Walking Dead 1. Alive

**Chapter one**

**Alive**

"Is this even legal?" I asked eyeing the needle as it pierced my skin.

"it's just a vaccination. It's perfectly safe," he assured me briefly meeting my gaze before injecting the clear liquid into my blood stream.

"For what, that flu going around?" I asked as my eyes wondered around the curtain drawn area that I was sitting in, landing on anything that would distract me. "What're they calling this one anyway? We already have swine and bird flu."

"This one doesn't affect animals, as far as I'm aware it's a type B not an A type." He stated extracting the needle and placing a piece of cotton over the tiny bleeding dot.

"So it's only transmitted through people?" I asked wincing as I moved to hold the cotton swab as he went to grab the tape,

"As far as we know, yes." He stated helping me down from the patient bed after the cotton swab was secured to my arm.

"So what, as long as no one sneezes on me I'm in the clear?" I asked scratching just above the bruise that was not doubt forming.

"Not exactly," he replied taking his glasses off to clean the lenses, "It's airborne." he stated finally placing his glasses back on eyeing my scratching with irritation, "would you stop doing that? You're going to irritate it." he huffed causing my movements to come to a halt,

"Right, sorry." I apologized half heartedly with a small smile and a roll of my eyes, he was always over reacting with the little things.

"I'll take your blood work tomorrow," he huffed changing the subject "we'll give the vaccine twenty four hours to start taking effect and then I'll be able to see its progress. Send James down on your way out, will you?"

"Progress?" I repeated the word that left a bad taste in my mouth, "what are we your test subjects?" I asked raising my eyebrow, it wasn't like him to use us at least not without him being completely up front about it.

"No, of course not. It's already been tested and proven to work, it effects everyone differently is all." He explained as he started to walk me out.

"You're talking about side effects, aren't you?" I questioned pausing by the door, as my eyes locked with his.

"I am, and if you feel anything out of the norm you know how to get a hold of me." With those parting words I exited his office.

***** Several Months Later*****

I knew what I was doing when I opened my eyes, I even understood that I was in a dark cold room and that I was curled up on what felt like an unfinished cemented basement floor. But what I didn't know was where I was, or how I got here and if I was alone.

So I laid there confused and scared as my mind started to wander, I knew what I was feeling was pain my entire body seemed to hum with it as I withered on the ground unsure if I should attempt moving. A lot of time seemed to pass though I couldn't be sure how much or if it were night or day, when I finally managed to pull myself together and sit up I wiped at the moisture that covered my cheeks.

After turning in a small circle I paused when I spotted a faint light, it wasn't far ahead of where I stood but seemed to be up a flight of stairs. Biting my lip I moved slowly towards them with my arms wrapped around myself.

I cringed as they creaked with my added weight, on top of the pain that was shooting up my legs and pounded in my skull. It was strange but the only thoughts that rang out above the fear and the pain were _'I'm alive' _repeatedly.

I made it to the top and froze, for some reason my hand trembled inches away from the door knob. "It's not right..." I whispered aloud as my eyes widened hearing the parched sounding words that tumbled from my cracked and dry lips.

Taking in a calming breath I squeezed my eyes closed repeating the thought 'I can do this' over and over again, moving forward I pushed the door open, and instantly regretted my choice to do so.

Blood. Lots of blood, splattered on the walls and the furniture as well as on the floor that had smeared drag marks, blood was everywhere. My hands shook as I brought one up to cover my mouth preventing any sound from escaping, the drag marks I was having a staring contest with led to the basement that I had just emerged from.

Glancing back over my shoulder I found myself wondering if someone else was down there, hurt or worse. I hadn't heard anything while I was down there. I reminded myself so I wouldn't turn back into the dark cold cellar.

Swallowing thickly around what felt like a very dry throat I stepped up on to the landing. I tried to not look around too much, but my eyes always found their way back to the blood that seemed to coat room after room.

When I had stumbled into a kitchen I rushed forward to the sink and twisted a tap as water started to stream from it I dunked my mouth under letting the water run down my throat and over my lips and down my chin. Pulling back I wiped at my mouth and turned off the water with a sigh, already I was feeling better.

Glancing up at the window above the sink I caught my reflection in it as I realized it was mid day out. The image that stared back at me had my hands reaching up to touch my face as a dazed feeling started to set in.

At some point I had stopped feeling the odd sense of déjà vu and just stared blankly at nothing. The world outside the window seemed to be at a standstill, almost like it was at peace but from the horror show looks of inside the house I couldn't help but to wonder what happened here.

I made my way around the house but found very little left laying around, there wasn't any food but I found a few empty water bottles that were scattered around the house, sure they had blood on them but nothing that couldn't be washed off.

I had found a purple tiny bag that had no doubt belonged to a child with its 'My little Pony' writing on the front as well as a group of ponies embedded on to it.

Shrugging my shoulders I grabbed it anyway, it was either deal with the childish bag or carry everything and by everything I meant five water bottles and the stack of butter knives and forks that I emptied from a drawer in the kitchen, by hand.

Packing the beg up I swung in onto my shoulder taking a quick look around me, something had caused that bloodbath, and I would be damned if I stayed and waited for it to return, brandishing a butter knife I stepped outside.

Leaves and sticks crunched and snapped under my bare feet as I stumbled through the woods, holding the pitiful excuse for a knife tightly in my hand as I winced when a twig stabbed the delicate flesh of my foot.

Occasionally I would look up making sure I was still as alone as I had started off as, and I was or at least I had thought that I was.

"Walker!" the word spread like wild fire as my head snapped up to see people pointing guns, baseball bats and various sharp objects as well as a single cross bow aimed at me.

Ducking behind a tree before they fired, I couldn't stop my mind from swarming me with thoughts.

_They were human, they were alive like I was._

But still I kept hidden behind the thick tree trunk with my eyes tightly closed with the poor excuse for a knife raised just about my chest level, my heart pounded so loudly in my ears I could barely make out the words that the others were throwing around.

Four stuck out making its way in to my jumbled mind,

"Human,"

"Alive"

"Girl"

"Scaring"

My breathing quickened as I made the decision to run, it was either that or stay put and wait for them to surround me. Dashing out from the tree I ran away from the group, "Hey! Wait! We can help you!" A man shouted as I glanced back making what could have been a fatal mistake I tripped.

An eerie moan filtered through my mind and had the hairs of my arms standing on their ends as I glanced down to see what I had tripped over. A scream echoed around my ears as I started to kick and thrash my legs at the still moving half of a corpse of a man that was snapping its jaw hungrily trying to get at my ankles before it was impaled with what looked to be an arrow to the back of its head.

_Not alive, dead, that...is dead. _ The words echoed in my mind as I tried to catch my breath.

"Are you alright?"

"Did it get you?"

"Are you scratched?"

"Bit?" questions were thrown at me before I knew it I was more or less being surrounded by men.

One man, wearing some type of uniform bent down beside me raising his hand causing everyone to go silent. "Ya hurt?" he asked after catching my eye, swallowing thickly my eyes were wide as I repeated his question, was I hurt?

Damn straight I woke up hurt! Did the fall or that dead thing hurt me? "No more then I was already." I whispered softly flinching away from his hand when he offered it.

"just going to help you up." His tone was calm and face only showed his concern, nodding I accepted his hand letting him help me to my feet."My name is Rick Grimes," he stated before eyeing my clothing then lifting his skeptical gaze back up to meet my eyes. "What's your name?" he asked causing my mind to flounder looking for a response.

"I'm alive..." I whispered the first thing that seemed mildly suitable.

"I can see that." Rick stated giving me that same skeptical look that he had given me a moment ago, "do you have a name?" He repeated taking a step slightly closer as he kept his voice low I shook my head, if 'I'm Alive' wasn't good enough for him I honestly wasn't sure what would be.

I watched the silent exchange of looks that Rick sent the other men before his eyes landed back on me, he took a step back and nodded slowly as if he were thinking, "alright, are you alone?" he asked glancing around placing his hands on his hips.

"Yes." I answered sounding breathless as my mind continued to reel looking for the right answers to his questions, "I don't know you." I stated without thinking before looking at the rest of his men, "any of you." I clarified as my mind began to try and find a familiar face but the only one I could bring to the forefront of my mind was my own.

Biting my lower lip I stopped the words 'no one' from falling from my trembling lips, suddenly feeling exposed.

"That's alright, we're good people. We can help you, we're heading to the CDC looking for a safe haven. You're welcome to join us. We'd have ta have one of the woman take a look at you first, make sure you ain't bit." He stated

"I ain't bit," I tried to tell him shaking my head.

"I'll still need one of them to take a look." Meeting his gaze head on I gave him a single nod before he bent and picked something up, "ya dropped this." Rick stated handing over the small purple back pack.

"Thanks," I replied grabbing for it without failing to notice the tiny smirk that faded to a frown just as quickly, I couldn't read the questions that were hidden behind his eyes but I knew they were there all the same.

"Found it," I stated biting my lip taking a wild guess at what his question was. Rick nodded before leading the way back towards where I had originally seen him and his people on the side of a road.

"Lori's my wife," Rick stated as we made it to the road gesturing to the thin brunette who stood behind a boy with her hands resting on his shoulders keeping him in place. "This is our son Carl." Nodding I sent the two a ghost of a smile, before Rick continued speaking.

"Lori I need you or one of the woman to take," he stopped glancing over at me with a grimace "her, into the RV check for scratches, bites."

"Why?" Lori asked eyeing me in the same skeptical way Rick had earlier.

"She's going to be coming to the CDC with us." Rick informed his wife who clenched her jaw but nodded anyway walking towards the RV.

"This is embarrassing..." I whispered catching the woman I had learned was Jacqui in the eye, as I stood in front of her with my arms wrapped around my chest standing clad in my underwear.

"I know sweetie, they just need to make sure you weren't bit or scratched, I'll be quick." And she was for the most part until she froze looking at my legs, I watched as she sent me a worried look. Standing she took a step back, "You look like the same size as Amy, I'll see if Andrea can give us some of her clothes." She stated turning to walk away.

I hadn't looked at my clothes until I was removing them, even the sight of them scared me, what had been a pair of white cargo pants was now covered in blood stains and were torn from the knees down, hanging in ribbons around my caves, my shirt hadn't been in much better condition, though it could be washed and saved, the pants would have to go.

Jacqui had come back with a white tank top and blue jeans, as well as a pair of running shoes. "Try these on, when you're done I'll be just outside this door." She stated after placing everything on the bed, she sent me a smile and walked out.

I didn't waste any time before slipping into the clean clothing, and stepping out of the bed room. Jacqui straightened when she saw me step out as she took a step away from the blonde who had been sitting at the kitchenette table when I had come in. Jacqui didn't have to say anything as she led me out of the RV into the awaiting street full of people.

"Wait here, I'll go find him." Jacqui stated as she headed towards a car parked near the front of the line of vehicles.

"She could be dangerous Rick," a woman's voice hissed nearby, lowering my eyebrows in confusion I took a few steps towards the rear of the RV trying to find the source.

"So you want me to just leave her here to fend for herself?" I could hear Rick's response as I bit my lip. I shouldn't have been spying, it felt wrong, but it was definitely me they were talking about and if I was about to get the boot I had a right to know.

"You know, I understood going back for Merle Dixon, I didn't like it but I understood that you felt responsible for leaving him there. But you're not responsible for this girl, Rick." Who I assumed was Lori stated calmly.

"She's just a girl, Lori. I'll make sure she isn't a threat to anyone, alright?" Rick trailed off as my attention was pulled elsewhere.

"It isn't polite to spy." A man's voice had me spinning with my mouth hanging open,

"I..." I trailed off not seeing a point in denying it. The man nodded understandingly, as his eyes moved from me to the back of the RV where I had been staring.

"Rick mentioned you couldn't recall your name, must be a serious case of amnesia." The man stated,

"I...don't know..." my voice was quiet but my mind was anything but, who was this man? Was he going to tell Rick I had been eavesdropping on a private conversation? Did he want me to leave like Lori obviously did?

"it's alright I'm Dale," he stated a moment later as I nodded. "You know, everyone should have a name, do you mind if I call you Jane?" he asked kindly with a small smile.

"Jane?" I repeated testing the name out on my tongue, that didn't give me any sort of feeling good or bad.

"until you get your memories back of course." Dale stated as his smile faltered slightly it was obvious that he was wondering how I lost them in the first place.

"Ok, sure. It's better than 'her' or 'that girl'" I laughed lightly as Dale smiled and nodded.

"I suppose it would be."

"Oh, there you are." Rick stated rounding the back of the RV with Lori at his backside, "how'd the exam go?" I cringed at the word 'exam' as shivers ran down my spine and the image of a man pricking my arm with a needle came to the forefront of my mind, pushing the thought away I answered.

"Doc says I'm golden." I stated

Rick who looked down at me with amusement parted his lips to speak, "golden huh?" he mused causing a ghost of a smile to reach my lips as I nodded.

Sending a quick glance over at Lori who was staring holes into my clothing had me shifting uncomfortably. "Jacqui said it was ok that I wore these," I stated gaining the woman's attention who said nothing but strode away heading over towards where her son was playing with a little girl.

"Don't mind her, it's fine. I'm going to see who has room for you." Rick stated about to walk away,

"She can ride with me." Dale stated causing Rick to pause mid step as he nodded, I was surprised but grateful, at least I knew his name already and had briefly talked with the man.

"Alright," Rick nodded again thanking the man, "I'll let everyone know we're going to head out again." Dale nodded as we watched Rick walk away, I couldn't help but let my eyes linger one the man he intrigued me.

I watched silently as he approached a man who met him half way and starting talking animatedly pointing towards Dale and I, obviously irritated with the situation. "I guess I have less fans then I knew about," I stated watching the interaction.

"That's Shane, he's probably trying to figure out what's going on." Dale stated leading me back towards the front where the door was located.

I glanced from Shane to Dale "are you sure he's not plotting to kick me out too?" it was an honest question, one that I believed could be the case.

"Give everyone time to get to know you, I'm sure you'll fit in nicely here." Dale stated comfortingly as we entered the RV where the blonde still sat staring out the window.

"We can't be picking up strays man, we don't have the food to feed our own people." Shane snapped once he was standing in front of Rick.

"She's just one girl, she doesn't even know who she is she might not know what's going on in the world around her." Rick stated knowing the feeling all too well, "I know what it's like to wake up and not know what's out there Shane." Rick stated holding Shane's gaze not missing how his best friend clenched his jaw in annoyance.

"You have to admit it's pretty damn convenient that she can't remember anything." Shane stated scowling in the direction of the RV irritation clear on the man's face.

"What're you saying?" Rick asked lowering his eyebrows trying to figure out where this conversation was heading.

"That she's lying to us," Shane stated trying to keep his calm and convince Rick of his unsupported suspicions.,

"and why would she do that?" Rick sighed placing his hand on his hips officially not buying it.

"We don't know what she's done Rick, she was covered in blood man how do we know she didn't kill the last group she stumbled upon?" Shane stated pointing his finger in the direction of the girl and then towards the woods she had stumbled out of.

"Even so, why would she lie about not being able to remember who she is, seems a little farfetched if you ask me." Rick stated.

"That girl seems a little farfetched, man." Shane snarled glaring at the RV where she was now, "there's something off about her."

"I don't know, until she gives me reason to doubt her then as far as I'm concerned she is just a scared girl who didn't have anyone ten minutes ago." Rick stated crossing his arms and leaning slightly away from his friend, "give her a chance, Shane."

"I'm going to get everyone back into their cars, we have to keep going if we're planning on making it there by nightfall." Rick stated changing the conversation.

Heaving a sigh Shane glanced up towards the sky, "yeah, we'll be cutting it close." He stated before they separated to get everyone ready to keep moving.

Instead of sitting up front with Dale and the silent blonde I ventured into the back where I had changed and sat on one of the two single beds, it wasn't long until we had started moving or until the knots in my stomach started to twist as I watched the trees slowly passing us by from the window.

"Dale said we're supposed to call you Jane?" a familiar voice interrupted my silence, glancing over I watched Jacqui sit on the opposite bed. I nodded in response, "I can't imagine what you must have went through out there, own your own." she stated clenching a book in her lap.

"I wasn't out there long before you guys found me." I stated glancing down tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"I don't understand, it's been about two months since the outbreak." Jacqui stated lowering her eyebrows in confusion, leaning back against the cool walls of the RV I asked the question that had plagued my mind since I had woken up.

"Does the outbreak have to do with all that blood?" I whispered my eyes instinctively going to the place where my clothes had once been.

"You really don't know, do you?" Jacqui asked looking at me with a distant look in her eyes, shaking her head her facial expression softened even more then it had already been, if that were possible.

"You poor girl," she stated before looking out the window behind my head, "I couldn't begin to know how confused you must have been, must still be. To answer your question, yes more than likely the blood on your clothing did have to do with the outbreak."

Her brown eyes flickered back to mine, as I watched her have an internal battle, her decision was made when she clenched her jaw. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to come out with it." she stated eyeing me to give me a chance to prepare myself for whatever bad news was headed my way.

"Most of the world, the people are dead now. A few days ago our group was easily double the size it is today, when you die if you get bit or scratched you come back as one of them." She firmed her trembling lower lip as she trailed off again glancing out the window, as if she was taken to another place.

