First of all, I wanted to say thank you to guest reviewer Roisto for her kind review. I can't see Daryl being the type to fall madly in love and whatnot right off the bat, either. That's more for fairy tales, not zombie apocalypse stories lol. :)

From the way things are looking, my updating will probably be dropping to once week in the very near future. Since the semester is creeping closer, I have to work on some stuff before my semester of full time student teaching begins. Although I'll be focusing on high school English materials, I will still be working on this story. I also have a series of oneshots floating around in my mind. Student teaching stuff just comes first. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.

Daryl's POV

Elise and I made our way back to the group, and that was when Rick spotted us. He jogged over to us, wantin' to know how things went with Elise and Hershel. She explained in detail everything Hershel shared with us. She even mentioned my small role in the whole thing.

"Well," Rick started, "you two got more from him that I did. It sounds like it'll be even harder than I thought to get him to budge on the issue."

"That's putting it lightly," Elise said. "His beliefs are heavily rooted due to his faith, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, he hasn't seen the walkers in action."

"That's true," I added, "but I told Elise we could somehow use all this to eventually change his mind."

"Just have to figure out how," Elise said.

Rick agreed with us, but it wouldn't be easy. "I just wonder what it is Hershel wants to show me when he gets the chance."

"You're on your own with that one," I told him. Elise and I were clueless on that part.

"Yeah. Thank you both for talking with him. It definitely explains a lot more about him and the barn."

Rick acknowledged both of us for the work, although it was mainly Elise. However, I was a bit surprised 'bout him bringin' me into it. Lately, he had been askin' more for my help and thoughts on things. Shane never did that when he was the leader. If he spoke with anyone like that, it was Elise. Although I hated Rick when I first met him, for leavin' my brother behind, things had changed now. He was a good leader, and not the power hungry type like Shane.


After supper, Elise had first watch on the barn. Before I went to hit the hay, I sat with her for a bit since no one else was around. 'Course, I had my crossbow by my side.

"I've been meaning to ask," she said as she used her knife to dig a small hole in the ground, "have you always had a crossbow?"

No one had actually asked me 'bout it before. "Yeah. Always used it for huntin'. Merle stuck with usin' a shotgun. He'd be so pissed when my kill was better than his."

She laughed 'long with me. "What did he do, use ammo that blew a huge hole in a deer or something?"

"He's done that a couple of times, and sometimes he couldn't stay patient for too long."

"I can see that. Hunting with that crossbow sure has paid off for how things are now."

"Yeah. 'Though you can shoot, it's a good thing you learned how to use that knife at the last minute," I said with a smirk.

A small smirk was on her pink lips as she used the knife to flip some of the dirt over at me. "I'm a quick learner, especially when things started to get really crazy in the beginning." She examined the knife in her hands before talkin' again. "However, the knife isn't as cool as what Glenn and I thought would be awesome to have during all of this."

"And what's that?" I curiously asked.

"This is gonna be a nerd alert," she mumbled with a shy smile. "He and I both played a videogame series called Assassin's Creed. In the games, the main assassin character has a weapon called the hidden blade. It's attached to his wrist, and usually hidden under his sleeve. The blade could quickly pop out, and the character could stab or fight with it." As she explained all that, she made the motions with her arm, as if she was the character. I also noticed that when she really got to talkin', her Tennessee accent would come through. She probably had to watch how she spoke with certain people and whatnot when she was on a case. Though we both had a southern accent, they were a bit different, and mine came out all the time.

"How old are ya again?" I asked while chuckling, after she finished tellin' me 'bout the game and goin' through all the movements. I knew she was 'bout four or five years younger than me, but it was fun to tease her.

"Hey now," she said while mockingly pointin' at me with her finger, "it would be a huge asset to have something like a hidden blade to take out walkers. It would also be cool and beneficial to be able to do the crazy climbing moves and whatnot like the assassins can do."

"Whatever you say," I chuckled. It was then we glanced at each other at the same time, and she still had a small smile on her face from laughin'. I was 'bout to say somethin' to her, but someone else did instead. Someone we both didn't care for.

"Elise." Officer Asshole, Shane Walsh reportin' for duty.

The smile disappeared from her face as she reluctantly looked up to face him. He wasn't payin' any attention to me, so I shot him a glare, hopin' that he would turn his attention to me.

