Chapter 11 – 04031965
We stand there staring at the now open C.D.C. for a few moments before Shane snaps out of it and orders "Daryl, you cover the back."
With that we all quickly move into the building.
"Hello? Hello?" Rick calls out as soon as his foot hit the buildings floor.
"Close those doors. Watch for walkers." Shane orders as I look around at the lobby.
So far it was still empty like it was in the original but Jenner was soon to make his appearance.
"Hello?" Rick calls again.
That's when a gun cocks causing us all to look in that direction, the guys to aim their weapons there, and me to move Carl behind me a little despite knowing it was probably just Jenner.
Sure, as shit, like the original, it was one Dr. Edwin Jenner with a rifle aimed at us standing at the top of a small set of stairs.
Here's Jenner.
"Anybody infected?" Jenner questions.
"One of our group was. He didn't make it." Rick tells him lowering his gun.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" Jenner questions quickly coming down the small set of stairs.
"A chance." Rick says moving slightly so he was in the main line of fire.
"That's asking an awful lot these days." Jenner says walking forward.
"I know." Rick tells him with a nod.
Jenner looks us all over before telling us "You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."
"We can do that." Rick tells him instantly with another nod.
Jenner slowly lowers his rifle before telling us "You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes it stays closed."
Rick, Glenn, Shane, and Daryl then run and get some bags as T-Dog and Dale cover them from the doors.
Within a minute they're back inside and T-Dog and Dale close the normal doors behind themselves.
So, I put my gun away, though into my satchel instead of behind my back, as Jenner steps forward and slides a keycard in the keypad next to them, then when the light turned green with a beep, he says "Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here."
Theres a rattle then the shutters come back down with a loud clang. Then there's a beep before the lights start turning off as the keypad turns red.
Huh, I forgot about Jenner having a keycard for shutting the front back up. If I somehow get a hold of the keycard, can I get the doors open when needed? Eh, probably not though since he didn't give it to them when he let them try to leave in the original. If we talked to Vi, could she open it? She did answer the question they asked her in the original right? Maybe I should ask Vi when I'm alone if she could open it later.
"Rick Grimes." Rick introduces then while offering a hand.
Jenner just looks at it before looking away and introducing "Dr. Edwin Jenner." While already walking back the way he came.
I release a silent yawn as we all follow after Jenner, but it doesn't go unnoticed by Shane who quickly puts a supportive arm around me, and start leading me and subsequently Carl, who'd yet to release my hand.
Now that we were at this point and my flare up had relaxed to, well the level of pain that still allowed me to go to sleep instead of just function, I was tired.
When we get to the elevator and Jenner hits the button, Carl gives my hand a squeeze before releasing it and moving to join Rick and Lori.
The elevator doors open the next moment and we all pile in like sardines. Though Shane did make it so I wasn't squished into anyone.
On cue when the elevator starts moving Daryl asks "Doctors always go around packing heat like that?"
"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself." Jenner informs looking around at us all again before adding "But you look harmless enough." Then looking right at Carl and finishing "Except you, I'll have to keep my eye on you."
Carl grins at him causing Jenner to chuckle with a small smile himself before turning back around toward the elevator doors.
A few moments later they open and we file out following after Jenner.
"Are we underground?" Carol asks then, slight panic in her voice.
"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner questions her.
"A little." Carol breathes out.
"Try not to think about it." Jenner says while picking up the pace.
I cover my mouth with a hand as I yawn again causing Shane to gently urge to keep going.
I obey without argument or resistance and we soon get to the mostly dark main room with all the empty computers and chairs and Jenner announces "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room."
The lights start turning on so Jenner adds "Welcome to zone 5." With only a quick pause and glance back at us before continuing to walk.
"Where is everybody? The other doctors, the staff?" Rick questions.
Jenner stops, turns to us all, and informs "I'm it. It's just me here."
"What about that person you were speaking with? Vi?" Lori asks that question then.
"Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them…welcome." Jenner announces to the air then and behind him I notice the red countdown clock.
It seemed to be around the same as the original, a little less than a full day. Is that our death countdown or the countdown to season 2?
"Hello, guests. Welcome." The computer voice of Vi sounds then.
"I'm all that's left." Jenner tells the group before looking right at Rick and apologizing "I'm sorry."
Jenner then turns back around and continues on, us following him again.
Jenner soon stops and opens a door and motions inside, revealing the conference like room, while saying "Wait here while I get the things for the blood test."
Jenner then starts to walk away and Shane tries to lead me in but I refuse to move as I look towards Jenner and say a simple "Dr. Jenner."
Jenner pauses and looks back at me so I glance at the others now in the room, minus Shane who'd had yet to remove the arm around me, then back at Jenner and get right to the point of why I was talking to him right now "We're not exactly in the best shape. Get butterfly needles if you have them."
Though that statement was true I was mainly saying it for myself. I was a phlebotomist's nightmare with small ass veins. They always had to go through my hands anytime I had blood draws in this life and the first. Though my small ass veins were probably what where the leading cause for my death. Normal people don't die from a simple blood clot stemming from slipping and falling on ice.
Jenner just looks me over then before doing the same with Shane, like he was observing a test subject or something.
Though I guess that was sort of a correct classification for us.
"I'll see what I can find." Jenner says slowly with a nod before looking back the way he was going and continuing down the hall.
I release a grumbled "Least he seemed to listen to me about it." To no one but myself before yawning again.
"Let's just get you to sit." Shane says, gently urging, but more instant than last time, me into the room.
"Yeah. Yeah." I sigh letting him successfully lead me into the room.
"You doing alright Cat?" Rick asks as we pass him, worry clear in his voice.
"It's relaxed enough that I'm tired." I answer as I just let Shane sit me in one of the seats, next to Carl.
Was it annoying Shane treating me like glass? Yes. Was I going to argue about it? No. It never got me anywhere before, I didn't have the energy to try, and I knew he wouldn't stop for a while. Flares always resulted in this Shane. And now that we were in a safe spot, as far as the others were aware of right now, I will now have full force flare up and after flare up Shane. I'll get that Rick too and, judging from earlier, Glenn will do the same.
"Do the needles you asked for still hurt?" the kids question then.
Guess they all heard me tell Jenner to get butterfly needles if he had them.
"Well, they usually mean less pokes." I inform looking at them as Shane moves to the seat behind me.
"You've had more than one poke for a blood draw?" Carol questions then, reading into my answer.
"Yeah." I sigh out while I simply look forward and close my eyes.
Not exactly wanting to divulge the specific personal information part of it to the whole group.
"That sucks."The kids say which earns a sound of confirmation from some of them.
It was quiet then as we simply waited for Jenner to come back.
Though this wasn't long as the kids asked loudly "Did you find butterflies?" meaning Jenner was back and they were still stuck on the possibility of multiple pokes.
