2

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Twenty minutes later I was tossing our packs into the back of Daryl's truck. Rick had already helped move Nick into the RV where he could sit at the table and keep his leg elevated. I had given him the last dose of pills to help keep him quiet on the trip and he had instantly fallen asleep.

Shane had room in his jeep but Rick seemed to think that wasn't the best idea. I didn't argue. I didn't much like the idea of riding with the surly man. Daryl and I had at least seemed to come to an understanding of sorts.

Rick took Kate in his car with his family. I tried to protest, not wanting to be separated from her, but the only other option was to have her ride on the bench seat of Daryl's truck with us and she wouldn't get much rest doing that.

I was just hefting the second pack when Daryl stepped around the back and took the last from my feet, moving to toss it in the back.

"Wait," I said. "Not that one."

He gave me a quizzical look, then looked down at the backpack in his hands. It was a worn, grey hiking pack. One I had had since I was a teenager and started backpacking. My golf club was tucked into the loops normally reserved for trekking poles.

"That one stays with me," I said resisting the urge to snatch it from his grasp.

He nodded and handed it back to me. "Won't be much leg room," he observed scratching at the stubble on his cheeks.

I snorted and looked down at my legs. "Don't need much. Anyway, that bag doesn't leave my side."

"Suit yourself," He grunted and made his way back around to his side of the truck.

I tossed my pack in the space at my feet and pulled myself up into the cab. I buckled myself in, glancing down at Daryl's crossbow that sat in the middle between us.

I had no idea if this was the right thing to do. I didn't know if it was right to trust these people. I didn't know if it was right to go into Atlanta. Nick had been insistent that we avoid the city and here I was, blatantly disregarding his wishes. But Nick wasn't in charge anymore, he was out of commission. Daryl had had my back in the forest, but I still was on edge.

Daryl and I rode in comfortable silence for almost an hour before he cleared his throat.

I glanced over at him. He looked at me, then back to the road. "I'm not gonna attack you or whatever it is ya think is gonna happen so ya can let go of yer knife."

I looked down, surprised to realize I had in fact been resting my hand on the grip the whole time. "Sorry." I muttered, embarrassed. I flexed my fingers just now noticing they had cramped up. I rolled my shoulders, trying to let go of the tension. "We haven't had the best of luck with strangers...so..." I dragged off, sighing. I had been terrible at small talk before the apocalypse, and the months since had done nothing to sharpen my skills. "How long have you been with the group?"

Daryl's hand flexed on the wheel, tightening all the muscles up his bare arm. Nice to know I wasn't the only one who was tense. "'Bout a month." He drawled. His accent was thicker than most people's in this part of the state and I wondered where he came from.

I nodded at his answer and continued to stare out the windshield at Rick's vehicle in front of us. Kate's head was still resting to the side against the pillow Lori had given her when we had settled her there.

"Yer sister is fine." Daryl said. "Rick ain't gonna let nothin' happen to her."

"Yeah," I agree sitting back against the seat. I let my head rest against the bench behind me and immediately tried to stifle a yawn.

Daryl glanced at me then back to the road. "Why don't you try to get some shut eye. Be a few hours 'fore we arrive and who knows what then."

I shook my head. "I'm fine." But my traitorous body yawned again. My eyes were getting bleary from staring at the road.

Daryl snorted. "Yeah." He agreed wryly. "Ya look it."

I managed another ten minutes before I started to feel foolish. I couldn't seem to keep my eyes open and I was yawning constantly. Finally giving in, I curled myself against the door pillowing my head with my hands. I glanced at Daryl once, wondering if I was making a fatal mistake letting my guard down. But he never took his eyes off the road. Sighing, I closed my eyes and drifted off almost instantly.

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The closing of the truck door startled me awake. I sat up completely groggy, swiping at the drool I could feel on my chin. I couldn't remember the last time I had slept so soundly. I hadn't even dreamed.

Through the windshield I could see Daryl swaggering over to where the rest of the group stood a few cars up beside the RV. Something must be wrong. Daryl had his crossbow at the ready, his head swiveling left and right as he walked. I climbed out of the truck, pulling my golf club with me.

I passed Rick's car where I could see Kate sleeping peacefully in the back. As I approached the group I heard a man's voice. "Told you I wouldn't get far on that hose. I said I needed the one from the cube van."

Rick was standing next to him, peering beneath the hood of the RV. "Can't you Jerry-rig it?"

The grey haired man shook his head solemnly, "That's all it's been so far. It's more duct tape than hose and I'm out of duct tape."

