AUTHOR'S NOTE: None of this is beta, my work never is because I can never find a beta willing enough to go over my stuff, so as with most of my stories this is RAW material. And because I like Dale I thought I would take a stab at this, I know this follows Kamryn, but trust me this works. Anyways I hope you really like this story enough to REVIEW and add to your lists. I am notorious for not updating often, so I apologize ahead of time, but I will give updates when I can.

Cheers!

Ghost

PS Spoilers are the episode with Dale getting killed, but I changed that.

This was nothing like she could have ever imagined, the last few months when she had left Toronto from Quebec, down towards Atlanta and ultimately through, it was brutal. Kamryn had been training with her platoon in a forest area known as Farnham to finish her Basic Military Officer Qualification when shit started to get really bad. Needless to say when she walked away from the scene of mass murder at the main military base is Quebec, she was the only one left of her platoon. When she had made it back to the main military base, Kamryn had changed into familiar clothing and raided the armory and left before she too was killed by others trying to contain the outbreak.

There had been so much chaos that no one stopped her when she had come back and. Taking what was important to her and few other things in a much new and larger rucksack then the one she was issued; Kamryn left Quebec and headed West hoping to make it home while feeling like a walking armory. Taking an 'un-boxed' C-8, a Mossberg 500 with a detachable stock, a Sig 226 from a dead Police officer and a slung M24A2 which Kamryn took off a dying American who killed him, Kamryn kept to the trees and kept a tight edge to buildings when she was in cities to avoid the literal 'walking dead'. It was on her way West that she found that the main bridge out was gone and there was no way that Kamryn was going to be to swim across the river below. So with that information Kamryn took her chances and headed south through Detroit picking up new supplies and clothing along the way figuring that she would head towards Miami where she knew a few people.

It had been a month or two and Kamryn had made it into Georgia or more specifically Atlanta, the city was large and it was crawling with the dead, after a few close calls and scraps Kamryn had finally managed to pick up a ride from a campsite she had come across, it was full of monster ATV's with gas cans, tents, canned food and other things. Taking the ATV Kamryn had seen in the distance a ball of fire and caught the tail end of an explosion. Having stopped and parked a way off from vehicles Kamryn raised the visor on her stolen helmet and watched as the vehicles made a U-turn and started down the highway away from her.

Survivors!

There where Survivors!

Not caring about the wreck that was once a building Kamryn looked behind her and heard moans and the dead making their way to the smoldering ruins. Lowering her visor Kamryn started the ATV and sped off trying to catch up to the survivors.

It had been a hard ride for the last few days out of Atlanta and along the highway trying to catch up to the survivors, but eventually even Kamryn had to give up her ATV and park it along the highway of hell by a car that had writing on the windshield. Following the instructions by foot Kamryn headed east and came across a field clearing with a house in the distance. It had been late evening when Kamryn with her rucksack made her through the tall grass, up ahead there was a figure walking about, reaching between her pack and her back Kamryn grabbed the handle of a machete she had picked up a while back.

Pulling it from the sheath Kamryn's senses sharpened and she evened out her footsteps making them near silent. The figure had stopped at something and Kamryn inched forwards and saw the figure looking about before something took them from behind. Ripping at the quick release straps Kamryn bolted forwards feeling lighter without the heavy weight on her back. Hearing a man scream Kamryn got closer and when she was three feet away she took a hop forward and with her leg powering her, Kamryn's right leg power pushed the thing off the man.

Following through with the movement Kamryn barely avoided stepping on the man and with a heave and an over handed diagonal swing, the machete hit the dead taking the reaching arm off at the shoulder before she turned the blade and brought it back up taking the head off the thing, and finally she kicked the thing back with her left leg. Now all of this took a matter of seconds and when she finished Kamryn turned and looked at the man on the ground who stared back up her breathing heavily.

Calls from the house in the distance shook Kamryn out of her revere from staring at the older man, giving him a half smile Kamryn headed back to her pack and reset the straps as Kamryn heard the voices get closer. Standing up Kamryn watched in shock as a little under a dozen people went to the old man.

"DALE!"

"DALE WHERE ARE YOU!"

