*Here's the new chapter! This one is a bit short, but it's got a lot going on in it! I hope you all enjoy and don't forget to review!
Daryl stood away from the group, his eyes scanning all the pained faces that surrounded the grave that Dale was now in. His eyes fell on Rose's face, her tanned skin was covered in dirt from where she had help dig the grave, her cheeks had tear tracks from where she had been crying, and beside her was her daughter, who wasn't crying, only stared blankly at the grave of the man she'd loved so much she referred to him as her grandfather.
He should have run faster…He should have done something to save him, he had failed again. He couldn't save Merle, he couldn't save Sophia, and now he hadn't saved Dale. He couldn't keep any of them safe; he isn't going to be able to keep Rose safe…To keep Jamie safe. They were going to die, and he wasn't going to be able to stop it. He listened to Rick give his eulogy, the man seemed to have a knack for them he thought and when it was over, instead of going over to comfort Rose, to hug Jamie like he knew they needed, he turned and he left. Following after Shane, needing to kill something, needing to somehow avenge what that walker had taken from him.
Rose stood beside Jamie as everyone left, her eyes going over to Daryl as he turned his back to them, heading off in the direction everyone was going in to repair the fences, and to kill off any walkers. Rose sighed and went to take Jamie's had, but she pulled from her and ran towards the RV ignoring her mother when she called after her.
Rose sighs glancing over at Lori when she feels her hand on her shoulder, "She'll be alright." Lori murmurs wrapping her arm around Rose's shoulder giving her a tight hug, Rose nods to herself hoping she was right, and pulled out her gun popping out the clip to check her ammo, before turning to look at Lori.
"Can you keep an eye on her for me? I'm just going to go for a walk." Rose says turning to look at Lori as she shook her head, "I promise I'll avoid cliffs, I just need to clear my head."
Lori nods and Rose smiles, thanking her as she fixes her gun, putting it in the back of her pants then heads towards her tent. She walks in and grabs her jacket, pulling it on and grabs the machete heading out of the tent. She twirls it in her hands, passing Carol who tried to talk to her but she kept walking, straight through the trees and towards something to kill.
xXxXx
Daryl hopped out of the back of the pickup, nodding towards Glenn as he said he was heading towards the farmhouse, Daryl going in the opposite direction to his tent He set his crossbow down running a hand through his hair before heading into his tent to grab a water bottle, shuffling through the mess of clothes on his floor he needed to wash still. He grabs a water bottle, and uncaps it, chugging half of it down before sighing closing his eyes.
They'd taken out at least eight walkers, they were close to camp near the pond that Jamie liked to play at, it just wasn't safe here anymore, he could feel it. He heads out of his tent seeing Lori running towards him.
"Daryl, I can't find Jamie." She said and he looked at her confused tossing his water bottle to the ground and grabbed his crossbow.
"Where's Rose?" He asked, it wasn't like her to just leave Jamie without telling anyone and Lori shrugged pointing back towards the woods as they headed towards the house.
"She took off into the woods, said she needed to clear her head. I was watching Jamie for her, she was in the RV and when I went to check on her she was gone." She says and Daryl bites his tongue from saying something rude, he was sure Rose would handle that if Jamie was still missing when they got back.
"Rose is going to kill you," He mutters glancing over at Lori, doing his best to keep his composure as he ran over to Rick who was giving out instructions.
"Glenn, T-dog you two take the forest, look for Jamie there, see if you can find Rose while you're out there." He says quickly and the pair took off into the woods, "Daryl, you come with me, we'll go east see if she's around the pond, the rest of you stay here, keep a look out for her, and if Rose comes send her our way." Rick says and then follows after Daryl who had already took off running towards the pond.
"You think she went looking for Rose?" Daryl glances over at Rick shaking his head, he had a good idea where she might be, he just prayed he was right.
