The lake's surface was blinding in the morning sunlight. A large, red-roofed complex of buildings and a group of silo-shaped cabins had already passed by, empty, and now only overgrown grass stood between Belle and the next cabins. Looking like a pentagonal house with the center cut out, the connected pair of cabins, nearly swallowed by trees, stood on a matrix of stilts.

Why wouldn't Claus have sought shelter here? It was well-hidden from passersby and hard for the infecteds to access. When he was supposed to be somewhere around the lake, this was probably the most logical place to look for him. The previous buildings may have been empty, but that couldn't get her down. It only meant he was more likely to be hiding here than there.

Taking deep breaths, Belle wound her way around the double-cabin until she found a ladder. While its rusted metal matched the lining of the cabin, it was a lot less oxidized than the roughly white walls. Secured to the deck with some rough ties, it went a good five rungs farther up than it needed to.

"One person at a time on this," Belle started, pushing her bullet duffel behind her back. "I don't know how much it can stand."

Kiku nodded, and Arthur heeled the ladder as Belle gripped the sides and started up. Although the bottom rungs were embedded in the soil, the ladder still trembled with every step. It barely creaked, though, and Belle was able to climb onto the deck within a minute. After exchanging a glance with Kiku, Arthur started after her.

The ladder still held steady when Kiku came up, and the three stepped wordlessly to the rightward cabin's door. The handle turned, but the panel wouldn't open more than a few inches, and jostling the door didn't help.

"It's definitely blocked," said Belle, entangling her finger in her hair. She raised her voice. "Hello! Is anyone in there? We have plenty of food, so we're not trying to rob you." She hesitated, swallowed, and added, "It's Belle."

There was no response.

"Maybe we can pry it open," she muttered, unzipping the largest compartment of her backpack. Shuffling one strap off her shoulder, she reached in and grabbed her crowbar.

"If you'd like," Arthur started, reaching out a hand, "I could..."

"I've got it, thanks." She positioned the flat end of the metal bar just under the bottom set of hinges when something on the other side screeched. It wasn't human, or that high-pitched, but it was right behind the door. After it had toned down to a plain dragging noise, the door creaked open a bit more.

Belle removed the crowbar, holding it loosely as her arms fell stiffly to her sides. Arthur kept his fists clenched and stance ready but stepped back next to Kiku, whose fingertips rested on his sword hilt.

The scuffing sound ceased, and a hand reached around to swing the door about halfway open. Two uneven sets of footsteps shuffled across the floor, and a young man stood in the entryway. He stood with his back straight despite his gauntness, and well-kept blonde hair went past his shoulders. His clothes were name-brand but rather threadbare, and his shirt didn't completely reach the waistband of his shorts, but his shoes and socks seemed to fit fine.

One hand still resting on the door, he looked up at Belle wide-eyed. She stared back for a minute before shrieking and throwing her arms around him. Both of them had stumbled to the floor by the time she was sobbing into his hair. Her brother buried his face in her shoulder, and the two lay like that for a span.

Claus was right there. Really there, in her arms. His breath on her ear, his tears soaking into her shirt. He was there, and alive, and happy, and not as skinny as he could have been. And she was here with him, she had found him, he was going to be okay, and everything was going to be okay.

Claus eventually let the back of his head thunk against the floor as he smiled at Belle.

"So I survive the apocalypse for four years only to be smothered to death by my overbearing sister," he said, voice strained.

Belle sniffed loudly. "Am I hugging too hard?" She laughed, a short squawk under her crying, and sat up, dragging her brother upright with her. She looked at his face again and cried out, squeezing him hard. He coughed pointedly but descended into tears again before she could loosen her hold much.

After a while more of crying, Belle managed to compose herself enough to ask, "H-Have you been okay? How have you been doing? L-Lori already told us about what happened then, but—I don't know, just tell me everything you want to!"

She gave him one more squeeze before pulling back, keeping her hands on his shoulders.

