Falling Skies 1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is set before Ben is harnessed, and it probably won't go exactly along with the storyline in the series, but sort of similar.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TNT, Falling Skies, or any of the characters, but I do own Jo.**

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_**Jo's POV**_

It was supposed to be a normal hunt. Hal, Matt, Ben, Tom, Maggie, Captain Weaver and I were searching for a skitter center, which we found.

"Looks like a harnessing center." Hal observed.

"Creepy." I muttered, terrified. We went inside, scoping out the area.

"Shoot anything that moves." Weaver commanded.

"But what about the harnessed kids?" Matt asked, clearly concerned. Tom looked to him, then knelt in front of him.

"It's your safety before theirs, okay?" He said. I felt a little better.

"Yeah we just need to-" Ben started coughing like crazy.

"Here." I took out his inhaler from my pocket and tossed it to him. He used it, and gave it back to me.

"Thanks." He breathed, still recovering from his asthma attack.

"Let's get looking." Maggie said, cocking her gun and walking inside. I saw a room to my left, and went in there alone. I left the door open a crack. I heard footsteps, and I turned to see a skitter.

"Help!" I squeaked. It had a harness. "SOMEBODY!" I turned around to see Ben standing outside the door. "Ben! Help me!" I tried to cock my gun, but it was empty. "Ben!" He reached out, and shut the door. "NO!" I screamed. "LET ME OUT!" He backed away. "GO TO HELL!" I screamed back. As the harness was put onto my back, the last thing I remember was me muttering "You deserve to die, Ben Mason."

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**A bit of a short chapter, sorry! Just something to settle in your mind:**

**Why did Ben leave Jo?**

**What is their relationship, friends or more?**

**The next chapter will be up soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for continuing! I'm open to reviews, I love feedback!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TNT, Falling Skies, or any of it's characters. But I do own Jo.**

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**_Ben_**

_"Ben! Leave her, we've got to go!" Captain Weaver shouted._

_"But-" I began, but was cut off._

_"Leave her, Ben." Dad said, giving me a sympathetic look. She was shouting and screaming, and it pained me to shut the door._

I sat on the ground of where I slept with Dad and my brothers. I came here as soon as we got back, and I haven't left in three days. Hal came in with food, but I never ate it. I was beyond depressed, I couldn't explain how much guilt I felt.

"Ben?" Hal snapped me back into reality. "You can't just stay in here forever. You need to eat, you need to talk to somebody." He set a plate of mashed potatoes in front of me. "It's a shame that Jo got harnessed, but what are we supposed to do?" I nodded meekly, and took the plate. "After you're done, Weaver wants to talk to you." He got up and left. I was starving, to be honest. I hadn't noticed how hungry I was until I started eating. I finished the whole plate in record time. I took the empty plate and walked out of the room. I got stares from everybody, and many whispers.

"Is that Ben Mason?"

"He's alive?"

"I heard he was going to starve himself."

"Wonder where he's going." I ignored them. Did they really think I'd try suicide?

"Did you hear what Jo said to him?" That one clicked memories. I had so many nightmares of what she had said, and I wonder if she meant it. I guess I'll never know. I walked into the cafeteria, causing everyone to freeze. I put my head down and walked over to the pile of dirty dishes. Matt was the first. On his feet, clapping. Hal and Dad joined him, then Anne, then Lourdes, then even Captain Weaver. Soon, the whole cafeteria was on their feet, applauding and whooping. But they shouldn't be.

"STOP." I yelled. "Just stop." Everyone stopped, confused. I set my plate down and ran out into the woods. There was an old fallen tree, which I sat on. I just sat there, thinking, for who knows how long.

I didn't notice the footsteps behind me.

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_**Jo**_

Being harnessed.

It's different then most people think. People always told me that once you're harnessed, you're dead. But that's not it. When you're harnessed, you feel lifeless, and I'm sure you look it, too. All you can do is think. You can't move, or talk. Just think. It's weird, not being able to control where you're going or what you're doing. You just walk up to a skitter, it screeches out orders, and you're supposed to just do them.

Ben was all I thought about. It was Ben Ben Ben all day. My grudge soon turned into a pure hate.

Hurt Ben.

Torture Ben.

Kill Ben.

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**_Hal_  
**

Ben had run out of the cafeteria, and nobody seemed concerned.

"Nobody's gonna go after him?" I said, looking at Dad.

"Hal, I-" I cut him off.

"No. Nobody's cared about him since Jo. He had to leave her while she was being harnessed. That's not going to be easy! And yet, I'm the only one going in, trying to get him to eat, trying to get him happier, but what have you done? Sat back and watched me? I'm done with it. Done with you being a terrible father!" The look on Dad's face made me instantly regret my words. "I'm sorry, Dad." I whispered under my breath.

