A/N… Okay, so this was my entry into The Eras Contest. My first contest ever, believe it or not, and I've been around a minute. It won First Place in the Public vote, the Angst Award, and it was the Chosen Favorite by Lizzie Paige. There were so many good stories in this contest, and in the end, some amazing writers. So I was completely shocked that I won anything! Please go check them out. You'll find The Eras Contest on my list of favorite authors on my profile here.

So let's get to it. This will be a full story, though not all the chapters will be as hefty in size as this one.

~oOo~

Title: Oz

Name: drotuno

Facebook Name: Deb drotuno Rotuno

Beta(s): Jenny Rarden (JenRar)

Summary: It's 2043. The world didn't end with a bang. It didn't end with flooding or earthquakes or meteors. It ended when walls were built between those who had everything and those who had nothing, banning the hungry, desperate, and sick to the Outer Zone. We called it Oz.

Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable characters herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

~oOo~

The world didn't end with a bang. It didn't end with flooding or earthquakes or meteors, though the sun was hotter than ever, creating barren areas where there used to be trees and lakes. No zombies. No aliens. It didn't even end with a war – at least not a war against another country or enemy. It ended with people who thought they were more important than other people. It ended when laws were changed in favor of those who paid enough, when legislation was obliterated and votes stopped counting.

It was a war between the "haves" and the "have nots."

Corporations with leverage and pull were able to barricade themselves up and away from those who had nothing. They started hoarding food, water, and medicine. They built walls, shutting out men, women, and children, who were starving or sick. Inside those walls were the financially affluent, providers of healthcare, and scientists. And just like the Great Depression, money ceased to mean anything when everyone pulled it from the banks.

Viruses ran rampant through the slums or the Outer Zone. We called it Oz. Inside their walls, there was access to hospitals and doctors, to airports and seaports, and trade with other elitest assholes all over the country.

Originally, they had at their command the military, who erected the walls around the larger cities across the country. Hell, it was probably across every continent, but communications were no longer instant or wireless or global.

I could barely remember schools and cell phones and television. I'd been five when people started getting sick, which resulted in massive loss of lives and the beginning of not only a global pandemic, but it also wiped out a huge portion of the population. I had just turned six when the riots started, because those left in Oz were desperate, hungry, and forgotten.

At thirteen, I started to fight with them. Assholes in their ivory towers couldn't be bothered with menial labor, so they raided Oz for able-bodied workers. Slaves. We'd gone back to fucking slavery, only this time, it didn't matter the skin color, just that you existed in the Outer Zone. They needed cooks, construction workers, housekeepers, and nannies. They needed soldiers to guard their walls and test subjects for vaccinations. They'd roll in to raid Oz with tanks, automatic weapons, and tear gas, and they'd kidnap young men and women – even children. Those who didn't come quietly were beaten into submission and were taken anyway. Families were ripped apart, never to see each other again.

At seventeen, I'd already stolen a supply truck or two, blown up a railway bridge, and stopped more raider teams than I could count. Most of my sector in Oz survived a virus outbreak because I'd stolen the last batch of vaccines, though at this point, whoever was left was probably immune.

Now at twenty-seven, I didn't give a damn about anyone or anything behind those walls. I'd fight and steal for Oz. If it were up to me, I'd level everything behind those fucking barricades, because everything that mattered was in the Outer Zone.

~oOo~

"What are we hoping to achieve on this run, Edward?" Jasper asked from the other side of the map table.

Normally, my answer would've been to take whatever supplies we could find, but I had my own fucking agenda for this run. However, my boys never had an issue with a stealthy supply run or picking a fight – they were usually one in the same.

Studying the map, the schedules, and the group in front of me, I tapped the side gate that separated the Outer Zone from the Sound.

"I want one of their water trucks. They're pumping fresh water out of one of those lakes in the preserve, and they go just about three times a month. They're due soon. I've counted six trucks. I want at least one of them," I told them, scanning the group around me, and they were all nodding in agreement.

Emmett McCarty was the biggest bastard I'd ever met, and that was when we were kids. We were the same age. I was thirteen when I showed up in Oz, and I hadn't been alone. He'd been the first to hide us, give us a place to sleep, and food in our bellies. His grandmother, Sue, was one of the elders of Oz, and she treated us all like we were her grandchildren.

Jasper Whitlock was born in Texas. His parents had hauled ass north when Houston became a warzone. His mother didn't survive the first wave of the flu virus, and his father had died resisting one of the raider teams. Emmett and I found Jasper sleeping in an old park when we were sixteen. He'd been fifteen at the time; he was fast on his feet and good with a gun when we had ammo. Sue adopted his ass too.

Sam, Jake, and Seth were all indigenous Quileute. Jake and Seth were cousins. They'd showed up in Oz when their whole reservation had been raided. They were able to get a dozen or so of them out safely, and they'd been with us ever since.