"Hey, Shane," she greeted. She had to keep it covered that we knew 'bout him and Otis. He always took me as a redneck asshole, so I could be the same, and he wouldn't suspect a thing. However, Elise had to watch it.

"Mind if I talk to you for a few minutes?" He asked her.

"Sure, what about?"

Shane finally acknowledged that I was sittin' beside her. "Do you mind taking a quick check along the property? I only need to speak with Elise, and I don't think anyone has gone along the perimeter yet."

I bit the inside of my cheek. I didn't like the sound of it. I looked over at Elise, and she nodded that I should go.

"Alright," I said as I stood up and grabbed my crossbow. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Thank you," Shane said as Elise stood up as well.

I grunted in response as I made my way 'round the barn. I kept quiet, and stood near the corner. No way in hell was I gonna walk the perimeter while that prick was near Elise.

Elise's POV

"So, what's going on?" I inquired as I tried to keep my nerves out of my voice. If Daryl was still here, I wouldn't feel anxious. Knowing what Shane was capable of activated every nerve in my mind as if it were trying to send out an urgent alert. However, I couldn't provide even the slightest hint of that to Shane.

Shane stood in his usual authoritative stance with his arms crossed across his chest. "Rick filled us in on what all you found out from Hershel. It wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear, but it proved to me something about you that I already knew."

I had no idea where he was going with this conversation. I furrowed my brows as I stared at his stoic face, and his lips eased into a slight smile. "And what is that?"

"You're quite the determined person when you've got your mind set to something. You're smart about it. Hell, you're just very smart in general, and that's a huge asset to the group. You may not have the physical strength like some of us, but you have the strength up here," he said as gestured to his temple. "Before Rick arrived at the quarry, I kinda viewed you as my second in command."

I continued to give off my confused façade, which wasn't completely a lie. On the inside, my mind was frantic with worry. He couldn't have figured out that I was on to him, could he?

The words toppled out of my mouth. "That's nice of you to say, Shane, especially considering what we've been through."

He chuckled under his breath. "Yeah, I know what you mean, but it is true. Honestly, you're probably more valuable than some of our other group members." He paused as he casted a quick glance over his shoulder to the group.

"I wouldn't go that far," I said to regain his attention. "Each person has an important role to play."

"I guess you're just a nicer person than me. Anyway, what I mainly wanted to talk about is getting you to help me get Hershel to change his mind about the barn, and quickly. It's too dangerous being all neighborly to a barn full of walkers."

"We all know how dangerous it is, but, as Rick told you, he sees the situation differently. It's gonna take time to get him to change his mind."

"Time ain't something we're all guaranteed."

"I know that," I reminded him as I brushed my hand through my hair.

"Perhaps if you and I just get one of the walkers out somehow, and show him how dangerous they can be."

"Show him? You want to dangle live bait in front of one of them? Do you think Glenn will be interested in a repeat?" I incredulously asked him.

He sighed as he rubbed his hands together like someone about to offer a deal. "I know that sounds crazy."

"It is crazy," I interrupted.

"But, we need to do something quickly."

"If we even came up with a safe idea, he would kick us all off of this land without a second thought. We need to stay here, where it's safe. At least it's safer than where we've been." I bet if he knew about Lori's pregnancy, he would change his tune in an instant. However, that was drama I wanted to stay far away from.

"Maybe," he replied, "but perhaps you could come up with something, or talk to Hershel again. If not, we may have to do something drastic. Anyway, just keep it in mind. Andrea will relieve you from barn watch in a bit. Goodnight, Elise."

"Goodnight," I awkwardly said as he turned to leave.

I was still trying to wrap my mind around what all just occurred. As I was about to sit down on the cool ground, Daryl was halfway to me.

"That was a quick perimeter check," I said as he approached me.

"Didn't check it," he replied. "Wasn't gonna leave Shane alone with ya. No tellin' what kind of stunt he'd pull."

Daryl had a point. "True, but I have no idea what was up with all of that."

"Guess I got an answer to my question, then. I heard the whole thing, but not sure what he could be up to."

"I hope it's nothing." However, it was hard to tell with an unstable Shane.


