Shoutouts:

Zagpat17: Thank you. You brought me out of my writer's block. Thank you.

Thank you to all of my readers and reviewers.

A/N: I know. Almost a month. I am really sorry. I was so busy at school, but you don't want to hear this.

Disclaimer: I do not and will not ever own this show.

This second month was better than the last one. I still had nightmares, but not as frequently as last month. I was able to wake up from them before anything bad happened. Weaver and Anne said I could start going on missions again. I was so happy, even though Hal wasn't. To get me use to the surroundings, I would go on small scouting missions with them. I controlled myself better than anybody expected of me.

One day Hal and I were on a scouting mission, much to his disliking. We were going to look for supplies in nearby stores. I spotted an old Chevron gas station and we went in there. We split up and began to look for some food that was useful.

I went to the candy aisle and tried to find some good candy for Matt and the other kids to have for a snack. I was looking to see if the Hershey bars were still ok and I heard a noise behind me.

I thought it was Hal and I said," If you think you are going to scare me, then you are wr-."

I was interrupted by a hissing noise. I looked up and saw a skitter looking down at me, I started to yell for Hal. The skitter placed it's hand to it's mouth. It pointed over to where Hal was and a skitter was walking behind him.

My skitter wanted me to go with him and told me to walk. I pretended to be under their control and I walked to the door. When my hand was on the handle I turned around and shot the skitter in the chest. Hal heard the gunshot and turned around. He saw his skitter and shot at it point-blank. It immediately fell dead on the floor, I wasn't that lucky.

The skitter lunged at me while I was distracted and took me to the ground. My gun was by my side and my hand could reach it,but my hand couldn't grasp it. The skitter began to scratch at my face. I tried desperately to reach my gun and when I did I brought it up and shot it in the head. It yelled out and fell on me as a deadweight.

I screamed for Hal when it died. The alien's thick, red blood got on my shirt, staining it red. Hal came over and helped me push the thing off of me and then he helped me up.

"Thanks, Hal, for helping me."

"No problem, little sis. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fi-." I felt a sharp pain in my ribs.

"Hal, I think I have a broken rib. We need to get back to Anne."

I saw Hal grow concerned. He asked me," Can you walk back there?"

"Yes, I think so. Let's go, I already have the good food for the kids. Come ON!"

We began walking back to the camp. My rib was really beginning to hurt, but I ignored it. We needed to get home quick. As we continued walking, the pain went past my tolerance level.

'Good thing we are almost at camp.' I thought to myself.

The tents came into view and I, stupidly, ran to the camp.

I yelled out in pain,"Anne!"

Ben, Matt, and Anne came running to me. Anne put her hand on me and asked me what was wrong.

"I think I have a broken rib, Anne."

"Let's go see, ok?" She replied.

"Ok, Hal will you come with me?" I looked up at him with my puppy dog eyes that he just can't say no to.

"Of course, little sis." He replied with a smile.

He helped walk me back to the "hospital". I thought to myself,'I swear I should just live in here.'

We went inside the room and Anne asked me to pull my shirt up. Hal politely turned around and waited for me to put it down. I gave him the ok and he turned back to face me. Anne told me and Hal my diagnosis.

"Well it's not broken, but it is bruised. I want you to be careful for the next few days."

I smiled and told her," I must follow the doctor's orders."

I then left to change into some less bloody clothes. I got into some black pants with a red shirt and some tennis shoes. After I changed, Hal and I left to go see Ben and Matt. They must be so worried. We went into the family tent and saw them. Matt turned around at the sound of the opening of the tent and saw me. He ran up to hug me, but I stopped him before he could. He looked sad.

"You can hug me, but be gentle. Those bloody aliens gave me a bruised rib." He gave me a hug and then it was Ben's turn. He had to be extra-careful because of his super-strength. After all of our hugs we talked about what we were going to do the next few days and then Weaver came in asking to see me.