"Yes, I did." Jenner answers, a slight amusement tone to it, before the tone is back to normal as he asks "Who wants to go first?"
"I'll go." Rick announces so I open my eyes and watch as he moves over to Jenner, in the front of the room.
Jenner just motions to the seat in front of him, when Rick gets closer while turning and grabbing the blue rubber tourniquet band from the tray on the table next to him.
Rick sits and is already holding out an arm to Jenner when Jenner turns towards him with it.
Jenner wastes no time in taking it, tying the tourniquet on Rick's upper arm, telling him to make a fist, feeling for a vein, finding one, grabbing an alcohol pad, cleaning the spot, grabbing a needle with the distinct "wings" of a butterfly needle, and saying a simple "Just a pinch." Before inserting it.
Rick doesn't so much as flinch, looks to the kids, and repeats "Just a pinch." With a smile while Jenner attaches the vial holder, grabs a vial, and places it inside.
Jenner only waits a moment before removing the tourniquet, removing the vial and placing it back on the tray, grabbing some gauze, and pressing down on the spot while removing the needle and throwing it into the small plastic trash can next to him with a simple "All done."
Rick takes Jenner's place of holding the gauze to the spot so Jenner says a "Next." While he turns, writes on a vial sticker, and places it on the used vial; labeling it as Rick's.
"I'll go." Shane announces already getting up and moving over to Jenner as Rick get up and returns to the spot he'd been in before, next to Lori.
The process repeats with him, he even reassures the kids too, though at the end Jenner asks for his name before asking for the next person.
And because both Rick and Shane reassured them, Carl volunteers next.
Though he does flinch a little, he quickly hides it and reassures Sophia earning a small smile from Jenner.
Obviously next was Sophia who also flinches a little and says a slightly upset "It's a little more than a pinch."
"Sorry." Jenner apologizes to her, while he finishes the process, the small smile still on his face.
"It's fine." She says clutching her arm to herself.
"Name?" Jenner asks.
"Sophia…Sophia Peletier." She tells him earning a nod as he turns to write it down and apologizes to her, more properly, "Sorry Sophia."
"I said it was fine." She huffs while getting up and returning to her seat between Carl and Carol.
"Sophia." Carol scolds but Jenner just says a simple "It's fine." Before the smile drops from his face as he turns to label her vial with a simple "Next one."
"I guess I'll go." Carol sighs out.
She flinches a little too but doesn't complain about it, the same goes for Lori, Jacqui, T-Dog, Dale, and Glenn.
Then obviously Daryl didn't flinch but his grumpy look did get a little worse.
Second to last was Andrea who didn't flinch and like the original then questioned "What's the point? If we were infected, we'd all be running a fever."
"I've already broken every rule in the book letting you in here. Let me just at least be thorough." Jenner tells us all before he finishes so he adds the "All done. Name?"
"Andrea Harrison." She answers before standing and taking a step to go but like the original pauses going a little pale and Jacqui, who'd went up with her, steadies her.
"Are you okay?" Jenner asks.
Andrea just nods as Jacqui informs "She hasn't eaten in days. Most of us haven't."
Oh, that line changed. Daryl mustn't have gone hunting for a bit after the announcement in the original. Why'd that change? It's not like he did in the original and wasn't successful. He always brought back something even if it was a short hunt. Like last night, it was only an hour or so before it was dark, but he brought back a few squirrels, just enough for most of the women and all the children to have some type of dinner. I guess it doesn't matter really. Haven't we gotten to the point of the story that I've decided to and planned to start changing things? Well…attempt to change things.
"I see." Jenner says slowly before looking my way.
"I did tell you we weren't in the best shape." I say getting up and going over to him, removing the sleeve of my jacket from my mostly unbruised arm.
"You did." Jenner says before his tone changes to one that was clearly scientist like as he adds "You also knew the name for the needles to use when that's the case." Not explicitly asking why.
"You'll know why in a minute." I inform sitting in the chair and offering my arm.
Like with the others, Jenner wastes no time in taking it, tying the tourniquet on my upper arm just under the blue bruise there, telling me to make a fist, and feeling for a vein.
But like I knew he would he stops after a moment of not being able to find a good vein with an 'ah, I see now' look before he looks back up at me with a simple question of "Normal?"
I just nod so Jenner just looks back at my arm, unties the tourniquet, moves it a few inches above the wrist, ties it again, feels the main vein there, grabs an alcohol pad, cleans the spot, grabs the last needle, and inserts it without a word.
I take a sharp intake of breath at slight pain but don't flinch.
Jenner obviously didn't do blood draws often. But at least he had enough sense in him not to still try the arm veins like that one…well…stupid ass bitch. She didn't stop despite me giving in and telling her she would have to go through my hand. Poked me five times in the arm before listening to me and doing my hand. Am I still salty about it? I hope the bitch got bit on the arm five fucking times, had it ripped off, and shoved up her ass with the stick she already had up there.
Jenner gave a quiet "Sorry" before he quickly attaches the vial holder, grabs a vial, places it in side, waits a moment, removes the tourniquet, grabs some gauze, presses it on the spot while removing the needle, and then throws it away with a simple "All done."
"Name?" Jenner asks already turning to write it down the second I press down on the gauze myself.
"Stephanie Catherine Walsh." I answer causing Jenner to pause a second before writing it down.
Guess giving the middle name too threw him off a moment.
"So, that's where Cat comes from." Sophia says, in clearly happy tone, then, like a question she had was finally answered.
"So, it's not just from the personality." Glenn adds, clearly happy about it too.
They sounded way too happy about learning this information.
"Do…do you normally go by Catherine?" Carol questions slowly.
I ignore the question as I raise the gauze slightly to check to see if the spot on my hand had stopped bleeding yet; it had not.
"Once she's comfortable with you that is what she'll start saying to call her. Cat when she likes you. Though if you want her to listen stick to Stephanie." Shane, who'd followed me up, informs while placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.
I grumble shrugging him off as there was a collective quiet "Ah." From some of our group and a very happy "Our little Tsun tsun is getting comfortable with us all now." From Glenn.
"Shut up!" I snap at Glenn, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
"Took ya long enough." Glenn teases, stupid grin and all.
I feel my eye twitch in annoyance at him as I repeat "Shut up!"
Annoyingly his grin just got a little bigger as he obeys but mimes zipping his mouth while there's some quiets chuckles from some of the others.
"As much as I kind of enjoy watching this interaction I think it's time I lead you all to the kitchen and take these to the lab." Jenner says then, his tone slightly in that scientist one but also slightly amused.
"Kitchen?" T-Dog questions, clearly excited.
Jenner just nods as he stands, picks up the tray, and starts heading out the door, albeit slowly to give us time to follow.
