Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“That vase… That’s somethin’ special. ‘Fess up. You steal it from your grandma Jean’s house? I hope you left her that spoon collection.” Rick responded, chuckling tiredly.

…

“Shane?”

As Rick’s body strained to make an effort to move, there was no Shane by his side. Nothing but dead flowers and a dusty vase sitting on a nightstand.
He needed to get up. Something didn’t feel right.
Rick sat up, ready to get on his feet, just for them to fail him.

*THUD*

“Nurse… Nurse…!”

Nothing. Rick clutched his knees and shivered as the cold tile floor embraced him with a blanket of uneasiness.
It took a few minutes to balance himself and stand upright, and a few more minutes to stagger to the bathroom in his hospital room.
Rick didn’t realize how thirsty he was until his eyes landed on the sink. At that moment his sore body disconnected from his head, and he threw himself towards the sink, shoved the handle forward, and guzzled down water by the handful.

Rick sat in his room for a few minutes until he was composed enough to walk without much trouble and made his way to the exit of his room. It wasn’t until the Alpha shoved his way through the jammed door and into the hallway that the stench of death and rot hit him.
It was putrid. Scraping at his weak senses like nails on a chalk board.

What was supposed to be a familiar, safe, and bustling hospital, was now what you’d expect to see in a horror movie. Blood and bullets scattered the walls, light fixtures broken and sparking, paperwork torn and dispersed.
He limped his way over to the phone at a service desk, attempting to make a call. Nothing. Not a single tone or ring.

Rick stumbled down the hallway, a big metal door came into view.

DON’T ENTER
DEAD INSIDE

Lost, Rick inched forward, cautious and curious. He perked at the sound of groans on the other side and tilted his head, trying to peer in through the chained up doors.
A grey and rotted hand lunged at him through the cracks.
Falling back onto his palms, the Alpha watched in horror as more hands reached out, and the groaning and screeching got louder.

He scampered to the nearest fire exit, shoving his way through, using matches he found on the desk to light the dark stairwell. It was slow and steady steps until he reached the bottom. Opening a final door, he was blinded by the Georgia Sun.

The sight before him was disgusting. Body after body after body. Corpses laid in rows. All with one thing in common. A gunshot to the head.

Rick walked through the aisles of corpses, covering his nose as best as he possibly could with his weak arms.
There was no life around him. No sound of cars or people. Just an eerie silence.
Busted helicopters and military tanks were everywhere.

What happened?
Where is everyone?
Oh… Oh, Carl…
Tears welled in his eyes. What’s happened to his son?
…
What’s happened to his wife?

Before he wound up in the hospital; before the gunshot, he remembers being in the car with Shane, his best friend. Rick was venting to him about his marriage. At least what was left of it. Rick had found divorce papers in Lori’s drawer about a month before the incident. It wasn’t until they had another major fight that he made Shane aware of the situation.
Their marriage was never perfect. They never even expected her to get pregnant as a Beta. Carl meant too much to them though. They made it work if it meant giving their son a better life. It was a real shame they couldn’t mend it anymore.

He shook all the possibilities from his mind. All he knew was that he needed to find them.
Rick picked up a rusted bike he found on the side of the road, straddling it till he was balanced.

*Groaning*

The color drained from his face at the sight next to him. A woman, rotten and torn at the midriff, was crawling towards him.
He gagged at the horrendous sight. Quickly, he rode away, horrified.

Rick found his way home and ran inside, a panic in his voice.

“Carl! Lori! Carl!”

Nothing. Again.
He ran to his son’s room, snatching the first piece of clothing to scent. It calmed his nerves, smelling the familiar scent even though it was faded. In a better state of mind, he examined the house. It looked as if it was ransacked. Pictures ripped off the walls. Furniture thrown in every which way.
Unsure of what to do next, he sat out on the front porch. He sat and thought of his next steps. Rick sat there for a hot minute until he saw a man staggering towards him.

Ecstatic to see another person, he stood, attempting to scent the man from afar. Only there was no scent. That can’t be right.

“Excuse me! Sir-“

*BANG*

He fell back to the floor, head throbbing. Then a gun shot. Then nothing.

Rick woke up to the sound of water splashing. He tried to move, only to realize he was bound to a bed. He scanned the unfamiliar room, to his left was a young Beta holding a baseball bat. He had to be at least 10. To his right was an older Alpha, his dad most likely.

“I had that bandage changed out. It was pretty rank.” The man turned to Rick. “What was it? The wound.”

Rick took a moment to find himself. “Gunshot.”

“Gunshot? What else? Anything?”

“Gunshot ain’t enough?” Rick retorted, challenging him.

The Alpha scooted closer to risk, speaking in a more stern tone; “Look I ask, and you answer. It’s common courtesy, right?” He brings his face down to Ricks. “Did.. you get.. bit?”

“Bit?”

“Bit. Chewed. Maybe scratched? Anything like that.”

“Nah.. Nah I got shot. Just shot as far as I know.”

The man relaxed, taking the back of his palm and slowly lifting it to Rick’s forehead. “Fever went down. Woulda killed you by now.” He reached to his back pocket, pulling out a knife and held it to Rick’s face.
Rick swallowed, staring at the knife wide eyed.

“Take a look at it. See how sharp it is.” He pointed it closer to Rick, almost grazing him with it. “Try anything. I will kill you with it and don’t you think I won’t.” He used the knife to cut off the ropes binding Rick to the bed. “Come down when you’re able.”
With that, the man and his son left Rick to himself.

Rick made his way down the stairs, careful and quiet. A warm glow came from the dining room, the man and the boy sat at the table, serving themselves dinner. He walked over to where there was supposed to be windows, instead it was covered up with heaps of hung blankets. Reaching to peek through, the man stopped him.

“Don’t do that. They’ll see the light. There’s more out there than usual. I never shoulda fired that gun today. Sound draws them now they’re all over the street. Stupid. Using my gun. It all happened so fast. I didn’t think.”

Rick looked at the man, who was now sitting in his spot at the table. “You shot that man today.”

The man looked at him. “Man?”

“Wasn’t no man.” The boy said defensively.

“The hell was that out your mouth?” The man said, correcting his son.

He looked down. “It wasn’t a man.”

Rick approached them. “You shot that man out in the street. A man!”

“Friend, you need some glasses that was a walker.” He could sense Rick getting tense, and tried to calm the situation. “C’mon. Sit down before you fall down.” He said while serving Rick his own plate.
Rick sat down, waiting patiently as they said grace.

The man looked over at Rick, who was sitting to the left of him. “Hey, Mister. Do you even know what’s goin’ on?”

“I just woke up today. In a hospital. Came home and that’s all I know.”

“But you know about the dead people right?”

“Yeah, I saw them out on the docks, on the loading trucks-“

“No, no. Not the ones they put down. The ones they didn’t. The Walkers. Like the one I shot today.”

Rick looked down, eyebrows twisted.

“Well I guess if this is the first you’re hearing any of this, I know how it must sound. But you listen to me. You let one of those things bite you, scratch you, you turn into one of them.” He pointed down at Rick’s side. “We saw your bandage. That’s what we were afraid of. Bites kill you. The fever burns you out. But then after a while… you come back as one of them.”

“I seen it happen.” The boy said, looking down at his plate with empty eyes.

His dad grabbed his shoulder, a tired smile on his face. “C’mon.” He said, and started eating.

They finished dinner, and the man set up a comfortable spot for Rick to sleep with them in the living room.

A car alarm blared outside and the boy jumped up to the sound. His father dragged him into a hug. “Don’t worry, daddy’s here.”

Rick stood and made his way over to the curtains that covered the windows. The house was completely dark so he was able to peek through.

“One of them must’ve bumped into a car.” The man said, getting up to stand with Rick.

The boy walked up towards the window, peeking outside next to Rick. “She’s here!” He says, sobbing loudly.

The man grabbed his son, hushing him into his body and snagging a pillow off the floor. “Cry into the pillow, remember? Cry into the pillow.” He said, bringing the pillow to his son’s face.

The night went by slowly. Rick came to learn the man and boy as Morgan and Duane.
Morgan explained that his wife had been bit, and wasn’t put down. She walks the streets now, and he and his son haven’t had the courage to up and leave.
Rick told them how he needed to find his son and wife. He knew they made it out of the house alive because all the family photos were taken from the walls.
Morgan told Rick about the refuge center they heard about on the radio before it went out. That’s where they assume Lori and Carl will be if they’re still alive.

The next day, Rick took the two to his old police station. Giving them hot showers and functional guns. Before parting ways, Rick handed Morgan a walkie-talkie.

“You’ve got one battery. I’ll turn mine on everyday at dawn. You get up there, that’s how you’ll find me.” Rick instructed.

“You think ahead.” Morgan said, a smile on his face.

“Can’t afford not to. Not anymore.”

Morgan looked at Rick, proud and heartfelt. “You’re a good man Rick. I hope you find your family.”

With that, they shook hands a final time. Headed into their separate cars and departed.

Chapter Text

Rick didn’t realize that the patrol car he had taken only had a quarter tank in it, and had to make a stop in a deserted neighborhood. Gas canister in hand, Rick made his way over to a small farmhouse. Unfortunately, the family residing in that home had all committed, and their vehicles had already been stolen.
Rick walked around the house to the back, where he found a lonely white horse pacing in its pen, eating at the dried grass that surrounded it.
It had been years since he rode a horse, but it was the most reliable mode of transportation he could find.

Trudging into the big city, Rick heard what sounded like a helicopter. Chest pounding full of hope, he followed the noise until he saw its reflection in one of the skyscrapers. Rick yanked at the horse’s lead for it to speed up, and he followed the reflection as best he could.

His heart sank as he turned the corner. Hundreds of walkers walking in a herd blocked the way ahead. Rick quickly turned the horse around, only to get blocked by the end of the street. He abandoned the horse to hide under an abandoned military tank, dropping the bag of guns he had kept from the station in the process.
From under the tank, he watched as the horse got mauled.
He was surrounded.
As he pulled out a pistol from his side, he prepared to end it all. He stared at the barrel of the gun, trigger finger heavy. A panic flared inside of him, his heart racing through his chest.
Carl.
What if his boy was still out there?
He’d never get to see his boy present, grow, become someone.
He felt like a failure. He was off to such a good start, only to lose his grasp on a chance at life in a matter of seconds.
He closed his eyes- “Carl, Lori, I’m sorry-“ he opened them, eyes darting at an open latch to the tank, crawling in before any walkers could nick him.
Without thought, he shot at a walker that was already in the tank. His ears rang from the shocking sound it made, and he collapsed.

“Hey, you. Dumbass.”

His head cleared at the voice on the radio.

“Yeah, you in the tank. You cozy in there?”

Rick scurried to the radio, snatching it quickly. “Hello? Hello?” Rick questioned in a panicked voice.

A sign of relief from the other side. “Ah, there you are. You had me wondering.”

“Listen, whoever you are, I don’t mind telling you I’m a little concerned in here.”

“Oh, you should be. You should see it from over here. I think you should make a run for it.”

“Are you insane? That’s all? Make a run for it?”

“Look, I know it’s crazy, but you’ve got eyes out here. There’s only one geek on top of the tank. The rest headed down below. The street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. If you go now while they’re distracted, you stand a chance.”

Rick quickly took count of the ammo he had on him, making sure he had enough to run.

“There’s an alley up about 50 yards to the right of the tank. Be there.” The man on the radio instructed.

“What’s your name?” Rick asked.

“Have you been listening? You’re running out of time!”

With that, Rick hurled himself out of the top of the tank, killing off the walker that was there. He sped walked down the street, shooting any walker that got too close.
A metal gate screeched next to him. He aimed, pointing his gun at a man.

“Woah! Not dead! Not dead! C’mon! C’mon!” The smaller man instructed fearfully.

He led Rick to a fixed access ladder and they climbed up till they reached a railing.

“Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood. You the new sheriff? Coming in to clean up the town?” The man exclaimed, out of breath.

“It wasn’t my intention.” Rick retorted, also gasping for air.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, yee-haw. You’re still a dumbass.”

Rick finally turned to the man, getting a good look at him. He was a Beta, smaller, Asian, and honestly could’ve passed as an older Boy Scout. “Rick-“ he introduced himself, “-thank you.”

The Beta looked back up to him. “Glenn. You’re welcome.”

They both looked up, preparing themselves before they climbed at least 8 more stories. Giving one final glance at the walkers piling below them, the two men pulled themselves over the ledge of the building.
As they ran across the roof, Rick asked, “Back at the tank, why’d you stick your neck out for me?”

“Call it foolish, naive hope. That if I’m ever that far up shit creek, somebody might do the same for me.” Glenn smiled up at Rick.

Rick chuckled at his response as they climbed down another ladder into the building. He could smell others on Glenn; he must be part of a large pack.

It’s crazy. Rick realized he hadn’t had to use his nose like this, ever really. Packs didn’t really exist anymore outside of families. He assumes it’s only been a few months since this all started, and somehow, people have already gone back to their instincts.

They ran through the building and down a few flights of stairs before being escorted into a room. As soon as Rick walked in, he was pinned with a gun to his head by a hot-headed Beta.

“You son of a bitch, we ought to kill you!” She screamed.

“Just chill, Andrea! Back off.” A man yelled from behind.

She kept the gun steady at Rick’s head, challenging him, but he didn’t back down. Frightened, sure, but Rick stood his ground.
Realizing he wasn’t going to move, she lowered the gun, beginning to sob. “We’re dead. All of us because of you.”

“I don’t understand,” Rick admitted.

The man who had shushed Andrea, Morales, had to explain to Rick, practically dragging him by the ear, that all the gunfire he had let out made the building they were scavenging in a hot spot for the walkers to get into.
Shoving Rick to the main entrance, Morales showed him the walkers piling up on the cracking glass doors.

“What were you doing down there anyway?” Andrea asked.

“I was trying to flag down a helicopter.”

“Helicopter?” Another man asked. “There ain’t no damn helicopters out there.”

“You were chasing a hallucination. Imagining things. It happens.” A woman in the group said, trying to de-escalate the situation.

“I’m trying to find the refugee center,” Rick explained.

“Refugee center? No such thing. It got overrun pretty early on.”

Rick looked down, defeated. Wondering, hoping the complete opposite of what he had hoped for previously. Now he hoped that Carl and Lori never even attempted to go. That they were stuck in a hideout somewhere, safe.

Rick was able to get a good look at the group he was with. Five people total, four Betas and an Alpha. Two females and three males. Andrea and Jacqui. Then Morales, the Alpha, but definitely not the head Alpha. Then T-Dog and Glenn-

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

They all looked up to see where the shots were coming from.

“Oh shit, is that Dixon?” Andrea stressed.

They all ran up a few flights of stairs to the roof of the building.
Opening the roof access door, Rick saw the man. A scrawny, redneck, careless Alpha. Wasting ammo for fun and games.

“Dixon! Are you crazy?” Andrea yelled.

The man turned around, a stupid smile on his face. “Hey~ you ought to be more polite to a man with a gun! Only common sense.” He laughed, jumping down from the ledge to their level.

T-Dog was livid. “Man, you’re wasting bullets we ain’t even got!”

“Hey! Bad enough I got this taco vendor on my ass all day!” Dixon retorted, glancing at Morales. “And now I gotta take orders from you?” He said, looking back at T-Dog. “I don’t think so. That’ll be the day-”

“That’ll be the day?” T-Dogg challenged.

Morales tried to calm the men down, putting himself in the middle. Ultimately, he failed, but Rick could appreciate how he tried.
Dixon, whom Rick now knows as Merle thanks to Morales, started up a fight with the Beta.
Guess he isn’t much of an Alpha for a Beta to start something with him.

He didn’t have too much time to think about it, though. Merle and T-Dog got into a fight, and Merle had him on the ground. He had already thrown Morales and Rick himself off of himself.

It hurt like a bitch, damn, this man's build definitely didn't account for his strength. It wasn’t until Merle had pulled out a gun that Rick realized he couldn’t stay down.

Merle spat on T-Dog, then stood up in triumph. “All right! How about we have ourselves a little powwow, huh? Vote for who’s Alpha. I vote for me!” He cackled, looking around at the group. “Anybody else? Eh?”

The group looked back at him, only able to agree in fear of getting shot up.

“Yeah… yeah. Anybody else?”

“Yeah,” Rick said from behind, cracking the back end of his gun to Merle’s skull, throwing the arrogant Alpha to the ground.
He used a pair of handcuffs that he had on hand to cuff Merle to a pipe on the floor. Rick had no strength in him, but he couldn’t let Merle know that. He was going to have to rely on scent alone. Couldn’t let him think he was weak. Alpha on Alpha, Rick, despite his weakness, had the upper hand.

“Who the hell are you?” Merle yelled.

“Officer friendly.” Rick spat, clearly annoyed and affirmed. “Now you listen here, Merle. Things are different now. There are no more prejudices. Now it’s just dark meat and white meat. The living and the dead. And if we’re gonna pull through this, we’re gonna have to work together.”

Merle looked up at the man, then lowered his head to the floor, clearly backing down. “Screw you, man.”

