Andy hated the bus. Absolutely hated it. It smelled like hot dogs and B.O.

Washington?

Hated it more.

The four of them were honestly expecting to get slaughtered the moment they stepped on the bus, but the senior citizens were fairly docile thus far. Which was a welcome change considering they seemed to be fighting something every two hours or so.

"Almost there," Jamie muttered.

Petunia looked like she was struggling to fight her exhaustion, her eyes barely open.

Ria was gripping her warhammer like it was the only thing between life and death, which it technically was as her weapon of choice.

"It's strange for such young people to be working in construction," One of the old ladies said.

"We're doing volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, we wanted to help our community and our parents like that it looks good on our college applications," Petunia answered smoothly, which was surprising given how tired she seemed.

It was a smart answer and he saw Ria nod her approval of the answer.

"Oh how nice, and to do so with your boyfriends!"

Andy almost gave them away, choking on the water the old people had so nicely given all of them.

"Yeah, well, we wanted to do some volunteer work too and if we went with them we could make sure they didn't hurt themselves, they spent most of the time helping demolish a shed and transplanting Begonias or something." Jamie spoke calmly, looking at Petunia quizzically as if actually asking what they had been planting.

She gave a little smile and nod. "And they spent most of their time doing heavy lifting. Thankfully my dad had some tools we could borrow otherwise they would have been short."

Andy admired the way they unraveled a story that was believable without a thought and managed to warn him and Ria not to disagree with the old lady. Once he considered it, it did make sense to just let her fabricate a story of her own. Easier to forget.

Ria stretched. "What were you doing today?" She asked the old lady.

"Oh, we went to a bingo tournament! I won a gift certificate to a great bakery, and a coupon book! Oh, but do you think you kids could use these ones? I don't think I would…" She had pulled out a few pages as she spoke, and showed them to Andy, who was closest.

He glanced over them, one was for snacks at gas stations, the other three were for clothing stores. "Yeah, if you don't want them we could probably use them."

"Then take them. You kids have been lovely to chat with. It's so nice to see such conscientious young people! And such lovely couples too!" She smiled benevolently at them.

Petunia blushed.

Ria somehow conjured up a grateful smile in return and beamed at the old lady. She had a nice smile, but she didn't show it often, since more often she was smirking or fighting. "Thank you, we really are grateful for the lift."

"Here we are, kiddos," The driver called out in a sing-song voice as the bus halted.

They got up casually, as if it didn't hurt like heck, and thanked everyone again before getting off the bus and waving goodbye to it.

"That was what? Forty minute ride?" Ria asked, bouncing on her toes, presumably to warm up her muscles again.

Andy glanced at his watch and nodded. "Nice to sit down for a while. How much money do we have left?"

Petunia checked their stash, which she had volunteered to carry. Everyone kept ten bucks on them, just in case, but she held the bulk of the money. "About sixty, plus the forty each of us have, so about a hundred."

Andy nodded. "We should probably grab some food."

"Where are we headed?" Ria asked Jamie.

He sighed and nodded to what Andy instinctively judged to be a northward direction. "That way. Here's to hoping that we're totally wrong and there's nothing here."

"Anemones," Petunia murmured.

Andy didn't have the energy to question her habit of speaking in flowers, especially since Jamie usually understood what she meant and it was usually something like encouragement for him, or trying not to completely express her concerns.

Ria nodded a bit. "Then let's get moving. I don't want to wait for monsters to walk up to us." She started in that direction, waiting momentarily for Jamie to fall into step with her.

Which left Andy walking beside Petunia.

She darted a glance at him. "You're determined."

He blinked a couple times. "Um…I guess so."

"Driven," She added.

He glanced around, remembering that they should be wary of their surroundings. "I suppose."

"Flax?" She asked.

"Um…no thanks?"

She looked confused, then shrugged a little. "Thrift."

Andy just shook his head, thoroughly confused. It didn't help that he knew even Jamie didn't completely understand her and she could go all day speaking in code. They had speculated that it was a defense mechanism for her.

She shoved him to the side and swung her sword up and through a monster that had jumped out at them. "Pay attention."

He quickly looked around, then realized it had just been the small one that had come to attack them and nodded his thanks to her.

Jamie and Ria looked back, both surprised as well.

"Strange for a monster that small to attack so many of us," Andy muttered. "Be on the look out for something bigger."

"What was that, anyway?" Ria asked, frowning.

Andy shook his head. "Didn't get a good look. Somethign green. Better keep moving."

Jamie nodded sharply and walked quickly forward. "When we get there, don't be too surprised if we get a really cold reception."

"Where exactly are we going?"

"My grandfather's house," Jamie offered the information with reluctance in his voice. "He's…well, he's Mennonite."

