Disclaimer: Why oh why can't I own anything besides Taylor? Insert sad face here.
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CHAPTER FOUR.
ADIOS, AMIGOS.

The tall brunette gathered up all the dirty clothes that were laying aimlessly around the tent. She ran a hand through her hair and rolled her eyes. Sometimes she really hated having to be the responsible homemaker type. She began to head in the direction of the creek bed where she planned to wash all the terribly dirty articles of clothing.

She was not a fan of cleaning them down at the quarry with the other women- they had always treated her differently than they did each other. She knew part of it was unnecessary jealousy since they always acted like she was the Queen B who received special treatment for screwing the leader of the group. She rolled her eyes just thinking about it because it was not even remotely true. If they really knew everything she was going through right now they would never assume that she had it easy. She heard her name called from somewhere behind her and added more purpose to her walk, taking longer strides like nothing was happening; she did not have time to deal with the person whom the voice belonged to.

"Lori…" Shane called out to her as she walked with a pile of clothes jumbled up in her hands. "Lori!" He shuffled his feet to pick up with her quickening pace. "LORI." He ran up and stepped in front of her to block her path. "I know you heard me. What are you doing?"

"Laundry, my son and husbands laundry," she side stepped to get around him when he thwarting her escape a second time.

"What's this about?" He looked into her eyes with a sad confusion playing in his own. "Why are you doing this all of sudden?"

"What am I supposed to do Shane," he went to speak but she cut him off quickly, "I thought my husband was dead and then he just shows up one day! Do you even understand how hard that is?"

"'Course I do! How could you even question it? He was my best friend Lori…" he down at the ground trying to find the words to make her stay. "I swear to you I thought he was dead… I couldn't hear anything, I don't know, I'm not a goddamn doctor!"

"It doesn't matter what you thought anymore and maybe you shouldn't have even said anything," being so callous to him was not her intention but she had felt like she run out of options. He just wasn't going to stop otherwise. She gasped in surprise when he ripped the clothes from her arms and tossed them carelessly to the ground. She backed up until the cold creek water was nipping at her heels. They were in a secluded, tuckered away part of the creek just behind the campsite. Shane knew no one would be coming down to join them and he made sure of it by assigning useless tasks.

"I'm going through hell and I'm falling apart here, can't you see that? I can't imagine losing you or even not being able to talk you to anymore. I have a heart you know," he couldn't believe he was confessing his love like this. He was spilling his guts to her and could not stop the word vomit.

"Don't do this. Don't say these things," she turned her head away from him to hide the crushed look in her eyes. Lori knew that if he spotted her caving he would pounce at the chance and bring her the whole way down.

"Stay with me," he was practically begging at this point and he desperately wanted her to realize that he was not one known to do such a degrading thing. "Rick doesn't have to know! Just until you decide what you really want. At least give it a few weeks…" he swept two fingers under her chin to force their eyes to meet.

"Why won't you just let it go?" She threw her arms down in defeat. She could not comprehend what the driving force was behind his intensity. He grabbed her by the shoulders and forced their lips to meet in a rough, passionate kiss. They held the kiss for as long as possible until their lungs ached for air. She let out a breath of air and bit her lip, looking away at anything other than his eyes that were burning into her.

"Because I'm too in love with you to give up now."

"Guys…" Taylor's small voice was ignored by both men who continued to hold their aim.

"I won't hesitate, I don't care if ever walker in the city hears it," Rick threatened with a promise deep in his voice.

"Can you stop?" She began to feel strangely invisible and mute when there was still no change. Okay, new approach. "STOP!" She shoved both the gun and crossbow down and stood between the two with her arms folded across her chest. "Didn't you just get done telling me that we needed to band together. Last time I checked holding a gun at someone's temple is not the best way of doing that."

"Did you want T-Dog-"

"Shush," Taylor ignored whatever excuse was going to be drawled out and turned her focus to the one who really needed scolding. "What is killing him going to solve? It's not going to take anything back," she titled her head slightly to the side and softened her tone. "We're going to find him. If he was smart enough to get out then he's smart enough to survive."

He dropped his weapon to the side and bit the inside of his cheek in an attempt to keep quiet. He blinked a few times looking between Taylor and Rick who were both counting on him to calm down.

"You got a du rag or something?" He turned to T-Dog and his body language had visibly softened. He dug into his pocket before producing a blue bandana and handing it over reluctantly. Daryl bent down and inspected his brothers detached hand before delicately wrapping it up. He commented to himself quietly about the hacksaw and tourniquet but none of them could really make out his mumbles. He signaled to Glenn's backpack before confiscating it to stick the bloody reminder in.
Glenn and Taylor's facial expressions matched- neither was too fond of carrying a man's hand around like it was a pet rock. It may have been no big deal to the other men but there was something about a dead hand being right behind him at all times that really bugged Glenn out.

They descended down the stairs at a rapid pace and wound up on a floor with many rooms to cover. Everyone separated much to the dismay of Rick and cleaned out the rooms one by one until it was deemed safe. The kitchen they gathered in smelled of freshly burnt skin and it did not take much to tell it was not the skin of a walker burning. Taylor found herself staring at the stove that was dripping with blood.

