Hey ya'll. Super late but ya'll know how things go with the holidays/work and all. I hope you guys are still hanging in there and I apologize for the delay. Thanks for adding me to your favs, following and reviewing (myfavs!).Enjoy guys!


Sofia felt something.

She wasn't quite sure what it was. It was something in the pit of her stomach. Something small and nagging. Indescribable really. It wasn't haunting her, no, it was subtle. There, but not enough to cause any true alarm.

She had gone up on the roof for a brief minute, her mother's would totally freak if they knew she had gone alone, but they were too preoccupied to see her slip away. She knew they loved her, unconditionally, but now their attention was placed elsewhere, and she understood.

Sitting on the roof she realized that as she approached adulthood that word was a major part of it. It's a simple word, not one that needs to necessarily be taught. She couldn't recall when it became a part of her vocabulary, it was just there. And now, now it was the most important word she had ever learned.

She understood that that man who fell into the hall was dead. She didn't know him, no one really did. He was just kind of there, but when they lost him, all of them felt it at once.

She didn't let her mother's know how much it had affected her. She didn't even know, until the tears started flowing when she had a moment alone on the roof. She had no emotional connection to the man himself, but she felt empty somehow. Maybe it was the fact that it was a loss. She supposed that's what death was.

A void.

Left in the heart of the person left behind, and slipped into by the soul departed.

Sofia hugged her knees to her chest. Even still the void wasn't the irksome feeling.

She shivered from the growing chill and felt several drops of water on her arms in succession. That rain Bell had predicted was on its way. She had even watched the dark black clouds roll across the sky and gather in tight little bunches ready to explode.

When she was little her mother told her rain was angels crying. She knew it was precipitation thanks to her science teacher. She found the scientific version much less scarier. She always wondered why angels would cry. Her momma said they wept for the earth.

Sofia gathered her bow and made her way down the ladder, to her surprise no one was on the other end to chastise her. No Bell, with her hands on her hips marching her to her mothers, no Hughes giving her a speech, and her mother's weren't there waving fingers and shouting. Her feet hit the floor and she was in the clear officially. She did notice the hustle and bustle around the factory. Normally everyone would be in their circles, or laying idly in their room but not this time. The speech her mother gave put everyone on notice; everyone else saw it as a call to arms, a call for solidarity. She interpreted as, you work, or you end up like them.

She'd take the work any day and everyone in camp seemed to agree.

Sofia took a moment to observe them all, scurrying about volunteering to complete a task. She knew where her mothers were, one off somewhere calming nerves and the other patching up the breach that had occurred. The last time she saw them both they were talking quietly and parted with a kiss. She was happy the unfortunate events didn't make them bump heads. Normally they'd be on opposite sides, this time they were in it together.

Sofia spotted Kenny near the gates; Sara had her arms wrapped around him as he cried quietly into her shoulder. They were really close, although Sara never gave off any vibes of being the mothering type; she was really good with Kenny. A close bond had formed, one so close to mother and child that she was the only one that could console him. When they left Kenny was okay, but as the time between their departure and return grew wider, the more saddened he became.

Sofia tried to talk to him but nobody could break through but Sara. She was there when Sara told him that everything was okay and that she would never leave his side. As promised, she was there rubbing his shoulders and murmuring words of encouragement.

Sofia could go for a few comforting words and hugs too, but she didn't want to burden her mother's with any more problems. It seems that they had gained the whole camps favor and her mother had now taken full leadership. The last thing they needed to worry about was her. She could find her own strength for now, or maybe later when things cooled off she'd talk about it further.

After passing Kenny and Sara she decided her momma would be the best person to speak to in regards to an assignment however. If she even thought about going down to the breached area, her mother wouldn't be too pleased.

She spotted her momma dabbing away blood from a woman whose face was still ashen and stricken with horror. The woman was shaking, shaking so badly her momma had to cup her chin just to keep her still to provide what little medical aide they could. Sofia hung back watching as her momma finished and applied a bandage.

"It was horrible." The woman whispered her lips cracked and dry.

