"You shouldn't be up here alone."
Glancing over her shoulder, Charlotte shrugged at her brother, "Wanted to say goodbye to Amy," she responded gesturing towards the crude grave covered in rocks and flowers, "Plus I figured since I was up, I'd watch the sunrise," she responded as he sat down next to her.
"Ya get any sleep?" he questioned.
"Maybe an hour or two. I'll sleep on the way to the CDC," she replied.
"Daryl was packing your stuff into the back of his truck. Seems like he's coming along."
"Looks like."
Laughing, Rick shook his head, "Leave it to my baby sister to find love at the end of the world."
"Woah now. Calm yourself down. Ain't no one said anything about love. We're just two healthy adults enjoying ourselves at the end of the world."
"Yeah, well make sure you enjoy yourselves where I don't have to hear it."
"Ewww! Shut up!" she exclaimed, slapping at his shoulder as he laughed. Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes, "You're such a dork."
"Takes one to know one," he responded with a smile. Sighing, his smile faded as his eyes trailed to Amy's grave, "Shane's mad we weren't here. What about you?"
"You thought you were doing the right thing, Rick, going after Merle," she clarified, "There's a difference between you and Shane. You won't leave a man behind. Shane would. You think we'll find help with Jim; Shane doesn't. He's your best friend, but I don't trust him."
"He did right by you though," he responded, studying his sister, "You, Lori, and Carl, he got you outta there when I couldn't."
"Well, I think that had more to do with Lori and Carl then it did me. I just happened to be there since you went and got yourself shot. By the way, can you never do that again?"
"It wasn't exactly on my agenda the first time around, so I think I'll pass on doing it again. Shane told me about Ed. You feelin alright?"
"Yeah, just a small concussion. No big deal," she responded.
"Thought I taught ya better than that," he teased.
"You did. He just had me so pissed off. Plus, I was mad at Daryl and Shane so that didn't help my focus, and in the end, I guess karma's a bitch," she responded, thinking about how Ed had died during the attack on the camp.
"From what I hear Carol and her daughter may be better off without him," Rick agreed, nodding, "Anyway, before we leave, I need to try and get a hold of Morgan and his boy. Warn them away from the city," he told her, picking the walkie talkie up he'd laid next to him when he'd sat down.
"They're the ones who helped you? When you first woke up?"
"They did," he confirmed, "Duane, Morgan's boy, thought I was a walker. Hit me upside the head with a shovel."
"Walker?"
"It's what they called them."
"Well, guess that makes more sense than geeks," she commented, "I'll let ya to it then," she said, getting to her feet, "Meet ya back down there," she told him before turning and heading back to camp.
Reaching camp, Charlotte found Annabelle sitting in Daryl's camp chair with a bowl of what looked like oatmeal, "Whatcha got there, Belly Girl?"
"O'meal, Darie said I had to eat," the little girl responded before scooping another spoonful into her mouth.
Smiling as some of the white gunk dribbled down Annabelle's chin, Charlotte nodded, "Daryl's a very smart man. I want you to always listen to him especially if I'm not around."
"Ya plannin on goin somewhere?"
Whirling around she found Daryl standing behind her with another bowl of white mush. Blinking, she shook her head, "No, but just in case something,"
"It won't," he cut her off, "Quit talkin stupid and eat," he told her, shoving the bowl into her hands before turning and stomping away towards his truck.
Sighing, Charlotte took her bowl and sat on the ground next to Annabelle's chair and choked down as much of her breakfast as she could before they got on the road.
"Everybody listen up," Shane called as the group prepared to leave the quarry, "Those of you with C.B.'s we're gonna be on channel 40. Let's keep the chatter down, okay? Now you got a problem, don't have a C.B., can't get a signal, anything at all, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?" he asked, looking around.
"We're, uh, we're not going."
Turning her head at the declaration, Charlotte blinked at the Morales family as Miranda cleared her throat, "We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people."
"You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back," Shane warned.
"We'll take the chance. I gotta do what's best for my family."
After a tearful goodbye between the kids, and Rick giving away one of their handguns to the family, the rest of the group piled into their vehicles to begin the trek to the CDC.
"You think they'll be alright?" Charlotte questioned, glancing over at Daryl as he pulled out behind T-Dogg's van.
Shrugging, he didn't answer.
"You mad at me?"
Sighing when he simply shrugged again, Charlotte rolled her eyes, "You said she needs to be taught if she's gonna survive to four," she reminded him, "I was simply teaching her that if I'm not available she's to listen to you."
Glancing at the little girl between them playing with her plastic horses, Daryl huffed out a breath, "That ain't what you meant and you know it."
"Well, let's be honest, Daryl. The world ain't goin back to what it was. I have a feeling it's just gonna get harder. Something could happen and I want her to know who to listen to. Besides my brother I don't trust anyone else with her but you."
