Sorry for the absence I broke my word I know :(

Uni has been crazy hectic adjusting to my new role as Secretary on the Drama Society Committee haha and then I jetted off to Egypt for a while. But the country gave me so much inspiration ^_^

I'm getting back into the swing of things now though. Today is the first meeting of the Survivors Group set up by Larry. Let's see what happens eh?

Enjoy!

Chapter 27

"I feel a little nervous." Ivy admitted when they stepped inside the room half an hour earlier than the other survivors.

The hall was rather large and a circle of chairs were centred in the middle of the room. There was a table on the side with bottles of water and an ice bucket as well as snacks and sandwiches, which Adam had spotted at once. All in all the atmosphere was rather inviting and welcoming for a therapy session. That was what scared Ivy, she wanted the clinical type of therapy she had heard so much about, however Adam seemed to be more at ease. She spotted Lawrence speaking with the manager of the hall and abandoned her boyfriend by the sandwiches to go over and greet him.

When he spotted Ivy, Lawrence patted the man on the shoulder and headed over to meet her as quickly as his false leg would allow him. Today he carried a cane clutched tightly in his right hand as he extended his other for an embrace. Surprising, but welcoming Ivy accepted it and he held her at arms length. "Thank you so much for coming, and for coming early."

"It was nothing, but how come you wanted us here before the others?" She caught Adam's gaze and motioned for him to come over quickly while Lawrence adjusted his grip on his cane. She didn't like seeing her friend gripping the support. It made him appear so much weaker, perhaps that was the effect he wanted though. Adam sidled over and waved at Lawrence who nodded back still happy Adam was there at all. Although Adam's mind was probably still in the bedroom with the Ivy he had posing for him yesterday.

"Well since we all feel comfortable enough around each other, I thought it would be nice for the other survivors to see that this is a place where they can feel comfortable and be themselves. That they are stepping into a place of friends, not where people are going to judge them for their crimes." Lawrence said and Ivy nodded in understanding. "I thought it would be nice for the survivors to see that other survivors are there when they first come, that they aren't the only ones. It took a hell of a lot of convincing to convince all of them to come and most of them are skeptical but they are all willing to give it a shot."

"When you say everyone?" Adam asked tilting his head to one side.

"I don't mean Amanda Young if that is what your worried about." Lawrence told him bluntly with a smile.

"I wasn't worried, just concerned." Adam said puffing his chest out a little.

"Well you don't have to be. However much good I think it would do her to hear this, she's still a wanted criminal and since she put most of the people in this room into their traps they would probably turn this room into a place of cleansing for a whole different reason." Lawrence punned and Ivy smirked at him.

"I know I would like to." She admitted.

"Well that is what this is all about." Lawrence smirked happy Ivy was speaking freely already.

Ivy's phone rang and she picked it up. "Detective Reeves."

Adam rolled his eyes and sloped off at once in annoyance, Lawrence followed. "She's always on that thing." He said, Ivy glanced over to him briefly, Lawrence patted him slowly.

"I know what's thats like." He said darkly. Ivy tuned the two out so she could focus.

"Ivy it's Daniel." Ivy jumped and her heart beat a mile, "Daniel Rigg."

Her heart returned to normal. "Oh Rigg. I thought it was Daniel Matthews when you said your name."

"Why would you think it was Eric's son?" Rigg asked momentarily distracted.

"I didn't want him to cancel today, I'm at a Jigsaw Survivor's group and he's meant to he turning up. I also thought he might know something about Eric."

"Nothing so far on Eric. But that's not why I'm calling." Rigg said getting back on track. That is a first. "I've been trying to contact Allison, uh Detective Kerry all day but I can't get through to her."

"She wouldn't answer me either." Ivy revealed, "She was calling me non stop before, something about a lead and a message she had got and then I switched my phone off for a while because I was busy and then when I tried to call her back she wouldn't answer. She hasn't answered my texts either." Ivy felt horrible having to twist the truth so she didn't look like a horrible person for just wanting some private time to herself instead of helping her friend who could have badly needed her help.

