October 20 10:00 AM

Mel was brilliant. Yes, it took her a while to come up with a plan (I think she was trying to see if I could overpower Bree), but she did it. She had us tied up in the back of a van. We had been out on a walk when Mel attacked Bree and me.

I had come to terms with Bree, but we were not nearly as close as Mel and Wanda. I wondered what the real name of the soul that was inside of Mel was. I was never able to find out because Bree was in charge the entire time.

When we were out of sight of any souls, she grabbed Bree and tied her up.

"What are you doing, Seeker Melanie? I assure you that I am Sways in the Breeze!"

"Oh I know. That's why you're tied up, kid. I need Ali, and you aren't her. I'm sorry, Ali. I have to knock you out." She sprayed Sleep, and the world went black.

October 20 4:00 PM

"Ali! Ali, if you don't wake up this minute, I'll be forced to kill you myself. Don't think I won't do it!" Adelle was yelling at me. I moved around in my mind. I was in control again! The headache hit my like a tsunami.

"Uggggh," I groaned. "Whadayawhat?"

"Oh, Ali! How could you? Jamie's been worrying about you ever since you took off; when the boys came back with the news, he just died. He wouldn't talk to anyone for weeks. Do you realize what you've put us through?"

Her rant stirred up an angry one from me. "You think I don't know? You think this is all a joke to me? I assure you it's not," Bree's proper speech stuck with me a little.

Just then, I noticed Jamie. He was sleeping with his arms around me protectively.

"He's been like that since Mel brought you in. He wouldn't let go, even during the extraction. You don't know how good you have it, Ali. Jake would never do something like that for me."

Just then, Jamie woke up. "Hey, baby. Happy early birthday!"

"Ali, today's October 20; Jamie's birthday was September 17, over a month ago," Adelle looked at me like I was an idiot.

"Yes, but time is a circle, so I am actually wishing Jamie a happy early birthday."

They just smiled and laughed. "Sorry I didn't get you anything, I was a little occupied."

"Coming back was the best present you could get me. I love you and I will always love you."

"Quit with the Hallmark movie, you two! I think I'm going to be sick!" Adelle got up and left, leaving me and Jamie to catch up. He told me all that had happened at the caves while I was gone, and I told him of my adventures.

A month goes by really slowly when all you have for company is a soul. Bree was sent to a newly opened planet, Gara, which had inhabitants that closely resembled birds. Wanda came up with the idea.

While she and Mel are inseparable, Sabrina was the one who helped Wanda through the past month of worry. When Jamie told me about it, I just smiled. Sabrina was one of those people who could put their own worries behind someone else's. I considered Sabrina to be an older sister, much like Adelle and Luke, so I knew she had to be hurting. I resolved to go find her as soon as Jamie was done.

As it turned out, Jamie took a ridiculously long time to tell me his adventures, especially when he described the part where Burns' group had to come live in the caves because their fortress had been taken, so I had to stop him halfway through.

I found everyone in the mess hall; it was apparently dinnertime. My stomach growled with the promise of food. Everyone stopped eating and stared at me as I ducked in. My face burned with the embarrassment.

"Well, well, well, look whose back from the land of the dead," Jeb was chuckling. My face burned even more.

I grabbed some cereal bars and some Shamu's from the counter, along with a glass of apple juice. Sabrina beckoned me over. I sat in between her and Mrs. Vi. Everyone from my escape group was sitting with us, with the addition of Mrs. Shay.

"Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Mrs. Vi ripped into me when I shook my head. "How could you just leave like that? It's dangerous out there, okay! You could have been seriously hurt. This past month has been the hardest for me since we moved to the caves, for all of us, actually! I cannot believe you!"

It got really quiet in the mess hall after that. Mrs. Shay continued the rant. It went full circle, each person at the table explaining to me what the person before explained.

Adelle's turn came, "I've already verbally punished her. Your turn, Jake."

Finally, Sabrina's turn came. "I'm not going to tell you how hard it was for me, because you already know. You don't deserve to have us monologue at you because you had just as much pain as us, if not more. Wanda told me what Mel felt when she was trapped in her own body, and I'm so sorry you had to go through that." She couldn't hold it together, so she swiftly got up and ran out of the room. I hopped up and ran after her. She was fast, but I was faster. I caught up to her and hugged her tightly.

"Sabrina, you are the best sister/friend anyone could ever have. You are smart and you are kind and you are perfect. Why are you crying? I don't like seeing you in pain."

"Look, everyone's had a hard month. Both groups lost a member, and we thought you were gone forever. I couldn't stop crying for joy when Mel brought you home, but 2 weeks ago, when Wanda told me about all of the stress you probably were going through, well, I just lost it."

"It isn't fair that we have to survive in a cave while they get to roam the world, but we'll manage. I promise I will never get caught again."

15 years later…

"Uriah! if you don't get down here this minute, things will not be good for you, young man!" That boy was going to be the death of me. At 5 years old, he was almost as big as Cynthia, Adelle and Jake's 7 year old daughter. He most certainly had more energy.

Jamie and I had a small cabin just north of Jackson, TN. Wanda managed to gather up enough support from other souls that we have our own town in Tennessee. That was 10 years ago.

Jamie and I were seriously considering breaking up about 7 years ago, but Mel put a quick end to that. We married a year after that escapade.

Our little town has 200 people, which is way bigger than we'd ever hoped. Turns out, Burns and Wanda weren't the only ones who had joined the dark side. There were many other groups who had survived for so long. Jeb's caves were the safest of arrangements, at least comparatively. Some people were living in old buildings that had been condemned. That's where Mel was caught the first time, so when we found out, we were rather surprised.

Thinking of Jeb brought a tear to my eye. Three years ago, he passed away. He had a brain tumor that spread so rapidly, there was nothing the souls' medicine could do. Everyone from the caves, as well as a few from Burns' group, couldn't do anything for days. We all just sat there crying. It was a kind of vigil for the one who saved us.

Peace found us in our little town. There were many soul-human marriages. Ian and Wanda have 3 kids, ages 13, 10, and 6. Mel and Jared have twins. They are 14.

I never would have thought this would all be possible, but it was, is, and forever will be. At least, that is, until a new alien race comes out. We'll be prepared, though. Never again will I have my home taken from me!

A/N: Thus ends Life and Death. I hope you enjoyed my mantra of sorts. I couldn't think of a really good continuation of it, so I decided to end the story. I encourage you to write "the lost years," but only if you wish to. I gave a vague outline of 15 years so you can go crazy. I want to thank Unexpainable Awesomeness and seandixon12 (if you can, you should check out their pages and stories), for helping me specifically, and I want to thank you, dear reader, for continuing to read, even though it took me forever to post this concluding chapter.

-rubikmaster