Yo, everyone! ;3 SURPRISEE! Did you miss meh? :P So much for 'can't update till I'm free'! xD

The number of email notifications I got of reviews for Chapter 9 tho. *wipes away tears of joy* I feel so loved now! :')

I shall now reply to you all since you're mostly Guest reviewers and I love all my readers so freaking much: 1) "I love this I can't wait until Joel is with Ellie" - Thank you so much! It means a lot to me that I have people that love reading Forgiveness! Believe me; I'm just as excited as you are! That's why I'm updating as often as I can! :) 2) "What's a filler chapter?" - Bruh... You serious? Or are you trolling? But because I'm nice: "They're chapters that take a detour from the main action and plot to instead focus purely on characterization. It's also sometimes just simple fluff and fun for the readers to calm the tension for a while." (Got that off of Yahoo answers, BTW, why can't you just search it up? You're on the Internet, aren't you? xD) 3) "Update or I will be forced to find you and climb into your wonderful brain and stay there, taking in all your storyline." - Awwww! Stahp it, boi! Yo makin' me blush! :33 4) "Update" – DAMN.. Talk about straight to the point AND demanding.. -.-

A quick congratulations to SilverGamerGirl for figuring out who Anna is! I was really looking forward to the reactions of this reveal! ;D

Shall we proceed, my readers? Let's do this. (My apologies if it feels a little rushed, but I'll edit it as soon as I can!) BEHOLD! Our final filler chapter till we head for the main storyline! (dramatic pause for effect)*equips sunglasses*

3 months later..

It's always been like this. Logan doing the littlest of things to get me to form a smile on my face, me getting flustered over his sweet behavior, Haley laughing with Tony at my expense. We're a happy group of 4, despite my being uncomfortable about being teased.

The number of Fireflies has definitely increased, not as much as I'd hoped, but better than nothing; we've got about 30 of our guys now. That's one of the reasons why our crew doesn't have to go out that often anymore. Occasionally, we're sent out for supply raids, but other than that, we're living life surprisingly quite happily and peacefully here in Atlanta. Surprisingly enough, we've only come across Infected during the supply raids; then again, the 'bite-scratch' check-up with Anna in the Infirmary each week is one of the main reasons why we haven't had any Infected at camp. My crush on Logan's only gotten worse, but I'm happy though. Really happy.

HALEY'S POV

This wait is driving me insane. I can't stay here anymore. I see Jared's face every time I look at Marlene. It's like God is testing me, waiting for me to crack. I'm gonna end up killing someone if I stay for another week. God forbid, I don't wanna end up being responsible for the murder of my friends, but where am I gonna go? Who should I bring with me?

I take out my map of the USA from my satchel and lay it out in front of me on my bed in Cabin Four. Where can I go from here? I look at my available options and the ones closest to me. Birmingham, Montgomery, Columbus. Nope. They're all too nearby. I need to head out further. Huntsville, Nashville, Clarksville. Further. My eyes continue to wander around my A2 sized map. Lexington, Louisville- What about Indiana? About 500+ miles from here. Question is, who am I gonna bring?

I sure as hell ain't bringing Mel. She came with her Uncle, which means I'll have to bring her Uncle too, a package deal and the last thing I need right now. Logan needs to stay with her, take care of her; she's like a lost puppy. Bless him. That pretty boy with the heart of a saint. Hang on. What about Tony? He hasn't got any family here, plus he's good company. I'll go see if he's fine with going to Indiana with me. Alright, first thing tomorrow morning, I'll head for Indiana, and if Tony agrees, even better.

MEL'S POV

A week later..

Where the hell did she go? Haley was here this whole time, all of a sudden POOF! She vanishes. Tony's gone, too. Holy shit. Then again, why does it surprise me? This whole time, Haley's been telling me how much she hates the Fireflies, and here she is, leaving without even telling us. It kind of hurts really, I feel like her befriending me is what she does on a daily basis, like I'm just another obstacle in her 'super-interesting' life like everyone else, as if she never gave a shit about any of us.

