Hi guys! Another update in a matter of days instead of weeks! If you are happy then you have to thank G13. She caught me completely off guard with just a random question and somehow managed to open up Pandora's Box inside my head. Writers block can go straight to hell because she totally washed it from my head and gave me so many great ideas to work with. I can not thank you enough G13! Like I said, you are awesome! Much thanks also to everyone that is sticking with this story. I didn't intentionally put so much in this story. I need to change my name from Haitus80 to "Sub-Plot Queen". But it is what it is and hopefully you all are okay with all of that! There is very little I can do about it at this point. LOL!

Uninvited Company

The house was pretty much burned to the ground by the time they came out of the trees and into the yard. There wasn't any sign of anyone but there were telltale tire tracks through the overgrown grass.

"Why do you think somebody would want to burn it down?" Sophia asked as she leaned her shoulder into Daryl's side.

He shook his head as he squinted at the flames. "Hard to say. There coulda been walkers inside," he muttered. They all made their way closer to the structure, careful not to get too close. "From the looks of it there was quite a few people here stompin' around. Don't look like any of'em came outta the house either. Seems like they just pulled up, set it on fire and then took off again. Don't make sense though. Hell, if it hadn't been for the smoke I never woulda known there was anything back here."

He studied the ground where the culprits had stomped down the grass. There looked to be two sets of prints that veered off towards two different parts of the woods so he silently followed them, aware of the others close to his back and Sophia's presence by his side.

Carol's hand was suddenly gripping his bicep. "Daryl, do you think maybe we need to get away from this place. If we seen that smoke then others could have seen it too. This could be some kind of trap." There was no mistaking the fear in her voice and she really did have a point.

"What's the verdict, kid?" He asked, looking down at a frowning Sophia.

She squinted and then shook her head. "I don't know. I feel like we need to go because I don't think they'll be back here. I think there's somewhere else we need to be."

Daryl cast one more lingering glance towards the trees and then turned to the others. "Y'all got any theories?"

Merle's eyes, just like his own, lingered on the tree line before cutting over to him. "I don't like the feel of this place. Standing out here like this is makin' us easy targets for the livin' and the dead both."

Daryl nodded and then laced his fingers through Carol's without thinking. They made there way back to the truck silently, glancing at the ominous smoke still billowing from the rubble. Daryl stopped Sophia with a hand on her shoulder before he got into the truck. Everyone else was already inside. "Do ya know if it was him? Are we really that close?"

She looked up at him, her eyes worried. "I think so. This isn't something that comes to me when I want it too but when we were on the road and seen the smoke I could see..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes went to his boots.

He sighed and knelt down, balancing on the balls of his feet. "You know that there ain't a damn thing you can say to me that I won't believe, right? So many people back home owe your ass their lives, girl. I don't know what's in your head that makes you able to see the things you see or do the things you do but whatever it is, I trust it. You can tell me, even if it does give me the goddamn creeps."

She met his eyes again and then glanced behind her to make sure there wasn't anyone else within ear shot. "I saw Merle and me on the side of the road. Merle was pointing towards this place and that's why I told you to turn."

He sucked in a breath and then placed his hands on her shoulders. "That's good. That's real good. We gotta trust this shit. This proves that... Merle wants to help."

She gave him a tired smile. "I just wish that he could talk. I wish he could just tell us where the man was so we can get this over with and be safe again."

He stood up and gave her shoulders one last squeeze before dropping his hands. "Me too, kid. But more than that I wish that it was me carryin' this shit around. Don't seem fair to me for some scrawny pup to have to deal with a burden this big." He winked at her.

"Watch it Daryl. If not for this scrawny pup you'd be out there dealing with this mess with just Merle. You sure wouldn't be sleeping curled up with my mama every night." She grinned and slipped away just as he made a grab for her.

"Smart ass," he grumbled as he climbed into the truck, red faced and swearing under his breath.

"Everything okay?" Carol asked when he started the truck.

He snorted and glanced at Sophia in the mirror, her earlier smile was gone and she was once again plagued with that worried look in her eyes. He hated it. Hated that she had to bear this burden alone. But there wasn't anything any of them could do about it. "I hope so," he said as he glanced at Carol before driving away from the fire.

~H~

Penny rested her sketch pad on her knees and leaned her back against the house. It wasn't so hot out on the back porch with all of the heavy trees that dotted the yard. She looked out across the grassy expanse at the barn in the distance and instantly her hand started drawing without her even looking at the paper. She felt good about today. She wasn't worried about Sophia the way some of the others were. The others just didn't understand.

The pencil flew across the paper and she smiled to herself. This was when she was the most relaxed. Times like this she didn't think about her dad or the way the world was. Her hand stilled when she heard the screen door open and she looked up in time to see Carl's mom stroll to the edge of the porch. She glanced around the back yard, her gaze lingering on the barn. She hadn't seen Penny yet.

"Hi, Mrs. Grimes," Penny said quietly from her spot against the wall.

