THEN

The morning after their fight came way too early for Katie. The alarm on her phone shrieked at 6am and she frantically fumbled around on the nightstand for it, shutting it off.

"Goddamn." She muttered and rubbed at her swollen eyes. Picking her phone up, she checked for missed calls or texts. Nothing. She threw it on top of the comforter with a sigh. Before falling asleep the night before she had sent Daryl a few texts. She guessed he wasn't interested in what she had to say.

She rolled out of bed and stumbled to the shower in desperate need of some hot water and then strong coffee to wake up. Sleep had come in fits last night. It was going to be a hell of a long day. Focusing on work was going to be difficult. Somehow she needed to dig deep and put Daryl out of her mind or else she would be a distracted mess for her entire shift.

After wrapping up in a towel, she flicked the TV on to the news station they had been watching the previous night. She listened to the report from the bathroom as she slathered concealer under her eyes to hide the heavy bags that had popped up.

This morning's breaking news. Looters have taken to the streets of Columbus overnight as the death toll continues to rise. Local law enforcement has called in the National Guard for help.

Flights continue to be grounded and state borders are closing to thwart the spread.

Katie peeked at the screen to see images of riots breaking out in the streets. A ticker tape along the bottom of the screen flashed a constant reminder to quarantine if you had come in contact with someone sick.

After a quick swipe of mascara, she brewed a cup of coffee and threw on her jeans and Morning Glory t-shirt. Before heading out, she contemplated sending Daryl another text. She glanced at the two from last night that had gone unanswered.

Hey. I'm sorry. Let's meet up after my shift tomorrow. I get off at 3.

I don't want to be in a fight with you.

She sighed. There wasn't much more she could say without whining and sounding clingy. She was going to have to let it go. Give him the space he needed and trust that he would come around. Maybe he would blow off some steam at the cabin and come home ready to make up.

"Stupid, hard headed fool." Katie muttered as she grabbed her purse and headed out for her shift at the diner.

The news coming out of Ohio was what everyone was talking about when she clocked in.

Dominic, a cook, greeted her warmly when she entered the kitchen. "Katie girl! Welcome back!"

"Thanks, Dom." She grabbed a clean apron from the rack on the wall, tying it around her waist. "Ya miss me?"

"Course I did." He winked before flipping a pancake. "You're one of the best."

She shot him a grin and began to fill her apron pockets with straws, napkins and an order pad. The routine came back easily, just like she had never left.

"Gonna be a crazy one." Dom said while cracking an egg over the griddle. "All the busy bodies are out. Wanting to gossip about the sickness."

"Not surprised in the least."

"Me? Hell. I wanna be holed up at home. Ride this whole thing out from the comfort of my couch."

Katie laughed and waved him off with the same thing she had said to Daryl. "That's miles away."

Dom shrugged in a way that made her feel like she was crazy. Was she? Should she be taking this more seriously?

Katie heard it all throughout the breakfast rush. Rumors were flying. Army reserves were being called in. They were shutting down all the state borders. Flights were being grounded. The President was being taken to a secure location and operating virtually. France had the first outbreak and it had accidentally gotten released in America.

She listened politely as her customers talked wildly, but still couldn't imagine that this virus was as awful as everyone claimed it was. Or spreading as fast as they said. But whatever was happening, had everyone out in droves today. Which was stupid. If everyone was scared, why were they out? Nevertheless, she busted her ass, making sure everyone was happy and her tips were good.

Before the lunch rush, Katie slipped into the bathroom for a breather. She locked the door behind her before grabbing her cell out of her back pocket. One text. She was disappointed to see that it was from Joe and not Daryl.

Hey sis- you good?

She pursed her lips and thought out a response. If anyone would know what was really going on, Joe would.

I'm great. Is what I am hearing true? Are you grounded?

His response came back quickly. Yep. Until further notice. They're trying to contain the spread of whatever this is.

What is it? I keep hearing so many different things. She typed back quickly and then redid her ponytail while waiting for Joe's answer.

