Highschool of the Dead: Us or Them

by HoTDFan

Three brothers from a military family are transferred to Fujimi Academy one day prior to the Z-Day outbreaks. Just when their lives seem to be getting back on track the world is completely unprepared for the living nightmare that opens up a new chapter in human history. The day humans were put back on the food chain. Rated-M. It is Highschool of the Dead afterall.

20. Chapter 20: Don't Look Back

Z-Day+27

Some distance outside the limits of Tokonosu City, two heavily modified buses were parked in a V formation just outside a police substation with the mangled body of a helicopter crashed right into it.

The events of the previous day had slowed them down considerably; the original plan being they'd be long gone from the city by now. But everyone was too physically and emotionally exhausted to set out on the open road, so it had ultimately been decided they would rest up and head out for Tokyo at first light.

Most of the group had managed to somehow fall asleep with relative ease, but not so for others. Saya, Kiriko and Saeko had found themselves unable to lose consciousness, and with the offer to keep lookout, had convinced Frasier to gather up his strength himself. Thankfully there'd been no signs of disturbance or movement this late into the night, but that wasn't the most of the three women's concerns. What had their attention was that Alice sat curled up into a ball on the far end of the bus, her tired purple eyes staring out vacantly through the window into the darkness outside. The once innocent and vibrant eyes that could light up with such childlike joy that always brought a smile to everyone's faces had died down, now reflecting a grim emptiness, as though the poor little girl was staring off into nothingness.

"Alice-chan? Sweetie? You've been really quiet all day. Is everything alright?" Saya finally worked up the courage to ask with a soft whisper as she got down on both knees once she joined the little girls' side. Her voice was soft and comforting, but her concern only intensified when Alice remained dead silent, not even turning her head to acknowledge she'd even heard her surrogate big sister. "Saya-chan, do you really think it even makes sense to ask that? I don't think even she would consider anything 'alright' right now. But she's been like this for the last two days. I'm really worried about her," Kiriko noted, both arms crossed as she could feel her heart twist in agony seeing the poor child looking so broken.

"So am I. But can we really blame her? We've all lost too much, but can you imagine what these losses must feel like for a child her age?" Saeko chimed in; swallowing the immense pain she was still reeling from and mentally shuddering at the thought of just how much Alice must've been suffering while staying so silent. "Alice-chan, what's wrong? I know I get mad and yell a lot, but…you know you can open up to us about anything, right?" Saya repeated once more as the little girl suddenly began to start breathing more heavily. Her eyes opened up a bit as she seemed to be reminiscing.

Two days ago…

Z-Day+25

It had only been a few minutes since the group had abandoned the mall to the dead. As far as they could tell, they had been the only ones to get out with their lives. The two armored buses had no trouble plowing through several clusters of 'Them' before being forced to go down one of the many abandoned side streets that led away from the mall.

While most would've considered this victory nothing short of a miracle, there was no room for joy or relief from anyone. There were just sour emotions, mixed with a bitter remorse for those they couldn't save. Even some of the injuries they'd received during the chaos hadn't fully registered until now, when all the adrenaline had finally worn off. Most notable in this instance was Saeko, who had one hand clasped around her bloody shoulder, her teeth clenching tight with each agonizing throb from the bullet hole.

"Are you absolutely sure you don't want me to use any anesthetic? This is going to hurt quite a bit." Shizuka asked concernedly; but the wounded warrior shook her head stubbornly. "We have to save as much as we can of that stuff. I can handle this." Saeko grumbled dismissively, eager to just get the worst of the procedure out of the way before she'd change her mind.

"Wait, is it really a good idea to be performing this kind of procedure on a shaky bus?" Kiriko suddenly piped in, aware of how dangerous and pointless it would be to try such a risky operation in poor conditions. "If we stop, we'll be vulnerable. We have to keep moving no matter what." Kohta brought up, looking out the windows to see 'Them' still heading in the direction of the mall and thankfully paying the buses no mind.

"Can you all please be quiet? I need to concentrate here." Shizuka requested in a polite but surprisingly serious manner. There was a look of clear hesitation in the young nurse's golden eyes as she tried her best to focus on the task at hand. She'd never had to operate on someone like this. The worst thing she'd ever had to deal with back at Fujimi Academy was a sprained ankle or a scuffed up knee.

Just the fact it was a real bullet wound made it all the more tense for her. At the time it first came up, Saeko and the others had claimed it was a clean shot through the shoulder. Then again, it was diagnosed in the heat of battle. What if bits and shards had managed to break off into her? The risk of infection was too great for Shizuka to ignore.

However, she managed to swallow her hesitation and doubts and gently pressed the threaded needle into Saeko's skin, weaving the suture back and forth. Tears instantly welled up in the corner of the swordswoman's blue eyes in response to the sharp spasms of pain that shrieked through her whole body. Without even thinking, Saeko's leg lashed out, inadvertently kicking at the nurse's shin and causing her to fall back from the sudden force. A look of seething rage and anger burned in the depths of Saeko's eyes before her face softened to one of horrified regret.

"I'm...just trying to help you, Busujima-san." Shizuka groaned, trying to pull herself back up from the sudden strike; all the while hoping it wouldn't leave a bruise on her smooth, soft skin. "I'm so, so sorry, Shizuka-sensei! I swear that was just a reflex! Are you okay?" Saeko frantically apologized; greatly embarrassed by the fact she'd just lost her cool in front of them. Thankfully, Shizuka wasn't as big a pushover as most would've figured her for, given her bubbly, passive nature.

"Should we maybe restrain her, just in case she can't handle it again?" Tadashi suggested, well aware Shizuka was far from finished. "I can handle it, now that I know what to expect," Saeko grumbled, feeling annoyed he'd talk like she wasn't even there. "I wasn't really asking for your sake," he retorted before Shizuka pulled out a clean, thick rag and pressed down to soak up the blood before attempting to continue. Saeko sucked in air through her clenched teeth at the stinging pain.

"It'll help for you to bite down on this. Just stay still for a few minutes, Busujima-san, okay?" Shizuka suddenly offered, holding out another rag for Saeko to sink her teeth into. Realizing she didn't have much choice, she took it and bit down onto it as hard as she could; almost screaming in pain as Shizuka began to sew up her wound again. Tadashi preemptively kept his hands ready, were Saeko to accidentally lash out again. He kept hoping that she actually meant what she said by having control of herself at this point. Saeko's nails began to scratch alongside the chairs, leaving thin white marks.

"You're doing great. I just need you to relax and not struggle." Shizuka reassured, trying to focus on doing her best to help the young teen. "Tell me...do you think Komuro-kun is alright? He did come back with the others…didn't he?" Saeko suddenly asked, finally breaking the tense silence between them by trying to distract herself from the pain.

"I saw my daughter and Frasier-kun getting onto the bus behind ours with what looked like Takashi-chan. I'm sure it'll be alright," Kiriko said, personally more relieved about Rei being alright than anyone else at the moment. Saeko weakly nodded, feeling relieved to know Takashi had not been left behind at that accursed mall. Had that been the case, she'd practically force them to turn the bus around to go get him. She finally closed her eyes as she recalled him leaving to go make sure Frasier was not in trouble trying to cover their escape. The memory left Saeko once again feeling ashamed her injury had forced her to stay behind.

"Alright, can you please stop the bus? I just can't do this without messing up my stitching with so much bumping around." Shizuka suddenly requested to Sho before he nodded in understanding; honking the horn once to signal the bus behind them they were pulling over.

The rear bus…

That piercing horn up ahead left Frasier's blood ice-cold in realization that they were going to have to pull over to stop with them. His gaze fell to Takashi's body, dreading how Saeko and the others would react, seeing someone so close to them was now dead. A deep and regretful sigh escaped his lips, knowing without a doubt there was no way to avoid what was about to come.

"Pull over behind them. There's no use in delaying this," Frasier grimly instructed Rika as she nodded before pulling over to the right side of the overpass tunnel they'd just entered.

"How are you going to explain this to them?" Rei hesitated to ask, rubbing her tear-filled eyes and sniffling; trying so hard to compose herself so no one would think to ask questions too soon. "What's there to explain? He's gone…she's gone…Kenji- and Isao are gone...there's nothing more to it." Frasier answered grimly, motioning towards Takashi and Hitomi before bowing his head in silence. There were no plans or tactics that could prepare him for this.

