TWENTY THREE. little bird

The small fire in the center of their camp crackled, morning fog resting against the tall weeds in the fields. Adeline sat against the dirt, back pressed into the rough bark of a tall tree. She had her knees tucked to her chest with a paper plate held in her hands. The only sound heard was the crackling of the firewood and forks scratching plates in a hungry manner as Carol walked over to the woman and dumped the little eggs that remained into her plate. Adeline nodded thankfully to her before shifting slightly at the sudden shadow looming over her. Craning her chin, she took notice of her husband leaning against the same tree with a plate in his hands.

Glenn paced nervously in front of the group, fiddling with his hands as he tried to build up the courage to say what he wanted to say. Dale had convinced him to tell the group the truth, the elder had even offered to do it for him but the boy assured he could do it himself. They kept Adeline out of the loop, knowing it would give her a surprised look when it was announced and that was what she needed to convince her husband that she didn't know about it.

"Hey, guys..." The words trailed off of his tongue, eyes anxiously looking around. "There's uh... The barn is full of walkers." Glenn informed, the fork lifting to Adeline's mouth stopping abruptly in its tracks and falling to the plate. Her surprised and confused eyes met his, curious as to why Glenn failed to tell her that he was going to say it out of the blue.

It wasn't but a second when Shane took off towards the barn, her body quickly standing up to the ground and chasing after him with the rest of the group on her trail. "Shane, slow down." She pleaded, catching up to him just as he peeked into the gap between the large wooden doors.

When a sudden snarl was heard from within, Adeline pulled her husband back in a quick motion away from the door. Shane grumbled angrily before turning to their appointed leader, "You cannot tell me that you're alright with this."

Rick kept his eyes on the barn, "Of course I'm not. But we're guests here, this isn't our land." he reminded just as his sister walked away from the wooden doors.

"For gods sake, this is our lives!" Shane yelled angrily, his voice loud enough to make the walkers become known of their presence. Glenn was quick to step forward and shush him with wide eyes, hands held out in a hushing motion.

"We can't just sweep this under the rug," Andrea spoke up, her hip popped out. T-Dog nodded his head in agreement, "It ain't right. Not remotely."

Adeline watched as her husband paced, rubbing a hand over his shaved head. "Okay, we either gotta go in there and make things right or we've just got to go." He listed out two options, his wife crossing her arms over her chest and looking to him - "Where would we go?"

"Fort Benning. Now we've been talking about-"

Rick threw his hand out, "We can't go."

"Why, Rick? Why?" Shane retorted, not knowing the reason behind the man's actions. But, Adeline did. Last night her brother approached her and informed her about Loris pregnancy, and all she could do is act surprised like she didn't know a thing.

Carol uncurled her arms from around her small frame and stepped forward, "Because my daughter is still out there."

Watching carefully as Shane cupped his mouth and breathed deeply, his wife knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth would be reckless. "Okay, I think it's time that we all start to just consider the other-"

"Shane, stop." Adeline placed her hand on his bicep and locked eyes with him - hers sharp and lined with pleads.

"We're not leaving Sophia behind," Rick started, only for Daryl to step up from his place next to Carol. "I'm close to finding this girl, I just found her damn doll two days ago!" His southern drawl was loud, but low enough to keep the threat of walkers hearing him at bay.

Her husband let out a breathless chuckle as her hand fell back to her side hopelessly - "You found her doll, Daryl. That's what you did. You found a doll." Shane reminded.

Adeline sighed deeply, running a hand over her face as Daryl sharpened his eyes and took a step forward. "Man, you don't know what the hell you're talking about!" He sneered, glaring at the ex-cop.

"I'm just saying what needs to be said! You get a good lead, it's in the first 48 hours." He recited, ignoring Ricks pleads for him to stop, "Let me tell you something else, man. If she was alive out there and saw you coming all methed out with your buck knife and geek ears around your neck, she would run in the other direction!"

Once the words left her husbands mouth, chaos broke out. If looks could kill, he would already be six feet deep as Daryl lunged at him with his fist raised high. Rick attempted to break them up before any damage could be done, but nothing could push themselves between the yelling men. Over the sounds of loud clamoring, Adeline pulled her brother out of the way and shoved her hands against her husbands chest.

Daryls thrashing immediately stopping at the sight of the woman in front of him, her body pushed against his chest as her husband glared down at her with sharp eyes. Lori stepped between them and pulled Shane back, his arm jerking out of her grasp - "Keep your hands off of me." He seethed while pointing his finger in her face.

