Simply Survive

Not your fault.

Lauren's voice echoed back to him softly. She was laying down now, finding she didn't have the strength to sit anymore as she stared at the sky. It looked like a storm was coming. The brunette smiled a little. She liked storms. Her father had once told her that before she was born, the rains used to bring acid and radiation, but now they were clean again, only bringing water and perhaps the chance for new life.

She hoped her death might bring life of some sort. Maybe a flower. That would be nice.

Lauren was vaguely aware that she wasn't thinking too clearly anymore, but she did understand she was dying. Or it felt like she was dying. Did people survive this? No. No those were different viruses. This one was fatal. Death. Was she scared of death? No, no not really. She didn't want to die, but she wasn't scared. Odd. She always thought she'd be scared. Right now she was just tired. She hoped she'd just sleep, sleeping and not wake up. She didn't want to be one of those creatures.

"Lauren? Lauren! Lauren, wake up!"

Brown eye opened sluggishly to look into gray. Oh. Caleb was awake. When had that happened?

"Lauren, what's wrong?" His voice sounded worried. He didn't have to be. The burning didn't hurt so much anymore. She wished she could tell him that, but her mouth didn't seem to want to work anymore. That was all right, he was smart. He'd figure it out. Her eyes closed again and Caleb cursed. It was his brother's surge of power, of something different that had woken him and now the hybrid could strongly suspect that whatever had caused the trigger in his brother was directly related to Lauren.

Jacob! What the hell is going on? I can't wake Lauren.
 
He had heard his brother, or at least a part of him did, but he didnt respond for several minutes, not until he was standing right behind him. Why had the wind lead him hear? What was so impor...tant...Her...who was she? Why did she bring a sadness to his dying heart? He walked up and kneeled beside her, head cocking to the side in idle curiosity. His mind began to race with memories, but whos were they? Were they his or the others? No, it didnt matter. He saw her face, her hair, her body...he knew that it was a woman the part of him cared for. Thats why he was hurting.

She has a name...

Lauren. Lauren! Thats right...she was hurt...He looked over her body and found her bandaged arm and lifted it up slowly, his hand hovering above as the bandages began to unravel into strands of linen. Seeing the tendrils and the cut made his heart turn a duller shade of grey. He studied the signs of a zombie infection well enough, he remembered those thoughts...but why were they coming? Where were they coming from?

Help her...

Help her how? Why should he help her? That thought made his heart ache more and he hunched in pain. What would happen if she died, he wondered then and that caused him to fall to his knees in pain, his heart making a single thump. No...he couldnt let that happen. She was too important to him and his other for that. But how could he help?

Bring life from death.

All he did was nod as he stood up, holding his hands out with the palms down. An energy surged through him then, a myriad of greens, golds, browns and reds. They could be seen coursing through his body and out his fingers, striking the ground around him and her. The tendrils of the energy touched her and began wrapping around her arms and legs and up her body. He could feel the life inside of her fading and the unlife flourishing. It was a weak creature though and didnt understand emotion, the emotion that swam from his body to attack it. He coaxed it back to the wound and held his hand out close to it, watching as the creature that was starting to live inside of her crawled out, driven back by the powers coursing through her. He looked at the creature in his hand and smirked.

"Such a weak creature yet so much potential. Your death will fuel her life." His voice echoed around him, disembodied and distant.

Slowly, he closed his hand and crushed the creature in his hand, watching as it turned into a black streak of energy that coursed through her body and into her heart.

"Take this gift, Lauren. Take this power that evil would bring but use it for good. This is what Jacob would want for you."

He leaned in close to her face and stretched where his jaw would be, slowly plying open the skin that was there and he blew, short but filled with golden energy, and it surged into her and through her body. He stood up and walked away slowly but stopping, looking back to Caleb for a moment and then continuing, sitting behind a rock.

His heart beat again and a redish tint came back to it. Had he done the right thing? He thought he did...

Yes.

Good...
 
She took a breath.

It was a ragged, strained sound, but it was life and she pulled the air into her lungs greedily. Her entire body throbbed, ached, but it was fading slowly even as she came back to awareness and Lauren looked around with darting eyes. Lauren. Right. That was her name. She'd...forgotten for a moment. She'd forgotten everything. Had she died? Was that why coming back had hurt so badly? Didn't explain why she didn't feel panicked and why she felt warm, though, a happy warm.

Brown eyes flickered, focusing on gray ones. Caleb. She turned her head, seeing a mop of red hair. Lily.

She was glad to see them, to recognize them, but they were not who she searched for. He'd been here. Where was he? Lauren got her mouth to work slowly, looking back at Caleb who was watching her closely. "Jacob?" She tried to sit up and Caleb helped her, looking toward a rock and then back to her again. "He's here, but he is not in the form you will remember. He's not entirely the 'Jacob' you know."

Lauren merely raised a brow. "And your point is?"

The hybrid grinned and making sure she wasn't going to fall over, he stood and moved toward where his brother was, crouching down to speak with him, gray eyes scanning over this new form with curiosity. "She wants you and she may be human, but I'm not about to tell her no. You can do that if you wish."
 
