"Lana." Ved cried pulling Lana away from Sly and into his arms. He pulled Lana and Ambers face towards his chest blocking them from seeing Sly struggle against Alvin. Soon Sly's body went limp as he fell to the floor. Alvin removed the rope from around his neck before tossing it to the side. Ved released to two girls only to have Lana pull back into his arms and hold him tightly.
"I thought I'd never see you again." Lana cried.
"It's ok your safe now." Ved said taking her face into his hands and pressing his lips against hers. "But now we need to move." Ved went out side to make sure the guards hadn't returned. Lana turned to Alvin and threw her arms around his neck. He squeezed her tight while relief plastered itself over his face. When she pulled away she signed a thank you.
"Let's go." Ved ordered returning from the hall. He grabbed Lana's hand and pulled her back towards the stairs. With Ved in the lead and Alvin in the back Lana and Amber where guided back to the broken second story window. Ved jumped out first rolling as he hit the ground. He stood up and brushed himself off as Alvin grabbed both of Lana's hands and gently hung her out the window until Ved singled for her to be released. Lana dropped about a foot before landing in the protective arms of Ved. They then did the same with Amber. Finally Alvin jumped rolling the same way Ved did when he hit the ground. Ved used the trees and the night to hide them as he led the way back to the beach. They hide in the same spot they had earlier. Amber and Alvin collapsed on a large boulder tired from the day's activities while Ved sat next to them pulling Lana into his lap and wrapping his arms around her.
"What do we do now?" Amber asked softly.
"We wait for a few more hours. If they don't come then we go back to Wuthering." Ved answered.
"If they don't come back?" Amber repeated sounding angry.
"Amber I promised Jay and the others to get you to safety. I intend to keep that promise." Ved informed her.
"But…"
"Amber, please don't make this any harder then it already is." Ved begged as he buried his head into Lana's hair. No one else spoke. It seemed words could not truly express what they where feeling. Amber sat with her gaze stuck on the beach as Alvin leaned against a rock keeping his eyes on the trees behind them. Lana sat in Veds arms with her head on his chest quietly praying. She was looking back down the beach hoping to see her brother return. Ved sat with his head resting on the top of Lana's head. He stared at the building they just escaped from with a watchful eye. As the time ticked by tension grew.
"Lana?" Ved finally spoke.
"Yeah." Lana whispered still leaning into his chest and sitting on his lap.
"I need you to tell Alvin to watch over you as I go search the beach and factory." Ved whispered leaning back to look Lana in the eye."
"But…" Lana started to protest.
"Lana please just do it." Ved asked softly. Lana shook her head yes. Ved gently slid her off his lap and kissed her fore head as Lana began to sign to Alvin. He walked cautiously back to the beach and started out. The others waited in silence for nearly an hour before Ved returned.
"Well?" Amber stood up as Ved came into view.
"There was no sign of them." Ved replied. "Come on. We need to get back to Wuthering."
"No, I want to wait for Jay." Amber demanded.
"Amber we already stayed longer then I promised. If there still out there they will head back to Wuthering." Ved answered. Amber gave up her fight figuring that Ved was right. Slowly the four of them started back to Wuthering. This time they fallowed the beach saving a lot of time. On their journey to the factory they had to back track nearly four hours after finding Amber so Ved figured that they should reach Wuthering by sun up.
"I need to apologize." Amber said walking beside Lana. They where several hours into their journey and the sun was beginning to rise over the vast ocean.
"For what?" Lana asked. Ved was a few paces ahead while Alvin was close behind.
"I told Ved." Amber said looking down at her feet.
"Told him what?"
"About the baby." Amber whispered. "It was the night before last and he was staring off into the woods. Lana he barely said two words to anyone and I never saw him eat. It was like he was sinking into a depression. It was the only thing I could do to pull him out of it."
"Amber it's ok." Lana said reassuringly. "The important thing is he knows."
'I know but…" Amber started.
"Amber, thank you for pulling him out of the depression." Lana smiled. Lana extended her arm and hugged Amber as they continued to walk.
"There it is." Ved finally spoke. He stopped and pointed to a large fence. "We're home." The rest of the way they practically ran.
"Amber!" Trudy cried as she saw Amber walk through the entrance gate.
"Trudy." Amber smiled embracing her friend and taking her son from her arms.
"The Dwellers chief came by when you didn't show for the meeting. He said that this Sly guy lead a revolt of several of his men and they where the ones responsible for the attack. The chief figured it was because the old chief died and they didn't agree with the new chiefs plans for peace. He never thought it was over Lana." Trudy explained to Ved.
"Ok." Ved replied. "Thank you Trudy. Twitty gather some men and scourer the beach and the old Seas Kitchen building. We need to find Jay, Vaughn and Bray."
"What happened to them?" Trudy cried. That's when Ved quickly explained the past few days.
'Right now, I think you need to rest." Ved said to Amber and Lana as he finished the story. "The men will find the other. The best thing you can do now is sleep and stay healthy for you children."
Amber and Lana didn't argue they simply turned toward their houses. Alvin walked into their house first and headed straight for his bedroom. Lana and Ved fallowed walking into their own room. Lana quickly pulled off her dirty cloths and put on one of Ved's clean shirts and a pair of shorts while Ved changed into a clean shirt and pair of sweat pants. Quietly they climbed into bed. With Ved's arms protectively around her and several dogs surrounding the bed (including a multicolored one who slept by Veds head) they drifted off to sleep.