𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄
𝐀 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄
︶꒦꒷★꒷꒦︶

Night had fallen quickly, the group finishing up piling the last of the dead walkers in the corner of the field, now sitting around a fire as the owl cooked. Claire sighed from her position on the grass, a bit farther from the fire than the others. Her eyes were locked on the clear sky, stars shining brightly beside the moon. "Hey," Roman grunted as he dropped beside her, handing her the small silver flask. Claire chuckled, eyes flicking from his blue ones to the alcohol. Roman shrugged, "Found it a couple days ago. At that little blue house we stopped at—figured I'd save it for a rainy day—or a day of celebration. It's rum, so it's shit. But it's something."

Claire winced, grasping the flask, shocked by its heavy weight, "Looks like someone didn't get to go out with a bang." Roman chuckled, leaning back against his hands and looking up at the sky. Claire twisted the cap off, letting it clink against the side as she brought it to her nose. The strength of the alcohol was intense, sending a gag up her throat.

"God."

He smiled over at her, before furrowing his brows teasingly, "You're not even legally allowed to drink that yet, gimme it back." He reached out for the flask, but Claire moved it out to the side before he could grasp it. He raised an eyebrow, arm falling slack at his side as she slowly brought the flask to her lips.

She attempted to keep the wince down, but the sharp bitterness made her eyes water as it slid down her throat. She got maybe three good gulps of it before she pulled it away from her lips with a cough. "Jesus Christ-" She passed it back to Roman as the warmth settled in her stomach, "And I thought the alcohol I drank in high school was bad."

Roman brought the flask to his lips, a smile breaking out before he downed some of the liquid with ease. "Oi, fucker. Gimme some of that." Kira appeared, dropping to the ground in front of the two and reaching out her hand.

Roman passed the flask over to her, Claire watching with a smile as Kira chocked back her gag and swallowed. "That's disgusting, Roman." Claire looked past Kira as Marcus approached, tan skin shining in the light of the distant fire as he plopped down beside Kira. "Alcoholics." He teased, passing Roman and Claire a metal bowl with owl meat in it.

Claire smiled at Marcus, picking the small amount of meat up with her fingers and placing it in her mouth. "Want some?" Roman mumbled, licking his fingers clean and wiping them on his pants before holding the flask out to Marcus. He shook his head politely, "Uh no—Never been a big drinker. Thanks, though." Roman nodded, moving the flask in front of Claire, sending her a smile and taking her empty bowl from her to slot it in his own.

Claire smiled, taking the flask with a mumbled 'thank you', bringing it to her lips and downing more, her tongue better adjusted to the taste after letting her previous sips settle in her stomach. She still winced as she pulled it away, wiping her lower lip with her thumb and passing it back to Roman.

"Look at that." Marcus piped up, tilting his head up to look at the sky. "No smog, no pollution, just clear skies." Roman looked up, taking a drink from the now half empty flask. "Have you guys noticed—" The three looked over at Marcus again, the boy peeling his eyes away from the night sky, "How different the skies look without the mass production of toxic chemicals being pumped into the air? The clouds don't form the same way. Makes you wonder."

Kira laughed, "Fucking environmental sciences nerd." Marcus shrugged, a smile forming on his lips as he picked at the grass. Claires head perked up at the sound of soft singing, the others looking over at the fire as Beths voice carried over to them. "Oh, I love this song." Marcus muttered, jumping to his feet to walk over to the fire, Kira following, "C'mon, you degenerates, don't be antisocial." She teased, turning her back to them and making her way over to the fire, sitting beside her brother.

"Might as well." Roman stood, tucking the flask into his back pocket and grabbing the bowls. Claire sighed, looking back up to the stars, before averting her gaze to Roman's outstretched hand in front of her. She slapped her hand in his, allowing him to drag her to her feet.

When they got to the group, Maggie had begun singing alongside Beth to The Parting Glass. Carol and Daryl approached, Rick making his way over from the perimeter to listen as well, Claire smiled at Carl as Roman set their bowls down, sitting down just behind Beth where her backpack was set. Marcus had sat beside Beth, watching the girl with a smile as she continued singing.

Roman slowly sat down beside Claire on her large blanket, bringing his knees up and draping his arms around them as the song came to a close. "Beautiful." Hershel smiled, basking in the singing of his daughters.

