Better Days

Chapter 290

Author's Note: Work is officially trying to kill me. I come home brain dead. Pete got his in the last chapter huh? We're not done yet, hehe. Just wait until he grabs her, I think Rick is going to be a bit hostile don't you? This whole episode was a back and forth, so I'm changing the order. I need Mitch and Daryl back at the house before they all go to the party. They'll be a family meeting. Any way keep reviewing it motivates!

Daryl and Mitch POV:

Mitch looked at the horse as they came back upon him. "He's scared, they're going to be on him at any time," he told them as he took out a knife and unfastened his baseball bat.

Aaron looked at him. "You use a baseball bat against them?"

"Anything now a days can be used as a weapon. Mitch was a lot smaller when this all started, needed something with reach. Summer was a softball player before all this, she had a couple bats with her, we started letting Mitch use them. Works well, he's still here," Daryl said. "We need to get moving he's getting penned. Mitch, stay close," Daryl ordered as they took off to kill walkers'. They went to killing off the walkers, one grabbing his leg. Mitch looked at Daryl who nodded at him, and Mitch went over and batched the walkers' head in with the bat.

"Thanks," Aaron said as Daryl helped him up. Aaron shot a walker who was going for Daryl.

"Thanks," Daryl answered.

Mitch watched the horse be taken down by walkers. "They got him," he said softly.

"Let's finish them off," Daryl said as they went to attacking the walkers. He looked at Aaron after they finished killing the walkers and nodded to the horse. "Go on," he said. Both him and Mitch watched as Aaron shot the poor beast to put him out of his misery.

"He always ran," Aaron told them as he stood and looked at the horses remains.

Daryl and Mitch stayed quiet for a few minutes. "You were trying to help him," Daryl said as he started to walk away. "We need to be headin' back, Mitch. You know Rick will be calling a family meeting about this party."

Mitch looked at Aaron then at Daryl. "Give me a minute, we'll catch up dad."

Daryl nodded as he walked away.

Mitch looked at Aaron. "There's two kinds of people in this world, Aaron," he said softly.

Aaron looked down at him. "Yeah?"

Mitch nodded. "Yeah, they're the kind who still have some heart left, who want to help people and things, the people who think there's still good left. Then there's people like the ones who we've met on the road…the ones who might have hidden what they really were back before the world died, but now they don't have to. They blame it on needing to survive, but that's not it, they had being psycho's in there blood. You rescuing us, trying to rescue the horse, that makes you one of us."

"I don't know about that, I don't think Rick would appreciate that," Aaron said. "Let's catch up to your dad."

"Rick knows good when he sees it, he's just on alert right now," Mitch said as they started walking.

Carl and Summer's POV:

Summer walked up to the porch where Carl was sitting with Judith. She sat down beside him. "What's on your mind?"

"Do you think we'll ever fit in?" Carl asked.

Summer rubbed her hand over Judith's face. "God I hope not. I don't want us to be weak like these people are, do you?"

"No," Carl told her. "I told dad when we first got here that I didn't want this place to make us weak. But fitting in is different," he told her.

"Is it? Maybe a few of these people have brains, and have what it takes to make it out there, but most of them are idiots and would die. If I had to chose anyone of us against any one of them, I'd push them right ahead of us. You didn't see Aiden and Nicholas out there, how reckless they were. If I hadn't got hurt, I'm not sure either one of them would have made it back alive. I'm tired of losing people, Carl. I'm tired of turning around to say something to someone and then remember somewhere out there, on the road we traveled, they are buried and alone. Andrea, T, Dale, Jaqui, Lori, Sophia, Hershel, Uncle Merle, Ty, Bob and the list goes on. They all died leaving us with a part of them. They all died so we could live. We need this place, I know that, you know that. I just don't know if we can do it among them," Summer said. "And, I know how bad that sounds, and I know I should feel bad, feel anything, about these people. A very few of these people get what it's like out there. Have you noticed that most of these people have a spark in there eyes that we've all lost along the way?"

Carl nodded. "Like they believe everyone is good. Like what's out there won't come in."

"I've seen mom and dad lose that spark out there, the others. Glenn and Maggie, they lost it after they found out Eugene lied about Washington," Summer said. "I saw that I had lost it when I looked in the mirror the first day we got here. I didn't recognize the person looking back at me. I looked over my shoulder to see if someone else was there, but there wasn't," she told him.

Carl reached over and put his arm around her. "We've changed, we've had to. But some of those changes were good as well as bad, you know? I never knew I wanted an annoying, kick ass older sister before you came around, but now I wouldn't know how to live without you."

Summer looked at him. "Annoying? Did you hear that Jude? This brat just called me annoying," she said as she shook her head. "You're lucky you had me around, Carl. I would hate to think that what would have happened if I wasn't around an eye on you."

Carl laughed. "Maybe you should be keeping an eye on yourself, since you always trip over things."

Summer laughed. "Well that is true," she said. "I think you and I do this whole step brother and sister pretty good," she said. "So we need to try for mom and dad," she said.

"We need to try for Hope and Judith, Lexi, Mika and Mitch," Carl answered. "And for us," he added. "We need this as much as anyone else does. We just keep our eyes and ears open."

"We keep each other in line?" Summer questioned.

"As always," Carl responded.

Rosita and Jewel's POV:

Jewel cradled Hope with her good hand as Rosita carried the dress from Quinn's house. Jewel raised a skeptical eyebrow as they walked from Quinn's house. "Did I say that I don't really do dresses?"

"Several times," Rosita answered.

"Did I mention that dress is a bit revealing for my likes?" Jewel asked.

"Yes," Rosita answered with a small smirk on her face.