Callie sighed and brought a cup of water to the woman's lips. She sipped it slowly until the cup was empty.

"It felt like... like I was drowning. When we first saw them pouncing on some of the others, the stampede began. All I saw were legs and darkness…I kept asking for someone to help but no one would stop. They just kept running. And one of those things…I saw it…it…" Her voice cracked and she began to cry.

Callie brought a hand up to the woman's shoulder and rubbed it softly. "My first encounter was the same. I mean my first real up close look at it…my wife and I we were at home. It was so much chaos…" Callie shivered thinking back on that night. Sometimes when she closed her eyes she could still see it so vividly as if it happened just a few short moments ago.

The gunshots, the frenzied eyes of neighbors and friends glazed over with violence and death."…I understand it's hard. We all do. This life with or without those things out there wasn't meant to be easy. I'm not telling you to get over what happened to you…I'm telling you eventually you will. And you'll come out stronger than before."

"But what if I don't?" The woman gasped, her own question driving more fear into her heart. "What if I'm not strong enough to do this? Get up and keep moving knowing and seeing what my end can be?"

Callie shot her a sympathetic smile. "You will." She grabbed both of the other woman's hands. "I was scared, I still am sometimes. It wasn't too long ago when I thought I wasn't. I lived in a constant state of denial about what had become of the world because I-" Callie wet her lips, the pause present only so she could find the most fitting words. "-I couldn't accept it."

Callie gripped the woman's hands a little bit more tightly. "But one day I did. And I realized that yes a bad thing happened to me, but it also happened to everyone else. Everyone else has had that same run in some more than others. To stay alive for myself and my family, I just had to accept that terrible things can happen but I can't stop pushing. That's the most important thing here. You can mourn, you can even take a moment or two to yourself to be sad…but you can't stop pushing."

The woman surged forward and wrapped her arms around Callie, sobbing on her shoulder. After a moment she was all cried out and Callie dried her tears and face with a piece of fabric.

How-" The woman sniffled, her eyes red and puffy. "-how did you keep going?"

Calliope offered another warm smile. "Faith."

"Faith." The other woman huffed. "If you're just going to give me some platitude…"

Callie interjected before she could finish. "I'm not trying to coddle you, I'm just telling you my story." Callie brought her hand to her chest and placed it over her heart lightly. "I never thought my life would end up like this. When this all began I had everything written out for myself and my family. I didn't live a very 'privileged' life…"

Callie chuckled slightly thinking back on some of their harder times. When hours were slow or when Arizona was just transitioning into work. They had so little but they moved forward, all of them together chopping at the bit until things were okay once more.

"…not by any stretch of the imagination. But I had the love of my life and a beautiful kid. I lived happily; saw in my future my sweet baby walking across her stage for graduation…then maybe after college down the aisle. Oh! Grandbabies…loads and loads of grandchildren. Acting silly and driving Arizona up the wall."

They both laughed, the levity sucking some of the dread from the room. Callie's smile faded just a little her own reality crushing her just a little every time she acknowledged it. "That night changed all of that. My plans became…hopes." She bit back her own tears. "Wishes even. It's like you're in a room that you know. You know it like the back of your hand, but then someone comes along and turns out the light. Everything that was once familiar to you is lost, you reach out from time to time and you feel something that was once right there in plain sight. But you can only imagine what it once looked like."

Callie shook her head slightly. "But you can't just stand there flailing in the room until the light returns. You have to keep moving around. Sure you'll get a few bumps and bruises from falling, but you keep on fumbling through that darkness until you can find the switch. That's what having faith is all about for me. Having the courage to be brave through the darkness without knowing what's within it."

The woman smiled, her shaking had stopped. The color returned to her face, and her tears had all but dried.

"If I can have faith in my family and God why not myself?" Callie smiled, her own spirit renewed by speaking the words out loud. "So I took a good long hard look in the mirror, after all that I have been through and came to terms with and said…perhaps I'm stronger than I think?"

"Maybe we all are?" The woman said finally finding the strength to stand. She reached out her hand and helped Callie from her seat.

