Everyone stared at the multi-colored hair man by the front door. His name was Blaine and he just told Nick's group about how his father was part of CEDA and he was a carrier who was changed into one of the undead and then killed.

It was a good thing Maya wasn't awake, she would be even angrier if she saw this man.

"Blaine, we need some advice from you." Ellis began talking.

Nick glared at him with anger. But, Ellis had a say since he was like Nick's deputy.

"Yes, what is it?" Blaine answered.

"Is there a safe place that our group can stay a while? We've been traveling for quite some time."

Blaine's eyes widened, but he nodded. "Yes, there is an abandoned asylum about, uh, maybe twenty or forty miles away."

The girls widened their eyes. Would they really travel that far to get to a safe place?

"It sounds like a fair place to live. I'll take my chances." Nick openly agreed to taking the place.

"Hold on. The place is over-run with zombies. Are four men going to be enough to kill 'em all?" Blaine questioned.

Briar, Ellis and Nick all nodded.

"It's decided then. All four of the guys will begin traveling in two days." Nick announced.

"Nick?" Summer questioned.

"Yes?" Nick answered.

"What's Maya gonna think when you tell her you're leaving? She'll be heart broken." Summer said sadly.

Nick lowered his head. He never thought about what Maya would think. But, he had no choice, he was doing this for sake of everyone, not just him.

"I'll tell her tonight when she wakes up." Nick told Summer.

"It's best that you do." Summer replied as she went to join Rhett and Ellis.

Time seemed to go by slowly, everyone was beginning to settle in for the night, except Nick. His thoughts focused on Maya; what her reaction would be and how she would cope without him.

Nick was outside on the porch, looking at the stars beginning to sparkle in the night sky. He heard the door open, but he didn't turn to see who it was.

Ellis approached his leader with caution. "How are you feeling?" Ellis asked as he sat down.

"I don't know... Like heart my is trailing two different ways." Nick said with a sigh.

"I know this is hard on you, Nick. Maya will have to understand that this is for her sake too, and everyone else's." Ellis tried to sound comforting.

Nick looked at Ellis with a long stare until he spoke again. "Thanks, Ellis. But, I have to ask, why don't you spend time with Maya?"

Ellis sighed. "I choose to spend time with the rest of the adults, like you, Briar, Rhett is a teen still, but I still spend time with her. Nick, she chose you as her guardian, and now she needs you more than ever, don't let her slip away." Ellis told him with a gentle smile.

Nick made a small smile back to Ellis, then he spoke again. "She needs you too, Ellis, you're a brotherly figure to her." Nick smiled.

Ellis smiled back Nick. Soon both men went back inside, Ellis went with Nick to see if Maya was awake. She wasn't awake yet.

Maya lay on the bed with some of her bandages visible, her short sleeved shirt didn't cover the bandages on her arms.

"Nick, I'm sorry I wasn't there to help Maya when she got hurt like this today, she didn't deserve it." Ellis whispered.

Nick looked at Ellis. "Don't be sorry, as long as she's alive, that's all that matters."

Maya stirred awake, as she did so, she whimpered. She grasped her side, eyes tightly shut in pain.

"Nick...." She whimpered softly.

Nick sat on the bed and moved her hand. Her side wound was beginning to bleed again; it must've opened up while she was asleep.

"Shit--stay still okay? Ellis could you grab a bandage patch and bandage tape for me, please?"

Ellis nodded and followed his orders.

Nick removed the bloody patch from Maya's side and he pressed his hand on her bleeding wounds to clot them.

"Stay with us, Maya." He persuaded.

Maya nodded, but she yelped many times as Nick tried to clot her wound.

Ellis got the materials needed and gave them to Nick. Nick once more patched Maya's wound up. His hands were drenched in her blood.

Maya panted but managed to push herself up.

While Nick went to wash his hands, Ellis stayed with Maya.

"Do need anything, Maya?" Ellis asked politely.

"Just some water." She said to him as she lowered her head.

Ellis nodded and left room to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water for Maya.

Nick returned from the bathroom. In his hand he held two pain pills for Maya to take. But he kept them hidden, he wasn't sure if she'd ever taken pills before.

Nick sat on bed again next to Maya. He looked at her for a long time before speaking to her.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you." Nick said to her as he stared at her injured side.

