Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that you see in this story other than obvious original characters such as Lyla Dixon and any other original characters you may meet, as well as, any original plots and story arcs.

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!

Chapter Five
Friday, August 27th, 2010
Harrison Memorial Hospital
11:00 AM

"Do you still want to get together for dinner tonight?" Lyla asked, holding her cellphone between her ear and shoulder while she looked through files, searching for Rick's. "It's been a while since we all got together."

"Sure," Daryl answered her, his voice clear and devoid of emotion, as usual. "I think it'll be good for you and Merle to air this shit out. This shit has been going on for too long."

Lyla agreed whole-heartedly. She loved her oldest brother more than anyone, she hated this awkward dance they seemed to be doing around each other.

"Is he still mad?" she asked quietly.

She heard Daryl sigh and could picture him rubbing his eyes. "I kinda think he's more hurt than anything. You kept this secret from him for months, Ly. You're his baby, he's not gonna like the idea of you with anyone. Much less the way he found out about it."

Lyla could understand, to a point. "Daryl, he shot my boyfriend."

"Who is fine," Daryl countered back. "Come over around seven. I'll pick up Chinese on my way home."

Looking up when she heard footsteps approach her, Lyla couldn't stop the small grin that came over her face as she saw her favorite cop walking toward her. "Sounds good."

She had just hung up when Shane reach her. He leaned over the counter separating them and gave her a swift kiss. Her heart fluttered and her eyes drifted closed. This relationship might be causing anxiety with her and her brothers but damn, the minute Shane touched her she just relaxed.

"How's it going?" He asked after he broke contact.

Pity. But she knew why he was here on his lunch break.

"He's still under," she answered him softly. "The doctor said if the swelling goes down in his brain, he'll slowly start taking him out from the medically induced coma."

Shane nodded, almost like he expected that answer. "And you? You doing okay? I know we've been getting a lot of complaints about people attacking others. Have you had any problems?"

Her knight in shining armor. But all these crazy reports were making her a tad nervous. Never had she had so many patients admitted to psych in two days.

"There have been a lot of people admitted over the last few days," she confided. "Do you wanna go to his room? We can talk more there." Lyla didn't want to tell him about the state of emergency she heard the doctors talking about.

"Sure."

Shane followed her to Rick's room. The steady beeping of the heart machine filling the silence. The small click of the shutting door followed.

"What's going on?" Shane asked her, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lyla began changing Rick's empty I.V. bag for a fresh one. "I overheard the ending of a conference yesterday. I guess with the state of emergency declared, part of the army might be coming."

She cast a look over to him, frowning when he didn't look surprised. "You knew about it?"

"Ly, I'm law enforcement. Of course, I know."

Well, excuse her.

Almost as if he could tell he had said the wrong, Shane sighed. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm just on edge. They're landing here sometime today. I gotta get Carl from school early today. Then after that, I gotta run back to the station."

Lyla couldn't help but tense up. She knew Shane was taking the brunt of a protective and supporting role for the Grimes family while Rick was in this condition. Shane's responsibility was one of the things she loved most about him. But she couldn't help but feel like Lori was taking advantage of this entire situation.

But she didn't want to add any more stress onto Shane's shoulders. So, Lyla simply said, "I'm here if you need anything."

She finished changing the I.V. and butterflies erupted in her stomach as his strong arms banded around her waist. "I love you, you know that?"

Lyla grinned at his words and turned around in his arms. Her arms swung around his shoulders. "I know. I love you too."

It was so easy to say that to him these days.

The beginnings of a smile began to overtake Shane's face before commotion began to be heard throughout the hospital.

"What the hell?" Lyla asked, moving away from Shane and made her way to the door.

Shane beat her to it. He hastily shoved her behind him. "No way am I letting you out there. Let me see what's going on."

Lyla rolled her eyes as Shane started to open the door. "It's probably a patient gone rogue. You've seen how crazy everyone has been acting lately. They probably just need to be sedated."

