Rock and a Hard Place

***Rock and a Hard Place*** is the fourth chapter of the alternate universe (AU) fanfic, Dawn of The Walking Dead. It introduces Kenny, Katjaa and their son Kenny Jr. commonly referred to as Duck, main characters from the original Walking Dead series by Telltale games. The chapter also introduces Hershel Greene and his family farm.

## Cast Guide

Starring
Clementine
Rachel Paul
Travis
Lee Everett
Shawn Greene- †
Hershel Greene
Kenny
Katjaa
Duck

## Summary

*After escaping the overrun neighborhood, Lee and the kids stumble upon the Greene family farm, hoping for some form of relief amidst the chaos.*

## Plot

The group arrived at the farmhouse, greeted by an older man named Hershel Greene. Shawn reunited with his father, relieved to find the farm relatively quiet. However, the news of Chet's death cast a shadow over the moment. Hershel, despite the tragedy, welcomed the newcomers for the night.

As Hershel examined Lee's injured leg, the group exchanged introductions. Hershel noticed the three kids and questioned their connection to Lee. Shawn clarified that Lee wasn't their father but someone who found them alone. Satisfied for the time being, Hershel offered hospitality for the night, expressing concern for Lee's injury.

While Hershel tended to Lee's leg, he inquired about the car accident. Lee remained vague, mentioning hitting a person on the road. Hershel, despite skepticism, accepted the explanation. Lee, Clementine, Rachel, and Travis were then introduced to Hershel. The kids shared their names, and Lee explained that he was caring for them until they could find their parents. As the evening unfolded, Shawn suggested reinforcing the farm's fence in light of recent events.

The group settled in, grateful for the temporary refuge. Travis reluctantly accepted his sleeping spot against a haystack as Rachel and Clementine claimed the two available sleeping bags. The girls, not accustomed to sleeping in a barn, found the surroundings peculiar. The unfamiliar scent prompted Clementine to comment, and Lee inadvertently muttered a swear word, amusing Rachel and shocking Clementine. Lee apologized for the language, and Rachel shared her mom's rule about swearing.

As the group settled in, Clementine expressed her longing for her parents, a sentiment Rachel shared. Lee, empathizing with their shared grief, nodded in understanding. Clementine then asked about the distance to Savannah, and Lee admitted it was quite far. The girls, nestled in the sleeping bag, drifted off to sleep.

As Lee reflected on the day's events, he contemplated their uncertain future. Thoughts of his family's pharmacy in Macon crossed his mind, but he hesitated, unsure if he would be welcomed there. Clementine began sleep-talking, prompting Lee to offer soothing words. Guilty about not being able to provide her more comfort, Lee slips into a nightmare about his ex-wife and the man she had slept with to end their marriage. He dreams about how he had killed the man and abruptly wakes up. Through the dark he sees Rachel offering him Captain Yellowbear, a stuffed animal she'd been carrying the whole time. Grateful for the gesture, Lee accepted the toy and they both drifted back to sleep.

The following morning, Lee is awoken by a man telling him lightheartedly to "get up". Lee yawns and stands up as the stranger jokes about the bear he held. Lee returned Captain Yellowbear back to Rachel. Clementine notes that she's itchy, to which the man jokes Clementine that she might have spiders in her hair, but her "daddy" scared them off. Lee explains that he his not truly their father and introduces himself. The man greets Lee and tells them that he is Kenny. Suddenly, a very loud boy appears at the doors of the barn and calls for his dad to join him before scampering off. The trio in the barn leave to find him. Kenny tells Lee that the boy was his son, "Ken Jr.", but he tends to call him "Duck" because nothing seems to phase him, like water off a duck's back. Kenny then brings Lee and the kids over to meet his family. He introduces them after asking whether or not Lee wanted a ride to Macon. Kenny's wife, Katjaa, quickly compliments Clementine and she warms up to the older woman. Shawn comes over and informs them that he needed to reinforce the fence on the west side of the farm. Duck volunteers his help, and Shawn gives him the "position" of foreman. Rachel tags along, as the tractor reminds her of Superman.

