I eventually found the keys. They were in a dish on the counter in the kitchen.

I opened the garage door, and pulled slowly out onto the street. In the passenger seat next to me was a flat of water bottles, a bottle of ibuprofen and two chemical ice packs. 

I had just turned on to the main road when I saw Kyle sprinting down the street. I stopped the car, rolling down the window.

"I found some gas," I said. "The tank is pretty much full."

Kyle frowned and stood for a moment studying my face. "Did anything happen? I heard a shot."

"Nothing I couldn't handle. Where's the gas can?" Kyle got into the car as I asked this, carefully moving the stuff in the front seat.

Kyle pointed to an adjacent road and said, "I dropped it up there to come looking for you."

I put the car in drive, then stopped again, waiting as Kyle put the gas can in the back seat. I wheeled the car around and eased onto the accelerator, wanting to save as much of the fuel as possible.

We left the town, riding in silence, heading back toward Shane.

I could see from the corner of my eye as Kyle kept looking at me, but just ignored him. That switch was still off, and I found his concern grating to say the least. I didn't need it.

Strangely, I felt fine.

Finally it became too much and I snapped, "Christ, Kyle, what? What is it?"

Kyle was silent for a moment longer, then he said, "I don't think you're gonna get Shane killed."

I laughed, the sound cruel. "Why? Because I'll be dead before I get the chance?"

Kyle shook his head. "Because the only one who can kill Shane is Shane."

I couldn't help a grudging smile when he said that.

Kyle sighed and took off his hat, brushing a hand through his hair. He put the hat back on and said, "Shane always tells me that I'm good with numbers. Not so much with people. He's better at that than me. Always has been. He's just good at seeing what people can contribute and how to use those people in the best way possible. It's one of the reasons he became a Gunney so fast. Shane's well, he's just smart, and if he brought you, it's for a reason."

Kyle cleared his throat and blushed a little. "For a reason more than that you're pretty, I mean."

I bit my lip, keeping silent, that switch trying to flip back over to on. I knew I couldn't do that yet. Couldn't allow it. So before this got any more emotional, I said, "Let's just get this straightened out okay? I get it. I do. That first zombie tried to eat me, and then Shane ended up with a hurt ankle."

Looking over at him, I said, "It's a learning curve. You get it together quick or you get dead quicker. I don't have a problem with you doubting me. To be honest, I kind of doubt you too. But let's get one thing straight before we get back to Shane."

I tapped the brakes, stopping the car. "I would die before I did anything to hurt Shane. I know full well how freaking ridiculous that sounds, but that's what it is."

Kyle sat quietly, staring out the windshield. I didn't say anything more. I wasn't sure I had anything more to say.

I started driving again and Kyle said, voice more than a little rough, "He's all I have. That's why I was mad. He's always been the only person who was always there for me, and it scared me when that thing jumped on him. I thought I was about to lose him."

Kyle stopped and cleared his throat. "I'd had that feeling only once before. When I got a phone call telling me my brother was lying in a hospital, fighting to stay alive after he almost got half-blown to hell. Yesterday? That was only the second time in my life that I've been really afraid. Most people get mad when they get scared. And it just so happened that you were around for me to yell at about it."

I swallowed hard and didn't say anything else until we caught sight of Shane. Then I found one more thing to say. "Okay, so the way we fix this is that, I'm going to keep my shit together, you're going to keep your shit together. Neither of us is going to do anything stupid." 

I sighed when we pulled up next to the truck. A tight fist of anxiety I hadn't realized was there in my chest relaxed.

It kind of irritated me that he had so effectively doused my anger. I got what he meant about being scared, though. And I definitely understood what he meant about Shane. I killed the ignition and turned to Kyle. "But most of all, we are not going to tell Shane about any of this, all right? As soon as we step out of this car, it's done. Deal?"

Kyle nodded slowly.

"Good." I got out of the car, closing the door softly. I grimaced when Shane hobbled over to us. Why couldn't he just stay off the stupid ankle?

He broke out into one of those absurdly charming grins of his, and the switch wiggled harder. He clapped Kyle on the shoulder before sweeping me into a kiss.

Shane might never say goodbye, but he is excellent at saying hello.

Just like that the switch was thrown.

I trembled slightly in his arms and tears prickled, one managing to slip free before I choked the rest down. Shane pulled back slightly, hands running up and down my arms before grabbing my chin gently and tilting my face this way and that, checking for injuries.

"I'm fine," I said, trying to force a smile. "We got gas."

Shane watched me for a second longer, obviously not buying it. But he didn't push.

Shane never does. That's one of the things I love most about him.

Instead he just smiled and said, "I can see that." Turning to Kyle, he asked, "The pumps?"

"Power's gone," Kyle said, starting to siphon the gas from the SUV.

"Damn." Shane rubbed a hand over his much shorter hair and said, "What did the town look like?"

"Quiet," I answered before Kyle could. Kyle shot a questioning look at me, but didn't say anything, filling up the Ford.

Shane's eyes narrowed. "I thought I heard a shot."

I clamped down on my emotions and said, voice tight, "I had to kill one."

Shane didn't ask if I was okay. I think he knew that would be a stupid question.

Kyle had finished with the gas, and Shane looked around at the waning light. Turning to Kyle, he asked, "How quiet?"

"We could crash there for tonight. Maybe even a couple, if nothing changes." Kyle moved the water I had found into the back of the truck.

Shane stood, his head tilted toward the ground. He looked at the increasing darkness and spit to the side. "Yeah. Okay. Let's go then."

Shane draped an arm over my shoulder like he suddenly needed help walking, and I went with him back over to the truck, climbing in to my seat in the middle.

Kyle threw the rest of the supplies I'd snagged into the truck, then got in next to me. Neither of us looked at the other and I could see Shane watching the both of us.

He seemed to know something had happened, but as always, held his silence. Shane solved problems with actions, not words.

Or maybe he just figured that we needed to work it out for ourselves.

Another thing I love about Shane; he has the grand gift of being able to keep out of it.

Not everyone can do that. They feel they have to get in the middle of other people's issues, like they can fix it or whatever. But not Shane.

As long as your issues don't endanger anyone else, he'll pretty much just leave you to it. Let you figure it out for yourself.

Shane drove until we found a house with an open garage. Getting out of the truck, he shut the garage door, making me jump. He smiled when he saw that and said, "Sorry. No use broadcasting our position though."

As I got out of the truck, Kyle was already in the house, sweeping for zombies.

When he finished, he came back to the garage and said, "It's clear. Plenty of food too. Looks like they left in a hurry."

I frowned, walking into the living room. "Seems like everyone left in a hurry."

"Kinda got to wonder why," Shane said almost absently, flopping down onto the couch. "Why don't we eat something, then we can set up a watch and get some sack time."

"Way ahead of you," Kyle said, coming into the living room, arms filled with various bags and containers.

My stomach turned a little at the sight of the food and I sighed.

This was going to be a long night.