"I think she was just lookin' to get away, like her mom." Daryl says quietly, quickening his pace some as he saw a walker, he aimed his crossbow, and brought it down, stopping to pull the arrow out of its head. "We need to find her." Daryl says now, his tone a little more anxious as they two started running, shouting for Jamie.
xXxXx
Rose smiles to herself, twirling the machete in her hands the dark blood dripping off of it from the walker she had just taken out, she sighs to herself wiping the sweat from her brawl and turned on her heel, feeling a little better from all the walkers she'd taken out in the woods. There seemed to be more than normal, and she thought she'd tell that to Rick when she got back.
She heard the sound of Glenn's voice calling for Jamie, and she ran towards it holding her hands out when T-Dog raised a gun to her, him dropping it as soon as he realized it was Rose.
"What's happened? Where's Jamie?" She asled Glenn shaking his head, not sure how to explain. "Glenn where is my daughter?" She snapped now.
"Lori lost her," He says and Rose holds back her anger, "Well she didn't lose her but she can't find her, Daryl and Rick were heading towards the pond, he wants you to head in the direction with them." Glenn says now and Rose nods, then runs passed them in the direction of the pond.
xXxXx
Daryl and Rick hadn't run into anymore walkers, they had walked the perimeter of the pond, getting close to the place Daryl thought Jamie might have been. Daryl heard a shrill scream and with that he ran faster, seeing Jamie running away from a sluggish walker, Rick took it down and Daryl ran over to Jamie, picking her up in his arms as she reached up for him, sobbing.
"Hey, hey Jamie it's okay. I'm here, I got you" Daryl said holding her close to him, Rick running over to look her over, sighing in relief when he saw no bites.
"She's okay, she's okay." Rick says clasping his hand on to Daryl's shoulder the two turning at the sound of Rose's voice. She ran straight to Daryl, dropping the machete in her hands and threw her arms around him and Jamie, her daughter crying harder now that her mother was here.
"I'm so sorry mommy." She cried not letting go of Daryl but turned her head to see Rose, "I just…I just wanted to see the flowers, but they're dead now." She says cries, making Daryl frown.
"You don't ever leave the camp again do you understand me?" Rose says pulling back some, wiping her own tears from her eyes, looking down at the dead walker, shaking her head. "You could have gotten hurt Jamie." She whispers pressing her lips to Jamie's forehead. Daryl moved to wrap an arm around Rose, pulling her close as she and Jamie cried. He was never letting either of them out of his sight again, he had to protect them no matter what.
Rose moved to pull Jamie from Daryl's grasp, but Jamie shook her head and tightened her hold on Daryl.
"I want to stay with daddy-" Jamie says and Rose frowns looking up at Daryl, he seemed a little shocked, but kept his hold on Jamie like she wanted.
"Come on guys," Rose turned at the sound of Rick's voice, "Let's get her back to camp." He says, Rose nodding and bent down to grab the machete, the walker now letting out a gasp and she glared at it, taking her machete and buried the blade into its head.
xXxXx
Everyone was back at camp now; Daryl sat with Jamie by the fire pit, while Rose took a shower in the farm house. When they got back to the camp she had went straight to Lori and ripped her a new one, Rick having to separate the two, who were now not on speaking terms. Glenn was fiddling with a guitar, and Andrea was cleaning her gun. Daryl looked down at Jamie who was curled up into his side, staring down at the ants in the dirt.
"I'm sorry I called you daddy." Jamie whispered, Daryl looking down at her shaking his head.
"It's nothing to be sorry for Jamie." He says quietly and she shrugs closing her eyes.
"I wish you were my dad." Daryl looked down at her sadly, running a hand through the little girl's hair. He didn't know what to say, he'd never liked kids much, but he did care for her, hell he loved the girl. He sighs, and glances up as Rose walks over, her hair damp, and now had on clean clothes, clutching her flimsy jacket to herself as she shivered sitting down beside Jamie.
"It's freezing." Rose mutters looking down at Jamie as she nods. "We're going to have to get you some warmer clothes sweetheart." She says glancing over at Daryl, biting her lip.
