Well even though the show is off until February I am still gonna play 'catch-up' every Sunday so bear with me. I am still super pissed that they killed off Beth and honestly I feel like that girl is gonna become something like a 3rd main character in this story just because I feel like it might make me better but who knows? Wow listen to me ramble on.. ignore the psycho over here haha anyway here's chapter 6 and like always I hope you thoroughly enjoy. Please follow/ fav/ or leave me a comment as to what your thinking.. I'd love to hear from ya ;) The next chapter will be up next week but until then...

Chapter 6

Daryl.

As usual I wake up early, twisting my head side to side to get rid of all the unpleasant kinks in my neck. I do a quick face wash today to conserve water and after towel drying I decide to take a walk around a bit, check the security of all the fences, and give Hazel a chance to sleep in after the very traumatic day she had yesterday. Wait, what the hell? What do I care if she had a traumatic day or not? Why should I care?

Because despite this 'I don't give a shit' outer appearance, YOU, Daryl Dixon, actually care about people and have a heart. A voice calls out in my head, after a moments pause I realize its Hazel's.

Just what in the hell do ya know? And why 're ya in my head? I angrily think before cursing myself under my breath, talkin' to yourself is one of the first signs of a psycho.

I'm a figment of you're subconcious, you see me because you want to, and because I am from you're mind I know everything there is to know about you but about me, I only know what you know.

Shut up, shut up, shut up. Why would I want to see Hazel in my mind? I stop abruptly when a theory 'pops' into my head. Do I have feelings for Hazel?

Yeah pretty much. Echoes the voice of the snarky Hazel I know. I cant have feelings for Hazel – I cant have feelings for anyone. Its just a stupid distraction that will get you killed. But the more I think about it the more I realize I want to protect Hazel, survive alongside her, and for the first time in my life I feel like I have something worth fighting for – something that trumps risk. I decide I need to wake Hazel and – and what? I have no clue what I'm doing or feeling.. all of this is new to me. Well I can at least talk to her, right? With that last thought I turn around and race back to Cell Block C to wake up the one girl I can't seem to shake out of my mind.

When I get to her room my blood runs cold. Its completely empty except for the perfectly made bed and an envelope marked 'Daryl: Please Read to Everyone'. I rip the envelope to shreds and unfold the letter Hazel wrote to us.

"Dear Prison Group,

I would like to thank everyone for the hospitality I was shown and the open arms I was welcomed into. You all deserve happiness and a long lasting chance at life and survival here in this dump of a prison that you have converted into a beautiful home. Home, it's a strange concept these days but my mother always said 'Home is where the heart is' so no matter what challenges you all must face I have the highest belief that you all are home to each other. And please know that in regards to that saying my home will always be with you even if I cannot. When life gives you lemons you just have to make lemonade so when the govenor offered you an out, I had to take it for you. If the choice is between keeping me and going to war with the govenor then there isnt really a choice now is there? Maybe our paths will cross again someday but until then.. wish me luck…

Yours Truly,

Hazel Marie

My chest tightens and my heart skips a beat, this ache feeling is definitely new and replaces my previous definition of 'pain', I feel concern, anger, and hope hitting me like a brick wall all at once. I read the letter again, and again before hopping up and rushing to find Rick.

After finding Rick, who was with Carl, and showing them both the letter, Rick calls an immediate council meeting. Carl starts crying and just slumps to the ground so Rick tells me to go to the meeting room while he takes care of Carl and finds everyone else. I find myself worried sick waiting for everyone to show up so we can discuss our plan of action. First through the door is Carol, followed by Hershel, Glenn, and Michonne, and lastly comes Rick.

"Is everyone here?" He asks while doing a head count and closing the door.

Everyone nods simultaneously and Rick wastes no time with reading the letter aloud and getting down to business.

"Is this really happening? Did she really do this for us?" Comes Glenn's voice full of utter shock and pure disbelief.

"Yea, now what 're we gunna do?" I press, the feelings of fear confirm my theory, I have feelings for Hazel and I'm not about to let her slip through my fingers just to fall into the govenor's.

"I say we do nothing, she made a decision to sacrifice herself so we could be safe, the govenor has her and will leave us alone.. I don't see why we're meeting about this" Carol states coolly while picking at a loose thread. I feel my blood fire up and I instantly get angry. But before I can stand up and give Carol a piece of my mind Rick does it for me.

"Hazel is a human being and now she's much more than that to us but who knows what the govenor will do to her – we need to go get her back. We can deal with 'Phillip' but Hazel is an honorary member of our group now." After a moments pause to read everyone's reactions he continues. "Now who volunteers to come with me to get her?"

"Me" I don't hesistate. That's my girl in trouble so I should be the one to go get her.. My mind stops and back tracks, my girl. Hazel is my girl – I love the possesive sound of that.

"I will also go – I feel like the three of us can get it done without having to risk anyone else's life." Michonne announces, she and Hazel really must have bonded yesterday because one look into Michonne's eyes and you can see the deep pools of sadness and pride. We decide not to do anything today or tomorrow; deciding to hit them tomorrow night because they will expect immediate retaliation and we need to catch them off guard. So I have to survive not one but two whole days without Hazel, I immediately know I wont be able to do anything in this time because all my spare moments will be full of fear and predictions of the terrible things Hazel will have to endure at the hands of the govenor.

