Oh, God.

The page in front of me swam, the words running together.

Focus, I told myself, forcing the letters to return to their proper position. Not that it helped any. Under normal circumstances, this would be no problem, but every thought of mine was tinged with worry, fear.

How the hell was I supposed to remember the assassin of Lincoln when my friend could be in mortal danger at this very moment?

I'd woken that morning to find that Mel was missing, Jared sleeping peacefully, unaware that she was gone, that his arms were empty. I'd also noticed that Ian and Wanda were absent, and I'd quickly put two and two together.

The choking hands of dread had closed around my throat, had made it hard to breathe. Like a bullet out of a gun, I'd leapt to my feet, bolting so fast out of the room that it had felt like my feet weren't even touching the ground.

I had run to the hospital in record time, even though the passageway had seemed miles long. Was I too late? was the question that had pulsed through me with every beat of my heart.

My pace had slowed as I heard screams, and I had cautiously peeked into the room, fearing the worst. Ian and Doc had blocked my view of Wanda, but I had immediately known what was going on.

Sinking to the floor, I had put my head between my knees, had let out the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I had overreacted, there wasn't anything wrong. Just that the baby was coming.

But now, I wasn't so sure. I'd heard of all sorts of complications during childbirth, a thousand things could go awry. Even though I trusted Doc explicitly, I kept imagining horrible scenarios going on down in the south tunnel.

I pushed all those terrible thoughts from my head, forcing myself to concentrate on the first question of the quiz again. American History. I didn't even see the point – why did we need to learn about the Civil Rights Movement when we were fighting an even worse oppression? What possible purpose could knowledge about World War I serve when each day could be our last?

I had no idea what to put for it. I moved on to the next question. Which General led the March to the Sea? I glanced over at Monica, whose pencil was scratching furiously across the page, her dark hair spilling over her right shoulder onto the table. With dismay, I realized that, while I had yet to put any answers down, she was almost done.

General Sherman, I scrawled under the second question.

"Five minutes," Sharon called to us, before turning back to her math lesson with Isaiah, Freedom, and Chance. Words like "variable" and "binomial" and "inequality" floated over to us.

Next question. What was the first battle of the Civil War?

First Battle of Bull Run.

What year was the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

1855.

Which Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery?

13th Amendment.

What was the Trent Affair?

Confederacy tried to bring English and French into the war.

I heard Monica rub an answer out with her eraser, and then pencil in a new one.

"Alright, time's up!" Sharon said, snatching my half-filled out quiz out from under my hands, and Monica's completed one, which was lying facedown on her desk.

She placed them on her desk, then headed over to give Voice the same quiz, orally. Her full name was Voice Fills the Dark, but she preferred the shortened version. She was from the Singing World, where she had spent seven life terms, and, fittingly, her host here was also blind. But her host still had the most beautiful voice I'd ever heard.

I groaned, and dropped my head onto my arms, which were folded on the table.

"Hey, you okay?"

I looked over at Monica, and her blue-green eyes were in shadow as her eyebrows were pulled together in concentration as she doodled in her notebook. It was clear that she wasn't too worried about my answer. "Headache," I grunted, before closing my eyes again. She didn't say anything, and I opened one eye a sliver; Monica was still focused on whatever she was scribbling in the margins of her notes.

"Okay, lunch break," Sharon announced, apparently done quizzing Voice. "Be back in one hour." The boys abandoned their books in a rush of raucous laughter, and I could hear the yells echo as they ran down the hallway. Monica gathered her things and I watched out of the corner of my eye as she walked over and offered her arm to Voice.

Apparently the story is that Voice's host was Monica's best friend before the invasion, and the bond they shared refused to be broken even after the host's mind was erased. For this reason, when Voice had stumbled across Monica and her family in a forest near her summer cottage, she had immediately took them in and had hidden them from her peers. When they had heard rumors of our colony they had set off in search of us, and, miracle of all miracles, they had made it. Voice was still getting used to the layout of the caves, so Monica and I helped to guide her around.

"You coming, Jamie?" Voice asked, her musical lilt as calming as any therapeutic.

"Um, yeah," I said, leaving my stuff on the make-shift desk and following behind the two girls as they chattered, linked arm in arm.

It must've been obvious that I was distracted from their conversation. "Maybe you should see Doc about that headache," Monica suggested, jutting her chin towards the southern tunnel. Both of them had identical expressions of mild concern, but Voice's unseeing gaze was fixed at a point a few inches higher than my right shoulder. To be honest, it freaked me out a little.

