Francis sat outside the unguarded door of the safe house, frying pan in hand, keeping guard so Ellis could get some rest. Everything was going okay, Francis had only seen a few infected, and the other survivors who had went out scavenging hadn't been gone that long. The sun was high and hot in the sky, and soon Francis saw Coach, Rochelle, Nick, and Zoey walking up to the safe house. As they got closer, the tattooed man saw that Nick was carrying Rochelle. Had she been hurt?

"What the hell happened?" Francis asked as they got closer. Nick brought Rochelle into the house and laid her down on a make shift bed.

"Smoker." Coach answered. "The wounds don't look too bad. Her torso is pretty scraped and bruised, but I think she's just weak." He added.

"Ro, can you hear me? We're gonna get you fixed up, okay?" Francis asked and Rochelle's eyes fluttered open and she barely smiled.

"Okay." She replied. "Hurry." Francis nodded and went off to get a health pack from the kitchen. Coach gave Rochelle some much need pain killers, which she was eternally grateful for. Just then, Ellis emerged from down the stairs with sleep still apparent on his body.

"You okay Zoey?" He asked and then yawned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She answered.

"Thanks for checking on the rest of us, Overalls." Nick said jokingly, yet every word was laced with sarcasm.

"They're not overalls..." Ellis muttered under his breath.

"Okay, I think Ro's gonna be fine." Francis said as he finished wrapping her abdomen up in some clean bandages. "There's no bleeding, it'll just bruise and scab over. She just needs rest." He added.

"That's good." Zoey said.

"I'm going to take her upstairs and keep a close eye on her. Don't bother us." He said, as he picked Rochelle up bridal style and carefully carried her up the stairs. Coach sighed and sat down. He was tired of getting everyone hurt. They needed to pay better attention.

"So what's the plan for tonight? Are we moving?" Nick asked as he put his weapon down.

"I think we should stay tonight, since Ro is hurt, we'll move tomorrow." Zoey said with a nod. "I mean, we have enough supplies for a few more days, so we should be fine for another night." The young woman said.

"Good idea." Coach said with a nod. "I suppose we should make some food now... I'll do it. Y'all hungry?" He asked and got nods from the other survivors. Coach then headed to the kitchen area of the safe house to prepare some of the canned food that they found. He made enough for everyone. "Hey, Zoey, do you wanna take this to Rochelle and Francis?" Coach asked and Zoey nodded.

"I got it." She said as she grabbed two cans and headed up the stairs. She approached their door quietly and heard Francis talking.

"Listen, Ro, I don't know what it is about you, but I like you... A lot. I'm not good at talking about my feelings but, I just thought you should know how I feel. Uh, so yeah..." He said and Zoey had to suppress a laugh. Francis was growing soft on her. He had feelings for Rochelle. She then knocked on the door and walked in.

"Coach made food." She said with smile as she gave it to Francis then left. Once she left, she shut the door and heard Rochelle talking.

"I like you too, Francis." And she left it at that, and headed back downstairs.

"I'll keep watch tonight." Nick volunteered and everyone was shocked.

"You sure?" Ellis asked. "'Cause I can do it if ya want."

"No." Nick said. "I just feel like I haven't been contributing to the group like everyone else has. I don't want anyone else to get hurt..." He explained. Was this really Nick talking? What happened to asshole Nick? Had the apocalypse made everyone soft? Or maybe he was just being less selfish.

"Okay." Coach nodded. "Thanks." He said, giving the suited man a slap on the back. "Well, I'm off to bed y'all." He said as he headed upstairs.

"You coming to bed, El?" Zoey asked as she started to walk up the stairs. Ellis nodded and followed behind her. "Thanks Nick." She said and the two disappeared upstairs while Nick took a seat beside the unguarded door. There was only one room left by the time Ellis and Zoey got upstairs, and only one bed in the room. Ellis, however, wasn't even tired, so he insisted that Zoey take the bed. Zoey said that she wasn't tired yet either. The two then took a seat on the bed and Zoey smiled. "We can just stay up together then."

"Okay." Ellis said as he sat down beside her. He and Zoey had come a long way since they met.

"Why don't we get to know each other?" She suggested. "You go first." Ellis flushed red, he wasn't so good at talking about himself.

"Well, darlin', before all this happened I lived in Georgia. My buddy Keith and I worked at a car garage, I was a mechanic... Hell, I don't even know if Keith is alive. Me and him did some pretty crazy shit, life was good. I don't fancy I'd ever meet a girl like you in Georgia, eh?" Ellis chuckled. Zoey smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I lived in Pennsylvania, I was a student." She replied.

"Wow, college? Mama couldn't afford for me to go... I bet you're smart." He grinned.

"Not really, I was nearly flunking out." She admitted. "I wasn't happy there. I didn't know what I was doing with my life. I didn't have any friends, my parents really didn't talk to me... Then all this happened, and I met Bill, Francis, and Louis. They changed my life, and helped opened my eyes."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Ellis said. "I just hope when we get to Florida, something will be there... I'm ready to start over, already."

"Hey, El?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with me when we get to Florida? You're the only friend I have... I would ask Francis, but I have a feeling he'll stay with Rochelle." She asked so sweetly.

"'Course angel. I'd love to." He replied and Zoey laid her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks." She said... Then there was a comfortable silence between the two.

"One time me and my buddy Keith..." And Ellis spent the whole night telling Zoey his crazy Keith stories until she fell asleep.