Hello readers and welcome to my new chapter. Sorry for the long wait, but I had a bad case of writer's block with this chapter. Here, we're gonna begin with the group driving to the CDC. Also, another change will be here that will show in the beginning. Something I didn't see anyone else did. So, enjoy.

P.S. I've been trying to make separate POV for each character, but I decided to stop now. It'll just be easier to just combine their POV.

Disclaimer: I do not own AMC the Walking Dead.

S1 Episode 8

The morning has been eventful. Not as eventful as last night which was downright terrifying, but still eventful.

First, they found out Jim got bit. After that, Rick, Shane, Daryl and a few others discuss what to do about it. Daryl was all for killing Jim before he turned, and was about to put an axe to his head before Rick stopped him by pointing a gun to his head. During all that, Rick suggested that the CDC might help Jim, with Shane disagreeing with Rick on that. But in the end, the group agreed with Rick.

Shane attempted to persuade Beth to convince Rick that it was a bad idea, but she was fully with Rick on this. There has to be hope somewhere, and Beth believed Rick and his hope and that they should at least try and find out if there was anything or anyone left to help them, save them or whether there was a cure. And more than anything, she didn't trust Shane that much anymore.

Right now, the remaining group are driving to Atlanta where the building of the CDC is located. Beth is in a car with Rick, Carl, Sophia, Carol, and Alex, Lori is driving with Shane, Daryl is on Merle's motorcycle, the Morales family are together in their own car, and the rest are in Dale's van with Dale driving.

Beth really hoped that the CDC will help them, will help Jim. She really prayed all this effort would be for nothing.

But after travelling several miles away from the camp they left behind, the RV ended up needing to be fixed again. And during that time, Jim told Rick that he wanted to stay in the area. For the group to leave him.

The fever only got worse as they drove, so much that Jim couldn't take anymore driving. He wanted to stay there, to be with his family. So now, Shane and Rick are carrying Jim to one of the trees whilst everyone sadly watches.

"Another goddamn tree." Beth heard Jim muttered to himself.

After that, Jacqui and Dale, the two that are closest to Jim, gave him a few last words. Shane asked one last time if this was what he really wants - Jim confirmed. Rick offered Jim a gun, but the man refused, saying that he'll need it. One last look, everyone turned back towards the waiting cars

Rick had squatted down, placed his hand on Jim's shoulder and gave it a squeeze, closing his eyes and looking down not wanting to leave Jim behind but respecting the man's wishes. Jim turned his face to look at Rick noting he was a good man, a man who searched for his family and found them when all odds were against him. He wanted to be able to do that, find his family and be with them now. It wouldn't take much longer, the fever was consuming his body. Jim reaches up patting the deputy's hand telling him - it was okay, he was okay and that it was time for them to go. Looking up, squinting his eyes to see the sun going down. In a few hours it would be nightfall and those corpses will be lurking in darkness, never sleeping. And night time out in the open was the most dangerous. They needed to get to the CDC before they were surrounded.

"It's time." Is all Jim says.

Rick nods his head in understanding, gives one last squeeze before letting go and leaves without a word walking towards his car. Carl was peeping from behind the back window to see Jim just sitting there and his dad making his way back, upset that there was nothing he could do. Carol turns back around wiping her eyes not able to watch anymore, Alex takes her hand and squeezes it. She smiles knowing she had Alex and Sophia, the two most important people in her life. She sniffs and then makes the children sit back in their seats.

Beth was standing by the open door waiting for Rick, eyes brimmed with tears but not allowing them to fall. When Rick makes it to Beth, she buries herself into Rick's chest wrapping her arms around his waist as he wraps his arms around her back and presses a lingering kiss into her hair. Knowing, they needed to go, Rick turns Beth around and helps her into the car and makes his way to the driver's seat.

Jim sits there and watches each car file out and drive off into the stretch of road. Daryl moves on his bike, cuts his eyes to Jim and gives him a sorrowful nod and follows the cars. Jim sat there listening to the rumble of Daryl's motorbike catching up to the cars and taking lead at the front. He prayed his friends make it to the CDC.

Rick takes one last look into the rear-view mirror before turning out to a new stretch of road to see Jim had closed his eyes and he knew he needed to get to the CDC quick. To find out what they were really up against. He couldn't let this happen to Carl, to Beth or to any of the people in his group.

-TWD-

Soon, everyone got to the compound of the CDC building. Everyone got out of the car, all of them tense when they saw a mass of dead walkers. The group huddle up the together, with those with a weapon surrounding the others and Rick in the lead.

"Keep moving." Rick told everyone as they got closer to the building. "Stay together. Keep an eye out for anything." When they got to the building, they saw that all the shutters are down. Shane reached Rick's side and pounded the door, trying to get somebody's attention.

Many hearts dropped at seeing this. "There's nobody here." T-Dog said in disbelief.

"Then why are the shutters close?" Rick countered. If they're close, there must be somebody in there to close them in the first place.

