Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer was Created by Joss Whedon and is property of many companies but not me. The Walking Dead was created by Robert Kirkman and the show, which is the world I am referencing in this, is shared with Production Creators Frank Darabont and Angela Kang.
Arthur's Note: Was planning on writing out a chapter for each group but the more I tried to do that the less I got done. Gave up and focused where the story wanted, was much quicker to get out. Please advise any mistakes seen, will correct when aware.
[6]
"Damn girl, I know these eggs are good, but you need to slow down." Grinning at the girl, T-Dawg made another batch in preparation for his companions, assuming they would soon trickle in as Dawn had a short while ago.
"Heading out today, want to get this while we got it." One, two, three stabs of the fork she filled the tongs with yellow tissue and took another bite, following it with a swig of coffee behind it. Enjoying the flavor more than she ever had before the end, she made a note to grab the crystal packets after breakfast, keeping a running tally of the countdown she had seen when she'd woken up from her nap.
"Whatchu mean heading out?" Surprise colored his voice as he shoveled the next batch onto a plate, turning to whisk more powder and water flowing from the tap he poured another batch on the stove. Pepper and paprika, he seasoned reflexively as he returned her gaze expectantly when Jacqui came in,
"Good morning Sweety," scrubbed clean and in fresh clothes the woman looked more relaxed than T-Dawg could remember seeing her and he smiled at her kiss on his cheek, giving her a hug back with one arm. "I don't think I've slept so good since I was a girl. Oh," dark eyes took note of the short hair on the new figure she'd passed by a moment ago, "good morning."
Dawn beamed at the older woman, slipping off the chair and grabbing her clean plate to walk to the sink, "You must be Jacqui, it's nice to meet you." At the woman's head tilt to the other member of her group Dawn waived her hand as she turned on the faucet to lean the dishes for something to do, "I talked to Carol last night, she was filling me in. I'm Dawn."
The young woman shook her hand without stopping, talking as she flitted around the kitchen emptying cannisters into plastic bags and snatching up coffee sticks, all the while commenting on Theodore's cooking and his respect for the way the team worked together. Jacqui noticed she'd pilfered several cabinets without concern by the time the woman finally stopped moving, closing her bag with a tight yank, "I really wish we were getting more time together but what you've all been through has been pretty impressive."
"You wish we were getting more time together?" The confusion at the direction the conversation had taken was interrupted by the addition of others; Andrea, Carol and the kids followed closely by Lori who was helping Glenn with Darryl's assistance.
"Oh, that smells so good," Andrea started to grab a plate when she was distracted by Dawn's guidance, the young woman filling her hands with the empty plates and request to put them on the table behind her, "Ok…"
Darryl studied the interloper as her eyes followed Andrea's movements, having spotted the rush of emotion that had bloomed on her pale face as soon as the other woman had gotten close, "You the survivor the doc was talking about?"
Dawn pulled her eyes away from the woman's back, nerves humming as she met the sleeveless guy's frown, "Yeah, Dawn." Watching him chew his lip, the jut of his chin she nodded, "Must be Daryl." She didn't follow up with pleasantries and instead passed Carl and Sophia cutlery with a request to set the table that they were happy to do.
"Kinda hippie name, aint it? You always this bossy?" Lori chastised his rudeness, rescuing the other woman and helping fill cups with orange juice as T-Dawg and Jacqui had started working again on breakfast, Glenn leaning heavily on the table as everyone sat down around him. Sliding her bag under her chair, Dawn watched the interaction of the group, chatting when spoken to until Shane had joined the table.
"The hell happened to you? Your neck?" 3 red tracks broke the skin of the Deputy's neck, collared shirt offering little protection to hide it as the brunette took a seat,
"Must've done it in my sleep." Dark head turned down he shook his head, Dawn watching the movement, assessing as he looked from to his partner,
"Never seen you do that before." Across the table, Lori's shoulders were tense, and Dawn looked from one to the other and around the table to see who else was buying this situation.
"Me neither," thick fingers turned the plastic coffee cup as he tried to get the woman's attention subtly. "not like me at all." Mrs. Grimes body shifted slightly, away from the man's look, remaining quiet. Only the oldest gentleman, white haired and slightly soft in the middle, seemed to be giving the two of them any consideration when he felt Dawn's gaze on him. Stunted silence was swept away by Jenner's entrance, greeting the group as he passed by to get a plate and Dale along with everyone else's focus shifted.
Jenner sighed at Dale and Andrea's prompting, resigning himself to not getting a last meal, "I can show you if you'd follow me."
"Are you sure there's time for that?" Jenner stopped at the Dawn's question, face smooth but the set to his mouth hard even as he smiled trying to emit a sense of calm,
"Of course." He looked around at each of Rick's group making sure he had their attention, directing them to follow him again.
