AN – I've decided to go with a short book called Revelations next. So this is the last chapter of Discovered. I hope you enjoy.

'Why so nervous, Trix,' Jim asked. She'd been like a cat on a hot tin roof the last couple of days.

'I…' turning into his body, Trixie attempted to bury her head in Jim's chest, 'I think we're pregnant.'

'You've been a few days late before,' Jim offered, unconcerned, 'and it's turned out to be OK.'

'This is different,' Trixie stated, wondering how to explain the sudden lethargy she felt.

'How?' Jim enquired. Staring into her face, she looked pale and washed out. Shrugging her shoulders, Trixie couldn't quite put her finger on it. 'Over winter,' Jim commented, allowing his mind to make connections, 'without a good source of iron in our diet, you might have depleted your bodies stored to the point where it can't spare any.'

'Maybe,' Trixie's tone implied she didn't believe a word.

'I've got a surprise for you,' he attempted to put a jovial slant on the situation. If they did turn out to be pregnant, they couldn't do anything about it now so Jim refused to worry about something he couldn't change. Pulling away from Trixie, he led her to the hearth he'd made. 'Let's enjoy all the iron we want tonight, and see what tomorrow brings.'

At some point during winter, a Doe and her fawn fell into The Hell Hole and froze solid. Most likely while looking for grass to survive the bitter snows, they misjudged the edge. Jim discovered the animals late yesterday afternoon as the last of the packed snow melted and the carcases thawed. Spending all morning preparing the smaller animal, Jim collected wood and began to roast it. Surprised Trixie hadn't smelt the cooking meat, he reassess her level of concern.

Nodding with agreement, Trixie set to work helping Jim. They needed to prepare the flesh of the Doe to become jerky so they'd have a readymade store of meat to supplement the rabbits over summer. They worked side by side without a word as Jim finished fashioning drying racks out of the wooden army cot surrounds.

Waking the next day, Trixie felt tears of relief. They'd kept their fears to themselves, leading to a restless night. Curled up in Jim's arms, she needed to make love with him. Between kisses she whispered, 'you were right, we just needed to wait.'

'Let's go to the pool,' Jim managed before he lost all reason.

As they submerged themselves below the warm waters, Trixie added, 'this is a onetime deal.'

'Thinking we might be pregnant,' Jim felt the need to tease, 'or the makeup sex at this time of the month because you aren't.'

'Both,' she whispered before taking one of his most erogenous zones into her mouth. Trixie mentally promised to be even more stringent with timing so this wouldn't happen again. The close call scared her. She realised how dangerous bringing a child into the world would be to her physical and mental wellbeing, as well as their chances for survival.

I'm not ready for that yet, her mind declared.

Conversely, her alter ego added, you weren't ready to make love with Jim either, but look how that turned out.

But, she argued, it caused problems.

It also brought you closer and made you develop as a person. If it should happen, you'll cope with it, her alter ego reassured.

Maybe, Trixie agreed, but that doesn't mean I want too, so Jim and I are going to be super careful, whether he likes it or not.

April found Jim and Trixie celebrating a yearlong abduction. More familiar with what needed to be achieved to survive, they started tilling the soil for a spring garden. This year they intended to enlarge their food growing area. In the last few weeks they'd had to cut back on fresh food until they could produce another crop. Their remaining escape trees weathered winter without too much damage. Jim held high hopes one might reach the rim before the end of summer.

A freak storm blew in, catching Jim and Trixie with a sudden gust of wind. Looking to the sky, heavy black clouds rolled from the west with the speed of an express train. Then a peel of thunder rent the heavens. They didn't have any sign of the impending squall and no time to make it to shelter before fat drops fell. Staggering forward, lighting blazed, illuminating the clouds with a strange coloured light. Jim shepherded Trixie towards the sleeping cave, his arms surrounding and protecting her. In their struggle against the drenching sleet, Jim overextended his balance and fell. Trixie's heart smashed against her rib cage in fear. Neither of them could afford to get hurt.

'Jim,' she yelled, pinned beneath him. Her hands running over his head, Trixie didn't find any damage.

The torrential rain tore her words away. She could see the discomfort in his expression. Jim guarded his right wrist after using it to break his fall. Held tightly against his stomach, she managed to get to her feet. Helping Jim, they fought the weather conditions. Finally at the cave, Trixie examined the damaged limb before removing her sodden clothing.

