Another update that took waaaay longer to post than I'd intended (mostly due to the fact that I spent a lot of this time writing 25k words of a Daryl/Tahlia AU story... if only I could just concentrate on one thing at a time!).

To my guest who asked if I update on a schedule - I WISH I could commit to a schedule, but my inner muse has her own ideas. But I will be attempting to update weekly from here on out (and if I manage anything more than that, then miracles really do happen).

Anyway. Let's go...

Chapter 70 – Glass falls like rain

Daryl had hoped that three days would be an overestimation of how long he'd be gone this time, but as it turned out, he was pretty much bang on – by the time he made it back to their house, he was certain it wasn't far from midnight.

He had, actually, arrived back in Alexandria over two hours ago, but save for Sasha and Abraham who were on guard duty and had let him in, no one else had seen him. He'd had one job to finish and then had spent the last hour sitting in the herb garden trying to clear his head.

But it was probably better if Tahlia didn't know that.

Their home was shrouded in darkness and all was silent as he quietly let himself in and quickly showered in the downstairs bathroom, washing the remnants of the past three days away.

Slipping into their bedroom, the milky moonlight spilling through the window outlined the still shape of Tahlia in their bed. She'd never liked being in pitch blackness – nightmares still frequently clawed at her and although she no longer needed to leave a candle burning, she usually left the curtains open. Especially if he wasn't there.

Certain that she was asleep, he moved soundlessly towards the bed when her voice, calm and casual, stopped him in his tracks.

"Are you having an affair with Aaron?"

"Huh?! Is that…?" Daryl did a quick 360 degree turn and scanned the room, half-expecting to see someone else there because surely she wasn't talking to him. But they were alone, and he turned to face her again. "That question meant for me?!"

Now his eyes had adjusted, he could see her clearly – lying on her back, one hand behind her head, the other on her stomach, a neutral expression on her face.

"Yep. Are you?"

Amused by her bluntness and the absurdity of the question, Daryl dove onto the bed and crawled over to her and didn't stop until he was straddling her. Then he grabbed her wrists and pinned them at the sides of her head.

"Naw, I'm fuckin' not and why the fuck are y'askin' me shit like that?" Dropping his face to her neck, he rubbed his scruff over the sensitive skin there as she bucked and giggled below him.

"Because…" she gasped. "Because… Daryl! Stop that! I'm trying to be serious!"

He stopped and lifted his head to gaze down at her, still holding her firm. "You? Serious? Shit. 'Kay, tell me."

"Because," She schooled her face into a solemn expression, "You're gone all the time with him. And this last time you'd only just got back and then you left again, and that same morning he made some lame excuse then took off too. He was gone for a full day and Eric didn't know where he was."

Daryl chuckled. When she worded it like that, it did sound a little suspect. "Me and him been out doin' them maps, like Rick asked. And that's all we're doin'." he added pointedly.

"Ok. Well, if it's not Aaron…" she started timidly, "Is there someone else then?"

"Someone…?" Daryl rolled off her and caught her chin, tilting her face to his. "You fuckin' high? Ain't never felt nothin' for no one, then I find a girl who makes me feel everythin', and by some fuckin' miracle she feels shit for me too - and you think I'ma mess around on that?!"

"Do I know this girl?" asked Tahlia innocently, and Daryl grabbed her again and began to tickle her as she squealed.

"Yeah." he deadpanned. "It's that hot chick down the end of the street." Then continuing to tickle her relentlessly, he exclaimed, "Ain't no one but you, ya crazy woman!"

Finally he stopped the onslaught and tucked her hand into his, his tone softening. "What's all this 'bout?"

"I know you can't have been hunting for three days. You never do that."

Daryl sighed and chewed his lip. "Just… had some other shit to do. And it's done now."

He didn't elaborate further, and Tahlia didn't see any point in pushing him – Daryl wasn't the kind of person that responded well to being pushed. But she had to ask just one more question, so she rolled onto her side to face him.

"Is this too much for you? Being with me like this? I mean, we're suddenly living together, we're in each other's pockets and being all domesticated, and I wondered if that was why you've been gone so much. If maybe you needed some space? And that's totally fine if you do! I understand. We don't have to live together if it's too much, I could move in with-"

He silenced her with a heavy kiss.

