All Hope Is Gone

Winter was nearing it's close but boy had it come in cold and hard around the band of seven and as Spencer handed out a can of food to each person something in the air just wasn't sitting right with them. Small flinches and fidgets of nerves snaked through the group as they huddled in the lounge of their held up home.

Anastasia sat between the twins, Jess and Jesse, slowly eating the beans from her cans. God knows how much time had passed since she first found herself in the company of these people...perhaps almost two months and as the coldest winter she could remember waged war on the land around them Anastasia had been entertaining thoughts of finally leaving her new group in favour of her own. She just hoped they were all still safe at Hershel's farm.

Annika sat facing her husband. "We need to head out on a supply run tomorrow. Running low on food and medical supplies."

"We will go." Joe spoke up as he finished his can and nodded towards the brothers. "You boys up for that?"

They both nodded enthusiastically.

Looking over to Joe, Anastasia's eyes widened, perhaps this was her chance or at least a chance to see who capable she was back out there in with the geeks. "What...what about me? Can I go too?"

"You haven't been out there since we found you." Annika began to protest as she turned to face the woman who had been teetering on loss of life when she'd been found.

"Annika, I am stronger now. I can help and it will mean we can bring back even more supplies."

"Four of you out there though? No. Sorry Ana but you're better off staying here."

"Hey now An, don't you think the girl's got a point?" Joe began putting his can down and wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "It's winter and we need as much as we can get so an extra person would help. And like Ana said she is stronger now and hell the twins ain't gonna let a damn thing happen to her."

"We would protect her." Jess spoke up eager for their silently adopted sister to come with them. Her talk of the things she'd done in her old group had excited the twins and they really wanted to see what she was made off.

"Come on sweetheart, if you think negative you will get negative. Let Anastasia go out with them." Spencer was the last the drop in his two cents knowing his wife would give into the pleas of the group.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Millie make up a medicals list and give it to Joe. First light and you four are going on the run."

* * *

It felt good to have her knife back in her hand and the outside cold touch her face once again. A now heavy backpack rested over her shoulders full of medical supplies and the dull ache in her arm almost wasn't all that noticeable. Anastasia again felt the little fire of excitement and adrenaline gust through her as she jogged beside Jesse to the next house.

Tapping the tip of his machete against the front door it freely swung open with a creak, their bodies tensed waiting for the subtle noise to bring out a biter but as they waited nothing came. Silently the duo crept into the house, backs hunched and ready for the unexpected to happen.
Jesse looked around the trashed home and pointed towards the kitchen and then to Anastasia who nodded in response and crept ahead of him.

Slowly and cautiously she straightened her back and heard Jesse creep up stairs to the long abandoned homes second level. Anastasia's eyes swept over the mess and destructive state the kitchen had been left in my previous looters and began to scour the cupboards for anything useful or edible. An irritated sigh soon escaped her lips as her hands worked over the last cupboard to find nothing but a few rodent skeletons.

Scratch

The sudden noise didn't go past Anastasia's ears and quickly she dropped the backpack behind her and levelled her hands so her knife was in the ready position. Soon two low voices hot in discussion followed the little noise. Voices? Other people? The idea had made Anastasia step back, people weren't how they used to be and her instincts told her to be cautious and on very high alert.

"Ana..." Jesse's voice was low as he silently came up behind her.

"Two men outside, we should leave."

Jesse nodded and turned to pick up Anastasia's backpack while she kept guard in case whoever was out there decided to walk on in. "Come on." Gently he tugged at the hem of her jackets and quickly they made for the exit.

Clear of the the house Jesse and Anastasia walked side by side to the agreed upon meeting spot to wait for Jess and Joe.

"Jesse...I think it's time I left to go back to my people." Her sudden sentence was unexpected but didn't surprise the man as he looked down at her from his towering height.

"We don't want you to go."

"I know, but..."

"I know." Slipping his cold hand into hers they walked in an understanding silence.

* * *

"We could go with you." Joe huffed into Anastasia's ear as he embraced the medium built woman in his arms in the most paternal hug. "Until we know you are back with your own at least, keep you safe."

She shook her head into his shoulder. "No, the boys need you and so does everyone else back at the house. I will be okay."

"She will be." Jess began to tell himself more than anyone else. "It's still winter and the biters are slow and few right now."

"Take this." Jesse slipped a freshly packed backpack onto her shoulders as she stepped back from Joe. "Food, water, medical supplies and a few other things we picked up along the way." The smile over his face was strained.

