A/N: HAEYYYY. Wassup? well, didn't get much reaction to the first installment, 'cause my bro re-edited it and well, that's what happens, all my BEAUTIFUL REVIEWS AND FREAKING FOLLOWS AND FAVORITES. GONE! Anyhoo, I still wanna thank you guys. I know I'm a crappy writer, and this is unbeta-ed. Very busy for this past week, work 'n stuff. I know for a fact that NO ON E READS THIS *waves hands in the air and calls out maniacally* but well, if you did, hi. AND LEAVE A REVIEW 'N FAVORITE 'N FOLLOW, or whatever.

D-d-disclaimer? I WANNA OWN DARYL.

But fate decreed I shan't. Sooo, I do not own Daryl Dixon and the other characters or the show, only Gail Parker and the plot.

(mind you, Daryl and the others may be a bit OOC here, I'm still grasping their shit.)

Oh, yeah. This story will dance around perspectives.

ITALICS FOR FLASHBACKS AND DREAMS/MEMORIES

Chapter 2: I'm Probably Crazy

A small girl cowered in a corner, her hands covering her ears as her parents fought, vases breaking, curses flying, insults thrown around. Gail shut her eyes tightly, biting her lip until she drew blood. "NOW LOOK, GREG. JOHN RAN AWAY!" Her mother bellowed, and with all her might, the older redhead swung the porcelain in her hand, hitting her husband on the head. Gail felt her body burn up, the tears streaking down on her face evaporating with the heat. She shook her head, burying her face in the fabric of her ratty blue dress, her body curled in tightly. "St-stop, mamma." The girl whimpered, her dress slowly catching fire.

"AND OUR ONLY DAUGHTER IS A FREAK, GREG! A FREAK!"

A choked sob wrecked through the 4-year-old's body, fire bursting out of every pore, but the little girl didn't pay attention to it. "Daddy.. momma.. s—"

"IS IT MY FAULT THAT BRAT IS A FREAK?! IF YOU—"

"STOP!" Gail screamed, her eyes a dead inky black, blood streaming down her cheeks. The curtains caught on fire, as the little girl sobbed in her corner, her father and mother immediately abandoning her to save themselves.

Gail didn't care anymore.

Runes and odd triangles and stars formed around her little body as she stood, her red-brown eyes gazing deeply into her burning arms, marveled by how the fire didn't burn her. But she didn't understand. Crows flew everywhere, feathers raining inside the room eerily.

Her eyes looked at her escaping parents, a horrid smile on her blood stained cheeks. The door slammed shut, locking her parents in. One crow landed on her shoulder, and she spared it a sideways glance, lifting one hand experimentally. The crows immediately attacked her parents, eating, clawing at their flesh. She watched, amused as every ebony bird seemed to laugh as they feasted, her parents screaming bloody murder.

"Hahaha.." she chuckled, the smile widening with every shake her shoulders made. "Hahahaha.." the little girl sobbed and laughed at the same time, clenching her small hands into fists as she stood there, ignoring her parents that was burning and being eaten to death.

Then, she stopped.

"MAMA!" Her eyes returned into their arctic blues, her skinny arms reaching out to her shrieking mother. The fire extinguished, the crows stopped and dropped like rocks, and her mother and father keened, bleeding out from every bite her crows did. "Mum... I SWEAR I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" She cried, her small ponytails sagging. "You FR-FREAK!" Her mother shrieked, and then she dropped down, her body burnt horribly. Her blue gaze fell on her father, who was just lying there, green eyes leveling with hers. The little girl's left eye faded into a stormy gray, the blood track grotesquely dripping down.

"Hellspawn." He said, before truly, permanently dying.

"Hellspawn." Gail repeated, crouching down to encase her head once more in her arms. Voices repeated the words in her head, their volume gradually increasing.

"HELLSPAWN! FREAK!"

"FREAK SHOW!"

I awoke with a small shriek, sweat dripping from my forehead. I sat there, panting, shaking my head as the scene replayed in my head. I've never had that dream before. My childhood memories isn't all that clear. The sun was peeking out of the mountains as I removed my burnt t-shirt off my glowing body, cursing silently. I try to ignore the searing pain pounding through my head, the memory pulsated through every vein, as if rejecting the memory. I couldn't remember doing that. But I know it wasn't true. Mom and Dad died of..

I don't know.

"That's the third shirt this week.." I mumble, pulling my long hair into a sloppy bun, sweat coating my neck. I waited for my body to cool down, doing the luxury of picking out the next shirt I'm going to wear. I pick out a baggy light gray shirt with a picture of a squirrel on it, hey, I thought it was cute. After moments of waiting, my body finally cooled down, and I pulled on the shirt, before shoving my feet into my converse, standing up and raising my hands above my head and yawning. Carol called me to do some laundry with them and Amy, Lori smiling from where she and that Morales woman were cooking breakfast.

