Notes:

I'm aware I skipped the whole Carl-walker-taunting thing and Dale's death BUT since Harry was keeping such a close eye on him while he was recovering and then keeping the kids busy with training, I figured that Carl wasn't likely to slip away without Harry noticing or having the opportunity to taunt the walker so it would fight to free itself from the swamp. Chalk that walker up to one of the walkers that were killed on patrol by either Harry, the Dixons, or the cops.

On Whom the Pale Moon Gleams

--

Approximately five miles out from the farm, Dale rolled the RV to a stop awfully close to the place where it'd originally broken down a couple weeks before, feeling an insanely strong wave of déjà vu.

The rest of the convoy rolled to a stop, Hershel seeming in some state of shock while Lori was sobbing and holding herself the other women gathering around and giving her what comfort they could until the Dixons and Harry arrived to word – one way or another.

"One hundred and sixty years." Hershel murmured, almost to himself as his daughters came to hug him from each side. "One hundred and sixty years that farm had been in my family. I was born there and wanted to die there. Would've stayed and made a stand…"

"And killed yourself in the process." Maggie bit out, so done with her father's mule-headedness. "And likely all of us with you: making yourself a suicide and a murderer as your last act on Earth." She shook him lightly, snapping him out of his daze. "But thanks to Harry and his take-no-bullshit orders, you're alive, so are we, and we have fuel and supplies to last us until we can find another place to hole up – at least temporarily – and readjust."

"Harry." Lori sneered through her tears with no little amount of loathing. "If he hadn't shot Randall, none of this wouldn't happened!"

"Jesus, Lori." Andrea burst out in disbelief. "You wanted that cretin dead the same as everyone else except Dale! Don't go blaming the man who stayed back to try and save your wishy-washy husband and your boy! Especially since it was your husband who brought danger right to us in the first place."

"And your boyfriend who laid down a storm of gunfire on an otherwise peaceful farm." Hershel bit out harshly, still furious over Shane and his casual disregard for human life.

"Rick was just being a good man and Shane was keeping us safe!" Lori snapped back. "I can't believe how ungrateful…!"

Before she could finish a tirade that would've had everyone turning on her, the sound of an oncoming truck, moving at speed, roared through the night.

"Rick?" She broke off hopefully.

"Maybe." Glenn allowed, stepping up in the wake of all the other "leaders" being either missing or probably dead. "But we can't be sure, everyone load up just in case we have to take off. And kill the lights."

They all obeyed, even if that tone coming from the usual mild man took several of them aback, Maggie giving her man a look of distinct approval at him stepping up and taking charge.

She'd known he had it in him all along, no matter how Rick and Shane disregarded him as a mere "runner" only good for watch or gathering supplies.

Maggie snorted.

As if this group would've even made it to her family's farm without Glenn going on runs for supplies.

Talk about ungrateful, Lori and her men took the cake though some of the others weren't far behind.

And they weren't only that way with Glenn and her father, Maggie had noticed well enough. They were the same – only worse – with Harry and the Dixons who were their only hunters besides Otis and Jimmy. And a far sight better at it than either of those two, none of the three men ever coming back from the woods empty handed.

Their hunting while at the farm – when the others were content to just live off the largess of Maggie's father – had definitely lightened the burden over the last two weeks.

Honestly, without their hunters, even the farm's bounty wouldn't have fed them for much longer with over double the amount of mouths to feed, and they would have run short during the winter and early spring, making running for supplies the only option besides starving to death.

The group as a whole let out a relieved breath when they recognized the tall figures of the Dixon brothers and Harry alongside that of Rick and Carl's much shorter form.

They'd made it, only losing Shane in the process of losing the farm.

Which if they were interested in the cold hard facts…had probably just extended their life expectancies significantly.

"Alright." Harry said firmly, standing arms braced on either side of a map spread out on the hood of Daryl's truck and flanked by the brothers. They were letting the others console themselves and mourn the farm – though they weren't sure what Rick was doing with his pacing and muttering other than getting on their last collective nerve. "We need a place to hole up for the night and refuel and resupply in the morning."

"We're 'bout here." Daryl made a mark with a red Sharpie on the map that Harry had picked up on a run that showed the area – Western Georgia - they were in. He'd known it had to come in handy sooner or later. "And here," he made a large red circle and slashed through it. "Is the farm."

"'Bout a handful of miles away." Merle muttered, eyeing the scale of the map. "Give or take. We've got a couple hours before that herd follows us here – if there's not one closer drawn by the rigs or scavengers –," meaning the human sort. "Who heard us likewise."

"Never seen sign of others." Daryl shook his head. "'cept for Randall's crew and they were in the other direction from what he knew."

"Still." Harry sighed, studying the map closer. "We won't want to count on that with children and a handful of older folk who aren't as spry as the rest of us."

"I heard that, sonny." Hershel commented, making his way over and running a canny eye over the map, tapping spot about fifteen or twenty miles away up the road. "There's a little way-point here. Couple houses, a gas station and repair shop that catered to RV's and vacationers."

Harry and the Dixons traded a look, the brothers giving him a short nod. Based on the amount of fuel they were able to put in the rigs; they might make it. "It'll be close." Daryl muttered, scratching one hand along his jaw. "The RV's a gas hog."

"Can we split the group into the other rigs?" Glenn tossed in, having followed Hershel over. "And siphon the gas from the RV?"

"If Dale agrees." Harry narrowed his eyes as he did a head count. "It'll be tight…but it's our best bet since that beast tends to break down at the worst possible moment anyway."

He gave Daryl a nod and the younger Dixon let out a whistle, drawing the groups attention and bringing them in, Harry handing out orders once they'd gathered.

"There's a way station Hershel knows about approximately twenty miles up the road." He told them, arms crossed and face stony, leaning back against the grill of the truck. "But we're worried over the RV. Our best shot is to fill the other rigs with their max loads, siphon the gas from the RV, and make a break for it. It's getting darker." He added when they started to shift, Dale and Lori in particular. "And colder. We need to move on before that herd or another tails us here."

"It's a plan, Dale." Andrea whispered to the older man. "And not a bad one either."

