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: Not sure I had mentioned it since the first chapter was expanded on, but I wanted to thank everyone who had taken the time to review since Devin , locardchange, and kirosyamcha, I appreciate it. Kirosyamcha, I did think of Buffybot in my early outline but as with Season 6, Ep 1, she was destroyed. That said, Warren was not killed so a replica like Buffybot 2 or some other kind of bot is not an impossibility. Guest, we will just have to see Lastly, Cryilalbar06, not sure if you were a bot yourself lol but if not, I appreciate the enthusiasm for the story. Thank you to everyone following.

[15]

The morning seemed to take forever to arrive but once it had, light lit the sky all at once, clouds dissipating that had been holding its rays back. Deep in the tree line, behind a pile of other cars, the RV door cracked open, slim figure unfolding himself low to the ground, taking the rifle passed through the door, "We'll get eyes up top, just give us 30 seconds."

Glenn nodded, waiting crouched by the door until he heard a small pop from above the RV and shuffling on top the roof. A moment later T-Dog's voice returned, "Ok, Maggie's up."

Nerves tingling, the man moved from one vehicle to the next, peering inside and finding no one new. No other sounds breaking through the parking lot but knowing he should be getting in range of the vehicle they'd seen pull in behind the motorcycle. Creeping around one more he stopped, fingers curling around the weapon, it was one of the cars from the farm. Trying to remain inconspicuous he failed to who was inside, but the front seats were laid back to the point only the tops of two heads of hair were visible; neither was appropriate to anyone in their group. Starting to feel his way back he moved back behind the last car, "Glenn…"

The voice was low, trying to keep from spooking him though he jerked reflexively anyway, catching sight of Daryl, "Oh man, it's so good to see you." Standing up he looked back to the car, doubtful, "Rick, Shane – they were with you right? Who're they?"

Daryl looked around them, nodding, "Somewhere in here, yeah. I sent them on, then those two showed up."

Glenn's fingers stayed at the ready, voice accusatory, "They with them?" The tracker shrugged but didn't shake his head,

"Said they've been looking for Dawn. Want her to confirm before I left them alone but couldn't wander too far. Can you watch them?"

Glenn agreed but signaled back in the opposite direction, "We're in the RV," he paused, looking down, "You see the farm?" At the affirmation he sighed, "Watch it round Maggie and Beth, they were right there, saw the whole thing." The younger man's eyes were tinged with the burden of experience as he requested, "Let them know I'm ok."

With a grunt the younger Dixon went off to see the how they were holding up.

[Break]

Dawn saw Glenn before he saw her, relief a welcome feeling that Daryl had been right, the group or whoever was left had returned to the last place they'd been together, "Glenn!" The shout may have been unwise, not knowing who else could be around, but she would rather Shane and Rick hear she had found someone then have the officers worry another minute.

Taking off his cap, dark hair was plastered back from an ash laden face, the smile wane but present, "Hey!" Car doors swung open beside him, the butt of a rifle pulling up to his shoulder as his gaze pulled from her to the two women moving out the car.

The young woman was running at the sight of the familiar long red hair, jumping to hug her before she was fully out of the vehicle. Throat full, she took a deep breath; smoke in her clothes not as strong as what they'd breathed in last night but making it obvious, they'd been by the farm, "I've missed you." The words were tight, broken as she tried to correct her grip on her friend, feeling her return the hug but different than any she'd had from her before. Seeing Tara coming around the car she reached out a hand to greet her, pulling her into the hug as she remembered the witch's letter. None of Willow's hugs would ever be like the ones she knew before.

Tara swept her hair back, long fingers in short strands, tucking them behind Dawn's ear, kissing her temple.

Relief was the feeling of the morning for some, numbness still awash over others.

[Break]

The attack had been much like Daryl had thought; Tony and Dave approaching the Greene Farm in their absence with two other men, "A boy from school, Randall, and another," Maggie looked down before tossing her hair back, squinting, "Sean."

Daryl studied the survivors from his place against the side of the RV, the group huddling between the shade of the trees and the camper, hidden from the road, "Looked to be a lot of walkers." He didn't bring up where they'd come from, from Maggie and Patricia's shared look they knew what he meant, both women remained silent, and it was Rick who surprised him.

"Herschel was keeping his family in the barn," Lori pulled away from her husband, Shane's face growing ruddy as he listened, "he didn't have it in him to kill them."

It was more than the Greene family in that barn, but Daryl did not think it was the time to argue, he and Rick's gaze holding for a moment as the other man acknowledged he was aware it didn't account for everyone. Rick looked at the others around him, seeing their shock, "I knew they were there, and I knew we couldn't stay with them so close," squaring his body to Shane's as he saw his mouth begin to open, he pushed, "that's why I wanted us to find our own place."