"One of them, what?" I asked basically on the edge of my seat.

"A walker." she stated quietly causing my eyebrows to furrow,

"that's what they called me." I stated as the image of the men drawing their weapons came to play in my mind.

Jacqui nodded, "yeah, you gave us a good scare stumbling out from behind a tree, to only dart behind another one. It was a good thing to, if you hadn't moved when you did...well they would have put you down."

"You mean they would have killed me." It wasn't a question, but the thought still left an undesired taste in my mouth.

Jacqui nodded before her eyes drifted towards the floor, "your legs, they're pretty scared up. You don't remember what happened to cause that, do you?" Blinking a few times I bent over and rolled up the bottom of one of my pant legs.

"oh! Uh, sorry. I'll come back later." A man stated as I glanced up to see an Asian boy backing up from the doorway.

"It's fine," I stated watching him as he froze, before turning my gave back to Jacqui "the only thing I remember is being stuck with a needle. Other than that, everything else isn't there it's not even a blur it's just sort of blank." I stated before continuing to explain,

"I mean I know that I'm sitting on a bed in an RV, that I woke up in a strange house that looked like it came from a horror show. But I don't know why I was there," I stated with a shrug, "or my name hell I don't even know my age." I laughed without humor as I leaned back after pushing down the pant leg.

"I'd say you're no older than twenty five." Jacqui stated trying to hide her frown,

"definitely not a teenager." The mysterious Asian chimed in, bringing my eyes back over to him.

"Jane, meet Glenn. Glenn, Jane." Jacqui waved between the two of us as the boy offered a small smile.

"Hi, Dale wanted me to check and see how you were doing." Glenn stated keeping his eyes locked with my own.

"Better now than I was doing a half hour ago," I replied with a ghost of a smile, "I'd be better if I could find some food." an awkward silence settled between the three of us, before I broke it "sorry, maybe that was rude?" I asked glancing from Glenn to Jacqui,

"no sweetie, of course it wasn't. It's just..." Jacqui trailed off with a sigh and a sad expression when Glenn picked up where she left off,

"we ran out yesterday, none of us have eaten yet either." he explained before trying to lighten the mood "We have water though,." He stated

"thanks," I smiled "I have a few bottles in my bag." I stated before frowning, where the hell was my bag?

"It's up front," Glenn stated pointing over his shoulder, guessing at my thoughts, I nodded but made no attempt to fetch it. "Do you want me to get it?" he asked shifting on his feet

"no, no." I shook my head with a small smile, "I'm alright, how much longer until we get to...where ever we're going?" I asked changing the subject.

"Not for awhile still, if you want to kill some time Dale has a few books." Jacqui offered,

"or we could play cards." Glenn offered pulling a deck out from his pocket, with a grin. Jacqui raised her eyebrows at the boy, but I couldn't help to grin, cards sounded like more fun than reading did.

"You'll have to teach me." I advised as he shrugged,

"that's fine. We can start off with something easy, like go fish or crazy eights."

The woman I had been introduced to as Andrea hadn't said much, or even acknowledged me, but had moved into the back bedroom so Glenn and I could use the table none the less. Jacqui was sitting in the back room with Andrea, while Dale played old country music cds.

"You've really got the hang of this," Glenn stated as he was about to lose his second game of crazy eights, we had moved on from go fish a half hour ago when he felt like I could use a harder challenge.

"It isn't hard." I stated with a shrug laying my last card down, while Glenn was still on twos.

"Yeah well for a girl with no memory, you sure catch on quick." It wasn't a jap I realized instantly while he grinned, so I rolled my eyes.

"Just because I have a case of amnesia doesn't make me slow. Unless you start quizzing me on my past, but that's another story." I stated with a small grin,

"You two having fun back there?" Dale piped up sounding amused, meeting Glenn's grinning face I couldn't help but match his.

"Yeah I think I've met someone who doesn't want to kick me to the curb." I stated lightly only half joking,

"Like I said, give everyone time you've been in the RV for an hour and you already made friends." Dale laughed shaking his head, "looks like we're here." he stated as the RV was coming to a slow stop.

_(alright so I'm ending it here, I know 'boo no Daryl' go ahead let me hear it. But in the next chapter of 'I am Human, I am Alive' Jane gets to meet the rest of our survivors! Yay! I mean she still has so many people to meet, not sure how I'm going to do them all. Except for TDog I have a fairly good idea what they're going to bond over :) stay tuned to find out. Oh and if you're really nice and leave a review and would like a teaser trailer let me know in the review.)_

_ (Author note: Big thanks to Eminemchick19 -or Crazy Pink Penguin, as she now goes by- for all her advise and motivation that went in to getting this story up and running! Check out her amazing WD fanfic 'Extinction' and to my best friend Bry for sticking by me and indulging in pre-reading chapters to help with grammar/flow issues!)_


	2. Safe Haven

**Chapter two**

**Safe Haven**

**Author note: Big thanks to my readers, the favorites and followers. This story is still fairly new so I appreciate everyone of you! **

If I had thought that when I got to leave the RV I would get to meet the rest of the group, I would have been sadly mistaken.

I stood between Glenn and Jacqui as everyone else exited their vehicles, which would have been a great time to get glimpses of them but my eyes were glued to a decaying corpse that was not even ten feet away from me.

"Oh god," I mumbled placing my hand over my mouth in an attempt not to gag or breathe in the horrid smell.

"Don't look sweetie," Jacqui advised as Glenn stepped between me and the now dead bodies laying on the sandbags and pavement. It didn't stop my eyes from roaming over the numerous corpses though, my stomach heaved as I tried to repress my gag reflex.

I knew it was useless when I rushed over to the curb and lost what water I had consumed earlier. "You alright?" Dale's voice filtered over the buzzing that was happening between my ears.

I was sure I looked green when I glanced over my shoulder after wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, "perfect," I grumbled before stumbling back towards him, I could feel my knees shaking.

This time my eyes stayed on the building in front of us, not the ground or the sandbags that I knew were littered with bodies. Subconsciously I knew there must have been over a hundred of them, some I knew were military others were civilians.

"It's alright, seeing your first dead body it can't be easy." Dale stated patting my shoulder lightly in a reassuring way.

"Yeah just wait until you see the ones still walking." Glenn joked as I furrowed my eyebrows,

"can't be grosser then that." I stated pointing in the direction of one of the bodies laying on the sandbag.

"umm actually picture that still walking around and trying to eat you." Glenn stated before Dale grimaced

"Don't scare the poor girl." He scolded him, glancing over at me Dale looked remorseful as he continued "hopefully we'll find something here, and won't have to see any more of those." He didn't have to say it, walkers, dead corpses, whichever I got the idea loud and clear.

I nodded, even if I had yet to see a walker. A dead body ten feet away rotting and admitted a smell strong enough that I wanted to gag, again, well that was more than enough for me.

I recognized Rick as he stepped past me, holding a shotgun, I couldn't help but swallow thickly at the thought of him needing to use it on something or someone. It scared the hell out of me. All I had was a butter knife, and that was before now I was standing here with my hope and fear as my line of defense which compared to what he was armed with, it wasn't enough.

I hadn't noticed the shotgun Glenn was wielding until that point, or the one Dale had but sure enough I found them one either side of me as I covered my nose and mouth with my hand. Rick and who Dale had informed me was Shane had taken the lead in the trek to the building, something I was grateful for.

Even if I didn't like the thought of being surrounded by death, at least I had two guns in front of me and one on either side and no telling how many were behind me in the crowd of people.

Shane fell back whispering, "everyone keep moving," I could hear him say as I past by without meeting his gaze even Dale was starting to fall back leaving me with Glenn, and Jacqui at my back. My eyes caught on a corpse that was barely recognizable as a woman, as a chocking sound caught in my throat I squeezed my eyes closed.

"Come on sweetie, keep moving." Jacqui whispered steering me forward so I wouldn't be bumped into. "Told you not to look." She stated a moment later when I had gotten a hold of myself and opened up my eyes again, I glanced back at her catching a glimpse of the man holding a shotgun and a crossbow briefly,

"sorry," I whispered "it's hard to look away."

Jacqui nodded "because it's so terrifying," she stated sounding understanding and sympathetic.

"No," I shook my head "because its everywhere." I could look away from an ugly sight, I did it before in the house I had woken up in but there was too much carnage here to find someplace safe to look.

It was getting harder to breathe through the smell of rotting flesh, as I buried my face in my elbow like many others were doing and coughing into it. Rick glanced back telling everyone to keep moving, as my lips firmed into a grimace not liking the idea of this safe haven anymore.

When we reached the doors that had their shutters drawn Shane attempted to open them, but they didn't budge. Doubts filled my mind and fear started to ebb its way into my mind, maybe this was a mistake.

"There's nobody here," A man's voice stated from somewhere behind me.

"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick asked glancing backwards, when someone else shouted walkers my blood ran cold as the mental image Glenn had so generously provided me with a little while ago came to the forefront of my mind.

I swallowed, and against every instinct I had I turned with everyone else. A few oh my gods, and oh craps met my ears but my mouth went dry before I could express my own thoughts which were along the lines of 'Holly shit this can't be happening!'

I watched as the once soldier stumbled towards us, before the man with the crossbow took him out like he had done to the corpse of the man who I had tripped over in the woods.

I hadn't understood at the time that it was going to eat me, like Glenn said all I knew then was half of a man that looked as good as dead was in front of me. Now, now I wasn't afraid in the sense of 'oh god that's creepy,' it was more along the lines of 'it's going to eat me!'

"You led us into a trap!" The same man shouted bringing me back to reality as he stalked towards me with his crossbow raised in the air.

"He made a call!" Shane who brushed passed me stated getting between the man and Rick,

"It was the wrong damn call!" He snarled as I stepped away from the three man my eyes no longer watching for more walkers, or even the dead bodies but the heated argument that was happening around me.

"Shut up! You hear me? Shut up," Shane was in his face pushing the man back before turning to Rick "Rick, this is a dead end." He stated approaching Rick,

A woman somewhere behind me sobbed "where we were going to go?" as my head started to hurt.

"Do you hear me? No blame." Shane stated pointing at Rick

"she's right, we can't be this close to the city after dark." Lori stated making my stomach turn, the panic that was starting to settle in the group around me was rubbing off, was it really that bad? I started to feel sick as I started to back away from everyone, my head spun as I looked at the unfamiliar faces not really taking them in and then my eyes went back to the corpses.

So many dead bodies, something had killed these men and woman...my guess was walkers, but where did 'walkers' come from?

I realized I missed something when I heard Andrea speak, "on what? No food, no fuel it's a hundred miles."

"A hundred and twenty." Glenn corrected,

"Forget Fort Benning." Andrea snapped glaring at the Asian who clung to his shotgun.

"We need answers tonight, now!" Lori chimed in, my head was pounding as the panic got worse and Shane started telling everyone to get back to the cars.

I stood frozen of course, as the people started rushing away I couldn't help feel at a loss "come on Jane, we've got to go." Dale stated waving at me, blinking once, twice and I was off rushing to catch up with them.

"Wait, the camera, it moved." Rick shouted

"You imagined it." Dale retorted first as I paused beside him glancing back towards the camera,

"No...it moved." Rick stated as we walked back up to the shutters, followed by Shane. I watched as Shane tried to get Rick to walk away, telling him it was an automated device that was when Rick lost it.

He was pounding on the shutters and shouting at the camera, "I know you are in there, I know you can hear me." All while the woman were starting to panic and the children were crying, it was when he started to bag and plead that I started to feel for the man.

He was scared, I could see it he was afraid not only for himself but for the people that were here with him. Lori was on him in seconds, but the panic cry of walkers had my attention turning from Rick to the incoming walking dead.

My knees shook and I wrapped my arms around myself, glancing over as Shane dragged Rick away and Rick shouted you're killing us, over and over again.

It was probably a pathetic sight, and if I wasn't terrified it might have bothered me more then it upset me. But as it stood my lip was trembling. It was when I turned that I heard the screech of the steal shutters being pulled up and a blinding light fell on us that I realized two things, one it had got dark a lot faster than I had expected it to, and two was that someone was inside and we were going to be safe.

***This is where we do the switch to third person***

Everyone stood stunned as the bright light settled on them it was like god's opening gates, it only lasted a few seconds but in those moments everyone's shattered hopes were lifted, not restored but they were well on their way.

Rick led the way in to the building that promised them protection, while Shane stood beside the door reminding everyone to stay together as he kept a look out for any walkers wondering too close. Once everyone was inside Shane closed the glass doors at the same time that Rick was calling out a "Hello?!"

Everyone's eyes searched the open space around them, looking for the person who was responsible for allowing them access to the safe haven. Jane's head was pounding but she couldn't shake the feeling of excitement that was bordering on glee, for the first time since she awoke she felt as if she belonged here that everything that had happened, whatever it might have been was insignificant to her making it to the CDC.

That was until the sound of a gun being cocked was heard. The men turned weapons raised, the mothers held their children close, the other woman, the ones like Jane stood alone with no one to hold on to staring into a dark corner where a man stood with his own gun raised and trained on the group.

"Anyone infected?" he asked eyeing the group.

"One of our group was," Rick paused "he didn't make it."

"Why are you here? What do you want?" The man asked taking a few steps in to the room counting the number of people with his eyes, each face men, woman, children, seemed to blur into the next they all looked tired and like they had been traveling for awhile.

"A chance," Rick answered honestly.

Jane shifted on her feet trying to resist the urge to bounce in place, he wouldn't send them away, he couldn't send them away she assured herself it wouldn't be right. If she had stopped to take in how everyone was either on guard or looked nervous as hell, she'd probably feel the same.

"That's asking an awful lot these days," the man stated keeping his eyes fixated on Rick.

"I know," Rick stated nodding his head slightly.

The man took another step forward looking from face to face for the second time, "you all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission." He stated

"We can do that," Rick stated speaking for everyone.

"You have stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once these doors close they stay closed." He stated.

With that Glenn, Rick, Shane and Daryl went to grab a few bags while TDog and Dale armed the door.

Once everyone was back inside the building Jenner sealed off the main entrance, and led the group into an elevator. It was an eerie silence Jane decided as she wrapped her arm across her chest standing in front of Glenn and beside the little Sophia.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Daryl asked eyeing the assault rifle with something a kin to desire, he wouldn't trade up his crossbow for one but he wouldn't mind trying the weapon out either.

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself, but you all look harmless enough." Dr. Jenner stated sending a quick glance around until his eyes stopped on Carl, with a small smile he nodded at Carl and stated "except you, I'll have to keep my eye on you."

The mothers shared a brief smile before the elevator doors opened, Jenner led the group down a hallway. Jane glanced at the pale white walls, it was unsettling at best the way the place seemed so familiar yet foreign at the same time.

"Are we underground?" Carol asked as she walked holding on to her daughters hand.

"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked half turning back to look at the woman.

"A little," she admitted closing her eyes briefly.

"Try not to think about it." was his great solution and response, something Jane couldn't help but to roll her eyes at. If problems went away just because you didn't think about them then she'd know who she was and wouldn't had to have looked at a bunch of rotting corpses just minutes ago.

"Vi, bring up the lights in the big room." A moment later the lights started turning on one by one, revealing what Jane could only describe as a computer room with metal walls, floors railings and if she looked up the ceiling would probably look the same. "Welcome to zone five." Jenner told the group as they entered the room.

"Where is everybody?" Rick questioned as he finished glancing around, "the other doctors, the staff?" sure enough as everyone followed him in they noticed the same. The room, zone five, was completely deserted with the exception of Jenner and their group.

Jenner was standing in the middle of the circle of computers when he turned as everyone walked further into the room, "I'm it." he paused "it's just me here." Jane hadn't been around people long, but in the short time she had she was learning quickly who was a friend and who wasn't even more she was learning how to read people, and the thing she was picking up on sounded like defeat to her ears.

"What about the person you were speaking with?" Lori asked "Vi?"

"Vi, say hello to our guests." Jenner stated glancing up at the ceiling, "tell them...welcome."

"Hello, guests. Welcome." A computers automated voice welcomed them, stunning everyone into a further silence.

"I'm all that's left." Jenner stated with a hint of sadness, "I'm sorry."

Jane bit her lip, did it matter that he was alone? She wasn't really sure, just because he was alone didn't mean he couldn't offer them what the needed. Safety, food, answers. Wasn't that what really mattered?

Having her blood taken wasn't as bad as Jane had thought it would be, to be honest she hadn't really thought much of it until he stuck her with the needle.

"Can I ask you something?" Jane whispered causing the man to glance up at her and give a subtle nod, everyone else was engaged in quiet whispers and she had started to feel left out so why not talk to the Doctor that was responsible for saving their lives? Her life.

"Can't promise I'll have the answer," he whispered back just as quietly in an attempt to amuse the young woman.

"Do you think there's any female-ish clothes laying around?" Jane asked as her cheeks warmed before gesturing to her current clothing, Amy's clothing. "This is kind of all I have, and it's on loan." Again her blush deepened with the thought of not having anything to wear.

"I'm sure I could find you something," Jenner promised with a small smile and amusement laced in his words.

Jane smiled back, "Thanks."