"Anybody seen Daryl?" I ask lightly, bending down to get the makeshift basket T-Dog made, smiling at Carol as she put the clothes in it. "He went hunting." Amy supplied, a knowing smile on her face.

"Seriously, Gail?" Lori asked inridiculously, her smile joking. "Shut up, Amy." I snap towards the younger blonde, tucking the tail of my shirt inside my jeans with one hand, the basket balanced on my hip. The women were awfully feeling close towards me now, and I smile, nodding towards Carol as we made our way down the quarry.

"Hey, where's Glenn?" I asked again casually, pursing my lips as I sit down the basket beside the rock that served as my chair, tucking a stray strand of red behind my ear. "On a run."

"Again?"

"Yeah, Andrea, T-Dog, Jacqui and Morales came along. Glenn was reluctant." Carol nodded, and I couldn't help but let my gaze fall on her battered arms. "Are-are you okay?" I say weakly, putting an article of clothing over my knee, scrubbing it thoroughly. "Yes. I'm fine, Gail." The older woman smiled timidly, looking over her shoulder towards her husband, Ed.

"I do hope Andrea comes back okay.." Amy mutters, and the two women sigh, before nodding. Carl and Sophia came into view, playing alongside the shore, giggling prominent in the still enviroment. "They sure make a cute couple." Amy says, reaching out to take another shirt from the basket. Carol stops, then blushes hard, before nodding once again.

"Isn't this Daryl's?" The young blonde pipes, smiling broadly. Carol laughs at this, jutting out her soapy hand, taking the clothing from Amy's hand.

"My God, Gail. How did you stop yourself from jumping him in that one week that you were together?"

I looked at Amy wearily, an evident frown on my sweaty face.

"Stop it," I barked, my face flushed a pure red. "Ohhh.. Alie's got cruush~" the blonde sang, and Carol giggled, dropping Daryl's sleeveless plaid on my wet lap.

"My God.." I hiss, shaking my head as I begrudgingly take the shirt over my knee, all but destroying the piece of clothing with my brush. I swear to God, sometimes, I just hate women. I swear, with them, I'd turn into a puddle of embarrassment. The 'women' wisely stayed silent, just a snort here and there.

"Breakfast is ready!" Lori called out, and God, I'm so fucking thankful. I bolt up, putting Daryl's cleaned shirt on the other basket, all but running away from the pepper haired Carol, and the wily Amy. I shook my head violently, tucking my wild blood-colored hair back, taking a seat beside Dale.

"Are you OK?" Dale said, his fatherly face concerned. "Yeah." I say plainly, thanking Lori as she handed me a plate of squirrel meat, and I smile involuntarily. "When will they be going home?" Amy fidgeted from her seat, looking up the gray skies, her plate jiggling with every move.

"Soon 'nough." Shane says, looking almost too brightly at Lori, who looked back, brown eyes full of lust. Ew. "Yeah. They'll come home soon." I tried to reassure the nervous Amy, a soft grin on my face.

[GLENN]

"Jesus Christ, guys.." I breathed, pinching the bridge of my nose as I watched my groupmates bicker endlessly as we entered the department store, dropping the duffel bags noisily on the floor. "And did you see how I bashed that fucker's brains in?" T-Dog announced hotly, teeth bared in a grin. He swung around his bat, almost hitting me in the process. Andrea scoffed, rolling her eyes as she pointed her gun at an invisible spot on the far wall, smiling smugly as she told her tale, and I took the bat away from T-Dog as he swung the damned bat again, glaring mightily.

"AND THEN, B—"

BANG!

The gun went off, and I seriously want to feed these guys to the geeks. "Andrea!" Morales (thank God for Morales) snapped, taking the gun, who had its safety off. "Oh, Jesus.. God almighty.." I groaned angrily, motioning for T-Dog to help me barricade the double doors of the store. The walkers undeniably heard the gunshot, because they're piling outside, and GOOD LORD, sometimes, I do believe blondes are stupid. "What the—" a gruff, raspy voice shouted angrily, and when we turned around, there he was, another pain in the ass.

"The fuck, people?!"

"Where did— what the f— I don't..!" I stammered as the big, burly redneck came barreling up to me, but thank God Jacqui came to my aid. I am kinda sorta nerdy and scrawny and geeky, but hey, you gotta make do with what you have. I'm a glass-half full kinda guy. "Ey, chill, man!" T-Dog snapped at the man, who looked remarkably like Daryl. Well, Daryl is much more attractive— wait, what?

