A/N: This story has gotten a fair amount of views, all things considering. Normally, since all of my stories have been rated T they're seen right at the top because of the default search filter (Rating: K - T, Sort: Update Date) but because my story is Rated M (which I thought I'd never have on my profile page) it isn't seen at the top of the page unless the filter is changed. So, I'm content with the story as it is. Anyways, I also wish to express my concerns about this story; 1) I fear that I may have scared off many readers because Marianne is a follower of Christ (and I'll say this now, I myself am a follower of Christ) and I'm not sure if people are scared or disgusted or offended by it. But I personally believed that it would be interesting to see how a Christian interacted in the world of The Walking Dead. 2) I fear the story may seem bland because season 1 is so old and because there really isn't much room for originality (depending on where you start in the story). Anyways, those are my main concerns about this story and that's all I wish to say in this moment. I best shut up and let y'all just read.

Chapter Genre: Action, Horror

Chapter Rating: T

Rating Content: Mild Blood, Brief Violence, Brief Coarse Language

They were all quiet, none of them wanting to upset Brenda. Andy had gone out a few moments earlier to check up on Danny, he said. Katjaa had a protective arm around Duck, who held her in a tight embrace. Travis was trying his hardest to calm Marianne down seeing that she was shaking almost uncontrollably, probably from the shock of being shot. He would occasionally try to speak to her but she didn't seem to hear him.

Marianne's ear was ringing louder than a smoke detector and blood was trickling from in between her fingers, dripping onto her jacket. Some of the blood had already dried but fresh blood would continuously coat her hand. How close to my head did he shoot? She wondered.

"She needs a bandage..."

"She don't need nothing, boy." Brenda snapped at him, pointing the gun at his head.

Travis tried not to let his anger get the best of him. "She can't be kept like this!"

Marianne patted his shoulder. "Travis, it's fine, lad."

Reluctantly, Travis stayed silent. He had a hard time keeping his anger in check, she thought, but he always seemed to calm down whenever Marianne appeared to be getting uncomfortable or if she said anything about his words or actions. It was real handy in some cases, especially in this one. If Travis were to get out of control, he would get himself killed. That was definitely something that Marianne would prefer to avoid.

All that they needed was some form of an upper hand; using one of the silverware on the table wasn't an option, seeing as they were useless compared to guns. If Marianne had her hatchet she could easily sneak up on Brenda while she wasn't looking.

Wait, her hatchet! Marianne looked back to the corner of the room where she saw Brenda put her hatchet; it was still there! Along with a small camcorder, a multi-tool and Kenny's pistol. When Brenda's attention wasn't on her, she nudged Travis and gestured over to the corner of the room. Confused, he looked to see what she was trying to turn his attention to. His head quickly snapped back, eyes widened as he shook his head. Marianne suppressed a sigh and shrugged. What other option is there?

The door opened and closed, startling all of them. "Everything alright out there, Andy?" Brenda asked, walking away from the table.

"Yeah, Danny's just guarding the barn. I told him to set out a trap just in case."

Brenda and Andy's attention were no longer on their captives, giving Marianne the perfect opportunity to take action. Slowly, she moved from her seat, careful as to not scrape the chair on the ground. Travis grabbed her wrist, once again shaking his head.

"Did you tell him that we can't keep all of them?"

"Yeah. He didn't say which ones, but I told him we couldn't keep the little girl. Not enough meat on her for trading."

She shook his hand off and knelt down, creeping up to the coffee table. Releasing her ear, she carefully grabbed her hatchet. Duck saw Marianne and was about to say something, but Katjaa quickly covered his mouth. She knew what Marianne was attempting to do and it would possibly save them, as long as they didn't make a sound or somehow draw the St. Johns attention back to them.

"Well, Lee looks like he has some good meat on him." Brenda said.

Marianne started to creep up on them, trying her best not to be seen. She didn't exactly know what she would do when she actually reached the St. Johns, but she knew she would have to do something. She gently reminded herself that it wasn't murder if it was self-defense; and this was definitely self-defense as well as protecting the lives of others. When she was almost behind Brenda, a gunshot came from the barn and Marianne covered her mouth with her free hand, holding back a gasp.

"What's Danny up to, now?" Andy sighed, his gaze turned to the door.

Marianne stood up and swung her hatchet back, releasing a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Lord, forgive me...

"Mama, look out!"

Marianne brought swung her hatchet with all of the strength she could muster. She heard the familiar sound of metal on wood and she flinched as if she had been slapped.

Her hatchet missed and was embedded into the wall.

"Aw, shite..."

Marianne tried to pull her hatchet from the wall, but the hilt was covered in blood from her hand and was too hard to properly grasp. "How dare you, you little..."

Marianne felt someone's fist come into contact with her chin, making her stumble back. A second punch was delivered and the impact made her head crash into the wall and she fell to the floor, her vision blurry and unfocused.