"You don't think?" Came Daniel's voice sounding much more frightened than Ivy had ever heard it before. Ivy thought for a minute wondering what the SWAT Commander was getting at and her eyes fell on the notice on the door reading JIGSAW SURVIVORS WELCOME.

"No." Ivy said at once. "She can't have been."

"Well it's been roughly a day since anyone has had any contact with her. Her parents have phoned the station asking if she's there cause they can't get through either. I've asked Fisk too and he hasn't heard anything."

"Have you asked Mark?" Ivy asked her tone darkening as she began to mull through the possibilities. "Hoffman?" She corrected herself.

"Not yet. I will do though if you suggest it." Daniel answered. "Ivy what if she has been?"

"Then she's strong enough to survive it. If anyone knows about Jigsaw and his games it's Allison. She will be okay, just keep trying to get through to her. Maybe her phone died." Ivy knew she was making countless excuses but she didn't want to face the fact that her best friend might be battling for her life right now. If there was no word from Allison by the end of the day she was driving to Gideon to speak with John herself.

"You know if no one else has heard from her then we'll have to report her missing." Rigg's voice was trembling a little and Ivy realised hers had been too. A person peeped through the doors looking vaguely familiar to Ivy, and Adam hurried over and put a hand on her shoulder telling Ivy to end the call. She pushed him away trying to hear Daniel. Adam gestured again and so did Lawrence both wanting to portray the 'happy friends image' to the new person. When Lawrence saw Ivy was not on board he went over to greet the person.

"I know." Ivy whispered sadly and kept on the line till Daniel ended the call. She turned round to Adam with her head bent. Adam was watching the exchange between the new person and Lawrence curiously, "Ivy we're meant to be helping Larry, I know work is important to you but..." He trailed off when he put a finger under her chin and saw her gleaming, watery eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked gently instantly pulling her to his chest to hide her tears from the survivors who were now beginning to enter in a group. Perhaps they had clumped outside waiting for the others to turn up. The idea would have been comical to Ivy before. Adam's chest was comforting and she slid a hand up the hard muscles and closed her eyes composing herself the best she could. "Allison's missing."

"The Detective you brought with you to the apartment, the funny one you're friends with?" Adam asked gently not realising he was adding salt to his girlfriend's wounds as the memories of that charming afternoon where Allison had helped Ivy get ready for her meal with Adam and Lawrence. She nodded and Adam sighed. "I'm sorry...sweetheart. I liked her."

"She's not dead." Ivy snapped quickly not wanting to think of the worst. Adam's silence echoed into her mind, despite the slight atmosphere created by the other people now in the room.

"No she's not." Adam said rightly at once as Ivy stepped out of his arms knowing she had to be strong to help Lawrence right now. But she had to question fate why she couldn't have waited till afterwards to tell her of this hideous turn of events. "She will survive it."

"She will." Her denial worried Adam, she could see it in his eyes which sparkled back at her sadly. Lawrence approached the two and pulled them away from the circle of survivors who were beginning to take their seats, alarmed when he saw her red rimmed eyes.

"Ivy?" He asked, most likely wondering if it was the fear of what she might have to share in the group.

"Her friend at the police station's just gone missing." Adam told him quietly. Some of the other survivors were looking over at them trying to hide their glances and failing miserably. "We think it might be Jigsaw."

"It wouldn't be anyone else." Lawrence replied pointedly. "Ivy don't feel like you have to be here. If you need to go home or go to the station then you are more than welcome."

"No no I'll be fine. There is nothing I can do which is what I hate the most. If I went to the station I would only cause trouble." She said trying to control both her breathing and her voice.

"Is she alright over there?" Came a woman's voice from the circle of chairs.

