Since Mondays suck for most people, here's an early update! Thanks for reading! =)

Chapter Five

Merle was still on the interstate when the explosions happened. The only thing he found on the other side of the damn overturned truck was more traffic. There seemed to be no escape from it. He hadn't seen the piece of steel that had come off the big truck until it was too late. Now he had a flat tire and he was basically fucked.

"There's room in the RV if you need a ride."

Merle glanced up at the old man that had greeted him shortly after he ruined the front tire of his bike. There were two blond women sitting in the doorway to the RV. The older one had a protective arm around the other one, who was sobbing. Merle couldn't even dredge up any contempt for these people. They were treating him decent and had been for the last few hours, offering him food and water, so he simply nodded at the old man.

"It looks like the traffic there is finally moving. We've gotten word that Fort Benning is a no go. Seems to be filled already," the old man said sadly. "I guess we're all on our own now but at least traffic is moving along."

"I wasn't headin' to Benning to begin with," Merle muttered as he relieved the bike of his bags. He didn't have a whole lot with him as far as possessions went but he did have several guns stashed away. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would find his daughter if he could get to the cabin. There was no where else she would have gone. And she would know that he would know that. Damon was with her and he was a smart kid too. Merle just had to get some wheels so he could go after them. Any other time he would have mourned the loss of the bike, but he had bigger problems. It was proof that he had emotionally accepted the fact that the world was fucked.

"There's a quarry not far from here that a few of us were going to head to. It's higher up and we'll be able to keep watch over everyone. It's a place to rest until we can think of something better anyway. You're more than-"

"Can I talk to you, Dale?" A skinny dark haired woman interrupted.

The old man, Dale apparently, offered Merle an apologetic smile and then stepped away with the woman. She kept glancing at Merle and then her boyfriend or husband, came up and joined in on the conversation. The two men seemed to be on the same side. They were probably vouching for him. The dumb asses. He smiled to himself.

A few more moments and the brunette stormed off on her bird legs, followed by the cop and Dale approached him once more. "Well, we're ready if you are."

Merle gave him a stiff nod and then waited for the two women to scurry into the RV, followed by some Chinese kid. He got into the passenger seat and settled back, waiting to get to the point where he could take one of these bastard's cars and get the hell to his daughter.

He was lost in thought as they drove through a wooded area. He had faith in his family and knew that they were all smart enough to get their asses out of the city. He also knew that not everyone had been able to get out. The traffic had been a mess. The place had been pretty chaotic. Their own military had just murdered civilians. Whatever those things were that had killed his aunt and uncle must be all over. For them to just blow up a city like Atlanta, it was worse than any of them probably imagined.

~H~

Sophia didn't realize that she was pressed right into the boys side until his arm came around in a comforting gesture. They watched the flames in silence. Her thoughts proved to be too big for her head because she felt numb all over. This was the kind of thing that people read about in books. This was the kind of thing that people watched on television. Things like this did not happen. Not in real life.

But there it was. Atlanta was burning, the world was dark and her new world now revolved around two strangers, because if her mother was still in the city, still searching for her, she was dead now.

"Change of plans," Piper said after a long silence. "You should really stick with us, Sophia. We aren't much, I'll admit, but we're kind of all you got now. I'm sorry." The girl shook her head and turned, climbing back into the bus.

Sophia's eyes didn't leave the flames and Damon didn't move from where he stood next to her. She finally tore eyes away and looked up at him. He looked down, meeting her gaze in the dark. "Do you really think they'll help me find her?" She refused to give up hope. Surely if her mom was gone, gone for good, she would feel it. They were so close, all the other had, so she would know... she hoped.

He nodded. "They will. And they're good. Till then, it looks like the three of us are stuck looking out for each other."

She nodded. "Yeah. I have to admit, though, I'm kind of a pansy. I don't think Piper likes me."

He smiled, not moving his arm from around her shoulders. "She's a little rough around the edges but trust me, if she didn't like you, your ass would have been left back there. She's brutally honest. She's also kind of an asshole. And she's mean. Don't let her size fool you."

Just then Piper stuck her head out of the bus and eyed them. "Are you two gonna get in here and brainstorm or are you gonna stand out there and make out?"

Sophia slipped out from under Damon's arm, her face flaming. Piper grinned and then pulled her head back into the bus. Damon chuckled as he walked past her.

"Oh this is gonna be interesting."

