"Thanks for helping me with the fire wood, Amy." Cricket says as she walks out of the woods with Amy. Many people think Amy is just some city girl who depends on others to survive, but since meeting Amy, Cricket has tried to teacher her everything she knows. Cricket, ever since she was a little girl, has wanted to learn survival learning. Since she was 7 she had went to a survival camp where the spend the summer in the woods, surviving on nature. Now that she's older she had taken her survival skills and became a camp councilor at that very camp, now it seems all her skills are coming into use.
"You're welcome, Cricket." Ever since people heard Cricket's father, Dale, call her this they've been doing the same. "Why is that Dale calls you Cricket anyways?" She asks.
"When I was five my mom was killed by a drunk driver. I stopped talking for two years. The only thing that got me talking was when my dad called me cricket. He said I was like a cricket, barely making a sound. It just... I don't know. It got to me I guess. I told my dad that I'd start speaking if he called me that, reminding me to never give up. It was after that that I decided I wanted to learn to survive, incase something was to happen."
"Wow... I'm so sorry. That must have been so hard." Cricket nods.
"Yeah, I was also an advanced kid. Understood death even at the early age of five, got my period when I was only 13, started having boobs since I was 14," Cricket smiles at Amy as she giggles. "You get my point."
"Yeah, I do." She giggles. "How is it that you're single?" Cricket gives a sigh as she looks at Amy.
"Guys are intimidated by me. I know more stuff than most guys, with survival stuff. I'm a tomboy, always out roughing it and it scares many guys away. I need someone who is just as tough."
"Well it's there lost. You're a cool chick." Amy says, causing Cricket to smile. "You know... Daryl is a tough guy." Cricket blushes as she looks at Amy. Cricket has very few friends at the camp who are girls, which are Amy and Miranda, both of which always tease Cricket about how perfect Daryl is for her.
"Amy, he's not interested in me. He's a loner, he cares about family than some chick-
"Can anybody hear my voice?" Cricket frowns as a voice cuts her off. "Anybody out there? Anybody hear me, please respond."
"Is that the radio?" Cricket asks.
"Hello can you hear my voice."
"It is." Amy gasps as she and Cricket runs to the radio. They drop the wood and Amy picks up the mic. "Hey, hello?"
"Can you hear my voice?" The voice over the radio asks again.
"Yes, I can hear you. You're coming through, over."
"If anybody reads, please respond." The car says, causing Cricket to look at Amy in confusion. "Broadcasting on emergency channel. Will be approaching Atlanta on highway 85. If anybody reads, please respond."
"We're just out of the city." The radio only crackles at Amy's response. "Damn it. Hello? Hello?" Amy sighs and looks up at Cricket. "He couldn't hear me." She looks at Dale. "I couldn't warn him."
"Try to raise him again." Dale says.
"The radio is busted, Dad. We can hear him, but he can't hear us." Cricket says.
"Come on, son, you know best how to work this thing." Dale says to Shane, causing him to drop his ax and walk over to the cb.
"Hello, hello. Is the person who called still on air?" Shane asks as he bends down beside the radio. "This is officer Shane Walsh broadcasting to person unknown. Please respond." The radio only crackles causing everyone's face to turn somber. "He's gone." Shane says.
"There are others. It's not just us."
"We knew there would be, right." Shane says. "It's why we left the CB on."
"A lot of good it's been doing." Lori says, causing Cricket to sigh.
"Okay." Shane says.
"Look, the point is we should have put signs up, warning people." Cricket says.
"I agree, I've been saying for a week we ought put signs up on 85 and warn people away from the city." Lori says, surprising Cricket by agreeing with her.
"Folks got no idea what they're getting themselves into." Amy speaks somberly as she shakes her head.
"Well we haven't had time." Shane stands up and Cricket shakes her head.
"We had time, Shane, I offered to it for a long time, but no one lets me. You all are too scared that something will happen." Cricket says, causing Shane to give her a look.
"I think we need to make time." Lori agrees once more.
"Yeah, that- that's a luxury we can't afford." Shane says.
