Chapter 27

"Mom? Are you listening?" My eyes flew open, my son looking back at me expectantly. I let out a yawn.

"Sorry honey, I didn't sleep well last night. What were you saying?" The teen huffed at me but started over.

"I was asking if you thought if I asked Jude to go hunting with me she would think it was weird?" I furrowed my brow at him.

"My would she?" He blushed, "What did you do?" I pitched both of his cheeks giving them a pull.

"Nuttin ma, pro'ise." He attempted to say. I let him go, my son rubbing his face, "Okay well I kinda kissed her on the check. Then ran away like a sissy." he glowered when I started to crack up, "Ugh, what is so funny about that?"

"Because you remind me so much of your father."

"That's not any better." he complained, "Dad's such a butt." He was laughing though.

"Well I think you might want to scope it out first, see what kind of damage your innocent little cheek kiss did. If she's not chasing after you with her dad's revolver, I think you should ask her." My son looked at me for a long while, maybe deciding if I was tricking him, then he sat back.

"I guess I can give it a try. You think she thinks I'm too young?" I snorted.

"Kid, you're sixteen and you already look like you're twenty. She's not gonna care that she's a year older than you."

"A year and two and a half months." I put up my hands in apology.

"Scuze me." I smiled at him, "You really like her huh?" He nodded.

"She's really fantastic. Especially because she doesn't even know me yet." My brow furrowed, "But I know she'll be fantastic. Maybe we will have one of these conversations when I'm older." I was massively confused about what he was saying.

"What are you talking about, honey? We're right here having this conversation." Daryl's son sighed.

"Come on mom, haven't you had enough trips to this realm to realize you're dead. Clinically I mean." My shoulder was aching something terrible, "Your soul is still holding on tightly. We're stubborn people." My face paled, and I looked down to see the large bleeding bite wound in my flesh.

"I was bitten…"

"Yup." My mother's voice made me turn my head, "Looks like Jenner's hypothesis was correct. Apparently the virus that turned you is stronger than the virus that wakes the dead."

"What…?" I was in shock seeing her again, i really was dead...

"Hello, darlin'." She sat down next to me, "Wish I didn't have to wait till you die in order to talk to you." She kissed my forehead, "Don't worry about your boy. He's going to make it through this too. His soul already has a good hold on you. You are very special, and were even before you became as you are. And once again I'm here to tell you to-"

"Wake up!" A man voice was screaming at me, not Daryl's though, "God damn it woman, wake the fuck up." A sharp sting to my face forced my eyes open. There was a young man looking down at me that I had never seen before, Miya beside him.

"My god it worked…" She breathed.

"Miya? What…" I coughed my throat incredibly dry, my lips chapped. The sun had already risen.

"Jesus. About time you woke." The mystery man slid his knife back into its sheath, "I'm really glad you're alive and I didn't have to stick ya in the grey matter with us." he had a bit of a western twang to his voice. Maybe midwest?

Miya threw herself down on top of me sobbing. I winced, pain radiating throughout my entire body.

"I had no idea how I was going to tell Daryl that you were dead…" She cried, "Now i think he's just gonna kill me for letting you get hurt." I patted her head.

"No one is gonna kill you." I assured her, "Now, who the heck are you?" I asked the newcomer.

"Someone who's here to help." He wasn't lying, but I knew he was hiding something.

"You...just happened to-to be wandering in the forest…" ugh it hurt to breath! My lungs felt like molten lava had been poured into them.

"Yeah, ya got a problem with that?" Miya gave him a look.

"Don't be like that, just tell her your name at least."

"It's Byron. And I was looking for someone who might be in this area, and I was separated from my traveling companion." Even though he was telling the truth I still had the feeling he wasn't being completely honest. I just gave him an unsure look.

"We have to get back, you need medical attention." Miya wiped the tears off her face as she sat up, "Byron's gonna carry you to the gate, then he has to go back out to find his companion."

"Alright...just don't get any funny ideas…" i warned half heartedly.

"No worries Ma'am, will be perfectly gentlemanly." He helped me into a sitting position, my body protesting. I gritted my teeth as he lifted behind my back and knees, but the pain still managed to drag me back into unconsciousness.

I was running through the jungle, the little wild boy hot on my heels. His face decaying, flesh falling off onto the ground as he ran. I heard the sound of others in the trees, Walkers moving towards me. I was running out of energy, my blood pouring out of the bite in my shoulder.

