Chapter 11

At the edge

...

Barbara stayed with her sister as long as she could, but she couldn't look at her. She tried snapping her out of it with putting some alcohol under her nose, wetting her face, shaking her lightly, but nothing seemed to help.

Seeing the blonde immobile and with glass eyes was just driving her crazy. Finally, she went to Hershel's room to look for any meds that may have not been in the pantry. She searched inside his bag and found some sedatives. It wouldn't snap her out of it, but it would help.

She was about to leave when Blake entered the room and she stopped dead in her tracks.

Nobody said nothing for a while, just stared at the other. Blake looked a mix between relieved, angry and hurt and Barbara could barely hold his stare.

"I see you're okay," he said at last and the girl nodded.

"I am."

"Have you seen Ellie?"

"Yes, I-hum... She's catatonic. Needs treatment we don't have so we have to wait for her to snap out of it. I was going to give her some sedatives," she showed him the box and the guy nodded.

"We were worried. Maggie didn't know what to do," Blake said in a serious tone.

"I know," the girl said, looking down at her hands.

"I cannot be angry with you for the way you acted," the guy told her and she looked at him surprised.

Blake shrugged.

"It's not different from how I acted when I found my mother..."

He didn't have to finish. She knew. She understood.

"And you have been so strong until now after everything. So I can't be mad about how you acted."

Barbara frowned at him. He clearly was upset, and she had expected him to yell at her or something.

"So why...?"

"Daryl found you, didn't he?"

She stopped mid-sentence and repressed a sigh. Yep, he was angry.

"Yes."

"And he convinced you to come back?"

Barbara raised an eyebrow at his accusatory tone.

"Convince me? He didn't need to. He just told me my sister was cold out and I jumped back right into the horse," Barbara replied coldly.

Blake just snorted and shook his head.

"What are we doing, Barbie?

"Well, I'm trying to take this to my sister and you're there accusing me of something that didn't happen."

He looked up at her tone getting angry.

"I'm not stupid."

"It happened, nothing. I was desperate to get away so I rode to a house where... we're pretty sure Sophia stayed for a while and just cried everything I haven't cried for. My mother, my father, Michael and Christopher, Doctor Stevens..." Barbara's voice trembled and she took a deep breath, controlling her emotions. She had cried enough for one day. "Daryl followed my trace, he found me, he told me about my sister and we rode back. End of the story. There was no kiss and no cheating so can't stop with all this. I have no time. My brother is missing and my sister..."

Barbara made a gesture and then walked to the door trying to leave but he grabbed her arm. He didn't hurt her, he just stopped her.

"Do you care for him?"

Barbara held his stare.

"I do. I care for everybody in here... Except Shane."

"Do you like him? And you know what kind of like I'm referring to."

Barbara really didn't have time for this, nor did she want to. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but she owned Blake the truth. She probably owned much more, but it was the least she could do.

She looked at him even if she had the urge to look away.

"Yes."

Blake let her go as if she had burnt him but didn't look surprised, just hurt.

"Do you have feelings for him?"

Barbara sighed.

"No."

Blake looked at her confused. Apparently he was waiting for a big declaration.

"But you said..."

"I... I care for him, and I am attracted to him, yes. But I don't have feelings for him," the girl said, looking up at him.

Blake frowned as finally understanding something and nodded.

"Do you have feelings for me?" "I-I had."

Blake smiled without happiness, and snorted.

"At least you're honest. Brutally honest but..."

"Blake."

"Did you love me?" She now looked taken aback. "Before all this I mean. Before all this dead."

Barbara couldn't look at him anymore.

"I..."

Blake snorted and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm such an idiot, am I not? Both me and Dixon."

Barbara looked up, frowning and Blake shook his head.

"We care, but you don't."

"It's not like that—"

"I have feelings for you. I think I even still love you, Barbie. And that asshole has feelings for you too. But you don't care."

"It's not like that!" Barbara snapped getting angry. "I cannot change what I feel."

"I guess not," the boy replied a bit sadly, burying his hand on his pockets. "Well, thank you for your honesty. You were right, you don't need anyone."

And then he turned around and left her standing there. She had the urge to go and stopped him, but she didn't. She had hurt him enough. At least now he could move on. Life was so short now. He wasn't going to waste his time on her anymore. But still...

She returned to Elle's room and gave her the sedatives. She sat with her a while thinking of Blake and what had he said. That she didn't care enough. The girl sighed and checked Elle's pulse. It had dropped considerably and she wasn't hot anymore.

