A/N: I have the next chapter almost done. Should I post Chapter 14 today or wait until tomorrow. Let me know what you prefer and I will go by majority rules and coin flip tie breaker. Do I switch how I spell Glenn's name? Each time I type it I can never decide between one n or two.
For the rest of the trip I laid against Daryl. I would shift a lot in order to keep my legs from falling asleep and I could tell it made him uncomfortable, but he didn't complain. My eyes felt tight once if finally stopped crying. It was the feeling that you got when your eyes got to dry, but no matter how many times I blinked it wouldn't go away. Finally I sat up again and went back to my sleeping position. I figured that if anything could help my eyes it would be a nap.
I woke up to the truck slowing down again. This time when I looked out the window instead of woods I saw buildings with large courtyards. The open areas were covered in bodies.
Ahead I could see the group making their way through the bodies towards the CDC. I didn't even realise that Daryl had gotten out of the car until he was at my door. He reached over me pulling off my seatbelt before pulling me out of the truck. Daryl pushed me in front of him as we moved quickly to catch up with the rest of the group.
When we got to the doors I stood behind my mom. She turned around once I came up and handed me my backpack. I was surprised she had brought it from the car, but I took it and put it over my shoulder. It became obvious pretty quick that the CDC was not going to be the safe haven we had thought. It was completely locked up with no response from inside.
"No one's here. This is a death trap." Daryl had moved to the front of the group next to the doors.
"He made a call." Shane was quick to Rick's defense.
"It was the wrong damn call." Daryl quickly took his crossbow off his back and moved back to edge of the group.
"Walkers!" Daryl was already shooting at the walkers stumbling towards us from the way we had came. Everyone immediately broke into a panic as Rick continued trying to get into the building while Shane tried to pull him away.
I had Sophia clinging to my leg as we waited to see what the group was doing. Out of known where a hand was on my wrist pulling me away from the CDC. I turned and saw Daryl dragging me back to the cars. With Sophia wrapped around my legs I could barely move. When he realized I wasn't keeping up he dropped my arm and turned back to me. He saw Sophia and quickly came back.
"Move it." Daryl tossed me his shot gun before he grabbed Sophia and lifted her to his hip. He turned back to cars again before the doors to the CDC opened.
We all turned back to the doors where bright light flooded out. We stayed frozen for a few moments before quickly running into the building. No one waited for us inside. The entrance was empty other than us. Daryl put Sophia down beside me before raising his crossbow.
"Whose there?" We all turned to the voice and saw a man with a gun pointed at us from one of the halls. "Any of your group infected?"
"There was one. He didn't make it."
"A blood test that's the price of admission."
"We can do that." When Rick finished the man quickly walked up to the doors.
"If you need to get anything from outside get it now. Once that door closes it won't open again." Glenn and T-Dog quickly grabbed the dropped bags from outside before the man sealed the doors. He then walked back towards the same hall he had come from.
"I'm Rick Grimes." Then man turned and looked at all of us before setting his eyes on Rick.
"I'm Dr. Edwin Jenner."
Dr. Jenner led us down the hall into an elevator. We all filed in and it filled quickly. Daryl grabbed my shirt and pulled me in front of him. I wrapped my arm around Sophia and pulled her against me. I rested the butt of the shut gun on the ground beside my foot. Mom stood next to us and took the gun from my hand. I quickly used my freed hand to stroke Sophia's hair.
"Doctors always go around packin' heat like that?" I could tell Daryl was glaring without having to look.
"There were plenty lying around. I familiarized myself, but you all seem harmless enough. Except you." He looked down towards Carl smiling a bit. "I'll have to keep my eye on you." I could see Carl smiling as he looked down.
When the elevator stopped I was the last to get out besides Daryl. He had kept his grip on my shirt for the entire ride and didn't let go until everyone had filed out. Once we left the elevator I waited a few steps for Daryl to get up beside me before grabbing his hand. He turned and looked at me startled. I smiled at him and he sighed but held my hand. Jenner led us through a series of hallways before Mom spoke up.
