Overhearing Rick and Lori and finding out about her pregnancy had been the start of a bad night just begging to get worse-Glenn confessing there were walkers in the barn and begging her to keep it a secret helped it get there a little faster. The cherry on top was Andrea. It was disheartening-she had liked her. She had sex with Shane and then when Andrea confided why she treated Dale so poorly it put her in a whole new light in Haile's eyes. She was ungrateful for something she had no right to be ungrateful for in her opinion. Sighing Haile went to find Dale. He looked just as troubled as she felt.

"Glenn told you." He guessed looking at her

"Yeah, what I wouldn't give for a cigarette." She sighed. She was shocked when Dale reached into his Hawaiian shirts front pocket, produced a pack, and handed it to her.

"I used to say I'd wish for a million dollars, magic genie, but now I'd settle for the dead staying dead." She sighed only partly joking. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder smiling when she heard the lighter as he lit her smoke.

"Didn't peg you for a smoker Dale."

He raised an eyebrow at her "Didn't peg you for one either."

She exhaled and laughed lightly "It's a horrible vice. I gave it up when-" She stopped and stuttered slightly "A couple of years ago."

"You know Haile," Dale said thoughtfully "We all have burdens to bear some more than others." At this he nodded at Rick. "But it helps to talk about them. I'm always here if you need someone to listen."

She gave him a peck on the cheek before telling him "Thanks." Dale was full of stories and she passed the night listening to him and smoking.

"I'm worried about Andrea." He said suddenly.

"I wouldn't worry she's a big girl. She'll have to figure some things out for herself."

He knew she was talking about Shane and whispered "He's not all there Haile. She's going to get hurt."

"I know." She whispered back "But its her choice." More time passed and Haile wondered if he had fallen asleep when he spoke into the darkness.

"Daryl's a good man-better than most."

She looked up at him startled "I know."

"Then what's wrong?" He questioned pointedly.

For some reason tears welled up in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around her knees. "I don't know anything about him..." And in a small voice barely above a whisper she said "and he doesn't know anything about me."

Dale gave her a strange look before telling her "There's a way to fix that you know."

"But...I'm scared. I'm broken." She admitted ashamed.

Dale sighed before kissing the top of her head "Aren't we all? Take a chance kiddo, it is the end of the world after all."

Haile gave him a large hug and telling him goodnight, she headed off toward her tent.

Nika was already curled up asleep and opened an eye as she clumsily made her way in. "Don't worry girl, last night on the crutches. Hershel says couple pairs of thick socks and my combat boots will be fine." She absentmindedly stroked Nika's fur. "I'm sorry for ignoring you." She whispered before laying down and falling fast asleep.

She slept late waking to shouts. Scrambling she managed to get her shoes and jeans on and fell clumsily out of the tent. Shane was in front of the barn handing out guns and shouting about the walkers.

"What the fuck is going here?" She shouted as Daryl grabbed a gun.

"Walkers." He grunted

Everything seemed to go by in slow motion-Hershel, Rick and Jimmy with the walkers, Shane opening the barn, and the walkers pouring out. Shots rang out as she was roughly pushed behind Daryl and the bodies piles up. Hershel was on his knees in shock as he watched the bodies of loved ones and people he knew piling up, then as suddenly as it had started it was over. The shuffling of feet in the barn had everyone that was armed standing at attention.

As the small girl exited the barn Carols anguished scream filled her brain. She rushed passed Haile only to be caught by Daryl's strong arms, sobs ripping through her throat. This was Sophia-Carol's little girl. This was all wrong. Sophia had to be alive. This child was the hope that had been holding so much of the group together. The guttural growl of the walker that had been Sophia filled her ears along with the shuffle of her feet. The screams and cries of Carol and then-the bang of Ricks gun.

"Taylor!" Haile screamed the sound ripped from her throat. She fell to her knees blind to everything but Sophia falling back suddenly and hitting the ground surrounded by the bodies of walkers. But they weren't just nameless soulless shells-not to her-not anymore. These were somebody's sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers.