"It's fine." He said. I felt horrible, so I just left. What if Ben ended up like Jo? What if we never got either one back? I shook the feeling off, what's the likelihood that could actually happen? I was more worried about Jo, would we ever get her back? Even if we did, it'd be impossible to get the harness off, right?

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**So that's chapter two! Thanks for all the reviews, and chapter three will be up as soon as possible! Review please?**


	3. Chapter 3

**I have changed my username, by the way. It has gone from Louislover802 to Fan-Fiction-802.**

**New chapter! I'm excited, are you? :P Let's do this**

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_**Ben**_

When I turned around, I was facing a skitter. I reached into my back pocket for my knife, but that's when I remembered Jo. I deserved this, didn't I? To suffer just like her? But it wasn't my choice anymore. While I was hesitating, the skitter took me away. I reached for my knife, but they knocked me out.

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_**Jo**_

We had 'role call' today. They line all of the children up, and organize them, and then put all that info into a big supercomputer or something.

_Screeeeeeech_. The main skitter guy screeched in a boy's face.

"Andre Nickson. Age 15. Unnamed group. Harnessed 2.5 months ago." The boy stated, with that harnessed blank expression.

_Screeeeeeech. _My turn. My mouth started moving before I could think.

"Josephine Noel. Age 14. Second Mass Militia Regiment. Harnessed 2.6 weeks ago." Has it really been almost three weeks? Time flies when YOU'RE BEING CONTROLLED BY ALIENS THAT INVADED YOUR PLANET.

_Screeeeeeech. _Another girl stood next to me.

"Payton Nourry. Age 11. Alone. Harnessed 13.7 months ago." This eleven year old girl was harnessed over a year ago? I felt so bad for her, but I couldn't do anything. Except build up an immunity to the harness, of course, but that'd take two years at the least.

_Screeeeeeech. _I couldn't see who was next to Payton, so I simply listened.

"Ben Mason." I swallowed the lump in my throat, which was progress against the harness. "Age 14." Worry and anger built up in me. "Second Mass Militia Regiment." There was so much bubbling inside me, I needed to let it out. "Harnessed 5 days ago." Five days?! They did this once a week, and I guess we both had different assignments. There was so much inside me, I did it. I screamed. I screamed louder than I've ever screamed. It was a long, continuous, no. I couldn't accept Ben being here. Yes, I hated him, but, deep down, I liked him.

Bad Jo.

He ruined you.

I felt a sharp shock of pain start from my spine, and it continued across my back, then up my neck, into my head, down my arms, to my fingertips, down my legs, wiggling my knees, making me fall, and finally, the pain engulfed my feet. I could tell that they had temporarily deactivated my harness so I could really suffer. The pain kept jolting through me. The skitter yanked Ben forward, holding his hair tightly. His harness stopped glowing, signaling it had been turned off. Andre stepped forward.

"Why don't you tell us the reason for your outbreak?" He translated. I was shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. "Tell us." The skitter yanked Ben's head back farther, making him yelp.

"J-Jo, I'm s-sorry." He said through gritted teeth. The skitter struck again, pulling Ben's head back, this time making him inhale sharply then groan.

"You have feelings for him." Andre recited blankly, whilst the skitter tilted its head.

"I'd rather die than have to look at him again." I spat, keeping my aching head down.

"Same to you, bitch."

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**_Matt_**

I woke up in a sweat. Dad had been shaking me, and Hal stood next to him with a worried expression.

"Matt! Are you okay?" Dad asked. I swallowed and nodded, unsure of why I was so stiff and scared.

"You were screaming pretty loud, buddy." Hal said, taking my hand. Screaming? This didn't make any sense.

"D-did Ben come home?" I was scared. Where was my big brother? Why hadn't he rushed to my side like Dad and Hal? Hal sighed and looked at Dad. "Why are we waiting around?" I shot up and out of my bed. "We need to find him!" I slipped on my boots, and a coat. I turned back to Dad, who was in the same place, with teary eyes.

"Matt," He pulled me into a hug. "He didn't come home yesterday. We think he was-" I couldn't bear the news.

"No, he wasn't. He _was not_." I cut Dad off. Ben couldn't be harnessed. First him, then Jo? Ben was supposed to be my big brother, he was supposed to protect me. Jo was my big sister (not really, but she acts like it), she was supposed to tell me stories and hold me while I cried.

But now they're both gone.

"Matt, bud, we need you to be strong. We'll find Jo, and Ben, we'll fix them." Hal said. Fix them? They weren't broken, they're still human.