"Better all turn in." Rick spoke up, nodding his head to the corner of the field, "I'll take watch over there. Got a big day tomorrow." Claire furrowed her brows in confusion, leaning forward to look at the man. She couldn't imagine what they would be needing to do tomorrow. They found a place to sit and rest, God knows they need it. They've been on the road for months, being able to sit down and not worry about anything had become a foreign feeling to them all.

"What do you mean?" Glenn questioned, the group looking at Rick in confusion. "Look—" Rick sighed, looking around at each of them, "I know we're all exhausted. This was a great win. But we've got to push just a little bit more."

Claire huffed, reaching over to her backpack and pulling out her jacket—the same jacket Roman had let her use months ago, the same jacket she had yet to return to him. She slung it over her shoulders, preparing herself to get comfy on the blanket. "Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners. Looks like this place fell pretty early. Could mean the supplies may be intact. They have an infirmary, a commissary-"

"An armory." Daryl cut it, Rick looking up and nodding at him, "That would be outside the prison itself, but not too far away. Warden's offices would have info on the location. Weapons, food, medicine—this place could be a gold mine!" Ricks voice was stern, a hint of excitement laced in it as he looked around at them. "We're dangerously low on ammo. We'll run out before we make a dent." Hershel spoke, Rick shaking his head meekly, "That's why we gotta go in there...hand to hand." Claire sucked in a deep breath, cuddling further into the jacket and wrapping her arms around herself. " After all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it." He looked down at Carl, gesturing an elbow out to him, "These assholes don't stand a chance." Rick attempted to up their spirits, up their hopes, but it did little for Claire, the blonde simply laying back and resting her head against her backpack.

Her eyes locked on the gently twinkling stars, exhaustion slowly taking over her mind as the day came to its close.

In her peripheral, she watched as Roman leaned back, reaching up and crossing his arms behind his head. "Well, my dad always said I'd end up in prison."

Claire held back her smile at the whispered joke, turning her head to look at him. He didn't move, just kept his eyes on the sky as a smile tugged at his lips. "Funny. I always thought Eli would end up in prison before I did. He's a menace—" Claire paused mid sentence, face falling at her words, "Was."

Roman frowned, turning his head to look at her, "Is. We'll find him. Now we have a solid place to bunker down and do real searches. Don't give up, Smith. He's out there."

Claire smiled meekly at him, turning on her side to face away from him so he wouldn't see the slow tears falling from her eyes.

He's out there.

︶꒦꒷★꒷꒦︶

Claire squinted through the sun, watching with worried eyes as Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, Kira, Maggie, Roman, and Daryl formed back to back, entering through the gates with their weapons drawn. Hershel closed the gate, locking it back into place quickly as the group killed as many walkers as they could.

Her, Marcus, Hershel, Carl, Lori, Beth and Carol stood within the safe confines of the gated field, banging against the field to get the attention of stray walkers.

Claire, although banging her machete against the gate and killing walkers, couldn't take her eyes off the group inside for longer than a second, watching as they made their way further into the courtyard.

Soon, they had gone through more than a dozen walkers, quickly disappearing behind one of the walls."Where'd they go?" Claire stressed, yanking her blade from a walkers head and moving past Marcus to try and get a glimpse of them. A walker slammed against the gate in front of her, the blonde gliding her blade into its eye.

She could hear their grunts and shouts for each other, but could not see them, only getting glimpses of them every few seconds.

A few minutes later, the group reappeared, Glenn rushing towards the gate before halting and looking back at Rick. Claire furrowed her eyebrows, eyes locking on Kira as she wiped blood from her arms onto her pants.

Then, they were walking again, but not towards them. Into the building. Claire sent a pointed look at Kira, who nodded at her friend and disappeared into the prison behind T-Dog.

Claire huffed, slipping her machete into its holster on her hip and crossing her arms over her chest. "Think it's secure?"

She looked over at Marcus, the boy anxiously looking around the courtyard. Claire inhaled deeply and shrugged, "It's gotta be. Rick is dead set on it, and Lori's about to pop." She looked past Marcus as Lori, who stood a few feet away next to Hershel. "If I wake up with a walker in my face, I'm shooting Rick."

A laugh bubbles from Claire, the girl rolling her eyes and bumping her elbow against Marcus' arm,"Shut up."

