It was decided. We were going on a rescue mission. Silently I packed up the green SUV, throwing in a few bags after Daryl.

"I got the flashbangs, I got the tear gas," Daryl looked over to me, shrugging his shoulders. "You never know what you're going to need."

"Sounds like we'll need all of it." I muttered quietly. As determined as I was to save Glenn and Maggie, I had the sneaking suspicion we were walking into our doom. Daryl frowned at me, nudging my shoe. I looked up at him, he knew I was worried. I had become worse and worse at hiding it. "What if these are the men Randall was talking about?" The question had been nagging at me since Michonne told us about Woodbury, about the numbers they had. Daryl stiffened, turning back to the car.

"Always a possibility." He said quietly, rechecking the bags. There were footsteps behind us and Carl walked up carrying two more bags of supplies. Him and Daryl exchanged pointed looks. "Don'tchu worry bout your old man. I'ma keep an eye on em." Carl didn't say a word, but his smile told me that what Daryl had told him made him feel better about the situation.

Carl turned to leave and I watched him walk back to his father. I bit my lip, taking a few steps away as Daryl closed the trunk.

"You should stay here, Darlin." He finally said. I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms and turning to him. I raised my eyebrow at hi and shook my head.

"Not this old tired argument again." I half laughed. "I though we figured out by now that I go where the trouble goes." Daryl didn't chuckle, didn't even smile at me. I cleared my throat, shifting awkwardly.

"I don't want ya ta go. It's gonna be dangerous."

"Well then I don't want you to go." I crossed my arms at him. Daryl shook his head at me, groaning. "You see how that works? It goes both ways." He looked away from me, obviously frustrated, and I placed a hand on his cheek, turning his face back to look at me. "On your terms?"

"My terms." Daryl finally agreed, kissing my forehead lightly.


Michonne directed us, something we were all a bit uneasy about, and after a while she instructed us to pull the car to the side of the road. The town of Woodbury had patrols, and she claimed we'd be better off on foot. Silently we all got out, taking in our surroundings. I shouldering my bow and pulled out my pistol, checking the rounds and searching my bag for more clips. I had 3 extra, something that did not instill within me the most confidence.

"How far? Nights coming." Rick asked her, turning to Daryl and I. I shrugged, turning to the back of the car for my ruck sac and spare arrows Daryl and I had made.

"A mile, maybe two." Michonne replied. There was snarling coming from behind us and I turned to find a walker slowly approaching us. She was slow, so we ignored, her, quickly escaping into the woods. It was best not to leave any trace of us being there, the car alone was enough.

The trek through the woods was silent. Michonne took point with Daryl, while Rick, Oscar and I brought up the rear. It was awkward walking next to the sheriff, we'd barely spoken since Lori died. I sighed, shifting my bow in my hands uneasily.

"I know what happened with Lori." Rick suddenly spoke up. I glanced at him warily and Oscar cleared his throat, taking a few awkward steps in front of us. I silently begged for him to stay but it was no use, he was already catching up to Michonne and Daryl. "And what you did for my baby. Thank you."

My eyes widened in shock, i was at a loss for words. I had expected a tongue lashing, to get yelled at, blamed. I turned to look at him and cleared my throat.

"You don't have to thank me." I said quietly. "Lori was my friend, hell, my sister. You're family, it's what family does." Rick smiled at me weakly, wrapping a friendly arm around my shoulders and pulling me to him in an awkward hug.

"Everybody down!" Daryl hissed from in front. Slowly I dropped, crouching as low as I could. There were low snarls in the woods around us and I frowned. Walkers.

"Get in formation, no gunfire." Rick said quietly. I nodded, grouping and getting tight. Slowly they came from the trees on either side. I grabbed up my bow, nocking an arrow, holding steady for a good shot. I fired, taking down one, and grabbing another arrow. More and more seemed to be coming from the trees and I shouldered my bow, unsheathing my hunting knife.

"There's too many of them." Daryl muttered, falling back to me. I heard snarling behind me and I turned, jamming my knife into the skull of a walker. Rick looked around frustrated, before pointing ahead.

"This way." The sheriff pointed ahead of us. Quickly we followed, staying close to the ground. He led us off the path and through the trees. I could hear the walkers snarling after us, my heart beat racing. "Through there!" Rick directed us, pointing to an old, abandoned shed.

Rick through the door open quickly, it creaked noisily, and I cringed from the sound. We piled in and I knelt on the floor, catching my breath. I could hear the walkers approaching from outside and I took a deep breath. It smelled awful in here and I buried my nose in my elbow.

"That smell." I gagged, nearly losing my lunch. Daryl frowned down at me, walking towards the back of the shed.

