Empty. Cold. Desolate. Alone. Helpless. Useless. These were some of the emotions Marie was feeling as she laid next to her son…her only son. The one that would've been just fine…if she had kept her damn eyes on him. This was her fault. She was a horrible, awful mother that looked away from her son for a moment…and now? Now, he was dying and it was all because of her. She felt weight lift from the bed, and looked up to see Daryl grabbing his crossbow from across the room.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a sniffle, she hadn't realized she was actually crying.

"Gonna go…look fer supplies," he said with a shake of his head, and without another word he headed toward the door, moving the dresser out of the way. "Put this back once I've left."

"Wait," she said, standing from the bed, feeling even more lonely now that she was away from the son she might as well have killed herself. "If you wanna go…you can. Get some gas and take a car…if you see my brother tell him-"

"Tell him what? That I left ya in some rundown motel with walkers outside with his nephew scratched? That's gonna go over real well."

"Daryl, it's not safe here, I know that. But, when he…y'know. I'm not leaving this place."

He looked at her like she'd just slapped him. "So that's it? Yer jus' gonna give up?"

"What else can I do? He's my son, and I failed him!"

Daryl set his jaw, he couldn't believe Marie would just give up. He understood that it was her son and all. Hell, he even cared for the boy, but she couldn't just give up…because…because he'd be alone all over again. "Ya can't jus' make somebody care 'bout ya and yer kid and expect them to jus' be fine with ya killin' yerself!"

"Daryl…I…" she faltered, her stomach wrenching with guilt all over again. She hadn't really thought of how it would affect Daryl. "You deserve someone better…I'm weak…I destroy everything…I can't even look after my own son for five seconds!"

"That wasn't yer fault," he tried.

"Yes it was! I wasn't paying attention and now," she pointed to her son and just felt like falling over and dying.

All he could think about was how it wasn't fair that of all of the people in the world, all of the mothers, that Marie, who truly loves her son more than anything is the one to lose her child to these stupid walkers. There were thousands of moms that didn't care about their children at all. "I'll be back, put the dresser over the door," he said, leaving without so much as a glance back at her.

She laid back down onto the bed and waited…waited for whatever was to come.

"Are you giving up?" an all too familiar voice asked, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She turned, eyes closed to the direction of the voice. Slowly, she opened her blue eyes and faced the brown ones she knew were coming.

"You're not real," she stated, not wanting to talk any further on that particular topic.

"Just 'cause I'm dead don't mean I ain't real, Darlin'," Shane said, taking her face in his hands. She could feel the warmth radiating from his flesh.

"How the-?" she asked, her hands coming up to rest on his.

"Look, we ain't got much time. And I'm not allowed to say anything specific," he paused stealing a glance at her beautiful face. "But, I want you to remember the first day were met…"

"What the hell does that have to do with anything!? And, how can you expect me to not give up!? Our son is dying! All because of me!"

"You know just as well as I do that there wasn't anything more you could've done. Now just remember that day…" he was fading, quickly at that.

"Wait! No, Shane!" she called, trying to chase his receding figure.

Marie sat straight up in the motel bed. Next to her, Gavin was sitting cross legged, staring at the wall.

"Why didn't you wake me, baby?" she asked, her hand lightly touching his cheek, checking for a sign of a fever. There was none.

"I just woked up…and ya was sayin' daddy's name," he said, looking at her with those eyes that reminded her of Shane.

"You still should've woke me."

"It's otay. Where's Daryl?"

"He went…to look for supplies," she ran her fingers through his raven locks.

"When's he gonna be back?"

"I'm not sure," she replied honestly. He made it clear that he didn't want to leave them for good, so she could only assume that he'd be back.

"I's hungry."

"I can try to find some food for you…go into the kitchen or-"

"Don't leave me," he said, with such pleading in her voice that it reminded her that he was still a child.

"I won't baby, not now, not ever," she pulled her arms around him and kissed his dark hair.

