The rest of them meanwhile, were ready to go. Amika stayed close to Addilyn while Brax and Al kept their eyes on alert. They were waiting for the signal that they should leave now. Getting out of New York would be hard, gangs should stay away after multiple warnings from Addilyn but people didn't always listen. Things would only get harder from here.

Over the course of 3 weeks of almost non stop travel, the group had finally reached Texas. The people in the van reaching it considerably sooner than the walking group. After little to no contact with them, Addilyn had told them to meet them in a city near the border than way she could show them where to actually cross. She was the only one who knew how to get across without drowning or getting caught. Addilyn also was the only one who knew where to go when they'd been reported and gotten chased by the cops. Which was where she was leading everyone now.

Over the weeks there had been a couple of close calls but they'd always gotten out of it. But here, where the cops had little to no crime, they'd immediately came after everyone. So, now they were running through the small town's streets. Addilyn leading the way easily. Even though she was exhausted and hungry and just wanted to sleep; she led them to the one place she knew they'd be safe.

After running through a densely forested area, they emerged on the other side. Directly in front of them was a huge body of water. A lake. The bridge expanding over it had no railings, anyone could fall off if you weren't careful. Across the bridge was a small town. With nice, modern homes and docks with boats carefully tied up and children running along the shore. It looked rather normal. But then there were the guard towers. Which was odd in itself especially since people actually seemed to be up there. Addilyn didn't slow down, panting and all. She seemed intent on getting to the other side, and fast. Even if the cops had slowed down, it wouldn't be enough. This was the only place where they weren't allowed. Where they couldn't get through.

Jason was an odd soul. He was the one who kept up moral, and seemed to take everything in stride. When asked privately how he kept it all up, Jason just smiled like everything was normal, saying he was fine, and that it was easy, he was Jason after all! The mighty and tough gang leader who raised himself. A little travel wasn't going to take him down.

But Jonas saw how little he was taking for himself, the bags under his eyes, the lost weight. It wasn't noticeable to those who weren't close to him, but as a friend... Jonas was concerned.

Whenever he tried to help, though, Jason would change the subject, find a distraction, or shut him down. He insisted he was fine.

Jonas himself felt like a new man. He felt like he knew his body and his limits, and strives to expand what he could do.

Addilyn had noticed the others' struggles though. Michael and his obvious problems, Amika and her always trying to help attitude even when she was terrified herself. Brax seeing things that reminded him of his family and how he would wince at the sight and sometimes would disappear at night to come back with puffy eyes. His only friend being Amika who was right beside him for it all. And Jason, who acted normal when he really was just hiding it like Addilyn. Addilyn, who was secretly terrified of what might happen to her friends.

Still. Addilyn kept going.

They made it a bit more than halfway across the bridge when Addilyn stepped on the invisible rune. It turned bright red under her foot and she released a tiny growl of annoyance. Of course they still had these stupid things and of course she was powerful enough to send it off. "Damnit," Addilyn growled, her green eyes turning darker as she slid to a stop. People had begun to swamp the end of the bridge, hard glares in their that Addilyn could see even this far away. Her bow reassured her on her back as she took a single step forwards. Yet another wrong move. She knew that the town wouldn't ever hurt her purposely after all she'd done for them. But after years of not being here, she looked different. They didn't recognize her. So they allowed the rune she stepped on to glow green and launch her into the water. They allowed her to fall into the water and didn't try to stop her.

The water here was enchanted, to anyone above the surface, it was clear. If you weren't a citizen, once you fell in the water turned murky and you'd lose all sense of direction, especially if you couldn't swim. Addilyn fell into that category. She hit the bottom of the lake with a dull thud and tried her best not to panic. It was so dark. Cold, she tried to get out but couldn't. She tried to orientate herself but couldn't. That's when she started panicking. Her eyes closing as she tried to not breathe in the water.

Until Jason.

Except this... this was a totally new level. The moment Addilyn was tossed into the water by some invisible force, Jason was already moving. He didn't stop until he reached the riverside, then dove in, careless about his own safety. Had there been rocks, he might have been injured or killed. A little blood fogged the water, much to Jonas's concern, but they all seemed frozen into place - frozen by terror.

The words chanted in Jason's brain, thrumming with his footsteps against the earth. Based on the others reactions, they didn't know Addilyn couldn't swim, or at least were too shocked to do anything.

Jason knew, though. He knew she would sink to the bottom like a stone, panic because of her claustrophobia, and the feeling of drowning, and would freeze. Jason knew he had to go, go, go, because he heard the minds of the other people, the knowledge that the waters would disorientate and confuse its victims, and knew he would have a limited time once he hit the water before he too got lost.

He couldn't lose.

Diving in, Jason felt a stinging pain, and mentally cursed. In his focused state he hadn't thought about what was on he banks of the river, and with that action, could have incapacitated himself. Luckily it was just a scratch on his leg, and wouldn't affect him.

Almost immediately Jason felt the fog creeping in on his mind, but beat it back. He felt Addi's mind with his, and, with some squinting, spotted her at the bottom.

With strong kicks of his legs, and pumping arms, Jason was down, down, down, lost but not quite.

Because Jason never loses.

He grabbed Addi, putting an arm around her tiny torso.

Bubble escaped his mouth as he smiled, even as his brain pounded at him to not lose anymore air. He smiled because for the first time in what felt like forever, Addi was back in his arms.

Now, he kicked, hard, and tilted his head back. He focused on the little spot of sun in the sky, on the sounds of Ribs's mind screaming at him to come back up, focused on the heartbeat in his and Addis chest, and with a few more kicks...

There.

Oxygen. Jason made sure Addis head was above water and swam to shore, refusing, absolutely refusing, to give in.

Addilyn has been cowering on the bottom of the lake. Trying to move but not knowing which way to go. And her brain was beginning to fog from the lack of air. After a moment, her lungs practically bursted and she was forced to breathe in water. Immediately she began to choke. Her green eyes flickering as she fought to not allow anything else into her body. It didn't help. She released a tiny scream under the water. Curling up into a ball, fighting the darkness that edged into her vision. Until someone's arm wrapped around her. She clung on for dear life, going limp for a split second right before they broke through the water. Immediately she began to cough. Expelling the water from her lungs. Her body shaking from both the cold and the shock. She kept her arms around Jason but made sure not to hinder his swimming. With every second, her rapid intake of air slowed as her body calmed. Green eyes dark yet steady. "Why would you do that? You could've died Jason. You could've died." Her voice was small and quiet. And her body began to shake earnestly as she hid her head from view as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. A life where Jason's death was her fault wouldn't be life. If she had lived and he had died she would've never forgiven herself. And if they had met in whatever came after this life. It would've been her fault too. He deserved to be happy.

Jason's body and mind felt shredded, but if this glow in his heart stayed... everything would be fine. It was the fear that ate away. The doubt, always present, always screaming in his mind - he was useless, he was stupid, an idiot, reckless, someone who couldn't be trusted. Someone who couldn't be loved. He sure knew that to be true. "And I knew.. knew you couldn't swim, at least before I was in jail. I figured you wouldn't have the time to learn," he cracked a small smile, though it was as watery as the river behind them.