It was quiet. Too quiet.
Rick and Daryl lay on opposite sides of the ditch that lined the driveway, waiting. They had set up landmines made from grenades in order to hit his caravan after they turned down the road. They would create a funnel using the wreckage from their vehicles and the rest lay in wait in the fields so they could pick them off as they climbed from the wreckage.
Not knowing if it was safe to travel back to Limon on their own, the personnel carrier and the two Humvees waited inside the stables, hidden. They had orders to take the women to safety should the group fail. Some of the women huddled within it, terrified that their rescuers would fail. Ten of the women, however, decided to take up arms, grabbing the weapons of the fallen bikers and joined the Atlanta group in the field.
Right away, Rick didn't think it was a good idea, but Daryl and the woman, Rachel, convinced him that they had a right to fight for their freedom.
So they waited in the field to take it back from the man who'd stolen it; Breed.
##############################################################################
Katelyn gasped, her back cramping as she stooped over one of the children she was teaching to read.
"You okay?" Carol asked.
"Yeah. I keep forgetting that I'm too pregnant to be bending over for that long." Katelyn said, placing her hand on the small of her back and stretching her aching muscles.
Carol laughed.
"I feel like Jabba the Hutt." Katelyn chuckled as she waddled over to a chair to sit down. Her smiled faded as she thought about Daryl.
Carol looked up when she heard a sob escape Katelyn's throat and rushed over to her.
"I'm sorry." Katelyn whispered. "I can't do this anymore."
Confused, Carol asked, "Can't do what anymore?"
"Pretend. I can't stand waiting. I can't feel this way any longer…" She babbled, not making sense. "I don't want to feel this way anymore. What if he just keeps leaving? Am I supposed to wait in terror for the day he doesn't return. Why? Why would he leave again?"
Carol sighed. She had wondered the same thing and had no words of comfort for her.
"I don't know why he left but I know Daryl. He loves you. Never doubt that. If he left, it was because he believed that he had to in order to keep you safe. As ridiculous as that sounds, remember that first and foremost, he's a man, and men…" Carol paused, "…are idiots."
Katelyn burst out laughing and threw her arms around Carol.
"Thank you." Katelyn said through her tears.
"For what?" Carol asked, laughing with her.
"For giving me hope." She replied, smiling at her friend.
#########################################################################
It was 10:00 in the morning when Glenn signaled them from the road up ahead.
"We got one vehicle and about 10 bikers in escort." Glenn said over the walkie.
"Copy. Get back here now." Rick said into the walkie, motioning to Tyreese and the others to get ready.
"Let's hope these bobby traps work." Daryl muttered.
"No kidding." Rick stated, looking up the road as the motorcycles turned into the 100 foot gravel driveway.
The motorcycles road beside the Humvee that Breed was riding in. Moving slowly down the driveway so as not to kick up dust, they inched their way closer. Rick cracked his neck, trying to relieve some of the tension in it. Daryl's finger twitched as it held a grenade.
The car passed the marker Daryl had placed beside the road and he nodded at Rick.
"Now." Daryl said and Rick pulled the string on the booby trap.
The explosion rocked the ground, the sound cracking through the air like a sonic boom as dirt and the grenades exploded beneath the Humvee sending it spinning through the air. It landed on its top in the ditch next to Tyreese. The men on motorcycles who were near it, were thrown through the air in pieces, landing with splats and thuds on the gravel road. The ones who survived were blown into the ditch and back up the road.
Daryl moved quickly. He couldn't use the grenade to hit the Humvee again because it was too close to Tyreese so he dashed over toward it, pulling his gun out on the way.
"Kill everyone in the car!" He shouted, skidding to a halt when he saw a figure trying to drag itself from the vehicle. Waiting until it was exposed, he shot the man in the head as he exited. He didn't, however, see the muzzle of a rifle pointing out behind him.
Bam! A bullet hit Daryl in the shoulder, knocking him back. Tyreese was quick though, and dropped to his knees, shooting into the Humvee until he emptied his clip.
Daryl held his shoulder, the pain making him grit his teeth.
"Get outta here! I'm gonna toss a grenade in." Daryl yelled to Tyreese.
Struggling to his feet, Daryl heard a shout from inside the vehicle at the threat of a grenade.
"You got about five seconds to come outta there before I do." Daryl threatened, holding his shoulder awkwardly.
He saw a hand grab the window frame and within seconds, the shoulders and head of a man emerged from within. Dragging himself the rest of the way out, he looked up at Daryl.
"Please don't kill me." The man said, as Rachel walked up behind them.
Daryl turned to look at her.
"This him?" He asked her, but didn't need her to answer after looking at her face.
Snarling with anger, she swung her leg, kicking him square in the teeth.
"That's for my sister!" She screamed as he grabbed his bloody face.
