Author's Note:

Welcome to Chapter 4 of Crossbow. I'm so happy I got some inspiration from this big ol' head of mine, if you guys have any suggestions or something you really want to see, feel free to tell me. I'll consider it and you might just see your idea in the story! Anyways, I'd like to thank the following people for reviewing:

xShyxPandax18: D'aw, thanks :) Woodbury is really important to me because I love Merle, he's such a douche but I loved him from his first line and I'm trying to develop Aliyah and Daryl's relationship slowly with cute little moments in between. I really love your reviews!

Sissymac: Thank you so much!

FanFicGirl10: I know, poor Carl. Even though he annoys me, I don't know why but he's a little irritating but he's a little tough one ;) And I also really love Carol and Daryl together, they need to hook up in the show. I really appreciate what you say in every review, keep it up!

Emily, xoxo

IMPORTANT: This IS a DarylxOC story :)

Guilt, sadness and sympathy twisted around my stomach, Rick was turning into a mental patient, he was losing it by the minute. Rick is a strong guy and I know he would pull back together eventually but seeing him like this was heart wrenching. I haven't known Rick for long but I could see that he had genuinely loved Lori. I felt guilty for calling him selfish, if it were someone I loved that much my mind would be set on finding them. I knew enough not to blame myself, those two minutes wouldn't have saved her. I glanced at Rick and ran a hand through my hand just as a cold wind blew around swirling the tension in the air. "I'm so sorry." I said and walked off and back into the tunnels. I heard footsteps behind me and I grasped my knife and turned around and let out a deep breath when my eyes connected with Daryl's soft blue eyes. "You're going after them…when no one else was going to." He said. I nodded gently pinching my arm. "I'm glad you're staying." He said and my heart swelled with happiness.

"Thank you…" I said at a complete loss for words. "I-."

"Shut up." He said playfully, a smile tugging at his lips. I smiled back but turned back to my serious mode.

"We have to find them." I said. He smiled lightly, shaking his head as he was lost in his thoughts. I ventured on, feeling safe knowing Daryl was right behind me. It was strange how my view on Daryl had changed within the last day. He had gained a lot of respect for saving my life a few times and I definitely started liking him as a person. My mom always taught me that no matter how much I disliked a person I should always respect them. Sometimes I couldn't go by those rules, like Shane for example, I don't like him and I sure as hell don't respect him. I rounded a corner and gasped as a walker came towards me that looked too much like T-Dog. "Oh, no." I said. "I'm sorry T-Dog, so sorry." I said closing my eyes before stabbing him in the brain. He collapsed to the floor, never to come back again. My heart was breaking for him, he was such a goodhearted man, he really did care about the group, he hadn't said much but in the time that I knew him I could tell in his eyes that he had cared a lot.

"He was all right, even though he left my brother on that damned roof." Daryl said his eyes intent of T-Dog's corpse.

"What?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing." He said.

"Fine." I said shaking my head. We continued through the underbelly of the prison, finding no answers. Daryl was an excellent tracker, that's why he went out hunting. Daryl quickly grabbed a knife and held it to him.

"Shit." He said glancing at the now dead walker that lay in front of a door. He slid down the wall and stabbed the knife into the floor. I kicked the walker and then shoved it from the door and creaked it open.

"It's her, she's alive." I said looking to Daryl who sprung up and lightly pushed me out of the way and picked up Carol. My heart melted at the scene, Daryl carrying Carol, bridal style, through the tunnels to safety. "I knew they weren't dead." I said more to myself than Daryl.

"I had a feeling too." He said.

Daryl placed Carol on a bed in a cell in the cell block. She was so happy to see Daryl, it was really sweet. I don't know how they felt about each other but it was clear they had love for each other. I bit my tongue to hold back an 'aw.' "I'm going to the river to wash up; I'll be back before dark. I have some baby formula in my tent if you need it." I said.

"You shouldn't go out alone." Shane said smiling at me sadistically.

"Get the fuck over it, Shane." I nearly yelled.

"He's right." Andrea said.

"I'll be fine alone, thank you for the concern." I said my words cold. I already disliked Andrea for some reason but now I felt like she was validating it.

"I'll go." Maggie said her green eyes on mine.

"Sure, why not." I said smiling.

"I need to wash myself anyways."

Maggie and I arrived at the river and I lifted my shirt over my head and unclasped my bra. I kicked off my shoes and pulled down my jeans and panties. I sauntered into the river and gasped at the temperature of the water. I noticed Maggie was now undressing and getting into the water herself. I dunked my head under the water and ran my hands through my hair while I held my breath. I popped up for air and swam a little further out, into the middle of the river. I could now see past the thin brush in the woods that surrounded us. I noticed a pair of eyes that connected with mine. I turned around and swam around for a few minutes, like I didn't notice the eyes. I swam over to Maggie. "Don't freak out but someone is watching us." I said in a hushed tone.

"What?" She asked her eyes widened from surprise.

"Yeah, let's head back but take the roundabout way, through a side road, no one can follow us back without us knowing." I said and she nodded and we made our way out of the water. "Damn, it's cold." I said loudly as I pulled on my jeans.

"I know!" Maggie exclaimed.

"Let's run, it'll warm us up and keep us in shape." I suggested winking with my left eye, which was turned away from the person watching us.

I was about dead when we reached the prison, I was never one for running, it was bad for your knees. "Fuck." I said as I closed the gate. It had turned dark an hour ago; we had gotten slightly lost taking the side roads.

"Where were you girls?" Glenn yelled running up to Maggie and embracing her. I hooked my thumbs through my jean loops and stood there awkwardly.