Andy winced. "That's…really rough, dude. Especially since you were born…"

"I was adopted," Jamie hastily said. "My parents just…well, they didn't know what to do with me. Especially once the monsters started. Then my parents died in a mysterious way thanks to a hydra. Rumors spread quickly. I would have been shunned if I hadn't run away. My grandmother passed shortly after. My grandfather made it clear that I wasn't welcome."

Ria winced. "Harsh."

"Necessary," He replied. "I'd rather he be able to continue his life than lose everything because of me. It's their way. They way he's always known. To change now could be hard on his health. Either way, there's this creepy old barn where the monsters always seemed to come from. I didn't think much of it back then, but since we're heading back to my home…"

"Can't hurt to look," Andy agreed. He could tell that Jamie was doing his best not to overthink what seeing his grandfather again could mean. That he had decided that his grandfather was better off without him around and going back wasn't something he looked forward to.

He glanced back, frowning slightly. "We need to move faster."

The others nodded and broke into a jog, following Jamie down a few streets and then into a corn field.

The corn seemed to be whispering around them as they hurried through, and it gave Andy the creeps.

Finally they broke out of the field and onto a dirt road.

Ria clucked her tongue. "We need to rest."

Andy nodded, readying his sword, just in case, and then crouching a little to get what rest he could. It was going to be a long day if they had to fight for every step.

—~~—

Andy groaned and rolled his shoulders. "Geez oh Pete, we need to send a troop up here and clear some of these suckers out."

"No kidding," Jamie muttered, wiping off his sword. "Won't be much farther. We can rest at the bridge."

"The bridge is out, kid," A gruff voice said behind them.

They whirled around to see a bearded, old man in overalls and a straw hat.

"Bridge went out two years ago, during a flood," The man continued.

Petunia murmured something about willow.

"We'll find another way across," Jamie said, his gaze on the ground.

Ria seemed to understand at the same time as Andy that this man must be Jamie's grandfather.

"Why would you do a stupid thing like that?" He asked, looking critically at Jamie.

Jamie looked somewhat surprised. "Why would you go against tradition and law to talk to me? We have to get across."

"And if I tell you you aren't allowed on my land?"

"How would you stop us?" Jamie challenged softly. "I've done as you wished and stayed away. I have to go to the barn now, and then you will never see me again."

"You weren't shunned, boy. I can talk to you all I wish, even if you have forsaken our ways."

Jamie's jaw set.

"Why don't we let you two talk, while we go look at the situation with the river?" Petunia suggested, looking to Ria for confirmation.

Ria nodded and then all backed away and then tried not to look like they were rushing off.

"Wait, Nia, you stay," Jamie said, grabbing the girl's hand.

She glanced at Andy and Ria.

Ria nodded, and lightly tugged on Andy's sleeve to get him moving again. "Talk about awkward," She said once they were out of hearing range.

"No kidding. Petunia seems good at reading people and situations, though. She has a knack for saying the right things, I think."

"Probably because she spends so much time looking at the meaning behind things," Ria responded, then blinked. "Ugh, I feel like I'm falling asleep standing here."

"We haven't had it easy. I haven't fought this many monsters since the war." Andy looked around carefully as they walked, not wanting to be surprised by any monsters. "I don't think Jamie trusts us alone with Petunia yet."

"I think he needed someone to support him," Ria argued. "He was looking a little defeated already. At least with Green there, he knew someone was on his side. What were the code words again?"

"Rhododendron for danger, and begonia for beware."

"Right. Leading is not easy…" Ria muttered.

They reached the river.

"Oh damn…"

Andy was inclined to agree.

The river wasn't very wide, but it was fast and looked deep. The banks looked unstable, and the river bed looked downright treacherous.

"How much you want to bet that it's cold too?" Ria asked, looking frustrated. Probably already coming up with some sort of strategy to cross.

"Seems likely."

"Hey, Andy, while the other two are away, there's something I need to ask you."

"Go ahead," He said, looking at her.

She seemed hesitant. "If you received a prophecy and knew that someone on your team was going to…"

She knew. Of course she knew. But she obviously didn't know it would be him.

"It would be hard, yes. But it's just the way the cookie crumbles. I would feel bad, probably really bad, but maybe the death was necessary. If it was one person, or all four, I would choose the one person. Not out of dislike for that one person, but out of love for the others. But right now, you don't need to worry about that. You need to worry about how we're getting across the river."

She nodded a little, getting the analytical glint in her eyes again as she turned toward the river, then she pointed. "Is that a rope in that tree?"

Andy followed her gaze. "Actually, it looks like a swing."

"Let's check it out. The others could be a while." Ria set off toward the swing with determination.

He hoped that his words would help her when the time came.

AN: One month...I'm sorry, guys. That's all I can say. I've been a bit of a slump with writing, so here's what I've got for you for now. I'm working my way out of the slump, but it's taking time.