Erased

by Zaxel

A/N: I wrote this before the DLC came out so if there's any info problems I'm sorry in advance. I kinda don't own the PC version so I have to like... pay for it so it's gonna have wait. This was written for one of my coolest friends ever. He deserved it so here it is. I hope he enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think I had a moment where I head hopped though... and excuse my writing... I've gotten a bit rusty.

"I don't know why I thought we were finally safe..."

Nick couldn't even look at Ellis. He thought the same thing. And this was coming from the pessimist. All he could do was let out a sigh. His tired eyes stared at the only gun they had left. They were out of ammo, food, and hope.

He heard a wondering witch crying just outside the safe room, her sobs echoing hauntingly.

It made his stomach churn.

It made Ellis cry.

He turned to look at him, and saw him sobbing into his hands, sitting on ground and with his back against the wall of the safe room, farthest away from the either door.

To Nick, Ellis will always be a child in his eyes, the little brother he used to have, but right now, he looked like exactly what he was-- a broken man.

He looked back at his pistol again, checking the remaining ammo. There wasn't enough to fight a horde but... He could end it now... he could end their suffering; Ellis' suffering.

Maybe it was meant to end this way.

A few days earlier...

Ellis let out a sigh, his hot breath forming a cloud in front him from the chilly winter air. Winter was not leaving fast enough. He missed the warm weather in Savannah. He was so used to it that northern weather was slap to the face. It was only the middle of February!

His hands were deep in his pockets of his issued overalls as he leaned his back against a lone light pole, waiting for his break to be over. The rest of the hired mechanics he worked with were all smoking near the building. Even though Ellis got along with them, he didn't feel like he belonged in the crowd. He was from Savannah and no matter where he went, anyone not familiar with the area always called him a hick, hillbilly, redneck and joking insults of the sort. They especially poked fun at his accent, but hell, who didn't?

Well on the bright side, he got to work with cars again, and pretty comfortably too. The military supplied Ellis with a new pair of navy overalls, almost identical to the ones he used to wear. He missed his old shirt and hat but not much was done when they went through quarantine. Ellis cringed sightly at the memory. Pretty bad experience for him he thought. Not as bad as the apocalypse but pretty bad.

In the distance he heard another helicopter landing. The third time for the day. That was the most all week. Ellis couldn't help but feel a bit worried. He noticed the military had been coming back with less and less survivors. At times none at all. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Maybe everyone was already rescued? Or maybe the zombies were winning?

Ellis decided he didn't want to dwell on that thought for too long. Way too negative. He was away from it, and that's all he cared about. He was safe and at least some people he knew were safe as well.

He practically jumped out of his skin when someone poked the side of his arm unexpectedly.

"Dang, girl, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Rochelle giggled but apologized for giving the scare. "What are you doing out here by yourself?"

Ellis just shook his head as he rested his back against the pole again. "On break. Not much going on in there."

"I see..." she moved to stand beside him. She wrapped her arms around herself as if to keep herself warm. "You okay?"

Ellis smiled on cue. "Of course! What would make you think otherwise?"

Rochelle couldn't help but smile herself, turning her head away again. Those smiles of his were quite contagious. It usually was a chain reaction that ended with Nick.

Ellis nudged Rochelle softly with his elbow, not wanting to remove his hands from his pockets. "What about you? How are you holding up, Ro?"

She let out a sigh, a white puff trailing out of her mouth. "Nothing, sweety. Just haven't seen you in a couple days. You like the job?"

"Oh heck yeah! Kinda reminds me of my ol' garage back home in Savannah. Except, we didn't do things on helicopters and stuff. Just cars really. Though I do remember this one time my buddy Keith--"

One of the employes called out for Ellis, reminding him that break was over, much to Rochelle's relief. She indeed loved Ellis as a friend but his stories...

"Well, I best be off before they tear me a new one," Ellis started as he moved himself from off the pole. "I'll drop by later before curfew, k?"

Rochelle, smiling warmly to herself, watched Ellis walk away.

Just as promised, Ellis showed up. Near curfew but at in enough time to say hi. "I bought goodies too!" He said as he zipped up the tent from the inside.

Upon hearing this, Coach raised his head from an old magazine he had been reading out-loud. "Good looking out, youngin',"

Rochelle sat up on her cot, making enough room for Ellis to sit. "Whacha guys up to?"

"The usual. Slowly dying of boredom," She replied with a tired smile.

