Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of it's characters, or any of it's places; except the ones I created.

Just a quick Author's Note before I begin: This fanfic is completely AU. It just came into my mind, and I thought if I don't post it now, I never will, and I'd probably regret it later. I've pretty much got most chapters worked out, but will be skipping over some scenes that happened in the show, and changing some around to work with the storyline. The quotes in the story will be different from the quotes in the show. Just bear with me, and enjoy the story; and feel free to leave a review afterwards.

Nearly a year had passed since the apocalypse started; the dead were coming back, and had taken over the cities. People had abandoned their homes and their towns in hopes of finding a safe haven; many others didn't want to live through it all, and had taken their own lives, while others died in car accidents, or were killed in some brutal way. A lot of them reanimated, turning them into monsters, different from who they once were, walking the earth, eating anything that was alive. There weren't very many safe places in the world anymore, and most people lived or travelled in groups; often times, they had to move to a new place everyday in order to avoid the walkers, but they were everywhere. All they could do was pack up and move on, and pray that they'd live to see tomorrow.

Luckily, the small town of Woodbury, Georgia was well protected and heavily guarded from walkers; all the residents were safe from the outside world, and knew that as long as the walls were surrounding the town, nothing would get to them. People had jobs, Kids went to school; Philip Blake had taken the title of Governor, as that what the residents started calling him. It was as if nothing was wrong in the world, and there wasn't a care in the world.

Yeah, right; as if they hadn't been through a nightmare months ago. If it hadn't been for a small army, they'd all be dead by now. Of course, Chloe Mamet knew that; she had witnessed the deaths of her mother and younger brother, watching helplessly as they had been bitten by walkers. She had managed to escape with her father, his best friend, and his daughter, driving as far away as possible. Chloe was so shaken up, that she hardly spoke for two months, especially after Penny Blake had been shot by a stray bullet, and succumbed to the injury hours later, leaving her father, Philip to grieve his only child. What Chloe didn't know was that she had reanimated, and Philip was keeping her locked away in his apartment.

Every morning, after breakfast, Chloe would leave the small apartment to go visit her father in his lab, where he worked, hoping to find a cure. She would knock on the door, and wait for an answer.

"Come in."

Chloe opened the door and walked into the lab. Milton Mamet was reading a book, but set it on the table when he saw that his daughter had entered. He smiled as she walked towards the desk. It didn't matter if he was reading or typing on his computer, his daughter was his first priority.

"Chloe, I've told you a million times." Milton said. "You don't have to knock. Philip never knocks on the door, so why do you?"

"Well, how do I know that there won't be a walker in here when I open this door?" Chloe asked.

"Then, I would wonder how that walker got in here in the first place." Milton replied. "Are you okay? You've been really tense lately."

"I'm fine." Chloe insisted, knowing that was a lie. "I've just haven't gotten much sleep lately."

Milton was about to speak when Philip Blake walked in. He mentioned something about two women who had been hiding out in the woods. Chloe listened to the conversation between the two men before Philip turned to her.

"Chloe can you come with me?" he asked

"Of course." Chloe replied, before she followed Philip out of the lab and outside. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine." Philip implied, as they walked into the medical clinic. "I just need you to help Merle keep an eye on our guests."

Chloe and Philip walked into the room, where Merle Dixon was sitting with the two women.

"Well, it's about time." Merle emphasized. "I've been stuck in here with Blondie, and her Nubian Queen friend."

Philip introduced Chloe to the two women: Andrea and Michonne, before leaving to go talk to Milton. Chloe listened to the conversation between Merle and Andrea.

"We lost a few people." Andrea admitted. "Jim, Jacqui, Sophia, Dale." she sighed before continuing. "Amy."

"Oh, your little sister, huh?" Merle asked "I'm so sorry to hear that; she was a good kid."

Andrea didn't say anything else. Merle told Chloe to keep an eye on the women before leaving the room. There was an awkward silence before Chloe spoke up.

"I know how you feel." she stated. "I lost people, too."

"Who did you lose?" Andrea asked.

"My mom and my brother." Chloe muttered. "There was nothing I could do. Those things just kept coming. It's just me and my father."

"Well, you're lucky you have him." Andrea said with a smile.

Michonne, who had been sitting quietly, finally spoke up.

"Andrea and I were out in the woods for eight months."

Chloe was shocked. "And you're both still alive? And what was this I'm hearing about pet walkers?"

"Protection." Michonne replied "From other walkers."

