LINES
CHAPTER 3
"Look!" Tara called pointing ahead. Carol let out a breath at the sight of the bus and the station wagon. She could see Tyreese with the kids sitting on the hood, holding Mika in his lap. Glenn leaned against the car with Maggie at his side. Sasha and Bob lingered near the front of the bus. Seeing the RV roll toward them, the small group jumped forward with guns in their hands.
Tara pulled to a stop and Carol immediately hopped down with Judith in her arms. Chaos erupted as the group ran toward them.
"Carol! Oh thank god, is she ok?" Maggie screamed. The kids rushed around Carol as she passed the baby off to Maggie. Glenn and Tyreese hovered over them. "Tyreese told us what happened to Judith."
"She's ok. We got some medicine in her and I think she is gonna be just fine." Carol explained with a smile. Maggie kissed the baby's head and looked up at her with an odd expression. Carol knew then that Maggie knew. Fear seized her and she waited with baited breath for the woman's reaction.
Maggie smiled and reached forward pulling Carol into a tight hug. "I missed you." Maggie whispered. A strong well of emotion filled her and she squeezed Maggie back tightly. "Thank you," she replied.
"What about the others?" Glenn questioned. "Daryl, Beth, Rick, and Carl are still out there."
"They know this is where we meet up if something happens. If they're alive they'll head this way." Tyreese spoke. All the adults looked at each other solemnly, worrying about the fate of their missing group.
"What about Hershel?" Carol questioned. She didn't need an answer from the looks on their faces. Carol squeezed Maggie's hand and tears came to her eyes. "I'm so sorry." She whispered. She stared at Tyreese. "I'm so sorry." She whispered again, Karen's face coming to mind. Grief and guilt threatened to overwhelm her as she took in the people she never thought she would see again.
"It's getting late. We need to make camp and wait for the others to show up." Carol said.
"With what supplies? We didn't exactly have time to grab our things." Sasha spoke up.
"I have supplies in the back of the station wagon, some food and water. The RV has some stuff as well." Carol replied. The group looked to the RV.
"Speaking of, where did this come from and who are they?" Glenn asked nodding to Lilly and Tara.
"They're with us now. Right?" Carol spoke to the newcomers who both nodded. "This is their RV."
"Where did they come from?" Tyreese asked suspiciously.
"We didn't know." Tara spoke quietly, sadness in her eyes. "We didn't know it was gonna be like that. He told us you were murderers, criminals. I'm so sorry." Maggie growled and rushed forward but Glenn held her back.
"You killed my father! My father is dead!" She screamed. Tara backed up and Lilly jumped in front of her. "Back off!" Lilly yelled at Maggie who fought against Glenn. Carol jumped forward and put her arms up between the two women. "Stop! Maggie, this wasn't them. This was the governor. They lost just as much as we did. Trust me." She spoke firmly to Maggie.
"Like what?" Maggie snapped back. Lilly yelled suddenly. "My daughter! She was bit and he shot her in the head. Are you happy?" Maggie softened. Lilly teared up again and Tara pulled her into a hug. Tara spoke to them over Lilly's shaking shoulder.
"I'm sorry. He lied to us. Manipulated us. We didn't know. I'm so sorry." Tara told them. Maggie nodded.
"Carol," Lizzie tugged on her shirt. Carol looked down at the girl. "Will the others come back?" She asked.
"I don't know. I hope so, but I just don't know. All we can do is do what we can for the people here and wait, ok?" She laid her hand on Lizzie's cheek. "I'm so proud of you, Lizzie." The girl smiled and hugged her side.
"Come on, let's get a small camp set up." She spoke up and the others agreed. They set up blankets for the kids to sleep in the back of the RV and some of the other group to sleep on the bus. Carol unloaded what they could use from the car. As the sun started to go down they gathered fire wood and started a small fire. Carol watched the group from the RV, they were sitting by the fire. She held Judith, unable to put the baby down. Needing the comfort she got from holding her. Thoughts of worst case scenarios flashed through her mind. Of where the four missing members could be. If they were even alive. The thought that they could be dead ripped through her. The thought that Daryl could be dead gutted her. He couldn't be dead.
"Knock. Knock." Maggie stepped up into the RV slowly and made her way to the small table that Carol sat in. Maggie slid in across from Carol.
"I know what happened. Rick told me." She spoke matter of fact. Carol nodded.
"I know." She said softly.
"Why did you do it Carol? That's not you." Carol rubbed a hand over her face.
"They were close to death. Coughing up blood. Convulsing. I wanted to stop the spread. After…I knew it was wrong after. I can't take it back. If I could change it I would. I understand why Rick banished me and I'm okay with it."
"But you came back." Maggie replied. Carol nodded.
"I was close by. I heard the explosions and I couldn't stay away. You're still my family. I had to know if I could help. If you were alive." Carol's voice broke and she clamped down. Maggie reached over and grabbed her hand with a smile.