Callie gripped her hand and stood, smiling brightly. "Maybe."

"I think maybe I'll go look down the hall to see if I can help with the cleanup."

"That would great. I'll be right behind you."

With one more hug for encouragement the other woman left, bypassing Sofia with a short wave. Sofia returned it.

Sofia always wanted to be strong like her other mother. She wanted to be quick and lethal and threatening. What she hadn't realized until listening in from the doorway was that her mom was just as strong in her own way. She had taken someone who was emotionally scarred and healed them with simple words of encouragement and hope.

She saw her mom in a new light standing in that room all alone, her hands planted on her hips. She didn't have a knife or gun like her mother, but tenderness and kindness hung from her belt loops like physical manifestations of strength and resolution.

Sofia walked over to her mom and wrapped her arms around her waist then laid her head against her stomach.

"Hey sweetheart." Callie whispered bending over slightly for a moment to kiss the top of her child's head. "Everything okay?"

Sofia didn't speak she nodded, her hair making a strange sound as it brushed the fabric of her mother's top.

"Sure?"

"Yeah." Sofia backed away with a smile. "Just haven't seen you in a while."

Callie laughed and took a seat, patting the empty one the woman had left behind.

"Checked on mom?"

"I haven't been down there, but I was on my way."

"Think I could come too?" Sofia questioned.

"I don't think that's the best thing for now, it's better for you to stay up here." Callie saw her daughter deflate a bit. "Better to have you up here keeping watch for us." She added it in just to give her a boost of confidence, the smile she got in return let her know her words were chosen wisely.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Callie leaned over and placed a hand on her daughter's knee. "Have you eaten anything?"

"Not hungry." Sofia fiddled with the line of her bow. "I told Steph I'd eat breakfast with her. I think I'll just wait to eat with her when she comes back." She nibbled at her bottom lip softly. "That okay?"

"That's fine. But if you start feeling faint, put something in your stomach."

"Okay." Sofia placed her hand on her mothers. "They're going to be okay, right?"

Callie paused before her response. The truth was, she didn't know. The world was a strange place now, there were no guarantees. She chose optimism instead, for her daughter's sake. "I'm sure of it."

They stood, took one another's hand and walked toward the exit. Sofia didn't let go until they had reached the exit.

"I'm going to go check on Bell, see if she needs a hand." Sofia darted down the walkway, off to find the older woman.

"Be careful." Callie called after her.

"I will." Sofia replied

Callie watched her until she hustled out of sight.


A loud thwack resounded through the small back area as Arizona drove another nail into piece of wood propped up by the father of the Ramirez clan. The last hit from the hammer secured the board in place. He grabbed it and pulled back checking its hold into the wall. He released it then tried once more, when it didn't budge he stepped back to shoot her a thumbs up. She replied with a stiff nod.

She had given up on trying to speak with him, the little Spanish she knew was botched and she didn't want to further insult him. They decided instead to speak through gestures, the thumbs up being the go ahead to start another row.

Arizona stepped back and used the back of her forearm to wipe away a thick veil of sweat from her forehead. She hadn't taken one second to break since they began the demolition. Hughes had found some other weak spots, he decided to tear down and build up so events like earlier didn't reoccur. He was making pretty good time by himself, but even the best time wasn't good enough. They needed these walls up by night time and the weather wasn't helping. Some others had volunteered but they either slowed them down or got too tired to continue. One by one they all fell to the wayside until it was just the three of them down the stretch.

Another board was raised but she took just a few moments to readjust the wrap on her hand. The mixture of the rub of the old hammer and the gnarled pieces of wood they were putting up had made a mess of her right palm. It wasn't much of a bandage, just a torn piece of Hughes's tan Army shirt now a light pink from her sweat and blood.

Arizona nodded then set up a nail to hammer into place but a wash of nausea came over her. All of sudden it wasn't just one nail, it was four. She dropped the hammer and leaned on the more secure parts of the wall, her head bowed, her left hand wobbling in the air to keep balance.

"Arizona." Hughes said dropping his own hammer, the half board he secured by one nail now swinging in his wake. He rushed to her side, tucking his head and shoulders under her left arm.