Just as she finished her sentence gunfire was heard. Running footsteps and yelling became even louder. Automatic gunfire blasted through the hall.

"What the hell is going on?" Lyla asked, her feet frozen behind Shane.

Shane didn't answer though. He merely opened the door and peeked out. She saw his entire body tense, his stance, which just before had been relaxed, was now rigid with tension. And fear?

A minute later, the entire building shook. The power went out. The beeping that had been coming from Rick's machine stopped.

Quickly, Shane shut the door. "Get down behind the bed. Now."

"What?" Lyla asked, confused and fearful. Shane merely grabbed her arm and he began ushering her to where he commanded her to go. "What's going on?"

"I don't know but the army's here and they're shooting first and asking questions later." Shane got down behind her. "Be quiet. I saw them checking rooms."

As soon as the sentence left his mouth, Lyla heard the door open. Sweat began to gather on her brow, her hands shook as she heard a man yell, "Clear!"

The door shut a minute later, and she released a breath. But she didn't have much time to process anything. Shane was yanking her up a second later.

"I gotta get you out of here."

Suddenly, Lyla couldn't breathe. "Shane, I can't- I don't. What's happening?"

She was breathing but she couldn't get any air. Her heart was racing, her knees buckled from her standing position and she fell into a sitting position on Rick's bed. She hadn't felt like this since her dad was alive. Her breathing was hard and erratic, tears formed in her eyes.

Lyla heard Shane curse and a second later he was crouching in front of her. His hands cupped her face and his brown eyes looked into her own deeply.

"Breathe, Lyla. I'm right here. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

"But, why are they shooting people? I thought the army wasn't coming until later? Why-"

The building harshly shook again. The whirring of planes now could be heard in the distance.

"I don't know what's going on," Shane admitted, his own breathing coming harder. "But I do know I gotta get you outta here and somewhere safe. I'm gonna take you back to the station and-"

"Wait, my brothers!" Lyla yelled and pushed Shane away to stand. "I have to get to Daryl and Merle. I have no idea if they're okay or what's going on outside the hospital."

Shane stared at her for a minute. "I gotta get to Carl and Lori. I have to make sure they're okay."

Lyla's jaw dropped. "What? No, Shane, we have to get out of here together. If this is as bad as it seems my brothers and I have a cabin about an hour away from here. We can go there and wait for this craziness to die down." She grabbed his hands in hers. "Don't leave me."

/

Shane was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Automatic gunfire was still going off. Yelling could still be heard and people groaning, and gurgling seemed to be happening more than the actual yelling. Rick was as good as dead, and his girlfriend was having a panic attack. He still needed to get to Lori and Carl and make sure they were safe, and he had to keep them safe.

For Rick.

"We don't have time for this." Shane ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I can take you to the station. You can call your brothers there, Carl's a kid. I need to get to him. He's already lost one parent. I can't let him lose two."

Shane watched as Lyla's beautiful blue eyes began to grow wet. She was scared and so was he, but he needed to be strong for her right now.

"Let's just get to the parking lot," she answered after a moment. "I can drive to my brother's house."

"Lyla."

She put a hand up. "No, Shane. I respect what you have to do, I do. But you have to take care of yours and I need to take care of mine. I need to get to Merle and Daryl."

They did not have time for this.

Drawing his gun, Shane made eye contact with Lyla. "Stay behind me." He walked over to the door and opened it slightly. "Hold onto my belt loop and do not say anything. We need to be silent."

He watched her nod and she walked over to him, doing as he instructed. When he felt her hands on him, Shane pushed the door the rest of the way opened. What had been a neat and clean hallway just a half hour before, now looked like a war zone. The lights were flickering as the generator desperately tried to power the hospital, papers were everywhere. Blood spattered on the wall.

Bodies on the floor.

Shane grit his teeth and he heard Lyla's sharp intake of breath. She was shocked.

