♤

Daryl had not long since woken me from my short nap to wrap my injured leg in bandages that he found, "Started bleedin' again" He informed me as I grunted and grumbled.

I smiled gently while he carefully tended to my leg. "Have they passed?" I asked.

Daryl nodded gently, "Think so" He whispered gently as he finished wrapping my leg.

He then stood up, grabbing his bag and extending his hand out for me. I smiled at him as I happily took it.

Slowly, we both exited the store, out guns and knives out as Daryl peered around the door, seeing that it was clear. He waved me after him and we both left the store, seeing Merle stretching his legs and smirking. "Well, hello you two, I noticed you left ol' Merle outside, huh?"

"You're alive, ain't you?" Daryl growled at him as he checked over the car Merle had been recently hiding in.

Merle nodded and chuckled, wandering over to me and smirking, "Where are we heading next then? Be night soon" I sighed, "There's some houses off the main road, could stay there the night?"

Daryl appeared from around the car and nodded, "Probably best, hope another herd don't swing by"

Without argument, we all began heading away from the stores towards our home for the night.

Nothing was a home anymore, everything was a house. Somewhere we stayed safe, never home. The prison was beginning to feel a bit more like home, but it would never feel like the home I wanted - Me, Charlie, maybe a dog...And Daryl.

It had become apparent to me how much I wanted Daryl apart of my life, how there'd be a hole in my life if we were ever separated, which was why I joined Daryl and Merle.

I thought that it might be like it used to, but it was missing one key thing, Charlie. Losing him the first time, I was barely able to keep hold of myself, this time, I could feel myself getting lost in the noise.

The house was a typical new-build, a metal fence surrounding the green lawn in front. The porch was welcoming, a small mat ready to wipe your dirty feet on joined by a small wooden bench, though the wood was beginning to rot and most of the paint had peeled off.

As we approached, the door was slightly ajar and so we all headed in cautiously and slowly. Luckily, the house was long since emptied, the only remaining things were the pictures on the wall of a family. "I'll take first watch" I announced as the two brothers explored the house.

Merle trotted down the stairs and nodded, "Looks like I'm taking the master bedroom then"

Daryl looked up at him and nodded before Merle disappeared, the door closing quickly. "I'll take the sofa, you can take the bedroom"

"No, it's okay, you take the bed for a little while, I'll be okay alone" I smiled. He was hesitant at first but then nodded, though he hovered around me for a second, as if he was arguing with himself before he disappeared, like Merle, up the stairs.

I opened the door and closed it gently, it was a warm evening as the sun quickly tucked itself in and I could tell it would be a long night. Pulling my gun out, I slowly lowered myself down onto the bench and placed my gun by my side as I watched the small street.

It was clear that everyone who previously lived here left in a hurry, bins knocked over, the litter spilling out onto the pavement. On this street, there were only 4 houses next to each other, across the street there was a view of the small river we were following. The water was calm and stead and I could hear the faint trickle as it passed the bank.

Stars soon lit up the night sky, followed by the small, half moon which sat above the house.

There were no clouds to hide anything, the sky was clear and vulnerable.

I let out a quiet, relaxed sigh as I watched the empty street for a few hours..

♤

My eyes shot open and quickly came back into focus as I realised I had drifted off. Panic flooded me as I desperately tried to work out how long I had been asleep for, it wasn't until I saw the position of the moon that I realised it must've been a few hours at least.

"Don't worry, I've been here" A voice spoke with a jolly tone from the side of me. "Haven't missed much, you must need some sleep" He spoke as my eyes went wide and I turned to my side.

My mouth immediately fell open, "You don't have to look at me like that" He laughed, "I know I'm scary but I thought you'd seen me enough now"

"I-I-I--"

"Shh, get some more sleep, I'll stay here and keep watch" His voice said as I felt my eyes getting heavy once more, despite my best efforts to keep them open.

My head fell and soon, I had drifted off again..

♤

"Kelly, Kelly" A voice pulled me from my sleep once more, "Time to get up" It was the same voice from earlier as I sat up and looked at them. "It'll be sunrise soon, best stay awake now"

My eyes were wide once more as I look over at the man dressed in a flamboyant shirt and cargo pants. "You can't be here.." I whispered.

He nodded and looked around, "It would appear I am"

"Why?" I said, my voice a delicate whisper.

"I was about to ask you the same thing" He smiled, "Something on your mind, perhaps?"

I hesitated a minute, "I don't know..--I lost Charlie..At the farm, I lost him and then I found him but he was a--" I choked slightly as Dale put his hand on mine for comfort,

He nodded once more, "I know, he's with my wife and I. She loves him"

Tears pricked at my eyes as I smiled, "You always knew she would"

He chuckled and smiled, "How is he? Is he okay?" I asked quickly,

"Oh, he's fine, Sophia's with him too, and T-Dog, he misses you" Dale explained to me.

The tears slipped from my eyes, "Does he blame me?.."

"No, no, of course not" Dale shifted and turned to face me, "He knows you tried your best, he knows you had to protect him,"

I smiled, snot dripping slightly as I grinned through my tears. "Does he call your wife--"

"Grandma, yes" He chuckled, anticipating my next words. "She loves it, she finally has what she wanted"

We sat for a while, tears dripping onto my cheeks, my eyes slowly getting red as Dale held my hand. "All your fears can be put to rest now, he's in no pain, neither am I" He smiled softly at me as we sat again, watching the sun rise.

I finally felt completely at peace and turned to face Dale, but he was gone. I stood up, my eyes frantically searching for him as I grabbed my gun, "Dale!" I yelled, running around the front yard.

I spun around, calling out for Dale until a pair of arms grabbed me and hushed me. After realising Dale was never here, I began to sob into Daryl's chest as he held me in the middle of the front lawn. "Sh.." He hushed, "It's alright, I got you"