September 3 10:00 AM

"Sabrina said she found you passed out on the floor near your bed-cave. Are you okay?" Doc asked. Secrets are nonexistent in the caves; the place where I sleep is no exception.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just tired last night after the raid and all. I guess I just didn't make it back to the cave. No big deal," I said. I was sitting on one of the cots in the hospital. Sabrina dragged me in here the second I was awake. Doc did his thing to make sure I didn't have a concussion or anything.

"You're sure that you didn't pass out?" he said, but it was more of a question.

"Well… I might have passed out-"

"See!" Doc was adamant.

"But nothing bad happened," I added hastily.

"You could have been really hurt. These caves can be dangerous. If you were that tired, why didn't you stay in here and rest?"

"In case you haven't noticed, these cots aren't the most comfortable beds in the caves. I would have been better sleeping on the floor. At least the floor has dirt to soften the feel of the rocks," I said.

Just the, I saw something move in my peripheral vision. Doc noticed it, too. We looked up and saw Jeb and Jamie standing in the doorway. "Y'all should keep it down in here. They can probably hear you all the way in China. They may not understand a word of it, but they'd hear you alright," Jeb joked. "Ali, we all care about you, my nephew especially. We want to make sure you stay safe, just as we want everyone else to."

I nodded because it's better not to argue with Jeb. He'll twist your words so much that you'll end up rooting for the opposing side.

"Are you okay?" Doc asked again.

"Yes," I said.

"Come back if you feel light-headed at all," he commanded. "Jamie, I trust you'll make her come if you notice anything."

Oh great,I thought, he's getting Jamie on his side. I'll never have a free moment again.

Jamie walked with me to the mess hall. Jeb stayed back at the hospital because he wanted to do a supply check. That probably means there will be another raid soon.

"Hey, you guys, what's up?" Luke said. He sure is chipper, I thought.

"Nothing," I said before Jamie could butt in.

I steered him to a table and sat down with him. "Look, I know you're concerned and stuff, but I can take care off myself, sweetie."

He looked a little crestfallen, but I think he understood what I was trying to say.

We went to get breakfast. It was oatmeal today.

Jamie and I didn't have to do school anymore, because both "teachers" had run out of stuff to teach the older kids. Isaiah and Freedom had to go to school still, but we got to work with the others in the fields now.

After breakfast, everyone headed to the fields. We were getting the soil ready for the next crop. I didn't really know, or care, what we were planting, because food was food to me. Work went by fast for me everyday because I got to work with Jamie. Our relationship was doing great, well as great a relationship as two 14-year-olds can have.

Mel cornered me after the morning session was over. "Jamie's birthday is in 2 weeks. I have no idea what to do for him; he's been spending all his time with you lately," she whispered.

"Two weeks!" I whispered back. "We'll need to have a good idea by the next raid. I think Jeb was planning to set up one soon."

"The raid is in three days. Jared, Ian, and I will be going. Wanda wanted to stay back so she wouldn't spoil Jamie's surprise." Wanda was working on her lying skills, but even though she's been a human for so long, she still hasn't been able to hide her tells.

"Can I come too? I'm a pretty quick learner, and I don't take up much space," I begged.

"That's what I was going to ask you. I guess I have my answer?" she said, but it was really more of a question.

"It's a definite yes. How long will we be gone?"

"I don't know. Probably 3 to 5 days. Can you handle being away from Jamie that long?" she teased.

"Only if Ian can survive being away from Wanda," I teased back. The couple was practically joined at the hip. It was kind of funny to imagine them separated.

"It's settled then. Don't let Jamie know you're going. He'll try to get on the raid to, and it's almost impossible to say no to him," she warned.

I laughed and we walked to the mess hall together. We talked about work and life in the caves. "You've adjusted nicely to life in the caves," she commented.

"I've had a lot of practice getting used to new situations. It's kind of second nature now," I replied.

Jamie looked up at me when he heard my voice. He smiled and patted the seats next to him. We nodded and got in line for our plates. Lunch was what we usually had close to the next raid: a hard roll with jelly, some cold mashed potatoes, and whatever we had for dinner the previous night, but cold.

"Sorry, but you guys were taking a while and I was hungry," Jamie apologized, but I could tell he wasn't really sorry.

Mel and I shared a smile. The nice thing about the caves was nobody put anyone else down because of age or size. We all treated each other with a general respect. There were, of course, pranks and teasing, but what family was complete without that?

Just then, Adelle burst into the room. "Ali! Mom's awake!" I jumped up and ran over to her.

"Really, that's great!"

We ran to the hospital. I was shocked to she Mrs. Shay sitting up and looking totally normal.

"Hey, sweetie, I missed you," Mrs. Shay said. I couldn't speak. Last time I saw her, she was dead to the world. Now she looked like she could run a marathon, I mean, she had done it before.