It seemed that the old man hadn't gotten up yet, must still be in shock. Dragging her pack over to the man, Kamryn kneeled down by the man's side that was gapping like a fish. Clapping in front of his face Kamryn watched as the man blinked and shuffled back a bit.

"Hey are you alright there old timer?" The man looked from Kamryn to the dead body then back to her and nodded quickly. Reaching to the fallen gun Kamryn picked it up and handed it back to the man.

"DALE!"

Kamryn looked towards the sound of the voice before standing and holding out a hand, the man took it and she pulled him to his feet watching as he fixed his bucket hat back on his head.

"Your friends are looking for you" Kamryn said watching the man look around and call out, the voices made their way to where Kamryn and the man now known as Dale stood. Keeping herself at the man's side, Kamryn watched as a red neck rushed on the scene followed by a short shorn hair, pissed looking guy. The red neck was wearing a sleeveless shirt and had a scruffy looking face. The short shorn man was trying to pass off a military look but he looked to Kamryn like an asshole and he in all honestly probably was.

The rest came up behind those two and saw the dead cow, and the dead body then looked to Dale who was stand beside Kamryn.

"Dale, are you okay?" it had come from a blonde hair woman with an aged face despite her being young, Kamryn stepped back and saw that everyone regarded her wearily and that in turn made Kamryn extremely weary in return.

"I'm fine, actually I was saved in the nick of time" Dale had managed to spit out; he was finally over his shock over what had happened. He had slung his rifle over his shoulder and looked to side to find that Kamryn had backed off a bit. The "skin head" as Kamryn mentally called him had pulled a glock on her, and in response Kamryn pulled the Sig Sauer from a leg holster, attached to the Sig Sauer was a Silencer. A hard look crossed Kamryn's face as she pulled the hammer back without a second thought.

"Just who the fuck are you?" spat the 'skin head'.

"Shane put it down!" this had come from a scruffy looking man, but he had the air of police officer to him as Kamryn leveled her weapon on the man she was told was Shane.

"No, she's armed, she came to our farm!"

"As far as I am concerned young man, this is still my farm, so listen to Rick" An older man in a white shirt and suspenders attached to his pants snapped at Shane, he had white hair much like Dale, but he had compassionate eyes that were currently hard glaring at Shane.

"Listen to your friends, I wouldn't want to have shoot you in the leg, because honestly I don't have a problem pulling this trigger, you do. " With that Kamryn kicked the dead things' head that was at her feet at the Shane who recoiled as the thing gnashed its teeth, a soft crack later and the thing stopped moving. Smoke poured from the barrel of Kamryn's gun. Shane glared hard before he turned and walked away looking over his shoulder only once.

Dale stood beside Kamryn as she holstered her weapon again and looked to the others, there was a silent conversation happening that Kamryn wasn't privy to. It was clear the group that was gathered was divided as to what to do, but Dale silently challenged them all and in the end they all left leaving Dale, the blonde standing in the field.

"Fine she stays, but she better not back stab us for letting her stay..." from whom Kamryn had no idea but it was a woman and not the blonde that was standing beside Dale. Kneeling down Kamryn swung her pack with a grunt onto her back and did up the buckles.

"You saved Dale why?" Kamryn turned her head and looked to the blonde that asked her to the question, the blonde was clearly apprehensive about Kamryn as she pulled Dale closer to her.

Smiling lightly Kamryn answered her back, "I did it because it's the decent thing to do. In fact it's what any decent human being would do, unless you happen to be an ass and just leave the person there." Glancing between the two Kamryn sighed and started to walk away from the two when she heard a call.

"No!" Stopping and turning her head Kamryn eyed the two carefully; Andrea was staring at the older man who even in the dead of night under the moon tinged pink. "No, stay, we need more people like you. In fact you can stay in the RV, there is more than enough room there for you."

"I.." Kamryn started, but she was pulled by her back lightly and cut off by a single word.

"Please…"

That was all that was needed and Kamryn nodded following the two back to camp of cars and the house. The blonde that had introduced herself as Andrea had said she had something to do and left Dale to get Kamryn settled in.

Inside the RV under actual light Dale had gotten a good look at Kamryn and just how much she was carrying in that rucksack of hers. Her appearance was rugged, but from the way she was dressed Dale almost thought Kamryn looked like a Special Forces soldier.