Rick patted him down, checking for any other weapons he might have. Instead, he found some drugs. He inspected them, the first being a bag of Coke. He flicked Merle’s nose. “Ya still got some on there.” Then he looked down at a prescription bottle.
*Heatrax—V. Rodigrue-200mg-QTY:16*
Heat suppressants? He doubted this was for the person on the bottle since the pharmacies weren’t actually running. Merle couldn’t get high off of this; that must mean he knows an Omega. Interesting.
Omegas are already pretty rare. Rick can only imagine now that at least half the population is wiped out.
Merle looked up at him, rage in his eyes, while Rick scanned the bottle.
Rick looked back at Merle, then to the rest of the group. They weren’t paying attention to what was in his hands, too busy taking care of T-Dog.
Rick put the prescription bottle in his pocket and threw the small baggie off the side of the roof.

Ignoring Merle’s yells of frustration, Rick calmly walked back to the group. He took hold of the situation at hand. There was no Alpha in charge here, but it seemed as though the only other rational Alpha, Morales, respected Rick and stepped down.

“Glenn, are there any manholes in the alleys?” Rick asked.

He shook his head. “No.”

Jacqui butted in. “Old buildings like these have them built into the basements. It’s a direct line to the sewer.”

“Great. Glenn, you, Jacqui, and Morales go check that out. T-Dog can stay up here checking for a signal. I’ll guard the door with Andrea.”

No one seemed to disagree, and followed Rick’s commands with urgency.

As Rick and Andrea walked into the store lobby, she admitted, “Sorry for the gun in your face,” looking down.

He looked back at her, respecting her for owning up. “People do things when they’re afraid.”

“Not that it was entirely unjustified. You did get us into this.” She bickered.

She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind to an Alpha, and he respected her for it. Unlike their first meeting, she wasn’t disrespectful, just blunt. “If I got us out, would that make up for it?” He asked.

“No.” She quickly replied. “… But it’d be a start.”

He smiled at her. “Next time, though, take the safety off. It won’t shoot otherwise.”

She looked down at her gun.

“Is that yours?”

“No, it was a gift.”

Rick showed her how to properly handle her gun. Respecting her space and not making her feel stupid about it.

Andrea felt comfortable enough to ease up. Walking around the shop and finding things for her younger sister, Amy. She told Rick that, despite being grown, Amy loved anything magical. Especially mermaids.
Rick smiled at the Beta’s openness. He advised taking a necklace with a mermaid pendant.
It wasn’t much, but anything is better than nothing in these times.

*BASH*

The two looked up to see that the walkers had smashed themselves through the first set of glass doors, Glenn, Morales and Jacqui running in at the same time. They only found dead ends in the sewer.

The group headed back to the rooftop, where T-Dog and Merle were at.

“If I can get to those vans by the construction site, I can get us out of here. How do they sense us?” Rick questioned.

“Sounds, smell, sight. Same way we would.” Morales answered.

“They smell dead, we don’t. It’s pretty distinct.” Andrea added.

Before they knew it, Rick had the group back down to floor level, instructing everyone to grab gloves, trash bags, and rain coats.
He decided the best approach would be to cover themselves in walker guts to mask their scents.
Knowing Glenn would be the quickest, Rick sent himself with him to get a truck down at the construction site only a few blocks away at the edge of the city.
Before leaving, Rick handed T-Dog the key to Merle’s cuffs. T-Dog nodded, understanding it was his responsibility now.

The group raced back to the rooftop to keep watch. They could see Rick and Glenn down in the bustling street. They made it a bit over half way before it started to sprinkle and thunder.

Down on the street, the rain started to wash off the walker guts from the men’s bodies.

Panicking, Glenn asked, “The smell’s starting to wash off… isn’t it?” He reeked of doubt and fear, but Rick couldn’t let him know that.

“No. We’re fine.” He continued, sure in his tone and slow in his steps.

It wasn’t until a walker lunged at them that they broke character.

“Run!” Rick screamed, killing off the walker at his side with an axe he had taken from the building.

They sprinted to the truck, Glenn turned it on as Rick shot off any stragglers. They sped out of the area and turned back around, finding a way to get the rest of the group out of the city.
Rick instructed Glenn to take one of the louder cars in the lot and distract the walkers away from the building while Rick collected the others at the agreed location.

The group rushed back downstairs, T-Dog being the last to head out.

“Hey! Hey, man! You can’t leave me like this!” Merle bellowed from the floor behind them. “T-Dog! C’mon, man, you can’t leave me like this! It’s not human! It ain’t!”

T-Dog stopped. He knew he was better than that. He pulled the key from his pocket and considered his choices. He turned around too fast, tripping on a pipe, and fell to the floor, dropping the key into a drain pipe. The two watched in horror as it echoed down the pipe until it was long gone.

Merle burst out in a rage again. “You son of a bitch! You did that on purpose!”

T-Dog scurried back, guilty. “I’m so-I’m so sorry, man. It ain’t my fault. It was an accident. I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” He begged, grabbing his things and turning back to the door.

“You’ll rot in hell! Rot!” Merle screamed in terror as T-Dog left him tied on the roof, blocking the door behind him as a means of protecting Merle.

Finally, Glenn managed to lure away enough walkers for Rick to park the truck at the garage where the group was waiting. They rushed inside, closing the door behind them, and they sped off.

Driving away, everyone looked at each other, then back at T-Dog.

He looked around, the stench of guilt seeping off of him. Looking down, “I dropped the damn key.” He admitted.

The group didn’t seem too bothered. No one really liked Merle; if anything, they were relieved.

Andrea huffed, “Where’s Glenn?”

*Car Alarm Blares*

The group laughed watching Glenn having the time of his life, speeding down the highway in a top model sports car.

Chapter Text

Morales sat in the front seat of the truck with Rick. He looked over at him, smelling the stress and guilt on him. “Best not to dwell on it. That Merle got left behind.” He said, reassuringly. “Nobody’s gonna be sad he didn’t come back.” Then paused. “Well… Except maybe Daryl.”

Rick glanced at him. “Daryl?”

“His brother. Those two are like peas in a pod. If they ain’t busy, you’ll never see one without the other.”

Rick grunted, wondering how he’s gonna explain this to him. It feels like he’s caused more issues than he can de-escalate today.

They pulled up to the camp, Rick sitting in the car for a minute, preparing himself to face a real pack. Everyone else had already left the car, greeting their loved ones with warm embraces.

“Hey, helicopter boy! Come meet everyone!” Morales called out.

Rick listened, stepping out of the vehicle and towards the group, eyes down. It wasn’t until he got the slightest hint of the most familiar scent that he looked up, his eyes landing on what seemed like an angel at that moment.

“Dad! Dad!”

Carl. His knees felt weak, his eyes swelled with tears, his heart sank, and he stank of pure love and affection. He limped to his son, embracing him in the tightest hug he could give him. Scenting his son, he realized there was another Alpha on him. He looked up to see Shane and Lori, both stuck in their place, eyes wide as if they’d seen a ghost. Rick stood, not letting go of his son, and walked over to them. He saw Shane’s mate mark on Lori and looked over at him.

“Rick… I’m so sorry. We thought you were dead. Honest.” Shane admitted, eyes still wide.

Rick looked between the two, spacing out for a moment before nodding. “I understand, brother. It ain’t your fault. Plus, it ain’t like we were gonna stay together.” He looked over at who he can now call his ex-wife. “Are you okay?”

She took a moment to respond. “Yeah… yeah, I’m okay.” She ran a hand through her hair, still in utter shock. “I just can’t believe you made it.” She stuck to Shane’s side.

Rick understood that Shane was the prime of this group. He wouldn’t push for a place here if he wasn’t needed. All he’d ask for was his son, though he may not even have the right to him anymore.
Shane pulled him to the side, leaving Carl with his mother. He embraced Rick, immediately scenting the man, accepting him into the pack without Rick needing to ask. “Listen, brother, I’ve always respected you, but I’m head here. Honestly, I never saw myself in this position, but I guess I’ve saved their asses enough times for them to deem me so.”
Rick nodded in understanding.
“I give you full rights to your son. He’s yours and Lori’s. Just as long as you’re here, he’s still under my supervision.” Shane held Rick at the shoulders, keeping it friendly but professional.

“Truthfully, I’m just glad to see you all again,” Rick admitted, glancing past Shane to see his son.

Shane smiled. “Come get to know the pack. I wanna hear how you got the name helicopter boy.” They both laughed as they headed back to the group.

It was while they shared the day's stories at the campfire that Shane realized just how strong Rick had been, even if he was physically weak. He was a quick thinker and smart with his actions and words. He was able to clearly direct an escape route for his pack and efficiently execute it. Not only that, he also helped out a family in need of support, day one out of a coma. He’s had zero time to prepare for this awful world, and yet he was able to navigate it nearly perfectly. He had a strong scent that challenged Shane’s without meaning to.
Rick wasn’t quite ready to lead a pack, but Shane felt that deep rumble in his gut, that feeling of pride, of a stubborn stick in the ground that didn’t want Rick to take charge.

A nervous Beta sat on the side with her husband and daughter, listening quietly to the stories being told. Ed, her husband, threw in more scraps to their fire, making it bigger than the other one by the rest of the pack. Shane took notice and immediately stepped up.

“Hey, Ed. You sure you wanna have this conversation, man?” Shane questioned, making himself bigger to the arrogant Beta.
Ed huffed, not wanting to start a fight. “Go on, put the damn thing out.” He ordered his wife, Carol. She quickly got to her feet and dimmed the fire with dirt.
Shane nodded in approval, squatting down to eye level with Carol and her daughter.
“Hey, Carol, Sophia. How’re y’all doin’ this evening?”

“Fine. We’re just fine.” Carol nervously answered.

Sophia’s eyes were to the ground the whole time.

Shane sighed and stood up, leaving the family alone.

Back at the main fire, an older Beta blurted out to the group, mostly aiming it at Rick, though, “Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon?” The group looked at him. “He won’t be happy to hear his brother was left behind.” Dale was close behind Shane when it came to leadership. Mostly because he supplied the group with many of their things, but also because he was older and made very rational decisions and spoke his mind.

T-Dog butted in. “I’ll tell him. I dropped the key; the fault is mine.”

“No. I cuffed him. That makes it mine.” Rick cut him off.

The group bickered over what to tell Daryl. Some wanted to tell the truth, others wanted to lie. Andrea admitted Merle was out of control and would’ve gotten them all killed if it weren’t for Rick.

“And that’s what we tell Daryl? I don’t see a rational discussion to be had from that. Do you?” Dale admitted. “Word to the wise, we’re gonna have our hands full when he gets back from the hunt.”

T-Dog explained how he had stopped long enough to chain up the door behind him, making it a point that Merle was still alive on the roof before walking away to his tent. It wasn’t long before the rest of the group made their way back to their own individual tents. Rick was sent to sleep in the RV until they could find a decent spot for him. He made sure to take all of his belongings and hide them under his pillow before undressing and heading to bed.

Rick woke up the following morning to the smell of wet grass and the sounds of people chattering. He sat up, and by his feet were a fresh set of clothes. Grateful, he put it on and collected his belongings again before he stepped out of the RV. Dale nodded to him from above as he walked off.
Rick walked towards Carol, who was folding laundry from a line.

“They’re still a little damp, but the sun should dry em up in no time.” She said, motioning her hands to his clothes to show that she had done the good deed for him.

“You washed my clothes?”

“Well, as best we could. Scrubbing on a washboard ain’t half as good as my old Maytag back home.” She chuckled.

“That’s very kind, thank you.” He smiled at her as he walked off.

Rick looked scrawny in his clothes. It was visibly obvious he was weak, but he didn’t come off that way. His mannerisms were still strong and respectful.

“Dad! Mom!”

“Mommy!”

Rick didn’t even think before he ran towards the sound of Carl’s and Sophia’s cries. He grabbed at the nearest weapon he could find, an axe, and ran.
He and a few others made it to the clearing where the kids were. Carl lunged at his dad, crying at his waist, but Rick guided him to his mother, more focused on what could’ve hurt Carl.
They stopped at the sight of a walker eating a deer. It had a few arrows sticking out of its side, clearly down before the walker had gotten to it.
The men swung at the walker, Dale giving the final blow to its head.

“This is the first one we’ve had out here,” Dale said, out of breath. “They never come this far up the mountains.”

“They’re running out of food in the city, that’s what,” Jim added. Jim was a smaller Beta, usually tending to farm work or general manual labor that needed to be done around camp.

The group flinched at the sound of branches being snapped to the right of them. They all raised their weapons, ready to fight whatever would come out of the bushes.

“Oh, Jesus.” Shane was the first to comment, lowering his weapon.

“Son of a bitch!” The man who came out of the woods yelled out in frustration.

Rick looked up at him and froze. Not sure why, but he used that moment to study the man. He was strong; you could tell he’d been in the woods for a day or two. Short hair and tired eyes. He carried a crossbow, a good weapon for hunting. He definitely smelled a Beta, but something wasn’t quite right. Rick felt a pit in his stomach starting to form, but he ignored it for now.

“That was my deer!” Daryl was completely focused on the deer, almost ignoring the group. “Look at it, all gnawed on by this filthy-disease-bearing bearing-motherless-proxy bastard!” He berated the dead walker, kicking its skull in between every word.

“Calm down, son. That’s not helping anything.” Dale said.

Daryl got in his face, annoyed. “What do you know about it, old man? Why don’t you take that stupid hat and go back to ‘On Golden Pond’?” He spat, walking back to the deer, crouching at its side as he pulled out his arrows. “I’ve been tracking this deer for miles. You think we can cut around this chewed-up part and eat what’s left?”

The group gagged, disagreeing without hesitation.

Daryl stood up, looking down at the deer disappointingly. “It’s a damn shame. Well, I got some squirrels. About a dozen or so.” He perked as he remembered he brought more food than that. “That’ll have to do.” He walked past the group, glancing at Rick for a moment before going on. He could feel that same pit that Rick had in his stomach. He ignored it, though. Must be cause he’s hungry or sumn’.

“Merle!” Daryl called out for his brother as he walked into camp. “Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel.”
A slight panic set in when he realized he couldn’t smell his brother, nor was he receiving any responses.

Shane walked up behind him. “Daryl, just slow up a bit, I needa talk to you.”

Daryl looked him up and down. “Bout what?”

“About Merle. There was a- there was a problem in Atlanta.”

His heart dropped, eyes wide, head to the floor, sky, anywhere but Shane’s face. “He dead?” He asked, pacing himself.

“We’re not sure,” Shane answered truthfully.

“He either is or he ain’t!” Daryl spat out.

Rick stepped up. “No easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it.”

“Who are you?” Daryl questioned with an offense in his voice. His heart pounded with every step the man took towards him.

“Rick Grimes.” He answered calmly.

“Rick Grimes? You got sumn you wanna tell me?” Daryl challenged the new Alpha.

“Your brother was a danger to us all. So I handcuffed him to a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He’s still there.”

Turning around to wipe a tear from his eye, Daryl yelled back in anger. “Hold on, you’re saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof…” he paused, getting in the Alpha's face. “And you left him there?!”

“Yeah.” Rick was calm, ready for whatever Daryl would do next. The only thing was that he’s never seen more of a redneck crap move where he’d get a rack of squirrels thrown at him. As he dodged, Shane was quick to shove Daryl to the ground.
Daryl grabbed his pocket knife and swung it back at Shane, getting them both up off the ground. Rick disabled him from behind, letting Shane put him down in a chokehold.

Grunting, “Chokehold’s illegal!”

Shane squatted down, keeping Daryl on the floor facing Rick, who was squatted down to eye level with him.

Daryl huffed, refusing to open his eyes and look up at Rick. Too scared to let out a whine, he held his breath.

“Now listen, I’d like to have a calm discussion on this topic.” Rick cocked his head. “Do you think we can manage that?”

Daryl stayed quiet.

Rick got closer to his face, “Do you think… we can manage that?” his voice deep and powerful, he questioned Daryl in a demanding tone.

Daryl stayed quiet, only the tiniest nod coming from him. Shane let him go, and he collapsed on the ground.

“What I did was not on a whim. Your brother does not work or play well with others.” Rick tried to keep Daryl calm. He saw how uncomfortable the man was, but he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was making him so on edge.

T-Dog stepped up. “It’s not Rick’s fault. I had the key. I dropped it in a drain.”

Daryl felt defeated. Merle was the only person keeping him safe through all of this. He was the only one finding suppressants for him. Without him, he won’t present as Beta anymore. Everybody will know he’s an Omega. They’ll kick him out, throw him like trash, and rape him till there’s nothing else he can give.
He got on his feet, not daring to look anybody in the eye. “If it’s supposed to make me feel better, it don’t.” He wiped away another tear, straining not to whine. “To hell with all y’all!… Just tell me where he is so I can go get him.”

Rick stood closer to Daryl, and Daryl backed up defensively. “I’ll show you. I’m going back.”

Daryl stared at him for a moment, like he was trying to figure the guy out, then marched off.

As they were getting to leave, Shane pulled Rick into conversation. “So that’s it, huh? To hell with everybody else? You callin these shots?”

“I’m not saying to hell with anybody. And I’m not calling shots. I’m just owning up to my actions.” He continued walking past him.

Lori caught onto the conversation. “So you and Daryl? That’s the plan?”

Rick took a moment to think, then looked over at Glenn.

“Oh, c’mon.” Glenn reacted, clearly disappointed.

“It’s not fair of me to ask, I know that. But it’d be a lot better for all of us. You know your way around the city best.”