"Alright, everyone off and keep your wits about you. Don't fire any bullets you might have left. Be quiet and keep to close quarters combat should the need arise," he then instructed as Rika opened the doors; motioning for everyone on his bus to disembark while he remained glued where he stood. Just as he was about to dismount himself, he noticed Marcus still huddled over Hitomi. Not once had he even budged from that spot. At first the eldest Lawson began to walk over, but quickly felt someone's hand grasping his shoulder to restrain him.

"Leave him be, Frasier. We should let him say his goodbyes…alone." Noah's voice suggested sadly as Frasier looked to be thinking it over before peering back to Marcus. "Right," he muttered, keeping his eyes fixed on his grieving brother before stepping out. He quickly noticed the others from the first bus were now filing out themselves. He never fully got off the steps, remaining in the doorway to keep an eye on his mourning sibling.

"Rei, thank god you made it! Oh, there's only so much worry and relief a mother can handle in one day," Kiriko exclaimed as Rei practically ran into her arms. "More like an entire lifetime! What were you thinking running off like that?!" Tadashi added before joining in on the hug, trying to keep himself from crying along with them.

"I tried my best. I...I did what felt was right...but...but..." Rei explained before she began to sob, trying to breathe between her long pauses. It soon became so hard to talk that she couldn't even finish her sentence; leaving her parents in the dark with looks of great concern. Still immensely devastated by Takashi's death, she just shook her head and held onto them as tight as she could. Both parents glanced at one another with dreadful curiosity at what could've happened; nonetheless, it did not falter their loving embrace one bit. "Don't say another word, sweetie. Just let it out and talk whenever you're ready. We understand," Kiriko said soothingly while rubbing Rei's back, just like she used to when she was a little girl whenever she was upset.

Alice meanwhile walked by them with Saya protectively holding her hand. She looked around wide-eyed to make sure everyone was okay and that nobody had been left behind or badly hurt like Saeko was. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for her to wonder why she didn't see Hitomi, Marcus and Takashi anywhere.

"How come everyone isn't here? Are they still on the other bus?" Alice asked innocently, not wanting to wait for an answer as she tried leading Saya towards it. However, the young genius could see the grim look of despair the others from that bus had on their faces. Somehow, they looked even worse than the ones who knew about Isao and Kenji's fate on the bus she was on. "Hold on a moment, squirt. I need you to wait here while I go ask what's going on," Saya instructed, squatting at Alice's level before watching the young girl nod in acknowledgment. With that, she headed over to where Noah and Miku were standing by the sidewalk's safety rail for pedestrians.

"Did...did we lose more people?" Saya struggled to get the words out as she crossed her arms; almost instinctively knowing she was going to hate the answer. "Y-yeah. Hitomi…and…and Takashi. Marcus is still in there with her, mourning. I can't even begin to blame him neither." Noah reluctantly answered; able to understand and sympathize with the hell his older brother was going through. All the while, Saya looked like a knife of pure ice had just been twisted into her guts; feeling like she was going to puke to know who they'd actually lost.

"Oh my god...oh god…Goddammit." Saya choked through the sobs involuntarily coming up her throat. That bit of bad news hit her harder than she could've expected. Takashi had been such a close friend to her for so many years. In a way, he was her only real friend. And now…now he was gone, out of her life forever and always. There were no words Saya could come up with to describe how she was feeling in this moment, but every instinct in her body knew this was the worst sensation she'd ever experienced in her life.

She eventually willed herself to take off her glasses and bury her face in her free palm, if just to try and wipe the tears in her eyes. "God, I can't believe it. What a day. Can it even get any worse?" Saya then asked no one in particular, almost tempting fate after wiping her tears away. Despite never apologize to anyone for her prickly attitude, in this moment she wanted nothing more than to tell Takashi he wasn't as stupid as she'd always mocked him for, and to apologize for all the times she'd ever yelled at him for anything.

"Oh god, how are we going to tell Alice-chan?" Miku suddenly brought up, causing them all to peer over at the young girl still standing alone where Saya told her. "Oh no, she doesn't even know about Kenji and Isao yet. God, I don't even know where we would start." Saya added, shuddering at the thought of having to break such awful news to someone as sweet and innocent as her.

"Should we...I dunno…lie to her? Tell her they're somewhere else? I mean, there's a decent chance she might believe it," Noah suggested, earning an insulted frown from the pink-haired genius. "She might be a kid, but she's not stupid, Noah. They have a habit of picking up on things you'd never expect them to," Saya sneered before calming herself down, knowing that Noah only had good intentions behind it.

"Okay, you tell her then. You explain to poor Alice that several people she loved are now gone forever," Noah snapped, forming a fist only to release it after realizing he'd lost his temper. "I'm sorry, Saya-san...I-I just don't know what to do…and the longer we wait, the worse it'll get," he said apologetically before turning away to look at the sparkling of the ocean in the distance.

"Dammit. Why does this have to be so hard?" Saya lamented, trying to restrain her sadness long enough to come up with a way to explain to Alice what happened.

Meanwhile…

"How long do you think I'll need these?" Saeko asked as she watched Shizuka putting away her medical supplies; gently trying to rotate her shoulder to see just how tender it really was under her new tight bandages. "Well, luckily the bullet didn't break off and no bones were fractured. It'll still take some time to heal the muscle around your shoulder, though. I'd say two or three weeks should suffice before I should remove them." Shizuka estimated off the top of her head; leaving Saeko almost speechless before she shook her head in disagreement.

"Three weeks?! Are you sure that's right? Just how long until I can go back out into the field again?" the young teen began to ask question after question; leaving Shizuka no time to answer. "You shouldn't be so quick to get back out there. This isn't the time to be thinking of such things. We're safe for the time being it looks like," Shizuka tried to calm her down, just grateful for the chance to take a breath.

"I know, but how long will that last? Every time it seems like we're safe or can settle down, we're almost killed for it. It's like we're being punished," Saeko surprisingly agreed, sounding bitter and resentful all the while of their constant shifting luck. "I know what you mean. It's only getting harder to sleep at night. Every time I try, I keep wondering if I'll even wake up again," Shizuka added, recalling how she'd kept waking up with frigid sweats in the middle of the night for the past few weeks.

She snapped back to reality though, when Saeko placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But with that all being said, I still think it'll be okay. You don't need to worry about me, sweetheart. With great friends like all of you, I know we'll be okay," Shizuka then said with a much more reassuring smile.

"I'm going to go find Komuro-kun. Are you sure you sure you don't need help cleaning up?" Saeko announced, wanting to be certain the nurse wasn't going to need her help. "Not at all. Go find your man. I'm sure he's worried sick about you," Shizuka said with a warm smile. Saeko couldn't help but smile gratefully as she bowed in respect before bolting out of the bus to reunite with her lover.

Outside…

Frasier this whole time remained in the bus doorway, almost as if standing guard. When it seemed like things were finally somewhat at ease, he saw Saeko stepping out the other bus. His heart plummeted the instant he could see how frantically she was looking around, no doubt for Takashi. When she eventually noticed him standing there, he knew she wasn't going to let anything get between her and the cold, horrid truth.

"Frasier? Why is Komuro-kun still on the bus? Why didn't he come out with the others?" Saeko asked in concern, her eyes staring up at him to where he couldn't bring himself to look away. At first he tried to talk, yet nothing would come out, leaving her confused. Just as she began to try and move past him, his arm suddenly branched out between her and the entrance to the bus. She stared at how tight his hand was clutched on the doorway before looking up at him, instantly noticing a nervous expression on his face.

"Saeko...you should stay out here," he finally blurted out before staring straight down at the street beneath him. He knew that if their eyes met, he'd be unable to look away from them, or keep the truth from her. "Huh? W-what are you talking about? Was he hurt too? Please, let me see him," Saeko borderline demanded, trying to keep her cool. A horrible feeling began to take hold in her chest, as it was crystal clear he was trying to hide something from her.

"I think what's best is that you stay out here with the others. We need to keep an eye out for any danger while the others recover and gather themselves," Frasier tried to explain, trying to ignore how his obvious attempt to change the subject only began to irritate her. "Frasier…stand aside. Please," Saeko said with a restrained sigh; bracing herself for her greatest fear. "Just calm down and let me expla-" was all he could say before her hands suddenly grabbed his chest, forcefully shoving him aside with a loud SLAM when his back hit the side of the bus. She immediately stormed past him into the bus.