"Just let me talk to Hershel. Let me figure it out," Rick pleaded, the warmth of Daryls body leaving her own as Adeline stepped to stand next to her brother.

Shane turned around at this, charging towards the man with white hot anger running through his veins - "What are you gonna figure out?!" He bellowed, his wife's hands pushing against his chest to keep him away from her brother. "Shane, stop!" Adeline pleaded, her voice cracking.

"If we're gonna stay, if we're gonna clear this barn, I have to talk to him into it. This is his land." Rick started up again from behind his sister, his eyes careful at the way Shane looked down to her.

Dale stepped forward with his hands out, "Hershel sees those things in there as people - sick people. His wife, his stepson." He informed the group.

"You knew?" Rick questioned, turning to the older man.

"Yesterday, I talked to Hershel." He nodded in confirmation as Adeline stepped back and searched through her choices. She knew too.

"And you waited the night?" Shane retorted, eyes settled into a glare.

The Grimes girl decided on staying quiet as Dale looked to her husband, "I thought we could survive one more night. We did. I was waiting 'till this morning to say something but Glenn wanted to be the one." He spoke, making sure to send a nod Adelines way as if to reassure her that she didn't need to say anything.

"This man is crazy, Rick. If Hershel thinks those things are alive -"

A loud rattle against the barn doors caused the group to step back with fearful eyes. Snarls and growls were heard from behind the wooden structure, bodies slamming against the one thing that separated them. The women stumbled back, Adeline standing between her brother and Daryl with careful eyes. "I think now's the time for you to go talk to Hershel,"

━━━━ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Adeline sat atop the RV next to Glenn, the boy wearing Dales fishing hat due to Maggie breaking eggs into his own. The warm sun caused sweat to lace her skin, a thick piece of paper she had found in the camper held in her hands. Waving it in front of her face, she stretched her legs out in front of her and looked to the boy. "So you and the farmers daughter, huh?" She questioned with raised brows.

Glenn tore his eyes away from the barn and stammered over his words. "I... uh, yeah? Maybe? I... I think?" He stuttered, causing a small smile to lace her lips. He looked to her and breathed a breathless chuckle, "I would like it to be a thing. But I kinda betrayed her trust by-"

"I think she likes you." Adeline interrupted him, laying her hand on the boys forearm and squeezing it. Squinting her eyes, she hovered the piece of paper over her eyebrows. "Keeping something in that you don't want to kills you, and even now it can kill others. Secrets can get you killed, Glenn. You made sure that wouldn't happen. She'll understand that eventually." She assured with a soft smile

The boy nodded with eyes deep in thought. Placing his hand over her own, he squeezed it in return with thankful means, "I'm glad you're here, Addy."

"Little bird, come on down here." The familiar voice of her husband called up to her, using the nickname he had given her ever since they knew each other. "Did you see where he went?"

Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, she pulled her hand away from Glenns' arm and made her way to the ladder. Lowering herself down, she heard the boys voice from the top of the RV. "Who?"

Reaching Shane, Adeline approached him with a curious face. "What's going on?" She questioned, hoping nothing serious had happened. He looked down to her, "Dale. Did you see where he went?"

"He asked me to run and get him some water. Said he'd cover me on watch, but he wasn't here when I got back." Glenn spoke, standing up from the chair on the RVs roof. "You think he's okay?" He continued with concern.

"Come on, lets go." Shane instructed, grabbing his wife's hand carefully. Curling her fingers around his palm, Adeline followed close behind with confused eyes - "Can you at least tell me what's going on?" She inquired.

Glancing next to himself, he looked down to her with a deep sigh. "He stole our guns."

"What?" Adeline blurted, the bottom of her boots scraping across the field.

"We have to get them back. What if those walkers get out of that barn? How are we supposed to defend ourselves, huh?" Shane continued, examining the forest around them after releasing her hand from his own.

No words left her mouth, her mind was blurred with confusion and reluctance. Adeline was scared that her husband had other intentions with the guns, but she was already in too deep by the time the reached the small creek that Dale was standing in. It was a swampy like area, flies buzzing around and mosquitos biting at her sweaty skin. She was pulled into a situation she was unable to escape, eyebrows pulled together by threads of anxiety and uncertainty. She stood behind her husband with careful eyes, ankle growing sore due to the long period of time she had been putting weight on it.

