The second day on the road they found a small house to stay in. After searching it, Daryl and Rick made their way outside, back to the others.

Daryl was surprised to find Toby had come out of the RV. The day before, when everyone stopped to stretch their legs, she'd stayed in the RV.

He planned to check on her, but when Lori revealed that she'd been sleeping most of the drive he decided to leave her alone to rest.

Daryl gave her a lingering glance as he walked by, Carl was beside her, talking about where to sleep in the house. Toby was silent and had her head down, avoiding eye contact.

"Hey, what's that?"

Daryl kept walking, ignoring them.

"Did you get hurt?"

The second question made him stop and turn. When he did, he saw Carl eyeing Toby's arms right before she crossed them over her chest. Daryl had just noticed, that for the first time ever, she was wearing only a t-shirt, and nothing to cover her arms.

He narrowed his eyes at the kids, trying to decide if he should intervene.

He knew that Carl had seen the scars that littered the inside of her forearms. To him, they were obviously left by cigarette burns. He had to wonder why she wasn't covering her arms, it didn't matter to him whether she did or not, but he remembered the time she was attacked by Walkers and he pulled up her sleeves to check for bites. She'd always been so careful to hide her arms, she obviously wasn't comfortable with people seeing them. Daryl came to the conclusion that leaving the farm had her distracted, perhaps she'd had not been paying attention.

"I fell off my bike when I was six and hurt my knee," Carl shared, bending over to pull his pant leg up. "If you look hard enough you can still see it."

The comparison made Daryl scowl, then he was closing in without a second thought.

"Beat it," he spat, stopping in front of Carl.

Carl looked up with a startled expression, still holding his pant leg up.

Daryl stared at him expectantly, but Carl only stared in response, frozen in his actions.

"Carl!" Lori called, having seen the interaction. Carl slowly stood before going to his mother. Lori opened her mouth as she looked at Daryl, as if she had something to say. But the look Daryl shot her kept her quiet.

After watching them walked away, he sighed and turned to Toby.

"C'mere," he waved her forward, leading her to his bike where he had his bag. She stood and waited as he unzipped his bag and dug through it. After a moment, he pulled out a light brown, long sleeve, button up shirt and tossed it at her.

Daryl looked at her as she held the shirt, waiting for some response. Not surprisingly, she didn't give one. Daryl decided to return the favor, grabbed his bag and walked away without another word.

Everyone slept on the main floor of the house, laying out blankets and sleeping bags. He saw Toby after everything was set up for them, she wore the shirt but hadn't bothered doing the buttons. It was large on her, every so often she tugged at the hem of it by her neck to keep it from sliding down her shoulder.

After the first two days on the road, Lori had pointed out Toby's knifes around her thigh. To Daryl's annoyance, T-Dog agreed they should be taken away, after the way she acted toward Rick.

Daryl wanted to make a comment about how she still had Shane's gun, and if she wanted to hurt Rick she could have shot him. But he wasn't about to divulge that information, they all still thought he had it confiscated. Daryl didn't argue, not wanting to bother. He felt even more annoyed that they were making him take them away from her.

When he went to her to do just that, he found her carving an X into a tree with one of the knives.

"Still doin' that?"

She jumped and spun around facing him, holding up the knife defensively. She calmed down immediately as their eyes locked. She lowered her head and the knife, avoiding his eyes.

"Ya don't need ta do that. We gotta map, doubt we'll be circlin' this way again. Nothin' here."

Toby turned back around to continue her carving, acting as if Daryl was nonexistent.

He felt even more agitated then, agitated at the group for making him do this, when they were all just as capable, agitated with her for making this more difficult then it had to be.

"Y'know . . ." he started, but stopped himself, unsure of what he had planned to say. He wanted to take a soft approach. Try to get her to understand that it wasn't him doing this, and it wasn't to spite her. But nothing in his head sounded right.

If he really believed the knives were her only way to protect herself, he would've put up more of a fight with the others. But he knew she had Shane's gun, and possibly some more bullets. He wasn't sure but he doubted it was empty. If he complied and took the knives he wouldn't have to argue or listen to their lectures. It was easier to make them think she had nothing dangerous on her.

That thought made Daryl think harder for a moment. Was it really okay to let her have the gun? He knew nothing about kids, barely anything about her specifically. He had no idea what was going on in her head and with her being temporarily mute, he had no way to even guess or make any type of interpretation.

"We gotta talk . . ." he stopped himself again, wanting to bash his head against the tree. No they didn't need to talk, he needed to take the damn knives. What stupid words to use to someone who refused to talk or make eye contact.

