A Fresh Start

Chapter 5

The next morning, Daryl and I were up before anyone else. I had told him about the woman Rick had ran into.

"Glad he came back in one piece," he said afterwards.

"Me too," I said.

"We forget sometimes, huh?" he said.

"What?" I asked.

"What this world does to people," he said.

"Yeah. We do. But we can choose to come back. We get to you know?" I said.

He nodded.

"Kind of like you did? After what you lost," he said.

I thought about it for a second.

"I never really lost it though, if I'm being honest. I had a purpose that I needed to fulfill. A promise I had made to my family. There was a point when I almost did. After Lori. But Judith brought me back. She was my new purpose," I replied.

He pulled me closer to him.

"I don't think you could ever lose it. Not anymore," he said.

"And why do you say that?" I asked.

"You may be stubborn as hell, but you're also just as strong," he replied.

"So are you," I retorted.

He nodded and kissed my cheek.

"Come on, let's start the day," he said standing up and reaching his hand to me.

I took it and intertwined our fingers. Just as we had exited the cell, an alarm went off. I looked down to see Rick holding Judith. Rick went to turn it off. Daryl and I made our way downstairs.

"Carl. Come on," Rick said.

"Morning," I said once I reached him.

"Morning," he said closing the curtain to Carl's cell.

"Hey, Judith," I cooed at her.

Rick sat down and waited for Carl.

"You two sleep well?" he asked Daryl and me.

"Whatever 'well' is nowadays. Good to see you're all right. Amelia told me what happened yesterday," Daryl said.

"Thanks," Rick said.

Beth came by to take Judith moments later.

"Morning, Beth," I said.

"Morning," she replied.

She turned and headed back to her cell.

I watched as she made her way to her cell. She made it seem as if Zack wasn't dead.

"Beth," I called to her.

She turned.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine," she replied turning back around and continuing to her cell.

I'd talk to her later. Carl came out of his cell rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, bud. You rested enough?" I asked.

He yawned.

"Yeah. You?" he said.

"Yeah. I think I'm good," I said.

"Well, we better get going then, Carl," Rick interjected jerking his head towards the exit.

"See you guys later," I said when they exited.

I turned and wrapped my arms around Daryl.

"You gonna join me at the fence?" I asked.