*Sapphire's POV*
All around me was blackness. The dark felt so thick it was almost like you LITERALLY could feel it.
I walked for what seemed like hours. I didn't know where I was. I just know that I had to keep going. I had to get back to somewhere. To someone that needed me.
Eventually the tunnel opened up. I was in a forest. You couldn't see five feet in front of you. The trees were so tall that you couldn't see the top. Of course, that could also have been the thick fog.
When I looked down there were ashes. In the ashes were tiny footprints, big footprints, deer tracks, like everything that had ever been near or around these woods had fled some great danger.
Perhaps they had. I could see human-like shadows shuffling through the trees. I had seen them somewhere before. Somewhere, not so long ago.
I remembered groans, teeth, scratches, tearing...Walkers? Yeah that's right. What attracted them again?
Flashbacks of guns blaring at a prison and what looked like a hundred walkers showed up when the guns sounded reminded me. They were attracted to sound. What could I use that wouldn't put me in danger?
That's when I remembered the "who" I needed to get back to. Most likely the person who had been telling me to come back.
I remembered laying on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. I remembered his soft mouth on mine not long after I arrived at the prison. I remembered tracing scars left on his body and feeling him flinch because he expected to be hurt again.
I remember shaggy brown hair and blue eyes. I remember a man dedicated to protecting his adopted family, no matter how damaged he was. I remembered the crossbow-
Crossbow. I needed to find a crossbow.
*Carol's POV*
Rick winced when I punctured his skin with the needle for about the hundredth time. He shouldn't have been so reckless.
Maggie had finally finished her struggle with Sapphire's veins. She had been severely dehydrated. Humans couldn't last long without water. It didn't look like she was waking up anytime soon either.
"So...", Rick started. "Thank you, Carol. Thank you. I want you to know that you're welcome back in the group."
His blue eyes glinted with guilt. I just offered him a small smile before going back to work on the gash in his side.
I was glad to be back. I had missed them. But at the same time, nothing had changed. I was still in the way. Even more so with Sapphire here.
When we were done, I took the needle and cleaned it with peroxide. I threw away the old bandages and grabbed some fresh gauze before sitting down beside him again.
Once his wound was dressed, he stood up. "I need to talk to you two about something. Do you think we should stay here permanently?"
I exchanged a glance with Maggie. We had discussed this several times. Everyone in the camp seemed to agree that it was a good idea.
"We think it's a good idea. This place has protection. Lots of it. Walkers usually don't touch the place because of the smell of the dead on the fences. Plus, with babies on the way or already here, we need something steady."
Rick glanced at me before turning to Maggie. "You agree?"
"I do. I need somewhere safe to..."
She bit her lip. I couldn't imagine what she was going through. After all, every single one of us remembered what happened to Lori. Maggie had been the one to save Judith's life.
Someday I hoped Rick would teach his little girl what true sacrifice was. I hoped he would tell her what her mother did for her.
I walked out on the porch. Daryl was leaning against one of the posts. His eyes were distant. I couldn't help but drag my eyes from the bottom of his muddy shoes to the shaggy mop of brown hair.
He had his crossbow thrown over his shoulder like always. His jacket was tied around his waist.
"They want to stay.", he said. "I think we should."
"I do too. You have to remember though, nothing is permanent. We'll be driven from here like we always are."
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Short update guys. :) I love you! Thank you so much for everything. I never expected this much.
I LOVE YOU!!!
~Breanna
