Born To Die

Part XIV

"They're not back." Lori's usual 'olive coloured' skin tone was now as pale as Casper the ghost. Her eye wee transfixed on the window looking out onto the porch and years of farmland and trees. Her teeth were subtly chewing on her nails, and every few seconds she would avert gaze to the stairs which led to the bedrooms upstairs where Carl was supposed to be.

It had been a while. The sun had gone down. In the meanwhile Andrea, T-Dog, and Glenn had come back from trying to hunt down Randall only to find that he was already dead and turned. Yet, Rick and Shane had been out there since.

Everyone was inside the Greene house waiting for their arrival. Odets didn't want to admit it, but she was anxious for Rick. She could care less about Shane. He was just a douche-bag. Daryl stood beside her, leaning on the wall they were both in front of. They didn't touch each other, they didn't even talk after their- scenario in the bathroom. But, his presence was enough to keep Odette calm.

"Do you think we should go looking for them?" Lori said, surprisingly for the first time. No one had the heart to tell her "no".

"Rick'll be fine. He's gone out before." Daryl said crossing his arms. Lori shook her head.

"Not for this long." Silence. "I think should go af-"

"What have you been smoking? You can't go. Especially with a tiny organism inside, feeding off of you. Need I remind you of what happened to you last time you went after him?" Odette said with a shrug. "He's not alone." She added. Lori glared.

"He's my husband! I can't loose him again!" She snapped. Odette sighed and leaned back against the wall. Sometimes, no one can stop a woman. Glenn spoke,

"Fine. I'll go and see what's up." He volunteered.

"I'll go too." Odette added. Daryl turned his head and started at her narrowing his eyes.

"Ya ain't goin' nowhere. Yer not feelin' yerself." He said quietly to her. "I'll go instead." He piped up causing Odette to roll her eyes. Glenn started at the two of

them, unsure of what was really going on.

"Okay. C'mon." Glenn said grabbing a few of his things.

"You might want to consider taking a vehicle. It'll be faster to get in and get out." Hershel suggested.

"Dad's right." Maggie said. "The two of you shouldn't be out there looking for the too long."

"You can take my car." Odette said. "It's properly equipped. You'll find everything you need in the trunk." She said knowing that Daryl knew what she meant.

"Keys are in the glove compartment." Glenn nodded.

"Thanks." He nodded to Daryl. Odette watched as he slung his crossbow over his shoulders, and grabbed a knife to keep with him in a holster around his waist. He gave Odette a curt nod before heading out.

"They'll both be fine." Carol said with a slight tone of optimism, "Don't you worry." She referred to Maggie and Odette.

"I sure hope so." She heard Maggie mutter.

A cry of a gunshot rung out such caught everyone's attention.

The two of them didn't even make it to Odette's car. By the time they got across the field, the two of them could see a herd of walkers.

"Shit!" Daryl muttered as he grabbed Glenn by his t-shirt and pulled him as a gesture for him to run faster to the car.

"Bet it was that gun shot." Glenn said as he ran for the house.

"We gotta make sure none of 'em make it over the fence." Daryl explained.

"Shouldn't we warn them?"

"They'll know. We gotta get go the car."

"Why?"

"Ta keep the damn bastards in line."

Walkers. They were everywhere.

As stupid as the idea seemed, everyone left the comforts of the Greene foyer and ventured out onto the porch to get a better look at the situation. It didn't too long for anyone to react. Self defence had become a sixth sense for all of them. As a group, even though they fought constantly, one of the few things they could do together in harmony was fight back. And that's just was they did.

Odette felt a tug on her arm. It was Andrea who was motioning for her to come and follow along. She gestured towards one of the cars that was parked nearby and began to run as Odette followed as fast as she could. She could understand that Andrea wanted to take rounds around the field in the car, while one of them was driven and the other shot. Around, she could see a heard of walkers coming closer towards the house, but it was T-Dog, Maggie, Daryl, and Glenn who kept rounds in cars as well.

Andrea took the steering while Odette quickly sat in the passengers. She was handed a gun from Andrea and rolled down her window to her a better of the walkers. With two hands on the gun, her arms pointed straight towards her target out the window she began to shoot as many as she could while Andrea began driving.

Shoot.

Refill.

Shoot.

Refill.

"How are you doing on ammo?" Andrea nodded as he heard multiple shots fire from around her again.

"I'll manage." She shot again and pursed her lips. "We're not making a lot of progression. They just keep coming." Odette said. "We need something to distract them." It was then when the cackle of a fire disrupted the both of them. Odette turned and saw the barn up in bright flames of orange and yellow. From the light of the fire she could make out two figures who were running for the door to open it. Rick and Carl. Carl? But where the hell was Shane?

It was as if God had helped them for the first time in a long time. The walkers wee dazed by the fire and began to walk towards that. Slowly, the barn started to fill and more and more walkers were turned into ashes.

"Let's keep it moving."

At least twenty minutes has gone by and there was still little to one progress. The fire in the barn only helped so much. No matter what they tried, walkers kept moving to the front line. They were determined for a meal.

From afar, Glenn and Daryl could spot a young small blond who p was struggling to get past some of the walkers making her way. Glenn accelerated on the pedal and the car drove even faster. Daryl shot more walkers naff them pulled Beth into the car.

"Listen. I'm gonna go and grab and grab am bike. It ain't safe here. I'll jump and Glenn go and leave the farm. I'll follow and so will the others." Daryl said leaving no room for an argument.

"Daryl!" Glenn yelled, but he wouldn't Hear anything of it. He opened the passenger door and jumped.