"Yeah, okay," I replied, pretending reluctance, but in reality, I was jumping at the chance to check that everything was running smoothly in the hospital. I was able to contain myself, just barely, as I ambled toward the hallway. As soon as I was shrouded by darkness, however, my stride lengthened, and my pace increased.

The quiet in the passageway was absolute, and I worried that this was a sign that something was terribly wrong. But as I neared the entrance to the hospital, I could hear quiet voices, and none of them seemed particularly sad or angry.

The scene I walked in on was not the one I was expecting. Mel was talking with Wanda, and Ian was looking down at something in Wanda's arms, but I couldn't see his expression because his back was to me. Jared was also looking in the same direction, and he looked … well, happy. But there was also some wonder in his stare. Doc was busying himself, cleaning his equipment, but he was smiling down at his instruments.

Curious, I took a few steps to the right, and then everything made sense.

I was vaguely aware of their discussion, something about godparents. Normally, I would've been more preoccupied by their conversation, but that was because normally this amazing being wasn't taking up the majority of my attention.

The tiny baby was clearly Wanda's – her hair and complexion gave her the same ethereal beauty – but Ian could also be seen in some of her other features, her eyes in particular.

She was the most fascinating thing I had ever seen. She was an angel.

Mel's squeal snapped me out of my trance, and I was surprised none of them had noticed me yet. Jared and Ian, like me, must've only been paying attention in part to their exchange, captivated as I was by the sleeping child's charm. But as I refocused on their conversation, I realized that Mel and Jared had just been named her godmother and godfather.

"Does that mean I'm sort of like a goduncle?" I asked, and the adults saw me for the first time.

"Jamie!" Wanda cried, smiling widely at me. "Of course."

I moved forward so that I stood beside Ian, and then leaned over and brushed a finger lightly over the baby's warm cheek. I was about to tell Wanda congratulations, and that the baby was the most wonderful thing I'd ever seen, when I was interrupted.

"Knock, knock."

Wanda tensed up, clutching the infant closer to her chest, as Ian whirled around to see who had spoken. But that was wholly unnecessary because he, of all people, should've recognized the voice right away, for it was the exact copy of his own.

The baby, as if sensing her parents' distress, woke and immediately began to wail. Wanda stroked her head soothingly, rocking her slightly from side to side in an attempt to quiet her. But a crying baby was the least of her concerns.

"Kyle," Ian growled in a warning tone, and Jared was suddenly by my side, hands clenched in fists by his side. Doc and Mel had stood up as well, muscles tensed. I was ready to fight too, if that what was needed to protect Wanda and her daughter.

"Hey, now," Kyle said in a placating voice, holding his hands up to signal his good intentions. "Why can't an uncle see his ..." He craned his head around the three of us to try and see Wanda and the baby.

"Niece," Wanda squeaked, the fear racking her body evident in her voice. This was, after all, the man who had made an attempt on her life just a little over a year ago.

"Why can't an uncle see his niece?" he repeated, looking as if he wanted to take a step forward, but our expressions must've convinced him that such a move would be dangerous. "Oh, come on, Ian. I'm a changed man. I don't want to cause any trouble. I promise. Just let me see her. Please."

"Ian, stand aside. I believe him," Wanda pleaded; apparently, that had been as much as she could take.

"I wish I could be forgiving as you are, Wanda, but I'm not taking any chances when it comes to Madi," Ian replied, not taking his eyes off of his twin. So that was her name. I liked it - it was cute, but also sophisticated for when she was older.

"Madi?" Kyle asked, voice soft. "You named her after our sister?" He smiled, and it was then that I could see that he was telling the truth. Being with Sunny had sure made him reexamine his life, because it was clear that he truly wished no ill will toward Wanda.

"Ian, what's he gonna do? The two of us can take him if worst comes to worst, and I think you should give him a chance," Jared chimed in, and I saw Doc nod out of the corner of my eye.

Ian must've seen reason, or at least that he was fighting a losing battle, because he moved to the right a little bit to allow Kyle through, but still did not relax his stance.

Kyle shouldered his way past his brother, and as he moved further into the room, we could see Sunny cowering in his shadow, but when she saw Wanda, a wide grin broke across her face. A similarly huge smile was also on Kyle's face.

"Wanda! How are you?" he exclaimed, as Sunny squeezed her arm.

"Well, I've been better," she said with a weary smile, pushing her hair back from her face while still rocking Madi back and forth, but her efforts went to waste; the baby was still crying relentlessly.

And you've been worse, I added silently.

