Disclaimer: I do not own the Walking Dead or any of its characters. If a character has the same name or likeness, it is purely coincidental. If you want to know what characters look like, feel free to message me or go to historyofmyself . weebly . com

Authors Note: Sorry for the late post everyone. It's that time of year. College exams, essays, Christmas, bunch of family birthdays including my own. So here you go, Chapter 5. Enjoy

Chapter 5:

The man that Daryl called Rick looked at her.

"Esmerelda?"

"No. Esmeralda. Combine Esme, Emerald and Zelda."

A man around Esmeralda's age who appeared to be of Korean dissent seemed to perk up at the Zelda part.

"Hi, I'm Glenn. Sophia says that you found her. Thanks." Says the man as he awkwardly steps up to give her a hug, but upon seeing the look on her face reconsiders that option.

Esmeralda felt bad knowing that her caution and weariness of these people was showing on her face.

"Hi Glenn. Um, I didn't find Sophia, she found me. Well...she found my barn."

"All in all ma'am, you helped. Helped when none of us could." Rick spoke up.

"The people like Daryl who looked for her...they helped. That accounts for something huge in my book." Esmeralda looked over at Daryl and noticed he still had his head down, avoiding eye contact.

"Hey Essie." Hershel's daughter Maggie called out.

"Hey there Magpie. How's 'er goin'?"

"Come collect eggs with me and we'll catch up."

"You mean I'll catch up. My life hasn't changed any. I'm alone, world's gone to shit, trying to stay sane."

"I'm sorry to interrupt the reunion between you birds, but I wanna know who the hell this broad is." The man who made Esmeralda nervous and weary piped up. It instantly forced her heckles up, waiting for the real attack to come. Esmeralda knew men like him. Her father was one of them, hell, half the guys her dad hired to work the farm. Christ, he reminded her of one of her brothers. The same mentality, the same cold predatory look that you would imagine a raptor would have, or a serial killer. Daryl may have had a predatory look, but his wasn't cold, it was observational and cautious, taking in every detail, knowing every exit.

When Esmeralda didn't answer the man he raised the gun that was in his hands.

"You need to drop your weapons and tell me who the fuck you are."

Esmeralda pulled the pistol from her hip and pointed it at him.

"Way I see it, I should be allowed my weapons. I'm outnumbered severely here, and with less gun fire I'm at a distinct disadvantage. So here is how it's going to go. I'll put mine away if you put yours away and let us adults talk."

The man's face darkened, making Esmeralda feel truly scared. He would not think twice about hurting someone. She never took her eyes off of him. Maggie stood behind Esmeralda glaring at Shane.

"Shane, she has a point. Put your gun away." Rick called out to Shane.

Shane didn't listen, but rather took a step forward with his gun in her face.

Esmeralda pointed her pistol at his groin and lifted her knife to his throat before he could catch her movement.

"Please put your weapon down. I'll do the same. Hell...I'll get back on my horse and get outta here, you won't even know I was here."

"The hell we won't."

"Guess what Southern Comfort, if Hershel comes out here and sees your weapon out and pointed at me, you mess up your living conditions. This is a huge no no for that man. He'll kick the whole lot of you off his land, if he hasn't already planned on it as soon as Sophia came back to you. And guess what, winter is coming. Going to be a nasty one. I suggest you be kind to people. People who may be the one to save your sorry asses."

Esmeralda could hear a growl coming from the man in front of her, and a growl coming from behind her. She could tell by the footsteps that it was another person, and not one of those creepy things. Then she felt his presence, Daryl. Someone on her side she hoped. Glenn was looking between the man and Esmeralda in fear; Rick was doing the same but trying to coax the man to drop his weapon.

Shane reluctantly dropped his gun; Esmeralda took a few extra seconds to start pulling her pistol and knife away from his body. She made sure that when she pulled her knife away from his throat that she made a little knick. Daryl gave a small snort of laughter at that as she put her weapons away. Maggie gave a sigh of relief, knowing that at any second it could have gone to hell.

"What's with the sword?" Rick asked.

"Silent, deadly. One of my older brothers collected a bunch of different weapons. When the world turned to shit I sharpened it up and started using it. Just a makeshift weapon."

Rick nodded his head as if he understood.

"Trust me, I can't use it that well. I'm more likely to kill myself with it than any of you. Only thing it's effective for is when I'm on my horse. I was never one to pick up a weapon, other than the rifle in case bear come close to the barn and house. But pistols, knifes and swords...I've been forced to pick it up as I go. Haven't had to use them much which is both a blessing and a curse."

Maggie had to laugh.

"You always were the biggest klutz that we knew. Hell, I remember you tripping coming through the front door of the house to visit one day and needing 6 stitches in your bottom lip 'cause you bit threw it."

Esmeralda could hear people's laughter around her.

"Yeah, I'm aware. I've hurt myself more times than I can count. Lord knows my bones and joints are that of an old woman's. Winter is going to suck. Speakin' of winter, you and the group goin' to be okay? You know there's a lot up the mountain. Once the snow hits, I doubt I'll come down. Don't want to risk it."

"Yeah, don't blame you. We'll go inside and talk to Dad about that."

Esmeralda wondered what would happen to Daryl and Sophia's group. Would Hershel let them stay, or would he force them back onto the road. Would they make it through the winter when food was even scarcer? They barely made it through the summer, the group looked starved and weary. Like another week of traveling and starving might break them more than they already were.

Could she let Sophia and Daryl starve and freeze? Could she handle being responsible for their deaths and the deaths of 10 others?

She had the room, she had the food, she had the supplies. Hell, she had the want and need for company. Christ, she could tolerate most of these people, except for the cold eyed man. Him she could easily leave in a snow drift to die.

Should she take them?

A rough hand rested on her shoulder and breath passed over her ear.

"Wake up Daisy Dreamer."

Esmeralda laughed.

"Thanks D.B. Cooper."

Esmeralda patted Daryl's hand.

"What'er you gonna do?"

Esmeralda sighed.

"I don't know. I just...don't know. I don't trust Shane, but I'd gladly let the rest come. I let you come, you all get shelter, food, supplies. I leave you; you hit the road again, starve, freeze and possibly die."

Daryl nodded.

"Only something you can decide Darlin'. And that's if Deputy Dipshit let's ya. He ain't gonna go easy on you, especially after that. I recon you make yer mind up, and if it's a nay, don't even tell 'em, if it's a yay, make it a take it or leave it one time offer."

She looked into his eyes and saw what he wanted. He didn't want to ask for it, but he wanted the stability in this hell hole of a world. She always was a sucker for eyes, the way they expressed so much, even when the words said are non-committal or not even spoken. She knew then and there, she would do her best to bring these people back with her. Their lives depended on it, as well as her sanity. She had a feeling there would be many, many more encounters with the 'Deputy Dipshit'.