The Best of Us

Chapter 1: SAMCRO's New Princess

Annabelle wasn't sure how long she'd been walking. She had stopped counting the nights that passed after three. She wasn't quite certain how she was still alive. It had to have been at least three days since she last ate, and a full day since she last had water. The heat was only getting worse as the days passed and Annabelle found herself needing to take more and more breaks. At the nearest bridge, Annabelle took cover and allowed herself a moment of rest. She could only allow herself to enjoy the break for a moment before turning her attention back to her leg. As gently as she could, Annabelle raised up the leg of her jeans to check on her ever worsening leg. When she left Las Vegas, the bone in her shin had snapped in two, but she needed to keep moving. The bone had since healed... somewhat. But it didn't matter. She needed to keep moving.  

The days that followed only got worse. Less food and less water were found as the landscape became more and more desert. Soon enough there was nothing insight but rocks, cacti, and the mountains in the far distance. At this point, Annabelle had accepted her fate. She'd be dead within a day or two. Still, dying in the middle of nowhere from dehydration and starvation was a better way to go than how she would've ended up in Vegas. As sunset approached, Annabelle found what would likely be her final resting place. She wasn't sure how long she had been resting when she heard a car pull over just a ways in front of her. Part of her was nervous about who it could be, but he quickly realized she didn't have the capacity or energy to do anything even they did mean her harm. As she peeked a look through one eye, she spotted a woman crouched down to eye level with her. She heard the woman call out to someone else in the car, but couldn't quite make out the words. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted and laid in the back of the car, her head still being slightly elevated while resting on the woman's leg. She didn't remember much else before closing her eyes and allowing herself to drift into her unconscious. 

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When Annabelle opened her eyes, she felt like an entirely different person. She turned her head slightly to find an IV in her arm, presumably giving her all of the missing hydration she was in desperate need of. Her leg was elevated in a sling along with being wrapped in a think and heavy cast that would finally allow her leg to heal properly. To her right, the woman who she vaguely remembered picking her up off the side of the road sat asleep in the armchair next to her bed. As if sensing that Annabelle had woken up, her eyes fluttered to life, and she suddenly sat at attention as she pulled herself closer to the girl's bedside. 

"About time, darlin. I was starting to worry you'd never wake up."

"Where am I?" 

"St. Thomas hospital. Charming, California. You gave me quite a scare finding you in your condition on the side of the road. How long were you hitchhiking?" 

"I wasn't hitchhiking. I was running. I'm not sure how long it's been. I started losing track after about a week. What's the date?" 

"April 23rd." 

"Shit. Almost three weeks then." 

"In this desert? You should been dead after a few days." 

"I've survived far worse. Believe me."

"I don't have to. I can see your injuries that prove it." 

"And? You're not going to ask?" 

"Not my business. Where were you headed? Anyone I can call for you?" 

"No. No one. I wasn't heading anywhere specific. Just away." 

The woman didn't say anything in response to that. She merely looked Annabelle over as if trying to analyze if she was telling the truth or not. She seemed to decide on truth though as she finally decided to reveal some information about herself.