Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Traveling as a trio often made it hard for everyone to get their own space. Sure, Player spoiled them and they got penthouse hotel rooms where they could, but more often than not hotels didn't have penthouses. Let alone penthouses with three rooms. Meaning someone (namely Zack) ended up sleeping on a sofa or floor. Zack didn’t really have a problem with it if he was honest, it meant that Carmen and Ivy would probably get a better nights sleep .

‘And let's be honest “ he thought “they need it more than me’

Their line of business was risky. Everyone knew it, and after Player — who was way off in the land of moose, syrup and ice hockey — Zack supposed he was the one who entered the line of fire least . The getaway driver. All he needed to do was be ready to escape, so not much danger there. Even when he did get involved, Ivy and Carmen were usually the ones to calling the shots, so he never really got the life-or-death jobs.

That being said, nightmares were to be expected; Zack was always a surprisingly light sleeper.

The first night they all shared a room together was only a month after they began traveling together. It wasn’t a particularly big room. They needed a quick rest stop in India. There was only one queen sized bed, which the girls both snagged before Zack could get a word in. So, begrudgingly, he gathered any spare blankets and pillows and settled on the floor.

Later that night a strangled cry snapped Zack out of his sleep. His immediate reaction was to make sure Ivy was alright, but then he realised that cry wasn’t Ivy’s… so that meant… Carmen!

He whipped around to check on her, only to discover she wasn’t in the bed anymore. ‘Damn she’s stealthy’ , he thought, as he creeped to the bathroom.
He honestly didn’t know what he expected. Carmen curled up tight, and trying in vain to silence the sobs racking her body DEFINITELY wasn’t it. Upon realising that she wasn’t alone Carmen froze, and stared at Zack with weary and tired eyes. For a moment Zack was motionless. Thousands of possible reactions sped through his mind, before finally it finally screeched to a halt at a single thought: COMFORT HER .
He inched closer to Carmen, hoping that comforting Carmen would be at least similar to comforting Ivy after a nightmare. He didn’t know Carmen's whole backstory, but he did know that she could probably kill him in a second, or at least cause some serious bodily harm.

“Wanna talk about it?” He asked softly as he sat next to her in the small and cramped bathroom. Carmen herself, hadn’t moved since Zacks appearance, only her shaky breaths and tracking eyes gave away the fact she wasn’t a statue.

“I don’t really know how to go about comforting you if I'm being honest. Ivy? I know how to comfort her. I mean it’s a given that I know, she’s my sister. You, on the other hand… I… um… I’m not going to lie, you scare me. Like you’re so mysterious and badass, I guess kind of like Ivy — minus the mystery thing, cause I know her, she's my sister. You can’t tell her that I told you I think she’s badass though, sh-” He paused after he heard a small snort from Carmen.

“I’m rambling aren’t I? Is it at least helping?” He asked turning to look at her. Carmen eyed him for a second, before slowly nodding with a small smile.

“Oh thank God” He exhaled “But for realsies, if you need to let it all out I’m here for you. Ivy too, you know, when she’s not sleeping and all. So do you want to talk about it?”

Carmen considered the offer before hoarsely replying “Not tonight…”

A moment of silence passed.

“How about a hug? They always seem to help Ivy…” Zack hesitantly prompted.

Carmen blinked, clearly taken aback by Zack’s openness. It was practically unheard for her. VILE agents were meant to be strong, and the only people she ever hugged were Coach Brunt and Gray, and that was when she was a kid. That was when she was vulnerable. If she accepted the hug it could appear WEAK. She couldn’t possi-

“You don’t have to!” Zack quickly interjected, raising his hands with wide eyes “To each their own right?” He didn’t think the simple gesture would have such a reaction. It was kind of the exact opposite reaction that he wanted. A sudden yawn interrupted anything he planned on saying. He tried in vain to stifle it, but it was easy for Carmen to tell that he was beyond tired. She felt bad for waking him, even if it wasn’t intentional.

“Why don’t you go back to sleep?” She asked. Zacked looked at her surprised.

“I- uh- it’s fine, I can stay up until you’re alright… Aren’t you tired at all?”

“Not really”

“Oh…” Zack fidgeted for a second. “We have a long day tomorrow don’t we? You know, traveling and all,” he continued.

Carmen supposed that was true. They had to be out of their room by nine, which was to be followed by a gruelling two hour ride to the New Delhi airport. Which then left them with a three hour flight to Uzbekistan, where their next caper was waiting. So Zack wasn’t wrong in his statement. In all honesty the thought of getting back to sleep hadn’t even crossed her mind.

