Glenn looked alternately jumpy and cow-eyed (when looking at Maggie) when he came back from the supply run, making Harry arch a brow, wondering what could've created that particular combination in the normally calm and chill man.

Harry shook it off though, trotting off into the woods to "patrol" after checking on his patient one last time.

He'd put off popping back home for over a week, his dad and papa were less than amused whenever he snuck a moment to message them. He was lucky that with nightfall in a couple hours, they wouldn't be able to grill him too long, what with him needing to offload his full pack and swap it out for an identical but nearly empty one.

Every week each of the three grown wizards made a supply run to a different city, trying to keep from picking them clean and staying away from smaller towns in hopes that other survivors would find what they left.

Harry had claimed Atlanta, knowing the city much better than his dad and papa after three years of college there, while Siri took New Orleans, and Remus Savannah.

All three of them had been hit by the napalm the military had laid down, leading them to believe it was the same in every major city in the country if not the world. Harry honestly thought that more people were initially killed by their own government trying to "take care" of the problem than by the virus. The more he saw, the more he felt that his 90% death-toll estimate was dead-on…if not a little generous on the living side.

Certain he was far enough out, Harry was up a tree in no time, leaving tracks that would support Harry going high just in case anyone came looking, then closed his eyes and activated his port-key. The magic hooked him right behind his navel and spun him around, carrying him the miles between the Greene farm and the estate, about a week or two to travel depending on how fast they moved and how long the cars lasted if he had his geography right. He shook his head at the ringing in his ears.

He fucking hated port-keys.

But with needing to hide his tracks, it was the best he could do since he wasn't about to spin and apparate while up a tree.

"Harry!"

"Harry!"

"Papa, Harry's home!"

The happy squeals of his younger brother and sister were music to his ears after being gone over a week, the dirty man crouching and swinging them up and spinning them around in his arms when they clamored him.

"There you are, pup." Remus said blowing out a breath in relief. He never stopped worrying, not even for a second, when his mate and pup went on supply runs, grown or not. And he knew it was the same for them.

"Hi, Papa." Harry grinned at the werewolf, still cuddling his siblings despite being rather dirty even with cleaning charms. "Dad out on a run?"

Remus nodded and came over to wrap his children in a strong hug, the two and three-year-old letting out happy giggles as Harry and Remus tickled them before setting them down and shooing them back to their lessons. They'd been alerted just like Remus when the port-key activated, being more than magical enough to sense the strong wards around the estate. It drove their teachers – whether Remus, Sarah, Sharla, or any of the others – batty as once they felt the wards let someone in they were off and running for the arrival room.

"Harry stay?" Jamie asked, big amber eyes that took after her Papa focused on her brother.

Harry sighed, trading a rueful look with Remus.

"I can't right now, Jamie-bug." He told her gently, speaking to Raz as well. "I need to go back out. There's some people I'm helping."

"Like Sasha?" Raz asked curiously.

Sasha being one of the children who were port-keyed out of the Vatos compound in Atlanta, a little four-year-old girl who had easily captured the attention of Harry's two young siblings.

"A little older than Sasha." Harry told them with a chuckle. "More like the twins."

"Ah." Raz nodded knowingly. "That's ok."

"Well." Harry rolled his eyes over the pairs' heads, sharing a look with his papa. "I'm glad I have your approval Mr. Raz-Monster. Now, back to Ms. Sarah."

"Yes, Harry."

"Yes, big broder."

Once the duo had trotted off, Remus guffawed and walked with Harry down to the basement where all the storage rooms were kept for his adopted son to swap out his packs.

"There's enough medical supplies to run a hospital for a year in here." Harry reported, setting down the leather pack on the table they used to sort out the contents from runs.

Every pack – all enchanted by Remus who had a deft hand with the needed charms – had multiple compartments used for different kinds of supplies. They'd learned after the prison that it was better just to have one pack and organize it that way rather than fiddle with more than one. And with bottomless and featherlight charms the packs worked a treat.

Harry grabbed an empty pack, quickly packing it with the things he would need for a couple weeks: food, supplies, clothes, etc., before eyeing the shelves in the dry storage. Moving quickly, he took down a couple cartons of smokes and a lighter, then raided the chocolate supply and a couple of toys for Carl and Sophia. Remus eyed him knowingly, waiting for the packing to be done and for them to be returning to the arrival room before speaking.

"So." Remus asked leadingly. "What's so special," he almost leered the word, giving his son a knowing look. "About this group that you're willing to spend weeks tagging along with them, hmm?"

"Papa." Harry nearly groaned, blushing. "I so don't want to have this talk with you."

"Must be a man then." Remus responded blithely. "Handsome, muscular, badboy?" He rattled off, having seen for himself the types of guys Harry had been drawn to since he went off to college.

Harry looked away, refusing to make eye contact.

Remus snorted, must be all three then.

