Hey ya'll just a heads up this is my first fanfiction, and it's events following gears four where Kait and Marcus strike out to go search and save survivors. This is my take on what happens, I know they already have a book out that tells you what really happened but I wanted to change it up a bit. This story will go into Kait's past (my version of it), and the Outer Wilds of Sera. Hope you enjoy!

...

Kait sat at the edge of her bed. Her knee bouncing impatiently.

Her shirt was soaked with sweat, the cold kind, the one that made you freeze and fill with dread at the same time. She looked at the holographic display of the time, seven hours till dawn, and looked back down at her shaking hands, releasing a shuddered sigh. Damn, first night to sleep comfortably since the discovery of the Swarm and she was waking up from nightmares. Mostly monsters and creepy zombie-like humans, or the people from her village to be more specific, chasing her with fast, twitching movements. She shuddered and curled her long fingers into a fist, digging her nails into her palms and then uncurled them. Fear. Cold, dark fear. She didn't want to curl up into a ball and hide though. She wanted shout, scream, and saw those damned Swarm in half, she knew it would make her feel better. But instead she stood up and walked toward the bathroom in the back corner of the wide room. The automatic metal doors slid back and a light glow filled the space before her. Kait blinked a few times and walked over to the sink, commanding it on. Splashing cold water on her face Kait dragged her fingers down her cheeks and looked at the corpse she had become.

Below her dark bangs was somewhat bloodshot eyes and dark circles that could be mistaken as smudged eye shadow. Her skin was pale compared to its normal color and even the light freckling that dotted her nose and cheeks were pale, too. She shifted and walked out of the room, the bathroom doors sliding shut behind her, she made her way over to the curtains in front of her window and pulled them open slightly. Baird's lawn had been landscaped: trees, bushes, flowers, etc. And beyond that, a two-story wall crawling with ivy. Kait let the curtain fall back, silently scoffing, the COG's idea of "landscape," was absolute rubbish. She instead crossed the room to her dresser and dug through the drawers, looking for something to wear. She settled with really dark gray pants- almost black-, a long sleeve gray undershirt and a maroon one to go over that. When she put them on, the hems of both shirts lined up perfectly as though they were one. She pulled on a pair of black lace-ups that went halfway up her shins, they were pretty but they weren't her other pair of boots. Those had a lot of history behind them.

She pulled her braid back over her left shoulder, smiling sadly when she touched it. It was a sign of marital status. On the left shoulder it proved she was single, on the right it would mean she was married. She remembered her mother braiding it in private because Kait had been nervous, after all, being the daughter of the leader was a bit nerve racking in her twelve year old mind. She shook her head and pushed the thought to the back of her brain, leaving the room. The hallway was dark, and empty, no lights crept out from under any doors so she continued walking. Slowly after a few turns she found the kitchen a wide frame and yellow light flooded into the hall. She didn't hear anyone but still peeked around the corner.

Baird. Marcus. Sam.

Kait drew back into the hallway and relaxed before walking in. They all looked up from where they sat at the long table across the room, she could see their faces clearly over the marble counter that ran halfway across the kitchen. Kait tried to smile, but couldn't, as she walked towards them. Sam gave her a sympathetic look, her graying hair had been pulled into a low knot, something Kait thought she should try someday.

"Hello, deary." Sam said patting the empty seat next to her. Kait sat down. Marcus was across from her and Baird was across from Sam. "You're up late, can't sleep?" She inquired. Kait nodded.

"Something like that."

"You look . . ." Baird appeared as though he were looking for the right word, then gave up, "like shit." Sam shot him a glare but all Kait did was shrug it didn't surprise her at all, even she thought that. But Marcus started talking.

"Says the one who's bald, wears goggles, and sells killer robots to psychopaths." They reached for the cup in front of him and drank deeply. Kait smiled weakly.

"First sight of human life from Diaz. And with a body like this, who needs hair, they were not goggles, and Jinn did the whole "killer DeeBee thing" not me." Baird corrected in a voice that beat JD's smart-ass tone. Maybe that's where he got it from. Marcus rolled his eyes and turned to Baird, as if to say, "You sure about that?"

"Are JD and Del back yet?" Kait asked as Sam got up to got to the actual kitchen part of the room. Marcus went cold, a dark look flashing in his eyes, Sam shuffled through one of the cabinets and Baird shook his head. "Oh. . ."

"They are still at the palace, don't know what Jinn wants with them or why she's taking so long, possibly has them waiting somewhere." Baird said with a shrug scratching at his cheek. "Why?"

"Just curious, they are the only friends I've got now, soooooo, I kinda should worry." Kait said leaning back in the chair. "And besides, someone has to keep those two out of trouble." That much was true, Del not so much, but JD had a tendency to mouth off and get punched in return.

"Oh, um, I thought it was something else." Baird looked awkward for a second, Kait raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"What?"

"Well-uh, I thought-" Baird started to reply but was cut off by Sam. Who set a mug of what appeared to be coffee in front of Kait.

