++++++ I do not own the Walking Dead or any affiliated characters apart from my OC's ++++++

++++++ I'm gonna try for one more tonight but if I don't get another out I'd like to wish all my amazing fans a VERY Merry Christmas and I hope you're all safe with family this holiday season ++++++

Thirty-Eight

It took us just over a day and a half to get back to the prison purely because we chose not to bunk up for the night. When we returned, we found that we hadn't been the only people to go out on a little scavenger hunt. Someone had taken the Tucson to King's County on a weapons run judging by the ammunition that was being taken out the back.

"MAMA!" Jade shouted at the top of her lungs as she came running out with Sophia, Fluffy and Ollie. Spirit came yelping out and pretty much crashed straight into me as I knelt down to pick him up.

"This certainly is home," Ebony grinned as she hugged her daughter. "Were you good for Daryl and Aunty Carol?"

Jade nodded. "Yes, mama. Mama, guess who came whilst you were away?"

"Who?" Ebony asked.

"Andrea," Sophia whispered. "She came to speak with Rick and try and make him have a truce with us. The adults don't think we know but we do."

"Andrea was here?" I frowned.

Sophia and Jade nodded.

I put Spirit down on the ground and walked back inside to the cell block as Rick was deep in discussion with Daryl, Herschel, Merle, Michonne, Maggie, Carol and Glenn. "Did we miss anything?" I asked coming into the common room. "I heard we had a guest whilst we were away, sussing out our defenses is she?"

"Andrea justifies that attack on the prison," Rick answered coldly.

Oh, ouch man.

"We got some supplies if anyone wants to come out and help," I suggested. "Clothes, some food, gas, medical supplies, more arrows-I got a new bow. It's Christmas."

"Go on," Rick nodded.

Everyone accept Herschel stood up and hurried off outside leaving me and Rick.

"Can we talk?" I asked Rick as I followed him to the cells.

"You made your answer pretty clear," Rick frowned.

"This world is so fucked, so upside down, so chaotic," I argued. "I've always thrived on chaos which is why I'm such a good soldier. I'm frightened of stability Rick."

"Stability?" he laughed. "There is no stability in this world."

"If we end up staying here then yeah," I argued back, "there is. We could be here a long time and I certainly never expected for any of this to happen. I never thought I would hook up with someone like you. I expected to just keep going until I died, not be what I am now."

"And what are you now?" Rick asked me.

"I'm thriving," I answered. "With you and Judith, Ebony and Jade, Carl, all of you-I'm thriving. I've not good at thriving on positive emotions. I'm a student of chaos theory, Rick. I'm frightened, it doesn't mean that I love you any less."

Rick stared at me. "PJ-Love me any less?" he quoted.

"Oh shut up," I growled. "You know what I mean, Rick."

He shook his head. "You're such a moron, PJ. But if it makes you feel any better, I'll leave it alone for now."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course I'll move in with you Rick. Bloody hell, who knew relationships could be so damn complicated?"

Rick pulled me in for a kiss.

"Sophia said that Andrea was here," I frowned, changing the subject as we both went outside to help with the supplies. "What did she want?"

"A truce between Woodbury and us," Rick replied. "She set up a meeting at an feed shop between here and Woodbury."

"You're not really considering it are you?" I demanded. "Rick, my brother is the one pulling the strings. This is a test of our weaknesses and to measure us up before they rip us apart. John's specialty was enemy infiltration."

"I have to at least try," Rick sighed. "I want you to stay here and look after everyone whilst I'm gone."

I shook my head. "No!"

"Daryl and Herschel will be with me," Rick objected.

"I'm coming," I informed him. "There is no way in hell I will let you go without more backup. You need a soldier and I am the best, Daryl matches me in skill but Herschel is an old man with one leg."

"I'm not arguing with you about this!" Rick snapped. "I want you to stay here and defend if we come under attack. This is a partnership and partnerships are about listening and understanding."

"Well understand this!" I spat, "I am not letting you go alone. I am coming with you whether you like it or not." I moved away from Rick and headed to the pickup for my new bow and arrows.

"PJ!" Rick called after me.

I heard him following me and I turned to face him. "Rick Grimes, you need to know one thing about me and one thing only-I do not let people I love waltz openly into a trap. I am not going to stay here and man the fort because I'm not that type of person."

"PJ, please," Rick pleaded, "I don't want you or Matthew to get into a fight with your brothers. I can't afford to lose my best."

"You can't afford to keep your best out of the game," I replied. "But if that's what you want-I'll stay."

He smiled. "Thank you."

I turned from him before he could say anything else. There was no way in hell I was gonna let him go on his own with one capable soldier as backup.

"Trouble in paradise, little sis?" Matthew grinned when he walked away with a box in his hands.

"Bite me," I snapped. I slammed open the box and pulled the bow out along with the tools I needed to change the specs to suit my old bow. As I fiddled in the back of the pickup, Ebony came up beside me reloading her assault rifle looking like she was one argument from having steam blowing out of her ears. "What happened to you?"

"Daryl's going with Rick to meet the Governor," Ebony growled. "It's only gonna be Daryl and Rick and old Long John Silver over there, that's not a tactical backup."

Didn't I know it?

I nodded my agreement and continued working on the bow.

"When I asked Daryl to go with him he said no," Ebony continued. "Threw some macho bullshit at me and said I should stay here with you and look after the prison."

"Well we're not," I announced in a whisper. "Get your shit together, Rick said this meeting was at a food store nearby. You and me are gonne get there first as suss the place out. I trust them just about as much as I trust a walker when I'm bleeding to death."

"What will you tell Rick?" Ebony asked.

"We're going to do a perimeter sweep," I answered. "He is technically leaving me in charge so he can't stop me."

Ebony grinned. "Yes ma'am. I'll go get changed."

"Bring me a change of clothes, I'll change in the tower," I shouted out after her.

"You ok?" Matthew asked as he came back for some more boxes.

"I'm leaving you in charge," I told him.

Matthew frowned. "Why? It's not like I'm not happy to be the man in charge but why? Rick just said you're in charge."

"Eb's and I are going on a perimeter check," I answered. "Glenn said that Tyrese and his people came in through the tombs so we want to see where they came in. Also the fact that there are walkers in the tombs could be a big problem in the future."

Matthew smirked. "If that's what you want me to tell the others instead of the truth I can go with that." He grabbed a couple of bags and nudged me a little as he walked passed me.

"Got your clothes," Ebony called out. She threw some clothes at me and I caught them just in time. Sitting on the top was a pair of blood red and black frilly underwear and a matching bra.

"Really?" I asked her. "You willingly parted from your bag of pretty lingerie?"

Ebony punched me in the arm. "Go get changed!" she ordered me.

I gave her a half-assed salute and took my ass over to the tower to change. I was tired and honestly a little cranky but these days I'm having trouble not enjoying myself.