Disclaimer: Buffy The Vampire Slayer was Created by Joss Whedon and is property of many companies but not me. The Walking Dead was created by Robert Kirkman and the show, which is the world I am referencing in this, is shared with Production Creators Frank Darabont and Angela Kang.

Arthur's Note: Slow chapter building changes, altering events. Also, as far as I'm aware the stores that are mentioned in The Walking Dead were all fictional for the episode 2.04, 2.07 & 2.08. Just in case though, I've never been to any of them (or even the filming locations in Sharpsburg, GA) and however brief there mention in this, or any subsequent chapters, should in no way to reflect on those businesses or any they may have been similarly named for.

[11]

The clock struck 9, chimes ringing through the house as an old man entered the kitchen from the side door, younger boy trailing behind. Watching the two wipe the sweat from their brows, Patricia welcomed Herschel and Jimmy with glasses of water, her normal chatter missing but offering a small upward turn of her lips as she turned back to cutting melon.

"Thank you, Patricia." Herschel took one of the bowls already full of the pink fruit, sitting down at the table across from Jimmy who did the same. A few bites in, the farm owner leaned back, "Bethy still down with the horses?"

Patricia nodded, cutting through the last of the rind, "She's walked Nelly, Jack and Bella. She should be brushing down Beau now."

Jimmy added before either could voice worry, "I looked in on him last night, no changes. About as skittish as Nelly though."

Hershel drummed his fingers along the top of the table in thought, getting up to head down and check on his daughter himself. Finding the girl talking to the yearling, Herschel waited outside the paddock, letting the animal get use to his presence outside it before coming in. Walking around he studied the bite marks on the horse's flank with a practiced eye, both it and the scratches further down having scabbed over.

"You're doing a fine job with him, Bethy." Long ears twitching at the sound of his voice, the large animal shifted its stance but refrained from jerking. Keeping clear of its back legs, Herschel waited until Beth finish up, "Looks like he'll be alright."

Beth released dropped the brush back into the bucket, bristles rustling the sides of the tin, Beau shaking out his head as she moved to hug her father. Locking the stable they walked back to the house, talking about each of their mornings. Inside, Maggie was seated with Jimmy, having returned from her own work, Patricia missing from the kitchen. Herschel kissed his oldest daughter's head in passing, looking in on the makeshift hospital bed to check on their patient. Resting by the bed, Carol sat in the chair pulled up beside Carl and Sophia, still passed out.

Leaving the three where they lay, he walked to the front door and out on the porch. The front yard was still, the remainder of the group still tucked away in their tents with the exception of the rough looking fella who had spent the day before out finding the little girl, he was farther out from the house, head bowed over his hands where he worked, on what he wasn't sure but focused on the task it seemed. Lips pursed in thought he considered his conversation with Rick the afternoon before.

Carl needed their help and would require monitoring the next day or so but was healing and Sophia had been found. He'd advised the leader of the group that when the girl was found, and his boy was well enough for travel, he'd send them on; last night though, seeing everyone's spirits lifted with the relief of her return had shown him just how much his family was in need of that kind of reprieve. He had every faith they'd be shown the way, that someday there'd be a way through this…

Two shapes were walking from the direction of the barn and Herschel reached for the door to call the girls when the clothes and gait signaled there hadn't been a breach of the barn itself. In light purple, Dawn woman matched the Sheriff Deputy's gait as they came into focus and Herschel's face flushed going still. Arms crossing his chest he held himself still as Rick made the rest of the trek to the house, the young woman dropping back but still following as he fought to hold his tongue,

"I thought I told you I only had one rule while you're here."

Color better than the day before, the man met his gaze with dark eyes, jaw clenching, "I can see why." Looking back at his make shift camp, still quiet, he gestured into the house, "I think this may be something you want to discuss inside."

Opening the door with restraint, Herschel allowed him past but Rick raised his hand to stop the young woman from following, "This is between us." He looked back again to the tents where Lori had just stepped out, movement in T-Dog's indicating they were rising, "Remember, not a word to the others."

[Break]

Lori stretched, swinging out as she turned at the snap of the house door, Dawn walking down the steps, "Morning!" Seeing the young counselors face she frowned, "Everything ok?"

Dawn raised her hand to shield her eyes, nodding as she did, rocks kicking up as they crossed over the dirt, "Yeah, just getting a move on. I wanted to double check it was ok I ride in with Glenn and Maggie into town."

Lori shoved her hands in her back pockets, shirt loose where it billowed before being tucked into her jeans, "That really take three people?"