She bent down to get a better look at what she was actually witnessing. Due to the fact that it was Merle's blood droplets that lead them there she was pretty sure that he had done something crazy. Rick scooted Taylor to the side and picked up a piece of darkened metal with small flakes barely clinging to it.

"What's that burnt stuff?" Glenn asked warily. He already had a vague idea but had no desire to actually be correct.

"Skin," he flipped it over to better inspect it and reaffirm his suggestion. "He cauterized the stump." Glenn grimaced at the mere thought of the action as Rick placed it back down on the stove. Taylor covered her mouth and ran to the corner of the room to vomit after the picture unwillingly filled her head. She had seen countless zombie deaths but the image of a live human being doing that made her stomach flip one too many times.

"Go help her," Rick turned to Glenn and nodded towards the temporarily ill girl. He began make his way over with obvious hesitation but was stopped midway by Daryl's hand.

"Uh-uh. Stay," he handed the crossbow over to Glenn who was more than happy to not assist someone who was upheaving their latest meal; he was a sympathy puker after all. T-Dog, Glenn, and Rick all examined the broken glass and window that lead out to a fire escape. The trail was not cold after all and Glenn knew he could make a game plan to get that bag of guns and scout for Merle all at once. He knelt on the ground and drew a makeshift map with various objects placed about in specific places. He began to explain his bold strategy to Rick and T-Dog while they awaited the return of Taylor and Daryl.

"I'm fine," she said in between straggled breathes of air. She was doubled over with her hands on her knees as her stomach reminded her that she had always been queasy in the past- so it was not going to change now.

"Yeah, you're lookin' real peachy," he collected all of her hair in his hand and held it back away from the direct line of fire. Once her body stopped retching and no more appalling sounds could be heard he let her hair fall. She took her time standing back up and he rubbed her back sympathetically. "You done goin' exorcist on us?"

"Ugh… foul," she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and gave him both an apologetic and appreciative smile at all once. She wanted so desperately to still be pissed at him for trying to control her and not let her do as she pleased, but there was no way she could manage it. Even when he was not too thrilled with her he still took care of her.

"I'm sorry," she stood up completely straight and spit the bad taste out of her mouth a few times before finally making real eye contact.

"How are you gonna be sorry for throwing up?" He gave her a wayward look to the unexpected apology.

"No," she chuckled quietly and shook her head. "I mean for acting like a bitch back at camp, you didn't deserve that." It had always taken awhile for her to reflect on her actions and realize that she was in the wrong and this was no exception. The regret of rejecting his hug weighed heavily on her shoulders now. It may have not seemed like much of an ordeal to an ordinary person but she knew that he was not keen to affection and pushing him away when he actually tried was only going to deter him from trying again.

"Taylor when are you gonna open your damn eyes and notice things? I never have and never will ask you to say sorry for being you… little ridiculous tantrums and all." A moment of silence fell between them of unspoken forgiveness for each other that words would not have been able to do justice for.

"God, kiss and make up already," Glenn tried his best to whisper shout to gain their attention. They both peered towards his voice before Daryl stalked over to them. Taylor inwardly scolded Glenn for making a comment like that even though she knew inside she wanted it to happen- minus the barf session beforehand. She rolled her eyes at him as she joined the tail end of the conversation.

"You're not doing this alone," Rick held his hands on his hips and stared down at the persistent boy. He was not going to change his mind on the matter.

"I think it's a bad idea and I don't even like you that much," he tried his best to ignore Daryl's nonchalant insult.

"It's a good idea," he pressed on knowing full well that he was the most capable out of everyone there to get the job done. "Okay, just hear me out. If we go out there in a group we're slow… drawing attention. If I'm alone I can move fast." Rick crouched down to get a better idea of what Glenn had in mind. "Look, that's the tank," he set a paper clip down in front of him, "five blocks from where we are now." He continued to add and maneuver the pieces around like an army general ready to go to war. "That's the bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met, that's where Daryl, T-Dog, and I will go."

"Why me?"

"Your crossbow is quieter than his gun," he stated matter-of-factly. He already had the answer prepared in his head already expecting resistance from the rowdy counterpart. His response seemed to be good enough when no protest was raised. "While Daryl and T-Dog wait here in the alley, I run up the street and grab the bag."

"But you got us elsewhere," Rick noted aloud when he never heard two names mentioned in the grand scheme.

"You and Taylor, right. You'll be in this alley here," he plopped the eraser down a few streets away from the other pieces.

"Two blocks away, why?" He was slightly skeptical of the group splitting up and then being that far away from each other. The odds became smaller of surviving a mob when less people were involved.

"I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off and if that happens I won't go back to T-Dog and Daryl, I'll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are." Glenn looked up hopefully from face to face. He knew he could do this and he was damn sure that the plan could work he just needed everyone to agree to it. "Whichever way I go I got you in both directions to cover me. Afterwards we'll all meet back here," he inhaled a deep breathe from feeling slightly winded after all the talking.

"Hey kid, whadja do before all of this?" Daryl's voice had lost the snarky tone from earlier and gained sincerity.