Chloe was about to speak when Philip walked in. He asked her to go out and guard the wall, and she obeyed his orders. Chloe left the clinic, and walked to the wall where Merle and Caesar Martinez were waiting. Chloe climbed up the ladder, and Merle handed her a rifle, and she stood between him and Martinez, watching out for any walker who came near the wall.

"Nice of you to join us, Honey Bunch." Merle chuckled.

"I told you not to call me that." Chloe objected.

"How's about you and me go get us a drink later?" Merle asked.

"How about you shut up before I shove this rifle where the sun don't shine?" Chloe suggested sarcastically.

"Now, is that any way to treat a person?" Merle asked, surprisingly. Martinez smirked behind Chloe's back. "Is that any way to talk to the person who saved your life."

It was true; if it wasn't for Merle, Chloe would have been dead by now. She had helplessly tried to fight of a herd of walkers, and was ready for death, when Merle came along and gunned down every walker. He was immediately accepted into the group, and even taught Chloe how to shoot a gun. He also became good friend with Milton and Philip. Merle mentioned that he was looking for his brother, and had hoped everyday that they would meet again. Chloe prayed that they would; family was very important. They got along very well, but teased each other a lot. Chloe learned very quickly not to tick Merle off. She did it once, and the results were not good. Rule two was don't give Merle any crap, and always try to stay on his good side.

Chloe was starting to get bored standing on the wall, she turned to see that Philip was showing Andrea and Michonne around Woodbury. Philip then lead them into the apartment building.

"We got a walker." Martinez announced.

"I got it." Chloe dictated as she aimed her rifle towards the walker. She pulled the trigger, and the bullet hit the walker in the brain.

"Every single time." Martinez bragged. "How do you do it?"

"Concentration." Chloe said, turning to see her father walking outside with Philip. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."

Chloe handed the rifle to Merle before climbing down from the wall, and walking to where Milton was talking to Philip. Merle came over soon after.

"Dad, Merle's picking on me again." Chloe announced.

"Was not!" Merle exclaimed

"Yes you were, you called me Honey Bunch, after I told you not to!" Chloe implied

"Well, you threatened to shove that rifle up my-"

"Merle, were you picking on my daughter again?" Milton asked.

"Uh, no." Merle lied, before seeing that Milton was glaring at him. "I mean, yes."

"You stop calling my daughter all those ridiculous nicknames, and maybe she won't threaten to shove her rifle up your back side." Milton suggested.

"Yeah, whatever you say, Miltie." Merle mumbled.

"And you can stop calling me Miltie." Milton instructed.

Milton was like every other father; he worried constantly about his daughter, and would get angry if anyone tried to hurt her. However, he did have a sense of humor, always trying to get his daughter to smile. It had been months since Chloe laughed or smiled, and Milton was worried that she would never be happy again. There were times when she wouldn't leave the apartment, and had thought of taking her own life. The only time she tried it, she held a gun to her head, ready to pull the trigger. She would have succeeded if Philip hadn't come and taken the gun from her. Milton wouldn't let her out of his sight for a long time, worried that she would attempt it again.

"We need to get more information from our guests." Philip announced. "It's amazing how they survived for so long."

"What about the pilot from the helicopter crash?" Milton asked

"He didn't make it." Philip replied, without any emotion.

"That's a shame." Milton emphasised. "I was hoping to get some information from him. Where are the women?"

"I've put them in a room next to mine." Philip said "Well talk with them over lunch. In the mean time, I think I should leave you two alone."

Philip walked away, leaving Milton alone with his daughter. Chloe glared briefly at Philip wondering if the pilot had even succumbed to his injuries at all. It wouldn't be the first time Philip had said that. Just a few months ago, an injured couple had come to Woodbury, but were never seen or heard from again. Chloe still trusted Philip no matter what he said; after all, her father trusted him.

"You shouldn't lie to me." Milton said "I know you're not all right. I understand what happened to Gavin and your mother was hard on you, but you still have me."

"I couldn't save them." Chloe said, with guilt in her voice, looking down at the pavement. "I tried to, but there were so many of them; there was nothing I could do. For God's sake, he was just a kid. He was only thirteen."

Milton put an arm around his daughter. "I know. I think about it everyday, too. Chloe, I know things have been tough, but we've come a long way. As long as those walls are up, we're safe. Come on, you must be hungry."

Chloe followed her father into Philip's apartment, where Philip was sitting at the table with Andrea and Michonne. Milton and Chloe sat down at the table, and Philip gave them each a sandwich, warning Chloe that she'd better eat the whole thing, or he'd shove it down her throat. Chloe ate her meal, listening to the conversation. Michonne stared at the case, which contained her katana.

