The best part of Georgie's mornings in Alexandria was the split second when she first woke up in a real bed in a real house and could almost imagine she was back at home, before all of this had begun. Today, her mind didn't even allow her that small pleasure. She had even dreamt about the losses they had suffered. She hadn't been there to watch her friends die those few nights ago, but it still haunted her as if she had been.

She pulled herself from the bed, sweeping her messy, dark hair into a ponytail before going to Judith's room to check on the baby. Her heart ached as she looked at the empty space on the floor of the little girl's room where Daryl normally slept. Even after Deanna had offered him his own place, he stayed at the Grimes' house, keeping his spot on Judith's floor. Georgie and Carol tried to convince him to at least put a bed in there, but he had refused, preferring his old sleeping bag. Judith appeared to be fine, albeit, she slept fitfully. Maybe she had noticed that her faithful guardian was missing.

"You need to drink something," Georgie said, shoving the water bottle towards Daryl. He turned his head away, hoisting Judith higher up on his back as they walked along the mostly empty road. It was almost comical, seeing Daryl with his crossbow out in front and a baby carrier on his back. Or it would have been if they hadn't just lost a quarter of their small group.

"Nah," He said. "Save it for you and the kid."

"You're not going to be too good of a shot if you're delirious from dehydration," Georgie insisted.

"Will it get you off my damn back?" Daryl asked. Georgie nodded, handing him the water bottle. He took an indignant swig and handed it back. "Happy now?"

"Thrilled."

"Ain't got any idea where we're going," Daryl grumbled.

"How's that any different than normal?" Georgie asked. "We know that car went this way so this is the way we're going."

"They got a hell of a head start," Daryl said.

"They have to stop somewhere, right?"

Daryl grunted his inaudible answer, making Georgie roll her eyes. While he had more than ten years on her, Daryl often reminded Georgie of small children she used to babysit; indignant and sullen when something went wrong. Being with the group had pulled him out of his shell, forcing him to realize he had people who cared about him, but he soon forgot that when they were separated. Georgie knew that he thought that they and Beth were the last of their group, even after the girls had tried to tell him otherwise. Now that they had to chase down the people who had taken Beth from them, Georgie could almost feel him retreating back into himself.

Georgie wanted to say something to him, maybe joke to lighten the mood, but even before she could formulate a pun, he shoved his arm out, nearly knocking the wind of of her. He shoved her towards one of the cars abandoned by the road, forcing her to kneel next to him while he aimed his crossbow into the woods from the top of the trunk.

"What-," Georgie started but Daryl shushed her.

"Someone's out there," Daryl said, his voice so quiet she could barely hear him.

"Walkers?" Daryl shook his head.

After a beat or two of silence, Georgie started to wonder if maybe she had been too late with the water bottle and that Daryl had already gotten incoherent from running on fumes.

Then, the rustle of trees reinforced his concern. The woods parted, seven men with their guns trained on Daryl's head stepped out. They looked like a motorcycle gang without the motorcycles, all in black leather and boots.

The man at the front, a tall, graying man, put his gun down, but none of his group followed his lead. "Come on out, we got nothing against a family just trying to make their way," The man said. Daryl stayed crouched so Georgie followed suit. He may have acted like a child at times, but he had still saved her life on multiple occasions and she knew when to listen to him.

"Well, if you got something to hide, stay on back there," The man said. "But just know, we don't take kindly to that kinda cowardly ass behavior. So it's in your best interest to come out."

Daryl kept his crossbow steady, but Georgie could see a plan forming behind his tired eyes. "Stay behind me," He said to her. She nodded, following his lead as he slowly got up from behind the car. She hid herself behind Daryl just like he asked, Judith cooing down at her from her spot on Daryl's back.

"Claim!" One of the men said, even his smirk greasy. Georgie could feel eyes on her and she had a feeling she wouldn't like what 'claim' meant."Claim on the bitch." She was right.

"I'm claiming the vest," Another said. "I like them wings."

"Now, now, boys," The leader said. "We don't know what these nice people are about. You can tell a lot about a man by the weapon he keeps, and I like what his bow says. What's your name, Bow Man?"

