Hey guys. I know its been a while since I updated and honestly I don't have a lot to offer you in the form of an excuse. I've been going through some personal family problems and honestly I've just been trying to take it all in without breaking down. It's becoming hard...But I know how much you all wanted another chapter and I'm more then happy to deliver! :D

You all did amazing with reviews and you have no idea how happy I was everytime I saw one. We're only 9 away from 200!

stormrunner74: I wanted to give you a peek at the OCs past and see if you could kind of figure out what had happened to them before I spelled it out. I'm glad you understood! :D I honestly enjoy writing all of my OCs (Even Haley!) and I'm excited to show you who they can be. Ugh man I really liked Dale and I was really sad to see him go. I think you're in the second season and if so I hope you enjoy it! That's probably my favorite season. Thanks for reviewing!

Just-A-Punk-Lemur: Yeah if I were to do a Percy Jackson Meets That '70s Show I'd have Eric be Percy and Annabeth be Donna! How could I not? They're perfect for each other. Last time I checked (Which was about a month ago) Glee Meets Percy Jackson was in the lead in the poll.

TheOneThatSitsAndLISTENS: Who knows what will happen int eh future? But yes I agree. Most stories have that one character that just loses their mind. The end of the world is a hard time my friend. I'm half Hispanic (I look more Hispanic then my other culture) so trust me haha I know we're awesome. And I know kids get slapped a lot as a form of discipline but honestly even one slap is a form of child abuse and Maya was being punished by the last family member she had left in the world so it also left emotional scars. I got spanked growing up but never slapped. And yeah I was going for a little family cheese. Not everything has to be sad and scary. Thanks so much for reviewing!

clo7615: Thanks so much! Enjoy the chapter!

mi5hao: Thank you for reviewing! Enjoy the chapter!

ResidentOfCabin6: I've found I've put a little piece of me into every OC so I can relate to all of them and make their emotions and reasoning understandable. I was worried about the chapter because most readers do abandon stories that focus too much on OCs and I don't intend to do that, I merely wanted to show a bigger piece of them so people wouldn't seem them all as a bother. I'm so happy to know you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

ANNABETHALWAYS: I'm glad you enjoyed the singing! Haha I thought it was a sweet little touch to end the chapter. Each character has their own personality and I hope you start to enjoy them all because you see a little part of yourself in them. Thanks for reviewing!

I'mADemiGodConsultingDetective: Honestly I'm pretty selective with what superheros I enjoy haha I don't really like Spiderman. I've heard of the Big Bang Theory and I've seen gifs and stuff from it but no I've never watched it. I'm going to start watching Green Arrow soon though. I watched an episode or two with my older brother yesterday. I've gotten good with my own bow and arrow so I feel connected to him now haha I wanted to make the OCs more real to my readers with the flashbacks! Glad you like them! And I laughed. Only speak English and Fangirl? I feel you. I'm half Hispanic so I can kind of understand Spanish but I'm learning how to speak it right now. I had to look online for some translation. When I first updated I had to go back and put the translations cause I forgot. I can't give away their entire life stories. There are still some things to learn and figure out. One big one will be revealed in this chapter. I haven't checked my poll recently but it looks like Glee Meets Percy Jackson is in the lead. I might do Glee and the Elements cause I have great ideas for both. I'm not sure yet. Thanks for reviewing!

Myfanfics1332: That's so nice to hear! I hope this chapter makes the long wait worth it. Thanks so much for reviewing! Enjoy the chapter!

Jedi1: Glad I did a good job then! I want to look more into the triangle without making it too cliché. Thanks for reviewing.

Marvin: That's so cool that you have a twin. Thank for reviewing! Love the name by the way.

CookieNinja: I could probably do a big section about Nico but not an entire chapter. You know I adore Nico so I have no problem with that. And a super Spanish rant does sound fun. I'll see if I can fit it in anywhere. Thanks so much for reviewing!

Jackiejan: I'm guessing you're talking about The Elements. I'm still trying to decide what I want to do. For me now it seems more between Glee and The Elements. Thanks for reviewing!

twinsarekeepers: Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy the chapter!

Guest: Haha thanks for reviewing!

Thank you all for reviewing! Remember we're only 9 away from 200! That's so awesome!

