Jim had decided to stay behind.

He was tired, and sicker, just like Jacqui had said. So they'd left leaning against a tree on the side of the highway, and said their goodbyes.

Connie and Holly had both given him hugs before going back to Daryl's truck. Now the three sat in silence as they drove. Holly had fallen asleep, and Connie was staring blankly out the window.

It was still light out, but she'd never felt more tired in her life. Maybe it was the weight of realizing they'd already lost another person to the awful world they now lived in. Or maybe it was from the events the previous night that sent them on the road in the first place.

Or maybe it was because she was beaten into the ground by someone double her size, and her face was bruised beyond recognition.

"How's the face?" Daryl asked gruffly.

Connie glanced over at him and sighed. "Hurts like an SOB, but it's better than it was yesterday," she sighed tiredly.

Daryl nodded and Connie watched him glance over at Holly before returning his attention to the road. She smiled faintly, which he apparently noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing," Connie chuckled. She tucked a loose strand of Holly's hair behind her ear. "I just find it funny how much she absolutely adores you."

"It is pretty strange," he murmured in agreement, the corner of his lips twitching into a small smile.

Connie let out a small sigh and reclined her seat back slightly so she wasn't as upright. "Wake me up when we get there, 'kay?"

"Will do."

🧠🏹🦠

She felt a light hand awkwardly nudge her shoulder, and she forced her eyes open.

Daryl was standing outside her open door with Holly at his side, her small hand holding the hem of his sleeveless plaid shirt. She still looked tired, but they all were.

"We're here," Daryl mumbled gruffly, setting a hand on the top of Holly's head.

Connie smiled faintly as she undid her seatbelt and slid out of the car, grabbing her net-less lacrosse stick and holding it tightly in her hand. She looked over at Glenn as they all climbed out of their respected cars and gave him a curt nod. When she received one back, she followed Daryl around the front of the truck.

The smell of all the bodies was enough to make her gag. She could hear swarms of flies buzzing around, and lifted Holly onto her back so she could hide from the gruesome sight.

Bodies were piled on top of the barricades that had previously been set up by the military for means of protection. They littered the streets and sidewalks, pools of diseased blood beneath them.

"Stay behind me," Daryl muttered, eyeing Holly for a moment before turning around.

She didn't hesitate to nod. "You don't need to tell me twice," Connie muttered.

She walked next to Daryl at the back of the group, one hand set under Holly's bum while the other held her lacrosse stick like a cane. Neither of them said anything, but Daryl pointed his crossbow at every single body they walked past.

"Keep moving, guys," Shane hissed from where he was walking on the outside of the group. Everyone loaded their guns.

"I'm scared, momma," Holly whimpered, burying her face in Connie's shoulder.

"That's okay, baby," Connie murmured, gently stroking her frizzy hair. "We're all scared too, it just means we're still alive, okay?" When she felt Holly nod against her shoulder, she sighed.

The sun was beginning to set, making it harder for them to see where the bodies were. She had to watch her feet each step she took to ensure she didn't step on something. Or someone.

Connie tried to hold back a cough and carefully put Holly's face in her shoulder. Daryl handed her a fairly bandana. "Cover her mouth and nose with it," he explained quietly, avoiding her eyes.

"Thank you," Connie murmured with a grateful smile. After making sure a majority of Holly's face was covered by the bandana and her face was hidden in her shoulder, they caught up with the group.

"Okay keep moving, stay together," Rick ordered quietly.

Connie ignored the way her heart pounded in her chest, and tried to even her breathing out to avoid panic. She didn't want to scare Holly.

"Come on," Daryl muttered to her. "Keep moving, were almost there." Connie exhaled sharply and moved closer to him. The longer she spent walking through the sea of bodies, she more she wanted to cry.

That's reasonable, isn't it? She thought. The sight of dead bodies is supposed to make you cry.

When the reached the front doors, Connie watched as Rick and Shane tried their best to get the metal shutters off the ground.

"Anything?" Shane grunted. Rick shook his head.

Shane knocked loudly on the door, but nothing happened.

"There's nobody here," T-Dog breathed.

"Then why are these shutters down," Rick retorted, his tone full or desperation.

Connie set Holly on the ground and kept a hand between her shoulder blades. "If the monsters come, you go to Rick and Lori, understand?" She murmured gently. When Holly nodded, Connie straightened herself out and held onto her lacrosse stick tighter.

