Disclaimer – not mine. Only my OCs and parts of plot that are AU

Warnings - language. Child abuse hinted

Chapter 1

"They brought in another survivor today" Noah informed me whilst he sat on the floor doing colouring puzzles with Alex and Ava

"By brought in I assume you mean abducted?" I asked him, already knowing the answer. Since arriving here eight months ago things had become clear early on that although we were safe from 'rotters' as the police officers called them. The police officers themselves were a different matter. It made me sick how they treated the patients here, and the only reason I was 'safe' was because of being a doctor. They had another doctor here as well and several times he was at risk due to my existence but as I'd pointed out several times to Dawn. I couldn't treat the whole hospital on my own. I'd wanted to leave several times but it was near impossible for me to get out and definitely not possible with the twins.

Noah gave me the look which spoke without him needing to, giving me confirmation of my assumption. "Name is Beth, seems really sweet" He had a wistful look on his face I could only assume that my friend had a crush. Noah had originally been the ward of Dawn when I arrived but when they saw I needed help with the children Noah asked to be assigned to me, having grown up with younger twin siblings they were something that kept him going and dreaming of when he could get back to his family.

"ooh someone's got a crush" I teased the boy only to be hit with a flying pencil crayon. Unfortunately this started the twins off and soon crayons were launching everywhere

Meeting Beth later I could see why Noah was so drawn to her. She had an innocence about her still but you could see in her eyes the determination to survive. It didn't surprise me later when I learnt that Beth and Noah had tried to leave the latter being successful. It hurt that my friend had gone but I hoped he found his way home. I found a note in my room later that changed that

Hey Doc,

If you're reading this I've managed to escape or I'm dead. Really hoping for the first one. No matter what I wanted to say thank you for making hell an ok place. I always said I'm going to go home but I can't do that knowing you're still trapped there. I'm not leaving until I can get you out. So If I'm still alive. Get ready doc.

Be seeing ya

N

I didn't realise I was crying until the first tears fell on the paper. I didn't' have time to dwell on it when suddenly I heard banging to my door asking for help with a new arrival. I could see in Beth's face she knew this woman. Maybe Noah's plan to get out of here wasn't a pipe dream Afterall, if more of Beth's group were near it might just be our chance.

"how is she?" Beth asked coming into the room

"She's a bit banged up, but she's a fighter." I reassured her.

"I'm sorry Noah couldn't get you out with us. He said you wouldn't be able to come, its not because you agree with what they're doing is it?" Beth asked me.

"It's not just me, I've got my twins Alex and Ava, you've probably seen them running around like they own the place" I saw the relief in Beth's eyes knowing I wasn't on the cops side. Ava and Alex bless them ran around the place freer than anyone. It was such a novelty for them having so much room after being in the bunker for so long.

"I think that's enough resources on this one Abigail" Dawn interrupted coming into the room. She refused to address me as Dr Carmichael or anything that would give me more authority that her. It was a very delicate balancing game with the woman.

"She's improving and I've already reduced the pain relief, she doesn't need anything else to come through this on here own Dawn" I received a hard look before she left the room.

Once I knew she was clear I pulled the additional syringe of antibiotics that my patient needed, sharing a smirk with Beth.

After my rounds I returned to my room to find only Alex.

"Alex, sweetie where's Ava?"

"she's playing hide and seek with that police officer but he didn't want me to play so I came back here"

I ran down the corridor stopping at the treatment room and carried on sprinting to Officer Lamson's room. I knew exactly who Alex was talking about, I'd seen the way he was eying up Ava and told Dawn about him repeatedly. He was one of the officers that was allowed to use some of the younger girls who were here. Dawn assured me he would be dealt with, but it looked like I had to take matters into my own hands. I walked in to find him sat on the bed with Ava on his lap stroking her hair. Ava had tears in her eyes, and I could see bruises already forming on her arms.

"Let my daughter go you stick son of a bitch" I growled at him showing him I had the scalpel in my hand.

He immediately let her go Ava running to me and wrapping her arms around my legs.

"We were only playing, weren't we Angel" he said in a voice that made my skin crawl.

I didn't want to hear any more and I couldn't let Ava see me kill the guy no matter how much I wanted to so I backed out the room with my terrified six year old

"DAWN!" I screamed as soon as we were out of the door. Several people came up to me including a few officers and other wards who poked their heads out of the door.

"That sick bastard had her in his room, if you don't deal with this now. I will" I gritted out. I walked away from the corridor back to my room leaving them. For now. Later I heard she's sent him on a run after shots were heard in the city.

Hours later I had the twins tucked in bed whilst I went over some blood panels I'd run on all the residents at the hospital when I heard another gun shot, however, this one was coming from within the hospital. This wasn't the first time we'd had a shooting inside the hospital but most of the time this was to put someone down after death or more recently when Noah and Beth made their first escape, but with everything that had been happening lately I knew it could be dangerous.

"Mummy?" Alex woke up groggily.

"Go back to sleep baby, I'll be right back" Alex nodded and dropped down like a brick. I giggled slightly at my son's lethargy and went to investigate what had happened now. I'd kept the scalpel from earlier which I knew wouldn't do much against anyone really but made me feel safer, I wished I'd stayed in the room when I found the cause of the ruckus.