"Hush. Ain't too much. Ain't enough, even. You're a pain in the ass but I'd spend every minute with ya if I could." He ran his thumb down her cheek then across her lips, drawing them into a smile. "And we ain't suddenly livin' together – we did all this at the prison. Spent most of every damn day with ya there. This ain't no different – just better. I ain't gonna be gone all the time, promise. And when I am, I'm only thinkin' 'bout gettin' back to you. Now, ya got any other damn questions or shit ya need reassurin' on?"

Relaxing, Tahlia shook her head. "No. As long as you're happy."

"You got no fuckin' idea how much, girl. No idea." he told her as his slid his arms around her, pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Was thinkin' we could take tomorrow, head into the woods, hang out?"

"Oh." Tahlia drew back a little. "Sorry, I can't tomorrow, I'm going on that run."

"To the Polytech?"

"Yeah."

"With that asshole who came onto ya?"

Tahlia had told Daryl about the incident with Aiden – although, Daryl had noted, she'd carefully omitted all the disparaging comments that Aiden had made about him – but Daryl had kept the fact that he'd overheard the whole thing to himself.

Tahlia rolled her eyes. "And others, yes."

"He try anythin' else while I been gone?"

With a laugh, Tahlia shook her head. "He wouldn't dare. He's terrified of you! Things are fine with him - we cleared the air and he apologized and was all, 'I don't know what came over me blah blah blah, never happen again', all that kind of stuff, and then he asked if I'd told you, so I'm like, 'yeah, of course I have and Daryl is not happy about it.' Since then, Aiden's been so on edge waiting for you to get back and kick his ass. It's funny as hell."

Daryl chuckled. "Think I almost like that better – him bein' scared of me. Wonderin' every time he sees me if today's the day I beat him into the ground. Anyway, that aside, I don't feel good 'bout ya goin' out there with him. Don't trust him or that Nicholas guy – ya know what Glenn said they're like out there."

"That's why I'm going. To back up Glenn and Tara."

Daryl raised his brows. "Don't really trust you, neither."

"Excuse me?!" Tahlia sat up at that, affronted.

"Y'always doin' dumb shit to save other people! Nearly got yourself killed more times 'n I can count! Y'only just comin' out the other side from nearly dyin' after puttin' your ass on the line for Eugene."

"In my defense, it was the aggravation of a previous wound that nearly killed me, not the actual saving of Eugene." affirmed Tahlia airily.

Lying on his back now, Daryl folded his arms. "A fuckin' wound you got from tryna' Save. Other. People."

Tahlia laughed because she couldn't argue with that. Then she gave a helpless shrug. "Daryl. I have skills I can use out there, and most of the people in this community don't. If we're not fighting to save our own, then what are we doing?"

He held her gaze for a long moment, then reached out and tugged her back down to rest against him. They both knew she was right.

She tilted her face up to kiss his jaw. "You're very overprotective, you know that?"

"Yeah. Just of you. Always gonna be. Not like it changes nothin'." he grumbled. "Y'ain't never do what I want anyway."

"Because you want to lock me up." Tahlia teased.

"S'right. Get all Rapunzel on your ass."

"If you think I'd let you climb my hair after you've been out in the woods, you've got another thing coming." Tahlia told him definitively. "I know how filthy you get out there!"

"You'll do as you're told, girl! I own this!" laughed Daryl as he slapped her butt. Then he gave her a little pinch on the side. "But, tomorrow… please can ya just not do dumb shit?"

"I promise to try not to do dumb shit." Tahlia assured him. After a long pause, she quickly added, "Um… but just so you know, Eugene's coming on this one too."

"OhmyfuckinGawd." sighed Daryl.

"Remember what I said! We're in charge out there, so follow our lead and what we say goes, no questions!"

Glenn shook his head and gritted his teeth at Aiden's words.

"I mean it. You better listen to us." Aiden reiterated, glaring at Glenn over his shoulder from the driver's seat of the van as he started the engine.

"I fucking heard you." muttered Glenn darkly.

Sitting on the floor opposite one another in the seatless back of the run van, Tahlia and Tara exchanged a look. They hadn't even left Alexandria yet and Glenn had already butted heads several times with both Aiden and Nicholas. It felt like this was going to be a very long day.

Aiden gave him a hard look. "I hope we're not going to have any-"

He was cut off as the barn doors at the back of the van opened and Daryl jumped in.

"Room for one more?"

With an audible gulp, Aiden's eyes widened and the colour drained from his face. "Uh… not really, we don't…"

"I'd be happy to relinquish my place and stay put behind these walls-" offered Eugene desperately, but Tara grabbed his forearm.