****Time Skip****
Mostly everyone was laughing in simple joy as we were situated around the large table eating the dinner T-Dog and Jacqui had made.
Jenner, who'd returned to the room just as it was done getting made, and me were the exception, simply watching the others while we ate.
"You know, in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner." Dale says that line while handing Lori the glace of wine he'd filled for her, before adding the "And in France." In a matter-of-fact tone while pointing at empty glass in front of Carl.
"Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then." Lori says while placing a hand over the glass before taking a drink.
"What's it gonna hurt? Come on. Come on." Rick tells her smiling, earning a laugh from Dale.
She just looks at him causing him to ask "What?"
This causes most of them to laugh again so she gives in and removes her hand from the glass.
There are some cheers as Dale then takes it, pours a little wine into it, and hands it to Carl with a "There you are, young lad."
Carl immediately takes a sip and quickly gets a disgusted face, sets it on the table, and releases a disgusted "Eww."
Earning laughs from most of the laughers, even I release a quiet chuckle witnessing it in person, as Lori rubs his back telling him "That's my boy. That's my boy."
Carl shakes his head with a "Yuck." As Lori then reaches for the glass and pours it into hers with an added "Good boy."
"That tastes nasty." Carl adds with a yuck face earning more laughs.
"Well, just stick to soda pop there, bud." Shane tells him then, grinning.
"Not you, Glenn." Daryl immediately says then.
"What?" Glenn questions, slightly confused.
"Keep drinking, little man. I want to see how red your face can get." Daryl tells him.
"Asian flush is real." I mutter quietly with a yawn as they laugh again.
"What about you Stephanie?" Dale asks then motioning to the empty glass in front of me, a fatherly look on his face.
"I'm good with this. Thanks though." I tell him with a small smile simply picking up my glass of water and taking a sip.
"If you put what Cat will eat or drink next to a toddler's it'd be the same. Been picky since she was a baby." Rick and Shane laugh out then before grinning at each other.
They were on the same fucking braincell when it came to me.
"Cats will starve themselves if they don't like the food. I'm on brand." I state, setting the glass down.
The laughers erupt in laughter, minus Lori who just rolls her eyes.
She almost always got grumpy when either of them brought up the fact that I'd known them longer than her.
"I know I've thought it before but that just confirms that you've really know each other a long time." T-Dog says when the laugher starts dying down.
Rick and Shane open their mouths and tell the group "Almost thirty years and counting." While grinning; Rick looking between Shane and I and Shane throwing an arm around my shoulders.
"Get off." I grumble shoving his arm off.
The laughers instantly erupt back in laughter, minus Lori who now has the grumpy look on her face.
There's grumpy Lori. How is it my fault that my birth just happened to coincide with the year they were placed in the same class the first time? How is it my fault that she and her family didn't move to King County until our senior year? Didn't she know Rick had love at first fucking sight with her? That Rick was in all manner of the word, but blood, my brother too and that wouldn't change?
When the laughter starts to die down again Rick finally looks to Jenner, who'd stayed silent this whole time, just like the original.
And just like the original Rick then takes his fork and glass and taps them together while standing.
When it quiets a little more Rick announces "It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly." While holding the glass out towards Jenner.
"He is more than just our host." T-Dog says raising his glass towards Jenner.
"Hear, hear!" Dale says while he and the others raise their glass towards Jenner.
"Here's to you, Doc, booyah!" Daryl exclaims holding his bottle towards Jenner.
"Booyah!" The guys exclaim as I also reach out and raise my glass at Jenner with a slight nod.
Jenner glances at me then back at Rick as he slowly reaches out and grabs his own glass while Rick tells him "Thank you. Thank you, Doctor."
Jenner raises his glass before averting his eyes and taking a drink.
The other's clink their glasses together before taking a drink themselves as I just take a sip and set it down again, eyes on Jenner.
Was it obvious to me that something was up with him because I knew it or because he was being obvious about it?
"So, when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, Doc? All the-the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?" Shane slowly says then, right on cue.
"We're celebrating, Shane." Rick starts so I glance at him as he sits back down finishing "Don't need to do this now."
"This is why we're here, right?" Shane questions one of his arms going around my waist before he releases a sigh and continues "Supposed to find all the answers here. Instead, we…we found him. Found one man, why?" while his other hand gestures to Jenner.
I look at Shane then wondering why that didn't sound right.
Was that changed too?
It was quiet for a moment before Jenner starts speaking, slowly explaining, "Well, when things got bad a lot of people just left, went off to be with their families. And then things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted."
"Every last one?" T-Dog asks causing me to tense up a little, knowing what Jenner was going to answer with.
Instantly Shane was looking at me, his face showing he understood what actually happened to some of them and that he was determined not to let me do that, as his arm tightened around me a little.
Guess he understood what actually happened to result in Jenner being alone too because of me…because I'd hinted at those thoughts.
"No, many couldn't face walking out the door. They…opted out." Jenner answers pausing then, probably looking around taking into account everyone's reaction, before finishing his line "There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time."
"You didn't leave. Why?" Andrea questions on cue, so I look towards Jenner.
"I just kept working…hoping to do some good." Jenner answers slowly, his eyes going around the table.
"Such a buzzkill, man." Glenn complains then so I release a sigh, close my eyes again, and lean on Shane.
That line for sure changed too. Damn butterfly effect. But these changes shouldn't throw my plan to save Shane out the window. It was a very simple one after all. One I'd made when my plan A went out the window. If I'm still alive at that point in the story, take Randall out myself. No Randall no plan to use him to get Rick alone. Problem solved.
It was quiet then, the only sound being that of the silverware clinking against the plates and the glasses against the table. And though Shane also started finishing his meal he kept the arm around me.
"Is there a place to sleep here Doc? This one is about out." Shane asks after those few sounds died down to nothing, slightly chuckling but fully chuckling after I instinctively jabbed him in the side at the comment about me.
"Uh, yeah." Jenner says slowly with the scraping of a chair, meaning he'd stood up.
Shane nudged me with a quiet "Come on." As there's scraping of some more chairs.
"Yeah, yeah." I murmur opening my eyes while pulling away from him and slowly standing up.
Shane chuckles as he stands up and immediately returns his arm around me and starts guiding me as we all follow Jenner.
"Most of the facility is powered down, including housing, so you'll have to make do here. The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like. There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug in the video games, okay? Or anything that draws power. The same applies, if you shower go easy on the hot water." Jenner tells the group as he led us down a hall, and like the original he just kept walking as soon as it was over.
"Hot water?" Glenn asks, clearly excited.
"That's what the man said." T-Dog replies.
They both laugh before them basically everyone else runs to a room.
Even I had a slight rush to my step as Shane led me to an empty room.
The reward of going to the C.D.C! Hot water baby!
