*Based off Volume Two of The Walking Dead comics*

The sun was nearly set as the group came across a gated estate. The words above the gates read 'Wiltshire Estates' in all caps. Rick honked the horn on the mini bus for the RV to stop, which it swiftly dead. Everyone else was quick to park as they all poured out of their vehicles to gather in front of the gates of the estate. "I think we've hit the jackpot." Rick grinned, looking to Shane who still had a stone cold look on his face.

The metal gate was shining and pristine, the letters above it in the same state, glimmering in the setting sun. The fence continued, however on top of beautiful, red bricks, neatly decorated with ivy. The bricks were as red as tomatoes, the cement keeping them together a beautiful shade of grey. The houses were more like mansions than family homes, the planks decorating the bricks of the houses were coloured perfectly in shades of yellow, pink, white and grey. Each house proudly held a chimney on its perfect black roof, of course, no smoke came from those chimneys anymore. The lawns and gardens of each house was still a perfect shade of green, the paths lined with proud, perfect flowers of all different colours.

"We're miles away from the city, we should be safe here." Glenn smiled.

Rick nodded. "We'll be back on the road tomorrow after lunch and should make the CDC by early evening."

Lori kissed Rick's cheek. "It's perfect, Rick."

"And if the CDC doesn't work out, we could always come back here." Cam pointed out.

"The CDC is gonna work out." Rick disagreed, but he nodded, turning to Dale. "You got tools to get this gate open?"

Dale smiled, a glimmer in his eye. "You bet I do."

/----------\

Daryl and Merle had been the ones to use Dale's tools to get open the sturdy gates, but their little sister, Sophia and Cam were the only ones to appreciate them for it. Everybody else couldn't help but think where they picked up those skills. Everybody's thoughts landed on illegal activities... They weren't totally wrong about Merle, but they judged a lot about Daryl that they didn't know for fact.

"Okay, let's all have a look around, but don't spread too far apart. Let's just check out these first few houses for today. We don't know how abandoned this place really is, and it's going to be dark soon. So, stay sharp." Rick instructed.

"I'm going to take the kids back to the RV until you guys give the all clear." Carol said as Carl, Sophia and Chris started walking towards the RV. "Brooks, come on, sweetie."

"I can shoot, I wanna help." Brooks frowned.

"Not today, Bambi. Go on now, don't keep Marge waiting." Merle shook his head.

Cam looked to the older Dixon. "Her name's Carol."

Merle snorted a laugh. "Marge? Marge Simpson? World's most famous housewife?" When nobody laughed Merle scoffed. "Man, did y'all sense of humour die with the world, or somethin'?" 

"Apparently." Rick spoke sarcastically as Brooks went with Carol into the RV, Jacqui and Lori were quick to follow after them. Rick looked to Glenn. "I'd like there to be some muscle in there with them."

Glenn groaned. "Why me? Brooks scares me."

"She's a ten year old girl who can't read straight without glasses, you'll be fine." Daryl said, grabbing the scruff of Glenn's shirt and pushing him in the direction of the RV.

"I never get to do anything fun." Glenn grumbled before heading into the RV. He pursed his lips together when he realised the only available seat was next to Brooks on the sofa. He took a deep breath before he walked over and sat next to her, putting as much distance between them as possible.

/----------\

Twenty minutes had passed of most the group clearing the houses while the others waited nervously in the RV. Brooks looked to Glenn who'd avoided looking at her the entire time. "What'd you think is takin' them so long?" Brooks asked, taking Glenn by surprise. He stared at her with slightly wide eyes as he struggled to form a response. Brooks let out a breath. "You don't like me no more, do ya?"

"Can't blame him." Chris pointed out.

"Chris." Carol said in a warning tone. Chris looked back down to his comic to hide his smirk.

"I- uh..." Glenn cleared his throat. "It's not that I don't like you, more just... I'm afraid you could take me in a fight."

Brooks couldn't help but laugh at him. "I'm ten!"

Glenn nodded, a grin slowly pulling at his face as he realised he'd been irrational. "Yea, you're right."

"Besides, I'm working with Cam so I'll be less... Defensive." Brooks answered.

"Oh, yea?" Glenn asked, genuienly interested. 

Brooks grinned. "Yes, sir. Doin' my best, too."

Glenn nodded. "That's good, Brooks. I'm happy for you."

"Me too!" Brooks said, louder than intended. Just happy that someone else acknowledged that she was trying.

