A/N: AMC owns everything I`m just borrowing it as my imagination runs wild.
I`d like to thank my BETA - stAnd out-SHOUT OUT she is awesome.
Chapter Three.
Healing Wounds.
"She was running through a dense forest, being chased by someone or something. Tahlee tried to look behind her when suddenly a pair of hands grabbed her, she screamed in fear as she fell down. Tahlee wasn`t sure if the hands were human or that of the dead as she landed painfully on her back. A single hand wrapped around her throat, choking her..."
Tahlee gasped as she woke with a start, her heart still racing as the nightmare lingered - "Tahlee are you alright?" Glenn`s sleepy voice pierced her panicked mind.
She wiped the sweat off her face with trembling hands, trying to stop the shaking before he took notice. "I`m…I`m okay, Glenn, just a bad dream." Changing the subject she asks, "How`s Carl?"
Glenn frowned in concern, both for her and for Carl, but answered her question none the less, "Hershel says he's stable and sleeping comfortable now."
Relief coursed through her veins, helping Tahlee to relax a bit more and let her forget her nightmare for the time being. "Thank god. How're Rick and Lori?"
He got up and handed her a glass of water as he answered, "Lori`s sleeping with Carl and Rick`s outside keeping watch."
"Thank you," she muttered before she sipped the water. Once her dry mouth was quenched, she placed it down on the floor beside the couch, keeping it in easy reach. "Any sign of the others?" she asked to keep the conversation going. She wasn't ready to go back to sleep just yet.
"No, not yet. It's like 3 in the morning. How're you feeling?"
Tahlee looked down at her bandaged foot. The gauze was still crisp white, which meant she hadn't started bleeding since Hershel wrapped it up. "It still throbs but it`s manageable."
"You need another painkiller?" Glenn offered her.
"No thanks, I`m not a fan of tablets; beside, Carl will need them more," she declined with a simple shake of her head. She could manage without one, she hoped.
Sitting back down, Glenn sighed. "You should try to sleep some more before the other`s get here."
Tahlee leant up on her elbows, "Glenn, I just wanna thank you for helping me earlier, you`re a good friend." She spoke from her heart and he could hear it clear in her tone. It made him smile as he nodded his head, looking away bashfully.
He couldn't help but to blush. "No problem Tah`s."
"Good night Glenn."
"'Night Tah`s."
Walking Dead
"How is he?" Dale asked a pale Rick after a couple of hours, left with nothing more to do than wait.
"He`ll pull through, thanks to Hershel and his people," Rick said in relief as a ghost of a smile touched his features.
"The others?"
"Both T-Dog and Tahlee will heal. Thank god for Shane, we would have lost Carl if not for him," Rick informed the gathering group, looking them over to make sure that everyone was present and no other injuries had occurred.
Daryl asked, "How`d it happen?"
Sighing in exhaustion Rick answered, "A hunting accident, their man Otis was hunting a deer and his shot hit both the deer and Carl. He went with Shane to the FEMA shelter for medical supplies…he didn`t make it." He bowed his head a moment before continuing, "We`ll all attend the service, later today." His word was final.
Surprising most, Daryl was the first to go inside and he headed straight to a snoozing Tahlee. He stood there in silence, almost like he needed to see with his own eyes that she was okay. She was deep enough in sleep that his presence didn't wake her up, but he could see from the shadows under her eyes that her sleep had been troubled.
Maggie stood off to the side watching as his face softened while he was gazing at the sleeping woman. "She`ll be fine after a day of rest, my father says he`ll remove the stitches in a week," the brunette informed him in a hushed tone.
Barely glancing at her, Daryl grunted, "Good." Knowing he should leave he stepped back but Glenn chose that moment to enter the farmhouse, and accidentally slam the door.
He flinched as soon as the sound echoed through the room. "Sorry," Glenn apologized immediately, but the damaged was done, Tahlee woke up.
