Haven

We'd made it inside The CDC.

I couldn't shake the feeling in my gut that this place wasn't going to turn out quite as Rick hoped, but we were safe for the night, at least. The uneasy feeling intensified as we moved through the facility. Where were all the scientists with their white coats and massive brains? Weren't they supposed to be here figuring this shit out? The place looked desolate.

"Rick Grimes." Rick finally introduced himself to M60 man, as we stopped in a room filled with very fancy-looking desktop computers and held out his hand expectantly.

"Doctor Edwin Jenner." he oliged, ignoring Rick's outstretched hand.

Pfft, there are literally fucking undead people walking around outside, ripping people apart, and this guy is a a germaphobe?

Daryl interrupted my thoughts, eyeing up the machine gun Jenner still held in his arms, "Doctors always go around packin' heat like that?" he queried.

"There were plenty left lying around, I familiarized myself," Jenner replied.

"Gonna ask him if he'll let you hold it?" I teased Daryl, who was eyeing the M60 up like it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "You'd probably have to take it to dinner first, though, the way you're looking at it. Hot piece of ass like that isn't going to put out easy."

"Shut up." He blushed, turning away from me in an attempt to hide his reddening cheeks.

Mission accomplished.

Jenner led us down another corridor for the blood tests we had agreed to, promising us food once they were complete. My mouth salivated at the thought. I hadn't eaten anything but a stale granola bar since I met Daryl in the woods. I was famished. Judging by the look on the rest of the groups' faces, so were they.

Where is everybody?" Rick probed cautiously as the whole group squeezed into a tiny lab with stark white walls and ceilings, "The other doctors, the staff?"

I observed the medical table that sat in the center of the small room, and watched as Jenner prepared his supplies, ripping open syringe packets and lining them up on the counter beside a row of vials.

"I'm it." Jenner said simply, "It's just me here."

Rick looked dumbfounded.I was confused.

"What about the person you were speaking with?" I questioned, "Vi? She your imaginary friend?"

Jenner looked unsure whether my latter question was genuine for a moment. "Vi, say hello to our guests." he spoke into a black box on the wall, just like he had in the atrium.

"Hello, guests." A computer generated voice replied as realization dawned on me. Ahh, Vi stood for Virtual Intelligence. She was a computer. I do feel like that's kind of similar to an imaginary friend, though, just a bit more hi-tech.

"I'm all that's left. I'm sorry." the doctor stated calmly as he observed the dejection spreading throughout his new guests. "Want me to look at that leg?"

In the chaos of our entrance I'd forgotten about my injury, blood was soaking through my pants once more, darkening yesterday's initial stain.

I waited until everyone's bloods were complete and the others had left the room before removing my cargo pants and allowing Jenner to examine my wound. It was deep and angry-looking, but it hadn't actually been bothering me too much. Daryl was right about the painkillers being strong. My thigh ached, but it barely hurt anymore. It had reopened a little when we were caught out by the walkers surrounding the CDC, but I'd had worse.

Jenner cleaned the cut and put in a few sharp stitches before wrapping my thigh in gauze to keep it sterile. He then gave me some antibiotics to take in case of infection.

"Thanks, doc." I told him appreciatively; secretly sulking a little that I wasn't having my wound covered by my gruff new redneck friend this time. His hands had felt much better wrapped around my thigh than Jenner's, I felt my heart skip a little at the thought.

After he'd robbed us all of our blood, Jenner led the way to a small cafeteria. We may not have found salvation, but at least there was dinner. The doctor left us alone while he went to prepare the food.

My mind wandered to what delicacy he could be cooking up. Enchiladas, pizza, sushi... I knew I was getting carried away - whatever food available would have to be something dry-stored, but a girl can dream.

Nobody spoke except for Carl and Sophia, who were chattering quietly in the corner. The rest of us stared mainly at the table we now sat around despondent, everybody at a loss for words and utterly exhausted.