"Keep your voice down." Lori scolded.

"Oh, Lori, let the girl be happy." Jacqui rolled her eyes, smiling at Brooks' excitement. 

Lori scoffed. "You try being happy when she attracts the dead."

Brooks frowned. "I'm sorry." She muttered, embarrassed for her outburst. Glenn put his hand on her back and smiled at her softly while Sophia walked over to Brooks to show her the drawing she was working on. "That's pretty." Brooks said, very quietly.

"Thank you." Sophia whispered.

/----------\

Once the group had cleared the first couple houses, they met up with the others in the RV. Everyone grabbed their bags and supplies before Shane and Rick chose a house to camp down in. Everyone made their way into the living room, not saying a word. Rick was the first to break the silence. "Me, T and Shane are gonna double check the rest of this house. Everyone stay here, stay alert. Daryl, Merle, I want you two on the doors to this room." Rick said, before he, T-dog and Shane separated.

It was too tense for anyone to speak while Shane headed upstairs, T-dog investigated the occupied floor and Rick checked the basement. People were pretty much holding their breaths, keeping their stuff in hands in case they had to run. Quickly. Running quick used to just be a fun hobby, however when the world fell it was the difference between life and death.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud. "Daryl! Glenn!" Rick's voice yelled as the groans filled the ears of everyone in the room.

"Rick!" Lori screeched, the same time Carl yelled out for his father. 

Daryl and Glenn didn't hesitate to run towards Rick who was in danger. They found him on the ground, three walkers on top of him. They'd piled on top of each other, and Rick was struggling to keep the closest at bay. The bottom walker's saliva dribbled down onto Rick's cheek as it snapped its jaw at him. Glenn kicked the top one off, while Daryl shot an arrow into the bottom one. Glenn used his knife on the one he'd pulled off. The dead weight of the first walker fell on top of Rick while Daryl grabbed the remaining alive walker and slammed its head into the ground over and over until it was dead, dark blood splattered everywhere. Once it was, he threw the corpse down into the blackness of the basement.

Rick shoved off the dead walker, breathing heavily as Lori and Carl quickly crowded him, pulling him to sit up, hugging him tightly and lovingly. "I'm okay." Rick breathed out as Lori peppered kisses on his forehead and Carl hugged his chest like he was about to drop dead if he let go.

/----------\

Once Rick and Shane assured the panicked crowd that they'd now be safe here for at least the night, everyone settled into exploring. However, Rick quickly gathered them all into the kitchen.

"I'm hungry." Chris said before Rick could start.

Rick offered him a smile. "We found plenty of canned goods to add onto what we brought from camp. We'll all eat tonight." Rick looked around everyone, before continuing. "Okay, it's getting late and I'm itching to start searching this place tomorrow. I say we hit the sack. It'd be safer if we all slept upstairs. As light as we all sleep now, we'd all hear something coming up the steps and I'm sure it'd also slow them down a great deal."

Shane nodded, continuing for Rick. "Thing is, we got four rooms and a bathroom. I know some of you were really looking to having some places off with your families, but for tonight at least it looks like we'll be bunking up some. Any volunteers?"

Glenn looked around. "I can sleep in the bathroom. I've slept in my share of tubs from my college years. I've got no problem with it."

Lori put her hands on Carl's head. "Me, Carl and Rick could share with the Peletiers. As long as the boys promise to behave."

"In that case can I stay with Brooks?" Sophia asked, a couple chuckles went through the crowd. However, Sophia wasn't joking.

"I ain't sharin' with any of y'all. I don't even wanna share with Daryl and Brooks, and I've given both of them baths." Merle crossed his arms over his chest. 

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Man, don't say that." Merle chuckled, happy that he annoyed his little brother.

"Jacqui can share with me and Andrea." Amy volunteered, smiling at Jacqui who smiled back.

Shane looked to the remaining. "Guess, it's boys night." He spoke, a little sarcastically, not being fond of his roommates, however, he didn't argue.

Room 1:

Daryl
Merle
Brooks

Room 2:

Rick
Lori
Carl
Carol
Chris
Sophia

Room 3:

Andrea
Amy
Jacqui

Room 4:

Dale
Shane
Cam
T-dog

Bathroom:

Glenn

/----------\

After dinner, everyone quickly headed to their rooms. "I dibs the bed!" Merle yelled as the Dixons made it into their bedroom. Daryl set up a lantern on the chest of draws as Merle flopped onto the bed. He felt something under the blanket and pulled it out, revealing a black lace bra. Brooks closed the door and started setting up her sleeping bag as Merle laughed, twirling it around his finger. "God, this reminds me of the red head."

