Nikki watched Kyle and his guys get out and one by one the walkers took the guys down. Nikki was about to give Gracie to Jon and go kick some zombie ass. When they got in the car again Nikki was curious about this girl and whether or not she would be trouble. Nikki was paying attention. Three guys had been lost while she was brought in. Nikki couldn't figure that out. Why was one more important than three? Her question then became why did Kyle suddenly care about this stranger more than three people who had been fighting by his side? She couldn't seem to get past this question.

When they went to the farm Nikki put Gracie on Jon's lap and pulled her sword and went outside. She looked around and she found a group of walkers on the other side of the house. She let out some of her fury and pain from the day and she took them out in a matter of a couple of minutes. She was too fast and accurate to worry about them hurting her. She knew she wasn't going to let them hurt her. She went into the house. She knew Kyle was in there so she called out, "Kyle I'm in here too."

---

Matt kissed his sleeping daughter's head and got out of the vehicle and pulled the crowbar out from under the seat and twirled it like a baton and headed for the barn. He opened the door and found it to be completely empty. He walked around it just to make sure and he saw the walkers in the field. Matt made a decision based on rage and he took off running just as Nikki stepped outside of the house. She saw that he was heading for a lot of walkers on his own and he was in a reckless state of mind. "Matt!" Nikki took off running and since she was further away she got there and he was already knee deep in walkers and she joined in and killed them as fast as she could. She needed to get him under some kind of control.

Matt looked up barely in time to see Nikki block his crowbar as it almost came down on her head. "Matt! Knock it off before I have to hurt you!"

Matt pulled the crowbar back and dropped it and dropped to his knees. Nikki finished off the last two that were still further out. When she came back to Matt he was staring at her but his eyes were dull and listless. Matt heard his voice but it didn't sound like his own voice. It sounded rough and scratchy, like someone else's voice. He couldn't seem to process anything and he was having trouble seeing anything but Kat's face just before she had turned. His memories played out and then they would end on her face as he put her down. "Nikki, I don't know how to do this."

Nikki looked at her brother and she hugged him. It was funny, they had always been so close that you would have thought they had a connection like twins do but she and Matt had been the best of friends growing up. Nikki knew him better than anyone. And right now he had her scared for his life. "We'll get through it together."

"Matt, let's go see if Gracie is awake yet. She will want her daddy." He heard Nikki say. Matt didn't know what to say so he let Nikki drag him back to the truck.

@caits@dabombjk

Ethan Blackledge

Around a day had passed now and the survivors had made it to Texas, Ethan's hatchet was covered in stale blood from the walkers he'd killed leaving the school. He hadn't even been there for an hour before the earthquake happened and then the collapse of the building, he thought he must have just been a bad luck charm. Everyone had jumped into the cars and left just a few minutes after the explosion. Ethan was in the passenger seat of a car at the back, with people he'd never seen before.

None of them talked to each other for most of the journey, just when someone was too tired to drive and they swapped. As the car pulled up, someone nudged Ethan to wake up who'd been asleep for around an hour in the passenger seat after driving for 12 hours straight. It looked like an abandoned farm as Ethan stepped out of the car and stretched, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes.

People had already moved out getting rid of the walkers in the area. Grabbing his bat, Ethan started to walk about looking for Nikki, the only person he'd really talked to. There was a girl who'd never seen before walking about and three other people who left with them, weren't with them anymore. Something must have gone down while he was asleep.

Before he could notice anything else a stray walker headed Ethan's way slowly, growling at him. He started to swing the bat through the air before finally raising it above his head. When the walker came into range Ethan brought the bat down on it's head thunderously. Bits of the walkers head flew in every direction from the impact as the lifeless body fell to the ground.

Ethan started walking again to the barn flicking the bat to get bits of the walkers brains off it. As he entered the barn the main question that came to Ethan was 'What next?' He wanted to know who the leader was to see if he could do anything to help.

collaboration with @kurai assassin

Ingrid took the baby from Jon so he could sit up better. She ignored the pain in her side and she saw Matt take off and Nikki right after.

"Oh no Matt is gonna get himself killed!" Ingrid was thankful the baby was asleep and not seeing this.

Jon winced as he sat up in his seat. "He's acting normal for someone in his position. Nikki will look after him well. They are family after all." He looked down at his leg an noticed the gash in it.

Ingrid sighed and kissed the baby on the forehead. "I know it...but it scares me. I'd hate to think if I were gone that you would be reckless and get yourself killed." She watched as Matt turned and almost hit Nikki with his crowbar. As soon as he realized it was her blocking him he put it down and just sat down.

Tears flowed down Ingrid's face.

Jon shuffled over to Ingrid, immense pain shooting through his leg. He wiped his hand on his jacket then wiped the tear from her face. "but that wont happen. If anyone is going first then it'll be me. Dont worry that'll not be for a long time." he said smiling best he could being in the amount of pain he was in.

Jon looked over to where Matt was and then stared at his leg.

Ingrid looked at Jon and she could tell what he was thinking. "No way. You are staying with me and we are going in that house as soon as it's given the all clear. Right this minute we are both injured and Nikki can handle Matt."

She scooted closer to him with a sleeping baby on her lap and kissed him. "You'll not leave me. You promised."

Jon put his arm around her and pulled her closer but the pain in his leg became unbearable as the adrenaline wore off. He yelped and screamed as the pain in his leg shot through him. "Ingrid, i need alcohol, get me some quick!"

Ingrid put the baby in his arms and she swung her body over the side of the truck and ran into the house and searched the kitchen for whisky. Upon finding some she went back outside and handed it to Jon. She reached over the back and took the baby from him and set her down carefully. She swung back over and picked up the baby again. "We'll go in in a minute. We'll give Kyle another minute or two."

Jon quickly unscrewed the lid and poured a bit down his leg to cleanse the wound. "Kyle, really needs to hurry i need some proper medical attention, and soon." He grimaced at the pain from the whiskey cleaning his leg wound. "My sword, where is it? Ingrid you picked up my sword right?"

"Yes, it's here." She looked at how flushed he was and she knew he had a fever. She stood up in the truck. "MATT! Jon needs you!" The baby started to stir at the noise and Nikki and Matt were almost back to the truck and Matt shifted gears and went into doctor mode.

"Nikki make sure the house is clear." Nikki went inside and Matt grabbed Jon and carried him inside to the couch in the living room. Ingrid followed with Grace.

Jon grabbed Matts arm and gripped tightly and looked him dead in the eyes. "Dont let her in Matt, get Nikki to keep her busy. Please Matt i need this."

Matt looked at him and nodded. "Nikki! Take Ingrid and the baby and go feed Gracie so I won't be distracted." Nikki nodded and pulled Ingrid into the kitchen with her. "Okay now let's get down to business." Matt pulled Jon's leg up and tore the pants up to his knee. He looked at Jon. "It's already infected."

"Fuck. Shit, what do you need to do Matt. Whatever it is please make it quick." He said as he looked up to the ceiling. A sense of dread dawned on him, he could lose the leg. He hoped it wouldnt come to that but he nodded at Matt signalling him to proceed.

Matt looked at the leg and it was bad but he was pretty sure he could save it. "Nikki!" She poked her head around the corner and said "Yeah?" "Did you manage to get any of the medical stuff before you got out?" She ran out to the truck and got what she had managed to save. Matt saw her bring in a large bag from the back of the truck and he smiled just a little bit. "I am so glad you are my sister." Nikki smiled and said, "Ingrid take care of the baby and stay in the kitchen! I'm helping Matt."

"I will, just take care of my Jon." Ingrid yelled.

"Matt, get on with it quick, i cant be dealing with this anxiety." He said as he grimaced with pain. He hoped Ingrid wouldnt walk in while this was happening.

Nikki poured some whisky down Jon's throat and then Matt pured some on the wound and it burned and Jon screamed in pain. The baby began crying so it drowned out some of the noise from Jon. Ingrid listened and she knew what was going on but she also understood Jon's reasoning so she stayed with the baby. Tears ran down her own face.

Matt took a scalpal and he went to work cutting out the dead and infected areas. It wasn't gangrenous yet so he was able to get to work. Nikki pulled the leather strap off of her wrist and shoved it into Jon's mouth to bite on. When Matt was done he poured more alcohol on it and then hs stitched him up. By this time Jon was so worn out. Matt knew he was strong though. "Nurse Nikki go get the mrs."

Nikki grinned and took the baby from Ingrid and Ingrid came in with a cool cloth and wiped down Jon's face and hugged him and kissed him. "Thank you Matt." She could barely take her eyes off of Jon. She squeezed Matt's hand and kissed his cheek.

