Elenore was taught that when something drastic happens, it changes people in different ways. There are the people who continue to carry on with their lives, finding a way to live and survive in this new world. They are the survivors. Then there are the people who decided to opt. out; decide that they can't live in a world like this. They are the prey. Elenore was a survivor. She got her daughter out of the danger zone and found them a safe place to stay. But Elenore also knew that there were people who pretended to be survivors, but deep inside wanted to die; to perish from the Earth and reunite with their family members, if they believed in Heaven.

Elenore was a survivor, Magnolia was a survivor, Lori was a survivor, Carl was a survivor, everyone in the camp was survivor. Everyone except Jim. Jim was someone who wanted to pretend to be a survivor but moped over the fact that his family was dead. Not that that was a bad thing. Grieving could either make or break someone and, by the looks of it, it broke Jim. She watched as he continued to dig holes in the field a few feet away from them.

"Mom!" Elenore turned her head to see Magnolia looking up at her and pointing towards Andrea and Amy, "Look at all fish Andrea and Amy caught!"

Elenore gave her daughter a gentle smile, "Well, wasn't that nice of them. Did you say thank you?"

A troubled look some crossed Magnolia's face before she turned and raced back towards the two blonde women, realizing her mistake.

Elenore gave a smile before looking up at Jim's working figure and frowned. She would have to watch him. She wasn't going to allow anyone to take her daughter from her. Walking back to the camp, Elenore looked over and smiled as she saw Carl and Magnolia admire the bucket-load of silver fish Amy and Andrea caught.

"Yeah, whoa. Where did you two learn to do that?" Lori asked, also admiring the amount of fish that was in front of her. It had been a while since the group had had some fresh meat. And you couldn't get any fresher then fish from a pond.

"Our dad." Amy smiled before taking a sip of her water.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Carl asked and Elenore almost laughed at how quickly her daughter jumped in to say,

"Yeah, me too!"

"Sure. I'll teach you all about nail knots and stuff." Amy said before looking at Elenore and Lori for reassurance, "If that's okay."

"You won't catch me arguing." Lori stated, looking up from the shirt she was fixing.

"I don't see why not." Elenore shrugged and smiled at the beaming smile that overtook her daughter's face. Before the outbreak, Magnolia's dad had promised to take her out fishing and never had the chance. Now that she thought about it, she highly doubted that Michael would have ever taken her out. At least now Magnolia had someone she could depend on… actually, they had a group they could depend on.

"Hey, Dale. When's the last time you oiled those line reels?" Andrea asked and Magnolia turned to see Dale approaching them. A worried look on his face. "They are a disgrace."

"I, uh—I don't want to alarm anyone," Magnolia watched from the corner of her eye as Shane got up and headed towards them. "But we may have a bit of a problem."

"It's Jim, isn't it?" Magnolia was surprised to hear her mother's voice. Normally she kept quiet and observed the group instead of engaging in their disagreements, "To be honest, I was getting a little concerned too." Elenore nodded her head in the direction of Jim and everyone looked at him. He was digging and the no one knew why.

Magnolia stayed close to her mother as the group walked up the hill to find Jim. Almost as if sensing her fear, Carl reached and grabbed her hand, startling Magnolia but she relaxed and gave him a smile. Carl smiled back, hoping that Magnolia didn't see the him blush but was lucky because the hot day masked it.

Everyone stopped when Shane stopped.

Magnolia knew that Shane was their unspoken leader and nobody remembered when this was decided but it somehow was and to be honest, nobody else wanted that position. Shane was quiet for a few minutes before finally speaking.

"Hey, Jim." Jim only ignored Shane's call and continued to dig. Sweat stains covered Jim's shirt and Magnolia wondered how he didn't pass out yet. She had only been outside for an hour and she could feel the beads of sweat roll down her face. Her mom, however, looked perfect. Not a single bead of sweat rolled down her face and he face remained pale, no flush taking over it.

"Jim, why don't you hold up, all right?" Shane tried again, he was trying to remain calm, "Just give me a second here, please?"

"What do you want?" Jim asked as he stopped his shoveling and leaned against it. Magnolia noticed that he spoke quickly. She knew that type of voice. She used it all the time when she got in trouble and tried to hide it from her parents.

