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𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖭𝗂𝗇𝖾 — 𝖠𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗈𝗌𝖾.𝖪𝖺𝗍𝖺𝗋𝖺 𝖦𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗇𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗈𝖽𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝖠𝗌𝗁𝖻𝗈𝗋𝗇𝖾．

   Katara truly didn't know why she was going, one part of herself was convinced that she was going to watch over Rick Grimes but everyone knew that Rick could handle himself.

He led her and the rest of the group back to the Atlanta camp singlehanded after waking up from a coma. While the other part wanted to dip off from the group and leave Theodore with them, the girl knew they'd take care of him.

Lead and Protect him, Katara had thought herself not to be fit to be the person to look up for him. Especially with the problems she had gotten herself into constantly.

With Shane, Lori and placing Rick in his place in front of everyone. "Katara? You're going with them?" Carol asked walking up to her and she had stopped in her tracks, turning around and nodding her head at the woman.

"Yeah, someone has to watch over those boys." She looked directly at Carol seeing a bruise underneath her eye, left one to be exact. "What happened?" She pointed out the eye.

Carol had looked at Katara's finger and tried to play it off with a small shrug of her shoulders. "I hit my eye under a tree branch." She lied and proceeded to smile at the young adult.

Katara remembered how hard it was to lie to people, to Atlanta cops about where the bruises had came from in her cheeks, eye, arms and legs too. "Massage the spot, it won't go away within a day but I assure you that it'll fade quicker" Katara gave her a little advice.

Carol nodded her head holding her smile, "Thank you, and good luck on the run." Carol had started to walk away from the young woman and Katara nodded her head.

"Carol?" Katara called out.

Carol turned around and looked at her wondering what else she had to say. "If you don't stand up for yourself, he'll control you forever" The Greene girl looked at her once more before walking towards the trucks the men were starting to load with their things.

Shane's eyes had fallen onto the bag and almost immediately he knew she had the intention of going with the men. "The woman are about to use the washboards to clean their clothes." He said and Katara walked to Glenn's car. "You need to clean your clothes right?"

Katara rolled her eyes and placed her hand onto the trunk so she could open it up and place her bag in but once she opened it. Shane's hand had shut it, "Move your hand."

"What's your motive here huh? You go on this run for the guns and Merle, then you tell Rick about me and Lori's fling, spill the beans? Well let me tell you something Katara, that stunt you pulled on me with the gun doesn't make me afraid of you" he stated causing a smirk to form on Katara's lips.

It was obvious that Shane held a guilty conscience about what him and Lori, he kept approaching her about the matter. Obviously afraid that she'd tell Rick and Rick would either kill him or disown him as a friend, a partner in crime even.

"You sure did look afraid, Shane. Begging and pleading" Katara turned her body towards him, facing him fully while he was obviously trying to prove a point to her. She was well over him now, especially with the threats he had given her and tried to scare her with.

"Anyone would beg for their life with a gun at them." He said before continuing on. "Rick's my best friend, he'll ask me if you tell him and I'll deny it and then tell him to boot you from this group. Because your nothing still, your still that beaten up, problematic prostitute that me and Rick picked up during our night shift."

It was the first time Katara face had gone pale in front of anyone ... he remembered that? She was so surprised, "Who do you think he'd believe? A former hooker or his best friend and partner?" He asked with a smug smirk.

Katara stared at Shane and she was visibly pissed off from Shane's comment. "I don't know, when Rick finds out who told his family he died in that hospital .. It won't be more of who, he won't care about that, say you thought he was dead and it's all right." Katara stepped up to the man, now recovered from his words.

Shane was upset but he knew she was correct, he hated dominate females and Katara Greene now, she was one tough son of a bitch. "When he finds out that his partner told his wife, he was dead to fuck and steal his wife when he was actually alive. He might just kill you."

"It wasn't like that."

"Walsh, first your stealing and claiming someone else's rights wife, now your a liar too? Come on, I thought you were better than this" she pressed at that guilt.

