A/N: All this belongs to AMC Walking Dead Series except my Character Matilda

Thank you to Hippielicious for Beta-ring

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The Other Greene Daughter

Chapter One

Watching as the sun rose over the green fields and the animals woke to the brand new day was a sight that I`d never get used to as I looked out of my childhood bedroom that I now shared with my twin sister as we had three extra people living under our roof and only one spare room. (Our BROTHER Shawn`s room was left untouched.)

Listening to the sounds of the birds tweeting good morning, I smiled because right at this moment the world was the same just like it has been for the last million years; the sun will always rise again. I lowered the blind back down as my sister moaned, rolling onto my side of the bed as she started her waking process. So I quickly and quietly dressed in my old faded black jeans that had a hole at the right knee, a thin purple singlet top that covered my purple and green polka dot bra with a light green button shirt over the top as well as my old brown leather WORK BOOTS and I left the bedroom before my sister woke completely. (F.Y.I, Maggie isn't a morning person.)

As I skipped down the stairs dodging the squeaky step I arrived in the kitchen finding my Dad was already up with a cuppa in front of him,

"Morning Daddy," I said kissing him on his whiskered cheek

"Morning sweet Tilly, coffee already brewed" he said standing up and heading towards the toaster

(Another F.Y.I I think instant coffee is disgusting but we can`t afford to waste power to use my café style coffee maker and I`ll die if I don't get my morning coffee.)

Pouring some black tar into my Winnie the Pooh mug my sister Beth bought me when she was eight – the only mug I was allowed to use ever since – and grimaced as I swallowed the toxic sludge, adding more sugar than any DENTIST would be happy with did I notice Daddy smiling

"What?"

"Nothing my sweet girl, it`s just you pull the same face every morning and I`m just glad that some things don't change." He kept smiling as the toaster popped.

"I`ll never learn my lesson," I teased as I sat on the edge of the KITCHEN COUNTER.

I miss this about Daddy, his carefree nature and the warmth that came out of his eyes when he looked at Momma A (that`s what Maggie and I call Daddy`s wife Annette); she would simply enter a room and I would catch him smiling like a smitten teenager. But now all I see is how tired he is and how he needs rest not just his body, but his soul too. There is only so much a lost soul mate can take before they wear too thin.

"Sweet Tilly you okay?" I hear the worry in Daddy`s voice as I fall out of my trance as I see that plate of toast he`s holding out for me.

"Sorry Daddy: just thinking about what JOBS we all need to do today," I lied, but it was a topic needed discussed.

"Is Jimmy up yet?" I asked as I buttered my toast.

He was still frowning but answered "He is out checking the windmill since he knows how much Maggie and you hate going up there."

Oh thank god for Jimmy, I thought as I shuddered. I hate heights.

"Okay that`s one thing off the list we also need to do."

cattle/clean troughs

horses/clean stables

chickens/collect eggs/ clean coop

the boundary FENCE

maintenance/ yard work

maintenance

"I`ll get Bethie to take care of the horses as that`ll keep her close to the house. Same with Patricia: she likes looking after the chickens." I paused then, thinking back to when the last time was we had to kill a hen and it came to me it had been at least a week.

"If she is comfortable, we`ll need to kill another chicken for the barn."

Darn I could have kicked myself for saying that. Why couldn't I have asked her myself so I wouldn't have to remind my father and bring the sadness back to his eyes.

"I`ll tell her. Also, Otis left early this morning to go hunting since he noticed some deer trails yesterday and he's keeping an eye out for any sick people." He nodded as he settled himself down at the dining table.

I internally winced at the thought of 'sick people'; I truly did pray to god every night that they were only 'sick' and not dead like I feared. I hoped that somewhere the government, in an underground laboratory, they are working on a cure, but I also knew that after sixty days and still no news from them that something must be very wrong. Also, deep down, I doubted if a cure was made, that would it really give us our loved ones back. To some degree the 'sick' had started to decompose and that only happens to corpses. Is that what they truly were now? Walking corpses? I wasn't going to speak these thoughts out loud and never to my father, who needed to hold on to the idea that his wife is still alive.

"Are you okay Sweetheart?" Daddy asked.

