___
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound
___
After a moment, the stunned group rush inside the open doors. A gun cocks and a man appears at the top of a high staircase. "Anybody infected?"
Rick shakes his head. "One of our group was. He didn't make it."
The man eyes them. "Why are you here? What do you want?"
Nobody says anything so Elaina speaks up. "A chance."
He sighs. "That's asking for an awful lot these days."
Rick nods. "We know."
The man thinks for a minute and lowers his gun. "You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."
Rick looks at the others. "We can do that."
The man points at the door. "You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed."
A few members of the group go outside and collect their belongings from the cars.
Once everyone is back inside, the man speaks to the air. "Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here."
They all follow the man into an elevator. Rick holds out his hand. "Rick Grimes."
The man takes his hand. "Dr. Edwin Jenner."
He presses a button and they start descending. Daryl glances at his shotgun. "Doctors always go around packing heat like that?"
Jenner shrugs. "There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough." He looks at the group and pauses when he gets to Carl. "Except you. I'll have to keep my eye on you."
Carl smiles and Elaina gives his hand a squeeze.
Once the elevator comes to a stop, Jenner leads them down a hallway and into a large room with screens and desks. "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room."
The room comes to life as it brightens. Jenner smiles at them. "Welcome to zone 5."
Elaina glances around. "Where is everyone? The other doctors? The staff?"
He waves his arms. "I'm it. It's just me here."
Andrea inhales. "What about the person you were speaking with? Vi?"
He speaks outward. "Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them... welcome."
A computerized voice speaks loudly. "Hello, guests. Welcome."
He turns back to them. "I'm all that's left. I'm sorry."
___
After Jenner takes their blood, he cooks up a spaghetti dinner. Everyone sits around a table, smiling and laughing. Carl is sitting in between Elaina and Rick. Lori sits next to him.
Dale sips from a glass with a laugh. "You know, in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner."
Elaina nods. "And in France."
YOU ARE READING
Sheriff's Lover ||| Rick Grimes
Fanfiction"Are you trying to get me drunk, officer?" "What if I am?" Thirty-two-year-old office worker, Elaina Heart was all alone on the streets of Atlanta when a man in a sheriff's uniform trots down the road on a horse. She decides to join him on his miss...