"That's for all the other girls you raped and killed!" She continued, kicking him in the testicles causing a high pitched whistle to escape his mouth.
Pulling her gun, she pointed it at his head and became very quiet.
"This one's for the world." She said quietly causing his eyes to widen as he stared into the barrel of the gun.
Pulling the trigger, she put a bullet right through his head, ending his life instantly. Daryl nodded in approval.
"Almost wanna say that it was too good for him. Shooting him in the head." Daryl said, looking over at Rachel.
"I just want him dead and gone so no one ever has to suffer at his hands again. I don't need him to suffer to get what I want." She said sadly, looking at Breed lying on the ground. "He's gone and that's what matters."
Daryl nodded in understanding.
"You okay?" He asked.
Turning, she smiled at him sadly.
"I am now." She stated before walking back toward the stables.
Daryl watched her walk away and knew she'd be okay. She was one of the strong ones.
Turning back, he saw Rick put a gun to another bikers head and shoot. He didn't want anyone getting back up again.
Daryl walked over to another one and shot.
Five minutes later, they were all dead, but the two they had tied up back in the carrier.
The group gathered in the center of the yard, looking around, each thinking the same thing.
It was time to go home.
#################################################################################
Katelyn gasped as another cramp seized her, this time spreading to her abdomen as well. Carol looked at her with a puzzled expression as the Major walked through the tent.
"You okay?" Carol asked.
"Yeah. I was bending over too much today." She said, rubbing her back, trying to ease the tight muscles. "Hello Major."
"Everything all right?" Jackson asked, looking at Carol's worried expression and back to Katelyn.
"Yes. I did too much bending today." She said, smiling warmly at the Major.
But when another cramp seized her, she doubled over in pain, and both Carol and the Major rushed to her side.
"You're in labor." The Major said, gently grabbing her arm to help support her.
Katelyn's eyes found his and pure panic seized her. She wasn't ready. Daryl wasn't here. She couldn't do it alone.
"No…no…I can't be. Daryl's not here." Her words tumbling from her mouth.
"You're gonna be just fine." Major Reese said softly, trying to comfort her as he started walking her slowly toward the medical tent.
"No…no…I can't. I can't do this without Daryl." Her voice becoming high pitched as the panic started to take hold.
Looking down at her, the Major saw the terror and thought back to his wife who had to give birth to their daughter on her own as well. He had been deployed at the time and she'd gone into labor during a horrible blizzard. She had been alone at home and had no way to get to the hospital and no one to help her. She had stumbled over to the neighbors to get help and ended up having to walk to a main street so an ambulance could take her to the hospital. Once at the hospital, she went into hard labor but no one in her family could get to her so she gave birth alone in the hospital.
Something that he never forgave himself for.
Please let them come back soon. He prayed.
Moving the tent flap, he walked her through the doorway, Carol rushing behind them. Dr. Adams saw them and immediately went into action.
"Bring her over here." She said, motioning to another area of the tent where they'd have some privacy.
"No. I'm not doing this." Katelyn said, beginning to fight the Major feebly.
"Katelyn! We don't have a choice sweetheart." Major Reese said, all but carrying her now to the bed Dr. Adams was pointing to.
"I can't. We have to wait for Daryl." Katelyn wasn't being rational anymore at all and Jackson sighed, feeling awful about not being able to do anything to help.
"Katelyn, honey, the Major will call him on the walkie, okay?" Carol said, trying to think of something that would calm him down.
"Y…you will?" She asked, her eyes wide as saucers as she looked up at him.
Jackson nodded, holding her arm so she couldn't bolt.
"I will…if…you cooperate with Grace." He said, blackmailing her into helping the doctor.
Tears sprang to her eyes and she nodded.
"Okay. I'll go get him on the walkie and be right back." He said, handing her off to Carol and Dr. Adams.
"All right now. First things first; we gotta get you outta these clothes so we can see how far along you are, okay?" Grace said to her, waiting for her to reply so she didn't scare her.
"Okay." Katelyn said as Carol closed the curtains around the area of the tent so she'd have privacy.
Carol helped her get into a gown and pulled a blanket out of the cabinet in the corner so she wouldn't be cold. Dr. Adams made sure she was comfortable and then explained how everything was going to happen before checking to see how dilated she was.
"You're at about 6 centimeters and about 50% effaced so it'll be a little while most likely. That should give Daryl a chance to get here." She told her, even though she doubted he'd make it in time.
"It's your first baby, so it generally takes a little longer." Carol smiled, trying to reassure her.
"I can't do this without him, Carol." She started to panic again.
"Let's wait for the Major to come back and see what he says." The doctor stated, while she and Brittany, her nurse, got everything ready.
Katelyn stared at the ceiling, praying for Daryl to get there in time.