The Rift [Daryl Dixon]

Shane Walsh Is A Douche Bag

I held my gun, pointing the barrel at the floor as I examined my surroundings, looking for whoever had opened those doors to us. I could see Rick and Shane doing the same thing from the corner of my eye, and instinctively knew Daryl was behind me, watching my back.

The building was pretty clean and untouched, not what I'd expect considering scientists should be running around, trying to find a cure, which only reinforced my beliefs that there weren't many of them left.

I heard a gun cock and instantly turned to my right, finding a staircase leading to the second floor. The armed man was barely visible from where I was standing, but he stood close enough for us to acknowledge his presence. "Anybody infected?" He questioned.

"No." I replied. There was no need to tell him about Jim, if anything, it could lead to more trouble, considering it wouldn't be crazy for him to think one of us could also be infected and kick us out.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't see Rick motioning me to lower my gun. I did. I just wasn't about to do so when a stranger was still pointing his rifle at me. "Why are you here? What do you want?" He added.

"A chance." Rick gave the man a genuine answer, as he proceeded to put his gun down, a sign of peace.

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

"So you're gonna leave us out here? We have children, man." I recriminated, narrowing my eyes.

"You all will submit to a blood test." The stranger broke the silence as we all looked at him, the tension raising as we waited for him to give us an answer. "That's the price of admission."

"We can do that." Rick sighed and nodded in agreement.

"You got stuff to bring in, do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed." He said, and I couldn't help but furrow my brow, something about that statement unsettle me. Maybe it was the way he said it, so confidently, or the sentence itself. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard Ketch say something about the trunk of the Impala. I shoved my hand into my pocket, looking for my keys, and quickly rushed outside.

Once all my stuff was out and packed up, I tensed up at the realization of having to leave Baby out here. "What?" Ketch said as he glared at me, he was deeply concerned and confused.

"I have to leave her out here." I whispered as my features relaxed and my left hand gently caressed the hood.

Ketch shook his head in disbelief, but before he scoffed at me and made a stupid comment, he stopped and thought for a second. He knew he wasn't gonna get anywhere with me if he just made fun of me, so he took a different approach. "She'll..." He exhaled sharply. "... be here. You're not leaving her behind, all right? She'll be fine."

"Yeah... fine." I sighed and picked up the last bag before I followed Ketch inside the building.

Everyone followed the scientist to the second floor and piled up into the elevator. I felt quite uncomfortable having Daryl right behind me, his chest almost pressed up against my back as the elevator took us underground.

"Rick Grimes." Rick introduced himself to the man. I didn't notice it until the sheriff spoke, catching my attention, but the doctor's sights were on me the whole time, like he was trying to figure me out.

"Dr. Edward Jenner." He said, taking a brief moment to glare at Rick, before he focused on the closed doors.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Daryl asked, giving him another reason to take a glimpse.

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough." He said, his blue eyes penetrating mine, like he was directing his answers to me.