Chapter 9- Boom

Avery woke with a start. There were shouts from people panicking outside the bedroom and down the hall. Daryl had left earlier, telling Avery to rest while he went to breakfast with Eren. He had brought Avery food again and he had fallen asleep right afterwards. With Ed's attack, his bruised-up face, broken hand, the walker attack and Daryl's restlessness last night, he was exhausted. Avery stood up on shaking legs and moved to throw on his clothes from yesterday.

He hissed in pain as his skin stretched on his shoulder. It just had to be the same arm with the broken hand. The door burst open and he let out a small scream and tried to cover himself. Daryl stormed into the room in a hurry. He looked pissed.

"What's going on?" Avery asked in a panic as Daryl rushed around packing their shit up in a hurry. He froze and moved over to his startled husband. He helped him slide his boxers on before sliding a pair of jeans up his legs. Daryl carefully helped his arms through a dark grey T-shirt before he picked up their bags, grabbed Avery's hand, and hurried out the door.

"Daryl? What's going on? Where's Eren?"

Daryl ignored him and brought him into a large room where a clock was counting down and people were trying to get Jenner to open a door. Avery saw Eren perched on the ground holding onto Lori and Carl for dear life.

He yanked his hand from Daryl's and rushed over to his boy. He cradled his son close to his chest.

"It sets the air on fire. Don't you want a quick death, no pain and free from this horrid world?" Jenner asked as Shane brought a shot gun to his head.

"Open the damn doors before I blow your brains out!"

Carol cried out. "Please! I don't want my daughter to die this way! She's too young!"

"No pain. Everything will be over before you know it." Jenner added.

Rick stepped forward and tried to get Shane to drop the gun. Avery caught sight of Daryl hacking away at a metal door with an ax. It wasn't doing anything. Not even a dent.

He stood up slowly and Lori tried to pull him back as he walked towards Dr. Jenner. "Avery!" She called frantically.

Avery stopped in front of Jenner. He watched him as he looked down at the floor. "Do you think your wife would want this? You will kill people who do not want to die. You say that there is no hope out there, that we would be better off dying here, but your wrong." Jenner shot his head up and looked the young man dead in the eyes.

"There is hope. I heard you say it last night. I don't know what exactly is keeping me from becoming a walker, but it's in my blood." He said softly. Jenner looked away, deep in thought. "Open the door. Let us find that hope."

"No... I told you all. I can't."

Avery sighed before reaching back and slapping him hard. Jenner's head shot sideways and the whole room went silent. "Stop being selfish. I won't let you kill my family this way. We have all survived this long and we will keep surviving. We have each other. We look after each other." His voice was eerily calm for the way the situation was. "Your wife would be ashamed of you."

Jenner gave a sad smile before nodding. "Your right." He hit a few buttons on a computer before the metal doors slid open. Everyone rushed and quickly grabbed their stuff.

Daryl rushed over to Avery and pulled him back. "Thank you, Dr. Jenner." Avery told him as Daryl dragged him through the metal doors and to the elevator, Amy right behind them with Eren. Once inside the elevator Eren rushed forward from Amy and clung himself to his mother's waist.

"Wait... Where's Jaquie?" Avery pondered as Amy shook her head.

"She decided to stay behind. I couldn't stop her." Amy whispered as she clung onto her sister. Andrea held her close as the younger girl sobbed.

"No..." Avery close her eyes. The doors dinged and opened. People rushed forward.

The men tried to break the windows, but it didn't work. They were bullet proof.

"It's no use!" Rick growled as they tried to smash it.

"Wait!" Carol spoke up. She went through a bag quickly and pulled out an object. "I found this while cleaning your clothes the other day."

Rick took the grenade from her hands and went to the window. He took a deep breath and pulled the pin. He froze for a split second before dropping it. "Shit! Everybody! Get down!" He shouted as he dove away from the window. Avery covered Eren and Daryl cover them both with his body as a large boom went off causing the ground shook.

Daryl pulled them up and the group rushed outside. They all ran towards where they left the vehicles. Daryl pushed Avery and Eren towards their pickup truck. Avery curled around Eren as Daryl hopped in and threw his body over his family.

The ground shook, and heat was all that anyone could feel. Avery groaned as his ears rang. He sat up once he could get a grip on his mind and move around.

Daryl started the truck and waited till Avery took over, got out, grabbed his bike from the back, and led the group of vehicles away from the CDC and towards the highway.

Avery held Eren close as he drove, occasionally looking down at him to look for any visible injuries.

"Papa, 'm fine. Not hurt." Eren told him and he sighed in relief.

"My baby. I love you so much." Avery said ad he kissed his forehead. He leaned back against the seat and pulled Eren's body closer to his side.

Daryl glanced back to where his family was safe and sound in his truck. They were safe, and that is all that mattered to him.