There was so much blood. Too much. It stained Jade's hands and made her stomach roll uncomfortably but she didn't stop trying to stem the flow. Somewhere in her mind she knew it was a futile effort but she kept trying. She wasn't aware of the tears running down her face until one dripped on Tori's cheek. The moisture seemed to bring Tori around. Her eyelids opened just enough to see through her hazy gaze. They took a moment to focus. When they did Tori's hand rose to brush at Jade's cheek, wiping away tears when it fell.

"J-Jade…" she gasped, a bloody cough silencing her a moment later.

"Shh, don't talk," Jade cautioned, voice on the brink of cracking. She held Tori close, a sob breaking through despite trying to hold it back.

"Is she…?" Robbie's tremulous voice questioned as he shuffled forward. Jade's grip on Tori tightened. She couldn't accept it.

"No. Not for long anyway," Jade muttered, pain in every word she uttered. Robbie was confused but he didn't voice it. Jade's eyes remained focused on Tori, taking in her dying form. Her brown eyes disappeared behind heavy lids.

"I'm sorry, Tori. I'm so sorry," Jade cried, finally breaking down into wracking sobs. She felt Tori's body go still in her arms, the last of her breaths tapering until they ceased. It didn't take long for her body to start to cool. Despite it all Jade wasn't ready to let her go yet.

"We have to go," Robbie spoke up, gripping her shoulder. Quick as a whip she slapped his hand away.

"You can go. I'm staying," she stated, gently laying Tori on the ground. Her lap was painted red. She could feel it on her skin.

"I'm not leaving you here," Robbie refused.

"Yes you are. I can't-I made a promise to her. I intend to keep it. Afterwards…I need time to myself. I'll be fine. It's not as though I have anything to live for at this point," she told him.

"Don't talk like that," he scolded, disliking the sound of defeat in her voice. It didn't belong there but it was obviously crushing her at the moment.

"You don't get it. I fought every day in hopes that I would find her. She was the driving force that kept me going. But now…she's gone. She's gone and I have nothing to live for. She was all I had left. She was my best friend. I loved her…" Jade explained, fresh tears falling down her face. Robbie's posture bent under the remorse he felt. The least he could do was comply with her wishes. So he nodded and stepped back.

"Promise me you'll come home," he pleaded, worry and concern in his eyes. Jade's teeth clenched, muscles bunching in her jaw. Another promise. She didn't even know if she could go through with the first one she made.

"Ok," she finally answered, looking away.

"Jade," he warned.

"I promise," she spat, patience long gone. Anger was quickly setting in, numbing the pain of her shattered heart. Robbie heard it and felt it was time to go.

"I'll come looking for you if you don't show up in three days. Just so you know. We can't let Beck and Ryder get away with this. I need you to help me find them. Please come home," he said, leaving a moment later. As soon as he was gone Jade let herself break down. She hunched in on herself and wrapped her arms around her torso in an attempt to hold herself together. It didn't help. A new wave of tears and sorrow hit her and she was crying, sobbing over the cold still body of the only person she cared for since her parents' death. Now she had no one. Well, Robbie and Cat, but it wasn't the same. She wiped at her face and then reached out with a shaking hand to brush along Tori's emotionless features.

"A promise is a promise, Vega," she murmured, lifting her gun. It felt heavy in her grasp. She loaded it and rested it on the pale forehead of her best friend. Her finger hovered on the trigger.

"Fuck. Why is this so hard? Why can't I give you what you want?" Jade whimpered, distressed. She held the gun in place a few seconds more before giving up. She set the gun down and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I can't do it. I need you too much. Even if you…even if you won't be you," she forced out. She opened her eyes and looked to Tori. With a deep breath she made her decision and stood up, putting away her gun. She bent and gathered Tori in her arms, hauling her off the floor. She needed a secure room and something to tie her down. She might be crazy for considering what she was but she couldn't give up on Tori. Not yet. She headed for the stairs and set her in the only room with one way in and out. She checked the closet and connected bathroom before shutting the door and pushing a shelf in front of it. She trudged over to the corner where she set Tori down and sat next to her. She pulled off her pack and dug around until she found rope. She pulled it out and proceeded to tie Tori's leg to the post of the old broken bed. When she was done she curled up against the wall, too tired to do anything else. It was dark outside in no time but Jade didn't notice. She was lost in her head, replaying events and wondering what she could have done differently. Memories turned into dreams. She wasn't aware she fell asleep until something woke her.

