New Meanings To Old Words: Love

Let's play the game of SENDING LOVE TO ALL OF YOU! We've hit a whopping +521k words (sorry 'bout that), 153 Favs, 247 Alerts, and 760reviews. G'damn people you seriously spoil me. I hope that I'm living up to everything that you've signed on for. And can't explain how much your support in this endeavor has really helped me to find myself again and really crawl out of a hole I wasn't sure I was going to get out of. G'bless you all.

Ok. Movin' on to the good bits…

This one's gonna be a bit… tough if you've got a soft stomach for violence against women. We're gonna get a few small but heinous flashbacks into Callie's world… not much, but be forewarned. Quick little formatting note for you: Italicized print is a flashback and for this chap only, song lyrics will be in bold italic.

As always, read, review and most of all (try) to enjoy what I'm throwing out at ya.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Callie and the misfits (all of 'em) and their odd little side adventures.

One More Cup of Coffee

Callie's head exploded in pain and her body swung around with the momentum of the hit. Her bound hands hit the wall of the musty old shed and she spat blood off to the side as she closed her eyes tight against the dizzying pull of the sparkling white flecks that had erupted behind her eyelids.

She dragged in a few ragged deep breaths repeating three words in her head as she felt her knees shaking under her.

Don't pass out. Don't pass out.

The pain from the first few hits was still so fresh that she'd hardly had time to actually process the new pain blooming across her cheek and pounding through her head. Her ribs were sore from the blows to her stomach, her arms no doubt bruised from the harsh grip they'd had on her, and her neck…her neck felt like it was on fire from where the bastard had held her. Forced her to watch as they tortured and raped Lisa and Allie, over and over.

Callie wasn't sure if the girl's were in fact sill screaming now, or if the sound of it was just burned forever into her memory.

The sound of the shed's door creaking shut and the low chuckle behind her had her pushing up off of the ground, where she'd apparently slid down to in her daze, and unsteadily up to her feet.

Don't pass out, Callie-girl. You pass out and you're dead. Three breaths and move.

Callie pushed her hands along the splintering wood of the shed, and she pressed her face into it anchoring her to the wall as she worked fully to her feet. She listened to the scratching footsteps of the man as he slowly made his way towards her. No doubt taking his time because he figured she was done fighting. Thought she was ready to just give up. Her fingers curled under her as she moved up and she finally opened her eyes and glared at the bit of blood staining her knuckles. Her tongue darted out and she licked at her split and swollen upper lip, and snarled at the sickening feel of the blood running out of her nose. Her eyes darted to the side and she saw the small crack of low light between the two doors at the other end of the shed.

She took in a breath, knowing that if she timed it right she'd make it. She was fast when she needed to be. Faster than the overweight bastard slowly making his way towards her. The sound of his chuckling crawled over her skin again, as did the very distinct sound of his loose belt jingling as it bounced off of his thighs while he walked.

Three quick breaths and she pushed off the wall, her eyes pinned to that slat of low moonlight that beckoned her to freedom. She took maybe three steps before she felt his hand again tangle into the back of her hair. Her breath left her and she was sure that she screamed as she felt the bastard tug her hard backwards. Again Callie dug in her heels and just let her weight go in an effort to throw him off, hoping his hold would break.

But it didn't, and she screamed again as she lifted her bound hands to try and claw at his already bloodied arm. He tugged and she gripped his arm in an effort to take the pressure off of her scalp, the sensation of her hair tearing away from the flesh there more disturbing than she'd imagined it could be. A second later her back was against his heaving front, his disgustingly hot breath fanning over her neck and cheek as he spoke. She glared at that slat of moonlight so close yet so far and listened to him laugh in her ear.

"C'mon now, honey," he said in a rushed voice mixed with laughter and fatigue. His arm propelled her forward and slammed her head again into the wall she'd just been leaning against. Again sparks flew behind her eyes and her hands slid down the wood until they came to rest under her cheek.

Don't pass out. She blinked trying to see anything but darkness. Don't pass out.

He was pressed against her again, his dick hard as it pressed into her backside, and his free hand snaking around her to grope at her breasts before again reaching up to her chin. He angled her head sharply back, his mouth a whisper away from the side of hers.

"Where you goin'?"

"Callie?" Ben's voice startled Callie from her memories. She blinked a few times, the sunlight overhead a stark difference to the darkness that had seemed so real in her mind. She blinked again and watched the little boy, clad in a slightly too big denim jacket and a yellow flannel shirt, stare up at her.

"What?" Callie asked shaking her head as he continued to stare at her. Her eyes shifted around her and she realized that she was still settled against the table near that shed. Still poised with one leg up on the bench seat and her ass settled against the table. Still staring at that shed that housed that boy, Randall, the one that Rick had brought back to the farm three days ago.

The boy that he'd promised he was going to take and drop far away from the farm as soon as the kid was able to walk on his injured leg.

Ben's head shifted to the side as he continued to just stare at her for a few moments, his little brow furrowed in that way that spoke volumes to his confusion. Finally he shrugged and hitched his one thumb on the sheath of his knife settled at his hip.

"I asked where you were goin'?" Ben asked as he shuffled his feet a bit and began walking towards the little shed where Randall was being held. "Miles said today was the day you two were goin' out with Daryl on a run. I know I said it was okay, but...just wonderin' where exactly you were goin'?"

Callie, still apparently lost in her memories at his repeated words, shook her head and blinked a few times. Lifting her fingers to pinch at the bridge of her nose she winced at the migraine she could feel pounding to life behind her eyes. Licking her lips she shook her head a bit before responding.

"We're going to that FEMA station," Callie said pinching the bridge of her nose again and sighing a bit at the small amount of relief she felt. "There's a lot of supplies still there that we're gonna need, especially if we're stayin' here for the whole of winter." Callie let out another breath before opening her eyes. Her gaze instantly fell and narrowed on Ben's small form, his nose pressed up to the doors of the shed as he stared in through the slat at Randall inside. "Hey!"

"He don't look so scary," Ben's slightly muffled voice echoed out and Callie quickly slipped towards him. "Nothin' like what Danny's goin' on 'bout. Don't look like much a nothin'."

"Never judge a book by its cover, Ben." Callie said putting her hand to Ben's shoulder and startling him slightly. Ben looked back at her and she pulled him lightly away, her eyes staying on the small bit of dark between the door and the frame. Callie blinked away the last of her memories and squeezed Ben's shoulder a bit. "Where's your sister?"

"At the house," Ben said a bit grumpily.

