I would like to thank everyone for your support while I have been away. I as some of you will notice, this isn't my normal fanfic, but something new and different for me that I needed to do. After seeing the Season 3 finale of TWD, this story idea came to me and I'm running with it. But, don't worry, I'll still be reposting the CSI Miami fanfic.

Now for the good stuff!

**WARNING: STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT (in later chapters) & LANGUAGE! You Are Warned**

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of The Walking Dead characters and I'm NOT making any money off of them! I only claim the characters I created for this story (Kim Monroe, Jim & Anna Gibson, & Leslie Peters).

Pain. That's all he could feel throughout his body as his eyes fluttered and his vision slowly came back to him as he lay on the ground, looking up into the canopy of the Georgia pine forest. Trying to gain his barrings, he blinked hard a few times and slowly sat up, his crossbow laying a foot away from his right side. His head throbbed as he blinked hard again to get the dizziness out of his head. When it began to fade, he released a breath and looked around, the sight of dead walkers bringing his guard up.

Reaching for the crossbow, his hand stilled as the distinct sound of a shell being chambered broke the silence of the woods from behind him. Bringing his hand up slowly from it, his eyes scanned the area around him for anything else he could use as a weapon, "Ain't lookin' for trouble."

With her gun trained on the man, she carefully moved forward, staying to his right and then using her foot to pull the crossbow further out of his reach. Reaching down slowly, she picked up the crossbow and stood back up. Taking a step back from him, she finally spoke, "Whatcha' doin' prowlin' round out here?"

The sound of the female's voice caused his brow to raise in both surprise and confusion. A woman? A fuckin' woman knocked me on my ass? he thought to himself as he slowly turned on the ground to look up at her. Staring back at him was a medium framed woman, probably in her late twenties to early thirties he figured and wielding a pump action Browning shot gun.

Keeping his hands where she could see them, he nodded to her, "You in da habit of just knockin' everyone on da head with that thing? I was huntin'."

"Huntin' for what?" she asked, as she slipped his crossbow over her shoulder.

"Food, 'ya dumb bitch!" he all but yelled, getting more frustrated with her. "Man's gotta eat, ya know."

Glaring at him, she noticed movement out the corner of her left eye. Glancing in the direction, she saw another walker heading towards them and turned, firing off a shot and watching as it's head exploded. Turning back to the man, she chambered another shot and trained the gun back on the man, "How many more are with ya?"

Sighing heavy, Daryl shook his head, "None. I'm alone." He wasn't about to disclose the groups whereabouts to her, not knowing if she was part of another group that would hurt the others. Glaring up at the woman, he shook his head, "Man, fuck this shit."

Standing up, his head began to spin and he reached out for the tree behind him to steady him on his feet. Shaking the cobwebs out, he looked back over at her, "What?"

With the shotgun stilled loaded, she motioned to him with it, "Get movin'. Ain't got all day to be standin' around out here."

Clenching his jaw, Daryl began to move, his exhausted body protesting with every move. It had been months since he'd had a good night's sleep. Between fleeing the Greene farm when it was overrun by walkers, moving from place to place during the cold winter months and then clearing the prison to make it safe, he'd been running on only a couple hours sleep a night. He knew he should have waited at least another day, getting at some much needed rest before venturing out to hunt for food, but the group was slowly starving and he wasn't about to let his lack of sleep stop him.

The feel of the gun barrel pushing him forward more caused Daryl snap out of his thought's and he whipped around, starring the woman down, "Look, if'n ya gonna kill me then do it now!"

Not backing down from the man, she starred him in the eyes, her voice firm, "Get ta movin'."

Sizing her up, he knew he could take her easily, but something was holding him back. He'd never laid a hand on a woman out of anger and he wasn't about to start. Nodding to her, he asked, "Where we goin'?"

"Never you mind that..." she said as the low sounds of groans and growling began to fill the air around them. Whipping around, her eyes fell on a small herd of about twelve walkers and her heart began to race. Clenching her jaw, she turned back to him, "RUN!"

Seeing the walkers heading for them, Daryl grabbed for her upper arm and took off running with her, dodging around trees and downed limbs. Glancing back and seeing they were still being followed, he growled out, "Give me 'ma damn bow, woman, if'n ya want to live."

Knowing they couldn't keep running, she clenched her jaw and going against herself, she whipped the crossbow around and handed back over to him. When he stopped and loaded it, she watched as he took aim, taking down a walker with a clean shot to the head. He took out two more before she raised her gun, seeing he was trying to keep them alive. Firing off a shot, another walker went down and then another until all of them lay on the forest floor with their brains scattered everywhere.

Breathing heavily, she glanced at him and then lowered the shotgun before turning and walking away silently.

Turning his head, he found her gone and looked around more to see her retreating form. Lowering his head, he released a breath and then slung the crossbow back over his arm before jogging after her. He didn't know why he was going after the woman who had had him at gunpoint earlier, but he was.

Slowing his pace to a walk as he reached the woman's side, they walked for awhile before he finally broke the silence, "You're a pretty good shot with'd that thing."

Bringing the shotgun up and resting the barrel on her shoulder, she continued to walk silently, hoping he'd get the hint. When it became apparent he wasn't gonna leave, she stopped and turned to him, "Go back ta where ya came from."

Raising a brow, Daryl starred at her for a second before huffing, "Lady, ya just had my ass at gunpoint, ready to blow off my head and now ya want me to just go?"

Taking in a deep breath, she turned once more, walking away, "Yeah...go."

Shaking his head, confused, Daryl began to follow her again, "You got a group or somethin'? Other people ya with?"

Remaining quiet, her eyes stayed on the area in front of her, wishing she'd never laid eyes on the man. When it became apparent he wasn't leaving, she stopped and sighed, "Ain't got a group...and no other people. Just me and my gun."

Looking around the area and seeing the sun was starting to go down, Daryl sighed, "It'll be dark soon. Best find a place to hunker down for the night. You're welcome to come if'n ya want. Can't offer much 'cept a can of beans."

Having not had contact with anyone since her family had turned, she nodded hesitantly and then shrugged, "Got a tree house not to far ahead...it's safe."

Eying the woman, Daryl nodded, "Sounds good."

The sound of a branch breaking somewhere in the distance caught their attention and she began to move once more, "Best get there before we got more of them on our ass. Ain't safe here now."

Huffing as he followed, he shook his head, "Not with that loud ass gun ya got."

Giving him a glare, they trudge further away through the woods, heading towards the only safe place she'd knew since leaving home.