His heart thumped again at the words that his brother spoke. She wanted him, thats what he said. She was alive, he could feel it. Slowly, he got up and turned to face her and walked over, hesitating every couple of steps. After a few minutes of tentative walking, he stood in front of her.

"Hello...Lauren..."



Lily rolled on to her back and started coughing up black blood, slowly sitting up and wiping it off her face. She looked around for Caleb and Lauren, finding everyone and something next to Lauren. She opened her mouth to scream and protest but she couldnt...and besides, if it was a threat, wouldnt Caleb have killed it? Caleb...his name made her smile and she shakily stood up and stumbled forward towards Caleb. She tripped on a rock just before getting to him and reached out, wrapping her arms around him in both a catch and a hug, burying her face into his chest and tears making their way down her face now, into his shirt.
 
She should have been terrified or maybe horrified by the sight of Jacob, but Lauren didn't feel either of those things. She felt calm and she studied him slowly as he took his time coming toward her. Was this what he'd come back to them as? She wasn't sure how to ask and so she didn't, focusing instead on the eyes that looked back at her. Jacob's eyes. They were not the same color and he appeared nothing like himself, but...they were his eyes nonetheless. This was Jacob.

She could feel it and the brunette wasn't even sure how. It didn't matter.

Lauren looked up when he stopped before her and she slowly reached up, without hesitation, to take his strange hand and pull him down to her level. They were face to face then and she took a slow breath as her fingers came to touch his face. It felt strange, like running her hand over bone and freezing cold at once. The black energy or perhaps his essence did not bother her as they wrapped around her skin like a thick mist and Lauren's eyes were drawn to what could only be described a heart in the middle of Jacob's chest...er, rib cage. It was gray, looking almost dead or perhaps sick, but there was a red tinge to it and she instantly found that encouraging. She didn't know why or how she understood then what she should do, but Lauren didn't feel like questioning it.

She questioned too much as it was.

The brunette kept her fingers on Jacob's face as her eyes came back up to meet his and she leaned forward, gently letting her lips graze where his own mouth would have been before pulling back and speaking softly. "Come back to me, Jacob."


Caleb caught Lily easily as she fell toward him and even as her arms came around him, his enclosed around her and he felt an uncharacteristic peace flood through his heart. She was okay. He shushed her softly, smoothing her red hair down as he felt the dampness on his shirt. She was okay. She was with him again and he'd keep her safe. The hybrid lowered himself to the ground carefully and took Lily with him, pulling her into his lap and cradling her gently, placing a kiss to her forehead.

"Be still, little fire. I've got you."
 
Jacob felt himself being pulled from a darkness that he had never felt before, almost as dark as the earth that he was in when he was dead but this darkness was much more malevolent. Something was calling him...no...someone. Lauren. He blinked and felt her lips against where his should be and he frowned that he didnt have lips for hers to brush up against. Then again, a warm happiness fell over him with her there, holding his hand and her lips on his rather sickly looking skin. He didnt like how he looked and he was pretty sure that she didnt either but still, she was here with him and his heart began to beat again.

Jacob's skin began to become more turgid and less transparent, slowly becoming normal again. He could feel his mouth separating into proper lips and his nose beginning to reform itself. It was a strange sensation to say the least to feel cartilage extending from the nasal passages to rebuild his nose, but it happened.

He pulled her into a tight hug and took a breath in to his own lungs.

"Thank you, Lauren..."



Lily didnt say anything as he brought her into his lap but she smiled to herself at that, he was so sweet to her and that made her happy.

"Caleb...Im scared...there are others inside my head that Nith'syriah is fighting and talking to...Im scared that she will get hurt and Im scared that I will hurt you or you will be forced to hurt me or leave me behind...I dont want that Caleb..."

She took his hands in hers and squeezed and continued to cry, pulling herself closer to him and curling up next to him.
 
Lauren watched with amazement and a happiness she wasn't sure was appropriate it was so strong as Jacob became the man she knew again. She smiled at him and didn't resist when he pulled her to him, hugging him back just as tightly, not having realized how much she'd missed him. She hadn't expected to feel such relief at seeing him again, at touching him and hearing his voice. She didn't realize she'd gotten so attached.

And she was okay with that.

"Any time." she whispered back to him and then pulled back with a blush spreading across her face that nearly matched the tone of the red streaks in her hair, though, she didn't look away from his green eyes, her brown ones dancing. "Welcome back. You missed all the fun."


Caleb frowned at her words and he tightened his grip on Lily slightly as protective anger swept over him and his power showed interest, waiting like a cat in the dark, ready to pounce at the slightest indication of a weakness on his part. The hybrid gave it a mental glare, warning, and then turned his attention back to the redhead in his arms, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb, wishing he knew how to soothe her.

