Author's note:

Hey again,

Thanks again for the review , I noticed last time the name didn't appear in the author's note, so I hope it works this time.

Again there are a few things in here from the movie, there will be in the next few chapter as well. I hope you don't mind. I just finished watching the first season again, and so I used parts of it in my story. Now I don't know yet if I'll follow the second season as well, maybe not or maybe parts like I did now. Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!

Oh and I want to know something for future chapters (very future chapters). Do you guys want Merle to come back? If so, you want him to be an asshole or to have a compassionate side as well. And do you want him to live or die?

So this is the third time I'm reading it through and making small changes, and I still don't think it's good. Anyone who has suggestions how I can make it better?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the walking dead.

Chapter 14

Kaitlinn's POV

'I say we put a pickaxe in his head, and the dead girl's, and be done with it.' Daryl said, sounding like he didn't care at all. I knew he wasn't that senseless though, he couldn't be.

We were standing together, discussing what we should do about Jim like he was an animal we had to deal with. Of course he was an issue that had to be discussed but the way everyone was talking about him, it just felt wrong.

Jim was sitting in front of the RV, where Rick had led him to after we found out he had been bitten. He, up until now, had been the only one who acted normal around Jim, which I felt bad about. Jim looked lost, nothing like himself at all, and I guessed he wasn't feeling much himself either. I felt for him and bit my lip at what Daryl had said. We couldn't act just yet, we had to wait this out.

'Is that what you'd want if it were you?' Shane asked Daryl, disbelief at what he had just said in his voice.

'Yeah and I'd thank you while you did it.' Daryl shot back daringly. I knew he was telling the truth but the thought of him being bitten made me feel sick for some reason, the thought of him getting killed afterward made me feel even worse.

'I hate to say it- I never thought I would- but maybe Daryl's right.' Dale said hesitantly. He was about to continue when Rick stopped him.

'Jim's not a monster Dale, or some rabid dog.'

'I'm not suggesting-' he tried but Rick wouldn't let him.

'He's sick. A sick man. We start down that road, where do we draw the line?'

Daryl scoffed, shaking his head. 'The line's pretty clear. Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be.' At the last part he glanced back, and I started tasting blood at the wound I'd caused on my lip. But we're not sure he's 'one to be', I wanted to say, but was afraid to. I would have to explain my words, and I had no idea how I would do that.

'What if we can get him help? I heard the CDC was working on a cure.' Rick offered.

'I heard that too. Heard a lot of things before the world went to hell.' Shane said.

Rick didn't back down at Shane's attempt to say he was wrong though. 'What if the CDC is still up and running?'

Shane sighed, 'Man, that is a stretch right there.'

Rick shook his head, 'Why? If there's any government left, any structure at all they'd protect the CDC at all costs wouldn't they? I think it's our best shot. Shelter, protection-'

'Ok, Rick. You want those things all right? I do too, ok? Now if they exist they're at the army base. Fort benning.' Shane said.

I sighed, resting my head in my hands. While Lori was telling Shane that was too far away, I noticed Daryl mulling over some things. He looked at Jim and back down again, fidgeting with the pickaxe he was holding. I caught his eye and shook my head lightly, telling him not to do it. He looked surprised that I'd noticed but his look soon turned into one of determination.

'The military were on the front lines of this thing. They got overrun, we've all seen that. The CDC is our best choice. And Jim's only chance.' Rick said, looking at Shane who had offered another option.

Daryl looked back at Jim once more and I groaned, 'Don't do it...' I whispered, hoping he would hear me and listen, he didn't.

'You go looking for aspirin,' He said. 'Do what you need to do. Someone needs to have some balls to take car of this damn problem.' He said, running back while still saying what he was thinking. He had lifted the pickaxe and everyone knew what he was about to do.

'Daryl no!' I shouted, up on my feet in an instant.

Rick and Shane moved faster than me though and were on top of the situation quickly. Rick had his gun pointed at Daryl's head. 'We don't kill the living.' He hissed.

Daryl narrowed his eyes and laughed humorlessly. 'That's funny coming from a man who just put a gun to my head.'

'We may disagree on some things,' Shane said, standing between Jim and Daryl. 'Not on this, you put it down. Go on. '

Daryl clenched his jaw and grumbled something, throwing down the pickaxe.