Yeah, so was he.

Just as he began walking toward where the emergency exit was, Shane stopped in his tracks. Lyla bumped into his back but froze as she saw what he saw.

Corpses walking. Like actual dead people up and walking.

"Shane…"

He didn't respond. Shane kept his gun drawn and slowly walked backward. "This way."

/

The outside was even worse than the inside. Car horns were blaring, people were screaming. The air was filled with smoke from fires that were not being contained. Lyla didn't know how to process any of this, so she did what she did best. Ignored it.

She didn't even protest when Shane quickly put her in his squad car. She sat stiffly in the passenger seat while he ran around and got into the drivers.

"I'll drop you off at Daryl's." Shane began to drive out of the crowded and hectic parking lot. Lyla's jaw dropped as she watched his car pass a tank. "I'm gonna ask you to stay there while I get Lori and Carl. I will meet you back there."

"My brothers won't want to stay any longer than necessary," she responded, her eyes wide as she took in the chaos happening in her town. "We'll probably head right to the cabin. I can give a map to get there."

Shane nodded. "That works."

Lyla absentmindedly directed Shane to her brother's house. Looking out the window as people attacked one another. Cars crashed into buildings.

"What is going on?" she asked quietly.

Shane didn't answer. Instead, he clicked on his radio and immediately reports of chaos began to come through. He unclipped his handheld and brought it to his mouth.

"This Officer Shane Walsh. What's going on Diane?"

Diane's voice came through, breaking up. "Crazy… At the station… Generator going out…"

Then nothing but white noise.

Shane cursed. "Diane? Diane?! This is Shane, do you copy?"

Nothing.

Lyla released a shaky breath. "That's not good."

Shane pulled into the driveway of Daryl's place. He parked the car and exited as she did. Daryl opened the door just as they began walking up to it. "Hurry up and get in."

Shane and Lyla quickly hustled in. Lyla noticed that bags were already packed, and a familiar 'meow' was heard from the other room.

"You got Gizmo?" Lyla asked in a soft voice, walking over to Daryl and hugging him tightly.

Daryl wasn't the touchy-feely type, but he hugged her back tightly before releasing her. "Yeah, I didn't know if you were gonna have time to get to your place. I got some of your shit." He looked over her shoulder at Shane and nodded.

His way of saying thank you for getting Lyla here safe.

"We should get going to the cabin. Merle's already on his way there. I called him before lines went out." Daryl began shouldering bags. "We're staying there till this shit dies down."

Lyla followed him out with bags as did Shane, loading them into the back bed of his blue pick-up truck. "I'll meet ya there," Shane said, brushing his hand down Lyla's cheek softly. "I might have a plus two."

Daryl scoffed. "We ain't runnin' a bed and breakfast."

Lyla turned to Daryl incredulously. "Daryl. He's coming whether you or Merle like it. So, I suggest you get used to the idea."

Lyla watched as her older brother rolled his eyes and laugh to himself. "Yeah, if he makes it." He swiftly turned around and began to walk back into the house. "We're leaving in five."

Brothers.

Turning back to Shane, Lyla wrapped him in a tight hug. His hands banded around her waist tightly and she felt him place a kiss on the top of her head. "I'll meet you there. I promise."

She nodded shakily, knowing he meant to keep that promise.

"Here," Lyla broke away from him and opened the passenger door of Daryl's truck. Withdrawing an extra map from the glove compartment and not the one in the passenger mirror, Lyla opened it. "The cabin is right off the highway. When you get off this exit, make a right at the stop sign and just keep going straight. It's pretty far deep but I'll keep the lantern on outside, so you can find. It."

Shane's face was set in stony determination. "I'll find it."

"I know you will."

Shane folded the map and took it from her. Abruptly, he cupped the back of her head. "I love you."