I came and sat next to her. Luke and Adelle were already in chairs. "Doc says I have to wait a little while longer before I can get up. Apparently, there weren't too many foods or fluids they could get in my system. How've you guys been?"

"Okay. I missed you and Dad a lot. Where's he?" Adelle said.

"Your father…he didn't make it. The souls saw that he was 'too resistant.' He's in a better place than this sick world."

"I'll second that motion," Luke said. There was a sad light in his eyes.

We all kind of sat there for a while, just catching up. Then I remembered I had to get back to lunch and work. "I've got to go. I'll see you after I finished in the fields. Jeb should give you and Adelle the day off, Luke."

He nodded and I ran back to the mess hall. Everyone was finishing up, so I didn't have to gulp down my lunch as fast as I thought I would have to. Jamie laughed at me the entire time.

We all headed back to the fields. As I was working, the shoulder of my shirt started to slip. I put it back in its place and noticed something: I had scars. Normally, that wouldn't have bothered me, but I was about to do a real raid. I couldn't have scars running down my arms; I would stick out like a sore thumb. I made my decision then and there: I had to go to Doc.

I looked up and saw Mel looking at me from the other side of the cave. I signaled her to meet with me when we were done. She nodded and we went back to work.

A few hours later…

"What'cha need, kid?" Mel said in her best Jeb voice.

"On my first raid, the subject of scars came up. As you know, I have a lot of them. Souls don't have scars, so…" I faltered.

"In order to go out in public, you can't have scars," Mel finished. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to get rid of them. Can we do it here, or do we need to do it on the road?"

"I'll go ask Doc. You and I have been doing too many things together to seem ordinary to Jamie. If we can do it here, when would you like it to happen?"

"As close to the time we leave as possible. I don't want Jamie asking questions."

We parted, and I went to go find Jamie. We laughed and teased each other all the way to the main cave. "I'm going to go get a bath. I'll see you soon, baby," I said.

"I love you," he replied.

September 6 4:00 AM

"Ali, it's time," Mel was shaking me awake. No, she was carrying me through the halls. That's weird, I thought.

I woke up and she stopped so I could stand up on my own. "I didn't want to wake Sabrina up, so I carried you. Sorry."

"It's okay. Is Doc ready?" I was scared, but I was ready to get rid of that constant reminder of my past.

"Yes. Does Jamie know?"

"No."

"Would you like me to stay with you?"

"Yes."

We walked into the hospital. "Sit here and open wide," Doc said, patting the cot next to him.

I did what he said; he placed a small square on my tongue. It dissolved so quickly, I wouldn't have known it was there unless I had seen it. Then, something strange happened. I became very calm, and the slight headache I had from waking up so early was gone. "What was that?"

"No pain. I have to cut open your scars no. It won't hurt, but you will feel something," he said. His entire demeanor changed when he was working. He was so focused compared to his light attitude at meals and game time.

"Let's do this."

He took his scalpel and, very gently, cut along each of the lines on my arms and back. There were 30 in all, but some were thicker than others because I got hit multiple times on the same spot. Doc then used "Heal" and "Seal" on the open wounds and the blood and scars were gone. For the first time since I was 6, my arms were bare. My back was truly healed. I felt free.

"Be careful today, okay?" Doc made me promise.

As we left the hospital, Mel said, "You'll probably feel a little high for a while, but don't think you can't get caught. Raiding is dangerous when we have a soul with us. It's even worse without one."

"I'll play it safe, don't worry," I replied.

"I'm going to go wake Jared up. Why don't you get your stuff together and get Ian. I'll meet you in the main cave in 30."

I agreed and ran off to my bed-cave. I saw Sabrina sleeping there and decided to leave a note so I wouldn't freak her out:

-Sabrina

I'm going on a raid with Jared, Ian, and Mel. We'll be doing a usual run, but we're also getting stuff for Jamie's birthday. Please don't tell him why I went, but do tell him I'm on the raid and will come back in 3-5 days.

-Ali

I put all of my things together and stuck my note up on the door. Then, I ran down to Ian's room and woke him up. As I left, I saw him kiss Wanda's forehead lightly. Awwww, I thought.

I was the first one at the main cave, but the others weren't far behind. We all got ready for our run in the desert, then made a break for it. The stars were so beautiful, and I regretted not being able to share the view with Jamie. Oh Jamie, I thought, He's going to kill me when we get back.

A/N: I'm so sorry but I might leave you hanging for two weeks. Unless I can get a posting in tomorrow or Wednesday of this week, don't expect a chapter until two weeks from now. I have a very busy life, but I try my best to do my FanFic-ing regularly. Thank you for being so supportive.

-rubikmaster