A/N: Sadness for Dale... I really did like him but I understand why he had to go... But that's not all folks! Let me know what you guys think!

When Daryl walked back to the group after "questioning" Randall, Angel followed him back to his living area, "What all'd you do?"

"What's it matter? Got what I needed outta him." Daryl looked at her prepping his bow. When he saw the uneasy look on her face and how tense her body was he froze for a moment, "I just hit him a few times. You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine." She said turning away from him and he saw her hand go to the back of her neck as she started to walk away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Come on now, I know a lie when I see one." He turned her to look at him.

"I…I just don't like torture is all." She gave him a weak smile and saw the concerned look on his face, "Don't think about it too much, you might hurt yourself."

He wasn't sure if he should make a smart ass comment back or let her know that he knew she was deflecting the issue with humor. He never got the chance before Dale walked up to them. When he asked how they felt about killing the boy Daryl said he didn't really care so Dale turned to Angel and she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't really know how I feel about it, if we were in Afghanistan or Iraq he'd have been shot the second we heard he knew where camp was, but here and now every human life is a good thing. I just don't like the idea of letting him go but I don't really like the idea of letting him roam around with us freely."

"You just said a whole lotta nothin'." Daryl looked at her.

Dale looked between the two of them, "Since you're on the fence, side with me, save someones life. You're both good people and so is Rick, but Shane…"

"Is a murderer." Angel looked at him.

"Yeah killed that Otis guy." Daryl leaned on the old smoke pit.

"He tell you that?" Dale looked back and forth at the two of them.

"Not hard to figure out once you know the details." Angel shrugged her shoulders.

"Spins a pretty story but it's all in the facts, someone says they're gunna cover you and dies but you come back with his gun. Rick didn't think of it because he don't wanna." Daryl said before turning around and walking away, "I'll be back soon."

"Why aren't you going with him?" Dale looked at Angel.

"He doesn't want me too. He wants me to continue getting to full strength as he says." Angel said watching him walk away and hating not being allowed to go with him, she didn't like him being out there alone again. Her and Dale walked back to the main camp together and Angel headed for the house getting a small cup of water and some wet cloths. She headed to the shed where Randall was being held and Andrea looked at her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm assuming Daryl did a number on him, don't worry I won't kill him or set him free. I'm just bringing him some water and keeping him from dripping blood all over the place." Angel said unlocking the door and walking in. She looked at the kid and he got excited seeing her and she didn't change her expression as she looked over his face, "Looks like he went easy on you and didn't use any weapons."

"Yeah he did, pulled his knife on me." Randall sputtered.

"Doesn't look like he used it, Daryl could skin your little toe perfectly." She said wetting the cloth and wiping up some blood with it from his head.

"What backwoods freak dug it into my scab." He pleaded with her.

"Hey!" She said grabbing his chin, "That's my best friend you're talking about. And digging into a scab is nothing. You don't even know how bad torture can get. Unless the pain was so bad that you passed out or made you wish that you were dead, it wasn't that bad at all."

She slammed the cup of water down on the chair beside him and walked out of the door locking it behind her. Andrea just gave her a confused face and Angel just returned it with a smile. After she had been in her tent a while she heard the telltale knock that was Daryl and she sat up saying he could come in, "What'd you bring back?"

"Couple of squirrels, already skinned 'em." He said and she was about to ask him why he didn't tell her he was back and he hated to keep telling her that she needed her rest, but he didn't want to come that close to losing her again. He stopped her before she could say anything, "Come on, the meeting about the kid is about to happen."

Angel used the hand he had out to help her get out of the tent and they walked up to the house together in silence, but she couldn't help notice he kept his hand in hers. When they piled into the room she stood beside him as he leaned on a cabinet. She listened as the group argued and as Carol said she didn't want to decide Dale went off about how it shouldn't be survival of the fittest and that he shouldn't be punished for something he's yet to do and through it all Angel just wanted to look at him and say welcome to war, but she couldn't, she didn't know where she stood and she almost wanted to agree with Carol but she had always been taught that indifference is worse than hate, because it's no emotion at all. Angel had never felt this lost in a long time, they had never taken prisoners before and so she wasn't sure what the call to be made was, he couldn't be set free but he shouldn't be killed.

