Hello all, welcome to the 4th installment of the Runaway series! This next story covers the 4th Overland Chronicles 'The Marks of Secret'. This book's plot made me decide on the title 'Reprive', which means "to take back", referring to helping the mice. I won't say too much for those who haven't read the series in a while ;) it's always fun to relive an old series.

I wanted to give a shout out to everyone who have been following the series and reviewing all the chapters. All of you are amazing and make my day happy. So sorry I made everyone wait so long for this

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing" -Walt Disney

As always, I do not own Suzanne Collins's characters or plot lines.

"Easy, just go slow." I held my hands out pathetically in front of me in case Serenity suddenly fainted. "Don't push yourself too hard."

The baker rolled her beautiful violet irises at me and knocked away my closest hand. "Oh, Gregor, I am perfectly healthy. Do not fret over me."

I chuckled but kept one of my hands behind her back as we made our way through the palace. I was just glad she was out of her isolation room and officially plague-free. It had been two weeks since I returned from the suicide quest for the cure that Doctor Neveeve sent us on. Serenity tried to reassure me she hadn't been diagnosed long before I got back, but I still worried every day she was behind that glass case.

I was worried about my bond Ares, too. He was in the absolute worst shape of all the plague victims. Infected first in Neveeve's labs where she was studying the plague and where she had the cure the whole time. By the time we got back, he was nearly on death's door. So weak he couldn't move from his hospital bed, could hardly even breathe. As his bond, it was hard to see.

Now, after about three weeks of getting Neveeve's cure, he has started sleeping upside down again, his fur had begun to grow back in, and almost all his purple bumps had flattened. He still had the plague in his blood, so he had to stay in isolation, but he wasn't contagious anymore so we could talk to him in person instead of through bad lip reading.

"Luxa gave me very strict instructions to get you to dinner or she'd gut me." I laughed.

Serenity gave a gentle laugh but I could tell it took a lot out her. The plague was a horrible disease, even for a small time like she was exposed to it, and it drained her energy during her short period in isolation. I helped her the rest of the way to High Hall where her bond, Aphrodite, was waiting. The chocolate brown bat opened her wings at the sight of her bond, the action making the pink vaguely heart-shaped accents spotting along her wings become more visible. Serenity used me to push off and get to her faster.

This was the first time the two of them had been reunited with each other since Serenity had been placed in quarantine. "Careful," I warned weakly, chuckling to myself as she stumbled into her flier's embrace. I know they were close even for bonds, but there was something else pulling them together. Serenity rescued Aphrodite, the runt of her litter that never learned to speak. Until she met Serenity. Her heart of gold saved the flier. The same one that had the patience to save me, too.

They pulled away laughing at what I could only assume was a shared joke in their quiet communication. It made me smile to see them both happy again. Without her, Aphrodite had regressed even further, not talking at all and barely leaving Serenity's room in the bakery. I forced myself to visit her the last few weeks so she didn't go crazy. A lesson learned from my own mistakes, I suppose.

Serenity's father was relieved to see me. Apparently telling the flier about her bond was the only thing that had convinced Aphrodite to eat after more than a week. We kinda bonded through that in our own way.

A golden flash streaked through the open ceiling and Aurora opened her wings at the last second to land gracefully. "Hey, Aurora." I waved to her and received a nod of greeting from the softly spoken flier. "Hey, Lux-" I stuttered to a stop when her bond was not on her back like I had expected. I blinked in surprise. "Where is-"

A few taps on my shoulder revealed the future Queen but I was too busy clutching my heart to say hello. "Geez, woman!" I cried out, bending slightly to catch my breath. "We need to put a bell on you, seriously."

Hands on her hips, Luxa rolled her eyes but a smile threatened against her normal side smirk. She quickly left me in my post heart attack state to hug her best friend. I sat in one of the stone chairs along the obnoxiously long table to watch the encounter. Of course, the princess engaged the bonds flawlessly. I saw the way she kept her arm around Serenity to support the still weak girl.

My shoulders relaxed knowing both of us were looking out for the baker's daughter. "Have you visited Ares recently?" Serenity questioned as Luxa led them over to the table, holding her forearm as extra support. I shot up to help her into the chair next to me. She smiled weakly at me, clearly tired out by even the small amount of activity.

Despite all her tiredness and exhaustion, she still smiled through it all. I smiled gently too. That's my girl.

Luxa jumped to sit on the table between Serenity and me with a huff, arms crossed. I had never seen her so relaxed. She rarely broke her regal composure, even around me, but it seemed that everyone loosened their restraint around Serenity. "No, unfortunately." She blew a stray strand of silver hair from her face. "Vikus has kept my schedule full. I suppose I have quite a bit to catch up on after…" She waved her hand in a defensive flick, avoiding the actual words.

Serenity quirked an eyebrow at her friend, amused. "Disappearing? Living in the jungle for months and neglecting your responsibilities?"

