AN: I just recently watched One for the Money, and DAYUM! I thought it was pretty good!

Chapter 2

The wind howled like a coven of hungry wolves as rain fell from the grey sky, soaking into the dirt. Water droplets seeped through the cracked open windows of the Jeep Wrangler, splashing onto the occupant's bare faces. Disagreeing with the newly added wetness to her face, Leah pulled the hood of her oversized sweatshirt over her head, pulling the drawstrings.

She tucked her hands inside of her sweatshirt, and jerked the bottom of the fabric over her knees. The roads winding through the mountains snaked around trees, and the never-ending bumps caused by bovine as they paraded by.

The thick tires lacerated the mud as Shane sped the vehicle along. The mud splashed up, and coated the shiny grey sides and windows. The convertible windows in the back shook as the wind screamed and the rain slid down. Headlights illuminated the path, and the additional headlights of the Peletier's bounced off the Jeep.

"Mom?" Carl peeped from his seat beside Leah. He huddled next to her for warmth, rattling like the windows. "Where're we going?"

"I… A-ask Shane," Lori stuttered, wrapping two thin bed sheets around her willowy frame.

"I dunno yet, bud," Shane said, looking back at the child with his large chocolate eyes.

"We can't keep driving like this…" Leah whispered, the first thing she had said after Emma died. "We'll run out of gas."

Shane remained silent, fixing his eyes back to the road. Carl gripped Leah's arm, and tried to use it as a pillow. The older woman removed her hands from her sweatshirt, and snaked her arm around Carl in a comforting way.

"How're you feelin'?" Lori asked, directing the question to Leah.

"Fine… I know she wouldn't have lasted long… I just expected her to… Sooner or later…" Leah shook her head.

"I understand."

The tires collided with a large rock, and the Jeep sprung in the air. Carl dug his fingernails into Leah's sweatshirt. Shane cussed, and the Jeep landed with a thud. Lightning shot across the sky, and a large tree caught on fire. The Jeep came to a jerking stop, and Leah pulled Carl up as she felt the back of the vehicle sink into the mud. Shane tried pushed on the puddle, but the back tires just remained molded into the ground, and smoke slowly began to rise from the hood of the car.

"Dammit," Shane cussed, pounding the steering wheel. A loud honk echoed through the woods. Angrily, he grabbed a blanket from Lori's body, and he tied it around his neck, so it hung off of his body like a cloak. He pulled the makeshift hood up on his head, and pushed out of the door.

Lori took the other blanket and did the same, following. Carl sat up, and reached for the latch of the front seat to slid the seat forward, but Leah grabbed his hand. The boy looked up at her with his piercing blue eyes, and he slumped back in the seat.

A sigh parted from his lips, and he rolled his head in boredom. Leah heard shouting from behind, and she turned her head, only to discover Ed and Shane bickering. Ed slapped the back of the Jeep, and Carl jumped.

"C'mon," Leah said to him as she pulled her arm away. "We gotta go help…"

She gripped the handle on the seat, and slid the seat forward. She opened the door, and the remaining occupants hopped out. Carl pulled the hood up of his jacket, and his hands immediately went to his pockets. The rain beat down on them like drumsticks, and their shoes sunk into the mud.

"Get off your fat ass and help," the two of them heard Shane spit at Ed. "I won't say it again."

"Ain't my car," the older man muttered. "You want help? Do it your own damn self."

Shane's jaw clenched, and his muscles tensed. "It's okay, Shane," Lori said, coming to his side. Her hand rested on his arm, and Leah watched as his muscles retracted. "We can get it."

Ed stuck his pudgy nose up in the air like a rooster, and he slumped back to his car. Shane continued to glare at the man, but Lori pulled him away. "Leah," she called. "Help us."

Leah pressed her hand on Carl's back and assured him forward as they walked in silent in the mud. Carl grunted, and staggered. He struggled to pull his boot from the mud. Leah tugged on his waist, and his foot came loose with a pop.

Ed's headlights blared into the eyes of the group, forcing them to squint their eyes. The rain shimmered against the lights. The group threw their weight at the back of the vehicle, heaving with all their strength. But alas, the car did not budge.

"Dammit," Shane said for the second time that night. They pulled away. "Leah, go to the front and pull it."

"Like that'll do anything," she mumbled.

