Chapter One
Rick Grimes and Kingston Dixon got out of the police car together. Kingston puts a finger to her lips, gesturing to both her children in the back and to Rick to be quiet. She quickly tossed Rick the empty gas can and once he caught it, he gave her a nod. The two of them began to slowly walk towards the abandoned gas station.
Kingston cautiously removed her crossbow from her back, holding it up as the two of them walked past several vehicles with decomposing bodies in them. Kingston bit her lip, ignoring the foul stench and the buzzing of the flies as they reached the gas station, now seeing the 'NO GAS' sign. The two look at each other, Kingston giving a simple shrug, and they turned and walked back to their car.
The two paused,however, as they heard footsteps. Rick glanced over at Kinston, who readied her crossbow, and he slowly knelt down and looked under the car. He sees small pink slippers shuffling toward a teddy bear. The little girl reached down, picked it up and resumed shuffling along. Rick quickly got to his feet and gestured for Kingston to follow him.
"Little girl?" she didn't turn around, "I'm a policeman. Little girl." She stops and Kingston's finger went to the trigger.
"Don't be afraid. Okay? Little girl." She slowly turns around, revealing to both of them her true form. A walker with missing parts of her cheek. She groans and starts to shuffle towards Rick and Kingston. Before she could reach either of them, an arrow is lodged in her eye. The little girl falls to the ground, finally dead. Rick looks back at Kingston, who's pulling the string back on her crossbow. Kingston looks up at Rick, who has a look of shock upon his face, and she shrugs.
"I told ya so," she remarked as she walked over to the walker and pulled the arrow out, "Tis is da world now."
-TWD Before the Walkers-
Kingston let out a happy sigh as she leaned back in her office chair. Only ten more minutes until she had to go pick up the kids. And then she was done with this place until Monday, when the routine would start all over again. At times, it sucked to be the supervisory medical officer.
"Hey," Edwin Jenner knocked on her office door, "got the reports you wanted." He held them up for her to see.
"Ah, fer Project Bluegard?" Kingston asked, her Irish twang seeping out as the clocked ticked closer and closer to four. Edwin walked in and handed them to her.
"Actually...it's for the other one." Edwin corrected in a low tone as he sat down in the chair across from her desk. Kingston nodded and placed them in her bag, she'd worry about them later.
"Tank ye Docter Jenner." Kingston remarked as she gather her things together. If she stayed here another minute, someone was joing to want something and she'd never leave.
"Gotta go get the kids?" Edwin asked as she put on her jacket and grabbed her keys.
"Yep! See ya Monday!"
-TWD-
"Mommy! Mommy! Look at what I made today!" Ali cried as she ran out of school. As soon as she reached her mother, she jumped up and down, holding her picture as high as she could.
"Lass, I can't see it if ye keep jumpin' around." Kingston remarked with a chuckle. Ali stopped her jumping and gave her mother the picture.
"Is dat a squirrel?" Kingston asked with a laugh.
"Yep! It's for daddy, cause he calls me his little squirrel!" Ali explained, bouncing up and down with joy.
"I tink he'll love it," she kissed her daughter on the top of her head, "Now, where are ye brothers?"
"Bruce left his cleats on the soccer field," Ali explained and pointed over where the boys were running from, "Daddy said if they were late then he wouldn't take them to the traps."
"We're...here." Jack huffed out, clenching his side and bending over.
"I see dat. Get in. I wanna do somefin to surprise your Da."
-TWD Now-
"Mommy! Mommy! There's someone outside!" Ali cried as she ran into her mother's room. Kingston paused the knife lesson she was giving her sons.
"There's biters everywhere dummy." Bruce retorted, earning him a smack on the back of his head from his mother.
"No! He's dressed in a hospital gown. He went in the house next door and came back out. He's sitting on the steps outside." Kingston sighed and quickly stuck one of the knives in her sheave. She handed Jack a shovel.
"You two. Outside wif me. Ali stay by da door, keep somefin wit ya."Her children nodded and she quickly kissed each of them on the forehead. She didn't like that they did that, follow violent orders, but now, it was unfortunately kill or be killed. And Kingston still had a husband to reunite with.
