As Tiff worked herself closer and Merle thought pleasantly of the good old days in the titty bar back home, he saw Daryl walk past for the second or third time.

"Done chattin' baby brother?" he asked with a grin Daryl's way.

His brother didn't know it yet, but Merle planned some merciless teasing about the way Daryl had separated Nate and Yank.

"I wasn't chattin'," Daryl snapped in annoyance.

"Didn't know ya felt that way," Merle said with a raised eyebrow.

"About what?"

"If ya wasn't chattin' then ya musta been flirtin'," Merle explained. "I guess it's better'n the chink-"

"Go to hell," Daryl snarled.

Merle laughed. Tiff glanced between the brothers and Merle slung his arm around her shoulders.

"Ain't nothin' to worry about honey," he said. "We're a downright nuclear family since we met Yank, ain't we Daryl?"

Daryl shrugged without answering. Merle glanced around out of habit but he didn't see Sinclaire anywhere.

"Just now noticed?" Daryl asked. "She took off with Rick 'bout half an hour ago."

"What?" Merle bellowed.

Daryl looked grimly triumphant to be the bearer of news that bothered Merle so much.

"Yep," he went on. "Supply run."

"Why the hell didn't she say somethin'?"

"Maybe she saw that you were busy," Tiff said pointedly.

Merle bit back the urge to tell her to shut up. He didn't want to ruin his chances of a fuck. He knew Sinclaire could take care of herself. But...he'd gotten used to having her around. It was uncomfortable not knowing where she was.

As always, he took it out of Daryl.

"And just what the hell are ya still hangin' around for?" he snarled. "Got better things to do than look at ya."

"Fine, fine," Daryl grumbled as he walked away.

"You're kind of mean to him," Tiff pointed out.

"Yeah. Somebody had to toughen him up. Anyway, I'm damn nice to you and that's what ya oughta be worried about."

Sinclaire and Rick drove along in silence. The hoard had been left behind fairly easily, but it worried both of them.

"You think it was Nate that left the door open?" Rick asked.

"I don't know," Sinclaire answered. "But I plan to find out."

She pressed the pedal down harder. If Nate had set them up then anything in the world could have gone wrong while they were out. Of course the Dixon brothers weren't exactly idiots...and bow hunter had cornered Nate pretty well. Did he know something she didn't? She took a deep breath. Getting paranoid and impatient wouldn't help.

"At least we got the toilet paper," Rick said.

"Always a plus."

When they pulled into the driveway everyone rushed over to meet them so Sinclaire started handing bags out.

"I want to talk to you," she said to Nate.

"Sure," he said. "Want me to carry anything?"

"No. Come on."

"Hey!" Merle called after her. "Where the hell ya think yer goin'? I wanna talk to ya!"

"I'll be back," she said impatiently. "I need to talk to Nate."

"So, what is it?" Nate asked when they'd stopped near the drop off to the river.

"The store was compromised," Sinclaire said bluntly. "Do you know anything about that?"

"Compromised how?"

"You tell me."

"Are you interrogating me?" Nate asked in a low voice.

"Are you avoiding my questions?" she asked, matching his tone.

"No. No I didn't know that the store was compromised. I was in there five days ago and everything was fine."

"Who was with you?"

"Carrie and Tiff, who else?"

"They have any reason to fuck things up?"

"No," Nate said dryly. "They enjoy eating."

Sinclaire looked into his eyes. He didn't look away. She sighed and took her hand out of her pocket. She probably wouldn't need the gun right now.

"Satisfied?" he asked tightly.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

She gave him a brief run down and he frowned.

"Neither of the girls had any reason to go near the back door. It couldn't have been them. And it sure as hell wasn't me."

"Don't get your panties in a twist," Sinclaire said in disgust. "What kind of Captain would I be if I didn't check?"

"You don't trust me."

"Damn right I don't. You trust me?"

She saw Nate wrestle briefly with the question before saying, "No. Not really."

"Then don't bitch."

"I'm not bitching," he said, sounding insulted.

Sinclaire shrugged and gave him a smile.

"Sounds like it to me," she said over her shoulder as she walked away.

When she turned around she bumped into Daryl.

"Sorry bow hunter."

"Whatever. Have a nice talk?"

Her eyebrows went up as he practically spat the question at her.

"Uh...yes?"

He snorted and walked away.

"Weird."

She walked into the bar where Lori and Carol were digging through the groceries they'd managed to get.

"Spaghetti," Carol suggested.

"No sauce," Andrea pointed out.

"We've got canned tomatoes though," Lori countered.

"Oh God don't mention those," Sinclaire groaned. "I've always thought they tasted bad and now it's personal."

Everyone, including Daryl who'd come in right after her, gave her an odd look so she didn't elaborate.

"All I'm saying is that, if possible, I'd like you to explore alternate side dishes."

Still nothing. She sighed and walked down the hall. Daryl followed. His footsteps, normally quiet, sounded heavy. Was he stomping? Why the hell was he mad at her?