The next day, Shane temporarily called off the search for Sophia. Everyone was not thrilled about it, and Rick and Daryl argued with him on the subject. Daryl pointed out that he "found the damn doll" the other day, and I mentally commented he could have died for the homemade doll. Due to the barn full of walkers, Shane wanted all of us to stay close together. He didn't want a repeat of the quarry, and he made it sound like our return trip to Atlanta was to blame for the attack.

What disturbed me the most was Carol's nonexistent reaction to the search for her daughter being called off. I expected her to at least whisper her displeasure with Shane's decision, but she remained silent and indifferent. Although she didn't explicitly mention it, I could tell she only had a miniscule ounce of hope left. Most of it had vanished. In most of my cases involving missing children, the parents held out hope for the longest time. They put forth their own effort in aiding the search, and held candle light vigils as if the light of hope would summon their child.

While Andrea was on a daytime barn watch, I helped Lori and Carol with some of the monotonous domestic duties. Daryl was helping Rick inspect the perimeter of the Greene property. Without the steadfast search for Sophia, an atmosphere of silence and pessimism seemed to envelop the group.

As I folded some of the clean clothes, I spotted Shane walking into the RV. Most of the time, he didn't venture inside it unless he needed a gun. However, he exited the RV empty handed, and slammed the door shut in an irritated huff. After I placed the worn shirt I was folding in the laundry basket, I quickly excused myself to investigate. Lori and Carol thought nothing of it as they continued folding.

Upon approaching the RV, I noticed Dale wasn't perched atop it or nearby. The gun used for watch was across the lawn chair, but no one was nearby. Whoever was on watch must have left for a bathroom break or something. I entered the RV, and checked the table and chairs for the black canvas gun bag. It was gone. The only time the entire bag left the confines of the RV was when most of us were leaving out to search for Sophia, or when Rick and Shane had the gun training. Something was going on, and the mysterious, ominous feeling in my gut agreed.

I left the RV, and sprinted in the direction Shane walked off in. As he just entered the tree line, I caught up to him.

"Shane!" I yelled to gain his attention. He came to an abrupt halt when he heard my voice, and turned around to face me. I stopped directly in front of him. "What's going on?" I asked in curiosity and concern. "I saw you leave quickly, and wanted to make sure you were alright." I might as well keep up my little façade.

He casted a nervous glance into the woods before answering. "Don't take this the wrong way or anything, I appreciate everything else you've helped me with and whatnot, but it's best I do this on my own."

"What do you mean?" I asked as I furrowed my brows.

"Listen, this part is something I don't want you involved in. Just take my word for it."

His word? I didn't like the sound of that, and I wanted to know what he meant by part. Before I could briefly interrogate him further, I heard someone yell my name, and it was Daryl.

"Now, you better get back to your redneck boyfriend while I take care of some things," he said. The glint in his brown eyes conveyed the end of the conversation.

I heard Daryl call my name again, and I nodded at Shane before returning to the group. Shane gradually disappeared into the green woods.

As I ran up to Daryl, I saw a sign of relief flash across his cerulean eyes. "Was wonderin' where ya went," he said. "Lori and Carol didn't know."

"Sorry about that," I replied. "I was trying to see what Shane was up to."

"Shane?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Something is going on, but I'm not sure what. He only said he didn't want me involved in that part, whatever that is supposed to mean."

Daryl casted a sudden glare to the tree line. "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. Anyway, while I was helpin' Rick, Hershel came up to us, said he was needin' Rick's help with somethin'. I offered to help, too, but he said he only needed Rick. I'm kinda wonderin' if it has anything to do with what he told us yesterday."

We walked over to the large oak tree by the camp as I pondered over Daryl's news. "Could be, but it's hard to tell with Hershel."

"Ya got that right. Anyway, when Rick went off with him, I snagged a few squirrels. Figured it could be a part of lunch or dinner."

As I sat down with Daryl, a brief moment of normalcy fell upon us. He removed his knife he used for skinning, and set to work on preparing the woodland creature.

"You know," I started, "if this whole apocalypse thing comes to an end sometime soon, I bet we could write one hell of a cookbook on the many ways of cooking squirrels."

Daryl chuckled and smirked before replying. "Don't forget 'bout rabbits."

"Them, too," I laughed as we fell into small talk.


After Daryl skinned the squirrels, we met up with some of the others by the wrap around porch. Shane, Dale, and Rick were still missing, or so it seemed, and most of us were anxious to search for Sophia. We were wasting time, and we would still be safe if a few of us resumed searching. The barn was as secure as possible, and Andrea felt useless for only staring at an old, wooden barn.

