What You Have To Do

"What You Have To Do" is the sixth episode of season 1 and the sixth episode of the show overall. It acts as the mid-season premiere.

Plot
''Cain returns with dark news which makes Joely becomes suspicious. Blake fights for his life.''

Part One
The episode opens on an infected slumped over in the supermarket. The events of the last episode can be heard in the background, which stirs the zombie and makes it investigate. It follows Blake as he stumbles outside and collapses on the ground. Just as it is about to bite him, it is stabbed in the back of the head by a mysterious figure.

Two days later, Joely stands in front of a grave marked for Blake. She remains silent for a while before Frank joins her, asking if she's alright. She doesn't answer, instead continuing to stare at the grave. Frank tries to tell her that Blake "wouldn't want to see [her] like this" and that the best thing they can do now is to "live up to what he saw in this place". From a distance, Cain watches the two of them, his face blank.

Claire lies awake in bed next to a sleeping Chloe that morning. She stares up at the ceiling, biting the inside of her lip. Chloe opens her eyes and asks her what she's thinking about. Claire ends up confessing that she regrets almost abandoning Blake in the previous episode. Chloe reassures her, telling her that she was "doing what [she] thought was best for Maeve", to which Claire mentions that she "never apologised. Not properly, anyway." Chloe kisses her and pulls her closer.

Charlie stands at the main gate, weapon in hand, as an infected approaches. Joely appears behind him and asks him what he's doing. The two make small talk glumly before Charlie begins telling the story of how he and Blake met. He claims that Charlie had been picked on by a group of other kids. Blake tried to stop them from hurting Charlie, resulting in him being beaten up instead.

"That's just the person he was," Charlie says, visibly tearing up. "Good. Through and through."

Cut to an injured Blake lying in bed. He is shirtless and is wearing a large bandage around his stomach. He wakes up suddenly before the screen cuts to black.

Part Two
Blake slowly sits up on the bed, cringing with pain. He notices the bandage around him. It is too painful for him to touch and he falls back onto the bed, too weak to make himself stand. He is in a small, unfamiliar room with neatly prepared surgical equipment on a bedside table.

"Finally awake, huh?" A voice comes from the doorway. Standing there is a bald elderly man wearing baggy, old clothes and a long knife strapped to his waist. He introduces himself as Trevor and claims to have saved Blake, saying that he was "on death's bloody doorstep for a second, there." For a moment, Blake doesn't speak to the other man, instead staring at the ceiling. Then, another lady that could only be Trevor's wife enters the room. She carries a tray of food and lays it on Blake's knees. She demands that he eats and then tells him her name, Phyllis.

Reluctantly, Blake sits up once more and begins eating the food he has been given. He then tells them his name and asks how long he has been asleep. When Trevor tells him, he shakes his head slowly and shuts his eyes. He then tells them that he is grateful for them helping him, but that he needs to go. He then tries to get out of bed, but Trevor and Phyllis stop him. They tell him that he is "in no shape." Blake tries to explain, but Phyllis doesn't let him, saying that he's "no help to anyone like this" and suggests another days rest, at least.

Late at night, Blake has managed to stand and is looking out of the window at the foot of the bed. Outside, Trevor and Phyllis' house is walled off, only a small gate at the other end of the garden gives him a view of the world beyond. Trevor spots him and the two begin talking. Blake tells him about the school and how they managed to secure it. Trevor then laments how "it's a damn shame you kids had to do that. This world...it's not right. It's not human anymore."

Part Three
Back at the school, Cain sits back, his face bloody and panting heavily. He sits across from Tim, whose face is swollen and beaten. Cain then begins talking to his captor, venting his frustrations. He tells Tim that "they don't trust me like they did him" and that "I did the right thing. The thing that'll keep us all alive." Tim remains silent, his breathing ragged and his head drooping. Cain lifts his head up by the chin, his expression blank, before punching Tim once more.

Outside one of the school buildings, Joely and Charlie stand before Frank. Joely confesses that she suspects Cain was involved in Blake's death, stating that "something's wrong." When Frank tries to convince her that she is just grieving, Charlie tells him to "think about it for one second. Cain's had it out for Blake since day one. He comes back without a drop of blood on him and says they got swarmed?" Cringing, Frank admits that he doesn't believe it, saying he "just thought it'd be better if...we just moved on. We can't afford to lose a place like this. If we fought amongst ourselves..." Joely shakes her head, saying that they "have to do something!"

At the Cotton house, Trevor and Phyllis sit across from each other at a table in a dimly lit dining room. The two discuss Blake, with Phyllis suggesting that they make him stay for "a few more days." Trevor, on the other hand, tells his wife that he knows Blake's "mind is set." This appears to anger Phyllis, but before she can argue, Blake appears in the doorway. She quickly sets him down in a spare chair and berates him for leaving the bed. Trevor apologises on behalf of his wife, telling him that she used to be a doctor and that she "got used to telling people what to do. Me included." Blake gives a short laugh as Phyllis hands him a plate of food. She once more attempts to convince him to stay for longer, but he tells her that he "has to stop [Cain]. He's unstable. If he hurts one of my friends..."

Outside the house, the school can be seen in the distance.

