All We Have

Loss

I came too, looking around me. That dream was intense, I've never had one so insane.

I saw Daryl next to me, looking out at the camp. Brady was laying down on the sleeping bag across from me and I smiled seeing his sleeping form. Ashlyn must be outside playing.

"Daryl?" I asked, noticing how he wouldn't look at me even though I know he knew I was awake.

"Yea." He said, still not moving his head to look at me.

"Where's Merle?"

"Takin' care of tha bodies."

Shock overcame me. The dream had been real?

"The-the bodies?"

He then swiveled his head towards me and inspected me up and down.

"Ye feel 'ight?" He asked, concern coming across his face and then disappearing.

"Lincoln is really gone?" My voice shook.

He nodded. "Yer father too"

A fresh wave of shock came across me and I exhaled sharply. His was dead too?

"How?"

"Shot 'imself in tha head." Daryl didn't look too sad at my loss of a father. I had to admit while it hurt to lose anyone and I did love my father, his death wasn't too severe to handle.

"And Ashlyn?" I whispered.

Daryl didn't answer, just came over next to me and hesitantly put his arm around me. I melted into his embrace, struggling to not completely break down.

"Ashlyn is fightin. I don' know how long she can. Ya had a seizure. Scared the shit outta me."

I looked up at his face, alarmed that he even admitted to having something affect him. His thumb rubbed my tears away and then pushed my head back towards his chest.

"It's gonna be okay darlin'." He whispered.

I shook my head, "I need to be the one burying them."

"Merle already has in under control. Ya need ta rest." Daryl insisted and I glared at him.

"No!" I yelled, standing up quickly. "I can't. I won't. Knowing my siblings are in danger. I could have protected Ashlyn. She's dying!"

He stood up and tried to put his hand on my shoulder but I just shrugged it off. I turned and went outside the tent, seeing all the blood on the dirt floor of the campsite.

Lori shot me a pitying look and I glared. I saw Merle walking back with a shovel and all the blood coating his shirt.

"We are heading out immediately." The new man that had shown up-Rick, said.

"An go where, Officer" Merle said in a condescending tone.

"The CDC." Rick answered. "It might have a cure, we can make it there with no problem. It wont be too hard. We need a safe haven, this place could provide it."

The group continued to argue about this and I just sort of shrugged it off. I would go to the CDC but only because Ashlyn needs help.

I walked to my truck, throwing Lincoln's bag out. I didn't dig threw it, I didn't want any of his clothes. I walked to the other side and took our fathers out as well.

I looked through his though, trying to see what he even had stashed in there.

I found several bags of little white powder in the inside hidden pocket. I glared at the little baggies, screaming inside my head.

"Whatcha got there missy?" Shane asked and I turned around.

"I was lookin through his bag and I found this." I sniffed, trying to look strong as I showed him the baggies.

He shook his head in disgust.

"Will you throw it somewhere. I don't want anything to do with it." I asked him.

He nodded and smiled at me softly. I handed them over and he went his on way into the woods.

Everyone was packing up and I placed my bags in the bed of the truck along with the twins.

"Can me an Merle ride with ya?" Daryl asked me and I nodded. "Gotta put the bike in the bed."

They quickly worked together to load their things into my truck and put the motorcycle into the bed of it. They siphoned the gas out of the beat up ford and then made their way back over. Before getting in though, Daryl ran back to the truck and grabbed a photo from the visor. He put it into his pocket and then got into the drivers seat of the truck. I sat in the passenger, holding Ashlyn close. Merle was in the back stretched out, Brady taking up little space next to him.

Daryl drove out behind the others, following Shane's jeep as we left the place of destruction. We left my beautiful brother behind.