Chapter 26-A moment of peace

Hershel's P.O.V

Hershe stared at the barns as it crumbled to the ground. "We were dealing with it, Chris," Alicia says.

"This way nobody had to fight any walkers," Chris says. "I was protecting the group.

"Hershel," Daryl says softly. Hershel turns to Daryl and then looks at Chris.

"My wife and son were in that barn, I wanted to bury them, give them a proper grave!" Hershel yells at the younger man. "You took that from me! From my daughters!"

"I-"

"Chris, go home," Daryl growls to the younger man who nods as he leaves. "Go, we'll be back soon," Daryl tells the others who nod as they follow Chris. "i'm sorry, Hershel."

Hershel nods as he looks at the barn. "Would you mind helping me get some stuff from my house," Hershel asks.

Daryl nods as he walks away. Neither of them knowing that someone had seen the fire.

Travis's P.O.V

Travis finds Chris sitting outside the barn. "What you did-"

"I was trying to protect everyone," Chris says as he stands. "You guys weren't doing anything and the barn was a danger to the group, I was trying to help, Dad."

"You should have let Daryl handle it, he and Hershel had a plan, a plan that would have worked," Travis says. "Chris you have to think, when we deal with this group we still have to work with Hershel, this could have ruined everything," Travis tells him son. "Use your head."

"I was! I was protecting the group! Something you wouldn't do!" Chris shouts as his father before he walks past him and Travis looks at his son and sighs.

Scott's P.O.V

The next morning

Scott sat by the fire. "Scott!" Scott turns and looks at one of his men. "I found them."

"Good," Scott says. "I already have a plan, we'll use those speakers we have and lure that herd right to them. Sam, I need you to do this."

"Of course, sir," Sam says.

"Good, now the rest of you, start packing up camp!" Scott sounds. "Once this herd is there and Sam returns, we're moving out," Scott's people nod as they begin to work. "Let's get to work, Sam."

Glenn's P.O.V

The group was eating inside when they heard a car outside. "You think T-dog's back?" Jim asks.

"It's only been a couple of days," Glenn says as he stands up and walks outside, Daryl and Rick right behind him. T-dog is the first to climb out of the car followed by Lexi and Chase. Jim climbs out of the Humvee.

"You're back already," Rick says.

"Yeah we-"

"Where's my Dad?" Mandy asks cutting T-dog off.

"Mandy," Jim says softly.

"No," Mandy says as she shakes her head and tears spring to her eyes. "How?"

"He got bit, he's here, we're going to bury him," T-dog tells the girl softly. "He's in the back of the Humvee."

Mandy walks past them and towards the back of the Humvee, she uncovers her Dad's body and let's out a sob as she takes his hand. "Jacqui's dead too," Glenn tells T-dog.

"How?" Chase asks.

"She killed herself," Daryl says. "There's something you guys should know, we have a doctor here, from the CDC, there's no cure but he told us that we're all infected, doesn't matter how you die, if you don't destroy the brain, you turn," Daryl tells them. "Jacqui confirmed it."

"Jesus," T-dog says as he runs his hand over his head. "We got some weapons, supplies to."

"Alright, let's get that divided up, half in the cars, half in the house," Glenn says.

"Cars?" Lexi asks.

"Yeah, we have another problem," Glenn tells them.

Merle's P.O.V

Merle sat in the bed of the truck skinning a rabbit. "T-dog back," Merle looks up at Carol as she walks up to him.

"I heard," Merle says. "Where's the kid?"

"With Carl," Carol tells him. "I wanted to talk to you, if you had a moment."

Merle nods as he sets the rabbit and his knife down. "I can spare a moment."

"I wanted to say thank you. Back at the quarry, you protected Sophia and I from Ed, and I never thanked you for it."

"I ain't claiming to be a saint, Carol, but anybody who hits a woman or a child, there don't deserve to keep breathing," Merle tells her. "I'm glad that son of a bitch is dead."

"I prayed for it," Carol says. "I never thought I would be the one to do it, I never thought I was strong enough."

"I have a feeling you're a lot stronger than you think you are, Carol," Merle tells her. "Now I got some fun bits to get to and i don't think you want to see the insides of this rabbit."

"I do not," Carol says. "I'll see you later, Merle."

Merle nods as Carol walks away.

T-dog's P.O.V

T-dog sat with Glenn, Rick, Daryl, and Travis. "Do you know where we are?" T-dog asks.

"Not that we know of," Glenn says. "But in case they we are prepared to leave."

"Where would we go?" T-dog asks.

"We'll figure something out,"

"I mean we need somewhere to meet up," T-dog says.

"The highway," Daryl offers. "It ain't too far and we all know how to get there, from there we'll decide."

'I'll start letting everybody know," Travis says as he stands up and leaves.

