Will Thorogood, Piper, Art, and Tressa

[Teddybear1848]

MONTH 1

As Will landed in Cheyenne with Piper, Art, and Tressa he couldnt believe his eyes. He saw things he no longer thought existed. As they cleared the post flight health inspection he couldn't believe that people were walking around so care free, not looking over their shoulder or giving himself and the other newcomers distrusting looks. He found it hard to adjust at first, his survival instincts he clung to with a white knuckle tenacity being deep rooted in his brain. For the first couple of weeks as he slept in the appointed lodging Him and Piper received he kept on re-living events he experienced in Knox county before he met Piper........... Staring down the barrel of the gun by a crazed man in Ekron while he sent Alice away as he kept the man occupied... Just to shoot her in the head later on in front of a large group of people to give her a peaceful ending... Staring down barrels of thugs dressed in all black at the old military checkpoint. Killing a man and his family in Muldraugh, out of self preservation and lack of information at the time... Staring at a man named Perry, knowing that he should've taken the chance to kill him when they first met, instead of being civilized against his own better judgement... Leaving Cerri, because he thought it was the right thing for him to do, instead of choosing violence. Violence... Violence... Violent action always seemed to solve Will's problems when applied correctly. Every time he chose to not be violent someone else paid the price.... Until he got to the Prison with Art. Will would relive constantly grappling with his desire to exact revenge on the group that robbed him, but couldn't justify it at the expense of innocent people around them... Then he would go on to dream about the prison battle, and a woman that he did not know that stuck by his side the entire time in the Armory... even when the ghouls caved in the wall and people started to flee she did not... Will would sometimes wake up in a cold sweat and then look at the woman asleep next to him and then remember about how they stuck together through everything since that fateful battle... How Violence wasn't the only answer now, even though it had once been to keep both of them safe at the Prison after the most of the existing security team passed away in one way shape or form... Days would pass before Will could actually ease up rely less on the mental survival tools he utilized all with the help of Piper, someone who never quite gave in all the way to the World the knox event created. She was his compass that he used to find his way back to living, not just surviving by any means necessary. Will would get back into his old trade of metal working and construction along with his best friend Art, building new constructions, housing, and facilities all over the Cheyenne mountain complex for the new survivors the military rescued every day... The Ration tickets he received werent much, but they were enough to Keep him and Piper well fed with the occasional comfort goods like coffee being enjoyed from time to time. Piper also began to work locally at the hospital working with both children and entire families like she did in Louisville, and the two would marry shortly after getting settled in.
[8:23 PM]
MONTHS 2-6

The following months were some of the happiest months of Will's entire life. He married Piper, the woman as tough as she was caring. The person who he bonded with and looked out for as safety around the prison they came from had deteriorated, The person who didn't judge when he told her about all the things he's done. He now had a purpose beyond just mere survival, something he never had even before the Knox event. Will and Art eventually became head of their own construction crews and began to coordinate the building of several large apartment dwellings as the conditions around the complex started get get cramped with people. The Military controlled not only the complex, but also the surrounding area and mountain ranges with several smaller outlying communities dotting the area. Soon After Piper learned she was pregnant Will and Art decided to "liberate" extra construction materials left over after jobs and move them to a site nearby outside of the complex. Remote enough for privacy, but close enough for work. By Winter Will and Art had built several homes in their free time for not only themselves and their loved ones, but also other friends from the prison who came with them to form their own little community. Will and Art would then start to travel to the neighboring communities and then back to the Cheyenne mountain complex for work and trade/bartering for essential goods to bring back to their community. Life was simple but good...

MONTHS 6-12

Piper gave birth to a healthy boy the following spring much to the enjoyment of everyone else in the community. After building the Cabin they always talked about, the one like Will's back in Muldraugh, life began to get quiet for the pair as they settled into the family life in a community of their closet friends. Aside from the occasional job back at the complex or in a neighboring community Will stuck as close to home as he could, now that he finally felt like he had one. Occasionally he would get a nighttime flashback to things that happened to him in Knox but they were often quickly supressed by thoughts of his new home and family. Will and Art spent a lot of time hunting and fishing during all of this, not only as a good way to feed everyone, but also as a form of recreation. They became very familiar with the terrain of their new home, just like they had been back in Knox.