"Sorry daddy my mind keeps drifting. I`ll take Mags to feed the cattle and clean the troughs and after that I`ll do the boundary run while she takes care of the vehicle checks, if you want to take care of the house and yard," I finished saying.

It might sound like I was being bossy but this is how we had been running the farm for the last sixty odd days. We do the same thing: I make a list and we do our separate jobs before meeting for lunch. Then, wandering back out until an hour before sunset, we made sure that everyone was inside for the night and then repeat the next day.

But it was also for Daddy's peace of mind.

It made me feel like I had a purpose in this new world: that I could be responsible – not the weak, scared little girl that Dad remembers me as.

Finally, we heard stomping coming down the stairs and I immediately knew it was my twin. You wouldn't think that someone tall and slim could sound like a herd of elephants but she could.

She appeared around the corner dressed similar to me only in blue. I watched as she greeted Daddy the same way I did: with a kiss on the cheek before she smirked, swiping my last piece of toast and my mug a toxic sludge

"Hey don`t steal," I whine as I playfully lunge forward.

She laughs. "Sharing is caring, sweet sister."

I huff but I can`t resist smiling when Dad starts to chuckle.

"You girls always brighten up my world. Somehow you both have done the same thing every morning since you were knee-high just to make this old man smile." He looked at us with love in his eyes "I only hope you girls never lose each other in this scary new world." He frowned as he left the room.

We were silent as Maggie finished my breakfast and as soon as she swallowed the last mouthful of coffee I got up. "Come one Mags, let`s get this day started."

After we were both ready to go, having filled several canteens full of water, we were loading the Ute with scrubbing brushes, brooms and eight hay bales, off to the first of six paddocks.

After having scrubbed seven of the eight troughs for the last three hours, I finally throw my brush into the water splashing us with dirty water.

"Tilda!" Maggie yelled as she copped a face full of water.

I laughed. "Sorry."

I chucked my semi-clean rag at her so she could wipe her face as we sat down for a quick break.

"Mags, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm?"

"I`ve just been thinking – "

She cut me off with a laugh. "Oh no, I hope you don't strain yourself!" But she stopped when she saw my face. "What`s the matter, sis?"

"I`ve been thinking about the way the world has gone and the disease," I said hesitantly. She frowned as she considered what I was really saying. "Do you believe what Dad says about it?"

"Why don't you just tell me what you really want to say Sis, I`ll listen and I promise I won`t shut you down like Daddy did last time."

"I do believe Daddy that there`s going to be a cure but I`m losing faith. It's been over sixty days since the power went off and the broadcasting's stop working. What if that means that there isn't anyone left working on it? Let`s say there is a cure and could it really reverse the damage it's done to their bodies or their minds? How long after being bitten would the cure work: a day, a week, a month? What if this is the work of God and not man-made? What if this is how the world ends and we`re keeping our loved ones and friends alive locked up while their suffering? At the rate of their decomposing there won't be anything left to save." My thoughts rushed out and I didn't realise how much I`d been thinking about this until then.

My beautiful, taller twin was silent for a long time as she thought over everything I said, until I started to believe she wasn't going to reply.

"Tilda, I think you have made several good points but I have to believe that they can come back. If we lose our hope that Momma and Shawn are still in there then what are we living for? Daddy needs to believe just like Beth does. We need that miracle but I also see your point: there is only so much that modern medicine can fix before there`s a point of no return. But we won`t know anything until we hear from the government, so let`s just keep this between us, okay?" she said, looking sadly at me.

"I know. I wouldn't dream of crushing Daddy like that but I needed to get everything off my chest, Mags. I just don't know how much longer we can go on like this, doing the same thing day in and out. This isn't living: were hiding out here. We could go out looking for people bringing them back here where it`s safe!"

"No, Tilda! We`re only safe here because of our small numbers." Maggie shot down my idea but I wasn't keen on it. It was just a last-minute thought, but what made me happy was that Maggie was on the same wave length as me because I couldn't take it if she was going to be naive about the whole situation like Beth is. Poor, sweet Beth. God, I love my little sister but I could strangle her at times because she didn't take this seriously. She knew what was happening in the Barn but to her it was like our Momma and Shawn were just away sick at a hospital and they would be back any day now

I stood up at went over to Maggie and hugged her tight. "I`m losing it Maggie," I whisper as my body shook with suppressed sobs.