"It's my own fault for running away. If hadn't, I wouldn't be in this condition." Maya lowered her head; tears fell from eyes.

"Aw, Maya. Come on, no tears." He said as he put his hand on her cheek and wiped a tear away.

Maya lay her small hand on top of Nick's and gripped his hand.

Ellis soon walked into room with the water bottle in his hand. "Water for the young lady." He said teasingly.

"Thanks, Ellis." Maya thanked him as she reached for bottle of water.

Nick pulled his hand away and opened his other hand that had the pills in it.

"Need one?" Nick asked Maya.

"What is it?" Maya asked.

"It's a pain pill. It'll ease your pain." Nick explained.

Maya nodded and took one from his hand. She popped it her mouth, opened her water, took a drink, then swallowed the pill.

"Thanks." She said as she wiped her mouth.

Nick nodded. Ellis looked at Nick, he stared at Nick to give him a sign to tell him about the travel in two days. Nick blinked, then nodded again.

"Maya, we need to tell you something." Ellis said to her nervously.

"What is it?" She questioned.

"Maya, me, Ellis, Briar and a newcomer named Blaine are traveling in two days."

Her blue-green eyes widened in alarm. Was he serious? She thought to herself.

"What about the rest of us?" Maya said worryingly.

"You'll remain here with the rest of girls." Nick told her.

Maya's eyes were wide with fear, this couldn't be happening to me? She told herself. Her body trembled with worry and she didn't want Nick or Ellis leaving.

"No... Please don't leave..." Maya begged as her tone of voice began to get heavy with sadness.

"Maya, we have to. We need a place where we can stay for a while." Ellis spoke this time.

"Take me with you... Please..." Maya begged as tears began to flood her eyes.

Nick shook his head and grabbed her hand. "I can't do that, Maya. You're in no condition to travel. You'll be safe here." Nick said as he began to stand.

Ellis followed Nick as they began to leave the room. Maya stared at them as they began to leave. Maya then made herself stand up, as much pain as she was in, she made an effort and ran to Nick.

"Don't leave, Nick! I'm begging you, please don't, I don't know what I did for you to decide this.... Just please, don't leave me...!" Maya begged as she began to cry. She was hugging Nick, she was only up to middle of his back. Her hands clenched tightly onto his clothing.

Nick looked over his shoulder and saw Maya crying against his back. His eyes had so much sympathy lying on Maya. He knew she was gonna have a hard time letting him leave without her.

Nick laid his hand on Maya's hands clenching his shirt.

"Maya, you did nothing wrong for me to leave, I promise. This is for everyone's sake, even yours. You'll see me again, I promise." Nick then grabbed both Maya's hands and he faced her. He bent down on his knees and hugged her.

Nick continued. "Nothing in this damned world will keep me from you. I'm doing this as a leader and as your guardian. Maya, you are too special to let go of, I'll always be watching you." Nick hugged the crying girl as tight as he could without hurting her.

"Will you keep your promises?" Maya said as she faced Nick with tears in her eyes.

Nick wiped her eyes with his thumbs and nodded. "I will always keep promises to you."

Maya nodded. Soon, she lost her strength in her bad ankle and fell to her knees. Nick stood on one leg while the other was still bent on the floor. Nick lifted Maya into his arms and finally stood up.

"Nick?" Maya said as she clenched onto his blazer.

"Yes, Maya?" He said as he stared at her.

She blushed before saying what she was going to say. "I love you, Nick."

Nick leaned his head down and kissed Maya's forehead. "I love you too, Maya. I always will."

Nick laid Maya on the bed and reached into one of pockets of his blazer.

"I was going to save this for a better time but, I think this is an important moment." Nick told Maya as his hand came out with a beautiful turquoise gem necklace.

"Nick, where did you--? It's beautiful!" Maya was flattered for she began to blush.

Nick sat behind Maya and hooked the necklace chain together around her neck. He lifted her long, dark brown hair from underneath the chain.

"You like it?" Nick smiled.

Maya nodded and faced him, she once more hugged him. He hugged her back and kissed her head.

Maya faced Nick once more. "Maya, listen, this necklace is like a promise gift, like a promise ring to show a relationship, well this symbolize that I'm going to always keep my promises to you, and that you will always be in my life." Nick explained as he smiled.