"Just be careful, pup, for me?" Remus asked. "You know how your Dad gets, I don't want him haring off to break someone's legs because you got hurt."

"I will." Harry said with a crooked half-smile. "Besides." He sighed, dejected. "I don't even think guys are really…"

"To his taste?" Remus arched a brow before frowning at Harry's nod. "Well…either way." He shrugged. "If worse comes to worse, do what you can for the kiddos and come home, we miss you little love."

"Okay." Harry agreed as Remus enfolded him in a bear hug. "I will."

With a wave, Harry spun in place and popped away, leaving Remus behind to break the news to his mate that not only had he missed the pup's on-the-fly visit…but that he appeared to have a serious case for some Georgia-bred bad boy.

Joy.

Harry popped back to the farm hidden behind the barn only to get the shock of his life as he heard a very distinct shuffling and groaning coming from inside.

"What the fuck?" He breathed moving around to peer inside from the chained up doors, pulling back almost immediately as his enhanced vision made out close to a dozen walkers shuffling around inside of the old wooden building. "What the fuck is this shit?" He asked the air incredulously as he trotted back over to the campsite, shaking his head all the way.

"You ok, hoss?" Daryl asked handing over a plate with a slab of venison and some canned beans, Harry having made it back just as dinner was starting up.

"Fine." Harry answered automatically, sitting on the log beside the two brothers and tucking in. "Where's everyone else?"

"The women decided to make up dinner for the farm as a 'thank you'." Merle drawled rolling his eyes. "'Course 'cept for the venison they roasted up, almost all of the provisions for said feast came from the Greene's larder."

"Let me guess…" Harry sighed, taking a sip of the coffee Merle handed over with a thankful nod. "Lori's bright idea?"

"Yup, got it in one Pretty." Merle smirked at Harry's mock-glare over the continued use of the nickname before digging into his own grub.

"You bunking with us tonight or keepin' watch over the boy?" Daryl asked now that all three of them were in one place.

Harry shook his head, swallowing his mouthful before speaking. His name wasn't Ron thank-you-very-much. And Siri and Remy had worked hard to instill manners into him beyond the little he'd picked up watching Petunia and the other kids at school.

"Hershel offered me the settee," he though a moment before correcting himself at their almost identical unison frowns. "The couch." He shrugged, not 100% certain on why but willing to take what he could get that wasn't a car seat or the ground.

"Probably thinks 'cause yer a doc – or close – y'all got similar ideals." Merle noted astutely.

The three of them snorted almost in sync at that.

"That just goes to show Hershel don't know me well at all." Harry shook his head, scraping up some more beans and venison before continuing. "They've been pretty well sheltered here. Safe. Given time they might toughen up. But now…?" He snorted once more. "They wouldn't last a day out there without someone to hold their collective hands."

The brothers didn't have much to say to that – mostly because they agreed with the sentiment even if they would've worded it very differently.

Pussies, as Merle would put it.

"Officer Friendly seems pretty set on staying here." Merle observed, eyes narrowed on the glow from the kitchen windows. "What do you think?"

"Not gonna happen." Harry said immediately. "Not unless something drastically changes. Hershel doesn't have enough food to feed his family and this whole group for all of winter and the start of spring. We'd go hungry with the leaner hunting and have to supplement with supply runs – which is a shit idea in the snow and weather. Rick needs to wake up and smell the weather. They need a real plan to make it through winter…not a pipe dream."

"They?" Daryl asked, a knowing smirk on his face. He'd known there was more to Harry than a bleeding heart. And every day he was proving him more and more right. He'd especially enjoyed watching him lay out Deputy Dog.

"They." Harry answered his smirk with one of his own.

The next morning brought with it Carl waking up for longer than a few minutes at a time and Lori – back at her Queen Bitch act – insisting on yet another supply run to the pharmacy for god-knows-what-reason.

Harry just rolled his eyes and gathered up Carol, Sophia, and Jacqui after they'd done their share of the morning chores and started them in on learning to use an edged weapon. Hershel's younger daughter Beth had joined in, intrigued by the sight, Harry having no problem teaching another. He'd set them all up with K-Bar's and sheathes sourced from the "CDC" through really from the prison run.

It was almost visceral, the confidence all four gained as he taught them the best way to hold, draw, and use a knife – both against walkers or a human attacker.

Of course, Lori being Lori, couldn't leave it alone.

"Here, here, and here, Sophia." He taught the young preteen patiently, tapping out spots on his own chest and legs and having her "strike" each in turn the way he'd shown her using a fence post. "Those are the best spots to fend off an attacker. You have to be careful, honey." He warned her. "People can be deadlier than any walker."

"What are you saying?" Lori screeched/yelled at the ebony haired man, already furious with him for outing her and Shane to the entire group. "You can't tell her things like that! She's just a child!"