Usually when this happened she would end up sitting alone in the dark, until the morning came. Then proceeded to deal with the grogginess throughout the day until the could finally sleep. It generally meant that she got a few more scratches or bruises than normal, but that’s how things were. She had to admit that Zacks' presence was a welcome change. It got her out of her own head, and for such a boisterous guy, he was surprisingly comforting.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right…” She replied.

Next to her, Zack tiredly stretched before standing up. He offered Carmen a hand.

“Shall we?” he asked.

Wordlessly, Carmen took his hand and hoisted herself up. They silently they made their back to the bed (and bundle of sheets). Zack stumbling several times despite them not going far. Ivy had somehow managed to sleep through it.

“Night Carm, hope you sleep better this time,” Zack said as he settled back himself back into the makeshift bed.

Carmen hesitated as she got back into the bed.

“Zack?” She whispered

“...Yeah,” came a delayed muffled response.

“Thank you… Really.” She really did mean it. It had been so long since someone had comforted her like that. Player always did his best, but timezones made it difficult.

“Any time….”

As she pulled the blanket closer to herself Carmen smiled and thought to herself
‘Maybe letting Ivy and Zack join me was for the best…” before drifting to sleep.

Chapter Text

Ivy was no stranger to nightmares. Even prior to meeting Carmen they always seemed to haunt her dreams. Zack and Ivy didn’t often think about it, let alone talk about it, but their

childhood was not exactly a walk in the park. Though she supposed that was kind of obvious. Given the fact that the two teens joined Carmen without a moment's hesitation.

Sometimes she would dream of what would have happened if they hadn’t runaway from home. Other times she would dream of dying, or those around her disappearing unable to do

anything about it.

After their caper in Australia, Ivy still found herself reeling from her most recent near death experience. Nonetheless the three hour flight back from Uluru to Sydney wiped any energy she

had. That and the Sydney night sky only served to make it easier for her to flop into her hotel bed and pass out.

When the world swirled into view Ivy found herself gripping the edge of the rocket once more. The timer was ticking and Carmen was nowhere in sight.

5

“No, no, no!” She muttered.

4

Carmen was supposed to have shown up by now.

2

She couldn’t hold on.

1

The terrifying feeling of falling was overpowering and she opened her mouth to scream, when she felt a jerk. She was back in Indonesia, clinging to the back of a truck.   She could see the trees whipping past her, and she felt her grip slipping as the door swayed.

“Zack!” She shouted“Help me over here!”

“Ivy!” She heard him cry.

Then the door disappeared. She was falling again, and this time a strangled scream escaped her. Zack wasn’t gonna make it. 

“Oh God I’m gonna die”

“Ivy!” It was Zack again, but somehow this was different. Her world shook

“ Ivy c’mon wake up! It’s just a dream!”

She jerked awake, her head making contact with something hard. 

She heard a thud and a sharp ‘omf’ coming from the floor by her bed.

Felt the tears on her face.

Saw the Sydney opera house from window, and Zack sitting up while rubbing his nose.

She wasn’t dead.

“I’m not dead.” Ivy whispered hoarsely.

“Wanna talk about it?” Zack asked, but he sounded far away

“I’m not dead” She repeated. The world began to blur around her.

“Hey, hey, come back to me sis” Zack said as he pulled her into a hug “You’re alright, it’s over. You’re fine”

Numbly Ivy returned the hug. “You weren’t there” She croaked.

“It’s okay, I’m here now. Tell me what happened”

“You weren’t there. Carmen wasn’t there. I- I was f-falling-” she began to stutter as sobs escaped her

“I was so s-scared Zack. I could have died! What that road wasn’t there in Indonesia? What if you didn’t make it in time? What is Carmen didn’t make in time today? I-I-” She broke off as she tried to control her breathing.

Zack was whispering in her ear. He tried in vain to fight his own tears from streaking down his face.

“But we did make it Ivy. We’ll always make it” His voice wavered and broke as he spoke, but neither mentioned it.

They opted to sit together in a comfortable silence, allowing time to pass as Ivy calmed down.

