Hello everyone! This is a shorter chapter because I'm really trying to flush out the next few chapters. I want there to be more Daryl/Lacey interactions before I really get back into where my previous story left off. I'm thinking it'll probably be six or seven chapters before we really pick up where the show starts but it could be more or less depending on if I cut out some scenes or add to them.

Thanks for reading everyone! Enjoy!

As they walked up the hill, Lacey's nerves started getting to her. She wasn't afraid they wouldn't take her. If they just turned her away she'd be lucky. The worst case scenario was that they hold her against her will or take all of her weapons and kill her. She fingered the knife under her shirt but made refused to let herself hang onto it. As long as they didn't see her as a threat, she should be alright.

Glenn noticed her biting her lip and said, "Don't worry. They're all really great people and you'll get to sleep, safe for once, and we have food. I bet they'll let you go on runs with me if we ask. Shane has to clear it though- he doesn't usually like girls going on runs."

Lacey stopped in her tracks and glared at Glenn, "You didn't tell me your leader was an asshole."

"He's not. He's just a little set in his ways. He was a cop before all this."

"Well I'll tell you one thing, right now, Glenn. I don't cook and I don't do laundry or any of that domestic shit. I'll hunt, go on runs, whatever, but if he denies me that then I'm leaving."

Glenn nodded and said, "You just tell Shane that. I'm sure he'll listen."

They spent the rest of the walk in silence and after about an hour they reached the first car. Lacey followed close behind Glenn and took a deep breath. A blond girl ran up to Glenn and started chattering at him before abruptly stopping and looking at Lacey.

"Hi! I'm Amy," She exclaimed, throwing her arms around the dirty woman. Lacey froze and felt her eyes go wide.

"Amy! Amy, where'd you-" Said another woman coming into view. The two were obviously related judging by the blond hair and identical blue eyes. The woman stopped in her tracks and smiled before saying, "And who might you be?"

Lacey finally shrugged Amy off and said, "I'm Lacey."

"I'm Andrea and it seems like you've already met my sister. C'mon, let's go find Shane."

Lacey didn't move until Glenn elbowed her. Then she let Amy drag her over to an RV where a black haired man was standing. He raked his eyes up and down Lacey's frame and she felt her skin crawling. She knew that look well and felt the urge to cover herself. She swallowed her discomfort and waited for him to extend his hand, which she didn't take.

He dropped his hand but kept the smile on his face saying, "I'm Shane. It's nice to meet you, miss," He said trailing off at the end, waiting for her to offer her name.

"Lacey," she said, not offering up any more information. An irritated look crossed onto Shane's face and Glenn spoke up,

"I invited her to come here. She's been on her own since her sister died. She's good with weapons and she knows her way around as well as I do. She was also a nurse. We can't turn her away, Shane."

In all truth the only weapons he'd seen her use thus far was a machete and a hatchet but she moved with such skill that he was sure she could use almost anything to kill with. But what Shane didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

A moment of silence passed before Shane nodded, "Alright, you're more than welcome to stay here but we have rules and chores that gotta be done. Men take watch usually and the ladies keep up with the food and kids."

"No," Lacey said, shaking her head, "I don't do kids and I'll do my own laundry. I'll take watch and hunt but don't except me to play the defenseless housewife."

Shane cocked his head to the side and let out a chuckle. "Well it looks like you have plenty of weapons but do you know how to use them?"

Lacey was shocked by his insinuation but smirked and pointed to a leaf a good distance away and picked her favorite knife out from under her shirt and snapped it at the leaf. A few seconds later there was a thud as the knife tore the leaf from the branch and lodged into the tree bark. There was silence all around, as most of the camp had gathered around to watch.

But Lacey wasn't done. She unzipped her duffle bag and pulled out a hand gun and pointed to another leaf farther away and pulled the trigger smiling at the loud crack it made and turned to face Shane, satisfied with the look of awe on his face.

"I think I know what I'm doing," Lacey said, putting her gun away and walking over to get her knife out of the tree. When she turned around Glenn was grinning, giving her thumbs up, making her laugh. The sound of her laughter snapped most of the group out of their stupor. A young boy broke away from his mother and followed Amy, who was running to fling her arms around Lacey.

