AN: Hello dear readers here is another Daryl and Oc story Co - Written with Kit – cat99 read her story "One Of These Days".

Summary: On the hunt for Sophia, Daryl gets gravely injured. Almost certain he was screwed; he gets a surprise in the form of an old friend.

Into The Woods

Chapter 7

Song – Boom Boom Pow

Gotta get-get, gotta get-get
Gotta get-get, gotta g-g-g-get-get-get, get-get

Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get

Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom pow
Boom boom

Yo, I got that hit that beat the block
You can get that bass overload
I got the that rock and roll
That future flow

That digital spit
Next level visual shit
I got that boom boom pow
How the beat bang, boom boom pow


After checking over the farm, which only brought them a few hints of the direction the others had gone (and a slight satisfaction for Aleigh when she took down the walker versions of Andrea and Lori) the trio continued on their way. They were on the road for at least five hours with a few walker run ins but nothing living.

They hadn't found any markers left by their group but Daryl tried assuring the girls that going on real roads as they were would make tracking harder then going along back roads. Then come nightfall, they came across a gated community with an iron fence and twenty houses.

It looked empty.

Daryl stopped the bike and got off while Aleigh helped Sophia off, Daryl looked around, and there were no walkers around.

Daryl glanced at Aleigh "We'll stay here for the night, place looks safe enough anyhow" he said with a shrug.

Aleigh nodded and started getting their things while Sophia looked around.

The girl looked at the empty houses and frowned slightly at the lack of people. A place like this would surely have brought in survivors by the dozens. She turned around, ready to go back to Aleigh and Daryl, when she saw a familiar face.

Merle Dixon.

"Oh my..." Sophia muttered, gazing up at the large man with wide eyes.

Aleigh had noticed that Sophia had wondered off. Worried, she told Daryl before going off in what she hoped was the direction the child had gone. She heard voices and rounded the side of a house before freezing at the person who stood with Sophia.

Merle Dixon, the man who had saved her life six years ago.

Merle turned to look at Aleigh and grinned at her "Hey there doll face" Merle said with a wink.

"Well shoot me down, Merle Dixon!" Aleigh exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around the man. He grunted and awkwardly patted her back.

"Ease up there girly; don't wanna go slicing yourself in half now." Merle warned. Aleigh paused then suddenly remembered Daryl telling her about how Merle's hand had been the only thing of his that they had found. She stepped back and gazed in awe at the saw that was attached to the man's wrist.

"Damn." Aleigh muttered.

"Where's the runt? I figure if you're with this girl then obviously him and the rest of them jokers are around somewhere." Merle grumbled.

"Just Daryl...come on." Aleigh took Sophia's hand and they led Merle back to where their belongings were.

"Damn it, don't you girls ever stay put!" Daryl grumbled, looking like he was ready to go hunting. He shook his head then paused and lifted his crossbow. "Aleigh, someone's behind you."

"Ain't just someone." Aleigh pointed out cheerfully right before she stepped to the side to reveal the brothers to each other.

"Merle?" Daryl stared in surprise, taking in his brother's appearance.

"Look at you, still all scrawny and twitchy." Merle joked. Daryl moved over to them and punched his brother's arm with a slight grin.

"You stupid son of a bitch, how the fuck did you cut your own hand off?" The younger of the two asked.

"Ya don't wanna know." Merle replied honestly. "Probably ain't something to be saying round some sensitive ears." He nodded his head in Sophia's direction as the girl stayed by the red headed woman. "So you two been banging yet?"

"Merle!" Aleigh exclaimed, even though she wasn't sure why the statement surprised her.

"That'll be a yes then." Merle chuckled. He lifted his hand and waved it and that's when Daryl saw the dozen or so other people hovering around in different spots, watching.

"Who the fuck are they?" Daryl asked looking at them wearily.

Merle gave a grin at them, "Survivors but enough about that let's get you three a house and a decent shower then you two can go bang each other while I show this little sweetie around" Merle suggested with a smirk.

Daryl nodded in agreement and Merle lead them to a beautiful five bedroom house with two en-suites and French windows.

"This is your house Daryl, who knows, maybe you'll get Aleigh knocked up and I'll be a fuckin uncle then" Merle said with a smirk.

"Whoa, wait, what?" Aleigh asked, spinning around from admiring the house to stare at her old friend. "DUDE!"

"That ain't exactly something on any schedule." Daryl ground out, frowning at his brother.

"You're strange." Sophia spoke up, eyes on Merle. "You weren't like this before."

