Gosh darn man Sorry it took me so long to update, you know how life gets! Sorry about the shortness of this chapter but I feel its important enough to get it own, let me know if it feels choppy in anyway.

Ok, so no flames please but constructive criticism is welcome! If you want to help by giving a bit of advice on how something can work or flow better then by all means but if you're just going to be mean yeah please don't. If you don't like then just leave and write your own story m'kay?

Alrighty now I'm just wasting time, so without further ado!

Sins of the Stars

Light So Dim

"Am I just a lost soul blowing in the wind? Or a coward scared to look within? Or do I have a brave heart with a light so dim. Is that who I am?" ~Is That Who I Am, Chris Carmack

Ch.2

9 Months, 5 Weeks, 3 Days, 18 Hours, 32 Minutes…it's been that long since the initial attack on earth. Females of the ages 15- 40 were being taken up to the ships in the sky, young girls of the age range of birth to 14 were taken to a facility before being shipped off with the women from the ages 41-60, to a different area on earth.

As to what the Alien creatures wanted with the females of this age range, no one knew. The men couldn't get close enough to find out. In some cities daily activity was starting to pick back up, only consisting of men, boys and older women. The passing rumors were all talking about that if the Alien keep taking their young females, what will happen to the human race?

Yet there was nothing they could do, with a massive EMP strike, in the few months of the attack, that effectively shorted out all forms of technology and objects that ran on electricity. Left the remaining humans open for attack and an easy surrender. Each time the men tried to attack they were killed off, soon the government banned the men from trying, they didn't need to lose any more of the humans' species, there was no point.

Mercy sighed as she rubbed her face and watched as Andy went through his stances of fighting. Resting her cheeks on her fist she gave a sad smile.

4 Months 8 Days, that's how long it's been since Patty sacrifice herself for Mercy, and it still felt as if it was yesterday, the pain in her chest wouldn't leave.

"Make sure you pivot that left foot Andy." She commented to the boy as he frowned but nods.

Her little brother had the knack for fight styles, granted he was still very young and couldn't do much damage to an adult but she was sure her lil bro could handle his own when he gets older.

Smiling slightly bigger Mercy watched as he successfully went through his stances faster and with little mistakes. She remembered when he begged her to take the classes when he was 4, his reasoning was he wanted to be a Ninja Turtle. She remembers laughing but he was so serious that she couldn't help but enroll him in a class, and she was surprise at how well and fast he took to it. He wanted to be like Donatello, the purple turtle, super smart, kind and only fighting when he had too. Most kids wanted to be Raphael or Leonardo, they seem to like the strongest, but her brother wanted to be the genius peacekeeper, she was filled with so much pride, that she took him for ice crème for dinner.

That was a bad move on her part since he didn't go to sleep, until very late and he had school the next morning, but hey she never said she was the best guardian.

"M-Mercedes…" Blinking Mercy focused back on her brother and frowned, he never called her by her full name, it was always Momma or just Mercy…unless he was being serious.

"What's wrong Anderson?" She smirked seeing his own frown at his name, he hated his full name as well.

Dropping his from his fighting stance, he turns to her with a serious face. "Do you think Patty is dead? Will she go to heaven like your Momma did?"

Feeling the breath leave her lungs Mercy slumped just slightly. "Andy, my momma is your Momma too." She corrected him first before opening her arms to invite him to her.

Rushing into her arms, he nuzzled her chest as she pets his inky black hair that matched hers. "Oh yeah, I forgot…" He mutters offhandedly. She knew he still didn't understand never having the real chance of meeting their mother, so he wouldn't know.

"And…I... I don't know if Patty is with Momma or not." She was about to lie but for some reason it was like she couldn't get it passed her tongue.

"What do you mean?" He questioned peeking up with those vibrant green eyes of his.

"When Patty was taken up, I'm unsure what is or has happened to her." She ran her fingers though his locks, grimacing at how greasy it was, if his was this bad then she just knew hers was worst, they both needed a bath.

"Do you think she's in pain, are they hurting her?" He murmurs.

