"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are."

— John Pierpont

There was a short yelp, and the rest woke up. The fire was burning gently again and they could smell the scent of cooking food. Rubbing their eyes, they saw Satoshi clutching his finger, which Haruhi was doing her best to cool the skin. "This is why you don't touch sticks that jump out of the fire," she murmured to him releasing his finger and turning towards the others. "Let's go back to the syndicate."

They were silent for a while, until Yasuchika finally nodded, "Let's make a stop for some supplies."

"Alright, there is a store in between," the red hair man spoke up, rolling his blanket up and shoving it unceremoniously into his bag. Haruhi moved over to him, pulling his hair up with a tie before going to Yasuchika and running her hand through his hair.

"We'll grab some scissors, you boys need a trim," she said with a slight twitch of her mouth. Chika pulled away from her hand and sent her a look. It wasn't that he didn't like her motherly like motions; it was just still too weird. She had adapted the role of their mother figure quickly, ever since that day.

They were silent for the rest of the morning as Haruhi gave them some of the cooked canned vegetables that they didn't quite enjoy but they didn't have the time to be able to grow fresh vegetables. Always moving about the city, without staying anywhere for too long. Haruhi shoved her blanket into her bag as Satoshi and Chika worked on dousing the fire with some dirt. The sun was just rising and they knew that the dogs would have gone into their hiding places for the day.

"Hey, Ritsu," Haruhi spoke quietly to the man as Satoshi and Chika went to scope the area for any creatures before they left. "Do you think we should leave the city? We might be able to make it to a cabin, it might be safer for them," she cocked a head towards the two boys. Even though they were only a year younger than she was, she still looked out for them as if they were much younger. They could easily kick her ass into next year with a flick of their wrists, but she didn't let that stop her from being protective. They were her friends, and the brothers of her old friends.

"It would be too dangerous to try, we could make it if we didn't need to bring so much stuff," Ritsu replied, over the last four years of being around each other constantly, he had lost his shyness around her. Embarrassing moments still made him flush deep red and revert to his old self, but normally he acted very much like a yakuza.

"We should try eventually, this lifestyle is too stressful on all of us," she commented quietly as the others jogged back. Giving the clear. Haruhi adjusted the straps of her bag before brushing her bags from her eyes. It was time for their haircuts. She couldn't even remember the last time she had cut her own hair, let alone the boys'.

They were quiet, almost too quiet as they moved down the street. Their feet occasionally scuffing the ground or kicking a rock. They didn't speak out in the open. The creatures could be listening, could be walking nearby, could be hiding. Anything. None of them wanted to alert the creatures to their position if they could help it. One of them would jog ahead and look around, checking for any signs before giving the clear or telling them to take a detour, delaying their advance towards the syndicate.

Haruhi leaned around the corner slightly, catching the sight of someone and quickly pulling back. Her heart beating loudly in her chest, she motioned for them to cut down the alleyway and go into the store the back way. They would exit the same way if the person, or creature, didn't leave. They crept quietly into the back. None wanted to risk attracting attention by attacking it. Ritsu took of the rear, not allowing Haruhi or the boys to get caught at the back. Chika slid against the wall by the door. Haruhi watched as the red head pulled off his bag and dig through it, pulling out a few tools before picking the lock with ease. Haruhi slid her gun from the holster, flicking the safety and slipping into the store.

The others held their breath as she searched the store, thankful that the blinds were drawn mostly over the front windows. She whistled lowly and they quickly headed in. Closing the door behind them. Not wanting to be snuck up on from behind. Haruhi had her bag off, gun in its holster, and looking at the foods.

Ritsu helped her with the food while Satoshi went to get other items they may need, such as blankets and clothes. Chika stood, peering out the front window from a slit to ensure they were still safe. They filled the light bags with the items. Haruhi held up a hand and went over to the pharmacy. Just before she could grab what she wanted, she heard Chika let out a low whistle.

The four of them grabbed their bags and hid in various locations. Haruhi jumped over the counter of the pharmacy and hurried to a back portion. The lights were off, but she slid into it with ease. However, what she thought was empty. Wasn't. Her back hit something human and her mouth opened to shout out to the others. A hand clamped around her mouth and an arm encircled her waist.

"Let those things pass," a deep voice grumbled quietly in her ear. She had to think back on the words before they became clear. They were silent; Haruhi's heart was beating furiously. She didn't do well with not being able to see the person, and she really wanted to shout out to her friends and drive her bullets into his chest. However, the man wasn't attacking at that moment, and she wouldn't risk those things attacking the store if they heard something coming from there.

