"Here we are, the US." Tobias said with a seemingly annoyed sigh, crossing his arms over his chest as he and (Y/n) stood a few feet away from a towering metallic gate leading to a sort of giant psychiatric hospital. Well, not like (Y/n) had ever seen one, but she had definitely read about those and that is exactly how she used to picture them in her head.

Secluded from the rest of the world, melancholic and frankly... Not the happiest of places. A big two winged building made of cream coloured bricks with bosnian architecture that looked honestly sad against the gray sky, a vast garden with trees swaying in the wind and patches of fresh grass to sit on, a few lonely benches... And no people in sight.

If there ever was a place to be lonely as heck, this would be it.

(Y/n) didn't know what she had been expecting when she had heard of the Uninfected "shelter", but she certainly hadn't pictured this. Whether it was better or worse... That remained to be seen. Though, she didn't think anything about an Uninfected camp could be good, as no matter how Infected people called this, for people like her this looked every part like a prison.

"Not how you imagined it?" Tobias cut through (Y/n)'s thoughts, brows furrowed in a light frown. "If you must know, it's even scarier from the inside."

Fuck, he really didn't need to say that aloud. Then again, Tobias had every intention of making her leave the city and go back to the Uninfected Community, so him trying to scare her off wasn't all that surprising. And it probably wouldn't have had that much of an effect on (Y/n) if part of his statement hadn't been true.

She exhaled a shiver of apprehension, tucking her hands deeper in the comfort of her jacket's pockets.

Now that she was here there was no going back though. For if she was scared, (Y/n) couldn't even imagine how Grey must be feeling stuck inside of this nightmare.

"Thanks for the heads up." (Y/n) turned to Tobias with a sarcastic smile, hoping he'd get the hint that his intimidations really weren't necessary. She was already all too aware of the dangers surrounding her.

Tobias stared at her silently, an indescribable emotion brewing in his gaze, before finally heaving yet another sigh and turning towards the gates.

"Do you have your ID? If you don't-"

"I know. If I don't they'll probably shove me in there and then it'll be game over." (Y/n) answered with a nervous smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She wished she could put on a strong facade to show Tobias that she was strong and unshakable in her resolve, but alas bravery had never been one of her strong traits.

It had always been Grey's.

"I have it, no worries." She finally said, shifting her gaze away from his and towards the small booth near the gates where a guard eyed her suspiciously.

Tobias observed (Y/n), features softening ever so slightly. There was something both foolish and endearing about the determination in her gaze, and Tobias had to admit that part of him admired (Y/n) for her stubborn-... for her strong will. Still, (Y/n) could try all she wanted to look tough, there was no hiding the way her knuckles turned white from the tight fists she formed with her hands.

Hell, Tobias could almost feel the needling pain of her nails digging into the tender skin of her palms.

She was scared, and had every reason to be. Tobias might have taken advantage of this to try and make her give up on her self destructive mission. But even though (Y/n) was nearly trembling with nerves, he knew there was no shaking her resolve.

The best thing he could do was to encourage her, as best he could.

"It'll be fine, okay?" He said, trying hard to put on a reassuring smile as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Guilt pricked at his chest as she flinched under his touch.

He hastily withdrew his hand. Too busy murmuring an apology for him to notice the spark of warmth in his chest.

He didn't know what had willed him to touch her in the first place. He had just wanted to help her, but considering his position as an Infected, it was only fair for (Y/n) to fear him.

And it was better this way too.

She should fear him. Because as much as it hurt Tobias to admit it, to her, he was just as much of a threat as anyone else in this city.

"Alright," He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck and taking a step back. "I've got a quick errand to run. So you go in, and we meet outside when you're done."

(Y/n) nodded with a tight lipped smile, "Okay."

"And don't forget, you're the predator now, not the prey. So act the part." Tobias continued, "You can't look too scared. They'll suspect something is wrong if you do."

Great. Just great.

(Y/n) exhaled a shaky breath, steeling her spine and looking up in Tobias's eyes.

He offered her a smile.

"Yeah, just like that. Stand tall and waltz in there like you own the place."

Easier said than done.

