𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐈𝐗 || 𝘙𝘌𝘜𝘕𝘐𝘖𝘕
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[ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ, ɪ'ᴅ ꜱɪᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ʜᴏᴜʀꜱ
ꜱᴛᴀʀɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴏᴘᴇɴ ꜰʟᴀᴍᴇ
ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴ ɪᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ
ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴀʀᴇʟʏ ᴛᴇᴀʀ ᴍʏ ᴇʏᴇꜱ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ]

   THE BLARING SUN shined down on the roof of the white pickup truck as it drove down the empty roads of Georgia. No destination in mind, just mindlessly travelling to wherever it took the pair inside the vehicle. With the booming music from Emily's mixtape that she found and Roland's smiling, everything seemed quite alright for them despite not having any plans or way to figure out where they were.

All the signs that they had passed were either rusted over or fallen off. So, any sense of direction or place was all forgotten for them. They only cared about surviving and keeping one another safe. It'd been like that for the past three months of just wandering. Sometimes stopping, siphoning gas, looting houses or stores. It'd been an average time where they bonded and forgot everything that happened back at the steel mill. Well, for Roland at least.

There was the occasional thought for Emily wondering what happened back there, but it never plagued her mind. With her secret of immunity out of the bag for Roland, they had nothing to hide from one another. Roland had come forward about what he was searching for and what happened, she told him about how her parents truly died. They had no reason to lie to one another, except Roland had a lie as big as an elephant that he would take to the grave.

It wasn't like he wanted to keep it from her forever, but Roland didn't want to hurt her in any way. Perhaps he was fucking himself over for the inevitable, but as long as he got to spend as much time with her then he was fine with that. He'd learned to be patient with someone like Emily, so he was willing to wait if their relationship did become strained. But this was just based on 'if's'. There could be a chance things stayed the way Roland wanted them to, but most things don't go his way. So, he wanted to keep things this way as long as he could. Even if it ended bitterly, all he could do was pray and hope things didn't turn out the way he was thinking it would.

"That kinda music just soothes the soul!" Emily yelled, completely off-key of the song that made Roland laugh. "I reminisce about the days of old!" Roland sighed lightly as he shook his head, but still holding a smile on his lips.

"Alright, that's enough." He sighed, turning the volume down. Emily whined in disappointment. "Oh, come on. It was getting good." She complained as Roland glanced at her. "And it was the fifth time of hearing it today. And don't you get tired of hearing something on repeat?" He replied as Emily rolled her eyes as she shuffled in her seat. "Not when it has a groove like that." She smiled, moving her body as if she was dancing to the rhythm of the song. Roland chuckled as he scratched his bearded chin.

"How long have we been travelling for today?" She asked, turning her head lazily to look at the man. Pursing his lips, Roland said, "3 hours, maybe. Hard to tell honestly." He sighed as Emily huffed in slight annoyance. Bring her knees close to her chest as played with a bullet between the pads of her fingers.

"Do you think we'll find them?" She asked and Roland nodded within a second. "There's no way they are gone. If they were attempting to travel through winter with vehicles or something then they didn't get far." He told the blonde who nodded with pursed lips as she stared out the front window.

"They would've had to do what you had to do, right? Travel on foot?" Roland gave a nod in response. "Less attention is drawn to you from walkers or survivors."

"The best way to survive unless you can't stand it anymore." He explained as Emily hummed. "I could tell you were on the brink of insanity when I first saw you." She quipped, earning a soft chuckle from the man beside her.

Still, there had been no sign of Rick or the others since the farm. There were many possibilities running through Roland's head of where they went. Or what happened to them. But he had more faith in his friends and family to stay alive. They were survivors and knew what they were doing. Being smart and protective to the ones closest to you was what Roland knew his dad would be. So, him keeping them safe on their toes was something Roland was expecting from them.

Emily glanced into the back seat where all the food, clothes, and weapons were. Her eyes found the crossbow before she looked at Roland. "Hey, do you think we'll be able to hunt soon?" She asked as Roland glanced at her. "We did that all yesterday, and you ate all the food. So, no." He chuckled as the blonde pouted. "It's not my fault you were too busy watching the perimeter." Roland sighed as he let his thumb brush against the leather of the steering wheel.

"Well, you'll be thankful that I did it, 'cause you will be doing the same thing when you're older. I'll even teach you how to make tripwires that could be used as an alarm." He told her as her eyes brightened in curiosity. "Really?" He nodded looking at her as she smiled widely.

Looking back at the road, Roland slammed on the breaks. Emily stopped herself from going into the dash by her hands planting themselves on it. A sharp exhale slipped out as she stared wide-eyed.

"What the fuck?" She cursed, looking at Roland to see the man's eyes widened in shock. Almost as if he was seeing a ghost or something out of this world. It was a look that Emily never had seen belonging to Roland and never thought she would.

So, following his eyes she saw down the road, a green SUV, a red and white truck, and another truck but grey. In the distance, people could be seen either talking or looking around. She couldn't make out their faces, but she could see by the way they moved that they weren't walkers. But who were they?

She couldn't ask that question since Roland already swung over the driver's side door and opened the back door. "Roland, what's going on?" No answer was given as he grabbed the M4 and shut the door before storming down the road. Emily had no choice to follow as she hopped out and jogged after the man with her pistol tight in her embrace.

The clicking of their shoes was all that could be heard besides the whispers of the people in the distance. Getting closer, those whispers turned into conversations and words that Roland was able to briefly make out. But his M4 was so tight in his grip, the thought of them being walkers and his mind playing tricks on him was a complete possibility. He never thought he could or would ever go insane, but this quest of finding Beth and his family was taking a toll on him.

