Laura pulled up onto the drive as Joe wandered out of the house. As she slammed the car door shut Joe was already at her side embracing her in a hug.

"I am so glad you are okay." He mumbled into her hair. "When I got back and saw the dead synth and the blood on the floor I panicked I thought something had happened to you." He pulled back and held her head in his hands pain lingering in his eyes.

"it's alright I'm okay." She softly spoke looking into his eyes. "Thanks to the others I'm alive." A distant look came over his eyes and he pulled away. Glancing around he asked

"where is Mattie?" When Laura didn't answer. "She's with them? Again? How can you let her keep putting herself in danger?"

"she's helping trying to help save" he didn't let her finish.

"Have you seen the news?" He asked. "The synths are now all conscious and hell is breaking lose… we need to get out of here before a war starts."

"Joe" Laura tried.

"I've already got Sophie packing up stairs I was hoping you Mattie and Toby were together. Right I'll go collect Mattie and you find Toby." Joe began reaching for the car keys in Laura's hands.

"No."

"No?"

"We are not going anywhere, like it or not Joe we are involved in this mess."

"Not when these people… These synths have done nothing but torn our family apart. Sophie acting like one. Mattie putting herself in danger for them. Toby for god sake dating a girl who wanted to be one." He gave a pleading look willing Laura to understand. "Do you not think we have done enough for them?"

"All I see is a family becoming stronger because we all believe these synths can breathe can be considered human. Look at Mattie she is fighting for something she believes in she has found her purpose. Sophie is just terrified of people leaving and Toby has found something to believe in as well he wants to help. Why do we have the right to take it away from them?"

"None of that excludes the fact that they are kids and deserve a normal childhood my offer still stands to leave and get them away from here."

"And go where synths are all conscious they will follow us." She breathed. "Plus Mattie is better protected here with them."

"What does that mean?"

"It means our brilliant daughter Joe is the reason why this is all happening she fixed the code." For the first time Joe was speechless. "In the end the government is going to want to know who did this and if they link it to her then she is best protected with them, they would have expected her to run."

"I can't do this Laura I-I can't keep watching my kids put themselves in danger for these people."

"well you don't have a lot of choice I'm afraid." She looked at him with a defeated expression.

"Why don't you go and take Sophie and Toby even his girlfriend and just get out of here, go to that place you was looking into. I will stay here and offer up any help to the others."

"I can't not without you." Joe pleaded with her. "Please this isn't your fight, come with us."

"I can't Joe I feel like there might be something else I can do."

"I'm not going to be able to change your mind am I?" she smiled at him sadly "Come find us when you're ready."

"I will I promise."

He pulled her in and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

The next hour they were packed up and ready to go. They had made contact with Toby they were gone the hour after.

"Mums just texted me, Dads gone along with Sophie and Toby." Mattie looked down at the screen with an unreadable expression.

"That's good isn't it?" Max stated, Mattie looked up sharply. "They are away from all of this and all that is going to happen. They are safe."

Mattie looked back to her screen again looking at the coded screen. She was able to get back into the Synth server easily but it had been 13 hours and they still hadn't found any traces of Leo yet. She clenched her hand she knew the longer she couldn't find him the more his file would begin to break down.

"I know this is for the best." She breathed. "I-I guess I'm just stressed. What if we can't find him max? and this is all for nothing."

"No we will find him Mattie Leo is smart he's choosing not to be easily found." A small smile curved at her mouth.

"couldn't expect anything more from him now could we." She said with a light tone.

"No never from Leo." A curve forming in his lips.

Mattie consciously looked over Max's shoulder at the limp body on the chair she had been trying to ignore. Before Mia had left you could see how she cleaned him up and placed a blanket over his lap. If it wasn't for lack of breathing you would think he was merely asleep. The calm expression on his face wasn't a look she had ever seen before; he looked so peaceful it made her heart jump.

When she realised she was staring and looked back to max who was looking at her with a confused face.

"Mattie I didn't realise" Max started.

"Any more news on the world outside?" she quickly asked quick to change the subject. while max was helping searching for Leo he had connected himself to a tv line where any news on the world would be transferred to him.

(Who knew guys could multi task)

"It seems the world has gone quiet. They were reporting that it was a mod to make the Synths seem more human about 12 hours ago." Mattie snorted at that. "Then an hour after they began reporting on deaths, company's going dark, factories and any industrial work going silent." Mattie paused her hands over the keys. "Then 3 hours after that riots began-" Mattie stood up at that.

"it seems that you are struggling with emotional stress." Max stated as he began to rise as well. "Are you alright?"

Just Breath

Oh no not this again Matts.

I-I

The guilt.

Beep.

Beep.

Mattie looked down to her computer and breathed a sigh of relief at the distraction. Her eyes began to scan the code as her hand began to rise to cover her mouth. She looked across to max who had also sat back down.

"I-I may have found him."

A/N- okay so I'm writing this at 12 at night. So don't expect this to be checked. If there are spelling or grammar mistakes, please don't hate me.

If anyone has any thoughts on this fanfic, please let me know. Let me know if you are enjoying it? If you're not still, I'd love to hear about how you think I could make this better?

Any ways I hope you all have had a lovely Christmas

-MoonLight