I had duct tape in my pack, but kept that to myself. These people were not my responsibility. I moved away from their conversation to where the rest of the group was standing. I was zero help with mechanical stuff. They continued to chat but I turned my attention to the others. I stopped a few feet away from Daryl whose eyes were on the trees. His gripped his crossbow, it was pointed at the ground, but the tension in his muscles said he was ready to use it.

A skinny Asian boy approached me. I put his age somewhere between twelve and thirty-five. Since I had turned thirty last year I really had trouble guessing people's ages. 

"I'm Glenn," he introduced himself. I recognized him from earlier but we hadn't spoken.

I nodded in greeting. "Jo," I replied.

Daryl's restlessness was making me uneasy and I found myself studying the way the trees were moving as well. Everyone was talking so I wouldn't be able to hear if one of Them were approaching and it was making me antsy. I shifted my weight from foot to foot as I shook off the last vestiges of sleep.

He nodded. "So Jo...where you from? Can't imagine Daryl asked. He's not much of a talker." He said in a confiding tone, as though I would not have already figured that out.

I looked up at him warily. I was not by nature a chatty person. I could be chatty if the situation called for it, I found it made people more relaxed and it had me wondering if I seemed tense and he was trying to get me to relax...or maybe I was just over thinking things and he was just trying to be nice.

"Uh, I was living in Athens," I replied not fully paying attention.

Glenn's eyes widened. "Athens huh? Long way from home-"

He left the statement open, inviting me to share and get to know him, but I simply shrugged. I was too tired and too wired to make polite chit chat. This was not a safe position. This quiet country road, surrounded by overhanging trees made us sitting ducks if a group of Them came through. I shifted my weight uncomfortably as I fiddled with the grip on my golf club.

Glenn seemed deflated and I silently cursed myself for hurting his feelings. He was just trying to make me comfortable and feel better being surrounded by strangers. I reached up and rubbed my eyebrow. "I was at the University of Georgia." I supplied. "How's Nick doing?"

Glenn smiled at my question. "Hasn't moved a muscle. Those must have been some pain pills you picked up."

I returned the smile, though it made my face feel weird. I couldn't remember the last time I had smiled on purpose and the muscles felt wrong. "Raided some rich ladies medicine cabinet."

Glenn laughed out loud at that and nodded. "So what were you doing at the U?"

I sighed. "I was working on my dissertation." and before he could ask the next obligatory question I continued. "Getting my PhD in Wildlife biology."

Glenn whistled. "Sounds intense."

I nodded, keeping my eyes on the forest. When I didn't continue he turned and went to help Rick and the owner of the RV.

Just as he was stepping passed the door a slim black woman stepped out her eyes wide. "Y'all Jim- it's bad." She gasped. "I don't think he can take anymore."

I stepped away to give them privacy. I didn't know the man, and I certainly wasn't someone who should be involved in a discussion like this. Daryl had stepped closer to the group to weigh in so I took his position. He nodded to me as we passed. I walked down the line of our little caravan keeping my eyes on the trees and my ears open.

Shane and the man they called T-Dog walked back from the group and climbed into Shane's jeep. They drove off without saying a word. Made me wonder if there was some kind of dissent in the group.

That was always the problem with groups like this. Someone had to be in charge and everyone always had an opinion. From the very beginning it had been my husband who kept our family safe. I trusted him, and more importantly I was willing to follow him. I reached up and touched the ring hanging from the chain around my neck. Once he was gone, Nick had stepped up. I trusted Nick, but I had never felt comfortable following him. My grip tightened on my golf club, now it was up to me. Both he and Kate were depending on me.

I walked over to Rick's SUV and pulled opened the door. Kate blinked awake.

"Hey you," I said reaching out and touching her forehead. She was still burning with fever. She leaned forward and coughed heavily. "Where's your water?"

She held up her empty bottle.

I nodded and took it from her. "There's a creek about a hundred yards back. I'll fill us up okay?"

Kate let her eyes droop but nodded to show she understood. I closed the door and looked back to the group. They were all still standing and debating something that had to do with the bitten man in the RV.

Shaking my head I headed back to Daryl's truck. I grabbed my pack off the floor and swung it over one shoulder, slamming the door behind me. I turned and started walking towards the creek.

The creek was only two feet across and came through a culvert that ran beneath the road. It ran quickly though and looked fairly clean. I cautiously lowered myself down the bank. I had dumped myself into more creeks doing this than I cared to think about. I was almost to the stream when I heard the quiet tread of feet on the road. I spun, hoisting my golf club.

Daryl appeared, casting a shadow over me as he looked down the bank. "Ya run'in off?" he asked sharply.