"He said easy on the hot water." Shane reminds staying in the door way as I wonder inside and throw my satchel at the couch since it missed and flew over it.
"Ya missed." Shane instantly states, chuckling.
"I know. I know." I snap flipping him off over my shoulder and already slipping my shoes off.
"I'll be right next door if you need anything." He says, still chuckling.
"Fuck off. Hot water's callin' my name." I tell him already plopped on the couch and removing my socks.
"I'll leave your bag right here." He says then, still chuckling.
I glance up just as he's setting my bag next to the door.
"Ah don't throw those things at me! I'm leaving!" Shane exclaims quickly while quickly straightening and slamming the door behind him.
"Damn, missed the chance." I mutter at the door as I simply drop the socks I had, in fact, been getting ready to throw at him before chuckling a moment before sighing.
I knew he was probably going to confront Lori in this reality like he did in the original. Though maybe it'll just end with them talking instead of him trying to get with her. Shane had told me he doesn't expect anything from her and there were no signs of him having the first thought to get rid of Rick so maybe he really wasn't as obsessed with her as he was in the original. Guess I'll find out in the morning.
With that thought I get up and head to the other door, the bathroom.
I take a quick look around for a towel, find one hanging on a hook nearby the shower, turn the water on, quickly strip, just dropping the articles of clothing on the floor as I do so, taking off and setting my glasses on the sink, removing the red scrunchie and set it next to them, before stepping in.
"Sweet baby Jesus. I missed this." I breathe out the second the hot water touches my skin.
I stand there a moment just letting it hit my skin and turn it that shade of pink before sighing and actually washing off, careful of my bruised spots, and turning the water off the second I was done.
Wringing my hair out a little I step out, grab and wrap the towel around me, return the glasses to my face, and then I turn a little to try and see the damage to my back in the mirror. Sure, as shit, I could see a bit of a blue bruise running across it. Probably from both Daryl and Shane.
I hum lightly before yawning and heading back into the room and over to my bag by the door, detouring to collect my satchel from where it flew and set it next to the couch.
Collecting it, I return back to the bathroom, simply set it on the toilet, unzip it, and then dig through it for a clean change of clothes. I set them on top before wrapping my hair up with the towel and putting them on. I then retrieve my hairbrush from the bag, pull the towel off my head, simply pulling the towel off and dropping it to the floor, and then run the brush through my hair. That done I return it to my bag while also retrieving my med bag. I set it on the sink before detouring to collect the scrunchie and discarded clothes and shoes, drop the shoes off neck to my satchel, return to the bathroom, put the remaining items in my bag, and then return to the sink. I then collect the daily med bottles from my med bag, grab the glass next to the faucet, fill it with water, set it down, do the process of getting the small collection of pills into a hand, picking the glass back up, taking a drink, shoving the pills into my mouth, quickly taking another drink and tilting my head back and swallowing.
"So annoying." I mutter glaring at the bottles while setting the glass back down.
Huffing I collect them and return them to the bag before zipping it back up, taking it, returning over to my bag again, put it back inside, zip it all back up, collect it again and return back to the couch. I drop it next to my satchel before I remove my glasses and simply set them on the small side table. I then plop back down on the couch before turning a little to grab the blanket on the back of it. I lay down while covering myself with the blanket and already closing my eyes.
****Time Skip****
I stir to someone nudging me.
"Cat." Shane's voice says.
"What?" I murmur, keeping my eyes closed and trying to swat him away with an arm, but only get air; either missing completely on my own or him simply leaning out of the way.
"It's time to get up Cat. Everyone's eating breakfast." Shane says nudging me again.
I guess it's time to see if we'll die today or not and if Shane tried getting with Lori or not.
"I don't like most breakfast shit." I complain, slowly sitting, but keep my eyes closed trying to put off finding the answer to the second thought.
"I'm sure there's one of the three cereals you eat." Shane practically coos nudging me again.
I just grumble and throw the blanket at him.
"Here." He chuckles, only amused by the blanket assault.
I huff and finally open my eyes, looking at his fuzzy amused face that was, from what I could tell through the blur, free of scratches, before looking at what he was holding out to me; my glasses.
"Everything's calmed down now." I tell him while taking them from him, putting them on, looking at him again, and getting a slight smile.
It really was free of scratches!
"That's good to hear." He says, a relieved smile on his face before it changes to the mischievous one.
"Shane." I warn, the slight smile dropping from my face.
Don't do it you little shit.
"Nah, I think it's better if I do." He chuckles quickly reaching out to ruffle my hair a second, causing some of my curls to now be in my face.
Swinging on him only gets me air…again…since he'd already quickly turned and was almost to the door.
I release a sound of frustration at his back.
This just elicits a laugh from him as he shuts the door behind him.
I sigh and shake my head before pushing the curls out of my face and reaching over and pulling up my bag.
I unzip it and retrieve my hairbrush, my white scrunchie, and a clean pair of socks. I run the brush through my hair a little before pulling it back in a pony. I put the brush away and zip the bag back up before putting the socks on then slipping my feet into my shoes. Then grabbing my satchel bag, slinging it over my shoulder, standing, grabbing my bag, walking towards the door, depositing my bag next to it so it'd be a quick grab, and then heading out the door to join the others back in the kitchen.
When I get there, I take a quick survey to try and gauge where we were in the story right now.
Jenner and Daryl were still missing so we weren't to the point of learning about test subject nineteen yet.
"Ah, Aunty Cat! Look what mom found!" Carl exclaims as soon as he looked up and noticed me while grabbing the small plastic cereal container that'd been sitting next to his bowl and holding it up.
Instantly poor hungover Glenn groans earning a quick "Sorry." From Carl and a laugh from the others.
"Thanks." I tell her as I go over and take the Cheerios from him, go to the empty seat next to Shane and Dale, and sit down.
She just nods at me, a slightly apologetic look on her face.
Oh? Friend mom Lori's back. Okay then.
I just return the nod and turn my attention to my cereal.
"Need help?" Shane asks, tone slightly teasing, as I struggle to get the plastic top peeled off.
"No." I huff before releasing a triumphant "Ha." When I finally get the stupid thing open, though almost spilling them all over the place.
"Toddler." Shane teases.
I simply flip him a quick bird while putting a some of the Cheerios in my mouth.
This just earns a chuckle from him and the others; even Glenn.
Glad I could be amusing. Not.
"Morning." Jenner's voice sounds then as I just put some more in my mouth.
"Hey, Doc." Shane greets him with some murmuring of the same from the others while I just stay focused on my crunchy little plain circles.
"Doctor, I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing-." Dale starts to say, only for, on cue, Jenner to cut him off with that simple "But you will anyway."
"We didn't come here for the eggs." Andrea tells him.