She opened the door to the room she and Merle shared and started changing clothes.

"So where'd ya go Yank?"

"Shit! Merle!"

She wrapped her jacket around herself quickly and turned to face him.

"What?" he asked. "I don't have to knock in my own damn room do I?"

"Turn around," she snapped.

"Not 'till ya tell me why the hell ya ran off without tellin' me," he said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You looked busy," she said. "All cozied up to Tiffany like that."

"So yer jealous," he said.

"Burning with it," she agreed. "Now get out lest I be tempted to ravish you."

Merle turned his back but he didn't leave.

"Don't do it again," he said. "I don't trust nobody else to look after ya."

"Look after me?" she questioned as she changed quickly.

"Yep."

"I don't need-"

"So everything was fine? No trouble?"

Shit.

"Well..."

Merle spun back around.

"And yer all right? No scratches, no-"

"Yes, I was bitten five times, but I assumed I'd be fine."

"Don't fuck with me ya smartass."

"I'm fine Merle. Do you want to hear what happened or not?"

"Hell, ya might as well tell everybody at once. Fuckin' nosy bastards..."

His voice trailed off as he walked away. Sinclaire figured he was probably right. A briefing, just like old times.

Except that these people interrupted and conjectured and generally irritated the piss out of her the whole time she was trying to talk.

"All right!" she finally shouted over the noise. "That's enough!"

"Tell 'em Yank," Merle said from where he was leaning against the bar.

She gave the gist of the zombie infested grocery store and then said, "Now. Any questions?"

Carol half raised her hand and Sinclaire softened slightly.

"What is it?"

"Do you think that...well...they might be headed this way?"

"I think it's something we should all be ready for," she answered.

On that note they all went to dinner. Nate, Carrie, and Tiffany stayed since they'd contributed a jar a pasta sauce to the meal. Glenn and Carrie took their meal to the front porch amid "Oh aren't they cute" stares from the rest of the group. They didn't seem to notice. Merle and Tiffany were sitting side by side with their backs against the refrigerator. Carl and Sophia were side by side as well. Had everyone paired off? Or was she just noticing it because her "other half" was a dirty rotten deserter? And his little brother too. She took a second appreciate the movie reference before focusing on the fact that Daryl was as far away from her as he could get. What was his problem?

She decided to go get some air after dinner. She bundled up and went to the back porch. The sun was setting over the river. It was actually really pretty. The door creaked open and she turned.

"Hi Sophia. Do you need something?"

"No," Sophia answered with a shake of her head. "Carl was teasing me and I knew you were out here so Mom said I could come out."

"Want me to pound the little punk?" Sinclaire asked, and even though they both knew she was kidding, Sophia nodded. "Have a seat."

Sophia sat next to her and they watched the sun set in silence.

"Sinclaire?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think...do you think we're safe?"

Sinclaire wanted to tell her to go ask her mommy. She didn't want to say "No kid, we're all pretty much screwed." but she also didn't want to say "Sure! What are you crazy? Everything's fine!" She chewed her lip in thought.

"We'll do our best to make sure that we survive this thing," was all she came up with in the end.

Sophia nodded. Heavy footsteps approached the door and Daryl stomped past them.

"Where are you going?" Sinclaire called. "It's almost dark."

"I got eyes," he snapped. "Just goin' to the truck."

"Okay fine."

She and Sophia exchanged glances.

"Do you know what his problem is?"

"He doesn't like Nate."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. He's always giving him mean looks when he talks to you-"

Sophia broke off when Daryl came back.

"I'd better go in," she said shyly.

"See you kid," Sinclaire said. "Bow hunter."

"What?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"Huh?"

"Are you buying time by pretending you didn't hear me?"

"Huh?"

"Damn it Daryl!"

"Huh. That's the first time I've ever heard ya say my name. Except when ya called me out for bein' a virgin."

She smiled at the way he looked over both shoulders and lowered his voice when he said that last part.

"Ya 'bout ready to go in?" he asked. "Gettin' cold."

"Sure."

She was surprised when he stretched his hand out but she took it and allowed him to help her up. She shivered. She must have been colder than she thought. She walked down the hall. Nate was camping in the kitchen; she could still hear Carrie and Glenn on the front porch. Everyone else was in bed; they all tending to hit the sack when the sun went down.

She stepped into the room and then gasped and stepped back so fast that she stepped on Daryl's feet.

"What the...oh."

Tiff covered her face with one hand and yanked the blankets up with the other. Merle gave them both an unrepentant grin.

"You'll have to bunk with my baby brother tonight, Yank," was all he said.

"Uh," Daryl began once the door was closed.

Whatever he was going to say died when Glenn and Carrie came down the hall, brushed past them and closed Daryl's bedroom door firmly.

"Hey!" he said indignantly.

"Keep it down!" Shane yelled. "People are sleeping!"

"Not everybody," Sinclaire said in an undertone. "Want to go to the truck?"

Daryl felt his knees go weak but he nodded in what he hoped was a casual way.

"Sure. Lead the way."