" The Camp "
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—THE QUARRY was as good of a place as anywhere that Travis and his cousins had been since the outbreak began. All of the people may not have been ideal to have tagging along, each of them was just another mouth to feed and not all of them could carry their own weight. If it had been up to Travis, they would have robbed the camp after convincing Shane Walsh to tag along with them. Between the four of them, they could have made it out there. But there was no way in hell that the cop was going to leave his new family for a couple of society outcasts. So before the Dixons' could even consider taking anything from the group, they had to see what the group was capable of. If they weren't capable of much, they'd follow Merle's plan, take what they want and kill whoever they have to. But if they were capable, or at least teachable, they'd follow the plan both Travis and Daryl were more in favor of. Take what they need and leave or turn the group into one that would be worth staying with.
If it had been up to Travis, he wouldn't have sent Merle on the supply run. The man knew his way around a gun, and didn't have a problem doing what had to be done, sure. But nobody in the group was exactly on their best behavior around him, nor did they really care for him. But Merle wasn't having it when Travis suggested that he or Daryl go, even though either of them would have gotten a better idea of what that part of the group was able to do than Merle.
"They'll be back in no time," Dale spoke up as he climbed the ladder up the back of the RV. His cap shadowed his eyes as he squinted across the RV towards Travis. "I don't exactly picture Merle as the type to not get them back."
You don't exactly know him, Travis thought. Merle wasn't the type to get himself back. "As long as nobody kills him in the process." he replied as he picked up the rifle off of his lap as he stood up from the folding chair.
Dale chuckled uncomfortably as he walked across the RV, with his hand outreached towards Travis to take the rifle from him.
"Relax, Dale, I don't think anyone's got the stomach." Travis stated as he handed the man the rifle and made his way for the ladder to hop down from the roof of the RV. "I don't think he's pissed anyone off that much yet." he added as he began to lower himself down the ladder, offering Dale a bit of a chuckle before he climbed down.
Nobody that had gone on the supply run was someone that Travis was worried about. Nobody had the stomach to even lay a hand on Ed Peletier, Merle was just fine. It was whatever information on the group that Merle could bring back with him that he was worried about. They wouldn't tell him a damn thing, if Travis had gone he could have gotten a word or two out of Andrea at the very least. They listened to him, even if they didn't want to. If Shane trusted him, they did too. But Shane didn't trust Merle, and barely could trust Daryl. The only reason he did was because Daryl was a good shot to have around, he could go into the woods with nothing but a pocket knife and some string and come back with a couple rabbits that they could cook up.
Travis made his way around the RV and glanced around the camp to see who was accounted for. Miranda Morales was hanging a batch of clothes along the rope that ran between two of the cars they had brought up to the camp while her daughter played a board game with Carol and Ed's girl, and near the smoking fire was Lori and her boy. The exact person he wanted to see outside the RV. So Travis didn't hesitate to yank the door open and let himself in.
"Remember the whole knocking thing we talked about?"
Travis chuckled as he yanked open the glove compartment by the door where he left the packs of cigarettes that he had collected over time. "I figured since your girl's outside I didn't have to worry 'bout it." he said looking over his shoulder at Shane who was seated at the table cleaning his gun as Travis grabbed a box of marlboro cigarettes and made his way over to the table and sat down across from him before reaching into his pocket for a lighter. "Why are you two still sneaking around anyway..." he questioned as he took out one from the box and put it between his lips before lighting it. "Everyone knows about you two. Hell, even Amy knows."
Shane didn't seemed at all amused by Travis' questions, "The kid just lost his dad a few months ago."
Travis shrugged a bit, "You lost your friend, she lost her husband, so what." he replied as he took a drag from his cigarette. "Didn't stop you two from..." he paused, "comforting each other, to put it nicely."
Shane glared across the table at Travis before he began putting his gun back together.
"The kid looks at you like you're his dad," Travis told him, "I don't think he'd be too upset."
"Do you know when Daryl will be back?" Shane questioned, barely letting Travis finish speaking before he changed the subject.
Travis sighed heavily before he reached for the paper plate that he had kept on the table to use as an ashtray. Just to avoid any complaints from Dale about ash getting all over the RV. "Probably a day or two," he stated. "Long as it takes, says that it hasn't been bled too dry up here."
"He knows that how, exactly?"
"I ask myself that a lot," Travis replied, "just does though. Hopefully he gets back with more than a few rabbits."