The older man gave a sigh, nodding his head reluctantly.

"Good." Harry said lightly. Not that he was going to listen to any disagreement anyway. They wanted to fight him right now they can look after themselves. As he'd already told the Dixons, Harry was done. "Everyone work on moving the supplies into the other rigs' trunks, listen to Merle and Daryl as far as load limits goes." He said commandingly. "Merle and I can work on siphoning the gas from the RV and splitting it between the other rigs. Let's move it people, we're burning the little light we've got left."

"How're you going to split the people, hoss?" Merle asked in an aside as he and Harry gathered up the empty cans and set to work. "This bunch is like oil and water at the best of times."

"Both the larger farm truck and the jeep can seat six." Harry muttered, eyeing the others as they set to work like a pile of pissed-off fire ants on a scattered hill. Which wasn't far from the truth of the matter as he thought of it. "I'll ride in with you two on point, Hershel can fit another in with him, and that should take care of it. It's tight but workable, just have to watch the additional weight in supplies since we're making like sardines." He sighed, eyeing the gas spilling into the canister. "Wish I had my papa's rig, it can haul more in people and supplies than any of the rigs we've got right now. Or even my rig or bike," he smirked at Merle's shocked look. "It's a helluva lot quieter than that beast you roam around on."

"Hell you say." Merle scoffed in mock-offense. "You watch how you talk about Merle's lady, Pretty."

Once the rigs were loaded and the fuel topped up, the bit of extra in a canister in the back of Daryl's truck, Harry handed out the seating assignments, paying exactly zero attention to any bitching on the part of the others *cough, Lori, cough*.

"The Grimes family and Otis are in the jeep with Carol and Sophia," he ordered, rolling right over Lori's squawking and Rick's attempt at interrupting. Likely trying to wrest back control of the group. As if Harry was going to let that happen without a fight they couldn't afford at the moment. "Patricia, dear, you're in with Hershel, with T-Dog, Jacqui, Dale, and Andrea piling into the farm truck with Maggie and Glenn." He eyed them all for mutiny before nodding once. "Let's roll out."

They made it to the way station about a half-hour later, Harry having kept the speed lower to run by the light of the moon and keep the noise level down. The lack of headlights and engine noise was profitable in terms of avoiding attention. Something the group as a whole couldn't afford.

The other men stood guard while Harry and the Dixons, Glenn tagging along at the last minute, moved into the gas station and auto shop to clear it. They found a mini-hoard of about a dozen or so walkers locked inside the mechanics' bay but cleared them with little fuss. Merle, knowing his way around a shop, got the bay doors open and the other men quickly piled the bodies around the back of the gas station, planning on burning them in the morning when it wouldn't make a beacon in the dark.

A van and a tow truck were in the shop, T-Dog and Daryl easily getting them outside and out of the way while the others backed their rigs in, Merle waiting for everyone to get inside and clear of the doors before shutting them and locking it down until a watch rotation was decided.

Glenn handed out some of the food he'd grabbed from the gas station shelves – mostly junk and crackers but it was better than nothing at all and they didn't need a fire in a place that was likely flammable.

The kids set down to eating easily enough while the adults all gathered around the shop bench and started discussing their new situation.

"What are we going to do now, Rick?" Lori started things off – to no surprise.

"There has to be another place." Rick said, his eyes feverish and half-mad. "We just have to find it make it safe."

"Winter's comin'," Daryl drawled. "And we don't have half enough supplies to make it through."

"He's righ'," Merle grumped. "Come a week or two y'all' be pickin' clothes off'a walkers just to keep warm."

"Can we go back to the farm?" Lori suggested desperately. "They must've followed us off…"

"Farm's lost." Hershel shook his head mournfully. "Wasn't safe to begin with…I just didn't want to see it."

"Look, look." Rick said, motioning for people to calm down as they all started talking over one another, except for Harry who was watching it all with a blank look on his face. "I'll find us a place, make it safe…"

"No offence there, Officer Friendly." Merle snorted at Rick thinking he was still in charge of things. "But I dunno what la-la land yer livin' in but it ain't y'all that led us off'n that farm and to safety. That was Harry. If'n we're discussin' leadership, I know who's got my vote."

Daryl nodded once, sharply, his jaw set stubbornly, throwing in his lot behind Harry and his brother.

"What…?" Rick spluttered, highly taken aback. "I can't believe you people."

"What people?" Harry said, voice low and quiet. "Rednecks? White trash?" He asked eyes glinting in the light of the torch lantern out of the shop. "How about the people who've fed you, kept you safe, and all the while took your slurs without leaving you high-and-dry? Watch what you say about the Dixons, Ricky." He sneered. "Far as I'm concerned they're worth ten of you…with your guns." He jabbed at Lori, having heard about that doozy from Daryl a long time ago.

"Now boys." Dale stood up trying to keep the peace. "Let's stay civil here…"

"Civil?" Rick burst out, veins throbbing in his head and neck. "Civil? I killed my best-friend for you people! Oh don't give me those looks." He snorted at the shock on most everyone's faces. "You saw him: Shane was out-of-control, unhinged. I had to do it. Had to keep us safe. My hands are clean…"

"Maybe so." Hershel said, eyes dark. "But if the issue at hand is who's going to lead us now, no offense," he nodded once at Merle acknowledging his words. "But Harry has helped feed us all, kept us safe, saved your boy when he might've died otherwise. He kept us all calm and got us off the farm and to a place we can rest for the night."

"You…" Rick stuttered, sitting back on his haunches in shock. "You all…"

"You're so ungrateful!" Lori jumped back in. "My husband has kept us all safe this whole time!"

"What 'whole time' Queen Bitch?" Merle asked scathingly. "When he left me to die? When he brought trouble to our front door?" He shook his head mockingly. "Naw. Yer husband might have what it take to lead…but I ain't seen much of it yet. And I ain't gonna bank on it when I got someone I trust to have my back already steppin' up."

Before Rick or Lori could get into it further with Merle, Glenn spoke up, his voice soft but carrying.

"Green-eyed white boy."

"What?" Carol asked, lost at the strange non-sequitur. "What was that, Glenn?"

