Left Behind (sequel to Not Alone)

Ch. 2 - Anna Wouldn't Want This

Maggie

I watched Daryl disappear into the woods as Rick finished speaking. He was still taking it hard about losing Anna, but it's been nearly eight months. I hate to say it but he's gotta let her go and move on. "Aright," T-Dog said as I rolled up the map, "is it cool if we get to the creek before we head out? Won't take long. We got to fill up on water. We can boil it later." "Knock yourself out," Rick said as I placed the map in the back of the car and looking over to Glenn. "You okay," he asked as I realized my attention went back to where Daryl entered the woods. "Yeah," I said sighing and looking to him, "just worried 'bout Daryl is all. He's really taking losing Anna hard." "They were really close," he said, "even before the apocalypse started."

"Yeah I get that," I said nodding and then I remembered something, "you know there's another reason why he's acting like this. Only me, Beth, Dad, Daryl and Anna knew about it, no one else." "What's that," he asked looking at me. "Well," I said as I sighed, looking back to see if Daryl was coming back yet or not, "when we were still at the farm, Anna told me something. Well she didn't tell me I figured it out." "What," he asked confused. "Anna was pregnant when we lost the farm," I said after a couple more minutes of hesitation before telling him, "don't know how far along. I'd say no more that three months at the most, if even that. She wasn't showing." "She was pregnant," he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, "why didn't she tell us?!"

"Didn't want the whole group on her back," I said shrugging, "then when she was finally thinking about telling everyone else, we all found out that Lori was pregnant so she didn't want to burden everybody with two pregnant women." I watched as he thought about that, but I wanted to find Daryl and make sure he was alright. "Look you sit here and think over what I told you but don't tell anyone else," I said, "I doubt Daryl would be pleased that I told you. I'm gonna go find him, make sure he ain't gonna do anything stupid. I'll be back before we leave." "Be careful," he said and gave me a light kiss before I turned and headed off towards where Daryl had disappeared into the woods.

I walked a little ways through the woods before I found him crouched down with his crossbow in hand looking down at the ground. "What do ya want," he asked not looking back to see who had walked up behind him. "Make sure you're alright," I said coming to a stop a few feet away from him and crossing my arms, "what you doin' out here anyway?" "Wanted to get away from everyone for a bit," he said straightening up and glancing back at me, "besides while everyone's washin' their panties I'm gonna hunt. That owl I shot didn't exactly hit the spot." "Want some company," I asked, "don't think you should be out here alone really." "I do better on my own," he said and I could see a glare coming from him straight to me.

"Sure you did," I said unphased by his anger. I knew he wasn't mad at me, but more at himself for probably not being able to protect Anna. "Look," I said glancing away then looking back at him with my arms still crossed across my chest, "you think Anna would want you acting like this? You're pulling away from the group that you and her were a part of for a long time. I get it, she's gone but she wouldn't want you to act like this!" "What do you know," he said and I could all but see smoke coming out of his ears as he turned to face me and stormed up to me. "I know you cared a lot about my cousin," I said, "I know she was pregnant with your child. I know you're hurting deep inside because you lost them both. But Anna wouldn't want you acting like this."

I didn't know Daryl, just what I had been told about him from when they were in Atlanta before coming to my family's farm. I wasn't scared of what he could do if he got too pissed. I knew he wouldn't hurt me because he knew that if Anna was here she'd be upset with him. He loved my cousin. I saw that while they were on the farm. Always together no matter what. She didn't even want to move into the house for Dad unless Daryl could come with her. "Ya comin' or not," he asked after a few minutes of silence, "ain't got all day. The others will be lookin' for us before we even get started."

I nodded and followed after him as he turned around back the way he had been facing when I walked up and headed in that direction. We walked in silence for a while, following these old rusted train tracks in the process when we came to a clearing. "That's a damn shame," Daryl said as we both glanced over to see a prison infested with walkers in the yard. "You know if we could clean out that yard at least," I said looking at it then glancing over at Daryl, "that'd be one of the safest places for Lori to be to have her baby." Once I said baby I regretted it as I saw pain and sadness in Daryl's eyes. "C'mon let's go tell the others what we found," he said and turned away from me, headed back the way we had come.