She led the way downstairs and then led the boys out of the back door. Once they saw the man that Ali spoke of, they went separate ways, they boys towards the man and Kingston towards a roaming walker.
He turned around and Jack quickly hit him in the face, making the walker much more attentive now. Kingston quickly ran over and stabbed it in the forehead, making it fall to the ground.
"Ma! Ma, we got him!" Bruce called as Kingston quickly removed the knife from the walker's forehead and jogged back over to her sons.
"Carl...Carl? I found you…" the man muttered as Kingston came and pushed the boys behind her.
"What'd he say? I taught I 'eard 'im call ya somefing."
"He called me Carl." Jack answered, making Kingston frown and look down at the man. Her medically trained eyes immediately went to the bandage on the side of his chest. She pushed the boys back a little further, it never hurts to be a little more cautious in this world now.
"Oi! What's dat bandage for?" Kingston asked, pointing at it with her knife.
"What?"
"What's da bandage for?" Kingston repeated, leaning down. The man gave Kingston one last look before his eyes rolled in the back of his head and he passed out.
"What are we going to do now Ma?" Jack asked as Kingston hung her head. She sighed and lifted it, looking over at her sons.
"We're gonna help 'im."
-TWD-
Ali carried in a jug of clean water for her mother. Jack and Bruce stood side by side, both holding bats, as they watched the unconscious man. Sure, it might not be the best sight to wake up to but Kingston couldn't take any chances.
"Tank ya dearie." Kingston said as Ali poured the clean water into the bowl. Kingston began to rub the blood off her hands, humming to herself.
"Ma? I think he's waking up." Bruce said. Kingston quickly dried her hands and stood up, Ali immediately standing behind her mother.
"Anytin' else we should know about besides dat gunshot?" Kingston asked the man, keeping a hand on her handgun.
"How'd you know it was a gunshot wound?" the man wearily asked.
"I'm from Ireland. You'd be surprised," she answered, taking a step towards the man, "Just answer dis, did ye get bit?"
"Bit?"
"Bit. Chewed. Maybe a scratch?" Jack asked, gripping tighter onto his bat.
"No, I got shot." Kingston looked to Jack and gave him a nod. Jack gave his brother his bat and leaned towards the man, a hand out to feel his man leaned back, warily eyeing the boy.
"He just wants to check for a fever." Bruce said, making the man frown.
"I don't think I have one." he remarked as Jack felt his forehead. He looked up at his mother and shook his head.
"Be hard ta miss." Kingston remarked as Jack leaned back, resuming his spot next to his brother. Kingston pulled out a pocket knife, a smaller one than the one she used to kill the walker outside, and cut his wrists and ankles free.
"We're gonna go make dinner. I've left some clothes out fer ya. Come down when yer able." Kingston shooed the children out, and followed them until the man stopped her.
"Thank you, Miss…"
"Mrs," she corrected, "Kingston Dixon."
"Rick Grimes."
-TWD Before the Walkers-
"Come on, off ye go. Inside, your da will be here soon. Let's get yer homework done." Kingston commanded as she opened the back door of the car, allowing Ali to jump out and scurry inside. The twins, however, were not so enthusiastic as their sister.
"Mom! It's Friday, we've got all weekend." Bruce complained, slowly drudging out and walking towards the door.
"Ye want to go huntin' with your da' this weekend? Go get yer work done. Off ye pop." She pushed Bruce towards the door, and Jack slowly followed, making Kingston chuckle as she went back to the car and got her bag. She glanced at the folder that Edwin had given her before she left and then decided to throw it in the car and leave it there.
Her job at the CDC came last on the weekends.
-TWD Now-
Rick walks down the stairs, seeing the Dixon family get dinner ready.
"This place...It's Fred and Cindy Drake's." He remarked as he wrapped the blanket he had tighter around his body. He did change into the clothes Kingston had left out for him, he just couldn't seem to get warm enough.
"Never met 'em." Kingston remarked as she placed tables at each spot. Jack followed by putting down forks, Bruce napkins, and Ali placed beans and some of the leftover cooked squirrel on each plate.
"I've been here. This is their place."