The others turned to study the quietly watching Asian man, even Lori and Rick, Glenn in turn watching Harry as if he'd figured out something profound – and amusing.

"Green-eyed white boy." He repeated himself. "When I was with the Vatos I talked to several of them including the leader. He told me about this green-eyed white boy who would drop supplies off every week or so like some kind of guardian angel. That this guardian angel had even taken the kids and the more able-bodied of the elderly back to his family's base. A green-eyed white boy." Glenn shook his head musingly. "I can't believe it took me this long to see it. It's you, isn't it?" He asked of Harry. "You have a base somewhere. A safe place. And you haven't said a word."

Harry gave the other man a nod and a half-grin in agreement.

"What?!" Rick shouted, infuriated all over again. "You've had a base this whole time and haven't said anything?"

"What in heavens is wrong with you?" Lori asked teary-eyed. "We lost Shane, almost lost Carl, all because of you…"

"Oh now, that's rich." Harry drawled mockingly. "Let's talk this out just for a second: the facts of the situation." He focused on each of the adults in turn, the kids having tucked themselves up for the night in the jeep when it appeared the adults were going to be busy for a while. "All I knew about y'all was that you left a man to die, tied up, with walkers at the door. That was it." Harry arched a knowing brow. "If you were in my shoes would you lead those people to your family's doorstep."

Daryl snorted. "Not fuckin' likely."

"Fast-forward a bit." Harry made a twirling motion with his hand. "Merle told me what he knew of the group: weak with a hot-headed leader and a wife beater in the mix. Not the best incentive to play happy families. We came looking for Daryl, found a lot less people than expected, and ended up at the CDC. But that didn't last long…" He drawled. "Now did it? By then I knew I was willing to help y'all out…even if just for the kids…but I still wasn't set on bringing y'all home like stray puppies or not." He sneered. "Couldn't count on you not to bite the hand that fed you."

He held up a hand when Rick made to protest, carrying on.

"Before we get much clear of the CDC, the RV breaks down, and Lori goes missing." He rolled his eyes at that bit of epic suicidal stupidity. "Again, I was tempted to leave with the Dixons but I didn't want to abandon the kids like sitting ducks in the middle of a highway, ripe for walkers or scavengers to pick off."

"Good of you." Carol admitted, not sure she would've had Harry's patience with everyone.

"And then," he threw up his hands. "Carl gets shot and needed tending, especially with his parents too busy with their own drama to look after him. You know how many times I had to keep that boy from wandering off because you two were too busy to look after him?" Harry didn't intend to reveal the last but he'd been wanting to rip into them both over it for a solid week…and he had to admit it felt good. "Do you? But before he was healed up enough so I could finally fucking leave and get back home, what does Rick do but bring home a rabid dog I ended up having to put down." He felt remarkably in-tune with Severus Snape at the moment, fearing his face was going to freeze in a permanent sneer any second. "As if bat-shit-crazy-Shane wasn't enough, you had to bring home trouble. I wouldn't have had either of them within a hundred miles of my people, Rick, lifetime friendship or not."

"So what?" Lori snapped back, Rick nearly comatose from the shock of Harry finally pushing back. "You sat up on high judging everyone else? Seeing who was what? Worthy of meeting your precious family?" She gave a derisive sniff, eyeing both him and the Dixons with a gimlet eye. "If they're what you consider good people then I wonder what kind you hold dear."

"That's not fair, Lori." Maggie jumped on her words, eyes wide at the never-ending stream of bullshit that poured from the other brunette's mouth. "It wasn't like we didn't do the same thing when your group rolled up to the farm."

"Maggie's right." Hershel said with a sigh. "I wasn't any more of a fan of Shane than Harry, in fact I ordered Rick to remove him from my farm more than once…for all the good it did me."

"Everyone casts judgement these day, Lori." Jacqui said in her quiet, grace-filled way. "Even you, just look at what you just said and implied about Harry's own kin. Harry's just been more open about it."

"Jacqui and the others are right." Glenn said with a firm nod.

"It ain't like he was bein' subtle." Daryl snorted. "Merle an' I had him figured out within' the first day or two."

Now that took the others aback.

"You knew?" Lori breathed through her nose like a pissed-off horse. "You knew he had some kind of base, safety, and you didn't say anything either?"

"Why would we?" Merle shot back at once, making them all fidget. "It ain't like this is the first time y'all 've talked shit 'bout us dirty rednecks now is it?" He gave a bitter laugh. "If'n it'd been up ta me, we woulda left as soon as I met up with Daryl again. And fuck the rest of ya just as y'all left me to die."

"We can go around in circles about this all night." Harry spoke up after several long silent minutes. "But the fact of the matter is, you've got three choices the way I see it. One: we break into groups; one with me, one with Rick. Two: we splinter completely; everyone goes their own way. Three:" here his voice returned to the steel-edged tone of command he'd used in times of crisis or when handing out orders. "You all stick with me, come back to my base, and toe the line." He pinned several of them with his flashing emerald gaze. "That means no bitching, no drama-laden bullshit. You follow the same rules as everyone else, listen to the chain of command, and pull your weight." He focused mostly on the Grimes but also shot looks at Dale and Jimmy, especially as he mentioned that there were rules and a chain of command, both of those men having proven to have problems with such in the past. "There's no loafing or free rides. Everyone does their part and pitches in for the good of everybody, from Alpha to Omega to the youngest kids and oldest elder."

"Kids?" Carol said hopefully. Others her age would be good for Sophia.

"Kids." Harry nodded. "They have lessons and chores, but time to play and be kids too. It's not a work camp or jail. But everyone helps even if it's just picking up their toys and rinsing their plates so adults don't have to."

"Who's in charge?" Rick asked with narrowed eyes, making Harry roll his with a groan.

"Does it really matter?" He asked in exasperation.

"Rick." Lori turned to her husband, for once being a voice of reason instead of a shit-starter. "I'm pregnant. I can't deliver this baby with only you and Carl. We need Harry even if it's just until the baby's born."

