A/N: I just want to take a moment and say "thanks" to all of you who followed/favorited this story. I'm so glad to know people are reading. If you get a chance, drop me a review as well. I'd like to know what you think of Laura and her story so far? Is there anything you're specifically curious about or hoping to see? Let me know! And as always, enjoy. :)

The next day, I woke up with the grey light of dawn. Daryl convinced me to rest, that he'd keep watch, and I'd been so exhausted I finally couldn't refuse any longer. I shivered and pulled my sleeping bag tighter around me.

I lay in my bag, huddled close against the truck, and listened to Daryl speak to Rick. "I didn't know what they could do…."

I took a slow breath and closed my eyes tight. In my lower abdomen, I felt a tiny flutter. I placed my hand on my stomach, took another deep breath, and felt another flutter. I had no idea if I was right, if this was really the life inside me growing and moving, but it certainly felt more encouraging than telling myself "it's just gas."

When it sounded like Rick and Daryl were finally finished with their talk, I moved myself, sitting up slowly and, after using my hands to smooth my greasy hair and retie the bun, sliding easily out of the bag. Wasting no time, I pulled on my boots and tied them. Then, I rolled up my sleeping bag, and checked behind my back to see that Daryl, and now Rick, had started taking notice of me and my movements. I attached the bag to my pack, then reached inside for my dented pot and a ziplock bag of oatmeal. Rekindling the fire, I poured some water into the pot and held it over the fire to warm it. Then, I poured the oatmeal in. Instant – apple-cinnamon flavored. I stirred it up, and looked up to see both Daryl and Rick accompanying me at the fire.

Rick looked uncertain, almost hostile. His face was no longer smeared as badly with Joe's blood, but it still wasn't clean. I tasted a bit of the oatmeal. It was stale as usual, but it was warm and it was something. I spooned a bit more into my mouth as Rick and Daryl took a seat. Not really sure what to say, I opted for simple and direct. "I'm Laura. I have some food. If you like." Setting my spoon in the pot, I offered the handle out to Rick. He glanced at Daryl, who nodded, and Rick then took it gratefully.

"Rick," he offered. "Thank you."

I nodded once, then dug again through my pack for the bottle of vitamins, just as the car door opened.

The dark-skinned woman stepped out. She was taller, more statuesque than I had realized. Following her was a boy. He looked both tired and beaten, and the red rash on his face was more than enough evidence why.

I didn't have to say anything else. Daryl introduced me. "Guys, this's Laura. Michonne and Carl."

Michonne looked at me carefully, but greeted me nonetheless with a simple "Hey." Carl, though, said nothing.

They sat down, and Rick, who hadn't taken any oatmeal for himself, passed it first to his son. "Eat," he ordered, and Carl, though with some reluctance, did.

I knew that feeling – knew how hard it was to find an appetite after, no matter how starving your body is. I tried not to think about it, just dug out the vitamin pill and my water.

Breakfast continued in silence. The four of them shared before passing the pot back to me. I finished it off. Then, with a little water and a rag, cleaned it up and put the pot back into my bag.

I zipped up my bag and stood. As I swung my backpack onto my back and adjusted the straps, I glanced at Daryl. He was looking at me, but not my face. He was staring hard at my stomach. I looked away. I hated to leave, truly I did, but if I hadn't been asked to stay by now….

"You leavin'?" Rick asked.

I looked at him, then Daryl, then back at him. "It's daylight. Gotta move," I explained quietly. "Need water at least, and food. Won't find it standin' here."

Daryl seemed to be mulling over something. I reached for my half-empty bottle of water and lid and took a sip. Michonne and Carl were already packing up to move out themselves.

"You goin' somewhere specific?" Daryl asked.

I shot him a questioning look and shook my head.

He nodded. "You stick with us then."

Daryl's group didn't talk much, but they all seemed to know each other well. They seemed to communicate without words.

I lagged a bit behind the others, but shortly after we set off, Daryl lagged behind as well to explain the plan. I learned that they were headed for somewhere called Terminus. The place was supposed to exist where the traintracks met. It seemed to me too good to be true. Not everyone could find sanctuary – not when there were people in this world like Joe's clan. He told me again I could stick with them.

I promised to think about it.

The farther we walked, the more I thought. I had grown admittedly cynical over the last few months, but always with good reason. Sanctuary just sounded too good to be true. I needed a place – needed somewhere safe to be when it was time. I needed a doctor if possible. A nurse – an EMT. Anyone who knew what the hell they were doing delivering babies. But at the same time, it wasn't just me to think about. If his place wasn't legitimate, it wasn't just my life at risk anymore. How could I justify taking it?

But then again, the idea that such a place would be advertised at all meant either it was real or it had been real once. The thought that this might be some sort of trap did cross my mind, but the fact was, I couldn't fathom any reason to put out the signs, to lure good people into your midst, if you weren't good and kind yourself. I mean really, what was the point? To rob their supplies and kill them after? I supposed it was possible, but why risk a bigger stronger group arriving to take it all away?

When we reached the sign, I knew I had to decide. It was on the ground. Daryl wiped it clean with a hand, announcing we were close. I frowned. I didn't want to leave these people, but I didn't want to go into an unknown situation unprotected.

I had the back-up pistol I'd found at Joe's camp. But still, it had only 15 rounds, and my revolver was down to 3.

