Season Two: Episode Five (Love and Other Acts of Courage)

Ericka held her gun close, watching the area surrounding them. It was only her, Dai, Lyle, Boon, Tom, Captain Weaver, and now Rick. They were going in blind to find him. Rick's spikes were glowing, just like Ben's had been at the warehouse. She stepped over the arm of a dead Skitter. They walked slowly, following Rick. "What exactly are we supposed to be looking for?" Boon questioned in an irritated tone. "Don't know." Lyle replied. They continued their conversation.

"Maybe that." Boon gestured to Rick. "Spikes are glowing." Lyle noted. Ericka rolled her eyes at the older men. "Maybe if you shut your mouths, you'd find something." she remarked. Earlier, she confessed to Tom that she saw Ben's spikes glow like Hal did. And this morning, she saw him leave. After pleading with him to let her come along, he finally agreed. Rick suddenly stopped, looking down, then back up. "He's near." he said emotionlessly. "Ben?" Tom questioned.

"Yes, Ben's here too." Rick replied. This confused everyone, especially Tom. "Wait, Ben's here with somebody else?" he interrogated the boy. "This way!" shouted Rick, running off. Without another thought, we all followed after him. He led us through a tunnel and to another opening. The fighters suspiciously eyed every corner, checking for Skitters or Mechs. He knelt on the ground by the door, touching something. "Here," He said, standing up and opening the door. They went inside some sort of room. It was dark, only the light from the open door lit up the place. "Ben? It's dad! Are you hurt?" he called out to his son.

"Dad! Just go away." Ben replied. Ericka noticed a faint trace of blood on the ground. Was that Ben's blood? Or something else's? "Ben, it's me Rick, I brought them here." He explained. Ben sounded panicked, frazzled even. He poked his head out from behind the post his was hiding behind. "Why would you do that?" he questioned, a mixture of hurt and confusion in his voice.

"Because he needs their help, otherwise he'll die and everything that he worked for will all be lost." Rick said. Ben suddenly stepped out, pointing the gun at them. All of the fighters pointed their guns at him, even Ericka. "I'm not going to let you hurt him!" Ben shouted. "Hurt who, Ben?" asked Tom. He tried to remain calm, but Tom was so confused. What was his son doing way out here? And with Rick? A Skitter stepped out from its hiding spot. It looked ill, as if it were about to faint or fall over and die. The spikes on both of the boys' backs lit up, glowing blue. "No, it's not possible!" Tom shouted, inching forward and holding up his gun. "No! No!" Ben yelled. "Lower your weapon, professor." Rick ordered. Ericka suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Ben was working with the Skitters, he was protecting them. "I know this Skitter! He was on the ship with me, he tried to kill me!" Tom roared, swaying back and forth. The Skitter made an odd noise causing Ben looked back at the Skitter for a moment. Then he turned back to his father. "They saved you, professor. They saved you from death; you know this to be true. We must talk, it is urgent, so put down your weapon." he said quickly. It was as if the Skitter was talking through Rick somehow. "Dad, if we don't help him, he's dead; he's dead." Ben whispered, his lip quivering. "Did you forget who they are?! What they've done?! They're apart of this, they're apart of everything!" screeched Ericka, stepping forward beside Tom. She aimed at the Skitter, ready to take the shot. Ben's eyes pleaded with her not too.

"I know it is difficult to understand, but we are fighting the same battle. Anger, hate, these I feel too. But until we defeat the Overlords, we cannot hope to_"

Tom angrily cut him off. "Stop! Stop talking!"

"Lives have been sacrificed, Tom Mason. Many more will…"

All at once, both Rick and the Skitter collapsed. Ben rushed to the dying creature's side. "Move out of the way, son." commanded Captain Weaver. He inspected the Skitter before turning to his father. "Dad!" Ben called out.

"Dai, get Rick out of here. Lyle, it's time to send this cockroach back to the hell it came from." He added. Dai followed the Captain's orders. "No arguing here, Captain Sir." said Lyle in his country accent. "Wait please!" begged Ben. He was on his knees, holding up his hands in front of the alien. All of them were contemplating on whether or not to bring him as a Skiitter. Ericka stepped forward, past Ben. She glared at the Skitter, but her gun wasn't aimed at it. Hovering over it, she wanted to cause it pain for everything they've done.

"Step back." Weaver told Ben. "I think it needs to die. That's what you said, right Ben? Every last one of them..." Ericka whispered, trailing off. Her hands lingered on her gun. Instead of picking it up, she knelt down on the ground. She stared at it before looking up at Weaver. "I'm going to need some help carrying this thing." She added. Though she didn't agree with it, she wouldn't disobey a direct order. They were taking this thing hostage.