"Just.. I'm going to scout a way up ahead." I dodge the countless racial slurs the burly man shot, and he pushed T-Dog away, but Andrea pointed her gun at him. "Don't make a move. Or your head'll be blown off." For once, Andrea put that goddamned gun to use. Jacqui nodded an agreement towards me, her face pulled into a distasteful frown. Well, good luck to them. Sneakily walking out, I make my way towards a fire exit ladder, my bag jiggling with contents. My thoughts drift to the possibility of seeing a close friend and love interest again, and once I set my eyes on that sonofabitch Gail, I had some hope. I mean, from all the people that I'd think will survive the zombie apocalypse, she was so not in the list. But I think it's time I sang Kumbaya and that whatnot.

"A horse, hey!" I chirp when I make it up, a brown horse trotting into view. A horse, man, who wouldn't be surprised to see a horse? I personally prefer ponies to horses, and I'm rambling. I pull out my own pair of binoculars, peering into them with curious eyes. A man with a bag of guns, and he was wearing his fucking sherif's deputy uniform.

That man needs to sort out his priorities.

I stood up straightly as the horse went down, thoughts racing frantically. Oh, God, please don't be dead, please, don't be dead. Yet. A gunshot pulled me away from my ramblings, and I looked down, scrambling for the C.B I kept with me at all times every time I went out on a run. I hope.. I hope he gets in the tank.

"Hey, dumbass," I exhale deeply, shaking my head from anxiousness. I smirk, hearing the man's soft whimper. "Hey, you in the tank. Cozy in there?"

[DARYL]

I should prolly give up on 'tha fucking deer. It's been exactly 12 hours, 32 minutes an' I don't know the seconds. I crouch low, tyin' the squirrel I took out anger on in a string I took from Gail, and 'f course, the scowl is evident on mah face. When I stand back up again, I throw the string over my shoulders 'n set up my crossbow, 'an followed my buck's trail. I irritably sigh as dirt an' muck cling on my skin like a second skin, an' even if I always look like this, it don't mean I like it. First, it's unhygienic and gross, and I don' wanna bother tha' nice lady, Carol, I presume, ta clean my clothes. I actually like the fact Parker washes them for me.

"'Th fuck did tha' come from?" I hiss to myself, stoppin' as I clear my head from the thoughts of that complicated redhead, and I fucken trudged on, looking up ta see a storm brewing up the horizon. Grass crunched under my boots, and there's no place i'd rather be than here, in the woods, hunting fuckin' Bambi for those pansy-ass city folk.

Well, ain't ya the perfect maid, Darylenna?

Merle's voice rang in my head, his voice taunting and disgusted, just like it's always been, ever since I could understand English. A snappin' of a twig cut off my daydream, 'an I squat behind a bush, hidden from my game. But my expectations were crushed as a walker ambled out from beside a tree, coming straight to MY DEER. Oh, hell no, you won't. I strapped the crossbow over my body, pulling out my trusted knife.

Then, I fucken tripped over a root.

The blade went flying out of my grasp, hitting the walker straight in the head. The doe lifted it's head, muscles tensing and ready to bolt. Oh, fuck no. Before the deer moved, a neon tailed bolt was already imbedded 'n its stomach, making it squeal and wrench in pain. "Jesus Chrysler LeBaron.." I say in disbelief, finally taking down 'tha godawful soon-to-be venison, jus' a few more steps and—

"HOLY SHIT!" The doe kicked out its feeble legs, hittin' me right in the chest. 'Course I stumble back, ain't like I can take that son of a bitch's kicks. Bambi stands up, running away as fast as she could. Growling, I stood up, following the deer with my eyes as rain fell. Picking up my crossbow, I follow the faint blood trails the doe left, a smirk playing on my lips. I sure do hope this makes up all the shit I've been through. And dear God, I have been through many shit. I don't want ta burden ya with my luggage or somethin', but ever since Merle took his goddamned bike and left my ass there in Macon, I've been livin' on squirrels and the occasional booze. Finding Parker, well, at first, she was really a bitch, but she proved herself, and shit if she hadn't done her fireball thing on the highway, we wouldn't be here. Well, I think so. Maybe she'd be better off without me. She is good with that bow, before she lost it.

I take it back, she couldn't live one day without me.

A smug smile plays on my lips as I sidestep a puddle, my squirrels bounding with every move. This ain't too bad after all.

[GAIL]

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK.

This is really, really bad.

Like, total shitstorm bad. Glenn and the others are trapped, and- and- Daryl isn't back yet, Shane is screwing.. Shane is screwing Lori.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

"Ale, take ahold of yourself!" Amy snaps from beside me, in her hands one of those fucking spearmint bubblegum that helped me calm down. "Oh, Jesus..!" I exhale loudly as me and my blonde friend sit inside the tent, sharing blanket and tears. "I-i saw them.. oh, God.. I'm so fucking traumatized right now.." Amy smiles at my demise, handing me one strip of bubble gum. She chews on her own, blue-green eyes red rimmed and teary. The harsh pitter patter of the rain drowned the other's keening, and that dipshit Shane's argument with Jim and Dale. We should go back for them, we really should, but I don't know what to do, I don't. "Amy.." I whimpered, feeling that all-too-familiar burn in my chest. Of course, these people don't know about my, erm, condition, but if they knew, they'd sure as hell hog tie me and dance around in my grave. Not too pretty, now that I thought of it.