Since daylight was dwindling away, Daryl was becoming more and more agitated with the canceled search. "Ain't no reason why some of us can't go out there," he stated in a gruff tone. "Damn it, isn't anybody takin' this seriously? We got us a damn trail."

I was about to suggest we resume our own search, but Daryl's abrupt change in tone grasped my attention before I could speak.

"Oh, here we go," he said as Shane approached us. It was probably the nicest tone he used involving Shane.

Shane had the canvas gun bag with him, and I wondered where he found it. His stance and forced movements were fueled by an unknown perseverance. He started to pull out different guns to hand to people. He handed a shotgun to Daryl, which Daryl accepted. "You with me, man?"

"Yeah," Daryl replied as he briefly examined the gun.

Next, Shane held my personal handgun out to me. "I know he's got your back," he said, referring to Daryl, "and I'm sure you have his."

I took my gun from him. "Of course," I replied, wondering what this was leading to.

"Time to grow up. You already got yours?" He asked Andrea.

"Yeah," she answered. "Where's Dale?"

I was wondering the exact same thing.

"He's on his way," Shane answered as he resumed going through the gun bag.

"What exactly is going on?" I sharply asked.

Although Shane's attention was momentarily on me, he was addressing everyone else as well. "I know I probably didn't give you enough time to come up with a better plan, but Hershel and the others are probably better off learning in a drastic way. Look, it was one thing sitting around here picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. Now, we know it ain't."

"It's not like they can open the door to get out," I told Shane. "This is not the way to go about this. If needed, the people who go out on the next run can pick up extra chains and locks. I doubt people raided stores for stuff like that."

Shane only ignored me as he handed Glenn a shotgun. Glenn was torn as to take the gun to aid the group, or refuse since he fixed things between him and Maggie.

"Daryl and Elise are gonna look out for one another," Shane said in order to coax Glenn into accepting the gun. "How about you, man? You gonna protect yours?" Without a word, Glenn accepted the gun. "That's it. Can you shoot?" He asked Maggie.

"Can you stop?" She countered as her eyes widened in irritation. "You do this, you hand out these guns, my dad will make you leave tonight."

"We have to stay, Shane," Lori pleaded.

Shane seemed to believe he had more authority over Hershel. He tried to get Carl to take a gun in order to protect his mother, and that was the last straw for Lori.

"Rick said no guns," she growled as she shielded Carl from Shane. "This is not your call. This is not your decision to make."

"Lori is right," I added. "We need to deal with this in another way."

As Shane was about to speak, the familiar sound of desperate growls sent chills down my spine. Hershel, Rick, and Jimmy came around the corner down the hill, and they were accompanied by two shambling walkers. Hershel and Rick restrained the walkers with snare poles, which were commonly used by animal control officers. Jimmy tempted the walkers by clapping and yelling at them in order to coax them into following him to the barn. Their thrashing movements required Hershel and Rick to maintain focused control over the walkers.

"Oh, shit," I mumbled as I felt my heart racing at the sight of the walkers. "This must have been what Hershel wanted to eventually show Rick."

The sight only fueled Shane's temper. "What is that?! What is that?!" He yelled as he ran toward the people and walkers. We all followed after him. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Shane, just back off," Rick warned as he tried to keep the pole steady in his hands.

"Why do your people have guns?" Hershel loudly inquired as his eyes scanned each person with a weapon, including me.

The three men argued back and forth, and it only made the two walkers more frantic. Both of them were hurling their decaying arms around, hoping they could somehow reach someone. The snarls emitting from their throats were getting louder as the arguing continued.

Rick tried to stay on Hershel's side by telling Shane they would all discuss this once the two walkers were inside the barn.

"What do you want to talk about, Rick?" Shane bellowed. "These things ain't sick! They're not people! They're dead! Ain't gonna feel nothing for them 'cause all they do, they kill! These things right here, they're the things that killed Amy. They killed Otis. They could have killed Daryl. They're gonna kill all of us!"

"You all need to stop this," I demanded. "It's only riling the walkers up more and more." By this point, Daryl was standing close by me.

"Hey, Hershel, man," Shane said as he walked in a predatory circle, "let me ask you something. Could a living, breathing person, could they walk away from this?"