"Go to sleep, Matt." Dad kissed my forehead, and got back onto his bed. Hal did the same.

I quietly cried myself to sleep.

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**Woo hoo! Review please? I also have a new story out, called Keep the Music. It is Falling Skies, check it out? Thanks! Chapter four will be up soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Things got a little mixed up in here, so Pope's crew hasn't come yet in this chapter. I'm sorry I accidentally forgot about them, and then remembered after I wrote the chapter, and I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer!**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

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_**Jo**_

I couldn't stop thinking about Ben when they turned his harness off.

A.) He had called me a b****

B.) He seemed awfully mad at me even though I have a good reason to hate him.

As soon as those words left his mouth, they turned his harness back on. I don't really know how long it's been. My mind drifts off into random places, and I barely pay any attention.

The one time I did really snap to attention was when I cut my finger. We were moving sheet metal, and it was really sharp. I picked it up, and it was just like a paper cut. But it didn't bleed. I guess the harness makes you invincible. Which was pretty cool, I must admit.

Nothing really matters anymore, it's like the whole world is fading away to me. For what seems like forever I've slaved and worked for these skitters, and life isn't getting any better.

We had another role call today. I don't know or care how long I've been here, I just want out! As it turned out, Ben and I have been here for roughly eight months. There was something different about today, though. I've been keeping track of all the kids here, and one was missing. I think his name was Rick... I don't know. But that scared me, the poor kid was probably murdered. I mentally sighed (since I can't really sigh) and hoped I wasn't next.

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_**Hal**_

The past few days have been going great. We had rescued a few kids from a harnessing facility, but, unfortunately, our method wasn't right and they died. That wasn't the great part, though. The great part was when a doctor came and showed us a safe way to remove the harness. We're going out to save Ben, and hopefully Jo.

"Ready to go?" Karen jogged up to me.

"Yup." I gave her a quick peck on the cheek. We set out to the hospital, with high hopes. Our plan wasn't perfect, that's for sure, but it's all we have. And getting Ben back will be worth the trouble.

The plan didn't go as expected. We didn't expect so many mechs and skitters on us, we simply couldn't fight them off.

"KAREN! YOU HAVE TO GO!" I shouted. We were being completely ambushed.

"NOT WITHOUT YOU!" She replied as she fired like crazy. But nothing we did would help. Dad and everyone else got away with one kid, but not Ben. The skitters got to us, and captured Karen and I.

We were screwed.

They held us in a room, what used to be a waiting room, I think. Pretty soon a skitter and a harnessed kid come in. It takes me a few seconds to realize it's Jo.

"Our overlords have a proposition. We'd like the girl." The skitter looked to Karen.

"No!" I immediately shot back, wrapping an arm protectively around Karen.

"Let me restate my previous sentence: We _will_ take the girl, and send you with a message." I was about to protest when more skitters came in. Karen was ripped away from me, and I was dragged outside. Jo and the skitter followed me. "You tell your first-in-command that if they take one, the rest die."

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_**Jo**_

Today we were ambushed. I was working in the back outside, far away from most of the skitters. Only two skitters and a Mech were watching. A whole group of people came in, easily took down the Mech in a single shot, and fought off the skitters _by hand__. _They herded a handful of us, including me, into the back of a pickup truck.

"Hey, Coop, how many we got back there?" A voice from the front yelled.

"Eh..." A guy, who must be Coop (standing short for Cooper, I assume), counted us. "Five." The truck came to an abrupt stop. When we were taken out, it looked like we were on a farm. The house was hidden behind a group of trees, so it looked as if there was just a big field. Behind the house was a large barn, but it was pretty hidden, too. They pushed the five of us against the wall of the house, and cocked their guns.

The last thing I remember is a loud bang.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Jo**_

I woke up in a bed. The room looked old, with floral wallpaper. Corners of it were falling off, and it looked faded. I sat up, and took a look at all the furniture. A very run-down dresser, with three big, long drawers. There was a big mirror hanging above it. Next to me, there was a nightstand with a single drawer and a lamp atop it. The cord wasn't plugged in, but I wonder if there's a lightbulb. So, I removed the lamp shade to reveal a candle jammed into the lightbulb's place. I opened the nightstand drawer to see a lighter, and some letters. One read:

_Dear Angelina,_

_I fear this 'special' situation is getting no better. I'm afraid I won't make it. I am doing my best to save the food and water for Callie and Natalie. Please keep Drew and Micheal safe, as I love them very much. This letter may be short, but meaningful I hope. I will miss you, sister. May we one day meet again in a better place._

_Love, _

_Saraphine._

There was another letter, which said:

_Dear Drew:_

_Mom died yesterday. And I'm sorry about Aunt Angelina. Callie and I are hoping you would maybe join us down here?_

I couldn't finish the letter, since a tall boy walked in. I quickly threw the letters back and shut the drawer.