"I drove by Hershel's on my way here, saw the barn," T-dog says. "Someone want to explain that."

"Hershel had walkers in his barn, Daryl was taking a group to deal with it, with Hershel and Chris burnt it to the ground," Glenn tells him. T-dog nods. "Get settled back in and we'll talk more."

T-dog nods as he stands up and leaves.

Jim's P.O.V

Jim walked up to Mandy as she dug. He grabbed a shovel off the ground. "i don't need help," Mandy says.

"You shouldn't do this alone," Jim says.

"He's my father," Mandy says.

Jim stays silent for a moment. "I lost my family at the start. My wife and kids," Jim tells her and Mandy looks at them. "I saw the walkers tear them apart in Atlanta. I lost my entire family in a day. You've lost yours too. Before your father died, he asked me to take care of you and I'm going to, I'm not trying to replace him but I'm going to do what I promised, we can protect each other, take of each other, how does that sound?"

Mandy stares at him for a moment before she nods and Jim starts to dig with her.

Hershel's P.O.V

Hershel walked into the living room and saw Beth sitting on the couch. He sat down beside his daughter. "Beth-"

"They were already dead, it doesn't matter how they were put down," Beth tells him.

"Bethy," Hershel says softly.

"We have bigger problems now, Daddy," Beth says. "Momma and Shawn have been dead for months, we now have to learn how to survive in this world, the real world, now world we want it to be, we lied to ourselves for too long, who knows what else it will cost us."

"We'll make it," Hershel tells his daughter. "I have hope."

"There isn't much reason for it right now," Beth says as she stands up. "I'm going to go find Maggie," Beth says as she walks away. Hershel sighs.

"Daughter problems, I understand that," Madison says. Hershel turns and looks at her.

"I bet you can," Hershel says.

"At the start, talking to Alicia was hard, she felt like everything was gone, she was cold. You just need to give Beth time, let her adapt to the world, accept it and she'll be okay," Madison tells the older man softly.

"I will," Hershel tells her. Madison nods as she walks away from him.

Amy's P.O.V

Amy sat in the R.V cleaning her gun. "Cleaning that thing again?" Daryl asks as he walks into the R.V.

"Not much to do," Amy says. "We're just waiting to see what happens next," Daryl sits across from her.

"When shit hits the fan, I want you to stay close to me."

"I can handle myself, Daryl," Amy says.

"I know you can," Daryl replies. "But I need to know you're safe, when you were shot, it scared the hell out of me. I haven't been that scared since my Dad died so please, just stay close."

"Okay," Amy says softly as she takes his hand. "I'll stay close."

Daryl nods. "You guys are cute," They look at Andrea who was standing at the door.

"Shut up," Amy says. "What's up."

"Just putting some of the guns in here, I was dividing them with Dale," Andrea says as she puts the bag in the closet. "You know, this goes without saying but hurt her, Daryl and the walkers will be the least of your problems."

"Understood," Daryl says.

"She won't do anything," Amy says. "Now go on, we were having a moment."

Be responsible kids," Andrea says with a grin as she leaves.

"Siblings, you have to love them," Amy says and Daryl nods.

No one's P.O.V

The moon was in the sky as the group ate. Nobody spoke as they sat around the house. Otis looked around and leans closer to Glenn. "I saw you have a guitar," Otis whispers and Glenn nods. "Go grab it, I think we all could use a little music,"

Glenn nods as he sets his plate down and he goes upstairs. The group watches as he comes downstairs and holds the guitar out to Otis who takes it and looks at Beth. "You wanna sing for us?"

"Not really," Beth says.

"Come on, Beth, for me," Otis says. "Like old times," Beth looks at him and lets a out a small smile and nods. "What song?"

"How about Parting Glass," Hershel suggests. Otis looks at Beth who nods as Otis begins to play the guitar and Beth begins to sing. The group sat in silence. Daryl looked at the door and saw his brother standing there watching them. A couple of minutes later the song ends.

"Perfect," Hershel says.

"I know it's been a hard couple of days," Glenn says. "Hasn't been much room for hope, but at least we're all still here, we're breathing, that's gives me enough hope, whatever is coming we'll handle it, together, that's how we have done it since the start and that is how we'll continue," Glenn says. "Together, this group, we can do anything."

"Not a bad speech," Merle says making Glenn look at him. Merle turns his head towards the field. "What the fuck is that? Y'all might want to come out of here."

The group stands up and goes outside. They see a truck coming down the driveway. Behind it a herd followed it. "Oh my god," Lori says as they look at the herd.

"That's what is coming, Glenn," Merle says. "Hope none of you are tired, we got one hell of a fight ahead of us."

Thanks for reading, next chapter the walkers attack the barn as the group tries to defend their home. As always suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.