A/N: The story is just beginning but I'm already thinking of a sequel. I need help. - A.A


It took four days of walking, trudging through the mud and muck of the post apocalyptic hell hole. Four days of dirt, grime and the stench of sweat that was probably permanently embedded in their clothing. It took four days but they eventually came to a nearby town. Unlike the previous town they came by, the one close to the barn, this one was not ransacked by walkers. And even though it wasn't overrun by them, there were still a large amount of walkers around and about, groaning and moaning for a helpless new meal to fall into their grasp or their mouths. The group split up into groups of 2 to check house by house and the surrounding stores for supplies. Abraham and Rosita were together and took one of the houses on the left. Sasha and Glenn went to another across the road. Daryl and Rick to a local grocery store, then Carl and Michonne to the house next to Abraham and Rosita, Tyreese and Tara to the house next to Sasha and Glenn and then finally Raelynn and Maggie to small locally owned hardware store. Eugene and newcomer Father Gabriel (who they met after crashing in a church in the woods on the second day of walking) stayed with baby Judith despite Rick being a little apprehensive on the idea.

Raelynn jogged next to Maggie in silence, holding onto her machete and continued to check in front of her back and forth in case of any walkers. They stopped in front of a hardware store and Maggie opened the door for her, careful to not activate the automatic bell. Raelynn stepped in and was greeted by silence.

"Check around," Maggie told her, "clear the area for walkers first."

"Right," she agreed. The two split up and she took one side and she the other. Raelynn clutched onto her blade, going straight to a utility closet near the back of the store. As she walked toward it, she noticed things on the floor. Scattered wrappers of protein bars, empty bottles of water. What struck her the most was the sleeping bed and various blankets around on the floor. Someone used to live here, she thought, or someone still did.

"Keep on your toes," she called out, "We may not be alone here." She heard Maggie call out in acknowledgement as she went to the closet. Taking the knob in her hand, she gripped and opened it quickly without a second thought. Out fell out a person, dead as roadkill on the highway. Raelynn didn't go any closer than where it already was as it lay by her feet. She nudged it with her foot, poking it in the rib. It was a fresh one, walker that is. The thing moaned to regenerated life as it moved toward her foot and tried to grabbed at it. It was a living person not too long ago, she figured. A few weeks. It still had flesh on it, there were no bones protruding from its body or gross decaying organs falling to the ground in a mush. This thing was once a person, she thought as she readied her machete, pointing the blade to the skull. But it wasn't anymore and Raelynn didn't feel remorse or pity. She plunged the blade into the skull and the walker stopped moving all at once.

"Are you alright?" she heard Maggie say to her. Raelynn heard her footsteps get closer to her, she turned around to see Maggie, out of breath from going to her aid.

"It's all good," Raelynn said, "It's clear over here." Maggie nodded and moved a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Over there too," she said breathlessly. She looked down at the walker by Raelynn's feet and nodded towards it, "You found her in the closet?" Raelynn nodded and nudged at it again before taking a few steps away from it.

"Not too old," Raelynn replied, "My guess is that it stayed here for a while until it was bit by one of those bastards."

"She."

"What?" Raelynn went to the blankets that she saw in the aisle as she was walking towards the closet in the first place. Shaking it, a flashlight and some snacks fell out of it.

"It was a woman before it turned, Rae. She stayed here, not 'it'." Raelynn went rigid and tense as she put the supplies she found in her rucksack. She stood up and pulled her bag onto her shoulder again.

"I don't think so, Maggie," she said, "To me, these walkers aren't people. Once they turn, it's a walker not a woman. It doesn't matter what it was before, what matters is now and now they're dangerous and you have to take them out so you don't turn out like one of those things," she explained. Maggie nodded and remained silent. For such a petty disagreement, she wasn't one for conflict. She liked that about her. The two continued to scavenge and picked up some supplies in the hardware store. They managed to scrape some water left in a bottle by the walker that once called that place home - be it permanent or temporary - as well as a hammer and a hunter's knife that was strapped to the walker's waist. After reviewing what they hauled from the store, the two stored what they could in their respective bags. Raelynn was folding one of the last blankets to fit into her bag as Maggie strapped on her bag to leave.

"Hey," Raelynn said, interrupting the silence that made the two anxious, "Don't call me that name again, okay?." Maggie remained silent for a moment but she looked at Raelynn.

