They found solace in an old hotel. It was months after the fall of the farm. They had lost friends along the way, but gained new ones.
Hershel was still emotionally wounded by the loss of the home that was a part of his family for generations, Beth was reeling from seeing Jimmy torn apart in front of her, and Rick still deeply grieved the loss of his friend since childhood, Shane Walsh.
During the unforgiving summer months, they met Tyreese Williams and his sister, Sasha, Bob Stookey, a physician who was mourning his wife and children, retired Marine Abraham Ford, also a recent widower and childless father, and a self-proclaimed scientist, Eugene Porter.
The hotel, which Andrea said reminded her of "The Shining," was in the middle of nowhere. It was a fraction of the size of the hotel Stephen King made famous, but it had a fully stocked pantry, and a water tank on the roof that allowed them to take showers and a gas stove that let them make hot food.
Boxes that looked like they had once been stacked in rows but had toppled and fallen, leaving behind this shapeless and monstrous pile of just random objects, swelling and taking over the entire floor with just piles and piles of trash. The once pristine paint was peeling in several places; cobwebs were building up on the ceiling. The entire place was little bit too close to run down, but it was still four walls and a roof.
Rick, Abe, Glenn and Daryl went room-by-room, floor-by-floor and cleared the five-story building before deciding to take the fifth floor in order to get a better view of not only stray walkers, but also any living beings who may need shelter.
In a world that was forgotten and ruled by the dead, the small comfort of hot coffee in the morning was a luxury. The stove provided some heat, as did the fireplace in the middle of the lobby.
For safety reasons, they all had rooms close together. If anyone needed help, someone was there right away. Those who were part of a couple - Daryl and Beth, Hershel and Carol, Maggie and Glenn, Bob and Sasha and Michonne and Ty would hang the "do not disturb" sign on the doorknob when they needed privacy.
The old hotel relied on traditional keys, not electronic cards, allowing them access to any room they needed. After months of sleeping on the ground, they were happy to get their own beds.
Ty and Michonne would frequently retreat to their room to fulfill their desire for each other, expressing their newfound love as often as they could.
Two rooms away, Maggie and Glenn, newly engaged and unknowingly expecting their first child, crawled into bed after a shower, albeit a cold one.
One couple, who were struggling to hold onto the smoldering remains of their marriage, was Rick and Lori Grimes. Although they shared a bed and a room with their son, the emptiness between them was endless. Initially he forgave his wife for sleeping with Shane. But one misunderstanding led to the two of them living on opposite ends of the world. She tried countless times to say she was sorry and ask for his forgiveness. It was no use.
Whenever she would walk into a room he would leave right away. He would sit as far away as he could at the dinner table. Although he would be in her bed that night, he would sleep so far away he would be almost hanging off the side. She was seven months along, and morning sickness turned into day-long nausea. She would vomit in the bathroom late at night, and when she came back into the dark room they would make fleeting eye contact, only to have him turn around without saying a word.
She remembered back to their college days. Sharing a twin sized bed, wrapped in each other's arms. Now, a queen-sized bed is too small for them. Bob would often express his concern, telling her she's very dehydrated and malnourished. She shuddered as she slipped under the cool sheets and half-buried her face in the pillow, trying to stifle another sob.
She had to pretend he wasn't everything to her and that she wasn't a fool for letting him hold onto her heart. But it hurt. He didn't roll over and asked if she was okay; she knew he wouldn't. Still, she hoped he would. She ignored the gaping hole in her chest where her heart used to be.
Rick wouldn't listen to Hershel, who was widowed twice. Morgan, Abe and Bob tried to talk to him too, all having lost not just their wives but also children. Michonne, who lost her boyfriend and child, tried to lecture him that he needs to emotionally support his pregnant wife, but still, he wouldn't pay attention.
But he would watch her. When she wasn't looking at him, he would watch her. He watched as the light slowly disappeared from her smile, the sparkle in her eyes going away with it. Her smile always seemed forced now, almost as if it physically hurt her to produce one. It used to be the easiest thing in the world to do, to make her smile. One of his favorite things as well. She was losing herself and becoming a shell of the person, she used to be.
He saw the utter heartbreak on her face, and the echo of her sobbing in the bathroom left an impression in his mind. He knew it all was his doing. He knew he had complete control of the situation, and he was manipulating her as if she was a marionette and he held her stings.
He could remember the exact moment his wife begged him to talk to her, a quiet murmur that slipped past her lips. "We can work this out. Please, give us a chance." It was a humid Georgia night, the air thick with the stench of rotting bodies and no hint of a fresh breeze. He heard how her voice cracked, but without making eye contact, he turned his back and walked away.
And for some reason, although he knew it was wrong, it did not deter him. He did not stop his games. In fact, he reveled in the knowledge that he was in charge.
Weeks passed, and after multiple supply runs afforded them food and weapons, the once cold, strange building started to feel a bit like home.
Morning were spent around the table as a larger, hap-hazard family, discussing plans for the day.
One day, over cold oatmeal and hot coffee, Abe spoke up. "Me and Ty looked through the phone book at the desk. We found an electronic store not too far from here. If we can get a couple solar panels and hook them up to the roof, we'll have hot water and maybe even clean cloths."
Carol smiled broadly. "Washing by hand is rough. I miss my Maytag back home."
Andrea, who never passed on a moment to make herself the center of attention, rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated gasp.
"Something you'd like to say, dear?" Carol asked, annoyed as soon as her eyes landed on the woman.
"What would you have me do?
"Oh, there's plenty of work to go around."
"Are you serious? Everything falls apart, you're in my face over skipping laundry?"
"Puts a burden on the rest of us. On me, Lori, and Beth. Cooking, cleaning and caring for the kids."
"Carl's fine on his own. He's are the only kid left, right? You need a full-time babysitter for one little brat?
"We need someone who can care for someone other than herself." Michonne snapped. "I've got enough to do, Nipsy." Michonne stood quickly, knocking her chair over backwards. Her face was in the shape of a harsh scowl, and her hands were clenched in tight fists. Sensing an impending altercation, Ty stood, wrapped his arm around his woman and led her away. While Rick pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, wanting to be anywhere but at the table. "I can't help it if she can't control her emotions." The blonde sneered, to the aghast glares of the other members of the family.
Most afternoons were spent preparing for the evening and the following days. The men took turns chopping wood with an axe while enjoying the cool breeze with just a hint of a sign of the upcoming winter.
In the evenings, they gathered in the lobby, the couches pushed together in a semi-circle which allowed everyone to stay together. A grandfather clock sat ticking on the far side of the living room, frozen at two-seventeen.
It was awkwardly quiet, but everyone together sat by the fireplace, just happy that they had a roof over their head and food in their stomachs. Despite creature comforts, however, some of the men couldn't shake the feeling of dread that held a firm grasp onto their gut.