I'm very happy with the amount of reviews within the first 3 days so I'm updating already! Special thanks to Whisper Maw for sending me Lucy and a lot more ;). I hope you're all happy with this. And Mrs. Dylan Authors, you cannot sleep over if you plan on stealing my man! Well here is chapter 2!

Mari's POV:

"Jimmy NO!"

I woke up in a flash. Ever since having that tree go straight through my gut I've been having nightmares. It's always the same dream, night after night. Jimmy gets stabbed by my arch enemy… the tree.

"Mari are you okay?" It was Anne of course.

She's kind of taken me under her wing since the incident; showing me medical stuff and how to fix people up. I don't plan on using any of it, but at least I have something to do and the information can't hurt.

Now my stomach had almost fully, hmmm what's the word for this? Repaired? And I couldn't wait to get out of the dang Medic Bus.

"Yeah just another nightmare," I smiled shyly trying to make it look like it was no big deal.

"Nightmares? I had a lot of those when the invasion started."

"How'd you get rid of them?" I felt like a was getting into her personal business, but after seeing Tom and her kiss, well, I don't think it gets any more personal than that.

"I became the medic. Making other people better and making families feel good makes me feel like I don't have to be scared. I'm doing something worthwhile," she explained to me.

Well, I knew I definitely wasn't going to become a medic, ever. Maybe hanging out with Jimmy would make me feel better.

"In your case Mari, it could be just knowing that you're killing off the enemy; knowing that you're slowly returning the world to what it was, making people feel safer." I smiled at that.

Nothing felt better than killing a Skitter…besides kissing Jimmy.

"Anne, can I go outside?"

"I guess so," she said looking me up and down. "Just…don't go and get pushed into any trees." I laughed then realized that it wasn't all that funny given what had happened.

I put on a tank top that cut off at my stomach and made sure that my bandages were covered, slipped into a pair of pitch black skinny jeans, and inched my toes into some worn out Converse. My dark brown hair fell just to my shoulders. It was cut choppily and at an odd angle.

I felt like I was at school again, only my school didn't allow "inappropriate clothing" and I don't think my hair was lopsided.

I dug through my bag, the only thing I had left from back home, and felt for a little tube. I quickly pulled it out instinctively knowing what it was. I opened it up and applied a little mascara.

"Who are you trying to impress?" It was Lourdes.

Doesn't anybody have some privacy around here? I mean what if she had walked in on me while I was changing?

"It's the only clothes I could find." That was a really stupid excuse, but the only one I could think of at the moment.

"Really, I thought Anne brought some in for you?" She asked quizzically.

"Umm, yeah. She brought these shoes and this pair of pants." I gave a kind of look that said "Can I go now,"

"Yeah, clothing's short and besides I'm not your mother." She smiled then waved her hand to let me go.

I walked out of the medic bus. Wow the scenery had changed since the last time I was outside.

We weren't at the airport anymore, and it seemed like more of a city area.

I took a few more steps to examine the setup. Alright medic bus there, captains quarters over there, sleeping areas, Berserkers, Civi's, Soldiers, and Jimmy. Wait Jimmy?

He looked so cute just standing there talking to Ben.

Wow, did I sound really stalker-ish? I started to walk over.

People everywhere were starting to stare and whisper. Ben turned around thinking they might have been whispering about him.

"Mari," he looked me up and down as if to say "You look good," then returned eye contact to my face. "Glad you're better.
Jimmy was worried sick."

Jimmy seemed like he was trying to avoid my eye.

"Bro, you're the one that kissed the girl, aren't you going to say anything?" Ben seemed to be prying and he was starting to draw attention.

I didn't want all of the 2nd Mass knowing that I'd kissed Jimmy. It was like back at school.

"Yeah, umm glad you're better." Jimmy turned and walked back toward the Soldier's area.

"I don't know what's gotten into him lately, sorry bout' that Mari." He flashed a smile then jogged off in the direction where Jimmy had disappeared to. Why did boys have to act this way? I remember when I first met Jimmy

"Hello, is someone there?" Wow I'm in an alien invasion and I ask if somebody's there. That's just asking to die.

