Emma walked into the house from the backyard. She had sent T-dog in hours ago to get some rest. He had asked her if she had been the one who wanted to rest, she had said she was wired. Truthfully she was. She hadn't slept since the night in the town with Jeremy. She had gotten too comfortable and it had made her sloppy and vulnerable. Now though she was ready to crash and she had other people to worry about and protect. It was time for her to try and sleep.

"Time to switch?" Rick asked sitting at the dining room table.

"Yeah…"

"Thanks for looking out."

"Sure thing." She said before heading up the stairs. She walked past many bedrooms where she could hear many people sleeping soundly within. Then she got to one door that was cracked open. She figured it was empty and slowly opened it. "Oh…" She stopped seeing Daryl sitting at a window sill. "Sorry I thought the room was empty I'll find another one."

"This is the last one…" He said.

"Oh…"

"You want to share?"

"If your offering."

"I am…" She nodded walking in and closing the door her leather backpack in hand.

"Watching me while I watch everyone else?" she asked seeing him seated in front of the window.

"As I said you're important." She smiled softly as he walked over and sat down next to her on the bed.

"So do those arrows fit into your crossbow?"

"Yeah… I found some new wire and a care kit." He said.

"Good." She said with a nod and a smile.

"I was going to go hunting tomorrow there are signs of buck in this area I could use some help." He said looking her over.

"Sure… I don't know how much help I'll be. I've only hunted small game like birds and rabbits."

"Time to learn." She nodded as she looked to him to see he was looking back at her. She looked back out at the wall in front of her. She didn't know what to say or what to do. Their relationship had shifted and she didn't know how far and what it meant. She took a breath and slowly looked to Daryl who was staring down at his hands. "I… Don't know how this works."

"How what works?"

"Us… Then again I don't know if there is an us. All I know is you maybe care about me and I care about you."

"Maybe?" She looked to him. "You think maybe?"

"You haven't said it."

"I shouldn't have to…" He looked off and she did as well.

"Look, I'm sorry." He looked to her. "But I've never been in this situation before. The last boy who ever kissed me was Robbie Fennard after a karate tournament when I was fourteen… And I hit him afterwards." He laughed and she looked to him with a small smile. "That's not funny."

"It's a little funny… When I kissed you I thought you were going to take your Bo and crack me across the back of the skull with it."

"Only if you were bad at it." Silence overcame them before both laughed. After a while it died down and Emma looked down at her hands. "You know when we first pulled up to the camp… I had this thought." He looked to her.

"What thought?"

"That… We could just…" She shook her head as she shrugged. "I don't know… Not go back…"

"Had the same thought…" She looked to him.

"Really?" She asked blinking.

"Yeah… We'd probably be better off on our own… Why didn't we just drive off?"

"Because we have responsibilities." She said and he nodded.

"Yeah… Why do we have those?" He asked and she smiled softly.

"Good question…"

"You look tired." He said and she laughed.

"Sweep me off my feet why don't you?" She asked and he smiled.

"You should sleep."

"Yeah maybe… I didn't sleep last night."

"I'm going to need you in tip top shape for hunting in case of walkers."

"Right." She said scooting back on the bed and resting against the head board. "You should too." He went to slide off the bed and Emma laughed.

"I'm not shy Daryl… We can share." He looked over his shoulder at her for a moment before nodding and sliding back up the bed to sit beside her his back against the head board.

"Can't sleep with your back flat against something?" She asked.

"Yeah… Same with you?"

"Yep… Not unless Hershel has pumped me full of pain pills."

"Same here." He said and Emma tilted her head.

"Hey Daryl?"

"Yeah?"

"On a scale from one to ten… One being as great as no more apocalypse and ten being as terrible as getting ripped apart slowly by hundreds of walkers… How bad is that wallpaper?" He looked at the wallpaper in front of them and smiled. It was bright yellow with tiny little green caterpillars on it.

"It's an eleven."

"What's an eleven?"

"Having to look at this wall paper while being torn apart slowly by Walkers." Emma laughed loudly and quickly covered her mouth making Daryl chuckle.

Carol walked by Daryl's door and stopped hearing laughing coming from inside. She went to reach for the door handle to open it but stopped. It wasn't her place to barge in. Even if it was Emma's laugh coming from within the room. Still Emma had become like a daughter to her and she wasn't sure how she felt about the eighteen year old being alone in a bedroom with the older Daryl.

How old is Daryl anyways?

