All the views are making me keep writing...thank you all for at least trying to last this long...I have very few chapters less than 5k words, so I know it's a lot to read through...especially when I'm anal about keeping to the canon bits with speech...So I appreciate each and every one of you who have stuck with this so far. I may need to start posting new chapters less than daily in the near future, but I have every intention of sticking this fanfic out until the end of the series so long as just one person keeps reading. So here's to you, those that are keeping me going. So long as you keep reading, I'll keep writing...Also, I feel like I should put this in here because I don't want people getting the wrong idea. I am in no way, shape, or form making fun of neurodiversity with my OC. I am neurodiverse. And I wanted to write a character that had some of my quirks (a lot of them actually) to see how they would survive and adapt to such a new world. Autism is a wide range of behaviors and traits that don't all match up to other renditions. So I hope no one ever takes offense to my OC being a versie, because I wrote her, and I'm one too...That being said...onwards and upwards! Enjoy!

She came to leaning against Glenn as Daryl was holding his crossbow to T-Dog's head. Rick was bringing his python to Daryl's temple. She heard the hammer click back before her own scream of no ripped through her and she was fighting to get to her feet. Her head was spinning as the dizziness that swept over her rendered her helpless. Tea was thankful that Glenn was there, but only because he helped steady her as she stood. Her legs were too weak to move as she felt her whole body shake with the tremors overly stressful situations brought her. It hadn't stopped her trying to take a step, though all she did was stumble causing Glenn to hold onto her tighter.

"I will shoot," Rick stated seriously in a voice just above a whisper. "I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."

After a prolonged moment, Daryl lowered his crossbow followed by another pregnant pause before Rick lowered his gun. Tea finally managed to walk up to Daryl, brushing her hand against his back as he stood staring at T-Dog in anger, pain, and guilt. He shook his head and reached his hand back to catch Ania's, grasping it as he squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them back up, he looked at T-Dog a little calmer and dropped her hand.

"You got a, uh," he started before stumbling over his words, clearing his throat, and starting over. "You got a do-rag or somethin'?"

T-Dog reached into his back pocket and handed the hunter a clean handkerchief. Daryl took it and walked by Ania, once again reaching out and squeezing her shoulder this time. They both needed these little touches, the others be damned if they said anything about it. Guilt was weighing them both down badly as they each felt responsible for how Merle ended up in his situation. If all they had left was each other, they needed to be in contact to ensure the other was still there. As Daryl walked over to the severed hand, he geared himself up for what he was about to do. He breathed out through his mouth a couple times before bending down. Laying out the rag carefully, he picked up the severed appendage.

Holding it up to get a better look at it, he put it down on the rag as he said, "I guess the, uh, saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs. Ain't that a bitch." He held it up and examined it once more before wrapping it in the rag and putting it in Glenn's backpack.

"He must a used his belt as a tourniquet," she said calmly.

"Yeah, there'd be much more blood if he didn't," Daryl agreed.

They started following a trail of blood, Glenn looking seriously green and T-Dog stopping to get the tools that had been dropped. Daryl took point with Tea behind him, Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog trailing behind her. The trail led them to another entryway into the building, but opposite the one of the department store. Daryl and Tea shared a look that spoke of their trepidation before opening the door.

"Merle? You in here?" Daryl called.

"Merle?" Tea yelled out a little louder.

"Keep your voices down," Rick said.

They both just scoffed and continued on. It looked like another office building as they entered the top floors that weren't used for utility or storage. Daryl took out a walker in one office while Tea took out another in the hall. They looked at each other after as if to double check the other was good before nodding and continuing on. It didn't take them long to find proof of Merle's presence as they walked into yet another office and found two dead walkers.

"Had enough in him to take out these two sons a bitches," Daryl said. "One handed. Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Give him a hammer and he'll crap out nails."

"Any man can pass out from blood loss," Rick said as Daryl knocked his bow and placed the arrow. "No matter how tough he is."

They continued on, Rick taking point this time much to Tea's displeasure. He had the noisiest weapon in the group, and so should be taking up the rear rather than the front. She digressed, however, letting the other two follow Rick ahead of her and Daryl as they took a moment.

"You ok?" she asked.

"I'll be fine, Ania. Let's just find him and go back," Daryl said with a huff.

"I'm sorry."

