AN: Oh wow, it's been waaaaay too long since I've posted and I'm sorry but I seriously wasn't able to get anything decent onto the page. This story is going to be a lot shorter, which is probably fine because I think the following dropped after the first one. But here's an update for those still following. Sorry it's so late.

Ana:

I kept shaking my head, unable to come to grips with…everything.

Coming out and seeing Melina being hastily taken away with a deadly stab wound.

Echo looking after, horrified, blood dripping from her hands. Then looking at me, and saying, "Her family."

Waiting for the elevator to get to the right floor.

Having to push past people, so many people, to get to the waiting room.

Gasping out that Melina had been stabbed.

Seeing my friends and family turn three shades paler and the concern and panic that masked their faces.

Then having to wait more.

Echo finally returning, curling up in a chair next to Papa.

Rory was holding my hand between our chairs, silently supporting me as I grew more and more overwhelmed by the amount of people in the building. In the city.

Melina was still alive.

Gareth was being moved.

A nurse came out, "Family of Gareth Valdez?"

"That's us." Calypso jumped up, followed by Leo and Maggie.

"Follow me."

I looked after them, then over at Papa and Echo.

Echo's gaze was empty. Blue lightbulbs, and the filament burnt out.

I waved my hand a bit to catch her attention.

She became alert, meeting my eyes.

I nodded. I nodded and let her know that I would go with her.

"Go where?" Rory whispered, scowling slightly at me.

I told her mentally.

Rory nodded, but I could tell she wasn't thrilled. Where you go, I go.

Sentimental, interesting. Is it because two of our friends are now in the hospital?

Rory nodded after some hesitation, we should leave now.

Not before Echo sees Gareth. Not before I see Gareth. Not until we know that Melina is going to be okay.

Echo won't see him. With these situations, it's family only. She'll have to sneak back to see him.

Shoot, I wrinkled my nose, this isn't going to be easy.

Rory shook her head.

Echo arched an eyebrow.

I glanced at Papa's closed eyes, and nodded toward the window.

She nodded and carefully extricated herself, going to the window.

I started looking through the magazines, then went over to another table to 'look' through those and whispered what Rory had told me to Echo.

She sighed, "Alright. I'll meet you two downstairs in fifteen minutes."

"Okay, do…do we say goodbye?"

"No. Just say you're going to the cafeteria because you didn't get your drink last time."

I nodded, "Okay." I grabbed a magazine and started walking back over, relaying the plan to Rory.

Rory gently woke Papa, "We're going down to grab some snacks and drinks since they didn't get to earlier. Okay, Papa?"

He blinked and nodded, "Sure, just be careful."

"Sure thing, Papa." She kissed his cheek.

He gave her a twenty from his pocket.

I looked him over well, wondering if I would ever see him again.

Rory pushed me, "Come on, dork. We'll get you some chocolate."

I rolled my eyes, more out of habit than actual annoyance. I just…didn't want to leave.

Not again.

—~~—

Nico watched his twins leave, then realized Echo was gone as well. Strange. Maybe she went to the bathroom.

Will came out and dropped into a chair beside him, "Where are the girls?"

"Twins went to get a snack and drink. Not sure where Echo went. She might be wandering." Nico took his husband's hand. "Are you okay?"

"Exhausted," Will replied, then shrugged, "But Gareth will be alright. And I've heard from a former colleague that Melina should pull through."

Nico squeezed the hand he held, feeling the tremble in them. "I've got a bad feeling, Will."

"Me too, sunshine. Me too."

—~~—

Echo:

Leo and them helped me slip in to see Gareth after I told them that Papa wanted to take Dad home.

I kissed Gareth's forehead, "I'm going to fix this. I promise. When you wake up, this will all be a bad dream."

Gareth seemed to be resting easily.

I left, not wanting to risk getting caught. Said goodbye to them.

Then I met my sisters downstairs.

And we ran. We got across town, to our house and grabbed out backpacks, and then we were out the door and on our way to an adventure that we didn't want.

Two days after, we finally got some direction.

Rory woke up with a shriek, the stared at me, "What…"

"You shrieked."

She shook her head, "What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell us?"

I shushed her, "Rory, you'll wake Ana. She's exhausted."

"They're going to die. They're all going to die." Rory said, glaring at me.

"I know!" I hissed, "Do you think I've been standing idly by? Think I haven't been trying to figure out a way to prevent it? This world is going to hell, and I'm grasping at the only lifeline I've seen."

Rory shook her head, "Why…why didn't you tell us?"

"Because…I keep seeing things and I want to believe they're wrong. We have to free the woman. That's all I know." I rubbed my forehead, "I wish I could say what I was seeing wasn't real. But now it's all happening, Rory. All of it. Gareth in a coma, Mel getting stabbed. You two went all…I don't want to say exorcist, but you two were acting possessed. You did something that shouldn't have been possible. You two are in trouble. Papa didn't want to say anything and risk you two going all…"

"Freaky-deaky," Rory finished, frowning at the ground. "That explains the memory gap."

I sighed and leaned against her, "Just…stay my sister."

"I don't think anything can change that."

There were howls in the distance to the west.

Echo's eyes widened, "Stoke the fire."

"What? Why?"

"The wind is blowing from the east. They probably smell us." I scrambled to my bow and knocked an arrow.

Rory stoked the fire, tearing a page out of her notebook and tossing it in to get higher flames, "Ana. Awaken."

Ana yawned and woke up, "Aurora…"

"Wolves, Ana."

Ana sat up abruptly and grabbed her sword, "This has to get better. Tell me this is going to get better."

"It's going to get better." I drew and aimed, seeing movement.

Another howl to the north.

One to the south.

I fired.

Instead of a yelp, there was a yell.

That's when I knew we were in serious trouble.