"That's an option as well." Harry snapped his fingers before pointing at the infuriating woman. "If you want to leave after the baby's born we won't stop you, hell." He laughed drily. "I'd probably throw a parade, neither of you have done much to get in my good books."

"Whatever you decide, Rick." Hershel told him standing with his family to go get some shut-eye. "We're following Harry."

"Us too." Jacqui spoke for herself and T-Dog, Andrea and Glenn nodding along.

"Dale?" Rick asked, noting the older man had yet to jump on the Harry bandwagon.

"I don't feel right about following a killer…" Dale said plaintively. "And that's the gods-honest truth. It doesn't feel right."

"Then don't." Harry shrugged. He couldn't be fussed either way. "It's no skin off mine." He smirked at Rick. "But given what Dudley Do-Right just admitted to, unless you're planning on striking out solo, you don't have much of a choice."

With that, Harry with the Dixons dogging his heels, left for Daryl's truck, the three of them agreeing for splitting the watch between them, Harry starting then Daryl then Merle since Harry was needed to navigate and Daryl to drive in the morning.

Harry found himself glad that they'd locked down the shutters after him as he climbed up the side of the building. He wouldn't have put it past Rick or Lori to take off in the night with a bunch of the supplies with them. Well… That last bit was more Lori than Rick. But with as sketchy as the lawman was being since leaving the farm, Harry couldn't count it out.

The next morning found the same trio huddled around the map on Daryl's truck.

Everyone else was up and at it, clearing the houses (T-Dog, Glenn, Rick, Jimmy), gathering supplies (Maggie, Beth, Patricia, Otis), siphoning gas (Andrea, Dale, Hershel), or minding the two kids (Lori, Carol, Jacqui) while gathering the rest of the food and supplies from the gas station. Harry and the Dixons were keeping watch after lighting up the bonfire with the walker bodies, more being added as the other men cleared the houses for the others to raid, and plotting their path to what was currently being called Harry's Place in lieu of Harry providing an actual name. Which it had. Harry just wasn't Mr. Sharing-and-Caring at the best of times and the Grimes (at least the two adults) somehow managed to grate on his nerves just by existing at this point with Rick's post-murder-angst over Shane and Lori…being Lori.

"What's the verdict?" Merle asked as he rubbed at his tired eyes and drank down an energy drink from the gas station stock.

"A week." Harry mused, studying the map. "Give or take. We're on the dead-wrong side of it. There's only one access road and it's here." He tapped a spot almost fifty miles off from where they stood. "Could be longer depending on how many jam-ups and walkers we run into."

Merle and Daryl studied the point he'd tapped on the map, arching identical brows at the location.

"Ain't nothin' out there." Daryl mused, familiar with the area. "'Cept'n' the prison and the national forest."

"There wasn't." Harry agreed. "But around six years back the state but a plot of formerly-protected land up for sale, several square miles worth. But…"

"Ain't nobody wanted it." Merle finished the thought easily. "On account of there bein' dick out there but convicts and trees."

Harry nodded easily agreeing. That was one of the reasons what Pandora chose it for them. Hard to get to and absolutely nobody around.

"My family wasn't afraid of one and liked the other." He noted drily. "And now we're all thankful for it."

"What the hell you doin' makin' runs to Atlanta for?" Daryl couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Let alone every week? Might as well go to creation and back."

"Not really a problem for me." Harry answered absently. "You'll see what I mean soon enough." He rolled up the map and tucked it back in the glovebox of the truck. "Let's put some fire under some asses. We're burnin' daylight."

That first day went okay.

The others weren't pleased with the length of time to get to their destination but the promise of a safe place was enticing enough to keep them civil at the least – for however long that blessing would last. They ran into a couple of minor jams but with their man power they cleared them and looted the cars in less than half it would've taken them before. A good deal of that was Harry's no-nonsense leadership, giving everyone a job and setting them to it, not letting anyone stand around like tits on a bull.

Rick had to admit the younger man was good at it – fitting jobs to the people he had on hand. That didn't mean he liked it, especially when Harry had an acidic edge to his tongue he wasn't shy about using. At least anymore now that they've thrown in with him. It just made Rick that much more decided about taking off once the baby was born. He'd been Alpha all his life, being knocked down to Beta, or more recently it felt like Omega, didn't set well with him.

But there was little he could do about the status quo…except stew and brood and take his knocks.

He'd seen for himself what having a member undermining the leadership could unleash when it was Shane doing it to him, and like it or not that wasn't a situation they could afford – at the moment.

Harry was strict about combing over every pile up they came to for supplies, the same with the houses or gas stations they would crash in for nighttime.

Every day it was the same routine:

Wake up, split into the established work groups, and get to it.

Someone would start a fire; walker bodies would be added as the clearing group took them out.

Then the supply runners would pick the houses/stores/whatever in the immediate area clean and split the supplies between the rigs.

A couple people would stand watch and mind the kids, another couple would siphon gas.

Similar when they came to jam-ups on the roads, no matter how big or small.

First they'd clear the cars, burning bodies and marking the ones with gas.

Someone on watch, others siphoning, others supply-picking, with the strongest of the group moving the cars to the edge of the road.

Somedays they made good time, others they'd run into a massive tangle that would take hours to clear.

But they always had food and water and gas.

And the road rolled on before them with the siren-call of safety and home calling them ever onward.

People felt good, useful, even Harry's biggest detractors had to search hard for things to nitpick or complain about. Not that he paid them any mind.

Harry was going home after too damned long gone.

And that was all that mattered to him, the rest might as well be gnats buzzing around his ears.

"Well, ain't this a bitch." Merle stated in his gruff way, Daryl snorting in agreement as the truck rolled to a stop.

The reason: a massive pile-up bigger than any they'd seen before, only a few short miles from where Harry said the access road was.

Said leader looked up at the cloudy sky then his watch, getting a read on how long they had until dark.

The others piled out of their rigs, waiting for Harry to give the go-ahead to start in on the pile-up though there was no little amount of trepidation in doing so. This was way bigger than any they'd dealt with thus far. Most of them felt their muscles twinge in complaint at the thought of moving that many cars out of their way.