"Man, this is a good hiding place." Shane called out, causing Adeline to jump at the sudden sound. "We ain't been in the swamps much, huh?" He continued as she stayed on her feet, looking to the older man with sympathetic eyes as he turned to find Shane and her staring at him.

Dale let out a sigh, bending down to pick up the bag of guns. "Imagine if you applied your tracking skills to finding Sophia." He retorted, the woman watching as her husband trekked through the weeds to reach him.

"How about," He started, Adeline feeling her stomach twist with uncertainty and anxiety as she reluctantly followed after him, "you just give me that bag, huh?"

The older man looked up at Shane with a perked eyebrow, "I'm not gonna do that." He resisted - looking back to Adeline who accidentally sunk her foot into a hole of thick mud.

Cursing underneath her breath, she pulled her eyes away from the men and bent down to tend to her own situation. The mud became resistant to her attempts, the feeling resembled concrete. Curling her hand around her jeans, she tugged her leg while she held onto a tree for support. "This is so embarrassing," Adeline whispered, lifting her head to find Shane closer to Dale.

"You think this is gonna keep us safe?" The elder questioned, keeping the guns at his side as the ex-cop nodded for an answer. "Rick is trying to get Hershel-"

"Dale, shut up." Shane snapped just as Adeline tugged her leg free from the hole and stumbled back into the weeds. Breathing deeply, she slung the mud off of her jeans and made her way over to the men. "Just shut up and give me the guns." He continued in a sharp tone.

Dale turned around and laid the black garbage bag against the rough bark of the tree. Grabbing the strap of his rifle, he cocked it. "Am I gonna have to shoot you?" He questioned, fear running through Adelines veins as the older man aimed it to her husband. "Do I have to kill you? Is that what it's gonna take?" He continued.

"Hey," Her voice came out in a trembling mess. "You don't... you don't have to-" As she spoke, Shane stepped forward and the gun was moved directly to his chest. "Please, Dale." Adeline begged, her body running cold as she stepped closer to her husband with glossy eyes.

The feeling of fear and shock smothered her in its waves as Shane pushed his chest into the barrel of the rifle and locked eyes with a fearless Dale. Her body stumbled back, the dark look of insanity that gloomed over her husband causing her hands to tremble. "Yeah, that's what it's gonna take." Shane whispered, not fazed by the gun pressed into his chest.

Had she lost him? Adeline let the question run through her mind over and over, burning tracks that would never wash away. Was she too late to save the man she loved? Was it her fault? Looking at her husband with fear filled eyes, she realized that she barely recognized him. The way he stood, the way his eyes searched Dales face for any sign of fear, the way he had changed. Adeline took it all in as it hit her like a freight train running off of its tracks. Shane Walsh had lost his mind. He had opened the door to darkness and was lost with no light the moment he saw his wife tackled by two walkers back in the hospital, because he thought that he had lost her. The moment his light came back - the moment that light returned and tried reel him back in, he was already too far gone. He had become his own worst enemy.

"This is where you belong, Shane." Dale ripped Adeline out of her broken thoughts, "This world, what it is now, this is where you belong." He spoke the harsh truth while slinging his rifle back over his shoulder. "And I may not have what it takes to last for long, but that's okay. Cause, at least I can say when the world goes to shit, I didn't let it take me down with it." He shoved the bag full of guns into the man's chest, a sinister smile on Shanes lips as the metal clinked against each other.

Looking back to Dale after grabbing Adelines numb hand, he scoffed - "Fair enough."

━━━━ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

When the two approached the farmhouse, the bodies of the group circled around the stairs leading into the home. Shane threw the black garbage back to the ground and kept the one with guns in his hand, digging deep into the bag and pulling out two guns. "Here," He breathed, shoving a shotgun into his wife's hand who reluctantly curled her fingers around it. She felt as if she wasn't controlling what was happening, as if she was just sitting on a chair inside of her mind and watching it play out.

"What's all this?" Daryl questioned as the two walked across the yard, eyes squinted with confusion at the sight of the coupe carrying their guns. "You with me, man?" Shane passed by his question, holding out a rifle for the redneck to grab.

Taking it in his hands, he looked to Adeline who stood next to him with a troubled face. The red rimming under her eyes caused curiosity to spark, but the flame was blew out as fast as it came when Shanes voice ripped through their minds. "Time to grow up. You already got yours?" He questioned, looking over to Andrea and T-Dog while Daryl and Adeline trailed behind him.