"I will not leave you, Lily. Not for anything and if I hurt you it will only be to help you, and I will do everything in my power to keep your pain to a minimum." The very thought of having to hurt her at all made him feel sick, but Caleb was not stupid. Even doctors had to hurt to heal on occasion, but he would never hurt Lily unless there was a for-sure chance that it would help her in some way.

He made her let go of one of his hands gently and brought his fingers under her chin, tilting her head up so his gray eyes could meet her emerald. "You will not hurt me, Lily. If ever you strike against me, it will not be you who does it and I will not hold such a thing against you." He wiped away her tears and spoke firmly, though, not without affection. "Now calm. I will not let anything happen to you."
 
Jacob chuckled and cupped a hand to Lauren's face and smiled.

"I dont know...I got to talk science with a family for a little bit. How do you feel Lauren?"

His tone was calm but showed a rather large amount of concern for her safety.

And Im still waiting for that slap.


Lily looked up into his eyes as her lip quivered, not resisting the urge that shot threw her body. She gently reached up with her hands and held his face and her lips followed. She kissed him, holding the kiss for a few moments before letting him go and smiling. She stood up then, taking his hands in hers and stood him up too.

"Now we are one big happy family again! Can we please get to the town so we can sleep for real? My head and stomach really hurt still..."
 
Caleb blinked and even when Lily stood him up, he still kept staring at her, feeling a warm sweep through him, starting from his lips and working its way down like comforting fire. It curled around his heart, tethering it rather swiftly to the woman before him and the hybrid had no desire to remedy that. Even his power was quiet, calm almost and Caleb found a boyish smile spreading across his face.

He decided right then and there that he rather liked kisses.


Lauren was sure her entire face must be beet red by this point and she felt a heat in her cheeks at his touch. Her heart pounded and she was then that despite her best efforts, she had a crush. A big one. Hell, she was the one who'd kissed him! Why was she suddenly feeling so...bashful? Sometimes her own mind confused her and Lauren cleared her throat, making herself take a steadying breath before she spoke.

"Um, weak, a bit shaken, uh, flabbergasted as all hell, but better than I was by far." She smiled then, hearing his comment and Lauren laughed as she gave Jacob a light shove even as she stood slowly, grateful that her body seemed better able to cooperate with her will now. You can keep waiting. I would hate to ruin the anticipation and besides, it's no fun for me if you're expecting it. she teased with a wink before turning to face Caleb and Lily, noting that Caleb seemed almost giddy in a way she never seen before.

It was cute.

Lily's question made her appear thoughtful, though, and she bit her lip. She was worried for little Lily and judging by how Caleb came up from behind Lily and rested a hand gently on her stomach showed he was, too. Last thing she wanted to deal with was an agitated Caleb, but could they make it to the town before nightfall? "I don't know if we can make it, Lily."

"Sure you can."

The voice belonged to someone not of their group and Caleb nearly growled, stepping around Lily, getting in front of her protectively, but the auburn-haired, gray eyed teen merely gave him a smirk and directed her attention to Lauren. She'd shown up out of no where, undetected by all four of them and she radiated a strange power, something beyond any of them, but not threatening. "I've brought you a gift that I think might help."

She made to turn, but stopped when Caleb's voice rang out, harsh and suspicious. "Who are you? Why should we trust anything you say or do?"

A brow rose, a smile twitching at the girl's mouth. "I might have blasted you into a wall, North Wind, but you were being stubborn. Did or did not my advice work? I don't see any Leapers around, do you?" She didn't wait for an answer, turning around again and giving a shrill whistle, hand to mouth. It took a moment before four horses galloped around the corner of a building and then stopped, snorting and stamping. They were far from normal, being each an element - ice, fire, wind and earth - and the girl grinned.

"I think you can figure out who goes with who."
 
(Im not dead!)

Jacob heard a whisper in the air with the woman's companions coming into view...no, more than one. He heard dozens of whispers, each telling a different story, spreading a forgotten rumor, a message for a long lost lover...all the thoughts and words that were carried away by the wind when someone died alone. One called to him the most, though...one he needed to hear.

"Im sorry Jacob and Caleb...I never got to meet you...I never got to deliver your present....I never got to show you the world...Im a pretty rubbish godfather. I hope you two grow up to be marvelous boys..."

He found himself next to the horse, crouched next to it and listening to the whispers and all the woes of the world past. He looked to the creature and ran his hand through its mane and began to whisper to it.

"Shhh...its ok...Jacob is here now and he will make sure your whispers are heard."


Lily immediately clapped and jumped and skipped her way over to the flaming horse and without hesitation began to stroke its flaming mane. The flames licked her hand with a life of their own. Their touch made her giggle and she nuzzled the horse with her nose, giggling more. The horse huffed and stomped its hooves, shaking away from Lily which only prompted her to hug the horse, ignoring the flames licking at her skin.

"Can I name you Nightmare? No...Not that...Ponyta? No...OH! Rapidash! Thats it! Can I name you Rapidash?"
 