[Break]
Dawn couldn't blame the group for following Jenner back to zone 5, she could blame them for ignoring her warning they needed to go after all the men, but Dale and Daryl went off to see about the barrels she already said were empty and the rest went back to the rooms. Growling with frustration as they followed the man she ran back to the elevator and tossed her bag by its doors. If they weren't going to take her seriously, she could try and get what things of theirs she could be ready for when they figured it out.
Flashlight in her teeth she worked in the dark, one room and then the next she filled bags with what looked like the newest belongings in the room and put them by hers. She'd only managed 3 rooms when the alarm went off, realizing they must have hit the 30-minute mark. The elevator hummed quietly, power still going to it, waiting for use and she shifted back an forth a moment before running across the center to get the group. Stunned, she stopped at the raised door to the control room, hearing the yelling behind it, "Oh God."
Jenner wasn't going to let them go, he wasn't going to let any of them go. A part of her told her to run, get the elevator, get topside, live. That same person though never would have turned their back on people in trouble, would have gone down swinging – did go down swinging. She looked around the room, fire extinguisher encased beside the axe in its glass case. Door swinging open, she grabbed the wooden handle and swung high.
The minutes ticked by, sharp blade doing little against the solid frame. The opposite side quiet before an identical sharp tinging sound came from the other side. They were under 10 minutes; Dawn wasn't sure of the exact time, but she was certain. If she didn't go up now Spike would be alone, surrounded by dead in a car he couldn't drive off in for days until the crowd dispersed, hating himself for not arguing her to leave that morning.
The door came down, redneck standing with his legs apart and axe over his shoulder as he looked at her only a moment before calling over his shoulder, "Come on, let's go." She sprinted off as they crowded the door, wondering what was keeping them when they finally came rushing down the corridor,
"There's no time, come on!" She urged as a few turned to their rooms. The ride up was tense, the bags she had grabbed gripped in their owner's fists, everyone looking up as they waited to run off the elevator as soon as the doors opened. The panic, the adrenaline, both ran high as they scrambled to break what they soon found was not exactly glass.
"Where is it, where is it?" Carol was ripping through her bag beside her, searching for something in desperation and Dawn saw the relief cross her face as she found it, rushing to Rick. Seconds later the man's voice rang out, "Look out!"
[Break]
The fighting came after they were on the road, heading for Fort Benning, Dawn compelled to follow them once they were out. It was hard to separate from people after so long alone, wanting to know that Rick's family was going to be ok and also that she wasn't the only person alive in the state. She should have been better prepared for the group's reaction when the immediate danger had passed.
"How could you let him do that; lock us in there, lock our kids in there." Normally soft spoken, Carol's voice was high as she gripped her daughter close to her side, face flush with anger. Beside her Lori's gaze was just as accusing, Carl's head moving from each person speaking.
"I didn't know he was going to do that."
"Then why'd you clean the kitchen out this morning?" T-Dawg folded his arms in front of himself, leaning into the question and her space. Around them the caravan was pulled into a circle in preparation for camp; Glenn and Darryl setting up a perimeter.
"I tried to tell you we needed to go, didn't I do that? Didn't I say the fuel was empty? Didn't I say not to go back with him? I tried," Dawn paced as she spoke but refused to raise her hands to gesticulate, not wanting to escalate the situation further non-verbally, "I got your things together, I tried to get the door to open. I could've gotten out without you, but I didn't."
"She's got a point," Arms unfolding, hands gripping her hips, Andrea spoke calmly, "she doesn't even know us," at Lori's mouth opening she rolled her eyes, "Most of us and she's here now so…" She shrugged, over the conversation and being with people in general and heading back to Dale's van, "what does it matter anyway."
Looking up at the darkening skyline Dawn shifted her weight to head back to the car, anticipating both Spike's rising and a new message from Tara. While Spike was free to exit the car as soon as they were in a secure amount of shadow, they'd discussed him not exiting until the sun was far enough down it wouldn't pose even a chance of threat in the presence of people not in the know. A good portion of their drive was spent trying to determine how to explain the number of potential questions that may be had in the days or week they may spend in the company of the other group until Tara and Willow were able to find them on the road.
Sensitivity to sunlight was easy enough, while not a common affliction was medically recognized. There was no way they were discussing his eating habits and while the vampire wasn't comfortable eating human food due to their limited supply was willing to eat enough not to draw attention. The greatest concern would be if they came across any of the dead, trying to figure out how to explain their lack of passive interest in him would be difficult so in case they did come across any he was going to have to garner their attention proactively if he was the closest one to them.
No note had appeared by the time the car shifted, signaling Spike was going to come out, Dawn reaching for the door as it swung open. Feigning just getting up, the blonde with a forced yawn, "Evening."