"You comin'?" I looked up at the four of them. Michonne was the one that was asking. She didn't seem to have any thoughts one way or the other, judging from the impassive look in her face.

Rick looked wary, Daryl, concerned – or maybe just curious. Carl just looked at the ground. I don't know what it was – what made me nod my head. But going into the unknown with a group – and more, a group of what I believed were good people…. Well, it was better than what I'd had. Me and the bean, drifting along with no purpose, plan or direction. I needed people – good people.

The group turned, heading into the woods. At least they were smart. I slid the axe from my belt and gripped it in my hand. I'd be too big for it soon – the belt. That was another reason to stay. I knew – of course I knew – that soon, I'd be too big to be much good for anything except a walker meal. I needed protection, as much as I hated the notion.

Walking along behind the group in silence was actually nice. The sound of multiple footfalls reminded me of a simpler time – a better time. A time before Joe was ever real to me.

When we reached a fence, we all fanned out to secure the area. Carl went off with Michonne. I went off with Daryl. He motioned with a hand for me to stay behind him, so I did. (Rule #4, No arguing within shouting distance of walkers.)

I let him lead me down one side of a hill to scout the area. I followed silently, my axe ready. I spotted a pair of walkers and signaled him with a quiet, "Psst." He looked at me, then followed my line of sight. They were far off and with a nod of his head, he signaled me to keep going instead of dealing with them.

He came up to another clear part of the fence and crouched low behind some leaves. I glanced around, spotting only two people on the grounds, but no other movement. Leaving the surveying to Daryl, I turned away from the fence, standing post at his back. Those two we'd seen were getting closer and were starting to get more vocal as they approached.

I frowned, readying myself. One was stumbling to the side. I took a few steps away from Daryl, standing clear of the man. Their dead eyes followed my movements. I rounded on them, increasing the distance between myself and the larger one while getting closer to the other. Taking on the smaller one first, I swung my axe like a baseball bat, and struck him in the head. The skull split and the body fell, knocking into the other one. To my chagrin, it didn't slow the larger walker down.

The monster stumbled a bit, but kept coming. He was too tall for me to strike him properly in the head. He was at least a foot taller than me, but I wasn't about to go down without at least trying. Leading the thing away from Daryl, I led it right across a tree root, hoping to get the thing to trip so I could nail it in the head. It did trip, caught its foot on the root, but kept on coming. I smirked proudly and raised my weapon, but felt a sudden pressure on my left arm. I twisted quickly out of the grip, my eyes widening in silent terror as I found myself face to face with another walker, it's filthy rotting mouth inches from the sleeve of my jacket. I yanked my arm away and yelped, kicking the thing away.

Of course, it just kept coming. With a backhanded swing of the axe blade, I was able to send the rotter stumbling, now with a gash in the side of its head. I turned my attention on the one on the ground, the big guy that was inching its way towards my ankles. I stepped back and brought down my axe, splitting open the top of the big one's head.

As I stood I heard the order, "Duck!"

I did, crouching down and covering my head, just in time to hear the thwack of a bowstring and the sound of wooden arrow piercing flesh. I ventured a peek, turning my head, but ducked again when walker corpse collapsed right on my back. Away, my instincts screamed. Get away!

With a gasp of terror I scrambled out from under the female walker and to my feet. I turned and backed away, surveying the corpses, looking for any sign of movement. Then, I looked back up at Daryl. I took a breath, perhaps my first in three whole minutes. He stomped over quickly. "You all right?" he asked.

I nodded curtly, trying my best to school the shock and terror from my face. "Fine. I'm fine." And though I probably should have thanked him, more than anything, I felt an anger blooming. I could have handled it. In fact, I had been handling it.

I shook the thoughts away. I was being unfair, I knew. As Daryl put his foot on the walker's head and pulled his arrow out to use again, I was reminded of that day in the clothing store. The tension in my face softened. "Daryl," I said, catching his eyes as he looked at me. "Thanks. For the help."

He looked down, then up at me again. His face was hard, his eyes were narrowed, and they flicked from right to left and back again like he was reading when he looked at me. He nodded and grunted quietly, saying nothing more on the matter. It was done, and I was glad that it was over.

We walked back to the meeting point in silence. There, Rick was digging a hole in the ground. He set the bag of guns and supplies into the hole and explained we'd leave it there, hidden, just in case. Something in me stirred just as he moved to close the bag.

"Wait," I said suddenly. I pulled my revolver from the holster, and knelt beside the open bag. I laid down the gun, and after a moment of mental debate, placed my camp axe in as well. I looked up at Rick and nodded my consent to close the bag. After everything that happened, I had made my choice already. I was with them – whether this all went to hell or not.

I stepped back, letting Rick bury the weapons. Meanwhile, I rummaged through the outside of my bag for my small knife. I usually used it to cook, but against a human assailant, I would do fine.

I checked the blade, wrapped it in a bit of cloth, then slid it into my shoe. I looked up to catch Daryl watching me, but I ignored it. It wasn't meant to be easily accessible – just there in case of a pinch. For anything else, I had the pistol. I pulled it from my waistband, examined the piece to confirm the safety was on. Then I removed the magazine, checked the chamber, and put the magazine in and chambered a round. I shouldered my pack and waited.