The baby's cry filled the air as we exited the prison. Sunlight hit my eyes as I walked behind Carl, my hand firmly planted on his shoulder. He was so brave for putting down his mother. Many others wouldn't be able to do it.

I looked up only to wish I hadn't. The rest of the group was there watching us. Carol and T-Dog were missing. Rick's gaze was stronger than anyone else's. His eyes searched for Lori, but didn't find her.

Maggie's mouth opened as she tried to speak yet all that left her mouth was muffled sobs. An axe fell from Rick's grip as he walked towards us. I swallowed a lump in my throat at the sight of him.

No one wanted to say what everyone already knew. Lori was gone. Rick shook his head as he refused to accept the fact that she could be gone.

"Wh-where is sh-she?" Rick tried to say.

Maggie couldn't get a word out. Rick marched towards the prison and I stood in his way. My hand pushed against his chest to stop him from going forward.

Seeing Lori in that kind of mangled state is the last thing he needs right now. I didn't want to say anything, but I couldn't stop the words leaving my mouth.

"No, Rick, don't. She's gone." I whispered.

He completely fell apart at my words. Cries left his lips and I tried to touch him, but he moved before I could. The only word he could get out was no.

It broke my heart to see him like that. He fell to the ground sobbing like his world had ended. I guess losing his wife is the end of the world.

"Rick? Rick, you with me? Rick?" Daryl waved in front of his head trying to get his attention.

Rick leaned back and forth with his eyes wide. I didn't have time to think much about it as Abby launched herself into my arms.

My mind took some time to process that she was hugging me. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead with affection.

"Are you alright? I was so worried when I couldn't see you. I thought something bad might've happened to you." Abby panicked.

My eyes connected with Ryan's who came closer to us. He put one hand on my shoulder and the other on Abby's. We were family and we stayed together. Seeing Carl lose a part of his family and receiving a new one only emphasized that.

"Nothing is ever going to tear me away from you two. I promise." I mumbled.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rick get up and grab an axe. I pulled away from Abby and reached out for him, but Ryan held me back.

He said it once already. I don't have to be present in every fight. Yet it still feels like I am needed to win this one.

"Rick." Maggie shouted.

He ignored her call and went straight to the prison. Ryan rubbed my back soothingly as Daryl and Maggie went get some baby supplies. The kid won't survive unless she has something to eat.

We all went inside the prison to calm down from the attack.

------

"Thank you for agreeing to do this." Glenn said.

I moved my flashlight to see if there were any walkers nearby. Yet every walker we saw was was already dead.

A clear path leading us to wherever Rick is. He shouldn't be alone in the state that he is. He is our leader, we need him with us.

"Well it was either this or baby duty and I'm not good with babies." I retorted.

I hit a walker body just to see if it would move. They were all dead, killed by Rick in his crazed state. If he wasn't emotionally unstable, I might've been impressed.

Losing Lori hit the group hard, especially Rick. I understand she was important yet I can't find myself feeling sad. We just weren't close.

"You know you don't have to hide that you care for him." Glenn said.

"What?" I asked quickly.

He turned so he was looking at my face. His eyebrows pulled up into a frown. I might've reacted a bit too quickly.

My heart pounded in my chest at what he said. It sounded wrong and I was confused for a split second. Did he mean Rick or Daryl?

"I mean, Rick's our leader and it's clear that you two are friends. You don't have to make up excuses as to why you're here." Glenn clarified.

A part of me was disappointed he didn't mean Daryl. It would be great to be able to talk to someone about him.

When Glenn said that I cared for him, I automatically thought of Daryl. It didn't make sense how he'd know that though.

"Oh, right." I mumbled.

We entered another corridor and I turned my flashlight in front of me. A sigh of relief went upon me after seeing Rick there. It was gone when I noticed he was breathing heavily and wasn't moving.

"Rick? Everyone's worried about you. You shouldn't be in here. Come on out." Glenn said.

Rick turned to us and I frowned at the look in his eyes. It was the look of a man that lost control over himself. I carefully stepped closer to him and his head followed my movements. I bit my lip noticing all the blood on his face.

"Rick, you don't have to do this alone. Why don't you just come back with us, okay?" I asked.

I touched his shoulder when he suddenly pushed me against a wall slamming his arm against my throat.

The air got knocked out of my chest and I gasped. Rick stared into my eyes with the look of a mad man. I was finding it difficult to breathe.

"Rick, stop it. You're hurting her for God's sake!" Glenn exclaimed.

