Author's note: Snow Day + Nothing else to do = Chapter Five! Mara and Rick finally run into the group, yeah! This chapter so far I think is alright, not my favorite. I had to change some of the lines and actions to fit Mara in, but I hoped I didn't change too much. Like always, Mara's focus goes in and out when it comes to the plot. Mainly because I truly think if I were in her shoes, I too would be like blah blah blah can we get on to the exciting part-plus I'm too lazy to write the whole thing sorry. Anyway I won't lie, Mara is a bitch to Merle, but remember she has only seen the first four episodes so she doesn't exactly have a good taste of the Dixon brothers yet. Anywho I hoped I wrote Merle write, I was kind of struggling with him.

Question 1 for you folks: Who do you think would be a good to play Mara? Out of curiosity.

Quetsion 2: I messed up somewhere in the story, not going to lie. I'm just curious to see if you can find my mistake. P.S it ain't a grammar mistake, there's tons of those.

P.S: Daryl is appearing soon yeah!

~Cassandra

Disclaimer: If I really owned The Walking Dead, this would be on TV not

Rick couldn't help but laugh. The world had gone to shit, his family was missing, and there was a good possibility of him dying at any moment now, yet Mara still amazingly could make him laugh. Even if it wasn't on purpose this time. "The bitch came back the very next day. Oh the bitch came back-thought she was a goner, but the bitch came back…" Mara sang softly as she made her way up the ladder.

The last time she had to climb something this high it was back at basic training. Only then it was easier for her, cause there was something much more scarier than the height itself or a massive herd of walkers there…her first sergeant. The woman had to be the scariest meanest bitch Mara ever met. Even more so, if she were around now Mara was sure all the walkers would flee at the sight of her.

At the top Rick and Glenn were waiting for her with slightly amused smiles. She tried to return it, but could only manage a half one. They were pretty high up. "Come on, Mara. We need to go." Rick said dragging her by the wrist.

She followed them, every word they were saying going over her head. All Mara could focus on was the fact that she was high up. At least-as much as Mara hated to admit it-at least Rick was there besides her. For some reason that mere knowledge made Mara feel ten times safer. Almost as if she were back him with her brothers. "I need you climb down this ladder, Mar. I'll be right behind you, I promise." Rick assured snapping her out of her trance.

"Okay." Mara replied, shakingly going to down. It wasn't as bad as going up, but it still sucked. Finally her feet hit the ground causing a sigh of relief to escape her. She followed Glenn through the empty office building. Every once in a while she glanced back to make sure Rick was still there.

"I'm back. I have some guests plus four geeks in the back alley." Glenn breathed into a walkie talkie.

Glenn stopped abruptly as two walkers approached them. Rick shifted behind Mara ready to shoot. Luckily though right as he about to draw, the door of a building busted open and two guys came out slaying the walkers. Glenn dashed towards the door. "Let's go!"

It was something Mara didn't need to be told twice as she rushed after him. Which wasn't such as good idea because instead of Andrea going off on Rick, it was Mara who got pushed aside. She blinked staring at the gun. " You, son of a bitch!" Andrea snapped, holding her by the shirt.

The character known as Morales tried to intervene to no avail. Rick however was more successful in forcing himself between Mara and the gun. Mara held her breath. She knew nothing would come out of this, but for some reason she was still bothered by the gun in Rick's face. Her hand reached out grabbing onto Rick's arm as she tried to pry herself back in front. He gave her a look through the corner of his eye, warning her to stay still. The damn man wasn't even going to chance her getting killed. "You're kidding right? It's because of these son of a bitches that we're all dead." Andrea swore.

"Andrea, back the hell off." Morales demanded, "Or pull the trigger."

Andrea pulled away crying. "We're dead. All of us, because of you."

Mara had to reframe herself from rolling her eyes. It wasn't Andrea's fault, Mara knew better. Nor was it her fault, that Mara decided to withhold all information from them. Except Rick that is, he was a special case. "I don't understand." Rick stated.

Mara placed a hand on his shoulder. "Rick, we shot off enough rounds to alert every walker in town. But that's not our fault. We were told there was a refugee center here not a flash mob of walkers. Besides how were we supposed to know you guys were in here?"

Morales frowned before pushing Rick and her along a path. He started to babble about what they were doing and the rules of survival. This time Mara rolled her eyes. She knew they were going to blame them for the impending disaster on their hands. Which in a way was their fault, but not intentionally. "You just rang the dinner bell." Andrea said, as they came face to face with a crowd of walkers clawing at the glass doors.

Rick turned pale and clammy. His blue eyes staring at the scene wide. Already Mara could see the guilt and responsibility setting in him. The officer was a true gentleman if Mara ever seen one. Her admiration came to an end when one of the walkers picked up a rock and started hitting the glass. It began to crack causing the group to disperse. Mara stared at it in wonder. She had always thought zombies were dumb creatures, but from what she saw so far walkers were far from it. Rick yanked her back alongside him. "What the hell were you doing out there, anyway?" Andrea demanded to know.

"I told you, we were looking for the refugee center." Mara muttered.

