Lottie Grimes in the Apocalypse

Chapter 16

{~Later that night~}

Lottie's POV
Inside the RV, Carol is crying on the bed next to me while Daryl takes the couch. He lays facing us while Andrea is at the table putting my gun together and taking it apart again. Dale gave it back to her after finding out about the Walker attack and felt guilty for putting her in such a dangerous situation.

I rub Carol's back and whisper sweet words to her as I try to coax her to sleep "I'm gonna walk the road, look for the girl" Daryl suddenly announces as he stands up. I sit up worriedly and call out "Daryl?" He comes over and says "I won't be gone long" he then kissed my forehead to reassure me, but I still watch him leave in concern.

Andrea suddenly stands up and says "I'm going too" before handing me my gun back and following Daryl out. Her accompanying him reassures me and I stand up to grab some tissues and water before going back to caring for Carol "Shouldn't I be catering to you?" She asks me with a half laugh half sob "You can do that after Daryl finds Sophia."

She chuckles and says "You have so much faith in that man. It's like he's your god or something" I shrug and say "Why wouldn't I? Daryl's kept every promise he made to me, and he's been protecting me and my babies since the beginning. He took care of me long before he knew that I was pregnant. He gave me a sanctuary" Carol stares at me with a smile making me tilt my head and ask "What?"

She shakes her head and says "Nothing."

Daryl's POV
After leaving the RV I look up at the roof and tell Dale "I'm going for a walk. Shine some light in the forest. If she's out there, give her something to look at" making him question "You think that's a good idea right now?" "Dale" Andrea groans and I answer "Lottie thinks it's alright."

Dale sighs and says "Of course you'd use your scary ass wife on me, knowing that I'm terrified of her" I felt my face heat up at the title he gave Lottie.

It was one thing for Lottie to use me as protection, I didn't mind it and I felt honored that she felt safe with me and trusted me after what she's been through, but it was another thing for the group to refer to her as my wife to tease us about our closeness. Thank god Lottie hasn't heard about it yet....

I cough and said "Let's go then..."

{~Later~}

Daryl's POV
As Andrea and I walk through the woods "You really think we're gonna find Sophia?" Andrea randomly asks "You got that look on your face, same as everybody else. What the hell's wrong with you people? We just started looking" I grunted to avoid the question.

"Well, do you?" Andrea huffs out not budging "It ain't the mountains of Tibet. It's Georgia. She could be holed up in a farmhouse somewhere. People get lost and they survive. It happens all the time" I tell her "She's only 12" Andrea points out "Hell, I was younger than her and I got lost. Nine days in the woods eating berries, wiping my ass with poison oak" I say "They found you?" She asks.

I had already told Lottie all about my home life. She knew all about the bad, and the scars, and the abandonment, and of the few good times. Sharing it with someone else felt like......I was betraying Lottie.

I sighed and gave her the short version "My old man was off on a bender with some waitress. Merle was doing another stint in juvie. Didn't even know I was gone. I made my way back though. Went straight into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich. No worse for wear. Except my ass itched something awful" Andrea let out a laugh "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, that is a terrible story."

I chuckled happy my story did something to lighten the mood "Only difference is Sophia's got people looking for her. I call that an advantage."

{~At the R.V.~}