Arizona took in a sharp breath then shoved off of him. "I'm alright."

"Are you fucking kidding me right now? Even I've taken a break. Sit down in some shade and have a cool drink of water."

She looked up at him, her blue eyes flashing with annoyance. "I said I'm good. Let's keep working."

"Rest." The elder Ramirez said his dark chocolate pupils awash in sympathy. "No good to us hurt." He managed his broken English making a very complete point.

"Don't worry about me." Arizona stumbled forward just a bit and found a point to focus on. While they berated her to take time to rest, she kept her eyes on a small spot in the corner trying to control her focus. Each time she tried her head pounded. That fall in the hallway had been worse than she thought. She couldn't afford to be cloudy. They couldn't afford it. Not now, not ever.

Hughes came for her again but she kept him at bay with her hand. "Get back to the wall."

"Arizona I just think-"

"-I just think we should get back to work!" Arizona snapped whipping around to face them. "Look." She said realizing how nasty she had been and that they were only worried about her well being. "I appreciate your concern." Her voice softened, her eyes flashing to either of theirs. "Time's not on our side. We need to keep pushing."

"Okay, but one more incident like this and I'm telling Callie." Hughes said his hands on his hips.

"I'm a grown woman I can-"

"I'm telling Callie, end of story." He finished then went back to his work.

She mocked him silently and her partner on the wall laughed. She smiled as well. After a beat, they were back to work side by side in their efforts to repair the damage done.

"Those things." Hughes said breaking the silence. "They're closing in on us Arizona."

She continued to swing, listening to him as she worked.

"Crowd's outside at night are growing." He stopped to spit. "Now this."

"Too many sights and sounds." Arizona replied swinging her hammer down on another nail. "Hopefully the rain will wash us down a bit."

"Yeah but what happens then AZ?" Hughes stopped mid-swing. "What do we do when these panels of wood aren't enough?"

"We build them-" Her hammer knocked a nail in place with one blow. "-again."

"We don't need to re-build we need to get out."

She looked over at him and nearly hissed. "That's suicide."

"And staying here with Brooks on one end and those things on the other isn't?"

The mention of his name made her blood boil. "I'll deal with Brooks!"

"Tranquilo." The brown skinned man said his hands still on the wood. "Anger no good to us either."

"You're right my friend." Hughes looked over to Arizona. "I'm sorry. But you know it's time to start moving on."

Arizona paused to rub the bridge of her nose. "Too many people and not enough vehicles. We got kids, old folks. What about our supplies?"

"We start small." Hughes gestured broadly with his hands. "Start scouting, find us a place. Then we start shuttling small groups of people. We can even find more vehicles if you want to get everyone and everything in one swoop."

"He's right." Callie called from the opening of the archway that spilled into the back end. She had been listening to them speaking, listened to Hughes make some very compelling points. Points she didn't think she'd agree with until she walked down to check on her wife.

The floors were stained with blood and no matter how much they pushed water over it with rags and brooms, the stain remained. A splotchy dull red reminder that their defenses were weakening. "This place has been good to us. Better than good since we're all-" Callie paused. "-some of us are still breathing."

Arizona turned to see her wife, her head cocked to the side. "What are you doing down here? Those biters-"

"-will come in droves if you don't lower your voice." Callie said calmly. She walked closer to her wife and then looked to Hughes. "This place is old and we're already packed tight. We need more space and more importantly we need more distance between us and them."

"Both of you are failing to realize that in between us shuttling here and there that those things will be in between. They'll be there when we find a new place…" Arizona turned and went back to work on the wall. "…there be there when we leave. That's one thing that is constant in this life. Them." She swung again with all her might and motioned for another board to be set up.

"Arizona you're being stubborn." Callie said.

"You're being over ambitious." Arizona spat back.

"You're in denial AZ. This isn't where we need to be any longer than we have to. It never was." Hughes added.

"You've got to listen to reason honey." Calliope bargained.

