I do not own TWD or it's characters

"You're okay with this? You don't hate me?" She asked. Fear trembled in her heart, waiting for his answer.

"Course I don't hate you," Dan replied, a smile on his face and concern written in his eyes. "Why would I hate you?"

Judith chewed on her bottom lip, considering his question. "I keep running off to get revenge. I keep putting myself in dangerous situations." Her eyes studied the dirt at their feet.

"I'll worry and wish it was someone else going out every time you leave. But I understand. You are the best qualified for this situation. And if I'm honest, simply living anymore is a dangerous situation. This is life." He smiled at her, then set his plate down. Grabbing her chin in his fingers, he leaned toward her. "Gonna take a lot more than that to scare me away."

Closing the distance, Judith kissed him softly. "Good," she whispered, pulling away slightly. She pushed all the worries and insecurities from her mind and enjoyed the night.

After dinner had been eaten and the fire burned out, Judith said goodnight to Dan. Walking in the front door of her brother's place she saw her mom awake and sitting on the sofa next to Daryl.

"Hey mom. How're you feeling?" Judith asked, sinking down onto the sofa next to her mom. Daryl stood.

"Let y'all talk," he muttered as he left the room.

"I woke up feeling better. Then your uncle talked to me. You can't go after this group, Jude. It's dangerous."

"Life's dangerous," Judith murmured, stealing Dan's words.

"Not as dangerous as going after these men."

"If we don't go after them, they might come after us. They will come after us. I don't think they'll take lightly to a bunch of their men being killed."

"I agree. Which is why Daryl and I will go after them. Not you."

"I'm almost as good as Daryl, and better than you when it comes to tracking and hunting. Why shouldn't I help?"

"Because your sixteen. You're still a child." She glared over at Judith. "You're not better than me."

"Yeah I am. And I'm not a child. Not in this world. Maybe before the turn, back in the world you grew up in sixteen was still a child. But this world here? This world I grew up in? I'm not a child. I haven't been a child since I was eight."

Michonne glared at her, hating that she was right. "You're my daughter. I don't want you in any unnecessary danger."

"I know. But this is my job in the community. I lived for 6 months on my own, dodging these men. I'm good mom. And I'll be careful."

"They did terrible things to me. If they catch you. . ."

"They won't." Michonne sighed heavily.

"The main group is dangerous. More so than Gary's group. Those men you and Daryl killed? Those were the weakest of the group. The main group is evil. They cannot catch you, Jude."

"They won't. I'll stay disguised. With a little mud, even Daryl has trouble seeing me in the woods. I stood right next to Gary's group on multiple occasions and they hadn't a clue I was there."

"Don't judge the main group based on your experience with Gary's group."

"I know. It's just recon. Just to gather information. We won't make a move until you're better and can join us."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Michonne pulled Judith into her lap, wrapping her arms around the petite girl.

"I love you, Jude. I understand your need to do this. It's the same as mine. Just remember that this won't bring him back."

Tears pricked Judith's eyes, pushing against her willpower to escape in little rivulets down her cheek. "I know."

"Don't you dare let them catch you."

The next morning, Judith awoke and gathered her gear for her recon trip. Her mother didn't give her much information, but she was certain she gave the info to Daryl. Coming down the stairs, she saw Daryl in the kitchen.

"We a go?" she asked. Nodding, he tossed her some jerky.

"Yeah. You ready?"

"Course." They chewed on their breakfast in silence. The rest of the house was asleep, darkness covering the outside like a blanket.

"You tell yer boyfriend?"

"Course," she muttered, taking another bite of jerky. She didn't want to think about Dan.

"Carl?"

"No. You?"

"Nah, not my brother." He paused to chew a large bite. "Yer mom will tell him."

"She give you any info last night?"

"Yeah." She waited for him to elaborate. When he didn't, she prompted him.

"And?"

"Tell you on the way." Grabbing his crossbow, he headed out the front door. Scrambling with the remainder of her breakfast and her gear, she followed. They walked in silence for quite some time. She began to wonder whether he would fill her in on what her mom had told him. She opened her mouth, prepared to asked when he started talking.

"Gary's group was weak. S'what your mom says, anyway. The main group is stronger. Gotta assume they got a good tracker. We're gonna have to be extra careful out here."

"Yeah, mom told me that."

"Your mom didn't tell you everything. She wouldn't. And I shouldn't either, but I'm going to. Don't you tell your mom I told you this."

"Promise." Fear nibbled the inside of her stomach.

"Those men that got your mom? They raped her. And beat her. And raped her some more. You know what rape is?" Realizing she might not, he questioned her.

"Yeah. I read."

"Well, whatever rape you read about, you multiply it by 100 and you might get the idea of what your mom went through. If you get captured, it will kill her. She won't survive that. Got it?"

"I won't get captured," she muttered under her breath. She was sick of everyone thinking she was so weak as to get captured.

"You'll do your best not to be captured, I know. I'm tellin' ya, though. You get captured, yer mom's dead. She won't survive that guilt and worry. Got it, kid?" She scowled, but nodded. Silence poured over the pair as they traipsed through the woods. Hearing a stream, Judith paused.

"Head toward the stream," she stated. Without question, her uncle turned toward the stream. Once there, she covered herself in mud, making herself invisible in the woods. Daryl watched her. "You should coat up, too."

"Nah," he said, shaking his head. "These people as good as your mom says, I'd rather they catch me." Deciding to ignore him, Judith finished her mud coating. Nodding at Daryl, they continued in the general direction of Hilltop.