A/N: Here we are once again, and I can tell that its a part of the story many of you have been waiting for. So I will no longer hold you in suspense.

X

Everything was quiet on the farm, but there was a palpable tension in the air as everyone went about their business while trying not to worry about the members of their group that weren't there.

Beth was among them, working in the kitchen along side her sister preparing dinner for everyone when the three men that had left would return. Her mind wandering to Alex every so often. A light blush appearing on her cheeks when she remembered the kiss they shared earlier that day.

"Thinking about your boyfriend again?" Maggie teased, catching her little sister off in her own world again.

"N-No." Beth tried to deny, her face getting a little darker at being caught daydreaming.

The older girl rolled her eyes, "Come on, Bethy. I think I know you better than that. You've been staring off into space with that dreamy look in your eyes. Even a blind man could connect the dots."

Sighing, Beth stopped cutting the vegetables she had been working on. "Okay, fine. I was thinking about...Alex." she admitted slowly, being sure that no one was listening in on them.

"You two have been getting pretty close lately." Maggie ventured with a sly smile, "Not too close I hope."

"You're one to talk, Maggie. Considering how you are with Glenn." the blonde fired back with a smirk of her own, causing her older sister to blush. "And no, we haven't gotten that close. We did, uh, kiss though. And we both are hoping to see how things go from there."

Maggie smiled wider, "Sounds like you got yourself a boyfriend alright. Is it different than when-"

"It's not like it was with Jimmy." Beth admitted, knowing where her sister was going. "I don't regret what we had back then, we just grew apart. But Alex...he's different." the blonde smiled as she thought back to the host and their many interactions. "He's strong, and selfless. More than a bit quirky, but that adds to his charm. When he holds me, I just feel so safe. Like nothing could ever hurt me as long as he's there."

While she spoke, Maggie noticed how Beth's blush returned. Her eyes getting that faraway look again and getting lost in her own bliss.

The oldest of the two sisters but her hand on the younger one's arm, gaining her attention. "You know what I think? I think you should hold onto that boy with both hands if he makes you this happy. Ever since he got here he's been nothing but helpful and a gentleman. Though I think you should be letting daddy know about all this too, just so that things don't turn out like the last time he found out you had a boyfriend."

Both of them shared a laugh at the memory before going back to what they had been doing.

Outside the kitchen, just out of sight of the two girls, Hershel stood having heard their part of him didn't like the idea of his baby girl once again having the attention of a boy, even he had to admit that Alex was different than what he had expected.

The young man went out of his way to help wherever he could. He protected his family without hesitation, and had a kind demeanor, save for the times he bucked heads with Shane. But even Hershel was impressed with how Alex had knocked the older man down several pegs.

And above all, he made Beth happy. Helping her overcome her grief after the incident with the barn and making her smile and laugh again. With everything their family had gone through, the last thing he wanted to see was his daughters lose themselves.

Deciding to have a little talk with the young man when he and Rick got back, the old vet stepped outside to enjoy the warm day while the sun was still up.

X

Rick had not been prepared for the events of today. Even if the talk he had with Shane had supposedly gone well at the time, he knew that deep down their issues wouldn't be solved.

But he hadn't expected the man that had once been a close friend to execute a prisoner in cold blood. And then, as if to push that disbelief even farther, that same friend had tried to shoot him.

He had still been in shock when Alex took the rounds meant for him, then he disarmed Shane...and then changed into something straight out of a person's nightmare. The former sheriff was frozen where he stood, unable to comprehend how everything had gone so completely sideways in such a short period of time.

As for Shane, he could only stare wide-eyed at the beast that now held him dangling off the ground. Venom's fang-filled maw stretched into a wide, horrifying grin as he took in the man's obvious fear.

"You've made your LAST mistake, Walsh." Venom rumbled, "You will not take anymore life for your own selfishness." he raised his clawed hand, the blades extending even longer.