~H~

Carol knew that the only reason he was still going was because of her. She knew that they were wasting time now. They hadn't had to drive long before the buses from the high school came into view and he stayed true to his word. They had been on every bus. They had spent most of the night searching but now they were searching buses from different schools.

She had been sure that he would change his mind once they watched Atlanta burn but he had driven towards it anyway, determined to find the kids.

He slid back in, slamming the door and stared out the windshield. She couldn't really see his expression because the cab of the truck was dark but she could see the angry set of his jaw. Before he started the engine she reached out, grabbing his wrist lightly. He tensed under her touch turning his head slowly. She removed her hand quickly.

"Daryl, maybe we should try to think of something else. We've checked the buses and they aren't on any of them. We're both exhausted and we're getting too close to the city."

He gripped the steering wheel hard. "You wanna just give up?"

She shook her head, choosing her words wisely. "No, of course not. But I don't really see us finding them until daybreak and I don't see us finding them at all without getting some rest."

He didn't say anything but he turned the truck around, heading the wrong way on the interstate. It didn't make a difference since there wasn't anyone heading towards the city. The cars on the other side of the road were moving now but it was at a snails pace. There was a two foot tall cement partition dividing the lanes so none of the people could cross over and follow Daryl's lead.

"Where should we go?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know. We need to fill up and I don't know about you but I'm fuckin' starvin'."

"Me too. There's an exit about a half mile further. Maybe we can find something. I don't think anything close has power. After those... bombs, all the lights went out. How will we get gas?"

"Steal it," he muttered.

Silence prevailed but she was used to it now. She was already used to his gruff tone and his aversion to touch and his short answers and his hard looks when she was getting on his nerves. But she also paid close attention to the way she sometimes caught him glancing at her from the corner of her eye, a look of concern on his face. She hadn't missed the fact that he had refused to let those men lead her off without him. He had stuck up for her and, even though he was also looking for his own family, he also didn't keep it secret that finding her daughter was important to him too. She didn't know why, and she didn't have to know why. As far as she was concerned, he was a good man.

He pulled into the first service station he saw. The street was eerie, deserted. Could it have really just been a few hours since things had happened? Neither of them made a move to get out. There were a few other vehicles in the parking lot, close to the store, but there wasn't a soul in site. He turned, reaching over into the space behind the seat.

"What in the world is that?" She asked as he pulled something onto his lap.

"Crossbow," he grumbled, reaching back again. She knew what the next item was but she didn't expect him to shove it into her lap. "You take this."

She stared at the rifle. "What am I suppose to do with this?"

He snorted. "You heard that guy back there. You're gonna use that to shoot somebody that comes at us."

"I don't know how to shoot a gun," she hissed, trying to hand it back to him.

He pushed it back into her hands, shook his head and got out of the truck. He stomped around to the passenger side and flung her door open. "Come on."

She slid out, the gun clutched in her sweating hands. "Daryl, I can't do this," she whispered, her eyes scanning the area.

He snatched the gun out of her hands and then gripped her elbow, pulling her further away from the truck. He handed it back and then waited for her to raise her eyes to meet his. Quickly he showed her how to ready it. "If you see somethin' just let me know and I'll take care of it. Tomorrow, your ass is learnin' how to use this thing. Until we get to wherever we're goin' we're stuck with each other. You have my back and I have yours. Right now, I gotta look out for both of us. I ain't carryin' your ass through this. You'll learn to take care of yourself and that girl when you get her back."

It was the most she had heard him say since meeting him and she couldn't even say anything back. She only nodded. He turned then, walking towards the doors. Before they made it to the sidewalk the doors opened up and someone stumbled out.

Daryl moved quickly. He pushed her behind him and swung the bow around. Whoever had came out the door stumbled and then groaned right before he launched himself at Daryl. Carol gripped the gun but stood frozen as Daryl whipped the crossbow around, took aim and then suddenly the man coming at him dropped to the ground.

"Ugly fucker," Daryl grumbled. To her horror he walked right up to the downed man, gripped the bolt and yanked it from the body. He wiped it on the bottom of his pants and then stepped over the dead... thing. He glanced over his shoulder. "You comin'? That might not be the only one."

She gave the body a wide birth and then hurriedly followed him inside. It took everything inside of her not to throw up right then and there. What in the hell had this world turned into? And what other changes was she going to be forced to make to be able to survive it?