Quickly, before I begin: I do not own anything that isn't mine. Simple enough. Enjoy!

Prologue

In the near darkness of the damp basement, we sat on the floor waiting. Our eyes had adjusted to the low light, so we could all see each other trying to stay sane. It was so cold, I think most of us were choosing to focus on that struggle, instead of the larger one around us. Tackle the smaller problems. Choose to acknowledge what you know you can handle. There was no rush. The time would be upon us eventually.

This twisted night had left us with little comfort, but for the moment, we at least still had each other. Nine humans, broken and hurting, pushed beyond the imaginable. Everything that had preceded the past six hours seemed to fade, and more than anything, we were just a group of people in need of each other. Jaded from before, but devoured by this godforsaken night. We knew that this was only the eye of the storm. The silence was almost louder than the chaos earlier. But still, we remained sitting together, holding hands, trying to comfort each other when there was nothing left to give. A silent symbol of our forgiveness, even if temporary. We grasped each other, biding our time before the time to strike.

Our minds were quiet, and though they were numb from the overwhelming night, most of the quiet came from our own suppression. The fear, the anger, the sorrow… None of it was allowed inside. We all needed each other, and we needed each other strong.

A tear managed to escape my eye and began to silently roll down my cheek. From my side, Josh looked over at me, and let go of Chris's hand to wipe it away. Moving his hand from my face, he took my hand in both of his and squeezed, placing his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes. I felt the intensity of the silence overwhelm my senses, and suddenly everything was so loud, but I forced myself to concentrate on Josh's hands, and with nearly everything I had left, I pushed away the fear.

The little light hitting my closed eyes suddenly disappeared, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that everyone had moved from their places in the circle to surround me. Silently, we all encompassed each other in a hug, holding each other to keep the pieces from falling apart.

After what felt like forever had passed, we all slowly moved apart, untangling our limbs, with a new resolve in our eyes. And just like that, there was a noise from above. The creaking of a floorboard. Mike's head turned at the speed of a bullet, and without a sound, ran to where the trapdoor was, peeking up through the cracks in the wood. Lowering his head, he nodded solemnly, and a few of us nodded in return. It was time.

I checked my pockets, the picture and keychain still in one, my dead cell phone in the other. Josh rolled up his sleeves. Jessica was nodding to herself, most likely reassuring herself that she could do this. Sam's gaze was steely, knowing exactly what would come and what she needed to do. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chris wipe his glasses clean, and Ashley gave him a small smile. Emily pushed her hair back behind her ears. Matt shook out his arms. Mike moved his hand to the back of his pants, checking for the gun, not for its usefulness, but as his security blanket.

And after we all did what we could for ourselves, we looked up, sharing glances with everyone gathered around in this clump of bodies. Each pair of eyes I met were stronger than I had ever seen them.

They were here. Above us. But were here too. And they had no idea what was coming for them. You know what the funny thing about broken pieces is? I thought to myself. That enough of them together make a whole.

Hi everyone!

So essentially, this fic is going to be an exploration of each character—their strengths and shortcomings, and what makes them who they are. I love the characters in this game so much, but I feel that for some, the game makes them seem one way, and I'd like to explore both sides of everyone. I've added another character in an attempt for new perspectives and an additional view into the lives of the established characters we already love.

I hope you join me in this endeavor to feature all the sides of these characters and hopefully this will bring you closer to them with a new, different appreciation. Thanks everyone, and let me know what you think!