Elyza pulled her pistol out of its holster and readied her aim. She reached for the handle of the front door. She glanced over her shoulder towards Alicia and exchanged a nod with the girl then turned the knob and opened the door slowly. She peered in through the opening and when nothing moved inside the house she ventured through the doorway. She took careful steps, keeping her back to the wall. The foyer opened up into a living room with a kitchen visible behind it. Alicia carefully picked her way around the rooms, gun flickering to any new sights or sounds. After a few minutes of tense searching Alicia found the single-story ranch home clear of any of the dead or other hosts.

"It looks like we're good."

Both of the girls relaxed and Elyza holstered her pistol. She moved to a table that was situated in the living room and pulled a folded map from her back pocket. She flattened it out across the table while Alicia looked over her shoulder. "Here is where we are now." Elyza pointed to the small town on the Southern California coast where they currently were. She glanced over at Alicia, "Where was your family headed?"

"We were going South along the coast."

"Any destination in mind?"

"We had been headed for San Diego but we heard it was gone."

Elyza nodded sadly, "It is." The words came out uncharacteristically softly.

After hesitating for a brief moment Alicia reached out and put a hand on shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Elyza shook her head as if to dispel thoughts from her head. "It's alright, nothing to be down now. If you had been headed South then unless you disagree it makes sense to go that way ourselves."

"No, that sounds good."

Elyza nodded, "We'll set out at first light then. We can take this route." She trailed her finger along a highway that followed the length of the coast down towards San Diego and the Mexican border beyond. "Now this was a pretty busy road at one point in time so we're liable to run into some obstacles. But we'll also be able keep sight of the water nearly the entire way." She looked up, "We'll find them, Alicia. I promise you."

Alicia nodded and quickly wiped a stray tear that began to wind its way down her cheek. "Thank you, Elyza."

Elyza smiled as their gazes met, the connection only breaking when a fierce yawn pulled at her cheeks. Concern drew across Alicia's face, "How long has it been since you slept?"

Elyza waved her off, "Don't worry about it, I'm fine."

Alicia paused counting off hours in her head. "You rescued me right after I fell in the ocean, and that was barely noon yesterday. It's been over 30 hours since then. You need sleep."

Elyza looked around the room with uncertainty until Alicia reached out and placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I'll take lookout. I've been sleeping all day anyway. I won't let any harm come to you."

Alicia could see the warring emotions in Elyza's eyes as she thought the offer through. There was a long moment of silence before the blonde girl finally nodded. "Alright, but you wake me if you see or hear anything."

"I will." They walked into the living room where Elyza took a seat on the couch. She noticed a large candle sitting on the coffee table and slipped a small lighter out her pocket and lit the wick. The flame gave off a warm light, though it was too weak to even illuminate the walls. All the same it gave some small comfort to the room. Elyza gave one last glance at Alicia who offered what she hoped was a reassuring nod.

Elyza sighed and laid down on the couch, though her posture didn't look at all comfortable to Alicia. She stretched out like a board with her back completely straight. Alicia was about to comment on it when Elyza's head lolled slightly to the side. Her jaw hung slightly open and when she concentrated Alicia could see the gentle movement of Elyza's chest as her breath evened out. She couldn't help the small smile from forming as the hard lines of the sleeping girls' face smoothed as sleep claimed the blonde.

Alicia frowned and mumbled quietly in her sleep as a scratching sound irritated her from the edge of her consciousness. She tried to turn away from the sound but it droned on incessantly without letting up. It was when a low moan accompanied the scratching that finally Alicia was jolted out of her restless slumber.

Her eyes darted around the room looking for the source of the sound until they rested on the window looking out over the front yard. A line of walkers had formed all leaning up against the glass. Alicia could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the hand of one of them against the glass slowly scratching at it. She slid to the floor and shuffled out of the living room back to the foyer. She peered through the peephole in the large wooden door only to see another crowd blocking the way between the door and Elyza's motorcycle. "Shit."