Sam was a little older than me and deadly silent when we needed to go in dark, but Jake and Seth were just fourteen and fifteen. And fuck, they were scrappy. Seth was a skinny thing, so he could squeeze into tight places. Jake had no fear. None. They were continuously fighting over who was the bravest between them. They both had scared the shit out of me more than once with their antics. Between setting off bottle bombs, jumping rooftops, and swimming the bay, they'd done it all just to outdo each other. They kept some sort of score; I stopped paying attention ages ago.

Lastly, there was Rosalie Hale. That woman looked like a model, fought like a tiger, cursed like a sailor, and could drive anything on land – and probably air and sea, too, but we hadn't tested it.

"Oh, you know I'm all over that shit, Edward," she piped up from the chair in the corner.

Grinning her way, I said, "I was betting on it, Rose."

"I'm with her," Emmett muttered.

Of course, he was. He'd been with Rose since she broke the legs of a raider trying to take Emmett for the Sound five years ago. When that fight was over, he followed her around like a damned puppy – not that I was judging. I had no fucking room to talk.

"It has to be you, Emmett. Bella's not coming on this run," I stated, holding up my hand when they started to argue. "Look, she's not feeling well, which is why I have to split us up on this run. I have to raid the hospital."

Rose's eyes narrowed on me because she probably knew, but she kept her mouth shut. "Okay. Let's get this shit done, then."

Rose's usual partner in crime was in fact Bella Swan. Polar opposites, they were. Rose was blonde, where Bella was brunette. Rose was a tall, curvy thing. Bella was petite and athletically built. There wasn't a weapon Bella couldn't handle or a raider she couldn't outmaneuver or outrun. Bella also had intel inside the Sound, which was another reason I had to split up from my team.

"If you're hittin' the pharmacy, Ed, then we need whatever you can get," we heard behind us.

I turned to see Alistair leaning in the doorway of the old rundown car repair shop we used to store weapons, ammo, and the old CB radio. It was our home base, of sorts. Despite the fact that he was pushing mid-sixties, he was still badass on a run when we needed him.

"You goin'?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, we're due a raid, so I'm gonna stick close to the radio just in case." Before I could say anything, he held up a hand. "And I'm not fucking stupid. I know who to hide when push comes to shove. You act like I didn't train you, Cullen."

Laughing lightly, I shrugged. It was true; Al did train me. Hell, he trained us all. He, too, was an Oz elder, but he was also former military – Navy Seal. The elders had been around way before the collapse of democracy and civility. They'd been the first to protest, to riot and, finally, to start fighting back just as ugly as the Sound did.

"Fine. Then let's go. This will be a long fucking night," I stated, rubbing my face and raking my fingers through my hair. "Em and Rose have the water trucks. I've got the hospital. Jasper, you're our eyes and ears at the raiders' camp and train station. Sam, take Seth and Jake to the port. Let's see what they've been getting in on those ships lately."

"Intel only?" Sam verified.

"Fuck, no. If you want to hijack a freighter ship or a truck full of food, I'm all for it."

"Boat or truck," Jake mused, looking to his cousin. "I say, let's take the trucks and sink the fucking ships."

"Hell, yes. Like fucking pirates," Seth agreed nonchalantly, cleaning his weapon.

Grinning, I glanced to Sam, who simply looked resigned to it all. "Have fun."

"Right? Sounds like a good time," he agreed with a laugh, patting my shoulder.

I pulled on my black hooded sweatshirt, tugging up the hood and shouldering my backpack. I checked my weapons, my ammo, and eyed the map just to make sure I was going in the best place.

Once everyone was ready, I said, "We're dark. We're silent. We're in and out. All before the sun comes up."

We stepped out of the old garage, separating several different ways. My way in was a small section of the wall that no one paid much attention to, but that was in my favor. The wall sat askew against an old building that had been abandoned along with that section of the wall.

The difference between Oz and the Sound was massive. Oz was thousands of people trying to make it, survive; it was worn down, with makeshift tents lining each side of the street. It was dusty, dirty, colorful, and alive. It was every culture imaginable living together as best they could. The people in Oz did their best to grow their own food or make their own clothes or even salvage from places outside the city. There wasn't much power in Oz, so at night it was dark, lit by the occasional fire barrel or solar lamp.

The Sound, however, looked like a shiny coin. Tall buildings, electricity, and cleanliness. It felt emotionless and sterile. It was a cluster of high-rises and office buildings, which gave them a place to live and work, all for their safety. They focused all the water, electricity, and sewer on themselves, cutting Oz off from it all. Their technology and communications were elite, with keycard security checkpoints, video surveillance, remote control drones, and software designed to catch specific words in emails or voice.