"ALEX STOP!" the deadly claws paused before they could penetrate Shane's chest. Venom swung his head around and looked toward Rick, the man's face was pale when the two made eye contact. The former sheriff still not wanting to believe what he was seeing, but was hoping and praying that he was still dealing with the young man he and the others had come to know for the last two weeks.

Hand resting on his .357, but not drawing it, mostly because he figured it would do no good, Rick took a hesitant step forward. "There doesn't have to be anymore killing today." he said, taking a fleeting glance at Randal's corpse.

"He won't change, Rick." said Venom, "He will try to kill you again. He wants what he can't have and will do whatever he wants to get it. You and the others are in danger."

"I know." Rick replied honestly. "But we will deal with this another way."

Swinging his head back around to growl at Shane, Venom wanted nothing more than to crush the man into nothing. But he knew that the moment he changed into his current form the whole game had changed as well.

His secret was out now, no turning back. And there would be a lot to answer for. If he wanted to get through all of it while trying to maintain what little trust he had gained he needed to follow Rick's lead.

With a huff, he tossed Shane to the ground. Not caring if the former deputy broke something before standing at his full height and turning to address Rick fully. The two men staring at one another in silence for a while before the creature's head slithered back to reveal Alex's once again.

"We have much to explain..." he stated rather casually. Rick swallowed thickly and nodded in agreement.

Both men snapped to attention when Shane let loose a yell, Alex ducked just as a large wrench passed over his head and smashed through the window of the building they had been standing beside. None of them had time to register the sudden attack when a loud chorus of snarls and growls echoed from inside.

"You fucking idiot!" Alex shouted just as the doors burst open and a horde of walkers surged out into the open. The host fired webbing from both arms, creating a barrier over the opening and ensnaring the undead before they could completely escape.

Rick turned toward Shane only to find him gone, more walkers coming out of the surrounding buildings and cars and beginning to converge on them.

Alex brought up his claws and started cleaving through the undead and keeping them at a distance. But it wouldn't be enough, the webbing would hold most of them off but wouldn't last forever, and the walkers were coming in from all over.

"Rick we gotta go!" he shouted to the former sheriff, grabbing another walker and throwing it into the side of a police car.

"Shane's gone!" Rick called back, taking out his knife and stabbing a different walker in the head with it.

The webbing keeping the horde of undead within the building started to tear where it was attached to the walls, the number of bodies pressing into the substance becoming too much to handle.

"Fuck him! He tried to kill us and left us with all this shit!" Alex replied, driving his claws through a walker's jaw into its head.

Rick grit his teeth, his conscious about the situation not sitting well with him. On the one hand he didn't think he could willingly leave someone behind, remembering what had happened with Daryl's brother Merle. But on the other, Shane had once again showed his true colors. Attacking him with the intent to kill regardless of the consequences.

The snarl of a walker snapped him back into focus as he quickly drew his .357 and shot the attacking zombie in the head. The powerful round going through the walker's head and then a second one that had been behind it.

Seeing the man's inner struggle with his own morals, Alex went for a more direct approach. "You're family's waiting for you!" he exclaimed, "Your wife, son and unborn baby need you Rick! Don't let yourself get killed for someone that's not worth your life!"

That seemed to do it, coming to a decision Rick nodded at the host. "You have a plan?!" he asked, stabbing another walker.

Alex allowed his suit to cover his head and became Venom once more, "Stay behind us!" the beast swiped with both arms, bladed tendrils extending outward and slicing all the undead infront of them to pieces.

With an opening, the host led Rick away just as the webbing on the door gave way. A handful of walkers chasing after them while others went after Randal's corpse.

As they moved, the unusual duo was met with more walkers stumbling out into the open. All the noise attracting them to the only living beings nearby.

Venom wasted no time in cutting them all down, making a clear path back to the cars and their only means of escape. Going as far as lifting one of the derelict cars then throwing it back where they had come from, the strength of which causing Rick to pause in awe as countless walkers were crushed under the large projectile.