It was an odd feeling. She flexed her fingers, hooking them on a hard, slippery surface. They were wet with something. Was that a tongue? Were those teeth? Her head lolled to the side to see Tori gnawing on her hand, saliva gathering around her fingers. Jade pulled away in acute disgust, wiping her hand on her pants as she scuttled away. She didn't move to draw her gun, finding no need to. Any other zombie would have been halfway up her arm by now, devouring her hand minutes ago, but Tori wasn't biting. It felt more like a teething puppy, never breaking skin. Tori grumbled something unintelligible and then clumsily shifted to stand. The rope tangled her legs and she fell. It didn't stop her though. She just tried once more to get up. Strangely, she was docile and made no move to attack. She was too busy figuring out how to stand without falling. Jade knew she shouldn't find the situation funny and a bit endearing but there was a toxic amount of hope and amusement that she couldn't help but laugh. Tori looked at her, dull gaze questioning in its own way. Her irises were a striking white ringed with black around the edges.

"Let me help you out," Jade offered, speaking slowly. She moved just as slow, gauging for any hostile reaction. Tori only watched her, waiting until Jade untangled her legs before untying her. Jade helped her up, pausing when Tori stopped to look at her. Cold fingers brushed at her jaw, confusion on her features. She grunted softly, grabbing at Jade's hand. It was halfway to her mouth when Jade realized she was going to be used as a human chew toy again and pulled away.

"Hungry?" she guessed. Tori grunted something like an affirmative and then groaned, an eerie sound that sent a nervous chill through Jade. She couldn't count how many times she heard a sound like that. It was the sound of a prowling, hungry zombie. She snatched up the rope and tied it to Tori's wrists, holding the other end to lead her.

"Come on. There you go," she encouraged when Tori began to walk forward. Like any other zombie she was slow and dragged her feet, but unlike them she wasn't crazed with hunger. It concerned Jade a bit, wondering if it just took a moment for her to adjust before she was a killing machine like the rest of them. The rising hope within her painted a different story. She scooped up her pack and put it on before pushing the shelf aside. She pulled out her gun and held it at the ready when she opened the door. She listened, filtering out the slight noise Tori made. The coast was clear. She left the room, tugging Tori along as fast as she was able to move.

"Don't make me carry you," she warned. Tori only shuffled at a faster pace when they finally reached the top of the stairs. In the end Jade had to carry her down them. Once she was standing on her own Tori suddenly bolted away, crouching on the floor where her own blood had spilled. She dropped down to lick at the puddle, a sound of content came from her as she mopped up the rest. Jade shuddered at the sight.

"I have to find you something before I'm next on the menu," she commented. She tugged on the rope and Tori looked up.

"Done yet? If we don't hurry we'll have less time to find you something better," Jade told the zombie. Tori's interest was visible. She got to her feet with some difficulty and looked to Jade expectantly.

"It isn't here. You'll have to do some hunting to properly eat," she explained. Tori looked like she was contemplating the words before stumbling over to Jade.

"J," Tori grunted, voice metallic and rough as if it hadn't been used in years. Jade smiled, awed. Tori still remembered her to some extent.

"Yes," she confirmed with a nod. Tori stopped to gather what little thought she had before speaking again.

"Hungry," Tori managed to say. Jade marveled at the amount of knowledge Tori's undead brain still obtained.

"Stick with me and you'll have an all you can eat buffet in no time," Jade remarked. Tori suddenly growled, back hunched and posture primal.

"Whoa, hold on. Not me," she protested. However, Tori shot right past her and tackled the stray zombie that had wandered in. Jade hadn't even heard it. Tori had seen it, and now she was busy tearing flesh off bone and chewing until bone broke under the pressure. When she was done she groaned for more. Jade turned to see her waiting patiently, dark blood staining her chin and hands. She wasn't able to watch her tear into something that was once human so she had looked away a while ago.

"You eat other zombies?" Jade questioned, eyes on Tori. That was new. She never saw other zombies do that.

"Hungry," Tori repeated.

"Not enough, is it? I'd hate to kill some poor shmuck for you, so I won't. But I bet we can find someone on death's door," Jade rambled, mostly talking to herself. Tori wasn't listening. She was already distracted, nose in the air and mouth slightly open. Jade approached her, still with caution, and reached out to hold her face in her hands.

"Hey, Tori," she called. The zombie pulled away but Jade tried again, snagging her by the wrist before she could turn away.

"Vega!" she yelled. Instantly Tori gave her attention.

