Shane Walsh breathed a deep sigh of relief. Not only had he found Jacob safe and well, he had also managed to get him back to the R.V just as the familiar blue car was seen heading towards the camp in the distance. Upon Dale's orders, he carried Jacob inside the R.V, setting him down at the table where the older man had laid out some plain paper and crayons. Smiling softly at the grin that fell on Jacob's face when he noticed the art supplies, Shane brushed a hand through the young boy's hair as he spun around and made his way back out into the open.
In regards to Glenn and Molly, it had taken no longer than five minutes for the duo to return to camp from the curved dirt road the blue car had been seen driving on. Though the run to the city had been easy enough, as soon as she had exited the car, Molly couldn't help but breath a deep sigh of relief. When she had all but demanded to accompany Glenn on a run, she had no clue as to what she'd be dealing with. However, after seeing just how deserted the city was and hearing the noises she was sure would haunt her dreams the next time she slept, Molly understood just how real everything now was.
She smiled softly at some of the residents who came to welcome herself and Glenn back, feeling slightly on edge at just how many of them spoke as if they had been long friends of her own. "We're going down to the quarry to do some laundry if you're up for it?" Lori said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as Molly nodded slowly, rummaging through her bag and pulling her two items out before handing it off to Amy who thanked her.
"Yeah, I'll meet you down there." Molly told her, motioning over to where her tent sat secluded. "I'll grab the clothes and refill my water bottle then make my way down." Lori offered her a smile as she nodded and removed her arm from around Molly's shoulder.
Molly turned on her heal and made her way towards the R.V first, wanting to tell Jacob that she was back before she left once more. The gravel beneath her boots crunched as she vividly heard Lori behind her telling Carl not to wonder off. As she moved closer to the R.V, Molly could hear Jacob's laughter which caused a smile to overtake her blank expression.
"What about green?" She heard T-Dog ask as she pulled the door open, seeing the two of them sitting at the table with crayons and paper scattered around them.
"Bug's wasn't green!" Jacob exclaimed, another fit of giggles rushing through him as he took the green crayon from T-Dog's hand and swapped it for a grey one. "This colour lookin' more like him."
"How'd you know it was a him, huh?" T-Dog asked, looking up slightly and offering Molly a smile as he noticed her moving towards the two of them. "Coulda' been a girl."
"Bug's is a boy, silly!" Jacob told him, shaking his head as he gave the older man an over exaggerated sigh. The young boy must have heard the movements of his mother too as he spun slightly grinning when he noticed her. "Mumma!"
"Hey, Buddy!" Molly exclaimed, grinning brightly as she knelt in front of him when he twisted his body, swinging his feet softly. "You look like you've been having a blast."
Jacob nodded, twisting in his seat once more as he showed his mother the drawing he had spent the last ten minutes working on. To him, it was the best piece of art he had ever drawn. However, to Molly, it was several scribbles and a mass amount of grey. She knew instantly the parts T-Dog had drawn, being able to make out what it was much easier than her sons.
"Wow, that is so amazing!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and grinning brightly at the look of pride that overcome him. "Listen, Bud... I'm going to go down to the quarry with some of the other women, you can come with if you want to?"
Molly fought a laugh as she watched the look overcome his face. He seemed to be thinking hard, looking from T-Dog to his drawing and back towards Molly before he shook his head. "Needa' finish Bug's."
"I can stay for a little bit." T-Dog told her, shrugging slightly as he offered Molly a smile. "I might have to leave but Glenn's usually around, I can get him to watch him for you."
"Thank you." Molly said, returning the smile as she ran her hand through Jacob's hair, offering him another grin before pushing herself to her feet and making her way back out the R.V. As she made the short treck towards her tent, Molly couldn't help but look up at the sky. The flecks of golden sunshine mingled with the few wispy clouds in the sky. The azure sea overhead showed no signs of rain. It was the perfect weather for clothes to dry. Molly smiled, knowing she'd be able to keep herself and her son in clean clothes.
Upon entering the area she had taken up, she smiled to herself as she noticed everything the same way she had left it. With a small sigh, she moved towards the tent, pulling the little door flap open and reaching in to grab the bag she had dedicated for dirty clothes. It was barely full, merely containing a few of her own shirts, a pair of trousers and some of Jacob's clothes. Once she had the bag in her grasp, she spun around and made her way towards the truck, leaning over to grab an empty water bottle. Despite the fact that she had many bottles filled, Molly had decided it was best to keep some around for emergency's.
After the first few days at the man-made campsite, Shane and Dale had decided to make a small water system that was made out of barrels and tubes. It wasn't anything special but it did the job. Molly came to a stop beside the second barrel and dropped her bag to the ground. She twisted the cap of the bottle and held it under the small tube as she twisted the nozzle and prepared herself for just how long it was going to take to fill the water up.
Once the bottle had been filled around half way, Molly shuffled towards the right slightly, hearing footsteps behind her as another form took stance at the first barrel. She knew it was someone she hadn't met as a greeting didn't fall from their lips. However, as she looked up at his face, she had to take several looks to insure she wasn't in hell. "Oh, for fuck..."
