++++++ I do not own the Walking Dead or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to Kirkman and AMC ++++++

++++++Author's Note – There was such a large gap between season three and season four which I will fill in through a series of flash backs and conversations throughout the next few chapters. Thank you all for keeping up with me, specially my loyal followers and reviewers. You all make it worthwhile ++++++

Forty-Eight

Three months later...

It was hard to believe that after three months of being on the road, the prison was only a day away by travel and here I was sitting at the edge of the campsite brushing the burs out of Spirit's fur. The others I'd collected out on the road wanted to carry on through the night but with the increase in walker activity on the roads and the kids we had with us, I wasn't willing to take that chance. Mentally cursing Spirit for his little run through the grass to take down that walker, I cut through the tuff of fur that was mattered with blood and burs. Despite the fact he was still only four months old, he was getting to be a good little attack dog.

A chuckle to my left alerted me to Lucas's presence. He came over and sat down beside me then offered me a cigarette. "Sometimes it's hard to actually believe that the world's so fucked up."

I nodded in agreement. "Or that we've grown so comfortable in this kind of environment." Lucas had become quite the asset to me since I picked him up. For a street kid, he was fantastic at following orders and adept at soldiering so I was teaching him everything I knew. Lucas shadowed me like a pro. He's a good kid.

"It suits you," Lucas laughed.

"Now that's fucked up," I laughed, lighting up. I scratched Spirit behind the ear and leant back against the Tucson. "Listen-Lucas…things work differently at the prison…Rick's in charge, not me-Hell, I just took off after a big fight-who knows if I'll be welcome-I suppose we can find somewhere else to bunk up if we get turned away."

"I don't know if this lot can handle the disappointment," Lucas frowned, motioning to the seven tents we had scattered around the site. "The kids are so excited about having somewhere to live without walkers. Man, I'm excited. They wanna play around and run without worrying they're gonna get eaten. I don't know if we can keep doing this. I mean-we've got Hayley and she's pregnant. Doc says she can't give birth on the road."

"I know," I frowned. After Lucas and I had left Atlanta and headed south, we picked up a tiny mouse of a woman called Hayley and an emergency room doctor who said his name was Jason. The two of them were together I think.

Then there was Alicia and the girls.

The five of us made it to the farm like I'd planned after almost two weeks but it wasn't what I expected. The whole place was a wreck. The walkers had broken through the perimeter and torn apart the place. There were walkers everywhere. The three off us took out as many walkers as we could-strangers and family members alike to get to the house where we found my grandmother all bit up, my cousin Andrew holding together as best he could and Alicia with the girls.

"What you thinking about?" Lucas cut in.

"Nothing," I lied.

"Liar," Lucas smirked. He put his head back against the car. "You've been running on fumes for a week-go get some rest. I can handle guard duty."

"I'll sleep when we get back," I answered. "Did you pitch your tent?"

Lucas shook his head. "No point-you don't sleep Velox, I don't sleep."

"Self-proclaimed second in command I see," I laughed.

"Heck yes," Lucas grinned. He turned his head to me. "Seriously though, what are we going to do if they don't take us in?"

I sighed. "Lucas, this is why I don't like being in charge."

"Well you are what you are," he shrugged. "Part of me doesn't wanna go to the prison because I know you won't be in charge anymore and after what we've been through in the past couple of months…well it installs a certain loyalty in someone. The other part of me wants to be safe."

"Your parts are fucked up," I smirked.

"You keep away from my parts," he warned.

We both started laughed.

"I don't want anywhere near your parts," I retorted. "I've got someone…if he still wants me."

"Yuck," Lucas spat. "Romance-it's chick stuff."

"I have boobs you know," I told him. "I am a chick."

"You're more GI Jane then Barbie," Lucas said, describing me. "Bet you were the type to put Barbie in the microwave and play Bond villain with her than play with her."

"Pull her head off," I shrugged. "Arms…legs…I was practicing for the end of days. Barbie was a walker-not to mention a total crock…I mean, not anatomically correct. Broke my brother's hearts that she wasn't built like a real girl."

God I miss them.

Lucas chuckled. "I am gonna miss this."

"We can still do this," I replied. I looked over at him. "We ain't gonna stop."

"Who you kidding?" Lucas frowned. "You have friends, family-Rick…I'm just a dumb kid."

"I will never push you away," I promised him. "You and me-we're friends Lucas. I'm your teacher, your friend, we looked after each other. I like you shadowing me. I don't wanna stop doing that."

"Thanks Phil," Lucas smiled.

"Sunrise I want everyone up and ready to go if we're gonna make it my tomorrow afternoon," I told him, changing the subject and checking the time on the solar powered watched I had picked up along the way. "I'll go relieve Andrew-catch you on the flip side buddy."

I got to my feet and brushed off the white fur I had accumulated on my legs before heading over to the other side of the camp where Andrew was keeping guard. I relieved him and sent him off to bed then stayed there for the rest of the night.