Chapter 11

I stood in complete shock as the small blonde woman yelled in my face and Ethan flung himself into her arms. I thought she had looked familiar, this was Lydias sister. I was unable to speak and kept a tight grip on Spencer. This woman was filthy, she smelled like someone had rolled her in garbage. Ethan didn't seem to mind as he burrowed into her, which was not an easy feat considering he was almost a head taller than her. The woman stopped yelling at me to hug Ethan and ask him where Lydia, Sienna and Grant were. Ethan began to tell the story but dissolved into tears. The woman glared at me, obviously expecting me to fill her in.

"We were sitting next to each other on the plane, your sister and I, we were together when we were attacked by a herd of Walkers, Sienna ran away and Lydia passed me Spencer before she went after her. They didn't make it, Grant ran too but I didn't see where he went. Ethan and Spencer have been with us since then." I explained as calmly as I could.

"And how long is that?" she snapped in the same accent that her sister had.

" A month and a half, give or take a few days." Max answered, he had come back not long after the city group had, apparently Daryl felt he could hunt better on his own and sent Max packing, Max assured me that Daryl would be back by tomorrow.

"Who are you?" the woman gave him an icy stare.

"I'm Max, this is Zara my twin sister and my niece Camille." he said pointing to us in turn. The woman made a hmm noise and looked around the group again. She was reacting rather calmly to the news her sister and niece were dead and that her brother in law probably was too. Ethan was still sobbing on his aunts shoulder and I held out Spencer towards her.

"Here." I said and Spencer began to cry.

"No, no I don't do babies." she said shaking her head and shrinking back slightly, I swear my mouth must have dropped open because I could have sworn she looked embarrassed.

"It's Melinda right?" I asked cuddling Spencer to me and soothing him. She nodded looking slightly confused, "Your sister showed me a picture of you on the plane, she said she was very proud of you." I explained and I saw a tear roll down her face. She viciously wiped it away but remained stony faced.

"How have you lot survived up here so long?" she asked.

"Well we pulled together, each person has their own skills, we all pitch in." I shrugged unsure exactly what she meant. She raised an eyebrow at me.

"What do you do for food? Water?" she questioned, clearly not satisfied with my non committal answer.

"We have some members who hunt, others fish, forage, some go on runs to the city and we have a water catchment and filtration system in place. We also have several snares around the perimeter." I said proudly, I could tell she was impressed.

"Not bad." she said looking around at our set up. Ethans tears had began to subside and he let go of his aunt.

"Zara has been taking real good care of us Aunty Mel, she's a teacher and her boyfriend has taught me to load a crossbow." he told her wiping his face. I was stopped in my tracks for a moment at Ethans casual use of the word boyfriend, I mean I knew there were bigger things to worry about at the time but I wondered if everyone else felt that was what we were, I wondered if Daryl thought that.

"A crossbow huh?" Melinda said to Ethan, "well we can't have that! You are going to have to learn to use a compound bow like your aunty, none of this crossbow crap." she laughed and Ethan grinned.

"So do you have a tent?" Max asked her and she nodded.

"Oh Aunty Mel, can I sleep there with you?" Ethan asked.

"Sure Eth," she smiled at him before looking at me, "oh, I mean as long as,Zara was it?" she asked and I nodded, "as long as Zara doesn't mind."

"Of course not, go ahead Ethan, did you want to take Spencer?" I asked him and Ethan shook his head.

"Aunty Mel doesn't like when babies cry." he said matter of factly. I raised an eyebrow and she shrugged back.

"Kid knows what he's saying, you can keep him." she said.

Around me I could hear everyone talking about what had happened in the city, how the new guy rode into town on a horse and then was cornered in a tank, then chained Merle to the roof and got them all out. I was dreading Daryl coming back, he would lose it when he found out that this guy had basically signed his brothers death warrant.

"So? Want to help me set up tent Ethan?" Melinda asked, snapping me out of my own thoughts. Ethan nodded and bounded over to a spot next to our tent.

"Come on Aunty Mel, right here!" he called to her. She looked at him and grinned then turned back to me, extending her hand.

"I'm Melinda, Melinda Hale, but call me Mel, I feel like too much of a girl when people use my full name." she groaned before walking over and beginning the set up with Ethan. I looked at Max and by the expression on his face I could tell we were thinking the same thing. This whole situation was weird. I really didn't know how to feel, I was happy for Ethan that he had his aunt but her reaction to Spencer had floored me, I remembered Lydia saying that Melinda had been doing some sort of training or something for the last however long and hadn't actually met Spencer, but to me family was family. I looked at the blonde, green eyed baby in my arms and had a sudden realisation. Whereas Ethan looked more like their father, Spencer was the spitting image of Sienna and Lydia. I cursed myself in my head for acting harshly, of course she had been stand offish, you get told your sister and niece are dead and then someone shoves a living breathing reminder of them into your face. Anyone would react the way she had. I knew it would take time but I was sure once it had sunk in Melinda would come around. I looked around the camp to see the new guy settling in with Carl and Lori and everyone else getting things ready for dinner. Spencer began to grizzle, he was hungry and in need of a nap. I walked to the kitchen area and began making up a bottle of formula with Spencer still on my hip. I felt eyes on me so I turned around. Melinda was staring at me from across the fire, her brow furrowed slightly. I wasn't sure how to react so I just gave a small smile and went back to the job at hand. I sat down with Spencer beside the fire and fed him, I made myself not look up to where Mel had almost finished setting up. When Spencer was full, I took him over to our tent, changed him and rocked him for a while. His eyes started to droop and I laid him down on my sleeping bag in the little pillowed area I had created as his cot.

"Ethan?" I said as I climbed out of the tent, "did you want to go read in there while your brother has his nap so I can help with dinner?" I asked him and Ethan popped out of the newly erected tent beside ours.

"Sure Zara, I'm nearly finished the Hobbit, so can I read Fellowship of the Ring next?" he asked and I nodded, he grinned happily and quietly entered the tent with his sleeping brother.

"You got that kid reading the Hobbit?" Melinda asked incredulously.

"Yeah I told him it was my favourite at his age, he wanted to help me with something so I told him he could watch his brother while he napped when I was busy, and the reading was something to do."

" I just can't believe it, I mean Lydia was telling me over the phone for months how he was having trouble at school and wouldn't do the assigned reading." she shook her head.

"Well I was doing a bachelors degree in education before this all happened, so I show him things and he helps me teach the younger ones, he is incredibly bright." I said smiling at her facial expression.

"So you aren't from here either," she said walking with me past the fire, "Australian?" she asked.

"Wow good pick!" I nodded and she looked rather pleased with herself.

"I have a great ear for accents." she almost boasted.

"I suppose you would travel a lot with your job."

"Yeah, tons," she answered. Then she stopped suddenly, grabbed my arm and looked me dead in the eyes intensely.

"Thank you," she said quietly and she laughed slightly seeing the shock on my face, "I mean it, thank you for looking after them, not many people out there would have, especially when they have their own child to take care of," she looked over at Camille who was playing with Barbie dolls with Sophia, " I don't know what I can do to fully express how much it means to me to see the boys safe." she said her eyes welling up. On impulse I leaned forward and hugged her, she stiffened up at first but relaxed slightly after a second or two.

"Those boys mean so much to me Melinda, in circumstances like these you form bonds quickly and I have to say I love them, my brother loves them and my daughter loves them. You don't need to thank me for taking care of them, they are family now." I said as I pulled away. Melinda looked surprised at my words and she wiped her eyes hurriedly.

"Call me Mel." she said with a shaky smile. I laughed.

"You know what Mel, I think I am going to like you." I said.