Ivy straightened up at once and began walking over to the circle, the two men followed glancing to each other, both wearing the same concerned expression. Ivy looked into the eyes of the survivors around her and was alarmed at the number. Sydney Johnson, familiar to Ivy from her Lawnmower trap sat with her arms around herself looking between the other survivors and then to Ivy. In Ivy's opinion she looked more upset than Ivy herself. Jeff Ridenhour sat looking as if he didn't want to be there and was regarding Lawrence with a look of disinterest, yet he seemed intrigued by Ivy's red face and she quickly looked away from him to the people sat next to Jeff whom she didn't recognise. The first another woman, she had rather dark features which reminded Ivy of Addison Corday whom she had watched in the Nerve Gas House fall victim to the box with the hidden razors. She looked ordinarily middle class, fitting in with the group and yet standing out by shrewd expression in her eyes, she reminded Ivy of an intelligent owl. The other a man, very muscled, more than Adam Ivy regretted, as she spied Adam sizing him up. He had a buzz cut and looked far rougher than anyone else in the circle of survivors wearing a denim jacket with denim jeans, he seemed intent however to listen and despite his appearance Ivy trusted him far more than the owlish woman. Next came someone Ivy had not expected to see at all, Allison Gordon, Lawrence's now ex wife was next in the circle watching Lawrence carefully with her legs crossed. She was pretty but looked as if she had aged far past her real age. Her blonde hair was straight and her eyes looked constantly tired, Ivy pitied the woman raising Diana on her own, knowing personally of her ordeal. It suddenly struck Ivy that she was staring at another Allison and another pang hit her and she closed her eyes briefly.

When Allison saw Ivy watching her she turned and a look of concern flashed across her face. "Are you sure you are okay?" She asked revealing she was the one who had asked after her. Ivy nodded quickly looking away, finding her voice had lost itself inside her throat. Lawrence on her right put a comforting hand on Ivy's shoulder but Ivy saw him clock his ex wife quickly. The tension was still strong between the two of them. Finally came Daniel Matthews who had seated himself unknowingly between the Gordons and was looking up at Lawrence expectantly. He seemed the most undisturbed by what had happened to him and seemed to look up to Lawrence like a role model. Adam sat on Ivy's left holding her hand tightly in his own.

Lawrence stood up and took a deep breath. "Welcome everyone. I am so happy to see that, well all of you have come. I don't know whether this will benefit either of us but it occurred to me when Ivy and I," He indicated to Ivy, "Were speaking. It felt very good to speak about our ordeals to someone who knew exactly what we were going through. I mean, can I see a show of hands how many of us have been to see a therapist about what we have gone through?"

Everyone apart from Ivy and the owlish woman raised their hands.

"A considerable amount of us. Now there are many of you whom I know in some way or another, and some of you I do not know at all. I know this sounds stereotypical but I think we should go around and say our names and what our trap was. I don't see any point in hiding it, we are here to discuss this after all. So uh, to start with. I am Lawrence Gordon and I was in the bathroom trap. I had to kill Adam here and get out of my shackle or my wife and child would die."

Ivy suspected Alison might interject with Lawrence's choice of words, but his wife kept silent. Everyone was. Lawrence frowned not liking it. "I don't want any of you to feel like you have to obey me and I also don't want you to feel restricted in any way. If you want to get up and move about then please do, if you want to interrupt me or ask me anything about my trap I will try and be as open as possible with you all. I am still a survivor though." He pre warned and a certain amount of the group relaxed.

"You cut your foot off." Said Sydney, her voice meek yet strong in the room. Ivy raised her eyebrows in surprise, expecting such a thing from the denim on denim man or Jeff.

Lawrence coughed slightly smiling, probably happy someone else had spoken. "Well yes I did. I need to survive for my family."

"So you didn't do it for yourself?" Asked the owlish woman at once, Lawrence slowly shook his head.

"No I did not. I suppose a deep part of me wanted to live. But you must imagine for a moment that I was held in a bathroom with two strangers who might want to kill me, not knowing if I could live at all. I had a cellphone that would only receive calls and had listened to my wife and child's screams and thought if I did it then their torture would stop. They could have been dead for all I knew at the time..." Lawrence broke off sadly.

"Larry." Alison began and he shook his head but thanked her regardless.

"But isn't Jigsaw's thing that your meant to survive for yourself? You need to feel the will to live thats what I did." Asked the denim on denim man, his voice was not entirely American, he had a lilt of another language in his dialect. "To value your own life?"

"I agree with you, I'm sorry I don't know your name yet." This made Ivy frown, she thought Lawrence had called everyone up to come to this meeting with a fair amount of begging. "I am sorry I am being rude not introducing you all."

