Hey guys! So, my roommate reminded me that I haven't updated in about a month sooo... here you go! So, fun fact, I turn 18 tomorrow :3 as a present, I'll try to update my Doctor Who fic and maaayyybeee start the backstory for a new fic :3

'What?' Ben asked, propping himself up on his left elbow to look at her.

'It's snowing,' Abby grinned childishly, pulling the curtain aside to show Ben the fat white flakes drifting down from the cloudy grey sky.

'Yeah,' Ben smiled. He pulled back his own curtain to look out. 'Hey, it looks like they're packing up camp.'

'Maybe they're worried about the skitters and mechs from the town we found your brother and Korinne in,' Abby suggested. She slipped off of her bed and padded over to Ben's. He obligingly slid to the end of the bed so she could sit next to him and peer out the window.

'More likely the Volm,' Ben replied. 'We barely got away from them in Boston. If they catch us again, it's off to Brazil.'

Abby shrugged. 'Either way, it looks like they want to get out of here.'

'Abby!' they heard the shriek from the front of the bus, accompanied by pattering feet.

'Colm!' Abby grinned. She hoisted the boy onto the bed, setting of a new round of hacking coughs.

'That sounds gross,' Matt said. He and Summer had boarded the bus after Colm and sat down on Abby's cot.

'It doesn't feel to good either,' Abby smiled.

'What's going on?' Ben asked Matt. 'Are we moving out?'

'First thing tomorrow morning,' Matt nodded. 'Weaver doesn't think it's safe here with the Volm, skitters, and mechs you guys ran into. We're going to go through that town with the fuel if scouts clear it and fill up, find what we can.'

'How are you guys feeling?' Summer asked, brushing her blonde hair out of her face in a surprisingly mature motion.

'Okay,' Abby smiled.

Ben shrugged. 'Not bad.'

'Oh yeah,' Matt said suddenly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out two packets of food. 'Dad said to give you guys these. It's too wet to build a fire.'

'Thanks,' Ben said, accepting the packages and giving one to Abby.

'Anne said we could come in, but only two or three at a time,' Matt said. 'So, basically, everyone will be stopping by throughout the day.'

Ben nodded. 'We can help pack up,' he said.

'No, you cannot,' Lourdes called from the back of the bus, where everyone had forgotten she was curled up on the couch, reading a book. 'Anne says no leaving the bus, especially not to do work like packing up camp. Remember your wrist, Ben.'

Ben sighed. 'It was worth a try.'

'Yeah, although that wasn't a very good one,' Lourdes retorted, snapping her book shut and walking forward to join them.

'We're gonna go now,' Matt said, hopping off of the bed and tugging Summer with him. 'Here's your lunch, Lourdes,' he added, handing her a third packet.

'Come on, Colm,' Summer said. 'Remember, we promised Anne we'd help clean up the tent.'

'Bye, Abby!' Colm called, hopping off of the bed and following Matt and Summer out of the bus.

Abby shivered as the open door let in a draft of cold air. 'It's a little chilly,' she said, after coughing several times.

'Just a little,' Lourdes smiled sympathetically before sitting down on Abby's vacated cot. 'How is your breathing?'

'Okay,' Abby shrugged.

'Make sure you keep drinking lots of water,' Lourdes instructed.

Abby nodded. 'I am.'

'Good,' Lourdes nodded. The three looked over as the door opened again and Jon and Korinne boarded the bus.

'Hey, guys,' Jon smiled.

'What do you want?' Ben grumbled, pulling his knees back up to his chest and glaring at Jon.

'I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're okay,' Jon sighed. 'And thank you for finding us and getting us out of that ghost town.'

'You're welcome,' Ben grumbled.

Jon sighed again. 'Look, Ben, I know that there's been a lot between us in the past. I know I haven't been there for you guys like an older brother should be. And I'm sorry. I wish I could change the past, but I can't. All I can do is change who I am and make a better future.'

Obstinately, Ben turned his head and stared out the window, ignoring his brother. Jon sighed a third time and threw up his hands. Korinne placed on hand on his shoulder and stepped towards Abby. Unnoticed, Lourdes stood and slipped into the back, picking up her book and opening it.

'Abby-bear?' Korinne smiled tentatively, pulling on her childhood nickname for her sister as she sat down on Abby's cot.

'Don't call me that,' Abby rolled her eyes. 'I'm not a little kid anymore.'

'I know,' Korinne's smile grew sad. 'I've noticed. You grew up.'

'No shit,' Abby shot back. 'I grew up while you ran off and did whatever the hell you wanted. I took care of Nate while Mom and Dad fought and argued and got a divorce. I grew up while our family tore itself apart.' She stood up and stared her older sister down as she continued to rant. 'I grew up when I came home from school one day to find Mom dead in the living room, ripped apart by mech bullets. I grew up when the skitters kidnapped me and put a harness on my back. I grew up when the rebel skitters cut off my harness and—' another bout of coughing cut off her words, causing her to double over as she hacked and tried to take in air.