I was surprised Shane hadn't piped up with an 'I told you so' to Rick already. I knew he wouldn't be able to resist at some point and I'd already prepared for when he did with a clever retort that would go as follows:

Shane: 'I told you so.'

Me: 'I told you shut up.'

I giggled out loud as I came up with it. Maybe the strong painkillers on an empty stomach were making me a tad delirious.

After what felt like an eternity, Jenner returned with a cart carrying thirteen huge bowls of spaghetti swimming in bright red tomato sauce. The smell as he entered the room was divine. I never thought I'd see pasta again. However it was when I saw what he was pulling out of a cupboard that my heart truly skipped a beat - alcohol! He passed glasses around the table, and most people began pouring themselves glasses of wine.

"Is that whiskey on offer? I asked Jenner, a devilish grin appearing on my face. Drinking in my already medically altered state probably wasn't the smartest idea, but if anything, it'd be funny.

"It is." he replied, "Bourbon." He passed the bottle over to me, along with a shorter tumbler. I wasn't a wine drinker, but spirits I could guzzle until the cows came home. I finished pouring myself a very full glass before Daryl reached over and swiped the bottle, tipping some of the amber liquid directly into his mouth.

I chuckled, raising my glass at him in cheers, relieved I wasn't the only one game for getting drunk - It's not as much fun when you're the only one who takes it too far, which I was planning to do. A combination of my sheer exhaustion and being in such a secure building for once making me haphazard.

Every single one of us emptied our bowls, despite how full of spaghetti they were. They were no match for our ravenous appetites. The wine and whisky were going down well too, Carl even trying a sip of Lori's cabernet before spitting it out in disgust, much to the group's amusement.

"I think maybe we should slow down on the alcohol a little guys." suggested T-Dog, who looked like he was about to throw up. Hypocrite.

Daryl scoffed loudly before turning to the man next to him, "Not you, Glenn."

"What?" Glenn asked, laughing nervously.

"Keep drinkin' little man." Daryl teased. "I wanna see how red ya face can get."

Did Daryl Dixon just make a joke? I didn't know he could do that...

Glenn looked embarrassed, but followed Daryl's instruction, downing the rest of the wine in his glass and reaching for more.

"It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly," Rick announced, rising to his feet and eyeballing Jenner, who sat away from our raucous group, enjoying his own glass of something pale in color.

"He's more than just our host." T-Dog slurred out, raising his glass.

"Hear hear!" Dale exclaimed, spilling half of his wine as he raised his own glass. I guess we'd all decided to get drunk.

"Here's to you, Doc." Daryl proclaimed, leaning across the table to refill my dwindling glass. "Booyah!" he chanted, raising the bottle to his lips and draining the small amount that was left before grabbing another bottle from the cupboard, Jenner watching him curiously.

"Booyah!" the rest of the group echoed, raising their glasses to Jenner.

It seemed strange, Daryl appeared to be in good spirits, literally, but I hadn't once seen him actually smile. I got it - he found his brother's amputated hand yesterday, the rest of him nowhere to be seen, but Andrea had buried her sister earlier today, Carol her asshole husband, yet they were still managing to crack a grin, even if it was just for the benefit of the rest of the group. I wondered if there was a deeper explanation behind Daryl's constant scowl. I abruptly felt very curious about what he and his life were like before things fell apart.

I looked around to the people I'd now joined forces with and took account of how almost carefree they looked. It felt somewhat like we were just a regular group of people again, sharing dinner and drinks as we traded stories, the weight of the world outside fading for a few hours.

Shane interrupted the heartfelt moment I was having with myself, asking Jenner what had happened to the facility. We were all curious and someone had been bound to broach the subject eventually.

Jenner took a deep breath, then explained that when the shit hit the proverbial fan, most of the staff left to be with their families. As the situation darkened further, those who'd stayed initially either bolted or 'opted out' as he put it.

"So why'd you stay?" Shane puzzled.

"I hoped I could still do some good."

It may have been a more poignant moment, had it not been for Glenn bursting into a raging fit of loud hiccups.

