"Did you get there okay?" I asked Daryl over the radio.

"Yeah." He responded. "It's all good." I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "What about over there? Y'all okay?"

I let out a laugh. "It's only been a day, Daryl."

"Just makin' sure my girl is safe." He said.

I had to smile. "I'm fine. We're all fine." I said quietly. There was a brief pause after that.

"Well, I should probably go. There's a lot 'a work that needs done."

"Yeah." I nodded. "Well, be careful and…try to talk everyday, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

I smiled again. "I love you."

"…love ya too." He said it.

We hung up after that. My smile faded as I looked down. I wish Daryl was still here with me. I wish he didn't leave. I didn't want him to leave. Well, I did but…I thought he'd move into one of the other houses. Not move all the way to Hilltop. I guess this is partly my fault but…I'm not taking the full responsibility. He could've said no. That he didn't care what I said. But he didn't. I told him to leave and he actually left.

Tears were falling down my cheeks without me even realizing it. I exhaled sharply and wiped my tears away.

I cried pretty much the whole night that night. Daryl should be laying next to me. That's when I knew that I made a horrible mistake. A stupid mistake. I sat up in my bed and took some deep breaths trying to calm down.

It's not too late though. I can just apologize and tell him to come back home. Yeah. I nodded to myself. Tomorrow when I talk to Daryl, I'm just going to tell him that this whole thing was stupid and I want him to come back home.

I exhaled in relief and was finally able to relax enough to go to sleep. Everything will be fine tomorrow.

That was the plan, but…things didn't go that way.

"Daryl." I said over the radio. Someone else answered and said they would go get him so I waited for him.

"Abby?"

I closed my eyes and felt comforted when I heard his rough voice. "Hey. Sorry, I wanted to…" I trailed off. "I was just…checking in."

"You can check in whenever ya want." He told me. I smiled. "You don't gotta explain."

"So…how is it there? How is everyone?"

"Good." He answered me. "It's nice." There was a pause. "'cept…there's a lot 'a vegetables here but not much meat. I miss yer cookin'."

I scoffed. "You liar. You know I'm not much of a cook."

He let out a laugh. "Ya make good cakes and stuff though."

I smiled. "Yeah, I'm a lot better at baking than cooking."

"Yeah, I could go fer some 'a yer—

"Abby! Abby!" Judith yelled and tugged on my shirt so I didn't hear what Daryl said.

"Judith." I scolded her. "I'm talkin' to Daryl."

"It's important." My sister said.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" I said to Daryl.

"Uh…I was thankin' about goin' huntin' in a bit." He said.

"Oh okay." I felt slightly disappointed. "You probably wanna go while it's still early, right?"

He seemed to hesitate. "…yeah."

"Abby, I need you!" Judith yelled. I gave her an annoyed look.

"Well, it sounds like ya got yer hands full." Daryl said with a laugh. "So…I'll talk to ya later, I guess."

I opened my mouth to say something because I didn't want him to go, but I figured I better let him go so he can go hunt. "…okay. Be safe."

"Yeah, you too." He said and hung up before I could say anything else.

"Abby!" Judith said.

"Judith!" I scolded her after putting down the radio. "Why did you do that?" I yelled. "You messed everything up!" I was really angry because now I didn't get to tell Daryl that I wanted him to come home.

My sister looked really sad right then. "Sorry."

I sighed heavily. "I'm gonna go take a shower." I walked away without another look at her.

While I was showering, I started to feel bad for the way I yelled at my little sister. She's just a little kid, she didn't mean it. Plus, I can't take my anger out on her. This is my fault. I went to talk to her after getting dressed.

I found her in her room. "Hey, Jude." I said and walked in. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was just…upset." I nodded. "It wasn't your fault." She didn't say anything or look at me. "What was it that you wanted to tell me?"

She finally looked up at me but looked sad. "Nothing, Abby."

"Judith, come on." I said gently. "I'm sorry. You can tell me."

She sadly shook her head. "It's not important." With that, she got up and left the room. I looked down and sighed.

That really got me. I needed to step away for a minute and locked myself in the bathroom. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I hated what I saw. "What's wrong with you?" I whispered to myself. All I do is push people away.