Head titling, green eyes widened under high brows, "I wanted to see what the town looked like, check for supplies." Silence stretched on she glanced at the laundry that had been put aside, "Unless you and Carol need help?"

Just enough for two to do without running over top of each other Lori shook her head, "I just think there's other ways we could contribute than running into town every day."

"Didn't you ask Glenn to go back into town for you?"

Stiffening, Mrs. Grimes pulled her hands free of her pockets, fingers curling, "What do you think you were doing listening in on my conversation."

Dawn took a step back at the hostility from the other woman, "I wasn't. Glenn said they were going back last night and then you talked to him after, I assumed there was something you needed."

The tension seeped out of the woman's shoulders after a minute but her frame still leaned forward, hands shaking, "Well, if I did, it's still not something everyone needs to go for."

Stepping towards her car as the man in question appeared from his own tent, Dawn called out, "Maggie'll probably be a bit. She hasn't come out yet." Not bothering to respond to Lori she circled to the trunk and dug her bag out from the supplies they already had pulled and headed for the trailer, checking if there was anything Dale may need.

Less than an hour later, Dawn sat behind Glenn astride a mare darker than their guide's. Maggie had mentioned her steed was fickle about her rider or she would've been glad to have her ride with her, something Dawn was aware she nearly had her do anyway. Though she was subtler in her looks than Cordy had ever been, she recognized jealousy when she'd put her hands on Glenn's sides. By the time they were trotting at a quicker pace she was glad the woman was ahead of them, she wasn't sure what she'd say about her needing a tighter hold to stay on.

The word town felt gracious when they road in, Sunnydale was a town, this felt more like a village. The difference in population was one of the deciding factors she remembered, but in that case even a village would be considered a metropolis these days. Dawn shook her head to clear it, whether it was population or number of buildings, horseback riding definitely felt appropriate. Already off her own ride, Maggie was waiting to help her down as Glenn slipped off the other side, moving to tie off their horse to a pole situated in the sidewalk along the Pharmacy, "So we'll meet back here in 30 and shout if there's any trouble, ok?"

Dawn nodded, jogging down the way to Shrugg's Hardware just past the Carriage House Bar. Maybe she and Spike would come back in the evening, or he'd explore the Bar on his own at the very least, in the meantime she suspected there was the potential for batteries in the store. Glad for large glass windows, Dawn could see the storefront was empty without going inside although what was in back may be questionable, assuring herself her screwdriver was reachable she slipped inside.

The wood shelves were bare for the most part, clearly searched several times though no one had taken all of one product it seemed. Heartwarming a bit at the thought the people in this community had cared enough about each other to leave some for the next person, she dismissed the items she may have taken otherwise and moved cautiously down the aisles. The battery section was empty but there were locks and chains on another shelf that she put in her bag, shifting her shoulders at the weight. Some of the boards on the barn had been new, but the lock on the closed door had looked rusty and no matter what Rick and Herschel had discussed, she didn't trust the look of the security it had already had.

The door swung open at the front, Dawn whipping around to see the ex-delivery guy looking disheveled as he searched for her, gesturing quickly when he did, "Come on. We're getting out of here."

Moving to catch up as he rushed her along she spotted Maggie fighting to untie Nelly's reigns, Glenn stepping in to brush her hands away when she failed, "I got it."

Seeing how put off the other woman was Dawn looked for any obvious wounds but didn't find anything other than the spattered blood of a, "Walker?"

Glenn nodded, Maggie taking a minute before moving her leg over the saddle, seeming to settle with the familiarity of the task, "Don't call them that." The sharp response seemed reflexive but the sentence was followed with white teeth over a lower lip, not waiting for them before taking off back home alone, Glenn calling out after her.

[Break]

Shane and Andrea were gone when the supplier troop returned; Rick filling them in that the two had rode out to see about a recent development they thought may have some housing prospects for when or if they moved on. Argument had already been had in their absence that Glenn didn't pursue past the initial denial in needing to leave, Rick indicating it was just a precaution that they didn't wear out their welcome.

"…in the meantime, we're going to help out around here. T-Dog and I wil be working with Herschel and Jimmy in the mornings, Carol and Lori have agreed to taking over laundry duty for the house and helping Maggie expand the garden. We'll divide up the other chores, feeding and watering now that you're back. Daryl is going to see what kind of hunting there is in the surrounding area, help the animals on the farm last a bit longer, maybe check out some of the farms nearby…" Rick went on as Glenn dispersed his haul among the recipients for what had been requested, walking after Lori as she'd headed for her tent.

