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Chapter 6: Together, Yet Apart

"We're almost there." Glenn says. Michonne looks at me.

"He's gonna go back to The Governor. He'll lead them to wherever we're going!" Michonne says.

"Maybe not, how will he know how to get there? He can't follow us if we're in a car!" I say. Michonne shakes her head.

"Oh, he'll find a way. I'm damn sure of that."

"What are you guys talking about back there?" The girl asks.

"Nothing." Michonne mutters.

"What's your name?" I ask. "I don't think I know you."

"Maggie. We've never met." She smiles. I force myself to smile back. Because of this I don't notice the prison appearing in front of us until Michonne points it out.

"We're stayin' here?" She asks.

"Don't worry, it's safe." Glenn says as someone pulls open the gates and we drive inside.

"What about prisoners?" I ask nervously. "There were a few, but they're no threat." Glenn explains. I look at Michonne and we share the same worried face.

"How would you know that?" Michonne snaps.

"Because they help us. And one of them saved out leader." Maggie says harshly. Michonne rolls her eyes.

The car pulls to a slow stop and Glenn turns around to look at us. "We're here. I can't wait to see everyone's faces!" He says happily. I smile, for real this time. We all get out of the car.

"They're back!" A girl's voice calls and I watch as people pile outside. I come around the side of the car and feel Michonne place her hand on my shoulder.

I look around nervously at all the people piled on the highway. "It's gonna be okay." Mom nods at me. I notice a few other kids and I step forward, but I feel Ed's firm hand on my shoulder. I tense up and look at him. He shakes his head, a threatening look in his eyes.

I gulp but don't move another step. Ed leaves his hand on my shoulder and it makes me extremely uncomfortable. I hate the way he looks at me. The way he'll look at me up and down really slowly like he's sizing me up. It feels like I'm totally vulnerable standing there. He shouldn't look at me that way. Mom knows it too, and she tries her best to keep him away.

Ed finally pulls his hand away and places it on my lower back before pushing me forward slightly. I stumble into Mom and she pulls me close to her. Safe.

"It's gonna be fine." Michonne says.

"Why do you say that?" I ask.

"You look nervous." I gulp.

"Thank you Michonne, for everything." I say. She nods. "You too." She says and I look away to focus on my group.

The first person I notice is Carl. He's standing next to a young girl with blonde hair who is holding a baby. A baby? "Who's that?" He says to Glenn who has walked over to them by now. Carl looks behind Glenn and our eyes meet. I look down. "Is that…?" Carl trails off and looks at Glenn again.

"Yeah, sure is buddy." Glenn says.

"Sophia!" Carl yells, dropping his gun to the ground and running over to me. I smile and pull away from Michonne as we meet in the middle and I pull him into a big bear hug. "You're alive?" He yells loudly and pulls away to look at me. I nod.

"Well I'm here aren't I?" I ask. Carl smiles.

"Go get Carol!" He screams at everyone.

"I'll do it." Rick says and walks off. I can tell he feel's guilty about not protecting me, but I don't blame him, I blame myself for not doing what he said.

I look at everyone. They stare back at me with shocked expressions. I see some unfamiliar faces, but I'm sure I'll get to know them quickly. "So who's this?" Carl asks, looking at Michonne. I introduce her.

"I'm not sure if she's gonna stay though." I say looking at Michonne. "I might have to." She says and we have a silent agreement: She's stays until she knows I'm safe from Merle and The Governor. "For now anyways." She finishes.

"Well so long as you stay Sophia!" Carl says with a smile. I glance at Michonne then return a smile to Carl. "Where is Carol?" He complains and looks towards the door. It opens and I watch as Rick comes out with my Mom at his heels. She's talking, but I can't hear what she's saying. She looks different, but in a good way. She's skinnier and her hair's a little longer and she looks happier.

"Come on tell me what it is!" I hear her say. Rick points towards me. Mom follows his gaze and she freezes when her eyes connect with mine. She looks at Rick then turns around and looks at someone who is standing in the shadows; it must be Daryl, and then looks back at me.

Then she slowly starts walking towards me until she breaks into a run and when she reaches me she hugs me so tightly I'm afraid I might stop breathing. I hear she happy sobs in my ears. "Oh my God I can't believe it!" She says pulling away and looking at me.

