Strongest Survivors

The End

"May I have your attention! Ladies and gentlemen, living and dead and those in between. The polls are now officially closed. The votes are now being tallied." I smiled as Doc spoke, leaning into 10k's chest as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. My eyes then moved over the crowd, each Talker reunited with their loved ones, each family back together. Lucy was playing with some children nearby, and then I saw Red nervously walking up to Murphy. I kissed 10k's cheek, before following and standing by him. "What's that?" He looked at the cooler she held.
"Sun Mei said to give it to you."
"She said you would know what to do with it." Warren stepped in, and he took it, looking inside, then at me. But before I could question it, Doc spoke up.

"Everybody, what do you say we get George
up here to announce the results? Come on, George!"
"George! George! George!" The crowd erupted with applause, and Warren nudged the friend forwards. George moved up the steps, taking the megaphone from Doc, "I was going to give this speech..." that's when it let out a high pitch squeal, "Sorry," she lowered the device, "Can everyone hear me?"
"Yes!"
"Good." She paused, "I was going to give this speech, it feels like a lifetime ago, before the bombings. It was a different speech back then. For a different world. And so much has changed. I know I have." I stopped listening when I noticed Murphy missing, looking around. Warren noticed my distress, eyes going down the line, as they did, Doc looked back at her. One by one the group noticed, looking at me, as I shrugged back. Then I felt him outside, and slowly crept away.

He was sat on the grass nearby, something I knew all too well in his hand. "Sun Mei. That's it. Of course."
"Dad?" He jumped, turning to me.
"What have I told you about sneaking up on me?!"
"Sorry," I moved forwards, sitting beside him, before looking down at the brain, "what is it?"
"It's a brain." He responded, clearly misreading the question.
"Not that. Her message, what did Sun Mei want you to know?" He avoided my gaze, "dad, come on."
"The end of all this, she found a cure, Jo."
"That's amazing!" His eyes reflected my excitement, but there was something else, a glint of mischief. "You're going to tell the team in the lab, right?"
"I might."
"Dad."
"I.."

"There you are!" We both looked back at the sound of Warren's voice, "you need to come inside."
"Why?" Murphy questioned, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
"Just come on." She waved us over.
"You know we don't like surprises, Warren." I reminded.
"Just come inside, I promise it'll be worth it." She smiled at us. Murphy and I looked back at each other, before shrugging and following her back inside, where George was still standing on the stairs.

"They're here!" Warren announced, all eyes landing on us as we looked back curiously.
"Murphy's, come up here please." We looked up at George.
"What's going on?" I turned to look at Addy.
"Just get up there." She pushed me towards the stairs.
"I don't like this." Murphy mumbled, the two of us cautiously going up the steps.
"Everyone, as your president, there's something I'd like to do...a first official act of you will." George paused as we walked up, "as we all know The Murphy's have been together a very long time, but what some of you may not know is that they aren't actually blood related." George paused again, and Murphy and I glanced at one another in confusion, "instead, they met in this new world we live in, and Murphy took on the role of Jordan's father, a selfless act of care." The room applauded, whilst Murphy tried to act like he didn't love the attention, waving it off. "To thank The Murphy's for their gracious sacrifices over the years, I would like to make this official," she pulled a rolled up piece of paper from her pocket, and upon further inspection my eyes began to water, she turned to Murphy. "So, Murphy, what do you say? Will you officially adopt Jordan?"
"I...of course," his voice cracked slightly, "if she is okay with it?" He glanced at me, for once letting his vulnerability show.
"Yes!" I ran into his arms, tears falling as he hugged me tight, and we pulled apart, accepting the pen from George and signing our names. "Congratulations, you're now officially family." The room cheered and tears continued to fill my eyes, my hand squeezing Murphy's tight.