"I love ya, momma."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

She got to thinking as she sat on the bed. What had Shane told her in her dream? Remember the first day we met? The first day they met…she was three? Could that really be it? She didn't remember much, but that was Rick's sixth birthday party.

Marie toddled through her front yard where there were cowboys everywhere. Rick loved cowboys, so their mother had decided to give him a cowboy themed party. She bumped into an older boy, one of Rick's friends and fell on her little butt. She wanted to whine, but the boy had the most interesting brown eyes…somehow they were pulling her in.

"Here," he offered his hand out to her. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. He was wearing one of the plastic cowboy hats on his head and at his sided was one of those sticks with a horse head on it. "Sorry 'bout that ma'am," he smiled, really playing the part.

"S'okay," she said her small, still fresh voice. She didn't know very many words, but she was getting there.

"I'm Shane," she said shaking her hand and giving her a cheeky grin.

"Marie," she replied. "Bye bye," she toddled back to her task. She hurried to the old tree house that sat in the back yard. She started climbing up the ladder, which was made of boards nailed into the tree. Her hand slipped and she fell, "Ow!" she called. Her father came running, he kneeled beside her.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" he asked kindly. His soft blue eyes peering down at her, the same blue that was that of her and Rick.

"The twree bitted me!" she exclaimed.

"Let me see," he held out his hand and captured her tiny one inside of it. There was a scratch from one of her palm to the other. "What did you scratch this on?" he asked. She pointed up to the board that he had climbed, he stood and examined it carefully. There was a rusty nail sticking out of it.

"Tetanus," she muttered to herself. What if Gavin was only cut on the side of the mangled car? He did get his tetanus shot soon before the world had ended, Marie had planned to start him in a daycare/preschool in the fall to get him socialized with other kids, and they had required a tetanus shot before she could even apply.

"What's that momma?"

"Are you sure it was a walker that scratched you, yesterday?" she asked. "Or was it the car next to you?"

"I don't know," he said.

"Baby, you need to know!"

"But I don't…" his voice was small, the look in his mother's eyes was intense, he'd never seen her like that before. Three knocks came from the bed, and Marie got up from the bed and moved the dresser from the door. Daryl walked in, with a bag slung over his shoulder, he dropped it to the floor and pushed the dresser back.

"What did you find?" she asked, her voice slightly hopeful.

"Some antibiotics, band aids, rubbin' alcohol, and peroxide," Marie picked up the bag and set it on the bed.

"So, what's got you…happy?" he wasn't sure if that was the right word, but it had to be close. She gave him a small smile and took his hand in hers.

"It's Gavin…I think he got his arm on that other car out there…I don't think he was actually scratched."

"Wouldn't that mean he'd have tetanus?" Daryl asked.

"I got him a shot a couple months ago. He'll be fine," the blue eyed man broke a smile and pressed a kiss to Marie's forehead before going to the bed where Gavin sat.

"Hey bud, can I see yer scratch," the brown eyed boy nodded and allowed Daryl to untie the cloth. He examined the scratch, which appeared to be nothing more. It didn't have any noticeable characteristics that set it apart from any other scratch he'd seen.

"Is it bad?" Gavin asked, blinking twice.

"No, s'not bad at all," Daryl gave the young boy a small smile. "Yer gonna be jus' fine."

"But I was scratched…"

"Well, ya don' look sick to me," he even felt the little boy's face for good measure. No fever.

Marie couldn't help but smile…somehow she couldn't help to. Daryl was just so good with Gavin…he was just so…sweet. It sounded weird because most people would assume that Daryl Dixon was not sweet, but he was when it came to Gavin.

"Got some gas too while I was out there, took out the few stragglers on the road."

"That's good…we can get the hell out of here."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Should probably wait 'til mornin' though."

"Did you happen to find any food while you were out?" she asked hopefully, not for her sake, but for Gavin's.

"No. I can go back out though," he started to stand, but Marie held her hand up.

"I'll go…I'm sure there's got to be something in the kitchen," she said, heading toward the door. Before she opened it she checked the clip on her gun, five rounds.

