"Carl!" Lori's voice comes over the radio frantically.

"He's here Lori." Rick answers, as he grasps his son's leg.

"He's safe?"

"He is."

I carefully take the handset from Rick and calm my breathing. "I caught him after I heard your yell."

"Thank god."

"Is D safe?" I ask, hoping someone, or D herself answers.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Her voice comes through the radio; which is such a relief.

"Let's get out of here." Shane suggests, "The sound would've been heard for miles."

Rick takes the handset back, "We'll drive as far as we can before it gets dark," he settles into the drivers' seat. "Everyone okay to go?"

"I've got Glenn, T-Dog, Andrea and Amy with me in the RV." Dale confirms.

"I've got Lori." Shane adds.

"Daryl and I are in the truck." D's voice is next.

I take the radio's receiver, "And Rick, Carl, Sophia and Carol are here with me."

Rick starts the convoy off with the other drivers falling in to line behind. Sophia and Carol are in the back, the young girl curled up to her mother, and Carl's tucked under my arm, Rick's hand is on his leg. He looks over at me, and I smile back, although a little shaky, and lean against the door.

We all stop hours later once dark falls to get as much sleep as possible. My slumber isn't peaceful, with waking periodically through the night. The nightmares are horrendous, and it takes hours for me to close my eyes. It's not just last night that sleep has eluded me and the adrenaline-fused terror of nearly getting blown up doesn't help. There's no word for how shattered I am.

Come morning, the kids and I are the only ones still inside the truck. Looking down to see Carl curled around me, his arms encircling my waist, he's so young. The kids don't deserve this. None of us do. His head is resting on my stomach, just below my breasts and if he's not careful he'll push me off the seat; and since he's got such a tight grip on me, he'll come too. Stretching and peering into the back of the truck, Sophia's curled in the foetal position clinging to the doll Eliza gave her. I'm rather glad that the Morales didn't come with us; at least now I can pretend that they're safe.

Sighing caressing Carl's head, I'm a little concerned that this thing with his parents, Shane and I is causing him stress. Changing of any relationship is tough, and even if it's from friends/mentor to, a step mum, of sorts. I don't want to lose the familiarity we have, it's been amazing being the one he and Sophia come to. It's not fair to Rick, but Carl comes first, Lori can't feel uncomfortable with my guidance. My feelings for Rick are deep and genuine, there's no chance of letting him carry this burden alone. But we can't be, if he felt anything. The dynamic of this new world needs everyone's cooperation and it won't do if it changed because of me.

A quiet tapping on the window causes me to twist my head. Fear grips my heart and I hold back a scream, partly because a muscle in my neck has just been pulled. Seeing D I breathe out slowly and shift to slide Carl away from me. Getting out from under Carl. Carefully opening the door and climbing out, shutting the door quietly is a little tricky.

I rub my neck, trying to ease the pain. "Hey."

"Morning." She whispers. "I didn't scare you did I?"

"It's alright, I'm a little wound up." I shrug though regret it at once.

"You alright?"

"Don't worry about it." I force a smile, though it might be more of a grimace.

"Lauren." She sighs as she stands in front of me, her hands on her hips.

Sighing and rubbing at it again, it's my hope that it eases soon. "I think I pulled a muscle."

"What is it with you and getting injured?" She sighs with a chuckle.

"A foot and neck, not a lot considering." Shrugging, it sends a sharp pain down my back.

"Well, we've got a little bit of time before we start moving again."

"Ladies." Rick greets with a smile.

"Hey Rick."

"Morning."

"Is everything alright?" Rick questions me.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just on my way to get something to eat."

"Loz." D starts, sending me a frown.

"I'm fine." Shootinf her a sharp look, silently forbidding her from saying anything, I send a vague smile in his direction, limping to Dale and the RV.

The urge to scream and cry takes me by surprise. It shouldn't have, bearing in mind all that's happened so far. My ankle throbs and my neck is in agony. I just want a moment to release all my pent up emotions. The morning's spent avoiding people. It's the kids I hang around. They don't ask questions and it's easier to ignore the looks they give me.

D forced me to talk to her before we set off. She really wasn't impressed with my thoughts on the subject, but is keeping quiet. I'm pretty sure it's because she's worried that her pushing is what will shove me over the cliff and into hysteria. We haven't had any time to ourselves, so there's been no chat about what happened the night of the attack. Consequently we're both having a rough time of it. Plus Daryl really is avoiding her.

When we get back on to the road, heading for Fort Benning, we're down to the Cherokee, which is carrying Carol, Sophia, Carl, Rick and I. Shane's jeep that's being driven by him, with Lori, the RV and it's housing everyone other than Daryl; who has ditched his truck and is now riding Merle's bike.

