Whew! Finally able to put up another chapter. End of the semester is coming near and I don't have as much time as I'd want to write. But come mid May I'll be free! Yay! And then I'll be able to write more regularly.

I'll try to get started on the next chapter this week; still working out what all will happen in the coming couple chapters.

It took Daryl no time at all to walk the farm and soon he rejoined Alana atop the RV. She was curled up in her chair. They spent the rest of their watch in silence. When it was time Alana climbed down first and went to wake Glenn and then Maggie. They had the next watch. Alana paused for a moment after reaching the ground. Daryl had come down before her and was already trekking back to his tent. They still hadn't taken it down and brought it back to the rest of the group. Seemed like now there wasn't much time to do what one felt like doing; having freetime meant something wasn't getting done. Both Maggie and Glenn could tell that something had happened between Alana and Daryl. Before either could say anything to Alana she smiled at them and then walked off to the house.

Wilhelm was fast asleep in the room. Alana was thankful that when her brother slept he didn't sprawl out and take up the entire bed. He was practically clinging to the side of the bed, as if ready to slip right out and into action. Even in his sleep he was preparing, planning for what came next.

It took her longer than usual to fall asleep. At one point in the night she rose and went to the window, peeking out from behind the curtains. It was faint, more than faint, but she could just make out a speck of light coming from what could only be Daryl's tent. She wondered if he had been awake all this time or if he had just left it on. She questioned if she should go out there and what it would take to mend whatever it was that she had apparently broken. Broken by remaining silent. Alana still couldn't figure out what there was between them, couldn't put a proper definition on it. There was a part of her that even thought there was no term for them. Was there really a 'them' to begin with? She quickly became lost in her thoughts, wondering what it was that went through Daryl's head. Wondered what went through her own head. There was a strange calmness that came about her when she was around him, different than what she felt when near her brother. She knew for certain that it would be a lie if she said Daryl was like a second brother to her. When she was with him, Alana didn't bother to question what they were; she saw no need for it. But when they were apart, she couldn't keep her head from spinning into madness over 'them.'

She grew tired then and retreated back to the bed, Wilhelm still clutching to his side. There would not be much time in the morning before the group would leave to head into the town and clear it out. Alana decided that she would speak with Daryl afterwards, in the hopes of learning where they stood with one another.

And she was wise to wait till after their return to speak with him for she woke late and Wilhelm had not bothered to rouse her. He had at least woken her in time to eat breakfast before it had a chance to get cold; T-Dog had made scrambled eggs with diced potatoes mixed in it along with some onion. Alana sat with Dale while Wilhelm sat with those who would be going out that day into town. They were discussing the finer points of their plan.

A full sweep would be made of the town. Daryl and Jimmy would be stationed atop roofs at opposite sides near the main road through. The cars would be parked in the middle, just outside of the pharmacy. Wilhelm and Glenn would make trips into the buildings and to the car while T-Dog stood watch outside, just in case any walkers came through the alleys that Daryl or Jimmy couldn't see. They would be taking Hershel's suburban; it was the biggest vehicle available; hopefully it wouldn't take many trips to finish the task. Jimmy and Daryl would be taking the old station wagon.

Alana and Andrea had first patrol for the day; they had decided to wait on it until after seeing the men off. The men were wished the best of luck, told to return as soon as possible. The group was tense, wary of what, of who, the men might run into. To the best of their ability, the group tried to cover up those worries, to see this as just another run into town. If they willed it to be just another run, then perhaps that would be enough to keep them safe. It wouldn't, but it was something small to give them comfort if only for a moment.

The men were given enough supplies to last for three days if something went wrong and couldn't return immediately to the farm. If a group of walkers came through that was too large for them to handle they'd be forced to lead them away from the farm and then take the right moment to swing around and return. T-Dog and Jimmy hopped behind the wheels of the two cars while Glenn took to the backseat of the former's. Wilhelm walked around the back of the suburban and pulled Alana into his chest, squeezing her shoulder.

