Don't Fear The Reaper (R. Grimes & D. Dixon)

7

Everyone quickly packed; their bodies spiked with so much fear and adrenaline they practically felt numb. As soon as they made it back to the big room, alarms started blaring. Jenner was already back and standing in front of a computer again, the clock reading only 30 minutes left. Kit didn't stop like rick and everyone else had. She wanted out. She was done with the doctor. A huge part of her felt like she had failed to see how messed up he was; even if a person's behavioral health isn't her specialty, she still felt like she should have noticed. Kit headed to the exit. She could hear at least one pair of footsteps following, but it was soon silenced as a resounding bang gave through the narrow hallway, separating her from everyone else. Kit dropped her belongings and rushed to the door banging on it, tears running down her face the more she heard banging and gunshots from the other side; she only stopped when her hands started to sting but only proceeded to pace instead, ignoring the headache forming from her excessive crying. she would have broken down with relief when the door did finally open, revealing Daryl with an ax in hand 

"oh, thank god," her voice breaking, "come on!" Daryl shouted to everyone else. Shane ran up quickly, helping kit with her stuff as they rushed to follow the group to the elevator and up the stairs to the outer doors. The men tried everything to break the glass to get out, but nothing was working till carol gave rick a grenade she kept from when she washed his uniform. An action kit would have questioned if her life wasn't about to end. They all rushed to cover as the window was blown, moving as quick as they could to get to their cars through the now open window; kit and Shane tossed their stuff in the back seat as they got in, and kit watched the building as Andrea and dale rushed out only to be suddenly yanked down Shane covering her as the building exploded, the vibrations shaking the car, debris hitting the side and roof. They didn't move till it was safe, both panting as they stared at each other, tear stains on kits face. Shane gave her a quick, firm kiss before driving the car, following the others.

Two days have passed since the CDC, two days since they decided to backtrack and try fort Benning. And a day since they found everyone killed at the old folks' home, the event affected rick and Glenn the most. Kit could only assume from the few things she heard they had an understanding relationship with the man who ran the place. They took the time to also lower vehicle count as it was becoming harder to find gas. Kits jeep was one, much to her dismay, pouting over the decision for almost an hour, and Daryl ditched his truck, choosing to ride on his brother's bike instead. Tensions also began to rise between Shane and rick as, given this new lifestyle, rick was around kit more, Shane didn't have her all to himself like usual anymore, and it didn't help him keep his cool when Lori wouldn't get off his back. He was sure he would end up snapping if kit were to ever hear of his actions when he thought she was dead. 

The RV pulled to a stop as the road was blocked for the most part and needed Daryl to lead them through the tight and tedious spaces of the hundreds of cars. Kit jumped, startled, almost cutting herself with the knife she was sharpening; when the RV engine made a loud pop halting the RV., they all followed dale out of the RV, kit taking the time to stretch.

"I said it. Didn't I say it? a thousand times. dead in the water." dale complained, opening the hood

"problem, dale?" rick asked, walking up.

"just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of-" dale pauses. Everyone follows his line of sight, seeing Daryl digging in the back of a car "okay, that was dumb," dale muttered, making kit laugh as she wandered off to do her own searching; she didn't know a thing about cars, so she knew she wouldn't be of any help in that department. In the first car, she found a couple of comic books, passing them to carl as he walked by with Lori. after a couple more cars, she found a black zip-up hoodie, pink duffle bag, protein bars, Aleve, a new package of thongs in her size, couple first aid car kits of varying sizes along with an emergency medical one that had a little more diversity. She also found a simple but beautiful black stone on a long chain that she tucked into her shirt, a wide space between the stone and her locket containing a picture of her and carl she never takes off. As she went to pass Daryl to get to the next car, he yanked her back "walkers," he whispered, pulling her under a car with him. Kit's eyes went wide and her breathing shaky as she saw hundreds of feet approaching "stay," he whispered, quickly leaving. Kit wanted to protest, but it would have drawn attention. She could only hope Daryl knew what he was doing. Kit laid there for what felt like forever, waiting for the groans and foot scuffs of the pavement to pass, choosing to distract herself by going over a basic surgery in her head to keep from worrying about the others.

