A/N: okay, people wanted this updated, so here you go! Sorry for any mistakes I wrote this on my phone. WARNING. Little bit of gore in this.
Three light taps on the side of the truck roused Beca from her sleep. Her eyes opened slowly before drifting back shut. Jesse watched from the open tailgate as she tried and failed to wake up. He smiled lightly. It had been a very long time since Beca had slept through an entire night. Not to mention the sound of him knocking on the side of the truck wasn't even enough to wake her up.
A day earlier she would have bolted out, gun ready. Today though, he watched as her eyes fell closed and she tucked herself further into the body that had held her all night. Chloe was still asleep as well, one arm tucked under Becas neck and the other wrapped around her so she was cuddled into her chest, her face resting below Chloe's chin.
Aubrey walked around the back and yawned as she looked into the back. A small smile tugged at her lips as well.
"Well, isn't that cute."
"Beca hasn't slept like this since before it all happened." He said. "She will sleep two maybe three hours at the most."
"Like I said, Chloe has a way of making you feel like nothing is wrong in the world. Also, she is a human furnace and Beca is probably the warmest she has been in a while."
"Where is Stacie?" He asked.
"She walked into the woods, I think she had to go to the bathroom."
Jesse nodded. "I don't want to disturb them, I knocked to warn them I'm was coming around but it didn't work." He chuckled. "Help me close the tailgate?"
She looked at him curiously. "Why?"
"I was going to start something for breakfast and the smoke might get in the truck and wake them up." He said.
She nodded with a smile, "That's thoughtful." She said and grabbed her side of the tailgate. Together they quietly lifted it and pushed it into place, trying to be as quiet as possible. Jesse then let the glass panel down that had cardboard taped over it and he knew they were now covered in darkness.
"Hungry?" He asked as he walked toward the fire.
"Always." She laughed as she followed him.
Jesse dropped down in front of the fire and began poking at it, trying to bring the flame back to life and Aubrey knelt next to the couch where the box of food was. Jesse smiled as it worked and stood up walking toward the house to get some more wood.
"What were you thinking of making?" She asked as she rummaged through it.
"Not sure, what is in there?"
Aubrey blew out a breath as she looked, unaware that Luke was awake and coming up behind her.
His eyes were blood shot, his face covered in dirt and sweat. Dark black circles under his eyes made him look as if he were dead.
Aubrey didn't hear or see him, when he came up behind her and using his foot, shoved her down into the dirt. She was caught off guard and flipped around, the kick had knocked the air out of her and she gasped for breath, as Luke pounced on her, using his body weight to hold her down and his right forearm pressed into her throat. He used her lack of air to his advantage and placed his other forearm over her mouth so she couldn't scream.
Jesses back was to them, a few yards away and didn't hear the muffled cry as Luke suffocated her.
Jesse had just lifted an arm full of wood when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see Stacie to his left, her crossbow aimed and about to shoot.
He looked to see what she saw, as an arrow whistled through the air and Luke screamed in pain. Jesse bolted over, throwing his foot out, kicking Luke in the face and he fell off of her.
Stacie ran over dropping her crossbow on the couch.
Jesse was about to help Aubrey, when Stacie blocked him.
"Take care of him, I've got her." She said helping Aubrey to sit up as she coughed and tears steamed down her cheeks.
Stacie lifted her chin to inspect the redness of her neck. It wasn't too bad, but would definitely bruise. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed her and pulled her close.
"It's okay, you're okay." She said and relaxed when Aubrey allowed her to comfort her.
She looked over to where Jesse had just yanked the arrow out of Luke's arm.
That's when the tailgate was thrown open and Beca and Chloe both jumped out, a gun in each of their hands.
They took in their surroundings before letting their eyes settle on Jesse and Luke. It wasn't long before Chloe's eyes shot to Aubrey, and she ran over dropping beside them.
Beca watched her go for a second before walking over to Jesse and pointing her gun at Luke. His face was bloody, and a large cut was now on his cheek.
Jesse stepped back, breathing hard and looked at Beca who was looking at him expectantly.
"He tried to kill her." He said, his breathing labored.
Chloe's eyes grew and she grabbed Aubrey by the shoulders to look at her.
"Her neck." Stacie said, and Chloe looked to see the red and already bruising skin. Her eyes blazed and she looked up at her friend. Her eyes were filled with tears, and fear. She glared and looked over at Jesse and Beca. Luke was on his knees, his eyes murderous.
Her eyes met Becas and the smaller girl quirked and eyebrow in question. Jesse looked between the two and everyone was silent aside from the small breaths coming from Aubrey as she tried to calm down.
"Kill him."
There was barely a second between Chloe's words and the gunshot. A dull thud happened a moment later and then another shot rang out as Beca shot him once more. Just to be sure. Chloe looked back at Aubrey, pulling her out of Stacies grasp and into her own.
XXXXXX
"You didn't have to make that decision, Chloe."
Crystal blue eyes stayed locked on the half dug hole in front of them.
