"Josephine. You need to see this." Ryan called out.

I was just about to tell Abby to go to sleep. She was laying in my bed reading a book while Ryan was looking through the window. I went to his side recognizing the panic that his voice held. My eyes widened at the sight.

A giant herd of walkers was making its way to the house. I've never seen such a huge number of walkers in a herd before, not even on the road. This is really bad. The kind of bad which requires immediate evacuation.

"Pack your things, go to the nearest car and drive as fast as you can." I ordered.

We then heard the sound of cars outside. I looked outside once again, not believing they were going to leave us.

But all of them, including Daryl on his motorcycle were driving towards the walkers and started shooting them instead of trying to get run. I can't believe they're going to try and fight that.

"Ryan, Abby, Josephine." I heard Carol call us.

She came in with a few guns in her hands. I noticed the fear in her eyes even though she tried to hide it. Her eyes scanned the room before holding out the guns. I quickly took two and handed one to Ryan.

"Everyone's fighting the walkers, but Lori, Beth, Patricia and I are looking for Carl while Hershel defends the house." Carol explained.

I loaded the gun as Abby packed up our things. They can defend this place until they die and it still won't be enough.

The numbers are too overwhelming. I won't die for a lost cause nor will I let my family do that either.

"Ryan, keep Abby safe and stay close to a car. I'll be back in a few minutes." I explained.

Carol furrowed her eyebrows at the same time as Ryan. Me separating from my siblings comes as a shock to everyone.

But despite what I said, I can't just leave Daryl and the others behind. If there's a chance that I can convince them to leave, I'll take it.

"Where are you going? We won't leave you." Ryan protested.

I gripped his shoulder and gave him a stern look. Protecting our little sister has to be a priority. She's gotten better at taking care of herself, but she can't survive this on her own. The two of us can which is why it's our duty to protect her.

"I'm going to see if I can find and convince the others to leave this place before it's too late. I'll meet you back at the car." I reassured him.

I ran outside ignoring Ryan's calls, trying to see if I could find Daryl. However, an ugly surprise was waiting for me.

The walkers were closer to the house than expected and I could see Hershel shooting them as fast as he could. I raised my gun and did the same. There was just no use.

My eyes caught sight of Daryl's motorcycle in the distance, but it was hard to see considering how many walkers there were around.

I ran into the herd ignoring Hershel's warnings. I could barely hear him shouting that it was a suicide action. I shot at any walker that got too close.

There was no sign of Daryl nor his motorcycle yet I could've sworn I saw it. The other cars were swarmed and it was getting difficult to tell where they were.

God, why am I even risking my life for them? For Daryl? This is a really bad time to start caring. I tripped over a dead walker and let out a yelp.

A groan of pain escaped my lips as I hit my side. It was still sore from when I got shot a few weeks ago. I shot at the walkers trying to pile around me. It was then that I ran out of ammo.

"Fuck." I exclaimed.

I scrambled to my feet and pulled out my knife. As I stabbed a walker, I used its body to push away a few others. I couldn't see anything or anyone over the walkers.

All that stood out was the barn on fire. I pushed a walker and ran past a few. It was then that a car pulled up a few metres ahead of me. Rick's head popped up out of the car window as he shot the walkers around me. I saw Hershel yelling at me to get in.

My heart was beating erratically as I pushed myself to run a little faster. I stabbed a walker and pushed it to the side before reaching the car. Hershel opened the door for me and I jumped in.

Rick started driving away as I closed the door and we went away from the farm. There was nothing, but silence in the car as I tried to steady my breathing.

A realization that I have no idea what happened to my siblings nor Daryl settled in.

"Ryan, Abby, Daryl, the others?" I asked.

My voice came out breathless as I held on to my side. My lungs felt constricted because breathing made my side hurt. The wound was healed, but a sore scar stayed behind. A constant reminder of how easy it is to screw up.

"We don't know." Hershel replied.

I swallowed a lump in my throat as I felt fear fill my body. It was a strange feeling. I've never been separated from my siblings like this. I hated the feeling, the dread of not knowing if I was ever going to see them again.

How could Dakota handle it? This agonizing weight on my chest which only amplified if I thought about my siblings. I was so stupid for leaving them on their own.

I couldn't find Daryl or anyone from the group on time. I found Rick, Carl and Hershel, but now I don't know where my siblings are.

------

"W-where's mom? You said she'd be here. W-we gotta go back for her."

I exited the car feeling the sun hit my face. There were going to be dark circles under my eyes, I'm sure of it. I didn't get any sleep through the ride here.

If I'm going to look for my siblings, I need some rest or a nap first. Yet when I close my eyes, all I see is the farm on fire and the walkers swallowing it whole.

"Carl-"

"No, why are we running? What are you doing? I-it's mom. We need to get her and not be safe a mile away." Carl protested.

Rick hushed him and bent down so he could make eye contact with him. The kid wants to find his mother. I can't blame him considering I want to be find my family as well. They could be anywhere.

"Be quiet, alright? Please." Rick pleaded.

His voice was barely louder than a whisper. The road gave off dead vibes. I finally understand why Lori was so against being here when we first came. It has a graveyard feel to it after what we've just been through.

"Please, it's mom." Carl begged.