The blonde nodded in confirmation, "Yeah. Where's Dale?"

"He's on his way." He answered, handing a gun to T-Dog who took it reluctantly - "Thought we couldn't carry?"

"We can and we have to." Shane spoke, "It was one thing sitting around here picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. But now we know it ain't. How about you, man?" He questioned, handing a gun out to Glenn, "You gonna protect yours?"

Taking it with reluctance, Glenn watched as Shane turned to Maggie - "Can you shoot?"

"Can you stop?" She retorted, "You do this, you hand out these guns, my dad will make you leave tonight." Her southern drawl assured the man.

"We have to stay, Shane." Carl said from his spot on the porch, sheriffs hat sitting atop his head. "What is this?" Lori asked, rounding the porch that wrapped around the house.

"We ain't going anywhere, okay?" Shane assured, looking to the boy. "Now look, Hershel, he's just gotta understand. Okay? He- well, he's gonna have to. Now we need to find Sophia." He pulled a small pistol out of the bag and walked over to Carl, handing it out to him.

Adeline felt control snap back into place, her body moving quickly to stand in front of her nephew. "What the hell are you doing, Shane? Now, I love you but there is no way in hell that I'm letting you give him a gun." The words slipped out of her mouth as he stood to his feet and looked down at her with eyes that flooded with betrayal.

"You're supposed to..." Shane knitted his eyebrows together and squinted his eyes as if he was confused, "I need you to have my back on this. You have to."

"Oh, shit." A shocked voice ripped through her mind before she could register her husbands words, head turning to the direction of the sound.

Looking into the tree-line next to the barn, Adeline widened her eyes at the sight of her brother leading a walker with a stick. Hershel and Jimmy were with him, another walker in the elders hands as the teen tried to distract the monsters. Shane sprinted past her with a gun held tightly in his hands, anger imbedding marks into the dirt as he rushed over to the barn. "No, Shane, wait!" She called out after him, the weeds whipping against her jeans as she chased after him with fearful eyes.

The group was quick to follow, eyes full of disbelief at what Rick Grimes was doing. Shane angrily slung the gate open, "What the hell are you doing?" He roared, his wife letting breathless pants leave her lips as she placed her hands on her knees.

"Shane, just back off," Rick pleaded - holding the stick that a walker was attached to tightly to keep it away from his group. "Why do your people have guns?" Hershel questioned, eyeing the shotgun Adeline held in her hands.

"Are you kidding me?" Shane scoffed, circling the walkers. "You see?" He looked back to his wife who lifted her head up, "You see what they're holding onto?"

"I see who I'm holding onto!" Hershel called out, restraining the female walker from getting any closer than it already was.

Rick sent his sister a look that called for help, "Shane, just let us do this and then we can talk." He begged as Daryl raised his gun and aimed at the male walker that tried to snap at an exhausted Adeline.

"Whatchu wanna to talk about, Rick? These things ain't sick! They're not people!" Shane yelled, circling around until he stood in front of barn doors. "They're dead! Ain't gotta feel nothing for them 'cause all they do, they kill! These things right here," He pointed at the walkers, "they're the things that killed Amy! They killed Otis! They're gonna kill all of us." He called out, Andrea nodding in agreement at his words as his wife stood next to Daryl with clouded eyes.

"Shane, shut up!" Rick bellowed, "Adeline. Adeline, I need you to get him-"

Her husband ripped his eyes to him with pure anger, "She knows I'm right, Rick! Tell him, Addy." Shane spoke, nodding towards her brother with a clenched jaw.

Adeline stammered, feet shifting underneath her as her fingers curled around the handle of the shotgun. "Shane, you can't - there's better ways to go about doing this."

"See, that's where you're wrong." Shane was quick to retort, betrayal running deep as he looked to the vet. "Hershel, man, let me ask you something..." He started, pulling the pistol he had tucked in his jeans out. "Could a living breathing person, could they walk away from this?"

Three loud shots rang in the air that made Adeline flinch back, bullet imbedding into the stomach of the female walker. "Stop it!" Rick begged, eyes glued to Shane who laughed underneath his breath - "That's three rounds in the chest. Could someone who's alive, could they just take that?! Why is it still coming?" He bellowed, aiming his gun to fire two more shots. "That's its heart, its lungs! Why's it still coming?!"

Firing two more loud shots, Adeline could feel her heart in her throat at sudden outburst of her husband. Fear welcomed her in its cold arms, goosebumps running up her spine sinisterly. "Shane, enough!" Her brother called out, causing Shane to nod his hand understandably.

