Past:

10 years old

I ran through the streets, huffing for breath and clutching my sides. My pursuers were nowhere to be seen. Hopefully, I'd lost them. Climbing the steps to Farlan and Levi's place, my foot slipped on the stair, sending me down to my knees. Blood spurted out of the wound, squishing through my fingers. I realized that I couldn't get back up, so I beat on the bottom of the door.

"Please be here," I whispered desperately, my vision blurring. My arm grew tired of hitting the door.

"Oh god! Cori!" Isabel's voice came from behind him, distant… "Levi! Farlan!" She must have been shouting, but it was muffled by the pounding in my ears.

Farlan lifted me off the ground, speaking but I couldn't hear the words. My eyes felt heavy… so heavy. They slid closed, and everything went black. It seemed like I hadn't slept in days when I woke up. My head was on something soft, and someone ran their hand lightly through my hair. It felt… nice. It made me feel cared for.

Cracking my eyes open, I noted it was Farlan. He was whispering to someone out of my line of sight. The events of earlier came back to me and the pain in my side made wince, catching Farlan's attention. "Hey Cori, I'm glad you're awake. You really scared us." He smiled at me.

"What happened?" I asked, content with lying on his leg for a little longer.

"We should be asking you that, but when the Marcell's came looking for you, it wasn't hard to figure out." Levi's voice came from behind me. I didn't have to see him to know that he wore an annoyed expression. He sighed. "You don't have to worry about them anymore."

Tilting my head back to look at him, though he was upside down, I said, "You… did you kill them?" There isn't any other option in the Underground City. Kill or be killed, especially when I screwed up as badly as I did tonight. They would have stopped at nothing to get revenge on me.

"Cori! I'm so glad you're okay!" Isabel came in the door, rushing over. She patted my head. "When I saw all that blood…" She couldn't finish the statement, tears spilling from her eyes. She hugged me awkwardly.

"Yeah… sorry about that," I mumbled. "Getting stabbed hadn't been part of my plan."

Levi stood from his chair at the table, coming to join the three of us. Taking a seat in the comfy chair, he folded his arms. "How did that happen?" The disapproving stare hurt. We'd made an agreement that I would stop stealing for just anyone and work for them. In return, I could stay here whenever I liked, and they'd pay me.

I struggled to sit up, wincing in pain as I did. Farlan put his arm around my chest, making me lay back down. Annoyed, I sighed. "I did tell you that I'd made a lot of enemies." Not only were the military police looking for me, but half the underground city criminals were, too. "Someone asked me to make a delivery… a friend… I guess." She'd kill me if she'd heard that. That old crone hates me. "It doesn't really matter. I haven't done anything to the Marcells in over a year. But apparently they hold grudges."

"Is there anyone else who could be a threat to you?" Levi asked.

The question surprised me. Why would he be asking that? "I-I mean… maybe? Why does that matter? No one else had made any threats recently." His silence made me nervous. Isabel had moved to the kitchen in order to make dinner. Something feels different. "What's going on?"

Farlan and Levi exchanged a look. Brushing his hand through my hair again to comfort me, Farlan smiled like he did when there was something he didn't know how to tell me. "Listen, Cori…" He paused, unsure. "We have a new job."

That's nothing new. "And?"

"And…" He didn't want to tell me.

Levi sighed heavily. "We're leaving the Underground for a while."

The room went silent. Leaving the Underground? Isn't that impossible? "You're leaving me here, aren't you?" I asked. That's why it was hard to tell me.

"We're sorry, Cori," Farlan said.

Forcing my body to move, I sat up. It hurt really bad, but I tried to brush off the pain. "I want to go." They have to let me come. I'm really good at what I do, and I could be useful! Levi had been teaching me to fight over the last year, and my skills had grown a lot!

Levi stared me down. "No. You're too young. Don't try and argue about it. I won't change my mind." And he wouldn't. In the year we'd spent together, he always stuck to what he said. He'd spent his time protecting me, and deep down, I knew that's what he was doing now.

That didn't make it hurt any less. The dangers of the world above aside, my worries lay in the fact that I would be all alone. Again. Through dinner, no one spoke. The tension in the room grew with each passing moment. It wouldn't be long till they had to leave to go above ground. It irked me that they made the decision not to tell me until the day of. It didn't give me any time to process it, and before I knew it, I stood in the doorway of the house, saying goodbye.

Isabel hugged my first, tightly. "I'm going to miss my little sister! I can't wait to come back and show you all around the outside!"

Farlan was next, placing a kiss on top of my head. He knelt down and wiped the stray tear off my cheek. "Don't worry too much, Cori. We'll come back for you soon, okay? Keep the house safe and clean while we're gone. Stay out of trouble, too."

Levi was silent, like usual, just giving me a little ruffle on the head. But as they began to walk away, I grabbed his sleeve. Holding it all in became harder. We were alone, the other two walking ahead, not noticing Levi's absence. "Cori, we're going to come back for you."

"Promise?" My voice barely worked. It felt like I was being abandoned all over again. This job could get all of us citizenship above ground… but, at what cost?

He nodded his head, giving me one of his rare smiles. "I promise. I will come back for you." He never breaks his promises…

That should have satisfied me, but I repeat myself again. "Don't forget. Y-you promised." These were the rare moments when I truly felt like a child. They were the most important people in my life, and here I am, letting them walk away.

"I won't forget. Wait here for me, okay?" Again, he ruffled my hair and this time walked away.

My heart clenched in my chest. Living the Underground City was dangerous enough. If someone from above ground wanted Levi, Farlan, and Isabel to do a job for him, it must be a serious one. When I was sure they were far enough away, my legs gave out and I collapsed onto my knees. The tears spilled over for the first time in a long time. Being able to stay in this house brought me a little comfort, and my fears were not necessary. They were the best at what they do. Levi would keep everyone safe because he's so strong.

At least, that's what I wanted.

Turns out that life usually doesn't go the way I want it to.