“That’s just great. Now you’re gonna risk four men, huh?” Shane was getting irritated. He lets him into the pack with open arms, and now he’s making orders, and it pissed him off how easily people were going along with it. “We need these people here at camp. You saw that walker, they’re moving out of the city.”

“What it sounds like you need here are more guns. I dropped a bag that I brought from our old station. It’s still there in the street.”

It seemed no one was disagreeing with what Rick was proposing. Only Carl, who had just gotten him back. “Dad, I don’t want you to go.”

Rick kneeled to eye level with his son. “I made a promise to some important people. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. And my only form of communication with them is in that bag. I need to go get it. Okay?”

Carl nodded. He knew his dad was a good man and knew what was best for him and the group.

*HONK*

Rick turned around to see an impatient Daryl stomping on the horn of the truck they were taking.

“C’mon! Let’s go!”

Chapter Text

“He’d better be okay.” Daryl spat at T-Dog coldly. “It’s my only word on the matter.”

Rick parked the van just outside the city. Glenn found it best that they walk the rest of the way.

“Merle first, or guns?” Rick asked his group.

“Merle! We ain’t having this conversation!” Daryl was quick to defend his brother.

Rick ignored him, though, looking to Glenn for a response.

“Merle is on the way. The guns would mean doubling back.”

They made their way into the store where they had left Merle. Only a few walkers had been roaming the front entrance. Daryl was quick to act. He followed Rick’s instruction and crept slowly while ducking his head. Hunting came so naturally to him. He looked like a wild animal, ready to pounce on his prey.
Rick watched him, his eyes tracking Daryl's every move. The pit in his stomach felt like a sinkhole by now. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead, and he began to feel as if he had a fever. What was it about this man that had him so worked up? It's getting difficult to ignore the feeling, but he had to push through.

They raced through the building. Luckily, the stairwell that led to Merle was empty, so no walkers could have gotten to him.
Daryl was the first one through, shoving the door out of his way.

“Merle! Merle!” He cried out.

Nothing.

He jumped over some vents and pipes until he reached it.

The spot they had left his brother… It was…

“No!” He screamed. “No!” The sight was disgusting. The cuffs were still there, rusted with blood. Beside it lay a dull saw, and Merle’s cold, dismembered hand.

“No!” Daryl hurled himself to the ground next to his brother’s hand, sobs shoving through his throat against his will. He gasped for air, and as much as he hated himself for it, he couldn’t stop himself from letting out the smallest whimper. He cut his breath short, realizing the sound he made. He glanced up at the two Betas first, but it didn’t seem like they noticed. They were too busy gagging over the sight. But that smell. He looked up to his other side, eyes locked with the Alpha before him. His joints stiffened, and his mind blurred. He couldn’t move. The only thing he could focus on was the pheromones emitting from the Alpha. A strong scent of nutmeg filled his nose and made his senses weak.

No…

Rick realized why his stomach had been uneasy all day, that feeling of something not being quite right. His eyes watered, the hair on his arms stood on end, and he felt heavier. The stench of mud and guts from Daryl was avoided by Rick's nose, and instead, Rick's senses became immediately entranced and violently focused on the pheromones Daryl’s body released. He smelt of pine and hickory.
Daryl wasn’t a Beta like he believed –no–, he was an Omega. Merle was stashing those pills for him, his heat, for his mate. Rick never thought he’d have a Bond with someone, let alone Daryl Dixon. They were nothing alike. But that didn’t matter right now. What mattered was keeping him safe.
Daryl knew that Rick saw through him now. Of course, he knew. Daryl couldn’t think of anything other than the fact that he failed. He wasn’t supposed to have a Bond, -a mate-, anything. He was supposed to lie low and stick to his brother's side. What’ll Rick do to him? Use him? Is he gonna be his baby machine? His mind was racing with thoughts of both Rick and Merle flooding his mind.

Rick took notice of the panic in Daryl’s eyes. He quickly and calmly brought himself next to Daryl, trying his best not to startle him. “They didn't hear you. You still smell like a Beta to them. Just act normal.” Rick whispered, letting out a comforting scent. His scent slowly calmed Daryl down, slowing his heart rate back to normal.
As much as Daryl hated it, he felt a sense of relief.

Daryl sniffled, swallowing his tears and standing up. He felt a raw hatred in his heart as he turned to T-Dog, aiming his crossbow at him. He gritted his teeth, his hands shaking as he felt cold metal at the side of his skull.

“I won’t hesitate. I don’t care if every walker in this city hears it.” Rick said, gun at his mate’s head. Of course Rick left the safety on, but he hated doing this, he couldn’t treat Daryl any differently, though, especially now. All he could do was stay firm and calm him as best as possible with subtle pheromone releases.

Daryl froze, frustrated and scared. He drew back his bow, setting it down on the ground. “You got a do-rag or sumthin'?” He asked T-Dog.

T-Dog nodded, pulling the cloth out from one of his back pockets.
Daryl wrapped up his brother's hand with it and shoved it in Glenn’s backpack. They realized Merle must’ve made a makeshift tourniquet with his belt since there wasn’t much blood on the ground. They followed a trail of blood to another roof entrance.
Daryl led the group, calling out for his brother every so often.
They came across a couple of dead walkers. “My brother was the toughest son of a bitch I ever met.”

“Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is,” Rick added.

They continued down, Rick following close behind Daryl. Now, his eyes never left Daryl, not for anything. He isn’t gonna risk anything happening to Daryl now.
The group came across a lit gas stove. Next to it was a sheet of metal with burnt flesh on it.

Rick picked it up. “He cauterized the stump.”

Daryl side-eyed Rick. “Told you he was tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle. Looks like nothing stopped him from escaping this hellhole.” He said while walking over to a broken window where Merle had escaped. “He’s out there alone for all he knows. Doing what he’s gotta do. Surviving.”

“You call that surviving?” T-Dog exclaimed.

“Better than being handcuffed and let to rot by you sorry pricks!” Daryl got in T-Dog’s face, then turned around, facing Rick, challenging him. “You couldn’t kill him. Ain’t so worried about some dumb dead bastard.”

“What about a thousand dumb dead bastards. Different story?”

“Why don’t you take a tally? Do what you want, I’m gonna go get him.” Daryl tried walking past Rick, only to get shoved back.

“Daryl, wait,” Rick ordered.

Daryl froze, his head bowed to the ground.

“He’s family. I get that. I just went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel.” He empathized with him, releasing more calming pheromones as a way of apologizing for ordering him to stay. “He can’t get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head.” He was only inches away from Daryl’s face now. He has to stay assertive. No time for sweet-talking. No point in it either with someone so stubborn like Daryl.

Daryl swallowed. He hated this. He hated this so much. He felt powerless. Like he was being stripped away of everything that shielded him. But there was nothing he could do about it. “I could do that.”

They slowed down their pace, taking a break to cool their nerves. Glenn decided the best plan was to separate. Daryl would wait for him in one alley while Rick and T-Dog waited in another, just in case he got blocked on either side. Daryl’s crossbow provided a quieter alternative to everyone’s guns, so he stayed by Glenn’s side for extra precaution.
It was a sound plan with room for flexibility. That didn’t stop Rick from wishing it were different. He’d rather stay with Daryl and send T-Dog to the alley alone. He wanted to avoid any plans where Daryl was away from him, yet he knew it was another way to keep his secret safe. If he’s passed as Beta for this long to survive, exposing that could ruin him.

Glenn led them down the stairs to a side exit, and Rick and Daryl followed Glenn and T-Dog. Just as they were about to exit, Rick grabbed hold of Daryl’s arm, using his other hand to make a shushing motion. He pulled him into a tight hug, making his neck available to Daryl.

He was allowing Daryl to scent him. Honestly, Daryl barely knew what to do. Usually, his brother would force his scent onto him to mask his own; he’d never been given the choice to. He looked to Rick, searching the Alpha’s eyes for ill intent.

“Only if you want to, but it might be safer,” Rick assured him that it was completely Daryl’s choice.

Daryl felt uncomfortable with the idea of choosing. He doesn’t even like this guy, and it feels like he has to give in to his every whim. All the while, though, he felt so unbelievably safe.

“They’re gonna notice we’re gone. You bitin’?” Rick asked, nodding his head in the direction of their group.

“Nah… Nah. Let’s go. I’m tired of bein’ here.” Daryl grunted, storming off without Rick.

Rick could only follow, with the slightest smile on his face.

They made it to their positions. Daryl and Glenn in one alley, and Rick and T-Dog in another further down.
Glenn was able to make a run for it. Daryl stayed behind, his bow aimed and ready to fire. It wasn’t until he heard steady footsteps behind him and the scent of a Beta approaching. He quickly jumped out from behind the dumpster where he was hiding, aiming at a young man.

“Woah, don’t shoot me! What do you want?!”

“I’m looking for my brother. He’s hurt real bad. You seen him?” Daryl questioned, still ready to shoot if needed.

“Ayudame!” The young man screamed, slowly backing away from Daryl.

“Shut up! You’re gonna bring the geeks down on us!”

“Ayudame!” He screamed for help over and over again, not quite understanding what “shut up” means. He grit his teeth, tiding his best to stop himself from shooting the kid.

From the other alley, Rick and T-Dog heard the man’s screams. They ran over as quickly as possible.

Daryl was quick to knock the kid down, trying to shush him with his hand.
Two older Alphas came up from behind, knocking Daryl on his ass and beating him down on the ground. Glenn arrived with the bag of guns just as they turned around.

“That’s it! That’s the bag! Grab it!” One of them ordered the other. He tackled Glenn to the ground. Daryl forced himself up, enough to use his bow to shoot one of them in the ass.
The two men left the guns, but took Glenn, dragging him into a car that pulled up and sped off.

Rick and T-Dog arrived just as it all ended. Rick was quick to check on Daryl, who was already up and trying to beat the boy. He pushed him aside, letting T-Dog handle the boy.

“I’m gonna kick your nuts up in your throat! They took Glenn! That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends. I’m gonna stomp your ass!” Daryl screamed, trying to push past Rick.

“We’re cut off, we gotta go!” T-Dog yelled, realizing there were too many walkers outside the gate that separated them from the street.

Rick grabbed the bag of guns and led the group back to the lab, where they had planned out their positions. They sat the boy down on a chair they found lying around, questioning him about his friends who took Glenn.

“What even happened back there, man?” T-Dog asked, clearly stressed.

“I told you. This little turd and his douchebag friends came outta nowhere and jumped me!” Daryl explained, pacing the floor.

“Man, you were the one who jumped me, puto.” The boy sighed. “Screaming about trying to find his brother like it’s my damn fault.”

“They took Glenn. They could’ve taken Merle, too.”

“Merle? What kind of a hick name is that? I wouldn’t even name my dog Merle.” He remarked with attitude.

Daryl didn’t even think before trying to run at the teen and kick him. Rick had to stop him, shoving him away before he could hit the kid.

“Damn it, Daryl! Back off!” Shit. As nice as he wanted to be to Daryl, he sure as hell was making it difficult. This wasn’t like those fairytale stories of bonds his mom told him growing up. His Omega wasn’t sweet, or motherly, or loving like in the stories. He was a brute and hot-headed and ate raw fucking rats for breakfast.

Daryl eyed him, a smirk on his face. He proceeded to walk over to the bag that Glenn had been carrying and took out his brother’s hand, unwrapping it. “Wanna know what happened to the last guy that pissed me off? Eh?” Daryl threw his brother's hand on the kid’s lap. The younger Beta screamed and threw himself on the floor, scooting away from the dismembered hand.

Daryl crept down on the kid, getting in his face and holding him by the collar of his shirt. “I’ll start with the feet this time!” Daryl said with a grim smile, his teeth peeking through his lips.

Rick didn’t even speak this time. He grabbed Daryl by the shoulders, hard, and yanked him back, throwing him to the side. He gave him a harsh glare, a low growl rumbling from his chest.
Who would’ve thought he’d end up with an Omega who chose to challenge him? Getting his nerves all worked up just for the fun of it. Not him. But it seems that’s what he’s gonna have to deal with for the rest of his life.

Rick managed to get the kid to spill where his pack took Glenn. They took him as hostage, Daryl’s crossbow in his back as they made their way through. The place was run down and huge, with lots of weeds and graffiti covering the walls.

The large doors opened up slowly as they walked forward. The one they called their leader, Guillermo, a smaller Alpha, walked out first, then two other men with guns. They recognized Daryl as “that redneck puto that shot them in the ass”.

“Where’s Glenn?” Rick questioned, gun aimed and ready.

“Who is he to you anyway? You don’t look related.” Guillermo asked.

“He’s part of our group, more or less. Not my pack, but we’re working together.” Rick was quick with his answers.

“Working together? For what?”

“Our guns.”

“Your guns? Those guns were out on the street. Who’s to say they belong to you? My people got attacked. What’s stopping us from stomping your ass right now?” More men came out from the door behind Guillermo, guns aimed at Rick and Daryl.

“You could do that…” Rick replied, slowly looking at the rooftop of a nearby building where T-Dog waited with a sniper pointed at Guillermo’s head. “… Or not.”

With that, Guillermo called out to some men on the roof. They were holding Glenn hostage with a bag over his head, ready to throw him off the roof if their leader ordered.

“I see two options. You come back here with Miguel and my bag of guns, everybody walks. Or you come back locked and loaded, and we’ll see which side spills more blood.” With that, he stepped back and turned around, walking into the building, his men following close behind.

They took the kid back to the safe spot they were in previously, deciding what to do.

“I owe my life to Glenn. Nothing’s stopping you two from going back to camp.” Rick said, proposing that the two should head back to camp, where it’s safe.

“And tell your family what?” T-Dog interrupted. He was right, though. Rick was risking everything when he had just found his son, who was waiting for him back at camp.

He looked at Daryl. He couldn’t leave him either. Rick had just found his son and his mate. He was risking it all. But he’d rather see them all safe while he got back the man who saved his life.

They decided to take half of the guns and attempt to make a trade.

Arriving at the scene, Guillermo wasn’t happy with what he saw. Their conversation got heated, and both sides were ready to shoot.

“Felipe! Felipe!” A voice chirped out from behind. A small, elderly lady walked into the mess, looking up at the men holding their guns.

“Abuelita! Go back with the others— now!” One of the men ordered.

“Abuela, listen to your grandson, this is not the place for you right now,” Guillermo said, urging the old woman to head back inside the base.

“Mr. Gilbert! He’s having trouble breathing. He needs his asthma stuff.” The little old lady pleaded. It was obvious English wasn’t her first language, and her fear made speaking more troubling for her. She looked to the middle of the room where Rick and his men stood. “Who are these men?”

“Abuela, ven conmigo por favor.” The one named Felipe pleaded with his grandmother, but she didn’t budge. She waddled closer to Rick.

“Don’t you take him! Felipe is a good boy!”

“Ma’am.” Rick tried to make himself as little of a threat as possible, slightly lowering his gun and releasing a peaceful wave of pheromones. “Ma’am, I’m not here to arrest your grandson.”

“Then what do you want him for?” Her eyes, big and watery.

“He’s… he’s trying to help us find a missing person. A fella named Glenn.”

“The Asian boy?” She smiled up at him. “He’s with Mr. Hilbert. Come, come, I show you.” She held out her hand for Rick to take, slowly leading him to the back entrance of the room.

Daryl and T-Dog followed close behind, not lowering their weapons. Guillermo and a few of his men bright behind them. She led them through several hallways. Rick inspected each room they passed. There were elderly people in each room, some sick, some lost, some quiet, and some with a family member or two. Rick realized where he was. This was an abandoned senior center.

The little lady led them through a last set of doors and into a large room which looked like a cafeteria. In the dead center of the room was an old man, gasping for air. Many men were surrounding him, trying to help him through his asthma attack, including Glenn.

Rick turned around towards Guillermo. “Could I have a word with you?” They took a step away from the crowd. “You’re the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met. We walked in here ready to kill every last one of you.”

“Well,” Guillermo looked down, then back up at Rick. “I’m glad it didn’t go down that way.”

Guillermo explained how he and Felipe worked at the senior center before the world went to shit. All the staff took off, abandoning the elderly. He and Felipe were the only ones who stayed. The rest of the men there came to see their folks, and most stayed when they saw the conditions they were in.
Rick decided it was best that he give them just enough guns. Glenn was given back to them, and they started to take their leave.
As they were headed out the door, Miguel -the boy they had taken hostage-signaled to Rick to come over to the side. He handed him a small bag. Rick opened up the bag, and inside it was an arrangement of feminine hygiene products and both supplements and suppressants for Omegas.

Rick’s brows furrowed, his face feeling hot, and his mind switching to pure fury. “How did you know?” He questioned, getting up in the young man’s face.

Miguel backed up defensively. “Hey man! Listen, I used to volunteer a lot at an Omega rehabilitation center. I didn’t want to make a big fuss cause I can tell he’s on some blockers. Chill, man, no one else knows. Just take it and leave.”

Rick looked down at him, eyes focused, trying to tell if he could trust him. It seemed like everyone here had good intentions at heart. He quickly thanked Miguel and left with his group.
They made it back to where they had left the truck, only to find it missing.

“Oh my God.” Glenn was the first to speak.

“Where the hell’s our truck?” Daryl stressed.