Maya smiled and close her eyes as tears of joy streamed out of her eyes. Nick wiped her eyes once more.

Ellis watched everything from outside the bedroom door. He smiled and walked in and sat next to Maya.

"Maya, me and Nick will always be your first guardians that found you first. I wanted to tell you that I love you like a little sister and that I'm always here for you kiddo." Ellis smiled.

"Thank you, Ellis." Maya said as she hugged him.

Ellis hugged her carefully and rubbed her back.

Ellis released his grip on Maya and looked at the necklace around her neck. He lifted the gem into in his hand and inspected it.

"Is this gem real?" Ellis asked Nick.

"Yes it is. Found it at the mall when we were in Savannah." Nick explained.

"Well, it's the right shade for Maya since it matches her eyes perfectly." Ellis flirted.

Maya blushed and gave a small grin at Ellis. Ellis was a lot older than she was but, she knew he was saying it in a brotherly way.

Nick sighed. "Maya, you should get some rest. Also, try not to move around too much or else your wounds will open up again." Nick suggest as he laid her down.

Maya simply nodded and closed her eyes. She wasn't going to argue with him about staying awake. She knew that Ellis and Nick had stuff to do before they went to sleep.

Nick and Ellis left the room for Maya to sleep. Once out in the living room, Nick sat on the arm of the couch while Ellis remained standing.

"So, what now?" Ellis asked.

Nick glared but replied simply. "We prepare our things to leave in two days."

All night, Nick and Ellis had gotten supplies for their trip. Clothes were the last to prepare, along with food and water. They had gathered medical supplies and plenty of ammo for their weapons.

The Next Morning...

It was morning now, sunlight streamed in through the windows and brought light into the house.

Nick and Ellis had fallen asleep on the couches. Ellis' cap was half off his head and he had one leg on the couch while the other hung off. Nick slept normally, unlike his partner on the other couch.

On watch was Rhett and Summer. They woke up bright and early to keep the rest of the group safe.

Rhett had both katanas in her hands, while Summer stayed with her Auto-Shotgun. Rhett looked at the blonde haired girl, she was quite pretty in Rhett's opinion, it was easy for Rhett to tell that Ellis had a crush on her.

Back inside, Maya had woken up. She whimpered in pain to her side aching but, it wasn't anything serious. Her ankle was still horribly wounded and sprained, making walking nearly impossible.

She made herself stand up, as much pain she was in, she had to try to manage with out Nick being there to aid her. She took a couple steps and it was still pretty painful to walk but, Maya had to try.

After a few minutes of trying, she stopped and sat on the floor. She looked out the window and saw sunlight coming in. Her eyes shut half way and she was thinking.

"I wanna go with Nick, but if I did, I'd slow everyone down, but I'm the burden that lies on everyone's shoulders here. Either way, I'm useless this way." Maya thought to herself lowering her head, having her hair cover her face.

Maya shifted her head and saw something sticking out from under the bed, she reached her hand out and grabbed it. She pulled it out and looked at it. It was a pocket knife.

"How did this get here?" Maya questioned herself.

The blade was open, Maya stared at the blade for a long time. Her hands trembled, her thoughts were uneasy, what was she gonna do?

Ellis woke up first. He yawned then sat up and fixed his cap. He saw Nick sleeping, he gave a small grin, then his eye caught sight of Summer outside on watch. His heart began to pound like a drum, he was head over heels for this girl. He shook the feeling off, he had to check on Maya to see how she was.

He stood up and walked to the door of Nick's bedroom. He hestitated to open the door, it was too quiet in the room. He pressed his ear against the door to listen to see if Maya was doing anything. He heard slight panting; he opened the door and didn't see Maya in bed.

"Maya?" He called quietly.

Maya stopped what she was doing with the knife and threw it back under the bed. It made a small clang noise and she winced nervously about the noise. She grabbed her hoodie that lied on the floor and put it on quickly.

Ellis walked around to the other side of the bed and saw Maya sitting against the bed.

"There you are. What are you doing on the floor?" Ellis asked as he knelt down in front of Maya.

"I-I was trying to walk around, unfortunately, I only made it on this side." Maya stammered nervously.

