So this is the update to this story, hope you guys like it and if you have any requests that you'd like to see in this story, let me know. :)

Soft groans made her look up at her patient. Merle was starting to wake up. The only question was, did he remember her at all. Granted, they ran into each other back in their hometown but they came from different worlds. He came from an abusive home while she grew up in a loving family. The only times they interacted was at the school when Merle picked up Daryl or in the park. She usually sat there with a science book while Merle got himself a fix from the local dealer. Somehow they always ended up sitting next to one another. He called her Rosita, mostly because of her Latina heritage and grinned at her all the time. Which was really creepy back then, she was thirteen when he joined her on that park bench for the first time. She was sixteen when he left town for good…

She had been a little sad about it at first, his presence became soothing after awhile but she adjusted. Just like she always did. She left her hometown behind two years later to join the army. And now, here they were again. Like old times.

She kneeled down beside him and checked his pulse as he squinted up at her. "Get ya…" He muttered, weakly pushing against her chest with the good hand he had left. She paid him no mind and carefully changed the bandages around the clotted and mangled wound. Wild flesh would soon cover it but until that time she had to keep any infections at bay. That wouldn't be easy. She gave him some antibiotics and cleaned out the wound as best as she could at the time but it probably wouldn't be enough.

They couldn't stay here. Other survival groups were stirring in the upcoming light of dawn and she wasn't looking for a confrontation. Not with Merle in this condition. She could leave him and go on on her own. No one would blame her for that. Aside from Merle…

She sighed and silently cursed her conscious and morals. She couldn't leave him behind. It wasn't the right thing to do and she knew him. They had grown up together in a way, Daryl was her age and Merle was always with Daryl. Except when he wasn't and was doing time in Juvi. The point was, she couldn't abandon him like this. He'd die out here and become one of the chompers. She wasn't gonna let that happen.

She looked back at him and sat back on her hunches, staring at him calmly as he tried to swat her away. The only thing he accomplished was patting her knee so she wasn't particularly impressed. "Come on, ya big log. Let's get goin'." She stood up and hoisted her pack on her bag before pulling him up on his feet. He protested and tried to push her away but she wasn't gonna give up this easily. She made sure his left arm was slung around her shoulders so she could properly support him.

The progress they made was slow but they managed to stay out of reach of the chompers. Merle was starting to cooperate a little, walking with her instead of letting her drag him around the city. Whether that was voluntarily was to be seen. He started mumbling something or the other as they stumbled along the train tracks leading out of the city. "Truck." Merle groaned as they took a short break to catch their breath. There was a truck just twenty yards away but she didn't really trust it. It couldn't be abandoned like this, so what if it was a trap?

Then again… Merle wouldn't be able to walk on much longer, taking that truck would increase his chances of survival. She sighed and readjusted her grip around his waist, supporting him as they approached the truck. She carefully peeked into the cabin and frowned when it was empty. The keys were still in the contact, so whoever had gotten it here was planning to leave this way. Well, too bad for them. She needed it more right now. She checked the back just to be sure and breathed a sigh of relief. It was empty.

She got Merle in the passenger seat with some difficulty and buckled him in. Once they got away from the city she could give him better treatment but right now her priority was to get the hell outta Georgia. She closed the door once she got him settled and got in the drivers seat. She put her pack between them and got the truck started. They were on the highway within the hour.

"The hell am I?" He muttered, she took a quick glance in his direction before focusing her attention back on the road.

"Mornin' sleepin' beauty." She chuckled when he rubbed his head with his hand and looked back at her.

"Who the hell are you?"

"An old friend."

"Tha hell you are, chimichanga."

"You really don't recognize me, do ya?"

"Should I?"

"Depends on whether or not you ever want that army knife back."

"Army knife?"

"You don't remember the park back in Ellijay?"

He frowned at her before gaping at her in recognition. "No way…" He muttered "Rosita?"

She threw him a quick wink, smirking when his lips curled up a little. "It's Vani."

"Whatever you say Rosita."

She simply rolled her eyes and shook her head turning the truck towards the interstate. Just a few hours more and they were out of Georgia. "What the…" She slammed the breaks, the tires screeching over the pavement of the interstate. It wasn't enough and the small truck slammed into the mass of cars blocking the road.

Her head slammed against the wheel and she blacked out for a couple of minutes as her body processed the force of the impact. When she came to the seat next to her was empty. The window shield wasn't broken and aside from the crushed engine the truck was intact. She opened her door and stumbled out, turning to grab her pack out of the truck.

She walked on a couple of steps before she spotted Merle sitting against one of the cars. He placed a finger against his lips indicating that she had to stay quiet. She crouched and stayed low, coming up next to him to peek over the car.

"Fuckin' fantastic…" She cursed softly as she slid back down and looked over at her companion. "Chompers everywhere and that crash is drawin' them all here. We gotta make a run for it.."

"No way chimichanga, we ain't in no condition to just run for it."

"Shit." She sighed and looked over at the shuffling biters. "We can out walk them. Find the highway and make our way into the woods. Camp there."

"Don't sound so good either…" He shrugged and dragged himself up on his feet. "'Suppose it's better than them biters."

She blinked and rubbed her forehead before slinging his arm over her shoulder. The two stumbled down the highway, staying ahead of the chompers. Good thing those rotten things were extremely slow. Her head was killing her and her muscles protested against every movement. "I'd kill for some aspirin right about now." She murmured as they made their way down the exit lane.

It was still quiet some distance to the nearest trees but as long as they managed to keep this pace they could stay out of the herds reach. It shouldn't be too long before they could finally find themselves a good place to hide. They kept their eyes on the tree line as they hoisted each other over the highway barrier. The herd was falling behind as they pushed on. Military training could get you places if you knew how to put it to use, and luckily the both of them had that knowledge.

When they finally stopped somewhere it was on the edges of a cliff. One of the larger ledges was far away enough from the top and the ground below to provide decent cover and shelter. They could camp out for a few days and get their strength back. For her the plan was still the same as ever, get out of Georgia and towards New York. The survival camps there had to be active and running. They just had to.

She did wonder what he was gonna do. Was he gonna come with her or find Daryl? Was she gonna let him make that decision? They could both look for Daryl and then go North, the three of them would be stronger than on her own. Maybe she oughta suggest that as their next plan of action.

She looked at Merle's ragged stump as he carefully tried to change the bandages by himself. She sighed after a minute or two and stepped in to help. "Here." She said as she wrapped new sterile bandages around it and cushioned it as best she could.
Merle stared at her as she worked and she tried to ignore it for the most part. "Thanks." He muttered after awhile.

She gave him a smile in return and sat back once she was done. "How did it happen anyway?" She asked, her voice soft and almost inaudible over the sounds of the forest.
He looked up at her and turned his head away. Whatever had happened, it was bad and it made her so angry. Merle wasn't the easiest person to hang around with, she knew that, but to hurt him like that? Whoever had taken his hand was a monster and she would slay that foul beast if it ever came near him again.

"I cut it off."