"But she's not your child, is she?" Harry snapped back arching a brow and gesturing towards the practicing Carol. "Sophia's mother is right there and if she had a problem she is more than capable of saying so."

Lori spluttered impotently before storming off, likely to bitch to one of her boy-toys, which ever she was in the most favor with at the moment.

That either of them was willing to give her even the time of day was more drama than Harry wanted to try and wrap his head around. The idiotic tools. Seriously. She wasn't even that pretty. What, did she have a gold-plated snatch or something?

He just rolled his eyes and carried on with trying to at least give the more vulnerable members of the group a defense. When they all went to give the knives back, Harry waved them off, pointing to his own sword and daggers with a smile. The women once more in the wind and working on chores or lunch, Harry ducked inside to check on Carl, pleased to see that his wound was healing just fine.

"Well, me boyo." Harry announced, cheerfully putting on an affectation of Seamus's accent. "You'll be up and giving your mother grey hair in no time a'tall."

"When can I get out of bed, Harry?" Carl's voice was half way between pleading and whining. The eight-year-old had to be bored out of his skull.

"Tomorrow." Harry said, with a moue of his lips. "Maybe the day after. But it'll be only down the stairs and sitting in the kitchen, mind. You've get several days of recovery yet before you can walk around freely or start running about, savvy?"

"Okay." Carl sighed, feeling put-upon as only a laid up young boy can.

"That's the spirit." Harry ruffled his hair before making a fool of himself craning his head around as if looking for spies. Once he'd gotten a giggle out of the boy, he reached into his shirt pocket with a flourish and presented him with a Hershey bar, much to Carl's delight and awe. "This is strictly contraband." He said in a conspiring whisper. "You'll have to hide the evidence from your mother."

"Deal." Carl said, eyes wide and joyful as Harry handed over the treat before winking and ducking back out of the room.

He was off to do…something. Harry sighed, feeling a little bored himself. Maybe Hershel could use some help over in the stables…

A very shaken Maggie came back with an equally-scared Glenn from the supply run as the young woman tossed several packets of pills at Lori's feet, hissing something the others missed, and then stomped off.

With the drama of the day satisfied, Harry relieved Merle from watch so the older man could get some sleep, his eyes following that muscular back – and ass – all the way to his tent with heated eyes.

Harry really, really needed to get laid, he groaned to himself. If he had to pick one thing he hated about the "apocalypse" it was being a gay man in rural Georgia. Even Glenn had gotten some by now if he recognized the signs right.

It was distinctly unfair.

Especially with Merle and Daryl strutting around being just his type and straight brothers besides.

Fucking destiny that cruel bitch.

Harry was hoping for a quiet, drama-free day the next day, only it wasn't meant to be as Glenn came walking up to the group during lunch time.

"Um…guys?" He started tentatively, looking around but not seeing several people. Like Rick. Oh, well. Too late now with Harry, the Dixons, and Shane all staring him down. "So…there's walkers locked in the barn…"

"Is there any way this doesn't blow up in our faces?" Harry muttered in an aside as he, Merle, and Daryl stood at the back of the group, separating some of them – Sophia, Carl, Carol, Maggie – from those just going along after Shane like lost puppies – T-Dog, Glenn, Andrea. He didn't know what it was about that manic look his Shane's eyes but there was no fucking way he was going to go along with his latest psychotic break.

"You can't do this!" Maggie cried, trying to appeal to the group, already seeing that Shane was a lost cause. "My dad will make you guys leave if you do!"

"Not in any way I can figure." Merle answered, Daryl nodding along sharply.

A hypothesis that was made that much more real as they tagged along after the gun-toting idiots and found Rick helping Hershel and Jimmy wrangle a pair of walkers on dog-catcher poles.

"Oh fuck me." Harry groaned, covering his eyes with one hand.

"That an invitation, Pretty?" Merle drawled with a leer, Harry waving him off with a scoff.

He wasn't about to raise to the bait, he knew damn-well that the Dixons were straight as a fence post.

Harry tuned back in to Rick pleading for Merlin's sake, pleading, with Shane.

"We can work this out, brother." Rick was saying hands up, a desperate look in his eyes. "We have to stay here, compromise."

"Compromise?" Shane shouted, completely unbelieving of the words hitting his ears. "They have fucking walkers in the barn like pets and you want to compromise with these people? Jesus, brother, grow a set and protect your fucking family from the things that want to eat their faces."

In the wake of Shane's announcement, the rest of the farm's inhabitants, temporary and otherwise arrived, Harry latching onto Maggie and hissing in her ear.

"Get your sister out of here." He said, telling Carol to get Sophia and Carl away while he was at it.

Seeing the look on his face, both women hurried to do as he said, but too late. Shane had already shot the walker on one of the poles three times in the chest.