"So why are we walking out with that dress other then oh I don't know a nice pantsuit or at least a dress that isn't so low cut? And why did it feel like you and Quinn just ignored me?" Jewel asked.

Rosita laughed and stopped. "Has Rick ever seen you in anything other then a pair of jeans and a tank top or a long sleeve shirt?"

"Has Abraham seen you in anything other then that?" Jewel questioned.

"Touché, but we're talking about you and not me," Rosita reminded her. "This is to remind Rick that under your tough exterior, and your protective personality, there is another side of you. I know this is taking you out of your comfort zone, but its for one night. Plus, it'll remind other women that our constable is happily married and totally devoted. Because trust me, Rick's eyes will never be off you in this dress."

Jewel tensed a little. "Other women? I don't have to worry about Rick and other women," she said.

"You're right you don't have to worry about Rick. I wish Abraham would look at me like he looks at you. This place is the closest we'll ever be to what it was before. And in every little community, there's one woman who sets her eyes on the next door married man. The woman who thinks the good guy can save her from her terrible marriage, protect her from what's happening at home. They usually don't give a shit about destroying the wife," Rosita answered.

"I take it you were the wife," Jewel surmised.

"Girlfriend actually, and it sucked," Rosita said.

"You wouldn't be talking about random hair cut woman being the one who I have tow watch out for, are you?" Jewel questioned. She didn't give Rosita a chance to answer before she continued. "I never thought I was good enough for anyone to love me; I would sabotage relationships before they even got started because I didn't think I was good enough. I even tried to give Rick back to his ex wife when we started this. It took me a while to realize I did deserve love. When we first got here, I did have those doubts when we first got here, then random hair cut lady showed up at the door. Then I found out she was married to good ole Pete, a drunk and abuser, two of my favorite things," she responded sarcastically. "Deanna and these people just overlooked it because he was the only doctor, plus it wasn't there problem. So, I have a bit more sympathy for Random Hair Cut lady then I did before. I don't need to put on some dress to prove that Rick is in love with me, that's not us. I will put on the dress because I'm making an effort to be here, not because I'm 'staking' claim to my husband. Plus, he already knows what would happen if he even thought about straying," she said with a grin. "He wouldn't have anything to cheat with," she said as she turned to walk with Rosita. "I'm not wearing the heals though," she simply stated as she walked up to the porch seeing three of her children sitting there. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for this party?" she asked Summer and Carl.

"We're trying to avoid it until the last possible second," Carl answered.

"Well, if I have to go, so do the two of you," Jewel simply told them. "Summer take Hope, get yourselves ready, then get these two ready. Maybe they'll take the spotlight off the rest of us," she said.

"Rosita is that your dress for tonight?" Summer asked.

"Nope, it's your moms," Rosita answered.

"Mom is putting on a dress?" Summer asked being very doubtful as she took Hope.

"Yes that was about her reaction," Rosita answered with a laugh as she handed Jewel the dress. "I'm going to go get ready, I'll be back to do your hair. Go," she said as she pointed to the door.

"Fine," Jewel said. "You two, too," she told the kids as she went upstairs.

Rick and Jewel's POV:

Jewel brushed her hair out as she heard Rick come in. "Hello Mr. Grimes. Can you zip me up?" she asked as she stood up.

Rick blinked and looked at her. "I'm sorry, I must have the wrong room, hell the wrong house," he said as he walked closer to her. "I knew my wife was beautiful but wow…"

"To much Mr. Grimes?" Jewel questioned.

Rick laughed as he kissed her. "No, Mrs. Grimes not to much. But I'm having a sudden urge to stay at home and getting that dress off of you. I'm going to be hitting a lot of people tonight."

Jewel laughed. "I don't think that would win us any points," she pointed out as she turned around for him to zip her.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here Mrs. Grimes, but I'm pretty sure that someone other then you picked out this dress?" Rick asked as he zipped her up and kissed her shoulder.

"Mm…you'd be right Mr. Grimes," Jewel answered. "Rosita and Quinn. It's Quinn's dress," she answered.

"I'll have to thank them," Rick said as he kissed her. "I think I better get in the shower and put on something that doesn't distract from that dress. Well who am I kidding, nothing is going to distract from that dress," he told her as he undressed.

"I told everyone that we were going to have a meeting before we all head over," Jewel answered.

Rick nodded as he turned on the shower. "Good," he said.

"Not everyone wants to go," Jewel told him as she leaned against the bathroom door.

"I don't want to go," Rick answered from inside the shower.

Jewel laughed. "I didn't put on this dress and suffer Rosita trying to get my hair to curl with a curling iron for an hour, for you not to go," she simply told him.

"Well since you put it that way," Rick answered with a grin.

"I don't think we should make anyone go that doesn't want to. I don't care what Deanna expects. We've been through hell and back and I don't want anyone to be forced to do something they don't want to do. We'll go because we're the leaders. But if Daryl, Jes and others don't want to go, I'm not making them," Jewel answered.

"I agree with you, but Deanna practically told Jes she expects her and Sasha to be there if they want to be on guard duty," Rick answered as he shut off the water.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Jewel asked as she shook her head. "We having someone up in the tower tonight?"

"Yes, I'm sure we have plenty of volunteers," Rick told her as he kissed her before heading into the bedroom.

"Do you want me to get a read on Deanna tonight? About her feelings about us insisting on the tower being guarded?" Jewel asked.

"Yeah, just don't push her," Rick responded.

"I'll make sure I have Jude or Hope in my arms, distract her," Jewel said with a smirk.

"I'm really glad you're on our side, Mrs. Grimes," Rick responded with a kiss.