The New World 2

Nightfall had hit and Glenn, Rick and Hershel weren't back yet. "They should've been back by now." Andrea stated while sitting down at the table.

"Yeah. They just got hold up somewhere. We'll head out first thing tomorrow. Thank you." Shane said sitting down by Andrea.

"You're welcome." Patricia said.

Sabrina started making Ana's plate. "What do you want on your plate baby?"

"Some salad, chicken, and mashed potatoes." She put those items on Ana's plate then made hers.

"Carl, I want you to keep your head up, ok? Your old man is the toughest son of a-" Shane said.

"No cussing in the house." Patricia said sternly to Shane with a very intimidating look.

"Sorry."

"Lori, dinner." Carol called out.

"She's not in there." Maggie said.

"Where is she?" Dale asked.

Everybody was silent then Shane spoke up. "Carl, when's the last time you saw your mom?"

"This afternoon."

"She was worried about Rick, asked me and Sabrina to look in on Carl."

"She was trying to get Daryl to help her." Sabrina spoke up.

"She went after them?" Dale asked.

"She didn't say that." Andrea said.

"Nobody panic. Gonna be around here somewhere." Shane said getting up.

Carl and the rest of the group got up to search too. They borrowed some flashlights from the house to start looking for her.

"Lori are you out here?" Sabrina called walking the field.

Sabrina heard rustling from the brush and she jumped. "Dammit!" She hissed lowly when she realized she forgot a weapon.

"Get tha' damn light outta my face."

"Daryl?"

"Who ya think it was?" He asked as he kept walking.

She followed him back to camp. "Lori came to you earlier right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well now she's missing."

"Ya think I killed 'er or somethin'?"

"No. We think she went out on her own to look for Rick."

Daryl sat down by the fire when Carol came to them. "We can't find Lori and the others aren't back yet."

"I know. That dumb bitch musta gone off lookin' for 'em."

"What?"

"Yeah, she asked me ta go. Tol' her I was done bein' an erran' boy."

I knew Daryl would tell her off.

"And you didn't say anything?"

Daryl stayed silent while poking the fire. Carol looked at Sabrina and she just shook her head slightly. Carol started walking away but then came back.

"Don't do this. Please. I've already lost my girl."

That's when Daryl snapped. "Tha' wasn't my problem neither." He said walking off.

"Daryl." Sabrina sighed lowly.

"Do you think you can talk to him?"

"Carol...I don't know if he'll listen to me, he's pissed. It's best to just let him cool off."

Carol nodded slightly and started back to camp. Sabrina sighed when she saw Carol start walking to the house and Shane sped off the farm. She went to Daryl's tent and called to him.

"Wha' now?"

"I just wanted to make sure you're ok before I head back to the house."

"I'm fine."

"Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"I'm good."

"Alright."

She started walking but he grabbed her hand to stop her. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothin' just..."

He pulled her to him and kissed her. When Daryl pulled away Sabrina had a confused look on her face.

"What was that for?"

"Can't kiss my girl?" He asked smirking.

"I guess you can. Can you stop being an ass?"

"Don't think that'll ever happen."

"Well at least try not to be one. I've got to go check up on the kids."

Daryl let her go and she ran to the house. Once she got inside she saw the kids at the table playing dominoes. "Did you two finish eating?"

"Yeah."

"Did you thank Patricia and Maggie?"

"I did." Ana said.

"Carl, did you?"

"No."

"Don't you think you ought too? I mean they didn't have to save your life or feed you tonight."

He sighed and went to the kitchen to thank them.

What the hell is wrong with Carl? It's like he's starting to be a miniature Shane.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?"

"A car just pulled up."

"I wonder if Shane found Lori. You stay here and keep playing dominoes."

"Ok."

Sabrina left the house and went to the car. "Lori, are you ok?" She said examining her over.

Lori had a small cut on her head, a few scratches and a busted lip. "The scratches?"

"Probably when I flipped the car or trying to get out."

"You flipped the car?" Sabrina asked guiding her to the house so she could see the damage better.

"Yeah. I was looking at a map on the passenger seat and I hit a walker."

"Well, you don't have any sort of amnesia." She moved Lori's hair. "And it's very small cut. You'll be fine. Maggie, can you go get me a gauze pad and some medical tape?"

"Sure."