"Figures you would respond to that. It was all I called you," Jade remarked, pulling Tori closer until she had the rope in one hand again. She held her gun with the other. She let Tori lead her out of the building, her nose in the air again. Together they went deeper into the ruined city, ending up in an alley a mile down the street from where they started. Jade managed to find a hidden stash of rations while raiding what looked like an office. Tori pulled her along when she became impatient, forcing Jade to eat on-the-go. She stored the rest in her pack. Gunshots reached them and a scream of agony before more followed. Tori made an excited sound and yanked at the rope, dragging Jade.

"Wait," she ordered, but it fell on deaf ears. She was dragged toward the noise, rounding the corner to see a man on the ground fighting off two zombies. Jade took them out to see that the man's legs were too far gone. He looked up when Jade walked toward him, tugging back on the rope that held Tori from surging forward. The man was clearly confused, his relief at seeing her overshadowed by it.

"W-what…?" he stammered.

"I'm sorry," Jade replied, holstering her gun and letting Tori go. Before she could attack, Jade quickly caught the man in a chokehold, breaking his neck with a solid yank and a twist in the crook of her arm. She dragged him away from the brick wall he had been using to prop himself up on and tossed him to Tori. A garbled sound left her lips and then she was eagerly biting into flesh. Again Jade turned away, cringing at the rip of skin and muscle, flinching when the snap and crack of bone reached her. She took a seat on an air-conditioner unit and dug through her pack for the rest of the food. She finished off the energy bar and looked over to see the progress Tori made. She practically gutted the guy and bashed his head in. Pieces of grey matter and skull fragments littered the ground, a broken brick left in the brain cavity. She had used a tool. Zombies didn't do that either. Tori sat chewing on what looked like a rib. Jade took a moment to calm her stomach before walking over.

"Save some for later, glutton," she admonished, unsheathing the long serrated blade strapped to her leg. She took a minute to prepare herself then gripped the wrist of the dead body. She hacked one arm off then the other, going as fast as she could to get it done before she lost what little food she ate. She then searched around and found a large torn cloth she used to bundle the limbs in. She stuck it in a bag and tied it closed then stashed it in her pack.

"The things I do for you," she muttered, picking up the end of the rope. She tugged to get Tori's attention.

"Let's go," she told her. Tori dropped the bone she was working on and got to her feet.

"We have a long way home," she mentioned, leaving the alley and backtracking their steps. Tori only grunted, sniffing at Jade's backpack.

"Relax, Vega," she said sternly, pushing the zombie away. Tori attempted to swipe at her but complied, falling into a steady walk next to her. Hours later found Jade closer to home but she had to stop to rest. She wound through an apartment complex and climbed a broken staircase to get to higher ground. It wasn't easy. She had to drag Tori with her, an arm around her middle to pull her up.

"Fucking shit, you're heavy," Jade complained after getting Tori to the top. She splayed out on the floor, trying to catch her breath. Tori pawed at the pack again, pulling at Jade's arm when she was ignored.

"Ok, ok," she relented, getting up. She found a table and fixed it to stand right side up. She made sure it was sturdy before setting down the backpack. She took out the bloody limbs and unwrapped it to lay out an arm. She sized it up into three pieces if she cut into the elbow joint and the wrist. She couldn't help but liken the thought as one a butcher might have when contemplating a slab of meat. She got to work, hacking through bone and flesh, telling herself it was some animal and not any part of a human. She had to tie Tori down so that she wasn't jumped during the process. She put away the upper arm and forearm but left out the hand. She pulled on the pack then picked up the hand by the index finger and brought it to Tori.

"Here, a snack. We need the rest to last," she said, tossing it. Tori picked it up and greedily bit off a finger, teeth grinding on bone and making Jade shudder. She let it pass over her as she walked away. No matter where she was in the apartment she could still hear Tori munching away. She returned after she was done searching the small rooms. She sat down next to Tori with a tired sigh, looking to rest. The newly created zombie was testing better ways to crack into the last finger bone.

"You look like you're having fun. At least one of us is," Jade observed flippantly. Tori finished off the rest and looked to Jade for more.

"No," she replied, as if she had been asked. Tori groaned and moved to stand but fell back down when she couldn't go anywhere. Jade rolled her eyes and put some space between them before leaning back on the wall.

"You better be here when I wake up, Vega, or so help me…" she threatened, falling silent. There really wasn't anything she could use to scare a zombie. They didn't even know what fear was. Only the hunger and how to quiet it. Jade let her head rest on the wall, her eyes closing. She fell asleep to the sound of Tori's restless shifting and occasional groaning.