Before he could speak again, Glenn had walked up behind him and looked at Katara. "You ready to go?" He questioned. Attempting to remove her from this, god awful situation.

Katara had nodded her head while looking at the former officer, "Well of course Glenn, Shane was just wishing us a good trip, isn't that right big guy?" She lifted her hand and patted his chest before walking past him and towards the passenger side of the car, getting in.

"Right." Shane watched Katara get in the car along with Glenn, before they all rode out. He was fearful of the secret she held, the control she held over the situation. She held his friendship with Rick, the brotherhood all in those vicious hands of hers.

— — — —

Theodore was currently on the other side of the lake, holding a fishing rod in his hand. Without Katara there, telling him what to do, or even talking to him to keep his mind busy. Fishing was something he had done to clear his mind and see the world more clearer than before.

He had fished with his father every Saturday afternoon, in the backyard of his home where he had a lake, not as large but it was still something. Some of the time, Theodore would speak to his father about life or the towns drama's. While other times they didn't speak at all, just enjoyed the country sounds.

"Theodore is your name if I remember correctly?" A woman with blonde hair walked up to him, Andrea. Caused him to turn his head and looked towards her.

Theodore had slowly placed the fishing rod down and nodded his head, "We didn't meet on the best circumstances last time" he remembered how Katara held a gun to Glenn's head so Andrea could drop her own gun.

"Yeah but, we're good now right?" She placed her hand out to him and cleared her throat. "My name is Andrea and I've been with this group since the start. "This mountain has been steady and safe, I can assure you that." She said trying to make him comfortable.

Theodore listened to her attempts to make his nerves calm, and it worked. "Theodore is my name, I think I shared enough of my story in the van here" he laughed slightly and he took her hand and shook it gently.

"I know and I'm sorry about your sister again, my condolences truly." Andrea said and Theodore nodded retrieving his hand back.

"Nah it's fine, she's safer with god than she is on this fucked up world" he gave her a smile and Andrea nodded her head returning the smile but it was slight. Still feeling bad.

"At least you have a best friend you could call your little sister" Andrea said and Theodore laughed and crossed his arms slightly.

"Little? I'm eighteen years old. Nineteen in a few months time. Katara is the older one"

Andrea was so surprised at how young he was, so she had just nodded her head. "Just thought you'd be a little older" she admitted.

Theodore had actually found it to be funny, he did act more mature than the Greene Girl, he nodded his head at the blonde. "We get that a lot" he lied but hey, who would ever know?

Andrea eyes remained on Theodore and he had a question pop up in his head, "How old are you? Or do you woman actually don't share age because it's disrespectful?" He asked jokingly and Andrea laughed softly at him.

"Great Joke."

"I don't know if it was much of a joke, I'm genuinely curious" Theodore said and Andrea just shook her head at him.

"Your lucky your cute." Theodore smirked discreetly at her words, "Twenty five years old, before all of this I was actually a law firm clerk. My sister is Amy and I'll do anything for him." Andrea finished and she overshared a bit but the boy didn't care much about that.

Theodore was just a senior in highschool, didn't make it to the actual world just yet. But he knew how it felt to have a sibling and become a protective parental figure during all of this. With Annalise and Katara too.

"I get it."

"I'm glad you do" Andrea had shown obvious interest in Theodore and the boy had picked up on it. Waiting for her to at least address it.

"You know you called me cute earlier"

"Oh god." She laughed.

Theodore followed with his own laugh, "God is right. I won't ever let that go, and it's no threat, it's a promise" he declared.

"Simple mistake" The blonde woman had tried to clear up her wording from earlier. "People still make those."

"A mistake would be calling me ugly, don't worry Andrea. I won't hold your interest in me above that blonde head of yours."

Andrea truly didn't know what she was going to do with him, but she laughed and smiled more than she has since the outbreak started. Because of well .. him.

