3

                                    

                                          
When we got back to Glenn's camp, I sank down in my seat. Everyone was coming over. A big man was angry about the car alarm and made Glenn pop the hood, another man unplugging the battery. 
                          
A blonde girl was asking Glenn questions, giving him hardly any time to answer before she asked another one. My guess, Andrea's sister. "Hey, Charlotte. Come out of there. Say hi."
                          
Glenn introduced everyone. The big man was Shane, Andrea's sister was Amy. There was a woman and a boy, Lori and Carl. Then Dale, up on the roof of an RV. Lastly was a family. Ed, Carol and Sophia. I didn't like the look of Ed. I didn't like the way his wife and daughter were afraid of him, or the way he looked at his daughter.
                          
"Ma'am, do you mind if I search you? Gotta be cautious these days." Shane asked as he approached me.
                          
"Don't touch me." I said, backing away and crossing my arms.
                          
"She helped us get out of there, Shane. I think she's earned our trust. She's definitely earned mine." Glenn stood up for me.
                          
Shane put his hands up. "All right then, if you vouched for her, I guess she's good." 
                          
We all turned when the truck pulled in. Andrea got out first, running to her sister, then Morales got out, meeting up with his family. "How'd y'all get out of there anyway?" Shane asked.
                          
"New guy, he got us out."
                          
"New guy?"
                          
"Yeah,"Morales nodded. "crazy vato just got into town. Hey, helicopter boy! Come say hello!"
                          
We watched as Rick got out, hands on his hips. When Shane saw him, there was a look of recognition and shock on his face. Rick faltered in his steps. Then he started walking faster. "Dad! Dad!" The boy, Carl shouted, running towards him.
                          
Rick caught him in his arms, both of them falling to the ground. Rick got back up with Carl in his arms, embracing Lori as well. I smiled at the happy reunion, at least he got his family back.
                          
~*~
                          
We sat around a low fire, listening to Rick tell his story. Apparently he was in a coma when everything went down, woke up a while later, eventually made his way to Atlanta. Our attention was drawn away when we heard Ed putting another piece of wood on his fire, sparks flying. "Hey, Ed, you want to rethink that log?" Shane spoke.
                          
"It's cold, man."
                          
"Cold don't change the rules, does it? Keep our fires low, just embers so we can't be seen from a distance, right?"
                          
"I said it's cold. You should mind your own business for once."
                          
It was then that Shane got up and walked over to Ed, speaking to him quietly. Carol then pulled the log out of the fire and Shane stomped it out. He talked to Carol and Sophia briefly, coming back over.
                          
"Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon?" Dale asked. I felt my body tense. "He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind."
                          
"I'll tell him." T-dog mumbled. "I dropped the key. It's on me."
                          
"I cuffed him. That makes it mine." Rick spoke.
                          
I shook my head. "I've known the man since I was six. It might go better coming from someone he knows."
                          
"It's not a competition. I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy." Glenn said, looking at T-dog.
                          
"I did what I did. Hell of I'm gonna hide from him."
                          
"We could lie."
                          
"Or tell the truth. Merle was out of control. Something had to be done or he'd have gotten us killed. Your husband did what was necessary. And if Merle got left behind, it is nobody's fault but Merle's."
                          
"And that's what we tell Daryl?" Dale shook his head. "I don't see a rational discussion to be had from that, do you? Word to the wise-we're gonna have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt."
                          
"I was scared and I ran. I'm not ashamed of it." T-dog sighed.
                          
"We were all scared. We all ran. What's your point?"
                          
"I stopped long enough to chain that door. Staircase is narrow. Maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at any one time. It's not enough to break through that-not that chain, not that padlock. My point-Dixon's alive and he's still up there, handcuffed on that roof. That's on us." T-dog stood up, going to his tent.
                          
Eventually it was just Dale and I left, staring at the dying embers. "Got anywhere for me to sleep?"
                          
Dale sighed, shaking his head. "Tents are all full, the RV is full. But you could sleep in Daryl's tent tonight. I'm sure he wouldn't mind, seeing as you know him." Dale pointed to his tent.
                          
I shrugged. "Sure, thanks Dale. I'll see you tomorrow morning." I walked over to the tent and got inside, zipping it closed. I could tell which cot was Daryl's seeing as his side was far cleaned than the other, which I assumed belonged to Merle. I laid down on Daryl's cot, sleep hitting me hard after going days without it.
                          
The next morning when I woke up, the tent was being unzipped. I reacted quickly, pulling the knife from my belt, aiming it at the intruder. "The hell are you doing in my tent? Get out."
                          
"Daryl?"
                          
He looked at me with his brow furrowed. "How the hell do you know my name?"
                          
I held out my wrist, showing him the leather bracelet he helped me make when I was ten. A week before I left. It was tattered and old, but I couldn't part with it. His face went white. "Where'd you get that?" 
                          
"It's me, Daryl. It's Charlotte." I felt tears in my eyes.
                          
Daryl stood defensively. "You're lying."
                          
I sighed. "We met when I was six. You found me on the street covered in my own blood. I told you what happened and you snuck me into the window of my house and cleaned the gashes on my back. You taught me how to fight back at school when I was being bullied. You taught me how to hunt and fish and gut animals in case I ever needed to run away. You even gave me a crossbow. You came over to my house every day so my mom wouldn't hit me. It's me, Daryl. It's Charlie."
                          
Daryl's bottom lip started to quiver. "Charlie? I thought you...I thought you were dead. I thought your mom..." Daryl didn't dare finished what he was saying, instead he brought me in for a hug, squeezing me so tight I could hardly breath.
                          
When he pulled away, I explained myself. "Elizabeth had gained custody of me. She came to the house the last day we saw each other and got me out of there as fast as possible. She wouldn't let me say goodbye, said we didn't have time. Otherwise I would have told you I had to leave. I'm sorry."
                          
Daryl shook his head. "Don't you ever do that again."