A/N: Sorry guys, I've had some internet problems so I'm updating this as soon as I can. It's kind of short but hopefully it will tie you over for a while. Unfortunately, school starts back on Monday so my writing time might be cut back. I'll update as regularly as I can, I promise that. And since next update will be chapter 45, there will be a special surprise! Anyway, for now please read and review and enjoy!

Gunshots pierced the quiet air and Daryl and I immediately ducked as the bullets landed all around us. They splintered the wood of the porch and buried themselves into the brick siding of the house. The noise was deafening and I knew everyone in the house had to be awake by now, scrambling to see what was amiss. My heart was pounding in my chest as we sat huddled on opposite sides of the porch. I had no weapon and Daryl only had his crossbow. I peered through the railing of the porch, trying to catch a glimpse of our attackers but they stayed shrouded in the shadows.

"Addie!" Daryl called over the roaring noise. The fire had yet to cease and no one from inside had come out yet, probably fortifying the inside.

"I'm okay," I called back and the bullets stopped. The door swung open and Rick and Glenn stepped outside, ducking quickly so to avoid any stray attacks. Rick came to my side and Glenn to Daryl's. The leader handed me a semi-automatic gun we had scavenged the previous day.

"What happened?" He barked and scanned the area quickly, gun raised.

"No idea," I breathed, barely able to get the words out before more gunfire started up.

"Who the hell are they?" I cried, trying to get a good look. I could see Rick trying to stay calm but this was bad. Whoever it was, they had quite a few people and more than a little firepower.

"Who are you?" Rick yelled into the night once there was another pause. At first I thought they wouldn't reply but then another voice called back to us.

"I think the question is 'who are you?'. This is our town, you need to get out. Now." I cast a glance at Rick whose brow was furrowed in confusion and concentration.

"We found this place," he called back, standing a little but keeping a firm grip on his gun. He gestured for me to stay down. "It was abandoned. Now if you show yourself we can have a calm discussion and work this out," his voice was calm but firm.

"Like I said, this is our town. Get out," finally I saw a figure approaching and tensed. I stayed crouched next to Rick's feet but leveled my gun at the figure in case he posed a threat. A glance to my right showed Daryl and Glenn in similar positions. I was able to begin making out some of his features as he walked closer, flanked by two guys who had guns trained on us. The man in the middle who had been speaking with us was tall, very tall, and had muscles that would put Daryl to shame. He either had brown or black hair, indiscernible in the dark.

"Who are you?" Rick asked him, pointing for Glenn and Daryl to rise but me to stay hidden. I realized they couldn't see me from my corner and I could use that to our advantage if things went sour.

"Rustle Richards. And you are?"

"Rick Grimes," he answered, moving to stand in the middle of the porch and the others moved to flank him, mimicking the formation of the other group.

"Well Rick Grimes, I suggest you pack up and head out before we're forced to fill you with lead," Rustle practically growled.

"We found this place, we have rights to it," Rick argued and I wondered if it was really worth it. I was willing to bet they had at least a half dozen more men waiting in the trees. But this place seemed safe, and that was worth a lot these days.

"I don't think you understand. It's ours. Now I'm giving you a chance to leave here in one piece. I suggest you take it. We were out scouting and came back to find you lot taking over the place," I realized there was a flaw in Rustle's story. We had raided the shops yesterday and they were full. If they had been staying here then they would have cleared them already. The two men fell quiet for a moment, staring one another down and that's when the death groans started. I swore under my breath. The gunfire must have drawn them here, and from the sound of it, there were a lot of them.

I jumped up then and the three men instantly drew their guns on me but didn't shoot, noticing the larger threat of the walkers. With all of us armed, there was no real danger of cutting down the dozen or so walkers. Once they were dispatched, our groups turned on each other once again.

"Rick," I muttered. "Let's just go. It's not worth it," I didn't need to tell him that our group wouldn't get out in one piece if it came down to a fight. These men outnumbered and outgunned us by my estimation. We'd be better off taking our chances back on the road. There were other towns. There had to be. And walkers were here now, between the one I'd seen earlier and the group we'd just killed, I had to believe the stillness of this town was gone. The cold weather was affecting the walkers but they were still here.

"Best listen to her," one of the other guys said. He was blonde haired and blue eyed and would have been attractive if he didn't have scars running down the left side of his face. It looked like something had mauled him, the scars curving to the shape of his face. He had his gun trained on me but I didn't flinch.

"Adeline. Go tell the others to pack up," Rick said evenly, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. There was a glint there. He wasn't willing to leave without a fight but had to think of the others. I hated to admit defeat as much as he did, but we didn't have a choice without knowing what we were up against. A thought came to me then but I was careful to make sure my face gave nothing away as I backed towards the door and stepped inside.

Everyone bombarded me with questions but I silenced them with a stern look. I relayed Rick's message and made sure all of them had a gun before I began heading towards the back door.

"Where are you going?" Lori hissed and I turned to face her.

"I have something to do. Pack up and head out in small groups. Stay behind the others and don't let them notice I'm not there. At least one of you wait here until I get back," I instructed and walked out without another word, shutting the door silently behind me. I crept around the side of the house and used the trees as cover as I made my way around the block to come up behind where I could only assume the rest of this group was assembled. I kept my steps light; trying to think of what Daryl did when he was tracking to stay silent. Needless to say I lacked his grace but I did a decent job of masking my steps. When I reached the spot, I could make out figures huddled in the dark and knelt in a bush to listen. I counted eight guys but I couldn't be sure if there were more I couldn't see. So that totaled eleven with the three back at the house. They were all mumbling but it was inaudible to me from my spot across the street.

At least now we had an idea of their forces and it was definitely too large to fight without suffering casualties and I couldn't imagine losing anyone else right now. I got ready to turn and leave when I heard a twig snap behind me. I spun around and there was a gun pointed right at my head.