I apologize for my A/N on the last chapter; it was only left as a joke and has been taken down. I didn't think it through and I didn't mean anything by it; I truly feel terrible. It was inconsiderate and I'm sincerely sorry about that. :(

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the very LAST chapter!

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own The Walking Dead Game

(5 hour regular drive from Macon to destination, Carley injured= delayed 1 & 1/2 hrs.= little over 6 hours, total time for extra supply stops along the way= 1 hour= 7 hours, rest radiator every 2 hours for 30 minutes each= delayed 2 hours total= 9 hours, took back roads for safety= 3 hour delay though the forest= 12 hours, driving slow to save gas= slowed by 3 hours= total time from Macon to destination: 15 hours

"Okay, on the count of three, we burst through the door, but don't shoot unless we see one, got it?" Kenny said, "ready? One, two... three!" Kenny and Mark threw open the front entrance of a moderately large farmhouse that the group had found suitable. Now, they just had to make sure no walkers or residents were hiding inside. Guns were raised the second the gap was widened enough to walk through, but not a sound was heard from the depths of the house.

"We're clear so far," Mark informed the other adults with weapons standing behind them.

"So far," Lee said, stepping up, "there are a lot of rooms in this place, we gotta check them all out, make sure it's really safe." Although Michelle had been told to stay inside the RV with Carley, Larry, and the other kids, she refused to wait around for something bad to happen, plus, this was her plan. So, she followed the four adults through the white, picket gate, and up the steps with no complaint from them. She had been trained to use a fire arm along side Ben, who, unfortunately, got nervous and failed to hit the targets often. Michelle, on the other hand, had confidence and was considered a pretty accurate shooter. Even so, the adults still had not allowed her to carry a gun of her own at all times. As Mark had said, "accidents happen." In Michelle's opinion, however, she should have one because accidents do happen. If she was stuck in a tight spot, she would be left without anything to defend herself, but she was not in charge, and the others had refused.

"We'll split up," Lilly said, "and search each room, we'll get it over with quicker, and if there are any, we can call for each other."

"Sounds good," Kenny nodded, "and Michelle, stay on the porch, I'm serious this time." She rolled her eyes and complied, setting herself down on the wooden porch swing in front of a wide, paned window. Staring up at the sky, clouds floated weightlessly, sliding across the blue so slowly that the movement was barely detectable. She sighed happily as she moved her gaze over the vast moorland, there was not another house visible for miles, just fields and fields of farmland with forest at the end of it all. The home was not like what she had pictured, it was a nice two story house with white paneling instead of a logs. In fact, it was better than what she had pictured. She doubted it had nine bedrooms, one for every person, but it was a lot more than she expected. The yard was plenty big, although not endless, it had approximately two acers on each side, which was more than enough space for a large garden and then some. A small, red barn stood at the back of the house near the end of the property, and looked to be in good condition. Frowning, she could not imagine how many dead creatures were inside, still locked in their stalls and starved to death. It made her sad, but even more so that if they did decide to stay there, that they would probably have to haul them all out when it came time. Still, they had made it out there, they succeeded, and they would survive. They had plenty of food left to last them until crops to grow, considering they had only been driving for a day and night.

After awhile, she began to hear something other than the creaking and squeaking from the seat below her. It was a familiar gurgling, a sound she had become accustomed to as an everyday part of life, but it was also accompanied by clanking medal, as if the monsters were banging against something with their inhuman strength. It had startled her at first, thinking that there was one either behind her, or inside the house with her friends, but it was consistent, like they were trapped.

The sound of footsteps on the wood floors echoed from the front room, and the others came out onto the porch. "They must've vacated," Kenny suggested, continuing the conversation he was having with his companions.

Michelle stood up from her wooden seat, "What do you mean 'vacated'?"

"Means, no one's here," he answered cheerfully, "not one sign of live or dead anywhere."

Her blood suddenly drained from her face as she realized what may have happened, "I think I know where they are," she said, swallowing, and turned to a couple of doors sticking out of the lawn near the porch, leading to the underground shelter that had now gone still. Lee breathed something inaudible and started down the steps toward it.

