It took six weeks for Chloe's hand to heal; only the scars from the cauterization remained. She had Glenn examine it after breakfast; he informed her that the bones had healed, but to avoid using the hand a while longer. He checked the reflexes in the fingers, then asked Chloe if she felt any pain; Chloe said she didn't, but she felt a stinging numbness, which Glenn told her was probably from the damaged nerves, and it could possibly be permanent because of how severe the injury was. It was a miracle that she didn't lose anything when she pulled her hand away from that door.

Later that afternoon, after everyone had just finished lunch, Chloe said something no one would have expected to hear.

"I'm going back to Woodbury."

Everyone stopped what they were doing; Carol dropped the spoon she was washing, Daryl looked at her like she had just said a bad word; Carl looked like he had just been asked to answer the hardest math problem, and the rest were trying to take in what they just heard.

"Did you just say you're going back to Woodbury?" Andrea asked.

"Yes," Chloe answered.

""Why do you want to go back?" Milton asked

"To check on everyone." Chloe replied. "It's only a twenty minute drive. I'll only stay maybe a few hours."

Milton had never let his daughter go out alone since the apocalypse began; but she wasn't a child anymore, and it was time he let her go out and do things on her own. Chloe obviously wanted to go alone; she looked like she might beat up the first person who offered to join her.

"Okay, but you are to only go there, then come back." Milton ordered. "And if you run into any problems, you come right back; no excuses."

"I will, Dad." Chloe promised.

"Keep your gun loaded at all times, avoid all strangers." Milton went on.

"Dad-" Chloe started.

"Wear your seatbelt while driving, and ke-"

"Dad!" Chloe shouted, before lowering her voice. "I'll be fine, I promise."

"All right." Milton said, hugging his daughter. "You maybe an adult now, but you're always going to be my little girl."

Milton let Chloe go; she gave him a brief smile before walking to the door. Andrea told Chloe that she could borrow her car and gave her the keys; Chloe thanked her, then walked out the door without another word. She got into the car, started it, and waited for it to warm up; once it was warmed up, she put it into gear and drove away from the house. The nice thing about being in the middle of the apocalypse was that there wasn't anyone on the road, and traffic jams were now a thing of the past. Chloe often wondered how long it would be before the gas supply ran out. Once it was gone, that would be it; then every vehicle would become permanently abandoned.

Chloe forced herself out of her thoughts as soon as she saw the wall, now located just outside a park. She stopped the car once she was close; the guards had their rifles pointed towards her. Chloe slowly opened the door and stepped out of the car.

"Well, I'll be damned." Martinez said astonishingly. "Open the gates!"

Chloe got back in the car, and waited for the gates to be opened before driving into the town. She turned the car off, and pulled the keys out of the ignition. When she stepped out, Martinez gave her a brief hug before asking how she had been.

"Surviving." Chloe replied. "Has everything been good here?"

"This town is safer than it was before." Martinez revealed. "Is everyone alright? We saw the smoke and-"

"Just one casualty." Chloe said, then she held up her hand. "And an injury."

"That must of hurt!" Martinez exclaimed.

"It did." Chloe implied.

"Who was it?" Martinez asked.

"Hershel." Chloe whispered, trying not to let her voice break.

"So, your father is okay?" Martinez asked. "Andrea, too?"

"They're fine." Chloe assured him.

Chloe and Martinez caught up while walking through the town. Martinez informed Chloe that he, and a few others drove out to the prison upon seeing the smoke to see if anyone needed help; he had feared that everyone perished in the fire, but once he saw the vehicles were gone, he was relieved. Almost the entire prison was now in ruins. Chloe told him that they had been ambushed and about the injury she received.

"It's a good thing you all got out when you did." he said, with relief. "Have you found another place yet?"

"Yeah, we're out at Lake Horton; my grandparent's vacation home." Chloe explained. "We've been there six weeks now."

Martinez and Chloe walked into the town hall, where some of the residents had been gathered for a town meeting.

"Everyone, we've got a visitor." Martinez announced.