"Look at that shit, man!" Shane shouted. "Look at it! Three to the chest and it's still going. There's no person on earth that can survive that." Another shot rang out, Shane finishing the job with one to the head, the walker instantly down and not getting back up. "Do you see now? Has it finally made it into your stubborn fucking skull?" He shot the other one point-black all without looking away from Hershel's crumbling form. "These are not people. They are not sick! They are diseased creatures and the only cure they need is a bullet to the brain!"

With that Shane picked up a pick-axe and tore the lock off the barn before darting back, him, T-Dog, and Andrea unloading on the dozen walkers that rushed out, drawn by all the shots and shouting.

And then it was quiet, all of the undead taken out.

Quiet…except for the sobs of the Greenes.

The adrenaline-laced euphoria quickly wore off the shooters, Lori once more trying to take charge.

"We should bury them." She said in the wake of the Greenes all leaving the others to mourn. "It's the decent thing to do."

"Fuck that, Queen Bitch." Merle snorted, blowing out a puff from the smoke he'd lit sometime in the post-killing rush back to the house by the others, which included Rick chasing after Hershel.

"Excuse me?" Lori hissed like the cat in heat she really was. "What did you say to me you redneck trash?"

"Don' you talk to mah brother like that, bitch." Daryl spat at her feet. "Y'all woulda starved by now ifn it wasn't for me an' Merle. You owe 'im more than that."

Before Lori could puff up and unleash a tirade, or Shane, Harry spoke up for once diffusing the fight instead of starting it over the latest stupidity.

"You don't listen at all, do you?" He asked with mock-idleness as he studied the wench. "The CDC, contamination protocol, any of this ringing any bells?"

The others traded uneasy glances, none of them wanting to admit that they'd forgotten that tidbit until him – and Merle – reminded them.

"We burn all the bodies." Harry continued, his voice calm but steely. "The Greenes want to have a service and bury the ashes after, that's their affair. But I'm not going to risk the further spread of this disease because you're constantly trying to keep to a standard that is no longer valid, you hear me?"

Sheepish nods all around heralded everyone's agreement, except for Lori who stormed off in a huff and her faithful dog right behind her.

"Ok, here's the plan." Harry took a breath and eyed the area, pointing to a clearing far enough off that the fire won't catch any of the outbuildings. "Stack them up over there: T-Dog, Glenn, me and the Dixons. The ladies will gather firewood from near at hand – don't wander." He warned. "Dale…"

"I know." The older man blew out a breath. "Keep watch."

"Good man. Let's get this done before anything else goes wrong."

Because, like clockwork, something else went wrong.

This time in the form of a shock-ridden Beth and an AWOL Hershel and Rick.

Harry growled and cursed all the way up the stairs, still reeling over the utter gall of Lori trying to order Daryl and Merle around. Though he had to admit enjoying watching Daryl bitch her out. It seemed like even the milder Dixon brother had had enough of her condescending bullshit.

And good for him.

Though the erection his take-no-shit speech had caused in Harry was damned uncomfortable.

Still…

Nothing to do about it except wank in the comfort of a bath later, he was due one according to the roster Patricia had made up.

Calming himself before he entered Beth's room, he sighed, then pushed open the door.

By the time Harry had Beth stabilized, Shane and Lori had shown back up.

Harry stared, incredulously at the scene…and glad that Maggie was upstairs talking to her sister. The woman was going to be pissed when she found out that Lori crashed her car…on an empty road.

"Where's Rick?" Lori asked, desperately looking around her. "Where is he?"

"Um…Lori?" Carol said tentatively. "Rick and Hershel aren't back yet."

Shock plain on her face Lori whirled around on Shane, slapping him clear across the face. "What, lying to me once over my husband wasn't enough, you had to do it again, Shane?"

Harry leaned back on the porch rail beside the Dixons, smirking viciously and saying in an undertone: "I would kill for some popcorn right about now."

The snorts-in-stereo were music to his ears, as was watching Lori give Shane a right bollicking after listening to her bitch and moan at everyone else for over a week straight.

"For fuck's sake, Lori!" Apparently Shane had finally had enough of her slapping at him. "You're pregnant! You can't just take off like that anymore!"

"Queen Bitch is knocked up?" Merle repeated, eyebrows up to his hairline in surprise.

"What a stupid bitch." Daryl spat in disgust. "Cattin' around without protection after the world goes to shit, what kinda life is that for a kid…especially movin' around the way we do?"

"Show of hands." Harry said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Who knows how to count?" He smirked as Lori's face went milk-pale. "Two weeks…hmmm…." His laughter was vicious. "Where's Maury with a DNA test when you need him? Oh, wait I know." He pointed at Shane dramatically. "Shane, you are the father."

Another round of screech-and-bitch and fume-and-stomp later from the erstwhile lovers and things had mostly settled back down, everyone waiting for Rick and Hershel to show back up. It was one helluva time to go on a bender in Harry's opinion, but then, when the world ends he figured a man was entitled to at least one good drunk. Merlin knows he had one after having to make the hard call at the prison.