She tried to wake her up but didn't work.

Barbara sighed again and then went down to the kitchen. Soon after, she left the house. She needed to clear her head.

Daryl didn't see Barbara coming, but he did see Carol. The girl hid behind the wall as Daryl confronted Carol.

"What are you doing?" Daryl asked her aggressively.

"Keeping an eye on you," Carol replied.

"Ain't you a peach?" Daryl said sarcastically, glaring at her.

"I'm not gonna let you pull away. You've earned your place," Carol said earnestly.

"If you spent half your time minding your daughter's business instead of sticking your nose in everybody else's, she'd still be alive!" Daryl snapped at her and Barbara almost dropped the plate she was holding. If he had told her that, he had turned around, his face with the strength of the slap she'd give him.

Carol stared at her, hurt at his words, but didn't move, not even flinch. Daryl seemed more taken aback that his words didn't have the desired effect.

"Go ahead," she said with a tiny voice.

"Go ahead and what?" He snapped, but she didn't answer. She just stared at him.

"I mean just go!" He spat, waving her off. "I don't want you here!"

But Carol didn't move, didn't flinch.

"You're a real piece of work, lady!" Daryl started ranting angrily. "What, are you gonna make this about my daddy or some crap like that?" He huffed. But Carol just stood there, staring at him, not even flinching at his tone. "Man, you know Jack. You're afraid. You're afraid 'cause you're all alone. You got no husband, no daughter. You don't know what to do with yourself. You ain't my problem!" He then started shouting. "Sophia wasn't mine! All you had to do was keep an eye on her!"

He stopped shouting and stared her down. Carol saw him breaking and stared for a moment. Then, without a word she left. Daryl saw her go and felt bad, deep down. He had unleashed his anger on her. Anger that she hadn't caused. At least not all of it. He knew it wasn't her fault Sophia had gotten lost or that they didn't find her. Hell, he blamed himself even more, that's he lashed on her. Because deep down, he was blaming himself.

Then a voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"So you're staying here now?"

He turned around quickly and saw Barbara walking to him with a Tupperware in her hands. He briefly wondered if she had heard his argument with Carol.

Daryl just shrugged and sat down next to his campfire. He was still angry and didn't hide it very well.

"You shouldn't be here all by yourself," the girl said and he turned to her a bit annoyed. "It's dangerous being so close of the woods."

"Why do you care?" He said a bit aggressively, picking up the stick and kept poking the logs.

The girl watched a bit before walking to him and sitting next to him. She shrugged.

"I just do."

He suppressed a smile. Especially after he noticed the oversized football jacket she was wearing. That was a man's jacket and he had the suspicion to whom it belonged to.

"Yeah?" He answered aggressively. "And what does your boyfriend thinks about that?"

Barbara looked down thinking about his fight with Blake. He had accused her that he didn't care enough. He said she didn't care enough for him to love him, or enough for Daryl to do something about it. Was it true?

"I don't have one. And even if I did, this would be none of his business," she responded a little bit snappy.

Daryl paused and looked at her. She was avoiding his stare on purpose, but why?

"So you really broke up with him?" He tried to sound nonchalant about it.

"I... yeah. We kinda dumped each other," the girl replied shrugging.

"Hum." "And this..." Daryl asked after a while, brushing the sleeve of the jacket.

Barbara suppressed a smile, understanding his annoyance and explained:

"It's my brother's. I stole it because it looks better on me."

At the mention of Brett, her heart constricted but she knew it was useless to be worried. In these days, either, you do something or you don't worry about it. It was just stupid. And she knew her brother was with Rick, Glenn and Hershel, capable men she trusted, so she pushed her concern to the back of her head.

Barbara turned to Daryl and saw his lips turning upwards and she knew he was fighting a smile. Encourage by his change in his demeanor, she handed him the Tupperware.

"Here. I brought you dinner," she said.

Daryl looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I've already eaten."

The girl turned and saw a string tied between two trees and hanging from it there was the carcasses of squirrels and rabbits, as well as his unsettling walkers-ears necklace. He found it endearingly funny, though.

"Yes, I can see the buffet," she replied scrunching up her nose with a genuine smile this time. "But you really need something else than... squirrel, or who knows what else."

Daryl pressed his mouth into a thin line, his good mood instantly evaporating. His anger towards Carol was still there and Barbie's comment somehow triggered it.

"What? My ways are not up to your level?" He asked her a bit aggressively.