She had expected another punch but nothing came. Instead she felt herself being gently lifted. "Maria?"

She tried to speak, but she couldn't. Her jaw wasn't broken, she knew that, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. This seemed to concern Travis further. "Maria, c'mon, say something!"

She opened her mouth to speak but nothing short of a small groan came from her throat. Thinking her throat was just dry, Marianne swallowed. Her face then contorted into disgust as the metallic tang of blood went down her throat. I must've bit my cheek or tongue, or something...

"Something ain't right..." Andy said. "I'm gonna take the boy and go around back, see what's wrong."

"NO! Please, don't take my boy!"

"Dammit woman, let go!"

Marianne tried to get up so she could help Katjaa but she was held back by Travis. "You're hurt, just calm down..."

She flipped the bird at him to express her disdain.

Brenda's attention was turned to the door but neither Marianne or Travis attempted to do anything. Marianne didn't want another punch and Travis wanted to make sure she wasn't harmed any further.

"Andy? Danny? Is that you?"

They heard a deep voice coming from outside. "Yeah, it's me."

Brenda seemed to believe the voice, at first, but upon her taking a closer look through the screen window her eyes widened in panic. "Oh, lord..."

Brenda grabbed Travis, tearing him away from Marianne. "Come here..."

"Let go of me, you son of a bitch!"

Katjaa grabbed Marianne's arm, who was trying to sit up. Brenda pointed the gun at both of them. "Don't you two move, or I'll shoot him!"

"Brenda, come on, you know you don't want to do this!"

Relief swept through Marianne at the sound of Lee's voice. That meant that he and the others must have gotten safely out of the barn.

Brenda pointed the gun back at Travis, who no longer tried to struggle away from her. "Just go away, leave us be!" She shouted, backing up the stairs.

As Lee tried to coax Brenda into calming down, Marianne pulled Katjaa down. "Grab the stuff..." She whispered.

"Stuff? Marianne, I-"

"Coffee table... Corner..."

Katjaa nodded and gently set Marianne down, going over to get the stuff. Of course, she wouldn't be able to carry everything but she could hand some of the items to Marianne. She tried to stand up, then, using the wall for support.

"Let him go, Brenda! There's no need for this!"

"Back off, Lee! Or I'll- AHHH!"

Marianne looked up to see that Brenda was being bitten by Mark... A reanimated Mark. She shook her head. Lord, please have mercy on her...

Travis ran from the stairs and over to her, swinging her arm over his shoulder. "Ah can walk, ye-"

"Would you just shut up and accept help for once, Maria?!" He snapped at her.

Katjaa handed Travis the pistol and he put it in the pocket of his jacket. "Lee, they took Duck! Where's Kenny?" She asked Lee.

"I said don't move!"

"Don't you fucking hurt him!"

Katjaa gasped. "Oh my god..."

She and Lee ran out of the house. Travis grunted as he tried lifting Marianne. "This isn't gonna work.." He said. Without warning, Travis used his free arm to slip it under her knees and he picked her up. Marianne groaned, spitting out more blood. "No need t' get in a flap about this, Travis! Ah can-"

"Last I checked," Travis interrupted her, "you could barely stand!"

Before she forgot, Marianne used both hands to pull her hatchet out of the wall. Nodding, he carried her out of the house where they were both hit with a torrent of rain. She hadn't realized it was storming outside.

Marianne heard a gunshot and she looked over to see that Andy had shot Kenny. Katjaa screamed, running and laying by her husband's side.

"We got t' do somethin', Travis!" She shouted, the storm nearly drowning out her voice. "We cannae just stand here an' watch!"

"What do you suggest?!" He shouted back at her. "We got nothing!"

"Who the fuck do you people think you are?!" Andy shouted, keeping his gun pointed at Duck. "Look at what you've done!"

Lee slowly approached Andy, his hands up. "Just calm down, Andy..."

He tugged on Duck, making Lee stop in his tracks. "Calm down? What for, huh? All that we wanted was some damn gasoline!"

Marianne and Travis flinched as someone shot at Andy, hitting his left ear. They both looked and saw that Ben and Carley had made it back to the dairy. Travis called out, "Ben!"

Ben ran over to them, worry etched across his face. "What happened to her? Is she okay?"

He handed Marianne to him. "Just take her!" He pulled the gun out from his pocket and aimed at Andy, who was turning on the generator. He pulled the trigger.

Click. Click. Click.

"Dammit!" He cursed. Of course they would've emptied the gun, what else would they do?

They all watched as Andy dragged Lee to the activated fence. The three students walked back to where the group was. "Carley, lass!" Marianne called out.

"What?"

"Can ye no' shoot him again?"

"Out of ammo!"

She sighed and slapped her leg in frustration. It was moments like these where she felt useless, despite that nothing could really be done. Carley was out of ammo, so was Travis. Aside from the gun Andy had been using and Marianne's hatchet, there were no weapons that they could use.