She heard more laughter and froze as she stared at the door handle. That wasn't the laughing she normally heard from Emma. This laughter had a different sound almost a giddy edge to it. She tilted her head a thought coming to her mind that made her eyes go wide.

Are they having sex? Oh… Jesus… She went to reach for the door handle and quickly turned away. Nope nope she's eighteen she's not your daughter… You have no right to barge in… She turned and headed back to the doorway. Stop it! She turned away again before she could burst through the door. You'll talk to her tomorrow about it… Besides… I doubt her nor Daryl would move that fast… I mean is there anything going on between them other than friendship? Yeah just talk to her tomorrow…

-o-

Emma slowly looked back at Daryl who lay on the bed. He had fallen asleep hours ago and she had tried to follow suit, but sleep wouldn't come. She had far too many thoughts roaming through her head to allow her to sleep. She slowly snuck out of the room and headed down the stairs as quietly as she could. She took a deep breath as she headed out into the cold night air.

"Winter is upon us…" She said to herself softly.

"You could say that again." She turned to see Rick sitting on the porch swing. "What are you doing up Emma?" She walked over and slowly sat down beside him.

"Couldn't sleep… You?"

"Same… Why can't you sleep?"

"My mind doesn't seem to want to slow down enough for me to sleep." She said with a shrug. "How about you?"

"Sort of the same thing…" She nodded.

"If it's alright for me to say… I'm sorry for all you've been through the past few days."

"Why wouldn't it be alright for you to say?"

"I don't want it to sound like I'm pitying you or something… Because I'm not." Silence settled over them for a long moment before Rick shifted in his chair.

"Can I ask you a question Emma?"

"Of course." She said looking to him.

"Why is it you're the only one who seems to have any confidence left in me as a leader?"

"I'm not the only one… Everyone does… They're just a bit shaken Rick." She said looking him over. "That's all… I'm sure of it. Let some time pass and things will be how they were…"

"How are you so positive?" Rick asked looking to Emma who just smiled and shrugged.

"I got no other choice."

"Got no other choice…" Rick repeated. "I'm going to have to take a page from your book."

"Hey… Why don't you go up and check on Lori and Carl… I'll take watch."

"You sure?" He asked looking to her.

"Mhm… Go have family time… Even if it's just looking after them while they sleep." He smiled and nodded.

"Thanks Emma."

"Mhm… Night Rick." He got up off the swing and headed into the house. Emma slowly got up and walked to the edge of the porch to look out at the property. She now wished she hadn't told Rick to go up and be with his family. Whenever she was alone or it was far too quiet she'd think about things, things she didn't want to think about. Lately her mind began to wonder to Annabelle and the grave she had left her in.

Ever since she had found out that you didn't have to be bit or scratched to get turned she would think about her sister. Annabelle had died of natural causes. Sickness, she guessed Phenomena. After she had taken her last breath she had held her dead in her arms for near three days. She had lost it crying over her little sister's body. Of course she hadn't risen, she knew now that it took different amounts of times for people to come back alive. Still at the time she thought her sister had just died and there was no way she was coming back. She hadn't bothered taking the time to shoot her in the head, not that she would have been able to. Instead she decided to bury her six feet under. Now that she knew what she knew she couldn't help but wonder if her little sister was now roaming the country side eating brains entrails and intestines. She shook her head her jaw clenching. She couldn't think about it

I need to blow off some steam… Get my mind off of it… Off of Annabelle… She grabbed her Bo and extended it as she headed down the porch steps. She headed into the dark woods and smiled as she spotted a group full of walkers.

"Queuing peace in three…" She started running towards them. "Two…" She pulled back her Bo. "One!" She smacked the Bo across the head of one of the walkers. She smiled down at her work as she twirled her Bo in hand. "I'm feeling better already." She spun and hit another one.

Until the light of dawn she headed around the woods in the surrounding area and took down any walker in sight. She smiled softly to herself as the warmth of the morning sun hit her and she stretched her body popping with satisfaction as she did. She glanced down to see a walker slowly crawling to her. She pulled her buck knife and stabbed it through his head. She smiled as she stood up straight and wiped the blood off on her pants.

-o-

Daryl slowly walked down the stairs. Everyone was awake and his eyes were peeled for Emma. He had hoped to wake up next to her but as usual she was up before him and out doing what needed to be done. He nodded at Rick who nodded back as Carol handed him a cup of coffee.

