Hunter's POV

We quickly all drove away, knowing that the explosion would draw more walkers in our direction. Koda was still in shock and not responding to anything, she just sat in the passenger seat staring out her window. I sighed, praying she would wake up soon.

We made the decision to head to Fort Benning. We got as much as gas and gathered as much supplies as I could. The drive was boring and long, at this point I was tired and needing some sleep. Daryl's truck had run out of gas so he took his bike, leaving me to drive Koda's truck.

It had been a full day and she still wasn't responding. I tried making conversation with no luck. She simply stared out her window. We had been on the road for a few hours, her truck was running low on gas and I wasn't sure when we would stop again. I mumbled some choice words under my breath and smacked my hand on the steering wheel. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and turned, Koda's eyes were focused on me.

"Koda! Hey, you're lucid. Are you okay, do you need anything?" I rambled fast out of surprise and slight embarrassment. She stared at me briefly before turning back straight. I sighed disappointed that she didn't so much as nod.

"My mom used to beat me, lock me in closets, make me do horrible chores and work like a slave." I turned, my mouth gaping open at the mute girl who hasn't spoken in years, as her voice filled my eyes. She continued staring straight., but continued her story, "She was too busy getting drunk and high to even care. My brother used to take care of me. When she died I ended up in a foster home that was no better than living with her. I was scared, helpless, weak. I vowed to never let myself be like that again." Her voice started cracking as she was on the verge of tears. I wanted to comfort her, but was fearful she would go mute again. "I begged Daryl and Merle to save me, even though I knew he didn't want me. I couldn't go back. I refused. Merle saw my black eye and forced Daryl to sign the papers. After a week or so I was completely attached. I was so scared he would leave me. He promised me he wouldn't. Him and Daryl both." She finally turned to me, her eyes full of tears. "I lost Merle in Atlanta. I though Daryl was dead, I thought I was alone." She covered her face with her hands and sobbed into them.

My heart ached seeing her like this. I just wanted to wrap her in my arms and hold her, but I settled for talking instead. "Dakota, he's still alive. No one left you. Please, don't cry." She continued to cry, but after a few moments she finally stopped.

After a few moments in silence she spoke again, this time there was no tears or sadness in her voice. "Don't tell Daryl, I'm not ready to come out and talk again."

I scrunched my brows in confusion, "Okay, but why are you talking to me then."

"Because you're my friend."

The rest of the drive was quiet; the only sounds were our even breathing. We kept our eyes trained on the road in front of us, neither of us comfortable enough to talk. I kept stealing glances over at her. Her beautiful green eyes focused. Her dirty blonde hair pulled up on top of her head. Her plush pink lips, slightly parted. She was insanely beautiful. Even covered in dirt and grime, she made my heart skip a beat when she looked at me. It certainly didn't help that she wore shirts that barely covered her body. Damn, she is hot!

Deep down I knew she wouldn't look twice at me. Sure, I was good looking, muscular, but I was so different from her. I was a good kid in school, followed every rule, never did anything my momma wouldn't approve of. Even though I didn't know Dakota very well I knew that she was one to do what she wanted, right or wrong. How could she not be like that though? Being raised by Merle and Daryl.

I slowed down as I saw everyone in front do the same. He highway was littered with vehicles. Some were pulled off to the side. Doors and windows were left open and they looked to be ransacked. We continued on slowly, trying to make our way through. I could see decaying bodies in some of the car. I glanced over to Dakota who was looking too. We exchanged disgusted looks before turning back to the road.

Everyone in front of us came to a stop. We watched as everyone started exiting their vehicles. I grabbed my bowie knife and I saw Koda grab her machete. I hopped out of the truck and made my way towards the others, Dakota following behind me. Everyone eyes turned to us as we walked towards the group. Daryl was the first to speck. "So, decided to join the land of the living? 'Bout damn time, thought I'd have to do shock treatment on yer ass." He slapped her back and she chuckled lightly at him. I knew she wasn't an affectionate type and wasn't going to hug him. Even though he seemed to want to wrap his arm around her. Instead he rubbed his knuckles on her head and she punched him in the arm. That seems to be more like what the Dixon's call affection

"Is it still considered to land of the living? Or the land of the living dead?" I joked. Koda looked at me with amusement in her eyes.

"Nah, living deal, I guess." We all laughed at the joke before I asked what was going on and why we stopped.

"RV is messed up again. Gonna have to wait for Dale to fix it." Rick finally spoke up. I saw the look he gave me; it was on that clearly read 'be careful'. I knew he meant with Dakota. I nodded to him.