"Stay right there, mister. We need you."

Daryl slammed the doors and moved right up behind the bench seat, clapping a hand on Aiden's shoulder. "Sure ya can make room."

"Ok." mumbled Aiden with a tight nod. "Let's go then."

"Great. Just gonna sit down here next to my girl and keep her company."

Daryl shot Tahlia a sly grin as he dropped down next to her and she snickered and nudged him while Aiden sank down as low as he could in his seat before slamming the van into gear, his knuckles white around the steering wheel.

"Didn't know you were planning on joining us today." commented Tahlia with an arched brow, her voice raised so that Daryl could hear her over the electro house music that Nicholas had ramped up to an obnoxiously loud volume. "Does this have anything to do with last night's conversation?"

Daryl gave her an innocent look. "Thought ya wanted to spend more time together?"

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him hard. "You don't trust me."

He grinned and dropped a kiss on her shoulder. "Just keepin' an eye on ya."

"Glad you're here, man." Glenn said to Daryl. "Those fucking guys…" He flicked a hand at the backs of Aiden and Nicholas. "I'm just waiting for something to go wrong."

"We got this." Daryl assured him, then turned to Eugene. "Euge, better fill me in on what we're lookin' for today."

"Yessiree." nodded Eugene. "As you are no doubt aware, the solar power system at Alexandria has been on the blink for some time, and it just so happens that the Polytech has a small satellite campus in the vicinity that specializes in future-proofing initiatives, so we may be able to chance upon solar cells, inverters-"

"Save the jargon."

"Right-o. Uh, components for boosting the solar power. In addition, the campus ran a research lab on water sanitation, so getting our grubby paws on flocculants and filters-"

"Save. The. Jargon." repeated Daryl. "So ya know what we're lookin' for?"

"Well, yes indeedy I do, but I have described it in some detail to both Glenn and Tara here and I happen to have it on fine authority that you are familiar with solar panel systems as you have removed and installed one before, so I would like to once again pose my offer of relinquishing the list of desired items and staying firmly put in this van for the duration of the mission."

"Even with a list, we don't really know what we're looking for." Tara told him with a shrug.

"S'right." agreed Daryl. "Take us too long to figure it out. And when we did that other solar panel system the lot was all connected up, so we knew which bits to take and what went where. Stand me in front of a shelf of disconnected parts and I ain't gonna have no clue what's what."

Eugene huffed a breath of resignation. "Well, I have, on many occasions, both proclaimed and demonstrated my complete lack of self-protection skills, and I am the first to admit that I am the scardiest of cats in the face of mortal danger and indeed the entire body of, so I will be of no assistance in combat of any description out there in the wild."

"We're aware of that, Eugene." Tara assured him. "It's ok, that's why we're here. We've got your back."

With his hand already resting on Tahlia's thigh, Daryl gave her a surreptitious hard squeeze at Tara's comment, which Tahlia knew all too well was a warning that she was to have her own back first and foremost.

"Just don't damn well ball up again." Daryl told Eugene sternly. "At the very least, run. Or fuckin' hide. Just don't ball up."

The trip took the best part of an hour, but only because they had to detour around a pile up of long-abandoned cars on the highway. Soon, up ahead, they spotted the sign indicating they had arrived at the satellite campus.

"Ok! Where are we headed?" Aiden called out.

Eugene moved forward so that he could get a good look out the front window. "Fortunately, Tobin has prior knowledge of this campus due to conducting some construction work here many moons-"

"Just tell us where we're going." interrupted Nicholas impatiently.

Not in the least thrown, Eugene carried on in the same monotone. "Well, Tobin took ink to paper and mapped out the general layout – which I have committed to memory – and I believe that is the administration building and those are the lecture halls," he pointed to the large blocks off to the right, "So no need for us to nosy over yonder; and that," now pointing to the large L-shaped, double-storied building on the left, "is the research labs. There is a storeroom on the lower level which is our destination numero uno. If luck is swaying our way, then the items we require will be housed there."

Aiden drove slowly across the large front carpark which was eerily empty, save for a couple of lonely cars and a few roaming undead scattered across the asphalt. To one side of the building, a large sign stating 'Inward Goods' hung on tall gates, and a chain-linked fence topped with looping razor wire joined the gates and surrounded the rear of the building.