"And where are you supposed to be?" Callie said smiling as the boy let out a sigh and lowered his gaze to his feet. He kicked the dirt and mumbled his answered to the ground. "What was that?"

"At the house," Ben said angrily as he half-glared up at Callie. She smiled and put her hand to the top of his head ruffling his hair a bit before rocking his head side to side a bit.

"Least you know," Callie said pushing Ben towards the house and away from the shed. Her eyes shifted over her shoulder once more as they walked, her steps slowing just a bit.

"Are you scareda him?" Ben asked, his steps stopping causing Callie to shift her eyes back to him. Ben's eyes seemed to grow pensive as he watched her, his mouth twitching to the side just a bit as he shifted his eyes slightly around her to the shed and then back up to her face. She lifted a brow at him and his mouth twitched to the other side as he bit at the inside of his cheek. "Ya look scared of him."

Callie sucked in breath and held Ben's eyes as she tried to figure out how to answer him. She wasn't up for the truth and she wasn't the type to lie. That wasn't how their relationship worked. She closed her eyes and nodded once before placing her hand back on his head and turning him back towards the house.

"I'm scared of what he and his friends tried to do to our people in town," Callie said pushing Ben's head around when he tried to look back at her. "Move it," Callie said cutting off whatever he had planned to say when he looked back up at her.

Ben nodded his head twice and sighed, letting her know immediately that he didn't really believe her but he knew better than to keep pushing. Callie sighed and put her hand back at the top of his head as he bowed it and began to walk. Her eyes shifted yet again behind her and for the umpteenth time since she'd seen that boy dragged out of the back of the car she tried to shake off the horrors of memories that she long since locked away.


Danny's flattened palms hit the surface of Hershel's well oiled dining room table, the slapping sound echoing loudly between the gathered men in the room. He stared hard at his fingers, nail beds, cracks and crevices encrusted with so much dirt and grime that he was sure by now it wouldn't ever be washed away again.

He felt Dale's eyes on the side of his face, felt the older man's worried gaze well before he felt the hand settle on his shoulder. He shook his head and let out a ragged breath before looking up to where Dale was staring at him over his left shoulder. Hershel was settled along the wall near the doorway, his eyes lifting finally from his inspection of his hands as he wiped them on a dishtowel.

"Danny," Dale's voice echoed in the back of his mind but Danny ignored him as he let his gaze slip to the rest of the group huddled in the dining room. Shane's usually scowling brow was hitched up in a strangely confused, and if Danny was willing to admit it, a slightly worried edge. While next to him Rick stood with one hand on his hip and the other cupped over his mouth as he shook his head at the room at large.

"Three fuckin' days," Danny ground out through his tightly clenched teeth as he stared at Rick, waiting for the man to actually meet his gaze.

"Locked up," Rick countered as hand slipped off his mouth and his eyes rose to Danny's. Danny sighed and shook off Dale's hand while swinging his eyes around to where the older man was yet again saying his name in that fatherly tone that Danny just didn't want to deal with. "Three days. Locked up, Danny."

"He's no threat in his condition," Dale said shifting his eyes over to where Hershel was standing. The vet gave a single resigned nod of his head and shifted his eyes over to Danny who yet again shook his head.

"You got no idea what he's capable of, Dale." Danny said harshly as he pointed a finger to the older man.

"And you do?" Shane finally interjected, lowering his booted feet to the floor and settling his hands on his thighs as he stared in that strangely confused way. Danny caught Shane's eye, and expected the man to sneer or smirk in that off-putting manner that the two of them had grown into a rhythm of communicating in, but he didn't. Instead Shane simply raised a brow and calmly waited for Danny to answer the question.

The same question that he'd been shaking off since they got back to the farm. Since Callie had collapsed in his arms and then woke up screaming and crying an hour later. Three days of Callie distancing herself completely from the house, the shed, and the people around them. She'd pushed herself away from the entire situation, leaving Rick to handle it as he promised he would.

And as the days went by, while Callie still kept her faith that Rick would get the boy as far away as possible as soon as possible and that would be the end of it, Danny was losing his patience. Too many memories of what had happened the last time they'd seen that son of bitch Randall assaulting him at every turn. Too many memories and too much guilt.

"He's dangerous," Danny seethed through his teeth before taking in a deep settling breath and running his hand through his hair. His eyes shifted to Rick, who had settled both hands at his hips as he stared at Danny now, and he held his gaze. "Or do you forget what he and the rest of his crew tried to do to us in town. He's dangerous, and we got no clue how many people he may have lookin' for him."

"It's been three days," Dale said calmly and Danny turned on him with a raised brow.

"Three days too long," Danny snapped back. Shifting his eyes over to where Rick was nodding his head idly. Danny pointed another finger at the man. "We shoulda left his ass to the Walkers." Rick's gaze snapped up to him and Danny sighed and firmed his lips. "I understand why you did it. I do. I was there but, he's dangerous, Rick. He needs to go."

Rick's mouth opened to ask the question that Danny'd been skirting around since they'd gotten back, but this time his voice was cut off by a new one.

"He don't look dangerous," Ben's voice chirped into the conversation and had each and every man's eyes snapping to where he stood with Carl in the kitchen. Carl's eyes shifted between them while Ben's gaze remained on Danny's as he sunk his teeth into a peach.

"Well he is," Danny snapped back at the kid his finger pointing at him.

"S'what Callie said too," Ben mumbled through his full mouth. "I still don't see it."

"You don't have to see it," Danny snapped back, his eyes shifting to the other men in the room. It took a few seconds for his brain to really register what the kid's presence in the house meant and his eyes were shifting around. "Why am I even discussing this with you? What are you doin' here? Where's your sister?"

"She's out with Carol and Lori hanging the wash," Ben said as he let his peach fall from his lips and shrugged his shoulders. "Callie said to stay here at the house with either Carol or Dale while she was gone. I didn't feel like doin' laundry," Ben's gaze shifted to Carl who nodded his head in agreement.

"Gone?" Rick's voice clipped in before Ben could continue any further and he exchanged a glance with Danny before heading towards the boys. "Where's she goin'?"

"Her, Daryl and Miles are heading out to that FEMA station today to gather up some more medical supplies," Carl said in a matter-of-fact tone to his father. Rick's gaze settled on his son's for a moment before shifting over to Ben who nodded his acknowledgement.

"Jesus Christ," Danny muttered before he turned around and angrily limped his way towards the back door. He pushed at Dale's reaching hands and shook his head at the elder man who raised his hands in defeat and sighed.