~

As the evening drew to a close, Jenner led us down to a hallway lined with offices.

"There should be enough space for two to a room." Jenner explained. "The couches are comfortable, and I'll bring some cots through. There's a rec room down the hall for the kids, I just ask that you don't plug in any of the electrical items to conserve power."

Carl and Sophia beamed at each other before running down the hallway to investigate what the room held. I kind of wanted to go see, too.

"Same if you shower. Go easy on the hot water." Jenner continued.

"Hot water!?" I exclaimed, not able to contain the excitement in my voice. Jenner nodded in response, and I punched the air hard, causing T-Dog to burst into laughter. Okay... we really were drunk.

There were six rooms in total. Rick, Carl and Lori opted to stay together, as did Carol and Sophia. Andrea and Jacqui set themselves up in the one furthest from the door, while Glenn and T-Dog squabbled over who got to sleep on the cot in their room and who had to take the couch.

Shane looked me up and down suggestively before dipping into another one. I glared at him. I wanted to punch that stupid look off his face, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I also decided to give him a pass just this once because he was definitely the most intoxicated of us all.

I walked into the last remaining room. This would do me just fine. I threw my pack on the couch and took off my boots. Jenner returned with the cots and placed one in each room.

For a moment, I allowed myself to think about what it would be like if Daryl and I ended up in the room together. He'd wandered off somewhere while we were deliberating about who was sleeping where and hadn't come back yet. I presumed he'd bunk with Shane, having known him longer, but a part of me hoped he'd choose to stay with me. The thought made me feel tingly.

~

Being in a hot shower after all this time felt unbelievable. The scorching water felt like it was reviving me back to life. It took a solid five minutes for the water to run clean, and that's before I'd even got started on my hair. Jenner had left a waterproof cover for my bandage, so I didn't have to worry about getting it wet, which I was grateful for.

I couldn't remember when I'd last bathed properly. I'd been making do with dipping into streams or nabbing baby wipes I'd found along the way, even though it never felt like they made much of a difference. I shampooed my hair three times before it felt like I'd dislodged the dirt. I definitely should have ended the shower sooner, like Jenner asked, but I actually couldn't get out. I was in heaven.

Eventually, I did turn off the water, feeling a little guilty that it had started to run more lukewarm than hot at this point. I prayed that everyone else already had their showers.

I wrapped myself in a towel and attempted to comb through my matted hair. Without having any conditioner to use, my wavy locks were nigh on impossible to untangle. I did the best job I could before tying it in a high ponytail, freeing a few strands at the front to frame my face. I threw on a big shirt that I kept in my pack and some shorts that were probably too skimpy to be walking around in front of Carl and Sophia in, but they were all I had. They looked extra silly paired with my bandaged leg.

I examined myself in the mirror and wondered how long it had been since I'd seen my own reflection. I barely recognised the woman staring back at me. The dark circles under my eyes and smattering of tiny cuts and scars made my face and arms look strange.

My body hadn't changed in shape all that much. Despite living out in wild, I made sure to grab chocolatey snacks in bulk whenever I ventured out for supplies, plus, I'd become a decent hunter, so the meat I'd been catching kept my protein intake up.

I'd always had what I'd describe as an average body, toned but not particularly skinny. I was slim, I guess, but in a womanly way. I had curves in all the right places. I'd always worked out, mixing it up with a new activity when I got bored, but also loved to eat so it felt well-balanced. I'd be lying to myself if I pretended I wasn't leaner now than before the world went to ass, but I still looked healthy enough for my 5'7" frame.

I ventured back to my room, feeling as fresh as a daisy, except for the comforting light-headedness I felt from the whisky. I wished I'd nabbed more from the cupboard to bring to my room so I could carry on the alone. The shower seemed to have sobered me up a little and I didn't like it.

