Cowboy

5) Jenner

A/N: Just a little trigger warning. There is some talk of taking your own life in this chapter. Not a lot so please be careful if need be! Remember I love you all and my page is a safe space!!! 🥰🥰

"Daryl, you cover the back." Shane said as they walked inside. "Hello? Hello?"

"Watch those doors." Alicia whispered. "Watch for walkers." She tensed as she heard a gun cock.

"Anybody infected?"

"One of our group was." Rick explained. "He didn't make it."

"Why are you here?" The man asked. "What do you want?"

"A chance." Rick said softly.

"Thats asking an awful lot these days." He said.

"I know."

"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission." He began to lower his gun. Alicia didn't trust this.

"We can do that."

—————
The group was led into a big room with computers everywhere and screens lining the walls.

"Are we underground?" Carol asked.

The doctor chuckled. "Are you claustrophobic?"

"A little." Carol answered shyly.

"Try not to think about it." He looked around the room. "Vi. Bring up the lights in the big room."

Alicia watch as the lights all flickered on with a buzzing sound. "Welcome to zone five." He held his arms out.

"Where is everybody?" Alicia asked. "The other doctors? The staff?" She looked around.

"I'm it." He said hesitantly. "It's just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with?" Rick asked, also looking around the room.

"Vi, say hello to our guest." He sighed. "Tell them... welcome."

Alicia looked to Daryl as a computer screen flashed on. "Hello guests. Welcome."

"I'm all that's left. I'm sorry."

Daryl and Alicia both stood together, walking to get their blood drawn. "I don't trust him." She whispered.

"Yeah, me either."

————

"What's the point?" Alicia asked as she watched her blood flow through the little tube. "If we were infected we'd be running a fever."

"I've already broken every rule in the book by letting you in here. Let me at least be thorough." Dr Jenner gave her a weak smile.

Alicia heard the syringe click. "All done." He sighed.

She went to stand up, immediately stumbling. "Ooh." She groaned, putting a hand up to her head. Dale grabbed her shoulders, steadying her.

"Are you ok?" Jenner asked.

"Mhmm." She answered, closing her eyes tightly.

"She hasn't eaten in days." Dale chuckled. "None of us have."

"I think we can do something about that."

————
"You know in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with dinner." Rick smiled, trying to convince Lori to let Carl have some.

"And in France." Alicia added, grinning to Rick.

Lori scoffed. "Well when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then."

"What's it gonna hurt? Come on." Rick pleaded with Lori. "Come on."

"Fine."

Alicia watched as Rick poured Carl a small glass of wine, sliding it over to him.

He took a sip, instantly scrunching his face up. "Ewww!" He grimaced.

She laughed, looking over to Daryl who gave a slight chuckle.

"That's my boy." Lori smiled.

"Yuck!" Carl shook his head. "That tastes nasty."

"Well, just stick to sour pop, there bud." Shane laughed.

"Not you, Glenn." Daryl smirked, looking across at the younger boy.

"What?" He asked, looking a little concerned.

"Keep drinking little man. I wanna see how red your face can get." Daryl grinned.

They continued to laugh before Dale proposed a toast.

"It seams to me we haven't thanked our host properly!" He grinned. "He is more than our host!"

"Here here!" Everyone chanted.

"Here's to you doc!"

Everyone cheered, clinking their glasses together before settling back down.

"So when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, doc? All the... the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?" Shane questioned, kind of ruining the moment.

"We're celebrating Shane." Rick said calmly. "Don't need to do this now."

"Whoa, wait a second. This is why we're here, right? This was your move... Supposed to find all the answers. Instead we...We found him. Found one man. Why?" Shane chuckled, almost like he was putting Jenner down. Like he was a disappointment.

"Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left. Went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted." Jenner explained.

"Every last one?"

"No... many couldn't face walking out the door." He shifted in his seat. "There was a rash of scuicides. That was a bad time."

"You didn't leave... why?" Alicia asked, taking a rather large sip of her wine.

"I just kept working, hoping to do some good."

Glenn sighed. "Dude, you are such a buzzkill man." Alicia assumed he was talking to Shane.

"Most of the facility is powered down including housing, so you'll have to make do here. The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you like. There's a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug in the video games, okay? Or anything that draws power. The same applies... If you shower, go easy on the hot water." He sounded weary.

"Hot water?" There was a collection of people who asked the question, almost like it was a crazy thought.

"That's what the man said."