Chapter 4-Atlanta

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl stopped the car outside of Atlanta and looked at Octavia, Shane, Maggie, Carol, and Glenn. "How far are we from the hospital?" Daryl asks Shane.

"About three miles," Shane says. "There is a building half a mile away from the entrance we'll use. We should have a good vantage point on the hospital until dark," Shane says.

"Alright, let's get a move on," Daryl says as they enter the city.

"I hate this place," Glenn says.

"You seemed to like coming here alone," Shane says with a smirk.

"It was easier alone. I mean, look at the first time I took a group. Merle got handcuffed to a roof and lost his hand, and because of that, he joined the Governor."

"The Governor?" Octavia asks.

"The man who killed Hershel and Merle. Killed a member of our group named Axel. He's the reason Andrea is dead," Daryl says as they continue to walk.

Shane's P.O.V

A year ago

Shane climbed out of his bed and looked at the door as there was a knock. "Come in," Shane says. The door opens, and a woman walks in. "Who are you?"

"Amanda Sheperd," Amanda says as she holds her hand out to Shane. She sets a police uniform down on his bed. "I'll be your partner. Ride with you."

Shane nods as he looks at the uniform. "I'll need a gun and a knife."

"You'll get them when we leave the hospital. We leave in an hour," Amanda says before she leaves. Shane smirks as he grabs the uniform.

"Pretty stupid, isn't it?" Shane turns around and looks at a young black man wearing scrubs.

"I'm Noah. I'm Dawn's maid, pretty much."

"Shane," Shane says as he shakes his hand. "How did you end up in this hell?"

"My Dad and I were in the city, and Dawn's officers attacked us. They left my Dad and took me. Told me I owed them, I've been here for two months. She won't let you leave."

"I figured that much out," Shane says. "What can you tell me about this place."

"Pretty much everything."

"Come by tonight, and we'll talk," Shane says. "Maybe we can both make it out of here."

Noah stares at him. "Most people don't care that they are trapped here because they are safe. Why do you want to leave?"

"I have to find someone," Shane says before he grabs the uniform and goes into the bathroom.

The present

The group gets to the top floor of a building across from the hospital. "We'll be able to see if anybody is using this entrance. We go in at ten," Daryl says, and they nod as they hear walkers growling.

"Someone help," They hear someone cry out. They run toward the noise and see walkers pushing up against a bathroom door. Daryl raises his crossbow and shoots the first one through the head as Octavia shoots one with her bow, and Glenn and Shane kill the last two.

"Come out," Shane says as he lays his hand on the gun. The door opens, and Shane smirks. "Noah."

Noah looks at Shane and sighs. "Oh, thank god," Noah says as he walks up to Shane and hugs him. "It is so good to see you."

"You too, kid," Shane says as he pulls back. "I'm sorry I left you."

"You did what you had to so you could keep Blake safe. Where is she?"

"This is her mother, Octavia, and my wife. Blake is with the rest of our group," Shane tells him, and Noah nods. "Guys, this is Noah. He was Dawn's janitor. This is Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, and Carol."

"Nice you meet you guys," Noah says and then looks at Shane. "Wait, why the hell are you back in Atlanta?"

"We're looking for someone, a blond. Her name is Beth," Daryl tells him.

"You're looking for Beth?" Noah asks.

"You know her?" Maggie asks with a hopeful look in her eyes. "She's alive."

"Yeah, she got me out," Noah says. "How do you know her?"

"I'm her sister," Maggie says. "She's part of our group."

"I was with her when she was taken," Daryl says.

"You're the man she was looking for when she first got there," Noah says. "She's been worried about you since she got to the hospital."

"We are here to get her out, kill whoever we need to," Daryl tells Noah. "You know what room she's in?"

"Yeah," Noah tells him.

"Good. When we go in, we'll break into groups," Shane says.

"Groups?" Glenn asks.

"I didn't only come here to get Beth," Shane admits. "There are others just like Noah. We shouldn't just leave them."

"We get Beth, and we get out," Maggie says.

"No, Shane's right. That's who we are," Glenn says. "We couldn't do it at Terminus, but we can do it here."

"Fine," Daryl says. "But I'm making this clear: I'm here for Beth if it's between saving her and letting the rest die. I'll save her," Daryl tells them, and they nod.

"Alright, Daryl, Maggie, and Noah will get Beth; the rest of us will help whoever we can," Dhane says.

Oliver's P.O.V

Oliver walked outside and looked at Sasha as she stood above Bob's grave. "I was engaged," Oilver says, making Sasha look at him. "Her name was Olivia, and I met her at work. We dated for a year, and I proposed. She went out to the gas station one night," Oliver says. "I was woken up by knocking on the door, and I opened the door, and the cops stood at the girl. A man robbed the store, and she tried to talk him down, and he shot her in the heart. She was dead before she hit the floor," Oliver says as he stares at the grave in deep thought.

"How'd you get past it?" Sasha asks him.

"I moved back home, I leaned on my sisters and my friend, and over time, the pain became easier to deal with."

"I'm sorry about your fiancee," Sasha says.

"I'm sorry about Bob. I didn't know him long, but I could tell he was a good guy," Oliver says as they stand there in silence.

Daryl's P.O.V

The group was ten feet away from the door as they waited. "How much longer?" Daryl growls.