The chatter in the car is comfortable. It's mainly the kids talking. Rick, Carol and I only add our thoughts when asked. It's not too difficult to ignore the glances Rick sends me, but a little harder keep my head still. We end up stopping again sometime later, due to a flood of abandoned cars blocking the road. Upon leaving the jeep, which is slower than everyone else, my gaze goes right for D. We grab our weapons, which were still stashed in the RV and start looking through the cars. It's routine for us, and while the others are deciding what to do and the next course of action, we revert back to before we met up with them.

By the time the others are joining in and doing their part, we've already found a number of items, from water to clothes to miscellaneous bits and pieces. We part ways, and the kids start giving me a hand. It's not clear who points them out, but soon we notice the large herd of walkers coming our way. Carl's a little further away from me than I realised and it would be far too dangerous to call out to him.

"Get under the car, and don't come out till someone gives you the okay." I command Sophia, going after Carl.

Looking back, she's going as she's told, which lets me grab Carl and drag him under another car. Making sure Sophia's in my sights, I keep eye contact with her, and tuck Carl under my arm. The pain in my neck is sharp and my ankle throbs more violently, but it needs to be ignored. I'm terrified about the others, but there's no screaming. I want to look around, see if the others can be found, but Sophia's so scared that I don't dare turn away; Carl curls tighter into me.

After what feels like forever, the initial herd passes. Glancing away for a brief second, trying to spot D, I'm brought back by a scream. Sophia's moved. Cursing quietly and telling Carl, "Don't you dare move," I'm scrambling up and racing after the girl, knocking down one of the stumbling corpses and catch up to her, despite the fire in my ankle.

Pulling her away from reaching hands my instinctive reaction is to drag her further into the forest. The pain's almost unbearable. I practically shove her into a small space beneath some roots and turn swiftly, ready to knock a walker back. I cry with relief as Rick grabs my hand. There's no time for any words, as there are three walkers right on his tail. He pushes me into following Sophia, and although it's a very snug fit, we're safe enough for now. He peers right at me, worry and concern in his eyes, but there's a sternness that makes me think he's angry that I ran after her.

"I'm going to lead them away, stay here until I get back; if I don't return soon get back to the highway; keep the sun on your right shoulder."

Nodding, and hoping my fears hidden, we watch him disappear. The two of us wait, my injuries are screaming at me, and to my relief we hear footsteps. My paranoia keeps me from sticking my head out, and as I wait for Rick to get closer the smell hits me. Rearing back, it's just in time for a mutilated head to appear and snap its jaws at me. It's a big, burly, terrifying thing and Sophia screams, clinging to my back. Its large shoulders keep it from coming in after us and turning to the back, there's a slightly smaller way out.

I turn Sophia to it and slightly push her. "Go, run!"

She crawls out and sprints off. Facing the thing again, it's trying to ram its way in. There's nothing to use as a weapon the crowbar was left behind. My only way out would be the second exit. Like most things that happen to me, it doesn't go according to plan, and I get stuck half way out. As I'm trying to wiggle out, the walker starts shambling around the tree. It starts to fall on me just my hips slide free. It's snapping jaws are trying to get flesh, and it's taking all my strength to hold it back with a forearm. The other hand is groping the ground for anything of use. My arm weakens fairly quickly and it gets closer, saliva and congealed blood dripping onto my face. The night of the camp flashes back, and I freeze, staring at its lifeless eyes.

A scream from further in the forest brings me back, and thanking all that is Holy my hand grasps a stick and shove it into its eye socket then push it off me. Staggering to my feet, my thoughts are on nothing but getting to Sophia. I pray that Sophia wasn't sent to her death. By the time I've caught up, three walkers surround her. To my disbelief they seem to be just standing there, swaying and watching. Using this pause to barrel into two of them, we're tumbling to the ground. Rolling to my feet, all my weight on my good foot and my hand instantly reaches for Sophia and I'm dragging her off. It's hard to tell how long we're running for, or where, but we don't stop until I collapse.

"Loz?" She whimpers as she stares at my prone form. "Loz, are you okay?"

I bite back the tears, the ankle is really bad now, and I'm a little scared of how we're going to get out of this. I was really hoping Rick would come back. Hefting myself to my hands and knees, then using the tree trunk to haul myself the rest of the way up, my emotions are ready to burst through. I take time to scan the area around us, it seems we've lost them. There's no smell, or sound, of anything other then birds chirping and leaves rustling.

"I'm fine," I croak, silently cursing myself for not being stronger. "Come on, we need to keep moving." Limping towards her we clasp hands. "We'll be fine."