"Glenn, when are we going to leave? I'm sick of it here. The longer we stay, the more our absence will be noticed." Maggie mouthed close to Glenn's ear. He wrapped an arm around her.

"Soon."

"How soon?" She searched his eyes for an answer. His bold, brown eyes stared back into her pale emeralds.

"Two more days of stealing, and we'll go home. I promise. Just lay low." He kissed her forehead and whispered more words in her ear. Words of importance. Words of love. Words of hope.

"Amy, we're almost there. Can't you wait five more minutes to eat? I can hear you crunching all the way over here," Beca said with annoyance obvious in her voice. The crunching stopped and Aubrey's arm slid effortlessly around Beca's waist.

"We've been walking all day," she pouted at the brunette. "Are you sure we're close? It's going to get dark soon." The tall blonde's hair that cascaded around her shoulders seemed to bounce with each step. Beca had warned her that long hair was just another way for zombies to grab her, but Aubrey refused to cut it. It reminded her of how the world used to be. It reminded her of the life she had at Barden University, focusing on grades and winning competitions with her a capella group. It reminded her of the day she met Beca.

"Hi, would you be interested in joining our a capella group?"

"Oh, this is like a thing now?"

"Oh, totes! I'm the captain of the Barden Bellas. We're the best all-female group in the nation."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Not only are we champions and role models, we are a close knit, fantastic group of ladies whose friendship lasts a lifetime."

"How come you're here alone?"

"Everyone else graduated. Or quit."

"Oh?"

"We lost to the Treble Makers at nationals last year. They're the guys over there, the dancing fools. Anyways, I would love to have you join! Are you interested?"

"Sorry, but I don't even sing. It was really nice to meet you..."

"Aubrey."

"Aubrey. I'm Beca. See you around."

The instant Aubrey set eyes on the small freshman, she knew the girl was something special. She was drawn to the brunette like a magnet was drawn to stainless steel. Aubrey had always known Barden University was full of surprises, but she didn't expect falling in love there would be one of them.

"Here's fine. Let's check the perimeter first, then we'll set up camp," Beca ordered. She was good at that whole taking charge thing. Aubrey was too, but Beca just seemed to fit the role so well. It was like second nature to her.

"We all clear?" Everyone nodded their head. "Good. Set up the tent here and I'll try to get us something to eat." Beca rubbed Aubrey's hand before digging into the backpack Amy had carried all day. The outside reeked of sweat and dirt, but the inside was fresh. There was a thick plastic lining to block any water from soiling what few items they had. In fact, Beca was surprised to find what few items they had. She frowned as she pushed a few cans aside to find the bottom of the bag. All they had left was four cans of beans and two packages of Spam meat. It was barely enough, but they would survive. They always did.

"Three spoonfuls then pass. We have to let our supplies feed us for the next week. I don't know when the next time we'll even find a house to hit up will be," Beca explained, sitting down on the cold ground between Aubrey and Cynthia Rose. There were only four of them now. Just four. But after an entire year of Hell, they considered themselves lucky. Or unlucky. It just depended on what type of mood they were in.

They were outnumbered. Way outnumbered. The walker population had increased rapidly in the last six months. Families died during the winter and turned. The stragglers paralyzed by the cold were bitten and turned. When cold season hit, people fell. Medicine was scarce and hard to come by. Even a simple case of allergies could have you sick enough to be slower than the rest. Sick enough to die. And if you died, well...you turned. Beca learned that hard truth in the beginning.

Denise, one of the former Barden Bellas, had been shot in the stomach by a stranger only a month into the new world. She had found some berries and ate them, staining the skin around her lips blood red. A boy, who came out of nowhere, saw her and shot her on the spot. Being a child, he of course hit her in the chest, not the head, and she fell to the ground dead. Beca held Denise in her arms, sobbing over her warm body, until she felt a small jerk. She jumped back and Denise reanimated, growling, with a wicked look in her dead eyes. The boy was shaken and dropped his gun. Beca had to beat Denise's head in with her crowbar to put her out of her misery. The child watched the whole time, terrified. If Aubrey hadn't shown up when she did, Beca would have had her way with the stranger. Beca would have enjoyed watching the boy's blood pool over the grassy forest floor.

"Amy! Three spoonfuls!" Aubrey scolded.

"Sorry," the girl passed the can over to Cynthia Rose. "It's just that I'm so hungry!"

"We all are," Aubrey said in a hushed voice, putting an end to Fat Amy's complaining. The name Fat Amy didn't really apply any longer, given the fact that all their running and starving had slimmed them all down a few sizes. Even tiny Beca seemed smaller.

Cynthia Rose handed the can over to Beca. There was about half a spoonful left. "Here," she said, handing it to Aubrey. "Take it."

"No, Becs. I can't. You're the leader. You eat it." Beca opened up Aubrey's hand and closed it around the can.

"Eat." Aubrey's brow furrowed, but she didn't refuse again. She'd be rude if she refused. She slowly dipped the spoon in and pulled out the last few beans. They tasted hard and sour in her mouth. She hated eating the last of the food, but Beca always insisted she take it if the situation allowed.

Beca rolled over and put her arm out, expecting to feel Aubrey's warmth, but came up empty. She opened her tired eyes. It wasn't the blonde's turn to guard the camp. Beca stood up, taking extra care not to step on Cynthia Rose, and exited the tent. She crossed her arms and rubbed her hand up and down her arms, trying to calm the goosebumps under her coat. Squinting into the darkness, she hissed, "Aubrey?" There was no response. "Aubrey?" she hissed again.

It took her a minute to adjust to the darkness, but she saw a figure standing only ten feet away. Beca quickly grabbed the pocket knife she slept with and pulled it out, ready to defend herself. As she neared the figure, it moved, turning to face her. It was Aubrey. Beca sighed a sigh of relief and put her knife away. She put her hand out to grab Aubrey's arm, but she pulled away. "Aubrey..."

"Why are you doing this?" her voice cracked.

Beca was confused. "I'm not doing anything-"

"Why did you bring us back here?" Beca stared at her. "You think I didn't know? I can read a map, Beca," she said harshly.

Beca spoke slowly, "It's been an entire year since it happened. The walkers have had to have moved on by now. It's not like I was going to go back there anyways. It hurts me just as much as it hurts you to think about it."

"We're too close. Georgia in general is too close for me, Beca." Tears rolled down Aubrey's cheek.

Beca bit her lip and tried to touch Aubrey once again, this time successful. Aubrey fell into her arms and sobbed silently. Beca rubbed her back. She didn't dare speak, afraid she would say the wrong thing.

"I don't think I can do this..." Aubrey trailed off.

"You can. I have the map and I know where we are. I'll keep us as far from there as I can." Beca pulled away from Aubrey and realized how exhausted she really was. "Let's go back to bed. I'm next to patrol and I am so not ready," she laughed in attempt to lighten the mood. Aubrey nodded and the pair walked back to the tent hand-in-hand.