It remained quiet a minute longer before she could hear anything. Sadie lifted her head from staring at the ground to see Rick lower his gun. Carol's cries continued to echo in the air. Sadie watched as Rick and Shane exchanged a look before Daryl pulled Carol up.

"Don't look, don't look."

Carol pushed him away before running past everyone, including Sadie. Wiping her eyes, Sadie ignored the rest of the group and stood, eying everyone. Sadie exchanged a look with Lori before breaking into a run through the fence.

She had made it to the center of the camp and slowly tiptoed to the RV where Carol had curled up in a pile on the floor, not even making it to the bed.

Sadie knelt down, reaching around the grieving mother.

"No, go away!" Carol continued to bawl.

"Carol, no."

"I hoped, I pray, I-I..."

"I know, we all did."

"I just thought," Carol mumbled.

"Shhhhh."

Sadie hushed the woman she had looked to for so long, pushing her arms down and pulled her in to her chest. She let her cry into her shirt, Sadie resting her head upon Carol's.

Carol's body continued to shake and convulse with every tear and sob, subsiding each time. Sadie rubbed her hand on her back in small circles, hushing and consoling. The warm breeze blew through the cracks in the open windows, faint cries of birds far in the distance.

Sadie finally was able to get Carol off the floor and sat her in the seat nearest to the driver's seat. Sadie sat across from her, crossing her arms and remaining silent, trying to read the woman.

Minutes later, footsteps plodded up the stairs and Sadie raised her head to see Daryl. His eyes landed on her tear stained face before they stopped on Carol, then back to Sadie. His eyes were a mix of anger and confusion, not having the words to say anything in the situation. Breathing quietly, he placed his palms on the counter behind him and lifting himself onto it.

Sadie kept her eyes fixed on the man for a second longer before turning back to Carol, reaching across the table, a poor attempt to grab her hand. Carol tucked her hands close to her chest, and continued to stare back out the window; clouds began to roll in, the windmill beginning to move back and forth.

Not being able to stand the silence, Sadie finally caved, getting up and heading past Daryl, out the door and onto their tent. Pushing the flap aside, she sat on the cot, reaching underneath for a cigarette. Her lips quivering, her hands shook as she lit a match.

"Crap." She muttered to herself.

"Y'alright?" A soft voice sounded from the doorway.

Sadie jerked her head upwards to see Lori, her hands resting on her hips.

"You coming down to the barn?"

"Yeah," Sadie wiped her nose with the back of her hand, "Just sucks."

Lori grabbed Sadie by the shoulders and pulled her in, squeezing her into her chest.

"We just gotta keep going."

"I know Lori, I know."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Sadie Rae, get over here so I can tie that bow!"

"But Ma, I don't want a bow in my hair!"

"SADIE RAE, LISTEN TO YOUR MOMMA!"

Young Sadie sulked into the kitchen in her scuffed white, hand-me-down dress shoes and a blue and black checkered dress. She past her father on her right and sat on the crap coffee table in front of her mother as she tied a small blue bow in her hair.

As she finished, her father finished the beer he had at the table and grabbed the keys from the nail on the wall.

"Alright, let's get this shit over with."

After the funeral for her grandmother, Sadie went and hid in her room, throwing her 'nice' clothes into a pile on the floor before tossing on her ratty clothes.

As the rest of her family came to the trailer to bring their condolensces to her mother, Sadie propped open her window and hopped down, breaking into a run down the dirt path to the stream.

When she made it to the water, she followed it down until she found the bridge, high enough over the water to dangle her feet in. As she removed her chucks, she heard an odd noise on the other side of the bridge, followed by a rock falling into the water in front of her feet.

"Daryl! I know it's you!"

Sadie hollered into the trees.

"How'd d'ya know it was me," the boy sulked out from behind a tree, a little put on his face.

"Because, I just know these things." She giggled as her friend sat down beside her on the bridge.

"Why d'you have that bow in your hair?" The boy asked, poking the top of his friend's head.

"My granny died, so we had to go bury her, it's stupid bow."

"I'm sorry, I think it's pretty" Daryl mumbled.

"Huh?"

"I think your bow is pretty."