"Danny!" Rick's voice called out after him and Danny ignored it. He pushed out the door and worked his way towards the steps, only to be stopped by a strong hand clasped on to his arm. "Hold up," Rick's voice was tired and angry and Danny shifted around to meet his gaze with a shake of his head. Danny's head shifted to Shane exiting behind Rick. "I need to know what you know," Rick said quietly as he ducked his head to catch Danny's gaze. "Three days you've been harping on how we have to get rid of that boy. How he's dangerous. Three days you've been avoiding answering me straight about things that I think I need to know." Rick took in a breath and firmed his lips before continuing. "You know that boy…"

A beat of silence slipped out between the men and finally Rick sighed and shifted his eyes behind him to where Shane had settled near the door.

"Give us a minute," Rick said to Shane, causing the shaved-headed man to bristle and stand up straight. Shane's brows snapped immediately into that angry scowl that Danny had almost missed and then he let out a frustrated sigh. Shane tossed his hands up and threw open the door, before entering the house in a huff. Danny continued to stare at Rick, who was now staring at his feet again and let out a breath. "You and Callie," Rick said quietly after a moment, his eyes lifting back up to Danny. "You both know that boy."

Danny snarled at himself and let his eyes wander over the fields to where he could barely make out the silhouette of the Hummer still off in the distance.

"Danny-"

"Lori said that Callie told you all about the first kid we picked up, RJ," Danny said quietly as he continued to stare at the Hummer. "Randall James," Danny said in a tone that he thought might have been too low for the other man to hear. But it wasn't. He heard Rick's weight shift from one foot to the other and ventured a look back at the now fully attentive man on the porch with him. Rick's chin dipped once in a nod his brain apparently slowly picking up what Danny was throwing out there. "She said that Callie told you all what happened-"

"To those girls," Rick said in a slow monotone his eyes piercing into Danny's with such ferocity that Danny almost had to look away. Almost, but not quite, because Rick's words hit him with a strange pang of guilt that had him swallowing back bile as he shook his head.

"Not just those girls, Rick," Danny said the words in a voice he didn't even recognize as his own."Not just those girls." Danny watched Rick's eyes widen a bit at his words, watched his brows hitch back down as he worked to fully comprehend-worked to make sure he understood the reality of what Danny was saying.

The exact moment that Rick did understand smacked Danny in the face almost as hard as he figured his words had to have hit into the man standing before him. Rick's breath rushed out of his chest and his body deflated a bit, as he dug his hands into his hips and bent over slightly. Rick's gaze slipped over Danny's shoulder towards where the Hummer stood in the distance and he sniffed back whatever he'd been about to say.

"We can't be sure he did anything wrong that day," Danny said through clenched teeth, his mind rejecting Callie's often said words as he watched Rick's heated gaze slip back to him. "He's was a scared kid, who ran away afterwards," Danny shook his head. "He didn't take part in-" Danny swallowed and ran both of his hands through his hair. "All we know is he disappeared with the rest of what was left of the men who did. He disappeared with them, Rick. And if he ended up hooked up with them…if he's still with them…he's dangerous and we need to get him the fuck outta here," Danny finished before shifting on his feet and making his way towards the set of stairs behind him. "I gotta go see what the fuck she's thinkin'-"

"I'll go," Rick said reaching out and again clasping a strong hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny looked back and caught Rick's tortured gaze. Rick's hand stayed on Danny's shoulder as he stared out along the sunny field and his fingers clenched just a bit before he spoke again. "That's why she's been stayin' away. Why she's been so distant," Rick said and Danny just stared at his profile. "Why she fainted. Why she was screamin' when she came to," Rick's eyes finally shifted over to Danny and then fell as he shook his head.

"She's stayin' away because she's worked damn hard to put it behind her," Danny said firmly, causing Rick's gaze to slip back up to him. "She's stayin' out of it because she doesn't' want to start a panic by steppin' in, which is exactly what we both know would happen if everyone knew…" Danny took in a deep breath and let it out through his lips while watching Rick's head shake and more and more guilt weigh down his strong shoulders. "She's staying out of it 'cause she trusts you to take care of it."

"And you don't," Rick said quietly his fingers still settled upon Danny's shoulder tightly. "Do you?"

"I don't know, Rick." Danny replied honestly causing Rick to sigh. "Can I?" Rick clenched his hand tight at Danny's shoulder before letting it slide off as he made his way down the steps.

"I'll go talk to her," Rick said waving a single hand over his shoulder as he walked before settling them at his slim hips again. "I'm gonna fix this today. Fix it for all of us."

Danny watched Rick stalk off into the field. He settled his hands on the railings before him and let his head fall. Letting out a long sigh as his shoulders slumped he couldn't help but smile at his shoes. He felt his head bobbing and licked his lips as the screen door creaking open slowly.

"Did that answer all your questions there, Ponch," Danny muttered to the railing before turning around and meeting Shane's steady stare.


Callie's face exploded in pain again as the bastard slapped her and she yet again felt her body spinning around with the momentum of the hit. Her hands again hit the wall, helping to brace herself before she slid down the wall a bit. A rough hand tangled itself into the back of her hair and dragged her bodily backwards while another hand locked around her bound wrists.

She felt the metal of the handcuffs she still wore digging into her flesh as the rope that currently bound her rubbed and burned at the already tender flesh. The man's disgusting hot breath fanned over her neck and face as he pulled her back up against his chest as he dragged her towards something. She felt his chest rumbling with each chuckle he let out between his ragged breaths.

"You're all mine sweetheart," he said into her ear. "At least for now."

Callie's feet worked frantically at the straw strewn ground below her, the worn tread of her sneakers not finding any purchase. Her feet slipped out from under her and she let her weight go thinking it would help stall whatever was coming, but the man merely pulled her back up by her hair. With a grunt she found herself spinning around again, her stomach coming into contact with a hard surface. A second later she felt herself being shoved down by her head, her face bounced hard off of the wooden surface of the table and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth as her bottom lip tore open.

She struggled against the feel of the man as he worked her bound hands up from beneath her and over her head. She felt her arms scrape and her flesh tear as he worked her hands further up, and she tilted her head as much as she could to try and see what he was working towards.

The sight of a rusted hook along the wall a foot above the table had her breath hitching and her struggle becoming more frantic. Her feet worked to pound at whatever she could but she couldn't get the force needed to dislodge him and she couldn't get the height in her bent over position to do any damage to anything that counted. Her arms stretched upward, and she pulled back against it, hoping against hope that she could use some kind of push up to flash her head back and catch the bastard off guard again.

