Chapter 2

Thanks for the follows and favorites! Reviews are greatly appreciated :)

He reached the camp just as the scavenger group were backing out the cars to go on another run. Andrea was the first to notice him carrying the little girl, dropping the pile of wood she had been holding and rushing over.

"Dixon, what did you do?" She demanded and Daryl looked at her with uncharacteristically wide eyes.

"Thought she was a rabbit, couldn't see 'er properly." He explained hurridly, setting the girl down on a pile of blankets as the rest of the group gathered around them.

"Well, lil' brother, whatcha got there?"

Merle came swaggering up to Daryl's side, peering down at the girl in disgust, "Thought you were supposed to be hunting, can't eat that, now can we?"

Daryl glared at his brother but didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he turned to Lori who had kneeled down to check on the arrow wound, "She ain't gonna die, is she?"

Lori shook her head, "No, I don't think so, arrow went through so the worst part's over. We just need to stop this bleeding. The tourniquet was a good idea." She smiled briefly up at Daryl, who grunted. The little girl began to stir as Shane walked up.

"What's this?" The former police officer asked, placing his hands on his hips.

Lori glanced at Andrea, "Andrea, would you put pressure on this?" The blonde nodded and stooped down as Lori stood.

"Daryl brought her in." Lori began, "Some sort of accident."

"She sounded like a rabbit." Daryl mumbled, "She was behind a bush and I couldn't see her."

"But you shot anyway?" Shane said accusingly.

"Hey, hey, hey." Merle stepped between Shane and his brother, "You suggesting somethin' about my lil' brother?"

Shane took a step back and crossed his arms. "No, no I'm not. Just saying you need to be a little more careful."

Daryl huffed, but nodded. He felt terribly guilty about the whole thing, she was just a little girl after all. Of course he hadn't meant to shoot her.

"Well," Shane continued, "The group needs Andrea for the run. They're losing daylight."

Lori sighed, "Alright. Andrea, I'll take over." She bent down and took the bloody towel from Andrea's hands as the other girl followed Shane over to the cars. Merle left too after clapping Daryl on the back.

Daryl spent the rest of the day with his back to a tree watching the little girl's chest rise and fall with every breath, waiting for her to wake up.