Her back was pressed against the rough bark of the dead tree, the edges poking through the thin fabric of her shirt. Fallon's eyes scanned the surrounding area finding one scraggly walker bent over what could have been a small animal. The muscles in her arms tensing as the familiar rush of adrenaline started to course through her body. Removing her eyes from the unknowing walker she glanced behind her.

"It's only one," her voice low and even as she spoke.

"I assume you want this one?" Regan answered her voice disappointed.

"Hell yeah she wants this one she's practically busting at the seams," Miles responded quickly.

It was almost as natural as breathing at this point, her axe spinning in her hand the grooved handle settling in her grasp. Without another word Fallon pushed her back off the tree and headed for the walker. It had been awhile since it was her turn to take one out; she was ready. As she got closer the walker stopped, it smelling the scent of fresh meat. Fallon's lips twitched in anticipation as she brought her axe up to swing. The walker body shifted the clumsy movements of it standing set Fallon up for the kill.

Picking up her speed, her quick nimble steps quietly brought her closer to the target. Fallon drew back her arm raising the axe up her arm muscles tightening with anticipation. With a swift motion she swung connecting, with a wet crunch, with the wrinkled withered face of the zombie. The body crumpled to the ground with Fallon's axe being jerked from her hand.

"You should sharpen that thing," Regan's voice rang from behind her "Didn't I tell you that last time," her dark eyebrows raising.

"I will," Fallon answered in her southern Kentucky drawl.

Using her boot Fallon stepped on the body of the walker and yanked her axe from the head, black liquid leaking from the wound.

"Ugh," Regan turned away "That is still so fucking disgusting,"

Fallon shook her head and let out a sigh "Well on the bright side were done for the day so you won't have to look at it anymore,"

"Gotta point," Regan scowled and shook her head as she walked around the walker.

Fallon pulled the red bandana from her bag and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Pulling it away she stopped before shoving it back into the pocket of her bag, her stomach flipping as the memories pushed their way forward. It was the only thing she had left from her old group... From Daryl... But that felt like a lifetime ago now, it was a lifetime ago...

"Yo Fallon, what's the damn hold up?" Miles said interrupting her thoughts.

"Nothin, let's get goin'," she cleared her throat.

"Why do you do that,? he asked as she caught up with him.

"What?" Fallon sighed knowing exactly what he was talking about. He'd, well everyone, has been asking what her story was.

He raised his eye brows "Okay let's make a deal," he was trying a new angle.

"What's your deal Miles?" Fallon shook her head walking fast enough to have Regan in her field of vision.

"Tell me something and I'll... Um... Do whatever you want," he flashed a bright smile at her.

Fallon chuckled "You're not ready for a deal like that kid," she glanced over him to see his face turning red. "How about you tell me something about you and I'll tell you something about me, does that sound good?"

"Yes," Miles answered trying to hide the triumph in his face nut doing a terrible job.

"Are you and Regan working out?" Fallon asked using more of a mother tone then she wanted.

"I'm pretty sure she still hates me..." Miles answered his brown eyes looking down at the floor.

"She doesn't hate you," Fallon answered her voice softening "You just have to realize when to shut up,"

"I guess... Maybe I do talk too much..."

Fallon patted his back "You have the tendency... It's not always a bad thing though; you just need to figure out when enough is enough,"

"I guess you're right again…" the teenager sighed "My turn?"

"Yeah go ahead," Fallon responded

Miles took a breath, his eyebrows pulling together as he thought of exactly what he wanted to ask her. "How did you get the way you are?"

"That's a pretty broad question," Fallon pointed out.

"Yeah, but you said anything so that's what I want to know," Miles smirked knowing that he won.

"Well…" Fallon started as she thought about where to start "I've lost people who were closer to me then you could imagine… when you have to kill someone you love that much it takes away a part of you that you'll never get back… and… no matter how hard you try to fill that hole… nothing really will… so you adapt and you change," her voice cracked once or twice as she spoke but her eyes remained dry this time.