"There." Glenn pointed. "That'll be where all the equipment would get delivered, so there must be an entrance to the storeroom around back. Maybe we'll be able to get in from around that way."

Parking the van just down from the gates, the group filed out, Tahlia and Daryl efficiently dropping the handful of walkers that had stumbled across the carpark to meet them. Joining the others at the gates, Daryl quickly surveyed the scene.

"Looks like we ain't gettin' in this way."

Inside the fenced area there were two box trucks with their roller doors wide open and several large containers of what looked to be water inside, as well as a few crates of food packets, toilet paper and general supplies. And there were walkers everywhere, milling aimlessly around the space. Noticing the fresh meat, several of the undead tripped their way to the gates, reaching with ragged-nailed hands, mouths wide in rasping hunger.

Immediately jumping back, Glenn then pointed to the loop of heavy chain secured by a padlock on the gates. "These are locked from the outside."

Tara nodded slowly. "To keep them all in."

"Guess we're going through the front doors." Aiden started off at a jog. "Come on."

The main entrance to the building was in the corner of the 'L', and Aiden charged up to it, ready to burst in.

"Hold on!" Glenn stopped him. "Slow down! We've gotta-"

Aiden glared at him as he shoved straight through the double doors. "What did I say about following my lead?"

"Are you-?" started Glenn angrily, but Daryl laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Leave it."

They found themselves in a large, empty, dimly lit foyer, and they paused, quietly taking in their surroundings. A staircase leading up to the second level was directly in front of them, and off to their left, a wide corridor paved the way to the storeroom at the far end.

Eugene pointed to the right. "There's the library."

"No shit, Sherlock." remarked Nicholas drily as he motioned to the big 'Library' sign above the door, the room occupying the entire short arm of the 'L'.

"This way." Daryl led the way down the gloomy corridor, the others close in behind, their shoes squeaking on the linoleum floors.

"We should check these rooms, clear them." Glenn indicated the closed doors on either side of the corridor.

Nicholas scoffed. "Surprised you ever actually achieved anything on your supply runs. You wanna waste so much time checking every shadow like a scared little animal!"

A muscle in Glenn's jaw twitched. "Scared?! Being cautious and checking what we're dealing with is how we've stayed alive all this time. We don't just go storming into places like idiots!"

"We just need to find what we're looking for and get out. Speed is the key. Not crawling around at snail's pace."

"Enough!" hissed Daryl, then he tried the door handle of one of the rooms. "Locked. Keep movin'."

Just then a walker emerged from the gloom, snarling and dragging its feet.

"Got it!" called Nicholas and raised his gun, firing off four shots, only just managing to take it down with the fourth bullet, the noise reverberating loudly around the high-ceilinged space.

"What the fuck?!" Glenn admonished him. "Don't use your gun unless you have to! We're trying to keep the noise down!"

"Didn't see you rushing forward to kill it!" challenged Nicholas, glaring at him.

"I would have if I'd known what a terrible shot you are!" retorted Glenn. "Four fucking attempts to hit a walker!"

Tahlia gently tapped Glenn's elbow. "Let's keep going." she said to him softly, and clenching his teeth for a moment, he then took a deep breath and nodded.

Moving forward, they soon came to the double doors that led into the storeroom, a large metal bar secured by a rusty chain laying across them.

"These have been chained shut too." noted Tara quietly as Daryl peered through the murky window inset in the doors.

He then shook his head. "No good."

"Let me see." Aiden lifted a hand to shove Daryl out of the way, but Daryl fixed him with a hard look, and Aiden, remembering that he was lucky that he hadn't had an ass-kicking yet, quickly dropped his hand and his gaze and patiently waited for Daryl to move aside. Tahlia hid a little smile at that – Aiden had certainly been well-behaved since Daryl had shown up that morning, his usual bluster deflated.

The delivery doors leading out to the back lot were propped wide open and that allowed enough light into the otherwise windowless storeroom for them to see that in amongst the rows of shelves and boxes, walkers were everywhere.

"There's a lot of walkers wearing backpacks." breathed Tara as she scanned the area. "And… there's kids in there too!"

Daryl nodded gravely. "Yup looks like there's families maybe, and they're carryin' their personal stuff. See them trucks had some basic supplies in 'em? Thinkin' that maybe they were gonna be used to get people outta here. But that didn't happen. People musta started turnin'. Then someone's secured these doors and the gates to keep all the dead inside."