Annabeth was growing restless. Her body ached to move and run and her fingers were itching for her crossbow. Sitting in a bed for days didn't feel natural to her, and while she appreciated Nico and Percy taking care of her, she was ready to ditch them both and spend a quiet day by herself. Piper had mentioned her leg was looking good and there didn't seem to be an infection so Annabeth was feeling hopeful. Her leg didn't feel wonderful but Annabeth felt good enough to take a little walk. However, that plan seemed impossible with Percy playing watch dog. Nico seemed to be guarding the door and Annabeth felt trapped in. When Kate walked into the room to serve her lunch, she took her chance.

"Kate." She hissed quietly. Percy didn't hear her. "You gotta help me."

"Feeling cooped up?" Kate whispered coyly, her smirk broadcasting her amusement. "Hold on."

Annabeth sighed as she took a sip of the warm soup but her eyes were on Kate. She casually glanced around as she walked towards Percy, another bowl of soup in hand. With a short gasp, Kate stumbled and dumped the soup all over Percy's shirt. He gasped as he stood up. Kate began to apologize as Annabeth sat up. She had to bit her lip to hide a smirk. Nico's eyes widened as he turned from the doorway to look at Percy. He whistled lowly.

"Hey I can see your nipples!" He cheered happily making Annabeth snort. Nico's eyes wandered over Percy's form before he glanced over at Annabeth with a gleeful smile. "Nice."

Percy rolled his eyes and started to wipe the soup off his shirt. Kate quickly shook her head.

"No, no that won't clean it. Maya washed some clothes earlier today. You can borrow one of Troy's until that one is clean."

Percy glanced over at Annabeth and narrowed his eyes.

"Can you bring it to me?" Percy asked slowly. His eyes were still on Annabeth. "I can just change in here."

"And have Nico eye rape you?" Annabeth asked with raised eyebrows. "C'mon, just change in the bathroom. It'd only take a few minutes."

Nico raised his hand.

"Um yeah because I'm me I'd suggest using a bathroom. I can't control my eyes and where they may wander."

Percy groaned and looked at Kate expectantly. She smiled and quickly gestured for him to follow her. Annabeth watched with a small smile as Percy left the room. He gave her one last look before disappearing through the doorway. Annabeth turned to Nico. She needed to think of a way to get him to leave for a few minutes. That's all she needed. Nico grinned and winked at her before moving towards the doorway.

"If Percy asks I'll tell him you wanted water." He called out behind him as he left the room. Annabeth grinned.

Shifting so her legs were facing the side of the bed, Annabeth took a small breath. She felt nervous and she wondered if her leg really was better. Once her sock covered feet touched the ground Annabeth nodded. She wanted to move. So she did.

Using the bed frame as a support, Annabeth stood up slowly. Her thigh gave her a little trouble at first and Annabeth knew it was still going to be tender but she pushed through. It had been a couple days since Kate shot her; she needed to prove she could move on her own. If they thought she couldn't walk, they wouldn't let her leave for Acheron. Annabeth braced herself as she took her first step. She winced but slowly let her leg get used to her weight again. It didn't feel great but it wasn't unbearable anymore.

She took a few more hesitant steps until she heard a noise down the hall. Fearing Percy had already changed and was on his way back, Annabeth hurried towards the door. She ignored the fact she was technically wobbling and quickly grabbed her crossbow.

When she made it outside the door, she closed it with a soft click. Sighing loudly Annabeth leaned back against the wood and shut her eyes. She finally felt like she could breathe. She gasped when she heard a low chuckle.

"Finally made your escape huh?"

Annabeth's eyes narrowed into a distrusting glare as she looked ahead to see Mason smirking at her. He was sitting on the porch steps, body turned so he could face her. He was cleaning his bow. Annabeth wiggled her crossbow.

"Needed some air." She answered vaguely. Mason simply nodded and went back to cleaning seemingly disinterested. Annabeth wobbled to sit down a few feet across from him. She reached down to grab a couple sticks on the ground. Only one was thick enough to be an arrow. She pulled her switchblade out of her pants pocket. Mason glanced over to her when the blade sprung free.

"You've had that this entire time?"

"Never without it."

"I don't know how I feel about that."

"Sounds like a you problem."

"You've been alone with my sister and you've had a knife on you."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and begun to cut the stick until it started to form a sharp head. She had a few arrows in the truck but she figured as long as she was here and there wasn't a threat of dying every three seconds, she could make more. She was always running low.