"Got a knife?"

"No."

"Here," he would've gone with her, but he knew that this was something she felt that she had to do on her own.

"Thank you," she took his buck knife and left.

"Hey Maggie," Rick asked, they'd stopped to search some more cars for supplies, given that they'd lost everything.

"Yeah, Rick?"

"Did you happen to see Marie and Gavin…y'know, back at the farm?"

"Uh, she sent Sophia with me and Glenn…but all I know is she had Gavin with her."

"What about Daryl?" Rick had a thought, earlier in the day. Maybe Daryl had found his sister and they were together…safe.

"No, I didn't see him at all."

Rick sighed, his hands running through his hair nervously. He'd never really had that nervous twitch, Shane had, and maybe just being around the other man for so long he picked it up.

"Dad," Carl said, walking over to his father.

"Yes?"

"Mom's crying again," the boy said in an annoyed tone. His mother had been crying almost none stop ever since the farm, and the only thing he could link it to was the loss of Shane…which that couldn't be right. That was his mom, she was suppose to be with his dad, and yet she was mourning him like…like she loved him.

"Yeah, what else is new?" Rick mumbled sarcastically.

"Did she love Shane?" the younger boy asked innocently.

"We all did, son," he couldn't just tell his son that Lori was in love Shane…not Rick.

"No, I mean love, love…like how Shane loved Aunt Marie," Carl looked at his dad expectantly, but his silence said it all. "That's what I thought," he started to walk back down the road.

"Carl," Rick jogged to catch up. "That doesn't mean she loves you any less."

"Whatever."

"Do ya love my momma?" Gavin asked Daryl, looking at the older man thoughtfully.

"Why ya askin' me this?" he didn't know how to respond to that.

"'Cause I don't want her to get hurt," he sounded so old for his age…it was as if he'd suddenly aged twenty years…somehow he just naturally had this protection for his mother.

"Her job's to keep ya from gettin' hurt. Not the other way 'round."

Gavin just shrugged. "Ya gonna answer the question or not?"

Daryl sighed knowing that there wasn't a way around this. The kid wouldn't leave him alone unless he gave him a straight answer. "Ya…I think I do…don't tell 'er though…"

"What's the magic word?" the little boy asked, looking like a kid in a candy store, little did Daryl know, Gavin loved secrets.

"Please," he couldn't believe he was pleading with a child to keep a secret.

"Why don't ya just tell 'er yerself?"

Daryl shrugged.

"Shrugger," Gavin murmured.

"What was that?" the blue eyed man asked, looking at the boy with a playful glare.

"That's what mom used to call me when I'd shrug all the time…"

"Shrugger, eh?"

"Mm hm," Gavin thought for a moment before speaking again. "My daddy told me I have to look out for my momma, no matter what," that was actually in the last conversation Shane and Gavin had had.

Before Daryl could answer there was a knock on the door he stood and opened it. Marie walked in, blood streaking her face and hair.

"Ya okay?" Daryl asked. She nodded exasperatedly. She walked into the room and set a can of beans down on the bed as Daryl moved the dresser once again. "This all ya find."

"Yeah. Only problem…I can't open it…"

"You still got my knife?"

"Here," she handed it back to him and Daryl began working at the can with his knife.

"So what did you two talk about while I was gone?" Marie asked her son. Daryl gave him a sideways glance, to show that he was listening and he better not break his promise.

"Nothin' really. I was jus' askin' Daryl if it was scary to drive a motorcycle."

The kid was good, Daryl had to give him that. He was proud that he didn't immediately tell. So, Daryl went ahead and answered the boy's question. "Ya rode on it. S'not so bad, once ya get used to it."

"When I get tall enough can ya teach me how?"

How long has this kid been black mailing people!? the blue eyed man wondered. "Guess so. Would be up to yer mom though."

"We will have to see," Marie answered right away. She knew that Gavin would send her a puppy dog look and beg for an answer now.

