Family Ties
Characters - Rick, Shane, Lori, Carl, Hershel, Maggie, Beth, Glenn, Jacqui, T-dog, Daryl, Andrea, Amy, Dale, Sophia, Ed, Carol, Morales, Merle, Jim.
O.C's - Quinn, Bella, Carly, Lucy, Kenzi, Esme.
Disclaimer - Don't own anything but my O.C's.
Warning - Rated M for a reason, will contain strong language, gore and femslash.
Alot of things that happened in the series don't happen in this story. Like Amy and Jacqui don't die and Merle does get handcuffed to a roof but he gets rescued.
Shane also isn't having a thing with Lori so he doesn't go bat shit crazy.
Quinn is the leader of a little rag tag group, they run into the Alanta crew.
Esme is the mom of the group, Carly and Lucy are kids 5 and 6. Bella and Kenzi are teenagers 17 and 15.
Right intro rubbish over with on with the story!
Chapter 1
Squinting in the harsh sunlight Quinn pulled her baseball cap down further over her eyes so she could see further down the road. She was keeping watch while Bella and Esme changed the stupid flat tyre they'd just gotten.
They hadn't noticed what was left of a spike strip on the road infront of them until the front left tyre had blown, so now they were stranded on this damn road with no cover from whatever feels like wandering along.
"The spare doesn't fit Quinn, we're going to have to find a match from one of the cars up there," Esme called over to the blonde from where she was crouched down by the side of the car. "We are going to be longer than we had originally hoped,"
"How long are we thinking Es?"
"Maybe a couple of hours if we're lucky,"
Glancing up at the sky Quinn sighed in frustration.
"We don't have a couple of hours, the sun will be setting soon and there's no way we can stay on this road. We need to make camp."
"So what do you suggest?" The older woman asked quickly checking on the two kids in the backseat.
"I think we should leave the car here until morning, so we can scope out the land around us to find somewhere safe for tonight,"
"your talking about taking children out into the woods, god knows how many walkers could be lurking around in there Quinn!" Esme whispered harshly grabbing the girls shoulders as she pulled them out of earshot of the others.
"What's your idea then? We can not stay on this road after dark! It's suicide!"
"I don't know but there has to be something better than taking defenseless children out there into the woods!"
"Okay then, how about you keep watch while I go take a look around? I'll take a CB so we can get hold of each other if need be,"
"I don't like that idea either,"
"We don't have anymore options!" Quinn finally snapped, "Watch the kids, I'll be back before dark," Not waiting for a reply Quinn reached into the car and grabbed a CB, clipping it to her belt.
Checking her gun she leant back over to the woman she had come to think of as her mother and kissed her softly on the cheek.
"Radio me if you need me, I won't go far mama," Giving the kids a quick smile and a wink she took of at a jog into the tree's.
Weaving in between the tree's and ducking branches, Quinn kept her eyes peeled for anything that looked like it wanted to make her it's cheeseburger and fries.
After spending three years in the army she had picked up all the stealth techniques she needed to stay alive in these times. She could move quickly and silently and could take down any walker or potential threat with ease. She had also picked up her fair share of hunting and tracking skills which were coming in handy as the days went on.
Coming into a clearing she paused hearing a twig snap to the left of her. Yanking her gun out of it's holster she aimed it straight for the source of the noise.
One walker came stumbling out instantly spotting her. She waited a few seconds to see if anymore came with it, when none did she put her gun away and unsheathed her hunting knife from the strap on her back.
She moved in with speed plunging her knife into it's head easily, kicking it backwards as she then pulled it free.
Grasping the radio, she put it up to her mouth.
"Esme you there?"
"I'm here, you ok?"
"Fine, found a clearing suitable enough for us to stay tonight about 20 minutes from the road, on my way back to get you all now."
Clipping it back to her waist Quinn took one more look around there home for the night, just double checking then made her way back into the tree's to get her makeshift family.
WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD
"Hey Bells! Come on time to rise and shine girlie," Quinn shook the tent of the still sleeping girl. Hearing a groan and the shuffle of clothes Quinn bit back a chuckle as she went back to helping the two younger members of the group.