The sun is setting over the trees, it's a beautiful sight that reminds me of Hazel's and my breif time on the roof. The sun is setting on the night we attack and I am fired up by anxiety because I sure as hell haven't gotten any sleep, I tried last night but had an awful reoccuring nightmare flash through my mind. It was always Hazel trapped in a hold by the govenor, him standing beind her so I couldn't shoot an arrow at him, he would tell me to drop my weapon and he would let Hazel go. Just as I place my crossbow on the floor I jump to grab Hazel but before I can even reach her time slows down and I have to watch in slow motion as the govenor shoves a rusted blade through Hazel's heart. I manage to catch her before she falls and she smiles at me as she coughs up blood, her smile telling me that she has feelings for me too, but just as I smile back her body goes limp and I watch the life fade from her eyes. The second she comes back as a walker is when I wake up. Sweat pouring down around me – even after my shower I can still feel it, once we get to Hazel I am going to tell her how I feel, I am going to pull her to me and kiss her, and I am never going to let her go again. Its in my nature to feel possessive and keep whats mine around me. I patiently wait by the car, ready to go, even though we wont be heading out for another hour. I just sit, wait, and hope that when we find Hazel she is sill herself.. that the govenor didn't break her or ruin her.. that she will feel for me what I do for her.

Love? What a bunch of pussy shit! I raised you better than that lil brother. Merle's voice floats through my mind.

I don't love 'er – I don't know 'er enough to love 'er but I care for 'er – I have solid feelin's for 'er and its not a bunch 'o pussy shit – this is somethin' I've never felt before. Its different in a good way. I respond, my thoughts ringing with truth.

Phillip has done terrible things to her brother – and even if he hasn't I am gonna get a piece of that ass. I can almost see the smug smirk on Merle's face.

Hazel. Is. Mine. It would do ya good to remember that. I spit back at him

Whoa baby brother calm down.. ain't no reason to get testy on me.. I am just in your head – I'm just your imagination.. my thoughts are your thoughts.

With the last words in his voice echoing around my brain I shrug it off and lean against the wall. Not 5 minutes after relaxing Michonne and Rick appear side by side and usher me into the car. As the car starts and we pull away, I force myself to keep it all in check – getting Hazel back isnt going to be easy and I'm going to need all the calm confidence I have to get in, get the girl, and get out with Rick and Michonne close behind me and little to no casualties. This ride over to Woodbury is by far the longest feeling journey I've taken in my entire life. We finally pull off to the side of the road and start our short trek into the woods to Woodbury's 'back' entrance – close to the same way we snuck into Woodbury to get Glenn and Maggie. The two guards up top are new but judging by their slacked posture and bored expressions it would seem that they hadnt seen any action all day and weren't expecting anything either – this just makes it easier for us to sneak past and through a loose board in the wall. Once we are finally inside we take up casual strolls to make it look like we are any other member of the town. After making our way to the 'holding' area and finding it empty Michonne divulges information about the govenors secret hidden room in his apartment. According to her there is even a cage where he held his daughter that he could easily force Hazel into. First we need a diversion so that the town gets distracted and the Govenor gets called into 'work'. We go back to the two idiots on guard and make it look as if theres been a struggle. Both fall to their impending deaths on the town's side, we wait for them to turn and start leading them towards the townspeople… it's the perfect diversion because no one would suspect foul play. We hide in the shadows by the govenor's apartment entrance, once its deadly quiet I swear I can hear someone's pain filled screams covered by cloth, I pray that it isnt Hazel. We just sit there and wait until the panic begins and he rushes out. We slip in after waiting to make sure he's gone and cleared the building. In his haste he left his door cracked, stupidity on his part makes our job easier. All three of us rush inside weapons drawn in case someone is still inside, after we clear the main rooms Michonne shows us the door that leads to his secret room. Last time she was here, she killed Penny, the govenors walker daughter. After picking the lock and slowly opening the door we all gasp. The way Michonne described it was there was an old leather chair in the center and on the far wall was a bunch of stacked aquariums full of walker heads with a separate caged door that held his daughter. The room we face now is nothing of the sort. In the center there is an intricate pulley system that two pairs of handcuffs hang from, dripping blood. On the floor directly below there are another set of cuffs bolted to the floor and lying in a hapazard pile next to the floor cuffs is a whip, also covered in blood. I notice the green long sleeve shirt from the 'penthouse' lying in a shredded leap along with the remains of other clothes I assume belong to Hazel. Rick is the first to recover, heading over to the caged door and ripping it open. I finally gather the courage to walk over and see what remains of the girl I have feelings for. When I peak inside the sight is too much to bear, I drop to my knees and let out a desperate moan. Michonne starts silently shaking with tears and Rick just stares and gulps, repeatedly. Hazel, MY Hazel… Once yer with me I'll never let ya go. I think over and over again. And suddenly I know, I have no idea how far these feelings back track but they've been there awhile, I'm in this for life. There will never be another girl for me, even if Hazel doesn't return the feeling I will still be there for her until my dying day.