"And yet she hasn't been stabbed." Annabeth muttered sarcastically. "Kate shot me. If I was going to harm her in anyway, I would have done it by now."

Mason's eyebrow lifted and Annabeth shrugged.

"She's helped take care of me." Annabeth told him matter-of-factly. "Why would I hurt her?"

"I don't know. You're a stranger though and I don't feel comfortable with you all around my sister."

"Hate to break it to you then but I'm almost positive Kate's chatting with Nico and Percy." Annabeth mock gasped. "Better make sure they haven't held her hostage."

Mason glared at her and she instantly flinched when his hand tighten on his bow. Annabeth was positive she could have her crossbow loaded and aimed at his forehead before he could even grab an arrow but she was treading lightly. Mason and Kate were two different people; two completely different personalities.

"That isn't funny."

"Wasn't supposed to be."

A few tense seconds passed.

Annabeth looked at him crossly as her hand slowly tightened on her knife. Mason glanced down at it before he glared back at her. Mason rolled his shoulders before fully turning to face her.

"Kate is all I have left. She and I lost our brother and our parents. I'm not making any more mistakes. She's my top priority and I won't hesitate again." He paused. "You're lucky Kate was the one to shoot you…I wouldn't have missed."

They had a mini stare down for a few minutes. Annabeth was at a loss of words. He was blatantly threatening her! All because she pulled out a knife to carve her arrows. She just wanted a few minutes of peace… Before she could say anything back, the door opened and Percy sighed in relief.

"I'm glad I found you." He breathed. "What the fuck Annabeth? You're supposed to be on bed rest."

Annabeth continued to stare at Mason as Percy reached down to help her up. Percy's hand tightened around hers when she was finally standing. He noticed her look and he could feel how tense she was.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, his eyes glancing over to Mason. The man had begun to clean his bow again but his eyes never left them.

"Yeah." Annabeth answered distantly. She shook her head and gently squeezed Percy's hand. She smiled when he looked at her mildly surprised. "Take me away." She joked. Percy rolled his eyes.

"You're not funny."

0~0~0~0~0

Thalia tickled Alice's stomach gently and smiled when the little girl let out an adorable giggle. Piper and Jason had wanted to take a walk around the big yard and scope out any possible dangers. Thalia had offered to go instead of Piper. She thought it was a little too dangerous but Jason had clued her in. Piper was having trouble with Braxton Hicks and wanted to walk for a while. She was beginning to feel cooped up in the house. Thalia didn't understand how she could feel that way. Sure, never leaving a house for a few days could feel a little entrapping but they were safe weren't they? Isn't that what they've been searching so hard for? Safety?

*I'm hungry* Alice signed with a small pout. Thalia poked her stomach and bent down over the couch to pick up the girl. Alice instantly cuddled into her arms and Thalia placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. She loved her niece with every fiber of her being. She was so thankful she was still here.

Once they reached the kitchen, Thalia handed Alice a water bottle and a small can of cold spaghetti O's. It was practically a feast. Thalia grabbed another can for herself and quickly set Alice on the counter to eat. She couldn't help but smile when Alice began to childishly swing her feet, a tuneless hum escaping her lips. Thalia was so thankful Alice was still here with them. She was the face of innocence in a world full of corruption.

*Good?* Thalia signed with a smirk. Alice nodded happily. Thalia grinned and placed a spoonful of the gooey food into her mouth with a sigh. She never knew a children's size can of spaghetti O's could taste so good. When the back door slammed open with the bang, Thalia instantly reached for the blade she had tucked under her jeans. Haley barely glanced at her as she stormed past her to grab her own water bottle.

"God." She snapped irritably. "Who does that little brat think she is? Oh Troy! I'm only getting better because you're such a wonderful teacher!"

"Um…"

"Does she think Troy can actually fall for that sweet little good girl act? Kate needs to learn really fast that I don't play games. I win because I'm Haley freaking Bennett!"

"That's nice." Thalia said with an eye roll. She stuffed another spoon full of food into her mouth and ignored the grimace on Haley's face when she continued to speak with a full mouth. "But I mean you should try to play nice. Kate welcomed you into her home and continues to let you live here despite your shitty attitude. Besides, guys like Troy don't like bitches you know."

"Oh what do you know?" Haley growled before taking a sip of her water. "Troy likes to spend time with me because I'm the one he should be with. Kate's two years younger than him. She doesn't know what he wants. She can't make him happy the way I can."