Shane aimed his gun at the walker Hershel was trying to control, and he shot multiple times at the walker's once vital organs. The deafening shots pierced through the walker, but the walker only lurched backwards with each penetrating bullet.

"This is getting out of hand!" I shouted.

"Shane! Enough!" Rick demanded.

Shane's expression shifted from one of intensive violence to a temporary expression of cold harshness.

"You're right, man," he said as he aimed his pistol at the walker's forehead. "That is enough."

With the squeeze of the trigger, the walker plummeted to the ground in a heap. Hershel only continued to stare at the walker in utter shock.

I could only stare at Hershel, my heart shattering for him. This was not the correct way to change Hershel's mind. It was inhumane, and torture for him. Killing the first walker only encouraged Shane's tirade.

"Enough risking our lives for a little girl who's gone!"

I glanced over at Carol, and she appeared to be on the verge of falling apart after hearing Shane's harsh words.

"Enough living next to a barn full of things that are trying to kill us! Enough! Rick, it ain't like it was before! Now, if y'all want to live, if you want to survive, you got to fight for it! I'm talking about fighting right here, right now!"

Shane started to march like an livid soldier to the barn door. My stomach dropped as Shane reached for the nearby axe.

"Please, don't do what I think you're gonna do," I mumbled as I watched the scene unfold. I felt Daryl's eyes on me, and I glanced up to see the neutral expression in his eyes.

Shane started to hit the chains and locks with the sharp axe as Rick begged for Hershel to take the pole from him. However, Hershel was in a whole other world at the moment.

"He is," Daryl gruffly said to me. "And I ain't gonna let 'em bring you or anyone else down with 'em."

The heavy chains fell to the ground with a thud, and Shane pulled the doors wide open before jogging backwards. Sluggishly, the walkers began to stumble out into the sunlight, and they gurgled at the sight of fresh meat. Rick had no choice but to shoot the walker attached to his snare pole. Hesitantly, I followed Daryl and the others, and we formed a firing squad to kill the walkers. I heard Maggie give Glenn permission as she tried to console her father and Beth.

The walkers were collapsing to the ground one after another. Their shambling movements and guttural growls didn't last long before one of us squeezed the trigger of the gun, sending the walker to its final death, and ensuring our lives for another moment. Although I was hesitant at first, the group was now in danger, and I wouldn't let another person suffer the same fate as Amy and the others.

Although it didn't take long to shoot the walkers that only inhabited the barn moments ago, it felt like it had been hours. The echoes from the gun fire slowly dissipated from my ears, and were replaced with the mournful cries from Beth as she called out for her mother and brother. Daryl and I glanced at one another, taking in that the other was safe and alright.

Suddenly, we all heard a snarl that had a lighter tone to it. Everyone aimed their guns again, except for me. I was about to remove my clip from the gun in order to load it with the few bullets I had stowed in my pocket. As I pulled the bullets from my pocket, I saw the child walker stagger forward, and gaze around at everyone as she growled and bared her teeth. I dropped my empty gun in disbelief, and everyone was stunned into place.

"Sophia!" Carol cried out as she tried to run toward her daughter. Daryl quickly grabbed her, and pulled her to the ground before Carol put herself in danger. "Sophia! No! No, Sophia!"

It was hard to believe, but it was her. Her eyes were deathly glazed over, and her pale skin was even lighter, making her freckles more dominate. Her clothes were filthy, and blood stained her left sleeve while dirt was embedded in her scalp. She dragged her left leg as she sauntered forward. Her eyes darted back and forth, not sure who she should focus on reaching to devour.

Shane was just as speechless as all of us, and he couldn't even lift his gun to put Sophia down, and end Carol's suffering at the same time. He brought all of this upon us, and he couldn't even finish what he started.

Rick gradually came forward, and aimed his pistol at Sophia's forehead. He didn't say anything aloud: no type of apology for Sophia, or sympathetic words for the weeping Carol. He only aimed, and squeezed the trigger. As the bullet surged through her brain, Carol called out even more for her daughter as Sophia collapsed backwards onto the hard ground.

Daryl may have agreed to accept the gun from Shane, but that doesn't mean he trusts the unstable guy. Sophia still stumbled out of the barn. When I first watched that episode, I did not see that coming at all. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. :)