When Weaver came in Matt and I were holding hands and when I got up his grip got tighter. I smiled at him.

"I'll be right back. I promise no bruises or anything this time." He smiled and started playing with Ben and Hal.

Weaver and I walked to his tent and we began talking.

"How have you been sleeping, lately?" He asked me.

"Better now that the nightmares don't come as often." I replied.

"On to a different subject. How did you get a bruised rib? It was a simple scouting mission." He asked confused.

"I think the skitters knew we were coming. They must have already been in there. While I was getting food one came behind me and told me to leave with them or they would kill Hal. I began walking and then I turned around and shot it. It lunged at me and I shot it in the head and it fell on me." I answered.

"Wait, you think somebody is leaking mission plans to the skitters?"

"No, I think they can figure it out through me and Ben. Our spikes can connect us to them."

He asked me concerned," Have you heard anything from them?"

"No, sir." I told him.

"What about your...Dad?"

I answered sullenly,"None at all."

"On the subject of your father, how are you and your brothers doing now that he's gone?"

"I think we are doing better this month. Matt and I have been having nightmares less and less. Hal and Ben are getting use to Dad not being around. I think we all have almost come to terms that he won't come back on his own." I choked back a sob.

"If you guys ever need a father figure to be here for you, then I will be here for all four of you crazy kids." He offered.

"Thanks Weaver. We are comforted by that sincere gesture." I replied with a smile.

"You are welcome, Elizabeth."

I was bursting with a question and I asked Weaver,"Can I keep doing scouting missions and other missions?"

He looked at me in confusion,"What! Why?"

"Even though Dad may not come back to us, that doesn't mean I don't want to get stronger to try and get him back."

I looked at Weaver with pleading eyes and he said yes to my question. I was so excited that I hugged him. He laughed and hugged me back.

He said," Just be careful, alright."

"Alright."

"Now, get back to your brothers before Matt gets an ulser from worrying about you."

I walked back to the tent feeling the sunshine on my face, warming it up. The sunshine helped me realize that it wasn't always going to be gloomy and dark, but sunny and happy. I went back into the tent and saw my brothers playing 20 questions. They were laying on each other laughing their heads off.

They saw me and begged me to join. I joined and pretty soon I had my head on Hal's stomach laughing my lungs out. All of our sides were hurting but we couldn't stop laughing.

I soon began to get really tired and I started suppressing my yawns. My eyelids began to get heavy and soon I couldn't fight it. I laid my head on Hal's stomach and fell asleep. I soon felt someone pick me up and lay me down in something soft and put something on me. I was in my bed.

I dreamed about Dad on the ship. In the dream he told me where he was and he was only ten miles away from us and he was still on the ship. I was confused on why they were still here but didn't care because I knew where my father was and I could help him.

I shot up out of the bed scaring my brothers. I didn't care. I grabbed Hal by the hand and pulled him out of the tent; Ben and Matt following behind us. I took them into Weaver's tent interrupting a deep thought.

"Elizabeth, what is all of this about?" They all asked me.

"I know where Dad is." I replied calmly.

Hal asked me," How? You were just asleep a few minutes ago."

"Exactly, I dreamed it." I told them as calm and collected as I could be.

"Where is he?" Matt asked eagerly.

"He is only ten miles away from here. Come on guys, we have to go get him now." I told them.

Weaver as the voice of reason said," This could be a trap. Why would you have a dream like that?"

"I don't know why I had it. But it is not a trap, how could it be? It's Dad." I looked at my brothers with a pleading look. They all looked at me as if I was crazy.

I was begging now. "Guys, please. We need to get him. He could be getting tortured as we speak. Please."

Weaver doubted me and told me to go to Anne to see what was wrong with me. 'I think the spikes could be having me see things that the skitters want me to see'.

I walked sullenly to the "hospital". I went into the room and called for Anne.