"Hey girls, let's get those shoes tied up huh?"
"I can do them myself Q watch!" Lucy called out excitedly falling down on her bum as she tried to grab her shoe laces.
"Aww sweetheart, you ok?" Quinn knelt infront of her giving her a soft smile.
"Yeah stupid floor," The little girl mumbled frowning at the floor beneath her.
"How about you Car baby?" Quinn turned slightly to the youngest, who just nodded in return. Carly had been with them for almost as long as the world had changed but she'd never spoken to a single one of them.
Lucy and Carly had been at an Orphanage when Quinn and Esme had found them surrounded by blood and gore. Parts of the people who had once looked after them strewn along the hallways of the place that was supposed to be the little ones safe haven.
Lucy had told the older women that Carly used to speak but doesn't anymore. They had quickly realised that the poor girl was probably in such a state of shock that she couldn't find it in herself anymore to talk.
"Alright then sweets, can you go over and stay with Kenzi for me?" They bothed nodded so Quinn quickly tied there shoe laces and sent them over to one of the teenagers.
As she stood up she finally caught sight of Bella, she had emerged from her tent aand was currently working on breaking it down.
"We are moving in a few minutes , so make sure you have all of your things ok?" The blonde leader adddressed the group.
"You still doing that supply run in Atlanta today?" Kenzi asked perching Carly on her hip. The dark haired girl may only be 15 but she had proved herself to be capable of looking after the others time and time again. Her parents had enrolled her in kick boxing classes since she was ten so even though she had no experience with weapons she was still able to take a walker down in seconds with volleys of incredibly strong kicks.
"Yeah, our food is dangerously low, we need to do it."
"I'm coming with you then, Esme and Bella will be with the kids so I can watch your back," Another thing Quinn had learnt quite early on about the girl was that it was usless to argue with her. The girl was as stubborn as a badger.
Kenzi was the first person Quinn had come across when the world went to hell. She was facing down at least six walkers and was completely kicking there asses, literally most of the time.
"Ok, lets get back and sort that car out so we can get this run done."
WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD
"Pick us up here in two hours, unless there's anything making you not able to," Quinn hugged the older woman tightly, "I mean it mama if we get into trouble no heroic's ok?"
"So your saying to leave you?" Esme asked in disbelief, "That's never going to happen,"
"You have the kids to look after and Bella remember," Quinn was never one for drawn out goodbyes so she stepped back out of the way so Kenzi could say her farewells.
She lent into the car placing a gentle kiss on Lucy and Carly's foreheads, then moved and wrapped Bella in a hug.
"Kenz, Let's go," Waving one last time the two took off silently into the over run city of Atlanta.
"We'll try and hit the supermarkets first, then the pharmacies and if we have time see if we can grab some more clothes we're all looking a little ragged," Quinn instructed, "Let's see if the ladder I left last time is still there," Quinn darted across the street undetected and waved to Kenzi when she spotted the ladder.
They had made a system where instead of going along the streets at a slow pace they would use the metal ladder on the rooftops. With all the buildings so close together in cities it was easier to just go from roof to roof to get to the build ing they needed. An added bonus was the fact that the ladder was retractable so it made it easy to carry.
"Keep your eyes open Kenz," The girl gave Quinna wave signalling she understood as they climbed the stairs in the first building. They were only a floor away from the roof when gunshots began to echo from somewhere above them.
"Did that come from this roof?" Kenzi questioned stopping dead in her climb.
"I'm not sure but I think it was from a few over from us, just keep low when we get up there." She answered.
They made there way to roof and began crawling on there hands and knee's across the gravelly surface. Peering up over the side Quinn immediately caught sight of the reason for the gunshots. Some redneck had gotten trigger happy.
She watched as he was taken down and hancuffed to a metal bar by some guy in a police uniform.
They stayed there watching as the group of people bgan rushing around in a panick. Quinn gasped when she watched a man with the handcuff key drop it down a drain. They heard him apologise over and over as the handcuffed guy just hurled abuse back at him, begging him not to leave him there.
"Quinn we're running out of time, we need to get the supplies," Kenzi whispered grabbing her arm.
