The sun was still up but it was casting an orange glow over everything now as the time grew later with every passing minute. They were in a desert like area with hardly any grass and no pathway between the two towns, it was probably a nice place to sunbathe and have a picnic with family on any other day and there was a road that was the only thing that connected the different towns together. It was on this very road that the two girls were settled, one of them lying in a puddle of her own blood, the other kneeling beside of her, holding her hand and using the other to push down on the open wound that had caught her somewhere between the chest and stomach. Not far from there, where the ocean started after just a small dip from land, the hydra was walking further into the water, focussed on something invisible over the horizon, walking until it was neck deep and then until it was completely under and hidden from view. For a moment she could still see it moving under the water but then she couldn't see anything but the gentle waves lapping against the side.

Dekka watched the hydra disappear finally before she turned back to Emily, pushing hardly on the wound and hoping to close it up while her other hand continued to squeeze her fingers. It helped to have her power back. Their power was stronger and she was increasing gravity rather than lifting it, making it harder for the blood to pool out of her body. She wanted to help but there was nothing else to do apart from slow it down. She couldn't heal people like Lana could and she wasn't a doctor or a nurse. She couldn't even get Emily to a doctor in time considering how much she was bleeding and what excuse she would have to give to a hole in her stomach... She needed a nurse... She needed a doctor... She needed someone who could be trusted but with some form of medical knowledge. No, Dekka would have been happy with someone they couldn't trust as long as they waved Emily.

"Nurse! Nurse Temple!" Dekka gasped, leaning down to see Emily flutter her eyelids open at the sound of her voice. "Emily? Emily can you use your powers just once more? I need you to take us both to someone. Nurse Connie Temple is in Perdido Beach and she can help you."

Emily mumbled something, blinking up at her in confusion before her eyes began to roll back into her head once more. She had been fading in and out of conscious and Dekka had no idea when she would fade completely.

"No! Emily! Stay awake!" Dekka snapped, pushing harder on her wound in an attempt to give some pain that would help her stay concious.

Emily blinked and tried to focus but she couldn't. She couldn't do anything. Her breath hurt and she wanted to hold her breath but that hurt even more. Her body was cold, her lips were so numb they barely moved and when they did they slurred so much nothing she said made any sense. Even her tongue was heavy and numb, blood in her mouth that made her feel like it was full and her mind was full of things she wished she could have done.

She was still a virgin... No, Emily wanted to meet someone and have amazing sex everyone always talked about before she died.

She hadn't fixed her relationship with her brother... Emily and Brother always fought and he seemed to hate her more during the FAYZ and she didn't care before but now she was dying it seemed to click that she was going to die with him hating her!

She hadn't apologised to her parents... Their relationship was just as rocky since the FAYZ but Emily had been more snooty to them than anyone in the past few days.

She hadn't gotten in touch with Rebecca... They had been best friends when they were younger but had slowly drifted apart when Emily was home schooled. They always promised to get back in touch but never did.

She hadn't travelled... Emily wanted to go to Africa more than anywhere, she wanted to go there and meet the people and the animals, see the sights and places.

She wanted a tattoo... Since she was little, Emily wanted a tattoo of an eagle on her back, one of those sexy tattoos you saw on movie stars when they stripped.

She wanted to be a photographer... Emily wanted to travel all over the world and take professional pictures of the amazing monuments at different places that would be printed in magazines.

There were so many things that Emily had wanted to do and now she wasn't going to get the chance because she was going to die here in the dirt in the middle of nowhere. Dekka was kneeling beside her, talking fast and quickly but Emily couldn't make out what she was trying to say.

"Emily!" Dekka snapped.

"Wuh..." Emily managed to mumble, she tasted blood in her mouth. Or at least she thought she tasted blood. Maybe it was her imagination.

Dekka's words were finally getting through when Emily forced herself to focus and she could speak properly if she put all her energy into it.

"Take us to Connie Temple!" Dekka snapped loudly in her ear. "Can you do that?" She spoke slowly and clearly. "Can. You. Take us. To Connie. Temple!"

