Keep Breathing My Angel

"We've gotta find some place to stay tonight." T-Dog stated as the group gathered around the truck.

"I know." Rick replied quickly, he sounded a bit annoyed that T-Dog brought up their current situation. "Let's get the map and figure something out. Carl, Beth you two keep on the look out for any walkers."

The two kids nodded going on opposite sides of the truck everyone stood at. Glenn grabbed the map and spread it out on the hood. A few Red X's were scattered across the paper, marking where the herds had been seen.

"We haven't been here" Rick pointed to a spot close to their position, yet not surrounded by X's. "we can go there, find a house and hold up there for the night."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Daryl stated, gripping his crossbow tightly in his hands. "Near some woods too, can go huntin' and catch us somethin' ta eat."

"We are starting to run a bit low on food." Carol informed. She had been the main one keeping tabs on what supplies the group still had.

They hadn't even attempted to go back and scavenge some supplies from the farm house. When Rick announced his new role, he wasn't fooling around. When he told them they'd leave as soon as possible, he meant it. Glenn and Maggie ran to gather fuel and came back with several jugs full and they headed off. They'd stop a few times here and there, but never stayed in one place long, much like they were doing now.

"We'll see when we get there. Let's head out." Rick replied and everyone started getting into vehicles.

Angela followed Daryl to his motorcycle, climbing on behind him when he allowed her to and wrapped her arms around his waist. His hand moved to hers giving it a light squeeze before going back to the handle of the bike. Angela rested her head against his back as they began down the road.

As they were riding, her mind began to wonder. She heard more about Shane when her and Daryl returned from the woods that night after the farm. She knew Rick had killed him, but had left the group before hearing Carl mention that Shane had turned. When she heard of this, she didn't know how that could have been. She still didn't. Rick brushed the question off saying something along the lines of not to worry about it, it's in the past, but never gave them a straight answer and Angela didn't like that. She realized something was up and knew that Rick must have had the answer.

The ride to the little town Rick had pointed out was longer than expected. Riding on the back of the motorcycle was tiresome, though Angela wouldn't complain, she could only imagine how Daryl feels after driving it for so long.

Soon they were climbing off the bike so it didn't matter how tiring it was. Angela looked down as she waited for Daryl, messing with her gun making sure it was loaded, but her mind was still on Shane.

"Hey." Daryl called softly making her look up at him. "You alright?"

"Yeah." She said softly with a nod of her head. Daryl glanced at the group quickly before kissing her head gently with his hand on the back of her head.

"Let's get to the group then." He said and the two headed to the rest of the group.

"Alright, so far I haven't seen any walkers close by, but that doesn't mean there aren't any here." Rick said looking around the area. "This house hear is big enough for all of us to rest comfortably. We can tell from the inside for sure if it's going to be safe enough for the night."

"Who's goin' in?" Daryl asked slipping the crossbow off his shoulder.

"You, Glenn, and I will go in for sure. Angela do you feel up to going?" He asked turning to the girl beside Daryl. She gave him a curt nod he acknowledged letting him know that she was able to help clear out the house.

"Alright Maggie stay close to the door after we enter, if something happens out here come in and get us." Rick ordered and plans were set in motion.

Rick and Daryl took the lead to the door followed closely by Angela, then Glenn. Maggie brought up the rear and kissed Glenn quickly before the four ahead of her entered the house, leaving her to wait by the door with the others.

The four took different directions upon entering; Rick and Glenn went opposite directions on the bottom floor while Daryl and Angela ascended the stairs to the upper floor. They thoroughly searched the rooms for walkers, weapons held tightly in their hands, only to come across two of the living dead in the entire house. Once they dragged the bodies out, Rick gave the okay for the rest of the group to move in.

The group gathered around the lantern they discovered in the house as the light outside faded from the bright shades of orange to deep blues. Overall the house was cozy compared to the cars and camping outside like they'd done so many times. They had walls and a roof over their head for now. How long it would last, no one knew.

Rick stood by one of the windows they had boarded up in the living room, just a few feet away from the group. The Greenes were sitting close together, Glenn beside Maggie, Lori and Carl sat together as well, then Carol , then Daryl and Angela. T-Dog sat by the door to the living room connecting it to the entrance of the house. No one spoke.

Jokes no longer ran throughout the group. It was just too dangerous to be louder than necessary and laughs echoing throughout the house could draw walkers and they'd be on the run again.

Angela leaned back against the chair she sat in front of. Her mind wandered to Shane again and how Rick avoided the question of his turning. It just didn't make sense to her and she wanted answers.

"Rick?" She asked quietly, just loud enough for the man across the room to hear her. He turned his gaze from the world outside to her, along with everyone else. She hasn't spoken much since losing Layla, and hearing her voice shatter the darkness was rare and strange.

"What's up?" Rick questioned just a bit louder than she had. He was curious to hear what she had to ask after keeping to herself for so long.

"I've gotta know otherwise I'm gonna go mad. What happened with Shane? Why did he turn?"

"It doesn't matter." Rick snapped turning away from everyone.

"But it does matter. You won't say anything about it. If he was bit or scratched you'd say so, but you haven't so what happened and don't lie to us. Please Rick." Angela pleaded wanting to know what happened that night the farm was overrun. Rick took a deep breath.

"Alright, y'all should know." He paused trying to gather his thoughts. "Before you joined us Angela we went to the CDC, that's where we're headed when we found your sister, there was a man named Dr. Edward Jenner. He stayed in the building when it blew up, but before we left he stopped me. He told me something about this virus causing the dead to rise."

"What did he tell you?" Angela urged when Rick stopped. Tears pricked her eyes with Layla being brought up, but she refused to cry right now.

"He told me, that we're all infected."