Later that night, I tried Daryl again but someone else answered and said that he was busy so I just decided to talk to him tomorrow instead. Another night of me crying myself to sleep.

I was able to finally get in touch with Daryl the next day sometime in the afternoon. "Yeah, sorry." He said. "I was just real tired when I got home last night."

Hearing him say the word 'home' for any place other than here felt like a punch to the stomach. "That's okay." I said. "…did everything go okay? Did you catch anything?"

"I did actually. I got a deer."

"A deer?" I raised my eyebrows. "Lucky. I'd love some Daryl deer meat." I smirked.

"Yeah, I bet ya would."

I could hear his smirk, which made me smile. "Well, I bet everyone liked it."

"Yeah, it was…nice to be able to…you know." He said.

There was a brief pause. Now was my chance. I cleared my throat. "Hey—

"Hey, I better go." He said. I closed my mouth. "We're workin' on the fence today. There's a lot 'a work that needs done."

"O-oh." My face fell. "You're doing a lot then?"

"Yeah." He said. "It's a good thang I'm here."

My eyes casted down. I can't tell him to come home now. "Okay. We can just talk tomorrow then."

"Alright. Talk to ya then." He said and hung up.

I stared at the radio for a moment, then I hit my fist on the counter. It hurt my pinky but I didn't care at the moment.

About a two months went by and I still didn't get the chance to tell Daryl to come home. Apparently, he's been really busy helping them out at Hilltop. However, we did talk everyday at least so that was nice. Still…I wish he was here.

I've been trying to potty train RJ, which has been…something. So, I was telling Daryl about it. "Yeah, but I didn't get him there in time so he practically shit all over the floor." I laughed.

Daryl snorted. "Sounds like good times."

"Yeah, right." I raised my eyebrows. "I thought changing his diaper was gross. Now I'm about ready to call it quits and just let him live in diapers forever."

Daryl let out a laugh. "I don't thank he'd like that very much."

I scoffed. "I do. He likes me taking care of him." We both laughed. "I wish you were here." I randomly said.

Daryl snorted again. "I don't. Not with that goin' on."

I laughed a little. "Judith and RJ have been asking about you." I said. I waited for him to something to that, but he never did. "Um…" My eyes casted down. "Speaking of that…I know you said…there's a lot of work that needs done there but…do you have any idea when…you're coming home?"

There was a long pause. I heard him intake air. "…I'on know." He finally said. "There's still a lot 'a shit that needs done."

"That's what you keep saying but when's it gonna be done?" I asked.

"I don't know, okay?" He sounded like he was getting irritated. "I said I don't know."

"Yeah, but…Daryl, we need you here." I said wide-eyed. "You've been gone for over a month."

"Abby…" He trailed off then sighed. "Hey, you kicked me out. Remember that."

Now I was getting angry. "Yeah, and we've already been over this." I snapped. "I didn't tell you to move all the way to fucking Hilltop! I thought you'd move in with Aaron or something." I shook my head angrily. "And…you're the one that left anyway."

"Cuz you wanted me to!" He snapped.

"So what?" I snapped back. "I told you to leave and you actually left."

He let out a laugh. "What'd ya want me to do then? Huh?"

"You could've said no." I said back. "You could've said you didn't care what I thought and stayed." I said rapidly. "You could've fought a little harder for us."

Daryl snorted. "You know, yer a real piece 'a work." He said angrily. "I ain't a mind reader. I don't know what the hell ya want from me and I don't know what the hell yer talkin' about now. All I know is, you told me to leave and I listened."

"Yeah." I nodded. "So, you must've wanted to leave."

"You know I didn't!" He yelled. "I told ya I didn't care that you couldn't have kids, but you wouldn't listen. And ya told me to go."

"That was for you." I cried. "Because I didn't wanna hold you back."

He snorted. "Well ain't you a peach." He mocked me and clapped. "You should collect yer Nobel prize."

I inhaled through my nose. "Stop it, Daryl."

"Or what? You gonna kick me out?" He laughed. "Ya already did that so…what I got left to lose?"