She was wearing faded black jeans and a thick black belt with two hanging thigh rigs. Her right thigh rig had her pistol holster and two magazine pouches this was in a solid black with faded edges. Her left thigh rig had two slightly larger pouches on it with a third narrow one between the two, this too was in the same black with faded edges.

Her right knee was covered in what Dale could only guess was a cross of a knee brace and knee guard; it had large thick straps above and below the knee guard portion on her thigh and the bottom strapped around her calf. Her left knee had what Dale guessed to be a regular knee guard with a braided cord wrapped above and below the left knee.

Moving his gaze up a bit Dale noted the vest that she was wearing, it was clearly military and with the number of pouches on her front Dale could only guess how many bullets she had or could carry. And it wasn't only pouches that could carry bullets; there were pouches that only carried only god knew what. Covering Kamryn's shoulders and upper arms were riot armour pieces, Dale knew this because of a magazine article that he had come across in his travels about police and riots.

Kamryn's mid forearms showed because what was left were the sleeves of her shirt rolled up to the mid forearms and her hands where covered in textile black gloves that fit her well. Around her neck was a green and black shemagh, her hair was a tad longer then the military regulation short for women, and she had dark brown eyes that looked almost black.

"Can I help you Mr. Dale?"

"Hmm?" Dale tinged and realized that he had been caught staring. Bashfully looking around the Camper Dale was watched by Kamryn and he had seen her chuckle lightly at him as she moved further in and set her pack on the floor by the table he pointed to. Once seated Kamryn watched Dale move about picking up a few things and getting her a drink from the sink area, without looking to his side he asked her a question.

"Do you have a weapon other then the pistol and machete, because if you don't, I can see if I get someone to lend you one..." Kamryn laughed and pulled a fabric top off a roll that was attached to the side of her pack. The pack had two barrels pointed out, leaning over Kamryn opened her packed and pulled a few items and rearranged her goods but put on the table a large canvas roll followed by a small metal box and some cloth rags.

Seeing the two barrels Dale saw the end of what was a shot gun and another one of what was a rifle, but because both barrels only showed Dale couldn't tell what the body was, if there even was one under the canvas roll.

"What are you?" Dale set a glass a of water down on the table as he watched Kamryn unroll the canvas roll showing smaller plastic rolls which from there Kamryn unrolled parts which Kamryn cleaned with the rags.

"I'm a soldier, navy more specifically. I was going through officer training when all that shit went down. I was out in the middle of butt fuck nowhere when we saw the first of the Eaters" Dale nodded and was drawn to the Shemagh that Kamryn pulled from her neck, she pulled off her gloves and tossed them onto the Shemagh and went back to the task in front of her.

"At the time we had nothing but blanks in our rifles so we hoofed it back to base, from there the shit really began to fly, people getting murdered left, right and centre. I made it back to my room and things, took what I needed and I went to get gear afterwards. I picked up a newer, larger bag went to the armory picked up a few weapons, armour that was kicking around, ammo, food, and water. From there I hightailed it out of there as biohazard guys in suits and guns cut us soldiers down. I left Quebec and started to go west, but that turned out badly so I had to go south instead through Detroit, through elsewhere till I finally hit Atlanta. Eventually I made it out through Atlanta when I saw a building go up in flames and smoke. I had seen people leave and followed them as well as I could on an ATV I was on at that time, however I lost them in the end. Kamryn had cleaned off the parts and put together a rifle, an automatic one from Dale's view.

"Wait you said you followed people from an exploded building? You followed us from the CDC?" Kamryn looked up from the rifle she was finishing when she saw the look on Dale's face.

"Was that the building that went up in smoke?"

"Yeah it was, I barely made it out there before it did." Kamryn's eyebrows when up into her hairline. She had finally caught up to them. Staring back at Kamryn, Dale pointed to her sleeves and herself. "You are lucky you didn't get eaten."

"Oh believe me I've had my fair share of close calls. You really don't want to know about them." Taking the finished rifle, Kamryn cleaned the last of the residue off, rolled up the plastic and rolled that into the canvas roll which the gun had come from setting that to the side. Picking the rifle up and shouldering it Kamryn looked down the iron sight before pulling the charging handle back Kamryn pulled the trigger and heard the click that she was after.