(( Woot! ))

Lauren approached the brown horse with the white-splashed face and green, plant-like mane and tail. She felt compelled to touch it, to connect to the creature that watched her so calmly and with such wise eyes. She ran her hand along its coat, feeling the tingling sensation of grass, the fineness of sand, the smoothness of stone under her hand all at once and she breathed out in an amazed way, petting the nose that bumped into her chest.

"You're mine, aren't you? Gaiana..." the brunette whispered, the name rolling off her tongue and the teenager who still watched all of them smiled a secretive smile. "She was always yours and always will be."

Brown eyes looked away from the mare to study the girl who looked so oddly familiar. "Who-"

A finger came up to lips that smiled and the girl shook her head. "Not yet. Not time." She looked over the others before putting up a hand in a flippant salute. "Take good care of 'em. I'll be seeing you later." She laughed then and without another word, disappeared around the building, gone before they could protest.


And Caleb really wanted to protest, irritated by the child even if she had brought them an extraordinary means of transportation. He glared after her, but soon enough was greeting his own horse, a stallion made of ice and water both, somehow both freezing to the touch and yet not harmful, wet and yet when he pulled away he was left dry. It was odd, ethereal, but Caleb had definitely seen a lot stranger.

He ran his hand along the horse's neck and shoulder, examining the creature as it snorted and danced in place, rarely still. High energy and- OW! Caleb pulled his hand back, looking down at the blood on his arm from a sharp nip. The stallion tossed his head, giving Caleb a challenging sort of look and he smiled. And a temper. Perfect.

He grabbed the ice horse's mane then and vaulted onto its back. The stallion reared with a harsh neigh and attempted to writhe and buck to throw Caleb off its back. It took a few minutes, but the hybrid came out still on the animal's back and when the horse had calmed, he pat its neck soothingly. "There, there. That wasn't so bad, was it?" A snort answered him and Caleb smiled again. "Tempest. That is your name."

The horse finally gave a sign of approval in the form of a nicker.
 
Jacob stood up next to his new mount and ran a hand through its mane again.

"Notus."

The horse whispered its appreciation for the name, knowing from all of the whispers through time that its name meant something more meaningful. He could have sworn that he heard the horse say thank you in response but he didnt know.

Jacob was about to leap up when he felt the current of the wind surge around him and lift him onto the back of the horse and he smiled at the consideration that Notus was showing.

"Thank you."



The flaming horse just stood there, looking at Lily and finally responded to her with the crackle of its flames.

"Ill take that as a no?"

The flames crackled again, this time more sharp and quick.

"Hmm...hows about Ustrina? My mommy taught me a little bit of this language called Laten? Yea. It means fire!"

The flames responded again, this time a bit softer and the horse bowed its head slightly.

"Ustrina it is!"

Lily made her way to the side of the creature and ran a gentle hand down its side and jumped up onto its back, the fires licking at her legs but staying gentle and warm.

"So, when we gonna get goin? As fantastic as our new friends are, we still have some business to attend to!"
 
-------

They came into sight of Underpass, a rather moderate sized settlement that got its name from a very obvious source...it was located under an overpass. Now, to most and usually all, such things was a duh, but stranger names had been given to rather normal places so just because something was named Underpass did not technically mean it had to be where it's namesake stated it was.

Lauren found it rather amusing herself.

As they grew closer to the towering fences from the top of the overpass to the ground - and more of the settlement had to be underground in tunnels, Lauren was sure - everyone became aware of when the horses under them changed. Jacob's became a simple white arabian, Lily's a red bay, Caleb's a blue roan and Lauren's a brown quarter horse. They became as normal mounts and Lauren found she felt better about that as she pat Gaiana in an affectionate way.

As they approached the settlement they could see men lining the walls, guns leveled and Caleb smiled, eyes flashing black, more than tempted to unravel their weapons with nothing but the lift of a finger. Lauren, however, was watching him closely among the group and she gave him a warning look that made the hybrid sigh. Fine. He'd behave. For now.

The brunette watched him for a moment more before she looked to Jacob and moved her mare closer to his stallion. She didn't know how to direct her thoughts to just him at this present time and so she simply spoke softly out loud. "They aren't going to shoot us, are they?"
 
Jacob smiled to himself at the changes from his horse and the sight of the settlement in the distance. This would be the first time he would be in a large populace of humans and he was excited and a little worried for his brother but he was sure that Lily could control him.

He looked over at Lauren and smiled at her, shaking his head.

"No, I dont think that they will. Times may be tense but shooting everyone new isnt how you gain followers."

Lily was looking around in awe, barely hearing anything that was being said and she rode close to Caleb, her hand finding his and squeezing it.

"We did it Caleb! We got here! Now we can find your parents for sure!"

Jacob looked over to Lily and smirked, shaking his head slightly.

"I wish it were that easy, Lily...we still have to find where they were taken."

"I know, but still!"

Jacob approached the gate and waited for him to be addressed.

"Oi! Who be you and what is your business here?"

"My name is Jacob Blackridge, son of Targas and Summer. With me are Caleb, my brother; Lily, his companion; and Lauren, my companion. We are following the trail that the Enclave may have left when they took our parents, so we are here for information and supplies."