"Walkers!" Daryl hollered from behind her.

Connie immediately pushed Holly towards Lori and stepped forwards, swallowing thickly. She stood next to Daryl, who had his crossbow raised.

Lori and Carl let out quiet sobs, and Connie felt tears well up in her eyes. She fought them away, of course, but she could feel her heart racing in her chest.

Daryl released a bolt into one of the walkers head, and it crumpled to the ground. Then he whirled around and stomped over to Rick. "You led us into a damn graveyard!"

"He made a call," Dale yelled back in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

"It was the wrong damn call!" Daryl snarled, stalking towards Rick.

"Shut up!" Shane bellowed, blocking Daryl's path and poking his chest harshly. "You hear me man? Shut up."

"All of you need to stuff it!" Connie screamed, swinging her lacrosse stick down onto a walkers head. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she could feel bile rising up her throat as the walkers wandered closer and closer. "It doesn't matter who's fault this is! We need to get out of here!"

"This is a dead end, Rick," Shane panted nervously. "Do you hear me? No blame."

"Where are we gonna go!" Carol sobbed, holding tightly onto Sophia.

Connie glanced back, her panic disappearing slightly when she saw Lori holding onto Carl, who had Holly in a tight hug with her face hidden in his shoulder.

"She's right, we can't be this close to the city after dark," Lori choked out, her voice full of immense panic.

"Fort Benning, Rick," Shane suggested worriedly. "Still an option."

"On what?" Andrea snapped as she stepped forwards. "No food, no fuel. That's a hundred miles!"

"A hundred-twenty-five," Glenn corrected her, his eyes flittering around nervously. "I checked the map."

"I don't care where we go," Connie grunted, spearing another walker through the head with her stick. "I just want to get out of here."

"Forget Fort Benning!" Lori snapped. "We need answers tonight — now!"

"We'll think of something," Rick promised, running a hand through his hair in a stressed manor.

"Momma I'm scared," Connie heard Holly whisper with teary eyes.

Before she could even say anything, Daryl had lifted Holly onto his hip and was rubbing her back. "Nothin' is gonna happen to you, alright?" He murmured, setting a hand on the back if her head.

Connie paused for a moment to watch them with a small smile. This was a side of Daryl that nobody saw often, and Holly seemed to be the only person who could bring it out in him.

She was brought out of her calm moment when she heard the snarls of walkers. She swallowed thickly, clenched her jaw, stalked forwards, and began swinging her stick. Again and again and again. Blood was splattered on her bare forearms, the odd bit hitting her face. She fought away the urge to gag, and did her best to tune out whatever argument was happening behind her. They didn't have much time, but Connie was willing to hold off the walkers if it meant they'd make a decision.

There was a light bump on her bicep that caused her to turned around.

"It's a no-go," Daryl murmured. "We gotta get out of here."

"Alright," Connie breathed, returning her attention to the growing herd. "You keep a hold of her and stay behind me." Daryl just nodded.

Connie prepared herself to charge into the approaching walkers when a loud screeching sound filled the air. In place of the darkness came a bright, white light. Connie slowly turned around, periodically glancing behind her uneasily.

The metal shutters had lifted open.

Rick had been right to bring them to the CDC.

They all stared at the open door in shock for a moment. Shane was the first to snap out of his trance. "Alright Daryl, Connie, you cover the back. Give Holly to Lori and Carl."

Daryl did just that and Connie spun on her heel, spearing the nearest walker she could find. Most of them were far away so her and Daryl didn't have to do much.

Once everyone was inside, Daryl gave her arm a light nudge.

Connie slowly walked backwards, her stick raised as she watched the approaching walkers carefully. When she felt she was a safe distance away, she turned around and jogged after Daryl into the building.

"Watch for walkers!" Dale ordered as she slowed to a stop.

"Will do," Connie murmured. After making sure Holly was with Carl — she was holding onto his hand and was practically attached to his hip — she leaned against the closed doorway and readied her stick.

"Hello!" She heard someone above them call out.

Connie spun around and readied her stick to throw. She wasn't sure how far it would go, or if it was even able to wound the speaker, but if this was someone not looking to help, then every bit would count. Everyone cocked their guns and aimed them in the direction the voice came from.

"Is anyone infected?" The man called out. Connie followed the sound and found a man leaned against one of the hallway walls, a machine gun aimed at them.

