Disclaimer #1: I do not own any characters from "The Walking Dead." They are the property of Robert Kirkman, Glenn Mazzera and AMC. No money is changing hands in the writing, reading or distribution of this story.

Disclaimer #2: Any similarities to any specific persons, living or dead, is unintended.

Badass and Beauty

Total Words in Chapter:

Chapter 36

Without Daryl's hands framing out everything that he could tell was not part of the footprint, Grecia wasn't seeing things as well as she had the last time she'd been out here in 'the pit' with him. She was pretty sure she was looking at those same tracks that had all the leaves, or whatever substrate was available, turned outwards to the right, but it was a lot harder to see the shape of a foot there. And with all the walkers that had been drawn into 'the pit' two nights ago, plus all the traipsing around from Grecia and her 'Rescue Daryl Squad' that had formed, it was impossible, for her at least, to try and look ahead of her and let the sun shine down and show her where the shadows were…there were shadows all over the place, lots of kicked up leaf litter, looked like a blindfolded marching band had torn through 'the pit.' But there was one thing that Grecia could see…and even touch…was holding it in her hand right now. Old, dirty, white Chicken feathers…

"I've got something!" She called to Rick, who wasn't at all Daryl; Rick was cautious and knew to look at things more than only once, level headed and intelligent about what he noticed, didn't make assumptions, but the wooded world didn't open up for Rick into the dimension it was for Daryl. Even though Grecia herself didn't possess the skill and the savvy that made Daryl part of wherever it was he set foot outdoors, she could still tell that Daryl spoke a language that Rick knew nothing about. And Grecia, a long ways from fluent in that tongue herself, now had to try and convince Rick that what she'd found in her handful of old, dirty, white chicken feathers spelled everything out. Shane was trying to kill Daryl!

Rick looked away from where he'd been staring further across the ridge of the far hill, watching for anything that moved or staggered through the trees, providing cover to Grecia while she worked...Daryl was right, she was so totally 'the senior' out here in 'the pit!' And Rick seemed to be letting her be that too; Grecia took the point, Grecia decided where they went, Grecia was setting the pace and it was her who had been out to find something that she knew had to be out here. Hmm…maybe Daryl had meant to do more than just boost her confidence by telling her to remember that she was 'the senior' out here…both Daryl and Grecia knew how it was that Daryl got caught up in his own trap, and Daryl wanted Grecia to find something that would convince Rick of how it happened.

Grecia was kneeling close enough to where the highway lay that glimpses of the graying, abandoned car strewn asphalt were visible between the trees that surrounded her and Rick. Daryl had only taken her out here this close to where the highway could be seen once…and that had gone so well, what with Grecia objecting and crying and getting herself so worked up with just knowing that they were going to get swooped up by a walker herd, that she'd actually thrown herself down on the slope of the far hill, mid climb, and refused to go any further…but Daryl had only started cussing and kicking leaves at her like he'd really rather have been soccer ball dribbling her head, then reached down and grabbed one of her ankles and dragged Grecia further up the hill until all the leaves and twigs and dirt and imagined insects crawling all over her made Grecia feel so repulsed she finally decided to stand up and walk again. She found herself feeling ready to laugh at that now…something she'd never expected she'd be able to laugh at or forgive…but now she understood that even at his roughest and his meanest, Daryl always had a way with her.

"I thought this had been feeling more like an investigation than a patrol," Rick sort of smiled as he came over, but he didn't seem too surprised. He'd been out here in 'the pit' yesterday, him and Dale taking the territory over while Daryl recovered and Grecia…well…now that Grecia thought about it, she wasn't really sure why it was that Rick gave her a pass on her duties yesterday…hmm…Daryl didn't want to be blatant about his feelings for Grecia, or Grecia's feelings for him when they were around everyone else, so that meant kind of keeping what they were feeling a secret…but that secret seemed to be more and more out every time Grecia looked around. She could only hope that Shane hadn't been in that loop…if he was, he'd been real quiet about it, liked to call Daryl stupid, degrading hillbilly names, but for as subtly sexual as Shane could sometimes be, he hadn't ever connected Daryl and Grecia that way. Good…that could only be a good thing…

