Of course not, why would they do the logical thing, like keep their children away from the dead bodies? Amy left Jamie in charge of all the children except for Carl and Sofia since they were ordered to stay beside their mothers. Rick sent an apologetic glance in the other women's direction but it was balefully ignored. Louis joined Jamie and Billy, whining that they could all help search the cars. Emma wanted to stay with Amy but was easily bribed with crackers while the babies were distracted by light up toys.
Dale's RV broke down before Daryl could even get his bike off the trailer to scout ahead and most of the adults immediately got ready to try their hand at looting. Amy and Miranda were keeping an eye on Billy and Louis who were walking Max around. The dog was doing pretty well, just sniffing the ground and growling when they got near the cars. Daryl was nearby watching the dog closely, tilting his head in thought.
"I don't know how I feel about this." Lori spoke up loudly, keeping a hand on Carl's shoulder. "This place is a graveyard."
There was a moment of silence before a few people scoffed and continued on through the cars. Rick glanced around finding most of the group was working without instruction. Jim was helping Glenn find a replacement hose. T-Dog and Daryl worked down the lanes siphoning vehicles but never out of sight of each other. Michonne was showing Jaqi how to open a car window without breaking it. Dale and Hector were standing on RVs keeping watch. Jenner kept watch over his patient. Lori and Carol were searching open cars with the children a row over.
"Hey!" Rick stepped towards Amy and Miranda who were leading their boys back to the RV with the dog. "Maybe we should let the older ones out. Get some air and experience."
Miranda looked to Amy which didn't surprise the former cop anymore. "No, we all agreed that we should keep the children inside until we knew it was safe."
"They can't always be safe." Miranda placed a comforting hand on the younger woman's arm. "This will be good practice for them with everyone here to make sure nothing happens."
"Fine, bring Max back to the RV and let Jamie know that she's in charge." With that she knelt down in front of Louis and Billy with a very serious expression on her face. "I'm going to let you help but remember the buddy system. You are never more than two feet away from each other. If you find a walker, I'll be close by but Billy has his slingshot and knife."
"I promise I won't play with it." Billy said very solemnly for a nine year old boy, making her sad. "We won't let you down."
"I know you won't." She kissed his head before pulling a tactical knife from her cargo pocket and clipped it onto Louis' jeans, ruffling his hair. "Watch out for each other, okay?"
The boys ran off excitedly, taking one of the smaller bags from Michonne before rushing to the first car they could find. It was good that they learned, especially with adults around to help. However, Amy remembers this highway and the little girl that got lost. She had suggested strongly that children remain vehicle bound but she didn't make decisions for other parents. Hopefully, she had taught Billy well and he wouldn't run off the woods.
"Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" Shane whispered urgently, pulling her away from where the blonde had been watching the children like a hawk. Not even pretending to sort through vehicles.
"No, I was quite clear." Amy took a step away, trying to keep the children in sight when he roughly grabbed her arm.
"Listen, you have to understand."
"No, I get it perfectly." She hissed, glancing around nervously, no longer able to see the group.
"What happened between me and Lori." The man insisted despite all of her objections to this conversation. The man pulled a gun on her and Braden, she never wanted to speak to him again.
"You guys are in love, I get it."
"What?"
"Yeah, Lori gave me this whole speech about how you love each other and it wasn't what it looked like." Amy tried to look understanding, but still took a few more panicked steps back. "I get it, I just dont care and don't want to be involved in your relationship drama."
Shane laughed, his whole body flooding in relief as he clapped the small woman in the arm. "You dont- Get down!"
Amy was shoved roughly under the vehicle beside them before the big man slid in beside her. The series could never show how excruciating it was, laying on the hot asphalt while hundreds of the dead shuffled past them. They were so loud and smelled like death from baking in the sun. She had no idea how long she had been laying there, paralyzed in fear before a child's scream cut through the air.
"Billy." Amy hissed, scrambling to get out, hatchet in hand. There was no conscious thought as she sliced through the stragglers, only that she needed to find her boy.