Shane nodded in agreement, "I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this group going with just a couple rabbits and whatever cans we got left."
Travis sighed heavily, "If you'd make Ed dish out whatever he's hiding in that trunk, we might be able to have another week or so." he stated, but he held his hands up as if to surrender as soon as Shane's eyes shot up from the gun in front of him and across the table.
"I'm not ruffling his feathers, not less I got to."
Travis let out a scoff, "Hell, I'll ruffle his feathers for free." he stated, "You see how Carol and the girl look at 'im. I don't think it's worth waiting around for concrete proof that he's a piece of shit."
Shane muttered under his breath as he looked back down and set his gun down on the table. "Yeah...yeah, you're right."
Travis smirked a bit, "It's music to my ears hearin' a cop tell me I'm right."
Shane chuckled, "Well, I never thought a bastard like you would be right."
The two men were cut off abruptly by the sound of Dale banging on the roof of the RV. Immediately the light atmosphere in the RV changes and both of them shot up to their feet and hurried to the door just as Dale called out for Shane.
"Try to raise him again! Come on, son. You know how to work that thing better than any of us."
Shane looked up towards Dale who was standing near the edge with a finger stretched out towards the cooler where they left the police radio perched day and night in case anyone or any sort of broadcast came through. Shane quickly made his way across the camp with Travis close behind him.
"Was it them?" Travis questioned as Amy handed the radio over to Shane, "Was it Merle or Morales?"
"I don't know," Amy replied, "I don't think so. Sounded like someone who thinks Atlanta is still the place to go." she explained simply, looking up at Travis as the group began to crowd around the radio.
"Hello, hello, is the person who called still on air?" Shane began, keeping the radio up close to his mouth. "This is officer Shane Walsh, broadcasting person unknown, please respond."
The camp fell silent, everyone waiting for a response to come over the radio. But there was just silence coming through.
"He's gone." Shane admitted as he set down the radio.
"There are others then. It's not just us." Lori said, almost relieved as she spoke.
"Not for long if they're headin' into Atlanta." Travis admitted.
"We have people in Atlanta." Lori retorted sharply.
"People who know what they're getting into." Travis replied, going to flick his cigarette but quickly flicking it somewhere else, away from Carl who stood between him and his mother.
"We knew there would be, thats why we left the CB on." Shane reminded her, "So we could warn them."
"Lots of good its been doing." she stated coldly, "And I've been saying for weeks we ought to put signs up on eighty-five to warn people."
"Folks got no idea what they're getting into." Amy agreed.
"We don't have the time."
"Or the people." Travis added as Shane rose back up to his feet.
"Well, I think we need to make time then. Once the others get back."
Shane sighed heavily, biting his lip a bit to avoid saying anything he'd regret. "Well, Lori, that's a luxury we can't afford. We are surviving here, day to day."
"And who the hell would you propose we send?" Dale questioned from the RV, "To put up these signs?"
"I'll go. Give me a vehicle."
"Can't do that, Lori." Travis stated looking down at the women who only looked to be growing more irritated with the men around her.
"Nobody goes anywhere alone, you know that." Shane added.
"Yes, sir." Lori scoffed as she walked away from the group.
Before Carl could follow close behind her, Shane grabbed his shoulder. "Carl I was just about to help Travis with something, could you help him? I'll talk to your mom."
Shane looked up at Travis only to meet his irritated glare. If there was one thing he hated more than sitting around, hoping Merle didn't muck up their plan, it was getting put in charge of finding something for kids to do. But before Travis could protest even just a bit, Shane hurried off to follow Lori and Carl stood in front of him waiting for his orders.
"Come on, was just 'bout to start looking for some more wood for the fires this evening." Travis lied, "Think you can handle that?"
Carl nodded, "Yep, stuff that's small right? So it doesn't get as big?" he asked as he followed Travis towards the line of trees as everyone quietly went back to their business as usual. "Do you think that person's gonna die?"
"The guy on the CB?" Travis looked down at Carl as the boy scanned the ground for small sticks they could burn. "Maybe he'll get lucky." Travis replied, "Had a CB, maybe it's another cop like Shane. Might have a chance."
"Yeah," Carl said softly, "Do you think my dad got eaten?"
Tavis felt his heart briefly drop from his chest, "You shouldn't be thinkin' like that." Travis told him as he bent down to pick up a few thin sticks and handed them to the boy.