Indeed, camp life was boring beyond belief. The routine was get up, bathe, eat, walk outside if you felt like it, eat, help around if you were asked to, and go to bed. It was tiring but the best thing they had since the apocalypse so no one really complained. At least not much.

Ellis moved to sit next to her, but not before giving Coach a chocolate bar, which the older man gladly accepted. "One of the big guys had it," big guys as in the men in uniform, "he looked at it and just didn't want it so he handed it to me. And I was all like, "I just GOT to give this to Coach!" so there," Ellis explained with a proud smile.

"You are a wonderful child Ellis," Coach thanked him as he began unwrapping the bar to it's delicious chocolatey goodness.

"And for the young lady..." Ellis began as he pulled out strawberry flavored yogurt. "I snuck this so cherish it."

She smiled and thanked the young male sweetly. Flavored food was hard to come by let alone sweets and snacks. All they ever ate was either poorly prepared meals or rations. Neither of which tasted good so what ever Ellis bought as a bedtime snack was heavenly.

"I best be goin' now. Don't want to be caught by patrol even though we're practically next door. I'll see you guys at breakfast."

They watched Ellis leave out the tent and waited a few moments before speaking.

"That poor child. He tries so hard," Coach commented, savoring the chocolate.

"He indeed does, Coach," Rochelle answered, staring at her unopened yogurt in thought. "I would hate to see the day when he falls apart... if he ever does."

Nick was sitting up in his cot, playing a game of solitaire when Ellis walked in, smiling, "Heya Nick!"

Nick's reply was deadpan: "Howdy, sunshine."

"I brought back goodies with me!"

"Yay."

Ellis couldn't help but pout a little, "Aw you're no fun." He reached into the bag and tossed Nick a bag of potato chips which ruined his card game where it landed. After pushing the bag aside, Nick collected up the cards and began shuffling them again.

Ellis paid no mind to the man and instead sat on his cot, removing his work shoes quietly. They were way more comfortable and better looking than the issued booties everyone received so Ellis was quite happy when he landed the job. Though when he wasn't working he had to wear the booties so it really didn't matter.

"You know," Ellis couldn't help himself. Ever. And that was the downside of rooming with him, Nick thought as he let out an exasperated sigh. "Keith doesn't like plain potato chips. I think his favorite are the barbecue kind though I don't personally prefer those. My favorites are the Cheetos but those aren't considered potato chips are they? Well anyway I remember this one time my buddy Keith and me--"

"Ellis. Please. It's late," Nick actually fought with himself to be this nice.

"Okay."

Ellis had already been done changed into his standardized issued clothing and grabbed his blanket to sit next Nick in his cot.

The older man looked at him offensively. "What the hell are you doing Ellis?"

"I want to play," he answered with a smile, wrapping himself up in the itchy blanket. "I'm wide awake so..."

"But you suck," Nick said almost as a matter of fact, as he expertly shuffled the cards.

"Come on, please, Nick! Until I get tired."

"Alright you win, kid."

Nick let out a sigh, only giving in to shut him up, and began dealing the cards.

He tossed a few games, and fought the urge to smile whenever Ellis swore he couldn't lose.

"Ellis, sweety, you look tired."

"Went to bed late," Ellis answered Rochelle, sitting across from her and next to Nick. "I was playing a few card games with Nick."

Both Coach and Rochelle gave the accused man a look.

Nick took a bite of his stale tasting sandwich, which consisted of government developed ham and cheese, not even looking up at the two but knowing their gaze was on him. "He wanted to play."

"I was winning at first. Then I don't know what in the hell happened! He just started kicking my ass. It was fun though," Ellis explained still smiling brightly. "I was kicking your ass good too," he nudged Nick with his elbow and the older man just refused to respond.

Ellis stifled a yawn and Rochelle give him a look, which he raised his hands in defense. "My shift doesn't start until later anyways! I'll be fine."

"Don't go pushing yourself too much, Ellis."

"Ay-lus," Nick teased, for old times sake, making the younger male frown. It was looking more and more like a childish pout to Nick.

"Yo, what did I tell you about that teasing shit, Nicolas," Coach stressed his name on purpose, knowing it bothered the other, to hear his full name said like that.

Just then, from behind the groups table, a voice came. "Coach?"

They all turned to look and saw a familiar face.

"Hol-ee shit! If it ain't Louis!"

"Well I'll be damned!" Coach started, as he accepted the other man's handshake warmly. "Good to see ya still breathing, brother."