The Sound wasn't free.

They were more oppressed than Oz was, but they'd never admit it. To go against the Sound resulted in death or imprisonment or hard slave labor. They couldn't leave or travel. If they knew anyone in Oz, they weren't allowed to see them. Whatever job they did was for the whole, not just the individual. As long as they were up and away from the sick and poor, they felt justified, safe.

I wasn't sure they knew Oz hadn't been sick in years. We'd had bouts of flu, but nothing as massive or deadly as the one that killed millions.

I slipped through the fencing, eyeing my surroundings. Raiders patrolled the streets all night along the wall. They were like clockwork.

Once the first truck passed me by, I darted across the street and into an alleyway. I pushed an old garbage bin aside and slipped down into the underground before the next truck. The elders told stories about this place below the city. There had been a massive fire in 1889, and when they rebuilt it, they raised it almost two stories above sea level. And that left a labyrinth of tunnels under the city of old businesses, streets, and apartments.

The hospital wasn't my first stop. It was the apartment building next to it. I eased up out of the underground into an old parking garage, shaking my head at vehicles never used, covered in dust. Their gas tanks were empty; I'd made sure of that. The apartments had an old stairwell no one ever used.

I glanced down at my watch, noting the time – just after midnight, pushing one o'clock. Most of these people would be asleep. At least, that was what I was hoping. It was the tenth floor I needed, so I took to the stairs at a steady pace, but grateful my movements were quiet.

Slipping out onto the right floor, I pulled my hood down a little, making sure my face was covered. There were cameras on either end of the corridor, but the door I needed was just outside the stairwell. I pulled out the key I'd had longer than most of my other possessions and silently slipped it into the lock to click it open.

Carefully, I stepped inside the apartment and closed the door silently behind me. What I needed was hanging on the wall on a hook. A hospital badge with all access. It wasn't the first one I'd stolen from here, and I'd bet it wouldn't be the last. For a moment, I wondered what the owner of that badge thought when it would disappear every six months or so.

Taking the badge off the hook, I slipped it into my pocket, gazing around the home. I shook my head. It was warm against the chilly night, with refrigeration and electric appliances. I sighed, shaking my head. Oz had none of it. We cooked on an open flame; the same fire that kept the chill away on cold nights.

I should've left immediately, but I didn't. I wandered down the hall to one of the bedroom doors, cracking it open. It hadn't changed a bit. Blue walls, beige carpet, and a wooden bed in a dark finish. Toys had been abandoned, dust covered a few things, but the bed was still made. Sitting in the middle of the bed was an old stuffed bear. I picked it up, smiling a little, and finally shoved it into my backpack.

A noise shuffled behind me, and my gun was in my hand and pointed before I could think. I sneered at the sight in front of me.

"Mom, Dad," I greeted gruffly, stowing my gun back into my waistband and doing the math in my head that I hadn't been face-to-face with them in approximately fifteen years. I'd checked on them during that time, but they didn't know it, and I'd avoided the raiders they'd sent looking for me.

"Edward," Mom said through a sniffle, stepping closer. "What…" She sighed deeply. "Why are you here?"

Smirking, I leaned against my old dresser when my dad asked, "You took my badge? Again?"

"Yeah, well, we have to stand in line for days for a fucking aspirin, so I decided to forgo that process," I explained harshly, starting for the door, but they weren't letting me by.

"You could come home," he suggested, but it was a half-assed offer at best.

"No, the hell I can't," I said through a laugh. "I'd be arrested, prosecuted, and eliminated as soon I could spit. I'm responsible for way more incidents in the Sound than you could possibly imagine." I gazed around my old bedroom, the one I'd left when I was thirteen, never to look back. "Besides, I think I'm good where I am."

"How's Bel—" Mom started to ask, but my temper flared hot.

My fist came down onto the dresser. "You don't get to ask anything about her. Ever. Understand?" I said through gritted teeth and barely there patience. "She's off-fucking-limits to you."

"We didn't—" Dad started, raking a hand through his sleep-mussed hair. A habit I'd inherited naturally.

"Oh, but you did," I sang wryly. "You definitely did. You brought a child home to cook and clean. She was yanked away from her parents; her mother died trying to protect her. No, you absolutely did it. You may not have done the taking, but you contributed to it. You allowed it, turned a fucking blind eye to it. And you most certainly wouldn't stand up to the assholes who started it."

Both of my parents had the wherewithal to look ashamed, but my mother stepped closer to me, saying, "We took her because otherwise she could've been put into other dangerous situations. She would've been saf—"

I shook my head, biting down on my bottom lip. "I don't care. I don't care what your reasons were. She was twelve. She was a human being, not a goddamn slave. You call it what you want, but it is what it is. We will never see eye-to-eye on this, Mom. Ever." My nostrils flared as I shook my head slowly back and forth. "I knew it at thirteen when she'd cry herself to sleep in the room on the other side of that wall right there." I grinned dangerously, stepping toward the doorway. "Do I need to check? You got a new one?"