"We're all just a little concerned, that's all." Shane said softly, trying not to push Jim the wrong way. He wanted this to go smoothly.

"Dale says you've been out here for hours."

Elenore winced as Morales played tattle-tale. Even if he didn't mean it, the words he spoke were accusing and, knowing from being a parent, would probably cause Jim to become defensive. Especially when he realized that the whole group was concerned and worried, but not for him, for themselves.

"So?" Elenore closed her eyes. She had been right. He had taken the defensive side.

"So why are you digging?" Shane asked and Jim nervously rubbed his mouth, "Are you heading to China, Jim?" Shane tried to joke but Elenore and Magnolia could hear the firm undertone.

"What does it matter? I'm not hurting anyone." Jim stated as he gave an awkward smile and started to shovel.

"Yeah, except maybe yourself." Dale said, looking at Jim with concern, "It's a hundred degrees today. You can't keep this up."

"Sure I can. Watch me." Elenore's eyes widened and she pulled Magnolia closer to her side, accidentally pulling Magnolia's hand out of Carl's. Jim's tone was different. He sounded out of it and Elenore immediately knew that something was wrong.

"Jim, they're not gonna say it so I will," Lori stepped in, bringing herself to the front of the group so she stood next to Dale, "You're scaring people." Jim sighed and stopped shoveling, giving Lori an annoyed look, "You're scaring my son, Carol's daughter, and Elenore's daughter."

Magnolia wanted to object but kept silent. She wasn't scared, she was concerned. Being scared was completely different than being concerned.

"They got nothing to be scared of." Jim was looking at the small cluster of women and children. He didn't understand why they were making such a big deal out of this. He was just digging some holes. He wasn't hurting anyone, "I mean, what the hell, people. I'm out here by myself. Why don't you all just go and leave me the hell alone?"

"Jim, we're not trying to target you. We just want to make sure that you're okay." Again, Magnolia was surprised that her mother was speaking, "Why don't you come take a break?" Elenore was speaking in her gentlest voice. The voice she used when she was trying to get Magnolia to stop crying.

"Yeah," Shane nodded his head in agreement, liking where Elenore was trying to go, "Why don't you come sit down in the shade and take a break. And I'll tell you what—maybe in a little bit I'll come out here. I'll help you myself." Jim was ignoring Shane and Magnolia noticed that he was starting to dig faster, "Jim, just tell me what it's about. Why don't you just go ahead and give me that shovel?"

"Or what?" Jim asked. He was testing Shane. He was testing Shane's power.

"There is no 'or what'. I'm asking you. I'm coming to you and I'm asking you, please." Shane tried to explain, "I don't want to have to take it from you."

"And if I don't, then what?"

Never fight fire with fire, Magnolia suddenly remembered. Shane was the lightening embers and Jim was the quiet, raging fire.

"Then you're gonna beat my face in like Ed Peletier, aren't you?"

Magnolia felt her mother and Carol stiffen from behind her and could just blatantly see the groups attitude shift. Shane had beaten Ed? Magnolia thought and she tilted her head, when?". Feeling her mother give her shoulders a gently squeeze, she suddenly remembered what her mother had told her: Ed's not a nice man and if Magnolia had the chance, she should befriend Sophia because she was sure as heck that that girl didn't have an easy home life. Magnolia just thought that that meant Ed never spent time with his daughter and drank beer instead.

Elenore was aware that her daughter was confused. Magnolia was only twelve years old and lived a sheltered life. She didn't know the cruel things that Ed had done to wife and daughter, how he would beat them or how he controlled every aspect of their lives. And, as much as Elenore wanted to shield Magnolia from the cruelties of the world, she knew that times were different now; people were different. Magnolia's sheltered life had to come to end and Elenore had to prepare her for the future, whatever may come.

"Y'all seen his face, huh? What's left of it. See, now that's what happens when someone crosses you."

The embers were becoming a small flame.

"That was different, Jim."

"You weren't there." Amy said, defending Shane, "Ed was out of control. He was hurting his wife."

Elenore ignored Magnolia's confused gaze and made a mental note to talk to her about it tonight.