"Are we underground?"
"Are you claustrophobic?"
"A bit." Jenner glanced back and smiled before turning straight again.
"Try not to think about it. VI turn up the lights." Suddenly the room we were moving into got much brighter and it was filled with computers.
"Where is everyone." Lori asked as we passed through the room.
"There's no one else. It's just me."
"What about the person you asked to turn up the lights?"
"VI say hello to our guests. Tell them welcome." A computerized voice mimicked Jenner. "It's just me."
We entered a large room with long tables and a lot of chairs. The group sat at one table while Jenner sat up his equipment at one adjacent next to it. We all went up one at a time to get our blood drawn and I was terrified. I had always hated needles and the children acted better than I did. I squeaked and shut my eyes when Jenner put the needle in and refused to look again until he had pulled it out. When I opened my eyes the tube of blood was still on the table and I gagged a little.
Daryl went after me and had no problem with getting his blood drawn. He walked back over behind my chair to retrieve his crossbow and as he walked there was an obvious patch on his arm where Jenner had cleaned it before putting in the needle. It stood out prominently against the rest of his skin that was still covered in dirt and I started to giggle. When he walked behind me he bumped his elbow into my shoulder. When he bent down to get his crossbow he whispered in my ear.
"What ya laughin' 'bout scaredy cat?" I blushed before pulling my knees up to me chest. Finally Andrea was the last to get her blood drawn and she stumbled as she stood.
"Something wrong?"
"She hasn't eaten in days. None of us have." Jacqui quickly helped Andrea to stand.
"Why didn't you say something?" Jenner quickly led us to a cafeteria before bringing out trays of food. We all quickly started to separate the different foods before loading plates. Jenner came back a second time with a box that he sat on the ground before pulling out two bottles of wine.
The group quickly cheered and laughed as bottles were passed around and glasses filled. I was slightly surprised when mom handed me a full glass of wine and when I looked at her, she smiled. I grabbed it and took a long drink. I had never liked wine from when I had had some before, but was thrilled to drink something other than water. I looked back towards Jenner and saw him pull a bottle of Southern Comfort out of the box.
Daryl immediately leaned over the table and grabbed the bottle before Jenner could set it down. He then filled his glass before taking a long drink and filling it again. Daryl then set the bottle down and Shane grabbed it next filling his own glass. Jenner took another bottle of whiskey out of the box and set it in the middle laughing. We all ate and talked for the first time not having to worry about anything sneaking up on us. After Sophia finished eating she came and crawled into my lap. Dale was refilling glasses when he offered some to Carl and Lori slapped her hand over his glass. Everyone laughed again even Lori.
"He can have some. In France children have a little wine with their dinner. Italy, too." Dale laughed as he refilled Lori's glass.
"And when Carl is in France or Italy then he can have some."
"Aw, come on what's the harm." Lori looked over at Rick with wide eyes. "Let him try some."
Lori took her hand off Carl's glass and Dale put a small amount of wine in it. Everyone was quiet as we watched Carl take a sip of wine. His face immediately scrunched up.
"Ewwww!" Everyone laughed as Carl set the glass back down on the table.
Lori picked up the glass and dumped the rest of the wine into her glass. I picked up my glass and Sophia grabbed the glass as well as I brought it toward me. She turned and looked up at me with her lips pursued. I looked down at her and cocked an eyebrow. Then I let go of the glass and Sophia quickly brought the glass to her mouth. She took a sip and made a face similar to Carl's before holding the glass up to me. We all laughed again.
"Better stick to soda pop kids." Shane laughed behind his hands.
"Not ya little man, I wanna see how red yer face can get." Daryl was filling up his glass again as he smiled at Glenn who looked insulted that he was being grouped with the kids.