I snorted. "And leave Kate and Nick behind?" I turned around and continued to pick my way down the steep slope.

"Thought maybe you decided to cut your losses."

I just shook my head at the ridiculous thought. I couldn't imagine being alone, I honestly wasn't sure what would happen if I ended up the last one standing. I finally reached the bottom. I set my golf club down within reach and opened my pack. I pulled out three stainless steel bottles, including Kate's and my water purifier.

"Damn," Daryl muttered. "Is that what I think it is? Where the hell ya get that?"

I put the end in the creek and started the painstaking process of slowly pumping the water through the hydration system.

I glanced back at him. "I did a lot of backpacking before the...well before." I said simply.

"While ya were out studying wildlife?" He asked arching a brow. I looked up at him and he looked away, shaking his head. He hoisted his crossbow up over his shoulder and scowled. "Risky doing it without backup."

I nodded but didn't feel the need to respond. When you had a group of ten to fifteen people you could afford to wait for backup. With just the three of us, you learned to take your chances when they were reasonable and presented themselves.

"What's going on back there?" I asked after a few minutes of silence. The handle creaked quietly every time I pulled it back out. It had me a little worried, it was something that had developed in the last few weeks and if this purifier died I didn't think I would find another one. Either that or I would have to resort to boiling it which was costly, time consuming and dangerous. Fire attracted Them.

"Jim chose to be left behind." Daryl wasn't watching me anymore. Now his eyes were staring into the trees behind me, his brows pulled down. "Ya should-" he started to say something and when he didn't finish I looked up at him. "Walker!" He snapped, lifting his crossbow.

I whirled around dropping the water bottle and pump. My hands scrambling for my golf club. Before my hands could even close around the grip I heard a thwack and it dropped ten feet from me an arrow through it's eye socket. I glanced at Daryl, refusing to let him see I was impressed. I scooped up my golf club and fought my way through the tall grass until I could pull the arrow out. I tucked it beneath my arm and headed back towards him.

I stopped and finished filling the bottles, then tucked everything in my pack. I swung it onto my back and began to fight my way back up the steep embankment. The grass was still damp and slippery which made it a short but difficult climb. Daryl reached down with one hand and pulled me the rest of the way up. I reached back and pulled the arrow out of the strap on my pack, handing it back to him.

"Thanks for that." I said a little breathlessly. 

He nodded, his eyes still on the trees. "Don't go wander'in off again." his raspy voice growled.

His words set me on edge. I had been surviving just fine with my family on our own. I didn't need him telling me what I could and could not do. I narrowed my eyes. "I would have handled it," I snapped. "I'm a big girl. Been looking out for myself for a long time."

He snorted in disgust and shook his head. "Not my job to look out for ya." He snapped and stalked back towards the group.

I felt like I had whiplash from his mood swings. I waited a few seconds before I walked back to my sister. The group was gathered around a large tree. Daryl approached them but watched from the road. I tried not to think about the poor man I had never met who was dying in the trees.

I opened the door and handed Kate back her water bottle. She smiled weakly and took a sip. She went to set it down but I stopped her. "You need to drink more."

Kate shook her head, mild annoyance in her eyes. "Yes mom," she mocked. She coughed once and then drank. I tried not to let her see how much her flippant words hurt. Our mom hadn't made it past the first month. 

Once satisfied she had drank enough, I straightened and turned back to the group. Everyone was making their way back to their vehicles except Daryl who was facing the man in the trees. He gave him a single solemn nod before he turned and headed back my way. Not wanting to be caught watching them all, I spun on my heel and returned to Daryl's truck. I tossed my bag in and pulled myself up after it.

Daryl didn't say a word as he climbed in and set his crossbow on the seat between us. His movements were sharp and jerky making me think he was upset about more than just 'saving me'. I wondered how close he was to the man they had left behind. I turned to look for him in the trees as we passed. Daryl kept his eyes glued to the road, his fist gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. We rode the rest of the way to the CDC in silence.

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It was dusk when we arrived in the city.

"Shit," Daryl muttered beside me as he eased the truck to a stop behind the van we had been following. The others were already piling out of their cars but they did not look hopeful.

I leaned forward in my seat to peer out the dash. "Shit is right," I whispered, glancing back at Daryl. He was watching me curiously, but I ignored him and reached down, wrapping my fist around the handle of my golf club. 

The CDC was locked down. Heavy metal shutters covered all the doors and windows. It was obvious the military had tried to make some kind of stand here. There were sand bag barricades all around it. Dozens of bodies littered the street, both military and civilian.

