AN: I want to say thanks to those who have read my story and continue to follow it. I appreciate the reviews and positive feedback. Here's the next chapter. :)

Chapter 5

"Arizona, look out!"

As I turned around on my back, I see an infected dive towards me, leaving me with no time to react. I heard Jackson hop on top of my dad's flipped truck. I saw him leap over me, bring back his bat, and swing in mid-air at the monster. He hit it in the face sending it to the ground with a now backwards head. Avery's feet landed below mine, his chest heaving in and out. He turned around and grabbed my hand to pull me up.

My voice was shaky. "Thanks Avery."

"It was nothing. You owe me though."

As he dusted the dirt off my back, we heard a unison of moans come from behind us. We turned around to see groups of the infected coming our way. Jackson stood straighter. "Man, these things are everywhere!" I began to run around the cars in the pile up to look for my father. "Arizona! We have to go," The moans got closer. "NOW."

"That's my dad's truck! He has to be here!" I tripped over some scrap and started sobbing. Avery scooped me up, putting his arm around my waist. "He's not here and we have to leave. I will NOT become one of those…things."

The other car had not seen the entire encounter, but saw Jackson place me in the passenger's seat then take the wheel. We pulled up next to Callie's car so that she and Jackson were next to each other. Jackson was in a hurry to make a plan. "Listen, there's another group coming. We've got to get to the evacuation area."

Callie looked at me. "Did you find your dad?" Jackson looked to me then back at Callie shaking his head slowly. "We still have time to stop by your mom's bakery." She looked at me, waiting for a response. I didn't care anymore. If I couldn't find my dad, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to find my mom. I shook my head 'no'.

Jackson sighed. "Stop at Robbins' Bakery?"

Callie responded with her eyes still on me, "Yes."

"Alright, you lead Torres."

I sat with my hands in my lap; head tucked into myself the entire drive to my mother's shop. I had no want or need to stop there. I'm not sure I even wanted to get out of the car. My mind kept returning to what I saw in my dad's truck. The driver's seat was covered in blood, all the windows were broken, and there was a piece of a shirt stuck in the door. I tried to think about if it was something he would wear. Before my mind wonder farther, we pulled up in front of Robbins' Bakery.

Jackson's voice was distant. "Arizona? Arizona!" I finally turned to him. My vision went from Avery's face to the front of my mom's shop. There were about ten to fifteen of the infected surrounding the door. Their faces and bodies smashed into the windows receptively like toy robots hitting a wall.

Jackson looked over then hung his head. "Man, there is no way in hell we're getting in there."

"There's got to be a way." I focused in on my surroundings. Jackson parked next to a moving truck that was in front of the bakery; the back close to the roof. If I could just climb across the top, I could easily go in through the roof.

"Robbins…you're not thinking about…"

"I am. If we can get on top my car, it's an easy path to the roof. I'm sure there's an opening somewhere."

"What if there's more inside?"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Well I'm not letting you go alone." I looked to Jackson who seemed completely serious. We had always been pretty good friends and it was obvious we had each other's back.

Stephanie looked at Jackson with fear. He leaned back and gave her a quick kiss. We opened the sunroof on my car. Jackson took point with his bat and I followed with the hatchet in hand. Jo took Jackson's seat and closed the roof under us.

It was an easy leap to the hood of the truck followed by a crawl up the windshield to the top. Once there, we walked on top of the trailer. I paused and looked over to Callie's car which was parked in front of the next shop down with Derrick Shepard standing on top. Callie had her hands on the side of her face, rubbing parts of her temple. I sent a small wave to get her attention. When she looked up, I blew her a kiss. I saw her take a deep breath before I looked to Derrick.

"Avery! Robbins!" He tried not to make much noise. "You need any help in there?"

Jackson tried to look inside the shop to look for any infected. "I think it might be clear in there."

"Okay. Yell if you need anything."

Avery sent him an "okay" hand jester.

Avery and I moved further down the trailer until we came to the end. There was a good three or four foot distance from the truck to the roof. We both looked down and saw some of the infected stumbling around like a pit of death. "We have to jump." Avery said.

"Let's do it." I said uncertainly.

