A/N so I realized that I haven't updated in AGES, therefore be prepared for a mass upload of the rest of this fic. Hope ya'll enjoy!

With a sigh, Lourdes shut her book and set it down on the couch. She stood and wandered to the front of the trailer, pausing when she reached Ben and Abby. Ben was sitting up, leaning against the wall partition behind his cot. Abby was curled up further down the cot, her head resting on Ben's knee. They were both sound asleep. With a small smile, she picked up one of the blankets from Abby's cot and tucked it around the girl. She picked up a second blanket and pulled Ben forward slightly to wrap it around his shoulders. As she was leaning Ben back against the partition, the door of the bus opened and Anne stepped in, followed by Tom.

'Hey,' Lourdes smiled. 'I think they just fell asleep.'

'That's good,' Anne nodded, resting a hand on first Abby's then Ben's forehead. 'No fevers. Hopefully nothing comes out of this.'

'Like?' Tom prompted.

'A virus,' Anne replied. 'Pneumonia. Or, like I'm worried about with Abby, bronchitis.' She turned to Lourdes. 'How were they? Anything happen while I was gone?'

'Um, a little after Matt brought us lunch, Jonathan and Korinne stopped by,' Lourdes replied.

Tom sighed. 'Did Ben and Jonny fight?'

'Not really,' Lourdes shook her head. 'Ben mostly shut him out. It was Abby and Korinne who had a problem. Abby kind of flipped out on Korinne and had some sort of lung spasm. She couldn't stop coughing for a few minutes, and was having trouble breathing. She was really upset and crying, too. I had Korinne and Jonathan leave, and once Abby calmed down, she was basically fine. She coughed a few times, but her breathing was fine. I checked her with a stethoscope a little while ago, and it didn't sound like anything had changed.'

'Okay,' Anne nodded. 'That's a little disconcerting in and of itself because it means her lungs aren't clearing out on their own, at least not yet. Why don't you head over to the main fire for dinner; we'll be there son.' She brushed Abby's hair out of her face gently, looking down at the girl's peaceful face as Lourdes left the bus.

With a gasp, Abby started, her wide brown eyes flying open and looking up at Anne's face. 'Oh,' she breathed. 'Anne. It's just you.'

'Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you,' Anne said.

Ben stirred and opened his eyes as Abby sat up; he blinked sleepily at his father and Anne. 'What's going on?' he asked, sitting up slightly straighter.

'We just wanted to see if you guys were hungry for dinner,' Tom smiled at his son.

'I'm starving,' Ben groaned, stretching, the blanket slipping off of his shoulders.

'I'm okay,' Abby shrugged. 'I'm probably just going to sleep some more.'

'I'd like you to eat a little something,' Anne prompted. 'Pope scrounged up some chicken and dumplings.'

'Well, I'm pretty sure it's actually fish and dumplings, but it's still good food,' Tom smiled.

'Why don't you at least come out and sit with us and see if you can get something down?' Anne suggested.

'Okay,' Abby relented.

'Great,' Anne smiled. 'Ben, your shoes are in the other section. I'll get them. Abby, I'm afraid you weren't wearing shoes when Tom and Lyle brought you in.'

'One of them got trapped under the bike when I pulled my foot out,' Abby nodded. 'I must have lost the other one while we were running through the forest. Do you have my clothes?'

'Yes, I do, but they're in pretty bad shape,' Anne sighed. 'I'm not sure we'll be able to get them clean. They're covered in mud and some blood, and they're ripped up. I was just planning to throw them away.'

'That's okay,' Abby said. 'There's just something in the pocket of my shorts that I want.'

'Okay,' Anne nodded. 'I'll grab them while I get Ben's shoes.'

'Unfortunately, we don't have any other shoes for you,' Tom said, looking at Abby. 'Would you mind if I carried you out?'

'I guess,' Abby sighed. They waited until Anne returned with Ben's shoes and Abby's shorts.

'Here you go,' she smiled, handing their clothing to them. Ben wordlessly pulled on his shoes while Abby reached into the back pocket of her shorts. With a relieved smile, she pulled out a small card.

'Good, it's still here,' Abby smiled, looking down at the card.

'What is it?' Anne asked.