We've already asked Marlene for a search party. Dozens of times. It's not like she gave a shit either, a pretty bitch move if you ask me; but who am I to judge? Marlene's been really busy with moving out of here to head for Boston. We all are, really. Besides, we've now got the numbers. 2 Fireflies out of over 30 Fireflies? Big deal, the numbers can make up for the loss. What's the point of me bitching over Haley now? She chose to leave. She's gone. There. Done. Finito.

I have Logan with me.

After 2 weeks of packing..

I'm gonna miss this place. The moonlight's shine reflecting against the lake's surface, and the view of camp from Cabin Five's porch steps. The sound of gravel gliding underneath the soles of my sneakers as I ran off to the Infirmary. Anna's look of loathing every time I'd show up late. Our tree with the hollow log, where Logan first smiled at me. Everything about this place, really.

This is 3-4 month basis, though. Moving from area to area, city to city, state to state. The more often we move, the more Fireflies are recruited, but according to Marlene in our last squad meeting which was exactly 2 weeks ago, she said she'd be changing things up when we get to Boston. How or why, I have no idea. I guess she'll give us an explanation when we get there. The higher ranked guys get to ride the bus and army truck that we have while the rest of us who obviously won't fit inside will have to walk on foot. YAY. 1000+ miles on foot, we totally won't be getting any blisters. Luckily, the clan members (the non-Fireflies) are leaving; let's just say they were politely evicted of their accommodation since they're no help to us in any way at all, which means more space for us, I guess.

Here we go then, I guess.

After 500+ miles..

I've lost track of the days. But why does it even matter? All of us managed fit into the vehicles, SHOCKING. I know. There are barely any of us anyways, so what difference does it make? We've had a couple of rest stops so far, mostly to scavenge the empty convenience stores and gas stations we've passed by. The volume of the chatter here is ridiculously loud, everyone's excited to be heading out, I suppose.

I was a late comer on the bus, no surprise, and all the seats had been filled, EXCEPT for the one next to Logan. The moment I stepped foot beside his double seat, he picked up his backpack and rested it on his lap, giving me smirk and both eyebrows raised.

I pull my beanie further over my head in an attempt to block out the noise, covering my eyes halfway along the way. Nope. Not helping. The wool's softness does feel nice though. No denying that. I cross my arms over my chest and droop my head, trying to make myself fall asleep. This feels even worse; my neck is killing me now. I shift to the right and half-sit half-lean into the worn out back of the bus seat. I feel like I'm going to fall off.

I shift to the left and try to lean on that side of the seat by the time Logan notices what I'm doing. I don't realize it since I'm staring at the front pockets of his brown vest. I look up and try to look at his side profile. I end up widening my eyes in surprise to find him staring at me. Maybe he's annoyed with the amount of movement on our seat. I open my mouth to try and make up a lame excuse for my constant movement, but instead I feel my beanie being tugged down by Logan's left hand even more until the top of my nose. The wool makes my eyes feel itchy and I can't really see much of anything. I have to squint through the beanie's tiny holes to be able to make out the shape of his face. I feel the warmth of his right hand come in contact my cold left cheek. "Logan, what're you-?" I'm cut off by his lips. I'm appalled at how soft they are against mine. My heart starts racing at a million miles per hour. He pulls back to look at my reaction. Holy shit. Logan Ross just kissed me. For NO REASON WHATSOEVER.

My beanie is pulled up gently by Logan, allowing me to see his killer smile. I don't think you'd even need to be in Logan's position to see how flushed I am. I've gone red from head to toe. Ears, neck, everything. We have a stare-off again, similar to the one when we first met, except this time his face is just millimeters away from mine.

I stop staring and take a sudden interest in the design of the bus seat. It's barely a whisper, but I hear him, his warm breath tickling my left ear, "If you're sleepy, you can lean into me." I raise my eyebrows at him, and smirk a little.

"That's why you kissed me?"

"Huh?" He's in denial.

I snort, and burst out laughing. It sounds forced, but that's the point. Making Logan feel awkward will be like getting the antlers of a deer after a successful hunt. He's always so relaxed around everyone; I find it a little irritating that he doesn't seem to be fazed by anything. He kissed me so that I wouldn't feel uncomfortable if I leaned into him. Typical Logan; always trying to make things convenient for everyone.

