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It was hot. One hundred degrees exactly, but none of them knew that. It felt like two hundred degrees to them. Each one were dripping with sweat. Their clothes were stuck to their skin. At least the most of them were still there, though. Even if they were miserable. Side by side, they walked together, occasionally some of them would lag behind. From left to right, it was Rick, Michonne, Carl, Judith, Sophia, Carol, Daryl, Merle, Laken, Glenn, Maggie, Hershel, Dale, Noah, Theo, Ophelia, Tara, Rosita, Abraham, Sasha and Eugene. This damn heat wouldn't be as unbearable if they hadn't have just lost their comfortable way of living, due to governor. Not to mention the people that were lost. They all found each other, though. For the most part, all of them did, in spite of insane circumstances. Being separated, escaping terminus (thanks to Carol saving them from the outside, and Theo on the inside posing as one of them), and even Sophia and Beth being taken by power hungry cops. At least they got Sophia back. Now, they walked side by side, quietly. It was quiet except for the panting from the heat. Occasionally Judith would cry and they'd have to make a stop to feed her, change her, or just bounce her around to try to get her mind off of the horrible conditions that no baby should ever have to be in.
It was running around in Rick's mind, the fact that babies can die quickly in hot cars. They were almost out of formula as well. Carol knew that Judith should be eating solid foods by now, and that she's probably lacking nutrition. She told Rick about it and now he worried about Judith starving. They were all starving. A lot of them never knew that hunger could be painful. At least some of them weren't hurting in the same ways that Sasha, Maggie and Hershel were hurting. Their wounds were fresh. Three days ago, they lost Bob due to the cannibals. Two days ago, they lost Beth at the hospital. Just yesterday, they lost Tyreese. Noah felt such guilt about that. He looked up to Tyreese and he was a good friend to him. He felt that he was dead because of him.
Glenn didn't know what to say. What could he say? He lost both of his sisters in the beginning of the apocalypse. He wasn't as close to them like Maggie was close with Beth, though. He also hadn't thought of them dead, found out they're alive, only to watch Daryl carry out their dead bodies in front of him. Glenn couldn't imagine the emotional toll that took on her that day they went to the hospital. Hershel was quiet. He was following at the end of the group, slowly walking with them. He wasn't how he was after the barn incident. Back then he only had his daughters. Now, he had a family. Dale, Glenn, Rick and of course Maggie. He'd lost his stepson who he pretty much raised as his own. It hurt but losing his baby girl was on an entirely different level of pain. He was only able to keep moving because of his living daughter. He knew they had to get to safety soon and to find that, they didn't have time to stop. Even if it was to mourn.
Sasha lost her boyfriend and her brother in a time span of three days. Carol had lost her adopted daughters in the most traumatizing way. She hadn't even told Daryl what happened yet. He assumed they were eaten by walkers. Everyone assumed that. Carol was however forever grateful for the fact that she was now reunited with Daryl and Sophia. But she knew she would have trauma to face from that incident.
Everyone would occasionally glance at one another then look away when they noticed it. It was awkward to a third person point of view, but in reality, it was just plain sad.
Rick stopped in his tracks causing others to slow down behind him.
"What is it?" Michonne whispered, already reaching for her sword behind her back.
"Shh!"
The rustling in the trees made everyone turn their attention to what Rick was concerned about.
"Hello. I- I come in peace."
A curly haired man holding his hands up in surrender approached out of the woods.
"I don't have any weapons." He chuckled nervously.
"I'll be the judge of that" Rick approached him and patted him down. "What's your name?"
"Aaron?" Daryl asked from afar, way behind Rick.
"Daryl?!" Aaron smiled. "I- I can't believe it. You survived."
"I did" Daryl made his way quickly through the crowd of his friends to get to his old friend. Daryl smiled, genuinely smiled, for the first time in days at Aaron. Aaron smiled back with pure adoration in his eyes, ignoring the fact that Rick was patting him down in that moment.
"It's alright, Rick. I know him."
"We don't know anyone anymore. Anyone could've changed" Rick glared at Aaron.
"I said he's cool. Back off man" Daryl told him giving him a look that he guessed convinced Rick he was telling the truth, because he did back away.
Aaron looked between Daryl and Rick awkwardly smiling.
"I don't blame him", Aaron laughed. "There's a lot of bad people nowadays. I don't think you people are. Especially you."
Daryl laughed lowly and hugged the man.
"I'm glad you're here" Aaron smiled hugging back.
"It's good to see you" Daryl pulled back before turning to Carol who just walked over to them.
"Hey, this is Aaron. We knew each other a long time ago."
"Wow. What are the odds?" Carol smiled. "Hi, I'm Carol."
"And back there is Sophia, my daughter" Daryl pointed to Sophia who was carrying Judith and holding Carl's hat over her to shield her from the sun. "The girl, not the baby. The baby's Rick's."
"Oh" Aaron smiled. "I never knew you had a daughter" his head turned to Carol quickly.
He didn't know if he'd messed up by saying that. He thought maybe Daryl lied about having a wife and child when they knew each other.
"She looks just like you. I'm assuming you're the mother. You've got to be. Those freckles" Aaron smiled.
"I am. It's nice to meet you."
"You too" Aaron looked to everyone who was staring at him. "All of you. I am from a safe zone about ten miles from here. I would be happy to take you there."
"How can we trust you?" Rick asked. "You just showed up out of the woods."
"We can trust him" Daryl almost growled to Rick.
"You know what" Rick paused then nodded at Daryl.
"You have good judgement. If you trust him, we can too."
Aaron sighed. "Thank you. I'll lead the way." Aaron patted Daryl's shoulder before walking away. "I'm happy for you."
"Thanks man. You and Eric still-"
"We got married a few weeks ago" Aaron smiled.
"That's awesome" Daryl genuinely smiled at the man. "I'm happy for you, too."
Aaron leaned in slightly to Daryl. "Does she know?"
"No."
"I won't say anything."
With that, they all headed to what seemed like a fever dream to them after seeing all the things they've seen.
Alexandria.