Nika was barking, running in circles around her, unsure of what to do. Sure she took down walkers but this one-this one had her master distraught. She nudged Haile with her nose alternating between comforting and guarding, offensive and defensive.

Haile was lost, sobbing, looking at this child that had been the embodiment of hope for her to find her baby. She didn't see Sophia falling with a bullet hole through her head, no, she saw Taylor. The world was spinning and mercifully the ground quickly came to her as the blackness swirled and swallowed her whole.

Haile wasn't sure how much time had passed when she woke up. All she knew was that Sophia was dead. Tears started leaking from the corners of her eyes before she shook her head and wiped at them with a fist.

This was not the time for her to break, if anything this was a time for her to remember a few things she had thought better off forgotten. She took a deep breath and sat up before she realized she was in the RV. 'Ahhh' she had passed out. Someone must have brought her in here after...everything had happened. She was startled from her own thoughts when she heard arguing. Well, arguing wasn't really the word what, with only Daryl's voice ranting at what Haile assumed was Carol. He was yelling about her not going to Sophia's funeral. She rolled her eyes 'As if yelling was going to help.' Then suddenly the door slammed. She really shouldn't have been surprised-she had been in and out of it for awhile and had heard multiple other people trying to convince Carol to say goodbye. She waited for a moment to make sure Daryl had left then quietly made her way to where Carol was sitting. No one seemed to understood-but Haile did. No parent should ever have to bury their child.

"Carol?" Her back was to Haile and she didn't move. Haile looked at the woman in front of her before moving to sit across from her.

"When I was younger," she began "I had a little sister. She wasn't all there though. She had been playing in the backyard, and I was inside watching TV. She kept getting out into the the front and I kept bringing her back. She just wanted to play you know?" Her breath caught in her throat but she continued "Then one time she was out there and-I chased her- trying to get her back in the yard. She ran across the street. I remember her looking back at me, laughing, a big silly grin on her face. She thought it was a game. She stepped out onto the street-."

Haile stopped and took a deep breath. "I don't remember seeing anything after that. But I remember the sounds. The noise when the truck hit her-the thud her body made when it hit the pavement-" she continued in a quieter voice "The squeal the tires made nearly a block later. The next thing I knew I was holding her. She had a huge cut on her forehead but other than that she looked just fine. I held her in my arms as she looked up at me-her eyes didn't focus though. And then suddenly, a large breath escaped her, and her eyes shut. I tried CPR but my knowledge just flew out the window. I remember thinking how peaceful she looked. How pristine and whole aside from the solitary cut on her head. She died in my arms."

Haile took a shaky breath as if to steady herself. "In the years that followed I questioned myself time and time again. There were so many if onlys and and I wondered if I did everything that I could. I learned from that though. I loved that girl like she was my own child-and she loved me. I could drive myself insane with the coulda shoulda woulda's-or I could find peace. Peace in the knowledge that she died knowing how much I loved her, and that her last moments were spent cradled in my arms. She knew she was my world-and maybe that was enough."

She patted the woman's hand as she wiped her tears. "Sophia knew that you loved her-that knowledge will follow her to heaven. When you're ready to say your goodbyes-she'll be there-and so will I. The world was full of horrible things before walkers, you managed to keep Sophia safe longer than a lot of others did for their children-even before the world went to shit." Haile gave Carol a hug as she stood and then exited the RV swinging the door shit behind her.

Daryl POV

He hadn't really spoken with Haile since Glenn had opened his big mouth the other day. He wasn't sure if he wanted to honestly. He had spent so much damn time and effort to bring Sophia back to Carol, put so much of himself out there, and when it came down to it not only did he not find her, not only was she not safe, but he couldn't take her out. There had been a tugging in his chest, and he had felt like he couldn't breath when she had stepped out of the barn, grey and bloodied. If that was what caring got, well, then he didn't want any part of it.

After he had exited the RV he felt a little hopeless. All the work he had done was nothing but a waste-and Carol wouldn't even say goodbye before Sophia's body was lowered. "Fuckin' bull shit." He muttered leaning up against the RV. He tensed when he heard Haile's voice floating through the window, and he knew he should walk away, but he honestly couldn't bring himself to give a fuck. That is until he listened to her story.