About 20 minutes later, Glenn and Maggie re-emerged from the prison, rushing over to the gate. "Found a secure cell block." Maggie mumbled as Hershel opened the gate. They each gathered their items back up, Claire grabbing Romans backpack and slinging it over her shoulder while the others grabbed everyone else's bags.

The blonde winced as she stepped around the dead walkers, following close behind Maggie as they entered the prison. It didn't smell great, in fact, it smelled of death, rust, and wet metal. But it was a roof over their heads behind 3 secure fences. It'd have to do.

When they entered the cell block, T-Dog was dragging a dead walker to the corner while Rick walked down the steps. "What do you think?"

"Home sweet home." Glenn sassed, voice monotone as he found a cell to place his belongings down in. "For the time being." Rick smiled, Lori looking over at her husband curiously, "It's secure?"

"This cell block is."

Claire looked over at Kira as she grabbed her bag from Maggie, the blonde walking past the girl with a pat on her shoulder. "What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel spoke, Claire's gaze wandering around the dark walls of the cell block. It could be...cozy, if they spruced it up a little. And hell, a cell block is better than the floor of an abandoned house. Plus, she can close the cell gate at night for extra security.

"In the morning, we'll find the cafeteria and the infirmary." Rick nodded, stepping past Claire towards his wife. "We sleep in the cells?" Beth's voice was cautious, a hint of disgust in her words as she looked around the dingy area.

"We found keys on some guards. Daryl and Roman have sets, too."

"I ain't sleeping in no cage." Daryl rolled his eyes from the second level, pointing over to the perch, "I'll take the perch." Claire sighed, making her way up the steps to look around the second level.

She walked past different cells, finally settling on the last one in the corner, the number 12 on the wall beside it. It was clean enough, no walkers or blood on the walls, just a dirty old bunk bed and a table beside it. She walked in, placing her bag on the bottom bunk.

"Think it'll do?"

She turned around, smiling over at Roman, "It'll do. It's safe, quiet." She sat down on the bottom bunk, "Surprisingly comfortable."

Roman smiled, leaning against the cells door frame, opening his mouth to speak, but being cut off by Kira as she appeared in the doorway. "Move it, Abramson. I gotta get comfortable."

Roman rolled his eyes, gesturing his head down the hall, "I'll be two down, in 10." Claire nodded, Roman walking away as Kira tossed her bag on the top bunk. "Hey roomie." Kira teased, placing her hands on her hips and looking around the cell.

Claire chuckled, "You know there's enough cells for you to have your own, right? Especially since Maggie and Glenn will room together, as will Beth and Hershel."

Kira shrugged, hoisting herself up onto the top bed, "Eh. Having a roommate is cooler."

★

Claire furrowed her brows, sticking her tongue between her teeth as she helped Roman put the riot gear over his chest. She connected the clips on the back, Roman adjusting the front to assure maximum safety.

"You won't need that. I need you to stay put."

Claire looked past Roman at Carl, who was smiling as he took the helmet off and handed it to Rick. Claire patted Romans back, the man turning towards her as he connected a clip in the front. "You're kidding?" Carl groaned, Claire smiling at the young boys groan as she turned around. Roman reached out, hands pulling the riot gear tight against her back as he clipped it together. She looked down at her chest, tightening a few straps until they felt snug.

"We don't know what's in there. Something goes wrong you could be the last man standing. I need you to handle things here." Rick smiled down at his son, Roman squeezing Claire's shoulder to signal the gear was on properly. Claire turned back around towards Roman, who checked the neck of the gear to tighten those straps as well.

"Sure." Carl nodded as they each finished putting the riot gear on. It was her, Roman, Glenn, T-Dog. Maggie, Rick, Hershel and Daryl who were going into the rest of the prison to find the infirmary and clear the halls.

"Great, let's go."

Claire looked back at Kira, who handed her her machete. The blonde nodded at her friend, taking the weapon and slotting it into its holster, before following behind Roman through the cell blocks gate.

She gripped the gun and flashlight tightly as the gate closed behind them, her eyes wandering around the walls curiously, the group quietly making their way through the darkened prison halls.

When they had come to the locked gate of another part of the prison, Daryl quietly pulled his keys out and unlocked it. Claire could hear her heartbeat in her ears as they slowly turned the corner, guns up at the ready and flashlights scanning the area.

The cells were open, a few corpses laying still on the concrete floors. Claire jumped at the sound of the spray can, looking back as Glenn sprayed an arrow in the direction they came from.