When they reached the two cars, the host converted back to his normal form before webbing the gate closed to keep anymore undead from following after them. Both he and Rick jumping into the former sheriff's vehicle and tearing off down the road. Putting as much distance between themselves and the herd as they could.

The whole ride neither of the two men were willing to break the ice first for the longest time before Rick pulled the car off to the side of the road at the half-way point back to the farm.

"We're not going another inch until you explain to me exactly what the hell happened back there." Rick said pointedly after shutting the car off.

Alex nodded, knowing full well there was no getting around it.

The sun had started getting lower in the sky by the time Alex finished telling Rick his story. The host sitting on the hood of the car while the former sheriff paced back and forth infront of him.

"This...This is all unbelievable. You understand that right?" Rick asked after a while of coming to grips with everything he had been told.

"To be fair, we're living in a world dominated by the walking dead. Aliens from outer space shouldn't be too much of a stretch." Alex offered with a shrug.

"Does anyone else know about this?" the former sheriff asked.

The host nodded, "Sophia, we scared her a bit when we saved her from the rotters. But she seemed to overcome it rather quickly. We also told Beth a couple days ago. It was our intention on informing all of you of our unique situation, we just needed to be sure that we could trust you all and had earned your trust in return. The last few times we revealed our true nature was not greeted with good responses."

He saw the indecision on the older man's face and pressed on, "We meant what we had said as well. That our secret wasn't a danger to you or the others. We've only ever tried to help people, save people. Even if it mean having us come off as something to fear, we only ever put the needs of others before ourselves."

Rick ran his hand through his hair, he honestly didn't have the slightest idea on where to go with this. It was something too big for him to decide on alone.

"We need to get back, tell everyone else what happened. And you'll have to come clean about what you are as well." he said seriously, "I can't speak for the others, so they'll need to know. We'll go from there on what to do."

Alex nodded, "It's only fair." he said, hopping off the hood as they got back into the car.

"For what it's worth," the former sheriff began after restarting the engine, "I owe you for what you did back there."

"You don't owe us anything, sheriff. Giving us a chance to explain ourselves is more than enough." the host replied as they started down the road again. The rest of the trip was done in silence, everyone welcoming them back when they pulled onto the Greene property until they noticed they were missing both a vehicle and a person.

Rick didn't mix words, he told the group what had happened. How Shane killed Randal in cold blood while he was restrained before trying to kill him, how the two of them barely made it out of there when walkers were baring down on them.

When asked about what had happened with Shane, the former sheriff explained how he had been lost in the crowd of walkers and they couldn't find him before they were forced to flee.

Andrea was pissed about this. Demanding that they go back for him but given how late in the day it was it wouldn't be safe for any of them. The blonde shook her head and stormed off in a huff.

"I can't believe Shane would do that." Glenn said when everything was settled.

"Not surprisin'." grunted Daryl. " 'specially after all the shit he's been pullin'. I say good riddance."

"I wished there could have been another way." said Rick honestly, "But there wasn't enough time."

"How'd you guys manage to get away?" asked Maggie. Rick sent a meaningful look at Alex, silently telling him that he had the floor.

The host scratched the side of his neck, "That would have been us...we've kinda been meaning to tell you all something for a while now." this had the attention of everyone. Beth came up to him, concern in her eyes but Alex gave her a reassuring smile before going back to the group.

"Hershel, you said that Otis encountered something in the woods. Something beyond belief." the vet nodded slowly, wondering where the young man was taking this, "Did what Otis see...look like this?"

To the shocked horror of everyone, they bore witness to Alex's clothes turning pitch black and ink-like before covering his body. His size and muscle-mass growing until he had taken on his full Venom form.

Lori, Maggie, Patricia and Carol stumbled back screaming. Hershel and Dale both looked on the verge of heart attacks. While Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog all had weapons drawn and ready.

"STOP!" Two voice shouted out as Beth and Sophia stood infront of the host.

