So did you all give up on me yet? I know I totally suck for taking so long but here is another chapter...finally. Nothing crazy happens in it but it gives you the first look into Nates home. I will be going back to the other caves soon enough but Wanda has to experience this first. And to answer a few requests, yes there is a chapter planned from someone elses point of view but that won't be for a few more at least. Thank you to everyone for reading and commenting, it was all the requests for new chapters that kicked me in the ass to get back into this.

I hope you still like where this is going and once I get through developing this new place and people I hope to be a little bit quicker at updates (I miss having Ian in the chapters already)

It was not a terribly long drive to Nate's group but it felt like we had traveled light years from the caves that I knew as my home. It was like every mile passed was an eternity. The distance felt like I had left the planet completely and despite how ridiculous I knew that was I couldn't help the feeling. I just hoped I wasn't making a big mistake by leaving. I knew Ian needed space to heal and that me being around him just made that more difficult. He needed to be free to be happy without me, although the thought of him actually doing that made it difficult for me to breathe.

I didn't say a word during the drive. I was afraid that as soon as I opened my mouth I would lose the small amount of control I had over my emotions, so instead I locked my jaw closed and watched as the outline of the peak that had first brought me here faded away behind us in the side view mirror until it was nothing.

We turned onto the familiar dirt driveway that lead to the ranch house, pulling the car up just behind it. Burns turned off the car and I felt his gaze rest on me as I looked up at my new home. Not home though…my new residence. My home was with my family. I could feel my eyes start to burn with tears again and I bit on my lower lip to stop the quiver I felt running through it. My strength had run out and I knew I was only moments from a complete breakdown. This was not like me. I had left 9 planets without pause, yet I was finding it impossible to be only miles away from the caves I called home.

Burns cleared his throat beside me. "Everyone will be hiding in the caves until I go and get them, as they usual do when I am absent… so the house is empty if you would like to go in." In other words he was giving me the opportunity to grieve in private.

I was grateful for my friend and how he seemed to know how I was feeling, though there was nothing he or anyone else could do to actually make it better. Nobody here at least. I could only nod my head as I reached for the door handle, not even able to look in his direction. I walked as quick as I my short legs could muster up the steps to the door not wanting to insult Burns by fleeing from the car in a run.

By the time I made it to the door I could barely see the knob through my tears. After fumbling for a moment I finally was able to open the door, squeezing myself through a narrow opening and closing it quickly behind me. Not able to contain it any longer a sob burst from my body and I slid down the door until I was on the cool tile floor. With my knees pulled tightly to my chest I let all the emotions I had been holding back during the drive wash over me. The loneliness, fear and despair shook my tiny body. Knowing that I was alone in the house finally gave me the opportunity to let it all out.

I am not sure how long I sat there by the door, my body still shaking after my tears had run dry, nor do I know when exhaustion had overtaken me. When I finally opened my eyes they were raw and swollen. I was also no longer on the cold floor but instead in a soft warm bed. I sat up startled by the change and quickly scanned the room. It was a large bedroom with a queen sized bed, floral print wallpaper, faded from the years of sunlight, and matching curtains. Burns was sitting in a chair across the room sleeping in a very uncomfortable looking position. I couldn't tell what time it was as the curtains blocked any light from the window but I felt like I had been asleep for a long time.

Slipping out from the bed a quietly as I could, I made my way to the bathroom, closing the door silently behind me. Looking at my reflection in the mirror I realized I was quite the sight. My blond hair was half stuck to my face, half a tangled mess and my eyes were even more red and swollen than they had felt when I woke. This was not the angelic looking face I first remembered reflecting in Pet's mirror before my insertion. This host had been through too much since then and it was written across my young face.

My body was still tired and worn from the release of all the pain I had been holding onto but there was an odd feeling that went along with it. It was a cleansing tiredness I felt. Not that the emotions were gone or that I had been able to cure them. They were now tucked away in a separate part of me that I was now able to contain and control, but never be rid of. Locked in a box in my mind.

