Exposure was all Theo could feel.

Despite Merle having her back, she wasn't used to his presence, especially alone. 

In the times before this, being alone with Merle was something to fear. She knew he had changed but couldn't help but fear her backup.

That feeling pulsed in her veins as she slowly took a step, one by one, ensuring she watched anything that moved. 

The only thing on her mind was her family and Daryl. 

Were any of them even alive?

Hours had passed, and it was completely dark out. 

Daryl had managed to escape with Beth, and they were now alone around a campfire in complete silence.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked, not looking up from her lap. 

She and Daryl had the odd conversation but were never alone before this. 

Daryl looked at her from the other side of the fire.

"Yeah," Daryl said. He hadn't been close to Beth and knew little about her. Theo was the only thing on his mind.

"Are you?" He asked; the girl had just lost her father, and her sister was somewhere, if not dead.

"I will be." She nodded, not letting the thought of everything that had just happened take over her. "And Daryl?" She asked. "Don't lie," she said.

Daryl held the ring still in his pocket and held it up.

"You were...?" Beth began surprised, with an awed expression on her face.

"Yeah, and now I will never see her again," Daryl sighed, putting the ring back. He wanted more than to throw it away and never see it again, but in the case of finding her again, or Rick for that matter, he couldn't throw away Lori's ring.

"You can't give up like that," Beth told him, shaking her head sternly.

"I told her to meet me, find me when things got bad so we could leave; I didn't even see where she went!" Daryl said, getting annoyed at himself for not watching her closer.

"You can't blame yourself; she is tough. She would have made it out of there alive," Beth reassured him.

"What. And alone?"

"You don't know that," Beth reminded him.

"Just... get some rest; we will move in the morning" He sighed as Beth nodded, not wanting to push even more.

As soon as Beth turned over to sleep, he pulled the Polaroid he found in the prison that night. Theo almost died. 

It was a photo of her and him together, walking up from the fields in front of the prison. 

They are smiling at one another.

He ran his finger over her, using everything in his power not to cry. 

It had been one night, and he missed her more than anything. 

Theo and Merle found an abandoned shed for the night. 

They had blocked the door with the few objects within the shed. 

However, she couldn't feel safe no matter how blocked the door was. 

Theo flipped and turned on her side constantly, closing her eyes, sure she wouldn't get any sleep.

She finally sat up with a sigh. 

"Baby bird, you know I'm on watch; get some rest," Merle told Theo as she sighed.

"Sorry if I'm on edge. I don't trust you that much yet," she snapped, and Merle sighed. 

"Theo..." Merle tried to speak, but instead, she cut him off. 

"The last time I was left alone with you, I was having a miscarriage, and you were so far up the governor's ass you ignored it", She snapped, looking away. 

Theo slid down the wall, taking a sip of her water. She wanted to sleep to take over her, but she was too scared to close her eyes.

Merle went quiet.

She stared at her surroundings. The shed was no more significant than the cell she had back at the prison; there was one door and only a crack in the wall, which let in the moonlight.

She sighed heavily, hoping that it was indeed only a dream. Once she woke up, Daryl would be next to her, and her father, brother, and the rest of her family would be there. But she knew too well by now that she wasn't dreaming. Her life was a nightmare, and she was never going to wake up from it.

She pulled her jacket, which Daryl had given her on their anniversary, closer to her, keeping herself warm enough. She was willing to do anything to get that extra warmth.

"I'm sorry, Theo, I am; I don't think ill ever be able to show ya, but I swear, I regret it every damn day of my life" Merle held back his sobs as he looked at Theo, who had turned away from him. 

She lay on her side, with her legs close to her chest, as she quietly sobbed. Everything was gone so quickly; her life flipped once again in seconds.

She cried, playing with the ring on her finger, until finally sleep overtook her.

A couple of hours later, she was woken up barking outside the shed.

She shot up to see Merle open the door.

She shot up, thinking she was hearing things and a dog wouldn't be outside.