@dabombjk@caits@alexfangtalon@meowgoeskat and everyone else I forgot.

Sasha stood over a walker, knife bloodied in her hand, staring down at it. She could just walk away. She could just walk away, before she let herself be immersed by this group. Walk away, and contiue on her lonely way. But she sighed, shifting her pack with the meager supplies she had managed to save. There seemed to be something going on, and hesitating, she entered the farm house, unsurprised at what she saw as she followed the small commootion.

Swinging her bag off her shoulder, she silently rummaged through it, coming out with some liquid panadol, saying softly "It's not much, and normally I wouldn't recommend masking a fever, but it might give him a little bit of time, to fight" She held the bottle to the man that had done the work, thinking to herself resillence. Just when you think you can't go on anymore, it shows up, slaps you in the face, and you do. She rummaged in her bag once more, taking out a small pot, the last of her supply, but if she could find the ingrediants, she could make more. And why just let it sit there? "I also have this. It's a salve I made, put it over the stitches, and it wil help with healing. Its potent, so you don't need much, but you'll probably use all of it in anycase. Its kind of a medival"

That was pretty much the extent of the medical supplies she had left to her, and when she thought of the crude, yet well stocked infirmary she had had, she wanted to cry. "I'm Sasha, by the way. I don't mean to intrude. I just thought I could help" She darted out of the room, finding it hard to be in there.

(I can't remember what you guys call Panadol, but its a mild pain killer and anti-fever)

Matt was still in doctor mode when the new girl brought him a few supplies and a bottle of Tylenol. He looked at it for a second and she hurried out of the room after giving him a salve and he handed it to Nikki. "Put this over his stitches." She nodded and did as told and watched as Matt turned the corner after her. Matt went after the girl and grabbed her arm to stop her. "Thank you. I know you are scared and feel awkward but you are one of us now. It'll be okay." He looked like he was having a hell of a day and he heard Gracie. "Stay here a sec." Matt reappeared with Gracie in his arms. "This is my daughter Grace." He tried not to switch gears again and he kept holding onto helping people to keep him in a normal state of mind. "We lost her mother today...so I would say that's as bad as it gets. Come on in and stick with us."

Matt was doing good right up until he mentioned losing Kat. Then it was as if the lights slowly dimmed and he was lost in despair again. He just held onto Grace as if she was the only thing keeping him on the planet. Nikki watched her brother shut back down and her shoulders drooped in exhaustion. Nikki got up to go find Kyle.

@dabombjk@caits

@Wick
the child was beautiful, and Sasha wanted to reach out and hold that little, bright, shining life. Maybe we don't do what we do for ourselves anymore, but for them. The children. I want to give them a bright world, one where they don't have to fear a bite She thought to herself. As she watched him go from somewhat alright, to on the verge of breaking down, Sasha did what came natural. She went to comfort,

She hugged the man, and the child Grace as a result. "It's okay, no one expects you to be okay, after everything" Well, after her conversation with Kyle, she didn't t hink that was true, but she couldn't say that. "Loss is hard, and even harder in this world. You have something to live for, the child in your arms. You have to be around, to tell her of her mother. To tell her she loved her, and did everything she could to keep her alive. You have to be strong for her, and give her all the chance she has in life. But that doesn't mean you can't grieve. " Perhaps it was harder to do so, around the people that had known his wife.

"Would you like to go outside, and you can tell me about her. I can check Grace over, make sure she's all okay. And I can tell you about my fiance, and maybe we can learn to be okay again" She figured he could check his own child over himself, but also figured he might not begrudge her looking the child over, just in case he had missed anything. @Wick

Matt was quiet and let her lead him outside. Grace seemed to perk up once outside. She wanted down so Matt let the child down. He heard Sasha and watched her checking over Gracie. Matt was on his knees so he could be within arms reach of his daughter. While Matt was outside watching his daughter his eyes never left her. He caught sight of a walker coming around the corner of the house. Sasha grabbed Grace as her father went into a rage and attacked the undead. Sasha watched him literally rip the head off and pull the brain stem out with his bare hands.

Matt turned around and he was breathing so heavily that he told her. "Take her inside and Get Nikki." Matt walked off sullenly. His rage was just beneath the surface and he was barely controlling himself.

@dabombjk@caits

Kyle had walked into the house, prepared for a fight, but found no resistance. No walkers in the house thank God. He check the upstairs first, deciding he was going to work his from top to bottom, and when he cleared the upstairs he went downstairs. He checked his corners for the living room and saw Nikki there. He holstered his weapon and walked in, making sure he was stepping loudly as to not startle Nikki. He leaned against the wall when he entered the living room.

"Hey wifey. Upstairs is clear, have you cleared here yet?"

Nikki looked up and smiled nodding as she got up to give him a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm worried about Matt. He seems to be okay while his focus is on medicine but when that is done he shuts back down."

Sasha shifted the child onto her hip, shifting her away from the violence her father displayed, she hesitated at Matt's order to take Grace inside, looking to Grace, who seemed remarkedly well off, after everything she had heard that had befallen the group. Giving a soft sigh, she said "I'll take her inside. You should remember, you're all the parent she has left" She shifted Grace slightly, turning to go inside. She could understand the anger, but it was still frightening to see.

She looked about, trying to listen for where people were. Finally though, she called out softly "Nikki? Matt wants you"

Nikki looked up "Is he okay?" She saw the girl with Grace and said, "Keep her in here." She darted out the door before she got an answer. "Matt?" She went outside and she saw him. She ran over to him and as she got closer she called out, "Matt? Are you okay?"

He shook his head and he turned around swinging at her making her jump back. "Matt! What is wrong with you?"
"You got medical supplies and weapons from the third floor but you couldn't get Kat?" Nikki jumped backwards and yelled, "Kyle!" Nikki backflipped out of the way. Nikki ran for the nearest weapon. Matt had incredible strength and when he was enraged was very capable of hurting them. Nikki went into ninja mode and started fighting back. "Matt even if I had gone after her it doesn't mean she would have been in her room. Why wasn't she using the walkie?" Nikki dodged and blocked his punches.

Kyle had stayed inside while Nikki had gone outside to deal with whatever she needed to deal with. He enjoyed their little hug and kiss, but it had been too long since they had any alone time. Kyle looked around a bit, but when the shouting started he ran outside in a hurry. He saw Nikki and Matt fighting, and he pulled out his nine milimeter and his knife, but couldnt decide on what to do.

Sasha heard commotion. She bit her lip, knowing she didn't really have a right to intrude, but also knowing things could really get out of hand. Sasha hesitated, not wanting to put any more pressure on the man and woman in the living room, considering the man had just been treated, but...Grace seemed like a calm child. and easy to look after. She went into the living room, and said "Would you mind watching Grace? I want to make sure they don't kill one another" She held Grace out to the woman, wanting for her to take the child.

When she had, Sasha went back outside, seeing what was happening. She could understand the fury, the need to lash out at someone else. The need to understand why it had happened, and the need to blame someone else.

But it wasn't going to help. "Stop it!" She shouted, "You two want to draw walkers here?"

"Not particularly but if I stop fighting back he will probably kill me." Matt abruptly turned and walked towards the barn. He pulled the gun out of his pocket and went into the open barn. "Matt!" Nikki chased him. "What are you doing? Kat wouldn't like this." Nikki said worried he was going to take his own life.

"Nikki....take care of Grace." Nikki charged and tackled her brother to the ground. "No! You take care of Grace!" Matt landed with a thud and the gun went flying. "Dammit Nikki!"

Sasha, having followed them both, quickly snatched up the gun, and took the bullets out, shoving them into her pocket. Enough was enough. "I don't believe you. You want to leave that beautiful girl an orphan? What in the world do you think Nikki could say to her, when she asks why neither of her parents are around?"

Shoving the gun into the waist band of her jeans, she gave a sigh, "Losing someone is not meant to be easy, but killing yourself will just dishonor her, and I can guess she wouldn't want you to leave your daughter parentless. You have her to live for! Killing yourself, putting yourself into harms way, won't comfort her when you aren't there to hold her, to care for her."

Matt got to his feet and pulled Nikki to her feet and he touched her stomach gently. "I didn't hurt you did I?" Nikki shook her head. "No, but Sasha is right. Kat would kick your ass if she saw you right now." Matt grinned, "Yeah she would." Just that fast the smile was gone. Matt nodded, "I'll be okay just give me time." Nikki nodded and hugged him. She ran her hand through her hair and said,
"Matt, if I had known she was still up there somewhere I would have gone straight there. Why wasn't her walkie on?"

