The night progressed, and Dory didn't know the last time she had smiled this way. Her cheeks felt like they were going to bruise, but her heart felt full. The night was spent reminiscing, while the four teenagers hung off of every word that was spoken. The stars were out now, shining brightly as they danced in the sky, and the comforting smell of a crackling fire warmed everyone that was huddled around it. "Remember when Dory knocked Rick down cause she thought he was a walker?" Glenn asked, clutching his sides as he let out a loud laugh. Rick rolled his eyes at the reminder as Dory smiled proudly.

The man had snuck up behind her not long after they had reinforced the walls of the prison. Everyone was still on edge due to the knowledge that there was still a large portion that hadn't been cleared yet. Due to pure exhaustion Rick shuffled his feet, approaching Dory to switch watch shifts. Without thinking Dory acted on instinct, kicking her leg out into a swiping motion at what she assumed was a lingering walker. Knife in hand she hardly heard Rick let out a loud groan and pushed the girl off of him. "Are you trying to kill me?" Rick asked, shocked, making Dory lower her weapon and give him an awkward smile.

"Don't sneak up on an armed woman Grimes."

The story had made everyone crack up, as tears pooled out of Dory's eyes. The woman had to lean against Jesus for support as she clutched her brother's arm as he let a small smile rest on his face. You could fight with anyone that the only reason to keep fighting was for the survival of humanity, but Dory knew. The young woman knew as she looked around amongst the laughter and smiling faces of the people she deemed her family, that this was the reason to keep fighting. There would never be a cure, nothing would ever stop the disease that brought the dead back to life. There was never a way to escape this, but there was hope.

Hope for a future after all of this, a society that would be able to beat the odds of what they were surviving every day. There was hope even if it was a tiny sliver, and yet it was enough. Dory knew that the four teenagers that sat across from her were the future. Their bright smiles and loud laughs, that was enough to fight for. She knew that there was no way to preserve innocence anymore, just the chance to teach the younger generation how to lead, survive, and make it out alive.

Dory watched as Micheal stood from his spot between Carl and Alexis, and made his way over to her. "What's up kid?" Dory asked, leaning back in her seat as the boy leaned over her. He smelt of the smoke from the fire, his eyes lingering on the three across the fire as he spoke.

"They're going to spend the night, right?" She couldn't stop the laugh that had escaped her lips. Feeling as though a six year old was begging family members so that their cousins could spend the night after a family gathering. Dory looked towards Rick, who let out a sigh but nodded his head reluctantly. With a large smile, Micheal ran back to his friends to tell them the news.

"Where's everyone going to sleep?" Jesus asked, leaning into the woman slightly. Dory looked to the man beside her, locking onto his bright blue eyes. Although he tried his best to sound disapproving, the man didn't want the night to end either. This was the most relaxed he had felt in years.

"Isn't that the whole fun of it? Wherever they fall." Dory replied, knowing that they would figure it out when the time came. Jesus shook his head as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pressing a light kiss to the side of her head.

It wasn't until the late hours of the night, when the fire was dying down to nothing but embers that all of the adults decided to call it a night. Alexis offered her room to Glenn and Maggie and although the two refused, Alexis had won the argument. Rick, Michonne, Abraham and Sasha would stay in the RV. While Jesus had offered his trailer to Daryl for the night, the man merely mumbled something about staying with his sister.

Dory and Jesus walked the four teenagers up to the Barrington house, the four of them letting out yawns as they went. Everyone had picked their spot in the living room for the night, while the two adults went to go and find a cot and extra pillows and blankets. The windows inside the house were open, letting a cool breeze flow through the house. "Did you find it?" Dory asked quietly, as Jesus shifted some boxes in one of the hall closets.

"Yeah, here take these please." Jesus replied, handing the woman a stack of blankets he had found as well. Dory wrapped them in her arms as she watched the man drag the cot out of the closet. Setting up was easy, Carl had taken the cot in the middle of the living room, while Micheal had claimed the largest of the three couches in the living room.

"Night guys." Dory whispered, turning off the main light in the living room, allowing a small lamp in the corner to stay on. She received a course of 'goodnights' back, while Jesus placed a hand on the small of her back.

"Keep it down, or you'll have to deal with her in the morning." Jesus told them, motioning his head to the woman beside him. The four nodded their heads, and all settled into mountains of blankets. Dory rolled her eyes before leading the way out of the house, shutting the door to the large building behind them. The pair made their way towards their neighboring trailers, the only thing that could be heard was their feet against the gravel. "I'll see you in the morning, try to get some sleep, okay? You need it." Jesus said softly, as they stood in front of Dory's trailer.

"I never thanked you for what you did today." Dory whispered, looking down to the ground beneath their feet, before locking eyes with him. "Today would have been a lot different if you didn't go get Carl and Raina. I can't even comprehend the fact that they're here." Dory took a deep breath, before a grin found its way to her lips. "So thank you, you're one crazy son of a bitch." The woman finally said, which made the man chuckle.

"I would do it all over again, if it meant I got to see you just how you were tonight, one more time." Jesus replied, pushing pieces of coffee brown hair behind her ears. His hand lingered on her cheek, his eyes glancing down to her pink lips. Dory rolled her eyes, hoping that they were thinking the same thing as he leaned up to connect their lips together. It was a short kiss, but his lips were warm against her own. Pulling away from the man, Dory bit the inside of her cheek before their eyes locked once more.

"I'll see you in the morning, Rovia." She whispered, before turning and walking up the stairs to her trailer door. She glanced over her shoulder, to see the long haired man watching her as she went. Dory pushed her trailer door open to find her older brother sitting on her couch. "Sorry, we had to find a cot for Carl." Dory spoke, kicking her boots off.

Daryl leaned back into the couch cushions as his sister joined him. "I'm so happy you're here big brother." Dory finally said, after a few moments of comfortable silence. Daryl glanced over to his sister, before slowly reaching out to grab her hand in his own. Dory didn't expect her brother to answer, most of the time she wouldn't have even broken their silence. Growing up Dory would always carry the conversation between the two, but back then Daryl would always try to keep up. As they got older and Daryl started to shut the world out, Dory would find ways to fill the silence between them. Once the world went to shit, Dory accepted the fact that Daryl didn't need to say anything. His eyes said everything he needed to when he couldn't find the right words. Even still there would be passing moments of an undying conversation like the ones they would have on the roof of their cottage.

"I never would have stopped until I found you." Daryl finally replied, squeezing his sisters hand.