"No, son. We don't," Dad stated.

I looked anyway, grateful I didn't have to smuggle someone extra back into Oz – though the night was still young, and I never knew what my next stop would bring me.

"We haven't accepted one since you left us. You're right. It's terrible and awful. It cost us our son, even though we'd had good intentions with Bella."

I glared his way.

"We took her to keep her away from those who have not-so-good intentions, Edward. There are predators and abusers. One beautiful girl could've ended up worse places than our home."

I waved that away. "Whatever. Are you going to call the raiders on me? Or can I make my way to the hospital?"

"What do you need?" he asked.

"A whole shit-load of things, Dr. Cullen." I pulled out the list we'd been keeping for the last month or so.

He studied the paper, walking away to the living room. In the corner was a cabinet, and he unlocked it. He started taking out supplies and stacked them on the table. Antibiotics, bandages, pain relievers, and vitamins. All of it would be put to use. He added rubber gloves, syringes, and suture kits.

"Why do you have this shit here?"

"For you." Mom's voice wavered. "The last time his ID went missing, we noticed that the pharmacy at the hospital had been raided. It time-stamped with his name. He started bringing this stuff here for you."

My brow furrowed, and I swallowed nervously. When the boxes I needed most were set on top, I started to pack all of it up into my bag.

Mom stopped my hand when the stuffed toy was put in on top. She turned me to face her. "We love you, miss you, and we're sorry we…"

"Do you want out?" I offered gently. "Honestly, we could use another doctor in Oz."

"No. It's too late for us." My father didn't exactly sound convincing.

I shook my head. "It's not, but I understand why you feel that way. We don't have much, but…we're free."

"You live in… The virus…" my father started but trailed off when I smirked, shaking my head again.

"The virus hasn't hit us in years. A few normal flus, some stomach issues, but all of us are healthy. Are they telling you we're all sick?" I asked with amusement, and they both nodded. I sighed deeply. "You want the truth, but it isn't going to come from the people keeping you in these towers. I promise you that. If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to set everything on fire inside these walls. These outdated, ignorant ideals will blow away with the ashes."

"Even us?" Mom asked me.

"My offer still stands. If you want out, I'll make it happen. Hell, I'd take you tonight, but I don't think you're ready," I told them, starting for the door, but I stopped and pulled the ID back out of my pocket. "Here. I guess I don't need it now." Before he could take it, I leaned in. "Start paying attention, Dad. Really fucking listen to what they're not telling you. Did you ever wonder why it's scientists, doctors, nurses, tech geeks, and computer programmers here inside the walls? Did you ever ask where your food comes from? One of my boys is from Houston, and their free labor is forced to farm. If they don't, then they're shot on sight. These people aren't who you think they are."

My mother's mouth fell open, and she glanced to my father.

"You don't know me now, and you probably don't trust me, but I promise you it's the truth," I said solemnly.

"Whose fault is that?" Dad snapped angrily. "Edward, you ran away."

"I did. It wasn't the first time I'd left the walls, but the night I took Bella was the last time I knew I'd sleep in this apartment," I admitted willingly. "She was my age, no different than me, but you owned her." I shook my head. "I couldn't stay. I'm sorry."

"Is she back with her family?" Mom asked.

I gritted my teeth. "No. Not her blood relatives anyway." And that thought made me check my watch again. "I gotta go. Thanks," I muttered, tapping the strap of my backpack. "You saved me a—"

A boom rattled the windows, and I rushed to the one in the living room. The bay was lit up like an enormous floating bonfire. Apparently, Jake and Seth had a very good time with the ships docked in the harbor. I snorted, shaking my head as I wondered which one earned the points.

"Now, I really have to go," I said, spinning around and rushing to the door.

"Son," Dad called, stopping me before I could turn the knob. "Come back. I'll give you whatever supplies you want. We just… We just want to see you."

I inhaled deeply, letting it out through my mouth. I didn't think they'd set me up to get caught, not with what they'd done to hoard medical supplies for me. They did it just in case I came home. Even if they did, I would fight my way back to Oz.

"Okay, but it won't be for a while. We only sneak into the Sound at random times. It's never planned unless we've been tipped off for something specific." I reached for the doorknob, turning to glance back over my shoulder. "If you want out by the time I come back, then be ready to go. I'll get you out myself."