Following Years

Eventually Will and Piper's kid was old enough to be more or less independant. They would go to school at a larger neighboring community with occasional trips to the complex they would make as a family. Later on Piper would become a travelling nurse and visit the more remote communities on the edge of the "civilised" zone bringing care to those who needed it most and her family would accompany her whereever she went. Will was happy to be wandering about again, with a nice home and community to go back to whenever they desired to do so... He figured he could live out the rest of his natural days like this with the people he cared about in a life he never thought he would have, no matter how bad his old one would come to haunt him when he least expected it...

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[Teddybear1848]

(copy and pasted from Ninavask's discord channel epilogue)
Escape
Despite her insistence about staying behind and helping Will and the others with defending the prison, watching the facility fade below into a hazy structure amongst the snow all Piper could feel was relief. The Nightmare was over, or at least was nearly over. All she could think on the flight to the staging ground, was finally... they would be free. Yet that creeping suspicion that it would be shattered by some catastrophe that the waking dream of escaping Knox County alive was just that, a dream, remained.
It wasn't till that moment when she saw Will and Art and the others stepping off the final helicopter... did she finally realize it was over. The nights of fear, the days of struggle. Hiding in dark cold apartments, or the constant ring of gunfire from the walls of Second Chance. It was all... finally... over. As she embraced Will then and there, she finally allowed herself to really truly believe.

Cheyenne
Like Will, Piper struggled faintly on arrival to Cheyenne to adjust. At least at first. A society an actual stable society existed. One not ruled by the fear of the dead every day. Laws... order... food available to be purchased by ticket not traded for. It was... mind numbing to readapt to. And the terrors of Knox would alway stick at the back of her mind. She would wake in cold sweats at night at the faint sounds she thought she heard that might mean Zeds come to finally eat her. Only to awake beside her husband. The scruffy man in the red hat who had worked so hard to save her and so many others during that horde attack on the prison. Who had offered her a life of isolation and safety from those unreasonable few that soured everything people tried to make in Knox. Then who was willing to stay by her side when she chose to try and help people, the only way she knew how. And who had worked so hard to help as many people as possible escape Second Chance in those final months. Now? They had their whole life to look forward to, and each other to lean on as those horrors slowly faded into memory.

Adaptation
The destruction of the original United States Government due to the outbreak meant there were very limited records available in Cheyenne of who people had been before the Knox Event had taken hold of the world. Everything was still analogue filing and storage, meaning as far as the hosital was concerned Piper had never been an RN. Or a pediatric nurse. But they still gave her a chance, and she flourished. Finally not worried as much for grisly wounds and watching for bites, she could instead focus on the occasional sick child. The mumps, and chickenpox, and the occasional flu. The images of Louisville Hospital during the fall still would haunt her mind sometimes, when she found a particularly fussy youngster not wanting to receive a shot. But she smiled all the same and laughed about it over coffee with her husband.
The wedding between Will and Piper hadn't exactly taken very long to organize. And no one was more excited about it than the couple themselves. And the reality of it still occasionally dawned on Piper as they would sit in their dorms in Cheyenne, watching TV or drinking coffee together and chatting. It wasn't long before the nurse was due to become a doting mother of her own, moving away from the comparatively more crowded military town and into a community Art and Will themselves had constructed out in the wilderness made safe by the new government.

Flourish
Piper eventually left her job as a pediatric nurse and went on to do what she and Will had discussed about what felt like a lifetime ago. She became a traveling home care nurse, visiting various outlying communities inside the cordan. Checking on families they couldn't travel to the main hospital so frequently. During this time she gave birth to a burbling baby boy. Insisting he had the same stubborn streak as Will every chance she could. And as he grew, Piper found she had never been happier.
[8:30 AM]
This was where she wanted to be. Together with Will, their child, and helping everyone she could. Living peacefully, and even though the horrors beyond the safe zone still existed they could be a distant memory for the rest of their life.