"But it's probably what happened, right?"
Travis scratched the back of his neck as he stood up. Wishing more than ever that he had gone in Merle's place. "Ya'know, my dad died when I was a kid. Little younger than you actually." he paused, "I mean he was a real piece of..." he paused, "he wasn't a good guy like it sounds like yours. But my mom did her best, but she died too...bad night took 'em both." he stopped quickly, stopping himself from saying much else about his parents, it wasn't exactly a story that would help Carl feel much better. "But I'm glad they weren't around to see this shitstorm." he stated, "Maybe they were lucky."
"Yeah..." Carl replied softly.
Travis could only keep Carl busy for a short while before they went back up to the camp, and he sent Carl off although he didn't see Shane back or Lori for that matter. But regardless, Carl went running off eagerly to find his mom and Travis decided to divide the small piece of wood for the night. He left most of it at the main firepit, and then brought what was left to a firepit that was set up just outside the tent that the Peletiers shared. Carol was a quiet woman, she didn't ask for much, didn't talk much really even if her husband wasn't right beside her. Her daughter wasn't much different, but she spent what time she could away from her parents if her father was around.
"Here you go," Travis said, announcing himself as Carol turned around from the line between trees that she used for her family's laundry. "Carl found enough for all of us." he said, adding it to the pile that Ed had been hoarding from the others that Sophia would gather.
"We don't need it." Ed said from his seat in a lawn chair, a newport in his fingers. Travis could recognize the cheap smell from a mile away.
Travis bit his tongue as he looked down at the pile of logs, "Looks like you do, actually." he replied, "No logs on the fire at night. Don't want any walkers coming up here. If you're cold get a blanket or somethin'."' he stated.
"Thank you," Carol interjected quickly, offering Travis a smile of gratitude.
Travis made his way back towards the rest of the camp. Leaving the Peletiers to their own space. If it had been solely up to him, Merle, or Daryl, Ed wouldn't still be around. He had nothing to offer the group, except for the doomsday prep supplies he had packed when everything first went down. Other than that, he had nothing to offer them. The supplies they'd get more use out of if they just got rid of him, but Shane said that the group wasn't going to be like that. They weren't going to just kill another survivor because they wanted to. Even if it was just a survivor that was getting by because of everyone around them.
The rest of the day came and went with nothing on the radio from the rest of their group that was in the city or the mystery traveler that was heading in their direction. Travis made his way down and back from the lake in the quarry a couple times with a couple milk jugs of water for them to boil and filter for drinking water. He kept his eyes peeled for Daryl or any of his traps, but he figured he was probably much deeper in the woods than that. He missed the days when it was just him and the other two, they didn't have to go back and forth to a bigger group. They traveled together. If they needed water, they'd stay by the water for the night if it was safe. If they got some game, they'd stay put and skin it there and cook it if it was safe. Things were more simple when it was the three of them. But cars on the road were picked dry, and it wasn't a good idea to haul all their supplies into the city for a supply run. They wouldn't have made it that long out there if they didn't start finding other survivors and taking what they needed from them. When they had first found the group at the quarry, they thought it was just one old man on his own with a couple of women and their kids. An easy target. But when Shane and Morales came out of the RV and they found out they had more than enough weapons to take on Travis, Merle, and Daryl, they knew that it wouldn't be so easy. But they had supplies, and the three men had skills to offer the group so Shane let them stay if they pulled their weight. So until they could take what they needed, they stayed.
Once the day had begun to cool, thanks to the clouds that had begun to move over them from the direction of Atlanta, they all began to figure the supply runners would stay the night in Atlanta. As long as they managed to get out of the situation at the department store that part of the group had heard T-Dog explain over the radio. So everyone began to settle in for the evening, which for Travis meant trying to get a bit of sleep before taking over for Dale for the first shift for the night. But just as he was beginning to get comfortable in the back of the RV, a sudden burst of commotion from outside brought him back to the door of the RV.
"Is it them? Are they back!?" Amy asked loudly, speaking over everyone else with wide eyes as she looked up at Dale.
"I can't tell yet." he replied as Travis stepped outside where he finally could hear what was causing everyone to question Dale. In the distance, getting closer to the camp was a shrill car alarm.
"Shit..." Travis muttered as Shane stepped past him to stand in front of the RV. "Shane, that's gonna lead a whole bunch of walkers up here." he said as he joined the man in front of the RV. "None of them are that fucking stupid, are they?" he questioned, "I told you, you shoulda let me go."