"Jigsaw meant for you to value your life after your lesson has been learned. If you already do value your life then you aren't a target for his games. We all did something wrong, whether it was to do with society or ourselves, but there was a dark side to us all. It's that side which is meant to be rehabilitated by the games. We have to carry on living our lives, keep valuing every second spent alive because we don't know when we will die. That's what we did in our games, we really lived through those minutes or hours we had before our timers went off." Ivy's words were dark but truthful. Many of the survivors seemed to be drawn in by her words in a similar manner that people often were to her Uncle. The thought made Ivy shut up at once and she lent back in her chair. Daniel Matthews' eyes were as wide as saucers.

"You're the Detective aren't you?" Asked the owlish woman. "The one who is working on the Jigsaw case right now aren't you?"

"Yeah I am." Ivy confirmed glancing at Daniel and then to Lawrence, both had given her an encouraging smile. "My name is Ivy Reeves. I was in the bathroom trap with Lawrence and Adam here...and I'm a lead Detective on the Jigsaw Case working for Homicide and with the FBI." It sounded grand and she was proud saying it, but she didn't want to be in this meeting right now discussing things related to what could be happening to Alison Kerry right now, possibly thanks to Mark.

"And her Uncle is Jigsaw." Daniel said into the silence. The owlish woman and the denim on denim man looked up at once. The others seemed to be aware already.

"Thanks Daniel." Ivy muttered shooting the teenager a look.

"I'm sorry, but I thought everyone should know. You're the best link we have into his mind, being related, and it's just cool that you're going to be the one to send him down. She saved my life." He added proudly to the group.

"How?" Asked Jeff his curiosity spiked.

Ivy opened her mouth to speak but Daniel interrupted happy to take the limelight. "Why don't we just, my name is Daniel Matthews, I was in the giant house filled with gas where everyone but me and Amanda Young survived. We sorta teamed up against another guy in the end who wanted to kill us so...I guess teamwork is good in Jigsaw games." His stab at humour was short-lived. Ivy did not understand the boy, he was nothing like Ivy had expected the brooding, ruffian son of Eric Matthews to act like. She thought him a troubled youth, a good boy but hardened by his no nonsense father. Seeing him revelling in the attention he was receiving was surprising. "After I survived and got the antidotes, delivered safely thanks to Ivy passing her test," He grinned at her and she smiled weakly thinking of how John had bluffed ahead of his own game. "I was put in a safe to be a part of my father's game. When it was over the first person I saw was Ivy. She made sure I got in an ambulance safely and introduced me to Lawrence over there. Both have been a great help for me and have really listened to what I've had to say. Something my own dad didn't do much." The youth trailed off into his thoughts before glancing up at Ivy again. "Have you heard anything at all?"

"Nothing so far, but he's a missing person not a victim so far." Ivy reassured quickly sort of glad Daniel had finally asked. She had expected him to grab her and demand to know some news as soon as he saw her.

"Yeah but time is stretching by. I don't hold out much hope. Amanda said he'd failed." Daniel said bleakly. This was new information.

"She said that?" Lawrence asked him gently. Daniel nodded. It wasn't good news to hear and held an even bleaker picture for Allison.

"Should we carry on round the circle?" Lawrence suggested, "There are two people here I am rather eager to meet."

Next was Adam. He said very few words. "I'm Adam. I'm the last member of this... bathroom crew here. I initially failed my test and was saved by Ivy." That was all he said. Adam looked at Ivy and squeezed her hand. It was more a case of him not knowing how much he should give away. "I spent days in that bathroom." He said finally a sombre shadow crossing his face.

"I remember hearing about you two." Sydney said. She seemed a little more confident now. "You two are a couple aren't you."

"We are." Ivy answered smiling at Adam.

"That is amazing." Sydney said her eyes looked reflective and Ivy knew she was thinking of her own trap. "A healthy relationship." The woman whispered so softly.

"If you failed why weren't you killed?" Asked Jeff. Ivy glared at him, Adam chuckled.

"I was going to be killed, I was left to starve in that bathroom. My test was un winnable." He declared dramatically. There was shocked silence.

