The four times Gary had to ask forgiveness and the one time he didn't need to.

"With every small disaster I'll let the waters still Take me away to some place real."

One.

Gary had drank, a lot. He was easily shitfaced and he had good reason to be: Jem, his girlfriend- ex girlfriend, had broken up with him. He had known for some time that eventually he'd have to tolerate the rott- PDS Sufferers living in Roarton. He knew that he couldn't treat them like shit for much longer and taking the piss out of them would have to stop too. He didn't like it though, he wanted to be given approval and show someone that he was worth more than anyone'd imagine.

He didn't want to see these, these things walking around like they never did anything wrong. Like they didn't kill his best friend or rise out of a bloody grave. He had seen too much of their chaos to be able to live peacefully next to them, even if they were medicated. He was angry and thought if he showed everyone that even the nicest and most in-line 'PDS Sufferer' was truly a damned rotter that wanted to kill people, well maybe things would be better. He was wrong. It had ended in Kieren Walker fighting the drug and Jem breaking up with him.

Fuck. You are an idiot Gary Kendal. Really.

When food and water and being sick made him mostly sober again, Gary went to find Jem.

"No. No just leave," Jem had said when she answered the door.

"Jem I-"

"Gary how could you do this? He could have killed my father. He could have killed me! Fuck Gary, he was almost killed," she was crying.

"I know, I.. I'm sorry Jem. I thought, that..well I.. I was wrong and I'm fucking sorry Jem. I know I have to accept the rot- the people like Kieren living along side us. I didn't want- I don't want to, but I know that I have to now. God, please Jem. You don't have to be around me anymore or talk to me at all, just please forgive me." Gary didn't cry, but his eyes were red and puffy anyway.

Jem kept her head down and looked at his feet but nodded quickly. And then nodded again. "Okay," she finally mumbled and turned to close the door. He let her.

Two.

When Gary learned from Dean that some new woman had moved into Ken Burton's old place, he needed to make sure it wasn't some rot- shit. Wasn't some PDS Sufferer. He put on his hat and made way to new girl's house. Gary didn't really know what he'd do if she was a PDS Sufferer, but it didn't matter because when she answered the door, his breath caught.

She was quite a bit shorter than him and pale, really pale. With blonde hair that was pulled up into a messy bun, a freckled face, and brown eyes alight with expectancy. She wore a red flannel opened to a grey tank with jeans and bare feet. A small ring pierced into her nose and red lips gave her a rough appearance despite her dainty features and stature.

Remember what you're here for, dumbass.

"New here?"

"Yes, obviously," she said in an American accent.

"American?"

"Yes, obviously," she repeated, chuckling slightly with amusement.

"You a rotter?" Yes okay I said rotter, shoot me.

"No. Do you have a problem with the PDS Sufferers?"

Yes.

"No."

"Listen, the only contacts I wear are clear ones," she took one out, displayed it and put it back in her eye, "and the only makeup I put on is lipstick, eyeliner, and mascara." She crossed her arms, clearly annoyed. Kind of hot- no.

"I uh..oh. You, why are you here then?" She sighed and stepped out on to the front step, closing the door behind her.

"I was studying abroad here when the rising happen, made my way directly to the American embassy and caught a flight home. When things got out back in order, I finished my time at uni and decided to stay. There were a few towns I checked out, but nothing sounds as interesting as living in the town where the rising first happens. So here I am, in Roarton," she talked with her hands, Gary noticed.

"Right, I uh, sorry about that. I reckon you'll enjoy it here for the most part, have a nice stay," he awkwardly put his hand out and she laughed before shaking it.

"Yeah, okay. Same to you..." It was like a question.

"Gary, I'm called Gary." She smiled, a cute little gesture.

"I'm Ellie. See you around Gary." He nodded and watched her go back inside before turning and internally cursing himself for being so awkward and anal-retentive about who lives in Roarton.

Three.

He wasn't drunk. No not yet. He was, well, tipsy at the most. Gary. Was. Not. Drunk. But when Ellie walked in and ordered a water with lemon in it, he thought maybe he could have been shattered.

He sat alone at his usual spot, and took another swig. Ellie turned on her heals, water -with-lemon in hand, and gracefully slid into the seat across from him. She flashed her teeth and tilted her head.

Damn, you are cute. Please stop being cute. Please don't stop being cute.

"Sure, you can sit there," he responded sarcastically. She only smiled wider.

"You alright Gary?" Her American accent made it sound as if there could have been something obviously wrong with him.

"Yeah, a bit tired, you?"

"I'm good," she took a drink and gestured to his glass, "How many's that?"

"Three, but over a long period-"

"Long period my arse," responded the waitress. He glared at her and quickly looked back to Ellie who laughed. She was a cheery girl and it showed in her every move. Gary looked away guiltily.

"Maybe not such a long period as a short one."

"I understand, helps with, well most everything," she did understand.

You better do this while you've still got the chance, Gary Kendal.

