MissTeller-Ortiz-Dixon, galwidanatitud, and Mid9ight0Wolf thank you for the reviews. Your kind words mean a lot and I'm grateful. I have gone through something similar to Kat and on my profile I posted a couple of videos of songs –if you want to check them out they are my go to when I want to cry.

Chapter 21

Merle wanted him to come along –he always preferred Daryl going with him when he met a new client. Pulling into the driveway of the older brick ranch style home, Daryl was surprised that the house didn't look like most of the houses Merle dragged him to.

"Be careful little brother, follow my lead. I ain't sure this isn't some kind of sting or somethin"

Merle knocked on the door and waited for a few seconds a faint "Just a second" could be heard through the door.

When the door opened Daryl was surprised to see a younger woman standing on the other side. He took a quick glance, he didn't want to look like he was interested. But he noticed that she very well put together and dressed nicely –not like most of Merle's clients.

"Hi –ahh Merle?" She asked looking between the two brothers

"That'll be me pretty lady, I'm the more handsome one." Merle spoke up

"Do you –uh want to come in? Is that what happens?" She sounded pretty nervous and it was pretty clear that she had never done this before.

"That'll work"

"Y'all can have a seat anywhere ya feel like. Sorry I was in the middle of doing dishes. Can I get ya anything to drink? Eat? I just made some cookies" she was definitely the most polite druggie Merle had managed to find.

"I wouldn't turn down some sweet tea. If ya got it" Merle said

"Of course I'll be right back."

She left in a hurry toward what he assumed was the kitchen and Daryl watched Merle plop down on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table. Daryl took a seat on the love seat -he figured if he continued standing he would intimidate the younger woman. Looking around the house it was cozy, nice and clean and one that certainly made Daryl and Merle look out of place.

Carrying a tray with a couple glasses of sweet tea and some cookies "Sorry if the tea is a little warm I brewed it not that long ago." She sat the tray next to Merle's boots, not saying anything about the shoes on her table. She sat in a chair in-between the two couches.

"I'm sorry -I'm nervous. My cousin said you were good guys though."

"Well I don't know bout that" Merle smirked "but we manage to find things that are needed"

He noticed her eyes would wonder to the clock every so often. Then a knock on the door and she closed her eyes looking defeated. "Excuse me" she said as she went toward the door.

Merle and Daryl exchanged nervous glances with each other, not sure who to expect. The police would wait until the deal was done right?

He could hear the woman talking "Thanks Jenny, I just had something to finish up and I appreciate you watching her for a bit. Tell Don I said hi." Then the door closed and he saw her kneel down and say "Honey I need you to go right to your room, ya hear?"

"Yes momma –who's here?" was a child's reply

The woman blocked the view of the child and pushed her off in a different direction.

"Sorry about that, she was supposed to be here a little later. I should've known Jenny is always early."

"It's alright" Merle replied, clearly relaxing knowing there was no threat

He thought she seemed nervous before but now she kept glancing back in the direction the child went. Clearly concerned for her safety –but didn't want to seem rude in rushing Merle. Daryl liked that. If he saw Merle and Himself coming he wouldn't want his kids alone with them.

"What ya wanted wasn't easy to find" Merle started his usual spiel on why he should raise the rate.

"I know and I appreciate ya going out of your way to find it. How much do I owe you?"

"Well" Merle sucked his tooth "Since it was hard to find I'm going out of way here, I might be losing money. The best I can do is a grand"

Daryl looked at Merle like he was crazy. What the hell did this woman want?

"That's fine"

Even Merle looked shocked at the quick agreement, he was clearly ready to negotiate.

"Let me grab the money. I'll be right back." She quickly left the room

"Bitch must be hurting, did ya see how quick she agreed?" Merle leaned toward Daryl

"Who are you?" they both turned to see a little girl wearing a hat she came over and sat beside Merle, who physically tensed at the idea of a child not being afraid of him. "I'm Cora. I'm not supposed to shake your hand though. Germs are everywhere and I can't afford any germs –that's what momma says." She said it like it was a speech she had memorized.

