Disclaimer- I do not own the Walking Dead.

Thank you Weida for the review, I love the compliment and I love that you are still enjoying it.

Volkov666- Thank you, I love the dynamic I've got going on with our small group of 5. My favourite to write is Merle and Danny. A full on brother/sister relationship that love to wind each other up and argue. I'm definitely going for the "my sister is my best friend" kind of relationship between Sophia and Danny.

Shadowoftheblackdeat- You want the fanfic-addiction filled while I just need my fill of your amazing messages. They make me so happy. I would also like to say I graciously accept your big kiss. You can be as greedy as you want, I'll just keep writing more.

I'm so glad you have figured out what's happening, you were the only one who did, or at least said anything about it. I tried to make it obvious but not completely obvious because my OC doesn't know what's happening.

I hope you love this chapter just as much as I do.

Danny's POV

I knew it would happen, as soon as Daryl had found out I was sick he had constantly asked the same questions every ten minutes. You okay? How ya feelin'? He would even drop in and say that we should just stop and go back. He honestly thinks I can't do this. I know it looks like I lied to them but I really was feeling better, if it hadn't been for the car ride it probably wouldn't have happened again.

Daryl's still mad at me, or maybe not mad but there's definitely less talking between us than there usually is. I get why, I didn't lie to him but I didn't tell him what had happened. I guess when you're on the other side it feels pretty much like lying. I felt useless not being able to help them, so instead of helping them gather much needed supplies I sat on the roof of the truck making sure to keep an eye out in all directions. If that is all I can do then I was going to make sure I'll did a damn good job of it.

There were barely any Walkers in town, the ones that were there were stuck inside buildings. It is good but also means we need to be a lot more aware because quiet places like this means people passing by are more likely to stop.

Both Daryl and Carol called it quits after only a couple of hours, I know it's because of me because they aren't anywhere near done. I had no ground to stand on when it came to telling them they shouldn't stop. Daryl just gave me this look that I know was full of disappointment.

Merle shuts the gate behind us as we pull into the driveway. I instantly look for Sophia, I spot her kneeling on a blanket on the other side of the driveway. She has a big smile on her face, and it reaches her eyes so I really hope that means nothing went wrong when the two of them went out.

"You weren't gone long, thought ya wanted to use as much daylight as possible".

As soon as I've climbed off the bike Daryl is swinging his leg over. He snatches his crossbow off the back. "Yeah well..." He side eyes me before glaring back at his brother. "Plans change, some of us were putting us at risk". Well that was the most obvious this is your fault I've ever heard.

I scoff angrily at him. "You have got to be kidding me". I take a step backwards, away from him. "You deciding to come back was not on me. I didn't make that decision, I didn't push for it I didn't even ask".

"We shouldn't 'ave even been out there in the first place". The loudness of his voice startles me but I don't back off as he steps up to me. "You lyin' to me could have got one of us hurt or killed".

"You aren't listening to me. I didn't lie to you".

"You 'ave got to stop makin' stupid decisions..." I flinch at how low his voice has gotten "...Because if you get someone killed because you think ya've got somethin' to prove then..."

I don't let him finish, I've spun on my heel and am walking as fast as my legs can carry me back in to the house. I shut the door behind me but don't stop until I'm upstairs and in the bedroom we shared last night. I don't want to hear how that sentence was going to end, I don't want to hear him say it. If I had I have no idea what would have happened. Would I have just cried or would one of us have left here, just stalked right out of that gate.

I drop down onto the edge of the bed and as I take in a deep breath and let it out again, silent tears starts rolling down my cheeks.

He's been pissed at me before but it's usually just followed by the silent treatment and then we talk it out and apologise to each other. We explain to each other why we acted like we did but he has never said anything like that before.

A quiet knock breaks through the silence. I rub at my cheeks, "Yeah?"

Carol steps into the room and closes the door behind her. "I'm sorry".

A puff of air leaves me. "You didn't do anything, didn't you hear him. It was all my fault." I let my hands slap against my thighs, "My fault? Nothing even happened, nothing even went remotely wrong".

She comes and sits next to me. "You were sick, and then to find out it wasn't the first time today and you didn't tell him, I think he's just very worried".

"I didn't tell him because I was, I am fine. I really am. I'm not lying".

She places her hand on top of my own. "I know I believe you".

Now. She didn't earlier. The only one who willingly accepted my answer was Merle but that was probably more about him not actually wanting to talk about it.

"He stopped, he didn't say it". She's trying to make him sound less like an arsehole but that isn't how it works.

"Because I walked away from him."

"You know he doesn't mean it".

That I roll my eyes at. "That man thinks about every word he says, there's no way it was an accident, a slip of the tongue."

"Come on, why don't you come back downstairs, try and eat something".

I pull my hand away from hers. "I'm tired. I think I'm just gonna try and get some sleep".