Grecia turned to Rick, standing up again from where she had been crouched and she displayed her fist full of old, dirty, white chicken feathers to him. "Okay officer Grimes," she sighed, and hoped for an answer that might mean she wouldn't have to go 'undercover' into 'Team Shane' after all…because Daryl really was not going to like it if she did…and after the whole Merle thing she and her man were still working their way through, Grecia really didn't want to upset Daryl with something new. "What kind of evidence of a crime do you need in order to make an arrest?"

Rick's brow furrowed, he seemed fixated on what was jutting out from between Grecia's fingers. "Well, that criteria varied based on what the situation was," he said, then looked almost apologetic. "But I gotta feeling that I'd need more than a few hen feathers then, or now." He shook his head a little, Grecia realizing she must have started to look dejected; then Rick smiled just a touch, like trying to bring her up again. "What's the crime? Jaywalking while crossing the road?"

But Grecia didn't smile; she'd never been more serious. "Attempted murder."

Rick sighed, shook his head as he rubbed at his chin, looking apprehensive but aware of what she meant. "Shane? On Daryl?"

Grecia nodded, felt a little bit hit in the chest; it was the first time she'd heard someone else say it out loud…not even Daryl had voiced the suspicions Grecia knew he had…but then, that could have been because they'd had so many other things to say and be said lately. "Yeah," she sighed back at Rick and looked down at the old, dirty, white chicken feathers again…there was only one place they could have come from and there was only one way the chickens had gotten out into 'the pit,' up the near hill, across the marshy, sucking mud, and then up the far hill and this close to the highway…they'd been carried here…purposefully.

Shane knew the chickens would draw in walkers…they'd seen that walker that Grecia put down, the fat one in the bib-front overalls, devouring a White Rock hen the day Grecia had gone on patrol with Shane and Andrea. In a way, Grecia did owe part of her first kill to Shane, it was him who pushed her into it, otherwise, she'd still be kill-less…wouldn't know how to clear a corner….wouldn't have realized how much she'd changed from who she used to be and how much work she still had to do on herself. Damn it, Shane! She didn't want to be pushing for what she was pushing for…why couldn't he be old Shane again? "I don't like saying it or thinking it," she said, and that was the truth…Shane had been someone Grecia had liked and trusted enough once to consider going to him for protection. "But I know these are feathers from the chickens in Shane's territory…Daryl and I have been seeing evidence of someone who doesn't belong in our territory for weeks…and then that herd comes through all of a sudden? I'm really sorry, Rick…I've got my own soft spot for Shane, admittedly, but I think it might be time he was…secured."

"Secured?" Rick repeated as though it was an idea uncommon to anything he'd ever heard of before, despite his former profession. Rick sort of gave a huff, looked down at the ground and shook his head, holding onto his calm, but it was taking some effort, Grecia could tell. "Here's the problem, Grecia," he looked back up at her with those cool, serene green eyes and Grecia knew already that whatever Rick was about to say, it would be fair, it would make a lot of sense, but she also wasn't going to like it. "I understand exactly what you're connecting with those feathers and the tracks around here, I do. But the fact is, that isn't enough for me to go and 'arrest' someone; any DA would call that 'conjecture', and I'd like to have better than that before I tried somethin' like busting Shane."

"Yeah? Well the day before we had all those walkers out here, Shane was telling me to stay out of 'the pit,' like he knew something was up, because he put it up!" Grecia had known that Rick wasn't done speaking when she'd cut in, but she wanted so badly to make her point. She was trying hard not to get upset, she didn't want to start yelling at Rick…but at its heart, this was about Daryl! Daryl was the everything she'd do anything for, and that's exactly what she was doing. Grecia could preach to herself about protecting the group and thereby protecting Daryl all she wanted, but right now, with Daryl laying in that bed back at the house with a chest tube, and all because of what she knew Shane did…well, it wasn't so easy to not let it get her hackles up and turn defensive…and aggressive at the same time.