"Natalie! Callie! Micheal! Drew! We got a survivor!" I recognized the boy as Cooper. "Cooper's the name, killin' Bloodies' the game." He stuck out his hand, which I shook.

"_Bloodies_?" I repeated.

"Yeah, that's what we call those alien things. 'Cause they kill everybody." He said, as if it was nothing. Four more people came in.

"I'm Natalie." A tall, blonde, blue-eyed girl walked to me. Instead of shaking my hand, she gave me a hug. "Sorry." She blushed. "I'm a hugger."

"It's okay." I laughed a bit. A tall, brunette, green-eyed girl, who looked exactly like Natalie, came up to me next.

"I'm Callie." She sat on the edge of the bed. By the letters and their appearance, they must be twins. "Natalie's twin." That confirmed my suspicion. I took note of Callie and Natalie's matching purple streak in their hair. A shorter boy, with long-ish brown hair sat next to Callie.

"I'm Micheal." He smiled a bit, showing braces that had obviously been on far too long.

"And I'm Drew." The tallest boy, with short blonde hair and brown eyes, shook my hand. Cooper, from before, was a medium-heighted ginger with shaggy hair.

"So we have some explaining to do..." Cooper began. "We live here, we use the livestock and crops for food, we have a well out back for water, and..." Cooper looked around. "That's pretty much it."

"Except for the whole part about how she got from the harnessing facility to here, you doof." Callie said, whacking Cooper in the back of the head. "We found out a way to deactivate the harness, there's a 'sweet spot' it."

"Yeah, once you fire at it, the whole thing shuts off. But there's a low probability you'll survive. We had five of you, two ran away, the other two... weren't as lucky. They died." Natalie said, her voice sad.

"It's late, you'd better get some rest." Micheal said, getting up.

"Yeah. Night..." Drew trailed off, looking for a name.

"Jo."

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_**Hal**_

We went out scouting for food today, when we were taken hostage. The leader was a guy named Pope. A girl, Margaret, who was originally with Pope, broke us out. She was kinda... cute...

WHAT AM I THINKING?

I still love Karen!

Then I remembered my message.

"Hey Dad!" I jogged up to him as we were walking back to the high school.

"Yeah?" He asked, stopping and turning to talk to me.

"When they took Karen... they gave me a message." Dad looked confused. "They said..." I took a deep breath. "Take one, the rest die."

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**_Ben_**

They took Jo. I don't care who they is, I just want to beat them up.

THEY COULD BE FREAKING RAPISTS.

OH MY GOD.

THEY COULD BE RAPISTS.

I bet I'm over exaggerating, but THEY COULD BE RAPISTS.

THEY. COULD. RAPE. JO.

OH MY GOD.

Yup. Definitely over exaggerating.

As I went to sleep, one thought crossed my mind:

_Would I ever see her again?_


	6. Chapter 6

**Just wanna say thank you guys! I've had a lot of great reviews and I'm glad you guys love this story as much as I love writing it X)**

**WARNING: This chapter has extreme gore in Jo's POV. I wish I could say that part is uneventful and not required to read, but it is. Please power through. :D**

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**_Callie_**

"Who says we can trust that harnessed freak?" Jo was still sleeping, and Micheal was first to bring up a fight. As usual.

"Come on, Micheal! She's probably scared to death." I fought back. I was helping Natalie make scrambled eggs for the boys for breakfast. I set one plate aside for Jo.

"But come on! You can't just ignore my point!" I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Shut up and eat your food." Natalie muttered, putting a plate in front of Micheal.

"PREACH." Cooper yelled, devouring his food. Jo came downstairs and gasped.

"You have eggs?!" She screeched.

"Yeah." Drew laughed. "We've got chickens out back."

"Wow." She whispered. I handed her a big plate of eggs, which she ate in a matter of seconds.

"Okay, cock your guns and load the arrows, lets go kill us some bloodies." Cooper chanted, putting his plate into our makeshift dishwasher, which is just a bucket of water. It's no Dawn Platinum, but it cleans pretty well. Natalie and I, having being completely distracted by making food, quickly gobbled down the leftovers. We suited up, and went out.

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**_Matt_**

Everyone else was talking about something, but they wouldn't tell me what. I know it has something to do with either Jo or Ben, but what? I pray it's a plan to save them.

