A noise coming from the nearby window wakes me from a dream. I pull the covers up around me as the window slides open quietly.

"Claire," whispers an unfamiliar voice.

I don't move.

"It's Romain."

I peek out of the covers.

"I know you're awake," he says.

He sits beside me. I can feel the matress move under his weight. He sighs and looks at me. I pull the covers over my eyes. I can't look at his black pits in the dark. They are straight from a nightmare. Only he is really sittting here and I am awake. He looks away and mumbles something under his breathe.

"What," I ask.

"I said sorry. You know. For my eyes. I know that they scare you," he says quietly.

My phone buzzes on the night stand. I reach for it and pull it under the blanket.

Uncle Curtis

It's happening. This is war.

My body shutters. What? I turn off my phone and remove the covers from my face.

"Romain," I say.

He looks over at me. His eyes looking like a normal human's would. "Yes?"

"It's time, isn't it? That's why you are here," I shake my head and rub my tired eyes.

He nods. "Soon. You might have a day or so. I found more of you. At some place down the street. It looks like a bunch of sliding doors and rooms."

"The storage units?"

He shrugs. "If that's what they are called then yes. You need to go there. Get ready."

I stare at him for a few minutes. He blinks and his eyes go black again. I jump and close my eyes. He touches my cheek gently. "Will your friends kill me," he asks. 

I shake my head. I don't know. Chris might. Maybe even Lucas. I sigh.

He stands. I follow. We walk out the door into the living room. Sarah is sitting on the sofa. She turns when she hears our foot steps. Her eyes meet Romain's. She stands and holds up a pistol. It's aimed straight at Romian's head. He breathes in and lifts his hands above his head slowly. I catch a small smile but it quickly disappears.

"Claire, who is he," she asks. Her hands extremely stready.

"His name is Romian. Please don't shoot him," I say.

She steps closer. Her index finger is ready to pull the trigger.

"What's wrong with his eyes?"

I sigh. "Sarah, he is here to help. Don't kill him."

She lowers her gun and walks closer. I see Romain's eyes change quickly.

Shrugging at him she says, "Sorry. I guess it was just the dark playing with my brain."

This is the first time I take notice that Romain is not wearing a uniform. His eyes were so distracting I never noticed his clothes. A pair of dark jeans and a black tshirt that match those blank black pits. He looks back at me and blinks. Those black eyes sending chills up my spine. He blinks once more and human brown eyes meet my hazels eyes. He smiles.

"So what's going on," Sarah asks, breaking our staring contest. 

I cough and look at her. "He has news."

She blinks at us, waiting for the rest.

Romain talks now. "The war has started. In the bottom of the United States people are fighting for your country. While people from my world.." He pauses and then says, "People from my country are killing them."

She drops down to the floor. "What?" Her gray eyes meet mine. Beautiful gray eyes that are full of fear.

"I'm here to help you. There is more people out there. I know where they are. You need to get to them. Fight back," Romain says.

"We're going to die," Sarah's trembling lips mumble.

"We are going to be strong Sarah," I say. I lean down and lay my hand on her shoulder. "We are going to live. We are going to fight. We will not die."

I hear the click of a bullet entering a barrel and jump back to my feet.

"Get out." Chris's voice is stern and strong. The barrel of a 22 is positioned against Romian's neck. 

Romian's black eyes stare at me. He doesn't move. Green eyes look at me from over his shoulder. He is frowning. 

"What is he Claire," Chris asks.

I just stare at him. He wants an answer but I can't give one. If I don't he might shoot him. I can't let him do that. Romain saved my life. He can't die like this.

"He.. he is.. an alien," my voice says through the thick air.

Romain blinks at me. Sarah backs away. Chris clicks off the safety. I close my eyes. I wait for the sound of the gun shot. Moments pass with silence. When I open my eyes everyone is staring at me. I lift my arm and extend my hand to Romain. He takes it. Chris places his inder finger tight again the trigger. Goose bumps rise on my bare arms.

"Thank you Romain," I say. "For all you have done for me. I will not let what you've done go. You will forever be remembered by me. Not as one of them. But as you. As someone who saved my life. As someone how saved Eric. I wish I could save you now."

He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it gently. I don't see anyone but him. Chris pulls the trigger. Tears are soaking his cheek. Romain stands for a moment, only to slump to the ground in seconds. Sarah screams. I cry. Chris blinks and turns away quietly. Tears soak my cold cheeks. "Romain," I whisper. Not really expecting an answer.

He isn't bleeding. How can that be? There is a bullet wound but it's healing slowly. I blink tears from my eyes. He moves a little. A small smile plays on his lips.

"Don't cry," he whispers.

"How," I ask.

Sarah looks up at the sound of my voice. Chris turns back  towards where Romain is laying on the floor. His mouth hangs open. His face is pale, like he just saw a ghost.

"Because you wanted me to live," he answers. "Just like you wanted Eric to live."

Foot steps enter the room. "You cured Eric?" Ella's voice says as she steps into view.

I help Romain sit up as he nods to her. Eric walks in behind her. He looks smaller today than he ever has. I wonder who will stay back with him and protect him.

"Eric will be fine," Romain says to me.

Deciding it's not worth talking about any farther I say, "Chris please go wake up Luke and Emily."

He turns and walks out of the room. Hopefully when Lucas gets here he will not have a gun. I can only deal with a few things happening in a few short moments. Another gun shot and I might just die from all the excitement. I smile and Romain grabs my hand. Sarah slides slowly to the other side of Romain. His dark hair is a mess from falling on the floor. He runs his free hand through the tangles before placing it atop Sarah's pale palm.

Suddenly we aren't in the living room of the abandon home anymore. We are standing right beside my Uncle Curtis. He doesn't see us. I'm sure we are still in the living room and Romain is just showing us this. Because my Uncle Curtis would notice me but he just looks right through me. I soldier like Romain is running toward him as he reloads his gun. I watch as the soldier raises his gun at my uncle. My uncle calmly clicks a bullet in the barrel of his gun and fires. The bullet goes through me and into the soldier. The soldier falls to the ground. A puddle of dark blood forms around his lifeless body. Uncle Curtis stands and moves behind some bushes. I watch people like us die. While people like Romain die. Uncle Curtis has good fighting skills. I wish him luck out loud. Romian smiles at me.

We are back in the living room. Everyone, including Luke and Emily, are staring at the three of us. Tears and shock have changed Sarah's face. She is pale as she slumps forwards. Chris runs to her side. She smiles weakly at him.

"What have you done to her," he snarls at Romain.

I answer before he can. "He showed us the war Chris. People are dying and we are just sitting here. We need to move. We need to find more people like us or we are going to die."

Emily jumps at the urgency in my voice. Sarah begins crying loudly. It hurts my ears. Chris holds her tightly. Eric is holding on to Ella who looks just like Sarah. Only she isn't crying. Lucas stares at me with his forest green eyes. 

"Where do we find them," he asks. His eyes boring a whole right through me.

"The storage units," answers Romain.

Lucas nods. "Then lets go."