"Is Emma on watch?" Daryl asked taking a sip.

"She's not with you?" Carol asked.

"No…" He said.

"She took over watch late last night." Rick said.

"She must be tired I'll bring her some coffee." Carol said walking out the door.

"Does she drink coffee?" T-dog asked.

"Guess we'll find out." Rick said with a shrug. After a few minutes passed Carol came back in.

"I can't find Emma." Daryl looked to her.

"What?" He asked.

"I can't find Emma…"

"Her bag is gone." They looked to Carl who was looking around. "She told me to look after it… It's gone now."

"You don't think she'd leave?" Lori asked her hand on her stomach as she looked to Rick.

"Maybe she was taken." Glenn said.

"Again no way." Daryl said quickly as he grabbed his Crossbow.

"What do you mean again?" Carol asked looking at him.

"Okay T-dog Glenn Daryl get some supplies together we're going out looking for her." Rick said.

"Looking for who?" Emma asked as she walked through the front door.

"What the hell happened to you girl?" T-dog asked. Everyone looked to see she was spattered in blood with some thick streaks of blood on her pants and shirt.

"Are you okay?" Lori asked horrified.

"I have a better question where the hell were you?" Rick asked and Emma looked to him.

"Walkers, I had to take them out." She said. "That's what a look out does right?"

"Where's your pack?"

"Up in the room I was staying in…"

"Oh that's right you got it from me last night." Carl said.

"Where were you just now?" Rick asked and Emma tilted her head losing her patience.

"Walkers like I said." she headed off. "I'm going to get washed up."

"There's a well out back." Maggie said to her. "I'll go with."

"Had to give her the third degree?" Lori asked walking past her husband.

-o-

Emma pulled on her boots and stared out at the forest behind the house. She had cleaned up and truthfully felt a lot better then she had the night before. She smiled as Daryl sat down next to her readying his crossbow. She smiled softly and then tilted her head. He was angry she could tell.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay in the bedroom last night." She said and he looked at her before shrugging.

"Doesn't matter anything to me." He went to get up and Emma reached taking his hand and stopping him.

"Hey…" he slowly looked back at her. "Don't be like that…"

"You're too important to be going out alone and hunting walkers…" he said looking her over.

"Important to the group right?" she asked with a mischievous smile.

"Yeah." He turned and walked off.

"You're gunna have to eventually say it!"

"Shut up!" She laughed before grabbing her leather backpack and running after him.

"Hey Emma!" She turned seeing T-dog. "Make sure Daryl brings back something good!"

"I will!" She waved before quickly turning and catching up to Daryl.

"Alright…" he stopped looking around. "Start taking note today you're going to get yourself a buck."

"A buck?" She asked. "How'd you figure?" He pointed to the ground.

"Buck tracks."

"Those don't look like Buck tracks… It more looks like quail…" she slowly looked to Daryl who had a stern look. "Yeah sure they're definitely Buck tracks."

"Trying to rain on my fucking parade…" He muttered and she laughed lightly.

"So when you said get me a buck…"

"I meant you'd be shooting it."

"With a gun?"

"With the crossbow." She looked to him as he tracked.

"You're going to let me shoot the crossbow?" He only nodded. "Awe… Now you see that's sweet." He looked to her.

"Sweet?"

"Border lining on romantic."

"You really are my kind of girl if you find shooting a crossbow Romantic." He said looking back down at the tracks.

"You know after this testament of you caring for me I might just let you handle my Bo." He smiled.

"Let's call it a date."

"Move fast don't you?" She asked nudging him and he smiled as they broke through some trees. Daryl stopped seeing a stack of walker bodies. He slowly looked to Emma.

"Your work?" He asked pointing and she just gave him a cheeky smile. "Yep…" He stepped over the bodies. "My kind of girl." Emma smiled softly before following him.

-o-

They had tracked for hours not that Emma minded. She knew that the end was way more important than the means. At the end of their hard work they were going to bring back a mighty feast, at least she hoped they would. They broke through a line of trees and Daryl held out his arm stopping her from moving forward.

"There we are… Not what we were tracking but it will do." She peeked over his shoulder and instantly smiled seeing a group of wild boar. "Alright… You ready?" he asked.

"Oh no maybe you should go after them." he looked over his shoulder at her. "If I miss we don't eat."