"Glad to see all of you alive and well."

They chatted for some time before the ex-business man left to collect the other friends. As expected, everyone was happy to see the other alive and well. Well only Zoey. Francis always had a stick up his ass just like Nick, except Nick took the stick out to beat people with with Rochelle giggled to herself at the thought

Ellis was especially happy. He was so glad to see everyone's warm faces, all lit up to finally see another persons familiar face. And then there was her. The angel. The woman he just so happened to crush on so hard, he went day's constantly thinking about her and hoping she'd make it. And here she was, safe, with him.

It seemed like she read his thoughts, her chocolate brown eyes glancing over to him, her face forming a soft and warm smile. He smiled back bashfully, though he felt his ears burning, probably turning red.

It was nice to see her face again. Happy. Alive.

She might not have felt the same when they first met (she thought he was a moron. Cute but a moron), the way she was looking at him, he was pretty sure he had a chance now.

"My advice?"

"Well... yeah," Ellis said nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "You seem like the ladies man. I'm just wondering if you could... help me."

Nick, sitting up in his cot, eyed him in oddly. "Shit, Ellis. I don't think I'm the right person. Really," the older man answered honestly.

"Nick, I can't really ask anyone else," he looked anxious and sounded a bit desperate.

Nick wasn't sure if he should feel bad or laugh at him.

"Is it that girl? What's her name again?"

"Zoey."

"Yeah, whatever. Look, if you really want my advice, you should probably talk to Rochelle instead. I mean, she is a woman. She'd probably tell you things I can't."

Nick actually couldn't believe himself. He normally wouldn't help a person out but it was Ellis and he did act like a younger brother. That stupid hillbilly grew on him so the advice came out sort of naturally. Which freaked conman out a little.

"Dammit Nick, I need a man-to-man conversation! Asking another woman just ain't right and it's just embarrassin," Ellis said with an annoyed look. "And they have a tendency to act like they're cupid, like.. meddling and stuff. And don't tell me to ask Coach. Seriously."

Nick knew not to do that. Not after last time. Ellis went to him for a problem and that man started preaching about something or other that they all forgot what the problem even was anymore.

"You said you had a wife once, right?" Ellis asked carefully.

"That was like, forever ago, man. Don't."

"You musta done something right to get her to marry you."

Nick set his jaw. It wasn't a subject for Nick to talk about so easily but then again, when did Nick ever talk about anything unless he was being a jerk.

Ellis knew he hit a sour subject but he was just that observant that he wanted to know. He already had the man talking. The worst Nick would do was tell him to shut up and leave.

"I didn't go the right way about it but. I guess it was good enough. Didn't last long anyway," Nick said, much to the mechanic's surprise.

"How come? I mean, if you don't mind me askin',"

Nick smirked a little, "Listen, how about we fix you're little problem first. I'll tell you all about my little escapade later."

Ellis smiled. "Imma hold you to that."

"And you'd think it would, like, break his back or somethin', but Jeremiah just got up and was like, 'that was awesome!'"

The sound of her laughter made Ellis' stomach flip-flop. It was such a wonderful feeling. Ellis was telling another one of his Keith related stories while he was on break and she listened all the way, no interruptions.

"Oh wow, he could've killed himself!" Zoey managed to laugh out.

"I know, right? Shee-it Keith never listens to me," he smiled.

They fell silent afterward, just the cool winter air blowing, as Ellis and Zoey sat side by side on a bench just outside the fenced-in garages. He had his arm resting on the top of the bench just behind Zoey and wondered the entire time he was telling the story when would be the right time to just rest his arm on her shoulders. He wasn't very skilled with women. His momma brought him up right since she was indeed a traditional woman. He respected women and always knew never, ever to disrespect them.

He liked Zoey a lot but he wouldn't ever do things out of line or too fast. Even though Nick said otherwise...

She looked over to Ellis, smiling sweetly to him.

He bashfully smiled back.

Damn, she was the only girl that could ever make him feel this weird!

"You know, I've heard so many stories about Keith. You should tell me more about yourself."

Ellis looked at her a bit surprised, using his other hand to rub the back of his neck nervously. "Ah hell, I don't got much to say about myself. No interesting stories like Keith's at least."

She let out a small chuckle before leaning into him and resting her head into his arm.

Ellis felt his face reddened. He never had a girl do that before.

"I'm cold," she stated as she hugged herself.

