CHAPTER 9.

Myles stood on the porch, patiently waiting for the group to return. A small part of him whispered into his ear, that inviting this group in with open arms was a: terrible idea. If something happened to his sister, he would go rogue on the one responsible. He grew protective over his baby sister, after all the memories they shared, along with the bad ones. The ones that drove Echo to join the Military.

And on the other hand, Hannah was quiet today. She merely avoided him every chance she had, whether it was talking with Lori or anyone else that stayed behind. A deep sigh escaped his lips, trying to make the best of it, while paranoia crawled over his shoulder.

Myles raked his fingers through his hair, anxiously trying to strategize the best option, on how to handle how he felt about inviting and allowing her to tag along with total strangers.

But first thing was first, he needed to ask Hannah what was going on. Along with under covering what was bothering her. He turned away from focusing on the same field he stared at for an hour, while lost in his thoughts.

He didn't know how to approach the situation. Whether he should let her tell him or if he should ask and support her, for whatever she was going through. Myles returned to the kitchen where Hannah and Lori prepared supper for the group. Laughter echoed in the kitchen, Myles couldn't help, but smile. 

For weeks he hasn't seen her this happy. But maybe this is what she needed, was a friend that could relate to her. Though he couldn't put the pieces together. Why did she want to hide something that bothered her, away from him?

Myles came up next to Hannah and pecked her on the cheek, interrupting Lori and Hannah's conversation.

Myles swallowed thickly before he spoke, "Hey, um...can we talk?"

Hannah exchanged a look with Lori. 

"I'm going to go check on Carl. I'll leave you two be." Lori smoothly gave the floor to the two.

Hannah stared with an expressionless stare. 

Myles leaned against the kitchen table before speaking, "What's been going on? You can tell me."

"She told you didn't she?" Hannah mumbled.

Myles furrowed his brows, who was she referring to? Myles stayed silent and allowed Hannah to rant, for however long it would take for her to feel better.

"Who?" Myles questioned firmly with Hannah.

"Don't play stupid, I am referring to Echo. She told you that-"

"Echo hasn't told me anything, please calm down." Myles wrapped his arms around Hannah. She buried her head in his shoulder. Soft sobs came from her and slowly started to die down when he caressed her back.

"Please tell me what's going on," Myles whispered. He kissed her on the head before she untangled herself away from Myles.

Hannah wiped away her tears with her sleeve. She kept minimum eye contact with him. Afraid of telling him the truth. Myles kept a clueless expression, hoping that she would open up to whatever bothered her.

"You promise me you won't get mad?" she conditioned.

"I promise." Myles agreed, taking her hands away from her face, gently.

Her lip trembled and more tears threatened to escape. 

She took a deep breath before telling him, "I'm...pregnant."

Myles froze, his mind went blank. Whether this was real or not, he hoped that they wouldn't for now on, keep secrets away from each other.

Myles brightly smiled and laughed.

"You're serious? Holy shit! I didn't think I would go through this again. Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would've been able to shower you in kisses." Myles chuckled with pure happiness going through him.

Hannah sighed in relief and smiled. Myles knelt to her stomach and started to speak, "Try not to kick mom's ass, until you're in the real world, little man."

Hannah chuckled, "And if it's a she?"

"She'll be as beautiful as her mother." Myles flattered Hannah. Myles returned to his feet. Hannah rubbed the back of her neck and looked down, flattery barely worked on her. But this time she allowed it.

"When did you find this out?" Myles wondered.

"This morning, I was debating to tell you sooner," Hannah admitted, leading her attention to the window.

"Well that was a poor decision, I would have been able to congratulate you sooner. And have you told Breanne that she's going to be getting a younger brother or sister yet?" Myles interrogated her. He wanted to know what other information added up to her concealing this from him.

"Not yet, I've asked Echo to keep it a secret, until I was ready," Hannah answered, coming clean about what happened.

Myles froze in his thoughts. Echo always told him everything, he wasn't sure whether this was okay or not. Keeping secrets from one another seemed to have split Myles in two. Mentally he kept this to himself. He wasn't sure if he lost respect for Echo, for keeping that away from him. He chose to take this up with Echo later that evening.

