There had been a time, Ellis, a time when I had been happy. A time before mom and dad had been so open about their hate for each other. There had been a time when my brother, my sister and I would run through the sprinklers and laugh, have sleep over's with the neighbors and stay up all night in that old tree house we built in the backyard.

There had been a time when everything was normal. Then one day... everything changed. Their fights became louder, angrier, more violent. Divorce was threatened at least once a week and we use to pray that they would just finally do it. Emily and I would try to keep Eric from crying, but he always did. He was always so sensitive—and that's probably why he started drinking by thirteen. I remember when I found out, how I yelled at him. He didn't care though, he just sneered in my face and screamed back at me... demanded me to tell him what he should do then. And I wasn't able to answer and so he just continued and he got worse and worse and worse.

Every year dad got meaner and meaner and meaner. The things he said, the things he believed were nauseating. They were sickening. The things he would yell at us, tell us were truths were so incomprehensible that I knew he had to be insane. And we fought and we fought. Emily would never say anything when he yelled those things at us, Eric was never around—but I... I always disagreed with him. I always told him so. He always hated that. We would argue and argue and argue, and maybe it was because we fought so much that he always ended up having to go for mom at the end of the day. Because he knew she wouldn't question him or disagree with him... I...I still feel guilty about that.

And things just kept getting worse. I grew older, I moved out, but I still came back to visit Eric. He was always too drunk to even help himself and I had yelled at him in his bedroom doorway one night. Just told him he needed to grow up. You're eighteen, Eric! You're eighteen now. Do something! Do something with your life! You're so pathetic, you're so god damn pathetic and I'm embarrassed to be your brother! But I didn't mean that. I was just so worried, so damn worried for you. But I couldn't voice my worry without crying and I didn't want to cry in front of you. I never apologized… I never said I was sorry for those things I said… but, God, I was so sorry. I never meant it…

But Emily, she got out. She went to college met a guy, fell in love and got married. Dad didn't like him though. He disapproved. Of course he did. I told him Michael was great, that was perfect for you, that he treated you right, bought you flowers and held your hand, was honest and faithful. But nothing was good enough for you. And that was when I broke. When I cracked and all that hatred I had for him came out of me and I just yelled. I told him everything; how he had ruined our family, how he made everyone so miserable, how awful of a man he was. And when he had laughed—when he had laughed—I knew I was done. I knew that I couldn't come back anymore. And I left without another word. I never went back.

I remember how nervous I was the first time I walked into that big casino in Chicago. I'll never forget how I shook so badly when I showed them my ID that they thought for sure it was a fake and spent fifteen minutes trying to figure out if it was real or not. Eventually they let me in.

Then I met the first person I ever managed to weasel money out of. Some young lady, probably in her late twenties looking so sad and so very lonely. I must've too, because she came over to me and we talked and talked and eventually she bought me a drink, two, three, four and before I knew it I was back at her place. I didn't mind though, it was kind of nice getting laid by a stranger. There was no feeling to be hurt there. It was a mutual thing. A physical thing.

Nick risked glances to Ellis every so often, and each time that he did, he could see that the southerner was still staring intently, so fixatedly at him. Nick wouldn't have ever thought that Ellis could concentrate so damn much… I mean, he had spent a little over two months with him and the kid screamed ADHD like some stupid informational scare-tactic ad on T.V.. He would have never thought in a million years that Ellis could look so damn… serious.

I became really good at getting money, you know. I developed this smile—this winning grin that melted women's hearts and men trusted. I spewed lies and they gave me money. I used that money to gamble—but to be honest, I liked pool. God, I was good at it. People would bet hundreds of dollars that they could beat me and I took every bet. I never lost once... Until I met her.

