Hey everybody! Sorry for the long wait! It's been a super busy summer so far. Thank you for the wonderful reviews! It really keeps me motivated to keep writing. A new era of our beloved group will beginning soon and I hope you guys are ready for the ride! I have ideas I can't wait to write out. But anyway, here is chapter 24! Enjoy! I do not own any of The Walking Dead (except my OC's)

Chapter 24

"Alright, we have about an hour left to continue searching for Sophia," Rick responded, speaking up with more confidence due to the finding of his son. "Me, Shane, and Blake can walk a little deeper into the woods, see if we can pick up a little more of the trail you guys found."

Shane spoke up as well, "We want the rest of ya'll to get back to camp and we won't be too far behind."

The group nodded their heads.

"I want to go too, Dad," Carl spoke up. Although looking pale and tired from his near-death experience he held his head high, trying to prove to his father he could join them. Blake smirked at the freckled face boy and glanced at Rick.

"I want you to go back with your mo-"

"I have to go. I was with her. I lost her. I have to try and find her," Carl said loudly, not ready to give up.

"Carl, we just got you back, you are not going out there," Lori interrupted giving her husband and Shane a soft glare, hoping for some assistance.

"Mom, I have to go. I'm the reason she ran off and I can't just leave her out there. I told her I'd bring her back," Carl said, his eyes beginning to well with fresh tears.

"He can tag along," Shane said. Lori's head snapped in his direction and Rick looked at his friend with surprise.

"We've always taken care of him and it'll be me, his father, and Blake watching him. He's in good hands," Shane said putting his large tanned hand onto Carl's small shoulder.

"He's right, Lori. We'll all be back to camp shortly," Rick said.

Lori gave Rick an angry look but then looked down at her pale faced, blue eyed boy and got down on her knees in front of him.

As Lori directed her son on how to act Blake glanced over at Daryl. He was sitting not too far off chewing on his thumb. Her eyes ran down his body from his shaggy brown hair, to the muscles of his arms, down his thick thighs to the floor. She ran her eyes slowly back up his body and watched as he turned a little, the front of his body facing her completely. His narrow hips and broad shoulders were distracting her. As her eyes finished its trail up his body her green eyes met blue. Daryl was glaring at her from where he was and she nearly jumped in her shoes at getting caught. She turned her face immediately and knew her cheeks were turning pink. I can't believe you got caught, stupid. So embarrassing.

Once Blake was done finishing her "thank you" to God for sending her off with Rick and Shane, said men grabbed her attention. "Let's get to the forest edge and then it's all you, girl" Shane said, not looking her in the eye.

Blake nodded her head and waved at the rest of their group as they began their trek, Carl between them all.

"They should be back any minute now, the sun will only be up for a few more hours," Tanyon said as he now paced near the railing of the highway rather than on top of the RV. Tanyon and Dale stood staring out into the trees while T-Dog took lookout.

"They'll be here, son," Dale said, confident in his answer.

"I hate that I can't help," Tanyon said, wiping sweat off his forehead for what felt like the millionth time today.

Dale watched the tall man as he scanned the trees for his baby sister. Dale noticed that the complexion of his face was growing pale as the minutes went by, his inability to keep himself from gripping the railing for stability becoming more and more obvious.

"Tanyon, you look like you need to sit down. I want Kris to look over your stitches and see if you're alright," he said, looking back at his dark RV where Kris had disappeared to not long ago.

"I'm fine, Dale," Tanyon said, once again wiping some sweat from his brown head.

"Fine, you stay here and keep watch for them. Let me just grab Kris anyway and you don't have to leave this spot," Dale said, hoping for approval from the man.

Tanyon just glanced at Dale then nodded. Eager to get help for his friend, Dale went into the RV and looked around. Kris wasn't at the table so he went into the back room where he found the doctor laid back on the bed.

Dale knocked quietly on the door. Kris didn't respond.

Knock, Knock.

Dale started speaking anyway. " Tanyon doesn't look too hot, would you take a look at those stitches?"

Dale was met with silence.

"Son?" Dale said.