"Man, don't start." Daryl complained, grabbing Brooks from under her arms and chucking her onto the bed which made her laugh.

"Hey!" Merle huffed as Brooks landed on his lap.

Daryl tried not to laugh at his brother's annoyed face. "You're sharin' with her if you're on the bed. Kid's been without one for too long. It's bad for 'er bones 'n' shit."

Merle rolled his eyes as his grinning sister lay next to him, however he couldn't help but smile at her warm, happy smile. "Fuckin' fine, Bambi, but if you kick me once I'm throwin' you onto Daryl, you hear?"

She reached over and kissed his cheek, taking off her glasses, before turning away to put them on the bedside table next to her. Brooks didn't see the way the little bit of affection warmed her big brother's heart.

/----------\

Everyone had a mini lay in. Nobody had slept much, but nobody wanted to get up for the day. The thought of facing reality after getting out of bed was a weight that nobody wanted to carry on their shoulders, however, one by one, they slowly forced themselves up. Rick had given a speech once everyone was gathered in the living room. Though, Brooks failed to pay attention. She'd mastered the art of looking at someone and not hearing a word that they said. She needed that while living with her alcoholic father, and the teachers who would bore her with knowledge she'd taught herself years before.

"See ya in a bit, Brookie." She heard Daryl said.

Brooks looked up to him. "Huh?"

Merle scoffed. "You weren't payin' attention, were ya?"

Brooks shook her head. "Cop gives too many damn speeches. Who's he think he is? Captain America?"

Daryl and Merle chuckled at the girl's humour, before Daryl cleared it up for her. "You're stayin' here with the other kids, Carol too. Rest of us are gonna raid the houses."

"No, no, I wanna come!" Brooks argued, standing up. "Please, please, please, please, please-"

Merle put his hand over her mouth. "She have an off switch?"

Daryl scoffed. "I would've flicked it years ago if she did."

Brooks gave Merle her best puppy dog eyes. The older man groaned, dropping his hand away from her mouth. "Fine-"

"Dude." Daryl interrupted, glaring at him.

"Relax, man, I'll keep 'er safe." Merle said, looking down to Brooks. "Besides, she knows how to use a gun."

"I ain't givin' her no damn gun." Daryl stated.

"Why?" Brooks raised her eyebrows.

"Cause we ain't dad." Daryl said like it was obvious, looking to Merle. "We ain't dad."

Daryl hid the desperation in his voice from literally every other person in the world. But, Merle could hear it. Merle was the one who raised him, so, he could read him like a book. "Sorry, Bambi, you're stayin' put." Merle said, quickly leaving before Brooks could argue.

Daryl tapped her slicked back hair as she sulked, throwing herself onto the sofa as Daryl followed after Merle. He didn't feel bad for leaving his sister, he needed her to be safe. All the adults slowly but surely left.

/----------\

Sophia was colouring on the floor, Chris was reading a comic book, Carol was knitting, Brooks was sitting on the window seat, watching Amy and Andrea head into a house opposite them, Carl was sat on the ground with a comic book in his hand, however, he was watching Brooks.

Suddenly, Carl put down the comic book as he went over to Brooks to sit next to her. "You're weird, River." Carl suddenly said.

Brooks rolled her eyes. "You come over here to torment me? Thought that was more Chris' thing?"

"No, I came here to tell you a fact. Tell you that maybe it isn't so bad that you're weird." Carl said.

Brooks licked her lips and looked to Carl. "Hell you blabbin' about?"

"My dad told me to be nice to you." Carl admitted. "So, here I am, doing my best to be nice to you."

"I know why." Chris said, making Brooks and Carl jump as he came out of nowhere, standing behind them. Chris grinned at their shock. "It's probably because he heard them taking their turns beating her last night." When he spoke, he kept his voice low, so Carol who was now making breakfast in the kitchen with Sophia couldn't hear.

Brooks furrowed her eyebrows. "What's wrong with you?"

"Come on." Chris laughed. "We all know what you rednecks do with each other. How bad did it hurt, Brooks?" Nobody else could understand Chris' curious nature... Well, nobody in the room, Cam could explain it. He was curious with violence, because it was all he was brought up seeing. He wanted to know more about it, he liked hearing and knowing all he could about men beating women... He enjoyed it.

