Chapter Seven

Summer's POV

Rick and Shane began to argue about going into the city because Rick wanted to take Glenn along and T-Dog offered to go because he was the one who dropped the key. Eventually it was agreed that Daryl, Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog would make the trek back into the city to retrieve Rick's guns and Merle. They decided to leave in an hour and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to talk to Daryl.

We went back to the tent and I sat down on his sleeping bag. He came and sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. I rested my head against his shoulder and sat there for a minute just relishing in the fact that I was finally with him again. It had been far too long and I hated every second of being away from him. I hated every second not knowing if he was alive or dead.

"I thought I lost you," he finally said, "I went back to the house a few days after it happened with Merle. I saw the bag and the crossbow on the bed but I didn't see you anywhere. And there were four walkers in the house. I assumed the worst."

"I waited for you for two days, I wasn't sure what happened to you," I replied, "I wanted to keep waiting. I knew you would come back but I got over run. There were too many of them. I was terrified."

He didn't respond. Instead he tilted my head up and kissed me.

"You can't go into the city, D," I said firmly, "you just can't. I know it's Merle and he's your brother but you can't go out into that."

"I know you don't want me to, but I have to," he said, "you're right. He is my brother and that's why I have to go. I don't want to leave you, I really don't but I have to get him. And I'll make it back in one piece without a bite or scratch on me, I promise."

"That's a pretty heavy thing to promise," I replied, "I know you'll be fine but I'm scared. I can't lose you. Not again. I thought I would never find you. I thought I was going to be wandering around all of Georgia for the rest of my life. I can't let you go so quickly."

I started crying again and he pulled me in to his chest. I sat there for a few minutes and just let myself cry it out. I was angry. Angry at him for wanting to go. Angry at myself for not going up to the roof with Rick and seeing Merle. Angry that the world had gone to shit.

"I know," he said and hugged me tighter, "I will come back, but I have to get Merle. And you've been wandering around for so long. You're pregnant. You need to stay here and rest and help the other women out with things. Try to get back to a normal life. If I don't find Merle up there I promise you I will come right back here. If he somehow found a way off that roof he'll find a way to take care of himself. But I owe it to him to at least try to get him out of there."

He was right. I nodded and he kissed me one last time before he heard Rick calling for them to leave. I walked him back over to the moving van and squeezed his hand before he climbed in the back. The rest of the group got in the van and as the drove off I went over to Lori to see if there was anything I could do to help out around the camp.

"I was going to go out into the woods to collect berries," Lori said, "but why don't you go down to the lake and help Andrea, Amy, and Carol with the laundry? They can always use an extra hand."

I agreed to help with the laundry and made my way down to the lake. Everyone was seated on rocks at the edge of the lake and I went over and joined them. They were washing clothes in buckets.

"I really do miss my washing machine," Carol said with a laugh.

"I'm pretty sure we all do," Andrea said.

"So, Summer, do you know what you're having?" Amy asked.

"A boy," I said with a smile, "we're going to name him Harry."

"I like that name," Carol said.

"I'm just nervous is all," I finally said feeling like I could open up to these women, "is anyone in your group a doctor? I'm just a little concerned about what's going to happen when the baby comes. His cries might definitely attract walkers."

I knew I was voicing all of their concerns when I said that.

"Honestly, sweetie, if Glenn's car alarm didn't bring them up here I doubt a baby crying will," Carol said, "none of us are doctors but I'm sure between all of us we can figure out how to deliver a baby. And we can always send Glenn or someone on a run for formula and things."

"There shouldn't be a need for that," I said, "before I left I made sure to pack formula and some clothes for the baby figuring that I wasn't going to make it back to the house. But eventually I will need to get more. And I would be more than willing to go on the run myself."

"You can't leave the baby here without you," Andrea said, "if anything, I'll go. You're a smart girl though, I would have never thought to grab formula for the baby while the world was ending."

"I've always been one to prioritize," I said, "Daryl likes to joke that that's why he married me. Because I'm always prepared."

"I think I heard him mention that when we first met," Amy said, "he was saying something about his bag being pack and his bow being left for him."

I smiled.

"Well I live for the philosophy that my father always told me. Prior planning prevents possible problems," I said with a laugh.

We finished up washing the laundry and brought it back up to camp and hung it on the clotheslines to dry. Thank God for the Georgia heat in the summer. The clothes would be dry in no time. I spent the rest of the day with Carol and Lori trying to help out as best I could around camp while trying not to worry about Daryl in Atlanta.