Emily blinked and tried to stay awake but the darkness was clouding her vision. She heard her saying a woman's name. Did Dekka want Emily to go there? Could she even try when she was dying? It was worth a shot. Maybe she would be able to do one last thing before she died.

Emily wanted to shut her eyes to concentrate but when she did Dekka nudged her and demanded she stay awake. And Emily wasn't sure she would be able to open them again if they did close. So she stared up at the plain sky and tried to focus on the name instead, picturing it in front of her and saying it over and over in her mind. It was clear in her mind but it was hard to hold onto. Her mind kept drifting to the list of things she had not yet achieved. But she forced herself to pay attention on the name and directed her powers through the hand that Dekka was clinging on to.

And then the hard, hot, dirty ground became a warm soft blanket under her body, a cream coloured carpet in a small house with pictures and sensible furniture surrounding them. It was small but comfortable looking and nice and cool compared to the hot land outside. For a moment there was pure silence as they both lay there, panting and gasping, realising her powers had somehow worked.

Then they heard a shriek and looked up at the doorway not a foot away from Emily's limp foot.

"Miss Temple?" Dekka said slowly to the woman standing over them with wide open eyes and a mouth hanging open. "Please... Can you save her?"

G*O*N*E

Caine and Diana were the first ones back. They hadn't caught anything; they hadn't seen anything and neither of them seemed to care very much either way. Roger and Quinn greeted them quickly before they went back to what they were doing. Now that the list was done, Roger came up with the idea of calling those with powers and warning them about the threat and telling them if they helped there was a chance to get their powers back. So far, out of the long list they had created, only two mutants were now searching for their powers. Jill had convinced her brother to search with her after a long time of begging and a boy who could make himself glow in the dark who was now afraid of the dark wanted to get his powers back. They were searching their home towns and towns near them, Jill and her brother still lived in Perdido Beach while the boy had moved to Miami after the incident.

"We'll leave you to work." Diana mumbled as soon as their backs were turned, struggling over the mattresses still lay out on the floor. As soon as she was in the kitchen she grabbed two glasses of water and two bags of cheese and onion crisps before she struggled back over and joined Caine in the bedroom.

"That was hard work." Caine said sarcastically. "We didn't find anything. And we might have if you didn't keep holding me back."

"Do you want to end up in prison? In God knows what kind of laboratory?" Diana demanded.

Caine knew where this was going and decided to end the argument quickly before it begun. With a wave of his hand the drinks and crisps were taken from her hands and placed gently on the side counter. Then a second wave and Diana yelped as she was pulled forward to the bed until she was practically lying on top of him and Caine could lean up and kiss her.

Diana hesitated before pushing away from him. "You. Are. Injured!"

"I'm also very excited." Caine smirked. "Look, we don't know what's going to happen. We don't know how this is going to lay out. So... Let's take advantage of the time we have."

"Why are you talking like that?" Diana whispered. "Did you have another dream?"

"No." Caine lied smoothly. "I just don't want anything to happen without getting what I want like old times. I miss being in charge and getting what I want, when I want."

Diana wasn't sure whether or not to believe him. He was too good a liar and she had so many reasons to doubt him. But at the same time she almost agreed. What if one of them were to die tomorrow? Caine had died already, she didn't want to lose him again and she wanted to show him just how much she wanted him around. And Caine was right. In the end, no matter what it was, he always got what he wanted.

An invisible pressure forced Diana down until they were kissing again. He was so impatient. This time she allowed herself the smallest moment of relaxing before her arms found their way around his neck and his hands rested on the back of her hips. She barely reacted when her clothes were being slipped off by Caine's power. But she did pause to tie her hair up out of the way and help Caine undress to make it more romantic.

They made love with Quinn and Roger in the next room, neither caring if they were heard, though they did keep the sound down just a little. It was almost like their first time. It hurt Diana at first, and it actually hurt Caine because sex wasn't easy with his ribs so badly damaged, but it didn't stop either of them from continuing long after the time when everyone else was supposed to come back came and went.