Thalia glanced out the kitchen window and shrugged when she saw Troy and Kate smiling happily. She smiled lightly when she saw the arrow sticking right in the middle of the bullseye. A small hug was shared between the two friends before Kate loaded up another arrow. Troy continued to smile as he watched her.

"I dunno." Thalia shrugged. "He seems pretty happy to me."

"Because he doesn't fully know what I can offer him yet." Haley dismissed with the wave of her hand. "Kate needs to learn her place."

Thalia placed her empty can down on the counter and gently cleaned off Alice's chin. The small girl yawned and lifted her hands up tiredly. Thalia picked her up and gently ran a hand up and down her back. Haley watched the exchange with a small frown.

"You know back when the world was normal this kind of stuff was expected. Two girls fighting over a boy; a stupid love triangle…" Thalia shook her head and looked at Haley seriously. "But the world is different now and priorities need to change. What happens when this place falls and you five are out there on your own? Are you still going to be fighting over who gets to be with Troy? Out there, the world is dangerous and it will eat you alive if you don't pay attention."

Haley's frown intensified.

"We're not out there." She muttered. "This place is still safe."

"For how long?" Thalia shot back. "You five are supposed to be a group; a family. You're supposed to have each other's back and look out for one another. When you're forced out of this house and out into the real world, you'll have to knock this petty shit off. Cause if not? It won't matter who wants to be with Troy more, you'll all fall."

After a few silent seconds passed and when Thalia realized Haley wasn't going to say anything else, she squeezed Alice a little tighter to her chest and headed towards the stairs. Alice needed a nap and frankly a nap sounded really good to her too.

0~0~0~0~0

Jason sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. Piper was fast asleep on the large bed, her hand curled protectively around their baby while the other held Alice. When Thalia had woken up from her nap, she had easily moved Alice from one bed to another and Jason smiled when Alice cuddled closer to her mother in her sleep.

The house was pretty quiet and Jason wondered where everyone was. He had no doubt Annabeth and Percy were in the guest room relaxing. After her break out attempt earlier Percy had agreed to letting her take short walks; the only catch was he had to come with. She was still limping and after a few minutes her leg would begin to grow tense and sore and she'd need help.

Thalia had been a little restless when she woke up and she had trailed after Troy and Mason when they announced they were going on a run for food. Jason could have sworn he saw Nico sneak after her. He felt a little guilty. Adding seven more people to a group could easily deplete a food supply and after six months, Jason didn't know how the small town could still have food.

Alice shifted in her sleep and swiftly kicked Piper in the shin with her small foot. Piper chuckled and slowly opened her eyes to smile sleepily at him. Jason smiled back softly and took a calming breath. Every time Piper smiled at him, a sense of warmth spread throughout his body. Watching her cuddle their daughter and unborn child in her sleep made him fall in love with her all over again.

"Hey." She whispered quietly. She pressed a gentle kiss to Alice's head before sitting up. Jason offered her his hand to climb out of bed.

"Hey."

Piper kissed him softly and pulled him close for a hug. He smiled to himself when he felt her stomach wedged between them. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and rested his cheek against her hair. Piper adjusted herself in his arms but didn't leave the embrace. They rarely had moments like this.

"Is there any food?" Piper whispered meekly, as if ashamed to ask. Jason gave her a quick kiss to the temple and pulled away far enough to see her face.

"I'll go check." Piper began to protest but Jason quickly shook his head. "Babe, I know the baby needs food and so does Momma. I promised to take care of you didn't I?"

Piper nodded and looked up at him shyly. Jason chucked her chin and winked.

"That's my girl." He leaned down to press a soft kiss to his wife's stomach. "Daddy's gonna get you food okay baby?"

Piper laughed and shook her head.

"Baby approves." She chuckled. Jason grinned and quietly left the room. He didn't want to leave them alone for two long. When he stepped into the kitchen he was surprised to see the group of four unloading cans of beans.

"Good haul?" Jason asked as he began to help. Thalia grinned and nodded excitedly.

"Oh yeah." She cheered. "I didn't think that grocery store could still have cans left but there were plenty. These kids must be the only ones in town who raid the stores."

Jason didn't miss the look that passed between Troy and Mason but he chose to ignore it. Nico pushed a few cans towards him.

