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Emmalyn blinked her eyes open, slowly adjusting to the brightness as her head throbbed leaving her confused as she tried to process what had happened. She pushed herself up to lean against the wall of the van, the others watching her cautiously as she looked around noticing the missing face in the crowd of people; her mind putting the pieces together as her head snapped to look at Morales, the man lowered his head in guilt from her harsh glare. Emmalyn climbed into the empty front seat and rested her head against the window; What the hell was she going to tell Daryl? How could she have left Merle behind?

Emmalyn could feel Rick's occasional glances as she pointed out the way back to the Quarry, she caught his gaze and he raised a brow making her shake her head in confusion. "I haven't heard you speak at all..." Rick questioned making Emmalyn shrug as Morales spoke up, "She doesn't talk, she hasn't spoken a word to anyone since she arrived and she's been around for two months. Only Merle has ever heard her speak..." Emmalyn sent a nod towards Morales though he knew she needed time to actually forgive him. "Well, thanks for the help and... I'm sorry about Merle," Rick told Emmalyn, he felt terrible but the woman sent him a grateful smile.

When they pulled up to the campsite, Emmalyn made her way over avoiding the others before spotting Carl and Lori talking to each other as everyone reunited around her; Morales hugged his wife and kids, Andrea and Amy embraced each other while T-Dog and Jacqui were greeted by Dale and Jim. Emmalyn spotted the car that Glenn drove sitting in front of the RV with its hood up, she guessed that someone had disabled the alarm that way. Emmalyn walked over to Lori and Carl before she crouched down allowing Carl to run into her arms.

Emmalyn held Carl tight as he whispered, "I miss my dad. I wish he was here." She ran her fingers through his hair and pulled away enough to look him in the eyes but as she went to speak for the first time in hopes to reassure the boy, his gaze focused behind her causing his eyes to widen. Emmalyn turned her head to see Rick slowly walking towards the group, he looked around before his gaze focused on the little boy staring up at him. "DAD!?" Carl screamed as he ran passed Emmalyn and practically leaped into Rick's hands, Emmalyn stood up and smiled warmly at the sight as Lori was pulled into the embrace. "Would you look at that," Dale commented with a smile on his face.

"A small world after all," Dale added as Glenn joined the two. However, Emmalyn's curious gaze turned to Shane who was tense at the sight before him, his eyes going from Rick to Lori like he was watching his world fall apart. She wasn't stupid, she knew that Shane and Lori had been hooking up and that Shane had stepped up to be a father to Carl; which was okay under the belief that Rick hadn't survived without the machines keeping him alive. But the cracks were forming under pressure with this new revelation that ruined the picture perfect life that Shane had been living in. And everything in her warned her that Shane's sanity would only last for so long.

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Emmalyn was sat on the right side of Lori as they all sat around the fire as a group, Rick was telling everyone about how he woke up from his coma, how disoriented he felt and how a guy named Morgan had helped him understand what was going on. Morgan taught Rick what to do and then sent him on his way to Atlanta which happened to be at the same time the group was there; "Lucky for me," Rick claimed hugging his wife to his side. Emmalyn smiled at Carl who was beaming about his father's return from the dead completely alive. It was clear that the boy had been heartbroken over the loss of his father but now he had him back and that's all that mattered.

Carl turned to Rick with a frown on his face, "Mom said you were dead." Rick smiled sympathetically at Carl, "And she had every right to believe that." Emmalyn smiled at the two before catching Lori's attention who asked, "Honey, you okay?" Emmalyn smiled at her before nodding in Rick's direction and then mouthing, "I'm happy he's alive." Lori grabbed Emmalyn's hand in her own and squeezed it grateful for all that Emmalyn had done and for taking the chance with Glenn to save him otherwise he would have died in that city and he wouldn't have been there with them in this very moment.

Emmalyn yawned and felt her eyes getting droopy which Lori was quick to notice, she smiled sweetly at her before speaking, "Why don't you go get some sleep, Honey?" Emmalyn nodded at her and gave her shoulder a squeeze before hugging Carl and nodding to everyone. She made her way over to the tent she shared with the Dixons and opened the flap, closing it before changing into sweatpants and a baggy shirt that originally belonged to Daryl. She crawled into her sleeping bag and let out another yawn before closing her eyes to fall asleep.

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Emmalyn felt someone lay on top of her while giggling, "Emma! Wake up!" She opened her eyes to see Carl looking down qt her with an adorable smile that always managed to brighten her day. "My dad wants to talk to you and Carol has breakfast ready," Carl said as he brushed his fingers through her long hair the way she usually does to his to calm him down. She laughed before sitting up and pulling him into a hug as he whispered to her, "Thank you for bringing my dad back to me." She smiled and kissed the side of his head, playfully shoving him to the ground sprouting a laugh from his lips.

He climbed out so Emmapyn could get changed, slipping on some jeans with a grey tank top. She put on her old combat boots and pulled on her green camo jacket before brushing her hair into a ponytail to keep it out of her face. She was beginning to miss Merle being around, he would've woken her up to ensure she ate and it made her feel horrible for leaving him behind; even if she had no control over it. Emmalyn put her weapons into place as she fought the urge to cry, knowing that Merle would be okay; he'd have to be okay. Ain't no one killin' Merle 'cept Merle.