"Oi, you wanna get outta' here?" He sat forward in anticipation. Her eyebrows raised in surprise and she shrugged.

"Yeah, why not?" She said nonchalantly.

"Okay, good. Yeah," shit what would they even do? When they got outside and into Gary's truck, he froze. "I uh, honestly I have no clue where to go."

"Well where are all the local attractions?" She widened her eyes and over pronounced each word jokingly.

He rolled his own eyes and chewed his lip, thinking. "The cemetery, the pub, the church, and the cat house." Ellie laughed.

"Really? A cat house in Roarton?" He nodded.

"Oh yes, and the prostitutes are all rotters." Ellie frowned.

"PDS Sufferers," she corrected, "you are all so prejudice against them here, it's sick."

"Sorry," he sighed, "I know, I'm trying to be better about saying things like that, really I am." She offered a smile.

"Right, well as long as you're trying I guess." He nodded. Finally they decided on just walking about town. They talked, Ellie laughed at Gary's jokes, they said hello to passerby's even if they were PDS Sufferers, and finally they made it Ellie's house.

"That was fun," she exclaimed pulling him in for a hug. He hesitated but hugged back. Friendly. For friends. Fri-end-ly. "Let's do it again sometime," he couldn't help but smile at her. God, she was gorgeous.

"Absolutely." He almost stepped back when she leaned in, but her lips met his cheek and left a peck. She waved awkwardly and went inside, looking back at him as she closed the door.

Okay, yeah. Good. You have eyes for an American, Gary what would your mother say? She's not alive, so nothing.

Four.

At the supermarket, Gary held up two medicine bottles, comparing them. He read one and the other, turning them around in his palms. Finally he decided on the cheeper of the two and went to the freezer section. He kept reading the bottle of pills as he walked and abruptly ran into something- someone.

Amy Dyer, the all-girls-school PDS Sufferer looked up at him and rolled her eyes. "What a joy, Gary Kendal," she said sarcastically. He frowned, but didn't say anything. "You expectin' me to apologize? That is not going to happen. You ran into me, remember?"
Gary frowned again, yes, he had run into her.

"Right, I uh-"

"C'mon, sound it out. Ss-orrr-yyyy," she spoke slowly and implied that he was a right idiot.

"Yes, Amy, I. Am. Sorry." His voice was venomous but she smiled, satisfied and walked off. Gary sighed and opened the bottle, taking two of the pills dry.

And the time he didn't need to.

How long ago had Ellie moved in? Maybe a couple weeks? A month? Yeah, probably a month. A month, and you've fallen for her, that's all it took. Damn.

"Ready?" A happy voice asked near Gary's open truck window. He looked out and down to see Ellie on her tiptoes, blonde hair in waves and lips ever red.

"Yes ma'am," he opened the door and got out, taking Ellie's arm. A walk. It had become routine for the two. They'd walk about, a different place or route each time. Sometimes to the cemetery, sometimes past the church; anywhere.

"Did you do anything interesting today?" He asked, making small talk.

"Yes, I am cleaning house! Majorly," she clarified, "I haven't thrown so much away before as I have today!" She made motions with her arm and pulled him along.

"I've never seen the inside of your house," he stated. She stopped abruptly and turned so that she stood in front of him. He had to look down at her.

"When I'm done, you're coming over," and she continued walking. Gary chuckled, following close behind. Eventually they ended up at the cemetery.

White crosses marked graves of the fallen. Ellie sat on the small stone wall, gesturing for him to join her. He did.

"I'm glad I chose Roarton," she looked at him, their gazes locked, "and I'm glad I chose you." Her normal cheeky smile was still in place and he wanted to- he leaned in and captured her lips with his own, putting his hands at her sides, but quickly pulled back.

"I- I'm so-"

"Stop, don't say it," she kissed him, harder this time, locking her arms around his neck and burying her fingers in his short hair. Despite everything, all he's done, somehow Gary doesn't feel guilty with her. She doesn't know about what he did to Kieren, but that's okay. What he did is not him anymore. She makes him right, corrects his mis-naming of the PDS Sufferers. Ellie grounds him. It's different than it was with Jem. He had it too easy with her, she wanted his approval and was at his beckon call and he could do anything- almost anything and get away with it. Ellie was so good for him. And he loved it. Perhaps he even loved her.

"'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone. Is where you go when you're alone. Is where you go to rest your bones."

Hey, Kat here! I know not all of Gary's past or everything is known, so I added some of my headcanons. Really, I had this badass but sweet character called Ellie and thought she went perfect with Gary. She takes no shit and won't tolerate things she believes aren't right and imo, she's got pretty good morals. Anyway, I wrote this with the idea of better understanding Gary and furthering his story. He is such an interesting and dimensional character, much like all the itf characters. You can find me on tumbler at elfscribe. (co.) vu or lukenewberry. (co.) vu, either is fine :) Hope you enjoyed!