Instead he slammed her face into the table again. Not once, but twice, causing black specs to turn into a black veil over her vision. Again she muttered her mantra 'Don't pass out' over and over as she groggily worked to continue her struggle.

Her arms were slowly losing strength; her head swimming in a sea of near-total blackened dizziness. Her shoulders burned with the odd angle and pressure that had been caused by the rope binding her wrists being settled onto the hook. Her back arched a bit as she whimpered and continued to try and fight.

His hand, the one now free from holding her hands slammed hard into the back of her head, sending her face into the table again. Black edged around her vision and she closed her eyes tight to stop the spinning of the world around her. Her breathing hitched and she felt herself beginning to panic, her arms and hands painfully working to free themselves from their bindings.

She twisted this way and that, pushing past the searing heat of her skin splitting open as the ropes dug further and further in. She felt the tickling sensation of her blood rolling down her arms from the wounds at her wrists and used the slickness to her advantage as she tried to slip her thumbs through the rope. The hook was moving now and she realized with a sick sort of glee that she might be able to pull it from the wall if she pulled hard enough.

It was old, and rusted, and adrenaline was on her side…even through the haze of her swimming consciousness.

Her body jolted as his hands moved around to the front of her jeans, the feel of his fingers on her stomach as they undid the button and unzipped her fly sending shivers of disgust through her. She whimpered and pushed her face into the wet stickiness of her own blood coating the table below her taking in a deep breath as she continued to pull and push at that fucking hook. She felt the tears sliding down her cheek as his fingers probed at her, his dick pressed hard into her backside as he leaned over her and breathed out a disgusting heated breath over her sweat-drenched neck.

Her survival instinct clicked back into play as his fingers dove into her pants and underwear and began to tug them down. She bucked and moved wildly, bouncing herself up against him and kicking wildly as he got them down her hips. He tugged more violently, his nails catching and tearing some of her skin. Once he got them down far enough he put his leg between hers and used his foot to push down her pants the rest of the way. He spread her legs as far as he could and again slammed his hand into the back of her head, this time turning her head sideways and holding it there as he stepped in closer.

His fingers raked at her face, pulling her hair away so that he could look at her. So that she could see him as he smiled sadistically down at her.

She felt his other hand at his own pants, working his zipper down as he continued to breathe down her neck and into her ear. She was hyperventilating now, her eyes tightly closed and her fingers wrapped tightly into the rope around that hook, bracing to pull with all she had left. One last chance.

Don't pass out.

She bucked one last time as she heard his pants fall loose around him and he chuckled into her ear before breathing out his next words.

"You're only makin' it worse," his voice slithered over her through his harsh excited breathing. She closed her eyes tighter this time praying for the darkness to take over and take her away from it.

"You hear me?"

Callie flinched and snapped her attention to her arm, and then up to where Miles was staring at her with a raised brow and a slightly worried expression.

"What?" Callie said shaking her head in an effort to clear her mind of those damned ghosts and demons that seemed to frolic freely in her head these days. She let out a ragged breath and blinked a few times as Miles continued to stare at her.

"I said," Miles started slowly watching her with a bit of a wary eye until she shrugged him off. "I still don't see why I gotta do this," Miles finished, nudging his chin in the direction of her stitched up right elbow. "You're only makin' it worse," Miles continued, the words yet again echoing strangely in her ears. "Daryl'd do a better job, and probably make sure you didn't scar as much," Miles shifted his eyes back down to her stitched up arm and then snarled at the scissors and tweezers in his fingers.

"Daryl already knows how, and you need to learn," Callie said blinking a few more times and giving one last firm shake of her head before shifting her eyes to the kid grimacing at her arm. "You'll thank me for it someday," Callie said smiling tightly as Miles shook his head.

"I can honestly say this is one thing I don't think I will ever thank you for, Cal," Miles said letting out a low breath before shifting the tweezers and scissors back towards her arm. "Just a few more I think," Miles shifted his eyes up to her and she nodded in return. "Ready?"

"Yeah, let's get finished," Callie shifted her eyes away from Miles and over to where Daryl was washing up. He dropped the towel he'd been using to wipe away what dirt and grime he could from the back of his neck and then settled his fingers to the nape of his neck, massaging futilely what she knew were some of the most stubborn tension knots to have ever existed.

Daryl's eyes caught hers and he half-smiled at her as she winced as Miles snipped the next stitch and worked slowly to remove it. She watched as Dary shook his head and shifted his shoulders around under the worn fabric of her stolen shirt from Butch's Auto Repair. He'd apparently commandeered the damn thing as his own now that the weather had shifted fully into the brisk fall that they'd all been dreading. She watched his dirt-crusted fingers button up the shirt, covering the once white wife beater that he wore underneath before smiling as he added a thin denim jacket atop the shirt.

It was all about layers now, and as Daryl finally swung his leather vest around his shoulders and turned to grab his gear from the ground she couldn't help but smirk just a bit at the angel wings embroidered on the back.

Layers.

It was all about layers now.

"So," Miles piped in his voice a bit strained as he concentrated on pulling out the next stitch. Callie shifted her eyes down to him and he gave her a quick glance before pulling up with the blood-crusted string in the tweezers. He stared at that sting for a moment before giving off an exaggerated full body shake and letting it fall to the ground at their feet. "Now that I'm done with this horrid life experience," Miles said earning a wan smile from Callie as she watched him put the tweezers aside and pick up the bandages settled on the hood of the Hummer next to him. "We still goin'?"

"You ain't goin' nowhere if you're gonna act like a little bitch 'bout everything," Daryl piped up as he rounded the back of the Hummer and swatted at Miles with the folded up map he held.

"Have you looked at this?" Miles said motioning to Callie's torn up arm. Daryl's eyes slipped around to Callie's arm as Miles motioned wildly with his fingers. "This is disgusting." Miles said before he shifted a grimacing face to Callie. Daryl spared a quick glance to Callie before shrugging and shifting away. "Sorry, but it is." Miles finished causing Callie to nod in agreement.

"You've bashed in Walker skulls and ya can't handle a few deep cuts?" Daryl snapped out causing Miles to shift and glare at the man. Daryl lifted a brow and smirked and Miles opened his mouth to retort but Callie lifted a hand.

"That's enough, children," Callie said raising a brow and swatting at Miles so she could take over the taping up of her bandage. She gave a roll of her eyes to Daryl and Miles both still glaring at one another, before rolling her sleeve down and stretching an arm out for her coat settled on the ground near Miles. He handed it up and grimaced at her as she shook her head at him. "Swear to God, you two are ridiculous. Gonna leave both your asses behind if I'm gonna have to play mediator the whole time."

