Don't Let Me Go

He's Forgiven, Yet Still Forsaken

Ken and Felix move a couch back against the door while Jack and Nate move the other to try and block the windows. By propping it up against a coffee table, the couch barely covers two windows. Mark stands towards the back of the living room with Stephanie, looking around with wide eyes. Stephanie stands there, still in a dazed state.

Mary-Jane runs up and tugs on Ken's shirt, "We have to hide in the basement!"

Mark limps over to her, "Can you take Stephanie with you? We'll meet you in there in a few minutes."

Mary-Jane turns to Mark and nods, fear and determination shining her eyes. She runs over to Stephanie and takes her hand, "Come on, I'll show you the basement. It's safe down there, Momma says so."

She pulls Stephanie from the room and Mark looks to Ken, "What do you want me to do?"

Ken grunts, looking around, "There's too many windows, and running out in the dark woods isn't an option. We're just going to have to wait it out. Take Jack and Nate and gather as much food from the kitchen as you all can carry and take it to the basement. Felix, Tyler, Marzia, and I will keep trying to barricade the place."

Mark nods and hobbles off, Jack and Nate following after him. Ken frowns at Mark's limp, but says nothing He just hopes it's a sprained ankle and not something worse. Mark takes off his back pack and starts packing food into it. Jack does the same and Nate runs back to the living room to grab his.

A window breaks and a few infected reach in and manage to grab Nate's arm as he passes. He cries out as he's yanked back towards the window, more infected getting a hold of his arm and shoulders. Felix rushes towards him, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling away from the window, but the hold the infected have on Nate won't break. 

The sounds of the infected so close to their next meal leaves the house unsettled. Nate locks eyes with Felix and Tyler and Ken turns back at the commotion. Tyler's eyes widen and he stands still, fear and flashbacks of Matt keeping him in place. Felix grunts, trying to pull Nate free and Ken looks back as he continues working to brace the door. 

His eyes widen further upon seeing Tyler just standing there, "Tyler, help them!"

Still, Tyler stands still, trembling, eyes wide and unfocused. Marzia runs over with a hatchet and she starts hacking away at the infected hands holding onto Nate. With her help, Felix manages to pull Nate free and both men fall to the floor on top of each other. Nate quickly rolls off Felix and pushes himself to his feet, shaking. Felix stands a little slower, breathing heavily.

Marzia continues hacking away at the infected trying to get in the window and one of them grabs her hand holding the hatchet and pulls her towards it. Felix pulls her free, causing her to drop the hatchet. He turns her away from the window, "Get to the basement with the others!"

Marzia shakes her head, "Not without you."

"We're all going," Ken says, ushering his friends to the kitchen. Mary-Jane waits at the basement door near the back of the kitchen. Tyler stops dead in his tracks, the placement of this basement is almost identical to the one Matt died in. Marzia, Felix, Nate, Mark and Jack head down into the basement and Mary-Jane stands waiting for Ken at the door.

 Ken grabs Tyler by the arm and drags him down into the basement. Mary-Jane follows, closing the door behind them. She locks it using a chain around a pipe near the door and through the door handle, with a padlock she locks using a key that's tied to a string around her neck.

She runs down the stairs and into the basement. She runs over to Ken and hugs him. He hugs her back, sitting down with her in his lap. She whimpers softly, "My parents aren't coming back now, are they..?"

Ken pets her hair, speaking softly, "I don't know, sweetpea.."

Nate sits between Stephanie and Felix. He glances at Felix, who's holding onto Marzia like she's going to disappear at any moment. Nate looks at Stephanie and his heart breaks for her. She's just sitting there, staring at the floor, still. If he couldn't see her breathing, he might think she was dead. He squeezes her hand reassuringly, but she doesn't react. He sighs softly and lets go of her.

He looks back at Felix, "Hey.."

Felix looks over at him questioningly.

"Thanks," Nate says softly, "You saved my life.."

"No.." Felix sighs then smiles, "No need to apologize. You'd do the same for me, right..?"

Nate looks at the ceiling, "Before now, no.. I wouldn't. I probably would have left you to die, because I thought you were a selfish bitch."

He looks back at him, accepting the hurt look on Felix's face. Nate gives him a soft, reassuring smile, "I don't think that anymore. I can't keep a grudge against you for being scared back then. Hell, I'm still terrified. But now I see that you do care about more than just yourself and Marzia. You saved my life. You proved yourself to me. So yes, I'd save you, too.. If you needed it."

Felix nods slowly, smiling lightly, "I, uh.. I appreciate that."

Marzia hugs Felix and he hugs her back. Nate sighs and looks back at Stephanie, who still hasn't moved an inch. He moves and pulls her close, wrapping his arms around her. She still doesn't respond. Tears fill his eyes and he lets out a shaky breath, closing his eyes. He buries his face in her hair, holding her tightly. His tears wet her hair and his whisper is barely audible, "I'm so sorry I'm not Matt.. But I'm trying.. So.. Hard to be here for you.. To protect and care for you. Please, Steph.. Don't leave me, too.. Please, come back to me. I won't stop fighting for you, so please.. Please.. Come back.. Come back.."