AN: Thank's to everyone for following, favoriting, and reviewing this story. Here's the next chapter everybody, enjoy. Reviews are welcomed. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead, It solely belongs to AMC and Robert Kirkman. I only own my own my character Shadow.

Defense Lesson

It was the weekend and Daryl said if I'd meet him down by the rock, he'd show me a few moves to protect myself from the dreadful bullies. I didn't want to turn down that opportunity, so I told my grandparents that I was going to explore the neighborhood, but I was really going to hang out with the Dixon boy. I threw on some clothes, along with my black hoodie, and headed down to the rock. My face was healing slightly from my fight a few days ago, but it was still pretty bruised.

I got to the rock and found Daryl skipping stones in the creek. I watched him pull back his arm and then follow through with a small throw, releasing the stone from his hand. The stone skipped a few times before it plopped down into the water below, leaving tiny ripples behind.

"That was a nice skip," I said.

"I'm getting' better at it," he said.

I picked up a stone and skimmed it across the water. The stone went just a bit further than Daryl's and a small smirk grew on my face. I still got it.

"Huh, guess ya good at somethin'."

"My dad and I used to skip rocks on the canal behind my house. It was one of my favorite things."

"Yeah, it's pretty relaxin'."

"Yeah it is."

"Think ya can do it again?"

"I'm pretty sure can."

I found another stone near the creek and took up my stance. I threw the stone against the water and it went even further than my last one.

"Nice one," Daryl said.

"Thanks. Your turn," I said.

"All right."

He looked for another stone and when he found one he took up his own stance and threw it against the water. It only went a few paces before it disappeared into the water.

"Guess I found something I'm better at then you," I said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't get all cocky," he said with a small smirk.

"Okay."

"So, ya ready for a little self-defense lesson?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Okay, I'm gonna teach ya just a few things that should be enough for ya to defend ya self and to teach those punks a lesson."

"Sounds good."

"All right. First off let's work on your stance."

I put my hands up and stood in a fighting stance that I've seen on the television many times.

"Not bad, but ya hands are all wrong."

Daryl pushed my hand into my face, making me whack myself.

"Ow…" I groaned out.

"Exactly. Now keep the arm out in front of ya around chin length and out just a bit. Now keep ya other arm up around ya stomach to protect it."

I did as he said and he made sure that my arms were firm and not loose.

"Now the other part of your stance," Daryl said as he looked down at my feet.

I looked down too and said, "What's wrong with this?"

Daryl went behind me and swept me off my feet, but he kept a hold of my arm, so I wouldn't hit the ground hard.

"Ya off balance. Anyone could easily knock ya down and then it's game over," he said.

He helped me up and positioned my legs the right way, so I could keep my balance in a fight.

"Now that we got ya stance down, how about we tap at each other?"

"Okay," I said.

I started to play fight with Daryl and he was tapping at me left and right. I could barely get a punch in there. The fight was getting tiresome and I was getting frustrated with it.

"Come on keep ya hands up. Ya gotta counter my attacks and watch my body movements. If ya know its comin', it's easier to block it and move in with ya own attack."

"Easy for you to say."

"Ya can do it. We've only been workin' on it for an hour. Trust me you'll get it eventually. No one becomes a great fighter after one go at it."

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"Okay, now get focused and show me what ya can do."

We went at it again, but this time I took in the suggestions he gave me and I was actually getting a few good hits in. Of course they were undamaging because I was just a ten year old girl, but he was smirking slightly, signaling that I was coming along pretty well. We continued working for about an hour and by then we were both tired out and laying on the big rock near the creak.

"Ya came along way," Daryl said.

"I couldn't have done it without you though," I said.

"I'm sure ya would have picked it up somehow."

"Maybe, but since I had a good teacher, I picked it up even faster."

"Pfft… It was nothin', really."

"You're one humble guy."

"Just have nothin' to brag about. My life's just shit."

"I understand. But to me, you're the most awesome friend I could have."

"I ain't that special."

"You are to me."

