A/N: So people, here's the next chapter. I'm sorry for the long way, but I have been rather tired (the same goes for my Beta reader) as school has started again and I have had so much homework (it started last week). Oh and one question, would you people like to see Derek return? More I won't say for now, so please enjoy and tell me what you think.
xxx
He turned back to watch the sight in front of him and he noticed how Arthur hung half out window, blinking startled at Merlin. 'You're back.'
Merlin nodded and Arthur helped the raven back into the hall. The others quickly circled around him and he gulped once before he said. 'I found Jack, he's bitten.'
Merlin watched the others as they took in those words. Jack, their leader, was bitten, which they all knew was a death sentence. Emmy let out a silent sob as she buried her face in her husband's shoulder, Philip's face just hardened, but you could see a hint of sadness in his old eyes. Tears just rolled over Jenny's face, even as young as she was she knew what being bitten meant, her young innocent life being hardened by this wicked world. The last he looked at was Arthur, he just sighed sadly, he and Arthur had known the man the shortest, but both admired him and it was so painful for both of them.
The raven again cleared his throat. 'He hasn't changed yet, but I don't think it will be long. He's on the roof, we better go to him. He probably needs a friendly face before he... turns.'
None of them reacted for a moment until Arthur clapped his hands. 'Come, we have to act now, we have to leave.' The blond told the others and they all nodded, knowing that Arthur would probably be their new leader. Arthur turned to him. 'Is it safe to go over the roof?'
He nodded. 'Yes, but there are zombies in the garage and our car is missing, only the SUV is there, but...' He eyed their group, they were with the five of them. 'It is probably big enough for all of us.' It hurt to know that they had lost part of their group, lost their new friends.
Merlin was again the first person to go out of the window, slowly walking over the edge. He glanced back, seeing how Jenny nervously followed him and held out his hand. The little girl glanced up at him and smiled silently as she took his hand, holding it tight because she was afraid of heights.
He helped Jenny over the ridge before he jumped again on the roof, his eyes immediately shot towards Jack, the man lay in the same place where he had left the man. His eyes closed and his face was one filled with pain, it was clear Jack was trying to hold it off as long as possible.
He reached for the little girl, helping her down onto the roof and immediately she shot past him and towards Jack. 'Jack, Jack, Jack!' She yelled and Merlin flinched as he heard her loud voice.
The man's eyes opened themselves slowly, slightly unfocused before they settled themselves on the young girl next to him. 'Shh... you should be quiet, we don't want them to hear.' He said softly.
She let out a sob and nodded. 'Y-yeah... am sorry.'
'It's fine... Where are the others?'
Merlin walked into his eyesight and the two men smiled softly at each other, both not needing any words. Soon the others also made their way onto the roof, Emmy immediately ran towards Jack, just like Jenny tears rolled over her cheeks. 'Oh, Jack...' She whispered.
In the corner of his eye he noticed how Arthur made his way towards him. 'So what do you plan on doing next?' Merlin asked.
Arthur breathed in deeply before he answered. 'The same as it was before, but only... with less people.' He finished as he looked at Merlin. 'You know that we have to kill him, right?'
'Yes, just like Anne... but not in front of Jenny and preferably not in front of Emmy either, they shouldn't have to see anymore of this.'
The blond nodded. 'Yeah...'
It was then that Jack couched loudly, his whole body shivering as his voice started to hitch. 'I... I w-won't be able-.' His words were cut off as he arched his back, his eyes filled with pure pain. '... I fear... I-I have to... say g-goodbye.'
'Jack, Jack!' Jenny pleaded as Jack's body went limp. Merlin quickly reached forwards, pulling the young girl away from the man, the man she had probably seen as a father ever since all of this happened.
Philip glanced up at Arthur, trying to hide the tears that were spread in his eyes. 'What do you want us to do now?'
'We get to the car.' Philip nodded as he pulled both his wife and Jenny with him, the little girl still sobbing as she tried to reach for Jack.
'You go too.' Arthur said softly to Merlin. 'I will handle... Jack.' The last word was barely more than a whisper.
Merlin bit his lip. 'You sure about that, I know that you became rather close with him and-.'
'I'm not going to let you do it, just go and calm Jenny down, she needs you.'
Both their heads shot around, as a low groan spread over the roof. Jack's body was slowly starting to restart itself, but this time it was a soulless body. Arthur glanced once more at him before his lips tightened together and he shoved Merlin towards the others.
