12 days prior.
Daryl Dixon stood on the road, chewing at the skin surrounding his thumb nail. He wasn't entirely sure why he listened to the people surrounding him when they had told him not to run into the woods after Rick who had entered the woods long before he had managed to get back to the rest of the group, lugging a weak T-Dog with him.
He wanted to kick himself for not doing what he knew was best. He should've went after the three of them the moment he had been told what had happened. Molly had run off after the little girl who had gotten herself spooked by some Walkers and in turn, Rick had run off after the both of them, clearly trying to play the hero he so desperately wanted to be.
"Man, this is bullshit!" He finally spat out. He couldn't stand to be stood around helpless with the girls mother making as much noise as she was doing. He wasn't saying she wasn't allowed to be upset. He just felt like she could be much more quieter than she was currently being. "I'm going after them ma'self." He added, moving towards the rail that lined the road.
"Daryl, don't" Shane exclaimed, coming forward and holding his arm out to stop Daryl from climbing the rail.
"Man, don't touch me!" Daryl spat, walking himself backwards so as not to be touched by the ex-cop. "I don't see you doin' shit!"
"Look, if we all went running into the woods, we'd all be lost! Rick will bring them back just fine." Shand had spoke, clearly not caring about Daryl's tracking skills, nor wanting to talk any further on the matter.
Time seemed to pass by slowly and if it wasn't for Carol's constant crying and sniffling, he would've thought it to be a bad dream. He looked over his shoulder and back towards the R.V where he knew Jacob was. He had cried himself to sleep the moment he had been allowed to make any noise. Clearly, whatever had gone on in the R.V had him spooked and Daryl couldn't blame the boy. The blood that covered Andrea had him worried sick for the boy until he had checked him over himself and found no bites or scratches.
He had left him in the R.V with Dale who had agreed to keep the door shut and locked if it meant keeping Jacob safe. Though he probably agreed more to keep Daryl off his back.
"There they are!" Daryl wasn't sure who had spoke but he perked up nonetheless.
He eyed the forest and the movement that was coming towards them. Rick came first, his white shirt covered in blood and looking as though he had a fight with a puddle. His eyes were wide, taking in the group of them as though he was searching for something.
Daryl waited and waited until finally, he gave up and moved forward to get a better look at the tree's. There was no movement. Nothing or rather, no one followed after Rick. "Where's my baby!" Carol shrieked out.
For a split second, Daryl wanted to tell Carol to shut the fuck up. That it wasn't just her child who didn't come back. However, he kept his mouth closed. The last thing he needed was people on his back for not caring about how anyone felt. After all, why should he when they didn't care enough to ask about the other person who was gone.
"T-They're not here?" Rick breathed out, taking deep breaths in order to fill his lungs with air. "They weren't where I left them. I assumed Molly came back."
"Well, you assumed wrong." Daryl spoke out, not wanting to listen to Carol cry anymore.
"Guys... It's going to start getting dark soon." Glenn, ever the one to bring up the inevitable spoke.
Daryl looked up, noticing that it was in fact not as bright as it had been. He sighed, wanting to give Molly the benefit of the doubt and give her some more time to get back with the girl. However, the longer he thought about it, the more he worried about her. Just because it wasn't safe for the girl to be out there didn't mean that it was safe for Molly.
It was just as dangerous for the both of them and so, without a second though on the matter, Daryl moved forward. "Take me ta' where you last saw them." He all but demanded, surprised that Rick instantly nodded and spun around on his heel to lead him into the forest.
The walk was for the most part quiet. Every so often Rick would call out one of two names, his voice not that loud but not to quiet either. Each and every time he called out, he got no reply. Daryl tried to keep his footsteps barely audible and yet, he needn't bother. Rick was making enough noise for the both of them. Clearly he had no experience in the woods.
The two men came up to a small drop, a large pool of water that couldn't have gone higher than ankle length beneath them. Daryl watched Rick climb down and in turn, followed his lead. His boots splashed in the water when he did so. "Right here." Rick spoke, his arm motioning to the covered area. "This is where I left them."
Daryl moved towards it, frowning as he reached out and ran his fingers across some of the mud and vines. He saw no sign that someone had disrupted it, nor did he see any sign of breakage. "Yeh' sure this is tha' spot?"