"No more your fault than mine, girl. Stop apologizin'."

She gave him a quick, one armed hug which he returned before catching up with the trio a short ways ahead. They continued following the blood trail until they reached what looked like a restaurant, or at least a staff kitchen. Daryl had once again taken point, but Tea was taking up the rear this time; T-Dog had been surprised by a walker from behind and she didn't want that happening again.

"Merle!" Daryl called out again.

"Keep it down," Rick said. "We're not alone here. Remember?"

"I know," Daryl countered. "Could be bleedin' out. You said so yourself."

They continued quietly into the kitchen where they found Merle's belt and lit butane burners. The place smelled of something burnt as Rick picked up a piece of metal. Looking at it, there was a mark on the flat of it.

"What's that burned stuff?" Glenn asked.

"It's skin," Tea said, obviously distressed. "He stupidly tried ta cautarize t'e wound! Stupid fuckin' redneck! Shoulda left t'e damn belt on and kept it elevated! He's gonna infect t'e stump!"

She was rightly worked up, pulling at her hair and spinning in circles as her breathing started to become agitated. Daryl recognized that she was in the beginning stages of a panic attack. Whatever his brother had done wrong by cauterizing the wound, it had her scared. He carefully walked over to her before taking her by the shoulders. Neither of them really noticed, or rather cared about, the other men's gasps as she buried herself in his chest, hands clinging to his shirt for dear life. He wrapped her up in his arms and offered his chest for her to cry into.

"T'ere's artaries, t'e radial and ulnar, in t'e wrists, Daryl. He had ta cut t'rough bot'. Ya can' jus' burn an artary closed. It don' work like t'at. Too much risk for infection. Why didn' 'e wait? He knew ya'd come for 'im. Prolly knew I'd come too. Why didn' t'e bastard jus' wait?" she said as she broke down.

"We'll find him, Ania. We'll find him," Daryl whispered into her ear. "He's tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle," he said to the others.

He jus' mighta done so, thought Tea to herself. No way was she going to say it out loud.

"Don't take that on faith," Rick told him. "He's lost an awful lot of blood."

"Oh yeah," Daryl said in confidence, releasing Ania while walking over to a busted window he'd noticed earlier. "That didn't stop him from bustin' outta this death trap."

"He left the building?" Glenn asked as Rick poked his head out. "Why the hell would he do that?"

"Why wouldn' he?" Daryl countered. "He's out there alone as far as he knows. Doin' what he's gotta do. Survivin'."

"You call that survivin'?" T-Dog started. "Just wandering around in the streets maybe passin' out. What are his odds out there, huh?"

"Better t'an bein' handcuffed ta a roof li'e an animal and left ta die by y'all," Tea responded hotly, forcing T-Dog and Glenn both to look away from her and Daryl.

"You couldn't kill him," Daryl said standing less than a foot from Rick. "Ain't so worried about some dumb, dead bastard."

"What about a thousand dumb, dead bastards? Different story?" Rick responded.

"Take a tally. You do wha'ch'ya want. We're gonna go get him," Daryl said calmly before going to walk past Rick.

Rick made the wrong move by putting his hand on Daryl's chest and pushing him back, "Daryl, wait."

"Get your hands off me! You can't stop me!"

"I don't blame you," Rick said, getting in Daryl's way while Tea stepped up. "He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel. He can't get far on that injury. Now we can help you check a few blocks around but only if we keep a level head."

He leveled a look at both of the hunters as Tea nodded her head in acceptance and Daryl responded, "We can do that."

"Only if we get those guns first," T-Dog interrupted. "I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta on just my good intentions, ok?"

~x~

"You're not doing this alone," Rick said as Glenn and Tea huddled over a whiteboard she had drawn a map on. They were in another office room with multiple desks, making it convenient to find things to use as markers. Glenn accidentally brushed Ania's shoulder with his and it didn't escape Daryl's notice that she barely had a reaction other than to glance to the side at him.

"Even I think it's a bad idea, and I don't even like you much," Daryl said, not at all happy about the close proximity the boy had with Ania.

"It's a good idea," Glenn started. "Ok, if you would just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, we're slow and draw attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast. Look," he brought out a clip, "that's the tank. Five blocks from where we are now. Here's the bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That's where Daryl, Tea, and I will go."

"Why us?" Daryl asked.