The word "Whatever," was said in unison by the two and Callie chuckled as she slipped her arms into the well worn sleeves of her brown leather jacket. She spared Miles a quick look as he washed his hands on the towel Daryl handed him and then shrugged his shoulders into what she assumed was an old jacket that had belonged to Hershel's son. The tan corduroy material with the blue flannel lining looked warm and well worn and she idly wondered how Hershel had to feel seeing the item on another boy so soon after the burial of his.

Callie stepped back slightly as Daryl slipped forward and spread the map out on the hood of the Hummer. He slipped his eyes to her and put a single finger to her belt loop pulling her back towards him slightly as if he were afraid she might actually follow through on her threat. Even though he knew after her last stint at running off with Lori, and her recent promotion to adoptive momma she'd turned over a new leaf in that department.

Of course, the entire plan of heading off to that FEMA station wasn't really keeping in turn with that new side of the leaf. But it wasn't quite as stupid an idea as it could have been. She had gained Ben and Gracie's permission first.

Idiotic as that sounded. And she wasn't going alone.

New leaf.

Callie rubbed at the bridge of her nose and let her eyes wander back towards the farm and that shed that she'd found herself standing outside of for hours on end. She let out a low breath and blinked back the rest of the nightmares that seemed to plague her every waking moment now, before shifting her eyes back towards the map spread out before them. Daryl kept his eye on her for a moment as she stepped forward and slipped her foot up onto the front bumper of the Hummer. She held his gaze and knew, just somehow knew, that he had figured something out.

Figured out that this wasn't really a supply trip. Figured out that it wasn't even a trip to see what, if anything, remained of her brother and his whereabouts.

Figured out that she just couldn't seem to deal anymore and was running away from the entire situation that had settled upon their camp since Rick had brought Randall back with them.

He wasn't stupid, in fact, he was probably the most observant son of a bitch she'd ever met. He'd obviously noticed her division from the rest of camp and her distance from the Randall situation. He'd obviously noticed the way she'd put herself out of the discussions and left everything to Rick.

Noticed how unlike her that actually was, especially when the good of the entire group was at stake. Especially when Rick was looking to her for support and she just walked away.

And like the good fuckin' man that he was, he left it be.

No matter how much he may have wanted to ask what was going on. No matter how much he may have wanted to pry. And she'd seen the look on his face enough times in the past three days, and nights-nights when he'd woken to her find her sitting up awake atop the Hummer smoking and staring off towards the house. Nights he simply sat by her side and said nothing about the tears dried on her cheeks or the way she shied away from his touch. She'd seen enough to know he wanted to ask. But he wouldn't. Because he was Daryl fuckin' Dixon.

And Daryl barely had a grasp on his own shit.

Callie smirked at the feel of his finger tightening just a bit in her belt loop as he pulled her that scant inch closer to him and she shook her head as she pushed at him playfully. He slipped his finger away and stepped towards her, letting out a barely noticeable sigh when she didn't pull away as he settled his hip at hers. Miles tucked the towel he'd been drying his hands on into his back pocket and shoved Jim's old ball cap onto his grown-out mop of hair as he leaned over to look at the map.

"Should be just a day trip," Daryl said idly as he tapped his finger along the spot where the FEMA station was. "Might even be back 'fore Rick and Shane." Daryl's eyes skipped over to her and Callie gave him a curt single nod as she shifted closer to the map.

"That's the plan," Callie mumbled as she settled a hand on the map near Daryl's. He twitched just a bit and she gave him a small smile.

"Swear you two are ridiculous," Miles muttered as he shifted a playful gaze between them and reached into his back pocket for something. "Gonna leave both your asses here if I'm gonna have to sit and watch y'all play footsie the entire time."

"Shut up," Daryl snapped shifting his hand off the hood and standing up straight. Callie chuckled and settled her left elbow onto the hood of the car wiggling her fingers at Miles as he unfolded a piece of notebook paper.

"What ya got there, Miles?" Callie asked as Daryl continued to shift awkwardly on his feet beside her. She finally slapped at him for his fidgeting and pointed her hand back at the hood of the car. Daryl scoffed and bit at this thumbnail while leaning back in. It wasn't until she'd slipped her finger into his belt loop and pulled him towards her again that he relaxed.

Though when Miles laughed he shot the kid a death glare that would have killed if it had been anyone but Miles on the receiving end.

"I started workin' up a map of what the place looked like the day we got back," Miles said as he chuckled and waved off Daryl's glare. He slipped his now somber eyes up to Callie and nodded idly as both Callie and Daryl leaned in to check out what he'd worked up. "Knew we'd be headin' back there sooner rather than later and figured it'd be better to not do it blind. Especially with the shit-ton of Walkers that were just hangin' about down there."

"This is amazing, Miles." Callie said shifting forward and marveling at the well drawn out map. The lot and the buildings were each drawn out with approximate size noted off to the side. The amount of cars, placement of them, hell even the location of the one he'd wrecked—the place he'd found Bobby's dog tags was scratched on with precision. Callie shifted her eyes up to Miles smiling as he rubbed at the back of his neck and stared down at his map.

"Yeah, well," Miles shrugged and shifted his eyes away from Callie and over to where Daryl was just staring at him. "Whatever," Miles shrugged again and Daryl shook his head as he leaned towards the map.

"S'good, man," Daryl said quietly as he slipped his finger over the marked up roadway and parking lot to where the FEMA trailer was drawn in. "This shit's gonna give us a better chance than nothin'."

"So the trailer here is the only one there is, right?" Callie asked as she shifted forward and pointed.

"Yeah," Miles said nodding. "Otis said that they'd only really had a chance to get the one set up before shit went sour. From what Shane said," Miles continued, his mouth twitching just a bit at the man's name before he shook it off and tapped his finger forcefully on the trailer on the map. "Sucker's loaded up with goodies. Guess people just forgot it was there."

"Or they just didn't have a chance to get to it," Daryl said nodding solemnly. "Ain't gonna say I'm too busted up about it now though." Callie gave a nod of agreement as she continued to stare at the map. The three of them stood there in silence for a few moments more. Finally, Daryl's head swiveled between Callie and Miles before he flattened both of his palms on the hood and gave an agitated sigh. "Well, we goin'?"

"Yeah," Callie said shifting her foot off of the Hummer's front bumper and slipping the keys out of her pocket. "Let's hit it before we lose anymore daylight." Callie jingled her keys a bit and let out a disgruntled sigh as Daryl snatched them out of her fingers before she could get even a step towards the driver's side door. She watched him smirk at her and flung her arms out to her side. "Seriously? It's my fuckin' car, Dixon."