"Oh...you're part of the Blackridge lot, eh? Righto. Ill let ye in, but dont cause no ruccous. Some of the survivors of NewHope made it here and are campin' in the lower quarters if that be what yer lookin' for."

"Thank you kindly."

The massive gates to the settlement groaned as they opened, allowing entrance, and Jacob made his way back to Lauren, taking her hand in his entered and Lily following with Caleb's hand in hers.

"Welcome to Underpass...where do we start? We could go to the lower quarters and speak to some of the survivors or we could look around for a bit."
 
They'd all dismounted from their horses after they'd entered the gate and while children came to lead the four mounts away, Caleb looked around with curiosity despite his destructive nature. This world was still new to him and though he felt the compulsive need to contaminate and darken everything around him, there was also a part of him that was still very much a child and he was interested in learning about everything he saw...even if he wanted to throw it into chaos afterward.

That would just be fun.

Well, if they let him, which Caleb was more than sure none of his companions were going to do. It irritated him. They were all allowed to use whatever gifts they had, but his...was frowned upon. The hybrid frowned at the thought, but pushed it away for now, instead looking down at Lily who's green eyes were like butterflies; flitting everywhere and taking in everything they could. Caleb smiled then, unable to help it and he felt the irritation bleed away for now as he vowed to get her something shiny and pretty before they left.

In the meantime, though...

"I want to see the survivors first."

Lauren raised a brow, actually surprised that he might care enough about that, but Caleb had his reasons. He just didn't feel like explaining them. Lauren didn't ask either, turning to Jacob and trying not to take too much note of the fact that her hand was in his. She didn't quite know how to react to impulsive gestures and feelings, even when she herself did them, so she allowed it, but tried not to focus on it all at once.

"I think I want to find where we might sleep tonight and get some food." she informed him.
 
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"We can likely stay with the survivors and get food from their suppliers. I wont be sleeping tonight as it is, I have a lot of work to do in finding our parents. Caleb? Do you think they know where our sister is?"

Jacob looked back at his brother, straight in the eyes when he asked it.

"We need to find her."

Lily looked at Jacob with a puzzled expression on her face and cocked her head to the side slightly.

"You never said that you had a sister."

"It wasnt prudent at the time to bring it up."

"Whats her name?"

"Hope."

He turned and faced the other way, tears starting to fall down his face as he began to move forward towards the lower quarters.

"I havent seen her in quite some time but there is a connection that I cannot describe...one that I cannot feel anymore...and Im scared that something bad has happened to her."

A scraggly old man came shambling from around the corner, his hair matted down with dirt and with the slight possibility of feces. He smelled rank and his clothes stuck together and to his wrinkled skin. His face was marred with scars and pockmarks, his eyes sunken into the back of his head, portraying little life left in his body.

"You....this is all because of your parents. We are all suffering because of you two."

"And that is a suffering that we are trying to amend. Where are our parents?"

"Hell if I know! All I do know is that ever since the Enclave came back and opened up a can of slaughter on all the settlements that we had and we lost our loved ones, most of us are blaming the lot of you. You should just leave and frak off with your lives."

"Do you want to have a normal li--"

Lily walked up and put a finger on Jacobs lips in a 'shh' motion, looking to the old man.

"You are just a sad and upset old man who lost everything when we are trying to fix everything. Such a pity to have a life like yours. Come Jacob, lets go find someone who actually cares about the future of the human race."

She pulled Jacob back towards the group and went back to Caleb, her hand intertwining with his and she looked up into his eyes, smiling.

"You ready to go find some new friends?"
 
How was he supposed to know if they knew where Hope was? Caleb knew they needed to find her. If he recalled, he'd been the one to ask about her first days ago, but the hybrid thought better about bringing this up, but he didn't answer Jacob either. He couldn't answer so he didn't try, though, he did know what his brother spoke of when he said there was a connection between them. He felt it, too, and could only assume it was a sibling bond created by their heritage. Like Jacob, though, he could not feel it anymore, not completely anyway. He knew Hope wasn't dead, but he didn't know if she was all right either.

Just like their parents.

Caleb bristled at the old man's words, but again he kept his mouth shut because if he didn't, he was going to do something the others would not like. He was swiftly finding that he had little patience or like for other people.


Lauren watched the scene unfold and like Caleb, she remained quiet. Her reason because she had nothing she could say to make it better for the old man or to take the sting of his words away from Jacob. So with a sigh she merely followed the other three, noting Caleb hadn't answered Lily. The brunette went to the redhead's side and put an arm around her shoulders, giving her a slight squeeze before letting go, silently telling the other female that she'd done well.

She let go of Lily then and brown eyes looked around as they came to the lower quarters, tunnels really, and the sight of the survivors greeted their eyes. They were people who LOOKED like they'd lost everything; sad eyes and dirty clothes, cuts and bruises and thin bodies. Lauren immediately felt her heart go out to them, but her eyes searched for someone who looked in charge. Surely even among these ragtag bunch, there was someone who'd stepped up and gotten them this far...
 