There was a twinge of disappointment when I entered the empty room. Daryl had evidently opted to dorm with Shane like I'd assumed he would.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disheartened, but if I was honest with myself, despite his encouragement for me to leave the quarry with the group, I didn't get the feeling he had much desire to get to know me. He'd probably just felt like he owed me for helping him look for Merle. That didn't have to stop me from flirting with him for fun, though. It would help pass the long days.

Despite having an actual bed with real walls around it, like hell could I sleep. Even the evening's alcohol wasn't helping to lull me over. I couldn't relax now that I was actually tucked up. Everything felt too sterile here, too quiet, like the world outside had been scrubbed away, but it wasn't real. The whole environment felt eerily uncanny.

Fed up of staring at the inside of my eyelids, slumber evading me still, I decided to check out the rec room after all. The kids should be fast asleep by now, and if I was lucky, there'd be books to peruse. I'd might as well read if sleep wasn't going to happen.

As I crept down the hallway and arrived at the rec room, I was surprised to see Lori and Shane in there. She looked like she'd been crying and fled the room as soon as I entered. Shane was evidently hammered. He stumbled over to me and attempted to place his arm around my shoulder, but I deftly knocked it away. My rebuttal angered him instantly.

"Think you're the biggest and baddest?" he slurred at me as he swayed closer, trying and failing to look intimidating. He'd obviously not gotten over me pulling him off Daryl with such ease during the chokehold situation back at their camp.

"Butthurt because a girl's stronger than you, Shane?" I sneered at him, knowing I could knock him backwards with my little finger at this moment due to his inebriation if I'd wanted to.

I knew I probably wasn't, in fact, stronger than Shane. I just said it to piss him off... He was much taller and broader than me. My physical strength did probably outweigh most women and plenty of men, but my real power was in knowing exactly where to aim to take someone down and being able to anticipate their movements. I was also quick, plus I didn't scare easily, which helped me to keep my nerve when I needed to.

I'd always revelled in people underestimating me physically, watching that look of disbelief on their faces. Years of training in various martial arts had certainly paid off when the globe went to crap.

"Bitch." Shane spat, lunging forward at me.

I'd correctly predicted his swing was going to miss me, not even bothering to try and intercept it. His fist flew a fair distance to the left of my face, losing his balance and taking a table with him as he fell, the thud echoing around the room. I couldn't hide my laughter, which taunted him further as he struggled back up to his feet. He made toward me again but pointed a finger in my face this time, as if he had something condescending to say. I grasped his wrist and twisted it painfully, knocking him to his knees in the process. I wasn't the slightest bit afraid of Shane, but I felt pretty confident he'd now be apprehensive about me. I was about to release my grip on him when I felt eyes on me from the doorway.

Peering up, I saw Daryl, who'd likely been drawn by the noise of the flying table, due to his hunter's ears. He looked amused by the position I was holding Shane in, which made me chuckle again. I loosened my grip on the burly idiot at my feet and eyed him carefully, silently compelling him to remember this moment and to watch his mouth around me.

Shane's eyes burned back at me, looking like he may actually be considering taking another swing when he clocked Daryl in the doorway. Without speaking, he rose to his feet and stormed toward the room's exit before being blocked by Daryl.

The redneck glared at him angrily, face twisted into his most impressive scowl I'd seen yet. It was almost like he was giving Shane his own silent warning. The notion made me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside.

Shane eventually slid around him, knocking his elbow painfully against the wooden door surround as he did. I fought to stifle another giggle.

We were alone now. Daryl looked around the room in hesitation, like he couldn't decide whether he wanted to enter or not. The second bottle of whisky he'd taken from dinner swung half empty from his hand. He hadn't bothered to shower, still wearing his filthy clothes from earlier.

We'd shared the first bottle between us, meaning he'd technically consumed a full bottle by himself. He could clearly hold his drink. I'd be on the floor in a puddle of my own vomit if I'd downed as much as he had, but he seemed fine. I hadn't known him long, two days to be precise, but he seemed like usual Daryl to me, maybe just a bit redder in the face.

