I stopped my horse when I couldn't hear the footsteps anymore. I dropped down, gripping Daryl's crossbow with both hands. I didn't want to risk revealing my presence to walkers, but I couldn't walk around here forever. I inhaled deeply, considering my options. I came up with only one and it wasn't one of my best.
"Sophia!" I shouted and my voice dangerously echoed in the forest. I halted as something moved further behind the trees. I braced myself for encounter with a walker.
And I was right, a dead man came creeping from the shadows. I sighed, half with relief and half with disappointment. One good aim and the arrow struck his head.
I checked the forest for more of them, but I saw nothing. And then, right at the moment when I wanted to turn around and walk away, I heard other footsteps on the right side.
I turned my head that way, crossbow aiming at anything that would try to jump me. But the figure that walked towards me was too small for an adult and walked too flawless to be a walker.
My heart started beating faster and for unknown reason my body started shaking. I lowered the crossbow, not wanting to scare her.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at me in surprise and relief. Without a word I ran towards her, dropping the crossbow halfway and wrapping my arms around her. She wrapped hers around my neck as I lifted her off the ground.
I finally had Sophia in my arms, she was safe and she was alright, at least I hoped. I checked her briefly for any signs of bites, but I couldn't find anything except minor bruises. She looked pale and she probably didn't eat much during these days, let alone drink without being scared of the infection.
She wouldn't let me go even after I seated her onto the saddle. When I was finally seated as well and I was sure that she wouldn't fall off, I rushed the horse through the forest, leading him by instinct alone.
Sophia was quietly sobbing the whole way. She was still in shock and asking her questions wouldn't probably give me many answers.
The road back was long, I even wondered how could I get this far. When I finally noticed the farm in the distance, my muscles were sore and my eyelids were heavy. But I didn't let it show on me, since I was well aware of Sophia's condition right now.
First person to meet us was surprisingly Daryl. I pushed the thought that he was waiting for me all this time aside. At first he didn't seem to notice Sophia in my arms, or maybe he thought it was something else, no wonder since she was curled into a small ball.
But once he noticed his face lit up with, what? Happiness? Maybe, but since I haven't seen his happy I couldn't tell. Daryl immediately grabbed bottle of water from the camp and hurried towards us. No one else was around, but it didn't surprise me. Shane was probably teaching them to shoot.
I slid Sophia from my arms into Daryl's. She didn't seem to notice the difference. At first she refused to drink the water, probably still thinking it could be infected, but when we reassured her it was clean, she drank it whole.
That was when the rest of the group came back. Carol was the first one to notice and she rushed to us, tears were already filling her eyes. Sophia was back on her feet as well and it seemed as all her exhaustion washed away at the sight of her mother.
I watched them embrace each other, both crying their hearts out. I smiled unconsciously as the rest surrounded them, clapping their hands and calling Sophia's name.
I rubbed my face with both hands, forcing back my own tears. I wasn't crying because Sophia was finally back, I wasn't crying because of the scene that was playing in front of my eyes, the reason for my tears was somewhere else. I was finally able to do something right, correct my own mistakes.
Without a word I handed Daryl his crossbow. I nodded in silent 'thank you' and turned to the horse. I patted his back, he must've been thirsty. But before I could take care of him, I was stopped when Daryl grabbed my arm and pulled me forward.
"Carol." was all he said and only then I noticed Sopia's mother walking towards me, with Sophia by her side. Before I could protest, they both hugged me at the same time, making me uneasy. I hesitated, but then I placed one hand on Carol's back and the other on Sophia's head.
"Thank you for saving her, thank you." sobbed Carol, hugging me tightly.
Later that day, I was sitting in the forest. I didn't know why I keep returning there, but it became something like a memorial of some sort for me. And I thought that nobody would come looking for me here, but there was one person who'd probably find me anywhere, even if it wasn't his intention.
I let out a heavy sigh when I felt his hand on my shoulder. It's not that I wasn't happy to see him, but I knew I had to make a decision. And as much as I hated leaving Daryl behind of all people, I knew I couldn't force him to go with me.
"It's good to see her back." he was referring to Sophia. I nodded firmly, averting his eyes at all costs.
"Yeah, it is. What are you going to do now?" I had to ask him.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Hell if I know."
"Don't you want to look for your brother?"
I've finally met his distant eyes. I saw the same uncertainty in them as in mine, which I wasn't sure was a good thing. He turned his head around, watching the farm behind us.
"You know I'm not gonna stop you." he hide his emotions behind the same stoned expression as always.
"That's the bloody problem, Daryl." I knew my words didn't give sense. Thoughts in my head whirled around so fast, I couldn't grasp any of them and make a good reason to leave. Was there a reason for me to leave? But seeing more people get hurt or die, that was the most frightening part.
"If you're so worried about them, wouldn't you want to protect them?" his words surprised me. But there was something about them, that made me hesitate.
Why have you enlisted if you can't bare the sight of people dying around you? I remembered the words of my brother. It was around the time of our first mission together. A marine died on that day, I almost jeopardized the mission with my emotional breakdown. I thought he was gonna make me quit, but he gave a second chance. So I trained, not only physically, but mentally as well. I braced myself every time I saw someone get wounded, pushing all the emotions away, locking into an invisible box in my mind. It helped, until I lost almost everyone I cared about in one single hour.
And now I was back at the training grounds, but the person standing in front of me wasn't my brother. The look in his eyes was the same though, that icy look that didn't show how much he cared.
I pictured the open box again, shoving all my burden inside, locking it two times, just to be sure. I needed to become the cold blooded bastard again, with my heart open to only one person. And I needed to stop over thinking every little thing. Maybe everything was meant to happen for a reason.
He must've noticed my resolve showing on my face, because he let out a smirk. I grabbed his reached out hand and he pulled me up.
"It's time to get serious." I growled, not letting go of his hand. I brushed my lips against his in a light kiss, then walked back to the farm with him by my side.
At least we were all together again and for now, we were all safe. But at that time, I was still unaware of the danger that almost breathed on our skin.