"It was empty when we got here. Ali found it." Jack explained and his sister brightly smiled as she sat down at her place. The other Dixon's followed suit, simply waiting for Rick to join them. However, their gunshot victim went to the window and started to pull back the blankets.
"Don't do tat," Kingston walked over and removed his hand, making Rick look at her, "Tey'll see da light. Dere's more of tem out there than usual." Kingston walked back over to the table, Rick slowly following her. When she finally sat down, Rick spoke.
"You stabbed that man today." Kingston frowned.
"Man?" She repeated, just how out of it was he?
"No man…"Bruce stated, making his mother look at him.
"Da hell was tat out of yer mouth?" HIs siblings snickered into their plates as Bruce quietly corrected his grammar.
"You stabbed him. In this street, out front, a man." Rick insisted.
"Apparently, ye need glasses. It was a walker."
"Come on." Rick said, looking to the Dixon family to see if they were telling him some kind of joke.
"Sit down, before you fall down," Slowly, Rick takes the seat next to Ali, "Let's get ya sometin' to eat."
"Mommy," Kingston looked to her daughter, "Blessing." Kingston smiled at her daughter and the Dixon's all joined hands. Ali grabbed Rick's hand, making him look at the young girl in surprise. However, he slowly lowers his head as the Dixon's all lower their heads and close their eyes.
"Father, we tank thee for this food...for being together...for givin' Mr. Grimes here the strength ta survive. We simply ask tat ya bring home Daryl. Or give us sometin' to go on. Amen."
"Amen." the children all chorused after their mother. Everyone began to eat.
"Rick," Rick looks over at Kingston, "do ya even know what's goin' on?"
"I woke up today. In a hospital. Came home, that's all I know." Rick answered, shoveling another spoonful of beans in his mouth.
"But you know about the dead people right?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, I saw a lot of that. Out on the loading docks, hauling trucks."
"No," Kingston shook her head, "Not ta one's dey put down. The one's they didn't. The walkers. Like da one I stabbed today."
"Cause he would have ripped into you." Bruce continued.
"Try to eat you, take some flesh for dinner at least." Jack finished for his twin, making their mother roll her eyes at the theatrics her boys were doing.
"But I guess if tis is da first you're hearin', I know how it must sound…"
"They're out there now, in the street?" Rick clarified, pointing over at the window with his fork.
"Yeah. Dere're even more active after dark. Probably just da cool air or sometin'. But we'll be fine as long as we stay quiet and stay inside. De'll probably wander off by morin'. But Rick," he looked over at the Irish woman, "Dere's one thing you need to remember. Do not get bit. A bit, maybe even a scratch will kill ya."
"That's why we were scared, we didn't know if a walker had already got to you." Ali explained, making her mother nod.
"But yer safe now. Dat's all dat matters."
-TWD-
"Are they twins?" Rick quietly asked Kingston as he helped her clean the dinner dishes. She looked over at her boys, who were playing gold fish with their sister, and she nodded.
"Bruce is older by two minutes. Never let's Jack live dat down."
"How old are they?"
"De boys are fourteen. Ali's about nine, she probably had 'er birfday but we've been losing count of da days." The two fell quiet until Kingston spoke up, "How old is Carl?" Rick looked confused, "Ya said his name before ya went unconscious. Put two and two together. Not dat hard."
"He's Ali's age." He answered with a smile, putting the last dish away and then walking over to the living room with Kingston. The two sat on the couch together, the Dixon children sitting in front of them.
"And he's with his ma?" Kingston asked.
"I hope so." Rick honestly answered.
"Mommy?" Ali began, glancing up from her cards.
"Yes lass?"
"Did you ask him?" She finished, flipping the cards around and placing them on the ground. She knew her brothers, they'd most certainly find a way to look at them. Kingston chuckled as the boys looked over, wanting to hear the answer themselves.
"Yer gun shot," she gestured to his chest, "We got a little bet going between da four of us. Boys say yer a bank robber...Ali and I said spy…" Rick chuckled, gently laying his arm on his chest.
"Yeah...that's me. Deadly as Dilinger. Kapow," he looked down at the children, "Sheriff's deputy."
