Chapter 4: Armed With Death

Raven and Chelsea lay huddled together, their slumber maintaining a peaceful reverie. It was contrary to the world outside, but for now, their dreams were the only escape they were privileged with.

Raven squirmed, the hard floor beneath her providing an uncomfortable rest. A squark from a bird close by awoke the brunette. Her eyes blinked sleepily, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings. Her dreams were a far cry from reality and the onset of dread set in as she looked up towards the disheveled ceiling. Raven thought about her family; her parents, Cory.

"please be safe" she whispered into the night as a tear fell down her cheek, "be somewhere"

A sigh stole Raven from her thoughts as she looked at the sleeping form beside her. Realizing she still had her arms tightly wrapped around the red head, she loosened her grip but didn't fully release the girl. Being beside Chelsea made her feel safe.

Raven's gaze found the ceiling once more, her mind ablaze with unanswered thoughts. Her mother always told her that your life can change in a second so you had to enjoy the present as much as possible; she didn't realize how true that statement could be. Life really could change in an instant.

"Enjoy the present" Raven announced quietly into the night, as though voicing her thoughts aloud would make her current situation easier. Raven pondered the statement for a while, unable to register anything she could 'enjoy' right now. Stirring in her sleep, Chelsea shuffled closer to her friend and finally settled her head on Raven's shoulder. It was a small gesture, but it caused Raven's eyes to brim with tears once more as she looked lovingly at the serene face that was now only inches from her own.

This was what she had to live for. This was the parts of life she could still enjoy. Little moments of love, moments of friendship and loyalty were the only currency in a world gone mad. Having somebody you love with you when the world has lost so much was a blessing and Raven had just developed a new appreciation for such things. Other things may have changed but Raven still had Chelsea and she was adamant to keep it that way. Tilting her head, Raven pressed her lips to Chelsea's forehead, a nonverbal promise to keep the girl safe, no matter what the cost.

Betty Jane sat perched on a rock, warming her hands against the fire she had started a short while ago in an attempt to battle the cold air of the night.

Sounds of cracking and shuffling leaves brought the country girl to attention, grabbing her gun and swiftly aiming it in the direction of the offending sounds.

Surveying the area with an intensity she felt was about to overpower her exhausted form, she finally breathed a sigh of relief as her vision met the silhouette of her cousin walking toward her.

"Thank god it's you" Betty Jane lowered her gun and placed it back in its holster as Raven came into full view.

Raven was still not used to a life in which guns were the norm, a life in which you had to fear every sound around you. She tentatively walked towards the fire, feeling anxiety fill her stomach as though her bodily organs had been tied into knots after having a gun aimed at her. It was nothing to Betty Jane, survival was something that came naturally to her, but it rested uneasily with Raven.

"Why are you awake? You should be getting some rest" Betty Jane tried to argue, her voice struggling to obtain the level of urgency she attempted to portray.

"You should be getting some rest" Raven countered, "you're gonna burn out. I can take the next shift and keep watch and you can get some sleep before tomorrow"

Betty Jane sighed in defeat, knowing Raven was right. Betty Jane was always the person who protected the girls, the one who knew how to survive, but living on the front line had its consequences and she knew she had to trust Raven to look after herself because one day, her own self may be all she has left.

As Raven took a seat beside the fire, Betty Jane searched in her duffle bag, struggling to see in the dark. Finding what she was looking for, she got up and walked toward Raven, dropping the item in her lap.

"I don't-"

"You need this. If you see or hear anything, don't be afraid to use it. I'll teach you how to use it better in the morning. You and Chelsea need to learn how to protect yourselves"

Raven picked up the pistol from her knees and examined it. The gun itself wasn't heavy, but the burden it carried was overwhelming. Raven was torn, she felt like two different people. One part of her was grateful, she knew she was safer carrying a weapon but the other part of her was angry. Her entire world had been ripped from her with no explanation and the injustice she felt filled her with a white rage she couldn't offload. Her bubbling anger subsided and was replaced with a numbness as Betty Jane placed her kitchen knife on Raven's lap.

"Just in case" she commented before retiring to the place Raven had just slept.