"Gotcha," he nodded knowing that he struck a nerve so she started to walk jog up forward "Fallon... Ya know whatever happened before that you don't want to say... I'm sure it's fine whatever it is, we'll all still like you no matter what it is,"

Fallon gave a half smile and nodded "I wish it was that easy," she whispered to herself.

They weren't walking for long before the camp came into view. It was small, but big enough for the six person group that now occupied the country house. There was just enough room for everyone plus the things they acquired and they've managed to clear most of the brush out of the yard, so it was looking quite decent. Fallon jogged up ahead and scooted in front of Miles and Regan, with a sigh they stepped out of the way. Everything was always calm, but Fallon always went first nobody was getting hurt on her account... Not again...

"Can we go now?" Regan asked playfully.

Fallon turned her head slightly and raised a brow "Proceed," she stepped out of the way.

The teenagers scooted around her and shuffled into the house. Fallon's eyes followed them all the way inside, she glanced away once the door closed behind them. Her eyes shifted down as she took a long slow breath, the aroma of woods, campfire, and the ever present smell of rot filling her nose. No matter what you did the smell stuck on you... Not matter how clean you got.

Fallon sighed and started heading for the little lake that was nearby, it was still early enough, and hot enough, for a swim.

"Randy I'm headed to the lake, cool?" Fallon called to the bearded man watching the post.

"Alone?" He answered "Not a good idea,"

Fallon raised a brow "When is anything a good idea, I'll be fine I promise," she waved off his concern "You don't need to worry about me..."

"Well I do, take Jordan," he directed in his overly fatherly tone.

Fallon let out a breath "Randy," she paused when the older man raised his eyebrows "Fine, sounds great where is she?"

Randy pointed his chin to the left in her direction, sending Fallon on her way. Jordan was a cool woman, short brown hair kind of a grown out Miley Cyrus cut. Tattoos covering the upper part of her left arm, and the bluest eyes you'd ever seen.

"Jordan I'm headed down for a swim, you wanna join me?" Fallon called over to the woman who was sitting by a pile of sticks.

"I don't know I'm kinda busy over here," she answered teasing throwing down the stick she was holding.

"Yeah, you look it," Fallon answered with a smirk.

Jordan held out her hand so Fallon could grab it to help her up. One slight pull and Jordan was off the floor and right in Fallon's personal bubble. Fallon cleared her throat and took a step back, getting some space between the two.

"Sorry," Jordan answered slyly a slight smirk on her lightly tanned face.

"Yeah, sure you are," Fallon shook her head "It's cool, let's get going,"

Jordan snickered "You're the boss,"

Fallon shook her head and headed down the hill towards the lake.

"You don't feel awkward around me do you?" Jordan asked after Fallon said nothing else.

"No, there is no reason to people drink and do or say... Things they normally wouldn't," Fallon answered trying not to sound awkward.

"So that wouldn't have normally happened? Ya know under other circumstances?" Jordan dug.

"Um no probably not, but I don't know," Fallon stuttered.

"I'm just trying to get to know you Fallon, you started to that day... I'm the closest person to you here, which has to mean something..."

Fallon sighed and turned her back to Jordan as she pulled off her shirt "It does, you... You just have to take what you can get with me..." Fallon paused to catch her breath "I really am glad you're here though it does mean a lot,"

The young woman's eyes scanned over Fallon's bruises, scars, and just plain beaten up body. Jordan smiled and nodded her head "You're welcome Fallon,"

A snap of a twig in the distance startled both women, Fallon's slowly bent down and grabbed her shirt, pulling it back on quickly. Her jaw clenched as another twig snapped, being in the environment long enough she was able to tell this wasn't a walker… it had to be a person the movements were way too even. Fallon glanced up at Jordan the other woman's eyes burning and alert scanning the surrounding area for another sound. Not that she would ever admit this to anyone, but Fallon was glad Randy forced her to take Jordan with her down here; she could handle herself.

