A/N hey all There have been some changes to this story it has gone through a bit of a rewrite, it's never quite good enough in my head so some things have been changed. The character of Kelsey is now Olivia, and there will be more drama down they way. please bear with me while at first it may not seem like im useing the valve universe I have just been trying to work it in. that being said, I do not own left 4 dead or its characters, only this group of survivors, that honor belongs to Valve. please review, constructive critisicim is always appreciated, it makes us better writers. and now without further blah from me, on to the story.

Temporary Insanity

If someone had told Tyler three weeks ago that he would be traveling in an armored minivan laughing hysterically at the thought of being a serial killer, he would have laughed and probably had them committed. But as it was only found himself laughing harder like a deranged lunatic with his equally crazy companion. Considering the situation, Temporary insanity maybe a good thing. He thought. He looked over at his companion. He was a little concerned about her. He had been watching her closely since the incident at the hospital. It made him a little nervous that she hadn't even blinked when she had shot that man. Like she had said, she didn't even blink. Tyler was sure that she was retreating into herself; it wasn't like he knew her all that well. Even before the apocalypse for lack of a better word. In class, she always was always able to make him laugh with her cynical witticism. He chuckled he remembered a class where they were talking about Catholicism and its view on homosexuality. He couldn't remember the majority of the class. But he did remember that she had gotten incredibly defensive, and had made some snarky comment about how the biggest homophobes usually where gay themselves. That had shut them up. Tyler laughed. It was only then that he realized that she had said something. And his laughter was inappropriate.

"Sorry" he said "I was somewhere else." That got him a half smile.

"Its fine, I understand." She said, "I was asking to see if you had any problems with going out to that farmhouse I was talking about." He shrugged it sounded like a sound plan, better than anything else they could do for the time being. There hadn't been any news on the radio, from the military. And frankly he couldn't come up with a better plan, and he was pretty sure that the other two that they were traveling with wouldn't be able to come up with anything helpful.

"No I think it's a better plan that any other option we have. We can decide what to do from there."

Olivia nodded.

"Great it's going to take us about an hour to get there maybe more, depending on how bad they route is. I might just take the back ways to be safe; you know out in the boonies, there should be fewer zombies."

"Well there is no guarantee that we won't be bombarded by those bastards. Just cause it's in the Boonies don't mean there won't be zombies. In fact every bit of zombie culture tells us that there will be."Tyler said. "I mean every zombie flick I've ever seen, the country always has terrible zombie infestation."

"Right cause that makes a lot of sense, less population means more zombies, yeah I totally get it." she snickered. "So when we get there first order of business should be searching the house, I don't want any surprise guests you know."

"Yeah agreed. Then I suppose we should barricade entrances, and then move supplies indoors." He paused. "This isn't my first shindig, you know"

Olivia chuckled, "of course forgive my impertinence."

Oh that's better that's smart ass I know. Tyler thought. I hope she doesn't lose that. "How much longer till we get there?"

"About a half hour, hopefully."

"Ok well I'm going to go inform our companions, Shit! We never bothered to ask them their names."

"Oh yes how terribly rude of me I completely forgot my manners. How appalling."

"You're such an ass." He said has he made to get out of his seat, but was thrown back into it, as she swerved the car, perhaps a little more then necessary. He gave her a wounded look, and she just smiled innocently at him.

"What?" She smirked.

Tyler just laughed and punched her playfully on the arm. He made his way to the back of the van to sit beside their companions. "So I'm sure you heard part of our conversation, and since we can't very well keep calling each other 'hey you', my name his Tyler, and that's Olivia, and you are?"

"Charles." The man said.

"Jane." The woman said softly.

"Well Jane, Charles, because we haven't heard any news from the military, we have to find a safe place to hole up for a while, so we can regroup, and come up with a solid plan. Olivia has a place in mind, it's a farmhouse that her friends own, its out in the country and from what it sounds like will be a good place to bunker down. When we get there, we have to clear the house then spend the rest of the day barricading it and making it "zombie resistant". "

Charles nodded, "sure thing." Jane just sat there. She hasn't said much, since we found her, almost catatonic. Although it looks like Charles has taken to her. I hope that he doesn't get too attached to her and then has to shoot her. God morbid much? Come on man pay attention to the task at hand.

