Ellis woke up with a start. He wasn't sure why though. As he looked around he didn't see anything out of place or anything that could have fallen and made a large noise. Though the lights were off and it was near pitch black so he couldn't be sure. He listened for any unusual noises, like moaning from any zombies, he didn't hear anything like that.

Ellis felt Infinity turn in his arms as she snuggled closer into his embrace, he smiled. He was DEFINENTLY asking her out when this was over.

Suddenly the room was flooded with light as their high powered flashlight, and their main source of light, was turned on. He closed his eyes shut from the sudden flood of light and tried desperately to open his eyes and see. Coach was up in an instant standing at high alert and Infinity was starting to panic a little as she wasn't sure what was happening from not being able to see right away.

"Ellis? What's' going on? Why is the light on?"

Ellis tried to open his eyes but he still had to keep them closed from the light. Coach seemed to be having trouble too.

"What the hell is going on! Who turned on the light?"

"Sshh!" Infinity hushed. "Don't wake the kids."

Finally Ellis was able to open his eyes and look around without feeling like he was blinded. Coach and Infinity didn't come long after.

"Who…?"

As the three of them looked around they didn't see anything out of place. Ellis looked to the sofa bed to see if maybe…

"Where's Ruiz?" He asked while staring at empty bed.

"Ruiz?" Infinity called.

They called for him quietly not wanting to wake anybody else when suddenly Infinity leapt from his arms and flew down the hallway.

Ellis looked to Coach for a second before both of them sprinted after them. When they found her she was in the master's bedroom with a pistol drawn and aiming at a single shadow in the dark corner of the room.

"Ruiz?" She asked even quieter than she had in the living room.

He didn't respond. Ellis looked between the man and the trembling women holding the gun. He had only seen her like this twice before. When they had first met and she told them about killing that little girl, and when he himself was dying from a Witches handy work.

What does she know that we don't? He wondered.

"Ruiz?" She repeated.

"I just wanted to see my little girl…." He answered just as quietly as Infinity.

"I know… but I asked her to sleep in here for a reason…"

"Because you don't want me to be with my daughter? She's all I have left!" He said a little louder.

"Sshh, please Mr. Ruiz! Don't wake the children…" She whispered harshly.

Ellis watched as the shadow raised his hands and seemed to fiddle with something.

"She meant a lot to you, didn't she? What happened to her?"

There's one thing she knew that we didn't. Ruiz was married. What else did she know?

"When the infection first hit she was at home. When I got there… she was gone. Not a trace of her. I don't know what happened…. She could be alive or dead out there and I have no idea. I don't' even know if I want to find her. I don't wanna see her dead… or just a walking corpse with no memory of who we were. My daughter is all I have left." His voice was back down to a whisper, he sounded sad as hell.

"I'm so sorry Ruiz." Infinity sympathized.

"And yet you won't let me see my daughter." His voice was hateful now. Ellis was frightened he would attack.

"You can see her. But I need to take a look at you. Just a quick… "Check-up" if you will."

"I'm fine! I don't' need to be "checked up" on!"

Matt woke up. "Infinity?" He whimpered, the scene itself was terrifying, but to see the person you trust most pointing a gun at your friend's father….

Infinity looked to Matt, "Sshh Matt, it's okay."

"No it's not. You're pointing a gun at Mr. Ruiz."

Infinity seemed to sag a little.

"Ruiz I would appreciate it if we could at least leave the room for this conversation."

Ruiz hesitated , his silhouette looking between the bed and Infinity. After a long while of obvious debating he took a couple steps forward, they walked down through the hallway to the family room. Coach telling Matt that things were fine and that it was a grown up disagreement, not to worry about it and go back to sleep. Ellis heard the door close, indicating that he had closed the bedroom door, he figured that was the best idea.

Ruiz had led the way so as soon as he turned around to face them in the living room Ellis couldn't help it.

"Holy shit man! Your f***ing infected!"

Ruiz was a pasty grey color, his eyes were sunken in and discolored. And the well hidden mite mark on his bicep was bleeding through now, it was just as obvious as night and day.

"I'm NOT infected damn it."

"Ruiz there is no denying it. And the fact you hid it from all of us and lied has put us all in danger! Including Marie, and that's selfish as hell." Coach shook his head in disbelief.

"If one of you say I'm infected one more…" he trailed off as he doubled over in pain and threw up on the carpet.

Coach had his gun drawn now.

Ellis wasn't sure what to expect, this guy was at the last stage he could "transform" any minute.

"I can't die… not now. My daughter needs me… what do I do?" he stood up and wiped his mouth of the vomit.

"Ruiz, man, we can't do anything for ya. Ah'm sorry…. There's nothing we can do….there's no cure there's…. nothing." Ellis admitted.

"We'll take care of Marie…" Infinity started.