He supposed seeing your wife as a walker and watching her be gunned down alongside your stepson was worth a bottle or two of bourbon.

Maggie was furious though, ready to light into Hershel the second he stepped through the door. She and Harry kept a close watch on both Beth and the driveway, Maggie out of worry, and Harry not wanting the girl to break. She was close, he was sure of that. But if he could redirect that self-pity into a protective mindset, she might come out of this even stronger instead of broken inside.

Jimmy helped, coming and talking quietly at her bedside, the two holding hands, after he'd helped collect up and bury the ash of the dead with a marker the way Harry thought they might do.

Eventually, they did show back up…but it wasn't alone.

Trouble as always, following Rick Grimes like fleas on a hound.

"Aw hell naw." Merle groaned watching as the car roared to a stop in front of the house and waking him from a sound sleep after a night on watch. "What is this shit now?"

Hershel was yelling for Patricia to prep the shed for surgery and calling for Harry's help.

To the Dixons' – and Harry's – shock, no herd had come calling in the wake of the barn shootout. But all of them were twitchy and on edge, preferring to rotate watch at night between pairs made of the three of them rather than leaving it to the others. All of them silently knowing that eventually the bottom was going to fall out after Shane's stunt, Lori's pregnancy just added another layer of fuckery to an already FUBAR situation.

Harry loped over with his steady gait, quickly getting the story from Rick and Hershel as he studied the young man's – late teens he thought – wound. Getting eye contact as Rick mentioned the boy's "group" Harry immediately stepped away, hands raised high in the air as he picked up scenes worthy of a true bottom feeder. He wasn't a true Legilimens, but any wizard with enough power and a focused mind could glean surface thoughts – something that came in handy around homicidal fucktards like Shane.

"Nope." He said with quiet steel. "I'm not helping this one. He's too far gone already."

"What?" Hershel straightened over the wound he'd been examining, truly flummoxed.

"What ya mean, Pretty?" Merle asked for both the watching brothers.

"I know how to read people." Harry gave the simple answer. "It's how I knew Merle was worth saving. I'm not wasting my supplies on this waste of space. Let him bleed out or put a bullet in his brain. Either way." He dusted off his hands in an exaggerated motion and walked out of the shed. "Not my call, not my blame if he hurts or kills y'all in your sleep. Or does worse to Beth or Sophia."

Eyes widened at what their medic just implied about the boy – Randall – Merle and Daryl exchanging a look before telling Rick: "We're with him, Officer Friendly." "Not gonna waste my time on someone who ya shoulda already taken care of, Ranger Rick." Before walking away to get some food and water before taking another night's watch.

"Never thought I'd say this brother." Shane grimaced. "But they're right. Why are we even wasting time discussing this?" He asked plaintively as Hershel and Patricia set to work dealing with Randall's wounded leg.

"I made a call not to leave him for walker chow like his people did." Rick shifted uncomfortably under the questioning gazes of the others. "It's done."

"It's fucked, more like." Shane muttered under his breath, still reeling over agreeing with a trio he'd gladly see the back of, him and the others leaving Rick to watch as Hershel used what Harry had taught him to try and save the boy's leg.

Later that night saw both the Dixon brothers and Harry on watch, the idea of Randall's crew following Rick back to the farm having them on high-alert.

First the barn fiasco now this. Harry shook his head as he voiced his thoughts aloud. It was like Rick and Shane were trying to get them all killed through sheer stupidity.

"Might be righ' there." Daryl said with a snort. "It'd be damned funny if it wasn't so damned dangerous."

Merle jumped on the chance to get an answer to a question that's been bugging him from almost day one of Harry finding him.

"You got any kin out there, Pretty?"

Harry eyed them carefully before scanning the area around for eavesdroppers before nodding once. The Dixons gave him a demanding look that had him rolling his eyes in explanation.

"I know you already figured it out." He said lowly. "I've said more than once I was on a supply run when I found Merle." He arched a brow. "One person doesn't go on supply runs. Not for themselves after only two months. Any smart solo survivor would've stocked up and hunkered down."

"Figured it." Merle said with no little triumph, Daryl nodding as well.

"Why're you here then?" Daryl asked several long moments later. "Why na go back to yer people? Stayin' for the kiddies?"

Harry just smirked watching them patiently to see if they'll work it out on their own.

"He's observin'," Merle answered the question, knowing it was what he would do. "Scoutin', judgin' whether any of us are worth bringin' home to mama."

"Close." Harry chuckled quietly. "It's actually Papa, I've got two dads. And no. Both of those kids have got parents, shitty ones for Carl but they're not my monkeys that's not my circus."

"Really?" Daryl was surprised, from what he'd picked up, and the things Harry'd said, he didn't figure him for actual blood family. But adopted by two men…that never even pinged his rader.