"Mari it's just me." I was relieved to hear my mother's voice. "Mari, it was so dark, and we couldn't see." Mom's voice seemed to quaver.

"Mom, where's Dad?"

She broke down. "That moan, I heard it then-then he was gone." I knew exactly what she meant. The big robots that had taken out my old home had made a sort of wailing noise as they came my way and I figured that's what she was talking about.

"Mom, what do you mean gone?"

She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "It shot him," her voice cracked when she said those three words. I fell into her arms and cried. I didn't care if the aliens heard me. I knew my mother wouldn't take care of me knowing the love of her life was gone.

"Mom?" Just as I spoke I heard the same loud groaning.

"Mari, baby, I need you to go hide." I looked at her with doubt.

"Mom I can't leave you!" She smiled at me.

"Baby, you're going to be a big part of this, so you can't die now." With a kiss on my forehead she turned around.
I didn't want to look back, so I ran. I ducked into a corner under the warehouse steps. I heard the electrical charge then the blast and I knew she was gone. The tears streamed down my face, but I knew she would have wanted me to be strong.
The loud footsteps echoed through the building as the robot left. I heard the little taps of the aliens coming my way. I prepared myself for anything that was coming. The eight-legged creature came into view as it peered under the steps. It slowly crawled towards me. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

It had this soft look in its eyes, like it was trying to make you feel comfort but I couldn't let myself fall for it, not after what these beasts had done to my family. "No, get away! I won't let you take me!" Just as it laid a hand on me it fell to the ground. I looked up and there stood a dark haired boy holding up a gun on the balcony.

"Yeah, one for the 2nd Mass!" The boy pumped his fist before noticing I was sitting helplessly in the corner. He walked down the steps and ducked down to me. "I'm with 2nd Mass Resistance; I can take you somewhere safe." I took his hand as he stuck it out to me.

"The what?" I asked, very much confused, as I stood up.

"Hurry up," he said ignoring my question and motioning for me to come up the stairs with him. Despite the fact that I had no idea who he was I followed him. A kid with a gun sounded a lot better than me all alone.

"Will you at least tell me your name?" He sped into a jog and I trailed at his heels.

"Jimmy," he answered over his shoulder.

"I'm Mari."

The memory was painful, but reminded me of what my mother had said. I started to walk in the same direction that Jimmy had, then noticed a girl jogging slowly to me. I knew instinctively it was Lucy.

She finally came to a stop in front of me and smiled, her freckles lifted up as she did. Brown hair went down to her chin and kind of framed her face; her hazel colored eyes were warm and welcoming.

"Hi Mari," she murmured quietly.

"Lucy we need to talk" I said urgently.

Not even waiting for a response I grabbed her forearm and dragged her down a damp alley way between buildings.

I sat on the top of a dumpster and waited for her eyes to adjust to the shade.

"Jimmy is being such a jerk! Ugh, I can't believe him. He kisses me, and then doesn't even acknowledge me! I mean, sure he's probably tired of saving me, but that doesn't mean he can just pretend I don't exist." I paused to see if she would say anything, but she didn't.

At least she's not like my old friends who wouldn't let me get a single word out.

"Lucy I just don't know what to do." I put my head into my hands, and started to sob.

"Mari, from being around you I've learned you have mixed emotions. Have you ever thought that you were bi-polar?" I lifted my head and gave her a questioning look. "Besides we are kind of in the middle of an apocalypse, maybe he's just distracted. Aliens can be a pretty distracting thing."

"You know Lucy that just cheered me up. I'm going to take my mixed emotions and give that boy a piece of my mind." I hopped off the dumpster and started off to find Jimmy.

"Glad I could help?" she shouted after me.

I was about half way out when a Skitter hopped directly in front of me. I mumbled some unfriendly words while backing into a corner. Lucy whimpered from somewhere further into the alley.

"Everything's going to be okay…" I whispered to her "At least, I hope."