Ella

I can't sleep. My eyes won't seem to stay shut, and although I know I've gotten a few hours of sleep already, it just isn't enough. My body is tired from traveling, my skin hurts from the sun constantly beating upon it, my stomach is never truly full for what am I to do if I run out of supplies? Even though I packed a lot, it still makes me worry for we don't know how long it'll take us to reach the base.

My teeth begin to chatter, and I pull my legs into my chest, hugging my body as I try to keep warm from the blistering cold. I'm tempted to curl next to someone, but I won't do that. No, I need to keep myself warm on my own without the influence of someone else. If I relied on everyone else, where would I be if I was to become alone in this desert? I wouldn't know how to act or what to do.

The sun is going to come up soon, and as I lay here with my cheek pressed against the cool sensation of my backpack, I pray it'll come up faster. Lying here staring into the oblivion of the desert is not fun. It's terrifying to imagine that we may not make it through this. If we are on the right track, who's to say that a meteor won't fall from the sky and obliterate us? So much uncertainty, and that is the killer right there.

I force myself to close my eyes, not wanting to look out across the grey desert. My body is still shaking from the cold, but I only hug myself tighter, knowing that the sun will be here soon.

**********

I fell asleep, and I'm attempted to be awaken by a shove of the shoulder. Opening my eyes, I'm met with yellow eyes, as Mark stares down at me. "We're getting ready to go," he mutters, not too loud.

Moving away, he allows me to get up and see that everyone is already done with their breakfast, and are getting their packs ready. "Morning," Dean says to me once he sees that I'm awake.

"Morning," I mumble, as I pull my backpack onto my lap and dig through it until I find an energy bar, the holy grail of my grocery store findings.

I eat the bar as fast as I can, wanting to get on the road and travel. I want to be there, be somewhere safe where I can sleep without freezing and where I can be comfortable on a mattress. I want to be surrounded by people, people of any kind and that's what is keeping me determined. Between finding more lives and Dean constantly pushing me and telling me that I'm part of this team and am helping them all survive, I can't find it in myself to give up. Just the other day I didn't see the reason in living, but now I do. You don't just live to keep yourself alive, you live to keep those alive around you.

"Can we leave yet?" Carol mutters, and I let out a long and loud sigh, hoping she'll take the hint of my annoyance.

"Ella, are you done with your breakfast?" Dean asks me, as he slings his bag onto his bag, clearly seeing that I've finished since my pack is on my shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Then yes, Carol, we can leave now." We all stand up off the dusty road, and I can already tell that no one, meaning no one is in the mood for anything. We're all tired, hungry, thirsty, hot, and on top of it, we're all sick of pretty much everything. That leaves us with a short temper, especially Dean. For some reason, I can tell he's really on edge this morning.

"I hope we find something today," I say. "Something big, something that will help us."

"Like what?" Carol huffs. "What are we going to find? We aren't going to find the base today, I mean look out there, nothing but dusty earth. There probably isn't any base at all, and this whole trip is just in vain. The sun won't stop burning my skin, I can't even drink a whole gulp of my water or someone gets irritated with me," she grumbles before shooting Dean a glance. "There's nothing out there. I don't know where Mark got this whole base idea from, but it's a load of crap. If there were a base, don't you think they would have raided my town?"

"They probably knew you were in the town, and that's why they didn't raid yours," Dean mutters and Mark spits out a laugh, but covers it very well with a cough.

"You're such a douche bag," she snaps, before stopping and turning to him, an amused expression playing upon his lips. "All you ever do is run your mouth, and I'm tired of hearing it! You shouldn't even be the leader, who put you in charge? I think a human should lead us, especially since it's on Earth, a place where you don't belong." If Dean is fazed by what she just told him, he looks otherwise.

"Okay, brat, I actually think you may be right. I elect Ella the leader then," his lips form a smirk, before his eyes lift up to meet mine.

"First off," I begin, not wanting to lead any of them anywhere. "There is no leader. Second off, Carol, just stop. We brought you along, we formed this team, so whatever we say goes. And the Norovians do belong on the Earth," I can't help but look away, diverting my gaze out towards where we are supposed to be traveling. "They belong here, because they came to us, and this is now their home. I used to believe that they didn't belong here, but that was because I was selfish, just like Dean would tell me. I was selfish and didn't want to share my vast planet with another species. Yeah, the Norovians don't care much for the humans, but that only makes them even more human, for we don't care for every one person in our kind. We only care for the ones that have a place in our heart. So, the only one that doesn't belong, is you. I don't know what is your problem, but cut it out. Our world is on the brink of disaster, and all you care about is who's in charge and how you're getting a sunburn? Give me a break." Before I can even process what my own mouth has just said, a hand collides with my cheek, and for a moment my vision blurs.

Pain explodes throughout my face, and that's when I finally realize, Carol just slapped me in the face.