When they were done it was late. The sun was starting to really set, leaving a darker and darker sky and Diana assumed the others had come home while they were distracted. She lay next to him in the bed, her head on the pillow and her body stretched out so the covers covered her body but allowed her legs and arms to breathe the cold air around the room. Her hair had mostly come out and even now her body still felt a rush of excitement and shivers. Beside of her, Caine was lying, a mixture of aching and satisfaction on his face. He rolled onto his side, wincing slightly, before leaning over and kissing Diana hard on the mouth.

She pushed him away just as his hands began to wander once more. "Once is enough for you."

"For now." Caine smirked and lay back down, stretching his sore limbs over his head.

"I'm going to get a hot drink." Diana said.

She climbed from the bed, letting the covers fall down off her body. She knew Caine was watching her and so as not to tease him anymore, quickly pulled on her silk robe, tying it around her body and heading for the door.

"Do you want anything?" Diana asked, looking back at him. Caine raised an eyebrow and she smirked. "To drink."

"No." Caine said with another smirk and shut his eyes, no doubt remember what had just happened.

Diana rolled her eyes and left the room, making sure to shut the door behind her. She ignored Quinn and Roger and went to the kitchen area. After a glance she saw the blush on Quinn's face and knew they had heard them. It was also probably why Roger was doing his best not to look at them. Diana suddenly had the urge to make them more uncomfortable. Why not have some fun?

"Are you still a virgin, Quinn?" Diana asked.

"What?" Quinn blinked, blushing again.

"I mean, Roger clearly can't be. Not with the way him and Edilio cuddle at night." Diana grinned when Roger froze and his ears turned red. "But what about you?"

Quinn, after another moment, finally realised she was messing with him and angrily turned back to the list in front of him.

Diana laughed loudly and headed over the made up beds once more and towards her bedroom with a hot tea in hand. She paused at the knock on the front door and casually swung it open, expecting Dekka or Emily to be returning with a mutated animal but instead found Ripley leaning against the door and smirking. As soon as the door was open he casually slid her foot in the way of the door to keep her from closing it again.

"Why, hello, Princess." Ripley said. "I have a warrant to search your house." He held out the piece of paper.

G*O*N*E

The streets were by far empty. There were at least half a dozen people that were walking, running or standing around and talking to friends or family when Sam, Edilio and Kevin all ran down the street as fast as their legs would carry them. None of them wanted to take Gaia down to where innocent people would be waiting but they had no other choice. They couldn't turn around with her following them and there was a limited supply of places where they could run. So instead they had to settle for shouting and screaming at those around them to run before they finally did as told when they saw Gaia for themselves. A few people froze, so shocked they didn't move but Gaia quickly picked them up and threw them, or burned some part of their body and that got everyone else running along with them.

The run was tiring but adrenaline kept them going, especially when others died around them. Sam made sure to be behind Kevin and Edilio, as well as the many innocent people that were charging ahead, screaming in fear, but it wouldn't make much of a difference. He didn't have any powers to save himself or them in front or the people around them. He needed his powers, or some kind of a weapon. How could he have been stupid enough to leave it at home, today of all days when he was hunting dangerous animals? Maybe Edilio or Kevin remembered to pack something.

"EDILIO!" Sam gasped, his sides straining from the effort and it was hard to talk when all his breath was being used to keep running. "Weapon!"

"In... My... Bag..." Edilio struggled to swing the bag over his shoulder and dig into it while keeping us speed. He had just unzipped the bag when his foot hit Toto's bird cage and he was thrown forward onto the ground in the road just as a car was heading straight towards of him. The drivers eyes were on Gaia bird and he wasn't even going to try and stop to avoid Edilio.

Toto's cage lay on the ground on its side, a black puddle surrounded it. Someone must have knocked it over at some point or looked in at it and he died from the strangers around him while they were still watching the Gaia fairy in the shop.