When she arrived at the guard rail, Lori was holding a sobbing Carol while Miranda hugged Carl and Louis. It only took her a moment to realize that Billy was gone when the other mother's looked at her. Then she was moving, pushing past the other group members, she had one leg over the guardrail when she was pulled against a sweaty body.
"The hell ya doing, girl?" Daryl demanded, forcing her to look at him and seeing his arms were covered in blood. There was no time for that though.
"Billy is not here."
"He chased after Sofia." Carol whimpered from Lori's hug. "She came out too soon and there are walkers after my baby!"
"Back up." Amy disentangled herself from Daryl to look around at all the faces gathering around. "So, it's just a nine year old chasing Sofia and a couple of corpses through the woods?!"
"No, ya don't." Daryl once again grabbed her before she could jump down into the ditch.
"Rick has them." Lori reached out a hand to the blonde but Amy looked away into the trees.
Ten minutes later, no one had come back but Jamie had joined her vigil, holding onto her hand. Emma came to her in tears but only received a hug and a kiss on the forehead. Michonne quietly assured her that they would watch the rest of the children in the bus until they brought back Billy.
"I'm sorry." Louis whispered in tears, Amy glanced down in confusion. "He's my buddy, I was supposed to watch his back."
"Hey, no, none of that, Sweets." She softened at the little boy's tears. "You were a good buddy, you stayed under the car where it was safe."
"I'm not brave like Billy." Louis mumbled, leaning limply into the blonde to hide his face. "He knew Sofia needed help and he ran out after her."
"I- um." Amy sucked her teeth, feeling like an absolute piece of shit. In the face of Billy not being on the road she had completely pushed any thought of Sofia from her mind. "You are a child, your only job is to grow up to be strong. Billy might be brave but now there are two children lost in the woods, you understand?"
Before either child could respond there was a rustle of leaves in the ditch, Amy was up with her gun in hand, ready. The weapon fell limply from her hand when a mop of dark brown hair broke the foliage. He was dirty and tired but she could see no serious injuries or blood. No one could stop her from leaping over the guard rail and sweeping the boy into her arms, busting into sobs.
"You're here." She cried into his hair over and over again, her legs buckling under her. Billy returned the embrace eagerly,the pair were completely oblivious to Daryl climbing down after her. "You're here. I love you so much."
That just made the boy cry, clutching at the woman desperately. She paid it no mind, rocking the child in her arms while kissing his head repeatedly. Her sobs soon turned into laughter as she felt the relief of him being okay, there in her arms.
"Are you okay?" Amy pulled back just a little to cup his tear stained face in her hands.
"They never got anywhere near me." He choked out, throwing himself back in her arms. "I used my slingshot but Rick told us to hide."
"C'mon." Daryl offered his hand to them. "Let git up to the road."
"No!" Billy refused to be put down, wrapping himself tightly around Amy so she carried him up the hill in her arms. Not that he would have put him down anyway.
"Is he okay?"
"Is he bit?"
"How did he get back?"
"Where's Rick?"
"Where's Sofia?"
"Back up!" Amy barked, keeping her arms around the nine year old when he started to cry again.
"Billy!" Jamie threw herself at them, crying tears of joy that her brother was okay. He still would not let go of Amy but he did loop an arm around his sister's neck to hold her close.
"Billy!" Emma shouted when Miranda let the other children out of the RV.
"Bub!" Braden shook his fists furiously at Miranda. "Mama!"
"Look at that, you've got your own name!" Amy fell on her ass when Emma and Eliza ran into the group hug. It only took a moment to situate all the children so Braden could stand and slap Billy's face.
"Bub! Mamma, Bub!" The baby shouted excitedly.
"I think we should take him back to the med bus." Dr. Jenner said calmly, interrupting their reunion. Amy wasn't aware of the group watching them, one in particular sitting on the guardrail sobbing. "Check him over."
"Yes, that would be good." Amy sighed with a breathless laugh, letting Michonne help her to her feet. Billy was still trying to crawl into her shirt along with all the other children. "Then you can tell us what happened, okay?"
