I'm aware it's been a while… It's definitely longer that I meant it to be, but some parts of this chapter were harder to write than others…

To the Guest that read the whole story in three days: I have to say, that's definitely an achievement… I also know EXACTLY who Cath is because that's one of my favourite books too! I am honestly honoured that I'm like Cath, that means a lot to me. Honestly, your review inspired me to finish this chapter. Don't worry, this journey isn't finished yet! ;)

The door opens and Marlene smiles brightly at Issy. "Oh thank god you're okay." The nurse shouts happily but then her gaze falls to her shoulder. "Take off your jacket."

Issy does as Marlene says and carefully takes off her jacket for her wound to be checked. "Oh, and I've probably got a concussion too."

Declan snort. "Snap sister!"

As Marlene cleans her shoulder, she looks to her brothers. "So what happens now?"

Declan and Hugo share a look. "We rest and wait for the Leaders to make an announcement on the next move."

Eric came into the infirmary room just as Josh was beginning to stir an hour later.

Issy didn't look at him, even as Declan's eyes switched between her and the young Leader. Issy stays curled up on one side of the bed with Dec on the other. Hugo was still sat on the chair next to Josh's side.

Eric sighs, rubbing at his eyes. There's a quiet moment until he speaks and Issy wasn't sure if he were waiting for her to look at him or step outside so they could talk privately. Issy wasn't moving. She made that clear when she settled back into the pillows. "There wasn't a bomb."

Issy rolled her eyes as Dec and Hugo frowned deeply. "Well, I could have told you that – I did – but you didn't listen…" Issy glances to him before turning her head to Josh. "…again..."

"I didn't find your armoury either…" His voice is edging on hopeful as he stares down at her and Issy just snorts. "Issy –"

Her energy had completely been depleted, her head and shoulder still hurt, and she didn't want to fight, but she didn't want to talk either. "Not now." Her voice was sharp enough that Declan flinched, but Eric just clenched his jaw.

Josh stirred again and mumbled something.

Hugo inched his chair forward, brushing Josh's long blond hair away from his face. "C'mon love, fight it." Hugo whispered brokenly and Issy felt her eyes burning.

"Hu – uhh –" Josh's eyes blinked open and he winced. Eric dimmed the lights and slowly, Josh's eyes opened. "What? Oh!" Josh cried slightly when he tired moving. "Why does everything hurt?"

Hugo let out a weak chuckle, placing a kiss on Josh's hand. "What do you remember?"

Josh hissed as he sat up and he looked around the room. His eyes settled on Dec sitting against the headboard, on Issy's bandaged shoulder and Eric standing by the doorway with his uniform all ruffled. Josh's eyes fall close, and a tear slips down his cheek. "…It wasn't a nightmare was it?" He asks quietly and no one has the heart to tell him no. "They're really gone?" His eyes are glassy when he looks to Hugo.

"I'm so sorry." Hugo quietly climbed into the bed with Josh and held him tight as he cried.

"She – Lyra, she was expecting a –"

Hugo sniffled. "I know, I'm sorry."

Issy wiped at her eyes and Declan rubbed her back. "What's going to happen to Cas?" She whispered and Dec sighed.

"I don't know." He whispered back and leaned his cheek on top of her head, being careful of her injury. "While Josh is his Godfather, Winnie's staff will have to investigate whether Josh's home is suitable for a child and if he can afford to support him."

Issy let out a shaky breath. "And if not?"

Declan swallows and it's Eric that quietly answers her question. "Winnie will take Cas and either he'll stay in care or he'll be placed with another family."

She nodded, her golden blue eyes gazing back to where Josh and Hugo were in their own world. Issy curled into her brother as Eric slumped into the chair by Dec's bed and his gaze drifted to Issy. She stared at him and the day came crashing down on her. So much had happened, so many deaths, and she had almost been one of them…

Issy's eyes welled up again and she tried not to think about what would have happened to her if Eric didn't get there in time. Eric's hands twitched like he wanted to reach out for her.

"Are there any more deaths in the family?" Josh asked.

"Not that I'm aware of." Issy answered him, pulling herself up to face him. "I've seen most of them. Most are just injured."

"And what about you?" Josh asked, his eyes moving back to her bandaged shoulder.

"Uh," Issy opened her mouth but then closed it. "I, um, I got hit over the head by the traitor leading this invasion. I don't know how long I was out but uh, I woke up and –" Issy hesitated, glancing to Eric, who was staring down at his hands, and she swallowed. "I, sort of, got pushed off the bridge running across the Chasm…"

Declan's hands gripped Issy's waist painfully.

Josh's eyes widened.

Hugo looked like he was about to be sick.