…

"Ben, I need to talk to you; Ericka, you too." Tom spoke gruffly. They went into a nearby tent. Tom and Ben started arguing, while Ericka just sat in a chair watching them. "Just believe me!" Ben shouted. Ericka broke out into laughter, causing both of them to eye her carefully. When she thought about it, their life was kind of like a dramatic TV show. "Alright, sit." he said, gesturing to the chair. They sat across from one another with Ericka in the middle. "A Skitter Rebellion, how is that even possible? We know they were harnessed too." Tom added. Ericka's eyebrows wrinkled, that was new information. She listened to Ben's explanation, when he finished, they got into another argument. She put her head in her hands, resting her elbows on the table. She sighed, "It sounds insane, but if he's right…we need all the help we can get."

"And if he's wrong?" Tom questioned. She moved her hands. Her blue eyes surveyed Ben. "Then he just dug a mass grave for all of us. Can you deal with that, Ben? Putting every person in this camp at risk; me, your dad, Hal, Matt, Weaver, everyone?" she asked him. He nodded slightly.

…

"Ericka…" Ben called after her as she walked away. The Rebel leader was talking to Tom alone. He chased after her, following her to a quiet spot near the woods. He grabbed her hand and turned her around. "Stop." He muttered. She didn't know what to believe about this Rebellion. "You don't have to say anything." she replied. Ericka pulled her hand away from his. "You're mad, I get that."

"I don't know what I am, actually. I just feel…emotionless."

…

Ericka ran in to find Rick dead and Tom holding Ben. Her eyes were wide. "We need to go, now. They're getting closer and the fighters aren't going to be able to hold off much longer." she informed them. Tom guided his son out the door with Ericka. Explosions went off not too far from them. "Ben, go with Ericka. I'm finding Captain Weaver." Tom said before taking off. Ben was still in shock, trying to process Rick's recent death. She spotted a motorcycle abandoned on the ground. Most of the large vehicles had already moved out. She grabbed his hand, dragging him over to the bike. Ericka got on, starting it up. She didn't have to say anything, because he just got on the back and wrapped his arms around her.

…

Ericka gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. Tears were spilling out from her stormy blue eyes. Matt and Ben turned around. She had been standing there the entire time, listening to their conversation. There was no way she would go with him. Ericka knew that this was something he had to do and she couldn't stop him. That's what scared her. She was afraid for Ben; afraid that he wouldn't make it back or that he'd turn into the very thing they've been killing. "Matt, you should go." Ben stated, not taking his eyes off of Ericka. The younger Mason brother nodded and stood. He quickly ran back inside the hospital. Ben made his way to where Ericka stood. She was shaking her head back and forth. "No..." she mumbled repeatedly. He placed his hands on her cheeks. That's when he saw something flash in her eyes. It was something he had never had directed to him. Ericka backed away. That look in her eyes was back. It was a look of disgust. "Ericka_" she cut him off before he could say anything except her name. "Who are you?" Ericka shouted. Anger burned inside of her like a raging fire, violently ripping its way out. "Ericka, it's still me. I'm still, Ben, your boyfriend." he replied, swallowing a lump in his throat. She was crying now and it killed him to know that she was crying because of him. He wanted to hold her closely in his arms and tell her that everything would be alright. Ben knew he couldn't promise that, because he was leaving her.

"Why do you keep doing this? Why do you keep trying to hurt me? What's going on, just talk to me?" she pleaded, stepping forward. "I'm not trying to hurt you. This is just something I've got to do." he answered, trying to calm her down. He kissed her on her lips, then her forehead. "I'm not leaving yet. Let's go lay down." He said, holding her and smoothing back her hair. She nodded, resting her head on his chest.

…

Growing up, Ericka was always told that she was a very opinionated person. She always had something to say about everything. It was an extremely annoying trait when she was little, but as she got older she learned which opinions or comments to voice. Her mind was always rattled with something whether it be carless thoughts, useful information, curiosity, or something else; but laying in the hospital bed in Ben's warm embrace her mind was blank. She felt like she was floating. She could feel the gentle rise and fall of his chest against her back. Ericka had been awake for the last hour, just listening to him sleep. She couldn't will herself to close her eyes. Wanting to savor this moment, she didn't sleep. This moment was so perfect. Her eyes were starting to grow heavy, though she didn't want to close them. "Don't leave…" Ericka whispered before finally allowing sleep to take over her.

AN: The last two scenes were added in after the episode ended. Hope you like them, it's major fluff moments.