The Inevitable

Reunited

"Ali?"
I cupped a hand over my mouth to keep myself from crying out. My knees hit the ground as the weight of being alone was lifted. Daryl ran in front of me and pulled me against his chest.
"You're alive."
"So are you."
I kissed him as tears ran down my face. He was here and he was alive. It's the only thing that mattered. That and the growing alien between us. He looked down and put a hand on my stomach.
"Let's give them a minute or two alone."
I smiled at the sound of Rick's voice. Our family was okay. I rested my head against Daryl's and smiled.
"I've missed you so much."
"I thought you were dead. Michonne told me about the baby.. I thought."
I shook my head and kept my hand on the back of his neck.
"We're okay. We're all okay."
"We should get moving. We don't need another run in with the walkers."
Daryl helped me up and the man we saved led us out of the woods.
Rick went into the church first. I went to follow him when Daryl grabbed my arm.
"Tyreese and Glenn can go."
"Daryl-"
"Let them do it."
I took a step off the stairs and let Tyreese and Glenn go inside. I looked around the group and saw Beth missing, but we gained four people. One of them was from the Governor's group.
"What the hell is she doing here?"
"She's one of us. She didn't want to be there."
"Yeah? Well that makes two of us. Or should I say four? Does Herhsel still count?"
"Give her a chance Ali."
I shook my head and stepped away from Daryl. The new guy walked towards me and held out his hand.
"Name's Abraham. This is Rosita and Eugene."
"Hopefully you're better than some of the people here. I'm Allison."
"Good to meet you. What do you say we take a look around this joint?"
I stepped away from the group and followed Abraham around the church. The place was boarded up pretty good. In the back there was a bus that seemed to grab Abraham's interest.
"Looks like we have transport."
"To where?"
"D.C., Eugene thinks he has the cure for all of this. There might be a safe zone."
"Might? Thinks? Sounds like nothing in your plan is solid."
"You saying you don't want to go?"
"I'm not saying that at all. Besides I've always wanted to see what was up north. I've never been too far out of Georgia."
He checked under the hood of the bus and mumbled something to himself.
"What's your deal with Tara?"
"She was with an enemy of mine. I'm not sure whether or not I should trust someone who was willing to follow a man like that."
"The way I hear it she never fired her gun. She hid until it was over."
"Good for her."
I heard Daryl call my name and I left Abraham to do whatever it was he was doing. Daryl helped me inside and looked around. I took his face in my hands and looked at his eye.
"What happened?"
"Just some bad people. It doesn't matter."
He sighed and took my hand.
"Later. I'm going to go on a run with Carol."
"Want me to go?"
"No. We've got it."
He kissed my head and walked out of the church. I sat down in one of the pews and took the brace off my leg. It was swollen and hurt like hell.
"Allison?"
"What's up Carl?"
"Can I talk to you?"
I moved over on the pew and leaned against the one in front of me. Carl took a few minutes before talking.
"Before you found us we were at this place called Terminus."

I sat outside waiting for Daryl to come back. He turned the corner and saw me waiting on him. I pulled myself off the stairs trying to be careful of my leg.
"Carl told me what happened. You were almost killed by crazed cannibals? That's what doesn't matter?"
"What are you going to tell me everything that happened with you? With the Governor?"
I closed my mouth and walked back inside.
Later that night we all gathered around for dinner. Abraham stood up with a glass of wine.
"I look around this room and I see survivors. Each and every one of you have earned that title, even you Allison. I've heard the stories. To survivors."
I smiled and raised my bottle of water. No wine for the pregnant woman. I felt Daryl staring at me, but I just tried to ignore him. He cleared his throat loud enough for me to hear and walked towards the door. I followed after him and we his behind the wall.
"I don't want to talk about before, Daryl. It doesn't matter. Right now we have to think about the future. Do you even want this baby? If not, that's fine. I'll figure something out, but if you do.. If you do, I need you to tell me."
"What makes you think I don't want the baby?"
"Because we never talked about it."
"It's not like we could sit down and plan it out, Ali. Shit happens. I want this baby just as much as I want you. Don't ever think anything otherwise."
I put my arms around his neck and held him as tight as I could. I finally had him back. I had my family back.