* * *

_**Jo**_

Natalie, Callie and I waited behind a bush for the group of aliens the boys were leading to us. Once they were in sight, we shoot every last one. I just hope they haven't gotten themselves into too much trouble. Cooper and Drew return. ONLY Cooper and Drew. No Micheal. Tears were stinging at the boys' faces, and I knew Micheal was a goner. Natalie jumped up in rage, and dove at the closest alien. She was throwing a hissy fit, clawing at it and screaming. But it was winning. Blood dripped from down her face as the alien reached inside her chest. It was the grossest thing I've ever seen, watching an alien yank out a young girl's heart. Callie bent over and began retching like crazy, sobs racking her body. Natalie's lifeless body laid there with a big hole where her heart should be. Cooper had gotten himself pinned against a tree, with his head in the hands of an alien. First Micheal, now Natalie, next Cooper. This HAD to stop. Callie continued to retch, too paralyzed in fear to do anything else. Drew was mercilessly ripping aliens' heads off. I jumped onto the alien who was attacking Cooper, using my knife to jab it until it was lifeless. I stared at the maroon blood on my hands.

You killed a living thing.

I always hate killing things, I never did. Not even an ant. But now I've murdered an actual THING. Sure, it was a freak of nature and killed everything in its' path, but I always hoped to avoid this moment. Two foreign hands ripped me off the dead thing's body, and began to punch me. I fought back with all my might until I realized this was the one that killed Natalie. My adrenaline tripled, and I thought it deserved what it gave. I dove my hand into it's squishy body, and pushed through it's organs until my hand poked out the other side. I should've been satisfied, but I wasn't. As I retracted my hand, I grabbed everything as possible in that damn thing. My hand was full of alien insides. I threw them to the ground, and shook my hand in an attempt to get it all off. The alien was long gone. I looked to Cooper and Drew. Drew was in trouble. An alien had pinned him against a tree by his neck.

"DREW!" I screeched. Leaping onto the thing's back, I wrapped my arms around it and ripped it's eyes out. Two of them remain. Weren't there three...? I shake away the thought, one probably ran off. In my state of thought, both Cooper and Drew had gotten themselves in quite a bind. Cooper was backed against a tree, the alien creeping closer, and Drew remained paralyzed as he stared at the eyeballs on the ground. I looked at both boys, there wasn't time to save them both. "DREW! MOVE!" I screamed, figuring he would have a better chance of survival. When he didn't move, I took it upon myself to move him. I grabbed his hand and led him away, wait was interrupted by a snap. I turned to see Cooper's bruised neck and bleeding mouth laying lifeless on the ground. Cooper, Natalie, and Micheal. I ran behind the bush, but Callie was gone.

"Where's Callie?" Drew asked, looking for more aliens.

"Gone. Just... gone."

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**no more gore for me ever! I think I'm gonna hurl- anyways sorry if that made you a bit sick, great job if it didn't. And sorry for the wait, my computer broke down! But hopefully you won't have to wait as long next time. Review? PLEASE?**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Drew_**

Jo doesn't know. That's all that runs through my mind: Jo. Doesn't. Know. Only Micheal. And Cooper and I took care of him a while back. The original plan was to 'eliminate' Micheal, Callie, and Natalie. We'd keep Jo for fun. But ol' Coop got himself in trouble and things didn't work out.

But there was still Jo.

She had a good body, but she seems tough. If she tries to fight me, I could maybe fight her off. But here's the thing.

Cooper and I are rapists.

We'd date girls, get them close, invite them over night after night raping them. Call me whatever, but it's fun. So that's what I plan on doing to Jo, but get straight to the point.

"Hey, Jo?" I asked, she had finished cleaning the blood off her and retching her guts out into the river.

"Yeah?" She stepped closer, forcing me to smirk.

"Don't fight back."

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_**Hal**_

Dad captured a skitter. He actually CAPTURED a skitter. This is great, now we can study it and see how it works. Maybe even save Ben and Jo. Dad and Pope and his crew and Weaver and the rest went out looking for vehicles. I'm just interested in this skitter. It's fascinating just to watch it, the noises it makes, and how it interacts with it's surroundings.

Dr. Harris, some guy Dad knew, and Dr. Glass were sitting next to me.

"I wonder if we can communicate with it." Dr. Glass asks, staring intently into it's eyes.

"Let's just dissect the damn thing and see what's going on inside there." Suggests Dr. Harris, but Dr. Glass just gawks at him like he's crazy.

"We have a chance to interact with a live skitter, we're not just going to kill it." Dr. Glass has a point, but so does Dr. Harris. DOCTORS ARE TOO SMART.

"Why don't you study it for a few days, then kill it?" I say, not even considering taking my eyes off the creature in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dr. Glass shake her head.

