The next day, Daryl was helped back to his tent by myself and Michael. Michael had been quiet about what we'd talked about outside of Dayrl's room, and I was in no hurry to bring it up. Now and days having a doctor in your camp could be the significant difference between life and death. Add to the fact that he was one of the few of us who could wield a gun: double bonus.

"You good?" Michael asked him.

"Yeah," Daryl answered as he got comfortable.

"I gotta go meet Rick and the others to continue the search," I told them. "I'll come back when I'm done to check on you."

"Don't have to."

"I'll keep you updated." I left the tent and joined Rick, Shane, and Jimmy around a truck.

"Hey! Peach man!" Shane called to Glenn as I joined them looking over the map.

"The creek flows south, past that farmhouse Daryl found," Rick said following the river with his finger. "Maybe Sophia dropped the doll there; the current brought it downstream."

"So what, you think she took this road here and then she went North?" Shane asked him.

"Yeah," Rick confirmed. "What's up that way?" We all looked to Jimmy for the answer.

"A housing development," he told us. "It went in maybe ten years ago.

"Take a run up there after gun practice," Rick ordered Shane. "We'll hold down the fort here, but take backup."

"After what went down with Daryl, I don't want anyone going out alone," Rick told us. "We stay in pairs."

"I'll take suggestions on a partner," Shane told him as Glenn joined us.

"Take the best person at practice," I suggested taking a peach. Rick nodded, liking the idea before bitting into his peach. Glenn stuck around for a moment, staring at Rick before looking back at Lori.

"My binoculars," Shane told him reminding him of the binoculars hanging off his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah." Glenn took off the binoculars and handed them over before going back and picking up the peaches again. "Okay. Bye." I shared a confused yet amused look with Rick and Shane, and the two started laughing before the two of the women from Hershel's house walked up to us.

"We'd like to join you for gun training today," the youngest, Beth told us with Patricia at her side.

"Hershel's been very clear," Rick told the pair. "I can't involve any of you in what we do without his okay."

"He doesn't like it, but he consented," Beth assured us.

"Otis was the only one who knew guns," Patricia added. "Now that he's gone, we gotta learn to protect ourselves. Her father saw the sense in that."

"No offense, but I'll ask Hershel myself," Rick promised the two before they went back to the house with Jimmy. Shane had walked off a little earlier to talk to Carl who was standing next tot he RV.

"I think anyone who wants to learn to shoot should be able to," I told Rick

"I agree, but I won't jeopardize our safety here by angering Hershel," Rick told me.

"I wasn't just talking about Beth and Patricia," I said watching Carl and Shane talk. Rick followed my eyes to see his friend and son talking. "Everyone needs to know how to protect themselves. When Sophia gets back, I'm going to talk to Carol about letting us teach her how to survive and fight. She's gotta get tougher in this world to live in it."

"That's a good idea. Maybe when Jack gets back he can help us all learn how to survive in the woods just like you, James, and Daryl can," Rick suggested.

"Sound like a good plan," I said. "It may take a while to get that good, but it never hurts to be prepared in case we get separated again."


A little later in the afternoon, we all loaded up to go to the training range the guys had set up with everyone who'd wanted to learn how to shoot, including Beth, Patricia, and Jimmy. The only two who stayed behind was Glenn, Daryl, and Dale. Lori and Carol came with us to watch Carl practice and to stay together. Carol didn't want to learn, but I had a feeling she would eventually. During practice, Andrea surprised us all at being the best shot we had out of the newbies. She would be taken alone with Shane for the "advanced class". Carl did real good during practice as did the others and we all went back to camp smiling and happy with what had happened. Michael had stayed close to Patricia and away from me, which I was perfectly fine with. James even smiled at me again. I counted both as a win for me. I'd hoped to have everything back to normal before Dad and Sophia came back, but we'd see how it goes. I told Daryl everything that had happened during practice and about Rick's plan to follow the creek North.

"I can tell Shane doesn't like it, but he and Andrea should be checking this housing development," I told him. "I plan on going out with James tomorrow and looking along in the woods while following the creek."

"Good plan," he told me. I noticed a book laying on the ground and picked it up.

"This doesn't look like something you'd read," I said.

"Andrea brought it," he told me.

"That would explain that," I read the back of the book. "Where'd she even get this?"

"Dale." I could see it. I put the book back down before leaving the tent. "I'm sure Carol will bring you dinner later."

"Thanks," he said, and I nodded to him before going back to James who was looking out at the fields surrounding us.

"You think Hershel would let us grow our food?" he asked me and I smiled at the thought. "Or build a bunker to store food in, in case we get overrun?" he looked at me and saw my smile. "What?"

"You're looking to the future," I said. "That makes me smile. Am I not allowed to smile when my baby brother has hope?"

"Shut up with that baby brother crap," he told me, and I laughed. "You think Dad would agree with us? About a bunker and helping out on the farm more?"

"Yeah and we'll even talk to him about it when he gets back, and I'll talk to Rick, see if he can talk to Hershel."

"What's going on between you and Rick?" he asked me, and I looked at him confused. "You guys are getting close."

"He's my friend, James. Nothing more," I told him. "Promise."

"And you and Daryl?"

"Daryl is a friend, and he's helping us find Dad, remember?" I asked him with a look.

"Yea, but Michael's been on edge since Daryl got hurt," he said and I sighed. "Did he finally make a move?" I sighed.

"Yea."

"Not good huh?"

"Think Hiroshima, only world scale," I exaggerated. I made the noise of a bomb exploding and moved my hands in an outward motion and he laughed.

"Don't worry it'll get better."

"I hope so," I said.