Chapter Forty-Seven

"Fuckin' Christ!" he cursed as Carol's nails dug sharply into his chest and side as he took a corner too sharply. It was a struggle to maneuver the darkened dirt lane around more and more walkers. He skidded to the left in a patch of uneven Georgia clay and felt his heart drop to his feet. He couldn't allow himself to lose control and lay the Triumph down. The geeks milling about, littering the sides of the road – in some places the very center of the damn road – didn't seem to be thinning at all. Had they somehow driven right into the center of the herd?

The back tire found traction and the bike shot forward. Carol pressed her face between his shoulder blades, practically quivering with fright. He hoped she wasn't going into shock, and sent up a silent prayer she'd stay warm under the quilt tied at her shoulder toga style. His eyes frantically searched for the tail lights which had been in front of them moments before. Where the hell had they disappeared to? And how was he going to find them?

*.*.*

Glenn slammed on the brakes of the Hyundai and Carl toppled onto Maggie's lap. His bow slammed into the side of her head, but it didn't seem to faze her. Tears streamed over her lashes, her gaze locked with Glenn's as she fought to breathe. Carl slipped off of her and climbed into the back seat. Sophia hurriedly pulled herself in from the back window, putting the 9mm back into the holster her father had made for her and rolling up the glass. She shared a look with her friend and then reached into the front seat to rest her hand on Maggie's shoulder.

"They're gonna be fine, Maggie," she said, fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice. She was worried about her parents, but she wasn't going to give up hope. If anyone would make it out, it would be Daryl, and where Daryl was … her mother was surely to be close to his side.

A sob ripped from Maggie's throat as Glenn pulled her into his arms. "She's right. Your dad, Patricia, Beth … all of them. They're going to make it."

"We don't even know where they are," she sobbed hysterically against his neck.

"The highway!" Carl butted in, his head appearing between the seats. "Where we left the sign for Sophia. That's where we should go. I heard Dad talking to Daryl and Shane about meeting there if we got in a jam and got separated."

Randall stared at him as if he'd lost his senses. "You sure, kid?"

Glenn wiped away Maggie's tears and put the car in gear. "Yeah … that's where we'll go. We'll wait for the others there." He reached over and twined his fingers with hers as she stared numbly out the windshield. "They'll be there … you'll see."

Sophia reached into her pack and passed a bottle of water up front. "They will, Maggie."

*.*.*

T-Dog muttered under his breath and pounded a hand on the steering wheel, cursing Merle Dixon and his rag tag bunch of informants. "He said we had a week! That sure as fuck wasn't no damn week," he grumbled.

Patricia shot him a dry look. "Did he look like he'd gotten walker migration down to an exact science, Theodore? Because frankly, he don't look like the studious type." She petted Beth's hair and shushed her softly.

"I want Daddy," the girl wailed against Patricia's shoulder.

"Theodore will get us back to Hershel and Maggie, sweetie. Just be patient," she soothed.

His features softened as he reached out and covered Patricia's hand with his. She was one of the strongest women he'd ever met. He'd make damn sure she and her charge got back to their family. He liked the little spitfire and her resilient nature, liked even more the way she always smiled at him before making him feel like a complete dumbass. He wanted to be her friend because she made him laugh, and god knew there wasn't enough laughter in the world anymore.

"She's right, Bethie. You just hang on for a little longer." He stepped on the gas.

*.*.*

Hershel sat down on the bumper of the suburban, his rifle resting across his legs as he watched Lori pace the asphalt, wringing her hands. He was more than a little amazed she'd been able to find her way back to the highway where they'd broken down weeks before. She didn't appear to him to be the type who traveled without a GPS at hand.

"Where are they?" she murmured shakily, her eyes drifting along the silent roadway. She stopped her pacing and scrubbed her hands over her face, the pre-dawn light gently filtering over the horizon. She didn't know how long they'd driven. It seemed every path they had taken had been blocked, leaving them to backtrack and detour around. The others should've been there by now. "I know … I know they got out, Hershel. I saw them!"

"You can't think that way. This group is strong. They knew what to do. You have to give them time, is all," he tried to soothe her.