He quickly and quietly went around the other side of the RV so she wouldn't see him when she left. Daryl look led over as he heard the door slam and watched her make her way to everyone preparing for the funeral. He chewed on the skin around his thumb nail and walked off to his tent, needing time to process what he had heard. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment and saw Dale on top of the camper, staring after him. Dale gave him a sad half smile and a nod and Daryl returned the nod at least, looks like he wasn't the only one eavesdropping.

Haile POV

The funeral passed quickly and Carol didn't come. 'But that was ok' Haile thought. 'She needs time.'

Haile wondered around for awhile the conversaions around her just getting on her nerves. There was apparently no place to escape to. She looked up at the RV to see Dale looking right at her. Giving a half smile she walked over and swung herself up the ladder.

"Any smokes genie?" She asked sighing in relief as he brought a pack out of his ridiculous Hawaiian shirt. "I swear Dale it like you're producing them." She tried to joke and failed miserably.

He looked at her and sighed as he lit her cigarette.

"Ok out with it Dale. I know you heard me talking to Carol." At this he looked surprised and slightly embarrassed. She rolled her eyes "We've always had watch up here. I'm not about to go spilling my guts out when I don't know who's listening. I saw you through the top window when I passed the bathroom." She admitted.

"You've dealt with a lot in your young life, Haile girl." She smiled at the nickname "Something tells me that story I heard isn't even the half of it." Said Dale looking at me.

"I don't want to talk about this Dale." She sighed and shook her head.

"Well then maybe you'll go talk to Daryl. He's pushing away. We need him, he smart and a good man. He won't listen to Carol."

At this she snorted "Well not to sound cruel but she didn't listen to him either. They've both got thick skulls."

Dale regarded me quietly for a moment before saying "And they both listen to you."

Haile shook her head before giving Dale a kiss on the cheek "You, my dear genie, are a master of manipulation. Consider it done." And giving him a mock salute was off to Daryl's tent.

"What are you doing?" Haile asked crinkling her nose at his necklace of walker ears.

"None of yer damn business."

She sighed she really hated confrontation and it was obvious he was skinning squirrels. "Well, everyone is worried about you-"She was cut off

"All y'all only worry bout what I can do fer you. Don't worry, scurry on back and tell 'em I'll still be huntin' and providin' fer you lot."

"Well that's just about the dumbest thing I think I've ever heard." She snapped back.

"Don't y'all get it!" He shouted "I'm tryin' to git away from y'all! Quit followin' me like a damn puppy!"

At this she rolled her eyes impatiently "Oh, please Daryl. I have not been following you or anyone else around like a puppy. I'm up here to make sure you know that everyone is worried about you."

"Well if ya ain't followin' me aroun' yer fer damn sure followin' Carol aroun'." He put his knife in a sheath on his belt and she wondered if he put it there to protect her. She looked at him confused before he continued.

"You got her all twisted up ya dumb cunt. I know she gave you that flower for some reason an' I know it weren't fer yer baby sister neither. G'on back to her an' keep spinnin' sob stories about hope and peace and whatnot. I'm done with this group bull shit-I'm lookin' out for me." He had gotten progressively closer as he was shouting and what happened next no one in the entire camp could have predicted.

Haile was mad, scratch that, she was in a blind fucking rage. Her ears were ringing as she stepped up and quickly gripped the handle of his knife before kneeing him as hard as she could in the balls. As he was brought to his knees the knife slid smoothly out of the sheath and she punched him in the face before transferring his knife to her right hand. Placing her foot on his chest she toppled him backwards and straddled his chest pressing the knife to his throat.

"Now you had best listen and listen well Daryl Dixon." She hissed venomously. "I came out here because i was worried about you- not the damn food you catch. And when you decide to eavesdrop you had damn well better keep that shit to yourself. If I ever hear you talk about my family again," At this she pressed the knife harder into his neck, the slightest movement would cut him. "I will take you down, and trust me when I say, that this," Haile looked pointedly at the knife "Will seem a pillow fight with a kitten in a fucking field of daises." With that she braced her foot on his chest to stand and walked off.