"Promise me, we won't keep secrets from each other." Myles pleaded.

"Alright, alright. But please don't be mad at her." Hannah noticed Myles bit his lip, debating whether he should do it or not. The decision was up to him and Hannah wanted to make sure he doesn't regret his decision.

Myles stayed quiet and that worried Hannah. Whenever Myles would give her the cold shoulder it meant he was debating what he should do and how to fix things.

"She's been through a lot and done more than we could ever ask for, Myles." Hannah placed a hand on his cheek, trying to get him to speak. But sometimes the silence agitated her.

"I know and I regret all of it. If I could, I'd take it all back, by taking her out of there when I had the chance. I had so many opportunities to." Myles started to beat himself up, remembering their childhood.

"I can't stay mad at her." Myles sighed.

"Let's make some new changes from now on, but start slow," Hannah mumbled.

*******

The group returned through the driveway and parked near the house in case for whatever reason they would have to get out quickly. Echo waited until Daryl stopped his motorbike, before untangling her arms from his torso. She stepped off, choosing to stay silent. 

Suddenly, there was a blood-curdling scream, that came from the distance. A pit formed in Echo's stomach, she knew exactly who that came from.

Her niece.

Her heart's rhythm picked up and she started to run towards the cry was made. Her legs shook like jello, she couldn't even feel the ground beneath her.

"Breanne!" she yelled in worry. She took out her machete and passed the large tree in the front of the house. Maggie and Daryl followed her, unable to catch up to her. She went full force into the forest.

Loud blasts were heard, it made her blood boil. Raw anger consumed her, nothing could out beat what she felt. If it was a walker that bit Breanne or if it was someone that wanted to harm her. She saw Carl, the young boy that insisted on going with Rick on the run, defending Breanne and himself against three walkers. One of them collapsed onto the ground with a bullet in its head, while the other two limped and reached out for the two children. 

Breanne and Carl started to make some space between them and the walkers. 

"Hey, shit head!" she called out while running over to the walker.

*click.*

Carl was out of bullets, Echo took one of the walkers out, the one closest to Carl.

She felt the second one grab onto her shoulder. Without enough time for her to spin around, Daryl shot an arrow into the second walker's head. Taking the risk of shooting her. She pushed the walker away from herself. Exchanging a nod as a 'thank you to Daryl.

"Are you okay?" Echo questioned the two.

The two nodded as a response.

"What are y'all doing out here in the woods?!" Daryl questioned, almost expressing the same heart attack feeling as Echo had.

"I had it under control," Carl mumbled.

"You were out of bullets, why didn't you run?" Maggie questioned Breanne and Carl.

"That's not important, what's important is that you two are safe. What you two did was foolish, not telling anyone you were going out here alone." Echo commented, she gently took the gun from Carl.

"It wasn't foolish, we heard a scream, that sounded like a woman's. We took off running and then ran into them." Carl snapped.

Echo sighed deeply, "It could have been a fox." she answered him.

"And if it wasn't?" Carl tested Echo's knowledge.

Echo took her focus away from Carl and looked around her, doing a usual three-sixty, a habit she picked up on, ever since she fought the dead in the city.

"We cannot do anything about it, since it's soon going to be dark," Maggie answered Carl.

Carl sighed deeply, "Please don't tell dad or mom." he begged.

"I don't know. I wish I could keep this away from them, but they're your parents, they deserve to know what happened." Echo replied to Carl. Carl kept minimum eye contact with her. 

"Echo, it isn't his fault. I went as well. Please give us a chance." Breanne jumped into the conversation, making the situation even worse for Echo.

"Come on, guys, please don't do this to me." Echo whined. She shook her head and let out a deep sigh.

"Let's get back before your parents suspect the worse." Maggie covered for Echo. Carl scowled and left Echo with an uneasy feeling. Breanne frowned and followed Carl. 

Daryl tugged the strap of his crossbow, over his shoulder, and didn't waste a second returning to the house.