— — — —

Katara was currently in the car with Glenn Rhee who drove it, they were going to find Daryl's brother but Katara was in denial about a lot of things. Leaving the camp, leaving Theodore with these people, Telling Rick about Shane and Lori, it wasn't it place but it would solve so many future issues.

"Your mighty quiet." Glenn said and Katara nodded her head while her eyes remained unfocused and out of the window. "Want to explain that?" He was oddly caring for a person she had held a gun to.

"Nah, tired at most, and thinking" Katara wasn't exactly lying though.

Glenn nodded his head, "So, were you married before all of this?" And Katara allowed a small chuckle to come from her lips.

"Closest I've ever been to marriage was calling a man my boyfriend, Glenn" she explained, she heavily believed she wasn't fit for relationships.

Marriage.

"No husband, got it. Work?"

"Prostitute." She said and Glenn looked over at her surprised, many people looked at her that way when she gave that answered. She was blunt, straightforward at most.

"Why, if I may ask?" Glenn eyes went back to the road.

Katara had shrugged slightly, "Young and dumb, think you know a person and you truly don't." She admitted. When Katara was young, she had blamed it on everyone but herself, and now she sees what she did wrong.

Right after the world ended, what kind of Idiot comes to realization after all this time

(Me but you know -Katara)

"I understand that.. I was a pizza driver" Glenn wasn't cocky at all, he said it trying to lighten the mood at most.

"Glenn?" She asked.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for almost killing you" she apologized.

"It's okay."

— — — —

"It's walkers inside" Rick said and Katara stood behind all the men as they spoke to one another, it was obvious how many was inside.

"How many?" Daryl asked curiously.

"Around fifteen, if not that...twenty." Glenn spoke and Katara knew it was too many to take on all at once. "How are we going to get in?" He asked the main question in the air.

"We fight our way through and get Merle" Katara watched him reach for the door handle and the other men had gotten their guns ready.

"No." She finally spoke up and they all turned back towards her being confused. "If you all use your guns, we'll lose ammo and attract the walkers in the area and by the time we're in, we'll be locked in by a hungry herd" she stated.

"My brother is in there, we need to go" he moved his hand and walked up to her. "What do you know anyway? Who are you to boss me around? You left him in there too" he blamed everyone and she understood..why.

"Do you want to go inside without getting anyone killed?" She asked him stepping into his space when he stepped into hers.

"You don't know how." He snarled out to her.

"Because I'm a woman? Don't tell me you're a sexist like him too" Katara said and before Daryl could say another word, Rick Grimes came up to save the day, yet again.

"You arguing with her won't get anywhere. Maybe hear her out and if it's a good plan, we'll enter without being eaten alive." Rick said and Katara looked over at Rick and nodded her head before looking at Daryl again.

"Daryl and Glenn, who holds knives will be with me. Rick and T-dog have the guns, meaning they'll catch strays if they get loose. Hit them hard enough and they'll fall" Katara walked up to the glass and tapped onto it with her fingertips watching the walkers come out from hiding and walked towards the door.

"Ready boys?" She grabbed a hold of the door handle, both Glenn and Daryl, they stood at the door.

"Ready." Glenn spoke for the two and Katara opened the door watching around five to six walkers exit the building, moaning and groaning. Daryl was starting to aim and shoot at the walkers who had came close to him.

They continued the process until all of the walkers were killed, without the use of guns, no stray walkers, and access to the lower floor. Katara walked into the building after the men and she looked towards the only stray walker in the room.

Daryl slowly approached a walker in which ascended from up the stairs, "Damn, that's one ugly skank" he whispered before shooting it.

Was it supposed to be pretty?

She's dead after all.

Once the walker fell onto its back and died, Daryl removed the arrow from its head, "You said he's on the roof right?" T-dog looked at Daryl when he asked and nodded his head.