"What happened?" Kris said with slight annoyance in his tone.

"He's getting really pale and looks a little lethargic. He cut his arm on that damned car door when that herd came through.," Dale spoke, scratching the back of his neck as he recalled the ordeal. Kris remained quiet again. Dale waited a few moments before he started to get annoyed himself.

"Kris, he ne-" Kris shot up from the bed and started putting on his shoes, startling Dale into taking a step back.

"Could be a blood infection," Kris said as he started to walk off the RV. "Where is he now?"

"He's near the rail waiting for the others to return," Dale spoke, keeping up with the doctor.

"If they do," the young man spoke under his breath.

Dale heard him clearly and stopped in his tracks, watching as the lean man approached Tanyon who apparently couldn't stand anymore. Dale hurried up closer to the two men.

"Tanyon, you alright," Dale asked with serious concern, seeing the dark skinned man sitting on the hot cement leaning against a car door.

"I'm just a little tired. It's a bit hot out here. Man, thought Blake was just being a bitch," Tanyon said with a small smile, his eyes squinting in the brightness of the sun.

"We need to keep you out of this heat," Dale said as he removed his fishing hat and placed it lightly on Tanyon's curly head. Tanyon nodded lightly in thanks.

"How is it Doc," Tanyon asked.

"Definitely a blood infection; could be anything from the rusty door, dirty hands handling the cut, whether the needle was disinfected or not…..but either way we know this needs to be treated now".

"All we have is Advil and we've basically been feeding that to him," Dale said, getting slightly panicky, hoping that they could help Tanyon as much as possible.

"I'll check a few cars," T-Dog interrupted, leaving his post on the RV to see what was going on. "I'm sure there's something out here," T-Dog said as he looked out across the sea of cars.

"Kris, do you mind staying here and watching for the others with him" Dale pleaded subtly. He didn't want Tanyon to think he was putting a babysitter on duty.

Kris just nodded and popped a squat on the nearest car hood. Dale looked up at T-Dog and the large black man just shrugged.

"Alright, lets go find some medicine," the old man said and he and T-Dog started digging through vehicle one by one.

Blake was tracking Sophia's small prints with Carl by her side, trying to show him the different markings she noticed as quickly as possible so as not to waste time. Rick and Shane stood not too far behind, watching their backs and keeping an extremely watchful eye on Carl.

"Hey, look at this," Carl announced as he pointed to the group. "Deer prints!"

"Good eye, kid," Blake said, crouching down next to the animal prints. "Very recent too," Blake said as she stood back up to her feet.

"I hope we see it around here, I hope it doesn't have any babies," Carl said solemnly.

"Why's that?" Blake said and she slowly walked and scanned the forest floor.

"I mean, they probably won't be able to survive out here," Carl spoke, his small voice sounding very loud in Blake's ears. Blake shivered at the thought of the kid's not being able to make it in this world, similarly to the fawns. When Blake peeked down at Carl she started to feel an overwhelming amount of sadness. Sadness at the fact that Carl and other kids out there have to see the world for what it is now. If this can't be fixed they'll never have the life that she had or the experiences. It was depressing to say the least.

Blake put a hand on Carl's head but then squeezed it to signal him to stop moving. Standing in front of them, not more than twenty feet away was the deer. Blake looked back at Rick and Shane and held up her hand, her smile signaling to the two that there wasn't any immediate danger ahead. When the former officers caught up they were amazed by how close the deer was also. Rick's smile grew even larger at the sight of his son's huge smile and wide eyes.

Blake whispered to Carl, "Stay close behind me and we'll try to get as close as possible, maybe its friendly," she said with happiness in her tone. Blake led the way with a very excited Carl behind her, peering around her body.

Rick and Shane watched from a distance. Rick looked at Shane with a smile and Shane smiled also, shrugging his shoulders in disbelief at the situation happening in front of them. The two men were so happy to see Carl happy despite everything that has happened in his short life. The two men jumped at the sound of a gun shot, their hearts nearly stopping when they saw the deer, Blake, and Carl on the ground.