Apocalypse by SLynn

Summary: Three years have passed since the explosion and life has drastically changed for everyone. This isn't the world they imagined they'd be saving.

Spoilers: Up to 'Fallout'

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.

Notes: My beta is out of town for the weekend, so forgive me my mistakes.

Chapter 3: Trust

"How soon can you guys get packed?"

Matt, just entering the room, perked up as he heard Audrey ask the question.

"What's wrong?"

"They're coming," Audrey answered amid the bustle.

"What?" Claire asked. "Now?"

"Soon," the other woman answered. "They're on to you, been tracking you all for a few weeks now. They plan to raid the house tonight. Late tonight. They want to try and catch you all inside."

"How do you know for sure?" Matt asked.

'He still doesn't trust me,' he heard her think in a voice that sounded hurt.

"No," he answered unintentionally, "I just want to know…"

"I overheard a couple of the guys talking about a mission," she said, ignoring his response. "Said they were going to nab three off the top of the list."

"That doesn't necessarily mean…"

"It's a really short list, Matt," she interrupted.

"Where are we going to go?" Ando asked. "We're running out of places to hide."

"North," D.L. answered bluntly. "We're heading north."

"What?" Niki asked, stopping everything and staring at her husband. "When was this decided?"

"Matt and I talked…"

"We didn't decide anything," Matt interrupted.

"Matt and you?" Niki questioned. "You told me we needed to think about going soon; that you were going to mention it to Matt, but you never said this. Why wasn't I included on this decision? Or Hiro? Or anyone else for that matter?"

"We were just talking it over," Matt said, trying to smooth things over.

The last thing they needed right now was for Niki to lose her cool. She'd just managed to tap into her own powers without handing over full control to Jessica, her alter ego, but at best Niki's hold on Jessica was shaky. None of them wanted to push her too hard.

"We've got to go somewhere," D.L. continued to argue. "If we don't get away now…"

"That has nothing to do with the two of you thinking you can run everything," Niki shot back.

"There really isn't time for this," Audrey added urgently.

"Yes," Hiro agreed, "we need to focus. We need to get moving."

"Guys…" Matt said weakly, the strain of the emotion in the room starting to get the best of him. He felt his knees begin to buckle.

"No one is trying to run anything," D.L. shot back at this wife. "We just want…"

"This isn't necessary," Hiro tried diplomatically. "I'm sure we have time to talk this out."

"There's that 'we' again," Niki cut in on D.L., both of them ignoring Hiro completely.

"Stop it," Claire shouted.

Everyone looked at her, shocked at the outburst.

"Thanks," Matt whispered in passing as Audrey took hold of his arm and deposited him in the nearest chair.

"We need a plan," Claire continued. "Fight it out later, now is not the time. The longer we stay here the worse off we'll be. If D.L. and Matt think we should head north then I trust them. We'll head north. But it has to be now."

"There's a colony of sorts," Audrey said, joining Claire's side, "up north in New Jersey. Not much is known about it except that there are others, like you, gathering there. Forming their own society outside of the new government."

"Is it safe?" Ando asked.

"As safe as it gets," Audrey returned with half a smile. "The militia aren't patrolling much anymore outside of the major cities. Not like they were at least."

"What about…" Hiro started, but didn't finish.

They all knew who he meant.

"Don't know," Audrey answered honestly. "We can't track him. Never could. We haven't had a confirmed sighting since…"

Her voice trailed off. They all knew what that meant too.

The last two people that had seen Sylar and lived were in the room with them now.

"Let's get ready then," Niki said softly after a slight pause.

Everyone set to work immediately. They never entirely unpacked when they moved into a new house, but there was still plenty to be done.

"Audrey," Matt said, finally able to get back on his feet now that the room had settled, "can we talk?"

She nodded softly and together they stepped into the adjoining room.

"What about you?" he asked as he shut the door behind them.

"What?"

"Come with us," Matt said eagerly.

Audrey crossed her arms and shook her head, not knowing what to say.

"It's dangerous for you, too," he continued. "It's time you got out of there. For good."

'He's worried about me.'

"You and Mohinder," Matt added quickly. "Both of you. You've done enough for us, more than enough. Between the seven of us we can offer you plenty of protection."

"Oh," Audrey said flatly. "I don't know…"

"Matt," D.L. called from the door, "we need to hurry."

"I'm coming," he said over his shoulder, still giving Audrey his full attention.

"I don't know if I could just drop everything like that. Just take off."

Matt nodded slowly.

"It would take some planning," she continued half-heartedly.

"No, of course," Matt agreed. "It's not like, well, you're not… you don't have a reason to go."

"Matt…"

"I need to go and help out," he said, pulling away from her and back towards the main part of the house. "There's a lot to do. A lot to decide."