"I will go up the stairs first, Daryl second, T-dog, Katara and then Glenn. No matter what, we stay in that order. Do we understand?" Rick asked as he walked towards the stairs. Flashlight in one way to pave the way and his hand gun in the other.

All of them nodded before following Rick and Daryl up the stairs, it was possibly two walks that Daryl had gotten to first. Now they were on the roof and the door was opened leaving everyone one confused.

"Didn't you leave this door locked?" Katara asked as she walked onto the roof.

"I did, I swear" T-dog walked in after her, his facial expression was fearful at most and Katara understood why, Daryl was obviously angry with the world about Merle. Especially T-dog since he left the key.

But then they walked across a saw, a hand, and empty hand cuffs meaning he got away possibly or he got freed and walkers ended up eating him. Daryl had gotten slightly emotional at the sight before he lifted the crossbow pointing it right at T-dog.

Then Rick took out his own weapon, pointing it towards the temple of Daryl.

Katara looked between the men who was in a circle almost, "I won't hesitate, I don't care if every walker in this city hears it" Rick states.

"You know I do but hey, go nuts." Katara said aloud just so he could hear it.

Rick looked over at Katara and she had scratched her head slightly as Daryl lowered his crossbow and looked directly at T-dog again.

This time it was more than hurt behind the look, betrayal of some sort and it was understandable. "You got a durag or something?" He asked T-dog.

T-dog had took it out of his pocket and handed it over, honestly Katara wouldn't have given Daryl shit if it was her. Considering he almost placed an arrow in his skull, but that's because she also holds grudges.

Her eyes followed Daryl as he walked towards the hand and she lifted her eyebrows. "Daryl." She said seeing him crouch down and take the hand lifting it. "What are we going to do with a hand, save it for him?" She asked being genuinely confused.

Daryl ignored the girl and spoke, "I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs" he examined the hand with his sight. "Ain't that a bitch" he finally placed the bandana onto the hand and wrapped it closed.

Everyone was silent as he placed the hand in Glenn's bag, as it it was something normal, when it wasn't. Was he going to bury his hand?

"He must've used a tourniquet, maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't" Daryl held his crossbow again after picking it up, tracking Merle's last steps.

Once Katara saw him still walking, she looked over at Rick not knowing if she should follow or not. But when he followed, she followed directly at the two, Glenn and T-dog behind her.

The trail had just continued to go, and she didn't understand with how much pain he was in...how did he manage to continue? He must've moved quickly, or simply, he had the willpower in himself because all of them sure the hell didnt.

Now they were back in the building, different side but the same building. "Merle? You in here?" Daryl yelled and Katara looked at all of the blood trails on the ground.

The small group had continued to walk down all the steps behind Daryl who was calling Merle's bake and tracking all his brothers last steps. Once they were down the steps, they watched the man search before the greene girl turned her head seeing T-dog who still had a mixture of confusion and fear on his face.

"Lighten up, he won't kill you" she told him.

"And how do you know?" He asked.

"When we were on the roof, he wouldn't have held out the way he did." She explained to him in simple words. "Deep down he knows you didn't mean to leave him on that roof."

Before T-dog could reply, Daryl spoke, "This way" before he disappeared down an unknown hall and all of them followed close behind.

Daryl had walked into a room, parting from the group momentarily to try and find more clues after walking down the hall. Causing Katara to pull her knife just in case walkers had come her way.

When the sound of his crossbow firing had rang through the halls, it had indicated that walkers would still be in parts of the building. Different parts of the building.

"Watch your backs" Rick had whispered as Daryl exited the room walking down the rest of the hall beside Rick.

When they had made it to an office like space, all of them had lowered their weapons slightly, taking a look at the deceased walkers that was on the ground. "Had enough in him to take out these two sum bitches" Daryl stated.

"One handed."

"I would too if I'm running from a mob of hungry walkers" she said to Daryl as she walked around the bodies that reeked.

She didn't know if Merle was alive or not but he was one..tough son of a bitch.