"Our crossbows are quieta than Rick's gun," Tea said while looking up at him.

"Yeah," Glenn agreed. "While they wait in the alley, I run up the street grab the bag."

"But you got us elsewhere?" Rick inquired.

"You and T-Dog, right," he placed an eraser on the board to indicate where he wants the two of them. "You'll be in this alley here."

"Two blocks away, why?"

"I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I won't go back to Daryl and Tea. I'll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are. Whichever way I go I got you in both places to cover me. Afterwards, we'll all meet back here."

"Hey kid," Daryl said. "What you do before all this?"

"Delivered pizzas, why?"

Rick and Daryl shared a look before the latter quirked his eyebrow and nodded his head, looking down towards the ground. Tea thought the plan was a good one, but there was just one thing in her head that she didn't like. Glenn had no weapons whatsoever, so even if he was fast, if he got caught off guard, he would still be screwed.

"I think I should run with ya, Glenn," she said only to be met with three nos and a hell no from her redneck. "Ya don' have a single weapon. What happens if ya need ta take out a walker that's blockin' ya path ta go in eitha direction? Ya know damn well I'm fasta and quieta than ya, so it's not like I'm gonna be makin' it harda for ya."

"True," Glenn said after a moment's thought.

"No, Ania," Daryl said aloud, earning him a glare for using that name out loud around others.

"Daryl," Rick said, "it makes more sense and allows us all to stay safe."

"'Sides, I'll have ya watchin' out for me, right?" she asked him while walking up and placing her hand on his bicep.

Daryl looked into her emerald orbs and saw the complete trust she had in him and sighed angrily, "Fine!"

He stormed out of the room after that while the rest got their gear ready. After handing T-Dog her machete and telling him it was only on loan, she followed after Daryl. Leaning against the wall in the hallway, she could almost feel the emotions rolling off him in waves. He was angry at the group for leaving his brother. Angry at her for offering to go on this dangerous run with Glenn. Angry at himself for being so selfish that he kept her from going to Atlanta in the first place. He was hurt because Merle hadn't waited for him, hadn't trusted him enough to come get him. And he was afraid. Afraid of losing the last thing he had left because she had a bleeding fucking heart.

"Where's your machete?" he asked.

"Loaned it ta T-Dog 'til we get the guns. Still got Bucky and the Darts, though, and Jewel. I'm good."

"So fuckin' stupid," he muttered as he grabbed her hand and pulled her against him as he leaned back against the wall, wrapping his arms around her. "Ya gonna get yourself killed givin' away your weapons like that."

"I'll come back ta ya."

"You better," was the last thing he said before he lowered his head and kissed her deeply.

They were so engrossed in themselves they didn't notice Glenn stick his head out and see them before going back into the room flustered, "They, uh, they need a minute."

"The hell they doin'?" T-Dog asked. "Suckin' face?"

"Uh," Glenn wasn't sure he should reply.

Rick saved him from answering the spot on question by asking, "Is her name Tea or Ania?"

"I've never heard anyone call her that before Daryl did today," Glenn said.

"So, a different nickname?" Rick inquired with a slight smirk, realizing what was happening.

"Maybe."

"Don't tell me you think those two are hookin' up?" T-Dog said incredulously.

"You'd be surprised. End of the world. All kinds of things could happen," Rick answered.

"Dude's gotta be over a decade older than her, man," he responded.

"Seen larger gaps than that," he said with a shrug.

No one said anything else as the two hunters walked back in the room. Scrutinizing them discreetly, T-Dog damn near popped his eyes out of their sockets before he shook his head. He took in both their swollen lips and her slightly messed up hair. Tea had stared him down for a second when she noticed his expression; he'd looked away at the cold look in her eye daring him to say something. Looking at the other two, Glenn was busying himself unnecessarily over the map while Rick was just watching the two with an analyzing eye. She raised an eyebrow at him and he just smiled and gave her a nod. Unsure how to take it, Tea looked to Daryl with a questioning look. He just offered her a smirk of his own in return and walked over to his crossbow. Rick was still watching them and couldn't help but think how cute the young woman was when she was confused. She reminded him of his little sister.

