The New World

Sabrina knew it was morning because the tent was stuffy and the sun was hitting the tent. She woke Ana and Morgan up and started helping with the chores around the campsite. Sabrina started breakfast and everyone ate. Lori started putting wet clothes on the clothes line, Carol was ironing, the guys were taking apart the Challenger, the kids were playing tag, and Rick finally woke up.

"Water's here y'all. Remember to boil before use," Shane said getting out of his Jeep.

Shane came up to Sabrina with a smile. "What do you need Shane?" She asked putting the last clean dish in a plastic storage unit.

"What makes you think I need somethin'?"

"Because you've got that smile on you're face. You know the one that says you're up to-"

"MOM!" She turned around quickly to see Carl and the other kids frantic.

"Sabrina! Shane!"

"Morgan, where's Ana?" She asked worriedly.

"There's a walker over there. She said she'd take care of it," Morgan said out of breath.

"Stay here." Sabrina said and ran after Shane. "ANA!"

Once we got to the clearing we saw a walker eating a dead deer. The men surrounded it and started beating it. Dale took an axe and sliced it's head clear off of it's shoulders.

"ANA! Where are you?" Sabrina yelled frantically with tears in her eyes.

"Rina, it's ok, we're gonna go look for her." Shane said breathing heavily.

"I'm coming."

"No. You're gonna stay here-"

"She's my daughter Shane!"

"You don't think I don't know that! Me and the guys will find her, you just need to stay-"

"Ana?" She questioned when everybody heard leaves rustling around and footsteps.

"Get behind me." Shane whispered getting his gun ready. "Oh, Jesus." He said half relieved and half annoyed.

Daryl and Ana came out. "Baby." Sabrina said coming forward and hugging her tightly. "Don't you ever do that again. If there's a walker you come to one of the grown ups do you understand me?"

She nodded with tears in her eyes and hugged her mom back.

"Thank you Daryl." Sabrina said and in return she got a grunt. "Ya need t' keep a better eye on 'er," Daryl said to her then looked at the half eaten deer.

"Son of a bitch. That's my deer. Look at it. All gnawed on by this filthy disease-bearing, motherless, proxy bastard!" Daryl said kicking the now lifeless corpse.

"Calm down, son. That's not helping," Dale said.

"Why don't you take that stupid hat and go back to "On Golden Pond"?" Daryl said going to Dale then back to the deer to retrieve his arrows. "I've been tracking this deer for miles. Gonna drag it back to camp, cook us up some venison. What do ya think? Do ya think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?"

"I would not risk that," Shane said.

Well there goes a decent dinner for a couple of days, Sabrina thought sadly.

"That's a shame. I got us some squirrel. About a dozen or so. That'll have 'ta do,." Daryl said in a calm manner.

"C'mon baby, let's go back to the camp and get you cleaned up a bit," She said as she saw grass stains on her pink shorts and knees with mud on her hands.

As the group was walking away Amy said 'Oh God' in disgust, Sabrina turned around quickly to see what it was. The head that Dale chopped off came back to life and it started moving its bloody, rotting mouth around. She turned back around and quickly left the area with Ana. By the time everyone came back to the camp Ana was cleaned up sitting in the RV with the other kids playing some board game. Sabrina stood right out the door leaning up against the RV with her arms crossed over her chest and her legs crossed by the ankle.

"Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out 'ere. I got us some squirrel! Let's stew 'em up."

This isn't going to go down good.

"Daryl, just slow up a bit. I need to talk to you," Shane said getting Daryl's attention.

"Bout' wha?"

"About Merle. There was a uh, there was a problem in Atlanta."

Sabrina looked at Lori then to Andrea and Amy, they all had the same looks on their faces, 'uh oh'.

"He dead?"

"We're not sure."

"He either is or he ain't!" Daryl said getting pissed again.

"No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it," Rick cut in.

"Who are you?"

"Rick Grimes."

"Rick Grimes, you got somethin' you wanna tell me?"

"Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there."

"Hold on. Let me process this. You're sayin' you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left 'im there?!" Daryl yelled angrily.

"Yeah."

"Mommy?" Sabrina turned to Ana to see her with a hint of worry and said, "Everything's ok baby. Just go back in and play with the others." She did and as soon as Ana was up the RV stairs Shane tackled Daryl after Daryl's knife dropped to the ground and put him in a choke hold.

"You best let me go!"

"Nah, I think it's better if I don't."

"Choke hold's illegal."

"You can file a complaint. Come on, man. We can keep this up all day."