After what seemed like forever, she heard a sigh from the store. "They're gone," Chika whispered. The body behind her tensed. Haruhi clipped her elbow into his chest and twisted out of his grip. Yanking her gun out and pointing it at his head.

"Give me a reason," she hissed at the man, his body still obscured by the shadows. The others looked over, pulling their weapons out. Tanned hands rose up and the man stepped forwards. Haruhi's eyes widened in recognition. "That's a reason," she muttered under her breath. Lowering the weapon.

Satoshi dropped his katana. "Takashi!" he nearly shouted, everyone tensed and Haruhi gave him the darkest look. They froze; Chika dashed to the window and glanced out.

"One is coming back," he hissed. Haruhi pulled her pack on, jumping over the counter quietly and grabbing some items from the pharmacy, shoving them into her bag before waving towards the back. Ritsu shook his head, the side of his head pressed to the door. One was in the alley. Haruhi felt a sense of dread crawling up her spine, but she took a deep breath. Think. That's what she needed to do. Takashi being there was set on the back burner for now.

"Roof," a deep voice grumbled waving towards a door. Haruhi gave him a look that could be deciphered two ways before nodding her head. The boys didn't move until Haruhi gave the notion that she accepted this. Takashi opened the door and the boys hurried up the stairs. Haruhi quickly followed, making sure Takashi was right behind her. The door opened onto the roof. It was closed quickly.

"Shit," Ritsu growled, looking around wildly. Chika pointed at the building next to them. They could jump it. Haruhi looked over the edge before giving the thumbs up. Satoshi was the first to launch himself across the distance, it wasn't that far. Maybe four foot gap. Chika followed, and Ritsu after him. Haruhi turned towards Takashi, motioning for him to do it when there was an inhumane growl from the door. Takashi didn't even wait. He ran towards the edge, grabbing Haruhi and lifting her up as he did so. He jumped easily across the gap. When he placed her down, they took off, running as fast as their legs could carry them. The roof of the building beside the store was flat for the most part. There was a section where the building molded with another; the second building had a higher roof. The boys were easily able to climb up it, but had to grab onto Haruhi and hoist her up.

They took a brief look back when they heard the metal door being slammed on. Haruhi grumbled something inaudible before dropping her bag onto the ground and digging through it. "Haruhi, this isn't the time for-"

She pulled out a silencer and quickly attached it to her handgun. Satoshi grabbed her arm, looking at her in concern, "You're not going to try to kill it?"

Haruhi raised her eyebrow before going towards the street and aiming the gun towards a car near the shop. There was the muffled sound of the gunshot, and the recoil before a car alarm went off wildly. She was mildly surprised it worked. The bullet broke the windshield, and obviously, the car still had battery left over. The noise of the door being slowly pushed from its hinges quieted and then glass shattered. They saw the two brutes but didn't give them another thought. They were distracted, and that's all that mattered.

"We'll continue on roof top, and then go down at the next street," Haruhi suggested, unscrewing the silencer and shoving it back into its protected area before yanking her bag pack on. The group didn't need to be told twice before they were running again, quickly and quietly over the rooftops. They occasionally had to find a better way, as there were gaps too wide or the roof beside them was too high. Or both. It took a grand total of thirty minutes before they were on the ground again and quickly heading towards the syndicate. Takashi was trailing along with them as if he had always been a part of the group.

The syndicate looked a lot like it had before the war, but the door was damaged and there were pieces of wood and steel keeping the creatures out. Satoshi and Chika quickly hoisted Ritsu onto the fence before the man tossed his bag down to the ground on the other side. He quickly turned around and helped Satoshi up. The two of them helped Chika up. Takashi hoisted Haruhi up without question and then he got helped up last.

The group then ducked into the syndicate and the group tossed their bags onto the ground. Haruhi took a step towards the couch before lowering herself down and rubbing her thighs. They ached. They barely had to run, but when they did it usually took a lot out of her. Satoshi offered her some water with a concerned look. She accepted it with a smile before the boy turned towards his brother.

"Takashi, I thought you were dead," he spoke, choking slightly, getting straight to the point. He stepped forwards, his hand touching his brothers shoulder, it was amazing how much alike they looked. They were nearly the same height. Satoshi just shy by three inches, both had stubble on their chins, Takashi's more well kept than Satoshi's. It was clear that neither man had shaved in a while.