It's silent a moment before Jenner says a simply "Come with me."
There's scraping of chairs so I also get up to follow, but bring my little plastic container with me; finishing my breakfast of toddlers on the way.
Once back in the big room, Jenner goes to what must be his workstation as we slowly gather around the computers.
"Give me a playback of TS-19." Jenner tells Vi following him hitting some buttons on the station.
"Playback of TS-19" Vi's voice sounds before there's the beeping and the blue visuals of the video starting to appear on the wall.
"Few people ever got a chance to see this. Very few." Jenner says then as the larger of the images of Jenner's wife's brain finishes loading.
No, a lot of people saw this…though not in this reality.
"Aunty Cat, is that a brain?" Carl asks.
I just nod, keeping my eyes on the scene playing out in front of me from my spot in the back, while setting the now empty container on the station next to me.
Jenner glances back at me before at Carl and telling him "An extraordinary one.", then back at the screen as he continued "Not that it matters in the end. Take us in for E.I.V.", his sadness now lacing his words.
"Enhanced internal view." Vi's voice sounds as the larger image enlarges to take up most of the screen.
Everyone watches in silence as the image turns horizontal, slowly magnifying into the brain, to the synapses still firing around inside it.
"Cat, what are those lights?" Shane asks, from his spot next to me then.
"Synapses." I answer, my tone dull, technical, separating.
"Correct." Jenner says, with the same tone as me, glancing back at me again before looking at everyone and explaining "It's a person's life…experiences, memories. It's everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you-the thing that makes you unique and human." All while he was moving around the workstation and closer to the screen.
"You don't make sense ever?" Daryl asks.
"They're the electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says, does, or thinks from the moment of birth to the moment of death." Jenner elaborates, stopping and looking back at the screen.
"Death? That's what this is, a vigil?" Rick asks stepping towards Jenner.
"Yes. Or rather, the playback of the vigil." Jenner answers with only a glance at Rick.
"This person died? Who?" Andrea asks also stepping towards Jenner.
"Test subject 19." Jenner answers before his technical tone drops as he continues "Someone who was bitten and infected…and volunteered to have us record the process." While looking at her.
Jenner gets the tone back though when he then tells Vi "Vi, scan forward to the first event."
"Scanning to first event." Vi's voice sounds as the screen zooms back out with the message Scanning Forward.
Soon having the brain with the dark branches inside and dropping the message.
"What is that?" Glenn asks as I feel slightly sick seeing it, especially when the video starts showing her dying moments.
Reality sucks.
Shane, having picked up on this slight change in me, puts a comforting arm around me and pulls me close, while Jenner answer technically "It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs…" trailing off a moment when she dies before his tone changes to that sad one again as he continues "Then death. Everything you ever were or ever will be…gone."
Andrea looks to the ground, tearing up, trying not to cry, thinking of Amy and Shane's arm around me tightens a little.
You better hope I can tear down your death flag if we survive here. I'm following your ass if not. I told you I'll follow your dumbass wherever you go.
"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia asks then.
"Yes." Carol answers her.
Jenner looks back then and focuses on Andrea.
"She lost somebody two days ago. Her sister." Lori informs Jenner causing him to look at her a moment before back at Andrea.
Jenner then steps closer to Andrea while telling her "I lost somebody too. I know how devastating it is."
Andrea just glances at him before looking back at the ground.
Jenner just turns back to the screen, his tone losing the emotion again as he tells Vi "Scan to the second event."
"Scanning to second event." Vi's voice sounds as the video fast forwards with the message Scanning Forward again.
When the message is dropped Jenner says "The resurrection times vary wildly. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours." But his tone changes again when he adds "In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute…seven seconds."
On cue the red glow flickers on at the base of the brain, with only random short sparks shooting out into the rest of it, mainly staying dark.
"It restarts the brain?" Lori asks.
I never understood how that looked like restarting the brain for her.
"No, just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving." Jenner informs looking at her.
"But they're not alive?" Rick asks getting even closer to Jenner.
"You tell me." Jenner tells him, looking at him, going next to him, and motioning to the screen.
Rick looks at it and shakes his head saying "It's nothing like before. Most of that brain is dark."
"Dark, lifeless, dead." Jenner starts, tone harsh, before turning back to technical while looking at Rick adding "The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part-that doesn't come back." Then the emotional one as he finishes "The you part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct."
On cue the body starts moving, the mouth opens and closes, the head moves side to side, the shoulders move like it's trying to raise its arms. Then the barrel of a gun appears pointed right at the forehead. The next moment the bullet rips through the head, the brain, the red glow. Putting the empty shell down for good.
"God. What was that?" Carol asks.
"He shot his patient in the head." Andrea answers her before questioning Jenner "Didn't you?"
But like the original Jenner just ignores her as he tells Vi "Vi, power down the main screen and the workstations." while moving back to his workstation, his technical tone back.
"Powering down main screen and workstations." Vi's voice sounds as she does just that.
"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Andrea asks him then.
"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal." Jenner answers looking around at us.
On cue Jacqui adds "Or the wrath of God?"
"There is that." Jenner says looking at her.
"Somebody must know something. Somebody somewhere." Andrea says stepping closer to him.
"There are others, right? Other facilities?" Carol asks.
Jenner gets a reluctant look as he slowly confirms the possibility to her "There may be some. People like me."
"But you don't know? How can you not know?" Rick instantly presses.
"Everything went down. Communications, directives-all of it. I've been in the dark for almost a month." Jenner answers looking at him.
"So, it's not just here. There's nothing left anywhere? Nothing? That's what you're really saying, right?" Andrea presses him.
But like the original he just stays silent, simply slowly looking around the group.
That is enough of an answer though as Andrea lets out a heavy breath and Jacqui breathes out that "Jesus."
"Man, I'm gonna get shit-faced drunk again." Daryl says then, leaning on one of the workstations and putting his head in his hands.
"Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question, but…that clock" Dale asks pointing at the red countdown, almost down to one hour, before looking back at Jenner continuing "It's counting down. What happens at zero?"
"The basement generators-they run out of fuel." Jenner states simply already walking away.
"You're sure?" Rick asks Jenner.
This causes Jenner to pause just long enough to state "So you know what that means." Before continuing on his way.
"Shane, Glenn, T-Dog. Come with me to double check. Stephanie, see if there's anything you can do to get topside open from here. Everyone else get our stuff together and meet back here in twenty-five minutes. Then we're leaving." Rick commands then; motioning to the computers when talking to me then out the door to the others.
Everyone's moving the second he's done speaking, Shane pausing and looking back at me just long enough for me to give him a nod. Thus, leaving me standing alone in the big room.
I release a sigh before sitting in the wheeled chair at the empty workstation next to me and speaking to Vi "Vi, is there a way to allow evacuation topside before the HIT's are deployed?"