I tiptoed back to the bedroom and pulled back the curtains just enough to peak outside. The room I was in was overlooking the front of the house, facing the road that we turned in from. I could make out the sun just starting to break the horizon which meant I had already been gone from my family for a day, though apparently I had slept through the entirety of it. Maybe I could actually survive this separation if I slept through each day we were apart. No, I told myself. That would be a waste of this host's life and I couldn't bear the thought of being so wasteful of such a precious thing. I caught myself looking in the direction of the caves, though I couldn't see the peak on the horizon, and I wondered what they were doing there right now. Was Lucina in the kitchen getting breakfast ready with Freedom? Were they starting to arrive to eat? Would Sunny be able to eat with Kyle and Ian now that we weren't there for her to sit with? I hoped Melanie would be there for her like she was for me…Were they thinking about me like I was of them? Though I don't think I really wanted the answer to that one.

"Wanderer?"

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Burns' groggy voice. I turned around to see him stretching awkwardly in the small chair. "I'm sorry Burns. Did I wake you?"

Looking down at his watch he shook his head. "No I have to get up now anyways." He stood up and made his way over to me, putting one hand on my shoulder. "Are you feeling a little better this morning? I hope you don't mind that I moved you. I thought you would be more comfortable here… in your room."

I felt the heat of blush on my cheeks, realizing the sight I must have been yesterday when he found me. "Yes, thank you. I am sorry I have been such a poor house guest so far."

A warm smile spread across his face. "Think nothing of it, but please don't consider yourself a house guest, I hope you make yourself as comfortable as possible and treat this like you would your own home."

Pulling myself away from the window and the thoughts of my family in the caves, I returned his smile as best as I could. "I will try my best to do so."

"Would you like to help me make breakfast then? I have been gone for awhile and I would like to treat everyone to a proper hot breakfast."

It felt good to be busying myself in the kitchen once again. My attention was still not fully on the tasks at hand, nor did I think it ever would be without him with me, but I was determined to try. I tried to focus on the eggs I was scrambling for the people I was yet to meet, hoping to not get too lost in my own thoughts. Trying not to think of the one place – the one person – that my mind kept wandering too. My fragile body was not built to handle all of those emotions yet and I didn't think I could survive another breakdown without suffering from dehydration.

"You okay Wanderer?" Burns asked as the eggs on the pan started to brown from my lack of attention.

I didn't know how to answer him. Physically I was fine, but mentally I was a mess. I hadn't felt so out of place and alone since sitting in my comforter's office so long ago, not knowing what to do about Melanie's presence in my mind – technically her mind. "I never thought of myself as weak but this planet is slowly breaking down any strength I may have had. I thought I had such a hard time with my first host because Melanie had been so strong, but now I think that any host's emotions are too much for me to handle. I don't know if I am strong enough to survive a full life cycle. That these emotions will take me over so completely that I will no longer be myself."

"I don't think that is possible." Burns stated. "Deciding to leave the one place you felt safe and connected was a very brave and selfless thing to do. Most of us would not be able to handle the emotions that go along with that kind of decision."

"Any Soul would do the same thing if it was better for the group… which it was. It is our nature."

"Do you really believe it was best for everyone? That if his memories come back he will be okay with you leaving?"

I knew Ian would not be happy about my choice if his memories came back. I knew this from the last time I tried to do what I thought was best - the time I had hurt him the most. Doing this was the only way I could take away the source of his pain and without me there as a reminder just hope that he never remembered the other times he had been hurt because of my presence.

"Don't you think that they would all be better off if we had never come here in the first place?" I asked. "Don't you wish that you could give Nate back the people he loved and the life he had before all of this happened? Before we happened."

Burns took a deep breath and came to stand beside me. He gently took the spatula out of my hand and removed the pan from the burner before turning the heat off. Taking me by the shoulder, he lead me to the small kitchen table and nudged me down to a seat. He pulled a chair up infront of me, close enough that his knees brushed mine. He leaned his forearms in his legs and waited until I met his steady gaze with my own eyes.