Brooks quickly stood from her seat, standing in front of him with a deadly glare. "You best watch your mouth, boy." She warned, balling her fist. "You know what comes next, Chris. And, you also know my brothers don't do anything to me."

Chris smirked. "Sure, they do, you're a-"

"Come on, dude." Carl interrupted, standing in between him and Brooks, glaring at Chris with a killer's look in his eye.

Chris raised his eyebrows. "You hate her, you said so yourself. Why you taking her side?"

"Because you're not funny, which is shocking considering jokes are funny, and you are a joke." Carl hissed.

Chris took a step back. "Better watch your back, Grimes."

"Or what?" Brooks stepped out from behind Carl.

Carl turned to Brooks, wrapping his hand around her fist. "He ain't worth it, River."

Brooks looked to him, but nodded, taking a step back. She went back onto her window seat where she saw Andrea and Amy running out of the front door of the house, however, Amy was too slow. A scream ripped from Brooks' throat as she watched four walkers tackle Amy to the ground and start ripping at the young woman with their teeth and hands. Carl and Chris stared in shock while Sophia and Carol came running.

"Amy!" the whole town could hear Andrea screech as she pulled out her gun to shoot the walkers. She shot one, but Rick came yelling.

"No! Stop! Don't shoot!" Rick shouted, wrapping his arms around Andrea's arms and pulling her back. Amy was screaming in agony as her body was torn apart like it was nothing. Like she was just a meal, her only purpose to be eaten. Andrea screamed and fought Rick with grief as she tried to save her sister. "There's nothing you can do for her now!" Rick told her, regretfully.

See, what the rest of the group didn't know is that Rick went out to the RV to get a gun he'd forgotten. He'd noticed a sign in the morning sun that he hadn't scene in the setting sun. It had been hidden behind strands of ivy.

ALL DEAD
DO NOT ENTER

More were coming. They must have heard Andrea's gun shot. Walkers from all over the estate started pouring out of the houses. Houses further into the estate had windows broken and doors wide open, but nobody had noticed that in the evening when they were all just desperate for rest. Jim's death had shaken everybody up, just leaving him there was hard for everyone to accept.

"Kids, come on." Carol quickly ordered, running back into the kitchen to grab the two full bags of food. They didn't have time to grab clothing, after this, all they would own would be the clothes on their backs and the weapons littered on their bodies. Carol grabbed the hands of Sophia and Chris, making sure that Sophia held Brooks' hand, who held Carl's hand. They all left the hands together, noticing walkers were alarmingly close. "Run!" Carol screamed, carrying two bags on her back, and pulling four slower children with her.

Rick was struggling to pull Andrea off the floor and away from a very deceased Amy. Her suffering wasn't too long, she bled out first.

Daryl, Merle and Cam had fought their way through the walkers and got in front of them as they bolted. Lori ran with T-dog and Glenn, while Dale fought with Shane and Jacqui. Everyone managed to get through as they were relatively close to the entrances of their houses, not discovering the dead that were in the homes they were carelessly wandering.

As Lori caught up to the kids and Carol, she scooped Carl into her arms and ran faster than everyone else to save her boy. Daryl, Cam and Merle caught up. Daryl picked up Brooks, Merle grabbed Sophia while Cam took Chris' other hand and pulled him to run faster with his mother. Daryl and Merle run faster than the rest, being the first to get to the vehicles.

Rick and Andrea were losing less and less distance between themselves and the herd. Andrea was giving up, she wanted the herd to get her, and in her grief, she didn't care about taking Rick with her. "Andrea, come on! Come on!" Rick shouted, refusing to leave her behind. Amy had already died, he refused to lose anyone else. Poor guy.

"Rick!" Shane shouted, noticing his best friend's struggle. He hesitated. A part of him knew that if Rick died now, then he'd have Lori and Carl all to himself again. Shane missed the family that wasn't his, he missed the way Lori's lips and body felt against his own, the way Carl would go to him for anything. He waited for five seconds. Five long seconds. Five seconds which were the difference between life and death. Finally, he decided to run back for the two. Decided that he didn't want blood on his hands. He grabbed Andrea's ankles while Rick carried under her arms and the two ran together, carrying her with them as they sprinted for safety. She slowed them down, struggling, screaming and sobbing the whole time, but... 

They made it.
Barely.
Amy, however?
She'd never leave.