"You're our family too. And Rick shouldn't have made that decision by himself. You made a mistake. A huge mistake and it's not okay. No matter what happens, just remember we love you. Judith loves you. Daryl loves you too." She spoke. Carol shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye.
"No. He doesn't. But he is my best friend and I will always love him. I know when they get back I'll have to leave. And I will. I just wanted to make sure all of you were okay." Maggie shook her head, frustrated.
"Carol, we aren't okay! Look at us. My dad is dead. My sister is missing! Daryl, Carl, Rick. We weren't okay without you. You saved Judith. You've done so much for us always. And Daryl does love you. He won't let Rick turn you away again. I won't let him either." Carol smiled and squeezed Maggie's hand.
"Maggie! Carol!" Glenn yelled from outside. They jumped up. Maggie took off out of the RV while Carol stood in the entrance of the RV, rocking Judith and clutching a gun in her free hand. In the distance she could see 4 figures headed their way.
"It's them!" Sasha yelled. Everyone started screaming excitedly as Tyreese, Maggie, and Glenn took off in their direction. Glenn at a slower pace. Carol could see now that Beth and Daryl had Rick supported between them. Rick was unconscious. Carl walked beside them, gun in hand. Daryl had his bow strapped across his back. The familiar sight of him warmed her heart and she shook with nerves. Many emotions ran through her. Happiness, nervousness, panic, guilt, hope, but most of all fear. The one person she cared most for in this world and she didn't know what his reaction to her would be. To her actions.
She could see Maggie, Glenn, and Tyreese reach the group. Maggie crushes Beth to her and Glenn slaps Daryl on the back. Tyreese and Maggie take Rick from a tired Daryl and Beth. Glenn is motioning to the camp and Carl's face lights up. He takes off for the RV and Carol smiles. She steps down with Judith in her arms.
"Judith!" Carl cries out. He reaches them and hugs Carol tightly. Carol smiles and wraps her arm around the boy. "She's okay. We thought she was dead…" Carol handed him his sister.
"Careful. She was hurt from the explosions. I was able to fix her up but she still has to heal." Carol told him. Carl smiled and kissed his sister's cheek. "Thank you Carol." She smiled. "Of course. I would do anything for Judith. And you." He smiled and looked back at his dad with a frown.
"My dad. He was shot in the leg. He's lost a lot of blood. It went clean through and we patched it up but can you look at it?" He asked her. Carol nodded. "Of course. You take Judith inside. She needs to stay out of the cool air." He disappeared into the RV and she turned. Daryl stood 10 feet from her, his bow in hand, an unreadable expression on his face. She looked down and for the first time all of the bravado she had carried with her since Rick had left her that day fled her body. This man had the ability to break her with one look.
She stared at the ground, afraid to look at him, tears welling in her eyes. All of the guilt, despair, loneliness, fear, and panic that had coursed through her the past few days came back to her now. She could be so brave and strong but one look at him and it was all gone. Suddenly, she felt him draw closer. She looked up and he came to rest directly in front of her.
"Daryl..." He shook his head, silencing her. She closed her mouth, a tear falling down her cheek. His blood covered, dirty hand came up and wiped the tear away. She gasped, unconsciously leaning into his hand. Suddenly she was in his arms. He hugged her tightly and she grasped the back of his vest, for the first time allowing herself to cry.
"I got ya." He spoke. She sobbed, nodding her head, not letting go. It was going to be okay. It would be okay. After what seemed like forever he pulled away and she wiped her tears. "Come on, we gotta check on Rick." She nodded and followed him to the unconscious man.
They laid Rick down in the RV and Carol unwrapped the wound. It had been cleaned out. She cleaned the wound again and bandaged it. She gave him the same medicine she had given Judith a few hours before.
"He'll be okay." She told the small group stepping out of the RV. "He needs rest but he will recover just like Judith." She said. She met Daryl's gaze and the corner of his mouth quirked up. She gave him a small smile and walked over.
"So what now?" Bob asked. Everyone looked to each other. They turned to Daryl and then to Carol. She sighed. Technically the council still existed, even though it was broken. And Carol didn't think she still belonged.
"We have to find a new home." She spoke up.
"Where?" Beth cried. Carol shrugged. "I'm not sure, but we will find a place. We found one once before, we can do it again." She spoke firmly. "We'll wait for Rick to wake up and heal a little before we move on. But we will move on. We have to. And we can." They nodded, agreeing.
"A funeral, for my dad. When Rick wakes up. We'll have one?" Beth asked.
"Yes, I'll get his body and bring it back." Daryl spoke. Beth put a hand to her mouth and Maggie pulled her close.
"I'll go with you." Carol replied, glancing at Daryl. He nodded at her and turned to the group. "Let's just get some rest. We'll go first thing in the morning." He told them before turning and heading off. Carol sighed. They need to talk but it looked like all she was gonna get right now was his normal stoic nature. She was comforted though by the hug he had given her. The relief in his voice. No matter what happened when Rick woke up, when the others found out the truth, she knew he was still there for her. For the first time since the night she had killed Karen and David, she felt that things would be okay.
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