Welcome back! Nice to see you guys still with me on this story. Enjoy reading, leave a comment ;o) Have fun reading on!
As always: Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead, just my characters ...

We sat at a table in the restaurant of this small but comfy hotel. It must have been a little hideaway from the city. I could imagine families sitting here, talking and eating, enjoying a lovely weekend off the city. But the room was dirty now and some of the inventory was broken. Examining the place, I had a sandwich in my hand, never thought tuna tasted that good. I always hated tuna but now I felt like eating real meat.

I told Alex and Doc, who turned out to be brother and sister, a little bit of my group. I wasn't telling everything and still kept some things to myself. "So Rick came back?" I nodded. "But he handcuffed that guy's brother on a roof?" I nodded again. "Then they went back for him?!" I nodded once again. They were talking rotational. They really were brother and sister. "Yeah. Daryl was going crazy. His brother was abandoned in the city handcuffed. He was going and Rick and T-Dog felt guilty I think and Glenn is just a fast small guy. Daryl would have gone on his own anyway, no matter what." I smirked. Alex turned to me. "You went all by yourself to follow Darren?" I didn't know this people and now Alex said the one thing that I didn't even wanted to realize myself. "His name is Daryl." I paused. "I wanted to go to Atlanta too. My Cousin Alice lives in there and I wanted to know if she was okay. But they didn't let me. They left and after a few hours I left too. I sneaked out when everyone was at their duty." Well that wasn't exactly true. I wanted to go with Daryl because I felt safe around him. Now i felt I had acted like a teenage girl with a teenage crush. But I was no teenager nor did I have a crush. Keep telling yourself and maybe you'll believe it someday. I starred at the empty plate in front of me, lost in thought. That had been a good sandwich. I grabbed the bottle of water and drank hastily.

"You went alone and told nobody? And you didn't find them in Atlanta?!" Alex' voice sounded baffled. "Didn't you know there are gangs in the city? Everyone is fighting for the smallest thing these days. You should have been more careful." I felt ashamed. I realized that I actually acted like a teenager, naïve and risky.

"This Daryl guy must be worth it when you were following him all on your own." I didn't comment on Docs appraisal, but he smiled at me. "Even you did not find them, you sure are a lucky girl. The shot went right through your arm and the cut on your leg is not deep enough to do real damage." He stood up. "I have to look at one of my patients. Alex can show you the place and when you feel better and ready, we can go search for your campsite." I smiled back at him. "Thanks." I watched him disappear and saw the two guys who saved me back in Atlanta at the other side of the room.

I turned to Alex. "Why are you guys willing to help me?" She just smiled. "Like I told you: We are good people. Since I saw you the first time, I thought you are one good person too. You fought for your life against the walkers and even during surgery you didn't seem to give up. I admire your will to survive and even you are not in a good shape you are willing to go out again, look for your group. I wish I had a friend like you when this all started." Was she naïve or just really really nice? She must be a good person, maybe someone you can trust in this shitty world. I shifted uncomfortable in my chair. "Ehm … thanks …"

She laughed with a little blushing and took my hand. "Wanna look around?" I didn't move but looked behind her at the two men approaching us. "Hey bloody bad ass." The man gave me a mischievous smile. Alex was annoyed and stood up. "Her name is Ella. Ella this is John and Mark." I remembered John already been an asshole in the car. He was the one who wanted to ditch me in the wilderness. Mark was the hairy guy who saved me. I looked at Mark. "Thanks for leaning me a helping hand up there." He laughed at my ambiguous words. "You were doing pretty good on your own."

John was more the Merle-kind-of-guy. "You did good on your own, saw you surviving when a fuckin' building explode. You even made it out in one piece." He looked me up and down. "Nice ass by the way." Yeah, he definitely would get along with Merle. Alex punched his shoulder. "Watch your mouth." She grabbed my arm. "Let's go." But I still didn't move.

"I really appreciate your help, but I want to go back to my group." I felt comfy around Alex and the guys didn't seem so bad, but I still was scared to be kinda alone. Since the beginning of this demon era I was with Shane, Lori and Carl. They saved me when my car conk out and toke me with them. Now I missed Amy's and Glenn's happy nature and all above I missed Daryl's grumpy behavior and how he could hate everyone and everything for nothing. "I am thankful what you did for me and want to pay you back, but I need to see my friends first." Mark examined me. His eyes rested on my wounds. "You think you are able to walk a long time?" I slowly nodded. "I have to go." Alex nodded. "Okay, then we go and take you to your group first. Seems like you are dead-set on finding your friends, so why argue?! But I can understand you, I would act the same if I lost my brother." She gave me a warm smile.

We were on the road soon. Doc didn't want us to go, said I was injured and should rest, but he needed medical supplies anyway. He told us to look for medicine and said a few pharmaceutical names I couldn't remember anymore. For me it was going back, returning to my group, but the others cared about supplies. John was driving the car in the direction of Atlanta, so I could make out a point I would remember how to get back to the campsite. He avoided getting too close to the city. He was still afraid we could get shot. He told me about a group who drove a tank and bombed walkers they came across. I wasn't eager to cross their way as well. Next to him sat Nick. He was in his forties and Alex told me he lost his whole family. He was silent and cautious, looking out of the window the whole time. Although he didn't talk during the drive, he seemed to be a carrying figure. Maybe this is what Dale had looked like in his better days. I smiled at my thoughts and was happy to be reunited with my friends.

Alex sat next to me. "You think you know where your campsite is?" I nodded. "The surroundings look familiar." I told John to drive left and soon we were heading up a hill. I saw the lake Amy and I hab been swimming in a few days ago. "We are almost there." My mood changed as I saw the familiar road I walked before. "Yeah, this is it!" I was excited and couldn't wait to see Amy again. She was the one staying positive and funny just like Glenn. I could see her in front of my inner eye tanning on top of the RV. She always tried me to join her.

But when we arrived on top, I was near crying. No cars, no RV, no tents. My eyes scanned the deserted area and saw leftovers, and the former fireplace. As soon as our car stopped I jumped out and looked around hastily. They were gone … stumbling over a broken tent, Alex caught me from falling. "Ella, are you sure we are right …?" I didn't listen, couldn't answer. My eyes widened as I saw graves. I walked towards the wooden crosses. "No …"

We know were this is going, but Ella has no idea what happend. Hope she is able to handle it ... ;o) Well i know what is going to happen next and you will too if go on reading! Will update soon, promise!

See you soon!