Blinking slowly, she carefully sat up. "Oh hey, when did you get here?" She asks a glaring Daryl, who was staring at a sheepish Glenn. The young Asian man already felt bad for waking her, but the glare that Dixon was pinning him with made him fear for his safety.
Maggie rolled her eyes and grabbed Glenn`s hand, pulling him out the door leaving Daryl alone with Tahlee.
"Just now," he answered gruffly, having wanted to avoid speaking with her alone. Daryl hadn't quite gotten accustomed to being around women, especially one he was attracted to that didn't mind his company.
Realizing he wanted to know how she was, without having to ask, she smiled. "Come sit with me." He looked unsure as he moved over to Glenn`s previous seat. Tahlee frowned at the action. "No, Daryl, over here with me." She shifted her legs so he could sit on the couch with her.
Daryl wiped his hands against his dirty jeans as he sat down next to the attractive young woman, feeling self-conscious to be so near to her—and for some unknown reason she was talking to him.
Tahlee grimaced as she sat her feet on the floor, knocking her toe on her boots in the process. Daryl immediately grabbed her bare legs and rested them on his lap. He wasn't even aware he had done so until he felt the soft flesh beneath his palms, the warmth resting across his thighs. He supposed it was a good thing he hadn't thought it through, otherwise he would have stopped himself.
"Thanks," she mumbled shyly, her lips tilting in a smile. "How was last night, did anything happen?"
"Nah, a few walkers but I took care of it. Went for a walk with Andrea and found a walker piñata." He smirked at the memory of Andrea puking, but decided that Tahlee probably wouldn't find the image as amusing so he said nothing about it.
Jealously flared briefly at the mention of him and Andrea alone but she pushed it down deep; Tahlee knew Daryl wasn`t a talker but she enjoyed listening to his voice so she tries to keep the conversation going.
"That`s good, I was so worried about you guys. How`s Sophia doing?"
An unusual feeling hit Daryl at the concern in her voice. 'She was worried about us, maybe about me,' he wonders. Answering her, he finds it hard to actually look at her as he speaks, "Dunno, haven`t spoken to her."
Tahlee watches the side of his face for a moment before she sighs. "That`s okay. I wish you had gotten here earlier; I nearly broke poor Glenn`s hand, when Hershel was fixing my toe. I could have used your hand." She laughs as she takes his hand in hers, feeling him tense, but slowly he relaxes as she runs her finger over his callouses. 'He must work with his hands a lot,' she thought, as she continues to caress his hand.
Daryl looked at her as she played with his hand; she was a unique, beautiful woman who seemed to like him, which he couldn't bring himself to understand.
"How`s ya foot?"
Moving it slightly against his lap, Tahlee made a face. "I`ve never felt so much pain in my life than when Hershel pushed the bone back in. I passed out it was so painful," she explained, "I pray I never feel that again."
"Ya won't," he promised her, true conviction in those two simple words.
"Tahlee, Daryl, we're ready to start the funeral," Rick interrupted them, as Hershel and his family headed outside, with a distraught Patricia in tow. Tahlee's face fell at the mention of the funeral but nodded her head to let Rick know that they would be out.
Sadness gripped her heart as she struggled to get up, putting pressure on her arms as she leans against the arm-rest while she stands for the first time.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Daryl swears.
Not bothering to look at him as she replies, "What do you think I`m doing, I`m going to the service."
Growling at her stubbornness, he swoops her up like a bride once more. "No walking, Princess."
She tucked her face into his neck to hide her grin. Together they joined their group as they walked up to the make shift grave-yard. Sophia gravitates towards her the moment Daryl set her carefully on her feet, letting her lean against the tree nearby so as not to put all weight on her injured foot.
Hershel began with a reading from the Holy Bible;
"Blessed be God, father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Praise be to Him for the gift of our brother Otis, for his span of years, for his abundance of character, Otis, who he gave his life to save a child`s, now more than ever, our most precious asset. We thank You, God, for the peace he enjoyed in Your embrace. He died as he lived, in grace." He finished and they stayed silent until Otis`s widow speaks up.