"I know but we can't just leave that guy there chained up like some animal,"
"There's a reason he was in the first place remember!"
"I can't just leave! If I was in the habit of doing that I would be travelling alone and you know it!" She whispered back harshly, "Hold the ladder while I go get him, think of it this way it's another person to carry more things."
"Fine." She snapped back obvioulsy not happy about it. They both scurried across the roofs until they were on the building next to the man.
"Hey!" Quinn called out careful not to shout to loud.
"What the fuck you looking at?" He snarled back at her.
"Well that depends on if you swear at me one more time!" Quinn saw the look on the mans face, he looked like he was biting his tongue, "So if you behave I'll come get you if not I will aim for for that doors hinges and keep firing until the give way to those walkers just waiting to chew on ya," She watched him think over her words, his eyes going from her to the door.
"Fine, can ya git me outta thes thin's?" She didn't move, "God woman! Fine please?"
Quinn scrambled aross the ladder and quickly ran to the man, she fell to her knee's next to him and went to start work on the cuffs but paused.
"I have young children with my group I need to know you won't be a problem for them,"
"Darlin, I may be some redneck son a' bitch but I ain't never laid no hand on a woman or her kiddies,"
"Can I ask you one more thing?"
"Oh sure, why not got all the time in the world,"
"Whatever your using it doesn't happen anywhere near my group,"
"I can do that," Accepting his answer she popped the cuffs open with ease much to his shock. "How the fu..."
"Later," She muttered, "We're tunning out of time," They both ran back to the ladder.
The gravel crunched under there feet as they reached the otherside safely. Quinn immediately put her self between the redneck and Kenzi.
"You make even the slightest move at her or even look at her the wrong way and I'll put a shotgun shell in that shiny head of yours, you get me?"
"I meant wha' I said over there I ain't never raised no 'and to a lady,"
"Alrighty then seems you got another decision to make, you can help us and we'll take you back to your camp or you can just be on your way," Quinn told him, her hand still resting on her shot gun.
"Seein' as ya helped me out over there an all, thinkin' I shud' probably return the favour,"
"I'm Quinn and this is Kenzi,"
"Merle Dixon,"
"Well Merle we best get a move on, wouldn't wanna be left here twice in one day,"
WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD
"Es we got a guest and a damn good haul," Quinn spoke into her CB cheerily. Merle had kept true to his word and really was a big help to the girls.
"Es? What the hell kinda names that?" Merle piped up from behind the three crates he was carrying.
"Well what the hell kind of name is Merle?" Kenzi shot straight back at him.
"Easy kiddo, didn't mean nothin' by it," Quinn could hear the smile in his voice.
"I am not a child! You damn hick!"
"Calm down Kenzi!" Quinn snapped, "We're still quite close to the city, if you wanna kick his ass later I won't stand in your way ok?" Quinn wrapped her arounds around the seething girl.
"We're here waiting for you sweetheart, the more the merrier," Esme's voice came over the radio.
The walked in silence until the outline of the car was visible.
"Finally!" Kenzi sighed and took off running, Quinn chuckled as the tenn jumped straight into Esme's arms.
Upon reaching the car Quinn turned to the man, "Can you put those in the boot please?"
"Yer'"
"Okay guys this is Merle Dixon," Quinn introduced pointing to the man coming back around the side of the car.
"Uncle Merle?" Bella's voice gasped out.
"Bells?" Quinn could hear the slight tremor in his voice, the man didn't stay still for long though. He moved like lightning grabbing hold of the girl and picking her up into his arms. "Thought we'd lost ya,"
"I'm ok," She mumbled into his shoulder between sobs.
"I'm really sorry to break this up, really, but we need to get further away from the city," Quinn whispered even though she had tears in her eyes herself, "Merle how far away is your camp?"
"Hell, I ain't goin back ther' afta' what they just put me through,"
"Merle me and Kenzi saw what happened, you deserved everything you got but when that guy dropped the key it really was an accident,"
"Ya think?" He tilted his head almost like a dog would at the blonde.
"I've seen my fair share of murderers, trust me he didn't have it in him to do something like that on purpose. I swear to you,"
"Considerin' ya'll saved ma life, only right to take ya word,"
"Thank you, so how far?"