"I called Shane a son of a bitch, though."

"Yeah, that's in your bucket list, isn't it?"

Our soft laughter rings around the tent, but then the reality hits us like a wall. That possibly, her sister and my best friend might not pull through. "If.. if Andrea doesn't come back.. please, don't be a martyr and stay with me here," Amy chuckles at her own confession, tears streaming down her pale face, a soft grin pulling along her red lips. "I.." Nobody ever told me, or wanted me to stick around, they all never saw past me general geekiness and scrawniness, well, aren't we all anti-social?

We just find people who understand.

I put my arms around Amy in a comforting gesture, a smirk tugging at my lips as she returns it, and for the first time in a long time, the void that was my heart sparked a little, but it was a start. Okay, now I'm getting sappy. "Hey, while we wait.. wanna be all poetic an' shit?" I ask, and my voice sounded really bad, raspy and low. Amy pulls away, gives me a knowing look and wipes the snot om her face on the back of her hand, before stating, "Oh, Daryl, Daryl, where art thou Daryl? Deny thy father, and refuse thy name!" She mocks, and I chuckle, looking her in the eyes. "BUT SOFT! What light through yonder window breaks—"

"You're real crappy at this, Gail."

"Hey, I majored in History, not Literature."

"That doesn't make sense."

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. See! I got that right." I say in a faux British accent, biting my lip to stop myself from laughing. "Oh, if Andrea was here, she'd have talked your ass off about that, she may be a lawyer, but by God.." Amy sighs exasperatedly, snuggling deeper into the wool blanket we stole from the RV. Dale must be popping a vein right now. "I already miss them, Gail." Amy rests her head o my shoulder, and I don't tell her it's gonna be alright, because I know I might be wrong. Instead, I pat her blonde hair affectionately, looking out the transparent window through mismatched eyes.

"True, I talk of dreams, Which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy." I whisper, closing my eyes and delving into my friend's warmth, and she nods, the action telling me more than it should. I know she trusts Andrea, hell, I know that she could take care of herself, but I can't let her hurt like this. "Don't go, okay? I can hear you thinking."

Well, so much for that.

"When you were standing in the wake of devastation, when you were waiting on the edge of the unknown, with the cataclysm raining down," I sang to Amy softly, like the way I did when Carol's kid, Sophia fell asleep beside me when her Pa and Ma were arguing, and she'd whimper, tears rolling down her cheek. Amy burst into quiet sobs, not wanting to alert Dale or the others.

"Your insides crying, 'save me now' You were there, impossibly alone..." Daryl sang this song once, when he thought I was asleep. He'd read Charlotte's Web every night and grumble a little, because he always wanted Charlotte to live, and then, he'd sing softly, caressing the rough edges, and it was far from him. The quiet, aggressive, assessing redneck. This was him.. him. What Daryl Dixon really was wasn't that arrogant man that his brother raised, he was the man who saved me and accepted me for who.. I am. Amy finally fell asleep, nose pressed into my red hair.

"Do you feel cold..." I whispered, drifting into sleep, with Daryl's soft, insulting reassurances ringing in my head.

"And lost with desperation?"

"DAD! DAD!" Carl shouted, his small form bolting from his mother's arms, jumping towards the tall man wearing the sheriff's deputy uniform, a watery grin plastered onto his face. They were there.. where.. where was— "Glenn?" I ask, my voice shaking as the others looked at me with that.. that look, and I brace myself by the RV, hissing in affliction. "HE TOOK YOUR PEOPLE FOR ONCE, THEN ALL WENT TO HELL!" I screamed, tears falling down from my mismatched eyes. "What the hell happened..?" I continue, bowing my head as I tried to keep myself in check, biting my lip so hard it bled. I can't loose my shit right now, especially when Daryl's still not here and Glenn.. God, Glenn.. "He was ki-kidnapped.." Andrea supplied, and my head whipped up in breakneck speed, heart pounding on my chest far too hard to be considered normal. "What—" I started, my voice awfully restrained.

"It wasn't anybody's fault." That fucker wearing his moronic hat with his stupid fucking family started, letting go of his jack shit wife and pesty son, looking at me with that goddamned eyes, pitying me. Hell no, I won't let him see me as a charity case. "Why the fuck did he get kidnapped then, Officer?" I bit out, taking one step closer to him, daring him, taunting him to make a move. "He was with Merle—"

"Merle? You found Daryl's brother?" I ask inridiculously, all the anger washed down momentarily. "This is fucked up. You worthless.." I start, rage and hate stirring up my blood, making it boil.

