*Adelyne's POV*

It was late when I put Katie to bed and I stepped out of the tent to be greeted by Mike. He smiled and he asked if he could walk with me and I shrugged not thinking anything of it. We stood at the edge of the rock quarry in the moonlight and I looked around and everyone was in bed and I really wished I was. I felt strange standing alone with Mike and it was unusual for me I trusted him but I was really nervous right now. I looked around and there was no one else. Mike smiled in the moonlight his teeth showing and his dirty blonde hair falling into his eyes.

"So Adelyne we've been friends for a really long time right?" he asked.

I looked at him confused and pulled my jacket around me a little tighter the air making me cold.

"Yeah?"

Mike smiled and chuckled.

"Well I wanted you to know that I love you so much and I love Katie. Please just give us a chance" he said with a smile and pleading eyes.

I sighed and hung my head and when I lifted it I moved my hair from my eyes. Why did he keep doing this? I had turned him down twice already and that was before the world went to hell.

"Look Mike you're a great guy but we've been over this. I don't feel that way about you I don't we're friends and that's all we'll ever be. I thought this was made clear already before any of this happened. I said no" I explained.

I watched Mike's exspression get angry and he glared at me.

"Would you say yes if you hadn't met Daryl the other day?"

What Daryl? Was it that obvious that I was into him? Did anyone else know? Did Daryl know?

"What? Daryl has nothing to do with this we aren't even together. And even if I hadn't met Daryl I still would've said no to you. Why can't you accept that?" I yelled quietly so I didn't wake anyone up.

Mike took a step closer to me and I moved away from him.

"Because I love you Adelyne I always have since the day I met you. The only reason you're say no is because you laid eyes on Daryl I know it"

My anger was out now I shoved him a bit.

"No I'm saying no because I don't love you!" I siad firmly.

"Just kiss me, it'll change your mind please" he told me.

That's when he grabbed my face and tried to kiss me but I pushed him away from me and slapped him in the face. He tried again but this time I shoved him away causing him to fall.

"Touch me again, and I'll scream. See if I'm kidding."

Mike got up and glared at me and turned walking away. I stood looking at the moon and pulled my jacket around me tighter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Daryl's POV*

I was watching Adelyne and Mike talk from the bushes. It wasn't on purpose I was out because I had to take a piss. And I had heard them talking and being quite like I was I ducked into the bushes. Adelyne straight up denied Mike when he told her how he felt about her. Ha ha I know she didn't love him. But I was brought up in the conversation which made me wonder if Adelyne liked me too. When Mike tried to kiss Adelyne I nearly jumped out of the bushes but I wasn't going to intervene unles it got really bad which it hadn't she handled it. When Mike walked away I circled back to my tent and and came up to the campsight that way. I seen Adelyne looking up at the moon and the moonlight looked so pretty on her and I loved it. Her hair was down her back and over her shoulders and she looked stunning.

"You alright?" I asked.

She turned her head to look at me and nodded.

"I'm fine, how much did you hear?" Adelyne asked.

What did she mean? Did she sense me there?

"What are you talkin' bout?" I asked walking up next to her.

She looked at me and chuckled her hair bouncing as her shoulders bounced and for a second my gaze dipped to her clevage and back up to her eyes. Her green lights were even visible in the moolight.

"Hello you're talking to me. I use to hunt and I know how to track just like you Daryl. I seen you in the bushes when I was talking to Mike. Enjoy the show?" she asked chuckling again.

That shocked me I had no idea she had even seen me. Usually I was sly as a snake and no one ever seen me or knew I was there but she did. Damn she was making it harder to resist her and since she rejected Mike I could take my time.

" I wouldn't have enjoyed it if you would've kissed Mike and agreed to be with him" I explained.

Adelyne looked at me and sighed.

"Trust me it wasn't the first time I've rejected Mike he's tried before. Way before the world went to hell. I guess he just doesn't get the message. I don't feel that way about him he's not my type anyway."

"So what is your type?" I asked before I even knew what I was saying.

"I don't know honestly. Haven't dated in a while so.." she said and then she turned to face me.

I looked at her and waited for her to say whatever was on her mind.

"Look thanks for earlier today playing with Katie and watching her. I appreciate it I really do"

I nodded.

"It's no problem Katie is a great kid and I like her so it's all good."

Adelyne looked at me and smiled a beautiful smile. I think it was the first time I actaully seen her smile.

"Um there was something I wanted to talk to you about" I told her she looked at me and nodded.

"What?"

"Uh well I heard Mike mention you would've said yes if you hadn't met me is that true?"

Adelyne moved her hair away from her eyes and sighed and I could see her breath in the moonlight.

"I wouldn't have said yes either way. I'm not into him like that never was and never will be. It's late I better get to back to the tent with Katie" she said

I nodded and started walking with her since her tent was only one away from mine. We stopped at the entrance of her tent and she looked at me,

"Thanks again for Katie. She's my world she's all I got"

I scuffed and chuckled.

"You don't have to keep thanking me I told you I was happy to do it" I said.

That's when Adelyne smiled and hugged me. I was shocked for a minute I didn't exspect that but my arms slowly went around her and she layed her head on my shoulder. She smelled like honey and holding her in my arms just felt right and it was amazing I had never held a girl who actually meant something to me. The hug lingered longer for a while and then she pulled away and looked at me. I looked into those green eyes and leaned in a bit to kiss her but stopped myself.