'Please, Matt. Not like this.'

"They need me," he finished quietly.

'I do, too.'

Matt halted momentarily, hand on the doorknob, before finally pulling it open and walking away like he'd never heard her.

"What's left to do?" he asked D.L. as soon as he came across him.

"We're already loading the cars," the other man supplied. "Micah just has his gear left and that's about everything."

"I'll just go take care of my…"

"Claire's already got you covered," D.L. interrupted.

"Okay," Matt said with a nod.

"Are you?" D.L. asked.

Matt started to protest that he was but gave up and shrugged instead. He felt exhausted. Today had been a long one and he needed some rest. Rest he wasn't going to get for quite some time.

"You think I'd be used to it by now, huh?" Matt said, trying to pass it off as a joke.

"What," D.L. fired back, "that gift you got or women?"

Matt laughed.

"Both."

"Hey guys," Hiro called out as he entered the room. "I think we're ready."

"That was quick," D.L. commented.

"Got to be a record," Matt seconded.

"No," Ando put in, "we just left most of the bags in the garage this time. Next time, I don't think we should even take them out of the trunks."

"So," Niki said, joining them with Micah in tow, "have we decided?"

"Well," D.L. started hesitantly, "I don't think we should actually go into New York."

"Trenton," Audrey provided. "The colony is near Trenton."

"Is that okay with everyone?" Matt asked everyone.

No one really felt the need to argue anymore. Wherever they went, as long as they stuck together, they had a feeling they'd be fine.

"Trenton it is," Matt repeated.

Slowly they made their way out to the garage. There was no need to talk about who would be riding with who. D.L., Niki and Micah always took one car leaving Hiro, Ando, Matt and Claire in the other.

"Matt," Audrey called out just before he'd left the room.

"We'll wait," Claire assured him as she closed off the room.

Matt stopped and turned towards her, not sure what to expect.

"I'll talk to him, to Mohinder. See if he thinks…"

"If you don't want to come…"

"It's not that. It's really not that I don't want to."

'Can't you see I'm scared?'

"No, I get it. I'm asking too much. I mean, I've already asked you to put your job…"

"The job isn't important to me," she interrupted. "Not the way it used to be. It's changed. All of it."

Matt gave her a quizzical look as Audrey shifted uncomfortable on her feet.

"If I go, there'd be no turning back."

"I see," Matt said coldly after a long pause.

"No," Audrey said with a shake of her head. "I don't think you do. I don't mean…"

"Audrey, I understand. You still have a choice. You don't have to be one of us…"

"Matt, would you listen? Please? That's not…"

"You don't have to say any more."

"No one forces me to do this," Audrey said.

"And now you don't have to anymore."

"Damn it, you are so stubborn. Listen to me. For once, just listen."

Matt stood quiet, ready to hear her out.

"Here, I'm useful," she started. "I can get you information and supplies, sometimes things you can't get for yourself. And I know it isn't much, but I feel like I'm contributing. That I'm doing something, and not just because it's the right thing to do. I don't care about that. I care about you. I care about helping you."

"Audrey," Matt said, trying hard to stop her from going on.

"No," she said, waving him off and then quickly wiping her hand across her eyes. "No. Let me just say this."

Matt nodded briskly, but couldn't look at her anymore.

"I've done everything I can for you and I haven't ever asked for anything in return. Not once. I've never complained. I've had no ulterior motives. No hidden agendas. I've always been honest with you, because… because you're important to me."

"Please don't…"

'Please don't what? Don't tell you?'

"Don't cry," he answered, stepping closer and tentatively bringing his hands to her shoulders.

"If you asked me to come because you want me there," Audrey said, looking him straight in the eyes, "I will. I'll go."

Matt pulled her completely into his arms, unable to help himself. Holding her tight and never wanting to let go.

"But if you're only asking me because you think you have to," Audrey continued in a near whisper, "because you feel like you owe me, or have to protect me, then just don't. Don't ask. I don't want you to pay me back. I never wanted anything in return but your trust."

"I do," he said, moving to rest his forehead to hers, his hand in her hair. It was his turn to look her in the eyes. "I do. Never doubt that. I know I haven't shown it. It's hard for me… after all this… But you, I've never doubted. Not once."

Audrey smiled a funny half-smile at him, still uncertain.

"Come with us," he asked. "Please. Come with me."

"Okay," she mouthed, blinking the tears out of her eyes with a genuine smile on her lips.

"Yeah?" he asked, smiling broadly now himself.

"Yes," she answered firmly with a crisp laugh attached at the end.

"Good," he returned, finishing it off with the kiss he'd been waiting to give her for a long, long time.