Harry climbed up on top of the truck roof, trying to get a bead on how far the pile-up stretched. While he was at it, he spotted something that made him smile, or he would if it turned out to be what he thought it was.

"Here's the plan." He said jumping down elegantly from the roof, the smooth motion rising more than one brow. It was the first off thing they'd ever seen him do. He was getting more comfortable letting loose now that he was close to home. "There's a couple of semi-trucks up toward the front of the blockage. Merle and I are going to run ahead and see if either runs. If they do when we'll be able to move all of the supplies but our go-bags into the back of one. Either way, that's where we'll sleep tonight."

"In a truck container?" Lori asked incredulously. "Why on earth would we do that instead of find another house?"

"Because we're close, sugar tits." Merle spat off to the side, missing Lori by inches. "Real close."

They all murmured in excitement at that.

"How close?" Hershel asked, holding Beth close.

"If it wasn't for this…" Harry waved to the mess in front of them. "We would've had warm beds tonight. We're that close. Instead we have work to do and the promise of a warm bed tomorrow. Time to get cracking."

With that Harry and Merle trotted off at an easy lope while the others split into their work groups.

"Was it smart, tellin' 'em that?" Merle asked as they quickly came in sight of the trucks Harry'd spotted, only running into a pair of walkers that were easily dealt with. "It'd be real easy to take off now and lead an unfriendly group to your doorstep…if they were of'a mind."

"I'd like to see them try." Harry answered with a knowing smirk, thinking of the wards that encircled the property, let alone the rest of the defenses.

They'd been slowly expanding the ward scheme, taking more and more land for themselves and enclosing it within their wards. It was easy enough to do with only the national forest on two sides and the former prison-grounds on the other. Fences and outposts could wait until they had more people, one of the reasons Harry'd stuck it out so long with this lot rather than cut his losses and go looking for other, easier, people to join up with their outfit.

Harry and Merle split off, each investigating one of the two most promising-looking semi-trailers. Each were newer models, the kind with almost a full-apartment in the cab, and hauling who-knew-what. Well, quickly Harry and Merle each knew, Harry's truck contained what looked like things for a warehouse store: toilet paper, paper towels, dry goods and non-perishables. A treasure trove in other words, once he shuffled the boxes around and ditched the things that were useless (TV's, DVD players, back-massaging chairs) all things that were both electronic and mostly made of plastic that ran off way too much electricity and couldn't be repurposed.

Merle's load was less useful, being a refrigerated trailer filled with long-spoiled and rotting foods in massive quantities, both trucks probably going to a Sam's Club or Costco or similar store in Atlanta or elsewhere.

"How much fuel you got?" Merle asked as he climbed up into the other trailer and helped Harry shift around the boxes, making room for people to sleep for the night and their own supplies. Some would fit in the cab but at least a couple would have to crash in with the supplies.

"Quarter tank." Harry grunted as he moved a particularly stubborn box of, he looked at the label, multivitamins. Well with a pregnant lady and kids those would come in handy. "You?"

"Almost full." Merle sighed in exasperation. It wouldn't be worth the aggravation to swap the cabs. "I'll start this one up, make sure it runs, before I start siphoning the diesel."

"Okay." Harry agreed absently. "I saw a couple emergency containers in with the tools on this one, yours is probably the same. Might be empty but will help with the siphoning."

Merle just grunted in recognition and left Harry to his work. It was too dangerous to go anywhere alone so the two of them would stick around the semi's until their work was done, Harry getting a jump on cleaning out the cars and moving them from around them until Merle was finished. Both of them knew there was no way the others would make it to them before Merle was done siphoning, there was just too many cars between the two points.

They were right too, Merle and Harry finishing with the trucks, managing to move the cars around them enough to get the second semi off the road, before the others were even close to making it to them.

Jogging back, Harry gave the good news: they had a secure place to sleep even if it was the back of a big rig.

"Don't worry about organizing your haul or splitting up the loads today." He told them with an easy-going smile, the first of its kind they'd ever seen on his face. "Just load up our trucks and the jeep, it'll all fit in the trailer, no problem."

Andrea blinked at the way the usual-stern and stoic man lit up with a simple, genuine smile, bringing life to his eyes and youth to his face. For the first time, she believed that he really was only twenty-one, the rest of the time he just seemed so serious. Far too mature for his age. But that was what the outbreak had done to people, she knew from experience.

Aged them far before their time.

"We're taking it with us?" Dale asked surprised. He was under the impression they were going to sleep there and take what they could from it before carrying on, the same as they'd done with others along the way.

"We are." Harry nodded before explaining. "We're close enough now that I'm not as worried over the noise it'll make or the diesel it'll need. If we'd been closer to start with I would've kept the RV if it made the trip."

Of course, he made no mention of the tanker-trucks of gas or diesel he'd shrunk down and stowed in his bag, or the trailers of crisps and soda and water that he'd done the same with as they came across them, popping back to the trackers he placed on them once everyone else was asleep.

This trip was hard on him, and his family, mainly in worry and stress but with the boost in numbers and sheer amount of supplies he'd sourced, it had been more than worth it now that the end was in sight. Even deal with Shane's idiotic ass. For making dead certain good life for his siblings would continue on, Harry would do it all over again.

Most would all him over-cautious or paranoid with his worry over the supplies lasting or the multiple fences and layers on layers of warding.

Harry just preferred to, as Moody would be proud to know, practice Constant Vigilance.

They made it to the truck and trailer before the sun started to go down, Harry setting some of them to moving the supplies inside the trailer from their rigs while Dale took his watchpost on top of the big rig's cab, the rest of them continuing on with the cars Harry hadn't cleared yet in the time it took Merle to siphon the diesel into their new ride.

There were still cars to clear and push out of the way by the time Harry called for everyone to pack it in, Hershel ready and waiting with aspirin for aching bodies (except Harry who always refused for some reason…) and Carol and Lori handing out canned rations, bags of chips/crisps, and bottles of water, Glenn taking his up onto the cab to eat and relieve Dale from watch.

"It'll be a bit tight." Hershel observed, eyes looking around the dim storage trailer that had rapidly filled between the goods already present and those they'd added to it. "But it'll be more than fine for one night."

