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The Price Of Living

"He's six foot four, where the hell could he go?". Miguel asked incredulously once the news had sunk in.

"The last we saw him was about a half hour after Cedar went to look for you". Benji replied.

"We have to go look for him". Miguel said, rising out of his seat before Charlie pushed him back down.

"You're not going anywhere, not in your condition". The ex soldier stated firmly.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing, so I'm going". Miguel argued back.

"Guys we've already wasted two days, can we get going please?". Luca snapped anxiously.

Cedar held her brother's hand as Benji helped Miguel up and the five of them walked out into the street, going in the opposite direction of the yellow house.

"Guys, we got blood". Charlie said as he stopped and knelt down, inspecting the trail of blood going down the road.

They kept going until stopping in front of a muddy ditch. "No!, No!". Miguel called out, restraining Luca from going up to the spot.

Cedar ducked past them and gasped when she saw Andy's body tucked in the muddy ditch, blood was pooled at the back of his head and his glasses were gone.

She knelt down and carefully adjusted his arm so it was facing out towards her, seeing the Resurrection mark burned against his wrist.

The young woman got up and tearfully faced the group. "I know who did this".

"What?". Luca asked in an almost accusatory tone as Miguel hugged him.

"When I went after Iggy one of the people in the house was this guy, I confronted him and he told me he had nothing to do with the situation". Cedar confessed.

"So you let him go?". Luca whispered brokenly.

"Because I told her to". Miguel suddenly fibbed. "I was hurt and obviously wasn't thinking clearly".

"I'm so sorry Luc". Cedar apologized, flinching when he pushed past her as she attempted to hug him.

He shook his head and sniffed. "He was gonna die eventually, deaf or not he was no fighter".

"Alright, which one of you is lying?". Charlie asked, looking between Cedar and Miguel as Luca fled back towards the rental house.

"I spent years killing people just for the hell of it". Cedar explained wearily. "Watching that guy beg, It didn't make me feel happy like it used to".

Charlie glared at her as he spoke. "You can't stop and think of how killing is gonna make you feel. It's like a job, you just do it".

"Maybe that's your way of thinking, but it isn't mine". Cedar snapped. "I couldn't feel a damn thing for years and innocent people have paid the price for it, So excuse me for wanting no part of it".

"That was nicely handled". Miguel said, folding his arms as he watched Cedar run after Luca towards the house.

"That kid needs to get her shit together or she won't survive much longer". Charlie snapped with a glare of his own.

"She just spent two days taking care of me, So don't tell her what she needs to do to survive, cause she has it handled". Miguel replied defensively.

"The kid can do what she wants, but don't complain when she eventually gets us all killed". Charlie stated as he walked off.

Later that evening as Cedar lay curled up in bed she was startled from her thoughts by a knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in!". She said, wiping the tears from her eyes as she sat up.

"Hey". Miguel greeted quietly as he limped into the room and sat on the edge of Cedar's bed.

Cedar sniffed as she looked up at her uncle's battered face. "Hey".

"How are you holding up?". Miguel asked carefully.

"I'm fine". Cedar shrugged, clearly having reverted back into her old coping mechanism of shutting down.

"Talk to me". Miguel said gently, tucking a hand beneath Cedar's chin to lift her head up.

"Why do I end up getting everyone I care about killed?". Cedar finally asked tearfully.

"What are you talking about?". Miguel asked, his tone conveying confusion and shock.

"Ada got herself infected because I took off when I shouldn't have, then my dad shot himself because he thought I hated him". Cedar rattled off. "And now, you almost got beat to death and Luca hates me because Andy got killed".

"First of all Luca does not hate you, I talked to him and he said he's not mad". Miguel explained carefully.

"I got his uncle killed a few days after they reunited, how the hell does he not hate me for that?". Cedar retorted.

"We don't even know if the guy you let go was the one that killed him". Miguel tried to reason. "But I don't blame you for what happened to Ada, I promise you I don't".

"What about my dad?". Cedar asked in a small voice.

Miguel shook his head. "Like I said, his infection was spreading and he didn't wanna risk hurting you or Luca".

Cedar eyed her uncle suspiciously but didn't press the matter. "How's your head doing?".

"It'll take a lot more than a baseball bat to the skull to get rid of me". Miguel replied with a small grin.

"I'll keep that in mind". Came a voice from the doorway, Cedar turned and saw a guilty looking Charlie leaning against the door-frame.

"Mind if I talk to the kid alone for a minute?'. He asked, eying Miguel somewhat wearily.

Miguel looked back at Cedar, (who nodded her permission) before pressing a kiss against her forehead and silently headed downstairs.

"Can I sit?". Charlie asked awkwardly with his hands in his pockets.

"Sure". Cedar replied, gesturing to Miguel's empty spot.

Charlie nodded and sat down with a heaving sigh. "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier, It's got nothing to do with you".

Cedar nodded in understanding (even though she was still slightly pissed at the soldier's earlier attitude). "I get it".

Charlie breathed an audible sigh of relief and got up from the bed, gently squeezing Cedar's shoulder comfortingly as he too left the room.