Her hand hovered over the knife on her hip as she heard a faint noise in the distance. She inched over closer to the farmer and peered around the side of the Chevy. A lone walker shuffled along some yards away. If need be, she would be able to handle it before it was a threat. If she couldn't, she was sure she'd never hear the end of it from Daryl.

Lori remained still, keeping an eye on the walker as it wandered off into the trees. Without realizing it, she slumped in relief against the old truck. Hershel wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her down to sit next to him on the bumper, and the deluge of tears she'd been holding back spilled from beneath her closed lids. She wept, unable to fight off the pain clawing at her chest, and rising in her throat to choke her.

"Listen …" Hershel whispered.

The unmistakable sound of the Triumph slowly penetrated the fog of agony enveloping her and she drew in a shaky breath. Her head popped up, her eyes searching the distance, and she covered her mouth with her hands to hold in the hysterical laughter threatening to bubble from her lips. Daryl and Carol led the way, Glenn, Maggie and the kids behind them. As she watched, T-Dog, Patricia and Beth closed the distance, Rick not far behind.

"Mom!" Carl cried as he climbed over Randall's lap to spill out of the Hyundai, running hell bent for his mother. He threw himself at her, his little arms wrapping tightly around her neck as she dropped to her knees. "Dad!" Rick joined them on the road, kissing his wife's cheek and winding his arms around both of them.

"Thank god you're safe … both of you!" he stuttered, overcome with weakness in his relief.

"Randall got us in the car, Dad. He saved us. Glenn was driving like a maniac, and me and Sophia were shooting at the walkers, but there was just too many of them," he explained.

Lori sobbed against Rick's shoulder as she beamed a proud smile at her son. "You did amazingly well, Carl."

"You really did, son."

Daryl glared at Randall over the top of Sophia's head, despite the elbow he took to the ribs from Carol. They held their daughter between them, looking her over for injury.

"Jeez, Mama, I'm fine. I hit my funny bone on the window jamb and nearly dropped Merle's gun, but I'm ok!" she groaned.

Carol hugged her closer. "I was so scared. I should've known you would be right in the middle of the action."

Sophia grinned impishly. "'Course … I'm a Dixon, after all."

Daryl passed by Hershel where the man was looking over his own daughters, making sure they were alright. Randall shrank back into the side of the Hyundai when the hunter stopped before him, an unreadable expression on Daryl's face. The boy wished the pavement would open up and swallow him whole.

"I-I-I got the k-kids out," he whimpered, staring down at his feet.

"I know that," Daryl growled, refusing to let go of his ill feelings just yet. "This how it's gonna be? Y' gonna continue t' keep an eye on our kids? Try t' be a useful part o' this group?"

Hope gleamed in Randall's eyes. It was more than Daryl had ever said to him at one time. "I-If you let me."

"Don't make me regret it." Daryl left the boy standing there, color tinging his face as he noticed the bright smile on the faces of both his girls. He rolled his eyes and gnawed on his lip, hoping no one noticed.

Glenn frowned as he took a head count, his eyes meeting T-Dog's where he stood next to the truck with Patricia. "Where's Shane and Andrea? Dale and Jimmy?"

T-Dog shot a sympathetic look at Beth. "Jimmy didn't make it. He was trying to get Beth to the truck and …"

Carol looked up at her husband. "Oh, god. We have to go back!"

"We can't go back," Rick said as Lori looked at him aghast. "They have the RV. They might have gotten turned around."

"We can't just leave them there!" Lori hissed stone-faced. "We don't leave our people behind."

"And if we go back, it's suicide! There are supplies in the Winnebago, weapons, fuel. They know where we're going. If they're able, they'll find us," he said, taking a firm grip on her upper arms. "You know they will."

Hershel held tightly to Beth as she continued to grieve against his chest. "We can't stay here. It's not safe."

Daryl nodded. "He's right. We need to go. Shane knows the plan."

With one last look down at his wife's angry gaze, Rick ushered her to the suburban. "Let's go."

*.*.*

"Are we there yet?" Carl whined from the backseat of the suburban. He, Sophia and Randall were riding with Rick and Lori, T-Dog and Patricia were together in her truck, Hershel and his daughters were in the Hyundai and Glenn was driving Daryl's truck, so he and Carol could ride the bike.