"Sophia?! Get away from that thing!" Carol shouted.

"They saved me, mama!" Sophia screamed back, "If it wasn't for Alex and Venom I wouldn't have made it back!"

Venom gently nudged the two girls aside and took a step forward, the group keeping their distance, not knowing what to expect. "We are not a danger to any of you." the beast spoke, its voice causing everyone to flinch. The face split open and slithered back allowing Alex's face to be seen, "Although, the reaction was to be expected."

"What the fuckin' hell are you?" said T-Dog, not knowing how to make heads or tails of what was happening right infront of them.

"We know that you're afraid, in shock, trust us it's not something new. We will explain everything, just put the guns down and give us a chance." Alex implored.

"We can trust him." Rick said, surprising them all, "I wouldn't have brought him back with me if I thought he would be a danger to everyone here. And he's done nothing but help us since he arrived, if anything, he deserves a chance to explain himself."

Seconds ticked by before all weapons were lowered, albeit with a great deal of hesitation. The host nodded in thanks to Rick, holding up his hand allowing a series of tentacles to sprout and wave around the air.

"We share our body with an alien, symbiotic lifeform called a Klyntar. It was exiled from its people and crash landed here on Earth a couple years ago where we found it and it bonded to us."

"Aliens? From outer space?" asked Glenn skeptically.

"Like we told Rick, we live in a world filled with the undead. Is it really that hard to believe?" asked Alex with a raised eyebrow. The Korean didn't have an answer for that one.

"So yer sayin' some kinda alien worm is swimming around in your guts?" Daryl questioned.

Alex felt his other hiss within his mind at that, "It's more complicated than that." he said while at the same time trying to keep the symbiote calm. "A Klyntar can't live without a host, in the process it helps the host protect the both of them by making them inhumanly strong with various other abilities. The two become one, hence the name 'Symbiote'."

The group took a moment to take that all in, "Can you speak with it?" asked Rick.

The host nodded, "We speak regularly through our thoughts. We call it our other, and it has said quite a bit about each of you at one point or another." he said honestly.

"Heh, all good things?" asked T-Dog nervously.

"Would you prefer to speak to our other yourself?" Alex asked, making everyone look at him questioningly. A large tendril sprouted from his back and came around to his front, the end taking on the shape of a human head that changed into a copy of Venom's.

No one said a word as the newly sprouted head grinned with its fang-filled maw. "We all meet at last." the symbiote spoke. "And we do not appreciate being called a 'worm'." it sent a meaningful glare at Daryl who fought the urge to pick up his crossbow again.

"...Cool." Carl whispered in awe from beside Sophia.

X

Realizing too late about the mistake he had made, Shane barely managed to get himself inside an old school bus and seal the door tightly behind him. The walkers outside pounding on the sealed opening as they tried to get in after him.

Stumbling down the isle of seats, past the clothes and luggage of the people that had been there long before, the former deputy collapsed into a seat. Breathing haggard and sweat dripping over his face.

It wasn't supposed to happen this way. None of this was supposed to happen.

Shane slammed his fist on the seat infront of him. He wasn't supposed to be the one in this mess. If Rick hadn't gotten involved...if Rick hadn't come back, things would have been different!

He had been leader of the group, he had Lori and Carl! He worked and did everything to provide for them and all Rick had to do was swoop in and snatch it all away!

He wasn't a leader, he couldn't make the calls Shane had to. Thinking shit all worked the same as before, nothing was the same! He knew that, but instead everyone hung off of Rick's every word.

And now here he was, stuck surrounded by walkers with no way out...this was all Rick's fault, him and that bastard Cross. Shane swore that he'd get out of this, get back to the farm and make them all pay in spades.

Sitting alone with only the loud pounding of the dead outside and his own dark thoughts, the former deputy plotted his revenge on everyone that had wronged him.