“Zack?” She asked . A half assed humm was the only reply she got. “C’mon big guy, let's get to sleep. Sorry for waking you up by the way”

“ ‘s no problem. ‘S what I’m here for” Slurred Zack as he curled up under the blankets “night Ives, sleep better”

Ivy shook her head with a smile at the familiarity of the routine. Sure it had been a while since something like this happened, but it was still nice to know some things never changed. She

turned around stealing some of the large blanket back from Zack. She closed her eyes and the last thing she heard was Zack’s even breathing and then she was out like a light once more.

This time, taking comfort in knowing her brother was there with her.

Chapter Text

   After a while of travelling together it became pretty apparent to Carmen that Ivy was a heavy sleeper.

   Which is why when it was Ivy that woke her up from her nightmare Carmen knew it was bad.

   She gasped awake, images from the nightmare seared into her brain.

   “Woah, woah, easy Carm, you’re alright. Breathe Carm, you’re safe”  Ivy soothed as she awkwardly rubbed Carmen's back. So she didn’t know how to calm Carmen, sue her! It was normally Zack who did this. All she could ask for was that she didn’t make it worse.

   “You were thrashing around a lot, so I figured you wouldn’t mind if I woke you up...”

   “Good call” —  laughed breathlessly Carmen — “thanks”.

   The world finally seemed to settle around her and she felt her heart pounding in her chest. She saw Ivy kneeling next to her on the bed,

   “Was it about V.I.L.E?” questioned Ivy, Carmen tensed as the thought back in the dreams.

   She dreamt that she never left. That she became a fully fledged operative. She killed people who dared lay eyes on her during a job. She dreamt of feeling no remorse as she saw the blood staining her fingers.

   It terrified her.

   “Yeah...” She checked her hands, as if to make sure that it was in fact a dream. Her hands were clean, which lead to a wave of relief flooding her. A sigh escaped her.

   “Oh…” came Ivy’s uncertain response. “Was it bad there?”

   That caught Carmen off guard. Cause it really hadn’t been. She was raised there, had fun there, felt loved. In some messed up way she missed it. Everything was so simple back then. There were no schemes, no capers, no having to constantly check your back.

   “You’d think so…” — her eyebrows furrowed— “ but no. It was kind of great there… It’s so messed up. I should hate that place, but a small part of me misses it. It’s wrong” She flailed her hands in frustration. ‘ Why can’t anything be simple’ she thought to herself.

   Ivy looked taken aback by the response before quickly recovering and claiming “No it’s not! You were raised there, of course you’re gonna miss it. You’re who you are because of it…. Tell me, what was it like?”

   “It was… beautiful... I lived in a small cabana on the beach for the most part. I never felt in danger, I was always meeting new people from all over the world. I got away with almost everything” — she smiled remembering all the pranks she played —  “You’d have never thought that it was so… evil”

   Ivy snickered “Of course not. No kid is gonna think that they’re being raised in some advanced criminal organisation. Not even the great Carmen Sandiego! You’re too hard of yourself. I’m sure everyone agrees”

   “I should have known -” began Carmen before getting interrupted by Ivy

   “How?! That island was all you knew buddy, the fact you realised that it was bad even despite it being the only thing you knew is impressive in itself. Not to mention you’re pretty much single handedly ruining all their plans! Give yourself some credit!” — Carmen smiled sheepishly at Ivy as she continued — “Besides, if it wasn’t for you who knows where Zack and I would be by now.”

   Carmen joked “Probably in jail to be honest”

   Ivy pulled her hand off of Carmens shoulder and placed it on her chest dramatically. “Rude!” she whined, before agreeing “but  fair enough... and probably true.” She paused for a moment. “You’re doing a lot of good Carmen, and sure not everyone might realise that right now, but sooner or later everyone’ll know your name for all the right reasons,” there was another moments pause before she joked, “Thank you for coming to my TED Talk”

   Carmen took a deep breath and laughed. “Do you ever think about it?”

   “About what?”

   “What life would have been like if I did become a full on agent of V.I.L.E?”

   Ivy hummed in consideration… “I guess I have…,” She brought her hand up and scratched the back of her head, “never seriously though… I don’t think I could have survive alone with Zack for such a long time,” she joked, ”Besides, this is the dream life,  new city every other day, I’m seeing more than most people will ever see in their whole lives! And I’m not even 20 yet. Plus,” her eyes sparkled “how many people can say they’ve helped save countries from secret evil corporations?”

   Carmen rolled her eyes and shook her head good naturedly . “Not many I’m guessing?”. Ivy clicked and motioned finger guns in her direction.

