New story for me! Yeah, another Walking Dead fic, hehe, I love this shit :)

All right, quick intro, this story will start off at the CDC. It's an AU. Glenn has a secret, and Daryl will want to know. That's all I'm saying :p Less than a month until this show starts up again, finally! I've been waiting forever! :| But this story will mostly take place in a season 2 setting. Mostly. Well, the majority of it.

So, enjoy the story! Reviews make me happy, so it's be nice if you did so! Follows and favorites are also very nice. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own 'The Walking Dead.'

Chapter 1

It was awkward for Daryl to be squished against his fellow survivors in the CDC's elevator. They were all shocked yet thankful that this man known as Dr. Edwin Jenner let them into the safety of the CDC. He said they were going to get some blood test to make sure they weren't infected. Daryl didn't really care about needles and shit, there were any walkers around, they were finally safe.

Well, at least for the moment they were.

The same couldn't be said for his brother Merle. Fuck, his brother! Rick, some new sheriff guy, handcuffed his brother to the roof! Left him to die! Of course Daryl was pissed! How else was he supposed to react? Was he supposed to jump for joy and not give a shit? It was Merle! Even if he was a stupid asshole, he was his fucking brother!

So he persuaded Rick and the bastard who dropped the key in the first place, T-Dog, to go fetch him. All they found were blood and a lifeless hand. Daryl never felt more pissed off in his life, his hate urging him to kill T-Dog, but he couldn't. He wasn't like that, besides, Rick pointed the gun to his head, and so what choice did he have? They found the bag of guns in the street pretty easily and were going back when the screams of camp pierced through the night. The camp was being attacked by walkers. They came in and saved the remaining survivors. The only ones left were Rick's family, Shane, old man Dale, the black woman Jaqui, that mom and her daughter, the Peletier's, Jim and Andrea.

Then Jim was found with a bite. Daryl's instinct screamed at him to kill him before he turns, but the two buddy cops said no. They wanted to go to check out the CDC. Daryl thought it wasn't smart, that place was so far, and would Jim even make it?

No, no he didn't make it. They ended up ditching him beside the highway. Daryl gave the guy a brief look of pity before leaving. Daryl barely knew the guy, hell, he barely knew any of these people! Why should he care about him? They all hated Merle! They left him to die! These people aren't my fucking problem!

The elevator doors opened. Immediately, everyone scampered out, being pressed against one another wasn't appealing for them either. Jenner motioned for them to follow. "This way, for the blood tests." Jenner said. Everyone filed behind him and began walking. The hallways were small and tight, but the place itself was odd to Daryl. It seemed to be the only place untouched by the devastation of the apocalypse.

"Are we underground?" Carol, the woman with short hair and mother of Sophia asked, her voice sounding a bit frail.

"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner inquired.

"A little." Carol murmured.

"Try not to think about it." He advised. They were led into a vast dark room, with computers and desks and a giant screen. "Vi, turn on the lights in the main room."

The lights switched on. "Where are the other doctors? The staff?" Rick asked Jenner.

Jenner gave him a sad look. "You're looking at him."

"What about Vi? The one you were talking to just a moment ago?" Lori asked.

"Vi," Jenner said in a loud, commanding voice, "Greet our guest, tell them, 'Welcome.'"

"Welcome, guests." A monotone, female computerized voice said. The survivors looked at one another.

"I'm all that's left." Jenner said somberly. The group members gave him looks of sadness, while Daryl just rolled his eyes and looked in the other direction.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Daryl saw movement just behind the doorway the came through. Daryl instantly turned around, his crossbow up and pointed. The other survivors stared at Daryl, uncomprehendingly. Jenner let out a shaky intake of breath. The figure shuffled behind the doorway. Daryl stepped closer, trying to catch a glimpse of the person hiding. "Show yourself!" Daryl snarled, expecting a walker.

Slowly, the figure emerged from his hiding place. Everyone gawked at the newcomer. It wasn't a walker. It was a boy, no not a boy, a young man! An Asian boy wearing a red baseball cap and informal clothing walked towards them, his body quivering. He was sweating and looking at Daryl's crossbow nervously. "I-I'm friendly! I work with Dr. Jenner! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" The boy said with fear in his voice.

"You're all that's left?" Rick quoted Jenner with a raised eyebrow. Jenner sighed.

"He's just my assistant, don't mind him." Jenner stomped towards the boy. "He was supposed to stay in my office until I was certain you people weren't hostile, but he can't take orders well." He gave the Asian a stern look. The boy shrugged.

"Sorry, just wanted to check it out." He mumbled.

