Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters in Twilight and Walking Dead. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and Robert Kirkman. I do own the original characters created for the storyline. Please support the official release.

Writer's Notes: Hope everyone enjoys!

From the very beginning, the world was screwed. The outbreak brought out the worse in people, but some people did rise to the challenge….

[One Week Later]

It was hard leading people. There would always be disagreements, but it was hard to make the right choices all the time. The Quarry was a terrible choice. Staying to defend it would have been an even worse choice. So, moving on from the fateful events last week, Bella and the others charged with a newer aspiration. They buried their dead. Carol wasn't so distraught about losing her husband, but Bella found out that was because her husband was a wife beater and she understood that more than anyone would ever possibly know. Andrea was silent since her sister died. Losing family was hard, it was something that Bella also knew… more than anyone would ever know. Rick had remained quiet about Lori. Carl was silent as well, but he had just lost his mother and a surrogate father. Carl didn't seem to be upset with Bella or with Rick, he was just… saddened by the mistakes that Shane made. Carl was thirteen. He wasn't some dumb kid, he was logical or in the very least, he understood.

Jasper was bossy, forcing Bella to slow down and take it easy. At one point they did serve together in the Army. Both medics, but he was a Major and she was a Captain. He always outranked her. He was like an older brother she never had. Jasper was barely older than she was, only fifteen months older, but she respected him far more. Jake was the little brother she basically had and Paul. Paul was like a brother to her too. They were all that was left of her family or at least, the good part of her family. Her past was past and she wanted to leave it that way. There were reasons why she ran off to join the Army, but she never talked about it. Jasper was the only living soul that knew about what happened to her. She spared Jake the gruesome details of that personal history.

They were farther away from Atlanta now, which was good for them. Dale and his camper was sandwiched between the two newer RVs. The smaller RV, T Dawg drove, with Carol, Sophia and Andrea on board. The larger RV, Daryl drove, with his brother, Glenn, Paul, Jake and Carl. Rick drove with Bella and Jasper in the Highlander, which took the lead in the small caravan. Bella's shoulder was stiff, but it was lucky there was no infection. Her side was healing good, the wound that Shane had inflicted had been really shallow and that was dumb luck.

"It's getting dark soon." Jasper commented as he looked out at the sky. Most of the driving had been in silence. It was clear that everyone was exhausted.

"There's a neighborhood closeby." Bella said and looked over at Rick, who was driving currently. "People need food, we can scout the houses."

Rick nodded. It was true that hunger was also a big factor in their energy levels. "Bunk down there, but head out to Greenville. There are farm lands there. More room to set up a permanent home for us all." He said, glancing over at Bella and then back at the road.

Bella knew that farmlands were the best option right now. They could really build something for themselves on a farm. Room to grow and harvest. Livestock would be a major gamechanger. They would have more meat. Hunting could start to get scarce as the wildlife migrated away from the walking dead.

Rick drove until he saw the neighborhood that Bella mentioned. He pulled in, watching everyone else file in behind him. He came to a stop at one house and he looked around. The biters were just shuffling around in the street, mindlessly searching for their next meal. "Okay. We clear a couple houses to search for food. We stay in the RVs and leave at first light." He said and Jasper and Bella nodded their agreements.

Bella opened her door, grabbing her crossbow and she went into military mode. Jasper was right behind her, as was Rick. The way he moved was similar to Jasper and Bella, he was a sheriff before the world went to hell, so he had training. Paul and Jake joined with Daryl and Glenn, searching the houses. They left the others in the RVs, because it didn't take the entire group to search for food. They moved silently in and out of houses, gathering what they could find, which was all non-perishable. Canned beans, carrots, peas, some Vienna sausages, spam. It was enough to get them fed for the night.

Everyone gathered in the largest of the RVs and they ate in silence. Bella made sure that Sophia and Carl had plenty of food. They were the youngest and needed more.

"I'll take first watch." Jake said and then fist bumped Paul when Paul gave a nod.

"Alright." Bella said. She wasn't going to fight Jake for it, it would be useless. She had a hard time sleeping, but she would try and rest.

"Bella take the bed in the back." Glenn said. "You need the rest."

Bella shook her head. "I'll be okay. I can sleep in the Highlander." She said and looked towards the door.

"Bella, take the bed." Rick said this time. It was clear he was tired himself.

"It's a kingsized bed. It'll fit more of us." Bella said, but she went towards the back of the RV anyways, not arguing any further because it was a waste of energy at this point. She was outnumbered. She set her crossbow in the floor and she sat on the bed. She looked down at her hands. They were dirty from fighting for her life. Calloused from the wear and tear of survival. She heard footsteps and looked up to see Rick standing there in the doorway. "What?"

"I'm sorry about everything. You were right about Shane. I should have… I should have confronted him myself. You should have never been put in that situation." Rick finally was saying what he wanted to say this entire time. "I owe you my life…Bella. You saved me from the streets. I was confused and hurt and you helped me."

"Yeah well, you're still healing. How's your side?"

