Chapter 10

Of the many perks of staying in a big, old farmhouse, the big, spacious rooms were some of the necessary and appreciated. Sophia shared Beth's room. She slept on a daybed next to a beautiful picture window. Maggie and Glenn shared, and while Carol wasn't entirely keen on the idea, Maggie was a grown woman, and she wasn't her mother. Tyreese took Hershel's old room, and while it was the biggest and it would have been more suitable for a married couple, Carol couldn't bring herself to take his room, to sleep in the place she'd last seen him fighting to survive. So, she and Daryl had taken the spare bedroom. It was smaller but had a big enough bed, and it was a comfort at night. One window peered out toward the woods, giving them a direct view of the footpath that led to the creek. Another window looked out over the front of the house, making it easy to spot anybody coming up the lane.

Every day, Maggie and Beth would go out and tend the garden, and Sophia would help. Meanwhile, Glenn and Tyreese would go around checking the perimeter to ensure the livestock weren't leaving the property. Carol had been spending her time the last couple of days sorting and stocking what they'd gotten from the stores and the clinic in town, and Sophia had been helping her with that. Daryl hadn't ventured too far from the house aside from the run into town, but now that he was starting to feel better, he was ready to get out and start scavenging.

Since the run two days ago, he was itching to get out and find more, though Carol wasn't eager for him to go out on his own, because the last thing she wanted was to be separated from him again.

So when she found him stringing his old cross bow and sitting on the tailgate of Hershel's old truck, a newfound fear crept up on her, making that knot in her stomach tighten a little.

"You planning on going somewhere?" she asked.

"Thought I might take Glenn and explore one of the towns down the highway." Carol looked up at the sky.

"It might rain."

"Rained the other day, and we made it back fine." Carol sat down next to him, and Daryl eyed her. "You ok?"

"Yeah. How are you feeling?"

"Better. Pain's bearable."

"Good. I wish you wouldn't go so soon."

"We still need a lot. Don't wanna have to start slaughterin' the livestock. We might need them to get us through the winter." It felt strange, hearing him talk about the future, as bleak as it was. It was hard to believe that a few weeks ago, their biggest worries were making sure Sophia got her homework done and that the mortgage was paid. Now, they had to worry about finding food, finding medical supplies and each day they were leaning more toward finding a sporting goods store for ammo and weapons just in case those that survived the virus and the savage realities that came after might come to take what they had or worse. It felt like a nightmare.

"Let me come with you."

"I don't want you gettin' hurt."

"I did just fine the other day."

"Yeah, but we were lucky. Didn't run into nobody."

"I can take care of myself," Carol insisted.

"I ain't sayin' you can't."

"Well, good. I'm going, and that's that." Daryl eyed her for a moment. "And don't you dare use the baby as an excuse. I'm pregnant, not sick or injured. I don't want to be treated like an invalid." Daryl opened his mouth and then promptly closed it. "Now that that's settled, I'll get my gun." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before heading back toward the house. Daryl shook his head, unable to argue with his wife's determination.

"You going out again?" Daryl turned to see Tyreese coming up toward the truck.

"Yeah. We're gonna head out and see what we can find. You wanna come along?"

"Actually, I came to tell you that I'm leaving for a while."

"What?"

"Look, I don't expect you to understand. My sister's husband was like my brother. Abe was my partner in crime, I guess you could say. We go way back. I know it's a long shot. He might be dead. He might be gone. But I've got to see for myself."

"You ain't thinkin' of goin' into Atlanta?"

"They lived just outside of the city. It might still be ok."

"What are the chances he's gonna be there, Ty?"

"Not good," Tyreese admitted. "But I have to see for myself. He's my family, Daryl. I helped your family get back together. Now I need to go see if I can find what's left of mine."

"You takin' supplies?"

"Just what I need for a few days. I'll find more while I'm gone. I'll bring them back." He looked to Daryl, holding his hand out. "I'm coming back." Daryl reached out to shake Tyreese's hand.

"You got ammo?"

"A box in the car," Tyreese offered. "Half a dozen bottles of water, some food. Not much. I didn't want to take more than half my share."

"Alright. You take the cruiser, leave us the walkie."

"Will do," Tyreese promised.