"If required, the main entrance can be opened to allow additional emergency evacuation of personnel in the last minute for up to the last twenty seconds with your employee keycard and the additional emergency evacuation protocol passcode." Vi's voice sounds, answering me.
Damn that cuts it pretty close. But it does explain why Jenner doesn't hand over the keycard. Even if he gave them to them, it's not likely that they'd remember it when they got up there and it got to the time they could use it.
"Never thought it'd come in handy this way." I mutter to myself as I pull out the metal lunch box from my satchel, retrieve my DS from it, thankful I'd set it up and put it there once it was done charging on the way here, put the box away, turn on the DS, get the stylus, and open the pictochat.
"Vi, what's the additional emergency evacuation protocol passcode?" I ask then.
"The evacuation protocol passcode is zero, four, zero, three, one, nine, six, five." Vi's voice sounds, as I write the numbers in the box with the stylus.
"Huh." I breathe out looking at it and tilting my head to the side wondering why it sounds familiar as I send it to the chat.
Zero, four…zero, three…one, nine…six, five. Zero, four…zero, three…one, nine…six, five. Forget it. I don't know. Hold on I should also get the code to open the blast door in case Jenner won't reopen it this time.
With that thought I the ask Vi, "Vi, what's the passcode to open and close the blast door?"
"Your individual blast door passcode is your employee number." Vi's voice sounds earning a sighed "Of course it is."
But then her voice continues "Would you like the blast door closed?"
Oh? We could just ask Vi to open the door? Seriously?
"No thanks, Vi." I tell her shutting the DS, putting it away in my satchel, getting up, and wondering over to the workstation Jenner had been at.
"Of course, it's not here." I mutter not finding his keycard there before looking over at the red countdown that now read just under fifty-four minutes.
Thus, I had around thirteen minutes to wonder around here seeing if there was an employee keycard from someone else laying around. Now that I knew we could get out without the grenade, Game Over was…well…over.
****Time Skip****
"Of course, it'd be the last one I looked at." I mutter pulling a young red-headed woman's keycard from the clipboard that was tucked into the binder on the workstation.
That's when the lights go to just the ring above the large circle above the stations.
"Hate the fucking dark." I mutter shoving the keycard into my satchel and looking over at the red countdown; 00:32:30.
Oh great, almost show time.
That's when I hear Lori's voice calls "Rick?!"
I look in that direction as Rick's voice also sounds from it "Jenner what's happening?" though closer than Lori's and getting closer.
Soon I see the group appear trailing after Jenner, bottle of alcohol in his hand, as he talked "The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark." Getting closer with each word and motioning to the countdown with the bottle with the "Right on schedule." Before taking a big drink.
I look over at the red countdown clock again myself; 00:31:27.
Here we go.
"It was the French." Jenner says then.
I look back in their direction finding everyone gathered around Jenner like the original Daryl even had the bottle of alcohol back. Though unlike the original instead of just Carol those of the group that didn't go with Rick had a bag or two.
"What?" Andrea questions causing Jenner to pause going up the stairs long enough to elaborate "They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. While our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in the labs till the end. They thought they were close to a solution."
"What happened?" Jacqui asks.
Jenner stops at the top of the stairs and turns back to them as he answers "The same thing that's happening here. No power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel. I mean, how stupid is that?" before turning and heading to his station the second the last word left his mouth.
"Stephanie, come! We're getting out of here now!" Shane orders quickly climbing the stairs and holding an urgent hand out towards me.
"Everyone! You heard him! We're going now!" Rick adds quickly motioning to the others to start leaving.
I'd just taken a step forward when the alarm blares causing me to freeze and snap my attention to the main screen that now had the message System Warning Facility-wide Decontamination Protocol Active 00:29:58:20.
Yeah, I don't like seeing that in person.
"What's that?" Shane and Carl question then.
"Thirty minutes to decontamination." Vi's voice sounds, adding insult to everything.
"Let's go! Go now! Go!" Rick orders as Shane orders a "Stephanie, now!"
Just before there's the loud whir of the blast door closing.
I snap my attention to in in enough time to see it shut with a loud clang and Rick stop and turn back; his face panicked.
"No. Did you just lock us in?" Glenn questions staring at it before turning towards Jenner and exclaiming "He just locked us in!"
"We've hit the thirty-minute window. I am recording." Jenner says then.
"Vi, open the blast door!" I call to the ceiling as Lori calls "Carl!"
"Mom!" Carl exclaims as Vi's voice sounds "Unable to enable request. Cannot override an executive employee."
"You son of a bitch!" Daryl yells at Jenner then as I throw my hands in the air exclaiming "Of fucking course!"
Simple scientist my ass!
"Shane! Shane!" Rick yells then meaning Daryl was probably moving to attack Jenner like the original.
I snap my attention to the scene then seeing Daryl in fact running to attack Jenner, Shane and T-Dog hot on his heels like the original, while Daryl shouted at Jenner "You locked us in here!"
Like the original Daryl only gets close enough to grab the back of his chair before Shane pulls him back telling him "No, no, no, no! Don't!" while T-Dog get between them and Jenner.
The next moment Rick is approaching Jenner telling him "Hey, Jenner, open that door now."
"There's no point. Everything topside is locked down." Jenner tells him fixing his jacket before turning back to the station adding "The emergency exits are sealed."
"Well, open the damn things." Dale says.
"That's not something I control. The computers do. I told you once that front door closed it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that." Jenner tells everyone.
"What about the additional emergency evacuation protocol you shit for brains?" I snap at him then.
"I knew it had to have been you." Jenner says while focusing on me; his face nostalgic.
Oh, I did not like that.
Rick's back is instantly in my sight as Rick steps in front of me and orders Jenner "Jenner, don't look at her and just open that door."
"It's better this way." Jenner says that line then before clearly getting up, the chair clattering back a little, and shouting "She told you didn't she?! What this place is! What happens when the power runs out! We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!" he then stops shouting as he finishes "The H.I.T's are the solution. Setting the very air on fire. No pain. An end to sorrow, grief…regret….everything." probably sitting back down like the original.
"What…what about that protocol?" Rick slowly questions.
"That only works in the last minute and for only forty seconds. Not only that but you need an employee keycard and the additional emergency evacuation protocol passcode." Jenner answers.
Rick glances back at me then so I give a quick nod in response to the silent questions.
"She already has them." Rick says turning his attention back to Jenner before ordering "So, open the door."
Jenner, however, stays silent and the door doesn't make any sound.
That's when there's the sound of glass breaking before Daryl shouts "Open the damn door!"
I look over there then and see Shane running at the door with a fire axe yelling "Out of the way!" before he starts hitting it; just like the original.
"Daryl!" T-Dog calls before throwing Daryl another axe.