"So anyway I just wanted to let you know what was going on, we should be there in a half hour." Tyler said before moving back to his seat in the front. He rested his head on the window staring out at the overturned cars and the random zombies who were gnawing away at each other. God that makes me sick. Please don't let me change like that. His thoughts went back to the man Olivia had shot in the hospital, his pallor had already started to change, and he had started rocking unconsciously. Tyler shuddered when he remembered the way his hands had clawed at the wound on his arm, worsening it, the almost ravenous look starting to creep into his eyes. I meant it when I said I hope she would do the same for me. He shivered a little. "I could use a smoke, you have any."

She grinned at him, "yeah I realized when you were making the introductions" she smirked "that I had my emergency pack in the glove box."

"God you are a life saver. Want me to light you one too?"

"Sure." Tyler opened the glove box to find not one but 3 pack of Camels wides. "Wow, you are prepared."

"Shut up I chain smoke when I stress, and the very nature of emergency is stress."

"Teasing, defensive much?" Tyler opened a pack pulled out two lit and handed her one. They smoked the rest in silence, the occasional sharp jerk, to avoid a car or crew of zombies. It wasn't much longer till they turned into the drive of the farm. There was a banged up car parked out front. He heard a sharp intake of breath come from the driver seat.

"What's up?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I don't want to get my hopes up, but that's my friend Vi's car."

Tyler nodded; he hoped that it was her friend and that they wouldn't have to fight someone for use of the house. Or even worse that her friend was infected and she would have to kill her. I don't know if she could survive that.

"We still do this as planned. We clear the house first." She said. Tyler only stared. Damn she is one tough broad. Remind me never to piss her off. She threw the car into park and grabbed her handguns, and bat. Tyler tossed her shotgun, while he gathered his M16 and opened his door. The back slid open and Charles and Jane jumped out. They made their way to the wrought iron door. It was unlocked. Olivia gently pulled the door open, and softly made her way inside. They moved quietly through the downstairs, checking the rooms, just when they were about to check the upstairs they could hear movement from above them. Tyler felt himself holding his breath as they moved silently up the stairs, pausing at every sound. The first room, empty, just the last door, Tyler could hear movement behind the door. He gently pushed the door open, Olivia right behind him. They moved inside the door, when they heard movement coming from the left side of the room, then a quiet,

"I hope Olivia makes it here. She should have already gotten here." It was a woman's voice, and apparently Olivia recognized it because as soon as she heard it she straightened up and said,

"Well you would be late to if you had to go scavenging for supplies."

This was greeted with a whoop of elation as he saw two people; a man and a woman come belting around the corner to bring her into a hug.

"Dude what took you, and who are these people." The man said.

"Dude I told you supplies, they're down in the van, and this is Tyler, Charles, and Jane, We have been traveling together." She paused scanning the others faces. "Where is everybody else?"

The woman looked down at her feet, "we lost them early. Jessica got pulled down by a group of them, while we were trying to escape the apartment complex. And we lost Erin not long after in the parking lot. She had gotten bitten, she waited for us to get to the car before, she said goodbye, and shot herself." She said sadly. Olivia looked sad for a moment.

"Oh."

"Yeah." There was a stretch of silence, before the man spoke up.

"As much as it sucks, we can't dwell right now." Olivia and the woman nodded. "so we need to get this place barricaded, I spotted some metal sheeting and drywall in the garage that we can use to cover windows, till we get the chance to get out to the hanger and salvage what we can from there, oh and by the way, I'm Carver and this is Vi. And now that introductions are out of the way I suggest we get to work." Carver said. There was a general murmur of assent, and they spent the rest of the day boarding up the house the best they could.