Everyone turned around to see Chloe standing next to him. There was a lot of catching up, and many stories; and a lot of hugging. If it wasn't for Chloe, the town would now be abandoned and most of them would already be dead. There wasn't a leader anymore, but everyone took turns making sure everyday jobs got done. Sasha informed Chloe that the walls were heavily guarded day and night, with five soldiers at each wall, and that there were four guard towers.

"The town maybe thriving, but security is much stronger." Tyreese chuckled

"It has to be." Allen reminded him. "It's a different world out there. Better safe than sorry."

"Not a single walker has entered Woodbury." Sasha spoke with confidence.

"I don't see how they can." Chloe pointed out. "Not even a fly could get through those walls."

Everyone laughed; Chloe continued on talking, before deciding to leave, and walking to the lab where her father spent endless hours working, hoping to reverse the infection, and even retain some memory once someone reanimated. Chloe put a stop to that when she destroyed his lab; Milton was forced to give up on his research. Chloe spent fifteen minutes in the lab before walking outside where she was stopped by Karen.

"How about something to eat before you leave? I'm not taking no for an answer."

"That all depends on what you made." Chloe replied.

"Just some spaghetti." Karen grinned with a small shrug.

"That sounds good." Chloe said, following Karen to her apartment, where Noah was eating his dinner.

"Have a seat, I'll bring you a plate." Karen said, before walking into the kitchen.

Chloe took a seat; Noah put his fork down and smiled at her.

"I heard you had come back."

"Just checking on everyone." Chloe said. "I'll be leaving as soon as I finished eating."

"So, you're not staying?" Noah asked.

"My father would send a search party out for me in a millisecond." Chloe laughed.

Karen walked back out with a plate of spaghetti and a glass of lemonade, and gave them to Chloe, who thanked her. Karen sat down next to her son, and said that he was going to wait a few more years before he became a soldier. Chloe said that Rick's group had been talking about clearing the rest of the prison just a few weeks before they were forced to leave. Chloe silently finished her meal; Karen took the plate and glass into the kitchen; Chloe thanked her again before leaving.

Chloe walked back to the gate, where Allen had just finished putting gas in her car. Martinez told Chloe she could visit anytime she wanted.

"I'm not coming back." Chloe spoke softly. "I just came to say goodbye."

"I understand." Martinez smiled. "Tyreese and Allen are getting the gates opened."

Chloe got into the car and started it; Martinez told her to stay safe and take care of herself before she left. Chloe took the same route back to the lake; it was late and she wanted to get home before dark.

The group had been sitting and waiting; the sound of a car told them that Chloe had returned. Milton rushed outside; just as Chloe stepped out of the car.

"Did it go all right?" he asked.

"Better than I thought." Chloe announced optimistically. "Let's get inside, it's cold."

Chloe and Milton walked back in the house. Chloe gave the keys back to Andrea, and thanked her. Carol asked if she was hungry, but Chloe said that she already ate. Everyone asked questions, and Chloe answered the ones she could. This lasted half the evening before Rick put an end to it.

"Enough!" he demanded. "No more questions." he turned to Chloe. "You get to bed; you must be tired."

"Thank you." Chloe said, getting up.

As she was walking upstairs, she heard Daryl make a comment.

"Chloe's sure got a strong spirit."

Chloe smiled before she walked into her room; she changed her clothes before getting into bed. She listened to the wind outside, and heard laughter coming from downstairs, listening to the conversation that was being carried on. She was half way asleep when the door opened.

"Dad, what'd I tell you about coming in here when I'm trying to fall asleep?" Chloe asked in a tired and annoyed voice.

"Just want to check on you before going to bed." Milton said, stepping closer. "I just want to make sure you're all right."

"I'm fine, Dad." Chloe muttered. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I am." Milton whispered.

"I love you." Chloe mumbled.

"I love you more." Milton smiled.

"How dare you." Chloe said with a small laugh. "You always say that."

"Because it's true." Milton chuckled lightly. "I'll leave you alone now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Chloe yawned.

Milton left the room, and quietly closed the door. Chloe fell asleep. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she didn't have a care in the world.