XV

—/<3/—

It was, once again, dark when Rory and Daryl got back to the farm and they were exhausted and hungry. They'd found another shack in the woods after they left the highway, but to no avail, still no sign of the little girl and Rory was starting to doubt she was even alive.

They called them walkers for a reason, they could walk and walk forever, and whilst they rested at the farm, Sophia could already be dead and on the opposite side of Georgia. She didn't want to think like that but it had been four days of searching and there was absolutely no sign of her anywhere, not even a lost shoe.

Rory said goodbye to Daryl and immediately went to wash herself with off, not liking how sticky and dirty she felt. And then when she was done, she dropped the supplies she grabbed from the highway off to Rick, who was walking around camp without his sheriff's uniform for once. Rory flicked her wet hair out of her face and trudged up to him, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention and then dropping the heavy bag of canned good and bottled drinks at his feet wordlessly.

Rick gave her a weird look and called a hesitant 'thank you' after her as she sauntered to her tent, hungry but too tired to actually eat. She did make time to feed Pumpkin before she went to sleep but of course it didn't last long. Shane was at her tent 2 hours later at 10PM, tapping her leg ceaselessly until she lifted her head.

"You're on watch until 3," he said, beckoning her out the tent and marching her over to the RV. She was definitely being punished, but Rory didn't know if it was because he knew she knew about Otis, or because she brought a cat into camp. But she still didn't complain.

"What are you doing?" Rick asked as they walked by him.

"Rory's taking first watch tonight," Shane told him, eyes shining with resentment as he beheld the man he used to consider his best friend.

"She was on watch last night and she's been in the woods since first light. You can't put her on watch again Shane, it's not fair, especially since we have loads of people here that have just been sittin' around. One of them can take watch." Rick furrowed his eyebrows. Shane glared at him, walking closer as if to size him up.

"Why do you insist on goin' against everything I do? Ain't we supposed to be friends?" Shane raised his voice, attracting the attention of the camp.

"I'm not going against you Shane, but what you're doing is wrong. Rory does a lot for us without you forcing her on watch every night. How is she supposed to survive out in those woods if she's only getting a couple hours every night?"

"She's fine with it Rick! She wouldn't have followed me out here if she wasn't!" Shane yelled back.

"I followed you because arguing with you is a lost cause." Rory cut in with a sigh.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Shane turned to her.

"I know why you're targeting me Shane, and making me suffer is just making me want to tell everyone even more." Rory flashed a sarcastic smile.

"Tell everyone what?" Archer asked as he walked up behind her, Pumpkin in his arms.

Rory made eye contact with Shane and then turned to her brother. "Shane killed the guy he went on a med run with. Keep it to yourself until I find out more," she told him in French, hoping that no one else in camp spoke it. She made sure not to say Otis' name, just in case that was what made people put the pieces together.

"You're serious?" Archie's eyes widened. Rory nodded. "How do you know?"

"I'll tell you later but—" Rory was cut off by Shane grabbing the front of her hoodie and raising his fist.

"If you don't shut your goddamn mouth girl,"

"What? Gonna hit me?" Rory asked provocatively. She knew she shouldn't push him, but if he wanted to punish her, she'd punish him right back.

"Stop! Both of you!" Rick shouted, pulling Shane off of her. By now, a crowd had gathered, even Daryl and some of the farm people stood watching.

"Shane, go cool off. Mikey, you're on watch, Aurora, come with me."

"No. We have nothing to talk about," Rory spun on her heel and walked back to her tent, taking Pumpkin with her. She stopped after a few steps, turning back to face Rick. "Don't call me Aurora."

"Damn." T-dog broke the silence. Everyone turned to glare at him and he put his hands up in defeat.

"Will you talk to her?" Rick asked Archie.

"Why? She hasn't done anything wrong. The only person who needs talking to is your friend." Archer looked Shane up and down and then followed Rory back to their shared tent.

"When are you going to tell everyone?" Archie whispered as he entered, keeping the flap open so he could see if anyone was trying to listen in.

"Not until after Carl gets better and we find Sophia. We can't risk getting kicked off the farm right now." Rory sighed. "I shouldn't have said that in front of everyone. I just got angry 'cause he was being a dick."

"He's always been one, he was just more subtle with his dickiness before Rick got here," Archie said. "You shouldn't have said it but I get why you did, and your reason behind not telling Rick is valid too. Who else knows, Just me and you?"

"Daryl. Niamh too, but she's been sworn to secrecy. She knows how serious this is."

"You told Niamh before you told me?"

"She was there when Daryl and I brought it up, I didn't go out of my way to tell her." Rory busied herself with scratching under Pumpkin's chin.

Archie let out a tired sigh. "You want a smoke?" He asked, pulling his packet and lighter from his bag. Rory nodded, grabbing her own before they left the tent, wandering away from camp and to the edge of the farm where no one could complain about the smell. People stared as they walked past but the siblings made an effort not to make eye contact.

Niamh and Daryl, they only ones who weren't afraid to approach, came and stood with them, bumming cigarettes off Rory.

"So... that was dramatic..." Niamh said as she exhaled her smoke. Rory snorted. "Not that I don't love the camp drama." Niamh added.

"He was gonna hit you Rory, you need to learn when to stop." Archer scolded her.

"Nah he wasn't, not in front of his precious Lori," Rory replied.

"I think Andrea has a crush on him y'know." Niamh changed the subject.

"Do ya' always state the obvious?" Daryl spoke up for the first time that night. Niamh glared at him.

"You're shittin' me, you all knew that too?" Niamh huffed. The three others nodded.

"We've known them for months longer than you have, leprechaun." Archie rolled his eyes playfully.

"Leprechaun? Do I look like a ginger white man to you?"

"You're short, Irish and you're wearing green so you're halfway there." Archie bantered back.

"Don't make me start the next French Revolution Archer Sterling, this time it'll be you on the guillotine instead of your royal family."

—/<3/—