The Infection

Chapter 7

Tom's P.O.V.

"Yeah, they were definitely here," Tony said as they approached the street where several of the infected were lying dead with their heads bashed in. Tom quickly walked up to him and looked at the bodies. "I want every building checked," he told him. "Every one of the infected you kill, check them. Make sure it isn't them."

Tony nodded, then gestured for Aiden and Richard to follow him. The sun was still high in the sky so they had plenty of time, yet he knew that it wouldn't be enough. "We'll search here, then cover some ground near the woods," Chris said as he came up to him. "You really think they're here?"

Tom sighed and looked around. "If I'm being honest...I'm not sure."

**

Cassie's P.O.V.

Cassie jolted up, feeling very short of breath. She wasn't sure what the hell happened, but everything in her body ached. Her head, her back, her arms and legs. She was momentarily confused as to where she was at, but recognized the bars on the cell and remembered they were in an actual prison. 

She was a bit light headed as she craned her neck to look around. The room was practically spinning and she suddenly felt tired. She sighed in defeat and lay herself back down where she was before...which she remembered to be Ben's chest. 

She quickly sat up, but nearly fell over. She tried to focus on him and the extent of his injuries. They didn't patch him up like they said they would, but she saw a medical kit by the jail bars, along with two water bottles and a couple bags of chips.

Very carefully, she got up on her hands and knees and started crawling over to it. It was hard to balance herself at first, but by the time she got to the supplies, she was feeling a little more back to herself. 

After grabbing the kit and the waters, she crawled back over to Ben and immediately started getting to work. Everything she could possibly need was in the bag; bandages, wraps, anti-bacterial, thread and a needle for stitching...everything.

First, she patched up Ben's leg since that seemed to be his worst injury. He flinched and winced every so often, but he was still knocked out. She then started patching up his hands and arms, then moved to his face. 

As she dabbed a cotton ball on his forehead with anti-bacterial, he started to wake up. He groaned and tried to move, but Cassie lightly pressed down on his chest and said, "Hey, hey don't move. Not yet."

He winced when she dabbed another cotton ball on his head. "What...what happened?" He asked. She started to take out the thread and needle to stitch up some cuts and answered, "Well, were supposed to be taken to safety."

She put the thread and needle into some rubbing alcohol. "But we were attacked instead." She got down close to his face and started to stitch up one of the cuts. He grunted from the needle, but took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He's been through worse. 

There were two more cuts that needed to be stitched, but they weren't too bad. After that, she needed to get him on the single bed that was in there, so he put his arm around her shoulder and she helped haul him up.

"Ah! Fuck!" He shouted as she got him to stand. As quickly as she could, she got him on to the hard mattress and got him to lay down. "Goddammit, that hurt," he groaned. "Still hurts. Oh, God." He put his arms over his stomach, but Cassie took them away and started to take off his jacket and shirt. 

God, she's seen him shirtless so many times in the past five years but she will never get over how hot he is. Unfortunately, his abs and arms and chest were covered in bruises and cuts. Ben watched as her eyes wandered over his body and let out a shaky breath when her fingers ghosted over his skin. 

He was about to take her hand in his, but she suddenly snapped out of her trance and went back to the medical kit. She handed him some water and he took a big swig of it. "I wish this was alcohol." She sighed and told him, "Yeah because you're going to need it. Your ribs are broken, I have to put them back in place." 

He threw his head back against the mattress and muttered, "Shit." She quickly took off her jacket and flipped it inside out, ripping the inside sleeve. She balled it up against her fist, then slid it off and handed it to him. 

He knew the drill. He took one more swig of his water, then put the sleeve into his mouth and bit down. "I'm going to try and do this as quickly as possible," she promised. She positioned her hands on his stomach and looked in him in the eyes. 

"3...2...1..." 

**

Three Years Earlier

Ben sighed as he rummaged through all of his parents' old clothes. "I...I don't know what in the hell I'm supposed to do," he said, as he sat down on the floor in defeat. Cassie came inside the room and saw him with his head down and hands buried in his hair. 

She frowned at the sight and sat down next to him. "Why don't you go into the kitchen and get some water, I'll start sorting these into boxes." Ben sniffled and looked up at her with teary eyes. She tsk'd and said, "Come here."

He scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, while burying his face in her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair and rubbed his back. "Don't worry about anything right now," she told him. "I'll handle everything, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

They sat there for a little longer just holding each other, until Cassie kissed his head and had him sit up. He sniffled and wiped his tears. "Thank you, Cass," he said. "I don't know what I would do without you."

She smiled and told him, "I'll always be here, Ben. Always." He gave her a small smile and started to caress her cheek. Very slowly, he started to move closer to her face, but she quickly stopped him. "Not here," she told him. "Not now."

He sighed in frustration and asked, "When?" She didn't give him an answer, but rather kissed his cheek and stood up while taking a hold of his hands. He stood up with her and was ordered to the kitchen. 

After sitting down at the kitchen island, he rested his chin on his hands and sighed. "I hate being in love," he muttered.