Almost out of time

Hey guys thanks for reviewing, hope you like this chapter, i enjoyed writing it, i am trying to put the pic ihave of the sisters in my avater so keep an eye out :)

Daryl had heard the yell in the distance and put his hand out to stop Rick as he tried to locate the noise. He gestured to a part of the woods to their right and they both readied their weapons and slowly headed that way, Rick covering his rear. Daryl couldn't be sure what he had heard, it had sounded human but he couldn't be sure.

As the cleared a small hill he saw them seconds before Rick did and they both froze. A blond women clearly wounded and looking like she was a step from deaths door had her gun aimed at them. He noticed the younger girl next to her also aiming a gun at them, she had to be around the same age that Sophia had been. It sent a painful reminder through him to look at her she looked scared and worn but her aim was steady, this kid knew how to handle a gun.

He wondered if they were mother and daughter but another gaze at the adult told him she was too young to have a teenage daughter. Still they both had the same dirty blond hair that ended in natural curls, the same eyes, sisters maybe.

They slowly approached not wanting to spook them and risk getting shot.

Lexi felt the world spinning around her but the adrenaline suddenly started pumping once she saw them. Two strong males both of them armed, she wished she wasn't injured or she would have run with the girls and hid away. Two armed men was not something she wanted to mix with.

She took in the one at the front he looked rough around the edges, like he belonged in the forest, the crossbow held her appreciation for a second. She would have liked it more if it wasn't trained on her. The guy looked like he would have no issues killing her if she made a wrong move and she felt frozen in place. The darker haired guy looked softer almost friendly and his weapon was pointed to the ground one hand held out as a gesture of wanting to talk. She wished that guy was leading he looked more reasonable.

Daryl took in the older ones wound, he could see the blood staining her dirty white vest top, she was pale and sweating probably from a fever. He assumed she was bit and well on her way to becoming a walker so he aimed his bow at her head and nodded towards the younger girl.

"is she bit too?" he spat the words out thinking he was gonna hate killing this woman but it would be harder to have to watch another child die.

It took Lexi by surprise that he thought she was bit, like she would be fool enough to stay with her sisters if she were bit. Only she realised this guy couldn't know that, still she wanted to call him a dumb fuck for thinking it.

"She ain't bit, some bastard stabbed her," Charlie had the crossbow aimed at the blond guys head as she spoke.

Daryl cursed himself for not hearing the other two approach, he and rick turned to look as the girl spoke. They were both teenagers, one looked like a damn cheerleader and the one that spoke looked like a little tough thing. They had the same blond hair only the tough one had some faded pink streaks running through. He could imagine she would be a pain in the ass and he hated how she had the crossbow trained on him. One look in her eyes told him she would have no problem shooting him or anyone that threatened her family and he felt some kind of respect for the kid.

The other teenager, the cheerleader had her gun pointed at Rick, her aim was steady only her eyes gave her away, she was scared and wouldn't take the shot.

Rick spoke then trying to calm the situation, "OK lets just stay calm and lower our weapons, we just need to check the wound to make sure she ain't bit, we can help you."

The tough one scowled at his calm tone, "who the fuck said we need your help? and how about you lower your weapons and we wont have to see if Blondie her has any brains."

Daryl tensed at her words feeling his temper rise, little bitch who did she think she was, "you threaten me again girl and we will see whose bow is quicker and i never miss."

Rick sighed at the pissing contest and looked at the eldest girl, "get them to back down, we ain't gonna hurt you, i have a family at our base" He gestured to the youngest girl who still held her gun at them, " my son is around the same age as her, we are not bad people."

Lexi believed the softly spoken guy, the kindness in his eyes when he looked at Jess told her he wouldn't hurt the girls. She couldn't say she trusted the other guy but something told her he would do what this other guy said.

She nodded and lowered her weapon, summer and Jess followed suit, only Charlie kept her crossbow trained on the guy and he had his trained on Lexi.

Lexi slowly slid down the tree as nausea hit, "back down Charlie," she whispered.

Charlie flickered her eyes to Lexi in concern she sounded weak and tired, "what if they are like him? we thought he could be trusted too."