Less than five minutes later, Billy was shirtless getting scrubbed down and slathered with cortisone cream and bandages after falling in a patch of poison ivy. Amy had all her children with her, watching over the doctor with a sharp eye. Merle was snoring obliviously in his cot.
"Sofia got scared." Billy looked to the floor, biting his lip. "Mr. Rick told us to wait in the water but she didn't want to. She kept screaming! She wouldn't stop and when I killed a walker with my sling shot she called me a murderer!"
"What?" Amy was confused, but put an arm around the distraught boy in comfort.
"She pushed me!" Billy yelled out angrily, turning to the blonde with big eyes. "She said her mom was right and pushed me down the hill!"
"What?" Jamie hissed, looking like she was going to go marching in the woods to find the girl herself.
"Then I was all itchy and by the time I climbed back up she was gone but I could hear her screaming!" Billy started to cry earnestly, rubbing his eyes with his fists. "I wanted to go after her but I was scared and just did what Mr. Rick said. I kept the sun to my shoulder and that's how I found you."
"It's okay buddy." Amy pulled him closer, careful of the cream smothered on his arms. "You were so brave but never do that to me again. Never again."
"But you said that we had to be strong to help people." Jamie hissed, glaring at the floor. "That's why you tried to teach us how to survive, right? To help them?"
"I try to teach you anything I think can help you survive, period." Pulling Jamie closer so that she could cup the girl's face, forcing her to look up. "I want you to be strong so that you can grow up to be a good person and want to help people."
"My brother tried to help the weird girl!" Jamie shouted angrily, gripping Amy's hands. "He tried to help her and she pushed him down a hill! What's the point in helping if-"
"I have no idea why Sofia would push Billy but you better believe that we will find out." Amy pulled the crying girl in for a hug. "Sometimes, people just don't want to be helped. You can't save everyone but there is always a choice. You understand, Jamie. There is always a choice."
"Yeah." The preteen just turned away before picking the babbling Braden to hug close.
"Uhh..where's my sister?" Amy suddenly realized that T-Dog was watching them, his eyes hazy. He was in the bed her sister was supposed to be in, Jim's being empty and Merle snoring loudly. "And what happened to you?"
"Damn rusty car door." T-Dog slurred, smiling at her sleepily. "You a damn fine woman, you know that."
"Urgh!" Jamie spat, stepping in front of Amy with a scowl. "No flirting in the ambulance!"
"You don't have to worry about that baby girl." T-Dog giggled, wincing when he shifted his bandaged arm. "Your new Daddy saved my life."
"Okay, can someone not doped up tell me where my sister is?" Amy huffed, turning away from the man pointedly.
"She wanted to stay in Dale's RV, since she wasn't refusing to stay at the nursing home I didn't feel the need to drug her." Dr. Jenner explained a little nervously. He had not mentioned their talk at the CDC and she wasn't going to bring it up. No reason to remind him he wanted to go out as a mass murderer.
"That's good." Amy sighed in relief, running her hands through Billy's hair absently. "We need to find a psychiatrist 'cause I do not know what to do about her. What do you think?"
"I have been living the last two weeks under the impression I would die with the CDC and gladly accepted it." Edwin murmured in a low tone. "I'm still not sure if I made the right decision, however, helping people has given me something to look forward to. I think Candace would have been proud of that."
"I'm sure she would, Edwin." She squeezed his hand with a slight smile.
"They said Billy came back without Sofia?" Rick stormed into the bus with panicked eyes.
"Yeah, she ran when Billy killed a walker." Amy sighed, looking down at the boy in her arms sadly. "You going to be okay here?"
"Yeah, Mom." Billy slurred, laying down.
Jamie just clutched Amy's hand tightly while they followed Rick back to the group. Emma hid behind the blonde woman's legs shyly while the older girl held Braden like a shield. The rest of the group crowded near Dale's RV, waiting for them impatiently.
"I told y'all we gotta go." Daryl grumbled, looking around in agitation.