"Dr. Harris, may I talk to you?" They both step out, leaving me alone with the skitter. I decide I should name him Alfie. Because I feel like it.

"Hey Alfie!" I smile at the thing, giving it a little wave. It screeches in response.

Oh, then there's Rick.

He got back a few days ago, we rescued him. The harness came off safely, and he's been asleep ever since. Mike's on patrol, or else he'd be here.

I decide Alfie is creeping me out, so I leave. I thought about Jo, where she could be. And I swear I heard a scream. It was loud, and long. Screams are the one thing you can't ever get used to. They happen all the time, and you want to help but you can't.

"HAL! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!" I ran over to Dr. Harris, Dr. Glass, Dad, Mike, Weaver, Matt, Jimmy, and Rick

* * *

**_Jimmy_**

We made it back to the school with a few motorcycles, and there's a big commotion around the chem lab/mini hospital. We rushed over, but Pope and his crew were 'too cool' and stayed put. When we get there, Rick is awake but his harness is on.

"Must've put it back himself." Weaver muttered. Dr. Harris had caught him trying to help the skitter escape, apparently. I hope Ben doesn't turn out like Rick. I sigh, thinking about Ben and Jo.

And how I need them back.

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**YOU GUYS HATE ME NOW, DON'T YOU. YOU TOTALLY DO. YOU HATE ME. 100% PERCENT. I'M SO SORRY. PLEASE DON'T HURT ME.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Tom POV... UGH HOW DO I DO THIS? To be honest this first POV is to get you to like me again before there's more killing rape... Yeah I said more...**

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_**Tom**_

It was high time we tried to rescue Ben again. Rick had some... minor setbacks, but he'll be fine. Eventually. My plan was shot down by Weaver, thought we were friends BUT YA KNOW WHATEVER. NIGGA. (**I stink at Tom POV's I'm so sorry but we need a little comedy, don't we?) **I ended up being outshined by my son... life has its low points... Anywho, let's not talk about my miserable failures at life. Refocus on Ben. Not on my partially teenage mind. NOT. THAT. Hal stood nervously in the chem lab, tapping his fingers. Anne rushed in, frazzled.

H-O-T.

"There has to be a way to kill a skitter silently." Hal demands, being his usual sassy-ass self.

"Well, from my studies, there's a soft palate on the roof of a skitter's mouth which should kill it silently. But that's just a theory, nothing's proved yet." She sighed, "We have to kill test subject."

"NOT ALFIE!" Hal quickly shouted. Oi, he's named it-

"Anne, let's not be rash. There's so much more studying to do, much more to look into." I said, being the serious guy I am on the outside.

"AND WE CAN'T KILL ALFIE!" Hal shouts, enunciating every word.

"I'm not letting you risk your life based on a theory." Anne spits. Feisty. She grabs a pole and hits the soft palate. The skitter dies silently. Hal stands there, muttering 'Alfie'.

* * *

**_Jo_**

_Whip! _

That was my good morning. Drew whipped me, leaving a trail of pain on my back. I shrieked a little. When I'm not crying, I'm screaming or unconscious. It's a vicious cycle: whip, work, beat, rape, whip, rape, beat, repeat. I laid there, completely vulnerable, scared to death of the boy who saved my life. Tears slid down my cheeks as Drew untied me. He threw me against the tree, me banging my head hard. He got ready and I braced myself. Four whips came. I must've been good last night.

"Go clean the clothes. If you don't return, you know what'll happen." He smirked evilly, as I wobbled down to the river. I felt uncomfortable, being in my underwear in public. If you can call this public. I dunked Drew's clothes into the river and used a stone to scrub them. I did my best because the worse I do the more beating I get. Once the clothes were clean, I quickly ripped my underwear off and threw on Drew's clothes so I could wash my underwear. The blood would never come out of the once pristine white garments, but I tried, anyway. I can see the lust in Drew's eyes as I returned. "Mediocre." He spits at me intimidatingly. A slap reaches my face and I fall to the ground. One kick to the rib, another to the face. A yank upwards. One push into a tree. Two kicks to the knees. One broken girl screaming her lungs out. The worst part comes next, Drew drags me into his tent. I won't continue that part… After that, though, he usually feeds me a shrivel of food which I gratefully respect and devour. Today was no different. I didn't waste any time looking at what it was, because then he'd probably take it back. Next came more whipping, seven this time, more screaming. Still nobody to hear me or come to my rescue. And that's all I want, sometimes, a person to save me. But nobody ever comes. More rape, and more screaming and crying. Another beating full of slaps, kicks, and yanks. A little bit more rape. And I cry myself to sleep.

