Strongest Survivors

Family, Blood Or Love?

"Dad! Oh My God, how are you alive! How are you here?" I shouted running into his embrace.
"You know me, Jordie, I'm a fighter. I saw you in Utah, and followed your group." I started to cry.
"Mom told me you were dead." I sobbed and he stroked my hair.
"I'm sorry, I never should have left. What happened? Did she do this?" He asked, gently rubbing his hand along my arm and down to my missing finger. "Yeah, she cured me, but at what cost?" I replied wiping my eyes.
"If I ever see her.." He clenched his fists and I took his arm.
"I can't believe we're here." I whispered, never wanting to let go of the man who left when I was five. "I know, baby girl, I know." He sighed, pulling me to him tighter, "I'm sorry for leaving you, but she threatened to kill you. I couldn't let her." He explained, the reason I had never been told. The reason she told me he died in a car accident.

Finally we pulled away and sat on a log,  "so what's next?" I asked, confused. I had run away from my new family, into the arms of what remained of my old one. "Up to you. I saw you run away, it's why I came over. What happened?" He asked, stroking my cheek. I smiled placing a hand over his.
"They found out, that I was cured and hadn't told them. Roberta, she didn't mean to, she grabbed my arm and I freaked out. Memories of mother." I explained, now realising that I was the one in the wrong. It wasn't their fault, even Doc stood up for me and he hadn't known until now. "You seem pretty close with that kid, you really want to leave him behind?" I gulped. He knew everything, clearly our group was closer than we seemed. "Why don't you introduce me to them? I always dreamed of meeting your boyfriend and giving him the dad talk." He suggested and I laughed hitting his arm.
"Dad! You can't, 10k lost his dad early on. Please no grilling him." I pleaded and he nodded before taking my hand. "How do we know they didn't leave?" I asked, he smiled before handing me an old sniper scope, sure enough the van was still parked. Only 10k and Cassandra remained, clearly the others had gone looking for me.

Slowly I led him over, 10k soon saw us. "Back away from her sir, or I will mercy you!" 10k threatened aiming his rifle.
"No! It's okay. 10k, I'm fine." I shouted, and he cautiously walked over, as soon as he was close enough, he pulled me into a hug. "Never, please, never do that to me again. Ever." He kept whispering and I leant into his shoulder.
"Put your hands where we can see them!" Warren's voice caused me to jump, 10k and I quickly letting go of eachother. Then she saw me, Murphy ran over. "Kid! Oh my god!" He let out a sigh of relief as he hugged me.

I felt awkward, like when the dad meets stepdad for the first time and finds out that he's been replaced. "Guys. Lower your weapons." I pleaded, they slowly did so. I pulled my dad forwards. "This...this is my dad, James." I introduced, Murphy looked like he would go pale, if possible. The rest stared, Warren stepped forwards. "I'm Roberta Warren, this is Doc, Cassnadra,10k, and Murphy. It's nice to meet you, but, uh, how did you find us?" She asked.
"I followed you from Utah. I can't even begin to thank you for taking care of my baby girl. I thought she was gone." He replied.
"Well, why didn't you come out sooner?" Doc spoke up.
"I saw how happy you guys made her, the way she smiled, laughed...loved." He looked at 10k, "I couldn't take that away." The group nodded and Warren took to the front with Cassnadra and Doc.

"Hey kid, get over here." 10k looked terrified as he walked over to my dad. Then he hugged him, "thank you, for taking care of my girl." 10k looked at me and I motioned for him to hug him back. He slowly wrapped his arms around my dad's torso before pulling away and looking up to him, "it's a pleasure, sir." He said earning a smile.
"Respectful, noted. And you, man..." He pointed at Murphy he rolled his eyes as a hug was proposed.
"Yeah, I'm not much of a hugger. Sorry." Murphy grumbled.
"Cool. I get it. But honestly, to keep a secret like hers and be cured yourself, all that pressure. Mad respect." He patted Murphy's shoulder with a smile before walking back to me. "I knew they seemed like cool guys..." He was cut off by Warren calling my name.
"Can I talk to you a second?" She asked and I nodded, giving my dad a fist bump, before wandering over.