Lexi saw the question in the two men's eyes, and she took a sip of the water Jess offered her, "we trusted the wrong guy before and he gave me this, i tried to fix it but it keeps bleeding." She growled when she noticed Charlie refusing to back down, she felt tired and in pain "for fuck sake i said back down, we need help and this pissing contest ain't getting us anywhere"

Charlie immediately shouldered the bow and even Daryl responded to the pissed off instruction. Hell he wouldn't like to meet this women when she wasn't all injured, he figured she was tougher than the lil tough one. That though was just scary but interesting too.

Rick moved towards Lexi his gun now put in his waistband his hands held out in a gesture to show he came in peace. Lexi smiled at him, "you said you had a base, anyone there good at fixing wounds?"

Rick smiled and knelt next to the blond girls, "we have someone that fixed my son up real good after he was shot, can i look?"

Rick knew the girls needed to trust them, they were wary and scared and he could understand it if the last person had done this to her. They all seemed strong and he figured they were if they survived this long only now they seemed fragile too like one push would send them over the edge.

Lexi nodded and moved her top up to let rick look, he nodded his thanks and slowly peeled back the bandage. Only Summer stopped him, "we shouldn't move that off, the rule of stopping bleeding is to apply pressure she is bleeding too much, don't upset the stitches she already has by removing the dressing."

Rick raised is eyebrow at the young girl, "who gave her stitches?"

Lexi snorted, "did em myself, only the bleed must be deeper than i can reach besides it hurts like a bitch."

Daryl watched the exchange with growing unease, they couldn't risk taking her back, if she was lying about how the wound happened then everyone would be in danger. He glared at the cheerleader, "what ya hiding? just let him see the wound."

Summer flushed as he addressed her directly, his tone made her uneasy, " I don't want to disturb the wound until we are in a position to fix it up and out here the chance of infection is greatly increased."

Rick nodded slowly, "it makes sense"

Daryl growled, "your willing to take their word on this?, hell they wouldn't say if she were bit, they know what we would do to her."

Lexi spoke softly, "i would"

Daryl's gaze fell on her, "huh?"

Lexi held his gaze, her voice barely a whisper, "these are my sisters, the three most important people in the world to me and your right they wouldn't tell you if i were bit"

Daryl snorted throwing his hand up as if to say told you so.

Lexi interrupted him before he could throw what she said in her face, "but i would."

Daryl glared at the women that was giving him a headache, "oh yeah?"

She glared back, "yeah, i know what happens when your bit, how you become a walker, how you kill anyone who has a pulse even your own flesh and blood. Why the fuck would i risk their lives by lying to you."

Daryl felt his comeback die in his throat, she had a point and he couldn't' deny it but he had to know, "so if you were bit you would just tell us?"

Lexi nodded, i would ask you to at least let me see that they had somewhere safe to go but i would want you to be ready to put something through my brain when i croaked. From what i seen ya have to die before you come back."

Rick looked at the hunter, "Daryl?"

Daryl met the cops eye saw the question there, yeah he believed her, only he was used to not trusting people so part of him was still on guard. He gave the cop a nod and Rick acknowledge his agreement.

Rick turned to the eldest, "OK lets get you some help, the names Rick by the way and that over there is Daryl."

She smiled at him, yeah i got his name" she glanced briefly at Daryl then at the youngest girl, "this is Jessica, the one with the bow is Charlie and the mini nurse is Summer." Rick nodded at each girl as he learnt their names before meeting the women's eyes, "and I'm Lexi, getting help soon would be good, cause i don't think i have long left."

Rick realised how serious she was and even Daryl tensed at this, had they sentenced this women to death by asking pointless questions. Rick shouldered one of the girls packs and the girls started to get Lexi onto the make shift pallet making Daryl sigh in frustration.

He shouldered his bow and took two steps towards the injured women and scooped her up and started walking towards camp. He could feel everyones eyes on him in shock including Lexi's and he looked down to meet her eyes, "you said it was urgent, this is the fastest way." She nodded and said nothing more. He turned to Rick, "you cover the rear, you girls keep up and keep alert."