Uhh... maybe now would be a good time. Ellis finally moved his arm from behind her and wrapped it around her, hugging her close to him.

He heard her sigh contently as she let herself be drawn close to his body.

"I forgot how it was like to be safe again..." Zoey said softly. "I never thought we would be rescued."

Ellis couldn't help but tighten his hold slightly in reassurance and for the first time was at a loss for words.

He could get used to this, holding Zoey in his arms while enjoying the winter evening, but one of his fellow coworkers came out to fetch him, ruining the moment.

"Sorry, Zo," he sounded so disappointed.

She smiled as she removed herself and stood up. "Tomorrow. I want to hear about you, kay?" her voice was just too sweet. He nodded dumbly and he watched her walk away, a stupid grin on his face.

And he always thought she hated him.

It had been a week, and Ellis was in good progress with Zoey. Rochelle would reassure him, reminding him that things would work out (she found out and stuck her nose in it, just like Ellis said). Nick would say things like, "Damn, how long is it gonna take for you to get into her pants already?" and Coach would jump in with some prayer, like, "Lord, have mercy on these children. And Lord, please, oh please, Lord, help these chefs and bless them with the power to make better tasting food." Rochelle would chime in, "Amen to that one."

Ellis couldn't wait to see Zoey again. She had been on his mind since the day he met her! Was he falling for her? Heh... maybe. He almost let himself slip on the job he was thinking about her so much. It wasn't all that bad. He did get scolded but it didn't bother him much. He was just glad the day was over anyway.

The mechanic said his goodbyes to his coworkers as usual and clocked out. The working day ended early since there wasn't much to fix up. There was less vehicles leaving just as less people came back.

He decided he'd go and say hi to Zoey again, hoping she'd be wondering around with the rest of the group in the mess hall. Everyone was always at the mess hall, especially before curfew, so it was only logical for him to head there anyway.

Ellis followed the path that led to the tented mess hall but abruptly stopped just outside.

It wasn't... no. It couldn't be.

"Keith?" Ellis' voice came out softer than he intended, almost vulnerable. It sounded alien to his ears.

He couldn't believe it. There was no way. It was like he was seeing a ghost. Well, he would've been. He was already hearing shit.

"Holy... El?"

In heartbeat, Ellis didn't even register it until it already happened. He ran to his friend and hugged him tightly, laughing. He held on to Keith like his life depended on it. They hugged for what seemed like an eternity but only lasted a few seconds.

Keith, with tears in his eyes, was laughing and saying, "I'll be damned. I'll be fuckin' damned!"

Ellis was still laughing, tears also in his eyes.

"Guy's, I want y'all to meet Keith," Ellis introduced his friend with a bright smile.

"Holy crap, he's real?"

Nick almost choked on his drink when he heard Coach.

"What, you guys didn't believe me?" Ellis did his usual pout, and Keith chuckled next to him.

"Well, those stories were a little bit outrages," Zoey said but she gave the southern boy a smile. "Nice to finally meet you, Keith."

Ellis had spent the rest of the night talking to Keith. He was so busy catching up with his friend that he totally forgot about Zoey. And Nick, and Coach, and just about darn everybody. But he didn't care. His best friend Keith was back. He even broke the rules and stood the night in Kieth's tent. Ellis knew Nick wouldn't worry (if he even cared) since there were times Ellis was stuck working on repairs for nights at a time. And luckily for the both of the them, Keith wasn't roomed with anyone else so he had the tent all to himself. They hardly got any sleep though. They stood up most of the night talking about anything and everything. They were so loud, they were scolded by they're neighbors to quiet down.

The next morning, Ellis couldn't even help himself. He practically dragged Keith into the mess hall.

"Damn, El, you sure made an awful lot of friends," Keith smiled and waved at the strangers.

Nick saw that the southern boy next to Ellis was the real Keith. From what he remembered, Ellis did say the man had some pretty bad experiences. Every scar on Keith's body held true to Ellis' stories, even the one about falling over... no wait, under a lawnmower. Honestly, no one would have believed Ellis' stories unless they saw the Keith. And there he was smiling widely with some missing teeth and all.

"So this is the great Keith himself," Rochelle commented with a smile.

"I think I heard one story or two stories already," the business man commented.

"Golly, El. You done told everybody everythin' huh?" Keith grinned.

Ellis gave one back double the size, "No ones been through the shit you have, Keith."

