Apocalypse [Pentatonix AU | Kavi / Scomiche]

Chapter 7 - Reunion

Scott had barely noticed that Avi had left the room and was now making his way over toward Kirstie. He was too shocked.

Funny how often he'd imagined this moment, yet somehow never pictured what she would look like. He'd always just assumed she'd look the same, be the same bubbly girl he'd known since college, but only now did he realize how stupid of an assumption that was.

She looked older, much older. As if he hadn't seen her for five years as opposed to one. Her hair had gone almost completely black again, just like it used to be before she dyed it. Her eyes, which were once full of an inextinguishable fire, had become lethargic, as though they were tired from the effort of burning. Her expression was cold and hard, a side of her he seldom saw. And even her voice, it had lost it's vivid emotion. There were only traces of the person he once knew left.

Whatever Avi was saying to her, it had her confused. Her brow was furrowed as if he was saying something unintelligible, but almost instantaneously relaxed, her face expressing complete shock.

She rushed toward the dining hall, stopping in the doorframe and staring blankly at Scott. He towered over her.

"Scott?" she whispered in disbelief.

He was worried the knot in his throat would prevent him from responding. "Kirst," he managed to breath.

The space between them soon became unbearable, and Scott enveloped a now sobbing Kirstie into the tightest hug he'd ever given her. The way she said his name gave him hope the woman he'd known was still in there somewhere.

All too soon they pulled apart, and Scott glanced over toward Avi, who was still standing protectively at the doorway.

"Some privacy please," Scott inquired, and reluctantly Avi obliged, grabbing Kirstie's backpack and heading toward the kitchen.

Hands locked together Scott and Kirstie sat at the table, eyes never leaving one another.

"How... how is this possible?" Kirstie asked wide-eyed.

Scott laughed. "I made a promise to you Kirst!"

"No, I'm serious. How is this possible?"

"I'd been looking for you for a long time. But I know you, Kirst, maybe even better than you know yourself, which was definitely an advantage. I knew you wouldn't go too far out of California, so of course you were in the state. I'd been searching for you for months, though, and finally found you a few days ago, so I hid out until the 17th."

Kirstie was shaking her head. "I can't believe you."

"Believe it."

"Well, happy birthday Scotty."

"What, you're not even going to give me a present?"

With a gentle smile Kirstie leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Scott's cheek. "There you go, there's your present. Probably one of the best I've ever given."

"Oh, Kirst, it is," Scott smiled. She'd been sarcastic, but he was serious.

"So where's Alex?" Kirstie asked.

Scott's stomach jolted, and he swallowed hard. "He got bit. About a month after you left. He put a gun in his mouth before he even told me..." Scott's voice caught in his throat. Tears filled Kirstie's eyes.

"Oh Scott, I'm so sorry."

He shook his head, looking at her. "Jeremy?"

Kirstie's face went completely blank, her eyes darting away from his. She reacted as if he'd shot her in the chest, just by saying a name. He noticed her hand was grasping at her pocket as she shook her head, face drained of color. "He's gone." Her cold, empty voice gave Scott chills. He waited for her to elaborate, but she didn't. So he changed the subject.

"What about Avi then?"

Her eyes met his again. "What about him?"

"Are you-"

"No." She cut him off before he even asked. "I don't know what we are, but we're... no."

"He seems good. A hardass, definitely, but good. That's rare."

"He is."

"So there's nothing going on between you two?"

"Scott."

"I'm just asking!"

"No. There's absolutely nothing, and there won't be anything. Relationships are too dangerous these days, any sort of relationship. I'm not getting into any new ones any time soon."

"Just because the world's gone to shit?"

"That, yeah. Along with some other reasons." Once again her left hand ran across something in her pocket.

A rap on the door pulled them from their conversation. Avi came in, holding three cans of beans. Lunch was obviously his excuse for joining the conversation.

He passed out the beans in silence, sitting down next to Kirstie. Scott watched suspiciously as Avi stared carefully at her tired eyes. Maybe Kirstie wasn't willing for anything to happen between them, but Avi's stance seemed pretty clear.

"So you guys feel secure in here?" Scott finally asked, cutting through the silence.

"For the most part," Avi responded.

"It's too big," Scott said, shaking his head. "Too many places for biters to sneak in during the night. It may be luxurious, but it's not practical, not secure."

"There's not too many other options," Avi said coldly.

"Well, lucky for you I think I might have one."

"Another option?" Kirstie asked.

"When I was tracking ya'll, before I found you, I came across a prison."

"A prison."

"A prison. Probably one of the most secure places out there. Now, it's overrun with biters, but as long as we can get into the main yard and clear that out, we're home free. It'll be simple clearing out one of the cell blocks, and that's all we'll need. And it'll give us a safe haven for the foreseeable future."

Avi shook his head. "It's risky."

"Of course it is. But, like you said. Not too many other options." Scott smiled snidely.

Kirstie looked pleadingly at Avi. "Scott's right. This place, it's just too big. And a prison would be secure. Hell, it could even be home."

Avi looked from Scott to Kirstie, then sighed, accepting that he was outnumbered.

"Fine. Tomorrow morning we'll head out."