"You always say that, Shane, but that guy is going into the city and he's going to get ripped to shreds." Cricket snaps.
"We are surviving here. We are day to day."
"And who the hell would you propose to send?" Dale asks.
"Dad, I'll go. I've been offering for weeks now." Cricket says.
"I'm not letting my little girl going out there." Dale says.
"Dad-
"Hell, I'll go. Give me a vehicle." Lori says.
"Nobody goes anywhere alone. You know that." Shane says.
"Then I'll take Cricket, she's willing to go." Lori says.
"You will certainly not." Dale retorts back.
"Yes, sirs." Lori says as she walks off in a pissy mood.
"And this is why you look like the bad guy all the time." Cricket mumbles before she picks up the wood that Amy and her dropped and begins to carry it to the fire.
Cricket sits by the fire and Amy walks over to join her. "I'm worried." She says, causing Cricket to look over at her.
"If he goes into the city we can only hope our supply group find him and helps him out."
"Yeah... I'm worried about him getting hurt. This world... it kills people so easily."
"I know it's hard, Amy, but it's the world we live in now. All we can do is hope everything works out."
"Mmm. You'd make a good mother or big sister." Amy says as she rests her head on Cricket's shoulder.
"Oh would I?" Cricket smile.
"Yeah, you always able to make me feel better. Andrea is always trying to protect me, but you try to teach me."
"I guess I see a lot of myself in you, Amy." Amy looks up in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yeah, when I was younger, maybe about your age, I was so innocent. I believed life was perfect and sunny and then one day I realized it wasn't that's when I started changing. It's your time to change too and I'll help you as much as you want." Cricket tells Amy, causing her to hug her.
"Would it be weird if I told you I love you." Cricket smiles.
"No because I love you too. You're a very good girl, Amy and have an amazing heart. You're like a the sister I never got." Amy smiles and hugs her tighter.
"Thanks you, Cric." Cricket smiles and kisses the top of her head.
"My birthday is coming up."
"Is it? I'll have to have the group doing something special for it."
"You don't have to-
"What is a world where we don't celebrate birthdays anymore or holidays?" She looks down at Amy. "It's a world not worth living that's what."
"Thank you, Cricket." She smiles and looks down at the fire. "What was your favorite holiday?" Amy suddenly asks.
"Mmm I loved all the holidays. My least favorite is defiantly Valentines day, hard to like that holiday when you're always alone."
"I understand that."
"Oh please, a girl like you, you probably had guys running all after you." Amy giggles.
"Same can be said for you."
"Oh certainly not." Cricket says. "But um, my favorite. I think if I really had to think about it my favorite would be the 4th of July. I love fireworks. My dad used to tell me when I was a little girl that the colors were seen in Heaven and the reason he takes me to see fireworks is so my mom can see my through the lights."
"Your dad sounds like a great dad." Cricket smiles and nod.
"Yeah, but he's very over protective. Since he has been a single father since I was five he is always wrapping me up in bubble wrapping. The camp I went to every summer was really my only escape, allowing me not to be cooped up."
"Yeah... Do you remember your mom."
"Yeah, I remember her, not too well, but enough." Amy nods and sighs.
"I miss my parents." Cricket wraps her arms around Amy and kisses her temple.
"I know you do, honey, but I promise things will get better."
"When do you think Nate and Daryl will be back from their hunt?"
"I don't know. I hope they bring back a lot of meat." Cricket sighs. "We need it. We can't survive on can food."
"Cricket, Amy, can you two go and gather some more mushrooms." Lori asks as she holds out a bucket.
"Sure, come on Cric." Cricket stood and took the bucket.
"We'll be right back." Cricket tells her before heading into the woods with Amy.
"Hey Cricket?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you ever talk to Nate?" Cricket frowns and looks over at Amy.
"Why?"
"No reason."
"Do you..." She looks at Amy as realization comes over in her eyes. "Do you like Nate."
"What? Of course not. Are you not. I... I do not like Nate. He's... He's not my type." Cricket laughs and shakes her head at Amy's terrible lying.