"That is their marriage. That is not his." The raging fire was growing and Carol pulled Sophia into a tight hug, "He is not Judge and Jury. Who voted you king boss, huh?"

Jim had a point, Magnolia thought as she stared at the angered man in front of her, Shane was never voted the leader. He somehow became the leader.

"Jim, I'm not here to argue with you, all right?" Shane spoke softly, trying to quell the small flame that had lit inside him, "Just give me the shovel, okay?"

"No, no, no." Jim protested shoving Shane away.

Everything that followed was a blur to Magnolia because as suddenly as Jim swung his shovel at Shane, he was on the ground, but Elenore saw everything like it was in slow motion. Shane quelled his embers while Jim let his fire rage to big. He couldn't control it anymore and as soon as he pushed Shane, Elenore had pulled Magnolia securely to her, shielding Magnolia's head with her arm. Shane quickly handcuffed Jim's hands, assuring him that everything was going to be okay. He started to speak but Magnolia couldn't hear him and based on the adults' reactions, she wasn't sure if she wanted too. All Magnolia knew was that whatever Jim had said led her mom to squeeze her tighter and had brought a look of panic on Lori's face.

~8~

Magnolia sat next to Carl as she completed her section of her workbook. Somehow, Glenn had found time to grab some math books for Carl, Sophia, and Magnolia to do. As much as Magnolia hated doing math, it was sort of nice to sit with Carl and Sophia with their moms next to them. She could almost imagine that it was a normal day and she was over at Carl's house… if she had known Carl before this.

"So, you're going to drag the three and then multiply," Her mom explained as she tried to help Magnolia with the particularly hard problem in front of her. It's not like Magnolia wasn't bad at math, she was pretty okay once she had an understanding of what she was doing but it was hard for her to focus with Jim sitting directly across from her tied to a tree.

Elenore seemed to sense he daughter's drifting gaze and tapped the paper in front of her, "You have to focus, Maggie. You want to be a neuroscientist, right?" Magnolia nodded her head, "Then you have to know your math."

As soon as she had managed to get Magnolia's attention, Jim spoke up, "Sorry if I scared your boy and your little girls."

Lori seemed to hesitate before answering, and when she did, her voice was hoarse, "You had sunstroke. Nobody's blaming you."

"You're not scared now, are ya?" Jim asked and Carl looked away, avoiding his eyes. Sophia said that she wasn't but he was able to tell that she still was based on the way her eyes refused to meet his. Magnolia surprised him, though. He saw the way she clung to her mother and expected for her to be like Carl and not meet his gaze, but instead she looked him in the eyes and shook her head before giving him a small smile.

The kids went back to their school work and Jim felt his eyes slightly water at the thought of his own kids that could've been sitting right next to them with his wife. Safe, away from walkers, and with people their own age that they could call friend.

"Your mama's right. Sun just cooked my head is all," Jim continued, desperate to talk to the children in front of him, but they just gave him a glance before looking back at their work. At least Magnolia offered him a small smile, but at her mother's sharp look she had quickly dropped her head down and went back to work.

"Your dad was in it." Magnolia looked at Jim, thinking that he was talking to her but realized that her dad wasn't with her and Carl's dad was the one out on the run, "You were worried about him. Can't remember the rest."

Magnolia went back to ignoring Jim as soon as he brought up Carl's dad. That was Carl's business. Not her's and certainly not Jim's. Magnolia tried to finish solving the problem that her mom showed her but couldn't seem to do it and nearly cried in relief when Shane asked them if they wanted to go clean fish.

"Sweet, come on, Lia." Carl exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair and ran to Shane. Magnolia grabbed Sophia's hand and gently pulled her from her set, dragging her towards Carl and Shane.

"Come on, Sophia! This is gonna be so cool."

"Stay with Carol, alright?" Lori asked and the kids gave her a nod before Shane led them towards the creek.

Elenore smiled lightly and began to close Magnolia's textbooks when Lori's voice caught her attention.

"I can't help but notice Magnolia's dislike in the word dad."

"Yeah," Elenore confirmed and looked at Lori, "Her dad decided to leave when the apocalypse happened. He didn't want us holding him back."

"He sounds like an ass." Lori said and watched as Elenore gave her a small smile.