"Delivered pizzas… why?" Glenn's eyes darted to each person in confusion. Rick and Daryl simply exchanged impressed glances before standing up to prepare themselves for the task at hand. They divvied up amongst each other and began to part ways inside the building since they would have to exit differently. Daryl pulled Rick aside and swallowed his pride decided it was time to swallow his pride. He offered his hand and Rick took it for a firm handshake. It was time to put their differences aside if they wanted everyone to make it out alive. He locked eyes with the man he hardly knew but there was already a mutual respect between them- his mouthing off aside he did have enough sense to recognize a good leader when he saw one.

"Honestly I don't like the way we're split up. Keep an eye on her clumsy ass for me. She's always gettin' hurt or wandering off." He let his hesitancy subside and put his faith in Rick. He was trusting that Taylor would be in good hands.

"Got it?" Rick raised an eyebrow and awaited a response from the dazed girl. "Taylor," he broke her out of the foggy haze that her mind had slipped into. "Don't leave my side," he told her sternly when he knew she was actually giving him her full attention. Daryl winked to her as a goodbye, possibly a last one, though no one really wanted to face reality and think of it that way.

"Ten-four," she said with a little smile when she resumed facing the taller male. Once outside she followed Rick closely only turning around occasionally to cover their backside. When the coast was clear she let her arms rest in front of her. Rick noticed the quietness which was never a good thing- with women or zombies. He scanned the perimeter with his eyes before turning his attention back to his partner.

"You want to talk about it?" He let his eyes settle on her now that he could not hear or see any threats.

"About what?" Rick thought she was playing dumb but at this point she did not know which Daryl thing he was referring too. Funny thing was that she knew it had to do with him because it always did lately.

"You two seem to be uh… indecisive." Rick hesitated with his words because if he was going to be perfectly honest he wasn't even sure why he wanted to know in the first place. There was an invisible gravitational pull that was leading him on.

"He is indecisive," she corrected him firmly. Everyone at the camp knew that Daryl was not an easy nut to crack and that Taylor was just wasting her time.

"And you're?" She moved closer to him so they were walking side by side. They may have not been best friends, or even acquaintances for that matter, but it was nice to have someone to talk to who wasn't going to judge her choices for once.

"A lost cause, a burden, a portrait of someone I never thought I'd be. Take your pick." She minced no words when she spoke of herself because after all was said and done she felt like the other women were not lying when they told her she was those things.

"First off, I'm thinking the first two aren't so true, and as a guy you should probably find some relief in that… and what's that last part supposed to mean?"

"Before zombie land I was always dreaming of meeting a gentleman who would sweep me off my feet. I imagined myself falling in love with a wonderful man who was well spoken, dressed, and educated… and showered me with affection every chance he got."

"Sounds like an unrealistic goal even when there was billions of people on the planet," he squinted up at the sun trying to keep in tune with the time through its position in the sky. He half-smiled at her vision of the perfect man and wondered if that's what Lori had always wanted before him as well.

"You're missing the point," she sighed in frustration. No one ever really understood where she was coming from except Daryl. He knew he wasn't right for her and for a second she considered that as a reason why he didn't take it any further. He may have been crude at times but he was not the type to intentionally give a person false hope unless he truly believed in it.

"No I got it. Literally the exact opposite of Daryl with every single word you used," he chuckled trying to imagine his rough and tough being transformed into first class and fashionable. It wasn't such an easy image to muster up.

"He's a redneck for god's sake," her tone came out a bit harsher than she had meant it to. It was true that before she met him even the idea of biker, redneck, or bad boy made her cringe and he happened to be all three rolled into one. She was trying so hard to put all the stereotypes and judgment in the past but it was difficult when he was always giving her reasons to make it resurface.

"And you're a prom queen," she laughed at his words and shook her head. It did not come as a surprise to her since that's always the first impression people seem to take away from her.

"I was never prom queen, or head cheerleader, or even that one popular girl. I'd go with uptown girl… just to be easy on myself." They halted at the corner where Glenn had instructed them to stay and anticipate his potential arrival.

"I'm sure you hear that a lot but you gotta admit you look the type. Sorry if I offended you," his apology was genuine. He noticed that after her laughter there was a wounded look in her eyes and he wasn't sure if he had caused it. "Everything you're sayin' makes sense but I don't think that's what the problem really is." A small smirk formed on her bright pink lips at his words. Not only was he inquisitive but he was also very observant, and she couldn't help taking a liking to it.

"I just… I'm in too deep now…" She racked her brain for something, anything, which would make him understand what the true issue was. "It's gotten to the point where I don't know if I can live in a world where he doesn't."

"Yeah," he sighed as his mind wandered back to Lori again, "once that feeling starts it never really stops."

"That's what I was afraid of-" She was abruptly cut off by the sound of repetitive screaming. It echoed off the walls and down the street until it was ringing in their ears, but neither Rick nor Taylor recognized it. They exchanged a worried look before bounding down the alley as fast as their legs could possibly carry them. They rounded the corner and saw an all too familiar face pleading for help and pounding on the window of a peeling out car.

Glenn had been kidnapped.