Chapter 14

I wake up just as the sun starts to rise, to feed Anneliese and I decide that I want to enjoy the peace before the group is up. I exit the RV and pull a lawn chair to face where the sun is rising. Anneliese is almost finished her bottle and I'm relaxed with my eyes closed and my face towards the sun when I hear footsteps approaching from behind me. Turning my head to the right I meet Rick's eyes and smile in greeting. He smiles back before sitting on the ground next to me. We sit there in silence, that's only broken by Anneliese's coos, enjoying the sunrise.

It's not long until the rest of the group is up and moving. Lori starts making breakfast and arguing with Rick all at the same time.

"I don't think he needs to have a gun" Lori says

"He wouldn't have it all the time, but he needs to know how to shoot, Lori" Rick argues back

"I still don't think he needs to go out there today" Lori protests

"Well then where is he going to be? What is he going to do around here?" Rick asks

"He can hang out with Jackson and do schoolwork like he's been doing the past few days" Lori says and that's when I decide to cut in

"Actually, he can't. Jackson and I will be joining the training today"

"But what about watch- "Lori starts but I cut her off

"And maybe instead of just assuming I'll watch Carl every day and disappearing after breakfast you could ask me if I can"

"Well it's not like you can do anything else" She says snidely, and my eyebrows fly up

"Not like I can do anything else. Really? Who has made breakfast, lunch and dinner the past 3 days? Who has made sure your kid was safe? Who is giving your kid some semblance of an education while you're off doing god knows what" I grit out

"Don't talk to me that way- "

"I will talk to you how I damn well please, you're not going to try and say I don't do shit for this group when you're the one that disappears everyday"

"That's enough you two" Rick cuts in and gently takes my elbow to turn me away from Lori, and I see that we've gathered every single person in camp's attention.

"C'mon Gen why don't you go wake up your kids" He prods still leading me towards the RV

"Fine, I'll send them out to eat. Do ya mind if they sit with you and Carl? I gotta make sure stuff is ready for Daryl" I huff

"Of course, they can. And for the record Lori does not speak for me. You do a hell of a lot for this group" he whispers

"Yea right." I laugh bitterly "I'll send the kids out" I tell him heading into the RV, Penny and Jackson are already awake, no doubt from mine and Lori's raised voices. I send Jackson to get dressed and quickly help Penny dress and brush her hair before I direct them both to go to the campfire and sit with Carl for breakfast.

"Are you comin momma?" Penny asks

"No baby I'm not hungry but you go enjoy okay?" I tell her and she nods before grasping her big brother's hand and following him to the campfire.

Once I see that they're seated I shuffle around the small back bedroom doing a multitude of things. I gather all of our dirty clothes into a pile to be washed after training. I lay a wide-awake Anneliese on her belly for tummy time. And I pack a diaper bag with everything Daryl could possibly need.

And then I have time to think. Lori is right I really don't do much for the group, I watch the kids and make meals. When I could be doing so much more. Rick might appreciate my help with Carl but it's clear that Lori is taking advantage of it. Andrea and Shane seem to hate me more each day, for I guess joining the group and bringing along extra mouths to feed. For a brief moment I let myself wonder how it would be for me and the kids to be on our own again and then Anneliese starts to fuss.

"Hey little miss none of that" I coo picking her up, and she instantly calms "You don't like tummy time very much huh?" I ask cradling her in my left arm

"You're gonna spend some time with Mr. Daryl today. Take it easy on him I don't think he's all that used to babies" I tell her "Or little girls like your sister" I laugh gazing into her bright blue eyes, she's about a month old and her eyes are still as blue as the day she was born.

"Why don't we get you dressed" I say looking out the window and noticing that everyone seemed to be dispersing from around the fire pit.

I'm just finishing snapping her onesie when I hear the RV door open. I look up and see Rick walking towards me.

"Hey" He greets coming to a stop in the doorway

"Hey" I say back resuming dressing Anneliese

"We're gonna head out in about half an hour"

"Okay"

"We're taking 2 cars you and the kids will be with me and Shane will have Andrea and Carol." He tells me and I nod "Do you want help taking them to Daryl?" he asks

"No, but can you ask Jackson and Penny to come here?" I ask

"Yea sure" he says before leaving.

