This Night

Chapter 2015

Author's Note: Well, I was going to go check in on Merle and the gang, cause I have ideas, but other people (Daryl, Abe, I'm looking at you) had other plans. Son is back at college, I have 2 weeks before vacation, so let's see what I can do til then! Review please.

Daryl, Tara and Mitch's POV:

Tara glanced over at Daryl and Mitch who were pulling cushions off couches and took a breath as she walked over. "Need any help?"

Daryl glanced at her. "We got it."

"Right," Tara said. "You would have been proud of Mitch out there, he was a real trooper. Nothing that I would have expected from a ten year old kid."

Daryl glanced at her then continued his work. "Don't get to be a kid for long in this world," he simply answered.

"I got to be able to protect whoever I am with, can't let all of them do the heavy lifting. I can't do everything that everyone else does, but I can do stuff, and that stuff may keep someone alive," Mitch answered as he grinned. "It's a sofa bed," he said as he grinned.

Tara smiled. "The little things in life right?" she asked.

"They are the big things now," Mitch answered.

Daryl smirked. "Don't you get thinking' you're gonna be sleeping on that. Lexi, Summer and Mika get the bed. You get to sleep on the floor," he told Mitch. "Mitch and Glenn told me that you weren't gonna leave them. Thanks," he told her.

"Saw how determined they were, so sure that they would find you all," Tara answered. "It made me want to help them, wanted to reunite them with family," she told him.

Daryl nodded. "You blamin' yourself for what happened at the prison?" he asked.

"Mitch tell you I was there?" Tara asked.

"I have eyes, saw you there," Daryl answered tersely.

"Oh," Tara said softly.

"He didn't mean anything by it, that's just Daryl," Mitch said with a smile.

Daryl glanced down at Mitch and gave him a stare. "You aint the first one that got fooled by the Governor. Can't fool anybody else into thinking' he's something he aint," he said.

"Joey was with the Governor before," Tara replied.

"Merle was his right hand man," Daryl told her. "At Woodbury," he added. "He got separated from us in Atlanta, that's where he lost his hand. Gave up hope in finding him. We found the prison, a few of us ran into trouble while we were out, Merle found them. It didn't go well, he took them back to Woodbury. He was holdin' a grudge against Glenn for being part of the group that left him. The Governor wanted to know where we were, threatened Maggie and Jewel. He almost killed Jewel, would have too, if Jes hadn't took a chance and got her out."

"Everyone let Merle stay?" Tara asked.

Mitch laughed. "It wasn't easy, he's kinda rough around the edges."

"He's no saint, and Mitch is right, Merle had a lot of people to gain the trust of. You've already done that," Daryl told her. "Welcome to the family."

Rick, Mika, Lexi and Ty's POV:

Mika and Lexi both looked up from the game they had found as Rick came over and sat down beside Ty. "Everything OK?" he asked as he adjusted Hope.

"We're alright. How's Jewel?" Ty asked.

"She's doing better. You know Jewel, she's not going to complain," Rick answered. "Carl is with her. He'll call if he needs anything. You all know where Summer is?"

"She was checking the shed, Michonne went out after her," Mika answered.

"Can I hold her Rick?" Lexi asked.

"Yeah, you remember how from when Judith was this small right?" Rick asked.

"Don't think Judith was ever that small," Ty said with a grin as Lexi took her. "That's it."

"You two got her? I want to talk to Mika alone," Rick asked as he stood up.

"Did I do something wrong Rick?" Mika asked with concern.

"Of course not, just want to talk to you," Rick assured her.

"We got this one," Ty assured him as Mika got up and went with Rick.

Rick went outside and sat down on the step and patted the empty spot next to her. "You aren't in any trouble Mika," he assured her.

Mika nodded and sat down beside him. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked.

Rick gave a small smile. It was hard not to when it came to Mika, she had managed to retain that cheery smile through everything. "I wanted to see how you were doing? We lost your dad to the flu at the prison, then being separated from Lizzie and to find out she didn't make it. That's a lot to take in, especially for someone at your age."

Mika shrugged. "Kind of numb, really hasn't had time to set in. When dad died at the prison, I had to make sure Lizzie was alright. I know she was the older one, but she wasn't OK. My mom used to say that Lizzie was special, that she needed me to look after her. So, that's what I was doing after Dad died. I knew feeding the walkers' were wrong. I knew giving them names was wrong. I tried to explain to her that it was wrong. She wanted to fight like the rest of you at the prison, I told her she needed to get on the bus. She called me a coward for not wanting to fight."

Rick put his arm around her. "What did Hershel always say?"

"That we all had jobs to do," Mika answered.

Rick nodded. "Your job was to get on the bus. Our job was to fight for you all. You got on the bus and you were able to help Jewel when she needed it the most. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if you weren't on the bus and wasn't there to make sure Jewel got up. I'm sorry about Lizzie."

"Thank you. Dad made Carol promise that she'd look out for me and Lizzie, I guess she'll just look out for me now," Mika said.

"We all look out for each other," Rick told her. "And, I've already been told by Jewel that she kind of adopted you, so you're stuck with us," he informed her.

Mika laughed. "Exactly what Carl wants, another little sister," she pointed out.

"It is what it is," Rick answered with a grin. "So, Jewel wants me to pick out a middle name for Hope. Got any suggestions?"

Mika grinned. "You're supposed to come up with one, not me," she pointed out.