I waited until they nodded, and I pulled my hood back up. I had one more stop to make before I left the Sound. I hit the stairs of the apartment building, rushing back down the ten flights to the parking garage. Footsteps echoed and flashlights flickered from around the corner, and I plastered myself against the shadowed niche just outside the stairwell, waiting for them to pass. From the sound of it, raiders were doing a few rounds. They didn't do a very thorough job of it, because the beam of low light swept quickly from one side of the parking level to the other and then moved on.

Quickly and silently, I ran back to the open manhole cover, slipping back into the underground. Instead of turning right back toward Oz, I turned left for a few blocks. The next stop was the playground of an abandoned elementary school. My underground safety ran out at least three blocks from where I needed to be, so once I was topside, I ran from cover to cover, avoiding the raiders passing by on their security patrols.

I could see him pacing beside the swings, and I smiled, giving a soft whistle to alert him. He jerked a chin, and we met behind the portable classroom that was now falling into disrepair, but it was used now more than when it had students. His mustache twitched when he gave a small smile.

"How many?" I asked him.

"Three."

My eyebrows shot up. "Three? If I'd…"

"I know, son! I know. I'll help you. It's hard to watch your back with three. I get it."

I stepped into the small classroom, eyeing the three people sitting nervously at desks. Two young women and an older man. One of the girls had raven black hair, and she was twenty-something – maybe. However, it was the split lip, black eye, and nonstop tears that concerned me. The other girl was blonde, young teens, and way too thin. The older man stood up and walked to me.

"The name's Peter. You saved my wife last year, Edward." He held out a hand, and I shook it. "Charlotte."

My smile crept up on my face. "Charlotte's your wife?" When he nodded, I grinned. "She's fine, sir. She's kinda taken over the school."

He chuckled. "That's my Lottie."

I huffed a laugh because I could see all over the old guy's face that he was still head over heels for her. I patted his shoulder. "Let's get you to her, yeah?"

He blinked back some tears, but he nodded again, making his way to the bag he had left on the floor.

I glanced to the man on my right. "What happened to her, Charlie?" I whispered, jerking my chin toward the small, sad woman.

"Aro happened to her, son."

"Shit. She was Aro's?" I hissed, pushing my hood down so I could grip my hair. Aro was in charge of the Sound. It was his company, his command, his money that started walls and fighting, slaves and genocide. I couldn't prove it, but there was a part of me – deep, deep down – that had a hunch he may have used his pharmaceutical company to make the original virus that had killed millions of people. I had no proof, but he was just nasty enough that it wouldn't shock me.

"We'll have to hide her for a few weeks."

"I figured, but there was a window of opportunity I couldn't resist when it came to getting her out," he replied softly, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "How's our girl?"

"Beautiful as usual."

He grinned, patting my shoulder. "All from her mother."

I smiled. That may have been true, except for the eyes. Bella had her father's eyes.

Charlie Swan may have been the only willing member of Oz to be taken by raiders, and not because he wanted to go, but because the death of his wife and the kidnapping of his daughter had changed him. To the raiders, he was a former cop, willing to do his duty. To Oz, he was a fucking hero. He was now our inside spy and the smuggler of slaves out of the Sound. And he did it with cold, unrelenting precision.

"You guys made a big bang tonight in the harbor, so I'm gonna assume I won't see you for a month or two," he surmised softly.

"Two months. Just before the first of the year," I told him. "If it can't happen, I'll get word to you."

"Smart man." He turned to the girls. "Alice, Lauren… This is Edward. He's going to get you beyond the walls."

I walked to them, kneeling down. "Do you have family in the Outer Zone?"

Lauren nodded, but Alice shook her head, saying, "No, I was… I'm from Mississippi. I was taken to Atlanta and put on a train."

"Motherf—" I ground out, forcing myself to stop my language. "Alice, I don't… I don't think I can get you that far, but Oz is safe. Considering who owned you, we'll have to keep you hidden a bit."

She shrugged, meeting my gaze. "Just… Get me away from him, Edward. Anywhere is better. Hell would be better."

"Done," I stated firmly. I turned my attention to Lauren. "What sector of Oz?" I asked, because we'd sectioned off Oz by neighborhood so we could keep everyone accounted for and safe.

"Sector B."

Nodding, I stood and addressed all three. "It's a bit of a hike, but I need you to keep up. Please do as I tell you, and I need you to stay absolutely quiet. Okay?" I turned to Charlie. "I only need you as far as the end of the underground. After that, I can take them the rest of the way alone."

"Then let's get going."

The few blocks back to the underground would be touchy at best. It was one thing to move through the shadows alone, but it was another with a total of five of us. Peter and the two girls did fine, even when we dropped into the underground. Charlie took the back, making sure we weren't seen, and he was the last to drop below the street.

I led them carefully through the underground. I was used to the lack of light down there, but they were a little overwhelmed. Just before the end, I stopped them.