Keep running, but it's useless….I will devour you! He was gaining the scent of his rotting corpse making my stomach roll, my fear pumping through me. I tripped on a root, slamming into the ground painfully. The little boy was on me ripping my clothes away, my flesh coming away unders his claws. I screamed in agony as he ripped a piece of my body away in his teeth, all the while laughing, a cruel smile on his face.

I sat straight up in bed screaming, then my scream of terror turned to agony as I felt the pain throughout my whole body. I curled in myself clutching myself, whimpering as tears fell from my eyes.

"Jesus!" A deep voice cried out in alarm, then I felt him walking over to the bed. His big warm hands were on my back, rubbing lightly, trying to calm me down, "Gwen, yer safe now…" I felt him sit on the bed. I shook violently for several more minutes, before just his proximity starting to chase away the fear. I cracked my eyes open just enough to see Daryl looking at my face, worry painted all over his features.

"It feels like i was...hit...by a semi…" Tears were leaking down my face, my pain not lessening.

"Lie back." He managed to uncurl me, so that I could lay back, "You have been unconscious for two days. Miya wouldn't breath a word of what happened to anyone, just that no one was allowed in here but her and I until you woke up." I looked around for her, "I finally got her to go downstairs and get some rest." he pulled my shirt collar aside, revealing an angry looking wound, that was half healed, "What happened Gwen?" There were tears in his eyes.

"We went hunting...Mia, she was walking behind me...I didn't see it till it was too late. I threw her aside and I was bitten."

"I don't understand…You should be dying right now... But you are healing…"

"Because I already died and came back." He was just looking at me with astonishment. I touched my throat, my mouth feeling like the Sahara. Daryl handed me a water bottle not needing an explanation. I downed the entire thing and handed it back to him, "I'm sure my heart stopped...and it was just as terrible as it is for anyone else who is bitten. I vomited blood as the virus ripped my organs apart...just to be stitched together by the Wolf Virus. When my heart stopped the war began in my brain." My head felt like it had been split apart by an axe, pain radiating outward from the base of my neck."

"Why do ya have to be so reckless…" He growled softly, his eyes worried.

"I wasn't going to let Miya die…"

"Why is her life so much more important than yers?!" He started to raise his voice.

"I didn't say that…"

"But yet ya threw yerself in front of her." If he was this mad at me now, he would be livid when i told him i had a passenger with me on this death train.

"Yes...because I care about her, I've been so helpless before even with this power. I've watched too many of my friends die and not been able to do anything for them…" He chewed on his lip, thinking about his next words.

"What if ya hadn't been immune? What if ya just died…" I pulled myself up slowly putting my arms around him.

"I didn't….I didn't...I'm still here…" He buried his face in my neck, the tears he had been holding back dripping on my shirt. I gripped his hand as tightly as I could, trying to reassure him I was...well I really didn't know how this was going to affect me from now on. All i knew right then was that i had lived and that i hurt like no other. I was the most worried for the baby. My mother had assured me that he would be okay.

"Daryl...there is something we need to talk about…" He raised his head to squint at me questionaly, "I almost died without telling you this, and you would have heard from Miya when she brought back my corpse…"

"What are ya talkin' bout?"

"I haven't been sick this whole time...I can't get sick…" he furrowed his brow still not very sure what i was talking about, "My father, he said i was hiding something from you, well this is it."

"I don't…" He shook his head, then stood walking a few paces away, "Ya need ta say it…" he whispered.

"Daryl...I'm pregnant…" I saw his fists clench and unclench, and he didn't speak, just stared in the other direction. Was he upset? Was this not something he wanted?

"How can you be after what happened…?"

"My mother...i saw her again, and i saw him….our son. He's alive, I can feel him still." I saw his shoulders shaking, the soft sounds of sobs coming from him.

"What if...what if I'm lousy at it? My old man...he was-"

"You. Are. Not. Him." I ground out, "Ya could never be like him…"

"Does anyone else know?" He still wouldn't look at me, which made my heart hurt worse than anything else in pain at the moment.

"I told Carol after I found out. Michonne fig'red it out herself. Maggie, Carl and Miya all found out by accident." I sighed, "I didn't want you to be the last to find out…But i was scared...scared that you wouldn't want-" he finally turned his eyes brimmed with tears but there was determination there.