"By the way where is Rick? They're not back?" Lori asked while she sat in the rocking chair on the porch.

Silence.

Shane why?

"Where are they?"

"Look I had to get you back here." He said from the porch step.

"You asshole." She said going to him and pushed him.

"Lori."

"He's my husband."

"Lori, I will go after him. I will find him. Hey! Now, look, first things first-I gotta-I gotta look after you. I gotta make sure the baby's alright, ok?"

"You're having a baby?" Carl asked going down the porch steps.

How long has he been out here?

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Lori couldn't find the words to tell Carl why.

"Come on. Let's make sure you're alright." Dale said stepping in.

"Come on." Andrea said leading Lori inside.

Shane started slowly to the house but Sabrina stood at the top of the steps and glared at him.

"That's far enough Shane. You are not to set foot onto this porch or bottom step."

"What'd I do?"

"Do you really want the list? The major one is you disobeyed Rick's orders and Hershel's family. Two you have scared my daughter so much that she doesn't even want to be around you anymore."

"Sab--"

"Don't Shane, I'm not in the mood."

"Fine. But can I at least go in to get a drink of water?"

"There's a water spicket, so you're good there. You've got food at your tent."

"Why are you bein' such a bitch to me? Did you forget I'm the one that let you stay with me. I'm the one that helped you get back on your feet. I'm--"

"That was before the world went to shit and before your personality changed. Oh and by the way, I'm not a bitch. I'm just protecting my family." Sabrina said then went into the house.

Lori was sitting on the floral couch when Sabrina came in. She patched Lori's head up and gave her some painkillers while Andrea retrieved a glass of water.

"Thank you." Lori said quietly to Andrea when she set the water on the table. "Hey. I am so sorry that I left without telling you." She said to Carl.

"It's ok. I wasn't scared. When's dad getting back?"

"Let's hope soon."

"I wanna be there when you tell him about the baby."

Oh Carl, everybody knows about the baby. Sabrina thought sadly.

"Oh, but he already knows. We were just trying to find the right time to tell you."

"Is it a boy or girl?"

"Well, we won't know that until it's born."

Sabrina couldn't help but smile at how interested Carl was with the baby news.

"Will I be able to feel it?"

"Not for a while."

"You must have a lot of questions, huh? We never had the talk. I guess we forgot."

"Don't look at me. That's your father's job." Dale said.

"If the baby's a girl, can we name her Sophia?"

"Mom?"

"Yes baby?" Sabrina asked looking down at Ana.

"Will I ever have a brother or sister?"

She blinked a few times. Yes Sabrina had always wanted another baby but with the way the world is now, it's no place for one. "I-I don't know sweetie."

"Hey, dude."

That voice made Sabrina jump then she glared at Shane while Dale stood up in defensive mode and Ana hugged her mom's leg for dear life.

"I'm sorry. I thought you knew."

"Big brother Carl." He said flicking Rick's sheriff hat. "Pretty cool huh?"

"I say that's very cool. You-you mind if I talk to your mom a sec? Hmm?"

"How about a little later, after she's had some rest?" Andrea pretty much commanded.

"Lori, I had to get ya back here. You wouldn't have come otherwise."

Sabrina saw Lori roll her eyes and Shane came in the room a little further.

"How about you-how about you just hear me out, please? It's ok."

"Shane." Sabrina said warningly through greeted teeth, she was getting angry.

"Will you give me a minute?" Lori asked Carl.

"You too Ana."

He nodded, got up and left the room and Ana followed quickly.

"Thanks, bud."

The others started leaving and Sabrina just glared daggers into Shane.

"I'm giving you one minute Shane. If I come back and you've done something to her, I can guarantee you that I will kill you like you killed Otis." She hissed quietly before leaving the room.

Sabrina and the others waited in the kitchen.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Dale asked.

"Who knows." Andrea and her said at the same time.

And a minute later Sabrina heard Shane's footsteps go to the front door and left the house. She looked up at the clock '1:26'. "Ana we need to head to bed."

Ana nodded with a yawn. Sabrina picked her up and said goodnight to everybody. She went out to her tent and laid Ana down. Once Ana was covered she fell asleep. Sabrina walked out of the tent and looked up at the clear starry night.

"Why ya ain't in bed yet?"