"One of our group was," Rick answered carefully after a moment, his gun held still. "He didn't make it."

"Why are you here and what do you want," the man hurried out, slowly emerging from the hallway and walking towards them.

"A chance," Rick replied shakily.

Connie looked at Holly for a moment before returning her gaze to the man who had opened the door for them. "That's asking an awful lot these days," he murmured.

"I know," Rick breathed.

The man studied them all carefully, taking in their terrified demeanors. Then he sighed. "You all submit to a blood test," he said finally. "That's the price of submission."

"We can do that," Rick nodded immediately.

The man lowered his gun, and Connie let out a sigh of relief. She slouched against the doorframe, pulling Holly into as she ran away from Carl.

"If you've got stuff to bring in, you get it now," the man told them. "Once this door closes it stays closed."

Rick nodded. Him, Glenn, T-Dog, and Shane jogged out of the building. Connie prepared herself to go, but Daryl shook his head. "You stay here," he muttered. "I'll grab it."

Before she could say yes or no, he was already gone.

Connie stood up and lifted Holly onto her hip and slowly made her way over to Lori and Carl, who seemed just as shaken up as she was.

"How's she holdin' up?" Lori asked softly, gesturing to Holly, who was trying not to fall asleep on her shoulder.

"She's alright," Connie murmured, moving hair from Holly's face. "Just scared and tired."

"We all are," Lori sighed, giving Holly's back a gentle and comforting rub.

"And we've got every right to be," Connie nodded, holding back a yawn.

Moments later Daryl and the others came jogging in with the bags. T-Dog and Dale quickly shut the doors behind them.

Glenn dropped his things in a pile off to the side before he wandered over to her. "I found this in the RV," he murmured, handing over a small stuffed pink rabbit. "I'm thinking it's Holly's."

"Yeah, that's Peanut," Holly yawned, making grabby hands for it to convey her message. "Thanks Glenn."

Connie smiled faintly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Where are you gonna sleep?" She asked quietly, following Glenn over to Daryl, who was waiting to give them their belongings.

"Probably with T-Dog, since I know Holly is gonna want you to room with Daryl," Glenn grinned as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Fair enough," Connie chuckled. "You can come and find me if you need anything, you know that right?"

" 'Course I do," Glenn snorted. He offered her a small smile. "I'll let you grab your stuff."

Connie slowly walked towards Daryl, not wanting to wake Holly, who was now fast asleep in her arms. She carefully took her duffle-bag back from him and slid it over her shoulder, making sure she didn't make any sudden movements.

Then they followed the man — Doctor Edwin Jenner, as he'd introduced himself — to the elevator.

Connie stood next to Daryl in the far corner, leaning her back against the back of the elevator. She closed her eyes as she tried to fight off exhaustion, but soon found herself half asleep against the elevator wall.

When they'd reached the floor Jenner was bringing them to, Daryl gave her a light nudge. After staring ahead blearily for a moment, Connie straightened herself out and followed them down the hallway.

"Are we under ground?" Carol asked Jenner nervously, readjusting her bag on her shoulder.

"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked, turning slightly to look at her.

"A little," Carol admitted softly.

"Try not to think about it," Jenner offered her a small smile.

They walked for another few minutes until the hallway, widened, ending in a large room.

"What the hell is this place?" Connie muttered, running a hand through her hair.

"VI, bring up the lights in the big room!" Jenner called loudly.

There was a faint humming and beeping that echoed around as the room lit up. Connie blinked for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust. The room was large, and had a platform set up in the middle. On the platform was an arrangement of computers and wheeled chairs. "Welcome to Zone 5," Jenner sighed. Then he walked down a flight of stairs and onto the platform.

"Where is everybody?" Rick asked as they all followed Jenner. "The other Doctors, the staff."

Connie shifted Holly onto her other hip and yawned. She was careful while going down the stairs, not wanting to slip. Glenn stood next to her and carefully took Holly into his arms. She immediately snuggled into him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"I'm it," Jenner answered after a moment of silence. "It's just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with," Lori cut in, a hand set on Carl's shoulder. "VI?"

Jenner smiled weakly. "VI, say hello to our guests. Tell them welcome."

"Hello guests," an automated voice filled the eerie silence. "Welcome."

"I'm all that's left," Jenner repeated somewhat bitterly. "I'm sorry."