"Any second now, Lamson and Licari should be coming out to smoke," Noah says, and they nod, and two minutes later, the two men walk outside.

"You believe Dawn's story about Gordan?" Lamson asks.

"Nope, either she killed him, or that blond bitch did," Licari did. Daryl looks at Octavia, who nods. They both rise up and shoot the two men in the head with their bows. The two men crumble to the ground as the group goes up to them.

"There shouldn't be any more guards; the rest are either sleeping or out looking for people," Noah says, and they nod as they enter the building. They slowly go up the floors, watching for anybody. They stop when they hear talking.

"Lamson, come in," A woman says. "What the fuck," she says as she walks towards them. Daryl grabs her as she rounds the corner and covers her mouth. She looks around.

"Daryl, wait," Shane says. "Amanda."

Amanda looks at Shane. "You scream, and I will slit your throat," Daryl says as he presses his knife against her throat.

"What are you doing here?" Amanda asks him.

"You have one of our people," Shane says. "Blond, Beth."

"Yeah, I know her. I'm assuming Lamson and Licari are dead."

"Yeah," Daryl says. "How many more of you are awake."

"No one," Amanda says. "Do what you need to and leave."

"I got an idea," Shane says. "Go, get Beth. She's going to help us if she wants to live."

Daryl nods as Shane grabs Amanda, and he leaves with Noah and Maggie.

Shane's P.O.V

Shane had tied Amanda's hand and pushed her forward. "I should have known you would come back."

"What you guys are doing here is wrong, and you know that," Shane says. "You said as much. You're just too scared to stand up to Dawn," Shane says as they get to the floor.

"I don't want to die," Amanda growls.

"You won't," Shane says as he stops in front of Doctor Stevens' office. He pushes the door open, and Carol aims her gun at the doctor as he gets out of bed. "Get up, doc. We got some work, too."

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl pushed the door open to Beth's room and saw the blond sleeping on the bed. He looks at Maggie, who nods, and he walks up to the bed. He lays his hand on Beth's shoulder, not noticing her eyes open. "Beth," Daryl says softly. Beth turns her head and looks at him.

"Daryl?"

"Yeah," Daryl says. "It's me," Beth smiles as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"I can't believe it's you," Beth says. "I can't believe you're here."

"I wouldn't have stopped until I found you," Daryl says as he lets her go. "Someone else is here."

Beth looks around Daryl. "Bethy," Maggie says with a grin.

"Maggie," Beth says as she stands up and hugs her sister with tears in her eyes.

"I missed you so much," Maggie says as she kisses her head. Beth smiles at Noah.

"I'm glad you got out."

"We're both getting out," Noah tells her as Maggie lets her go.

"Who else is here?" Beth asks.

"Glenn, Carol...Shane," Daryl says, making Beth look at him.

"Shane? Shane Walsh?" Beth asks.

"Yeah, with his wife, Octavia," Daryl tells her.

"I thought he was dead."

"We all did," Daryl says.

"The others?" Beth asks.

"They're alive at a church a couple of hours outside the city," Daryl tells her. "Let's get you out of here."

"I can't leave yet," Beth says. "Dawn has to die."

"Beth-" Daryl tries.

"She has to die," Beth says firmly. Daryl was about to speak when they saw Glenn.

"Beth," Glenn says with a smile as he hugs her. "Come out here."

They follow Glenn into the hallway and look at Shane, who stands behind Doctor Stevens and Amanda, who are both on their knees. In front of him were Dawn, her officers, and the people they had taken. Dawn looks behind Shane and smirks. "That's why you are here, Shane. For Beth," Dawn says.

"She's not the only reason. I promised you a year ago I was going to stop you, but I'm not here to kill you, Dawn. I won't unless you make me."

"Then what do you want?" She asks as she stares at Stevens.

"To give these people a choice, one you never gave them. All of them this choice," Shane tells her. "If you wanna leave, you can come with us if you try to stop anybody from coming. I'll slit Steven's throat. You need him, Dawn," Shane says.

"I have a better idea," Dawn says as she grabs her gun. She withdraws her guns. She lifts it, and a bullet goes through her head. The other officers withdraw their weapons as Dawn falls to the ground.

Daryl stared at Beth as she held his gun. The gun she had used to kill Dawn. "Don't," Amanda says. "We all wanted her gone. We knew that she was going to kill us killed," Amanda says. "Let us go, Shane. This is over."

Daryl stares at Shane as he looks at him, and Daryl nods. Shane cuts their ropes and pushes them forward. "You can still come with us," Glenn says.

"We're safe here," An officer says Franco says. "We don't want to leave."

"I do," Amanda says after a moment. "This place is hell; it was meant to be something good, and it's not, and it never can be. I hope that offer was to all of us."

"It was," Shane says. "Last chance, come with us," They all stay silent, and Shane sighs. "Alright. We're gonna go; don't try and stop us," Shane says as he turns around.

"Let them go," Franco says, and the other officers nod. "No one else dies today."

Daryl leaves first, followed by Beth and then the others. "You okay?" Daryl asks her.

"I'm okay. She wasn't the first person I've killed since I got here," Beth says as Maggie takes her hand, and Beth smiles at her. "Now what?"

"We go back to our family."

Thanks for reading. Beth and Noah are in the group, and so is Amanda, and that finishes off our cast until we get to Alexandria. In the next chapter, the group returns to the church, and they plan their run to the prison and then their move after. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.