They spent the next few hours talking idly, until Gavin announced he was tired, Marie had noticed he had a slight fever…but it wasn't enough to cause her too much alarm. But, just to be safe, she gave him some of the antibiotics Daryl brought back. Gavin laid down on one side, the one farthest from the door, and naturally Marie wanted to be closest to him so she took the middle spot, leaving Daryl with the side closest to the door.

"Good night sweetie, I love you," she told her son.

"I love you too momma," he smiled pressing a kiss to her cheek. "And I love you, Daryl."

"Yeah, me too," Daryl said, reaching over Marie to ruffle the little boy's raven hair. He just somehow couldn't bring himself to say the word…but he meant it. Something about this kid was just…he didn't have a word for it.

"Will you stay close to me tonight?" Marie asked, turning her head to look at Daryl. "It's already really chilly in here…I wouldn't want anybody to catch a cold," truthfully she was a little chilly, but she wanted Daryl to hold her close like he had back at the farm.

"Guess so," he shrugged and his arm found a home around her waist and his chest pressed against her back.

"Thank you," she turned again and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Good night Daryl."

"Night," he mumbled. He was still trying to understand what had made this girl different…why Marie? Why was she the one that he just couldn't say no to…he couldn't just leave and never talk to her again. Maybe it's 'cause she's got a kid…he thought. But his inner voice quickly corrected him. She wasn't the only woman in the world that had raised a child on her own.

Mrskaz453- They probably wouldn't be able to handle it…I mean, Marie at the beginning of this chapter was losing it…and yes, with Shane, it had to be done. Yep, that damn apocalypse makes it harder to just…end things with people. They've gotten too close, and Marie was in a tough spot so Daryl didn't feel he could just be like "no, don't talk to me". She was wrong to do that to either of them. She couldn't blame him, especially after he saved her life, and then she read Shane's letter, knowing that he wanted it. Yeah, I'm not really sure that Rick felt as bad about Daryl because he did kinda kill Rick's best friend (none of the Rick/Shane arguing/fighting happened). So Rick kinda just say that as Daryl murdered Shane over Marie. But at the same time he suspects that there's a little more to the story…but he's not sure. OMG, I hate Lori with a passion too (in this story anyway). She's okay, but I do blame her for everything with Shane. I've literally every written one story where my OC even likes her and that was only because they were sisters…and yeah, Shane didn't want her he loved Marie. If Rick wasn't too good of a person…he would leave her, but knowing him, she is still his wife and he can't do that. Well, as far as Andrea goes at the farm…I think that they were really oblivious when it came to her…I mean if some person was running after my car I might give them a second look…and Carol just I dunno what was goin' on there…I will seriously go off if they do any Carol/Daryl romance type stuff in the show (I'm sure I've said that) but those two are BY FAR my least favorite paring (I even like Andrea/The Governor better and that's saying something, cause I hate them both!) Yes, Rick would regret it when he actually thought about what he'd done. You think Judith is Shane's baby too? You'll have to wait and see if Gavin was scratched by a walker or the metal though :).

HarleyMastiff82- Thank you. Aww, I tried to make that scene emotional. I mean it obviously would be (I'm not a mom so I can only imagine what that would be like…) I hope you enjoyed this chapter and next chapter should be the resolution for Gavin.

Violet Lylybelle- You know that Rick would feel guilt, he's a good guy, no matter how much he tries to play it as he's not. Well, with Gavin…you'll just have to wait to see what I have in store. He is adorable though, isn't he? I love him lol. It is true, Lori shouldn't get to have Shane's baby (you think so too, huh?). That would've been almost as hard for Daryl as Marie if he would've

Tori D- I have no idea why he's known for that lol! It's just so noticeable when he's doing his "If you wanna live, you gotta fight for it!" speech at the barn…it's just out there! Lol.

AN: It warms my heart to see how much y'all like Gavin! I know I get attached to my OCs but I didn't realize you guys did to. I haven't fully decided though what I'm going to do with him yet, so I'll go ahead and ask…if it was just a scrape from a car, would that make since? Let me know. Please review, thanks!