"These are for Mother Hen and Alice." He said happily. Jason thanked him quietly and turned to leave but Thalia beat him to it. She grabbed the cans from his hands.

"I'm gonna take these to them." She announced. "Why don't you stay and help stock?"

Jason gave his sister a strange look but when Thalia's eyebrows rose, he understood. She had noticed something weird too and wanted him to stay longer and get another look. He nodded slowly.

"Take care of my girls?" He requested lightly. Thalia's smile softened and she nodded. Nico jumped off the counter when Thalia left. He pointed his thumb towards the hall.

"I'm gonna check and make sure Annabeth hasn't murdered Percy yet."

Mason's ears perked up at the mention of Annabeth and he quickly put away his cans and wiped imaginary dust off his jeans.

"I'll join you." Nico gave him a weird look and Mason shrugged. "I want to check out her leg, see how it's healing."

Nico glanced at Jason and only agreed when he saw Jason's nod. Troy was still putting cans away when Jason turned to him. The two worked in tense silence as they grabbed can after can. Jason was trying to find the right words for the questions he had. He worried Troy wouldn't be too open to sharing anything Mason might not approve of. Despite his brave attitude, Jason knew he was second in command around here. He probably got Mason's approval on everything before he did anything.

"Why is the town so empty?" Jason asked. Troy took a sideways glance at him and switched the corn and bean can around. The corn was now on the lower shelf.

"It's not empty." Troy denied easily. Jason never noticed Troy's slight accent before. Granted he had never had a conversation with the boy until now but it was surprising none the less. He sounded a little Texan. Jason's eyebrows rose disbelievingly at the answer and Troy shrugged. "Full of biters ain't it?"

"Yeah…" Jason agreed. He didn't go on the run today but when they were driving through the town looking for a house to stay in, the town did look pretty overrun. Walkers seemed to stumble together in groups. Some were more decayed then the others, proving not everyone turned at once but they hadn't seen any signs of survivors until they found the Green house.

"Did you meet any survivors before we came?" Jason asked quietly. He could hear someone coming down the stairs. Their shoes pounded against the wood but no one came into the kitchen. Troy shrugged again.

"Not many." He answered vaguely. "No one ever came to stay with us until you guys showed up."

Jason nodded as he put the final can away. The only reason they were invited to stay was because of Annabeth. Mason had wanted Piper to check on Kate's cold and Percy wanted Annabeth healed. It was a tradeoff. Their deal ends the second Annabeth is deemed well enough to travel.

"No one else from your town survived?" Jason asked quietly. Troy's blue eyes shut almost painfully as he slowly shook his head. He looked like he was debating with himself as he bit his lip.

"There was a big outbreak that took almost everyone." Troy mumbled softly. His eyes were glazed over in thought and Jason almost felt bad for asking. He didn't want to make Troy relive something that was clearly painful to remember.

"No one survived?"

"Not for long." Troy shook his head. "The people who survived the first wave either took off and left town or fell trying to get supplies. They tried to stay in the houses right in the middle of the town and the biters found em."

"Is that why you've all taken refuge here?" Jason asked. Troy glanced towards the hall and nodded.

"This house is far enough from the town that biters don't generally find it but close enough to make runs on foot if needed. We don't have biters knocking on our front door like the others did."

The room fell silent as Jason thought over everything Troy had told him. For someone as young as Troy, watching your town fall to monsters and seeing your friends being eaten by loved ones couldn't have been easy. The closest Jason had ever come to being in that position was at Percy's birthday party but even then he didn't stay long enough to watch. He'd be haunted forever if he had watched.

"I'm sorry for your losses." Jason offered sincerely. Troy cracked half a smile and nodded in thanks.

"The thing about living in a small town like ours…" He started with a sniff. "Everyone knows everyone and chances are you've grown up together. That kind of friendship, the kind that's lasted a lifetime, bonds you forever. They become a part of your family. The day the outbreak hit the town, I lost a lot of members of mine."

"I'm sorry."

"You're lucky you still have your family. You have your sister, cousin, your wife and child. That kind of luck may not last forever. Please…take care of them." Troy slowly leaned back against the counter; he looked tired. "Living in the world without them seems almost unbearable."

"I won't let anything happen to them." Jason promised. Troy nodded and smiled gently. The bottom of his upper teeth poked out through his lips.

"And congrats on the baby."