Rick banged his hand against the steering wheel. It had been one detour after another as they tried to travel northwest towards Griffin. It was the furthest town Merle had cleared from Woodbury. Now if they could only find a house or warehouse … something or anything … to get them through the next two weeks. They'd stayed off the main highways as much as possible, the snarl of cars nearly impassable. Daryl seemed to know more about the backroads of Georgia than anyone Rick had ever met. He knew it stemmed from the man working odd jobs following Merle from one town to the next after the elder Dixon's stint in the army. Lori was coming to know a lot about the hunter from what Carol had shared with her.

"No, Carl," he said, rubbing his index finger below his bottom lip as he frowned down at the fuel gauge. "We won't be there until Daryl signals us to stop. Or we run out of fuel. Whichever comes first."

Lori squinted over at him. "Are we low? If we are, you can bet the others are too."

Sophia shifted where she was dozing with her head on Randall's shoulder. "Toot the horn and make Dad stop if you need to. Won't it mess with the engine if you run it completely out before fillin' up again?"

Rick smiled at her in the rearview mirror and laid on the horn for a quick burst of sound. Lori looked relieved. "God knows we could all use a quick stretch. How d'you know about engines, Sophia? Daryl teach you?"

The girl grinned proudly and nodded.

Daryl immediately pulled off to the side and grabbed his bow before helping Carol off. Sophia hopped out of the suburban and hurried over to her father. "What's up, Soph? Everything ok back there?" he asked, noting she had her bow with her. Good girl.

Rick made his way to Daryl's truck and reached in for a fuel can. "I think everyone needs to fuel up. Quickly and quietly," he stressed. "While we're stopped, maybe take a bathroom break. We don't know when we'll be stopping again."

"I'll go clear an area for the women," Daryl offered.

Patricia checked the .38 Rick had given her from the gun bag earlier and tucked it into the waistband of her cargos. "Thank the lord! My back teeth were about to float off."

Lori and Carol chuckled softly, waiting for Daryl to emerge from the tree line with the all clear. It didn't take him long to deem it safe for such a short time, and the women quickly made their way into the trees while Daryl and Glenn stood guard. T-Dog, Rick and Randall filled the tanks and stood guard on the road until they returned.

Carol leaned against the bike and stretched as she watched Sophia climb back into the suburban with Carl. Her daughter was already rooting in her pack for something for them to snack on. She grinned at Randall, handing him a rice krispies treat and a bottle of Gatorade. Carol was so glad she hadn't been wrong about the boy. He treated Sophia as if she were his sister, and knew her girl was in good hands.

A familiar arm wrapped around her waist and she leaned into her husband's chest as Rick followed and pulled out the map. "I'd say we have another hour or so before we reach the outskirts. Even though it's a small town, I don't think we should venture too far in today."

"Naw, we need t' look for somethin' outside the town limits. There'll be some suburbs, but we wanna only try those as a last resort. We need t' look for somethin' outta th' way."

"I don't care where we end up, to be honest," Carol said. "Just somewhere we can rest. I'm exhausted, and I still need to get everyone fed."

"We got jerky an' stuff t' tide us over," Daryl assured her. "Stop yer worrying, woman."

Rick nodded. "Let's get going. We don't know what it's going to be like further down the road."

*.*.*

Carol climbed into the front seat of the suburban next to Lori and locked the door behind her. She grinned at the children over her shoulder. It was a waiting game now to see if the house they'd found would be suitable to keep them safe for a week or so. Daryl had nearly passed the driveway it was so overgrown and hidden unless you were practically on top of it. Before the turn, someone had wanted to maintain their privacy from the world.

She had expected a modest little shack back in the woods, not the expansive colonial hidden among the majestic oaks. There was no fence to protect them, but the house looked well taken care of. Rick, Daryl, Hershel, Glen and T-Dog had left them in the vehicles to wait while they checked it out and cleared it of any walkers inside.

"It could have gone a lot faster if they'd let us go with them and help," Carl pouted. "I'm a good shot. I could have helped; Sophia too."