   “Your guess would be correct,” She grinned mischievously as she checked the time (it was 7:19) , “It’s practically morning already, and Zack’s not gonna be up for another couple of hours… ” She trailed off suggestively, and immediately Carmen knew where she was going.

   “What prank were you thinking?” Allowing a sly smile to slip onto her own face as Ivy pumped her fist victoriously.  

   “Okay, hear me out... “

   After all, if there was one thing both girls loved, it was a good prank. Too bad for Zack he was the only person they could pull it on.

   “ This is gonna be good” thought Carmen as Ivy launched into an eccentric and detailed explanation of their newest prank. And for a moment, all her worries melted away, allowing her to feel young, even if it was only for a while…

Chapter Text

It was common knowledge that Zack hated fish. What was less commonly known was why. He never spoke about it, and he never really intended to. It happened forever ago anyways.

Which is why he found it weird that he was having a nightmare about it years later. It was probably the whole fish fiasco that they went through in Ecuador, and the stress of being the Duke. Nonetheless it was… jarring.

Finding himself back in Boston, where everything seemed much bigger than he remembered. Seeing the ratty running shoes he wore as a kid, smelling the nauseating odor of the fish market . Oh, and he was running. He didn’t know what he was running from, until he turned around. He turned to look behind him and his blood ran cold.

‘Oh no, not this’ He already knew exactly what was going to happen. There were a group of older kids running after him. All of them jeering and shouting.

He screamed at his body to move faster, or listen to him so he wouldn’t have to relive this moment. Nothing was working. He was weaving between the crowds of people as the sound of the group grew louder. Worming his way past a group of tourists he made his way into an alley.

“no , no, no” He moaned as he slipped on the wet floor, smacking his head in the process.

He was doomed.

The gang of older boys were already surrounding him

“Hey Carrot top” taunted one of them.

(‘Fuck.’ was the only thought to run through his head as he resigned.)

“Did wittle baby fall and hit his head?” Sniggered another as Zack laid on the ground, still dazed from the fall

“Maybe some ice would help with that” Laughed a third.

“Grab him.” Zack skin crawled in anticipation, as rough hands grabbed him from all sides and yanked him from the floor.

He was being pulled towards a bin filled with ice and fish scraps. Only once the world stopped spinning around him did he start struggling.

“Get off’a me!” He demanded. The malicious laughter of the teens only got louder. He tried squirming his way out of the gang's grip to no avail. The bin loomed ever closer, he felt desperation and fear fill his heart. “Help! Someone! Ivy!”

“Aww look he’s crying for his sister! What a baby!” Jeered one before roughly pinching his cheek. Zack kicked the guy in retaliation. Only to get a sharp elbow to the face in response.

He didn’t struggle after that. The floor was slippery, and he was seeing stars. The next thing he knew he was trapped.

It was cold and dark, and the smell was suffocating. He could feel the fish scraps and ice dig into his back, and oh god. He couldn’t breath. His eyes watered as the stench overwhelmed him.

“Let me out!” He screamed as he kicked at the lid with his feet, and slapped at the sides.

Tears were pouring down his face,. The laughing outside only seemed to tenfold. All he could smell was fish, his head was pounding, he was gonna be sick. “P-Please! I’ll do anything!” he cried. The walls seemed to be closing in on him as he helplessly struggled. His slaps began to weaken, as his kicks lost their ferocity.

In reality Zack knew that he would be stuck there for another minute or so before the teens would get bored and knock the bin over. It felt like an eternity back then. Yet he still couldn’t fight the feelings of fear, and hopelessness that he remembered from that day.

He knew that after the bin was knocked to the ground he’d crawl out slowly and drag himself home. He knew that he would steal a shirt before getting home. He'd stop to clean himself up as to avoid Ivy going on a murder spree.

Which is why he didn’t know how to react when another voice rang out.

“Zack?”

He felt hands on him and suddenly it wasn’t a dream to him.

“No, no, get off me. Stop! Leave me alone!” He thrashed around in an attempt to rid himself of invisible hands.

They felt so real.

“Zack it’s me! Carmen! You gotta calm down, you’re having a nightmare”

He knew that. Didn’t he? He thought he did. Maybe he didn’t.

He flinched awake, disorientated. He was greeted with the sight of Carmen sitting next to him on the sofa. ‘Sofa?’ Recent memories rushed back to him ‘Yeah. Sofa, hotel room, Amsterdam. Duke.”