His mouth crashed over hers. Lyla's breath caught and she held onto his sides tightly. Her eyes began to water behind her closed lids, but she hardened herself. Shane was going to be fine. She focused on his lips dancing against hers. In a few hours, she would see him at the cabin.

He would be fine.

"Alright, break it up, kids." Daryl came out, holding Gizmo's small traveling bag and locked his door behind him. "Time to go, Ly."

Shane and Lyla moved apart from one another and her officer helped her into the car. Daryl got in next to her and put Gizmo between them, then started the truck.

"I will see you in a little bit."

Lyla nodded and caressed his face smiling slightly when he leaned into her touch. "I know. And when I see you, I'm gonna kill you for doing this."

A naughty smirk came over Shane's face. "With pleasure."

"I need you to back your car out," Daryl said, ruining their moment. He squinted his eyes at them. "Ya might not want to do this shit in front of Merle. He's a mean fuck who already doesn't like ya."

Shane's eyebrows raised. "Noted."

/
3:00 PM
Grimes' House

Shane watched as Lori hectically ran around her house. Throwing various things in bags in preparation for leaving her house for an unknown amount of time. He felt for her. Before going to their place, he had gone home. He took his go-bag he always kept just in case of emergencies and traded his police vehicle for his own Jeep Wrangler.

"You got everything, bud?" Shane asked Carl, who was now making his way down the stairs holding a backpack and duffel bag. Shane approved.

Carl nodded. "Y-yeah. I think so."

"Toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, underwear…" Shane began to list things off and Carl nodded for each one. Not like the kid wasn't used to packing for himself, he went on vacation with his parents every summer.

But this wasn't any type of vacation the kid would be used to.

"You almost ready, Lori?" Shane asked, trying to keep the impatience out of his voice but not quite hiding the urgency he felt. "We got about an hour drive ahead of us. I wanna get on the road before it gets even crazier."

If that was possible.

The brunette ran into the parlor and dropped two bags near him. "What do you mean hour? We're not going to Atlanta? To the CDC?"

Shane frowned. "No, that's the last place we should be going. The city is the most populated. I ain't going there and risking all of us." He sighed, guess it was time to tell her where they were going. "We're meeting Lyla and her brothers at their cabin."

Lori's eyes bugged out of her head. "What?!" She yelled. "I am not bringing Carl there. Are you insane?"

Frustrated, Shane threw his arms up. "I don't know what you want me to do Lori! I bring you and him to Atlanta we're all dead. At least this way we have a chance."

"Oh please, you just wanna go there so you can fuck your little girlfriend," Lori replied callously. "Don't stand here and lie to me and say this is for our benefit."

Shane's control snapped. "I do want to see my girlfriend, Lori. Do you understand what I gave up coming here?" He asked her angrily, forgetting Carl was in the next room and could hear them. "I could have been on my way to safety with the love of my life but instead I'm stuck here, in danger, trying to convince my dead best friend's wife to come with me so I can keep her safe." He shook his head angrily and laugh disbelievingly. "Check your fucking privilege, woman."

"If you don't want to be here then go!" Lori yelled, pointed to her closed front door. "Nobody is making you do this."

"I don't want Shane to go," Carl's little voice cut through their argument, forcing them both to stop and look at him, holding onto his backpack and duffel bag tightly. "I feel safe with him."

Lori released a breath and a ran a hand through her curled hair. She looked away from both of them and didn't say anything.

Fuck's sake. The last thing he wanted to do was traumatize Carl anymore. He walked away from Lori and patted Carl's head affectionately as he walked past him. "Five minutes."

/
7:00 PM

The sun was starting to set, and Shane, Lori, and Carl were stuck on the highway. This was exactly what he wanted to avoid. The exit they needed to get off of was so close. Five more minutes driving and they would have been home-free.

Carl sat obediently in the back seat, quietly reading one of his comic books.

Poor kid. Shane felt for him. Losing a parent is the end of the world for some, for Carl, it seemed like it would mean that literally.