X

"You both have been through so much." said Rick, everyone in the group sans Andrea were all sitting around a bonfire while Alex and the symbiote spoke about their adventures since they became bonded. "Though that does explain the stories I heard about from up North. Something about a vigilante that had been terrorizing the local criminals in New York and New Jersey."

Alex chuckled, "Yeah, that was us." he said, holding out half a chocolate bar that his other happily bit into and devoured. "We had these powers, so we put them to good use."

"No other groups would accept you?" asked Carol, finally overcoming her fear of the host and his unusual 'partner'.

"We tried to stay hidden, but something would always happen that would force us to expose what we are." Alex explained.

"And humans have proven time and again that fear makes them act irrationally when it comes to survival." added the symbiote. "Given the state your world has become, we cannot fault you for reacting in such a way."

Glenn laughed from his spot beside Maggie, "I can't believe we're actually having a talk with a real-life alien. Is there anything out there that you can tell us about?"

"The universe is vast, countless species exist across many worlds. Earth is a mere drop in the ocean compared to all the life that exist outside your solar system." explained the symbiote.

The former delivery driver's mouth fell open, his hands making the signal for explosions on either side of his head causing a couple others in the group to laugh.

Alex brought his attention to Hershel who looked to be deep in thought, "We hope this doesn't affect your beliefs, Hershel." he said garnering the old man's attention. "But like our other said, the universe is vast. Though something did create it."

Hershel smiled, "I may have been raised catholic and done the same for my family, but I also raised my girls to keep an open mind when it comes to how everything came to be."

"Something bugging me though." said Dale, the old man turning his attention to the symbiote. "You both said that you were exiled from your people. Something about a difference in beliefs. What happened exactly."

The rest of the group looked at the duo, wondering what would be said. Alex looked at his other, knowing the truth himself but not knowing if the symbiote wanted to reopen the wound.

"To understand our present, you must first understand our past." the symbiote began, "A past we wished to never remember."

"Long before the universe came to be, there existed only one being who was master of the void. A malevolent deity known as Knull. This was before the Celestials, cosmic beings responsible for the creation of the universe itself appeared."

"As they brought life and planets to the void, Knull plotted against them for tarnishing his realm. Creating a living sword from his shadow, he slayed one of the Celestials by removing their head. This sword, would be known as the first generation of our kind. The first symbiote.

By now, everyone was solely focused on the alien as it spoke the tale. "The other Celestials fought back, casting Knull back into the void. Not knowing that it was his element. It was here that Knull used the head of the Celestial he had killed as a forge. Empowering his sword and creating a powerful armor with the cosmic powers of the being he had slain. With this new power at his disposal, he waged war against the other gods with the intent on devouring the light they had given the universe."

"He was outmatched, beaten and sent to a desolate world where he lost his weapon. But Knull was determined on his quest for genocide. Using his power, he created an army of symbiotes with the intent of conquering other planets and consuming entire civilizations. This went on for centuries until a powerful symbiote that had been sent here to Earth had been destroyed by a god from another realm. This event caused the connection between Knull and his creations to be severed, with his hive-mind destroyed, the symbiotes ended up bonding to benevolent hosts that taught them honor and nobility, causing them to question their creator's methods and eventually rebelled against him."

"Countless symbiotes all over the galaxy returned to where they were spawned, fought Knull and imprisoned him within a massive planet made by their own bodies and sealing him away indefinitely. This is where the name of our species was made. Klyntar, in your dialect, means 'Cage'."

No one had the ability to say anything. The fact that they had all been told how the universe began had been huge, beyond anything they had ever heard before. But the knowledge that a malevolent god had tried to destroy everything that had been created.

"Fuck..." Daryl muttered, taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

"That...is that all true?" asked Lori, hugging Carl close who was enraptured by the story.

The symbiote nodded its head, "This memory is passed down from each generation of symbiote since the first was spawned from Knull himself. It is our history...and our greatest shame. To know that our race was meant to only destroy, it is a past we try to forget."

Rick ran his hand through his hair a few times, trying to gather his thoughts. "Each generation...what does that make you?" he asked.