"Alright, get your guns ready," he sighed, obviously regretful of the sight he was preparing himself to see. Michelle stayed far out of the way and watched as Lee readied himself to open it up and dodge their bloody clutches, but when he pulled on the handles, they did not budge. "Dammit, it's locked from the inside," he grumbled, alerting the zombies underground to his presence, and the doors shook once more.

"That's a good thing," Mark said, "isn't it?"

"I guess so," Kenny shrugged, "personally, I don't feel like bein' the one to take care of it. They can stay down there for now."

Michelle walked up nervously, "are you sure they can't get out?"

"The doors are pretty sturdy, and I think if they could escape, they would've done it by now," Lilly said.

"At least we don't gotta go lookin' for 'em," Kenny remarked.

"Hold on," Mark said, "there's a barn over there. There could be more inside..."

Michelle cringed at the thought of the dead animals and excused herself back to the RV, passing Larry who leant against the outside of the vehicle looking around at the scenery. When she entered, she saw that Katjaa was checking Carley's stitches, so she sat down near the window on the opposite side to give the former vet some room to work. She smiled at Ben who sat quietly in the back watching Katjaa and she waved at Clem and Duck also in the back booth reading a picture book.

She then turned her attention to their injured passenger, looking miserable, but better. "How're you feeling?" She asked sympathetically.

"Sore," she replied, "I know I'm lucky to be alive, but I hate being cooped up in here, I should be out there helping them." Michelle nodded in understanding. If she had been hurt bad enough at the beginning of this, they could already be in Savannah by then, and three of the people in the room with her at that moment would be dead.

"How is this place looking, anyway?" Katjaa asked.

"It's looking good," her voice brightening, "I think this could be the one."

"Really?" Ben spoke up, "There aren't any walkers?"

"Well, we found some, but they're someplace where they won't be a problem."

"Where?" He pushed, and she looked away.

"In... the emergency shelter..." Her answer left the atmosphere around them in a woeful silence; those people had probably brought their family down there to save their lives, but had just ended up dying in a place that had been built to protect them.

It was broken after a moment when the door to the camper swung open, revealing Lee with an excited expression adorning him features. "Hey, guys," he greeted, hugging little Clementine who had attached herself to his waist, "come on out and see the house, it's great."

"We're staying?" Clementine perked, not releasing Lee from her vice-like hold.

"It's best place we've found so far, and I think we're all tired of looking. Just come out and have a look, the inside is secure and we're gonna start bringing in the supplies soon."

Carley wanted to go too and was directed by Katjaa that, since they did not have a sling, she would have to keep her arm as still as possible to avoid tearing the fragile skin around the cut from the thin string that kept it together. Lee lead the way out of the RV and up the wooden steps of their new home.

The inside was dark, despite the bright, sunny day, for the windows had been boarded up, preventing light from coming in. Michelle knew that the boards would keep light from getting out as well, and from what she had learned from the show and comics, that walkers were also attracted to light, just as they were to sight and sound. They would stay hidden there.

The first room was the living room with light, wooden flooring and beige furniture facing toward a small flat screen and a wide, open arch that lead to a modern kitchen straight on from the front entrance. In the far right corner, an externally railed staircase leading to the second floor.

"Do you know how many rooms there are?" Carley asked Lee.

"Only three," he said, "one's down here, and the other two are upstairs. But, there's a basement and an attic, plus some of us could stay in the living room if it's necessary." They followed him up the stairs to a long hallway and the same wooden flooring. A thin, green rug that had probably gone down the middle of the corridor once, lay crumpled up and thrown to the side with specks of dried blood near it as if someone or something had slipped on their way to escape. Rows of doors lined the wall, two on the left side, facing the front yard that Michelle assumed were the bedrooms, and one other that was most likely the second bathroom. "This way," he said, I want to show you my favorite part." They turned a corner and light flooded the hall, poured in from a double rounded glass door to a long balcony that looked over the two acers in front of the house. He opened the doors for them and rested his arms on the railing, staring off into the distance. "When evening comes, we'll have a perfect view of the sunset," he said contently, "and, look! There's a stream just behind those trees."