Arizona swung at the wall once more as they continued to goad her into changing her mind. "Will both of you just stop!" Arizona said, fed up. She dropped the hammer and nearly stumbled, she used the wall to keep her balance. Her face was pouring with sweat, her vision blackening around the edges as if she were staring down the end of a tube.

Callie's face dropped and she was by her wife, clutching her to help keep balance before Hughes's hammer could drop.

"I'm fine." Arizona mumbled.

"Like hell you are." She motioned for Hughes to grab her wife's legs with a swift nod. He followed and together they carried her over to the wall and propped her back against the wall. Callie stooped down and cupped Arizona's face. She gripped it slightly when her wife tried to pull away, her eyes narrowed in on her partners.

She spoke to Hughes as she continued to observe Arizona."Did she get hit?"

Hughes laughed. "She kinda' does all the time."

"On the head specifically." Callie said not in the mood for laughter. She didn't like the glazed over look in her wife's eyes. She had seen it before, on one of her girls' face on the little league field. She tripped over someone's leg and landed on her chin. It knocked her silly.

"I mean we got into a tight spot in the hall when the breach happened. A lot happened fast. All I saw was Arizona on the ground."

"Baby?" Callie said her voice softening. She held up one finger in front of Arizona's face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"One." Arizona scoffed trying to stand. "This is ridiculous-"

"Arizona!" Callie said snapping her fingers to get her wife's attention. "You're gonna' sit down until I finish."

Arizona settled back into place, her face frowned up from being scolded.

Callie took in a deep breath and held up two fingers. "How many now?"

Arizona focused in on what she thought were two fingers, but slowly it seemed like she had raised two more to trick her. "Four."

Callie placed her hand over her mouth. "I think she has a concussion." Calliope turned her attention to Hughes and spoke quietly. "Give us a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

When he left Callie took Arizona's hand. "You've got to get off your feet."

"Absolutely not." Arizona said slipping her hand away from her wife. She had to end the physical connection to her. Had to look away to avoid her eyes. She didn't want to listen now. She couldn't stop; if she did it would cost them all.

"Arizona." Calliope said again her expression laced with concern. "You're hurt right now and the only thing that is going to set it right is for you to do as little movement as possible. If you're able to swing a hammer for that long, it isn't severe. Should clear up if you just sit down for a couple of days. But you can't sleep."

"Well that has never been a problem for me." Arizona spat.

"Don't." Calliope said taking her wife's hand once more. "It isn't your fault that you're hurt. I know you're not mad at me. You're upset because you think sitting around isn't helping but Arizona…" She removed her hand from her wife's to cup her chin once more. "…you and I both know we need you well. To wrangle Brooks, to lead, to guide us and you can't do that halfway conscious. So can you just go to the room and just have a seat for awhile? For me?"

Arizona tried to look in every corner of the room but on her wife, but failed. She was beautiful even when she was sad or upset and the concern made her mind even cloudier with guilt. "Okay."

Arizona leaned over and pulled her wife to her, whispering in her ear. "I'm sorry I'm such a cunt sometimes." She broke the embrace and looked over at the wall.

"Better see if anyone else can take over."

"No need." Calliope stated and stood. "I'm going to take over."

Arizona tried to rise too fast but was steadied by her partner. "I'm not leaving you down here alone."

"Arizona."

"Out of the question Calliope!"

"You still don't get it do you Arizona?" Calliope said shaking her head and pointing to the wall. "I'm staying down here and I am going to help complete this wall. When you fall I catch you. When you can't, I can." Callie smiled reassuringly. "Let me help."

"I'm here with her Arizona I won't let anything bad happen I swear."

Arizona looked over Hughes and the elder Ramirez, her eyes shooting daggers at either of them. The cold steel blues softened when they flicked to Callie. "Alright."

She could never say no to her that hadn't changed even post apocalypse.

Arizona looked back over at the two men responsible for her wife. "Anything happen to my wife and I'll stomp a mud hole in you both and walk it dry."

Hughes waved off her threat with a grin and went back to work.

"Need help getting to the room?" Callie questioned as Arizona began her walk back to their room.