"I bet ya'll don't know a lick-a-thing about El, here. He ever tell you about the time he went to this mall up in Atlanta?"

Rochelle laughed a little. "I think he was going to."

Nick rolled his eyes.

Ellis was quick to butt in. "I don't think it be the best time, Keith."

"Well, we done tell Ellis it was never the right time," Coach started. "I think now is the perfect time."

"Oh-ho man, it's a good one! See, him and Dave, wait, I bet he didn't even tell ya'll Dave was the religious type, huh?"

The way he said it was hilarious. Ra-li-jus. Nick was almost grinning to the point of no return but stopped himself before anyone noticed.

"Well, anyway Dave was like..."

Nick slipped away for a moment, still sort of listening but not entirely focusing his attention to to the story. For such disgustingly happy person Ellis was, that was the only time Nick ever saw how genuinely content the young mechanic was at that very moment. Everyone at the table was laughing and smiling, enjoying the way Keith elaborated, going into almost every detail with southern enthusiasm. Eventually Ellis joined in the story telling simply because he couldn't help himself.

Before they were evacuated, they hardly had any time to actually let go and enjoy themselves; to actually be human for a minute. And for the first time in a very long time, the world seemed just a little bit brighter to Nick, even if for a moment.

Ellis was living the life again. He was fixing cars again, he was reunited with his best friend, he found friends to call a family now, and he found the woman of his dreams (they weren't exactly an item but that would come with time though, he was sure of it). Now all he needed was an ice cold beer and he'd be set.

He, Keith and a coworker of theirs were working hard on a tattered truck that was thrown by a Tank but somehow was able to make it back. There were pieces of zombie flesh (they no longer considered it human) lodged in tires and such. It was a hassle but they were having fun none the less. Well, at least Ellis and Keith were.

Ellis was always very easy to please. He was just glad to be doing something.

Keith was just happy to be around his friend. They had been separated for far too long.

They wanted to tell each other so many things but rules were, they couldn't talk too much about the apocalypse while in the camp unless it was an emergency. As in, no bringing up the "Z word" unless you were talking to a therapist or if one somehow managed to spring up in camp. And no talk of special infected either. It was a bit annoying but they understood.

People were on edge and some to the point of no return. It was a hard thing to accept but the apocalypse changed people, and Ellis knew even if things were to go back to normal, if it ever did, he would never be the same Ellis.

"Ew, is that... an arm?"

Ellis laughed as he picked it out of the inside of the car. He gave Keith a high-five with it, causing their coworker to cringed.

Keith, still laughing, took the dead limb and tossed it into a box where hazardous items went so it could be properly disposed of later.

They quietly worked on random parts of the vehicle, all deeply concentrated. But as always, Keith could never keep quiet.

"You think we ever gonna get out of here?"

Ellis was working on the engine and slowed down his wrenching to look over at the man. "What?"

"I mean," Keith pulled out the rag that hung out his back pocket and wiped his sweaty face with it, "We've been here for, like, a while now. They haven't told us a thing. A single word of what's goin' on. I'm actually a bit worried."

Ellis shook his head, looking back at the engine he was working on, his face serious. "Ain't botherin' me none. We got nowhere else to go. This is a good a home as any."

Keith sighed and continued working the bolts in the engine beside Ellis. "I'm just sayin'... it'd be nice for little update from the outside world."

Ellis too let out a sigh. He understood perfectly what Keith was talking about. It was something that everyone wanted to say but didn't. Because they were to afraid to know. It had been six months since the infection hit. Five months they've been staying at the camp. And hardly any more survivors were being rescued. Gun shots were sounding more frequent. Everyone was on edge. People were cracking. People who weren't were probably already crazy.

Ellis, couldn't help but push all that aside. He wanted to believe they were safe. He wanted so hard to believe it. Everything was fine as it was. He had his friends. He was in the safety of the camp.

But that's when he heard it. His heart stopped. He had to stop believing.

It came without warning. All Ellis remembered hearing was the sirens, shrieking, and guns going off in the distance. It happened so fast.

Concrete came flying past him and Keith, crushing their coworker, and that's when he heard it. The roaring of a Tank.

"What... the FUCK... is THAT?!" Ellis heard Kieth say.

His eyes widened. "Run!" he cried as he grabbed Keith's arm, both of them hightailing it out of there. There was nothing but chaos and panic. People were running everywhere and sometimes into each other. Amidst all the chaos of panicking survivors, Ellis lost Keith. He called for him, hundreds of people running past him, running from the the threat.

