As Zombie walked down the hall- towards me, I ducked back into the room, hoping he hadn't seen me. 

What had just happened? 

Canary kisses him and he walks away? That just wasn't right. 

I expected Canary to call after him, tell him to come back and plead for him to answer her. But I heard the sound of Zombie's footfalls diminish as he passed the door, signaling that he was leaving without much of a protest. 

I moved to race after Zombie, figuring that if Canary couldn't say anything, I'd do it for her. 

"Sams, what are you doing?" Cassie asked, looking up from Evan's pale face. 

I stopped in my tracks, turning around to face her. "Listening to Zombie and Canary's conversation," I said truthfully. 

"It's not nice to eavesdrop, Sammy. You know better," she said, shaking her head softly. "I bet we'll hear about their conversation soon anyway. They were probably just discussing our next plan of attach now that Poundcake, Teacup, and Ringer are MIA." 

Of course that wasn't it, but I nodded my head yes. 

"Yeah, you're right. I think I heard something about that," I said. I shuffled closer to Cassie, deciding to sit on my mattress. 

Cassie nodded. "So how long has Lucy been with you all?" she asked. 

I furrowed my brows in confusion. Oh right. Lucy was Canary... or Canary was Lucy. Either way, they were the same person. 

"She was in our squad," I said, shrugging. "She came about a couple weeks after the rest of us got there." 

Cassie looked down at Evan, brushing a strand of hair away from his eyes. "And she's good friends with Ben?" 

Ben was Zombie. Zombie was Ben. That one I'd gotten used to. 

"Yeah, i guess so. They started off not liking one another. But then they got close and then I think something happened between them at the base...right before Evan blew it up," I said thoughtfully. 

"What makes you say that?" Cassie asked, cocking her head to the side. 

I shrugged. "Well Zombie hasn't been the same since. He seems... well I don't know. He seems very protective of her." 

Cassie nodded. "hm that's interesting." 

"Why?" I asked. 

"We all went to high school together," Cassie said. "They never talked to one another then. I wouldn't be surprised if Ben didn't even know she went to the same school as us." 

I picked up my gun from amidst the blankets, flipping it over in my hands. 

"I don't think it really matters," I said. "I think everyone wants to forget about everything before the Others came." 

Cassie looked up from Evan and back at me. "There's still some things everyone wants to remember. For me, it's Mom. And Dad. Even high school. 

I nodded slowly, letting out a small sigh. "Yeah. But it still doesn't make a difference. I dunno if Canary and Zombie talked before the Others but they sure do talk a lot now. I actually really think they like one another." 

"Lucy and Ben? Liking one another as in 'more than friends'?" 

I nodded. "They like-like one another." 

"Do you know that for sure or are you just guessing?" Cassie asked skeptically. 

I wiped a smudge of dirt off the barrel of the gun, starting to get bored with the conversation. Why did she care so much? 

"I think. I don't know for sure." 

Cassie pulled a blanket over Evan's body, bringing it up to his chin. "Ok-"

"Flintstone found Dumbo under the stairs," Canary interrupted, stalking into the room. 

Her eyes were dark and her body was stiff. Her jaw was clenched and her hands were balled into fists. This wasn't Canary. 

"What do you mean 'under the stairs'?" Cassie asked, confused. 

"Dumbo was found unconscious under the stairs," Canary said. 

"Do you think Evan did it?" Cassie asked, looking down again at Evan's face. "If so, then I'm sorry but there's no way I'm letting anything happen to him." 

Canary relaxed for a moment, letting her eyes drift down to Evan. "Yeah," she said. "But I don't want anything to happen to him either," she continued, nodding toward his sleeping figure. "Zombie and Flint are pretty upset though. It's going to be up to us to make sure he doesn't get killed in his sleep." 

Cassie nodded. "I understand. But it still makes me upset. Evan saved us all by blowing up the base. Why would Zombie and Flintstone still want to kill him? I mean other than the fact that he's an alien from some other planet?" 

She cracked a small smile and I looked over to Canary to see her response. 

The right corner of her lips turned up slightly, the shadow of a smile peeking through. "He's different," she said. "There's no way I would've made it out of the base alive if it hadn't been for Evan. I kind of owe him my life. So the very least I can do it make sure someone doesn't take his." 

Cassie nodded. "Same. He saved me from the highway after I'd gotten shot in the leg. He nursed me back to health and well-" 

"Now you and him like-like one another," I cut in. 

Cassie dipped her head, no doubt trying to hide a blush. "Yeah. I guess you could say that." 

"Just like how you and Zombie like-like one another," I said to Canary, giddy with excitement. 

A look of surprise plastered itself on her face. "W-what?" she said, her eyes wide. 

