Daryl blinked, his gaze flitting to the side, away from me. His boots scuffing as he shifted where he stood. Thank God, it finally looks like I'm getting through to him.

"You should know better than anyone, how that feels."

I sighed, rubbing a hand over my forehead, smoothing my hairline back. "Losing hope isn't something you can help. It's not something most people can just regain at the drop of a hat. Everyone has a breaking point and it's not always the same. I don't think I have to tell you how easy it is to give up when the pain is too intense, but very few have the will to push through when that happens."

I leaned out of the way as his head turned downward, eyes casting to the ground.

"We've all made plenty of mistakes and we'll make plenty more. What we choose to do about them is up to us. It's time to own up to your mistakes, Daryl."

His jaw set, but his eyes didn't lift from the dirt & grass under our boots.

"I'm going out. You're staying." I set my hand on his shoulder, finally getting him to look me in the eyes. "You need to fix this, for both your sakes."

I lingered a moment longer before letting my hand slide from his shoulder and started off towards the camp.

I've gotta go tell Rick my route before I take off.

When I reached the edge of the field, I jogged through camp to the Cherokee beside the RV.

Rick and Andrea already stood hunched over the map on the hood and I slowed to a walk, coming around Rick's left.

"—also shows she could be moving this way south." Rick's finger moved along the map.

Rick jumped as I leaned against the vehicle and I couldn't help a smile.

He shook his head, with a breathy chuckle. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

I'd be worried about you if you did.

"You were saying" Andrea scratched her nose, trying to keep the amusement out of her smile.

"Right. If Sophia kept in that direction, she might've gotten out of the forest, and into the farmland." Rick continued, leaning over the hood once again.

You really think she got that far? I mean it's possible, but she's just a kid. Even a single mile over uneven ground would tucker her out.

"So we take 74 up to Ivy road, then push down south on foot through the forest 'till we hit Christopher. Go east a couple a miles, then double back."

Sounds like a solid plan but I can't help but feel like we're grasping at straws here—

"Rick"

We all turned, to Hershel walking up to us.

"Hershel. We just have our guns out because we're gonna go look for Sophia." Rick was quick to explain, as Hershel rolled up his sleeves in front of us.

I didn't even think about the guns.

"Before you do that, I could use your help with something." Hershel rested his hands on his hips.

Can this wait? If these two don't get going soon they'll lose the light while they're out there.

"Count me in" Andrea volunteered.

"Thank you, but I just need Rick." Hershel and Rick had some sort of mental conversation until Rick glanced back at Andrea.

She turned, securing her gun in her waistband. "I'll be down at the barn keeping watch until you're ready."

I looked between all of them, and resisted the urge to huff a sigh. What the Hell could be so important it takes priority over finding Sophia?

This is absurd.

I shook my head and turned back to the hood, knocking Rick's elbow with mine, maybe a little harder than I meant to.

He turned and I moved my finger along the map to show my route.

"You're going up to the ridge where Daryl went?" Rick cocked his head.

I nodded. I'm gonna try and continue on the trail he was following. It's the only one that's turned up anything since the first day.

Rick stared me down for a few seconds before sighing, with a nod. "Alright, I trust your judgement. But be careful."

Believe me, I will be.

Rick turned to follow Hershel but stopped, "If you're not back in 3 hours, we'll come looking."

Yes, sir. I gave a mock salute.

He nodded, cracking a slight smile before finally trailing Hershel to wherever this "emergency" is.

I shook my head, letting that huffed sigh slip and blew some of my hair off my cheek as I turned back to Andrea.

I motioned to the forest as I started walking and Andrea nodded. "I hope you find something."

I gave an appreciative nod before cutting across the camp.

I paused when I spotted Daryl & Carol headed off into the trees and a smile brought itself to my lips.

Dixon's really know how to piss people off, but sometimes...

I'm glad he actually took it though. If I'd tried to smack some sense into Merle(literally or not), he might have tried to shoot me.

You know...now that I think about it. If Merle were ever to apologize for something, that might give me nightmares. Whatever force on Earth could make that man apologize, is not something I would ever like to know.

Thank Merlin all Daryl needs is a little push on occasion. I know he'll do right by her. He's not Merle, no matter how much he acts like it sometimes.

Merle never feels sorry for what he's done. Wherever he is, I'm sure that hasn't changed.

If he's still out there, and I'd bet my right hand he is.

Merlin I feel like an asshole for that joke but it's too good to pass up. Call it payback for every time you called me 'silently but deadly', ya lazy douche goblin.

"Are you going out?"

I turned, finding Carl staring at me and nodded.

He nodded looking at his shoes and my chest pulled. I ruffled his hair, but he still didn't look up.

Something's wrong.

I leaned over to match his height and tilted my head until he looked at me from underneath the rim of his dad's sheriff hat.

"Just...come back, okay?"

My lips parted. I didn't realize I'd stopped breathing until my lungs started to squeeze but even then I had trouble getting air into them.

What would ever give him the idea I wouldn't come back?

I grabbed him and pulled him against .

"I will always come back for you."

I stayed for another minute before pulling back, and poked the corner of his cheek with a smile.

"You don't need to worry, okay?"

He nodded, cracking the smallest of smiles.

I ruffled his hair again as I stood and let my hand fall as I walked away; albeit slower than before.

I glanced back over my shoulder to give him one last reassuring smile.

"I'll see you later, kiddo."

I watched him wave before setting my sights on the treeline and starting off on my path to the ridge.

I trekked through the mud just off the Greene's land.

This silt is like glue. I'm not even walking near the creek bank and my boots have almost come off twice.

Tell you what though. If Sophia had come this way, we wouldn't have had any trouble tracking her. She'd have left a trail of prints like—... those ones.

I stared at the stampede of footprints stamped all over the bank in front of me.

What the Hell…

They're leading out of the water and to.

My blood ran cold. A cold sweat broke out on my neck, and my lungs ceased.

Oh no

Without thinking, I pulled my knives and took off through the splattering muddy trail, following the prints.

The night at camp outside Atlanta when the herd came out of the trees, poured through my head.

Flashes of blood blinded me to anything except running. The acrid smell burned my nose even though it was a memory.

The screams from that night filling my ears and rolling over one another, amplifying until all I could hear was my own blood pumping in my eardrums.