She yelled back,"I'll be there in a minute." I waited for her patiently. She came in a few minutes later and came over to me. She grabbed my hands and checked me over.

"Elizabeth, what's wrong? Have you already hurt yourself again?" She smiled at me.

"Actually, Anne, I haven't. I had a dream about Dad's location. He is still in the city, he's still in Boston."

We did all this talking while she checked to see if there was any explanation to why I had the dream. There wasn't a logical reason. I noticed that when I said the words 'dream and Dad', Anne's smile went away.

She questioned me,"Elizabeth, don't you think it could be a trap? I mean, don't you think that the Overlord and Karen meant for you to see that dream." I had never thought about it like that.

I confidently told Anne,"I don't care if it is a trap. I love my father and would do anything to save him. I know he would do the same thing if it was one of us." Anne's face softened and she wrapped her arm around me.

We were walking out of the room and she told me in a soft voice as if I was a daughter to her,"I will talk to Weaver, alright."

Anne's POV

I walked from the hospital to Weaver's tent. I opened up the drab, gray tent opening and saw Weaver at his desk looking over some kind of paper. His forehead was creased in concentration. I made a noise announcing my arrival and he looked at me.

"Anne, what's wrong? Is someone badly hurt?" He questioned me.

"No, everything is alright. I just have a question for you." I replied.

"Elizabeth wants to go and get Tom. Can she go?" I continued.

"Why on Earth would you support her on this?" He prompted.

"But I do agree that she should go. On only one condition, Hal and Ben need to go with her and they are taking a truck. Go tell her, Doctor." He told me.

I held back a squeal of happiness as I walked to Elizabeth's tent. I opened the opening and walked inside the spacious, but comfortable tent. The Mason children were all huddled together and laughing at a joke that Matt had apparently told. I know I shouldn't think this, but the kids seem happier when Tom isn't around.

They seem as if there isn't any weight on their shoulders or a burden that they have to carry. Hal is a father figure that is actually around all the time and Matt has all of his siblings with him. Ben and Elizabeth don't have to have their father look at them with a sense of sadness on his face. This is a very bad opinion of mine and I would never voice it.

Elizabeth looked behind Ben's head and saw me. She got up and came to me.

She said hesitantly,"What did Weaver say about you-know-what?" She hadn't told her brothers about her plan and I saw them looking very confused.

Hal spoke up for all of them,"Weaver said something about what?"

I figured this should've been a discussion between her and her brothers, but I knew the reason why. I could see right through her plan. She was going to sacrifice herself for Tom. She has been blaming herself for Tom leaving, saying that he wouldn't have left if Karen hadn't threatened to call her back to them. Weaver and I have tried to comfort her but all of that guilt she had turned into sheer determination to get her father back anyway she could.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard Elizabeth trying to calm down Hal. Apparently she had told them and Hal isn't taking it very well.

"Hal, it was my idea. Not Weaver's. He said I could go if you and Ben help me." She said in the calmest voice I have heard her in.

Hal nodded as if saying 'heck yeah we are coming.'

She turned to me and said,"I trust you with my life that you will keep Matt safe. I can't lose him. If something happens to him..."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him. Oh, Weaver said you have to take one of the trucks if you wanna go." I told her.

"Alright, Hal and Ben, let's get ready. Pack as many weapons as we can and then we get some sleep. We need to be well rested for tomorrow." She ordered.

I left letting them get ready and get some sleep.

My POV

After Anne left, Matt came up to me and grabbed my hand. I looked down at him.

Matt said,"Liz, why can't I come with you?"

I told him,"Mattie, if you got hurt on the mission I wouldn't forgive myself. It would be my fault if you got hurt. You need to stay here so I can know that you are home safe and sound. Please do it for me."

He nodded yes and helped Hal and Ben pack the weapons. Once all of the weapons were packed we went to sleep. I decided to sleep with Matt since he wasn't coming with us tomorrow. We all slept soundly in our beds.