"Is it safe to drink?" Ben asked, coming up behind him.

"It will be after we boil it."

"This place is beautiful," Katjaa stated, playing with her son's hair.

"It really is..." Michelle agreed quietly in awe. Her plan had worked, and they wereokay.

"Do you really think this is a place we can stay?" Carley wondered aloud.

"It seems safe," Lee answered, not taking his eyes off the fluffy, white clouds, "and we haven't seen many walkers since we came to the country... I think it really is."

Suddenly, Kenny's voice called out from below, down on the grass beneath them, "hey, Lee! We could use your help moving these boxes!" Some of the boxes were heavy, and it was not just food and medicine that made them that way. They had collected many different things throughout Macon and along the way to the house, including flashlights, lanterns, ropes, tools, blunt objects that could be used as extra weapons in case of emergencies, of course the gas, and that was just the start of it.

After the last of the containers were brought inside, it was time to make sleeping arrangements. Larry had decided to take the basement with the second couch and a bare mattress that they had found in storage that Lilly would have. Mark wanted the living room with the comfy furniture, along with Ben, since there were no extra mattresses for him to take the attic. Kenny, Katjaa, and Duck would share the guestroom on the first floor, of course Lee would share the master on the top floor with Clementine, and Michelle ultimately gave Carley the second room upstairs, which looked like it had once been a child's bedroom, and made herself a comfortable spot on the recliner in the front room. Certainly, better collocations would need to be made later, but, until then, they were perfectly happy where they were.

The skies were beginning to darken, now, but it was not just from the tiring sun, there looked to be a storm coming. Everyone was in the living room eating their rations when an incredibly loud burst of thunder roared over the plains and shook the house, a loud and frightening vibration.

"God dammit!" Kenny exclaimed when the noise had stopped, "ya think that woke up any of the walkers?"

"Probably," Michelle said sarcastically, "in another country!"

"Hey, do you guys hear that rattling...?" Ben asked cautiously.

"Yeah," Lee said, "sounds like its coming from that closet over there..."

"We checked that one," Lilly said, "didn't we?"

"I did," Mark informed.

"Well, then what the fuck could it be?" Larry barked, hiding his fear that a creature could be lurking inside the home, watching them.

"An animal, maybe..?" Katjaa suggested, "...A raccoon?"

"Well, for fuck's sake, why don't we open it and find out?!" Larry shouted.

"I'll do it," Lee said, getting up from his chair and making his way to the doors, gun loaded and ready to fire. The rest stood back as he approached it slowly, took his safety off, and whipped them open to find nothing. The closet was rather wide, with two swing-back doors, concealing a washer and dryer set. The noise had stopped as well, leaving the group dumbfounded because they had definitely heard something, and it was in there with them.

"It-it's empty," Ben swallowed. Suddenly, the washer jerked upward, as if something was underneath it, causing Lee to jump back with fright.

"What the fuck is it?!" Carley exclaimed.

An abrupt realization flashed in Michelle's head and she felt the icy claws of dread piercing its sharp tips into her heart, sending chills though her veins. "The shelter..." She whispered. "My house has this! There's a hatch under there that leads to the underground shelter!"

"Which means," Lee started.

"That a whole family of walkers have straight route into the house..." Kenny finished, horrified.

"But, they can't get in, right?" Ben asked frantically, "they can't move those things?"

"I don't know," Mark said, "Walkers are strong, and we already know more than one are down there, and we've seen them lift it. Plus, these doors aren't exactly walker-proof."

"He's right," Lilly said, "we need to make sure these things don't make it in here. I think should find more weight to put on it."

"With what?" Kenny argued, "There ain't nothing heavy enough that'll fit up there, certainly not the dryer."

"Well, then what do you suggest?" She spat, not pleased with the tone he was using with her.

"We strap it down with the ropes and tools we got," he explained, crossing his arms in defiance.

She retaliated with a glare, but seemed not to have any more to argue with on it. "Fine, go get them."

