(1 year prior)
"You need to get your shit together and be ready to go. This crap is getting serious."
Emily looked at Shane's text with wide eyes. What was her godfather getting at?
"I'm not leaving dad. Besides I have a music appreciation test on Tuesday I can't miss. You know this captain grouchy pants.
Moments later her phone buzzed again.
"Emily Grace Grimes I don't care! Go appreciate music some other time! I'm not letting you get killed because your ass is on your shoulder! They are medevacking your dad to Atl. tomorrow afternoon. He would kill me if I let something happen to you. Now like I said get your girly goodies and be ready to go."
Emily was mad! Did Shane not understand her music career meant the world to her and she had to be in class? She fought the urge to message him back and call him a "douche nozzle." Instead she got up off the couch and wondered into her parent's room where Lori stood putting things in suite cases.
"I see Shane messaged you too."
Lori looked up.
"Yeah baby he did."
Emily rolled her eyes.
"Don't you think he is over doing this mom? He's such a jackass sometimes."
Lori turned on the TV to the news that was showing what looked like the zombies attacking people.
"What do you think Emily? This is more serious than we thought. We are going to Atlanta and we will be with your father. I know you don't want to leave sweetie. I get that. I know what school means to you and your friends but I can't leave you here and worry something will happen. Carl will be devastated. Think about your brother."
Emily nodded finally agreeing. She wouldn't do anything to hurt Carl. The little boy had been through enough over the past few weeks. Lori smiled walking to her daughter kissing her forehead.
"I sometimes forget that you are 22 years old. I've had you with me so long your just like my right hand baby girl. I don't tell you enough of how proud of you I am. You've done more with your life so far than I have ever dreamed."
Emily smiled.
"Thanks mom."
Lori went back to packing the bags as Emily walked into her room thinking about her mother's words. From day 1, Rick and Lori pushed Emily to be the best at everything. Being the first daughter of teenage parents they both wanted her to make something of her life. At points, it could be a little much but everything was worth it when she brought home straight A's and they were tickled shitless. When she got a full ride to college Rick and Lori were ecstatic.
"You know daddy you did make something of your life. It's not like you and momma are working dead end jobs and living off government assistance or anything."
Rick chuckled.
"I just want you to do better than we did baby girl. It goes with the territory. "
One month later Emily opened her eyes in a hot sticky tent. After leaving King County for Atlanta all hell seemed to break loose. Now she was held up in an abandoned quarry with a group of strangers that she was slowly getting used to.
Stepping out into the hot Georgia heat she immediately began to sweat. With a sigh she pulled her long curly hair on top of her head glancing to see Carl playing with Sophia. Emily looked around for her mother and Shane who of course was nowhere to be seen. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see what was going on there. Emily tried to ignore the stabbing feeling of betrayal and pain she felt at the thought. Lori and Shane wasted no time in hooking up after realizing that Rick was dead.
"Smooth mom. Real smooth."
Emily thought coldly. She felt betrayed by her own mother. How could Lori have done something so cold? Did she not realize how she was making her children feel? Obviously not.
Emily was pulled from her thoughts as footsteps approached the cell that she had been calling home for the past year. She turned meeting Darryl's eyes as he stepped in.
"I get it. You're pissed at me."
He said softly. Emily raised an eyebrow trying to avoid looking into his blue eyes.
"You've got that right."
Emily said coldly as she began to fold some of Judith's clean laundry. Darryl sighed looking annoyed as he stepped closer.
"I didn't do it to hurt ya."
Emily turned walking to him.
"You know Darryl I have been trying to wrap my mind around why you would just not come back for the past 2 months. Maybe I am just being childish and this is our age difference coming into play here but I honestly thought I meant more to you. I'm starting to wonder if I was just an easy fuck to you."
Daryl looked shocked before getting mad! What the hell was the girl thinking? He would have never thought that about her!
"That what you think? Well you dead wrong."
He had moved wrap his arms around Emily's waist trying to get her to see the passion that he felt for her. Although he wasn't always 100% at showing it he was desperately in love with the girl in front of him.
"How am I supposed to feel?! I just lost my mother and my father is a grade A+ basket case then my boyfriend who I love very much just goes MIA on me. Look I get Merle is your brother but he has done you wrong your whole life and you deserve better than that! You mean something to us here. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go track down my father who is chasing…things and stuff."
Darryl put on an arm blocking Emily's path outside.
"So are we done?"
Emily looked up into his cold eyes.
"That's your call. I'm just mad at you. I never said that I didn't want you. I told you that I was in love with you a long time ago. I don't expect you to say it back. I know that's not you."
Darryl pulled her back against him before lifting her onto the table and settling himself between her legs.
"I love you. I do. Ya happy? If I didn't feel something for ya I wouldn't have come back. Now kiss me."
Emily leaned forward placing a chaste kiss to his lips. Darryl growled tightening his hold her body.
"That's not a kiss. I've taught you how to kiss me right. Now kiss me like you mean it."
Darryl didn't give her a chance to respond before pressing his lips to hers kissing her deeply. When he pulled away Darryl rested his forehead against Emily's.
"Now that's a kiss."
Emily smiled.
"That's not fair. I wanted to be mad at you."
Darryl smirked.
"I think I know how to work you now darlin. Now you better go check on your dad."
Darryl lifted her off of the table.
"Hey! Tonight your mine. I'm not sharing your attention with anyone else."
Emily smiled kissing Darryl's cheek before walking out of the cell leaving Darryl looking like a very satisfied man.
"Well well well that little vixen has her claws in you little brother. You have it bad for her."
Darryl looked up to see Merle looking at him with his signature smirk.
"So?"
Darryl said coldly. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Merle's ass was stuck in a cell somewhere and to be honest he really didn't care at the moment. Darryl knew he should have never gone after his brother and now look where it has gotten him.
"So if all this shit ends do you think lil miss thing will stay with you? You honestly think she is gonna marry your ass or let you knock her up? Hell no! She is usin you lil brother. She is usin you for all your worth and you don't see it. She's better than us. She will go right back to her lil social class he fell out of. "
Darryl frowned forcing himself to not consider what Merle was saying. He shook his head. Emily wouldn't do that! Would she? He honestly hadn't thought of getting Emily pregnant or the big marriage word. He had pretty much gotten used to keeping his and Emily's relationship on a day to day bases.
"She won't do that."
Merle rolled his eyes.
"We'll see who is right."