Three against the world

4

"You're killing us" Rick shouted at the camera. We made it to the CDC and the sun was almost down, the walkers were coming out "Rick!" Shane yelled. I had Carl squished behind me, Daryl came up on one side while Merle came seconds later "Rick!" just as I yelled a bright light blinded us for a moment and the deafening sound of the door opening up filled the quiet night "Get your stuff once this door closed it won't open again" the man who pointed a shotgun at us said that's not good I thought, everyone ran off to get their things while Daryl stayed with me. I always carried my pack and told Carl to take his. The man still had his gun raised at us. I had Carl behind me. Daryl stepped in front of me beside Rick, my boys are so protective "You all submit to a blood test that's the price of admission"

Rick had to hold Carl down while he drew his blood, the kid wasn't a fan of needles. I took off my coat and started to draw my own blood "Do that often?" Jenner jokes "I'm O-neg, I was a walking blood bank out in the field" Jenner stops when he sees how serious I was "That's lucky" he mumbles. I noticed Andrea staring at my blood bag tattoo just above my elbow, she looked away and scoffed when I smirked at her. "Your voice is familiar" Jenner looked up at me as I labelled my tube "The named y/n grimes, we talked a few weeks ago" Jenner nodded and put the vials of our blood in the cooler "I thought you were dead" I chuckled a little "not yet" Jenner smiled softly "that should be everyone's new moto 'not yet' its good"

After some heavy drinking, we made our way to our rooms "Can you take Carl for a bit" Carol smiled and winked at me "Thank you" Closing the door behind me I locked it, Rick was taking his shirt off, and he got his pants unzipped before he noticed I was there "hey" his low gruff voice that I loved so much. He used his thumb to pull my bottom lip from my teeth and slammed his lips to mine. It was rough and passionate. I deepened the kiss by wrapping my arms around his neck, and he took this opportunity to pick me up and slammed me up against the wall.

"Thanks, Carol" I heard Rick whisper, the door let in the light while he carried a sleeping Carl to his bed, a small knock made me pull my eyes to the door, "mind if I bunk with ye? Merle locked the door'' Rick moved out of the way and let him in. I was in the middle of the small pullout couch. Rick climbed in on my left, a few seconds of silence then I felt the bed tip to my right, "she sleeping?" he asked no "Yeah, she doesn't sleep well though, the nightmares hit her hard'' Daryl hummed and laid down

I rolled over and snuggled into Daryl, he was on his side so my face was right into his chest, Daryl went stiff almost like he wasn't, let alone one of this nature. I felt the bed move as Rick tried and failed to stifle his laugh. "She likes to do that, you'll get used to it." Rick spooned me, draping his arm over me and Daryl. My brow twitched, Rick snoring behind me and, Daryl snoring in front of me and Carl just had to get the snoring game too. I lightly huffed and tried to fall asleep, I was really warm. Rick was a human furnace himself but Daryl was one too? At least I won't be cold in the winter.

I woke up alone, when was the last time I wasn't woken by nightmares I asked myself and got out of bed, I had gotten used to sleeping on the floor or the hard place but the sofa bed still remains my enemy, stretching out my back I made my way over to my bag and started sifting through it. I pulled out a pair of Rick's sweatpants, and I didn't bother changing out of his shirt. "Morning' sweet cheeks" Merle smiled as T placed a plate of powdered eggs in front of him, "morning'" I sat between Rick and Carl and a plate of powdered eggs was in front of me. Daryl sat on the other side of Carl. "Can I have another plate?" Carl asked T., "Sorry Carl, only enough for one plate each" While talking to Rick about what was next I slid my plate over to Carl "Thanks, Mom!"

Both Rick and Daryl took half of their food and put it in front of me "Ye' should eat'' the man of few words spoke before walking out of the room, Lori looked as angry as ever and Andrea rolled her eyes, i knew those who didn't have soulmarks were more likely to get jealous but dum girls there's still plenty of fish in the sea as they say. "Carl, why don't you play with Sophia?" Lori told him don't mother my child Lori ''finish eating then you can go play" I told Carl pushing his plate back in front of him "But I'm full" he complained

"Eat, you don't know the next time you'll be eating" he grumbled and stuffed the remaining food into his mouth, and ran off "Don't overpower me y/n Carl is my son," Lori said through gritted teeth, the only reason she's doing this is that Rick isn't here "no Lori he's not, you divorced Rick and signed full custody to him and I legally adopted carl, you had the option to be in his life you gave him up" I stormed out of the room frustrated I was going to put a bullet in her head sooner rather than later if she kept this shit up.

I plopped on the sofa in the rec room. "Ye ok" Merle sat beside me and watched the kids play Candy Land, everyone went to talk to Jenner, I didn't know how much I had left in me for the whole end-of-the-world science talk. "Lori thinks now that the world went to shit Carl's her son again" Carl was 2 when Lori signed over her parental rights and I adopted him so he knows everything, we never hid it from him. "put her in 'er place" he gently hit my shoulder and chuckled, this merle and the one I found in the woods a while ago was a drastic change.

The AC stopped and the kids complained like they do "What do ya think it's about'' I shrugged "This place takes a lot of energy to run, it's got to cut something off to keep itself going" I was worried though the hair on the back of my neck was standing up and I got a bad feeling. Rick burst into the rec room "pack your bags now!" I knew this place was too good to be true Merle picked up Carl and I had Sophia and we ran to our rooms ''wheres my mom" she cried "I'm sure she's packing your things, I'll take you to your room once I'm done" she nodded and held her doll close as she got scared.

"Rick, what's happening" Shane and Daryl tried to break the glass "That won't work" I yelled to them "We gotta try" Daryl yelled back Merle came over to me and told the kids it would be ok, I was over by Rick and Daryl and scanned the room looking for some emergence switch, I haven't been in a CDC building so I wasn't sure if they had one "Rick, I think I have something" carol came up to rick "A nail file won't help carol" fucking Shane she healed out a grenade "I found it in your clothes when I did laundry" go carol! "Get down" I ran over and covered the kids with Merle we did the best we could and Daryl covered Rick, "let's go" Daryl pulled Merle up, I shook my head trying to stop the ringing in my ears but it didn't work, I was dazed my breathing gets heavier and I knew an episode of PTSD was bound to happen, Rick pulled me up and I was on autopilot as I followed him, my vision flashing from the pristine white floor of the CDC to the dry sandy ground of the desert and back again.

Dale made it out just before the place blew "An-ea?" Lori asked if my ears were still ringing. I couldn't hear properly and my eyes were blurry like a bright light was shone in my eyes. Dale just shook his head and went to the RV. Daryl cupped my face and made me look at him I could see him turn his head and say something but I didn't hear it, when he turned his head back it was Abe who looked at me, his face dusty and helmet charred, smoke rose in the background and pieces of rock and other debris exploded into the air "move soldier!" he yelled when I blinked Daryl and Rick was in my face concerned "im-I'm fine" rubbing my eyes I shook my head to shake the memory from my mind. I felt a hand on my shoulder but I wasn't paying attention, I was watching the building burn were truly on our own now "Baby?" I turned to see Rick's and Daryl's concerned faces "I'm good, just some ringing in my ears is all"