"Someone was watching us bathe." I said looking down.

"What? Who?" Glenn asked turning red, from either embarrassment or anger.

"I don't know, they were hiding in the brush." I said.

"Oh, shit." He said.

"I know it was weird because we weren't exactly dressed." I said, my eyes shifted away from him.

"What a fucking pervert." He said grabbing Maggie's hand and sitting down at the fire.

"What happened?" Daryl asked.

"Some perv was watching the girls."

"Did he follow you here?" Daryl asked.

"No, there was no way, we took side roads here, there's nowhere to hide on those streets." I said.

"Good, next time you wanna go take your bubble bath, a man is going with you two, risking your lives to be clean." He said shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know we would've been in danger." I said.

"I should've known no where's safe." Daryl said.

"How's your girl doing?" I asked.

"Who's my girl?" Daryl asked.

"Carol, of course." I said.

"She's not my girl, get over it and she's sleeping."

"I'm just fucking with you Daryl, I believe you, but you two have love for each other." I said.

"I don't love no one." He said.

"Yeah ok." I said.

"I don't know when you started thinking talking to me was ok. Just leave me alone." He said.

"You brought me here, saved my life, said you were glad I'm staying. You have left so many questions unanswered, Daryl, you can't expect me to not be curious." I said.

"Curiosity killed that cat; don't want that to be you, right?" He asked.

"So, you don't want to be…friends or anything?" I asked.

"I don't have friends." He shrugged. I sighed.

"Fine, fuck you." I said.

"Fuck you too." He said, his words stinging me. I looked at the people around the fire, they tried to not look at us or listen to our conversation.

"I'll be in my tent." I said.

"You haven't eaten and you should really go inside, it's cold." Maggie said.

"I'll be fine." I said.

"Aliyah, don't play games, get in the damn prison and stop your shit." Daryl said, not even looking up at me.

"Whatever." I said and packed my tent up and gathered my things, carrying my bottle of vodka in my hand.

"That's not a meal." Maggie said.

"Sure drinks like one." I said. Alcohol always filled me up; alcohol was always there for me when I needed it, when I needed to forget my problems. I opened a cell and looked at the blankets and sheets that were already used by some former prisoner. I laid my blankets down on the floor of the cell and plopped down on it and opened the bottle of vodka. I took a big swig; I felt it go straight to my head, since I hadn't eaten since my candy bar for breakfast. I kept drinking and drinking until I couldn't see clearly. The bottle was nearly empty, I knew I had to stop or else I would get alcohol poisoning. I stood up, not tired at all. I stumbled out of my cell and walked right into a wall, falling onto my ass. "Owie." I murmured and laid there for a while.

My eyes opened, it was still dark in the prison, and everyone was probably sleeping. I stood up again and walked up the stair to the perch where I could make out Daryl's sleeping form. "Shh, everyone's sleeping." I said and stepped over him and tripped over his leg.

"What the fuck?" He said shooting up a knife pressed to my back.

"Daryl…it's just mee…" I slurred out.

"Shit, how much did you drink?" He asked.

"Enough." I said smiling at him.

"You need to go to sleep." He said.

"No, can I stay here?" I asked.

"Hell no." He said.

"Why not, Daryl, I don't bite." I said giggling.

"I don't deal with drunk bitches."

"I'm not drunk, Daryl. You like me don't you?" I slurred.

"No, now go to your cell."

"I don't want to, please; don't make me go back there." I said tears forming in my eyes.

"Why the fuck are you crying now?" He asked.

"I…I want you." I said and then everything went black.
I woke up in my cell the next morning with a pounding in my head as the sunlight poured through the windows. I sat up too quickly and I groaned and I looked at the nearly empty vodka bottle beside me. That explains why I didn't remember anything from last night. Hopefully, I hadn't done anything too stupid last night. I got up and searched through my bag looking for some food. I pulled out a package of nuts. I shoved them into my mouth, feeling kind of satisfied. I walked out of my cell and saw everyone out of their cells. Daryl glanced at me and grunted as I smiled at him. I walked towards him and he stepped away. "Hey, good morning." I said.

"Whatever." He said.

"What's wrong, did I do something?" I asked.

"Figures you don't remember." He said.

"Aw, shit, what the fuck did I do now?" I asked.

"I…I want you." He mocked in a girlish voice.

"I didn't!" I said groaning to myself. He smirked at me and nodded.

"Sure did."

"No, look, I didn't mean it. I don't want you." I said my cheeks were ablaze with embarrassment. "Shit, Daryl, I'm sorry." I said.

"Yeah whatever, at least I know how you really feel." He said.

"No, I swear I don't, I was drunk." I said.

"I've been round drunks all my life, I know the truth comes out when you're slurring around like a little bitch." He said.

"Not me, Daryl, it's not like that." I said.

"Whatever, we got shit to do, don't worry bout your confession, your secret's safe with me." He said.

"What shit?" I asked.

"Glenn and Maggie are going out to get formula for the baby. The rest are going to try and find Rick and make sure he hasn't gone too mental." Daryl said.

"I'll go with Glenn and Maggie." I volunteered. I needed to get away for a little while.

"Ok, go talk with them." He said.

I walked up to Glenn and Maggie who were talking with each other. "Hey, guys, think I can go with you two today?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah sure." Glenn said. "We were just about to leave." He said.

"Ok, great. I'll go get my knife and gun, just in case." I said and ran back into the prison and then jogged back to them. I don't know why I always leave my defense behind, it just wastes time.

"All right, you ready?" Glenn asked.

"I'm as ready as I'll every be." I said and got into the red truck's backseat.