A Survivor's Diary of the Apocalypse (TWD/Daryl Dixon)

S9Pt13 - The Cabin... Again

The gas can mostly filled up the tank and I made it back to Alexandria fine... but without Daryl once again. I've been gone for almost a week at this point, but once I got inside Alexandria, I felt alone still. I thought that maybe once I got home I'd feel better, but a part of me wanted to go back to Daryl. He's been gone before for so long, but after seeing him I couldn't help myself from staying away anymore. I finally found him, and he was alive, and I couldn't just forgot like it never happened.
Then I got an idea.
I parked the car with the rest and started walking back home, occasionally stopping to talk to people, like Rosita and Michonne, along along the way. I also saw Eugene was working in his shop again today, and I waved at him as I passed by. I then saw my house in the distance and Judith and Georgia were practicing their knife techniques with each other in the front yard.
"Hey girls!" I called out.
They stopped what they were doing and spotted me walking towards them, and they instantly ran to me. I opened my arms as they hugged me, and I saw Lee run out of the house and he finally spotted me, too.
"Mommy! You're back." He said and ran after me.
He ran into my embrace and right into the girls, and we all groaned at the impact. We then laughed and I knelt down in front of them.
"Of course I'm back." I said and ruffled Lee's hair. "Didn't I tell you I'd be back?"
Lee nodded and hugged me again, and I deeply sighed as I rubbed his back.
"I got to tell you guys something." I then said, and Lee pulled away to look at me, and I stood back up to look at each of them. "I'm gonna need you guys to listen to me when I tell you..." I said and they watched with anticipation. "We're going on a trip."
"Where?" Judith asked, and the others nodded.
"When I was out there... I still can't believe it, but I found Daryl." I told her, and then nodded my head at all of them when I saw their faces. "I found Daddy, guys."
"Really?" Georgia said, and a smile grew on her face.
"Yeah.. yeah I did." I said.
"He's alive.." Lee asked, and I saw his face grow distraught.
The look on his face hurt me, because I knew he was starting to get mixed feelings about his dad, and it broke my heart.
"Yes baby, he's alive." I said and caressed his cheek.
He looked up at me and I gave him my best smile, and he managed a nod back at me.
"He says he loves you guys, and he misses you." I said.
"Why didn't he come back with you?" Lee then asked.
I sighed and looked up at the sky for answers, and then just looked back down at Lee. "He's still working some things out... But I know where he is, and I'm taking you guys to him. If that's what you want.."
Lee thought about it, but I saw Judith and Georgia nodding their heads. I smiled at them and nodded my head towards the house.
"Go pack your bags." I whispered, and they nodded and ran towards the house.
I then put my hand on Lee's shoulder and he looked up at me. "I know things have been really hard, and this may not make sense, but—"
"I want to go." Lee then said, and I closed my mouth to stop talking. "I miss daddy... I— I do want to see him."
I kindly smiled and then bent down to hug him again. "You have every right to be upset with Daddy, but that doesn't change that he loves you, and you are forever going to be his son." I whispered in his ear and rubbed his back.
"I know." Lee said, and I heard him quietly sniffle.
"Good." I said and patted his back. "Now, let's get ready. I want us to head out tomorrow."
"Okay." He said.
I then let him go, and we turned around to walk back to the house. As we got ready to leave, I couldn't help but stop and occasionally watch Lee. He was distant from the whole thing, and I knew exactly why. I may be able to forgive Daryl eventually, because we've been through so much together and I'm unconditionally in love with him, but Lee is another story. I just thought to myself, that Daryl has a lot of work to do when he finally comes back to his family.

~~~~~~~~~~

I took the same car I returned in yesterday, and all the kids climbed into the backseat together. They all packed their own bags, and of course I made sure they had what they needed, and then put them in the trunk. I stretched my arms and legs before I sat in the drivers seat, and the kids were chatting loudly behind me.
"Alright, listen up." I said.
They instantly got quiet as I turned around in my seat to look at them. I sighed as I looked at their faces, and then looked at each one of them individually.
"Now, we are going outside the walls today. Further than I've taken you out before. The rules are the same, you stay close and stay quiet, and be safe."
"Yes." They agreed and nodded their heads.
"And what's my number one rule?" I asked and waited for the answer.
"If you can run, run. Don't fight unless you need to." They all said together, and I smiled at how much they've learned from me, and I was quite proud.
"That's right." I said and sighed. "And we're gonna be gone for awhile. This isn't like before, this is serious business this time. Do you all understand that?" I asked.
"Yes, mommy." Georgia said.
"Everyone got their knives?" I then asked.
They nodded and pointed at their small knives they all kept on their belts. I nodded at them and looked out the rear view mirror to see Michonne and RJ waving us goodbye.
I gave a slight wave to them and then looked at the kids. "You better wave back. It's gonna be awhile before you see them again." I said and turned around.
I started up the car as all the kids turned around waved goodbye to Michonne and RJ.
"Bye RJ!" Georgia called out.
"Bye Auntie." Lee said.
"Bye!" Judith said.
I then put the car in drive and drove us out of Alexandria. The sky was blue, the sun was slowly rising up, and the air was cold. I kept my focus on the road and the kids started playing Rock Paper Scissors in the backseat to pass time, and I noticed it's been awhile since I've seen them this excited for anything. Then I began to think about the cabin and about Daryl. I bit my lip anxiously and just hoped that everything was going to go smoothly.
"We're going to the cabin. We're going to see Daryl, and everything will be okay. It'll be okay..."