Jason smiled back and nodded. Mason was coming down the hall and Troy quickly stood and wiped any traces of grief off his face. Jason was surprised by the action but at the same time he understood. Some people aren't strong enough to carry others through grief when they're still drowning in their own. The fact that Troy can be strong enough for both Mason and himself told Jason everything about his character.

"Thank you."

0~0~0~0~0

Percy rolled his eyes when Nico childishly jumped onto the counter to eat his food. Annabeth had fallen asleep a few minutes ago and Percy wanted to eat and gather his thoughts before heading back to her bedside. She had proven her leg still needed rest when she walked. She was limping and she grew tired within a few minutes. She didn't want to hear any of it though and wanted to move on in the morning. Percy wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. He knew how desperately she wanted to find her family but she'd never survive out there with her leg wounded. Percy could tell she was growing unbearably restless and because of this she didn't want to listen to reason.

Just as Percy began to drink from his water bottle, Maya stepped through the backdoor. She was carrying a large clothes basket filled with freshly air dried shirts. When she glanced up and noticed the two of them, she smiled sheepishly and dug through the basket. Percy sighed when she pulled out his shirt. The soup stain Kate had caused was gone.

"I threw it in with today's wash so you'd have it faster." Maya explained hurriedly as she thrusted the shirt into Percy's hands. She smiled at Nico and tossed him a dark grey beanie.

"I know it isn't really gonna protect against the weather but I figured you would wear it more than Troy and Mason ever would."

As soon as the Nico's fingertips tossed the hat he was squealing and eagerly placing it on his head. Percy's eyebrow raised at the girlish squeal and Nico shrugged. He really did look good in a beanie.

"Judge all you want Percy." Nico lovingly stroked his new hat. "I know I look sexy."

Maya giggled into her hand and set the basket on the table. She carefully began to fold the clothes and organized them easily. Percy sat down on one of the kitchen stools and faced her.

"Are you the one that normally does all the laundry?" Percy asked curiously. Nico tore his attention away from his reflection to look over at the two of them. He seemed curious too. Maya shrugged.

"Not always. Normally Kate or Haley helps me but we all have our roles."

"And yours is housewife?" Nico chimed in. Maya laughed and shook her head.

"Call it that if you want but I don't think of it that way. I'd prefer caretaker. Mason and Troy are constantly making dangerous runs and worrying about how to keep us safe. I don't want that job. Haley is in charge of our supplies and is constantly checking to make sure we don't run out of anything. I'd couldn't count and measure all day. And Kate guards. She normally keeps watch on the roof to make sure nothing dangerous is approaching. When she's not on the roof she's in the attic."

"Why would she be in the attic?" Percy questioned. He straightened in his chair. Maya nervously glanced around and shook her head. A strangled laugh escaped her lips and she quickly turned her attention back to the clothes on the table.

"There's books and paints up there that Kate likes to entertain herself with. Most of her mother's things are up there too and I'm sure she likes to reminisce."

Both Percy and Nico stayed quiet and they continued to stare. Percy watched Maya's cheeks get steadily redder but he could see the worry and fear in her eyes. Something was up there. Mason didn't want them to know about it and he probably made sure the rest of his group knew not to let anyone up there.

"You guys sure are nosy!" Maya joked nervously. "I'm not the person to answer questions cause most of the time I don't know anything of importance. But if you want to hear gossip about Troy, Kate and Haley I could give you that!"

Percy continued to study her but Nico eagerly jumped off the counter and began to help her fold clothes. He shot Percy a look over his shoulder to let it go and quickly began to distract Maya. Percy needed to talk to Jason or Annabeth. He was beginning to suspect the Greens' were hiding something. He wasn't sure he wanted to stick around to find out what. Just as Percy left the kitchen he could hear Nico laugh.

"Now tell me why Troy and Kate were so smiley yesterday."

0~0~0~0~0

Piper wiped her dirty hands on her pant leg as she walked towards the kitchen. Mason had mentioned Kate was maintaining knifes earlier and Piper was hoping she could show her how to properly sharpen hers. She knew Kate already had to sharpen enough knives and didn't want to burden her with another. Plus, she'd feel more comfortable knowing how to do it herself. She wanted her knife on her at all times; she felt a little naked without it.

As Piper prepared to round the corner to the kitchen she froze when she heard a bitter laugh. Gently poking her head around the wall she saw Kate and Haley talking…Well Haley seemed to be doing most of the talking while Kate stared quietly at the floor.