"Kait, drink that please," Sam pointed a finger at the mug and sat down again, watching. Baird looked at her and mouthed something, but Sam kicked his shin under the table.

"What is this? Sedatives in coffee?" Kait pushed the cup away from her, Marcus grabbed it a picked it up peering at the brown liquid, and shook his head. Kait listened to him explain is was a type of caffeinated drink, not coffee, but close. It boosted energy and helped reduce the swelling and shrink dilated blood vessels under the eyes, helping with the dark circles, and still made you feel full of energy and ready to go.

"COG came out with it a while ago," Baird said," should improve your face, you look like-"

"-shit." Kait finished. "To be honest though it feels like a couple shots of tequila and an ass-kicking."

"Wondering how you know that." Marcus noted scratching at the stubble on his cheek, grinning. Kait shrugged, better not tell that story. Sam sighed, getting up. She declared she was going to bed, and walked off. Kait could hear her footsteps recede down the hallway and looked back at the two veterans in front of her. Baird sighed and smiled.

"Good, I've got something to show you two, follow me."

...

Baird's lab was huge and was its own wing of his mansion, part of it resting on four marble pillars supporting a landing pad for Ravens, the rest was just part of the mansion branched off. Although Kait had seen COG technology before, the amount of holographs and computers and well just high-tech everything made her stop. Although instead of stopping they walked into a glass tube and shot up three floors to the top level. There was a big glass dome over their heads that went from the floor up. She saw stars and mountains, and a couple of birds that were still out. Baird kept going though, large metal doors sliding back to reveal an office, a chair, and several screens. "I would still display it out there, but I guarantee Jinn's got Watchers out right now, not gonna risk it. Now here is some footage that one of my Watchers found earlier tonight."

Baird pressed a button on the console and a video popped up. It was Fort Umson. Her village. Her home. A destruction, buildings destroyed and dead creatures sprawled in the mud. One was the charred remains of a Juvie. Then at the corner of the screen she saw to faces. She couldn't make out exact details but she saw they were identical in shape, one a girl, the other a boy.

"Piss off, bucketheads!" Adolescent voice.

It hit Kait then. Same face, adolescent voice . . . twins.

Then static, awful, booming static and the sound of trees breaking, crashing through the woods, fast. Then guttural chirps and gurgles. Then a shadow broke the tree line and the Watcher died.

...

An hour earlier. . .

Del looked at JD then back at the paper Jinn had handed them.

"So full pardons and all, but why?" Del asked, eyeing Jinn suspiciously. "Can we at least get some time to think about it, a full night's sleep?Coffee?" Del sat back and watched as Jinn shook her head.

"I'm afraid I need you to decide now. I'll give a few minutes, I'll be outside the door if you need me." Jinn said standing up. JD snorted. Uh-oh, he's about to say something stupid.

"I doubt that." Jinn glared at the ex-lieutenant and walked out of the room. Del turned to him and started to speak, but JD held up a hand. "I know, I know. She wants us back in for some unknown reason, but we can't just automatically say no."

"Because if we leave Jinn to fight the Swarm on her own she won't know how." Del nodded." I understand that, but she doesn't believe us, at least I don't think so, she won't know the Swarm is here till they're knocking on the gates of New Ephyra."

"Exactly why we can't not join back, look I don't want to as much as you do but its either this, or me, you, Kait, and Dad running around fighting something we can't handle, I mean, you saw that we needed Mechs to get to Reyna. And God, she knows we'll do it, because she won't listen to us unless we make her." JD looked exasperated, and that looked at his hand with betrayal as he reached for the pen.

"What about your dad?"

"I'll deal with him." JD growled. No argument there. The Del thought of something else. "Kait will be pissed, man. You know she's our friend but she might get worse than Marcus in an argument. I mean, she spent her whole life hiding, and fighting the COG, and her only two friends, left alive, are joining back."

JD looked worried for a brief second, Del was pretty sure he imagined it. JD? Afraid of Kait? "We'll get her to understand, we won't do this to rub it in her face." Del nodded

"I'll tell her if you don't want to, you'll already be dealing with your dad." JD hesitated, shrugged, and started to sign the papers, Del close behind.

Here we go again.

...

Kait didn't recall going back to her room, or packing a light bag, and shoving her old boots and mother necklace in with it. She simply grabbed her hat, and a black jack that reflected body heat. She put the black backpack on her shoulders and ran out of the room. She made it to the foyer and was cut off. Baird and Marcus stood in her way.

"Kait you can't go after them, for all we know they're dead, there is nothing we can do."

"How convenient for you, I'm going home and you can't stop me." She growled, preparing to fight her way out of here need be. She wasn't afraid of them, both of them.

"Hold on, dammit Jinn needs to talk to me back at the lab, I should be back in about twenty so Kait don't leave, Marcus watch her." Baird walked down the hallway. Good riddance.