Raven looked down at herself. Gun in one hand, knife on her lap. This was the new world. Her entire being felt like a black void, a ghost of who she was. It was as though a light sparked in the dark when she thought of Chelsea and suddenly her emotions returned with a vengeance.

"Fuck it" she spat, wielding the knife in her hand. "I promised to protect her, and I will"

Light finally broke from between the clouds, beating down on Raven who hadn't moved since Betty Jane left her only 3 hours prior. Her eyes blinked repeatedly as they adjusted to the morning.

"Rae?"

Raven stood to attention, turning to face the first sound she'd heard since Betty Jane. A disheveled Chelsea stood rubbing her eyes as she exited her sleeping area.

"I woke up and you weren't there" the redhead softly spoke, her voice laced with concern. "I had a nightmare that you, that you.. and I thought"

Raven's reflexes shot into action as she dropped her weapons to the floor, now forgotten, and paced over to the shaken girl, collecting her into her arms.

"You weren't there and I thought... I thought it was real" the emotion Chelsea had been trying to contain eventually released as she wept into the shorter girls shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay" Raven whispered soothingly into long auburn locks as she ran comforting hands down the sunken girl's back. "I was watching out for you out here so you and Betty Jane could get some rest"

Chelsea looked up at Raven, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Sorry, Rae. It was just a dream, I'm just being stupid" Chelsea confessed, stepping back from the hug and looking down to her feet, feeling awkward about her unwarranted emotional breakdown.

Raven pulled Chelsea back into her, hugging her even tighter.

"You're not stupid, Chels. Just next time, be sure to dream me up as a hero instead of a victim, ey? At least then it'd be true to character" she joked, smiling when she heard a chuckle from Chelsea.

"I'll be sure to dream you up a nice cape" Chelsea added, her awkward feeling completely dispelled as she grinned at Raven, her smile beaming, despite her watery eyes.

"Girl you know I ain't wearin' no cape. A crown is the only way forward" the girls laughed as Raven brushed a lone tear from Chelsea's cheek. For the moment, they forgot the world had changed. It was as though they were back at home sitting on Raven's couch, talking to their heart's content as though they were the only people in the world. They both had a knack for that, for making each other's pain go away. It was so easy to forget all of the worry and the trauma of their lives when they were together. It was as though together, they were unstoppable. Together, life meant something. There were smiles and joy and happiness, but apart, they had only their thoughts, which at the moment, were the darkest they had ever been. They were each other's shield against reality.

Betty Jane emerged from the shack, pulling the girls from their thoughts as they stepped back from one another. Betty Jane noticed the immediate change between the girls when she entered the room, as though they were hiding something. The younger girl knew exactly what she saw between the girls, but she wasn't going to press the issue, she thought it would be better to let them work it out themselves. Betty Jane wasn't familiar with romance in her own life, but she could always see it in others. She envied it slightly, knowing they had each other's backs without a second thought. Betty Jane never had anybody like that in her life.

"Mornin', catch any rotters last night?" came proudly from the survivalist, not even noticing the grimaces painted on the other two girl's faces.

Silence followed; one which Betty Jane didn't even notice as she began kindling a fresh fire.

A pale hand wedged itself into a darker one as Chelsea looked up at Raven, her eyes signaling her discomfort with Betty Jane's words. Raven knowingly squeezed the smaller hand in her own before releasing it and walking over to the now roaring fire.

"Hey, can we talk?" Raven started, her hands slipping into her jean pockets, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Sure cuz, what's on your mind?" Betty Jane's tone was cheerful, completely unaware of her cousin's demeanor. She sat down on one of the rocks and beckoned for Raven to join her.

Chelsea watched the discourse from afar, leaning against the doorframe to what was now known as their bedroom.

Raven dusted down her jeans and took a seat beside her cousin who was poking around in her duffle bag.

"About what's going on... you know... the trouble" Raven started, fumbling over her words.

"The lurkers you mean? The dead guys?" Betty Jane offered, finally turning to look at Raven who visibly winced. "What's wrong, Rae? You see any of the dead'uns? Did they hurt ya?!" the country girl's instincts were suddenly on red alert as she grabbed her cousin's wrists, inspecting them for bites.