"If you can't find a radiator hose here…." Shane spoke will looking around at the abandoned cars.

Daryl was looking inside the back of a car, searching through the items in it, "There's a whole bunch of stuff we can find."

T-Dog walked forward, "Siphon more fuel from the cars, for a start."

"Maybe some water." Andrea suggested.

"Or food." Glenn chipped in.

"This is a graveyard." I looked over to my Aunt Lori, who was looking sick to her stomach. "I don't know how I feel about this."

Everyone ignored Lori's comment and broke apart to look for supplies in the cars. We couldn't be worried about taking dead peoples belongings, we needed to survive. It wasn't doing them any good anyhow.

"Hey, we have to. If it came to life or death for Carl, would you do it?" She looked at me with understanding and nodded her head. She gave my shoulder a squeeze before joining Carol.

I started walking to a car when I overheard Daryl telling Dakota to stay within shouting distance. She nodded and turned away to head to a car to scavenge what she could, I walked up beside her to help. She glanced up from her task and smiled at me. We worked in silence moving car to car. We found a few clothes and blankets and that's it.

She moved onto the next car that, it was an older grey Honda, it already had a door open. "So, you ever plan on talkin' to your dad?" I finally asked, breaking the silence. She shrugged in response as she continued to look through the car. "So what? You're not going to talk anymore? Tell me about your life, cry a little, then go quiet again?" She sighed dramatically then looked around to make sure no one was within hearing distance.

"I don't know. Okay? I haven't talked in four years. I-I- I don't even know what I would say 'Hey, I know I haven't said anything in years but what's up?' Daryl Is hard enough to deal with as it is."

"Daryl? Why do you call him by his first name?"

She shot me a look of anger, "That's not something I'm talking to you about. Try minding your own business for once."

"Sorry." I muttered before turning back to the car, I was about to shut the door when I saw a walker stumbling in our direction. I was about to walk forward to kill it when I saw another, and another, and another.

"Hide." I hissed at Dakota, while I ducked down beside the car.

She looked over about to open her mouth, but her eyes caught the same walker I had seen. A look of pure terror came over her face as she crouched down and started running the other direction. I called after her but she ignored me. I crawled under the car and kept quiet, hoping she had made it to a safe place. It seemed like hours but I knew it wasn't that long, but the herd of walkers were finally gone. I rolled out from under the car and went to search for Dakota.

A piercing screamed came through the air and I ran the direction it came from. I saw Sophia running towards the woods, with Rick in tow. I looked around till I saw Dakota, Monster on her heels. She went back for the damn dog. I was angry at first, but got over it. She had a big heart if she would risk her life for an animal. I smiled at the thought. She looked tough and acted pretty badass, but on the inside she was sensitive and had a good soul. I could always see that in her. She looked over to me and I began to wonder how long I had been starring at her. I looked away hoping she didn't see my face turn red.

I looked around, making sure everyone else was still present. I stopped when I saw Daryl staring at me. I gulped hard, scared he had seen me starring at his daughter. He used his finger to gesture for me to follow him. I walked in his direction, my knees feeling a little weak. Was he going to beat me up? Kill me and make it look like a walker got me? Shit shit shit.

"Yes sir?" I asked him calmly, trying to not sound terrified.

"I wanna talk." He replied gruffly. I nodded my head, afraid that if I spoke he would hear the fear in my voice.

"I see it. The way you look at her, the way you watch her. Lori told me 'bout the kiss. I ain't sayin' that I approve a relationship, but I can see you care for her. Her uncle is gone, they were close. She needs someone to be there for her now. She trusts you. She opens up with you. I'm just warning you to keep yer damn hands to yerself, or I'll cut them off and feed them to Monster. Ya hear?"

I nodded quickly and he nodded back. He crossed his arms over his chest and walked past me back towards the RV. I realized I had been holding my breath and finally exhaled. That went well, I thought.

I turned on my heel to head back to the group, but jumped back a step when I saw a figure standing there. I reached for my knife, but let me hand fall when I realized it was only Dakota. "You look like you're about to piss your pants." She commented smugly.

She had her arms crossed over her chest and had her head tilted to the right. Her crop top was shoeing her lower stomach. I wanted to kiss her, but I refrained. "Yeah, well, your dad is a very intimidating man." I replied as I stepped forward, closing some space between us. "Were you ease dropping?"

"Yes, I was. I wanted to make sure that if he was going to kill you he at least did it quickly." We fell into step together walking back to the RV. She used her shoulder to gently push me playfully. I smiled and nudged her back.

Lori was still holding Carol on the ground by the guardrail. Carol was watching to woods. My heart broke a little. I knew what it was like to lose someone you love.