Matt POV

Early in the morning, I disentangled myself from my shared bed with my sister. I was going with them whether they like it or not. He is my father too and I am going to help save him. I know my older siblings worry about me but I can handle myself. Elizabeth and my brothers are about to wake up soon so I need to eat something and hide in the back of the truck they are going in.

I went to the mess hall and grabbed a bite to eat. I had some cereal that someone was hiding, even without milk it was good. I got a glass of water, drank it down, and headed outside to the trucks. Last night Hal said they were going to ride in the red '66 Chevy pick-up truck since that was one of mom's favorite trucks.

I clambered into the back of the truck when I heard my siblings get out of the tent, calling my name. They went to the mess hall probably thinking I went there before them.

Twenty minutes later they came out, still looking for me.

I heard Elizabeth yell out in desperation,MATT! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

I felt bad for having her feel like this but I knew this would happen so I told Anne to cover for me. Elizabeth's face turned angry mixed with fear and guilt. She ran in the direction of Anne's tent and I knew that Anne better be able to calm my sister down.

I stayed in the truck knowing Hal and Ben were still in the area looking for me. Elizabeth told them to stay unless I came back.

My POV

I woke up and didn't feel Matt against me. I looked down and didn't see him in the bed. I really hope this is a joke. I got out of the bed and ran to Ben and Hal's beds. I roughly woke them up. Hal woke up and asked me what was wrong. Ben did the same thing.

"Matt wasn't in the bed. I don't know where he is." That woke them up. They got dressed real quick and we went to the mess hall thinking that he went in there.

There was a box of Frosted Flakes laying out and I knew that was Matt's favorite cereal. He was here. We got us something to eat and then went to continue our search. We went to the area where we keep the vehicles and checked for him. He was nowhere to be found. I was terrified and angry. Matt was gone and my promise was broken. Anne broke her promise to look after him.

We should have already left and because of Anne I am looking for my little brother who could be hurt or worse. I told Hal and Ben to keep looking while I went to Anne's Med bus. I was so peed off.

I came up to the white bus that served as our hospital and stormed in. I felt like a mother lioness that was protecting her cub when I went to Anne.

"Where is Matt?!" I screamed at her. She looked up and frowned at my distress.

She took me by the hands and looked me in the eyes. 'Probably a way to calm me down.'

"Matt came in earlier and told me he was gonna play with some friends by Weaver's tent. I have been checking on him. Speaking of that I just got back a few minutes ago from Weaver's tent. He was fine. I promised you I would watch over him, trust in me."

"You better keep him safe." I heard the bitterness in my voice and winced at the sound of it. I didn't mean it to sound like that.

I walked out of the bus and ran back to the junkyard of trucks and motorcycles. Hal and Ben were waiting for me.

"Well, was he with Anne?" Hal asked me.

"He and some friends are by Weaver's tent playing around. Anne is watching after him. I should learn to trust her." I looked down.

Ben put his arm on my shoulder,"You were just worried about your little brother. We all were."

I smiled a sad smile at them. I clapped my hands,"Alright, boys, let's go get Dad."

We all got in the truck and headed to the place of our problems and worst fears. 'Dad, please be alive.'

ANNE'S POV

I let out a sigh of relief when Elizabeth left the bus. If looks could kill I would be dead on the floor right now. She was so angry. I don't know why I helped Matt get away with them. Elizabeth is going to kill me once she finds out, but I believed Matt deserved to help get Tom back.

MY POV

We drove up to the ship and Hal turned off the engine. I climbed out of the truck and went to the back to get the guns. I caught something move out of the corner of my eye and I spun around with my hand already on the trigger. The figure underneath the sheet in the truck picked their head up. The white sheet fell off of the short figure and fell onto the ground revealing the person to be Matt.

"Matt? What the heck are you doing here? I told you to stay with Anne. Ughhhhh! I'm going to kill her when we get back home and don't think you are off the hook, young man. I can't believe you would do this to me. I have been worried sick about you all day."