We climbed out of the truck, leaving our bags behind. Daryl had his crossbow in one hand and a shotgun in the other. The bodies of the dead were everywhere. My grip tightened on the golf club. This had been a mistake, I never should have brought them here. All of these dead appeared to be dead for good, but I could hear the groans of Them near by. 

I glanced at Daryl, my eyes landing on the shotgun. "If you use that you will bring the whole city down on us," I told him. 

He just nodded, but didn't seem to be paying much attention to me. I sighed and looked over to where Rick and his family were helping Kate towards the building. A large black man I hadn't met yet had Nick's arm around his shoulders and was helping him move slowly across the body covered road. 

The growling was louder now, closer. I swung in a circle as we kept moving towards the building trying to pinpoint their location. They were coming. They appeared around the back of the RV, a small group of five not ten feet from Nick. 

I bolted towards the RV. "Nick!" I screamed, hoping the noise would turn their attention to me instead of Nick and the man helping him. 

"Jo!" I heard Daryl call behind me, but I didn't slow. I couldn't. I ran straight into the group, swinging my golf club with all my might. I smashed completely through the first and swung around to the second. 

I could hear yelling from the group near the building and it was distracting. I smashed the skull of the second one and turned towards the third. 

Just as I swung, bringing the club down on the top of the head of the third I saw Them. More came around the front of the RV, shambling straight for Nick and the man trapped into trying to save him. 

"Nick!" I screamed, slamming my club through another walker and another one. There was blood everywhere.

"JO!!!!" I heard Kate screech and I gritted my teeth, I couldn't look at her now, couldn't look away for a second not even to check on her. If something was going wrong with her I was too far away to help. Nick was depending on me.

I heard the thwack of the crossbow twice behind me and I knew Daryl was there, fighting with me. I heard him call my name again and then there was running feet against the pavement. This time I risked a glance. He swung his crossbow, bringing it down across the head of one of Them that was right behind me. It would have bitten me and I would never have seen it coming. 

I nodded in thanks but then the man helping Nick started to yell. I whirled towards them, my blood running cold. They were on the ground, a walker on top of them as another group swarmed. I glanced once, quickly towards Kate, satisfied she was safe for now and then I launched myself at the new group of Them. I hit the one pinning Nick and the other man, splattering brain matter all up the side of the RV. The man shoved It off of them and when I looked down at Nick, I froze.

There was swearing and yelling all around me, and rough hands grabbed my arms and jerked me away from the body. And that's all it was now, just another body that would never leave this place. 

I hadn't been able to save him. It had bitten out Nick's throat. I sagged forward gagging at the ruin that had once been my beloved brother in law. All that was left of his throat and upper chest was ground meat. I gagged again but nothing came out. 

"Nothing ya can do. Come on," Daryl's voice sounded very far away and he jerked my arm for a few steps, forcing me to run with him towards the building. Once he was sure I was coming he let me go. 

"There's nobody here." Someone shrieked.

I blinked up at the group in shock. I hadn't been able to save him. I had lost so many already, I didn't know why this one seemed so much worse. Tears swam in my eyes and I tighten my fists to try and keep my hands from trembling. 

"You don't understand! You're killing us!" Rick was bellowing at the top of his lungs now. "You're killing us!!!" Shane dragged him away from the door. A few of the others were already headed back towards the vehicles but I didn't know what to do. All I really could do was follow, but follow who? Kate was staring at Rick, with her arms wrapped around the slim shoulders of his son. 

There was a metallic groan, and we all froze, whirling back towards the building. The large metal door in front of us suddenly slid open with a metallic hiss, spilling white light onto the sidewalk. I blinked rapidly as my eyes fought to adjust to the artificial lighting.

"Daryl, Jo cover the back." Shane barked out orders as we filed into the doorway. I was grateful for having something to focus on. I lifted my golf club and trailed behind the group with Daryl on my right. It opened into a large lobby with shining granite floors. 

The cock of a gun bounced off the walls as a middle aged man came out of the elevators with a large automatic rifle in his hands. Everyone swung around to face him, their various weapons pointed at him. 

"Anybody infected?" he called, training his gun on our group.

"One of our group was, he didn't make it." Rick said sadly. 

"Why are you here? What do you want?" the man asked in a guarded voice.

"A chance." Rick's voice broke.

The man's eyes became suddenly sad and he lowered the gun. "That's asking an awful lot these days."

"I know."

The man's eyes flitted across our group. I watched him take in how ragged we were, resting on the children before returning to Rick. "You all submit to a blood test, that's the price of admission."

"We can do that," Rick agreed eagerly.