"Yeah, you're right man." He spoke, walking closer to the walker with his gun gripped tightly in his hands. "That is enough." His voice was low and full with insanity, firing one final shot into the walkers head. As the body fell to the floor, so did Hershel. His knees hitting the ground as he looked around in pure disbelief.

Adeline placed a hand on her stomach, a feeling of uneasiness causing her to stumble back. Involuntarily, her face scrunched up to suppress the fear rumbling inside of her - a storm waiting to bust loose and rain down chaos onto her life.

Shane walked closer to the barn doors, his voice ringing out in the air. "Enough risking our lives for a little girl who's gone! Enough living next to a barn full of things that are trying to kill us! Enough!" He roared, looking to his wife's brother with sharp eyes. "Rick, it ain't like it was before! Now if y'all want to live, if you wanna survive, you gotta fight for it! I'm talking 'bout fighting! Right here, right now!" His words were final, rushing over to the barn doors and grabbing an pickaxe that laid beside the wooden structure to bust the chain in half.

"Adeline! Hershel, take the snare pole! Take it! Please, please - I'm begging you! Adeline, stop him! You can stop this! You can make him stop!" Rick pleaded, his voice cracking with frustration as he looked to his sister.

Shaking her head, she stepped forward and tightened her face up. "I... I can't do it, not anymore. I can't stop him, I don't know how to." Adeline breathed out, tears threatening to flood over as the chain on the barn door finally broke loose - her husbands hand jerking the wooden board out and allowing the doors to sling open slightly.

Backing up, he held his pistol tightly in his hands and aimed it at the doors. "Come on," Shane whispered, snarls breaking through the wooden structure as a walker in overalls slipped through the large doors.

That single walker was followed by more, fear running deep as everyone with a gun, excluding Adeline, rushed to the front lines and began to fire shots. Her body was frozen, boots digging into the dirt as gunshots rang through the air. The number of walkers only grew, help needed as Shane looked back to her after firing a bullet into the walker Rick held with the snare pole - "Come on!" He yelled, taking a step to the side.

Adeline let a shaky breath slip past her lips, lips turning up in disgust as she placed her eyes on her brother. Waiting for an answer, when he nodded slowly for a sign of confirmation, she stepped forward and stood in between her husband and Daryl Dixon. Placing the hilt of the shotgun against her shoulder, she cocked the weapon and began firing shots into the walkers. A bullet landed in ones shoulder blade, another shot from her gun eventually landing into its head. More bullets whizzed into the stalkers bodies and heads - some missing and some making their target. Only a minute passed until the gunfire ended - no more walkers coming out of the wooden structure.

Her fingers loosened around the gun, letting it fall to the ground in a fit of anger. "There were better ways!" Adeline yelled, pushing her hands against her husbands chest. A sob left her lips, frustration and anxiety building up to cause a breakdown. Hurt filled Shanes eyes as she continued to push him back - hands lifting up but failing to stop her. "You made me do it, you made me-"

A soft growl cut her off, tear stained cheeks turning to face the barn as one last walker emerged from the shadows. The body stepped out of the wooden doors, a feeling of shock rupturing through Adeline as she stumbled back and into her husbands chest. Shane wrapped his arms around her body, her legs giving out underneath her at the sudden wave of guilt that crashed into her body. Softly, he lowered her to the ground and held her to his chest as tears welled up in her eyes - numbly falling against her cheeks.

"Sophia? Sophia!" The broken voice of Carol pulled through her mind, body rushing forward as the body of her daughter growled and snarled at the sight of the group in front of her. The grieving mother collapsed to the ground in Daryls arms, a feeling that was unexplainable wavering over the small people that made themselves a family.

The little girl they had spent a week searching for, the little girl Adeline Grimes had tried to save - she had been right in front of them the whole time. Inside of the barn, rotting away in silence with no screams for help. As Rick stepped forward with his python held tightly in his hands, Sophia growled hungrily at the sight of him raising his weapon to her head. The feeling of hope they had gained from Daryl finding her doll had faded, every ounce of hope for the world returning back to the way it was leaving their bodies as a shot rang out in the air.

SOPHIA WAS DEAD.

━━━━━AUTHORS NOTE.
MAN FUCK TWD this chapter absolutely
broke my HEART to write :( i don't think i served
it enough justice. i am so so sorry

WORD COUNT 4631