This Night

Chapter 249

Author's Note: So I started this year sick, and ending it this year sick. I'm not sure I feel good about that. Just as long as I don't wind up hospitalized with 104 temperatures, and the nurse asking if she needs to go find a guy with a crossbow and I answer with no I'll take the sheriff, but with no beard, we'll be OK. Please review. So since I've kept Beth alive, had to change the beginning of what happened and what's going on.

Group POV:

Rick stopped the car and got out, motioning everyone from the other vehicles to do the same. Jewel placed an extra blanket on Hope as she got out with her.

"Reason we stopping?" Abraham asked.

"Yeah, there's a reason," Rick answered. "We're all hoping that this place is still standing, that this is it," he told the group.

"If it's not?" Glenn asked. "If it's not standing?"

"We keep moving," Rick answered.

"Find a better place," Michonne answered.

"We've made it five hundred miles, we've just got a little bit more to go," Jewel told the group.

"Then why are we stopping? Shouldn't we keep going?" David asked.

Rick looked at the group. "A few of us are going to go, the rest of you stay here, we'll keep in contact. I'll use the radio to check the radius of the radio."

"So who decides who stays and who goes?" Rosita asked.

"Noah is the obvious choice, he knows where this place is," Mika piped up.

"Noah is definitely coming," Rick said with a laugh. "Glenn, Daryl, you both stay back, stay with the group. That alright with you two?"

Both nodded. "We'll hold tight," Glenn answered.

"I'll go," Summer volunteered.

Rick looked at Jewel who nodded. "Alright, we've got Noah, Summer and me. Michonne?"

"I'm in," Michonne answered.

"I'll go," Tyreese answered.

Lexi looked at him. "Ty? Are you sure?"

Ty nodded. "I need to do this, to find a place for you and Sasha. You need to help her, she's still grieving."

Lexi nodded. "Alright, but be careful."

"I'll go," Jes volunteered. "The more muscle the better if you guys run into trouble, right? Daryl and Abraham will be here."

Joey nodded. "I'm in, we don't know what's going to be waiting for us. I'm not very good at sitting back here and twiddling my thumbs."

Rick nodded. "Alright, we'll take the white van."

"When will we know it's safe to come?" Carol asked.

"We'll keep in contact. I'll check the range of the radios," Rick said. "Get what you need out of the van, Abraham. Let's be ready to go in five minutes," he said as he kissed the top of Hope's head and kissed Jewel. "Carl," he called as he brought Judith over.

"Yes dad?" Carl asked.

"I want you to stay near Jewel, have a weapon on you at all times. Stay with her, watch over her and Mika, Judith and Hope. I know I'm asking a lot," Rick told him.

"You aren't dad, you don't even have to ask," Carl told him.

Rick nodded as he kissed the top of his head then Judith's. "Hopefully, I'll report back with good news," he said as he kissed Jewel and went to leave.

Jewel and Carol's POV:

Carol watched as Jewel rubbed her neck and walked a little away from the group. She noticed Daryl and Carl both start to stand up. "I'll go," she told them as she got up. "Hey, you alright?" she asked as she walked up to Jewel.

Jewel looked at her. "You know I'm really getting tired of everyone asking me that."

"You also know why we do," Carol told her.

"We're all in the same boat Carol. You and Beth got out of Grady, but we lost Bob and Merle, not to mention that teenage girl that gave her life to get the two of you released. We left Georgia, hoping that this place of Noah's is still standing," Jewel said. "Yes, I know, I just had a baby, and I know Ronnie is concerned about post partum depression. But honestly Carol, we're all depressed. We're all worn down, we're all dealing with Eugene lying about Washington, and we're all to focused on surviving that we can't even grieve for those we lost because we are to busy keeping the ones we love alive," Jewel told her.

Carol looked at her. "You also hate being sidelined," she told her. "Since day one at the quarry, you've always been part of the action. You were one of the few women in the group that knew how to use a gun, and use it well, not to mention you could throw a knife and hit a target further then I've ever seen. You certainly weren't afraid to stand toe to toe with Shane," she reminded her. "Not to mention, that since you and Rick became you and Rick, the two of you have always done things together. You were never one to let Rick go out there without you, and that's driving you crazy."

Jewel looked at her. "I never said it didn't."

"Plus you don't like being treated like you're going to break," Carol added.

