Chapter Nine
The Doctor
The scene around the CDC as the caravan pulled up and, for some reason, paralleled park along a curb was quite the sight. Traveler imagined if they could send postcards right now, this scene would sum up their experiences perfectly. Here was this place where diseases came to be fully discovered and destroyed completely surrounded by disease and death with the graying clouds and outline of Atlanta in the background and not to mention the occasional corpse still walking around just really said 'wish you were here' but in a whole different way.
Everyone immediately got out of the vehicles once they came to a stop, since they were losing light quick, and Traveler climbed onto Daryl's back and held on as he gripped her ankles around his waist and held his crossbow in the other hand at the ready. They all made a beeline for the CDC that was just a short distance away, moving quietly but quickly as Shane has whispered for them to do.
The group went around the bodies that littered the grounds around the modern building that wasn't nearly close enough and swatted away the swarms of flies that had taken residency there. The smell alone was enough to make a healthy person vomit, but for Traveler she found herself digging her nose into Daryl's back and gripping his shoulders tightly to keep from actually vomiting, she already did it once this day and really didn't feel like a repeat. Even if Daryl smelled pretty bad himself having not had a proper bath nor shower in a long time, it still topped ode du decaying human any day.
"I ain't gunna drop you, loosen your grip would ya?" whispered Daryl shifting his shoulders.
"Do you want me to vomit down your back?" she asked but it was muffled by his back because she didn't want to risk moving her nose. Daryl just shifted his shoulders once more before everyone turned their attention to the shutters that were secured all around the CDC. They banged on them but got no response, it looked like they had hit a dead end.
There was a lot of shouting and Daryl was moving around a lot, Traveler heard him shoot his crossbow at once point, she didn't look up because the movement was making her queasy once more so her focus was only on not vomiting, which was feat in and of itself considering what was going on around her at the moment.
People were shouting and some more bangs happened but she couldn't help and look up when she saw a bright white light. Everyone watched the shutter rise and they had to blink in shock to make sure they were seeing what they were seeing.
Wasting no time they group poured into the building, Daryl taking the rear as instructed and taking out a few walkers that were getting too close and were drawn to the light. Traveler was feeling dizzy once more and dropped her head back down where it was not phasing Daryl in the slightest.
She heard muffled voices and conversation going but as hard as she tried she couldn't make anything out. All she knew was that soon she was being placed into a chair or something she figured it was wheel chair since she felt it moving then a wet cloth was laid on her face. She kept going in and out but when she felt a prick in her arm and blood leaving her she was out.
Things were dark, apocalyptic dark, when she regained consciousness and tried to look around her. Were they at the CDC? Were they safe? Was she finally dead? Is this what it felt like, because quite frankly she still didn't feel all that fantastic. No she could feel the throbbing on her legs, it use to be pain but she long since had gotten use to it, she was still alive. She reached up and took the damp cloth off of her forehead and placed it next to her and felt sheets, it felt almost like a hospital bed, they had to be in the CDC. Muffled voices then were heard and slowly growing, it almost sounded like…were they drunk?
Groaning, Traveler shifted and placed her legs on the ground when she kicked something and it rolled a bit. The wheel chair. She reached out and blindly felt for it before she grabbed it securely and surprisingly managed to get into it without falling on her ass like she predicted she would do. Soon she was rolling towards where the voices were growing louder and opened the door, being blinded by the light that was on in the hallway. She blinked away the spots and saw a limply walking Glenn being supported by Daryl, both were drunk and both were chuckling like mad men. Daryl then looked up and squinted before recognizing who was in front of them. Glenn noticed too and smirked at Daryl.
"Well look…hiccup…who it is. Daryl's girlfriend!" said Glenn slightly shouting the last word, which received a swat in the back of his head from the man supporting him.
"Ain't my girl friend," mumbled Daryl who was more interested in his feet at the moment.
"But she's a girl…and," Glenn paused to swallow, "she's your friend. So…she's your girlfriend."
"You're drunk," was Daryl's retort while forcefully shifting Glenn who 'oof'ed at the movement.
"Yeah man," was Glenn's reply while looking up at Daryl who looked at him, "you have…amazing eyes…"
"Daryl, I think you should get him to bed," said Traveler even though the whole scene was highly amusing.
"Right, bed," mumbled Daryl before leading Glenn down the hallway and into a room before returning shortly and stopping awkwardly in front of Traveler.
"Having a fun night?" she asked already knowing the answer.
"The doc has quite the wine selection…yeah."
"Well I'm glad you hold your alcohol better than Glenn does," she said shifting her wheel chair a bit before she noticed something about him, "hey…you look clean."
"Oh right, the best part," he said putting on a lopsided grin and squatting down in front of her.
"Better than alcohol?"
"Yep…hot," he paused for effect, "water."
"Lead the way Dixon," commanded Traveler and pointing down the hallway. He chuckled and got up before leading her down the hallway to the bathroom. He struggled to fit the wheelchair in the small room and finally just decided on picking her up and sitting her on top of the toilet seat and kicking the wheelchair out of the doorway.
"There, now…it's only a shower so I guess you'll have to sit on the floor…and there was something the doc told me…what was that?" he asked himself as Traveler looked at the different soaps and shampoos available.
"Was it how to turn the shower on because I think I can handle that," she said looking at the tap and quickly figuring out how it worked, it wasn't rocket science.
"No, he said it after he got you bandaged up….ah ha!" he said snapping and looking at her as she looked up at him, "can't get your stitches wet."
