Don't hate me for this chapter, I promise I'll make it up to you. Please review!
They moved further in so they could talk without being over heard, leaving Beth to watch over the new people.
"Do we really think we can trust them?" Glen asked, looking back at them, Carl liked the idea of having some more people around his age.
"Well they did live here first, we can't just kill them because we don't know them and they have something we want." Kiry said look between the group, some of them nodded or hung there heads, Merle just scoffed, but stayed quiet, which she'd expected.
"She's right this was their home, we'll release them, and have the kids watch them and we'll all keep an eye on them, if they're gonna make trouble they'll do it with the kids. They'll never expect them to be so capable, I'd send you with, but I hear you already tipped your hand." Rick chuckled, Carol blushed pushing closer to Daryl, who gladly held her there.
"It's a good plan, but I ain't too keen on puttin 'Phia in danger." Daryl told him, Sophia rolled her eyes knowing that saying anything would just make the grown ups gang up on her.
"I don't like putting Carl in danger either, but it's our best chance to see their true colors, they don't have any weapons, and we'll keep eyes on them." Rick told him, Daryl huffed his mind warring over whether he wanted to keep holding Carol or cross his arms.
"I was okay with that part." Daryl mumbled, carol had to bite back a laugh, it was cute seeing him be over protective with Sophia. Merle thought it was a stupid plan, the firecracker shouldn't get stuck with the shit job. She could... fuck it up or something, ya that was a good reason, he was not worried about her.
"And what if they're fuckin right, and they can take 'em, not to mention they ain't gonna make a move inside these fuckin walls, they'd never get anywhere." Merle poked holes in their plan, and at this Sophia scoffed.
"Fuck you Merle, I could take those two blindfolded!" Sophia barked, cringing when Carol shot her a glare and Kiry smacked her in the back of the head. She hadn't meant to swear, but it was true, she just wished people had faith in her.
"She's right, Merle don't be a dick, but just so the dimmer Dixon feels better I'll go with them and we'll take them for some more of the supplies." Kiry told them since she was the most capable, while still looking vulnerable.
"What are you gonna do toss your guts on their shoes?" Merle asked since now he was offended and worried, Kiry punched him in the chest.
"Fuck you Merle, unless they're gonna be fryin up a fuckin stake I'll be just fine." Kiry told him, Carol sighed, it was a miracle Sophia even knew how to express herself without swearing.
"Wow, no need to fight, we trust you Kiry, let's go let them up." Rick told her heading for the two of them, Sophia stopped in front of Merle.
"We'll keep her safe uncle Merle, you should really trust us, and a... Sorry I sweared at you." Sophia said looking over at her mom who nodded her approval. Merle chuckled ruffling her hair, which had Sophia swatting his hand away.
"We would like to let you stay here, you were here first and it's your home, and we can always use more hand, but first I have three questions, and I'll set down the rules. If you want to leave we'll give you food, and weapons and set you on your way, but if you betray our trust, if even one of my people bleeds for your actions I'll kill you. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to." Rick told them, Brittany rolled her eyes, Rick could see she thought this was bluster, he'd have to be sure to drive it home for her.
"Crack on man, we're no chancers, we just wanna play nice. I haven't talked to any one but this eejit in a donkey's year." Liam told him, Rick nodded going over to Brittany.
"How many walkers have you killed?" Rick asked crouching down in front of her, she met his eyes giving him a look that said she clearly had no idea what he was saying.
"The fuck's a walker?" She asked, rick pointed to the gate.
"One a those dead things, how many have you killed?" Rick asked again, she sighed looking the group over.
"None, only the people who left this hell hole had to kill them." She answered reluctantly, he nodded wishing they all could have been so lucky.
"How many people have you killed?" He asked, she visibly cringed her eyes shooting over to what he thought was the mess hall.
"Just one." She whispered not meeting his eyes this time, at least she seemed to feel guilty about it, that was something.
"Why?" He asked plainly, she shied away from him as if he'd struck her, then took a deep breath meeting his eyes head up high.
"Because no matter what this fuck satin says, I ain't a whore, and no one touches me unless I let 'em." She told him he nodded getting to his feet and going over to Liam, he could understand her reasons, as far as he was concerned she could stay.
"How many walkers have you killed?" He asked crouching in front of Liam, his expression of confidence had been replaced with one of introspection.
"Um, just... just one." He said shaking off whatever memory had clouded his eyes, Rick frowned watching his mask of confidence fall back into place.
"How many people have you killed?" Rick asked next just like before, Liam smiled but Rick could tell it didn't reach his eyes.
"None, never had to resort to that." Liam told him, Rick nodded thinking for a moment before he asked his final question.