Lori turned in her seat to look at her son. "Your dad said no. He didn't make that decision lightly, and he wasn't just trying to protect you because he's your father. He made that choice as the leader of our group and Daryl backed him on it." She smiled gently to lessen the small set down. "You have to trust him and not question his decisions."

"Right," Carol agreed with a smile. "That's our job."

Lori chuckled. "Yeah, you didn't look too happy about it either."

"My husband is rather overprotective. We'd be inside already if they'd have let us help."

Sophia watched out the window. Already the sky was darkening as the sun sank lower behind the trees. "I really hope they have well water. Being this far out, it's possible. I'm dying for a shower."

Lori nodded. "It would be a cold shower, honey, but running water would definitely be a blessing."

Randall leaned in with the other two and peered out the front towards the big front porch. "I wonder how long we'll be able to stay here. Y' think it's safe?"

Before Carol could hazard a guess, Daryl stepped out onto the porch and whistled, waving them forward. The kids shouldered their packs and weapons, and shot off towards the hunter for instructions on where to go. Carol grabbed her own gear, leaving the majority of their supplies in the vehicles until she could talk to her husband. He twined his fingers with hers, pulling her into the foyer with him.

Rick was coming down the stairs, telling T-Dog and Glenn to start with getting the bedding from the suburban and a box of foodstuffs from Daryl's pickup. He stopped at the bottom step, taking in Carol and Lori's expectant faces. "I think we might be able to stay here until we're able to go back to check on the farm. There were no cars around back, and from the looks of things upstairs, the new owners had just been moving in. There are a lot of things still in boxes."

"Moving in?" Lori asked.

"Found some paperwork in th' study. Looks like they'd just finished up with th' purchase," Daryl supplied. He pointed to the left of the stairs. "Down there's th' study, dinin' room, kitchen … t' th' right is a master bedroom an' some rooms ain't got nothin' in 'em. There's also a stairway leads down into the basement. I already claimed it for me an' m' girls."

Carol frowned. He knew she hated being underground. "The basement, Daryl? Really?"

He sighed. "Always questionin' me, woman," he grumbled. "There's a bedroom, bathroom, an' outside entry down there. Figured it would do us." Daryl nodded to Rick. "I'm gonna do a walk around, see what I can find."

"Sounds good. I'll take first watch out front," their leader told him.

"I'll go see about starting dinner. Lori, make sure someone grabs the camp stove and some sterno, ok?" Carol said, following Glenn with the foodstuffs down the hall.

Lori took an armful of bedding from T and sent him out to fetch what Carol had asked for. She set it down next to the stairs, deciding to deal with it later, and followed her husband out onto the porch. He was there next to the railing on the right side of the porch, slumped dejectedly against the bannister, his chin resting on his chest. Her heart went out to him. She could literally see the weight he carried on his shoulders.

"Where's Carl?" he asked, looking up to find her there at his side.

She stuffed her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and rocked back on her heels, not knowing if he'd appreciate her touch just now. "He and Sophia are carting our stuff inside and making beds. They're trying to keep busy, as usual. You know they can't sit still for long," she grinned.

"That's good," he murmured, still not meeting her worried gaze. "Good to stay busy so they don't have to think too hard."

"Like you?"

Rick flinched. "What the hell am I doing, Lori? I never asked for any of this!" he hissed, remembering to keep his voice lowered. The rest of the group didn't need to be privy to his insecurities.

"Of course, you didn't," she conceded. "Neither did Shane, but it's just who you are, Rick. He couldn't leave them all behind on that highway any more than you could abandon them now. You may not have wanted to be the leader of this group, but Shane stepped back when you joined us because you were the senior partner. He looks to you to lead because he won't take the same risks you will."

"And it may have gotten him killed, Lori."

She could hear the pain in his voice, the loss and grief. "He's not dead. They'll find us. Look at Merle Dixon … he found his family. There's no reason Shane, Andrea and Dale can't find us."

Rick wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and buried his face against the crook of her neck, drawing comfort from his wife. "He's my best friend. I owe him so much and yet I've treated him horribly the last few weeks."

"There were extenuating circumstances."

"I could've been a better man and let it go. Now I don't know if I'll ever be able to make things right. How am I supposed to do this without him? He formed this group. I need him to help me lead it."