Jewel looked at her. "Carol, if you're trying to make me feel more depressed then I already am, it's succeeding."

Carol gave a smirk. "You aren't the only he woman in the group now. After the prison, when Summer was with Ty and me and the others, she was determined she was going to find the rest of us, even if she had to go out on her own. Just because you aren't there with Rick, doesn't mean no one has his back. He's going to come back, he always does."

"Until he doesn't," Jewel told her. "Or Summer doesn't, or Michonne, or any of them. I'm just getting tired of losing people."

"It's a Dixon thing," Carol told her.

"I was there when Merle died, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it, Carol. The big oaf died saving me," Jewel told her.

"Him saving you also saved Hope. You know how hard it was when Judith was born and Lori died, and we were inside with a roof over our head. Merle did what any body would do for family, and that is not your fault," Carol told her. "You have to be able to move on, otherwise you're not going to make it. That's not the Jewel Dixon I know, and that's not who you are. You're sidelined now, but we'll find this place. Maybe it's even this place they're heading to now. Maybe our luck is changing."

"Do you believe that?" Jewel asked.

"Do you believe everything that you say to keep the groups moral up?" Carol challenged.

Jewel gave a small laugh. "Point taken," she told the other woman. "Thanks," she said as she hugged her. "I needed someone to point me in the right direction that wasn't Rick or Daryl."

"I'll be happy to give you a kick in the but any time you need it," Carol said with a grin. "Come on, let's get back to the group."

Group POV:

Daryl looked down at Hope who was fussing a little and nudging at his chest. "I don't have what you are want, Hell Raiser."

"She's not taking her pacifier which means she's going to want to eat real soon," Mika told him.

"Less than two weeks ago I was planning on saving the whole damn world, and now I'm literally baby sit two babies who can bring down a whole lot of dead ones on our asses," Abraham grumbled.

Tara, Maggie, Beth and Glenn looked up at him. "Abraham, we were in with you for Washington. That fell through," Glenn said as he glanced over at Eugene then turned his attention back to Abraham. "Now, you're with us, and that means all of us."

"Abraham complaining again?" Jewel asked as she took Hope. "Shh none of that," she told her.

"When isn't he?" Tara asked.

"Have you even tried to talk to Eugene?" Axel asked.

"Why the hell should I want to talk to a liar? If I had any say, he'd be left on the side of the road, along with the Father over there," Abraham responded.

"We're not leaving anyone behind," Beth told him.

Jewel glanced at Carol then nodded. "She's right, no one is getting left behind, even as much as we'd like to leave behind the dead weight who would feed us to the cannibals to save his worthless ass," she said as she raised her voice loud enough for Gabriel to hear. "But, we aren't, because that isn't who we are. We don't leave people behind, we don't always have to agree with each other, but we protect everyone. You aren't judge and jury Abraham, none of us are," she said as she turned to see a group of four walkers'.

"I'll get them," Sasha said as she stood up.

"Sasha, they aren't that close, let them go," Lexi said.

Sasha ignored her as she continued walking.

Jewel sighed. "Glenn, go with her. She's going to get herself killed," she ordered.

"Got it," Glenn said as he stood up.

"I'm goin' hunting," Daryl said as he stood up.

Mar looked at him. "Not alone you aren't," she told him.

Jewel gave him the Dixon stare. "Alright, new rule, no one goes anywhere alone. We all team up, if we go out of each other sights. I shouldn't have to say that, after all this time, but I am. And, if Eugene and Gabriel want to go wondering, two of you all go with them. Axel, you up to going hunting?"

"I can use the practice," Axel said as he stood up.

"Be careful," Mar said as she squeezed Daryl's hand.

"He always is," Mitch said.

Ronnie stood up. "Carol, you want to go look for some plants?"

"Take radios, so we can get hold of you when Rick contacts us," Mar said.

"I'll go with you two," Beth told them as she stood up.

Jewel turned as Glenn and Sasha walked over. "Everything alright?"

"We handled it," Glenn said.

"Sasha, you can't do that again. You won't do that again," Jewel said as she gave her the look that meant she was taking no arguments. "Thank you, Glenn."

"Don't have to thank me," Glenn said as he squeezed her shoulder.

TBC

Author's Note: I know this is short but think it was the best place to stop it. Review please