“Who the hell would take it?” Glenn looked around, trying to find an answer.

Rick wiped his face in frustration. “Merle.”

Chapter Text

The walk back to camp was almost unbearable. The adrenaline rushes, the waves of emotion, and the stresses of the day left the men exhausted. Rick was noticeably on edge, sneaking glances at Daryl every chance he got. He couldn’t help it. Never in his life did he imagine he’d be bonded, and here he was, muddy, sweaty, and full of spite. Rick smiled to himself, instinctively walking ahead of the group, making sure Daryl wasn’t too far behind him.
His smile dropped at the sound of gunfire and screams coming from atop the hill.

“Oh my God.”

Red. Red was all they could see. It flooded the floor, splattered the vehicle walls, and gushed from bodies like broken pipes. The campfire only left room for the deep shadows of the night to hide away the dangers that walked into camp. A horde had marched into the site, devouring anything in its path.

Rick’s heart skipped a beat as his mind assumed the worst. Images of his son being ripped to pieces, lost to a dead man, never seeing his smile again. Daryl. His hands shot up with static as he dreaded the unbearable pain he would suffer if he lost his newfound mate tonight.
He was almost lost to his mind when an arrow shot past his head. Snapping out of it, he realized Daryl had shot down a walker that was headed towards him. Rick pushed his thoughts aside. Daryl was still here. He was still here. He had to fight for his family, Rick’s eyes searching for his son with every move he made, shooting down anything in his way.

The men who stood at the camp had already sprung into action, using every weapon they could find to fight back. Screams of terror rang in the ears of anybody still desperate enough to live in the moment.
As he spun, wide-eyed, looking every which way for Carl, he heard that smallest squeak of a voice through the wicked cries that surrounded him.

“Dad!”

A wave of relief washed over Rick as he turned to see his son run over to him from the back of one of the far parked trucks. Rick dropped to his knees, tears running down his grime covered face. Their bodies slammed into each other’s embraces, crying into each other’s arms. The blood and dirt engulfing their bodies didn’t exist in that moment.

Daryl watched from afar. He watched everything. The aftermath of the walkers left everyone speechless. Families died, friends died, and the loss of their loved ones crashed over the group. Everyone stood silent while others hollered in pain. A fog of depression glossed over the camp, feeling empty as ever despite the piles of bodies that scattered the space.

It took time, but the group settled, trying their best to make sense of their emotions in order to clean up the mess. While Shane was busy checking on Lori, Rick informed all the capable males to aid in the cleanup the following morning. For now, they would all work together to group all of the tents together in one area and drag away any bodies that were too close.

Daryl was busy dragging away corpses, so Rick took the initiative to move his tent for him, hoping the gesture would serve as a small courting gift.
As the dirty, old tent dragged across the floor, a small notebook slipped out from an open cranny in the zipper. Rick knew better than to snoop, but Daryl didn’t seem like the type of person to keep a journal. He finished moving the tent, then scanned the area to see if any eyes were on him, slipping into the tent, using the small portable lamp that was already in there to light the space. He opened the small book, flipping to the latest page.

*Last Checkup 01/06/2007-Age 30-Omega/Male-Wght:170 lbs-Fertile-Currently taking Omecrin, Velatrex, Dynaprex and Heatrax*

Rick’s eyebrows furrowed as he made sense of the pages. These were medical records. He flipped through more of the book, working his way back, reading the names of more and more suppressants, blockers, and other drugs he was pretty sure were illegal in some states.
The book dates all the way back to 1990, when Daryl was just 13 years old.
Rick’s hands shook as he read the pages between 1990 and 1992. “The Blossom Network” The name was on every page between those dates. Rick knew that name all too well. It was an underground Omega Ring that his station constantly had tracked down, receiving victims too late all too often. It sickened him.
He gripped the notebook hard, letting the rings bruise into his fingers to keep him from lashing out. He grit his teeth as he read the pages. Every inch of Daryl’s adolescent body was burned into the pages in black ink. Every measurement, every test, every scar, every mole, all marked with body diagrams.

*03/26/1992-Sold to Harrison “Harris” Steele for $2,500*

Rick’s heart sank as he read those words. He couldn’t imagine it, 15-year-old Daryl being sold off in the ring.
He tried reading more to see what had happened after the sale, but there was nothing. There was a strange gap in the pages. Not until it marked 01/06/1995. The day Daryl turned 18 years old. Only the notes weren’t the same. They were like that first page he had read, full of generic health and medications he was taking. Rick’s mind clouded with confusion. What had happened during those three years? Not a single year was skipped after that; it couldn’t be by mistake.
Rick’s thoughts were interrupted as the Omega whipped open the flaps to the tent, knife in hand, pointing it at Rick.

“The hell are you doin’ in here?” Daryl questioned, crouching down and scanning the area before reverting his eyes to Rick’s.

Rick hid the book under his leg. “I was, uh, moving your tent for you. We all decided to get away from the bodies, and I’d figured I’d do it for you.” Rick answered with a slight shake to his voice.

“Doesn’t explain why you’re inside.” His eyes darted to Rick’s leg. “What’d you take?” Daryl questioned, creeping in closer to Rick.

The two stared into each other’s eyes, tension as thick as smog filled the tent. Rick averted his eyes, checking outside the tent before telling Daryl to zip it up.

“What? No-“ Daryl tried protesting.

“Please, just do it,” Rick asked with soft eyes, not wanting to startle Daryl.

Daryl took a second, looking Rick up and down. He slowly put down his knife, peeked outside, then zipped the tent up.

“What do you want?” Daryl questioned Rick, his voice sharp and agitated. He could smell the anger on Rick, a thick, groggy scent of hatred and disgust pouring off of the man. It worried Daryl, fearing that it might be aimed at him, but what had he done to make Rick mad at him?

“Can you please sit with me?” Rick tapped the ground next to him.

Daryl rolled his eyes, but listened. He sat down next to Rick.

Rick gazed at Daryl, unable to see him with the same eyes he had before. It saddened Rick that he knew every scar on Daryl’s body without even getting the chance to make him his. He took a deep breath before pulling out the notebook. “This fell outta the tent while I was moving it.” Rick held up the notebook. “Do you know what this is?” Rick asked, unsure if he’d rather Daryl already knew about it or not.

Daryl inspected the book. “That’s Merle’s. The hell you want with his stuff?” Daryl scrunched his brows, annoyed with Rick, as he snagged the book from Rick’s hands.

Rick stayed silent for a moment, unsure of what to make of Daryl’s reaction. “And…you trust your brother?”
Daryl’s body tensed, frustrated with these dumb questions. “With my life. Man, why can’t you just leave me alone?” Daryl threw the book to the side. “You don’t need to know my life!”

Daryl knew what was in the book? And he was okay with Merle just…having it? How much did his brother mess him up? No. Maybe he just didn’t want to talk about it. That’s fine. He could respect that.

“Daryl-“

“Shut up!” Daryl snapped at Rick, “You should go.”

“Wait, we need to talk, please.” Rick pleaded, curling in on himself to appear smaller, less of a threat.

Daryl rolled his eyes before agreeing.

“I want to make this work. I really do, and I don’t care how long it takes, or what I need to do.”

“Man, fuck you. I ain’t somethin to be protected. Quit it with the act already, I know what you want me for.” Daryl’s face quickly turned into one of disgust, snarling at the man before him.

“Excuse me?”

“To hell with you Alphas! You only want me for sex, I know it already! Orderin’ me around like I’m your damn property… I ain’t! Who are you to order me the second we bond? Fuckin’ Macho-mutt.” Daryl started turning his body to get up before quickly changing his mind, turning back and getting in the man’s face, deciding he had more to say. “Ya’know, I was doing just fine till you showed up! We almost lost Glenn! You-” He choked on his words, “You lost my brother! Hell, if you never showed up, Merle would be here… we wouldn’t have been gone, and people might’ve survived! What is your problem, man?!” Tears pricked his eyes, the sudden wave of emotions hitting him like a wreck. “And now… fuck… Now everyone’s gonna know what I am! This wasn’t supposed to happen! You weren’t supposed to happen!” Daryl shook as he wiped the tears from his eyes, turning his head so as not to show the other man his emotions. He sniffled, shoving his pointer finger into Rick’s chest before continuing. “I ain’t your bitch. Ain’t nothing gonna change that.”

Rick watched Daryl with sad eyes, knowing he was the source of his hurt. “I understand.” Rick did his best to calm Daryl, releasing comforting pheromones, keeping his movements steady and slow as he got on his knees to leave the tent. He glanced back at Daryl before stepping out, “Just know, I will do everything in my power to keep your secret. You have my word. But it can’t stay hidden forever. Those pills will wear off soon; I’ll have to scent you to mask your own soon enough.” Rick took his final step out of the tent, wishing Daryl a good night before zipping up the tent.

Rick went to pick up the bag that Miguel had given him earlier that day, taking it to a secluded spot behind a tree near the camp's edge. He pulled out the prescription pills he had found on Merle, staring at them for a moment before slipping them into the bag with the rest of the supplies. He decided not to tell Daryl about it. Not unless it was an emergency. If Daryl really had been taking pills for as long as that book said, there was no way he could willingly give him more.
He took in a deep breath, sighing as he tilted his neck back to look up at the night sky, a cool breeze glazing over him as if it were trying to soothe him. The stars were beautiful. If only he could enjoy a night like this like he did back then. Back when he and Shane would drink chilled beers at the bonfire in his backyard, and Carl would show off his self-proclaimed Olympic tricks in the pool, while Lori would chat it up in the kitchen with her friends over glasses of red wine.
But now, Shane was dragging his friend’s bodies across the camp, Lori was sobbing, holding Carl tight, and Rick was alone, watching the stars.
Best not to dwell on it.
He made his way over to the tents, noticing lingering eyes from Dale as he walked.
Rick crouched down, putting his belongings away in a newly available tent as he threw out the belongings of whatever family had died in the chaos.
He made sure to go and give Carl a hug goodnight before going to sleep in his tent.
Closing his eyes, he did his best not to let the internal tugs pulling at his chest take him back to Daryl. He couldn’t do it. He needed him to trust him.

Chapter Text

Rick woke up at dawn the next morning, his eyes crusted over and his hair damp from sweat. Sleep felt like an eternity in hell that night, his mind racing through every second of it.
Still, he had to find the motivation to freshen himself up and get ready for the day. He walked to the edge of the camp, nodding at Dale, who was already up and starting a fire to boil water. He squatted down in the grass, letting the sunrise warm his face. Walkie-talkie in hand, he turned it on.

"Morgan," he spoke, hoping the man he had made this promise to was listening, "I don't know if you're out there. I don't know if you can hear me. Maybe you're listening right now. I hope so. I found others-my family, if you can believe it." Rick paused, mind racing as the sound of static surrounded him. "Lori and Carl, they're alive. I wanted you to know that and-hell. Morgan, I found my mate," Rick laughed to himself, his head nodding to the ground, still amazed at the fact. "I found him. He sure is something else, I'll tell you that." His smile faded suddenly. "There's something else you need to know. Atlanta isn't what we thought. It's not what they promised. The city is-" His words caught in his throat as memories of the previous days crossed his mind.

What if Morgan ended up in the same situation as him, and there was no Glenn to save him? What if he also found himself under that tank? What if the latch had been closed?

Rick gripped the device tighter, "Do not enter the city. It belongs to the dead now. We're camped a few miles north west, up by a big abandoned rock quarry. You can see it on a map." Rick's eyes squinted as he looked at the sun, his voice shaky, "I hope you come find us, but be careful. Last night, walkers came out of the woods... we lost people. Watch yourself, Morgan. Take care of your boy. I'll try again tomorrow at dawn."
The sound of static ended his one-way conversation as Rick stood to walk back into the camp.

Most of the pack had woken up and started their duties for the day by the time Rick made it back in. His eyes landed on Daryl, who was cracking through the heads of any remaining corpses with a pickaxe. He ignored Rick, not even sparing him a single glance. Rick was fine with it, though, as long as no one had bothered Daryl yet; he didn't mind being ignored.

Rick walked over to Shane, who was sitting with Dale, Lori, and Carol. They were observing Andrea, mostly keeping an eye on Amy. Andrea hasn't let anyone put her sister down. The last person who tried was Lori.

"She's been there all night. What do we do?" Lori questioned, looking to Shane.

"We can't just leave Amy like that. We need to deal with it. Same as the others." Shane answered, unsure of what else they could do.

Rick looked between them, assuming they'd only sugar-coated their attempts with Andrea, and he stepped up. "I'll tell her how it is."

"Andrea-" Rick wasn't even able to get a sentence out before there was a gun clocked at his head, Andrea's eyes burning through him like a raging flame.

"I know how the safety works." Her words were quiet but cold. Her voice scratched from the endless sobbing of the previous night. She didn't take her eyes off of him, and she didn't lower her weapon.

Rick slowly backed up. "All right. Okay." He raised his hands, palms facing her. "I'm sorry," he took another step back, "I'm sorry."

It wasn't until Rick was at least six feet away that she lowered her gun and went back to watching her sister.

Daryl was with the group when Rick walked back. It was his job to strike out the brains of any remaining corpses, and Amy's was next on his list.

"Y'all can't be serious. Lettin’ that girl hamstring us? The dead girl's a time bomb!" Daryl exclaimed, throwing his arms in frustration. "I don't get what's so hard about it. Ya’ll needa stop being a bunch-a pussies."

"What do you suggest?" Rick asked, fully facing Daryl now, at his side.

Daryl got in his face, "Take the shot. Clean, in the brain from here."

"No. For God's sake, let her be." Lori butted in, taking a seat down by Carol.

Rick glanced over at Shane, nodding his head at a loss.

Daryl looked between the two, annoyed that neither of them would listen to him. It especially ticked him off that Rick wouldn't listen. Daryl wasn't sure why it bothered him so much. He wasn't supposed to care about what this guy thinks. He couldn’t even fall asleep last night out of frustration with the man.
Daryl scoffed at them and walked off to help the other men throw bodies into graves and walkers into fires.

During the cleanup, Jacqui noticed fresh blood on Jim. He denied and denied that it was his, slowly backing away from everyone until T-Dog grabbed him from behind, restraining Jim's arms. Jim kicked and shoved, but T-Dog was much bigger than him and didn't let go. Daryl took initiative and pulled up Jim's shirt, revealing a gnarly, sore, and bleeding bite mark on his ribs.
The group watched in horror, and T-Dog let the man go.

It came down to the last of the camp, Rick, Shane, Dale, Morales, Glenn, Jacqui, T-Dog, Carol, Lori, and Daryl, to discuss what to do with Jim.

Daryl was the first to speak, "I say we put a pickaxe in his head and the dead girl's and be done with it."

"Is that what you'd want if it were you?" Shane picked at Daryl, sounding more aggressive than necessary.

Daryl snapped back at him, "Yeah, and I'd thank you while you did it."

Dale spoke next, "I hate to say it-I never thought I would, but maybe Daryl's right."

Rick watched Daryl, amazed at how he spoke his mind without regard for the consequences. It was amazingly idiotic. He had to speak against him, though, because what he was saying wasn't right. "Jim's not a monster, Daryl, or some rabid dog. He's a sick, sick man. We start down that road, where do we draw the line?"

"The line's pretty clear," Daryl interrupted, "zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be."

"What if we can get him help? I heard the C.D.C. was working on a cure." Rick looked around the group, trying his best to keep them hopeful.

"I heard that too. I heard a lot of things before the world went to hell." Shane wasn't shutting down Rick's idea, but he was clearly doubtful about it.

"What if the C.D.C. is still up and running?" His hands on his hips now, protesting against Shane. Rick tried to get his solution through.

"Man, that is a stretch right there."

"Why?" Rick looked Shane in the eyes. "If there's any government left, any structure at all, they'd protect the C.D.C. at all costs, wouldn't they? I think it's our best shot. Shelter, protection-"

Shane raised the palms of his hands, stepping in closer to Rick, "Okay, Rick, you want those things, all right? I do too, okay?" He calmed his voice, maintaining somewhat of his composure. "Now if they exist, they're at the army base. Fort Benning."

"That's a hundred miles in the opposite direction," Lori added.

"That is right. But it's away from the hot zone. Now listen to me. If that place is operational, it'll be heavily armed. We'd be safe there."

Rick raised his voice, sure of himself. "The military was on the front lines of this thing. They got overrun. We've all seen that. The C.D.C. is our best choice and Jim's only chance."

The two men bickered back and forth, both insisting their own idea was better than the other's. Daryl was sick of it. He didn't see the point in waiting, in trying to find help. He knew there was no help. There was nothing they could do for Jim, nothing they could do for safety.
He turned around to face Jim, not a drop of sympathy in his heart. Then he turned back to the group. "You go looking for aspirin, do what you need to do," Daryl turned back to Jim, pickaxe in hand, "someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem!" He couldn't even lift his weapon fully before he heard it—the clack of a gun to his head and that damned voice he hated so much.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Daryl's body froze, his limbs tense, and his jaw clenched, unable to speak against the man.
There was no way in hell Rick was about to out him in front of the whole pack. No way.

"We don't kill the living." Rick played it off, speaking to Daryl normally now. But that tone, that order, it didn't go unnoticed.

Shane put himself between Daryl and Jim, eyes darting between him and Rick, but didn't say a word about what had just happened.