"Drugs do that." Merle admitted. "There's some other kids here about your age. You could probably get along with them." Sophia perked up at the idea of having people her own age around.

"Be careful!" Aleigh called out as the young blonde made her way out of the house.

"Don't be getting all worrisome now Aleigh, little missy be just fine." Merle assured the red head, patting her on the back. Aleigh flinched and stumbled slightly and Merle took in the wounds. "I'll get you some crap to change all them bandages." He walked out of the house, the door slamming roughly behind him.

"Same old Merle." Aleigh muttered, working her arm of the sling and carefully stretching it out. She put her hand on her shoulder and rolled it around slowly.

"You okay?" Daryl asked, walking over.

"Just stiff...sore." Aleigh replied. "Ain't nothing major." Daryl brought her to the bed and sat her down then crouched in front of her and worked on removing her bandages.

The bandage around her thigh came off first and Daryl softly ran his fingers around the stab wound.

"You heal nice." He muttered. Aleigh sighed happily and watched him trace his finger tips over the small slashes.

"Now we're both gonna be scarred." The red head muttered.

Daryl sighed, nodding slightly, then pulled off the bandage that covered her shoulder to see a tattoo of a ray of star lily's on the back of Aleigh's right shoulder.

"Didn't know you had a tat Aleigh" Daryl said as he pulled off the final bandage on her stomach.

Aleigh touched her shoulder "I got it when I passed my dance exams and then became a successful ballet and burlesque dancer" she informed him with a smirk.

Daryl groaned at the thought of Aleigh dancing in revealing clothes. She had danced when she lived with him. He would come back to the trailer to hear music blaring and find her out front, dancing and stretching. Such times, he would end up dropping whatever he carried and drag her inside.

"I think these need to get some air." Aleigh mused softly, running her hands down her thighs then back up and over her stomach.

"Yeah...air." Daryl muttered, watching her hands. Aleigh grinned and traced the edge of her bra, watching as Daryl's eyes stayed locked on her finger. "That's...air is good."

"Uh huh." Aleigh agreed slowly, nodding.

Unable to handle the teasing anymore, Daryl crushed his lips to Aleigh's. He grabbed a fistful of her dark red curls and Aleigh moaned, frantically beginning to unbutton his shirt.

"Easy, easy." Daryl mumbled, brushing his lips across her neck. "We're taking this easy sweetheart. Least until you're properly healed."

"Oh fine." Aleigh grumbled. Daryl grinned and tugged lightly on the shorts that she had been put in while she slept, the only thing that gave her modesty but kept her wounds free of being covered. He kissed her thigh softly, next to the stab. Aleigh laid back down and sighed as Daryl's rough hands massaged her sore legs.

"You know...the bit of what Merle said." Daryl mused slowly. Aleigh lifted her head and looked at him. "Ain't no problem with trying." Aleigh laughed and dropped her head back down. She lifted her hips when Daryl looped his fingers around her panties and pulled them down. He hooked his hands behind her knees and pulled her closer to the edge of the bed. "We can try and try and try."

Aleigh just moaned as his stubble scrapped the inside of her thigh and his tongue snaked out to touch lightly at her folds. He was light at first until her hand slapped at his head and he chuckled before plunging right in, moving his tongue in rapid actions. his fingers slipped inside her easily, bringing out heavy breaths from the woman on the bed.

"You make it too easy sometimes sweetheart." Daryl mumbled. His fingers twisted and curled, pumping in and out with rapidly increasing speed to match the actions of his tongue.

Aleigh suddenly caught him off guard as she grabbed at his shirt still hanging open and pulled him up. She gave a small hiss of discomfort as her arm jerked uncomfortably but she fought down the pain and pressed her lips to his.

"Now Daryl!" Aleigh ground out, barely moving away from his mouth.

"I know what you're needing." Daryl assured her, working open his jeans.

A knock on the door halted them and he growled, annoyed.

"I umm...I have bandages and...Other...things." A voice called from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, okay thanks, just leave em out there, we'll get it later." Daryl ground out. Aleigh laughed slightly at his annoyance but her laugh was cut short from his sudden thrust inside her. "Ain't laughing now, huh?"

"Uh uh." Aleigh muttered, shaking her head and rocking her hips in time with his. She looked down to watch the rapid joining of their bodies and sighed happily. Her good arm lifted up and looped around his neck. She moved her sore arm but Daryl quickly grabbed her hand and held it down against the blankets next to her head. Her nails dug into his back, all thoughts of taking it easy completely gone from their heads as he slammed forward into her repeatedly. Her heavy gasps were turning into moans that grew increasingly louder as their pace picked up.