"Yeah Daryl?"

"Yeah."

The two sat for a moment, letting the sun peak through the trees and into the water.

"Have you ever kissed anyone?" Sadie broke the silence.

Daryl turned his head quickly, "Like in the movies? No." His eyes had grown bigger.

"Maybe we should, just to see what's the big deal?"

"But, but I don't know how," Daryl's cheeks began to redden.

"Here, just practice on your arm."

The two raised their arms to their faces, both kissing themselves until Sadie dropped her arm to her lap.

"Okay, enough practice, now close your eyes."

"Then I won't be able to see anything." Daryl shrugged.

Sadie squeezed her hand into a fist, moving it closer to his face, "Just do it."

Young Daryl sighed, turning towards his best friend and closing his eyes.

"Alright, on the count of three: one, two, two and a half... three!"

Sadie leaned in and pecked her friend on the lips.

The two gasped and sat upright, scooting away from each other.

"Quick, it's too quiet, say something." Sadie mumbled.

"Ummmmm, Ummmm."

"Just hurry," Sadie spoke, agitated.

"Jermiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine..."

The two beamed at each other, Sadie joining in.

"I never understood a single word he said, but I helped him drink his wine!"

"And he always had some mighty fine wine."

The two stood, heading back towards their homes. Sadie hopped on Daryl's back as he they made it to the gravel path that was the roundabout of their neighborhood.

"Hey, no tellin' anyone, okay?" Sadie spoke into his ear as he dropped her down to the ground.

"As long as you don't say nothin' either."

"Maybe we should spit on it." Sadie suggested.

"Sure."

The two spat into their hands before having a firm handshake, before Sadie snuck between their trailers, climbing into her window before smiling back at her best friend.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After the 'funeral' Sadie had decided to keep close to camp, and took it upon herself to keep an eye on Carl, seeing as Lori had decided to pull a disappearing act and go off to find her husband and Glenn.

Sadie had kept Carl busy; she had made him do homework, learned how to clean a gun, and hell, she even made him color.

The two sat at the table in the RV, both using an old pair of crayons that had been picked up from a restaraunt before shit hit the fan.

"I don't want to color anymore."

He pushed the coloring book to the side of the table, crossing his arms and pouting.

"What do you have against coloring Carl?"

"It's kid stuff, stupid."

"So," Sadie stuck her tongue out to the boy, getting up from her seat and slamming her hands on her hips, "are you suggesting that I'm a child?"

"Maybe," the boy giggled.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Sadie grabbed him, throwing him over the shoulder in the RV and stomped past the bathroom and threw him down on the bed and tickled him, "TAKE IT BACK YOU FIEND!"

"NEVER!" Carl chortled, releasing a loud belly laugh.

Sadie stopped tickling after a few moments and listened to Carl's breathing.

"Sophia used to like getting tickled."

The boy stared up at the ceiling, the smile gone from his face.

Sadie reached out, mussing the boys hair, "I know bud." The two sat up, straightening themselves out.

She stood, grabbing the boy's hand and pulling him up. The sun had started it's slow decent in the sky. As they exited the RV, Carl hopped on the girl's back and she brought him to his tent.

"Seeing as both your mom and dad are not present, I'm gonna play the role of "cool aunt" but can you promise me you'll chill in your tent?"

"Oh come on, it's not even dark yet!"

Sadie pursed her lips, " Come on Carl, promise me you won't go anywhere, and if you need anything, I'm gonna be in that tent over there."

Sadie motioned to her tent a couple yards away behind her.

"So if you need anything, or want to do anything, you let me know."

Carl nodded his head before reaching his arms out to hug her.

"Okay," he mumbled, before retreating into his tent.

Sadie shuffled into the tent, sitting down once more, untying her hair and taking a deep breath. She ran her hands through the roots , massaging her scalp.

"I can't do this anymore."

"Well that's not the attitude to have sweetcheeks."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

duh duh duh, who is it? haha, How bout that new episode? So glad that Walking Dead is back and kicking ass! But, as promised, behold, a new chapter! And y'all know the drill; comments, concerns, reviews, pretty please! Hope you liked. xx