Daryl turned around to face Rick, his nose flaring and his fists tight. "That's funny," Daryl lowered his weapon, "coming from a man who just pointed a gun to my head."

"We may disagree on some things, but not on this." Shane folded his arms defensively in front of Jim, who sat curled up behind a truck, watching in distress. "You put it down. Go on."

Daryl shoved his pickaxe into the ground before stomping off, glaring at Rick as he made his exit.

Shane watched Daryl, then Rick. Something wasn't right. Daryl was one to make a fuss, sure, but why is he directing all this anger towards Rick?
Shane glanced at Rick as he dragged Jim off. Rick wasn't one to order people around either. In fact, he'd rarely heard that tone of voice coming from him in all the years they'd known each other.
He decided it was best to keep quiet about it, just for now.

Seeing as though Jim was being taken care of, Dale made his way over to the RV to pay his respects to Amy. Taking off his hat, he sat with Andrea, who still hadn't budged, still hadn't taken her eyes off her sister. It broke Dale's heart to see Andrea this way. Dull, quiet, broken. He had cared for the two girls as if they were his own daughters.
"Did I ever mention how I lost my wife?" He spoke quietly, softly, as if not to disturb the shallow wind that blew around them.

Andrea didn't lash out at Dale, didn't glare or ignore. She took a moment before responding, only nodding her head towards him so as not to look away from her sister. "Cancer, wasn't it?"

Dale smiled softly as he retold the story of his wife. No matter what lengths they went through to help her, she had long been ready to go; how Dale felt cheated out of love for years.
"Since she passed, you girls were the first people that I cared anything for." He admitted.

Finally, Andrea averted her gaze to look at Dale, the smallest of smiles on her face. She knew she wasn't the only one suffering the loss of Amy, and she could appreciate Dale's openness with her. She reached for her back pocket and pulled out a small, pink paper towel.

"Her birthday was always a week-long affair. But I somehow always missed it. I was away at college or too busy for kids' parties. She'd call all excited..." Andrea looked down at Amy, her chest tight as knots, "I always said that I'd make it home, and I really always meant to, but I never made it past that phone call."

"I know things are hard enough for you without adding guilt into the mix, huh?" Dale asked, though it was more advice. He knew she would blame herself for this, and he didn't need those thoughts getting into her head.

Tears in her eyes, Andrea unwrapped the small paper with her blood-soaked hands, revealing the mermaid necklace she had found in the city. She wrapped it around her sister's neck, clasping it in the back. The necklace was shiny, clean, and colorful on top of Amy's dull, bloody skin.
Dale stood, putting his bucket hat back on, and took his leave.

Carol made her way over to Daryl, who had gotten a hold of his pickaxe again to finish his job. He paused as she got closer, the last body being Ed's.

"I'll do it. He's my husband." She said, quiet sobs leaving her throat as she spoke.

Daryl hesitantly handed her the pick, stepping aside to give her space.

Her face crumpled as she lifted it past her head, lips quivering, and her eyes bloodshot from crying all night. With a small grunt, she smashed the pick straight through her husband's head, then lifted it again. Then smashed it down again. And again. And again. Her sobs got louder with each hit, and her saddened scent turned into one of rage. This man had abused her and her daughter every second that those papers were signed. She despised the man she married, and still, she couldn't help but cry at seeing him become more unrecognizable with every blow.

Daryl could only watch her, his gut twisting every time that pickaxe fell into the man's head, not because of the sight, but because he knew exactly how she felt in that moment. He knew how it felt to hate someone you were supposed to love, how it felt to be beaten and abused for so long. Unable to hit back at them until it was too late. If only he had the chance to smash in his dad's skull the way Carol was now.

Andrea's heart sank the second she heard shallow breathing underneath her. She lowered her head to feel small, short breaths leaving Amy's mouth, and she sat back and watched as her sister's body began to twitch and moan.
"Amy," Andrea struggled to speak, her words coming out as little squeaks, "Amy, I'm sorry," she laid her hand on Amy's face, sticky with blood, "I'm sorry for not ever being there," Andrea grimaced as Amy's hand lifted to hold her head, dirty fingernails roughly dragging along her skull, gripping Andrea's hair to lift herself, "I always thought there'd be more time," Andrea spoke to her sister, forcefully holding it down as it snarled and bit at her, "I'm here now, Amy. I'm here," Andrea sobbed as she let her face rest on her sister's, pulling a gun out and holding it to Amy's skull, "I love you."

*BANG*

The group watched as Andrea relaxed again, sitting with the deceased walker and stroking its hair.

The Sun scorched the Earth like a plague, ripples of heat visible on the dry, cracking dirt, the weeds slightly swaying with the pitiful breeze. Sweat and grime dripped off Rick and Shane's backs as they continuously dug. The two men tasked themselves with digging the graves for their loved ones out in a nearby clearing. They worked in silence, tension filling the space between them.

"Say it," Rick spoke, sticking his shovel in the ground and straightening his back to look at Shane.

Shane stopped his work to look back at the man, "Okay," he stood, leaning against his shovel, "I'm thinking if you'd have stayed here, if you'd have looked after your own-" he shook his head, "instead you went off, you took half our manpower with you. I'm thinking maybe our losses wouldn't have been so bad." He spoke his mind, his words sharp and angry.

"If we hadn't gone off and brought those guns back when we did, I think our losses would have been a lot worse. Maybe the entire camp."

Shane didn't respond, only tilting his head in disproval, picking his shovel back up to finish his work.

A truck sped backwards towards the two, the bed full of corpses facing them. Rick's head perked up to see Daryl jump out from the cab, his stomach still twisting in the slightest whenever he saw the rash Omega.
He was clearly annoyed that they were working double just to bury some bodies.

"I still think it's a mistake not burning these bodies," Daryl walked towards the men at work, "It's what we said we'd do, right? Burn 'em all, wasn't that the idea?"

"At first," Shane grunted through his words, not stopping his work for the man.

"Now people get all emotional, saying it's not the thing to do. Who we following along with? Shane's supposed to be in charge, well, what the hell happened? What are we doing? What are the rules?"

"There are no rules," Rick answered before Shane got a chance to speak.

Shane looked up at the two, his nostrils flaring and his breath heavy, huffing in the tense air as he really studied the emotions of the two men at his side. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" Shane rose to Daryl, throwing his shovel to the ground to get in his face. "I'm in charge, ain't no one confused about that." Shane turned his head to face Rick, who had long lost his shovel and was stiffly watching the two, ready to act if needed.
Daryl never backed down. He stood his ground against Shane, his hands balled into fists, ready to fight the man.
Shane only smiled, letting out a chuckle as he looked back at Daryl. "You think you're so slick, huh?" He stepped up closer to Daryl, watching Rick inch forward through the corner of his eye. Shane repeated this, almost testing the two, his smile growing wider as Rick got closer. "Ain't that sumthin." Shane huffed as he distanced himself, laughing as he picked his shovel back up and got back to work.

The group had just finished burying the bodies when Rick felt a tug at his belt.

"Are we safe now, Dad?" Carl looked up at Rick, his voice raspy and eyes red and puffy from crying all night. "Now that we're together?"

Rick kneeled below his son, looking up at him, holding Carl's shoulders with shaky hands. "I won't leave again. I promise you that. Not for anything," Rick moved his hands up to hold his son's face, "C'mon, let's go help prep for the night."

Carol and Jaqui had lit an early fire to cook dinner, and the rest of the group had sat by around it, too exhausted to finish any chores that needed to be done. As Rick walked up to the pit, Shane spoke,

"I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now look, there are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that," Shane stared Rick down as he spoke, "I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts." His words felt fake, plastic wrapped, at least Rick noticed it. Shane eyed the rest of the group, "I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning." Shane slapped his knees as he stood, "Okay?"

Chapter Text

The warm morning sun shone bright on Rick's skin as he squatted down in the grass. His thumb found the Push-To-Talk button on his walkie-talkie, pressing it firmly before speaking, "We're moving out, leaving the quarry. If you heard me yesterday, you may be coming here. If you are, we'll be gone by the time you arrive," Rick kneeled, his heart aching for the man he hoped he was talking to, "I'm leaving a note and map behind for you, taped to a red car so you can follow that trail. We're heading to the C.D.C. If there's anything left, it's git to be there, don't you think?" His brows furrowed, and he gripped the walkie-talkie tighter. "Morgan... I hope you were right about that place. I need you to be."

Rick finished his one-way conversation and headed back to the camp, where Shane was getting ready to give out instructions. Rick stood with Shane, close enough to show he was a head Alpha, but not the head Alpha. He wasn't the one giving the speech.

"Now, if anybody's channel ain't working, can't get a hold of anyone, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?" Shane asked the group before him.

Morales cleared his throat, "We're not going."

The group stared at the man, dumbfounded, surprised anyone was actually willing to stay behind.

His wife spoke up on his behalf to clear the air, "We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people."

"You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back," Shane informed them.

"We'll take the chance. This pack has been wonderful for us, but I gotta do what's best for my family." Morales explained to Shane as respectfully as possible. In times like these, it usually isn't allowed for pack members to up and leave their packs, and Shane definitely wasn't expecting anyone to, but it was an option, and Morales wanted to be as polite and grateful as possible as he could with his decision.

"You're sure?" Rick butted in.

"We talked about it. We're sure." Morales spoke for his family.

"Alright," Rick nodded at Shane, and the two squatted down to the bag full of guns, handing a small pistol and a half-empty box of ammo to Morales.

The family thanked them before going to hug everyone one last time. His wife, Miranda, went to hug the women in the group with whom she had gotten close. His daughter, Emily, gave Sophia a doll as a parting gift with sad eyes.

Rick stepped towards Morales, speaking in a low tone, "Channel 40 if you change your minds."
Morales nodded at the man in understanding.

Shane glanced over at Rick, "What makes you think our odds are any better?" But he didn't wait for a response. He wanted to make sure Rick knew that if anything were to go wrong, it was on his hands. Shane left Rick and rounded up the rest of the group in their cars.

The group was only able to make it about 12 miles before the engine in the RV gave out. Shane was the first out on the road, taking his binoculars to look for anything to help them. "I see something up ahead. A gas station, if we're lucky."

Rick walked up, turning to Shane, "Hey, I'll hold down the fort, you go check out the road. How's that sound?"

Before Shane could respond, T-Dog butted in, "Yeah, I'll come along too and back you up."

Shane stood silent, scowling at Rick before dragging along T-Dog, "Yeah, yeah, let's go. We'll be right back."

As Shane and T-Dog left, Rick stepped into the RV to check on Jim. His body stiffened at the sight of the poor man. He looked half dead already. His eyes were sunken and purple, sweat poured out of him like a human sink, and dry blood and vomit crumbled around the wrinkles of his mouth. "We'll be back on the road soon." Rick tried to comfort the man.

"Oh, no. Christ. My bones-" he grunted through every word he spoke, "my bones are like glass. Every little bump, God, this ride is killing me." He took a shaky breath, looking out the window, "Leave me here. I'm done. Just leave me. I wanna be with my family."

Rick glared at the man, upset at the thought of leaving him behind. He knelt down on one knee next to the man, "They're all dead. I don't think you know what you're asking. The fever. You've been delirious more often than not."

"I know, don't you think I know?" Jim strained to prop himself up further on the bed, sucking in breath like his throat was the size of a straw. "I'm clear now. In five minutes, I may not be. Rick, I know what I'm asking. I want this. Leave me here. Now that's on me. Okay? My decision, not your failure. I ain't asking for permission from Shane. It's you who's fighting for me, that's all I need to call you our Alpha. Please, leave me here."

Rick gently patted the man's arm before walking out to face the group who waited patiently outside. He informed them of Jim's decision, waiting until Shane got back and fixed the RV to act. The two dragged Jim by the arms off the road and laid him against a tree, making sure he was comfortable.

Shane knelt, "Hey, you know it doesn't have to be this."

Jim wobbled his head weakly side to side, "No, this is nice. I like the breeze."

"Okay." Shane stood, stepping aside so the rest of the pack could say their goodbyes.

Jaqcui was the first to say goodbye, being his caretaker since he got bitten. She placed a loving kiss on his forehead, closing his eyes and telling him to rest.

Rick walked up next, lowering himself to the ground, "Jim, do you want this?" He asked, holding up a gun close to Jim's eyes to see.

Jim spoke weakly, "No, you'll need it. I'm okay."

Rick patted the man one last time before leaving. The rest of the group doing the same.

Jim watched them all get in their cars, as they waved at him as they drove past. He smiled up at the sky before closing his eyes the last time, sleeping until the pain went away.

The putrid scent of death and decay stunned their noses as they stepped out of their vehicles. The parking lot of the C.D.C. was packed to the brim with corpses. The building was at the edge of the city, so most of it was made up of civilians who got shot down trying to escape. Flies and maggots covered the bodies; not a single step could be taken without some unknown fluid getting stepped on. Still, the pack pushed their way through, the two Alphas taking the front while the Beta males stood guard around the women and children. Everyone kept their guard up, being so close to the city.

The entrances to the building were blocked by metal shutters. Rick was the first to try shaking them open.

"Nothing?" Shane asked as he tried lifting the metal.

Rick looked up desperately at the cameras at the top of the door while the other Alpha banged on the metal screen.

"There's nobody in there!" T-Dog yelled from behind.

"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick fought with his heart, every bit of him hoping T-Dog was wrong.

"Walkers!" Daryl hollered at the back of the group, taking one down with his crossbow as it came close. He ran back towards Rick, "You led us into a graveyard!" He was ready to fight the man. "You made the wrong damn call!"

Shane put himself between Daryl and Rick, shoving him back, "Shut up! Just shut up! You hear me? Shut up!" Shane backed up into Rick, opting to talk to him firmly over Daryl's yells, "Rick, this is a dead end."

"We can't be this close to the city after dark!" Lori stepped in, holding Carl close.

"Okay, fine. Let's go, let's go!" Shane called out, huddling the group together to get back in the vehicles.

Rick waited, his eyes locked on the security camera above as it focused on them. "The camera-it moved!" He yelled out, stopping them in their tracks.

"You imagined it." Dale tried to reason, but Rick didn't listen.

He pushed forward. "It moved."

Shane looked up at the camera with him. "Rick, it's dead, man. It's an automated device. It's gears, okay? They're just winding down. Now come on!" He tried shoving Rick back, but he wouldn't budge. His eyes were glued to the camera, and his body was cemented to the ground. "Look at this place! It's dead! You need to let it go, Rick! You need to let it-"

Shane was cut off by Rick's body throwing itself at the doors, banging his fists on the metal as he cried up to the camera. "I know you're in there! I know you can hear me! Please, we're desperate!" Rick pleaded as Shane kept trying to drag him backwards. "Please help us! We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left! We have nowhere else to go!"

The group became desperate, not wanting to return to their vehicles without Rick. Walkers surrounded them now; they were unable to move.

"If you don't let us in, you're killing us!" Rick ignored the pack, continuing to bang on the doors. "Please!" Rick screamed and begged as Daryl stepped up, grabbing the rash man by his shoulders, hoping to cower him down by getting close to his neck. He didn't want to touch the Alpha, he didn't want to crawl up on him to calm him down, to be his rock back to the walker-filled reality they desperately needed to run away from, back to the safety of their cars. He knew it needed to be done, though, or they were all getting eaten.
Shane yanked Daryl back before Rick had the chance to acknowledge him, giving him a wicked stare as he shoved him to the back with the rest of the group.

"You're killing us!" Sweat and tears fell down Rick's face, his cries for help becoming ragged and restless. "You're killing us! You're killing-"

The panic and cries all came to a halt as a bright light emerged from behind, and the sound of scraping metal rang in their ears. They all looked back to see one of the shutters being lifted, the entrance now open to them.

They hurried in, still in the formation they came in, armed and ready to fight off any walkers that might linger inside. But there was nothing. There was no noise. No stench. The place was pristine and calm.

"Hello?" A voice called out from down the other end of the main area.

Several guns cocked, aimed right towards the noise.

The man called out again. "Anybody infected?" His voice was cracky, but loud enough to hear across an echoed room.

"One of our pack was. He didn't make it." Rick hollered back in response.

The man slowly stepped towards the group, his own gun now facing the ground as he took small, steady steps. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

Rick kept his guard up, answering truthfully, "A chance."

"That's asking an awful lot these days."

"I know."

The man took a moment to get a good look at the pack. Observing the two Alphas before him, the women and children in the middle, and the rest of the men on the sides. "You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."

Rick looked the man up and down. He was an Alpha, yet he barely had his own scent. He smelt of hand sanitizer and rust. He was tall, with short, ginger hair. His voice was strong and full of bass behind his weary questions. "We can do that," Rick answered, not daring to decline the man's offer.

The man immediately lowered his gun, his voice becoming firm and his movements rigid. "You got stuff to bring in, do it now. Once that door closes, it stays closed."

Rick immediately ordered all the men to grab important belongings, as well as anything personal to other members that they could carry. T-Dog and Dale stayed at the door, slamming it shut once all of the belongings were in the building.

The man walked over to a door, sliding a card through an access control reader. "Vi, seal the main entrance. Kill the power up here." The light on the machine flashed green as the metal shutters fell again, and the lights went out; only a few dim lights lit a main hallway.