Raven shot from her seat, her white rage returning with a vengeance as her annoyance bubbled to the surface.

"What is fucking wrong with you!?" Raven spat as she towered over Betty Jane, who was on her knees by the stone Raven was just sat on. Betty Jane looked up at Raven, her eyes widening, unsure of what was happening. "How are you okay with this? Why doesn't this bother you? Those things are people. They're not lurkers or dead guys, they are human fucking beings!"

It was Betty Jane's turn to wince, as she peered into the hateful eyes of her cousin.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Sorry? Are you sorry? Did you even think twice before pulling the trigger on Auntie Faye?!" Raven's eyes were brimming with unshed tears, emotions that needed to be released.

"Raven, you know she wasn't-"

"Alive? Yeah, I know. You keep telling me" Raven lowered herself to Betty Jane's level, meeting her fearful gaze. Her eyes bore into Betty Jane's as she sighed, her voice becoming soft, almost menacing, "Would you think twice about killing me?"

Raven straightened herself and picked up the pistol she had discarded earlier. She handed it to Betty Jane.

"You asked before... if they hurt me. What if I said yes?" Raven was cruelly testing the country girl, she needed to. It was horrible, but she needed to take her rage out on someone.

Betty Jane remained still, not knowing what to say. She had never seen Raven this way before and it scared her; she didn't want to anger her further.

"Look, Betty Jane, we've all seen the movies. You get bit, you get scratched, whatever. It all ends the same - you become one of them. So, let's say I've been bitten, what would you do? Would you shoot me, too?"

Betty Jane chanced a look up at Raven and then at Chelsea who had walked toward the camp fire, eyes wide with worry. Betty Jane looked down at the pistol in her hands and threw it to the ground as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I would never hurt you, Rae" the strong country girl broke even further as regret filled every fiber of her being.

"But you shot Auntie Faye"

Betty Jane's head shot up from her lap, her own anger revealing itself.

"Auntie Faye was already dead, Raven. When are you going to accept that?!"

The two girls came head to head.

"What makes you the expert? You weren't even there, you abandoned me and Chels and we had to work it out for ourselves. Where were you!?" Raven spat, suddenly realizing herself why she had been so angry. Betty Jane wasn't there. "When we woke up that morning, nobody was there"

Chelsea stood still beside their vehicle, feeling helpless. She didn't feel it would be right to step in; it was a conversation that needed to happen.

Raven's anger subsided as she saw the pain that entered her cousin's eyes.

"I was in the barn. I was hiding like Momma told me" Betty Jane sighed, defeated, as she reclaimed her seat on the rock. Picking up a stray piece of wood, she threw it into the fire, staring dazedly into the raging blaze. "I could see, ya know? Out of the holes in the wood"

Raven joined Betty Jane again by the fire.

"What did you see?"

"Auntie Faye" Tears once again escaped the country girl as she brought her fists up to wipe her eyes, though it was to no avail.

Raven pressed again, quietly, as she took the other girls hand in her own. "Tell me what happened"

Betty Jane's eyes found Raven's and she could no longer see the hatred she had witnessed only moments earlier, it had been replaced with sincere concern and worry. Taking a deep breath, Betty Jane continued.

"Momma, Papa Delroy and me were going to the store because the coop didn't produce any good eggs, ya see? So we took the truck and Auntie Faye asked us to take Baby G so that she could have her beauty rest while we were gone. Y'all were asleep and I didn't think it right to wake ya just to go to the store, so we just left and headed into town"

Betty Jane fiddled with her belt buckle, closing her eyes as though not looking at the world would make it all go away. But it didn't.

"You can imagine, town wasn't in the best condition. It got real bad. I don't know how to, it's just, oh my god it was so awful, Rae" Betty Jane collapsed into Raven, her tears constant.

Raven placed her arm around Betty Jane, pulling the younger girl closer.

"People were attacking each other. Momma told me to stay in the truck and Delroy got out, said he was gon' help them"

A moment of quiet enveloped the girls, a moment of dread and of remembrance.

"He didn't make it far"

Raven pulled the sobbing girl closer as she heard shuffling by the truck. Her eyes located Chelsea, who was quietly sniffling to herself, wiping her own tears from her eyes. Raven extended her free arm and motioned for Chelsea to sit with her and Betty Jane. The taller girl slumped into Raven's side and enveloped her with her arms as Betty Jane continued.