But, Rick was smart…he had to see that she was right…in fact, Grecia was kind of sure that he did see it…he hadn't denied anything or offered any other explanations for anything…but Rick wasn't giving this the consideration, or attention, that Grecia was…why? Why was Rick so stuck to his legal guns? "Grecia, I'm afraid that at this point that's considered heresy."

Grecia shook her head; she had plenty of exhibits to present still. "Okay, but I can supply you witnesses in myself and Daryl that Shane pulled his shot and tried to let a geek take Daryl right before Daryl ended up crushed under rocks and tree stumps…and if you need more than that, then I'm sure I can come up with it, too."

Rick nodded, he understood, he really did, Grecia could see it in his face…but it was like he was stuck somewhere and that he not only couldn't get out of, but was being careful not to. "Grecia, it's not that I don't appreciate, or understand, your loyalty to Daryl, and I want you to know I support it too, okay? But there's a whole other side of this 'arrest' and 'evidence' thing than what you're able to see right now. I'm not trying to come out on anyone's side here, not Shane's and not Daryl's…but the fact remains that when it comes down to tangible evidence of 'attempted murder,' I've got more cause to go and 'arrest' Daryl for not only holding a crossbow on Shane, but also firing it at him." Rick paused, the earth seeming to shake beneath both he and Grecia with that bit of truth. "That's the kind of evidence I need against Shane in order to do anything, something that doesn't have to have sketchy lines drawn all everywhere from chicken feathers to all the reasons why Shane could have allegedly pulled that shot."

Rick looked exhausted after that explanation, and Grecia again got the sense that he didn't like having to do things that way, like he knew just as much as what she knew and what Daryl knew too…but still, Rick wouldn't mount any affronts…Rick didn't do that…Rick stayed calm and collected, Rick was fair…no matter how annoying and frustrating that fairness was. But Rick's fairness had quickly put the fire out of Grecia's argument; she felt smacked in the mouth…damn it…she knew Rick was right before he'd started talking, and she'd known that she wasn't going to like what he ended up saying…she'd forgotten all about Daryl firing that bolt at Shane's head…and yeah, if that had occurred, back before the world went to hell, Daryl would have been locked up good and tight…attempted murder of a police officer…Rick was right…or…was he?

Somehow, Grecia knew she shouldn't have been thinking the way she was thinking…but she was thinking that way nonetheless…thoughts of Daryl heavy on her mind…heavier than how what Rick's fairness and how right she knew he was felt. "Rick," she said, looking up at him like she had to wake him from some dream that he seemed to think was real. "Why do we even need to prove anything? Where are the courts and judges and DA's now? What does it matter if what we know about Shane is only 'conjecture?' We still know it, everyone can feel how dangerous he's becoming. There isn't an authority for us to answer to if we were to act without any hard proof. I don't want to see anything happen to him, but I also don't want to see him hurt anyone else. So, why can't we just go and lock him up in that barn until we can get him, and this, sorted out? What do we really need proper evidence or proof for? We know he's a problem, Rick. So why don't we just do something about it?"

Grecia was expecting some kind of mystical silence to fall over them both, her words had sounded a lot better outside of her head than they had inside of it, they had to be having some serious effect on Rick…and they were…Rick's features were changing, furrowing his brow, making him sigh…Grecia hoping that what she'd said had hit its mark. She was worried about Shane…but she also wanted to know that she'd protected Daryl. Shane was trying to kill the man she loved…and Grecia wouldn't let that happen.