Just as she entered, she instantly found Takashi's motionless body laid on one of the cots. Her heart jumped up into her throat, trying to speak but finding no strength to summon words. Her knees trembled as she attempted to walk over, before ultimately collapsing onto them as her ear rested against Takashi's chest. She didn't even realize she was silently hoping, praying there would be something she could hear. Any ounce of hope at all would do. But a heartbroken whimper was all she could muster as Marcus and Frasier both watched her in silence. Stinging, devastated tears rained down from Saeko's eyes as she clutched onto Takashi's shirt for dear life, her lips trembling before she finally broke out into sorrowful sobs; burying her face into his still chest.

"Saeko...I-I didn't know how to tell you. I thought-" Frasier began to express as he knew something had to be said. He instinctively ducked when Saeko suddenly swung back in another attempt to grab him. "He was alive when he went back to find you! He promised me he'd come back! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?! What the hell happened?" Saeko demanded in near hysterics. Both Frasier's hands had to restrain her wrists as his back was pressed against a window.

"What did I do?! I saved our lives! I fought and planned my damn hardest against impossible odds! I took a mixed group of weaklings and lead them into battle," Frasier snapped in an understandably pissed off rebuttal. But the piercing look of heartbroken anger in Saeko's fierce eyes told him his answer wasn't nearly enough. "He was trying to save me while I was buried in rubble…and Shido shot him in the back. What more could I have done? The situation was out of my control," he then explained more calmly.

Saeko just glared at him, that fiery passion he'd come to both respect and fear now flared bright. His grip on her wrists remained firm whilst watching her trying to process it all. She so clearly wanted to lash out at everyone and everything around her; to just embrace the sorrow that weighed so heavily on her heart. But the tension in her body soon faded, and she almost went entirely limp, as though in a silent showing of defeat.

"I thought you would've been able to save us all. I believed my faith and trust in your abilities to lead would've been enough. I…I believed in you. Clearly…I made a huge mistake," Saeko mourned, turning her back on him before kneeling down to hold Takashi's head against hers. She gently parted his ruffled hair to see the peaceful expression left on his face, as though he were simply sleeping.

This wasn't fair. She had done nothing wrong, yet this was what happened to her? Losing the boy she held so very dear to her heart? To be kept back from the fight, unable to help? Left behind while he valiantly went back into the fray to make sure her best friend was all right? Incomprehensible guilt began to fill her mind. Every instinct in her mind and body was screaming how Takashi would still be alive if she'd insisted on going with him; that his death was just as much her fault as it was Frasier's.

"Have you ever noticed how good people have a tendency of dying around you?" Saeko suddenly said with icy venom lacing her words; not even thinking about it. An instant look of regret filled her face once she recalled his uncle's fate. She didn't even need to look to know just how deep her words cut into Frasier like butter. "Just…just leave me alone. There's nothing left for us to talk about," she then grumbled morosely. There was no emotion to be found in her voice. It was like every ounce of life had been sucked out of her, leaving only a miserable empty shell of her former self; having no idea how to feel about anything anymore.

Without needing to be told twice, Frasier left the bus in complete silence. Inside, he was utterly devastated at what he'd just heard from the very girl he loved. To know how callous and angry he'd made her towards him left a sickening knot in his stomach; like it was truly all his fault. He then glanced up to see everyone outside was looking his way. Everything they'd said had clearly been heard, given the mixed reactions adorning their faces.

"So...umm...status?" he barely mustered the will to ask, his gut telling him it didn't even matter at this point. "Regarding…?" Rika tried to motion for him to elaborate, easily able to see he was greatly distracted by what they'd overheard. "I don't know. Just, someone please tell me how we're doing?" Frasier muttered; his vision felt blurry as his stomach felt like it began to push up into his throat. A truly sickening sensation of nausea suddenly crashed into him before he shook his head.

"Do you want to talk about what just happened?" Noah asked, hoping his eldest brother would be willing to talk for once about his feelings for his own good. "No. Talking about such things is unimportant. Just drop it and give me a status update on how much ammo we have left…or something." Frasier outright denied, desperately trying to put off talking about how he felt.

"Frasier, please, stop holding yourself back for the sake of others. What just happened was horrific and traumatic for everyone…even for you." Noah pleaded, sounding somewhat demanding as he knew he couldn't allow his brother to hold his feelings back now of all times. Doing so would only cause them to stagnate and manifest deep inside him into something inconceivable and ugly.

"I want that status report in five minutes," was all Frasier could repeat, hopelessly trying to disregard how he truly felt; swallowing his pride for the good of the group. "Do you hear yourself right now? For Christ's sake, just stop and let us help you," the youngest Lawson pleaded, practically offering his hand before Frasier turned his back on him.

"Help? Me? I don't need you. Hell, I don't need anyone for that matter," Frasier grumbled; putting his emotional defenses up like his brother had never seen from him before. "Fucking hell, Frasier; when are you finally going to accept that you can't do this on your own anymore? If you keep this up, you'll lose everything," Noah warned, knowing the path his brother was taking would only end in disaster.

"Haven't I already?" Frasier sighed, looking back at the bus before returning his gaze forward; all while Noah could only bow his head mournfully, knowing he wasn't going to see reason…at least not today. "Status report. Five minutes. Get to it," was all that was said before Frasier started walking away to scout the street behind them.

"Hey," Noah suddenly called out, actually surprised when Frasier paused to listen. "Just…give her time. She's in a terrible place right now. She needs time to mourn, just like Marcus. Just know that…she didn't mean it," was all Noah said before finally leaving his eldest brother to himself; leaving him frozen in deep contemplation before he continued to keep walking.

What his brother had said made perfect sense. Anyone would've lashed out like Saeko had in these circumstances. Hell, Frasier knew he would've been potentially worse if he'd been in her place. But all the rationalization in the world didn't make those last words she said any less painful. The sheer disdain she held for him when she said it still made his stomach twist and turn. It couldn't help but make him wonder if she would ever be able to look him in the eye again, let alone speak to him…or forgive him. All the young Brit could do now was contemplate where he would go from here as he listened to the emptiness of the wind blowing through the empty, lifeless streets.

The eerie silence was suddenly broken by the faint sound of footsteps approaching Frasier carefully, almost cautiously. His body naturally tensed, until his sharp hearing noticed just how soft the steps themselves were. There was only one person it could've possibly been with that in mind. "Is something on your mind, Alice-chan?" he finally asked, the little girl letting out an involuntary squeak of surprise.

"W-where are Isao-ojiisan and Kenji-kun? I can't find them anywhere," Alice hesitantly asked, pulling on Frasier's shirt to further grab his attention. Thankfully, she didn't notice the way Frasier instinctively swallowed the dry lump in his throat, as if trying to psyche himself up to hide his emotions. "Alice-chan, come sit down with me for a minute," he suddenly suggested, speaking so softly to where it seemed unnatural for him. Both of them now sat on the hood of a car that faced towards the distant ocean.

"Is something wrong? Were they hurt like that man?" Alice began to ask, her voice brewing with concern as she remembered the construction man Osamu, and how he was all bloody when Sho brought him aboard their bus.

"They're...they're gone, Alice-chan," the young leader blurted uncomfortably; hoping she'd get what he meant and not press him to be more specific. "G-gone? Well, where did they go? Why didn't they come with us?" she persisted in shock; coming up with all sorts of questions Frasier knew she wouldn't allow to go unanswered.

"They can't come with us, Alice. It's…just the way things are," Frasier sighed while he glanced over towards the other bus; knowing he would also have to be the one to tell her the worst news of all. "But why? Wasn't there enough room for them? They can have my spot on the bus if it means they can come with us," she tried to bargain. Those words of otherwise genuine kindness and sincerity just tore into Frasier's heart all the more. His nails scratched at the hood of the car before he bowed his head in utter shame.

"Because they're dead, Alice! They're dead and…and gone forever. I'm...I'm so sorry, poppet." Frasier finally admitted, loud enough for everyone else to hear. They didn't matter however, when he could see the devastating truth left Alice completely shocked. "Oh...oh, no..." was all she could weakly mumble before tears began to run down her cheeks. She wasn't even remotely prepared to hear how two people she'd become so fond of were now dead.

