Author's note: I thought those questions were stupid, too, when I watched the show.

Him and Michonne took one side of town, Ryerson and Rand took another, while Barker watched the cars.

"What'dya think?" he whispered to Michonne as they headed to the first hotel.

She looked at him. "Service."

"Yeah. Better than Abraham," he muttered.

"I'm sure. You want to tell me what happened?"

He shrugged. He was still pissed but couldn't yell about it here. "Rick kicked me out. Said I wasn't part of the group. I left."

Michonne hissed. "You want me to go back and talk to him?"

"Nah. Threatened to kill me if I showed my face. Probably do the same thing to you."

"The asshole."

"Yeah."

"How'd you end up there?" Ryerson asked her as they walked to the other side of town.

"Literature. Michonne beat me to it," Rand answered.

"She's the general."

"She was there first."

"Daryl Dixon?"

"I don't know either of them real well, Ryerson, but they seem like good people. Michonne can use her katana."

"I saw Dixon and his crossbow in action. Effective."

"Yep."

"Why aren't you the lieutenant?"

"I was until Dixon showed back up again."

"He left?"

"Yes and I don't know why. If he wants us to know he'll tell us."

Daryl Dixon had called them walkers. Good name. The questions were stupid. They hadn't seen many walkers. After a while. They all just…walked on. Until Myers, the ass. He and Adrian had been lucky they'd gotten out alive.

It didn't take them long to get through the few hotels that were one this side of town before they found an electronics store. Rand knocked on the door and two of those things ambled toward them. She tugged on the door a bit. "Shit," she hissed, when it didn't open. She took some picks from her pants and went to work on the lock. When he heard it click she stood back fast. He opened the door and hit them in the head with one of the pipes they'd taken from the hardware store.

Rand walked in, pipe up, and hit another one. He took off for the computers, found a few display models before he found the boxes locked in some glass cases. He called Rand over and she picked it. He took three and they left the store, heading toward the last hotel on their list.

He didn't realize Rand wasn't with him until she touched his back. He turned and saw her standing there with some backpacks. He shoved the boxes inside two and they started walking again. They met up with Michonne and Dixon in front of the town department store. Michonne decided they'd all need to go in and Rand agreed. Seth thought it was a good idea, too. If it was big place they'd need everyone. Including Adrian.

Michonne let out a quiet sigh of relief when she finally saw Rand and Ryerson heading down the street, bags over their shoulders. When they got to the door Daryl knocked. She frowned when she didn't see any walkers. Daryl did, too. He knocked again.

Rand looked at her then tried the door. Michonne raised her eyebrows when she pulled something out of her back pocket and picked the lock. She heard Daryl whistle under his breath. Handy woman to have around.

Ryerson pulled the door open and they all entered. Michonne nodded at Rand then the other side of the store. Her and Ryerson left while she and Daryl started down the aisle, cosmetics, closest to them. They found a walker, head bashed in, halfway down the toilet paper aisle. Daryl and her exchanged glances. The forth aisle, tampons, had a man lying on the floor, face down. Daryl held up his crossbow before something hit him. Michonne whirled to see a little girl standing there with a gun.

"Michonne?" Daryl whispered. When she turned around the guy from the floor, she could see he was Hispanic or Native American, had his gun to Daryl's head.

Daryl was damn tired of people pointin' guns at him. His eyes got wide when he saw Rand behind the girl and pointing a gun at her.

"No," the man yelled.

"Then put the gun down," Daryl recognized Seth's voice. The man dropped the gun. Rand took the one from the little girl and Daryl took the one from the floor.

"See. Mutually beneficial agreement," Rand snorted. "Look, man, we're not here to hurt you. We just need some clothes."

Waya looked at his niece, Tsula, and saw she was staring at the woman in fright. They hadn't had the best luck with live people, which was stupid but not surprising. Tsula ran over and he picked her up. She started silently crying into his shirt.

"Keep the store. We're taking clothes," the white woman repeated before her and the guy behind him left. He stood there with a black woman and a white guy. The white guy was pissed, but Waya didn't give a shit. The black woman nodded at them before they followed the other two.

Ever since they had to leave the rez they'd been scrambling to eke out an existence. It was hard. The dead didn't help matters. Although he trusted the dead more than the living. Waya carried his niece and followed the people, to make sure all they wanted was clothes.

There wasn't a lot of food here, enough for them, and it had been shocking there had only been four dead inside when they found it he didn't know how long ago. Months.

