AN: Hello, here's chapter 25. To answer a question from the reviews, this fic will not get to 50 chapters. That's not to say it'll end in like the next two chapters, but I have a very good idea of how I'm going to finish it, and the end is nigh (sorry guys). On that note, I will still be updating regularly and please enjoy.

***Waylon***

Sunlight drifted lazily through the curtains, landing lightly on the pillows and sheets around me. My bedroom didn't have many furnishings, but Lisa lie next to me so it was enough. Not wanting to move, but needing to get my surprise ready, I slid out from the warm covers and out of the room.

Our apartment was small, and I had to keep quiet as plausible as not to wake up the boys. After all, I don't think all the birthday presents in the world could make up for accidentally upsetting Garrett, or getting Connor overly enthusiastic for the day and giving Lisa a rude awakening. Walking into the tiny kitchen from the hall I –as quietly as plausible- pulled out a couple of pans and set them to heat on the stove top. It's been too long since I'd done something nice for Lisa, she was always working so hard, it was time I repaid her with good deed.

Once I sent a couple of eggs crackling into the pan along with a few strips of bacon I began to pull plates and mugs from the cupboard. Between flipping the food and collecting silverware I started a pot of coffee, it wouldn't be long until everything was ready and Lisa liked her coffee burning hot.

After I scooped now ready eggs and bacon onto a waiting plate, poured glass of orange juice, and readied the coffee with two scoops of sugar, I loaded all of the plates and cutlery onto a baking sheet that would have to work as a serving board.

Leaving the food in the kitchen I tiptoed back to the boys room, I'd have to wake them and hopefully not have them run off right away. Opening the door I gently shook Garrett awake, he was barely old enough to walk and had only left his crib couple of months ago.

"Upsy-daisy Garrett, we're going to go surprise mom."

He protested a bit before sleepily sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Quickly I woke up Connor, he wouldn't be tired for long, it seemed like he had enough energy for the two of them.

Before he woke up completely I went back to the kitchen to grab the breakfast I'd made. Not even ten seconds later I was back in the hall where Connor was already standing.

"Ok you two, be very quiet until we go into the bedroom, ok?"

Garrett sleepily grabbed at my shirt to keep himself upright while Connor shook his head like a little maraca. Knowing that that was as much of an agreement that I was going to get out of the two I nudged the door open and the three of us walked entered the bedroom.

Lisa still lie sleeping on the bed, looking as peaceful as anything.

Until Connor put two and two together with me holding a tray and us giving lisa breakfast in bed.

"Happy birthday mom!"

She woke with a little start, not even having the chance to move before Connor jumped up onto the bed and next to her.

"Happy birthday Lisa" I said from the door. Garrett didn't say anything, instead deciding to cling to my shirt tails.

From under a tight hug from Connor Lisa gave a very sleepy, but very happy "good morning" before turning to talk to Connor.

In the warm morning light I moved from the door to the bedside to set the tray of food down over Lisa's lap. It was going to be a great day. Maybe the four of us would go to the park, it was supposed to be sunny like this for the rest of the afternoon.

It was so bright that when I looked out the window the sun stung at my eyes.

When I opened them an empty stretch of shining desert greeted me, even through the tinted windows the light was near unbearable.

Using all the effort I could muster I sat myself upright in the chair. Missing desperately my warm dream, the crushing reality of my situation bored down on me.

Lisa was dead, I didn't have a home, Connor and Garret were probably dead- or worse. There weren't anymore breakfasts in bed, there weren't anymore birthday morning surprise. There weren't any more happy moments to be had.

I sat in the passenger side of the car Chealsy stole from that dark street.

"Where are we now?" Still Utah? Nevada? California? It didn't matter

Chealsy took a second longer to respond then I had expected, "Oh, sleeping beauty's finally awake" she did not sound amused "how was your nap?"

I remember the pleasantness of my dream, it was the first one I'd had that didn't make me suicidal in weeks. "fine"

"Good, so you're fit to drive." She pulled the car over and without hesitation and left the driver side door wide open while she walked to the passenger side.