"But…I'm afraid that…that's not the worst of it. Alice…Takashi and Hitomi also didn't make it. I know how hard this is to hear, but you deserve to know the truth. I tried my hardest, Alice…I really did. I'm so sorry." Frasier continued, knowing that he might as well lay it all on her at once to get it out of the way. But the way he spoke of his efforts sounded like he was trying to convince himself just as much as her. Poor Alice looked like she'd just watched her entire world fall apart and die before her eyes. Words like devastation or heartbreak couldn't do justice to the pain and sadness reflected in her purple eyes in that moment. It was the kind of look that hurt Frasier more than a thousand knives to the heart.

Before long, shaking her head in either disbelief or denial, Alice took off on her own. Frasier tried to reach out, but she smacked his hand away before running away to the bus their bodies were still on. "No, please…not you too." Frasier muttered to himself in despair as yet again, he felt entirely responsible for this. To see and feel Alice push him away like that left a very cold, empty spot in his heart. When the inevitable wailing and crying that only Alice could make echoed out from inside the bus, Frasier felt like death would've been a much more preferable fate to knowing he'd caused her so much sadness.

A few hours later…

It had taken a good while for the rest of the group to air out their respective grief once the news of Takashi's death had gotten around to all of them. But not once did Saeko ever leave his side, not even when the time had finally come for their caravan to move on. But it wasn't to finally leave the city. There was one last vital thing everyone agreed needed to be done.

The off-road trail Saya and Rei had instructed them to take impeded their overall progress, but for what they had to do, the delay was worth it. The trail ultimately lead out to a surprisingly serene clearing near a Cliffside that primarily overlooked the ocean and the shoreline. The air smelled clean with the distinctive scent of the sea, devoid of the lingering stench of decay that practically permeated the city itself. The silence here was more pleasant, not carrying that grim foreboding atmosphere that made the city feel like one giant death trap. But most of all, without the abundance of fires and long-since dissipated smoke trails, the view of the city itself looked…peaceful. This place…was simply perfect.

"I had no idea a place like this even existed here." Shizuka mused, looking in awe at all its silent yet serene beauty. "Takashi and…and Hisashi used to play with us around here all the time during the summer when we were little. We would always play hide-and-seek, climb trees…or Takashi would always try to catch beetles." Rei said with an air of nostalgia. "Ugh, don't remind me of that. I still have nightmares some nights of that time he put one of those things in my hair!" Saya jokingly scolded Rei, unable to help but start softly laughing to herself at the memory. She'd been so mad at him after the fact, but all things considered…those times were one of the best memories she had. And the realization it would only ever remain a memory couldn't help but bring her to tears once more, with Rei quickly following suit.

"He always…he always loved this spot especially. Even when we were little, he loved to shout out and see how far his echo could go from here. And right before high school…I remember he always liked to just listen to the ocean for hours here. This…I know this is what he would want now." Rei struggled to say between her stifling sobs while Kiriko laid her supporting hands on her daughter's shoulders. With that, Rika and Saeko both carried out Takashi's body, now wrapped in white bed sheets, from the bus; quickly followed by Noah and Marcus carrying Hitomi's body, wrapped just the same, in a funeral procession. All the while, Johann and Frasier followed with a pair of shovels.

The sound of the soil being dug up being the only thing to break the silence seemed to go on for what felt like hours; each one making the painful realization of their reality that much more painful, as though those who could only watch had silently been hoping the deaths of their dear friends was nothing more than a terrible dream. But when the two holes had finally been dug side-by-side, they knew there was no point in trying to deny the truth any longer.

Tadashi and Kiriko gently lowered Takashi's body alongside Noah and Kohta, who did the same for Hitomi. Once they were inside, it felt as though time had come to a halt; everyone present wishing it could all just stop, not wanting to go forward with what they knew had to be done.

"Does…does anybody have anything they want to say?" Noah finally found the courage to ask, and from the conflicted looks on everyone's faces, they had plenty to say, but couldn't decide if they really wanted to be the first to speak out this dreaded final nail in the proverbial coffin. But that was when Marcus finally stepped forward; his face almost completely red from weeping for the last few hours straight.

"We keep thinking we're able to handle anything that comes our way. We think that as long as we stand together and fight, there's nothing we can't do. But all that courage, all that bravado…it doesn't amount to a goddamn thing when…when we lose the people we love. We've been through so much…too much. Seen too many good people die, seen too much violence…but that…t-that never stopped Takashi and Hitomi. When so many other people just gave up, they kept pushing forward, not just for themselves, but also for those around them, those they cared for. Even before our groups met, they never backed down, never allowed those in their care to just call it quits. That…is the sign of a truly admirable person; the kind of person that should never, ever be forgotten. I didn't know Takashi nearly well enough to speak more for him than that…but Hitomi…s-she was the kind of person that could bring someone out of even the deepest sorrow, not with soft and gentle words, but with the sheer radiance of courage with which she shined. When things were at their toughest, and when some of us flat out spat in the face of her conviction…she never faltered. She never gave up on any of us…she never gave up on me…and for that, I will never be able to thank her enough. And to know that I'll never be able to show her the full extent of just how much her confidence and loyalty meant to me…is more painful than I can describe with mere words. But…but I won't let that defeat me; doing so would disrespect everything she fought for, everything she believed in. And so…that's why if nobody else, I will keep fighting…for her. That's all that's left in this world that I can do for her. I love you, Hitomi…and I always will."

Everyone could feel their hearts break anew to hear Marcus speak, his voice coarse from all the despondent wailing he'd put himself through to get here. But there was such conviction, such honesty in his words that it couldn't help but move as well as sadden. His eyes seemed to shine with a newfound courage, a newfound determination to stand by this solemn vow, even if nobody else around him would. If anything, it was…awe-inspiring, admirable even. When all was said and done, the middle Lawson tucked one hand into his pocket, as if holding onto something precious, and retreated back into the gathering.

With a surprising newfound confidence, Saya of all people was the next to come forward; clutching her hand to her chest as she took a deep breath, with Kohta staying loyally by her side with a hand on her shoulder.

"For all my talk about being a genius, that doesn't mean I'm completely delusional about myself. I know I'm not the easiest person to be around, not by a long shot. I have no patience for the majority of people, I get angry at people who don't even deserve it for the stupidest things, and I know how overwhelming and off-putting that makes me. I didn't have a lot of friends, if any for a long time, and I understand why. My parents instilled in me the idea that I had to be able to accomplish and perfect anything I set my mind to, so I thought that was just how it was meant to be for me, that I didn't have time for friends, and that people would just resent me for it. But…Komuro—no, Takashi was different. We'd known each other since elementary school, and ever since then, he was the only person I ever looked at as my one real friend. When he saw me, he didn't see the daughter of some scary politician, or some self-obsessed snob who thought she was too good for everyone else. He only saw me as a girl who had no friends and was probably feeling really lonely behind all that confidence. And you know what? He couldn't have been more right.

"Despite how much I tried to show off confidence, I was always lonely, just wanting to be able to forget the pressure from my parents just for a little bit and play with other kids my age…and Takashi was always there for me in that way. I always got mad at him for something or other, but he never got mad back, he never lost patience or said he hated me for always yelling at him. I didn't think there could ever be anyone like that in my life…and looking back on it all now, I just want to be able to apologize to him for always being mad and calling him stupid over all these years. He was…he was my best friend, and all I ever did was treat him like dirt, even when I didn't mean to. When this whole nightmare started, that could've been his chance to be rid of me…but no, he stuck with me, with all of us through so much…if anybody here is stupid, it's me for never taking the chance to just…just tell him how much I really appreciated his being there for me. I want…I want to be able to make this right…make this right for all of us. None of us may have been able to say it till now, but the truth is, we're more than just a bunch of survivors, we're a family. Where I lost one, I found another. And I don't ever want to get mad at any of you like I did so many times with him. That's the only way I can truly think to do right by him: by trying to be a better person than I was before. Thank you so much, Takashi, for helping me to recognize the person I am."

The pink-haired girl managed the faintest of smiles, her orange eyes shimmering behind her glasses before bringing a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs as she buried her face into Kohta's shoulder. With a heavy sigh, Rei stepped away from her parents, looking down at the two wrapped bodies below.