"The truck was ambushed, those things were everywhere. They were opening the doors, trying to get in and Momma started the car again. I don't even remember when it happened, it's all a blur, but her door... was open" a new wave of tears hit Betty Jane as she struggled for breath.

"Who's door?"

"B-b-baby G's. She was th-there and then she wasn't and I d-don't know what happened... but she's gone and it's all my fault. I was looking after her, Rae. They took her. Oh my god, they took her and I don't even want to think about it"

"Stop" Raven's own tears came, she couldn't bare to hear anything else. She had felt enough pain for one day.

"No, you need to hear this... We got back to the house and I was hiding in the barn like I said. Momma said she was going to get you and Chelsea and Auntie Faye. I watched her walk toward the house, but Auntie Faye came out. She looked... different. Momma just ran, she ran back to the barn, but Auntie Faye got her. I saw it. She started biting her and she was... she was eating her. That wasn't Auntie Faye, Rae. I stayed so quiet, I didn't know what to do. She walked to the barn door and started banging on it until she heard something in the house... She heard you both"

Chelsea's hand subconsciously grabbed Raven's, feeling safer in herself when they were close. Raven felt a tug on her heart as she peered down at Chelsea. That morning could have ended so differently if Betty Jane hadn't of been there. Raven's eyes glistened with fresh worry at the mere thought of it. Without thinking, Raven interlocked their fingers and ran her thumb across the paler girls skin. Chelsea responded with a small kiss to Raven's temple, letting the girl know she was okay, soothing Raven's dark thoughts.

Betty Jane breathed deeply, her tears subsiding.

"It wasn't easy to shoot her, Rae. I did it without thinking not because I didn't care, but because I cared too much. I couldn't lose you like I lost my little sister. I lost my Momma and my Papa. I failed them, but I wasn't gonna fail you. It still isn't easy. I don't call those things 'people' because people have lives, they have feelings and families and I can't kill people. I call them what I call them because it lessens the burden it puts on my shoulders when I have to kill them"

"I know you did the right thing, I never doubted that... I just... I needed time" Raven confessed, crippling guilt making its way through her for the way she had treated her cousin.

"I know... and it's okay. We've all had a lot to deal with"

Raven stood, wiping her eyes and inhaling a deep breath of fresh air as she picked up the forgotten pistol from the ground.

"I'm ready"

"Ready for what?" Chelsea asked.

"We need to learn how to survive, Chels. We can start by learning how to shoot properly"

Chelsea eyed the weapon with uncertainty as Raven extended the gun for Chelsea to take.

"You gotta be your own hero, Chels. I'll still wear the crown obviously, but you can take the cape"

The three girls chuckled lightly, wiping away their tears as Chelsea grabbed the pistol.

It was a little after 1:00 PM according to Betty Jane's watch and she had begun cooking a tin of beans over the fire. Raven sat opposite, twisting a small knife between her fingers, awaiting her food.

"You think she's gon' be alright?" The country girl asked, motioning to Chelsea who was still having trouble shooting the targets on the truck.

Betty Jane had thought to use the empty tins from their food as targets and she had placed them side by side on the hood of the truck. After showing each of the girls how to hold each of the guns she had packed in her cases, she offered them a prize of a chocolate bar which would be awarded to the first person to hit all five targets.

Raven had won that competition over an hour ago, but Chelsea was still struggling to hit more than two of the tin cans.

"She'll be fine, she's just frustrated. It's like anything really, as soon as you get frustrated, it's game over. You ain't winnin' that one" Raven mused, knowing Chelsea would eventually get the hang of it.

Betty Jane nodded in agreement. The girls sat comfortably by the fire, enjoying a moment of peace.

"Hey, um, Rae?" Betty Jane whispered, moving closer to Raven so that only she could hear. The older girl dipped her head closer to Betty Jane, listening intently for whatever she was going to say.

"Yeah?"