"What? Rae? Why not? It's easier to say than Raelynn," Maggie reasoned and then chuckled lightly, "Does it remind you too much of Daryl?" Raelynn looked at her, confused with her head cocked to one side. What does that dickhead have to do with it? She didn't realize that she had said her thoughts out loud until Maggie chuckled again as the two began to walk back to the houses with each of their weapons at hand.

"You were at each other's throats the other day. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to be reminded of him right now."

"Calling me that has nothing to do with him," Raelynn said matter-of-factly.

"He called you that a few times. I think it's kind of sweet, actually. What's the thing with you two anyway? Are you two together or just foolin' around?" Raelynn remained silent for a few moments, stunned by what Maggie said to her. He called you that a few times. How could she let that slide by? Why didn't she notice? She searched her memories for some recollection of him calling her that dreaded nickname. At first nothing came to her, but then she remembered. Rae, wake up. You gotta wake up, sunshine. Wake up, Rae. The day of one of her worst nightmares, the day she caused the walkers to come at them, the day they had a large and meaningless argument. Why hadn't she noticed it before? That nickname was completely off limits.

It's what Bruce used to call her. He would only call her that whenever he was going to do something to her, only when he was beating her or threatening her or them, or worse. She hated herself more and more whenever he would call her that. A pet name that her family used to call her out of endearment was then used to ridicule her and regard her as a whore, a slave, a bitch. No one else called her that. No one called her Rae since she was little until she met Bruce. No one called her Rae since Bruce, until now with Daryl - the dickhead.

"There's nothing with me and him. Absolutely nothing," She answered Maggie finally. But one look at her and Raelynn knew that Maggie wasn't convinced, "I could ask you the same thing, you know. What's with you and that guy - Gary?" Maggie laughed a little harder as they reached the street where they were told to meet back up with the rest of the group.

"Glenn, Rae. He's my husband," she said.

"Whatever," she scoffed, "What did I just say about calling me that?" Raelynn said sharply, "It doesn't have anything to do with Daryl, okay? I just hate it." It was beginning to make her blood boil with every time the name came out. She didn't know how long she control the shakes it gave her, the chill down her spine as she remembered Bruce's sadistic smile when he called her that. Maggie shrugged and sighed.

"Sorry, just never saw Daryl get so worked up about someone before, at least someone that wasn't his asshole of a brother. I just thought he finally found someone else to care about." Then I know where he gets it from, Raelynn thought to herself. Apparently being a dick runs in the family. Raelynn looked at Maggie and ran a hand through her own hair as they walked down the street toward the house where she could see a few people of the group on the porch.

"I have a talent for doing that if you didn't notice already with the others. I get under their skin, it's nothing special," she paused and bite her bottom lip. Should she? It bothered her, she knew she should. Fuck it.

"And he does care about people, Maggie. He cares about all of you, every single one. He'll do anything for you all," Raelynn defended. As much of an asshole as he was, Daryl wasn't heartless. She could relate and decided that she had to defend him, not only for him but for her as well. They may act like cold people, Daryl and Raelynn, but she knew that he, like her, had some heart. As little as it may be, it was there and it wasn't for them. They didn't care about themselves anymore, they saved that piece of their remaining heart to hold others, "Just don't call me that, got it?" Maggie had a slight smirk across her face as she nodded.

"Loud and clear, Raelynn."

"Better," she muttered as they approached Tara with Eugene and the baby, Judith. Tara watched them come up to them and sighed. She held Judith as she stood on her lap, holding onto Judith's tiny arms playfully. Even though she played with the baby, the look on her face said something entirely different. Her eyes were sad, somber and slightly glazed over in thought. Tara smiled at them and Eugene sat next to her, his hands clasped in front of him as he looked the ground. Maggie and Raelynn came to a stop in front of the two, a look of confusion on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Maggie said, noticing the change in their behavior. Her heart began to race as she thought of the possibilities that could have taken place in the span of time that they were gone. Did something happen? Was Glenn okay? Was he bitten? Or was he already dead, ripped by the walkers in an attempt to save the others. All the thoughts that ran through her mind weren't good, but they were all possible and she knew that. Maggie looked toward Raelynn. She had no readable expression on her face except concentration as her brows furrowed close together. Raelynn, though, had just as many thoughts in her head. But she knew the look that they had what was wrong was written all over their faces.

