After Dakota drives up the driveway to the house, Aurei looks at me.

"How long are we staying?" Aurei asks quietly.

"Never too long, eventually the undead will take over." I said, Aurei nods then gazes at her gun. I could tell she was struggling to understand why she shot the man and how she should feel guilty.

"Yeah, we keep moving." Aurei said, she still had a good heart, she must've been in a position where she was so helpless.

Fern keeps sneaking glances at Dakota, he stops the car and then he steps out, me and Aurei do the same, she just walks beside me. Whenever she felt bad about something she would stick close to me to find a way to apologize.

"Avery....talk to me." Aurei pleads.

"I'm listening." I said with a shrug as I step inside the house.

"How did you make it out of the city?" Aurei asks.

"If it wasn't for Dakota....I would've died...." I said, Aurei looks up at me.

"I know how that feels....I was just like Fern when I was in the woods, until that couple found me. I was half-dead, all I had was a flashlight that was low on battery and a gun that was running out of bullets, until that man saved me....he didn't have to....but I guess many people couldn't just leave a small kid to survive on their own." Aurei said, I nod.

"Then they helped you get back on their feet." I finish, she nods, sitting on the couch, Fern sits down against the wall then continued to stare through the window, Dakota walks down the hall.

"How did you meet Dakota?" Aurei asks quickly.

"He pulled me into a building, he could've just let me get eaten and used me as a distraction but he didn't, we fought and he just slammed me on a table, at that point I had no choice but to go with him, because even if he is a asswhole he will have your back. We hated each other so much, he's still the same Dakota but I could care less about that." I said with a shrug.

"Funny...." Aurei said, with a euphoric tone in her voice.

"Stay human." I said nudging her. That meant to stay herself....never give in to this world that is fighting a battle with us.

"Vice versa Avery." Aurei said raising an eyebrow.

"Why would you say that?" I asked, she shrugs.

"I get that there's some people we don't trust, but that doesn't mean we could just take something that belongs to someone and leave them behind to die, that's dirty." Aurei said with venom in her voice.

"I've been on the road longer Rei." I said, she nods.

"I know....it happens." Aurei said, I understand now, Joe was suffering and so was his wife, they were insane. Jeffrey couldn't take the fact that his mother was dead, Cassie was so scared, she overlooked everything and got overwhelmed. Dr. Mayfield was a depressed man, Dakota lost the only person he loved, his sister and was starved, he's broken and he just fought with suicide.

Before all this happened they were fine....until the disease broke out and nearly killed half of the human race and had them resurrect.

"There are good people too." Aurei said, laying her head on the armrest of the chair.

"I know....and I'm seeing a good person right now." I said, handing her my jacket so she could get warm.

"Thanks Avery." She whispers before closing her eyes, Fern smiles warmly.

"She's so loving." Fern said, blushing.

"Oh?" I ask, she nods.

"My sister hated me, I was older by four minutes, she always saw me as a threat or someone trying to take everything from her. I still loved her." Fern said, gazing down at her wrist, it had a blue bird tattooed, I gawk at it.

"I'm always considered too nice." She adds.

"That's a good thing, being too rude can get you into some trouble or killed." I said. The worser thing than death is becoming one of the undead.

"That's the same for being too nice." Fern said, she's right.

"Basically." I said with a shrug.

"When did you get that tattoo?" I asked, she rests her head against the wall.

"When me and my older cousin lost a bet, I cried the whole time, my cousin took it way better than I did although she did curse, her boyfriend was a tattoo artist." Fern explains, grazing her fingers over the beautiful art.

"It's pretty." I said, she nods.

"Thanks, I thought it would make me stand out more." She adds, I raise a eyebrow.

"From what?" I ask.

"Nothing." Fern said quickly, I cross my arms then furrowed my eyebrows at her.

"I'm going to sleep now....see you tomorrow." Fern said as she passes me, something didn't feel right, I didn't know if she is a good person or not....I was something I would have to find out tomorrow.

I watch as Fern laid her jacket on the ground and uses it as a pillow, I pull out my dagger then rested it near Aurei just in case Fern tries something.

I walk down the hall to see Dakota laid on the bed, his eyes half open again.

"Please...don't kill me.....I don't want to die yet." Dakota said weakly, I walk closer, sitting on the bed.

"Spare her...." Dakota said, his hand laid out limply in front of me.

"All you are is a shitty man stripper." Dakota mutters, I hold back a laugh, but I continue to just stare at him as I move a strand of hair from his face.

"Fine....the more I feel the pain....the longer you keep her alive....I don't care." Dakota whispers, before I could stop myself I shake him. I can't stand seeing him like this.

"Dakota." I whisper, he opens his eyes then he grabs my wrist, squeezing it, I stare at him.

"Sorry." He said, taking a deep breath.

"It's just self defence." I said, he sits up.

"You....were talking in your sleep." I said grimly, he facepalms.

"What did I say?" He asks quickly.

"You were talking about sparing someone....despite the pain you were about to feel." I said, he closes his eyes.

"Forget everything I said." Dakota said grimly, I glare at him.

"Dakota." I snap, he clasps a hand over my mouth, I smack it away.

"What is your problem? You just need-" He glares at me, it was enough to scare me a little, but I look at him straight in the eye.

"Stop it, if I were to tell you then you'd be ready to hug me and try to cuddle me." Dakota snaps, glaring at me.

"Listen to me." I said, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"I know you're fighting.....but you can't be a heartless asswhole and push away people who just want to help!" I said.

"Fine." He said, looking down at me.

"What?" I ask.

"Fine....I might as well." He said with a shrug.

"I hate feeling weak. I hate being looked at like a wounded little animal, I hate these lifeless motherfuckers that took away my family." He said, I nod.

"I know the feeling, they took my mom....my best friend and probably other people I knew." I said, Dakota closes his eyes.

"Avery, you shouldn't be with someone like me, I'm going to be honest, I'm a mess, and I can't have you get killed if I nearly fall off a building." Dakota rambles.

"Yeah you make me want to throw you off a cliff." Dakota shrugs.

"But you're the type that tries to understand others." He said.

"And you're the type who is just telling it like it is." I said, hugging his waist, he winces then he awkwardly pats my back.

I sit on the bed, Dakota sits beside me.

"Your sister....all she needs to do is speak her mind." He said with a shrug.

"Aurei looks up to you." I said, Dakota half laughs.

"I'm smart. That I'll admit." Dakota said with a small grin.

"And part girl." I mutter quietly. Dakota rolls his eyes.

"Bye Avery." Dakota said, walking out the door.

At least I'm getting somewhere with him....he's right about Aurei, she never really acted like a kid. But I'm not complaining...as long as she's happy then she'll be fine.

And she'll be way better than me.