"Is there anything you can think of your friend would be able to do in the evenings? Help contribute?" By the man's insistence, Dawn could tell the conversation with Mr. Greene probably hadn't gone very well though she didn't ask amidst so many ears.

"Um, other than taking over night watch he's pretty good with a guitar. I know he didn't join us last night since… but I saw one no one seemed to take up." Rick nodded in thought though the downward pull of his mouth seemed to indicate disappointment, "I'll ask him tonight. I'm sure there's something else they might appreciate more. It'd be easier if they mentioned what they needed rather than us trying to guess."

Rick sighed, nodding in agreement, glancing down as the others milled further back behind him. Shifting her pack on her shoulder where the weight was starting to pull at the strap she indicted it with a quick move of her chin, "I got a few things that should help with our problem. Did you want to give it to him yourself or…?"

The man shook his head, hair dropping down his forehead, "No. I think showing we can accept what they're doing will go a long way. Maybe give it until this evening. Lori asked about making them dinner, thank them for everything they've done for us, for Carl."

[-Three Days Later-]

Yellow snap clips kept Sophia's hair out of her face as she watched the teenager paint her nails with polish the same shade as the metal barrettes. Although there were 4 years between them, Beth didn't mind the younger girl helping her and had said she had earned some pampering after tending to the horses the past few days. Never having been allowed to "paint herself up" as her daddy had called it, Sophia had jumped at the opportunity.

"What do you think?" Beth pulled the brush away after the last stroke and Sophia held her hand up to the light with a small smile,

"I love it!" Curling and uncurling her fingers she gasped when one of the edges smeared and Beth corrected it,

"Careful, have to let it dry."

Embarrassed she hadn't realized it didn't do so quickly, Sophia nodded, cautious the second time around. As Beth began painting her own, after the younger girl indicated she didn't think she could get it right, Sophia questioned, "Why doesn't your dad want you shooting?"

Somewhat surprised at the direction but not that the girl had picked up on her dad's disposition against fire arms since Jimmy had snuck off to practice with Shane, Beth didn't hesitate in her response, "Well, Daddy's never been a fan of them." She capped the polish, setting it down on the tray she'd brought from her room to the living room, "He can shoot, everyone's dad can shoot here, but after I nearly broke my nose he locked everything up and said we weren't to go near them again."

Sophia stared at the girl, looking at first one eye and then the other, searching for lies before glancing at her nose. Sensing the follow up question Beth rolled her eyes with a grin, "So when you shoot, whatever your using has kick. I knew the rifles did," pantomiming putting the butt of one to her shoulder she continued, "You gotta brace them but whenever you see people fire like a 6-shooter, it's always one handed, out in front."

Nodding in agreement at her gesture, Sophia knew what she was saying to be true. Officer Rick, Shane, and T-Dog had all done that before but Beth was still going on,

"Well I didn't know that even though it looks easy, they still have to brace there arm so on my first shot I pulled back the hammer," her thumb came down from it's upright position, "and pulled, my arm flew back." Leaning forward, she pointed out a scar on high on the bridge of her nose, "got me right here."

Fascinated, Sophia blinked as she muttered a low "Whoa," quickly followed by a rude sound from Carl who'd been in a seat further down, reading.

"That's just cause you're girls. I could shoot, easy."

Rather than fight with a 12 year old, Beth shared a look with Sophia that the other youngster was proud to be in on. Irked by the solidarity in their ignoring him Carl crumbled, sinking back into his seat with a muttered, "I could."

[Break]

3 nights in a row on watch, Spike asked the most competent of the group to take his place so he could go into town and to get a look over the bar Dawn had mentioned she'd spotted on her earlier excursion during the week, "If Niblet wakes up, let her know I won't be long."

Brows drawing together at the nickname, Daryl nodded, legs hanging over the edge of the RV, crossbow across his thighs, "Sure thing."

Taking the car last in the row, as the horses made a ruckus the few times he'd ventured near the stable, he stretched his arm across the passenger seat, chair pulled back so he could stretch his legs out as he hit the gas. Not that he minded being in one place, though he couldn't snack like he wanted, he was glad to get a way for a few. Lights off, he fiddled with tape deck but found it empty, rolling past thin sign indicating the town name and stopping outside the country bar with a carriage above the door.

Popping out the front door, Spike closed it, looking down each side of the street. No rotters that he could see but there was a car down the road, not that that meant anything these days, could've been there for months. Stomping out his smoke, he opened the door to the bar, pausing just inside as two men turned around, the smaller of the two cursing, "Son of a bitch, he's alive."