'My mom's driver's license,' Abby smiled fondly. 'She had just gotten it renewed, so she gave me her old one. When I went back to the house and found her dead, I grabbed it and ran. It's all I have left of her.'

Anne nodded sympathetically. 'I understand why it's so precious to you. I don't have anything of my son or husband, and that's hard.' She smiled down at Abby. 'Come on,' she said suddenly. 'Let's get out there while there's still some food left.'

Ben slipped off of the cot, wincing as he landed on his right leg. Abby scooted to the edge of the cot so Tom could pick her up. The four left the trailer and headed for the fire burning in the center of the clearing, around which they could clearly see the rest of the 2nd Mass. When they approached, Ben snuck up behind Hal and Maggie, scaring them by smacking his hands down on their shoulders, causing those nearby to start laughing. Ben settled down between Hal and Matt as Tom set Abby down between Jimmy and Colm. Tom and Anne disappeared and returned carrying two plasticware bowls each. Tom handed one to Ben before sitting down between Maggie and Korinne, while Anne handed one to Abby and sat down between Jonathan and Dallon.

'Hey!' Jeanne smiled at Abby from a few spaces down the fire. 'How are you feeling?'

'Better, thank you,' Abby smiled gratefully as she poked at her food.

'Don't think too hard about what's in it,' Jimmy whispered. 'I'm pretty sure you don't want to know.'

Abby smiled, staring down into her bowl. She listened to the conversations going on around her: playful banter between the Mason boys, jokes exchanged by the boys of her pack, bragging comparisons of skitter kills by the Berserkers, the childish chatter of Colm and Lexie. She didn't tune into any of the conversations, instead focusing on her bowl of soup as a roaring built up in her ears.

'Abby?' she heard the call through the rushing sound. 'Abby?' she recognized Ben's voice, felt his hands grip her shoulders. She focused on his face, blinking rapidly as his features solidified in front of her. She saw Anne crouching beside Ben, and felt Jimmy's arm around her waist.

With a gasp, she dropped her bowl, the soup splattering onto Ben's shoes and pants. She looked down to find her hands shaking. She whipped her head around and stared across the river. 'Something's coming.'

Shakily, Abby rose to her feet, Ben and Jimmy supporting her.

'What's coming?' Tom demanded, appearing beside Anne. 'Abby?'

'Abby, honey, can you hear us?' Anne said. She pushed her way in between Ben and Jimmy, resting the back of one hand on Abby's forehead. Abby's eyes had unfocused again, and she stared unblinking past Ben, into the fire.

'Oh!' Jimmy yelped, turning towards the river as his spikes came to life, shining a brilliant blue. He heard Ben gasp as his spikes activated as well. The other spiked children reacted as their spikes lit up, almost lighting the clearing with their bright glow.

'Ben?' Tom asked, moving around Anne to stand next to his son. 'Ben, what is it?'

'Samson,' Ben breathed, turning his head towards Tom. Tom became alarmed when he saw Ben's face; his eyes were wide with terror, and unfocused like Abby's.

'What does he want?' Tom looked around at the terrified faces of the spiked children. Weaver had appeared at his side, and Pope stood slightly behind him.

'What the hell is going on?' Pope growled, looking at the children. Abby had paled, her pasty white skin hued blue by the glow of her pack's and Ben's spikes, and was starting to shake more violently.

'Good question,' Weaver said. 'Anne?'

'I have no idea,' Anne replied. 'All I can tell is that it's connected to their spikes.'

'Hey!' Pope shouted, pointing his gun at Dallon and Harlem as they began to stride towards the river.

Weaver pushed the barrel of the gun down, pointing it at the ground. 'No shooting unless it looks like they're going to give us over to the enemy.'

'Samson is with the rebellion,' Tom protested. 'They won't betray us to anyone.'

Weaver watched the smaller children begin to head towards the river as well, Ben, Abby, and Jimmy remaining stock still and intertwined by the fire. 'What the hell does the rebellion want with those kids?'

'Who knows,' Tom sighed. He glanced at Ben when he felt the boy stir; Ben dropped his hands from Abby's shoulders as he began moving towards the river. Seconds later, Jimmy did the same. Abby stood, shaking violently, before turning and stumbling after the boys. Her back was lit with uneven lights barely shining through her heavy sweater.