"Shane will you speak for Otis?" she asked while turning her tear-filled eyes to the man in question.
Tahlee just notices Shane`s new hair style and frowns at the drastic change.
"I`m not good at it," he mumbles. "I`m sorry."
Tears escape her, "Please, you were the last one with him. You shared his final moments," she begs, "Please, I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning."
Bending to the pressure, Shane speaks up, "We were almost done, almost out of ammo. We were down to pistols by then. I was limping, it was bad. My ankle was all swollen. We`ve got to save the boy, see, that`s what he said." Shane paused, "He gave me his back-pack, he shoves me ahead. RUN, he shouted. I`ll cover you he said, and when I looked back..." he trailed off.
"If not for Otis, I`d never have made it back, and Carl would be dead."
Looking Patricia, "Your husband saved us, he died a hero," he finished and he walked away.
Tahlee frowned, as much as she loves children she wasn`t sure she would sacrifices herself for someone she`d barely knew. A weird niggling feeling irked her stomach but she left it alone as her strength was failing her as she slumped against Daryl`s strong side, he quickly picked her up again and carried her off to a shaded area to rest as Sophia shadowed behind them.
WALKING-DEAD
An hour later.
Six people gathered around Otis`s blue Ute, as Hershel asked, "How long has this woman been missing?"
Rick answered, "This`ll be day three."
Maggie laid out a map on the bonnet, "Here`s a county survey map, shows the terrain and elevations."
Grateful, Rick nodded his thanks to her. "This is perfect. We can finally get this thing organized, we`ll grid the entire area and start searching the teams."
"Not you, not today. You gave three units of blood yesterday, you wouldn`t be hiking for five minutes before passing out in this heat." Pointing to Shane, "And your ankle - push it now and you`ll be laid up for a month, no good to anybody."
Understanding, Daryl says, "Guess it`s just me. I`m gonna head back to the creek, work my way from there." He indicated a spot on the map.
"Alright," Rick agreed.
"I can still be useful. I`ll drive back to the interstate, see if she made it back there." Shane offered.
Nodding, Rick agreed. "Tomorrow we`ll start doing this right."
Hershel spoke then, "One more thing, I only have one demand on this farm and that`s no guns. We`ve lasted this long without turning it into an army camp."
"With all due respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering in here..." Shane argued, but he didn't get far before Rick cut him off.
"Shane, not now. We`re guests here and we`ll respect his wishes." Rick laid his gun on the bonnet. "Alright first things first; Let`s set up camp and find Carol."
Maggie asks, "I hate to say this, but what if you do find her and she`s been bitten?"
"You do what you has to be done. Put her to rest." Rick says grimly, even as he silently prayed that it never happened.
Shocked, Maggie exclaimed, "What about her daughter? What do you tell her?"
"The truth, that her mother is dead," Daryl says.
Shane picks up Rick`s gun, "I`ll gather and secure all the weapons, make sure no-one is carrying until everyone is trained up. I do have one request, we have one man armed and on watch - Dale has experience and isn`t jumpy."
"Our people would feel safer," Rick adds on, understanding Shane's point. Nodding, Hershel gives his consent. "Thank you."
Maggie spoke up. "Our pile of medication is dwindling so I was thinking of making a run into our little town for supplies."
"Not the same place that Shane went too?" Rick asked with concern.
Shaking her head in a negative response. "No, there`s a small collection of shops about a mile from here. I`ve done it before," Maggie assured him.
Nodding, Rick pointed over to where Glenn was nearby. "See the guy with the baseball cap, Glenn. He`s our go-to guy, you should take him with you."
"Thanks." She heads over to the young Asian man.
Rick rubbed his face in exhaustion, looking over at Daryl who had yet to leave. "You okay on your own?" he asks, knowing that Daryl couldn't handle himself, but still wanting to be sure.
Scowling, Daryl wants to snort at the question. "I`m better on my own, I`ll be back before dark."
"Hey, we got a base now. We can get this search properly organized now" Rick hints.