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[Teddybear1848]

(copy and pasted from Art's epilogue discord post)
Escape from Second Chance
Amidst a fortified prison now known as Second Chance, flashes of light flickered on the rooftop, accompanied by the sharp cracks of gunfire. A group of people found themselves besieged by endless waves of undead monsters on a frigid cold morning. Art, Will, Gilberto, Takoda, and a squad of marines fought tirelessly to keep the undead at bay. Suddenly, a scarred Huey helicopter descended from the heavy fog. Its rhythmic thumping rotor blades cut through the biting cold air as the pilot skillfully navigated the icy winds, landing the aircraft on the rooftop.
The group of four survivors shouted their appreciation to the soldiers as they all speedily made their way to the Huey. Once on board, the helicopter swiftly lifted off the ground. The powerful rotor blades chopped through the air, creating a gust that stirred the surroundings. The Huey ascended, gaining altitude. The aircraft tilted forward, and with a surge of power, it accelerated rapidly. As the Huey flew across the county, the group celebrated their escape, acknowledging each other before quietly sitting amongst themselves.
Reunited with Tressa.
After a few hours, the helicopter descends to an outpost known as Midway Station, its rotor wash swirling snow. With a controlled touch, it lands, and the rotor blades slow as it settles. The group departs from the helicopter, and Art notices a familiar silhouette waiting for him by the fence. Pausing for a moment, he spots Tressa, his heart racing with excitement. The pair rushes towards each other, finally embracing tightly and savoring the familiar warmth. In the embrace, Art delicately sweeps a strand of Tressas hair from her face, setting the stage for a lingering kiss that deepens their connection. Afterwards the couple pauses, resting their foreheads against each other. Tressa narrows her brow, looking at Art with annoyance. She then lightly slaps his chest a few times while expressing her frustration about his training, supplying her, and ultimately putting her on the first flight out. Art responds, explaining his reasoning, apologizing, and promising that from that point on, they'll always be together.
Tressa glances at Art before sticking out her tongue and burying her head in his chest. Art kisses the top of her head and then looks towards his fellow comrades, smiling.
A few days later, Art and Tressa ventured out from the outpost on a hunting trip exploring the wilderness and old ruins. Over the course of a couple of days, they immersed themselves in the natural beauty and old world remnants, connecting more with each before returning to Midway Station.
Cheyenne Mountain Complex
A month had passed since the departure from Kentucky, and upon arrival to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex the couple settled within the facility Art went into construction with his best friend Will building new constructions, housing, and facilities all over the Cheyenne mountain complex for the new survivors the military had rescued each day.
Tressa began volunteering within one of the kitchen in the complex and working in the garages. she would also assist Piper in the medical wing.
After the couple attends Will and Pipers wedding Art would propose to marry Tressa shortly after.
Art and Will eventually became heads of their own construction crews and began to coordinate the building of several large apartment dwellings as the conditions around the complex started get get cramped with people. The Military controlled not only the complex, but also the surrounding area and mountain ranges with several smaller outlying communities dotting the area.
Soon as Will informed Art about Pipers pregnancy the pair would begin to "acquire" extra building supplies and material left over from work the pair would transport the materials to a near by site outside of the complex, Art and Will had constructed several cabins in their free time before winter, not only for themselves and their loved ones but also for other friends from the prison who had joined them to create their own small community.
Outside the wire.
Occasionally, Art and Tressa would venture out into the wilderness together near the complex. On one of their adventures, they stumbled upon a beaten-up '69 Bash Bliltzer in a rundown barn. The couple had the vehicle towed to their cabin. Over the course of months, they painstakingly repaired and fully restored it. Every time they drove the car, Tressa would playfully tease Art by putting on a helmet and smirking at him when ever they would drive.
After Art, Tressa, Will, and Piper established their own community beyond the wire, they started journeying to nearby settlements for barter and trade, acquiring essential goods. Several months passed, and a joyous anticipation filled the air as Tressa discovered she was expecting her first child. The following nine months were a journey of shared excitement and preparation for Art and Tressa as they eagerly awaited the arrival of their little one. Finally, the day arrived when Tressa gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl, bringing immense happiness and warmth to their growing family.
Years later
Many years had passed since the Knox evacuation, and the resilience of Art and Tressa's family continued to thrive. Their household expanded, welcoming two more boys. The bustling life of their growing family brought joy and warmth, creating a loving home and shared moments.
The couple continued to assist and maintain the community they had help built over the years with the help of Will, Piper and previous members of of Second chance ensuring the settlement thrived.
Art and Tressa continued their love of adventure together by occasionally venturing out hunting and exploring the wilderness and wider area around with the same giddy energy they always had.