"Ain't nuthin happenin to either of ya," he declared.
"We goin home?" Annabelle questioned, looking up from her horses.
Giving the girl a smile, Charlotte brushed her hair back from her small face, "No, Honey. We're going somewhere to see if we can get Jim help. He's sick and Uncle Rick thinks someone at the CDC can help."
Tilting her head, Annabelle nodded, "Can they help mama?"
Meeting Daryl's eyes over Annabelle's head, Charlotte took a deep breath swallowing back her grief as she shook her head, "Belle, your mama can't be helped. She already went to heaven to sleep, but she's up there in the sky," she said pointing out the windshield, "Watching over you. She knows me and Daryl have you, and I bet she's smiling down on us right now knowing we're gonna keep you safe."
Leaning forward Annabelle twisted her head to look out the windshield at the sky. Several moments passed before she sat back nodding her little head, "Otay," she said, picking up her horses and going back to playing.
"Okay," Charlotte breathed, leaning her head back against the seat and closing her eyes.
Jolting, her eyes flew open. Blinking in confusion Charlotte looked around the cabin of the truck realizing they'd stopped, and she was alone. Looking out the window she could see the entire caravan had come to a stop and they were standing around Dale's R.V. at the front of the line.
Opening her door, she slid out of the truck and made her way towards the group. Stopping next to the jeep where Carl, Sophia, and Annabelle sat inside she leaned on the open window, "What are you three up to?"
"Coco!" Annabelle squealed, looking up from the book Sophia was reading.
"Hi, Belly Girl. You left me in the truck."
"Yous sleeping. Darie said I stay here," the little girl responded.
"Yeah, what's going on up there?" she asked, looking towards the R.V.
"The R.V. broke down," Carl answered, "I think they're fixing it."
Nodding, she smiled at the three kids, "I'm gonna see what's happening," she told them before continuing towards the R.V. Noticing the sullen looks on everyone's faces she stepped into their circle next to Daryl, "What's going on?" she questioned.
"It's Jim. He wants us to leave him here," Lori informed her.
Looking around the small circle, Charlotte shrugged, "It's his decision."
"Back in the camp when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down you misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man," Dale spoke up, looking at Rick, "I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants, and I think we have an answer."
"We just leave him here? We take off? Man, I don't know if I can live with that."
"Funny, this seems right up your alley."
"Charlotte, that's not helpful," Lori snapped.
Studying her sister-in-law, Charlotte narrowed her eyes as her gaze swung to Shane than Rick, "We don't have a lot we can control with the state of things now so we should be able to decide how we wanna go out. So, if we're taking a vote here; I'm with Jim," she told him before turning and heading back towards the jeep with the kids.
"What was that about?" Daryl questioned falling into step with her.
"Not here," she responded with a shake of her head before once again stopping at the jeep's open window.
With Shane and Rick's help they moved Jim out of the R.V. and up the small hill on the side of the road under a tree. Holding Annabelle in her arms, Charlotte joined the group to say their goodbyes.
"I'm very sorry, Jim."
Nodding the dying man attempted to smile, "You keep an eye on that girl. Don't let her outta your sight," he said.
Blinking away tears Charlotte nodded.
"You too," he continued looking past Charlotte to where Daryl stood. Clearing his throat Daryl nodded.
"Yous tell my mama hi."
Sucking in a breath, Charlotte looked at Annabelle in her arms, but the little girl was focused on Jim.
"I will," the man promised, "You gotta new mama and daddy. You listen to them."
"Otay," Annabelle responded, swinging her arms around Charlotte's neck and burying her face in her shoulder.
Pressing her lips together, Charlotte glanced at Daryl before heading back down to where the cars were pulled over at the side of the road.
"So, ya gonna tell me?" Daryl questioned after a few miles of riding in silence.
Looking down at Annabelle, Charlotte made sure the little girl was sleeping before answering, "Shane left him," she answered, "Rick, in the hospital," she clarified, "I was there visiting, and I fell asleep. Next thing I know Shane's there shaking me awake telling me we gotta go. Had no idea what was happening except I wasn't going without my brother. He was hooked up to all these machines and shit, so we were trying to figure out how to get him out of there. Something hit the hospital caused the machines to go off. Shane was closest and he told me," she stopped to clear her throat, "He told me Rick wasn't breathing. That he was gone. I fought him, of course, to get back to Rick, but he wouldn't let me get back to him. Said we had to go. Had to get to Carl and Lori. So, he left him there."
Biting the inside of his cheek, Daryl stared out the windshield as he continued to drive, digesting what he'd been told. Sighing, he glanced at Charlotte, "Why ya keepin their secret?"
"Not for them," she responded immediately, "For Carl and Rick. All this shit going on the last thing I wanna do is add in a cheating wife and a scumbag best friend."