Lori, however, wasn't so patient. "What is taking so long?"

"I don't know," Shane answered. He unclipped his seatbelt and opened his door. "Stay in here with Carl. I'm gonna walk ahead and see what's going on."

It seemed like others had Shane's idea because many people were strolling along the highway too. Small conversations could be heard but Shane ignored them for the most part. Nobody seemed to know what was going on.

This highway was the highway that connected to another major highway, one that led to Atlanta. Shane should have guessed that this would be an issue. Part of him wanted to tell Lori and Carl to get their things and they'd walk to rest of the way to the cabin, but it would be dark soon and he didn't want to be out there with those things. Besides, he didn't even really know where he was going.

"Is that Carol Peletier?"

Lori's voice behind him startled Shane, he turned around with a curse to see the petite brunette behind him. "Lori, I said to stay in the car. What about Carl?"

"I took the keys and locked up," Lori said, obviously feeling secure that her son was safe. "But I know her, wait."

Before Shane could stop her, Lori walked over to the woman with buzzed gray hair. She leaned against an old yellow Jeep Grand Cherokee, holding a little girl no older than four in her arms. Shane shook his head but reluctantly followed her over.

"-and Ed is somewhere ahead. He's trying to see why we're stuck here," Shane heard Carol finish telling Lori as he approached.

Lori played tenderly ran her hand over the preschooler's blonde head that was rested on Carol's shoulder. "We're curious too. That's why we're out here." Lori looked behind her at Shane and coughed slightly. "Shane, this is Carol Peletier and her daughter Sophia. Carol, this is officer Shane Walsh. He's Rick's partner."

Carol smiled warmly at him. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Shane nodded at her. "Wish it were under better circumstances though."

"Who the hell are all you folk?" A heavyset man with a mean mug walked over.

Lori stiffened and a curt smile overtook her face, something that told Shane that she didn't like the man. "Ed, nice to see you again."

Ed looked Lori up and down but otherwise ignored her. He turned to Carol. "Get back in the truck. I don't need you causing trouble."

Shane watched as Carol's eyes went downcast and submissively did as she was asked. Just as she was about to go in, a large explosion was heard. Immediately, they looked to where the sound came from. Before their eyes, they watched the town that they loved be bombed.

/
11:00 PM
Dixon Cabin

Now changed into sweatpants and a tank top, Lyla sat on the front porch of the cabin with Gizmo in her lap. She stroked him absentmindedly while she looked toward the direction of the road. The minute anybody turned down their long dirt road, she'd be able to see their headlights.

Lyla was growing increasingly worried every minute. Shane should have been here hours ago. The television stopped working, the generators running were the only thing giving the family-sized cabin power.

The screen door creaked open, making Lyla and Gizmo's head turn toward the disturbance. When she saw it was Merle, she tensed. Sure, they had a heartfelt reunion and he was just as happy to see her alive and well like she was with him, but there was an unspoken tension between them. When she told him that Shane was coming with Lori and Carl, he didn't say anything, which was rare. Instead of yelling and arguing, he grabbed his gun and said he was going hunting.

She didn't know if he meant for those dead things or animals.

Merle cracked open a beer and took a seat on the other bench. He didn't say anything and that just made Lyla more on-edge. A volatile Merle she could handle, a hurt Merle she couldn't.

"I'm happy you're okay," Lyla settled on saying softly. Listening to the insects' buzz around her calmed her a bit.

Merle chuckled and drank his beer heartily. "I can't let anythin' happen to me. I gotta take care of ya. Since your man done got himself killed day one."

Her head turned sharply toward him. Fuck this. "I'm sick of your bullshit. I love Shane and he loves me. When he gets here, I expect you to not say 'fuck off' as a greeting."

Merle laughed again, irritating her even more. "So sure he'll get here. Lyla Jane, if he ain't here now, he ain't coming."

