Time flies.

*6 months later.*

"What are you doing?" Crovera asked me, I was leading her into an apartment building, although she didn't know because she was wearing a blindfold. "I'm showing you what I spent the last 6 months working my ass off to get," I responded vaguely, but smiling nonetheless. "Idiot," she muttered, but I ignored her. 

"AND! Drumroll please… our new home!" I revealed as I took off her blindfold when we entered. "One last thing… HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" I yelled out, she was 17 now, and in two weeks I would be too. "It's beautiful, but you didn't have to tell me happy birthday darling," she said to me, showing a somber reflection. 

"It would be wrong of me not to celebrate my beloved's birthday," I responded with a grin, making her blush a bit in embarrassment. "I'm gonna work harder so we can get even further in life," I said to her, with a promising and determined smile painted on my face.

*Later that night.*

"What's your favorite color?" I asked Crovera, we were sitting about talking about things we liked. "It's black," she responded shyly. "Black is the absence of color, try again," I said, chuckling internally.

"You ass, then it would have to be blue," she re-answered with a smile. "Beautiful," I muttered, making her blush. "Why do you not like your birthday?" I asked her, I was curious. 

"Who kills people then celebrates themselves living another year?" she asked me in return. I could tell it was a sensitive topic, so I switched to something else.

*3 months later.*

"I'm exhausted… I wanna give up," I muttered, as beads of sweat dripped down my head. I was tired, work was bad enough, but taking down Crovera's wanted posters was even more taxing. "Almost there, we're both 17, just one more year," I reminded myself. Nine months on the run was taking its long-awaited toll, and the price was quite heavy.

"Hey, are you okay?" Crovera asked with concern when I finally got back. "I'm good, just a slight recurring problem," I answered, hoping to avoid the topic as much as possible. In truth, I wanted so desperately to cry, to tell her, to yell at my past self for not thinking this through. If I had just spent another day thinking instead of this!

"If something's bothering you, please just tell me!" she pleaded, but I nodded instead of answering. I couldn't tax her with this problem, no, I wouldn't tax her with this problem.

*3 more months later. (1 year on the run.)*

"I'm tired… my body hurts so bad. Please, don't let me pass out, not here. Let me fight a little longer dammit!" I thought as I stumbled into my and Crovera's apartment. "It hurts," I muttered. "Adrien?" Crovera asked, I barely heard her though.

I turned my head to face her, my legs giving out. "ADRIEN!" Crovera screamed in worry. "I'm sorry, I can't fight anymore, my body… it hurts so bad," I muttered, the world turning a familiar shade of black. "Shit," I mumbled. *Thud!* 

"That light… it's so bright," I muttered, my lips were dry. Slowly I lifted my head and looked around, it was a familiar room, a hospital room. "Fuck," I muttered, passing out once more.

"Please, wake up," a voice cried out from above me, it was sad and filled with worry. Finally, I was able to force my eyes open and saw Crovera looking over me, tears in her eyes. "Crovera?" I asked confused, but also starting to sit up.

"Stay lying down, the doctor will be back soon," she ordered me. Worry clouded her eyes, the once purple eyes of hers were filled with tears. She had been crying, all because of me.

Suddenly the doctor walked in, it was the old woman's son. I was able to recognize him because of his stubble. "Ah, the kids awake," he said in surprise. "Not dead just yet," I muttered, giving a thumbs up. "If you can be sarcastic, then get up and get out. Housing criminals is not on my bucket list," he commanded with a very annoyed tone. 

"So you already knew, eh?" I asked, I already figured out he knew, his eyes couldn't hide anything. "Yes, now get out!" he ordered with a yell. Suddenly, a scalpel appeared sticking out of his neck. Crovera had killed him. Blood spilled out, staining the white tile a crimson red. "N-No," I muttered. 

"Let's move, now!" Crovera called out. Although I was shocked, I followed her. "We agreed no killing people!" I whieper-yelled at her. "Unless the desperate situation calls for it," Crovera reminded me. 

So we ran, through the halls, through the lobby, and the parking lot onto the sidewalk. I was surprised and aggravated that she killed somebody, especially the son of the nice old woman.

"The apartment isn't safe, the police might already be there," Crovera told me, breaking my train of thought. She was right, the police were much closer than I knew. But I couldn't shake the guilty look on her face.

*WEEEEEEE-WOOOOOOO!* Police sirens rang out near us. "Time sure flies, huh?" I asked her, the sound was oddly nostalgic, and not in a good way. She didn't answer me, instead she looked gloomy.

It was obvious that she remembered our first meeting, as did I. Silence enveloped us both for a while, the painful memory made it impossible to start up a conversation. Suddenly the sirens became much louder. "They're getting closer!" I called out in worry.

We ducked into alleyways, behind dumpsters, and even behind a bad-smelling couple, although at that point we probably didn't smell much better. Still, wherever we went they caught up.

Every time the sirens faded, they became much louder a couple of seconds later. "Why can't we escape them?" I asked Crovera, but she shrugged her shoulders. "Wait, everywhere she leads us, they catch up?" I thought. I noticed that much faster than the ever-growing guilty look on her face. 

"Crovera, let me lead," I suggested to her, finally taking note of her growing guilt-riddled look. "Crovera?" I asked, not liking the new feeling I had. 

"I'm sorry, after everything you've done for me, for us. I can't anymore," Crovera finally said to me. "How long?" I asked, standing still. "I called them on myself pretending to be you, right after you fainted," Crovera finally confessed. *WEE-WOO!*