"Sheriff was my second guess!" Bruce cried, making his siblings roll their eyes. It most certainly wasn't , Bruce thought that maybe Rick was Batman. Suddenly, a car alarm went off outside, causing all of them to jump. Ali quickly grabbed her handgun.
"It's alright, one of dem must've bumped a car." Kingston assured Rick as she slowly stood up.
"You sure?" Rick asked as Kingston walked over to the window, pulling the makeshift curtain aside. Indeed, one of the walkers was repeatedly ramming itself into a car.
"Yeah, just dim the lights to be safe." The kids quickly abandoned their card game and dimmed their lanterns, creating a faint glow in the room. Rick walked over to Kingston and glanced outside with her.
"Its dat blue one," Rick could see it, "It's happened before. Just have ta wait fer it to finish."
"That noise...will it bring more of them?"
"Oh, most certainly. But tere's notin' we can do about it. I can't take dem all by myself, you can barely stand witout grabbing onta sometin', and Jack and Bruce don't have da best aim."
"We're working on it." Jack remarked from the ground, where the siblings had resumed their game.
"Come on. I'm sure dere's sometin' in here fer you and I to do."
-TWD-
The next morning, since Rick was now well-rested, Kingston decided to take him out and teach him how to deal with walkers. She figured it was good to use the time to teach the kids as well.
"Are we sure...they're dead?" Rick confirmed as they walked to the front, where a walker was lying up against the fence post.
"Aye, for da hundredth time, but remember…"
"It's gotta be the head." her children all simultaneously said, making Rick look sheepish. Ali stayed by her mother while the boys, each carrying a bat slowly walked over to the walker. Said walker rose to its feet and began to stumble towards the three men. Since Rick is the tallest, his hit goes straight to the head and then Jack and Bruce slam their bats in the walker's head just for good measure.
Exhausted, Rick falls to the ground, clutching his side.
"You alright Mr. Grimes?" Bruce asked.
"Need a moment."
-TWD-
"They're alive. My wife and son," Rick said as they entered his house, "At least they were when they left…"
"How can ya know? By da looks of tis place, anyone desperate enough could've come through 'ere."
"I found empty drawers in the bedroom. They packed some clothes. Not a lot. But enough to travel."
"Anybody could've broken in here to take clothes." Jack remarked. Rick led them to his dinning room.
"You see the framed photos on the wall?" the Dixons all looked around, seeing that the walls were bare, "Neither do I. Some random thief took those too, you think?" he opens a cabinet, showing, "My photo albums, family pictures, all gone."
"Do you think they went to Atlanta mommy?" Ali asked her mother. Kingston sighed, she certainly hoped no one was stupid enough to go there.
"Why? What's there in Atlanta?"
"Before da broadcast stopped, they said dey had a refugee center. Biggest lie ever but it certainly drew people dere."
"Why's it a lie?" Rick asked.
"Mom worked at the CDC." Bruce said, crossing his arms. Rick looked to Kingston, who gave him a nod.
"Even tough I'm totally against goin' back dere. We'll help ya with findin' dem." Rick gave each of them a thanks before walking into the kitchen and grabbing a set of keys for the police station.
-TWD-
"Really!?" Ali cried, making everyone else immediately shush her. The other Dixon's were certainly happy to hear of the possibility of a warm shower, however, they didn't want to get attack by walkers when taking said shower. Rick grinned at the young girl as he led the group to the men's shower room.
"Ladies is across the hall." He said and gestured to the door. Kingston gave him a nod and pushed Ali in. The twins smirked and ran into the boys locker room, immediately shedding off their clothes and jumping into separate showers.
"Oh yes!" Jack cried once the hot water hit his skin, his twin let out his own cries of joy, making Rick grin as he began to shave off the beard that had grown during his coma. Once everyone was done and dressed, Rick led them to the gun room.
"Why isn't Atlanta safe?" he asked Kingston, making her sigh.
"Army. CDC. Too much ta tell ya in too little time." Rick understood, it was something that wasn't meant for the ears of children. He unlocked the gun room and Kingston joined him in unloading all that they could.
"A lot of it's gone missing." Rick remarked.
"Mommy?" Kingston looked at her daughter, "Can I learn to shoot?" Ali was holding her mother's crossbow, making her immediately wish she didn't have it because she always had a hard time telling her daughter no. Granted, her husband was worse.