Echo chewed her lip and felt her stomach twist into a knot. She couldn't understand why she felt the way she did. Whether it was barking orders or if it was feeling like she didn't belong with them. She felt almost insecure, deep inside. Something that she kept as a token of her past, that she never managed to shake.

Her lips curled into a small smile, and that feeling of insecurity, slowly, started to disappear. Echo wasn't ashamed that she had to deal with unexpected danger. That was a part of her job and she was proud that she stopped something that could have ended tragically. And she saved them, with the help of Maggie and Daryl.

That evening, Daryl was nowhere to be seen. Maggie stepped up and chose to do the right thing by telling Myles and Hannah first what happened. Along the way with letting Lori know what happened. Lori out of the two couples was raw in fury.

Hannah was showered in relief when she heard; that the two were alright. Safe and sound, though it kept Lori on the edge.  Echo sat on the front step of the porch. Silently, watching from her peripheral vision. She kept an eye on Breanne and Carl. They sat in the front yard, beneath the massive tree that shaded them, with its arms.

Breanne sat next to Carl, with her arms rested on her knees. They talked amongst each other, most likely bored out of their minds. But she knew a decent conversation could last hours, to pass the time.

An idea came into her mind. She hurried off, running towards the barn that stood close by near the house. She halted in her tracks and listened closely to something that caught her attention. She crouched down near the barn doors, on the right side, and looked around the corner. Her breaths steady, her gaze traced upon two walkers, awfully close to the house.

They stood there and limped around towards the shed that smoked. Cries of hunger came from the Walker's throats, the louder they were, the more they searched for something to feast upon.

How was it that they managed to end up on the grounds of the farm? Did a small amount of the dead leave Atlanta? Or worse, the Military base. It caused more of a concern to her. Where were they coming from? She quietly pushed those to the back of her mind.

Echo picked up a rock, the size of her palm. She drew her arm back and tossed it towards the bush. The sound of the rock hitting the bush made a rustling sound. The sound drew the walkers towards the bushes. 

It gave Echo the opportunity to take out both, while their attention focused on the sound.

Gravel crunched beneath her boots as she got closer. The closer she got the smell of rotten flesh began to get stronger. It was disgusting how she could almost taste it. She took out the Machete from its sheath and struck one at the back of its head. The second walker reached out for her and attempted to take a bite out of her.

"No, you don't." She commented to the female walker, that was oddly missing an arm.

The sole of her boot roughly, collided against the walker's chest. Its back met the armour of the tree. She grabbed the female walker, by its shoulder, and finished it off. A dark shade of blood decorated her arms in fine, small, dots.

"Damn, man. You finished them off just fine." T-dog complimented. Making himself known that he quietly stood off in the back and watched.

Echo's head snapped behind her searching where the voice came from. She approached the African American man.

She looked back at the corpses near the bush, then back at T-dog.

Echo placed her hands on her sides, "How long were you standing there?" confusion filled her voice.

"Just got here. I came out here after the arguments." T-dog admitted. A small smile curled onto his face.

"I don't blame you, I cannot handle arguments the best. I have terrible self-control." Echo related to T-dog's situation.

"So, I heard you took care of the walker situation with Carl and your little girl-"

Echo chuckled and held up her hands even with the blade, "She isn't mine, I'm her aunt. Though, I look out for her like she's my own." Echo admitted.

"Sorry, you two look almost...similar." T-dog comments. Echo looked up towards the sky seeing that it was close to Night time. The sun was near the horizon. The sky at that moment was like a canvas for an artist. Pinks and golds mixed. Along with a dark shade of purple at the bottom of the horizon, behind the trees.

"Ya, she's got more of her mother's looks."

"It's nice for Carl to have a kid his age around. It's been difficult for him since Sofia was found on Hershel's farm." T-dog implied. He said it almost as if it was a blessing to Carl.

"I am sorry to hear that," Echo muttered.

"Ya, it was hard for Carol to know that after how much hope she held onto. Daryl kept looking for her after she went missing, but somehow ended up in ol' man Hershel's barn." T-dog replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh shit, I forgot to finish that tire swing for Carl and Breanne," Echo mumbled. 