* * *

**_Hal_**

The screaming. It's getting louder. Whoever this person is, they're not being hurt by a skitter. Skitters kill you as soon as they can. All I want to do is save them.

I have a lot of time to think as I wait for the perfect time. Let me recap: I'm wearing Rick's old harness, laying with a group if harnessed kids and my brother. The skitter sits on top of us. I decide now's the time, and open my eyes. The skitter looks right into my eyes with a 'you're not really a harnessed kid, are you?' kind of look. I take my knife and quickly jab it up into the soft palate, killing the thing. Dad comes rushing in, and together we herd all of the kids out. No Jo. I'm worried about that, but she might just be in another group. We get all of the kids into a truck, and drive off.

"Ben, it's me, Hal, your brother." I say as I stare hopefully into Ben's eyes. No answer, no emotion.

* * *

**_Ben _**

What I really want to do is cry and hug Hal, but all I can do is stare. There's a pained sort of look in his eyes, like he really wanted an answer. I want to scream and tell everyone about Jo escaping but I can't, so I just stare.

That's all I can do.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hal**_

Two major things happened today. A, Ben woke up.

We were all sitting in a classroom around Ben. No one moved. It had been silent the whole time; everyone was afraid to speak. Then he started shifting. Ben was laying on his stomach, which I know he hates. At first it was a little nudge, then he picked up his head and laid on his other cheek. Dad was beaming, Matt was jittering with excitement, and I was counting every second that went by. His eyes slowly fluttered open. They were full of life, energy. We had Ben back

THEN the nigga asks where Jo is.

You were away from your family for months, with no control over your actions, AND YOU ASK WHERE JO IS.

Dad said he didn't know, that he thought she was still at the facility.

The second big thing that happened was we made a plan to investigate the screaming. We would creep around the woods, listening. Matt said he heard the screaming, too, and so has Jimmy. We're about to leave, and I'm anxious to save this girl.

* * *

**_Jo_**

I was washing clothes by the creek, like normal. Hal approached me, and sat down. I knew it was only my mind playing tricks on me.

"Why can't you be real for once?" I asked, meeting his eyes. They softened at the sound of my plea.

"I want to be real, I do. But alas, I am nothing but a mere vision. I can promise you one thing, though, help is coming. Soon." Tears started to trickle down my cheeks.

"But how can you tell?" I croaked.

"Just trust me." I nodded, and mouth my eyes as he began to dissapate next to me.

"Next time, he'll be real." I mutter to myself.

"WHAT IS TAKING YOU SO LONG?" A very angry Drew showed up behind me. I turned around and faced my torturer.

"I-I'm sorry." I stuttered, looking down in fear.

"Don't be sorry, work!" He shouted back. I nodded, tears beginning to form. "And I'm sorry, too." That last part was almost inaudible, but it meant the world to me. He was an asshole, but still. Maybe this apology is the help Hal was talking about. It was a small step in a good direction.

* * *

_Ben_

Even though Anne insisted I stay in bed to rest, I still went with everyone else to investigate the screaming girl. We're walking in the woods, and we hear and thud followed by a scream. There's more screaming and other noises, and everyone's running in different directions. I hear what sounds like a tent zipping, moaning, and more screams.

_She's being raped. _

I take off in a run in the direction that the screams HAVE to be coming from. Jimmy follows me, and I make a mental note to catch up with him later. I come to a clearing, where there's a tent and a fire. The screams are coming from the tent. I look at Jimmy and he nods, signaling me to open the tent. I do, and immediately point the gun at a naked boy. I don't even look at the girl.

"Oh my god." My head snaps over to Jimmy, who's holding a shaking and naked Jo.

"HOW THE FUCK DO YOU DO THIS TO SOMEONE?!" I shout, filled with rage. Dad and Hal run into the tent, and my first thought is oh crap they heard me swear.

"Back off! She wanted it!" The boy defends. Jimmy is holding Jo in his arms, completely ignoring the fact that she's butt-naked. By now Hal and Dad's guns are pointed at the boy.

"I'll believe that when those goddamn aliens leave our planet." I whisper harshly into his ear. Jimmy puts Jo's underwear back on her, but there's no other clothes. Jo continues to sob uncontrollably into Jimmy.

"C'mon, Ben, let's take him back to the camp." Dad says.

"You're letting this mental retard live?" I spit, shocked at Dad's command. Jimmy has resorted to simply shushing Jo.

"Dad's right, Ben. We need to thoroughly interrogate him and find stuff out." I wanted to shoot Hal. Mostly because he was right.

But still.

* * *

**_Jimmy_**

Jo is curled up in my arms, weeping. I remember the days pre-invasion where we'd sit like this for hours.