"I am really sorry about this. I truly am. I need to help save Dad. I know I can do this." He replied to me.

"Matt! I had a reason for you to stay. I know you can help rescue Dad, but I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want my nightmare to come true. I have a feeling that Karen sent those nightmares to me to tell me that they would happen. That's why I didn't want any of you guys to come. I didn't want you to get hurt.

But you are here now and we will deal with everything at home. Guys grab some guns. Matt you stay right in front of me, I don't want to lose you. Do you understand?" I asked him.

"I got you. Do you want me to carry a gun?"

"No, I do not. You will have me and this." I pulled out a dagger from my back pocket. It was our grandfather's.

We got our supplies and headed into the belly of the beast, not knowing what waited for us.

We had been walking around the ship for an hour looking for anything that gave a clue to where our father was at. I heard this hissing sound, it was so faint that I barely missed it. I stopped suddenly having Ben collide into me causing pain in my back. I told everybody to be quiet. I heard the noise get louder and I commanded everybody to hid behind a corner just as a skitter walked past us.

I began to hear a voice in my head but I dismissed it as the skitters until it began to get painful. I grabbed my head as I stifled my cries of agony. I gave in to the voice and I heard a monotone female voice, Karen.

'Oh, Elizabeth you decided to come. I was beginning to miss you. Don't worry, Tom is just fine. Would you like to come see him?'

She left and when I came back to my senses I saw two skitters holding onto Hal and Ben. I grabbed my mother's dagger. What, you can't just have guns.

"Get back from them you disgusting vultures."

"ELIZABETH!" Matt screamed out. I turned around only to be hit by something hard. Everything went black.

I woke up in a chair tied up in the middle of a room. I heard struggling behind me and I turned my head. I saw my brothers tied up as well.

"Hal, Ben, Matt. I am so sorry. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. My nightmare is coming true. Hal, you said it wouldn't come true. Help me! I don't want to hurt you guys. If worse comes to worse, stop me before I hurt you." I began to silently cry, turning my back as the silent sobs racked my body.

HAL'S POV

I have let my little sister down. I told her that it was just a dream. That it could never come true. I have lied to her and now she wants me to kill her if she tries to hurt us.

"Lizzy, please stop crying. Remember the night that you first had the nightmare?"

She nodded yes.

"Well, do you remember what I told you if it did come true?"

She replied in a small, hesitant whisper, "You said that I could fight them off. That I was strong enough."

"That's right, you can. Don't let the nightmare control you, you control the nightmare. Remember that when Karen comes and I know she will."

I smiled at her when she turned her head towards us. She gave a smile back but frowned when we heard a huge bang. Karen was on her way.

MY POV

Oh my gosh, this can't be happening. I am scared and I rarely get scared. Karen was coming, with the Overlord, down the hall right now. Karen and the ugly fishhead walked into the room.

"Ah, the Mason children. I finally get to meet all of you together. Your family is kinda big around here with us." The Overlord said through Karen.

"Where is our Father?" I yelled at it."

"Your father is safe and sound."

"Yeah, like I am going to believe that bull."

"I can have you believe it. Don't forget you are still one of my children."

"NEVER!" My brothers screamed at it.

"Ah, the boys defend their dear sister. How sweet, unfortunately I hate sweetness. Maybe if your sister is trying to kill you, then you won't want to defend her." It said as it walked towards me.

"No, no, NO! Stay away from me. You will not control me. Stay away!

I was shaking all over and I was screaming my head off. The Overlord kept walking toward me. It stroked my face with its hand.

"Please, please don't do this to me. Pl-ease." I had salty tears running down my face.

"I need to my dear. It's the only way to get you to believe. This is for the best."

"DAD! PLEASE HELP US! DAD!" I screamed out in bloody murder as the fish-head touched my head and poked his way through my mind. I hope Dad heard that.