"You got a point or we just chatting" Daryl bites.
Frowning Rick offers, "I`m letting you off the hook, you don`t owe us anything!"
Daryl really does scoff this time. "My other plans fell through. Just watch Tahlee, damn woman needs to rest," he growls before walking off into the woods.
Rick shakes his head in disbelief at Daryl's way of showing that he cares, before he heads over to the group setting up camp.
Rick looked around but not seeing the woman Daryl had just mentioned. "Where`s Tahlee and Sophia?"
Dale hearing him answers, "Sophia is in charge of looking after her, they're over there under the trees." Pointing to the row of fruit trees. "It`s giving the poor girl something to do," Dale adds sadly.
"Keep an eye out for 'em, Dale."
"Of course."
WALKING DEAD
After sitting under the beautifully large trees for hours watching the picturesque farm, chatting with Sophia and getting to know the cheeky young girl, Tahlee smiled as she lies down.
"You look happy," Sophia said as she made a daisy chain necklace, doing whatever she could to keep occupied.
"I am happy; I am with kind people, a beautiful place that is safe which is a lot more than I had a few days ago," Tahlee grinned as she answered, basking in the warmth of the summer day, enjoyed from the safety of the shade that the tree provided.
Sophia asks cheekily, "Does Mr. Daryl make you happy?"
Tahlee couldn't help the surprised blush that came to her cheeks. "What makes you say that?"
She smiled as she placed her chain on her head, changing it into a crown by that simple action. "I've never seen Mr. Daryl be nice to anyone before when he carried you," she explained through childish innocence.
Tahlee blushed but didn`t say anything.
"Do you like him? As a boyfriend?" Sophia inquired.
Looking up at the pale blue sky she answered, "I find him attractive, yes. Did your mom ever tell you about the birds and the bees?"
Blushing Sophia ducked her head, "Oh god, I don`t need to hear that again."
"Okay, okay, good. Well, Daryl is different than any guy I`ve ever met and I like it - him and I hope I get to know him better." Tahlee smiled.
"I think you`ll be cute together." Sophia giggled; it was said with such innocence and honestly that Tahlee's smile grew at the thought.
Taking the child by surprise, she tackles Sophia onto the grass as she started a tickle war which causes Sophia to giggle loudly, drawing the attention to most of the group as they smiled.
"Stop, please, stop" Sophia begged, her cheeks red from laughing and her words breathy from lack of air.
Tahlee released her as they sat back up gasping for breath.
Daryl emerge from the woods causing Sophia`s smile drop. He was alone.
"It`s okay, sweetie, Daryl is an excellent tracker I`m positive he`ll find your momma," Tahlee promised.
"I miss her, Tahlee, what if she never comes back?" Sophia`s chin trembled.
"Oh honey, come here." She opened her arms for the young girl.
Neither were sure how long she cried, but soon she had exhausted herself out and fell asleep. Daryl walked up, having finished setting up his tent. He had stayed clear while Sophia was crying, having no clue what to do with a distraught child that wasn't even his.
"She okay?" he asked as he sat down beside them.
Caressing Sophia`s hair, Tahlee replies quietly, "She`s just upset and misses her mother." Seeing Daryl`s face drop she continues, "She doesn`t blame you, she understands that the world is different and that her mom may never come back."
"No, I`m gonna find her." He spoke like their wasn`t another option.
She reaches out to touch his hand briefly in comfort. "I know you will."
Lori call out to them, "Guys, dinner's ready."
"Sweetie, Sophia you need to wake up," Tahlee coaxes while she brushes her fingers cross her cheek.
"Hmm, I don`t wanna," she murmured as she curled further in on herself.
Smiling at the sleepy girl, Tahlee tries again. "It`s dinner time, sweetie."
Finally, Sophia opened her eyes and rolls over. "Can I eat with Carl if he`s awake?"
"We`ll have to ask Lori or Rick, come on let's get up." Tahlee smiled.