Matt's features turned to stone for a moment. "She was mad at me for spending so much time treating patients and working on school security. She was mad that I put her and Gracie's security over spending time with her. Kat had been paranoid that the walkers were going to invade the school and I couldn't seem to keep her safe enough. Just the other day Kat was trying to sneak Gracie out of the school. She thought the Walmart might be safer. She was mad at me either way so she turned it off so I couldn't talk to her." Matt stared off into the sky. "If I had tried harder...maybe she would have had it on."
Nikki hugged him. "It's not your fault. Kat was Kat and no one was going to change that."

Kyle groaned and sheathed his weapons. He was glad he didnt have to get involved but he was tired of all of everyones drama, including his own, and he hoped this would be the end of it. Hopefully this new place would be the brand new start everyone needed. He walked back inside the house.

Sasha watched the scene, relieved. She didn't know what she would have done if Matt had continued his out of control behaviour. She didn't have any sedation she could use, and doubted she was strong enough to subdue him.

She thought back to her feeling of security at the community. That dream had been shattered in the worst way. She knew she would have done anything to keep those she loved safe. She could understand that. But she knew that in this world, any connection to others, that was there to keep you alive, was important.

"There's no one to blame. Kyle said it was an earthquake, right? That that caused the explosion? You can control many things, but you can't control nature. You want to blame someone? Blame whoever let this plague out"

Nikki kissed her brother on the cheek. "Are you okay now? Can I go inside and not worry that you are going to hurt yourself or someone else?" "Yeah, Nik. We are okay. Tell Kyle I'm sorry. I know that he probably wants to kick my ass." Nikki chuckled at that and nodded. She looked up at Sasha. "Hollar if you need me."

Matt looked at Sasha and he sat down leaning against the farm house. "So who did you lose?"

Sasha nodded to Nikki, ensuring that she would indeed yell out. But she didn't think she would have to. She glanced to Matt, then let her eyes roam over the fields, constantly looking for walkers. "My parents and my partner. And the rest of my community. But they hurt the most. We thought we were safe. I don't know what happened, but the walls failed against the herd" She said softly, "I wanted to just let the walkers over run me. But you can't, can you?" She gave a sigh.

"The hardest thing is knowing I lost the potential for something great. As strange as it was, behind those walls, I was happy. Out here...It doesn't feel like living, but...There are a lot of reason to stay alive. I want to beat this thing. If not for myself, for the future generation" She shifted, sitting down as well, but still keeping her gaze trained on the fields.

Matt sighed. "I wish we could have met on a different day. You are not getting to see the normal me. I'm in a really bad place right now and I'm so filled with rage, and grief and I'm having trouble keeping the rage under control. Nikki is the one who helps me the most. She was always, even as kids the only way to calm me was to put my baby sister in front of me."
He smirked at a memory. "Our mom used to say she was my achilles heel. She was probably right. My mom would have liked you I think. She had that knack for saying the right thing like you do."

Sasha glanced to Matt, managing a small smile, before looking back to the field, making sure to glance to the sides as well, and make sure no walkers were sneaking that way, "It's okay to be angry. In this world, anger is something we all face. Losing control though...well, it isn't good in this world, where any moment the dead can come and kill you with just a bite.

Using the rage...that's something we can do. Look around us, this place, with some securing, could be safe, even for a day, a week. My community lasted up until two days ago. No where is going to be truly safe anymore, but...there's always hope, right?

The difference between being angry, and raging, is having hope.

Hope gets you so far, and it helps you to realise just what there is to live for, especially now. I spent...I guess it must have been at least a day, staying in front of those walkers. Anger...well, you can't live on anger.

I almost didn't get in the car with Kyle. Because for a moment there didnn't seem to be any reason to do so. And I nearly didn't stay, when he got here. But he said there was a kid. That seemed like something worthwhile to see, after everything"

Matt smiled a little. "Yeah, my baby girl is worth everything I have to do. I'm just having trouble with the pain right now. Kat was my world. Everything I did was to be a better man for her and Grace. The worst part is that it never seemed to be enough."

As Kyle was rummaging through the kitchen, he saw Nikki walk in. He walked over to her and hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

"You ok? That looked intense."

Kyle looked Nikki in the face, and put a hand on her stomach. As he looked at her face he was reminded why he loved her, and why she was his whole world.

Nikki hugged him tightly. "It's been so crazy and I 've missed you. Have you checked on the bedroom situation yet?"

Kyle smirked and held both of Nikkis hands. He began slightly swaying as if to non existant music.

"Hell yea baby, and guess what? They have like four bedrooms on the second floor alone. You know what that means? If our little unborn here wants a brother or sister we can litterally try wherever we want."

Kyle kissed Nikkis cheek and his words were used jokingly.

Nikki chuckled. "Okay just one more thing.I need to check on Ingrid. I don't think Matt got to her side yet."

Nikki poked her head out the door and said, "Matt? Did you check on Ingrid's side? There was a hole in it last time I saw her. Grace is with her and Kyle and I are going to disappear upstairs for a while."

Matt said, "Ok I'll check on Ingrid." He stood up and asked Sasha, "Want to come help me? You could be my nurse." He headed inside to the living room.

Nikki grabbed Kyle's hand. "I'm all yours baby."
Sasha didn't know what to say to Matts words about not being good enough, but she thought it was a good sign that he knew Grace was worth everything. She nodded, rising smoothly as he asked if she wanted to help. "Sure thing, I'd love to" She followed Matt into the living room.

Kyle grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lifted her up and planted her on the counter. He began kissing her with a passion. He let this happen for a minute, then he pulled back.

"We didnt even check the basement or the cellar, or the barns, this entire farm should get sweeped and cleared before we have fun."

Kyle chuckled and nibbled on Nikkis ear. He wanted to stop but he loved teasing Nikki.

"The barn is clear. I did a run through the basement and if there is anything in the cellar we aren't going to find out because no one is going in there. "Matt? Can you guys do a perimeter sweep and set up guards for the night?"

Matt chuckled. "Yeah now shut up and go get laid!"

Nikki giggled and kissed her husband.

Kyle laughed and kissed Nikki back. He lifted her up and took her up the stairs, and placed her on the bed in the master bedroom. He took a moment to take off his shoe and sock and place his sock on the outside door knob on the door. Then he closed it, grinning.
collab with @dabombjk@caits

@alexfangtalon@meowgoeskat@aintitfun1997

Matt had stitched Ingrid up and she had taken some of the Tylenol to preserve the alcohol for Jon, who was thankfully sleeping. She wanted to see what the others were doing. George and Darius were helping with the security as usual, so were the other men from the guard. Matt was tending to the wounds of everyone. The new girl Sasha was holding Grace who seemed to be a little lost without her mama. Nikki and Kyle were upstairs.

Ingrid opened the door to the outside. She saw Ethan, Alex and Erin and a couple of other people she didn't know. She looked hard at Erin and decided now was just not the time. "Alex, Erin, Ethan? Are ya hurt? Matthew is fixing people up in the living room. You guys over there too." She said. She looked at Erin as they got a little bit closer. Ingrid looked at Erin and said. "I figure if God wanted ya dead he would have taken ya so I won't kill ya. Ya can come in safely."

Ingrid walked over to Ethan. "Are ya okay Ethan?"

@josephb@alexfangtalon@aintitfun1997@meowgoeskat

Ethan Blackledge

There was finally a bit of quiet on the farm. Ethan didn't really know what to think about this new group, as he just witnessed Nikki's brother try to murder her and himself, then a minute later they were hugging and talking about their feelings like nothing had happened. Ethan could never seem to talk about his feelings so openly. (Unless he was drunk.)

People were heading into the house but a few people had decided to stay outside, Ethan being one of them. He stood on his own for a while, with his eyes closed feeling the wind against his face taking in the peacefulness of the farm. He had to enjoy the small things in life now.

A few minutes later, someone brought him out of his thoughts and back into the real world. A clear Irish voice chirped up from behind him. Standing there was Ingrid, the cute Irish woman who was Nikki's bodyguard. Ethan smiled at her as she asked him if he was okay.

"Yeah... Yeah I'm good." That was the most Ethan could really manage to say about how he was feeling. He started to reflect, "It's been a long couple of days... Within three days I've been in two settlements that have been destroyed. Must be a new record?" Ethan let out a quiet laugh looking to the ground. If I didn't laugh, I would cry. Ethan thought to himself for a moment.

"Anyway." He looked back up to her. "Are you alright?"