Nods abounded as most agreed but were too busy eating or just plain too tired to talk.

"You three on watch again tonight?" Maggie asked with an arched brow. Not that she really needed to. Harry and the Dixons always took watch through the night. They let others cover it during the day when their strong backs were needed for other work, but the rest of the time they trusted no one but themselves on guard.

Everyone could tell it chafed at Rick especially, but no one wanted to push it when it'd been made clear that first night that the trio had zero problem leaving troublemakers to find their own way and their own place.

Most of them respected that about Harry, even if they didn't appreciate it much.

Harry nodded, swallowing before saying: "We'll bunk in the cab, there's room enough for two while the other's on watch."

"Twin bed?" Dale asked with amusement. "With two of you?" He snickered imagining it. "Going to be awfully comfy in there."

"Ha ha." Harry rolled his eyes as several of the group coughed to cover their laughs. "I went to a boarding school; this isn't the first time I've had to share close quarters with another guy. And since I'm bi I certainly hope it won't be the last or I might just cry."

That shut most of them up, most of them never even considering that not all of them were straight.

"You're a fag, man?" Jimmy scoffed with a sneer clear in his voice even if his face was shaded by the looming night.

"Fag, poofter, queer, shirt-lifter." Harry rattled off cool as can be. "All ignorant ways of mocking someone who prefers their own gender – which I happen to do. But I also scored plenty with the fairer sex in college too, Jimmy Boy." He said cheerily. "I'm comfortable with who I am and my family will accept whoever I choose to love…could you say the same, even before the world ended?"

Silence pervaded the container as Harry stormed out, they could hear him climbing up to the top of the cab and sending Glenn back down, taking first watch a bit earlier than normal.

The Dixons climbed to their feet, intending to move into the cab or go talk to their friend – and yes, they truly counted Harry as a friend and gave a shit about him – when Jimmy spoke up, cutting off Hershel who was probably going to make some kind of excuse for his behavior.

"I didn't mean to piss him off." Jimmy said, a bit subdued. "Let him know that, will y'all."

"We'll tell 'em." Daryl said, before warning him and by proximity all the rest. "But y'all say shit like that where we're goin'…ya ain't gonna last long."

"What d'ya mean?" Carl piped up, reminding everyone that there were kids present…kids who soaked up everything like a damn sponge.

"Harry has two dads, remember, Carl?" Rick supplied to everyone else's shock as the Dixon's left on cat-like feet. "The name Jimmy used and the ones Harry said are all bad names for two men who love each other."

"Boys who like boys?" Carl asked frowning. "But I thought you said that was okay?"

"What have you been telling our son?" Lori hissed, infuriated and disgusted. If that…freak wasn't a doctor she'd have Rick take them away from here right this instant. Poisoning Carl's mind with the notion that faggots were okay…if his daddy had heard him…it wasn't the way either of them were raised and it wasn't going to be the way she raised her children.

"The truth." Rick said resolutely, well aware of his wife's prejudices on this matter but not sharing them. "Gay people are just people who love differently than straight people and there's nothing wrong with it."

"Amen." Andrea muttered, irritated that it even needed to be said. She'd spent her whole law career working with civil rights issues, she'd hoped that in the wake of the outbreak that the whole stupid gay/straight debate had been left behind.

A fool's wish from what she'd seen but one she still hoped for nonetheless.

Noon the next day saw Harry pointing out a well-concealed side-street from the highway…one that had a sign for West Georgia Correctional Facility marking it.

"A prison?" Some of the others muttered, only to hold their tongue when instead of following the pavement, he had them turn-off onto an almost-invisible gravel road.

One that if he wasn't with them they never would have found with the number of wards and charms that covered it.

Daryl shivered, drawing Harry's attention as the truck's tires left the pavement entirely.

"You ok?" He asked, wondering over the timing.

"Felt like someone walked over my grave it all." Daryl drawled, Merle nodding mutely in agreement.

Huh. Harry sat back in bemusement. The Dixons actually felt the wards as they crossed them. They must be at least a little supernaturally sensitive to do so, neither of the inmates they'd taken in had ever said anything or their farm hands except for Max.

It wouldn't surprise him.

Pandora had warned that there were "sensitives" and physics and the like in their new home, if no actual active magical culture.

For one thing, the Dixons having some sort of preternatural something to them would explain why Harry was so drawn to them despite the hopelessness of his regard. Like was drawn to like after all. And with all of them being half-broken survivors, a bit of magical…residue…would be all it would take for his instincts to settle on the brothers – one or both his hormones really didn't differentiate.

"Fuck me." Daryl breathed, eye wide as they came up to the first gate, the only access point to the gate system that led to the main property. The fence towered high, taller than a man, and solid reinforced steel in this area. First-gate blended into the solid grey wall seamlessly…you'd never find it unless you knew it was there.

Harry learned forward with a grin. "Is that an invitation?" He teased.

The other man grumbled, Merle echoing him at Harry's joke, all three of them piling out of the truck as the others came to a stop, Dale bringing up the rear at the wheel of the semi.

"Well." Hershel drawled, eyeing the massive sheer wall that blocked the road. "You were right about the security here, that's for sure."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet." Harry chuckled. "This is only the first fence, there's another five between here and the grounds proper, and another between there and the main house."

"It's a compound." Rick noted eyeing the high fence, spotting a tower in the distance.

"Like a cult?" Lori frowned in consternation.

"Not in the least." Harry shook his head. "We're an old family from England." He gave the quick and easy version. "When we moved here we built something that reminded us of home: a very old estate."

"Castles, moats, drawbridges?" Andrea asked with a little laugh.

"Well, light on the moats." Harry laughed along with the others. "And we don't have a drawbridge but the main house could probably pass for an old Norman tower easily enough." He thought a moment before shaking his head. "Whatever you do, don't suggest a moat and drawbridge to my dad, he'll actually try and install one and will drive me and Papa mad talking him out of it."

"This banter is nice and all." Dale frowned looking at the woods that hemmed them in on all sides. "But I'm feeling a bit…cornered."

"And exposed." Lori murmured, drawing Carl into her side.