Taking a sharp breath in Fallon reached for her axe, her thin nimble fingers grasping the handle bringing it close to her body. Her eyes flicked to the sound in the woods, growing closer by the second, a figure starting to come into view. Jordan backed up into the woods and took cover behind a tree her knife pulled and read for a sneak attack if need be.

"See I told your ass the water was hear! You never believe me and I'm always right!" a male voice scoffed "This teach ya,"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever you say," A higher pitched voice retorted flatly obviously tired of whoever he was with.

Something about the sound of the voices, the last one in particular, made her stand up and give away her cover. Her axe slid from her grip as her eyes fell on a familiar bleach blonde, now very grown out, hair do. From the corner of her eye Fallon saw Jordan tense and ready herself completely unsure of what Fallon was doing. When the men stepped into view they froze the bleach blonde's blue gray eyes going wide in disbelief.

"Fallon?"

"Holy shit, Trev?"

Jalissa's POV

Jalissa stood back and crossed her arms over her chest, biting down on her lip, she considered her options. The bag was too heavy to move herself if she carried it, she could drag it but that could rip it open and waste all the seed for the animals, or she could wheel it down there which seemed like the most likely option. Jalissa bent down and wrapped her arms around the bag and lifted as hard as she could, with a grunt she lifted the bag a good six inches off the ground before giving up and putting it down again. So, maybe that wouldn't work… Turning away from her task she glanced around the camp for some help, there was so many to choose from now… new people came in at least once a week by themselves or brought in by group members out scavenging.

This was a recent development, letting people in again, in the beginning everyone was hesitant… but why shouldn't they be considering what happened last time… Jalissa shuttered at the thought of it, pushing the horrid blood soaked memories away from her thoughts. To this day, Jalissa couldn't understand the thought process of Fallon… but it didn't matter anymore she was gone and never coming back and so was the person she got killed… Glenn… Poor Maggie still isn't over the loss completely but she was trying.

"Whatre ya doin'?" Daryl asked as he passed by Jalissa with what looked like a squirrel bone in his hand.

"Farm work," She answered still staring at the bag of seed.

"Looks though, glad ta see you're workin' hard," Daryl huffed and continued walking with a shake of his head.

Jalissa made a face at his dig, but brushed it off opting to be the bigger person. She let out a breath and scanned the courtyard for a big strong man to come help her, specifically her big strong man. Her big brown eyes fell on his down by the pigs with his son, a smile crossed her face as she headed down in the direction of her man.

"Rick?" Jalissa said as she walked up next to him.

"What's up? Hey where's the feed bag?" Rick asked his blue eyes looking around her for it.

"She probably couldn't lift it, I can still see it sitting up there," Carl answered for her his eyes slightly rolling.

Jalissa ignored the comment and looked back at Rick, "He's right it's a bit too heavy for me alone…" she trailed off.

"Right…" Rick said as he let out a breath "Carl Why don't you help her carry it down,"

"Bu-" Carl paused and rethought "Okay,"

Rick turned away from Jalissa and Carl not giving them another look as they left, Jalissa felt a pull on her heart as she walked away. He changed… they changed… nothing has been right with them for a while now and she didn't know how to change it. Everything she did seem to push him away, all the cute things he used to love about her was annoying now… she could see it in his face…

"Hey Jalissa," Carl said as they reached the bag of seed.

"Yes Carl?" she replied.

"You need to toughen up already," Carl shook his head and lifted the bag of seed himself and walked it back down to the pigs.

Jalissa's jaw dropped in disbelief, her perfectly plucked eyebrows pulled together in anger, who the hell was he to say that to her?!

"You okay over there?" a deep voice asked

"Fine," She snapped angrily.

"MY bad… Just asking,"

"Ah… sorry," Jalissa answered as she regained control of her emotions and turned to face the person she was talking to.

"I'm Lee, it's nice to meet you,"

"Jalissa. Nice to meet you too,"