Dale gave up despite Andrea agreeing with him and Dale walked over to Daryl agreeing with him about the group being broken. Angel stayed leaned on a tree by the barn as she watched Daryl drag the kid behind Rick and Shane. He looked over at her while he walked and that when he realized he didn't speak up because of her, because he wanted to make sure she was safe, so that she didn't end up like the two girls in Randalls story that had been raped. As Angel watched him walk she knew that she hadn't said anything for similar reasons, almost a dozen people versus thirty or more…she knew those odds, and she knew that despite his distance from the group he would fight.

A few minutes after she watched them go into the barn she still hadn't heard a shot, she had sat down and was leaning on the tree when she heard the barn door get hit and she looked up and saw Daryl dragging him back to where he had been held. When he walked up to her he looked up at her and she couldn't tell his expression, "Rick couldn't do, his lil boy was there."

"Damn." She sounded saddened about Carl being there then she looked at Daryl, "Would you have been able to do it? Even if Carl hadn't have been there?"

"I-" His words got caught in his throat, "I don't know. Would you?"

"A year ago, yeah." She said and he heard the sadness in her voice.

Daryl placed his hand on the side of her face, "Hey, that's nothin to be ashamed of. You did what you had to back then."

"And is it any different from now? Am I just stuck in another war?" She asked him and he could hear that she was trying to not get upset.

"No. I'll fight the war, you just stay alive. I know that's gunna be hard for you to do, but if it's what easier for you, then I don't care." He spoke and she stepped forward wrapping her arms around him and he lightly returned it.

"I'll let you know if I ever want to take you up on that. I'm still a soldier, it's just the lines on what calls to make are blurrier now." She tried to give a smile as he ran his hand over her back but when a scream rang through the night they both instantly jumped away from each other and they both took off running towards the screams. Daryl got ahead of her and when they saw the walker on top of Dale he jumped knocking it off and stabbed it in the head. She sat there and didn't know what to do. His insides werent inside anymore and she didn't know how to put them back, she didn't know how to ease the pain. Dale just looked at her with wide scared eyes and they were a look she had seen too often. Daryl was calling the others over and Dale tried his best to breath out words to him, "Take Angel, she's, seen, enough, of, this."

When the others got there Daryl picked her up away from Dale and she didn't fight him, she was in shock, he turned her away and held her tight to his body, keeping her face pressed to his chest as he watched the other. He could feel her arms around him but her hands weren't touching him. She had tried to put pressure on the wound and gotten his blood on her hands and she couldn't use them at all, its as if they weren't even attached to her body. Daryl watched as Rick couldn't pull the trigger so he let Angel go to take the gun from him, knowing that if she were to turn and see the pain he was in she would have done it, she would have killed him and that just wasn't something he was going to let her do.

She jumped when the shot went off and Daryl had seen it and after handing the Python back to Rick he walked back over to her and this time she did put her arms around him and held him tight, and he returned the pressure of her embrace. He felt her trying not to cry, he knew she hated crying and she was partly because of what he had done, "I'm sorry Angel. I'm so sorry, but I had too."

"I understand." Was all she said in a soft voice, "Thank you for making it easier."

He held her tight and they listened to the others crying, he didn't care if they saw, he didn't care if they noticed, all he cared about was her. When she pulled away from him and looked up at him he thought she couldn't look younger with her eyes wide and water as she asked, "Can we go back to camp?"

He nodded his head and kept an arm wrapped around her as he walked her back up to his tent. He let her crawl in and he followed. Daryl took a cloth and dipped it in the water container he had in his tent and washed the blood from her hands. While he was cleaning them she just stared at the blood that was on them as it left, "We should have agreed with him, if we had he wouldn't have gone on a walk. He was upset that we didn't agree with him and if we had then he wouldn't have been out there and he wouldn't have…"

"Angel, don't do this to yourself." Daryl took her hands and looked up at her, "Don't blame yourself, you can't have known for sure what would have happened either way."

"Let's just…" She looked away from him, "Let's just get some rest."

"Okay." He said and crawled into the cot behind her after she had laid down, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "It'll be okay."

"I just don't want to lose anybody else, least of all you." She said turning in his arms and pressing her head into his chest and took a fistful of shirt in her hand.

"You won't, I'll always be here with you." When she looked up at him he didn't want another chance to pass him by. He slowly moved his face down to hers and tried not to be nervous. Angel wasn't sure what to do, she wanted him to kiss her, but she didn't think it was a good thing anymore.

"Daryl." She said pressing her forehead to his before their lips touched, "We shouldn't."

His heart stopped, it sounded like she wanted to but she was stopping him for some reason, "Why?"