"How? How could you people take care of my daughter? Or any of those other kids… You guys are always outside fighting for your lives. Those kids are too young to do anything for themselves…"

"You listen now! Those kids survived all on their own in that school, they survived when nobody else did. Those kids are survivors all on their own! We can take care of those kids we won't let them get hurt." Coach finally spoke up.

"I don't want to leave my kid."

"I'm so sorry Ruiz. I'm so so sorry." Infinity apologized.

Just as she apologized Ruiz bent of in pain and let out a scream. All three of them trained their guns on him.

He fell to the ground and started to convulse. None of them, though they knew he was gone, had the heart to pull the trigger. This man had shared beers with them, played games, laughed and lived with them. They had watched this loving doting father love his child with such passion it was…. just amazing. Then the thought of telling the small 10 year old child that he father was dead and was shot by one of them was holding them back.

Ellis couldn't imagine telling small little Marie what had happened to her father. She had lost so much already, SEEN so much already. It frightened him to think of how much this girl has gone through, killing her father would be like ending her….

Ellis watched stunned and helpless as the man convulsed as he died and then "rose". The man stopped moving completely, utterly and completely still… dead. The three of them stared at the once loving man as he laid on the floor.

"Oh god…." Infinity whispered. She lowered her weapon in defeat and sadness, feeling the loss of a friend.

Ellis lowered his as well, both of them with their pistols held at their sides he reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. As soon as she did she sighed, despite their loss he felt happy when she squeezed back and didn't let go, instead interlacing their fingers.

"We should put him outside… before he comes back…." Coach muttered. He too feeling the loss but needing to remind his living friends what they had to do.

Infinity nodded numbly.

Coach moved forward to pick him up when suddenly Ruiz shot up and ran and jumped on him.

Before Coach could react Ruiz bit the base of his neck, near where the shoulder and the neck met.

He yelped in pain and surprise as he threw the dead man off of him. The noise had already brought the others awake so a gunshot was no longer a problem. At least that's what Ellis figured Coach was thinking, because the moment the zombie hit the floor Coach had brought out his shotgun and fired, putting a massive bloody hole in his face; ending the zombie instantly.

Infinity covered her mouth. Ellis pinched his eyes closed, their friend was gone… and Marie….

The scream brought Ellis back to the reality of it all.

Infinity ran over and caught Marie and picked her up and turned her away from the carnage. Once Marie was turned around she lowered them both to the ground; Infinity on her knees and horrified Marie standing. Infinity held Marie tight as she punched and kicked at her all the while screaming for her dad. As she continued with the sobs, screams, and fighting she started to lose her strength and soon just collapsed against Infinity sobbing into her arm. Infinity cradled her and stroked her hair saying she was sorry over and over again. Infinity rocked back and forth with the small 10 year old girl, who now had nothing left of her old life.

Everything Marie had ever known was gone.

Left4Dead

Infinity woke up in the master bed room, a sleeping Marie still in her arms. Marie was sweaty from the late night and heavy sleep. Infinity sat up a bit so she could see the sleeping girls face. Marie moaned a little and shifted in her arms. Marie still had tear stains going down her cheeks. The poor girl had cried herself to sleep. Not that she blamed her. She had nobody left. Her family was dead, anyone she knew in her past had left her. She only had her friends from school and the strangers who happened to find her.

Infinity looked around, it was just the two of them in here, the door was closed and there was no noise coming from outside the door, which told her that either there was uncomfortable silence or the others were still sleeping. She wondered briefly how the others were taking the loss, what they had done with the body, how Coach was coping, and what the kids were like.

She looked back down at Marie and brushed a piece of hair out of her face. She didn't want to leave the child but she wanted to check up on everyone else. She slowly got out of bed as quietly as she could, as not to disturb the sleeping girl. Once out of the bed she tiptoed out into the carpeted hallway and down to the living room.

Coach was, what appeared to be, drinking his fifth beer at the island sitting on the stool.

Nick was playing some sort of card game by himself at the table.

The other three kids were sleeping on the sofa bed, she noted the new sheets. The new sheets brought to mind the vomit. She looked to where Ruiz had been when he had puked and noticed that there was a couch cushion over it. The vomit reminded her of Ruiz himself, he was nowhere to be seen. She figured they had put him outside.

Rochelle wasn't around so she figured she was still in the back room.

She stopped at Ellis, he was on the couch they had been sleeping on but he was sitting up right. The right end cushion was gone.

He had his head leaned back and his eyes closed.

She came over and sat next to him.

"How'd you know he was married? How did you know he was infected? How did you know all of those things? You even knew where he would be…"

"I saw his wedding ring when I was looking him over in the bathroom when we first got here. I noticed the signs of infection during our "family night" but I had my suspicions when I first saw him. I knew he would be seeing his daughter, where else would he go? Especially since he knew he was dying, even though he denied it to us." She explained.

"How are you holding up? What were the kids like?"

