Daryl's POV:

It was dark out, i could barely make out the small amount of light coming from my flashlight. I looked from tree to tree hoping Savannah or Sophia was hiding out in one of them, but I had no such luck. After hours  of looking out in the middle of the woods I finally decided to head back to the group. Things were just so messed up right now. Carl had gotten shot, Lori was whisked away by some woman on a horse and we still had no sign of the girls. We were all scattered and weak and all i wanted was to find Savannah.

I found my way back to the highway with ease, and immediately went to the RV to plop down and go to sleep. Carol upon seeing me empty handed started crying harder than normal. She was curled up in the back of the RV clutching a pillow to her chest. I felt bad for the older woman, but if Sophia was still with Savannah then she was fine. I trusted Savannah, and I knew she would die before letting anything happen to Sophia. 

I placed my crossbow on the table next to a sleeping Andrea and layed down on my sleeping bag. I had a hard time falling asleep but visions of me finally finding Savannah was what lulled me to sleep. 

~

The next morning we all woke up and began packing up the vehicles to head to this farm Carl and Rick were at. I was hesitant to leave in case Savannah found her way back, but Merle was there too and i was sad to say I actually wanted to make sure he was alright. I climbed onto the back of Merle's bike and drove ahead of the RV and the other cars to lead them off the highway.

We drove for around twenty minutes when we finally pulled up to a driveway with a mailbox labeled "Greene". I drove ahead, jumping off my bike only to open the closed gate and driving through. A large white farmhouse appeared in the distance, with land for miles. It was rustic and untouched by walkers, it really was beautiful. Savannah would have appreciated a place like this. 

I parked my bike next to a couple of other vehicles and quickly killed the engine. I saw Rick, Lori and Shane standing around on the porch. Carol and Dale walked ahead and began greeting them all, I just sat on Merle's bike fiddling with the handle bars. "Darlina, get your ass up here boy!" I heard Merle shout from somewhere on the farm. I saw him leaning against the railing on the porch and I sighed before jumping off the bike. 

I really didn't want to be here, I just wanted to grab my crossbow and walk back into the woods to look for Savannah. I didn't say anything to Merle when I walked up on the porch, just leaned against the railing beside him and put my head in my hands. "Where the fuck is she man?" I mumbled more to myself than to Merle. 

"Daryl?" I heard behind me. I knew that voice. Savannah. She couldn't be here could she? I just shook my head thinking I was hallucinating, I had been feeling like I was going crazy with her not around lately. "You gonna turn around man or what?" Merle asked for my side. I looked over to him with a raised eyebrow before he smiled and nodded his head behind me. 

It didn't take me long before I whipped my head around to see what I had been longing for, for days now. Savannah was here, she was alive and standing only feet away. I wanted to smile, laugh for joy. Anything. But the state in which she was standing here was no pleasant sight. She was covered in dried blood, her hair in disarray, and her clothes were sticking to her body in an odd way from the amount of blood. She had been through hell and back and I wasn't there to save her.

"Vannah?" Was all I could stupidly ask her. She smiled at me, that certain twinkle in her eyes was still there, slightly dimmed but still there. I sighed in relief and rushed over to scoop her in my arms, easily picking her tiny body off the ground with me. The feeling was amazing, I once thought she was dead in the woods somewhere and here she was safe in my arms. 

"What the fuck happened Vannah?" I asked as I placed her feet down on the ground but kept her in my arms. I just wanted to feel her to know she was really here with me. Now that I had her here with me I never wanted to let her go. "Daryl I-" She started but I cut her off placing my lips against hers. I couldn't let another second in this world go by without Savannah knowing how I felt. 

I kept her in place by cupping her cheeks with my hands, and tilted her head back deepening the kiss. I had wanted to do this for so long, and had been worried it was too late. But the fact that Savannah was kissing me back with equal amount of urgency told me it wasn't. Since I was sixteen years old I had wanted nothing more than to tell her I loved her. Every night we shared in bed together was like a punch in the gut thinking she didn't feel the same. 

The way she would rest her head against my chest, her vanilla scented hair caressing my face making me lose my breath. Her blue eyes that would look up at me with need after a rough night with her father. It killed me every time I saw her with other guys in high school, and I was happy to be the one with my hands entangled in her hair and my lips against hers. 

"I love you Savannah, I always have" I told her when I pulled away from her gasping for air. Not only from  lack of oxygen but the intensity I felt from the kiss. It was like I was punched in the stomach and wanted to crumble onto the ground. I loved this girl so much, and i didn't think there was anything i could do to prove it to her. But keeping her alive in this world was a start. 

Savannah smiled when we pulled apart and ran her fingers down my cheek, causing immediate shivers to run across my skin. "I missed you" Was all she said before placing her lips gently back against mine. 

"About time baby brother!" I heard Merle yell out to us, I could hear the smirk in his voice. I opened my eyes and smiled to see Savannah flipping Merle off while keeping her lips to mine. Merle chuckled and waved her off before walking away on the porch. But Merle was certainly right, it was about time I got the balls to tell Savannah how I felt before this world took her away from me and it was too late.