"Really." Harry shook his head with a smile. "They were my folk's best friends. Started looking after me in the summers after I popped back up on their radar, and adopted me when I was just shy of sixteen."

"Why so late?"

Harry's voice was grave, matching his eyes though they were hidden by the night.

"I was sent to live with my mum's sister after they passed. Remus was…sick and Sirius was out of the country when it happened." Well…at least that was one way of looking at it. "By the time Remus could look for me, I was long gone. Wasn't until I turned thirteen that they saw me again." He grinned. "Remus ended up teaching at my school in Scotland and ran into me…almost literally."

"Took 'em three years to get custody?"

"Two men." Harry shrugged that one off easily enough. It was a lot easier to swallow than well there was this Headmaster with his head up his ass… "It wasn't an easy sell, especially in England where they never legalized any form of gay marriage before the world ended. Remy and Siri had to go to New York to get hitched."

"They gonna be worried, you been gone so long?" Daryl asked in concern. He knew he about lost his mind with fear for Merle and he was only missing a couple days. Harry'd been with them going on two weeks now.

"Nah." Harry shook his head. "They know I can handle myself. 'Sides, they've got my younger siblings to run after, keep 'em from turning their hair grey with worry."

"How old?" This from Merle who took being a big brother to extremes of protective fury.

"Two and three."

"Jesus." Daryl said blowing out a breath. "No wonder your folks got other things to worry 'bout."

"Oh, you have no idea." Harry said, thinking of the accidental magic that has steadily been on the rise…

Harry just rolled his eyes and scoffed when a week later Rick and Shane loaded up Randall to drop him off at a utility station before heading out to hunt with Daryl.

Over the last two weeks the Dixons had both gone hunting with Harry, quickly realizing that he was even quieter than them on his feet and had a good feel for it, bringing back food both with them and on his own, being damned quick and accurate with those knives on his person.

When Harry wasn't hunting with the Dixons, he was teaching the women, now joined by Carl though Lori still turned up her nose at his lesson, what he could about defending themselves, Rick and Shane finally jumping in with the guns to teach them how to shoot.

It was something Harry debated doing himself but in the end banked on the two cops finally getting with the program, not wanting extra questions about where Harry would've gotten the guns and ammo to teach with.

Still, it was with no little trepidation that Harry watched as Rick and Shane returned, Randall still in tow.

"Ya know." Daryl grumbled as they walked inside coming across Lori and Andrea scrapping like cats in heat – over chores of all damned things. "Times like this? I'm real tempted to say I told you so."

"You and me both, Daryl." Harry sighed, the two of them joining Merle in leaning against the far wall like the outsiders they've very much become as the cracks in the group became more and more apparent. Hershel – and as a result the rest of his people – didn't quite know what to make of Harry anymore after his refusal to help with Randall's leg. So they all stepped lightly around him, while the rest just were looking for a strong leader to step up – but tended to lean more towards Rick than Harry…probably due to the badge he used to sport.

And that Rick was trying to keep everyone happy while Harry just didn't give a shit at this point. He was just waiting for the other shoe to drop so he can cut his losses, grab the Dixons and whoever else was left, and go the fuck home.

He'd had enough of this "making stability" in an unsafe situation shit.

He liked Carol and the kids, even Dale, Glenn, T-Dog, and Jacqui. But not enough to die for them. Not when he had two little siblings waiting for "Their Harry" to come home…hopefully with presents.

"How are we going to do this?" Andrea asked like the lawyer she used to be. "Majority rules?"

"I just want to hear from everyone." Rick said after a moment, Harry trading a knowing glance with Daryl and Merle.

It won't matter for shit whatever they decide. Rick couldn't make a decision as things stand to save his own life let alone everyone else's. Dale would talk him around, then Shane would, then Lori, and around and around they'd go and nothing would get solved, leaving a rapist living in the shed.

"You know where I stand." Harry spoke up first, the Dixons nodding in agreement. "You should've killed him in the first place instead of dicking around. Put a bullet in him and burn the body, like I said a week ago."

"Agreed." Shane nodded, albeit reluctantly. "You made a call brother." He said, gazing calmly at Rick…for once. "It was wrong, now we gotta clean it up."

"He's just a boy!" Dale protested. "We should give him a chance."

"How certain are you?" Carol spoke up a hint of new steel in her voice. She remembered well what Harry implied about that boy. She didn't want him within a hundred miles of her daughter and if the others had any sense at all they'd think the same. She turned and faced Harry making it clear who she was speaking to. "About…what he's done."

"Enough to walk out there myself and take care of it myself." Harry said implacably. "Hippocratic Oath bedamned."

That quieted a lot of the fence sitters, seeing him so resolute. They didn't know what Harry knew or what Daryl had gotten out of him when Rick brought him back…but they knew enough to be scared. And they were all tired of being afraid.