"I have stitches?" she asked before looking down at her calf and trying to see inside the bandage around it.
"Yeah and you can't get them wet so…maybe you can have your legs sticking out while you sit on the floor," he said rubbing the back of his head, "why don't they have a tub here?"
"It's fine Daryl, maybe you should go sober up a bit while I shower and I can come and find you when I'm done, okay? You're kind of freaking me out a bit if this is how you act when drunk."
"Freaking you out in a good way?" he asked leaning towards her and smirking at her with a wink.
"Is there ever a good way of freaking out?" she asked leaning back a bit.
"I'm sure there is," he said before standing up, "well if you need any help, you know, showering, I'll be nearby." He said looking her over before locking eyes with her and she furrowed her brow at him.
"Just leave and drink a gallon of water please," she said pointing to the door. He just smirked once more before leaving and closing the door behind him. "That was weird," she said as she leaned over and turned the shower on.
Daryl was right. Hot water was the best thing. Better then stitches, proper treatment of her wounds, and better then the wheel chair. There is nothing that could compare to a hot shower after weeks covered in mud, guts, and you don't even want to know what else. Knowing she had to save the water she reluctantly quickly finished and was soon just sitting in the steaming bathroom drying off the best she could.
She glared at the hospital gown she had been given before tugging it on and sighing as how uncomfortable it was. She hoped that Daryl brought her bag in so she could wear something else. With a new mission in mind, she pulled her self on the wheel chair and after successfully doing so, she made her way down the hall and came across door, after door… after door.
"Er, which one?" she asked herself trying to think about where Daryl would sleep, but she had no clue. She didn't want to just open doors either in case she saw something she really didn't want to see and probably couldn't erase from her memory.
At the end of the hall, she came to a main living room type area, almost looked like a recreational room for the CDC workers and she decided to just stay in there for a while, see what she could use to entertain herself since she didn't feel tired.
Finding some board games on a shelf she rolled over and looked at it seeing all her old childhood favourites. She was really good at board games, either that or her father used to always let her win, which was a possibility. Candyland was her favourite, but battleship was her father's favourite, and neither one could stand monopoly because it took too long.
"You know, those games need at least two people to play," said a voice from the doorway. Traveler turned her head and saw someone she didn't know but she recognized the voice from when they first entered the CDC, this must have been a the doctor that let them in.
"Is that a challenge?" she asked.
"Nothing better to do," he said walking in and over to her.
"Well I think sleeping would be better."
"Yeah, haven't been doing much of that lately. So which game?"
"Candyland," she said nodding towards it. He pulled it down and walked over to the coffee table and sat down on the sofa before it and started to set the board up as Traveler moved over to join him and made sure she could reach.
"So how many other doctors are around?" she asked as she grabbed the green person piece and placed it at the start as the doctor placed the blue piece next to hers.
"I'm the only one left," he replied with a stoic face.
"Oh, sorry," she said. There was a pause as she pulled a card and moved her piece. "What's you name?"
"Oh, sorry," he said as he quickly pulled a card and moved his piece before holding his hand out, "Dr. Jenner."
"Just call me Traveler," she replied and shook his hand before grabbing another card.
"So, Traveler, how did you end up with those wounds?" he asked while they continued to play.
"The others didn't tell you?"
"Nope, said you kept to yourself and didn't like others knowing of you. Explains why people call you Traveler instead of your real name."
"Yes. So you should know that I am not going to tell you how I got these injuries, but I will tell you that I am very thankful that you fixed me up and took us in. It is nice to feel secure for once."
"I can't imagine what it is like out there…" he trailed off.
"Hell describes it pretty accurately."
They fell into a silence as they finished their game, the doctor winning before Traveler yawned and sat back in her chair with a sigh.
"You wouldn't know where Daryl's room is would you?" she asked.
"Not a clue," he said, "I can help you find a free room though, don't think you want to go back to the check-up room, do you?"
"No, I don't, but I think I'll just stay in here. Sofa looks comfortable enough, and do you think I can get some actual clothes?" she said. Dr Jenner nodded and got up and left the room, shortly returning with a blanket, pillow, and what looked like pyjamas.
"Thank you," she said taking the pyjama set and staring at them. They were all white, she hadn't seen white this pure in such a long time, it was almost blinding to look at.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, "it is the only thing I could find."
"No, this is fine," she said softly, running her fingers over the soft material and getting a whiff of fabric softener. Things really were different. This wasn't some nightmare she would be able to wake up from, this is reality and here she was trying to survive it.
After Traveler changed, Dr. Jenner helped her onto the sofa and made sure she was comfortable before turning the light out, but before he left the room completely Traveler called out.
"Doctor," she said. He paused and she was able to hear that he didn't leave yet, "I know it is hard, not knowing who you can trust and not knowing what is safe, but what you did today, taking us in, it was a good decision, even if you are regretting it. You might have just saved my life, and for that I am grateful. Just know, that even in this world of hatred and horrible moral choices, in our eyes, you did the right thing."
There was a long pause.
"Get some sleep," he said before leaving the room.
…
A/n: I know it has been a while, but writer's block hit me hard, as did life and I had to priorites in line so yeah. It is even more sad that I've had half this chapter written for months now, but really didn't know where to go with this.
Anyway, I would just like to point out that I based drunk Daryl on sober Norman Reedus, just because I thought it would be interesting to see that contrast between personalities and honestly how great of an actor the man is.
Thank you for reading.
-Charlotte