"It's loud." Daryl cringed, grabbing out his bandana and handing it over to me. I took it gratefully, tying it around my face. I stood, hesitantly following him, knife up. I swatted a fly from my face. Beyond a few boxes of crap lay the rotting corpse of what appeared to be a dog. "I guess Lassie went home." Daryl muttered.

The walkers outside began to pound heavily on the doors and the walls and I stared at them in horror. The windows were boarded and the door locked, but I knew that wouldn't hold them for long, especially if the pounding caught more of their attention.

Rick whistled, drawing my attention away from the door. He gestured to a blanket that seemed to be flung over something and I watched warily as him and Daryl crept up to it. Slowly, Rick grabbed the blanket, removing it quickly. A man bolted up right in the bed we'd just uncovered and I jumped, not expecting him to be alive.

"Who the hell are you?" He yelled pointing his gun at us. Rick cowered in front of him, holding his shotgun out in a non aggressive way. He tried to reason with the man, but the man kept yelling.

"Shut him up!" Michonne hissed. I nodded my head, standing back with her, my heart still pounding from the scare he gave us. The walkers began to snarl even louder, hungrier and the man looked at the door, finally realizing what was happening. He looked at each of us in turn, before turning back to Rick.

"I'll call the cops!" he threatened.

"I am a cop!" Rick replied. "Now need you to lower your gun." Rick gestured to the floor. "Don't do anything rash, everything's fine, lets just take this nice and slow." Rick coaxed the man. The man shook his head, raising his gun into Rick's face.

"Show me your badge!" he demanded, cocking the shotgun. I gasped, taking a small step forward. Daryl gave me a warning look and I froze in my spot.

"Alright! It's in my pocket!" Rick gestured towards his jeans and I looked, too. I didn't think he still carried his badge with him, not since he ditched the sheriff's uniform for civies. Slowly Rick reached back, and before I knew what happened he grabbed for the man's gun.

The shotgun went off and Daryl hit the dirt. I felt my heart drop and while Rick and Oscar subdued the man I ran over to Daryl, rolling him over.

"Oh my god, Daryl!" I sobbed, checking him for any kind of wounds. I came up empty, breathing a heavy sigh of relief and he glanced at the wall behind him. I followed his eyes, finding a huge hole. "Oh thank god." I jumped him, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.

With all the excitement I hadn't realized the man had broken free of Rick's grasp. He ran to the door quickly, brushing past Michonne. The woman unsheathed her sword and in an instant impaled him with it, dropping him where he stood. She looked back at Rick quietly, his face a mix of anger and disbelief, and she resheathed her katana, peaking through the cracks in the boards. Daryl joined, taking one look before turning back to us.

"Remember the Alamo?" Daryl asked coyly. I closed my eyes, shaking my head and swallowing hard. "Help me with the door."

"You've gotta be kidding!" Oscar asked dryly. I shared a look with him, both of us knowing they weren't. Rick began to pick up the dead man on the floor and he turned to me. I looked down at the body, both of us coming up with the same idea. Use the dead man as bait.

"Check the back." Rick told me. I nodded, running to the back door. Slowly I pushed it open. My heart fluttered, it was clear, no walkers in sight.

"It's clear!" Rick nodded at me and in one smooth movement they threw the front door open, tossing the man out to the walkers, and shutting it again. We ran quickly, jumping down the back steps, into the woods.


By nightfall we came across what Michonne said was the outer wall of Woodbury. Slowly we followed Michonne as she ushered us through the train yard. I bit my lip looking on at the large wall in front of us. two man sat a top the wall, one with a bow and the other with what appeared to be an automatic weapon. I threw Daryl a wary look, giving my head a slight shake.

"We aint getting in there." Daryl muttered, just low enough for me to hear. I silently shook my head, not looking back at him. Michonne shuffled beside me, running off back the way we came.

"Hey!" Rick whispered after her. She didn't turn around and Rick nodded at me. I hesitated, remembering the promise I made to Daryl. I looked at him, almost for permission and he nodded. I followed her quietly, catching up to her.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" I asked angrily. She glanced at me over her shoulder, running up to a fence that had been worked loose. I hesitated, the look on my face only described as dumbfounded, and smiled at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Go get them." She smirked at me, turning her attention to the fence. I nodded, running back around the bush. I snapped a twig as I rounded and the three men turned to me, guns drawn. I threw my hands up.

"Whoa. Put that shit down." The men dropped there weapons and I sighed exasperated, gesturing back the way I came.


Guysssss we're getting to the meat and potatoes of the season. SUCH EXCITED. warm fuzzies all around!

Reviews are awesome. I've been getting some good feedback, and i definitely aim to please. Your advice is much appreciated!

Stay Beautiful!