"That for me?" I asked, not waiting for an answer before snatching the whisky from his hand and settling myself on a disgustingly orange two-seater sofa. I took a long swig from the bottle and shot him a mischievous look. "What's wrong? Scared of this fucking ugly couch?" I laughed again, this time at my own joke.

God, I was hilarious.

His face threatened a smile as he entered the room, but it never quite conjured. "Nah." he uttered as he set himself on the floor a few feet from where I sat, eyes trained downward.

I passed him the bottle back and swung my feet onto the other end of the couch. If he wasn't going to sit on it with me, I'd take full advantage of sprawling out.

We sat in silence for a moment, not something I'd ever been very good at.

"You always this talkative?" I asked while reaching out my arm so he knew I wanted the whiskey back. He didn't reply or raise his head but passed the bottle over to me, so I swigged and waited for him to speak.

"Thanks." he finally mumbled out after chewing on his words for a while, his voice not much louder than a whisper. I knew instantly that he was talking about me staying behind in the city with him to search for Merle. He'd looked embarrassed at the quarry when I'd bitchily reminded him that he hadn't thanked me.

"Don't mention it." I breezed, "I absolutely love going to really dangerous areas and slicing my leg open." I'd meant for my reply to be funny, but Daryl didn't laugh. Maybe I wasn't as much of a comedic genius as I thought... Or maybe he just had no sense of humour.

"Why'd ya stay?" he asked tentatively, after another period of quiet, his eyes still firmly planted on the ground. I passed the liter of Jack Daniels back to him. He took it without raising his gaze.

"Because I wanted to help you."

"Why?" he asked again. Taking a long drink, almost draining the bottle.

Part of me, the part that was really full of bourbon wanted to say, 'because you're the sexiest man I've ever seen in my whole fucking life and I thought if I helped you find your brother, you'd repay me by letting me jump your bones...' but I erred on the side of caution and refrained. I was pretty confident he wasn't interested in me, and I doubted he'd see the funny side. Instead, I spoke honestly.

"Because I saw the look on your face on that roof when we found Merle's..." I trailed off, deciding against bringing up handgate further. "You looked like you'd had the wind knocked out of you. When the others called it quits, I didn't like to think of you out there alone."

"Why'd ya care?"

"I don't know." I answered truthfully, "I guess I felt like we'd bonded when we were aiming our weapons at each other in the woods and then decided not to kill each other..." I giggled as I got the last part out, and the sound surprised me. I wasn't usually a giggler. Something about being around Daryl Dixon made me feel like a teenage girl and caused foreign sounds to emit from my mouth.

He stayed silent. I was relieved that I hadn't run my mouth like the whiskey wanted me to. I'd have felt humiliated in the morning, no doubt. Jacky D did press me to elaborate on my words a little further, though.

"And because I think I'm starting to figure you out."

He finally lifted his head and met my eyes briefly. What was that emotion I was seeing? It looked almost like fear. His shoulders stiffened even more than usual.

"I think you like to act mean, but you're actually a good guy." I continued, reaching over and grabbing the bottle again, pausing before I took a mouthful. "Am I wrong?"

Daryl chewed on his lip as if he himself wasn't sure what the answer was.

"Ain't no saint." He finally replied, his voice quiet.

"Good." I smiled at him, handing him the bottle back once more, "Saints are boring."

He looked at me now, eyes locking with mine intensely as his usually guarded expression faltered slightly. There was a tinge of gratitude mixed with disbelief in his face that made me wonder if compliments weren't something he'd experienced often.

We were still staring directly into each others eyes. I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I felt like we were connecting, his hard exterior softening for a moment. I desperately wanted him never to stop looking at me in that way. It felt like the moment lasted forever and not long enough at the same time.

"C'mon." he said, downing the last few dregs of whisky in the bottle and tossing it aside as he stood. "You'd better get some sleep."

Wow, that was a long one!

Honest opinions, please - was it too long? Longer chapters give me more space to expand on the story, but I don't want you to be overwhelmed, so let me know!

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