'I don't think it's broken,' Jim offered, trying to remove his shirt, 'just sprained.'

A look passed between them. They'd worked hard to avoid injury. Taking Jim at face value, Trixie aided him to strip. Then she began shredding a t-shirt into a bandage. They'd used a quarter of their supply which concerned Trixie.

'Hold still,' she advised, 'this might hurt.'

It took two days for the storm to blow out its fury. When they finally emerged, the Hell Hole looked like a new environment. Broken trees littered the ground including those destined to be their escape route. Several animals met their maker, giving Jim and Trixie a good source of protein for months. The garden needed to be re-established as the rain washed away the tilled soil.

'At least we hadn't planted out the seeding yet,' Trixie commented, trying for optimism. 'I'll go and see what damage they sustained. Just as well we put them in the water cave for safety.'

'We'll have plenty of fire wood,' Jim pointed to the piles of splintered limbs, 'to roast several meals. I'm just not sure how we'll manage to start it. I've used all the matches we found.'

They set to work in a fight for survival. Jim felt useless with his hand strapped and unable to bear even minimal weight. The heaviness in their hearts shared in a single glance, both knew their chance of escape hovered just above nil with their only opportunity splintered into a thousand pieces. In two weeks Trixie turned eighteen and they had plans for the day. Laying their hope in an uncertain future, it took almost a week of steady toil to return the Hell Hole to its usual state.

'I, James Winthrop Frayne the second,' Jim started on the day they'd eagerly anticipated since Christmas.

Thirteen months after being abandoned in the Hell Hole and the day Trixie turned eighteen, Jim kept the promise he'd made a year ago. Together, they'd decided on the most archaic form of the wedding ceremony they remembered. Finding a use for one of the note books, they'd spent hours trying to get the words right. Trixie insisted they take out all reference to the law. They'd make it official the minute they escaped from their prison.

'Take thee Beatrix Belden,' Jim continued, his hands cupping Trixie's, 'to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love, honour, and cherish, so long as we both shall live,' Jim promised.

'I Beatrix Belden take thee James Winthrop Frayne to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love, honour and cherish, so long as we both shall live,' Trixie echoed.

'I think,' Jim smiled shyly, 'this is the part where someone else pronounces us Man and wife.'

'Then,' a delighted twinkle rose in Trixie's blue orbs, 'you can kiss the bride.'

Ensuring he took his time, Jim made the meeting of lip represent so much more. Before he let Trixie out of his grasp, Jim lifted her into his arms. 'Time,' he stated, striding towards the sleeping cave, 'to consummate this.'

'Put me down, Jim,' Trixie pleaded, worried about his healing hand.

'I'm carrying my wife over the threshold,' he teased, 'then I have a lot I want to do with her.'

'Care to enlighten me?' she giggled with joy, sliding down his body and feeling his readiness.

'You'll find out soon enough,' he taunted.

They made love, gently, passionately and without reserve. Trixie worked hard to make a special meal for them to share afterward. She'd found two flat rocks blow in by the storm and used them to grind corn. Making flour, she experimented, perfecting a tortilla like flat bread. Using fresh vegetables from the garden and the last of the roast meat, she rolled them into burritos. It may have represented a simple meal in the real world, but here in the Hell Hole the work to produce it embodied the commitment the young couple made to each other.

After feeding their wedding food to each other, they once again turned to a more physical celebration. Trixie though she'd learned every trick, every way to please and pleasure Jim. She discovered he'd kept some secrets especially to delighter her on this very special day. The conversations he'd overheard at college served him well. Finally they drifted into a deep slumber, exhausted but elated to finally be bound to each other in every way.

'Good morning, Mrs Frayne,' Jim couldn't keep the smile from his lips. He'd waited his entire life to say those words.

'I thought you might have better things to do with your mouth, Husband,' Trixie stretched, displaying her body to eyes that didn't miss anything.

'You've lost weight,' Jim commented, attempting to delay the inevitable. Their timing couldn't have been worse. After today, they'd have to suffer a week's abstinence. Not much of a honeymoon, Jim's mind supplied.

'Are you surprised,' she taunted, 'with all the exercise you make me do.'

Trixie's glare told him not to waste the limited time they had. As always, Jim could deny his wife nothing. He gave in gracefully, fulfilling both their dreams as they made the best use of the limited time they had.

THE END OF BOOK TWO