After retracing her route back to the living room Alicia approached Elyza's still form. "Elyza!" Alicia spoke lowly, trying to simultaneously wake her up and not draw any more of the walker's ire. Unsurprisingly, she was not successful. Alicia tried again only this time reaching out to grasp Elyza's shoulder as well and shook it as she called out to her.

Almost immediately the girl's eyes flung open. She appeared to act on instinct as she grabbed Alicia's outstretched hand and twisted it sharply to the side. Alicia cried out in shock as the maneuver had her hunched over in pain before she could do anything in reaction. As quickly as she had started Elyza let go. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Are you alright?"

Alicia grimaced as she righted herself. "Ya, I think I'm okay." She tenderly held onto her throbbing wrist and glanced up towards Elyza who was looking down at her with concern spread across her features. "Besides we've got bigger problems to worry about."

Elyza followed her gaze out to the windows behind her. "Oh, shit."

"Yep."

Elyza slid off the couch and headed through the kitchen to the back door. The walkers pushed against each other at that door as well. "Damn."

She followed the edge of the house checking every window until she paused in the master bedroom. Like all the others walkers were huddled outside though the line of them was thinner here. She surveyed the room until her gaze landed on a large wardrobe set against the wall. One of the hinges on the front door was broken leaving it hanging haphazardly.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do." Elyza turned to Alicia. "You go wait by the front door. I'm going to go out the window and draw their attention." Elyza held up the key to her motorcycle. "As soon as you have an opportunity, get on the bike. If I can't get back to you then just go. Find your family."

"You can't be serious, that's crazy."

"It's also our only option." Elyza walked over and ripped the hanging wardrobe door off its lone remaining hinge.

"Why are you doing so much for me?"

Elyza regarded Alicia curiously for a moment, "I'm not actually sure, but as ridiculous as this may sound. I can't help but feel like I would do anything for you." She paused unnaturally as the truth of the words seemed apparent to the both of them. "As long as you will allow me to, I will protect you. Now please, just go."

Alicia regarded Elyza with confusion but eventually nodded slowly and left the bedroom. Elyza hefted the wardrobe door in her hands and stepped over towards the window. "Well, here goes nothing."

She ran at the window with the door held out like a battering ram. The glass shattered underneath the wood. The crowd of walkers outside all reached up for the board, acting exactly as Elyza planned. She laid the board out across their grouping hands. Before they had time to throw it off she raced across the uneven surface and leapt off behind the line. She tumbled as she hit the ground, rolling with the impact. A few of the closer dead turned but not as many as she needed to. After taking a few additional steps she lifted her gun in the air and fired a shot.

The whole wall of walkers on the back side of the house turned to face her. She danced about a dozen or so feet from the hoard as she circled around the outside of the house. Surely enough the dead pulled away from the building and joined the pack as she passed by. Elyza smiled as the plan worked out exactly as she'd wanted.

She led the horde all the way into the tree line far away from the house. Satisfied that she had put enough distance between the walkers and the house she wound her way around the edge of the forced march, using the trees for cover and headed back for the house. Just as she thought she was in the clear her foot was caught by a gnarled upturned root and she went sprawling to the ground and her gun went flying from her hand. Her ankle throbbed in pain as she untangled it from the root. Tentatively she tried to stand only to crumple in a torrent of pain as soon as she put any pressure of the injured limb.

Elyza managed to pull herself up by the trunk of a tree and hopped forward not daring to look back as the groans of the dead grew increasingly louder. With a grimace she stopped hobbling, realizing there was no way she was going to be able to outrun them anymore. With no gun left she slipped her knife out for its sheath. They were almost on her now. The least she could do was take a few of the bastards out with her.

Alicia paced back and forth besides Elyza's yellow motorcycle, twirling the key incessantly on her finger. The plan had seemingly gone off without a hitch. Elyza had managed to draw the attention of the horde and led them out into the woods. The seconds seem to crawl by the longer Alicia waited, but still there was no sign of Elyza. "Screw this." Alicia dropped the bags she had been holding next to the bike and followed Elyza's trail out into the woods.

Before long she could hear the groans and shuffles of the dead and soon after that she could hear grunts of a decidedly human origin. She ran forward through the trees dodging branches and roots until finally she saw her. On her back against a tree with a walker barreling down on her, a handful more already with head wounds at her feet. "Elyza!"