"I pulled her up." Eric whispered, eyes still not leaving his hands. "But not before killing the fucker that hurt her." His stormy eyes flashed up to Issy and she could tell it hadn't been enough to ease him.

"Then we got ambushed on the bridge. Factionless blocked our exits and in the midst, I got shot."

"But what's this about a bomb?" Hugo asked and Josh's eyes couldn't widen any more.

"The traitor that knocked Issy out also broke into her apartment before leaving the compound. Her violin was completely smashed, and I thought that Kim might have –"

"WOAH! KIM?!" Declan shouted. "Kim's Dusk?"

As Eric nodded, Issy frowned. "Dusk?"

"Nothing." Eric quickly said and Josh shot him a small glare. "So I thought Kim might have placed a bomb in there," Eric scratched the back of his neck. "Turns out she didn't." Issy shook her head but didn't comment. "Max has crews of willing members cleaning up the compound and Harrison's squadrons will start searching for wherever those traitors went."

"Oh!" Issy perked up. "Another bit of news. Uriah's squadron is transferring to the Front."

"Shit really?" Declan seemed surprised. "What does Zeke say?"

"Zeke understands due to recent circumstances." Issy frowns. "Marlene supports his decision and that's all that matters." Eric growled lowly at the indirect jab but Issy ignored him again. She was still angry with him – furious in fact – but Issy was still hurting and he still hadn't apologised.

Eric's phone started ringing and the Leader sighed as he picked it up and walked from the room without a backward glance.

Declan sighs deeply and shakes his head. "Are you really gonna hold that against him forever?"

"Declan, I really don't want to have this conversation with you now."

"You're hurting him –"

Issy glared at him. "And he hurt me!"

"STOP IT!" Hugo shouted and Issy flinched. Hugo never raised his voice. Ever. Even when the twins were little and had accidentally set fire to Hugo's favourite books. "Just, stop it. No fighting today – Issy, that means tolerating Eric too."

"What? I do –"

"Then stop picking a fight with him every time you open your mouth." Hugo snaps at her and she shrinks back into Dec.

"Hu, stop." Josh placed his hand on Hugo's chest and pushed him back a bit. "Issy and Eric have things they need to work out by themselves. No fighting today, right?"

Hugo huffs and quietly agrees, staring at Issy.

"No fighting." Issy agrees too.

Eric steps into the room and immediately frowns at the tension quietly brewing. "What happened?"

"Nothing!" Her brothers chorus together and Eric eyes Issy.

She ducks her head down and her eyes meet Hugo's. He made a not so subtle gesture and Issy sighed. She glanced to Eric and smiled slightly. "Thank you for not letting me fall into the Chasm."

Even as Hugo threw up his hands, Eric blinked in surprise but smiled back. "You're welcome." He said quietly, staring a little longer before he cleared his throat and looked away. "Max wants all the captains on the Front in a conference room in half an hour."

Issy nodded and climbed off the bed. She stretched out, raising her arms above her head until her bones popped and wiggled slightly. "Will we be planning our next move?" Eric's whole head turned and looked at her and surprise wasn't the word to cover his expression. Issy smiled at Hugo and he nodded back. "No fighting today. Dauntless has lost too much already."

"No fighting?" Eric asked, looking to Hugo.

"No fighting." Hugo nodded and Josh smiled.

A small smile settled on Eric's face as he looked back to Issy. "Truce?" He held out his hand between them.

She laughed a little and took his hand. "Truce." Issy couldn't help blushing when Eric grinned at her.

xXx

Exactly half an hour later, Issy was sat next to Bonnie in the conference room. Instead of a large table in the middle of the room, chairs were placed in long rows like a lecture theatre. Zion grimaced as he sat of Issy's other side and the two women rolled their eyes.

Eric was leaned against the wall and Max was at the front of the room, sat in one of the chairs with his head in his hands. The Head Leader looked exhausted, most of those in the room were too. Some were showing bandages like Issy, others were nearly falling asleep.

Max raised his head from his hands and a muscle twitched in his jaw. "I understand most, if not all, of you are confused about what happened a few hours ago – or why it happened. In the next few days when the compound has been cleaned and our dead honoured, I will explain to the faction what happened, but you all need to be prepared." Nobody shifted as Max paused to find his words. "Years ago, when the factions all had different Leaders, Dauntless and Erudite worked together for a project. At that time, the Factionless had murdered the previous Candor Leader and Dauntless didn't have enough soldier to protect all Factions. Our force wasn't even half of what we have today and so Candor suffered greatly. The project was to see if Erudite could creative serums to enhance strength and other abilities of our soldiers so we could protect the city against the Factionless." Max sighed and stood up. He began to pace slowly as he looked to the captains. "The project was destroyed when many Dauntless had various side effects. Most would go insane and go on a killing frenzy. They couldn't be controlled, so they had to been exterminated." Max stood before them in parade rest and frowned. "Some of you must be wondering why I'm telling you all this… A project that happened a good forty years ago, if not more. While the project was destroyed, the current Leaders of Dauntless felt it was best if they kept the remaining drafts of the serum and keep it locked away, hidden forever." A quiet gasp left Issy's mouth and Max caught her eye, nodding grimly. "In the awful events of today, a Dauntless traitor stole the remaining serums and I believe that whoever these Leaders of the rebels are, they're trying to restart the project."