"What're we waiting for?" The older man asked, only to be answer by the hiss and grind of a heavy gate being unlocked and starting to move.

"That." Harry jerked a thumb over his shoulder, knowing that either his dad or papa had arrived and was opening the gate. Turning on his heels, he strode over and was quickly pounced on by a taller ebony-haired man with a trim goatee. After a long clench and some back slapping, Harry led the taller – and older they could clearly see – man over to the group. "Everyone." He said with no little ado. "I'd like to introduce Lord Sirius Black," he paused smirking at the shock covering more than one face at the title. "My dad."

"Lord?" Merle drawled taken aback.

He'd known Pretty was well-off if only from the way he spoke and the med-school bit. But having an actual English Lord for a da? Shit. No wonder he didn't pay ol' Merle any mind…

"Of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black." Sirius supplied in his smooth baritone with the rich, aristocratic accent. "Not that that means much nowadays, with only a handful of us left."

Harry quickly ran through the introductions, Siri shaking or kissing hands as the case may be, the old dog still holding onto his nearly-lethal charms.

The flirt.

He was lucky Moony knew he loved him to hell and back or one of these days they might end up with a Padfoot-skinned-rug for the dining room.

After the introductions, Sirius passed Harry an old-fashioned scroll and a black quill, to everyone's befuddlement, having never seen such implements in person outside a museum let alone in actual use.

"What's that?" Sophia asked, interest peaked at the strange tools.

"This, my dear Sophia." Harry explained with a flourish as Padfoot went to open the gate enough to allow the cars through. The semi would have to be shrunk but the rest would make it easily. Sirius would use his wand out of sight to open the heavy gate, then transform back and run to the second gate that was close and open it as well, the convoy having to pass through both as it would be too long to let everyone in, close the first gate and then open the second. "Is as the late Dr. Jenner would say, the price of admission."

He made eye contact with every member of the group, even the Dixons who normally he knew would have his back. This was no time for making mistakes or assumptions. It was the blood-bound contract that would prevent them from talking about his home, his people, and their unique abilities to anyone else who wasn't "In the know."

The same that all their workers had signed on hire and that the inmates and the Vatos refugees had agreed to as well down to the smallest child of the age of reason.

Constant Vigilance.

"But what is it?" She asked again, still confused.

"A contract." Harry explained. "A binding contract. It covers the three rules that everyone has to agree to before being welcomed into my home. One: You will never, knowingly or unknowingly, reveal the location of the Black Lands. Two: You will never, knowingly or unknowingly, reveal the secrets of those who call the Black Lands home. Three: You will abide by the rules and laws set down but the leader of the Black Lands and accept any punishment deemed appropriate for breakage of said laws as adjudicated and sentenced by the leader of the Black Lands."

Well…that was the gist of it anyway. The actual wording replaced 'leader' with 'Alpha' since the Blacks were a pack – werewolf, Animagi, or child. There was also some fine print involving a Stilled-Tongue enchantment on the parchment that would keep anyone from even thinking about telling an outsider about the property or the magicals who call it home.

As a blood-bound contract written with magic and signed in blood, there wasn't any real way for mundanes to break or fight it.

But Harry didn't believe in leaving things to chance, not with the protection of his people, not after almost losing Siri to the Veil.

There was some grumbling and more than one exclamation of shock over the blood-quill, something Harry was still irritated Pandora sent along even if it did come in handy, but in less than twenty minutes everyone had signed including Carl and Sophia.

Rolling up the parchment he sent it back to his study with a wave of the wand that appeared in his hand to the groups shock, then shrunk down the semi-truck with a series of flicks before levitating it and snatching it out of the air before their very eyes.

"Congratulations." Sirius called grandly with a barking laugh. "And welcome to the Black Lands. Or perhaps," he shifted from Padfoot and back again. "I should say: welcome down the rabbit hole."

Harry rolled his eyes drawling, as he knew what Siri was going for: "We're all mad here."

"What the fuck was that?" Daryl burst out, his eyes about ready to pop out of his head.

"Magic." Harry said obdurately for probably the sixth or seventh time answering the same damn question from different sources. "Real, wand-waving, shape-changing, magic. Coming along or going to scatter now that you're two miles from safety and a warm bed."

"Bullshit." Lori denied harshly. "Magic isn't real."

"Real as Daryl's chupacabra." Merle said well on the way to belief but always ready to take the piss outta his brother.

"The fuck." Daryl whirled on his brother. "I know wha' I saw. And this time I saw a guy, real as you or me. Make shit disappear and a semi the size of a hot-wheels. Then another guy, also real, turn into a damn dog!"

"Magic," Harry sighed, rapidly getting bored of repeating himself. "Magic is real, at least as far as me, my dads, and my siblings are concerned. Now we can all debate whether what I just did was real or not – and yes, it was – but that gate only stays open for a certain amount of time. So if you're coming load up, if not, adios and vaya con dios and shit."

With that he jogged off to stand next to Siri, rolling his eyes at his dad.

Some people could see the impossible happen right in front of them and still not be able to admit that there was more to the world than what's explained between the pages of a book.

It made doing magic easy, since no one ever believed it, but when it came time to actually convincing people it existed and had real value and even limitations, it got old fast.

The others traded looks, resigned, scared, or otherwise at the thought of being left out in the cold in the middle of nowhere. When it came down to it, weird shit happening and rolling with it or dealing with walkers and winter coming with no shelter and Harry having the bulk of the supplies, they shut up and followed, firing up the rigs with Dale climbing into the back of the Greene's farm truck since his other ride was now in Harry's pocket.

"Interesting group you found, pup." Was all Sirius had to say, face and voice bland as Petunia Dursley's cooking. "Especially those two tall drinks of water. No wonder you were gone so long…trying to bag some strange?"

"Oh, shut up, Dad." Harry groaned, blushing lightly. "They're not even bent."

Sirius snorted a coughing laugh. Like the smaller – though that didn't say much, what did they feed people in backwoods Georgia? – brother Daryl, Sirius knew what he saw. And what he saw was two pairs of eyes checking out his Prongslet's perky ass.