'W-what's wrong?' Korinne whimpered, gripping Jonathan's arm as she watched her sister and the other children move towards the river.

Most of the 2nd Mass followed them, hanging back at Weaver's order. Tom, Weaver, and Pope moved slightly closer than the rest of the group. To their shock, they saw a bulky figure striding across the ice that covered the river.

'I'm guessing that's this Samson fellow?' Weaver growled to Tom, leveling his gun.

Samson cut an imposing silhouette. He was big and bulky, although not tall, considering his bottom half looked like a skitter's. As he approached, the light from the distant fire and the nine children's spikes illuminated his face; around the edges, his face had grown out, extending into that of a skitter. His facial features remained human, but were mostly covered with skitter skin, as was his chest.

Samson growled as he approached, and Abby stepped to the head of the group, turning around to face the onlookers. 'I speak through Abigale only to provide the humans with the privilege of the information I am about to share with the spike-backs.'

'Thank you!' Tom called. 'We appreciate it.'

'You may not feel the same way when you hear what I have to say,' Samson said through Abby. He turned to the group of children, Abby moving with him. 'It is time. I have come as representative of the rebellion. Our offensive is prepared. You must return with me to assist in the attack.'

Anne gasped and hurried forward until Tom stopped her. 'No!' she cried. 'You can't take them!'

Samson and Abby's heads swiveled towards her. 'You do not order us, human. The spike-backs are to return with me to the rebellion in order to assist us in our largest assault to date on the Espheni.'

'Why don't you give them a choice?' Anne challenged. 'Let them choose whether or not they want to come with you.'

'That is not how it works,' Samson replied through Abby. 'They will come with us.'

'Give them the choice,' Anne demanded. 'They aren't your slaves! That's how the Espheni work, not you! What, are you afraid they'll say no?'

Samson and Abby froze, proving that Anne had struck a chord. 'Of course not,' they replied, trying to cover up the misstep. 'They would choose us.'

'Then prove it,' Anne retorted. 'Let them choose.'

Samson paused again, the seconds ticking by as he pondered Anne's words. Finally, he and Abby inclined their heads. 'Very well.'

Suddenly, the blue light of the spikes vanished, and the children all visibly relaxed. Abby dropped to the ground on the river bank, and Ben rushed forward to help her up, leading her back to the group.

'No!' Jimmy shouted, stepping in front of Mariah and Amanda. 'We're not going with you!'

'We're not going to fight your war for you,' Abby said through chattering teeth.

'We're not cannon fodder,' Ben added.

Tom felt pride swell inside his chest as his son challenged the brute standing before them. He watched as Ben easily scooped Abby up; she was still shaking and her socks were undoubtedly soaked through. She wrapped her arms around his neck, shivering violently.

All of the children were silent for a few moments. 'No!' Jimmy cried suddenly.

Abby bit her lip, looked at Ben, then craned her neck to see Jimmy. 'Let's make a deal,' she said firmly. 'If me, Jimmy, Dallon, and Harlem go with you, you leave everyone else alone.'

'No!' Anne cried, earning a glare from Abby over Ben's shoulder.

'Anne, wait,' Abby said firmly before turning back to Samson. 'What do you say? Me and the boys for everyone else?'

Silence fell in the clearing once again, until Abby broke it. 'No. The deal is like I said. That or nothing.'

'I'll go,' Ben said.

'No,' Abby scowled at him and smacked him on the back of the head. 'Me, Jimmy, Dallon, Harlem. Deal or no deal?'

This time, the silence was deafening, then a rumbling voice rang out: 'No deal.' It took a few minutes for the onlookers to realize the voice had come from Samson. Several guns were raised, although they didn't have a clear shot past the children, and pointed at Samson as he turned and skittered back across the ice. However, the children's spikes remained unlit and none of them moved.

Anne broke away from Tom and rushed forward. 'What's going on?' she demanded, resting one hand on Ben's shoulder and the other on Abby's head.

'He's letting us stay,' Ben replied, dumbfounded. 'He's not going to make us go with him.'

'Why?' Anne asked, watching Samson's figure receding across the icy river.

'I don't know.'