I remembered what Hal told me as I felt the Overlord in my head.

TOM'S POV

I heard a shrill scream on the ship. They didn't do the harnessing on here so why should someone be screaming. The screaming continued and I began to decipher the word that was being screamed out. The word was Dad. The voice screaming sounded familar. It couldn't be, who would come to this cursed place. The voice kept screaming the word 'Dad' and I finally realized that it was Elizabeth. My dear Lizzy.

How long has she been on the ship? I don't care. I need to save my daughter. I broke out of my cell and raced down the hallway that the screaming was coming from. I broke into the room and saw my boys tied up in chairs with a look of pure terror on their faces. I couldn't understand but I soon found out when I looked at my dear daughter. Her face was contorted in pain and terror as I saw her fighting for control. I looked over at the Overlord and saw a bead of sweat rolling down his face. She was screaming my name through her pain.

That's my baby girl. She was fighting but I could tell that if we didn't do anything soon she would lose and anything bad could happen. Both Karen and the Overlord were distracted into trying to get Elizabeth under their control so I untied the boys. I told Ben to keep Matt safe. Hal and I were going to knock Karen and the Overlord out. Once the Overlord went down Karen would also.

I knocked the Overlord down and punched him repeatedly in the head until he went limp on the ground. As I suspected, Karen slumped to the ground, unconscious. My Elizabeth fell forward in her chair. She began to lift her head up.

I ran toward her, "Baby, baby, you are alright now. I am here with you."

"Are they alright? Are my brothers alright? Did I hurt them?"

Hal squatted down to her level and hugged her,"We are alright, I promise. Dad heard you and came in and helped us. You stayed in the chair and you fought so hard. I am so proud of you." He hugged her again and I saw how much my son had grown.

"Ok, Hal, untie your sister. You need to get out of here."

As Hal untied Elizabeth, Ben came up to me.

"Dad, aren't you coming home with us? It would make Liz's world if you came back." He whispered to me.

"I can't come back, Ben. I have to stay here and get more information on them." I saw his face turn sad.

"Dad, you have to. Don't you know how the first month went by? We had to sleep with Elizabeth because every night she had a nightmare about you or us getting tortured. If she sees you staying here, things will just get worse for all of us."

His face showed that Liz wasn't the only person having nightmares.

"I have to. I promise I will try to come home. Just not now. Now let's get your sister and get you kids out of here."

Hal was helping Elizabeth to her feet and came over to me.

"Dad, you ready to go?" He asked me.

"Yeah. Come on, this way." I led them down a hallway that led outside.

We kept walking and eventually we came outside. We went towards the truck that the kids drove in.

MY POV

We were all with Dad at the truck when he gave us hugs. I smiled at the hug that I had been missing out on for the past two months.

"Dad, come on get in the truck. Matt and I will make room." I smiled.

"Actually sweetie, I need to stay here a little while longer." He said.

My world came crashing around me. Dad was staying with the skitters when he could come home with his children.

He kissed me on the head but I didn't feel anything except pure and utter betrayal from that kiss. He gave my brothers their kiss and they hugged Dad back except for Matt. He was more hesitant than Hal and Ben were.

Dad turned back towards the ship. I screamed at him,"Dad, how could you? We came to save you and you stay with them. Why would you do this? I hate you. I hate you."

Dad continued walking and soon disappeared into the ship for the second time. We walked back to the truck, me holding onto Matt's hand. We clambered into the truck.

"Liz, Dad has a reason for this. Everything will be alright." Hal said.

"How can everything be alright? We have a war on our hands and our father wants to be on that ship rather than with his own children. How can it be alright? How. Just tell me how?" I said desperately.

Then Matt climbed into my lap and he climbed up to my ear. He whispered,"It's ok, I am here for you. We can cry together."

I whispered back,"Thanks, buddy. I love you."

On the way back home, Matt and I cried in each others' a