Between Arrows and Hearts - Daryl Dixon

Christmas and rice

Cass woke up the next day feeling unusually cheerful. She hadn't managed a good night's sleep in days, but last night, after coming back from the search for Sophia, Beth —Hershel's sweet sixteen-year-old daughter— had offered her the shower in her bathroom, encouraging Cass to use all the creams and hair products she wanted. The treat had been refreshing, leaving her feeling a little more like herself.

After getting dressed and lacing up her boots, Cass stepped out of her tent and made her way straight toward Carol, who was starting to gather the group's laundry into a basket.

"Good morning." Cass greeted, smiling.

Carol glanced up with a knowing look. "You woke up just in time. Today's your favorite day."

Cass feigned excitement. "Christmas!?"

Carol chuckled. "Almost. Laundry day."

"Great." Cass replied with a dramatic eye roll. "My second favorite holiday."

Later, as she and Carol were hanging up the freshly washed clothes, Lori emerged from her tent, rubbing her eyes and looking a little out of sorts.

"I can't believe I slept in." Lori said, coming over to join them and picking up some clothes to help hang.

"You must've needed it," Carol replied easily. "Feeling all right?"

Lori waved off the concern. "Next time, wake me, all right? Especially on laundry day."

Cass chimed in, noting how tired Lori seemed. "Don't worry about it. Carol and I had everything under control."

Taking advantage of Lori's presence, Carol brought up the idea they'd discussed earlier that morning. She wanted to cook a special dinner for the Greene family to thank them for their generosity and hospitality.

"Could you extend the invitation?" Carol asked, glancing at Lori with a thoughtful expression. "Cass and I thought it might be more right coming from you."

Lori looked a bit puzzled. "How so?"

"You're Rick's wife. Sort of makes you our unofficial first lady." Carol explained with a smile.

"Exactly," Cass laughed. "And I guess that gives me a promotion. From babysitter to secret service." She joked, prompting chuckles from Carol and Lori.

At that very moment, Rick approached, greeting them and immediately diving into plans for the day. Cass shared a quick, amused look with Lori.

"Look who's here. Mr. President himself." She teased, earning another round of laughter from the women.

Cass walked over to the car where the entire group was gathered, ready to discuss today's search plan for Sophia.

"All right, everyone's getting new search grids today." Rick announced, holding up the same map they'd been using yesterday. "If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl and Cass found, she might've gone further east than we've been so far."

"I'd like to help." Came Jimmy's voice. Beth's boyfriend stood nearby, hands in his pockets, his gaze set on Rick as he waited for an answer. "I know the area pretty well and stuff."

"Hershel's okay with this?" Rick asked, giving him a questioning look. 

"Yeah, yeah. He said I should ask you." 

"All right then. Thanks."

Shane, who was sitting on one of the car seats, chimed in with his usual skepticism. "Nothing about what they found screams Sophia to me. Anyone could've been holed up in that house."

Cass shot him a sharp look. What was his deal with always being so negative? "Anybody includes her, right?" 

"Whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay-high." Daryl pointed out, holding his hand at a height close to Sophia's.