"Only if Mr. Grimes agrees to it." She finally said. Her daughter didn't have to carry a gun, she could certainly find a crossbow. God knows she knew that weapon well enough.
"It's not a toy Ali. You pull the trigger, you have to mean it. Always remember that Ali." She nodded and handed her mother her weapon. Rick hands the boys a duffle bag full of various guns.
"Take that outside. It should be the first car closest to the door." The twins nodded and Ali quickly followed them.
"Army came. That's when it all went to shit," Kingston said, shouldering her crossbow and closing the door behind them, "We were supposed to be findin' sometin', anythin' but...we had families to get to. I don't know who's left at the CDC."
"I'm sorry... " the two were quiet until they reached the door to the cars outside and Rick grabbed her arm, "Is Daryl your husband?" Kingston gave him a nod and he left it at that, allowing her to go outside. She was in the same boat he was, their spouse was out there in this terrible world, and all they wanted was to be reunited.
"Car's loaded Mr. Grimes!" The adults looked at one another before they hear a groan, causing the group to look over at the fence.
"Leon Basset?" he looked over at the confused faces of the Dixons, "Didn't think much of him. Careless and dumb, but...can't leave him like this."
"Ya know they'll 'ear da shot." Kingston reminded him.
"Let's not be here when they'll show up." Kingston quickly rushed the kids over to the car while Rick went over to the walker. He shot it in the head and quickly joined the Dixons in the squad car.
-TWD, Before the Walkers-
"Daddy's driving up!" Ali cried, scrambling into the kitchen. Kingston quickly placed the last plate on the table before ushering the children to go hide in the living room.
"King? You and the kids home?" Daryl walked in, throwing his keys on the table by the door. He turned on the light.
"Surprise!" they all cried, jumping up. Daryl jumped in surprise but accepted all the hugs from his kids and even a kiss from his wife.
"What's this all for?" he asked with a smile.
"It's your birthday daddy!"
-TWD-
No one asked why Rick momentarily left them, they knew he must've had a good reason. Kingston let out another curse in gaelic as she tried to get the radio working.
"Mom are you cursing?" Bruce asked from the back, threading his fingers through the cage.
"Yes but thankfully you don't know what I'm sayin'." Rick chuckled.
"Guess how many languages Mommy speaks?" Ali remarked, looking up at Rick, who glanced in the rear view mirror at the young girl.
"How many?" he asked her.
"Twelve." Kingston answered with wires in her mouth and then gave a thankful cry. She quickly removed the wires from her mouth and handed Rick the radio.
"I thought you were a Supervisory Medical Officer." Kingston glared at him, and he chuckled, turning on the radio.
"Broadcasting on emergency channel. We'll be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85. Anybody reads, please respond. Hello. Hello. Can anybody hear my voice? Anybody out there? Anybody hear me, please respond. Hello, can you hear my voice?" It was quiet until Rick looked over at Kingston and she gave him a nod for him to continue, "Hello? Hello? Can you hear my voice?"
He sighs and hands it over to Kingston.
"I'm da worst person to do dis!" she hissed, covering the radio with her hand.
"You can speak without an accent can't you?" Kingston rolled her eyes. Her children eagerly leaned forward, wanting to hear their mother speak as an American.
"Anybody...who reads, please respond," the children covered their mouths to keep the giggles from escaping, "Broadcasting on emergency channel. We'll be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85. Anybody reads...please respond." They waited and decided to try again to the clock in the squad car, they tried at the top of every hour until the car ran out of gas.
"Grab your tings kids." Kingston ordered and grabbed her own things. While the Dixons were grabbing everything, Rick pulled a photograph of his family out of the driver's visor and helped gather the supplies. Once it was done, they left the squad car behind, and began walking. "It's like livin' in Ireland again," Kingston remarked, "Ya drivin' home, too damn drunk to remember that you barely had enough gas to get to da bar in da first place." Rick grinned
"Mom you cussed!" Kingston rolled her eyes.
"Aye, ye get a freebie. I'd suggest you don't waste it." Finally, the group reaches a house.
