Talia's POV

Koba holds my hand as I swing myself off the horse and let my leg drop a little until I feel the ground beneath me. I feel sad as I hear them go, but soon I am engulfed in two skinny arms in a strong hug.

"Oh my god, I am so glad to see you!" I hear Alex say in my ear. I giggle silently and hug him back, I had missed my brother too, I hear him speak some more as we part from the hug, "I am so sorry that we left you behind. I wanted to go back so bad, but Carver had grabbed me as soon as the apes showed up and he dragged me away after he had shot that one."

I sigh and lift my hands, It is okay, I am okay. They found me soon after you guys had split, and they took care of me for the few days I was up there.

Suddenly I feel another set of arms wrap around me and soon I hear Ellie's voice accompany them, "I missed you so much sweetheart!" She lets me go but passes me onto Malcolm.

"I thought we had lost you for good," he says.

After he lets me go I sign a joke, Cannot get rid of me that easily.

There was a beat of silence before Alex repeats what I have said, and they all laugh heartily.

"Let us get you home and settled in. Then I have to go speak to Dreyfus about our next steps," Malcolm says.

I sigh and allow Alex to grab my hand and walk me towards our home. I knew that Malcolm was not going to drop the subject of getting a new power source out of the damn. It is not like him to just drop an idea without trying. I am just hoping that Dreyfus will see the danger in pursuing this idea and try to brainstorm other ways.

It takes 15 minutes before we reach our house and they all lead me inside. I am sat on a couch and I hear Ellie and Malcolm talking in the background.

"I'll be back sometime tonight, me and Dreyfus have to talk about what our next steps are with the dam," he says quietly.

I hear Ellie sigh, "Fine, just don't be out too late, you know I worry about you."

After that I hear the door close and I lean on Alex, So what all is new since I have been gone?

"Well two of the green houses caught fire and the electricity is officially turned off because there isn't enough of it," Alex mutters, "I heard Dad talking to Ellie about how half the colony might not make it through winter with the food shortage and the cold."

I sigh in sadness, The little children will go first. Their bodies do not have enough energy to survive both catastrophes.

I feel Alex let out a big breath, "Yeah, hard times are about to come on us. Dad tries to leave me in the dark, but I hear everything. Does he realize that I am not stupid?"

I wrap my arms around him and then take one of my hands to show in front of him, He just does not want you to worry. He is trying to make a better life for you and Ellie and all the people in the colony.

I feel Alex nod his head in understanding and we both just sit there in a comfortable silence. It takes a little while before he speaks up again in his quiet voice, "So, how were the apes while you were with them? They didn't treat you badly right?"

I shake my head no and proceed to excitedly sign to him everything that had happened while I was with the apes.