He caught my eye and growled, 'You of all people should know we have to take care of this, now.' he snapped, after which he left towards the woods.

Everyone was looking at me when he was gone and I shrugged and sat back down, acting like I didn't know what he meant. I did though, very much. I'd lived it, the sudden changing of a dead body into an undead one.

I looked over at Andrea and was up on my feet again in a second. Rick and Shane both turned around, seeing exactly what I was seeing. Amy was moving. They were about to go in but I stopped them before they could, 'Let her. She knows what to do.' I told them, my voice sounding strange in my own ears. Maybe it was the emotions that resurfaced as I thought of Andrea killing her own sister, it hurt.

They hesitated at first, but then nodded. As I said, Andrea knew what had to be done. She put the gun to Amy's head and pulled the trigger, leaning back and looking at her sister's lifeless body a second later. Lori got up quickly and started heading her way but I shook my head, 'Give her some time alone. She'll come to us when she wants to.' I told her. I knew what was going through Andrea right now, she was struggling with what she did. I also knew no one would be able to convince her she did the right thing just yet, she first had to have time to grieve.

Lori sighed, probably feeling as worthless as I did. I bit my lip and turned around, walking in the same direction Daryl had went in before. I couldn't help around here anyway, not now, not while Daryl's words still lingered in my head. I had to fix this by talking to him, making him understand, if that were even possible. I wondered about that while hoping I'd find Daryl soon.

Daryl's POV

How could they be so stupid? How could they let him live? Idiots.

The guy had been bitten, meaning he would eventually turn into one of them. He had to die, there was no doubt about it. No one seemed to agree with me though, not even Kaitlinn. That was probably the thing that ticked me off most, the fact that she didn't agree with me. She'd seen what happened first hand, so why the fuck wouldn't she?

I made my way through the forest until I saw a fallen tree trunk. I sat down on it and rested my head in my hands. Maybe I did lose it out there. Using a pickaxe would've been pretty damn messy, especially because he was still alive. For now.

What bothered me more than what I'd said about the pickaxe though, was what I'd said to Kate, about her knowing what had to be done. Last night I had been practically freaking out inside because I was afraid something had happened to her, this morning I'd been relieved as hell that she was ok and a few hours later I'd snapped at her already.

Good job, Daryl. I thought to myself sarcastically. Then again, I shouldn't be caring about it, I shouldn't be caring about her.

My thoughts were interrupted by a gunshot coming from the camp and I frowned, wondering what was going on. For a moment I contemplated going back to see if there was something wrong, but when there weren't any other sounds I figured it must've been Amy who had been killed. Finally.

'Daryl?' Kate asked, suddenly coming into view.

Her voice was soft and hesitant, interrupting my thoughts once again, and I could see that she was feeling guilty about something.

'What's up princess?' I asked her mockingly, acting like nothing had happened before. Like I hadn't been mad at her, which, I now thought, might even be the truth. Maybe I hadn't been mad at her specifically, I just directed it at her because a part of me thought she should at least agree with me. I was being an asshole, like always.

She scowled at me. 'I thought you'd stopped calling me that.' She sighed.

I laughed, 'Why, it fits you so perfectly.'

She rolled her eyes and I chuckled, 'Yeah ok, not so perfectly.' I admitted. 'Still it's a great way to have some fun.'

She was the one to laugh this time, taking place next to me. We were silent for a second as she took a leaf in her hands and crumpled it.

'I'm sorry.' She then said.

I looked up at her face, trying to figure out why she had said that. Was it really because she hadn't wanted Jim dead? I mean I had been the one to accuse her, I was the one who was supposed to apologize, which I just didn't do. Plus it wasn't strange to want someone else to live, right? She shouldn't be the one apologizing right now.

'What for?'

'For not backing you up.'

I shook my head, not believing she was actually doing this.

'You were right.' I said. 'It wasn't the right way to do it.'

She shook her head and looked me in the eye, her clear hazel eyes hiding something. 'That's not the reason I wanted to stop you.'

'Then what was?' I asked her, now utterly confused.

'Because,' She hesitated a second. 'Because there might be a chance he doesn't die. A chance that he doesn't become a walker.'

I stared at her for what felt like an hour and then laughed dryly, 'You're crazy. You told me yourself that you're uncle's daughter had died because of a single scratch. And now you're tryin' to tell me that a bite won't change him?'