Before they could answer, the woman was back "I told you to stay in your room. Baby, I need you to listen okay?"

"I was just talking to them"

"I know but what have I said about talking to strangers?"

"Well they are in our house and you are talking to them"

"Cora Mae! Don't talk back"

"Yes ma'am"

She looked so heartbroken and it clearly worked on the woman because she sighed and said "This is Merle and…" she turned to Daryl "I'm sorry I don't know your name. I'm Kat I don't know if I said that."

"Daryl"

Kat's POV

Her baby was gone. Looking down at the grave that Daryl was digging –the place her daughter would call home for the rest of eternity, she kissed her daughters hand. She had been holding her since Daryl started. There was a sheet covering her face and body so Kat held onto what she could. It was cold and lifeless.

She'd assumed her body was too exhausted to cry anymore, but her shattered emotions began to rise and fresh tears started down her face.

"We're gonna take her now" Daryl had her face surrounded by his hands. Trying to get her to focus on him and not the fact that T-Dog and Glen were picking up Cora.

"No, I'm not ready –I'm not ready"

"It's time Kat" He took her and pulled her into his chest

"We will be careful with her" T-Dog said trying to soothe her

They lowered her daughter into the ground and all she could do was cry. At that moment Kat wanted to climb in there with her. She would give her life to have her back here, just for one day. Just one more smile. Just one more touch. Just one more Hug. Just to live it again. Life is so fragile, delicate, and in a second her life was gone -her life was being put into the ground.

Daryl held her and was the only reason she hadn't climbed in and given up. She wished she could, in that moment she didn't have the strength to go on.

She knew other people were around. Hershel was talking. She didn't care.

Daryl's POV

Everyone had left, leaving Kat to grieve. He should try to get her to lay down –she hadn't left the grave since the funeral was over.

Shock and being strong for Kat had gotten him this far but he knew it was wearing off and he was going to breakdown into a hopeless pile of grief. His sweet Cora, dead. He thought it might be a nightmare but Kat's pain was too real.

He sat down beside her and together they cried. She leaned into him and he leaned into her, together they held each other up. He didn't have to be strong for Kat –they would support each other. It was going to be tough but he would be there to pull her back and eventually she would go back to being more like Kat –never the same but more of herself.

She would help him –in her smiles and sass, which reminded him that Cora was still here with them.

A few days after the funeral Daryl noticed that Kat had not wanted any interaction with the rest of the group. Carol had come by to talk and Kat just screamed at the woman –it took him an hour to calm her down. She needed a distraction and to get away from the nosey eyes of the group.

"Get up" he kicked her leg "We are going hunting"

"No" she refused to look at him

"I don't think it was up for a vote. Now get up or I'll carry you out over my shoulder."

He was bending down to make good on his word when she huffed and stood up.

"I should've let you carry me. I doubt that would've lasted long." She mumbled to him as she followed him into the woods.

They found a clearing "This will do" he said

"What will do? Why the hell are we out here?" she sounded so angry –which was nothing new these days.

"I'm going to teach you to track"

"No" she turned to walk away back to her fortress of solitude

He blocked her path "Yes, I know its hard Kat but, you –ya gotta keep living."

"What if I don't want to" she hissed at him

"Doesn't matter. You owe it to Cora"

She flinched at the name of her daughter, still too raw. "Not now Daryl"

"Yes Kat now" he turned her around and pointed at the ground "What kind of print is that?"

Sighing "A deer"

"How old is it?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"Press your hand into the ground beside it" He watched as she did "Fresh prints will have sharp edges, if they are a couple of days old they are more rounded. How old is the print?" He asked again

"It's newer, I think." She was biting her bottom lip "Is that right?" she asked looking up at him

He nodded "What do you think the first rule of tracking is?"

"Don't get lost?" she shrugged

"Well that goes without sayin. It's never have the wind at your back"

She nodded seeming to understand that an animal could smell you coming.

The rest of the day they spent in the woods and enjoyed the distraction. He even got her to smile once.