Author's Note: So yeah, I divided the last chapter in two parts, which is why I'm adding the 'what happened before' bit now. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and that you'll enjoy this one! Please let me know what you think and review! Thanks to everyone who reviewed before!
Ok so I'm gonna be very mean right now. I told you I'd give you the kiss before chapter 31, and I have to delay it one more chapter (so it'll be in chapter 32) :( I am really sorry but that was the best way it fit into the story 'cause I just suddenly got a whole new idea and... I'M JUST REALLY SORRY. Please stick with me because it is coming, I promise!
What happened before:
"First I want you to tell me where Kirra is." She hissed.
The guy laughed and shook his head, "You're not the one in charge here, dear." He said. Then his face changed into a scowl. "Now I told you to walk, so-"
He was interrupted by Kaitlinn, who was angrier by the second. "I don't fucking care who's in charge. I just want to know where she is!"
The man narrowed his eyes, obviously not liking to be interrupted. I took a step closer to Kaitlinn, ready to stop the guy from doing anything to her if necessary. He didn't seem to notice though, stepping closer and grabbing ahold of her upper arm. "You listen to me you little-"
He started, right as I was about to pull him off of her. She acted first though, again interrupting him, only this time not with words. She spat right in his face instead.
The guy stared at her for a second, the light from the barn and the house illuminating the spit dripping down his chin. She was a good aim, I noted, not being able to suppress the small smile on my lips. However when the guy narrowed his eyes at her, I knew she had done something she shouldn't have.
Chapter 29
My father used to do the same, right before he hit my mother. He'd squint his eyes and grind his teeth together, right before lashing out. I used to see this happen, as I hid away behind the staircase. Merle always sat next to me, an expression on his face I didn't quite understand at the time. A few years later though, I did, as he had the same expression on his face whenever he hit his girlfriends. I thought he enjoyed it at first, but soon I realized he didn't. He was disgusted with himself for doing it, like he had been disgusted with my father for doing it, but still that didn't stop him.
It had stopped me. I did it once, just once, and I never would again. I hit a girl because she said something about my brother that seriously pissed me off. Afterwards though I felt horrible, and I didn't even know the girl well. That's the reason I never would do it again, even if I had anger issues.
This guy resembled my father in a way, and I knew what he wanted to do. I wouldn't let him though, not like I had let my father.
As he prepared to lash out, I stepped in without even having to weigh my options. I grabbed his arm mid-air and pulled it down, being stronger than he was. My wound hurt, but I wasn't going to let this guy hit Kaitlinn. I wouldn't ever let anyone hit her again.
"Now that was a mistake." I hissed at him, clenching my fist and lashing out myself. There was brief contact between my fist and his jaw, but it was soon broken as he fell backwards. I was on top of him in seconds, grabbing the gun and throwing it aside so that he didn't have any weapons on him. I was pretty sure I broke his nose when I hit him again, the crack ringing in my ears, but I didn't care.
I kept hitting him, seeing his face swell up and feeling nothing other than satisfaction. This guy was my father and Shane at the same time. Both daring to hurt the people I loved. I hadn't been able to get to them, so instead I focused on this guy now.
I don't know exactly how long I sat on top of him, letting my anger get the best of me. I also wasn't sure what happened next. One moment my arm on its way to the guy's face once again, the other someone had wrapped his or her arms around my neck, pulling me back a bit and stopping me from hitting him again.
I was about to turn and get the person the hell off of me, when I recognized her scent, and her voice. "That's enough Daryl." Kaitlinn whispered in my ear.
I sat there for a second, breathing heavily and trying to grasp what had just happened. I looked down at the guy and saw his swollen face, blood everywhere. I didn't usually lose my self-control, nor was I calmed down this easily if I did. I guess Kaitlinn was an exception once again, like she always seemed to be.
She took me by the arm, avoiding my wound which was bleeding again. The piece she tore off her blouse was gone, I probably lost it somewhere while letting my anger get the best of me.
"Come on," She said softly as she helped me up on my feet. When I looked at her she shot me a tense looking smile. I first thought it was because of what I'd just done, but as she looked at the guy and didn't seem to feel anything, well I figured it wasn't that. I guessed that all she had on her mind right now was find Kirra.
She picked up the gun that had belonged to the guy and looked at me.
"Let's go find Kirra." She said determined. I saw the fear in her eyes though, and I saw it in the way she slightly trembled while holding the gun out for me to take.
I nodded, declining the gun and instead taking my crossbow from behind my back. She shot me a fleeting smile before checking the gun quickly and then, after sharing a glance with me, she started sneaking towards the house. I followed.
We had no idea what to except inside the house. There might be more people like that guy, or there could be no one. The only thing we did know for sure was that Kirra was around here somewhere, and we had to find her. Kaitlinn because she loved the little girl, and I because- Well I didn't want to think of Kate's horrified expression if we didn't find her.
General POV
It was dark out on the highway, the only light coming from inside the RV that still stood in the same place as before. Lori and Carol were sitting with Sophia and Carl, keeping them close. The fact that there was a little girl missing called on their maternal instincts and they didn't want to let the kids out of their sight.
Zayn and Nico were sitting together as well, not talking. They were separated from the rest a little, grieving in their own personal circle. They had no idea what to say to each other, or to the others. Their little sister was missing and the person that was almost like older sister as well. What the hell were they supposed to talk about? About how they were hoping that they would come back alive even though both of them knew the chances of them coming back was smaller than small, especially considering they still weren't here?