Still, (Y/n) gave Tobias an appreciative smile. She hadn't expected for him to go out of his way and give her words of reassurance, even less so considering his reluctance to help her with this in the first place. In fact, if it hadn't been for Marcus asking Tobias to accompany her, (Y/n) would probably have found herself alone in this situation. But in spite of Tobias's less than friendly character, it was still nice to have someone be there for her.

Even if this someone could well end up being the cause of her demise. As, as much as Marcus loved Tobias, (Y/n) had to remember that even if 'self aware' and seemingly trust worthy, Tobias was still an infected and thus still a potential threat.

She swallowed thickly at the thought. The idea of living under the same roof as a potential murderer did tend to leave a bitter taste in (Y/n)'s mouth.

"Thanks." She finally said with a hesitant smile on her lips and fidgeting fingers. She didn't wait for Tobias to say anything more, not that he had anything to say anyways.

And with that, (Y/n) took her first steps towards the Uninfected camp, and hopefully, towards Grey.

Marcus did say that if Grey had to be anywhere it would be there, and considering what (Y/n) had learned about the city's system so far, this would make sense. Grey was Uninfected and without an ID, so chances of her having been taken in by the US were high.

At least, that's what (Y/n) hoped, as this would make finding her sister considerably easier.

"ID." The man in the booth demanded, scribbling something in a notebook.

(Y/n) wordlessly showed him her fake ID, nerves gnawing at her inside as she waited for him to approve of her document. The man looked up from his notes with a disinterested gaze and scanned her ID. (Y/n)'s heart squeezed uncomfortably in her chest as a heavy silence stretched between the two of them, until the man finally relented.

"(Y/n)... Parker." He murmured under his breath, writing her name down in a registration paper. Probably to keep tabs on all the visitors in case things went wrong. "First time?"

"Yes." (Y/n) tried to sound confident, holding her chin high and keeping her shoulders down. She hoped the man couldn't hear the loud beat of her heart drumming against her ribcage. For as far as (Y/n) was concerned, this was all she could hear.

The man snickered.

"Confident you'll find the one here, eh?" He said, "Keep in mind that most of'em aren't here by choice and want nothin' to do with us."

No, shit Sherlock. After all, what Uninfected in their right mind wouldn't want to live stuck in some kind of camp, waiting for the day they'll be adopted by an obsessive lover who might or might not be a total psycho?

(Y/n) couldn't really spit her sarcasm in the man's face though. So instead of speaking her mind, she swallowed the lump in her throat and offered him a polite smile.

"I will. Thank you, sir." She said, and she hoped he'd open the gates already and let her in, but apparently he wasn't quite done yet.

"What I mean is, don't worry if your darlin' is reluctant at first, kiddo. Uninfected are always like that until you show them what's good for'em." The man continued casually with a wink that had a shiver of disgust rippling up (Y/n)'s spine.

She had heard about how the Infected viewed the world and Uninfected people. It was a common discussion topic back in the Uninfected Community, mainly meant to ward off young Uninfected from the city and its surroundings, to warn them of the danger that the Infected represented for them. But hearing and Infected say such delusional and twisted things herself was another story entirely.

Hearing how the Infected saw the Uninfected was sickening on another level.

To them, she was no better than a helpless kid who didn't know what was good for them. Something frail and weak, to protect and shape to their liking.

(Y/n) swallowed thickly, a bitter taste coating the back of her throat. If she heard any more of this, she'd actually throw up.

"Okay, thanks for the heads up." She managed to answer with a shaky smile. "Can I enter? I really want to... find my darling." These words tasted foreign on her tongue, not like her own. Because this wasn't something she'd ever say under any other circumstances. This wasn't something she'd say if her safety didn't depend on her ability to keep up appearances. Hell, under any other circumstances she wouldn't even be here in the first place!

But (Y/n) had grown to accept the fact that to find Grey and bring her back home, she'd have to play the same cards as the Infected around her. Use their words and put herself in their shoes.

So she gritted her teeth as the man chuckled and finally opened the gates for her to enter the Uninfected Shelter.

"Have fun, kiddo!"

(Y/n) don't even stop to ponder over the man's words, 'fun' certainly wouldn't be a word she'd use to describe her experience at the Uninfected Shelter. Intimidating? Yes. Scary and anxiety inducing? For sure.

Fun? Certainly not.