She was the first and the last person I ever lost a game too. It wasn't because she was better than me. That wasn't it at all. It was because of the way she giggled, the way she moved and the way she smiled at me. I was so distracted, I couldn't concentrate. Eight ball, right corner pocket—but instead of keeping my eyes on the ball they had drifted up towards her. Our eyes met and she smiled so cutely at me—it was only after I took the shot that I realized I wasn't even looking. It missed badly, banked off that right corner and to my surprise jolted across the table and into the left pocket. I had lost. It was the first time I had lost. I almost cried.

But it was okay. She told me that if I took her out for dinner she'd forget about the bet. I agreed, God I agreed. I spent three years in Boston—two of them married to her. It was the longest I had ever stayed in one spot. But we grew apart, we grew apart so fucking fast! She was just too much for me, too damn beautiful, too loving, too kind. She was always worrying, always fussing over me. I didn't know how to handle it so I started to ignore her, started staying out later and coming back drunker and drunker. A year passed of neglecting her and eventually she couldn't handle it. She left me and I was relieved—God I was relieved. I left that city and I never went back.

Life continued after that—but it seemed so hollow, almost meaningless. I grew fixated on money. Money would never judge me. It would never question my motives or why I used it the way I did, it was just simply there. It was the kind of lover I always wanted. And so I worked my way south, stuck in some places for months, others for days. Just kept moving and moving, never caring about who I hurt along the way, or why I did it. I just did it because it was something to do.

Then I found myself in Savannah, Georgia and I would have sworn it, Overalls, I would have sworn that it was going to just be like any other con. But then the Green Flu came and it absolutely ruined everything.

Nick talked himself hoarse, and God help him, he couldn't stop talking. He just told Ellis everything, anything that came to mind. It was like he was projecting a play by play movie of his life right before Ellis, but instead of pictures it was just words. There were no photos, no home videos, nothing like that to show the southerner; but Ellis didn't need it. Nick recalled each memory with emotion almost beyond comprehension. The memories he recalled were enough to paint a picture of misery and loneliness, of a neglected childhood and strained family bonds. Of someone that had fought so very, very hard to stay strong and in control.

But now, hours later, Nick was done speaking—his story had led him to where he had met Ellis, Rochelle and Coach in that burning building. Ellis knew the rest. There was no need to continue.

The conman sat silently, aware of how Ellis' eyes still searched him, of how the mechanic was still holding his hands… of how this was the first person—the very first person—he had ever told so much to… So many things about himself, dark things... things he wasn't proud of—he had told Ellis it all. Without any hesitation he had simply told Ellis everything. Every con, every heart he had broken, every dollar he had stolen, every lie he had told. He had told him everything.

It was judgment day. Oh, little Ellis, do be kind. With your sweet smiles, your innocent eyes and your southern tongue... judge me, but please, please, be kind.

At first Ellis didn't say anything and Nick could feel the anxiety rising in him, making his heart pound and his body tremble. But when he did finally speak, he shifted forward and Nick started. Their eyes met.

"Tha' ain't all, Nick. When I metcha ya weren't like this. Wha' happened? Did all this zombie shit goin' on make ya remember all of tha' stuff? I mean… I guess I don' really get it. Why remember this shit now? I ain't complainin' or nothin' though. I'm glad ya told me an' everythin'… I jus' don' understand why ya suddenly became so… burdened with it."

"You've seen the lists, Ellis..." Nick said softly. He tried to pull his hands away, but Ellis refused to let go. That very gesture made Nick smile slightly, appreciating how secure his hands felt in Ellis'. "You've seen the lists that they give you of the names of everyone who has perished… The lists were long. They go on for miles. When they asked me if I had family, if I wanted to look to see if I should be moved to another area, to another vessel to be with family or friends… It was the first time… the very first time since I left home that I remembered that, God, I did have a family. Once upon a time, I had had a family. I had been in love… I once had a woman I would have died for, a mother who had loved me, a little brother that had once looked up to me, and a sister that I could have told anything to... I had had it, I could have probably had more… But it was because of one person… That one person that I had abandoned everything. He had taught me that no matter how well I thought I knew someone, they would never, never be there for me when I needed it most."

