A/N: I want to apologize for getting this out so late. I've had a lot of stuff going on lately, and I wasn't too sure about this chapter. Anyways, hope you enjoy.

Melissa had sorted through her stuff what felt like a thousand times. "It's probably only been twice silly," she muttered to herself. She sat back on her sleeping bag, which was the only thing that wasn't packed up. She figured it could wait until morning. There was just no way she would be sleeping on the floor.

Suddenly the door to the office was opened, causing her heart to speed up. She relaxed as she realized it was Randy. "At this rate, I'm going to die of a heart attack because of all these jump scares," she said to no one in particular.

"Because of what?" Randy asked, looking confused. He shook his head. "Never mind. But we were wondering if you could come help us out there."

"With what?" Melissa asked curiously.

"They want to find the quickest way to LA. We figured you'd be the local expert on that."

Melissa tried to hold on to her laughter, but a few giggles slipped out. "I'm not the one who spends 90 percent of my life on the road. And besides, I've only been to LA a few times to go to Disneyland. I wonder if Disneyland survived the apocalypse," Melissa mused.

Randy laughed. "What makes you think it did?"

"Why, it's the happiest place on Earth!" Melissa said brightly, attempting her best commercial impression. She giggled. "Honestly though, it would be weird if there was just an isolated spot of peace in the middle of all of this," she said as she stood up.

"That would be weird," Randy agreed as he led Melissa back out into the main part of the church.

Melissa started humming "It's a Small World" as she joined the Shield and Punk, the tune now stuck firmly in her head.

"Of all the things to hum, you choose that?" Punk asked, looking up from a map that was spread out on the church piano.

Melissa shrugged. "It got stuck in my head when I thought of Disneyland."

"Disneyland?" Roman asked in confusion, now looking up from the map.

"Technically in Anaheim, but I figured LA was close enough," Melissa said.

Dean ignored the topic of Disneyland and got straight to the point. "What's the fastest way to LA?"

Melissa joined them by the piano, gazing over the map. "Well, most of the time my family took Interstate 5." Her left index finger traced the road on the map. "But one time we did use Highway 101." She pointed to the highway on the map. She thought for a moment. "I think the I-5 is technically faster, but it's literally in the middle of nowhere."

"So is this town," Punk muttered.

Melissa ignored him. "The point is, if the car was to break down on the I-5, you'd have to hope you're near one of the towns, otherwise you're stranded. Though the 101 passes through a lot of cities. There would be an awful lot of zombies to try and get past if the cities are infected."

"Which would you suggest we take?" Dean asked bluntly.

Melissa thought it over for a moment. "Neither of them is really ideal, but I would personally use the I-5." Her heart fluttered for a moment, remembering that the I-5 was the way her family had gone.

Oblivious to her nervousness, Seth, who had been quiet the whole time, gazed at the map for a moment. "We'd have to get to the I-5 first."

Melissa pointed to one of the back roads that led up to the interstate. "We could use that road right there. It leads right to the I-5."

"We should do that then," Punk declared, not even asking for the others' opinions.

"Hey Punk, ever think about asking us?" Seth asked. "Democracy isn't dead yet." He grinned at Melissa.

Melissa shyly smiled back as Punk responded. "Yet," he said with an eye roll. "I love how you tacked that on the end. But fine, vote away," he commented, waving his hand for them to continue, stepping back to watch.

Roman shrugged. "I-5 sounds good."

Dean nodded. "I personally don't see anything wrong with taking that route."

Seth looked down at the map again. "I suppose that's the way we could go. What do you think Randy?"

Randy just shrugged, indicating that he obviously didn't care.

"Fine, I suppose we could take the I-5," Seth said, casting a sideways look at Melissa, obviously feeling uncomfortable about leaving her out of the vote.

Melissa gave him a reassuring smile. She knew it was probably for the best that she didn't make decisions with them in case she didn't get to go.

Punk came back towards the piano. "There wasn't even a need to vote," he pointed out with a short sarcastic laugh. "You all decided to go that way anyway."

Seth shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to ask." He started folding up the map.

"Doesn't hurt to ask," Punk muttered mockingly as he walked away.

Seth ignored him as he finished folding up the map.

Dean casually leaned up against the piano on the other side of Seth, looking at Melissa. "So Melissa, I heard that you wanted to come with us."

Melissa looked up, startled. She didn't think Dean would just ask her outright. She managed to nod.

"Thought you wanted to stay here," he said conversationally, though he carefully watched for her reaction.

"I changed my mind," Melissa murmured, glancing down at the glossy surface of the piano, which was slowly darkening in the fading light of the sunset.

"What changed it?" Dean asked her.

Seth took the moment to quietly leave, joining Roman and Randy over by the boxes of supplies, which were now all packed up and ready to go.

Melissa watched him leave, wishing he hadn't. She didn't really like being alone with Dean. You're not alone; they're right over there if you need them, she thought. She looked at Dean, trying to come up with an answer. "I… I thought about what you said."

"No, you thought about what Seth said after I left," Dean accused her, which let Melissa know that he was clearly aware of what Seth had said last night when she was on watch.

Melissa traced the swirls in the piano wood, not looking at Dean. "Maybe."

"Maybe," Dean said with a short laugh. "Of course you did. I just softened you up the idea. Got it stuck in your head. It just took him to drive you over the edge."

"What do you want me to say?" Melissa demanded, finally looking up to find Dean standing in front of her.

"I want you to admit I was right," Dean told her. He inched closer to her. "I want you to admit that you're a scared little girl who wants a hero, a scared little girl who wants the big strong men to look out for her." He was now right up in her face, his warm breath ghosting over her face.

Melissa fought the urge to look and try and find Seth, Randy, or even Punk or Roman. She felt instinctively that doing so would be a weakness in Dean's eyes. He had been simply been in the background this whole time, so she had never paid any attention to him; he had seemed harmless. It's almost like he tried to lull me into a false sense of security. Well, it had worked, even if it hadn't been intentional. She frantically scrambled for a response. Only one thing came to mind, and she knew she was going to say it, even if the cost was her chance to leave with the wrestlers. "Fuck you."

A look of surprise crossed Dean's face before he started laughing unnervingly. He backed off, leaving Melissa confused. "Have it your way." Melissa gulped, wondering if she just had thrown her chance out the window. She swallowed the apology that was on her tongue. She refused to back down at this point. It wouldn't help her any to show weakness in her resolve. Dean watched her, obviously aware of her inner turmoil. He laughed again, leaning forward to whisper in her ear, "I'll tell Seth my decision tomorrow."

With that he left, leaving Melissa utterly puzzled and wondering whether she would be leaving tomorrow or not.