Introduction

Daryl's knuckles whitened, his grip on his crossbow tightening. 'You better not do somethin' fucking stupid Merle.' Out of the corner of his eye he saw the black man, T-Dog, glance his way - fucker dropped the key, in a drain pipe. Who the fuck drops a key in a drain pipe? What the hell are the chances? Growling under his breath Daryl banged his fist against the box truck. "Fucken' go faster!"

He smirked at the sight of the China-man flinching from his corner. Good, kid should be scared, he was a pissed off Red-neck who's finger may just get trigger happy.

"This is as fast as it goes," he heard the pig say from up front.

"Bullshit!" Daryl muttered nastily, spitting on the floor.

First it was Bug, now Merle. He should have convinced his brother - convinced his brother to head out of state instead of heading into Atlanta. They could have been half way by now.

"Bug's proly fine lil' brother, quit yer damn worrin'." Merle had said. "Damn kid kicked the shit outta that one rich boy 'member? Lil' bastard was twice the size of Bug."

Daryl's lips twitched slightly at the memory of a small Bug coming home all battered and bruised, eyes red and puffy, little sniffles here an there. Merle and him had done a double-take when Bug had walked through the door. Merle had stated matter-factly that bug 'looked like shit'. Bug had just smiled a painfilled smile before saying, "Shoulda saw the rich pig, he's way worse."

God damnit Merle! Daryl clenched his jaw, he was the only person he had now. He'd already lost Bug - he couldn't loose his brother too.

l=l

"Ya better come 'n git me baby brother!" Merle bellowed at the top of his lungs, yanking his hand with vigor against the cuff. "We's kin! I'm yer fuckin' blood!"

"You didn' come for me." Merle whirled around, squinting his eyes at the figure leaning against the pipe beside him.

"Holy shit, Bug?" He was hallucinating, he had to be, but dear god was he glad to see the lil' shit again.

"I'm blood to ya know," Bug said casually taking a look around before resting cold eyes onto him. "You didn' come an get me."

Merle let out a dry chuckle and leaned his head against the pipe, staring up at the sky and merciless sun. "Shit Bug, ya the one who flat out up 'n left."

"You an Daryl told me te get out." He was use to Bug's cold tone but right now it seemed colder than usual, younger, spiteful even.

Glancing in Bug's direction his eyes widened. He and Daryl had never admitted to each other that they both had felt a little of themselves die inside when Bug had suddenly disappeared for a few days a long time ago, but seeing the sight of his little Bug in a condition that was forever burned in his mind again caused his stomach to drop as he felt that feeling all over again.

"Don' you 'member? Ya'll yelled at me..." Merle swallowed the lump in his throat at the sight of young Bug wiping tears away - wiping away caked mud and blood, revealing the deep cut on Bug's left cheek.

"Bug don' go cryin' on ol' Merle now. 'Member what i said 'bout cryin'?"

Merle blanched at the sight of Bug's face turning into a snarl, the slight southern accent younger Bug had turned into a more prominent one. "Ya deserved this. Ya had it comin' Merle. I hope Daryl don' come fer ya."

Merle felt the rage bubble in his chest. How dare the lil' shit say that, after everything him and Daryl had to go through for the damn kid. Hell, him and Daryl even went to jail for the brat!

"Ya jus' wait ya lil' shit! Imma fuckin' knock ya on yer ass - ya lil' ungrateful brat! Ol' Merle ganno put ya in yer place with a whoopin' ya hear!" Merle shouted at the fading figure of Bug, tugging vigorousily on the cuffs again. "Damnit Darlyina! Git yer ass over here 'n get yer big brother off'a this motherfukin' roof!"

l=l

The faint crackle and pop of the fire, soft snores, whispers of conversation, sound of people milling about in the late night hour caused a lone figure to breathe out slowly before pulling the lip of a hat down over their face. They placed a toothpick into the corner of their mouth and placed their arms under their head as they allowed their eyes to slip closed to the somewhat soothing sounds of the makeshift camp.

"Hey, pipsqueak pass them beans yeah?"

"Did you clean your hands?"

"Your actually eating that?"

"What, its food."

"More like road-kill."

"Aye, how bout you shut your lil' white ass mouth up and be thankful that we actually have food today."

A woman stared across the fire with her mouth agape. Did that guy just really talk to her that way? With snickers coming from her right she immediately snapped her mouth shut and glared at the two teenage boys whose snickers turned to blown out laughter.

"Who got the squirrels anyway?" An older woman asked, her eyes moving around the people who sat near the fire.

"The lone ranger." One of the teenage boys nodded their head in the direction of the black Tundra that was a ways away from the group.

All eyes shifted to the figure laying atop the cab of the truck. "Anyone even offer the lone ranger some food?"

A man covered in tattoos who sat in the shadows behind the two teenage boys rose from his spot. A young woman who was leaning against one of the teenager's knees rose an eyebrow. "Where you going Antonio?"

"Where you think."

At the familiar sound of someone approaching the figure scowled underneath their hat. If someone came out here to complain that they were sleeping while on watch again, so help them they would get a bolt in the ass - hell they weren't even apart of the watch duty crew even.

"Lone ranger."

Moving their toothpick to the otherside of their mouth they pulled their hands out from under their head and tipped their hat up as they rose. Lone Ranger? Really? Dark cold blue eyes narrowed down at the familiar face of the tattooed man. "The hell ya want?"

Antonio raised an eyebrow at the southern accent. "Whats your name chica?"

The young woman clenched her jaw around her toothpick as she hefted her crossbow onto her lap, the bolt's tip lighting up from the light of the moon. "None of yer damn business."

Antonio kept his stance lazy, his eyes roving over the bolt that was pointed at him, aware that the young woman's finger was on the trigger. She didn't trust him, smart girl. He hardly trusted anyone from the group of people either, only putting his trust into the two teenage boys and young woman who had come with him. "Names Antonio Chavez."

The young woman sneered. "Look like I care?"

Antonio shrugged, setting his plate of food on top of the hood of the car. The young woman glanced down at the plate before glancing back at him with a confused stare. "You got the food, not right if you don't eat it any of it."

"Ain't hungry." The young woman glanced in the direction of the fire. "The youngin's eat?"

"Yeah." She nodded, her gaze shifting out to the opening field. Antonio leaned against the truck, his gaze following her's.

They sat in silence before the young woman broke it. "Lone ranger huh?"

Antonio nodded. "No one knows your name."

"No one bothers te' ask." At the side long look the man gave her she let out a small chuckle; her brother had always given her that look whenever they went out hunting together. "Ruth...Ruth Dixon."

Hi there! Thanks for taking the time to check out my story! Wondering if I should continue since this is my first ever fanfiction story but hey drop a review if your up for it!