CDC PART THREE

warning beforehand: events are not at all as they were on the actual episode. neither is dialogue. another CDC chapter to come after this one and then I swear to God, I'll move on to another episode or a filler chapter that makes sense to go in the story.


Lana noticed the heat before she noticed anything else, that's what woke her from a pretty racy dream about a certain infuriating redneck. She sat up in bed, fanning herself as she strained her ears to pick out any unfamiliar sounds.

She didn't hear the slow and steady hum of the AC unit anymore and that alarmed her at first. "Maybe Dr. Jenner is just saving the generator."

She slid out of bed, stretching as she made her way into the hallway, promptly smacking directly into Daryl who steadied her. "How's your head today, Dixon?"

"It's been worse, princess." Daryl muttered as he found himself looking down into her eyes and just sort of staring yet again. He shook his head and coughed and then grumbled when Shane made his way past, an angry look at the two of them as he made his way by them in the hallway.

"What the hell is up his ass today?"

Daryl noticed it, she didn't seem to worry about Shane anymore. He couldn't explain the way it made him feel internally, and he wouldn't admit to being just a little happy about it, not if he had to die a thousand slow and painful deaths. "Reckon he got into it with yer sister… I thought I heard 'em yellin in the hallway last night."

"That sounds about right." Lana gave a shrug. There was nothing she could do for Shane anymore, he'd done what he'd done, she'd done what she'd done, they were totally over. She wasn't going back to him anymore, she'd rather be totally alone before that happened, father of her child or not. "Hey, did you notice the air conditioning went off last night and it hasn't been back on since?"

"Yeah, I noticed. Sweated my ass off." Daryl blurted. Lana's cheeks turned a pale pink as he said the words and she nodded in agreement, keeping quiet. "Maybe he's saving the generator."

"I ain't got a real good feelin."

Lana couldn't explain it, but she didn't either. She hadn't for a while, actually. They'd been at the CDC for a few days now and Dr. Jenner just seemed strange… He'd hinted at things, he said he'd show them all something about the outbreak.

Lana was sort of afraid to find out what that something was.

"Me either. Personally, I woulda rather went my own way than come here." Daryl blurted, looking at Lana for a few seconds. If not for her being with him the night they'd arrived here, he might have just done that. He'd been intending on leaving the group to be honest, after what happened with Merle… But He didn't want to leave her behind and he knew she wouldn't leave her sister and nephew no matter how many times she'd threatened otherwise since he'd met her.

Like him, her family was important.

The realization of why he'd stayed hit him like a brick wall and he shook his head, stunned. Gruffly, he muttered, "Let's just go get some grub, okay?" and they walked down the hallway and into the cafeteria.

She sat down at an empty part of the table, she figured honestly that Daryl would sit by himself, instead, he sat down across from her, chuckling when he heard Glenn moaning and groaning, it was only Glenn's second ever hang over.

"Kid cain't handle it he ought not drink it." Daryl mused as Lana nodded and laughed a little. The tension was there again but it was different… It wasn't heavy or bad or anything, it was just there. Before it was just tense.. now it was something entirely different.

If either one noticed, neither one commented, however.

Andrea spoke up, she asked about everything Dr. Jenner promised to show them and reluctantly, he agreed to take them into the control room and show them the footage taken during the initial phases of cure research.

Lana found herself scooting closer to Daryl at the sudden appearance of Shane on her left side, she turned her head away from the image on the screen. She'd really rather not know how someone became a walker or what happened after they got bit.

Shane tried to reach for her hand, instead, she found herself slipping her right hand into Daryl's left one tentatively, kind of like how one friend would comfort or let themselves be comforted by another… There wasn't anything romantic in the gesture, or at least that's what Lana told herself repeatedly as she did it. Daryl's hand stayed stiff at first, but then casually and slowly, his hand curled around hers and he gave her a look.

Shane leaned in and whispered into her ear, "If yer scared, hon.."

"I'm fine." Lana hissed back, moving a little closer to Daryl. There was just something very off about Shane these past few days, something she didn't quite trust… It scared her, and it worried her, but she kept her distance also.

She just prayed he'd find his way to light soon and stop letting the darkness he felt win.

There wasn't anything else she could do for him… If she could've saved him, she realized now, she'd have been able to one of the many times they'd crashed and burned before.

She wouldn't be able to save him now. There really was no actual sense in trying.

Her eyes settled on the screen and she forced herself to watch the footage, the MRI scans, all of it. Daryl felt her squeeze his hand at one point and he eyed her, leaned down and said into her ear, "If it's buggin ya that much maybe don't watch, Lana."

"I need to see this. So every single time I feel a little weak I remember what will happen." Lana answered as Daryl shrugged, shaking his head. It made sense, yes, but he also realized that maybe some of the stuff was upsetting.

"Ow shit." Lana grumbled, seconds later, her other hand resting on her stomach as she laughed. Without thinking, she placed their linked hands on her stomach.

Daryl couldn't really explain what he felt at that particular moment, he was trying his best not to feel anything because he didn't want to. But he felt something, he couldn't deny knowing that deep down.

"Active today, huh?"

Shane watched and growled to himself before tapping Lana and asking, "Is everythin okay?"

"The baby… They're just kicking up a storm."

Shane's hand settled on her stomach and he smiled a little, but as quickly as the smile had come, it was gone again. He looked from Lana to Daryl and he knew by the look in her eyes and the way Daryl was giving him the most blatant of go to hell looks that he'd lost her.

And there was no getting her back.

The damage was done.


CAVEAT LECTOR:

Another chapter posted and I am seriously beyond amazed at this point because I now have 16 reviews 15 favorites and 24 follows. Again, I swear, the next chapter is the last CDC related chapter. I just thought that breaking the episode up gave a more real sense of time. I think they were there longer than a day or two but when I watched that episode it felt like it sort of just flew by? Anyway, more stuff from the cdc here. And a special thanks to everyone who's favorited and followed and left r eveiws because they mean the world to me and they keep me encouraged.

Sorry the update took some time this time, I had first world issues arise. I'm working on the follow up and last chapter to the CDC portion right now, with any luck, it'll be up tomorrow or the next day. A special thanks to Azraelgunslinger because they let me bounce an idea or two off of them! Love you all so very much you have no idea.