But Rick…while he may have been somehow affected by what Grecia had said to him, he wasn't swayed, not at all. He was giving her the look Grecia had so often seen him give to Carl, an explanation on his lips. Rick took a step closer to her, reached out his hands to her and rested both of them on her shoulders, firmly, but lightly, holding onto her like he was about to pour some serious knowledge into her, but he didn't look sorry, or frustrated by his sense of what was right any longer. She looked up at him, anxious to see what was in his cool, serene green eyes, finding them just as calm as ever…but also vindicated. "Because, if we condemn him without having proof, then we all become part of the problem that Shane is now."

Oh God…one more time the reason why Shane was so interested in her came crashing down over Grecia…she may have changed, she may have been putting more effort into consciously deciding to be a different person than she was…but when the chips were down, she still thought like Shane. Oh God! No…don't stall there, don't get caught up in how horrible she was…she wasn't horrible…it was Daryl's safety that had pushed Grecia into that line of thought she'd spouted to Rick about forgoing real proof…she loved Daryl more than anything, and she'd do anything to keep him safe…Shane tried to kill Daryl…Shane needed to be locked up in that barn! But if it was going to take "proof" to make that happen, then so be it…

"Rick," Grecia felt her heart beating hard, nervousness coursing through her, but she stood up straight under Rick's hands that still held her shoulders. "I'll get you your evidence, then. Shane thinks he can convince me over to his side, just like Andrea…so we'll let him think he is doing that; I'll be able to know what he does, where he goes, what he plans—"

"I can't let you be a spy, Grecia!" Rick's voice was louder than it usually was, his grip on her shoulders going tight, and he stared down at her, shocked and worried. "That's not what we do! It won't help to bring this group together or keep it together. What we all need to do is trust each other, not spy on one another trying to collect enough evidence to—"

"There is never going to be any trust in this group as long as Shane is the way he is, Rick! Shane's sick, and if one of us is sick, then we're all sick!" Wow…not only had Grecia cut Rick off, she'd also raised her voice at him…she didn't mean to do that…she really didn't...that's the kind of thing Shane would have gone and did…oh God! Grecia hung her head, felt her eyes burning a little like she might be tearing up…she wasn't horrible…she wasn't…she'd changed…she wasn't like Shane anymore…but…but…damn it! Why wouldn't Rick just let her do this? Grecia had a lot riding on her "undercover" idea…even though it was not going to sit well with Daryl…at all.

"I'm sorry," and she was, said the words with her heart on the ground. "I'm just…I don't know…I'm just trying to make so many changes to myself…and maybe…" Grecia's words just stopped…she knew what she should say, what would help an honorable man like Rick understand why she was so insistent about keeping an eye on Shane so that he could be secured…but Daryl didn't want anyone to know…but really, this was for his safety…and it was Rick…Grecia looked back at Rick, took a deep breath. "For the first time in my life, I've got someone that I care about more than I care about myself or anything else really, for that matter. And Shane wants him dead!" Rick's serene green eyes dropped down some to look into Grecia's, like he wanted to be sure she was telling him the truth, and Grecia let him look. "I can't just stand around and let that happen while we all wait for 'proof.' I'm in the best position to turn spy, and you know I am…you saw how Shane was towards me when we were all out here the other night." She paused, sensing Rick's calm understanding returning to him. "I'm sorry I yelled, I really am; but Shane needs help, this group needs help, and most of all, I need to do something to keep the one I love safe…the same way you would."

And there was that mystical silence, Rick saying nothing for several seconds, looking so surprised at her and likely offended too…Grecia was so afraid that what she'd said had been in vain…when Rick deemed something unjust, or wrong, that was that…and it further horrified Grecia to figure out how that was likely part of why Shane had come to be so against Rick, too. No…she couldn't stand here in her circle of loss anymore, it was too dark a place to be…and there were bad things hiding in that darkness…Grecia turned silently and began to walk off, hoping to get lucky enough to maybe find some kind of 'tangible proof' of something out here in 'the pit' yet…but she didn't get far.

Rick shuffled quickly through the leaf litter, and just like before, his hand caught her shoulder, stopping her where Grecia stood, turning her back around to face him. He looked calm…but it was a defeated calm and for a few seconds all he did was look her over, like trying to assess just what Grecia could handle. "I still don't like it." He finally said, but then he sighed again and looked her square in the eyes once more. "But I'll think about it."