"No, don't worry yourself." Arizona said walking down a ways more. "I'll manage."

Callie slipped into a groove with the other two men. She felt good helping her wife but it felt even better just digging her heels in and working. To contribute in more ways than one.

Arizona stood for a moment and watch Callie work. Watched as she'd stop and socialize for a moment but stay moving. She was stronger. Arizona could feel it leaping off of her and into every single person she touched.

Arizona then turned her back to them and began a long slow walk to their room.


Callie stood back and admired her own handiwork, her hammer cradled in one hand a cup of water in the other. She was exhausted, but it was the good kind of exhausted. That feeling when you know the effort you put in was for something for yourself or someone else. It wasn't perfect by any means, the wood they used were rough cuts so panels hung at strange angles and tiny slits could be found, but they weren't large enough to let any of those things in. She was thankful for that. It was jagged a bit uneven but it would do for now.

Hughes broke her train of thought by gently tapping his cup against hers. "Job well done." He said before finishing off his cup in one a large gulp.

Callie did the same.

"It won't hold forever…" Hughes sighed, reluctance evident in his voice. "…Callie I think you need to…"

"Two steps ahead of you." She replied her eyes still glued to the wall. It reminded her of Arizona, broken but resilient, fortified and strong. "She's got her mind set but…" She laughed slightly. "…I'm real good at changing it."

"I'm just glad you're on my side with leaving, I thought Arizona of all people would see."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll definitely try." Calliope added.

Hughes placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That's all I can ask." He removed his hands then clasped them together. "Shall we go spread the good news?"

Calliope motioned for the hall. "You go ahead; I have to go check on Arizona."

"Alright then." Hughes replied with a smile.

The two men left her alone and despite being in a rush to check on Arizona, she lingered a few moments longer. She eyed the wall and placed both hands on her hips, smirking confidently. After a moment she turned and walked back down the hall, already greeted by the cheerful bunch moving back to the quarters. She stopped and eased their minds, assuring all was well and the wall was sturdy. Some were still uneasy, but she promised a guard would be down there for a few nights just in case.

Callie finally reached her door and stepped inside to find Arizona sitting straight up, her back against the wall. She closed the door behind her, walked over to her wife and knelt in front of her.

"How's it going?"

Arizona still felt horrible. If she moved her head too quickly in any direction, it took a few moments for everything to come into focus visually. She felt like she was drunk and had a hangover all at once. "A lot better." She smiled to help her lie seem more convincing.

The soft chuckle from Callie let her know the smile did little to mask her lie.

Callie grabbed either side of her face and looked at her eyes. Still cloudy, better, but nowhere near one hundred percent. Calliope shook her head then kissed her wife's forehead. "You're a terrible liar." Callie said chuckling as she slowly sank beside Arizona until they were shoulder to shoulder.

Arizona lifted up her wife's arm wrapped it around herself, tucking into her tightly.

"Arizona I'm pretty sweaty right now." Callie warned.

"I don't mind." Arizona replied dipping up just to peck her partner's cheek and quickly ducked back into place. She didn't really; she just wanted her around her. Close as possible. She took Callie's hand in hers and sighed when she saw the markings placed on them by the labor. She brought the hand up to her mouth and kissed it. She hated to see those kinds of marks on her wife; she had worked so hard her entire life for Calliope not to have to move a hand. She felt it was her duty. She had promised to take care of her.

Callie felt Arizona's emotions most of the time. Judging by the soft whimpers and touches to her hands, she wasn't pleased with her working on the other end. "I'm fine Arizona." She gripped her wife's hand and turned it so she could place a soft kiss to pale flesh. "Really."

"I know. I know." Arizona paused for a moment. "Wall's up okay?"

"Well it certainly isn't going to be in architectural digest but it's going to get the job done." Callie smartly retorted.

They laughed together, giggled even like they used to do up late at nights when they first met. They could talk for hours about anything and everything. And they nearly tried.

"I'm proud of you." Arizona said breaking away from their merriment.