"-you? Troy's talked to me about it you know." Haley snickered. "You think he wants a kid like you when there's a woman offering herself to him? I can give him things you can't Kate."

Almost mockingly Haley placed her hand on Kate's shoulder, only to have it violently shrugged off. Kate kept her gaze on the kitchen floor. Piper felt a chill go down her spine as vivid memories played through her mind. She remembered being in Kate's place.

"Just accept that Troy doesn't want you to be anything more than his friend." Haley smiled and Piper unintentionally scowled. "It'll be a lot easier for all of us!" Haley's smile dissolved into a smirk. "Now if you'll excuse me, Troy asked me to help collect the firewood."

Piper watched, still hidden behind the wall, as Haley offered another smile before vanishing out the sliding glass door. When the door was firmly shut behind her, Kate finally removed her gaze from the floor. She angrily kicked the trashcan next to her and cursed when it fell over. She hurriedly cleaned up the fallen trash but didn't remove herself from the floor. Piper frowned sadly as she watched Kate lean back against the cabinets; she gripped her necklace in her clenched hands and shut her eyes. Feeling unsure of what to do and not wanting to embarrass the girl by intruding on a private and vulnerable moment, Piper waited until Kate stood.

After a few silent minutes of gripping her necklace Kate opened her eyes and sighed heavily. She stood up slowly and walked over to the island in the middle of the kitchen. She grabbed the knife from the cutting board and began to clean it slowly. Piper watched as Kate's eyes seem to glaze over as she softly sang to herself.

"You shout it loud…But I can't hear a word you say. I'm talking loud, not saying much. I'm criticized but all your bullets ricochet. You shoot me down, but I get up." The words seemed to sooth the frustrated girl and Piper couldn't tear her eyes away. Kate continued to clean the blade.

"I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose. Fire away, fire away. Ricochet, you take your aim;
Fire away, fire away." Piper barely noticed Annabeth limbed up behind her. Percy must have let her take another walk. Taking in her hidden form, Annabeth glanced into the kitchen and frowned when she heard Kate. Her voice was soft and full of confusion. Annabeth looked over at Piper and nodded when she cranked her head in Kate's direction. Slowly the two emerged from behind the wall. Kate glanced up at them, seemingly not surprised at their sudden appearance and continued to clean the knife.

"You shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium. You shoot me down, but I won't fall. I am titanium." Kate finished the note quietly, her hands slowly coming to a stop as she paused to take another deep breath. Her fingers itched to grip her necklace.

"Does Haley always talk to you like that? Like you're some kind of fool?" Piper asked bluntly, a little irritation laced in her voice. Her own demons seemed to be surfacing and she was fighting desperately to keep them at bay in her mind.

"Maybe I am." Kate answered numbly, her eyes looming over two approaching figures. As Troy and Haley came closer to the door, Kate seemed to retreat deep into herself. She placed the freshly cleaned blade onto the counter and slipped from the room as quietly as possible.

0~0~0~0~0

Kate sighed as she carved a small K into the wood floor. She had snuck away shortly after dinner and she barely noticed the hours ticking by. The sky had seemed to grow darker and darker; the sun was almost gone. She used the last of its light to gaze upon on all the paintings on the wall. Some were hers; some her family had helped put here. Every single design was a memory. She felt at peace being surrounded by them.

A bump against the floor made Kate jump, her hand automatically reaching for her knife. She mentally cursed herself for leaving her bow in the kitchen as she listened. The trap door on the floor popped open and Mason smiled at her as he climbed into the tree house. Kate sighed irritably and released her death grip on her knife.

"I thought you were a biter." She scolded lightly, offering her hand. Mason grabbed it and chuckled.

"Cause they're smart enough to climb?" He asked sarcastically. "It's good to know your first reaction is to reach for your blade."

Kate rolled her eyes and shut the trap door behind him once he was fully inside. He sat down on the floor, the same corner she was occupying and lifted one of his knees to wrap his arm around it.

"Whatcha doing up here Kate?" He asked quietly. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't sneak out anymore."

"We agreed I wouldn't shut myself away." She argued defensively, her finger pointing menacingly in his direction. "No such rule was placed about sneaking out."

"What? You wouldn't call this shutting yourself away?" Mason asked incredulously.