Jacob looked around at the ragtag bunch of people and shook his head. These people didnt deserve this treatment in the war that the Enclave started to wage on his family...but these were the lucky ones. In time, he would be able to help them properly...he knew it. He looked around the commons for someone that stood out as a leader but his eyes were drawn to a little girl sitting in the corner of an alley, alone and crying. At least, he thought she was crying judging from how she shook. He felt compelled to go to her, to comfort her and he didnt notice that his feet were already taking him that way.

Several people tried to stop him, saying that she was dangerous, but he didnt care...she needed someone to cry to and someone who will listen to. Within a minute, he was standing at the end of the alleyway and there were several people watching him in fear, sure that he was about to die. He just looked at her, studying her, seeing the faint ripple of heat around her. She was a pyro...fantastic...fire...there was only one fire that he could tolerate and it was his brother's...but there was something about this girl that prompted him to forgo all fear of fire as he took a step forward into the alley.

"GO AWAY! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The girl turned around, her face stark white and eyes devoid of life, just black pits. Infact, her skin almost looked like porcelain and her hair was just as white as her skin. The only thing that showed any color on her face was her crimson red lips. Grey tears flowed down her face freely, stopping for no one or no thing.

"GO! Please...Just leave me alone...I...I dont want to hurt anyone anymore."

Jacob stopped where he was and kneeled down, looking into her eyes with a worthy compassion.

"You wont hurt me, I promise you that. Whats your name? Mine is Jacob."

"Just please...dont come any closer...And why do you want to know my name?"

"Because I want to help you."

"No one can help me...all I bring is death so I sit in this alley and hide away from everyone else."

"You would be surprised as to what I can and cant do. So please, what is your name?"

"Im...Im Ashley..."

"Thats a pretty name. How old are you, Ashley?"

"Im ten..."

"And where are your parents?"

"Dead...I...I killed them."

"Things happen, Ashley...as terrible as they are, there are things that you cant control."

Jacob stood up again and opened up his heart, the sadness and compassion for this girl flowed through his body and he began to glow a faint, blue energy. He slowly took a step forward and the girl looked at him and he was sure that if she had eyes they would be filled with fear.

"No! Please just stop! I dont want to hurt you!"

"Ill be fine, Ashley...dont you worry about me."

He kept his pace, noting that the air around him began to heat up and the smell of fire began to permeate the air. Ashley started looking around the alley in abject horror and she began to scream to herself. Jacob was about ten feet from her when she snapped. Fire erupted from her body and down the alley, threatening to explode out into the streets and incinerate people watching but it was contained by a faint blue field.

"You wont be hurting anyone, Ashley."

Jacob wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her into a hug, the flames licking at his skin and clothes and hair but doing nothing to him. He felt her hands cling to his shirt as she pulled herself close and began to cry uncontrollably into his shirt and he just sat there, running a hand through her hair and whispering to her, "Itll be ok, Ashley...you dont have to worry anymore." He reached out to her mind with his and forged a link, releasing wave after wave of calm into her, hushing her and holding her as she continued to cry and expel fire from her body.

After a good ten minutes of being in a hotbox and calming the scared girl, the fields dropped and the fires snuffed out in a flash. Jacob pulled the girl back, looking into her blue eyes and running a hand through her blonde hair and giving her a smile.

"I told you that you wouldnt hurt me. Come on, lets go get you something to eat, yea?"

"Yea...ice cream?"

"If we can find it."

Jacob stood up, taking the little girl's hand in his and walked out of the alley and out to the main street to find some ice cream.

Ill be back in a bit. This girl needs something to cool off with.



Lily watched as Jacob just wandered off towards an alley and couldnt help but hear the people saying that she was dangerous. She watched with idle curiosity as he talked to her then entered the alley with that blue glow around him. When the alley erupted into fire was when she became worried and she ran over to the entrance to look inside to see if he was ok, but all she saw was orange light. She waited in a horrified silence as the time passed, the clock ticking away and the fires not dying down.

Eventually, the fires died down and the energy field that stopped everyone from dying faded, leaving Jacob sitting there with a little girl. She watched with renewed happiness as he stood up with her and walked her out of the alley and walked towards the other part of the city. As he walked by, she gave him a broad smile and a pat on the back...which seemed to have started a trend as several people were giving him praise for doing what they couldnt.

Have fun!

--------------------------
Targas shook his head groggily, looking around the black room and seeing Summer chained up next to him so he could see what they were doing to her. There was no one in the room but he was still in no shape to fight...but he heard something.



Jacob. They were on Earth? Something in the back of his mind told him something that he thought he heard several days ago...they were coming.


The boys...will be here soon...hold on for me, Summer...


---------------------------
The female walked into the lab where her partner worked.


"Jrek, what is their status?"


"They seem to be fine, their data is all over the place...surges of power like none other here and there and their biometrics are shifting constantly but everything seems to be in place."


"And what of the ship?"