The princess rolled her eyes with a smile. I guarantee if anyone else had suggested that she would have run them through with a sword or banished them, but Serenity also had that 'special case' kind of effect on everyone. "More along the lines of resetting diplomatic relations with all the species that believed the monarchy's power to be dead in Regalia. Many were rumored to be threatening an attack to fill the power gap."

A small glimmer of concern flashed over Serenity's face but she quickly smiled, patting the royal's knee. "You are our Queen for a reason, Luxa. We trust you with our lives." Luxa tried to seem appreciative but I could see the bit of uncertainty in her eyes like she wasn't completely positive in herself to fulfill that confidence.

Vikus and Solovet swooped in with their bonds before she could respond. As if they were waiting outside the door, the servants began to file in with the food a moment later so everyone quickly settled into a chair. Luxa hopped off the stone table and moved to sit on my other side, just to the left of the head seat. Vikus, Solovet, and their bonds sat across from us. Oddly, no one sat at the head of the table, but I decided not to comment; it wasn't really my place to ask anyway.

I bumped Serenity's shoulder. "First non-hospital meal, are you excited?" She giggled lightly as a servant slipped plates in front of us with the classic full-bodied fish with no eyes on top of a small number of greens and surrounded by familiar but odd colored vegetables.

Dinner passed with general chatter between bites until Vikus and Solovet stood about halfway through. "Forgive our early departure, but we must attend to council matters. Gregor, Serenity, wonderful to see the two of you." He smiled at us, eye wrinkles getting in on the action. He put a hand on Luxa's shoulder as he passed her.

When they finally disappeared through the curtain, I laughed. "Alright. That was awkward." I leaned back into the stone chair, turning my head toward the royal in search of answers.

Luxa sighed, pushing a mash of some vegetables around with her fork. "Solovet and I had a long...conversation about my priorities before we arrived." She tweaked her neck and clenched her jaw as if she was reliving the exchange and the frustration that went along with it.

"Priorities? You have hardly left the council room, and if you have it was to meet with diplomats." Serenity interjected, leaning towards her friend and talking across my reclined body.

A grateful glance from the princess flashed as she shook her head. "Yes, but she contested my planning of a party for Hazard's birthday."

I felt my eyebrows rise. "Really? She doesn't want her own grandson to have a good time on his birthday? His thirteenth birthday, no less."

Luxa continued to shake her head. "Solovet believes we are in a delicate time; not one conducive to a silly party."

I frowned and a strong urge traveled through me until I sat up. "Then I'll plan it. Hazard deserves to celebrate his birthday." Serenity wrapped her arms around my bicep and kissed my cheek. Luxa cracked a smile. "It's the least I can do for him."

"You owe him nothing, Gregor." Luxa insisted but her aggressive food mashing relaxed. "Though, with you planning the party, Solovet cannot halt its process. No one would argue with the Warrior."

I laughed. "Yeah. Right." Like she thought I couldn't see her, Serenity tried to hide a yawn. I turned back to her, bumping her nose with mine. "We should get you back to the hospital. You've certainly had enough excitement for today."

She protested, of course, but still followed when I stood and leaned against my side as I guided us toward the hallway. I turned to give a quick wave over my shoulder to Luxa as we exited High Hall; she flicked a few fingers in my direction as a response and I saw her strict posture collapse into the stone chair in a rare moment of relaxation. I smiled, glad she could just sit and chill out for a few minutes. She deserved it.

Serenity set her head against my shoulder, arms around my bicep again as we walked. It was quiet throughout the palace and it was nice to just be in her presence again. I had missed her more than I could put into words while I was on the made-up quest to the jungle, and when I finally got back to Regalia, she was behind a thick layer of glass.

You never realize how much you take the simplicity of touch for granted. I avoided physical contact with people while I was on the street. Mostly to protect myself, especially after I lost my mentor Jimmy. It had been so many years without allowing myself to engage and love another person, but with Serenity...it was like I never stopped. She made everything easy.

"What do you think about?" Her teasing voice broke through my thoughts.

I realized I had been staring at her and that we were no longer walking. I blinked and leaned down to press my lips gently against her hair. "You. Always." I earned a giggle and a hug as she hid her growing blush in my neck. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her shoulder. I loved being able to hold her and have her scent surround me; although at the moment it was more of the unnaturally clean smell that coated the hospital. I could still detect hints of her normal floral essence. Serenity pulled back just a little and I pressed our foreheads together.

She sported an expression I wasn't sure how to describe. Peaceful, maybe? There was definitely love in her eyes like there always was, but they seemed to sparkle more in this moment. For a fleeting moment, I thought she was crying. "Now, what do you think about?"

I seemed to catch her off guard but she just shook her head, looking towards the way we had just come from. Her expression fell a bit as if something unpleasant just ran through her mind. What I wouldn't give to hear exactly what she was thinking. Serenity focused back on me and any traces of the bad disappeared. She ran the tips of her fingers down my cheek. "Only of having you with me again. It was misery not knowing if you would return."