"We need to know what happened after I left them in the stream." Rick stated harshly, looking to Amy.
"Billy said that Sofia was panicked about being in the forest and left almost immediately after you hid them." Amy says softly, holding Jamie close to her side. "He said that he took down a walker and Sofia got upset at him, something about her mother was right?"
They all turned to Carol who promptly burst into furious tears.
"Sofia pushed him down a hill." Amy raised a hand at all the outraged gasps, waving their interruptions away. If Carol wasn't going to explain then she wasn't going to allow them to doubt her boy's words. "When he got up, he heard screams but didn't know where they came from so he listened to what you said, Rick. Followed your instructions all the way to the highway."
"Why are we still standing here?" Carol gasped, looking around at everyone in fury. "My little girl is still out there!"
"Let's go!" Daryl waved the still stunned men into motion, leading the way back into the forest.
"What did you say about my brother, Carol?" Jamie demanded once the men disappeared from view.
"Not the time, Jamie." Amy pulled her back firmly. "Her little girl is still out there. We can ask Sofia when they bring her back."
"Yeah, I'll ask her, alright." The girl grumbled, stomping away with Braden in her arms and Emma holding her hand. The blonde watched as she slammed the door of the med bus with a frown.
"You need to have a talk with the girl." Lori whispered urgently, glancing back at the group who had gone back to looting cars except Carol.
"I just did." Amy looked confused at the older woman, Carl nowhere to be found. "Told her it wasn't the time."
"She can't just question adults like that."
"Billy is terrified because Sofia pushed him down a hill in a walker-infested forest." Amy rebutted with a raised brow. "Jamie is just worried about what Carol was saying to her daughter to get her to try and hurt her brother."
"Sofia is a sweet girl, she would never harm anyone!" Lori gasped, looking outraged at the insinuation.
She leaned towards Lori and kept her voice soft but firm, glancing over at the still form of Carol. "They would have been back here together right now if Sofia had not pushed my boy down a hill and ran away from the consequences."
"How can you say that?"
"It's the truth." She answered bluntly in a low whisper. "However, she's just a kid who has obviously gone through some stuff so we are going to be having a long talk with both of them when they bring her back."
"You think they'll bring her back?" Lori whispered hopefully, looking down at the blonde. "You said Billy heard her scream."
"She was screaming the whole time in the woods." She shrugged, not even throwing out Sofia's original fate into the cosmos. "There's frightened screams and you..know screams. I'm not sure which he heard but he got very upset. Whether that's from having a girl the same age as his sister try to hurt him or something else? Either way, they'll bring her back."
Amy walked away from the other mothers, heading to Dale's RV to find her sister. Andrea was sitting at the table smiling down at her gun, it was a little disturbing. However, she simply sat next to her sister watching her take the gun apart, clean it, and put it back together with a proud gleam in her eyes.
"Is that something you like doing?" Amy asked curiously, startling her.
"Shane taught me." Andrea frowned at her sister before looking down at her hands. "I was in the bathroom with a walker in the RV. I knew I couldn't call out for anyone so I tried to put the gun back together."
"The noise would have just gotten the bus swarmed."
"That's not the point! Dale dropped a screwdriver in my lap and I killed it, Amy! I fought for my life!" Andrea smiled brightly, her eyes once again full of life. "I realized I want to live."
"That's good." Amy took her sister's hand with a genuine smile before pulling her in for a tight hug. "I'm so happy you figured it out, I was so worried about how we were going to get through this."
"I'm sorry." The older woman apologized genuinely, holding her close. "I just needed to see it for myself. You seem to always have a plan and I was floundering. I thought all those trips were just something to occupy your time and the world couldn't be so bad…but the camp. All I wanted was you but then you're there, fighting with Michonne beside you and I wanted it to be me. I want you to be able to depend on me too."
"Of course, Andrea. You're my sister, I think we have a lot of weapons that need to be maintained." Amy hummed, keeping their hands linked together. "I think having a job that's yours would help too, don't you think?"