Chapter 11: CDC

She pulled away from Daryl and slid back over to her seat, Daryl didn't say a word he just started the ignition and started driving back to the others.

They got out of the truck, the others were up and Rick charged over to them,

' Where the hell were you two? You scared us all!' he said in a low but angry voice,

' We went to check out the town and see what we could scrounge' Daryl said as if Rick was overreacting,

' Did you get anything?' Laurie asked in a much calmer tone,

' Not much food but we got some water and some gas' Daryl said unloading the jerry cans and bags from the back of the truck,

' You should have woken us up what if you were attacked?' Rick said rubbing his face exasperatedly,

' We were…we took care of it' Daryl said scowling at Rick

' Are you both ok?' Laurie said eyeing Abby in particular

' We're both here ain't we?' Daryl said quickly so Laurie focused on him, she nodded and picked up one of the bags to start sharing the water out.

Abby glanced over and saw john and Carrie watching her, she looked away and walked away from the camp.

She sat under a tree not far from the camp and looked at her ankle, it was still faintly red from where the walker had grabbed her,

' You used to do the same thing when you were a kid' john said sinking down next to her,

' Huh?' she said looking at him

' Run away when you thought you'd upset someone' he said putting an arm round her shoulders,

' Haven't I though…I saw your face when Simon said what I did…you looked so disgusted' she said putting her head on her knees,

' Abby…I wasn't disgusted I was just shocked…you could've come to me I would've helped you pay for medical school'

' I didn't want your money john…you've done more than enough for me I couldn't ask you for more, and for the record I wasn't a prostitute…I was a stripper though and I'm sorry I lied to you…I just never wanted to see that look on your face'

' Abby…you've been like a daughter to me…more than that in my mind you are my daughter and no matter what I will always be proud of you' she looked up at him, he smiled warmly at her and squeezed her shoulders.

She sat with john for a while, enjoying one of their comfortable silences. John coughed and clutched his side,

' How are you feeling today?' she said suddenly alert

' I'm fine…don't fuss' she held his hand tightly and continued to look at him with concern,

' I do worry though john'

' Abby I know…I'm limited' she bit her lip and hugged john, her hugs with john always took her back to when she was a kid, it was always a moment she cherished.

They filled up the cars and the RV and started back on the road to the CDC. Abby and Daryl were totally silent; she was still slightly embarrassed about kissing him. Except when she played it back in her mind it was more like she'd pounced on a reluctant Daryl.

After about an hour all the cars abruptly stopped and Daryl and Abby watched as Jim hobbled out of the RV. Jim requested they leave him by the side of the road,

' I can't take the movement anymore, I feel like my bones a shards of glass' he said wincing as he sat with his back to a tree,

' Are you sure you want this…the CDC…?' Rick said quietly

' There isn't a cure Rick and I don't want to become a lab rat…I don't want to hurt any of you…just let me have this my way?' he half pleaded as though Rick was going to force him back into the RV,

' Let the man have his wish' john said stepping forward and shaking Jim's hand. One by one they all said goodbye to Jim, even Daryl who had been ready to kill Jim a matter of hours ago, inclined his head to Jim before heading back to the truck.

They could see the city in the horizon, it had taken them most of the day to get there and people were beginning to get antsy at the thought of being in a city with the daylight fading.

They lined the cars up and waited for Rick to emerge from carol's jeep. Daryl fidgeted in his seat and looked over at Abby; they had barely spoken to each other since the kiss,

' You're pretty close to him aren't you?' Daryl said quietly

' I think of him as my dad' she said quietly

' What happened to your old man?'

' Don't know…my mum grabbed me one night and said we were going and I never saw him again'

' What was your mom like?' he said looking around to see if any of the others had got out of their vehicles yet,

' As bad as him in ways' she said as she got out of the truck, she had a shotgun and johns gun ready as Daryl followed her over to the group.

They all stood and stared at the horrific sight before them, corpses were scattered everywhere and the stench was repulsive. Flies flitted around them, clinging to the half eaten bodies and rejoicing in the stench,

' Ah fuck' Abby said grimacing

' Let's go there's no one here…let's just cut our losses and try somewhere else' Simon said wincing at the sight of the bodies,

' You scared pussy boy?' Daryl said walking past him towards the CDC.

The others followed Daryl towards the CDC; everyone's eyes were darting around and checking for walkers.

They reached the doors of the CDC and Abby's heart sank as she saw the steel shutters were down,

' What do we do now, we can't get in?' she said looking at Rick

' Fuck!' Daryl shouted

' We need to get out of here now' Shane said anxiously

' See I told you but no one ever listens to me I knew this would be a dead end' Simon said triumphantly,

' Would you shut the fuck up!' john said angrily

' Isn't there an intercom or anything Rick?' dale said looking around

' I cant see anything…shit' Rick looked broken, they all knew he'd been counting on this.

A horrible gargled noise behind them made all of them turn, they saw the walkers beginning to descend on them,

' Come on Rick we gotta go!' Shane said firing at a walker, they all turned and held their guns up ready to fight their way back to the trucks but Rick stopped dead,

' It moved…it moved!' he shouted

' What did?' dale said

' The camera it moved, there's someone in there!' he said taking off his hat and waving it in the air,

' It's probably just got a motion sensor on it come on Rick we have to go now!' Shane shouted,

' No…no it moved…please help us…if you're in there help us!' Rick shouted

' Rick we don't have time for this!' Laurie shouted clinging to Carl,

' Please we're dying out here…you're killing us!' Rick shouted, everyone began to run and shoot the increasing number of walkers that were coming for them. Even Rick turned to help when suddenly they heard the sound of metal scraping and the shutters of the CDC opened and the light inside blinded them all.

All Dixon's vixens please review x