Lizzie rose just before lunchtime; she'd been having a bad dream that involved nakedness, attacking walkers and losing her axe. It wasn't until her eyes finally snapped open that she realized she hadn't seen her axe since…
Since you heard your boy got shot and you ran off like a bat out of hell to find him, she sat up, searching her memory, way to go girl, you've lost your weapon!
"Shit," she muttered, clambering out of bed and quickly pulling on a different shirt, "shit!"
As she rushed out the room and down the stairs, pulling her hair into a bun as she did so, her bare feet padding along the wooden floors almost silently, she cast her mind back, trying to remember what she'd done.
You dropped it in the field, she thought, you dropped it in the fucking field and left it there!
"Shoes," she muttered, spinning back round on the staircase to go back to her room, "gonna need my shoes."

She padded back to her room and pulled her Docs out from under the bed, wrestling her feet into them- she hated tying laces so she tried her best to keep all her footwear pre-tied, these were the only things she had to undo but she loved them enough to put up with that slight inconvenience.
She made her way back downstairs, trying to keep on her toes so she didn't make too much noise, and snuck through the front door, closing it gently behind her.
Taking a deep breath, savoring the fresh morning air, she allowed herself a smile- even though she had left this place as soon as she could, she found herself appreciating it a little more since she'd returned.
Sure, you appreciate it but you'll leave here again at the first opportunity you get, she frowned at the thought, not sure if she believed herself, if you knew your friends were alive back in Florida, you'd go back and save them… Except you wouldn't save them, would you? You'd kill them instead, just like…

"Lizzie, I got your axe!" Jimmy's sudden appearance scared her half to death and she nearly cried out as he thrust the weapon towards her. Luckily, his sudden appearance also scattered her thoughts.
"Jesus Christ boy," she breathed, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, "you fuckin' scared me!"
"Sorry," he shrugged sheepishly, holding her axe out so she could take it, "I meant to give it to you yesterday but you were busy and then you ran off after dinner and…"
"Yeah," she said quickly, cutting him off and taking the axe out his hand, "it was all busy, busy, busy," she smiled at the familiar weight of her weapon in her hand, feeling a lot better, "how come you're out here with it?"
"I was going to tend to the herd while Patricia sorts out the chickens," he motioned in the vague direction of their enclosure, "we also need some more wood but I didn't know if I was allowed to use your…"
"I'll chop you some wood," she shrugged, not having anything better to do, "anyways, I kinda worry that you might chop your own foot off or somethin'."
"Gee Lizzie, thanks a bunch." He looked positively deflated. She nudged him playfully as they left the porch, drawing a laugh from him.

She liked Jimmy- he wasn't old enough for her to like like him, that wasn't how she meant it at all! –he was a nice boy, definitely the sort of fella Hershel would have approved of for his youngest daughter.
She felt a little bad for them and their circumstances after learning from Beth that they'd only been seeing each other for a few months, the relationship never getting to any sort of 'serious' stage, before this whole thing had happened and he'd taken refuge with her family instead of his own.
She thought it might have been to make a big show of responsibility, trying to say he'd be there to protect his girl… But she didn't really think he had a protecting bone in his body. He was a nice boy, but he wasn't tough.

Not like your boy, she thought, he'd slay a whole field full of walkers if he could, maybe even to keep you safe, she half-smiled at the thought, wondering if he felt that same pull between them that she did, you gotta get up off your ass and tell him how you feel, how're you gonna know what'll happen unless you try?
"Thinking about Daryl?" Jimmy suddenly asked as he caught the small smile on her face and slight flush on her cheeks.
"For fucks sake," she growled, looking a little too embarrassed to claim innocence, "why is everyone so obsessed with this 'me and Daryl' thing?"
"You've been acting like a zombie since you got here," he said quietly, "you haven't seemed alive… Since he's been here, you've been a person again."

She thought over his words, understanding what he meant- the whole episode at her home, with her family had left her shaken and feeling empty, she had just been making the right moves and saying the right things, pretending to go on living… Since this new group, since Daryl, had appeared in her life, she'd brightened, getting back to the Lizzie she used to be before…
Before you killed them all, her mind cackled at her, you can't forget about it, you won't forget about it and you'll never forgive yourself for it.
"Shut up before I chop your fuckin' leg off." She muttered, darkened by her thoughts- thoughts that were with her every waking hour and that haunted her dreams so she could never escape them.

After an hour or so of woodcutting, she was drenched in sweat and her arms felt as though they were going to drop off. Despite her exhaustion, she'd had a better time than she thought possible- Jimmy had kept her amused by singing to the cows as he went around milking, brushing and generally checking on them.
"They're much more tolerant if you sing to them." He'd explained when he'd heard her laughing at his strange custom.
She wasn't too sure about it herself but it had still caused some amusement as she went about her work.
She stood, breathing heavily and wiped her forehead with her arm- she felt all clingy and horrible, in need of a shower. As she looked back towards the farmhouse, she saw a figure making his way towards them. She smiled when she saw it was Daryl.

