"I'm going stir crazy," I told Daryl as we sat in the living room, both reading.

He had gotten back a couple hours ago with several rabbits in hand from his hunting outing.

"What are you talkin' about?"

"I want to go out on a run or something."

"Or somethin'?"

I sat on my knees still on the couch and faced Daryl. "I've never been on a run with you guys."

"Well you ain't goin' no where until you know… you stop bleedin'."

"Uh," I pouted as I crossed my arms.

Daryl tried to hide his smile.

"What's so funny, Dixon?"

"Nothin'."

"It doesn't look like nothing!"

He moved the book his was reading away from his face, presenting me a full-blown smile.

I gently shoved him. "Don't laugh at me."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll have no choice but to put you on your ass."

"Oh really?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"I'd like to see you try, kid."

He barely finished his sentence before I pounced on him. The sudden change of positions resulted in both of us on the floor, me on top of him and Daryl's ass planted firmly on the ground.

"Well look that that."

Daryl grabbed onto my hips, slightly digging his nails into my skin. "Shouldn't have done that."

"And why's that?"

I could feel his calloused hands slide up my side, moving my shirt upwards.

"'Causse I ain't gonna' let ya get away with it."

"Oh big Daryl Dixon, I'm shaking." I was actually shaking a little but from his touch. I wanted him so badly, and knowing that my body wasn't ready was torture. Still, my body reacted by grinding my warmth against his crotch.

"Little girl," he warned. I could feel his cock grow underneath me.

"What?" I asked innocently.

He flipped me over on my back. His head cupped the back of my hand while his other hand was holding onto my side. "Don't give me that face."

I looked up at him, smiling. Instinctively I wrapped my legs around his hips and pulled him closer into me. His bronzed face was so serene in that moment. I could feel the contentness radiating from him. If he was like me in this aspect, he could stay here all day just enjoying the company.

"I love you," I said softly.

Without missing a beat, he responded, "I love you too."

"Wow, sorry," Carl stammered as he walked into the living room.

Daryl looked at him before rolling off me. "What's up man?"

Carl had his back turned. "Nothing. My dad wanted to get your help with something in the kitchen."

Daryl got to his feet, making sure to place the book he had been reading strategically in front of his crotch. With his free hand, he pulled me up. "Sure." He squeezed my ass before walking pass me.

I pulled down my shirt and picked up my book. "Got any plans today?"

Carl shook his head.

"Ran out of comic books?"

"Yeah."

Daryl and Rick walked through the living room. "We gotta' run," Daryl said.

"What? Why?"

"Those people are back. We just saw them pass through from the kitchen window."

"I'll grab my stuff."

"You ain't goin' no where."

"Carl, get Michonne," Rick said.

"What do you mean I'm not going?" I asked Daryl, pulling him to the side.

"You are Carl ain't goin'. It ain't safe."

"I understand how you feel because I don't want you going out there, but I survived just fine on my own. You can't-"

"This ain't up for discussion, kid. You're stayin'."

"What if they come inside?"

"That's why Carl is gonna' be here too."

I looked at Rick, who knew I was more than capable of holding my own out there. He looked away, not wanting to get in the middle of this.

Michonne came down the stairs with Carl, her sword securely on her back. "Let's move."

Daryl pecked me on the lips. "I'll be back soon."

I nodded.

Carl and I stood in the foyer and watched as the three of them walked out.

"This is bull shit," Carl pouted.

"Yeah. It is," I agreed.

"Come on," I said. "Let's go skin those rabbits for dinner."

Carl and I had skinned the first rabbit when we heard commotion outside the kitchen window. I pulled back the curtain to see two walkers following a medium sized black and tan dog, perhaps a collie. I took my hand away and covered my mouth.

"They're going to kill it."

"No they're not. We're going to save the dog." I grabbed my knife and pistol before running out to the front porch. Carl was right on my heels with his gun.

"I'll be able to kill the walkers easy enough. Stay here in case more show up."

Carl nodded.

Wasting no time, I ran towards the walkers. "Hey!" I called out for good measure.

Both stopped and turned. I was their new meal. "Get the dog," I told Carl without looking at him. "I'll keep them distracted."

I moved so that the walkers' backs were facing away from him. If I had stopped for a minute, I would have realized how reckless this idea really was.

Luckily, there was a rather large rock next to my foot. I used that to hit one of the walkers, knocking it down, giving me time to shove my dagger through the other's eye socket easily.

"Shit," I cursed when the knife was stuck into the socket.

The other walker was now on its feet, drooling. I shoved the first walker into the other one, giving me a chance to get ahead.