Zayn sighed, looking around the group. There was a sad atmosphere hanging over everyone. He knew some of them were already mourning the death of the three members, not expecting them to come back. He himself couldn't afford thinking like that though, they would come back. They had to. His sister couldn't die, she was too young for that and she hadn't done a single thing wrong in her life. She wasn't the one who was supposed to die!
Rick and Shane glanced at one another for the first time that evening. They nodded curtly and both sighed as they pushed themselves off the ground reluctantly.
"What are you doing?" Andrea asked them, immediately on high alert. The two had been sitting in front of the RV for quite a while now, so the fact they were getting up signaled that something was going to happen.
Rick took a deep breath, holding it in for a second before letting it go and rubbing his eyes in the process. "We can't wait any longer." He slowly said. "We have to leave." He didn't dare look at anyone, feeling guilty beyond words.
"We can't!" Carol was the first to protest. "Kate, Daryl and Kirra are still out there!"
"We don't even know if they're still alive." Shane countered, stepping forward and taking over from Rick, who couldn't even look Carol in the eye. "We can't wait for them when we're not even sure if they'll return."
Lori shot Shane a glare, thinking of Zayn and Nico, who could hear them. Then she directed her anger at her husband instead, wanting him to do something.
"They're looking for a little girl for god's sake!" She said. "They probably decided that they couldn't leave her out there by herself and kept on looking! We can't just leave!"
"What do you want us to do then, Lori?" Rick asked, louder than he normally talked. He was frustrated with the fact that his wife didn't seem to understand the situation. Of all people she should be behind his every statement, she wasn't though.
"We've waited for them up until now. We can't stay here and wait all night!"
"Why not?" Lori asked, not getting it.
"Because we still have a group left to protect!" Rick yelled. "There was a whole horde of walkers during the day, what do you suppose could happen at night?"
"Those walkers are gone!" Carol protested.
"But there could be new ones." Shane interrupted before Rick could say anything. "Or they could come back." Everyone was now quiet, looking at Shane and Rick. "Look Lori," Shane started, softer. "We can't wait and put the whole group in danger for three members."
Lori glared at him murderously. "You of all people should wait," she started, her eyes narrowed. "You owe it to Kate."
Shane wasn't fazed though, "I can't." He said. "We can't." He corrected himself.
"I think we should stay as well." Jenner said suddenly. His quiet voice surprised everyone and for a moment Shane and Lori were distracted from the accusing glares they were shooting each other. The doctor had been fidgeting nervously ever since they had decided not to go after Kaitlinn, they had thought it was because of the walkers, it wasn't. Truth was that he was worried about Kaitlinn. He was worried about his project.
"If they're not back by tomorrow we should go look for them." The doctor continued, talking a bit louder and more confident so that everyone was sure to hear.
"Look for them where, Doc?" T-Dog asked him, not liking the idea at all. "We have no idea where they went, we can't go looking for them if we don't know where to look."
Jenner narrowed his eyes, "We have to try." He muttered, thinking of how his mission was already failing. How the hell had he been able to lose her this quick? He was supposed to keep her alive. The problem with that though was that there were a lot more people a lot more capable to do just that. Why the fuck was he the one who had to find her?
"Kaitlinn wouldn't want us to wait if we endangered ourselves while doing it." Another voice said. It was a strong voice, sounding nothing like his age would indicate. Everyone stared at Zayn in surprise as he stood up, looking tormented but sure of himself at the same time. He was doing his best to keep his voice steady, and as everyone looked at him in surprise he knew he was doing a pretty good job at it.
Zayn hadn't talked much to anyone, except the other kids and sometimes Kaitlinn. That was the reason most members of the group were surprised at how grown up the kid sounded, having been through more in his life than he should have. They were instantly listening, wanting to hear what he had to say.
"But-" Jenner tried to protest, not as willing to listen, but he was shut up by glares from everyone else.
"Kaitlinn knows how to survive and I believe she's still alive. Especially with Daryl there." Zayn continued. "I know Rick is right though. There might be more walkers out there. That's why we have to leave." Everyone was astonished by his words. Having no idea what to say. "We can come back later to see if they might have returned."
No one dared to protest. If Zayn, the one who was closest to Kaitlinn and Kirra, told them they had to leave, who were they to protest. They couldn't, it was that simple. Even Jenner saw that he wouldn't be able to get through to these people anymore after they heard this kid speak.
"I say we leave and find a spot where we can defend ourselves to spend the night." Shane said next, taking over from Zayn. "We could go back at around noon, if they're still not here by then, we leave."
It was as simple as that.
"Sounds good to me." Dale said, agreeing with Shane.
Lori and Carol still didn't look happy but nodded anyway, not having a choice. Andrea, T-Dog and Glenn didn't say anything but agreed with the plan silently.
"We'll write something down for them, tell them to wait for us." Rick continued, getting a piece of paper and starting to write. He planted it in sight, on the windshield of Daryl's car so they would surely see it. He hoped it would stay there and that they would wait for them to return.
"Let's go everyone," Shane shouted, gesturing for everyone to hurry. "Get in the RV and the cars. We're leaving."
It took everyone a second to get moving, Rick and Shane watching them gather the stuff they'd found and get in.
"You think they'll come back?" Shane asked his friend and partner as they stood there, watching.
Rick looked at the forest and frowned, "I hope they will," he replied after which he headed over to his own car. "I really do..." he muttered to himself right before getting in.