Callie waved her off. "Just a little wood and-"

"No." Arizona said cutting her off. "It wasn't just a little wood. That's hard work down there and you did a good thing for this camp." Few weeks ago her wife wouldn't have went near that breach with a ten foot pole, now, she was patching it up herself. "You should know that though. That I'm proud of you."

Callie leaned over, a half smile on her face as she kissed her partner. "I love you so much."

After the kiss Arizona reached down to her side and brought her hand up, she kept it clasped shut and held it out in Callie's direction. "Speaking of love, guess what I found while I rummaged through the pack we brought in."

"I thought I told you to sit still?" Callie stated.

"Well I was, and then I thought I'd organize a few things…"

"Mmhm." Callie shook her head slightly.

"But

…" Arizona said shaking her closed hand slightly. "…you won't be mad when you find out what I found. Close your eyes."

Callie closed one, but cracked the other.

"No peeking." Arizona said giggling. "Close em' up, tight."

Callie did as instructed. Arizona shortly after unfolded her hand slowly. She looked over the items in her palm, and then looked at her wife. When she spoke, it was barely above a whisper. The same tone she used when she held them out the first time. "Open."Callie opened her eyes and immediately her hand went to her chest, her eyes large and glassy from the tears forming. In Arizona's hand were two platinum rings.

Callie's heart swelled. She had taken hers off and slipped Arizona's off while she was sleep as she often did for cleaning, and in her haste thought she didn't pack them. Yet here they were. Just like their owners, lost but found.

They weren't fancy then again they weren't the fancy sort. It was the engravings on the ring that made Callie swoon the day Arizona slipped it on her finger.

Callie held out her hand and watched as Arizona placed it back on. She watched her wife the entire time. Saw the bleak factory walls slip away to a rare freezing southern night. Puffs of nervous breath coming from Arizona's mouth as she stammered out the question. Callie said yes before she could even finish it.

Once it was secured back on her finger, Callie held it out in front of her reading the quote out loud. "If ever two were one-"

"-then surely we." Arizona finished, placing hers back on as well. "Would you do it all over again? Knowing all of this?" Arizona questioned not sure why she posed the question but curious to know the answer.

"In a heartbeat." Callie replied adamantly.

Just as the two women were about to embrace once more, Sofia burst through the door her face lit with excitement. "They're back! They're back!" After, she darted from the room.

Arizona popped up, but Callie got up just a bit faster holding her in place.

"Slow down, k? And later, I need to talk you about something."

Arizona nodded, and then the two walked hand in hand from the room and down the hall. As they approached they could hear the murmuring from the crowd, the crash of the rain and the quick movement to close the gate after the van rolled inside. Together they made it to the front of the crowd where they found Sofia and stood beside her.

Brooks was the first to exit which made Arizona roll her eyes. He raised his arms triumphantly, his gun secured to his back. The crowd that had gathered applauded him as well as the other men who slowly stepped out one by one.

Brooks, shit eating grin in place motioned to the van. "The mission was a success!" His positive news was greeted with more applause and Arizona could literally see his head growing by the minute. "We're going to be eating just fine around here, through my leadership-"

Arizona did a quick head count of the team that left. She stepped forward, concerned. "Where are the others?"

Brooks waved her off. "Not important right-"

"What do you mean that's not important!" Arizona shouted, it made her head hurt but he wouldn't let him know she had a point of vulnerability at the moment.

"Some things happened." Brooks said through gritted teeth. Arizona shoved past him and walked over to the van, Hughes was at her side. Together they flung open the van doors to find Aaron shaking, his eyes red and bloodshot, his skin drained of color.

"What the…?" Hughes whispered.

Arizona flooded with worry, reached for him but he jerked away. He twitched slightly then it seemed as if his mind slowly began to recognize their faces.

"He's in shock." Arizona said then left him with Hughes to square up with Brooks once more. "What happened out there?"

Brooks folded his arms across his chest. "I don't have to tell you a god damn thing!"

"They were everywhere." Aaron said stepping out of the van and in full view. His right shoulder was covered in blood, his shirt shredded with claw marks. "They were everywhere and nowhere all at once. I…"

Hughes shook his head sympathetically. "Take your time brotha'."