"When things get quiet like this, it reminds me that…in the grand scheme of things, we've been fighting to survive for less than a single month. This all started barely more than three weeks ago…but it feels like it's been so much longer. Those days when all we had to worry about was getting to class on time, getting good grades…that all feels like it was a lifetime ago. But whether you perceive time to pass as it did before, or if it feels like it only now crawls by…it nevertheless has given me a chance to really reflect on a lot of things; namely how we judge the kind of people we are, and who the kind of people are that we associate with. This nightmare has helped me to really recognize just who my real friends are…and I wouldn't trade a single one of you for anyone or anything else. But with that all being said, something I've thought about a lot is…regret.

"Not a single one of us here doesn't have something they regret, whether it's things about ourselves we wish we could change…things we do without thinking, or at least not thinking enough…and most importantly: things we say, whether from an overabundance of emotion, or a complete lack of it. And I know that there are a lot of things I've done and said that I wish I could take back. And I'm going to have to learn how to accept that, much like I learned to accept a lot of other things recently. Most of you don't know, but much like Takagi-san, I also knew Takashi for about as long as I could remember. He always just had a talent for getting along with anyone he wanted to back then…and in my case, it worked better than usual. We…we were more than friends for a very long time, to the point where we'd even made a pinky promise to get married back in kindergarten. I know it must sound so childish, so stupid now, but…but Takashi never forgot it as we got older. Sometimes I think it was one of the things that made him the happiest. I just wish I could've been able to hold onto that feeling with him.

"As we got older, things just…got more complicated in both our lives, something I know we all can sympathize with. I just got so frustrated with the way so many things were going for myself and for both of us as a couple, that I…I walked away, and knowing how much that hurt him is something I still have to learn to forgive myself for. When all this started, he was no longer that soft-spoken distant boy I'd given up on. Something changed in him for the best, and I found myself falling for him all over again…and I know I ultimately wasn't the only one. But things like that don't matter. What does matter is that in this moment, there are so many things left unsaid I wish I could've just had the courage to tell him. I wish I could've been clearer with him about how I truly felt about him in the wake of all this madness, instead of thinking like I had to be so damn cryptic with him. But looking back on it now, I've come to realize that maybe Takashi had grown up even more than I had. In the end, he didn't come back to me, and despite how I may sound right now; I've come to accept that fact.

"These days are not the time for childish things like jealousy, or feeling we deserve something more than someone else, and I want to live by that from now on. I love every single person here, and I would do anything for any one of you, and I would expect the same in return. We're all we have in this life, and that's something to be cherished. No one should ever have to live with the regret of things being left unsaid to another, so…I would ask that we all be open and honest with one another from this day forward, for Takashi. There's no telling what could happen to any one of us each day, so being open with each other is the least we can do. Continuing to confide, trust and fight for each other is the best way we can honor all the people we've lost to this point. I would only hope that you all would feel the same."

The gravity of what Rei said could be felt among all onlookers as they all shared contemplative glances with each other. Everything she said of course was right. Not one among them felt like they wouldn't risk anything for each other, especially now that they'd been given some time to truly contemplate and accept their biggest losses to date. Though nobody said anything, there was a clear new understanding among them as Rei came to Johann; instinctively hugging him while the others looked among themselves to see who would be next.

As another soft gust of wind swept by, Saeko silently stepped forward, her hands folded together as she loomed over the grave; her head bowed and her eyes cast down in deep contemplation, as though trying to decide what to say. The silence seemed to extend ever onward as the swordswoman didn't say a word. For a short while, no one could figure out what was going on in her head, until the sunlight caught a single tear slowly rolling down her cheeks; accompanied by her lips just barely trembling. Finally, the first sound Saeko made was a barely stifled sob before she suddenly knelt down as though to pray.

"I'll never forget everything you've done for me, Takashi-kun. I will always carry you with me in my heart until my final dying breath. I love you." The words were barely noticeable to the ears of others, but in Saeko's heart, they rang with the fervor few masses of church bells could hope to match. It was more than a goodbye; it was a solemn vow to herself to never forget everything he had promised to be and do for her, and to carry that promise on for the both of them.

When she finally rose to her feet and retreated back into the gathering, she momentarily glanced toward Frasier, who still kept his head down like a mournful sentry watching over the proceedings. For once, the fact he didn't grant her eye contact didn't bother her. If anything, she preferred it that way.

When nobody else stepped forward, Noah and Kohta were the ones to step forward and begin the burial. The stifled sobs started off few and far between, but they slowly grew with each shovel-full of dirt poured upon Takashi and Hitomi. Even Noah and Kohta couldn't help but relinquish themselves to their sadness by the time the grave had been completely filled. When all was said and done, nobody could bring themselves to leave, as though doing so would start the dreaded yet inevitable process of forgetting the faces of their dearly departed friends and loved ones.

Suddenly, out of anyone else, Alice stepped away from Shizuka's side, with Zeke still loyally at her side, but his typical energy nowhere to be seen, as if he could somehow tell the mood didn't call for it. Nobody thought to say or do anything to stop the little girl once they noticed the handful of small flowers clutched tight in her hands. Nobody else knew, but they were the very same kind that Takashi had given her the night they first met; the night she lost her father, but gained a new family in his place. Long gone were the inconsolable tears that were the only way she could express her sadness on the way here. Now, there was…nothing. Nothing at all to be seen in her eyes, as though she weren't gazing upon the grave itself, but to some far off unknown place that only she could see.

The little red-haired girl knelt down before the mound of dirt before carefully sticking the stems of the flowers upright into it; and she continued doing so until they all had been set, looking as though they had grown from the mound from the start. "Thank you for always looking after me, Onii-chan. I'll take care of everyone for you now. I'll…I'll miss you. Me and all my other Onii-chan's and Onee-chan's here, we'll all miss you so much." The deep sorrow with which she spoke broke everyone's resolve as one by one, they all knelt down likewise to bring poor Alice into a massive group hug; her tiny body beginning to tremble as she tried to swallow a new wave of sadness.

At last, everyone realized there was nothing more that could be said, and so with great reluctance, the time had finally come to return to the buses and at long last begin the trek to a hopeful sanctuary. But alas, no excitement or optimistic musings were to be found as they made their way back through the woods. It was as if everyone was simply moving out of pure motorized instinct.

"So does anyone really think it's a good idea to hit the road already? I mean, Jesus…after today, shouldn't we at least take a little more time to cope?" Noah was eventually the first to ask, but nobody even had the energy to look back to him, let alone argue. "It wouldn't be a terrible idea, but it's still too much of a chance right now. If anything, assuming the routes we plotted out are relatively clear, the trip should be smooth enough to allow us all a little more time to…process things." Frasier objected; his usual tall and authoritative stance now noticeably slouched and drained of energy, like a wounded soldier wandering aimlessly through a long since abandoned battlefield.

"Wait, we can't leave yet. What about my mommy? Aren't we going to go look for her?" Alice suddenly asked in confusion, as the others all felt their hearts break now that her most dreaded question had finally come out. None of them could bring themselves to look at her and explain how futile such an effort would be at this point. The awkward silence soon became unbearable for the little girl, but her desire for an upfront answer did not fade. She hurriedly stepped out before them, trying to block their path as she refused to be ignored now of all times.

"Alice-chan…sweetie... I know this is going to be hard for you to understand…and even harder to accept," Shizuka attempted to explain in her most motherly tone, trying to be as tactful as possible for Alice's sake. "What is it?" Alice asked, unable to process how despite what happened, there could be any reason not to go looking right now.

"It's going to be sundown soon. After what happened today, we need to recover and head out; for our own safety," Saeko attempted to explain, kneeling down as her hands rested on Alice's shoulders. "No...No, no, no! We can't stop now! We have to find her and bring her with us," Alice exclaimed in complete denial, pulling away from Saeko's hands as though the swordswoman's touch was toxic just for suggesting the idea.

"Frasier-niichan, you'll look for her, won't you? You promised you would!" Alice then pleaded to Frasier, the one person who vowed to her personally he would find her mother, no matter what. However, he remained dead silent and couldn't bare to even look her in the eye. Sadly, that was all Alice needed to realize just what he was thinking. "I knew it. I knew you didn't really mean it. You…you're a LIAR!" the young girl wearily muttered in a voice filled with betrayal, running back into the nearest bus sobbing as the rest could only watch in pain; reluctantly accepting this was for the best.