"Daryl," He answered shortly.

"Daryl. And is this your wife, Daryl?" The leader asked, nodding to Georgie. Daryl shook his head.

"Claim!" The greasy man repeated. "If she ain't yours-"

"She's my sister," Daryl lied quickly, shifting his crossbow to the greasy man.

"Easy now," The leader said, holding his hands up. "What about the baby?"

"She's mine," Georgie said, stepping out slightly from behind Daryl, only to have him shove her back roughly.

"Nice guy, taking care of your sister and her kid," The leader said with an almost mocking smile, though Georgie wasn't sure what part of that he thought was worth laughing at. He waved his group down, making them lower their weapons. "What are you folks doing out here? Don't got a camp?"

"We did," Daryl said, finally lowering his own, but Georgie noticed he kept one hand on the knife at his side.

"But you don't now?" The leader said. He didn't wait for an answer. "We aren't used to having pretty young ladies around, but we can make an exception. Mighty dangerous being out here just the two of ya, especially with a lil one."

"We're fine," Daryl said surely.

"Daryl," Georgie said. He looked over his shoulder at her. "He's right."

"No," Daryl said firmly.

"Yes," Georgie said, just as set in her decision, her voice low so the group couldn't hear."Just for now, they might be the lesser of two evils."

"Evil's still evil," Daryl said.

"And dead is still dead," Georgie said. "Which is what we'll be if we stay out here alone."

Judith's cry brought Georgie out of her head. She often wondered if she had been right. They may have survived the Claimers, but not before Rick had to tear Joe's throat out with his teeth. Daryl had never been one to say 'I told you so', so she would never know what he thought of it either. All she knew is that they had made it to Alexandria despite that, to what they thought would be a safe life, only for Daryl to be captured by some deranged man with a God complex.

"I got her," Michonne said, startling Georgie. "You go downstairs, I made breakfast."

"Powdered eggs again?" Georgie joked. Michonne smiled at her softly.

"It's something, at least," Michonne said. "Better get something before Carl wakes up and eats it all."

Georgie walked down the stairs, into the kitchen. She was surprised to see Rick at the kitchen counter. The last two mornings, he had been out at the guard towers, pulling all night shifts despite Michonne begging him to stay in the house and let the others take over for a while.

"Morning, Pops," Georgie said, pulling the corners of Rick's mouth up just the slightest, which she considered a win. When she first gave him the nickname, he said it made him sound like an old man. She told him when he shaved the old man beard, she would stop. Even when he did, she kept it up. It was too late now.

"Morning," He said. "Michonne made breakfast."

Georgie sat down, fixing her plate with the off colored eggs and hashbrowns. "I've been thinking," She said.

"Okay."

"I should go to Hilltop," Georgie said.

"No," Rick said firmly. "Not a chance."

"I need to see Maggie," Georgie said. "With Denise gone, I have no one to show me how to deliver a baby and what if Dr. Carson isn't there when it happens? I don't want what happened to Lori to happen to her."

"With Denise gone, you're our only doctor," Rick argued.

"I'm a nineteen year old with subpar first aid training at best," Georgie said. "Rosita knows more than I do, so I know that's not your reason."

"It's not," Rick said. "We got ambushed on our way to Hilltop, it could happen again. He killed Abe and Glenn in front of us, just chose them at random. He tried to make me cut off my son's arm. He's sick, Georgie. We don't know what he would do to you."

"I'm not going to hide here while everyone is in danger," Georgie argued.

"He thinks Maggie's dead, that's what's keeping her safe," Rick said. "I'm not losing any more of my family, alright? You're staying right here."

Georgie held his gaze for a long moment, his eyes boring into her with such an intensity she thought he could see through her. She nodded. "Fine."

"Good," Rick said, turning back to his breakfast. Georgie chewed on hers, the bitterness in her mouth disguising the rubberiness of the eggs.

"Rick!" Michonne said, running down the stairs so fast she nearly tumbled. Rick and Georgie jumped out of their seats, Rick's hand already on his gun. "Where's Carl?"