Summery: (AU) Carmen's life couldn't get any better, she had two parents that loved her and would die for her. They got her anything she wanted and her father taught her how to hunt and survive in the wilderness when he was home. When he wasn't home, he was away at a job as a soldier for a top secret organization he wasn't allowed to talk about. Not that she minded.

Of course her life turned upside down as a plague was spread that caused the dead to come back to life. No one was prepared for it and now with the help of her family and new strange friends, Carmen has to survive and find a cure.

If there even is a cure...

A/N: This story WILL NOT go along with the movies. The first happened, but that is it. As far as the second and third, Sam found the Allspark sliver and that was it. In this story, the Allspark sliver was used to revive Jazz. That is the only thing related to ROTF and DOTM. (Also I don't own anything except for my OC(s).)

Some time later, I felt someone shaking my shoulder lightly, bringing me out of my restless sleep. Groaning, I looked over to see it was Sheen who was the one to wake me.

"Hey, we're stopping for a bit," he told me before getting out.

Looking out the window, I saw we were at a gas station that looked nearly rundown and almost out of business. Rubbing my eyes while fumbling for the door handle for a second, I opened it and stepped out. Putting my hand on the gull door, I pushed on it lightly to close it, not really paying attention to how easy it closed and walked over to daddy where he were standing over a map spread out over the hood of the silver Pontiac with everyone except mama, Mrs. Lennox, and Annabell. As I approached, daddy looked up to smile at me.

"Hey, kiddo, how you feeling?" He asked as he stepped away from the group.

I looked down at me feet and shuffled them a bit before looking back up at him. "I've been better."

Daddy nodded his head before motioning toward the gas station, "Why don't you go join your mom, Sarah, Annabell and help them gather some food and supplies?" I nodded and moved off to the gas station's small store to do as he told me.

Opening the door and stepping in, a small bell rang as it was hit when the door opened and closed. Looking around, I noted the blood spatter on the checkout counter before looking on and found Mrs. Lennox not to far away in one of the aisles and walked over to her.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked once I reached her.

She took a couple plastic bags she was holding and handed them to me. "Grab everything you can and put as much in the bags, we need both food and medicine so don't leave anything. If you need more bags, there's some behind the counter, just make sure Anna doesn't go back there when you do."

Taking the bags, I did as she told and started putting the medicine in the bags. "What about the owner?"

Sarah paused and let out a sigh, looking to the counter before going back to stuffing her bags. "We don't have to worry about him."

"He was one of them, wasn't he?" I asked quietly. My only answer was silence as Mrs. Lennox continued to stuff her bags.

Why is this happening? I thought bitterly. What did we do to deserve this kind of judgement? As I thought that, what it is we might have done came to the front of my mind.

War.

Murder.

Not willing to help those in poverty.

Selfishness.

But what about those who do good in the world, to make it different? Why are they being punished too?

As I was lost in thought, I made my way to the back of the store to grab some of the candy there and smiled when I saw Annabell eating some gummy worms. Not paying attention to my surrounding, I didn't notice a door in the back was open a crack. Opening a new bag and grabbing a handful of candy, I stuffed it into the now open bag. I was reaching to grab another handful when I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise, freezing me in place.

Turning around, my eyes widened as I let out a shriek of surprise and maybe a little fear as I saw a corpse lurch at me. I heard Annabell scream behind me as I lurched backward, away from the dead man. I fell onto my back as I fumbled for my one of my pistols with stiff fingers. Just as it lurched forward to fall on me, I pulled out my gun and without aiming, shot it. My ears rang as the loud bounced off of the walls

The corpse lurched back as it was shot in the shoulder but was quickly trying to get to me. Just as it shifted forward again, a body slammed into it, sending it crashing into the wall. Looking with wide eyes, I watched as Ron slammed an axe into the things head, killing it and in the process, spraying blood everywhere. Feeling something grab my arm, I quickly pointed my gun at whatever was trying to grab me.

Jazz recoiled and held his hands up in surrender. "Whoa there, little lady! No need ta get hostile."

I quickly lowered my gun and let him help me up as mama and daddy rushed to my side to see if I was okay. I told them I was fine and no I wasn't bit or scratched, I was just a little shaken up from surprise. What I didn't tell them was I just wanted a hug.

Looking to the back, I watched as Mr. Lennox, Ron and Sheen move into the back room with guns out and pointing them around as they slowly entered. A few tense minutes later with Mrs. Lennox and Annabell now sitting in the big black truck out front, the three men came back out to the front of the store saying it was all clear.

"Alright," Mr. Lennox spoke up. "Ron, Jazz, or Sheen, I don't care who, but I want one of you to stay with Annabell and someone else to stay with Carmen at all times, don't let either out of your sights that way we don't have a repeat of this." The three he was talking to nodded their heads in understanding and Ron turned to walk out of the gas station, most likely to check on Mrs. Lennox and Annabelle.

Putting my gun back in its holster, I returned to gathering food, trying to forget what happened, though not succeeding very well. I finished quickly, not uttering a word to Jazz, who stayed behind to keep an eye on me like he was told to.

Once the store was cleared out of everything except for the alcohol, tobacco products, and anything perishable like the milk and ice cream, I sat curled up in Sheen's car. Oddly enough, as I tried to sink deeper in the warm comfortable seats, I felt comforted and got the feeling I was safe in here even if the outside world was on the other side of the door and breakable glass. Suddenly I got an urge, so looking over to see Sheen still outside talking to Jazz as they kept an eye on things while Mr. Lennox and Ron were inside going through the back to find anything useful in there. Seeing he wasn't coming over anytime soon, I climbed into the driver's seat, grinning like a kid in a candy store as my hands wandered over the smooth leather.

I may not to familiar with the newer fancy cars like I am with the older ones, but I know a Corvette when I see one. I wished I had the keys though so I could take it for a test drive and push it to its limits. Sinking in the soft seats with a smile, I let my mind wander and go places I couldn't.

I sat there for a while, not paying attention to what was happening outside of the car. At least I wasn't until the door opened, making me jump and pull my gun out and point it outside. I blinked up at a grinning Sheen who was leaning against his car on one arm.

"Planning on going somewhere? Because I know a lot of great vacation places where the waters are great and the sun is warm and great for tans or are you the type that likes the cold?" He grinned.

I lowered my gun slowly and half closed an eye in confusion. What? I guess I said that out loud because he started laughing, making me even more confused.

He quieted down and opened his fist on the arm he was leaning on and dangled the keys. "So you going to drive or am I?" I contemplated the question with a frown before putting my gun away and reaching up to snatch the keys from him. "I'll take that as a yes." He moved away from the door and closed it before making his way to the passenger side.

Once he was in and the door closed, I turned over the engine and grinned at the sound of the roaring engine, deciding I liked it. Putting it in drive, I followed after Mr. Lennox who was driving Mrs. Lennox's silver truck with Jazz right behind and my parents behind him while Ron drove at the front in the big black truck.

As I drove, I couldn't keep the smile off of my lips even if I tried -which I wasn't.

Done. Hope you liked it. :)

Please leave a review and fav or follow. I really appreciate them and they encourage me to try and write faster.

(P.S. Don't mind the terrible chapter names, I'm still new at making them.)