"Hershel." Dale appealed to the other voice of reason – usually. "He's the same age as your girls. You're really gonna condemn him for being an accomplice?"

Harry snorted at that. Accomplice his ass. His silent contempt for Dale assertion of innocence rang loud and clear through the room.

"Show of hands." Rick finally called for a vote after several more minutes of debate and entreaties by Dale. "For Harry's solution."

Only one hand stayed down, Dale staring at them all with betrayed eyes as he stood and stormed from the room, the sound of the front door and then the RV door slamming the only noise to break the thunderous silence left in his wake.

"Think he's really going to go through with it?" Daryl asked in a low drawl as he and Harry followed Rick and Shane to the shed, Merle returning to the watch post.

A minute shake of his companion's ebony head was his only answer followed by: "But it'll get done nonetheless."

A few minutes of fucking around on the parts of Shane and Rick – including a timely interruption by Carl – and Harry was proven right.

In the end, it was a bullet from his own gun that ended the Randall threat, Rick wavering at the last second.

"Best get the truck ready to go." Harry told the brothers quietly later that night as they watched the sun go down over the Greene farm. "I'm done with this. I've seen enough. And when the shit goes down…I'm hoping you two will come with me, whatever the others decide."

"You got me offa that roof." Merle said gruffly, clapping the smaller man on the shoulder. "We're with you."

"You know." Harry cursed, staring at the herd approaching, drawn no doubt by both the hail of gunfire a week before and then egged on by his execution of Randall earlier that afternoon. It was just after dusk now and Harry easily made out the shuffling forms as they broke the tree line. He was speaking both to himself and to the Dixons that had come over at the sound of his cursing bluestreak. "Sometimes I hate being fucking right."

"Jeezus." Daryl breathed, eyes wide before the Dixons were in motion, yelling for everyone to gather up as they grabbed their own packs and strapped up, ready to move out. There was no point in sticking to quiet methods anymore, not with the herd of hundreds, maybe more, shambling out of the woods and swarming the barn.

"Lights off!" Merle barked, "Head count!" Harry demanded at the same time, Patricia and Maggie rushing to kill the lights in the farmhouse as they all crowded into the kitchen.

"Carl's missing!" Lori cried out, holding herself and shaking, a small backpack already in place over her shoulders and Rick's side arm strapped to her hip.

Hmm. Harry thought. Maybe not totally useless after all even if she was a shit wife and absent-minded mother.

"I'm not leaving without him!"

"Officer Friendly's missing too, Pretty." Merle murmured in Harry's ear, the feel of his breath making Harry have to subdue a shiver. "And Deputy Dog."

"There's swarmin' the barn still." Daryl reported from the window. "Somethin' out there is drawin' 'em. But a couple stragglers are headin' this a-way."

"Here's the plan." Harry said quietly but with iron-hard resolve, the others even Lori shutting up – for once. "We fueled up the rigs earlier in case of this very event. Everyone has a pack and there's supplies in each rig. We," he motioned between himself and the Dixons. "Will keep the walkers off our asses and keep the path clear. Dale, Andrea, Jacqui, Patricia, Otis." Harry rattled off. "You're in the RV. Carol, Sophia, T-Dog, Lori – the Jeep. Hershel, Beth, Jimmy – Jimmy's truck. Maggie, Glenn – the farm truck. We'll take Daryl's rig." Merle's motorcycle was already in the back. "I want one gunman per rig keeping the walkers offa ya. But once you're clear no more gunfire, we run quiet as we can for as long as we can heading north."

"But Carl…" Lori whimpered as the others gathered near the door in the groups and order Harry rattled off with Harry and the Dixons taking point to keep the path clear.

"We'll do what we can." Harry promised albeit reluctantly. He wasn't killing himself or the Dixons for either cop but he'd at least try to save the boy. He was a good kid…just a little naïve and sheltered yet for the land of the living dead.

"Ready?" He asked, more demanded…because ready or not they couldn't waste any more time. "Let's go!"

Harry and the Dixons poured out of the house, more quietly than the others expected, sticking to their swords – for Harry and Merle – and Daryl's crossbow for the moment since they weren't swarmed…yet. They knew the sound of the engines firing up would be like a dinner bell to the walkers. As it was, they were still focusing on slaughtering the livestock as the grunts and frightened squeals attested, Harry grimacing at the sound. He could execute a murderer or rapist without blinking but innocents being slaughtered – man or animal – never failed to get to him.

And if he was honest with himself – which after the Veil he always tried to be – it was the animals that bothered him more than any person's death.

Animals – save for Marge's Ripper and the Basilisk – had never hurt him out of anything but instinct and trying to protect themselves. And those two exceptions were caused by vicious, bloodthirsty people in the first place. So yeah. Hearing walkers attack defenseless animals was harder on Harry than putting a bullet in Randall.