Glenn sighed. "So we can't get in there to look for what we need."

"Why not?" shrugged Aiden. "There's not that many dead in there. Most of them are outside. We go in through here, mow down the ones directly in front, close those outer doors and then we can get our stuff."

"That's the stupidest thing I ever heard." replied Glenn.

Nicholas shook his head. "You're such a goddamn pussy. We've got guns! Of course we can take them on, we'll-"

"Naw." growled Daryl staunchly. "That is fuckin' stupid. Eugene, got 'nother plan?"

Eugene was edging back, although it was hard to tell whether it was from the obvious tension between the men or the idea of busting into the walker-infested storeroom.

"Well, yes, I did indeed brainstorm an alternative course of action should this one go belly up. The research labs are located on the next level, and given that the nature of these labs requires a hands-on approach, there's a high likelihood that some of the equipment we require will be kept in those rooms. And I would advise that we keep our beady eyes peeled for any research or instructional manuals pertaining to future-proofing projects which may provide invaluable information for the longevity and success of Alexandria."

Nicholas and Aiden exchanged a disdainful look, then Aiden rolled his eyes. "Upstairs it is."

Bringing up the rear as they headed back the way they came, Daryl snuck a quick moment to quietly check in with Tahlia and she gave his hand a brief, reassuring squeeze as they approached the staircase. At the top of the stairs, they found themselves standing in a similar layout to the ground floor. The second level of the library was on the right, and a corridor stretched out to the left, two doors on either side of the hall which led to the four research labs.

Heading to the first door on the left, Daryl paused, leaning against it.

"Glenn. Help me clear this room. Rest of ya wait here for now. Keep an eye out."

And before anyone could protest, Daryl had disappeared into the lab, Glenn right behind.

"God's sake!" complained Nicholas. "At this rate we'll be spending the fucking night here! Let's check this room opposite."

Just then, Glenn popped his head back out the door. "It's clear. Eugene, come in and see if there's anything we need."

Eugene glanced around nervously. "Can you be absolutely certain it's clear? It might pay to whiz around one more-"

"Oh, come on." Tara rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm. "Let's go." She pulled him into the lab, the door swinging shut behind them.

Nicholas was standing at the door opposite and peered in through the glass panel, wrinkling his nose at the sight of several walkers shuffling aimlessly through the room, and decided instead to make his way back to the library. At this same time, Aiden eyed Tahlia up curiously.

"Your boyfriend doesn't like you getting your hands dirty or something? Is that why he doesn't let you do anything? He call all the shots in your relationship too?"

Tahlia rolled her eyes. Typical that he stepped right back into his cavalier attitude as soon as Daryl was out of sight.

She fixed him with an indulgent smile and said in an overly teasing tone, "Didn't you know? I'm actually here to protect you two boys. Word on the street is it takes at least four shots for you kids to take down a walker!"

Looking offended and not in the least amused, Aiden opened his mouth to retort when Nicholas called out from in front of the double doors to the library.

"Didn't that guy say we were looking for instruction manuals? There's probably a whole section or something in here. We should have gone in here first! Come on, Aiden."

"Fuck this." muttered Aiden to himself as he strode over to Nicholas. "We're meant to be in charge of this fucking run."

"Hold up!" Tahlia jogged after him, serious now. "Let's just wait and-"

"We're calling the shots! We don't answer to fucking Crossbow." snapped Aiden, then he turned to Nicholas. "Let's go in."

Nicholas shoved through the swing doors with a bravado Tahlia was certain was only skin-deep, Aiden close behind, and Tahlia swore under her breath as she followed them in. The outer walls of the entire second level were floor-to-ceiling windows, and here inside the library, all the blinds had been pulled down. Although the space was darkened, the stench hit Tahlia like a smack in the face and she froze.

"Bad idea." she started quietly. "This is-"

"Just need some light." declared Nicholas who was already on his way to the nearest window and soon pulled the string of the venetian blind, raising it all the way up.

"Oh shit." breathed Aiden, now able to see that as well as the book-laden rows of shelves, the desks and the armchairs, there were blankets, boxes, bags, rotting remains of food and discarded packaging strewn all around the large room.

This place had been a camp. And was now a graveyard of the undead.

The scratchy rasp of walkers filled the air as every pile and shadow seemed to start to move towards them. A hand shot out from under a desk and grasped Nicholas' ankle and he gave a frightened yelp as he wildly tried to kick free.

