Lottie Grimes in the Apocalypse

Chapter 18

{~A few hours later~}

Lottie's POV
After setting up camp, I go to take a nap when I hear Hershel ask "How long has this girl been lost?"

I know their talking about Sophia so I choose to waddle out of my tent to listen in "This'll be day three" my dad answers before Jimmy comes up with a scroll and says "County survey map.Shows terrain and elevations" "This is perfect. We can finally get this thing organized" dad says gratefully "We'll grid the whole area, start searching in teams."

"Not you. Not today" Hershel says "You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out" he then turns to Shane and says "And your ankle... Push it now, you'll be laid up a month, no good to anybody."

"Guess it's just me" Daryl says making me perk up "I'm gonna head back to the creek, work my way from there" I frown feeling antsy about him being alone in the woods...full of walkers. I know he can take care of himself, but..... I still worried.

"I can still be useful. I'll drive up to the interstate, see if Sophia wandered back" Shane says "All right, tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right" dad says "You know....That means we can't have our people out there with just knives" I speak up drawing the men's attention "They need the gun training you've been promising them."

"I'd prefer you not carrying gun on my property" Hershel says "We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp" "All due respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering in here..." Shane starts but I cut him off by saying "We're training people to use guns, Shane, their aim could be off and someone could get hurt. We need to train them off the farm and away from home base. Besides, it's Hershel's house and he said, 'No guns'."

Dad nodded in agreement and "Lottie's right. Look, we're guests here. This is your property and we will respect that. First things first: Set camp, and find Sophia" "I hate to be the one to ask, but somebody's got to. What happens if we find her and she's bit? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that" Shane says making me look at him with an angered expression.

"You do what has to be done" Dad says simply "And her mother? What do you tell her?" Daryl asks "The truth" dad says "I'll gather and secure all the weapons" Shane says "Make sure no one's carrying till we're at a practice range off site" dad says shooting me a smile that I return.

"I do request one rifleman on lookout" Shane says "Dale's got experience" I point out "Our people would feel safer, less inclined to carry a gun" dad adds making Hershel reluctantly agree "Thank you" dad says.

"That stuff you brought, got more antibiotics, bandages, anything like that?" Hershel asks "Just what you've seen" my dad tells him "We're running short already. I should make a run into town" Glenn says, scaring me as I didn't see him before "Not the place Shane went?" Dad says tense about Glenn going alone in an unfamiliar area "No, there's a pharmacy just a mile down the road" Maggie informs us "I've done it before."

Daryl then walked over to me and said "I hear he woke up" I nodded, knowing that he was talking about Carl "Yeah. He's in and out, but yeah" I mumbled "He'll be all right. Lori's with him now, not that he's too happy about it. He just wants me" Daryl chuckled and said "That's good....why are you anxious?" He suddenly grabs my hands alerting me to the fact that I've been picking at them.

I sighed before admitting "I know that your a good hunter and that you can take care of yourself.... But I still worry about you getting hurt" Daryl pulls me in close by my waist and murmurs "I'll be careful, don't worry about me" I nestled myself into his collarbone and breathed in his earthy musk before saying "I can't help it.... I care about you. A lot" he places a kiss on my head and says "I care a lot about you too."

We stay in each other's embrace for a moment longer before we pull apart and I allow him to leave. I watch him go not noticing the heated glare coming from a window.

{~Later~}

Lottie's POV
After my nap, which was restless until I stole one of Daryl's shirts and slept in his tent, I got dressed and walked over to Dale, T-Dog, and Glenn who were talking about a well.

"Hershel has a well?" I asked alerting them to my presence "Yeah but there's a slight problem..." Glenn starts making me furrow my brows "What's the problem?" I ask "There's a Walker in the well they wanna use" Andrea says as her and Maggie walk up carrying rope. Lori trails behind them, glaring at me. I ignore her and scrunch up my face "Oh, eww."

T nodded and said "Eww is right. We're working on a plan to get it out and hopefully save that water before it's too contaminated" I nodded "Well, let me know if you need anything. I'm going to check on Carl" "Okay, send him out love" Dale says making me smile.

I then head towards the house only to be yanked back and slapped across the face. I looked up to see Lori heatedly glaring at me and I attempt shake her off but her grip doesn't budge "I still can't believe that I gave birth to a whore, you just can't help yourself, can you?" Lori sneers as I attempt to pry her hand off.

"What are you talking about?" I ask glancing up before going back to undoing her fingers from around my arm "You really think that I wouldn't notice you cozying up to that hilly billy, trailer trash?" Lori asks rhetorically as I'm finally able to yank myself from her grip.

I realize what she's talking about and snap back "Daryl's and mine's relationship is none of your business, and don't call him that! Daryl's worth 100 of your little boyfriend" Lori scoffs and says "I don't know what you're talking about" "Oh really? So you and Shane disappearing in the woods for hours everyday, just slipped your mind?" I sarcastically say making Lori scowl and say "That's different!"

I roll my eyes and say "Yeah. You screwing dad's best friend instead of taking care of your son who just lost his dad is completely different. At least I didn't lie and cheat on my husband and practically abandon my son for a booty call" Lori's irritated face morphs into a scowl as she raises her hand to slap me again "You little-!"

Before she can bring it down I catch it, stunning her.

"Lori, get away from Lottie right now!" Carol snaps out jogging over to us and pulling me behind her protectively and gently pushing towards the tents "Stay out of this Carol! This is a family matter!" Lori snaps going to follow us "Then why don't you wait for Rick to come back to continue it" Carol retorts before placing us into the R.V. and locking the door.