"Either of us could die any day, I remember what I went through after losing Evan and I don't know if I could survive it again." She gripped his shirt even tighter.

"I just told you you're not gunna lose me!" He growled, "I know either of us could die any day. I try not to regret things in my life and when you went missin for all those days the one thing I regretted was never gettin to kiss you, never gettin to let you know how I feel and I don't want to ever regret that again."

"Daryl, I-" Her eyes were wide and she looked scared but it didn't stop him from cutting her off.

"Dammit Angel!" He said and slipped his hand to the side of her face, "I'll ask politely, but don't make me beg, not after all that's happened, after what just happened, please, let me kiss you."

"Never ask permission to kiss a-" She was cut off by his lips on hers and it felt like her heart was going to explode. His heart stopped when she didn't kiss him back for a moment until she wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her body to press against his and he wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her close.

Daryl thought he was a horrible kisser but she didn't seem to mind, they were panting and she wanted more, when her tongue ran over his top lip he broke away from her for a moment, "I'm sorry, I aint to good at this."

"Shut up." She smiled at him, "You're very good."

"Really?" He didn't believe her.

"Really. It's been a long time since a man has been able to turn me on with just his lips on mine." She said with a slight smile. He gave her a breathed laugh and she leaned back up and placed a light kiss on his lips.

He nuzzled his nose against hers and felt her inhale a deep breath fighting off a yawn. Daryl ran his hand over her back, "You didn't take a nap today did you?"

"No, Herschel said I shouldn't need to be soon, it's been like a week." She gave him an innocent smile.

He gave her a small smile, "Uh-huh, just like you claim you can eat a full meal now."

"I can." She avoided gaze.

"Yeah, and I'm the queen of England." He picked on her.

"Shut up." She gave him a light shove and he laughed at her.

"Get some sleep." He said to her and she nodded before pressing her lips to his once more and what was meant to be a peck became tender, comforting kiss. When he felt himself getting excited he broke away from her, "Really though, you need rest."

"Mmhmm." Was all he got as she nuzzled into his chest and gave him a light kiss there before closing her eyes and falling asleep with a smile.

The next morning he let her sleep in while he helped the others dig the grave for Dale. When Daryl walked into the tent he saw her shift at the noise he had made. Sitting down beside her he slowly leaned over, wanting to try to kiss her before she woke up, and when he pressed his lips to hers he felt her smile. When her hand snaked up to brush through his hair she held him there and didn't want to let him go, or remember what had happened the night before to Dale. When they parted Daryl looked at her with sad eyes, "Come on, its time."

She nodded her head and walked with him back to where they had made the graves for Herschels wife and step-son. He held her hand through the ceremony and he noticed she wouldn't look at the grave but she also didn't shed a tear.

Later they began loading and unloading the cars since Herschel said they should move into the house since winter was coming and it would be safer and more practical for them to have a real roof over their heads. Rick sent Daryl and Shane to start boarding up the open spots and to make guard perches for them to take watch on. Angel helped with the unloading since both Daryl and Herschel thought it wasn't yet time for her to join them with the hard labor again and she begrudgingly agreed with them. After a while of watching Daryl board stuff up she went into the kitchen and got him a glass of tea, since there werent any beers, and took it out to him. As she walked up he didn't notice her and she smiled up at getting the chance to sneak up on him, "Hey there workin man, need something to wet your throat?"

"Yeah, but it aint tea that I want." He smiled at her and moved to the side of the roof he was on and leaned over the edge to grab the glass from her as she stood on a chair.

"I bet." She winked at him and laughed, "If you'd be okay with it, I don't think I want to let the others know just yet…about us…if there is an us."

"There always has been, just not in the same way there is now, don't think they need to be knowin our business anyhow." He smiled at her. She turned hearing Sophia call her from the house and she looked back up at him.

"Guess I'll see you later." She smiled at him and began walking away.

"You can bet on that." He called after her.

When she got back to the house the girl had wanted to ask her if she would be sleeping near them so that Angel could sing her to sleep, "Oh you don't need me to do that anymore, you got your mom now."

"I know, but I still like to hear you sing." She said with a smile.

"I think about it okay? See where everyone else is landing then go from there." She smiled at the girl and got a quick nod in response. Herschel called her over next.

"Rick asked Andrea to look in after Shane while he and Daryl are away, why didn't he ask you?" The old man asked.

"Well it would only be guessing, but it might be because I've put a gun to Shanes head before and we've never quite seen eye to eye on things." Angel shrugged her shoulders.