I guess I should explain.

Jo and I are twins.

So it really hurt to see her in so much pain, so much vulnerablity. I wanted to straight up murder the guy, but Tom's orders were different.

I know I really should be pissed at Ben, but I'm not. I have my sister back, that's all I need. And knowing Jo, she'll kill him before I get the chance.

If she ever recovers.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Jo_**

All I've done is cry for the past three days. I haven't ate, slept, or even thought. Every inch of me is prepared for a beating that'll never come.

Everybody here is Drew to me. Every knock on my door is another rape that I must be prepared for. Every word uttered is another plan to hurt me even more. For the first time since the invasion, I feel fragile.

* * *

_**Ben**_

I'm such a screw-up. I led Jo into it, all of it. It's my fault she was raped and beaten. I'm trying to stay happy and positive, but it's hard.

"Hey, it's razorback."

"Ew! He looks gross!"

"He's probably probed. The aliens will find us any second."

And this was me walking down the hall. There was always a five-foot each direction circle surrounding me, and if someone even thought about entering it, they'd be called a gay fag (if they were a boy) or an attention-seeking slut (if you were a girl). Not even Jimmy dared to get near me. It was like being quarantined and segregated at the same time. Misery.

Don't even get me started on patrol. Jimmy doesn't talk to me. But then again, I've only heard my family and Anne's voice since I got back. Nobody else spoke a word.

"Hey, it's the razorback." I was in the activity tent, a place where teens my age usually hang out.

"Ew. I bet he's here to report to his mother ship or something." The first voice had been Freddy, a tough guy who was mean anyway. The second was his enemy, Cathleen. They hate each other, but they hate me more.

"I heard the spikes were radioactive." That last voice scared me. It was Jimmy. Well, someone cut off my dick and sell it to Jesus because Jimmy Boland is with the popular kids. I let the comment roll off my back. "He's gonna kill us all." It's water under the bridge. "Just like he did to Jo." Okay, I'm done. I threw down the book I was planning on reading, and spun on my heel to Jimmy.

"Shut your useless ass-face up before I show you what these spikes can do." I seethed.

"Ooh, someone has a crush!" Cathleen snickered evilly. Yeah, because Jo would TOTALLY forgive me.

"Yeah, with the girl he almost killed." Freddy smirked.

"Are you kidding? The little whore wanted it." Cathleen giggled as if that was the funniest joke ever.

"What can your spikes do besides make you a," Jimmy came up and flicked one of the spikes emerging from my crusted skin. "freak?" Cathleen and Freddy bursted out laughing. And I cracked. I picked Jimmy up by his collar with one hand, and threw him into the side of the tent, causing it to crash down on top of everyone inside.

"AHH!" Cathleen shrieked. "MY BARRETTE!" Another ear-deafening screech cut the air. "WHERE IS IT?" She began to rant on about how she received her precious hairpiece before the invasion, how it was imported from France, blah blah blah.

So I was punished. Bad. Extra patrol, all of which I'd handle myself, and a three week long banishment from the activity tent. Also, no guns for me, I'm surviving off a bow and arrow that I can't shoot. I can't go near Jo, either, but that wasn't gonna happen even if I wasn't under punishment.

Meanwhile, Freddy, Cathleen, and Jimmy have called World War 4 (since I guess we're living in World War 3) over the loss of the precious barrette, that's yet to be found. Jimmy has a black eye and only a MINOR concussion, I could've done worse. Like, kill him worse.

"Uh-oh, it's razorback!" Cathleen's voice echoed down the hall. I looked around. Everyone had their shirt over their nose. I guess the whole 'radioactive spikes' thing spread around.

"Jimmy, why don't you teach him a lesson?" I felt Freddy sneering behind me. "Payback's a bitch."

Before I continue, let me explain my spikes. They're extremely sensitive. They ache all the time, and even the slightest touch sends pain all over my body.

So, Jimmy's approaching me and I consider just throwing him again. It'd be easier. But what happened next I never expected.

Jimmy rammed me against the wall with all of his strength.

* * *

**_Jimmy_**

I've never heard anyone scream so loud.

As soon as Ben's back made contact with the wall, everyone ran. Even Cathleen and Freddy went for the hills. After screaming loud enough to attract ten thousand skitters and quite a few mechs, Ben simply pulled himself into a ball and whimpered. Whimpered like a lost puppy. I guess I didn't think how sensitive his spikes were. I guess I just thought they weren't. After a while, Ben looked up at me. His face was red, his eyes swollen and bloodshot.

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Don't have to tell me twice. I ran and ran, leaving my best friend behind.


End file.

Falling Skies, Drama, Romance