Holding back a small knot of tears she grabbed the brothers and pulled them into a hug. "Be safe. Be careful and take care of each other...and thank you for letting me go."

They gripped her tight and kissed her cheeks. "Be safe. Be careful and take care of yourself...we don't really want you to leave."

She nodded as warm tears hit her cheeks. "I know."

Joe rested his hands on his hips with a forced look on his face. "Come on boys, best let our girl get out of here while there is still enough light."

"Wait!" Jesse exclaimed. "Wait..." His long fingers fiddled with his belt before unclipping it just and quickly he secured it around Anastasia's waist with the machete strung to it. "In case you lose that little knife of yours."

Looking down at the thick weapon now dangling from her side a small smile flitted across her face. "Go before Annika comes out to search for you boys."

Nodding the trio slowly turned from the woman they'd quickly become to fond of, the decision not sitting right with any of them.

Turning on her boots Anastasia headed in the opposite direction back along the streets she recognised from all those weeks before when she'd forced herself away from the chemist. Knife tight in hand and ears pricked to the silence around her she was finally heading back home.

* * *

Lori sat with her son sitting in her lap on the lounge room floor of Hershel's home and hummed a little tune as she folded freshly washed clothing. She had guessed it early afternoon but with the winter one could never be so sure any more.
The front door open and swung shut and by the pace of heavy boots she knew it could only be Daryl.

"Daryl...find anything?"

Silently he shook his head and moved towards the bathroom for a quick shower. He closed the door behind him and hit the lock latch and it clicked over in place and just as it did he let out a ragged huff from deep in his chest. "Come on Dixon, don't go givin' up."

But as he back chatted himself the feeling of hopelessness couldn't help but weigh down over him. It had been over two months since Anastasia had gone missing, but the guilt of it being his fault hadn't lessened. By now everyone else was sure she was dead or unthinkably one of the walkers and even as Daryl could see how he wasn't about to give up and let what happened to little Sophia happen to Anastasia.
Shane had told him to just give up and Rick had nudged at the idea, saying it would be more worthwhile focusing on the people he still had by his side. Thoughts bounce over to Merle who'd just up and left without a word.
Daryl hadn't looked for him, knowing that Merle had left and wouldn't want to come back. He was a true loner and didn't need for anyone. But Daryl...well Anastasia had believed he was different and perhaps she was right.
This was a group of people he found himself wanting to help, to protect and keep together as a family. This was his family that cared for him back even if at times he would second guess that theory. And this was a family that needed to be whole again and Daryl was going to make that right.

* * *

It was dark by the time Anastasia had found herself back at the chemist, further away than she had first anticipated but even so hope began to rattle at her and a broad smile tugged at her lips. Looking around and squinting into the darkness her eyes swept the dusty street, no signs of life or the undead stirred around her. Fingers began to mindless stroke the silver locket on her chest, there was no where to stop save for a few shops but even so there was no way she could keep going through the night and be safe.

Across from where she stood another dishevelled building shadowed itself against the moon bright and silver in the black sky. Focusing as best she could on the left over signage Anastasia was able to make out the word "Bar".

"Alrighty, who's getting in the first round?" Her sarcastic mutter pushed her forward to the bar and steadily she rested her hand on the door but from inside she could hear something...a low hum of whispering. Quickly her body stiffened with hand still clasped around knife. Again it were voices and not growls of the undead that had her on guard.

Gently Anastasia pressed her ear to the door and listened as the voices began to grow a little louder and amongst them one sounded familiar.

BANG!

The sound of gunfire jolted her body back, her mouth clamped down on a yelp that almost left her lips. Hurriedly she spun around to check for walkers. Surely a sound that loud would have brought out a few and sure as shit she was right.

"Fuck me." Her voice sounded while she took a few moments to watch as stinking biters began to shuffle from shop doors and busted out windows. "Fuck me!"

Unknowingly from behind her the door had been opened and wide eyes had landed upon her. "Anastasia?"

Turning at the sound of that familiar voice the lightest of churns turned her gut with favour or relief and excitement and the want to throw her arms around the man now in front of her. "Rick!"

"We don't have time." Hershel cautioned from behind the former Sheriff and pushed his way through.

"Come on, let's get you home." Rick took Anastasia by the wrist as the three of them rushed down the bar's front step and out onto the road where walker after walker began to viciously shuffle after the warm bodies.