Falling Skies

Chapter 1 - Hurt

I sat on my bed looking at a strip of old pictures from a photo booth of me and Ben and smiled. Damn. He's been away for so long ... words couldn't even begin to say how much I missed him. A tear ran down my cheek.

"Hey, you okay?" Jimmy asked peering around the door. He was a good kid. I'd grown pretty close to him since being in the 2nd mass. There was only a year age difference between us, less than that even. I never expected to become a soldier at 14 and I'm guessing neither did Jimmy at the age of 13.

"Hey, yeah. I'm fine" I wiped the tear from my face "you can come in you know"

Jimmy smiled and sat besides me. Don't mean to sound big headed but I think he has a crush on me...

"Can I look at that?" Jimmy gestured to the strip in my hands.

"Sure" handing it over I could feel a lump in my throat.

Jimmy snorted softly and smiled "You really love him, don't you?"

"Yeah, guess I do. Never thought about it before ... well you know"

"You can cry in front of me you know. Everyone cries. It's better to just, let it out" Jimmy held my hand cautiously. Perhaps trying to not give me the wrong idea.

I cried with my head on my knees and my arms wrapped around my legs. Jimmy just sat there silently supporting me.

After I let it all out i wiped my eyes "You're a good friend, Jimmy. You know that?"

"Nah, it's nothing. You didn't mind the whole 'holding your hand' thing did you? I mean I'm not trying anything. I know you're still with him-"

"Jimmy, chill. I know. Like I said, you're a good friend" I smiled.

"Weaver sent me here. He wants us all at his office. Some mission or something I'm guessing"

I nodded "Okay. I'm fine now, let's go"

"Okay" Jimmy smiled and opened the door for me.

I grabbed my guns and put them in their holders at my sides and we went to meet up with the others.

"There you two are" Weaver called when we walked in.

"Sorry, complications" I smiled.

"Right, we've heard of a possible armory here" he pointed on a map layed out on his desk "I want you all to scout the place out check for any weapons but be wary, there could be skitters scouting the place too. You leave tonight"

We all nodded. All together there was me, Jimmy, Tom, Hal, Karen, Mike, Anthony and Dai. It wasn't long after that we all prepared to leave. The armory wasn't far out of the center of town but that still meant it was extremely possible that there were skitters or mechs there.

"We're going to need a plan before we leave" Tom said.

"I might have one" I smiled and whistled. Biscuit came running and barking "I've been training him. He can fetch a ball and comes back as soon as you call him or so he has when he had Jimmy for a distraction"

"What's a dog gonna do?" Dai asked eyebrows creased together.

"Well in all fairness what would you rather? Use one of us as bait or a dog?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Not actually a bad plan" Anthony smirked.

"You sound surprised" I tried hide my smile as I loaded up my hand guns. I preferred snipers and hand guns to machine or semi-auto ones. Snipers were more powerful and acurate and hand guns were just easier. Another thing I didn't think I'd be doing at 14 ... thinking about which guns were my favourite.

"If there's so much as a scratch on him though, I'm gonna kill Weaver" I said as we started walking and they laughed.

"C'mon, Biscuit" Jimmy called him along.

We got to the armory and crouched down searching for signs of skitters or mechs. Tom signaled to a car we could hide behind and do my plan. I really hoped biscuit didn't get hurt. Wouldn't be able to forgive myself. We crouched behind the car. The place was silent. Dark. Spooky. I passed the ball to Hal who threw it towards the armory and biscuit followed as trained. He started barking and we all knew something was here. A mech came marching out from behind the wall.

"Biscuit!" I whispered but he kept barking as the mech targeted him.

Jimmy ran out "Biscuit come here!"

"Jimmy no!" Hal called but it was too late. The mech spotted us. I grabbed Jimmy as the dog ran ahead of us and the mech started firing.

We ran the way back to the school.

"I'm sorry, I, I didn't know what I was thinking" Jimmy mumbled.

"Obviously wasn't thinking much" Hal mumbled and I kicked him.

Tom looked at Hal and then to Jimmy "Don't worry, at least we know there are mechs and the dogs safe" he chuckled "We'll go back tomorrow night"

I got in, unloaded my guns and placed them on the floor besides my bed and then lay back and fell asleep easily. I could feel tomorrow was going to be a long day.

I was woken up early by biscuit jumping on me "Okay, okay. I'm up"

I yawned as he ran out.

"Figured you couldn't kill a dog for waking you up" Hal was leaning against the lockers outside.

"Bet girls passed out when they saw you standing like that when this place was still a high school" I gestured to him.

He laughed "Maybe. I've been thinking ... about Ben"

I quickly looked up at him.

"When we save him, maybe ... I mean what if he's changed?" Hal looked actually scared.

"Oh, please. It's Ben. Couldn't even change his mind if you tried" I smirked.

He chuckled "Suppose you're right"

"So, chill and focus on getting him back for me" I smiled and so did he.

I'd grown closer to Hal than I was before after Ben was captured by the skitters. We both cared about him. To Hal he was his younger brother and to me he was the only thing left in my life. Sounds pretty sad I know but with my mom and dad either dead or missing and the rest of my family dead, there was only Ben left. He was my world now. The one single thing I cared for and loved.

"I've known you for like 2 and a half years now, Kristen. That tough exterior doesn't fool me" Hal smirked.

"Still worth a shot" my face fell.

"Hey, we just moved in together" Karen said to Hal "Hey, Kristen"

"Hey" I smiled.

"Wait, what?" Hal looked confused.

"C'mon I'll show you"

Hal looked at me.

"Don't look at me! I don't control you. I'll see you later" I waved him off and he left with Karen.

I didn't feel like breakfast so I went outside and sat on the grass round the back of the school. Anne came over not long after. I'm guessing she saw me, the lab was visible from here.

"Hi" she sat down besides me.

"Hey. Shouldn't you be looking out for patients?" That came out a bit wrong. It sounded like I was telling her to go away but I really wasn't.

"You're a patient" she smiled her long black hair was easily blown with the wind. Almost like it was weightless "How you holding up?"

"A hell of a lot worse than I expected and I know that sounds bad but ..."

"You can talk to me" she smiled "Patient doctor confidentiality still applies"

I smiled. Probably would be a good idea to tell everything to someone. Who better than Anne? "Ben used to be just like a high school crush. Course I loved him but it wasn't really strong love, I mean we both knew it wasn't going to last. Teenage relationships hardly ever do. But since he's been gone he's the only thing on my mind and I'm starting to think maybe I was wrong ... I mean I love him more now than ever. I've never been this overwhelmed" I chuckled "Ugh. I feel so soppy"

Anne laughed "You're a teenage girl. It happens. If you ask me, you and Ben sound like a pretty perfect couple. Sounds like it could last"

I smiled broadly "I'd give anything to have him back"

"C'mon" Anne helped me up.

"Kristen!" Tom Mason called. I liked Ben's dad. He'd been pretty good to me since losing my parents. Anne and I both turned to him. "We're going back to the armory tonight"

"No problem" I called back "Better get ready" I said to Anne after he left.

"Okay, I'll see you later" she smiled and I jogged into the school.

I got my things together, I did nothing all day so I was actually looking forward to going to the armory tonight.

"You ready?" Tom asked.

"As I'll ever be. Where's Jimmy?"

"Click's taking his place"

I sighed "that's gotta hurt"

"Trust me it wasn't my desicion. We gotta go" Tom opened the door for me and we left.

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