Rick gave her a reluctant look as he turned conflicted towards Andrea. "Trying to flag a helicopter."

"A helicopter? Man, that's crap. There ain't no helicopter." T-Dog swore.

"You were chasing a hallucination? Imagining things, it happens." Jacqui said, trying to help.

"I saw it." Rick argued.

"We saw it." Mara corrected. Though in honest truth she had still been passed out. Nonetheless she knew for a fact Rick wasn't lying. Rick shot her a look, before sending his attention back to the group at the mention of others. Mara bit her lip in acknowledgement. It wouldn't be much longer until Rick was reunited with his family…leaving Mara on her lonesome. The thought crept slowly through her mind. She hadn't thought about it until now…what she would do after Rick found his family. It was an idea Mara did not like to entertain.

There was a gunshot and Mara instantly groaned. Somehow she had forgotten about dickweed on the roof. "Oh no, is that Dixon?" Andrea asked.

Without hesitation the group rushed up to the roof where the 'great' Dixon brother Merle stood, popping off rounds. She sighed. Mara didn't even know the guy yet she was already done with his bullshit. "Hey Dixon! What are you doing?! Are you crazy?" someone yelled.

Merle just laughed. "Hey ya atta be more polite to a man with a gun."

Mara rolled her eyes as she watched the redneck jump down from the pipe he was on. "Only common sense." Merle continued.

"Like he has any." Mara muttered earning a quick jab from Rick.

Morales and T-Dog lurched forward towards the man. T-Dog began yelling at him for wasting bullets they didn't have earning a slur of racial insults from Merle. Mara growled upon hearing the words 'taco-bender.' She just so happened to be a quarter taco-bender, even if no one could tell. "Hey, watch it asshole! Cause if there's one thing us taco-benders know how to do, it's make a shank and stick it in your eye." Mara snapped.

Merle's head snapped towards her. "Well looky here. We got ourselves a little hippie. Nice try sweet cheeks, but ole' Merle don't take orders from taco-benders, women or ni-"

"You got something you want to say to me?" T-Dog interrupted.

"T-Dog just relax. Now Merle, we got enough trouble. Okay?" Morales tried to intervene.

Merle just smiled. "You wanna know what I gotta say?"

"Yeah!" T-Dog cried ready for a fight.

The next thing Mara knew T-Dog threw a punch only to be sideswiped with the rifle by Merle. Rick sprung into action, his cop skills once again kicking in. Unfortunately it was short lived as Merle threw a punch sending Rick to the ground. Mara felt her blood boil. No one laid a hand on her friends. Without thinking Mara shoved Merle all her weight, causing them to fall hard. She tried to concentrate on everything her father, her brothers, her Drill Sergeants and her short-term karate instructor taught her. However as much as she hated to say it, all her family taught her was multiple ways to hit a guy in the nuts. While everything else she learned was for a fight not as intense as this. So instead Mara was left to claw, bite, and land only a few good kicks on Merle. Something that ended the minute Merle landed a hard punch on her cheek. The world went black suddenly.

"Mara! Baby, wake up. Please wake up, baby girl. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean too."

"Dad?" Mara mumbled opening her eyes. However it wasn't her father's cold hazel eyes she was met with. It was Rick amazingly warm blue eyes. She gave him a weak smile. "Hey. You take asshole down already?"

Rick cracked a small grin. "Yeah. I saw him hit you and I don't know, I just kind of lost. Damn near would've killed the man if it hadn't been for my police force training."

He stared at her for a moment. His thumb caressing her throbbing cheek. "You're going to have a bruise, but other than that you'll be alright. Thank God, I don't know who I would talk to without ya."

Mara gave him a small grin. "It would be a pity if you lost me, seeing how I'm probably the coolest person you ever met."

"Don't doubt it." Rick smiled, "Can you stand?"

Mara nodded. "Of course, this isn't my first rodeo, Officer. Big brothers love to wrestle. Plus I may gotten into a few school fights with this kid named Victor when I was nine. Though I'm pretty sure what my brothers did to him is probably worse than what you did to Merle."

Then again in the long run, Merle would have to cut his hand off. Okay…so maybe Rick did win this battle. "From what you tell me about your brothers, I can imagine they went to town on the poor fella."

She shrugged standing up. "Pretty much. So where are we on escaping?"

"We tried using some underground tunnels, but it was no go." Rick explained, "Mar, I hate to ask you this, but do you see anything? Anything at all, cause I could really use the help of your powers right now."

Mara sighed closing her eyes. Her head throbbed immensely slightly hindering with her overall decision making capabilities. She bit her lip. This would probably be something she regret later. "Your scent. They can tell you apart from your scent, Rick. If you can somehow change your scent to match theirs, it'll be a big part in helping us get out." Mara revealed.

"That's it, Mar? Nothing else." Rick questioned.

"Rick, sometimes my…'visions' as you would call them aren't always images of what's going to happen but sometimes just whispers telling me what to do." Mara lied, silently she thanked God for writing being her dream career. If it wasn't, Mara couldn't say she would have be able to come up with a lie so easily. "Look Rick, there's nothing more I can see or hear right now. And we don't have time to argue about this. All I know is that if you consider my advice then we will definitely get out of here."

