My Fear, My Silence

Chapter Twenty Eight: Distance

After Rick gave his speech, everyone went to bed. Well not everyone. Daddy offered to go first on watch. Rick and Hershel were having a deep talk. Everyone else was asleep. I sat up and watched the sky. I couldn't sleep. I was too nervous of what the next thing would be, or who would die next. T-Dog groaned next to me and opened one of his eyes.

"Mason? Whatcha doing up?" T-Dog asks groggily. 

"I couldn't sleep." I tell him quietly, not wanting to attract attention.

"Want me to go get Daryl?" I shake my head no violently.

"Go back to sleep." I tell him. He seems hesitant but then goes back to sleep. I yawn but keep my eyes on the dark sky.  I watch the stars twinkle. One was brighter than all of them and that was the way to Neverland. That's what Mama would say as she read the book. I see Glenn wake up a bit next to me. He was cuddling with Maggie.

"Mason? Why are you awake?" He asks, here we go again.

"I'm not tired." I tell him as I yawn. He chuckles then glances at Daddy keeping watch.

"Want me to go get him?"

"No. Go back to sleep." I demand. I just told T-Dog no, I didn't want to do it with Glenn now. He snuggles into Maggie's hair and starts to snore once more. The crickets sing to me and tell me to do this now. I go into my bag and grab the picture of Daddy's family. I get up and walk over to him, making sure no one else wakes up. I step on a stick when I get really close, and Daddy turns pointing his crossbow at me. He drops his weapon once he sees its me.

"the hell Mason!" He scolds. "Whatcha doin awake?" 

"I couldn't sleep." I mumble. He sighs and opens his arms to me. I crawl into his lap and rest against his chest. I decided I will help him keep watch. But I had to give him something first. I take it out of my pocket and show it to him. He takes it out of my hand shocked.

"I thought I lost this back at the farm..." He said quietly.

"I got it before getting Nelly. I had to get it for you to keep my promise." His fingers graze the faces of Alex, the oldest. He then grabs the ring on the necklace. "Do you miss them?"

"Everyday." He breaths out. "You will love Alex. She will be gonna be so happy to meet ya."

"How did you meet?" I ask as I yawn.

"I met her though Mikayla. She didn't treat me like trash when we met." He then takes out a folded up photo.

"I took this of her, she said she was gonna be gone for a while. We dated for a year before Mik found out. Mik had attachment issues, always though everyone was gonna leave her."

"But you wouldn't." I say and he nods.

"Nah, I loved that kid too much. She went through hell and back and stayed strong." He points to the dark haired girl in the photo.

"Mikayla was very hard headed. She stayed behind for Ava. Even though it ment she was getting hit for it." Daddy says softly. I point to the little girl.

"Is that Ava?" He nods. "She would be 4 or 5 by now. Girl was so damn cute, just like ya." I smiled at his little family. I was slightly sad because if we found them, I would be left behind again. "What happened to that Smile, Pinkie?"

"Nothing." I  lied, and he saw through it. He turned so I sat on his lap facing him. He gave me a serious face so I poked it. He rolled his eyes then went back to his serious face.

"Mason, whats goin on in that head of yours?" He asks softly. I started to tug on my finger, worried how he would react.

"Do you think they will like me?" I whisper. He freezes for a second but then grabs m hands so I stop tugging.

"I know, that Alex will wanna be ya mom if ya let her. I know Mik would welcome ya with open arms. I know that Ava would be thrilled to have a gurl her age around." Daddy says. He lifts my face up to stare into his eyes. I hug him tight. HE really wanted me

"I love you Daddy." I say into his chest.

"Love ya too Pinkie." He whisper back as I slowly drift of to sleep.

Third Person POV

Hershel and Rick watch the way Daryl and Mason act to each other. It gives them a small smile and a warming of their hearts.

"That is what we need to keep preserved." Hershel says. "That love that even the end of the world couldn't break."

"We need to focus on Safety." Rick protests.

"I don't disagree, but we need to keep that." He points to the two on watch. "alive. Pushing them all away is not gonna do any good."

"I am focusing on keeping them alive. I don't have time for this shit." Rick snaps and walks away. Hershel sighs and goes over to his youngest daughter to sleep.

Little did they know, a few miles away was a little cabin with a blonde woman inside. She held the photo tight, and brushes her finger against every part of his face.

"I'll find you Dare." She whisper then grabs the plastic ring that dangles off her necklace. "I'll find you and the girls. I promise."

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The continuation of Season three is in my book Second Chances.

Please Read and thank you for the reads. 

-Charlie.