"Nick… it ain't yer fault. Ya were jus' a kid an' kids do real stupid things sometimes. I mean, from wha' I know 'bout ya yer damn stubborn an' maybe tha' just kept ya from goin' back…" Ellis shrugged slightly, "An' ya never know… I've heard tha' the Infection's ain't bad everywhere. Tha' some places were hit harder than others. Maybe we can find 'em an' ya can like… do wha' ya gatta do ta move on, ya know? Where'd ya live 'fore Nick? Where are ya from?"

"Omaha…" Nick almost laughed at Ellis' face. The mechanic looked absolutely, positively... just utterly surprised.

"Wha'? Like… Nebraska?" Ellis' face scrunched up cutely. The corner's of Nick's mouth twitched into a full smile now.

"Yeah, Ellis. Like, Nebraska," the older man agreed gently.

"Oh… well… Okay. I mean, if ya want, we can see wha' we can do. If we can find anythin' 'bout wha' happened ta 'em."

"No, Ellis. I washed my hands of that family long ago. I haven't thought of them at all since I left… Not until I saw those lists, posted everywhere like a god damn war memorial." He laughed, but it was mirthless. "Then I had to wonder… Did they die too? Do I even care?" He sighed heavily. "I guess I do."

"Then le's look… Tamorrow, we'll go an' look tagether. Maybe tha'll ease yer mind some."

"Did it ease yours?" Nick asked quietly. He watched as Ellis' soft expression from before slowly twisted with sorrow. Nick realized, for the first time, that he had never asked Ellis what had become of his friends and family. The conman suddenly felt sick with guilt. All this time he had been consuming Ellis' time and his patience… and who knew, maybe Ellis had someone else that needed him. "What did you find, Ellis?"

"I…" Ellis struggled to find words. He bit at his lip and let out a shaking breath. "I ain't got no one anymore, Nick."

What a coincidence, Ellis, me neither. Nick thought the words, numbly, sadly, but he did not say them out loud.

"I jus' got you, Nick." Ellis could have very easily tagged on Rochelle and Coach's name, but something stopped him. He smiled at the older man. Nick looked a little rattled at this prospect. Ellis tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a choking noise. "I jus' got you, Nick," he said again, softer. "So, please… Ya gatta get better. 'Cause I don' wanna lose ya too."

Nick tried to pull his hands away to reach up and hold that sad face in his palms, but stubbornly Ellis still refused to let him go. And so the man settled on leaning forward and placing a firm kiss on the others cheek. Ellis didn't pull away or anything. He just stared, his eyes a little wider, a faint blush overtaking him.

"I'll do my very best," Nick assured quietly and gave Ellis' hands a little squeeze.

Nick swore that his heart was filling with something—but he wasn't quite sure with what. That void, that little empty space that he had carried with him for so long, was filling—but his heart wasn't feeling any heavier, but lighter.

A/N: Thank you… so very much for all the kind reviews and the kind words… I feel… I feel like I don't deserve it—like I'm cheating by being so selfish with this story—but, I will take your words to heart anyways… because I need them. So I thank you, for your patience, for your understanding, for your kindness and for reading. Thank you.

At first I left Nick's past at what he said before in the last chapter… but it didn't seem like enough. Maybe that was just me being selfish, but I ended up just trying to give a small summary of what Nick said, but it ended up going on and on. Lol, yeah… sorry about that. I didn't know how to work it into a conversation so it became sort of narrative… I hope it doesn't seem messy or half-assed.

Nick always strikes me as someone that lived somewhere small, became swept up with the city life and just let it consume him and maybe lost himself in it along the way. They say us small townsfolk always look so damn lost and confused in the big cities. I say you city folk don't know how to sit back and enjoy our simplicity. So, I guess we're even.

I was very out of this when I was writing this chapter... I kind of wrote without thinking much, so if it's disorientating to read, I apologize.