With other people Dawn would have to waste time advising Spike about the reason for the tension, since they'd spoken on the drive up until this point plus his ability to hear what was going on outside the car, as it was she made small talk about his supposed sleep and started pointing people out in the group. Dawn was glad the groups frustration didn't extend to her friend, then again, they seemed more interested in Spike's choice not to blood test and stay outside the CDC then question if he had been in the know about the explosion.
Passing the young man a can of Spaghetti, Dale inquired from under the brim of his hat, "So why would a fella stay out in all that, rather than risk a little puncture from a needle?"
Spike cracked the pop top and fished out a few fingers of noodles to snack on, "I have an aversion to docs," around cleaning his fingers he added, "military compounds too. CDC was close enough."
"You'd have a hell of a time where we're headed then," standing nearby, Shane guarded his chest with his arms, hands tucked into each armpit studying the platinum blonde. "What's your problem, evade the service?"
Frowning, Dawn was spared replying when Spike snorted, "Like I'd sign in with a bunch of Yanks. No, your great nation had a time sequestering my people and torturing the lot of them, myself included. Don't think I'll be walking into a situation that allows that again anytime soon."
Amused, Shane laughed at the insinuation, "Your people? What, the English or wanna be Billie Idol impersonators?" The glare he earned only caused him to snicker more, shifting his position as he turned his focus at Rick's intrusion,
"Well you're welcome to travel with us as far as our destination and then part ways," the man stood at Dale's left, closest to Dawn and Spike where the Campbells can exchange possession, "we're headed to Fort Benning."
Dawn nodded, hands in the back of her jean pockets as she looked for an affirmative from Spike as though it hadn't already been discussed. Neither Sunnydale native worried about themselves too much but Dawn wanted to see the group off alive and it would give them some human contact that she at least had been missing until Willow an Tara were able to join them. Beside her the vampire agreed, keeping his gaze on Rick and avoiding the disagreeing look on the other deputies face before the man interrupted to draw the groups appointed leader away.
Waiting for their own rations, the other members of the group filtered in at the two men's retreat, Lori and Carol appearing with their kids to take their own meals from Dale. Carol divided up a can of green beans amongst the four of them, Lori doing the same with a package of SPAM they'd found. Lori picked at her plate a few moments before asking about the family Dawn had mentioned they were waiting on at the CDC, "What will they do when they find the place?"
This was the issue neither Dawn nor Spike had been able to quiet work out an answer for. While they knew they didn't need to be concerned about the witches finding them if they left town if they were with the group, it may seem strange that they would find them regardless of where they headed. Instead of concocting a lie, the brunette went with vague honesty, "They'll come looking."
Lori smiled placatingly, Carol peering at them with surprised disbelief, head tilting to one side, "You really think they'll find you? Even travelling with us?"
Spike moved her arm around Dawn as though comforting, giving a small squeeze, "Of course, never seen two women with more an uncanny ability to find something." He smiled at the inside joke, "Magick you might say."
Both mothers smiled quietly, taking the words for the hope they thought he was trying to provide, continuing their cold supper as Spike let his friend go, "I'm going to see if there's anything I can do," he looked down at her, communicating beyond his words, "Scout the woods." He disappeared at her affirmative, leaving her with the group.
[Break]
The newcomers had settled into a steady pace in the short time they'd been at Headquarters; Ana providing a plethora of urban garden locations that while ripe after more than 2 months on their own, still had plenty of slower growing, viable vegetables to enjoy; Wayland and Robin offering more than capable assistance on the runs to forage for the food itself. Both men had proved adept in their own ways, Robin a skilled fighter Faith had been surprised to find a sparring partner in and Wayland with excessive stamina, several times leading the walkers away with little show of exhaustion for it. The only concern that their addition had made was Robin's two daughters, Imani and Madelyn.
5 and 6, the girls were similar enough in looks to be twins though they had very different personalities; the older, Imani, was confident while Madelyn modeled herself as her shadow. Giles was hoping that the training he was trying to instill would help both of them in the coming years if things maintained as they were. Also given the lack of games around the Watchers Council Chambers, other than Chess, it gave the girls something to focus on and eventually their energy. The older man had been surprised to note that they had seemed familiar with the weaponry he would be teaching them.
"Mama had a lot of these in her box." Looking at the options of padded bos and sticks, Imani reached out to touch one the closer rods, "but they weren't soft like these."
"Daddy says mama used to teach," the quiet voice stilled a moment over the word at his elbow and then finished, "arts but she stopped." Madelyn kept back from the weapons, studying from a distance.
Giles made a small sound, nodding, "Yes, I think he may have mentioned something to that effect." Showcasing the array of padded weaponry the Watcher directed the two to take a step back so they could have a better view of the entire wall, "In time, you will know the name of every item, but for now we will focus just here…"