"Ya stole it," Daryl snapped back as he clapped his hand on Miles' shoulder as the kid chuckled and grabbed the maps.

"Yes, I did. Asshole," Callie said her voice falling into a small chuckle as she failed to keep up her angry front when he smiled back at her as he opened the door and put a foot inside. His smile dropped a second later and his eyes narrowed before his chin inclined briefly indicating a spot over her shoulder. She narrowed her brow and turned slowly, her heart thumping hard in her chest at the sight of Rick stalking towards them.

Callie sighed and ran a hand through her windblown hair shifting her eyes back to Daryl. His mouth twitched to the side as he chewed at the inside of his cheek and he slipped out of the Hummer. He kept one hand to the door as he watched Rick walk towards them and shrugged at her as she continued to stare at him.

"Uh oh," Miles said in a snarky tone as he stepped from the back of the Hummer where he'd been loading the rest of their gear. "Looks like someone ratted on us to Dad huh?"

"Shut up, chuckles," Daryl said closing the door and grabbing roughly onto Miles' shoulder. He turned the kid around and pushed him towards the remains of the broken down fireplace while shifting his eyes over his shoulder to Callie. He didn't need to say a thing when he nudged his chin again, the message was loud and clear. But he said it anyway. "Deputy Do-Right's your problem."

Callie sighed again and let her chin drop to her chest as her eyes closed. She listened to Miles' chuckling voice get further and further away as he spoke in low tones to Daryl, and finally all that was left was the slowly stopping crunch of Rick's steps as he came up behind her.

"A word, Callie," Rick said only stopping for that brief moment before he walked off towards the fencing stretching out across the field away from their little camp. Callie slid her eyes heavenward for a moment before she trudged along after him, her fingers settling into her back pockets as she moved. She spared a single glance over her shoulder catching sight of Daryl watching them and then ducking to sit down beside Miles near their small fire pit.

Rick stopped near the fence but only for a second before he was pacing. His steps were agitated and harsh, easily wearing a path in the tall yellowed grass below his feet. Callie watched him, her fingers tightening slightly where they sat in her back pockets. Her eyes shifted away from him when he looked back at her, a twinge of guilt at her own actions as of late making her bite at inside of her bottom lip. Rick looked away and raked a hand through his hair while peeking at her through his lashes. With one hand settled at his slim hips, and the other resting at the back of his neck he firmed his lips and stared at her.

"Rick…" Callie began, his slightly questioning gaze prompting her to start the conversation. Even if she had no real clue what they were supposed to be conversing about. She opened her mouth to start again but was cut off by Rick's clipped, slightly agitated voice.

"I need you…" Rick snapped out before letting out a long frustrated sigh. His head shook slightly and Callie's mouth clamped shut as she watched him turn his back and pace again. A moment later he turned and pierced her with a look she just couldn't read. "I need you, alright? I can't…" Rick stared at her and held her gaze, his eyes moving over hers as if he were trying to read her thoughts. She stood there in the slow growing sunlight above sucking in deep breaths trying to figure out where his mind was. "I need you here. I need you to be here while I'm gone. While I take care of this," Rick paused again and his gaze slipped back towards the house before shifting back to her. "If something were to happen…Walkers were to come, or Randall's group were to find us," Rick paused again and this time Callie caught another look in his eye, one that had her standing up a bit straighter as he continued. "I need to have people here that I trust to be able to take care of things. And that's you. And that's Daryl," Rick shifted his hand out towards their campsite behind her before settling his hands at his hips again. "It's not smart to stretch ourselves thin right now. And I'm not sayin' that it's not a good idea to go out there and hit that trailer for supplies. It's a damn good plan. I'm just sayin' it's not right to go now. And I know somewhere in that head of yours, you know I'm right."

Callie held Rick's gaze for a few quiet moments, the slight breeze blowing her hair into her face and mouth and causing her nose to twitch a bit. She lifted a hand up and pulled the hair from her mouth and then hooked her thumb into the holster at her hip. Rick's eyes slipped down to that holster, catching on his badge still pinned on it. When he looked up again she tilted her head to the side and then gave a small nod, her eyes shifting to the ground below her booted feet.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you," Callie said quietly, her eyes lifting up to see Rick still staring at her with that unreadable expression on his face.

"I get it," Rick replied, his own mouth twitching to the side slightly as the breeze blew along his face. His eyes shifted back towards the house and he bit at his bottom lip before speaking again. "Danny told me who he is." Rick's words were low and ominous and had Callie's eyes snapping open wide as his gaze slid back to her. "Told me what happened to those girls. To you."

There was a long beat of silence as Callie worked to steady her breath and her voice. She sniffed and shifted her eyes away from Rick towards the house before replying.

"Yeah, well, Danny's guilt has a way of muckin' up the truth a bit," Callie said shaking her head idly.

"And you have a way of avoiding it," Rick returned almost immediately and she couldn't help but smile at him a bit.

"Touché," Callie bit out between a very small chuckle. Her eyes shifted back over towards the shed in the distance. Her hands slipped up and she winced a bit as she crossed her arms over her body and hugged herself, fighting off an odd sensation of cold that ran deeper than the small breeze alone could have been blamed for. Her mind shifted to Danny, his guilty conscience still after all this time causing him trouble. There had never been a point when Callie blamed him for what happened. Never even a fleeting moment. Then again, she didn't need to. Danny was good with guilt. Really fucking good. And here she'd left him to handle it alone, again. Callie sucked in a deep breath and shifted her eyes back to Rick, surprised to find him still standing in the same spot staring at her. "How's he doin' with this?"

"Have you talked to him? Anyone? Daryl?" Rick asked, as if he hadn't even heard her question. Callie's head shook before she spoke and Rick sighed in return.

"There's just so much," Callie said shifting a hand up to rake back her loose hair. Her eyes went back to the small camp area where Daryl and Miles were still sitting at that tiny little fire. "I can't right now. Not until I get it under control, ya know? I need to get it back under control."

"Talk to him," Rick said firmly as he stepped towards her. His hand reached out to her but then fell as if he thought better of the action after looking at the way she was hugging herself. Callie shook her head at herself and let her hands fall limply to her sides as she turned to face him. "You can't just let it eat at you. All that's gonna do is kill you both. Talk to him, Callie."

Callie nodded slowly and licked at her suddenly dry lips. They stood in silence for a few moments; Rick looking back towards the house and Callie looking at Rick. She watched his shoulders rise and fall with the deep breaths he dragged in and she sighed at the weight she could see him carrying.