Daryl wasn`t sure what he felt as he watched Tahlee mother the girl but he liked it, it made him feel protective, made him what something more.
"Daryl can you help me up!" Tahlee asks patiently, snapping him out of his daydream. Clearing his throat, Daryl offered her a calloused hand, "Yeah."
Using his stability, she hefted herself up before Tahlee started to walk with Sophia towards the house. Seeing this, Daryl growled, "Princess what did I tell you about walking!"
Childishly, Tahlee stuck her tongue out at him. "Not to let you see." She replied cheekily making Sophia giggle.
Grabbing her arm and wrapping it over his shoulder he half carried her, when Sophia asked,"Mr. Daryl, will you find my mommy tomorrow?"
"Yeah, kid, I will. Call me Daryl, none of that Mr. crap, okay?" he replied, "Let`s go get some grub."
Dinner was a quiet affair as no one really spoke after the customary 'Grace' before digging in. Sophia was in with Carl as the poor girl needed to be around her friend after the last few days she`s had. After the first full meal in ages, Tahlee hobbled up and started to do the dishes.
Lori set a pile plates beside her after finishing clearing the table. "Thanks for helping, I can`t help but feel like I`ve never spoken to you before now."
Scrubbing at a stubborn plate, Tahlee smiled. "I`d like to get to know you better; how`s Carl doing?"
"Alive and almost back to his old cheeky self, how`s your foot?" Lori answered in relief as she dried the clean plates, stacking them on the counter to put away once they were finished.
Tahlee hands her another dish. "Still sore but it`s better."
Lori looked down in silence for a moment, contemplating on how to say what was on her mind. "Please don`t take what I`m about to say wrong as I think what you're doing with Sophia is great, but don`t get too close because once Carol`s back she`s gonna want her daughter back. Just don`t get too attached!"
Tahlee frowned in confusion. "I don`t understand; I`m just hanging out with the kid, I`m not trying to take over as her mother."
Lori stepped closer, "I don`t mean to be harsh but if it was me, I wouldn`t what some woman moving in on my kid. And you did say you`d be moving on once Carol is found."
Tahlee was dumb-founded. "Why would you what to get to know me, if I was leaving shortly." Lori's words had struck more than one cord in Tahlee and her words were developing a sharper edge as her defenses went up toward the other woman.
"Well I assume since Rick mentioned you had a previous group, I thought you`d want to find them," Lori explained, not even realizing the topic that she was bringing up.
A deep frown marred the natural beauty of Tahlee's face as she met the woman's eyes dead on. "My group was massacred and those that survived left me to die, so no I don`t want to find them because I hope they rot in hell."
Lori looked shocked. "I`m so sorry, I didn`t know."
"You ready, Princess?" Daryl`s southern drawl startled them both.
Seeing Daryl glare bloody daggers at Lori cheered Tahlee up somewhat, as Lori mumbled, "Go, I`ll finish up."
Tahlee dried her hands. "Thanks."
"Hey, Daryl, can you get Sophia for me, someone should put her to bed," Tahlee asks as she limped towards the living room.
"Yeah, you alright?" Daryl nods towards Lori`s direction,
She smiled slightly to reassure him. "I`m fine, meet ya on the porch."
Leaning against the couch for support she was surprised when Hershel gripped her arm. "Here, I found this for you." He handed her a carved wooden walking stick.
"Thank you, it`s beautiful." She appreciated his thoughtfulness more than she could express. It would make everything easier to be able to move around on her own.
"It was my father`s, please treasure it."
Understanding, she hugged him out of pure gratitude. "I will Hershel I promise."
Tahlee rested against the porch's railing as she looked at the clear night sky, unaware that Dale was watching her.
"It`s been a crazy few days hasn`t it, Tahlee. How have you been?" Dale asked in genuine interest as he approached her from further down the porch.
"Geez Dale you nearly gave me a heart attack." She held a hand to her chest, her heart pounding from the sudden surprise. "I`m fine, healing."
"Sorry," he offered with an amused smile. "Good, that`s good. I was wondering if Sophia and yourself are gonna be sleeping in the RV?"