I'm sure she's just fine… "I don't know." She replied instead.

Watching him look down at his feet in thought, Mercy felt guilt, before all of this she never had a problem with telling him small white lies, like all adult do with children. Everything he asked just now could have been told with a tiny white lie, just to sooth his thoughts, but Mercy felt as if she just could not lie to him.

Maybe it was because she herself didn't know or that she didn't want to give him false hope, hell she honestly and truly doesn't know. All she knew was that she didn't, couldn't lie to him now and that was eating at her.

Oh the irony…

"Well I think, she running so fast up there they can't catch her." He huffed as if his mind was made up.

"Oh really now?" She smiled looking down at him. "And why is that?"

"Why? Are you really asking?" He gasps with a smile. "Patty is the fastest girl I know! I…I bet she running so fast, they have to bring her back."

Mercy chuckles as she watches him run and dodge the invisible aliens, but he was right, Patty was the fast person they knew. That girl could run forever if she could, never slowing down always on the move, always going. Her dream was to be a world renowned athlete, especially in soccer, she always saying that running is the closest she comes flying without her feet leaving the ground.

"You know what I think you're right." She smiled bright for the first time in what felt like years, her smile only grew bright when she saw just how excited he got when she answered as he launched himself back into her arms.

Holding him close she pushed her face into his neck, she didn't know why agreeing with him seemed so much easier then telling him something similar on her own accord. Maybe it was due to the fact that he truly believes that himself, that it was her agreeing with him then herself trying to get him to believe.

"Ok ladies, time to pack it up let get going." Ritz clapped his hands gaining the attention to the camp. Ritz was the leader of the group of rebels that saved her and her small group that night at the barn. He said they were built a safe house that was build inside a mountain.

The whole idea reminded her of the book called Host from Stephenie Meyers, where a group of people all took refuge inside the caves of the Arizona desert.

She felt it wasn't really a secure thing, that they should keep moving, but she would admit that the thought of being stationary for a small while didn't seem so bad.

"Mercy, Andy." Easton called to them as he waved them over to help gather their things.

With Andy rushing off to help, Mercy trailed along with a small smile, Easton had taken up responsibility in the group. Fitting in perfectly and helping out in any way he could. He and Ritz seem to hit it off, they were always discussing new ways to go around checkpoints and different ways to snag food, clothes and personal products for the girls and women.

Speaking of the group…Mercy looked around at the growing group, she didn't like how big they gotten in since a small time. She didn't mean it in a bad way, she was very happy that there are this many girls and women still free but she felt that if the group was to get any bigger… there would be more room for mistakes and being caught.

"Mercy…" Looking to Easton with her frown she walked to him as Andy rushed off to play with the other children of the group.

"Stay close Andy!" She called picking up her pack and swing it onto her back.

"He'll be fine," Easton waved off her concern. "I'm worried more about that frown." He poked her cheek.

"Argh stop it!" She waved him away like a fly as he continued.

"I'm sure if you keep that look up, your face will get stuck like that." He chuckles.

"Then bring up the topic about the size of the group to Ritz." She countered as she began her trek next to Easton.

"Mercy, argh not this again!" He whined rubbing his face. He was getting a small amount of scruff along his chin, it was working for him, to the point that most of the women were eyeing him.

"All I'm saying is the group should split into two groups, and travel at least a mile or two apart."

"It's not safe, Mercedes."

"And you think it's safe to travel in a massive group is safer?" She hissed leaning in closer to keep her voice down as they walked along the back roads of an abandon neighborhood.

"We have more chances of getting caught, or losing someone because of how big we're getting." She continued. "Sooner or later the aliens are going to get suspicious as to why a big group like this is traveling together."

Easton groaned as he grabbed the shoulder straps of his bag as he stared up at the sky. Eyeing him closely Mercy knew she was getting through to him.

"Just look around," She whispered. "They didn't plan of getting this many girls, if we continue gathering and staying in this large group, hiding will be harder and girls will soon outnumber the guys, then who will protect us?"

