It's been about three months since the plane crash, in which we lost not only Jamie but the cure as well. Over these past few months I've watched Jackson slip in and out of sanity, he had been recording video logs much like this father did before he died. He and I had been working with Chloe and a US government program to help find another cure, but it wasn't going well. Abe went to work for an escort company, provided safe travel to people in Washington and I'm not sure what Mitch is up to. After the crash, he went into hiding. Almost all hope seemed lost when a multinational team of crisis managers was brought in, after which Jackson and I believed we would quickly be shown the door.

It was late one night and I had spent my evening curled up on the couch with a book. Jackson walks in from the bedroom after changing out of his work clothes. "What are you doing?"

"Just reading," I comment, not looking up from the book, "It's the only thing that makes me feel normal anymore."

Jackson sits next to me and wraps an arm around my shoulders, as he does I shift so that I'm leaning against him. "I get it, it's hard to feel normal in this crazy world. But we will find another way to cure the animals."

As the two of us cuddle up we hear a loud bang coming from the next apartment. Jackson jumps up and steps over to the door, "I'll be right back."

I nod and take a deep breath as Jackson leaves our apartment, closing the door behind him. When he does the phone goes off and I answer. "Hello?"

On the other end, I hear Chloe's voice. "Kat, hi. Our team in Zambia they found the leopards again."

"That's great."

"We can start working on the cure tomorrow morning."

"That's amazing news Chloe, I'll tell Jackson and we'll see you in the morning."

"I'll see you then."

As I hang up the phone Jackson pokes his head back into the apartment, "Hey, I'm gonna run out and get a refill for Goldy's medication since he can't leave."

"Jackson, Wait."

"What's up?" He steps into the apartment, wearing Goldy's bike gear.

"Chloe just called, they got the leopard and are being it back."

"Then we need to celebrate when I get back. I'll pick up a sixer when I'm out."

"We still need to find a way to spread the cure to the animals."

"We will don't worry," Jackson walks over to me and kisses me softly.

I kiss him back and nod, "be safe."

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too."

Jackson's head's out and I sit back down on the couch, Goldy was our next door neighbor who had been attacked and lost his legs. Since the elevator doesn't work, he can't get in and out so Jackson and I help him as much as we can. When he does the phone goes off again and it is Chloe, again.

"Hello."

"Kat, Reiden has proposed a plan called the Noah Objective, they want to eliminate all the animals and repopulate the planet."

"That's ridiculous. The animals kingdom would collapse even more than it already has and either way we would face mass extinction."

"I know, so we need to make sure they don't get the chance."

With that Chloe and I hang up. It doesn't take long for Jackson to get back to the apartment, maybe about an hour, but now that is all too long for me, with all the animals running around out there. In he is out of Goldy's bike gear and had a six-pack in his hand.

"Hey, baby."

I smile at him and take a deep breath, "Glad to see you're back in one piece."

"Well, if a bullet didn't stop me, I think it'll take more then a few dogs and a baboon."

"A baboon?"

"Yeah." Jackson chuckles as he sits the six-pack on the counter and pulls me close to him. As he does he puts his hands on my hips and kisses me deeply. I kiss him back and place my hands on his shoulders.

"Jackson… Reiden has proposed an alternate plan…"

I try to tell Jackson about Reiden's plan but he is in no mood to hear it. I try to talk as he kisses down my neck. "We can worry about Reiden tomorrow, right now, let's celebrate today's victory." With this, he picks me up and puts me on the island in the kitchen.

I giggle softly and wrap my arms around his neck as we kiss. Sadly, our embrace is interrupted by a knock on our door. Jackson stops and leans his forehead against mine and whispers, "Shh…maybe they'll think we're not home."

We wait for a few moments before hearing another knock on the door, Jackson sighs as he steps away from me and answers the door, as he does I get off the counter and grab a beer out of the sixer Jackson brought home. When I look back over I see Abe walk into the apartment, as he does I smile at him, walking over to get over to him, giving him a hug.

"Abe, hey."

"Hey Kat. I'm sorry to stop by so late."

"Don't be silly Abe, you're always welcome."

Jackson nods and pats Abe his shoulder as the two of them over to opposite sides of the island, I stay at the end of it. Abe smile at Jackson and I. "what have you two been up to?"

Jackson nods his head, "It's over. They found the remaining leopards. They've been contaminated. We're done here."

I nod, "They're talking about this cull. Have you heard about it?"

Abe nods, "Of course, the goons where I work, they're all eager to join up."

I sigh, "It's insanity. But I suppose why shouldn't man contribute to their own demise, right?"

"They've been doing it since the dawn of time." Abe and I look over to Jackson as he makes this comment, "Oh, just I know, don't say it, don't say it, I know. I sound exactly like my father."

Abe shakes his head, "Actually, you said it with more conviction."

I nod, before turning to Abe, "Can I get you something? A beer?"

"I am fine."

"All right, well, if you change your mind just say something."

Jackson takes a deep breath, "Keep in mind I had to duke it out with a bunch of baboons for that six-pack."

"No, thanks. How's Chloe?"

"She's getting by. You know, she's doing what she can." I take a deep breath.

"And Mitch?"

"We haven't talked to him in a couple weeks."

Abe nods, "I suspect he was in love with her. You know there are these underground restaurants where people can go to eat meat?"

Jackson nods, "I heard about that."

I nod and chuckle, "There's also apparently secret societies for cat lovers."

Abe laughs softly, "Even before all this began, people who love cats should have kept themselves hidden."

We share a laugh and nod, before Jackson takes a deep breath, "Where you been, Abe?"

"You know. Trying to sort things out, I suppose."

"And what'd you learn?"

"Not much of anything, really. Except These are not the days to retreat from those you care about. In fact, these are the days to do the very opposite. You know, no matter what has happened up until now, we must continue. I mean, things will get worse, yes. There will be failures, yes. There will be suffering. But we must continue."

I smile as I hear my phone go off, Jackson being closer to it walks over and looks at the text, "It's from Chloe, the leopards are gone. It wandered onto Reiden land. The leopard they had displayed the defiant pupil."

I sigh and cover my mouth, Abe looks between the two of us, "So we find whatever is the next leopard, the next solution. Jamie should not have lost her life for nothing."

I sigh, "We don't even know if there is anything else to do."

"Well, you will figure it out. You're Jackson Oz and Katherine Smith. Coming up with solutions is what you two do." Jackson and I fall silent as Abe take a deep breath, "Earlier tonight, I witnessed a dying man eating a steak and singing a song, and I understood once again just what it is we are fighting for. You know, I will take you up on that baboon beer."