"I'll be back in no time. Keep an eye on everyone, yeah?"

Alana nodded. Wilhelm kissed her forehead and then headed to the passenger seat.

Alana looked around to see Daryl heading towards the station wagon. He had his crossbow slung over his shoulder and the tube of arrows slung over the other. She wasn't sure what sort of look was on her face, one of regret? A want, a need, to say something? Whatever it was, it slowed Daryl down as he came up to her. He had intended to keep walking towards the station wagon, but that look made him slow his step and stop before her.

"You come back, yeah?" she told him, her hands in her back pockets. Daryl squinted in the sunlight. He could see the uncertainness in the way she stood. She looked the same as she had that day in the bathroom when she hugged him. His body was preparing to tense, fearing that she would hug him once more, and this time in front of the others. But the hug never came.

"Thought, maybe, when you get back we could have a talk?" Daryl looked around to see that no one was paying them any attention and so he nodded to her question. Alana smiled slightly. "Just make sure you come back to me, yeah?"

To me. The words hung in the air and Daryl breathed them in; he could feel as they clung to his insides before settling heavily in his chest.

Alana stepped aside to let him pass and as he did she reached out, rubbing the middle of his back with a strength that stayed with him. As the cars drove off Alana could see him peering out the side mirror, looking back at her. She raised her hand with frailness and waved.

When Alana could no longer see his eyes looking back at her she headed back into the house to grab her rifle, machete, and binoculars. Andrea was sitting out on the porch when she came back out.

"Ready?" Andrea asked excitedly; she was glad to finally be given a larger, more important role in the group. At first she wasn't fully pleased that her partner for patrol was Alana. Since the incident with her shooting Daryl her relationship with Alana hadn't been the same. And then the barn…both she and Wilhelm had made it clear they disapproved of it.

Andrea showed Alana a pack slung across her shoulder with water inside. Alana smiled and took one of the offered bottles. She took a sip as they headed down the steps. Andrea was relieved by this; her initial worry was that Alana would give her the cold eye. She had thought of apologizing, trying to set things right between the two of them. But the way that Alana responded to her, she felt that there was no need to; that it was in the past now.

The two of them talked here and there during their walk, stopping occasionally to look around, peek in to the woods with the binoculars.

"How long were you a sniper in the army?" Andrea asked Alana, staring with admiration towards her rifle.

"Oh, four years? Yes, four I think. Likely just under, I had to go through specialty training for it and so that took up some time."

"But you started out as a doctor?"

"Well yes, I'm not sure that would be the proper term, more of a nurse I suppose. I never did major surgeries, I assisted in them, but never led them."

Andrea smiled. "But I'm sure you could do an amputation if needed," she joked. Alana laughed and bobbed her head from side to side. She said that she likely could. She had assisted in many of those. Albeit the environment was much different now.

The two women had rounded the back side of the farm and were now covering the front. Alana saw that Andrea was watching Shane, who was sitting atop the RV. "I don't understand why they didn't take him with them," she said.

"Well, we still need some muscle back here," Alana suggested. "And he is a bit of a wild one, never can be sure what he might do."

"He's just trying to protect the group."

Alana said nothing. During her many sittings with Dale atop the RV the two had spoken at length about Shane. And Andrea. Dale was worried that she had developed a poor attachment to Shane and that it was blinding her to certain aspects of his character. Alana agreed with him, but also said that there was very little to be done about it. To confront Andrea about Shane would only push her further away.

"I'm happy you and Wilhelm came back," Andrea told her, changing the subject.

"It's for the best right now."

"You know, I have to admit, the group has never been this organized. With the patrols, looking for supplies."

"It keeps everyone busy," Alana said. "Keeps us on our toes."

Andrea laughed, a line of irony cutting through it. "Well not all of us."

She was referring to Carol and Lori. Alana had to admit that she too took issue over Carol and Lori not taking on some sort of role that required them to lift their own weight. After a while washing clothes and preparing food became transparent and one could see through to what the two women were. Burdens. And in this world the wise chose not to become burdens.