Carl was trying and failing to cox the dog into the house while this was going on.

"Juliet!" He yelled.

"I'm fine. Go inside!" I shouted back. I wanted to get far enough away from the house before firing my gun.

I looked over my shoulder to see the walker gaining on me. When did they get so fast? I focused my vision in front of me, careful not to fall over anything. Maybe ten yards ahead, there were three more walkers approaching us.

"Shit," I said out loud. I stopped and ducked behind a tree. The first walker saw me and followed. I was able to bash his head in with the handle of my pistol. There was no way I could safely fire my gun now. Who knew how many more were hiding out in houses when they heard the commotion.

I turned around, Carl right behind me.

"What are you doing?"

"There's more. Coming from behind the house."

I looked past Carl and sure enough, there were two more. "We're surrounded."

"I can take them out," he said gesturing to his gun.

"We may have no other choice."

I grabbed his arm and together, we ran north, trying to put enough distance between them and us.

"They're faster," Carl noted.

"I noticed that too."

I brought us to a halt when I saw several branches that had been broken off a tree. I grabbed one and handed another to Carl. "How are you with climbing trees?"

"Pretty good."

"Alright, well get moving."

Carl put his gun in the holster before he began to climb up the tree.

"Higher," I said as I did the same.

What a sight we must have been. I had to do everything I could to keep us alive. I would never forgive myself if something happened to Carl.

"We're going to be fine," I told him.

The two walkers that came from behind the house were the first to get to us. Balancing with one foot, I was able to maneuver myself to get close enough to stab one of them in the eye with the pointed end of the branch.

I couldn't get to the second one, so I held onto the back of Carl's shirt as he killed the second one.

"Easy enough."

I shot him a nervous smile. "Three more."

One of the three started to climb up the other two. Its mouth was chomping down around our feet when I was able to kick it back.

"Get your gun out," I said as I held them off with swinging the branch in my hand.

Carl let go of the limb he was clinging onto to retrieve his gun.

"Carl!" Rick's voice echoed through the neighborhood.

This must have startled Carl because he lost his footing and started to fall.

I screamed as I grabbed onto his arm. In the process, I too lost my balance. I was able to push Carl back up into the branch he was clinging to as I fell completely out of the tree.

I gasped as my back hit the hard ground. I needed to get my breath back. My efforts to keep Carl in the tree were in vain because he still wasn't able to catch his footing and he fell as well. Both fortunately and unfortunately at the same time, Carl's ankle got caught in the split of the trunk, slamming his back against the tree.

Carl's high-pitched scream rang in my ear.

I grabbed my gun and shot the first walker straight in the head that was approaching Carl.

I heard several other gunshots coming from Rick's direction.

I had no choice but to kick back both of the walkers who were trying to bite my legs.

"Juliet!" I heard Daryl's voice. Not even a second later, one of the two remaining walkers was on the ground with an arrow in its head.

The last walker was shot in the chest and fell at my feet. It opened its mouth and clamped down on my shoe.

I screamed.

"No!" Daryl yelled.

Michonne screamed.

Carl took out his gun and fired. Miss.

I swung my legs around, my gun still in my hand. Not registering that I had been bit, I fired a shot into the last walker's head. Blood and brain matter covered my face and chest as its head exploded from the gunfire. I sat back on my ass, supporting myself with my elbows.

I don't know how long I sat there, my ears ringing from the gunshot before Daryl fell to his knees in front of me.

"Juliet," he said. His tone was filled with pure panic.

I looked at him, my vision shaky. To my side was Rick pulling Carl's foot out of the tree's split.

"Take off her shoe," Michonne said. "We can cut her foot off."

I shook my head. "No."

Daryl yanked off my boot and then sock. "No bite marks," he said. He took off my other shoe. "Were yew bit?" He asked as he removed my sock.

"I… I don't think so."

Daryl, not believing I had escaped death, pulled up my jean legs. He scanned my legs with both his eyes and hands.

"Juliet, look at me. Did one of them bite you?"

I was fully aware of my surroundings at that point. "No," I answered. "Just my left boot. It didn't penetrate the leather."

Daryl picked up the boot and there it was, a bite mark. "Holy shit," he cursed as he threw it down. He grabbed me and pulled me into his arms. "What da fuck were you thinkin'?"

Michonne stood alongside Rick and Carl.

Carl complained about his ankle.

"Hopefully it's just bruised," Michonne said.

Daryl pulled me to my feet. "Jesus Christ, kid."

"I'm sorry. There was a dog-"

"All of this for a dog?" Rick all but yelled as he looked at Carl.

Carl looked at Michonne for help.

