Part 1
Three months had passed at the mall. The weather outside was changing, winter was almost over, but it was still bitterly cold out. B.J. was a growing, happy baby that seemed to bring back the miracle of life to the mallrats. Danni had left Johnny with Bray and Amber for the winter months. He was almost a year old and was bringing to walk. Danni had left with May, Pride and Roxie the same afternoon Amber gave birth. Soon after Sasha left without a word in the middle of the night. Alice and Ellie also found a break in the winter storms to go back to the farm. Alice wanted to be near Andy and Tally, who moved to the farm after Ned's death. Ellie just wanted to get away from everything and everyone. Salene and Ryan were remarried and Amber and Bray were married as well. Lex and Tai-san began to trust each other again, they worked through their problems and found the love they still had for each other. Ebony began to trust Jay as well, although they never talked about Zoot or anything else from her past. Trudy was starting to worry more about Jack, who had locked himself in a room none of the others were allowed to enter. He only came out for food and water. But to Jack, he just wanted to be away from people. Once he had helped Ebony complete her mission with the cameras, he wanted to be where he could watch over everyone, and not worry about having to interact with them, with Cloe. Cloe had started a relationship with Ved, one that she soon started to question and wonder if she had done the right thing. Patsy and KC were the drama that seemed to keep the mallrats on their toes. No one was ever sure if they were together or not, they seemed to be breaking up every other day.

But now, everyone, expect Jack and Ebony were getting ready to celebrate what they had decided would be Brady's birthday. Jay had figured it would have been her 4th birthday, and everyone was finally happy to have something to celebrate, everyone but Bray. His mind was else were, and it was easy for Amber to see.

"Bray tell me what's wrong." Amber said coming up behind him. She knew that something had been bothering him the last few days, but he hadn't wanted to talk about it.

"I was just thinking." Bray said turning to face her. He put on one of his fake smiles but he knew she would see right through it.

"Sweetie there was nothing we could do for him." Amber said knowing he was thinking about Martin. It had almost been 4 years since he died here at the mall. It had almost been four years since the virus and since Sasha and Zandra and Paul.

"I know but I still miss him so much. He was my younger brother Amber. I should have protected him." Bray said letting the tears he had been hiding fall gently down him checks.

"Bray you couldn't have done anything more for him. He was so angry, that's what turned him into Zoot." Amber said wiping the tears away with her finger.

"See it was my fault he put all of us through this. If I wasn't so…so." Bray said searching for the word but couldn't find it.

"Bray don't go there. It's Brady's birthday. She's our niece. So let's be happy that we're all here today." Amber said.

"We're not all here though." Trudy said walking over to them. "Jack won't come out of that dumb closet."

"I'll go talk to him." Amber said smiling. "Hey Brady, do you want me to go get Jack?" Amber asked the little girl in a sweet voice.

"Jackie! Jackie! Yeah I want Jackie!" Brady said smiling and jumping up and down.

"Okay I'll be right back sweetie." Amber said kissing her on the cheek and leaving the café.

"Ryan will you hand me that?" Salene asked her husband.

"The pink or the green?" Ryan asked.

"Both." Salene said after thinking about it for a minute.

"Salene, Trudy wants to know when we're going to start." Cloe said as she and Patsy walking into the cooking area.

"Soon, I'm almost done." Salene said smiling at them.

"Hey babe, there you are." Ved said coming up from behind them and putting his arms around Cloe.

"Hi." Cloe said as he kissed her cheek.

"If you three don't get out of here, I'll never get done." Salene said shaking her head at them.

"Okay we're going." Patsy said leaving.

"So tell me Ryan. When are we going to get to have little ones?" Salene asked Ryan with a smile on her face.

"As soon as you want them Sal." Ryan said hugging her.

"I want one, or four." Salene laughed.

"Let's just start with one, I don't know if I can handle anymore." Ryan smiled pulling her over to him. "We're in no rush."

Salene smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"All I want to do is enjoy this time with you, enjoy our youth without our own children to look after."

"I just want to enjoy you." She whispered before kissing him.

Jack sat in the room watching everyone. They all seemed so happy. Everyone was smiling, even Cloe. Jack turned around to look and see what was going on outside of the mall. He saw nothing. No people, no nothing. He looked up at the ceiling and started to think about Cloe and how much he loved her and how much she hurt him, just like Ellie did. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. He stood up and opened the door just enough so he could get out without anyone seeing what was inside. It was Amber at the door. She hugged him and then just looked at him.