The girl didn't hear what he said to Carol but knew he was upset. He was still angry and was taking it out on her. She wouldn't let him do it though.

"Don't be stupid. You know I don't think that if you," she said matter-of-factly.

Daryl turned to her, still buffing a little.

"No?"

"No. I've told you what I think of you many times," she said, rolling her eyes with a smile and reaching for his hand. "You're a big jerk."

Daryl actually cracked a smile.

"Thank you, you're so sweet," he said sarcastically. Seeing him in a better mood the girl handing him the food again.

"Shut up and eat, Daryl."

He stared at the food for a bit before sighing and taking it. He opened it and saw some green and chicken casserole. Somehow it warmed him that she had thought of checking on him and bringing some food.

"Here," the girl said, pulling out a fork wrapped in a napkin from her pocket. Daryl took it and ate a big bite of chicken. The girl smiled, leaning forward a bit, resting her arms on her knees.

"So, I heard you were fighting with Carol."

Daryl didn't look up, but he seemed to pause a moment. He swallowed and turned to her.

"Now you are spying on me?" He said a bit snappy but Barbie just smirked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't flatter yourself, Dixon," she said, pulling out a bottle of water from her cross bag and gave it to him. Daryl took it without protesting this time.

"I was coming this way and I just heard your sweet voice not what you were saying," she clarified, teasing a bit. Daryl nodded and kept eating. He was actually relieved she hadn't heard any of what he had said to Carol. He felt ashamed, if he was being honest. He knew she was only worried about him, like Barbara, and he appreciated, but right now he was on edge and couldn't handle her attempts.

Barbara let he ate until he had emptied half the container because she knew how stubborn he could be, and her next words were going to upset him.

"You know, what happened wasn't your fault," she said almost in a whisper. Just as she expected, he stilled and put the food away, turning to her upset.

"Are you going to start too?" "That's why you were yelling at Carol? Because she told you it wasn't your fault?" She asked frowning.

"I know it wasn't my fault. Sophia wasn't my responsibility," Daryl snapped at her before standing up and walking to the fire. He grabbed a stick he had left in the ground and poked the logs around.

"No, but you made it yours," Barbara replied, standing too and walked to him.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he said aggressively.

Barbara sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I won't push it. I hate when people are doing that to me, but... it wasn't your fault, Daryl."

The girl hesitated, but then she reached and placed a hand on his shoulder. Daryl went still as she had burnt him, but didn't move. Did she really have not feelings for him? Barbara asked herself. She didn't like to see him like this. Didn't like that he blames himself and had come here, far from everyone. She worried he hadn't eaten, that he might have no water or that he didn't want to sleep. She cared for him, she knew that. And she was attracted to him. He looked very nice even without much light, but was there something deeper?

"Maybe... maybe if I hadn't stopped looking that night..."His voice startled here, snapping her out of her own train of thoughts. She looked up to Daryl and he saw guilt and self-hate in his eyes. He was blaming himself, and that guilt was eating him. "I told Carol, you know, that it was pointless to keep looking in the dark. It wasn't. We would've found her," he admitted, lowering his head.

Barbara stared at him for a moment, a bit shocked he had actually talked about what he was feeling. She made a pause before answering:

"Maybe, maybe not. But you didn't get Sophia killed. You were right. If you have kept looking, more of you have died."

He turned to her and her hand slipped off his shoulder, but he caught it. It wasn't the first time he held her hand, but this felt different, more intimate somehow. He took her tiny hand in his much bigger one and softly caressed her knuckles. Her breath got caught in her throat and her mind went blank. He looked up to her and his eyes pierced her. There was so much intensity in them that she was almost scared.

He stepped closer until their chests were almost touching. She was shorter than him but found his face somehow getting closer. Should she stop him?

"Barbara?"

Both Daryl and Barbara jumped out of their skin. Daryl dropped her hand and quickly walked back to the log where they had been sitting earlier. The girl disoriented turned to Carol who was walking towards them. She wasn't sure if Carol had seen anything or not, so she cleared her throat and walked to the woman, thankfully it was dark and she wouldn't notice her blush.

"Carol... what's wrong?"

"It's Lori. She was in a car accident."

The girl looked at her aghast.

"What? How?"

"She went looking after Rick, crashed the car."

Daryl who had been listening looked down at his hands. That had been his fault too, he thought. He just sent the woman away without giving a shit.

Barbara covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh my God! Is she okay?"