"Well, well, well." Even his voice made her want to punch him in the face. "If it isn't little Mrs. Jailbait." Molly growled at the nickname she had been subjected to when she was younger and reckless. She was never underage, nor had she ever slept with anyone over the legal age limit while she was under.
"Merle." She grumbled, her face paling slightly. "I see your ass survived... When did you get here?"
"Wha', no hello?" Merle mocked, shaking his head as he began to fill the empty water bottle in his hand up. He grinned brightly as he wiggled his brows at her, forcing Molly to refrain from gagging. "Haven't seen each other in years and yah' can't even give Ol' Merle some lovin'."
"I've never in my life given you any sort of love." Molly snorted, shaking her head as she noticed her bottle was almost full. "You alone?"
"Ah!" Merle exclaimed, cackling loudly as he wiped a fake tear from his eye. "You wonderin' if Darlina is here, huh?" He sent her a look as if he knew everything she wanted to ask. Molly raised a brow, pulling her bottle away from the tube as she turned the nozzle around before tightening the lid back onto her bottle.
"I'm not wondering about anything." Molly told him, grabbing her backpack as she shook her head and began to make her way down to the quarry.
"He's here, Sweetcake!" Merle hollered, another laugh filling him as he shook his head slightly. "Can't wait to tell him all about who Ol' Merle has just seen!"
Molly began to grumble under her breath. The last person she had ever thought she'd bump into was Merle Dixon. Not only was he a big part of her past, she had spent time in holding cells with the older of the Dixon brothers. She was certainly not proud of it and had tried her hardest to switch her life around. That meant leaving and setting herself up miles from the two.
Meanwhile, Jacob was dragging Glenn by the hand as he held his drawing safely in his right hand. He had taken after his mother and favoured his left hand rather than his right. Glenn was protesting, trying to stop the little boy without hurting his feelings. Not only did he realise the direction in which they were going, he also knew who had set up camp.
"I really don't think we should be down here!" Glenn exclaimed, looking behind him and trying to meet the eyes of anyone who could possibly help.
"Needa' go give him my drawing!" Jacob said, grinning as he noticed Daryl sat in the same place he had done when Jacob had last seen him. If possible, he set off at a faster pace.
"Who's him?" Glenn asked, a noise catching in his throat as his own eyes settled on Daryl too.
Daryl had heard the commotion almost as soon as it had begun. He looked up, squinting his eyes slightly at the odd looking duo that were making their ways towards him. If he wasn't such a hot head, Daryl would've snorted on the spot. Glenn looked absolutely ridiculous being pulled along by a child who looked all to eager to drag him along. However, instead of snorting, Daryl opted for glaring at the Asian boy, cursing him under his breath for letting the boy bring him here.
"Tha' fuck do you want?" Daryl grumbled, continuing to sharpen his arrow head as he watched Jacob look around with a frown.
"Bug's gone?" Jacob asked, trying to look around Daryl, half hoping the rabbit would come hoping out.
"Don't 'ave a clue wha' your on about, boy." Daryl said, shaking his head as he brushed some dust from his legs.
"Uh, rabbit." Glenn choked out, almost squeaking under his breath as Daryl glared at him, raising a brow. "He's... He's drawn a rabbit and well, Bug's is a rabbit… Bug's bunny?"
Daryl face fell blank if any emotion. He wanted to hit himself for not seeing it sooner, the way he had been staring at the rabbit and asking if it was sleeping. What was he supposed to tell him? Oh, Merle and I ate bug's for dinner last night, absolutely fucking scrumptious. "He hopped back ta' where he came from."
Jacob's brows furrowed as he pondered over what he had just been told. For the life of him, he didn't understand what Daryl was trying to say. What did he mean his pet rabbit had hopped back to where he came from? Where did he come from? "I drawled picture for you!" He exclaimed, pulling his hand from Glenns grasp and all but diving towards Daryl.
Daryl glared at Glenn as he watched Jacob unfold his picture, holding it up for Daryl to see. To Daryl, it looked like absolute shit. However, he knew he couldn't very well tell the kid what he thought. That was more like Merle. "Thanks." He grumbled after trying to avoid the paper Jacob was shoving at him.
"You very welcome!" Jacob said, grinning from ear to ear as he made his way back to Glenn, waving behind him slightly. Glenn's brows furrowed as he turned around, gulping at the sight of Merle who was making his way towards the three of them
"Beat it China-boy!" Merle said, as he grinned brightly at Daryl. "Guess wha'?" He asked, waiting for Glenn to grab Jacob and all but run off. He frowned at the way the young boy waved enthusiastically over the Asian boys shoulder.
"Wha'?" Daryl muttered, folding the picture and placing it in his bag.
"Yer' never gone' guess who I seen." Merle said, his grin beginning to crow as he didn't bother to wait for Daryl's reply. "Molly James."