"My knife?" Called Daryl angrily after he stood with his hand out not moving.

She turned and glared at him. The fucking gall of the man to think that she was going to walk back at his call! She twirled suddenly and threw the knife implanting it in the tree next to his tent and stalked off.

Throwing herself on top of the RV she put her hand out and received a cigarette from Dale immediately and it was already lit. "That," she said on a shaky exhale "Was a really bad idea."

"Are you kidding?! That was amazing!" Exclaimed Andrea.

Haile did a double take having not even seen her up there in the first place. "No," She shook her head "That was stupid. If he would have been prepared there's no way I could have done that."

"Well, maybe." Conceded Andrea. "But the knife throwing was pretty bad ass! How come you didn't tell us you could do that?"

Haile flushed a bright red leaning back on her elbows "I suppose its horrible that that was my first time ever getting it right." She mumbled shamefaced. "I knew I'd hit the tree but, I've never managed to make it stick. It was dumb and reckless; I could have hurt him."

Dale nodded at her with a smile and handed her the rest of the pack "Well then, I think you know what you need to do."

Haile threw her head back and let it smack the RV as she groaned. "Later Dale I swear. I mean, I'm not really sure what I even said to him. I'm embarrassed to admit I may have compared me taking him down to a kitten in a pillow fight."

She heard Andrea laughing and Dale choked slightly on his smoke coughing before saying "What?" With raised eyebrows.

She groaned "I don't really know, it made sense at the time."

Late that night Haile felt she had stalled apologizing to Daryl as long as she could-or should. She had even seen Lori going down to talk to him for some reason before she was rebuffed. Everyone was on edge about Beth, not to mention that Hershel, Rick, and Glenn weren't back either. She was sure that Daryl's mood, however, had gotten worse when she kicked his ass. She could understand that though; being taken down by a scrawny girl that was only 5'4" was probably damaging to his 'masculine pride'. She snorted to herself.

Gathering up what little courage she possessed she headed toward his private little camp. He was still sitting out by his little fire pit although this time it was lit.

"Get the fuck outta' here." He bit out not even looking at her.

She rolled her eyes 'like she wanted to be around his poor attitude any longer than she had to.' "I will." She walked up and brought out the pack of cigarettes Dale had given her "Just as soon as you let me apologize."

He looked at her outstretched hand and grunted, taking the cigarette from her. He reached into his pocket, fished out a lighter and lit it. He looked at her expectantly. 'Well he obviously didn't plan on making this easy'

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper and I shouldn't have threatened you." She paused before saying in an afterthought "And I really shouldn't have thrown that knife." He didn't say anything and she was getting uncomfortable with him just staring her down. He looked like he was going to shoot her-or eat her-or something. She almost groaned. 'Why now of all times did her brain have to go there?' Haile was getting flustered and it was showing.

Daryl POV

When she had walked up to him it was all he could do not to shout at her. He had been embarrassed more times since she came to camp than he could remember his entire life! And every time she had something to do with it. He knew he shouldn't have talked about her sister though. He had wanted to know and was curious but he was pissed. And when people got mad they said all kinds of things they never meant to say.

But sitting here with her now, well, he was enjoying himself. He had his first smoke since they ran out back at the quarry, and he could tell she was gettin a little hot around the collar. He smirked she may have taken him down; but he could get her hot just by looking at her. Her face was like a damn open book.

Just as she got up intent on running away to her tent he mumbled "Sorry 'bout what I said. Weren't my business."

She looked back and walked over to him handing him another cigarette. She leaned into him close enough that he could feel her breath on his ear and whispered "Don't worry, I forgive you." And sauntered, fuckin' sauntered off.

'What the hell just happened?' Daryl wondered and started examining the facts: 'hot woman hands you smokes gets in your space practically puts her mouth on your ear and you do...abso-fuckin-lutely nothing.' He ran his hand down his face and shook his head. He needed to go to bed.