I don't own these characters, but the plot they star in is mine.

A/N. First and foremost, I want to thank all of you who returned and to those who are new to my fic; I thank and appreciate you all greatly. Everyone's kind words made up for the previous rude ones and then some!

Thank you as always to Frannie for fixing my chaos! My awesome pre-readers Vampiregirl93 and Lotus Wright deserve just as much thanks, and Snowflakelover for her help leading me in the right direction of research. (If there are screw-ups in research, then they're mine)

Ok...so this one is short, but that won't last long. It's in Charlie POV, and it's a vague back-story of the past. The rest of this story will be BPOV.

Here we go...

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Chapter One - April Fools?

Charlie POV Flashback

April 1, 2016.

This was supposed to be a day of jokes - a day of laughter. It may have started that way, but it ended in disaster, major loss of life and the blackest of rain.

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"We interrupt this program to bring you this national emergency warning. The following message is transmitted at the request of the United States Government. This is not a test. A nuclear attack is occurring against the United States. Numerous nuclear missiles have been launched from unknown locations and are expected to strike the United States within the hour. Due to the uncertain tracks of these missiles, all residents of the United States should prepare for, and seek out shelter immediately. This is not a test, I repeat..."

...

"Seek shelter immediately. Ideally below ground and surrounded by thick concrete."

"Ration supplies of food, water, fuel, medicine and clothing. Wear hats and goggles and expose as little skin to the air as possible."

"Follow the news and seek immediate evacuation if ordered. If you do n..."

...

"Multiple countries have engaged in war. It seems we are not alone in this severe crisis. This morning Switzerland was obliterated with no reason as to who or why."

"China, France, Russia, United Kingdom as well as India, North Korea, Pakistan and even Israel all have nuclear weapons and all have declared war for fear of their own impending attack."

"NATO has yet to respond. They..."

...

"Word just in about Los Angeles being hit. This is it folks, the end of our days are near. We are falling. America has fallen. We've reached DEFCON 1, DEFCON 1!"

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In exactly five minutes from now our state, our country and our lives as we know it will change forever.

A heavy boom cracks into the earth and a strong force slams into everything up above our underground shelter. The bomb has hit close but far enough away. The impact however is so forceful that we all stumble and grab onto anything to remain upright.

We don't feel the boiling heat from above us; only a slight change in temperature. Those who are above aren't lucky enough to see those behind them disintegrate without a single ash left in sight because they've already vanished into the fire themselves. Not a single remnant remains.

There's no going back now. We deserve this.

While we sit in our bunker like the cowards we are, those we shunned are being burned alive by a nuclear fire as hot as the sun.

Will we ever be able to rise from these ashes? Will we be ready for what is left on the other side of this door as the blast and thermal energy rip apart everything that once stood.

After the bomb hits the ground, the collapse of our world is heard in series. Our world begins to shake, and people scream. Fires burn, and buildings collapse. Cries ring out as people die helplessly. Those of us protected inside sob as the cries of what could only be children are heard. Guilt, grief, and pain pour into us as their screams choke and quickly cease. An eerie silence takes over not long after.

After what may be about an hour of complete and total silence, a tap is heard as it hits the steel hatch above us. Two, five, and many, many, more begin as the slow drizzle turns into a downpour of rain.

With the rain comes gradual noise; loud from even down here in our underground haven. Just like the rain, the noise of those alive begins to strengthen in volume until ear-piercing screams take over from the tap of the rain.

For hours, we sit in silence and listen to the cries that go on throughout what must now be night. We do not leave our sanctuary until ten days later when we eventually run out of provisions for the fifty or so people here in the small, makeshift bunker. The voices had eventually ceased into a never-ending silence after that first night. Not a pin drop of noise has been heard since.

So when that heavily sealed hatch is pushed opened with a screech, we are stunned by what we see through our protective gear. Not a breath is heard as we stare at what is left of our beloved capital.

Buildings that are still standing are on fire. Ashes are fluttering down to the ground almost as though it's snowing. Buildings have toppled; some are nothing but foundations. The ones that haven't fallen are without a single window in sight from the impact of the blasts.

All the foliage and all the trees are gone, evaporated as though they never existed. Cars are flipped and have become random pieces of twisted metal. Telephone poles litter the streets along with trash, rubble, papers, clothes, suitcases, and the most horrifying thing of all being the victims and their pets laid bare before our very eyes. Everything, absolutely everything is covered in what must have been black, dried up rainwater. It looks almost looks like ink. It hasn't rained since that night. There is no other explanation for it.

All that rain, it was black? How and why? Is that even possible?

It painted the earth making it look cold and took away the hope of our sun. No one can see a smile in the darkness that now surrounds us.

There are no words. There will never be for what my eyes are seeing. The devastation is unbelievable. The very hand of death came down and eviscerated our very own.

I sink to my knees, and I place my heavy head in my hands as everything hits home. It takes my breath away.

Our once beautiful world is now covered in black. We're not even gifted clear rain to wash away all our sorrow and pain or the blood of our fallen. We are left only black puddles. I can't even be thankful for the end of the rain that brought forth all that terrible screaming.

God.

We have no choice but to get up and move on. If we stay here, we will surely die, and our survival will have been wasted. We're still broken, but we can't give up now when those who perished fought so hard to survive. We can't squander the second chance we have been given.

With heavy hearts, we surge forward with no destination and no plan. Only one goal pushes us forward.

It's simple yet difficult. Our goal is to survive and learn how to make it ours. Survive and learn we will. If there's one thing to take from this situation in its entirety, it's that we as humans are capable of anything.

Forever good and bad, we rise to fall, and fall to rise stronger. To become better beings than what we once were. To learn from our pain - to overcome from our tragedy.

How true that really is I realize as I walk forward and my shoes step through black water puddles and blood.

We don't get far as we come face to face with what cannot be as human as it looks.

That's because it's not.

End of flashback

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We meet Bella next chapter. Are you excited? Let me know what you think so far.

If you haven't read 'Looks Bad on Paper' by the crazy awesome, sarcastic and talented Lotus Wright, then you best get your rear over there and read it. If you don't laugh at least ten times in one chapter, then I'll eat a worm.

You're just as insane if you haven't read 'Ebony and Ivory' by snowflakelover. She's the cutest craziest, and funniest writer ever. Her Bella is one hell of a badass, and her Edward is one smooth mofo!

If you like hot tattooed bikers who are total badasses that protect and take care and rescue animals, then you MUST go read 'Rescue Ink' by the wonderfully talented gabby1017!