“Oh.” He said lamely “sorry if I woke you up…. You can go back to sleep if you want”

Carmen hesitated.

“What happened?” she asked after a moment. She wasn’t experienced at the whole comforting people, but she knew she had to try. Zack looked at her blankly. “In your nightmare?” She clarified.

Realisation dawned on his features. “Oh” he repeated “ nothing” he said looking down, away from Carmen. He was obviously lying.

“I read an article that says talking about it makes you feel better” Carmen prompted. Zack looked conflicted for a while. He opened his mouth and closed it a few times before asking.

“Do you ever wonder why I hate fish so much?” He stared down at his hands, refusing to look at Carmen.

Thinking about it Carmen realised she never really considered why. She kind of just rolled her eyes and laughed at the dramatic display of disgust that he showed even at the mere mention of fish

The lack of response seemed to be more than enough for Zack. He let out a huff and dropped his head into his hands.

“Never mind, its stupid”

It was unnerving seeing Zack so… lethargic. There was something so fundamentally wrong with it. Out of the lot of them he was always the light hearted one, the one that made them laugh, ensuring that they relaxed sometimes. She wanted to slap herself for not responding sooner.

“No! Tell me why you hate fish”

He looked up at her before exasperatedly asking “why?”

Carmen wanted to grab Zack and shake him until he was back to being bubbly, but she knew for a fact that wouldn’t work out well. “Because I care about you. Because you’re my friend, and because if it causes nightmares like that, then you should talk about it!” She cried instead.
He stared at her, mouth slightly ajar. “Oh... “ he trailed off. His eyes flickered around the room before finally landing back on Carmen. “... Promise you won’t tell Ivy?”.

Carmen's eyes widened a fraction before offering him her pinky. “I pinky promise” she said, giving him a smile. Zack snickered and linked his own pinky.

He took a deep breath. “Alright… I don’t remember what led to it now, but I managed to piss off a bunch of older kids...”

They spent the rest of the night talking about their past. By the time the sun rose the next morning the two of them were nodding in and out of sleep, but both felt a weight lift off their shoulders.

Chapter Text

Carmen has been trained from a very young age to be a light sleeper. The ability to be alert, even when sleeping, was one that could mean the difference between life and death.

So when Ivy started thrashing and moaning in her sleep Carmen woke up.

“No, no, no” the red headed girl groaned in the bed next to hers.

“Ivy?” Carmen asked, as she hovered over her friends sleeping form.

“I can’t- no, Zack, no” her friend mumbled, her face twisting into one of anguish as tears leaked from her eyes.

Carmen caught a stray hand as Ivy thrashed once more. “Ivy! Wake up, you’re having a nightmare!”

“Zack!” Ivy cried as she bolted upright, her eyes darting around frantically, “ No, he, where?” she choked, breathing erratically, before her eyes landed on Carmen.

“He’s in the next room, he’s okay” Carmen offered quickly, upon seeing the panic etched onto the other girl's face. Ivy scrambled out of the bed, almost falling before Carmen managed to grab her arm, and help her steady herself. The red clad girl watched as Ivy dashed out of their shared room, over to where Zack lay sleeping on the sofa before falling to her knees in what appeared to be relief. Quietly, Carmen made her way over to her friend and knelt beside her.

“Come on, let's get you something to drink, back to bed, then you can tell me what happened ” She whispered, offering to help Ivy up in order to lead them back to their shared room. Ivy only shook her head numbly, as she watched her younger brother breathe evenly, with tear tracks shining on her face in the moonlight.

Upon retrieving Ivy a glass of water, Carmen settled down next to her. The redhead gratefully accepted the glass, and drank it shakily.

“So... “ Carmen started, unsure of herself, and unwilling to wake the sleeping boy “Want to share?”

Ivy took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did so. “I- It- You” She started, tripping over how to start it.

“Take your time”

Another deep breath.

“It was about Zack...Remember Lydia? Our car?” She started again tentatively

Carmen nods, a little confused “The reason you guys were out that night, your race car right?”

“Yeah… well Lydia was our way offa the streets. Racing was a way for us, for Zack, to stay outta crime… We took a loan out to build her, and we were gonna use our winnings to pay them, but our last qualifier there was a turn- a hairpin turn… they called it the muncher. Zack he, he went too far out on it. T-the car i-it flipped” Ivy took a shuddering breath as she remembered the fear that clutched her whole being as she could only helplessly watch the car her younger brother was driving twist in the air. The coldness that doused her as she watched the wrecked vehicle screech past the finish line.
“I- I could’ve lost him, forever… I was so scared, Carmen. He’s my baby brother, the only family I have,-had”

Carmen nodded again, solemnly. Neither Ivy or Zack really spoke about their upbringing, but given how they were willing to ask a complete stranger if they could run away with them doesn’t paint a pretty, or easy picture.