I hesitated trying to calm down. "Me." I said. "You'll lose me."

There was a slight pause. "What's 'at mean?"

I paused again. "I'm asking you to come home." I finally said. "I made a mistake and I want you to come home." I swallowed hard. "If you say no, then…you're losing me." My voice shook when I said that last part.

Daryl didn't answer right away. "Abby, I…"

"Daryl, please." I pleaded.

"…I cain't." He said quietly. "I'm sorry."

I took my finger off the button and put the radio to my forehead and closed my eyes. He doesn't love me anymore. I took a deep breath to help keep my emotions away. "Okay." I finally said.

"It's just…"

"It's okay." I shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. "Ahh." I breathed out. "Your job's more important than me."

"Don't do this." He said. "Don't make this about us."

My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. How could he be so stupid? "Of course it's about us! This whole thing is about us!" I stood up. "It's always been about us."

"…if it was about us, then ya wouldn't told me to leave." He said quietly. His voice sounded a bit shaky, maybe he was crying. It made me feel a little better that he was actually showing that he cared and not mocking me.

"God, I told you I made a mistake." I cried. "I was going through a really emotional time with fucking hormones…being pregnant and then not being pregnant and then losing my lady organs...I was going crazy and…I said things that I didn't mean. How many times do I have to explain?" I said all of that in one breath, so I stopped to catch my breath. "Daryl…just come home. Come home right now and we can forget this whole thing." I nodded and sniffled.

"I told ya…I cain't." He said those gut-punching words. "I told these people I'd help 'em and I ain't backin out now."

I accidentally sobbed into the speaker. "Okay…so what happens when the work is done?"

Daryl seemed to hesitate. "I don't know, I guess…I'll come back there."

I sniffled. He said 'there' and not 'home.' "You promised you'd never leave me." I cried.

"Abby." Daryl said. But I didn't respond. "Abby, come on." I just walked away.

I laid on my bed and sobbed hard after that. He made his choice, he doesn't care about me anymore. If he did, he would've come home right when I told him to. I don't know what the game he's playing with me is, but he must be trying to get back at me or something. Because there's no way that he wouldn't do what I wanted after I told him that I needed him. That's not the Daryl I know.

Just then, the door pushed opened. I heard little feet, then RJ was there. "Abby sad?" He asked me.

I sniffled. Even though he's a baby, I'm not gonna lie to him. "Yeah." I said and wiped at my tears. "Abby sad." He came closer to the bed so I helped him up. "Hi, baby." I hugged him and kissed his head.

Suddenly, he hugged me around the neck. "Abby feel better." He said in his baby voice.

I had to smile. "Thank you, baby. You do make me feel better." I hugged him tightly. "Oh."

I heard louder feet and looked up. "Abby?" It was Judith now. "I heard you crying."

"Yeah, I was."

"Abby sad." RJ told her. I smiled at him again.

"Jude." I patted the bed next to me. She climbed in and joined us. The three of us laid there together. "Oh, I love you guys. I'm so happy I have you both." I kissed both of their heads.

The next day, I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself. I ignored Daryl and didn't try to talk to him and I only paid attention to my little siblings. After all, they are my main priority.

I played with them and spent the whole day with them, then later we watched movies together until we all fell asleep. It was nice being with my brother and sister. Knowing that they needed me and relied on me. It made feel like…I'll be okay. Even if I have to raise them alone.

Daryl and I didn't speak again for a long time. And even after that, we just talked a little and for short periods of time. We never talked about us anymore. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, months turned into a year, then before I knew it, two years went by.

The seasons changed. And I guess so did Daryl and I because we hardly talked anymore and soon we stopped talking altogether. It got easier though. I wasn't as sad anymore. I guess that thing about time healing all wounds was true.

I was now twenty-seven and I wasn't a kid anymore. I grew up a lot being on my own and raising two small kids myself. Judith was now nine and she wasn't a little kid anymore either. She helped me out a lot with RJ. RJ was four and he was a little crazy guy. But I love him. I love both of my kids.

"Guys, breakfast!" I called. They both came down the stairs a moment later.

