Grace Flynn: A Walking Dead story

Chapter Twenty: Broken

Everyone was stunned as they silently started packing up the SUV so they could head back to the prison. Grace sat in the back beside Maggie, she gazed out the window as Rick started the drive back to the prison. Glenn and Michonne both fell asleep along the way. Maggie looks over at Grace.

"I didn't know you two were serious." Maggie whispered as Grace turned her head towards her.

"We hardly were." Grace whispered back sadly, shaking her head before looking back out the window.

"Looked pretty serious to me." Maggie protested, talking about the kiss they shared before Daryl left. Grace stayed quiet for a moment before shifting her weight to look at Maggie with concern in her eyes.

"Maggie, did they hurt you?" Grace asked with a serious tone. Maggie knew what she was implying.

"No, they hardly touched me. I swear. Just made me take my top off." Maggie explained as Grace breathed of a sigh of relief.

"Some of the Governors men were the ones that attacked me." Grace explained as Maggie looked over at her with shock on her face. "So I was worried they did the same to you." Grace said in a whisper, dropping her eyes. Maggie looked at Grace, adoration in her eyes. She could see how hurt Grace was over Daryl leaving even if she was trying to hide it. Maggie reached her arm over Grace, giving her a sideways squeeze.

"I know what you did was hard." Maggie whispered to her, giving her another squeeze. "But you're apart of my family now, Our family." She said as Grace nodded at her.

Carl, Anna-lee and Carol waited nervously at the gates. Anna-lee stood close to Carol as they both watched Carl. They perked up when they heard a vehicle approaching.

"Please be them, please be them." Carl said under his breath, anxiously shifting his weight from foot to foot. When he saw that it was the SUV, he quickly moved to open the gate along with Anna-lee.

"They're back!" She exclaimed happily, sharing a smile with Carl. The SUV pulled in, Rick and Grace got out. Rick grabbed Carl and hugged him.

"Thank god." He said embracing his son, Carol walked over to the SUV, looking in the windows. "Where's Hershel?" Rick asked Carl.

"He's in the call block." Carl said pointing towards the prison.

"Where's Daryl?" Carol asked in a panic, her voice breaking as her mind started to race.

"It's alright, hes alive." Rick said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"We ran into his brother." Grace said stepping towards her with a sad expression.

"They went off on there own." Rick finished.

"He left?" Carol asked with disbelief on her face. "Daryl left? He's gone?" She asked again, looking between Rick and Grace, her voice breaking. "Is he coming back?" She added as a tear ran down her face. Grace dropped her gaze as she felt her own eyes fill with tears. Rick didn't answer the question as he just squeezed Carol's shoulder causing the silence to answer her question. Carol turned and stared walking away before she turned back looking at Rick. "Gone?" She said with a cry.

"Wait, what? Daryl's gone?" Anna-lee asked looking at Grace. All Grace did was give the girl a sad nod.

"And Oscar?" Carl asked, looking up at his Dad.

"No." Was all Rick said after a moment of silence. Rick then pulled Carol into a comforting embrace as Grace walked over to Anne-lee, putting her arm around the girl.

"Come one, Annie. Let's go inside." She said turned and started walking towards the door.

"Are you okay?" Anna-lee said, looking up at her with big blue eyes. Grace looked back at her, hesitating before answering.