The blonde grunted with the effort of keeping the biting mouth away from her. "Alicia? What are you doing here? I told you to go!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

Alicia could see Elyza arms shake as the walkers bite got closer and closer. Alicia raised her gun, aiming for the walker's head. A slight tremor coursed down her arm and through her fingers as she tried to keep the weapon steady. The walker was too close to Elyza, its head so near to hers. Alicia didn't know if she could make the shot. She also knew she had no choice. One more inch, one more second and there wouldn't be an Elyza left to save. She exhaled, her breath short, muscles tense, and pulled the trigger. The walkers head split, blood poured from the wound, and Elyza screamed in pain.

Alicia peered dully through a dusty shop window. She sighed at the sight of another row of shelving units picked clean. It was looking more and more like this entire town had been looted to its very core. She crossed the street drenched in the bright midday sun. A small gas station was sitting on the corner. Its doors were propped open and it looked relatively inviting. Such pleasantries were quickly forgotten when she stepped through the doorway however. The overpowering stench of rotting flesh filled the small store. Alicia quickly located the source. A pair of the dead were laid out across the checkered floor with their skulls cracked open and dried blood caked into the linoleum.

Alicia picked her way around the bodies to get behind the counter. She rummaged through the drawers and cupboards but much like everywhere else in this town they were devoid of anything useful. Her annoyance grew until finally she encountered a locked cabinet. With new energy she pulled on the handle. When that didn't work she pulled out her knife and wedged behind the door, using it as leverage to tug at the door. With a grunt of force the door sheared off at the hinges, Alicia fell back with the door in her hands. She tossed it away and started rifling through the contents. It was filled with files, receipts, and other legal documents for the gas station. She huffed angrily, flinging the papers behind her. She paused as her fingers brushed against canvas. She gasped for it desperately and ripped it out of the cabinet.

The canvas bag was red and white with a red cross on top. After pulling the zipper open she fumbled through the bag, pulling everything out. Until finally, at the bottom of the bag was exactly what she needed. She haphazardly shoved everything back in the bag, barely calm enough to zip it up again before she headed back out into the sun. She jogged through the streets careful to avoid the scattered dead. Just outside town and into the tree line Alicia finally made it back to the hastily constructed camp she had put together.

Alicia grabbed the med kit and rushed to Elyza's side. "Hey, Elyza? I need you to wake up now okay?" She hated the tremor that broke through in her voice as she gingerly shook the girl's arm.

Elyza groaned and turned to face Alicia. "Calm down, I'm not dead yet."

"And you won't be anytime soon. I found what we need." The brunette began to unpack the kit careful to lay out everything she was going to need. Then she carefully reached up and pulled aside the neckline of Elyza's shirt. She grimaced as she moved the blood soaked towel to the side, exposing the bullet wound cut into the top of the blonde's shoulder.

"You should have left me."

Alicia sighed, grabbed a new towel, and began wipe blood away from the wound. "Not this again."

"Coming back for me was weakness, Alicia. To survive in this world you have to make difficult choices."

Angrily Alicia hefted the bottle of antiseptic spray from the med kit and without warning sprayed it across the gash. She didn't miss the sharp intake of breath Elyza took in pain. Alicia couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face at the sound. "Your bedside manner could use a little work."

"I'm sorry, but people with death wishes don't get to complain." Alicia switched the antiseptic spray out for the needle and thread for sutures. "I didn't manage to get anything for the pain, so this is going to hurt."

Elyza nodded and looked away. "Go for it."

Alicia's hands shock as she moved closer towards the wound. She looked at the damage nervously, and found herself hesitating. Despite her best intentions she had shot Elyza and now if she didn't do this right the girl would probably die and it would be all her fault. She was shaken out of her thoughts by a hand on her knee. "Hey, it's going to be alright. You can do this."