Teeth grating against each other, Shane exhaled loudly looking down, arms swinging at his sides as he stepped forward, "You didn't think that was something you needed to tell us?" He looked at his old partner, "Tell me?"

Rick regarded the other man, seeing only him for a moment though he could still feel the surrounding stares heavy on them, "This was the best decision, for everyone."

Shane's shoulders were pulling up under his shirt, tendon along his arm flexing out as he took another step forward when Dale stepped between them, "Instead of having it out now, let's just take a moment, we need to think." Admonishing both young men he looked back and forth, landing on Rick, "Right now we need to know what we're going to do. What about Andrea? Herschel? Jimmy? Are we just leaving them out there? We need to bury our dead, give everyone time to mourn."

Lori looked down, rocking on her feet behind her husband, "We can't bury them there." Looking off she brushed away run away strands, "We don't know when they'll be back."

Shane nodded, agreeing before Rick's hand swung down in exclamation, "Dale's right, we need to take care of them, but we do it it'll be a small group; me, T-Dog, Glenn." He ran his hand over his forehead, wiping away the tension, "Daryl, Shane, if you can lead the group to the new house."

Daryl waived the others to round up when Shane continued to stand still, Dale backing up from his place to follow. Lori gripped Rick's arm in passing, shooting Shane a look as he stared off, calling his attention, "Shane."

The former deputy looked again at the other man, shaking his head as he went to follow his partner's wife to the RV where Glenn was jogging from, T-Dog following.

[Break – Sunnydale, next evening]

The nights had begun to dip, the inside of the armory well insulated but the cold still creeping through the concrete floor. Bundled in their bed, Jessie and Cecily were out as soundly as the lights in their room, exhausted from another day helping their mother in the garden. Studying the two as she rose, Anya set the book she'd been reading and set it on the steel rack, emptied of former weapons. Pulling the second layer of blankets over them she bent to kiss each and left them to hopefully pass out in her bed.

The room they had converted into their own was empty, and sighing she turned to head to storage where her partner was no doubt with the short man, planning. Both men stood with their backs to the door, arms seeming to be missing until Johnathan gestured to the top half of the map, midway into town, "Here tomorrow, we'll separate the bus station from the rest of Maple, set off a round and wait to see what comes out."

Xander shifted through the box of noise makers he'd collected from one of the shops near Stevenson Street. Jonathan had wanted to see if there was anything buried in Ethan's old shop after they'd been discussing the Halloween fiasco one night and, on their way, back Xander had noticed the toy shop. Several goodies had made their way to his daughters but anything that made a significant amount of noise and moved was kept separate. On one hand they wanted to draw as little attention as possible to their home, but it also gave them more ammunition for distractions when worked to draw the dead into the open.

"Xander," the man turned around at the whine, Anya too tired to keep the sound at bay, "Are you coming to bed?" Her husband's hand framed her face, thumb running over her cheek and into dark roots,

"Not yet, the girls asleep?" Wrapping one arm around her as she leaned against him, he let the other hand trail down her back to clasp his fingers behind her, "Well what's keeping you up?"

Her hand curled against his side in a mock hit, "Beds empty."

Smiling a little at her pouting he kissed her nose when she looked up and turned her around, "I'll be there soon." Watching her trudge off he turned back to the white board, grinning at Johnathan's raised eyebrows, "Hey maybe we'll find a damsel in distress for you out there."

The former operative snorted, continuing to go outline the plan.

[Break – Cleveland, following morning]

Small flakes spun down, circling each other as the danced to meet the street, landing on the drifts already forming over the pavement. The cars were blanketed in white, the previous two days gift of a northern winter kept in place by the cold weather. Inside, the building was warm to the relief of its occupants, still prepared in layers should it change. No one wanted to be caught unaware if the power suddenly went out, though how the power remained on was still a mystery to half of its guests.

"You're certain there's nothing we need to get?" Wayland's offer was made again over the breakfast Ana had prepared as Giles had come in to make his tea, the older man shaking his head at the young blonde,

"No, Faith and I have seen to it, thank you."

Finding a kettle already set to boil, the gentleman took one of the pre-portioned bowls of Cream of Wheat to eat standing, watching the designated cook as she passed the pot to her friend to clean, "Thank you again for this, you both have certainly made this place a bit more…" He searched for a more appropriate term then homey but couldn't land on the correct one and laughed softly, "well just more."

The taller of the two nodded in acknowledgement, elbow deep in the curve of the pot as he dried it, turning to hang it back above the island, "Feels like we have a little bit of purpose again."

"Yes, survival definitely does drive us," watching the dark water as it thickened with honey, Giles looked to the window where the view was becoming obscure, "something we may have begun to have taken for granted before."

Ana's arms protected her from the cool image outside, rubbing her nose at the imagined redness, "I don't think we'll be doing that again any time soon."

Cup lifting, seconding the sentiment, Giles left them to their routine as the others began to come in.