"I was going to come back when the sun went down."

"Yeah, cause that's safe." He snapped; his eyes narrowing when they met hers. Kate rolled her eyes once more and threw her hands up annoyed.

"Why'd you come up here Mason? Just to yell at me?"

Mason sighed tiredly and rubbed a hand down his face. Kate couldn't help but notice he looked older than twenty one. She knew the world was stressful and dangerous but she didn't like the size of the bags under his eyes. He shrugged and hugged his left knee a little tighter to his chest.

"No…I didn't. I just want to make sure you were okay. You know…After what happened earlier with Haley and Troy."

Kate blushed lightly. She still thought it odd her older brother knew all about her not-so-secret crush on his best friend. She cleared her throat and made a mental note to drink some water when she got inside; her throat felt dry.

"Who told you about that?"

"I heard Annabeth and Piper talking about it when I walked downstairs. And Troy mentioned something about it a few minutes ago. He was actually the one who suggested I find you."

Kate's shoulders slumped at the information and Mason's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He would have thought she's at least smile knowing Troy was worried about her.

"What's up?" He asked. Kate shrugged and glanced at the paintings on the wall. She remembered painting them so vaguely and a wave of sadness washed over her; she wanted to save all those memories but they seemed to be slipping like sand through her fingers as time went on.

"I feel like I'm going crazy." She admitted quietly. "The world is overrun by monsters that want to eat us, there are barely any humans left, and we have so many strangers in our house!"

Kate looked at her brother helplessly; pleading with him to understand.

"I heard you talking with Troy the other night Mason. You were talking about packing up and moving on from the house; saying it isn't as safe as it used to be. At first I was really mad because I thought you were just giving up but I thought about it…The biters seem to be closer each day and I knew from the start we couldn't stay here forever….We might have to leave Mason. We've lost so much and yet I'm up here hiding because boys are confusing and I have a mean girl on my back… I thought when the end of the world came it would be an end to all my stupid teenager problems."

Kate was surprised when Mason began to chuckle after her little rant. She turned to stare at him only to find him smiling back at her with an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Is it weird that I like you're having normal teenager problems?" He asked curiously, only to shake his head a few seconds later. "No wait, I know it is. I just….I know we have to learn and adapt in this new world and you and Maya have been so strong and I'm so proud of you... But I know how tiring it is constantly worrying about surviving; when you're going to get your next meal. I want you to get as much normalcy as you can before the choice is taken from you. Eventually we're going to have to leave Kate; that's just something we have to accept, but I want you to enjoy living life how you used too while you're here, safe and have the chance."

Kate stared at her brother shocked. A new layer of his personality had broken through his cracked barrier and she found herself gaping at the man that was sitting in front of her. He worked tirelessly to provide their group with shelter and food and he was working even harder to ensure she could live life; he didn't want her to just survive, he wanted her to live.

"When did you get all smart?" She joked lightly, her eyes sparking once again. Mason grinned back at her.

"Had to wise up to take care of your ass. It's you and me kid."

"Up against the world?" Kate asked almost hopefully. Mason flicked her chin gently with his finger.

"And everything and everyone in it." He promised.

Wordlessly Kate lifted his arm and tucked herself into the crook of his side. His arm tightened around her instantly and she wrapped her arms around his middle.

"I'm glad you're still here." She whispered, her eyes falling to the five hand prints and names on the wall. Her eyes watered as she reread the names; the ones forever burned into her mind.

"I'm not going anywhere Kate. I promise."

So I wanted a chapter where the two groups were interacting with each other. I tried to match up everyone with who they have the most in common with and I really hope I did a decent enough job with it. I included the bit with Mason and Kate because with three brothers (two older) I'm a huge sucker for brotherXsister moments.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

*Something I wanted to point out. When Kate sings to calm herself down I don't want that to seem to cheesy. I sing to myself to calm down. I have songs I sing for when I'm sad or really mad or stressed so I guess it's an actual thing*

*While she may seem like it right now I do NOT plan to make Haley just a mean girl for Kate. She can be bitchy sure but that's not who she is.*

1) Did I match up the characters well? Did you see the similarities in personalities?

2) What do you do to calm yourself down when you're upset?

3) What do you think is in the attic? Do the Greens' really have a secret or is nothing up there?

Be sure to check out my poll!

Thanks for reading!

HERE'S TO THE NEW YEAR! ~2016~