"Can I?" Kyle asked hesitantly, eyes on the newborn, hands extended slightly away from himself to indicate his intent.

Ian clamped a hand on his twin's shoulder, shaking his head no when Kyle glanced over to him at the touch, but Wanda, throwing caution to the wind, placed the upset infant into his large hands, which all but swallowed her.

He looked fondly down at the little thing that he could have easily crushed, but instead he cradled her close to his chest, as Sunny looked on with a similar look of affection. But it was more surprising that Kyle was so gentle, not the soul.

The baby's wailing intensified, her face red from screaming at the top of her little lungs. That was when Uncle Jeb decided to make his entrance.

"You'd think all hell was set loose," he remarked as he strode into the hospital. "You can hear that goldarn racket all through the caves. Quite a feat, mind you." But his voice was teasing, and the insult was obviously light-hearted.

A smile played on his lips as he caught sight of Kyle and Sunny fawning over the baby, and it budded into a full-blown grin as his eyes met Wanda's. "Well, if it isn't my little sunshine," he almost purred, walking over to the cot. Jeb certainly had a soft spot for Wanda, always had, and probably always will. He kissed her on the cheek in a fatherly way, and then straightened up.

"So, guess I'm finally a grandpa," he declared, throwing an arm around Ian, who was less hostile about the whole situation, and now actually quite amused. "More like an honorary great-uncle," Ian argued.

"Well, I guess that'll have to do, won't it?" Jeb replied, beaming at the entire crowd, finally laying eyes on me. "Oh, look who it is. Wouldn't have thought you to be one to play hooky."

Oh, shit. With all the drama I had forgotten to go back to school; the lunch hour was obviously over by now. Sure, Sharon had become less of a dinosaur these days, after getting back together with Doc, but that didn't mean that she didn't still bite.

Jeb laughed. "Don't worry, kid. You got a good excuse. But now it's time for you to get your heiney over to the southeastern tunnel." One blue eye winked.

Well, great - on rubble duty once again. We'd been expanding the cave system recently, and right now we working on a branch off of the southern tunnel. It already had around three rooms. We were carving out a fourth at this very moment, probably.

"Well, see ya, Wanda. Bye, everybody." I sauntered out of the room, obviously not in any hurry. As I rounded the corner, I almost smacked right into Lily, who was with Trudy. Geez, was everyone going to visit Wanda? I apologized quickly, then continued on my way, eventually coming to the place where the two tunnels met. I could hear the sound of grunting and the clink of tools as rock was being chipped away. As I got closer, I could see that dust filled the air, and that what would soon become a cave was only a large indentation in the wall. Aaron, Brandt, Andy, and Ben were hard at work with sledgehammers and chisels. Strewn about their feet were jagged pieces of rock, which myself and some other lucky individual would have to painstakingly pick up. Just then I caught sight of my partner, who was leaning against a wheelbarrow, her gaze distant and not at all focused on the shirtless men in front of her.

"Hey, Monica," I greeted her, speaking loudly so she could hear me over the din. I sidled up to her and copied her stance, shoving my hands in my pockets.

"Oh, hi, Jamie," she replied, glancing over at me. "So, how's that headache?"

I laughed. "Better, but I'm sure with all this noise it's gonna come speeding back." She nodded sympathetically. "So, what'd I miss?"

"While you were mysteriously missing?" she asked for clarification, but continued anyway. "Well, Sharon handed back our quizzes, and then gave the boys some spelling words to study, while she gave us a lesson about earth science. Weather systems, you know."

I was about to respond, when Voice showed up, carting some water jugs. The men instantly put away their tools, gathering around her as she handed out the water, striking up a conversation with Ben, whose ebony skin was gleaming with sweat.

That was our signal to start working. Monica and I moved forward, gathering up the chunks of stone until our arms were full, and then dumping them in the wheelbarrow. This process was repeated, taking maybe twenty minutes in all, until the floor was all but clear and the wheelbarrow was full to the brim. The four men went back to their work glumly, and all we had left to do was haul the rubble to the river and dispose of it in its hot current. That was easier said than done.

Monica struggled to lift up the handles of the wheelbarrow, but no matter how hard she tried she did not succeed. "Here, let me give it a shot," I offered. She was all too willing to move aside. I pulled up on the wooden handles, and was just barely able to heft the metal bottom of the wheelbarrow from the ground, and my muscles ached with the effort. I lurched forward, attempting to force the cart forward, but it refused to budge.