"And risk Merle going apeshit on anyone he wants in camp? I'd rather he do that out there."
Travis rolled his eyes, "And get the rest of 'em gnawed on? Yeah, real good idea, officer."
Shane didn't look at him.
"Now we got one of those dumbasses ringing the damn dinner bell." Travis added, his hands tightening into fists to avoid lying either of his hands on Shane as if it would make him pay any more attention to what he's saying.
Before Shane could say anything, a cherry red car rolled up to the camp. Its alarm was still blaring, every walker within earshot could hear it. And Travis had been caught up in a group of them before, it wasn't anything he wanted to do again. It definitely wasn't anything this group could handle either, regardless of the firepower they had. But despite the risk it was to bring the car to the camp, Glenn sat behind the drivers wheel. A grin plastered on his face.
"Turn that damn thing off!" Dale ordered as Glenn got out of the car, the smile still on his face.
Glenn's smile faded briefly as he shook his head, "I don't know how!"
"Pop the hood." Shane ordered quickly as he walked up to the car.
"Andrea, is she okay? Where is she?"
"Pop the damn hood, please!" Shane shouted over Amy who was crowding Glenn to get any information on her sister as she could.
"What? Okay, okay," Gless said quickly as he fumbled back into the car and opened the hood for Shane to disconnect the battery, causing the alarm to stop abruptly and let silence fill the camp again.
"Why isn't she with you? She's okay?" Amy continued.
"Yes! Yeah, she's fine. Everybody is." Glenn said, his eyes quickly darting in Travis' direction and then towards Shane. "Well...Merle...not so much."
"The hell you mean not so much?" Travis asked sharply, pushing past Amy and Shane as Glenn quickly stood on the other side of the driver's door, so it would stay between the two of them.
"Are you crazy!? Driving this wailing bastard up here!? Are you trying to draw in every walker for miles!?"
"What do you mean not so much?" Travis repeated glaring towards Shane, "Think y'all are gonna have more than just walkers to worry about. Now where the hell is Merle?!" he asked again looking from Shane and then back at Glenn.
"We had a problem and..." he paused, "well...we had help getting out of there. A cop. Merle was causing problems...you know how he is..." he rambled looking to Shane for some sort of support. "He got handcuffed to the roof..." Glenn said quietly.
Travis felt his mouth fall open and his brows press together in shock as Glenn's words sunk in. His hands rolled up in fists, Merle was a piece of shit. Everyone knew that, Travis and Dayrl, they could both admit that. Hell even Merle could admit to it. But these people had just left Merle there? In a walker infected city, cuffed to a roof? If the walkers didn't get him, being handcuffed to a roof would be enough to kill anyone. People went to jail for leaving their dog chained up outside in bad conditions, but they left a human up there in some of the worst conditions that could be imagined for any human with or without walkers...
"You're saying you let some fucking stranger handcuff my cousin to the roof!?" Travis quickly grabbed the door of the car that separated the two of them and began to push it towards Glenn hard enough to hold him against the car, and as soon as he did Shane quickly reached forward and grabbed him around both shoulders and yanked him back. "You're dead, Glenn. You hear me! Dead!" Travis shouted as Shane yanked him backwards as Amy ran past them followed by Morales' kids. "You best let me go, Walsh. You let me go!" Travis yelled, using his elbow to push against him until he got out of Shane's grasp. "What're you gonna do, Shane!? They left him cuffed to a roof! He's an asshole I know, but fuck, if you don't-"
"Don't." Shane said sternly, holding a hand up towards him. "Not now, Travis. Not now-"
Shane stopped abruptly, his eyes flicking past Travis just as Carl went sprinting past the growing group that was welcoming the others back to camp. Travis turned just as Carl ran up to the man who was responsible for leaving Merle behind, followed closely by Lori. Holding Carl in his arms was a man in the same uniform that Travis had seen Shane in the first day they found them, only instead it was tucked in relatively neatly still. Rick Grimes, the same man from the pictures that Lori had brought with them to the camp. The man that they had left in a hospital, a man they assumed was dead, but was standing right in front of all of them still breathing. At least for now.
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authors note;
If I'm being quite honest I had not a single intention of every actually writing this story. I didn't think people would be interested in a Dixon family member story. But I was very wrong, and I'm glad I was because I love Travis and I'm so glad I get to share him with you guys <3
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