"You're not going to miss." He said slowly inching towards a large boulder. "Because I'm the best damn teacher in the world…" He knelt and Emma followed suit right at his side. "Alright here you go." She took the Crossbow and was surprised to find how heavy it was. "Hold it like this." He moved behind her and Emma couldn't help but smile. In her dizziest of adolescent day dreams she had imagined a man moving up behind her and showing her how to properly shoot pool. In her opinion Daryl moving behind her and showing her how to shoot a crossbow was way better than that day dream ever had been. "Alright the scope broke off months ago so you aim by glancing down the arrow, it should go where you want. It always does for me." She nodded.

"Alright I'm lined up with the big one. I'm aiming for his neck…"

"Good…" he said as his hand slipped over hers and his trigger finger onto hers. She smiled softly as she looked down at their hands. She felt his chest press against her back as he made her lean over the boulder her crossbow wielding arm now resting against it. "Is it still in your sights?"

"Yes…" She said one eye closing so she could better see her target.

"Keep breathing." She took a deep breath. "Good… Take your time now." Daryl said feeling her finger twitch beneath his. "You have all the time in the world..." Her eyes glanced over the boar and she froze seeing a walker behind it. She took a shaky breath seeing a good thirty walkers behind the first walker she had spotted.

"Oh my god…"

"What is it?" he asked feeling her hands shake.

"Daryl… Behind the boars…" She whispered. He looked past the animals and froze instantly seeing what she had seen.

"Alright…" He took the crossbow from her and grabbed her hand. "Let's move nice and quiet like." She nodded as they slowly backed away. They froze when they both stepped on a branch cracking it loudly in two. The Boars squealed and rushed off while the walkers slowly fixed their eyes on Daryl and Emma. "Fuck." Daryl said and the horde instantly yelled out and began to run at them. "Move!" Daryl yelled holding onto Emma's hand as they ran at their top speed away from the horde. Emma looked around realizing where they were heading.

"Daryl stop!" She yelled only to find he kept moving. "Daryl stop!" She dug her heels into the ground and he turned quickly.

"Are you out of your mind we've got to move!"

"We can't take this horde back to the house we have to lose them."

"We can lose them on the way to the house."

"It's too risky Daryl…" He looked over her shoulder to see the horde had grown bigger.

"Shit… Fine! Come on!" He grabbed her hand and ran in a different direction. He navigated the forest like a champ, but everywhere Daryl turned walkers lay in waiting. His mind kept going to the woman whose hand he clung to. He had to keep her safe but no matter where he turned danger was waiting. "Fucking hell!" He yelled as he turned away from another horde.

"We're surrounded…" Emma said looking all around.

"There's nowhere to run." She looked passed Daryl and smiled.

"Then maybe we should climb." He looked to her.

"What?" he asked.

"Come on." She grabbed his hand and she led him past a grouping of trees. She could see it in the distance, their salvation.

"Where the fuck are we going!?" He yelled before his eyes spotted it. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!"

"Shut up it's the only plan we got!" She yelled over her shoulder. "It'll do until the horde passes!" They rushed up to a large oak tree that had a large tree house situated amongst its vast thick twisting branches. "Go." She said looking over her shoulder at the horde which was converging and still looking for them.

"Like hell." Daryl picked her up by her hips and set her on the wooden ladder. She instantly started to climbing.

"Daryl come on." She said and he jumped up grabbing a hold of the ladder. When Emma got to the top she pulled herself into the tree house and turned. Just as Daryl reached the top the ladder beneath him snapped. Before he could fall Emma moved forward and latched onto the back of his shirt. With a yell she pulled him up into the tree house as he kicked against the tree. He fell on top her as she collapsed back. She turned rolling him onto his back. When he tried to sit up she climbed on top of him.

"What-." She covered his mouth.

"Very quiet, very still, out of sight." She said so softly he nearly didn't hear her. He nodded as her hand slipped from over his mouth. She went to move off of him but froze when she heard the horde growling from below. She knew they could take down the tree if they worked together, and the thought of being torn apart by the horde scared her more then she liked. She slowly rested her head on Daryl's chest. She could hear them below and she wish she could take a peak to see if they were passing by or trying to get at them in the tree house. Her eyes closed tightly as she felt Daryl's arms move around her.

He knew she must be worried about their safety. And he wished he could tell her everything was going to be okay. But their situation didn't permit him to speak. His eyes closed as he heard loud growling from below. He wanted to know if the walkers knew they were up in the tree house. He wanted to know if they were going to make it through the day and if they would have to make it through the night.