"You and Zombie like-like one another, don't you?" I asked. 

Canary looked down at her hands, shifting uncomfortably. "No, Nugget. We don't like-like one another. That would never happen." 

"But-" I started to protest. 

"Besides, there's no time for that anymore." 

Canary straightened her back and spun on her heel, her long brown hair flying over her shoulder. She walked out of the room, retracing her steps out to the hall. 

I glanced over at Cassie and she shrugged before looking back down at Evan. 

I let out a sigh, defeated. I knew what I'd seen. Canary and Zombie most certainly did like-like one another. I was sure of it. 

~*~*~*~

It had been a week since I'd kissed Zombie. And as much as I'd tried to forget about that moment, I couldn't stop it from being played over and over again in my head. 

The feeling of his hand pressing against my back...and his soft lips against mine. It had been completely perfect. Until he had pulled away and ignored me, of course. 

I'd been avoiding him for the past seven days as well. I'd made sure to take my guard shifts at different times and I always made it a habit to leave a room when he entered it. 

On top of being completely and utterly humiliated, I was frustrated and totally ticked off. 

I wanted nothing to do with him. But at the same time, I wanted everything to do with him. 

I let out a frustrated sigh and kicked a piece of fallen plaster, watching it skid down the hallway. 

I was on my way to the big ballroom on the highest floor. It was where Nugget had asked me to meet him for a one on one sparring session. As crazy at it seemed, I was actually really excited for it; there was part of me that missed our time at Wright Patterson...aside from the fact that we were being trained by Others, of course. 

I thumped up the stairs, turned a corner, and then pushed open the double doors leading to the ballroom. 

I hadn't been up to the top floor yet so when I pushed open the doors, I was blown away by the view that could be seen through the floor length windows. 

Bare trees, with their straggled limbs, were coated in snow and small flurries fell, littering the purple sky. 

I moved over to the window, pressing my palms against the window's cool surface. 

I could see over the trees to the highway. And then a little farther from the highway was Wright Patterson, the silhouette of its buildings impossible to miss. 

"Canary!" 

I tore my eyes away from the view and towards Nugget, who had just appeared in the doorway. 

"What is it, Nugget? What was so important that you had to drag me away from my post downstairs?" 

My breath caught in my throat and I took a small step back. 

"I'm not doing a sparring session with him," I said to Nugget. 

Zombie appeared in the doorway, towering over Nugget. A look of surprise took place, his eyebrows raising. 

"Good, because you're not going to be doing a sparring session with Zombie," Nugget said, crossing his arms defiantly. 

"Am I going to do a sparring session with you then?" I asked slowly, my tone turning cold and hard. 

Nugget shook his head. "No." 

I pursed my lips, annoyed. "Fine. Then I'm leaving." 

There was no bloody way I was dealing with Zombie tonight. I needed more time to feel sorry for myself and try to forget that the whole thing even happened. I needed to time to forget about the way Zombie made me feel. 

I took a bold step towards the door. 

"No," Nugget said again. "You're not leaving." 

Zombie crossed his arms and moved to stand inside the room, so he could face Nugget. 

"Someones got to be on watch downstairs," Zombie said, his voice firm. "Whatever you're trying to do-" 

"I know what happened between you two," Nugget interrupted. "I know about the kiss." 

I moved back against the windows, trying everything in my power to shrink away to nothing. I wanted nothing more than to forget about the whole incident entirely. It'd have been better to follow Lizbeth's advice all along. 

"Nugget-" Ben said.

"No, Zombie," Nugget said, interrupting again. "I know what happened. Canary kissed you and you walked away. And for the past week you guys haven't talked to one another. And I don't like it. I don't like it because I like when all of us are one big family. You guys are my best friends... aside from Bear...and I really need you two right now." 

"Nugget-" I started. 

"I'm not finished," Nugget continued, giving me a warning look. "You two are going to stay up here until you can figure out your issues. I'm not going to unlock the door until you guys are nice again." 

Nugget whipped a key out of his pocket, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips. 

"Don't do it," I pleaded, moving forward. 

Nugget's smile widened. "I'll take your place on lookout," he said to Zombie. 

"This isn't a great time for this. Give me the key" Zombie said coolly. 

Zombie held out his hand but Nugget shook his head. And before either Zombie or I could make a move around him, Nugget had rushed out of the room and slammed the doors shut. 

And then he locked them. 

<><><>

Sorry for the long wait and filler chapter! But let me know how you like it and tell me your predictions in the comments!

I'm also working on getting a new trailer made with the new actress for Canary, so be on the lookout! 

Love you all and tap that star if you like Ben Parish!