I headed over to assist Dale in fixing his RV. I didn't know much about cars, but I could help with holding things and fetching tools he needed.

I heard the goup start talking to I walked over in the direction that Lori and Carol were. Rick had come back from the woods, without Sophia. He looked around confused. "She didn't come back?" he asked us.

Carol's sobs got louder as she realized her daughter was lost. I saw Daryl step forward. "Come on. I'll trach her, if we can find her." Rick nodded. Dakota walked over to the two man with her bow, Monster on her heels. Daryl noticed her, but said nothing. Glenn and Shane also decided to join, agreeing the more the better. I tried to go, but rick said they needed some to stay behind and protect the others. The five walked back into the woods and I returned to the RV to help Dale.

"Hey son, we are going to try and move some cars off the road, mind giving us a hand?" Dale asked me.

"Yeah, no problem." I glanced over my shoulder, but Dakota was already out of sight.

It didn't take us long to move a few cars of the road. We used a big truck to push them. I told T-Dog where to go as he drove, and Andrea steered the other car. Shane and Glenn were already back and I was starting to wonder where Dakota was. Carl and me played a few games to get my mind off of the fact she hasn't returned yet.

The sun was setting and I stared to worry. They still weren't back. I knew they were more than capable of handling themselves, but I couldn't stop worrying about Dakota. I grew impatient on waiting. I got on top of the RV to watch for them. I hummed the tune of Gimme That Girl. I went back to that day in Dakota's truck when I sang it. It was unofficially officially our song. At least in my head it was. '

I was pulled out of my memory when I heard Carol, "You didn't find her?" I looked over to see the three had finally got back. I partially jumped off the RV and ran over to them. "We will pick up our search first thing in the morning." Rick tried to reassure the Mom, but she was too distraught to listen.

"You can't leave my daughter out there, alone in the woods all night." She said through tears.

"Out in the darks no good. We'd just be tripping over ourselves, lose more people."

Carol began to panic, on the verge of a break down. "But, she's twelve. She can't be out there on her own. You didn't find anything?"

"I know this is hard." Rick spoke to the women, trying the comfort her. "But, I'm askin' you not to panic. We know she was out there."

"We tracked her for a while." Daryl nodded, trying to ease her.

"We will get everything organized and start again tomorrow. We will find her."

I stole a look at Dakota as she watched the adults, something on her shirt caught my attention. "Is that blood?" I ran to her and began to look her over. She growled and shoved me back.

"Walker. But there was no sign it was anywhere near Sofia." Rick explained.

"How can you be sure?" Andrea asked, arms crossed over her chest, looking sassy as ever.

"She cut the sumbitch open, made sure." Daryl told us. My eyes went back to Dakota. She still looked agitated over my freak out of the blood staining her shirt. "You did?" I asked with curiosity and admiration.

"Hell yah she did. Hundred and ten pounds of pure Dixon!" Daryl hollered, slapping the teen on the shoulder.

Dakota looked down at her feet and turned to walk away from the group. I knew instantly it was because of my reaction. I knew I had got everyone's attention when I ran to her panicked. I didn't even stop to think before I did it. I had embarrassed her and now she was angry with me.

I followed her to her truck. She put down the tailgate and patted it, telling Monster to get in. He obeyed and then she jumped in with him. She finally turned around and saw me. Her face stayed straight, showing no emotion. I knew I just took to steppes back in the progress I had made. I sighed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to react that way. I thought you were hurt and I just. . . panicked."

Her face softened a little and she gestured for me to jump up there with her. I tried to hide my smile, but knew I did a shitty job. I sat next to her with our back against the left side of the truck. She had her legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. I pulled my knees up and rested my arms on the top. She was so much smaller then I was. At least a whole foot. It was hard to believe she had taken people before. We sat there, neither of us specking. We just looked at the stars and enjoyed each other's company. Eventually Dakota's head fell on my shoulder and she drifted off to sleep.

I though back to that day in the city, when I first met her. She had so much fight in her, It genuinely surprised me. Andrea explained to me on the way back to camp that she was an ornery girl, lots of sass and attitude. She said that she stayed secluded like her family. She hunted and did her own chores. She also said that she was helpful when needed and that she never took from the group, she only used what she gathered herself. I knew when she told me that, that the teen was different. That she hides herself from the world outside. She put a wall around herself to try and protect herself from the pain that people caused he. That her mother had caused her. I decided from that moment on that I was going to find a way over the walls. A way to see the real Dakota. And to prove to her that I wasn't going to hurt her or abandon her.