Emmalyn made her way towards Rick waving or smiling at people as she walked by them. "Good morning, Emma," Rick spoke making her smile as she followed him to the cars, he stood up straight as she leaned against Glenn's ex ride. "I want to thank you, Emma, for being there for Lori and Carl. They've both told me about everything you've done for them, you even risked yourself saving Carl and I'll never truly be able to express my thanks." Emmalyn smiled at him and shrugged as if to say it was nothing. Because she'd happily risk her life to save Carl or Sophia, as long as they were safe, that was what mattered.

He smiled back before asking, "So why is it that you never talk--" He was cut off by a scream in the woods, Emmalyn instantly ran towards it to find Sophia and Carl freaking out. She pulled them behind her and saw the Geek hovering over a deer, she pulled out her knife and approached it quickly while staying light on her feet to prevent it from turning to her before shoving the blade into its head. She pulled her knife out and noticed everyone watching her with awe and interest when rustling caught their attention. Everyone immediately got defensive ready for whatever it may be only for Daryl Dixon himself to walk out and look at them.

His eyes locked with Emmalyn's first for a few moments before locking towards the dead deer, "Son of a bitch!" He made his way over to stand near Emmalyn, "That's my deer! I've been hunting that for miles." He stepped closer to the dead Geek, "Look at it all gnawed in by this... filthy, disease-bearing, motherless poxy bastard!" He kicked the geek a couple of times. He turned to the deer, "What do you think? We cut around the bite here." He looked up at Emmalyn and she shook her head as Shane spoke up, "I wouldn't risk it."

Daryl shook his head before standing up and looking at Emmalyn, he noticed the look in her eyes and become confused when she turned away from him, heading back to the campsite. "Emma!" Daryl called out as he jogged after her, Glenn turned to Rick with a worried look. "That was Daryl, Rick," Glenn told him, Rick tensed up realising why Emmalyn had acted that way. "Em!" Daryl called before catching up to her and grabbing her arm gently, "What's wrong? Where's Merle?" Emmalyn frowned as she turned to him, her sorrowful look caused Daryl to step back from her and think the worst about his brother.

Daryl moved passed her and began calling for his older brother but he got no response and with every unanswered call, he felt worse and worse. The others had wandered out of the trees and found themselves standing around to watch the scene that was playing out. "Daryl, just slow down a bit. I need to talk to you," Shane called out stopping Daryl in his steps, Emmalyn had moved to stand with Dale and T-Dog by the RV. Daryl turned to Shane, "About what?" Daryl's tone was calm and Emmalyn knew it wasn't about to be. "About Merle," Shane stated, "There was a - problem in Atlanta."

It was clear that Daryl was standing on an edge in that very moment, he stammered around a little bit looking at the ground before turning his attention to Shane. "He dead?" Daryl asked, his tone hinting that he wasn't sure he wanted the answer. "We're not sure," Shane stated calmly but Daryl just tensed up, "He either is er he ain't." Daryl spat before looking at Emmalyn which caused her to look down in guilt, he didn't like that she was avoiding his gaze; he needed her reassurance but for right now, he'd had to deal with the answers from the men before him, he'd talk to Emmalyn after.

Rick's voice made Emmalyn look back up, "No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it." He had approached Shane and Daryl, the latter turning his head to Rick in confusion. "Who are you?" Daryl sneered while Rick simply took a step closer, "Rick Grimes." Daryl looked down then back up at him, "Rick Grimes, you got somethin' ye wanna tell me." Emmalyn stood up straight ready to move if she needed to having seen many of Daryl's fights that started with simple words than escalated into more but Rick remained calm, his professional experience was shown in the way he handled this situation with care.

Rick was silent for a moment before speaking, "Your brother was a danger to us all so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there." Daryl stumbled back slightly before turning to Emmalyn with a raised brow, she nodded in her head before looking down in shame for not preventing it. Rick, however, didn't want Emmalyn to pay for something ahe didn't do so he spoke up, "Emma tried going back for your brother but she was knocked out and brought back, don't take it out on her." Daryl's eyes softened as he kept his eyes on her before anger overcame them. He walked towards her, "Who knocked you out?" She refused to answer knowing Daryl would repay that favour.

"Hold on, let me process this - you're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?!" Daryl yelled at them which caused Emmalyn to flinch back, not because of Daryl but because she had never been good with yelling in general. Rick nodded as Daryl paced slowly then grunted as he threw the rope of squirrels at him. Rick dodged the flying squirrels just in time as Shane tackled Daryl to the ground. T-Dog moved from where he was standing, dropping the pile of logs in his hands to the ground. Daryl pulled out his knife as he rolled around and pushed himself off the ground.

Emmalyn went to step forward when Dale grabbed her arm shaking his head, "Let them handle it." She hesitantly stepped back as Daryl charged Rick swinging the knife at him. Rick grabbed Daryl's arm as Shane came up behind him and grabbed him into a chokehold. Emmalyn hated watching this and she just wanted to help Daryl because she felt completely at fault; she let them cuff Merle, one of her best friends. She couldn't watch anymore, she made her way passed everyone straight towards her tent with her head lowered; despite his anger, Daryl's eyes spotted her instantly. Hidden from the others, Emmalyn crawled into her bed cot and curled into a ball staring blankly at the tent wall.

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Rosemary Speaks

Some changes, some things stayed the same.
Either way, I am actually loving this!

Thoughts, questions or suggestions?

See you in the next chapter!