A/N- fun fact...I rewrote this chapter because I hated the other one. Enjoy.

Chapter 10

Reminder

"You and Emerson okay?" Rick was looking at Daryl, who was on his night watch, and making it a point to not look at his friend.

"Yeah just dandy, Rick," Daryl grunted, "Just fine."

"Yeah well," Rick shrugged, knowing he shouldn't be pushing the issue, "You two just seemed distant, when just a day ago you were fighting me to be friends."

"You know Rick, I don't think it really matters. She found her father and that is all that matters," Daryl replied.

Rick was quiet as he observed his friend, and even in the darkness he noticed that old defensive state return to the man before him. Slowly but surely, Rick was convinced Daryl was slipping into the self that was from Atlanta and the campsite. Guarded and wary of everything and everyone. Instead of saying anything else, he simply turned and walked away from Daryl, his mind racing as he did so.

–

"Daddy, nothing is going on between Mr. Dixon and I," she said quickly, avoiding looking at him as he spoke.

"Emerson Leah Grimes, please do not lie to me," Mr. Grimes looked at her sternly, "He came in here and you both refused to look at each other as if something has happened. Never mind the bruise on your collarbone, that could only be one thing; it's a hickey."

She looked away from her father, "Nothing happened."

"You know Emerson," Mr. Grimes paused to cough violently into his tissue, "I raised you to the best of my ability. It was hard without your mother, but by God's will I did raise you. I would hope that at twenty-eight years old you could be honest with me. I am not a fool," he coughed again, "I was young once and I did things that perhaps I should not have done, but what's done is done and what's dead is dead," he sighed, feeling exhaustion set into his bones, "If at twenty-eight you found someone you enjoy being with, I won't stand in your way and God will rejoice that His children could find peace and comfort in this time and age we live in. I won't be angry or cross if you have a relationship with him, even if he is clearly much older than you. I just want to make sure you are always truthful to yourself and God."

Emerson gave a small nod of her head, "Yes daddy, but nothing happened between Mr. Dixon and I."

"Child please, I do not expect to survive this world for very much longer. I want to go to my Lord knowing my daughter will be okay," he told her.

Emerson turned her head sharply, "Daddy, you will be fine. Mr. Greene already got the color coming back to your face."

"I know baby girl," he gave her a weak smile, "But I am old and tired. There is no place in a world full of death for an already old and tired man."

She was shaking her head now, "Daddy I just found you again, you can't leave me."

He reached up an exhausted hand and took hers into his, "If I survive I survive, but I am not going to try and fight whatever God has planned." Emerson pressed his hand to her cheek, tears falling again. "Dry your tears child," he instructed, "Get some rest."

Emerson looked at her father, "I'm not leaving your side."

"You aren't sleeping in here with me. You will go to to your room and get some rest."

"Dadd-"

"Emerson please," his voice was suddenly strong and stern, and almost at once he lost the color in his face again, "Please do what I say."

She stared at him for a long time and then finally kissed him on the forehead and got to her feet. She pulled the cell door shut to try and give him some privacy, and she wandered off. Emerson looked up at Carol who was walking into the room, "Please if anything starts to happen, can you get me?"

Carol nodded, "I'm going to give him some medicine and sit in here a bit to keep an eye on him. Get some rest."

Emerson rubbed at her exhausted eyes and nodded, "Okay, thank you." She walked past Carol and headed to her room. She glanced at her appearance briefly and then began to change into her pajamas. She was just settling into her bed with a book in hand, when Rick appeared in the doorway holding a sleeping Judith.

"Hey," he greeted quietly.

"Oh hey," she replied in the same quiet voice, "What's up?"

Rick walked into the room and sat down on the chair, "I just wanted to come in and uh," he shrugged, "Apologize again."

"Don't apologize," Emerson forced a smile, "It's okay."

He shrugged, "How's your dad doing?"

She nodded her head, "I dunno Rick. He doesn't think he'll survive for very long."