"Walkers!" Daryl warned, as several walkers rise up from the ground. With no hesitation, he lifted his crossbow and shot a walker through the head. It went down, but the others are still coming. "You led us in a graveyard!" He shouted towards Rick.

When Daryl step towards Rick, Shane push him back. "He made a call."

"It was the wrong damn call!"

"One that everyone agreed, so don't waste time pointing fingers!" Alex countered before shooting a walker down. He kept his sister behind him. "Any plans? Cause we need another, like right now!" As the group discuss another plan, Alex is nearly growling in frustration.

Damn these things. Damn the virus that cause the dead to rise up. His life so far was focused on protecting Sophia and his mom from anything that could harm them. Now, the job has gotten a whole lot harder.

Soon, the group decided to leave and think of something. When Alex look back up at the building in frustration, he notice something. The camera moved. It moved.

And apparently, Rick saw it too. "Rick, let's go." Shane told him, but the former cop wasn't budging.

Rick look towards the others. "The camera, it move." He told them, but Shane merely sighed.

"You must be imagining thing."

"The camera, it moved. I saw it." Rick insisted.

Everyone was hesitant to believe him, even Beth. Alex knew that it was time to speak up. "Rick's right. I saw the camera move too."

"Then it's probably automatic." Shane insisted. "Rick, we need to move." But he and Alex didn't listen. Instead, the two of them started banging on the shutter, trying to tell who's in there to let them all in.

It was chaos, with the walkers limping and snarling at the group, said group trying to pull Alex and Rick, and the two trying to get the person inside to open the door.

The two try shouting, pleading, and cursing (In Alex case) before the group manage to pull them back. But just before they left, the shutter suddenly opened. All of them turn around to see the interior of the building.

They were still for a second before they all went in, with Rick in the front and all of them drawn, in case it's some type of trap. Daryl cover the back, incase any walkers try to come. But that didn't seem necessary cause when everybody got in, the shutters close up behind them.

"Hello?" Rick called out, trying to see if anybody's in here. They then heard the cocking of a gun, and look to see a man coming up to them, with a lab coat on and a assault rifle in his hands.

"Anybody infected?" The man asked all of them, settling his eyes on Rick.

"One of our group was." Rick answered. "He didn't make it."

"Why are you here?" The man then asked. "What do you want?"

Rick didn't hesitate to answer. "A chance."

"That's a lot to give these days."

"I know." Rick waited for the man, probably a scientist, to say something or to put the gun down. Finally, the man lower his gun, but still kept it in his hand.

"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of submission." He told them all. Rick agreed to this, seeing no problem with a blood test. "You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door close, it stays closed."

Rick look around to see that everyone all get their stuff with them, so there's no need to go back to the cars. With that, everyone follow the scientist, with Beth and Carl staying at Rick's side. Beth have a small smile on her face. They finally found a safe place to be in. And hope to go with it.

-TWD-

Rick's group soon found out that his name Dr. Edwin Jenner. They also found out that he's the only scientist left in the facility, with only a VI helping him around. After seeing the underground facility, Jenner had them all take a blood test, something that Andrea questioned since none of them are showing signs of being infected.

Jenner countered by saying that he already book every single rule in the book by bringing them here, so he wants to be sure. As he did the blood test, he found that everyone is tired and starving.

Which leads them to the feast they're having now.

Apparently, Jenner still have plenty of food and drinks left, due to being the only one here and only eating a minimum amount of food while he was working. So the whole group get to enjoy some good food, and some wine for the adults.

It brought everyone to a great mood, talking animatedly to one another, like the world hasn't gone into an undead apocalypse. And currently, some of the adults are trying to convince Lori to let Carl try some wine. "You know, in France parents lets kids Carl's age try a small glass." Dale suggested to Lori.

"Alright, so when Carl get to France, I'll let him try some." Lori remarked. Alex snorted a little as he took a sip of water. He, Beth, Amy, and the other kids are the only ones who didn't get wine. The kids have obvious reasons while Amy and Beth don't like bitter stuff, so they chose not to drink any.

"Come on Lori." Rick spoke up. "A little isn't going to hurt him." Lori sigh before reluctantly giving Carl a bit of wine, but she's still smiling. Carl took a sip of the alcohol, and after a few seconds, he grimace in disgust.

"Ew." He announced loudly, getting laughter and giggles from the others. "Yuck." Carl gagged while Lori took his cup and put the wine in her own cup.

Shane is also laughing at this. "I stick to soda pop bud."

"Not you Glenn." Daryl said, putting the bottle in front of the Korean. "I want to see your face turn red." Beth giggle at the scene. She can see that most of them are getting a bit drunk from the wine, but not too much yet.

Morales shook his head with a smile. "You're cruel Dixon, you know that?" The redneck didn't confirm nor deny that statement.

Carl turn to the other kids. "Hey Alex, Sophia, Louis, Elisa, how about you guys try it? See how bad it is?" Louis and Eliza look at their parents, wanting to see if they could.

The father turn to Miranda about this, who sigh in amusement. "Once, and only a little bit." Louis and Eliza grin at this while Alex shook head.

