Oh man, one more for you all. I hope you enjoy, this has a little Merle in it for you all.

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Daryl rode the strong horse up along the edge of a trail, on the top of a ridge. The horse was skittish, he had realized already. The first few arrows he had shot off, at squirrels, the horse had reared back, stupid thing.

As he rode along the ridge his eyes scanned the river that ran below him. It was shallow, for the most part, and luckily a girl Sophia's age wouldn't drown in it. For a moment he thought he spotted a piece of clothing in the water, as he brought the horse to a halt. He jumped down and tied the horse to a tree, making his way down the drop to the river.

The piece or clothing turned out to be a doll. He picked the toy up and studied it. He hadn't spent much time with Sophia when she had been with the group, but he seemed to recall her holding this doll on a regular basis. He looked around, but again, no sign of a trail, "Sophia!" He screamed. Nothing.

He reluctantly made his way back to the horse, untying it and jumping back on. He would have to watch the river more carefully for more signs of her. He tucked the doll in his large back pocket, stuffing it down in there in order not to loose it on the ride. As he guided the horse along the trail he watched the scenery around him.

Suddenly, a snake snapped at the horse from where it sat, on the trail ahead of him. The already jumpy horse reared back in confusing. It reared again, causing Daryl to loose his grip on the horse and fall off, rolling down the side of the ridge violently. When he finally can to a stop at the bottom of the ridge, in the river, a sharp pain was shooting up his left side.

He cursed, gaining his vision again, and looking down at one of his arrows which was now sticking through his side, just under his arm pit. "Son of a bitch!" He scream, laying in pain at water flowed around him. He had hit his head too, and he could feel blood flowing down his forehead, into his eyes.

He pulled himself toward the edge of the river, moaning in pain. He took a better look at the arrow, solidly sticking into him. He ripped off his sweater, that he was wearing over the stupid ACDC shirt he still had. He used the sweater to tie the arrow in place, not wanting to pull it out.

Once he was sure the arrow would stay in place, he assessed the ridge, which was much higher at this part of the trail then it had been earlier. He sighed, if he ever wanted to get back to Hershel's farm, he needed to get to the top of that ridge. As he tried to stand a pain in his back hit him, probably from the arrow. He managed to drag himself to his feet, grabbing a large stick to use as a crutch.

He looked along the ridge for the the best spot to start his climb. Suddenly from behind him, he thought he heard sticks snapping. He looked around desperately for his arrow, realizing he didn't have it. He looked back at the river, where he had fallen. Shit, that's probably where his bow was, buried at the bottom of the river. He groaned, he would have to go back in to find it, he wasn't leaving that baby behind, it was a life saver, literally.

/

Serena watched admirably as Carol threw some flour and water together on the kitchen counter, and began to roll it. She smiled at Serena, noticing her staring, "I thought I'd make some rolls to go with dinner. It's easy, if you want to try rolling it." She patted the ball of dough on the counter, stepping back a allowing Serena to take a turn.

Serena rolled the squishy dough with her hand, pressing it and flopping, like she had watched Carol do. She smiled, "This is the first time I've ever rolled dough." She laughed.

Carol shrugged, "Well its good to learn. You will be able to make some for Amy when she's old enough."

Serena nodded, looking down at her stomach, "Hey Carol?" She asked, "Do you know how to make baby food? Like, if I got veggies and stuff, do you know how to do it."

Carol laughed and nodded, "Really, you just boil whatever it it and mash it. That's all you need, is to mash it."

Serena blushed, she hadn't realized it would be that easy. She nodded, "Good to know."

Carol nodded at her, "I'll show you how to make lots of things for the little girl. She will eat well."

Serena smiled at the thought of raising her daughter with these people to help her. It had been the reason she had never considered leaving to begin with. She just felt her daughter's life would be better with more people. It seemed now more than ever that it would truely take a village.

/

Daryl opened his eyes, shaking his head, hoping to clear it. The last thing he could remember was climbing about halfway up the rocky ridge. He was now laying on his back beside the river again, with his side and head both screaming in pain.

His vision was blurry, but he thought he could hear something moving around him. He opened his eyes wide, trying to lift his weak head. Suddenly a man knelt down beside him, and his brother's face came into clear focus, looking him over, "Why don't you pull that arrow out dummy?" Merle asked, "You can bind your wound better."

Daryl smiled up at his big brother. He knew this was all in his head, but even so, it was good to see a familiar face, "Merle."

Merle nodded down at Daryl, "What's going on here? You taking a nap or something?"

Daryl laughed, "It's a shitty day Bro."

Merle rolled his eyes, "You want me to find you a pillow or something? I could maybe rub your feet."

Daryl smiled. His imaginary brother was just as much an ass hole as his real one, "Screw you." He sniped.

Merle's face hardened, "You're the one screwed from the looks of you. All the years I spent trying to make a man out of you, and look at ya. Lying in the dirt. You're gunna die out here brother. And for what?"

Daryl took a deep breath, "Carol, she lost her little girl." He tried to explain.