The white woman had found a gym bag and started filling it with jeans and t-shirts. The black lady found her own bag and filled it with underwear, bras and socks. The white guy stood guard. The other guy, he was black, filled one up with more with jeans, shirts, socks and boxers. They worked quietly. Tsula lifted her face from his neck and watched.

They headed for shoes. One more bag was filled with hiking boots and tennis shoes. The black lady found some work boots and put them inside after a short conversation with the white guy. When they were done they headed for the door.

"You have a place we can stay?"

Michonne looked at Daryl. He shrugged. She looked at Rand, who did the same thing.

"How many walkers you killed?" Daryl asked.

"I…don't know. I stopped counting after our place was overrun. My niece and I are the only ones that made it."

"How many people you killed?"

The Native frowned. "I don't understand. Is this some sort of test?"

"Yeah."

"Before or after this?"

Michonne could hear Rand cough quietly.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you kill the people?" Michonne raised her eyebrows.

"I spent four years in the army. After this? They were assholes and were trying to hurt my family."

"Come on," Michonne sighed.

The Natives ran off as they headed toward the door. When they were getting ready to leave, the man and little girl walked over to them and both were carrying bags.

Rand waited until they were down the street before she went back in the store, locked the front door, filled a bag with tampons and sanitary pads and headed out the back. She smiled. Standard door. The alarm should go off, it wouldn't, but it would lock from the inside. As she waited for the door to shut she was confronted by another walker. "You are a fucking nuisance," she growled before she hit it in the head.

They'd made good time getting up the street before she caught up to them. By the time they made it back to the car it was getting late.

Michonne popped the trunk and all the bags went inside. "You got gas in that thing?" she pointed to the truck.

"Yes," Adrian responded.

"What else?"

The man smirked. "Party favors."

"Hm. I guess you're not just another pretty face. General, will you and the lieutenant be alright with the man and the girl?" she pointed to the Natives.

She saw Daryl roll his eyes.

"Fine, Sargent. You're riding with them?"

"Oh yeah."

"We'll follow you."

"Yes, sir," she mock saluted before following Ryerson and Barker to their truck.

"Can I have my gun back?" the man asked.

"No," Daryl shouted as he drove, following the army truck. "Party favors?"

"Guns would be my guess," Michonne responded.

"Need 'em," he glared at the man in the backseat through the rearview mirror. The man just stared back. He saw the little girl crawl in his lap.

"How the hell didn't Rick get no backtalk with any of them questions, Michonne?" he complained.

"I don't know."

"Ain't usin' 'em again."

"They're stupid questions," the man gave his opinion.

"Ain't talkin' to you. Talkin' to the General," Daryl snorted.

He heard Michonne quietly laugh. "I'm not sure, Lieutenant."

The rest of the short ride was done in silence. When the truck made it to the brick overpass it pulled off. Daryl saw Ryerson, Barker and Rand get out and start unloading. He drove until he made it to the fencing. He shut the car off and got out after popping the trunk. The other two got out, Michonne waited until the bags was out and slid over.

"Take them. I'll help unload," she said before she reversed and drove back.

"Come on. Gotta help carry some of these bags," he told the man.

"It's a castle?"

"Yeah. Watch the drawbridge. Wood's rotten in places."

The man nodded and picked up a few more bags, leaving Daryl with the rest.

Michonne was sweating by the time all of the crates were inside the bailey. Daryl and the other man came out and helped.

Rand opened one of them and whistled. "Nice job," she complimented them.

Michonne saw hand grenades. A quick check turned up automatic weapons, magazines and handguns.

"You have more?" Daryl looked at the crates. Even the Native guy looked impressed.

"On base, yes."

"Where?" Rand zeroed in on Ryerson.

"Just across the border in Tennessee."

"Could we go back and get the rest?"

Michonne watched as Ryerson and Barker had a wordless conversation. Ryerson shook his head. "I doubt it. One of the men that was with us."

"He went bat-shit crazy and opened the gates. Letting in the walkers," Barker rolled his eyes. Michonne could understand his bitter attitude.

"Huh. Okay," Rand nodded.

"You want to go back? Don't you?" Ryerson asked her.

"I am going back. I'll need directions," she said.

"You leavin' tonight?" Daryl asked her.

She shook her head. "No. I'm going to help around here for a bit. Then I'm going to go." She looked at Michonne and Daryl. "If it's alright with you two."

"We'll have a discussion," Michonne murmured.

"Can I have my gun back?" the Native asked again. Rand turned over the one she took to him.

"Mine was the same," she said cryptically. The Native nodded.