Lori jumped slightly and turned. When she spotted Penny she smiled. "You scared me," she muttered but didn't seem mad. "Getting some fresh air?"

Penny nodded and glanced down at the paper in hand.

"Can I see?" Lori asked. "I've heard rumors that you're on your way to being the next Picasso."

Penny shrugged and handed over the drawing that was a long way from being finished. Lori's eyebrows shot up and then she glanced down at her. "Penny, this is unbelievable," she breathed. She turned when someone else came out the door. "Rick, look at this."

Carl's dad peeked over Lori's shoulder and then he too looked down at Penny. "This is really somethin' else,Penny," he said as Lori handed it back to her.

She felt herself blush as she thanked them. Her dad had always loved her drawings too so it was nice that her new family enjoyed them. She looked up as Rick cleared his throat.

"Annette sent me out to find Carl and Duane," He reached his hand out for Penny to take, "And you. Lunch is ready."

Penny let him pull her up from her spot. "Duane and Carl grabbed something earlier and headed off to the barn. I think maybe Dale or T-dog have them working on something. I'm not sure what."

Rick nodded. "Okay then."

Penny rolled her eyes as she followed them into the house. Carl and Sophia had assured her that the trip shouldn't take too long so she wouldn't have to keep lying.

Just as they made it inside the kitchen Jim's oldest boy headed towards them, his brown eyes sparkling. When Penny met his eyes he winked. "You gonna be on Carl's team when we play soccer later on?"

Penny chewed on her lip for a few seconds and then nodded. "If he wants."

"He does. He just told me about ten minutes ago."

Penny watched him grin and then dash out the back door. All of them knew that Carl was gone. Them, meaning all of the kids. They also knew that it was important to make it look like he wasn't gone. All of them were in on it. In a place this big, with so many kids, it was easier than one would think to be sneaky. She took a seat next to Lori as Annette slid a plate in front of her. She smiled to herself. They could pull this off no problem.

~H~

Shane eyed Michonne for a few minutes while he munched on a Nutty Bar. She seemed slightly nervous. This didn't come as a complete surprise to him considering how the world was now but as he watched her he saw her eyes flick towards the back of the room several times and her posture never seemed to relax. He'd seen his fair share of people with something to hide and he couldn't help but think that maybe she was hiding something.

"You headin' someplace specific or just tryin' to make it on your own out here?" Shane asked after he washed down the food with more water. He was already feeling his strength returning with the meager nourishment already.

She nodded. "There's a refugee camp somewhere around these parts. Heard about it on the radio when all this started."

He nodded and then glanced down at Sasha as she handed him a bag of beef jerky. "That seems like a smart move."

"Shane?"

Shane looked up at the sound of Tyrees's voice. He knew what Tyreese was thinking and he wasn't ready to believe that they could trust this woman enough to tell her about the farm yet.

"What's your story?" She asked suddenly, seeming to feel the tension in the air as the two men stared at one another.

"Well," Tyreese started as his dark eyes shifted to meet hers, "Me and my sister ran into him in the woods a while back ago. Been running ever since. There was this house a few miles back and we ran into some pretty bad men there. That's who we're workin' on getting away from." He looked away from her and shook his head. "Other than that, we don't got much of a goal in mind other than livin' and keeping distance between us and that other group."

Shane watched her as she seemed to wage some internal war but as soon as she opened her mouth to say something Tyreese spoke again, his eyes meeting Shane's and then hers. "It ain't no kind of life out there for someone on their own, it's the same thing we said to him when we found him in the woods. We wouldn't mind another travelin' partner. We can all help watch each others backs."

Michonne seemed to study them all for a few long moments before blowing out a breath. Shane was careful to keep his face neutral even though he wanted to say something to Tyreese. They didn't know this woman yet. She seemed okay now and had even helped them in a huge way but that wasn't the point. Those men gave him a completely new perspective on the world. People couldn't be trusted. They didn't know if this woman was dangerous or not.

Without a word she walked away, towards the back of the room where the shadows swallowed her slender form.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Shane hissed under his breath so his voice wouldn't carry.

Tyreese looked at him, his jaw hardening. "She's a woman on her own out here. Leaving her alone could mean we could be signing her death warrant and you know it. She brought us in and fed us when she could have tried to keep us away."

Shane ran a hand through his hair and glared at him for another second before he felt Sasha touch his arm lightly. "He's right, Shane. We wouldn't have left you out there and we can't leave her. It isn't how we are."

He sighed and glanced at her hand that was still on his arm before he nodded and then turned his head towards a sound at the back of the room.

Michonne reemerged, her posture more relaxed and a small smile dancing on her face, softening her features. On her hip was a sleepy looking little boy that couldn't have been any older than three. "Come on, Peanut. Go ahead and say hi."

The little boy raised his head from Michonne's shoulder and waved slightly. Shane felt like a complete ass. He hadn't had any idea that the woman had a son. That changed everything in his mind. Never would he leave a kid behind in this mess.