"So," Zion said aloud. "Super soldiers? That was the aim of the project?"

Max nodded slowly. "The enhancing was meant to be temporary and a last-minute tool on Dauntless' side of the contract. Erudite wanted to see if the serums would have any lasting effects. When the project was scrapped, the file was locked and buried deep in the archives."

"But wouldn't the Head of Serum Development be able to access it?" Issy asks, knowing that if any file is tagged as serum, they'd have access…

"No," Max smiles. "The code has been passed down in Dauntless from Head Leader to Head Leader. No one in Erudite knows."

A few of the other captains, including Eric, had questions of what this could mean for Dauntless' forces. Nearly unstoppable and rabid opponents if the serum is administered but also more groups with smaller numbers because of the efficiency of the serum. If any of the soldiers see any of the symptoms that will be emailed to them later, headshots are the only thing to stop the enhanced Factionless.

A few captains stay behind when the meeting is over, but Issy quickly escapes. Her head was reeling with the new information and her phone pinged with an email from Max regarding the symptoms. Issy forwarded the email to her squaddies with an additional not explaining an overview of the meeting.

Someone grabs her arm before she can continue down the corridor and Issy turns to see Josh. Issy smiles up at him, noticing the bags under his eyes and the dishevelled mess of his hair. It wasn't in his usual bun but rather fell around his shoulders.

"Do we need to take you to the hair dressers?" Issy asked with a cheeky grin.

Josh chuckled quietly and ran a hand through his hair. His fingers got caught a little. "Maybe, but I ain't cutting it all off, Hugo likes my hair long." Josh flipped some of it behind him and Issy laughed.

"What are you doing up here?" Issy looked around. "Where's Hugo?"

Josh shrugged and looked over his shoulder. "Sleeping…"

Issy frowned before her eyes widened. "Oh my god, you left him in the infirmary without telling him?" When Josh continued not to look at her, she snorted. "Sucks to be you." She paused, then realised what she had said. "Shit! Wait! I didn't mean it like that – I'm sorry, I –"

"Breathe Golden Eyes." Josh placed both hands on her shoulders with being careful of her bandage. "I left him a note and Dec's still with him." He gently pulled her down the corridor and sat down on a chair lined against the wall and Issy sat down next to him. "I thought I'd get the ball rolling and ask Winnie if there was a possibility that I could get a larger apartment so I can house Cas."

Issy's mouth opened slightly. She was surprised that Josh wasn't going to wait from the deaths to settle in his mind, but she was also exceedingly proud of him for putting the child's needs before his own. "Would you like me to wait with you?"

Josh grinned, and while it didn't reach his eyes, Issy could tell her offer meant a lot to him. "Please. Winnie said that we'd need to go over finances to see if I can afford to look after Cas and if there are any apartments available that will fit my needs."

"Can you afford to live off the wages you get from tattooing?"

Josh hesitated, thumbing the green and black viper wrapped around a finger on his right hand. "Well, I technically have two jobs but um, whether Winnie will take that into account is up to her…"

Her eyes narrowed. "Is that the job where you're busy every night but Sundays?"

"Yes…?"

When Josh didn't elaborate, Issy huffed. "Alright then, keep your secrets." Issy pouted. "I'll find out someday…"

"Sure you will." Josh playfully rolled his eyes and nudged her.

They were silent for a while and Issy watched some of the other captains walk out of the conference room and head towards the lift. Another door opened further up the hallway and a female voice called out.

"Josh Reed?"

Their heads turned to see Winnie standing in the threshold of her doorway. Josh stood up and looked between Issy and the Leader. "Can my sister come with me?" Josh's voice is small and Issy slips her hand in his and squeezes, silently supporting him.

Winnie smiles, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she nods.

Josh begins to lead Issy forward. His breathing is slow but there's a glint of panic in his eyes and Issy squeezes his hand again.

The office is brighter than those belonging to the other Leaders. Though as the Head of Childcare, Issy understood why Winnie's office was more comfortable than the other offices. There was more light reds, mellow ambers, and bright whites.