Daryl sat down to more steak and vegetables for dinner. Michonne told the others they could pick rooms and look around tomorrow. Rand showed them where the keys were before she took off with a few of the bags. When she came back her hair was wet and she was in jeans and a t-shirt. Him and 'Chonne were in the dining room eating when she sat with them, her own plate filled with rice and vegetables.

"Good day today," she said in between bites.

Daryl picked up his scotch and drank. "Tired of havin' a gun pointed at my head."

"That does suck," she sympathized.

Ryerson and Barker came out of the kitchen with their own plates of rice and vegetables. "Sorry," Ryerson apologized. Daryl narrowed his eyes at the man. And was shocked to see the guy had blue eyes.

"Yeah. You ever hold a gun on Daryl again, Ryerson, I'll make it my life's mission to hunt you down and skin you," Rand pointed her fork at him.

"Understood," he nodded.

Daryl musta gotten heartburn 'cause his chest felt like it was burnin'. He saw Michonne side eye Rand. "I'm not kidding," she said to Michonne.

Michonne was…she didn't know what she was, but she was protective of Daryl. She didn't know why, he didn't deserve it. She watched as he ate his steak. She shook the feeling off and looked at Adrian. He was eating and watching. What the hell with men and blue eyes. She glanced at Ryerson. Seth. She'd seen black men before with light eyes, but never blue.

"What's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Rand asked.

"The flash drive. Looking at the farm."

The Native man and little girl finally came down the hall and stopped. "Uh, can we have some?"

"In the kitchen. I made a lot of rice and vegetables," Rand told them.

They came back a few minutes later and sat between Rand and Seth.

"I'm Waya. My niece, Tsula," he introduced them.

"Seth," he lifted his fork.

"Adrian," he nodded.

"Rand," she sipped her coffee.

"Daryl," Daryl glowered.

"Michonne," she responded.

"I'm not sorry I pointed my gun at you," Waya told Daryl. "Some of the living are assholes."

Tsula just ate.

"General?"

Michonne looked at Rand. "Sargent?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Flash drive and farm."

"This place has a guardroom."

"Really?" Adrian looked up.

"I told you. A real castle. Or several."

"Why you say that?" Daryl licked his fingers.

"The stone. It's not uniform in color."

"Weather?" Waya asked.

"Probably. It doesn't matter, really. What matters is it's a good place. Hard to take over."

"Don't know 'bout that. Had some dick with a tank bomb us outta a prison," Daryl countered.

"I give you that one. It probably couldn't withstand a tank. Regular guns? Yes."

"The drawbridge needs to go," Seth advised again.

"Not yet."

"Are you thinking of getting animals?" Waya raised his eyebrows.

"Yes," Michonne replied.

"It's unsafe. You should get rid of it. Find a metal ramp or something," Adrian commented.

"How deep's the moat?" Seth asked.

"We don't know. Which is why we want to see what's on the flash drive. I didn't see any plans or blueprints for this place. I'm hoping Mike Ward had them electronically," Rand replied.

"Could just put some string with a weight on it. Mark off the string, put it in the moat," Daryl rolled his eyes.

Rand laughed. "Or we could just take some string with a weight attached and mark off the string. Good idea, Lieutenant. I'll do it tomorrow."

"I'll do it," Waya volunteered. "If that's alright with you, Lieutenant?"

"Don't give a shit. Just get it done," Daryl frowned.

Seth laughed. "Spoken like a true officer, Lieutenant. I should know. I was one."

"Ain't no damn officer," he muttered.

"You are now, sir," Adrian smiled.

"Y'all better stop makin' fun of me," Daryl shouted.

Michonne held up her hand before Rand could say anything. "They're not, Daryl. We were here first. We run this place. I'm the General. You're my lieutenant. Rand is the Sargent at Arms."

Daryl emptied his glass and poured more scotch. "I'm sorry, sir. I'm not making fun of you," Rand apologized. "Sometimes I have a snarky attitude."

"Quit it," he mumbled.

"I'll try. I've had it for a long time. I respect you and Michonne. Hell, I respect anyone that's made it this long and isn't a dick."

After a few minutes everyone finished eating. "I've got KP tonight. I'll make up a schedule and run it by you and Daryl, Michonne," Rand quietly offered.

"I'll help," Adrian added.

"Okay, well, I'm tired. I'll just take the dishes to the kitchen," Seth stood up.

"I can bring you and Daryl some coffee in the solar, Michonne," Rand stood with him.

"Thank you, Rand," she accepted.

Waya stood and picked up Tsula. "Thank you for letting us stay. We'll see everyone in the morning." They left the dining room, taking their plates with them.