"So...damn...good." Daryl grunted, his head falling to rest his forehead against hers. Aleigh's eyes fluttered shut and all she could do was nod slightly in agreement. "You never EVER take off on me again."

"Never." Aleigh agreed. She wrapped her legs around his waist but didn't tighten them, holding back the action but reminding herself of the wounds. Her back arched up off the bed and Daryl lowered his head further, raining open mouthed kisses over her chest, going around a bruise. He looped an arm under her lower back and adjusted her body slightly, hitting into her at a different angle that brought a harsher gasp from her lips.

"Don't get there...too fast woman." Daryl whispered.

"Ain't the boss." Aleigh gasped with a slight laugh. Daryl grinned and slid his arm free from under her. His fingers found the magic spot once again and rubbed circles around her nub. He thrust in harder, feeling his own end building up. Aleigh's arm tightened around his neck as a harsh cry of pleasure rang from her lips. The tightening of her muscles sent Daryl to his finish and his pumping slowed, riding it out to the best of his ability.


Rick watched the group as they gathered in a small pack. The vehicles had been positioned around them, creating a sort of wall against the outside world. Everyone was taking care of each other, passing around wet napkins to clean off any dirt or grime that may be on them, Hershel moving through the people, checking to see if any of them needed medical attention.

Leaning on the Cherokee and each other, trying to keep awake, were Tanya and Carl. The young boy leaned more on the woman then she did on him. Rick couldn't help but notice on the drive that they managed to talk easily between each other about various things. Tanya, apparently before the dead started walking, had been somewhat of a nerd type and she had told Carl about her collections of video games and comic books. They talked animatedly about Superman and Batman and all other sorts of superheroes in the comic universes.

It made Rick feel better about that Carl had someone to talk to after losing his mother.

He had to tell them all now. He just couldn't keep it all from them anymore.

"Folk there's...something...I haven't said that I should have said." Rick announced. He put his hands in his pockets and looked down. "We're all infected. It's not...just getting bitten. Anyone that dies will turn into a walker."

The survivors huddled around the fire, their minds reeling from Rick's revelation, Tanya especially.

They were all infected; it explained how Shane had come back as walker despite not being bitten.

"How could you keep that from us?" Glenn asked. "How long have you known?"

"Jenner told me." Rick explained. "And...I couldn't destroy everyone's hope. I'm sorry."

"There's no blame." Patricia spoke up. "It...Makes sense."

Tanya reached up and gave Rick's hand a light squeeze. She had no idea where the group was going but she knew that people needed to stick together and starting blame games within a group wouldn't help survival in any way, shape or form.

She just hoped that everyone could keep that thought process for the foreseeable future.


I like that boom boom pow
Them chickens jackin' my style
They try copy my swagger
I'm on that next shit now

I'm so 3008
You so 2000 and late
I got that boom, boom, boom
That future boom, boom, boom
Let me get it now

Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get

Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom pow
Boom boom pow

I'm on the supersonic boom
Y'all hear the spaceship zoom
When, when I step inside the room
Them girls go ape-shit, uh

Y'all stuck on Super 8 shit
That low-fi stupid 8 bit
I'm on that HD flat
This beat go boom boom bap

I'm a beast when you turn me on
Into the future cybertron
Harder, faster, better, stronger

Sexy ladies extra longer

'Cause we got the beat that bounce
We got the beat that pound
We got the beat that 808
That the boom, boom in your town

People in the place
If you wanna get down
Put your hands in the air
Will. drop the beat now

Yup, yup
I be rockin' them beats, yup, yup
I be rockin' them beats, y-y-yup, yup

Here we go, here we go, satellite radio
Y'all gettin' hit with boom boom
Beats so big I'm steppin' on leprechauns
Shittin' on y'all with the boom boom

Shittin' on y'all you with the boom boom
Shittin' on y'all you with the

This beat be bumpin', bumpin'
This beat go boom, boom

Let the beat rock
Let the beat rock
Let the beat rock

This beat be bumpin', bumpin'
This beat go boom, boom

I like that boom boom pow
Them chickens jackin' my style
They try copy my swagger
I'm on that next shit now

I'm so 3008
You so 2000 and late
I got that boom boom boom
That future boom boom boom
Let me get it now

Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get
Boom boom boom, gotta get-get

Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom boom, now
Boom boom pow
Boom boom pow

Let the beat rock
(Let the beat rock)
Let the beat rock
(Let the beat)
Let the beat
(Let the beat rock, rock, rock, rock)