"Ah'm fine. Physically, my leg is back up to speed and Ah hardly have any problem with ma chest; even took off the bandages. Ah've never had ta watch a friend die. The kids were terrified. They understood that Coach had ta do it… but that doesn't make them any less afraid. Coach is beating himself up. Rochelle went back ta her room, not sure what she's doing but she hasn't come back out. And Nick is gambling with himself." He smirked at the last one.

"Coach did what had to be done. If he didn't do it I don't think any of us would… not in time to stop any damage anyway…."

"How's Marie?"

"Cried herself to sleep. She's passed out now. I don't think anyone could wake her as of right now."

"Ah don't blame her."

"Neither do I…"

They were silent for a while, Ellis still half asleep sitting up and her looking and observing the ppl out in the living room, all doing their own things. Coach was downing his 6th now. She looked at the clock,

"We have to do something about the kids."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that we have to bring them with us."

"Infinity…."

"We can't leave them here alone Ellis."

"Ah know but…."

"It's safer for them to come with us than stay in a building all by themselves. They're only 6, 10, and 11… they can't take care of themselves."

"We could run into a Tank though…. we can't do anything for them… we wouldn't be able to protect them from a Tank… or any special…. "

"IFF we run into a special…."

"Or a common! These kids…." He interrupted.

"I'm not leaving them alone."

"What if we…."

"DADDY!" Everyone jumped to attention from Marie's scream, the three children jolted awake.

Infinity ran back down to the end of the hallway.

Marie was thrashing around in the bed, and screaming for her dad.

"Marie honey wake up." Infinity ran over to her and gathered her in her arms and stroked the girl's hair.

"Sshh wake up Marie."

"Daddy…" She whimpered.

"I know honey… I'm sorry…"

Marie opened her eyes and cried into her chest. "He's gone isn't he?"

"Yah baby… I'm sorry."

After a while Marie calmed down and they all went back into the kitchen. Coach left so not to upset the children.

Infinity felt bad for him. But he needed his space he was upset, she could understand that but she just felt bad that he was taking it so hard.

As they all ate their breakfast the adults debated, in "adult talk", what they were to do when it came to the children.

Ideas of having one of them stay at the apartment with the children while waiting for rescue was tossed around, as well as finding a QUIET working vehicle to transport them in, rather than a walking or taking an ambulance.

"No! I am NOT driving a minivan! I don't care if it has the most room, I am not driving a minivan." Nick protested.

"Who said you were driving?" Ellis teased.

"Who said YOU were driving."

"I drove the ambulance…"

"Yah and that almost got us all killed with your stupid hotwiring work and your bad directional skills!"

"YOU were supposed to give me directions! How was I supposed to see the street signs while I had bodies going over my windshield?" Ellis shot back.

"Well I know that I wouldn't have missed the road…"

"Both of you shut up!"

"We'll figure that out when the time comes. Right now we just need a plan to what kind of vehicle is best, that not only works but won't make tons of noise and draw attention."

"Hummer"

"Caravan"

And so the game of "name that car" began. Infinity listened impatiently for at least 15 car names that were bounced back and forth. Nick and Ellis sure knew a lot of car names. Of course Ellis was a mechanic, but she was somewhat surprised to hear Nick know so many. She wondered if Coach would be in this just as much as they were. All four kids seemed to be where she was , bored and annoyed.

"Guys…."

They kept going.

"Guys."

Nothing.

"Guys!"

They bother went silent and looked at her. She sighed a sigh of relief.

"Good. Now, I think you guys should both pick your favorite car that you think it would be most appropriate and then do rock, paper, scissors to decide what car we take."

Ellis and Nick both stared at her in disbelief.

"What?" She asked surprised at their reaction.

"That's a good idea Infinity." Alex piped up.

"Yah I love rock paper scissors!" Monica agreed nodding her head vigorously.

"C'mon let's go have a battle!" Matt exclaimed. The two girls followed Matt to the sofa bed. The three of them all sat on the bed and started playing,

"Rock, paper, scissors, One two three!"

"Marie…. Do you want to go play with them?"

"No" She replied simply.

"Okay." Infinity wasn't going to make her do anything especially after such a difficult situation.

Infinity huffed and rolled her eyes when she realized Nick and Ellis were bickering about driving and cars again.

She was about to yell at them when a small 10 year old girl beat her to it.

"SHUT UP! You guys act like complete immature idiots!"

All three adults turned to stare at the small girl. Infinity was dumb founded; Ellis and Nick were bright red. Nick was rubbing the back of his neck and Ellis took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.

Infinity finally brought herself to her senses.

"I'm going to go check on Coach." She stood up from the stool and then looked at the still red men. "Work this out like…" she smirked and looked at Marie who looked pretty satisfied and smug. "like mature children… er… adults." She winked at Marie who giggled.

Left4Dead

Don't worry everyone! The domestic life is almost over! The awesome band of zombie slayers will be back on the streets soon! So hang in there.