Home Sweet .. Home?

Passing through the portal for the final time, Grant was excited.

"Home sweet.. holy hell what happened?!"

Many things had changed since Grant had left.

All around Grant was what appeared to be fertile soil that you would see in a plowed field.

It had been stamped down by all of the people and equipment that had passed over it, but it was still a sight to behold.

He knew that it would be a monumental change from the rocky ground that had been in place before but he had never expected the change to be so significant.

Even when he made the choice through the dungeon system he had only expected a thin dirt layer to cover the existing rock.

That appeared to not be the case though because even after reaching down and taking a heaping handful of soil, Grant still didn't reach the rock beneath.

And that wasn't all that had changed drastically, it appeared as if the portal had been opened into some kind of town square because whichever direction Grant looked, all different kinds of buildings were in the process of being built.

Since he had only been away for a few days, most of what was completed was simply foundations with a few walls in the process of being built but it was still easy to envision what it would look like when everything was completed.

While Grant was admiring that speed at which everything had changed, he suddenly heard a muffle footsteps of a few people fast approaching from behind him.

Turning around just in time, Ally jumped into the air and flung her arms around Grant's neck, hugging him tightly.

"You're back! I'm glad you're safe Grant! How was your trip?!"

As if frozen in time, Grant just held his arms out not knowing how to react until he saw Richard and Robin both looking at him like he was an idiot.

Robin exaggeratedly acted out how to give someone a hug as if Grant was unaware.

Of course, Grant understood the meaning, so after hesitating for a few more seconds, he returned wrapped his arms around Ally's waist and returned the hug.

It was the first time since The Path's emergence and possibly even before, that Grant felt like he had suddenly found his place in the world.

He felt safe and secure. He felt like.. he was home.

Eventually though, the two of them released their embrace and Ally slid back down onto her feet but didn't move away as Grant had expected.

She simply stood in front of him, as if waiting for something. Staring up at him with a glimmer of light shining in her eyes.

Once again, Grant was confused on what was being expected of him.

He wanted to lean forward and give Ally a kiss, but he also didn't want their first kiss to be in the town square surrounded by not only her kids, but many other people as well.

Eventually, seemingly growing impatient, Ally spoke again, "Are you going to tell me how the trip went?!"

"Ah! Yes, sorry! I got distracted there by how beautiful you are, if I'm allowed to say that?"

Since Ally was a grown woman, rather than giggle like a teenager, she simply blushed and stared back at Grant, "It's allowed. Come, lets find somewhere where you can tell the kids and I all about what you've been through since you left."

Grant could see Scott, Jerrod, and a whole slew of what appeared to be new management staff for the town, but he simply waved them off and told them that he would meet with them soon.

Rather than walk away immediately though, Grant turned back towards the still open portal and waited.

Seeing that he had some unfinished business, Ally did not urge him to leave, she simply waited next to him.

As the two minute's that he gave Tom were coming to an end, a torn piece of paper came floating through the portal.

Grant bent over and picked it up already having a rough idea what was going to be written.

Sure enough, it read: "Not returning. Thank you for saving the people but we do not deserve redemption. Betty did what she did because she thought I deserved to lead. I do not want that but I also do not want her to suffer for it.

So, we will remain here and live the best we can before our time comes. Please lead the people well.

If God wills it, we shall meet again.

-Tom

PS. Tell Leonard he was like a son to me and I hope he grows into a fine young man."

Taking a deep breath, Grant pulled his rucksack from his back and quickly reached into it before pulling out two large sacks of food.

He had anticipated some people wanting to stay behind, so he had prepared some sacks of food for them just in case.

In the end though, none had chosen to remain so he had not had to use them; until now.

He tossed the two sacks through the portal mere moments before it closed and said a silent prayer for the old man.

[May you find peace and happiness my friend. Thank you for your service until now.]

Ally could tell that whatever the paper said, it had clearly dampened Grant's mood. She wove her arm around his and held on tightly.

"Are you okay, Grant?"

Grant shook his head to clear his thoughts before replying, "I'm fine. A friend decided to remain behind.

Lets not let that dampen the moment however. Lets head back to our room and I'll fill you guys in on what I've been through!

You're not going to believe half of it!"

With Richard and Robin in tow, and hand in hand with Ally, the four of them walked back towards the room they had been using as their temporary home, but Ally suddenly stopped in the middle of the road which in turn forced Grant to stop as well.

Grant realized that they were standing in front of a fully completed house. It wasn't large or fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but it was the only completed house that he had seen since he returned.

It was a single story home, with two makeshift windows built into the front of the house. It had a small three step staircase leading up to the front door because the house appeared to be built on short stilts to raise it off the ground.

It was made purely of wood and lacked any type of paint, but nonetheless, Grant couldn't help but appreciate the craftsmanship.

While Grant was lost in his reverie, Ally's voice reached his ears, "This is our home."

Grant couldn't help but look at Ally with a surprised look on his face, for some reason, when she said 'our home' it didn't seem like she just meant, 'We all live here together.' It felt like she truly meant, 'Our home.'

Although Grant had begun to accept his feelings for Ally were more than what he had originally believed them too be, he was surprised that Ally seemed to be in the same place he was.

That would be the only way to explain the embrace and the way she was hanging onto him, even now.

Before, the kids would have been the ones to greet him, but now, it was Ally.

Grant couldn't help but think to himself, [Something must have happened while I was away. I feel like I'm missing something here. Not that I'm complaining of course!]

While lost in though, Grant continued to admire the house for a few more minutes before Ally released his arm and started to walk towards the front door.

Grant followed along and was surprised yet again.

Inside the house, there was wood furniture and a few rugs already.

"How on Earth did they do all of this in just a few days?"

Before he got an answer, Richard and Robin walked past Grant and into what appeared to be the dining room before sitting down in the chairs and inviting Grant to do the same followed shortly after by Ally who was carrying a few cups of water.

Once everyone was seated, Richard began the explanation, "Well, Jerrod insisted that you be the first one to receive a house. So after gathering enough wood from the dungeon surrounding the area, they put every available person to work.

A whole slew of woodworking tasks that I never even knew existed were assigned to people with any semblance of skill and they worked day and night.

Ironically, it was just completed this morning, right before your return."

Robin suddenly started laughing, "You should have seen Jerrod's face when he heard you were returning ahead of schedule! He suddenly started running around all over the place making sure that everything would be ready.

He was really desperate to surprise you with a completed home."

Grant couldn't help but laugh along with the little girl imagining the man doing his best to make sure everything was done.

Of course, since he didn't even know they were building it, he wouldn't have been upset even if it was incomplete.

He was however, touched that they had gone out of their way to make sure he was the first one to have a place to live.

Taking advantage of his new home and the privacy it provided, Grant spent the next few hours telling Ally and the kids all about what he had experienced.

From the night he infiltrated the camp, killing Andrew, taking over the camp, fighting the screaming zombie, saving all those people, fighting one man against an army, Ethan almost dying, Ethan falling in love, and so on.

Ally and the kids were listening with rapt attention until the very end.

As if waiting for him to finish his story, someone knocked on the front door the moment he was done.

When Grant opened the door, he was met by the sight of Skit and Couzar.

Skit was the first to speak, "We need to talk Grant. The Earth is about to enter the Enlightened Tier of its own evolution.

As you humans say, shit is about to hit the fan."