A/N Finally uploading the sequel. chapter one has been written for weeks but I've had several family issues, not least my daughter being in hospital for the past 7 weeks due to a severe bleed on the brain. She's home now and making a good recovery so the urge to write has returned. Please read and review, I've missed the love. Thank you and enjoy.

Chapter 1

It had been almost three weeks since they had lost the prison. Three weeks of moving from place to place, trying to stay ahead of the herds, trying to find a safe place. Most of all it had been three weeks of trying to find those they had lost. None of them wanted to admit it but they were beginning to lose hope.

A few days after the Governors lethal attack Rick, Daryl and Glenn had returned to the devastated prison. Most of the walkers had moved on and they had picked their way through the rubble and debris, trying to find any sign of those missing. Each body was checked, and while they hoped not to find a face they recognised they knew it would at least bring some form of closure.

Half buried under a pile of walkers with their heads caved in, alongside an empty rifle Daryl found a familiar baseball bat. He held it up, showing it to Rick.

"It's Tess's, remember her puttin' the tape on the handle, makes it easier to grip" he told him softly as he looked at the bodies.

"Looks like she took out a good few then she must've got outnumbered" He kicked angrily at the corpses by his feet.

"No sign of her here, guess she turned and wandered off" He dropped the bat and cursed.

"We bought her here, told her she'd be safe"

Rick put a hand on his shoulder.

"None of us expected the Governor to turn up with a tank and an army" He tried to reassure his friend but his voice trailed off when they both saw Glenn standing in front of them. He looked devastated as he held out a bulky black backpack, diapers spilling out from the unfastened flap.

Rick took a few hesitant steps towards the younger man.

"Is that….?" He couldn't finish.

Glenn nodded.

"It's Judith's" he confirmed sadly "Rick, I'm so sorry. Beth had Judith and she had this bag. I don't think she would ever just leave it behind. That must mean….." He stopped his voice breaking a little as he thought of his wife's sister and how he knew she would die to protect the baby in her care.

"I'm so sorry" he said again, knowing it was inadequate but not knowing what else to say. Rick took the bag from him and clutched it to his chest as he stumbled away from the two men. He hadn't held out much hope of finding his baby daughter alive but this made it final, this destroyed that last tiny hope of seeing her again.

They couldn't stay any longer, it was just too difficult. Silently they made their way back to the truck they had arrived in. They were almost there when Daryl stopped, looking intently around the yard.

"My bike aint here" he looked hopefully at them "Maybe Merle took it, could be he got away. Could be he's got Beth an' Asskicker. Even he wouldn't leave them behind if he could help 'em" He ignored the looks Rick and Glenn exchanged.

"Maybe" Glenn tried to be diplomatic, but he wasn't even convincing himself. They had left it at that and climbed into the truck, returning to the rest of the group with the bad news.

Now almost three weeks later Rick and Daryl were returning from a run to a nearby town. They had stayed in the area near the prison while they searched but had pretty much stripped it clean. They would have to move on soon. They turned down a back road, heading to the farm they were staying in. They'd been there for four days now and not had a problem with walkers, but were expecting their luck to run out soon.

Passing a run-down diner they had already searched and found empty Daryl glanced idly out the window at the bike parked in the lot out the front. With a sudden curse he slammed the brakes on, throwing an unsuspecting Rick forward.

"What the….?" The deputy complained as he smacked his head on the windshield.

"That's my damn bike" Daryl was out of the truck and running for the diner entrance, crossbow in hand.

"It weren't there when we went through this place the other week" Without stopping to check for danger he kicked the door open and charged in.

"Damn it" Rick muttered as he drew his gun and hurried to catch up.

There wasn't much light inside the diner but they could make out two bodies on the floor near the counter. Checking them over Rick noted they were human not walker. Both had died from a gunshot wound to the head. A noise behind the counter caught their attention. Cautiously, weapons raised they approached the end of the counter and peered round. A woman was slumped on the floor, back against the wall. Her matted hair hung over her face and her arms hung limply at her sides. Her clothes were filthy and bloodied. As they came closer she made a guttural groaning noise.

"Be a mercy to finish the poor bitch" Daryl raised his crossbow and took aim. As he did so the woman's arm came up and she lifted her head.

"Get the hell away" she mumbled, the gun in her raised hand shaking wildly as she struggled to point it at them.

Rick knocked the crossbow away.

"Tess?" he said incredulously. "Tess, its Rick and Daryl. Are you bit?" he moved closer to her but she didn't lower the gun. He realised it was his colt python, the gun he'd left behind at the prison.

"Stay away, already killed two, kill you as well" Her voice was weak and the gun was getting lower. Rick took a chance and rushed the last few steps, grabbing the python and pulling it from her weak grasp. She tried hitting out at him but had no strength left. Her arms fell back and she flopped against the wall again.

"Just kill me, get it over with" she whispered.

Rick reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand, flinching at how hot she felt to his touch.

"Tess, it's me, Rick. I'm not gonna hurt you but you have to tell me, are you bit?"

With a huge effort Tess managed to lift her head again. She stared at Rick and he saw brief recognition in her eyes.

"Not bit, shot" she flapped her hand towards her side "Think it's infected"

Daryl was at her side now and he lifted her shirt, revealing a six inch long gash just above her hip. It was swollen and red and looked as if it had been stitched but the stitches had been ripped open again. The wound had partially healed but it was clearly infected, leaking a foul smelling liquid. They could feel the heat of fever coming off her body.

"We need to get her back to Herschel, she's burning up" Rick checked the gun, noting it was empty, before shoving it into his waistband as he scooped her into his arms, she weighed next to nothing and he could feel her ribs and backbone through the filthy shirt. Daryl grabbed the bag that was next to her and swung it over his shoulder. As he went to go past them to get to the truck Tess managed to catch his arm.

"Pocket" she said "Key"

He frowned not getting what she was trying to say. She struggled against Rick and moved her hand to her jeans pocket.

"Key" she said again, this time a little louder. He reached into her pocket and pulled out a single key. He couldn't help the small grin as he realised what he was holding.

"He took it, we escaped" she tried to explain.

"Don't talk, you need to rest" Rick carried her outside and Daryl opened the back door of the truck. They laid her out on the backseat and Rick climbed behind the wheel, Daryl heading for the motor cycle, the familiar key in his hand.

"You go ahead on the bike" he told Daryl "Tell Herschel we're coming "

He pulled away and drove as fast as he dared, heading for the farm and praying they weren't too late to save the now unconscious woman on the back seat.

Hope you liked it, chapter 2 up soon.