"You are an awful liar. It's obvious you like him, I can't believe I haven't seen it before."
"Oh shut up." Amy blushes as she gathers mushrooms. "Let's just get these mushrooms quickly."
"Whatever you say, Amy." Cricket smiles before she follows Amy.
Cricket walks over to where Miranda Morales sat watching her children. "Hey, Miranda." Cricket says as she sits down beside her.
"How are you, Cricket." Miranda asks with a smile.
"Doing as good as expected. It's warm today." Miranda nods.
"Yes, very warm. It's a nice day." She smiles. "Even if there's walkers everywhere." Cricket laughs.
"Yeah, as long as they stay out of camp I'm perfectly fine." She smiles and nods at Cricket's words.
"Amen to that." Miranda says. "What happened to your finger?" She points to the now bandaged finger.
"Washing the dishes."
"Oh, Cric you need to be careful. One day you'll really hurt yourself." Cricket rolls her eyes as she looks at Miranda.
"I'm fine, Miranda. Look, Daryl-
"Daryl?!" Cricket realizes her mistake and sighs.
"It's nothing-
"Oh no, don't pull a move like mentioning Dixon and expect me to forget it. What about Daryl?" She asks.
"He showed up when I cut myself. He cleaned it and wrapped it for me."
"He would never for anybody else." Miranda says as she shakes her head. "The boy got it in for you."
"Miranda." Cricket blushes. "Daryl doesn't like me like that."
"Oh, please chica, I've seen how he looked at you. He totally into you." Cricket rolls her eyes. "I mean it, you're always the one who he gives the meat to when he comes back, the one who he talks to, the one who he is polite to, the one who he helps out with." Cricket shakes her head.
"Miranda-
"I'm just saying my opinion, darling. You don't have to listen, but it's the end of the world now. No ones going to judge who you wish to spend your nights with and Daryl Dixon," Miranda whistles. "He would defiantly be good during the nights."
"Miranda!" Cricket laughs.
"He got the muscles and the power-
"Oh my god." Cricket giggles. "What has gotten into you."
"It's the heat." Miranda fans herself. "Where's my man when I need him." Cricket laughs and shakes her head.
"He's going to be happy to come back." Cricket says as she stands up. "As much as I love our talks, Anda, I think I'm going to go have a chat with the innocent friend of ours, Amy." Miranda smiles.
"Go right ahead darling."
"This is when I wish almost all of my friends didn't go on a supply run."
"They'll be back." Miranda promises.
"I know, I just miss my guys." Morales, Miranda's husband, is one of the closest guy friend Cricket has, along with Glenn and T-Dog.
"I miss them too, but I'm sure they'll bring something yummy back or your man Dixon will." Cricket cringes at the thought. "The good looking Dixon, not the sexist pig."
"Yeah, sure." Cricket says with a shake of her head. "I'm going to go and see if they need me back up there. You good hear on your own?" Cricket asks.
"Yeah, just two screaming kids with me, I'll be fine." Cricket laughs.
"You're a good mother." She says. "Most wouldn't be able to handle this for so long."
"Thank you, Cricket. It means a lot." Cricket smiles before heading back up the hill to the main camp.
Cricket walks over to the rv and looks up at her father and smiles. "Hey, Dad."
"Hey, Cricket. Need anything?"
"I was going to ask you that very thing. You've been up there awhile. Want any water or food?"
"Nah, I'm fine darling. I'll come down when I need something."
"If you're sure." Cricket says in a questioning voice.
"I am." Dale nods.
"Okay, holler if you need something." She makes her way back towards where Amy sat cooking some lunch. "Need help?"
"Would love some." Amy smiles. "Hand me that water." Cricket hands over the bottle of water and Amy takes the camp off and pours some in the pan. "I'm going to try and make something good."
"Good luck with that." Cricket laughs, knowing all too well how Amy's experiments go. "I'm going to go and collect more firewood." She tells her before standing and heading back into the woods. She gathers sticks and twigs, piling them into her arms as she moves along the woods. They haven't seen a walker since they got here, which is something they all can be thankful for.