Her eyes watered and she looked away from him, instead focusing on the road in the distance. She had the same fears but goddamn, Merle was being such a prick about it.

He must have sensed the change in her though because Merle stood up and walked over to her. He tucked a stray curl behind her ear, but she didn't look up at him. "Come inside, Lyla Jane. It's late and it's been a helluva day. I want you to get some rest."

Lyla turned her head up to him, not being able to stop the tear that streaked down her face. "But I need to be here when he comes."

"Lyla…"

Just as she was about to get up and begrudgingly follow Merle's orders, headlights came into view.

"Merle, look!"

Lyla stood quickly, Gizmo jumped off her lap and ran back into the house. Merle followed her line of sight and cursed. Lyla didn't care if he was mad Shane was here, she couldn't explain the relief she felt.

"Damn, how many people did he bring here?" Merle asked angrily. "Fuck. Does he think this is a hotel or some shit?"

Lyla's eyes widened in surprise as she saw multiple cars make their way to the cabin. And was that an R.V.?

She didn't care. He could have brought the entire world population—well what was left of it—and Lyla wouldn't care. Shane was alive and he was here and that was the only thing that mattered to her right now.

The smile overtook her face as she saw Shane's Jeep lead the way before parking near Daryl and Merle's bike. One huge R.V. and van followed, along with two other cars. Lyla didn't focus on those so much. Instead, she watched with uncontained excitement as Shane's car turned off.

She felt frozen, she had started walking off the porch and to the driveway, but her feet seemed to freeze at the bottom of the three steps of the porch. Merle scoffed and she heard the screen door creak open, signaling Daryl had come out.

"I told him, we weren't running a bed and breakfast." She heard Daryl say, exasperated.

"You knew he was comin' with more people?"

"I knew he was coming with a chick and her kid. Not what was left of Georgia."

Lyla ignored her bickering brothers and finally made herself move to where Shane was now exiting his car. Her heart was racing, her hands were shaking. His brown eyes sparkled with exhaustion, but also with relief.

"I told you I'd get here." Were the first words out of his mouth.

She nodded wordlessly and walked over to him, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. "Just so I could kill you for worrying me like that."

He chuckled but didn't say anything more as his lips met hers in a fiery kiss. She leaned up and kissed him back just as passionately. Her entire body came alive under his touch and for the first time since this morning, she felt as if everything might turn out okay.

"Is this your girlfriend, Shane?"

Shane broke the kiss with Lyla and looked into the Car where a little boy sat, an almost goofy looking smile on his face.

Carl, she gathered.

Lyla blushed, a rarity, and loved that Shane didn't remove his grip from her. "Yeah, buddy. This is Lyla." Shane looked from Carl to Lyla, making her blush, even more, when he smiled at her. "Lyla, this is Carl."

Realizing now that Lori was in the car, Lyla slightly waved to her, not removing her grip from Shane. The rest of the others slowly made their way out of their vehicles.

Which is when Merle's patience ran out.

"Hold it, hold it, hold it," Her eldest brother's raspy voice rang out. "I don't know what officer Walsh has been tellin' you folks but we sure as shit ain't runnin' a B and B. So best get back in your automobiles and get goin'."

Lyla's eyes widened. "Merle!"

"Dammit, Lyla Jane, don't you even start with me." Merle pointed a finger at her, threateningly. "You're lucky I let him and those those two stay. Much less a whole caravan of fuckers I don't know."

When Lyla looked to Daryl for support, he merely shrugged. "Don't look at me. I told you."

The last thing she wanted was an 'I told you so' from Daryl.

"Listen, Merle," Shane started, releasing Lyla and walking over to her brothers. "I know we ain't the best of friends." Merle snorted. "But these people need help. We all have a better chance at surviving until this thing blows over. Strength in numbers."

Her brother was stubborn. Merle crossed his arms over his chest. "More mouths to feed."