Merlin glanced back at Arthur as the blond leaned over Jack, a knife in his hand. He sighed deeply as he turned around, pulling Jenny towards his chest, knowing that it was something that she shouldn't see and he heard the sickening sound of bone breaking. He didn't look back, he just stared up at Philip who was also looking the other way. 'How many of them are in the garage?'
It shook Philip out of his thoughts and he took glanced at the garage again, before answering. 'Three inside, couple more outside, but they won't notice us if we keep quiet.'
'B-but we can't leave Jack.' Jenny sobbed at them.
Merlin felt as if his heart broke hearing her words, did she still truly believe that... that... He couldn't even finish his own words. 'He wants us to go without him.' He ended with a smile, knowing that lies were the best he could give her at the moment.
He looked up and saw Arthur walk towards them, a dark expression spread over his face. 'It's now or never.' The blond said as he looked down at Merlin. Merlin and the others just nodded as they followed their new leader.
Arthur carefully jumped off the roof, landing with a soft thump on the ground. Merlin soon followed and jumping down. His eyes scanned the area before he turned around and helped Jenny down as Philip handed her to him. Second, he helped Emmy down, the older woman was clearly not as flexible anymore. Philip was the last one to come down.
Merlin turned back, quickly driving his knife into one of the undead's skull. He turned back and noticed that Arthur had already taken care of the other two, but it was clear that they hadn't gone unnoticed, the low groans of the undead came closer, together with the soft shuffling of feet.
Arthur also heard it as his head snapped around as he hissed to the others. 'Get in the car!' The others just nodded and Merlin threw the keys to Philip who was standing closest to the door. He quickly followed, while Arthur watched their backs.
But he had barely made it to the car when his eyes blinked in surprise at the rear of the car, he was sure that he had closed the backdoor when they had finished packing yesterday, he was one of the last to leave, but no one else had been... His eyes widened in shock. Derek must have been through here when he snuck out.
His eyes snapped back to Philip who was opening the door to the driver's seat. 'No!' He screamed loudly as he tried to stop the man, but he was already too late.
Philip pulled the car door open as his eyes traveled to Merlin, frowning because he didn't know why the raven was screaming, but he didn't have much time to think about it as his head slammed against the garage wall. A zombie had jumped out of the car, eying the man's flesh before he let his teeth sink in.
Merlin stared in horror as he heard Philip scream in pain, flesh being ripped out of his shoulder. He tightened his grip on the handle of his knife as he ran forward, embedding the knife again and again in the undead's head, but he already knew that he was too late, Philip was infected.
The zombie rolled unmoving to the side, but Merlin had eyes only for the heavily breathing Philip, Emmy sobbing loudly into his untouched shoulder, she also knew his fate.
'Merlin?' He heard Arthur ask behind him. Merlin just shook his head in answer, knowing that the blond would understand. Still Arthur didn't have much time to keep his attention on Philip because more undead were already walking towards them.
It was when Philip also noticed the undead that his eyes shifted toward Merlin, taking his hand in a tight grip. 'Please...' He breathed out. 'Kill me, I don't want to become one of them and you can't waste anymore time... You have to move now.' He said almost all of this in one long breath, his eyes hard and determined.
'No, no please don't, there must be something else we can do!' Emmy screamed as she grabbed his arm, pulling down the knife that Merlin had lifted.
'Shhh... My dear...' Her husband whispered as he tried to give her a reassuring smile. '... My time is finished, just go with them...' He almost pleaded. 'Please save me from my misery.'
Merlin glanced at Emmy who was staring at the man she loved, it seemed like she was deep in thought, but she quickly looked at Merlin. 'I will do it.' She whispered to him before she reached into her pocket, and pulled out a small handgun. The raven was too shocked to react as Emmy leaned forward, one of her hands brushing Philip's hair, the other held the gun to his head. 'I love you my love, so very much.'
'And I love you.' He whispered back with a smile. Their lips met for one last time before she pulled the trigger.
Philip's body slowly sank to the ground, his empty eyes staring up. One last sob left Emmy's lips as she lifted the gun, the cold metal met her head and she shot. Her body slowly sinking down against that of her husband, her head resting on his chest.
They were reunited in death.
xxx
A/N: Hides as she feels the glares of all the people... uhh you I have been killing people off. Haha, I can also feel the glare of my beta reader, but I hope you all still enjoy.