Jesse wouldn't let anyone help him, as he dug the shallow grave. Aubrey stood beside Chloe, her arm wrapped around her waist. Stacie stood a few feet away, her crossbow held by her side, keeping lookout.
"Yes I did." She said. Her voice low and almost lifeless. She hugged herself lightly, needing the comfort but not asking for it. "He tried to kill me yesterday. Or Beca, I don't know which. Maybe both." She said with a heartless laugh. "Then you, today. He didn't deserve to live anymore."
Aubrey couldn't bring herself to argue. She knew he had it coming. She just hates that it had to happen. She hates the position Chloe was put it, the choice she made. She hates Luke for turning into such a monster.
She glanced over to where Beca was standing, over his body. Her eyes scanning the area as did Stacies.
"I'm still sorry." Aubrey said quietly and Chloe could hear the pain in her voice. She slowly looked to the side, the first thing she saw was the dark purple bruising over Aubrey's neck. Then, the tear tracks down her cheeks.
She dropped her arms and wrapped one around the girl, feeling her lean into her.
"I'm sorry too Bree." She said. "This was for the best. He was dangerous, he was becoming so unpredictable and honestly... after yesterday, he didn't stand a chance anymore. He was useless without his hands. He wouldn't be able to fight or shoot or even feed himself."
Aubrey knew she was right. It was just the accepting it part she was struggling with. He had been there friend after all. Once upon a time. She tried not to think of that. Instead tying to remember the bad things. That would make it easier to accept this. The times he lost his temper, and hit one of them. The times he would find alcohol and get drunk, and come onto them. The times he succeeded.
She knew this was for the best. She just hated that this was the world they lived in now.
XXXXXX
They finished burying Luke sometime around mid afternoon and made their way back to camp in silence.
When they reached it, Beca walked over to the couch, having spotted something and Stacie and Chloe watched as she picked up a dead rabbit. She held it up by its back legs and looked at them questioningly.
Stacie stepped forward and nervously scratched the back of her neck. "Uh yeah, I shot that this morning, before everything happened." She said and Jesse and Aubrey looked over, smiles appearing on their faces at the sight.
Chloe crossed her arms uncomfortably and looked at Beca.
"There should actually be-" Stacie continued and stepped forward to where Beca found the rabbit. They watched as she pulled a squirrel out from half way under the sofa. She had dropped them there that morning after to running over to help Aubrey.
"I wanted to say thank you, for letting me stay here last night, I was going to cook them up for you before I left."
She said almost shyly.
"Why would you leave?" Jesse asked stepping forward and taking the rabbit from Beca.
"Well, I don't know, I guess I figured the invitation to stay was a one night type thing." She said.
Jesse smiled. "Well, I don't know about you three," he looked at Beca and Aubrey and Chloe. "But I think she has more than earned her welcome here."
Aubrey smiled and nodded. "I guess if Aubrey and I are allowed to have a say so, then yeah." Chloe said. "She has saved us both, I'd say she is welcome."
Stacie smiled lightly. They all looked at Beca and the smaller girl looked up at Stacie.
A few seconds passed before she smirked lightly and nodded.
"Are you sure?" Stacie asked. "I've never been with a group, I don't really know how it works."
Jesse smiled. "Well, we all pitch in. We all hunt, set traps, take watch, go on supply runs and protect each other. Which you already do very well."
Stacie blushed. "Thank you." She said as Beca reached her hand out and Stacie passed her the squirrel.
"She makes really good roasted squirrel." Jesse said as Beca moved over to the tailgate to skin the animal.
"Ever skinned an animal?" Jesse asked Chloe.
She shook her head.
"Well, why don't you go watch Beca, and Aubrey you watch me with the Rabbit."
They both looked a little hesitant.
"Come on, a little bit of blood for a hot meal." Jesse said.
They both exchanged looks before Chloe walked over to stand next to Beca. Stacie smiled to herself as she watched them. She was apart of a group. Something she never thought she could be.
Chloe watched with a look of disgust as Beca pulled the skin off of the Squirrel before cutting it open and gutting it. She felt a little queasy but pushed it aside.
"Beca, uh, I wanted to say thank you. For you know, allowing me to help you last night." She said quietly. Beca shifted slightly. They had woken up so suddenly, tangled together and she had instantly missed the contact with the younger girl when they had to separate so abruptly.
She could see that this was making her uncomfortable, but she couldn't deny that she had helped her the night before and she knew Beca couldn't either. She didn't want to make it weird, she wanted Beca to know, that she was okay with it.
"So yeah. If you ever need anything like that, I mean if you ever need someone to just, be there..." she stumbled over her words. "You know, I'm here. And I'd love to be that person." She looked down, feeling a little awkward, knowing Beca wasn't going to reply verbally. Seeing her small slender fingers currently covered in blood as she cleaned out their late lunch. She began to feel a little self conscious as the second went on.
Then, Beca looked at her, a small smile of acknowledgement on her lips before she looked back down and continued her work.
Chloe smiled. She was getting through to her. Slowly, but surely. She would crack the quiet mystery that was Beca. Eventually. Now, she was just content knowing that Beca knew she was there for her.