We were all having a great and everyone was starting to get buzzed or worse depending. Then Shane asked what happened to everyone who had worked here. Jenner explained about how people left to be with their families. How people left in a panic after the army showed up. Then the huge wave of suicides after the army wasn't able to control the walkers. It was amazing that Jenner stayed to keep working for a cure.
"What a buzz kill." Glenn said as he stood up. Jenner then led us to a hall of offices.
"The power to the dorms has been shut off, but the couches are comfortable and there are cots if you want them. There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy." Jenner turned to Sophia and Carl. "Just don't plug in any of the video or games or anything that uses power." The kids nodded and Jenner kept walking. "If you want to shower just go easy on the hot water." He then left down the hall.
"Hot water?" Glenn looked at T-dog.
"That's what the man said." We all quickly broke off and went to the different showers.
It felt so good to stand under the hot water. After standing in the shower for a while I quickly started to wash with the various soaps that were provided. I was really starting to feel all the wine I had with dinner and it made it hard to stand in the hot water. I got out of the shower and dried off before putting on a a large sleep shirt and a clean pair of underwear. I then picked up my bag and started back towards the room I was sharing with Mom and Sophia. When I got out into the hall I fell over into the wall.
"Woah." Daryl grabbed me around the waist and held me up.
I giggled and dropped my backpack before turning around in his arms. I put my arms around his neck and held on tight as I buried my face into his neck. Daryl sighed, but made no move to pull away.
"I knew it was a mistake to hold ya in the truck. I cuddle ya once and now yer all over me." I giggled again before putting my lips against his neck. He had taken a shower and smelled amazing. "Alright time for bed. Where's her room at?"
I pulled away from Daryl and looked up and down the hall. All the doors were shut and everything looked the same. The only reason I had found the bathroom was because the door was open. I looked back at Daryl and shrugged. He stared down at me and narrowed his eyes.
"Now what are we supposes to do? Knock on all the doors? Everybody is probably asleep or tryin'." I put my face back into Daryl's neck and sighed. Daryl leaned back his head and sighed as well. "Alright come on."
He leaned over and grabbed my backpack and I slowly leaned back against the wall. Daryl quickly stood back up and reached for me thinking I was falling again. I smiled and reached for him. He took me by the waist and started to walk down the hall.
"Yer not allowed to drink anymore if ya can't handle it." I leaned into Daryl as we walked. When we got to his room he put my bag on the floor. "I'm runnin' to the bathroom. Ya can sleep on the couch."
Daryl left and I grabbed the blankets that were in the room. I played the thickest ones out on the floor and saved one out to go on top. I sat the two pillows next to each other before laying down on one side of the bed I had made. I was almost asleep when Daryl came back. He cane over and kneeled next to me. He lifted me up bridle style and moved me over the couch.
"No! I want to sleep with you." Daryl looked at me, but kept moving me onto the couch. "Please? I'm still upset about Jim. I feel better when you hold me." I started to tear up again. I had forgotten about Jim until now.
"Alright don' cry about it anymore." He set me down on the blankets and went to turn off the lights. He came back and laid down beside me. I rolled over and cuddle him as I cried. He rubbed my side and laid his head on mine. "We gotta toughen ya up some. I can't be coddlin' ya every time something' goes wrong."
I sniffed and lifted my head before wiping my eyes. Daryl looked down at me and I quickly leaned up and kissed him. He reacted by taking my chin and kissing me back. He then pulled back and gave me a small smile. I tried to kiss him again, but he held me back.
"No more. When yer sober I'll kiss ya. Go ta sleep it's late and you'll be hungover tomorrow." Daryl rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head. I scootched up to his side and he sighed before wrapping one arm around me.
"Give ya a cuddle yer all over me." I smiled as I slowly drifted off to sleep.
A/N: Bet you know what's coming next chapter. I am more of a plot purist. I like to stay as close to the show events as possible. Let me know how you feel about that. Wink-wink, readers, wink-wink.