"The Progenitus wont be ready for another couple months at best, Lun...you know that. We cant rush this, not with the species at stake."


"Well keep me informed."

"I will but how is the Omega coming?"

"Prototypes will be ready to deploy within the week."

"Fantastic. And the new occupants of Earth?"

"They are adjusting well to the simulations and their ideals on reconstruction are fantastic."

"Good. These next few weeks are going to go by fast...I can feel it. Anyways, I must get back to these readings...they are astounding."

"Carry on then."
 
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Lauren hadn't been sure what Jacob was doing, but using some wisdom, she decided to leave him to it and instead went off in search of the leader of these people. Perhaps if she were to ask about Targas and Summer she'd be met with far less resistance than the two brothers who everyone seemed to be blaming for this whole tragedy. Such thoughts were not fair on Jacob and Caleb, but if that was the mindset these people were in right now, it probably wasn't going to change for a while at least and their group of four - well, five seeing as Swiftfang was actually following Lauren at the moment - needed information now, not later.

The brunette's search didn't end without its prize and she was directed to an older-looking man who was even now directing a few people who were distributing out food to those who couldn't make their way to the stands due to injury or frailty. He looked up as Lauren approached and she held out a hand. "Lauren Tkachenko. Is there anything I can do to help?"

The man looked faintly surprised that she'd offered, but he shook her hand, offered his own name - Seth Baker - and quickly put her to work and Lauren didn't mind. She knew that if she helped - and she really did want to when she looked at these people - she wouldn't be looked at like an intruder only wanting information.


Caleb knew his brother and as soon as he felt that blue energy, the shield come up, he knew his twin would be fine. The little girl intrigued him as well, but for entirely different reasons than Jacob and the younger hybrid knew his reasons wouldn't be liked in the least. He liked the destructive power the child wielded, found it fascinating and would have encouraged it. But no one would have thought that was a good thing. No, better to let Jacob handle it.

At least his sibling would be praised for his efforts.

Caleb had never felt bitterness or resentment toward Jacob before, but he was finding out what those feelings meant now. Though, part of him wondered if it was not Jacob such things were aimed toward but rather the reactions Jacob got.

Gray eyes watched his brother and the child leave and Caleb decided he was going to be no good down here. He couldn't heal, couldn't help and he didn't mind the death and despair he saw. He wouldn't be wanted down here....or up above, but at least up above he didn't have to think about it quite so much. The hybrid started to make his way back up the tunnel and anyone who took one look at his black eyes moved out of his way, fearful. It was the only response Caleb could ever hope to garner, of that he was becoming more and more sure.

----------

Summer stirred weakly at the sound of her mate's voice and she frowned slightly at his words, trying to concentrate around the pain and haze of starvation. What? The boys? Her boys? The redhead blinked, looking over to Targas and she opened her mouth, but nothing came out past her cracked and bleeding lips. She attempted to use her mind instead, finding even that was exhausting.

She could feel what he did, though. She could feel her children...but while Targas had always been able to feel Jacob more keenly, she could feel Caleb in the same way and what she felt from him worried her. Still, they were coming.

I will...always hold on....for you, love. she assured her mate before her pale blue eyes slipped closed again into darkness.
 
(Gah, this long hiatus has crippled my posting ability...expect the next couple to be a bit shaky...sorry :/ )

Lily followed after Lauren, wanting to help and judging by the expression on Caleb's face, he needed some time alone. She was tasked with helping take care of the sick children, a job that made her heart sink upon seeing them. Many of them looked to be on their last legs but she was determined to make them feel better and to help the people around her.

For a short while, she helped without taking any of it to heart...but there was one girl who just made her stop and cry. The girl lay there, disheveled and broken in her posture. Lily slowly picked up the chart, her hands shaking as she did so, and read the name on the board.

"Jessabelle Nolan. This...this cant be...Jess..."

Lily walked up to the side of the bed, sobbing and clenching the board in her hand. The girl, Jess, tossed and turned, wimpering in her crippled state. Lily looked at the board again, daring to see what was wrong with her and she dropped the board, collapsing next to Jess and crying on the bed. One of the other helpers ran over to her and put her arms around her, trying to comfort Lily.

"Whats wrong, dear?"

"She...she...shes my sister..."

"Oh dear...you are the flower she spoke so often of then. Come with me, I want to show you something."

The woman stood up, taking Lily's hand in hers, and led her over to a locker and opened it. She reached in and pulled out a bundle wrapped in dingy cloth. The woman turned around and faced her, slowly unraveling the bundle and she pulled out a book, sitting down and opening it at the same time. Lily sat next to her, curious to see what it was that the woman wanted to show her. Lily's eyes immediately filled with tears and she slumped forward. It was a photo album, one that her sister had saved from a life long since drifting away into the dust.


"She said that she wanted you to have this should you ever come across her. This is for you now."