"You okay?" She asked quietly, causing his eyes to snap up to her. She lifted a brow at him when he just stared at her and waited for him to answer.

"I'm so sorry," Rick said, his brow furrowing with the determination of his words. "I'm gonna fix this, Callie. I need to fix this."

"Don't get yourself killed tryin' to fix something that's not yours to fix, Rick," Callie said with a sad little smile that he shook his head at. "I've seen what that can do to people."

"We're heading out soon," Rick said completely ignoring her words. "I'd like you to be close to the house and the rest of camp while we're gone. Keep an eye on things. We shouldn't be gone too long." Callie nodded at Rick's words and slipped her hands back into her back pockets as she watched him shift his weight from foot to foot.

"You could take Daryl," Callie said, trying to read his unease and figuring she hit the nail on the head when his eyes snapped up to her. He grimaced and she shrugged. "Or send Daryl with Shane. Or-"

"No," Rick said firmly, his head shaking with the ferocity of his words. "No, I need to do this. I need to fix this," his eyes snapped to her again and she felt herself shift her head to the side. "I need to fix this, and Shane," Rick paused and slipped his gaze back towards the house before finishing his statement. "Shane needs to see it."

"Rick?" Callie called out, her tone questioning as she watched him snarl at the house. He ignored her again and instead raised a hand, wanting to touch her shoulder but not feeling he should. His fingers raked into his thick dark hair and he sighed out his next words.

"I'm-," Rick said as he started to walk away. "I'm gonna fix it," he nodded his head and continued on towards the house.

Callie watched him go, her arms again shifting up to hold tight around her body. She sucked in a deep breath before letting rattle out of her chest and then shifted her eyes behind her. Daryl was standing now, his lean silhouette staring straight at her his heated gaze more potent than ever even at the distance they were at. Letting out one more low sigh she turned to face him and began to trek back towards them.


Shane wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and under his nose, working away the slick feel of sweat that had accumulated on his upper lip. He sniffed back the wetness in his nose and spat it off to the side before bending down to tighten the laces of his other boot.

The sound of light crunching footsteps behind him had him lifting his head and turning; the sight of the source of those steps had his mouth twitching to the side. He repeated the motion of wiping his sweat away and spitting before nodding his welcome to the woman standing there.

Callie's hands were settled in her back pockets, her usual pose when she wanted to be seen as friendly and unthreatening as she could. Shane felt his lips curling in a bit of a smile as he let his eyes roam over her from head to toe, and then felt that rising taste in the back of his throat. A familiar sensation nowadays, but still one that made him pause and swallow hard.

He knew why he was feelin' that sensation with Callie. Why the bile rose in his throat when she was around, and before he'd been able to live with it. Before he'd been able to tell himself that she deserved his ire. But now, after being so harshly reminded of exactly who Callie was and all she'd been through by Danny's words earlier, his shame was startin' to get the better of him.

Shane took in a breath, waiting for Callie to say something and when she didn't he shook his head and went back to tying up his boots. He and Rick were gonna be going soon, and he'd be damned if he wasn't fully prepared for whatever the fuck they were gonna find out there.

A part of his brain was nagged by Callie's lingering presence at his back. Her shadow stretching along the lawn at the side of the house where he was getting himself together and he shook his head against that little tingle along his spine. After three days of her keepin' away from this house, he couldn't for the life of him figure out why the fuck she'd sought him out at her return.

And it fuckin' bothered him that she would…

"I never thanked you," Callie voice slid out into the space between them and Shane felt his body go rigid.

Her words, her sincere tone, everything, causin' him to snap back to attention and turn slowly around to face her. He knew his expression had to have been comically confused because Callie was smiling just a bit at him when his eyes met hers. He felt his brow narrow and watched her duck her head slightly before nodding, apparently realizing how fuckin' ridiculous she sounded. Shane shook his head at her, finding himself completely unable to actually fathom where she was going with this and licked at his dry lips while he waited for her to continue.

"I never thanked you," Callie repeated shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her hands still settled into the back pockets of her jeans. "For letting us stay at the Quarry, for takin' us in. I spent day after day with you, months now, and I don't think I ever thanked you for that. I'm not gonna go as far as to say you saved our lives that day, but you definitely changed them."

"Wasn't just me," Shane muttered, his mind still muddled with the effect of her words. He sniffed again and watched her smile and shake her head.

"Yes it was," Callie said simply, catching his eye and makin' him hold her gaze. "Don't down play your role in the group, Shane. If you woulda said we had to go, everyone there would have backed you up."

"Yeah," Shane said shaking his head and turning his back on her to finish with his boots. "Funny how shit changes, huh?"

Shane tugged on his shoe strings and tied up his boot still feelin' that strange sensation of that woman staring at his back. He fidgeted a bit, his shoulders pulling strange under the jacket he was wearing. His mouth twitched with the want to fucking ask her what the hell she really wanted. Because he knew damn well it wasn't to thank him. But he couldn't seem to get the words out past the droning sound of what he knew-because he knew her well enough to know- was a sincere thank you on her part. He adjusted his pants where they were tucked into his boots and then wiped the back of his hand one more time along his mouth, still feeling her at this back watching. It wasn't until he stood up and slipped his hand to the gun strapped to his thigh, his back still to her, that she spoke again.

"You and I have never seen eye to eye on things," Callie said quietly a small chuckle on her voice causing him to turn to stare at her. She was looking at his boots and nodding her head idly as she smiled on and he furrowed his brow at her. "From day one we seemed to have a way of disagreeing without really disagreeing didn't we?"

She looked up at him and smiled then and he couldn't help but smile back at her, his own head bobbing as he settled his hands firmly at his hips.

"Some people just ain't made to agree with one another," Shane said firming his lips as he fought the smile on his face. "Don't mean they can't live with one another."

"Yeah," Callie said finally ducking her head and stepping towards him a few paces. Shane's head tilted at her action and out of instinct he spread his legs and took on a defensive stance. One she must have read, because she stopped her forward motion almost immediately and raked one hand through her disheveled honey blonde waves. "I think there has probably been only one thing we've ever agreed upon wholeheartedly since we've met, you know that? Rick Grimes." She smiled at him as he felt his expression go blank. "Rick Grimes is a good man. A true friend, someone who would lay down his life for anyone in heartbeat. He's a fuckin' survivor."

"You got a point to this?" Shane said tightly as he felt his body tense up further. She shook her head and he had the sudden urge to grab her and shake her and make her stop all this bullshit she liked to pull with him.