I can`t tell you how long we stood there in the middle of a paddock full of grazing cows until the rumble of our empty stomachs echoed pulling us away from each other with a laugh.

"Come on Tilda, let's finish this so we can head back for some lunch." Mags sent me a sweet smile and with a nudge we finished the trough, the last one as we scattered hay across the paddock, before hightailing it back to the house.

Forty-five minutes later, I was tackling Chestnut when I heard foot steps behind me, looking over my right shoulder I saw Daddy.

"Sweet Tilda, please be extra careful out there!" I could see the fear in Daddy's eyes so I stepped up to hug him and to try to reassure him.

"I have my bat and I`ll stay on Chestnut so I can outrun anything that comes for me," I promised.

He kissed my forehead and released me so I could step back and mount my favourite horse: Chestnut.

He silently handed me my junior league baseball bat, which I placed in a rifle holster, and I swiftly kicked Chestnut's flank, shooting off like a bullet.

I needed this: going for a leisurely ride to clear my head on a warm summer day with a crisp breeze blowing my long dark brown hair back. I raised my face up towards the sun as I breathed in deeply before pulling back on the reins to bring her to a slow trot.

Doing the daily run around the border of our property and checking for weakness against the sick people was something I began doing the first day with my brother Shawn. It was during our ride that we encountered our first sick person. We were taken off guard as she was our neighbour Mrs. Davis, so when we got close to try to help her we never expected her to bite Shawn or that she would be the first person I`d ever killed as I swung my bat at her head until she stopped moving, her brains scattered over the ground.

That was the worse day I`d ever had since the beginning of this crazy new world and it only got worse when he turned, biting Momma – STOP Tilda! I physically shook my head, clearing out those dark memories as I clicked Chestnut into a canter.

Today was a beautiful day with a pure blue sky and no trace of CLOUDS. As the bright sun shone down on me, birds tweeted as they flew overhead and cows mooed as they grazed with their calves. But not even this bright summer day could keep away the dark thoughts entering my mind; I couldn't believe how lucky we were to have this piece of paradise even before the world went to shit. That`s why I couldn't shake the thought of this being God`s work; maybe all the bad things Man has done over the thousand years to God's creations:

Maybe we deserve this…..

I was by the last fence that would lead me home when I heard my name being shouted from a distance;

"Tilda!"

Glancing around, I saw three men running towards me from the north. One man was easy for me to recognize, but the other two I had never seen before but the man leading the race made my heart race in fear when I notice the young boy in his arms.

"Otis what happened?" I yelled. "Is he bitten?" I prayed that he hadn't been; no child should have to be put through that horror.

The cowboy stopped a few metres shy of me as he gasped for breath. "No, he was shot."

I couldn't believe it, but I made a hasty decision. "Pass him up to me. I can get him back to the house quicker. My dad will know what to do," I offered

He shook his head no, but I could see how exhausted he was so I called out again. "Come on Cowboy, now is not the time to be stubborn so pass him up and I`ll take good care or your boy. You can trust me."

Looking in his eyes I could see how grateful he was, lifting his precious boy into my arms, holding him tight against my chest. But before I could move to get Chestnut into the canter Cowboy grabbed my hand and squeezing it so tight that I felt my knuckle crack.

"Please hurry I can`t lose my boy," he said and my heart broke for him.

"I will, now follow the sun for another 2miles and you`ll reach the farm-house," I called back as I kicked my horse's flank and we were off like lightning.

I pushed Chestnut to the max as she galloped over the fields, startling the nearby cows from their grazing; as we approach the fence bordering the house`s yard I started yelling for help.

"Daddy! Dad, I need help."

Lifting the unconscious boy up as I stood in the stirrups, forcing my beautiful old horse into a jump, I instantly feel like shit as she clips her back hoof on the top rail and we stumble upon landing.

I scream as Chestnut falls and she throws us from the saddle, I try my best to protect the boy in arms as we roll landing hard on the unforgiving ground.