"We don't have time for this shit," Marcus grumbled before storming off to the next bus; bumping his shoulder against Frasier's passive aggressively along the way. On any other day, the eldest Lawson would've called him out, seeing it as a direct challenge. However, after their recent losses, he knew it was best to just let it go for once and let Marcus work through his grief the way he needed to.

"At this rate, we're not even going to make it out of the city limits." Kohta sighed as both he and Saya left to go check on Alice; knowing that someone had to explain to her why they were so quick to give up on finding her mother. Frasier all the while just stood there, looking at his own reflection in puddle of water at his feet. His eyes were completely bloodshot, dirt and dried up blood painted his face. Several scuffs, cuts, and bruises marked his exposed arms from his fight with Tatsuya.

"What a fucking mess," he sighed to himself before turning to see how the others were doing.

Their faces were all tired, their bodies and spirits both had been worn out from the pain of their losses and the fight alike. It wouldn't be easy going to sleep that night, knowing there were faces they'd never get to see or speak to ever again. Frasier kept silently hoping to God that they'd be allowed to get some rest before they really started the long journey that was set before them. It was the only respite he could think of that they needed more than anything else.

He let out a gentle sigh when he turned to look over at Saeko, whom stood out in the distance, looking out into the trees. Her stance, her body language in itself, practically radiated a dark intensity, and Frasier couldn't blame her for it. Knowing what secrets she held, he couldn't even imagine the kind of hell she was going through without Takashi at her side. He wanted to talk to her, beg her forgiveness for everything she found him guilty of; but he also knew showing such vulnerability would only make her bitterness toward him even worse. He just turned his gaze back to the rifle slung around his shoulder and hoped she'd eventually be able to find it in herself to forgive him.

"Frasier…do you have a moment?" Saeko's voice suddenly pierced the air as he snapped back to see she was now looking over at him; her tone forebodingly unreadable. "Of course." Frasier reluctantly replied; ready but still dreading whatever new verbal or physical barbs she could possibly want to lay into him with now. He felt his heart hammer at his chest and his blood go cold as Saeko slowly approached him, her piercing blue eyes burning into him with a terrifying intensity.

Just as he was inches away from her, he suddenly felt both her arms tightly wrapping around his sides before her head firmly planted itself into his chest. Without warning or time to take in what just happened, all he could hear now was her soft sobbing. The last few hours had finally broken what little remained of the young swordswoman's spirit as she couldn't keep her frayed emotions composed any longer.

Not wanting to ruin a fragile enough moment with the wrong words, Frasier simply brought his arms around Saeko's back and allowed her to privately relieve her emotional weight unto him. It lasted like this for a good several minutes, to the point where Frasier began to worry if anyone else was watching them from the buses, but he didn't dare ask Saeko to let go. Letting her get her anguish out as long as she needed was infinitely preferable. Before long, she seemed to have had enough as she finally let go of the eldest Lawson and immediately began to leave for the rear bus.

"You should take the one in the lead for now, Frasier. Don't read too much into…just now. I just needed some kind of shoulder to cry on. But this changes nothing." She stated bluntly and coldly before retreating inside. Frasier could only let out a weary sigh, being left alone outside. He could only suppose that was the best he could've hoped for.

Nightfall…

Night had fallen, and the group had decided staying off the road and out of sight as they were was their safest bet, and that come first light, they would finally leave. Late into the nighttime hours, when only Rika and Frasier were still up to keep watch, Alice tussled and turned in the blanket Shizuka had put over her after she'd tired herself out from crying. She couldn't stop thinking about how close they were to her old neighborhood, and how Frasier had been lying to her face all this time.

Eventually, Alice awoke, unable to stand staying put for a moment longer. She carefully sat up to see the others were all sleeping on their makeshift cots. Certain they weren't going to notice her being up and about, the little girl silently got up and took a backpack and flashlight before stepping out of the bus. If nobody was going to help her, then she'd do it herself.

Hearing voices as soon as she stepped outside, she looked up to see the backs of Frasier and Rika on the roof of the bus. Luckily, both were turned away and hadn't noticed her yet. Alice moved sneakily; knowing if she'd made a single peep that they'd instantly notice and bring her back. But she was far too determined to stop now and pressed on until she was out of the woods and back on the road.

A chill suddenly ran down her spine when she realized how she'd never once been this far from them before, despite their only being a shout away. However, she wasn't going to let this spell of nervousness stop her. If nothing else, this was her chance to prove she wasn't just a helpless little kid anymore. Without hesitation, she began to walk down the middle of the road, descending the hill further into the city with her flashlight guiding the way the moment she was out of their sight.

It didn't take long before she was feeling nervous deep in her gut at the idea of being completely alone. She knew that if anything happened to her, the others wouldn't even know about it, much less do anything about it. What would've normally been ignored by her when safe with the others began to draw out her fears. The rows of houses seemed to be growing taller with each instinctive turn she took, the street expanding to the point it seemed like she'd never reach the end; shadows swirling and forming fiendish figures.

CLANG

"Don't hurt me!" Alice squealed in terror as she froze in place when a nearby tin can had been knocked over, rolling out into the sidewalk.

When nothing happened, she looked around only to realize the culprit behind the commotion had been none other than a small gray cat that had been passing by. It stared untrustingly at the young girl, whose fear quickly shifted to relief at the sight of the small creature. At first, Alice wanted to reach down to pet it, but the moment her hand reached out, the cat immediately hissed in warning.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Alice said softly, as if she actually believed the cat would understand her. Unfortunately, the cat did not share the same sentiments and hissed louder before it swiped a paw at Alice; leaving several scratch marks on her palm before it took off into the nearby garden of a house. The little girl meanwhile recoiled, more out of shock than actual pain as she looked at the scratches she was left with.

"Ow! You jerk! I was just trying to be nice!" Alice whined as she tried not to cry, feeling tears welling up. If only Zeke weren't such a heavy sleeper, he'd no doubt have followed her here and scared that mean cat away. Or he might've ended up drawing out the monsters instead. Alice chose to stop thinking about going back as she blew on the otherwise minor scuff before sticking her tongue out at the gray cat that was now perched atop the wooden fence. It kept watching keenly, waiting for Alice to move away from the tin can that must've had something it wanted inside.

"We could've been friends, you know." Alice announced out of spite before walking down the sidewalk with the flashlight in hand; trying to ignore the burning sting that now pulsated in her palm. She was now more focused than ever to get to her neighborhood before the others realized she'd taken off.

Just when she was getting used to the dark, the sky thankfully began to brighten up a bit. Alice turned the flashlight off as she realized just how close she now was to home. All she needed to do now was reach the end of the current street she was on and go right. An unexpected burst of energy suddenly filled her legs as she quickly bounded into a sprint. She wanted to call out her mother's name, but stifled herself knowing it was best to remain silent in case the monsters were nearby.

Her hand wrapped around the pole of a street sign, practically swinging on it to change her direction before standing at the entrance to her former neighborhood. At first, it looked completely untouched in the shadows that covered the houses. A warm smile teeming with comfort could be seen on the young child's face as she began to venture forward. Unfortunately, as the sun slowly began to rise, it revealed something entirely different than what Alice had initially seen. A soft, almost horrified, gasp escaped past her lips as her purple eyes widened at the true state of her neighborhood.

The first few homes on both sides remained unscathed. However, the remaining houses were not nearly as fortunate. A large power line had been toppled over and crashed down atop two homes, and the street was cracked from what must've been a tremendous amount of explosives; perhaps from a JASDF fighter jet trying to wipe out a large horde of 'Them'?

Every remaining car on the street had their windows completely blown out, the glass shards now littered on the road and sidewalks. Pitch-black scorch marks on the sides of some houses indicated a fire, but the rainstorms must've stopped it before they could burn down the entire neighborhood. Alice's home was the last on the block, and she had to see what had become of it now.

Tension filled Alice's heart as she felt a lump form in her throat. She tried to convince herself it was going to be all right, that her house was going to be untouched just like the first few she'd passed by. Her knees began to feel weak, her arms shaking the closer she came to her former house.

Another shocked gasp escaped from her as she stopped dead in her tracks again. The pain in her palm was entirely forgotten and replaced with a heart-breaking sadness when she looked at the caved in remains of her house. Windows shattered, the roof uneven; making it clear the place was barely standing. It probably wasn't so bad at first, but with the weather the way it had been, it was a complete loss now.