The interior was softer too. Instead of the hard-backed chairs, there were two velvet charcoal armchairs by the desk. On the other side of the room there was a matching sofa with a third chair on top of a fluffy rug that Issy just wanted to lay down on and never move from. When Josh pulled her away from staring at the interior, Issy nearly tripped over a few toys that were scattered across the floor and Josh snickered at her.

As they sat down in the armchairs in front of Winnie's desk – made of light oak instead of the harsher steel and glass – Issy couldn't help but feel a hint of Amity in the room… It both relaxed Issy and unnerved her.

"Sorry about the toys," Winnie said as she sorted through the files on her desk. "It helps children focus and behave while us adults talk. Now," She pulled out a laptop and looked up to Josh. "What's the situation Mr. Reed?"

Josh's hand shook in Issy's as he took a deep breath. "My friends, Ed and Lyra Parson, died in the chaos earlier. I'm down as Godfather to their son in the records and I'm aware that my apartment isn't suitable to house him properly, so I want to apply for a larger apartment."

"Credit to you for thinking ahead Mr. Reed," Winnie says with a slight smile. "Not many people would have acted this quickly with everything going on."

"Eh," Josh shrugs with a little bit of humour. "I have siblings coming from Erudite, they were bound to rub off on me at some point…" Issy promptly elbowed him in the side and he snickered again.

"Yes, well, I suppose that's true." Winnie smiled tightly and Issy lifted an eyebrow at the Leader's barely hidden hatred for Erudite. "I understand you work a couple of shifts at one of the tattoo parlours and have a few night shifts too. Cassian can't be constantly at day-care while you work. Do you think that's the best environment for him?"

Josh frowned. "While I agree that no, its not, I will not stand for him to be put in the hands of the system. I have a large family that will happily take care of Cas if necessary and I've already emailed Bud to discuss a change in hours. I suggested this to Bud, and I'll suggest it to you; is it possible that I could be put on parental leave?"

"Josh, that's not –"

"– what this situation is?" Josh cuts across the Leader and Winnie sighs. "That's exactly what this situation is! I'm getting a child who will need a hundred percent of my time until he settles down. Sure, the situation is different in the fact that I'm not popping him out."

Issy watches as Josh stares Winnie down and the Leader meets his gaze with tired eyes. Issy's head goes back and forth between them for a few minutes before Winnie's shoulders slump slightly.

"I cannot guarantee you'll be given leave, but until then I can work on finding you an apartment."

Josh grins brightly with an excited look in his eyes and lunges across the desk to give Winnie a big hug while Issy laughs.

xXx

While Josh walked deeper into the infirmary, back to where Hugo and Declan were, Issy lagged behind slightly and slowly looked around. She recognised some of the injured as soldiers that worked in patrols and others were just members that worked in the Pit. Issy nodded to Bud, who was being seen to by a nurse for his leg. Another person Issy recognised was Sam, hunched over and rocking back and forth, mumbling words under his breath.

She stopped at the end of his bed and inhaled softly. Blood was inlaid into the lines of his palms and his fingers tore at the strands of his hair. As Issy took a step forward, a hand on her forearm pulled Issy back. She turned to Vex, who was frowning at her friend with a worried expression.

"Don't." He said softly. "He's in shock."

Sam continued to rock and talk to himself, hugging his knees to his chest. He lunged when one of the nurses tried to touch him and when they left him alone, Sam went back to rocking.

"What's –" Issy couldn't take her eyes from him. "What happened?"

Vex sighed and picked up the clipboard from the end of the bed. "Report says he witnessed a brutal death of his girlfriend. A doctor found him hugging her to his chest and crying her name. It took three others along with the doctor to pull him away from the body…"

Marlene walked forward with a needle in her hand, causing Issy to immediately tense. "Don't worry," Marlene smiles as two large doctors restrain Sam. "It's just to sedate him before he hurts himself."

"I – I was –" Sam pushed the doctors away. His head lifted up and his eyes connected with Issy's. His eyes were desperate and hurt as tears started to roll down his cheeks. The tension in his body began to relax. "I was – I was going to propose!" Issy's heart clenched as Sam yelled out. "We were gonna spend our lives together! Tell me she's not dead!" Marlene got pushed away and Sam fought against those holding him down. "Tell me she's not dead! Please –" Sam cuts off abruptly when Marlene sticks the needle in his neck and injects the contents. As it kicks in, Sam's movements become sluggish and he mumbles on until it knocks him out. "Please, just please tell me it's a dream, please!"

Issy starts to back away as tears collect in her eyes and her legs tremble beneath her. The echoing screams of others in the infirmary pound against her and Issy bumps into a few people as she takes a few more shaky steps away. Vex's arm is outstretched in her direction but the words that fall from his lips are silent while the multiple screams become louder and louder.

As her eyelids flutter shut, it feels like Issy's floating until something hard slams against her ribs and she blacks out.