I don't look at my oldest friend land with a bone crunching thud as Maggie`s screams piece my ears as I roll over to look down at my precious cargo.

"Tilda are you hurt?" Daddy yelled with worry.

"No I don't think so but please Daddy help this poor boy he`s been shot," I pleaded as Maggie helped me up.

Daddy knelt as he took in the wound on the boy`s stomach as more blood began pouring out, causing Daddy to issue orders. "Patricia get my bag and the spare room ready. Beth, get HOT WATER." As he grabbed the boy by the shoulders, Maggie grabbed his legs and they carried him towards the house.

Looking at the windmill I saw Jimmy hurry over so I yelled "Jimmy please help Chestnut," as I limp after Daddy.

"Of course," I faintly heard him yell back as I followed my family inside and into the guest bedroom that Patricia and Otis were staying in.

"Otis is bringing the boy`s father here," I murmured to dad as they laid him down on the soft bed and I collapse into the chair in the corner as the adrenalin fades and my aching body announces itself and I watched my father begin to work.

"Maggie, I need painkillers, coagulates…grab everything: clean towel or sheets and ALCOHOL. Tilda, grab that pillowcase and fold it into a pad and help press down on the wound," Hershel instructed us.

I do as Daddy instructed even as my body protest to getting back up

Patricia called out "I got a weak pulse, I`ll put in an IV."

Hearing someone yell I swiftly glanced out the bedroom window and, seeing the three men running, I hastily glanced at Dad. "The boy's father is almost here. I should prepare him?" I asked, nodding to the window with my head as blood began to cover my hands.

"Yes go and bring him in. I've got questions he needs to answer," Hershel said.

I barely stepped out the front door when he stomped up the front steps as I held out my bloody hands to stop him.

"He`s okay at the moment. My father, Hershel, is working on him as we speak."

I held out my hand and he grasped it as I lend him into the room the held his son.

Dad looked up at our entrance before he locked eyes on the upset father. "What happened to him son?"

"Your man Otis shot him. I didn't even know he was there. We were all staring at this deer and then heard the gunshot and Carl was down. He didn't even scream. It was just an unlucky accident," he murmured the end as his adrenalin finally ran dry and he collapsed to the floor beside his son.

"Okay son, please know that I`m going to do everything in my power to save your son, but I`m going to need you to move back and give me some room to move," Dad insisted.

The distraught father ignored Daddy, holding his pale son's hand, so I stepped forward and touched him on the shoulder, making him jump slightly. "Come on Cowboy, let`s get you something to eat and some fresh air so my father can work." I pulled him up and brought him back outside.

"Cowboy?" he questioned.

I blushed and looked down "Your hat looked like a cowboy hat from a distance and I still don't know your name."

He smiled weakly "Rick Grimes, and that is my son Carl." He held out his hand to shake.

"Matilda Greene. Well, just Tilda is fine."

"Wait ,do you know his blood type?" Patricia called out from the open window.

"It`s A positive, same as me," he yelled back.

"That`s fortunate. Don't wander far – we`ll need ya Rick," Daddy said.

"I`m O Negative, so I`m compatible if it becomes necessary," I offered.

"Thank you so much for helping us." He sat down on the porch steps as I went back inside, catching Beth before she disappeared.

"Could you make up something for the men to eat, Sis? They ran a long way."

My beautiful, angelic sister smiled and nodded before heading into the kitchen as I went back outside to sit with Rick but I didn't quite get there.

I didn't mean to eavesdrop but once I got to the fly-screen door I thought it be best that Rick and his friend finish their conversation:

"…..is that why I escaped the hospital and survived Atlanta to find my family only to lose my son like this? If so, someone is playing a sick joke on me." I saw Rick bow his head in shame but his friend spoke up then.

"No Rick, we aint losing Carl so just stop. We lost a girl yesterday so we search for her and Carl got shot but we will survive this because if there is anything I know about that kid it is that he is stubborn as his old man," he joked but his meaning behind it was clear.

The dark-haired man caught me then so I cleared my throat. "Sorry for interrupting just thought I`d tell ya that my sister Beth is making you something to eat. I was wondering how you guys got out here?"