"Jack what's going on?" Amber asked sitting down against the wall. She turned to look at the boy who use to have firey red hair, but now it was just normal, a darkish brown, almost black color.

"Nothing. I'm just working." Jack said rubbing his eyes.

"Brady wants you to come to the party." Amber said smiling at him. He had bags under his eyes and they were all bloodshot.

"Yeah I know." Jack said with out thinking.

"How do you know?" Amber asked puzzled.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out she'd want everyone there, she's her mother's daughter." Jack said covering up.

It was perfect timing for Jack, Ebony came around the corner. She had left the mall a few days ago, after a disagreement with Jay and Jack had wondered when she would be back to check in with everything. He was glad that she was showing up now, saving him from Amber and her questions.

"You can't live in there, it's not healthy." Amber said looking at Ebony as she approached them. "What do you do in there anyway?" she whispered. She knew it had something to do with Ebony, and anything that had to do with Ebony worried her.

"Hey Ebony." Jack said nodding.

"Ebony." Amber said looking at her. "Jay will be happy to know you're back."

"Good for Jay." Ebony rolled her eyes. She glanced at Jack and then the door.

"Look Amber, Ebony and I have some things we need to talk about, then I'll see what I can do about making it to wish Brady a happy birthday." Jack said wishing she was leave already.

"Make it Jack, no matter what." She added, looking back at Ebony before leaving the two standing there.

"I thought I would see what I've missed." Ebony said smiling at Jack as he opened the door and Ebony went into the room.

"No much. Bray is upset because it's almost been four year since Zoot died and some of the originals left." Jack said with a sigh.

"Who left?" Ebony asked.

"Well Paul left and Zandra died." Jack said sitting down in the chair that was still warm. "It's been four years since the virus."

"Any what is so special about this year? We haven't made any progress in the city, things are still falling apart every time we turn around." Ebony said shaking her head.

"This is the first year we've celebrated a birthday since the virus." Jack said looking at all the screens.

"That's a stupid reason if you asked me." Ebony said. "But you're out, I can't let you live in here anymore, they are starting to ask questions, and that's bad for business." Ebony said picking up the key that was on the table.

"Ebony you can't." Jack said in protest.

"Hiding in here, isn't going to make dealing with Cloe any easier." Ebony said.

"Please Ebony, just the rest of the day?" Jack pleaded.

"Only after you make an appearance in the café." Ebony said dragging him out of the room and locking the door.

Cloe stood frozen when she saw Jack walk into the café. He looked so run down and tired. She wanted to run to him and tell him what was going on with her and that she needed him not Ved but she couldn't. She just watched as he talked to everyone but her and Ved.

"Cloe are you okay?" Ved asked.

Cloe didn't say anything, she couldn't, everything in her head was starting to spin.

"Cloe, you look pale, are you okay?" Ved asked her again.

Cloe tried to stand up, she wanted to get out of the room, somewhere where everything made sense. Then she hit the ground with a thud.

"Cloe!" Ved shouted as he watched her fall. Everyone else seemed to turn to look at what was going on.

Jack ran to her with out thinking. He didn't even give Ved time to protest before he was scooped Cloe up and carried her out of the café, away from the others. When he reached her room, he laid her gently on the bed.

Cloe opened her eyes to see Jack's face. She smiled and reached up to touch his face. His skin was so warm and smooth. She pulled her hand away when Ved pushed Jack out of the way. She sat up and looked around the room. He was gone. Everyone else was already in the room asking questions. Cloe just laid back and covered her eyes, her head was pounding, and not just from the fall.

Part 2
"Is she okay?" Jay asked Ebony as she walked back into her room and saw him sitting on her bed.

"She's fine." Ebony said. "Is there something I can do for you?" she asked him sitting down on the other end of her bed.

"There's a lot you can do for me." Jay said with a smile. He grabbed Ebony's hands and pulled her down the other end of the bed.

Ebony pulled back. "Don't make me hurt you." Ebony said as he penned her down on the bed.

"Would you really hurt me?" Jay asked as he kissed her neck.

"Without blinking." Ebony said pushing him off. But he was stronger than her and she found him on top of her again.

"Well I won't make you then, I promise." Jay said smiling down at her. He looked right into her brown eyes. He knew she was hiding many things form him but so was he. "You taste so sweet." Jay said as he started kissing her again.

"Heard it many times." Ebony said to him.

"Only because it's true." Jay said. He rolled off her and laid on his side looking at her. She was still on her back but she could tell something was bugging her. "What are you thinking about?"