"I get the biggest pancake!" RJ yelled.

"You're not even gonna eat it all." Judith told him. I smiled at them.

"Judith needs the biggest pancake." I told them.

"How come?" RJ asked.

"She needs to keep her strength up." I smiled. My sister looked at me curiously. "It's time to start giving you lessons."

Judith's eyes grew wide. "Really?" She said excitedly. She's been pestering me to teach her. I think now is the right time. "When?"

I raised my eyebrows. "When RJ goes down for his nap."

She sighed loudly. "We'll never get to go then." She complained. I laughed.

I think my sister is a little young to have a gun, but I could start with teaching her about knives. I showed her how to hold it and told her where to aim for. There were some rotten pumpkins that I let her practice on.

"Harder." I told her. "Use your strength."

She looked up at me with a frown. "This is harder than I thought."

I raised my eyebrows. "I know." I put up my head. "But you gotta learn to protect yourself. What happens if something happens to me? You can't rely on your big sister forever."

"Don't say that." She said sadly.

I gave her a sympathetic look. My sister isn't a little kid anymore, but she's still a kid. "How about one more time, then we can call it quits for today?"

"Okay." She sucked it up and kept going. I was proud of her.

Later on, the three of us were just sitting in the living room together. "RJ, what's that?" I said. When he looked up, I hit him in the face with the big pillow. He fell back onto the couch laughing along with Judith. "You didn't see it?" I said and hit him again. We all laughed some more.

After that, I excused myself and went to the bathroom. When I came back, Judith was real excited. "Guess what, Abby?" She grinned from ear to ear.

"What?" I gave her a little smile.

"I just talked to Daryl over the radio." She said. My smile faded. "He said he's coming home tomorrow!"

I suddenly got that feeling in my stomach like when someone jumps out and scares you. "What?" I said to her. "Are you sure? He said that?"

"Yup." She nodded. "You're gonna get to see your love." She got all corny.

I scoffed. "What time? Did he say?"

"Around noon." She stated.

I nodded. "Alright, then." I smiled. "It's time for bed." They both complained and protested like they do every night, but I always got the last say.

After putting the kids to bed, my mind wandered and wandered. I couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow. I haven't talked to Daryl in a while and it's been an even longer time since I've seen him. He's finally coming home.

I smiled and felt nervous but excited. I can't wait to see my man.

"Ready?" I said to my sister. "Stab! Stab! Stab!" She made a stabbing motion every time I told her to. She's catching on quickly. I still don't want her going outside the walls yet though. Maybe when she's ten.

"How was that?" She asked.

"Good." I told her. "Good job, kid." I smiled. "You're a fast learner. Years beyond your age." I nodded. "I'm proud of you."

She took in my words and grinned from ear to ear.

Just then, I heard a commotion at the gate. "It's Daryl!" Someone yelled. "Hey, Daryl's back!"

I got a nervous feeling in my belly, but I also felt excited. "Go inside and get some water, okay?" I told my sister.

After she left, I started happily running towards the gate. I can't believe it. I'm finally going to see Daryl after all this time. I could see him talking and hugging the other residents so I stopped and stood there with a huge smile on my face.

I noticed, just then, that there was a woman with him. My smile faded a little. Who's that? Maybe he found her on the outside and brought her in. He always does stuff like that.

Daryl finally noticed me standing away in the distance. We locked eyes for a moment. He turned away and hugged the woman that he was with. It suddenly felt like the life was sucked out of me. I just stood there and watched.

Wait. Are they…

The world was spinning and I felt like I was going to fall over. I needed to get out of there. I turned on my heel and headed back to my house while breathing heavily. I honestly felt like I could pass out.

Closing the front door behind me, I leaned back on it feeling in shock. That can't be what I thought it was. He looked right at me…then he hugged her. Why would he do that? It was like I wasn't even there. I felt like an idiot.

I slowly slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest and just sat there like that feeling lost. Feeling sick.

Daryl and I really aren't together anymore.

Oh no! Is this really the end of Abby and Daryl? :O Only one chapter left! Make sure you stay tuned for the finale to find out what happens with Abby and Daryl!