Chapter 18

Daryl's hand brushed over Carol's as they sat side by side in the truck. The young Asian man was driving, while the older man followed behind in the silver Buick.

"You gotta overlook Dale. He's a good guy. He's just protective of the group. He's smart. If you earn his trust, you're golden."

"Sounds like you folks had some bad luck with outsiders," Carol murmured, tapping her fingers on her knee.

"You could say that. Not everybody we've brought in has been bad, but then you get that one person that ruins it for everybody else." When silence filled the cab, the young man cleared his throat and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "So, that bike must be pretty important to you."

"Yeah. The bike," Daryl muttered. "Guess you saw the cabin. You do that?"

"What?"

"Our cabin burned down."

"Yeah, it was already burnt when we found it. Ashes were already cold."

"Why were ya there?" Daryl asked, feeling Carol's fingers curl around his own.

"You always ask this many questions?" They rode in silence for a few minutes more. "Look, we're good people. We're just trying to survive, same as you. Some of us have families. We're just trying to look out for our own. You can have your bike. My wife says I look ridiculous on it anyway." He chuckled. "I'm Glenn, by the way." Clearly, he expected a reciprocation of names from his riding companions, but only silence followed. "Dale. He's a good guy. Kind of like the dad everybody looks up to. He lost his family at the turn. He's kind of our resident protector."

"How many of you are there?" Carol asked quietly.

"Enough. And we have weapons."

"You think that scares us?" Daryl asked with a snort. "Don't care 'bout your weapons. Don't care what you got."

"Except for your…bike, right?" he asked, sounding a little amused. They made a sharp turn. "Sorry. Rough road for a few miles." The truck bumped and jostled along what was more than likely an old logging road or maybe even a field. More than likely, Daryl figured, they were trying to get them confused as to what direction they were going in, so that when they led them off to turn them loose, they'd have no idea how to follow back. Still, if they were going to go through all that trouble, they'd probably be better off just shooting them and being done with it. Daryl hadn't completely ruled out that possibility, which was why he was going to make certain to keep close to Carol and not let any of these strangers get her alone.

Finally, Carol had had enough of the quiet.

"Why are you so willingly taking us back to your camp? We put our weapons down, and you just willingly shoved us in the truck for a motorcycle?"

"I could ask the same about you. You willingly handed over your weapons and let us blindfold you. Maybe it's not just a bike you're looking for." Carol went to speak again.

"Ain't none of your damned business," Daryl muttered. He heard a snort from the driver.

"Almost there," the young man offered, making another quick turn down a much smoother road. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"You said there are children at your camp?" Carol prodded hopefully.

"Yeah," Glenn offered. "There were more, but some folks broke off when new people started coming in. Didn't trust 'em. Our leader, his name's Rick. He's got a couple kids. Wife died giving birth, so now he's stuck with a newborn and a smartass kid. Guess some things don't change, huh?"

"This leader'a yours, he gonna be alright with you bringin' us around?" Daryl queried.

"He sent us out for supplies. He hates that motorcycle anyway. Says it wakes the baby up every time. He'll be glad to see it gone." The truck came to an abrupt halt, and Glenn cut the engine.

"We're here. You can take off your blindfolds now. I'm surprised you didn't try it already."

"And get shot for doin' it?" Daryl asked, lifting the fabric from his eyes and peering across the cab at the younger man.

"Dude, I wouldn't shoot you," Glenn chuckled, revealing a smile filled with perfect pearly whites. "We just had to make sure we could get you back here, no trouble." Carol removed her blindfold and glanced at Daryl, and he could practically see the nerves flickering in her eyes. These people had gone through an awful lot of trouble to get them back to camp, and he could see it was making Carol a bit uneasy.

"Then what the hell was with all this 'we're strangers and better stay that way' shit your old buddy Dale was spewin' earlier?" Daryl asked. Glenn laughed at that and shook his head.

"Like I said…Dale's kind of the group dad. He's really not an asshole, but sometimes you gotta be, you know, when people try to steal your shit."

"Like you was doin' this morning," Daryl reminded him. Glenn gave him a little shrug of concession and hopped out of the truck.

Carol peered out the window, seeing the group of cars and a very large RV off to the far side of the camp. A smattering of tents decorated the lot in various hues of reds, blues and blacks. A fire pit surrounded by chairs was at the center of the camp, and several people poked their heads up from those chairs as they sat sipping their morning coffees.

"Come on," Glenn offered, motioning for them to get out the truck. "Might as well come meet everybody." Carol and Daryl shared a look as Glenn left them to go over toward the group. Dale walked past the truck, eyeing them both before following after Glenn.

"What the hell?" Daryl muttered.

"I don't understand," Carol said quietly.

"C'mon," he urged. "Let's just get this over with. Keep your eyes peeled. Look around and see if you see any sign of Soph." Carol gave him a tentative nod before they climbed out of the truck and followed Glenn and Dale toward the rest of the group.

All eyes were on them as they made their way over, and a little Asian girl ran to Glenn with open arms, and he scooped her up into the air. She giggled happily as he pressed kisses to her cheeks. A young, thin-framed woman came over to wrap her arms around his shoulders, and they embraced like it had been too long since they'd last held each other.

Carol felt a lump in her throat as she watched the small family. She sighed softly, her fingers brushing over Daryl's as they made their way over to the group. Glenn spoke quietly with a man holding a baby, and nobody seemed to be reaching for weapons.

"Hear you folks are here for a bike," the man with the baby said.

"You must be Rick," Daryl said evenly. He noted the pressed tan shirt and pants the man wore. "You a cop?"

"Name's Rick Grimes. I used to be a Sheriff," the man said quietly, a sullen look passing over his face as he stared down at the baby in his arms."Sheriff Rick Grimes," Carol gasped. Daryl eyed her. "The man on the CB that first night." Daryl's eyes flooded with recognition. She turned back toward him, worrying her lip nervously between her teeth. "I'm Carol." The man didn't seem surprised at all.

"Dad is that S…" a boy spoke up, rushing over with a sheriff's hat atop his head.

"Go to Dale's camper, Carl," Rick said abruptly, cutting the boy off.

"But…"

"You heard me. It's alright." Carl eyed them, and Carol could have sworn she saw a brief smile pass over his lips before he turned and rushed toward the large camper nearby.

"What's goin' on here?" Daryl asked, stepping slightly in front of Carol.

"Took my boy out hunting a coupl'a days ago," Rick started. "Our group was camped by the river, getting fresh water, getting some fishing in. My boy Carl heard somethin' in the bushes. Raised his gun, and then we heard something else. A cry."

The door on the RV swung open, and Carl came out first, holding onto the pale, thin wrist of a girl who followed behind him closely. Carol's gaze immediately snapped toward the RV, and she gasped as she saw her daughter's pale face bathed in sunlight.

"Oh God!" she choked out. "Sophia!" And she was running, and Daryl was running with her, and Sophia's eyes widened with shock when she saw her mother coming toward her. Carl stepped out of the way just in time as Carol swooped in and pulled her girl into her arms, hugging her close and sobbing as the girl clutched at her mother's back.

"Oh my God," Carol murmured. "You're alright. You're ok."

"Mama," Sophia sniffled. "You found me." Carol hugged her daughter close, stroking her hair, as Daryl gently placed a hand on her shoulder. He turned to Rick, his eyes full of questions.

"Thank you," Daryl murmured, as Rick nodded his head and turned, leading his son away to give the little family a few moments to themselves.