Author's Note: Thank you for taking time out of your weekend to read! I wanted this to be longer, but my presence ended up being requested at the after-church party on Friday night…bikers…anyway, 9 reviews on the last chapter! Wow! Thank you all so very very much! And if any of you are in the Dallas, Texas area this weekend, stop by the "Texas Frightmare Weekend" and tell Rooker how much I love him! :-)

A very special Thank You to BEINGLOLASTAR for selecting this story as one of her favorites! Wow! I am honored to have a reader of your caliber add my story to your favorites list!

To VERITASKYM: Kym's actually at Frightmare! And you're with MY man! And yours too….but…you Anyway, you probably won't even read this until after you're back and it's done, but if you get to see/talk to Rooker I wanna know EVERY detail! He's so damn awesome! He really is! A great flirt too!lol And take your time catching up, you have better things to do!lol Damn, I wish I was there! Okay…gotta stop or I'm going to be snitty all Glad you get Daryl enough to want him to be mad about Grecia/Merle's secret for a while to come! And don't worry, Daryl doesn't consider Grecia to be Merle's, he said he wasn't sharing her, but he's feeling guilty about "taking her away" from Merle, even though he didn't know he was doing it, so that's where that's coming from. They'll work through it, give them *sigh* I can't believe you'll be in the same building with both our men tomorrow…damn…you better give them each complimentary ringside seat tickets to "Cock Fight 2012!"lol And good luck with your fight for Dry Wall…but don't hate on me… it's not my fault that I'm the only woman what can handle Merle "Mason" Dixon!lol Thanks for reading and reviewing and hope you have/had a wonderful time!

To VESSIEVU: Haha, the first part of your review made me envision Daryl doing the whole "here comes the choo-choo" thing with Grecia and a spoonful of grits!lol "Grecia vs. the Grits!"lol I love it! Thank you for that! And I'm so happy to hear that you find their awkwardness around others so adorable! You really do get them! Thanks again for reading for such a nice review that really made me laugh!

To NOREEY: Aww, thank you for thinking that they're cute! I thought we needed a lighter, fun chapter, so that was it. And you're right about Merle ruining things for Daryl if he came back…I don't see any way that wouldn't happen, which is why I hadn't planned on bringing him back…so thanks for pointing that out! So glad you're enjoying the story!

To ALINA MAXWELL: Thanks a ton! Update done! :-)

To BEINGLOLASTAR: I still cannot believe you read all 65 long ass chapters of "Intended" in one day! Wow! Thank you! And then you even stuck around to read this? Okay, you seriously need less exposure to me for a while!lol It can't be good for you!lol But, in all sincerity, thank you! I am very flattered to have your readership, and your dedication! And you make hella sense for someone who read me for hours, so don't worry! And yes, I'm all about tension and the whole "will she/won't she" kind of thing…and I like to use it everywhere but where sex is concerned, because that's been done to death. I'm so glad that you find it "real!" It was meant to be! Sorry if I made you hungry, but at least you got what Grecia was feeling, and that's good…for me at least!lol And thank you for now putting that stupid "Clap" song in my head! That about seals it…Merle can't come back now…cuz if he does, he'll be singing!lol And I think you're right in that Daryl wasn't trying to entice her to eat when he asked her to go get his food…he probably just didn't want to have to drag is tube And you brought up another interesting point regarding how Grecia is all concerned about surviving, and yet she won't eat…but, consider that she was a supermodel (and forgive the cliché) skinny models generally are more famous than not skinny models, so part of what she came to know as survival in her career was actually not eating…but that part of her life is over, so the not eating thing really is going to be letting go of the last selfish-bitch part of herself, and that's really the journey she's on. But I do really love how you made that contradicting connection, and I can see where you could argue both sides of why it makes no sense and why it does. Thanks for picking that out! Now…get some sleep, and give me up until early Monday morning when I have the next chapter posted! But, thanks again for reading! Really and truly!

