A/N - I wrote this chapter to develop a connection between Daryl and Kaydence. I'm sorry if it's a little boring but I had to get it out of the way.

It was also written at 1 o'clock in the morning so it's not as well versed as I wanted it to be. Thanks for reading(:

04

Guardian angel

The forest was darker than I had anticipated. I couldn't see my own hand waving in front of my face. I was a walking target out here. But I had to carry on. As much as I wanted to sit down and wait for sunlight, I knew I had to keep going if I wanted to make it to Atlanta.

I stumbled my way past tree after tree, feeling for any sign of a clearing up ahead. I kept my knife tight in my right hand in case I needed to use it. Truth be told, I doubt I would be able to use it if danger presented itself. But I kept my weapon tight in my hand anyway.

I stopped for a minute to lean against a tree. I had been walking for what felt like hours. I was exhausted and hungry now.

The clouds covering the moon had started to part, letting in some much needed moonlight. I smiled to myself as looked out through the forest. It was gorgeous. The trees were just starting to regain their leaves for the spring, the creek ahead was bubbling quietly, and I could see a few spring flowers beginning to bloom in the distance. Under different circumstances, I would have melted into this beauty. But what I saw coming toward me stopped my gazing.

It was one of them. A female. She looked no older than me but she was decaying heavily. My stomach jerked and twisted as I watched her stumble around aimlessly. I wanted to scream again but I knew there was no one left to save me this time.

Instead I covered my mouth and quietly crouched on the ground. I thought if I could just hide I would be safe. But my plan was flawed. These things rely on their sense of smell, not sight. The … thing smelled me. Her head lifted and she sniffed the air like a dog hunting squirrels. Her head snapped in my direction and she growled at the tree I was hiding behind. I knew then exactly what had happened.

She caught scent of dinner.

She picked up her pace, which was still slower than any normal human being. I had plenty of time to make a move. I could easily stab her in the eye like Merle showed me but I didn't. I just sat there with my hands over my mouth, tears silently streaming down my face. I knew this was it. This was how my life would end – stuck behind a tree, frozen by fear, no hope for survival.

But I wasn't afraid of death. I had faced death once before and lived.

Of course that was because of Merle. If it weren't for him finding me in the back of the bar, wrists bleeding, I wouldn't have survived. Back then I wanted it to end. I didn't want this boring, repetitive life. I wanted to get out of this body and truly feel what it was like to be free. Merle talked me out of it, though. He patched my wrists and helped me home that night. I knew from then on Merle would be the most important person in my life. He kept me from diving off the edge.

I could use him now more than ever.

I took a deep breath and unsheathed the knife. It was do or die at this point. I positioned myself so that I could have a clear path to the walking corpse coming at me.

Just as she was about to reach me an arrow shot through her head. Her body swayed and fell to the ground with a loud thump. I gasped and stood up. Where did that come from?

"Hello?"

I called quietly.

No one answered.

I turned toward the direction the arrow had come from and squinted, trying to see through the darkness.

My attention had been focused on the surrounding forest; I hadn't even noticed the threat that was coming up behind me.

The next few seconds happened like a dream. I saw a shadow move behind a tree, something grabbed my shirt, and then an arrow shot past my face and into the skull of the corpse holding my shirt.

I tried to stop myself from screaming as the creature holding my shirt dragged me down with it. I was losing my mind. I was not mentally able to handle this right now. I wanted to shut down. I didn't want to be here anymore. But I knew I couldn't do that. I knew what my goal was and not achieving that goal was unacceptable.

I rolled off the dead-again corpse and pulled my shirt free. I took a minute to lie on the forest floor. I wanted to have a minute to process this entire situation, starting from the very beginning. I needed a minute to tell myself what I didn't want to hear. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and realized what Merle had been trying to tell me from the beginning.

It's kill or be killed, Kay. Toughen up and learn to fight.

I told myself.

I opened my eyes and exhaled loudly. This was it. This was the day I stopped being poor, innocent little Kaydence and start being a fighter. Life is worth fighting for - no matter if this is the end of the world.

"Get up."

The same angry voice I was running away from commanded.

"The fuck you think yer doing?"

I sighed.

"I left."

"What do you mean you left?"

"I mean just that, Daryl. I left. What's it matter to you?"

Daryl reached down and grabbed my hand, jerking me up off the ground.

" Get back to camp before Merle notices your dumbass is gone."

"No. Don't act like you're not happy I left. Merle will understand. I know he will. I left him a note."

"You mean this pathetic note?"

Daryl threw a crumpled ball of paper at my feet.

"This don't mean shit. It's practically a fucking suicide letter."

"Then tell Merle I ran off in the night. Tell him I couldn't take this world anymore. Tell him anything. Just leave me the fuck alone. I can make it on my own."

I turned and started stumbling through the forest again. I tripped over the corpse that had just grabbed me.

Before I could fall, something caught me. I struggled and fought thinking another corpse had me.

"You can make it alone?"

Daryl scoffed pushing me away from him.

"You can barely walk two feet without hurting yourself."

"I'd rather take my chances out here. Facing these things is much easier than listening to you constantly putting me down. I've never done anything to you, Dixon. I try to leave you the fuck alone. But all you do is put me down. I know you hate that Merle saved me; I can't change that. But I can leave and let you have some shot at surviving. I want you to survive with Merle so he isn't alone. I get that I'm slowing you down but god damn, give me a break."

Daryl glared at me for a minute before speaking.

"You're so fucking clueless."

He wasn't angry. He didn't yell.

Instead he walked up to me and brushed the hair out of my face.

"I'm glad Merle saved you."