This is my first fanfiction so please go easy on it. If you like the story I'll keep chapters coming. If not keep it to yourself, please don't hate on it. If you find any errors, whether it be spelling, grammar or anything else please just let me know. I've been reading many of the fanfictions on this site but I just wanted to add my own to them.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Underland Chronicles or any of the characters, save the ones that I will be adding. Both the Underland Chronicles and the characters within belong to Suzanne Collins.

-Ssi


Gregor sat criss cross on his bed as he finished his homework for the night. Gregor had heard his mother get home a couple hours early but refrained from taking to her. Deep down Gregor still blamed her for his family's move to Virginia. In public he would talk to her so as not to draw suspicion but at home Gregor kept to himself and avoided her when he could.

The house burst into noise when Gregor's father and sisters got home.

"Hey, how was the dentist?" his mother asked.

Lizzie and Maggie simply grunted. "It wasn't bad," his father replied, "Margret is going to need to go back next week to get a cavity filled in."

"That child needs to slow down on her candy consumption," Gregor's mother mused. "Oh also, I met our new neighbors this morning so I thought we could invite them over tonight for dinner!" Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I found out they have a daughter in the same grade as Gregor!"

His ears had become so attuned that he could hear the whisper from the floor above them.

Oh great! He thought, Zoey's coming over for dinner with her parents. That's just great, leave it to his mom to try and set him up with someone. He didn't care for any girls here and she knew it but still she tried her hardest to get Gregor to find girls his age to talk to here.

Gregor heard a knock on the wall of the staircase leading up to his room. He didn't have a door so instead this was how his family would ask to come in.

"Yeah, come up," Gregor said.

Gregor's father entered the smaller room and ducked down to make his way over to Gregor's bed. "Want to tell me about what happened today?" His father said as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Nothing," Gregor replied not looking up from his work.

His father didn't seem to like this answer. "I know about the fight, Gregor, I'm not as blind as the office staff at that school."

"It was nothing, dad," Gregor assured him.

"Just tell me you didn't start it and I'll leave it be." His father bargained with him.

Gregor looked up at his father. "I didn't start it, I never even threw a punch." Looking back down at his homework he added his own question, "you didn't tell mom?"

Gregor's father looked surprised at the remark, "did you want me to?"

"Not really but I'm sure Zoey will bring it up tonight," Gregor answered nonchalantly.

His father looked taken back, "Zoey?" he asked quizzically.

"She's the daughter of our new neighbors that mom invited over," Gregor could see his father still confused. "She saw the whole thing."

Gregor's father smirked, "you really seem to know how to invite someone to the neighborhood, don't you?" Not waiting for a response he added, "George is grilling some hamburgers out back; our guests will be here in around a half hour." With that his father left his room and headed back downstairs.

Gregor had already decided he was going to skip dinner. Quite frankly he wanted nothing to do with his neighbors.

Finishing up his homework Gregor opened his window and grabbed his sweater. Stepping out on to his window sill Gregor turned to face the house and jumped up grabbing the roofing. Gregor pulled himself up onto the roof and rolled onto his back.

Sitting up on the slant of the roof Gregor put on his sweater and relaxed. Gregor could hear the sizzling of burgers on the grill in the back as his uncle worked on dinner. Throughout the day Gregor had only eaten an apple in the early morning and grilled cheese for lunch but he wasn't hungry.

Though Gregor worked out every day and stayed extremely fit for the last four years he rarely ate. Food for him no longer had any flavor, not since the nightmares started.

In his numerous trips to the Underland Gregor's mind and soul had been tested to the limits, but in returning to the Overland they had been completely torn apart. Gregor's muscles may have been toned and fit, but he was by no means healthy. He ate very little and got on average only about 2 hours of sleep per day. Besides talking to Kyle, Gregor was a social outcast. Besides spending a good portion of each day avoided confrontation at school he also almost never did anything involving other people outside of school. Whenever anyone would ask him if he was free he would immediately make up an excuse, normally having to do with his family needed him working on the farm that day. In more ways than one Gregor felt broken, and he knew that feeling wouldn't leave him anytime soon. If ever.

"Gregor, dinner's ready!" Lizzie's voice from his room broke him from his train of thought. "Gregor?"

Gregor stayed quiet and laid down on the roof. Closing his eyes Gregor could 'see' his sister leaning out his window looking for him. When she realized her search for him was futile she headed back to the grill.

"I can't find him mom he's not in his room," Lizzie said when she got to the backyard.

"What do you mean he isn't in his room?" Gregor's mom sounded furious, "where did he go?"