@Wick

Sasha tried her best to keep Grace occupied. She recalled stories from her own childhood, and told them to the girl, trying her best to remember them. Although she knew Grace wouldn't know if she got the stories wrong, it seemed important to remember them. Mostly she just held her, hoping that that contact would be comforting. It was to Sasha herself, she found.

Matt was bandaging up the cuts and wounds of the other survivors. It was keeping his mind busy so he didn't dwell on his pain. He came out of the kitchen with a glass of water and watched Sasha and Grace. He still hadn't gotten used to how easily they had become accustomed to losing people. He walked into the room and sat next to Sasha. Grace stood in her arms and yelled "DADADADADADA!" Matt smiled and reached over and let Gracie crawl onto him and cuddled his little daughter. He kissed her on the head as she played with his hair.

"Is she giving you trouble?" Matt asked Sasha.

Sasha shook her head, "Not at all, she's a delight" she said, with a smile, watching them. "She seemed a little lost, though. And then she saw you" she added, before looking away, where Matt had come from, "How is everyone? Nothing too serious, I hope?" she asked, but she figured if there had been, Matt would have asked for her help.

"Mostly bumps and scrapes. Jon was the worst off." Matt got still and asked. "Do you hear something?"

OUTSIDE--

Ingrid nodded to Ethan and said, "I'll be fine. Matt knows what he is doing." She smiled and went back inside.

Violet pulled her horse's reigns back as she came up on the side of her home. She never thought to lock the place up since walkers couldn't seem to open doors. She pulled out her semi automatic handgun and put her horse in the barn. She saw the guards scattered about.

Ethan watched Ingrid go back inside the house, but Ethan didn't bother following her. He wanted to stay outside and have a look about. Most of the walkers had been wiped out now but there were ones in the distance, but Ethan didn't think there was any need to go out of his way to kill them. The sound of a horse galloping caught his attention though, A woman on the back of a horse rode into the barn so Ethan decided to see who she was.

A minute later he walked into the barn and all of a sudden a gun was pointing directly at him. "Wow!" Ethan shouted, chucking his hands into the air. "We're friendly, we're friendly!"

Violet gave him a funny look. "Someone points a gun at you and you yell out "Wow"? Who are you people and why are you in my house? And how are you english and in Texas in the middle of a zombie apacalypse?" Her hat got caught on her hair and she pulled it off. "Damn thing."

Ethan watched as she took off her hat to see a long purple hair, he didn't expect that. "Well I was actually English before the Apocalypse, just happened to be here when it happened and no one was exactly willing to fly me back across the pond." He took a second to catch his breath. "We didn't realize people were still living here, seeing that there was a load of walkers wandering about the place, so we kind of decided to stop here. We've drove all the way from Cali without stopping." He slowly put his hands back to his sides. "Everyone's in the house, if you wanna speak to them?" He gestured to leave the house.

Violet smirked at his remark about no one willing to fly him back. "Not people, just me. Why did you leave California? Had enough of the land of fruits and nuts?"

"Yeah... was feeling a bit too healthy, thought I'd come here and get a steak to sort me out." Ethan replied to her question with a slight joke, but then realized it wasn't really the time with what had happened. Talking a bit seriously he continued, "There was an earthquake, that destroyed where we was staying so we had to leave, we kind of just started driving." He gave an awkward smile, then replied, "I just came along for the sights."

She put her gun down to her side. Her instincts said that she could trust him. She still had to be careful. She looked up at the english man and smiled to herself. She knew he couldn't see her very well since outside the barn lights were off and it was mostly moonlight and what little was coming from the house. Violet offered him her hand and said, "I'm Violet Braddock."

He reached for her hand and shook it slowly, "And I'm Ethan Blackledge, it's nice to meet you. Are we going inside?"

Violet grinned and said, "I think that would be a good idea." Violet didn't let go of his hand right away. She hadn't even seen a living person in over 2 months. She slowly let him go and walked with him to the house and she opened the door. The gun in her hand was met with six or seven pointed at her when she went into the living room.

She raised her gun and pointed it at the man with the baby. "Put them down, now!"

Sasha had just risen at the sound of voices, having not talked to all the group, she didn't know if they were friendly or not. When the woman aimed the gun at Matt and Grace, she shifted so she was in front of them. The only gun she had was empty, the bullets in her pocket from earlier. She raised her empty hands, "no need to threaten a child"

"Jesus!" Ethan shouted, as he stood in the middle close to Sasha. "Why do you Yanks just love having Mexican stand offs everytime you see someone? Put the bloody guns down now!" Ethan shouted, his northern accent thick. "We're all friendly here."

Violet lowered her gun slowly and the others did too. Right about that time Ingrid turned the corner to see what all the shouting was about. "Who the fuck are you?" she said, her irish brogue a little thicker than normal.

"I'm the owner of this ranch that y'all barged into, that's who the FUCK I am!"

Matt got to his feet before there was a purple haired cowgirl and an irish woman brawling in the living room. He handed Grace to Ingrid knowing it would make her behave. Ingrid took the baby and let Matt handle it.

Violet lowered her gun again and Matt towered over her and made her feel really tiny suddenly. "I realize you weren't expecting company but if you ever point a gun at my child again I'll break your ever lovin' neck and I won't ask you a thing first." The seriousness in his eyes told Violet that she should be careful of this man. He was dangerous to anyone in his way.

She nodded and said, "I only did it so I didn't get shot full of holes. I wouldn't have ever hurt her." She nodded towards Sasha and said, "Your wife there is brave to step between a target and my gun."

Matt's eyes changed and he punched the wall next to Violet's head putting his hand all the way through it to the other side. He yanked it back out and walked outside in a huff. Truly surprised, she asked. "What did I say?"

Sasha gave a soft sigh, and said "I'm not his wife. He just lost her today. I did what I did because i won't see a child dead for someone's own protection." part of it was also because she suspected Matt may have tried to hand Grace back to her, and tear this woman apart, but she wasn't going to say that. "I'd do it again. But next time, I think, nothing will stop him hurting you. " she glanced to the door, and gave another sigh, unsure if she should follow and see what damage Matt had done to his hand.

Violet walked past Ingrid and smiled at the baby. She then went up to her room to at least shower and change. She got upstairs and saw a sock on her door. She pulled her gun out and opened the door. Violet saw a naked man on her bed asleep and before she could say anything to Nikki.....

"Hey! Get out!" Nikki yelled at her. "Didn't you see the sock?" Nikki was wearing her bra and panties freshly out of the shower, still getting dressed. She picked up a shirt and covered her naked husband's ass with it. Kyle had passed out and Nikki had opted for a shower. She had barely started to show in her pregnancy. When she realized this girl was not one of theirs she kicked the gun out of her hand and she kicked her into the wall. Violet was out cold.

OUTSIDE--
After sitting outside for awhile Alex finally decided going in to find a better place for Erin to rest was the best option. The two walked up to the house just as Matt burst out the front door with an intense expression on his face. Alex slid off to the side and watched what Matt was about to do next watching to see if the man lost his temper again. Alex didn't want to be close to the guy if he went on a rampage.

Matt got outside and realized he didn't have a destination in mind. He went around to the side of the house and sat down leaning against the house. He finally let go and cried.

When Matt walked around the corner Alex almost didn't check to see what the older man was doing, but his curiosity and suspicion took over so he couldn't help peeking around the side.

He saw something that wasn't what he expected. Alex hadn't seen much from Matt, but he had certainly not seen the man cry. The young man wasn't sure if he should do anything though. Despite the way he was now Alex still was a person who didn't like seeing others in pain. He would hurt people that threatened those close to him without qualms, but Matt actually had helped Erin on numerous occasions.

Alex was slightly conflicted as to what to do. He looked around and then looked at Erin. She seemed to be worried for the older man without expressing it. Alex finally decided to just at least show support. He could hear a few guards at the front of the house making a small ruckus because they had found a small bit of alcohol. Alex walked up behind them and snatched it away saying, "There's someone who needs this more than you guys." They turned to him disgruntled and followed him up to the point where they had rounded the corner to see Matt.

Alex and Erin walked over and quietly sat by the man and Alex held out the alcohol saying, "Here. Seems like you may need this."

Matt took the bottle and dropped his head back down. He guzzled down a good bit and wiped his tears. "Thanks Alex." Matt glanced over and asked, "You ok Erin?"

Erin looked up at Matt and gently nodded her head. Quietly she spoke, "I'm alright." Alex looked at the girl and was deeply saddened. No matter how well he knew her he still wouldn't be able to tell how hard that experience at the school would have affected her. No words could probably explain the fear she had. He would do his best to make her feel safe. Alex turned to Matt and said, "If there is anything you need to get off your chest, I won't say anything to anyone. I'm use to being an emotional dump for others."