"I'm too late," Alice muttered to herself as she walked to the front door that was barely hanging onto the frame anymore. Her small body crawled through it and looked around to see the interior was just as bad as it looked on the outside. Books and picture frames spilled out onto the now weathered wooden floor. A torn window curtain blew in the breeze, barely attached to the rail. A large amount of debris from the caved in roof blocked off entry into the living room.

"Hello?" Alice softly called out, realizing the rest of the downstairs was a complete loss. The silence sent a chill up her spine as she kept hoping for some kind, any kind of response. After several more seconds, she finally began to carefully ascend the stairs. Just as she reached the top, she looked down to see she was almost stepping on a book of some sort. When she bent down to pick it up, she realized it was none other than one of the several family albums that was littered with pictures of herself and her parents; ranging all the way from baby pictures to vacation pictures, flooding her mind full of what felt like long distant memories.

Tears began trickling down her cheeks as she looked at the ones with her father in them. She could still replay the night he died in front of her with terrible clarity, as though it had only happened minutes ago. And she always remembered how as he died before her eyes, while the monsters drew near, Takashi and his group came to her rescue and had quickly become her dearest friends…her dearest family. When she turned the page, she finally came across the pictures with her mother.

She was a very beautiful woman with long flowing hair, exactly the same shade of rosy pink as Alice's was. Her piercing golden eyes were as bright as the sun itself; and her slender figure made her look like she was easily in her early twenties, despite having a now eight-year-old year old kid. Alice could feel herself choking up, wanting to cry anew as all she wanted now was just to be in her mother's arms again.

A sudden creaking sound snapped Alice to full alert when she heard the sound of a nearby door opening, followed by what sounded like feet shuffling against the wood floor. A sense of hope arose in Alice's heart as she looked down the dark hallway and saw a hidden figure emerge from around the corner. Unable to see who it was, she reached for her flashlight and turned it on.

However, the moment she could see what it was, the hope she felt sank like a rock. An undead woman towered over her now, drawn out by her muffled cries and whimpering. It's jaws began to open wide with rancid saliva slipping out the side; both arms reaching out for Alice, only to narrowly miss when she moved away at the last second with the family album now in hand.

"Stay away from me!" Alice cried out as she darted down the stairs, looking back over her shoulder to see it was now following her. The moment it tried going down the stairs though, it crumpled over and rolled down towards her.

The little girl let out a terrified scream before managing to get out of the way just in time. Joints popped and bones bent and snapped before the undead woman finally landed at the foot of the stairs in a twisted mess. What would've easily paralyzed anyone else didn't phase the creature at all, as it was already starting to get back up to continue the chase.

Knowing she was no match for it, Alice did the only thing she could do and crawled out under the door the same way she'd come in. She kept running as fast as she could while looking back over her shoulder to see if it was still following her. She didn't even notice she was about to run into someone else until she felt two large arms suddenly wrapping around her small body.

"No! Let me go!" Alice cried out as she squirmed and struggled, her mind in an absolute panic-driven frenzy. All she could focus on now was wishing that she'd just listened and stayed put with everyone else. "I absolutely will not! You are in a lot of trouble, young lady." A foreign-sounding yet familiar voice suddenly announced angrily; prompting Alice to open her eyes in realization of who it was.

"Frasier-niichan…" Alice announced with more joy than shock when she looked up to a thankfully familiar face; not even remotely concerned at how angry with her he appeared to be.

CRACK

Before Frasier could even begin to relentlessly scold Alice's reckless behavior, the front door to the house began to violently shake. They both looked up to see the undead woman was violently prying at the door in an attempt to get out.

"Great. Stay behind me, Alice-chan." Frasier said with a grunt, his anger towards the small child completely changing to anticipation for the fight ahead. He drew his knife out of its sheath as he protectively stood between Alice and the creature. As the light from the rising sun finally shone on the monster, that look of relief on Alice's face instantly vanished when she realized who it actually was.

"M-Mommy?" was all she could bring herself to ask as Frasier looked back at Alice in confusion, only to look back and finally see the uncanny resemblance between the two. The creature before them had the typical gray skin as any of 'Them' would have. Its once long, lush, rosy pink-colored hair was now dried out, faded and split at the ends. Both its eyes were typically completely clouded over and swiveling with each step it took. Several large bite marks could be seen along the forearms and one in the collarbone. They were so deep that they'd ripped right through the clothing and nearly went down to the bone.

"T…that's your mother?" Frasier asked hesitantly, not sure what to do now with Alice standing right there to witness it all. Before anything else could be said, the little girl broke out into tears and began to walk towards her. "Mommy? It's me: your little Alice. Can't you recognize me?" she desperately tried to reason with it, moving closer to the undead woman with arms outstretched; as though such a gesture would somehow get through to it. She didn't even notice how much Zeke was whining and trying to pull on her pant leg with his teeth to get her away.

"Alice, what the hell are you doing?! Get away from it!" Frasier snapped as he swiftly pulled Alice back. The child instantly started thrashing about, trying to pull away from him with all the strength her tiny body had. "No! Please, she won't hurt me! I just know it!" Alice protested, almost digging her nails into his arms to break free. But no way in hell would he allow that to happen. Instead, he pulled her in and held her even closer.

"Alice...I know this is hard for you to understand, but you need to stand back and let me handle this," Frasier attempted to make the child see reason while never taking his eyes off her mother behind the barely holding door. "B-but she's my mommy! I can't lose her now! I just can't!" Alice pleaded if not straight up begged. Her voice was cracking as her face could only show utter desperation for this to play out any other way.

"I know, poppet. I know this hurts; but if I don't put her down now, then she's just going to keep suffering until someone else ends it for her." Frasier explained; his tone and expression genuinely sympathetic to her pain. After what he'd felt upon rediscovering Uncle Mark, he knew far too well how poor Alice must've been feeling. "Isn't there anything Shizuka-sensei can do for her? Couldn't we take her to Tokyo with us, go to a hospital where the doctors can fix her?" Alice suggested pitifully, as if even she realized how desperately she was grasping for any answer at all.

"Even if there were any functioning hospitals left...they couldn't fix this. We only have two options now. A: We leave her here, but at the cost of letting her continue to suffer like this. Or B: We help her pass on and end her pain right now." Frasier denied before bluntly giving an ultimatum. Alice was left in total silence as the door hinge began to crack and warp. Her mother continued mindlessly snarling viciously in anticipation of the two survivors.

"Take a moment to think this through, Alice-chan. This is your choice to make, and I don't want you to regret it later on." Frasier suggested as the little girl stood there with both legs trembling. She looked as though she just wanted to scream at how hard this decision was to make. "I-It's too hard! I can't do this. Please…please, just help her." Alice finally cried out as she got on both knees with her hands over her ears and her eyes shut tight.

"This is the world we live in now, Alice. We can't ignore it and pretend everything will be all right anymore! If you truly love her, then make a decision right now." Frasier sternly reprimanded as he pulled her hands away; denying Alice any chance of staying in denial.

CRASH

The door finally snapped off its last hinge; collapsing to the ground down along with Alice's mother. In no time at all, it was back on its feet; heaving itself onwards towards the two companions that stared at the approaching figure. Alice watched helplessly as Frasier grabbed a nearby shovel in a nearby overturned wheelbarrow and lightly tapped the nearest fence.

Alice silently looked on as her mother's head slowly turned towards the newfound sound; soon limping towards it only to stop when it walked face first into the wooden fencing.

WRAM

Without hesitation in his heart nor actions, Frasier slammed the head of the shovel like a spear into the back of the knees; sending Alice's undead mother collapsing to the ground before he wedged the shovel's blade into the chest cavity to pin it down.

"Can I…can I at least say goodbye to her?" Alice suddenly asked weakly, trying to keep it together as she looked up at him pleadingly. "Of course you can. Just keep your distance though," Frasier answered softly, keeping the shovel pinned against the chest of the fallen creature.

Alice cautiously marched forward, both hands held together as she felt ready to burst into tears again. Her little lips quivered as she looked directly into her mother's eyes.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry we couldn't find you sooner, Mommy. I miss you…I miss you and Daddy so much! I wish I was bigger so I could've maybe saved you." Alice began to confess. A deep sense of regret and remorse flowed through her words between her sniffles and choking sobs, hating how useless she felt compared to everyone else.