Nodding Jenner removed the needle, "no problem. Next." he stated a little louder so whoever was next could hear him.

Next up was Andrea, she was the last one to have her blood taken. "What's the point? If we were infected, we'd all have fevers." Andrea pointed out taking her seat.

Jenner glanced up at her tiredly, "I've already broken every rule in the book letting you in here. Let me just at least, ne thorough." He paused "All done."

Andrea stood and swayed, Jacqui was there to help the blonde keep her balance "are you ok?" Jenner asked eyeing the woman.

"She hasn't eaten in days," Jacqui confessed "none of us have."

Jenner was quiet for a moment as his eyes roamed the group, "well we'll just have to fix that wont we? Everyone." He paused gaining the rooms attention, "follow me."

"Everything's either boxed, frozen or nearing the expiration date." Jenner stated as they entered the kitchen, turning he looked at the group "now who're the cookers here, because personally I burn water." His statement brought a smile to nearly every face, as majority of the woman stepped up excluding Jane.

The feast as it was, was prepared by Lori, Jacqui, Carol and surprising TDog apparently the man was a mean cook. Who knew?

Awkwardly Jane sat she didn't help with the meal, mainly because she wasn't sure she knew how to and with three woman running around including TDog frying the meat she didn't want to get in the way. "Jane," Dale pulled the woman from her thoughts "why don't you help Glenn and I set the table?"

A small smile graced her lips as she nodded and got up to help the two, apparently they were going all out with a table cloth and fancy wine glasses. Jane's eyes glanced over towards the liquor cabinet where Shane, Rick and Daryl stood sorting through it, as she placed the last plate down.

Sooner rather than later dinner was finished and placed around the table, where majority of everyone sat. When everyone had finished eating the real talking and drinking began, something Jane even though was mostly excluded from, enjoyed.

The way she figured it this gave her time to see how everyone interacted, it would let her decide if she felt safe and comfortable around these people who were mostly still strangers to her.

"You know in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner." Dale stated filling Lori's wine glass and handing it back, "and in France."

"Well when Carl is in Italy or France," Lori stated placing her hand over his cup "he can have some then."

"What's it going to hurt?" Rick asked, and honestly Jane couldn't help but agree I mean there were worse things out there...like walkers. "Come on, come on." Rick smiled at his wife, Lori finally smiled removed her hand and shrugged.

The room erupted into laugher as Carl took a sip and made a disgusted face, "Ewe, yuck. Gross...that tastes nasty." Even Jane couldn't hide the smile that formed as she watched the boy who sat across the table from her.

After Lori's praise Shane chimed in "Why don't you stick to soda pop there bud?"

"Not you Glenn," Daryl stated turning in his walk around the table to eye Glenn who sat beside Jane, something the two younger adults exchanged amused expressions over.

"What?" Glenn asked looking back at Daryl with a confused smile,

"Keep drinking little man, I want to see how red your face can get." A few laughs went around the circle before Glenn leaned in to bump his shoulder against Jane's.

"If I'm drinking, so are you." He beamed in an attempt to brighten her spirits, which he could tell weren't on the same level as everyone else's.

"I shouldn't," Jane whispered shaking her head causing her hair to sway around her face as her eyes found a not so interesting pattern on the table cloth, but she stared at it anyway.

"Why not? I'll cut you off when you've had enough." Glenn smiled trying to catch her eye, she was shy he figured, she barely knew anyone he could remember when that was him a few months back. Dale had broken him out of that shell, and if he was determined to do anything that would be to make her feel more comfortable.

"I don't know if I've..." Jane confessed but cut herself off starting to feel a little silly, sure she couldn't remember if she had ever drank wine before or if she had ever been drunk in her life, but chances were a girl in her early twenty had done it at least once, and if Carl could attempt it why couldn't she?

"Alright, fill me up." Jane stated with a smile surprising Glenn,

"Alright! Dale pass the wine!" Glenn shouted loudly, causing a few smiles to filter through the group as they watched Glenn pour Jane a glass that was probably fuller then it should have been.

Just then Rick started to tap on his glass with his silverware, "seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly." Rick stated standing up.

"He is more than just our host." TDog stated as a course of 'here, here's started as everyone raised their glasses.

"Booyah!" Daryl cheers, everyone followed his example with a smile.

"Cheers." Glenn nudged Jane as he clanked their glasses, something she couldn't help but smile about even if he was just being nice or because he was drunk Jane couldn't help but like the feeling of having a friend by her side. So she took a sip, and it wasn't as bad as she had imagined it defiantly wasn't something she'd be drinking often, but for a night she just wanted to have a little fun.

"So," Shane interrupted the celebration "when are you going to tell us what the hell happened here, Doc?"

Jane blinked a few times glancing over at the dark haired man at the end of the table, thinking something along the same lines as everyone else. "All the other doctors," Shane continued "the ones supposed to be figuring out what happened. Where are they?"

"We're celebrating, Shane." Rick scolded taking his seat, "we don't need to do this now."

"Oh, wait a second. This is why we're here, right?" Shane paused "This was your move, supposed to find all the answers. Instead, we find him." He stated pointing at Jenner, "we found one man. Why?"

Jane couldn't fight that he had a point, but his timing sucked and he seriously lacked tact in her opinion. She glanced from Shane to Jenner, who almost looked mortified.

"Well," The Doctor began "when things got bad, people just left. Went off to be with their families. Then when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun the rest bolted." Jenner explained.

What Jane could only describe as cocky arrogance filtered over Shane's face as he leaned back in his chair, "every last one?"

"No, many couldn't face walking out the door." Jenner stated, as Jane brought the cup back up to her lips, if this was going where she thought it was she wanted the drink. "They," he paused "opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time."

Jane grimaced, she couldn't imagine everyone she knew and cared for killing themselves around her and being the last one standing, mainly because the only people did know she had just met. So even if she could picture it, she couldn't begin to feel what the man telling his story must have felt.

"You didn't leave." Andrea stated and then asked, "why?"

Jenner lowered his gaze, a look Jane couldn't place clouded his eyes. "I just kept working, hoping to do some good." He answered.

It went silent for a second, the mood it the room had changed drastically from what it had been to the depressing one it now was. "Dude, you are such a buzzkill, man." Glenn spoke up from beside Jane causing her eyes to shift towards him, she agreed.

"Most of the facilities powered down, including housing so you'll have to make do here." Jenner informed everyone as they followed him down yet another hallway, "The couches are comfortable, but they are cots in storage if you like."

"There is a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy," Jenner stated turning around, "just don't plug in the video games. Ok?" He asked bending down to look the children in the eye, they both nodded with a smile.

"Or anything that draws power," Jenner stated straightening back up to his normal 6 foot height, "Same rules apply. If you shower, go easy on the hot water." He stated wagging his finger back and forth.

Glenn turned with a grin eyeing everyone behind him, including Jane who was a few feet back "_hot _water?" He asked sounding like a kid in a candy store.

"That's what the man said." TDog confirmed with his own grin to match Glenn's.

After that everyone split off, finding their own rooms pulling out cots and taking hot showers. Jane picked out a room and set up the cot like everyone else, but sat chewing on her lip.

She wanted to take a shower, but she had nothing to wear afterwards, and even though she was sure the men wouldn't mind her walking around in the nude she wasn't so sure the woman, children or that she was very comfortable with the idea.

So instead she wondered, and wondered.

"Ma'am?" Jenner called out to her causing her to turn, "you shouldn't wonder to far, a lot of the facilities are closed off. I wouldn't want you getting lost." He stated eyeing her

Jane nodded slowly about to turn back the way she came but he stopped her, "why aren't you having a good time with your friends?"

Jane raised her eyebrow at the question and then laughed lightly, "actually I just met them a little before you did." She stated "plus, everyone's showering and I-" she cut herself off again waving downwards gesturing to her clothing once more.

"Right," Jenner nodded "I almost forgot. Give me a minute." He stated before going back into what she could only assume was his room. A few seconds later he stepped back out with folded clothes in hand, "here, had these laying around. They're not really my size." He stated with a sad smile, handing the clothing over.

"Thanks," Jane nodded, Jenner nodded back and sighed "I've got work to do. Have to go do the blood work, I'll be in zone five. If anyone needs me." He stated brushing past her and walking down the hall.

After looking through the clothing Jane realized he had given her two outfits, plus a nightgown. A sad smile found its way onto her lips as she tried to not think of who the clothes had belonged to and picked up the nightwear and made her way to the showers.

The shower was amazing! But as requested she wasn't in there long, after scrubbing herself clean of blood and grim she washed out her hair and then got out to get dressed in the light violet nightgown.

Jane sighed exiting the bathrooms, if this was the way she spent the rest of her life then she wouldn't be complaining anytime soon. With that thought she made her way down the hall, "Jane! Janie! Come here!" Glenn shouted catching the woman's attention as she stopped midstride in front of what looked to be a small rec room.

So she did what anyone would do, she poked her head it "hey!" Glenn beamed when he saw her come back into view, Glenn was laying on his back across the couch with his head dangling off one end looking in her direction.

He wasn't alone either, Jane realized as she spotted TDog sitting on a loveseat and Daryl straddling the back of a metal chair. All eyes fell on her, with a mixture of looks as they took in the short nightgown.

"What's up Glenn?" Jane asked averting her gaze back to the man who had called her in, who was obviously drunk, only proving that after they left dinner Daryl had continued to push alcohol on the kid.

"Janie, I...I ha-have ta know." Glenn slurred his words slightly with a frown "are you psychic or sum thin?" he asked screwing his eyebrows together, T and Daryl shared an amused look before glancing back over to Jane, or Janie as Glenn kept calling her.

"Umm no, why?" she asked with a small smile leaning on the door frame.

"Be-because, we were just talking a-about you. I was-hey come here." He attempted to wave his hand but it dropped pathetically down over his head to hang off the couch arm, much like his head was.

She smiled and shook her head but took a few steps into the room, keeping in mind that the gown was shorter then she would have liked she kept a few feet away from Glenn's dangling head. Not that she thought he'd look up it, but better safe than sorry, right?

"Tha's better, now sit down." He beamed at her as Jane raised an eyebrow and glanced around, the only spot available was the one beside TDog who had his feet up on the coffee table. Catching her gaze he smiled and gave her a short nod.

So she walked around the table, past Daryl and took the seat. Glenn shifted only enough so that he was laying on his side on the couch with his head now on the cushion instead of hanging off the arm. "Now, where was I?" He asked lowering his eyebrows.

Jane pulled her feet up and tucked her legs underneath herself, "ya were spillen yer guts to the girl." Daryl stated resting his chin on his arm that was drabbed over the back of his chair as he brought his Southern Comfort back to his lips.

"I was?" Glenn pondered for a moment before his eyes flickered over towards Jane, "I know what I was saying," he stated sounding proud as he beamed "I was telling T and Daryl h-here we outta get to, to know you better."

Jane bit her lip, she wanted to get to know herself better too but that wasn't going to happen. "Not much to tell," she stated with a shrug.

Her comment seemed to put a lull in the mood, "shit," she cursed causing everyone to raise their eyebrow at her "I just pulled a Shane didn't I?" that comment had them chuckling and TDog nodding with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Ain't your fault." He stated with a smile, "so you really don't remember anything?" he asked looking down at the woman seated next to him.

Jane shrugged as they watched her, "just some guy sticking me with a needle, and then I woke up alone."

TDog nodded resting a hand on her shoulder "That's alright, Janie." He sent a grin towards Glenn who at this point was obliviously staring up at the ceiling. "Alright, I think I'm done for the night." T stated getting up and sending a nod to Daryl and a smile down to Jane.

"Wha-come on man!" Glenn wined as TDog walked by him.

"See you in the morning." T stated exiting the room.

Glenn pouted glancing over towards Jane, "he left." he stated causing her to smile and nod.

"Daryl, I think I'm drunk." Glenn slurred glancing up towards the man, who smirked back,

"Not yet little man, take another." He nodded towards the bottles that littered the table and floor between the couch and table.

Jane raised her eyebrows as Glenn sighed and slowly sat up picking another one off the table, "how much has he had?" She questioned glancing over at Daryl who eyed her back trying to make heads or tails of the woman.

"He'll be fine, what're you his mother?" he stated before chugging back some more from his bottle, to prevent her jaw from dropping she clenched it and then rolled her eyes.

"Come on Janie," Glenn pleaded eyeing her "have a beer with us. Please?" His pout had her sighing and extending her hand, wine for dinner beer as a nightcap. Why not.

Daryl eyed her as she attempted to twist off the cap, and smirked when she failed, Jane glared at the bottle as her palm began to throb. Apparently she wasn't good at this.

"Here," Daryl extended his hand with amusement, huffing Jane handed over the bottle to watch as he opened it with ease.

"You'll have to teach me how to do that." She stated eyeing the bottle as it was handed back to her, Daryl made a noise at the back of his throat that she couldn't figure out if it was a chuckle or a scoff. Either way she sent him a small smile, one that Daryl eyed.

"Guys..." Glenn mumbled breaking the silence as Jane sipped at the beer and cringed, "I think I'm'ma be sick."

Instantly Jane's eye went wide as they darted around the room and finally settled on the waste basket, it was amusing to say the least as Daryl watched her dart across the room like it was on fire to come back with it.

Jane dropped the basket it Glenn's lap, "I don't care if I am the only woman in this room," she stated eyeing him wearily "I don't do puke."

Daryl smirked shaking his head as Glenn dropped his head in the bucket and lost his dinner, Jane slowly backed away bumping into the table. Biting her lip she closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose before taking the seat next to Glenn and rubbing his back with a frown on her face. One that Daryl smirked at, his task of getting the Chinaman drunk was complete.

Jane sighed pinching the end of her nose when Glenn was done, slowly she got up and walked to the small bar and sink in the corner and rinsed out the bucket with a frown. When she was done she placed it at the end of the couch, glancing down to see Glenn had completely passed out.

"He's asleep." She stated glancing back over at Daryl who nodded tiredly.

"Ya should get some too," he stated getting up stretching and rolling his shoulders.

"Do we just leave him here?" She asked quietly keeping her eyes on Daryl, she couldn't get a read on Daryl one minute he was in Rick faces yelling and looking down right murderous and the next he was cheering 'booyah' in the kitchen, and now he seemed to be having a good time getting his friend drunk.

"What're ya lookin at?" He snapped her out of her thoughts with a scowl, shaking her head Jane glanced back over at the sleeping Glenn.

Sighing Daryl scratched the back of his neck, he didn't know this woman but she was definitely looking to him for something, no one looked to Daryl or maybe it was that everyone seemed to be doing it too often lately for his liking. Either way he had just snapped at her.

"I'll take care of 'im." Daryl stated avoiding her gaze when her eyes shifted back to him.

"Do you want help?" she asked

"Help, from you?" Daryl scoffed eyeing the girl "maybe ya haven't noticed but yer a damn twig. If ya tried to even lift half his weight ya'd probably break." It was an over exaggeration, but Daryl would be damned if he let some girl help him.

"Nah," Daryl stated shaken his head, "ya get off ta bed girly. I've got this."

Jane nodded, trying to brush off any irritation she initially felt at his words and tried to force a small smile. "Good night Daryl," she hadn't expected his reply as she started to the door.

"Night." Daryl mumbled as he watched her walk out of the room, his eyes trailing down the back of her head to her back, her hips, her ass and then her bare legs where his eyes stayed and his brow creased. He hadn't noticed the angry scaring that marked the lower half of her legs until then.

Chewing his thumb nail he stared at the space she had once been, he had similar scares and the story behind them wasn't a good one which had him wondering what her story would have been, if she could remember, would she tell him?

Probably not, he thought shaking his head glancing down at the wasted Asian passed out on the couch "ah shit." he mumbled with a sigh, he had told her he'd take care of it and he supposed now he had to.

Kneeling down he started to shake Glenn, "Com'on Chinaman, wake up..." he stated shaking him slightly harder, "get up, gatta get yer ass ta bed."

**(Author note: so tell me what do you think of Jane and Daryl's interaction so far? How about the adorable drunk Glenn?)**


	3. It's in the Blood

**Chapter three**

**It's in the blood**

Jane tossed and turned for majority of the night as dreams of the undead plagued her, sitting up in bed her breathing was labored as she blankly stared down at the sheets that she had fisted in to her trembling hands.

Pulling back the cover Jane left the warmth of the bed and stepped on to the cold tile floor below, a shiver ran up her legs and into her spine as she walked over to the clothes piled on the make shift end table that was really a plastic chair.

Removing the nightgown she slipped on a pair of dark blue jeans and a navy blue tank top, picking up a light and dark blue flannel shirt she buttoned it up leaving the top two undone and freed her hair that got caught under the collar.

Slipping on the same running shoes that Jacqui had given her yesterday she exited the small room, and made her way to the kitchen.

The kitchen door sat ajar letting the light from inside the room shine on the floor, stepping through the opening she froze hearing someone or something rustling around in the kitchen. "Hello?" She whispered noting the trembling in her own tone had her cringing, how horror movie cliché.

"Oh, hey Janie." A voice replied as TDog's head popped up from behind the counter, a small smile graced her lips as she walked over and leaned across the counter from him.