"Alex, where are your kids, brother and sister?" Matt asked.

Alex turned to look out at the horizon. This was scary not knowing where they were. He hoped they had found his message. If they had he would need to sneak away in the next hour or so to meet up with that group. He decided to merely answer Matt with a half-truth for now, "Last thing I remember is they were with Haru. I was inside the school looking for Erin so I don't know what happened. I left a message at the school that only they should understand in case they ran from the school." When he finished saying this Erin looked at him with a mixture of anger and fear in her eyes. Alex didn't dare look at her right now or else he might break.

Matt realized that meant he had no idea if they got out. Matt rubbed his eyes a minute and took another swig of whiskey. "Fuck....did anyone stay behind?" He mumbled to himself and closed his eyes trying to remember. "No, so it's just the three of them if they all got out at all." Matt opened his eyes and handed Alex the whiskey. "Your turn."

Sasha watched the woman go off, up the stairs, and thought that might be just as dangerous to her as it would be pointing a gun at Grace, but decided not to intervene. What could she do, anyway?

She retrieved her pack, and proceeded to look through it, retrieving a bandage, and non-stick dressing, grabbing the bottle of water Kyle had given her earlier, still half full. She didn't doubt that Matt had, at the very least, scrapped his knuckles punching the wall.

She started out the room, and was once more outside, making sure she had her knife, just in case there were walkers sneaking about.

Alex took the bottle wide-eyed, "Oh, uh. I've-I've actually never drank before. You can have the rest if you want." Erin looked at Alex with a questioning look then realized he was telling the truth.

"Suit yourself. I had to put my wife down after seeing her turn." Matt took another swig.

As she came out, finding Matt with two strangers, she hadn't yet met but assumed were okay, drinking, she heard what Matt said, and wondered if this was her day for philsophical words. "So, in other words, you protected Grace from not only seeing her mother like that, but from being bitten. It's..." She shook her head, wondering if perhaps she didn't want a swig of whatever alcohol that was.

"It's not...It's not bloody fair, I know" She could still see the dead gaze of her partners landing on her, nothing but malicious intent in a gaze that had once held everything for her. Putting the knife in his head had been the hardest thing she had ever had to do. Aside from living.

She very nearly reached for the bottle, but decided that might merely make the whole thing worse. "I...I had to do the same thing...But even if there was a chance of saving them...they were already gone. And I know that Blaise would never have wanted to live like the walkers." She sighed, shook her head again, remembering what she had come out here to do. "Let me see your hand."

Matt pulled Sasha down to sit in front of him. "I get to hold you if you get to fix up my hand. Want some?" He showed her the bottle.

Sasha was a little shocked when he pulled her down. She shook her head at the offered drink, "better not" she took his hand gently, and poured the water over it to make sure there were no splinters of drywall. "punching walls is generally not a good thing, but it doesn't seem bad"

"It's fine. I think I scared whatever her name is." He tilted his head back against the house. "If I fall asleep out here somebody drag me inside or wake my ass up. I have a baby to protect. Gracie needs me." He pulled Sasha's hand to his lips and kissed her hand. "I saw what you did in there, thank you."

Sasha gave him a small smile, and shrugged, "I figured if your arms weren't full of Grace you would have torn her head off, and it seemed better to make sure that didn't happen" She said, looking back down at his hand, she pressed the non-stick dressing over his knuckles, and wrapped it up, feeling the prickle of tears at the somewhat tender gesture.

"Purple didn't know, I couldnt hurt her about that. Now Gracie is another story. I'd kill anyone to protect my baby." He looked at her and asked, "So does the big bad Matt look like he was bawling his eyes out?"

Sasha glanced up, rocking back on her heels, then shook her head, "Not at all" She said, "But you do look like you need rest. Of course, everyone does"

Matt got to his feet, stretched and yawned. "Come on let's go inside and find a place to sleep."

******
A couple of moments later Nikki ran down the stairs with wet hair and barefoot. "Who is the purple haired chick I just knocked out?" Ingrid couldn't help herself she started laughing. "I love ya Nikki. That would be the owner of the house." Nikki looked around. "Great, just great, where's Matt?"

Still chuckling Ingrid said, "Well purple girl pissed him off when she pointed a gun at our little Gracie here and when she mentioned his wife he did that to the wall and went outside." Nikki looked at the wall and said, "Great!" She went back upstairs to deal with the owner.

Kyle woke up, and immediatley was confused. He was not confused by the naked part, although why there was a shirt draped across his bottom he didn't remember, he was confused as to why there was an unconscious woman on the ground across from the bed he was on. Kyle got out of bed and dressed rather quickly, in his pants and T shirt, then walked over and knelt in front of the women. He reached out and placed two fingers on her neck and checked her pulse.

Nikki came back into the room. Nikki picked up one of her arms and lifted Violet onto the bed. "It figures, babe this girl owns this place. She could have said something." Nikki shook the girl and got a wet cloth and put it on her face and woke her up.

Violet woke up and the first thing she noticed was that it hurt to breathe. "What the hell? I think you broke a rib or two." Violet had tears come to her eyes. "Kyle? Can you get Matt?"

Kyle nodded then walked down stairs and asked the crowd of people there where Matt was, and they pointed him outside. He walked outside and quickly found Matt.

"Hey Matt. So........girl nearly broken up in mine and Nikki's room. Just woke up. What the shit man? Is she.....like living here before us?"

"What happened to purple girl? Did you say Nikki broke her?" Matt halfway grinned.

"Yea looked like something broke inside her. No not emotionally but like-,"Kyle said as he rubbed his stomach and sides,"inside broke her. Do you think you could, I dont know, like help her at all?"

Matt laughed at Kyle. "I thought that was the signal for hungry. Are you trying to say Nikki kicked her?"

Kyle laughed.

"Well for blood maybe I dont know. Just woke up remember?"

Kyle put a hand on Matts shoulder.

"I mean I dont know about you, but maybe she has moved on from wanting to kill walkers, and now wants to kill people too? Pregnancy I think does that."

Matt smirked. "Maybe, as I remember it, Kat was not overly sweet when she was pregnant either. Then again if someone was kicking me in the bladder from the inside I might not be too happy either. Alright let's go see what Nikki did. I'm guessing she broke ribs. Purple is maybe 100 lbs and your sister has kicked me across a room before." Matt stopped an looked for Sasha. "You comin?" Matt grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.

Sasha had risen just as Kyle came out, gathering her water bottle, she listened to the conversation. As the two bantered, She thought it was a broken rib or two, and she thought back to the medicines she had had to leave behind. Pain killers would be wonderful right now, and the antibiotics. But what was, was. As Matt grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, asking if she was coming, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, I'm coming"

Matt walked into the living room and Ingrid handed Grace to him and he smiled and headed upstairs to see what Nikki did to purple. When he got in there Grace yelled "KIKIKIKI" Nikki took her neice instantly and as soon as Violet saw who Matt was she tried to move away from him. "Don't you touch me!"

Matt sighed and massaged his temple a minute. "Purple......What the hell is your name?"

"Violet." He looked at her and grinned. "Well I wasn't that far off." He chuckled.

She looked from Matt to Nikki. "You guys are related." "Good guess, she is my little sister." "Were you guys part of some asskicking family of ninjas or something? You punching my walls down and she ..."OWWW!" Violet yelled as tears started to form in her eyes when he pressed slightly on one of the ribs.

"Yeah Nikki's kicks are worse than getting kicked by a mule. Ok One is definitely cracked and the others appear to be really badly bruised. Bed rest for a couple of days and no lifting anything for say at least a month. Want some whiskey?" Violet took the bottle and swallowed a good bit.

"If the pain gets any worse, or if you find you have difficulty breathing, you should probably tell one of us, or you could die. A punctured lung is not fun at the best of times, and these are the worst of them" Sasha added, leaning against the wall, "And I wouldn't use a gun for a while either, the recoil could make it worse" She thought for a moment, but that seemed to be all she could think of.

"So why would you dye your hair purple if your name is Violet?"

Violet said, "My mother loved violets so she named me after the flower. She died 8 years ago so I've had my hair violet ever since." Violet sighed and looked at the baby. "She is a beautiful baby. I'm sorry about earlier."

Matt waived it off. "It's all in the past. Since I am assuming this is your bedroom where can I sleep? The baby needs to sleep too."

"Any other bedroom except this one. Extra blankets are in the closet at the end of the hall and could someone ask Ethan to come up?"