Not sure. All I've heard is that it's super contagious. It's hard to know what is rumor and what is true.

Before she could respond back, he sent another text. I got grounded in LA. At a hotel now. Thinking about heading north to hang with mom until all this blows over.

You should. She would love that. Gotta get back to work. Love ya!

Love ya sis.

Daryl still hadn't texted by the time her lunch shift was over. He would be at the hunting cabin by now, and reception out there was shit. Katie had a feeling she wouldn't be hearing from him until he returned. It was fine- she tried to tell herself. Everything was fine.

But everything wasn't fine. When Katie woke up the next morning, there was something in the air. Everything felt ominous. She still had not heard from Daryl and went through the motions of getting ready for work while her mind formed a plan for what came next. She didn't know why, but she felt lost without him. He always had a plan, and she loved that about him.

When she pulled into the parking lot at Morning Glory her phone rang. She grabbed it frantically.

"Dare?"

"No, it's me." Joe's voice greeted her.

"Oh. Hey. What's up?" She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"Listen. I just made it to mom's. But, I can't find her or Ron. And they aren't answering their cells."

Katie pursed her lips. Not being immediately available to her kids was totally out of character for their mom. "Maybe they just ran out for a bit. Errands?"

Joe hummed. "I dunno. It's bad out here."

"What do you mean?"

Joe was silent for a moment. "I mean, people are freaking the fuck out."

Katie chewed her bottom lip. She didn't like the tone in Joe's voice. It scared her. "Did you drive up there?"

"No. I managed to find a guy with a private plane who was coming up this way, but he was really weird. Get this- he checked me for bites. Human bites."

"What?" The parking lot of Morning Glory was starting to fill up. Katie knew she needed to clock in, but suddenly wasn't in any hurry to hang up with her brother.

"Yeah- like would not let me on his plane until I forked out a grand and striped to prove I hadn't been bitten."

"The fuck?" Katie breathed out.

"Yeah." Joe was silent for a minute, but Katie could practically hear his wheels turning. "I want to try to find you a flight out here. I have a few favors I can call in."

From the backdoor of the diner the manager, Kevin, peeked out and spotted her. Frowning, he frantically waved her inside. She held up a 'one minute' finger before answering Joe. "Let's not panic."

"I'm not panicking. I'm just trying to be smart."

"Okay. Okay. Listen. I have to go clock in or my ass is going to get fired. Again."

"Again?"

"Yeah, long story. I'll call you on my break, okay? Text me when you hear from mom."

"I will. Love you."

"You too."

To say that Katie's day had been a cluster fuck would have been an understatement. While Katie refilled coffee, and served breakfast her phone was blowing up with texts and calls from her brother. Joe had managed to call in his favor from a buddy and she was scheduled to meet the pilot at a small airport in the morning. But neither of them had heard from their mom yet and Katie was starting to freak out.

As soon as her shift ended, she raced home to begin packing. Earlier in the day, she had given up on her resolve to wait to hear from Daryl and had called his phone multiple times. Each call ended with his voicemail picking up.

There was no way in hell she was going to fly out to Washington before seeing him. So, with as much of her apartment packed into her suitcase as she had managed, Katie threw it into her Honda and started the trek to the Dixon cabin.

She was too late.

"Dammit!" She kicked the closest thing to her- a coffee can full of cigarette butts, causing ashes to spill across the dilapidated porch.

She tried the door knob, and wasn't surprised when it opened inward. Her nose wrinkled. Inside smelled like stale booze and unwashed assholes. The small kitchen counter was littered with dirty coffee mugs, and half a pot of coffee still sitting out. Two camping chairs were overturned and the wood stove door was wide open. She looked at the coals inside, they looked fresh. They hadn't been gone long, and they'd left in a hurry.

Before she exited the cabin, her eyes swept over every surface looking for cigarettes. She could use a smoke. There were none. Of course. A Dixon would never leave a pack of smokes behind.

Katie walked back to the porch and looked around. "Damn you, Daryl Dixon. Where the hell are you?"