"We were out looking for a young girl Sophia who went missing yesterday. We have our main group up at the traffic snarl on the highway."

He went to say more but Maggie appeared at the door. "Rick, we need you." He raced past us and into the house, leaving me with his friend.

"I`m Shane Welsh, Rick`s best friend," the dark hair man introduced himself.

"Tilda Greene. You coming in?" I tilted my head indicating the house.

He nodded and followed me in.

Once we were all in standing around the bed he spoke. "Now while having the bullet go through the deer saved your boy it also weakened the bullet enough to shatter when it entered Carl so it`s now in six tiny pieces. I`m going to have to dig them out and I have nothing strong enough to knock him out with so it will hurt. I`m going to need you all to hold him down so he doesn't thrash around, hurting himself more. Are you all ready?" he was looking from Maggie, Patricia, to me before settling on Rick and the Shane.

But Rick shook his head no as he sat in the chair next to the bed. "His mother doesn't know he`s hurt. She needs to be here. I need to go get Lori if he doesn't make it." He mumbled a lot but it was all about Lori needing to be here.

He stood up like he was about to walk out the door but Maggie being closer grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. "No Rick, your son needs you here. If you tell me where they are I`ll go get her," she promised.

I cocked my head at her suggestion because she wasn't leaving without me so while Rick showed her where their camp was I went to search out my baby sister.

I found her making up piles of sandwiches and pouring out two glasses of juice for our two guests and I interrupted her. "Bethie can you go in and help Daddy? I`m gonna go with Maggie to bring the boy`s mother here."

"Ok course, Tilly. Please be careful," my sweet baby sister pleaded.

I left Beth with a kiss on the cheek as I went outside to check on Chestnut. I saw Jimmy leaning over my fallen horse's body and I took a deep breath as I approached them.

"Jimmy?" my voice wavered

He turned around and his face broke, telling me all I needed to know my precious horse didn't make it and my heart broke.

"Oh god," I rushed forward as I knelt at Chestnut`s head laying my hand on her cheek as tears fell down mine, sobbing for the first time since in 59 days.

Time passed and before I knew it, Maggie was hugging me from behind as she whispered kind words in my ear. I didn't hear her but I knew that she needed my help so I bottled my grief as I wiped my eyes while I turned to look at Jimmy.

"Jimmy, could you please start digging a grave over near Samson`s – my first horse's grave – while I go with Maggie?" I asked.

"Yeah of course. I`ll ask Otis and the other new guy if they could help me move her body," he said sadly.

"Mags, why don't you go tackle up Suzie while I say goodbye," I choked but I swallowed my cries.

"Are you sure Tilda? I can go by myself if you want," Maggie said.

"No Mags, none of us have left the farm since all this happened and you are not going by yourself," I insisted and I watched her nod her head as she got up and headed for the stables.

I waited until she was far enough away as I lay my head down on Chestnuts to cry into her fur "Oh Chestnut, my beautiful horse, I am so sorry I made you jump when you're too old to do that anymore. Thank you for being such a loving horse and for taking care of me after my dark years because no matter how messed up I was I knew you still loved me." I looked down at my left leather clad wrist through my watery eyes as I thought about what laid just underneath the cuff as I rubbed Chestnut`s face one last time. "I`ll never forget you my beautiful girl." I gave her a kiss and I stood up and walked away because I knew if I didn't leave know I never would.

I met Maggie as she led her brown horse out by the lead just as Dad appeared.

"I`m ready to go if you are, Mags," I informed her.

Dad looked like he was going to protest but I beat him to it. "It`ll be safer if both of us go and then I`ll stay with their group and lead them back here."

Maggie added "I have my hunting knife and I`ve tied two baseball bats to the saddle just in case." She gestured to her right hip where the knife was attached to her belt.

"Stay safe girls," he pleaded.

"We will Daddy," Mags promised, before mounting Suzie and I got on behind her. With a firm kick we were off toward this group of survivors who by some miracle had survived this long out in the open and I couldn't help but feel excited by having new people around and maybe, just maybe, finding someone special for me.

Thank you for reading Chapter 1, this is a reedited version thanks to Hippielicious so please check out her story called Opposite`s Attract its a Daryl/OC

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