Rick nodded, a faraway look in his eyes. Slowly he walked over to the edge of the building. His eyes searching for anything. Mara's whispers gave him an idea on how to get out, but not one on where to go. He grabbed the binoculars on the ground and started looking around the area. Mara said she saw them getting out. She saw him meeting up with Lori and Carl by the end of the week. And by God, Rick fucking believed her. Nothing Mara ever said was a lie. "That construction sight, those trucks …they always keep keys on hand." Rick said as he spotted it.

Morales looked at it, then at the herd down below. "You'll never make it pass the walkers."

"We will, I have a plan. It may not be a pretty one but it'll work." Rick mentioned eyeing Mara.

She smiled at him, rubbing her arm shyly. "Right, Officer Friendly has a plan. What is this Hogan's Heroes?" Merle drawled.

Mara rolled her eyes. "You never shut up do you know?"

"I'd watch it, ya little mutt. If I weren't tied up here, I'd show the right way to use that mouth of yers." Merle commented.

Rick placed a warning hand on her shoulder. Mara could tell by the look in his eyes he knew exactly what she was thinking. She shrugged it off. "Go do what you gotta do, Rick. I'll join you guys in a second, okay? I'm going to have a little chat with our friend Merle here."

"Mar. Don't do anything stupid-"

"Rick, you have a walker to kill and dissect. There's no time for you worry about me or what I'm going to do to this asshole." Mara smiled sweetly, "But if it makes you feel any better I won't get physical with him. Oh by the way save me a jacket, cause I plan on going with you and Glenn."

"What? Go where?" Glenn asked looking slightly scared.

"Nothing. Come on, I'll tell you the plan on our way down to the alley." Rick paused turning towards Mara, "You and I are going to have a talk about this vision stuff of yours as soon as we get out of here."

"Aye aye, Officer Friendly!" Mara saluted.

Rick rolled his eyes, walking towards the door. "And you're not coming with us."

"I kinda have to. It was in the vision!" Mara lied. In all honesty she already felt bad enough knowing Merle was going to be left on the roof. And while she could probably prevent that, there was something whispering in the back of her head that it was better this way. Perhaps some parts of the plot just weren't meant to be changed. Besides this wasn't fanfiction, Mara couldn't just simple play God with any character she wanted. Still just because Mara was going to be a bitch and withhold this information, didn't mean she had to be on the roof when it happened.

"So sugar tits, you wanted to talk to ole' Merle huh? Hoping to save some of yer white blood with mine?" Merle flirted.

"Man, shut up!" T-Dog snapped.

"It's okay, T-Dog. I got this." Mara assured him.

Causally she strolled over to him, strutting her hips with each step she took. Being the only girl in a family of five didn't mean Mara lacked womanly essence. From the look in Merle's eyes, she lacked anything but womanly seduction. She crouched down net to Merle close enough that he could hear her whisper but far enough he couldn't grab her when she pissed him off. In a low seductive tone she purred, "It's that type of bigoted racist white trash talk that makes me sure you'll one day end up stuck on a roof with hundreds of walkers dying to eat you. And you what's the best part about that? The only way for you to survive is by cutting of your own hand. But don't worry you'll live. According my brothers, we'll see you in season three. Can't say your life is any better, but hopefully you won't be a druggie hick anymore."

Merle spat at her, lurching forward. "You bitch, ya some kind a sick twisted bitch ain't ya? Well when I get out of these cuffs, you ain't going to be laughing no more."

Mara wiped the spit of her face and smiled. "Look forward to it. See you in two seasons."

She walked away turning towards T-Dog who looked at her confused. "Listen T-Dog , I want to go help Rick and Glenn, but I need to know you can handle Merle's key."

The poor man gave her a weird look. "I'm not stupid, I can hold onto a damn key.

"Alright," Mara said closing her eyes, "I trust you, just whatever you do-don't drop it down a drain."

Thanks to all those who take the time to review! You are what keeps this story going.

NL March: I have to admit I love who Mara baffles Rick to, but unfortunately I have a feeling that's going to end after their talk.

Eminemchick17: Thanks so much for checking out my story-have I mentioned I loved your story, Delilah? Lol Write more please and add Jack. Anyway I toyed with the idea of Mara being immune, but I'm not sure if that's what I want. Like you said it seems too unlikely. However I do want to do something special for her, just don't know what yet.

ScornedXRose: yeah I agree I'm surprised Rick hasn't questioned her more until now. I think he's just in denial that or extremely occupied, but I think that's going to end-though he might still be a little weirded out by her.

My Mysterious Guest Write Maddy: I don't know who she's going to get with yet. I'm honestly torn between Daryl and Rick, cause I love them both. But there will definitely be some romance on both parts. Until I finally make a decision. Don't worry though it won't be an awkward group breaking love triangle though.

Azrael Blood: thanks for the comment, hope this chapter keeps up with expectations.