"What're you doin' up an' around?" She called, dropping her axe next to the chopping block and making her way to the fence.
"Can't stand to be in that house anymore," he replied, taking in her disheveled appearance, "getting sweaty with the kid?"
"He wishes," she grinned, leaning on the fence as he reached the other side, "choppin' me some fire wood, gotta keep the supplies up."
"Thought you were done with tryna be a farmhand seein' as he's thinkin' of kickin' you off his farm?" He asked with a frown, not sure why she was still making any form of effort.
"Yeah well it beats sittin' around doin' nothin'," she shrugged, "anyway, Jimmy here had Dorothy, I had to get her back."
"Dorothy?" He looked surprised, glancing to the discarded axe, "you called your axe Dorothy?"
"Well she sure ain't in Kansas anymore." Lizzie winked, grinning at her own joke.

"You really are somethin' else." he said, shaking his head.
"Somethin' good or somethin' bad?" She asked.
"I'm not sure yet," he smirked, "I'm sure I'll know more after you've helped me drink a bottle of JD."
"You've got JD?" Her little face lit up, her big green eyes widening in adoration.
"Not yet," he shook his head and motioned back to the house, "Maggie an' Glenn are goin' on a run, I put an order in with him- figured you deserved some sorta thank you for all you did yesterday."
"I know I should be actin' all modest and whatever but fuck yes, I was amazin', give me Jack Daniels!" She whooped, actually clapping a little in her excitement.
"Damn girl, I almost dread to think what you'll be like when you're drunk!" He grinned.
"Oh man, you ain't seen nothin' yet," she giggled, pointing back over her shoulder, "lemme grab my axe an' take a quick shower, see you at your tent?"

When she emerged from the house after showering and changing, she saw Daryl talking to Glenn as he handed over not one but two- her heart did a somersault at the sheer thought of two bottles of JD up for consumption –bottles. They stood together for a few minutes longer, Glenn appearing to tell him something, and she noticed Maggie storming back towards the house.
"Mags, what's…?" She began, not sure what the expression on her friends face was supposed to mean.
"Don't talk to me," she snapped, pushing past her, "I'm not in the fuckin' mood."
"Clearly not." She muttered, watching as she slammed into the house. She shrugged, deciding to ask her about it later and heading towards Daryl and Glenn.

They finished their little exchange before she reached them and Glenn looked up, shifting his gaze guiltily when he saw her approaching. She frowned, not quite sure what they were up to.
"Hey guys," she said, coming to a halt next to Daryl, "what's up?"
"Nothin'," Daryl said quickly, looking over at her, "I need to talk to you."
He made a 'follow me' motion and started walking. Lizzie looked at Glenn and frowned again.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I had to tell him."
"Tell him what?" She asked, genuinely oblivious as to what he'd apparently discovered.
"You'll see," he muttered, walking away slowly, "I hope you didn't know."
She stood there for a second, stunned, before hurrying after Daryl.

"What the fucks going on?" She asked.
"I need to ask you somethin'," he replied, heading towards the barn, "it'll only take a minute."
"Why can't you just ask me right now?" She asked, not quite sure what part the barn had to play in his question.
"It needs to be in private," he shrugged, "we'll go up in the barn."
"Daryl, are you takin' me into the hayloft to have your wicked way with me?" She was only half joking, almost hoping that that was the case. She felt her heart beat a little faster when she saw the slight blush come to his cheeks.
"Will you jus' shut the hell up and follow me?" He snapped, hoping she hadn't seen him blush at the thought.

When they reached the barn he stepped back from the ladder, motioning for her to go up first. She stood at the bottom for a second, surveying him, trying to see if he was giving anything away. When she decided that he wasn't and she was just going to have to go along with his little escapade, she began to ascend.
He stood below watching her until she was halfway up, admiring the view, before he began to follow her.
The first thing she noticed when she stepped into the hayloft was the awful smell hanging in the air. It smelled stale and old and… Like death, she thought with a shudder.
She stood there for a second, looking around, trying to see if there was a dead animal caught up in the rafters somewhere.
That was when she heard the all too familiar sound of shuffling feet.

"What the fuck?" She whispered to herself as she cautiously stepped forwards, going towards the edge to look down into the barns interior.
She gasped at what she saw- there, in the barn, was a herd of walkers. She counted at least a dozen at first glance and as she began to study them a little closer, she realized something terrible- they were all people that had lived nearby.
She was certain that she recognized old Mr. Whitehall who'd owned the post office when she was little, no doubt he still owned it now, and there was Mrs. McCredie, an old friend of her parents.

"Oh my God," she whispered, "what the hell are they doin' in here?"
"I thought you could tell me." Daryl said from behind her as he grabbed her arm and pushed her over the edge, down into the midst of the walkers.