"Thank Michonne, if it weren't for her I wouldn't be here right now." I say.

"Thank you so much." Mom says to Michonne. She just looks down at the ground. "This is so unbelievable! I don't even know what to say." Mom says looking at everyone who is smiling back at her.

Of course I'm happy to be back, but I'm also worried about The Governor finding us. I know what he's after: me and Michonne. I'm putting my group, my family, in danger by being here. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to them, I can barely live with myself now.

Carl just finished telling me about what I've missed. About how Lori is dead and she had a baby who hasn't been named yet. He introduces me to Beth, Hershel, and Maggie. Then he tells me about the prisoners and tells me to stay away from Axel because he's "a creep". Then he tells me the story about how Daryl looked for me every day.

"Wow, I've missed out on a lot." I say.

Carl nods. "Where have you been anyways?" He asks, fingering the gun that's sitting on the table. We're inside the prison now, in the cafeteria, or what used to be the cafeteria anyways.

"A town. But it's no good. The people there aren't exactly nice." I say distantly. Carl is quiet.

"Yeah, you have a bruise on your face." He says finally.

"Yeah, I was slapped." I mutter.

"By who?" Carl asks loudly. I shake my head. "It doesn't matter, he was an asshole." I say. Carl glances over at Mom who is standing near the kitchen talking to Daryl.

"When did you start cussing?" He laughs. I keep my serious gaze.

"A long time ago. I'm not the same little girl that got lost in the woods." I say. "I wouldn't think so." Carl looks at my mom again.

"Have you talked to Daryl yet?" Carl asks.

"No, I don't really know him all that well." I shrug.

"He totally has a crush on your mom." Carl says. Great that's the second time I've heard that. "I doubt that." I say, not wanting to believe it.

"He saved her ya know. She was lost in the prison, we thought she was dead."

"She's tougher than she looks." I say with a shrug.

"Yeah, she is. She's been a substitute Mom for me through all this. I've gotten to know her a lot better." Carl explains.

Then the door creaks open and the blonde girl, Beth, walks in. She gives Carl a sweet smile and he returns it and I notice him blush a little. I feel a jolt of jealousy, but push it away…that's the last thing I need. Carl stands up with a loud sigh. "It's been a long day. I'm gonna go on to sleep." He says. I nod.

"I'll probably do that soon too." I say with a nod. Carl walks away back to the cell block. I get up too and walk over to Mom.

"…Not your fault." I hear her saying to Daryl as I approach. Daryl shakes his head and looks at me. He doesn't even have to look down really because I've grown quite a bit. "Hi, Daryl right?" I ask. Mom looks at me; I can tell she notices a difference in me.

"Yeah. Good t' have ya back." He says. "Good to be back, I guess. Better than the place I was at." "Where were you?" Mom asks.

"Woodbury. That's what they called it. I didn't fit in all too well."

"Why wouldn't you? You're so sweet." Mom says with a smile. I laugh.

"Not really. I was a bitch to the leader. Caused him to hate me…" Mom's mouth drops open and she looks at Daryl. He has a small smirk on his face.

Once he wipes it away he asks, "Should we be worried about them?"

I hesitate. "Well your brother's there." I say softly. A worried look crosses Mom's face.

"Merle? He's alive?"

"And as much of a bastard as ever."

"Sophia!" Mom scolds.

"I gotta go see 'em." Daryl says nervously.

"You can't leave, we need you here." Mom says placing her hand on his shoulder. They start arguing and I can tell I'm forgotten so I walk away to the cell block where I find an empty cell and lay down.

I don't feel so at home here, at least not as much as I thought I would. It feels awkward almost like I don't belong as much anymore. We're together…yet we're apart. I sigh and close my eyes and try to fall asleep. Most of my life I felt like I was behind bars, but it was never real it was only figurative, but now it's literally. I feel caged away from everyone. Like they see me and I see them, but I can't tell them everything that I want to. It just feels so wrong and I don't know what to do.

I'm running out of chapters that I already had written so it might take longer for updates. Just to let ya'll know. Anyways thanks for reading and please review! :D