Rick laughed. "Can't fool you can I? Alright, here's my line of thinking, you were there for Jewel, you were there when Hope was born, so I was thinking that maybe she should have your middle name or Lizzie's, as a tribute."

"I hate my middle name," Mika said with a grin.

Rick laughed. "Jewel hates hers too," he admitted.

"Lizzie's wasn't that bad, but still nothing that fits Hope," Mika told him.

"Fits?" Rick asked.

Mika nodded. "Yes, fits. Hope is our little light of Hope, a reminder of what's good in this world, her and Judy. In the future, when we have someone writing down our histories, Hope's name need to be something that someone reads and knows that she was meant for greatness in this world."

Rick looked at her. "Mika, I think you are the ray of sunshine we all need," he said as he hugged her.

"How about Eve?" Mika suggested.

"Hope Eve…Evie. Hope Evie Grimes? Got a nice ring to it," Rick agreed.

"I like it," Mika answered. "I'm going to go steal Hope from Lexi and tell her full name," she said. She looked at Rick. "Do you think Jewel is going to be alright?"

Rick nodded. "She's strong, you know that. This world is dangerous, and giving birth makes it that much more dangerous. Jewel and Hope both got lucky they survived it, but Jewel didn't get the proper rest and after care she needed. We're taking care of that now, and hopefully when we have to move again, she'll be stronger," he told her as he got up. "Now don't you have a baby to tell her full name too?" he asked with a grin as Mika took off.

Abe, Jes and Eugene's POV:

Jes kept glancing up at Eugene as she cleaned the parts of the old rifle she had found. Truth be told, she could do this blindfolded, and not look at the weapon at all, but she wasn't familiar with this weapon, so she kept most of her focus on it. The rest of her focus was on Eugene, getting a feel for him.

"Stop staring at him," Abe said from where he was working on cleaning his own weapon.

Jes gave a small smirk. "You think this was staring? This is casual glancing, now if you'd really like me to stare, I can and believe me, it won't be pleasant."

"Please don't," Eugene told her.

"You got something to say? Say it," Abe told her.

"I do, but it's not to you, it's for Eugene," Jes informed him.

"Whatever you got to say to Eugene, you say it right in front of me," Abe said.

Jes arched an eyebrow and shrugged. "Heard you knew how to cure this thing?" she asked.

"Yes, I do. I told everyone the basics in the train car," Eugene answered.

"I wasn't in the train car, I was a little bit busy shooting people so they wouldn't eat your butts," Jes answered with a snort. "You know, that's just something I never thought I'd hear myself say that, shooting live people so they wouldn't eat you. Sick, fucked up shit, right? I've gotten used to the dead, actually like them better then real people, they don't talk, they don't feed you a line of bull, and they don't con you. They have one purpose, and it's a simple purpose. Based on instinct. I know how to handle them, grab something sharp and take out the brain, put a bullet in the brain. Interesting thing is when you were all running, most everyone, including Mitch was taking out Walkers. Everyone, but you Eugene," she said as she raised her head to look at him.

"Eugene don't need to know how to take out the biters, it's mine and Rosita's job to do that, to keep him alive to get him to Washington," Abe told her.

"But you're asking people to go with, people in this group," Jes replied. "Bet you had other people with you, people that didn't make it? How many people died because he didn't know how to defend himself?"

"You need to shut it now," Abe told her.

"You need to stop speaking for him. He's supposed to know how to fix this yet he can't even speak up for himself? What about it Eugene? Can you speak for yourself or you gonna let your lapdog do it?" Jes asked.

Eugene looked at her and quickly to the ground. "I'm just not good at using weapons," he admitted.

"You think most people in this group did before the world went to hell in a hand basket? Glenn was a pizza delivery boy for God's sake," Jes said as she stood up. "Axel was in the prison, didn't know how to handle a gun, Mitch, Carl, Mika and Lexi, they were kids. Summer knew how to use a gun because she's a Dixon," she said as she threw a knife down at Eugene's feet. "Pick it up."

Abraham stood, getting in Jes's face, like he was trying to intimidate her. "Back off."

Jes smirked. "You think I'm scared of you Abraham? The only people that can get away not carrying a weapon is Judith and Hope. I'll put a bullet in his brain if he puts anyone in this group in jeopardy, and if you stand in my way, I'll do the same to you," she told him.

"Rick wouldn't let you," Abraham told her.

Jes looked at him. "If you think he's going to let anything endanger his wife and children because one person can't defend themselves, you're wrong. But, we're not talking about what Rick would or wouldn't do. This is about what I'd do. I'm not sold that this one knows how to save the world," she said as she glanced at Eugene. "That's why I'm going to Washington."

Abe looked at her. "Why the hell would you want to go to Washington? You just said you don't believe him."

"No, I said I'm not sold that he can save the world. Either way, it's safer for him to be away from the group since he can't defend himself or anyone else," Jes told him.

"We needed like minded individuals, not someone who doesn't believe in what we're doing here," Abe informed her.

Jes laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry, did it sound like I was asking for your permission? If it did, I'm sorry. Let me say this in simple terms. When you leave with him to go to Washington, I am going to be with you. I'm not doing this for you, I'm not doing this for the damn human race, I'm doing this because you have some of my people convinced he can save them all. So some of those people are going with you, and because of that, I am going with them," she told him. "Who knows? He may surprise the hell out of me and save this whole planet," she said as she walked out, leaving both men to stare after her.

Author's Note: OH I've so wanted to do Jes and Abe for a while. First time I saw Abe, I said 'oh Jes and you aren't going to get along. At all!' Please review