Rick walked up to the man, holding his hand out to be shaken, "Rick Grimes."

The man looked Rick up and down, but refused to raise his limb. "Dr. Edwin Jenner."
Dr. Jenner shoved them all into an elevator, not speaking a word until Daryl spoke. "Doctors always go around packin' heat like that?" He asked, nodding his head towards the man's gun.

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself, though I don't have much practice," He looked around at the group, "but you look harmless enough." He said, then looked down at Carl. "Except you. I'll have to keep my eye on you." He grinned through his words, happy to make the kid smile.

Dr. Jenner walked them all through a long hallway, the lot of them all underground now. He led them through a large open doorway. "Vi, turn on the lights in the big room." He ordered, but there was no response; actions followed, as the room they stood in was filled with light. It was huge and white. Filled with desktops and large, chunky computers. "Welcome to Zone 5," He spoke, walking further down into the room.

Rick followed close behind. "Where is everybody? The other doctors, the staff?"

Dr. Jenner now stood in the middle of the room, patiently waiting for the rest to follow. "I'm it. It's just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with? Vi?" Lori asked.

"Vi, say hello to our guests," He smiled back at the group, "Tell them 'welcome'."

HELLO, GUESTS. WELCOME. An automated female voice spoke from the overhead speakers.

"I'm all that's left." He repeated defeatedly. "I'm sorry." He apologized before leading them down a hallway. It smelled like him. Sterile.
Placing them all in a room, Dr. Jenner drew their blood one by one. Andrea was the last of them, stumbling as she stood to her feet.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Jacqui helped Andrea steady herself, looking back at the man to answer for her. "She hasn't eaten in days. None of us have."

Dr. Jenner looked back at the group, almost shocked to see them all nod their heads in agreement. "Excuse me. Allow me to serve you all." He stood, smiling as he directed them to the door.

Rick walked up to the Doctor, tapping his arm and motioning him aside.

"Oh, just, uh-" Jenner stuck his head through the door, "Please meet us in the big room please. I'll be there shortly." He instructed the group, and they followed without question. Turning back to Rick, "What is it?"

"Can we close the door?"

"I'd rather not," Jenner responded, his brows furrowing as he raised his guard.

"No, no. I'm not tryna pull anything. Just.." His voice lowered, just barely past a whisper. "Can you do other work... outside of all this sciency testing stuff?"

"What kind of work?" Jenner lowered his voice as well, staying respectful with his guest.

"Just general health."

"I've got some experience. Who's sick?" His brows furrowed as his body tensed, "Who's bit?"

"No. No one." Rick assured before peeking out into the hallway to make sure no one could hear them. He struggled to speak his next words, his voice shaky and as quiet as possible. "We have an Omega."

Dr. Jenner's eyes shot open, a smile enlightening his face.

Rick glared at him, not appreciative of how happy this made the man.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to seem overly happy. But that is just great news!" He whisper-shouted, not breaking his eye contact with Rick. "That must bring you all so much hope. Who is it?"

"No one knows. Just me. It's Daryl."

"Are you two-"

"Yeah, yeah. But I ask for a reason," Rick straightened himself, looking firmly at Jenner. "I found out he's been taking suppressants since he was 18. I just want to know if there's anything I should be concerned about."

Dr. Jenner paused, thinking to himself for a moment before speaking. "I'd need to get him in here for an ultrasound, as well as other physical tests."

"No. No, he can't know. What can you do with blood alone?"

"Well, I can check his hormone levels, basic things like that," He answered, scratching the back of his neck before continuing, "But that's about it. It won't give you much."

"I'll take what I can get." Rick grabbed Jenner by the bicep, "Please, don't tell anyone. No one can know."

Dr. Jenner nodded, shaking away the man's hand.

"Thank you. I owe you a great deal." Rick said before leaving the room to join the others.

Dr. Jenner treated the group to a large dinner, full of wine and laughter. It warmed Rick's heart to see them all so happy. They all had a good laugh when Carl was given some wine to try, spitting the bitterness out of his mouth as fast as he could. After all this time, Rick finally felt safe and relaxed. He watched Daryl from across the table, feeling at ease seeing his mate grin. It was the first time he'd seen the man smile, and damn, it was beautiful. They shared a few glances, not much, but it meant the world to Rick. For the first time, Daryl didn't stare at him with eyes full of ashes, smoky with sparks of dying flames.

They were escorted to a hallway full of small dorm-like rooms. Dale, T-Dog, Glenn, Jacqui, Rick, Daryl, and Andrea all got their own rooms. While Carol slept with Sophia, Shane and Lori slept with Carl.
It was a complete blessing to take a hot shower again, a new song being hummed or whistled anytime someone new entered the showers. Laughter filled the halls as many of the adults still waltzed around with booze in their hands.
Rick felt more than content, but there was still that little ache in him that worried for Daryl. He wandered into the big room, overly buzzed with a bottle of red wine in his hand, but aware of what he wanted. Rick knocked on a desk as he walked up behind Dr. Jenner, who was doing his research on one of the large computers.

"How's the blood?"

"No surprises," Jenner answered, disheartened.

Rick hummed in response, then looked around before sitting next to the Doctor on the floor. "And what about...?"

Dr. Jenner signed as he lowered his head, looking at Rick, who sat on the cold floor by his desk. "His hormones are all out of whack. His testosterone levels are much higher than they should be for an Omega. It's been helping him pass as a Beta, all that muscle mass." He swiveled his chair to face Rick, "Ya'know, this could lead to issues in his brain and heart. I'd say bone too, but he seems sturdy enough." He shifted in his seat. "Honestly, he's probably infertile."

Rick's heart sank. Not because he had planned on any kids, but it was still such hurtful news. To know how all the medication had affected Daryl's body.

"Now, I can't say for sure, but c'mon. No heats in over 15 years?"

"Well," Rick cleared his throat before speaking, "his brother kept... medical records of him. He was sold off when he was young. Said his last check-up was three years ago, and said he was fertile."

"They wanted money for him, of course, it said he was fertile, " Dr. Jenner said. "But really, there's no way. His ovarian reserve is pretty much dust; there shouldn't be a single egg in there that works." He looked down at Rick with sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry."

Rick sat back, his body slumped against the desk, taking a swig from his bottle. "Ya'know, I came to thank you. Really. I'm very grateful."

Jenner watched the man lean on his buzz. "You did."

Rick laughed to himself. "You don't know what it's like out there. You may think you do, but you don't. We'd have died out there. It was only a matter of time. There's too many of those things. My-my boy," Rick stumbled over his words, "my mate, I never-" he paused, "I never told them what I really thought. I just kept it in. Kept it in and kept moving, ya know?"

Dr. Jenner spoke before Rick could mumble his next words. "It'll all be okay. It'll be okay."

Rick trusted this man. Trusted his words.
He clumsily brought himself to his feet, patting the doctor on the shoulder before saying goodnight and heading to his room.

Daryl felt sick to his stomach. He didn't need to hear all of this. He didn't want (Italics) to hear any of it. He had just meant to get some water when he heard Rick ask about blood, and decided to stay to hear the rest of it.
Rick told Dr. Jenner his secret. The one thing he was forced to trust Rick with, and now he was spewing his mouth to strangers.
His teeth grit and his body shook with anger and embarrassment. The word rang in his ears. "Infertile." Is that what Rick wanted to know? If he could pop out babies for him? Daryl knew it was too good to be true. An Alpha that genuinely cared, that was patient and listened.
Daryl clenched his fists, storming off before Rick could walk back into the hall where Daryl was hiding. Tears ran down his face, falling flat on the floor as he ran. Small grunts escaped his throat as he swallowed his cries.
He thought he could finally trust someone.

Daryl entered the rec room; luckily, the kids had been taken away to sleep already. He didn't need anyone to see him the way he was now. His chest heaved, uneven breaths torturing his lungs as he fought down his anger. He stumbled, catching himself on a bookshelf as he clasped his hand over his mouth with the other hand. Then it hit him. Leather and Clove. His body froze as long, slow steps followed behind the smell, and a door slammed to pinch the nerves.

"Somethin' the matter, pretty boy?" Shane spoke out from behind.

Daryl's breath hitched at the name. Turning slowly to meet Shane, only to get shoved back onto a nearby table. He lifted his fists, ready to fight.

"Stop that," Shane ordered, a sick smile spreading across his face as he raised his hands to lower Daryl's. "Yeah... yeah, I know what you are." His breath left trails of liquor along Daryl's jaw as Shane closed the space between them. "Y'all ain't slick. Back at the camp, with Jim, I saw that. I ain't stupid," he laughed, "You ain't his bitch yet though."

Daryl grit his teeth as he felt Shane's hands lift up, slowly caressing his ribs over his clothing. "You best' get off me." He spoke in shudders, not wanting to breathe in any more of Shane's suffocating scent than he needed to.

"Or what?" Shane backed up to look Daryl in the eye, "You gonna go cryin' to your Alpha? Then what? We both know he'd come fight me, then the whole pack will know your business. You want that? Hm?"

Daryl averted his eyes, attempting to push the man off him again, only to get slapped with that disgusting voice again.

"Hands down." Shane grinned through his teeth as the Omega obeyed. "Turn around."

Fuck. He wanted to throw up, the bile burning at his throat taunting Daryl just as much as Shane was.

Shane shoved Daryl down, pinning him down by the neck, his crotch pressed tight against Daryl's ass. "Look at you. So tough, for what? You're under me like a bitch in heat in seconds. You like listening to Alphas?" Shane straightened himself out, admiring the mess of a man beneath him. "If you weren't so damn filthy, maybe you'd make a nice housewife," he clicked his tongue, "A damn shame Rick got to you first." Shane chuckled before gliding his hands down Daryl's body one last time before slipping away.

Daryl slowly slid up from the table, his eyes red and wide as he turned, watching Shane grab a lone bottle of wine from a coffee table. His hands shook, and his stomach felt tight. Shane's words clouded his mind like a raging storm. Tears fell from his eyes as he stepped forward, waiting for Shane to turn before running up and clawing at his neck, leaving deep, red scratches. "Why don't you go fuck Lori!" He yelled, not waiting for more. He took the chance to run out of the room, wheezing with every other step.

Rick staggered into the dorms. It was late, and everyone had already gone to lie in their beds for the night. Rick threw his empty wine bottle into a nearby trash can before going to open his door. It creaked as it opened, a dim light emitting from the small room.

*THUD*

Rick looked up to see the tall silhouette that shoved him down. Daryl. "What-what's wrong?" Rick asked, slowly getting onto one knee before getting shoved again, sucking in a sharp breath as his back hit the frame of the bed, hard.

"Shut up!" Daryl wanted to yell, but his voice was too weak, too faint for his cries to be heard. "What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought-damn I thought I could finally trust you!" He sank to the floor, scooting himself onto the wall furthest from Rick.

Clearly awake now, Rick realized what had happened. "You heard?"
He didn't get a response from Daryl. Only small, quiet sobs that broke out the second Rick spoke.
"Daryl, listen to me, I-"

"Is that what you wanted? To know if I was worth a fuck? I'm glad I can't have kids, I ain't spreading my legs for a bastard like you." Daryl couldn't look Rick in the eyes, couldn't see the hurt he left in Rick.
Daryl crawled forward, his shaky fists balled and aimed at Rick's face. He landed a few sloppy blows, only leaving a bruise or two on Rick's shoulder.
Rick managed to grab Daryl's wrists, sliding his feet under the Omega's legs to catch him off balance. "Daryl, listen," Rick ordered, watching as Daryl paused, crawling off of him, eyes to the ground.

Bile came up in Daryl's throat as he heard that. The same sound of Shane, ordering him to bend over for him. "You needa stop that. I ain't yours."

"But you are. Like it or not." Rick slid next to Daryl, "But you make it so damn difficult not to." He ran his hands through his hair, stopping at the nape of his neck, "And right now, I need you to listen to me. Can't really talk in a fist fight." Rick turned his head to look at Daryl, who curled his knees to his chest and kept his eyes glued to the ground like a kid getting scolded. "I didn't ask Dr. Jenner to check your fertility," Rick straightened himself a bit, still woozy off the wine, "After I saw how long you've been takin' those pills," he threw his hand in the air, mad at what he was talking about, "I had to know if you would be okay. Them things have side effects, ya'know? One of them being... well, infertility. I'm sure you heard the rest. Without an actual checkup, we have no idea what physical issues you might have. it..." Rick slouched in on himself, his words weak, "It worried me..."
He gently lifted his hand to Daryl's shoulder, waiting until the man finally looked to him to continue speaking. "I hold my word. I will do everything in my power to earn your trust. I'll keep my distance, I won't order you around anymore, hell, I won't even look at you if that's what you want; anything you say. But please," Rick leaned himself onto Daryl, fixing his head onto his shoulder, "Please give me a chance..." Rick watched Daryl think, his eyes pleading for him when his words couldn't go on anymore.

Daryl kept still; his mind was racing with everything Rick had told him. He lifted his head slightly at the realization,
'won't order you around anymore.'
Then memories of Shane washed over him again. He slowly turned to face Rick, "Maybe you won't have to order me around again," his words wavered, confusing Rick. He thought about it, about what Shane had said. If he had let Rick really mate him sooner, Shane wouldn't have been able to order him around. He could've fought back. Maybe Shane was right. Maybe he and his dad and Merle were all right. He couldn't handle being on his own; look at where that got him now. And if Merle wasn't there to protect him... he leaned himself onto his palms, crawling closer to Rick.

"Daryl, what're you doing?" Rick asked, his brows furrowing as Daryl inched closer to him on all floors. In response, Rick scooted himself as far back as he could until he was pressed up against the side of the bed again.

Daryl opened his mouth to speak, but only a small breath could leave his throat. He couldn't do it, not looking at Rick. He opted to look down at the ground before attempting to speak again, "Mate me, Rick."

Rick's heart dropped at the sudden change in attitude, and his face flushed red. "Daryl- you're drunk, I'm drunk, you don't know what you're asking for-" Rick stuttered through his words, his heart pounding as excitement filled his chest.

"Nah, I know what I'm asking for," Daryl swallowed as he crawled forward, keeping only a 6-inch distance between them. "I'm asking you to claim me as yours."

"No, no," Rick shook his head as he grabbed Daryl by the shoulders, guiding him into a sitting position to get him off his hands and knees. "Let's get you to bed, we can talk about this another time-" A pair of dry, cracking lips crashed into Rick's own, cutting him off. Rick stared at Daryl wide-eyed, wanting to push the Omega off, but he couldn't. Everything in Rick told him this was wrong, but he didn't stop it. He fell back onto the rail of the bed, letting Daryl crawl onto his lap, Rick's hands lifting from the floor to lay on Daryl's thighs.

Disgusting. That's all Daryl could feel as he crawled into the Alpha's lap, letting biology drive him, keeping his eyes shut, knowing if he opened them, he just might throw up everywhere. Daryl's fingers tightened their grip on Rick's shoulders as he felt rough hands sneak their way under his shirt, caressing his ribs. He gasped, quickly shoving the hands away like they had burned him, the same way Shane's had. "Why don't we skip all this?" Daryl asked, still refusing to look Rick in the eyes. "Nothin' special under there anyway."

"You're under there," Rick responded with a small smile, looking up at Daryl. Rick thought about it as he smelled the shame and disgust leaking off of the Omega. Was he insecure? Sure, he wasn't the picture-perfect Omega, but who was? Rick saw more than that. He saw a skilled hunter, a man who knows his worth, his mate. Rick tried lifting the torn-up and battered shirt off of Daryl, but his hands were stopped again.

"Please, let's keep these on." Daryl pleaded, tugging at their shirts.

Rick huffed through a smile, "Alright, we can do that. If you're so sure about this, I'll let you be comfortable." Rick leaned forward, cupping Daryl's face as he kissed him, releasing a soothing scent to calm Daryl.

Daryl despised the way his body warmed to Rick's touch. The way he felt so complete under the man. He pulled back, finally mustering up the courage to look up at Rick. To his surprise, he didn't throw up everywhere, the spitting feeling leaving his throat as he stared up at the Alpha above him. He wasn't Shane, not forcing him down onto a table. He wasn't those men, and he wasn't being tied down to a bed, and he wasn't being watched. He was Rick, who was keeping his word, making Daryl as comfortable as he could through his decisions. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe he really was just a bitch, but whatever it was, it was nice.

Rick let out a contented sigh as Daryl finally met his eyes, the light blue hues reeling Rick in, and he was all for it. He lifted his arms again, now holding his head in his hands, rubbing small circles into the man's jaw.

Daryl blushed at the soft motions, annoyed with Rick for taking his time to enjoy this, to enjoy him. He scoffed, pressing his mouth against Rick's once again. He wanted to feel Rick's canines sinking into his neck, his flesh, that sense of euphoria he had dreaded for so many years.

Rick welcomed Daryl's eagerness, quickly turning their dry, simple kisses into a sloppy mess.

Daryl's hands found themselves lunging to undo Rick's belt buckle. His hands fumbled, and were covered in a thin coat of sweat. Rick chuckled before replacing Daryl's hands with his own, "I got it," he assured him.

Daryl hopped off Rick, bringing them up from the floor onto the bed. He kneeled, facing away from Rick and swiping away his damp hair to bare his neck. His heart raced as Rick's increasingly arousing scent intoxicated him further than the alcohol had. Why did he grab at Rick's jeans? All he needs is that bite, nothing else, not Rick's hands all over him, not kisses.