"I gotta tell you something and I need to know if you and Chelsea are cool with it, but I wanted to come to you first" The country girl inhaled deeply, seeking confidence from her breath as she continued. "This is our last night here"

Raven was taken aback, but the idea didn't shock her in the slightest. She knew they couldn't stay in the old train lot forever, but she didn't know the world like Betty Jane did. She had no idea where they would go or how they would survive. She had spent her entire life fixating on boys and clothes and school that she didn't have time for anything else. She used to think her life was so hard. Thinking back, she would give anything to be back at Bayside with Alana her school bully, or Ben or even Mr. Petrachelli - anything was better than right now.

"Where will we go?" the question was asked to nobody in particular. If Raven was honest, she was asking herself. There was a brief quiet before anyone spoke again. Betty Jane looked at Raven, wanting to gauge her reaction as she answered tentatively,

"San Francisco"

Raven looked up, her eyes meeting Betty Jane's.

"Home" Raven let out a shaky breath, the word feeling foreign to her lips.

Raven wanted nothing more than to go home. Her entire being ached for the safety and comfort of her own house. She thought of her family; she was so excited to finally get to see them and to let them know she was okay, but there was a dark feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach that grew stronger as the idea of going back to San Francisco started to sink in. Part of her didn't want to go back. Living with the hope of a potential happiness seemed much easier than living with a definite tragedy. Her home was her make it or break it. She hoped her family would wait for her to come home, to see if she was safe. But part of her feared that they would be gone, or worse.

"Are you alright with that?" Betty Jane inquired, seeing the inner turmoil painted on her cousin's face. Reaching out, she placed a hand on the older girl's shoulder, letting her know she wasn't alone. "Whatever you're imagining in your head, you need to face it. Not knowing will eat you up inside, trust me. Whatever happens, remember you've got me and you've got Chels"

"Chelsea. I need.. I need to talk to her. I need to make sure she's ready for this" with that, Raven stood and made her way over to Chelsea, a comforting smile already placed on her lips in preparation.

"Hey, Chels"

The red head grunted, frustration turning to anger as she missed the third target on the truck, throwing her gun to the ground with a thud. Raven followed the sound and bent down to retrieve the handgun, extending it to Chelsea with a raised brow. Huffing, Chelsea snatched the gun from her friend's hand with irritated force.

"I suck"

"You don't suck"

"How long have I been trying!? I can't hit more than two targets! I suck more than you suck in Bio" Chelsea groaned, causing Raven to chuckle at her tantrum.

"Girl, ain't nobody suck more than me in Bio" Raven laughed, probing the taller girls ribs in jest. Chelsea smirked before reclaiming her stance and aiming her weapon at the targets.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Squeeze the trigger.

The bullet raced through the air and straight past the third target. The pale girl growled in dissatisfaction.

"I suck"

Raven walked up beside Chelsea, lifting the angry girl's hands and raising them to an appropriate level.

"You just need to relax, you're better than you think" The shorter girl then came behind her, enveloping the petite girl's waist with her hands and moving her into a more comfortable stance. "Turn more this way so you can see better" Raven commented, patting Chelsea's thigh and motioning to where she wanted her to stand.

Chelsea's mind suddenly became blank. Raven's hands were fumbling around her frame causing a wave of what felt like somersaults in Chelsea's stomach. It was intoxicating. All feelings of frustration had dissipated, being replaced by unexplainable longing. Chelsea was completely engrossed in her emotions that she hadn't heard Raven's instruction. Her thigh met the darker girl's hand once more and Chelsea felt as though she were on fire. She knew exactly what she longed for and more importantly, who was making her feel this way and it scared her. She shouldn't be feeling such things for her friend, especially not Raven. Perhaps it was due to the turmoil of emotions she'd experienced in the past 48 hours; everything about her was on high alert. But if she was honest with herself, she had felt similar emotions even prior to the apparent ending of the world. Pushing her feelings to the side, she attempted to follow Raven's instructions.

"Right, now line your sight with the gun and the target"

Chelsea tried but struggled to focus on what she was doing, her heart was beating exceptionally fast. She could still feel Raven's hands on her even though she had stopped touching her, it felt like a thousand infernos had erupted on her skin. It almost became too much when Raven came up behind her again.