"I'm not afraid of you." She hissed at Marcus. "I'm going after them and you can't stop me. They are alive, people from my village are alive." Marcus watched her talk, before clearing his throat.

"I'm not stopping you. But you can't go alone. Once you leave Ephyra, you'll have the Swarm to deal with." Marcus turned and grabbed something from behind a chair, a bag, "I'm going with you. I hate this place too." He added quietly. Kait nodded, it was nice to have a friend.

"Let's go."

They snuck around the back of the mansion, a long dirt path ran in a perfect line from there to the gate. Kait took a straight path towards it, and walked a little left to the gate itself where there was a small arch and a door. It opened silently, and she walked down the tunnel in the wall and waited looking for any DeeBee's, nope, none. So they left, Marcus led the way, winding them through buildings and alleys, it went on for about two hours before they stopped. Kait checked that her bag was secure and fixed her grip on the Lancer. She watched silently as a Transport cart pulled up, but there were no DeeBee's. The screen glitched and big words scrawled across the screen.

GET IN NOW!

Kait and Marcus shrugged. Baird. Then Sam's voice came over the speakers. "I guess there is no point in stopping you, I'll take you through and underground system just outside the old Ephyra, get you to Settlement Five and leave your asses there. Baird has to go get JD and Del so I suggest you hurry, he leaves in about two hours, right now he's taking a nap, due to a nifty syringe filled with sedatives. I won't send bots after you two, Baird will just hack into the stream and take over from there. Just be careful out there." Kait smirked, she was beginning to really like the old woman. " and don't worry he won't know your gone till he comes back."

"You got that right, baby. WOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cole shouted over the radio. Marcus was laughing now. Walking towards the cart.

They got in and started going towards the wall at insane speed. So much that they sat down to keep they wind from ripping their faces off. All she saw when she looked up was the frames for the main gates of New Ephyra and then the stars, it was still dark, but a little lighter than it had been.

"We are so screwed if Jinn finds us," Kait mumbled quietly. "I kinda hope she does though."

"Why?"

"So I can cut off her head."

...

Two hours later. . .

Del relaxed slightly when he saw the Raven land in front of the lawn of the palace, almost grateful. They had allowed to roam the gardens for the past several hours, JD went off somewhere else on the several acres of trees and bushes, probably to think of how he was going to tell Kait and Marcus what they had done, he decided that he wanted to tell both of them, poor guy, his ears would be bleeding by the time he was done being shouted at.

Del saw Baird jump out of a Raven and start across the lawn towards him. Del waved, somewhere JD came towards them too. Baird shouted over the rotors. "You two ready to get outta here." They nodded, yeah they were. Del was starving, tired, and wanted to take a nice hot shower. "Good, Sam should be cooking something right now. If I remember correctly you both eat more than Cole, although that's not hard at all.

"You wanna go, Baldie?" Cole jumped out of the Raven, looking like he did something mischievous. He grinned even wider when he JD and Del. "We can have a competition later. You two need showers, bad, you smell like shit!" Del grinned, that much was true.

They made their way to the Raven, the rotor wash beating down on the close-cropped grass. He hauled himself in, it was normal now, he had done it so much already. And then the Raven lifted up, flying towards Baird's place he assumed. They weren't in the Raven for more than ten minutes, and then they touched down on Baird's landing pad. It was elevated about two stories by four, thick, marble pillars. JD sighed, looking almost nervous, but more tired.

The walked down the ramp from the landing pad and through glass doors into Baird's lab, Del caught a glimpse of a giant glass dome on the top floor. They wove their way through holographs, computers, and other things the old mechanic used. By the time they got to the foyer Del could tell something was off. Sam sat in a simple wooden chair stoking a cat in her lap. Del didn't knew she had a cat. She smiled when she saw them.

"Huh," Baird said looking around. "I thought we'd have more of a welcoming party." JD looked tense as his ice blue eyes searched the room. Del looked back a Sam.

"You won't find them here, I'm afraid. They are long gone." Sam smirked.

"You helped them escape? And are you the one who knocked me out, because I don't randomly take naps?" Baird asked looking furious.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You've figured it out! The Cole Train kept his secret, baby. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Baird looked in the middle of anger and confusion. Del knew he looked surprised and JD looked . . . lost, and almost, almost sad. And Del felt the same way too, Kait left them without saying goodbye. Baird turned to Cole and stated cussing and shouting, he wouldn't dare take it out on his "special lady-friend." Sam tapped them on their shoulders and beckoned for them to follow her, into the kitchen it seemed. They sat down and ate quietly, Sam left them in silence to go break up Baird and Cole.

Del didn't know what was worse: telling Kait and Marcus they had joined back to the COG.

Or them leaving.

...

B.T.W the whole thing about marital status and the braid over the shoulder is true, it's in the Fandom (Kait's specifically) it's some sort of summer festival. And fun facts for the hell of it : JD is twenty one in the time of Gears four, and Anya died when he was six.