"Yes." Rick sighed, moving and motioning wildly to where he had said he left them. "I left the two of them right here. I drew the walkers away off in that direction up the creek. They were gone by the time I got back here."
Daryl eyed the direction he was talking about before looking back at the area Rick had supposedly left them. He believed him, sure he did. Why would he lie? It's not like Rick had any problem with Molly or the girl. However, for the life of him, he couldn't find any signs that someone had been stood where Rick were saying they were stood. "Are yeh' sure?"
"I'm positive." Rick spoke with such fierceness. "I figured they took off back to the group. We came from that way, they must've went back that way. there's no reason for them not to go back that way."
Daryl couldn't see an argument with that. He moved back towards where Rick was telling them the three had previously came from and began to search the ground, crouching to get a better look. "Huh."
"What is it?" Rick was all but hanging over his shoulder.
"They came this way." Daryl muttered, clearly seeing the sign of two footprints. One was slightly larger than the other. Could only be the two they were looking for. "Come on." He muttered, beginning to follow the trail.
10 days prior AM.
For a split second, Daryl wondered why he was always lumbered with the shit jobs. He did not want to be babysitting a group of women who seemed to all act as though they were gods gift to mankind. He had heard Molly talking about it years ago but he never thought he'd see it for himself. Women fighting to be the superior one was something he now knew he hated.
They had been walking through the trees for the better part of half an hour when they had began to argue over the stupidest of things. One minute they were arguing about who did the most around camp back when they were at the quarry. The next, they were arguing over who didn't do anything to contribute to the group.
He had to give it to Carol, she hadn't pitched into the argument once. Lori and Andrea clearly had a dislike for each other and for the first time since being stuck with the group, Daryl was thankful Glenn was with them. If it came to it, Glenn could be the one to interfere. He had no desire to try and talk to this creatures of man. No, thank you.
"You think it was one of ours?"
"Who else would it be?" Andrea scoffed back to Lori. Daryl rolled his eyes. The gunshot had gone off close to fifteen minutes ago. Why they were still going on about it was beside him. "You think there's others out here? We'd already have known."
"Maybe it was Molly and Sophia?" Glenn offered up.
"No, they didn't have a gun with them." Lori told him with a shake of her head. "Besides, who would they be shooting anyway? I doubt Molly even knows ho-"
"She does." Daryl interrupted the statement before she had even finished. It wasn't that he thought Lori was talking down on Molly, it was just that he wouldn't give her the chance to get there. Not while he was around.
"I didn't mean anything by it." Lori added, clearly noticing the tone in which he had spoke. "I just meant tha-"
"I know what yeh' meant." Daryl muttered, not wanting to talk to the woman any longer than he had to. "Jus' keep movin'."
"Shouldn't they have caught up to us by now?" Carol spoke for the first time since they had left the others.
Daryl rolled his eyes and took a breath. For the second time, he was wondering why he was lumbered with getting the four of them back to the R.V safely. "There's nuthin' we can do 'bout it anyways." He found himself saying, clutching at his crossbow a little more. "We can't go running 'round this woods chasin' echos."
"So, what do we do?" Lori spoke in a tone Daryl didn't particularly like.
"Same as we've been doin'." Daryl's tone was much more harsher now, finally beginning to grow fed up with the group. "Make our way back to tha' highway, look for Molly and Sophia on our way."
"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the R.V." Andrea said, her words being the nicest thing she had said to Lori all day.
Daryl was thankful Lori had decided not to say anything else. She stared at each of them for a moment, thoughts swimming round her head until finally, she nodded and began to walk back towards the group and follow after them.
10 days prior PM.
"Shot? What do you mean, Shot?" Dale all but demanded.
Daryl was really beginning to wish the day was over. He hated everyone acting like everything was wrong in the word. Of course he wasn't trying to downplay any of it. He just liked it better when everyone kept to themselves and minded their own.
"It's like I said." Glenn breathed, out of breath from the hike. "I don't know much... All I know is this chick rolled out of nowhere on a horse and took Lori."
"You let her?" Dale demanded.