Harry huffed and stalked off to the second gate, each of them waving the rigs through as the drivers carefully navigated the tight turn between the massive outer wall and the smaller-but-still-large inner wall. Once the tail car had cleared the first gate, Sirius tapped a rune that blended almost seamlessly into the wall with his wand and the massive door swung closed and locked with a resounding clang. Daryl in point position had driven slowly alongside Harry as he jogged forward until the ebony-haired younger man motioned for him to stop and wait, the two Dixons staring out at the trees and woodland all around them – complete with wildlife in an abundance they hadn't seen in months.

"Magic or no magic." Daryl said, rubbing at his arms having gotten that tingly-feeling from the drive all over again. "This already looks better than anything I seen in ages."

"Yer righ' 'bout that little brother." Merle nodded, eyes spotting deer tracks without even looking too hard. "Plenty o' game here, and not any walkers to go along with it or else the wildlife wouldn't be around."

"Yup." Daryl said, lighting up a smoke then handing it to his brother and then getting on for himself. "We stayin'?"

"Shee-it." Merle blew out a smoke ring as he eyed the Pretty through the haze. "'Course we are."

"We scrapin'?" Was the next question, light blue eyes catching the direction of dark blue.

"Naw." Merle shook his head, a bit ruefully. It'd been ages since he had a good scrap with his brother. "He ain't one to scrap over. Like as to beat both our heads in for it than 'preciate it. We just gotta try a bit harder is all, now that we got the time and space for it. Like fishin'." He blew out more smoke. "Set the bait and see what bites."

Daryl nodded, glad that they weren't going to come to blows over the man they both fancied. They'd never sat down and talked it out proper-like before, but both brothers were comfortable enough to try now that they'd heard from his own lips that he went for his own team. Neither of them was gay or straight per se…more…opportunistic and liked what they liked.

And in this case with a tight ass and a bad-ass attitude, they both liked.

The subject was dropped as the topic of it sauntered over to Daryl's open window, showing no sign that he'd heard – and was rather stunned by – most of their short meeting of the minds.

One thing kept playing back through his mind: He ain't one to scrap over. He. He. Fuck him running, the Dixons were gay or at least some form of bi. It was mind-blowing…and a little irritating considering he'd been silently pining for weeks convinced it was hopeless.

The fuckers with their straight pussy talk and their straight macho attitudes and their straight…straightness.

"What's the plan, hoss?" Daryl asked, giving no sign that he'd just been eyeing the other man up alongside his brother.

"It's about a hundred yard to the next fence-line and a half-mile east to the next gate." Harry reported. "Dad Siri is going to lead the way as Padfoot – the black dog." He added at the confused flash in Daryl's icy blue eyes. "Think you can track him?"

"Shee-it." Daryl drawled. "That ain't no question a'tall."

"Glad to hear it." Harry chuckled, happy that at least the Dixons were putting aside the weirdness of earlier and getting down to business. "I'll hop in the back and bang on the side when we're close, Siri might run ahead and open the gate so we can drive straight through, if he does pull up about fifty yards in and a hundred to the west, we'll have to zig-zag through the fenced zones to hit the different gates."

"Someone went all out designing this place." Merle said with an arch of a brow. "I've seen military bases less secure and well-laid-out."

Harry chuckled, blushing a bit at Merle unknowingly complimenting him saying: "Thanks, I spent weeks working on the original schematic before deciding on this one."

With that shocking bit of information, Harry swung into the back of the truck, easily navigating the group through the secured zones with Sirius taking point as Padfoot, shifting each time to open and close the gates.

When they breached the treeline gate, Harry leaned down and warned Daryl to watch for livestock or random dogs.

"Livestock, dogs?" Merle asked, a boggled look on his face.

"Home farm like back home." Harry explained, as Daryl navigated slowly over the pasture land toward the stone wall – the first like it they'd seen the rest being some form of steel or other metal – and the gate he was told was on the opposite side of the compound. "We run sheep flocks for wool, meat, leather, milk for drinking, butter and cheese, and tallow to make candles and soap. That means we also have a pack of sheep dogs to tend them – a mix of German Shepherds and Border Collies. Enough plus frozen samples of semen that we won't run into a DNA drought any time soon."

"What the fuck." Daryl breathed as he caught sight of a flock and both a man and dogs tending it. "It's like y'all were expecting the world to end." He did a double take when he caught sight of the expression on Harry's face, having to quickly correct his steering when he jerked the wheel. "Ya were?"

Merle studied Harry's caught expression through narrowed eyes. "There wasn't enough time between you hearin' about the virus at school and doin' all this. This takes years of advanced preparedness. Preppers? Doomsday-types? Green-peacers? Or just regular-old crazy?"

"Short answer?" Harry asked, with a snort. "Yes. All of the above depending on how you look at it. If you're willing to wait it out until the peanut gallery are all squared away, I'll give you the long answer later tonight…if you still want it by then."

"That works fer me." Daryl agreed as they came up to the next gate, it already open and the black dog – or the man he/it turned into – nowhere in sight.

"Fair warning." Harry said with a shrug as he directed Daryl to park in the graveled area next to one of the barns. "We've kinda collected all types – both before and after the outbreak – I'd watch the goading based on the easy-kick like color or sexuality while around other people."

"Shee-it." Merle grumbled. "Take away all mah entertainment why don' ya."

Harry just grinned and swung down from the truck, walking a short distance away from them and starting to set out a series of what looked like toys but were quickly resized, showing both the semi they found the day before and others – almost a dozen others. Tankers with fuel or oil or diesel, even a water truck. Supply trucks with logos from companies now dead-and-gone like the rest of the world – canned goods, dry goods, soda, even a beer truck. Both the Grimes group and Harry's people watched, with varying looks of shock, amusement, or giddiness on their faces.

"Merlin's knickers!" A gruff voice called out joyfully. "That's one way to show up your Dad's bragging about the haul he brought in last week from Nawlins."

An amber-eyed man with the massive build – if an inch or two shorter than Harry – to match his gruff bass growl swooped the emerald-eyed man up and swung him around saying:

"Welcome home, pup. You've been missed, more than you know."

--

All Credit Due to: Sifsshadowheart