"Hey, what're ya doing down there?" She asked

"Eggs," TDog stated pulling a box out and dropping it on the counter inside her, "I was hoping to get them made before everyone was up." He stated standing up,

"Do you want any help?" Jane asked looking from the powdered boxed eggs and frozen bacon, back to TDog.

"You know how to cook?" T asked eyeing her with doubt, something she noticed and brushed off.

"Nope, but I've been told I'm a quick learner." She stated moving around the kitchen counter to stand beside him, "now, put me to work."

The two shared a small smile before getting to work on breakfast. "So did you play in college?" Jane asked as she flipped the scrambled eggs.

"A little, I was on the team." TDog answered as a few people started to wonder in to the kitchen, first in came Glenn with the support of Dale followed closely by Andrea.

"Ya doing alright?" Jane asked eyeing Glenn from where she stood at the stove, his response was an incoherent groan.

"Had too much to drink last night," Dale stated glancing over his shoulder at the woman after Glenn had sat down and started to cradle his head.

"Well we're cooking up the cure for your hangover, buddy." TDog stated with a grin eyeing his friends back with a look Jane could only assume was amusement.

"What're you making?" Andrea asked standing by the table trying to eye the stove top that TDog and Jane were blocking from her view.

"I'm cooking up some bacon, Janie here is frying up some eggs." TDog answered bumping her hip lightly with his own, provoking a smile from the woman.

Andrea eyed the two with faint interest wondering when they became so friendly. Shrugging it off she sat down at the end of the table, "sounds great." She stated

"Hey, something smells great." Lori stated walking in with Carl in tow, who nodded in agreement.

"Their making breakfast," Dale stated nodding towards T and Jane, who shared a small smile as TDog hummed softly. Jane couldn't help but notice he was really enjoying himself, whether it was because of the cooking or attention she wasn't sure.

It wasn't long before everyone else started wondering in and TDog started to serve everyone, Jane sat on the counter top that TDog was leaning over picking at his own plate. Jane's eyes shifted through the small crowd of people like they often did.

_They're like family to one another. _The thought should have made her smile, but she couldn't help but feel her heart sink and constrict. Chewing on her lower lip she wanted to push down the feeling that caused a dull ache to form in her chest.

She wanted what they had, to feel comfortable around everyone and know the people around her. She wanted a family, that's when the thought hit her. Did she have a family somewhere outside these walls? Were they waiting for her? Were they alive?

Bringing her hand up she swiped away a stray tear that rolled down her cheek and shook her head in attempt to rid herself of the thought. Just as she caught site of Daryl walking in making his rounds around the table picking at the remaining bacon and eggs.

"Ya planning on eating?" T asked glancing up at the girl sitting beside him who swung her legs in a slow motion.

"I did." Jane stated staring up at the ceiling

Frowning TDog wrinkled his forehead, he didn't see her eat anything and come to think about it not that he was paying too much attention the night before but he did notice the little amount that had been on her plate. "Since when?" He asked

"When you were making your rounds with the eggs," She glanced down at him out of the corner of her eye, "I stole some bacon." Jane stated.

The man beside her huffed, "ya need to eat more than a piece or two of bacon girly," he stated lifting his place and walking over to the table putting some more food on it before turning to stand in front of her. "Ain't no time to be worrying over your figure, ya hear me?" He stated dropping the plate lightly in her lap.

Smiling Jane rolled her eyes and picked up a piece of bacon, "yes sir." she stated before taking a bite.

"Hey," Shane greeted as he walked in and headed straight towards the coffee.

"You as bad as I am?" Rick asked eying his friend, Jane couldn't help but do the same there was something about Shane but she decided to write it off as his dislike for her.

"Worse." The man mumbled turning with his coffee.

"What the hell happened to you?" T asked looking at Shane as he stood in front of Jane, "Your neck?"

"Must have done it in my sleep." Shane replied taking a seat at the table, Jane attempted to get a look at what TDog noticed and grimaced at the painful looking scratch marks.

"I've never seen you do that before," Rick stated

"Yeah," Shane nodded his head glancing up "ain't like me at all."

"Morning," Jenner spoke as he walked into the room diverting the conversation away from Shane.

"Morning," Jane replied with a smile, to receive a small nod from the Doctor.

"Hey Doc," Dale spoke up turning in his seat to face the coffee machine where Jenner stood, "I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing."

"But you will anyway," Jenner replied causing Jane's eyebrow to furrow as she glanced from Jenner's back to the back of Dale head. _What was so important that couldn't wait?_ The thought crossed her mind, and was answered a moment later.

"We didn't come here for the eggs," Andrea stated

"I did..." Jane mumbled causing TDog to shoot her a smile and a subtly nod in agreement.

Jenner turned to face everyone, "right," he mused holding his cup of coffee "you came for answers." He stated with a nod, "well fallow me then."

It took maybe seconds until everyone was moving behind the Doctor, Jane fallowed them with her eyes unsure if she wanted to go with the group. "Ya comin?" Daryl asked pausing by the door, he was the last one she realized as she jumped off the counter.

"Why not, everyone loves a field trip." She stated walking over to catch up, the man didn't wait for her but kept his pace slow until she was walking just slightly behind him.

Walking in to the big room Jane went and stood in the front by Jenner watching the big screen turn on, "give me a play back of TS 19." Jenner stated as Vi confirmed and brought to the video. "A few people ever got the chance to see this," Jenner stated turning to face the group.

"Very few," he stated softly gazing up at the image with a look that is Jane had to guess it was a mixture of compassion, longing and hurt.

"Is that a brain?" Carl asked looking to the Doctor from beside his mother.

"An extraordinary one." Jenner stated confirming Jane's suspicions that he knew TS 19, "not that it matter's in the end. Take us in for an IV."

"Going in for an internal view." Vi replied answering the unasked question that was on the tip of Jane's tongue, the words MRI Virtual Camera sat uneasy in her stomach as she watched the view of the brain get closer.

It was the image of lights that had her body going ridged and her eyes widened as an overwhelming sense took over body and mind.

_"What're all those lights?" A much younger version of Jane asked removing her eyes from the MRI she was watching on the tiny computer screen, up at the man who stood beside the chair she was seated in._

_"They're electric pulses, everything you do or say comes from one of the many lights you're seeing here." He stated pointing to the screen, "the brain is a wonderful thing, it holds onto all of your memories the experiences that define who you are. It's all here." _

_Jane took in the sound of pride that came from his explanation as she went back to studying the lights, she sat silently watching as the lights flickered across the screen but frown when she noticed a few small spots that never lit up._

_"Why is there grey spots?" She asked quietly, "they don't light up." she stated lifting her innocent eyes to meet his suddenly somber ones._

_"Those spots are the cancer sweetheart, they're what your dad is trying to get rid of." She nodded glancing back to the screen, she understood what cancer was and a twist in her stomach started to form as she looked down at her hands that sat limply on her lap. _

_"Will mommy be ok, daddy?" The whisper left her lips and echoed around her ears causing her heart to swell, when his hand landed on softly on her shoulder. _

_"I hope so, baby, I hope so." _

Jane blinked rapidly fighting back tears that threatened to spring forth, was that a memory? It had to be didn't it? She thought, why else would it bring such strong emotion that threatened to floor her at any given moment?

"What're those lights?" Shane asked causing her mouth to go dry, she knew the answer or she thought she did.

"It's our life." Jane stated clenching her trembling hand into a fist, feeling the absence of her father at her back like a cold wind.

Eyes went to her, both shocked and unbelieving. "You're right," Jenner confirmed with a nod "experiences, memories, it's everything." Jane swallowed, memories, was she getting her memories back? Would all of them be as painful as that one had been? Filled with overwhelming dread of loss?

"Somewhere in all that organic wiring, in those ripples of light is you." Jenner stated pointing at Shane, "the thing that makes you unique, and human."

"You don't make sense, ever?" Daryl asked from behind Jane causing her to stiffen and glance over her shoulder at the man, she understood for some reason what Jenner was saying even with only having a memory of hearing it before, she understood with clarity.

"Those are synapses." Jenner stated pointing at the screen,

"Electric impulses in the brain," Jane stated aloud glancing from Daryl to Jenner who didn't fight the small smile that graced his lips as he eyed the woman who was becoming a surprise to him.

"they carry all the messages." He confirmed with a nod, "they determine all a person does, says or thinks from the moment of birth," he paused "till the moment of death."

"Death?" Rick asked stepping forward "that's what this is, a vigil?"

"Yes," Jenner answered quietly, "or rather the playback of the vigil." His words caused a frown to mirror on a lot of faces, Jane's included as she stood and wrapped her arms around herself.

"This person died?" Andrea asked quietly, "who?"

"Test subject nineteen," Jenner asked as Jane's eyebrows furrowed, that's what he had said but it wasn't the complete truth not really, he knew this person she was sure of it.

"Someone that was bitten, and infected and volunteered to have us record the process." He stated looking at Andrea before turning back to the image, "Vi, scan forward until the first event."

"Scanning to first event." The computer responded sending premature chills up Jane's spine, as the computer started to scan forward.

A black tar like sludge started to invade the brain, "what is that?" Glenn asked as everyone eyed the screen '_not cancer' _Jane thought almost venomously unsure of where the spite and anger was coming from she bit her lip to keep it in.

"It invades the brain like meningitis," Jenner stated pointing up at it, "the adrenal glens hemorrhage, the brain goes into shut down, then the major organs." he answered sounding a loss, biting her lip Jane assumed there was no easy way to break it to everyone what happened so it was probably hard for him.

"Then death." Jenner stated what everyone already knew was coming, "everything you ever were or will be," he trailed off glancing down at the computer station that sat in front of him, "gone."

An eerie quiet let Jane make out a faint whisper from the little girl asking her mother if that was what happened to Jim, Jane never met Jim. She had never seen anyone turn or get bit, but she had seen a few walkers as the others called them, she had seen the dead bodies and could only assume that this was what had caused it.

Jane barely paid attention as to why Jenner was talking to Andrea, "I lost somebody to." He stated causing Jane to focus on him, "I know how devastating it is." His statement confirmed the suspicion Jane had, but did little to make her feel better.

"Scan to the second event." Jenner told the computer as he straightened and took a few steps away from Andrea. Again the computer complied and repeated the instruction.

"The resurrection time varies wildly," Jenner informed the group without looking at them, "we have reports of it happening in as little as three minutes."

"The longest we heard of was eight hours," Jane continued to chew on the inside of her lip and cheek, all of what she was hearing was starting to sound like a bad horror movie. Basically from what she understood, you got bit then you died, and finally you came back to walk the earth and eat human flesh. _Great, _she thought rolling her eyes, _just how I wanted to spend my afterlife. _

"In the case of this patient it was two hours, one minute and seven seconds." Jenner stated gloomily, just as a dull red light started in the brain. Jane's eyes went wide and guessing from the gasps and stirring she could hear around her, she wasn't the only one shocked.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asked, Jane couldn't help but shake her head something that caught the attention of both Daryl and Carol that stood nearest to her. _It doesn't restart the brain, this is nothing like before. _Jane thought eyeing the blackness that left a bad taste in her mouth.

"No just the brain stem," Jenner confirmed Jane's thoughts as her shoulders fell slightly, what had she been hoping for? It wasn't like they came back to life the way they were the first time. _No,_ she clenched her jaw sadly, _they were dead. A shell of the person they once were...right? _

"Basically it gets them up and moving," Jenner clarified.

"But they're not alive." Rick stated taking a step forward coming to the same conclusion Jane was at.

"You tell me." Jenner stated waving his hand at the screen,

"It's nothing like before," Rick stated eyeing the screen "most of that brain is dark."

"Dark," Jenner agreed with a nod, "lifeless," He stated a moment later sympathetically, "dead...The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part, that doesn't come back. The YOU part." He stated looking at the screen "Just a shell..." he mumbled "Driven by mindless instinct."

Suddenly the image changed as something tore through the brain, instantly stopping all of TS-19's movements. "God, what was that?" Carol asked, Jane swallowed thickly around a lump that started to form in her throat, hoping to be wrong.

"He shot his patient in the head." Andrea whispered "Didn't you?"

Jenner turned away somber without answering the woman, Jane's face paled as bile raised in her throat. He killed that person, someone she could tell he had a connection with, sure she saw firsthand as Daryl took down the walker she had tripped over but in all honesty she hadn't thought about it.

Not in the way she was doing now, taking a life in its self was a terrifying thought but to watch someone you cared for die and then have to kill them when they opened their eyes? That was something Jane was sure she could never do.

Jane licked her lips slowly collecting her thoughts as she watched Jenner, "you don't know what it is, do you?" she asked bringing everyone out of their current state of mind.

Jenner met her eye, and her eye alone with a disappointed look. "I could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal,"

"Or the wrath of God?" Jacqui interrupted

"There is that," Jenner stated with a nod.

"Somebody must know something." Andrea insisted sounding like she was losing hope, "someone, somewhere..."

"There are others, right?" Carol asked softly trying to keep the tremble from her words, "other facilities?" she failed on the last word.

Jane felt her shoulders and demeanor sag as Jenner turned away from them, was there really no hope? Jane chewed on the inside of her cheek, "there may be," Jenner stated in attempt to ease any ill feelings that were forming, "people like me."

Closing her eyes Jane heard Rick ask "But you don't know? How can you not know?" _There are still things to be grateful for, _she reminded herself, _I'm here. I'm safe and I'm alive. I'm not alone...it isn't all bad. _Her reassuring thoughts however were short lived.

"Everything went down." Jenner stated before explaining, "Communications, directives all of it. I have been in the dark for almost a month now."

"So it's not just here? There's nothing left, anywhere? Nothing." Andrea stated more then asked "that's what you're really saying, right?"

It was quiet for a moment as Jenner glanced down to the cold floor then to Rick, who looked as if his last shred of hope was being taken away from him. The same look went around the room, "man, I'm going to get shit faced drunk. Again." Daryl stated running his hands over his face as he paced around behind Jane.

Jane frowned as she glanced around the room, she knew vaguely what the world was supposed to be like but not with clarity like the others did. Taking in a steadying breath she decided to not let the outside world brother her, she had no qualms about not returning to it.

This place promised safety, no one here was sick they had food, weapons if they needed to go outside. They would be ok. _I'll be ok. _She stated firmly in her mind. But her delusion of safety was about to be shattered just as quickly as she had built it.

"Doctor Jenner, I know this must have been taxing for you." Dale stated as he started to walk around a few table stations, "and I'd hate to ask one more question. But," he paused as he walked by Daryl who stood directly across from Jane.

"It's counting down," Dale stated turning to Face Jenner "what happens at zero?"

Jane felt her stomach clench, Zero...what happened at zero?

"The," he paused avoiding eye contact "the basement generators. They run out of fuel." Jane felt herself relax, it would be ok they could fix that they just needed to find more fuel. She glanced to the big red number counting down, they had just under an hour...somehow she realized that it wouldn't be enough time.

"And then?" Rick asked but Jenner walked by him without answering, "Vi," Rick called glancing towards the computer screen "what happens when the power runs out?"

"When the power runs out, facility wide decontamination will accrue." Jane's face paled, what the hell did that mean? Decontamination?

Jane stood motionless while she watched Shane and Rick talk about heading to the basement, everyone seemed to leave around the same time. Everyone but Jane. She stood numbly leaning on the computer desk behind her.

She started walking without much thought as to where she was going. The movement alone was helping, if only to clear her mind. It wasn't that walking had stopped her mind from thinking about the 'what if's' it was just letting her take them in stride without feeling as if anything that she was thinking was real.

"Jane?" Jenner's voiced pulled the woman from her thoughts as she froze finding herself once again walking by his door.

"Oh, wow." Jane mumbled glancing up towards Jenner, "we really have to stop meeting like this." She smiled half heatedly.

Jenner chuckled and nodded, "well if you weren't wondering around," he stated with a wave of his hand causing her to blush slightly. This is what she got for not paying attention. "Actually I'm glad to get a moment alone with you, mind if we talk?" He asked

Nodding Jane stepped in to his room as he beckoned her over, "sure, what's on your mind?" Jane asked and then cringed, seriously what couldn't be on his mind, or her's or anyone's at this point for that matter.

"I finished with the blood tests," Jenner stated

"Oh, yeah?" Jane asked raising a thin eyebrow "everything go as expected?"

"No," Jenner stated shaking his head, "there is something you should know." His statement had her blood running cold, was she infected? _Oh God, am I going to die? _Panic started to ebb away at her before his voice put an end to it. "But what I'm about to tell you, it'd be best to keep it to yourself."

"ok, you're making me nervous is someone here infected?" Confusion swept over Jane, surely if she was infected he would want the others to know...right?

"That's the thing, no one knows how this disease came to be," Jenner stated eyeing her for any sort of reaction, when there was none he continued. "But what I do know is that it's airborne so everyone has it." Jenner's statement hadn't been what Jane expected, and instantly she started to feel ill.

"so we're all going to die and turn in to one of those...things?" Jane whispered sinking down on his cot dropping her head in to her hands.

"Not all of us," Jenner amended quietly watching as she took in the information.

"I don't fallow," Jane stated the obvious as she glance up at him, "I thought you just said we all have it?" She asked hoping he would tell her she misunderstood, that she had heard wrong. He didn't.