"No! I mean...I do…" he let out a heavy sigh coming to lay next to me on the bed, slipping his arm gently under my head, cradling me to his chest, "I've wanted this since ya showed me that drawin'. Since i saw ya holding Ass Kicker the day she was born. Wanted it more than anythin'..." I was crying now, "I'm jus' scared I ain't gonna be good enough…" His other hand came to rest on my belly, his thumb moving in small circles. Cupping his cheek with my palm I kissed the end of his nose.

"I wouldn't have picked ya as my mate if i didn't think ya were capable of rearing pups." He snorted, and I gave him a weak smile, "We're in this together…"

"Only if ya stop throwin' yerself into danger." I huffed, "God, all makes so much more sense now…"

"I couldn't tell ya when i found out...well…'cause Beth. We had nowhere to go, we had just lost our home...If i told ya, it would just add to what was already on yer plate…After Dad found out, I almost couldn't convince him to stay in Atlanta."

"I shouldn't have let ya shoulder this by yerself…"

"I wasn't alone." I said pressing my forehead to his, "Everyone who knew, was supporting me from the sidelines. But not telling you probably led to what happened in the forest...That's why i was having nightmares again...the stress of keeping the secret bringing the ghosts of my past to the present. I shouldn't have gone out that day...I had barely slept, even Miya could tell i was off my game." Daryl sighed, clearly not happy to find out that it had been my own stubbornness that put me in danger, put Miya in danger.

"Well, yer safe now, the baby…" He looked worried.

"He's going to be alright, Daryl. I know he is. He's strong like me, probably will be stronger than me."

"Ya know this changes things, drastically." I furrowed my brow.

"Yes, but how do you mean?" I knew what he meant even though it pissed me off.

"I ain't gonna let you risk yerself like you've been doin'. Yer livin' fer more than yerself now. Ya maybe damn near indestructible but he ain't. And one day yer gonna get dead for real if ya keep goin' on like ya have." Joel said something similar to me in Atlanta. I huffed.

"But ya ain't gonna just sideline me fer nothin'. I'm still capable and I'm one of the best fighters we have. I will listen to ya, but I won't just sit idly by as y'all risk yerselves.'' The look on his face said that he wanted to argue but after almost two years, he knew better.

"Fine. But no more going out on yer own. I want someone with ya if ya go outside that wall."

"Okay." He wasn't convinced by my immediate answer, "I promise, I won't go alone." He kissed my forehead and got up.

"I'm gonna let Carol know yer up. She wanted to look at ya before we sent for the Doc."

I laid there trying to wish away my pain for almost thirty minutes before there was a knock at the door.

"Come on in." I called, not sure I'd make it to the door. It opened revealing a man I hadn't seen before.

"Hi, I'm Pete, Alexandria's doctor, you met my wife Jessie the other day." I nodded as he pulled up a chair and sat beside me, "They wanted me to check your vitals, heard you had a pretty close call out in the woods." Carol, Rick and Daryl filed in after him, Daryl coming to sit beside me once again. Carol stood next to me holding my hand, trying not to cry. He ran a few tests on me, mostly to do with my motor skills and my glands and such. Once Pete announced that other than my obvious pain, nothing seemed to be inflamed at least as far as he could tell without more extensive tests. He left and Rick came over leaning against the end of the bed.

"If you aren't ready to talk about what happened out there, it's okay we can wait." He started, I slowly shook my head, not even lifting it off the pillow.

"No, I can talk about it." I told them what happened in the forest and about what Jenner said before we left Atlanta the first time. Then i took a giant breath, exhausted.

"Sorry, we can take a minute." Rick offered. I pulled my self into a sitting position leaning against the head board.

"It's alright. There is something else you should know. While it's just us."

"Wait, can I?" Daryl asked. My eyebrows shot up, surprised but i nodded.

"Go fer it." Less talking for me. I chuckled weakly when Daryl started to blush thinking about how he was going to say this, "You sure?"

"Ah just give me a second." He growled, which just made me laugh harder, "Uh well, seems like there is going to be a third Dixon." Rick was instantly beaming, then his face fell.

"But you died…" I saw tears gathering in Rick's eyes, and I knew that he was thinking about Lori.

"There's been no sign of miscarrige." Carol told him.

"You knew?" She nodded at Rick's question.