"I owe you for savin' my life. I should come."

"You owe your wife. She wasn't gonna stop 'til she got to you. This is my call. My trip. I don't want to put anybody at risk. This isn't a run."

"It's a rescue mission," Daryl pointed out. "You had my back out there in that riot. If you hadn't been there, I might be dead now. I ain't gonna forget that."

"You and Carol let me stay, share in the supplies. I got a roof over my head and food in my stomach. I'd say that makes us even." The men shook hands again, and Tyreese glanced toward the house. In the last couple of weeks, he'd come to think of this group as family. Now he had to leave for a while, but if luck was on his side, he'd be coming back soon.

...

"So, he just left?" Carol asked, glancing down at the map in her lap as Daryl drove Hershel's truck down the old, dirt road.

"He didn't wanna make a scene," Daryl muttered, turning onto a slightly better road.

"So he just takes off like that? I mean, he could get hurt out there. Hurt again."

"Tyreese is tough. He'll be alright. Hell, he helped carry me outta that hospital, bad arm and all."

"We should have gone with him. One of us at least. We owe him that much. He helped me find you."

"He wanted it this way. I offered to go." Carol glanced at him. "Not that I wanted to leave you and Soph, but I had to offer."

"Turn here," Carol instructed, as they pulled onto a highway. Cars lined the sides of the roads, making driving possible but precarious. Carol flinched as Daryl narrowly avoided sideswiping an old Buick. "This one runs right through the center of town. We should be able to find something." She folded the map back up and tucked up between the roof of the car and the sun visor.

She closed her eyes and put her hand over her stomach, feeling a little queasy from the motion of the truck.

"You ok?" Daryl asked, bringing his hand over hers. She smiled when she felt the cool band of his wedding ring against her skin.

"Yeah. Just a little queasy. It's nothing."

"'Cause of the baby?"

"Yeah." She smiled a little and then chuckled. "Remember when I was pregnancy with Sophia? What I always wanted when I got hungry and felt sick?" Daryl thought for a moment, and slowly, a smile spread over his face and a laugh fell from his lips.

"I remember I couldn't be in the same room when ya ate it."

"It wasn't that bad."

"Pickles and ice cream."

"It wasn't bad!" she insisted. "I actually liked it."

"Pickles I get. Ice cream I get. Not together."

"Well, I'm not craving it now," she snorted.

"What're you cravin'?"

"Nothing." He knew that tone of voice.

"C'mon. Tell me."

"It doesn't matter. We probably won't find any. The stores are probably looted."

"Just tell me. I'll get it. Whatever you want."

"Don't keep promises you can't keep, Daryl."

"Just tell me, woman."

"Oh, going caveman now?" she laughed. Finally, she gave in. "Graham crackers with peanut butter and honey."

"That's it?"

"That's it. But come on. You have to admit the last grocery store was pretty wiped out. You really think you can find all three of those?"

"Just watch me," he replied with a smirk, as the first signs of a town came into view.

"Oh, okay, you're gonna be cocky now?"

"I'm gonna get you that stuff, and you're gonna have your snack."

"Alright. The baby's gonna be disappointed if you don't, Mr. Confident."

"You're usin' the baby already? That's a new low," he teased.

"You're the one using the baby as an excuse for me not to come out here." Well, she had him there.

"Alright. Just tryin' to keep my wife and kid safe, but…"

"Oh, pouty," she groaned, rolling her eyes before leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. "I love you."

"Love you more," he muttered, peeking at her out of the corner of his eyes before quickly turning his head and catching her with a quick kiss on the lips. She laughed then, and for a moment, it felt like the way things used to be before everything went to shit. But then, the burnt out homes came into sight and the glass on the sidewalks from the busted out storefronts glistened in the sunlight, and reality settled back in. "I just worry 'bout ya."

"I know. But you don't have to. I…"

"You can take care of yourself. I know. Still don't mean I won't worry, and I can't promise I won't ask ya to stay behind again. I just want ya safe."

"I know. Thank you," she whispered, taking his hand in hers and leaning her head against his shoulder. They continued on in a focused silence, scouting out the town to see what could be salvaged. First on the stop? A big box retail store with a grocery department. Jackpot.