Okay, so I know I said one a day, but I'm so excited about getting this up so I'm putting a few more chapters up tonight! Thank you to everyone who has said they love this story, reading those comments and reviews make me grin like a Cheshire cat! I love you all for reading this, hope you enjoy the next few chapters ;)

Elly xx

For a minute, they all stood dumbfounded at the sudden opening. Daryl nudged Callie and she walked into the building, one hand hovering above her knife just in case.

"Any you infected?" a man asked, cocking a gun. "One of our men was, he didn't make it" Rick said to the man. "What do you want?" the man asked again, stepping forward from the shadows.

"A chance" Rick answered, scoffing at the conversation they were having. "That's asking a lot these days" the man answered slowly. "I know..." Rick said, and the man lowered his gun.

"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission" the doctor said. "We can do that" Rick answered. "You got stuff to bring in you do it now, once this door closes it stays closed" the doctor said, and Daryl, Rick, Glenn and Shane ran out to grab everything.

"Vi, seal the main entrance, kill the power up here" the doctor said to a machine on the wall. "Rick Grimes" Rick introduced himself. "Dr Edwin Jenner" the doctor replied, and everyone packed into an elevator.

"Doctors always go round packing heat like that?" Daryl asked. "There were plenty left lying around, I familiarised myself" Jenner answered. Daryl pulled Callie in closer as she stood around and her bow pressed into his back.

"VI, bring up the lights in the big room" Jenner said, and the stations powered up. "Where are all the other doctors?" Shane asked. "There are no others, only me" Jenner said, walking up to his computer.

"What about that person you were talking to? VI?" Lori asked. "VI, say hello to our guests. Tell them... welcome" Jenner said. "Hello guests, welcome" A female computerised voice said.

"There's no one else here, I'm sorry" Jenner said. "Now if you'd all come with me, we'll get this blood test over and done with" Jenner said, and they all followed him into a room with chairs.

"Arm please" Jenner said as Callie sat down on a chair. She held her skinny arm out towards the doctor, and he tied a strip around the top of her arm. She watched as he pulled out a sterile needle and winced as it went into her arm.

"How much you wanna take?" Daryl asked, moving towards the doctor. "Just enough for a few tests" Jenner answered. Callie stood up after the doctor had put a band aid on her arm and sat down next to Daryl.

"What's the point in this, if we were infected we'd all be running a fever" Andrea asked as the doctor took her blood. Daryl gently took hold of Callie's arm and inspected it.

"I've broken every rule in the book letting you in here, at least them me be thorough" Jenner answered. Andrea stood up, the blood drained from her face. "Come on baby" Jacqui said helping her up.

"She ok?" Jenner asked. "She hasn't eaten in days, none of us have" Jacqui answered. "Well I can help with that" Jenner said, and stood up.

An hour later, everyone was laughing and enjoying their meal. It wasn't much, but it was more than they'd had in days. Jenner had cracked open a few bottles of wine and whiskey, and Daryl sat with Callie on his lap.

"You know, in France and Italy, children are allowed wine with dinner" Dale said, a little slurred. "Well when Carl is in France or Italy then he can have some" Lori said, her hand over the cup.

"Come on, what harm is it gonna do him? C'mon" Rick said. "Okay" Lori said giggling. Dale handed Carl a cup with a little wine in it and everyone watched as he took a sip.

"Ewwww" Carl said, and put the cup down. Everyone burst out laughing at his reaction, and Daryl pushed his head into Callie's. Everyone smiled at them, seeing the calm side of Daryl they had longed to see.

"So doc, where are all the other scientists? You know, where's everyone else?" Shane asked. "They left. Some of them packed their bags and went off to be with their families. Others couldn't face walking out the door. There was a mass of suicides that day. It was a bad time" Jenner said.

"Dude, you are such a buzz kill" Glenn said, resting his head on Callie's shoulder. She nodded and rested her head on his. Daryl chugged down another swig of whiskey and kissed Callie lightly on the collarbone.

The group walked down a corridor as Jenner walked ahead of them. "There aren't any beds but the couches are comfortable enough. There's a rec room down the corridor you kids might like, just don't plug in the video games. Or anything that draws power. Same goes for you, and go easy on the hot water" Jenner said.

Glenn turned to Callie with a smile forming on his face. "Did he just say hot water?" he asked. "That's what the man said..." T-Dog answered, and everyone ran into the gym where the showers were.

Callie walked up to one and noticed a fresh towel on a rack. She picked it up and put it on the door of her shower, peeling off her clothes and flinging them to one side.