"You shouldn't be walking Maya, you'll injure your leg even more if you keep standing and walking on it." Ellis explained as he inspected her ankle.

Maya winced in pain at Ellis touching her bad leg. Her concerns were on the pocket knife and what she was doing with it.

Ellis lifted his head was about to say something until he caught sight of something under the bed. Did he find the pocket knife Maya found?

"What's this?" Ellis said as he grabbed the handle. "It's a pocket knife. How'd this get here? I thought I heard something fall as I came in."

Maya lowered her eyes and swallowed hard. Her hands trembled nervously. What did she use the knife for when she found it?

Ellis inspected the knife and saw something on it. On the edge of the blade was blood, and it certainly wasn't dry blood. Ellis' eyes widened in worry, but then they narrowed in anger as he turned his head to Maya.

"Maya, did you know this was here?" He asked supisously

Maya didn't look at Ellis. Her eyes focused on the floor.

"Maya, answer me." His voice more firm.

Maya flinched at his anger and shook her head; she had lied.

"Roll your sleeves up." Ellis said as he closed the knife and put it away in his pocket.

"I shook my head, I didn't know it was here." Maya pleaded, her lies being more visible.

"You can't fool me, you're lying. If you were telling the truth, you would've looked at me in the eyes." Ellis inched closer to Maya's face.

Maya stared into Ellis' blue eyes, his eyes were narrowed and she saw them blazing in anger.

Ellis grabbed Maya's right arm, rolled her sleeve up deligately incase she was wounded on that arm. He saw no wounds on Maya's right arm, he slid her sleeve back down and let her arm go. He grabbed her left arm and right away, she winced in pain. He slid her sleeve up and his eyes widened in fear and then narrowed again in anger.

On Maya's left wrist was the name 'NICK' and close to her veins were two words that said 'DON'T GO' carved into her skin. Blood leaked slowly out of the wounds.

"Maya, are you crazy? Why did you do this?" Ellis almost yelled but he kept his voice down.

She trembled harshly like she was about to be slaughtered. "I-I don't want you and Nick leaving. How will I manage without either of you here? I can hardly walk and you guys are going to leave me here to suffer." Maya stammered in sadness, trying to hold back tears.

"Maya you didn't answer my question, why did you do this?" Ellis questioned once more.

Maya lowered her head. "I don't know. I was only looking at the blade, then before I knew it, I felt the blade pierce my skin and I started to draw blood." Maya nervously responded.

Ellis sighed and looked at the wounds on Maya's wrist for a long time. He couldn't believe that she would do this to herself.

"Well, Maya, I hate to tell you this but, Nick needs to see this." Ellis said as he began to stand.

Maya's eyes widened in fear. "No! Don't tell him, please!" She begged.

Ellis looked over his shoulder back at Maya. "I have to tell him, and you're coming with me." Ellis said as he held his out hand in front Maya for her to come.

Maya stared at his hand, but grabbed it. Ellis lifted her to her feet and finally lifted her into his semi-muscular arms. Maya didn't want to show Nick what she did but, Ellis would have the proof that she did harm to herself.

Ellis began to walk towards the door, before then, he stopped and looked down at Maya who was staring at her wounded arm constantly.

"Maya, listen, it's better to tell Nick than hide it from him. It may scar up but, if you take care of it and clean it, you'll get better. I'm not punishing you by telling Nick. I'm doing this for the sake of you, you can't do this kind of stuff. This can cause infections or even sickness. You don't know where that knife has been." Ellis explained.

Maya stared at Ellis for a long moment before nodding to him. She shut her eyes for a brief moment then sighed.

"Let's get this over with." Maya sighed as she pressed her head against Ellis' chest.

Ellis looked at her and continued walking into the living room. Ellis saw Nick was awake at last. Nick turned his head to see Ellis carrying Maya.

"How you holding up, Maya?" Nick said as he stood up.

Maya looked at Ellis nervously and then back at Nick. "I'm fine." She said softly.

Ellis gave a quick glare at her and then looked at Nick. "Nick, Maya needs to show you something."

Nick looked at Maya with an unsure look. Maya trembled nervously in Ellis' arms, scared to show him what she had done.