"kitten," Daryl whispered. She slowly crawled out, taking daryls hand, waiting to help her stand. "T-dogs hurt, come on" she followed Daryl quickly, both quiet and crouched just in case of a straggler. Kit quietly and rapidly cleaned and stitched his forearm and wrapped it but also warned him that it's a possibility it's already infected given the conditions of how he received the cut and from hiding under corpses; if so, they would need to find antibiotics. When the trio arrived back at the group, they were informed Sophia had runoff, and a small search party was being put together. Kit wanted to go, but Shane and rick quickly shot down her request; the argument only halted when carl clung to her side, still upset. So here she was rubbing Carl's back, just waiting. Carl only moved back to his mother when Shane and Glenn came back with orders for everyone to scavenge and move cars as rick and Daryl continued to track the girl.

"just a matter of time," kit tried to encourage, walking up to Shane and carol. 

"It can't be soon enough for me. I'm still freaked out from that herd that passed us by, or whatever you'd call it," Andrea says, joining them and handing everyone a water bottle.

"Yeah, what was that? all of them just marching along like that." puzzlement written all over Glenn "herd sounds about right," Shane mutters

"my guess. Primal instinct. like wolves, better to hunt in a pack," kit says, slipping on a pair of sunglasses she found

"Jesus, I wish you weren't smart sometimes," Glenn says evenly, sarcastic and horrified at the idea making Shane and Andrea chuckle "blasphemy," kit snorted, walking away back to scavenge finding some stuff but nothing drastically important. 

"aunt k!" she looks up from where she's at to see carl, Lori and Shane, the latter, working on a green Hyundai "tell mom to let me keep these!" she furrows her eyebrows. 

"Hey man, go give them all to dale now. Go." she hears Shane almost yell; carl sadly takes whatever it is the commotion was over and heads towards her, Lori giving her a help kind of look.

"what you got, bud?" Kit asks when carl gets to her, crouching down "just some stuff, mostly knives and a hatchet. I just wanted one." carl pouts.

"How about this you give them to dale, for now, to keep safe, and when your dad comes back, I'll talk to him, but there is some safety stuff you gotta learn first, OK? Carl gives her a small smile nodding "alright, off you go," she nods. she stands up, storming up to Lori and Shane, who looked to be in a heated conversation "-think that was? that you were special?" Shane says

"What is wrong with you two?!" kits growls. Shane and loris's heads snap to her. 

"nothin' baby," Shane says quickly.

"sure as hell doesn't look like nothing! Whatever little personal dispute you two have needs to stop. We have enough shit going on. We don't need this shit as well, or you taking it out on carl. Got it?" she spits, looking between them; Lori nods walking away; secretly thankful kit unknowingly saved her from more threats to keep her mouth shut. Kit looks at Shane expectantly. "I got it, just stressed, that's all baby...have I ever told you your kinda hot when your mad" Shane says, giving her a sly smile; kit scoffs, walking away, making Shane laugh to himself as he sits in the car watching her ass. Kit only gets a couple of feet away when the car radio catches her attention. Glenn, dale and Andrea are not far behind, "this is a civil emergency." on repeat on the radio.

"Is this a local signal?" Glenn asks

"it's got to be within 50 miles of here," dale replies "avoid anyone infected at all costs. Remain calm. Help is on the way. The emergency alert system has been activated. The office of civil defense-" Shane scoffs, turning the car off, "asshole. okay, let's get back to work."

Shane says the three others leaving, just Shane and kit, "Shane, why did you fix the car?"

"I wanna be able to get you out if need be. Another herd like earlier comes thru, or the group falls apart. we need to get away, baby."

"if something were to happen to us, I couldn't just leave my best friend and carl Shane. You know how much they mean to me." Shane looked away, clenching his jaw and taking a deep breath before responding

"all right, I'll make you a deal. Something happens to rick and Lori; we get out of here and take carl with us, ok?" kit bit her lip, just hating the thought of something happening to the two, but she was carl's godmother for a reason, and he will always come before them. "alright but only then." Shane nodded, plans already forming in his head.