My thoughts all mesh together as I find myself knocking the blonde into the dirt, slapping her back, sick of the crap she's given me. Curses are flying from my tongue, and before I know it, Dean and Mark are pulling me off of her.

Carol doesn't move, she's not knocked out, but she just lies there in the dirt, her face bloody and cut up. "What the was that?" Dean snaps as he grabs her arm, and pulls her to her feet rather roughly. "What was that?!" His face has turn a deep shade of red, and I can almost see a few drops of spit escape his mouth as he shouts angrily in Carol's face.

Mark lets go of his grip on my arm, as we watch whatever this is, play out before us. "You don't know how long I've been wanting to do that," Carol mutters, her eyes finally meeting Dean's. "You don't have to elect her leader, I already knew that whatever Ella says goes. Everyone of you bow to her, well I'm sick of it! I can't stand her! All she ever is is a burden, and I'm sick of everyone taking her side. I'm sick of everyone always acting to her aid. I'm sick of watching her with people that care about her, when I have nothing, I'm sick of it." Her words have turned from shouting to whispering, and before any of us know it, she's slumped to her knees, crying silently.

"She isn't the burden," Dean growls, before pointing a finger at the already broken girl. "You're the burden. You're the problem, you're where all of this has started. You complain about everything, and you know what? We might actually like you too if you weren't such a b--"

"Enough," I breathe, cutting him off, knowing that he wasn't just going to call her a brat this time. "Just stop," I lift my hand and wipe away the blood that drips down my face. "This fight, this feud isn't worth it. I know I'm not perfect, but I try. I have tried this entire time with you, Carol, and I'm done with trying. And you," I dryly laugh as I turn my attention towards Dean. "No matter what she's done, or how she's acted, I don't want you to ever call her what you were going to when I interrupted. That is degrading and low, and I won't stand for it. She's lost everything, just like us, but we all handle it differently. Yes, she's annoying and utterly rude, but that's who she is. I'm tired of it, too, but calling her that is uncalled for." Dean blinks a few times, before he begins to laugh, literally laugh.

"You're kidding me right, Ella? I always stand up for you when she talks crap on you, and you turn this on me?" He's no longer laughing, and his frustration is now turned on me.

"I'm not turning on you, I'm saying that she doesn't deserved to be called that."

"I don't care what she doesn't deserve. She needs to stop being ignorant, bringing everyone down and--"

"You don't think calling her that is bringing her down?" I want to laugh at him, but the look in his eyes is stopping me.

"You know what," he sighs. "You are a princess, Ella. Everyone really does do everything for you, and when they do, you don't even appreciate it, because they've gone about it the wrong way. I shouldn't have almost called her a name, so I'm the bad guy even though she slapped you in the face. Right, I'm sorry, your highness, for sticking up for you, I won't make that mistake again."

"Are you serious? You're acting like her now," this time, I do laugh. A pitiful tired laugh.

"Good, maybe if I act like her, you'll defend me. She degrades you, and you defend her. Maybe humans have tighter bonds then I assumed."

"Why are you upset at me, now? Are we back to this, Dean? Back to yelling with one another over stupid stuff that can clearly be avoided?" I can't help but frown at this. I don't want to be back there. So many arguments and anger, I'm so done with all of that.

Carol is still on the ground crying, her body shaking harder now then it was before. "We were never over that, Ella. You really do jump me for what I say, and I can't take it anymore. Maybe you are a burden to this team, maybe Carol was right for once. Everyone does know that you can do no wrong, while you blame everyone else. I think the only thing you actually took the blame for, was being annoying. Wow, Ella, was a feat." I knew today that he was on edge, and I keep telling myself that that's the only reason he's acting like he is. It's going to be one of those days where you just have a bad day, but even with me running these reasons over and over in my head, it still hurts. Of course, it's Dean, and for some reason anything and everything negative he tells me hurts.

"Screw you, Dean. I thought we were over this? Don't you remember the other day when you wanted to start over? I knew it wouldn't last, though, you're always a heartless douche that continues to throw everything I say and do in my face. I know I'm not perfect, but not for one moment did I ever pretend to be. I tried to be this person that helps, and I tried to put everything behind us, but no. If I don't bring up something from the past, you do. I'm so tired of it, I'm so tired of everything." My lip quivers, but I will myself not to cry. From the pain in my knuckles from busting Carol's face, to the pain in my cheek from her busting my face, to the pain inside, I don't know which one is worse.

"Don't you dare cry, I'm sick of watching and hearing you cry. Grow up, Ella, not everyone learns to get along, no matter how much they're around each other." His voice is like ice, and I'm tempted to hit him, too, but I've had just about enough today.

I swallow my tears, and nod slowly, taking in everything I've just been told. This is why we can't get along, it's not because of me, it's because he can't take being told no. I don't reply, I just turn around and start walking again, leaving them behind. If they want to catch up, they will, and if they don't, I could care less. I'm going to make it to that base, because I believe it's real, and I believe I can do it.