This will be a mix of episodes 3 and some of 4 since Shane and Otis was the focus of episode three. Since Carl was never shot they never had to wait for them to return.

The groups first day on the farm was spent helping around the farm and sending out patrols to ensure the land was kept walker free I volunteered to take the first round of patrols with three others all three of them turned out to be people that I had saved back before the CDC and the night attack Bob, Josh, and Brandon.

Walking the fence I ask the others "So I know with everything going on I never really got a chance to talk to everyone. So tell me about yourselves and what did you do before all this?" gesturing around. "As you probably know from Shane and Lori I was a sheriff's deputy. But what about you guys?"

Brandon looked around seeing the others looking back and forth spoke first "well let's see im twenty six umm I was just a mechanic working in my family's shops out of our garages before everything well fell apart." He looked into the sky as we kept walking "I was married but my wife Jenny passed away before all this happened… Cancer but my daughter is still here with me she plays a lot with Carl, Sophia and your twins Josh. She is the only reason I keep fighting I have to keep her safe."

Bob waited a moment passing his apologies to Brandon for the loss of his wife while fingering the trigger guard of his shotgun taking his turn "well shit ive never been too good at introductions but... hell with it im thirty one. I was a Stock broker for a small horse ranch outside of Crawfordville when everything went down no real family other than my son I don't know where he is. All I can do is hope he is safe in… Afghanistan" he interrupts himself with a sharp bark of laughter "do you hear that? Hoping my son is safe in a fucking warzone. I wonder how it is over there and across the world you know….this can't be all there is…"

Josh after that nervous silence while tossing his sharpened leather handled shovel like it was a toy "well, I guess that leaves me im twenty nine before I was fired I was a jack of all trades construction worker. I guess you can say im kinda lucky it was my weekend with my girls when this all happened. All I have left is my girls Cassy who is nine and Rachel fourteen."

Brandon turned to look at josh "why were you fired, if you don't mind me asking that is?"

Josh chuckled dryly "Well when my boss tried to throw me under the bus to cover his own stealing ass I filled his brand fucking new SUV with concrete."

After a few moments to take that in laughter erupted from everyone. They walked along for another few minutes idly chatting back and forth about anything and everything when they came upon their first walker. She was wearing a ragged nightgown with bite marks covering her arms. As Brandon pulled his shotgun to his shoulder I stopped him.

"Remember if there is only one use a blade or a blunt object we may need that shell to help with a large group of them." I reminded him

He looks around "shit my bad."

"hey, no problem" I reassure him as he pulls the Machete from his belt and brings it down in a savage swing that hit with a solid

Thunk

Pulling the blade free he pushed the body off the fence and continued on their way. By time they got back to the farm house they had found and killed seven more walkers and fixed a portion of the fence that had been knocked over where that had gotten four of the eight kills.

"Okay guys we will do it again in a few hours maybe go a little further out keep clearing them out a few at a time. Go get some rest and see what you can do to help out around." I pointed towards the house "I'll go tell Hershel about the repaired hole in the fence."

As I walk toward the house I see Sophia, Carl and josh's daughters Cassy and Rachel chasing each other playing tag. Waving at the kids as I climb the stairs they wave and keep playing. Walking up to the door I knock.

Almost immediately I hear "come in"

Opening and closing the door behind me I see Hershel siting at the table reading a book and eating some eggs and toast. As I stood behind a chair he motioned for me to sit, nodding my thanks I obliged.

"Good morning" he said to me

"Good morning, I have to say it again this place is beautiful so serine and peaceful." I tell him with a sigh

Smiling as he sipped his orange juice "this farm has been in my family for over a hundred and sixty years. Ive often felt the same as you since I was a kid. How are your people settling in?"

"That's incredible and my people are settling in peacefully we actually just completed the first patrol of the fence line actually we found a handful of walkers who had managed to push one of the post out of the way and were heading this way. But no worries we took care of them and fixed the fence. But other than that it was a quiet morning." I replied watching his eyes twitch at the mention of putting down the walkers.

Can't believe he thought a cure would come along and save the infected even if there was a cure would anyone want to come back with the knowledge that they ate other people.

But aloud he said I appreciate you fixing the fence but it wasn't needed. And I would appreciate it if you wouldn't go exploring around at your own digression."

Inwardly I frown the fuck I will old man if the original group had thought to do a steadily widening patrol to kill off the small groups they wouldn't of gotten overwhelmed liked they did. I'll just keep running them when he isn't paying attention.

Outwardly I kiss ass "of course we are here as your guest but please don't be afraid to let any of us know if we can help."

Hershel looked to accept my words as I got up and went out to check on the rest of the group.

Angelica and Lauren was watching the kids run around

Hmm I don't recognize them heading over "hey ladies how's it going enjoying the serene atmosphere here?"

Angelica looks up from the book she had been reading "god yes it's so peaceful I wish our dad had been able to see.." she chokes up as Lauren reaches over to hold her sisters hand "Dad was hit by a car while looking for supplies before Glenn found us and brought us here."

Nodding I waited a moment "I know this has lost almost all meaning with everything but im sorry for your loss and if there is anything I can do to help let me or my wife Lori know ok?"

Nodding gratefully they thank me "before I go do you mind if I ask what did you two do before all this?" with a sniffle Angelica replies "Primarily I worked at McDonalds but that was only between my artist gigs."

Lauren looked back from the kids "well you could say I was an exotic dancer."

Doing a double take my brain almost shut down looking over her amazing curves giving a second less googling glance at her well defined muscles.

Her seeing my wandering eyes gave me a wink that would have caused the old me to blush and walk away quickly. But the adult mind I was using let me off with just a smile and a return wink.

Sophia falling in the distance catches their eye I look as I continue on to see Carl helping her to stand brushing the dirt off her shorts. good boy looks like rick raised you right I think as I see merle, Daryl and Shane come up from finishing their patrol.

"Hey guys" I call out heading in their direction "how'd it go? Any problems?"

Shane gave me a wide grin as the brothers head off "Nah wa'nt no prob'em we went about fifty feet further then you guys this morn'n" he said leaning next to me on the side of his jeep, "found another break in the fence fixed it and got us ahh lets see" he looks into the sky rocking his head back and forth for a moment thinking. "Eighteen walkers I think no big dead didn't even use the guns Daryl used his bow mostly. We need a few more of them actually they are damn useful for dealing with the dead when there is time to respan the bow that is."

Nodding "Hershel doesn't approve of the patrols I think he is hiding something." At Shane's menacing look towards the farm house, "But I don't think he means us any harm I think being out here has shielded him from just how bad it is out there." I put him slightly at ease.

The rest of the day passed quickly thanks to numerous patrols fence patching and farm work from the tally of the patrols they had only found forty-six walkers with a total of six breaks in the fence. After another hearty dinner with some fresh picked apples serving as a delicate desert everyone other than the night watch went to sleep.