"So you've got a thing for little girls now?" Merle laughed, "Or maybe it's the girl you've got waiting for you back there, she made you a big softy."

"You leave her out of this, you ass hole." Daryl snapped.

Merle shrugged, "Well I'm sorry, I just couldn't help but notice you weren't out looking for old Merle no more. You didn't really look long at all, did you?"

Daryl looked up into his brother's eyes, "I tried like hell to find you Bro."

Merle shook his head, "Like hell you did. You split man. Followed that pussy right out of town the first moment you got."

Daryl cleared his throat, "No, you got out. I went back for you, but you were gone. All you had to do is wait, you knew I would come for you."

Merle laughed, "Buddy I didn't know you at all. I could tell you had something going with that chick, the moment you brought her back to camp. Suddenly your too good for you big brother. Your her little bitch is what you are."

Daryl rolled his eyes, "I'm nobodies bitch."

Merle snarled, "You're all their bitches. Rick, Shane, all of them, your their little bitch. You know you're nothing but a freak to them, right? Red neck trash, that's what you are. And all the girl see's when she looks at you is her little bitch." Daryl closed his eyes, drifting out of consciousness. Merle smacked his chest, bring him back to life, "Listen, they are not your kin. None of them. Even that little girl she's carrying. If you had any nuts in ya, you'd go back there and shoot that Rick in the face for me and tell that girl of your to hit the road, before she hurts you." He grabbed Daryl face, "Ain't nobody gunna care about you but me, you hear me. Ain't nobody ever will." He stood to his feet, "Now get up, before I kick your teeth in." Merle stepped back, kicking Daryl foot, before fading away.

Daryl shook his head, trying to find his brother again. Suddenly he realized there was something down at his feet snarling. He focused in on it, coming to see it was a walker. It had his foot in his hand, trying to bit through the steel toes, thank god.

Daryl sprang to life, kicking at the beast, trying to pull himself up off the ground. The walker grabbed for Daryl arm's pushing him back against the hill. Daryl reached for any kind of weapon he could find, his bow, which he had fished out of the river, was still laying on the ground. He finally grabbed a large stick, smacking the monster across the face with it, knocking it back onto the ground. He threw himself onto of the confused beast, bashing its head with the stick until it's skull caved in.

He had no time to rest, however, because another walker came out of the bushes, running at him. Daryl grabbed the bow from the ground, having to use his feet and both hands to pull the string back, because his wound was making his arm ache. He looked down at the arrow sticking out of him, and then back up at the walker charging towards him. He grabbed the arrow, pulling it out of his body, screaming in pain.

He winced and placed the arrow into his bow, just in time to raise his weapon and shoot the arrow right through the walker's forehead. The walker dropped to the ground only a few feet away from him. Daryl lay on the ground between the two bodies, breathing heavily. Even he couldn't believe how close he had just come to becoming a walker himself.

Daryl looked up at the ridge, "Merle!" He called.

Suddenly, from thin air, his brother appeared at the top of the ridge. Merle smiled and waved, "Up hear little brother."

Daryl pointed up at his big brother, "I'm coming up there you ass hole."

/

Serena stepped out of the kitchen, it was getting warm in there. She walked across front lawn tot he camp site, where Andrea was standing up top of the RV, on lookout, the sniper gun in her hand. Serena laughed, looking up at her, :Damn girl, you look bad ass with that gun in your hand."

Andrea smiled and looked down at her, "I'd be even more bad ass if I got to shoot the thing."

Serena nodded, agreeing with her friend. Glenn and Dale were inside the RV, but all Serena needed to hear was, "Hey Dale, do you think Andrea's on her period?" to know she didn't want to walk in on that conversation.

In amongst the tree she could see she, sitting in a chair outside his tent, taking a long swig of a bottle of water. He and Rick had arrived back from their search a little while ago. She made her way over to him, "Hey." She sat her pregnant butt down on the ground beside his chair, "What's up?"

Shane turned his head to look over at her, "Nothing, you know, just tired."

Serena nodded and looked at him, "I like this." She said, pointing at his head, "The short hair, it looks good on you."

Shane smiled, "Yeah?" He cleared his throat, "Well, my hair was getting too long, it was hot." He lifted one of his hands, running it along the top of his head.

They sat together silently for a moment, before Shane finally spoke, "So I think I'm gunna stay."

Serena nodded, looking into his eyes, "Good." She said, relieved.

Shane smiled, "Yeah, I know you'd miss me way too much, and I have this thing against making pregnant women cry."

Serena laughed. She would have missed Shane, had he left. But she then remember what Glenn had told her earlier that day. If Lori was pregnant, it was as much a possibility that the baby could be Shane's as it could be Rick's. The thought worried her, but it wasn't her secret to deal with.

"Walker!" Andrea called suddenly, from the top of the RV. She stood on the roof, with the binocular glued to her face. She was looking out into the field, along the edge of the woods. She lowered the binoculars, "Walker!"

/

Uh oh. I can not see this going well for Serena and Andrea's relationship, can you? I can't wait to see what happens, and how Serena reacts.

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