He shot a few walkers while looking for Merle's old bike. It was parked by the oak tree near the driveway not too far from where he was. He ran shooting any walkers with his pistol (that he jacked from Odette's stash in her car). While in his way he managed to get a hold of Carol who was having a little trouble getting rid of the walkers that were trying to climb all over her. He shot them and pulled her by her arm.

They got to his bike and he sat starting it. Carols eyes were transfixed on the field, looking to see who else was left. Andrea and Odette were still making rounds while the rest wee managing escape. By the looks of the car, Andrea was following in suit, so she didn't worry.

They would be fine.

"C'mon. We gotta go." Daryl said. He eyed Carol wondering what was keeping her from getting on the bike, "Carol!" He yelled to get her attention. She sighed and pulled her leg over the seat and wrapping her arms around Daryl's waist. He waisted no time in leaving the hellhole. It only took a matter of moments, And they were gone.

They and to make it out of there. The walkers kept coming and coming through the fence. Andrea made a quick decision about leaving the car and making a run for the forest where no walkers were by.

"Odie." Odette froze for a second. That was what her friends and family always called her, "We're gonna jump out of the car and make a run for the forest." She explained in a frazzle.

"But I ca-"

"I don't wanna hear it. I'll help you. Now go!" Andrea slammed on the brakes which caused the walkers to divert their attention back to their car.

Odette and Andrea had enough time to get out of the car and get a head start towards the forest. Odette tried as hard she could to run fast so that she wouldn't get let behind, and so that Andrea wouldn't waste time trying to help her.

Once they wee deep into the forest, and sure that no walker was near, the two took rest by a small creek. The night was black and the only thing giving of light was the full moon; and even that looked far dull than usual. Odette sighed and sat, stretching her leg and rubbing her old wound, her back was leaned against cold tree. She closed her eyes and tried to take a breather. It was hard, especially feeling as if her life had just flashed before her eyes three times tonight. Andrea turned and found Odette trying to bottle everything in. All the pain, the frustration and anger. She scooted down beside and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"We made it this far, we can keep going." Andrea said giving her a small smile. Odette scoffed and shook her head.

Hope was something she dared not believe in anymore. What hood was it anyways? The two of them wee alone in the woods by themselves. Separated from the group-from Daryl. No food, no water, and barley enough ammo to get through a few days.

Yes. Hope was something she should have given up long ago.

The caravan drove well into the night and dawn. The tour vehicles were spaced out, and it was hard knowing who made it. But Daryl knew that Odette was right behind them. She was safe.

Carol and him said little to each other as he drove along the deserted highway. She was lost in thought and he was just trying to keep them both alive. He thought he had lost Glenn for most of the night, it wasn't until he saw headlights zig zagging down the road at night that he was sure it was him. But, chinaman and Beth were okay.

A he drove further along and found two cars stopped on the letter side of the highway. He knew for sure that it were some people from the group. Glenn and Beth were one of them. He stopped his bike once he got to the highway and got up walking towards them. Hershel, Rick, and Carl were with them as well.

"How're you holding up son?" Hershel asked while Carol walked towards them as well. He nodded and gave a lopsided smile.

"Fine thanks." He said as he shivers hands in his pockets, continually glancing over at the road waiting for the others to come along.

"How'd you find us?" Rick asked, he looked a little uneasy, mostly from the shock back at the farm.

"Saw this mans tail lights zig-zaggin' on the highway- figured he had ta be asian." Daryl said with a small smile which managed to get a chuckle out of Glenn, Hershel, and Rick.

"Yeah. Good one." Glenn replied. It was then they heard the sound of another engine.

Gotta be Odette. Daryl thought as he turned back to the road.

It wasn't. In Daryl's old red truck came Maggie, T-Dog, and Lori. They stopped on the edge of the road. Lori and Maggie both jumped out of their seats and car and ran to Rick and Glenn. T-Dog followed close behind and looked around, waiting for those who were left.

"Where is everyone else?" Maggie asked her Father and sister. Beth looked at her sister with teary and hugged herself a little tighter after pushing her white blond locks out of her face.

"Patricia was pulled right out of my hands." Beth said softly looked at everyone, "and Jimmy was taken in the RV." she said again taking in a deep sigh.

"What about Andrea an-" Rick was cut off by T-Dog.

"They didn't make it." He said softly which caught everyone's attention, especially Daryl's. He narrowed his eyes at T-Dog and furrowed his brows.

"Whataya mean they didn' make it?" Daryl asked him carefully. T-Dog sighed and swallowed.

"While we left the farm- we saw the car they were in, standing in the middle of the field with walkers surrounding it. There's no way they would've made it out alive. Sorry man." He muttered. Daryl turned and gave one cold gaze towards the road and then looked back at the group. There's no way they made it out alive. Bullshit.

Total Bull.

"We gotta move out now. They might be catching up to us." Rick said.

"Where are we gonna go?" Glenn asked.

"Anywhere. We gotta keep together. To survive." He said.

"Wait," Lori said as they were all heading back to their vehicle to move forward. "Where's Shane." She asked. Daryl looked around and noticed that he was not there. He eyed Rick and watched as he and Carl shared a look.

"He didn't make it. He turned." Rick stated. All eyes were now on him. "Let's go." He said. No questions asked.

As Daryl sat himself down on his bike he was emotionless. She was gone. He wouldn't see her again.

She was dead.

A/N: Hey Guys! I know i haven't updated since like, last year and I sincerely apologize! If you're still reading this story, I am so happy that you're still sticking to it! This update was originally meant to be my xmas present to all of you, but then i didn't update. Then i thought about it being a news years update- but clearly that didn't happen. So, this update is my Valentine's day present to you. If you're in a relationship a bonus gift! And, if you're forever alone like me, a present! :)