Lori rubbed at the knot of tension at his nape, trying to soothe him. "He will. You're not alone, Rick. Daryl and Hershel; Glenn and T … they're all here to help you. You just have to ask for help instead of bottling this all up inside and struggling on your own. If you do, it'll just drive you mad."

He sighed and leaned back against the bannister, pulling her into the vee of his legs. "I don't want them to think I'm weak."

Her fingers trailed along the side of his stubbled jaw as she smiled up at him. "It's not a sign of weakness to ask for advice. You're not a dictator there, Castro."

Rick laughed. "No, and I don't want to be."

"If you need to, talk to Daryl. He's got your back," she encouraged. "And if you don't think you can, go to Carol. That woman is wonderful at solving problems. God knows she listens to enough of mine." She felt some of the tension release from his shoulders. "Feel better?"

"Yeah … yeah, I do." He pulled her closer, his fingers weaving into her long dark hair. His lips closed over hers in a gentle kiss, the first they'd shared in a long time. It stole her breath out of surprise, but she didn't hesitate to respond to him. When he pulled away, he rested his brow to hers. "I'm sorry, Lori. So sorry I pushed you away."

A single tear trekked over her dusty cheek. "I understand how much I hurt you, Rick. You'll never know how sorry I am for what I did. Does this mean you forgive me?"

"I already forgave you, baby. I just needed time. I don't want to waste anymore. If that's what you want, too?"

Lori couldn't mistake the glimmer of hope in his clear blue gaze. She shot him a watery smile and nodded as he tucked her in close to his chest. The tightness she'd carried in her own for weeks eased finally as she clung to him. Carol had been right. All she'd had to do was be patient and wait for him to accept her back into his heart.

*.*.*

Daryl was nearly mown over by Beth and Randall as he stepped through the kitchen door, coming in from his search of the back yard and surrounding buildings. The garage had yielded a good haul as far as tools and a hidden generator system. Carol cast him a warm smile as he took a seat on a stool at the center island. "Need some help?"

She shook her head. "Not at the moment. I think Lori and I have everyone organized. Glenn and T-Dog dismantled a small garden shed to use the planks to cover the windows on the ground floor. They're working on that now. The children are helping move everyone's belongings into the rooms upstairs. Rick and Lori will be taking the master bedroom down here and sharing with Carl. Hershel is on watch with Rick. Oh, and dinner's almost ready. It's canned stew tonight. I didn't have time to be more creative."

Daryl huffed a short laugh. She never ceased to amaze him. "Ain't nothing wrong with canned stew," he said, reaching for a box of crackers there on the counter and popping a few into his mouth.

"Did you find anything interesting? You were gone quite a while."

"Matter o' fact, I did. There's a huge propane tank out there … 'bout a hundred gallons … hooked up t' one o' those fancy Guardian generators. Enough to power th' entire place. Soon as we get this place light tight, I'll turn it on."

"Hot showers," she moaned. "If this place had a wall around it, it would be damn near perfect."

"You thought th' farm was perfect too, an' it didn't have a wall."

Carol backed against the sink as her husband eased off the stool and approached her, sliding her hands up his chest when his arms curled around her waist. "The farm will always hold a special place in my heart, Daryl. It's where you brought Sophia back to me, where you professed your love, where you proposed …"

"Where we got married," he finished for her, pressing a soft kiss beneath her ear. She shivered, clinging tightly to him as her hands slipped into the damp hair at his nape.

"Don't you see? It doesn't matter where we are, just so long as we're together. You and Sophia are my home. This group is our family. We'll be fine."

He accepted a quick kiss before she moved out of his arms and unpacked the bowls they'd use for their dinner. His wife had an uncanny way of cutting through the bullshit. He'd wolfed down half of his meal by the time she called the others in to dinner. They were tired and worn down from their fight off the farm and the stress of being out in the open and vulnerable all day. It would do them all good to rest. They'd found a good place by the grace of God. It would serve them until Merle could come through.

A/N: Finally, they're off the farm and safe for the moment. Hope everyone liked the chapter :D Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think. Next time: Members find their way back to the group, one is lost, and Merle continues to plot.