"Like the latest guy?" Asked the denim on denim guy and Adam nodded.

"Yeah like him. But Ivy has the theory there." Adam said handing it back to Ivy who was just thrilled to be back in the spotlight.

"Basically Adam's key to his shackle was in the bathtub. But it emptied as soon as he woke up because the plug's chain was wrapped around his ankle. Naturally when he woke up he moved the plughole so he wouldn't drown and the key went right down the drain. Then he managed by an extraordinary stroke of luck to shove his arm down get the key and escape, though severely dehydrated. He literally ran out in front of me when I went out to look for him." She said it in a monotone just because she was so tired of explaining it all and lying to everyone's faces. All because it would mean knowing the location of the bathroom and the direct contact with Amanda.

The survivors all seemed very impressed with her story, even the owlish woman.

"You seem like a superhero." Said Daniel after a while and Ivy laughed out loud.

"No I am not." She said at once.

"Why don't you?" Asked Sydney and Ivy stared at her.

Ivy thought her answer through for a moment, "Because I don't. How am I any superior to any of you?" She asked them all.

"You saved someone's life." Said Sydney.

"You're working to bring down the man who attempted to kill you, who is also your Uncle." Mentioned Alison and the room began to feel a little hot for Ivy as her cheeks burned. "The stress of that must be all consuming compared to us who have just survived."

"And your dating me." Adam said as if she deserved an Olympic gold medal just for that. She smiled at him but still felt unworthy.

"Well thank you my ego feels much better." She smiled feeling a little more at ease in the group. She looked to Sydney. "Your turn, I must admit I've seen your case file a lot."

"It's weird when you talk about it that way." Sydney muttered. "I'm Sydney Johnson the lawnmower trap. I was against my abusive husband, it was me or him and I chose to live." There was nothing more to be said and so Jeff spoke.

"I'm Jeff Ridenhour, uh I was in a chair with drills on either side of my head. I had no way to escape as far as I could tell. Two police officers intervened, your Uncle was actually there and one of them shot the drills off the trap thing and released me. The poor fellow died in the pursuit of your Uncle." Jeff said his eyes drooping in remorse for the deceased officer he owed his life to. "You know him?" He asked.

"I didn't personally. But I know of him, his name was Steven Sing. There is a picture commemorating him and David Tapp on the walls in our department." Ivy shared hoping against hope Alison's picture wouldn't be joining them.

Next was the turn of the owlish woman, Ivy and Adam both leaned forwards. "My name is Julia. I know none of you have heard of me before but Lawrence contacted me personally about coming today. I survived but didn't want to go to the media or the police about it. I didn't want the attention some of you have received, and such attention would have ruined me." She looked meaningfully at Ivy and Adam.

"What was your game Julia?" Asked Lawrence. "Even I don't know." He informed the group, "I just located her on the off chance." It seemed a little strange to Ivy.

"I'm an actress and was tested because I, I slept with a few important people to get where I am today. You can't make it in an industry like television without stepping on a few people beneath you." She said grimly, Ivy could sympathise. "It was a game of chance, of luck because acting relies on you being lucky half the time, instead of resorting to cheating. It was chance whether the knife would slash me across my back or across my throat depending on if I chose the left lever in front of me or the right lever. I managed to chose correctly."

"I never expected to not know all of the survivors. It is sort of reckless." Ivy began not being able to help herself. I understand you not wanting the attention and all, I hate it. But we haven't been to your crime scene, there is no record of you because you didn't come forwards. There could have been valuable information at your crime scene which will be contaminated and useless now."

"I am sorry, I do see it from the police's point of view and I will tell you the location of my game. I just couldn't destroy my whole career, if I'm going to carry on valuing my life I need my reputation. It's such an easy thing to destroy."

"That is a lot of trust to place in all of us." Said Adam shrewdly.

"I guess I'm tired of bottling it all up to myself. Lawrence told me this was a place of trust." Julia answered. Ivy could not place any blame on the woman and nodded.

"I will also allow you to investigate my crime scene." Said the denim on denim man.

"Yes I am interested in you because I don't know who you are I'm afraid." Perked up Lawrence, Ivy could tell he was excited to see someone he hadn't invited himself.