"I have been around the block and I think this is the third time I've reassembled this thing, most of the time I use the Mossberg or the M24 that an American soldier gave me. It's a bit hard to come by .308 rounds, so I haven't used that as often as I have my Sig or the Mossberg." Reaching down to her leg Dale heard a plastic buckle then Kamryn bring something up and attach it to the front of the barrel. It was a silencer and Dale knew why and what it was for, and for a moment he was scared.

"Don't worry, I always attach one, it saves me trouble from making noise and bring more of the buggers my way. Going into her bag again Kamryn pulled a black sling out and attached it to the front and rear of the rifle, going back and digging into her pack again Kamryn pulled out a small black roll. Dale watched as Kamryn unrolled and attached a scope to the top rail of the rifle and shouldered the gun again fixing the sights before she set it down.

"So, what is it you would like me to do?"

"I uh, I don't know. I say you go and look in with the others to see what you can do. You might be doing guard duty or they might want you do just be around. My suggestion would be to talk to Rick… or Hersal."

A couple of thuds on the door of the RV had Kamryn pull her pistol from her leg holster and pointing it at the door.

"Dale?" Dale stood and pushed Kamryn's pistol out of the way. Opening the door he stuck his head out as Rick, Andrea and Daryl stood there looking expectantly. Letting them in, the three climbed in and looked at Kamryn who was settling her pistol back in the holster. Reaching up to her vest Kamryn pulled open one of the pouches and pulled a black magazine out, putting it into the breach and slamming it home Kamryn looked up and saw now four people in the RV including Dale.

"So what are you to do with me?" the new three people eyed the now armed rifle in Kamryn's grasp as she pulled the charging handle back turning the safely on.

"Who are you, and how did you find us?" Rick asked bluntly.

Kamryn raised an eyebrow at the man, she saw the red neck Daryl with his hand ready on the handle of his pistol. Narrowing her eyes a bit Kamryn moved the rifle so that the front of the magazine was snug against the edge of the table and with a very slow thumb movement she had the safety off.

"Put that down boy… and to answer your question, I'm Lieutenant Commander Kamryn Destler. I'm a member of the Canadian Forces or I was. Now put that shit away before I put a hole in your hand." Daryl snickered and pulled his hand off the grip of the pistol and stood there as Rick and Lorie took in the information.

"You are a soldier?"

"I'm a navy woman, but I am military if that helps you any. I was in a shitty place at an extremely shitty time. I tried to get home but I was forced to go south. Since then I've been on the lookout for people. I've had to use my guns a few times but for the majority of it I was able to limit my munitions usage and keep to my machete, but do not for one minute think that I will be sharing my ammo, because one. It was hard enough to come across what I did and two it's specialized to the weapons that I have on me."

"Tell me why I shouldn't just put a bullet in your head and take what you have?"

"Because if you do, you will never make to Miami where I heard they managed to convert an aircraft carrier into a refuge, now if you want to kill me then you find that I am a faster shot, I have been shot before and I am also not going to be able to give you any information about get to the carrier if you manage to hit me." Rick looked incredulously at Kamryn, he had be backed into a corner and with that he was shocked to learn that there was a way to get out of the hell hole now.

"Okay, fine. I won't let anyone get to you if you are willing to be a member of this 'family'"

"Family? Dude, I'll be your guard dog and protector much like boy wonder there."

"Why dun cha just shut yer…" Kamryn glared at Daryl who sniffed and looked to the wall of the RV, Andrea had hope glimmer in her eyes before they saddened, Rick was fighting an internal battle but he knew there was nothing they could really do and if Kamryn was aware of what was really going on with the 'dead'.

"There is a shower in the house; I don't know when the last was for you to take a shower. We have hot water too, so take what you need and make yourself at home. Welcome to our group." Rick and Daryl left leaving Andrea and Dale with Kamryn who flicked the safety back on before she pulled the magazine out and pulled the slide back on the side of the rifle popping the round out of the side breech.

"Well that was fun" Kamryn sighed, the two others watched as the woman that had energy and bite suddenly just age in front of them. Setting the rifle down on the table Kamryn leaded back and eyed the two.