He wraps his arm around me and I nuzzle my head against one of his broad shoulders. This feels so comfortable, almost like home, in fact. "Better now?" he whispers to me.

My eyes start to get heavy and my breathing gets deeper. I say it very faintly, I do. "Better."

10-15 miles till Boston..

"What's going on?"

"Gather around everyone." It's Marlene.

We're all surrounding Marlene and her right hand guys like a pack of wolves. I notice Uncle Tommy is beside her. The crowdedness of this situation makes me feel claustrophobic, as if I'm stuck in a mosh pit. I start to have a mini panic attack, looking like a toddler searching for his mom in the mall during the weekend. I feel a firm hand around my right forearm, causing me to look towards the owner of the arm. Logan. I sigh in relief and shuffle through the crowd towards him, slipping his hand into mine when I get there. I feel safe now. Always have around Logan, and I always will be.

"Alright, folks. Settle down! She's tryin' talk! Guys!" I hear Uncle Tommy yelling. The crowd finally simmers down and lets Marlene speak.

"Okay. So… Things are gonna be changing around here. We can't have all of you staying here with us, cooped up in one place. I know it's stupid to be dividing up since there's strength in numbers, but we need more Fireflies joining us. Not everyone will be able to get to Boston because of the distance, you know?" Marlene says to us, hesitantly.

Murmurs of disapproval start to spread around us, nobody's happy about it, at all. I look over at Uncle Tommy, who gives me a tired reassuring smile. Oh God. Is he going to be leading the other half? I thought we were in this together! This is bullshit! Why would they be separating us when they know for a fact that we'll be screwed over whenever we lack the numbers - which we currently are - I notice Uncle Tommy whispering to Marlene and her two other guys. Judging by the slow nods, I'm guessing they approve of the plan he's suggested.

"Folks!" Uncle Tommy calls to us. "Forget what Marlene said! Just a slight change though: If you don't want to be with us anymore, you can still come with us, but once we're a few meters from Boston's gates, those of you who're splitting up head straight for the entrance. We clear? Raise your right hand up and yell 'AYE' if you agree!"

In chorus, we all yell, "AYE!" pumping our fists in the air as if we're at a rock concert.

DAMN. HALEY AND TONY ABANDONED MEL. No biggie though. xD I needed to get them out of the way, anyways since they are SUCH boring characters.. Back to the story. :P

Exactly 2 miles till Boston..

"I've changed my mind."

"Huh?" The look Logan gives me is incredulous. Complete and utter shock. Betrayal and anger. I don't know. I can't tell.

I lean forward and press my forehead against the back of the seat in front me, trying to get Logan's gaze to stop burning into me.

"Why so suddenly?"

"I don't wanna do this anymore."

Logan lets out a big puff of air from his mouth and sits upright against our double seat. He starts to chew on the corner of his bottom lip when he asks me, "Any particular reason?"

I shut my eyes and take a deep breath. I exhale loudly through my nose. I lick my lips hesitantly before I give him my explanation. "I thought I'd have something to look forward to if I came here. I thought that Uncle Tommy and I could spend more time together, as a family." I place my elbows on my knees and let my head fall into my hands. "He's the only family I've got now, but I guess it's my fault. I left my dad to die of his injuries in an old cabin. We didn't leave him anything other than his godforsaken backpack which probably has nothing in it. I don't deserve this treatment from you, Logan. I'm a horrible person. My dad asked me for forgiveness and I refused his apology without missing a beat. I hit him in his ribs with a baseball bat after he attacked Uncle Tommy. I had to do something! I couldn't just stand there watching it happen! Uncle Tommy would probably be beat half to death if I hadn't hit him! I didn't have a choice!"