"Knull's living sword was the first; we are the 998th generation to be spawned since then."

"Why..." T-Dog swallowed, "Why were you kicked off your planet?"

There was a long silence before the symbiote answered, Alex sending calming emotions through their bond to help his other. "Even with Knull's imprisonment, many of our kind still believed in his cause. There was conflict amongst our kind, a war that lasted for centuries. We were captured by Knull's followers, and when we wouldn't be indoctrinated to their beliefs we were sent away from our home. One less to stand against them."

"That's horrible." said Beth.

"Even though we are far from our homeworld, we have forged ourselves a new home here on Earth." the symbiote turned to its host, "And we have our host to thank for that."

Alex grinned and handed his other the other half of the chocolate bar. "You saved our asses more than once, we'll call it even."

Rick cleared his throat, "Thank you, both of you, for being honest with us. I can understand why you wanted to keep all of this hidden. It's still pretty unbelievable to tell the truth." he said honestly. "We had all come to the idea of letting you become part of our group, and I can't think of a better time to make this decision than right now."

"They got my vote." said Glenn while grinning, "Having a badass alien on our side would be pretty awesome."

T-Dog nodded, "Same here. Definitely shake things up around here."

"He saved Sophia," Carol stated while hugging her daughter, "It doesn't matter who or what he and his friend are. They are good people."

"He hasn't given us any problems, and has gone out of his way to help us. I say he stays." said Dale.

Flicking his cigarette into the fire, Daryl looked toward the host and his other, "Dale's right, they ain't causin' no trouble. Kinda wanna see what'll happen when they cut loose."

Lori agreed with him, "I wouldn't be here if he hadn't saved me from the wreck."

Hershel rubbed his eyes and looked toward Alex, "Despite the secrecy, I see no reason for you to be sent away." Maggie nodded in agreement with her father along with Patricia while Beth moved closer to Alex's side.

Rick looked around, seeing everyone save for Andrea in agreement on the matter. "Everyone agrees, so the final decision is up to the two of you." he said looking toward Alex and his partner.

The symbiote turned its head and nodded to its host before slithering back into Alex's body. "We agreed that if this ever came up we'd decide to stay with you lot. I beats going it alone."

The answer had everyone smiling, even Rick who was more than happy to have the unusual duo on their side.

"Hey, Alex? I have a question." said Carl.

"Shoot, mini-sheriff." replied the host.

"Do you think other symbiotes came here to Earth like yours did?" the question was innocent enough, and one Alex had been thinking about years ago.

"Honestly...we're not sure. We haven't encountered any in the time we've been bonded to our other. And with there so little in terms of hosts to choose from, the chances are slim to none that any would come to this planet."

The answer seemed to relax several of the others within the group as they continued to ask the host about the exploits he and his other had in the past. But for Alex and the symbiote, they felt a weight on their shoulders lifting with the knowledge that they had finally found a group that accepted them and made them feel welcomed.

X

Night had fallen, and Shane had yet to find a way to escape his confinement.

Most of the walkers outside the bus had wandered off, but there were still more than a dozen outside still scratching at the walls trying to find a way in.

His anger had simmered, focusing more on how to escape without being eaten or bitten. But given the late hour exhaustion had caught up with him, deciding to get rest before making his move, the former deputy made sure that any entrances to the bus were blocked off before settling in for the night.

Laying across one of the seats close to the back, Shane got as comfortable. Thoughts of vengeance and retribution at the forefront of his mind as he slipped into a fitful sleep.

X

A/N: Not the update you all were expecting, but with a few readers contacting me about how I handled this chapter had me second guessing how I ended it last time. Granted, I may come back to the idea of other symbiotes making an appearance, it may not be for some time. For now I'll stick to canon for the Walking Dead and make it a completely different field for fans new and old out there.

The newest update is still in the works, but don't worry, it will be coming soon.

Until then, Read. Review and Kick ass folks!