"I am Mario." Replied the man and Adam instantly suppressed a snort of laughter. Ivy shot him a look to not be rude and he tried to sober although there was still a grin on his face. Mario seemed to not understand the cause for Adam's laughter and with encouragement from Lawrence who looked as if he would very much like to kill Adam, he carried on. "It's hardly noticeable I know, but I am an illegal immigrant and have lived in America for many years now. My wife and I came over for a better life and I started working for John Kramer in one of his engineering buildings, that's how he knew me but I didn't know him enough to realise anything was wrong."

"You worked for my Uncle? I thought he constructed his devices himself." Ivy asked sounding curious.

"No he was the creative mind behind them all, he wrote all the plans out and drew them all and we followed them. They were very detailed and very good. Nothing like the Jigsaw traps, he made sure none of his old workers would recognise his designs. It was around the time he became ill with cancer he went on a crazy bend, tried to kill himself and refused to work with our other boss Art Blank again. Just flat out refused to do it anymore." Mario finished his tale hesitantly and Ivy was sure there was more.

"That doesn't seem like it warrants a Jigsaw game." She said gently and Mario looked stricken for a moment before taking a deep breath and carrying on.

"No I did something else. When John Kramer quit I had to feed my family, all I was good at was engineering, that and driving. So I snuck back into the factory we were working at and stole some designs of John's and sold them to other engineering companies. I kept doing this for a while as John never came back to get his designs, till one night he caught me. Drugged me in that horrible pig mask costume and I woke up with a giant spike behind my back which was gonna impale me if I didn't get out in time. A giant spike featured in my best selling design I thought it was hugely ironic and I thought about coming to the police station many times but then the news released the statement saying it was John Kramer and that his niece had been tested, I thought if his own family wasn't safe from these games who was to say I was?" Mario finished his eyes on Ivy who assessed him cooly. "I know it was cowardly. I have the scar from that spike forever though." He said his eyes reflecting the horror of his trap.

"That crime scene could have led us to my Uncle much quicker than his own dramatic reveal of himself. Your trap was before mine then, you might have been able to stop us being tested." She lectured her eyes glinting.

"Ives." Adam warned passing an apologetic look to Mario who shook his head.

"I know it might have on reflection I thought of that too. Maybe I could have stopped something and maybe I couldn't. I was just living in fear of him coming back for me, my wife was confused she didn't know what had happened, I didn't want to alarm her with it all. The scarring was bad enough, I told her I injured myself doing a side job." Mario was becoming overcome and Ivy found she didn't have it in her to blame the poor man anymore.

"I apologise for Ivy. She is going through a lot today, her friend has gone missing recently."

All the survivors had grim looks on their faces, they all were thinking the same thing. "Do you think it was...him?" Asked Daniel tentatively. Ivy looked around the group of survivors, the people who had made it. She could imagine another chair opposite her where Allison was sitting looking as strong as ever.

"Yeah I think it is, she's the lead Detective on the Jigsaw case." Ivy told them and her voice hiccuped dangerously. All the women's hearts melted and the sympathy radiated off of them. Adam pulled her closer to him and she let him, it was a moment of tender bonding in the group. They could all feel it, their unity of surviving something much bigger than just their solitary game. Lawrence's ex wife was looking at him with a gleam of regret in her eyes which vanished instantly when the Doctor turned to her.

"Let us all just hope that the nine of us becomes ten." His voice was one of a leader motivating his troops, while at the same time they could have been at a funeral themselves. "Perhaps we should leave it there for today?" He asked the group, some nodded. Some like Daniel who had not really shared their stories looked a tiny bit disappointed. Lawrence looked at the group, "Do you think this is a good idea? Is this helping at all, I know I feel closer to all of you than ever."

There was silence before Adam spoke, "I like you guys." He said earnestly, "Especially you Mario you have the best name here by far." Mario looked confused as Ivy snorted in Adam's chest but thanked him anyway.

"I'm just happy I shared this with someone other than my carpet." Announced Julia and Mario agreed with her.

"It was too much." He conceded.

