Where Your Loyalties Lie (On hold)

Chapter One: Part One

The large brown orbs wouldn't budge from her best friends protruding stomach that had begun stretching out her white tank top. Sometimes Emmy couldn't believe Brady chose to keep the baby but getting rid of what seemed to be the last real tie to Scott seemed to be too much so now Emmy stood by and watched her best friends belly swell with great excitement. Frankly, the baby was probably the only good thing to come out of the last few months.

"Emmy I am talking to you!" The blonde exclaimed clearly frustrated.

"I'm sorry Brae what were you saying" Emmy focused her gaze back to the taller woman slumped onto the sofa across from her.

"I was saying maybe we should wait. Another run right now might be a bit much" Brady repeated herself.

"No, no. In three months there will be a new little member to our group we need to make sure we have everything prepared" Emmy simply waved her off over the matter. There weren't many members left of the group frankly after the attack months ago it had dwindled down the numbers significantly so they had to take care of every precaution just Incase now. "plus Kai, Chris and Jayden already volunteered to go."

"Of course Kai did" Brady muttered and Emmy couldn't help but smile to herself over the comment.

"Brady!" The familiar voice called causing the girls to look to the front door and Brady to let out a groan.

"Speak of the devil" Emmy giggled to her self loud enough that the blonde was quick to shoot her an irritated look.

"Where the hell were you?" Kai asked the two girls as soon as he entered the room. Emmy didn't know if she would ever get used to Kai without his mohawk but now just a shaved crew cut it had taken away that boyish look he had always held so well.

"I'm here with Emmy obviously Kai" Brady groaned.

"You are supposed to tell me where you are, Brae. You got my niece or nephew in there" he nudged his head towards her growing stomach.

"Kai you're technic—" Emmy began but he was quick to dismiss her as she knew he would and Emmy couldn't even bother to hide the grin.

"Bullshit Scott was my best friend that little baby is my family" Kai shook his head before turning to Brady "do you need anything?"

"I'm fine, I promise Kai" Brady gave a small smile to the tall skinny young man.

"Alright, Alright. I got to kick Chris's ass along. If you need anything" he looked over at the blonde seriously.

"Relax, Kai. She's here with me" Emmy explained.

"Yeah, yeah. I will be back later" Kai spoke barely getting out the door before it was yanked open in front of him. Troy stood tall the only change on his youthful looks was a bit more scruff on his chin and ash-blonde locks had grown slightly "Troy boy" Kai smirked as he passed him by the doorway.

"Em!" Troy called as he approached the lounge and Emmy couldn't help but tense. She still cared terribly for Troy but recalling the memory of what happened so many months back.

:::

The screams still echoed but the nightmare that he unintentionally caused that day by his rash actions wasn't even what caused her to become so bothersome it was when the first light broke over the tree line. The trucks long gone and what was left of the group were left to pick up the pieces. All exhausted and barely awake attempting to get rid of the dead as luck would have it many had followed after the loud boisterous trucks while the group were taking care of what was left. Troy and Kai stood with others attempting to fight off what was left and that was when she finally saw him. Emmy's eyes widened at the sight of her father pulling himself up from amongst the destruction a grim smile on his lips once he faced his petite daughter.

"Dad!" She exclaimed racing towards the unsteady man. Daniel like the rest covered in dirt and grime from what seemed a never-ending battle.

"Emmaline" He was quick to embrace her. His tightening hold around her slender waist as she buried her face into his chest. Their home was in disrepair and they were left vulnerable but so many of their friends were lost it had already been a terrible lost but she couldn't help but hold her father that little bit tighter but as she leaned back she could see the red tarnishing the shoulder of his shirt. Leaking and staining the pale blue shirt it was immediate her heart began to ache. His body shuttered and she already felt the fever rising from his body heat "no..." she whispered.

"Em, it's okay" he whispered in return.

"No... None of this is okay" Emmy sighed as she finally brought herself to step away.

"No, but it has to be" he spoke but Emmy was barely holding tears that were threatening to spill but she refused to let them relinquish from her eyes.

"You're all I have left..."

"You have everyone here, Em. You always have hope so have it now. Know you will make a better home for the people who are left" he spoke softly as his hand reached to hold her pale cheek. His only child and all he had left in the world.

"We finished off the last that had gotten in. A few of the guys left have gone up to try and at least cover the holes that were made" Troy began explaining as he approached the father and daughter but he was quickly caught off guard by Emmy sniffling.

"Em.." he more questioned than anything seeming confused about her weakened state.

"Troy, I have something I need you to do" Daniel was fast to reply.

"No, no I will do it" Emmy shook her head frantically.

"Em..." he leaned closer to his daughter "you already had to do this to your mother. I won't make you have to carry the burden of me as well."

"Dad..."

"Troy" Daniel began but he didn't speak again instead moving the collar of his shirt revealing the jagged, torn flesh underneath. Troy didn't need another word he simply gave a nod in understanding.

"No, no we don't have to do this now" Emmy attempted to reason.

"Em," Troy approached "I know what I have to do" pulling a revolver from the back of the waistband of his pants as simple as guiding a knife through butter for him.

"Let him do it, sweetheart. I don't want to turn... I don't want to risk anyone" he leaned closer pressing a gentle kiss to Emmy's forehead in which she closed her eyes as though trying to capture to the moment in her mind for eternity as she knew it would be the last.

"Alright, son" Daniel reached out and gave Troy a pat on his shoulder before turning back to the brunette once more "I love you Em..."

:::

In the silence, she could hear the ringing on the gun firing. It hung heavy in her mind.

"Em?" Troy's voice called her seeming to shake her from. He had done so many things yet when she turned to face those ice-blue eyes that would stare and observe so deeply she couldn't shake what happened that day and she didn't know if she could.