Lacey ducked out of the way of Amy's arms, not one for hugs, and met face to face with the little boy who was smiling up her in such a way she couldn't help but give him a small smile in return.

"That was so cool," He exclaimed, "I'm Carl, what's your name?"

"I'm Lacey. It's nice to meet you Carl."

Carl grinned and took her hand, dragging her over to a thin worried looking woman, who was eyeing Lacey warily, but smiling all the same. Lacey looked the woman over, noting she wasn't armed, and felt a knot forming in her stomach. Where any of the women armed?

"I'm Lori," She said extending her hand. This time Lacey took the offered hand and smiled at her. There was no sense in trying to be a hard ass to this woman- she could already tell there wasn't too much backbone in her.

"You look exhausted, Lacey. Let me take you to Dale. He has extra tents and sleeping bags in his RV," Lori said, leading Lacey to an older man who was bent under the head of the RV. Lori cleared her throat and he wiped his hands saying, "It's lovely to have a new face."

Lacey felt herself give a small grin and said, "What's wrong with your RV?"

"There's a hose that's been giving me quite the problem."

"Mind if I take a look," Lacey asked, grabbing some duct tape out of her bag, "I might be able to help. Duct tape fixes everything."

Dale chuckled and Lacey set to work wrapping tape around the broken hose. She was almost done when she felt a hand on her ass. Dale started spluttering but before he could get a complete word out, Lacey spun around, swinging and nailing the guy and knocking him down. She flung one of her knives between the guy's legs, landing an inch below his baby maker.

"Hey now, I was just coming over to say hi, sugar tits; no need to go Rambo," The guy, Merle, she heard someone say behind her say, was grinning up at her, rubbing his jaw where he could feel a bruise forming.

"Just be glad I didn't spear your dick there, sugar tits," Lacey said turning around.

Merle tackled her rolled them over, raising a hand to strike her, saying, "Now ol' Merle don't like being talked to like that, bitch."

She waited for him to bring his hand down but the strike never came. An attractive man with a dirty face and the bluest eyes she'd ever seen, pulled Merle off of her. Lacey watched Merle push the guy off and laugh. He looked at her and said, "This here's my baby brother. He's a little pussy."

Lacey stood and raised an eyebrow, surprised anyone would take that 'cause she sure as hell wouldn't. When all the brother did was stare at her with a pinched expression she smirked, saying, "Dunno about that, takes more balls to take shit than it does to spew it outta your dirty mouth."

She then offered the brother a small smile before walking towards the RV door where Amy and Carl were watching, mouths wide open. "Might want to close your mouths before the flies get in," Lacey said laughing.

"That was so cool," Carl exclaimed, looking up at Lacey in awe, "Will you teach me how to throw knives?"

"That's a question for your momma, not me," She said and Carl ran off to find his mom. When he was out of earshot, Amy let out a low whistle.

"I can't believe you just did that! Nobody fucks with Merle Dixon."

Lacey shrugged, "Like I care- That shit don't fly with me. Sometimes the only way to get a dickhead like that to leave you alone is to be just as mean." Amy wrapped an arm around Lacey and Lacey groaned, shrugging off the arm saying, "Ok that's enough of that."

Amy rolled her eyes, undeterred by Lacey's rejection, determined to get through to Lacey, and said, "Let's get you a place to sleep. I know we have an extra tent somewhere." Lacey nodded and half-heartedly listened as Amy chattered away, leading her into the RV and digging in a small closet, finally pulling out a small tent and a sleeping bag.

"Thanks," Lacey said, fully intent on leaving Amy behind so she could find a good place to sleep on the outskirts of camp. Amy followed behind her keeping quiet till she saw where Lacey was going to put her tent. "You're scared aren't you," Amy asked, putting a hand on Lacey's shoulder.

She felt Lacey sag a little under her hand and nearly missed it when she whispered, "maybe," before kneeling down and getting started on her temporary home. Amy stood for a moment, brows furrowed, watching Lacey but took the hint and left her to her own devices.