"He is or was, but Maggie can't help but hope that he comes back and apologizes." Elenore blew a piece of her bangs out of her eyes, "But we both know he isn't."

Giving Lori one last smile, Elenore grabbed the textbooks and headed back to her RV. She needed to make sure that Magnolia was all right.

~8~

Magnolia smiled at Carl as she took a bite out of her fried fish. The group was having a big campfire and was eating some fried fish, which Magnolia loved. Morales had asked Dale about the watch he always carried with him and as Dale told the story, Magnolia smiled at her mom, who was sitting cross from her. Her mom looked happy and relaxed with her long hair down and the firelight causing it to shimmer a light brown color. Elenore's dark green eyes sparkled, a gleam, Magnolia noted, in them that had not been there since her dad had left.

A loud scream broke the peaceful silence and before she knew it, everyone around her was screaming and her head was spinning.

"Mom!" Magnolia cried and in an instant her mom's arms were wrapped around her shoulder. Elenore could feel Magnolia shaking and tightened her grasp. She was trying to be Magnolia's rock but it was hard when she didn't have a rock of her own.

"Lori, get him down!" Elenore heard Shane yell and she yanked her daughter down too. The shotgun echoed as Shane tried to shoot all the walkers that were heading towards them. People were screaming and Elenore didn't know what to do. Carol was pulling Sophia out of harm's way but the walkers were coming from every direction.

"Mom, I'm scared." Magnolia whimpered and Elenore shifted the two into a sitting position.

"I know, baby, but it's going to be okay." Elenore cooed, silently cursing herself. She had left her gun inside of their RV and at that moment, Elenore knew that that would be the last time she ever made that mistake.

Screams were coming from every direction and Magnolia saw blood spew, yes, spew, out of people's bodies after they had been bit. Magnolia almost threw up at the sight but she knew that she needed to be brave for her mom.

Elenore jumped when she felt a hand touch her arm and readily tried to protect Magnolia but relaxed once she saw it was Lori. Getting up, she kept Magnolia in front of her as Shane tried to lead them to a safer area.

"Come on. Come on, stay close." His voice was hard and harsh, but Elenore paid no heed to it, she just wanted her baby safe.

"Carol!" Lori cried and Elenore grabbed Carol's arm, pulling her into their little group.

"Come on, y'all!" Shane yelled and Elenore turned her head to see Morales hitting the walkers with a baseball bat, "Work your way up here!"

The group tried to stay as quiet and as hushed as they could, trying to protect their children. Elenore had never felt more like a mama bear in her life.

"Right in front of you. Shane!" Lori exclaimed and Shane shot at the walker, missing the head but hitting the arm.

Elenore gripped Magnolia tighter as more and more of the things surrounded them. She was ready to die for her daughter, but would her daughter make it out alive without her? Elenore had too many questions racing through her head. A loud crack came from her side and Elenore looked to see Morales in front of them, hitting the walkers with a bat.

"Stay behind me." Shane commanded and Elenore resisted an eyeroll, it's not like she was planning on going anywhere else, "Morales, work up here!"

They had nowhere to go and no one to help them. Shane was trying to protect them as he stood in front of them as they cowered next to one of the RV's. She was ready to say a little prayer when gun shots rang through the camp. Elenore nearly cried. Rick's group had come back.

"Dad!" Magnolia heard Carl cry and she was ready to cry too. She didn't want to die. The group of men quickly formed a semicircle around the women and children, looking left and right, ready to shoot. But there was no need to. The damage had already been done.

Andrea's sobs quickly filled the silences and Magnolia found herself staring at a blood covered Amy. A chunk was missing out of Amy's arm and neck and blood steadily seeped through the giant holes. Her lower lip wobbled and she turned, burying her face into her mom's shirt. Elenore could only hold Magnolia close and stroke her hair, trying to soothe the girl's tears.

Yes, Elenore wanted to prepare Magnolia for the world but this was certainly not how she wanted to do it.

JewelofthePhoenix: Your reviews made my day. Seriously, I was going to cry. Thank you so much and I'm so glad you like this story!

Thank you for reading this story and any review is appreciated.

See you soon,

Ana