Roman was in front of her, the man turning his gun towards every cell they passed with stiff and quick movements. Claire glanced into one of the empty cells, eyes following the blood splatter on the wall.

A scared gasp came from behind her, the group spinning around as Maggie clung to Glenn, "Sorry." She mumbled, Claire smiling at the woman and turning back around. They fell back into silence as they cleared the hall, Rick pressing his back against the wall before spinning around the corner with his gun drawn.

Claire wasn't necessarily scared of the dark, she was always more scared of what lied within it. Now, it was how many walkers lied within the darkness that truly scared her.

The clicking of the spray can broke the silence, Glenn drawing another arrow as they slowly walked down the hall, turning corners quickly with weapons raised. Claire had begun to think that they'd make it to the infirmary without trouble. But as she was quick to learn after the outbreak; nothing ever went smoothly to plan.

The growling of walkers cut the silence, Rick and Daryl quickly backing up into the group, "Go back! Go back!"

Claire raised her gun, leaving her finger off the trigger as they hurriedly backed up the way they came. "Move! Walkers!"

The group scattered, rushing through the halls in search of a safe haven. Claire's breathing was heavy as she rushed down the hall behind Roman, the others close ahead of them with Maggie and Glenn behind them.

They turned a corner, Claire gasping as a group of walkers emerged from a hallway. "Shit!" She grunted, Roman spinning around as Glenn flung open a door and shoved Maggie inside, "In here!" He gestured to Roman and Claire, the two rushing inside the room, Glenn closing the door just as the group of walkers slammed against the metal.

"Shit." Glenn groaned, pressing his head against the metal as Claire grabbed Maggie. "Are you good?" The blonde worried, eyes scanning the woman for any marks. "Good. I'm good. I'm good."

Claire nodded, heaving as she turned back to Glenn and Roman, the two men checking their guns as they whispered to each other. The sounds of the walkers outside the door slowly disappeared, the four keeping quiet for the next few minutes.

"Mags?"

A voice came from outside the room, before shouts of pain followed it. "That's my dad." Maggie mumbled, Glenn quickly opening the door. The four filed out just as a gunshot rippled through the hall, Claire's eyes widening at the sight of Hershel, groaning in pain on the floor with his leg bleeding, right beside a now dead walker.

"Daddy?" Maggie cried, Claire whimpering as Rick and Glenn lifted Hershel from the floor. "Guys?" Roman worriedly pressed his hand against Claire's back, the shocked girl looking back as more walkers rounded the corner behind them. "Daryl!" Rick shouted, the man rushing forward with his crossbow drawn, killing off walkers to buy them time to get out of there.

"We're blocked!" Rick shouted, the group quickly running down a.m different hallway as Daryl shot walkers.

They came to a locked door, Maggie panicking as she shouted to get it open. Roman rushed forward, sticking his crowbar into the lock and slamming it open, pushing the doors open and ushering them each in.

Claire stumbled through, eyes wide as she looked back at Roman, T-Dog and Daryl, holding the doors closed, walkers slamming at them loudly. T-Dog managed to wedge the door closed, him and Roman keeping themselves pressed up against it just in case. Claire and the others dropped beside Hershel as Rick panicked, yanking his belt from his jean loops, "Hold him down."

Claire furrowed her brows up at him, scared tears flowing freely down her cheeks, "What?"

"Hold him down!" Claire blindly obeyed, holding his uninjured leg down as Maggie cradled the crying man's head in her lap. Rick tied his belt above Hershel's bite hastily, "Only one way to keep you alive."

Claires eyes widened as he grabbed the axe, not taking a moment to think before he brought it repeatedly down into the spot below Hershel's knee. Hershel cried out in pain, Claire gasping as the blood splattered against her face.

Hershel went limp, slipping out of consciousness from the pain as Rick finished chopping his chin off. "Oh.." Rick groaned, standing to his feet and dropping the axe.

"Cover it. Cover it! He's gonna bleed out!" Claire cried out, pressing a shaky hand against the open wound, holding back her gag at the feeling of sliced flesh.

"Duck." Daryl whispered, Claire bending her neck down quickly without question, Rick, Glenn and Maggie mirroring her as Daryl stood to his feet with his crossbow pointed behind Rick. Claire kept her eyes on the bleeding wound, Daryl moving in front of them with precise movements.

Then, an unfamiliar voice flooded the dark room, "Holy shit."