"It ain't over."
"They both said it was, but I don't know."
"It ain't over," he repeated, "And if your brother finds out you knew," he trailed off.
Sighing, Charlotte turned her head to look at Daryl, "It would break his heart."
"He's a grown man."
"I ain't talkin about Rick. I'm talkin about Carl. He looks up to Shane, and no kid wants to think ill of their mother."
"You do what ya want, but it's probably gonna come back and bite ya in the ass."
Within the hour the convoy was pulling up to the CDC. Parking along the curb in front of the police barrier set up around the building Charlotte leaned forward squinting out the windshield, "This doesn't look good," she muttered.
"Take this," Daryl told her, pulling a balisong out of the side pocket of his door and handing it to her, "You got your gun too?"
"Yeah, but I don't need this," she said, holding the knife up, "I have my bow."
"Can't use that if you have to carry her," he responded, nodding his head towards Annabelle still sleeping in her lap before opening his door.
Nodding she opened her door and slid out of the truck before reaching back in for her backpack, Annabelle's diaper bag, and Annabelle herself. Hefting the little girl into her arms she shut the door as Daryl came around the truck meeting her on the sidewalk.
"Stay close," he told her as they joined the others heading across the front entrance filled with dead bodies and buzzing flies.
"Oh God," Charlotte gagged as the smell of the rotting bodies hit them.
"All right, everybody. Keep moving. Go on," Shane directed, "Stay quiet. Let's go."
Hearing a small whine coming from the girl in her arms, Charlotte turned her head to Annabelle rubbing her eyes looking around confused, "Ewwww….smelly," she whined.
Taking the handkerchief from Daryl's back pocket she covered Annabelle's nose and mouth, "Keep your face covered, Honey," she murmured to the girl as they hurried around dead bodies and army tanks towards the glass fronted building.
Reaching the building, Charlotte stood back as Rick and Shane banged on what looked like garage doors. Glancing around nervously as they made a ton of noise, she held Annabelle tighter as the little girl began to cry.
"There's nobody here," T-Dogg declared.
"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick questioned.
"Monsters!"
Turning quickly at Annabelle's scream, Charlotte could see walkers heading their way from around the front of the building.
"We got walkers!" Daryl yelled looking where Annabelle pointed. Using his crossbow, he fired at the closest one dropping its corpse to the ground, "You led us into a graveyard!" he shouted, turning back to Rick.
"It was a destination," Charlotte reminded him.
"It was the wrong dam destination," Daryl shot back.
"Rick, this is a dead end," Shane agreed, "No blame man, but this isn't it."
"Where are we going to go?" Carol cried, clutching Sophia to her side.
"This isn't safe out here. Makin all this noise," Charlotte reminded them, attempting to quiet down Annabelle's crying.
"She's right. We can't be here, this close to the city after dark," Lori added, wide eyed as she held onto Carl.
"Fort Benning, Rick. It's still an option," Shane offered.
"On what? No food, no fuel. That's 100 miles," Andrea reminded him.
"125. I checked the map," Glenn added.
"Forget Fort Benning. We need answers tonight, now," Lori cried, looking at her husband.
"We'll think of something!" Rick yelled as he, Lori, and Shane began arguing about what to do.
"Get that fucking knife out," Daryl snapped at Charlotte.
Pulling the knife he'd given her out of her back pocket she flipped it open, "What should we do?" she questioned looking at him.
"We gotta go," he answered, shoving her back the way they'd come as Shane began herding everyone else back to the cars.
"The camera!" Rick yelled, "The camera moved!"
Stopping at her brother's declaration, she looked over Daryl's shoulder to where he stood looking up at the camera on the building.
"You imagined it," Dale voiced her own thought.
"It moved!" Rick insisted.
"Rick, it's automated. Now let's go!" Shane argued, pulling on Rick as fought him off, insisting that the camera had moved.
Shoving Shane away, Rick pounded on the door, "I know you're in there! I know you can hear me!" he yelled, looking up at the camera, "Please, we're desperate! Please help us. We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left."
"Stay with Coco," Lori told Carl before running back to Rick.
"Rick! Please, we have to go!"
"Get to the truck!" Daryl ordered before firing at another walker. Unable to tear her eyes away from her brother, Charlotte stood rooted to the ground watching as Shane and Lori attempted to pull Rick away from the building.
"Please, you're killing us!" he cried, pounding once more on the doors before Shane got his arm around him and began dragging him away, "Please you're killing us!" he continued screaming.
"For fucks sake Charlotte get back to the truck!" Daryl snapped at her. Turning to look at the man standing next to her she nodded before turning to hurry back across the lot only to stop at the sound of one of the garage doors behind them opening.
"What the hell," Daryl muttered as they all turned around and watched as the door went up allowing the light from inside to wash over the darkness surrounding them.