Her sword already drawn, Tahlia jumped forward and slashed through two of the nearest walkers as Aiden backed up towards the doors.

"Let's get out of here!"

The others had just emerged from the lab with two laden boxes, and Tara's fingers were already closed around the door handle of the room opposite (that Nicholas had shied away from) when Aiden came bursting out of the library.

"What's…?" began Glenn, but he didn't need to finish his question.

Daryl started forward when he heard Tahlia's shout from inside the library, his only thought to get to her.

"Nicholas! Come on!" urged Tahlia as she sliced at another walker, trying to keep a path clear for Nicholas who had just managed to free himself. Dodging around two bodies he made it back to Tahlia and they stumbled out onto the landing and nearly straight into Daryl, the library walkers zealously spilling through the doorway behind them.

Without thinking to first check inside, Tara shoved the door she was standing in front of open as the others ran towards her. "In here!"

The lab, a long, light room - the floor-to-ceiling windows in here curtainless - was set out as a teaching space with two rows of long tables lining two-thirds of the room, and rows of free-standing shelves laden with books and equipment at the other end. Eugene, with a box in his arms, was first inside and immediately recoiled at the sight of five of the undead eagerly eyeing him up.

"No, no, no, no, no!"

But with the walkers in the corridor nearly on them, it was too late to backtrack.

"Get inside and get him down behind them shelves!" Daryl shouted to Tara, indicating the far end of the lab as he then shoved Tahlia in, closely followed by Nicholas, and slammed the door behind them.

"Tahly! Deal with them!" Daryl pointed at the corpses by the tables, then grabbed Nicholas' arm. "You! Help me hold this door shut!"

"Tara! Stay with Eugene. We got these." Tahlia strode forward, confidently swinging her sword and putting down two of the walkers, and Aiden followed after her, shooting the next two.

"See? Perfect aim." he said smugly as the walkers fell. "Leave this last one for me."

Behind them, Daryl swore as he and Nicholas held the door shut against the press of walkers outside. "Fuckin' latch is broken!"

"I'll move this desk!" called Glenn, attempting to shift a large solid oak desk that was against the wall just beyond the door.

Leading Eugene past the shelves at the far end of the room, Tara quickly shot the one walker that was lingering there, then Eugene, although visibly shaking, pointed to a big supply cupboard in the corner. "Think that could hold the proverbial bingo."

"Let's check that, then." replied Tara as she escorted him to the cupboard, cautiously first listening to make sure it was clear before opening the door.

The last walker had caught Aiden off balance and just before he managed to shoot it dead, he tripped back against a desk, slashing his forearm open on the sharp edge of a half-dismantled metal contraption.

"Shit, that's nasty." commiserated Tahlia as she caught sight of his ragged, torn skin and blood spilling to the ground at his feet, and she quickly stripped off her outer layer long-sleeved top. Cutting off the sleeves, she used the body of the material to mop up some of the blood, then started to wind the sleeves around his wound.

Meanwhile, Glenn was having difficulty moving the heavy desk, and Daryl turned to Nicholas.

"I'm gonna help Glenn. Don't move."

Eyes wide with fear, Nicholas nodded, his back up against the door, his arms by his sides, palms pressed flat against the wood.

Daryl jogged to Glenn then they gave the desk an almighty shove, inching it forward.

Sweat beading on his forehead, Nicholas squeezed his eyes shut as he struggled to hold the door closed, struggled to hold on to his waning courage. The force of the walkers on the other side shoved the door open a little and an undead hand snaked through, clawing at Nicholas' shoulder.

"They're gonna get in!" he howled in fear as he pushed back hard, his feet scrambling for purchase on the ground.

"Don't move!" commanded Daryl. "Nearly there!"

The door yawned open a little again, and Nicholas blanched. "I can't hold it! We need to run!" He abandoned his post and started running to the far side of the room where, just beyond the supply cupboard, a side door led through to the adjoining lab room.

"Nicholas! No!" yelled Glenn.

But it was too late. The twenty or so walkers from the hallway started to pile in, stumbling and tripping over one another. The first lot locked eyes on Tahlia and Aiden directly ahead, the metallic tang of blood still hanging in the air around them.

"Tahly!" shouted Daryl as he started towards her, but a group of walkers had veered towards him and Glenn, backing them into the corner.

Tahlia let go of Aiden and armed herself with her katana once again, quickly cutting down the approaching undead as Aiden emptied the remainder of his magazine on the wave behind.