Cricket just hopes it stays that way. The camp can't handle an attack, not with the limited guns and ammo. The best weapons they got are pistols and those can only do so much, if you don't add in the limited rounds.
Cricket tries to think about it as she gets as much wood she can within a few hours. When she comes back to camp she finds the supply group still aren't back. They should have been back by now and Cricket can already see Amy pacing in worry. Cricket's dad was busy trying to fix his rv with Jim, but Cricket knows that something is wrong.
"It's late. They should've been back by now." Amy says once Cricket drops the wood by the fire.
"Worrying won't make it better." Dale says from where he was crouched down with his hands in the rv's front.
"Don't worry, Amy, they'll be back." Cricket says, trying to comfort the teen.
"They never are out this late. It's already late noon."
"I know, but they'll be back. Andrea promised." Cricket says as she places a hand on Amy's shoulder. She didn't like Andrea, but Andrea was a good sister if not a good person. "She'll make it back."
"Thank you, Cricket." Amy says before hugging her. "I don't know what I would do without you."
"You'd be pulling your hair out." Cricket smiles and hugs her back. "You're not good with stress."
"Hello, base camp!" Amy pulls away as she hears T-Dog's voice over the radio. "Can anybody out there hear me." Amy quickly pulls away from Cricket and looks up to where the cb was resting on the roof of the rv. "Base camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?" Dale climbs up and goes and answers.
"Hello. Hello." Dale says into it. "Reception's bad on this end." Dale says into it. "Repeat. Repeat."
"Shane, is that you?"
"Is that them?" Lori asks as she looks up at Dale.
"We're in some deep shit." T-Dog says on the radio. "We're trapped in the department store."
"He said they're trapped?" Shane asks as Amy looks at Cricket with fear in her eyes.
"There are geeks all over the place. Hundreds of 'em. We're surrounded."
"T-Dog, repeat that last part. Repeat." Dale orders into the radio. The radio goes static and Cricket pulls Amy into her arms, trying to comfort the young girl.
"He said the department store." Lori says.
"I heard it too." Dale says.
"Shane?"
"No way." Shane says right away to her unspoken question. "We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group."
"Shane, our best people are out there." Cricket says.
"Y'all know that." Shane says as he glares at Cricket.
"So we're just gonna to leave her there?" Amy asks with a scared voice.
Look, Amy, I know that this is not easy-
"Easy, Shane it's her sister, Miranda's husband, the father to her child, a poor kid, many of our people." Cricket says.
"She volunteered to go," Amy says. "To help the rest of us."
"I know, and she knew the risks, right?" Shane says as he walks up to her. "See, if she's trapped, she's gone." Amy looks at him in shock. "So we just have to deal with that. There's nothing we can do."
"She's my sister, you son of a bitch." Amy says as she walks away.
"You a real bastard." Cricket says in a cold voice before she follows after Amy. "And if you all agree with him then you are too."
Cricket finds Amy crying in her tent, which causes her heart to break. "Oh, Amy." Cricket sighs and crawls into the tent. "I'm sorry. I know you want to go and help your sister." She lays down beside the crying Amy and pulls her into her arms. "All we can do is hope they get back." She says as she runs her fingers through Amy's hair, trying to get her calm. "It'll be okay."
"You heard Shane, she's as good as gone."
"Shane's a dick who thinks he can rule everything. He doesn't know shit. You're sister is still alive and she'll come back to us. We just got to hope for the best and pray she makes it back alive."
"And if she doesn't? Who'll look after me?"
"Amy, you don't need anyone to look after you. You are a strong and brave young girl. You will make it far in this world if you just learn how to survive." Cricket tells her.
"But-
"Amy, I will make sure nothing happens to you, but you don't need anyone. You are strong on your own. I promise nothing bad will happen."
"I hope so." She sniffles.
"Just close your eyes. When you wake up, Andrea will be back here, being the one to hold you." Amy nods and close her eyes.
Cricket lays with Amy for an hour, just holding her as she sleeps. She was just starting to drift off when she heard the sound of a car alarm. "Cricket?" Amy groans as she opens her eyes.