"I don't want to leave you. I really wanted you to come with us…but it can't happen now because of what happened to you." Alice expressed sorrowfully, tears flowing down her cheeks when she couldn't shake off the personal guilt she felt in all of this. She took a moment to let it all out as Frasier had to put all his strength into keeping her mother pinned down.

"If it makes you feel any better...I think I'll be safe with my new big brothers and sisters. I really like them a lot, and they really like me back. I wish you could've met them all. They'd probably really like you too." Alice then brought up; somehow able to faintly smile as she forced herself to see the one real positive thing in her life she had left. At first she began to lean forward, but was quickly reminded by one of Frasier's grunts that she had to stay back; letting out another deep sigh as she felt the sadness taking over again. "I never gave up on you. I never stopped thinking about you, Mommy. Please, tell Daddy I miss him too." She muttered as she fought to keep the last of her tears at bay, her voice once more cracking up at the end.

"W-will she feel it?" Alice then asked as she stepped back and looked up to Frasier; her eyes clearly desperate for an honest answer. "No, not even a little bit, sweetheart. It'll be quick and painless." He reassured her, speaking in a somber tone. "You promise?" she pressed further with concern. The very last thing she needed was to think Frasier was going to make her mother hurt any more than she already was.

"Of course. Now just…turn away, and don't look no matter what." Frasier vowed before he motioned Alice with his head to stare at the wall behind them. "Goodbye," Alice whispered to herself as she kept her back turned before hearing that horrid crunching sound whenever someone took out the dead up close.

"Is...is it over?" Alice asked, not daring to turn an inch back. She couldn't bear to potentially see her mother's head smashed in. "Aye, it is. You can look now." Frasier answered as she reluctantly peered over to see the body laid out where she last saw it. His green jacket, however, was now draped over the head and upper body, to prevent Alice from seeing any more than she had to; as well as a sign of respect.

Alice slowly walked up to the feet of her mother before dropping down to her knees as she put a hand on her shoe, lightly rocking the foot back and forth with her little hand.

"What are you doing?" Frasier had to ask with a raised eyebrow; kneeling down on one knee to be on her level. "Mommy would always wake up no matter what if something touched her feet. She's really gone…isn't she?" Alice explained, her voice surprisingly peaceful when recalling that obscure detail about her mom, only for it to instantly sink back into sadness when the cold, hard reality had returned to her.

"I'm afraid so. I'm so sorry, poppet. You just can't save everyone I'm afraid." Frasier sadly confirmed before trying to express his deepest of condolences; hoping that she'd somehow understand what he was getting at. "It's gone…it's all gone." Alice began to mutter as the shock finally wore off.

"I have no home…no Mama…no Papa…nothing. Every…e-everything is gone." She finished morosely as she sat down with both knees pulled to her chest while staring over at what little remained of her house; taking in everything she'd just endured and unable to say a peep over several minutes of mournful silence.

"Well...that's not entirely true, Alice-chan. You still have us." Frasier chimed in as he sat down beside her; both legs crossed, as he made sure to constantly watch their backs. "But what about my house? My family? Where will I go after all this?" Alice asked incredulously, surprising Frasier with how generally pessimistic her thinking had become.

"I can't do anything about your family. No one can now." Frasier began to express with regret, knowing she deserved to be given the whole truth today. Alice's head hung low in despair. "However, in regards to your house, I actually can do something about that. I'll build you a new one." Frasier suddenly vowed, completely catching the young girl off guard.

"R-really?" she sniffled, looking up at him with uncertainty, as though trying to see if he was lying to her again. He gently nodded in assurance as a barely noticeable smile began to spread across his lips. "Just you and me?" She then clarified.

"Just you and me." Was all he responded with before he wiped the sweat from his face. "I'd really like that. But...I-I want everyone to live with us, though." Alice finally spoke with a trace of optimism, trying to clear her throat before speaking again; her face red from all the sobbing.

"Oh, they can live with us, but the house will be our personal project; just you and me if you're up to the task. What do you say to that?" Frasier replied with an earnest grin, aware how much she'd appreciate the idea of them having their own little niche. The only response she could muster up at this point was hugging him as tight as she possibly could. A muffled "Okay," was all that could be heard as her head pressed into his side. This thankfully heartwarming moment left Frasier at ease; a feeling he'd almost forgotten about since the start of all this.

"Alright now, c'mon...on your feet. We need to head back to the bus before more of 'Them' show up, and before the others wake up and notice we're gone." He eventually suggested before standing back up, motioning for Alice to follow him. "R-right. Just give me a second." Alice agreed before running over to her mother's side, pulling out one of the photos of herself with both her parents and placing it into the jacket pocket. She took a brief moment to collect herself in light of everything here before darting back to Frasier's side; taking his hand and never looking back since.

While saying nothing the entire way back, Frasier was silently overjoyed he'd been able to find her. After everything else, losing Alice was the one thing that would've utterly destroyed him beyond repair. All he could hope now was that when they awoke, the group would be ready to leave, and their journey to Tokyo could finally commence; and more importantly, would be able to go with little trouble.

Days earlier across the Atlantic in an unknown facility…

Entire rows of monitors glared as the images on them flashed and changed rapidly. Video clips played on repeat as the audio echoed in what sounded like a small control center. A phone rang several times before eventually it was picked up.

"How did you acquire this number?" Arthur Lawson's rough voice grumbled, clearly in no mood for small talk from a stranger. "Father, it's me," Frasier's voice suddenly announced.

"What...?" Arthur asked shocked, almost as if in disbelief that his son had managed to get a hold of him. "There's so much that needs to be said, but there's no time to talk. I know it's a vast distance, but I need you to send an extraction team to these coordinates," Frasier began to explain, clearly troubled by something more than just the worldwide outbreaks. However, he stayed strong and kept calm long enough to get his request across.

"Son…it's so good to hear your voice, but do you have any kind of idea the danger you're in now?" the proud father sighed in relief; but his tune quick to change back to a more serious one as he went on. "Of course I'm in danger! There's some kind of viral outbreak turning people into undead monsters, and we're right in the middle of it all!" The eldest Lawson sibling stated impatiently, well aware of how dire his own situation was.

"No! Not the dead, you fool! Something far worse than that." Arthur suddenly snapped; leaving Frasier silent at such a sharp response. He could only imagine how truly concerned Frasier must've been by what could possibly leave a man as powerful and well reserved as his father in such a fearful mood.

"Father?" Frasier eventually asked with surprising vulnerability when the awkward pause became too much for him to bear, the anticipation eating away at his patience. "Frasier, listen to me: you need to take Marcus and Noah, and run. Just get as far away from wherever you are right now, understand?" Arthur suddenly instructed, keeping it short and simple with no sense of direction.

"Father, what's wrong with you? Why are you talking like that?" Frasier demanded, hating the sound of his father sounding so shaken, so unsettled. The man was practically the foundation Frasier stood on, and if he was sounding this afraid, Frasier couldn't conceive what it must've been, nor did he even want to.

"Frasier…my son...I'm sorry. I truly am…" Arthur hesitantly replied, sounding truly apologetic before a soft, soothing melody could suddenly be heard playing in the background. Without warning, Frasier's breathing became heavy, and he began occasionally grunting in pain, as if in genuine distress from the otherwise harmless tune. "…But be a good lad and obey. Protocol 0-4-5-1." Arthur calmly commanded. Frasier's heavy breathing instantly stopped, and there was a dismal pause for a few unbearable seconds.

"What are my orders?" Frasier suddenly asked, his voice now devoid of all emotion. Whatever distress or pain he had before was nowhere to be heard. "I need you to take your brothers, if they're still alive, and get as far away from your current location as you possibly can. When I hang up, destroy the phone you called me with, and forget everything you just heard if anyone asks." Arthur began to instruct, being very thorough in what had to be done.

"Understood. I will not fail you," the eldest Lawson brother acknowledged without a hint of resistance, not questioning anything he'd just been told to do. "I know you won't, son. Dismissed," his father sighed before the playback of the transmission finally ended; leaving things momentarily silent, save for the buzzes and hums of the multitude of computers.

"You know what to do." A woman's authoritative voice announced sternly as her gaze shifted to a powerful yet hidden figure that loyally stood at her side with both arms crossed. An eager grin formed on his face from the anticipation of what was soon to come.