"Let's get back," Michonne suggested. "I'm sure those gun fires brought more walkers this way."

"I really am sorry, Rick," I said.

Rick let go of Carl and approached me. "What the hell were you thinking? You almost got Carl killed!" His face was inches from mine, making me shiver. Rick was a scary man when he was angry.

Daryl immediately stepped in, pushing Rick back slightly. "Step back, man. This ain't the time or place to talk about this."

"Do you even understand how stupid that was?" Rick yelled over Daryl.

"Hey, she saved his life!" Daryl quickly pointed out.

"Dad," Carl said as he tugged on his shirt. "It's okay."

Rick held onto Carl, his face still filled with anger. "We don't put each other's lives in jeopardy."

"That was not my intention."

Daryl was still standing in front of me. "We're headin' back now."

Rick didn't try to argue. The five of us walked back to the house without incident or speaking. I felt like a scorned child on that eerie walk back. Not only was Rick fuming with anger, I could feel Daryl's heavy gaze on my back. Tonight was not going to be a good night.

"What are you doing out here?" Daryl asked as he took a drag of his cigarette.

"Nothing," I lied as I gazed into the darkness. The concrete steps leading up to Daryl and Merle's trailer were cold, but I didn't mind. It was a particularly hot summer night.

"Why are you lyin' to me?"

I looked over my shoulder at him. "What do you mean?"

"You're waitin' for the dog to come back."

I shrugged. "No, not particularly."

Daryl shot me a look.

"Okay, fine. I am. Don't you want a dog?"

He shrugged. "Do you want a dog?"

I smiled. "Yes."

Daryl threw down his cigarette and stepped on it before returning inside.

I stayed on those steps and watched for any sign of movement.

A few minutes later, I heard Daryl open the screen door. "I thought you might."

I turned my body this time to see what he had sat down. "Dog food?"

He nodded and pulled out a plastic pink bowl from behind his back.

"And a water bowl?" I stood up and rushed him. Throwing my hands over his neck, I kissed his gently on the lips. "Thank you."

"We gotta' find the damn thing first."

"Oh, she'll come."

The next night while Daryl, Merle, and I were eating bar-b-q on the porch, the German Shepard mix approached us.

"Look," I said to Daryl. "She came back."

"We ain't havin' no damn dog," Merle said.

Daryl looked at his brother. "Come on, man. She's a good dog, ain't gonna' hurt nobody."

I walked off the porch slowly as to not scare her away. "Hey sweet girl," I cooed.

She slowly made her way to me with her head low and her tail wagging. "Daryl, can you get her water bowl?"

"Yeah."

I didn't notice that Merle walked inside with Daryl until they both came out at the same time. The dog was now laying down letting me pet her stomach. "She's kind of dirty. But I'll wash her first thing in the morning."

"We ain't havin' no dog. You don't even live her."

Daryl set down the bowl with water in. "What does it hurt?"

"I don't like dogs."

"Since when?" I asked.

"Since now."

I rolled my eyes. "You'll love her. Give it time."

Merle stepped behind me. Before I knew what had happened, my ears were ringing and blood was pooling around my knees.

I screamed and fell back onto my ass. I looked at the dog to see her face was half gone. I covered my mouth and screamed again.

I didn't stop screaming until Daryl scooped me in his arms.

"It's alright," Merle said.

I looked at him and realized he was talking to a neighbor in the next trailer. "Damn dog almost got the girl."

I shook my head. "Liar! You killed her. She was fine! You fucking son of a bitch!"

Daryl took one hand off of me and grabbed the gun from Merle. "What the hell man? That was so fucked up."

"We already got one bitch here all the time. We don't need another."

"Fuck you," Daryl spat as he shoved Merle.

Merle bowed up.

Daryl let go of me so that he could stand completely in between Merle and me.

I stepped past Daryl and punched Merle as hard as I could in the face. "I hate you!" I cried as he stumbled backwards. I saw him grabbed his nose as he regained his composure.

Daryl grabbed me by my waist and spun me around.

Tears streamed down my eyes as I collapsed in Daryl's arms, shaking. "I hate him," I repeated into Daryl's shirt.

"You need to get out of here," Daryl said. "You ain't stayin' here tonight."

"Says who little brother?"

"Says me," Daryl answered.

I had my face buried into Daryl's chest, but I heard Merle crank his motorcycle. I waited until I heard him drive off before I even looked up.

There she was, dead on the ground. "Why?" I whimpered.

Daryl stroked my head and told me not to look. "I'm so sorry, Jules."

I held onto his shirt and let the tears fall freely.

That night was not a good night.