Rick nodded. "It hurts sometimes, but I've had more time to recover than you. We've known each other barely two weeks." He said and blew out a breath.

"You shot and killed your best friend. Your partner." Bella pointed out. "You saved my life."

"No, that was Jasper. He patched you up."

"You lost a lot Rick. In the span of minutes." Bella said and then ran a hand over her hair. Her braid was loose, so she started unbraiding it. Her hair was long and Rick didn't realize how long her hair actually was until he saw her unwind it from the braid.

Rick heard shuffling behind him in the RV and it was Daryl and Jasper. "Hey."

"We're going to the smaller RV, Jake is taking watch there. Paul is staying here for first watch, and Sophia and Carl are in the camper with Dale and Carol." Jasper announced.

Rick nodded. "Alright. Get some rest." He said and fist bumped Jasper before watching them turn around and leave. He looked back at Bella.

"You need rest too." Bella said and Rick nodded. He moved to the other side of the bed and sat down. "I don't move a lot in my sleep. Years in the Army." She said and then laid back on the bed.

Rick smiled a little but he stayed quiet as he leaned back on the bed as well.

Bella lay there in silence, just thinking about everything they had to do once they found a suitable farm. She heard shuffling and looked up at Merle. She sighed. "Lay down Merle." She said and shifted a little in the bed.

Merle grunted a little. "No, I came to tell you that I'm going to the roof. I can't sleep." He said and looked at Rick. "When we hit the road, can we find a gasstation so I can find a pack of smokes. I'm dying over here."

Rick sighed. "Yeah. That's fine." He said and then Merle shuffled away to go outside to climb the ladder to the roof of the RV.

It got quiet again, and it was because everyone else left in this RV was sleeping or attempting to sleep.

Bella shut her eyes and tried to will herself to sleep and when sleep finally found her… it wasn't good.

"Yes dad, I'm sure."

Charles Swan was a matter-of-fact kind of person. He was career army and he wanted what was best for his daughter and pregnant at sixteen was not one of those things. Even as strict as he was, he always showed Bella the love and support she needed. "Okay." He said and blew out a breath.

Bella swallowed, this wasn't in her plan. She didn't ask for this, she was afraid to tell her dad that her boyfriend of six months did this to her. That he raped her because she told him she wasn't ready for sex. But he did what he wanted anyways. "Daddy." She teared up. She looked down at her hands, nervously rubbing her thumbs together.

Charlie's eyes softened. "Bella, I'm not angry. I'm just…"

"No… um… I'm just… I'm afraid to…"

"I thought you understood the talk we had. About safe sex and-"

"I was raped daddy." Bella closed her eyes, feeling her soul leave her body momentarily.

Charlie brought a hand up to his mouth. "Oh god." He ran a hand through his hair and looked anywhere but Bella. This was the one thing any father feared. "Was it at a party or or or."

"It was Edward." Bella said, her voice small.

"Edward." Charlie said the name, his voice holding a degree of murderous anger. He turned and walked away, heading out of the house and fear shot through Bella.

Bella wasn't sure what she was going to do. She had a doctor's appointment in an hour, she knew the responsible thing to do was check on the baby. That's what mattered now. The baby.

The dream shifted and Bella shifted on the bed some, her brows knitting together as her dream made things uncomfortable.

"Here's your baby." The kind technician pointed to the screen. "Fourteen weeks Bella, does that sound about right?"

Bella swallowed and nodded. She had been living with this secret and still doing what Edward wanted… everything and went her period was late for the third time, she knew she really needed to get checked out. A voice in her head told her to take the pregnancy test.

The technician smiled and swirled the wand across her belly. "Oh. Well, I can tell you the gender."

Bella swallowed and smiled a little. "Really?"

"Really. See." The technician motioned to the screen and then highlighted the area. "Little girl."

Bella stared at the monitor, the black and white images of her baby… her daughter. The technician printed the images and handed them to her. Bella sat up and stared down at the picture. She loved the baby instantly. Despite her innocence being stolen from her, she would cherish this child.

The dream shifted again.

"You're pregnant." Edward scoffed. "You should be taking birth control. How could you be so stupid." He scolded Bella.

Bella looked down at her feet. Her dad didn't want Edward to know about the pregnancy, and she didn't tell him. Someone else had found out somehow, and told him. "I didn't-" the slap was hard and it stunned Bella. She put her hand to her cheek in shock. "Ed-edward I-I-I'm sorry."

Edward shoved her backwards onto his bed and then unfastened his pants. "You're going to be." He said, with so much venom in his voice. "You're going to get rid of it."

"I'm too far along." Bella said, her eyes wide as she stared up at him.

"You did this on purpose." Edward growled and started to lash out at her when Carlisle Cullen, Edward's adoptive father burst into the room. He was supposed to be at the hospital, but he came home when Charlie called him and told him that Bella wasn't at home and he was worried that Edward had her.

"Edward stop." Carlisle commanded and pushed Edward back against the wall.