"Carl, listen-"

"No." Carl objected.

He stormed off in the opposite direction of his dad and I hesitated before following him. A sigh left my lips at the babysitting duty. No one asked me to do it, but I guess that I see Abby in him.

They're about the same age, she's perhaps a bit older. However, they were friends and if I ever find Abby, she's going to want her friend. Carl looked up as I sat down next to him. It wasn't difficult to see that he was having trouble processing what happened to the farm.

A part of me still doesn't believe it. I let myself relax and think that my family was safe. But we were never safe. Not there, not here, not anywhere. Even if we find a new place. What then?

"Josephine, we have to go back." Carl pleaded.

I glanced at him to see his eyes begging me to help him. I wanted to do what he asked me to. To go back and search for my siblings. Yet the chances of going back and surviving were way too low.

"We can't. But we can look for them, just not there and not now. Give your dad some time." I said.

He was about to respond when I heard a groan. I immediately hushed him and looked at Rick and Hershel. They motioned for us to go to them. I pushed Carl gently towards his dad as we hid behind a car. Rick watched as a walker passed by the car we were hiding behind.

"Okay. Go, go, go." Rick whispered.

We moved from the side of the car until we were behind its trunk. Rick had his gun pointed just in case the walker did notice us. The only things I had were a knife and an empty gun. The walker slowly walked away.

"I don't know how much longer we can stay here." Hershel whispered.

We're staying for at least a day. The logical thing after the farm is to go to the highway. It's where we left supplies for Sophia. That has to be a priority for everyone, doesn't it?

"I-I'm not leaving without mom." Carl persisted.

Too bad that's not his choice to make. He reminds me so much of Abby right now. Back in the CDC, she didn't want to leave the others behind. She saw what I couldn't at that time, that this group shouldn't be a temporary thing for us.

"So we're just gonna walk away? Not knowing if my wife, Josephine's siblings, your girls, are still out there? How do we live with that?" Rick asked.

We don't. At least I won't. My family comes first, it always has. I'm not leaving nor staying without them. Ryan and Abby are counting on me. I told them I'd meet them at the car and then I didn't. That's on me and I have to make up for that.

"Hershel and I can stay behind, wait for the others. If they don't, we meet up with you and Carl. It's the only plan that makes sense." I explained.

Carl is still young and vulnerable. A few shooting lessons won't change that. I wouldn't let Abby stay and I won't allow Carl to do it either. I didn't get shot to watch him die on my watch.

"You've only got one concern now. Just one. Keeping him alive. Nature may be throwing us a curveball, but that law is still true." Hershel said.

Rick looked around and I could see how conflicted he was about making that call. It was understandable. Lori is his wife even if she's not particularly good at it.

She's also pregnant, maybe not with his child, but that doesn't mean Rick doesn't care about it.

"Carl, it's not safe here. I'm sorry. We'll-" Rick was interrupted by the sound of engines.

I looked up and a smile tugged at my lips. There, in all his glory, was Daryl in his stupid leather jacket driving his stupid motorcycle.

But what made me even happier was the cars driving behind him. I could see Ryan and Abby in one of them. My feet carried me straight to the car they were in.

A part of me wanted to go to Daryl, but I couldn't. Family was more important. It always has been and it always will be. Abby ran out of the car first and wrapped her arms around me.

Ryan looked bloody and tired, but a grin was spread over his face. From behind me, I could hear the others reuniting but I didn't care at that moment. Ryan came to Abby and I and wrapped his arms around both of us.

It was as if a huge weight was lifted off of my chest upon seeing them. I was so worried that I'd never see them again or that they'd be dead.

I could feel Abby crying, but I didn't say anything. Ryan kissed the top of my head as I smiled at him.

"We gotta keep moving. There've been walkers crawling all over here." I heard Rick say.

I held Abby's hand as we came closer. All I heard was that a bunch of us didn't make it, including Shane. I have to say I was surprised by that one.

Don't get me wrong, a big part of me is relieved because I hated the man. But to go down from walkers is a terrible fate for anyone.

"I say head East." T-Dog suggested.

We've got nowhere better to go. Anywhere except here sounds good to me. That herd won't stay on the farm for long, but it'll be bad for us if we're here while it moves. We're even more exposed like this than when we were on the farm.

"Stay off the main roads. The bigger the road, the more walkers, more assholes like this one. I got 'em." Daryl said.

The walker from before was attracted by the noise. Daryl aimed his crossbow and shot the walker. It fell down with a thud as I rubbed Abby's back in comfort.

She and Ryan were safe. That's all that mattered to me. Well, almost all. I glanced at Daryl before looking away.

Everyone got in their cars and I decided to go with my siblings. I hesitated before entering the car and I looked at Daryl. His eyes were already on me.

I didn't know what to say to him or what to do. He nodded at me and I found myself doing the same. I couldn't do anything else right now.

Ryan drove the car as I leaned my head against the window. The cold woke me up a little, but I still felt exhausted. This'll be our life again. Running from walkers, never staying in one place, gathering supplies.

I don't know if I can keep up the strong big sister act any longer. But I have to. For them. I do everything for them. If it wasn't for my siblings, I don't know what would've kept me going in this apocalypse.