"My dad ran some tests on me before he let me go. Even though one of them made him not want me to leave. I told Carol that first campsite after Atlanta."

"When did you find out?" Rick asked Daryl, a grin on his face.

"Forty minutes ago." Which made Rick's grin widen.

"Where did Brian go?" They looked at me confused.

"That's the man who carried you here?" Our consitible asked. I nodded.

"We don't know." Michonne was at the door leaning on the jam.

"You heard all of that yes?" I asked her, she scoffed.

"Yup. Sorry to eavesdrop, but i wasn't sure I was allowed in yet." She glared at Daryl, my husband just rolled his eyes, "He was gone as soon as he handed you off. Glenn saw your bite, and he covered it at Miya's request. He's confused but mostly worried. They all are."

"Hmm guess it's time for show and tell." I groaned.

"We can keep this between us." Rick offered, I shook my head.

"I'm really all done with keeping secrets from my family. I'd like to get a decent night sleep without having to die first."

Rick called a meeting about an hour later in the living room of our house. Miya, hearing that i had woken up, hadn't left my side.

"Okay, so I've had you all meet here to answer some questions i know you all have." Rick told them sitting on the arm of the couch beside me. Daryl sat on the floor between my legs, his head resting on my knee. I was leaning heavily against Miya, trying hard to keep my eyes open, "As you can see, Gwen is...well she's alive, and that is what matters. Gwen has given me permission to relay to you the whole story of what has happened. I'm sure one way or another you have heard that Gwen is superhuman, a werewolf if you must. A test subject in a rogue laboratory developing human animal hybrids. So she's pretty much a tank." The group chuckled, but it was faint. Their worry was making her nose twitch.

" In Atlanta, back in the first year we were all together, a Scientist, Jenner, from the CDC, had a theory. Gwen is unable to contract sickness because of the virus that changed her entire being. He knew about her and a bit about her condition, and he theorized that Gwen could be immune to a Walker bite." An ominous feeling fell over the room, "Two days ago, Miya Underwood," She waved, meeting most of these people for the first time, "went hunting with Gwen. Unfortunately our brave hunter here doesn't know how not to push herself", he gave me a look.

"Yeah yeah...Imma idot, get on with it wise guy." I joked.

"She didn't hear a Walker coming up behind us…" Miya said, maybe she felt obligated to tell them, "Niether did I. I wasn't paying attention, thinking that as long as she was with me i would be safe. She pushed me out of the way just as it came down on her shoulder." Miya sniffed, "I sat with her….all night as the virus ripped her to pieces…" Darly squeezed my calf, nuzzling the inside of my knee, before resting his head on my knee once more, "I had to watch her die, wondering if she was going to have to come back herself, or if i was going to have to kill her...and the baby…" Way to drop the news like an atomic bomb, Miya. Then everyone was asking questions.

"Just quiet down, We're getting there." Rick raised his hand trying to get the others to calm down.

"Her heart stopped for several minutes, then started again, but she wasn;t waking up." Miya continued, "There was a terrible crash in the brush and I thought I was going to die right there as several walkers came towards us, attracted by the scent of her blood. Then there was a man there, killing the Walkers, He knew your name." I furrowed my brow at her, the first i was hearing this, "His name is Brian, but he left as soon as he saw she was safe, saying something about his companion. He sounded like maybe he was from Kansas?" I blinked.

"Kansas?" I squeeked. It couldn't be…

"Do you know him after all?" Rick asked. I just gave him a blank expression, to which he just shrugged.

"Anyway, Brian was able to get her awake, and she was lucid for a few minutes. But passed out from the pain as soon as he picked her up to bring her back here." She finished.

"Well, after she returned here, she was out as you know, for two days. But there is no signs of miscarrige, and Gwen has reason to believe that the baby will be fine. That being said, this is something we need to keep between us, at least the part about Gwen's immunity. I'm sure Gwen and Daryl let others know when they deem it fit." A murmur of agreement came from the others.

"I was so scared when i saw that bite…" Glenn said, "but Miya was so adamant, that you were going to be alright."

"I'm surprised you let them in." Rosista commented, "i'm not sure i would have, might have just killed her...

"I wouldn't do that to Daryl." Glenn told her, his eyes angry.

"But ya didn't...I'm gonna be fine… just need ta sleep fer a week…" I wheezed, my energy all but expended.