To SUNNYMUFFINS: Yay! Glad that chapter made you laugh! That was my "fluffy" chapter, I think it was time for And oops…sorry I gave you a food laden chapter when you're still so at the beginning of your recuperation! That wasn't on purpose!lol But, I hope you are feeling better and healing quickly! And yeah…I really don't think I'm going to be able to bring Merle back in this story…there's just no way to do justice it without essentially writing a whole other story connected into this one…and before you know it, I'm posting Chapter 213 of "Badass & Beauty." Not good! Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts! Get better soon!

To THEBONEYKINGOFNOWHERE: Vous avez fait sentir triste quand vous avez dit que vous avez ressenti comme vous ne pouviez pas vous exprimer la facon dont vous vouliez en anglais, alors j'ai pense qu'il etait temps de recourir au francais a nouveau! Je veux que vous sachiez que je comprends toujours ce que vous dites, et vous disent toujours des choses merveilleuses! Je vous remercie! Je suis tres heureux de vous avoir lu mon histoire! Vous faites a merveille! Ne vous sentez pas comme vous devraient etre mieux! Je suis tellement heureuse que vous comprenez pourquoi je mets tant de tension dans mon histoire! Il ne garder l'excitation et le mystère de tact alors que le reste de l'intrigue se deroule! Je vous remercie de voir cela et de me laisser savoir que vous approuvez! Merci pour la lecture et le partage de ces connaissances toujours incroyables! Le votre est un des noms J'ai vraiment hate de voir sur un examen! Merci toujours!

To RAINBOWSHELBY: Got your PM! Wow! So much I can do with that, so thank your friend, whom you used to get to her internet, for me, VERITASKYM, Daryl and Merle as well!lol And I'm laughing at you, and your friend, laughing at the "spoonful" part! Thank you for finding that funny! I also love that you voice how anxious you are for her to eat something! Thank you for being so into this story and the characters! Both get stronger when readers like you do that! Thanks again for reading and reviewing…and laughing too!

To EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY-READER: Yay! Thanks for letting me know all the food made you hungry! Hmm…just imagine what the X rated chapter will be like!lol Merle will be there in his apron, and nothing else, cuz that would really tie the whole food and sex thing together!lol And okay, I'm just running a tally here and I'm finding that the only character you really like on TWD is I mean, you hate Shane, you hate Rick, you hate Merle…wow, you're so hard to get along with!lol Just kidding, you know I love you!:-) And I don't think that I've ever "delved" into Grecia's eating problem, at least, not in a way that was all about anorexia or anything like that. What did you have in mind there? I certainly can do that if you'll let me know what you wanna see/know. And you've had 8 major surgeries? All on your mouth, or spread around your body?lol Wow…I thought I was bad when I ended up needing 33 allografts from cadavers to repair damaged muscle from the muscle wasting disease I had! Yes…I have 33 cadaver parts in my body…I think that about qualifies me as a damn zombie!lol Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing and have a good time burning and starving Shane!lol

Okay, as yet another mammoth AN draws to a close, I just wanted to thank everyone who voted on the Merle question, and let you all know that I don't really see him making any more of an appearance in this story than what he already has…however…

Time For Another Show of Hands: I'm really feeling a Merle story coming on…not sure of the specifics yet…so I'm open to suggestions from my posse! (that would be you guys!lol) Would there be any interest in seeing *this* story sort of deconstructed and re-written into a plot where Grecia stays with Merle? Or, assuming you even want to read about Merle, what scenario would you find intriguing?

Thank you all for reading and for reviewing, and for voting too! I love to know what you all think! Just about everything you've ever told me has helped in some way, so I always look forward to seeing your thoughts and ideas! Particularly when it comes to new projects! Thanks again for so generously sharing how great all of you are with me and have a wonderful and safe weekend! Wishing you all well! - Grace