"I have an idea," Monica said. "Why don't we each take a handle, and maybe the two of us together can manage it?" I shrugged, nonverbally conveying that it was worth a try. I switched my right hand to the left handle, and she placed both of hers on the right. "Ready, one, two, three." And she was right – it weight lifted off the floor, and we were just able to push it over the uneven ground.

We made it to the main cavern before we had no choice but to set it down, both of us short for breath. I certainly wasn't looking forward to the next few hours of doing this. I glanced over at her to find that she was pulling her hair back into a ponytail with a band that had been around her wrist. Rivulets of sweat ran down her neck, and I felt equally as sticky.

She must've sensed my eyes on her back, because she turned around, arching an eyebrow. "What?"

"Oh, I've just never seen your hair up," I answered, quickly looking away so that she wouldn't see the heat rising in my already flushed face. I gripped the left handle again and she did the same with the right.

"Well, now your life is complete," she joked, and together we hoisted the wheelbarrow off the ground again. We trundled it around the large field, and the other people gave us a wide berth. I spotted Mel and Jared, their arms around each other's waist, turning down the hallway towards their room. I preferred not to know.

We hooked a left and continued down the dark hallway, the occasional rock clattering to the floor if we didn't hold the wheelbarrow completely level. It was dark, but we were used to that, having been up and down each passageway enough times that even the smallest patch of sunlight wasn't necessary. Eventually we came to the bathroom, maneuvering the wheelbarrow over to the lip of the river, which had been reinforced following Wanda's "accident". I wiped off my face with the bottom of my T-shirt once the wheelbarrow was secure, not welcoming the hot air washing over my face from the current far below.

"Ready?" I asked Monica. She nodded, and together we managed to tip the rocks over the edge, hearing the cacophony of their splashing as they entered the river. As the wheelbarrow touched ground again, I saw Monica bend down to tie her shoe. Something swung off her chest and glinted in the blue lamplight. A necklace.

When she stood up again, I took a step towards her. "Can I?" I asked, gesturing towards the gold chain. She picked up the pendant, and offered it to me, pulling the chain taut. I took another step closer to her, so close I could smell … cherry blossoms? I grasped the necklace, examining the gold ring on it, with what looked like a good-sized diamond on the band.

"It was my mother's," she explained, her breath tickling my bangs. I looked up, the question plain in my eyes. Monica swallowed, then went on, "She died, maybe a year before the invasion. Breast cancer."

"I'm so sorry," I murmured, releasing the necklace. It bounced off her chest before she grabbed it and stared at the engagement ring.

"I miss her every day. Without her, I feel so … lost, so alone." The pain in her voice was so very apparent, and I could sense the waterworks coming.

I wrapped my arms around her, feeling tears spill over onto my shoulder. "Shh, it's alright," I whispered into her ear, and I felt her tentatively hug me back. "We've all lost somebody. My mom, my dad – they're gone too. I even thought my sister was for a while." It was not much of a comfort, I knew, but what else could I say?

She pulled away, eyes glistening. "It's not the same," she argued, wiping her eyes. "At least you know that they're out there somewhere, maybe even happy. But my mom, she'll never come back."

"You don't understand – that's not them, it's some alien whose taken over their body, erased their mind. All that love, all that we had, it died with their spirit."

Lily walked in then, a basket of laundry under her right arm. "Hey, don't you guys have somewhere to be?" she asked, eyes flashing mischievously.

"Right you are," I replied, ignoring the teasing tone of her voice. It wasn't anything like that – Monica and I were just friends. I pushed the wheelbarrow out of the bathroom, the task much easier without the load of stone, and back to the southeastern tunnel, Monica walking silently beside me.

The rest of the afternoon passed like that, neither of us talking to each other, but the quiet was not hostile, but rather companionable. Eventually we broke for dinner, a meal of mashed potatoes, canned peas, and some beef jerky. I ate with Kyle, Sunny, Mel, Jared, and a couple of other people, but it felt strange without Ian and Wanda there.

Afterwards I went to visit them in the hospital to find all three passed out on the cots, so I swung by my room and picked up a change of clothes before heading over to the bathroom to take a shower. I felt absolutely filthy after a couple hours of hauling rocks. As I walked into the dark room, I passed Monica, whose hair was dripping wet and the aroma of cherry blossoms was even more strong.

"Good night, Jamie," she said softly, her smile reaching her eyes for once.

"Good night," I said in return, watching her disappear into the swath of black. And even though rubble duty was only second to making soap in my book of worst chores, I found myself hoping I would be assigned to it tomorrow.