Five days post-outbreak:

"Momma, why can't we go to Grandma and Grandpa's anymore?" Cory had his nose pressed up against the glass, staring at the line of cars going down Route 80. Natalie and Mark exchanged a worried glance and she turned around in her seat, replacing her worry with a neutral gaze.

"We thought it would be better to just get to the nearest safe area baby. Augusta will have shelters we can stay in."

Cory frowned, "But can they come meet us there then?"

Natalie wasn't sure how to respond, but chose the comforting mother route. "They think they'll be safe at home in Charleston baby. We'll get to meet a bunch of new people in Augusta."

At this Cory smiled, "More kids?" Natalie reached back and tickled him in the ribs.

"What, less than a week with us and you're sick of hanging with your parents?"

Cory giggled and slapped his mother's hand away. "Momma, stop, stop please!" He continued giggling and Natalie leaned back over the seat, giving him a kiss on the forehead. She started back to the front seat and Cory grabbed her hand, the blue eyes that mirrored his father's gazing at her intently. "Seriously, they will be ok?"

Natalie could feel the lump in her throat but quickly swallowed it down. "Yes baby, they'll be fine." She turned to hide the guilt on her face. The real truth was she called her parents the first day the news came out with reports of widespread panic, that an unstoppable infection was making people crazy, making them attack others. They said it was probably a bunch of media hype. Three days later they weren't answering their phones and she and Mark could only assume the worst.

Natalie caught a glimpse of herself in the rear view mirror and groaned. Her normally pale, even complexion was now sallow, her hair was dirty, her cheeks sunken in and the bags under her eyes were becoming an embarrassment. Not sleeping, eating, or showering for nearly 72 hours had made her look like the living dead. She risked a glance at her husband and concluded he was in the same state as she. His normally tan and healthy skin from years under the North Carolina sun lacked its usual glow, and his buzz cut, so common for Marines, was starting to grow out more than he would have liked. Mark caught her staring at him and gave her his cocky self-assured smile. Even with the world going to hell in a hand basket, he was still able to smile.

"You hangin' in there babe?" he drawled, reaching over and giving her hand a squeeze.

"Yes, just thinking how wonderful a shower will feel. Unfortunately some of us weren't blessed with tan skin like yours that can hide dirt and grime from days of not showering. Goddamn my English genes." She paused. "Wonder if they'll even have showers at the shelters in Augusta…"

Mark grinned wider, his blue eyes crinkling mischievously. "Well if there's no showers I can think of other fun things we can do...haven't had privacy in a whole week…" He ran his hand enticingly up her bare thigh to the hem of her jean shorts.

She giggled and swatted his hand away. "Keep your hands to yourself Mr. Michaelson. You need to clean yourself up first. Smelling like ass innards is not my idea of a turn-on-"

With a BANG the car shuddered and smoke started rolling out from under the hood.

Five months later…

Natalie bolted upright from the nightmare, her heart pounding, sweat pouring down her forehead. She looked around the cave, trying to orient herself to her surroundings. She could make out her clothes and food in the corner, her gun and stockpiled weapons by the head of her sleeping bag. Taking a deep breath to still her heart, she wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her head. She was here, she was safe.

Natalie flopped back down on her bed and stared at the roof of the cave in the darkness, fighting to keep the horrific images at bay. Rolling onto her side she fought to go back to sleep, as she had done every night for the past three months.

Alone.

AN: So, I posted this last week but got some suggestions from my awesome betas and tried to revamp it a little bit. Thank you to them for helping me restructure this into something more enjoyable! Oh, and I hope the restructuring of the story isn't too confusing to those who have already read it, I'm sorry if it is!

I'm still not quite sure where this is headed but I really delight in an evil governor, especially like the one from the comics. This story will follow parts of the comic and the show, but I am trying to stay true to my OC and her story as well. There will be a bit of a romantic relationship as well, because who doesn't love a little romance? :)

I really want to improve so any constructive criticism is much appreciated. I'm not sure if anyone will be interested in this idea but hopefully there are a few out there who will be! Thanks for reading, and I do not own anything Walking Dead except my OC. :)