Matt and Nikki smiled and nodded. "Sure." Matt took Gracie from Nikki and took Sasha's hand and pulled her into the hall with him and into the next bedroom. Nikki smirked as he pulled her out with him.

Sasha nodded at the story, figuring that that was reasonable enough, yet she did wonder how Violet was going to keep her hair dyed in this world. Perhaps the girl had a stock of dye somewhere. Once more finding herself pulled along by Matt, Sasha quickly gathered her feet so she wouldn't fall, yet she figured this wasn't truly odd behaviour for him.

Still, as he pulled her into the next bedroom, she had to wonder what he was doing. Glancing about the room, she said "How do you normally put Grace to sleep?" While she figured the girl wasn't likely to fall off a bed, she was still a baby.

He looked down at Grace and she was already asleep in his arms. He smiled. "Like that." He put Grace in the middle of the bed and said, "I figure we are going to have to double up in order for people to have a place to sleep. I'd rather sleep with you in here than the others. I'll be a perfect gentleman. No funny business and Grace would be between us. Is that okay?"

Sasha knew she had to sleep somewhere, and Matt was the only person, besides Kyle-and after seeing what had happened to Violet, there was no way she was getting close to Nikki right then, that she had really interacted with. Besides, she liked Grace, and figured this would be a way of keeping her safe-no way she could fall off. She nodded, "Sure, that's okay"

"Thank you. Believe it or not, as horrible as today has been, you have helped me get through it." Matt reached over and kissed her on the forhead and briefly hugged her. Then he locked the door, took off his shoes and pulled the blankets back and climbed in so that he was facing Gracie.

"I'm glad" Sasha said softly, returning his brief hug. She watched him for a moment, before taking off her own shoes. She was no stranger to sleeping with others-for a while in the community they had had to share the courthouse, the only place that had been secure-so she got into the bed as well, being careful not to wake up Grace, she found herself curling slightly around her, wanting to make sure the child was as secure as possible.

Nikki went downstairs and told Ethan what happened to Violet and told him that she was asking for him.

Collaboration with @Josephb@caits@dabombjk@Alexfangtalon

After the confrontation had calmed down and Violet had gone up to her bedroom, Ethan decided to go back outside. The tension in the house made Ethan want some fresh air, he took a seat on the porch and looked up at the stars before closing his eyes. More shouting came inside the house but Ethan couldn't really make out what they was saying. They really do love drama, Ethan thought.

Later on it went quiet again and then Nikki walked outside to tell him what had happened. "Bloody hell, remind me not to sneak up on you then." He got up from the seat and yawned. "Looks like I'm gunna be on nursing duties for a few days then. I'll see you later Nikki, night" Ethan smiled at her as he walked inside and to see Violet.

Ethan walked into her room a few moments later. "Well I can tell that you've been making friends while I was outside." He smiled at Violet who was lying down on the bed.

@Wick

Violet was laying on her bed. Nikki had taken the bedspread off to wash it since she and Kyle had used it. Violet was laying fully clothed with her shoes off. Her long violet hair spilled all around her. She opened her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me they are all lethal? I never got a chance to say anything, I just got kicked and went flying. I was unconscious for a few minutes. Matt said she cracked at least one of my ribs and deeply bruised the others." Violet wanted to cry. She looked at him and hoped he wouldn't think her weird or a baby. "Would you stay with me?"

"I know this is going to sound weird but. I haven't even seen another living person in over two months so suddenly having 20 or so people n my house is strange to me."

@josephb

Matt lay there with Gracie and Sasha as they slept. He smiled at how Sasha had cuddled up to Grace. Her maternal instincts were good. Grace had fallen asleep and rolled to Sasha out of habit of having done it with Kat all her short life. This both made Matt a little happy that Grace would eventually have no memory of what happened and sad that she would have no memories of her mother.

He took his wallet out of his pocket and pulled a picture out and stared at it. He could barely see the outlines of the people in it in the dark. However, in his mind he remembered it like it was yesterday. They had not met til she was in Vegas and he went there on a trip with some friends. Once he had seen her dealing blackjack he spent the entire night playing blackjack and talking to her. That was it, he fell in love just like that. They spent the weekend together and when he went home and tried to call her he realized she had given him the wrong number.

In hindsight he understood that. At the time he hadn't. About six months later he had gone back and found her six months pregnant with his baby. Matt had been furious that she hadn't told him. He had moved down there temporarily and stayed near her until the baby was born. At that time he convinced her to move to California so they could be closer to his family, who would be very supportive and helpful. Nikki instantly loved her and Grace and they had gotten along famously. Nikki would hang out with her and Grace as much as possible.

He put the picture back in his wallet. Every time he dozed off he would be back in the school hearing Gracie crying. He would jump the distance and get to her before anything else happened to her and he would see Kat, pinned under rubble. He saw one of her shoes about 5 feet away. He could only see the beams that had landed on her from a little above her knees down. Her legs had been crushed. There was a large piece of iron rebar sticking through her chest. As he looked at her he would see her change and come back as a walker. Matt would wake up at this point, his face wet from crying in his sleep and finally he stopped trying to sleep and sat up. Gracie had curled up with Sasha so he left the room after turning his pillow so the baby wouldn't roll off the bed just in case.

When he went downstairs he found that he was not the only one who couldn't sleep.

@Alexfangtalon @caits@dabombjk@josephb@meowgoeskat

Sasha was exhausted after the events of the last few days, and fell into a deep sleep, where thankfully, she didn't dream. When she woke, it was slowly and she looked around, disorientated as to where she was. For one brief moment, she had expected to wake in the rooms she had had in the community. She rubbed her eyes, carefully sitting up, so as not to wake Grace, and tried to orientate herself. The farm house, right. 

She wondered if anyone had been watching for walkers, but figured they hadn't been over run, so they were probably safe for now. She glanced about the room, rising, she framed Grace with pillows, noting Matts absence. 

Giving a sigh, she began to explore the room, not taking anything, but also seeing if there was anything useful. 

Matt had gone downstairs and then outside. He sat on the steps and looked at the ranch. There was the barn. An area for training horses and a large garden behind the house. He had noted the canned fruits and vegetables in the house. He knew if they stayed at Violet's that they might be safe but that they would also go through her supplies in just a couple of days. 

He heard the screen door open and saw Nikki come out. "Hey, you couldn't sleep either she said. "I kept seeing Kat at the end." Matt stated. "Nikki? Did Kat ever say anything to you about me?"

Nikki was obviously uncomfortable at this question. "What do you mean exactly?" Matt looked at Nikki with a knowing look. 

"What did she say? And don't hold back I need to know."

Nikki didn't want to tell him. Matt was really a sensitive guy and she didn't want to hurt him. Emotionally Kat had been stronger than Matt was, with good reason. Nikki squirmed and said. "Why dwell on the past? She is gone. Just go forwards." 

This made Matt angry. "Obviously there was something now tell me!"

Nikki sighed and knew she had to tell him something. "Kat said that she was glad you were Grace's dad because you were a good man and she knew you would take good care of Grace and always be there for her."  Nikki took a deep breath, "She also said that you cared too much about things. You were a great lay but that in the beginning she didn't want anything else from you."

He grinned at that. "I already knew that." He chuckled. "Kat was selfish Matt. She would complain that you chose the people over your family constantly. Whether it was the military or after the walkers showed up." Nikki looked down and then up at Matt. "Kat was not the saint you make her out to be. She even once said that she was jealous of you and me being close. I think Malcolm really screwed her up and she wasn't capable of seeing what was right in front of her." Nikki reached over and hugged her brother. 

"I'm gonna go see if there are any decent movies to watch in the dvd player." Nikki got up and went back inside leaving Matt to think.

Sasha had soon explored the room, and she went back to the bed, and Grace. She watched her for a moment, not wanting to leave her alone. Apart from the fact it wouldn't be safe, she didn't want the girl to be scared if she woke up alone. Eventually, she gently picked Grace up, hoping not to wake her, figuring she'd go downstairs and see about what food there was, and perhaps make something up for everyone. 

Heading downstairs, she listened to see if anyone else was up and moving about, 

Matt sat there for a while thinking about what Nikki said. He knew he tended to put Kat up on a pedestal. He knew about her flaws he had just chosen to ignore them. Once said out loud by his sister though he couldn't do that anymore. He sighed, stood up and decided not to think about Kat and see if that would help him get past her in his mind. He went back inside and closed the door. Matt stopped when he got to the kitchen and he smiled. Sasha was in there while holding a sleeping Grace trying to figure out how to cook and hold a sleeping baby at the same time.