They break off to the other side of the house and work on the fence. Clementine joins Katjaa as Kenny leaves to fix his own truck. Travis, eager to contribute and feeling a bit useless, asked what he could do to help. Kenny, lifting the hood of his truck, inquired if Travis knew how to fix a car. Travis nodded, mentioning that his dad had taught him a few things. Kenny welcomed him with a grin, expressing that the more hands they had, the merrier, and motioned Travis over to assist with the repairs.

With Shawn, Duck and Rachel, the girl giggled as she perched on the front of the tractor. In her make-believe world, she pretended that she was straddling the nose of a powerful mechanical dragon, with General Foreman Duck in charge of the controls behind her. Shawn let out a long sigh, feeling the strain of their impatience. Almost immediately, he was beginning to regret enlisting the company of two hyperactive kids. As Rachel and Duck continued their wild tractor adventure, Lee walked around to the back of the house. He finds Shawn working to hammer a board into place on the fence. He asks if Shawn needed any help, and Shawn puts him to work on sawing a length of two-by-fours apart. Shawn relays a story to Lee where he watched a man in Atlanta shoot a boy dead without hesitation. He then asks if Lee had killed any of the undead people so far, to which Lee says that he was forced to bash a "poor girl's brains in". Shawn is quite perturbed by this and sends Lee's way to find his dad after Lee finishes cutting his board in order to be alone.

Rachel overheard a conversation between Lee and Shawn, the implications of which left her contemplating the gravity of their situation. Recalling the incident where Lee had "gotten rid of" Monster Sandra, Rachel couldn't dismiss the inherent fear in witnessing someone she knew transform into a monster. Her dreams had further blurred the lines between reality and the supernatural, as she dreamt of Sandra undergoing a similar transformation. Strangely, the dream failed to evoke the expected terror, leading Rachel to interpret it as a symbolic revelation – monsters could potentially transform people into monsters. This notion aligned with her personal experience of turning into a monster after being attacked by one.

Compelled by her growing understanding, Rachel sought confirmation from Shawn about the transformative nature of monsters. Pausing his hammering, Shawn acknowledged her inquiry, suggesting that monsters indeed had the ability to turn others into one of their kind, possibly contributing to the proliferation of these creatures.

Without explicitly asking, Rachel deduced the fate of Shawn's friend and, after a brief pause, resumed her imaginative play with Duck. When Clementine approached, Rachel invited her to join the imaginative play, but Clementine opted to observe instead.Unfazed by Clementine's choice, Rachel continued her game with Duck. However, their playfulness took a dark turn when Duck unintentionally activated the tractor, causing it to crush Shawn's leg.

The scene unfolded with a sickening crack and squelch as Shawn screamed out in agony. The gruesome reality of the situation struck Rachel, who rushed to Shawn's aid, attempting to free his trapped leg. The chaotic scene drew the attention of Lee, Kenny, and Travis, who hurried over in a panic.

Lee, with a swift blow, dispatched a walker that had approached during the commotion, allowing Kenny to pry Duck away from the monster's grip. Meanwhile, Travis struggled to free Shawn from the tractor, but the damage was done. The fence, weakened by the weight of the undead and the collapsing tractor, gave way, unleashing a horde of walkers onto Shawn.

As Hershel arrived with his rifle, the group witnessed the gruesome demise of Shawn. The walkers descended upon him, inflicting fatal injuries. Despite Lee and Travis's attempt to save him, Shawn succumbed to the relentless attack. Hershel, devastated by the loss of his son, lashed out in anger, blaming the strangers for the chaos that unfolded on his once-peaceful farm. Everyone gathers around Hershel as he closes his son's eyes. He tells them all to leave the farm. Kenny tries to apologize but is rejected. In the aftermath, as the survivors processed the tragedy, Kenny offered Lee the option to use their truck to travel to Macon. The brief invitation to the farm had turned into a devastating farewell, marking the end of their time at Hershel Greene's home.

## Cast

* Clementine
* Rachel Paul
* Travis
* Lee Everett
* Kenny
* Katjaa
* Kenny Jr
* Hershel Greene
* Shawn Greene - †