Better Days

Chapter 335

Author's Note: I am doing all the black and white stuff first, then the present. Writing that way would cause me a headache. Of course going through transcripts pulling out the black and white and present will cause me headache's. I have major plans for Summer, it'll separate her from the group for a bit, but I think awesomeness will be worth it. Some of stuff from Season 5 last episode that couldn't fit in there, will peak up in this one. The best way for me to do with dealing with the whole group and the after math of Pete's killing, was break it down by POV's. Please review.

Summer's POV:

"Rick?" Morgan asked.

Jewel looked up from where she was sitting, her hand still on Deanna's shoulder and looked at Rick. "Morgan," Rick said, unbelievingly.

"Uncle Daryl," Summer said as she went to hug him. "You alright?"

"I'm alright," Daryl said as he hugged her. "Where's Mar?"

"Tara was hurt, we lost Noah. We've all been taking turns sitting with her, so she won't wake up alone," Summer told him. She glanced at the child who was behind Morgan. She bent down. "Hi, my name is Summer? Can you tell me your name?" Jenny shook her head as she hid behind Morgan again. Summer took a breath and tried again. "I know this all looks scary, but there was a bad guy and he had to be taken care of so we could all be safe. I bet you are hungry, and that you would love a bath. Warm water and everything," she said. She gave a small smile as the little girl peeked out from Morgan's leg. "And you know what else I have at my house? I have two baby sisters, one just being barley two months old. She loves being cuddled, and Judith is about a year, she love kisses. You look like a good one to give kisses and hugs. So, what do you say we go back to my house, and get you a bath and get all this grime off you and I'll make you some warm soup," Summer asked her.

Jenny looked up at Morgan. "Can I Morgan?"

Summer stood up. "Summer Dixon. You're the man who saved dad, who made it possible for him to get to our group. I'm in your debt. I promise she'll be safe, and you'll be brought to the house soon enough. I don't think she should see all this."

Morgan nodded. "Alright, Jenny but do what Summer says."

Summer went to bend down to pick her up and grimaced as she picked her up.

"You alright?" Daryl questioned his niece.

"Yeah, just a little sore. So Jenny come on, lets see if we can get off some of that grime. It'll take a while, trust me, I took about three showers when I first got her," Summer told Jenny as she walked toward the house.

Rick, Daryl, Morgan, Aaron and Jewel's POV:

Jewel looked at Deanna and Quinn then at Reg. "Deanna, we need to take care of Reg…before he turns. I know that you and Quinn want to sit here, that you don't want to let go of his body, and that's alright, you can sit here as long as it takes. I'm not going to let anyone take Reg until you are ready. But, his brain is still intact….and that put's us in danger. I'm sorry, I really am," she said as she held up her knife to Deanna.

"No…I can't," Deanna told her in tears.

"It needs to be you, Quinn or Spencer. It does," Jewel insisted.

"I'll do it," Tobin told her.

Daryl glared at the man. "Your name Quinn, Deanna or Spenser? No, it's not, so back off."

"I know you feel like you can't, like you failed somehow because he did. But you didn't, it wasn't you. I'm not going to let you start blaming yourself for this, this was Pete. He came in here with the sword. He did this, not you. But he needs to be put down by people who loved him. You'll never live with yourself if you don't. And you don't want to see Reg turn into a walker Deanna. You want to remember him at your first date, the moment you knew he was the one, your wedding, the first time you saw him holding Quinn. I bet she had Reg wrapped around his finger on day one, didn't he? Most girls are daddy girls, when the man is a good man. Reg was a good man, I know that. Summer, Jewel, Mika and Hope all have Rick wrapped around there fingers," she told her as she touched Deanna's face. "Take the knife Deanna, my hand won't leave yours. I'll be right here to help you," she said as she glanced at Rick.

Deanna hesitantly took the knife and raised it to his forehead.

"No, right behind the ear, right there. One quick thrust," Jewel told her as she put her hand on hers. "You tell me when your ready, and I'll help you guide it. If I feel you hesitate, then my strength will be yours alright?" Jewel asked as Deanna slowly nodded.

"I'm as ready…as I'll ever be," Deanna said as she started to move the knife. Jewel felt her slow down as she neared the ear and guided the knife with Deanna still holding it and pushed it in right behind the ear, quickly pulling it out.

"It's over, it's over," Jewel told Deanna as she heard her cry.

"Does it get any easier, anytime you have to do it?" Quinn asked with her voice quivering.

Jewel looked around, at her group then the Alexandrian's. No time for sugar coating, they got there attention. "No, Quinn, it doesn't, or at least it shouldn't. You should always feel the pain of saying goodbye to someone. You should always feel the pain, the agony of putting a knife in someone's head that you once loved. But, it's better then the alternative. Rick, Daryl, Summer, Carl, they all know if I'm bit and a limb being cut off isn't an option, as soon as I take my last breath, to end me. It wouldn't be me coming back, and I don't want to be one f those things, hurting my family, my children. We all have a silent agreement with each other," she told Quinn as she looked at the others. "This is what takes to survive now, thinking of everything that can go wrong. To have plans, to have your plans have plans, that is how you survive," she told them. "Gus, come sit by them, I don't want them to be alone. Deanna I'm going to be right back, alright? I'm not leaving you until you're ready to let Reg go to be buried. I promise you, and a Dixon doesn't break a promise," she told her.