Beyond caring what he'd just done, Nicholas reached the adjoining door and threw it open, only to be set upon by two of the undead that were on the other side. Falling heavily onto his ass, he shuffled back across the floor, whimpering all the while.

Nearby, Tara shoved Eugene into the supply cupboard and slammed the door before aiming at the walker that was salivating in Nicholas' whimpering face and shot it dead, then she quickly took down the second.

"Get up." she instructed coldly and he nodded and jumped to his feet, turning to process the scene in front of him.

The corridor was now empty, all of the walkers having piled into this room. In the far corner, Daryl and Glenn were side by side fighting off the group in front of them, while in the centre of the room, Tahlia and Aiden had positioned themselves between two of the long tables which funneled the walkers filing towards them to manageable groups of two and three at a time. They both had their knives in hand – Tahlia had swapped out her katana because there just wasn't enough room to swing a sword around, and Aiden had run out of ammo. The majority of the undead were heading for them, however, and the press of walkers meant that they were being steadily pushed back towards the windowed outer wall of the lab.

Tara pointed in their direction. "Help them!" she instructed Nicholas, as she strode forward to deal with three gnashing-teethed laggers coming her way.

Taking a few tentative steps, Nicholas then hesitated, too terrified to willingly move any closer to the undead. Instead, he lifted his gun, and with shaking hands, took aim – although he hadn't decided exactly what he was aiming at – and fired.

As Tahlia jammed her knife into the temple of the walker in front of her, something whizzed past her ear and cracked loudly against the window behind her. Startled, she glanced over her shoulder just as the walker fell to the ground, taking her knife with it. There was no time to retrieve the blade, as another body was already upon her, shoving her backwards. With a muttered curse for losing her concentration, Tahlia quickly raised her left arm against the corpse's neck to keep it at bay as she blindly searched the table with her right hand for anything to use as a weapon, her fingers eventually closing over a paper spike.

"Tahlia!" Aiden yelled as he killed the creature in front of him and took a step towards her with the intention of helping her out. Just then a giant walker lumbered straight into him, teeth clacking inches from his face. Grappling with this monster, Aiden steadily lost ground as it propelled him back.

Feeling braver after taking a shot and seeing that the undead were still a safe distance away, Nicholas aimed again, this time decisively going for Aiden's attacker, and he let off another round.

Crack.

The bullet hit the now-splintering window again.

Nicholas glanced at the walker still snapping at Aiden, then down at his gun, then back up again, confused as to why the walker was still standing.

He raised his gun a third time.

Even from across the room, Daryl could see that Nicholas was shaking badly and knew that his aim was shit at the best of times, and there was just as much likelihood that he would hit Tahlia as anything else – and she was unable to get out of the line of fire with two walkers grasping at her now.

"No!" he roared. "Don't shoot! Don't fuckin'-!"

Two rounds this time.

One hit the window exacerbating the huge cracks now steadily spidering across the surface. The other grazed Aiden's shoulder.

Bewildered, Aiden glanced up at Nicholas, and while he was distracted, the giant walker bulldozed him forcibly into the windowed outer wall.

Daryl had just managed to take down the last of the undead in the corner and quickly raised his crossbow, aiming at one of the two walkers that were on Tahlia, his bolt easily spearing the head of the one that had a grip on her left arm. As it fell, it dragged on her arm, unbalancing her, the other walker still gripping tight to her shirt. After a few stumbling steps backwards, Tahlia managed to right herself before she tripped to the ground, then out of the corner of her eye, she saw rain.

Shimmering, sparkling rain.

A sun shower. The errant thought skipped across her mind before her brain connected all the pieces of information and slammed her with the reality of the situation.

It was glass. Pieces of glass falling like rain. And through that rain, Aiden was disappearing out the once-window, arms windmilling, face stretched in terror, as he plummeted to the asphalt of the back lot.

Pushed back one more step, Tahlia would have expected to feel solid glass behind her by now, except she knew there was none, only sharp rain and air.

And now she was disappearing too.

She caught a fleeting glimpse of Daryl and then he was gone.

Although technically, she thought, she was the one gone.

And the only thing she could see now was the slavering mouth and filmy eyes of the walker that was still clutching her shirt, falling with her, and instinctively she raised her hands to shield her face and squeezed her eyes shut tight.

And in a flash of ice white, everything disappeared.