Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

Chapter 124

Author's Note: Yes, another chapter from the first episode. Dang Summer just got her first kiss, while her best friend just lost her boyfriend. Angst. Review please.

Summer and Jewel's POV:

Jewel gave a small smile as Summer came into her room. She pulled the covers down and motioned for her eldest to join her. "Uncle Daryl told me what happened."

Summer sighed as she crawled into bed. "Aren't I little to old for the snuggles and everything's going to be alright speech?"

Jewel laughed. "Oh you think the snuggles and the speeches were for your benefit? No, they were always for me. I think us parents need to tell there kids everything's going to be alright, so we can calm ourselves," she told her daughter as she kissed the top of her head. "I can't lie and tell you everything's going to be alright, because we'd both know I was lying," she comforted her daughter.

Summer sighed. "Mom, I liked it better when you tried to lie."

"Yeah so did I, but we both know how the world is now. I'm sorry about Zach, but damn it, I was relieved when you got out of that car," Jewel told her. "The one thing I don't want you to do is pull back and blame yourself. I told Daryl the same thing. It's not your fault, it's no one's fault. We all know going out there that there may be a chance we don't come back. It's the part of living day to day."

"It sucks," Summer answered. "How do you, I mean with the baby and Judy? How can you even think about bringing a baby into this world? I'm not mad, not anymore, I just don't know how you can act like you aren't scared," she told her mother as she touched her stomach. "Not that I'm not excited to meet my little brother or sister."

Jewel smiled. "Baby, I was scared when you were on your way too. Every parent is faced with challenges, hell, this is no different. Yeah, a bit more dangerous, but I'm going to do everything in my power to keep this baby safe, just like I tried with you. Just like we try with Judith and Carl. I can't stop living because the dead is rising. I wasn't living before, I was just breathing, going through the motions. The dead coming back to life got me to see that," she said as she kissed the top of her head. "This isn't your fault, Summer. I don't want you to go into some kind of shell that you are isolating yourself. That's what we Dixon's do, at least it was. Not anymore, it can't be. You understand me?"

Summer nodded. "Joey kissed me…before everything happened."

Jewel gave a small smile. "He did huh? I think we don't need to tell your Uncles or your dad about that," she told her as she hugged her.

"Yeah that might not be a bad idea," Summer said with a smile. "I don't think we know the whole story about what happened at the store….that brought down the shelf with Bob."

Jewel looked at her. "What do you mean baby?"

Summer shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she answered.

Jewel brought her daughters chin up so they could be looking at each others eyes. "It matters if you think it matters. What's bothering you?"

"When Uncle Daryl and I found Bob last week, I could smell the alcohol on him. Today he said he ran into the shelf, I don't know the story sounded fishy. I mean, there's no way to prove what he said was a lie, and it doesn't matter if it was or not," Summer told her.

"No, guess it doesn't matter. Has anyone told Ridge and Ronnie and there group yet?" Summer asked.

"Sasha and Joey went down. I'm going to go see Beth in a little while," Summer told her.

Jewel nodded. "I'm going to go down and get something to eat, hang out with Rick for a bit in the garden," she told her as she kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too mom," Summer told her.

Jewel and Bob's POV:

Jewel walked over to where Bob was sitting outside and sat down at the table. "Bad day today, huh?"

Bob looked straight ahead. "Yeah, Zach's death and everything."

Jewel nodded. "Summer told me what happened, you running into a display of alcohol," she told him.

"Yeah real dumb luck," Bob told her.

"Daryl and Summer, when they picked you up, they said you had been on your own for a while. That right?" Jewel asked.

"Yeah, had bad luck then too," Bob answered not looking at her.

Jewel nodded. "Sometimes the best company is your own guilt and a bottle," she told him. "Don't have to answer, Bob. But, I know what it's like, just wanting to forget, and the only way to do that is open up a bottle and pour it down your throat. I don't care what happened out there today Bob, it isn't important. But, what is important is that you move forward, and leave all those demons in the past. It's not easy, trust me I know," Jewel told him as she held out her thirteen year coin. "Sorry don't have a day one."

Bob looked at her as he took it. "How'd you figure it out?"

Jewel shrugged. "I didn't, not really. Summer mentioned that you had been drinkin' and then today she told me what you had said when the display came down. Us Dixon's are good at spotting bullshit a mile away, hell her Uncle is Merle," she said with a small smile. "Summer's also the daughter of a recovering alcoholic, she may have been to young to remember a lot of things about when I was drinkin' but she grew up watching me recover. When she told me about today, I put two and two together. You're not alone anymore Bob," she told him.

Bob looked at her again. "Why do you care? I mean I've only been here a week, you've hardly said a word to me. Not that I blame you, you got a baby cooking, and taking care of another one. I'm the least of your worries."

Jewel smiled. "You became a part of this family the moment my brother and my daughter brought you back here. You went out there today, as part of the group. I'm sure that you had every good intention when you volunteered. One of you didn't come back, and even if you didn't have anything to do with it, a bottle is very tempting right now. Trust me, there were times after all this started, that I've been more tempted then I ever was. If it wasn't for falling for Rick, I would probably picked up that bottle more then once. There isn't an AA meeting I can take you too, but I can be here to let you know you aren't alone," she said as she stood up.

Bob held up the coin. "Don't you want this back?"

Jewel shook her head. "No, you need it. My sponsor, who turned out to be one of my best friends in this world, Jane told me the day she gave me her first coin, I expect you to do great things. Now that may not be my first coin, but I expect you to do great things," she said as she squeezed the mans shoulder before she left.

Zach, Ridge, Ronnie, Glenn and other's POV:

Glenn leaned against the wall of a cell in D block and looked at the friends of Zach's that had been with him from the beginning. He didn't have to imagine how this felt like, he knew exactly what it felt like to be told one of your original group was gone. That was the hardest of any deaths. "I'm sorry, we're all sorry. Zach was one of the good guys."

Ridge squeezed Ronnie's shoulder. "We've been together for so long, it's like losing one of our own children, you know?" he asked. "Thank you for telling us."

Andy crossed his arms. "Funny that everyone but one of your inner circle made it back," he said.

"Andy," Ronnie warned.

Joey looked at him as he straightened up. "You want to say that again and be a little bit more direct about it?"

"Three members of the so called council go, they come back. Two members of the council's family go, they come back, the woman with the dreadlocks, real close to the Grimes family, she comes back, Glenn, a member of the original group comes back. You're all hot and bothered for the niece of the council member that went, and she made it back. The only two who went that didn't have any thing to do with you all is Zach and the new guy. Awful fishy that you all came back, but Zach didn't," Andy said.

"Andy, that's enough. Not another word," Ridge warned.

"No, Ridge, let this bastard put his foot down his throat more," Joey said as he met the kid head to head. "If there was anything we could have done, we would have."

"Joey back down," Glenn told the younger man. "We don't leave anyone behind. Zach's been living in C block, he's been dating Beth, he wasn't an outsider. The only reason you are an outsider, Andy is because you chose to be."

"Thank you for telling us," Ronnie said. "I know you all did what you could. I'm glad he had friends like you."

Glenn nodded. "Joey let's go," he said as he put his hand on the other man's shoulder. "Let's go."

Joey nodded as he followed the other man out.