Jewels: I do not own The Walking Dead…

The next morning I woke up and I was in an unfamiliar tent that had an unfamiliar sent to it. It smell like…I can only describe it as a man. I vaguely remembered what happened the night before. It was all so blurry, but I knew at that moment I was safe. Daryl had saved me from his brother and taken me back to his tent where I cried it out and obviously fell asleep.

I slowly sat up and realized that I wasn't wearing my own shirt, but one of Daryl's extras. I looked around for my own and found it not far from me, ripped…probably from when Merle grabbed me.

I just sat there staring at the shirt. There was no reason to dwell on what happened…what happened, happened, it's in the past now and I know I threatened Merle beforehand, but I fuckin' let my guard down and he took advantage of that.

I heard a small snore and looked to see Daryl sound asleep on the other side of the tent. He had gotten himself as far away as possible, probably to show that he didn't try to take advantage of me at all while I was sleeping, and that was a sweet gesture on his part.

I crawled over and gave him a small, light pat on the head trying not to wake him up. "Thank you…" I whispered, before quietly getting up and leaving the tent.

I made my way to my own tent not even caring about the questioning looks from the girls as to why I had just come from Daryl's tent. Anyway, no offense to them since they are my friends, it wouldn't have been their business either way unless I decided it was their business.

I started to get to my chores and saw Glenn, Andrea, T-Dog, Jacqui and even Merle getting ready to head off somewhere. "Where you guys off too?" I asked, looking at Glenn.

"The city," he replied, almost sourly.

"What's up with you, don't want to go?" I asked leaning on a nearby tree.

"Normally it's just me, an in and out thing," he replied, "I don't have to worry about directing others through the city with all the walkers there."

"Understandable," I said, "Come back safely you guys." 'Except for you Merle,' I thought sourly, 'You can get eaten for all I care.'

"We'll do that, and you just take care of my baby brother, got it," Merle said.

"What?" I questioned.

"He told me all about you two," he said.

'The fuck is he talkin' about?' I thought.

Suddenly I felt two arms wrap around me and a chin rest on my shoulder. "Play along," Daryl breathed in my ear. I put my hand on one of his arms as a sign that I would and then his attention turn to Merle. "I'll take very good care of her," he said, giving me a small kiss on my neck which for some odd reason send a (good) shiver down my spine.

"Damn, and I thought I would get first crack at her," he said with a smirk before he got in the truck that him and the others would be taking.

My grip tightened on Daryl's arm and he planted another almost reassuring kiss on my neck. "As long as he thinks you're my woman, he won't touch ya," he whispered, before releasing me, "Remember that."

"Yeah…" I said looking at him as he walked away.

'That man does have a nice ass on him…wait, no, this is not the time…my neck was just kissed by a man I barely know…' I thought, putting my hand on my neck, 'But…he's trying to protect me from his brother.'

"What the hell was that?" Andrea asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Um…well…you see…" I tried to get out.

"Are you and Daryl together?" she asked.

"Um…you know, I just remembered I have to um…organize my socks…gotta go, bye," I said before running off into my tent and zipping it shut.

A FEW DAYS LATER

The camp had been quiet; Andrea, Glenn, T-Dog, Jacqui and Merle weren't back yet, and Daryl had gone out to hunt the afternoon of the 'incident' as I like to call it, since I have no idea what else to call it at this point.

For the most part I was trying my best to avoid everyone since apparently before she left Andrea told Amy about the 'incident' and she told Lori and Carol and the other gals at the camp, and I guess Lori told Shane. I got the two headed freak show member at Coney Island look as I walked around camp and it was getting pretty old. At this point the only ones who didn't look at me strangely or try to interrogate me were Carl and Sophia.

"Julianne…I've got to talk to you," Lori said, walking over to me.

"If this is about Daryl I don't want to talk about it," I said.

"I just…you're such a nice gal and I don't want you to get caught up with a guy like him," she said.

"He's not such a bad guy," I retorted going off my experience with him.

"Julianne, I'm just-" she stopped when we both heard a strange noise.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

"Hey, Dale, can you see what that is?" Shane asked to the older gentlemen that spent his days either fixing his RV or standing/sitting on top of it watching for walkers and anything else that may pass by, "Talk to me Dale!"

"I can't tell yet," Dale said.

"Is it them? Are they back?" Amy asked.

"I'll be damned…" Dale said.

"What is it," Amy asked.

"A stolen car is my guess," he replied.

Glenn then pulled up in a beautiful red Dodge Challenger that had its alarm blaring. "Hey guys!"

"Holy crap! Turn that damn thing off!" Dale yelled over the alarm.

"Pop the hood!" Shane and I both yelled.

"My sister…" Amy questioned.

"Pop the hood!" I yelled again.

"What? Okay, okay. Yeah," Glenn said reach back into the car.

"Is she okay? Is she all right?" Amy badgered.

Shane reached into the engine of the car and disconnected the battery to turn off the alarm.

"She's okay!" Glenn replied.

"Is she coming back?" Amy asked.

"Yes!"

"Why isn't she with you? Where is she? She's okay?"

"Yes! Yeah, fine. Everybody is. Well, Merle not so much…."

"Are you crazy?" Shane asked him, "Driving this wailing bastard up here? Are you trying to draw ever walker for miles?"

"Don't be mean to the car," I said now sitting in the front seat hugging the stearing wheel, "She's done nothing to ya…beautiful thing looks just like my Stella."

"Are you okay?" Glenn asked.

"I miss my Challenger…she was the most beautiful car you have ever seen," I said.

"And they said guys have obsessions with their cars," Shane mumbled.

"Anyway, I think we're okay, car alarm and all," Dale said breaking up this little moment.

"You call being stupid okay?" Shane asked.

"Well. The alarm was echoing all over these hills. Hard to pinpoint the source," Dale said, "I'm not arguing, I'm not just saying." He then turned to Glenn. "It wouldn't hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time."

"Sorry…Got a cool car," Glenn said.

"She's beautiful…" I added.

Soon a box truck pull up even pulling me out of my little trance.

Andrea was the first to hop out of the truck and her and Amy hugged and thank god for that so she could now shut the hell up. Then it was Morales, who was greeted by his wife and kids.

But I could help but notice the look on Carl's face as he saw everyone reunite with each other. Lori had told me about his dad and what had happened, so it was only natural that he would hope to see his dad again.

"How'd y'all get out of there anyway?" Shane asked.

"New guy…he got us out," Glenn replied.

"New guy?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, crazy Vato just got into town. Hey, helicopter boy! Come say hello," Morales yelled. A man in what looked to be a sheriff's uniform stepped out of the truck. "The guy's a cop like you."

The man started to walk over and stopped when he saw Carl and Lori. "Oh my god…"

"Dad! Dad!" Carl yelled and ran over to the man, Lori close behind.

The man who I was now guessing from this was Rick held Carl and cried.

'Happy reunions in a time like this…it's a good thing to see,' I thought.

TO BE CONTINUED…