"With pleasure..."

"We're gonna have to take them out eventually..." Michelle said timidly, well aware that that solution was the last thing any of them wanted to do, but with her time there, she had learned to think ahead for consequences, or else it would put them all in danger. She knew that was also the last thing they wanted, and sometimes, wits just had to be above morality.

Lilly transferred her scowl from Kenny's moving figure to Michelle, "Let Kenny take care of it, he knows what he's doing," and went to join her father in the kitchen until he returned with the tools and rope. Michelle sensed she was no longer needed and escaped to her room to look over, and re-read all her notes.

The washer was tied down with thick, cotton-braided strands knotted to metal hooks that they drilled into the floor of the closet. Now, only Carley, Lee, Michelle, and Kenny were up, except Michelle and Carley were the only two not present. Michelle sat upstairs by the balcony door, reading by the silver shafts that came in through the glass panels, and Carley had excused herself to the front porch to get some air. "That should hold 'em," Kenny said, satisfied when he had knotted his last rope, "You got the other side fastened, Lee?"

"Tightly. I don't think it'll be going anywhere any time soon."

"Good." It was quiet and slightly dark, the only light being moonlight and candles; if you listened closely, you could hear the flickering flames. "I'm gonna get some sleep, tomorrow's a big day. We start planting the seeds! Finally!" He exclaimed a little louder than needed with people asleep in the next room, "I'm really looking forward to eating anything other than those disgusting energy bars that keep shown' up everywhere... Well, see ya in the morning, pal."

Lee replied with a curt nod and the house was silent again. Instead of heading up to his room, he noticed Carley had not gone to bed yet, either. Her silhouette was visible through the window where she sat on the porch swing in the front. He sighed; he had not even asked her how she was feeling since the accident, if that was even a way to refer to it by. Whoever had shot her, had done it on purpose and had probably meant to kill her, or just put her in pain, enjoying it either way. He cracked a smile, if it had not been for Michelle, Carley would most likely be dead, murdered by some sick bastard while trying to get away from the madness their world had become. He wondered more often than not that if Michelle had not shown up at all, the rest of them would be dead, as well. He decided not to get stressed over it, so he placed the his hammer back in the toolbox and went out to see her.

It was a warm night, although they might as well get used to that. The storm had been brief and the heavy clouds had almost completely vanished, giving room for the stars and a full moon to poke their way through. The moon illuminated the long stretch of grass and the tiny hills on it, glowing and shining silver light over everything else in its path, including the two people on the front porch. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She said suddenly, "I've always preferred city life, but I have to admit, it is a sight to see..." She looked out into the night that, to Lee, no longer felt so dark, for a second longer, seeming to be taking in as much of it as she could before patting the seat beside her, which he gratefully took.

With anyone else, it would have been awkward, but Carley had a way of making everything feel as it should be, it was one of the many things he liked about her. Pushing those reoccurring thoughts aside, he went back to the reason he went out there, "How's your arm?"

"Better, but not healed. It's still pretty painful.." She said honestly, flexing her stiff shoulder.

He casted his eyes downward, "...I'm sorry."

"For what?" Her voice was serious, but, behind it, he could hear a tinge of amusement that he would even say such nonsense.

"I was right next to you... And youwere the one who got shot."

He could feel her narrowing her eyes at him, and it made him feel even worse. "Are you saying that you should have?" He did not respond and kept his eyes on the red, chipped planks below them. "Lee," her voice more stern, "you can't blame yourself for every wrong thing that's happened." He still refused to look at her. He had expected her to say that, but still did not fully believe her words. She nudged him with her good arm to get his attention, and he finally looked at her. He swore he could see the galaxy in her eyes as she stared him down intensely. "It's not your fault." The world around him seemed to freeze, halting everything but the woman beside him as she pressed her lips to his. It was sudden and unexpected, but that did not mean he enjoyed it any less; his eyes had closed almost immediately and had warmed into it fast.