Alana thought on the comment. "…I don't think I'd feel much safe with those two," she quipped. "Has Carol even ever shot a gun?" She laughed as Andrea shook her head and bit back a large grin.

"I bet right now they're fussing over what sides to make with dinner tonight," Andrea mused. The two of them laughed like young girls at play.

When they returned to the camp Andrea made wicked eyes at Alana, jerking them suddenly over to Lori and Carol who were washing clothes. The two hid wide smiles behind their hands and masked laughs with coughing.

Later in the day Alana rejoined with Andrea and drove around the further edges of the farm, both becoming itchy remaining idle on the farm. When they left Shane was still atop the RV. Dale had come by to take over the watch, but Shane had just shooed him off. It seemed that he wasn't too happy about being left behind while the others went into town. Alana didn't doubt that the only thing keeping him from throwing a full on tantrum was that Rick had stayed behind as well.

On the outskirts of the farm Alana and Andrea came across three walkers. They were stuck in the fencing. Alana stopped the car some five hundred feet away from the walkers. She got out and handed her rifle over to Andrea.

Without saying a word Andrea eagerly took it. Alana stood back and watched. She gave insight where it was needed, but allowed Andrea her space. She smiled at the ecstatic grin on Andrea's face when she nailed the first walker in the head. The second and third followed suit.

"We better let Hershel know that fence needs some repairs," Alana told her as they headed over to look at the walkers. Decomposition had set in heavily on all three; perhaps they had been bitten early on. "Didn't put up much of a fight, did they?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Alana said, pushing one of the bodies over, "they saw us, but they didn't put much effort into getting to us. Looking right at us, but…it was like they, I don't know. Like they didn't have the energy to come after us." Just then the chest cavity of the second walker caved in. The two women stepped back, covering their mouths and noses.

"These things are rotting," Alana told Andrea. "May be taking them longer than what's normal, but they're rotting. Bet this heat hasn't been helping either."

"Maybe all we gotta do really is wait this whole thing out. They all gotta rot away at some point right?" Alana remained silent. "What?"

"Winter is coming."

"And?"

Alana sighed. "The cold may slow the walkers down, but the snow is going to hide them. Come on, let's head back."

Andrea followed Alana back to the car. When they got back to the farm Andrea went to find Hershel and let him know about the fence.

It was just around lunchtime when the men returned to the farm from their first run into town. Glenn said they only came across four walkers. The cars were completely loaded with supplies. When the back of the suburban was opened the group couldn't help but snicker at all the liquor bottles. Behind the bottles were bags filled with the remaining medications from the pharmacy. Hershel called Alana over and said he would need her help going through all the bottles and sorting them. Rick said all the liquor would be placed in Hershel's house for the time being. He had spoken it over with him earlier and the older man agreed that in his house was the best place; Rick had felt that there was no need to worry over it. In the second car was practically the rest of the pharmacy; anything that hadn't been taken yet was in the car. Everything was taken out and laid on the porch; the group picked over the items and took whatever they needed.

Once the cars were emptied the men left without saying much. Alana turned around to see Wilhelm and Daryl getting back in to the cars while she stood on the porch, holding a couple bags of medications. Daryl caught her eye and nodded towards her. She nodded back, then headed into the house after Hershel. They dumped the bags of medications on the dining table and began sorting through them. When they were halfway through the mounds of bottles Rick came in and took a seat at the table with them. From the look on his face Alana could tell he was about to run an idea past them.

And she was right. Rick asked Hershel about the nearby towns. The larger ones. He was wanting to know of any stores. But Hershel only shook his head.

"There's a Wal-Mart some ways off, but a store that big, that well known in the area. Doubt there's much left over by now. And I doubt it'd be easy walking in and out of that place," Hershel told him.

Rick hung his head. "That's what I thought you would say."