I realize I'm sobbing as I continue to ramble on about how much regret I've been carrying with me over the past few months. I tell him everything. About Sarah, about Andy. The crash, the day the Cordyceps hit. When Sarah got shot. I start to sound like a moose giving birth – which I frankly have no idea what it sounds like – when I feel Logan's strong arms wrap around my petite figure, pulling me into him. I feel his chin resting on the top of my head as I continue to sob. My tears have made my cheeks slippery, making it impossible for me to bury my face into Logan's vest. I can feel how gentle his hands are, stroking the back of my neck to comfort me.

I pass out.

A few meters from the gate..

"Who's leaving?" Gary asks us once we all hop off of the bus. We've parked ourselves behind an RV, making it impossible for the soldiers guarding the gate to see us. I find Logan's hand as we exit the group, walking towards Uncle Tommy and Marlene. We're

"We're leaving." Logan says on our behalf.

Marlene's and Uncle Tommy's eyes widen in surprise. "You two?" They say almost in sync.

I nod politely, giving Uncle Tommy a small smile. The sadness in his eyes is evident, almost trying to reach out for me, trying to convince me to stay.

"I'm leaving too."

We turn towards the sound of the voice. Anna?!

"Mark, you coming or not?"

"Yeah, yeah.." MARK. Anna is hooked up with MARK, of all people?! She deserves better than that douche bag!

I take note of Marlene's clenched fists when she sees Anna joining us. "Anna, you can't just go. We need you." A tone of desperation lingers on in her voice, an octave higher than usual when she's upset; trust me, she's got a deep voice for someone that's a little older than me.

"Marlene, you can stop by and see us anytime! Really! We'll be fine! And so will you! You'll find us in some rinky dink apartment in the city if you need anything! Isn't that right, Melanie?"

I can't hear a thing she's saying. I just see her giving me a pointed look and that her mouth is moving. Is she calling me? "What?" Logan gently elbows me, one of his sneaky smirks glued onto his beautiful face. "Yeah.. What she said." I mutter quietly and uncertainly. One of the few times I space out, I end up putting myself in an awkward situation. Oh, the joy of it all.

Mark starts to scratch his stubbly beard in frustration, making this irritating sound that sounds similar to the one that comes from raking leaves in your backyard. Anna looks down on the ground and works her jaw. "Listen Marlene, point is we want out. It's all good. Okay?"

About half an hour later..

Marlene FINALLY gave in; I can see why Anna and Mark are hooked up. They're just as persistent and stubborn as the other. Note to self: Similarities do attract as much as opposites.

Logan lets me have a minute with Uncle Tommy alone. I slowly walk over to him, with my arms crossed over my chest and my lips pursed. My mouth goes dry all of a sudden by the time I'm about a meter away from him. I stare at him and look away; the sad look on his face is contagious. "Why the sudden change of heart, Mel?"

"You said we'd do this together. You didn't keep your promise."

His mouth hangs open, shocked at my reason and shocked at my decision. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, taking a sudden interest in the tiny cracks in the road.

"Did you sign up just because of Marle-" I start.

"No! Well, maybe. I mean, I don't know.."

I snort and bitterly give him my reply, "You and your excuses. Honestly, Uncle Tommy. Keep this up and you'll eventually turn into Dad."

I see the wince on his face when I finish. I'm a bitter and unforgiving person. Get used to it.

"Whatever. I'm over it. I've got Logan now." A long-ish silence hangs in the air. "So, what now?"

"I don't know. We'll see. If I stay, I'll stay. If I don't, I don't."

"Let me know if you do?" I ask him.

He gives me his winning smile, the kind that always manages to make me smile, no matter how bad things are. "Sure thing. C'mere."

I half-skip half-jog over to him. Bear hugs were one of the few things I'd always look forward to when seeing Uncle Tommy. Seeing this might be my last time..

He releases me and puts a hand on my head, ruffling my hair. "Stay safe, kiddo. I'll miss you." He gives me a peck on my forehead.

"And me, you."

Woo weeeeeeeeeeee! We're finally heereeeeee! Exactly 13 days since I've last updated! xD Let me know what you all thought of this chapter, peeps! Readers, I beg of you, PLEASE forgive me for the 'fluffy' bits. I am GOD AWFUL at writing romance. xDD But for now.. TTFN! Ta ta for now! ;)