Ellis sighed and sat her on the couch. He rolled her sleeve up gently to reveal the wounds on Maya's left arm. Nick widened his eyes in shock; they then narrowed again at Maya. Maya didn't say a word, her head remained low and she fiddled with her fingers.

"How did that happen?" Nick grumbled as he ran his hands through his dark brown hair.

Ellis reached in his pocket and brought the pocket knife out, opened the blade, and right away Nick saw the blood stained on the blade.

Nick spun his head to Maya and glared at her. Maya looked at him with nervousness in her eyes.

"Thank you, Ellis for telling me about this, but now you may leave. I need to discuss this with Maya." Nick said with an angry tone.

As Ellis began to brush past Nick, he whispered something in his ear before leaving his side. "Take it easy on her, she seems more fearful than in that depressed stage." Ellis then walked away and headed outside to see Summer and Rhett.

Maya shrank down on the couch to make herself look small, but it was a useless effort. Nick stalked over to Maya and sat down beside her. She sat up obediently and Nick unzipped her hoodie and carefully removed it off of her.

Nick looked at the wounds on her left arm and he gave a disappointed sigh.

"I thought you knew better than this." Nick spoke harshly.

"I don't want you to leave." Maya said with a sad look.

"That's no excuse to go off and cut--that--into your arm." Nick said as he ran his finger over the wounds. "There still bleeding." He sighed.

Maya said nothing. She was sorry for what she did, she wasn't thinking right. Nick got up and went to the bathroom and to get a wet cloth to wash the wounds, but that probably wouldn't be enough to cleanse them. He came back with the cloth in hand wiped the cuts gently over the slightly swelled injuries.

"Why did you do this?" Nick said with no emotion.

"I don't want to be alone. I don't want to be without you." Maya whimpered as she laid her hand on Nick's.

Nick pulled his hand away gently from Maya's and went back to the bathroom to wash out the cloth. Maya stood up and limped to the bathroom, using the wall for some support so she didn't fall.

"Nick? Didn't you hear me?" Maya said as she made herself lean against the door frame and watched Nick.

"Yes, I heard you. But, Maya, I said this already, I have to go. I am leader and what I say goes." Nick said trying to sound gentle but, in ways he sounded more firm then gentle.

Nick walked out of the bathroom and stared at Maya dead in the eyes. Maya met his green gaze but, she lowered her head and said nothing more. His decision was final, she couldn't make him stay, no matter how hard she begged.

Nick went back in bathroom and grabbed some gauges bandages, came back out and bent down in front of Maya.

"Hold your arm out." Nick demanded.

Maya held her arm out nervously. Nick gripped her wrist and then took out an alcohol wipe.

"This may burn, so prepare yourself." Nick warned.

Maya nodded and then began to bite her lower lip. Nick wiped the cleansing wipe on Maya's cuts. Maya whimpered and moaned in pain; she then grabbed Nick's wrist to have him stop.

"Please... That's enough." Maya whimpered with her eyes full of tears.

Nick shoved her hand away gently and wrapped her arm up in the gauges. He then stood up, threw the wipe away and then went outside on the front porch with Ellis, Summer and Rhett.

Maya blinked a few times before limping back to her room. She knew Nick was angry with her just by the way he acted toward her. She held back the tears she felt rushing to drip from her eyes. She finally made it back to her room, she sat down on the bed and stared at the gauges bandages for a long time.

Why did I do such a stupid thing? Maya thought to herself. Nick is leaving probably tomorrow and then I turn my back on him with this? I must have really pissed him off. Maya once more thought to herself.

She tried to shake the thoughts away but, it was easier said then done. She laid on her bed, sulking about her actions. Her wounds ached still but, she would have to manage on her own for a long while.

Soon, a figure stood in the door frame, it was Rhett.

"How are you feeling?" Rhett spoke first.

"I wish I were better." Maya sighed as she sat up.

Rhett strolled over and sat on the bed by Maya.

"Maya, you know, Nick isn't happy with you." Rhett put gently.

Maya nodded. "I know, I could tell." Maya sighed as she frowned.

"Ellis told me and Summer what happened; you shouldn't be doing that to yourself, it'll get you no where in life." Rhett explained.

Maya looked at Rhett with an emotionless glare. "I know, I know." She grumbled.