"Now, Gail.." Shane started, and I'm sure he's so sad he can't fuck Lori anymore because her fucking HUSBAND is here now. "Why would you care, Walsh? You got your best pal right here—" I point harshly at Cop guy, a sneer on my face. "—complete with his fucking family, and what does that leave me? With a fucking emotionally unstable redneck and a kidnapped asian! Are you shitting me right now?!" I snap, looking at them through mismatched eyes. Lori starts to open that goddamned mouth of hers, and I lunge, going straight for her throat. But Shane.. ever the knight in shining armour intercepts me, throwing me to the dirt.

Daryl's taught me enough to deal with this asshole.

Without so much as a squeak, I turn mid-air, pulling the bigger man underneath me and straddling him on the hard ground, lifting one fist to bring down to his whore mouth. But I stop, the fist merely inches away from his face. "As much as I want to see your head pop from underneath my fists, I'm too snobby for that." I hiss angrily, and the older brunette fidgets under me, feeling the burning sensation I was giving off. My hands were glowing a faint yellow orange, and I flinch away, sending them glares before running to my tent.

It's one of those nights.

[GLENN]

"Jesus, what..?" My eyes are so goddammed blurry.. what the hell just happene— I was kidnapped. I writhe through my bonds, asking every deity that existed to let me out of these.. really, chains? Do I look that dangerous? I'm a duct tape person, thank you. Nope, no time for that, gotta find something to take off these things. "Oh, you're awake." A young, hispanic man with slight stubble approaches me, a smile on his weathered face. I push myself back to a corner, face pulled into a deep, horrid frown. "Hey, buddy, don't worry. We won't do anything, vato." He smiled, soft and understanding, but what unsettled me was the lust and malice behind his kind eyes. I felt my guards drop down a little, but it immediately flew back up again as he approached closer, the dim light showing that faint outline of a pistol. The hispanic man hums as he squats down, his face weathered and knowing as he uncuffs him, his eyes telling stories way past his days. "G! Mrs. Aura fell down the stairs—" my eyes widen as the same time the man's eyes widened, chest heaving as he stood there gaping, having the door burst open. G, the hispanic man wearing the black shirt chuckled, looking back and forth from us two and standing up, at the same time hauling me with him. "Well, welcome to our hideout." The man said coldly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "G— we—what?" The bald man standing by the door stutters, his brown eyes wide with disbelief. "He's not an enemy, Carlito."

I ignored the way his eye twitched when he looked away.

"Okay.." I say uneasily as they lead me into a garden, the space particularly pretty. G opens a door for me, and I step in timidly, eyeing him and the bald dude warily. "Why, hello, young lad." An old lady comes up to me, her hair tied up in a neat braid, in her hands some medicine, her hands bloodied. She looks past me to glare at the two guys behind me, who rubbed their neck sheepishly. I smile faintly, remembering my own mother scold me and Gail for stealing.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Ale?"

"Im sorry, but.. Just one, then, we're home free."

"You kidding me? Does John sneak inside?"

"Well, we're not my pot-luvin' brotha and—" she paused, throwing her head back.

"Its your mom's cookieeesss..." my best friend whined, sitting back down on the porch of our house and leaning on the rails of the staircase, blue hat drawn low onto her eyes. "I know, but Mom's eyes are even sharper than Reeves' skinhead guards vision," I reason, looking at the direction of the kitchen, where the heavenly smell of Ginnie Rhee's infamous Choco-Heaven delights. "Glenn, I helped you get those tickets last night, remember? I had to bite Tweedledee's arm." She sat up, pulling up the hat back on her short red hair, a shit-eating grin on her face. I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose as I exasperatedly gave her a 'are-you-fucking-kidding-me' look, and her grin just widened, knowing very well that she won. "I'll have you know that if my mom finds out, we're both toast." She shrieked as she bolted up, her short red hair flopping with every moment. "Ohmygod! Cookies!" Gail giggled wildly as she pulled me up, happiness and mischief clear in her 16 year old face. "Oh god, if I knew we'd be stealing mom's cookies today, I wish I didn't ask you to help me."

"You can't steal. Now, cookies.. cookies,"

"Yeah, I can't. Whatever. The kitchen's that way."

Now, the kitchen is a complicated place, since my mom loves cooking. I watched as my friend glided almost gracefully, dodging everything my mom put in there to keep the two of us out. Gail is really notorious when it comes to stealing, and its not really surprising. She's been stealing shit ever since she could sneak around. Or stand for that matter. If ever, that'd be the reason I'm going to keep around. I watched as she jumped over the counter, one foot stepping on a glass— GLASS!

