AN: Reviewers get cookies! Also, prepare yourself! There are lots of sad moments ahead. Feel warned. Enjoy!
OK, so, you were wrong. Very wrong.
It's definitely not going to all be OK.
EARLIER THAT DAY
You watched as Dan awoke. "Oh, hey." Dan yawned , stretching his arms. "You're up early."
"I didn't sleep well." Dan sighed.
"Yeah, I can tell. Hey, wanna help me make breakfast? And coffee. You look like you need coffee." Dan paused. "You're allowed coffee, right?" You laugh a little.
"Yeah."
You were drinking coffee with Dan and conversing about life before the apocolypse.
"So, how about your family then?"
"Uh, well, my brother, he was great. He had a snake, a hamster and two budgies. Though they were really freaking annoying in the morning."
"Language!"
"Oh, shut up, I watch your videos, you say worse! Anyway, my little sister was really annoying. And Mum and Dad were super strict. But I loved them, I guess? It's really cheesy, I know." Dan looked at you with something that wasn't quite sympathy. "I don't know where they are now."
"I don't know where my family are either." There was a silence as you looked at each other. Then, you spoke.
"You're lucky, you know. You still have Phil and Chris and PJ."
"...You have Lucy."
"Yeah, but...She isn't Lucy anymore. She's different. This has...changed her. I mean, it has all of us but, she isn't herself anymore. But PJ and Chris and Phil...They're still them. You're lucky, Dan. More than you know."
"Yeah...But, before you came, they were different too. And...I worry about them, you know?"
"Yeah, I do."
"It's just...I lost people, we lost people, that we cared about. And we lost something else too."
"Everyone who's survived has."
"And they're so weak sometimes, and I see it and it hurts to know I can't do anything about that."
"I know."
"But then there's you." Dan looked directly at you. "You, you're so young, but so...Strong."
You stared at him for a minute, then turned away, staring at the closest wall. "No. I'm not. Not really. I just...pretend. I pretend because it's a habit. Ever since I ran away, all I've had is myself. Breaking down wasn't an option. B-but...I wish I-I could've h-helped more people. But I j-just watched them d-die a-and-" You felt hot tears spill down your cheeks as you remembered everyone you watched get devoured. Teachers, family, friends, classmates.
"And they a-all c-come back a-as-" Dan pulled you into a hug as you sobbed.
"Shhhh...Don't. Don't talk about it any more."
"I-I'm s-sor-rry. I j-just-"
"No. Don't be sorry. It's ok, Katie. It's ok."
You soon regained your composure. Crying on one of your favourite YouTuber's shoulder for fifteen minutes wasn't how you expected to start the morning. But when did anything ever go to plan these days?
Anyway, you were talking to Dan again whilst the others bustled this way and that, trying to occupy themselves with whatever they could find, when you heard a loud bang. "Oh shit." Dan cursed, running to the source of the noise. You followed, slinging your backpack over your shoulder (You still took it everywhere.) and pulling out your gun.
You heard Dan say again, but louder: "OH SHIT!" He turned and pushed you out of the room, slamming the door shut. "GUYS!" He shouted. PJ, Chris, Lucy and Phil came running.
"What is it? What happened? Is anyone hurt?"
"They're in! We need to get out. Now. And go far, far away." You nodded.
"There's an RV up front, we can get out in that. If we go to Scarborough they usually have boats and we can get to America eventually."
"Hopefully this isn't going on there."
"Right, Katie, get Lucy in the RV, she's hurt and weak. Phil, get in the front in case we need a quick getaway. Me, PJ and Chris'll gather the biggest amount of supplies we can and hold them off until we're all in." You shake your head.
"There's no way I'm just leaving you guys." Dan was exasperated as he looked at you.
"Please don't make this harder than it already is." You looked at him, and he was staring at you pleadingly. You sigh, then nod.