Matt smiled softly and thought that maybe he should look at what was right in front of him and not dwell on the tragedies life threw at him. He walked into the room and he smiled at her and scooped his sleeping daughter up and laid her against his shoulder and she just cuddled up moving her little feet around and stayed asleep. 

Matt reached down and kissed Sasha on the lips lightly and walked over to the refrigerator. "I wonder if this stuff is any good." he said.

Who would think cooking would require two hands, so much of the time? Sasha stood there, trying to figure out what she could make. Even bread required two hands to butter. Not that they had butter, but still. She looked over at the sound of footsteps and returned Matt's smile, and went to say thank you, when he kissed her. Perplexed, she watched him go to the refrigerator. 

"uh..Oh, the jars and stuff if they aren't open should be okay, I wouldn't trust anything that has meat in it though" She said, turning to sort through some supplies, although she was still puzzled. 

Matt nodded. "So what are you going to make?" He asked while he shifted Grace to his leg that he had bent and shifted so it would cradle her nicely. "I can help if I can do it from here." he said grinning at his baby. 

"Sasha, come here a moment." When she did he took her hands in his and said, "I hope I'm not confusing you too much." He looked down at the baby and said, "I always put Kat on a pedestal because I chose to. I ignored some pretty important character flaws. Now, I'm trying to look at her as who she really was. I figure it's kinda hard to move forward if I keep allowing myself to make her into someone she wasn't. I like you and I hope you won't slug me." He finished with a slight smile.

There was a lot of thoughts, feelings that Sasha experienced as Matt talked. She knew things weren't what they were, before the outbreak. When you lived with constant death, when so many people could die all at once, things couldn't be the same. When you could die at any moment, it taught you to adjust faster to new situations. She knew that, in this world, having any sort of happiness was something to hold on tight to. 

"Why would I hit you?" There was more she wanted to say, but it seemed for once she didn't have any words. 

Matt chuckled at her response. "I can think of many reasons people want to hit me. You might not have appreciated the personal space invasion might be one."  Ingrid wandered sleepily yawning into the room. Matt looked at her and after she got a glass of water he asked her if she was going back to bed and she nodded. "Let me take the babe. She can cuddle with me." Ingrid scooped up the baby and disappeared. Matt grinned and stood up. He turned back to Sasha and smiled sheepishly. 

Matt took Sasha's hand and kissed it.He sighed and said, "I'm not trying to say that I'm healed or anything close to that but I think in this world as it is right now, if we don't push the pain aside and move forward we will waste whatever time we are given. I don't want to do that. I don't want you to do that. I know you lost a lot recently too. I'm hoping we can heal together. Would it be alright if I kiss you?" Matt said moving a little closer to her.

Sasha knew that she herself was by no means healed, and yet...the day  before, she'd simply been waiting for a walker to bite her. Now...Well, perhaps it was simply the rest, or simply being around others again...she was feeling even just a little better...Some times though...maybe there didn't need to be an explaination for things.

"Yes, it...it would be":

Matt moved closer and pulled her to him slowly looking at her eyes the entire time. He leaned down and tenderly kissed her lips in an exploratory kiss full of curiosity and warmth.

Sasha returned the kiss, letting herself enjoy the warmth of his lips against hers, the intimacy of such an action flowing over her. The tenderness seemed a stark contrast compared to the violence of recent days, and it nearly broke her, the way it brought on such an emotional response. Grief and hope intertwined, and she moved her arms around him, enjoying both the kiss, and the closeness. 

When Matt pulled back finally he was surprised at his own response. He didn't think he could feel anything with anyone else yet. He was very happy to find out that he was wrong. Maybe he could get past his pain faster if there was something else growing. He looked at her and kissed her again picking her up and putting her on the counter. This time the kiss was full of passion and need.

A warmth seemed to spread through Sasha at this new kiss, from her chest outwards, slowly spreading throughout her body, as if...she was warming up from being cold, coming back to...life. She could feel her heart speed up, and matched the passion, the need, wanting that fiery feeling, as it seemed, for a moment, the world fell away, until it was just them. 

Matt pulled back and looked at her eyes still glazed from the passion they had just shared. He picked her up and carried her up the stairs to their room and shut the door. When he set her on the bed he caressed her hair back and began kissing her. Breathing huskily he asked her, "How long has it been since you were intimate with your boyfriend?"

The question took Sasha by surprise, and her mind, a slight haze of the emotions sparked by the kissing, took a moment to process it. She wondered, first, why he had asked that, but answered "A couple of weeks, I guess. Its hard to keep track of days"

Matt looked at her and kissed her again. "It's been a couple of months for me. She didn't want to when she found out she was pregnant." He kissed her again and let his need for her be known and waited for her to push him away.

Sasha kissed him back, before what he had said sunk into her haze filled mind. She'd been pregnant, when she'd died? The world seemed more than cruel, then. Perhaps it was selfish not to ask, not to say anything more. It felt like they'd gone over some line. The need he showed her, fired her own, and she kissed him, deeply, softly, tenderly. 

Matt slowly pushed her backwards onto the bed and he felt the tenderness and heat from her he let his body explore hers and he began kissing her body everywhere stripping their clothes off as he did. 

Ethan looked down at Violet who seemed to be in quite a bit of discomfort. "To be honest, I had no clue, she mentioned that she was a black belt, but I didn't really know she was that dangerous." Ethan moved closer into the room as she asked him to stay with her for the night.

"Yeah, no worries." Ethan quickly replied. "I volunteered to be your nurse anyway." He continued, laughing to try and cheer up her mood. "Well you better move up then. I've not really slept for three days, I don't feel like sleeping on the floor." Ethan said with a smile, taking off his shoes.

@Wick

Violet smiled. "It's a big bed. There is plenty of room." When he climbed in Violet got quiet and asked him, "Ethan? Could you hold me while we sleep?" She knew this was an odd request. "I'm really grateful you figured you would look after me. It's also been really hard since those monsters took my dad from me. I was used to hugs and goodnight kisses on the cheek and it's been so long since I've had the barest of human contact...I think it would just do a lot to make me feel like myself again."

When he snuggled up behind her she sighed happily holding onto his arm. "I have no idea why I am so comfortable with you but I am." She sighed and asked, "So what have you been doing since the world exploded with dead people?"

@josephb

As Ethan got comfortable on the bed, Violet then asked him to hold her as she slept, he didn't find anything wrong with that. "Yeah don't worry about it, just let me know if you get uncomfortable, you do have broken ribs remember." As he wrapped his arm around her, he then slowly pulled her close. Ethan seemed to be double the size of Violet.

Violet told him how comfortable she was with him and Ethan jokingly replied with, "Yeah I'm just a walking talking teddy bear." He was content with life at that moment, he was so relaxed lying down. The bed seemed to be made for royalty in Ethan's eyes, but that might have just been the fact he'd not slept properly for around three days.

He closed his eyes as he listened to Violet talk. Ethan then started to talk, "Well... I spent most of my time in a lovely little town called Dana Point. I'm guessing it would have been a nice get away before 'the world exploded with dead people.'" Ethan let out a quiet laugh at Violet's way of explaining what happened. "I was there until a couple of days ago Walkers destroyed the place and I somehow got out alive on my own... I'm hoping other people got out but I've got no clue." Ethan took a second before continuing. "I drove until I ended up in Ramona were I met up with these lot who were living in a school. I lasted there for a whole thirty minutes before a massive earthquake destroyed the place. I must be a lucky charm." Ethan sadly and quietly laughed to himself. "Then we all came here and well... You know the rest." Ethan speech started to get slower as the fatigue caught up to him. "So... What's your story?"

@Wick

Violet said, "I guess that depends on who you ask." She noticed he was starting to doze off and she smiled. "I don't think you are a bad luck charm at all." Violet couldn't believe she was with real people who, weren't the dead come back to snack on her.

"The town out here is pretty much a grocery store and a gas station. We grow our own food for the most part and we have a well and solar panels on the house so we are fairly self sufficient. There are a couple of milk cows here and a large fenced in garden and chickens so although we don't go into town much we still had to every now and then."

"I knew there was something bad wrong as soon as we got to town but Dad had jumped out of the truck too fast. The dead attacked him and started eating him." Violet shivered at the memory and it made her bite her lip with pain. "I moved into the drivers seat and left. I got on the cb and my cell phone and the radio and tv and it was world wide. I've been on my own since then."

Violet cuddled as close into Ethan's arms as she could and pulled the covers up to her neck. It was the first time since her father's death that she didn't have that same recurring nightmare. She slept well and until the morning.