He looked at her with a hard face but she knew it was his thinking face. "All I'm saying is split the group in even number of guys, like every guy is in charge of 4 girls, so a group of 5 guys is a group of 20 girls that is manageable, not this cluster-fuck of nearly 60 girls!"

"So 3 groups of 20 and for every guy its 4 girls?" Easton mutters in thought.

"Each group traveling only so many miles apart." Mercy reminded, to be honest she still felt that a group of twenty was still too big but if she went any lower Easton would not have stopped to listen; to her a group of 10 or less was ideal, less likely to get noticed.

"Alright look, I'll talk to Ritz about it," Mercy squealed and hugged him tightly. "Hey, hey now don't get to excited it's his decision and if he says no, then please drop it. Ok?"

"Yes Okay." She nods excitedly as Easton walked off, she knew this was the right thing to do, walking around in a big group like this was nothing but a target.

Ritz was a fucking idiot; how dare he call her a paranoid like it was a bad thing! She had a damn right to be paranoid, females were being taken by aliens! Damn fucking Aliens and hello she was a fucking female!

"Mercedes, just drop it." Easton groans seeing her still pouting. "It's been almost 2 weeks and nothing has happened and even longer since…that night."

Huffing she stomped along the leafy path, Andy just ten paces a head of her. "And since then we picked up more girls!"

"And guys too!" He rebuffed.

"Easton," Mercy turned to look at her longtime friend and grabbed his shoulders. "You need to look at this from a female point of view, from my point of view. An Alien race is after all the females, and here I am traveling in a massive group of females!"

"What do you have me do huh Mercedes hmm?" Easton hissed frustrated. "I can't make Ritz do anything this is his group!"

Biting the inside of her right cheek, Mercy looked away as she wiped her nose shaking her head in frustration. "Something is going to happen and it going to happen soon I can feel it Easton."

"Mercy, I promise you are safe!" Sighing he pulled her into a hug. He knew that she was scared, she had Andy to look after and the fact that she didn't want to be taken, it was a lot to fear. "I understand I really do hun, but staying with the group is best."

Still shaking her head, she moved away from his arms. "Easton stop being so ignorant, we both know you're smarter than this! Just because something hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it's not going to happen! They have technology that can make them invisible, what makes you think they're not following us waiting to see how many girls we can gather!"

"All right that's ENOUGH!" Ritz yelled loudly, snapping Easton and Mercedes out of their argument, enough to see that the whole group was staring at them, some of the girls were wearing fear on their faces while others were frowning and some just stood there neutral.

"Mercedes, you will drop this nonsense now! I made myself very clear 2 weeks ago we are not splitting up! We have not seen any of the Aliens way out here, I get you are paranoid but enough is enough, or else!"

Mercy blinked, fear sunk into her belly, she was never the type of cause a commotion, she was always the quite one; she usually left the loudness to Patty and Easton.

But times had changed and she had Andy to look after. "Or what?" She breathes shakenly, her words may have sounded weak but the meaning was strong. "What can you do to me that those Alien can't do?" She hissed lowly shaking with fear and doubt.

"Damnit Mercedes we are not the enemy," Ritz hissed. "You are scaring the other…just calm down."

Looking around Mercy nods, to Ritz relief. "I'm leaving." She whispers.

"No, Mercy don't be stupid!" Easton groans as he watched her grab Andy as she made her way out the group.

"You need to listen to your friend Mercedes, he's right." Ritz called out calmly, knowing she wasn't really going to leave.

"Tell me Ritz what's more appealing 10 or 100 dollars?" She looked back at him, with eyes full of fear but filled with so much determination it made both Easton and Ritz rear back. "One girl or a large group?"

Turning her back she walked away leaving behind her a mass of murmuring females. Her head was held high but she was filled with fear, so much that she wasn't sure if Andy was clinging to her or was she clinging to him.

She knew that being in the group was dangerous, but she also knows that being on her own was just as bad, yet by being on her own she can at least prolong the inevitable.

Huffing she continued on refusing to let the tears fall as they bubbled at the corner of her eyes, it was only a matter of time before she is taken, she knew this, she was trying to come to terms with this.