"Fuck me." Harry cursed, as a red glow lit up the farm. "What the hell are they doing?"

"Well, Pretty." Merle drawled giving him a playful leer at hearing one of Harry's favorite sayings. "That is one way to kill walkers."

"Damned stupid way." Daryl growled as he took down another walker on the run, switching to his guns after the others started firing up their engines and peeling out of the drive, Jimmy, Otis, T-Dog, and Glenn doing a good job of keeping the rigs and the drive clear.

Daryl slammed into the cab of his truck as his brother and Harry jumped into the bed, Harry shouting:

"What the fuck! They're on the motherfucking roof!"

They could hear Rick hollering and Carl screaming for help.

"Aw fuck." Merle reloaded, Daryl already gunning the engine. "This shit is going to get us killed."

"I said we'd try." Harry said grimly as they both held on, each of them taking out walkers as they held onto the truck cab with one hand, leaning out on either side of the bed and popping walkers as Daryl tore through walkers towards the barn.

"Dad, Dad!" Carl shouted, gesturing to the truck barreling towards them as the flames licked up the sides of the barn. "They came! They didn't leave us!"

Rick was almost on autopilot, the shock of what happened to Shane numbing him to everything but the danger he and Carl in as Daryl peeled to a stop, Daryl and Harry killing as many walkers as they could before quickly reloading, Merle steadying the end of the ladder Rick let down onto the top of the truck cab.

"You first, Carl." Rick sent down his son, Merle grabbing him as soon as he was within reach, Rick clambering down afterward and jumping the last few feet into the truck bed.

"Let's go!" Harry shouted, tossing Rick and Carl more ammo as he kept up a stead, smooth rain of fire, not even jolting a fraction as Daryl peeled out once more, gunning for the road.

"Thank you, thank you." Rick mumbled, his breath coming out in pants and his pupils swallowing his iris from a nasty cocktail of shock and adrenaline. His head cleared a moment as they cleared the herd, Black and the Dixons instantly lowering their guns and settling down, Carl looking around between his father and the others a moment before following the other men's example. "Lori, the others?"

"Safe, so far as I know." Harry answered promptly. "We'd," he jerked a thumb between himself and the Dixons. "Had the rigs and packs prepped…just in case. We got them loaded up and off the farm. They should've headed north if they can follow orders worth a damn."

"Which they cain't." Merle snorted, rolling his eyes. "Though Pretty here did a good job of putting the fear of god into 'em before we loaded up so…maybe they did. For once."

"Why do you call him that?" Carl asked mystified. It was a question that'd been bugging the boy for the last couple weeks but he'd never got up the gumption to answer. After the Dixons and Harry saving him though…maybe they weren't as bad as his mama liked to say when they weren't around. "Pretty?"

White teeth flashed in the darkness as Merle let out a guffaw, Harry already grumbling under his breath as he sat back against the truck cab, hearing Daryl snort from the driver's seat as the window was still rolled down and Carl's piping voice tended to carry.

"'Cause he is pretty, boy." Merle was still chuckling. "Just 'bout the prettiest man I ever did see is our Harry Black."

"Oh…" Carl said, contemplating that. He did suppose Harry was pretty when Merle put it like that with his long hair and green eyes. Even his mama had said that the other man had pretty eyes. But that just brought him to another question and since the last one got answered without him being shushed he decided to risk it and ask another. "Does that make Harry your boyfriend, then? Cause Dad always said he asked Mom out because she was the prettiest girl in school."

"Oh fuck, kill me know." Harry groaned quietly as Daryl broke into honest-to-god guffaws inside the truck as Rick hissed a shocked "Carl!"

"What?" Carl asked indignantly. "Sandy from school had two daddies. So I know boys can date and marry boys. We did a whole section on it in social studies."

"Jesus this kid's a hoot." Merle laughed, dark blue eyes twinkling over at the mortified Harry. "I shoulda spent time around 'im ages ago."

"Not everyone who thinks someone else is pretty likes them that way Carl." Rick hurried to diffuse the situation, not trusting the Dixons to not blow up at his son if they decided to get offended by an innocent-enough question. "And not all boys want to date other boys just like not all boys want to date girls. It varies."

Rick couldn't believe he was having a truncated Talk with his young son while on the run from a walker herd.

The more things change…he swore, able to find some humor in the situation since none of the other men were seemingly offended.

"And some like both Carl." Harry said with finality. "One of my dads likes both and one of them only like boys but they fell in love and got married. I like both as well but I like other men more than women, ok?"

Carl thought on that long and hard for several minutes before dropping the embarrassing – for two of the adults – topic, spending the rest of the ride in silence as they hurried to catch up to the rest of the convoy.

Unbeknownst to Harry, he'd just given both Dixons more food for thought than they really knew what to do with, with that little revelation of his.

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All Credit Due to: Sifshadowheart