Jackson took a few steps back then started to run. He leaped and landed on the roof, no problems. I took a few extra steps back then started to run. When I reached the edge of the truck, I leaped towards the roof. Everything slowed down as I landed on my side. A pain hit me and I dropped my weapon and began to roll around.

"Son of a bitch!" I moaned out and grabbed my side. A small amount of blood puddled in my hand.

"Robbins? What happened?"

I looked under my side and saw a piece of sharp metal exposed on the roof now covered with blood. "I'll be fine."

"Arizona? Are you okay?" I heard Callie calling out.

I sat up, holding my side. She was standing outside her car. "I'm fine. Get back in the car."

"You're bleeding!"

"Damn it, Callie! Get back in the car!" Moans became more auditable under my feet. I looked off the roof and saw pasty colored arms reach for me. Callie finally got back into her car, and I didn't want to see her upset so I turned around to Avery. "Alright. You first."

Avery opened the hatch on the roof and dipped his top half into the building. "It looks clear," he mumbled. He sat back up and put his bottom half in first and fell in. "Come on. I got you Robbins."

I put my feet in and pushed off, landing in Avery's arms. He set me on the ground and we instantly turned back-to-back, taking in the shop.

Everything looked in place, untouched. I've been here multiple times; worked her during the summer. My friends thought it was a cool hangout and I couldn't lie, it was. My mom had designed it just for us.

Jackson leaned to my ear and whispered, "This place is like a ghost town."

"I know. It looks like it hasn't been touched at all today."

The huge windows would usually give us more light, but there were diseased people blocking them along with a darkening Seattle sky.

"Jackson, I can't see shit."

"Yeah, I'm not too sure about this. Let's check her office, the bathrooms, and then the kitchen."

"Okay, you lead."

We slowly moved to my mom's office. When we opened the door, a puff of cold air came out into our faces. I moved around inside as Avery guarded the door.

"Mom? Mom…" I whispered her name as I walked around. It wasn't a huge room so there wasn't much space to hide. I walked out and shook my head to Avery.

He entered the guys' and I entered the girls' restroom. It was extremely dark with only a small ray of afternoon glow from the window. I was starting to sweat and shake. I walked out and noticed that Jackson wasn't there waiting, but I heard the sound of urine hitting the toilet. "Such a slacker," I mumbled under my breath. I turned my attention to the kitchen and went in.

The kitchen was even colder, which helped my sweating, but not my loss of hope. If my mom wasn't in here, I don't know where else she could be. I made my way around counters and stoves finally coming to the pantry where all the supplies were kept and noticed. The light inside was on.

My sweaty and trembling hand reached out and turned the nob.

An infected jumped out and I took a few steps back then tripped on a can and fell on my back. My weapon dropped and slid across the floor. "Shit! Jackson!" The man got closer and closer. His jaw was attached by a then piece of skin, blood and foam oozing from his mouth. He leaned down for me. I reached inside of my pants and pulled out the gun, aimed at his head, and fired. BAM!

His body slapped the floor, the sound of his bones breaking rung in my ears. Jackson came running from behind and pulled me away as I tried to stand up.

"What the hell was that about, going in her without me? And where did you get a fucking gun at?!"

I patted myself off and stuck in back in my pants, putting my shirt over it. I reached down and grabbed my other weapon. "I found it back at Joe's. I was going to give it to Carlos, but I thought I could use it."

"Well, I guess you did use it." As he said that, a thud came from the other room. We started to walk, but heard footsteps coming towards us. Derrick stepped into the doorway and we all let out a breath. "Shepard. What are you doing in here?"

"We heard a gunshot go off. Callie and Stephanie were screaming at me to come in here after you two."

"Arizona was just…" I gave him a look "she has a gun, but don't tell the others. It's obvious she knows how to use it and she found it so…whatever. Don't tell the others." I offered a softer glare.

"You found a gun?!" Jackson sighed and gripped his bat, glaring at Derrick.

"Okay, okay. It's between us. It's getting dark out there…"

I looked around once more. "Yeah, my mom's not here. We should go."