Shane put his hands on his hips and looked straight at Merle. "I didn't want to do this," Shane started and shook his head. "Look you owe me for not locking your ass up when you shot me. That could have lasted you a year in prison, possibly more with your record. You wouldn't even be here right now if I had done that."

Lyla froze. Shane decided to now talk about Merle shooting him? In front of everyone? He was giving everyone a horrible first impression of her brother.

Not like Merle was doing a great job of that himself, she thought to herself with a scowl.

Having enough of the boys talking, Lyla walked over and put a hand on Merle's arm. "We can't just send these people back out there. It's not safe. What if it were me? Wouldn't you want someone to be nice enough to give me shelter and security."

Merle softened for a split second before his icy eyes raged again. "Yeah, well, it ain't you." He then directed his glare at Shane. "And I shot you for fucking my baby sister and I had to find out from your buddies at the bar."

"Maybe for the night it won't hurt," Daryl said abruptly, surprising the hell out of Lyla. "Merle lemme talk to you for a minute."

Merle swung his head around to glare at Daryl, but something in his expression made him pause. Without a word, Merle followed Daryl inside. The slamming of the screen door was the only sound for a few seconds.

A young Asian man stepped forward from where he was leaning against the R.V. "So, does that mean we can stay?"

/
Hours later

Lyla laid down on her bed, grinning like an idiot when she saw Shane open her door and close it behind him. She still wasn't over the shock of seeing him.

"Everybody all settled?" she asked, sitting up from where she was laying down.

She had finally met all the newcomers and she liked them, for the most part. The oldest man, Dale, was a sweetheart and she liked his niece Amy but her sister Andrea seemed to have a stick up her ass—but she was trying not to judge since this was probably the worst day of all of their lives. They had found and picked up a small Asian man, Glenn, who was delivering a pizza when shit hit the fan. He was a quirky thing. The African American woman, Jacqui was sweet and she accompanied a man who introduced himself as 'T-Dog' and Jim, who apparently all were coming from a late church service. The Morales family seemed sweet, Juan and Claire were a kind married a couple with two quiet kids, Matt and Sarah. She despised the last man she met, Ed Peletier and his wife Carol was a submissive little thing, ever obedient to her husband's demands. Their daughter, Sophia, was cute though.

Shane nodded with a heavy sigh and began to shrug out of his t-shirt, next came off his shoes. "Dale and his nieces are sleeping in their R.V., Glenn decided to bunk with them. Morales took the living room couches with Jacqui, T-Dog, and Jim. The Peletier's preferred to sleep in their car. Lori and Carl have the guest room."

Across the hall.

Lyla held out her hand for Shane to join her and he did so eagerly. She reached over to turn off the light and they were covered in darkness. All Lyla felt was peace. Their world was falling apart but, for right now, she in Shane's arms and they had both survived their chaotic surroundings and made it back to each other. Like they promised.

"I love you," Shane said softly, kissing her lips gently, as if she might break.

Lyla grinned and kissed him back. "I love you too."

They didn't say anything for a long while. Just held each other and lazily kissed one another, both overcome with exhaustion, their adrenaline of the day finally wearing off.

"So, what do we do next?" Lyla asked softly. The future seemed so unclear now.

Shane sighed and held her tighter. "We take it one day at a time, Lil Bird."

A/N: Two updates in one week? Is it Christmas or what? I'm on spring break so I figure I should finally finish this project. I was going to split this chapter but I decided against it, hope you're all okay with that! I like the way it looks having five chapters for a sequel .. idk I have OCD or something. The prequel is officially over and boy am I glad lol. I'm so excited to write about season one and finally start incorporating walkers into the story. I have so many ideas! Keep your eye out for the first chapter of "The Walking Dead: New Beginnings". I'll probably start posting this summer, but don't hold me to that because I'm not reliable haha. As always, thank you so much for all the reviews/follows/favorites! They motivate me more than you know. See ya soon!