Impregnable {A Walking Dead Fanfiction}

Forty-Six

   "Hollie, what were you thinking?" Dale yelled, ripping open the SUV's door before it had slowed to a stop. "Two vehicles at the same time? What if a horde showed up, were we supposed to fit everyone in the Taurus and the Winnebago? Are you insane?" He snapped. "I'm sorry, Dale," I said as I stepped out. "Well, where is he?" He asked. "At the old neighborhood down the road," I replied over my shoulder, walking towards the house while Dale continued to rant at me. "How is she?" I asked, finding Maggie on the living room couch. "She's resting now, everything went well," She replied, looking at me with a weak smile. I heard hurried footsteps approaching us from the hall, Lori appeared with Mable on her hip. "Hollie, could we speak outside please?" She asked, sitting Mable down next to Maggie. "Oh I...uh, yes," I stammered, following her outside.

    "You know I have half the mind to smack you across the face right now. You and Shane both," She spat, glaring at me. "Lori, I..." "Can we trust you or not? Are we going to wake up tomorrow to find you've taken off again?" She asked, cutting me off. "It was wrong of me to leave without telling anyone. I'm sorry, Lori," I said, putting my tail between my legs. She started to say something but paused, glaring at me for a moment before sighing and looking away. "How is he?" She sighed. I sucked in a deep breath before responding. "I found him with a nearly empty handle of Captain Morgan and I smashed it on the floor in front of him." "Oh, God...he gave hard liquor up years ago," She said, covering her mouth with her hand. "He doesn't want to come back," I continued, "... Thinks it'll be easier to save our relationship with Hershel without him." Lori sighed, her nose twitching in disgust, "I guess that's one way to solve your problems."

    "Is that you, Miss DiAngelo?" Hershel's voice called from the kitchen as I entered the living room. "Yes sir," I replied, finding him leaning on the kitchen counter while holding a steaming cup of black coffee. "Where did your friend Shane run off to?" He asked. "Off your property like you asked. He's staying in his Wrangler at the neighborhood down the road," I replied. "Well, would you be able to let him know that I'd like to speak with him in the morning?" He asked. "Oh...yes I will," I said in shock. He stared at me for a moment before nodding and returning to Beth. "I guess that's a good sign," Rick said, rising from the couch as I returned to the living room. "I'll go back in the morning," I said, picking up Mable. "Well, why not tonight?" He asked. "She'll go in the morning," Lori said, giving me a sympathetic look. Rick stared at her, and then me for a moment before nodding. 

    Maggie had pulled out spare blankets and pillows for me and Mable to sleep on the couch. I was exhausted, but there was no rest. Mable slept peacefully on my chest while I stared at the ceiling fan as it rotated slowly. I stayed there until the sunlight began to pour through the white curtains, hearing the sound of someone beginning to stir upstairs. I rolled over and shifted Mable gently onto the couch, she shifted and groaned for a moment before beginning to snore again. I splashed cold water on my face before staring at myself in the bathroom mirror. My hair had become so long and matted, the dark circles under my eyes were beginning to look like bruises. I sucked in a deep breath, taking the tattered hair tie from my wrist and fixing my hair into a bun before returning to Mable. I stayed with her until after breakfast, making sure that Maggie was able to watch her before heading for the old neighborhood once more. 

    "Shane?" I called out, shutting the car door behind me and peering through the Wrangler's window. He turned to face me, stretching for a moment before hitting the unlock button and opening the door. "Good morning, beautiful," He said, wiping sleep from his eyes. "Hershel spoke to me last night and he'd like to speak with you." "Oh, okay. Wow..."  He replied, sitting up suddenly with wide eyes. "Did he seem angry?" "Not at all, just said he wanted to talk," I said. "Well then," Shane said, rising to his feet. "I better not keep him waiting." 

    I followed Shane back to the farm, finding Hershel sitting at the kitchen table. "Mr. Walsh," He said bluntly before rising to his feet and starting up the stairs. Shane glanced over at me before following him into his bedroom, shutting the door behind them. I found Mable playing in the fields with Carl, Lori and Rick standing under the shady oak tree nearby. "Well, we'll see how that goes," I said, nervously wiping my hands on my pants. "We need a plan B if their conversation doesn't go well. Fort Benning's off the table," Rick said. "What, why?" I asked. "We ran into another group when we found Hershel at Hatlin's last night. They said the Fort's reduced to rubble." "...And you believe them?" Lori asked. Rick stared at the ground and shook his head. "They were young and squirrelly, but I don't think they were lying, not about that..." Rick said, sounding unsure. "We could try Fort Stewart, there has to be something out there," Lori said. "I don't think that's a chance that we can afford to take," I said quietly, "Are we really willing to use our resources on a chance like that?" Lori chewed on her lip anxiously, watching the kids as they chased each other laughing. "Then let's hope Shane can talk his way out of this," Rick said. "I guess we'll have to wait and..." I said, stopping suddenly; a figure in the tree line catching my attention.