Jenner just sighed again. "This is Glenn Rhee. He's been my assistant for just a few months, a few weeks before this apocalypse."

"Well, it's nice to meet you two." Rick said politely.

"Since you're here Glenn, you night as well help me with the blood samples, okay?"

"Okay." Glenn said. He gave Daryl a wary glance, "Can you lower that thing now please?"

Daryl hadn't even noticed that his crossbow was still up, pointing at the Glenn's head. "Sorry." He muttered.

"No problem." Glenn gave him a soft grin before he and Jenner led the way to another room.

Everyone was actually happy for once. (Well, except Andrea, who was still moping over the loss of her sister.) The while group was laughing and drinking and having an actual decent meal for once. It was like a world with no walkers, it felt so safe, it felt unreal.

Dale, Rick, Shane and Lori were arguing a bit about Carl drinking the wine, Carol and Sophia were just quietly laughing one another, T-Dog was just taking shot after shot, and Daryl started goading Glenn to drink.

"I want to see how red your face can get!" Daryl sneered.

"Challenge accepted!" Glenn laughed, and took the cup from Daryl's hand. Without hesitation he gulped the entire glass in one shot. He poured himself another and drank it all too. Daryl laughed.

"Chinaman's getting wasted tonight!" Daryl hooted, clearly feeling the buzz of intoxication at the back of his head.

"I'm Korean, dumbass!" Glenn said, smiling.

Dr. Jenner seemed to be just standing off to the side, watching them all have a good time while he just stood there watching. Rick took notice of that and tapped his glass. Everyone turned their attention to the sheriff. "It seems to me that we haven't thanked our host properly. I want to propose a toast, to the man who saved our lives tonight." Rick declared.

"Hear hear!" T-Dog called from his seat.

Rick smiled at the man, and Jenner just smiled plainly back and clinked glassed with him. The entire group cheered. Shane coughed a bit, interrupting the celebration. "So doc, when are you going to tell us what the hell happened to this place?"

The group went quiet. Jenner looked around at the group. "As the outbreak began, most people when to their loved ones, their families, to be with them. The government system fell, so without protection, they left." He explained. "They didn't want to stay here. They had to know what happened to their loved ones."

"Most of them left? What about the others?" Lori questioned.

"Most of them. Some of them couldn't face walking out the door. They opted out."

A silence swept over the group. "You didn't leave." Rick said.

"I stayed because I hoped to do some good." Jenner replied. "Glenn too."

"I had to stay!" Glenn cried from his seat, "I couldn't leave Dr. Jenner here by himself, I decided to stay with him here. Help solve this thing!"

"Didn't you want to be with your family?" Rick asked.

Dr. Jenner looked away. "No... They're dead. Gone. The walkers..." He trailed off, grief clouding his eyes.

Glenn fidgeted as Rick and the others looked at him expectantly, "My family moved back to Korea a while back. I chose to stay here. I don't know what happened to them."

An awkward silence hung in the air. T-Dog sighed, glaring at Shane. "Way to kill the party." He muttered. Shane glared back angrily.

"Well, it's been a long night, and you all must be getting tired. Glenn will show you all to your rooms. Don't use too much of the electricity, and if you take a shower, go easy on the hot water. I'll be in my office if you need me. Well, good night then." Dr. Jenner waved and walked away.

Daryl could see the Grime's kid turn to his parents and grow a huge grin. "Did he say hot water?"

Rick and Lori smiled back and ruffled his hair. Glenn smiled at the scene. "All right, I'll show you to your rooms now."

One by one, each survivor got to their room. Daryl was the last one to get his. He and Glenn were walking down the hallway. "The last room's just at the end of the hall." Glenn said. Daryl gave the kid a good look while they walked. He wasn't the strong, bulky type. He seemed more like a lithe, agile creature, like the squirrels he hunted. The baseball cap on his head made him look younger, maybe by a year, and his childish little grins made him shine with youth. Daryl felt like he was the complete opposite of the kid, he was strong and old, but pretty experienced, more than this kid.

Daryl noticed on the young Asian's shoulder, just through the fabric of his shoulder, a bandage. Not like a little one when you get a small scratch. This was a nice, patched-up square sticking onto his shoulder's skin. Huh, how did happen?

"Well, here we are. This is your room. The bathroom's just over there and there are extra blankets and pillows just in that closet if you need any." Glenn said. "You good?"

"Yeah, probably." Daryl replied, "Hey kid, mind if I ask you something?"

Glenn blinked, "Uh, yeah sure. What is it?"

Daryl pointed at Glenn's bandaged shoulder. "What happened there? Got into trouble or something?"