"Okay, this will be the hardest part," I told them in a whisper. "We must stick to the alley until the patrol passes us. When you get up there, you'll see a rundown building just slightly to the left. That's our goal. Aim for the backyard, not the front door."

When they all nodded, I scurried up the ladder, shifting the garbage bin a little. It was quiet, though a patrol could be any second, and I'd rather wait until one went by before moving. Lights flickered on the pavement, and I looked to Charlie.

"Okay, we're good to go in about a minute."

He pulled me down from the ladder, hugging me and pressing a folded piece of paper into my hand. "Give that to Bella."

Smirking, I patted his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I will."

The sound of an engine and loud radio calls met my ears as it echoed down to where we were. I climbed back up just in time to see the taillights flash by at the end of the alleyway. I pulled myself all the way up, offering a hand to Lauren, Alice, and then Peter.

It was this point in my night where mistakes could be made because I tended to rush home. And if I were alone, I'd already be across the street. As it was, I quickly guided everyone toward the back of the building. Just before I left the Sound, I turned in time to see the garbage bin shift back into place. Charlie was still safe and most likely moving back toward his guard post.

"Let's keep moving," I told the others softly, leading them to the far corner.

I helped Peter through first, and he gave me a hand with the girls. Once we were back inside Oz, I relaxed a little.

"Not far now," I told them. "We'll get you something to eat. Alice, I'd like Sue to check you over. And you two… We'll get you home soon."

Oz was still sleeping as we walked back toward the garage. The sun wasn't up yet, but it would be soon. I stepped into the garage, grinning at the water truck they'd pulled inside.

"Hot damn!" I praised, giving Emmett a rough one-armed hug. He eyed the three people with me. "Go get Al and Sue… Oh, and Charlotte."

"The teacher?" Rose asked, getting up from the table.

"Yeah, yeah. Go get her please," I said, turning to my three charges and gesturing to the table. "Relax, guys. You're safe."

"Who've we got, Ed?" Jasper asked, stepping into the garage, and behind him came Sam, Seth, and Jake.

"Just…hang on," I told him, shrugging out of my backpack.

Emmett wasn't gone long, and he brought back the two elders. Alistair eyed the water truck, chuckling a little, but he sobered up at the sight of the three people at the table.

"Charlie's been busy, I see," Sue muttered, looking to me.

"I'm waiting for Rose. Just…wait a second," I told them, turning when the door opened, and Rose led a sleepy Charlotte into the garage.

I needed this reunion. I wasn't sure why. I remembered getting Charlotte out. She'd been a nanny for one of Aro's higher-ups, and while they weren't as cruel as Aro, they hadn't been all that kind either.

The older woman gasped when Peter stood from the table. "Peter?" she whispered, her hands shaking as she reached for him.

"There's my girl," he said, walking straight into her arms. He held her close as she cried.

I swallowed, bracing my hands on the back of a chair and locking gazes with Sue, who was a teary mess. I couldn't imagine how they'd lived apart for a fucking year. I had a feeling Peter made sure Charlotte was out and safe before him, and that was something I completely understood.

Waving a hand toward the older couple, I addressed the room. "Obviously, Charlotte's husband." I turned toward the two girls, pointing to each one. "Lauren and Alice. Lauren has family in Sector B. Alice here…" I shook my head, looking to Alistair. "Alice was owned by Aro. And as you can see, it wasn't exactly a fucking vacation."

He gaped at me but didn't say anything.

"We can't get her home. She's from Mississippi. They put her on a train. We'll also have to hide her here in Oz for a bit. I have a feeling this will piss Aro off something fierce," I explained to them all. "Not that I'm worried about his fragile feelings, but we're getting closer to him."

Sue walked to Alice, cupping her face. "Alice, I'm Sue, but everyone around here calls me Grandma Sue. You'll come home with me, and I'll get you a place to sleep. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Alice nodded, but she didn't say where, and honestly, I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

Sue turned to Lauren. "Sector B?" she asked, and Lauren nodded. Sue looked to Jake and Seth. "Boys, please see to it she makes it home safely." She cupped Lauren's chin. "It's best if you stay away from the fences from this point on. All of you," she added, glancing around the group of them. "No need to tempt any raiders to try to take you back."

"Sure, Grandma," Seth and Jake said at the same time, leading Lauren back outside.

I picked up my backpack and shouldered it. I needed the supplies first, and then they could have the whole damn bag when I was done.

Before I could leave, Sue stopped me. "Our girl kept down her dinner last night. And despite her worry for you, she slept okay," she whispered to me.

Nodding, I left the garage toward home, which was an apartment building at the corner. We'd all sort of taken over the whole building – Sue, Alistair, Jasper, Emmett and Rose, Sam and the boys, and lastly, Bella and me. We each had an apartment of our own.

