he whispered.

He wouldn't let the sun set without her safe and sound he would promise.

Weeks and months had passed before she had started to believe him; before she had whispered back to him as she had ridden him hard.

Blood and love would win this war Trick had promised.

He hadn't said whose or how, but he had looked to them both and smiled.

So in the dark when nothing separated them but air and sweat she felt that in their way, betrayal or not, she could maybe hope they were winning the war.

Reaching up on tiptoes, he was ever so much taller than her; she cupped his cheeks, gifting him a rare smile. She knew he would treasure it, he was sweet like that.

One word that meant everything to her now and she gave it to him pouring everything she had into it.

"Dyson," she breathed against his lips.