Alicia met her gaze, and the complete calm in her blue eyes seemed to radiate out to Alicia. She took a deep breath and her hands steadied. She began to slide the needle from the suture kit through the wound. Immediately Alicia felt Elyza's entire body tense underneath her and the hand on her knee tightened. Alicia forged ahead, threading the needle across the wound. The amount of blood seeping from the wound slowed as the gash was pulled closed. Elyza tied off the thread and applied a new bandage from the med kit. She leaned back and sighed with relief. "There, all patched up."

Elyza glanced at the bandage and rolled her shoulder experimentally. "Not too bad."

As her nerves from the procedure died down Alicia noticed that Elyza still hadn't moved her hand. She glanced down to confirm with her eyes that it still rested on her knee. Elyza's thumb seemingly rubbing absent minded circles in her thigh. She was surprised by the warmth that spread through her chest at the realization. "Uh, Elyza?"

"Oh, sorry." Elyza quickly picked up her hand but Alicia didn't miss the blush on the other girl's cheeks.

"No, it's alright." Alicia paused and shook her head, doing her best to try and ignore the hand print still warm on her knee. "But we should probably move on if you're feeling up to it."

"Ya, that sounds good." Alicia watched carefully when Elyza stood but she seemed to relatively okay. "Keys?"

Alicia bit her lip as she looked at Elyza's outstretched hand. "Maybe it'd be better if you didn't…" She didn't even get the sentence finished before Elyza stepped closer and met her gaze with an edge in her eyes.

"Keys."

"Okay, okay." Elyza produced the metallic ring of keys and handed them to her injured friend. "I'm just saying maybe it'd be better if you didn't drive."

"I'll be fine." After the pair made their way to the bike Elyza swung her leg over the seat and started the engine. "See?" I'll be fi…" Elyza stopped short as she winced in pain. She had just begun to twist the handlebars to prove her capability when the angle on her shoulder pulled on her freshly bandaged neck.

A moment passed in silence as Elyza caught her breath and awkwardly extracted her hands from the handlebars. "Maybe it'd be better if you drove."

Alicia couldn't hold off on the smug smirk that crossed her face. The only thing stopping her from riling Elyza further on the admission was the clear pain on her downcast face. Alicia watched as Elyza scooted back on the seat opening up the front for Alicia.

"Have you ever driven one of these before?"

"Can't say I have."

Alicia heard Elyza sigh behind her as she slid in the driver's seat, "That's alright. Just take it nice and slow, it's like riding a bike. A very fast and expensive bike."

"If you say so." Alicia gingerly took the handlebars and righted the wheels. The engine still purred beneath her. She hit the gas too hard and caused the whole bike to jolt forward and the girls to rock back in their seat. Elyza cried out and clutched her shoulder. Alicia hammered the brake immediately. "Sorry, sorry!"

"It's okay," Elyza spoke through gritted teeth. "Try it again."

Alicia nodded and readied herself again. This time she took the gas much slower. The bike inched forward before gradually picking up speed. She threaded through the trees at the edge of the woods until they reached the road. On the smooth pavement she picked up more speed. "Don't move."

Alicia flinched at the proximity of the voice beside her ear but managed to hold still anyways. A pair of aviator sunglasses appeared in her peripheral vision before they were slid onto her face. "There, now your look is complete."

"Thanks." Alicia muttered dryly.

"No problem." Elyza chuckled at Alicia's tone. "You know, nobody else has ever done this."

"Done what?"

Alicia stiffened as Elyza's good arm snaked around her waist, the grip bring their bodies flush against one another. "Driven my baby."

The hairs on the back of Alicia's neck stood on end and her entire back was alight with energy from where it touched Elyza. "I'll be careful with it."

"You better, I'd hate to have to give out some type of…" Alicia shivered and her eyes widened in surprise as somehow Elyza's voice dropped lower and got even closer to her ear. "...punishment."

Alicia's entire body was on fire in a way she'd never felt before. Any response she might have been able to come up with died on her lips. She revved the engine faster hoping the wind would make any continued comments unintelligible. She felt more than heard Elyza laugh behind her.

The next few days passed quickly as the girls alternated between traveling down the highway when the sun was out and finding somewhere to hole up when night came. Elyza looked out the window at the full moon hanging in the sky. They had found an abandoned apartment building along the road and were bunkered down in the second story facing the sea. Elyza smiled as she glanced over at Alicia who was curled up on the couch fast asleep.