~x~

She followed Daryl down the ladder, both focusing on the climb and their footing. It was quite a far way down, and no one wanted to slip. As Glenn reached the bottom, he waited for Daryl to hop down. He was polite enough not to look up as Tea continued down the ladder, an act that went unnoticed by the duo. Daryl took the chance to cop a feel of her ass in the form of helping her down the last few rungs. Smiling at him and smacking his chest, she righted herself and adjusted her crossbow on her back. The trio ran down the alley, pausing behind a dumpster. Daryl readied his crossbow while Glenn took off his backpack and outer shirt.

"You got some balls for a China-man," Daryl said.

"I'm Korean."

"Whatever," Daryl said as Glenn and Tea made their run.

They kept low, Tea with her buck knife and a throwing knife in each of her hands. She waited as Glenn threw himself over the sandbags for him to grab the bag. As soon as he had the bag, she heard cries coming from the alley Daryl was in. She and Glenn ran into the alley to find him being beat on by a couple of Hispanic-looking guys. One was big while the other lanky, but both carrying baseball bats. As they looked up one of the guys pointed in their direction.

"That's it, that's the bag!"

"Take it!"

And with that the two were on her and Glenn. They were both roughly shoved to the ground, Tea falling on top of Glenn, as the men tried to wrestle the bag away from him, punching, kicking, and hitting at them with the bats. Tea was doing a good job making sure none of their kicks or blows hit anything more than her, but she was having a hard time getting a go in offensively and the blows were not light. At least, that was until Daryl shot the bigger one in the ass. It gave her enough leeway to kick the other one's knee back, effectively leaving the duo crippled. She rolled off Glenn and made to push herself off the ground as Daryl reloaded his bow and took aim. Before she could get up she heard Glenn's screaming. The guy who's knee she'd kicked was holding onto Glenn and using him as a human shield while backing out of the alley with the other guy. A car rolled up as the walkers got close and the two took Glenn with them.

"Get back here you sons a bitches!" Daryl roared as he tried to get to the car. There was no way to go after it with the state of things in the street, so he had to shut the gate. Rounding on the teen Tea hadn't noticed before and shoving him harshly, he made like he was about to beat the boy into the ground. Rick and T-Dog were running up the alleyway towards them, Rick getting between the raging man and his would be victim. Tea was still trying to will her body to get further than her knees.

"Woah, woah, woah," he said, trying to get Daryl to calm down. "Stop it!"

"I'm gonna kick 'is nuts up in his throat!" Daryl said, continuing to fight. Not only had they taken the Korean kid, but they'd beat on Ania. He could see the cut above her eye bleeding and the bruises forming on her arms. "They took Glenn! They beat on Ania! This little bastard and his little bastard homie friends! I'm gonna stomp your ass!"

"Guys!" T-Dog yelled. "We're cut off!"

"Get to the lab," Rick said before going and picking up the bag of guns. "You alright?" he asked Tea.

"Nah worse for the wear," she said as she accepted Daryl's hand up.

"Come on, damn," Daryl said, pulling her against his side and helping her run. "Let's go!"

When they got back to the lab, Daryl wasted no time in assessing Ania's injuries. She tried to tell him not to fuss, but he was having none of it. He used a rag to clean up the blood around her eye, making a comment about how she wouldn't need stitches. When he looked at her arms, though, he had half a mind to go back into the other room where Rick was talking to their guest and make good on his promises. Her forearms were black and blue, and after a quick look over elsewhere, she had bruises forming on her stomach, ribs, thighs, and calves as well. Not nearly as many or as bad as on her arms, but she was covered. How could he have let her get hurt like that? He should have been quicker in getting up. Couldn't help Merle and now letting his girl get hurt, he was such a failure. He paced like a storm for a few minutes before punching the wall opposite of her.

"Hey," she said as she wrapped her arms around him from the back. "I'm jus' bruised, D. I've always bruised easily so it looks way worse than it really is. I promise. Daryl, I'm fine."

"You're covered in bruises, Ania! That ain't fine!" he growled out angrily.

"Daryl, I've had far worse in me life," she said, turning him around and putting a hand on his cheek. "I get it. I do. But there was nothin' ya could do in that moment otha than what ya did. Ya gave me an openin' ta fight back else it coulda been me taken. Glenn can survive a group a guys, who knows what they'd'a done ta me?"

