Chapter 1

( 2 weeks before the pilot episode, about 2 months post start of the end. Here Florida fell before Georgia so it's more like 3 months for my main OC)

I had gotten Emmy bandaged and dressed this morning and she was more uncooperative than usual so I took a quick walk into the woods in the guise of looking for berries to let myself calm down before going back to her. Sometimes she made me mad but she always gave up food for me, gave up a coat for me, and she always took my beatings so if coddling her is what was going to be pay back then that's what I would do. She lost a lot at the hands of these idiots and I get that I do. I was so in thought I didn't realize that Merle freaking Dixon was in front of me armed with a gun, his brother behind him pointing a crossbow at me as well.

"Paul Thurston. That you?" Merle asked as he lowered his weapon a bit. Today may or may not be the luckiest day in this girls life.

"Keep your voice down, I'm not that far from camp," I snapped. Glancing around me to make sure Frank or Tom hadn't followed me here.

"Ya don't want yer camp to hear ya?" Daryl asked from behind Merle.

"You owe me from the army remember Merle," I answer looking at Merle.

"Owe ya my life two times o'er," Merle answered.

"I'm calling in that favor now. This group, they into some sick shit and I've got to get that girl out of there. She kept me alive when they first took me, kept me alive since to the point of near death. You get her out of there with me, you keep her safe and alive, you repay that debt," I told him, panic starting to seep into my voice. Merle looked at me and just nodded.

"She . . . she isn't right in the head anymore, not dangerous but absent sometimes. They, they've really fucked her up but she's been getting a bit better lately. Needs a lot of help but I helped you Merle, and did a Daryl a small favor as well. Just help me take out the two guys left and I'll cover you guys while you get her out. You have to swear to me Merle that you'll take care of her as if she was your own."I finished and look waiting on Merle and Daryl to say something, anything.

"I told ya I owed ya. Wasting it on a girlie like this but it's ya favor. Why can't ya do nothing for 'er?" Merle replied. I nodded and just turned around and headed back to camp.

"They found me near death, still dying. She kept me alive so far, need to return the favor," I replied. "I got Addison's Disease after the attack from all the drugs they gave me, next time I get too stressed, get hurt I'll die. Meds for it hard to come by, hard to keep. There's only two of 'em at camp now. Maybe three if Tony came back as well. Don't scare her Merle, please."

That was the last thing I said before I slipped into camp and into our tent. Emmy just sat there while I threw all of her belongings into the two bags she had before packing a small bag full of meds and first aid supplies along with Emmy's herbal journal. I then put a boot on her fucked up foot, tied her shoe to her back pack and helped her into it. I rushed her out and told her to just sit when she started to question me but I used what she called my snappy voice that made her do as she was told most of the time. I got her all settled when Merle waltzed in and made a show of it. That's when he was jumped and a mess of things since there wasn't just three people but four. Daryl joined in but was blitzed by Tony and that's when the warrior girl I knew snapped in Emmy. She ran over and kicked out Tony's kneecap with her boot before grabbing his own knife from him, allowing Daryl to finish him off. I was busy grabbing food and guns for them to take back with them and by the time I was done they were done.

"They'll be mad, this one thinks they liked Tony," Emmy whispered as she grabbed at my shirt.

"What did I tell you about speaking in the third person?" I questioned.

"Not to when they can't hear," Emmy replied glancing back at Daryl and Merle clutching Tony's knife in her hands.

"Exactly. And you won't get in trouble. Honey, it's long past time you left. I'm going to have a nice conversation with Jason when he gets back so it's going to be all ok. You are going to go with my two friends here," I explained as I waved Merle and Daryl over.

"No. This one . . . I need to stay. You're still sick," Emmy said.

"Emmy, you're a smart girl. You know the Addison's isn't going to go away. I'm going to die soon. You've done a lot for me and now it's time I do something for you. Go on, say hi," I responded as I turned her around to face the Dixons. She started to look self conscious then since she was in a black sports bra and black shorts, a thin shirt pulled on to keep the sun of her shoulders. She just glanced at them and clutched the knife tighter.

"We gotta go soon," Daryl said as he tightened his grip on his crossbow. This made Emmy more nervous and she glanced around the camp site.

" I have three bags for her here. Some of her shit, some meds, a book on herbology that'll be helpful, packed some ammo and guns, even some food in that pick-up truck there. That'll be enough for you to make sure any group your in accepts her." I got closer to Merle with this one. "And some meds to keep her calm in the glovebox, she'll need them for the first few days. They are not for you."

"This one won't leave without Paul. Paul is this one's responsibility, this one made a promise," Emmy started as Daryl started loading some more shit into the truck. She really got into it then and then a gunshot wrung out and I felt a pain in my side. Now she really started screaming, pulling at her hair while Merle wrenched the knife out of her hand when she started swinging. Now he was pulling her away with angry mutters that he was going to turn back around and get me when she was safe in the truck. She still didn't stop struggling screaming that I had to go in first, that I was more important. I was going to call out to her when she banged her head against the door to the car and knocked herself out. Merle turned around to look at me and I waved a gun and sprayed some fire in the direction the bullet came from before shouting at him to keep this promise. They drove away then and I blacked out from blood loss.

Hey! So I know this seems a bit out of character for Merle and Daryl but I liked the believe that Merle is a man of his word and since he owes Paul he'll keep it. Also I like the believe they wouldn't leave a women near death somewhere no matter what comments Merle might make. Please review!