He remembered back to when his wife had cheated on him, all those years he had cared for her, all hopes of making up and getting back to where they started, all down the drain when he had come home early to find her in bed with someone else. He had felt so betrayed, so let down, so angry... All he could see was red, and when his vision cleared, everything was. Of course he had not meant to do it, at least that was what his level mind had told him, but in the heat of the moment, he knew he had. He had wanted that man to feel every bit of pain he had for months on end, the fighting, the lies she had told him to cover his skin as well as her own, more lies and more fighting when he had gotten suspicious and questioned her about it, just to find out it was true all along, no matter how many times she had denied it, it was point blank true.

He knew Carley was different than her, as much as he had loved his ex-wife at the time, he knew the girl with him at that moment was smarter than to do what she had done, especially considering she knew what happened and was sensitive of his emotions on it. She knew better than that and resolved problems without making them worse, and judged a person by the present, not by their past. He had learned that in the short time they had known each other, yet a couple more things he liked about her. He did not love her, not yet, anyway. It would take a lot of time and compassion for them to get that far with the awful experience he had had with his last love, and he had a feeling she understood that.

Her kisses were soft and sweet; it made him feel like he had been dead for so long and had finally awakened at the pearly gates of Heaven, where her warmth was his only admission. They parted a moment later and the fireworks died out, but he was able to see those glittering eyes once more, now flickering with emotion. As usual, she seemed to be not at all uncomfortable, confident with her actions, and Lee could not help but share that sensation, because she had a way in giving him that spirit. "...Clementine asked me about her parents again last night..." He confessed once his heartbeat had slowed to its normal rhythm, "I don't know what else to tell her..." Carley had always been the one Lee would talk to when he needed advice, and she was one of the few people with whom he could. She would always be honest, and tell him what she thought would be best, and if he did not agree, she would push him harder, but respect his final decision for his reasons.

"That's a tough one," she said, "but the longer she doesn't know, the more pain she may feel... Though, I don't think you should try to explain it to her just yet. Maybe, when she's older, she'll have a better understanding of why you did what you did."

"I only want to protect her..." He said, shaking his head in dismay.

"And, you have," she smiled, "You know you mean the world to her." Her smile lingered as she shuffled even closer to rest her head on his shoulder, staring out over the hills just like she had been before he had come out. He sighed with a mixture of emotions and returned the gesture by wrapping a large arm around her smaller figure, letting the peaceful serenity of the night consume them.

Michelle closed her book and let out a tired yawn. The moon had moved behind the trees, restraining any of its light from reaching her, and prevented her reading any further. That being the case, she decided to call it a night and headed for the stairs to a fluffy recliner that awaited her, but something stopped her from doing so. A sound, a white, crackling noise and a voice that followed. She recongised it immediately as Clementine's walkie-talkie, that had somehow miraculously teleported batteries. Must be Carley's doing. She snuck inside the little girl's room, pushing the door back as far necessary to fit her thin body through, and spotted the miniature radio placed upright on her bedside table. Creeping up slowly on her toes, she was able to snatch up the object and retreat back into the hall.

She did not know who was on the other end of it, and she was not sure she wanted to find out. Her pulse raced, it could be the Stranger, contacting Clementine, and learning what Michelle had done. He could be on his way at that very second as she stood there, petrified to press the little button and find out.

It made another screech, startling Michelle, and nearly causing her to throw it across room. The voice broke through again, but it was not of a man; it was light and slightly high pitched, the voice of a girl. Her fear was abruptly vanquished and she swiftly pressed the button. "...Hello?!"

The other girl took longer to reply, and when she did, Michelle could hear other voices muffled in the background. "It's okay, I know what's happening to you, but you can't tell a soul."

CONTINUATION OF THAT IMPORTANT NOTE: Well, the last one on this story, anyway. I'll be continuing this in a new one with this mysterious person as the star, following the 400 Days storyline. The name of the new story will be called Circumvention. Although, it may be awhile for the first chapter to be posted. I have to give this person a name, personality, appearance, background, figure out the storyline, and do research so it actually makes sense. Well, as much sense as breaking the fourth wall makes. Anyway, Review and give me feedback, because you know I love it. See ya's in the next one! :)