"If you all have stuff to bring in you do it now, once this door closes it stays closed. Go now."

Rick nodded and turned to the group, nodding towards the vehicles.

"Ya watch the door," a gruff voice told me. I turned to see Daryl holding his shotgun out to me. "I'll bring your pack."

My hands were shaking slightly as I took the gun, but I quickly looked it over, checking to make sure it was loaded. He watched me carefully and then seemed satisfied I knew what I was doing. 

"Daryl!" I called after him as he headed out into the growing darkness.

He turned to face me impatiently.

"N-nick," I stammered out the name, hardly able to think it. But I did have to think about this, "I didn't...he was bit," I was ashamed of myself for not thinking of it. It was my job to make sure when one of us died that they could come back as one of those things. One of Them. And I had failed. 

"I got it," he told me and trotted out into the night.

Daryl was the last to return. He had both our packs slung over his shoulder. I traded him the shotgun for my pack when he stepped into the door. 

Once we were all inside the man accessed a control panel. "Vi," he said, "seal the main entrance."

The elevator was filled to the max and I found myself wedged between Kate, who was leaning against the back wall and Daryl. I was still shaking from adrenaline and grief as I tried not to think about what had just happened to Nick. He wasn't my first loss or even the fifth. He was just the latest. I felt hollow and shaky and I tried hard not to press against either Daryl or Kate. I didn't want them to know how strongly this was affecting me and how little control I had on my emotions right now. My eyes were burning with unshed tears, but I held my breath on and off trying desperately to keep them in.

When the doors dinged open we eagerly piled out. I reached out to help Kate, resting my hand lightly against her lower back as I tried hard not to think about Nick's body laying out in the street above our heads.

The man who introduced himself as Dr Jenner led us to a large meeting room where he began the process of collecting our blood. I sat in one of the chairs, and reminded myself how to breathe. I was not going to break down in front of this group of relative strangers. I would not cry. By the time it was my turn I had myself back under control.

When it came to Kate he paused, taking in her pallid complexion. He frowned at her and lightly touched the back of his hand to her face. She jerked away from him so violently she stumbled and nearly went down. I caught her before she hit the ground, half collapsing under her weight. She didn't weight much, especially not these days, but she was taller than me and my muscles were so so tired.

"She's bit!" Jenner exclaimed taking a large step back, his eyes flew to his gun which he had leaned against the wall just out of his reach.

"No!" I said quickly, my eyes angry. "She is just sick."

At that moment Kate started coughing and couldn't seem to stop. I tried to hold her but she pulled away, dropping onto all fours. It was the worst I had heard her. The others looked away as though it were just as unbearable for them as it was for me.

"How long ago did the cough start?" Jenner asked, regaining his composure.

I rubbed my temples. "Weeks...I don't know how long. It started as a simple cold, but...she just couldn't shake it."

Jenner nodded in understanding. "I will have to run some tests in the lab," he said cautiously. "It sounds like pneumonia..." He said thoughtfully. "I want to get the rest of the blood drawn and the samples going. Pneumonia can be contagious and I want to get her on antibiotics as soon as possible. I'm afraid I will have to quarantine her until she has had a massive dose."

I didn't pay attention to all his words, there were too many and I was too tired. But I heard him say he was going to give her antibiotics and that was all that mattered. I blinked back tears of relief.

"I need to run these samples and the girl to the lab and then I will give the rest of you a tour." Jenner said, addressing the group.

The others waited in the meeting room, while I helped Kate down to the lab. Jenner smiled encouraging at me and Kate as he set her down on a narrow cot and started an IV. Kate lay back and closed her eyes while the fluids began working themselves into her system. I sat on a rolling stool beside her bed and held her hand.

Jenner worked quietly at work station on the other side of Kate's bed. He tapped away on the computer and prepared all the samples of our blood for testing. He ran Kate's first however and within half an hour the computer beeped. I lifted my tired, dry eyes to meet his. He gave me an encouraging smile and nodded. He walked over to a small fridge and opened it, moving bottles of clear liquid around before settling on a couple different ones. He took out a needle and syringe and withdrew some from each bottle, then walked over to the IV stand and deposited it.

"We are going to eat dinner, would you care to join us?"

I shook my head. Jenner smiled kindly at me, a sad, faraway look in his eyes. "I figured." Then he left me alone.

I sat and stared at Kate's IV drip until the last of the meds had entered her system, only then did I allow myself to rest my head on the bed. The wheeled stool was far from comfortable but at this point I could not have cared less. The sheets on the cot felt so soft beneath my cheek I couldn't resist letting my eyes drift closed for only a moment.

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