Glenn took a glance at his shoulder and gave out an uneasy laugh, effectively raising Daryl's suspicion by fifty percent. "Oh yeah... That's nothing really, just an accident while helping Jenner move some heavy boxes. Yeah, uh, so I'll be on my way. See you later, Daryl." With that, the boy swiftly fled from Daryl. Daryl stared after him, feeling a little confused and suspicious. What the hell's his problem?

Daryl should've known it was too good to be true. He should've known that this place wasn't as safe as it seemed.

They had ten minutes before the entire place was going to blow up. Only ten minutes, and the crazy bastard Jenner had just locked them in with him. The two mothers' were holding their sobbing children in their arms, huddled on the floor, fear evident in their wide eyes. Dr. Jenner was trying to convince them that this was for the best. The men looked numb, too shell-shocked for words. Jaqui and Andrea had blank faces, stating earlier that they agreed with Jenner, and wanted to stay too, and Glenn was squirming, looking at Dr. Jenner with shock in his eyes. Daryl decided to confront him over the situation.

"Did you fucking know this would happen?" Daryl growled. Glenn backed away from him.

"I had no idea! I thought the clock was just counting down the generators fuel supply! I swear! I had no idea that we would... We would just explode! "

Glenn's words sounded genuine to Daryl so he slowly backed off. Glenn looked back at Dr. Jenner, a look of disbelief plastered on his face. Rick was talking to him, trying to convince him to open the doors. Daryl felt like he had enough of this crap. He picked up an axe from the floor.

"You piece of shit!" Daryl snarled, raising the axe to Jenner's head. Shane and Rick quickly grabbed Daryl and held him back. Rick took the axe from Daryl's grasp.

"We can't kill him!" Rick hissed into his ear. Daryl scowled but said nothing.

Glenn looked at the three men. "I'll talk to him, all right? Maybe I can convince him."

"Good luck." Daryl snorted. Glenn ignored Daryl's words.

The three men watched as Glenn hesitantly approached his boss. "Sir, you have to let them leave."

"Glenn, you know what'll happen out there? They'll die! I'm giving them a chance to take an easy, painless way out. You too Glenn."

"I have to leave too." Glenn said in a strong voice. "You know I have to leave, that I can't stay here. Please. If there's some sort of government protection or military or anything, I'll get their safely. I'll be safe. Please, sir. You know me. I have to leave. Please."

Daryl, Shane and Rick held their breath as Jenner gave the boy an anguished look. "But, there's no hope. No hope at all Glenn. What we've done, what we're doing, what you want to do, it's foolish. There is no hope."

"Let me confirm that with my own eyes." Glenn said boldly. "Sir, please. Let us go."

Dr. Jenner stared at his assistant for a long time, his gaze unreadable. "Fine." He said, "But you promise me that you'll be safe."

"I will." Glenn breathed. Dr. Jenner took out something from his doctor's coat. He placed it in Glenn's palms. It was a small silver chain necklace. There was a small locket, just half the size of a cell phone, attached to the chains. It was shaped like a test tube. Glenn gave Jenner a surprised look. Jenner just smiled.

"Be safe." Jenner whispered. He walked over to his computer and pressed a few buttons. The metal doors immediately opened. Glenn gave Jenner a small smile.

"Thank you." He said. He then turned to the others. "Come on! We have four minutes! Let's go!" Everyone ran after Glenn, except for Andrea and Jaqui, much to Dale's dismay as he began talking to them desperately.

Rick, Shane and Daryl looked at Jenner. "Thank you for this chance." Rick said gratefully.

Dr. Jenner gave them an ice cold stare. "You keep Glenn safe. Don't let him die. Bring him somewhere safe. He can save everyone." His voice had a serious and quiet tone and his eyes were narrowed. He seemed crazier that way as he spat out the last words. "You understand?"

The three men just stared at Jenner in shock, unable to understand fully what he said. "What do you he can save everyone?" Rick asked, bewildered.

Lori suddenly came out of nowhere and pulled her husband away, "Rick, we have to go!" She cried. Shane and Rick gave the scientist a look before following after her. Daryl eyed the doctor sceptically.

"He's the only one who can help you." He said gravely. His intensity in his gaze and the force in his voice were so strong it sent a shiver crawling up the Dixon's spine. Daryl began to run after the group, away from the crazy bastard. Dr. Jenner yelled from behind him.

"Keep him safe!" He yelled after Daryl, his voice bouncing off the walls, echoing into Daryl's ears.

So chapter one, done. Chapter two coming soon. :)