"Just havin' a hard time figurin' out why Rick would feel the need to prove that he's those things to you? You of all people? Who already knows all that," Callie said shrugging her shoulders, her hands once again firmly in her back pockets.

A beat of silence slipped between them, the wind rustling the grass at their feet and the shadows extending upon them just a bit while Shane bit at the inside of his mouth and stared at the woman in front of him.

"Ya know," Shane said finally causing her brow to perk up as she shifted her weight to her other foot. "When I was a kid, we had a dog named Bo. I loved that damn dog and when the time came for Bo to be put down my parents came to me to take care of it. They knew that with how much I loved that dog I wasn't gonna let him suffer, and they knew they wouldn't be able to take the actions that I would." Shane watched Callie's jaw clench just a bit as she stared at him and he nodded his head. "You're right about you and me. There ain't never been a time when we really agreed on anything, but I've always respected you. Because day one, I saw in you someone who knew when to take those steps that others just couldn't. Your niece and nephew-" Shane raised a hand instantly as Callie's mouth opened and he pushed off the retort he knew was coming. "I am not drawing any kinda comparison between your family and my fuckin' dog, Callie. I'm not the crude type of fucker that people like to think of me as. I know its apples to fuckin' beef and I'm sorry if it's comin' off that way. That ain't what I'm sayin'."

Shane lowered his hand as Callie looked away from him for a second. He watched her firm her lips against whatever she wanted to say and then watched her slip her hands out of her back pockets as she twitched a brow at him waiting for him to continue.

"There ain't never been a question in my mind that you're a survivor, Callie. That night at camp when you told us all about how you killed them boys in your bar, and met up with Danny. That story about what happened to you two at that farm with them two girls," Shane felt the distaste rise in his throat and without really thinking about it his finger lifted and pointed off behind her. Her eyes hardened a bit and he felt bad about bringing it up but knew it had to be done. "We might never have seen eye to eye on how to handle things, but we both know that certain things need to be done even though we may not want to do them. Rick," Shane's hand fell and he firmed his lips for a second before continuing. "I've seen him let perps go with a slap on the wrist and then stood by and watched him have to arrest the same fuck for the same damn thing not more than a few days later. Seen it more times than I can count on two hands," Shane shifted on his feet and pointed a finger at Callie. "So if he feels the need to show me that ain't gonna happen this time, I'll be damned if I ain't gonna grab me a fuckin' front row seat for it. You understand what I'm sayin'?"

Another hard beat of silence slipped between them and Shane watched Callie shifted her hands, her fingers catching on the holster around her hips as she nodded idly.

"Yeah, Shane I get what you're sayin'," Callie said closing her eyes as the nodding motion of her head turned into a slow mind-clearing shake. "I get it. I just don't like it."

"Yeah well," Shane shrugged and watched her eyes lift to him, the rest of his words dying at the look in her eyes. He slipped his gaze back down to where her hands were resting and he caught sight of the gold badge, Rick's fuckin' badge, clipped onto her holster. Rick's fuckin' hoslter.

"Don't do anything stupid out there today," Callie said finally her head still shaking as she turned her back on him. "Despite what you may think, no one in this group wants to lose anyone else."

Shane watched her turn fully away, watched her shoulders hitch just a bit as the breeze blew around her. Watched her left arm lift to hold and rub idly at what he knew was her fuckin' torn up arm. Watched her and felt a sudden urge overtake him, an urge that made him step forward and call out to her before she got too far away. Before he lost his chance.

"I was outta line," Shane called out, his words instantly stilling her movements and causing her to look at him over her shoulder. He shifted his weight from side to side and reached out an imploring hand as she turned sideways to regard him with a confused sort of stare. "At the barn, that day," Shane continued on letting his mind go and just saying the words he felt he needed to. "I was outta line. What I said to you, 'bout your family, 'bout you. What I did," his eyes dropped to her feet and then back up to her eyes as a sudden bout of shame settled strangely on his shoulders. "I ain't the type of man to think that an apology for things like that really means jack-shit when all's said and done. Ain't the type to expect anyone to really accept a thing like that either, but I'm sorry. I truly am, Callie." He stared at her long and hard his hand lifting and finger pointing in that same imploring manner as she just stared silently back at him. "I respect you. I care 'bout you just like I care 'bout everyone in this group, despite what people may think of me. And I am sorry if I ever made you doubt that."

Callie's mouth firmed into a tight line as she stared at him, her tongue darting out to wet her lips slightly. And just when he thought she was going to say something to him her mouth firmed tight again and she gave him a single nod. She turned again and waved a single hand over her shoulder at him as she worked her way back around to the front of the house and out into the harsh glare of the early morning sun. Shane stood by and watched her until her lithe figure disappeared from sight completely, and only then did he let out the shuddering breath he'd been holding in.

Only then did he spit out that acrid taste in his mouth and wipe at the sweat that had once again settled at his upper lip. Scrubbing his hand over his shaved head he shook out whatever was left of that fuckin' conversation and set his mind back to task. Letting his bulky arms fall to his sides he stalked off towards the shed to go help get that fuck Randall, and readied himself to see if Rick was really up for the task he'd set up for himself.

Your sister sees the future

Like your Mama and yourself

You don't know how to read or write

There's no books upon your shelf

But your pleasure knows no limits

And your voice is like a meadowlark

Your heart is like the ocean

Mysterious and dark

One more cup of coffee for the road

One more cup of coffee 'fore I go

To the valley below

~One More Cup of Coffee/ The White Stripes

AN: Oh my god I promise you I'm trying to work as fast as I can on these chapters but LIFE. LIFE y'all. Dear lord. But I've been working to set aside a few hours every night to make sure I write, because it really and truly is my only outlet these days.

I hope you guys liked the chapter, I know it probably seemed a bit odd and you're probably getting sick of me dragging things out but I can tell you that things are probably going to be moving a bit faster than you're expecting them to. I'm not going to drag out Randall's story further than I think I should, but there's a history that needs to be addressed so I'm not going to just rush it either.

I'm not gonna linger long here in the AN's I just wanted to shout out to all of you and say I LOVE YOU…just one more time.

Note on Song: This is originally a Bob Dylan song, but I really liked the sound of The White Stripes version so take a listen if you feel the urge.

I've got this tumblr thingy… that you can follow if you want. It's SimplyWickedRamblings. I post a lot about the fic there and have an ungodly addiction forming so if you're inclined visit me there. Ask me questions 'bout the fic or TWD in general. Fuck I don't care…I need me some social interaction and I want it from YOU!

Much Love,

See ya next chap.