"Well, glad ya feel that way."

I stood up on the rock, showing off my nonexistent muscles, and said, "I'm Rocky."

Daryl looked up at me with a small chuckle and said, "Uh-huh, sure ya are."

"Come on get up here Daryl. Show off your muscles."

"Nah I'm good down here."

I pulled at his arm and said, "Come on, don't be such a party pooper."

He grumbled incoherently and stood up on the rock with me. He folded his arms in front of him and I said, "Come on, have some fun."

"Don't really have fun much."

"Then come on. You'll be my guide to surviving and I'll be your guide to having fun."

He gave a lopsided smile and said, "Okay… I will, because I bet you'd bug the hell outta me."

"You're right on that."

I pulled his arms free and made him lift them up like me. He flexed his muscles awkwardly and I could vaguely see a blush forming on his face.

"See that isn't so bad," I said.

"This is strange," he mumbled.

"It's fun."

"I barely even got any muscles."

"You have more muscles than I do. Plus you're still young."

"Yeah, guess so."

I punched Daryl lightly in the stomach and said, "I got your guard down."

"Pfft… That ain't fair."

"All's fair in love and war," I said sticking out my tongue.

"Ya one strange kid."

"I know."

"So, ya got anythin' else fun?"

I thought for a second and then a small smile graced my lips.

"I have the perfect idea," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"You'll see. Stay here," I said.

I got down from the rock and he said, "Where ya goin'?"

"Don't worry, I'll be right back. I promise," I said.

I ran through the woods and back to my grandparent's trailer. Thankfully they weren't there and I grabbed the thing that I knew Daryl and I would have fun with. I quickly ran back to the rock, where I found Daryl sitting peacefully while swinging his leg back and forth.

I climbed up on the rock and laced the cardboard box in front of me. Daryl looked down at the game in front of me and raised a brow.

"Monopoly?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Never played it before."

"Really, never!?" I asked him.

"Nope, never played any kind of board games."

"Well Dixon, you've come to the right person. I'm going to teach you every game I have."

"Well, all right. I'll hold ya to that."

"I know you will."

"So, how ya do this?"

I broke out the game and set it up. I had him shuffle the cards, and he was really good at that. I showed him the basics of the game and he was a little skeptic because he doesn't care for math. I told him that I'd help him out for the first game. We picked out our pieces and I took the thimble while Daryl took the dog. We played our first game and it went pretty quickly, I tried to teach him how to be strategic and the best locations to buy on the board. By the second game, he was practically playing by himself and I was losing a lot of money. Then by the third game, he had it down like a pro. He might not think he's smart, but he's definitely got a good strategic mind set, probably from hunting.

Daryl held one of the cards in his hands and said, "You know, this is actually pretty fun."

"You think so?" I asked.

"Yeah. Honestly, I ain't never had this much fun in a long time. It's new to me."

"I'm glad I could give you something you've never had."

"Me too, I'm glad I didn't deny your friendship because you're just a little pipsqueak," he said with a smirk.

I glared at him and said, "Hey…"

"I'm kiddin'… Ya a cool kid, Shadow."

"Thanks, you're a cool young man, Daryl."

"Thanks…"

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I was going to make us sandwiches."

"Ya gonna make me a sandwich?"

"That's what friends do."

"Sure if ya don't mind."

"Nope. I'll be back, again."

I went back to the trailer once more and made Daryl and I a sandwich. Once I finished, I bagged the two sandwiches and grabbed two bottles of water. I went back to our rock and handed him one of the bottles of water. I took out a sandwich from the bag and handed it to him. He mumbled a thanks and took a bite out of it.

"Mmm… this is pretty good," he said with a mouthful of food.

"Thanks, I like making my sandwiches packed with flavors," I said.

"Yeah, I can tell. It's like a deli sandwich made from home."

"Yep, but better."

"Way better."

We finished eating our small lunch together and we were having a blast. I don't think I've ever seen Daryl this happy since I moved here. I'm glad I'm the one who was able to bring it out of him.