He didn't want to lose him again. Not now!

"Shit!"

He saw bodies in the distance being thrown about, like rag dolls flying in the air as the Tank swatted them like flies with his grotesque arms.

All Ellis could think of now is to run. And the only way out was that single entrance. There was no other way since the cement walls caged them in like lab rats. People crowded the doorways, all pushing their way unsuccessfully. It reminded Ellis of of the time they opened the gates in Whispering Oaks.

It happened in slow motion. The Tank plowed through the people, making his way in. Bodies flew in every which direction, the sound of bones snapping and flesh ripping as they hit the ground with massive force.

Ellis almost panicked. How would he get out now?

Ellis felt a hand grab his arm and pull him over behind a turned armored truck. Only after he was shoved a pistol in his hand did he realized it was Francis who dragged him over to temporary safety.

"One of the Tanks broke right through the fucking walls. We can probably make it past them and use that break as an escape..." Nick explained, breathless as he too took cover behind the turned truck. He had a bloodied shotgun in his hands. Probably belonged to a now dead soldier.

"What about everyone else?" Ellis asked, his voice barely audible through the screeching sirens.

"They're fine," Nick lied and Ellis knew it too.

"Shit, there's infected everywhere!" Francis said, as he watched zombies pouring through the entrance the tank broke through. The alarm must've attracted their attention. "Now what?"

"We haul ass," Nick stated. No one argued with that.

But Ellis didn't want to leave. He needed to find Keith, Zoey, Coach, Rochelle and Louis! He needed to know they were safe.

"Ready, kid?"

Ellis let out a shaky sigh, trying his best relax his nerves. It was getting harder and harder by the minute. He didn't have time to think or collect himself as a Tank was charging it's way towards them.

"Shit, how many of them are there?!" Francis exclaimed, moving out of the way.

Before the Tank could could crush Ellis, Nick unloaded a shotgun round into the Tanks face, making it stagger backwards.

"GO!"

Just like Nick said, they hauled ass, making their way towards the back of the camp. They killed whatever infected tried to grab them and stop them from making their escape.

Just as Ellis turned around to see if the Tank was following them, he saw it turn it's attention to others.

"Holy shit, Coach!"

"Relax, Overall's. Everything's alright, we're fine for now."

But Ellis wasn't hearing it. He had his eyes shut tight and held his head in his hands. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit..."

He was sitting on ground with his back against the wall of a room they managed to barricade themselves in temporarily. Ellis made it a habit when he was upset he would sit in that position for a while until he got over whatever trauma he'd experienced. Though to Nick, it seemed like the kid wasn't going to get over it anytime soon. It was a vulnerable position even for Ellis.

It was a big blow for everyone. Everything just went to hell.

Not one but two Tanks attacked the camp and took it down within a few minutes. No one wanted to believe it. Ellis was in a stage of denial. Especially after watching Coach die.

He was like a grandaddy to Ellis. Hell, to all of them. He was the uncle you always wanted and never had. Now he was gone. Crushed by a Tanks fist, pummeled to the ground. And Ellis couldn't do anything about it except run.

Ellis held back a whimper. He didn't want to think about it. He wouldn't let himself. Subtly, his body rocked back and forth, trying to shut out all the screaming. He could still hear people screaming.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit...." he continued to murmur, almost as if he was chanting.

"Is he gonna be alright?"Francis asked, finally looking away from the door.

Nick looked at the once cheerful man. He didn't like the moments Ellis broke down. It rarely ever happened. When it did happened, it scared him... just a little bit.

Just when Francis thought the other man wasn't going to answer him, Nick faced him, his face serious. "He'll be alright. See anyone else coming?"

Francis hesitated. "Nah."

"We'll stay the night. It's too dark to go running around with half empty weapons."

Francis agreed to it then pushed a random object in front of the already well blockaded door. Couldn't be too safe, he thought, but by then, that word hardly existed.

A/N: Ah! I havent written fanfiction in FOREVER! -checks the last time she updated and cringes- okay yeah so... i hope I didn't make Nick too OOC. I know Zoey probably is. I think I was okay with Ellis until this point. -disappointed- Don't worry. He'll be back to his normal self. The second chapter will be up soon! Just thought it was meant to be split into to parts instead of making it one big ass fic, because the next part is nothing but ANGST! I'd appreciate the feedback! Thanks for reading!