With hesitance, Roland slowed down his pace and wrapped the strap from the gun around his forearm. "Hello?" He called out loudly as Emily looked at him incredulously. "What the hell are you doing? We don't even know if it's them, Ro." He ignored her as the people turned to him with frowns, guns raised towards him in cautiousness.

"Hey, uh, Roland Grimes." He said, unsure if his grizzly beard held his identity unknown. His body has gotten bigger, muscle wise and his ragged features have changed over the months.

But his fast running mind came to a slow as his eyes found the sight of a boy. Wearing a sheriff's hat that was undeniably recognizable. "Carl?" He muttered as he let the M4 fall from his left hand to carry lazily in his right. Taking cautious steps forward, Roland's eyes flickered to the other people to make them out easily. Glenn, Hershel, Maggie, Lori, Carl, Carol, and T-Dog. But three were missing and there was another boy there that Roland couldn't recognize.

"Roland," Carl called out with a smile as his older smiled widely. "Yeah, I'm here bud." He reassured as he quickly started jogging and running towards his little brother.

Hearing the name of her eldest son, Lori was soon running in the same direction as Carl. Roland's grasp on his gun had loosened and it fell from his grasp. Soon meeting up in the middle, the trio embraced each other. Her eyes widened in shock as her face was stuffed into Roland's shoulder with her hands caressing both her son's backs.

"What the fuck?" Roland muttered quietly as he was in complete shock at what was happening. The pair shared the same shock as they held the man tightly. "We thought you were dead," Lori confessed shakily as Roland closed his eyes. "I didn't know what to believe." He confessed with a shake of his head. "Didn't know if you guys travelled far away from here or were doing circles." Lori smiled as she cupped her son's face. "We made a decision to wait. Well, until summer came in full swing before we left." She explained before pressing a kiss to Roland's forehead.

The moment was cut off by Roland's eyes finding the sight of a blonde blur. His arms fell from Carl and his mother as he moved around them cautiously. Beth stood there almost as if a blizzard passed over and froze her in one stance and spot. A look of utter shock and disbelief of the man stood, alive and here with her.

It felt like everyone around them faded to dust and they were the only people left. His heart thundered against his chest as he tried to figure out if he was dreaming or not. She still held the same beauty as when he first saw her. Innocence is swimming in her eyes, yet, her ability to survive in this world is a brand new look. A look that he wasn't even complaining about as it fit her so nicely. A shaky exhale left his lips as his eyes burned with tears. "Beth?"

Beth didn't say a word, only let out a quiet sob as she quickly walked to the man. Barely giving him time to relinquish his confusion with her cupping his cheeks and pressed her lips against his. It took Roland off guard, but he quickly kissed back feverishly as he placed his hands on her hips. Pulling her closer as he was scared this was just a whole nightmare playing and not reality.

For so long, he'd been needing this feeling and affection. The feeling of euphoria and relief as it'd been so long since he had seen his girl and truthfully, he didn't know if he'd ever see her again. Thankfully, his wishes had come true and he was now holding the girl that had taken his world by storm. Her love, care, kindness, it was all he had needed for so long. A part of him belonged to her and he had been so unsure if he'd ever obtained it once again.

Now that he had Beth here with him finally, he made a promise to himself. He was never going to let her be pulled from him again. Because sure, his family played a role in why he kept searching, but it was always Beth who'd been the main motivation and push for him. Everything about her was why he had even continued to survive and search. If didn't have her, he might've been dead a long time ago.

Breaking the kiss, Roland rested his forehead against her's. "I found you." He smiled as the girl chuckled, sniffling quietly as rested her head on his chest. "I thought you were dead." She muttered as Roland closed his eyes. Resting his face in her hair that may be greasy, but still had the hint smell of vanilla. "I never stopped looking for you." He admitted with a tiny kiss to the crown of her head.

Pulling away, Roland looked at everyone and smiled, his eyes lingering on the boy who seemed very confused and out of place from this reunion. "I'm happy you guys are still kicking." He quipped as a few of them chuckled in amusement. Looking behind him, he motioned Emily forward as she glanced at each member with hesitance before walking towards the man.

Standing at his side, she washed away the slight fear of eyes being on her and put on the same facade she did when she met Roland. "This is Emily." He announced as Beth was the first to speak to the girl. "Hi, my name's Beth." She introduced and Emily smiled. "I know, Roland could not stop talking about you. He's head over heels for you." Beth glanced at Roland who scratched his beard, purposely avoiding eye contact from slight embarrassment.

While the others were talking to the girl, Roland's attention had shifted to the sound of footsteps. Turning around to smile instantly at the sight of Daryl Dixon and Rick Grimes. Shock and relief washed over Rick's expression as he shifted his weight from his left leg to his side. Running a hand through his hair as he frowned at the sight of his son.

Taking a step back momentarily as he scanned Roland from head to toe. Seeing everything the same, but the only difference was that his eyes had changed. They were much darker and barely any humanity left in those orbs that Rick had gotten to know so well.

"Don't leave me hangin', dad." Roland joked, walking towards his father who embraced him tightly. A chuckle passed Roland's lips as he patted his father's back with a smile. Pulling away, Rick rested his hand on his son's shoulder and shared a nod. A single nod of understanding that they both could decipher easily.

But the reunion would only last so long before they had bigger problems presented to them. And Roland knew that it was a matter of time before chaos broke out.