"I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic. Do you think we can manage that? Do you think we can manage that?" Rick asked kneeling down to Daryl's level.

Shane let Daryl go roughly and Rick started explaining to Daryl on why he did it. Sabrina went up in the RV to check to see how the kids were doing when she heard a popping noise.

"What game are you guys playing?"

"Trouble." Ana said.

"Do you guys need anything?" The kids said no in their own ways.

"Alright, I'll be right outside the RV if you guys need anything." She said then left the RV to hear Lori say, "He'll show you. Isn't that right?"

"I'm going back."

Lori went up in the RV to be with the kids and the guys were quiet. Sabrina looked over at Shane for an explanation and he just rolled his eyes and shook his head with disappointment. Rick went to get ready and everyone started doing chores again. She was kneeled down next to a standing Daryl setting up the fire wood for later.

"How'd ya learn 'ta do that?"

She looked up at him and said, "Girl scouts."

"I didn't peg ya 'ta be in that kinda stuff."

"I'm not, I was forced to by my parents. They said it would be good for me to join clubs, even though I told them no." This was the longest that she'd actually talked to Daryl.

"Why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?" Sabrina heard Shane ask Rick as they made their way away from the tents.

"Hey, choose your words more carefully." Daryl said getting in defense mode, again.

"No, I did. Douche bag's what I meant. Merle Dixon, the guy wouldn't give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst."

"Shane. Lay off for once in your life." She said sighing while standing up.

"What he would or wouldn't do doesn't interest me. I can't let a man die of thirst-me. Thirst and exposure. We left him like an animal caught in a trap. That's no way for anything to die, let alone a human being."

"So you and Daryl, that's your big plan?" Lori chimed in.

Rick looked at Glenn. "Oh, come on."

"You know the way. You've been there before, in and out, no problem. You said so yourself. It's not fair for me to ask, I know that. But I'd feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too."

"That's just great. Now you're gonna risk three men, huh?" Shane said getting pissed off.

"Four." T-Dog added.

"My day just gets better and better don't it?" Daryl mumbled.

"I'll go too."

"The hell you are Rina."

"Look Shane, you not the boss of me. I've been there before and made it back safe so shut the hell up." She snapped.

"Ain't no girl comin' 'long. 'Sides ya don't got a weapon."

"Actually I do." Sabrina said raising her shirt a little to reveal a knife pouch hanging on my pants.

"Suit yourself. But I ain't savin' your ass." Daryl said tending to his arrows again.

"I don't need saving."

"You seen that walker here in camp. They're moving out of the city."

"It sounds to me like you need more guns." Rick said to Shane.

"'Right, the guns." Glenn said.

"Wait what guns?" Shane asked confused.

"Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the Station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed. It's just sitting there on the street, waiting to be picked up."

"Ammo?"

"Seven hundred rounds, assorted.

"You just got here. You're going to just leave?"

Lori you wanted him to go twenty minutes ago. Make up your mind.

"Dad, I don't want you to go."

"To hell with the guns. Shane is right. Merle Dixon? He's not worth on of your lives, even with guns thrown in."

Rick went over to talk to Lori while Sabrina went to her daughter.

"Baby? Mama's going to go with Rick to help him out ok? I'll be back for you." She said kneeling in front of her.

"How do you know if you're coming back or not?"

"Look at your necklace and bracelet."

Ana looked at the bracelet to see the half heart dangling there. Sabrina held up her right wrist to show the bracelet's match. Then Ana looked at her necklace which was a locket. Inside it had a small picture of Sabrina and Ana smiling.

"I love you so much Ana. Don't forget that." She said hugging Ana tightly.

When she stood up Shane came over to them. "Sabr-"

"Shane, take care of her please?" He sighed in defeat and nodded his head. The truck honked thanks to Daryl.

"C'mon let's go!" He said from the back of the box truck.

Sabrina kneeled back down and kissed the top of Ana's head. "Now you be careful and listen to the others alright?"

"Ok."

"And keep Shane in his place."

"I will." Shane couldn't help but chuckle. Sabrina got up and hugged Shane then got into the box truck. Soon Rick got into the passengers side, T-Dog got into the back and they took off.

"You an' the cop huh?"

Looking across the truck Sabrina's eyes landed on Daryl leaning back legs spread and looking at her.

"What?"

"Ya two rollin' 'round together?"

She scoffed and said, "Hell no." Sabrina said then pulled her knees up to her chest. "The guys that I saw wanted one thing, sex. You boys are nothing but trouble." She muttered.

For the rest of the ride it was quiet.