"GAIL, STOP!"

Her feet kissed the ground goodbye as she jumped, hands reaching for the ledge of the highest cupboard in the house, the big blue one with only fifty of the cookies stored in it. I forgot all about the glasses as she all but clambered up the cupboard, holding up the transparent jar with a blue bow on it. "YEAAAAH!" I rasped, my voice hoarse from shouting her name too loud.

"GLENN RHEE, GAIL PARKER!"

Uh, oh. Dum-dee-dum, we're dead. "Hi Mom.." I say timidly as I turned around, face flushed pure red, and my friend scrambled to get two of the sugary treats before hopping out of the 5 foot high cupboard, the pastries tucked safely in her jacket pockets. "Hey, Mrs. Rhee. Looks like your anti-Gail and Glenn set up didn't work," the redhead joked, earning a tired smile from Glenn's mom. "It seems so, sweetpea." The old woman said lightly, patting her head affectionately as she left the room, humming an old Korean lullaby. I barely notice the way my friend's eyes flicker a fiery orange and then turn back to its true color, but ah, fuck it.

It was fine, until they shoved a sack over my head and all but shoved me down the building.

"Glenn," I hear someone whisper my name, soft and hard at the same time, just before I was tossed over the roof, to the geeks.

"What do you want, Glenn?" The image of a raven-haired Gail appeared before my eyes, her eyes filled with horrifying coldness that was so unlike her. She smiled dubiously, red lips stretching impossibly. "Wha—" I blinked, and suddenly she was inches away from my face, the smile softening as she leaned close, to whisper in my ear, "What do you want, Glenn?"

"I.. I want to live."

I blinked again, and suddenly, I was being guided inside the room upstairs, the good-hearted chuckles of the men and women reaching my ears. What the hell did just happen? Was.. was it true?

"Everything has a price, Glenn.. everything."

"What?!" I whip around, eyes wide and uncomprehending as I saw the utterly confused faces of those people that kidnapped me, stopping whatever they were doing to smile at me easily. In the midst of the people, I caught sight of that ebony black haired Gail smiling at me, her eyes a fiery red orange, as if lava was inside it. I blinked, and willed it to go away. "C'mon, Vato. Let's go," the bald man pushed me forward, and I kept my head low, wishing for my groupmates to come and get me.

[DARYL]

Her hair.. was black. I swear ta God, it was fucken black.

She was jus' knocked out fer an hour, 'an then.. 'er hair was just so.. black. Not jus' any black, the black tha' made yer skin crawl 'n heart patter in horror, an' I'm goin' ta give Grimes hell for knocking 'er out. "Want.." she grumbled in a low voice, her eyes fluttering unciirdinatedly. "Wha' the fuck.." I hiss, nearing 'er still body as she moved about, her lips slitting 'inta a brain exploding grin. It was honest ta God, horrifyin'. "What the hell is happening to her, hick?" The small spic, Miguelito, as I remember said, 'is eyes widenin' as he backed out in a hurry, levelling the unconscious redhead—now brunette— I reached out to touch the dark strands, not used to 'tha difference 'f her hair, 'an I scowl as her hair curled into ringlets against my palm, like a snake would.

"Don't breathe a single fucken word ta them 'bout this, ya spic,"

"What the hell, man! The woman's a.. a diablo!" The younger man hissed, tugging at his bound hands. "You better throw her out now, loco. You do—"

"You'd best shut up, cariño, or else, I'll really take off them feet 'a yers." My body launched towards the smaller man's form, hands bunching against his tank top, pulling him up brutally. I need ta keep 'er secret as long as I could, I couldn't risk 'er going all out on me now, she deserves what little privacy she needs.

Well, at least I know she cares for me.

"She really stood up for ya earlier, didn't she?" Miguel said, looking away 'n at the still sun, his face calm and stoic. It was true, she scuffled away with Rick just because he let Merle go 'n cut his fuckin' hand off. It was like kindergarten, but this time, I was Susie and she was Daryl, who saved the fuck-up once more. Though I know we were the same, same as we always will. She seemed to stir, 'er body twitchin' as it glowed 'n iridescent orange as her mouth lay agape, words pourin' out like liquid lust, in a language unknown.