"That maybe, but I would like to ask that you keep an eye on him too, I hope it doesn't come to you having to shoot him, but from what I've heard from the others and everything that you've done since you've been here, like not resting even though I tell you to, I'm guessing you can stand your ground with him and I'd greatly appreciate it." Herschel looked up at her through his brow.

"Consider it done." She smiled at him.

A little while later she walked out on the porch and saw Daryl and Rick talking about the trip they were gunna be making and she had to admit she didn't like him going out there without her, bad things seemed to happen when to each other when they werent together but she knew neither of them were going to let her go just yet.

When Rick asked Daryl about the night before and shooting Dale all he replied was "You should be the one to do all the hard work." And Rick couldn't help but notice him glance over at Angel who was standing by the front door. Daryl excused himself and went inside motioning for her to follow him. When she did they were in the bathroom he spoke first, "I know you wanna go but ya cant."

"Look Daryl I know, I know I'm still technically sick but I can't just stand around and do nothing." She almost pleaded.

"Angel, I don't want nothin' to happen to ya." He said placing his hand on her cheek, "I want ya to be hunrd percent before you start kick ass and takin names again."

"I understand that, but please don't start codling me now, I hate being coddled. They tried it all the time in the military at first because I was a woman, and I wanted to shoot them for it, don't make me want to shoot you." She placed her hands on his chest.

"Next time, next time I make a run you can go okay?" He put his hands on her waist and saw a spark in her eyes, "I promise."

Her lips were on his and he almost laughed at her excitement then wondered what it had been like when she was told she was allowed to go on a mission during the war, he would have loved to have known what she was like before the world went to hell. He bet she had an even more stunning smile and an even better sense of humor.

She walked him out to the car when it was time for them to leave and he gave her his nod before T-Dog went to get the prisoner and she gave him her nod back with a small smile. Before she got in the door of the house she heard T-Dog yelling that he was gone, she ran behind Daryl and Rick to the coop where he had been and everyone began inspecting the bindings and the area around. After Shane came up saying that he was armed and had knocked him out Rick called for Glenn and Daryl to go with them to search and Daryl spoke up, "Angel should come too, she can help me track."

"You up for it?" Rick turned to her and she nodded and they headed off to follow him.

Angel and Daryl didn't see any tracks and they shared a concerned look, which when Shane said there was no sense in tracking him that he went another way her look turned into clear disbelief. Daryl turned and asked how a kid who was a hundred and twenty-five pounds got the jump on him, "Hell he wouldn't 've even gotten the jump on Angel when she was exhausted walking in the woods."

When Rick split them up Angel went with Daryl and after they were a fair distance away she said, "You think that was smart? Letting him go alone into the night with Shane?"

"No." Daryl said eyes on the ground, "Didn't have much choice though did we?"

"Why whats wrong with Shane?" Glenn asked.

"He's losing it." Angel answered back, "More so now that Loris pregnant and he wants the baby to be his."

"Good call on that by the way." Daryl said remembering their conversation of people she would want to have sex with and her saying that Shane was with Lori, "How'd you know?"

"I pay attention." She shrugged her shoulders, "Speaking of paying attention, Shane didn't want us to track, I vote we go back and start over."

"True, if you gonna do something right better start from the beginning." He said as they started to double back. As they did they realized Shane must have followed him longer than he had said and when Daryl pointed out blood on a tree she stood up next to hit.

"About Shanes height, wouldn't you say?" Both men nodded in agreement and Daryl pointed out more tracks. They noticed a scuffle and then heard footsteps and used trees to hide themselves, when they got closer Glenn stepped out to get the jump on him and was surprised to see a walker version of Randall and got knocked back. Daryl went to go shoot him but the walker was lunging and he missed as the walker pinned him under his bow. Angel grabbed the walker from behind and pulled him off but the weight of it knocked her back so she was pinned under its back. Glenn shoved it off of her and put his blade through its head.

Daryl looked at her and asked if she was alright and she said yeah and they both gave Glenn pats on the shoulder. Angel paused for a minute looking at the body, "There aren't any bites…and it looks like his neck was snapped."

"What?" Glenn sounded confused.

"You see it a lot overseas, it leaves a telltale sign of stretching on the neck skin. Plus there aren't any bites, so how the hell did he turn?" Angel looked up at the two men.

"I don't like it when you think too much." Daryl said to her, "So stop it."

"Sorry." She muttered with a smile as they walked back to the house.