He held onto her like his life depended on her then. She had a point, but it didn't make him feel any better. He'd lost Glenn who'd been looking to him for help and now he almost felt happy it was the boy instead of his girl. Ania was the only thing he had left if they couldn't find Merle, and damn if the thought of losing her wasn't absolutely terrifying. He bent down enough to pick her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist and arms around his neck as he wrapped one arm tight around her middle, the other tight across her shoulders with his hand in her hair. Burying his nose in her hair as she buried her face in his neck, he tried to calm his high-strung nerves. T-Dog came out a few minutes later to see them still like that and just stared bewildered for a moment before clearing his throat. Neither rushed to let the other go, but Daryl did put her down before looking at the dark man.

"Trying to figure out what happened, wanna lend a hand or are you too busy?" T-Dog said teasingly.

"Shut it."

"Shut up."

T-Dog shook his head at the matching pink tinge on both their ears. All three entered the room to see Rick standing over the teen trying to talk to him. It didn't seem to be going anywhere as the teen just sat looking unaffected by everything rather than like a prisoner of war. After a few more minutes of nothing, everyone began getting frustrated. Tea was about to step into the situation before T-Dog piped up.

"Jesus man, what the hell happened back there?" T-Dog asked.

"I told you. This little turd and his douche bag friends came out of nowhere and jumped me," Daryl said as he paced back and forth.

"Man, you're the one who jumped me, puto," the teen replied. "Screaming how he was trying to find his brother like its my damn fault."

"They took Glenn. They coulda taken Merle to."

"Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't even name my dog Merle."

"Wrong move," Tea said as Daryl tried to kick at the boy.

He was caught by Rick, though, so the kick wasn't able to connect. Rick pushed him away while telling him to back off. Tea walked to Daryl as he was thinking of a way to retaliate and whispered something the cop couldn't quite hear. With a nod of his head, the redneck stomped to Glenn's backpack and pulled out his brother's hand. Rick watched with his hands on his hips while T-Dog grimaced.

"Wanna see happened to the last guy who pissed me off?" he growled at the teen before dropping the severed hand onto his lap. When the teen righteously flipped out and fell off his chair, Daryl grabbed him and said, "I'll start at the feet this time."

Apparently, that was taking it a little too far as Rick walked over and once again dragged the man away from the teen. "The men who went and took our friend. All we wanna do is talk to them. See if we can't work something out."

Tea could see it in the teens eyes as soon as she had walked into the room. There was no way the boy was going to be able to withstand the pressure these men were putting on him. Especially not with the natural good cop/bad cop routine Rick and Daryl seemed to be pulling. She actually had to stifle a laugh that had T-Dog look at her like she was the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters at the teen's reaction to the hand. Tea shrugged her shoulders, still trying and failing not to smile. She couldn't help that she found people's reactions to the macabre hilarious; her own reaction of fainting was brought on by emotions of guilt, not fight or flight. Still smiling, she decided that she could play nice for once and help the kid out.

"Look," she said as she walked over, bending all the way down at the knees so that she was looking up at him. "Truth is, ya only choice is ta give us the info we want. Othawise, ya won' be goin' home. See, they've got one a ours, we got one a theirs. It's easia for us ta go ta 'em than 'em ta come ta us, 'specially when this is jus' a temporary spot. So, what'd'ya say we get ya home? Aye? Take us ta ya leada."

The boy snickered at that, "Fine. Just promise me I'll keep my feet."

"I don' know if I can do that. Be on ya best behavia, and maybe ya'll be fine. But be fair warned, 'e's not the one ta look out for in this group," she said, pointing to Daryl.

"Oh, and who is?" he asked with an air of arrogance.

"Me," she said, giving him the patented smile that caught even Merle off guard that first run.

All the color had drained from the teen's face when he saw it as Daryl laughed and pulled her back against his chest. "That's my girl," he said into her hair.

Rick and T-Dog just looked at each other before looking at the teen who looked like he was about to piss himself. After a moment, they understood that that was exactly what the duo had been going for. They wanted the boy to be scared so that he wouldn't act out while they were going wherever they needed to. Soon enough, they followed the boy out onto the streets, using cordoned off alleyways and fire-escapes. It wasn't long until they reached a brick building with only one opening. Rick handed T-Dog a rifle and told him where to go so that they could have a vantage point, as well as possibly snipe the leader if things went south.

