Disclaimer: I don't own "Hot fuzz," "Daybreakers" or any of it's characters, wishful thinking aside.

Authors Note #1: This crossover is essentially "Hot Fuzz," but in the "Daybreakers" 2007 universe. Set after the events of "Hot Fuzz," where the events of "Daybreakers" quickly follow. This is set in the early days of the vampirism outbreak, a year to two years in.

Warnings: vampires, vampire turning, transformation, canon typical violence, blood and injury, grief and loss, drama, romance, angst, friends to lovers, emotional constipation, hand jobs, grief, loss of parents, mild sexual content.

Who defends the high towers?

Chapter Two

They heard more from Audrey after that. They learned the guy she found called himself Elvis. He talked about his love for custom cars and how he'd been the first in his city to start selling the fancy solar-shields the vampires used during the day. Aud started talking about finding a vampire they could trust - because apparently those were popping up here and there. Maybe a scientist. Someone who could figure out how to recreate it somehow.

To make the cure real.

Possible.

More than just a mangy hope.

Andy listened to every word, sitting beside Doris as she hen-pecked her replies. Using code words and off-phrasing just in case their connection was being monitored. Hell, eventually Andy started asking questions of his own, lips twitching when Elvis wrote something funny. Usually about how turning back had made him feel like a bloody fried chicken. Flaming in the sun like a firework before hitting the water.

They still didn't talk about it.

But he let Andy see him listening in sometimes.

The truth was, he didn't have the kind of faith Andy did.

Not about this.

Not about a lot of things.

Honestly, he didn't think he could handle it if he went all in and everything went to shit.

Then, one day, Andy didn't make it back from a food run.

"I can't lose you! I won't!"

The backhand Doris dealt him stung like the god damn dickens as he stumbled into a stack of books. Half-falling into a chair as the wood creaked a warning.

"You think you're the only one who lost someone!?"

His hand jumped to his jaw, too shocked to say nothin' as she got her second wind. Laying into him with a fire he hadn't seen in years. Too exhausted to do anything but take it as the others made themselves scarce. Giving them the illusion of privacy as the last three weeks condensed into acrid backwash and the taste of burning tears long before they could make it out of his sinuses.

"How do you know Andy's gone?! He could be safe. He could be turned. He could still be alive somewhere. Even in one of the farms. If he's alive, we can help him. But if you give up- if you give up he will never forgive you and neither will I!"

He didn't realize he was crying until Doris was holding him. He didn't remember being pulled into her chest, sobbing like a fucking baby. Knees giving out as he let it go - all of it. Hitching through every ugly bit until he had nothing left, save for the one thing he kept for himself.

Because the truth was, without Andy what was the point?

He tried, but nothing was the same after that.

Maybe he lied about trying.

Maybe he didn't know how to live without him.

Maybe.

It was ironic, considering the moment everything ended, he'd never wanted to live more.

"There's only five of 'em, but it's the first group we've heard from in four months," Doris told him, looking stressed and thin as she ran her hand over her face. Eyes more red than white as she rubbed them. "That alone is worth the risk."

The crossbow hanging from his hip clunked against the table, standing in for words. He kept his arms crossed over his chest, missing the cover of his aviators. Forced to keep his thoughts away from his eyes. Andy always told him he had a shite poker face. He wasn't sure if that was when it came to Andy, or everyone else. Fuck knows.

Doris pulled in a deep breath when he said nothing. Pushing forward in that gently unstoppable way she had.

"Sounds like they have a baby with them. It's been awhile since we've seen one of those. The ladies will be thrilled. Imagine being born on the run... I asked Dot to see what we have for shots, I doubt the kid is vaccinated. And with Gerry, well, since his immune system is shot we can't risk the-"

"Doris," he sighed, half a warning, half a plead to just get to the damn point already. The reason they were going to risk a run so far from home. Way out of their comfort zone when they were down on petrol and people.

He already knew, o'course. But he wanted to hear Doris sell it.

He wanted to be told that what he was going to do wasn't selfish.

"You heard it," she insisted, fiercer this time as the chair creaked under her when she shifted. "If they really are from Sanford, can we afford to pass that up? "

He leaned over the map, frowning. Hands bracketing either side of the worn edges. Shaking his head in an effort to clear it as someone lit a joint nearby, stinking up the air. On the best of days his brain was a dilapidated house of leaking pipes and falling in floors. He didn't need that tosh added to it.

"Did they say who it was?"

Doris shook her head, dark curls fizzled at the ends. Rough with splits and no conditioner since May, or so the complaining went. He didn't know the last time he'd had a proper shower, let alone took time to dandy about with his hair.

"We got confirmation, that's all. I barely got their coordinates before they moved out of range," she told him, catching his eye like she could read his thoughts. "Maybe they'll know something. Maybe one of them has seen him. ...Could know what happened in town after we left. Anything. Even if it's small. They could know something."

He nodded, decision made. Ignoring the little voice in the back of his head that said this was all a bit too convenient. They hadn't heard a whisper about Sanford from anyone since they left. Why now? What were the odds they'd come across survivors, hundreds of bleeding miles away?

"I'll take the van out before first light," he grunted, instead of giving voice to it. Letting himself hope, at least for a little while, that one of them did know something. Maybe Andy was with them. Maybe he just hadn't been able to get to the radio in time. "We'll bring them back."

Doris was there to see him off when he left before dawn. Pulling him in for a tight hug he had to stoop down for. Breathing her in as she pressed a squashed pack of cigarettes into his pocket with an expression that wanted to be a grin.

"Be safe," she whispered into his shoulder. "We'll keep a cuppa on."

For the life of him, he couldn't remember what he said in return.

A/N: Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think. – There is more to come.