"But eventually you will need to tell your wife Mario." Reminded Lawrence using the tone of voice he gave to his patients. "I'm sure she will sympathise with you. The first step, so to speak, is coming here to us. Just remember to think of the positives that will come from what has happened to you and if you can't seem to find any then have a think. I know it surprised me when I thought I had nothing." Beside him Alison winced but Lawrence didn't notice her. He seemed relieved as if he had gotten a load off his chest. "Oh god now I sound just like those awful therapists don't I?"

The group laughed happy the tension was broken, "Yeah but I don't think you can help it, you're a Doctor." Said Daniel breezily and he got up and took a sandwich from the table. "Anyone else want one?"

Adam raised his hand and shared a grin with the teenager who tossed him one. "Damn it, cheese. I don't like cheese." Adam whined to Ivy who rolled her eyes, Julia caught it and smirked back at the Detective.

"Same time next week?" Asked Lawrence, there was a murmur of agreement and people began to rise slowly. Some began exchanging their numbers with Lawrence, Mario and Julia amongst them as Ivy stood back to watch. Adam had gone straight over to Daniel and was showing him the place where he had been shot, Daniel peering at it in admiration before the two beckoned her over. She kept her eyes on Lawrence as she did so, it was utterly ironic how this Doctor, the leader of this small band of misfit survivors was assisting the man they all solely had an encounter with. Learning about them, getting their details to keep in contact. If it had been Mark or Amanda or maybe even herself she wouldn't have been able to handle it. She would have jumped up and cried out shouting that they were in the presence of the enemy. But the shine of human empathy in Lawrence Gordon's eyes, even as he listened to her again told her they couldn't be safer than when they were with him. She knew he would be the one the survivors looked to, the one they took orders from, their lighthouse to guide them when they went astray.

"Ivy?" A female voice jarred Ivy from her thoughts and she stopped in her tracks turning to see Alison Gordon standing there, she looked ready to leave with her bag across her shoulder. "I just wanted to tell you to keep strong. You're a big part of this group now and Lawrence holds you in high regard. I must admit I was a little jealous of you when he first came back, saying how you helped to drag him along. Thank you, you kept him alive."

"We all kept each other alive." Ivy corrected with a small smile.

"Well take it from someone who knows what it's like to be waiting for someone who is missing to show up; you have to keep your mind sane. If you don't you'll lose yourself so to speak. I hope you find her." Alison reached out and touched her arm gently, her blonde hair fell in her face. She looked so tired to Ivy.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"I've got to give Diana over to Larry now." Alison continued awkwardly. "I'm going down to my parent's house for a bit. I haven't seen them since the divorce and I only did this because Larry said he needed as many people as he could for the first session to be honest."

Ivy nodded not really knowing what to say and offered another smile, Alison disentangled Larry from the group and the two went outside to pick up their daughter. Ivy finally walked over to Daniel and Adam.

"I can't believe you actually know Wrath of the Gods." Said Daniel in excitement, "They are one of my favourite bands."

"Yeah my best friend when I was younger is Scott Tibbs, we're sometimes in contact." Adam was glowing from the teen's admiration, "He tried to make his own version of a Jigsaw game recently, nearly died doing it."

"I'd say that's awesome if I hadn't been in one myself, what did he think he'd accomplish? What an idiot."

"My sentiments exactly." Said Ivy and Daniel grinned at her.

"I like you two. You're a way cooler couple than my family were." Daniel said casually, Ivy grimaced. She hated how he kept referring as if Eric was already dead.

"Thanks kid you're pretty cool yourself." Adam winked jabbing him in the sides.

"For a Scott Tibbs fan." Ivy joked earning herself an evil glare from both Adam and Daniel.

I thought there was a lot of scope for this chapter. The system of the meetings have to be introduced, everyone is in a tender mindset of course. Plus we get to meet some new characters in some traps of my own design. Bearing in mind this is still early on in the Jigsaw legacy no fancy traps yet haha. Still no word from Alison though :(

Read and review as always! Thank you so much to those who do, it helps so much when you might be letting other things distract you as I do.

I'm also going ahead and uploading Chapter 28 right now as my treat and apology! :D

xoxo