Chapter nine- The File

"Officer Walsh?"

Daryl never thought he would be in a police station by choice. But there he was, awkwardly standing in the midst of desks and uniformed officers that didn't pay attention to him as he sought of Shane Walsh. He remembered him from when they went to school together for a short period of time, but right now he remembered him more vividly from the multiple trips he took to Carol's house in the past few months. He recognized him as soon as she walked past, his large build and frizzy hair were immediate indicators to him, and he was sure when Shane turned around with a puzzled look on his face? He looked at Daryl for a moment before he was sure who he was.

"Dixon?" He faced him, blinking a few times before continuing. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to know about Sophia's case." Daryl blurts out, skipping any small talk. Shane stood next to his desk, a file in his hand. Daryl noted that he was probably in the middle of something but he couldn't give a shit about that if he tried. "Give me everything you know. You lame fucks aren't giving a damn about that little girl anymore."

"Daryl, the police are doing everything they could to find Sophia," Shane shrugged it off, groaning as he took a seat at his desk. Daryl watched as Shane open his file cabinet, shifting through dozens of other files before finding the spot for the one that was in his hand. "You have nothing to do with it."

"How could you just abandon her?" Daryl spoke up, crossing his arms as he stood on the opposite of Shane's desk. It was cluttered with paper work and food wrappers and Shane didn't even seem to be looking at him when he talked. "She's out there somewhere, and I'm going to do something about it."

"Go home Daryl," Shane shook his head, looking up at him with stern eyes. "A messed up kid like you is the last person I would trust with her case."

Daryl was prepared to drag Shane across the desk and beat him to a pulp. He was already worked up and tired. How could so many people loose faith so fast? Before he got a chance to speak again, Shane was already getting up walking away from his desk. Leaving Daryl in a crowded police head quarters alone. He knew from the second that he watched Shane put the file away that he was going to have to get it out of there. He tried to be nonchalant about it, But no one seemed to notice anyway when he slid Sophia's file out of the drawer and sneaked out of the precinct.


"I was wondering if Daryl was home?"

Carol never thought that she would have knocked on Daryl's front door, staring his abusive old man in the face. She had been worried though, and she didn't want Daryl to do anything stupid. She was shocked that he was so emotionally invested in Sophia, she was worried he would do something stupid. His father had only slightly opened the door, and he immediately know who Carol was. Even though they had never spoken they had been living next door to each other since she was born. He eyes her up and down, a somewhat satisfied smile on his face.

"Haven't seen the prick," His dad shrugged, almost laughing. "I'm surprised the little dork finally got a 'piece of ass though."

Carol was already turned around before he could finish, and Daryl's dad laughed out loud before slamming the door shut. Her worry for what happened to her friend was splashed all over her face as she quickly sprinted down the porch steps stopping at the side walk. That's when she saw him, down towards the bus stop, walking toward her with something in his hand.

"What are you doing out here?" Was the first thing he said, stuffing the file under his arm, looking at Daryl with annoyed eyes.

"I was worried about you," Carol replied. Her eyes shifted slightly over to Daryl's front door. "I asked your dad if you were home."

"You talked to my Dad?" Daryl's eyes widened, his tone of voice shifting from annoyed to out right angry. "What the hell?"

"Sorry for being worried about you!" Carol snapped back, her hands clasping into fists. Her face was a mixture of angry and sad and Daryl nodded.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Daryl pleaded. "My dad is just an ass hole."

Carol nodded to him, standing a good distance away from him on the side walk in front of his house. She sighed, calming herself down before she eyes the envelope Daryl had with him.

"what is that?"

"I went to the police station," Daryl showed the file to Carol, quickly opening it to be faces with a picture of Carol's sister paper clipped on top of a stack of sheets. "I got Sophia's file. I figured maybe I can figure out what happened."

"Daryl," Carol sighed disapprovingly. "What makes you think you'll find anything?"

"She a little kid," Daryl said, anger and determination in his voice. "No one even knew I was gone when I got lost in the woods when I was a brat. But I think a worse feeling than that might be knowing people know your gone, and not looking for you." Carol was almost speechless, looking at him with tears in her eyes as he spoke with passion. "So forget you if you stopped caring about your own damn sister." He starts to walk away from Carol then, but he pauses for a moment when he can feel her fingers resting against his arm.

"I'm sorry." Carol pleads, trying to smile at Daryl. "We'll find her. Do you want my help?"

Daryl looks at her with a straight face. "Not right now."

Carol sighs as she watches Daryl quickly sprint up the wooden steps to his front door, slamming it shut without looking back to her.