"In order to go there, we'd have to take a large number of us and that would leave the farm vulnerable," Alana said. "Our best bet right now is heading back to those neighborhoods and go through the houses one by one. We can head back to that one that Shane and Andrea had gone to. If we set it up just right, we won't have anything to worry about." Alana picked three bottles and set them up on the table. "We place one car at the entrance of the neighborhood on watch. Another car moves along checking the houses. And when the car starts getting further in, we set up a third car as a midpoint."

"We still have those walkies. We could use those to keep contact," added Rick. He was thinking the plan over and agreeing that it was the best plan they had. "Alright then. Once the others get back we'll run it by them."

"You plan on heading out there tomorrow?" Hershel asked.

Rick shook his head. "Likely that the ones that went today will want to go on this one as well. Tomorrow everyone will stay on the farm. Then we'll head out the next day. If you don't mind Alana, I'd like you and Wilhelm to head out first, ahead of the rest of us. Take a look at things. If Randall's group is holding up in those houses we'll be wide open." Alana nodded. "And since Shane and Andrea have already been there, one of them should come with us. They'll be able to tell us if anything looks out of place, if there's any cars that shouldn't be there." Alana's nod wasn't as confident this time around. "We'll figure out who all will go after the others get back." With that Rick stood up and left.

Alana spoke to Hershel while sorting the bottles of medications. "We'll take Shane with us. He'll be easier to handle out there than if we left him here." Hershel agreed. "How's our houseguest doing?" she asked him in reference to Randall.

"Oh, he makes the same pleas every time I head in there. Wound's not as bad as I thought it would be. Reckon we'll be able to let him go pretty soon, perhaps in another week."

"Can't say I'll be sad to see him go."

Alana helped Hershel store all the alcohol in the house. A majority of it was put in the kitchen while the rest was stuffed in drawers and cabinets. The medications were placed into different bags and labeled then stored away. When all that was done Alana left the house, standing on the porch, unsure of what to do next. She pulled out her pocketknife and turned it over in her hand. Looking out towards Daryl's tent she got an idea.

When Shane looked out over the farm with the binoculars he could see her sitting against the stonewall, Daryl's tent just to her right. Looked like she had a twig in her hands and she was running the knife's blade over it. She routinely picked up one that Daryl had already finished, comparing hers to it. When she finished her crude arrow Alana picked up another twig and started the process all over.

Alana wasn't sure how much time had gone by when she looked up to see Rick walking her way. She kept her head down, focusing on her current arrow. When his shadow came over her Alana finally stopped and looked back up at Rick. Just by the way he sighed and crouched down in front her Alana knew she didn't want to hear whatever it was that he had to say.

"Didn't want to tell anyone, knew it would get them panicking. But I gave Wilhelm a walkie. Told him to turn it on at every hour to check in. That way, if something happened we would know right away and could make a decision, whether to send someone out or not."

Alana twisted the end of the arrow into the dirt. Glancing at her watch she saw that it was past 4PM.

"Wilhelm didn't turn the radio on?" she asked, though it came out as more of a statement.

Rick shook his head. "No, he radioed. Said they ran into some trouble. Walkers. He didn't say how many, but I'm guessing it was more than they could handle. I don't know where they're holing up, if they're still in the town or if they've driven off, try to lure the walkers away from here. Now I haven't told anyone else except Shane. He thinks we should stay here and wait it out. If they're not back by tomorrow then we'll head out and look for them. I need to know what you think."

Rick tried to make out the emotions running over Alana's face, but there were none. There was a flicker of something when he had first begun speaking, but then it was like a wall crashing down over her, separating her from his words.

"We'll tell the others. We keep turning the walkie on every hour. If need be, no one will sleep tonight. With a bulk of our strength gone we'll all have to sleep with one eye open. And if the others aren't back by morning…" Alana began thinking. Who would she take with her? It would be foolish to send more than two people out to look for the others. It was foolish enough sending just one.

"…Shane and I will go looking for them."