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Dawn had been on bed rest for three weeks and now sitting in the fading light of the guard tower she felt like she was actually helpful and not a hassle to keep around. The tell-tale creak of the door let her know that her temporary partner was finally here.

"Sorry Judith was really fussy so I had to find Carol, but she wasn't anywhere so I found Beth instead," Rick informed coming over to stand beside her. Rick set down his rifle,

"May I?" Dawn asked reaching towards the gun; Rick nodded allowing Dawn to inspect the weapon.

"Ruger M77 Hawkeye Bolt-Action Rifle, nice," Dawn marveling the gun's long barrel noticing a name engraved into the butt of the gun. Dale, it said a last name but it was worn away. Dawn glanced up catching Rick's amazed stare,

"You a good shot?" he asked nodding towards the gun. Dawn shrugged pulling the rifle into her arms testing the weight and mentally making a few simple calculations, Dawn peered through the scope attachment loosely laying her finger on the trigger. A few roaming walkers stumbled into the yard; Dawn pulled the trigger sending a walkers head into an explosion of rotting flesh and internal gore. The gun had a good scope on it,

"Damn," Rick breathed, Dawn turned to see Rick staring at the remains of her shot. Dawn shrugged again handing the gun back to Rick,

"Learn how to shoot or die was how we lived back before this even started," Dawn left it at that ignoring the questioning glance Rick threw her way. Merle would be coming up soon to relieve her so Dawn went out the door leading to the opened air part of the guard tower and watched the fading sun, it was gorgeous, pinks and oranges streaked the sky like a water color painting she had once painted in her free time. Rick came out and stood next to her,

"Thank you," She said before she could stop herself.

"For what Dawn," He asked staring out into the horizon.

"Allowing me to stay instead of throwing me into the woods while I was wounded," Dawn replied shyly, Rick chuckled to himself,

"I wouldn't be human to do that, besides you took shit for us even when you didn't know who we were." Dawn nodded looking back into the distance ignoring the feelings creeping into her heart for this broken man. Rick's hand found hers making Dawn glance down at the sudden contact with the group's leader.

"Dawn?" Rick called her name softly; Dawn looked into the man's curious eyes, "why did you do it?" Rick asked.

"Because, I wasn't about to let you lose anyone just because I happened to walk through, and I wasn't going to let the governor think I wasn't with you guys, I thought maybe if I helped you even if I didn't know you then my life wouldn't have been such a waste, that I wasn't such a waste," Dawn answered with a sigh, Rick's eyes filled with anger and his grip tightened on her hand.

"You aren't a waste and if you think that just because the governor did those things to you then you're," He paused stepping closer to Dawn, "you're wrong Dawn," He whispered pulling her into his arms and fiercely crashing his lips against hers. Dawn stiffened against Rick momentarily before kissing him back equally as passionately.

"Hey Rick you out here, c'mon man I ain't up for a game of fucking hide-n-seek," Merle ranted rounding the corner. Rick refused to pull away,

"What the hell," Merle screamed, pulling away Dawn turned to find Merle charging right at both her and Rick. Rick shoved her behind him and fumbled with his gun, Merle caught Rick in a tackle. Dawn dove out of the path of the falling men just before Merle landed over Rick. Merle shoved rick to the ground with his right arm while slugging Rick across the face with his only hand. Rick kicked Merle in the gut but only achieved another punch to the face.

"Merle STOP!" Dawn shouted but Merle kept inflicting pain to Rick who had fallen unconscious, Dawn jumped to her feet throwing herself at the angry redneck. Dawn wrapped her arm around Merle's neck and kicked him hard in his lower back. Merle grunted but still didn't budge, muttering under her breath Dawn let go of Merle's neck and kneed him in the side then spinning she round house kicked Merle in the face. Merle finally stopped hitting Rick and held his now swelling nose,

"Daryl!" Dawn called to the younger Dixon who was about to leave for a hunting trip,

"What the hell happened up here?!" He growled as he burst into the guard tower next to the cursing Merle and the unconscious Rick whose head was now in Dawn's lap.

"Merle?!" Daryl turned on his brother yelling at him trying to figure out what happened from his brother.

"Stop it the both of you, Rick needs Hershel not you two bickering, now if someone is gonna help me then do it!" Dawn commanded the two men. Daryl nodded and helped Dawn drag Rick back to their cell block.