"No, no, no, Chels. Like this" Closing the small gap between them, Raven pulled Chelsea's body back into her, holding her at the waist. Chelsea shuffled, falling back a bit due to the unexpected movement. She could feel Raven's body pressed against her back and she didn't want it to stop. She felt drunk on feeling as she allowed herself to melt into the darker girl's embrace.

Raven, who was focused on training the frustrated girl, had no idea what thoughts were going through her best friend's mind. Running her fingers along the length of Chelsea's arm, she raised it to her desired position.

"Keep your eye on the target and breathe in" she instructed.

Chelsea's dazed mind tried to focus as she inhaled and eyed the tin can.

"Okay, now when you breathe out I want you to squeeze the trigger softly" Raven's roaming hands found their way to Chelsea's shoulders, straightening them out.

Chelsea slowly exhaled and pulled the trigger.

With a clank, the tin can shot off the truck bonnet and onto the ground.

"YEAH! Take that, ya nasty!" Screeched Raven as she wrapped her arms around Chelsea's waist, hugging her from behind. Chelsea beamed as she leaned her head back against Raven, running her own hands over the excitable girl's arms. A few moments passed, neither one of them wanting to break the embrace.

In one fell swoop, Raven spun Chelsea around to face her, their faces nose to nose. Both girls took a sharp intake of breath at the unexpected contact, but neither backed away. The air surrounding them felt thicker, as though it were forcing them closer. The gaze they shared was electric and Chelsea felt like she was dizzy with emotion. Raven's eyes dropped to Chelsea's mouth as she instinctively licked her lips, before looking back up at the red head.

The gun Chelsea had been holding fell to the ground, startling the girls apart.

Chelsea immediately bent down to grab it, averting her gaze from Raven.

"Sorry, it slipped out of my hand"

Raven, who also felt a bit dazed, just stared at the fumbling girl on the ground. The crackling of a nearby fire caught the brunette's attention as she turned to see Betty Jane poking the fire.

"Chelsea, I actually came over here cause I needed to ask you something" Raven sputtered.

Chelsea walked to the truck and placed down her weapon, still feeling uncomfortable about the situation.

"Yeah?" she asked, her back still to Raven as she walked towards the trunk. It was a short response, but it's all her voice could manage. Her brain was still processing her emotions.

"It's kinda important" Raven walked over to Chelsea who was fiddling with the bags in the back of the truck. Moving one out of the way, she heaved herself up onto the trunk and took a seat. "Come sit with me"

Sensing the conversation was about to get serious, Chelsea jumped up and perched herself beside Raven.

"What's up, Rae? You okay?"

Emotions are something Raven didn't often show unless it was happiness. But here with her best friend, the reality of what was about to happen the following morning started to dawn on her and her eyes filled with tears anew.

"Tomorrow..." The tears Raven had been holding back started to escape as she turned to look at Chelsea. She felt a hand interlock her own, giving her the courage to continue. "Tomorrow... we're going home, Chels"

Chelsea's face was unreadable. A slight smile crossed her features but was quickly replaced with a look of sorrow.

"Oh"

Moments passed while the girls processed their thoughts, grateful for the quiet opportunity.

"What are ya thinking about?" Raven asked, squeezing Chelsea's hand in her own.

Chelsea looked at Raven and then toward the sky. Its limitless expansion filled her with both hope and with dread.

"My mom"

"Me too"

Another moment passed. Chelsea leaned in against Raven, resting her head on her shoulder.

"We'll be okay, whatever happens. As long as I have you, I still have something to keep me going"

Raven's entire being felt as though it melted at the confession from her closest friend. Her glowing heart felt as though it could pound out of her chest.

"You'll always have me, Chels"

The sun had set long ago. The woodland sounds enveloped the space, creating a silence which was eerily peaceful. Betty Jane emerged from the shack wrapped in a blanket, yawning. She had been getting rest for the journey the following morning while Raven and Chelsea kept watch outside. The night was quiet save for one lone walker which Raven took care of with a rock to the head. Killing was becoming second nature, despite the girls' experience of it being very minimal.

"You girls wanna head in? I'm rested enough, I can take over if you want" Betty Jane suggested, knowing fine well she wouldn't be accepting no for an answer, seeing the obvious tiredness in the girls' faces.