"I did," Jenner nodded "we all do have it, you had it...but for some reason now you don't." Jenner stated shocking the girl, she had it she had been infected but now she wasn't? "From what I've been able to find out so far is your DNA was tampered with and it mutated. You're immune." Jenner stated sounding envious of the news he had just delivered.

"I could have manufacture a cure using your blood," Jenner stated quietly, the words 'If only you had come sooner' or 'if only we had more time' hung in the air.

"I could show you," Jenner offered gesturing towards the microscope that sat on a table across from the cot. "Here," Jenner offered her hand and helped Jane to stand and walked the short distance before grapping a slide and placing in under the scope.

"This is walker DNA." Jenner stated letting Jane looked through the scope, "what do you see?"

Straightening up she glanced at him, "its dark, dead." Jane stated lowering her eyebrows in confusion, of course it was dark and dead they were dead after all.

"Alright," Jenner nodded changing the slides, "look at this one." He stated letting her peer into the scope once again.

"This one is still alive, but it has black residue holding each cell together." Jane stated furrowing her eyebrows, her own description sounds off and wrong to her ears.

"This is your blood, do you see the difference?" Jenner asked once again as he changed slides

"Mine has a higher red cell count? Plus I don't see any of that tar-ish stuff." Jane stated taking a step back, noticing Jenner's concentrated look trained on her. "What?" she asked barely above a whisper.

"What'd you do, before this?" He asked seemingly genially interested in the answer.

Frowning Jane tucked a stray hair behind her ear, "I wish I knew."

"You don't remember?" Jenner asked knitting his eyebrows together, Jane simply shook her head "then I assume you don't know how you came to be immune to the disease either." He sighed rubbing the back of his neck.

"Not that it matters, I suppose." Jane bit her lip to keep it from trembling as the thought of decontamination hit her again.

"We're going to die, aren't we?" She whispered lowering her gaze.

"Everything dies." Jenner stated calmly causing the woman to shake her head.

"No, I mean all of us here in less than an hour...we'll be dead?" Jane asked as Jenner eyed her silently, "you do that, you know?" She stated without waiting for his reply, "you go silent when you don't want to tell us the truth, because you don't like the truth."

"I did the best I could," Jenner stated looking away from Jane seeming lost in thought, "in the time I had." Until his eyes fell back onto Jane, "we always think there is going to be more time." That was when the lights went out.

Glancing up Jane walked over to the door to see the hall lights still dimly lighting the hall, "it's starting. Isn't it?" she asked as he walked up behind her resting a hand onto her shoulder, he gave it one gentle squeeze before walking out the door leaving Jane to follow him.

As she walked down the hall silently fallowing him everyone started coming out of their own rooms, "why's the air off?" Lori asked as Jenner walked by her,

"And the lights in our room?" Carol questioned quietly just before Daryl poked his head out of his own door way.

"Hey what's goin on? Why's everything turning off?" He asked as Jenner scooped the liquor bottle from Daryl's dangling hand. Jane couldn't force herself to meet any of their eyes or answer a single question, after all how did you tell a room, or in this case a hallway full of people that soon they'd all be dead?

"Energy use is being prioritized." Jenner asked before taking a swig from the bottle.

"Air isn't a priority, and lights?" Dale asked as Jenner walked past him shaking his head, Jane glanced over her shoulder watching as the hallway of people started to follow behind her, biting her lip she turned back around and reached for the bottle that Jenner easily handed over.

"It's not up to me," Jenner stated as Jane took a drink and wiped her mouth before eyeing the man, _there really isn't anything he can do. _She realized sympathetically. "Zone five is shutting it's self done."

"Hey, hey what does that mean?" Daryl asked picking up his pace so he was directly behind Jane, "hey man I'm talking to you. What do you mean it's shutting itself down?" He asked glancing over at Jane "How can a building do anything?"

"You'd be surprised." Jenner stated just as Rick, Shane, Glenn and TDog ran in from another doorway.

"Jenner, what's happening?" Rick asked walking along side him, Jenner barely turned and when he did it was to grab back the bottle from Jane's hands and took another swig before handing it back to Daryl.

"The system is dropping all none essential usage of power," Jenner answered "It's designed to keep the computer's running to the last possible second. That starts just as we approach the half hour mark."

Jane shivered at the realization as her eyes darted to the clock that read '00:31:28' "right on time then." She stated wrapping her arms around herself, glancing down at her Jenner nodded.

"It was the French," Jenner stated glancing towards Andrea who responded with a _'what?' _"they were the last ones to hold out as far as I know." He stated pausing on the steps that led to the computer area, "while our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, their people stayed in the lab until the end."

His eyes landed on Jane as he paused, "they thought they were close to a solution." the hairs on her arms raised, again the words 'If only you arrived sooner' were echoing around her mind.

"What happened?" Jacqui asked quietly,

"Same thing that is happening here," He stated pausing at the top of the staircase "no power grid. Ran out of juice. The world runs on fossil fuel, I mean how stupid is that?" Knitting her eyebrows together Jane stood quietly at the bottom of the stairs not following what he was saying, or his movement up onto the plate form.

"Let me tell you something," Shane stated pushing by Jane and going up to only be held back by Rick.

"To hell with this Shane, I don't even care. Lori grab our things, everybody get your stuff. We're getting out of here now!" Rick shouted looking at his group of people, turning like majority of the group Jane was going to get her things.

Just because this place was running out of power didn't mean she had to stick around and watch the 'end' happen. Jane went to rush forward with the group just as an alarm sounded, the question of 'what's that' was thrown around as everyone's eyes darted around the room.

"Thirty minutes until decontamination." Vi, the computer system stated as a counted appeared on her screen, numbers rapidly counting down.

"Come on everybody, you heard Rick!" Shane shouted clapping his hands drawing everyone's attention to him, "come on now get your stuff."

Jane barely moved a muscle before a big metal door blocked their exit. Glenn started shouting "He just locked us in!" Causing Jane's heart to start racing, _I'm going to die, and there is nothing I can say or do about it. _Repeated in her mind as she stood staring with wide eyes at the door that would hold all of them to their death.

"This isn't right," she mumbled shaking her head until her eyes landed on Jenner who sat stoic in his chair.

Panic started in the group as the children and mothers clung to each other, "you son of a bitch!" Daryl snarled charging towards Jenner ready to smash the liquor bottle over his head.

"Shane!" Rick shouted just in time to have Shane and TDog stop Daryl as he reached Jenner, pulling him away as he thrashed in attempt to get at the man. Slowly Jane made her way up the stairs, if anyone noticed they didn't pay her any mind.

"Jenner," Rick spoke calmly walking up and stopping beside Jane "open that door, now."

"There's no point," Jenner sighed "everything top side is locked down once the emergence exits are sealed."

"Well open the damn things," Daryl stated calmly down as he glared at the Doctor,

"That's not something I control, the computers do. I told you," Jenner stated "once those front doors closed that they wouldn't open again, you heard me say that." He paused meeting Jane's eyes, if he was looking for understanding it wasn't there, "It's better this way."

"What is?" Rick asked "What happens in twenty eight minutes?" When Jenner didn't answer, the way he didn't when Jane asked them if they were all going to be dead in an hour, Rick looked to Shane for support who shoved the Doctor's chair. "What happens in twenty eight minutes?" Rick yelled infuriating Jenner.

The Doctor jumped out of his seat his face contorting with anger as he shouted, "You know what this place is?!" Instantly Rick took a step back as Jenner whirled and got in to Shane's face next, "we protected the public from some very NASTY stuff!"

He paused turning to face the group as a whole, "weaponized small pox!" he shouted "strains that can wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out, ever!" Clenching his jaw he took his seat and fixed his shirt in attempt to calm himself down.

"In event of a catastrophic failure, or a terrorist attack for example. HIT's will be deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out," Jenner explained

"HIT's?" Rick asked quietly

"Vi," Jenner was about to let the computer take over when Jane whispering voice stopped him as all attention went on the young girl.

"They're explosives," she stated never lifting her eyes from her feet, "they ignite the air on fire." Jane stated quietly,

"Is she right?" Rick asked eyeing Jenner who clenched his jaw but nodded,

"There's no pain." Jenner stated attempting to catch Jane's eye, who avoiding looking at him as she wiped a lone tear from her cheek. HIT's, how she knew some knowledge that just seemed to click into place she wasn't sure but biting her lip she knew it had to do with her past. It had to, there was no other explanation.

"An end to sorrow, grief," Jenner was still talking as Jane lifted her eyes to look at the man, "regret." he paused looking back up and meeting her gaze with a distant one, "everything."

Jane's eyes went to the clock, in the back of her mind she knew she probably have looked anywhere else because who honestly wanted to watch the minute tick down until they died? But none the less that clocks red numbers stood out mockingly, twenty seven minutes and seventeen seconds.

This was how she was supposed to spend the last half hour of her life? Not knowing who she was, locking in a room by an obviously depressed Doctor with a bunch of people she barely knew?

Sighing Jane watched as Shane and Daryl went at the door with axes before she walked over to stand beside the sitting Jacqui, "how're you holding up?" She asked softly before sinking down beside the other woman.

"I'm doing alright," Jacqui stated with a single nod before patting Jane's hand and asked "you?"

"I'm about to go up in flames," Jane replied glancing over at the clock "in twenty five minutes and forty seven seconds so I'm a little concerned and terrified." Jane stated honestly leaning her head back against the metal desks.

"At least you won't have to fear walkers," Jacqui whispered afraid anyone would overhear, Jane grimaced lowering her eyebrows.

"I think that's sort of the problem," she stated before catching the confused look from Jacqui "I don't remember fearing them, running from them. I think that's the problem." She stated trying to make sense of her thoughts aloud.

Jacqui eyed the girl silently for a moment, "I don't have any reason to want this." Jane whispered, locking eyes with Jacqui "I just want to remember." Her voice cracked as her lower lip trembled, Jacqui squeezed her hand.

"Maybe it's for the best, sweetheart." The older woman stated softly, noting the confusion flicker across Jane's face she continued "that you can't remember. Something caused you to forget, whatever it was couldn't have been good."

Jane nodded slowly understanding, "I started remembering things..." Jane whispered lowering her gaze "nothing that has anything to do with walkers. I think my dad was a Doctor or a scientist...something like that." She stated catching Jenner's eye on her, before looking back at Jacqui.

"It still feels like someone else's life." Jane stated dropping her gaze, as she realized just how badly she wanted to live. Even though she didn't know who she had been, didn't mean she couldn't decide on who she was going to be.

Jenner's words pulled Jane from her thoughts, "You know what's out there, a short brutal life with an agonizing death." He paused his eyes shifting past Jane and landing on Andrea, "your sister, what was her name?"

"Amy." Andrea spoke softly

"Amy," Jenner repeated softly "you know what this does-"

"Stop it!" Jane snapped glaring at Jenner, before getting up and pointing at him bringing all eyes back on her. "Just stop. Don't use her mourning as a way to justify your actions." Jenner met her glare slightly shocked, but he ignored her and glanced up at Rick who had walked over.

"Is that what you want for your wife and kid?" Jenner asked as Jane glanced back over at the red mocking letters.

"I don't want this." Rick stated before turning to look at Shane.

"Can't make a dent." He informed him exasperated.

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher." Jenner stated, clenching her jaw Jane glanced back at the doors standing tall without so much as a mark on them.

"Well your head ain't!" Daryl snapped charging forward with a raised axe, Dale, TDog, Rick and Shane held him back as she watched with shock mildly curious if he was going to run her over in his attempt to hack Jenner to bits.

"You do want this." Jenner stated standing up, "last night you said, you knew it was just a matter of time before everyone you knew and loved was dead." Jane fallowed his gaze to land on Rick, she didn't say anything it didn't matter what her opinion was, after all she meant nothing to the man.

"What, you really said that?" Shane asked "after all your big talk?"

"I had to keep hope alive, didn't I?" Rick asked, but his question wasn't directed at Rick but to Lori.

"There is no hope!" Jenner stated "There never was."

"There is always hope," Rick stated as Jane sighed a conversation about if there was or wasn't hope really wasn't what she had been expecting. "Maybe not for you, not here. But somebody, somewhere."

"What part of everything is gone, do you not understand?" Andrea asked spitefully looking up at Rick,

"Listen to your friend, she gets it." Jenner stated before his eyes moved back to Jane, he didn't have to say anything but his look spoke in volumes _'Hope had arrived, it was just too late for it to matter or change anything.' _

"This is what takes us down." Jenner stated keeping his eyes on Jane, causing her to shift in discomfort under his gaze. "This is our extinction event."

"This isn't right," Carol sobbed "you can't just keep us here."

"One brief second, no pain-" Jenner was saying when something in Jane snapped she didn't see it coming until her fist connected to the side of his face just under his eye.

The room fell silent, and her hand throb as she glared down at him her entire body shaking "You're lying." She seethed, "you're lying to them about there being no hope." She stated eyeing him daring him to call her a liar, "you know it and I know it."

"What are you talking about?" Rick asked eyeing the two

"Wouldn't it be kinder more passionate to hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run down?" Jenner asked never letting his gaze leave her's, just as the sound of a gun cocking echoed around them.

"Shane!" Rick shouted as Jane whirled around to see what was happening, but her attention was pulled back to Jenner who was whispering softly so only she could hear.

"You can't tell them, if they knew you'd take anyway any hope that they have." Jane eyed him quietly, she didn't like it but knew he was right.

"Get out of my way Rick," Shane threatened pushing his friend aside, putting the gun directly in Jenner's face he seethed "you open those god damn doors right now, or I'm going to blow your head off!"

"Brother, brother this is not the way we do this." Rick tried to reason to calm him down as Jane stood shocked still like many others, "pull the trigger and we'll never get out of here." Rick stated though shooting Jenner may relieve some sort of tension Jane thought but she was sure it would be short lived and have repercussions.

Punching him sure had, glancing down at her hand that still tingled and looked like it was starting to swell she realized something. She may have had some anger issues, but seeing as Daryl came at him twice once with a bottle then an axe and now Shane had a shot gun in his face. Somehow she didn't think her anger was as out of control as theirs...but neither of them had actually hurt the man yet.

"Shane you listen to him." Lori stated

"He dies we all die," Rick tried to reason again as Shane let out what could only be described as a battle cry before unloading the magazine into computer screens. Jane ducked like majority of the people did, crouching she held her hands to her ears and watched the man release the building tension that he felt.

It came to an end as Rick struggled to get the gun and knocked Shane on to the cold hard tile floor, "you done now?" Rick asked raising the butt of the gun threatening silently that if he wasn't finished he'd get the blow to the head, "you done?"

"Yeah," Shane stated through gritted teeth "I guess we all are."

Jane dropped her hands from her ears as she watched Rick hand the gun over to TDog, before he turned to Jenner. "I think she's right," Rick stated nodding towards Jane once who was slowly standing "you're lying."

"What?" Jenner asked eyeing Jane out of the corner of his eye

"I think you're lying," Rick repeated "about no hope." Taking a step forward he caught Jenner's eyes, "if that were true, you would have bolted with the rest taken the easy way out. You didn't." He paused "you chose the hard path, why?"

"It doesn't matter." Jenner stated

"It does matter," Rick stated taking another step towards the man, bending over to be eye level with him he continued "it always matters. You staid when others ran. Why?"

"Not because I wanted to," Jenner stated turning to lock eyes with Rick, standing up he stated "I made a promise." He pointed towards where Vi's screen huh, "to her, my wife."

"Test subject nineteen was your wife?" Lori asked sympathetically

"She begged me to keep going as long as I could," Jenner paused "how could I say no?" Just then the sound of steel on steel pulled at Jane's attention as she glanced back to see Daryl swinging the axe away at the metal door once again.

"She was dying." He stated pointing at the screen, "it should have been me on that table. I wouldn't have mattered to anybody, she, she was a lost to the world! Hell she ran this place," he stated shifting his eyes around the group "I, I just worked here."

Jane lowered her gaze when his eyes met her's, she was started to feel for the man and not what she wanted to. She wanted to hold on to her anger to get the hell out of dodge, not feel sorry for him and listen to his life story. Sure she'd listen, she'd give him all the time in the world, if they were outside these walls.

"In our field she was Einstein, me" he paused "I'm just Edwin Jenner. She could have done something about this, not me."

"Your wife didn't have a choice, you do. That's all we want, a choice a chance." Rick stated

"Let us keep trying for as long as we can," Lori begged holding her son close

"I told you top sides locked down, I can't open those." Jenner stated walking around Rick and stopping at the table directly in front of Jane, pressing some buttons on a tiny remote he looked up just as the door started to open.

"Come on!" Daryl shouted as Jane glanced back at the clock again four minutes thirty seconds it read. Everyone was running and Jane wanted desperately to run with them, but first there was something she needed to do.

"There's your chance, take it." Jenner stated to Rick,

"I'm grateful." Rick stated

"The day will come when you don't be," Jenner stated as his eyes shifted over to Jane "don't tell me after sucker punching me you don't want to leave."

"You could come with us," Jane stated receiving strange looks from both Jenner and Rick.

"The world outside, I couldn't handle that." Jenner stated after a moment before grabbing Rick's and hand leaning in to whisper in to his ear. Jane couldn't hear what was being said but when Jenner pulled back and Rick had a stoic expression that shifted to her, she knew.