After discarding his belt and unbuttoning his jeans, Rick made his way to Daryl, kneeling behind him on the bed.

"Go on then, get it over with." Daryl hissed, looking down at his trembling hands.

Rick leaned in from behind, leaving a small trail of kisses on the nape of Daryl's neck where his teeth should be sinking into, and Daryl shivered with unwanted pleasure. "What's the rush? If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it right," he glided his hands down Daryl's arms, stopping at the end to hold his hand, "Gonna treat you how you deserve to be treated." Rick smiled, "You mind lyin' on your back for me?"

Daryl shook his head, "Nah," awkwardly getting into the requested position.
He didn't know how to feel. He felt so exposed yet so excited without having any clothes taken off yet. He glanced down at Rick's unbuttoned jeans, and his stomach flipped.
Fuck, why was that so hot?
He looked back up at Rick, crawling up on top of him, using the moment to take him all in. He wasn't the biggest Alpha he'd seen; if anything, he was thinner than himself, maybe the same if he had the chance to pack on some more muscle. Daryl swallowed, imagining how Rick might have looked before the coma. His eyes were blue like his own, and he had short, curly brown hair and a large, straight nose. Daryl kept his eyes on Rick as he leaned in, his breath hot with alcohol and want.

Rick tugged at Daryl's jeans, "Lift up your hips."

Those four words made Daryl tingle in anticipation. It wasn't an order, not like he was used to; it was an instruction, and his body was more than willing to do as told.
Suddenly, his hips were lifted into the air, and he felt a sensation running down his cheek. Holy shit, he was wet. The feeling was a complete stranger to him. He hadn't experienced this in years, not since he started taking blockers. His heartbeat sped up, and his thighs felt weak in Rick's grip.
Once his pants were tugged off and thrown to the floor, Rick grinned as he spread the man's legs, wrapping them around his waist.

"What the hell, man?!" Daryl snapped at him, his face a fuming red as he covered his private parts with his hands, embarrassed though he was still wearing boxers.

"I wanna feel you around me," Rick lowered himself onto Daryl, pressing their groins together as he brought himself down to the other man's ear, "That a problem?"

Daryl could only look away, "It's fine..." he grumbled, the feeling of Rick's dick pressed against his own too shocking to rile him up anymore.

Rick chuckled and leaned back in, kissing every bit of Daryl that his mouth could reach. He kissed his cheek, then his forehead, then down to his mouth. It was slow and passionate, just the way Rick wanted before he started getting rough, grinding down on Daryl to get out a moan, inviting his tongue into Daryl's mouth with ease. He wanted every bit of the Omega underneath him. He continued rolling his hips into Daryl, letting them both enjoy the feeling.
Daryl's arms instinctively wrapped around Rick's neck, pulling him in tight as quiet gasps escaped his mouth.
The hairs on Rick's back stood at the action. He needed Daryl's touch; he had waited so patiently and kindly for it, a wanting, an ache so deep it went beyond his body.
Rick kissed Daryl's forehead before moving away, pulling down his jeans, and tossing them to the side next to Daryl's.
Daryl saw a few holes in Rick's old, tattered-up boxers, stifling a laugh.
Rick beamed at the sound, so happy, so proud that he had made Daryl comfortable enough to laugh in this delicate moment. He returned them to their position, and, damn, something about being over Daryl felt so right. Like two pieces of a puzzle fitting into each other perfectly. Rick slowly lowered one of his hands down to the band on Daryl's boxers, waiting until the Omega nodded to pull them off.

Daryl finally saw it. How patient Rick had been with him, how caring, how loving. Rick took his time looking him up and down, admiring the mess of a man he was. The intimacy was inescapable. It made him feel uneasy; he knew he didn't deserve it, but he'd let himself enjoy it. Just for tonight. He didn't complain when his boxers were slid off, only turning his head to the side slightly, embarrassed.
Rick smiled as he leaned in to kiss along Daryl's neck, bringing his hand down to stroke him a bit before moving further down, the tips of his fingers coating themselves in Daryl's slick.
Daryl's eyes shot open as he lowered his hands from Rick's neck to hold him back by his shoulders, "Wait-" he opened his mouth to speak again, but nothing came out; he didn't know what to say.

Rick smiled, gently pushing off Daryl's hands, "I'll start slow," he continued. He waited until he saw Daryl relax to push in his middle finger, drawing it up and out with every push. Rick lowered himself to kiss Daryl, pleased when the Omega started to push himself down on Rick. He didn't wait to tease Daryl, pressing in a second digit, keeping at the up and out motion.
Daryl let out trembling breaths, his eyes shut and his brows furrowed. His back arched into the man as he brushed over every right spot in him, an electric feeling flooding his body with want. He held Rick tight against him, letting out satisfied hums as Rick quickened his pace. Daryl could feel that pent-up pool building inside of him, his high coming to its peak just as Rick removed his hands, leaving Daryl breathless. "Fuck was that for?" Daryl groaned, pushing himself up onto his elbows to stare the man down.

Rick could only laugh at his reaction. "Don't be mad, Darlin'." He smiled as Daryl's face tensed at the pet name, though he didn't make any fuss over it. Instead, rolling his eyes and grumbling out a small "Whatever." He peeked down when her heard Rick shuffle backwards, his breath hitching when he saw that Rick took the moment to slide off his own boxers. Daryl's legs tensed as the man crawled back on top of him.

Rick pressed another kiss on Daryl's forehead. "You ready for this?" He loomed over Daryl, watching his gaze drop and rise back to his eyes, contemplating. Rick grinned as Daryl nodded nervously. He didn't waste any time, as his patience was running thin. He swallowed, holding his breath as he lined himself up, then pushed his hips forward until he was base deep. Rick let out a sharp breath, letting both of them relax into the feeling.

Daryl hissed as Rick pushed through, gripping onto the collar of Rick's shirt as he shut his eyes tight. It burned, honestly, he didn't have the heart to tell Rick he was his first, knowing the man would dote on him ten times longer than he already had. He took a few deep breaths, focusing on relaxing, and gave Rick a small tap on his shoulder to continue. Past the point of stretching, Daryl eased into the feeling of being fucked, letting his body do what felt right; wrapping his arms and legs back around Rick, grinding down into his cock, and letting small moans escape his lips.

Rick leaned down to kiss Daryl, silencing the man for a second. "We gotta be quiet, Darlin. Don't want anyone coming to check on us."

Daryl grunted in response, letting Rick come back down for another kiss.
Rick could feel himself getting shaky, his stomach tightening with every thrust. He leaned back, pulling out and giving Daryl's side a soft tap. "Turn around."
Daryl did so, lying flat on the bed, nervous to expose himself. It was for nothing, though, as Rick grabbed him by the hips, yanking them upwards until Daryl's upper half was arching into the bed, his face pushed into a pillow.
Rick got on his knees, pushing himself back into the Omega with a low groan.
If it weren't for the beds being cemented to the walls, Rick was sure anyone in that hall would have been able to hear what was going on. Appreciative of the fact, Rick roughened his thrusts, making sure to pull out most of the way before sinking back in. Rick beamed as he heard the muffled moans coming from Daryl, happy he was able to make him feel as good as he did. He slid a hand below Daryl, gently tugging at his cock as they started to reach their climax.

"Fuck..." Daryl groaned into his pillow, clinging to it like a lifeline. Electric shocks flowed through Daryl's body, each tug bringing him closer to his peak. He gasped as Rick shoved himself forward, his thrusts becoming erratic and desperate. Daryl shivered as Rick sucked and nipped at the glands on his neck, prepping it for his teeth. He ached as Rick gripped his hips tightly, a shock crashing through his body as he felt a burning sensation from below. Fuck. He forgot about this part. He was being mated, not fucked for fun. Daryl winced as the pain worsened, his eyes shut, and he bit into the pillow, refusing to let this get the best of him; he could handle it. He could hear Rick lowly moaning his name, not seeming to realize the pain Daryl was feeling in the moment.
"Fuck, Rick!" Dary gasped into the pillow as Rick's canines sank into his neck, deep enough to draw blood. In that moment, every pain, every worry, every thought that Daryl was experiencing vanished. A rush of euphoria washed over the two, sending them both to their climax. Daryl let out a loud, muffled whine, ruining the sheets below him as Rick's knot formed, pumping loads into the Omega.
Rick released his teeth from Daryl's neck, admiring his work.
They stayed in that position for a minute, catching their breath as they came down from their high.
Daryl tried to lower himself down, hissing as the knot tugged on him, "Shit!"

"Hey, hey, take it slow." Rick shushed him, lowering himself slowly along with Daryl, guiding them to lie on their sides to be more comfortable. He found the wet spot on Daryl's neck, lapping at it softly to clean up the mess.
Daryl held his breath as the overly sensitive spot was cleaned, refusing to make any more noise than he already had.
They lay together comfortably in the silence as they waited for Rick's knot to draw back. It amazed Rick how quickly their bodies changed to keep them together. Their scents changed together, mixing into a wonderful blend of nutmeg and pine, like a warm fire on a Christmas night. He could sense every emotion that flew through Daryl's mind. His sense of smell was able to pick up every little thing, unlike before, when Daryl had to be absolutely fuming with emotions in order to smell something on him. And right now, Daryl stunk of worry. His brows furrowed, leaning his head into Daryl's shoulder, "What's wrong?"

Daryl tensed, his eyes focused on a crack in the wall to draw him back to reality. "The others- They'll know what I am." He knew it was going to happen, but damn, it hit him like a truck now. Everything he had spent his whole life fighting to protect was gone with a single bite.

Rick's eyes softened, "It was bound to happen, Daryl. Better here, where it's safe, than out there."

Daryl relaxed slightly into Rick's arms. He was right. No point in crying about his choice now. He wanted to shut his eyes and get comfortable before he realized what had happened. Rick knotted him. He froze up again, his words cracking like fallen leaves. "Rick- You knotted me. What if- I-"

Rick shushed Daryl, "You heard Jenner. There's no way you could... You know. No need to worry about it." Rick soothed Daryl, rubbing circles into his arm with one of his thumbs as he spoke. "You're gonna be fine."

Daryl softened at Rick's words. He was gonna be fine.

Finally, Rick's knot fully receded, and the two were able to pull apart from each other. They knew they stunk, but they were too tired to care. That was a problem for the morning.

Rick fell asleep first, quiet snores erupting from his throat as he slept on his back. Daryl, on the other hand, couldn't sleep, not for a while. His mind was stuck on what he had chosen to do. He was a mated man now; he belonged to Rick. Curious, he grazed his mate mark with his fingers, wincing at the sting it left. He turned when he heard Rick shuffle in his sleep.

"Daryl..."

He watched as the Alpha grimaced in his sleep. Holy shit, he was actually mated. His heart sank as he realized he was tethered to Rick now. On top of that, it was formed on a bond. Something that could never be broken, unlike his matrimony with Lori. That mate mark was easily replaced. This one, though? Not even a hacksaw to the throat could tear this apart.
Daryl turned back to the snoring man, watching his ribs rise and fall. No. He did this to protect himself. He wasn't about to dote over some knot-headed Alpha. He scowled as he stood to grab his belongings, quietly pulling up his pants and lacing up his boots. He gently opened the white door, glancing back one more time at Rick. His stomach dipped as he stepped further away. His lips turned up into a snarl,
Fuck this. He wasn't about to listen to his body. Not anymore.
He closed the door quietly, then stormed off to the showers. He wanted to wash off as much of Rick as he could.

Chapter Text

It felt like thunder was striking down on his head upon waking up. The automatic bright blue lights on the ceiling spun his eyes 'round until the world around him melted with his body on the bed. His mouth was dry, and each breath he took was heavy and lifted with the smell of booze. He moved his hand, swiping the area next to him, jolting awake when he realized his company was gone. "Daryl?" Rick scanned the room. Nothing.
His heart sank as he thought about the previous night. Why would Daryl leave? Did he do something wrong? Did he hurt Daryl? Daryl had asked for it-
Rick cut his thoughts short.
No, they were both intoxicated.
Rick cussed at himself as he stood from the bed. He knew he shouldn't have given in, not while they were under the influence. His hands fumbled at his belt buckle, too shaky to clip it in place. Frustrated, he yanked it off, rolling it into a ball before placing it in his front pocket.
Stupid. That's what he was. He should've known Daryl would have never asked him to mate him, not in a million years. His chest tightened, and he fought back tears.
Shit. No, he could still make this work, make them work. He collected himself before stepping out into the hallway, turning to take a quick shower before meeting everyone else.

Rick trudged into the dimly lit dining area, a flash of pain soaring through his head with every step. "Mornin'."

"Are you hungover? Mom said you'd be." Carl, who sat next to his mom, looked up at his dad with a sly smile on his face, teasing his father, who plopped down on a seat by Lori.

"Mom is right." Rick smiled back at the kid, huffing as he pulled in his seat at the table.

Lori chuckled, "Mom has that annoying habit."

Rick kept his smile light, appreciating the cooperation between himself and his ex-mate. It made him happy that Carl still saw him as his dad, and he will forever hold that role dear to his heart.

T-Dog strutted out of the kitchen smelling like off-eggs and pride. "Eggs. Powdered, but- I do 'em good. I bet you can't tell," the Beta beamed as he lifted his arm in self-accomplishment, bringing out the eggs with the other. "Protein helps-" he paused as he served Glenn, who was a moaning, sunken mess, barely propping his head up on his arm, "-the hangover!"

Lori perked her head up, her smile fading and eyebrows furrowed as a smell other than eggs lingered under her nose, turning her head side to side to figure out what it was.

Rick could feel his heart racing as small beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He knew what was coming. He kept his head down at his plate, eating slowly, not making any unnecessary moves to keep his scent in check. Every bite tasted bitter despite T-Dog's incredible seasoning. All Rick could taste was the faint remnant of Daryl's flesh, sour with abandonment. He couldn't stop his fists from clenching around his utensils.
A quiet shuffle of feet and a warming scent from behind tore Rick from his thoughts.
Shit.
Rick watched Daryl walk in, his eyes landing on the white bandage covering Daryl's neck. Of course, no one bats an eye; it's Dixon. It almost hurt Rick when he realized how little the group seemed to care for the man. It hurt him even more to see the extra steps he took to cover what had been done. Great, now his eggs tasted like shit.

Daryl ignored Rick and the others to snag a plate of eggs from beside T-Dog. He paused for a moment as Shane walked in, giving Rick a firm pat on the back before sitting down.

"You feel as bad as I do?" Rick asked, trying to keep things normal.

"Worse," Shane muttered, staring daggers into Daryl.

Daryl only ignored him, bringing his eyes back down to his plate as he stood on the side.

Rick looked over at his brother, his brows scrunching as he saw the deep red scratches on his neck. "What happened to your neck?"

Shane sheepishly covered his neck with his hand, "Must've done it in my sleep."

"I've never seen you do that," Rick responded.

"Yeah, me neither," Shane watched Daryl glance over at him, "It's not like me at all." He chuckled at himself, bringing his arm back down as he continued the conversation with Rick and Lori. Shane squinted his eyes at Rick, eyeing him as an unfamiliar scent lingered off the man. "Somethin' wrong, Rick? You smell different." He nodded his head at the man, waiting for an answer.
Rick only stumbled over his words, very poorly explaining that the shampoo didn’t mix well with his scent, subconsciously giving small glances at Daryl.
Shane took notice, his eyes darting between the two. Then his eyes landed on the large patch on Daryl's neck, a wicked smile spreading across his face as he put two and two together. "Holy shit." He spun his head back at Rick, who was shaking his head and making a cutting motion with his hands in hopes Shane would keep quiet.
He paused, giving a light chuckle before bringing a forkful of dry eggs to his mouth, his eyes locked on the Omega across the room.
Daryl rolled his eyes and walked away before anyone else could smell him and Rick together.

The rest of the pack made their way into the dining room, content filling the room as the smell of a well-needed breakfast entranced their noses.
Then Dr. Jenner walked in, pouring himself a cup of coffee as he greeted the group.

Dale spoke up from his plate, "Doctor, I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing-"

"But you will anyway." Jenner sighed as he turned to face the man.

Andrea rolled her eyes before speaking in place of Dale, "We didn't come for the eggs."

In the main control room, Dr. Jenner fired up a computer, speaking to Vi as he did so. "Give me a playback of TS-19."
The large screens in the front of the room light up with a high-resolution image of a brain, a patient strapped to a table.
"Few people ever got a chance to see this," Jenner turned towards the group, almost proud, before sulking back at the screen. "Very few."
The group walked slowly towards the center of the room, their eyes locked on the large screen.
"This was an extraordinary brain."A tired smile spread across Dr. Jenner's face, "Not that it mattered in the end. Vi, show the EIV."

The image expanded in on itself, zooming into the brain until the screen was filled with flashing nerves.

"What are those lights?" Shane asked.

Dr. Jenner felt human again, having the chance to teach people about his passions. His smile was honest and faint, "That is a person’s life – experiences, memories – somewhere in all that organic wiring … in all those ripples … is you. The thing that makes you unique and human."

Daryl crossed his arms, speaking from the back of the group, "You don't make sense? Ever?"