On the roof, I looked towards Callie who let out a huge breath, fogging up her window. Jackson and I hopped back into my car, while Derrick jumped on top of the Tahoe. Before getting back inside my car, I motioned for her to roll down her window. "Lead us to the evacuation area." Before she could reply, I slipped into my car and sat in the passenger's seat. I looked to Jo who was still in the driver's seat, "Follow Callie."

"I can do that." She replied

As we drove, I looked at the barely visible moon. How could this happen? How could both of my parents disappear like that?

We pulled up to a large gate with two soldiers standing in front of it. There were other families lined up, sitting outside the gate. They all looked healthy and were probably trying to get the hell out of here like us. They came up beside Callie's car and looked in. I sat up straight ready to act if they tried anything. I could hear Callie get upset. "What do you mean?!" Without a second thought, I hopped out and went up to the soldier speaking to Callie.

"Excuse me. What seems to be the problem…" I read his last name off his jacket, "Ryder?"

"Look, I understand that your group is healthy and needs to be evacuated."

"And…"

"Our last ship has sailed and we just sent our last chopper. We've ran out of fuel for Washington and it's going to be weeks, possibly months before we're able to move more people. The people you see standing here," he motioned around "They've all been told the same thing."

I looked around and noticed families with kids and older couples setting up tents. "Is there any shelter you guys can give?"

"None. They think that's what's behind these gates, but all that's back there is a landing pad and a small office. Ships have taken groups to southern California where they're transported to Texas. That's where you'll find shelter. The Army has set up multiple safety camps and shelters throughout that entire state. Unless you can find a way down there, there's nothing we can offer here."

"So, if we make it to Southern California, we can get safe travel to Texas where everyone else is?"

"Yes ma'am, San Diego to be specific. I wish I could tell you more, but that's about all that I know. Me and my partner will try our best to protect who's here but we make no promises."

I sighed. "Well thank you. And thank you for your service." I gave him a small solute.

"It's my pleasure. God Bless." He saluted and walked back to the gate.

I turned around to Callie.

"What do you want to do?" she asked.

"We need to find a place to sleep then we'll figure it out in the morning."

"Should we sleep here?"

"No. There's too many people here. Someone might rob us or ask for a ride." I thought to myself for a minute. "We don't have enough time to raid a house to sleep in, the cars will have to do for now. We need to find a bridge or highway we can park under; a dark place"

"We could go to the bridge behind Grey Sloan Memorial. It's usually not busy, I'm sure we can stay there."

"That sounds good I guess?" I looked to Carlos and Derrick who nodded their heads, agreeing it was the best action.

"I'll have Jo back up so she can follow."

"Okay." Callie leaned out to kiss me. I pulled back quickly before we could take up any more time.

I walked back to the other car and filled them in on the situation.

"If we can make it to San Diego, we're in good hands." Everybody nodded that they understood.

We made it to the bridge safely and parked right under where the concrete started. We all gathered together outside and stretched. Callie couldn't keep herself from worrying about me.

"You should put something on that Arizona." She lifted my shirt to reveal the gash on my side. It probably needed stitches, but we didn't have a first aid kit.

"Tomorrow we'll stop for a kit, clothes, gas, food, and anything else we need before we go."

Jackson walked over and took his shirt off, revealing a tank top which he also stripped out of. He put his other shirt back on before ripping the tank top up and rapping it around my torso, applying pressure to the wound. I hissed then thanked him. "Any chance you get to take your shirt off, right?" Everyone smiled for once and it was nice.

Derrick stepped up. "Everybody should stay in the cars at all times. You gotta take a wiz, tell someone else so they can keep watch. Keep the doors locked and your seats low so no one can see us. Sound good?" Everyone nodded and went to the bathroom before getting back in their cars.

Callie pulled me aside for a minute and wrapped her arms around my waist. She laid her forehead against mine. "I'm sorry you couldn't find your parents."

"Let's not talk about it." I said softly.

"Okay." She gave me another kiss and joined are hands only to step backwards and drop them. "See you in the morning."

"Stay safe Callie." We both got in opposite cars.

Thursday, December 5th

TAP. TAP. TAP.

Something was outside one of the cars taping on the window. I sat up quickly and grabbed the gun from under my coat.