She knew without a doubt that she wasn't the only one to learn the truth about the disease while they stayed at the CDC. His eyes went to her and her mouth went dry, just as Lori ran up to grab his hand. "Hey we have four minutes left! Come on!" Glenn shouted

"Jane," Jenner pulled her attention back to him just as Jacqui announced she was staying behind, "it's ok." he stated watching her "you don't have to go."

"Yes, I do." She stated finally, "how else are they supposed to beat this thing?" She asked "If I'm immune, if I'm the walking breathing cure then I have to go."

"Andrea, no." Dale voice had Jane glancing over to see Andrea sitting down, "just go! Go!" Dale shouted waving the others off.

Jenner nodded "Stay safe. Stay...alive." he whispered as she ran to catch up with the others, sending a look of despair back towards Dale who nodded in acknowledgement.

Jane dashed down the hall way to the bunker where she slept, everyone had already been through there or they hadn't bothered at all, either way she scooped up her clothing and stuffed them into the purple child's bag. She ran, her legs were burning with the pressure of her foot falls but she had to keep going if she didn't, if she stopped for even a second it could cost her, her life.

That was something she wasn't ready to give up on just yet. A loud explosion sent Jane to her knees, as she blinked in shock. _Not dead. I'm not dead. _The thought had her pushing herself up off her knees and running again, to get a glimpse of someone's back jumping out of a shattered window.

She ran, and she jumped and she came down hard. Wincing Jane took in a ragged breath, if she didn't hurry she'd fall to far behind and would no doubt end up walker food. Pushing back off her knees for the second time, she knew her knees were bleeding and more than likely bruised, but that didn't stop her from running.

Jane's labored breathing hitched in her ears as she skidded around the fallen bodies, too afraid to take the chance that one of them might not be as dead as it appeared. "Damnit." Shane growled with a frown as he watched the girl that was running.

"Come on!" He shouted lifting his pistol and fired off a shot that dropped a walker that was approaching the girl, she didn't stop to look behind her as she reached him. Her legs burned and she was about ready to have a mild panic attack, when she nearly ran straight into Shane.

His hand wrapped around her wrist dragging her behind him as he ran, he forced her into his jeep and jumped in to the driver's side. Just in time to look up and see Andrea and Dale walking out of the building.

"Get down!" Shane yelled pushing Jane into a hunched over position beside him, seconds before Dale and Andrea made it behind a row of sandbags and before the CDC went up in flames. Shane sighed and shook his head glancing over at Jane as he stared up the engine.

He didn't say anything, but then he didn't have to.

**(Authors note: And there it is! Longest chapter by far, promise the next one won't be as long! So drop me a line on your thoughts, so much happened you must have at least one, or what you would like to see happen!)**


	4. Highway of Hell

**Chapter four**  
><span>

**Highway of hell**

**Liability**

The drive was short and quiet, filled with Shane shooting the girl seated in the passenger seat of his jeep glances every now and then as well as tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

It was either the staring or tapping. Maybe it was the fact they had just escaped certain death but something was getting on Jane's nerves. Feeling Shane's eyes on her again, she turned her head and met his gaze. "Something on your mind, Shane?"

It was probably a stupid question, and considering the fact that she knew he wasn't overly ecstatic to have her around, it would have been safer to remain silent.

Shane clenched his jaw. He couldn't ignore her presence, which was irritating in itself, but now she had caught him looking at her. "Nah, I was just wondering if you made a habit of hitting people is all." He stated with the tiniest hint of a smirk. It really was a sight to behold of a tiny, quiet, young woman right hooking a fully grown man. Especially one that was confining them to their death, it was an action that had earned the woman a sliver of respect.

"Not sure," Jane mused with a smile of her own as she rested her elbow on the doorframe and dropped her head into her awaiting palm, "I'll be sure to let you know if I do."

Shane chuckled and nodded before shaking his head to himself.

Maybe it was the fact that they had barely escaped death, but for one reason or another driving away from the CDC and all of the memories, it gave him a moment of peace. It was short lived, like the drive but none the less for the first time since Rick had come back into his life, his smile and laugh - as small as it might have been - were genuine.

Jane did as she was told; she stayed in formation right in the centre with the other woman and their children surrounded by a circle of men. She knew she should have been focused on feeling protected, a sense of security but if she was being honest with herself, it felt like she was being treated like a child; That all the woman we're being treated like they were made of porcelain.

Maybe that was just the way things were; you did as you were told and you remained protected. If you stepped outside of the circle then you were on your own. To be honest she wasn't sure what to make of that thought.

"Clear." Rick stated after they had reached the top floor of the building. Excluding any locked doors, there hadn't been any walkers which was something everyone was grateful for. "We'll spend the night here," He continued "I don't want anyone leaving this room unless you're on watch."

Everyone had broken formation as Rick explained that they would sleep in this room and that there was a bathroom connected to the office they were in, which everyone could use.

Jane crossed her arms just below her chest and she silently watched as mothers held tightly onto their children, and everyone checked on the people they cared the most for.

It was interesting in a way. It was the first real time she could see the smaller groups within the big group. First there was the Grimes family, which seemed to branch out to Carol and her daughter, as well as Shane. Then there was Dale. He obviously cared for Andrea since he was willing to die for her but he also seemed close with Glenn. TDog didn't check on anyone; neither did Daryl.

Jane supposed she was like those two, the outsiders within the group, but she couldn't be sure because the three men - TDog, Daryl and Glenn - appeared to be close friends at the CDC. So maybe she was making something out of nothing.

"Jane?" Glenn spoke from beside her, catching her off guard, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He stated with a cheeky grin.

"Its fine," Jane mumbled, rubbing at the back of her neck.

"I just wanted to check in," Glenn stated, receiving a confused look from Jane, "Everyone's kind of...well rattled." He explained with a sigh, "How're you holding up?"

Jane blinked. He was checking on her? Why? "I'm alright." She stated. It wasn't a complete lie but it wasn't really the truth either.

"You're sure...?" He pressed with an eyebrow raised, "I mean no offence, but you kind of lost it back there."

"Me?" She laughed with a smile, "Compared to who?" It was an honest question, when Jane thought about the events that took place ten minutes ago. She thought about Daryl trying to kill Jenner - not once, but twice - and Shane threatening to blow his head off. Half the woman were in tears, as well as their children, not that she could blame them. As well as one suicide, and one attempted suicide. Compared to all that she thought she was fairly level headed.

"I'm good." Jane stated with a confirming nod.

It was late, and the fire they had made out of a trash can was running low, casting a dim light around the room, making the shadows stand out and move across the walls like a stalking pry. Something that Jane was staring blankly at.

She couldn't help but wonder if she was scared of the dark as a child, or maybe she had gone on family camping trips where they huddled around a campfire. In truth, she was longing to have another memory; anything that would make her feel more normal, but the more she pushed it and thought of the possibilities of the 'what if's', the more she hit a wall in her brain.

The group was more or less huddled around the make shift camp fire, with the exception of Daryl who had dragged a desk over to the door and was sitting on top of it with his cross bow beside him. The conversation had died down some as the Grimes family held each other close, with Shane to their left and Carol holding Sophia to their right.

Jane's eyes continue to shift around the group. T-Dog was sitting next to Sophia, Glenn was beside him, then Dale and Andrea, who had caught her stare. The other woman's expression was far away as she held Jane's gaze.

"You're lucky," Andrea stated, shifting her gaze back to the fire. "Not being able to remember. You don't have to deal with the loss; the grief of losing someone close to you."

Jane sucked in her lower lip to wet it. She understood what Andrea was saying, even if she hadn't had a real taste of it, and by the sound of the thick silence, everyone around her seemed to agree. Furrowing her eyebrows, she looked down at her hands resting in her lap, _I want to remember...I don't want to feel like this._

But the words never left her mouth. She couldn't tell the ones that wanted to forget their pain that she felt empty other than the fear of the unknown picking away at her.

"Did you hit your head?" Carl asked, pulling Jane and everyone else from their thoughts, "You know, like they do on TV?"

"Maybe," Jane replied with a soft smile as she shrugged her shoulder, "Maybe one day I'll be able to tell you." She stated a little more hopeful as the conversation came to an end for the night. Jane couldn't help but hope that the lack of her memory wouldn't be brought up again.

Jane knew what she was seeing wasn't real, or at the least it wasn't currently happening.

Her eyes had began to sting - either from tears or the god awful stench that the walkers tracked in, she wasn't sure which - and she watched frozen in place as walkers tore into the people around her. Her eyes shifted over the carnage of dead and undead bodies; the human people still trying desperately to fight back.

She was back in the house she had woken up in, standing in the middle of the living room that had been cover in dry blood. Bringing her hand up to cover her mouth and hold back the sob that tightened her throat, she realized that this was most likely what had happened.

"Come on! We gotta go!" A woman shouted over the crying, screaming and snarling that had been the constant sound in the room. Jane's eyes turned to the woman that she couldn't make out through the tears that blurred her vision.

"We can't leave them like this." A big man stated as he embedded his axe into a skull of a walker.

"They're dead! If we stay, we will be too." She argued, fighting off walkers. The two made eye contact as a silent conversation flowed through them.

"Everyone! Get to the cars!" The man bellowed, albeit regretfully.

"My sister!" another man cried, no older than twenty as he held a limp figure in his arms.

"She's dead!" The woman snapped as she took down another walker with her hatchet.

"Come on James. Leave her." Another man stated, pulling the younger man's arm.

"So they can feed on her?" The man now known as 'James' replied, disbelievingly,

"Here, bring her over." Reluctantly, the man followed dragging his sisters body by her upper half, out of Jane's line of sight.

Jane sat staring blankly at the shadows as her brain played back the events of the day before for the millionth time. Jenner's face was looking back at her now. "We all have it; you had it..." he stated in a hushed whisper. "From what I've been able to find out so far, your DNA has been tampered with, and it's mutated. You're immune." Jenner stated.

"You don't have to go." his words echoed in her ears, sending chills down her spine and even now she knew that it wouldn't be right if she had stayed behind.

"Yes, I do." Jane stated finally, "How else are they supposed to beat this thing?" She asked. "If I'm immune, if I'm the walking breathing cure, then I have to go." the whisper of her own voice bounced around the narrow walls in the stairwell.

The word **_immune_** held so much weight it was suffocating.

_I am not responsible, _she repeated firmly in her mind, hoping that it would solidify itself. _The fate of humanity does not rest on my shoulders. I'm only one person, there is nothing I can do..._

The sound of the door squeaking behind her brought her thoughts to an abrupt end. Turning, she locked eyes with surprised blue ones. "What're you doing out here?" Rick asked, eyeing the woman that he hadn't talked to since he dragged her to the CDC with him. _Nearly getting her killed as well as everyone else_ he added subconsciously.

"Thinking," Jane sighed, turning back to look away from him. Unexpectedly, Rick sat down beside her instead of walking past her like she thought he would. He was quiet as the tension started to build. He had to know; he didn't want to know, but he had to ask.

"What Jenner said," Rick started, wetting his lips that had suddenly gone dry, "Are you..." he trailed off, unable to say the words that had kept him awake all night.

"Immune?" Jane whispered, the words that haunted their minds for two very different reasons, "I don't know." It wasn't a complete lie, she reasoned. Just because she had seen the blood slide show didn't prove if a walker bit her, she wasn't just as dead as anyone else.

"Jenner said you're our best chance for a cure..." Rick paused, taking in a ragged breath, "That we're all infected." He stated, closing his eyes to push back the growing headache that pounded behind his eyes. "I don't know if I can…If I should believe that." His statement was honest, and he even surprised himself with how easy it was to tell Jane - a girl he didn't really know - what was on his mind.

Jane nodded, meeting his blue eyes with her own chocolate brown ones, "I know what you mean."

Neither knew how much faith they could put in Jenner's words. Sure, Jane had reason to believe them but if she were being honest, she didn't want to believe him. She didn't want every living person she ever met to be infected. She didn't want to be the single person that could save them. What if she died before helping anyone? A lot of good she'd have been then.

"We're going to head to Fort Benning." Rick stated finally, "Get you to the scientists, doctors, whatever it takes." He gave himself a reassuring nod before standing up. His eyes turned to Jane. "This stays between us." he stated, moving his hand between the two of them.

"Trust me, I'm not about to tell anyone." Jane stated, causing the man to eye her. He was trying to get a read off of her and even though he felt confident that she wouldn't tell anyone, he couldn't help but worry over her reasoning.

"It's going to be alright," Rick stated, placing his hands on his hips. It was Jane's turn to eye him; to read him, "We have hope now." he stated, firming his lips.

That was what he had wanted; a solid piece of hope, and now he had it. He had no way of knowing if the hope was real, but that's what hope was...faith. Something he would have to protect, and apparently keep alive in more ways than one.

They had set out on the road to Fort Benning not long after her brief conversation with Rick, leaving behind a few of their cars so they could save on fuel. They must have been on the road for little over an hour, Jane realized as she sat quietly in the back of the R.V. Suddenly, it came to a stop.

Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, she got up and left the room, running into TDog first who stood in the kitchen. "What happened? Why'd we stop?" Jane asked, shifting her eyes from T to Shane who had looked up at her when she approached, and stood up to get a look for himself.

"Road looks jammed." Dale stated over his shoulder to answer Jane's question before he started slowly driving forward again.

"Uh, maybe we should just go back." Glenn stated, only to be cut off by Dale.

"We can't spare the fuel."

Jane wrapped her arms around herself when she got a look at what they were talking about; a vehicle graveyard. Passing by was flipped over cars, most of them with the doors hanging wide open, some with dead corpses still inside.

She swallowed thickly as the thoughts of what had happened to cause such a mess occurred to her.

"Can we get through here?" Glenn asked just before smoke started forming from the front of the RV, startling Jane as she jumped with a surprised gasp, thankful she hadn't screamed when a few pairs of eyes turned to her.

"Oh come on, you didn't expect that." She defended when Shane gave her what she could only describe as an 'are you for real?' stare. He didn't bother to respond as he shook his head at the girl and turned back around.

Jane followed after everyone as they piled out of the RV, getting the same feeling of dread, as she glanced around at the cars again that seemed too close for comfort. Jane was pulled from her eerie thoughts, hearing Dale complain about being stuck in the middle of nowhere, and then stopping to say that was dumb.

She didn't care to figure out what they were talking about as her eyes found themselves locked on a pair of angel wings. Daryl was shifting through the contents of a car. Cringing, Jane quickly realized that with the lack of possessions she possessed – or_ didn't_ possess - she should be doing the same.

"We can siphon some more fuel from these cars for a start." TDog stated, walking past Jane.

"Maybe some water." Carol added, standing next to her as she held on to her daughter.

"Food." Glenn and Jane stated together, sharing a small smile after they realized.

"This is a graveyard." Lori stated, sounding as put off on the idea as Jane felt when she first stepped out of the RV, "I don't know how I feel about this." She stated glancing over at Rick.

Frowning, Jane turned and stated, "No one likes the idea but we need the supplies." with that, everyone slowly started to span out like her words were a reminder of sorts that they didn't have the luxury of hitting up a grocery store.

.Jane, like everyone else, moved to see what she could find. Walking past a few cars, she settled on a blue minivan. She paused, hovering around the front closed door. Glancing around her, she noticed Andrea two cars back, heading away from the traffic, and Carl and TDog with Daryl a car over and up from where she was now.

Sighing, Jane shook the reluctance from her mind and thinned her lips, attempting to concentrate on the task at hand. Her fingers wrapped around the car's door handle, and with a pull, she heard the click of the door giving way as it opened for her.

The smell of rotting flesh hit her first as she grimaced, taking in the sight of gore that covered the driver's seat across from where she stood at the passenger side. Everything seemed to happen quickly; her eyes shifting from the blood stained driver's seat to the switch blade sitting on the centre console, stained in dried blood and papers littered the passenger seat.

A snarling sound caught her attention and her eyes snapped up to see a boney woman's hand grip the back of the passengers head rest, dragging her upper body slowly into view. Once its empty eyes landed on Jane, hovering in the doorway, it lunged forward, over the centre console, knocking the knife on to the floor boards.

Letting out a shriek of shock, Jane jumped back and slammed the door closed just as the dead woman collided with the window, jaw snapping eagerly to get to its prey. Seeing the door about to open from the pressure, she moved forward, placing both her hands on it firmly, trying to keep it closed.

It took seconds before Jane was flanked with two men on each side of her. Glancing first to her right, she saw Rick and Shane standing there, then to her left was TDog and Daryl.

"Shit man," Shane was the first one to break the shocked silence of men that were at the ready to take out whatever threat was to be found. "Maybe this ain't a great idea. Can't be sure which ones are really dead." He stated, shifting his eyes from the door window to Rick.

Rick, rubbing at his chin, turned to meet Jane's still wide eyed stare, "Ya alright?" He asked, receiving a nod in response. "Good. Alright, you move away and we'll take care of it." He stated, firmly giving the woman a nod.

"Woman ain't going ta survive long if she can't kill a single walker," Daryl stated, squinting a glare at the lone undead woman in the van, unsure of why he voiced his thoughts. His mind turned to the other woman in camp. "Ya need to teach em all how to handle 'emselves. Going ta be a liability otherwise."