"I think he'll pull through," Rick mumbled.

Emerson was quiet for a long time, her mind going over facts and memories. Thoughts about her father and Daryl threatened to overwhelm her. "You remember when we were kids and your dad was fighting with my dad?"

Rick raised an eyebrow, "Which one?"

She smirked, "Sorry I should specify. The one where your dad flat out refused to drive to Savannah."

"Ah yes, that one," Rick nodded his head, "What about it?"

"Remember how I cried and cried? We hadn't seen each other in six months because y'all missed my birthday that year. I was in my dramatic phase too," Emerson smiled at the memory, "So I collapsed under the Christmas tree and I sobbed for hours."

"Yeah I remember, because my dad got mad at your dad for trying to guilt trip him into coming by making him listen to your crying," Rick shook his head.

"Well I was just thinking," Emerson shrugged, "I miss when we cried over silly and petty things like that."

Rick nodded, "Yeah I know what you mean. Like when the only stress I had was worrying over what to get at the grocery store when Lori sent me out."

"I don't know how I'll cope if I lose daddy all over again," Emerson sighed and her eyes fell onto the horse book, "I just wish we could go back. Maybe we would take better care with the time we have."

"I'd tell Lori that I love her more often," Rick mumbled, staring down at his daughter.

"I would," Emerson shrugged, "Be a better daughter."

Rick looked up at his cousin, "You've always been a good daughter."

"I know but," She sighed, "I remember one time I lied to my daddy about how I had tried alcohol on my twenty-first birthday. So never mind the fact that I had tried alcohol in his house without his permission, but I lied about it too. In retrospect, it was such a tiny and miniscule detail in life, but I hated myself for weeks after the fact."

"Well you were twenty-one," Rick shrugged, "You had the right."

"I know but," Emerson looked up at him, "That was always the difference between us. I was the daughter of a southern Baptist preacher, and your daddy never really shielded you. You lived your life and for awhile there you got to do what you had always dreamed of. I never made it to my dream job. I was close to becoming a full blown show woman. Isaiah had won many awards already," She shrugged, "And then this happened."

"I was still in my coma when all this started," Rick told her.

"We came to see you just a week before the outbreak hit Atlanta. At that time there was still only weird reports from small countries," Emerson thought back to that day, "Shane greeted us at the hospital. Daddy and I prayed by your bedside and I sat with you for awhile. I was knitting there until Carl got out of school and then I took Carl for ice cream. I was dating a guy named Brad at the time," she looked down at her hands, "And we had a date for the day we wound up coming to see you and he broke up with me, because I went to visit you again instead of going out," she shook her head, "I sure knew how to pick them."

"I never liked that guy anyway," Rick laughed.

"You never liked any of my boyfriends," she pointed out.

"You know I like Daryl, he's my best friend but," Rick spoke slowly, "I don't want anything about the two of you together being a thing."

Emerson snorted, "Yeah well don't worry about that. I'm not remotely interested in him."

"Alright," Rick studied her face closely but then he spoke, "Glad to hear it." He got to his feet, "I'm gonna go put her in her crib and try to get some sleep, okay?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm exhausted."

Rick leaned over and kissed his cousin on the forehead, "Good night."

"Night Rick." Emerson watched Rick leave the room and then settled into the bed, her hands reaching for the lamp to dim the light and put the wick out. Her mind raced back to the thought of Daryl's broken expression when she had rejected him earlier. A part of her knew that she had lied when she told Rick that she wasn't interested. The idea of being with him was highly appealing, but they didn't share the same values or ideas, and even in a world of the dead walking, it was something Emerson thought she desired. Her eyes closed and Emerson fell asleep, and when she slipped into her dreams, Emerson couldn't help the thoughts that cropped up about Daryl holding her.

–

A/N- Short but sweet and I like this chapter a lot better. I'm going to bed. Review? Also, is anyone really good at photo editing and graphics? There will be a reward for you if you can do something for me.