virago|c.g.|

xii

As they entered the office, shutting the door hastily, Clary's eyes fell upon a table where Tara laid, Eugene holding up her head. Hearing the shutting door, Glenn looked up towards the girl as she moved closer, giving her a nod before her eyes landed on Tara. "How is she?" Clary asked, to which Eugene shook his head. "She has serious head trauma. She's losing blood fast." Clary bit the inside of her cheek, wondering what they could do to help the woman. "Do we have a med kit? Anything to help at least?" Clary asked before she looked around the room, waiting for an answer until Nicholas shook his head. "Med kit was in Aiden's pack. It got blown to hell." With that answer, Glenn looked to the girl. "There's another one in the van—" Glenn was cut off as a frustrated Eugene looked up with terror in his eyes. "She's on her way out. We need to get her there." Glenn nodded, determination in his eyes. "Alright, we'll get her there." Without a second though, Glenn moved forward to help Eugene with Tara. However, they all stopped in their tracks upon hearing a familiar voice become louder than the groans of walkers. At first it was just grunts, then screams of pain, until words formed painful cries. "Help! Somebody!" Clary's eyes widened as she realized why the voice was so familiar.

The rest of the group realized the same thing as Nicholas move towards the window. "Oh, Jesus—" Nicholas began until Clary turned to him, their eyes meeting to where he could see confusion in her gaze transform into anger. "I told you to check if he was still alive!" Clary shouted to Nicholas, his eyes wide as he tried to make his voice heard above the sounds of pain coming from what had been his assumed dead friend. "I thought he was! I— I checked—" Clary pushed past him, opening the blinds and looking past the Infected to see Aidan writhing in pain. She pulled away from the foggy glass, looking towards Glenn with a clenched jaw. "We have to help him," Clary said softly, knowing he was an asshole but also knowing no one deserves to die in so much pain. "It's going to take around at least three of us," Glenn responded as Noah looked between the members of the group. "We got that kind of time?" Noah questioned, silence hanging among the survivors before Nicholas shook his head. "We pull Aiden from there, we could kill him." Glenn looked to the man, surprise and slight anger on his face. "So you're saying we should leave him?" Glenn questioned, his eyes growing dark at the suggestion the man was making. Knowing they were wasting time, Clary let out sharp breath. "No, we save him. Eugene and I will protect Tara. Glenn, take Noah and Nicholas and get Aiden." Seeing their surprised faces at her commands, the girl shook her head. "Go, now!"

Immediatly, the group prepared their weapons and themselves to carry out the rescue mission. As they did so, Clary looked towards Eugene before approaching, the man looking to her with fear in his eyes. "Eugene, please tell me you can do this." Eugene looked between Tara and Clary, his bottom lip quivering slightly before he shook his head. "At this very moment, ma'am, I do not believe I have the strength or capacity to be able to—" Clary hated bullshit, and when she heard him rambling she went around to his side, grabbed his collar and forced him to look at Tara. "Damnit, Eugene, do you see her?" Clary questioned, the man nodding profusely. "She will die if you do not help me protect her, okay? So quit being afraid and step up!" Clary demanded, pulling away from the man and backing away slightly. "Got it?" With wide eyes, Eugene nodded his head vigorously as he faced the girl. "Yes ma'am." She nodded her head once before turning away from the man and looking to the others. Her eyes met Glenn's, the man giving a quick nod of assurance to her before exiting the room with Nicholas and Noah following close behind.

As they shut the door, Clary stayed by the table in the middle of the office, looking through the blinds to make sure the room was secure. Her eyes were keen on watching the scene unfold, ready to help at a moments notice. "So how does a young'n like you prepare to fight to the death and not be afraid of it?" Clary looked back to see Eugene wrapping fabric around Tara's head to hold the bleeding. He looked at Clary with expecting eyes, but she could only shake her head. "Who says I'm not?" Clary questioned, the man's questioning gaze almost softening as she shook her head. "I'm not afraid to fight. If I had been, I wouldn't have survived this long. But I am afraid about letting any fear or doubt control me, because that's how people get hurt. That's how people die." Eugene looked confusedly at her, causing her to let out a sharp sigh. "Even though I hardly know you or your group, I'm terrified of losing any of you because for today, you are my crew. I need to have your backs and I won't let fear or not knowing each other be the reason any of you die." Eugene nodded. "That's a mighty honorable code to follow." Clary only shrugged, not thinking much of said code. "Just one of many—" her sentence drifted off as her eyes caught the blinding white light of the outside, an open door giving her hope. She looked over to Eugene to see him already looking at it before his eyes met hers. "You carry her, I'll cover you. We'll get her to the van and draw out some walkers, okay?" Eugene nodded, quickly turning off his flashlight before throwing Tara over his shoulder. Giving a quick countdown, Clary opened the door before leading Eugene and Tara through the moans and groans of Infected.