Better Days

Chapter 341

Author's Note: So I was away from the computer this weekend, and was thinking about the upcoming chapters. Summer has decided she wants to take the next step with Joey, even though she knows I have something planned for her. But her and Joey have been through a lot so it seems the next logical step for her. I did Rick's reaction the way I did, because I feel (well Rick feels) that even though this is his daughter, he knows that life is precious and knows that this is part of living. Reviews please.

Summer and Joey's POV:

Joey stood on his front porch, smoking a cigarette as he saw Summer coming toward him. "You walked Brianna home?" he asked as he motioned toward the step next to him.

"Yeah, seemed right, with everything that's happened," Summer answered as she looked out in the darkness. "Do you think it's us?"

"What is us?" Joey asked.

"Alexandria was quiet, not much harm had came to it, then we came here, and things start happening," Summer stated. "Maybe if we didn't come here, Reg would still be alive. Maybe Noah would be alive, maybe Aiden would be."

Joey put down his cigarette and looked at her. "Then Pete would still have been beating Jessie. None of this is our fault, and you know it."

Summer sighed as she put her hand in his. "I know. Things would have still happened, different things. I was hoping we'd have move then a month of calmness, you know? A walker got inside, and now we're going to have to teach all these people how to fight."

"Hey, you aren't doing this alone, neither am I. We all have each other, and they'll learn, or they die. But that's not on us, that's on them. You can't take all the responsibility for all these kids in here when half of them aren't going to survive," Joey told her as he kissed her hand.

"How did you know that I was thinking about the kids?" Summer questioned.

"Because that's how you think, Summer. You're a good person, better then most. That's why you're struggling with what's wrong and right, and that's why it's so easy to love you," Joey told her.

Summer looked at him. "Ever since we got here, I thought if I could just be your friend, it wouldn't hurt so much if something happened to you."

Joey gave a small smile. "Do you think it would be that easy Summer? That it would hurt any less if we're just friends?"

"I didn't want to hurt like Sasha's hurting because of Bob," Summer admitted.

Joey kissed her. "Even if we're just friends, it would hurt if I lost you, if I lost anyone in this family. That makes us know we're still alive."

Summer nodded as she kissed him. "While we were out there, I never had time to think about any of us not making it, it was always possible. But then we stopped and Noah died…it's like it's never going to end," she said as she kissed him again.

"Not that I don't like kissing you, I actually love it, but you need to get home," Joey told her.

"What if I want to go inside with you and not go home?" Summer questioned.

"Summer, are you sure?" Joey questioned.

"There's not a lot in this life that we still get to chose. This, I can," Summer said as she kissed him. "Unless you don't want me."

Joey kissed her, deepening the kiss. "I'll worry about the fact that Rick is going to kill me later," he told her as he stood up and extended his hand.

The next morning:

Summer went to reach for her shirt when she woke up and was firmly grabbed by Joey. "Leaving already?"

"I want to get home before anyone notices I'm not there," Summer told him.

Joey let out a laugh. "Hate to tell you Princess, they'll already notice. Rick doesn't sleep more then two hours a night, then you have your mother that knows where everyone is, Carol who is already making breakfast for us all, then Daryl whose probably already outside the gates for a walk," he said as he kissed her.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Summer told him.

"The point is that if you wanted to hide this, you should have left like maybe right after," Joey told her. "Is that what you want to do? Act like this never happened?"

"Please, there's no way to hide anything from this family, not for long anyway," Summer told her as she kissed him. "Who do you think is up over here?"

"Rosita probably so she can relieve Ronnie. Tara's supposed to come home today. Sasha may or may not be up, depending on if she ever came home. Abraham's probably already at the armory checking out weapons. David is on guard shift," Joey told her as he rubbed her back. "Just going to have to get it over with, and deal with the teasing from some people," he told her.

"You're extremely calm," Summer told him.

Joey kissed her. "After all we've been through, after all we've faced, everyone knowing that we had sex, knowing that we decided to live, that's not scary."

"Even Uncle Daryl and Dad knowing?" Summer asked.

"I don't think you're giving your family enough credit. I know everyone is protective of you, I'm over protective of you. But, I also know that Rick just wants the best for you, for you to be able to enjoy life when you can. He may be a little pissed at me, but do I think he's going to be surprised? No," Joey answered.