She wandered to the door, a gun in her hand; she moved the objects blocking it and slowly opened the door.

She peered around the corner to see a dog lying in front of the door, Merle rubbing his stomach.

"Look at this baby bird" Merle smiled as he looked at the dog. 

 The dog looked at her before wagging its tail and tongue hanging out of its mouth.

She walked over slowly, kneeling at the dog's height, and realised there was a small note on its collar.

"Handy," she smiled as she grabbed it, rolling her eyes at the realisation that she was talking to herself.

"This is my dog Saint, but don't let the name scare you; I promise he is the best-behaved dog you'll ever meet. He is a service dog, or he was when this world went to shit; he can kill those things, the brain suckers, and he has commands he follows. He is a German Shepherd cross Doberman. I just looked after him; he was my best friend, but I got a bit after I made a stupid decision. I would want to turn with my best friend in sight. My name is Alex, and you have done me the greatest favour by taking in my dog. For that, I thank you," Theo read out, taken back at the fact she found the letter very moving. She looked at the dog, who whimpered at its owner's name.

"Hey, boy." She put her hand out, and Saint walked over slowly before sniffing and licking her hand.

"I'm Theo" " she introduced herself, making Saint jump up and lick her face.

Merle watched the interaction with a smile on his face. 

"Gross, I don't know where you've been," she laughed, standing up and wiping her wet cheek. So boy, what are these commands, then?" she asked the dog, flipping the letter to see a few commands.

"He follows all the common ones, sit, stay, leave and drop", She began. "But when it comes to killing, he has different commands; Fass means attack for brain suckers; Strike is for humans", She spoke. "Saint, come will make him run back to you. If you need him to run and hide, say sprint. If you tell him to stay and walk away because, for any reason, he will wait there until you are back, he can defend himself also; a whistle will also make him come back to you; one bark shows love, three barks show danger, so listen out always, as well calling his name sternly makes him know he doesn't have to worry about someone, he will walk with you after you give him a handshake, and he will be your new best friend" Theo read out.

"Well, Saint, whatcha say, buddy?" she asked, holding out her hand. Saint lifted his paw into her hand, and Theo shook it, making her smile.

The boy barked once, causing Theo to laugh. She wandered back into the shed and grabbed her bag, pulling out some of her water and letting the dog drink some.

"Daryl and I had a dog when he was about 10. It was a mutt but some guard dog, a big Rottweiler. Our daddy hated it, used to boot it," Merle described. "Daryl just kept feeding it, and it would come back every day" Merle smiled at the memory. "Eventually, he just slept in the shed outdoors; Daryl would walk with it through the woods, feed it rabbit and squirrel; he loved the thing", Merle laughed 

"What was it called," Theo asked, smiling as Merle talked about Daryl. 

"I think he called it Betty, something real odd", Merle laughed as they both stood to gather their things to move out again. 

Theo laughed before feeling down; she missed her family and Daryl. 

She looked around before noticing something she didn't last night.

"Terminus?" She read the big words, "Sanctuary for all. A community for all. Will those who arrive survive?"

She soon realised that if the others had seen this, that was where they would go, without question.

"That has to be where everyone is heading. However, I don't think it sounds safe" Merle looked over the board, and something felt off. 

"I don't think we have a choice, everyone must be going there" She smiled as she followed the map. Once she found a train track, she knew she was on the right road.

-Meanwhile-

Some of the group, including Daryl and Beth, Rick, and Carl, managed to escape together, and soon enough, Michonne found them. 

Glenn was still at the prison when he found a girl named Tara, who stood with the Governor before he realised his plan. She didn't shoot; she turned away, letting Glenn know she wasn't one of the bad ones. 

Maggie, Bob and Sasha managed to get away together. 

Tyreese had found the two girls, Mika and Lizzy, who had saved Judith. Tyreese had also met Carol on their escape. 

Theo was the only one alone, apart from her new friend Saint, but they all headed in the same direction without crossing paths.