"Fine." You picked up Lucy bridal style and ran to the RV, with Phil closely following. As you got in, you slammed the door and put Lucy on a seat, then plopped down next to her. "Bridal style? You couldn't have just slung me over your shoulder or something like they do in the action movies?"
"I didn't want to hurt you." Phil was sat down in the driver's seat, and the keys were already in the ignition. There was an awkward silence as guns went of and shouting was heard from the building that they were just in.
"So, how was it where you lived, then?" Phil asked.
"I ran away early. I wouldn't know." You said, looking out of the window at nothing in particular.
"...It was bad." Lucy said quietly. "Really bad. People were running around, and screaming, and getting eaten and it was horrible."
"How can you say all that without getting emotional or anything?" Phil said. "I mean, just between you and me, I actually cried a whole lot when Dan and I were running to get somewhere safe."
"You had your best friend." You and Lucy said at the same time, and then looked at each other.
"Does it really make that much of a difference?"
"Yeah." You said. "It's sort of...there's no one to lean on. You have to completely rely on yourself, so crying or having a mental breakdown is just suicide. There's no one to protect you, say it's okay, nothing. It's hard but, I guess I can handle it? It's rather easy when you've gotten used to it."
"Well, we're here for you now." Phil said. You smiled warmly.
"I know." Suddenly there was a shout, and all three froze, staring at the door. It was pulled open by PJ.
"IN, IN, IN!" Dan shouted from behind, shooting at one of those things. PJ scrambled in and dropped bags filled with supplies on a table. Next came Chris, doing exactly the same as PJ, and then sitting down, breathless. Dan seemed to be struggling to get in, kicking the walkers to stop them from getting in. You stood up and pulled out the pistol he'd given you, joining him at the door and shooting them off.
Suddenly, one grabbed Dan's leg and pulled him to the ground. He banged his head against the door and fell unconcious. "NO!" You screamed, grabbing him and trying to pull him in. His weight was a lot, but you managed to get him in and then slammed the door. Phil started driving immediately. You pulled Dan onto one of the long seats and checked him for a bite. You knew he would leave if he had one. He'd be afraid to stay, then turn and eat one of you guys. You let out a breath you weren't aware you were holding when you found none. Though he was bleeding a little from the gash in his head when he fell. You patched it up with a first aid kit PJ had brought in with his supplies, then sat down next to Lucy again.
"Is he OK?" Lucy asked quietly. You looked at her, then looked at the unconscious YouTuber sadly. "I...I don't know. I hope so." There was silence as Phil drove.
"How are you so good at that?" PJ asked, after catching his breath.
"Good at what?"
"That." He pointed at Dan's patched up injuries.
"Oh. That. I just...I guess I was always sort of a leader, with my friends, and when they hurt themselves I patched them up. So, I know how to. I guess."
"Huh."
You had been driving for about an hour when Dan finally came back around. "Hey, sleeping beauty." Lucy said jokingly as Dan sat up. You rushed over to him.
"Don't! You need rest."
"I'm FINE!" Dan snapped, standing up. You couldn't have helped from looking hurt. But then, you got angry. "Stop treating me like a fricking baby!"
"Oh, so this is what I get, is it?" You don't know where your anger was coming from but it had propelled you to your feet too. "For saving your life? Risking myself for you? Patching you up so you didn't DIE OF BLOOD LOSS!" Your voice raised with each word you said. Dan sat back down, looking surprised at your outburst. You sat back down next to Lucy, crossing your arms. There was an awkward silence, then Dan spoke. "I'm sorry for snapping at you." He said quietly.
"I'm sorry for shouting at you."
"It's OK. We're cool now, right?"
"Yeah. We're cool."
"...It isn't going to be OK, is it, Dan?"
"...No. No, I don't think it is."
AN: So, this could've been longer. But it took forever to write! I'm trying to write longer chapters, really! Anyway, thanks to those who reviewed, I love you all! Review if you liked?