She turned on the hot water and stepped under it, a melodic sound leaving her throat. "Oh my god this is amazing" she heard Glenn say. "I'm in love" he said dramatically as he shoved his head round her door.

Callie giggled at him and started to hum to herself. The hot water felt so good on her skin, and she watched as week's worth of grime washed off her body. "Hot wa-ter!" she heard T-Dog say loudly and she giggled again.

She turned around as her door opened and grinned at Daryl. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he squeezed in next to her, and he gently pressed his lips against hers.

It felt good to feel his body pressed against hers. She grabbed a tiny pot of soap and started rubbing it through his hair, making funny hairstyles to keep herself amused as he swigged at more whiskey.

He turned around suddenly so his body was under the cascade of water, making Callie squeal lightly. He nuzzled into her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Callie jumped down lightly and grabbed her towel. She pulled on a pair of shorts and Daryl's extra shirt before walking back to her room to get some rest. Daryl stumbled in a few minutes later and collapsed on the couch.

"Hey Call" Callie heard, and she turned to see Carl in the doorway with a small bow and arrow. "Can you teach me how to shoot?" he asked. "Where d'ya gets this?" she asked. "We found it before we came here" Carl said.

"Okay" Callie said, grabbing her own bow so Carl could mimic her actions. "So you gotta hold it firm. Clip your arrow in so the odd coloured bit sticks outwards. Then you aim, three fingers underneath the arrow, close your front eye and let go" Callie said.

"I hope we get to really shoot one day" Carl said with hope. "Maybe Jenner has somewhere we can practice?" Callie said hopefully. Daryl smiled at the two of them as Carl ran back to his mum.

"Cm'ere" Daryl said, and Callie walked over to his place on the couch. She lay down next to him, her face inches away from his and he pulled her in tightly. "You reckon we're safe here?" she asked.

"Maybe. Either way, nothing bad is ever gonna happen to you. I won't let it" Daryl said sleepily. Callie smiled and buried her head into his inviting chest, closing her eyes and drifting to sleep in his muscled arms.

Pre-Apocalypse

Callie felt her tummy tighten as she read the note once more. It didn't seem right, but she flurried about gathering everything he had said, the note still replaying over in her mind.

Callie, if you are reading this then I am dead and you somehow made it out of this hell hole. You need to head towards the city, towards Atlanta. People will be there, survivors or a refugee camp the radios say. Buncha bullshit if you ask me, but you need to go there for supplies.

Arm yourself with a bow and a hella load of arrows, girl. Take a hunting knife or two, and keep yourself safe. If you find that damn mutt Dixie take him with you. He'll keep you safe from those things.

Callie, I would tell you that everything is ok, you're going to be ok, but that would be lying and stupid of me. That world is not ok – those things could tear you to pieces slowly if given the chance.

Don't give them that chance.

I knew this day would come, I just hoped it wouldn't be in your lifetime. Try and find Daryl – he would survive a dinosaur attack or a nuclear attack so this is nothing. He'll be out there.

He'll focus on surviving, which is what you should do. He'll come round when he see's your face, he'll protect you or die trying. I know how much that boy loves you. Didn't never think a Dixon could love anyone but there ya go.

Stay safe, Callie-Rose Andrews. Keep that dog safe too, and stick to where you know. Along with this is your list of things – don't miss out on one. Me and your mother love you and will always watch over you.

Until I see you again,

Dad xx

Callie threw everything her dad had written on his list. Her hand brushed his hunting knife he left on her bed, and she clipped it to her belt. Her mind raced as she thought of how she would get food, and she threw everything into her satchel.

"Come on, Callie. You can do this" she muttered to herself, and looked over the field at the Dixon household. She would check it just before she left, giving her enough time to get food and find Dixie.

She snuck out the house and down the backstreets to the local supermarket. The place was small and everything in tins was scattered on the pavement outside. She salvaged the tins that were unscathed or opened and placed them in her satchel.

Without looking at what she grabbed, she headed back up the street silently. She kept her bow armed and ready, and nearly jumped out of her skin when a dog nudged her legs.

"Dixie" she whispered, and smiled down at the dog. Dixie followed her home, and she tipped the contents of her bag on the floor. "Beans, beans, fruit cocktail, beans, pears, string beans. And rice pudding. And dog food" Callie said as she replaced each item back in her satchel.

"Lucky for you, huh?" she said to Dixie. She threw the satchel over her shoulder along with her quiver, and set off towards the Dixon household. "Daryl" she hissed, and no one showed up.

She frowned lightly and walked over to his barn doors. With a deep breath, she pulled it open, expecting to find Daryl and Merle sitting on the floor staring at her. Her heart sank when she saw what was in the barn.

It was empty. Daryl had left without her.