Dr. Jenner chuckled before continuing, "Those are synapses – electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says, thinks, or does from the moment of birth until the moment of death.”

Andrea walked closer to Jenner, sadness drowning her voice, "This person died? Who?"

"Test subject 19." Dr. Jenner's response was flat. Dead. Every ounce of emotion and pride that he was just filled with vanished. "Someone who was bitten and infected... and volunteered to have us record the process." He blinked, trying his best to wash away any tears that may slip. "Vi, skip forward to the first event."

"What is that?" Glenn asked, a disgusted sound ringing in his question. Everyone else had the same reaction as they watched the grain slowly fill with a black void of a disease.

“It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shut-down, and then the major organs. Then death. Everything you ever were or ever will be … gone,” Jenner said softly. He turned, scanning Andrea, who stood next to him, weeping softly.

"She lost someone two days ago. Her sister." Lori explained for her friend.

Dr. Jenner nodded, sympathetically leaning to Andrea and speaking in a gentle tone. "I lost somebody, too. I know how devastating it is." He backed up from her, turning to the screen again. "Scan to the second event," He ordered the large computer. “The resurrection times vary wildly. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute … and seven seconds.” He slowed his speaking as they watched the brain fire up again, starting at the nape of the neck. Bright red lights began to flicker, slowly dancing their way through a small area of the brain.

“It restarts the brain?” Lori asked.

“No, just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving,” Jenner explained.

“But they’re not alive,” Rick said, unsure of himself, leaving room for Dr. Jenner to verify his response.

“You tell me,” Jenner answered, pointing to the moving corpse on the screen.

“It’s not like before,” Rick said. “That brain is dark.”

“Dark, lifeless, dead. The frontal lobe, the neocortex? That doesn’t come back. The you part. It’s just a shell, driven by mindless instinct.”

They watched as the subject on the screen began to breathe life again, moving and snarling, trying to pull themselves from their restraints. Then the front end of a gun appeared, a flash of light destroying every bit of 'life' that might have been.

“God,” Carol gasped. “What was that?”

Andrea's heart sank for the man. She looked over at Jenner. “He shot his patient in the head. Didn’t you?”

Dr. Jenner avoided them, biting back tears. "Vi, power down the main screen and the work stations," he ordered coldly.

“You have no idea what it is, do you?” Andrea stepped up, frustrated at the fact that they still hadn't gotten any clear answers.

“It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal …” Jenner said.

“Or the wrath of God?” Jacqui asked.

“There is that,” Jenner replied with his head facing down.

“It’s not just here,” Andrea exclaimed. “There’s no one anywhere… that’s what you’re really saying, right?”

Jenner remained quiet, not daring to look anyone in the eyes.
Daryl pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, groaning his next words. “I'm gonna get shit-faced drunk again."

Dale, as curious as he always is, spoke up. “Doctor, I know this has been taxing for you, and I hate to ask one more question, but… that clock is counting down,” he turned to Jenner. “What happens at zero?”

“The generators in the basement run out of fuel.”

Rick frowned. “Then what?”
Jenner walked away. Rick blinked. He looked up. “VI, what happens when the generators run out of fuel?”

WHEN THE POWER RUNS OUT, A FACILITY-WIDE DECONTAMINATION WILL OCCUR.

Rick's heart sank. Whatever the computer said didn't feel right. He glanced over at Daryl, feeling the anxiety building up in the man. He ordered that Shane, T-Dog, Glenn, and he go down to the basement to check the fuel levels.

Daryl sat on the cot in Rick's room, his eyes glued to the floor. He convulsively tapped his heel to the ground, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together, resting on his mouth.
Daryl was disgusted with himself. How nice it felt to sleep with the Alpha. The hairs on his arms stood as he remembered the warmth Rick gave him, the way he held him, and purred his name. The way Rick curled his arms around him as he fucked him senseless.
Daryl began to feel uncomfortable, shifting on the bed as he felt his heart race, pounding in his chest. Goosebumps rippled through his limbs, and his thighs tensed. A sensation surged through his stomach and pooled at the spot between his legs.
His mind began to wander into unfamiliar territory, a fantasy. Images of Rick flooded his mind and ran electricity through his body. His smile, his voice. His broad body, so similar to his own. The way his curls fell over his face.
Fuck.
He clenched his jaw as he let his hand wander down to the zipper on his jeans. He could feel them getting damp underneath him, and damn, did he wish he had the courage to deal with it from down there. He knew he could never satisfy himself that way, especially not after what Rick had done to him.
He tugged at his jeans, pulling them down just enough to expose his boxers, his ears turning a bright red at the sight. He sucked in a quick breath and tugged the band down, grasping his dick with a shudder. He arched into his hand as his hands moved faster; each stroke was agonizing as he recalled how Rick had just been there. Eyes closed, the image of Rick flooded his mind, his body jolting at the haunting memory of him lying on top of the moaning mess of a man. Daryl's quiet moans turned into small whimpers, excitement rushing through his body as he wished the Alpha heard him. He fell back onto the bed, his skin crawling with want, wishing the man he longed for would walk into the room and take him right then and there. The thought sent him over the edge, sputtering Rick's name as cum spilled over his hand. Daryl took a few shaky breaths, slowly coming down from his high with tired eyes.
He lifted his hand up, cringing at the thick white strands that covered it, immediately sitting up and wiping his hand with a tissue from a tissue box near the bed. Darl sighed as he zipped his pants back up, standing to realize he hadn't pulled his jeans far enough that they wouldn't get soaked. He tied a bandana that he had on him into his back belt loop, covering as much of the stain as possible. He began to pace the room.
What the hell was he doing? Jerking it to the Alpha like a bitch in heat. He scowled at himself, the pit in his stomach, the longing for Rick he had nipping at his thoughts. This isn't what he wanted. He knew that he'd become more attracted to the man after being mated, but surely he could've fought it off. He was better than this; he had to be.
His self-critique was interrupted when he noticed the AC shut off, then, after a few minutes, the lights turned off as well. He peeked his head through the door, watching as Dr. Jenner swiftly passed everyone's confused faces. "What's goin' on? Why's everything turned off?" He asked loudly.

"Energy use is being prioritized." Dr. Jenner answered, calmly taking a sip of the wine bottle he had in hand.

"Air isn't a priority? And lights?" Dale asked, following everyone else as they chased after Jenner.

"It's not up to me. Zone 5 is shutting itself down."

"Hey! Hey! What the hell does that mean?" Daryl exclaimed, following Jenner at his heels. "Hey, man! I'm talkin' to you! What do you mean it's shutting itself down? How the hell can a building do anything?"

Dr. Jenner continued, none of his steps faltering as he answered in a serious tone, "You'd be surprised."

They made their way into the main computer room, Rick and the others arriving from their trip to the basement at the same time.

Rick stormed up to Jenner, "Jenner, what's happening?"

"The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second. That started as we approached the half-hour mark," he said as he walked into the large room, pointing at the flashing red timer. "Right on schedule."
Jenner walked up a few steps to one of the computers, ignoring everyone's worries.

"Everyone, grab your things. We're getting out of here now!" Rick ordered the group, snapping when alarms and red flashing lights started blaring across the room.

THIRTY MINUTES TO DECONTAMINATION

The automated voice boomed over them all, bringing them to a panicked halt.
Dr. Jenner rushed to a lone computer, quickly typing in an entry code that sealed all the doors shut.

"Did you just lock us in?" Glenn gasped, "He just locked us in!"

Daryl felt his feet move before he could think. Rage engulfed his body as he ran at the doctor who sat at a desk. "You son of a bitch!"

Rick shouted across to Shane, who was closer to Daryl, to stop him before he had the chance to bash Jenner's head in. Daryl only managed to drag him back in his seat before Shane pulled the Omega off of him, "Listen to your Alpha, bitch."
Daryl swung his head back, glaring at Shane as he shoved him off. He backed away, eyes locked on the cocky Alpha.

Rick charged at the doctor in his seat, "Hey, Jenner, open that door now," he ordered, challenging him.

“There's no point,” he insisted. “Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are sealed – I told you that when that door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that. It's better this way.”

“What is?” Rick grit his teeth in Jenner's face. “What happens in 28 minutes? Tell me!”

Jenner stood from his seat. “Don't you know what this place is?! We protected the public from very nasty stuff that you don't want getting out ever! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country!” He thrashed at the group, "Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!"

They stared at the crazed man in silence, the sudden realization that they were all about to die hitting them like a truck. They watched as Jenner cooled himself, sitting back down and adjusting his coat.

“In the event of a catastrophic power failure... say in a terrorist attack, for instance... H.I.T.s are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out.”

Rick furrowed his brows, “H.I.T.s?”

“VI – define.”

HIT'S: HIGH-IMPULSE THERMOBARIC FUEL-AIR EXPLOSIVES CONSIST OF A TWO-STAGE AEROSOL IGNITION THAT PRODUCES A BLAST WAVE OF SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER POWER AND DURATION THAN ANY OTHER KNOWN EXPLOSIVE EXCEPT NUCLEAR. THE VACUUM-PRESSURE EFFECT IGNITES THE OXYGEN BETWEEN 5000 AND 6000 DEGREES AND IS MOST USEFUL WHERE THE GREATEST DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES AND LOSS OF LIFE IS DESIRED.

Dr. Jenner looked down at the ground, softly speaking, "It sets the air on fire."

Rick turned to him wide-eyed.

"No pain," he continued, "an end to sorrow, grief..."

Carol sobbed into her daughter's shoulder, hugging her tightly as for the last time.

"...regret... everything."

Daryl couldn't take it. He had to get out of there. He ran to the large metal barricades, throwing a glass bottle at it before screaming, "Open the damn door!"
Shane ran up close behind him, handing him an axe as he used his own to start slashing at the doors. They gave each other dirty looks but worked together with the same goal. Dr. Jenner ignored them, though, sitting in his depression next to Carol and Lori, who comforted their children.

“You should have left well enough alone – it would have been so much easier.” The words fell from the doctor's mouth like venom, stinging everyone who heard.

“Easier for who?!” Lori demanded from the floor where she held Carl, gasping and sobbing in her arms.

“All of you,” Jenner said. “You know what's out there – a short, brutal life and an agonizing death!” Jenner turned to look up at Andrea. “Your sister. What was her name?”

Andrea paused before answering. “Amy.”

He brought his tone down empathetically. "You know what this does. You've seen it." Jenner looked back at Rick. “Is that really what you want for your kid? Is that what you want for your Omega?”

Rick's heart dropped as the words slipped from Jenner's mouth. He looked over to Daryl, who stood horrified at the door, dropping the axe in his hand.
Everyone stopped, realizing who Rick was looking at. They turned to Daryl, who was facing the metal wall now, trying his best to avoid the many eyes on him.

Rick turned back to Jenner, his hands in fists and his anger strained through his gritted teeth. "You were supposed to- No. I don't want this."

Shane grinned, leaning closer to Daryl, "Didn't realize I made you knot crazy yesterday. Pathetic." Daryl snarled, and Shane laughed to himself before walking down to Rick. "Forget that, we can't even make a dent in that door."

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher," Dr. Jenner said.

Daryl fumed, picking up his axe and running down the ramp, lifting it high over his head, "Well, your head ain't!"
Rick and a few others managed to grab hold of the Omega, pulling him away from the doctor. "Back off!" Rick yelled, looking Daryl in the eyes. A warning. Everyone saw it now, how Rick and Daryl worked together, how Rick had been ordering him around from the start. He did it for a reason. Daryl was his. Had they not paid attention sooner, the bandage on his neck would've been a huge giveaway. It'd been so long since they smelled clean, no one knew if Rick and Daryl were supposed to smell the way they did.

“Rick,” Jenner came up to face Rick, “You do want this… just last night you said it was only a matter of time before everyone you loved was dead,” Jenner reminded Rick.

“What? You said that? After all your big talk?” Shane snarled at Rick disappointingly.

"I had to keep hope alive, didn't I?" Rick was frustrated, forcing everything in him, all of his rage, down back into his gut.

"There is no hope," Jenner muttered. "There never was."

“There is always hope, no matter what you say,” Rick snapped. “Maybe not you, maybe not here, but somebody. Somewhere-”

“What part of 'everything is gone' do you not understand?” Andrea cut Rick off.

“Listen to your friend,” Jenner said. “She gets it. This is what takes us down. This is our extinction event.”

Rick stood, watching as Jenner tried speaking comforting lies to the others, to Carol, who sobbed with her daughter on the floor, pleading for their lives. He thought for a moment. Listening to Jenner.

“Wouldn't it be kinder? To just hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to count down?”

The image fawned over Rick like a warm blanket. Sitting there, in the cold, dark room with everyone else. Daryl and Carl in his arms, with Lori and Shane at his side. Their last moments, holding each other in a desperate chain.
He snapped out of it to the sound of a cocked gun. He spun to see Shane aiming it at Dr. Jenner. "Shane, no!" He screamed, lunging forward to stop the other Alpha.

Shane didn't care; he pushed through with his finger held tight against the trigger. He brought the gun to Jenner's face. "Open that door. Or I'm gonna blow your head off. Do you hear me?!"

“Brother, brother, this is not the way you do this.” Rick stood at Shane's side, speaking into his ear, trying his best to calm him down. “We will never get out of here.”

“Shane, you listen to him,” Lori said.

“Shane, you kill him and we all die!” Rick exclaimed.

Shane screamed before opening fire, shooting down the computers at Jenner's sides. Pieces of metal and plastic shot out from the gunfire, making the surrounding people duck for cover. Rick took Shane's rage and threw him to the floor, grabbing his rifle and lifting it over his head to smash into Shane. He stopped, though, as Shane lay on the floor, whimpering and lifting his arms over his head, submitting. Finally.

“Are you done now? Are you done?”

Shane snarled up at the Alpha above him, "Yeah, I guess we all are."

Rick backed away, handing the gun to T-Dog, who took it without question.
Daryl watched from the back, almost enjoying seeing Rick take charge.

“I think you're lying,” Rick accused, turning slightly to Jenner.

“What?” Jenner asked, bringing his head up from his ducked position.

“You're lying. About no hope. If that were true, you would have bolted with the rest or taken the easy way out. You didn't. You chose the hard path. Why?”

“It doesn't matter.”

“It does matter. It always matters," Rick crouched down to get in his face, "You stayed when others ran. Why?”

“Not because I wanted to,” Jenner said tensely, meeting Rick's eyes. “I made a promise to her... my mate.” He said, standing and pointing at where they had seen the virus on the large screen in the back of the room.

Lori looked up, “Test subject 19 was your mate?”

“She begged me to keep going as long as I could... How could I say no?” Jenner spoke. “She was dying. That’s why I stayed- because she wanted me to stay." Jenner looked miserably at the countdown. “It should have been me on that table. I wish to God it had been. She was a loss to the world. In our field, she was an Einstein! Me... I'm just Edwin Jenner. She could have done something about this, but not me. Not me. When she died... all my hope died with her.”

Rick thought before responding. “Your wife didn't have a choice, but you do. That's-” He swallowed, "That's all we want. A choice, a chance. Let us keep trying as long as we can."

Jenner took a few deep breaths, staring at the people begging before him. “I told you topside's locked down. I can't open those.” He rushed back to the computer that he used to shut the doors, pressing the keys over as the large metal walls slid back up.

Daryl yelled from the doors where he stood. “Come on! Let's go!”

Everyone ran to the door, and Andrea and Jaqcui stayed behind.

“There's your chance. Take it.” Jenner spoke, looking at Rick with doubtful eyes.

Rick looked to Jenner, his heart in his mouth as he thanked the man. “I'm grateful.”

“There will be a time when you won't be,” Jenner promised.

Rick held his hand out, a last attempt to shake the man's hand before they left. He jumped slightly as Jenner grabbed his hand, pulling him into his shoulder as he whispered into his ear. His mind almost blurred as the information rang through his mind. Rick stared the man down as Jenner pulled away, his attention being snapped back to reality as Daryl ran down, dragging him by his arm.

"Hey! We have four minutes left! Come on!" Glenn hollered from the doorway.

Dale stood behind, trying to convince Jaqcui and Andrea to follow.

Daryl rushed to hammer down the glass doors in the main entrance, barely managing to make a scratch. Metal chairs were thrown, shots were fired, but nothing could break that glass. It wasn't until Carol walked up to Rick, her voice weak from crying.

“Rick, I think I have something that might help,” Carol said, digging in her purse. “That first day at camp, when I washed your clothes. You forgot this in your pocket.”

It was a grenade. He had found it in the tank in the city. Taking it from her hand, Rick ordered everyone to clear the way as he snapped it, throwing the device into the doors. The wall erupted, and glass shards flew everywhere. Rick ran ahead of the group with Daryl close behind them, leading them back to their vehicles. Those with guns shot down any walkers that had made their way over to the sound of the explosion. Not caring who made it to which car, Rick ran into his car with Lori, Carl, and Glenn. He was quick to start up the engine until he was stopped by Lori's troubled voice.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" She pointed to the field where they had just run across, where Dale and Andrea ran together, trying to take cover. "They're coming."

Rick's heart pounded in his chest as he looked down at his watch, quickly abusing the car's horn, yelling at everyone to get down. Just moments later, the CDC blew up in flames, a large boom echoing through the city as it collapsed.

They made it.