Her boots slushed in the mud as she drug her heels to the front. "Go!" Shane shouted, and Leah gripped the grill with her long fingers, and anchored herself into the ground. Being young gave her the best vigor, but she had the downside of pulling alone. Her body began to sink, and eventually her behind was a mere inch from the ground.

The Jeep jerked forward, sending Leah sailing into the mud. She sat up, feeling something crunch in her pocket, and her hood fell from her head as her hair flopped out in clumps. She pulled her hands from the mud, and shook them free of the wet dirt.

Suddenly, a horn honked from behind, and she turned her head, watching an old, beat-up truck pull into the path. Through the rain, she could make out the silhouettes of two men, one older than the other. The driver- a thin haired blonde- opened his door, and plopped into the mud. He wasn't wearing a coat, but his leather jacket flapped in the wind. His arms were bare, but he didn't seem to care.

"Whatcha doin' in the mud," he cooed, looking at Leah. His voice was raspy, like a smoker. "Sweet ass?"

"I fell," she spat, pulling herself up.

"Got a little somethin' there on your ass, beauty," he said back, coming towards her. "Want me to get it for you?"

His hand slid to her behind, but Leah swatted it away. "Knock it off."

By now, Shane and the others had come around from the back, and Shane pulled a gun out, aiming it right at the man. "C'mon, let ol' Merle have some fun, will you?"

"Leave her alone," Shane said.

"Why?" Merle managed to smack Leah's behind, and instinctively, her hand flew to his face.

Merle staggered back, and touched his face where a red mark was appeared. "Do you know what you just did there, pussy. You just hit a Dixon."

"Tough shit," Leah growled, storming back to the Jeep.

"Hey!" he shouted. "You get back here now!"

"Merle!" the other man shouted as he lowered a window.

"Can it, Darlena."

The younger man bit his cheek to prevent himself from saying anything else, but he remained tense in his seat, his hand latched on the door handle, ready to pounce.

"Damn man," Merle complained to Shane. "Just wanted some fun. You know how long it's been since Daryl or I've seen some ass?"

"I don't care," Shane said. "But you leave Leah alone."

"Why?" Merle got in Shane's face, and he inspected the badge on his shirt. "Officer Walsh? You gonna throw me in jail?" he chuckled, and shook his head.

"I just lost my niece," Leah spat, coming in between the two men. "So shove a tampon in and leave us the hell alone."

Merle snorted, and ran his hand through his wet hair. "Well I'm awful sorry-"

"No you aren't, Redneck."

"Pffh… Redneck, aye?"

"Don't deny it. I've seen you types before. You see a lot working in a damn bar for almost ten years."

"You one of those big tit strippers?" Merle asked. His eyes went to Leah's bosoms, and she crossed her arms over her chest to block his eyes away. "Nah… Even under that sweatshirt I can tell how small they are."

"Shut the hell up," Shane hissed.

"Come at me, Red Ridin' Hood! Whatcha gonna do!? Tell Granny the Big Bad Wolf came and ate you food?"

"Will you please just help us?" Lori pleaded.

XXX

Leah watched from the side as Merle and Shane shoved the Jeep. Occasionally, Merle would cuss at the other man, or vice verses.

Carl and Lori stood in the grass, huddling onto each other as the rain continued to beat down. Leah felt a pair of eyes on her, like they were burning into her flesh. She tried her best to ignore the eyes by simple turning away from the men.

She felt the crunching in her pocket again, so she dug her cold fingers through the jeans, and her hand latched onto a piece of paper. Her hands retracted, and she pulled out a crumpled piece of composition paper. The rain began to wet the paper, so she maneuvered her arm in a way to block the paper.

With her free hand, she carefully unfolded the wrinkles, and focused her eyes on the teal marks of marker. Emma… Waves of a deep rueful emotion swept through her, and she dropped her arms as she held the paper with both hands.

The rain fell onto the paper, and the marker ran like streaks across the sky. The drawing disappeared, leaving stains from the ink. I sob escaped from Leah's lips.

"Aunt Leah?"

She felt like collapsing, and she hunched over, feeling bile in her throat as she began to gag. A hand slowly pressed against her back.

"Leah?" Lori smoothly said. "What's wrong?"

Leah stood up, and wiped her arm across her face. "Nothing…"

"Aunt Leah?"

Her lips trembled, and she shook her head.

"Carl, stop calling her that," Lori hissed at her son.

"…Sorry…"

Leah forced a smile, and she clasped Carl on the shoulder. "It's fine."