"Who was the walker?" He asked since his other question had no purpose now, Liam closed his eyes against the pain of a memory, but his expression held.
"My twin sister Caoilainn." He answered in a flat tone, Rick nodded getting back to his feet, they had all seen something tragic, so much so that Liam's story didn't even shock him.
"We're gonna let ya up now, and you can help bring in the last of our supplies, we all pull are weight here, Kiry will tell you the rules on the walk." Rick told them pulling out his knife to cut them lose.
"Oh thank Jesus." Liam said getting up and rubbing his shoulder before Rick had even had a chance to move. They all looked a little shocked for a moment.
"Um, maybe next time wait until you're let out kid." Glen told him slapping the kid on the shoulder, he at least had the good sense to look sheepish while Rick cut Brittany lose.
"So who's this Kiry chick?" Brittany asked getting up and rubbing her wrists, Kiry grabbed Merle's hand giving it a quick squeeze before she went forward. Merle growled quietly, he fucking hated this plan.
"That would be me, let's get this done." Kiry said pulling two of the knives she'd picked up on the way out of her bag and holding them out to them. Brittany took the bigger one, and Sophia and Carl went to the gate. Carol and Daryl closed the gate behind them offering Sophia and Kiry a nod. She didn't like this plan, but those kid didn't look too bad, and she knew any one of them could take them.
"Might as well get this out a the way, like Rick said we all pull are weight, you don't help out you don't eat, we all need to be able to protect ourselves. No one leaves without telling someone where they're headed, we always have some one on watch. If you're on watch you best stay vigilant, when we're out here, you stay in close, you aim for the head, and you stay quiet. No guns if you have any choice, don't put anyone at risk don't waste anything and never leave a door unlocked." Kiry told them, there were no walkers at the gate so they were making good time.
"So what's your name doll?" Liam asked after a few minutes at least having the good sense to say it quietly. Sophia looked over at him sceptically, he was cute, tall with scruffy dark brown hair that had a bit a red in it, and bright green eyes. He was still a bit gangly, but she could tell he would be wiry once he filled out a little bit.
"Sophia." She answered, a cocky smirk spread across his face, it was an endearing crooked smile, but he seemed like the kind of guy who was sweet on everyone, so she would try and take the things he said with a grain of salt.
"Sophia? Beautiful, and wise good combination doll, I'm Liam MacTier." He told her offering her his hand, she took it with a shy smile, she really wasn't very good at this whole meeting new people thing. She decided to just stay quiet.
"I'm Carl." Carl offered his hand to Brittany, she looked him over for a second then laughed.
"Ya keep it in your pants cowboy." She said with a smile and a wink, Carl blushed, sure she was cute, blond hair blue eyes big boobs, but mostly he just didn't like the way Sophia looked at Liam.
"I just, I didn't get your name." He said trying not to look up from his crossbow, she watched him for a second before answering.
"Brittany Shaffer, you can call me Britta if ya ain't to shy." She told him, he smiled going back to what he was supposed to be doing. They walked in relative silence after that, Liam seemed to get how to take down a walker, but Carl had to shoot one over Britta's shoulder when she missed its head. They killed all the walkers on the way to the cars.
"So what kind a shit are we grabbin?" Britta asked, Liam beat Sophia to the tail gate opening it for her. Carl Glared at him, he would have to talk to Sophia when they got back, he stupid not to talk to her sooner, ugh being a teenager was hard.
"We'll leave some of the food that'll keep better here, one ranged weapon, and a knife. The rest of it goes" Kiry told them, Britta rolled her eyes opening the cab and stuffing some of the things into the bag Kiry had given each of them.
"So where do you guys sleep, 'cause Dad'll probably want to organize every thing?" Carl asked zipping his bag back up.
"We pretty much caught kip wherever we fell down." Liam told them, pulling a compound bow out and shouldering it, Kiry made sure he didn't get any arrows with it, she didn't think he could shoot, but why tempt fate.
Merle found himself a ladder and too watch sitting on the wall while Rick and the rest of the group went through the place to see how they were going to set it up, and to scrounge up whatever they could find. The cafeteria was pretty well stocked yet, everything was in bulk, but there was enough to feed them for months.
"We finally hit a bit a good luck." Rick said more to himself then anything, Beth smiled holding Judith in one arm while she rifled through the cabinets with the other.
"There's a lot of powdered milk in here too." Beth told him, a real smile gracing her features for the first time in a long time. She knew she wasn't very good at surviving, but she did help, she kept people fed with Carol, and took care of Judith, and help with the medical stuff, but she was glad they had a safe place, someplace where her helping out was useful and not just a burden.