"Watch the attitude. If you yknow, then why did you do it?" Rhett said firmly, seeming a little like Nick.

Maya shook her head. "I don't know. I just can't- I don't want Nick gone.

Rhett scooted next to Maya and wrapped her arm over her shoulders. "Maya, he will return back from his journey. You have to believe in him. That pendant of yours that he gave you seems to be an expensive one. Well, seems like a promise gift to me, or so Nick told us. But, anyway, trust Nick, don't give up on him. I may not like him very much but, he's strong."

Maya looked at Rhett with a long, turquoise stare. She finally nodded slowly and looked at the pendant Nick gave her.

"Nick will speak to you again, trust me." Rhett said as she casually got up and skipped out of the room.

Maya sighed and once again laid down on the bed again and closed her eyes.

Outside on the front porch, Rhett came skipping out with beers for the men and wine coolers for the girls.

"Uh, Rhett, aren't you a bit young to be drinking any kind of alcohol?" Nick questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Ha! Don't make me laugh, Nick. This ain't no damned democracy anymore, I can do whatever I want and drink whatever I want." Rhett spat with one hand on her hip and her blue wine cooler in the other.

Nick just rolled his eyes and took a gulp of beer. Ellis took a sip of beer as well and looked at the afternoon sky. He felt bad for Maya, since she must be "in love" with Nick it seemed like and can't let him go; she was being clingy towards him.

"Ellis? You alright?" Summer asked him as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah. Just thinking." Ellis replied as he looked at Summer.

Summer smiled at Ellis and stared at him for a while before speaking to him again.

"So, where ya from? Or where were you from?" She asked as she took a sip of her cherry wine cooler.

"I'm from Savannah, Georgia. It was a nice place to live. Too bad when the apocalypse struck, I saw many people I knew laying on the bloodstained ground. Heart breaking but, it was a good thing I wasn't close with very many of them." Ellis explained as he took another sip of beer.

Summer blinked gratefully and understood what he meant, about the people. "I get where you are coming from, about seeing people you knew laying on the ground." Summer sighed as she leaned against the porch railing.

Ellis nodded and copied what she did, he leaned against the railing as well.

"Where are you from?" Ellis questioned her.

A soft breeze blew through Summer's layered, dangling bangs that hung out of her ponytail. The early but, also mid-fall air was peaceful to her. She looked at Ellis with glittering, pale blues eyes.

"I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raine is from New York, the worst place to experience zombies since there's so many people. Same thing with Pennsylvania." She briefly said as she got a shiver that ascended up her spine.

Ellis got a giggle out from her small shiver, but he knew what she meant. Summer saw Ellis giggle and she began to smile.

Rhett saw Ellis talking with Summer. In ways she was glad to see Ellis make a new friend, but in other ways, she was becoming jealous, her eyes narrowed slightly at the thought of seeing Ellis being with Summer when Rhett liked Ellis and they shared some moments with one another. But she shook the feeling away, took a sip of her wine cooler and went to talk with Nick. Wasn't her first choice to talk with someone she hated, but she wanted Ellis and Summer to get acquainted.

Rhett strolled up to Nick with her hand on her hip. Nick gave her a weird glare but, didn't shoo her off.

"May I help you?" Nick growled as he stuck one hand in his pocket and the other holding his half empty beer bottle.

"Sheesh, I knew I should've just went to go talk with Summer and Ellis." Rhett spat with a flip of her hair.

"Alright, go ahead. I don't care, I'm not in the mood to talk to you anyway." Nick once again growled.

"I only came over to talk to you because you seem lonely and need someone to chat with." Rhett said as her face began to turn a light shade of red of being embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.

Nick shrugged her anger and annoyance away and took a sip of beer. Rhett narrowed her eyes at Nick, it was no wonder she didn't like him, cause of his badass attitude and how he treated her. One day, he will get the worst of her. And one day maybe soon.

Soon, another person decided to join the party. It was Blaine. It seems he had just woken up for he had bed head and was yawning like crazy. He had pajama pants on but, no shirt.

"What time is it?" Blaine asked as he moved some hair away from his face and yawned again.

Nick checked his watch."About one thirty."

Blaine just nodded and went to sit on a plastic lawn chair that sat on the porch.

