Author's Note: Hey everyone, so this is an early chapter, or two in one day, depends on whatever you want. The reason? I freaking want to continue this story because I have ideas and ideas and ideas. This chapter is about Kate's story, hope you like it. Please let me know what you think, review, follow or favorite!

Thank you for reading!

Chapter 10

Kaitlinn's POV

I've told a thousand stories in my life, for the kids I babysitted, for my friends even just for myself. Right now though I was going to tell Daryl my story, and for some reason that was harder than using my imagination. Remembering was more painful than thinking of things that never happened.

I took a deep breath and stared into the flames, not sure how to begin. Then I decided it didn't matter how I began, it would end the same anyway.

'The picture was taken on my 21st birthday, just 6 months ago. It's unbelievable how fast the world went to shit.' I said and put the picture frame in front of me, on the ground.

'My mother had invited every family member we had for one of her famous barbecues. She loved to make food for everyone, especially me, my brother and my father. She wasn't my biological mother, but she still was, and is, my mother. She loved us like we were her own blood and that was the greatest thing about her.
Everyone who was invited attended the party, even some who hadn't been invited. It was great and we were all having so much fun. I got all kinds of useless presents, but there was one thing I did love, this picture frame.'

I smiled at the memory. The smiles of my family and their laughs ringing in my ears.

'My brother gave it to me. He also rounded up the family to get a picture taken so there was something I could put in it. My parents in the middle with me and my brother in front of them. We were happy that day.'

I looked Daryl in the eye, he was listening to me, his eyes had a soft edge that I hadn't seen before. I looked back at the picture and laughed without humor,

'Two months later, no one was anymore.'

I started fidgeting again, getting nervous at the memory and feeling like I wanted to cry. I couldn't though, I wouldn't, not in front of Daryl, not in front of anyone. My tears were for me and me alone.

'My mom was the first to die of the fever, she had been bitten while trying to get to our neighbor's house. She had made bread for the old man who lived next door and just wanted to get it to him so he would have something to eat, something fresh.'

A tear trickled down my cheek even after I decided not to cry. I quickly wiped it away, not looking up from my mother's figure in the picture, even with the red cross over her face I felt like she was watching me. I didn't know if I liked that fact though.

'My brother went out to get her, carrying her back inside and putting her on the bed. He had killed the walker who attacked her, the first one in our family to do so. I took care of her, held ice cold towels against her forehead and tried to treat the wound. It was no use. The CDC soon gave an official statement, about how the fever would kill the person but that they wouldn't remain dead. They'd come back alive, as one of them.'

My voice broke at the last part but I didn't stop. I actually was fairly sure I couldn't stop anymore, I needed to get it out. I hadn't talked about this to anyone and now that I was I felt like I had no choice but to continue.

'When she died we mourned, forgetting all about the warning and leaving her in that bed. One day her brother came over with his family, telling us about how all the roads were blocked and they couldn't get out. I still don't know how they got past all the walkers without getting hurt, but that didn't matter. We welcomed them in our home of course. Our mother would never have forgiven us if we hadn't.'

It was true, my mother always wanted to take care of everyone, even those she didn't know.

'I helped take care of their little girl, just two years old, while he and his wife went up to pay their respects to my father, who was still beside my mother's bed. The next thing I know there are screams coming from upstairs. Turned out my mom woke up, killed her brother first, then his wife and then my father.'

'My brother didn't hesitate, I guess I was lucky with that because I stood there, transfixed. He took me by the arm and pulled me along while running towards my father's sister's house. It was empty but safe, for now. I was still holding the little girl at the time and wondered how she would grow up, knowing her parents were killed by my mother. That wasn't something I had to worry about long though, as she quickly got the same fever my mother had had. We had no idea how that was possible until I noticed a small scratch on her arm. She died a day later.'

I swallowed the lump in my throat at he memory, hugging my arms around my stomach in an attempt to stay strong.

'We kept her inside, locking her up in the closet so that when she woke up she wouldn't be able to get out. My brother and I decided to only go out when completely necessary, no exceptions. I broke that rule a week after we came up with it, saving a family that I had known for years by letting them in. They had two kids, they're also in the picture, next to my parents. I told them what had happened and they were horrified. For the moment though they thought they were safe. We thought they were safe with us. And maybe they would've been if I hadn't fallen asleep while keeping watch.'

I chuckled softly, feeling more like crying but not wanting to.

'I had been tired, hadn't slept in days, my eyes just closed and were glued shut. I thought there would be no harm in sleeping for a few minutes. Then the next thing I know I'm woken up by a scream that sent shivers down my spine. I went straight to where it came from, finding a walker nibbling on the woman's flesh like he was starved. I was frozen on the spot and hadn't noticed the walker coming up from behind me, my brother saved me from that thing by tackling it.'

I shook my head as the image of my brother on the ground with the thing entered my mind.

'It wasn't just two walkers though, there were so much more, and they had killed everyone in the house already. The one thing that still haunts me though is my brother telling me to run, making me turn around and leave him there, alone, with a walker on top of him.'