"Goodnight" I said moving back.

"Goodnight"

She entered her tent and I walked to mine.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Adelyne's POV*

I was down at the quarry with Andrea, Amy, Jacqui, Carol and Carol's husband was sitting smoking ciggarettes. Shane was nearby and he was with Carl and they were going to apparently catch frogs and they looked like they were having fun and all the women were working. I was thinking about last night I almost kissed Daryl oh my god. We were so close and he went to kiss me but stopped and just randomly said goodnight. I hadn't seen much of him since then here and there around the camp and he played with Katie for a little while but besides that that's all I seen of him. Mike had kept his distance from me and honestly that didn't bother me at all I wanted space from him right now. Shane and Carl started catching frogs again.

"Can someone explain how we ended up doing all the hard work?" Jacqui said carrying a basket.

We all scrubbed clothes on a washboard in the water doing laundry.

"The world ended didn't you get the memo?" Amy asked chuckling.

"I do miss my Maytag" Carol told us.

"I miss my Benz. My sat-nav" Andrea told us.

I missed a lot of stuff about what life use to be I never appreciated the little things. Now I worshipped them. Jacqui rung out a shirt

"I miss my coffee maker, with that dual -drip filter and built-in grinder honey."

"My computer. Texting" Amy said.

"I miss my vibrator" Andrea said.

"Damn" I said

We all chuckled and then Carol looked around and then said.

"Me too."

And that's when we all started cracking up laughing. And then Carol's husband Ed walked over.

"What's so funny?" he asked taking a puff of his ciggarette.

"Just swapping was stories, Ed" Andrea said.

For a few seconds everyone was silent because Ed showed and I seen poor Carol become nervous.

"Problem Ed?" Andrea asked annoyed.

Ed puffed on his ciggarette again.

"Nothin' that concerns you. And you ought to focus on your work. This ain't no comedy club" he said.

I looked over and seen Lori go over to Shane and Carl and send Carl back and she was scolding Shane about something and it looked to be serious. What the hell was going on? We all kept doing laundry and then Andrea stood up annoyed and walked closer to Ed.

"Ed tell you what---you don't like how your laundry is done you are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself here."

she tossed a rag at him and he threw it back at her with force and we all stood.

"Ain't my jod, missy." Ed said.

"Andrea don't" Amy said.

We all came up behind Andrea and Carol stood in between me and Amy.

"What is your job Ed? Sitting on your ass smoking ciggarettes?" Andrea snapped back at him.

Ed tossed his ciggarette away and looked at her.

"Well, it sure as hell ain't listening to some uppity smart-mouth bitch.Tell you what--come on. Let's go" he said motioning to Carol I stepped up with Andrea I was not taking this.

"I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you Ed" I said defending Carol so she didn't have to go with him.

"Agreed" Andrea told me.

He looked at me and glared but I held my ground.

"I say it's none of your business. Come on now. You heard me"

Carol started to walk up to him but I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Carol no"

"Adelyne, please it doesn't matter. " Carol said lightly looking ready to cry.

"Hey" I turned and Ed was looking at me and Andrea " Don't think I won't knock you two on your asses because you're some college-educated cooze."

I slammed down my rag.

"What did you just say to me? " I said mad.

Amy put her hand on my shoulder urging me to be careful with what I said to him.

"You come on now or you gunna regret it later"

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later Ed? yeah we've seen them" Jacqui told him with an angry look.

So he was hitting his wife I had suspected it but now I knew it was true. Ed laughed at what Jacqui said

"Stay out of this. Now come on! You know what this ain't none of y'all's business.You don't want to keep probbing the bull here, okay? now I am done talkin' come on" Ed yelled.

I grabbed Carol's arm and pulled her back.

"No carol you don't have to"

I moved in front of her a bit but Ed grabbed her arm and so did I.

"You don't tell me what! I tell you what!"

Then a punch was landed to my face and I fell back into Amy and Andrea shoved Ed who came at Carol.

"You think you can--"

"Get off her!" Amy yelled as we all fought to protect Carol.

We were all yelling for Ed to get off Carol hovering over her. That's when Shane who must have been standing nearby took Ed but the shirt.

"Get off me!"

Shane threw him on the ground and started beating on him. One punch, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

"Shane Shane stop!" we all yelled as he kept hitting Ed.

Carol was crying and everyone was telling her it was okay but she kept saying no.

"Stop it!" Carol yelled.

That's when he stopped and grabbed Ed's bloody face.

"You put your hands on your wife, your little girl or anybody else in this camp I will not stop next time do you hear me? Do you hear me?!'

"Yes" Ed said with a slurred voice.

"I'll beat you to death Ed" he punched him once more "I''ll beat you to death."

"ED!" Carol yelled.

Shane got up and kicked Ed in the ribs and then Carol ran over to him crying and apologizing. I looked at Andrea and everyone else with a shocked exspression.

"Are you okay?" Jacqui asked looking at my eye with a painful look.

I knew it probably looked horrible I bruised easy and that punch really hurt.

"I"m fine" I muttered.

"You sure?" Andrea asked.

I nodded I was more worried about what I was going to tell everyone. I knew they were going to ask. What would Katie think? I didn't want her to see me like this but I wouldn't be able to avoid it. What would Rick do? What would Daryl think. Oh no!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well this was a very long chapter sorry I switched it up. But Adelyne's black eye will come into play. hope you enjoy!