Chapter 5: Starting a New

After breakfast, Shane and Vanessa went back to Vanessa's room and take a shower. But, during their shower, the emergency lights in the bathroom came on.

"Oh shit," Vanessa cursed. She scrambled to get dressed.

"Darlin', what's the matter?" Shane asked confused.

"Get our bags and King. We gotta go. Tell the rest of the group."

"What's going on-"

"Please Shane we're low on time as it is."

Shane didn't question Vanessa anymore. Vanessa ran down the hallway and called to everyone to get their stuff and meet her in the big room. She then ran to the big room where Jenner was, drunk.

"What the hell happened? I thought we had two days left!" she shouted.

"More people means more power," he shrugged.

The rest of the group came into the room.

"What's going on?" Rick asked.

"We gotta leave. Today," Vanessa told them. Before anyone could move toward the doors, Jenner locked them all in. "What the hell are you doing?"

"It's better this way, easier," Jenner said.

"How? I don't wanna be blown up! Let us out, dammit."

"You don't wanna be out there, you said it yourself."

"That was a thought for a brief moment. Now, my nephew is here, he's twelve! My sister, my brother-in-law, and the man I love. Now that I know they're safe...I wanna be out there with them."

"Well last night, your brother-in-law told me there was no hope. He said there was not point in even trying."

"He was drunk! He's never been good with alcohol. I doubt he even remembers talking to you. And remember what Vivian said? She said that we'd choose rather or not to leave. Edwin, please."

"Okay, fine. Go. I can't open the door up there though."

"Thank you," Vanessa said. Jenner pressed the button and let them out.

"Dr. Winters, one more thing."

Jenner whispered something in Vanessa's ear before she headed to the door. She nodded to him and took Shane's hand. They all ran upstairs and were blocked by the bullet proof glass, King followed on Vanessa's heels. Shane tried to shoot it with his shot gun, but nothing happened. A few of the men tried using chairs.

"I have something that might help," Carol said as she stood with her bag.

"I don't think a nail file is gonna help," Shane chucked nervously.

"The first night in camp, when I washed your uniform and I found this," Carol held out a granade to Rick. He took it from her.

"Everybody get down," he commanded.

Shane covered Vanessa's body with his. Boom! The glass shattered, and they all ran outside, Shane and Vanessa went to Shane's jeep. Carl took King with him to the RV. Andrea and Dale came running out of the CDC, they hid behind sand bags. Flames took over the CDC, and blew it up. There was nothing left of the CDC. Vanessa began to shed tears. Shane took her hand and kissed it.

"He wasn't really a bad guy..." she said.

"I'm sure he wasn't," Shane said, as they began driving.

The group drove down the road in their separate cars. The RV, Carol's Cherokee, Daryl's truck, and Shane's jeep. Shane and Vanessa held hands, but didn't say a word to each other. Suddenly, the jeep began to slow, and the engine cut out. The walkers they were driving past gathered around them. Vanessa grabbed her bag, Shane took his and they began to run. There was horn honking, but they only heard their feet as they hit the ground, and the moaning of walkers. Shane knew better than to shoot his shot gun, that would only have brought more walkers.

"C'mon Darlin'," Shane pulled Vanessa, to the RV. The door opened they dove in. They panted heavily.

"Aunt Vanessa, Uncle Shane, are you okay?" Carl asked.

"F...fine..." Vanessa breathed, as king licked her face.

"Yeah, little man, we're just fine," Shane smiled slightly, sweat dripped from his face. "How'd y'all know to stop?"

"Daryl. He wouldn't stop honkin' and beepin'," Rick replied.

They drove to a nursing home. It was Rick's idea, since he'd helped the people there, the people should help the desperate group now.

"Where are the people on watch?" T-Dog asked. Rick shrugged. They arrived at a court-yard, and walkers looked up at them.

"Ta hell with the noise," Rick said, and began shooting walkers. The rest of the group, the ones with guns, shot down all the walkers. Vanessa walked over to Lori who held her hands over Carl's ears. She nudged her sister. Lori gave her a nervous smile. Right now, being twenty-six, and pregnant by a man who was not her husband, during the zombie apocalypse, she needed her big sister. Lori had been in this situtation-except Lori was eighteen when she became pregnant with Carl.

Once the court-yard was clear, the group walked into the nursing home, the smell overwhelmed them as they did. Vanessa actually threw up on the floor. She never had a weak stomach, she blamed the pregnancy. Lori patted her back, and held back her hair.

"Shane, Daryl, and myself are gonna go make sure the place is clear," Rick said. "The rest of you, why don't you barricade the doors."

The group got to work, but Lori slipped over to talk to a still ill Vanessa.

"Are you okay? I've never seen you get sick like that."

"Can you keep a secret?"

"'Course. What is it?"

"I'm pregnant..." Vanessa said nervously. Lori gasped. "I haven't gotten to tell Shane yet."

"How far?"

"A little over two months."

"Oh my God!" Lori said. She didn't know what to think about her baby sister being pregnant by Shane. Shane was a good guy, but Lori feared, he wouldn't want to take care of a child. There was no telling how he would react. There was also the fact that it was the end of the world. The cry of a baby could cause a so many problems for the group.

"I know. What if he wants to break up with me? Or what if he were to die? What then?" Vanessa asked. "Then I'd be on my own to raise a baby."

"You'll never be on your own," Lori promised, as she hugged her sister. Vanessa sobbed into Lori's shirt.

"What's the matter 'Nessa?" Shane asked, softly. He, Rick, and Daryl had just finished making sure the place was clear. Vanessa looked up at Lori-since Lori was a few inches taller than her baby sister. Lori nodded and walked over to Rick.

"Shane..." Vanessa sniffed. "There's somethin' I gotta tell you..."

"What is it, babe?" Shane and Vanessa walked into another room, away from the group.

"Shane," she took a deep breath, trying to keep from crying more. "I'm pregnant."

Shane was frozen. He couldn't move he couldn't speak. It was as if he'd been locked in a freezer for hours. Yes, he wanted to be a dad. Yes, he loved Vanessa. But, couldn't this have come at a better time? Although, he knew this was just as much his fault as her's. They'd both been reckless. They didn't use condoms when they made love, and Vanessa wasn't on the pill. 'Nessa blinked a few times, to get rid of the tears. She didn't want to cry, not again.

"Y'know what?" Shane came out of whatever shocked state he was in, and cupped Vanessa's chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Everything's gonna be all right, Darlin'. We'll find a safe place for you to have the baby, and we'll wait 'til it's old enough to move. We'll be okay," he pecked her lips with his, and she smiled. That's exactly what she needed right now. She needed Shane to take away all of the stress, she needed him to make her feel like they'd be fine, even if in reality, they probably wouldn't. "How far along?"

"Almost two months..."

"That would mean..."

"Yes. It must've happened that first night."

He kissed her again, and they rejoined the group, hand in hand.