Summer shook her head and kissed him. "I should get home, and face the music."

"Do you want me to come?" Joey asked as he sat up.

"No, I'm sure your brother is going to give you a hard enough time. Plus I'm sure dad and Uncle Daryl will pay you a discreet visit later," Summer said with a grin as she got up before he could grab her.

"Funny," Joey answered.

"I thought you said you weren't scared?" Summer questioned as she got dressed.

"I never said that, I said that everyone knowing that we had sex isn't scary, now what your father and uncle do with that information, that's scary," Joey said with a grin as he kissed her. "Definitely worth it, though," he said as he watched her leave.

Rick, Jewel, Summer, Daryl and Michonne's POV:

Summer stepped on the porch of there house and took a breath hearing Daryl and Rick talking. "Of course," she mumbled to herself as she opened the door.

Rick raised his head from the table and glanced at Jewel before acknowledging Summer. "Just getting in?"

"Yes," Summer answered, knowing that wasn't going to be a good enough answer.

Daryl looked at her. "You better not tell me you were where I think you were coming back from," he told her.

"Daryl," Jewel said softly as she rubbed Hope's back.

"We're not going to be mad, Summer, we just want to make sure you're alright," Michonne told her.

"I was at Joey's, I spent the night," Summer responded.

"I'm going to go have a talk with him," Daryl said as he started to get up.

"Brother, wait," Rick said as he got up. "Summer, I'm going to ask you a question. It's not because we don't trust you or Joey, but as a father, I have to know. He didn't push you did he?"

"No, of course not," Summer answered.

Rick nodded. "Then that's good enough for me, enough for all of us. It's not like we haven't talked with Joey before."

Jewel gave a small smile. "It's not unexpected."

"Wait, who are you people and what have you done with my family?" Summer questioned. "I mean, this is where I expect dad and Uncle Daryl going to rip off his head, while Michonne, Mar and mom try to stop you."

Daryl looked at Rick. "Well she expects it," he said, obviously not serious.

Rick put his hands on Summer's shoulder. "As a father, do I like it that my daughter spent the night with someone? No, not at all. But, I know you and I respect that you felt this was the right next step, then I'll respect that. We'll respect that. Daryl and I may have to remind him later that he hurts you, what we'll do," he told her as he kissed the top of her head. "You aren't a child, not in this world. You have the right to live, the right to decide what's right for you. Everyone in this room respects that, respects the decision that you and Joey took the next step."

Michonne gave a small smirk. "Let's go upstairs before they change there minds," she told her.

Jewel smiled softly as she watched them go upstairs. "You both want to go over there and put a boot in his ass, don't you?"

"Or an arrow," Daryl told her.

"But you won't," Jewel told him.

"We won't," Rick said as he kissed the top of Hope's head. "You and Judy are not allowed to date until you're thirty," he ordered his youngest.

Michonne and Summer's POV:

Michonne nodded to her room and let Summer in first. Summer gave a sigh. "Please tell me this isn't a how was it talk."

Michonne gave a shake of her head. "No I'll leave that to Tara and Beth. This is a are you alright with your decision talk."

"Michonne," Summer answered.

"You can either do this with me or your mother. I thought it would be easier with me, since I'm the cool aunt," Michonne told her.

"I have no regrets, none at all," Summer responded confidently. "I'm surprised by dad's reaction."

"All we want is for you to be happy, for you to live life the best you can these days. You being with Joey last night, well we actually, well I'm actually surprised, it didn't happen sooner. Last night, it's a natural step of growing up, and we just want to make sure that you have no regrets or that you didn't feel pressured about it. I'll take you being happy, living life any time I can," Michonne told her as she hugged her.

"Joey said the same thing about dad, about how he'd want the best for me, to be able to enjoy a little bit of life," Summer told her. "I wasn't pressured, it felt right, to be with him last night. I'm not sure why, but it did. And, I don't regret it."

Michonne nodded as she hugged her. "You need to take a shower, you smell of smoke," she told her as she kissed the top of her head and left the room.

Author's Note: We'll get into a plot next chapter.