"I'm sure he's fine, Grace" Gregor could hear his father backing him up, "boys will be boys after all."

"Too bad, I was really looking forward to meeting him," he heard a new voice speak. Clearly a male voice, Gregor assumed it was Zoey's father.

Her likewise assumed mother spoke up, "we were just hoping for Zoey to meet a few people, you know? Being new, we thought it would be good for her."

"Mom!" Zoey retorted defensively as all of the adults started laughing.

The group continued to talk as they ate while Gregor started to phase in and out of thought.

Across the fields the sun had begun to set, setting the skies close to the horizon ablaze in hues of orange and yellow. Sitting up Gregor stared at the beauty of the world around him. If there was any positive side of moving it would be the sunsets here.

Reflexively Gregor felt his had reach into his pocket and take out his wallet. Opening it up, he slipped a folded up picture out and unfolded it. Gregor remembered the moments leading up to when the picture had been taken. He was with her. They had had a half hour before the fight with the Bane that had left Gregor's ribcage busted under his lungs. They had spent nearly the entire time laughing and taking pictures like a couple of normal kids. But then they had come to the final picture. The one that Gregor held in his hands, the one that was never very far from him. He stared at it and remembered the feeling of her temple pressed against his cheek. He remembered the smiles they both had masking their pain. He remembered the dread he felt thinking that it would be his last moments with her. Most of all he remembered what had happened mere seconds after the picture was taken. Thinking at the time that this would be the last time they were alone together, they had kissed. That had been Gregor's first kiss. Gregor tried to flush his mind.

Four years, two months and twelve days he thought to himself… a single tear trailed down his face. He quickly wiped it away. Putting the picture away, Gregor tried to clear his mind of her.

When he looked out to the field he saw Zoey and her parents walking back to their house. Zoey was looking over her shoulder at him. When their eyes met she gave him a small smile and half a wave but said nothing. To his own surprise Gregor felt his arm move on its own to wave back.

Gregor heard the clank of metal as the top of the ladder hit the side of the roof. Gregor's uncle George carefully climbed the ladder balancing a plate in his left hand. When he had gotten to the top of the ladder he simple held out the plate out to Gregor. It had a large grilled burger slapped between two sesame seed buns on it.

"I'm not hungry," Gregor said staring off into the now darkened sky.

"Well if you don't eat it then I guess I'll have to, but we both know these'll go straight to my hips and I don't need that," George laughed.

Gregor grinned and took the plate from his uncle. "Thank you," he said softly.

"She's pretty isn't she?" his uncle inquired.

"Uh, yeah I guess Zoey's alright," Gregor said as he ate his burger.

"I wasn't talking about Zoey," George said catching Gregor off guard. "You don't have to tell me the whole story; I know you all have your reasons not too," He said plainly, "but then I won't pretend like I haven't seen that photo in your hand every time you think you're alone."

When his family had moved to Virginia they hadn't told George the entire truth about what had happened. In fact they hadn't told him any off it. They were all a little surprised that he didn't ask any questions about it. Gregor guessed that he had just always had the mentality of helping any of his family in need no questions asked. When his uncle had first seen his scars he seemed freaked out for only a second before he said "Guess I don't want to see the other guy, right?" and then not another word. Even though he was one of the most trustworthy people Gregor knew, they had always kept him in the dark of their secrets… Gregor thought back trying to remember his question.

"Yeah," he said weakly. "…Yeah, she was beautiful."

"Was?" George asked.

"I haven't really been able to stay in contact with her; mom was never very fond of her, she gets annoyed whenever I bring up her name." Gregor choked out.

"Probably why I haven't heard about her," he said understandingly. "What was she like?"

"Beautiful, strong, independent… far more mature than you'd believe for her age," Gregor tried to take a deep breath.

"Seems like you two were perfect for each other then," George tried to comfort him, "What was her name?"

Gregor tried to fight back his tears. Thinking about her just hurt him too much. Apparently his uncle had caught on. He reached out and grabbed the now clean plate from Gregor.

Before climbing back down Gregor's uncle turned back to him "I know it will come as no comfort to you but however little time you had to spend with her, know that there are others who never had as much." His uncle started to climb back down the ladder leaving Gregor in silence.

"Luxa…" Gregor whispered so quietly that he could barely hear himself. "Her name was Luxa."


That's a wrap on Chapter 3. I'm hoping those reading it don't think its going to slowly, I just don't want this to be one of those two paragraph stories that says "Gregor wanted to go back to the Underland... so he went back to the Underland" You all know you've read one of those. Please rate and review. Any and all feedback is welcomed.

-Ssi