I stepped through the door, locking it back behind me and walking straight to the bedroom. I kicked out of my shoes and set my bag down. I wasn't sure there was a better sight anywhere. Bella sleeping in a shirt of mine, wrapped around my pillow was just about the most beautiful thing. It beat any sunset or sunrise or damned rainbow, and honestly, she was the prettiest girl in Oz.

Maybe not, but I didn't see anyone but her. And I hadn't since we'd arrived in Oz when I was thirteen and she was twelve.

Kneeling by the bed, I lightly brushed a lock of hair from her face. At first, we'd lived with Sue and Emmett. Bella had bunked with Rose. And we'd stayed there for years, becoming inseparable best friends as we learned, trained, and fought for the new family we were building. But as we grew up, my best friend became the only girl I ever wanted.

Sue married us two years ago. Honestly, I'd wanted to marry her at seventeen, but I'd waited. What we did and how we did it was dangerous, and if anyone on the fucking planet could be used against me, it was the beautiful brunette currently in our bed.

Warm, sleepy-sweet brown eyes opened, and I smiled.

"You're home," she whispered, reaching for my hair to push it off my forehead.

"Yes, love, I'm home. How are you feeling?"

She huffed a soft laugh. "Better."

Her lips were on mine before I could blink, and I smiled into the kiss when she pulled at me until I was on top of her. Bracing a hand by her head, I cupped her face as her legs wrapped around my hips.

Grinning down at her, I said, "You know, this is what got us into this mess."

Her giggle was the best sound, and that sweet pink that flushed her cheeks made me crazy for her. I could see that she did indeed feel better. When I'd left, she was ashen and nauseated. But right at that moment, she was looking at me like I was her next meal.

"Are you sure?" I whispered, reaching back to pull my shirts off, and I dropped them off the side of the bed.

"Yes, I've missed you. I don't like sleeping without you," she whispered back, her hands skimming up my sides, over my chest, and around my neck. "You're home safe. Let me have you."

"Let you," I repeated in a chuckle. "Bella, you've always had me."

"I know."

That was the last thing said before everything shifted. It was a practiced dance – kisses, touches, clothes removed, secretive smiles, and moans of approval. Bella writhed beneath me, seeking friction and release. And I was hard and ready. Just knowing this beautiful girl loved me kept me in want of her. It never took much to have me hard and leaking.

This would be fast and over too soon, but I was sure neither of us cared. I touched her where she was swollen and sensitive until she called my name. When I finally slid deep inside her, my eyes rolled back into my head at the bliss that came with that feeling. It was more than sex, more than scratching an itch. It was our love, our long history, our celebration of our fucking survival in this messed-up world. My pace picked up, but I could barely look away from her face.

"I love you. Come again. I feel you're close," I coaxed her, touching her again.

My climax was about to hit me full force, but I held off until she fell apart again beneath me. I exploded at the sight of her lost to us. She was irresistible on a daily basis, but Bella was angelic when she came for me. I lost myself in her kisses, the feel her sweet skin against mine. Pressing my forehead to hers, I smiled and brushed another kiss over her lips.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," I said, grinning at her chuckle and rolling off her when she nudged me.

"I'm glad you're home," she countered wryly.

She sat up, and as soon as I leaned back against the headboard, I had her cradled in my lap.

"I could tell," I teased her, but she tsked my way.

"How'd it go?" she asked me seriously.

Smiling, I pressed kisses to her temple. "Oh, let's see… Jake and Seth decided to play pirates and sink a few ships in the harbor. Emmett and Rose finally got us one of the water trucks. I saw my parents, and Charlie saved three people. Oh, and he sent you this…" My jeans were still on the bed. I pulled out the folded note from the pocket.

She wrapped her hand around the note and then gazed up at me. "What do you mean, you saw your parents?"

I told her what had happened when I went to steal Dad's ID – the fight, the offer to remove them, their shame. Bella snuggled closer, linking our fingers together.

"You know, they're right. It could've been way worse than your parents, Edward." Bella didn't hold the same grudge against my parents as I did. She had been scared and sad, but not angry.

"Yeah, I get it," I muttered, bringing her hand up to kiss her fingers. "Your dad took Aro's slave tonight. I saw just what could've happened had you ended up in the wrong house, love. I get what they're saying, but I just… I couldn't see it any other way back then."

She giggled a little. "Well, I'm not complaining, Edward."

Gazing down at her, I chuckled. "You ready?"

She nodded, slipping off my lap and pulling my shirt back on. I stood up, tugging on my jeans. I reached for my backpack and pulled out the bear.

"Here, that's for you or…" I waved a hand toward her, smirking at her laugh. "It was mine."

"Oh," she cooed sweetly, hugging the stuffed toy to her chest.

I took out the pregnancy test, handing it over and sitting back down on the edge of the bed. She took it, setting the bear down for a moment.

