"Hello. Hello. Can anybody hear my voice? Anybody out there? Anybody hear me, please respond. Hello, can you hear my voice?" Dale ceased picking the chips of paint off of the lawn seat he was settled in. "Hello. Hello. Can anybody hear my voice?" the walkie talkie blared again.

Amy, a few feet away, dropped an arm load of fire wood and rushed to his side. "Hey. Hello?" she cried through the radio.

"Can you hear my voice?" Dale scooted to the front of his seat. Someone was out there.

"Yes, I can hear you. You're coming through. Over," Amy's bottom lip twitched while casting a glance at the older man.

"If anybody reads please respond," the voice pleaded. "Broadcasting on emergency channel. Will be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85. If anybody reads, please respond."

"We're just outside the city," she tried again. "He can't hear us,"

Dale's hands snatched the radio. The thing had almost broken on them twice, he wasn't about to let their only chance of surviving or saving someone else fade. "Wait up," the girl said following him. "Where are you going?"

"We need a clearer signal," he reached his RV in no time. "Here hold this now, when I get up there toss it to me," Amy nodded. Dale climbed as fast as his aging body could take him to the very top. Once he was up Amy tossed the radio then started after.

"What's going on?" Shane, at the top, wandered over to the two with his hands placed cupping his hips.

"We got someone and they may be close by," Shane yanked the handheld mike without hesitation. "Hello, hello. Is the person who called still on the air? This is Officer Shane Walsh broadcasting to person unknown. Please respond." Amy sighed. The only thing on the other end was complete static. Things were all starting to become too predictable. A voice would come over every once in a while, they'd respond with hope but would receive nothing. It didn't feel like what it once felt; now it just made everyone in the camp more depressed.

"He's gone," Shane clipped the cord back to the radio's side.

"There are others not just us," Lori shielded her eyes to look up at three disappointed faces. Her son stood beside her with a bucket in his small fingers.

"We knew there would be, right? That's why we left the C.B. on." Dale added while maneuvering towards the ladder.

"A lot of good it's been doing," Amy mumbled behind him. Her blonde hair fell over her face as she jumped half way down.

"And I've been saying for a week we ought to put signs up on 85 to warn people away from the city." Lori reminded with her gaze focused on the distant skyscrapers.

"Folks got no idea what they're getting into." Amy began collecting the firewood she dropped from her excitement.

"Well, we haven't had time," All three of them looked up to Shane's built figure. He pressed his fingers through his thick hair before taking his position seated with a rifle at hand.

"I think we need to make time," Lori induced. Her hand rested on the young boy's shoulder.

"Yeah that – That's a luxury we can't afford. We are surviving here. We are day to day."

She rolled her eyes.

"And who the hell do you propose we send?" Dale cut in.

"I'll go, give me a car,"

Shane shook his head towards the women. "Nobody goes anywhere alone, you know that,"

"Yes, sir." She piped with the boy following after. Shane almost threw his rifle down to catch up to her heading towards camp.

Dale raised his eyebrows at the two.

"What, are you pissed at me?" Shane lowered his voice as he caught up.

As far as everyone knew, they just happened to know each other. Her husband worked with Shane and that was all. None of them noticed the kisses they would steal late at night, or the glances they would exchange, because Lori was married to Rick Grimes. And whether or not she didn't know if Rick was alive he was still out there. Somewhere.
Shane on the other hand was convinced he didn't survive. There was no possible way. There were to many of the dead.

Lori continued to ignore him making her way in to her tent but Shane went in with her. "You can be pissed at me all you want. It's not gonna change anything," Lori spun around placing her hands on her hips. "I'm not putting you in danger, okay? I'm not doing it for anything. That make you feel like sometimes you want to slap me upside the head – Tell you what, girl– you feel that need, you go right ahead. I'm right here. Go on,"

Lori sighed heavily.

"You do it for him. That boy's been through too much and he's not losing his mother too, okay? Okay?" He was right. Carl had been through enough horror to last him for a lifetime. Although, a part of her still wanted to go out and help others. To find more people, if she was lucky she was hoping Rick would be one of them. She couldn't raise him alone.

"I'm a good mom," she whispered.

"Now tell me 'okay'," he begged.

She nodded. A low chuckle fell out of his mouth. He moved closer to Lori. Shane checked out the tent windows to see if anyone was about. Lori pushed her forehead against his sweaty one. She didn't want be alone. Before she knew it her lips were crashing into his, hungrily. Shane grabbed her face guiding her carefully.

"Mom," Lori pressed her palm to her forehead as he broke the kiss, hurrying out the opening.

Carl couldn't see her like this. Not while he believed Rick was coming for them.

"What's up bud? She's in there. Go on." Shane patted the boy's shoulder.

Her son's worried eyes fell onto hers.

Lori had to move on, she had to be strong now. Rick wasn't here. "Hey, I don't want you to worry. Your mama's not going anywhere, okay? Yeah?"

Carl grinned with his small arms open for a hug. "Go finish your chores," she kissed his cheek

"Okay,"