He tried to come closer to us, but Rick let go of me and pushed Glenn into the other wall. I slid down the wall and my hand flew to my throat. Sharp breaths left my mouth as Rick went further into the prison.

Glenn rushed to my side and I waved off his concern. He helped me up and my eyes immediately went to the corridor that Rick went to. That wasn't Rick, not really.

He is in too much pain to think straight. Perhaps letting him kill walkers will allow him to get rid of some of that pain. Even if it won't help him heal.

------

"Can I braid your hair, Jo?" Abby asked.

I lifted my head from the mattress I was laying on to see her standing in the doorway of the cell. She shifted uncomfortably and I sensed she might not want to actually do that.

I was a little shaken up from my encounter with Rick and tired from everything we've had to go through today. So the thought of doing anything other than laying here wasn't appealing.

"Maybe later, sweetheart. Now come here." I said.

I motioned for her to lay down next to me. Her feet carried her to my bed and she crawled onto it, but it was too small so she ended up mostly laying on me.

My hand went through her hair as her head rested on my stomach. A deep sigh left her lips and I knew there was something on her mind.

"You going to tell me what's wrong?" I asked.

She shifted uncomfortably and I resisted the urge to comment on it. Most of the time, Abby kept her thoughts to herself, but there were times when she couldn't hold it in. It was her who made me think we should stay with the group instead of leaving.

"It's Carl. He's in pain and I don't know how to help him feel better. I try and it doesn't work. All my words sound empty, even to me." She mumbled.

My eyes softened at the young girl in front of me. She was only a year or two older than Carl. Soon she'll be a full teenager and I'll have trouble managing her.

She shouldn't be having these thoughts. It's not her job to worry about Carl or to feel pity towards him. She was still just a kid, at least in my eyes.

"Well maybe you shouldn't treat him differently. Sometimes when people experience grief, the last thing they want are for things to change. So just be there for him. If he needs help, he'll know you're there." I advised her.

Abby scrunched up her nose as she sat up and looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. Her blonde hair and blue eyes were the only sign that we were related.

Both Ryan and Dakota had brown hair with brown eyes. It's like all of us split between our parents. If only we looked less like them.

"You just quoted one of those sappy movies, didn't you?" Abby asked.

A sheepish grin formed on my face. I had wondered if she would notice. It was Dakota who would make us watch them when we were younger.

I never liked them but some things stay with you even when they're gone. Incredibly cliché movie quotes are one of them.

"I didn't mean to, but they offer better advice than I ever could. So listen to it and dismiss the fact that it came from a crappy movie." I replied.

A giggle left her lips as I sat up and kissed her forehead. My arms wrapped around her as I pulled her into a tight hug trying to hold her as closely as I could. We heard the cell block door opening and voices echoed against the walls.

Daryl and Maggie were back from their run. Abby and I got up and she rushed ahead of me to see if they brought formula that Hershel instructed.

The baby's cries lessened and I entered the room. I wasn't, however, prepared for the sight in front of me. A tired looking Daryl was cradling the baby in his arms with a bottle in his hand.

"She got a name yet?" Daryl asked.

"Not yet. I was thinking maybe Sophia, then there's Carol too, and uh Andrea, Amy, Patricia or Lori. I don't know." Carl mumbled.

My eyes softened at the poor kid's choice in names. It's sad that he thinks he has to call his baby sister after people who have died.

Unfortunately, in this world that's a long list. One that I don't recommend using. This baby is something new, not old.

"You like that, huh? Little Ass Kicker? Right? That's a good name, right? Little Ass Kicker?" Daryl asked.

An involuntary laugh escaped my mouth. I wasn't the only one as others let themselves relax a little and laugh as well. Out of all the names, this one suits her the most so far.

My breath hitched when Daryl glanced at me. A small smile was playing on his lips. Something that you couldn't see every day. As he looked away, a frown settled itself onto my face.

He wanted me to be in a serious relationship with him. Yet how could I? I wouldn't be able to give him what he wants, what he needs. Marriage, kids, they're not in the cards for me. I'm not the kind of girl you take out on a nice date and have her meet your family.

I'm damaged in a way that Daryl can relate to, but can't understand the depth of the problem. He knows how to handle his demons while I let mine take over. I wish we could make it work, but all I would do is screw it up and I don't want that.

I want him to wake up next to me in the morning, yet I'm afraid that if I don't leave first then he will. That's not a feeling I wish to experience.