"The soil's good we can plant fields in the back by that track." Hershel added, Rick looked over at Michone who was looking out the dirty window. He went over towards her nudging her with his shoulder lightly. She looked over at him with a weak smile.
"Looks safe enough, as long as the governor doesn't follow us here." Michone said, her hand going to her eye absently, Rick reached over stopping her hand.
"We'll never have to see that sicko again." Rick told her, she knew he was trying to reassure her, but she wanted to see him again, she wanted to see the life leave his one good eye.
"We can hope." She mumbled, she didn't think Rick would like what she really had to say, and she hadn't missed how his hand lingered on hers.
"Come on, let's figure out the housing, before Carl can come back and bicker about it." Rick told her, they went through the buildings, there were lots of buildings with the potential to be homes, the only kitchen was in the cafeteria, and the only bathrooms were a restroom that had a manual pump, but it would work perfectly.
He ended up giving all five kids one of the larger bunk houses, Merle and Kiry the one furthest from everything, because they were not as quiet as they thought they were, Daryl and Carol got the one by the kids, Maggie and Glen got the one opposite the clinic, Rick and Michone decided together that would split the one by the gate since there were more than enough beds, and Hershel got the one closest to the kitchen, that was attached to the little clinic.
Maggie, and Beth started happily putting together a proper meal, while the others moved there supplies into there new houses, it was nice to see everyone looking happy. Rick started going through the seeds for planting until he heard Merle leap down off the wall. He hurried to the gate throwing it open, Kiry and the kids came through with the supplies while Kiry walked his bike in. Carol came over to greet them with Roy perched on her shoulder.
"Um, Mom what's on your shoulder?" Sophia asked dropping her bag while Merle shut the gate, Carol scratched behind little Roy's ears pulling him off her shoulder.
"This is Roy, we found him here." Carol told her letting Sophia take him, he purred curling up in her arms while she pet him.
"Are we keepin him?" She asked, Carol smiled, it was nice to see Sophia enjoy something as innocent as having her first pet.
"Of coarse we are sweety, do you two have a place that you usually sleep?" Carol asked the two new kids, they shook their heads.
"Well you're all in the big bunk house, and I ain't fuckin kidding you best not start any shit just 'cause ya ain't got any a us stayin in there." Daryl directed mostly at Carl, who held his hands up placatingly towards him.
"Come on, I'll show ya how we set it up." Beth said with a sweet smile, they all moved to follow her, but as soon as they were out of sight of Daryl Carl took a hold of Sophia's hand pulling her into what must have been a supply building.
"Hey, can we talk?" Carl asked, she looked a little shocked, giving the room they were in a once over to be sure they were safe.
"Ya, what's up Grimmes?" She asked giving his hand a squeeze, he looked down at there joined hands with a smile.
"I just, the way that guy was lookin at ya today... He was hitting on you." Carl mumbled rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb nervously.
"Ya, so... Did you see him, he probably hits on everything with tits?" She asked, with a chuckle, Carl nodded dropping her hand so he could take his hat off and sooth his hair back.
"Ya I just... I mean we never really said... we're not technically dating and I just..." He started, but before he could ask what she wanted, what they were, Sophia cut him off.
"Wait, we're not technically dating, what the hell do you think we've been doin? And you just what, you just wanna make sure you ain't gonna get slapped for checkin out Bichny's tits, ya I fuckin saw you. Fuck you Grimmes!" Sophia growled, Carl held his hands up hoping she wouldn't hit him, and that she'd actually listen, that hadn't been what he meant.
"No, that ain't... I didn't mean it like that?" Carl told her, she calmed a little looking him over with an angry glint in his eyes.
"What did ya mean it like?" She asked folding her arms under her chest, Carl sighed adjusting his hat again.
"I just wanted to know what this is?" He whispered, she glared daggers at him.
"Why? Why is it all of a sudden this needs a name, you didn't care before, you just wanted to be with me, no matter what this is? Now Betty big tits shows up and suddenly this needs a name!" Sophia seethed, she didn't get men at all.
"No, I just, the way he looked at you, and I don't know I just thought we should talk, so we both knew." He tried, Sophia shook her head dropping her arms.
"He ain't my type, but I guess you can't trust me, just... I can't even... just leave me be." Sophia told him backing out of the room, he grabbed her arm, but she slapped his hand away, he hadn't meant to hurt her, he just wanted to know that she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.
She couldn't believe he didn't trust her, she didn't want to be with some weird Irish guy, sure he was cute, but he wasn't Carl, wasn't her best friend. She knew he cared about her, and she kind of got why he would get jealous, but she needed a some time, she was so mad at him and she didn't trust herself not to say something she'd regret.