"Need a hand?" T-dog offered.

"Sure, why not?" Echo agreed. T-dog followed Echo to the barn.

"Shit, it's dark in here," T-dog mumbled. T-dog flicked his lighter and could only see things that were dimly in sight. His eyes traced the oil lamp that hung next to the workbench. 

He took the oil lamp and held it, enough for both to see.

"Alright, you look for a spare tire. I'll try to find strong enough rope." Echo instructed T-dog.

T-dog passed Echo the lighter and started to sweep through the barn. Echo cautiously looked around, trying not to miss it. But it was almost laughable; how easy it would be to miss a bundle of rope while searching a dark barn.

It was much more simple than finding a needle in a haystack.

Echo checked the animal stalls, one by one. She managed to get down to the final stall. She noticed something wrapped around a hook, outside of the stall.

"Hey! I found pretty decent rope." Echo announced. She placed the lighter in her pocket and gripped it onto the rope, seeing if it was strong enough to not lead to an injury.

"Is it as good as polypropylene rope?" T-dog questioned off from the distance.

"I'd say so." Echo replied.

"Good, 'cause I found the tire and we'll probably need that machete of yours to drill small holes for the rope," T-dog suggested. He carried the tire over his shoulder, almost as if it seemed like a handbag.

"Race ya." Echo took off, getting a head start.

"Oh come on, I'm carrying 20-30 pounds more on my arm than you!" T-dog yelled. He placed the oil lamp on the door.

Echo started to take not that her lungs started to burn, and she slowed down when she got to the tree where Carl and Breanne sat.

"Hey." Carl greeted her, making the moment less awkward.

"Oh, Hi." Echo replied awkwardly. Carl propped himself up from sitting down and saw T-dog running over.

T-dog dropped the tire and took a second to catch his breath.

He held his pointer finger and held his rib cage, "And she cheated."

"No, no, no, I won that one." Echo said almost childishly with pride. A gentle laugh came from Breanne.

"What are you two fighting over?" Carl questioned. The young man crossed his arms and stared at T-dog and Echo.

"Not important, but we both have a surprise." Echo chuckled.

T-dog shook his head relentlessly, "No, this is all on you, man. Your idea."

Echo barely took ten minutes to get the tire swing together. She tied the final not as if her life depended on it. She gripped the rope and tugged on it as hard as she could, seeing if it would break or not.

"Take a test on it," Breanne told Carl.

"No, you can go first." Carl humbly said. Echo smiled seeing how the two were getting along so well.

"What a gentleman." Echo commented.

Breanne took a seat on the flat tire swing. Echo grabbed onto the two pieces of rope and pulled the swing back, ran forward, and gave the swing a light push.

Hannah stood off in the distance on the porch and watched Breanne, Carl, and Echo. She smiled sweetly. It was hard to believe that Echo was good with children, though she would think it would be horrifying to have a kid during times like this. 

She stopped that moment and thought about Hannah. She doubted that the Hospitals around here in a nearby town were running normally, but were merely abandoned. And it made her open her eyes that when Hannah would give birth, it would have to be a natural form of birth for her to survive.

"Y'know, your father and I use to have one of these on the front lawn?"

"Really? How come we didn't have it on the front. I mean, when Dad re-decorated the home. I remember it was such a mess in the beginning." Breanne recalled. Echo licked her chapped lips and recalled the moment her uncle took down the swing out of spite. Thinking about moments of the past were cries of the past. Seeking for her to relive the moment. She shook her head, reddening the nauseous feeling that enveloped the pit of her stomach.

She kept that a secret from Breanne, choosing to tell her the story of her and her brother when she was old enough to hear.

Hannah cupped her hands over her mouth and hollered over to them, "Dinner time!"

A/note: Author here! Hi everyone! I hope you've been enjoying Renegade so far! Sorry for the long wait. And thanks for being so patient and giving this story a chance. I love TWD and this is one of the best stories I've written. A lot more is going to happen in the next chapter, but I cannot spoil that until the next update. Feel free to leave a vote and comment on what you're enjoying so far. See y'all soon for the next update!