"That is something that neither one of us can change. There was nothing I could do about it when I was on the fire planet and there is nothing we can do about it here on this planet. It has been done. The only thing we can do is make life as happy and normal as possible for those that we come into contact with." He reach a hand forward and placed it on my knee. There was no fire with this intimate contact but instead a warm comfort. "There is still joy in the lives they lead now. You just have to look at your friends Jared and Melanie to see that. They make each other genuinely happy and they would not have had the opportunity to bring that love into being if we as a species had not intervened."

I took a moment before responding to him. My situation was not the same as Melanie and Jared's. The only pain that they had ever inflicted on each other was a direct reaction to me or my presence. They had outside influence on their pain, whereas there was nobody else involved with the pain I caused the man I loved. "I'm just trying to give Ian the chance to be happy without the complications of me being involved. I owe him that chance."

Burns let out a long sigh, his shoulders sagging. "There really is no changing your mind once it is set, is there?"

I shook my head. "I have always been determined and being with Melanie added stubbornness to that. So there is no changing my mind."

He stood from his chair and reached his hand out to me. "Well then let's get this food done before it all gets cold."

We had barely got back to what we were doing before we were interrupted by the back door swinging open. My automatic reaction was a burst of panic coursing through my body, though it left quickly when I realized that I was only standing with another soul and even if it was a seeker we were doing nothing wrong – other than making an excessive amount of food. We are not the type to waste anything. My first response had been for so long to protect the people I am with that I forgot for a moment that I didn't have to do that with Burns. He – we were the same as the souls.

"Good morning." Nate cheerfully greeted us as he pulled up a chair at the table. "Nice to see you again Wanda."

"Good morning to you too Nate," I replied with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. "and thank you for allowing me to stay here with all of you. I truly appreciate it." That was true because if not for them I wouldn't have had anywhere else to go, I didn't fit in with my own kind anymore – nor would I fully want to.

"No thanks needed. From what I hear from Jeb and from Burns here, I think we will be thanking you soon enough."

I felt the heat on my cheeks from the compliment so I focused on the new batch of scrambled eggs I was frying in the pan. I truly hoped it would not always be like this for me. Nate and Burns discussed a few issues that had come up while Burns was away – watching over me. I found myself drifting away in thought as they spoke to each other about things I didn't know, including the people they spoke of and could not keep focused on the conversation. I knew it would be important to get to know the people living here in the colossal caves the same as I had gotten to know each person in Jeb's caves but I hadn't wrapped my mind around that yet. I missed Melanie's voice in my head. She had been such an asset in getting to know the quirks of everyone around me when I had first arrived there and I could now only hope that I had picked up enough insight from her to be able to do the same here.

Apparently I had finished the cooking on auto pilot because before I realized it we were done and the food was ready to be moved into the cave. I went to pick up a tray of food to bring to the caves but when I held it my hands started to shake. I was nervous and this body was not able to hide it. It was not the same as Melanie's had been when I last met a large group of strangers – who generally did not like me and with good reason.

Burns placed a large hand on mine. "Are you ready for this Wanderer?"

I wanted to say yes, that I was strong enough, but truthfully I was not ready for this. I didn't want to be the centre of all the stares and whispers. I leaned closer to him so only he could hear me and he ducked down closer to my level to accommodate the size difference. "Would it be terrible of me to say no?"

"Of course not Wanderer, there are no expectations for you here. It's on your timeline."

Relief washed over me and I smiled at my friend. "Would it also be okay if I had a shower?" I asked still in a whisper.

Returning my smile Burns nodded at me before turning his attention back to Nate. "I think we can handle these ourselves, Nate. Don't you?"

