I don't own anything related to The Walking Dead, even if really wish I did! Kerri is all mine though! Read and enjoy :)

The tank ripped through the first two layers of gates with ease, almost like someone ripping a piece of paper down the middle. Their cars and trucks followed closely behind, the attackers leaning out of the windows firing constantly. Whoever was driving the tank fired, striking the outside of the prison.

Kerri's fighting instinct took over, "Fuck what Daryl said," she thought, "I can't just sit here and watch."

She ran forward, ducking for cover behind whatever she found along the way. She kept moving until she reached the fence where Maggie and Beth were both firing their automatic weapons. Seeing the huge bin that had stored all the guns, Kerri reached in side grabbing the last gun inside along with two extra clips. She quickly loaded the gun and pointed the barrel through the gaps in the chain-link fence.

"I'm out of ammo," Beth said, looking at her gun in dismay.

"Head for the bus!" Maggie ordered, "Kerri and I'll cover you!"

Beth did as she was told and made a run for it. Kerri continued firing through the fence, not even feeling anything as she watched bullets rips through the living flesh of their attackers.

The tank fired again and again, destroying the cement walls of the prison and catching the building on fire, all while rolling forward until it was closing in on the last interior fence.

Kerri bailed; she couldn't do anything against a tank so she ran backwards before diving behind an upturned metal picnic table. The bullets pinged around her as she clutched the gun close to her chest trying to catch her breath. She peered around the edge of the table; the tank had breached the last fence and was closely followed by the attackers on foot. She took aim with her automatic weapon, taking out two of them before others started opening fire in the direction of her hiding spot.

Kerri looked for anyone close to her and realized they had all gone; most people were trying to make a break for the bus. She hadn't even seen where Daryl had disappeared to. She was starting to feel hopeless.

Then she saw him, he was cornered behind some old filing cabinets, but holding his own in the assault. Walkers were coming up from behind and Kerri's breath caught in her throat. She raised her gun to put them down, but realized she was completely out of ammo; she had already burned through the two extra clips she had found.

Thankfully, Daryl was able to put them down. He grabbed the one closest to him and carried it in front of his body, using it as a shield. Then he tossed something in the direction of the attackers who had been firing on him. It was a grenade; Kerri realized a split second before it exploded, the sound leaving a ringing in her ears.

She had to get to the bus, that was always the plan. From the moment they had brought her into the prison they had explained that if things went south to head for that bus. Right as she made a move to try and leave her hiding place, she heard the sound of squealing tires. The bus was leaving without her. She was going to be on her own.

Or maybe not, she caught sight of Daryl again; he was running around like some type of assassin. She watched as he pulled the pin on a second grenade and dropped it down the long barrel at the front of the tank causing the entire thing to implode. The operator had just enough time to abandon the vehicle, but as soon as he turned Daryl put a bolt in his chest.

The sound of gunfire was gone; all Kerri heard now was the crackling of the fire burning. She slowly stood up from her hiding place, pulling her bag over both shoulders and checking her surroundings.

"Daryl," she called, jogging up to his side. He seemed relieved to see her, but pain still lined his face, the loss he was feeling marking his expression.

"Kerri, we gotta go," he said, looking around the burning rubble for any more threats, "We gotta go."

The pair turned and started running towards the woods, away from the place that had provided them security and a home. Neither one of them knowing when they could ever find something like that again.

Daryl and Kerri ran for what felt like hours; they worked through thick brush, small saplings, and briars cutting their skin as they weaved through the forest. Kerri was tired and winded, her lungs felt like they were on fire as they were still not completely recovered from her illness. Eventually, she couldn't take it any longer, she was getting lightheaded and dizzy with dark spots floating across her field of vision.

"Daryl," she croaked. He didn't stop; he was so focused on getting them as far from the prison as possible that he had tuned everything else out.

"Daryl, I've gotta stop," she said, louder and more forcefully. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air with her fingers digging into the earth below her.

Daryl spun around at the sound of her hitting the forest floor. He was by her side in an instant, kneeling beside her in the dirt.

"Ya alright?" he asked, looking her up and down.

Kerri shook her head, too out of breath to speak. She tried to slow her breathing before she passed out; the lightheadedness was worsening and didn't want to become a burden to Daryl.

"We can stop fer the night, I ain't seen too many walkers out this way anyhow. I think they all wen' towards the prison, all tha' gunshots an' fire is drawin' them," he said, watching her closely.

Kerri nodded in agreement and then closed her eyes. She focused on breathing in through her nose slowly and then out through her mouth. The lightheadedness gradually subsided enough that she was able to shift from her spot on her hands and knees to sitting down. Daryl looked a little less nervous now that she was somewhat upright.

"Any better?" he questioned, sitting beside her and drawing his knees up towards his chest.

"A little," Kerri answered, "That damn flu killed my endurance," she explained, wiping the dirt that coated her hands onto the thighs of her jeans.

"I should'na tried to push ya so hard," Daryl mumbled, "I jus' wanted ta get as far away from there as we could."

Kerri nodded in understanding, "It's not your fault, at least we're still alive."

Daryl didn't respond, the only indication that he had even heard what she said was the shadow of pain that crossed his face.

Kerri wanted to smack herself for saying something so thoughtless. Yes, it was true that they were still alive, but it wasn't likely that many others had been so lucky. She hadn't directly seen who had made it to the bus and who else had managed to escape the prison's crumbling walls.

"Maybe tomorrow we can look around and see if we can find the bus?" Kerri offered, trying to bring a small amount of hope to their situation.

"Nah," Daryl answered, "It ain't safe. If we go back tha' way there's gonna be a shit ton a walkers an' prolly some of tha' Governor's group too."

"But what if the others got out? We should try to meet back up with them?" Kerri persisted.

"I said we ain't goin' back," Daryl responded, his voice rougher this time, "Ya ain't strong 'nough to handle all tha' bullshit we'd run into. We jus' need ta worry 'bout ourselves now."