"Bout half an hour from 'ere,"
"Let's load up then ladies...and redneck,"
WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD - Atlanta group.
"Shane! Rick!" Andrea screamed her voice carrying across the small camp, "We have company!"
Shane and Rick ran to the dirt road that led into there camp with there guns ready as they watched the car approach.
"Damn it we gotta go git Merle we don' gots time for this shit!" Daryl cursed as he ran up aswell. He took aim with his crossbow for the tyres of the car but it was knocked from his grip.
"We don't know whose in that car!" Rick shouted at him as the car pulled up infront of them.
"Put ya damn guns idiots!" Merle's voice hollered out, "Little brother git ya ass over 'ere!"
"Uncle Daryl!" Rick looked on in shock aswell as the rest of the Atlanta group as a young teenage girl launched herself into the rednecks arms.
Rick turned away from the awkward reunion to watch as another two women climbed out of the car. They both moved ti stand protectively infront of the cardoor that opened to the backseat.
"This woman 'ere," Merle moved over to the blonde, "Saved ma ass when ya'll just left me 'fur dead so back the hell up for I makes ya,"
"Merle..."
"Nah pig, ya can rot fo' all I care, only came back 'ere fo' Daryl," Merle completely shut him down.
"We came here because Merle said you had children here and we had a good haul today," Rick guessed the blonde that was addressing them was the groups leader. "We're willing to give you some supplies,"
"Yeah? And what are we to be giving you in return?" Shane finally piped up eyeing the women warily.
Rick could tell straight away that they knew exactly how to use the weapons they had clutched in there hands.
"Don't expect nothing just don't have it in me to let people starve on a mistake,"
"Quinn I need to go to the toilet," A little voice could be heard from the backseat, Shane and Rick watched the blonde tense, eyeing them to see there reaction.
"We won't harm anyone in your group, you were right we do have children here," Rick holstered his weapon and raised his arms out wide trying to relax the other group. "Lori! Carl!" He called to his wife and son. Everyone else that had been holding back took that as there sign to come out aswell.
WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD - Quinn's group.
Quinn watched as more people exited the tents and the RV, fear clutched at her heart there was too many now. She wouldn't be able to protect her family if something went south.
A shuffle from the car reminded her of the little girls needs.
"Merle?"
"Ya sweetchecks?" A gagging noise also accompained the shuffling at his words.
"Is it safe here?" At the moment he was the only one she trusted in this group of new people, he hadn't given her a reason not to so if he said it was good then she'd believe him.
"Ye' they won't hurt 'em," He nodded to her to which she returned.
Quinn turned her back to the group and opened the car door gently pulling Lucy and then Carly into her arms, turning back with them she saw most of there eyes go wide as they took in the sight of the two children.
"Kenz, you stay nice and tight with us ok?" Quinn knew that most of the camp would take those words as if she was trying to protect the girl but in truth it was the complete opposite. If something were to go wrong Quinn trsuted Kenzi to keep them safe as she got the kids back in the car.
"My names Rick Grimes and this here's Shane," The man in the sheriff's uniform introduced himself and the bloke next to him. "And this is my wife and son, Lori and Carl," They gave the blonde a smile and a wave.
"I'm lucy and this is Carly!" Lucy's intro seemed to take away all the tenseness of the situation making everyone laugh and smile at the girl, even Quinn and Esme let out a chuckl. The latter of the two only just taking her hand off the gun resting at her waist.
"If the little one needs the bathroom she can use the one in the RV," An elderly man offered stepping forward and extending his hand to Esme considering Quinn's hands were full," I'm Dale,"
"Lovely to meet you Dale, I'm Esme and the lady there with the two cuties is Quinn," She smiled at him.
"Are you sure we can use the RV?" Quinn asked.
"Of course just go straight in and it's the only place with a door," Quinn smiled and began walking over to the large vehicle, Kenzi right on her heels. "Es you good?"
"Yeah girlie I'm fine,"
WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD
Ok so first chapter down, this one was just setting the scene and meeting the two groups up. It wasn't in anyone's P.O.V but now will be. They'll be stated each time it changes.