Please. Please. Please, Grey, be here.















































As expected, the Uninfected Shelter was kind of like a hospital. With a reception desk, various corridors, too many doors to count that each led to someone's bedroom, and many Infected going around to dote on their Uninfected 'patients'. And after thirty minutes of roaming around the building, (Y/n) had yet to find any Uninfected out of their assigned quarters.

"I don't remember a 'Grey', but I'm new to the job so my memory might be failing me. Feel free to search for her room!" The young Infected lady at the reception desk had told (Y/n) with a warm smile.

So there (Y/n) was, desperately searching for her sister and hoping to find her name written on one of the many doors in the building.

She has to be here. (Y/n) anxiously nibbled at her nails as another unfamiliar name greeted her, anxiety swelling in her chest as her chances of finding Grey decreased.

Until but one door was left.

Okay, this is it.

(Y/n) inhaled deeply, wiping her sweaty palms on her clothes and taking a step forward. Only for her heart to plummet to her stomach as yet another stranger's name greeted her.

"No... I must have missed it." She spoke to herself, taking a step back and going back the way she had come, retracing her steps to once again scan every door's name. But even after her second round, Grey's name still wouldn't appear on any of the doors.

Which could only mean one thing, Grey wasn't here. And (Y/n) was back to square one, grappling at loose ends.

(Y/n) clumsily walked out of the Uninfected Shelter, barely making it to a bench outside before collapsing on it. She didn't even answer the call of the kind lady at the reception desk, not that she had heard her anyways, not through the deafening sound of her own jumbled thoughts and the blood rushing in her ears.

Fuck, everything was a blur, and everything was spinning around her, the world looking wildly off its normal axis. The good old signs of a violent anxiety attack.

"Alright, let's count all the green things we can see." The memory of Grey's soothing voice cut through the confusing cloud of (Y/n)'s anxious thoughts. But unlike all the other times before, this time her sister's voice did nothing to alleviate (Y/n)'s anxiety.

For the memory of her voice only made her absence all that more real.

Hot tears gathered at the corners of (Y/n)'s eyes and her face fell in her hands. She really didn't want to have a fucking mental breakdown in the middle of an Uninfected Shelter, but it's not like she could prevent it from happening.

Usually, Grey would be here to reassure her and help her through it. But this time (Y/n) was all alone and with no one but herself.

To any passerby, this must have looked like a normal reaction of an Infected not finding their darling, and (Y/n) was glad no one came to try and comfort her. As she didn't think she had the energy to keep up with her fake identity right now.

Still, she felt so freaking lonely. Amongst other things.

Helpless, useless, sad, lost, and most of all, scared of never finding her sister. Of never seeing Grey's mischievous smile ever again, of never hearing her call her 'peanut' and of never feeling her sister's arms around her.

(Y/n) didn't know how long she stayed there, crying alone in the gardens of the Uninfected Shelter, the wind blowing through her hair and seeping through her clothes. She had lost track of time, too lost in her own world to care for anything else.

Until a familiar voice finally stirred her from her detached state.

"Fucking hell, I've been waiting for you for hours now! Do you have any idea how-"

Tobias couldn't finish his sentence, the words dying in his throat and his previous anger quickly fading to mere embers in his chest at the sight of (Y/n)'s tears. His own features twisted in a conflicted expression as he debated between comforting her or stepping back and giving her more time to herself.

He knew he shouldn't get close to her, and should seek to put as much distance between the two of them as possible. But she looked so sad and... lonely. Something Tobias knew all too well from his constant attempts at staying away from others to keep them safe and himself sane. And this time shouldn't have been any different, he should have left (Y/n) alone.

But Tobias couldn't just stand by idly and wait for her to be done whilst (Y/n) was obviously having a mental breakdown, right? That was a level of detachment even he couldn't muster.

And anyways, as Tobias would soon find out, there was nothing that could keep him from following the instinctive tug at his center that pulled him towards (Y/n).

So Tobias heaved a sigh and closed the distance between him and (Y/n), kneeling down in front of and fetching the tissue in his pocket, gently lifting her chin with his finger to wipe at her tears.

"We're going home, and you'll tell me what happened, okay?" He said, looking into her eyes.

Completely unaware that already, something inside him had started shifting.