"So what does this mean?" Abraham asked, "That there really is a cure for this madness?" He looked at Eugene.

"It aint a cure...I'm still infected… the Ganesha Virus will kill ya ten times as fast. And it would be far more...bloody." I told them, "We ain't even close to be able ta use my blood for a cure….but maybe one day...I'd be willin'...willin' ta save us from this hell." My head slumped backwards, running on fumes.

"Alright, play time's over." Daryl grunted standing up so that he could scoop me off the couch.

"Seems like we are back on Cure duty, huh Rosita?" Abraham said, and I caught his shit eating grin when Daryl turned to head to the stairs.

"Hell yeah we are." She agreed. I wasn't angry at her for what she said, she was just being honest, and practical. It would have been easier for her to kill me since it had been less time for her.

I slept for an additional three days, waking up a few days before Daryl was supposed to leave. The night I was bitten, Aaron offered Daryl a job as a recruiter for Alexandria. Aaron had filled his garage with automotive parts, adding to what the previous owner already had. There had been a bike too, it needed some work but it was Daryl's.

The day of their departure came and I hadn't seen Miya since the meeting. Maybe she was avoiding me? I'd seen the other Underwoods but never Miya. I missed my friend.

Brian had not returned in the days that I'd been asleep, and something about him just felt so familiar but I couldn't figure it out. Why did he know me? Daryl promised to keep an eye out for him and his companion while he and Aaron were scouting.

Daryl and I walked hand in hand to Aaron's house, the sun just barely above the horizon. Still in my sweatpants, messy bun, and sweater at least two sizes too big. The sleeves hung down and covered my hands. Daryl laughed as I kept trying to keep the sleeve on his side from sliding over our hands.

"Do any of yer clothes fit properly?" He joked, helping me roll the sleeve.

"Yes, these are my lounging clothes."

"Reminds me of Oscar's slippers back at the Prison."

Aaron and Eric were sitting on their porch swing watching the sun rise, both of them had come to visit me while I was out. I had woken up for a short time to speak with them before I was out again.

"Gwen!" Aaron stood up coming down the stairs, "I heard that you were up and about!" He shook Daryl's hand then touched my shoulder softly, like I might break.

"Yeah first day out of the house though. Wanted to see Daryl off."

Daryl hauled the bike out of the garage, mounting it. He sat back in the seat looking up at me briefly before wrapping his arms around me, head on my chest.

"Be careful out there." I told him, running my fingers through his dark hair. He nodded, then looked back up at me.

"What are ya gonna do while I'm gone?"

"Well I was asked to do a couple commissions, so I'll be working on those. Maybe I'll hunt. I told Rick I would babysit a few days too." I leaned down and kissed him, our lips lingering together. I pressed my forehead to his, standing there for a moment, before Aaron cleared his throat.

"Ready?"

"Can I ride with you to the gate?" I asked, suddenly not wanting him to go. He had me put his crossbow on the holder he fashioned for it and climb on. I wrapped my arms around him.

"Don't fall off."

"Haven't yet, have I?"

Daryl stopped just before the gate, letting me hop off. As the guard threw open the gate I squeezed his hand one last time before he revved the engine and drove out of the community, Aaron behind him. I could feel tears stinging my eyes. I blinked several times hoping that opening and closing my eyes would stop these stupid emotions. On my way back I stopped by Deanna's place so that she could see that I was up and moving. Her and who I assumed was probably her husband, sat in a couple wicker chairs, their hands connected over the armrests. They were chatting quietly when I approached.

"Gwen!" She stood up coming down her stairs to me, "You look much better today! How are you feeling?" She hooked my elbow leading me slowly up the stairs, letting me take her seat, Deanna leaning against the rail across from me.

"I'm still a little weak, but probably 'cause I just woke up."

"Gwen this is my husband Reg," I reached over to shake the man's hand, "The rest of your family met him the night you got hurt. He's been interested in meeting you, but since you have been bed ridden he has been able to." I snorted at the face she made, which highly resembled a face my husband would have given her.

"Daryl is a strict nurse maid. Deanna was lucky she was granted an audience." I told Reg.

"He's a caring husband. I understand." He had a kind smile, "You were seriously injured and some one with less talents surely would have died." The story right now was that there was a hunting accident and that I had lost a lot of blood, we had also decided to tell them about the baby, to make it seem that I had been severely weakened by it, "I hardly let Deanna do anything when she was carrying our boys, and she was healthy the whole time."