The crowd's focus left from Brooks's mission accomplished speech and was now glued to Aaron. He took a few more steps, his spirit all but snuffed out. Arizona didn't even see the broken man she thought she had created. He looked like Aaron, talked like him, but it wasn't him. He sounded as hallow as he appeared.

"We saw the X just fine..." He said his voice distant, his eyes never quite reaching Arizona's. "…but Brooks wanted to sweep the houses. We didn't see any biter's so-"

Sofia like all in attendance was enraptured with Aaron's speech. Then something in her head clicked. Someone was missing. "Where's Steph?" She asked tugging on her momma's arm.

Callie heard her daughters question, but Aaron's demeanor and tone suggested he was about to explain.

"Where is she?" Sofia question out loud once more.

Aaron cleared his throat and continued. "I don't know if we stayed too long...if we made too much noise but they were on us in all directions. We tried our best to make it to the van together…she…she was right next to me I swear it…"

Arizona's face dropped. "W-what do you mean?"

Aaron broke down, tears pouring from his eyes. And Arizona realized his skin was pale from the attack, but his eyes were red from crying. "I saw her run…she ran from them…but I…

"Where is she?!" Sofia said leaving her mother behind to stand in front of Aaron.

"I-I got in the van…but I couldn't fight them all…" He sucked in a large breath. "…I tried to…I tried to reach her…" He swallowed thickly. "…we left her behind."

Arizona heard the words leave Aarn's mouth, but she could believe them. She wouldn't. Her eyes kept darting to the van, waiting for Steph to pop-up and tell them it was a joke. She'd be pissed at her but at least she would be here. But she never did. This was no joke, if it was it had a cruel punch line.

"No!" Sofia said stepping towards Aaron, her sadness quickly turning to anger. "You left her! You're a coward!"

Callie walked towards her daughter. "Sofia, why don't you-"

"No! I'm not going anywhere!" Sofia exclaimed jerking from the reach of her momma.

"Sofia!" Arizona said, finding her bearings. "Go to the room, I'll be in there and we can talk okay?"

Sofia reluctantly obeyed her eyes never leaving Aaron. "If she's dead, it's all your fault you hear me! It's all your fault!" Quickly her rage was subsided into soft whimpers into her momma's shoulder as she carted her to the room.

Bell stepped to the front of the crowd. "Alright people, gone back to your rooms now. We'll sort the supplies later and get everyone back up to speed. Go on ya'll, get."

Slowly the crowd dispersed and Arizona was thankful for Bell. With the sudden outburst of questions, comments and concerns, mixed with her worry for Steph, she wasn't sure she would be able to deliver another speech to lull them or coerce them into action.

Arizona slowly turned to Aaron. "She dead?" It was a simple question. She knew there was going to be commotion during an attack, attacks were placed underway to confuse and disorient the enemy. She needed him to have doubt, that way certainty was removed from the table. That way she could go out there and look for her.

Aaron sniffled. "I-I…I don't know. I saw her run, but I didn't see her..."

Arizona walked off unable to look at Aaron anymore. Unable to speak to any of them at the moment. She wanted to find a quiet place and cry for a moment. Just scream and wail. She just kept thinking she was just a little girl. Things just simply shouldn't be this way. She blamed everyone for this occurrence, Steph for talking her way into going, Aaron for leaving her, Brooks because he was a hard headed asshole who didn't follow the warnings she provided. But mostly, she blamed herself.

Hughes trotted to catch up her, once close enough he called her name. "AZ!"

She continued to walk ignoring him completely, the thunder outside filling in where she supposed her responses should be.

"AZ!"

Arizona stopped and turned to him, nearly growling. "What!"

"Where are you going?"

Arizona didn't know where she was going, but apparently her body did. When she realized where she was standing, she was sure of her next actions more now than ever. Arizona now stood in the small weapons cache they had created. She picked up her rifle. Old reliable. The one she came in with. She looked down the site's then cocked the gun snapping in Hughes's direction.

"I'm going to get her." Arizona replied.