"Someone has to tell Spenser…." Quinn told them.

"I will," Emily volunteered.

"I'll go with you," Phoebe said as the two went off.

Jewel slowly stood up and turned to the crowd. "The rest of you need to go home. It's been a long night and you all learned a few harsh lesson's tonight," she said as she walked over to Abraham. "Take Pete to the cemetery," Jewel told him. She looked back at Deanna and turned back. "Come back and wait til she's ready to let go of Reg. David go with him," she instructed as both men nodded.

"Why do you get to stay?" Carter asked.

Jewel walked over to him, maintaining the calm exterior in only the way Jewel Dixon-Grimes could. "Carter, right now I'm taking charge. Deanna and Quinn can't do it, Rick needs to explain what's going on to Daryl and Aaron and greet his old friend. Now if you can look me in the eyes and tell me that you know how to handle a grieving mother and a grieving wife then you can take over. If you can tell me you know how it feels to have someone you love take his or her last breath while laying in there arms, you can handle this. Until then, you need to get out of my site. There's been enough blood spread on these grounds tonight, but if I need to, I can break your nose and have a little bit of your blood spread along with it," she warned him.

"I'd best be doin' what she says, she's deadly serious," Daryl warned the man.

Jewel turned and walked over to the group. "Daryl, Aaron welcome back," she greeted.

Daryl lifted up her chin and looked at the finger prints on her neck. "Rick who the hell did this to her? You better tell me you took care of that worthless piece of shit, or I'm going to hurt you after I kill him."

Rick glanced back at Pete's body. "He's taken care of," Rick answered as he looked at Morgan. "Morgan, it's good to see you…how did you find each other? And the girl? How long has she been with you?"

"Rick, let the man breath, he's just been on the road for a while. Morgan, it's good to see you again. I'm sorry that you had to walk in on that," Jewel greeted the man as he squeezed his hand. "Rick, Daryl, why don't you go take Morgan to the house, get him some food and cleaned up? Jenny is going to want someone familiar around when she gets out of the bath," she suggested as she looked back at Deanna and Quinn. "I'll be there after….I'll be there soon enough," she told him as she squeezed Rick's arm. "Eric needs you Aaron. Go on, I'll be alright," she assured them. "Hope's going to want to be fed soon…I don't know if I'll be done by then," she said as she looked back at the two grieving women.

"I'll feed Hell Raiser," Daryl told her. "Let Rick and Morgan catch up," he said as he squeezed her shoulder.

Mika, Carl, Lexi, Mitch, Summer's POV:

Lexi bounced Hope as she turned her head toward the gun shot. "Sounds like trouble…do you think we should go out there?"

Carl looked down at Judith who was watching the music box in awe. "No, we need to be in here, we need to do what dad and mom asked of us."

Mitch looked up from his comic book. "Carl, when have you ever listened?"

Both Mika and Lexi gave a laugh, which earned them a glare from Carl. "Carl Grimes, you know it's true. None of us are grounded for lying and sneaking out the gate without permission but you," Lexi told him.

Mika went to look out the window. "It was only one shot, that means everything's alright right? I can't see anything," she told the other kids.

"Mika come away from the window," Lexi told her. "If it was something major, we'd have heard a bigger commotion by now."

"Someone would have got us by now," Carl assured her.

"They're would have been a whole lot more noise if things hadn't went alright," Mitch answered.

They all turned when they heard the door open and Summer entering holding Jenny.

Carl looked at her. "We heard a gunshot," he said.

"Pete killed Reg, dad shot him," Summer explained. "Uncle Daryl and Aaron are back, they found Morgan, the man that saved dad at the beginning, and this little shy cutie," she said as she tickled Jenny who giggled. "Jenny, this is Carl whose holding Judith, Lexi who is holding Hope, and the two on the ground are Mika and Mitch."

"Babies!" Jenny squealed.

"I told you. But first, you need to get a bath and we need to find you some clothes. It may be an oversized t shirt for now. Then we'll get you something to eat," Summer told her. "Mika can you go fill up the tub in the downstairs bathroom with warm water for me? About the same temperature we make it for Judith," she instructed.

Mika smiled and got up. "You're going to love having a bath in warm water, Jenny. It's going to be heaven for you," she said as she went to do it.

"I'll get some of Carol's soup out and have it ready to warm it up in the microwave," Lexi said as she got up off the couch. "Mitch take Hope, please," she asked as she handed Hope off to the younger boy.

"I'll take Judy upstairs, see if I can find something she can wear tonight," Carl told her.

"Dad should be here soon. Mom may be a little later, she's helping out with Deanna and Quinn. Deanna losing a son and husband, and Quinn losing a father and a brother in less than 48 hours…" Summer told Carl.

"My big brother just died yesterday," Jenny said softly.

"Lexi just lost her older brother a month or so, Mika lost her older sister, you aren't alone. We're all going to help you," Carl told her.

"Now it's bath time for a Jenny!" Summer told her as she walked to the bathroom.