"GLENN!" She started, awake and hair slowly fading back to its normal blood-red colour. I looked at 'er funny, putting a hand on 'er sweaty forehead 'n checking 'er temperature, satisfied that she could control her powers unconciously. "H-he.. I-i.." the girl stuttered, looking at me 'wit wide, scared, uncomprehendin' eyes, like a deer in the headlights, 'f you will. "C'mon.. kid, yer fine, yer fine." I console, patting 'er silky albeit greasy hair, not knowing what to explain to the woman. I use my 'Spooked Animal' voice, 'n she caught on, givin' me 'tha glare. "I.. I saw.." the spic gave her a little derisive snort, rolling his eyes as Gail glared at him. "That Asian popsicle won't last a day in there. G may be cool with the old tipos, but I know what he does," the spic flinched under the hard glare of both me and Gail. My breathin' got harsher as she clutched my shirt, shakin' like a leaf. I'm totally shittin' in my pants, knowing very well that she can't control 'er powers well when consious. Jesus, if this spic gets more pushy than this, we'll all be breakin' out the fire extinguishers 'an 'Going Down In Flames' routine. I 'ave dealt with her arse longer than any 'o these fucktards, but really, 'tween you 'an me, they ain't much. Bunch 'o fucken assholes, if ya ask me. If we could abandon their asses here 'an now, we would, but Carrot Top dumbass needs ta git ta her Chinese Chink, 'an I need ta find Merle. Yeah, Merle was—is— blood, but that ain't gonna mean I hafta leave my.. well, I haven't really put a label on me 'an the redhead's relationship, but I do know I can't leave 'er now, it's like letting a stray, impulsive dog loose. Dangerous.

"Earth to Daryl, hellooo?" Says Parker, the playful tone back on again. "Yeah, I hear ya." I reply, the realization of my thoughts sinking deep into my mind. I don't want to leave her, at all. We need ta get going, git 'tha chink 'an scram from this fucken hell-hole, but it ain't just fer me, it's fer 'er too. No matter 'wha she thinks, she's family now, and 'tha ain't prolly gonna change. Well, one more reason is that the redhead is a nice piece ta look at.

"Fuck, no."

"What did you.. what?" Parker tilts her head, smiling faintly. "Daydreaming, are we? Those thoughts 'bout me better be nice!"

"The fuck, El Gingero?!" I know I'm flushed fuckin' red, 'an the small girly giggles Buddyboy here is givin' ain't doin' none ta console my wounded ego. "Shut up, ye fucken piece 'o shits." I snap, standin' up ta open 'tha door fer Rick 'n Theodore. Fuckin serious, who names their kid T-Dog? Maybe they hated this particular man. "We move out now, who knows how much Glenn has," Rick says as an entrance, 'n Gail is already on 'er feet, the bow 'n quiver of arrows Glenn fetched her in the ready. "Yeah," I mutter, hoistin' up Donut, my crossbow 'n startin' towards the pair, Parker trailin' like a puppy behind. "What's the plan, boss?" The Mexican pipes from 'tha other corner of the room, and we pay 'im no mind, eyes focused solely on the bag 'o guns on the table.

It's time ta lock 'n load, bitches.

[GLENN]

Okay, now I know I'm going to die.

Blood, bullets, walkers everywhere.

I never knew it would end like this. Painful, sobbing, gut wrenching violence. I watched as my best friend get bit, but she still covered the cowering Amy, trying—God, trying— to protect her with her prone, shaking body. Daryl was standing off side by side with me, Rick and Shane, shotguns and revolvers in hand, holding off as much as we can, but I know our bullets will burn out before we even make a dent. "PARKER!" Daryl shouts, but he can't move. He can't, neither can I, and we tense, shooting, and watching as Gail drags her blood matted body to the other side of the RV, Amy protected and safe in her bitten arms. What surprised me was how she can still stand up, with all those bites. She stares at her bloodied hands expectantly, and I furrow my brow, shooting a nearby walker and cocking the shotgun, aiming it at the one close to Shane. The redhead gives a pained yell, snapping her head up and gathering her bow up in her hands, pulling the taut string back with weak arms, two arrows placed expertly within the string.

I know she can't anymore.

"GAIL!" I shout, running for her, finding the courage to make my legs move, to run over to her. Daryl is there before me, shooting one of the last walkers in the eye socket, watching it drop. Gail falls with it at the same time, a still mess, body numb and bloody.

"G—Parker.. no, no, c'mon." Daryl whispers as his fingers run through one of the four bites littered across her body, her blue eyes dulled of life. She can't be dead. The group huddled close, mourning for the loss of the redhead as she laid there, looking almost peaceful through her mismatched eyes. Amy and Andrea were a sobbing wreck, clutching each other tightly, heads bowed down in gratitude for the woman that saved the younger blonde. Daryl just looked at Gail, eyes glazed with pain and coldness. I know I should've been faster. Now, she's gone, my best friend is gone. Gone was the woman who liked to race fast cars, who played video games, who sang melodically, who always played that God awful harmonica that I gave her. Gone was the girl that I practically grew up with, stole with, raced with, saw our first tracks together.

She was gone.

"G-ga—" whispers Daryl, clutching the stiffening body close to his.