"I thought you were as well," Takashi replied earnestly, his eyes flickering towards Chika, and Haruhi, addressing them also in that sentence. Satoshi didn't miss a beat before he pulled his older brother into a hug. Not caring when tears fell from his face and he sobbed into the boys shoulder. Haruhi lowered the water bottle from her lips swallowing thickly. She had not yet drank any, and placed it on the table. Haruhi nearly broke down crying as well when she saw a few tears slip down Takashi's face as he hugged his brother back.

Chika stood up, patting Takashi on the back. It was great for him to see a family member, but Takashi wasn't the man he wanted, nor needed, to see. Even if he and Mitsukuni never truly got along before, he respected and even loved his brother. He wanted to see Mitsukuni, the last living member of his immediate family that he knew of.

Haruhi left the room, Ritsu following her. Allowing the family members to cry and cling to their memories together. Ritsu touched her shoulder, but she shrugged him off. The next time he tried, he clutched her tighter. "You didn't have water."

"I don't need any," she insisted, when Ritsu went to argue. Satoshi threw the door open and looked at her.

"What are you two doing," he called, louder than he had been in a while, "Come and see Takashi."

Haruhi pulled away from Ritsu's grip and brushed past him. "You can force me to drink it later," she whispered before entering the room. Takashi was sitting down now, wiping his face with a cloth offered by Chika. She walked over and placed a hand on his back, bending down.

"Are you okay?" she whispered quietly. Those grey eyes flickered up to her brown eyes, brimming with red from the tears. It was an obvious question with an obvious answer, and yet she asked it. Logical Haruhi had asked a question that wasn't so logical given the circumstances. "I mean up here," she commented lightly, tapping his head with a finger. His eyebrows rose slightly, making a non-committal noise. Haruhi let out a short, dry laugh.

He pulled her into his lap, and she felt his almost bone-crushing grip. Her arms wrapped around him and she hugged him just as tightly. Satoshi and Chika shared a look as a tear slipped from Takashi's eyes, but Haruhi didn't even bat an eyelash. They left the room, dragging Ritsu with them. Declaring they were going to check the fence.

It felt like forever, but at the same time so short, when he finally loosened his grip. Haruhi moved from his lap, sitting on the coffee table in front of him instead. "Happy birthday," he murmured, eyes locking with hers. Haruhi's eyes widened ever so slightly and she counted on her fingers.

"It's the fourth?" she asked in surprise, "I haven't been keeping track," she admitted with a slight embarrassed chuckle. Running a hand through her hair and sighed. "Happy five belated birthdays," she said with a slight smile. "What are you doing here?" she asked, the smile fading from her lips. As much as a ghost as their days at the club.

"To gather supplies," he answered simply, in his usual familiar way. Haruhi nodded, swallowing lightly.

"...and the others?" she asked, being slightly vague who she was referring to, but she knew that he knew the question wasn't vague at all. He knew exactly to whom she was referring.

"All safe and alive," he commented, "About an hour out of town," he waved vaguely in the direction of where he had entered the city. Haruhi counted on her fingers briefly. That would mean he had been walking just about two hours before he had to run for almost another hour. Just the thought of running made her exhausted.

"You should stay the night," she commented, "It'll be dark soon and you don't want to be out there," she waved towards the window, "When the dark comes."

"I need to get back," Takashi stood up, "They'll be worried."

"You didn't get anything," she added lightly, standing up. "I'm not allowing you to go alone in the dark. You'll get killed."

Takashi placing his hands on her shoulders, "You and the others come with me. See the others again," he whispered quietly. Haruhi thought about it. At first, the thought scared her. Seeing them after six years, after all this...unnecessary violence and slaughter. Not only in the war, but also just in her life afterwards. She didn't want to know how they had changed. She had changed so much, Satoshi and Chika changed since she found them. Ritsu changed. So far, Takashi didn't seem like he had changed, but she could never tell.

Haruhi chewed on her lip lightly, "I'll have to ask the others."

Without another thought, she slipped away and out the door. She quickly found the three out in the yard looking like they were about to repair a part in the fence. Walking up behind them quietly she sighed, "He wants us to go with him, today."

"There is only less than an hour of light," Ritsu spoke, not turning around, but lowering the piece of metal, "If we do we could be caught by the dogs."