Jane turned her borderline panicked expression to Rick with a silent plea not to make her do it. Not only was she still weaponless – although, she knew they had enough of them now to fix that - she also had no idea how to work a gun. Plus, the thought of ending the woman's life on the other side of the glass caused her stomach to turn.

Rick clenched his jaw thinking over Daryl's words. To be honest, he agreed with Daryl; everyone needed to learn how to handle a gun, how to protect themselves against threats that the walkers posed, but when his blue eyes shifted to her frightened brown orbs, he couldn't force it on her, "Not now," He stated firming his jaw, "Not today."

With a sneer, Daryl moved, tapping the woman on the shoulder with his bow, "Move outta the way, small fry." Jane swallowed around the lump that had formed in her throat over the course of the conversation, and gave Daryl a curt nod as he backed up, crossbow at the ready.

Jane moved back towards TDog so when the door was opened, it would create a small wall between her and the woman inside. Jane hadn't been this close to a alive one. If she could even call the woman in there alive. Being this close, she realized that she didn't view them as walkers...as dead, but more trapped...

Trapped in their decaying bodies as they hungered for flesh. A hunger that would never be sedated. She wondered momentarily as the door opened and she took another step back. If they knew what they were doing, if they saw each and every person they attacked...if they watched as they were killed.

Bile raised in the back of her throat as Daryl released the bolt from its confines, flying straight and true in the short distance and sinking between the eyes of the snarling, hungry woman.

Her throat constricted and her hand fell on the hood of the van to keep her upright. The dead body collided with the cool ground below. When Daryl's eyes landed on her, she could see in that moment just how little he thought of her.

_Liability. _His word rung loud and clear in her mind as she watched him turn and walk away, leaving a pit in her stomach. Jane realized TDog and Shane had also departed when Rick's hand landed on her forearm, a concerned look in his eye as he studied her.

Whatever it was he had wanted to say, he chose not to as he bit at the inside of his cheek. Instead he gave her a single nod as she straightened herself, pushing away from the van. His eyes moved somewhere over her shoulder and his grip on the rifle tightened.

Lifting it up to use the scope, he peered through it. Jane turned to see if she could make out what he was looking at. "Oh Christ, get in or under the van." He hissed at Jane under his breath as he ducked down.

Jane, moving quicker than she thought she could, moved around the door and climbed into the cab, closing the door as silently as she could, and remembering the knife that had once sat on the centre console. She leaned over and started shifting through the papers on the floor board until her hands made contact with the cool metal.

Lifting it up with relieved eyes, she held it close before climbing into the back seats and ducking under the window of the back door. The sound of hissing had her shoulders tensing. The sound was a lot closer than it should have been.

Crawling forward to peer behind the seats to the last row, she chocked back a sob as her hand instinctively went to her mouth. Holding the knife in a shaking hand, she paused with the feel of the cold metal touching her soft skin.

The sight before her made her sick to her stomach.

Strapped into a booster seat, sat a little girl no older than five years old. Eyes pale with decaying fingers reaching out towards her. Jane couldn't risk leaving the van now, but if she stayed, the sound of the little girls hissing and snapping would only draw attention of the approaching walkers.

The feel of the metal between her hand and cheek seemed to grow colder; a reminder of what she would have to do to solve her problem, and she would have to do it fast. '_Woman ain't going to survive long if she can't kill a single walker. '_Daryl's words again echoed in her ears.

He was right.

She knew he was right.

And her time to deal with the problem was running out.

"I'm sorry." She whispered to the little girl as she crouched, readying herself to spring forward. The girl snapped, and snarled, watching as Jane moved in what could only be described as muscle memory took over.

One moment she was crouched low, and the next she moved faster than she would have expected to, striking out and sinking the knife into the eye socket of the girl repeatedly before falling back against the seats. Jane dropped low again, between the middle and back seat, chest heaving as she stared at what she had done.

Suppressing her urge to vomit, she cradled her head between her knees. It happened moments later; the sound of shuffling bodies brushing against the van. _As if the situation couldn't get any worse._ She thought spitefully, clenching her jaw.

She was now stuck in a van that smelled of decaying flesh, with a dead body; one that she had just killed, and she was now surrounded on both sides by the walking dead. Her heart raced as she kept her head buried, determined to think of anything else.


	5. Stir Crazy

**Chapter five **

**Stir-Crazy**

Jane had sat wedged between the seats for what was starting to feel like an eternity. The occasional bumping against the van had stopped some time ago.

Everything was quiet, minus her racing heartbeat that thudded against her rip cage like a bird trying to escape.

When she finally forced herself to look up, she avoided looking directly at the now very dead girl and crawled over to the window, getting up on to her knees she peered out.

Everything looked clear, like a calm before the storm or in this case if she was lucky after the storm. Letting out a shaky breath she sent a glance over her shoulder, bile started to raise in her throat again, unable to hold it in she doubled over losing what little was left in her stomach.

Her body shook with sobs as she wiped at her mouth, tears stinging at her eyes. She pushed back sitting on her heels her eyes shifting to the little girl, chocking out a remorseful sob once again she apologized before getting slowly to her feet.

Biting her lip she hesitated a moment before walking over to the corpse and pulling the knife back out. Grimacing as she realized blood covered her hand that held the knife, taking a steadying breath she wiped the blade off on the back of a seat before exiting the van.

Her body swayed with each step as she headed back towards the RV not really paying any attention to anything around her. She was fighting the nausea that was still twisting in her empty stomach, and using her blood free arm to wipe at the tears that burned her eyes as her entire body shook with each step.

Jane stopped short when she noticed everyone gathered around the guard rail looking out towards the woods beyond it, her eyes swept over the group taking it the distraught woman and the injured TDog being tended to by Daryl and Dale.

Pushing down the swirl of confusing emotions that turned her stomach she called out to the one friend hovering between the two disturbing sights. "Glenn," Jane called to the man pacing back and forth in a short line with his hands gripping the baseball cap on his head.

A few pairs of eyes flickered over to her briefly, only two pairs remained on her blood splattered appearance. "Oh god, please tell me you're not hurt too." Glenn stated helplessly as he took a step towards her only stopping when she shook her head.

"What happened?" She asked eyes shifting from TDog to the weeping woman back to Glenn, who in turn looked more somber than he had a minute ago.

"TDog cut his arm up, pretty bad by the looks of it..." he paused glancing over his shoulder towards the woods than back to her, "Sophia..." his words faltered further, "got chased off by two walkers." He stated pausing shortly to shake his head "Rick went after her."

Jane nodded slowly unable to form words as her eyes shifted over to the grief stricken mother, she had never talked to Carol or Sophia and had barely talked to majority of the group as it was. But still her heart went out to the mother as she watched Lori hugging her, Jane's lips turned downward in to a frown.

Hours had passed and still there had been no sight of Sophia, Jane tried to keep her mind and hands busy by going through vehicle after vehicle while waiting for Rick and Daryl's return. It started to feel like every few seconds she'd glance up to search the tree line for any sign of the men, something Carol had never stopped doing.

Not that she could blame her, Jane had no idea what it felt like to really lose someone she cared for, to lose a child. Shaking her head she lowered her gaze down to the blouse that she had bawled up in her fists, _they'll bring her back. _Jane thought forcefully clenching her jaw.

Sending a quick glance around Jane realized she couldn't see everyone, Dale was seated on top the RV no doubt keeping a look out for walkers and Rick, while Glenn was peering inside of the hood. She had seen T and Andrea go inside and assumed they were still there.

That meant Mrs. Grimes, little Grimes and the best friend were a miss. Frowning Jane looked around again spotting the boy a few cars behind her looking in the driver's side window of a truck. Furrowing her eyebrows she dropped the blouse and made her way over not seeing Lori anywhere.

"Carl," Jane called out as she got closer, causing his hand to pause on the doors handle. Catching his gaze she watched as his face faltered, "what are you doing?" She asked quietly coming to a stop by the front tire as he stepped down ruefully.

"There's something in there, an axe I think." He stated bouncing his gaze from her's to the gravel below, pursing her lips Jane glanced at the window feeling the nerves in her stomach twist when she saw the unmoving body.

"There's a body in there." She stated catching his eyes to read the defiance clear on his face.

"Yeah, but it ain't moving." He stated as she licked her lips about to protest, "I'm not scared." He stated firmly bawling his hands into fists.

Raising a thin brow at the boy she stated, "I am and you should be too." pausing Jane fixed her sights on the still unmoving man in the truck, "They're dangerous," she stated but was cut off.

"I'm not a child," he stated again full of defiance, like he had something to prove.

Jane shifted feeling out of her element with the entire situation. "If it's alive, do you have a weapon?" She asked pressing her lips together expecting the answer she got when his determination dwindled in to something akin to embarrassment.

"Yeah, didn't think so." She mused again fixing her sights on the truck's door, heaving a sigh she walked around it pulling the switch blade from her back pocket and opened the door waiting to see any changes.

"Told ya it wasn't moving." Carl stated scuffing his feet along the ground as Jane looked back at him.

"Didn't mean it was dead, dead." She huffed blowing a stray hair from her face, bracing her foot onto the door step with one hand on the door frame Jane heaved herself up.

Her spine stiffened as she worked to calm her nerves. Her eyes lingering for moment on the man's unmoving face as she held her breath, _It's dead. It's dead. _She repeated subconsciously trying to calm her racing heart when her gaze shifted to the hatchet and rolled up weapons that sat wedged between the man's arm and his decaying body.

Jane worked her jaw for a moment as her grip tightened on the door frame, before she cautiously moved her body across his to grab the roll of weapons. She heaved once, then twice before freeing the leather bound kit.

Jumping down Jane closed the truck's door rougher than necessary before meeting Carl's wide excited stare. She froze for a moment taking it how the boy was nearly bouncing in his spot as the anticipation ate away at him.

She knew she should take the kit to Shane or Dale, since Rick wasn't around but the eagerness on his features held her attention. "Are you going to open it?" He asked breaking her trance.

Raising a thin brow she glanced at the package briefly before licking her lower lip, having something to defend herself that was more deadly than a switch blade would be desirable to say the least.

That was before the doubt started to creep into her mind. Heaving a sigh Jane shook her head at the boy, "no, it's best to give this to Shane...or someone." She stated turning to walk away.

"Can I do it?" He asked causing her to stop mid-step and glance over her shoulder to look at him, "Shane's with my mom." He stated, and when she didn't respond continued as he walked up beside her. "I'm heading over to them anyway."

The silent plea was present over her entire face, Jane stood silently debating his offer. As long as he didn't open it and start playing around with them, well than she didn't see a reason to not trust him with them.

"These aren't toys," Jane stated keeping her tone calm but firm, "you said that you're not a child. I expect you'll handle these like an adult then." She stated before offering the bundle to him.

She watched silently as Carl grinned and nodded eagerly accepting the responsibility and quickly made his way off to the left with purposeful strides. Jane stood there unmoving for a moment as she stared at the spot he had vanished behind, a strange feeling started to twist in her stomach.

Rick's words from early this morning continued on a loop in Jane's mind as she stared at the tree line willing the vast majority of their group to return.

_"I want you to stay here," Rick had stated calmly, resting his hands on his holster._

_Blinking in confusion Jane looked around them at the group preparing for their departure, "but why?" she asked wondering if she had done something wrong, maybe he had found out about her giving Carl the weapons and he was mad at her. _

_Would he really punish her by forcing her to stay behind? _

_"Because we could use another pair of hands here," Rick stated expecting her question, "T-Dog's hurt and I don't want Dale firing off that rifle if he doesn't have to." He explained catching her eye. _

_"So you're leaving me her?" Jane breathed pursing her lips together as her eyebrows knitted in confusion, "the same girl that freaked out over a walker yesterday and only just had her first kill. That makes a lot of sense." She stated not buying his explanation, or keeping the sarcasm out of her tone. _

_"Listen we don't have the time for a debate," he stated straightening at the sound of her disbelief, "just stay here. Protect the camp." _

Rick had ended their conversation there, before he led the group off on a rescue mission to bring back Sophia. She hoped they would return soon, but as expected she was still waiting hours later.

"Dale," Jane called turning on her heel.

"What is it? You see some'in?" He called back standing on top the RV

Raising her hand up to block the sun from her line of site, Jane shook her head 'no' before responding. "Nah, I'm going to go a little deeper in to the jam. See if I can find some antibiotics." She stated gesturing to the blockage of cars that blocked their way.

Dale was silent for a moment before he glanced towards the graveyard, his grip tightened on the rifle, the thought of the herd that passed them by yesterday still fresh in his mind. "Ya think that's a good idea?" He called back, not liking the idea of letting her go.

"We've done all we can here," Jane stated "I'm going stir crazy. Besides when they bring Sophia back we're going to be hitting the road again," she stated eyeing the man "hate to leave behind something so useful."

Dale nodded before dropping his shoulders in defeat, they had already cleared a path between yesterday and today, and all nearby vehicles had been search and cleaned out of anything useful. Clenching his jaw he gave a stiff nod, "stay where I can see ya."

Jane didn't hide the smile over her small triumph, she hadn't lied she was going stir crazy pacing back and forth waiting for Rick and everyone to return. An unsettled feeling had wormed its way into her stomach as thought's of what was going on out there had started to creep up on her.

So to say she was happy to be weaving between the cars holding on to the hatchet Rick had forced her to keep on hand, telling her if a walker stumbled on them and they couldn't hide to handle it quietly, it would be an understatement.

The minutes ticked by into hours, as Jane moved from car to car. It hadn't taken her long to realize that a lot of the cars had been picked clean, by the original owners or survivors like herself she wasn't sure.

The bag Jane had thought to grab before leaving camp was nearing a quarter way full. Frustrated and tired, Jane climbed into the driver's seat of a small two door car. It was picked clean like a lot of the cars had been.

Shifting in the seat she pulled the back pack onto her lap, leaning back she decided she would just rest her eyes for a minute, than she would be back on the highway heading to camp. That was the plan as her eyelids slid closed and her breathing evened out.

"Jenkins!" A man bellowed, Jane's forehead crinkled as she shifted in the seat trying to ignore the shouting from outside.

"Dammit Randall, let's go!" another man snapped as Jane's eyes widened.

Her heart started to race as she looked around frantically trying to pin point the source. "Don't worry 'bout the damn kid!" He snapped again causing the hair on the nap of her neck to rise. There was something about the tone of his voice that had her heart harming in her chest like a bat trying to escape from hell.

One thought after another had her sinking lower into the driver's seat, as she tried to make herself as small as possible grateful for the blood stained windows that provided her some coverage. Mentally cursing herself for being so careless she pressed her body as low as she could manage, she knew these people weren't one's she wanted to be caught by.

As a man laughed, "Brats Lame brains bait now." Jane swallowed down the confusion of the term as she tried to focus on not being seen, "Com'on let's get back to the cars. Ain't no way we can drive through this shit." A man stated gruffly.

Jane's lungs burned with need, in her attempt to stay invisible she had started to hold her breath whenever she thought someone was nearby. Exhaling she sighed and leaned her head back against the seat.

Licking her lower lip, she shifted up in the seat so she was sitting like a normal person would be and checked to make sure the cost was clear. Breathing a sigh of relief she grabbed the bag that had been tossed into the passenger side and climbed out of the car.

Jane's legs shook as she stood beside the car, as she stared in the direction away from her camp, where she assumed the strangers were heading. An unnerving feeling started to twist in her stomach, as thoughts of Sophia circled around in her brain.

She wanted to call out for the girl, to yell as loudly as she could, but at the same time knowing that those men would hear and they'd probably come back to check it out made her nervous.

What if they had been talking about Sophia?

There was no way to know if she did call out for the girl if she would be close enough to hear, and if she was and she came running, so would those men and so would the undead.

Turning her back was harder then she'd imagined, as she took those first few steps towards camp slowly dragging her feet feeling heavy and defeated.

Thoughts of telling Rick or Carol about what she had heard, and then telling them she walked away without trying to find the child? How would she be able to look them in the eye and tell them she made a call that she thought was right?

The sound of feet hitting the gravel with a soft thump, thump, had Jane's thoughts changing tracks as she paused and her grip tightened on the handle of her hatchet. _Walkers? _She feared as her eyes flickered from one direction to the next.

When they stopped it was on a small figure crossing between the rows of cars and trucks, the kids shoulders were slumped, defeated much like hers had been. She watched jaw dropped at the slow movements, how the child limped.

"Hey!" She called out realizing that she was about to let the kid walk right by without knowing if it was a walker.

The mop of brown hair snapped up and wide eyes stared back in her directed, ten feet separated them, but she got her answer as the boy's body turned towards her.

**(Author's note: ahh okay so this chapter took forever to write! Kind of sad since this is confirmed to be my shortest chapter in this story thus far. Soo thoughts?) **


	6. Smile for the Damned

**Chapter Six**

**Smile for the damned**

**I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to review/favorite/follow, this chapter has been a struggle and I hope it lives up the expectations or at the very least doesn't chase anyone off! I will send Daryl out after you! :)**

**PumpkinMama2012: Thanks so much for your kinds words, I actually struggled over that same question for weeks! Which would you have preferred? **

**Blackalligator: Thanks! Haha I've done that more times than I could possibly count after finding a new story. No need to apologize English is my first and only language and I make mistakes on a daily basis, so no worries. **

Jane hated the disappointment she felt, to her it was revolting how she had wished the boys presence to be Sophia's instead. How she had wanted to bring the little girl back to camp, prove to Rick that she wasn't useless and earn a sliver of respect from the rest of the group. The feeling had been overwhelming, and so was the conflicting emotions she felt now.