I sighed, hugging her closer. It hurt to think of her sad, though not a crazy idea since if I could miss her then she could easily reciprocate and miss me. It wasn't enjoyable to imagine my happy, caring girlfriend in the same depressed mood I had experienced in the jungle. I noticed we were still standing in the hallway and helped her back into her private recovery room; I could tell she was really exhausted because she was finally giving up a good portion of her weight for me to shoulder.

Thankfully the bed here was normal, not set up like those in the hospital with wheels and bars to prevent someone from falling off. Serenity eased down into the middle of it and I sat by her side, tilted towards her. "I am so sorry you had to go through this. Any of it."

She shook her head. "We could not have known that Doctor Neveeve really created the plague, or how she sent your group on a false quest. You are the Warrior, you are here to protect Regalia. We believed the jungle was the place that would save the city, so you could only assume it was the best place to go at the time." I nodded, rubbing her knee but still found it hard to meet her eye. "Least us not forget, that by venturing into the jungle, you saved Luxa. That action in itself saved Regalia in more ways than you or I could imagine."

"She is a pretty big deal around here, huh?" I laughed dryly. "I guess that's why I offered to help plan Hazard's party; she has so much to deal with right now."

Serenity pulled my chin up to her, smiling as I finally met her gaze. "It was a truly noble thing for you to do. I must make one suggestion and insist on the follow through."

I laughed for real now at her attempt to be forceful. "Sure. What can I do for you, 'Ren?"

"You must invite Lizzie."

I paused, certainly not expecting that to be her suggestion. We were forced to send my dad and sister back to the Overland after my first week back because their spring break was ending, and since my father had taken up his old job at the school and didn't want Elizabeth to miss too many classes, they headed back to Virginia. "Elizabeth? Yeah, I mean, I'm sure she'll love to come back to the Underland, but why is that important?"

Serenity glanced toward the door as if to confirm we weren't being monitored. "She has a...oh what did she call it, a smash? on Hazard."

I blinked for a millisecond after she spoke before laughter bubbled up and out of me with such abandon that I fell back onto the mattress. Serenity was laughing gently as well, though probably not really sure why I found it so funny. "Sorry, sorry. I think she meant she had a 'crush', not a 'smash'. So Elizabeth likes Hazard? You're sure?"

She nodded. "Lizzie and I spoke often after she arrived in Regalia."

"Yeah, how did that happen, exactly? She didn't know who you were."

"Do you remember when I said I had only been in isolation for half a fortnight when you returned?" She rolled her eyes. "I visited your mother to speak to her, even while she slept; Doctor Neveeve mentioned it could assist her mind in staying sharp through the disease. One of the last times I visited her before I was diagnosed was also when Lizzie arrived. Your father told her who I was and she sought me out after I was placed into isolation."

I went from confused and amused to grateful that Serenity had helped Elizabeth through the hard time that was dealing with our sick mother. Honestly, it was hard for even me to see her so weak and covered in purple lumps, and I hadn't been living with her for the last ten years. To have an older female to talk to was probably really helpful. "Thank you, for being there for her." She nodded as I kissed her hand that had found its way into mine. I shifted uncomfortably. "So you talked about her crush?"

"Yes, after she met Hazard upon your return, that is." Serenity laughed and I joined her, although a bit unsure. The concept of my baby sister dating was something that never crossed my mind when I was nine and I made it a point not to think of anyone I had left back in Virginia after I left. I was a little torn with the idea now; I know big brothers are supposed to be fiercely protective and give their sisters' dates a shakedown, but was that something I could even do? Was I honestly in a place to comment on Elizabeth's life?

After being gone for nearly all of it, I didn't feel like I had the right to tell her anything. Not that I minded if she was interested in Hazard because he was a great kid. Plus after living in the jungle with only his father for his whole life, he didn't know how to make a move on a girl anyway, so she'd be the one in the driver's seat.

"Gregor?" Serenity snapped me out of my thoughts.

I shrugged. "I don't know, 'Ren. I just don't know how to feel about it. I promise to send a note to them about coming as soon as I get back to my room, though."

She nodded and we said our goodbyes. "Gregor." She called out to me as I was about to round the door. "She still values your opinion. You are, and will always be, her elder brother."

My chest tightened for a moment before I let out the breath and nodded at her. "Goodnight, Serenity. I love you."

"I love you, too. Warrior." I chuckled at her and slipped into the silent corridors of the sleeping palace.

Don't kill me. Yes, I realize how long it's been, as a recent review reminded me that it had been at least a year, and I sincerely apologize. I wanted to have a few chapters done before I posted in case I hit a small writer's block or life got in the way but then I hit a massive writer's block and life got in the way. The good news is I have a full chapter written and some of a third, but I didn't want to keep people waiting any longer, so I'm going to make an effort to post every week; even if it kills me.

Forever yours,

Artemis.