I stopped for a second, trying to push the thoughts away from my mind. I saw Daryl staring into the flames, a tormented look in his eyes. I wrapped my arms tighter around myself to keep warm and closed my eyes as I continued, wanting nothing more but to finish this.

'I went back a week later, found the picture frame my brother had taken with him and crossed the first few faces off, my father, my mother, my uncle and his little girl.'

'Why?' It was the first time he had spoken but I didn't mind. Somehow his voice seemed to have a calming effect on my body. The knot in my stomach disappeared as I focused on him.

'Because they were permanently dead. I killed them.'

Daryl's POV

I clenched my fists at hearing what she just said. She had killed them. She had killed her own parents. Even if they were walkers that must've been so fucking hard. I wanted to get up, to put an arm around her and have her head rest against my chest. I wanted to be able to comfort her, but I couldn't. I was glued to the seat, not able to move.

'That picture frame was the only thing that kept me alive, it showed me that I had a purpose. We had made each other a promise, my brother and I. That whoever survived would kill the walkers that our family had become, including each other. We didn't want to live like some flesh eating monsters, that was too much.' She said.

I smiled slightly, making sure she didn't notice, because I knew exactly what she meant. Merle and I had made a similar agreement, except we had agreed to burn each other too, Merle's idea of a funeral.

'When I lost it in my bag, I needed to have it back. Then you were suddenly holding it,' She paused and bit her lip. 'It freaked me out a little. And when you told me that I was crazy to go out there for something like this, I got angry. But you know what?'

I didn't answer, not sure if I should or not and choosing for the latter.

'You were right when you said that. I shouldn't have risked my life for this,' she looked up at me, her eyes hiding all emotion. 'Or yours.' I was about to protest, not wanting her to feel any worse than she was already feeling.

'I should've thought of other things that made my life worth something. Like protecting Zayn, Kirra and Nico.'

Ah, so his name was Nico. It was a thought that didn't belong in this whole thing and it passed quickly. Her eyes found mine and she forced a smile.

'Thank you for listening to me, I know it's a long story. I actually haven't told anyone this before.'

Did she just blush? I thought to myself but dismissed it as it being the flames that illuminated her face like this. I dismissed my heart, that stuttered at hearing I was the only one she ever told, to the fact I couldn't believe she'd been holding onto it all by herself for so long. She got up stiffly, hugging herself with her arms. 'I think I'm going to sleep.'

'Do you still have my gun?' I asked before she could leave.

'Yeah, you want it back?' She sounded a bit confused, probably because she'd proposed to get it back for me before and I'd declined that offer.

I shook my head and motioned for her to wait here. I quickly went to my truck and grabbed some ammunition for my gun. I knew she had her own, but now she had an extra to feel safe with. After all she's been through she should feel safe. Man, I was feeling sympathy towards her and that was something I didn't feel often.

I handed her the ammunition when I got back and she chuckled softly, trying to act normal again.

'Thanks.' She muttered, looking me in the eye. The side of her face was lit by the flames and I can't describe how beautiful she looked. Even though it was dark I could see her eyes sparkling with a sadness that her face would never show. It made me want to reach up and caress her cheek, to tell her it was all going to be ok. I didn't however, instead I told her goodnight in a whisper. She quickly looked away and nodded, leaving me behind with the flames. I sat down where she had been sitting before and sighed, resting my head in my hands. Then I suddenly noticed something in the flames. A picture frame.

'What the hell?' I muttered, not thinking as I reached out into the flames and pulled the frame out, cursing at the heat. I quickly threw the thing on the ground, getting up to find the bucket of water that had been put here to put out the flames, I quickly put my hand in it. It was cool water and after a few seconds I took my hand out again, the burning pain having disappeared mostly.

I went back to the place I'd been sitting before and took the picture in my hand. It had burn marks on the sides. I examined the thing, now able to count the crosses on it.

There were 6. The only people who weren't crossed out was a young woman which I instantly recognized as Kaitlinn. She looked good on the picture, happy, though she had looked happy almost every day at this camp. Nothing that showed what she had to do in her life. Even in the picture though I noticed a small hint of sadness in her eyes, not understanding why. At the same time I wondered what she would look like if she was happy, actually happy, but I probably would never see that.

I narrowed my eyes as I inspected the rest of the photograph. A young man next to her, her brother I guessed, hadn't been crossed out either. A woman holding a baby was clean as well, except for the cross over her baby's face. That probably was the two year old girl she'd told me about. The woman's husband was crossed out as well.

There were two more children on their with crosses and an older man with his arm around an older woman which were clean. I wondered if they were dead or not, she hadn't said anything about them, maybe I should ask her. But then she would know I saved the picture frame she clearly wanted gone.

I shook my head as I got up, heading to my truck to put the frame away. I would keep it. Maybe to give it back later or maybe because it was the thing that showed me she was anything but what I'd thought her to be. I didn't know why but that didn't matter right now.

I was about to put my crossbow in the truck as well, knowing Shane, Rick and T-bone were sweeping the area now, when suddenly a scream filled the air that made my blood run cold.

What the hell?