"This place seems familia," Tea muttered to Daryl who just shrugged.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Rick asked T-Dog, handing the man one of the nicer rifles with a scope. He just nodded his head and walked off.

"One wrong move," Daryl said to the teen. "You get an arrow up the ass, just so you know."

"G's gonna take that arrow out of my ass, and shove it up yours. Just so you know."

"G?" Rick asked.

"Guillermo. He the man here."

"Wait, Guillermo? As in Atlanta Nursing Home janitor Guillermo?"

"You know him?" Rick asked.

"I might," she admitted.

"Okay then," Rick said with a nod, loading his rifle. "Let's go see Guillermo."

They entered through the window one by one, keeping their weapons at the ready just in case. They had the teen in front with Tea standing right behind him. Rick was worried about how small the girl looked behind the teen, but she had insisted she knew where she was. As they walked up to the metal doors, they were slowly opened and a Hispanic man walked out.

"You okay little man?"

"Dude threatened to cut off my feet, carnal."

"Cops do that?

"Not him, man. This redneck puto. Cut off some dude's hand, showed it to me."

"Man, shut up!"

"Hey, Guillermo, long time no see," Tea said, stepping out to the side and lowering her weapon. "I thought I recognized the area. Rememba me?"

"Ms. Parker? What are you doing with these yahoos?" he said in surprise. "Why don't you come stay with us? Old ones will be happy to see you."

"Ain't goin' no where with you," Daryl growled out, taking a step forward and aiming his crossbow.

"What?" Guillermo looked between the two and smirked, "Don't tell me you got a thing for redneck?"

"More like huntas," she said looking at Daryl grinning widely.

"Hey, hey! That's that vato right there! The one that shot me in the ass!"

"And ya were beatin' on me, so he had every right ta, Philipe. He was jus' protectin' what's 'is. Didn' recognize ya in the alley," Tea said, bringing his attention to her.

"Titania?"

"Ms. Parker! Only the old ones have the privilege a callin' me that!" she spat as the teen snickered, which earned him a smack on the back of the head and a shut it from Daryl.

"Wait, back up," Guillermo said. "You were the one that kicked Jorje's knee?"

"Yup," she popped the 'p'. "I was too busy protectin' meself and tryin' ta protect Glenn ta see who was beatin' me. Might not a been worried once I recognized ya, but damn if I was gonna go down without a fight. Ya shoulda 'xpected that from any woman, 'specially nowadays. So how's 'bout a little friendly chat and see if we can' sweep it all unda the rug, so ta speak?"

"We need those guns."

"They ain' ya's, though, so ya'll have ta ask the owna. And even if they weren' Rick's in the first place, the expression 'first come, first served' works perfectly here. We got ta the bag first, they're ours. So ya don' get ta negotiate on that. Jus' be thankful we're not wantin' anythin' from ya 'xcept our man back, and maybe ta check in on the old ones?" she said.

"What? You want lunch too?" the man who must have been Jorje asked.

"Nah. We have our own supplies and I brought 'nough food for me guys. Don' worry," she answered flatly, as if the question hadn't been rude. "We ain' takin' nothin' outta here that ain' ours. So give us back our Asian and let me see the old ones one last time, maybe sing ta 'em for a while. We all know they ain' gettin' outta here."

Both Guillermo and Philipe told the man to drop it, explaining who she was and how she had helped several of the old folks in the home. Not only had she dealt with a case involving the mistreatment of elderly patients for several of them, but she was also a volunteer and came to sit with some of them on the weekend. Sometimes she'd sit in the commons area and read or sing to whoever wanted to listen. They spoke of her deeds as they waited for T-Dog to make his way to the group. As they made their way inside, Guillermo explained how the vatos came in. They spoke of appearances and how the world was still the same as always.

After Guillermo had explained how things worked in the nursing home, Rick took out a couple of the rifles, handguns, and boxes of ammo and handed them over. Tea got to check on the people she wanted to. She'd sat in the common room with a guitar for about an hour singing songs from church hymns to something Glenn said was Irish rock. Her voice was confidant and powerful, easily being heard throughout the entire room and then some and drawing the attention of everyone. Daryl had heard her singing back at the quarry; he'd requested a couple rock songs she knew and had been pleasantly surprised by her talent and the way she could change her tone and accent to fit any song.