Tahlee cocked her head sideways. "I actually haven`t thought that far ahead. Definitely Sophia will be, I`ll have to ask Daryl since I haven`t seen my bag since yesterday."
"You're with me Princess, Bug here is gonna stay in the RV, it`s safer." Daryl gestured to Sophia at his side.
"Did you just call me a bug?" Sophia looked disgusted at the nickname. However, she also appeared adorably cute as she looked up at Daryl, seeming so small in comparison.
Daryl looked down at the young girl. "Yeah I did, Bug."
Tahlee was amused at the affection Daryl displayed to young Sophia. "Come on, Bug, let`s get you to bed." Tahlee smirked. She rather enjoyed having a nickname for Sophia.
"I`m not a baby, I don`t need to be tucked in," Sophia exclaimed as she walked off towards the RV, throwing a short, child's tantrum that Tahlee remembered too well.
"Hey wait a minute young lady, where`s mine goodnight hug, huh," Tahlee cried out, mock horrified at her hug had ben forgotten.
Sophia smothered a smile as she came back and hugging her new friend, Tahlee briefly kisses her on the forehead when Lori`s words drift back to her 'Don`t get attached'. She never let her smile falter, though, since Sophia deserved the love and attention. "Goodnight Little Bug."
Sophia, since she now had to deal with a nickname, decided to be cheeky. "Night Princess." She giggles as she runs off towards the RV.
"Oh you, cheeky girl," Tahlee laughed before glancing at Daryl. "Look at what you started!"
"Come on, Princess," Daryl ushered her towards his tent.
"Am I staying with you?" Tahlee asks him as she carefully limps behind him, making sure to use the cane she had acquired carefully.
Grunting a yes Daryl almost pushed her in when she paused to call out to Dale, "Dale, if Sophia needs me I`ll be in Daryl`s tent."
"Sure thing Tahlee." Dale assured her, smiling in mirth as he watches the two of them disappeared behind the thin tent material.
Entering the dark tent, Tahlee carefully sit-down and lays the walking stick down near the wall. Daryl had set up both their sleeping bags and their bags beside them. Tahlee opened up hers and started to change clothes.
Striping off the angel-winged vest and handing back to him, she then takes off her t-shirt, leaving her in just her bra. She doesn't even seem to realize that she's stripping in front of a man, especially one she's only known for a couple of days.
"What-what are you doing?" He stutters in surprise, his attention caught on the span of her back.
Tahlee glances over her naked shoulder. "Changing" she replied, stating the obvious.
"I can leave," he mumbled as he tried not to look at the semi-naked woman sitting in his tent.
"Nah, I`m almost done," she said as she slipped on a button up shirt she may have nicked from Daryl as she delicately removed her bra.
Getting into her sleeping bag so she could remove her shorts, she watched as Daryl untied his boots and settling down for bed. His routine was a hell of a lot simpler than hers, apparently.
"Arn`t you going to remove your jeans? Sleeping in jeans isn`t one of my favorite things to do," she teased.
Daryl grunted, " 'm use to it."
She rolled over to face him. "But you don`t have to anymore, we`re safe here." Figuring it would be easier just to comply he stripped off his dirty jeans before throwing them at her head with a loud smack of denim on flesh.
"What the fuck, Daryl?" she swore aloud, hurrying to throw the jeans off of herself.
He smirked. "What, you said take em off."
"You jerk, ew these are disgusting," she flung them away. "I`ll wash em in the morning and anything else you need cleaned," she offered, realizing that no one was looking after him and he would be gone all day looking for Carol.
Daryl looked over at the young woman. "You don`t have to, Princess."
Smiling she says. "Well since you banned me from walking around, I can sit and do laundry. Beside, someone needs to look after you."
"Yeah, yeah, g`night, Princess."
Tahlee moved herself closer to him so she could touch his face, brushing a finger against his cheek. "Good night Daryl."
The End.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter and soon more will come...