Dawn watched Rick get his face treated by Hershel, Merle and Daryl had gone hunting after Hershel had confirmed that Merle's nose was indeed broken. Dawn left Rick and headed down to the area that served as their kitchen,

"There she is," Dawn was greeted by smiles from everyone; Oscar muttered something to T Dog that made the two men laugh audibly. Dawn raised an eyebrow at them

"What are the monkeys laughing about?" Dawn asked Carol, Carol only shook her head and replied,

"Oh just the fact that you took on Merle and broke his nose," Carol laughed along with Maggie, Glenn, and a smiling Beth, even Judith giggled gleefully. Carl sat in the corner picking at the contents of his bowl obviously not entertained by the situation,

"Carl?" Dawn called to the boy; he looked up sadness clear in his eyes he only nodded to her not in the mood for conversation. Oscar and T Dog kept laughing making Dawn spin around with her hands on her hips,

"What is so funny hmm? Oh the fact that I can take on the redneck and you two baboons can't?" Oscar and T dog shut up but Glenn and Maggie only laughed harder Dawn laughed as T Dog jumped up with is hands in the air,

"Hey I don't wanna fight you girl," T Dog said, Oscar laughed when Dawn put up her fists,

"Oh how 'bout you Oscar, want some?!" she challenged shifting her weight from foot to foot as if anticipating the blow.

"Yeah I'll take you on any day, anywhere any time!" Glenn fell onto the floor and Beth burst into a fit of laughter.

"Bring it on old man!" Dawn said lunging across the table knocking Oscar to the ground, Oscar was taken completely by surprise as she sat on his back holding his arms while keeping him on the ground with her knee. Carol shrieked when T Dog threw her over his shoulder and began tickling her,

"Say Uncle Oscar!" Oscar struggled under her but kept giggling.

"Not in a million years," He shouted flipping over and landing on top of her, Glenn got on the floor and began counting the seconds,

"It is gonna be a long million years!" Dawn called rolling over Oscar and straddling him as he helplessly tried to shove her back to the ground. Glenn began counting to ten when Merle and Daryl rushed into the awkward scene.

"Who is…?" Daryl trailed off at the sight of Carol draped across T Dog's shoulder, Maggie lying breathless on the floor as red as a tomato, Glenn kneeling next to Dawn who was still on top of Oscar, Beth trying to calm down the laughing baby, and Carl who was now glaring at Merle. Carol was the first to star laughing followed by T Dog, then Oscar and Dawn. Maggie snorted and Glenn laughed uncontrollably Dawn got off of Oscar offering him a hand which he took gratefully. Dawn looked up still chuckling; Daryl was trying not to smile while Merle only glared at her. Dawn stopped laughing and glared back.

"What now, am I not allowed to have fun either?!" She shouted at the big redneck, Merle only glared, Dawn stomped out without looking back to see Merle following close behind.

"What the hell was that?" Merle called to her,

"We were having an orgy, I don't know we were just wrestling," Dawn replied shortly, Merle ran forward grabbing her shoulder,

"Ya know that isn't what I was askin' you 'bout," Merle growled spinning her towards him. She pushed away from him and stormed out of the cell block into the night air.

"I asked you a question woman!" Merle called trying to match her pace. Merle grabbed her shoulder again and spun her towards him,

"What?!" She yelled, he shook his head, Dawn rolled her eyes and tore her arm from his grip heading towards the over turned bus where Axel stood. Dawn called up to him,

"Hey Axel, you're done here go on in and get your food." Axel nodded and sprinted into the cell block. Dawn nodded with satisfaction. A hand grabbed her shoulder again this time spinning her towards the owner and pinning her against the bus's underside. Merle smirked at her then pressed himself against her and began kissing her roughly. Dawn shoved him away pulling her knife out of her belt,

"Back off you man whore!" She yelled hoping to get someone's attention. No one came, cursing under her breath Dawn stared up at Merle who was staring at her with something intent in his eyes.

"Oh c'mon you know you liked that kiss now," he said liquor heavy on his breath.

"You're drunk and you better not do anything you would regret!" Dawn said trying to sound strong but something told her she wasn't going to get out of this one. Merle only laughed in an evil manner making Dawn think of her crazed stepfather who had messed up her life so much. Adrenaline coursed through her veins at the thought of the abusive second father who had been a monster even before the apocalypse, Dawn jumped into the air and caught the edge of the bus swinging herself backwards onto the roof of the bus with cat like grace.

"Damn," Merle breathed at the sight of her crouched on the top of the over turned bus staring angrily down at him. Dawn turned her head to the side trying to figure out the drunken man,

"C'mere," Merle called up to her, Dawn shook her head then righted herself and turned away from the redneck she had once turned to for comfort. Truth seemed to reveal itself he only wanted to get in bed with her typical man, Dawn had violated her own first rule never get close to anyone. Dawn jumped off the edge of the bus sailing over Merle's head. Dawn ran full speed to the cell block choking back the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.