"I was about to wash up and then go." She said then looked at Daryl, who was sitting on a log. "Why are you still up?"

"Ain't nobody out 'ere keepin' watch, so I'm doin' it."

"Oh."

"Ya ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She sighed. "Well, goodnight Daryl." She said going back into the tent, not even bothering to wash up.

Once she hit her cot she was out like a light. A few hours later morning came. Sabrina didn't like it one bit, she was still tired. She sat up when she heard her tent being unzipped.

"Ya awake?" Daryl whispered.

"Yeah."

Sabrina got up and left the tent. Daryl zipped it back up so Ana could sleep a little more. She finally noticed that Daryl was wearing a long sleeved faded blue flannel shirt. She couldn't help but think that Daryl looked hot in that.

"What's up?"

"Well, me, Andrea, T-Dog an' officer personality disorder are goin' ta look for Rick."

"Ok?" She asked a bit confused, what did this have to do with her?

"Ok?" He asked not believing his ears. "Ain't it a woman's job ta say bye ta her man b'fore he leaves?"

"Oh." She said finally getting why he woke her up. "I'm sorry Daryl."

She stood on her tip-toes and kissed his gruffy cheek. "Tha' ain't how it's s'possed ta go."

"Daryl, c'mon." T-Dog said from the lime green Kia.

"That's just going to have to do Daryl."

"Wha'ever." He started walking until Sabrina said something.

"Oh, and be careful...honey bunch."

"Didn't I tell ya not ta call me tha' again."

She just shrugged and was about to go into her tent when she heard something. Sabrina walked over to the Kia and squinted. "Is that Hershel's truck?"

"Looks like it." Daryl said.

The truck came to a stop and Carl ran to Rick when he got out while Lori hugged him.

"'Bout damn time he showed up." Daryl mumbled.

"Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery."

"Glenn didn't get hurt did he?" Sabrina asked to herself before she took off running to the truck.

Glenn was perfectly fine but she caught something out of her peripheral vision.

"Why the hell is there a guy hogged tied and blind folded in the back?"

"That's Randell." Glenn said casually.

The others come over to investigate. "And Randell is who?" Shane asked.

"Let's talk inside." Rick said walking to the house.

Daryl, T-Dog and Shane took Randell to the shed so Hershel could operate on him. Then they went into the house.

"Now who is this Randell kid?" Shane asked.

"He and his group attacked us. He was trying to escape with the others but penetrated his leg on a fence."

"Why didn't you just leave him?" Shane asked.

"He would've bled out, if he lived that long."

"It's gotten bad in town." Glenn said.

"What do we do with him?" Andrea asked.

Rick was searching for an answer until Hershel came in.

"I repaired his calf muscle as best as I can, but he'll probably have nerve damage. Won't be on his feet for a least a week. When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the road, send him on his way."

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea asked.

"He'll have a fighting chance."

"Just gonna let him go? He knows where we are." Shane said.

Sabrina felt a hand on her lower back so she turned her head and saw Daryl standing next to her.

"He was blindfolded the whole way here. He's not a threat."

"Not a threat. How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage but they just ain't gonna come looking for him?"

"They left him for dead. No one is looking."

"We should still post a guard." T-Dog said.

"He's out cold right now, will be for hours."

"You know what? I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy." Shane said with a scoff. "Look at this folks-we back in Fantasyland."

"Shane just knock it the hell off." Sabrina sighed irritatedly.

"You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet. Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all- this is my farm. Now I wanted you gone. Rick talked me outa of it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor-keep you mouth shut."

Thank you Hershel.

Shane stormed out of the house and Rick went to Hershel.

"Look we're not gonna do anything about it today. Let's just cool off."

And that was the end of the conversation, everybody started dismissing themselves. Carol was coming towards Sabrina and Daryl and he stormed out of the house.

Why's he being like that to Carol?

"Come on baby, let's go outside." Sabrina said holding out her hand.

Ana took it and they went outside. Ana called out to Daryl and ran to him. Sabrina got to them when she saw Ana pulling on Daryl's hand.

"Wha' do ya want?"

"I want you to push me on the swing."

"Can't yer momma do it?"

"She doesn't swing me high."

Daryl sighed and complied with Ana's request. Sabrina leaned on the tree trunk and watched the two while smiling. She loved the way Daryl was treating Ana and she hoped that it would stay that way.