Soon enough, the five of them were on their way back to the quarry. When he heard Guillermo talk about Tea and then saw how she acted with the old folks, it was plain as day to Rick that she was different from what Shane and Lori thought. It seemed that on top of being insanely smart, she was very generous and caring. The minute they'd stepped into the nursing home, several of the elderly folks had started singing her praises as well. She clearly knew what she was doing and had full control of her senses. There had been no problem with authority when it came to listening to others, either, just Shane and Lori it seemed. He didn't know what the little woman had done to anger his friend and wife to the point of such harsh judgements and criticisms as he couldn't see her picking a fight like they said she did. They began walking to the overpass side by side, all carrying rifles on top of their other weapons. At first it was quiet, but then T-Dog spoke to Tea.

"So, Titania Parker, eh?" he said teasingly.

"Yeah, and?" she replied hotly.

"Why don't you use it? Sounds like a nice name," Rick said.

"Ya missed the part where I told the camp I graduated high school at thirteen. My name starts with 'tit'. Hell, Miguelito laughed when he heard it. Why do ya think I got used ta not usin' it?" she responded just as heated.

"I guess that would make things a little complicated for a little girl," he said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, it did. So when I started college, I jus' started usin' Tea 'cause I drank a lot a it at the time. Coffee puts me ta sleep thanks ta the ADHD, so I drank a lot a tea ta get through me studies. Perfect excuse for a name change."

"Admit it," Glenn cut in talking to Rick. "You only came back to Atlanta for the hat."

"Don't tell anyone," he joked back.

"You've given away half our guns and ammo," Daryl said angry.

"Not nearly half," Rick said in exasperation.

"So what? Old farts could die at any moment anyhow? Seriously, how much time you think they got?" he continued, earning a glare and a smack upside the head from Ania.

They walked a couple steps forward before Rick answered him, "How long do any of us?"

"Oh my god," Glenn said as they all came to a stop. Where they had left the cube vehicle was now an empty space.

"Where's our van?" Daryl said.

"Who the hell would take it?" Glenn asked.

"Merle," Rick and Tea said at the same time.

Daryl looked down at her and realized they were likely right, "He's goin' to be takin' some vengeance back to camp."

"We gotta go," Tea said, quickly moving forward in a slight jog.

The men followed in her wake though caught up to her quickly. She explained that they needed to go at a steady, regulated pace and they might make it back to the quarry by nightfall. Most likely, though, it would be closer to late night that they would actually reach camp. They continued at that pace taking minimal stops for breath and water. By dusk, they were running up the road that lead to the quarry. Rick and Glenn were in the best condition, Tea and Daryl following close behind. T-Dog was taking up the rear as he carried the tools; she had offered to trade off carrying the bag of guns or the tools, but both he and Rick declined her offer. She thought they were actually going to make it without any trouble when screaming and gunfire broke out through the trees.

"Oh my god," Rick said as the group paused in their steps momentarily. "Let's go, go!"

That's all it took for Tea to drop her bag and bow to the ground and run at full sprint to the camp. She was the first to spring through the trees and see the chaos that the camp was in. Taking aim, she fired at a walker that was coming out from behind Carol. As she reloaded, the guys broke through the trees behind her. In quick order, the five of them took out all the remaining walkers. As Carl ran up to Rick, she and Daryl quietly assessed each other before looking at their surroundings.

Amy was on the ground with Andrea beside her. The corpses composed of aged and decomposing walkers and chewed on members of the group. Daryl looked at Ania's face and witnessed the warring emotions in her eyes. She was blaming herself again, he knew she was. The poor girl seemed to be always taking every burden upon herself. He grabbed her and held her close, whispering how they did everything they could do as Andrea began breaking down over Amy. Ania let him hold her, but did nothing but stand there and rest her head against his chest as he rubbed circles on her back. Would she ever do anything right?

And so I've posted today when I said I wouldn't. I'm still roughly 5 chapters ahead of what I've got posted, so I'm not falling too far behind in writing. Thanks for reading! I know it wasn't what was expected with the vatos, but I wanted Rick to see her for who she was, not who others saw her. And it made sense for her to know given her job. I like how it flowed, it skipped a bunch of unnecessary drama, and some more people got to find out her name...There ya have it...Thanks again! I'll probably be posting at night from now on instead of in the morning. Thanks again for reading!

Updated 8/29/21