"She's fine, but she wants you to check on her for... the baby."

Carol's implication down in both Daryl and Barbara but while it was a shock for the girl it was more like a slap to the man.

Daryl closed his eyes. And Lori was pregnant. Another kid, he got killed.

"Oh my God, yes, of course."

Carol smiled at her relieved and left without waiting for her. Barbara looked down at Daryl who glanced at her. The guilt and anger in his eyes was back. Great.

"Go," he said, waving his hand.

She smiled lightly at him.

"Eat up, Dixon. I want that plate clean," she ordered him and smiled wider when he immediately picked up the food. "Good night."

"Night... Make sure she's okay. Please."

The tone of his voice made her heart hurt. She nodded and squeezed his shoulder.

"Sure."

"And don't tell her that I said that."

Barbara shook her head, smiling.

"No problem."

She couldn't resist it and brush her fingers through his hair lightly. Daryl flinched and looked up, but she was already walking back to the house. The man just stared back at her a warm feeling spreading into his chest because nobody had ever done that for him. Maybe just Carol but that was different. As he grabbed the Tupperware and kept eating, he couldn't fight the smile on his face. Maybe he wasn't alone in this mess of uncomfortable feelings.

"Well, I can say anything about the baby yet, but I think you're fine," Barbara told Lori after she had checked her through. She checked her eyes one more time just to make sure she had done everything as supposed to.

"You have no internal damage or bleeding. You only have a small concussion, so you'll have to be awake for a couple of hours..."

"No problem," she responded a bit sarcastic but tired.

Barbara turned off the flashlight and looked down at Lori.

"They'll be okay," she said before turning and putting the lighter back into Hershel's bag.

"You don't know that," Lori said, sighing and standing up.

"I don't. But either we do something or we hope for the best," the girl replied shrugging.

"Do you? Hope for the best?" Lori asked her and she turned around to look at her. To say that she was freaking out about her brother and Hershel was an understatement, but being in a frenzy and worried all the time wasn't going to solve anything.

"I've lost my parents, my sister is in the other room in a state I can't get her out of, Hershel and my brother are missing, Sophia is gone and... well, I don't have a boyfriend anymore. So no. I learned to never hope for the best, but he's my family, and I won't ever give up on it. You shouldn't either, especially with Rick. He's something else."

Lori stayed quiet a bit after that. She got it in a way. She had lost her mother, she was sure of it. But she still had Carl and Rick and...

"So you and Blake broke up?" The woman asked Barbie.

The girl looked taken aback, but figured the house wasn't that big anymore with all of them living there and they hadn't been quiet about it.

Barbara nodded, looking down.

"It's complicated."

"Does it have to do with... someone else?"

Barbara frowned. She wondered if she had meant certain stubborn man camping in the woods.

"No. It doesn't have to do with someone else but Blake and I. After I lost my dad in the safe zone I've been just like... numb."

Lori nodded, crossing her arms. She had been there.

"I get that. I was like that when everything started."

"How do you get out of it?" The girl asked her.

"I haven't stopped feeling like that completely, but... I... I got better," Lori told her smiling lightly. "I have Carl and Rick."

Barbie nodded as the woman left the room. The thing is she had stopped feeling that numbness. It all began when she followed Daryl into the woods.

Barbara checked yet again on Ellie with Maggie sitting by the foot of her bed.

"Has she reacted or anything?" Barbara asked her because she had been gone with Daryl and then checking up on Lori.

Maggie shook her head, staring at Ellie, her face frowning in concern.

"I don't get it. Why is she like that?" Maggie asked, a bit desperately.

"Sometimes when someone has suffered a great shock the body can't just... shut down. We have to make sure she stays hydrated," Barbara replied. If she was honest, she was getting desperate too. She had rummaged through her books and the info she knew, but all the known-treatments required machines or drugs they didn't have. So they couldn't do anything but wait for her to wake up on her own.

"I'll bring an IV," her cousin replied and Barbara smiled at her.

"Thanks Mags."

Barbara sat with her sister and took her hand, her eyes on Ellie's blank face.

"Wake up, Ellie," she mumbled, squeezing her hand. "Wake up, sweetie. I need you."

Maggie returned with the IV full of water and Barbara hooked it on Ellie's arm. Both stared at the blonde teen lying on the bed as waiting for her to wake up any moment now. But they knew it wasn't going to happen.