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[Teddybear1848]

(copy and pasted from Koko's epilogue post)

Finding Family.

Tressa never thought she’d be taken in permanently by a good crew of people let alone be able to trust again. Scarred by the early years of moving around within the foster care system, to the short stint in juvenile, Tressa would wander from one place to the other until Will answered the radio call. He would tow her and her junk car from Ekron to Rosewood prison. There she met Piper, Irene, Marianna and others. As the military deemed it one of the main extraction sites, she saw many people coming and going. Will came back and brought his best friend, Art. Guess that was another thing Tressa wasn’t expecting – finding love. Doing supply runs with Art was enjoyable. Even though he managed to crash the car at the prison guard gate, resulting in Tressa getting a deep gash on her arm, she would continue to laugh it off and poke fun at the incident. She would always have her trusty crash helmet whenever she got in the car with Art at the wheel and teased adding extra padding to the car interior.

Extraction.
When Art told Tressa that he asked a favor to Marianna to have her on the first helicopter out, Tressa was annoyed. What was the point of all the gun training and constantly trying out different guns that Art provided? She knew that Art cared for her and that he wanted the best. After going back and forth, Tressa conceded and threatened Art and Will if they didn’t make it out of the prison. As the helicopter arrived at the prison, she heard Will shout on the radio that the prison had been taken and the frontline had to retreat to the extraction point. Before she could yell for Art, the helicopter lifted and was whisked away to the midway station.

1
[3:48 PM]
Waiting for Art.
When the first group were brought to the midway station, Tressa couldn’t believe all the amenities that were available. A comfy den, beds and lockers, a cafeteria full of various foods. Tressa sank down on the den floor and finally released the breath she’d been holding. Piper came over to help console Tressa and reassured her that Art and Will would make it out. After putting away her belongings, she made her way to the helicopter landing and watched as more folks came in. Leaning on the nearby fence, the last helicopter landed, and she was relieved to see the two men hop out. Locking eyes with Art, the pair rushed to each other, embraced and kissed. Tressa then proceeded to smack his chest and let out her frustrations. Since then, Art and Tressa would remain together.

Cheyenne Mountain and beyond.
Arriving in the haven, Tressa would continue to pay it forward, helping in the kitchens and the garages. There wasn’t a single place she felt settling down in – she just wanted to help where the needs were the greatest. She also assisted Piper in the medical wing as more and more survivors were extracted. Witnessing the wedding between Will and Piper, she hoped that one day she’d be able to experience the same with Art. It wasn’t long until that day came, and she was the happiest she’d ever been.

As the complex became more and more populated, the four of them settled outside the wire, Tressa and Art would go on adventures and help neighboring communities. Their family life had flourished as well as the couple became overrun by three rambunctious children. When Tressa and Art planned a small excursion, they would occasionally drop them off with grandparents Marianna and Bill, who chose to retire within the complex. Tressa was happy to provide temporary chaos that the grandparents missed and relieved she could still sneak off with Art from time to time. But Tressa made sure that she had her crash helmet whenever they drove off into the sunset.