Edward glared at Carlisle. "Fuck you."

"Bella, go home. Do not come back to this house. Edward is going to answer to what he's done to you. The child you carry will be taken care of. I've arranged it with your father." Carlisle said, his blue eyes never leaving Edward's green ones. Edward tried to fight back, but Carlisle slammed him against the wall again.

Bella scrambled, getting to her feet before she ran out of there, tears blinding her. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. She was so afraid of what would happen to her, to her baby. She got in her truck and she drove away, not even looking in the rearview mirror. She kept driving until she couldn't see anymore, her tears blinding her. Suddenly a deer lept in front of her and it startled her, causing her to swerve and her truck hit a tree head on and it was lights out.

She woke at the hospital, her head hurting, her body felt broken. "My baby… my baby…"

Charlie shot forward, his hand going to hers. "Bella calm down." He said, his voice soothing.

"My baby." Her blue green eyes searched her father's face and when he grimaced, she just sobbed.

Rick heard Bella's pained moans in his sleep and it woke him up. He shifted, looking over at her and saw her shaking, her face scruntched in agony and tears layered her cheeks. He reached over and tried to wake her, she shot up in the bed panting and it caused him to sit up abruptly too, his hands becoming more firm on her arm to bring her back to reality. "Bella, it was a dream. You're okay."

Bella wiped her face, she was crying in her sleep. It had been a long time since she had that dream. The memory of losing her baby, the daughter she would never meet.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rick asked.

Bella shook her head and wiped her face some more. "Um. I'm just going to go outside for a bit."

"Bella it's two in the morning." Rick said softly. "Why don't you try to lay down and rest some more."

"I can't." Bella said and got out of the bed and walked away, leaving Rick there.

Rick sighed and leaned back on the bed again. Bella was so headstrong sometimes, so it made it difficult to help her sometimes.

Paul glanced up at Bella when she appeared from the back. He looked at his watch. "The next watch isn't until four." He said with a frown.

"I can't sleep anymore. I'm going to go check on the others. See how Jake is doing." She said and grabbed her crossbow and left before Paul could protest.

Bella walked towards the other RV. The darkness was still blanketing everyone and you could see every star in the sky. She tapped on the door, and she waited a moment and she heard Jake's footsteps and then he opened the door.

"Bells? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to check on things." Bella said and walked up inside the RV. Jasper was awake sitting at the table flipping cards on the table playing solitaire.

Jasper frowned when he saw her. "You should be sleeping."

"I couldn't." Bella shook her head.

Jake knew that Bella had bad dreams sometimes and she never talked about them. The way she was looking at Jasper now meant that she needed a moment alone. "I'm gonna take a look around outside, make sure it's still clear." He said and ducked out of the RV.

Jasper stood and went to her. "Same dream?"

Bella nodded and closed her eyes. She swallowed. "I just… I need…"

Jasper reached for her and pulled her into his arms, hugging her. "Shh. It's okay." He murmured and closed his own eyes. "They're just dreams. Memories that still haunt you. What did we talk about before?"

"To accept it. It happened… I'm alive."

"Right." Jasper said and pulled back to kiss her on the forehead. "Your dreams don't define you. You lost something that day, but don't let it hold you back. You need to rest, you need to heal."

Bella nodded and blew out a breath. "I just needed to hear you say that."

Jasper smiled and then lifted her chin with his finger, so she was looking up at him. "That is what I'm here for. Go back to bed. Watch change is in an hour, but we start moving again at six, so rest while you can." He said and kissed her forehead again.

Bella smiled a little and nodded. "Thank you." She said and then she left, walking outside and looked around. Jake was leaning against the RV. "Hey."

"All good?" Jake asked.

Bella nodded. "Yeah. Sorry I-"

"I get it." Jake said with a nod. "Jasper calms you down. I'm glad we found him. You've needed him these last couple months. Go get rest Bells." He said with a nod.

Bella leaned her head on Jake's shoulder and he patted her head. "I love you, you know."

"I know." Jake said. "I love you too Bells." He said and then she leaned away and smiled up at him. "Go to bed." He said again and that made her smile more. She left, looking behind her to make sure that Jake got back in the RV. She noticed Merle sitting in a chair on top of the RV and that made her shake her head a little before she went back inside the bigger RV.

Paul looked at her from the kitchen table. "You good now?"

"Yeah."

"The Major help?" Paul asked.

Bella nodded. "He always does. Thanks Paul."

Paul smiled a little and nodded. "Go get rest." He said with a nod towards the bed in the back.

Bella ruffled Paul's hair a little and then set her crossbow down before she went back to the back. She stood in the doorway a moment, looking at Rick. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Sorry."

Rick shook his head. "It's fine." He patted the bed. "Go back to sleep."

Bella nodded and then lay back down on the bed on her back. She stared up at the ceiling. Jasper was right, her dreams didn't define her and it was a memory now. A painful one, but she needed to accept it. Her eyes fluttered closed again, but this time she didn't fall back into a pool of memories.