CHAPTER 2

- Kate -

Kate woke up when the light started streaming through the grimy windows. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the filthy toilet and she couldn't help but laugh. Maybe if they were here long enough, they could figure out a way to hide them. She had slept better than she had in a long time, but still woke several times out of habit. She could hear people moving around downstairs and she made her way out of the cell.

Lori was coming out of the cell she and Carol were sharing, two spots down from Kate's, looking uncomfortable and puffy. She waited and they walked downstairs together. Poor Lori whatever her responsibility in the demise of her marriage, Kate knew she must feel so alone and scared. They were all very thankful that they had Hershel there, but if something went very wrong, there was nothing that could be done. Kate did not envy her situation and offered a small, encouraging smile.

"How'd you sleep?" She asked.

Lori looked at her like she was crazy and rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"Not very well."

"I'm sorry." Kate said, genuine concern in her voice.

"It's ok. It's pretty impossible this far along."

Kate nodded and watched Lori walk towards her son, who ducked out of her reach and went to stand with his father who was getting the same group that cleared the block yesterday organized to head deeper into the prison. Since they didn't have any food left, it was decided it would be best if the search for the cafeteria happened first thing. Hershel was going to join them in hopes that if they found the infirmary he could see what supplies they had and he could start prepping for Lori's delivery. The six of them headed to the door that led from the common room to the rest of the prison and disappeared one by one. Carl shut the door behind them.

"Where should we start?" Carol asked cheerily.

Carl rolled his eyes and groaned. He clearly thought he should be helping clear the prison and not stuck cleaning house. The rest of them didn't mind, they got to it. They didn't have cleaning supplies or even trash bags, but they were able to start piling the junk from the cells out in the common room. Not much time had passed when they heard the commotion.

"OPEN THE DOOR! IT'S HERSHEL! CARL, COME ON!" Rick bellowed.

At his father's command, Carl ran to the steel door separating the cell block from the common room and unlocked it as quickly as possible. They came rushing in with Hershel, unconscious and bloody, laid out on some sort of rolling table.

"Oh my god!" Carol blurted out.

"Daddy!" Beth cried, as Rick and Glenn tried to steer the table into a cell. Maggie leaned heavily on what was left of Hershel's right leg, her face twisted in horrified concentration.

"Get him on the bed." Rick ordered. "He got bit."

"Oh my god, he's gonna turn!" Beth wailed, pressing herself uselessly against the wall of the tiny cell.

"Did you cut it off?" Lori asked. "Maybe you got it in time."

They moved Hershel onto the bed and Kate stood outside the cell watching helplessly as Carol used what little training Hershel had given her in hopes she could assist in Lori's delivery to figure out a way to save his life.

In the chaos she hadn't noticed that Daryl hadn't returned with them, until she heard him shouting from the common room.

"That's far enough!"

She sprinted back to the door and watched through the bars as five men in prison jumpsuits came through the door that led to the rest of the prison.

Daryl had planted himself at one of the metal tables, his crossbow aimed at them.

A slimy looking guy with deep set, narrow eyes and long greasy hair pulled back in a half ponytail spoke first.

"Cell Block C. Cell 4. Thats mine, gringo. Let me in."

Kate didn't miss the gun tucked into the front of his pants and she tried not to panic.

"Today's your lucky day, fellas. You've been pardoned by the State of Georgia. You're free to go." Daryl growled.

"What you got going on in there?" The man asked, looking towards the cell block and spotting Kate.

"It ain't none of your concern." Daryl snarled, still looking down his crossbow.

"Don't be telling me what's my concern." The man snapped back, his eyes darted back to Daryl and he pulled out his gun.

One of the other prisoners, a huge black man with a kind voice, spoke up.

"Chill, man. Dude's leg is messed up. Besides, we're free now! Why are we still in here?"

"Man's got a point." Daryl spat.

"Yeah, and I got check on my old lady." A third prisoner added and Kate almost felt sorry for them as she realized they had no idea how bad it was outside of these walls.

The man with the gun, apparently their leader, spoke up again.

"A group of civilians breaking into a prison you got no business being in, got me thinking there ain't no place for us to go."

"Why don't you go find out?" Daryl's anger was rolling off of him.

"HEY, we ain't leaving!" The one in charge declared.

"You aren't coming in either!" T-Dog yelled as he emerged from behind the guard tower with a gun pointed.

The prisoner pointed his gun back.

Kate, relieved Daryl wasn't in there alone, hurried back to the cell Hershel was in to get Rick. The shouting had gotten loud enough for everyone to hear and Rick pulled himself away from Hershel's side to go deal with the problem. Kate stayed back.

"What's going on?" Beth asked, fear darkening her tear stained face.

"Prisoners. Five of them. One guy has a gun. He was saying this cell block was his. Daryl was telling them to leave, but they won't go." Kate explained.

The noise died down and they heard the door to the yard slam shut. Kate headed to the common room, but it was empty.