KAIYA'S POV:

I was anxious all the next day, pacing and chewing my nails and most of all, avoiding Kevin. If he was really implying what I thought he might be, it was best not to give him anything to read too far into.

I spent most of the day helping Carol and Lori across the street with Carl and Sophia, helping them with English homework they had salvaged through everything. I was distracted and worried, though, and I think the kids noticed I wasn't my normal happy, upbeat, goofy self.

After I had explained to them just exactly what differentiated proper nouns from regular nouns, Sophia left the room to get a snack. We had been sitting in their living room floor, surrounding the coffee table as their mothers made use of the working washing machine in the other room.

Carl stood from his side of the table and approached me. He surprised me by throwing his arms around my neck and squeezing me tightly. "They'll be okay," he whispered.

I hugged him back, forcing the tears back. I couldn't let him see me coming so unglued; his father was out there with Daryl and Glenn, too, and if he thought I had a reason to be worried about them, he would lose hope.

I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him away from me, smiling up at him. His hair had grown so much longer since the start of everything.

I brushed the hair back from his forehead and sighed. "I know they will be."

He began to fidget. "Hey, Kaiya, do you think you could do me a favor?"

I nodded. "Sure thing, little man."

"When you all get back, do you think you could get Daryl to teach me how to shoot?"

I almost laughed. It was such a simple favor, something so mundane and easily-solved that I felt a bit of the tension leave the set of my shoulders. "Only if you make sure your parents won't kill me first," I held up a finger in warning. "But I'm sure Daryl wouldn't mind teaching you."

"I was going to ask my dad, but he's been so busy lately..."

I nodded in understanding.

Somehow I had been delegated to our new leader now that Rick was gone and I was a person of some import due to my immunity. I had more leverage than the rest of them, so at the very least I was our spokesperson. I now understood how nerve-wracking it could be, knowing that the lives of these people were in your hands.

It was probably selfish, but another reason I couldn't wait for our three men to get back was that I was ready to relinquish control back to Rick. I was only seventeen and somehow I was the one bartering with government officials for the lives and safety of a group of people who, a year ago, had been strangers.

"Let's get back to it," I said, shoving aside thoughts of responsibility and duty and trying to get back into the groove of what these kids expected of me.

KEVIN'S POV:

I saw Kaiya, suited up in jeans and a black jacket, tucking guns into her waistband and checking ammunition. She looked like the teenage warrior I had heard stories of.

She's going after the man she loves, I had to remind myself. She was beautiful, she was smart, she was capable... And she was pregnant with another man's child. A man who was still alive and out there. A man she was determined to save. Besides, I barely knew her.

"Heading out?" I asked, approaching.

She lowered her hands from the handle of the pistol sticking out of her belt loop and looked up at me, eyes devoid of emotion. "Yeah, Hamilton came by a minute ago. He said we're leaving in just a few minutes."

"Care if I walk you to the gates?"

She sighed, but nodded. "Yeah, sure. Thanks."

When she was all ready to leave, Maggie came down and hugged her. "Please bring them back."

Kaiya nodded and squeezed her tight.

Then we exited the house and headed in the direction of the entry and exit point we had gone through to get here.

"I still don't understand how you managed to talk that guy into letting you leave," I murmured, shaking my head.

She shrugged. "I'd like to think it was my master negotiating skills, but in reality, it's probably just because I watch too many cheesy courtroom dramas."

I chuckled, but when I saw that her face held no humor, it died away awkwardly.

We were mostly silent as we walked the rest of the way, but I felt as if there was something I had to say to her. The words weren't there, though.

Finally, when we had been walking for about ten minutes, I spoke. "Do you think they're still there?"

She snorted. "I know they're not. If not Daryl, Rick would suggest leaving. They're smart enough to figure out that if we're all gone, something happened and they think that means they need to leave. But if I can just get out there, maybe I can find out where they went." She never met my eyes as she spoke.

"You know them pretty well, huh?" I murmured.

She nodded. "I've known Glenn my whole life. We grew up together. I only met Daryl and Rick at the start of all of this, but I still know them both like the back of my hand. I guess this whole apocalypse thing was a bonding experience."

I lowered my voice as we came in sight of the gates. "Do they know you're pregnant?"

She knew I wasn't talking about Daryl, Glenn, and Rick anymore.

She shook her head and hissed, "No, and I'd appreciate it if they didn't find out. Not yet. They wouldn't let a pregnant teenager out there if there was any possible way to prevent it. Sure I could try and fight my way out of here, but I'm sure they'd be able to stop me with all these guys around." She nodded to the men in uniforms guarding the gates.

I glanced over at her hardened expression, surprised that she would think to resort to "fighting her way out" for Daryl. She really loved him, then. It made me kind of hurt to realize it, but I knew there was nothing I could do to stop her. I was worried about her. Sure I had heard about how well she could defend herself, and if she had made it this far, she would probably be okay, right?

But I couldn't help it. There was still a very strong possibility that this would be the last time I saw her.

So when we reached the gates and she was about to walk through without me, I grabbed her and spun her so she faced me, then squeezed her to my body in a hug. I closed my eyes and tried to commit to memory the way she felt in my arms. What surprised me most was that she hugged me back, albeit hesitantly.

When she pulled away, she grinned crookedly up at me. "See you, Kev." She looked every bit a care-free teenage girl. But that changed when she turned to leave Base Z.


I have a feeling you guys are not going to be happy about that hug :P But don't worry! Kaiya isn't thinking about Kevin like that at all, and I can promise you she won't. Like ever. So thanks for reading :D Leave me a review!