Disclaiming, not right to nothing.

Happy New Year! Who's excited for the dead to come back?! Me. I am.

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I am just a simple man, working

On the land, oh it ain't easy

I'm just a simple man, working

With my hands, oh baby, believe me

They marched on for a solid day, walking at a steady pace. A slow pace, but it was steady and quick enough for Abrahams taste, yet slow enough that Daryl could walk on his own. Each step he took, the rage seeped from him and into the earth; with each step his bones grew stronger and his torn and sore muscles stitched themselves together again.

His strength wasn't the only thing the group picked up on, the archer was so angry they could practically see it in the crisp air.

Rick signaled them to stop as Abraham pulled the hand-written map out, they were nearing the end of the woods now; before long, they'd be in the open exposure of the city.

As everyone started to settle for a break, Daryl disappeared into the trees, muttering words to Rick on his way. Reagan noticed his cold shoulder towards her...and everyone, really. The whole group was hurting in the wake of Beth's death, Maggie and Daryl seemed to grieve the hardest.

Against Carls head shake, Reagan followed the worn angel wings into the trees, if he was going to ignore her, to hate her, he would have to say it.

He knew she'd followed, she had made no attempt to keep her steps quiet and he made no motion to stop and talk to her.

Reagan hung back, watching as Daryl shot a bolt through one squirrel and then another.

Leaning against a tree as the man hung one of his kills from his belt, she sighed.

"You gonna talk to me?" Reagan finally spoke, the air growing colder as Daryl turned to face her. Biting at his thumb nail, Daryl only eyed her as he let his bow swing from his shoulder.

"Ain't got nothin' to say..least of all to ya.." He finally drawled out, his words quiet and lethal as he leaned against a tree opposite her own.

Nodding at his words, the final tone he used towards her was enough. Pushing off the the tree and turning away from him, Reagan stopped, her silvery bangs hanging in her eyes as she glanced back at Daryl.

"I did everything I could, Daryl..I tried.."

The sadness in Reagan's voice angered him further, the way everyone looked at his with pity when he'd wiped at his eyes, trying so hard to stop his tears; it all pissed him off.

The sun hung high, beating down on the two of them, as Daryl tensed, his second kill being wrung in his hand as he sought the words he wanted.

"Yeh didn'..." Was all he could come up with, unaware that he'd moved closer to her or that his voice had gotten louder.

Turning fully now, Reagan straightened to her full 5'3 height and looked up into his eyes, "I did everythin' the same as with you!"

Her words were laced with anger as Daryl now stood toe to toe with her, his arms pinned to his sides as his face began to redden.

"Nah, yah didn' or she'd be here! She should be 'ere...not me..."

The cracking of his voice was enough to force Reagan back a step, taking in the hurt in his eyes as she did. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Reagan whispered, "Beth...I don't think she was strong enough..for this, this thing in me..an' you..I don't.."

Seeing red now, Daryl shoved his chest into Reagan, pushing her back as he screamed, "Not strong enough!? Beth was one of tha' strongest! All yah' can go to hell for seein' her as some weak kid!"

"I never saw Beth as weak! Her body was fragile, Daryl! You an' me...we could handle it..we could..we're able to physically do more than Beth could! That's what I meant...were physically stronger than she was.."

Reagan's voice died out as Daryl processed what she was saying; the transfusion hadn't worked on Beth because she wasn't as strong as Reagan or himself...she were in shape for this world, the best they could be..Beth hadn't been..not yet.

"Yah..well, I didn' ask for yeh to give me yer damn blood! I didn'...I don' want to be like one those things!" Daryl screamed, his face meters from her own now as his throat burned from the strain of yelling. He just wanted her to leave.

The stunned look that crossed Reagan's face promoted him to continue, his voice raising as high as it could now, "Look at yeh! Yer hair is damn near white..like theirs..yer fuckin' fingers are goin' back an' forth from black to pale...yer fast and strong! Won't be long for yer fuckin' eyes turn yella' and yah start screeching!"

Looking down, finally unable to meet his furious gaze, Reagan studied her hands. Her finger tips were truly an inky black tone, like she'd dipped them in paint and smudged the line between black and a pale ivory.

"I didn' ask to be turned into a freak...if that's how yah wanna live, fine! Not me!" Daryl continued, his voice booming through the trees around them.

"I had too.." Reagan replied, her words weak as she continued to stare at her fingers, "I had to save you...we wouldn't have made it...I couldn't..we.."

Back in her face now, Daryl shoved her shoulder, screaming, "Yah couldn't what!? Go on? But yah can go on without Beth!"

Finally dropping her hands to her sides, Reagan stared up into his face, biting down the shiver that crept up her spine.

"I couldn't let you die! We wouldn't have made it! I wouldn't!"

Her voice cracking under the hatred held in his gaze, Reagan took a step back, sighing as Daryl spoke quieter now, "Yer gonna turn into one of them..and yah drug me down with yeh! Yer selfish!"

Picking up steam from his final shout, Reagan balled her hands into fists and shoved Daryl, "I didn't ask for this! I didn't want to be a monster! Yah know what color my hair used to be?! Damn near black! They did this to me! I tried to save you!"

Finally becoming over whelmed, Reagan turned and ran. She ran until she couldn't hear Daryl's ragged breaths or his shouts calling her a "god damned freak".

Stopping on the edge of the camp, which was suspiciously quiet, she wiped her eyes on the flannel sleeve poking out from her leather jacket and marched to her canvas pack. Dropping the outer leather jacket and grabbing her quiver of hand carved arrows and compound bow, she swept past Rick and Abraham, back into the trees opposite Daryl.

The group remained quiet as Daryl came sauntering out of the Forrest some time later, carrying a healthy supply of squirrels and rabbits with him.

xxx

"She's been gone a while...should we look for her?" Carl asked, looking to his father for an answer as Daryl threw a stick into the fire, cursing under his breath.

"To hell with 'er.." Daryl mumbled as Rick stood, peering into the falling sun.

Moments later, they heard twigs and leaves rustling before Reagan came limping through the trees she had disappeared into hours earlier.

Her white-blonde hair was dark red in some places, as were her hands and patches of her clothes. Her flannel was torn and she had a cut across her cheek, her box was strung across her back as she had her axe in hand now, the harness holding the bow and lone arrows she still had.

"The hell happend to you?!" Eric shrieked, jumping up with the others, who were lowering their weapons.

"Cleared a house right off the highway. It ain't safe here." Looking directly as Daryl now, acid dripped from her words as she spoke, "Not my freaky monster powers. Saw a dozen or so walkers when I looped around, they'll be on us by dark if we stay."

Looking down, Daryl clenched his hands.

"You heard her," Rick said, "Pack up and move out."

Reluctantly, Daryl stood and grabbed his still packed bag before following the rest after Reagan.

Four walls and a roof might be okay, he thought.

Watching Rick touch Reagan's shoulder, squeezing it as she nodded to him, made his stomach turn.

He'd been too violent, too rough.

He hated that he hated her.