Daryl was a little ticked off to find the old man looking directly at him. "Climb down outta' of my ass old man, Rick sent her. She knew Lori's name an' Carl's." He didn't bother waiting around to listen to the shit they group had to talk about. He moved to his bike, placing his crossbow on in before making a beeline for the R.V.
He checked the group over to make sure non of them were inside before he let his self in and closed the door behind him. Daryl breathed out, thankful to have a moment's peace from the group. The bundle at the table had his heart hurting slightly. He sighed once more, moving to the table and sliding into the unoccupied side.
Jacob sat on the other side, his head rested on his hand as he lazily scribbled on some paper. Despite his young age, Daryl could see the worry written all over his face. "How you doin'?" He found himself asking, watching Jacob look up, his eyes red and slightly puffy.
"Ma's not back... Is she?" He whispered out, clearly not even asking as he already knew the answer.
"She's not." Daryl told him, trying to work out what the feelings were inside of him. "We're going to find her though, I promise you that."
Jacob looked up, his eyes narrowed as he looked all over Daryl's face. "We don't break promises. It's a rule."
"Exactly." Daryl nodded, thankful that he seemed to believe what he was telling him. "I don't know when but she will come back to yeh'."
"What if she doesn't?" Jacob muttered, clearly having thought about the many possibilities. "What 'appens to me?"
"Wha' do yeh' mean?" Daryl frowned. "Nothin' happens ta' yeh'. I'll look after yeh.'" He spoke without actually thinking. "Yer' my kid. I ain't gonna let anythin' bad happen' to yeh.'"
It must've been the shy smile Jacob sent him that set his heart rate souring. He knew in that moment that nay doubts he had about being a dad to Jacob were gone. He had someone who depended on him and he felt great about that. Someone needed him.
Earlier that day.
"I'll look around this area." Daryl said, circling an area on the map with his finger. "I'll take a horse out, If they're 'ere. I'll find 'em."
The group had been staying at the Greene farm for almost a week and had figured out a good plan of action a few days prior. Daryl had been out everyday searching for Molly and Sophia and though there were times he felt like he was getting close, the leads all lead to dead ends. Nothing solid had been found yet and he was pissed. He was going to find them, even if it killed him.
"I'll take Carol back to the highway, see if they've gone back or not." Rick said, folding the map up once everyone knew what their tasks were for the day. "Everyone is to be back on the farm before dark and we'll pick anything back up tomorrow. We don't leave the farm after dark."
Daryl didn't bother waiting for anyone to finish. He spun on his heal and made the walk towards where the Greene family kept their horses. He wasn't fond of horses but knew it would get him from point A to point B much quicker than if he were walking and the more ground he covered, the more chance he had at finding Molly and Sophia.
He saddled the fist horse he saw up and grabbed a backpack from one of the stalls, stashing some water inside and a spare map before he set off on the horse, letting her gallop through the open fields and off the Greene property.
Daryl didn't bother with taking in the beauty of the forest, he had done that more times than he can count in his life. He more so kept his eyes pealed for any sign of life, back tracking a few times to make sure he hadn't missed anything while he thought about everything.
Molly and Sophia being gone was really starting to take it's toll on everybody. Though Daryl felt like scoffing when he saw one of the group reminiscing about one of the girls as though they actually knew them, he refrained from doing so. To him, the only people who had a right to be worried about the two were Carol and Jacob. He'd slid himself into that category as well. The three of them were the only ones who knew Molly and Sophia best.
It was as he was beginning to piss himself off with the thoughts when his eyes had caught onto something down in the quarry to his right. He had been scanning the area, only half away of his surroundings when he had zeroed in on it. It looked slightly familiar, like he should know exactly what it was.
In record time he had climbed off the horse and made a slow decline down into the quarry. His boots splashed as he jogged to a lone log and picked up a stuffed doll. Sophia.
"Sophia!" He found himself calling out, spinning in all directions as though the girl was going to come walking out. "Molly?" He added for good measure, wondering if the two were hiding somewhere close.
He gave it another minute before sighing and beginning to climb up the quarry side again. Though he was mad he hadn't found them, Sophia's doll was the one solid piece of evidence anyone had got since the two had gone missing. And he'd been the one to find it. Not Rick, not Shane, him.
If Daryl were to look back on it, the little celebratory fist pump on top of the horse may have been the cause for everything that followed.