Raven and Chelsea stood, making haste for the shack.

"Shout if something goes wrong or if you need us. Stay safe" came from Chelsea as she walked toward the building.

Raven handed her weapons over to Betty Jane, pulling the girl into a hug before following after Chelsea.

In the shack, Chelsea headed straight for the sleeping bag in the center of the uneven ground. Raven rummaged around in her rucksack by the door, smiling when she found what she was searching for. Walking over with the item behind her back, Raven sat down cross-legged on the ground beside Chelsea.

"I got you something," Raven said, matter-of-factly.

Intrigued, Chelsea sluggishly sat up in her sleeping bag.

"What'ya get?" came dazedly from the exhausted girl.

Bringing her hands round to the front, Raven exposed her secret gift.

"I found it on the truck earlier and I want you to wear it." Raven extended the gray beanie for Chelsea, who took it gratefully. "Your hair is beautiful, but I worry that something might grab it. I thought if you wore this then if something was gonna grab you, it would just grab the hat and you'd have a chance to run" Raven confessed.

Chelsea face dropped, a smile taking root on her lips. "That is so sweet, Rae." Bringing the hat up, Chelsea pulled in onto her head with ease. "How do I look?" Chelsea asked, pulling her best Vogue pose, making Raven laugh.

"It suits you, actually"

"Thank you! I'll never take it off"

Slouching back down to the ground, Chelsea made herself comfortable in her sleeping bag once more. Raven brought her own blanket beside Chelsea and lay down next to her.

"Chels, you remember the other night when I had a vision and you asked what I saw?"

"Yeah, you said it wasn't getting any better"

"Yeah... That wasn't a lie. But Chels... the vision was about San Fransisco"

Chelsea sat up again, leaning on one arm and facing Raven.

"What did you see?"

Raven looked up at Chelsea, knowing she needed to prepare her for the worst.

"It was overrun... completely"

"Oh"

"Yeah. I just... I needed you to know"

Chelsea used her free hand to wipe a stray tear from the psychic's cheek, letting her hand rest there. Raven brought her own hand up, covering Chelsea's.

"I'm scared, Rae"

Rubbing her thumb against the red head's hand, Raven moved it slightly lower so she could place a reassuring kiss on the palm, making Chelsea feel like jelly once more.

"I know. Me too"

Chelsea exhaled heavily, fearing her own words.

"I'm not just scared because of what we might find, Rae. I'm scared for you. I'm terrified, even. This world, those things. They could take you away from me anytime. Tomorrow. I love you so much, Rae. You're my best friend - more than that. I don't think I can live in this place without you and I'm so fucking scared that you're going to be taken from me"

Both of the girls had sat upright, their vision blurry with tears, hands gripping one another.

"I won't let that happen, Chelsea. We've got each other through all of this, I promise" Raven tried to comfort her friend, cupping her tear-stained face in her hands.

"You can't promise that. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, or the next day, or any day after that"

"You're right"

"What?"

"I can't promise I'll always be here, but I'm here now. I'll still be here tomorrow and I'll be by your side the entire time. We can beat this, Chels. You and me. We just gotta take each day as it comes"

"Please, please, please don't leave me, Rae" Chelsea completely broke into pieces in front of Raven and it ripped her heart to pieces that she couldn't reassure her. Raven pulled Chelsea into her, pressing her lips to her forehead.

"I'm here, Chelsea"

Chelsea looked up at Raven through watery eyes, feeling the most amount of love she's ever felt for any human being right at that moment. Chelsea had accepted her feelings for Raven had surpassed friendship, but she didn't know what to do. Her eyes bore into Raven's and she saw absolute care and something else she couldn't quite place.

Raven's lips met Chelsea's forehead once more and the auburn-haired girl felt a slight frustration. Chelsea sat up, still perched between the psychic's legs as she cupped the darker woman's face.

"Rae, is there anything I could do that would make you hate me?"

Confused, Raven furrowed her eyebrows, almost angrily at being asked such a question.

"What? No. I could never ha-"

That was as much as she needed to hear before Chelsea pulled Raven's face toward her, forcing their lips to finally meet in a searing kiss.