She gets up and opens the bedroom door, but before leaving she looks at me over her shoulder with a small smile. "It was probably my driving that made you sick."

"Yeah probably".

I'm not sure how long I slept for, I mean it's dark outside the window but I did not go to sleep easily. I laid awake for a very long time. He never came up to me, I knew he wouldn't but I was holding out some hope.

I slip my feet into my boots but I don't put on my big outer jacket because I can hear them downstairs, they're in the house. I'll just use a blanket so I have this if I need to go outside. My mum always used to say that if you wore your coat inside you won't feel it's benefits when you wear it outside. I guess it's true but I don't think I have ever listened to that piece advice, or parent wisdom, before.

I know they hear me as I walk down the stairs, the limp and wooden floors makes it very difficult to move around silently, because the talking I could hear coming from the front room has stopped. As I move into the doorway Merle smiles at me from his position on one of the sofas.

Sophia is sitting on the other one and when she notices me looking at her she grins and then pats the space next to her, sending a cloud of dust to fly up. She wafts her hand around to try and disperse it.

Daryl is sitting on a chair by the bay window. The curtains are closed and taped to the wall so we can have a little lantern lit in the room but he's got a small bit untapped and is constantly looking out of it. You can see the gate from this window so at least no one is having to freeze outside tonight.

He doesn't look at me, not even a little bit and I have to admit that does hurt. I don't say anything , I can't, not with the other three in the room with us. Instead I go and join Sophia. As soon as I sit down she sharing her blanket with me and tucking it around my legs. She scoots in a little closer and places a book in my lap.

"Mum found this upstairs in one of the kids bedrooms." She shines her torch on the cover. 'flood and fang' Never heard of it. I flip it over and read the back, it looks like a story told in the point of view of a raven. I guess it's a book for her age group because I have never heard of it. "Would you read it to me?" I hesitate because I don't mind at all but we aren't the only ones in this room and it's a book that nobody else will be interested in.

I look over at Carol and Merle. "Only if you guys are okay with it?" Merle just shrugs whereas Carol smiles and nods. I stare at the back of Daryl's head but he acts like I didn't just ask anything. I sigh but then smile down at Sophia. "Well okay then but in the future I'm finding us a good book that we can get into and enjoy together".

She snuggles in closer, forcing my arm over her shoulder, I then open up the book and start reading.

I don't read many chapters because she's soon snoring away. Carol takes the book away from me so I can lay Sophia back on the sofa and cover her over properly.

"What would you like to eat?"

I shake my head, "No, nothing. I'm good. I've got some crackers in my bag. I think they're the best bet for today. Just in case, you know." I honestly feel perfectly fine however the thought of eating something heavy does make my stomach turn a little.

Carol frowns at me and looks like she wants to say something but she seems to choose not to. Daryl huffs from his position by the window but he still hasn't turned around. I keep my mouth shut. I'm not going to argue with him.

"Actually, I'm just gonna go outside. I have to pee".

In my hurry to get out of the house I end up forgetting my coat but I'm not going back for it.

Around the side of the house Merle dug us a little hole that we could use. Nobody wanted to use the toilet and then have it stinking up the house after someone, mainly Merle, had used it.

Once I've peed I walk back to the front and have a moment of hesitation when I spot Carol waiting for me, she has my coat.

"You okay?" I ask as I slip my coat on.

"Yeah, I just... I need to talk to you about something and I didn't want anyone else to hear".

Okay, I'm worried. I know that look on her face, it's pure pity.

She takes in a deep breath but when she lets it out it sounds uneven, shaky.

"Merle talks to me, he tells me things especially when he's worried. And there's a couple of things he's told me about you."

I open my mouth but I can't think of a single thing to say. What?

"He doesn't tell Daryl everything because he understands there are things that aren't his to tell, so he tells me because he knows I won't say anything." She looks away to stare out the gate. "Daryl is still looking out that window so for this you might want to face the gate".

I do as I'm told but I don't understand what is happening. Her serious and tense voice is making me sweat inside my coat.

"Merle told me you have barely been eating. He only ever sees you take a mouthful or two before passing it off. He didn't want to cause a fuss because he just assumed it was because of us being out here, Nerves, but now you're throwing up, your tastes are changing and the car sickness. This isn't nerves."

No.

"Maybe you could just be sick but I don't believe that." Carol takes her hand out of her pocket and in that hand she's holding a box. She holds it out for me but I don't want to take it, I can't. This isn't real. I don't... "Please take it".

I reluctantly take it from her and stare down at the blue and white box held between my fingers. My legs and hands are shaking, my stomach is knotting worse than it ever has before and my eyes are stinging. I can't talk because if I open my mouth I don't know what sound will come out of it.

I could not name a single child's book from pre-2010 so I had to google it, this was the first one I saw so I just went with it.