Hi lovelies. So this kinda just happened and will probably only be a two or three parter. I haven't abandoned Domestic Bliss, I was just feeling kind of emotional and was listening to sad music when this idea came to me and I had to share. It is a completely alternate plot for the characters of LBTK (which I don't own) and because it was so quick coming to mind and coming together, parts don't 100% line up with the actual LBTK timeline but that doesn't matter because it's an ALTERNATE STORYLINE! Anyway, it begins with Judd and Lionel already in Israel, Judd's hanging out the Nada, Vicki knows about Nada and is ticked and her and the US kids are in the middle of their travelling teaching shenanigans around the country and the kids are still living in the School House. Again, I can't even remember if those events actually line up that way in the real story but for the sake of this alternate story line, let's go with it. I kind of thought of it while listening to Mumford and Son's album "Babel", particularly the song, "I Will Wait" (which I also don't own). Warning. It's gonna get sad. Ok. Let's go!

"Now I'll be bold,
As well as strong.
And use my head alongside my heart.
So tame my flesh and fix my eyes.
A tethered mind, freed from the lies."

Mark gritted his teeth and gripped the steering wheel of the van as he carefully picked his way through the ruins of the road between Des Moines and the Illinois border. He glanced over at Vicki who was sitting silently in the passenger seat, her head supported by her arm she was resting on the windows edge. The look on her face was one of silent irritation. She hadn't spoken much when she hadn't needed to. It was a good trip this one. Vicki had shared her story with many young people in the city and many new people had responded to the message. But Vicki's mind was obviously elsewhere. Mark could guess where it was. It was probably where it had been ever since Vicki had heard about the elusive Nada, a girl that apparently Judd had become very good friends with. Mark knew that Judd and Vicki hadn't been on the best of terms when they had parted ways. They way Judd had acted out in regards to Vicki's schoolhouse dream, and if he had only known all these risky trips Vicki had chanced in the past few months. She was so brave and bold and always thought of others first, but Judd always seemed to be stifling her and telling her to play it safe and it ticked Mark off. If she had listened to Judd, a lot of young people would have gone unreached. Vicki's bravery and boldness what was Mark liked about her. She was very much like him. It annoyed Mark how patronisingly protective Judd was of Vicki. But Mark knew why he was. He had obviously had feelings for her. And she had obviously had feelings for him too. It wasn't that hard to tell. And Mark knew Vicki still had it bad, and when she heard about this Nada girl, that was the final blow. Ever since she had found out she had been quiet and somber. Now she knows how I feel.

"You okay?" Mark asked shooting her a look.

It seemed to surprise her and she lifted her head up abruptly, "Yeah I'm fine."

"Whatever you say." Mark said with a cynical look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vicki spat.

Mark shrugged, "It means I know you're not okay."

"Then why ask?" Vicki muttered to no one in particular.

As the van crossed the border into Illinois, the sun began to rise over the hill.

"We should probably play it safe from here." Mark suggested.

"Is there somewhere we can lie low until nightfall?" Vicki asked.

"Let's see, shall we?" Mark turned off the road into an embankment and parked the van out of sight from the road, under a bridge. Once the car was out of vision, he and Vicki ran further away from the road, into the trees. They picked their way down a steep hill until they reached some caves that seemed secure and free from snakes.

"We can probably hang out down here without being found." Mark said as he heard a GC siren in the distance and took one last survey of the area.

Vicki sighed at the humble cave but didn't complain. She was just happy that they were still alive. She climbed into the cave and Mark followed her in.

"How about you try to get some sleep and I'll keep watch?" Mark suggested.

"No, you've been driving all night," Vicki insisted, "You sleep, I'll watch."

Mark relented, "Alright. Wake me after three hours or if you hear or see anything that could be GC."

"That goes without saying." Vicki said, rolling her eyes.

It was cold and damp in the cave, so Vicki zipped her sweater up over the bottom half of her face and hid her hands in the oversized sleeves. She sat at the mouth of the cave, out of sight and kept watch in the early hours of the morning. She let her mind wander to the boy on another continent. The one she had thought she had feelings for, but shot her down every opportunity he could. He infuriated her. It hurt her to know that he had found someone else so quickly. I mustn't have meant much after all. She pondered.

She had almost made it through her three hour watch shift with nothing to report until she heard some rustling in the bushes a few yards from the cave. She sat stone still for a few moments to listen if it happened again. It did. She tried to position herself to get a better look. Then she saw it. Two Peacekeepers, armed and within throwing distance of her. She scuttled back into the cave and shook Mark awake.

"Peacekeepers." She whispered urgently, "About ten yards away and heading over here."

Mark sat up with a start when he realised what was going on. He quietly stalked his way to the entrance of the small cave and observed the scene.

"Ok. Let's just stay put and see where they go next."

Vicki was frightened. She allowed herself to admit it. She hadn't been this close to an armed GC Peacekeeper before and she probably would have been less terrified if she had been ten yards away from two giant grizzly bears.

She cowered behind Mark as she thought of all the things she had done, that the GC had wanted her for, just not being a follower of Carpathia for one. Smuggling believers out from under the noses of the GC. She was a rebel. She was wanted, and she knew it. She had a feeling that if she was caught she was dead. The two stayed huddled for a good few minutes until the Peacekeepers turned and appeared to start heading away from the cave.

"Let's run for it." Mark said.

"And run into plain sight?"

"Well would you rather stay here with them sniffing around?" He whispered angrily.

Vicki sighed.

"Look," Mark said, "We stay here, and they keep sniffing around, they will find us for sure eventually. If we wait until they circle around the back of the cave and make a sprint to the car we at least have a chance."

Vicki knew he was right. The Peacekeepers would find them if they stayed. "Fine. Your call."

They two waited a few moments.

"Ok." Mark said, "On three, we run for our lives. Literally. And head for the car."

"What if they've found it already?" Vicki asked.

Mark sighed. He knew she was right. This was a huge risk, but they were cornered.

"Trust me, Vick." He looked hard at her and grabbed her hand.

"Ok. Let's do it." She said with half a smile. Judd didn't like risks. Mark was more like her. If something had to be done, he did it.

They counted in unison, "One, two, three.".

On three, Mark and Vicki launched themselves out of the cave and began sprinting towards the van. As the fresh air hit Vicki's face, she allowed herself to smile. They were going to make it. The van looked untouched, thankfully and they were only about fifty yards away.

"Hey!"

The voice, shocked her and she lost her footing. She awkwardly stumbled and hit the ground, twisting her ankle.

"Freeze!" she turned her head and saw the Peacekeepers still at a distance, but pointing their weapons. Fear swelled in her mind and the next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion. She struggled to climb to her feet, but her left ankle was too weak. She needed help and Mark was inching ahead.

"Mark, help!" she called out. He turned around to come back for her and that was the last thing she remembered seeing. Marks face, etched with terror, running to help her. That was when she heard the bang, felt the hot, agonizing sensation in her side and as the world went black she crumpled to the hard the rocky ground.

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUN! So that was part one. And I'm sad already. I know this whole thing is ridiculous but it's for fun and I'm on a creative roll at the moment.