"Lori?" he started, pushing damp hair out of his eyes. "You saw her?"

Belle nodded, sniffling. "She's doing fine. How about you? It sounds like you've been all by yourself for a while."

"I'm all right." He choked on tears for a moment before clearing his throat. "I've been all right." He hugged her quickly. "I—I wasn't sure that I'd be able to see you again."

Though he tried to pull away, Belle hugged him back too hard to allow it. "I'm sorry I took so long." Descending into mumbles, she stroked his hair.

"I'm just glad you're here." Claus sniffled a few times before he finally pulled himself away. "I guess you've been all right? How's Tim? Mom and Dad?"

Belle wiped at her cheekbones. "Tim has been doing fine. We stayed together through most of it. I haven't seen Mom or Dad in years, so I can't say for sure, a-about them."

Flicking his gaze down, Claus nodded slowly. "Okay."

Belle took a few deep breaths before squinting at him and swatting his hair. "This just looks silly. You shouldn't have longer hair than your sister."

"Then grow yours out some!" He wiped his nose. "I could probably use a trim, though." He looked over his shoulder, but he couldn't get a good look at his locks. "I don't know if I cut it very straight the last time, anyway."

Belle perked up. "Do you have scissors?"

"Yeah, in one of the drawers." Claus scooted back a bit, farther into the cabin. "Come on inside, everyone; it's not as hot in here."

Belle nodded, pushing herself to her feet. "Good. I'm burning up."

Claus winced a bit at that and continued to slide back on his rear until he backed into the wooden pillar of a bunk bed.

"Not worth getting up?" she laughed, but her expression faded. "I didn't hurt your knees when I knocked you over, did I?"

"No," Claus said quickly, pulling his shins up. "I messed up my ankle a little the other day. Don't worry about it."

"Oh, okay." She hesitated for a second before she checked behind the door. A darkwood, circular table and two matching chairs were still butted up against it, but Arthur and Kiku were inside before she could move them out of the way.

Stepping farther into the cabin, she exclaimed, "Goodness! If I thought your room at home smelled terrible..."

Head leaning back against the second rung crossing the bunk bed's front, Claus crossed his arms. "Sorry, I ran out of Febreze."

Belle snorted and looked around. Three more bunk beds, stripped of bedding and piled with other odds and ends instead, were crammed in the back of the room. Of the three small windows on each wide side, only one had the blinds open enough to admit sunlight. A closer look, and she noticed the pair of drawers beneath each bunk bed.

"Any idea which one has the scissors?" she started, smiling down at Claus.

He shrugged, shutting his eyes and trying to steady his breathing.

Belle made a sputtering noise, shaking her head, and stepped lightly to the bed in the corner. "A little early in the day for a nap, isn't it?"

Claus rubbed his elbows. "Well, you woke me up too soon."

"What?" she exclaimed, turning back towards him in the middle of rummaging. "Since when do you ever sleep in?"

"Since my thirteenth birthday?" He chuckled. "I don't know."

"I missed your thirteenth birthday!" She sucked in a breath. "And your fourteenth and fifteenth, and sixteenth." Shaking her head, she sifted through the utensils and books in the drawer.

"I didn't exactly make it to all of yours." Claus opened his eyes and watched her.

She waved a hand dismissively. "There weren't any big celebrations, anyway. And you'll still get to see my twenty-first." She smiled back at him for a moment before trying the next drawer and retrieving a black-handled pair of scissors from it.

"Success!" She shut the drawer and hurried back to her brother, making him turn his back to her. She straightened out his hair, opened up the scissors, and stopped, instead hugging him and relapsing into tears. Laughing quietly, he leaned back against her and put his hands over her wrists.

Claus was there. A little sweaty, and a little worn, but there. That was all that she had hoped for.

After a minute, she loosened her grip. "Okay!" she started, sniffling. "Back to hair-cutting."