Nightingale [ON HOLD TILL FURTHUR NOTICE *SORRY*]

No.5

A tense atmosphere settled around us as anger and sadness coursed through not only me but the four guys in front of me. I stood with my arms hugging my torso as I shifted a little causing the wood floor to creek in the otherwise silent room.

"Mom !" Ri yelled as I turned to find him and Cass running my way. Ri came up and wrapped his small arms around my legs as I picked him up. I hugged him so tight and I didn't want to let him go but I needed a shower and me and these boys seriously needed to have a very long discussion.

Once I had put Ri back down I sat on my knees so I was face to face with his doe eyes. "Hey, baby." I said quietly, "I missed you so, much." he said jumping with excitement. "Me too, but shouldn't you be in bed little mister, hmm ?" I asked tapping him on the nose. "Bu-"

"Nu-uh no buts." I said smiling as I kissed him on the forehead. "Okay, but you have to tuck me in." he said putting his hands on his hips in an authoritative manner. I nodded to confirm it then proceeded in letting a six year old drag me to his temporary bedroom.

"And then we went and fed the chickens and then we picked mini apples but the apples were for the slingshot and then Cass showed me how to use the slingshot." Ri said finishing off his grand three day adventure. "Well that must have been very fun." I mused as I finished tucking him in. "Hmmhmm." he yawned then shut his tired eyes and fell asleep. Smiling to myself I pressed my lips to his temples and brushed his hair to the side.

"I love you to the moon and back little one." I whispered then got up and was about to leave when I stumbled into Nathan's chest. "Oh, um sorry I was just going to show you where the shower is." He mumbled quietly handing me my new clothes and combat boots, I just nodded and followed him.

***

The warm water cascaded down my body in waves engulfing my entire being. This was one of the things I missed most about our old world. Showers scalding hot showers. I had finished showering a while ago and was now just letting the water slid down my face. I knew I had to come out at some point, I knew I had to go and travel all the way back to camp in less than a day considering it was around two in the morning and most likely take the five idiots along with me plus Ri and Cass, but it could wait for now. For just this split second I had no problems. I was a free spirit for just this split second. But I knew that it had to end sooner or later, and I wished that it wouldn't. But it did.

***

Once I had finished throwing on the navy tank, stretchy black jeans and the leather jacket and I had tied up the combat boots I stepped out of the bathroom with my hair still damp. I slowly made my way towards the living room and found that none of the idiots had moved an inch since my leisurely departure.

I jumped back onto the counter and faced them. "How many of there are you ?" I asked pulling all of my hair to one side. "Just us six, well, erm five now. I guess" came Lyndon's reply. "What did Jax do to you ?" I asked, I knew there was no point in asking how they knew him because he was always screwing people over.

"He hurt and killed people we cared about,abducted others and convinced them to stay with him." Aaron said with a fowl look on his face. A grim feeling settled into the pit of my stomach as we stood in another intense silence.

I glanced at my watch and it read six am, if we were going to make it back in time we had to leave in the next hour or so. "You guys rested up?" I asked rubbing my arms. "Why ?" Dan questioned looking up at me with his elbows propped on his knees and a defeated look upon his face. "Because I'm gonna take you five idiots back with me."

"No." Dan said with authority, "We won't be going. We have enough supplies here, plus we don't even know you." I sighed and slid my hands over my face in frustration while letting out a frustrated animalistic sound.

"Okay let me be crystal clear here. I could leave you guys here alright. I could let you guys stay here and rot in your little shack with the five of you against the dead rotting and terror filled world we live in, I could let you stay here with what little supplies you have left and you can raise Cass on your own, but I am offering you a chance here.

I honestly couldn't care less but I'm still sort of human and I still feel for people, because most lives matter. And you five seem like good people and we could use some more of those at my camp. We have people, a few teachers and resources. So stay here if you'd like but I'm taking Ri and Ariel with me in about an hour and a half." I stopped, and gave them a few beats to respond. No one said anything as I pushed off of the counter and walked out of the room to go wake up Ri.

"WAIT !" Lyndon grumbled as he jogged over to me. "Nathan and I convinced Danny and Aaron to go." I nodded twisting the handle but he stopped me from opening it. "Look Dan was right we don't know you, but we are running out of supplies and I'm not about to let any of those people in there die on me. So let me warn you if you try anything I will kill you." He threatened finally releasing my hand.

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you, but just so you know any of you try anything and all of you are dead." I added as I opened the room door to wake my sleeping brother. "Oh and Lyndon,isn't it ? Don't do anything stupid because it will be the end of you."