“I thought he died” She said bluntly “Seeing him falling out of the wreckage I thought my little brother was dead and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.” Ivy opened her eyes and looked at Carmen, her brows furrowed, “I could have killed him when the next thing he did was an air fist, here I was crying, holding his bloody head and cracked helmet and he does an air fist!” She wore a melancholic smile as she laughed softly. Carmen didn't have a hard time imagining it.

Zack mumbled something in his sleep as he turned over on the sofa he slept on. A small smile graced Ivy's lips.

“He was always such a hot head, always walking around with his heart on his sleeve… he still is.” she says quietly. Carmen tries to imagine a younger Ivy running around with an even younger Zack trailing behind in the big city of Boston. “He’s stupidly sensitive for someone raised in our situation”

“We need someone like that, to balance us”

“Yeah… lord knows I would've gone insane all by myself”

The two girls sat in silence as Zack continued to sleep peacefully.

“Thanks Carm”

“Any time”

“No, not just for tonight, for everything. For helpin’ us out in Boston, keepin’ us safe,lookin’ out for us. You’re family' Ivy mumbled as she felt sleep call to her. She couldn’t even begin to express her gratitude to Carmen, and if it meant stickin with her for the rest of her life, and building whatever tools she could think of, then Ivy would do it in a heartbeat. Carmen was family now and if there’s one thing Ivy treasures, it’s family.

As Carmen nodded off she took Ivy's words to heart, and felt her heart swell at the idea of having people physically there for her. Through thick and thin, no matter what. So she rested her head, on top of Ivy’s as the two of them drifted off to sleep. Leaving Zack to wake up very confused as to why the two girls were sitting on the floor by the sofa the next morning.

Chapter Text

Ivy isn’t a stranger to waking up with Zack in her bed. When they were younger Zack would always clamber into her bed when he had a nightmare, or couldn’t sleep. However as they got older he started doing it less and less, so when Ivy feels her bed dip with the weight of Zack she knew it had to be bad.

“Zack?” She murmurs, still half asleep.

He doesn’t say anything but he stills, Ivy wakes up a little more.

“Zack, what’s wrong?”

“Sorry” he whispers, “ I didn’t mean to wake you up… I’ll go…”

She turns to face him as he starts to slide out of the bed. She grabs his wrist.

“Zack, buddy, talk to me”

Slowly he turns to face her, and she spots a trail of tears glistening in the dark. Now Ivy is very awake.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

Zack swallows thickly before tentatively nodding.

“Then where are you going? Come here” she scoots over in her bed and pats the spot next to her. Zack hesitates before complying.
She gently pulls him into a hug and strokes his hair. It’s an old habit that used to calm Zack down almost immediately but this time he tenses. She can’t see his face, but she sees the way he clenches his jaw tightly.

“What happened?” She asks softly

He opens his mouth to say something before closing it again. A beat passes.

“I failed” he chokes out, “you died and it was my fault” his voice cracks and shakes as he says it, and Ivy’s heart aches.

“Oh Zack…” She says softly, “you didn’t fail, and I know you won’t” she reasures him. He sniffles, and she can feel his shoulders tremble.

“You don’t know that,” he rebukes. Ivy sighs, she doesn’t, and she knows their line of work is dangerous, “it’s my fault we had to escape southie, what if I mess up again?”

“Now you listen to me Zachary,” she says firmly, “We’re out here traveling the world doing things people can only dream of, why would I ever fault you for that? It’s arguably the best thing that ever happened to us, you may have messed up Lydia, but do you think I care? I thought I lost you Zack, you’re the most important person to me, we’re the only family we got left, and no matter what happens we’re going to stick together, you hear me?”

Zack nods, turning to hug Ivy tightly.

“Aww you do care” Zack says wetly, in a vain attempt to lighten the mood. Ivy huffs out a laugh

“You’re such a dingus, of course I care. Now get some sleep, we can’t have you being a zombie tomorrow”

“Ok, night Ivy… Love you…” he says quietly as he relaxes.

“Love you too, sleep well”