I could see the understanding flash across Nate's face when he agreed. I saw in him a lot of the same characteristics that Jeb had shown to me from the beginning. He was good at reading both people and situations, which is probably why his group has survived and grown as much as it had. That and a willingness to accept things as they now were and to learn from it and adapt to it. I wonder if the samples that had been taken and observed prior to the takeover by the souls were like these two men, would we have still come to this planet.

I showered as quick as possible, not to waste the valuable water supply that so many people depended on, then moved onto cleaning the kitchen and dishes left over from the extensive morning cooking. It wasn't long before I found myself without anything else to do in the small house. I did not want Burns to rush or to shy away from his duties to those who depended on him in these caves yet I found it hard to be sitting alone in here with only the ticking of the large floor clock to keep me company.

I remembered Burns and Nate telling us about the garden they were able to keep on the land near the home and decided to venture outside to check it out for myself. As I stepped out onto the porch my head naturally turned up to the warm yellow sun in the sky. It was a clear day, without a cloud in the sky as usual but the heat was not unbearable as it had been the few times I had been in it in the desert. With trees scattered across the land and grass under my feet I found it myself enjoying it instead of trying to hide from it. It did not take me long to find the garden, it really was just out in the open and even though they had told me so I still for some reason thought it would be hidden. It wasn't nearly as expansive as Jeb's was but it was healthy and some of it was even ready to harvest soon and the fact that I knew that made me smile. I knew Jeb would be proud of me for learning such an important survival technique – despite the fact that as a soul I really didn't need to know how to survive if I didn't want too.

"I was wondering where you were."

I was startled by the unexpected sound and I spun around to find Burns standing in the shade of a nearby tree. I hadn't heard him approach and I wondered how long he had stood there watching me poke through his garden and how long I had actually been out here.

"You had me worried when I came back to find an empty house." He said as he walked toward me. "Jeb would have been very upset with me if I had lost you in the first day you were in my company… and I am afraid to even think about what your Melanie may have wanted to do to me."

I had to smile at that. "Trust me, you don't want to think about that. Her thoughts could be very… aggressive, but in a protective way. If that makes any sense."

"I've learned over the years that they don't always need to make sense." He stopped beside me. "I think these will be ready to harvest in a few days."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Good thing you already know a few things about tendign to the garden. It will be nice to have someone help me without be being on constant alert for an unwelcome visitor." He crouched down in the dirt, examining the stalks closer. This put him just a bit below me.

"Do you think it would be a good time for me to take a tour of your caves?" I asked quietly. "Or would that be too disruptive?"

Burns looked up at me and a smile lit up his face. "I couldn't imagine you ever being disruptive Wanderer."

Burns led me to the entrance of the cave – or what used to be an entrance. I could see how clever a hiding place it was, being in plain sight. As we walked directly towards the entrance, down a gravel path lined with a worn wooden fence, I could see where the entrance once stood. It was now a solid wall of rocks framed by wooden pillars, as aged as the fence leading to it.

I looked at Burns confused, slowing my pace as we got closer to the wall. A few yards before the wall we came to a stop in front of a crisp white sign posted on a much newer fence stretching across the pathway. It stood out against the natural surroundings and as I read the sign I had to stifle a laugh.

"Please stay out for your own safety." I read it aloud to Burns. "Not that long ago, that would have stopped me too. Humans and souls are so very different. Makes me curious as to how the humans didn't notice the invasion sooner."

"But it is no surprise to me anymore to see how many people have survived to fight for themselves without being discovered. The differences are often what make them stronger."

He easily manoeuvred himself over the fence and reached a hand back to help me as I struggled to do the same. Despite my best efforts to strengthen myself, the small size of my host made moments like this difficult. The clumsiness did not help either.

Watching the wall as we walked towards it, the shadows started to play tricks with my mind – making the rocks move as I approached. It wasn't until I was within reaching distance that I realized that is wasn't actually a wall of rocks at all. I was multiple rock walls staggered behind each other with a narrow pathway zigzagging between them. I sucked in a gasp when I realized what I was looking at.

