One Survivor

20 'New home'

"We okay for gas?" Ava asked as she threw the last bits of their packing into the back of the truck then she closed the lid.

"Yeah, we got a full tank and backup gas just in case, that everything?" Justin walked out holding Lucas as he set the boy down and he ran to Ava.

"Yeah, you sure about this? Trusting these people?" she picked Lucas up and walked over to him.

"We can't stay here, and maybe they can help us with the Davis situation, Luke and Sam radioed and said that he's sent out a search party for us" he told her.

Everyone was going out every other day to check up on what Davis and his community were doing, guess this was becoming something dangerous that they needed to control.

"Okay... Okay let's go" she nodded, and they climbed in the truck, hearing Sam, Luke, and Ed get into he back of it.

Lucas sat on Ava's lap as he slowly started to drift off to sleep, "Hey, if you get too tired I can take over" she grinned, he started the car and gently started moving.

"No. I'm never letting you drive again when I'm in the car" he joked and motioned to the scar on the side of her head and the one up his arm.

"I said I was sorry" she mumbled and shifted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, he wrapped one of his arms around her and used the other to steer the car.

Ava slowly woke up to Lucas poking her cheek, "Touch me again and I'll cut of your finger" she mumbled, and the poking stopped, she opened her eyes gently to see him facing her and smiling.

She stuck her tongue out at him and he did it back, "Good, you're awake" Ed didn't take his eyes off the road as she sat up and stared at him.

"Where's Justin?" she asked.

"He got tired and switched places" he told her as she turned around to see Justin sitting up and staring at her, waving as he winked.

She flipped him off and turned back around, slouching in her seat.

"I'm sorry, Ava. About everything, for being with Davis, for not trying hard enough to find you, and for just being an asshole" he continued to stare ahead of him and ignored Ava's stare.

"Look out the window" she told Lucas as she sat him next to her, he looked out the window and started pointing out things like, 'trees' or 'Man'.

The second he was distracted Ava wrapped her arms around Ed's torso and held onto him, "I forgive you" she whispered as he kissed her hair.

"If I could change everything I would" he told her, making her smile.

"I'm sorry, for being so cold towards you. But it's true, I've changed and seeing you again made the side of me that you're all so afraid of, come back again" she muttered loud enough for him to hear.

"I hadn't killed a human being in so long till Justin was taken and since I saw you when we went to get him back" she started, "I never wanted to become this... A killer" she whispered the last part.

Ed heard what she said though and looked down at her briefly, "You're not a killer, Ava. You were doing what you thought was right to help the people you love. You said you don't want to be that person anymore, so don't be. We'll help you" he looked down again and she looked up.

They stared at each other before she leaned up and pressed his lips against hers, she kissed him back before pulling away, "Eyes on the road, Junior" she smiled, and he looked back to the road.

"I missed you" she mumbled into his chest.

"Missed you too"

Ed backed up to the wall as he stared at the DR's growling at him, he started to take them out one by one until he couldn't any longer; there were still so many. He looked at the truck slowly moving away in the distance, she's safe, he smiled at the thought before closing his eyes and thinking of all the memories they had together.

His little daydream, however, was interrupted by loud gunshots and multiple guns being fired all at once. He opened his eyes and watched the Dead Runners drop to the ground, as they did he saw his uncle standing there smiling at him while some of his men fired at the DR's.

"Edward" he smiled, "I thought you should know that my men are following the truck your girlfriend's in" he started, and Edward ran to him but was kicked to the ground by him.

Davis kneeled down next to the coughing Edward, "And they just radioed in, guess what?" he started, "No more Justin, no more Malcom... No more girlfriend" he said the last part like he just ate something disgusting.

"I hate you!" Edward growled and tackled him to the ground, punching him repeatedly.

"Again!" Davis yelled and Edward carried on, hitting harder and harder every time.

"HARDER!" Davis yelled again as blood flew out of his mouth and trickled out of his nose.

Edward stopped finally and rolled off of him, "That, son... was the start of how you become a man" Davis spat blood on the ground and stood over Ed.

"Welcome to Landen" he smiled widely.

"We're here" Ed whispered to Ava as she woke up once again and sat up slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the light, she looked up and saw the tallest walls she's ever seen in the past four years as someone stepped outside with their pointed at them followed by three other people.

"Ava stay in the car with Lucas" Justin warned her.

"Justin—!" she yelled, but he gave her a glare that said, don't fight me on this, and she sat back in her seat and covered Lucas' ears and made him face her.

Sam and Luke walked past with their hands up and joined Justin and Ed who were holding up their hands at the other people.

"It's Luke! I spoke to someone named Brett on the radio?" Luke stepped closer.

"Drop all your weapons on the ground in front of you" one of them spoke up and ignored what Luke had just said, "And tell the girl and kid to get out of the car" they added.

Justin turned around and motioned for Ava to get out and she did, hiding her knife in her boot and picking up Lucas in one arm while using the other to hold her weapon.

She slowly walked closer, her wavy brown hair swaying in the wind, she felt a chill on her bare arms the minute she started walking. She stopped next to Justin and stared at the four men with masks on as they continued to point their guns at them.

"Throw the weapon on the ground" the same person told her.

She kept her serious expression on as she narrowed her eyes and threw it directly at his feet, stopping right at his left foot and she smirked, "It slipped" she said.

"Say that again" the person told her with nervousness, and she looked to them with a confused expression.

"It slipped...?" she handed Lucas to Justin as she walked closer as the person lowered their weapon.

"Ava" she felt some recognition in the persons voice as they dropped the gun to the ground, he abruptly removed his mask and that's when her heart dropped.

"Hodges...?"