They stayed there looking after her for two hours now. Barbara was worried about her sister, about her missing brother and Maggie for her dad and Glenn. But if Barbara was honest, there was something else keeping her awake. Some kind of feelings. No, not feelings, but it was a fact that she hadn't been willing to admit until a few hours ago to her now ex-boyfriend. She didn't have her sister to talk, but Maggie had proven to be a confident a good adviser.

"I think... I think I like Daryl," she mumbled after two hours of sitting there in silence.

Barbara turned to Maggie and the older woman nodded, a bit distracted.

"I know. You told me."

"I mean... like-like," Barbara specified with a significant look.

The information seemed to down in Maggie then, who turned at her surprised.

"Oh... What about Blake?" "We broke up," Barbara replied looking down.

"You two break up or you dump him?"

Maggie asked, knowing her cousin too well.

Barbara turned to Maggie and raised her eyebrows.

"It was mutual."

Maggie nodded.

"So what? What are you waiting for? He's camping out there all alone. Why don't you go and warm him a bit?" Maggie told her with a suggestive smile and Barbara couldn't help but chuckle.

"No. No... I..." Her smile faded. "I don't know what to do. Nothing has happened with..."

"Daryl?"

Maggie said and Barbara shook her head. She couldn't even talk about him. That wasn't a good sign.

"Do you want something to happen?" Maggie asked her then.

"I'm not sure," Barbara admitted. "Ever since Dad, I've been like ... I haven't felt much."

Maggie nodded.

"Yeah. I noticed."

"And Daryl... he just brought out something in me. My will to fight, to keep going. Even after what happen at the barn."

Maggie stared at her. She remembered gloomily the day they arrived at the farm. They all looked pale and like they didn't know where they were. Ellie had cried, but she had just disappeared. It was like she hadn't cared about her dad, but Maggie knew she had been hiding her first weeks it was like she was a robot. Slowly she started smiling and acting normal, but it felt somehow restricted.

These days Maggie had seen her cousin been actually happy. She looked energized, lighter.

"Go for it."

Barbara looked at Maggie with raised eyebrows.

"I don't want to hurt Blake. I don't want to rub it on his face."

Maggie shook her head.

"He's a big kid. He can take it. But life's too short and shorter these days. There's no place for drama anymore. If you want something, just go get it."

Barbara smirked at her.

"Are you speaking out of experience?"

Maggie chuckled.

"Yes. I tried to avoid Glenn and told myself it was nothing but it wasn't true. I care for him. I love him. And I don't wanna waste time anymore."

Maggie's admission took her by surprise. Not the fact she like Glenn, that was pretty much obvious, but the fact that she loved him. What was love these days anyway?

"Yes, I guess you're right. But I don't even know if I want something like that with Daryl," Barbara told Maggie. The older woman saw her cousin's expression and she shook her head. She had been there many times. She hadn't gone after some guy because of her fear of rejection. But Barbara couldn't live like that, trying to avoid hurting. Life was just starting to hurt them and didn't seem like it was going to stop any time soon.

"Well, why don't you find out? He's out there," Maggie said, but Barbara shook her head.

"I've already left Ellie alone enough time. Maybe when Brett and Hershel are here. When she's better."

Maggie nodded and decided that she would try and help her. Barbie had been through enough things to keep herself from a bit of happiness, even if it was with a redneck. The thought made her laugh.

"What?" Barbara turned to her with a smile.

"Daryl doesn't really seem like your type," Maggie teased her.

Barbara blushed a little, but couldn't disagree.

"Oh, he's so far from it, it's almost funny. But you know. He's so much more than what he looks like. He's an ass, don't get me wrong. But he's smart and he listens. He cares."

"He better. Or I'll set him straight," Maggie said with a teasing smile. Barbara smiled at her a bit.

"I... don't say anything, Mags. Blake and I just broke up and, like I said, I'm not even sure I care that much for Daryl."

Maggie stopped smiling, Barbie's words taking her by surprise.

"Ow... so you just like him? You don't have feelings for him?"

Barbara shook her head and when Maggie looked at her. She knew she was being honest.

"Nope. You know, I haven't cared for anyone in a while. Even Blake... well, when all this started, we have been together for two months. I haven't started to feel love, you know. I don't work that way. And with everything happening... I don't think I can care for him or Daryl or any guy anymore."

"Well, that's fair. Everyone feels and thinks differently. Just make sure he knows that," Maggie said, thinking about how much the world had changed Barbie. She looked much colder now. But actually it was just her almost perfect poker face. Barbie cared. Barbie had feelings, but those feelings scared the shit out of her so it was easier to pretend. To avoid an attachment.

