A/N: So I've been working on this fic for a while, not 100% sure where it's going... but for now it is what it is. I figured I'd have the prologue show a bit of the OC in this fic, Petra, and her story before she meets up with the main cast in the first chapter. It will be eventual DarylxOC, but I'm planning this to be quite long so that won't be for a while.

Anyway, enjoy =^-^=

Prologue:

"You have to run." Zack said, clutching his arm.

How had things come to this? Running in the dead of night through the woods from the people they once called friends, Zack shot and slowly bleeding out. Petra could only blame herself. Trying to turn the group against Negan had been her idea, Zack had even tried to warn her it would end badly, that not everyone would go with the idea.

"I'm not leaving you. If you die, I die. This was my idea, I'm going down with this ship." She stated, ripping the sleeve off her long shirt, tying it around his wound carefully to try and stop the bleeding.

"No. We talked about this. If one of us can get away we have to so that one of us can still get back to Ali-"

"Stop." Petra shook her head. "Its been over a year. Do you really think there's any hope she's alive? My parents, my brother, Alice... they've probably been long gone this whole time."

Zack looked at her, his dark eyes sad. "I don't care. If there's a chance she's alive, you have to take it and find her or at least what happened to her."

She broke into sobs. She had worked so hard to bury the thoughts of their daughter, to come to terms with the fact that she was more than likely dead or turned. Petra looked up at her husband, taking in his condition. His usually tan skin was now a pale, sickly shade. Blood was coating his sleeve and had already soaked through the makeshift bandage she had used in vain. Run away or not, she was going to lose him.

He shakily reached a hand to her and took her face in it, forcing her to look him in the eye. "I love you Petra. Please, go find Alice."

She nodded through her tears, holding his hand to her cheek, desperately trying to memorize the feeling. "I love you too... I promise, I'll find her." She sobbed in response, unsure if she'd ever be able to leave him.

"Tell her I love her... Make sure she knows that." His voice getting weaker, Petra knowing she only had moments left.

"I will.." She whispered, laying his head on her lap, brushing his hair from his eyes.

He looked up at her, a weak smile across his face. Zack pulled Petra's face forward, leaving a soft kiss on her chapped lips. "I love you, forever and back." He said before closing his eyes.

Petra felt Zack's body go limp, the last bit of warmth leaving his skin. Finally, he could stop running, stop fighting. Petra fought back sobs. She brushed his dirty blond hair back once more before pulling out the screwdriver she had in her back pocket and plunged it into his skull as she had promised she would. She wasn't going to let him become one of those things.

Tossing the tool aside she began to sob harder. Her husband now dead, her child's condition still unknown, and alone now for the first time since the world went to shit. She let out her emotions, not caring who or what heard. The life she had once had was now truly gone forever without Zack.

What felt like a lifetime later, she had run out of energy and tears to cry. She held Zack's hand one last time before taking the wedding band off his finger she had placed there what seemed like only yesterday, before kissing his hand softly and resting it on his chest. She placed the ring on the chain around her neck that held a small locket. Taking his discarded jacket that had been tossed aside during her vain attempt to save him, Petra stood, placing it over her shoulders.

"Forever Zack, I love you." She said to his lifeless body and ran further into the brush, away from him and away from the danger following her.