She got up and glared at him, looking unsure behind the façade of anger. 'I never said he wouldn't change.' She countered. 'I said there was a chance he wouldn't. And that's enough reason not to kill him.'

I got up as well, getting as annoyed as she was, for no apparent reason. I was taller than her but that didn't seem to scare her away, something I found I liked about her. I shouldn't be thinking about that right now though. I should be focusing on getting her out of whatever dream world she was living in.

'There is no 'chance' princess.' I said it in the most menacing way I could manage, showing her I couldn't believe she was even trying to believe this herself. 'There never is. Bitten, means dead. That's the way it is. Don't try to make it a fairytale world, it's not.'

She looked away and I saw her take a deep breath before looking back at me. 'I don't-' she tried, but her breath hitched and she couldn't continue. It took her a second to return back to normal and be able to look at me again. 'I don't believe you.' She said then. 'Because I don't wanna be, I can't be-' She took another deep breath, 'the only one.'

It was less than a whisper but I heard it. I frowned, confused as well. What did she mean with 'being the only one'?

'What do you mean?' I asked. She bit her lip and shook her head. Her hazel eyes had changed from before, the slight hint of uncertainty in them having made place for a wall that showed nothing.

'I know someone who got bitten, she didn't die.' She said suddenly, her arms now wrapped around her stomach.

'What?' I asked, confused. What did she mean with didn't die? Did she-

'She got bitten by a walker, in her side, but she never got the fever. She never died.' She clarified. 'You see? That's why I don't want Jim to be killed. He might not die, there is a chance. There really is.' she was pleading with her eyes for me to believe her, but I could only stare. I wasn't sure if I had heard her correctly, it sounded insane.

'And you're certain she got bitten by a walker?' I asked just to be sure.

She nodded, 'I'm certain.'

'Tell me what happened.'

Kaitlinn's POV:

'There isn't much to tell.' I said next, thinking of how the hell to continue this without giving too much away. Daryl was staring at me, thinking over what I'd just said. I still couldn't believe I'd actually just said it, but now I couldn't back out of this. I had to tell him. He had to understand why I didn't want Jim dead yet. I had no idea why I wanted Daryl to understand me so bad, and I was pretty sure that before last night I wouldn't have cared if he was mad at me or not, but now I did.

'She got bitten by a walker in the early stages of the infection.' I started. 'The news hadn't yet announced that the causes for infection were bites and scratches, and so the wound had been treated like a dog wound would've been. She was checked upon daily for any signs of illness, but there were none.' I paused gauging Daryl's reaction. 'She didn't have a fever, she didn't die. There was nothing wrong with her other than the fact she had teeth marks in her side.'

I waited for Daryl to say something, anything. To tell me I was crazy even, I didn't care what he said as long as he said something. I was getting nervous, fidgeting and biting the insides of my lip again.

'Well that's new.' He then said, 'Haven't heard that before.'

I laughed without humor at his answer, not having expected him to answer like that at all. 'Yeah, me neither.' I replied dryly.

He looked at me, his blue eyes not betraying what he was feeling whatsoever. 'I don't know what to say.' He said then, which seemed to surprise him as much as it surprised me. He laughed, 'It's fucked up, but maybe it's only logical.'

I raised my eyebrows, not sure what he meant.

'Where there is a disease, there are those who are immune to it.' He said, shrugging. He sounded smart all of a sudden, which was really out of character, and I had to stop myself from laughing,

'Doctor Daryl Dixon.' I said sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled and shook his head, 'No thanks, hospitals scare the shit out of me.' He winked and got up.

'Now they're gonna be buryin' the dead soon, even if I'd rather see them burnt.' He made a face, 'Let's go back before they start missin' us.'

I smiled slightly, nodding. 'Burying is more personal than burning, you know. I get why they want that.'

He scoffs, 'They're dead, what does it matter?'

I didn't answer. Instead we walked back to the camp together in silence. I didn't mind though and neither did he seem to mind. My thoughts started wandering while we were walking. Maybe he really wasn't an asshole. He just had some outspoken opinions and his own ways to deal with things. He's a good guy, that's for sure. Now I wondered though what he was thinking behind that mask he seemed to be wearing. What was he thinking about the girl who got bitten and survived? What was he really thinking about me? And what would he think if he knew I was that girl?