"Are you alright there Lieutenant?" Andrea asked lightly, Kamryn looked up and offered her a slight smile before nodding twice.

"I'm just tired, I've been always moving, only stopping to take a nap for a few hours before having to run off again. I think that I've been moving for the last two to three months, got into some rough scrapes but I've always managed to get away. Thanks to my American friend whom I was traveling with before he off'ed himself I have his M24 attached to the side of my bag. What this is, this was something that not even the military know about, or they do know what this thing is they don't want anyone knowing it was them that created this." Dale and Andrea looked at Kamryn scared when she mentioned that even the military may or may not know what the 'Walkers' are. Sliding out of the seat Kamryn dug into her back and pulled out showering gear and a change of clothes, they looked considerably cleaner to what Kamryn was currently in.

"Keep an eye on my things, and don't let anything of mine out of sight. If it's not too much to ask please just stay in here till I get back." Both Andrea and Dale nodded as Kamryn grabbed her gloves and the shemagh before walking out of the RV and towards the house.

Walking into the house, Kamryn was greeted by the sounds of life around her, making her way down the hall towards the kitchen Kamryn saw the man white haired man Hershel hugging a woman older than her, while another was at the stove with an Asian guy cooking.

Backing away from the kitchen Kamryn stopped just short of the sitting room where she heard Rick and the pissed Shane hissing in the corner by a window, most likely Shane was hissing over the fact that she was there with the group now. Shaking her head Kamryn did a 180 and game face to face with a short grey haired woman who introduced herself as Carol. Asking where the shower was, the older woman nodded and took Kamryn up the stairs and got her a towel even at the insistence that Kamryn had her own.

Stepping into the bathroom that Carol had pointed out, Kamryn smiled to the older woman and shut the door behind her and locked it. Doing a visual inspection Kamryn set her things down on the counter before putting her shampoo and body wash in the tub. Reaching up to rub her face Kamryn winced and reached up with her right hand again and grunted in pain. Unbuckling the left side of her vest and pulling it off laying it on the floor against the door, turning enough to look Kamryn saw a dark stain on the right side of her back by her neck above the shoulder blade.

"Damn"

Making sure the door was locked Kamryn pulled her thigh rigs off and unbuckled the belt pulling the left leg rig up on the counter. Pulling on of the larger pouches off and opening, Kamryn laid on the counter a surgical set of tools along with gauze, tape and a smaller towel that was permanently stained dark red. Undoing the buttons on the green button down she was wearing, Kamryn pulled it open and dropped it to the ground away from the white rug and that was followed by the t-shirt, tank top, brown-red strap stained bra and finally the brown-red gauze she pulled off and through into the garbage. Pulling a harder case from the other pouch that was on the left thigh rig, Kamryn retrieved a vial and a pressure syringe. Filling the syringe Kamryn smoothed out the fabric of her right leg and jammed the needle into her leg while clenching her teeth in pain Kamryn looked into the mirror as she picked up the scalpel turning her body showing an ooze fill bubble that was red and dark looking. Taking a deep breath Kamryn cut into the bubble as the red ooze came out. Taking twenty minutes to cut away the bubble as well as she could Kamryn used her stained towel to get the worst of the liquid.

Looking at the mess of her back and the shape of the hole, Kamryn's thoughts were back to the RV where she mentioned that she had some close calls. Seeing in the mirror that she was a tad pale Kamryn cleaned up her mess and stripped down quickly before standing in the shower and turning the water on. When it was warm enough Kamryn stepped under the hot stream and nearly screamed out in pain, this was one of the easiest ways to clean out the rest of the crude in her back even if it was the most painful despite injecting herself with painkillers. Washing up and wincing as she washed Kamryn finally stepped out of the shower thirty minutes later and dried herself off while avoiding the open wound that was no longer dripping blood.

Pulling on her underwear on followed by the tan casual military cargos, and footwear, Kamryn turned and looked at the wound and its mouth shape. Taking the premade gauze with brown power on it Kamryn angled herself and put the gauze with the tape on and padded it into place, taking a deep breath and dressing in a black tank top with a thicker black military BDU shirt she glanced in the mirror before she heard a knock on the door followed by a not so familiar male voice.

"Hey are you alright in there?"