"Jay what tribe are you from? You must have had a tribe before you came here." Ebony said rolling over on her side to face him. In the time she had spent away from the mall, she had asked questions, trying to figure out what angle he was coming from, who he was, and what he wanted.

"I don't have one." Jay said lying and sitting up fast. "Ved and I left home after our mother died and then we just travelled around." He said pulling her up to a sitting position.

"Interesting story." Ebony said standing up. "But I'm going to bed."

"Good, I'll join you. It's been a long time since we've fall asleep together." Jay said laying back down. "And I haven't seen you in days, I think it's only fair."

"I don't do fair." Ebony said.

"You're right, but I do." Jay said smiled.

"Fine, but leave, I need to change." Ebony said pulling him off the bed.

"Fine." Jay said walking out.

Ebony smiled as she took her clothes off and put on a baby blue tank top and short shorts that matched. She turned around and let Jay back in the room. He picked her up off the ground and swung her around.

"AAAAHHHH. Jay put me down." Ebony said laughing. Jay lowered her to the ground slowly. "That hurt." She said rubbing her back. It didn't really hurt but wanted to see what he would do.

Ebony's words hit him like a bullet. He never wanted to hurt her. He pulled her over to her bed and had her laid on her stomach so he could rub her back where it hurt. "I'm sorry." He said. He got a fit of laugher out of her. She rolled over and looked up at him.

Ebony could tell that he really felt bad about it. "It doesn't hurt anymore." Ebony said taking her hands and putting them on his face.

"Ebony you know that I never want to hurt you." Jay said as she brought his face closer to hers.

"Well if you don't brush your teeth you may just kill me." Ebony said putting a hand over his mouth.

"I'll be back." Jay said getting up and leaving the room.

When Jay got back to the room, Ebony was already fast asleep. He couldn't help but watch her. She was so peaceful and kind when she was sleeping, until the nightmares came. There were so many nights where she seemed to wake up in a cold sweat, and at first it scared him, the yelling, and fighting she would do. But now it worried him more than anything. "Ebony I'll never leave you." Jay whispered into her ear. He knew she was asleep and didn't hear but he had to tell her that before anything else happened.

Jack sat in the room watching everyone go to sleep. He saw everyone but Cloe. She wasn't in her bed or in Ved's. She wasn't in the café or any of the bathrooms. Jack started to worry when he couldn't see her anywhere. Then his eyes when across the screen that showed the room. The same room where they first and last made love. There is was holding up a sign that said 'JACK I NEED TO TALK TO YOU NOW!' Jack could feel his stomach go into knots when he read that sign. He stood up and decided to go to her before he went to bed. He walked up the stairs and into the room, stopping when he saw her crying.

"What?" Jack asked. He wanted to get it over with quick and fast so he could get on with his life.

"Jack." Cloe said as she walked over to him and touched his face.

Jack stepped away as soon as he felt her touch him. "No more Cloe. What do you want?"

"Jack I'm…I'm…pregnant." Cloe said letting more tears stream down her face.

"Congratulations. You can tell Ved I said that." Jack said turning to leave the room but was stopped by Cloe's hand.

"I never slept with Ved." Cloe said letting go of him after she said it.

"What do you mean you never slept with him? I heard all about it. He was talking to KC." Jack said turning to look at her.

"He was drunk and passed out before I even got into bed. You can even go watch the tape of that night." Cloe said sitting down on the floor.

"So wait if you didn't sleep with him than that means." Jack said but couldn't say it.

"You're the father." Cloe said looking up to see how he would take the news.

Jack sat down next to her and after a long two minutes looked at her and smiled. "We're going to have a baby!" he said excited.

"Yeah." Cloe said smiling at him. She took Jack's hand and placed it on her stomach.

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Jack asked.

"Well I haven't had my period since that day. I've had morning sickness and I get dizzy all the time." Cloe said rested her head on his shoulder.

"Are you going to tell Ved?" Jack asked.

"Yeah we can tell him and everyone in the morning." Cloe said with a yawn.

Jack moved so she could sit in-between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her and put his hands on her stomach. "We're going to have a baby." Jack said quietly.

"Yeah. Our baby." Cloe said sheepishly. "I love you Jack."

"I love you too Cloe. I never stopped." Jack said as she fell asleep with her head on his chest.

Just outside of the city, a group a people were making their way to the mall.