"What do we do if this is positive?" she whispered, stepping between my legs.

"We're careful. We're smart. I'm not sure I want you on the other side of the wall if you are," I rattled off instantly as I pulled her closer, because I'd been thinking about nothing else since she'd started throwing up two days ago. And she was late on her period.

"And if it's negative?" she asked softly, and I could see her hope.

"I don't know, my love. We keep going, keep trying. It scares me to bring a baby into Oz. So much shit could go wrong," I admitted, grimacing a little. "But I can't deny you anything, Bella."

"I know. I know, Edward! I do. I'm scared too, but still…"

Grinning, I cupped her beautiful face in my hands. "I'm in, sweetheart. No matter what that test tells you, I'm in. If you are, then we adjust. If you aren't, then we can get back in this bed and try again. I certainly won't complain. Did I sound like I was complaining a second ago?"

Her laugh was the sound I'd needed all damn night. "Edward Cullen, you're insatiable."

"Only with my wife, Mrs. Cullen." I patted her sweet bottom. "Go. My curiosity is about to drive me crazy."

Bella stepped away to the bathroom. And I fidgeted with my backpack's straps. I'd take the supplies to Sue soon, but Bella came first. She'd always come first. Something about that sweet, sad, brown-eyed girl had pulled me in from the minute she'd stepped foot in that apartment in the Sound. I'd already had issues being trapped in that place, but to see her there against her will, grieving for her mother and missing her father – I'd wanted nothing more than to protect her. I'd listened for months to her cries at night, arguing with my parents to let her go, but they'd been scared. I could see that now. To defy Aro would mean trouble. At the time, we'd been repeatedly told that anything outside of the Sound was dirty, sick, a death sentence. It took meeting Emmett and getting to Oz to realize the truth. Or, at the very least, to see that not everything was as it seemed.

My offer to my parents would stand. I'd bring them to Oz should they want it. And if Bella was pregnant, then Dr. Cullen would be needed. In fact, I planned on talking to Alistair and Sue about it soon. And I'd definitely need Charlie.

I gazed around the room, feeling all the anxiety at once, forcing myself to lean back against the headboard. I wanted a child, but I didn't. I wanted gorgeous, tangible proof of my love for Bella. I wanted the hope for the future that our baby would represent. We wouldn't have the first baby born in Oz, but we'd be the first in our group of resistance against Aro and the Sound. Suddenly, I could see a little girl, a carbon copy of my Bella – brown eyes, long dark hair, and a mischievous smile. Everything in me came alive and protective and fierce.

Bella stepped back into the bedroom, a little plastic stick in her hand. Tears ran unchecked down that sweet face, and my heart broke at the sight of them. I'd spent the last fifteen years trying to stop her tears. However, I couldn't tell if these were sad tears or happy ones.

"C'mere, love," I said, swinging my feet down so that she could stand between my legs. I didn't look at the test; I only locked my gaze with those sweet brown eyes. I wrapped my hand around hers and that pregnancy test. "No matter what this says, I still love you. You know that, right?"

She cried even more, pressing her forehead to mine. "I love you, too, Edward."

"Then I'm good." I brushed kisses over her lips, tasting salt. "Happy or sad tears, love?"

She huffed a sniffly laugh. "Happy. I'm pregnant."

"Yeah?" I asked, and she nodded vehemently. I wrapped my arms around her and spun her to the bed. "Yeah? Really?"

She nodded, swiping at her tears and holding out the little plastic stick. "Yes!"

I placed a hand on her stomach, feeling a little overwhelmed and a shit-ton of protective.

She put her hand over mine, linking our fingers together. "Okay, no more going over the wall."

"At minimum, Bella."

"But I don't want to stop fighting, Edward. People need to know the truth. Slaves need freeing. Aro needs to go down," she argued fiercely. "And I think we need to get your parents out."

I studied her beautiful face. "Well, we'll have to figure out how to do that and keep you and this one safe."

"You have to be more careful too," she stated, kissing me when I started to argue. "Promise me. Promise…us."

We needed to sit with everyone soon, but I knew what she was asking. We had to fight, but we now had more at stake. Aro needed to be removed. The walls of the Sound needed to come down. We were getting close, but now things needed to change.

I kissed her, nodding a little. "I promise, Bella."

~oOo~

A/N… I'd like to thank all that read and voted for this contest. Like I said, if you want to check out the other amazing stories, then go over to The Eras Contest on my list of favorite authors.

This story will continue. I don't have a real posting schedule at this time. Most of my prereaders were involved in this contest, so I couldn't say a word for months. Now, I have to get them caught up.

I do have a couple chapters done. So there will be an update next week. Sundays are a good day for me, so I'll aim for those. Until next time… Mooches, Deb ;)