"If we hurry we will be in the forest just before they come out," Satoshi commented, trying to see both sides of the argument, "It's an hour walking, but we could jog-"

"Haruhi can't do that much," Chika interrupted, "She's weak."

Haruhi smacked him on the back of the head and grumbled, "Insomnia is not weakness," she wanted to turn on her heel and storm back into the house, but there was more important things to deal with than a rude Chika. She had gotten used to him, mostly. The other silently debated the pros and cons.

Ritsu knew that the three wanted, no – needed, to see the ex-hosts. He couldn't deny them that, and Yasuchika hadn't seen his brother in two years. However, "Why did we need to leave that night?" he questioned, straightening.

"If one of us left and didn't come back when we promised, how would we react?" Haruhi replied simply, "If we want to go with him, we'll have to decide now."

"It'll take us a while to get our things together," Ritsu sighed, but the two boys knew he had agreed. Haruhi smiled at him and patted his shoulder, mouthing thanks. He nodded, "Satoshi, you go ask Mori if he can spare some room in his pack to carry some supplies. Everyone else, we'll need to pack our gear and be ready to leave in fifteen minutes if we want to make it far enough."

Satoshi jogged inside, leaving the other two boys to scrap the supplies they were using to secure the walls. Haruhi whispered something to Ritsu when Chika was distracted before heading inside. Takashi was listening to his brother talk animatedly about how they were going with him, and then asked the question. There was no hesitation when Takashi nodded. Haruhi smiled before ducking into her room. She rolled up the sleeping mat, grabbed the two frames in the corner and pulled the pictures out.

It barely took her three minutes to decide what she needed and what she could leave behind. She placed her bag that was still full of the food and other supplies by the door where two other packs sat. She entered the supply room and saw Satoshi and Takashi putting things into their bags. She walked over, taking something from Satoshi's bag. "We don't need this," she murmured lightly.

"They're good," Satoshi replied, putting them back into his bag. Haruhi let out a sigh, as if she was irritated, but the corner of her mouth twitched upwards. Slipping past the two boys, she looked at the ammo. "We don't need bullets," he shot at her, with a smirk.

"You don't," she patted her arm, "I don't have the upper muscle strength, so I need them."

"I've offered to train you," Satoshi stated offhandedly as she pulled a magazine down and checked it before grabbing a few more. Takashi watched the two react quietly.

"We haven't had time for that," she retorted, giving the younger Morinozuka a look. Her gaze shifted towards Takashi, "Do you have a weapon?" he shook his head, Haruhi's eyebrow rose in disbelief. "What did you expect to do if those things attacked you?" she scolded, lightly hitting his chest with the magazine.

"I think we have an extra weapon around here," Satoshi jumped at the opportunity and quickly waded through the boxes and into the back. The two watched as he shifted around before straightening up and turning around. A dagger in his hands. Haruhi stifled a laugh.

"What is he suppose to do with that?"

"It's a weapon isn't it!? You could just give him one of your guns," he jumped back over and handed the dagger to his brother. The taller man took it and examined it as Haruhi made a noise.

"I suppose," she detached one of her holsters and offered it to her old friend, "Do you know how to shoot?"

Takashi looked at the weapon she offered, and stiffened slightly. Shaking his head. He didn't like guns before the apocalypse and decided that he would stick with more traditional weapons. Swords and archery mostly. It was stupid that he had left without any weapon, but he thought it was going to be a quick and simple journey. It always had been before. Haruhi let out a sigh and offered it to him again.

"I would say 'just point and shoot' but it's a bit more difficult than that," she said with a small laugh, "Ritsu taught me, so you should ask him. He knows more about it than I do."

Takashi nodded, accepting the gun. Haruhi showed him how to properly attach the holster before she headed into the other room when Ritsu whistled. It was time to leave. With a swift move, Haruhi had her backpack on. Ritsu handed her a hair tie. "You still need to cut our hair."

"We'll worry about that later," she promised, pulling her long bangs back into a ponytail. Takashi thought about how different she looked when her bangs will pulled back. Ritsu and Satoshi told them to wait while they scoped out the area. Takashi placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him. His finger brushed a scar that ran from her temple to her nose. "Don't worry about it," she hummed with a smile, "I've had worse."

A/N: More happened in the past to the two groups than I think anyone realizes, besides Satoshi and Chika who were part of both groups at one point. Of course, they don't know what had happened since they were separated.

R&R buddies~