Part Four
Early the next morning, Chloe stands guard at the front gate. Claire approaches from behind and asks her how long she has been there, to which she says it "hasn't been long." She then notes the leaves turning brown and says that winter won't be far away. Chloe nods quietly and an awkward silence passes between the two. Claire then asks her if they're "gonna talk about this?" Chloe looks at her and asks what she means. She shakes her head, telling her that she "know[s] what I'm talking about. You're being distant."

After a moment, Chloe says she has "always known I'm...who I am. Even my brother knew. My mum took a while to figure to out though." She looks at the ground. "If what happened between us was some sort of...experiment. If you weren't sure whether you're like me or not, that's fine. I'm okay with that. But I don't want it to keep being that way." she looks at Claire once more. "If you want to be with me, then let's make it official. Be my girlfriend. If not, then there's no point."

Claire smiles and calls her a "fucking idiot." She then kisses her.

At the Cotton house, Blake opens the door and steps out, Trevor and Phyllis following close behind. He is wearing clean clothes given to him by Phyllis that contrast with his dirty backpack and the machete about his waist. He looks down at the clean clothes and thanks them again for their help. Before he can turn away, Trevor reaches behind him and produces a handgun, a black Glock. He hands it over to Blake, saying that his "son was in the army. Brought back this. We thought...you might need it. Y'know, just in case..." and warning him not to "shoot [him]self with it." He once more thanks them and lets himself out of the walled garden.

Part Five
Blake walks down a long street at the end of which, the school can be seen. Two infected approach and he manages to take care of them quickly, but once finished he is breathing heavily and grasping his stab wound. Soon, he reaches the fence and follows it to the front gates, where he hides behind a bush. The spot where Chloe and Claire were earlier is now empty.

In the common room, Cain sits back in one of the chairs, absentmindedly playing with his knife. Joely and Frank walk in and announce that they're "going to the supermarket to pick up Blake's body." Cain immediately tells them no, not looking away from his knife. She and Frank exchange looks.

"Why not, Cain?" Joely then asks just as Chloe and Claire enter. "He deserves to be buried. Properly buried." Charlie and Maeve emerge from their rooms. Cain finally looks up and tells her that she needs to "get over it. He's dead and we're alive." Charlie then asks him to tell them how "he really died. 'Cause I don't really believe that story you told us."

At the gate, Blake manages to climb over, groaning at the effort and clutching his stomach. When he is at the other side, he pulls out the pistol. Clumsily, he manages to release the magazine, revealing the bullets within. He snaps it back into place and begins heading to the common room.

Cain stands up, looking enraged. He tells Charlie to say "what you're really thinking." Cain towers over him as he approaches, but he doesn't back down.

"I think you killed Blake," he says, telling him that he thinks Cain is "a sick, jealous bastard and [he] couldn't handle the fact that he was better than you." He appears surrounded. Charlie in front of him, Joely and Frank at his sides, and Chloe and Claire behind him. Claire, in particular, appears shocked and asks Cain if he's right. She calls him a "murderer" and claims that he "owe[s] Blake your life!"

All of a sudden, Cain launches himself at Claire, yelling that he doesn't "owe him shit! He was weak!" He rants about Blake and the others try to wrench him off Claire as he wraps his hands around her throat, choking her until she begins to turn red. Chloe pulls a knife and goes to stab him, but someone's hand stops her. A moment later, someone calls out Cain's name. He turns and sees Blake stood next to him. He cannot say anything before Blake punches him across the face. He pulls Claire free from Cain's hands, she gasps for air as Blake shoves him over and climbs on top of him. He begins punching Cain repeatedly, breaking his nose. After few moments, Blake forces himself to stop, panting heavily.

Part Six
In one of the rooms, Blake stands in front of a pail of water, his hands are sore and bloody. He slowly dips them into the shallow water, cringing at the sting. He begins wiping the blood off with a cloth just as Charlie walks in. He tells Blake that Cain has been locked up with Tim "until we can decide what to do with him." Blake says he doesn't "want to think about that right now" as he dries his hands, which are still red and sore. After a moment, Charlie tells him that he's "glad you're okay, brother" and Blake pulls him into a hug.

Later, Blake sits in the common room, watching as Joely tends the fire outside and tapping his foot. Next to him, Frank and Charlie laugh. Frank says "dude, just talk to her," but Blake tells them he doesn't "know what to say." The other two shake their heads and Charlie tells him that he "survived a stab wound, but have a simple conversation." Blake gives in, standing up and walking outside.

He shuts the door as he leaves the common room, making Joely jump. He apologises, sitting next to her. She tells him it's okay and that he "just startled [her], is all." Blake sighs and says that he wasn't just apologising for that, but "for...it's just...I was stupid. I should have seen what Cain was capable of after what happened at the supermarket. I-" but Joely cuts him off by telling him that he "of all people have nothing to apologise for. We...I should have gone looking for you. I knew Cain was bullshitting us, but still, I..." she can't finish her sentence.

As the episode begins to come to a close, Cain wakes up in the changing rooms, tied to the wall opposite Tim, who laughs at him and says "looks like they didn't trust you, after all."

Trivia

 * First appearance of Trevor Cotton
 * First appearance of Phyllis Cotton
 * This episode is the longest of the season, being 90 minutes long.