-

ACT ONE
(eavesdropping)

VERONÍCA RUBBED her eyes, yawning as she listened to Rick speak. "Everybody takes a weapon."

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need. What about the guns?" Andrea questioned, causing Aiden to smile a bit.

As Veroníca quickly caught on to his smile, she was quick to whisper to him. "What?"

"She's hot."

"I mean.. You're not wrong." Veroníca agreed, smiling as well as the sibling duo looked at the blonde woman.

Their attention was soon pulled away as Shane spoke again. "We've been over that. Daryl, Rick and I are carrying. We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles."

"It's not the trees i'm worried about."

"But annoying." Aiden whispered to his sister, once again talking about Andrea.

The words caused the woman to lightly chuckle, earning a sharp but short lived glare from Daryl.

The annoyance he carried in his eyes was enough to instantly shut the woman up as she placed her hands on her son's shoulder. Listening to Shane once more. "Say somebody fires at the wrong moment, A herd happens to be passing by. See, then it's game over for all of us. So you need to get over it."

"The idea is to take the creek up, about five miles, turn 'round and come back down to the other side. Chances are she'll be by the creek."

"Or dead." Aiden mumbled earning an elbow to the ribs by his sister.

At the pain in his side, the man smiled as he half-way listened to Rick giving advice. "Stay sharp. Keep space between you but always stay within the sight of each other."

"Everybody assemble your packs." Shane spoke, causing everyone to disperse.

Aiden was quick to unzip his sister's backpack, checking the pockets before sighing. "Where's your water?" At his words, the woman shrugged causing him to sigh again before someone else spoke.

"Here." Glenn said, handing the woman a water bottle while nodding. "It's an extra, anyway."

The woman nodded as a thanks before handing it to her brother, who immediately put it in her backpack.

After that, the duo watched as Rory ran off, immediately heading for Carl. Veroníca lightly smiled before heading towards Lori, who was kneeling, going through the canned foods.

As she kneeled beside her, she was quick to pick up a can of refried beans. "Have you ever tried Chilaquiles?" Veroníca questioned, glancing at Lori as she did so.

Lori didn't verbally reply, instead she nodding causing Veroníca to continue. "My mama use to make it, it's a breakfast dish. Oh, what I would give to be able to eat it again."

Lori nodded along as she spoke up. "Tell me about it, what I would give to even have some greasy fast food."

"Some Mcdonald's fries." T-Dog added, now coming to the side of the bonding-duo.

The women quickly nodded along, but before they could continue naming out foods. Andrea's loud voice brought the trio out of their trance. "So what's that to you? You barely know me."

The three then turned around, glancing at the arguing pair before Veroníca and T-dog looked at eachother.

"Are they.." Veroníca questioned, widening her eyes as if to insinuate what she wanted to say.

"Ain't none of my business." T-dog shrugged, laughing a bit as he got Veroníca to smile.

After the short argument, it wasn't long til the group began making their way for the forest. Veroníca then sent T-dog a two-finger salute, earning one in return, before she sped up. Catching up to her brother who she linked arms with. Earning a sigh of annoyance from him.

-

The duo watched in interest as Carol called her daughter's name. A hint of pity hitting both of their chests as her voice sounded broken.

As Daryl then slowly unzipped the tent, Veroníca was quick to send a sad smile to the woman. Standing in the tight half circle with the rest of the group.

"What's in there?" Andrea finally asked as Daryl exited the tent.

"Some guy. Did what Jenner said. Opted out." While the rest of the group seemed to understand what the redneck was saying, the sibling duo furrowed their brows as they looked to Rory to explain.

"Opted means to make a choice.. even I don't know what he means" Rory frowned, causing Carl to nudge the boys arm lightly with a smile.

Before they could ask, the sound of church bells had everyone in the area dramatically looking around.

It wasn't long before the group was running. Still talking about where the bells could be coming from. "Someone's ringing those bells, maybe calling others."

"Or signaling that they found her."

"Could be ringing them herself." At Rick words, Veroníca frowned a bit at the hope he was giving the mother of the girl.

Thankfully she didn't think about it long as the group began running again.

The woman didn't know how long it'd been before the group had made their way to a church, a graveyard surrounding it. "Well, this is ironic." Aiden whispered to Veroníca, earning an elbow to his ribs once again.

Before the woman could scold him, Rick began bolting towards the church, causing the others to follow suit.

As they reached the red door, It wasn't a shock that there was just flesh-eaters inside. After all, the false hope didn't fool Veroníca.

As she watched the men of the group and Aiden take down the flesh-eaters, she was a little shocked when bells rang once more.

The group ran out once more, causing Veroníca to sigh at bit at all the running taking place.

"A timer, it's on a timer." Daryl spoke, breathing heavily as Glenn pulled the wires out of the bell-box.

"I'm gonna go back in for a bit." Carol said, earning a frown from Veroníca.

While the woman and Rory were quick to follow the short-haired woman, ready to comfort her. Aiden smirked as he watched Andrea sit down beside the church.

He then followed suit, flopping on the group next to the blonde as she sighed. "What." She questioned, making the man's eyes widen a bit.

"What? I can't sit beside you?"

"No. I don't know you."

"Well, maybe—" Aiden was quickly cut off, ruining his charm as Andrea shushed him dramatically, seeming to be listening to something.

As Aiden intently watched the blonde, it wasn't long until he begin eavesdropping as well. Picking up on Shane saying "I'm the one that loses you".

As a silence crept over the area, Andrea was quick to stand up, Aiden following suit. "Well, this just got a hell of a lot more interesting." He mumbled alongside Andrea, both of the duo staring at Shane.

-