@josephb

Collaboration with @dabombjk@caits

Ingrid awoke to a baby foot in her stitches. She glanced over at the sleeping baby and then looked at Jon who appeared to still look like he wasn't doing as well as she had hoped. She would have to have Matt look at him again. She got up and took the slightly awake toddler to the kitchen after kissing Jon on the forehead. Determining that he didn't have a fever she was down the stairs with Grace in a flash.

Matt rolled over and kissed Sasha awake. He felt good. He had needed that release of all that pent up frustration and pain. He saw her yawn and slowly awaken and when her eyes opened he was grinning at her.

Sasha smiled, and gave a happy sigh, "That's a nice way to be awoken" She said, and she stretched slightly, "Morning" She would be quite happy to stay right where she was all day, yet she knew there was stuff to do, especially if they were going to stay here a little while. Still, a little bit of indulgence might be good. She smiled again, watching Matt

Matt smiled at her and was happy to indulge but his growling stomach had other things for him to worry about. Matt decided to ignore his stomach and focused on Sasha instead.

Kyle opened his eyes slowly, and sat up. He looked to his left, and saw Nikki's sleeping, naked form wrapped in sheets. He smiled to himself, and got out of bed. He quickly changed, and armed himself with his nine millimeter and small knife, then went downstairs and outside. He closed his eyes, and smelled the fresh air. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and watched his surrounding area. He needed to make sure that the farm was secure before he got too relaxed. He took out his nine millimeter, then headed towards the barn. He figured bad shit always exists in barns.

Nikki woke up nauseated and almost fell as she was tangled up in the sheets, she ran to the bathroom. Several moments later, looking grayer and feeling horrid she emerged. Hair brushed, face and mouth cleaned she got dressed and realized her pants were getting tight and she would be needing looser clothing soon. She decided today she would ask Violet where she might find some alternate clothing. She went downstairs and saw Ingrid in the kitchen with Grace.

"Matt come down yet?" Nikki asked her and Ingrid shook her head with a smirk. "No, he and the new girl were getting pretty tight last night. I took Grace and moments later he ran carrying her upstairs. I woulda laughed but Grace woulda woke up so I controlled myself, barely."

Nikki grinned, "hey, sex is good therapy." Nikki grabbed a cup of coffee and the smell of it caused her to turn green and she ran to the nearest bathroom. Ingrid made a face at the wretched sounds coming from the bathroom. Picking up Grace she went outside. She saw Kyle heading out to the barn.

Kyle slowly opened the barn doors to reveal.......nothing. Kyle gave a small sigh, glad nothing inside the barn was going to attack them. At least no walkers. Kyle saw a horse and some chickens but they looked alright to him. Kyle closed the barn doors and turned around, only to see Nikki outside the house. He smiled and walked back over to her.

"Howdy there, young miss. I done did reckon this be a mighty nice day we have here. Hope you be farin well, if the lord willing and the creek dont rise."

Kyle pretend dipped his pretend hat to Nikki.

Sasha gave Matt another smile, and a quick kiss, saying "Food does sound good" She rose, going over to her backpack, she found her spare set of clothes, quickly dressing, she made a note to wash her other clothes. She looked back at Matt, and smiled again, ready to head downstairs.

Matt watched her as she got dressed and laid back on the pillows. When she was ready to go he quickly dressed and followed her. He got partway down the stairs and said sort of loudly. "Where is my Gracie girl?"

The toddler crawled towards his voice and started yelling baby talk at him. Matt got down on his knees and let her pull herself up into a standing position on her own. She grabbed her daddy's hair and gave him a drooly kiss. Wrapping an arm around her he picked her up and tickled her silly til there was nothing to be heard over happy baby laughter.

Ingrid looked at him and giggled a little. Matt turned Gracie upside down and let her give sloppy kisses to Ingrid and then Sasha. The baby laughed.

Nikki smiled at her husband and slid an arm around his waist. "Hey handsome. Our little one is making Mommy sick. I'm not sure I can hold anything down. We also need to locate some larger person or maternity clothes asap."

Kyle laughed and kissed Nikki's nose.

"Yea how can that be? I mean we are in the middle of God knows where Texas, but im sure I can find some pregger clothes for you. No sweat."

Kyle wrapped an arm around Nikki' shoulder and smiled. He was feeling so much better than when they were back at that school, so much less stressed and worried and paranoid. Kyle just chalked it down to having so much more fresh air.

"But now that we have a moment, how are you doing? I mean...like mentally?"

Nikki thought about it a moment. "I'm hoping that being further from the city means more peace and quiet. We lost a lot of good people including a family member and that hurts. I feel like there wasn't anything else I could have done without putting our baby in danger." Her hand moved to her slight baby bump and rested there protectively.

"Kyle, I have a real fear that I may not be able to be very helpful in any capacity. If we are attacked and I can't hold food down I won't be strong enough to fight. That is going to leave most of the burden on you and Matt and Ingrid and Sasha and Ethan. Violet is so tiny I almost broke her in half so I'm not so certain how much help she will be either." She felt rather helpless and weepy. Nikki turned and hugged him tightly.

Kyle embraced Nikki warmly and openly, loving he could be there for the women he loved. Kyle spoke as he hugged Nikki.

"Dont worry about it. I am more than capable of defending you and everyone, albeit that Matt can take care of himself. Everyone needs to depend on eachother right now, we are all hurting bad even if we dont all show it."

Kyle held Nikki but parted enough to look her in the eyes.

"I promise I will make it so that our baby will be able to at least live out their childhood in peace."

Sasha smiled, watching Grace and Matt, enjoying the girls laughter. She gave a soft laugh at the sloppy kiss, before turning her attention to the problem of food. She thought on what she had started to sort through during the night, and she knew there was going to be a problem with food, and sooner then later.

"Did you guys have food in the cars?" she asked

Matt answered her "Not a lot, basically we got out of the building, rounded the survivers and what few things we could get before the explosions started. Gracie and I got out just before the last big explosion. That one was the ammo going up. The kitchen was where the main fire broke out. The gas lines in the kitchen were burning thanks to the earthquake. The aftershocks re lit it." Matt shook those thoughts out of his head.

"Let's go search the cars so we know what we have and what we don't." Matt walked outside and Grace started yelling "KIKIKIKIKI!!!" Nikki smiled at Kyle and went to her niece. Matt handed her over and he and Sasha started opening up the cars and searching to see what all was saved. He smiled at the bags of weapons that Nikki saved from the third floor. Every time he thought about it he saw Kat, trapped and he had to shake the image out of his mind.

After going through the cars they found very little by way of food. All of that had been stored in the school. It truly had been their safe place up until Mother nature decided to evict them.

"Weapons, a few clothes, a couple of blankets, a pack of diapers and that's about it." Matt sighed. Out here a supply run would likely run them days out at a time. "We need to talk to Violet when she wakes up."

The lack of food was daunting. Weapons were good, but if they didn't have food, they were likely to starve before getting a chance to use them against the walkers. "There's might be animals nearby that we could hunt, maybe other farms?" She knew that they should let Violet rest, and a few more hours wouldn't do then any harm. "Well, we can figure out something to have now, while she's asleep" Although what, she wasn't too sure. Still, even making hard biscuits and having them was better then nothing.

Ingrid was in the kitchen frying up a dozen eggs or so. She found some bread in the freezer and made some toast. "Come an eat if yer hungry." She said out the door. She made a plate and took it up to Jon. He was still asleep and she lay next to him and cuddled with him.

Kyle smelled the aroma of fresh food and his mouth watered. He kissed Nikki on the cheek and went inside, into the kitchen. Kyle grabbed some toast and flipped a freshly made egg into his mouth. As he chewed he stopped as he caught the humorous but dissaproving looks he was given from those who entered the kitchen behind him. He shrugged.

"What?" Kyle said sounding as if he had something in his mouth, which he did.

Nikki came inside and the instant the smell of eggs hit her she ran back outside and threw up in the bushes. When she was done she took the hose and rinsed her mouth and sat on the hood of the nearest car and laid back on it closing her eyes as her stomach continued to make her miserable. She crossed her arm over her face and said, "God....if I survive this pregnancy I'm gonna kill Kyle."

"Well, breakfast seems to be sorted" Sasha said with amusment, shutting the car door she had been looking through, she watched as Nikki ran in, and then back out the house.

She frowned slightly, "I wonder if there's any ginger or mint around, some patients before the outbreak swore by that for their morning sickness" She said, thinking outloud, glancing about them, as if either would pop out, but also remember to glance about for walkers.

@kurai assassin@josephb