Sam didn't have time to worry over the real Toto, whether or not he was now like Sinder or maybe worse. All he had time to worry about was Edilio. Sam scrambled over to the road, grabbing Edilio just as he was climbing back onto his feet and dragging him out of the way just in time, his heel feeling the car shoot by his side. They landed in a heap on the side and Sam snatched for the now open bag. Hair bands, belts and a small amount of rope had already fallen out but somehow the large table leg was still safely inside.

Sam snatched the leg and swung it in front of him but the Gaia fairy was already heading in the opposite direction, back down the street and after the still running Kevin.

Sam swore and climbed to his feet, darting across the road after them. Edilio stumbled behind him but was stalled when he was nearly hit by another car on his way. Soon they were running in a line, one after another. Kevin taking the lead as he forced his legs to move faster than he had in the FAYZ, followed by Gaia flying the whole way with eyes on Kevin and hands stretched forward like she was a real baby and Kevin was her new toy she wanted to shake above her head. Behind her, Sam was waving his leg in front of him and trying to shout while running to get her attention away from Kevin. And behind Sam, Edilio was hurrying to catch up, gasping as he dragged the bag along behind of him.

"Gaia!" Sam gasped. His voice was small from pure exhaustion. "Hey! You! Look!"

But she ignored him, intent on only catching Kevin. She flashed forward, suddenly fast and grabbed Kevin's arm. He shouted in shock and somehow twisted and kicked her away from him, falling forward and running until he was sure his heart was going to burst from his chest along with his lungs. He tripped over his own two feet and fell forward onto his stomach. He scrambled back up, forcing his body to crawl as he struggled to get back onto his feet again.

Gaia grabbed his ankles before he was fully up and pulled him into the air with her, seconds before Sam was in swinging range. He tried to hit her feet, either distract her, or hurt her, or even just make her lose her balance so she would let Kevin go. Instead Kevin dangled in her grip, screaming and shouting now as he struggled in her grip to break himself free but she held him at such an angle where his feet couldn't reach her.

"Let him go you son of a bitch!" Sam snapped, waving the table leg.

Edilio ran up to his side. He had zipped the bag up again and was now using the bag itself as a weapon, swinging it by the handle and getting dangerously close to Gaia Fairy so that she could see him.

"Edilio! Stand back!" Sam snapped.

Too late. Gaia waved her hand and threw Edilio so far back with a power like Caine's that Sam couldn't see him anymore in the distance. He hoped he hadn't broken anything but he had no time to check. Gaia was turning Kevin around and holding his shoulders in her hands, she stared at him as he struggled in her grip. Her eyes began to shine and Kevin's eyes began to burn inside his socket. He shrieked so loudly. His voice, the way he was squirming. Suddenly Sam got an image of E.Z. being eaten alive by the Zekes and Sam was helpless to help him. Then, as if things couldn't be anymore horrifying, Gaia lifted her hand and touched Kevin's shoulder, a light very much like Sam's was burning through, cutting his arm cleanly off while his eyes continued to melt.

Sam ran until he was directly under Gaia, no longer caring about his own safety. Kevin's screams made him deaf to everything else around him and he drove the leg directly up, hitting Gaia hard on the bottom and knocking her off balance. She dropped Kevin into a screaming, sobbing pile on the ground, bleeding heavily from his eyes and his arm.

Gaia turned to him, raised a hand but Sam threw the leg and it hit her in the jaw, knocking her backwards and spinning her at the same time. He grabbed Kevin by his good arm, the other was hanging on by a thread of skin, and dragged him down the street while Gaia spun in the air, pushing him roughly behind a garden hedge and pulling him out of view of the Gaia Fairy that had slowly pulled herself to a stop. She glanced around but for some reason didn't search for them, even with Kevin obviously screaming in pain she turned and began to fly into the air until she was gone from sight looking for her next victim


38) Should Kevin live?

I'm still not sure whether or not Emily is going to make it. Neither am I sure with Kevin... Help me make up my mind! :D

Oh and I'm glad so many of you think I did a good job with Emily.