Part 3
Amber and Bray woke to the sound of someone trying to get into the mall. They ran to see what is was. Amber gasped at the site and Bray just stood next to her puzzled. Soon Lex and many other mallrats where standing with them with the same look on their face as Bray had.

"Eagle I'm sorry we came here but we didn't know what to do." A girl said from the crowd of people.

"Where is Pride and May?" Amber asked looking at all the face.

"Right here." May said standing behind them. Pride and May were holding blankets and pillows.

"Amber, Bray we need to talk in the café." Pride said throwing the things down to the people.

"Yeah we need to talk. Why is the whole Eco-Tribe here?" Amber asked as they walked to the café.

"Well the storm ruined everything. We tried to rebuild things but it's getting to clod out. Winter is on the way and we can't last out there for much longer." Pride said as they sat down.

"So you brought them there excepting we would take them all in?" Lex asked.

"Don't mind him. He's grumpy because he woke up before the sun was half way up in the sky." Tai-san said.

"I'm sorry Amber but snow is going to fall soon and we don't know what else to do." May said.

"It's okay. I'm their leader I just wish I would have known ahead of time. That way we could have cleaned out the offices and got it all ready for everyone." Amber said smiling at them.

"Wait, aren't we going to vote on this?" KC asked.

"No because if we every needed to go to the Eco-tribe they would help us without voting on it." Amber said.

"Fine then we're going back to bed." KC said standing up.

"Oh no you aren't. We are all going to get up and help them. They've been traveling for a long time KC." Salene said.

"We all can't get up. Cloe isn't in her bed and I haven't seen her since she took off to talk to someone last night." Patsy said looking around the room.

"Who'd she go to talk to?" Ryan asked.

"I can't tell." Patsy said. "Salene why don't we make some food. I bet the Eco-Tribe is really hungry." Patsy said trying to get all the attention off of her.

"Okay well Ved have you seen her?" Amber asked.

"Nope. She told me that she wanted to talk to someone but wouldn't tell me who." Ved said.

"Okay we'll find her later." Amber said. "KC, Ved and Lex go find all the extra blankets and pillows you can and take them down to them. Tai-san, Salene, Patsy and me will make food for everyone. Trudy why don't you stay with BJ and Brady. Pride, Bray, Ryan and May do you guys want to start clearing out the other side of the mall for them to use as a home?"

"Okay you guys heard her let's go." Bray said clapping his hands. He kissed Amber before he left to get to work.

"Has anyone seen Ebony, Jay or Jack this morning?" Amber asked.

"I bet I know where Jack is." Trudy said rolling her eyes.

"Do you want to go get him out of there. I'm sure Ebony and Jay are still in bed." Amber said.

"Yeah. I'll be back." Trudy said leaving Brady and BJ in a playpen.

Ebony woke up with a smile on her face.

"No nightmares." Jay said smiling at her.

"Nope." Ebony said rubbing her eyes.

"Everyone else is up. Something is going on but I didn't want to wake you." Jay said.

"That's so sweet of you but I better go see what it is." Ebony said sitting but got pulled back down by Jay.

"Not yet." Jay said pulling her back down and kissing her.

"Jay they could need us." Ebony said not really wanting to leave.

"Since when have you cared?" Jay asked raising an eyebrow.

"I don't. I just want to know what's going on. And I know you do as well." Ebony said smiling sweetly.

"True. I guess we should go." Jay said getting on top of her and kissing her stomach.

"Okay you're done." Ebony said forcefully.

"Fine we can go." Jay said taking her hand and pulling her out into the café.

Ebony stood frozen when she saw about 30 people in the mall that she had never seen before.

"What's wrong?" Jay asked her.

"Look at me! I'm not dressed." Ebony said pulling Jay back to cover her as she walked by the stairs and into the café. "Who are all of those people?" Ebony asked when they came into the café.

"You should know Ebony. You seem to know just about everything these days." Salene said laughing.

"Well it would be nice to know when I can come out of my room without having like ten guys drooling." Ebony said having Jay stand behind her now.

"You know, I think I'm liking this." Jay said kissing her shoulders.

"It's the Eco-Tribe, Ebony. They are staying here until winter is over." Amber said. "Go put cloths on and help us here. You too Jay."

"No, I'm liking this." Jay said as he and Ebony walked back to her room.

"Will you hand me that shirt?" Ebony asked pointing to the red shirt by her bed.

"Here." Jay said handing it to her. He watched as she pulled her shirt off and put the other one on. This over the first time she had ever changed in front of him, although is all he could see was her back. He turned around when she put her black lather pants on. He turned around and pulled her to him. "Why can't we stay in here today?"