I didn't want to drive. I got out of the chair and left the car. The heat was immediate, seemingly sapping all the energy I didn't have from every crevice in my body. If I didn't know better I'd make some drawn out analogy about the heat being symbolic or something, but I was not in the mood. Instead I obliged and walked to the driverside of the car. Without complaining I slumped into the drivers seat.

"Where are we?" I asked again

"Somewhere in the middle of the Mojave, I don't know, just keep going west until we hit the coast, we can figure things out from there." She still sounded agitated.

What had I done now?

"One more thing, don't talk to me when we're in the car ok?"

"Ok" what would I have to talk about.

"But stop with your one word answers, their fucking annoying"

"Ok"

"I said no one worders, if you're going to talk, then talk"

"I'm sorry" didn't she say she didn't want to talk?

"And stop apologizing. What do you think you even did anyways?"

"Nothing"

"Bull shit, somethings wrong."

I could have sworn she said she didn't want to talk.

"Hello? I'm talking to you, there's no reason to be rude."

I didn't need her on my case too "I thought you didn't want to talk"

"We'll I do know. I can change my mind you know" she huffed back into the seat. Stealing a glance to my right I saw that she seemed worn and tired, how long had I been asleep?

She kept on speaking "speaking of changing minds, why don't you at least act like you're not suicidal? I don't see why you throwing such a bitch fit anyways. We just lost Miles, it's not like you saw a bloody murder. Well, not one of someone we actually cared about."

She shouldn't talk about things she didn't know.

"What was that?"

I must have muttered my thoughts under my breath. "I said" I actually gained some fore to my voice, to our mutual surprise "You shouldn't talk about things you don't know about"

"what the hell is that supposed to mean?" now she seemed offended.

Fine let her be, I didn't want to talk about this anymore.

"Waylon, don't go all silent on me, I'm not in the mood to put up with you bull shit."

My bull shit? "but I have to deal with yours"

"Excuse me?" dear god, why had I opened my stupid mouth? "my bull shit? I haven't been doing anything but helping you and Miles with you little revenge quest since the two of you showed up in my town, looking for my help. So don't act like I've done the opposite"

Defeated I told her "just don't talk about what happened at Murkoff HQ"

"Why? Because it makes you sad? Well buck the fuck up! We have shit to do, and whether we like it or not we're doing it. Besides, the last time I talked to you you said that your only purpose in life was watching Murkoff burn, what made you give up on that?" she didn't know what she said, I had to remember that "Nevermind, I guess your just such a weak person that it doesn't matter,"

Enough of this. I wasn't going to rise to her bate of an argument, but she should know how shitty she was acting "their dead"

"What?" she didn't want to listen, too bad.

"They killed cCnnor and Garrett. Enrolled them in some experiment. Their dead. Or worse."

She twitched a bit. Good, let her realize how terrible she sounded. "then don't give up. Damn, if anything you should be pissed." She knew she was in the wrong for talking now, but she just didn't give up.

"It doesn't matter"

"So you're just going to give up" she was getting upset again "all the shit you've gone through already just doesn't matter?" she gave me a hard stare.

Fine, let her judge me. She didn't understand, couldn't understand.

"Shit Waylon, your weaker than I thought you were. So much for you little crusade against Murkoff. You're just a damned coward."

She fell silent. I didn't talk back. She could have the last word, it didn't matter, she was right anyways. I was a coward, but at least I wasn't deluding myself. At least I wasn't pretending that there was still any hope.

***Miles***

After some days of nothing there was finally something. They moved us. That much became clear when the circle was broken. Unfortunately there was no time to do anything about it. The swarm was immobile from their ridiculous EMP's. The body was in no condition to move, being weighted down by tiny balls of machine.

How much easier things would be if this were like the old days.

Wwww...

What was that?

Why don't you...

One more time, I didn't catch that.

Why don't you shut the hell up, I'm still me damn it.

Its about time you said something, I was almost worried.

Sure you were, bastard...

You sound tired, maybe you should rest.

And let you run the place? I don't think so.

Shh, we're not doing anything now. Not yet.

Bull shit.

Truly, we're not. But I'm sure that that will change soon.