"It is quite the optical illusion." Burns said with pride. "No soul has ever gotten close enough to realize what they are actually looking at. The potential for danger keeps them at bay."

He lead me through the narrow pathway, taking my hand after we passed the first corner and the natural light disappeared. I kept my small hand in his and my other on the wall beside me to help guide myself. I now found the darkness that I once feared was now a comfort to me. I could feel the pathway change as we passed another bend, opening up to a wider space. Burns tugged my hand urging me forward tentatively.

"I promise I won't let you fall Wanderer." His voice echoed in the darkness. "It will be easier in a moment."

"I trust you." And there was no lie in my voice. After what he had helped me through in the short time I had known him I knew he was someone I could trust, that he would step in a be my bodyguard when my previously constant one could no longer do the job.

No more than two steps I heard the familiar buzz of electricity, follow by the shock of light suddenly in the pitch darkness. My eyes quickly adjusted and I soon saw that we now stood in a section of a corridor lit by a single light bulb. Burns raised his free hand and pointed to a small sensor on the rock wall with a small red light, explaining that the main corridor ran off motion sensors which made it easier for the residents to move around the tunnels and kept the unused areas dark in case they ever go a visitor. It was then I realized that my hand was still tucked in his and I pulled it out, tucking it into my pocket quickly. I was doing it in in a romantic way, but having my hand in his as we just stood there felt like a betrayal. His face fell once I removed my hand from his but he covered it up, just not quick enough for it to go unnoticed. My stomach sank knowing that I hurt his feelings once again.

We continued through the corridor moving from one motion sensor to another, the lights going dark behind us. It was as if the cave was tracking our movement. We came to a fork in the tunnel and I waited for Burns' direction.

"The tunnel to the left takes you to the main corridor, but there is something down here I want to show you first." He took out a flashlight from his pocket and shone it down the tunnel to the right. "The sensors only go down the main tunnels so it is harder to get lost down here. All other detours will need one of these. I do not recommend wandering off into the dark as there are unsafe places and sinkholes."

I nodded in agreement and followed him closely down the right tunnel, ensuring to stay in the circle of light provided. We walked in silence, though I did not find it uncomfortable. I could feel the air shift as we entered an open cavern. Burns put his hand on my shoulder stopping me in my tracks. He went over to what I assumed was the other the side of the room, but I could not be sure as the only light source was in his hands.

There was a click from where he stood and then the room was engulfed in light. the space ws much bigger than I assumed as Burns stood not even halk way across it. I looked around the huge room takign in the soaring ceiling and rock formations that took the shape of icicles hanging from the ceiling and walls. My eyes followed the direction of the lights, all turned to point in the same direction. I couldn't believe what I saw. Hidden in this cave system was a beautiful crystal formation, a waterfall that had frozen in time.

I was in awe. It was different than seeing the man made wonder of Jeb's caves. This was nature's beauty. The images of the crystal ice cities sculpted on the bear planet came to my mind and I imagined this would rival even those if it was under the bright sun outside. Even with only a few spotlights shining on the waterfall it reflected the light around the cavern in a rainbow of colours, sparkling like stars in the night sky. Jamie would love this room and I hoped I would be able to bring him here to see it one day. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Burns watching my reaction with a smirk on his face.

"It reminds me of the Mist Planet as well."

I nodded at him, not sure how he was able to know my thoughts. "How did you know that was what I was thinking?"

"I figured since we are so similar, you would most likely have the same thoughts I did when I first saw it."

"It is so beautiful." I held my hand up, catching a blue reflection of light in my palm. I stared silently at the sapphire beam as I held it, admiring it. It gave me a sort of peace seeing the same blue that my eyes always sought out and a feeling like I had a small piece of Ian here with me washed over me.

I was going to get into meeting everyone in this group but thought you would rather get the chapter submitted instead of waiting so I cut the chapter off here and will introduce everyone soon... Thanks again for reading :)