"Anyone who wants to join us can come too" a slightly scary bearded man asked to the clearly shaken and scared residents and police. Dawn's body was lying on the ground with another body being picked up by a muscley man equally scruffy but looking heartbroken. I had to fight the urge to run over and hold him. As he stood up, I saw the unmistakeable hair of Beth and screamed.

Daryl's POV

Beth didn't deserve this. As I picked her up to carry her out of this place I heard Rick offering the rest of the hospital the opportunity to come with us. I really hoped they said no I wouldn't want any of these wimps with us who stood by and allowed this situation to happen. That was until I saw her.

She wasn't there when everything went down I would have noticed her then. I've never seen anyone so beautiful, there were a lot of attractive women who had been in our group over then last three years but none held a candle to her. I'd spent most of my life never really attracted to anyone. Merle would joke on more than one occasion that I must be gay and then proceeded to throw women at me to re-educate me. Occasionally I followed through with some of the bar sluts we came across but no one ever made my heart race until her. Her hair was long and brown with a slight wave to it, she had a perfect figure those two things would've attracted a lot of men, but it was her eyes that got me. They were as blue as the ocean but when she knelt down next to me to check Beth over after her scream I noticed they had a few green flecks in them. It felt like the whole world disappeared and it was only me and her stood there. I was that mesmerised by her I missed the words coming out her mouth. I was that in a daze that Rick grabbed Beth out of my arms and disappeared with the gorgeous woman down the corridor several people following behind them.

Rick POV

After asking the rest of the hospital if they wanted to join us, more of a courtesy than a genuine request I heard the woman scream and run over to Beth like a blur. Daryl had the girl in his arms with tears in his eyes but seemed to freeze when looking at the attractive woman in front of him

"I've got a heartbeat! Quickly follow me" she declared to a shocked crowd. I expected Daryl to move to follow her but he seemed frozen. I couldn't wait for my brother to come round so grabbed Beth from him and ran hoping that this woman knew how to help Beth. Several people came with me including Noah and Tyreese. I think Carol would have come but judging from the state of her being hit by a car had done a lot of damage. Arriving at a medical suite a placed Beth on the bed and watched the woman who's name I didn't know work on a young girl I'd known since nearly the start of this. Beth's sweet smile playing in my head, watching her looking after my daughter. I then heard the heart monitor showing that this woman was telling the truth. Beth was still with us.

Abigail POV

"Noah, start a line for me" I instructed Noah who had assisted me many times

I could see on assessment that Beth had a bullet hole near her ear. It was this that could possibly save her. Her pupils were reactive which indicated she still had brain activity, but her vitals were decreasing looking like her body was going into shock which could easily cause her body to shut down. The fluids would hopefully cause her body to react and keep her going until I could stabilise her and keep her alive.

Clearing the area, I could see that it would be impossible to save her ear and it would be very likely that she would lose all hearing in that ear as well, but after a few times bagging the sweet girl she started breathing on her own so it looked possible that she would recover. Once I was happy I addressed the group that had followed me in, noticing that the attractive crossbow man had made his way in too.

"She's stable, the next 24 hours I'll have a prognosis for you" With that I was swarmed by hugs from the leader of the group

"I don't know how to thank you"

"There's no need for thanks. Beth is such a sweet girl" I reassured him. "I'm Dr Abigail Carmichael. I'm so sorry for everything Dawn put you through, hopefully with her now gone things might change around here, well as long as Bob isn't put in charge" I grimaced

"That officer died outside" Rick told me resulting in me smiling. I probably looked like a psycho to these people.

"You don't know how happy I am to hear that. I hope it was slow" I informed them, before anything more could be said on the issue Ava came running into the room.

"Mummy, you didn't come back" Ava came in the room making the group stare at her. She was quickly followed by Alex. Both of my children were very wary of new people having been out of social situations for two years and quickly hid behind my legs seeing the new people. Both twins were past my hip now and I knew it wouldn't be long until they were towering over me. The fact that the leader was wearing a sheriff's outfit both intrigued and terrified my children having being witness to some of the appalling behaviour of the officers here.

"I'm officer Rick Grimes, and who are these two?" Rick asked in a very calm tone

"These are my children Alexander, or Alex as he prefers, and this is Ava" Alex being the more confident out the two stepped around me to look at the newcomers.

"I have a son who's thirteen I'm sure you'll be great friends and a daughter who is nearly two. How old are you?" Rick asked Alex

"I'm six" he answered shyly

"And Ava?" he asked again, with them being fraternal and Alex being slightly taller it was not obvious they were twins.

"Six" she answered quickly

"But I'm older." Alex interjected

"But I'm smarter"

"I'm taller"

"I'm nicer"

"Ok" I stopped my children from continuing their squabble much to the amusement of the rest of the room

"Abby!" Noah called me over. "She squeezed my hand" He cheered

AN: Yes Beth lives. Too many children in the group without a babysitter. My OC is based off Alexandra Daddario but you can imagine anyone you want.

Please review