Impregnable {A Walking Dead Fanfiction}

Twenty-Four

      "There's water on the table, take one if you need it." Dr. Jenner said as he led us back into the laboratory. I took a bottle and sat down on a padded metal chair, trying to distract Mable and not think about the needle that would be going into my arm soon. "I'll do the youngest first so you can get them to bed sooner, I know they've had a long day." He said, opening a drawer of medical supplies. "Alright, honey..." I said, standing and putting her on my hip. "This is Dr. Jenner. He's going to check and make sure you're healthy. He's going to poke you with a little pin." I said, pointing down at the needle he was unwrapping, "It hurts a little bit, but I promise it'll be over quick," I said, sitting down in the office chair in front of Dr. Jenner. She shook her head, beginning to whine. "I need you to be brave, Mabes," I said, struggling to restrain her. She started to cry harder, and Shane bent down next to me. "Come on, baby girl, you got this." He said, gently holding her arm down. She screamed as he wiped her arm with an alcohol pad, making my ears ring. "I know, baby, it'll be over soon," I said, looking into her terrified eyes. Shane and I both struggled to keep her still as Dr. Jenner drew her blood. She was so strong to be so tiny. "All done, I'm sorry bud." Dr. Jenner said, placing a bandage over the small puncture. Mabel wailed and clung to my shirt, burying her head in my shoulder. "Here, Hollie, let me get you while you're here." He said, changing his gloves and unwrapping another needle. I tensed and put on my best brave face as he inserted the needle into my arm. My stomach churned and my head spun. "Okay, you're all good." The doctor said, placing another bandage on my arm. 

    After everyone had finished, Dr. Jenner led us into the cafeteria for dinner. "Please, help yourselves, I'll be right back." He said, motioning at the kitchen before continuing down the hallway. Lori and Carol disappeared into the kitchen. I sat down next to Shane and listened to everyone's small talk. They returned with a plate full of sandwiches just as Dr. Jenner returned with a wooden crate. He pulled out multiple bottles of wines in different colors and varieties, sitting them on the table. The talk turned positive quickly. I grabbed a sandwich for Mable and myself and was passed a glass of wine. "Cheers," Shane said, tapping his glass to mine before taking a swig. "What's wrong?" He asked after seeing that I'd hesitated. "I haven't drank in a long time," I said. He furrowed his brow, seeming to remember what had happened the last time I'd been drunk. "Well, now's a pretty good time to start again," Rick said, laughing and taking a long drink. "You don't have to if you don't want to, it's okay," Shane said, his voice concerned. I took a moment before shrugging and taking a sip. "Rick's right, I'll go slow."

    "Mom, can I try?" Carl asked, looking at Lori's glass of wine. Lori looked shocked, moving to respond before stopping. "Well...what do you think, Rick?" She asked. "Just a sip," Rick said, handing his glass to Carl. He raised the glass to his mouth and took a gulp, his face scrunching as he swallowed. "EW! Yuck!" He said, sticking out his tongue and shaking his head as we all laughed. "Just stick to soda, Carl," Rick said, taking his glass back. "What about you, Sophia?" Carol asked. "No thank you." She said, making a disgusted face. I took another long swing, feeling my body starting to warm.

    Before I knew it, my glass was refilled, and then again. My mind began to fog and my cares began to fade away. I listened to the small talk, laughing when the others laughed. Mable had gotten another burst of energy after eating. I gave her a toy out of her diaper bag and let her play with Sophia and Carl. We'd gone through multiple bottles of wine by that point. In the height of it all, I glanced over at Dr. Jenner, who was sitting quietly at the edge of the table. I tapped Shane on the leg, getting his attention and looking in the doctor's direction. Shane stared at him for a moment and then picked up his for, gently tapping it on the outside of the glass before standing. "It seems we haven't properly thanked our host." He said, raising his glass. Jacqui rolled her eyes from the other end of the table, drinking from a bottle. "Thank you," I said, raising my glass to Dr. Jenner and taking a long drink. "So when are you going to tell us what the hell happened here, Doc? The other doctors, where are they?" Daryl asked, his speech slurred. "We're celebrating, Daryl. No need to do this now." Rick said. "Nah, I think we need to do this now. One man, why you?" Daryl asked, staring down the table. Dr. Jenner sighed. "Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left. Went to be with their families. Then when things got worse, when the military coordination got overrun, the rest bolted." "Every last one?" Daryl asked. "Many couldn't face walking out the door, they...opted out. There were a lot of suicides. It was a very bad time." Jenner said solemnly, looking down. Daryl sat down, saying nothing else. "But you didn't leave, why?" I asked quietly. "I just kept working through it all, hoping to do some good." He said, not looking up from his plate. "Y'all are such a buzzkill," Glenn said, obviously more intoxicated than most of us combined.

    "All of the other zones shut down..." Jenner began as he led us down a hall after dinner. I had drank a lot more than I'd intended. I didn't realize how bad it was until I went to stand and fell backward into my chair. Shane took Mable, and I held on to his arm. I did my best to walk in a straight line, sneakily taking sips from a bottle of wine I'd slipped on my way out. "You'll have to make do with this hall. The couches are comfortable, but there are some cots in storage if you'd like. There should be enough room for all of you. There's a rec room down the hall the kids might like, just don't plug in or unplug anything. Lastly, if you shower, go easy on the hot water. Oh, and if Mabel's running low on diapers or anything like that, we had a woman living here with a boy her age, she stayed in room One-A, that's where the formula I mentioned earlier is. There should be plenty in there she can use." He said, disappearing into his room before we could thank him. "Hot water?" I asked, turning to the group.