"Thank you." She says, and he looks at her and just nods, surprised when she leans over and presses her lips to his, in front of everyone.
Rick walked over with Hershel as Rose pulls away from Daryl, looking up at the officer as he started spouting out orders. They were moving into the farm, and Rose stood up taking Jamie's hand to go get their things packed up. Jamie walked with her mom, a little grin on her face that made Rose laugh a little.
"What?" She asked walking over to the SUV and popped the trunk, putting down the seats in the back so they could put their things in it.
"You kissed Mr. Daryl." Jamie giggles watching her mother walk to and from the tent, putting the blankets, clothes, and everything in their tent into the trunk.
"I did," She says smiling looking over at Jamie as she giggled again. "You just gonna stand their giggling or are you going to help me?" She asks and Jamie sighs, walking into the tent with her mother and helps her pull one of the cots out. Jimmy walked over and started helping them get everything in the car, even helped them with the tent and soon they were finished. Rose threw the teenager the keys and gave him a smile. "Drive that to the house for me?" She asks and Jimmy grins nodding and heads to the driver's side. Rose takes Jamie's hand walking towards the farm house, passing Daryl as he drove his motorcycle up to the house, stopping beside them.
"Want a ride Jamie?" He asks and Jamie grins turning to look up at Rose for permission.
"Go ahead," Rose says patting her back watching as she squealed and ran over to Daryl, him helping her onto the bike before he drove off slowly leaving Rose smiling to herself.
Everyone had gotten situated in the house now, Hershel had Rose, Daryl, and Jamie set up in the dining room, where Jamie now took her afternoon nap. Rose was standing beside Daryl as he got ready to head off with Rick to set Randall free, listening to him complain about losing his gun when T-Dog came over and gave him Dale's. The thought of Dale made Rose frown, she'd missed him being here, just like everyone else. T-Dog left to go get Randall and Daryl turned to Rose, seeing her worried expression.
"I'll be fine," He says looking down at her as she sighs nodding.
"I know, but I can't help but worry. There's been more walkers in these parts, what if something happens." Daryl sighs and takes her face in his hands, pressing his lips to hers.
"I'm going to be fine," He says pulling back to look at her as she nods, "I promise." He says giving her a smile that she returns, leaning up to kiss him again.
"He's gone!" Rose pulled away from Daryl had the sound of T-Dog's frantic voice running over to Daryl as Rick ran out of the house. "Randall's not in the shed!"
"Damn it." Daryl mutters and heads towards the shed with Rick, pulling at the strap of his crossbow. Andrea walks over to Rose as she follows after the men, helping them inspect the shed, seeing no sign of how Randall could have escaped. Rose walked out of the shed as the rest of the group ran over asking what was going on, Jamie running over to Rose still half asleep it seemed so Rose picked her up, letting her rest her head on her shoulder.
"Rick!" Everyone turned at the sound of Shane's voice, seeing him storming over his face bloody. Lori shouted out a what happened as Shane walked over everyone going to meet him. Rose looked at him curiously, wondering how he had broken his nose. "He's armed! He's got my gun!" He grunted.
"Are you okay?" Carl asked sounding worried, Jamie raising her head to look over at Shane.
"I'm fine, little bastard just snuck up on me, cocked me in the face." Shane says and Rick started giving out orders, Hershel to get back in the house, make Glenn and Daryl go with him and Shane and Rose turns to Daryl as he pulled his crossbow from his shoulder.
"Don't go." Jamie whispers and Daryl looking at Jamie in Rose's arms.
"I have to, I got to keep y'all safe." He says and grips the back of her head gently leaning down to press a kiss to Jamie's hair before looking up at Rose, "Get back to the house now, I'll be back." He says Rose nodding watching as he left with Glenn.
Rose turned when Andrea called her name, and she headed off towards the house, glancing back as Daryl and the others disappeared into the trees.