"Where do you think Hershel went?" Barbara asked her after a pause. She didn't want to keep talking about her feelings.

"Rick, where Glenn and Brett went to find him hopefully," Maggie replied, her demeanor changing quickly. She was worried sick and Barbara couldn't blame her. She hadn't been that worried about Brett when she went to talk to Daryl, but that had been a few hours ago and still there was no sign of them. Barbara was starting to get desperate. She already had lost her parents; she wasn't ready to give up any of her siblings.

Next morning Barbara and Maggie were in Elle's room checking on her when Andrea walked in. Barbara was checking her sister's pulse and Maggie was sitting on the end of the bed, chewing on her thumb.

"How is she?" Andrea asked them from the doorway.

"Dehydrated," Barbara replied, glancing at Andrea before putting a hand on her sister's forehead.

"I put an IV last night to help her. But she needs it again. It's all I can do without meds or certain machines," Barbara said and straightened up but Maggie stood up first.

"I'll go for it."

"Thank you," Barbie smiled at her cousin and Maggie left the room.

Andrea smiled at her before entering the room.

"I'm going crazy," Barbara admitted feeling exhausted and upset. "I think I may be forgetting something."

The brunette looked at her sister and grabbed her hand.

"Hey. Can I get you anything?" Andrea offered her gently. The sight of the sisters reminded her of Amy, and she felt this sudden need to help them.

Barbara shook her head, though.

"No, thanks. I just want my brother and Hershel to be back," the girl said sighting and looking down at Ellie.

"She'll be okay," Andrea assured her with a kind smile. "You just need to be strong for her."

"I was just thinking about..." Barbara stopped herself without hiding her smile and shook her head. "Never mind."

"No, no. I'd love to hear," Andrea told her and Barbara smiled at her.

"This one time at Thanksgiving... I was back from my first year of college and we had to go to our grandmother's... We didn't like it there. She was always entitled and rude and racist and made dinners uncomfortable for everybody. But this time I had brought my new boyfriend from college and I thought it would be funny to sneak upstairs while the others were in the living room drinking."

"Oh boy," Andrea replied, amused with a smile because that sounded like something she would do.

"Yep, oh boy, indeed," Barbara replied, chuckling and shaking her head. "She was twelve at that time and didn't understand the concept of sneaking out. She followed us and well, caught us and started screaming because she thought Garrett was hurting me.

Everyone ran upstairs and I barely had time to dress and pushed Garrett to the bathroom where he finished dressing up and sneaked out the window," Barbara laughed remembering how embarrassed she had been but it seemed so funny now.

"Brett was there first and figures out what's going on and we start to fight. And she is just looking at us confused. And then everybody comes and my dad says: 'what the hell is going on?' And before Brett can rat me out, Ellie just turns and says we were practicing some cheerleading."

Barbara finished her story laughing a bit and Andrea smiled at her too.

"And did they believe you?"

"Nope, but then my grandmother started a ranting against one of her friends and was pretty much forgotten. She understood later what was going on and was freaked out."

Barbara looked up to her sister then. She looked so tiny and young. She felt her watering up. She just wanted her back. She needed her back.

Shane, Daryl, Andrea and T-Dog were reading the truck to go when the car appeared on the dirt road. They all stopped and turned to see.

The car stopped in a cloud of dirt in front of the house and Rick, Glenn, Hershel and Brett came out of the car. They all looked exhausted and had blood on their clothes. Lori and Carl come down from the porch and Barbara, Maggie, Carol, Blake and Patricia came out of the house.

"Dad!" Carl laughed with relief, running to his father, and burying his face on Rick's stomach. The man held his son back and then hugged Lori with his other arm.

"Brett!" Barbara cried, running to her brother and thrown herself at his arms. He engulfed her tiny frame and hugged her close, lifting her in the air.

Maggie ran too and Hershel opened his arms but his daughter passed by, right to Glenn's embrace.

"You're okay," she said hugging him tight but he didn't return her excitement.

Hershel just kept walking, a bit annoyed by his daughter.

"Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery," he told the woman walking heavily on her. "Come Barbie, quick."

The girl pulled back from her brother confused and looked down at him.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Then who..?"

"Who the hell is that?" T-Dog's interrupted everybody else, noticing the extra guy, with the blindfold in the back of the car. The rest of the group turned to the guy and then to Rick.

"That's Randall," Glenn said.