"Hello?" Rick calls as they get closer, he sets his things down and the rest follow suit, though Kingston still held her crossbow, "Police officer out here. Can I borrow some gas? Hello? Hello? Anybody home?" Kingston and Rick walk up to the house, leaving the kids with their supplies. Kingston slowly walked up to a window, hearing the faint buzzing of flies, and wishing she didn't have amazing ears.
"Rick." He walked over, seeing the sight of couple who owned the farm, "Believe me, they aren't da only ones who did stupid shit like that."
"Mom! There's a truck!" Bruce called, the adults looked at each other before running over and examining the vehicle themselves. Though neither of them found keys. Kingston kissed Bruce's head in thanks as Rick sits down on a bench under a tree, frustrated.
"Um...Mom?" Jack pulled on her shirt and pointed over to a field, where three horses sat.
"Well, dat works." Kingston remarked, pulling Rick up on his feet and pointing over at the horses. The two quickly found harnesses and slowly walked into the field with the horses.
"Easy no, easy. I'm not gonna hurt you. Nothing like that. More like a proposal." Rick began as he and Kingston slowly walked together, side by side.
"Ya do realize you're talkin' to a horse?"
"You're a horse expert now?"
"No but me uncle's a vet. Watch cowboy." Kingston slowly walked over to a white horse with brown spots and stoked its nose. She slowly fastened the harness on and then sent a triumphant smirk to Rick.
Once all the horses were harnessed, Rick took his own horse, the twins another, and Kingston and Ali the last. Rick squirmed on top of his, making Kingston laugh.
"I haven't done this in years." Rick defended and then looked over at the twins, who were riding like they had grown up on a horse.
The group finally reached the outskirts of Atlanta, where the highway going out of Atlanta was overcrowded with cars while the highway going in was empty. Rick led the others down the empty highway, the horses hooves clicking on the road. Once they reached the inner part of the city, they rode in silence,keeping an eye out for any trouble. They pass by a few walkers and simply go on.
"Just a few. Nothin' a horse can't outrun." Kingston said as they walked by a tank, where a body was being pecked by crows. Ali grimaced and Jack, who was in front controlling the horse, steered his horse farther away from the tank. Suddenly, Rick looked up in the sky, as if he'd heard something. And then he took off.
"Rick!"
"Mr. Grimes!" He didn't turn around, making Kingston curse.
"What do we do Mom?" Jack asked
"We're moving." Kingston finally decided, seeing more and more walkers appear. She snapped the reins. Kingston quickly led her children through the city, only shooting at the walkers unless she absolutely had to.
"What's gonna happen to Mr. Grimes?" Ali asked as her mother helped her down from the horse. She glanced down the street, seeing the swarm of walkers were Rick was.
"'Opefully he was smart enough to get in the tank." She remarked and then smacked the horse's ass. Sending it down the street. It certainly did bring the walker's atttention away but not towards the horse. Towards them.
"Alright. We've got to run." Kingston said, slowly backing up.
"Where?" Bruce and Jack simultaneously asked.
"CDC!" She answered, saying the first thing that came to her. She quickly put Ali on the horse with Bruce and Jack.
"Don't go in there until I get there. Understood?" The children nodded, "Jack, yer in charge."
"What?!" Bruce protested but Kingston didn't have time for this. She hit the horses ass and it bolted off. Kingston slowly started off towards the direction of her old workplace, giving a thankful smile when she saw Rick run off with an asian boy.
"Good." And with that, she went in a different direction.
-TWD-
The sun was setting by the time she had finally reached the CDC. Her kids came running up to her and hugged her tight, happy to see that their mother was alive and in one piece.
"Alright, we're going in da back way." She quickly led them to the back, where she entered every day before the world went to shit. She typed in her password and ushered the kids in. Once the door was shut, she leaned against it and let out a thankful sigh.
"Is Mr. Grimes okay Mom?" Bruce asked after Kingston had a moment to catch up. She gave him a nod and led him down the hall.
"Drop your weapons!" A voice called when they reached the lab. Kingston rolled her eyes, she knew who it was.
"Jenner!" she turned around, seeing her colleague holding an army sniper, "I do believe I 'ave jurisdiction."