"Because we wouldn't get any farther than we've already gone. Now hurry up and get dressed." Ebony said laying her head on his bear chest.

"Okay. Why is it you always win?" Jay asked as he pulled his pants up over his boxers.

"Because I'm the girl." Ebony said fixing her hair. "And you know the longer you wait the better it will be."

"Oh I can't wait." Jay said wrapping his arms around her again.

"I know but you have to." Ebony said smiling at him in the mirror.

"Okay let's go." Jay said as he pulled on an old white shirt.

Cloe opened her eyes when she heard some one walk into the room. She smiled when she saw that she had fallen asleep with Jack's arms around her. She looked around the room and saw the green-headed KC standing in front of them.

"What do you want KC?" Cloe asked quietly so she didn't wake Jack.

"Patsy wanted me to tell you two to get up before Ved found you." KC said.

"Let him find us. He's going to find out today anyways." Jack said with his eyes still closed.

"Yeah he can find us here. That way it will be easier to tell him." Cloe said closing her eyes.

"Yeah well that's only one reason. Amber wants everyone in the café ASAP. The tree huggers are moving into the mall." KC said.

"Fine we'll be down in a little bite." Jack said.

"No I think I'll go down now." Cloe said bring her hand up to her mouth and covering it. She had forgotten all about the morning sickness. She got up fast and ran out of the room.

"What's up with her?" KC asked as Jack got up.

"Morning sickness." Jack said as they walked out of the room and down to the bathroom.

"Why?" KC asked.

"You'll find out soon enough." Jack said opening the bathroom door. "Cloe are you okay?" Jack asked walking into the stall she was in.

"Oh god this better be worth it." Cloe said sitting done floor.

"Hey it's worth it Cloe." Jack said pulling her to her feet. "Just think about what we'll have when it's all over."

"Okay someone tell me what's going on." KC said standing in the bathroom.

"I'm pregnant." Cloe said smiling at Jack.

"Wow I didn't think you and Ved had done that yet. I mean I know there was the first time." KC said.

"It's not Ved's." Cloe said wrapping her arms around Jack.

"Oh you mean tell me it's Jack's?" KC asked playfully.

"Oh shut up." Jack said. "Aren't we supposes to be in the café anyways. It's almost lunch time."

"Yeah I need to eat something." Cloe said walking out of the bathroom with the boys.

They walked over to the stairs so KC could show them all that Eco-Tribe was here. Most of them had fallen asleep on the ground. They had a few of their own belongs but most of the blankets looked like ones from the mall. Salene and Patsy were handing out sandwiches and Brady's juice boxes.

"Okay so what is the meeting about? I mean we aren't voting on if they can stay here are we?" Cloe asked putting one arm around Jack.

"I don't know. She is probably going to tell us what jobs to do. I guess the love birds will be separated." KC said making kissy noises.

"Hey Cloe isn't doing anything. She is going to go lay down." Jack said as they walked into the café. Cloe didn't bother taking her arms away from Jack when they

walked into the café even when she saw Ved. She just pulled herself closer to him.

"Well if it isn't the two sleepy heads." Bray said when he saw Jack and Cloe. He smiled at Jack knowing that something was going right for him.

"Okay guys we have a lot to do before night falls. We need to get the rest of the

stuff clean out of the other end of the mall. Jay how is it going?" Amber asked.

"We have a lot more to move before anyone can move in. We need some one to get the rooms ready." Jay said giving his report.

"Okay well Trudy and I can do that. Patsy and Salene need to keep making food for everyone." Amber said. "Oh that means no one will be watching the kids."

"Cloe can do that. She needs to rest." Jack said smiling but not taking his eyes off of Cloe.

"Okay. Now Jack you can help the guys move things. Tai-san can you keep handing out blankets?" Amber asked.

"Yeah. Ebony's been helping me." Tai-san said smiling. "I hope you don't mind but we had the pregnant ones go to Ellie and Alice's old room. We though that maybe we could all share rooms so the others can have beds." Tai-san said.

"Yeah that would work. I don't know how many rooms we'll get ready tonight. So Jay can you stay with Lex and Ved you can stay with KC. Patsy and Cloe can you two stay there too? Then Ryan can stay with Lex as well and Tai-san and Salene can stay with Ebony?" Amber asked.

"That will work out great. Then there will be three more rooms." Salene said.

"Okay everyone get to work. We will all meet back here 30 minutes before dinner." Amber said smiling.