"Get up." Cricket says as she pulls away from Amy and stands up. "It could be them." She opens the tent. "It's a car alarm, not one of ours. It could be them, come on." Amy kicks the sleeping bag away from her and scurries out.
"Please be them." She begs as the two girls head up the hill towards the other.
"Talk to me, Dale!" Shane yells as Dale looks through his binoculars.
"Can't tell yet!" Dale calls down.
"Let him get a good look at it." Cricket says as she waits for her dad to tell them what is up.
"Is it them? Are they back?" Amy asks.
"I'll be damned."
"What is it Dad? Is it them?" Cricket asks.
"What is it?" Amy asks.
"Stolen car is my guess." Dale yells down to them. They all wait until they see a red sports car pulling up into their camp. "Holy crap turn that thing off!" Dale says as Glenn gets out of the car.
"I don't know how!" Glenn yells up at him with a huge grin on his face.
"Pop the hood, please. Pop the hood." Shane says.
"My sister Andrea-
"Pop the damn hood, please!" Shane yells over Amy.
"What? Okay okay. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!" Glenn says.
"Is she okay! Is she alright!" Amy demands. "Did she get out of the city!"
"Amy, hold on, give them space. Let them turn the alarm off first." Cricket tells her, pulling her away from the car, trying to get her to relax a little.
"Yeah, yeah! She's okay!" Glenn yells at Amy.
"Is she coming back!" Amy yells.
"Yes!" The alarm shuts off right after Glenn's yell.
"Why isn't she with you?" Amy asks. "Where is she? Is she okay?"
"Yes!" Glenn yells.
"Amy, breath. She's okay. Give Glenn so breathing room, he'll tell you how she is." Cricket says.
"Yeah, fine. Everybody is. Well, Merle not so much." Glen tells them all.
"Are you crazy, driving this wailing bastard up here? Are you trying to draw every walker for miles?"
"I think we're okay." Dale says as he looks around.
"You call being stupid, okay?" Shane snaps.
"Hey, lay off." Cricket snaps back.
"Well, the alarm was echoing all over these hills. Hard to pinpoint the source." Dale argues. "I'm not arguing. I'm just saying." He turns to Glenn. "It wouldn't hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time, would it?"
"Sorry." Glenn says. "Got a cool car." Glenn smiles. Dale just nods as a van pulls up to the camp.
"Amy!" Andrea says as she got out of the van.
"Told you she'd be okay." Cricket smiles at Amy.
"Andrea!" Amy cries as she runs over to her. Cricket smiles as the two hug one another.
"Oh!" Andrea cries.
"Oh my god!" Amy cries happily. "You scared the shit out of me."
"Papi! Daddy!" Louis Morales cries as he runs to his father.
"Hey!" Morales says as he picks his kids and hugs them tightly in his arms. "I told you I'd be back didn't I?" Miranda smiles at Cricket as she walks off with her family. Cricket heart breaks as she sees Carl crying. The poor boy can't rejoice like the others, he has no one else he can hug. His dad is gone.
"You're a welcoming sight." Dale says with a laugh. Morales laughs and hugs Dale. "I thought we had lost you folks for sure."
"How'd you all get out there, anyways?" Shane asks.
"New guy- he got us out." Glenn smiles.
"New guy?" Shane asks.
"Yeah, crazy vato just got into town. Hey, helicopter boy! Come say hello!" Morales calls as a man gets out of the van. He's dressed in a sheriff outfit and he looks exhausted. "The guy's a cop like you." A look of shock comes over Shane and the man's face as they looks at each other.
"Oh my god." The man says in shock.
"Dad! Dad!" The man starts forward and Carl pushes his was through the crowd, running full speed forward to the man. Lori runs after him and Carl runs right into the man's arms.
"Carl." The man says as he hugs him tightly, crying at the very sight of him. Cricket smiles as she seems them, she felt crying just at seeing them together. "Oh." He stands up, holding Carl in his arms and walks up to the shock Lori and taking her in his arms. Everyone watches in amazement as they see the family rejoice together. Finally everything seems right in the camp.