Daryl catches it and joins Shane in attacking the door, both of them grunting as they put their all into each hit.
Rick grabs my hand then and pulls me with him till I was next to Lori and Carl, lets go, and goes over next to T-Dog with Glenn; the three just watching Shane and Daryl attack the door.
"You should've left well enough alone. It would've been so much easier." Jenner says that line then.
I look back over as Lori scoffs "Easier for who?"
"All of you. You know what's out there-a short, brutal life and an agonizing death." Jenner answers before looking right at Andrea as he questions her "Your-your sister-what was her name?"
"Amy." Andrea slowly answers.
"Amy." Jenner repeats before looking at the reapproaching Rick adding "You know what this does. You've seen it. Is that really what you want for your wife and son? Your friends?"
"I don't want this." Rick stresses each word, but stresses the word this the most, while getting closer to Jenner again.
"Can't make a dent." Shane breathes out coming back over himself and dropping the axe to rest on the workstation next to us.
"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher. Hence the name." Jenner informs.
On cue Daryl is running at Jenner exclaiming "Well, your head ain't!" raising the axe to strike.
Rick and Dale grab him and push him back with Rick ordering "Daryl! Daryl! Just back up! Back up!" while T-Dog comes up and takes the axe away from Daryl.
"You do want this." Jenner reveals then standing up before continuing "Last night you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead."
Then Jenner turns his attention to me causing my eyes to widen in surprise at his sudden attention of me as he started "And you. Didn't-"
"Say another word to her and I'll make you regret it." Shane practically growls cutting him off while pulling me behind him.
Great, now instead of Rick's back I get Shane's.
Jenner just sighs heavily before saying "There is no hope. There never was."
"There's always hope. Maybe it won't be you, maybe not here, but somebody somewhere." Rick counters him.
On cue Andrea questions "What part of 'Everything is gone' do you not understand?"
"Listen to your friend. She gets it. This is what takes us down. This is our extinction event." Jenner says before sitting back down, judging by the sound of the chair clattering again and the original.
He's right about that one.
"This isn't right." Carol cries then holding a crying Sophia closer to her as she continues "You can't just keep us here."
Oh, but it is right Carol. This is the original playing out.
"One tiny moment, a-a-a millisecond. No pain." Jenner tells her.
He's right about that too.
In the next moment Shane had turned around, had put his hands over my ears so I couldn't hear anymore, and had his forehead resting on the top of my head; his whole-body tense.
I blink at his chest confused and surprised for a few moments before it dawns on me what he's doing.
Instead of attacking Jenner like the original he's trying to stop me from being convinced. Stop me from dropping back into that thought process. But he didn't need to…at least…not right now.
Slowly I reach up, place my hands on his, give a small nod, lower my hands, and sign a quick thank you.
He understands as his slowly relaxes, removes his forehead from my head, and slowly drops his hands from my ears to my shoulders.
Though it's still quiet other than the quiet crying of the children.
When I look up at him his face is determined but also worried as he gives me a small smile and returns my small nod while gently squeezing my shoulders.
That's when Rick's voice sounds "I think you're lying." So, we both look towards him.
"What?" Jenner asks slowly turning in his chair towards Rick as he approaches him.
"You're lying about no hope. If that were true, you'd have bolted with the rest or taken the easy way out. You didn't. You chose the hard path." Rick says confidently before asking that "Why?"
"It doesn't matter." Jenner answers shaking his head.
"It does matter. It always matters. You stayed when others ran." Rick says bending so he was face to face with Jenner before asking that "Why?" again.
"Not because I wanted to." Jenner stresses before standing adding a slightly angry "I made a promise." Then pointing to the screen finishing "To her. My wife."
"Test subject 19 was your wife?" Shane questions; his hands still on my shoulders tightening with each word, the realization of that hitting him.
Jenner looks around at everyone before talking again "She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no?"
That's when there's the song of metal hitting against metal again.
Shane releases me as I look over there to find who was hitting the door with an axe again was Daryl, just like he'd done in the original, though he was soon joined by Shane doing the same, not like the original.
I look back at the countdown, 00:09:10, when Jenner continued his story "She was dying. It should've been me on that table. I wouldn't have mattered to anybody. She was a loss to the world. Hell, she ran this place. I just worked here. In our field she was an Einstein. Me? I'm just…Edwin Jenner. She could've done something about this. Not me."
"Your wife didn't have a choice. You do. That's-that's all we want; a choice, a chance." Rick tells him then so I look back over at them.
"Let us keep trying as long as we can." Lori pleads when Jenner's look over the group hits her.
Jenner's gaze stays on her a moment before he releases a sigh, turns his attention towards me, and says "There's no guarantee it will work. It was designed as a hail Mary for the last man."
"Just open the door and let us worry about that." I tell him motioning to the keypad on his station.
Jenner sighs, his face turning nostalgic again, before turning to the keypad, scanning his card, and entering the code while muttering something.
The second the door whirls open both Daryl and Shane yell "Come on!"
"There's your chance, take it." Jenner says when he turns back around as Glenn, Carol, T-Dog, and Lori yell their own come on while rushing to leave.
"I'm grateful." Rick tells Jenner while offering a handshake as Shane orders another "Stephanie, now!"
I just keep my attention on Jenner and Rick while I send a finger into the air, as a hold on signal, before flicking it to point towards the two, as a Rick's still there signal.
"The day will come when you won't be." Jenner tells Rick that line then before grabbing the hand, pulling Rick close, and whispering in his ear.
Rick's face slowly turns shocked at Jenners words while Shane immediately orders "We're going! Now! Lori, get Rick!" with each word his voice being closer meaning he was coming to get me.
While Jenner and Rick separate, Shane's arm wraps around me and forces me in the direction of the blast door.
I obey and let Shane quickly lead me down the stairs and up the ramp to the others while Lori pulls Rick there and Glenn shouts a "Hey, we've got six minutes left! Come on!"
Huh, guess we had a few extra minutes. It was four minutes in the original.
"No, no. I'm staying. I'm staying sweetie." Jacqui says then causing Shane's arm to tighten as we all stop and look towards her and T-Dog.
"But that's insane!" T-Dog exclaims trying to reach out for her again but she just backs away telling him "No, it's completely sane. For the first time in a long time. I'm not ending up like Jim and Amy. There's no time to argue. And no point, not if you want to get out. Just get out." Before pushing him back with an added "Get out!"
"T, come on." Glenn says putting a hand on his arm before pressing "Come on. Let's go."
T-Dog turns then as Dale goes up to Jacqui gesturing for her to come.
However, like the original, she just shakes her head, folds her arms tightly against herself, turns her back, and heads back over to Jenner.
That's when Dale notices Andrea was still standing there and motions for her to come.
But like the original Andrea just tells him "I'm staying too."