Mercedes's goal was simple, protect Andy long enough until he can protect and survive on his own, ideally the age of 18 logically 15 give or take the circumstances, worst outcome 10 years old.

Until then she would be damn if she was taken before then.

"Mercy…"

"What is it Andy..."

"I think something at the window."

Jolting up from the bed Mercedes quickly grabbed her bat with her heart leaping into her throat. It's been about a month and three weeks since she left the group, in that time she was lucky to find an abandon apartment, with the hope that this town would be the last place an Alien will look.

She wasn't sure if life was easier or harder since she left, but she can say finding food was tricky but once she did get her hands on some it was way more than enough for her and her small brother.

Walking out in the open was a tiny bit easier she will admit, she cut her short hair even shorter, it was now more like a short wild pixie cut, her breasts weren't big so strapping them down was no problem, the hassle came in at disgusting her wide hips. With a large pair of baggy pants and a shirt to help further hide the curves of her body, tossing in a hat a bit of dirt to the face and slouching lazy posture, she was ready to wonder further into the small town.

Though, with just her and Andy, she was always looking over her shoulder. Now being on her own it almost seemed worst, she didn't think of the aspect of women being taken by men…that men tend to get lonely… sex deprived…well the rest she didn't want to think about.

She didn't feel any better about being safe, going to sleep was a scary thought and most nights she didn't sleep, at least with the group that big the possible scream or gun shots was enough warning.

Mercy was fortunate enough to find this apartment that seemed untouched. After digging around, she found that the couple that was living here, was out on a vacation when the Aliens invaded, thus never making it back, sad for them good thing for her, she was guilty that it was good for her.

Gulping, she quietly raised the bat higher over her head, ready to swing as Andy open the door quickly, but to their surprise their visitor let out a hiss.

"Oh, Mr. Jinx!" Andy smiled as he came from behind the door to grab the fat tabby cat. Mercy wasn't sure how the fat fur ball was able to wiggle in and out of their apartment then down the fire escape but he did.

She glared at the chubby feline, the last owners apparently left him here while they went out on holiday, which left them with a cat and Andy a new, unwanted on mercy's part, friend.

Huffing Mercedes mimic the hiss from the cat, which got a laugh from Andy and a glare for Mr. Jinx.

"I still think it's cool that you can mimics sounds Mercy." Andy smiled as he waddles back to their bedroom with the cat half way in his arms and the other half nearly dragging, but the cat didn't seem to mind.

"It's a useless talent..." She grumbled with a yawn. Of course this had to be the night she was finally able to get some rest only to be woken up in a panic.

"I don't think so." Andy helped the cat into bed before hopping in himself. Frowning at the feline she sighed and laid in bed knowing the cat made him happy.

"Of course you don't."

"I don't! They make my nightmares go away…and they help to remind me of how things use to be…"

Shit… "I'm sorry I know…that was rude of me." She smoothed back his hair as he pouted at her. When she was younger she used to read him books and playing out all the sounds, but unlike other parents or storytellers Mercedes could mimic the sounds perfectly.

Before all of this she wanted to be an animator she loved creating stories for her brother, making them come alive before his eyes was something she enjoyed; so she always tried her best to sound like the real thing.

Now telling him stories was a bittersweet moment, knowing it was to help him cope with what is happening and not because he enjoys it.

Pulling him into a snuggle she made a meowing sound that sounded like Mr. Jinx when he was annoyed, the said cat glared at her before meowing back in the same tone.

Giggling Andy wrapped his arms around her neck, his small hands rubbing through her short hair. "I miss it being long." He murmurs before closing his eyes. "Can you continue the Ninja turtle story you made?"

"Ah yes of course where did I leave off?" She asked thinking back.

"Leonard got caught by Bishop, and Donatello had to deactivate the bomb!"

"Ahh yes..."

Ok Well that's ch2. Sorry again if this one was so short and the time skips but I feel they are important, to give a better idea of who Mercy is. Plz let me know your thoughts in a wondrous review!