Carefully Elyza padded across the room to her backpack, making sure not to make any noise loud enough to risk rousing Alicia. Once she made it there she pulled out her old sketchpad and a piece of charcoal. She returned to the window, angling her body so the bright moonlight poured in over her paper. She flipped to a new sheet and steadied the charcoal above the blank page. Elyza's eyes darted from the blank surface to Alicia and back again. Time flew by as Elyza gradually built up the image of the girl sleeping before her. Without realizing it she drew long past when she was supposed to wake Alicia and switch guard duty. All too soon the sun began to crest the horizon and shafts of light filtered through the window.

Elyza paused as Alicia began to shift on the couch before she eventually cracked her eyes open. She blinked away the glare of the early morning sun. "Elyza?" Her voice was rough with sleep. "What are you doing?"

Elyza shifted the drawing further away on her lap, suddenly very self-conscious of it. "Nothing, just passing the time."

Alicia nodded, seemingly convinced and turned her gaze towards the window. "Did you stay up all night? Why didn't you wake me up?"

Elyza shrugged, "I guess I was better at passing time than I thought."

Alicia cocked at eyebrow at that, "Really?" She stood from the couch and stretched, lifting her arms to the ceiling. Elyza couldn't help glancing at the smooth slice of the girl's abs that became exposed as Alicia's shirt lifted with the movement. She swallowed thickly and scrambled to her feet, attempting to hide the blush warming her cheeks.

"Well, we should get going." Alicia watched curiously as Elyza quickly moved to her stuff and started to shove her sketchbook into the bag.

Alicia stepped closer and reached out to grasp Elyza's arm. "Hey, are you alright?"

Elyza jumped, shocked at the contact and her bag slipped out of her hands. When it hit the ground the half packed sketchbook tumbled out and slid across the floor right to Alicia's feet. Elyza watched with wide eyes as Alicia learned down to grab the book. She turned it over in her hands as she stood back up. "Did… did you draw this?" She glanced up to meet the other girl's gaze.

"Um, ya." Elyza reached up and rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "I'm sorry, I should have asked."

"No, it's fine. It's really beautiful." She handed the pad back to Elyza. Their hands just barely touching as it was exchanged.

"So are you." Elyza was as shocked as anyone at the words that flowed out of her mouth. She felt her stomach drop as Alicia's gazed bored into her own. The moment hung in the air until Elyza saw the barest flicker of Alica's eyes down to her lips. The atmosphere weighed heavily on Elyza's shoulders as she tentatively reached out a hand and tucked a stray lock of Alicia's hair behind her ear. She heard the sharp intake of Alicia's breath at the contact. Just as Elyza began to lean forward towards her Alicia jolted backwards out of Elyza's reach. The brunette refused to meet her questioning gaze and instead shuffled around her towards the exit.

"We… we should go."

Elyza sighed as she felt the near magical moment slip away and nodded her head. Elyza dutifully followed along behind Alicia out the door and without exchanging a word they packed up the bike and resumed their journey down the highway. Elyza yawned as the seaside scenery flowed past. With the warm sun shining in the sky Elyza's eyes drooped lower as fatigue from the long night and tension of the early morning began to eat away at her.

Alicia's attention was dragged from the road stretched out before her by a weight on her shoulder. Elyza's head rested there and her eyes were closed. Alicia shrugged her shoulder lightly but Elyza's eyes didn't open, she merely flinched and scooted closer. Alicia shook her head in disbelief, "You're never taking first watch again."

The road ahead was unusually clear for the highway so Alicia slipped a hand off the handlebar and grasped the arm circling her waist. She told herself it was to make sure the other girl didn't fall off the bike in her sleep. When their fingers intertwined however, she wasn't so sure.

A/N: Thanks to everyone for checking out the story! The third and final chapter should be out in the next couple of days. A big shout out again to NutHeda for helping me out with editing. Please drop me a comment if you can, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on the plot or characterization or just about anything really. Have a great day and happy reading!