"Lilly!" Lee shouted.

Lilly raised her gun and shot Andy in his shoulder, causing him to fall back. Lee, filled with rage, straddled Andy's chest and proceeded to punch him, not seeming to let up.

She shook her head and closed her eyes. Where did yesterday go? She thought. Where did our small group go? Where did our safety go? Where did our sanity go?

She could barely hear Lee's shouting over the thundering of the storm. She didn't know what he was yelling or why he was yelling, but she didn't want to hear any of it. She just wanted all of it to end, wanted to go back home, back to the motor inn, anywhere that could get them away from this hell-hole.

After what felt like an eternity, Marianne finally felt Ben starting to walk and she breathed a sigh of relief. Thank you...

/ / /

They had walked in silence for several minutes. The storm had died down a while ago and all that was really heard was the calm rumbling of thunder. Marianne shifted in Ben's grasp. "Ah can walk, now, Benjamin." She said.

"Are you sure?" He asked her.

She quietly nodded and he stopped walking, gently setting her down on her feet. When she stumbled he reached out to her, but she slapped his hand away. "Ahm fine, ye big oaf! Ahm just... A wee bit shaken, is all."

Taking her time to steady herself Marianne took deep breaths, wiping her long red hair out of her face. It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago that dairy seemed so welcoming and safe and then it turned into a haven from hell itself. Shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts, she began to walk down the muddy path, Ben and Travis staying close beside her.

"W-what did they do to you?" Ben asked her.

Marianne sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Ah really dinnae want t' talk about it, right now..."

"Oh..."

Lee suddenly pulled back so he was walking with the three of them. "How are you three holding up?"

When they didn't respond he pressed on. "Maria, you didn't look to well back at the Dairy and you still don't look too good..."

"Neither do ye, Lee." She snapped at him.

"I'm serious, Maria. You had Travis and Ben carrying you, you've got a wounded ear and blood coming out of your mouth."

As if on cue, Marianne spit out a wad of blood and she wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "Alright, look, how about ye get someone t' shoot ye in th' ear then punch yer jaw twice, then walk oot where it's cauld an' be all drookit from th' rain, then ye can ask me how Ah feel."

"Sorry..." Lee apologized.

She sighed again. "Naw, Ah should be sorry. Ah just went through a lot, an I just need t' be left alone, right now. Once we get back to th' Inn, Ah will be fine."

Lee shrugged. "Alright, then..." She was a strong girl, he knew, but there was only so much that one could take, especially when they're at such a young age. She also had friends to support her if she started to cave in under the pressure. "Come on, Clementine. Stay close."

"Lee? Are those bad people dead?" She asked.

Lee stopped walking and knelt down in front of Clementine.

Marianne shook her head. Clementine was such a young girl, she thought, and yet she was able to stay strong. Lee was helping her, most certainly, but she doubted that just any child would be able to see the things she has and still feel the strength to move on.

"Dad." Duck said. "What's that noise?"

Everyone slowed as a distant sound of ringing could be heard. Kenny stopped walking and listened. "Sounds like a car..."

"Oh, god, not more strangers..."

With Lee in the front, they all slowly approached the vehicle. The lights were on and the doors were left ajar. It's been abandoned recently...

Lee leaned in and pulled the keys out, stopping the dinging.

Kenny walked to the back of the car, looking in. His eyes widened. "Oh, crap..."

Everyone's attention turned to Kenny. "Katjaa, sweetheart, you need to see this! There's a shit-load of food and supplies back here!"

Katjaa, upon looking in to the car herself, looked back at everyone. "This food could save all of us!"

Lilly looked away. "Not all of us..."

Kenny glared at her and shook his head. Marianne looked to Travis, who just shrugged.

"Look, we don't know if these people are dead or not." Ben said.

"Yeah," Marianne agreed with him. "Th' people might be oot an' looking fer help!"

"This stuff isn't ours..." Clementine chimed in, shuffling her feet.

"Dad, who's car is this?"

Kenny wrapped an arm around his son. "Don't worry Duck, it's abandoned..."

"What if it's not?"

Everyone looked to Clementine. "What if it's not abandoned?" She continued. "What if it is someone's?"

Lee, after careful consideration, walked to Clementine. "You're right, we shouldn't take this."

"What?!" Kenny snapped at Lee, looking incredulous. "Did you get some meal that the rest of us missed out on? We have to take this stuff!"

Lilly finally spoke up. "Look, if we take this and the people come back, the we're nothing more than monsters that came and ruined their lives."

Lee nodded in agreement. "My thoughts exactly."

Kenny glared at Lee and held out his hand. "Then the rest of us are taking this stuff."

Reluctantly, Lee handed Kenny the keys to the car and he opened the back up. Marianne shook her head and stood beside Lee and Clementine, where Travis followed close behind her. "Ah got a bad feeling about this..." She muttered.

"Me too..." Clementine agreed.