'Okay, that's enough!' Lourdes exclaimed, dropping her book and hurrying to Abby's side. 'Both of you, out,' she ordered, helping Abby straighten up.

Wordlessly, her eyes filling with tears, Korinne jumped to her feet and hurried to the door, followed by Jonathan.

'Is she okay?' Ben asked, watching as Lourdes sat Abby down on her cot, keeping her body straight and lifting her arms over her head.

'I think so,' Lourdes replied over Abby's hacking. 'If this doesn't calm down in a few minutes, though, I'm going to need you to get Anne.'

Ben waited as Lourdes attempted to calm Abby's breathing and coughing. After almost two minutes, the hacking began to abate, to Ben and Lourdes's relief. After another few seconds, Abby began to breathe normally again, only coughing every few breaths. She was crying and gasping, her breath rattling in her chest.

'It's okay,' Lourdes soothed. She sat down on the bed next to Abby, wrapping on arm around her shoulders and stroking her hair. 'Just calm down. You're going to be fine.'

Abby let her arms drop into her lap and slumped against Lourdes, clearly exhausted. She continued to take in deep gulps of air, coughing every few breaths. She sobbed into Lourdes's shoulder.

'Abby?' Lourdes said, leaning away from her to try to peer at her face. 'How are you feeling?'

'I'm okay,' Abby said, pushing away from Lourdes. 'Thank you.'

'Sure,' Lourdes nodded. She stood up and bustled to the water tank, filling a cup with water and handing it to Abby. 'Drink this.'

Abby accepted the cup and drank it slowly, managing not to cough water out. 'Thank you,' she repeated, handing the cup back to Lourdes.

'Of course,' Lourdes set the cup on top of the tank. 'Maybe you should try to get some sleep.'

'No, it's okay,' Abby replied. 'I'm fine now. I don't want to sleep right now; if I do, I won't be able to tonight.'

'Okay,' Lourdes nodded. 'Just try to keep calm for now. I'll be in the back if you need me.'

Lourdes returned to the back of the bus, settling back down on the couch and picking up her book.

'Hey,' Ben murmured, too softly for Lourdes to hear.

'Yeah?' Abby replied, equally soft.

'Are you okay?' Ben whispered.

'I don't know,' Abby let out a shaky breath. 'I just can't deal with Korinne right now.'

Ben nodded. 'I know how you feel. Sounds like we feel about the same about our older siblings.'

Abby smiled and let out a tiny chuckle. 'Sounds like.' She paused and sat in silence, her back to the wall of her side of the trailer, legs crossed, staring at Ben, who was sitting still with his legs pulled up to his chest and his arms crossed over them, his head resting on his arms and turned towards Abby. 'Hey,' Abby said as Ben started to turn away.

'Yeah?' Ben asked, looking back at Abby.

'Can I sit with you?' she asked, her eyes threatening to spill over with tears again.

'Sure,' Ben nodded, scooting back. Abby stood up and slipped across the aisle, sitting down on the bed in front of Ben, her back to him. Wordlessly, he moved his legs and she scooted back, leaning against his chest and resting her head on his shoulder. Ben wrapped his arms around her shoulders, resting his chin on the top of her head.

'Who's that?' Abby asked, pointing out the window. 'Those guys Dallon and Harlem are with.'

'Those are the Berserkers,' Ben replied. 'The one who found you guys in the woods is Pope, their leader. The big one with the plaid jacket is Lyle. Tector is the one with the ponytail, and Anthony is the black guy.'

'Berserkers?' Abby repeated. 'What's that supposed to mean?'

'All they care about is killing as many skitters as they can,' Ben explained. 'They don't care what it takes.'

'What were they before all this?' Abby asked. 'What made them like that?'

'Well, Pope was a convict,' Ben chuckled. 'Tec was a former Marine sniper. Anthony was in the Boston PD. I don't know about Lyle, though.'

'Is it okay for Dallon and Harlem to be around them?' Abby asked, concerned.

'Probably,' Ben grinned. 'Matt hangs around them a lot. They're definitely not very good influences, but Dallon and Harlem can handle themselves, I'm sure.'

Abby let out a soft, wheezing laugh. 'Sure they can.'

'It seems like you and Jimmy kind of… parent the other kids,' Ben said as they watched Dallon and Harlem help the Berserkers pack up their mini-camp.

'Kind of,' Abby shrugged awkwardly. 'I was the first. The first of us deharnessed, that is. Then it was Amanda, Harlem, Colm, Dallon, Jimmy, and Mariah. When it was just me, Amanda, Harlem, and Colm, I kind of acted like a mother to them. We packed up, and became a family, and I ended up in charge because I was the oldest. When Dallon packed up with us, he didn't really care about what was going on; he just wanted the family, and the connection. When Jimmy joined us, he kind of started fathering the pack because it was just the role he fit into. Even though Dallon is older than us, he isn't very authoritative so he was happy to let me and Jimmy be in charge.'

'Huh,' Ben nodded. 'You guys have an interesting dynamic.'

'Yeah,' Abby laughed. 'We do.'