Rhett didn't think it was right for her to be rude; she skipped back inside the house, to the kitchen fridge, grabbed a beer, skipped back out and walked over to Blaine casually.

"Here. I figured we all needed a drink for once." Rhett said as she handed Blaine the Bud Light beer.

"Thanks." Blaine thanked her with a nodded and a polite smile.

She gratefully smiled back and nodded back to him. She decided to sit down on the wooden deck and was gonna speak with Blaine, instead of bad attitude Nick.

Nick stared at Rhett and Blaine as they got acquainted. He shook his head and finished his beer. He walked inside the house to throw away his empty bottle and grab a new beer. He peaked into his bedroom and saw Maya laying on her side; she looked to be sleeping.

Nick still wasn't pleased with Maya carving the message into her arm, but something had to be said to settle her.

Nick walked into the bedroom slowly and kept his eye on Maya. He sat down on the bed and grabbed her good leg and shook her awake.

"Hey, wake up." Nick ordered.

Maya was already awake, she was just resting her eyes. She sat up and rubbed her eyes to get the sleepiness out of her eyes.

"What Nick?" She said sleepily when she wasn't even that tired.

"We need to talk." Nick stared at her with seriousness.

Maya looked at him with a still expression. "About what?" She shrugged.

"About your-- accident." He said as he stared and pointed at her injured wrist.

Maya laid her hand on the bandages and looked back at Nick, she didn't want to talk about that, but she had no other option.

"Maya, this is unlike you, why you doing this?" Nick questioned worryingly.

Maya looked at Nick, she wanted to tell him that she didn't want him to leave, but she knew he wouldn't listen or wouldn't change his mind.

"I don't want you gone, Nick. What if something happens to you or Ellis, or even both of you, who will take care of me then?" Maya said with both sadness and seriousness.

Nick stared at her until speaking again. "Don't speak of such things. Nothing will happen to either of us. We will return. I've told you this already." Nick insisted.

Maya looked to the floor and narrowed her eyes with sadness. Tears formed in her eyes and she trembled with worry.

"Maya? What's wrong?" Nick asked her as he scooted over to sit next to Maya.

"I'm sorry, Nick. I'm sorry." She wept.

"Sorry? For what?" He said as he pulled her into a his grasp.

"For cutting myself. I just don't want you gone. I don't want you to leave. Please stay here, Nick! Please!" Maya begged.

Nick's eyes widened in shock, but he shook his head to her constant pleading.

"Maya, I got to go. The guys are counting on me as their leader, everyone is. This is for your sake too, you've got to trust me." Nick insisted as he stood up.

Maya grabbed Nick's sleeve and looked at him with teary eyes. Nick bent down and caressed her cheek.

"Maya, honey, stop crying. I'm always here. I have one more day to be with everyone till we will leave. You got to be strong, for me." He said as he pressed his forehead against Maya's.

Maya swallowed hard and nodded. Maya laid her hand on Nick's; Nick wiped Maya's tears away and pulled his hand away from her.

"Tell you what, I'll take you out for shooting practice tomorrow that way we have us time. I know you are still in pain but, you are gonna need to learn for this time. We don't know how long we'll be gone. So until then, I'll teach you tomorrow and I'll leave Rhett and Summer to your training. Understood?" Nick explained.

Maya nodded and wiped her eyes. Nick left the room once more but, before he did, he walked back over to Maya and hugged her.

"I love you, Maya. Don't do anything reckless again, promise me." Nick insisted.

"I love you too, Nick. And I promise." She said as she hugged him back.

"Rest now, we'll be getting up early tomorrow." He ordered.

It was close to five, though it was daylight out, everyone who was out on the porch partying had came in and was now resting or preparing for the journey to the asylum.

By the time night fell, everyone was asleep. Very few zombies lingered near the house. But, a figured did sit in the undergrowth of the neighborhood across the street from Nick's group location. Who was it? And what were they after?

They all the sudden vanished without a sound to be heard.

The night was cold and the leaves of fall have mostly fallen and were now blowing in the air. It would soon be time to wear more heavier clothing. What was the group going to encounter next?

~ Long ass chapter. But yes, finally done. They will soon change location and no one ask who the strange person or thing was at the end, it's a secret. If you have any questions, message me, please. Thank you my followers. ~ :)