"He's beautiful," Sasha beamed as she took a few steps closer.

Michonne pulled her eyes from her son's face long enough to meet Shane's. "We aren't alone," she said in a low voice.

Shane noticed movement behind her then and suddenly she was flanked by two men. Their gazes shifted between the three of them and then they both nodded.

"This is Andre," Michonne said as she inclined her head towards the child in her arms, "And this is Mike, my boyfriend, and our friend Terry."

Both men nodded and then offered to shake hands with all of them. Terry's eyes lingered on Sasha for a few seconds too long before he looked back at Tyreese. After introductions were made there was an uncomfortable silence that hung in the air.

"Why didn't you just tell us in the first place?" Shane finally asked.

Michonne shook her head. "I wasn't sure what kind of people you were. Those men you guys described, they aren't the only ones out there like that. We've not ran into any and hopefully we don't but it doesn't hurt to be careful. I was only trying to get you some food and water and then send you on your way. But you're right. More people means more protection. At least until we find that camp."

Shane felt Tyreese nudge him in the ribs. He really hoped that he wasn't making a huge mistake. "Look, I know of a place that would probably be better. It's a farm in Cobb County."

"A farm?" Mike said skeptically.

Shane nodded. "Yeah. It's got walls surrounding it and it's stocked with food. My friends are there. If we can find a car or something and can actually get there, I know that it would be better than a camp."

"Why didn't you say this sooner?" Michonne asked, frowning.

Shane raised his eyebrows at her.

"Point taken," she mumbled as she looked at Mike. "What do you think?"

He shook his head. "That's a two hour drive from here. How long would it take us to walk that far? Our best bet is the camp."

More awkward silence hung in the air. "We can rest up here for the rest of the day. It seems like as good a place as any to stay the night," Michonne said after a while. "It'll give us time to think about what the best plan will be."

Everyone agreed and Michonne walked off with her small group, leaving Shane, Sasha and Tyreese standing there.

"I couldn't imagine taking care of a child that young in a world like this," Sasha said as she watched the others walk away. "I never really thought about that. You know? How many people are out there with kids? And Jesus, what is this world going to do to them?"

Shane watched her sadly. The truth was, he had thought of that more than a few times. He'd seen a lot while he had been out there trying to help other people. It wasn't something he wanted to think about.

"Do you think it would be a good idea for one of us to go out there and keep a look out?" Tyreese asked. "Someone can spend a few hours behind the tree line and watch for that truck or watch for any walkers."

Shane nodded. "Yeah, I'll go ahead and..." he paused when Tyreese put a hand on his chest.

"No. I'll go out there first. You go ahead and get a few hours sleep. Seems like it's been days since the three of us have had any. I'll come back in in a few hours and somebody can take my place."

Shane frowned. "You sure?"

Tyreese gave him a half hearted smile. "I wouldn't have volunteered if I wasn't sure."

With a reluctant sigh Shane nodded. "Alright then."

Tyreese squeezed Sasha's shoulder lightly before slipping out the door. The sunlight vanished behind the board and then the place was eerily quiet.

"You okay?" Shane whispered, not knowing if the others were somewhere trying to work on getting some sleep themselves.

Shaking her head slightly she reached for his hand. "I wish we could get to that farm you were telling us about. I don't want to go to some camp. You never know what kind of people are going to be there."

He looked towards the door and then back over his shoulder where the others disappeared further into the store before he met her eyes again. "If that's where you think we should go then that's where we're going."

She smiled slightly. "Those people need a group, Shane. They have a little boy that needs more protection than what those three can probably provide."

He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before nodding. "Then we'll just have to make sure that they see reason. That boy will be safer there than he will be anywhere else."

They didn't say anything else after that but he could tell that she was still worried. He hadn't known her for that long but for some reason she was becoming a top priority to keep safe. She was different than most women he had been around. She wasn't fragile in any way and that peaked his interest even more than her looks did.

Throwing caution to the wind he pulled her closer and dipped his head quickly, kissing her before he could lose his nerve. He thought it odd that he would have lost his nerve to begin with. He was usually a pretty take charge kind of guy. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she had a huge brother that sometimes didn't seem to get along with him as well as he could have.

All thoughts of all of that left his mind once she actually started to kiss him back. As a matter of fact her hands went to the side of his head and she pulled him closer forcefully. He gripped her hips and pulled her until she was flush against him. Any thought he had had that didn't involve her was instantly banished from his mind.

The sound of the door being yanked open had them jumping apart. Shane felt dread settle low in his gut when Tyreese met his eyes.

"I can hear a vehicle. Whoever it is is pretty close," he panted as he fixed the door. "We don't have time to run."

Shane heard the others making their way towards them. "Maybe they'll pass," Michonne whispered as she held her son close.

The group grew quiet, looking at one another frantically when the sound of tires on the gravel met their ears. Shane cursed under his breath as Michonne quietly muttered to her son. They weren't really armed and they weren't prepared in the least but that didn't matter. They had company.