Jane couldn't help but to wonder about the collective reaction the group would have when she brought back a child that wasn't Sophia, surely they wouldn't turn him away even Shane who had protested bringing her along originally wouldn't be so cruel to turn away a child. _Disappointment_. She assumed they would feel like she did now, disappointed that it wasn't Sophia but still no one would turn their back on the child just as she hadn't.

"My friend," Jane started to speak to the boy, startling him and causing his vise like grip to tighten further on her hand, "Rick, he will have questions for you." She stated meeting his fearful gaze, "he's a good guy, he'll help find your mama." Jane told the boy before his eyes turned downcast staring blankly at the pavement below. Biting her lip she couldn't help but to wonder if he had a mama, and if so where the hell was she? Taking a deep breath Jane forced back the thoughts on how a mother should never let her child out of sight, considering the terrible predicament the group had been facing since yesterday.

_Sophia, please be okay...please be back. _Jane silently prayed looking up making out the RV in the fading sunlight, relief shot through her seeing that the vehicle was still present on the highway. She hadn't realize how worried she had been that they had actually found Sophia and then left without her until the behemoth of a vehicle told her that they hadn't left.

"Ready?" Jane asked not waiting on an answer, knowing one wouldn't come.

As Jane made it into the clearing that had once been filled with cars she watched as a few figures had made their way towards her, it was the sight of Carol that had broke her heart. The woman had come barreling out of the RV nearly falling down the few stairs and had continued on towards her, only as the mother neared did her footsteps weaver before coming to a complete stop a few feet away.

The words had came out in a sob, but there was no mistaking them. "That's not Sophia." Jane swallowed fighting the urge to look away from the woman that was breaking in front of her, moments later Andrea was there with a comforting arm wrapping around the woman who tried to stifle her sobs as Dale and Daryl stood a few feet away taking in Jane and the boy who was now trying to hide behind her.

They hadn't found Sophia. The weight felt heavy in her stomach with the realization that she had given Carol hope and then had yanked it away, "Carol," Jane had whispered her name softly causing the woman to look over reveling the dark circles that had been caused from crying and a sleepless night, the words 'I'm sorry' were on the tip of her tongue but had never made it out before she was enveloped into a motherly embrace by the woman.

Carol had pulled away a few moments later rubbing Jane's arms and sparing a broke smile that wavered but stayed on her lips before backing away, Jane swallowed around the thick lump in her throat that the contact had caused as she fought back the urge to cry. She wasn't sure when she had became emotionally attached, but supposed this was the normal reaction to these types of situations. It must have been the fact she didn't really know this people that the tears didn't fall, and for that she was grateful.

"So, whose this?" Dale asked bending down to be eye level with the boy, his smile was soft _It's father's like _Jane thought watching the man remove his hat. It was the feeling of his finger nails digging into the sensitive flesh that was her hand that brought her back to the question, wincing Jane looked down at the boy resisting the urge to pull her hand free to inspect any damage that had more than likely been done.

"I'm not sure," she answered after a moment meeting Dale's gaze, "he's pretty shaken up, hasn't said a word since I found him." Dale nodded in understanding but it was Carol that spoke next.

"Maybe he's seen Sophia?" Her tone was soo hopeful, the same hope Jane had nearly an hour ago, and much like her's it was crushed.

"I already asked," she admitted lowering her gaze, not wanting to seen the pain that had been present on Carol's face.

"Thought you said the boy don't talk," Daryl stated raising his bow on his shoulder as his eyes narrowed in on her, "how d'ya know he hasn't?" she wasn't sure what it was about his stare that made her feel like ice water was running through her veins, but regardless it had making her grow irritated that everyone seemed to have little faith in her abilities to do something right.

"Just because he hasn't spoken doesn't mean he hasn't responded," Jane had felt her hands clench and release at the reminder she still held the boys hand in her's. Looking around Jane's eyes narrowed, she hadn't realized how strange it had been that she had only been greeted by a few when their camp was far from small. "Where's Rick?" The irritation had been lost in her question as her eyes turned to Dale in attempt to ignore Daryl.

Jane hadn't had many encounters with the man, but from what she had witnessed his moods were all over the place from hot anger to a guy wanting to have a good time with friends to being closed off, she was actually concerned that she might end up with whiplash if she hung around him too much. "Maybe you should come sit down," Dale advised confusing Jane.

"Why?" Jane had asked before a landslide of questions ran through her mind, "Dale, where is everyone?" She asked again becoming agitated as she watched the men exchange a look before Dale relented and Daryl walked off leaving the older man to do the explaining.

"There was an accident in the woods," Dale explained the situation telling Jane that Carl had been shot and that majority of the group was now at the farm where his wounds were being tended. It was while Dale recounted the day's events for Jane that Andrea and Carol made their retreat to the Winnebago, "Glenn was supposed to bring you to the farm, but he couldn't wait any longer. T needed the medical attention."

Jane exhaled unsure of what she was feeling, it seemed the children were getting the short stick lately and that was cause for concern as the boy remained at her side. Remorse for the Grimes family, for Carol that was what she focused on as she nodded numbly to Dale's words. "Will Carl be ok?" Jane asked forcing down the emotions that threatened to consume her.

"We don't know, in the morning we're going to hang a banner for Sophia than go and meet up with everyone at the farm." Dale explained sounding as tired as she felt, "we're weak like this." He stated causing her to frown and her eyebrows to knit together.

"How do you mean?" Jane asked as her and Dale walked towards the RV, "because we keep losing people?" She asked avoiding the word 'kids' not wanting to imply that either child wouldn't be coming back.

"Because we're separated, spread too far apart." Dale stated with a sigh as they paused in front of the RV, "he looks exhausted." Dale stated causing Jane to look down at the boy. Truthfully she hadn't noticed, sure she knew that the walk was probably hard on his tiny body and she had no idea when he had last eaten or slept but lately things like that held little importance for her.

"Hey," Jane smiled down at the boy getting down on a knee so she would be eye level, much like Dale had down earlier, "you hungry?" She asked knowing that he more than likely wouldn't answer, that fact wouldn't stop her from trying though, the boy spared her a tiny smile but made no other attempts at an answer. Withholding a sigh Jane nodded, "okay than, let's get you something to eat."

Standing Jane and Dale exchanged a brief smile before she entered the RV that was currently filled with woman.

Jane was still surprised that the boy had fallen asleep so easily spread out on one of the single beds in the back, even with Carol sobbing in the bed next to him he didn't stir. There was something about him, the way he clung to her without hesitation even the way he slept had started to feel familiar leaving a heavy weight in her chest. "Jane?" Andrea's voice brought her out of the thoughts that had clouded her mind, the blonde woman sat across from her at the table hands paused on the gun she was assembling.

Jane hummed turning her faraway look on Andrea, "are you ok?" The blonde asked as Daryl stirred on the floor of the RV, "it's just you've been staring back there for nearly twenty minutes." She gestured over her shoulder with the nip of her chin.

Sighing Jane shifted in her spot feeling her muscles tighten at the sudden movement, "it's nothing, I just need some air." Jane had moved ignoring Andrea's mouth that was gapping at her and had hurried from the RV. She had closed the door rather carelessly and started to pace in the open space knowing it would be careless to go for a walk in the dark but desperately needing the movement.

"Going somewhere?" Dale's knowing voice had her heart hammering in her chest as her eyes darted towards the man that stood on top the RV watching her with a keen eye. Clenching her jaw Jane rubbed at the back of her neck hoping to rub away the unwanted and confusing emotions.

"Nah," she mused aloud thinking that if she had left she'd probably join Sophia in the lost category, "just needed some air." She told him the same excuse she had used to avoid talking to Andrea, luckily the RV door opened and closed stopping the words on the tip of Dale's tongue as Jane took it the sight of Daryl standing awkwardly looking back at her.

"Going ta go shine a light in the forest, give her some'in to look at." Daryl grumbled breaking eye contact to glance over Jane's shoulder to the waiting woods. This would be the only chance she had to escape the camp for a few hours, to clear her mind and help in the search for Sophia.

"Mind if I join?" Jane asked eagerly, catching the look that transpired between Daryl and Andrea who stood in the doorway of the RV causing her to wonder if she should have said anything at all.

"You think that's a good idea?" Dale asked as Daryl walked down the stairs paused to turn as he passed Jane's shoulders, there was something about the woman that Daryl couldn't figure out it was a feeling he didn't really care to name. He didn't really trust her, hell he wouldn't trust anyone that claimed to not know who they were and then had medical knowledge like what the fuck? Who did she think she was fooling? Certainly it wasn't him.

"Dale," Andrea spoke his name in a clipped tone sending a chill down Jane's spine, she hadn't missed the tension the two had going on ever since they had left the CDC but that didn't mean she wanted to witness it firsthand either. "You go Jane," Andrea nodded at the other woman "I'll keep an eye on the kid."

The kid. Jane hadn't thought of how her walk would affect him, why would she have? He wasn't her's, so why did she feel guilty as she nodded her head thanking Andrea. Jane had followed after Daryl keeping silent until they were deep in the woods.

"You're a good guy," Jane's words came out abruptly cutting off the silence, Daryl had actually forgotten she was a few steps behind him but now that she had spoke and he was shining that damn flashlight in her face he knew he wouldn't be forgetting it anytime soon, especially with her words repeating in his mind on a loop as he tried to make sense of it. "Coming out to look for that little girl, it's honorable."

"Honorable." He repeated the word spitting of to the side, "all those people their given up on her. Someone's gatta try and find her." Jane's stomach twisted hearing his reply, she hadn't seen it hadn't thought too much on giving up finding her it was always just a matter of time in her mind.

"I was younger than her," Daryl started as they continued to walk "nine days eating barriers and wiping my ass with poison oak." A small smile started on her face at the image of a younger Daryl doing what he had claimed.

"They found you," she hadn't intended for it to be a question after all if he was standing here someone had to have found him, right?

"Nah, my ol' man was off on a bender with some waitress." He paused sending another look her way, "Merle was in another stint in juvy. He didn't even know I was gone."

"Merle?" Jane repeated a moment later causing him to pause, he couldn't help but to think it was strange that she hadn't heard about his brother, someone was actually at the camp that hadn't suffered Merle's racist drug induced ass. Daryl knew without a doubt Merle would've went after her, she was pretty and young better yet he hadn't pissed her off yet, yup there was no doubt in his mind that if Merle was with them now she would be steering clear of probably both of em.

Shaking his head he explained, "My brother, toughest son of a bitch I ever met." Daryl stated catching her eye, it was then he realized she'd been looking at him the same way she had at the CDC with some sort of thoughtful expression that made him uneasy. Turning away Daryl flashed the light around the woods, "Made my way back though, walking right into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. No worse for wear, though my ass itched some'in awful."

Chuckling Jane smiled as Daryl peered down at her, there were a thousand of memories she couldn't remember but somehow she doubted any of them to be as funny as wiping her ass with poison oak. But his story did leave a few questions in her mind, obviously she had a mother and father but where were they? What kind of upbringing had she had? Did she have siblings out there? But the main question she had was where was Merle now? Asking was probably too personal, so instead she smiled and shook her head to clear her mind.

"Only difference is Sophia has people out here look'n for her, call that an advantage." Jane nodded again letting the conversation relapse into silence. The pair had walked a little further sending the woods looks of contempt as they walked, somewhere out there was a little girl the one they were looking for and they didn't appear to be any closer to finding her.

It wasn't long after that they came across the walker hanging in a tree, "what the hell..." Daryl mumbled getting a closer look at something on the tree near where his legs dangled, "got bit, fever hit, world gone to shit, might as well quit."

"How poetic." Jane mumbled crossing her arms over her chest avoiding looking up at the undead man, Daryl tossed her a look of amusement before taking a step back.

"Dumb ass didn't know enough to shot em self in the head," he stated "turned himself into a big swinging piece of bait." Jane bit back the word 'lovely' that came to the forefront of her mind, "look at that mess." Daryl continued to study the corpse causing Jane stomach to turn, how he could just stand there and tolerate the smell long enough to take a good look at the thing she would never understand.

"I'll pass," the woman stated tossing her gaze anywhere but in front of them.

Daryl turned his eye on her then, studying her while she tried to avoid looking at the 'swinger' as Daryl had dubbed him. "Ya a'right?" He mused aloud attempting to hold back the smirk at the thought of her upchucking, served her right for laughing about his itchy ass.

"I'm good, can we get moving?" She asked causing the man to raise an eyebrow at her, it hadn't exactly been the response he had expected.

"What, ya not gunna ask me ta put the poor bastard outta his misery?" Daryl scoffed, if any other woman had come out with him they'd probably be complaining saying shit like it was the humane thing to do. Hell if he cared about that though, but there was something he wanted to ask her and he'd be willing to spare the arrow to get the answer.

"Be a waste of an arrow," Jane stated causing Daryl to work his jaw.

"Damn right it would be," he nodded a moment later shrugging off his questions and the disappointment at missing the opportunity, striding towards her he lowered his bow. "Let's head back, ol' man's probably getting ready to send out his own search party." Jane forced a halfhearted smile as Daryl narrowed his eyes at her, he still didn't trust her or like her much, hell he didn't like anyone but at least he didn't feel so uncertain around them. The way this woman made him feel was downright confusing and he didn't have the time or patience to figure it out.

The pair had walked in silence for some time until Daryl decided to break it asking the question he had been thinking about earlier. "Back at the CDC," Daryl started to say before hesitating, chancing a look at the woman that stood at his side looking up at him with that damn innocent look of her's and there it was again that feeling that twisted in his stomach leaving him skeptical about her, there wasn't anyone left in this world that was innocent, hell she had her first kill earlier and still she looked so damn fragile and good. Something he didn't buy. "Ya hesitated to leave, why?"

"What?" Jane had asked pausing in her steps, unsure if she had heard him right and perplexed on how scorned the question had sounded leaving his lips.

"It's just a question." Daryl defended trying to convince her and maybe himself that the answer held no real meaning, "I seen ya," he continued resisting the urge to chew on his cuticles instead he chose to raise his bow higher pointing at an invisible threat and sent her a sideways glance. "Back when Rick was having words with Jenner, ya looked like ya were bout'ta stay behind."

Jane had visibly wet her lower lip again causing him to scowl, it seemed she made him do that a lot. Still she hadn't realized anyone had witnessed what had gone down between the three of them but apparently Daryl had, or at least he thought that he had. "Ain't none of my business if ya wanted to opt out," and it was true Daryl knew it wasn't his business and that he had no reason to be bringing the subject up at all, so why was it so important he bring it up? "As long as you ain't still considering it?"

Daryl's breath seemed to still, burning a hole in his lungs as he waited on her reply. "You misunderstood, I wasn't thinking about Opting out, the opposite really," she stated confusing the hell out of him, and making him relax all at once "I wanted Jenner to join us. I just didn't have the time to convince him."

Her confession caused Daryl to stare at her in bewilderment, why the hell did she want the man who tried to blow them all to kingdom come to join them? "Why would ya want that? Ya liked him er some'in?" Daryl wasn't a stupid man, when they had been at the CDC there was a connection like a silent conversation being transpired between the Doctor and Jane, on top of that she had gotten all these clothes from someone and it hadn't been from any of the woman in their group.

The sound of Jane laughing had him scowling, "No, god no." again she smiled causing his stomach to twist proving to anger him further, "I just thought having a Doctor with us would be beneficial."

"Would'a been some'in." Daryl mumbled letting them lapse into a brief silence, he wouldn't admit that he felt stupid asking if she had liked a man that she had only just met but he did agree that having someone like that would be useful until his gaze turned on her. "Ya have medical knowledge, maybe yer a nurse or some'in." He voiced his thought causing her pause.

"Maybe." Jane smiled briefly his way, though she seriously doubted it. Daryl had stared at her fixated on that stupid smile of her's, it was downright irritating whether that was because he couldn't figure out what she had to smile about or why she kept smiling at him he wasn't sure but that did little to change the fact that it was making him uncomfortable and aggravated.

"Doubt I'd be much use though," Jane had mumbled as they started walking again, Daryl continued to eye the woman studying her from head to toe there was something in the way she had said those words that had rubbed him the wrong way.

"The hell that supposed ta mean?" Daryl asked scowling as he forced his gaze to remain on the woods instead of her face as the trees started to thin out indicating the grassy hill they would soon have to climb to get to the highway.

"Nothing," Jane stated catching how his lips tightened from her dismissal, _so much for the good mood here comes the whiplash. _Jane had thought which again caused the tiniest of smiles to claim her lips. "Just feel kind of useless around here, like I don't really have a place in the group." She confessed, if anyone could relate she was sure it would be Daryl.

Instead of offering her comfort he made a noise that sounded an awfully a lot like a snot, "the hell woman it's Armageddon and you're worrying about fitt'en in?" They hadn't shared anymore words as the trudged up the hill to the awaiting group empty handed.


End file.