"Andrea, no!" Dale exclaims, desperate, but like the original it has no effect as she just turns her back on him and sits down.
"Just go! Go!" Dale orders turning back to us and motioning for us to leave.
"Come on." Shane says then and it spurs everyone to move again.
We're soon racing up the stairs, and that's when Rick questions "What's the plan, Cat?"
"Plan A, try to break one of the windows." I start to inform before having to stop my, Shane's, and those behind us' ascent and take a sharp intake of breath when one of my knees protested the action of a hurried step and shot extreme pain up my leg.
Instantly Shane had changed the position of his arm from just leading to supporting with a quick "Just a little more."
"Plan B, try the protocol at a minute left when it might work. Fuck." I continue then while also continuing our quick ascent of the stairs, cursing when it happens to the other knee but it wasn't as sharp so I don't stop the ascent this time, before finishing "Plan C, game over."
"Let's hope we don't get to Plan C." Rick says with an uneasy tone.
"Agreed." All the adults, including me, agreed just before we get to the top of the stairs and practically burst through the door to the lobby.
"Stairs are not my friends." I complain, breathing heavy, the second Shane and I are through the door to the lobby and my feet hit that floor.
"I know." Shane says, slightly chuckling, pulling me off to the side so I could take a small break and the others behind us could still file out and rush towards the doors…well, windows.
"Daryl, look out!" T-Dog shouts then so I glace behind Shane and see T-Dog smacking the window with the chair.
"You good?" Shane asks then but already urging me to move.
I obey, letting him lead me over to Glenn and the mothers and children, again, telling him a "Fine. They need something stronger than a fucking chair."
Shane understands as, as soon as I was there, he left my side, went to one of the dropped gun bags, bulled a shotgun from it, double checked it was loaded, cocked it, and approached the window ordering "Dog, get down! Get down!"
The second T-Dog was clear Shane fires into the glass a few times.
But like the original the glass just eats it, barely cracking.
"Jesus." Shane breathes out as Sophia questions a panicked "The glass won't break?!"
"The grenade." I barely hear Carol whisper then so I whip my head in her direction as she's already pushing Sophia into me.
Sophia immediately clings to me so I hug her to me as Carol approaches the four guys up by the window while digging in her purse.
"Rick, I have something that might help." Carol tells them when they turn to her, noticing her approach.
Instead of snarking at her like the original Shane glances back at me so I give a quick nod in confirmation.
Shane returns it and looks back at her as she starts explaining to Rick "Your first morning at camp, when I washed your uniform." Before finding the grenade, pulling it out, and showing it to him finishing "I found this in your pocket."
The guys look at it a moment, shocked that she was just carrying that around in her purse, before they all look at each other.
No words were exchanged but everyone understood the plan as Rick takes it from her and the other three move for cover, Carol doing the same the second it was in Rick's hand.
"I swear on all things holly if ya blow yerself up I'm gonna be pissed!" I can't help but exclaim at Rick as he rushes towards the window before Glenn grabs my free hand and pulls me and subsequently Sophia with him while ducking for cover.
I cover Sophia's head while Glenn does the same to me as Rick releases the slightly terrified half curse "Oh, sh-."
"Get down!" Shane and Daryl yell at him then earing a quick "Shit!" from Rick just before the grenade went off.
"Fucking hell!" I exclaim, my ears ringing from the explosion, as we slowly turn to see if the window broke.
Sure, as shit, just like the original, the glass of that window was gone.
The next second, we were all up, collecting any dropped or abandoned bags regardless of who's it was, and moving to the way out.
Rick and Shane were the first out, quickly followed by Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog as I hand Sophia off to Carol.
Both Glenn and T-Dog turn to help Lori, Carl, Carol, and Sophia out next as Shane, Rick, and Daryl start taking aim and shots at the approaching walkers; Rick and Shane shooting those further in the distance with Daryl doing those closer with an axe.
When it comes to my turn, I can't help but hesitate to take Glenn and T-Dog's offered hands when I get to the edge, just staring at the ground.
My knees were already angry and jumping down that distance, even with help, will definitely make it worse.
But the next second, as if sensing my hesitation, Shane had turned, shoved the shotgun into Glenn's hands, and took Glenn's place with an urgent promise "I got you. No matter what."
I nod quickly, swallowing in anticipation of the jolt of pain, take their hands, and jump out.
"Fuck me." I curse the second my feet connect with the ground while my legs buckle a little and I instinctively squeeze the shit out of their hands at the shockwave of pain.
"You good?" the two question while quickly steadying me upright.
"Fine." I tell them letting go of their hands.
T-Dog just nods, drops the supportive hand, and starts moving with the rest now that I was out, while Shane just moves an arm around me before silently urging me to start moving too.
I obey while pulling my gun from my satchel and handing it to him so he could assist taking out walkers again as we ran across the yard towards the vehicles.
As soon as we were at the Jeep Shane wasted no time in opening the passenger side door, practically shoving me inside, slamming the door shut behind me with an ordered "Get down!", and already moving around to get in the driver side.
However, instead of obey the order, I look back towards the C.D.C. just in time to see Andrea and Dale jumping out of the building, like the original.
I breathe out in relief that that was the same watching them run for the R.V. but that's when the R.V.'s horn honks and Lori shouts "Dale, get down! Down!"
Oh shit. It really was the same as the original. Those extra minutes we had were ate up by me.
"Stephanie now!" Shane orders while grabbing me and forcing me down so he was covering my head.
The next moment the building exploded rocking the Jeep and heating the air over us a few degrees.
When the sounds of falling rubble died and the air returned to normal, we slowly sat up and looked at the remains of the C.D.C.
"Yeah, we would have seen that." Shane half-heartedly jokes then with a small laugh.
"Oh yeah." I tell him with a small laugh myself while looking back at him.
He gives a small smile before reaching a hand out around the back of my neck, gently pulling, and gently knocking our foreheads together with a clearly tired sighed "Let's not do that again."
"Agreed." I sigh out, slowly reaching a hand out around the back of his neck too.
We stayed like that only a moment before separating when Glenn starts shouting in rapid succession to Dale and Andrea "Get in, get in, get in, get in!"
We watch as Dale and Andrea rush over and climb into the R.V. with Glenn shutting the door the moment they were inside.
Neither of us said anything as everyone starts their vehicles then.
The R.V. leads slowly making a U-turn to the other side of the road we'd come down on, our little caravan following.
I release a tired sigh then as I simply reach down to rub my pulsing knees.
Noticing Shane reaches over, places a hand on my shoulder, and gives a comforting squeeze.
Season 1 was officially over. Season 2 Shane's death flag starts now.
That's when I realize something, snap my head up to look at the caravan in front of us, and breathe out "Who the fuck had my bag?"