'Belle opened her eyes slowly. She sighed immediately, the events of the night before replaying in her head. Kara was gone, taken by her own uncle, and 'Belle was useless, completely unable to stop it from happening. What kind of mother was she? Letting her daughter go out and play in a world like this. If only she had been watching, none of this would have happened. She noticed that Daryl was no longer in the bed with her, and she punched his pillow. She tried to keep the tears away, it wasn't the time to show any weakness.

She could hear the wind howling against the window, the storm not letting up over the night. That only made things worse, she wouldn't be able to go search for Kara. The storm would hide their tracks, 'Belle wasn't even sure how she was going to find them. She'd get it though, no doubt about that. She wasn't going to let up or stop until she knew the fate of Kara, no matter how hard it would be if the girl was dead.

The other occupants of the house were noisily walking around. 'Belle wasn't sure if she wanted to face them, wondering how people would look at her or what they would try to say to her. She definitely didn't want to hear any sympathies, that was for sure. Perhaps staying in the room all day would keep the others away. She expected Daryl to show up at some point, not being able to go out and do whatever the hell it was he did.

She rolled onto her back and sighed. She looked around, noticing her weapons were right beside her. Not like she would need them with this stupid storm raging on. How was she supposed to look for Kara in this shit? What a waste of a day. She sighed, debating on whether or not to get out of bed. She knew she would push through the storm if she left the room. And then she would have to fight with Daryl. He would stand in her way for some unknown and strange reason. Why did he care so much about her anyway? Kara was one thing, but him and 'Belle had a shattered history. It didn't make any sense as to why he was being so controlling of the situation. What did he expect from her anyway? She would drive herself crazy trying to figure it out.

...

Daryl didn't do much when he woke up. 'Belle was still sleeping, and he'd be a fool to wake her up to the shitty reality she knew right now. The storm was worse today, and she definitely wasn't going to be happy about that. He wasn't sure how she would react when she woke up.

But as the day wore on, he didn't find out. If 'Belle was awake, she sure as hell wasn't coming down. She had to eat, use the bathroom, surely she couldn't stay there all day. He wasn't sure how well that would hold up, she was one of the most resourceful people he ever knew. On top of that, she was light on her feet, she could easily make it anywhere without him noticing. He wanted to kill something, but decided his time was better occupied otherwise. Problem was, there was nothing else to do while he was cooped up inside.

"Do you think she's going to come down?" asked Beth quietly during dinner. They had prepared a plate for 'Belle, no one really brave enough to go up and check on her.

Beth's question went unanswered, the wind of the storm making the moment seem more grave. No one had mentioned Kara's name, worried about either 'Belle hearing it or Daryl's reaction. They ate in silence, the days much shorter in the winter. What was there really to say? With 'Belle locked away in her room, any talk of a plan was impossible.

Daryl wasn't going to put up with it anymore. If the bitch wasn't going to come out, he was going to bring it all to her. It wasn't like she could keep him out. It was the advantage of knowing her for so long. She was too stubborn, too proud to show her true colours. But he knew exactly how to push her buttons. Her shit wouldn't work with him, not unless he let it.

As he made his way towards the stairs, Carol wordlessly gave him a plate of food. He took it for the sake of peace. 'Belle wasn't going to eat, at least, not today. He didn't even bother to knock, just burst in without warning. He dropped the plate on the on night stand next to where he slept.

He looked at her lying on the bed. He couldn't see her face, but he knew she was awake. Her hair was spread out everywhere, her arms exposed from the blanket. He sat on the bed, bringing his feet up and leaning on the headboard. He stared blankly in front of him, not really knowing how to begin the conversation. Anything could set her off, but he could handle it.

He looked over at her, still in the same place she was before. He saw the mark from where he shot her, when he had been reunited with her. The scar would be there for the rest of her life, right under the mark he convinced her to get. It held so much meaning to her, he would never hear the end of it if he ruined it. He took his finger and lightly traced over the outline. She didn't respond, but he didn't really expect her to. It was hard to imagine how much time had passed. Those days were long gone, never to return.

"Go away," she told him in a small voice. It completely lacked any emotion to it, no heart in her words whatsoever.

"Not until ya tell me what your plan is," he gave her a neutral tone, unable to gauge the conversation with her first words.

"Ta fahnd Kara stupid!" she was angrier now.

"Yeah? An' how ya gunna do that?"

"Open mah eyes an' look. Ah don' recall ya bein' this dumb before."

"Storms wiped away the tracks. Coulda gone in any direction."

Without warning, she lunged at him, using her forearm to pin him against the bed, "Jus' what are ya tryin' ta say? Abandon her?!" she was yelling now.

He pushed her away, his eyes hardening, "I'm tryin' to get ya to think girl! Ya can't just go off wanderin' without an idea of what your doin'!"

"Whateva Ah do don' matter to ya!"

"I ain't takin' you with me if your not gunna think it through first!"

"Ah don' care if ya take meh or not, y'ain't stoppin' meh from goin', y'hear?"

"I will keep you here if ya can't follow orders, 'Belle! I won' risk it, won' go out to bring the girl back an' tell her that her mother's dead. I ain't doin' it."

'Belle narrowed her eyes, "Why do ya care so much?"

Daryl was stunned, not really sure what to say. 'Belle was important to him, and Kara was apart of her. His feelings for 'Belle were unclear to him. But he knew at this particular moment that he couldn't let her down. There was nothing left if she couldn't at least have her daughter. He owed her that much after all the shit he put her shit through.

"I can't let you suffer anymore," he told her in a low voice. He wasn't sure of the words he needed to say, but it was a start.

'Belle wasn't sure how to respond to that. He had basically apologized for what happened back then. But thats not how she always pictured it, how she always wanted it to happen. She wanted to yell and scream her frustrations at what happened. How he left her for no reason pregnant with his child. Yes, Kara was his, but for all 'Belle knew, Daryl would just walk out of their lives, and she had to protect her daughter from that kind of pain.

"Fahne, Ah'll let ya come along, but tha minute ya start t'fuck 'round, Ah'll kill ya where y'stand, y'hear?!" she screamed at him.

She knew he didnt't deserve that kind of treatment after showing so much care for a daughter he didn't even know about, but she wasn't good with emotions. She didn't like how Daryl and Kara got along because of their unknown relation, but what was a girl to do? 'Belle knew Daryl very well, and her daughter was her life, gave it purpose.

Daryl nodded, looking down a little guiltily. 'Belle tried to pretend that she didn't notice, but her own guilt ate away at her since she had seen her former lover. She knew the right thing to do was tell him the truth, but she didn't know if that was the best move.

It wasn't like she had never planned on telling him. She had just taken the test at the free clinic, not even thinking about why she was sick every morning. She was going to tell him, but she had seen Merle on her way home. She waited all day, wondering if that no good Dixon was going to show up at her house. He did, and then Daryl was gone.

She often wondered if things would be different if she had spoken up while she had the chance. Her rationality told her that it would have turned out the same. But there was that small part of her that told her that he would have stayed. She didn't know if she should regret her decision or not. Only time would tell, it was best to take things a day at a time, and tomorrow was another day.

Maybe he wasn't all that bad. Maybe telling him about Kara was what she should do. If he was so eager to save his daughter without knowing the truth, then perhaps 'Belle was wrong in the very beginning. But could she take such a risk? Only time could tell, and that all depended on the state they found Kara in.

...

im so sorry ive been neglecting you, but school is finally out! love you guys! thank you so much for stickin with this