"He's a pretty good match for me." I told them, smiling sadly, "I'm gonna miss the crap outta him while he's gone."

"Both skilled hunters, that's for sure. Kari and her girls have already doubled our intact since you trained them." I waved away Reg's praise.

"They were already talented, I just needed to give them some direction."

"Well if you're interested, once you're ready that is, there are others who are interested in learning." Deanna told me.

"We'll if they're serious, I'll teach them."

The power had been fluctuating for the past couple days, today being the worst. Glenn told me that they were going outside the walls with Eugene to try and track down some power cells to help boost the solar panels. I had run into Glenn, Tara, Noah and Eugene as I was coming back from Deanna's.

"It's good to see you up and around again, Gwen." Noah gripped my shoulder as they left.

"Be careful out there!" I called, "Keep a close eye on Aiden." I warned.

"It's me Gwen." Glenn said, his confidence unmatched.

"Just...be careful." He nodded and followed after the others.

It wasn';t until i was at my first commission that I noticed how bad it had gotten. The radio in the living room sputtered out, the owner of the dog I was currently sketching whisked into the room, tray in hand.

"Here is some lemonade hun. Sorry about the music." She said, noticing that the power was out again.

"It's alright, I was focusing so hard I barely noticed." I took the glass of lemonade from her sipping it. It was so sour, I had to really fight not make a face, "They are going on a run again to replace the broken pieces of the solar panels. So power should be working at full capacity by tomorrow." I said setting the glass down on the table beside me.

"If I can't have my nightly bath I'll be so put out." She continued sitting down in the adjacent couch sipping on her lemonde. I kept my mouth shut. It was probably best I didn't try to engage in conversation. Probably would just get unnecessarily irritated. She continued to chatt at me while I finished the peace, a shriek of happiness emitting from her when I was finished. The sudden sound made me jump and I almost toppled off the stool.

"Oh look Princess it's you." She held the dog up, showing it the drawing, "What do I owe you hun?" I just looked at her, unsure what a portrait of a pet cloud cost in today's economy.

"You wouldn't know a place around here one could procure baby items? Uh I want to get something for Judith." I lied.

"Well my memory is a bit spotty but I believe there is some type of baby store just south of here. I don't know what kind of condition it is in though." Hmm, "I do have a couple books upstairs on child rearing. If you want them." I took her up on the offer, stowing them in my bag with my art supplies while I walked back to the house.

I left the bag on our bed and left again, heading back to Deanna's.

"Gwen, how are you doing?" She said when she opened their front door.

"Alright. Hey I've been wanting to go on a baby supply run, and I think if I don't get out of these walls I might go nuts." Deanna chuckled, "Do you know of a place like that? Babies R Us or something?"

"I do, come in." She ushered me to her office going through an old phone book.

"I know of a couple places around here and I think there is one that I know we haven't gone to." She pointed to the book, "Yes, Aurora Borealis Baby. It's ten miles from here."

"Why hasn't anyone gone before?" I questioned, looking at the listing in the phone book.

"Supposedly that is a hot zone." She explained. I huffed, of course it was, nothing was easy.

"Do you think you can mark the place on a map?" She gave me a surprised look, that even after hearing about the dangers I still wanted to go.

"You are serious about going?" I nodded.

"I'll take someone with me as back up. If i was in top condition i would have probably just gone by myself." She scowled at my nonchalant attitude about trekking ten miles through a Red Zone.

"Really you would have gone alone?" I nodded.

"Yeah, ten miles is cake." I waved her worry off, "Daryl probably won't be happy that I'm going back out so soon. But he said that as long as someone goes I can." She eyed me warily but drew me up a map anyway, then handed it over to me. I reached to grab it but she pulled it back.

"If Daryl and Aaron return before you, I'll send him out after you. I'll tell him that I told you not to go and you insisted." I looked at her for a moment before she continued, "I'll get the names of those serious about learning to hunt. You can start when you return."

"Fair." She let me take the map, and my face brightened into a smile, "Thanks Deanna."

I passed Michonne as I headed home.

"Michonne! I flagged her down, "Just the person I want to see." When I told her my plan she whacked me over the head.

"There is no way I am letting you go out there by yourself." Her scowl was serious.