They all nodded and Daryl wanted to laugh, it was funny to have people listen to him. He was not the kind of guy people ever listened to or took advice from, only now he seemed to have earned some respect. He smirked at the scowl the lil tough one wore, she obviously hated listening to him but knew she had to stay quiet.

He kept checking Lexi as the walked at a fast pace, she looked even paler than a few minutes ago and her eyes looked unfocused, "hey stay with me now."

She tried hard to focus on his voice, the world around her was slowly fading in and out and she just wanted to go to sleep but she knew that was not a good idea, "I'm here," she whispered.

He frowned at her small voice, "yeah right, how did ya get that wound.?"

Lexi forced her eyes open and willed the world to stop spinning, "i guess it was the guys way of thanking me for saving his life."

Daryl wasn't much for talking but he knew he had to keep her conscious so he kept asking questions wanting to keep her with him. "how'd ya save his life?"

She looked confused for a moment as though she couldn't recall the information, "he was sick, I'm a nurse and was well on my way to becoming a doctor before all this... got him healthy and he stabbed me"

Daryl shook his head, "hope you blew his brains out, so he just turned on ya?"

Lexi was focusing on the mans lips now making sure she kept track of what he was saying, "nah, couldn't do it, made him pay tho, he wanted something i wasn't willing to give.

Daryl tensed at her answer his blood boiling as he realised what she was implying. He had met many guys over the years that thought they could take what they wanted from a girl. Merle was an unfaithful ass but he would never force or harm a women it was him that had taught Daryl that lesson. They had not had their mama in their lives for long but it was enough for them to learn to respect women.

He wanted to find the man who would force himself on this women and then stab her because she wouldn't go to bed with him,. he thought of how the guy must have known she had her sisters depending on her how she had saved him and he still tried to kill her.

She could feel the anger radiating off of the man holding her like she weighed nothing and she felt a sense of relief. "Your a good guy."

He was surprised by her whisper and snorted, "you must be delirious." Realising that was possibly true he met her eyes and relaised they were clear and focused, barely but she was still with him.

"Trust me a good guy is not the way they would describe me, I'm the resident ass hole " he shifted her a little, she was petite and weighed less than some of the game he had to carry around but his arms ached with being in the same position for too long.

She looked at him confused, "I don't think that is true, i have seen ass holes and you don't look like one.

He snorted but felt uncomfortable at how she was talking, it was why he rarely said much to folk, "well wait till ya on ya feet and I'm sure ya will hear all about me and my ass hole ways."

She whispered his name softly just as he saw the fence that surrounded the farm, "Daryl"

He looked into her eyes, "yeah?"

She held his gaze, "i don't think I'm gonna get the chance to see if your an ass hole, make sure their safe, please." with that her eyes rolled and she started to convulse in his arms making him almost drop her.

He felt adrenaline run through him and he started to run towards the far, he could hear the shouts behind him and the ones from the rest of the camp up ahead but he blocked them out. He focused on getting her to Hershall.

The next few minutes passed in a blur. the group questioning him asking if she were bit, he spat out she was stabbed and marched into the house laying her body on the bed Carl had previously occupied. Maggie appeared with Hershall who became more animated than anyone had seen this past week. He set to work saving the young girls life and Daryl slowly backed out of the room just in time to see the three girls arrive tears streaming down their grubby faces as they stared at him.

He realised he was covered in blood, Lexis blood and he wondered if anyone could lose that much blood and still survive. He saw the same fear in the eyes of her sisters.

He remembered Lexis last request and he hoped she would get to make more, he knelt down ignoring the group surrounding them and focusing on the girls "he is working on her. i'm guessing she is tough right?" They nodded at him, "well then I'm sure she will fight as hard as she can to come back to ya"

They huddled together holding eachother for comfort he could feel the gaze of the others on him. They had never seen him this way, only Carole had got to see the gentle side of his nature. He realised he was giving them hope in the way he had given Carole hope he just hoped this time it wouldn't backfire.

He was about to stand when suddenly the smallest one flung her arms around him briefly in a small hug before returning to her sisters. He felt embarrassed and uncertain and quickly retreated to get washed up, he trusted Rick would help the girls get settled whilst they waited to hear if their sister would survive.

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