"Let's clean up 'ere." The hunter growls when they came nearer, standing up with the pale woman in his arms. I follow, mechanically, robotically, pulling on the leather gloves I had stashed in my pockets. I never felt the tears cascade down until Amy was beside me, looking on as Daryl laid my friend in the dirt, kneeling beside her and pressing his forehead on hers, one hand reaching out to close her once brilliant eyes.

"G'bye, Carrot Top."

"What..?" Gail suddenly stood up, hair as dark as night, both eyes shooting open to reveal red-brown eyes filled with indifference. "Oh, hi." She says softly, pushing Daryl aside and standing up, looking around, hands on her hips cockily. "So you're the guy my person has been going on about," she points at Daryl, eyes narrowed and pointed. "What the fuck?!" Shane bellows, confused and ready to pop a gasket as he all but throttles the now raven haired woman, and I stand between them, hissing. "And I bet you're Shane. The fucker Gail's been moanin' about." She comments, licking her bloodied lips.

"Aren't you supposed to be.. dead?" Rick inquires, and I look back at her, wanting to know the same. "Well, that's a secret this woman likes to keep. Now, Gail is battered and sick as shit, but she's fucken alright, okay? Now, excuse me, I need to do my job." Other-Gail walked over to me, shooting me a toothy grin and bending down just beside squatting Jim, eyes now serious.

"Jim, right?"

"Yeah, whaddaya want?"

"You're bit, wanna die now or not?"

WHAT THE HELL?!

The group didn't even had time to react.

Now, I really don't know what to think. "Gee, uh, see, I'm, uh— a Soul Collector, an Angel of Death, if you will, and I only come out when my person is gravely injured or when there's a killing." She explains, and seriously, I dig her eyes. She walks over to the eviscerated Ed, squatting down beside his head and looking back at us with a tired glance, rolling her eyes and lifting up a hand. "Look." A crow pops out from Ed's chest, beady eyes looking all of us over. I feel a severely cold chill run down my spine as the crow settled its lifeless eyes on me, as if judging me through those eyes.

"Time to go home, you filthy bastard."

And the crow jumped on her open palm, and when she closed it, blue fire stretching up to her shoulder. "See? Soul Collector."

Alright, whatever, fuck it, I'm DONE.

*cue huge explosion in the background*

*author shakes head*

"Okay, let's close up shop, people." Once-Gail snaps, hands grasping one of the corpse's feet, dragging it to the unlit fireplace T-Dog and Morales set up. It set on fire with the slightest glance from the ebony haired woman.

"And by the way, I'm Raven." She,said as she tossed the body to the burning, eating flames, her red brown eyes as cold as ice.

We left that afternoon.

[Third Person POV]

Blood, guts and death clung onto their skins as they sat in their respective cars, the burden of their groupmates' death taking a toll on their bruised hearts. Raven and Daryl lead the way on his Triumph that they collected from getting Merle, faces grave as they left the dying Jim along the highway, wanting to die with Raven as far from him as possible. She consented, begrudgingly, and sat down behind Daryl, long dark hair plaited expertly by Amy in a tight braid. Rick had suggested they make their way to the CDC, as per plan, but the light was quickly diminishing, and so was their gas and hope.

Glenn sat beside Dale in the RV, Amy and Andrea huddled close together by the benches and Jacqui softly whimpering from the back of the vehicle. Carol and Sophia were with Rick and his family, Shane driving his SUV, T-Dog steering Daryl's blue truck. "Do you really think going to the CDC is a great plan?" Glenn says in a small voice, and Dale looks at him sideways, smiling tiredly. "I don't know anymore, son." He answers half heartedly, his white knuckled grip going impossibly tighter. Glenn glanced down at the map, biting his lip until it bled.

Their reverie was broken when Daryl gave one soft honk, signalling their arrival at their destination. Dale now looks at Glenn fully, fear lacing his weathered face. One by one, they piled out, weapons in hands, bodies tense and ready to spring. Even Raven had Gail's bow in her hands, the quiver settled on her hips respectively. Rick frantically knocked on the closed doors of the CDC, voice broken and frantic.

"Rick, you better hurry up, 'cause these flesh bags ain't gonna wait for you!" Shane shouts frantically, falling into practiced position with his partner.

"PLEASE, YOURE—"

One hundred, one hundred one, one hundred two.. there were so many corpses.

"—KILLING US!"

They were so close, so close.

"WE HAVE CHILDREN, PLEASE!"

"There's no one there, Rick!"

"Rick! We need to leave n—"

Lori's comment was cut off as the barricade opened, the bright light making them wince and squint. Raven sighed.

Finally, sanctuary.

A/N: Leave a follow, review or favorite if you liked it, do not cuss me out, and I love you. And thank you. *tips top hat* (psst. I need a beta)

BTW, CHANGED PSEUD, AND WELL..

-serbesaaa