"Michonne, this is nothing, you know i can handle myself. This area is heavily wooded. If I get pinned by a herd I'll get up in a tree. Yee have little faith." She scoffed, rolling her eyes at me.

"You told Deanna that you'd take someone, so take Miya with you. I've barely seen her since you returned. And if you go alone and Deanna has to send Daryl after you I'll tell him I warned you too."

"Yes, yes everyone will tattle tale on Gwen to her husband." I chuckled, "That's fine. I'm still going. Not really sure though if Miya will want to come."

"And why's that?"

"I mean you said it, she's been avoiding me since I woke up, again."

"Just go talk to her. You leaving now?" I nodded in response, the walls already closing in around me.

"Just heading back to get my bag ready, pick up Peacemaker and roll out. I guess I'll stop by the Underwood's and talk to Miya."

"Okay. I'd feel better if someone was with you. I'll see you in a couple days.'' I hugged her. Seems like Daryl hadn't told them that he had already forbade me from leaving without escort. I mentally shrugged.

"Don't have too fun without me." I warned her. She chuckled as she let me go.

"I'll try. Hard to have fun when yer not around." I started to walk away snorting at the comment.

"Oh whatever."

Packed and ready I was standing outside the Underwood brown stone looking up at the door. Something was keeping me from moving forward. Was it fear? Was I afraid that she didn't want to be my friend after seeing that? Was I just too repulsive to her now? Remembering her face on the day i initially woke up, i waved that idea from my mind and walked up to the door.

Helene answered the door, a radiant smile on her face.

"Gwen! It's so good to see you up and around. Are you here to see Miya?" I nodded, without a word, my throat suddenly dry. Helene beckoned me in and led me to the stairs. She took one step upwards and turned, looking at me, her eyes serious, "She blames herself for what happened out there, even though she won't tell anyone what." She looked up the stairs towards where I assumed Miya's room was, "This is how bad she was after Jeanna. Maybe you can help her, like you did the night you met?"

"I'll try…" Helene didn;t understand the last time I helped Miya I was by sleeping with her. That option was no longer on the table. Helene led me up the stairs and to the door on the end, knocking softly.

"Miya, sissy, you have a visitor."

"Tell them to leave, I can't-i can't see anyone today." I heard from the other side of the door.

"And why not Miya?" I asked back through the boor. There was a thud then the door flew open. Miya was indeed a wreck. Her cooper hair was tangled and dull, dark circles ringed her eyes, her cheeks looked more shallow.

"Gwen? What-what are you doing here?" She looked around and behind us, then her green eyes met mine again.

"I came to see if you wanted to help me." She looked down, avoiding my gaze.

"Last time I went with you...Gwen, I'm not-" She was shaking her head. I looked at Helene, my eyes asking for a few minutes alone. She walked back down the hall without a word.

"Miya...what happened in the woods was not your fault. It was my own damn fault. You warned me and kept trying to make sure i was okay but i didn't listen. I put you in danger." She was shaking her head.

"I need to be stronger, I can't just rely on you."

"Yeah, but I was your teacher, the person who said that they would protect you. It's my own fault I had to protect you by sacrificing myself. And i would do it again." I sighed, leaning against the door, "Miya, I trust you, i wouldn't be here if i didn't. I would have asked someone else. So can you trust me when i say I need your help, and that i believe in you?" She looked at me without responding for a long time.

"I'll meet you at the armory in twenty minutes."

"We have a long way, prepare to spend the night." I gave her an encouraging smile and headed back down the stairs.

"You still haven't told me where we're going." She raised a brow, fixing me with an emerald stare as we headed to the gate.

"Surprise."

They let us use a small pickup truck, a manual. Miya and i had just come from the armory and a very chatty Oliva, which had made Miya moody

"Know how to drive one of these?" The gate guard asked as I threw my bag in the passenger seat. I looked up at him.

"Yes I know how to drive a stick. Do you?" His smile fell.

"No."

"Oh, what a pity." Miya teased him, her face telling him to back off, that his idleness was not welcome. He took a step back at the hostility from her. Her determination made me chuckle quietly as I climbed into the driver seat. The embarrassed guard opened the gate for us and I pulled through.

"Ya know he was just trying to make conversation." I told her once we were on the road.

"Yeah I didn't like the look he was givin' ya." She mocked Daryl's voice, a smile on her face.

She's Aliiiiiiive! I think she might actually be part cat with all those lives...