Raelynn, without a word, left Maggie on the porch with Tara, a smiling Judith, and Eugene. She walked up the four steps and went inside the house. She didn't excuse herself, she didn't knock to tell the others of her presence, In this time, why were manners still imposed when people and rotting corpses were trying to kill you? To keep your humanity, she answered herself. But what's the point of being human in a world where there are little living humans left. There is no more room for morals and humility when they can barely scrape up a day's worth of food and a roof over their heads for more than a week. It never made sense to Raelynn.

As she walked into the house, she noticed the blood on the walls in the hallway leading to what she assumed was the living room. A handprint clear as day was smeared in blood. She followed the fresh blood along the hallway and looked forward to see the other members of the ground huddled in the corner, their backs turned to her. She couldn't see what they were looking at and with the blood trailing along the floor, she didn't know if she wanted to. It was quiet, deathly quiet. Then she heard the sobbing, wretched and violent sobbing from the huddled group. She suddenly didn't want to be there anymore. The sobs, the crying, she knew them all too well. Someone was dead; someone was killed. She knew that much without a shadow of a doubt even before walking into the house.

Raelynn turned to leave. She just came to give her condolences, that was the only reason she went inside but now, she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to see the body of whoever it is - whoever it was. It would hurt her too much, even if she didn't know this group all too well. It's been too long since she's seen someone die before her eyes or see people cry over someone that was past saving. She turned to leave, she had to leave. She would have if it wasn't for the person that was then in front of her, causing her to bump into their chest. Daryl.

He looked down at her and she looked up at him, her eyes narrowing. If he was close with the other members of the group, this death didn't seem to faze him, she thought. He was completely stoic as he looked at her. She looked away, keeping her gaze ahead leading toward the front door of the house, avoiding his hypnotic blue eyes. She was going to be angry all over again if she looked at him and his smug face, she convinced herself. She could have left still. Push right past him and leave that house. But, her legs didn't move. Instead she leaned against the wall that was clear of blood, and kept her eyes forward. Daryl didn't move either. She could smell his scent of cigarettes, motor oil and sweat. A manly combination that didn't repulse her in the least bit. Oddly enough, it distracted her from the deep metallic smell of blood that permeated through the house. It calmed her, because the smell and sight of blood brought back memories as well and his scent and presence seemed to counteract the distress. Daryl was a conflicting person for Raelynn. The sight of him made her both angry and calm all at once in that moment. But now wasn't the time for anger and so only the calmness remained.

"Who was it?" she heard herself ask him in a small whisper. He glanced at her, adjusting the crossbow on his shoulder and then looked at the rest of the group. He felt a pang in his chest as the sobbing continued but he didn't show it. He felt sorry, but sorry wasn't going to change anything. They had to move forward. Just like he had to move forward and check on the others, but Raelynn was another obstacle. A silly, stubborn, and reckless obstacle but an obstacle nonetheless for him. He didn't know whether to still be angry at Raelynn or not. He could leave her in that hallway, walk away and be with Rick and the others or outside with Judith. But not only would his legs not move as long as she was in front of him, so close that he noticed a small pendant hanging from her neck but also the crying reminded him that he could be angry later - if he was still angry, that is - , now wasn't the time and he knew that she knew that as well. They didn't have to like each other, or respect each other. They just had to respect the others around them in this time, this time of mourning for someone lost.

"Tyreese," he answered in a lower and gruff baritone voice. It was only then that Raelynn focused on the crying and low whimpering, despite the chill through her spine from his deep voice that was just like Bruce's. The crying was from Sasha. Raelynn didn't dare look back to see, but she knew exactly what Sasha was doing. She was curled up against Tyreese's body, despite the blood and the cold of his body. She was crying as she held onto him, focusing on his face if it was untouched by walkers, trying to wake him up because he might have just passed out. She was whimpering his name, asking him not to go. She was probably covered in his blood, trying to stop the blood even if she knew nothing was going to stop it. Raelynn didn't have to look back to know that. Anyone would do that for a sibling. Sasha was no different than anyone else in this hardened world or in a 'normal' society. She just lost her dear brother. She was in mourning.