Lily reached for the book and pulled it closer to her, her hands shaking as she did so. She remembered the day every one of these pictures was taken. She remembers everything from back then, how simple life used to be and how safe it was. She remembered all the friends that she had and the friends that she would play with with her sister. She turned the page and looked at a photo of her and her sister playing in a playground that the city of NewHope had rebuilt. Her sister broke her wrist that day and she remembered picking flowers for her when she was at the doctors. Orange Tiger Lilies.


She turned the page again and saw a picture of her sister standing with all her friends, all their friends. There was Blake, Kris, Elysia, Rob, Lyz and her sister, Jess. They were all around fifteen when this picture was taken and from what she remembered, that was a good day. But a couple years after, she remembered holding this picture and crying...crying like she was now. That was the day that Blake had went off into the military to help defend NewHope but was stationed in Sanctuary farther south. Soon after, Kris just vanished. No one ever heard from him again. Elysia left to go across the sea and try to make do in the other world, also never heard from again. Rob...He became a wreck and he moved off into another community. Out of them all, he kept in contact the best. Then there was Lyz...she just snapped. Everything in her life fell apart and all her dreams broke under the strain. She wasnt the same after and just left. She remembered holding her sister and crying as Jess cried into her chest. Everyone they knew and loved had moved on or left. They had no one but each other.


She forced herself to turn the page and found a picture that made her smile a little. There was she and her family having a party. Jess' 17th, to be exact. June 21. Thats right...her birthday was coming soon. Lily looked around for a calender and followed the 'Xs' to the day...the 21st of June. Today was her birthday.


She slowly got up and went back into the room where her sister was and sat next to her, holding her hand in hers.


"I knew...you would come...sis..."


"Save your strength...sis..." Lily forced herself to speak, her voice choking up as her sister turned to face her and the pained expressions she had cut right through her heart.

"I felt my heart leap, sister...like it had been asleep. You gave it the spark it needed for me to be happy on this one last birthday of mine."


"What are you saying? You are going to get better, I know it."


"No, Im afraid...Im afraid I wont. I can barely breathe...sis...my whole body hurts...and my heart ached, at least it did. Thank you so much for making my heart calm for the first...for the first time in so long."

"Jess...please dont talk like that..."

"Thank you, Lily...you have given me the best gift I could have ever asked for...mom and dad would be so proud of you...and Ill be sure...Ill be sure to tell them everything you have done today when...when I see them. Please...please just hold me, Lily...I missed you so much."


Lily climbed onto the bed and picked her sister up and held her in her arms, crying and rocking slightly. Her sister slowly stopped wimpering in pain and her restlessness began to still.

"Thank you, Lily. I love you, be safe...be safe for us all."

Jess let out a shallow sigh, a faint smile on her face and her body stilled.

"Jess? Jess? Please...please dont go..."

Lily curled over her sister and cried. And cried. And cried.






Jacob had taken Ashley to get some ice cream and he was excited. He had never had it before but from what he had learned, it sounded fantastic.
"So, Ashley. Tell me about yourself."

"Well...Im a ten year old girl that can explode into fire. What else do you want to know?"

"Hey now, no need to get snippy with me. I was just asking a question and besides, Im taking you out to ice cream."

"Yea, I suppose you're right. Sorry about that...Well...I was raised in Sanctuary but we had to flee as it was attacked by raiders. I remember this guy named Sergeant Blake. He was a good guy, very helpful. He helped me and my family escape but he couldn't leave with us. He said he had to go back and find a woman named Lyz. He was really nice...its sad to know he didnt make it out of the attack. Heh, strange how some of the people that you barely know and never considered your friends end up being the closest friends you will have ever had. Anyways...after the attack, we left for NewHope. My father joined the city council and began funding the artifact hunt of the old world and my mother became a nurse. This one day, my dad found a strange, black gem and brought it home to examine it. My curiosity got the better of me that night. It was so beautiful...it was jet black with a glowing red fire inside of it...like literally, there was a fire inside of it. Then I, well I uhh...I touched it. It exploded and so did the room and I was on fire! I was so scared, I ran out of the house and out of the city. I came back a couple days later, scared and alone, and learned that my parents never made it out of the house. I had killed them. Targas and Summer offered me a place to stay, a place where I wouldnt be hurt or hurt anyone...but I was scared so I ran and hid in the sewers. For a couple years, I lived as a beggar and scavenger...until they came...they came and killed everyone. I just go so mad and scared...I exploded again and killed a lot of those bad men. I was just so...angry...and I killed and killed, my anger fueling my fires...but like any fire, I withered away and died. Luckily, I was taken by the survivors before the bad men did but I was still scared of everyone and they were scared of me...so I just trailed behind them like a hunter to prey and eventually ended up in that alleyway. There you have it. My life story."

By the time she had finished her story, they had reached the ice cream stand and she ordered chocolate and he ordered strawberry. Frak, was it fantastic. His pleasures were shortlived, however. He felt in his heart that Lily was in pain, that her heart was filled with tears of sadness and remorse and anger.

"Im afraid we have to go back...one of my friends needs my help."

"Damn, alright..."

The two of them turned around and began their way back to the Lower Levels.
 
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