I sigh to myself and try not to get caught up in my thoughts too much, I was very short with Rick, but I can't help but feel that he agrees with most of the group.

It's barely a minute later when Jackson and Penny join me.

"I heard Mrs. Lori saying we were going to gun training today" Jackson states right a way

"Me and you are Jackson. Penny and Anneliese are going to be with Mr. Daryl." I tell them

"But I wanna come with you momma" Penny protests

"You can't sweet pea, it's going to be very loud there. So, Mr. Daryl offered to watch you and Anneliese for me. And as soon as I get back, we'll do something okay?" I offer her and she nods pouting a little. "Now you have to listen to Mr. Daryl okay?" I ask her

"I will Momma, I like Mr. Daryl" she informs me

"Good I'm glad, now let's head over to his tent. Jackson if you could wait with Carl and Rick I'll be right back" I tell him, and he nods heading out of the RV first. I guide Penny by the hand to Daryl's tent, where he's sitting on a log outside.

"Hi Mr. Daryl! Momma says I'm gonna spend time with you!" Penny greets releasing my hand and running to sit next to him on the log, Daryl doesn't say anything just looks at her with a raised brow and then turns to me.

"Anneliese has been changed and I fed her not too long ago, she'll probably be falling asleep shortly. If she gets fussy she has a pacifier and she'll need to eat again in about 2 hours, I already prepped the bottles, all you have to do is shake them" I tell him placing the diaper bag on the ground next to his leg "There's a book and a coloring book in there for Penny to distract her." I inform him and he nods

"Okay" he says holding his hands out for the baby. I try not to let my nervousness of leaving them show as I place a kiss on Anneliese's forehead and hand her over to Daryl.

"Be good Penelope, listen to Mr. Daryl" I instruct her kissing her forehead

"I will momma" she smiles

"Anything you could possibly need is in that bag, if you run out of diapers there's more in the RV. Oh crap! I forgot to grab her mosses basket for you to lay her in" I realize

"I can get it if I need it, we'll be okay Gen" He tells me, and I nod biting my lip

"I know you'll be fine; I've just never left Anneliese before and I don't want Penny to give you is- "I start to rant

"Gen! We will be fine. You better go or they'll leave without ya" he cuts me off

"Okay, okay. Thank you, Daryl. Really thank you" I tell him, and he just grunts as I turn away and walk back to where the rest of the group is standing at the cars.

"So, there was a slight change" Rick starts as I come to a stop next to him "Beth, Jimmy and Patricia will be joining us"

"And they have Herschel's blessing?" I ask shocked

"Yea seems so. Beth is gonna ride with us, Jimmy and Patricia will ride with Shane" He tells me, and I nod

"I call shotgun" I laugh and Rick chuckles with me, but he calms very quickly when Lori walks up to us with Shane.

"You'll make sure you watch everything he does? You won't let him out of your sight?" She says looking at both Rick and Shane

"We will Lori" Shane says at the same time Rick says "I know how to care for my son"

My eyebrows shoot up and I look at Rick with wide eyes who also looks a little shocked at what he said.

"He'll be fine Lori. Now we better get going" Shane says simultaneously diffusing the situation and shooting Rick a glare.

With a nod Rick turns to usher the youngest members of the training group into the SUV and I go to follow him when someone grabs my shoulder. Turning my head, I come face to face with Lori.

"I know I was a bitch to you" I laugh at her words "But please look out for Carl I don't want anything to happen to him" She says and I kind of just tilt my head at her words. Sure, treat me like shit and then ask me to watch out for your kid. She's lucky I like Carl.

"I'll keep him with me and Jackson, but I don't think you need to worry" I tell her and walk to the SUV without waiting for a response. Shaking my head to myself I climb into the passenger seat and see that Jackson pulled the short straw and is in the back-middle seat.

"Everything okay?" Rick asks, he had obviously seen Lori talking to me

"Yea, she just wants me to keep an eye on Carl" I tell him buckling my seatbelt

"You'd think I didn't know how to care for my son" He mumbles, and I laugh a little as we pull off.

"We can talk about it later" I tell him, deciding that it wouldn't be a good idea to discuss this in front of the kids.

"So, Beth have you ever shot a gun?"