𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗠𝗨𝗖𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗚, Shane— reluctantly agreed to let Hallie help out with the search. Shane had one condition, stay in arms reach at all times. He knew just as well as she did that in the end, the odds of a twelve-year-old coming out of this alive was zero to none.

Abby had agreed to stay on the highway, given T-dog's current dilemma they were short on manpower and if another Herd wandered through—they were done for.

The group had wandered into a church. The ringing of the bells drew their attention hoping someone was signalling them. Their hope was diminished once again once they found out the church bells were on a timer.

Shane knew he had to leave. He couldn't stay there—with rick and Lori. No, he couldn't. Shane knew that no one could survive for long alone. He wouldn't put his daughter in that situation. It would kill him to leave her, but it seemed the only safe option. She didn't know how to use a gun or to protect herself correctly. She would get both of them killed.

Hallie was a smart girl. She wasn't dumb and she certainly wasn't blind. Hallie could tell her father was distancing himself from the group—possibly even her too.

She didn't like being 'an observer' but with an absent parent and a father who was married to his job she didn't have anyone else to rely on other than the strangers that surrounded her.

When her father returned to the group with Andrea by his side Hallie gravitated towards him, a constant state of anxiety when she was apart from him.

"Gotta move here, man. These people are spent. There's only so many hours of daylight left. We still got a long way back" Shane spoke up, slinging his arm around his daughter's shoulders.

"I can't stop yet" Rick mumbled.

"We still got ground to cover, whole other side of the creek bed. So we search that on the way back" Shane nodded as he looked at rick.

"She would have heard them church bells. She could be nearby" Rick shook his head.

"She could be a lot of things..."

"I can't go back. Her being out here is my fault" Rick insisted.

"That's great. Now they got you doubting yourself?" Shane chuckled in disbelief.

"What about you? You doubting me?" Rick asked Shane.

"Hey, we can assign all kinds of blame" Shane dismissed as he brought Hallie closer to him. Roman had stood quiet beside Carol the whole time. Occasionally rubbing her back.

"This means something, we can find her" Rick states strongly.

"Oh, man."

"It would be a miracle we need. We can't give up" Rick pushes, Shane knew there was no backing down at this one, not anymore.

Giving up Shane gave out the directions, splitting the group in half so they could continue to search for Sophia. Hallie, Carl, Shane and rick whilst the remaining survivors headed back to the highway.

As the four made their way through the wooded lands, quiet conversations were tossed back and forth between Carl and Hallie. Light mumbles, things about movies or cars. Nothing serious.

Soon enough they made their way to a clearing— leaves crunching and twigs breaking were heard. A dear snapped its head towards the group, a look of pure adoration took place upon their faces.

An airy chuckles left Hallie as she watched Carl attempt to pet the animal. As quickly as they came upon the serendipity it was broken when a gunshot rang through the air knocking the animal and Carl down.

Hallie crouched down immediately hearing the sound. Her hands protecting her head.

"No, no, no, no, Carl?!" Rick yelled in distress, immediately running to his child's aid as Shane grabbed his daughter's arm dragging her
Up from the ground into a tight embrace.

—

Rick was holding Carl as tightly as possible to his chest as he pushed his legs to run quicker. Shane was yelling out orders to the mystery man and Hallie kept quiet as she attempted to keep up with the men.

"How far!?" Rick yelled at the man.

"Another half mile, that way! Hershel! Talk to Hershel, he'll help your boy" the man sobbed.

"Let's go, Cmon. Keep up, baby" Shane ordered.

"Dad!" A brunette woman yelled.

"Was he bit?" an older man asked as the small group ran towards the farmhouse, under different circumstances Hallie would've taken time to acknowledge the beauty of the land.

"Shot, by your man" rick spat as he ran up the steps.

"Otis?"

"Please-please help my boy" rick blubbered.

"Inside, get him inside. Patricia, I need my full kit.
Maggie, painkillers, coagulates— grab everything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol" Hershel ordered as he brought them into a bedroom telling Rick to place Carl on the bed.

Handing a pillowcase to Hallie Hershel began speaking, "fold it up and apply pressure!"

"Is-is he alive?" Rick stuttered.

Hallie focused on two things, her breathing— and using her full weight pressing down on that wound.

"I've got a heartbeat—but it's faint," Hershel said calmly.

"Maggie, IV"

"We need some space" Maggie instructed calmly, as Patricia took over for Hallie.

"Your name?" Hershel asked.

"R-rick, I'm Rick"

"Rick, we're gonna do everything we can for your boy but you need to give us some room, okay?" Hershel spoke.

"You know his blood type?"

"O positive, like me" rick stuttered. That was enough for Hallie. Calmly walking out of the room she sat on one of the couches, her head falling into her hands as the sticky liquid that had soaked through the fabric onto her hands smeared onto her skin—adding to the dirt and grime that covered her body.

Hallie could over-hear arguing from one of the rooms—presumably the kitchen. A male and a girl's voices.

"What the hell are they doing here!?" The man shouted.

"The boy is hurt— he could die without daddy" the girl softly argued.

"Who cares!" And with that the boy walked out of the kitchen, unknowingly heading straight towards Hallie.

As the footsteps stopped carls screams erupted, the pain could be heard through the yells of agony. Hallie looked up at the man, he was close enough to her age. He was tall-ish. Only a few inches taller than her. She didn't feel welcomed when they first showed up with Carl, now the look he was giving her certainly didn't help her feelings.

As the boy tore his eyes away from Hallie, he trudged up the stairs— a door slamming immediately after.
A blonde girl walked out of the kitchen, holding a wet tea towel out to Hallie.

"Thank you" Hallie smiled softly as tears wandered down her face.

"I know — well I've never been in this situation but I can't imagine losing Maggie or lee... so I can imagine how scared you are right now" the girl smiled at Hallie as she timidly sat beside her.

"I'm Beth"

"Hallie"

As Carl's screams died down Hallie's adrenaline dropped allowing the girl's body to ache and a sting taking over her stomach.

"Do you have a bathroom?" Hallie asked as she broke the silence.

"Just down the hall", Beth smiled.

As soon as Hallie shut the door she immediately clang to the sink edge, she was terrified. Carl could die and she felt so helpless.

Looking up at her reflection shocked her. Yes, physically she wasn't all that different but it was the little things.  Her hair was tasselled and frizzy, her eyes were sunken and deep bags surrounded them. Blood and dirt covered her face.

Hallie didn't recognise herself, not one bit.

𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦

HALLIE AND LEE FINALLY MET, I mean they didn't converse words yet but THEY LOOKED AT EACHOTHER.

i hate this but I want them to meet finally al here boom!

Okay bye