"So what's your name Doll?" Liam asked Beth as he opened the door to the bunk house for her, she smiled brushing bast him.
"Beth Greene, I hear you're makin waves." She said leading them in, they'd moved some of the beds out, and she'd found clothes racks in the storage room when Rick had taken Judith and Maggie had told her she could handle the stew that was simmering still. She'd used them to hang up sheets leaving them with makeshift rooms.
"Me, I'd never give guff to a fine thing like yourself. Not with that holy joe wavin his cannon about, naw I'm a right fine fella." He told her with his charming crooked smile, Beth bit her bottom lip trying not to grin like an idiot. Brittany just rolled her eyes.
"Which one a these fuckin things am I sleepin in?" She asked trying to ignore Liam while he kissed ass to these people who just fucking took everything they had and said, 'Sure we robbed ya blind took your home, but we'll share, 'cause we're good guys.'
"I'm in that one, other than that y'all can take your pick, we got stew on so dinner'll be ready soon. Don't know if y'all got anything ya wanna bring in here, but ya get it now if ya do, we'll pick through anything ya don't." Beth told them offering Liam another smile before she left to check on Judith. Liam followed her not caring where he slept.
"So that little chisler, it yours?" He asked, she slowed to walk with him giving him a look of confusion.
"The what?" She asked, he chuckled running his hand through his hair.
"That lil' bit of a thing, the baby, is it yours?" He asked, her smile dropped away at the memory of Lori, and then of Sasha asking her the same thing.
"No, she's Rick's baby, her momma didn't make it, I just look out for her, me and Carol mostly." Beth told him, he nodded trying to figure out which one could be Carol.
"That the bit of a pixie thing, with that hardchaw throwin his cross-bow around?" He asked, she chuckled at his description of them, it was pretty spot on.
"Ya, that's her, she and Daryl have been together for a long time now, Merle's his brother, he's with Kiry, if I were you I would keep the flirting to a minimum with her, if anyone in this group would really kill ya for crossin 'em it'd be him. He's a hell of a guy as long as you're nice to his family, well maybe a bit rude, but really who ain't these days.
"Rick, well he's been dancin around Michone, the a, the colored girl, she's a bit distant, but she's family, they all are. Maggie, she's my sister, she's with Glen, I'm sure ya can guess which one he is, they're married. Hershel, he's my Daddy, he does all the doctorin around here." Beth explained, she figured he should know all their names.
"Quite the rag-tag band ya got doll, did I hear right, that ya don't got a fella?" He asked cocking his head with a charming little lift of his scarred eyebrow.
"You heard right." She told him biting her lip with a coy little smile, he smirked looking her up and down.
"Just say if I'm makin an arse of myself, but you're a fine thing and it's worth it..." Liam told her trailing off so she could answer.
"I wouldn't say that, but you might wanna down shift for a bit big guy, I just met ya. Let's go get some food, I'll introduce ya to everyone in person." She told him, he smirked and followed her happily, it'd be nice having new faces.
Carl went to the bunk house, Sophia wasn't there, so he just picked a bed and tossed his stuff down and puling his boots and socks off. He'd spent way too long in the same pair, his feet were rank, so he pulled out a wet nap and rubbed them down before he laid back in his new bed.
"Hey cowboy." Brittany called pushing through the sheet that made up his makeshift room, he smiled weakly sitting up so she could sit next to him.
"Hey Britta, what's up?" He asked, he felt like shit, but that was no reason to be rude, she seemed nice, and apparently he was single now.
"Just thought I'd come talk, you're the only one here that ain't been shit to me, so..." She trailed off nudging him with her shoulder, he shook his head.
"They're not so bad, we've just met some people we couldn't trust, don't know if we can trust you two yet." He told her, she nodded clasping her hands between her knees.
"Think how we feel... How old are ya anyway?" She asked changing the subject, he looked down at his bare feet trying to figure out what month it was.
"Can hardly tell anymore, almost fifteen I think, maybe am already, I don't know what month it is." He told her, she laughed looking down at his feet with him.
"I think I should be seventeen soon, guess I'm not too much older than you." She told him, he smiled, it was nice to meet new people, he'd nearly forgot how to do this.
"Well, we'll take care a ya, as long as ya do your part." He told her, she nodded getting to her feet and leaning down kissing him full on the lips. His eyes went wide for a moment before he responded kissing her back.
"Thanks cowboy." She said with a wink walking away, he fell back into his bed his head spinning, what the fuck was he gonna do now?
If anyone has any suggestions about what should happen I'd love to hear them, I'm feeling a little blocked since they exiled Carol.