"Count me out of it, thanks." Alex told them, satisfied with only having the food and water. He tried alcohol before, but it wasn't willingly. He's not eager to try any form of the stuff again, after getting alcohol poisoning from Ed.

"Same." Sophia said meekly, knowing how bad alcohol is. She hasn't tried it, thanks to her mom and Alex, but she saw her brother get hurt because of it.

Eliza and Louis took sips of the wine as well. After a few seconds, Eliza gagged in disgust while Louis spit it out in his cup, getting laughter from the adults and their friends.

"Hey, hey." Rick called out to everyone, raising his cup. "I don't think we thank our host properly."

"Oh, he is more than our host." T-Dog spoke up, joining Rick.

"Booyah!" Daryl shouted, and everyone agreed and thank Jenner for doing all this. Jenner accept all of this calmly, being the only one, while polite, not in a cheerful mood.

"So, doc." Shane spoke up, looking at the doctor. "The CDC is suppose to be filled with scientists, trying to look for a cure for all of this. Yet, only you're here. Why?"

That got everyone quiet, even the children. "Shane." Rick said to his friend. "Not now. It's not the time. We're celebrating."

But Shane is persistent about this. "Hold on, we got here to see if there's a cure for this right? An end of all the walkers? Yet," Shane turn to Jenner. "We only got him. So again, why?"

Jenner was quiet for a moment, before speaking. "Many of the scientists left the building, wanting to find their family." Jenner began his tale. "Others didn't make it to the door, after seeing what's out. Chose to opt out."

Everyone is silent after Jenner told what happened to the other scientists. "And what about you?" Shane questioned. "Why are you still here?"

Jenner took a sip of his drink. "I don't have any family out there, and as you can see, I didn't choose the easy way out. So I just stayed here, trying to do good as much as possible."

The silence is deafening around the place. The happiness had been sucked away from everyone, after the small story. "You're such a buzzkill man." Glenn muttered to Shane, slouching on the table.

"I second that." Alex muttered, twisting his food around. He suddenly doesn't have his appetite anymore, despite starving to death on the way here. He doubt anyone here does after that tale.

Eventually though, everyone manage to continue and then finish eating. Jenner than led them to the other rooms. "The room at the front are filled with book and games that will keep the kids busy." Jenner told them all. "Don't turn anything electronic on though. Also, the rooms are filled with beds and showers of your own." As he left, he added the last line. "Go easy on the hot water."

That stopped everyone on their track. "Hot water?" Glen asked, like he couldn't believe.

"That's what the man said." T-Dog said, grinning. No one hesitated to find a room, and going easy on the water is the last thing on their mind.

Shane was about to enter the bathroom and take a shower himself, along with getting drunk, when he heard Lori behind him. "Shane?" The man stop and turn to the black haired woman. "Can I talk to you?"

Shane raise an eyebrow. "Weren't you the one that said to stay away from you? And also your family?" Shane remarked, turning towards her. "Being in the car together was awkward enough."

Lori close her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for overreacting." Lori said told him, keeping eye contact. "Just seeing Rick alive, when you told me he was dead, was a bit overwhelming. I wanted answers, and wasn't thinking clearly."

Shane was silent for a moment before speaking. "You honestly thought I would leave my best friend in there, if I knew he was alive?" Shane asked her. "Lori, I thought he was dead. When the hospital got attack, everything was turned off. I listen to Rick's heart, and I couldn't hear anything. I didn't know why, but I didn't. I-"

"Shane, it's okay." Lori interrupted, stopping him from rambling. "I believe you. Like I said, I overreacted. Can we still be together?"

Shane furrow his eyebrows in thought, something clearly in his mind. "Just answer me this." Shane told her. "Do you still love Rick?"

Lori shook her head. "Shane, we were divorced a year ago. I may have love him before, but I don't now."

Shane wonders if that's true. While he isn't a cop for anything, and could pick up lies from people, Lori also knows how to lie thank to formally marrying a cop for years. But he'll let it go. For now.

While that conversation was happening, Beth is entering the showers with a happy sigh. She haven't felt a hot shower in a long time, and feels so nice on her skin. It felt even nicer when Rick came in with her, his chest on her back and his arms wrapped around her waist. She snuggle into him nicely as the two wash themselves and each others.

For the moment, Beth isn't reminded that the world has ended. Happy things filled her mind for the night.

And that's the end. I hope all of you liked it. And what do you think of the Morales family staying with Rick's group? I never seen any Walking Dead authors do this before, so I wanted to try. And I'm gonna make sure they'll be relevant to the plot, don't worry.

If you guys were disappointed with what happen between Shane and Lori, sorry about that. I don't really like writing about them all that much. Shane is one of my least favorite characters, though his character is good, while Lori isn't really my favorite either. I'll probably won't write them together as much through the story. And also, I'm gonna make sure to add more Rick/Beth. I'm glad to add a bit of it in here, especially at the end.

Again, I hope you all like this chapter. Review, favorite, and follow and I will see you later.