"It's very interesting." Milton said "You cut of the arms of the walkers so they can't grab you, and remove their jaws so they can't bite you. They become uninterested after losing their ability to eat. They're no longer in attack mode. They just become docile. Do you think they remember anything about the person they once were?"

"I don't think about it." Andrea replied.

"Milton believes there might be a trace of the people they once were, still trapped inside." Philip announced.

"Like an echo surely, it must have crossed your mind." Milton said.

"One time, yeah," Andrea responded. "Right before it tried to bite me."

"And you killed it?" Milton asked. "We say it because nobody here likes to refer to them as him, or her." he turned to Michonne. "Those two you had in chains who were they? The way you controlled them, used them to your benefit. You knew them, didn't you?"

Michonne didn't say a word.

"Milton, let them eat." Philip demanded.

"My apologies." Milton replied.

"Chloe, do you believe any of this?" Andrea asked.

"Those things killed my mom and my little brother." Chloe responded. "It's not easy. I wake up every morning knowing I'll never see them again."

"I understand." Andrea said. "Were you close to your brother?"

"Very." Chloe replied quietly. "Let's not talk about this."

Philip explained to Andrea that Chloe didn't like it when anyone asked her about her brother, so Andrea decided to change the subject.

"What's your secret?" she asked.

"Really big walls." Philip replied.

"What if a herd comes through?" Andrea asked.

"It'll hold." Chloe replied.

"I saw you guarding the wall." Andrea said. "Why? You should be in school, not joining an army."

"Hey, I am very good at what I do." Chloe replied. "And I'm not a part of the army. I only guard the wall twice a week."

"But what about your education?" Andrea asked.

"What use is my education going to be when the world has gone to complete crap?" Chloe asked.

"Chloe, watch your language." Milton demanded. "What she means is we're a community with really big guns and ammunition."

"Looks like you're sitting pretty at the end of the world." Andrea told Philip.

Michonne, who had not said a word, stood up quickly.

"We want our weapons back!" she scolded.

"Two against the world that's long odds." Philip implied, looking at Chloe who had just finished her sandwich. "Did you get enough?"

Chloe nodded with a fake smile, and thanked Philip for the sandwich. She had known Philip her whole life, and knew that he'd keep her safe even in the most dangerous situations. He was the reason she and her father were still alive today. Chloe always said she was all right, but Philip knew that when she smiled, she was only pretending. She was glad when Milton got up from the table, and they both left the apartment to go into his lab. Milton tried his best to keep his job a secret from Chloe, but she knew what he was up to, but didn't understand why he was trying to find a cure in the first place.

"Dad, why are you doing this?" Chloe asked

"Philip wants me to." Milton replied

"Why?" Chloe asked

Milton didn't answer; he knew that Philip kept Penny locked away hoping that a cure would be found, but if Chloe found out about Penny, she wouldn't be happy about it. She was left to believe that Philip had shot Penny in the head to prevent her from reanimating, and buried her in a field outside Woodbury.

"Philip does know that he can't bring his daughter back, right?" Chloe asked "And even if you do find this cure, nothings going to bring her or anyone else back."

"Philip trusts me." Milton boasted. "And I trust him. You should, too."

"I do trust him." Chloe admitted. "But sometimes, he seems a bit out of character. You should know, you lost your son and wife."

"I know." Milton whispered, with a slight sadness in his voice. "That's why I try to keep you in my sight as much as I can. You're all I have left in this world."

Milton took his glasses off and wiped them on his shirt; Chloe mentioned that he looked better when he had worn contacts.

"Well, I'm glad you and Gavin didn't inherit my bad eye sight." Milton stated.

"No, but Gavin inherited your orneryness." Chloe mentioned.

"Hey, you're ornery, too." Milton pointed out. "But your brother was ornerier. And I wish you would smile. I'm really tired of that fake one."

"Tell you what, Dad." Chloe started suggesting. "You find a way to get the walkers to dance, I might start laughing more; but until then, you might as well give up, because you're only going to get fake smiles from me."

Milton sighed; everyday, he'd find a way to get her to smile, but she refused, often walking away from him. Just because the world had ended didn't mean she couldn't be happy. They were very close, but Milton felt that she was going to break away from him, and become depressed and attempt to do the unthinkable. All Chloe wanted was for her father to be okay when the day was over.

Don't worry, it'll get better. I also need to work on Milton's sense of humor. I apologize if the chapter seems off, but I'll try my best to make the following chapters better. Oh, and if you think the story could use a better title, let me know.