"I have ta . . ." he let out a huff of frustration. Why was he so worked up over this? It wasn't his problem, why did he care so much about her reaction. It didn't matter how she would react, he had to do it. That was what he tried telling himself, he didn't care, he was just doing what he was told so he'd be left alone. "Ya gotta give 'em to me."

Toby froze her actions, after a moment, as if she was taking time to process the information, she turned around to him, still avoiding eye contact.

The middle of her forehead crinkled, Daryl swore he could see her mind whirling. She knew exactly what he was talking about, she must've seen it coming. He wondered if she would say something, if she would just ignore him and try to walk away, or run away.

Her top lip curled as if she would snarl, the anger so clear and evident, Daryl had to look away. She reached down to the black sheath of knives strapped around her thigh and pulled it off. Then she forcefully threw it at him.

It hit him in the stomach and he caught it. When he looked back up she was already walking passed him. Daryl tried swallowing his surprise as he looked down at what was in his hands. How had that been so easy? Why was he so worried? He felt stupid and embarrassed.

He turned and called out to her, realising something as she was storming away. "All of 'em."

She looked back at him with that enraged look, he watched as she shifted her hold on the knife in her hand until she held the tip of the blade between her thumb and index finger.

Daryl's eyes widened and he stepped aside just as she threw the knife in his direction. The step away was just a precaution, in reality the knife was really nowhere near him. Daryl turned to the tree, seeing that the knife had lodged itself a few inches below the X she'd been carving. He stepped closer to take a look, it was lodged pretty deep.

When he looked back at her she had already stormed away. Daryl felt the corner of his lips lift twitch upward as he yanked the knife out of the tree.

The first few weeks went by painfully slowly as the group adjusted to being out on the road again. They didn't have to worry about food, not yet. They had plenty of cans and the Greene family gifted them some perishables before their departure.

It seemed the number of Walkers were increasing in the area. Rick wondered if some of them were from the herd that flooded the town during his battle with Shane, but he wasn't sure.

Everytime they found a place to settle for some amount of time, the Walkers would always come, and they would make a quick getaway.

If they weren't able to find anywhere else, the group would sleep in the RV. Everyone except Daryl, if he wasn't on watch, he would sleep under or on top of the RV.

If they stayed in one place for more then one night, he would set up the tent, otherwise he didn't see the point. The nights he had the tent up, Toby would join him without a word.

They hadn't found any such safe place, nothing close. They'd barely even found supplies. Many places had been burned to the ground or completely cleaned out.

They thought over leaving the area completely, that would possibly be safer. But Rick wanted to keep Lori close to Hershel during her pregnancy. He wanted to find a place that wasn't too far, but save enough to help convince the family to join them. They needed the numbers, and with Hershel's medical knowledge and farming experience, it would all help the group greatly.

Daryl wasn't as focused on finding them their permanent place. He didn't have much hope that their was one. He kept himself in the present, thinking about where they should stay the night, or how long they had until more Walkers closed in. He focused himself on hunting and feeding the group so they didn't eat through all their cans right away. He even took the time to teach Rick and T-Dog a few things. Daryl also spent his time focusing on Toby, who was completely silent.

She hadn't said a single word since being out. Daryl tried giving her space, only talking to her every so often, hoping, yet not expecting to get a response. He was patient and didn't push the first two weeks, thinking that was all she needed. But once their third week on the road began, he was completely frustrated with her.

He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much, but he kept trying. He'd talk to her, ask her basic questions to try and at least coax a yes or a no. That wasn't working, he was lucky to get a nod or a shake of the head some days.

At first he thought it was just the shock of Shane, of being kidnapped and then watching him die. Leaving the farm and running into the danger of the Walkers must've added to the stress as well. There were times her behaviour scared him, so he attempted to take her gun away on several occasions, quietly so the others didn't know she even had it still.

The first time her face contorted into rage and she kicked him hard in the leg, the action was so quick Daryl had no time to expect it. He'd stared after her that day as she ran away from him and climbed up the ladder to the top of the RV. She refused to come down until it was time to leave the area again. He tried not to worry about it too much, at least she hadn't pulled the gun on him. He wasn't sure if she had any bullets left, and she wouldn't give him an answer if he asked.

The weeks went by and she hadn't even showed the gun, still no one knew she had it. Daryl's concern ebbed away. Even the times the Walkers got too close to the group, she hadn't pulled the gun.

Two months after leaving the farm, Rick decided Carl was ready to pitch in a bit more. He'd been working with him every so often, showing him how to take down Walkers quietly if needed, and how to clear a house properly without letting anything sneak up on you. Soon enough, he was clearing rooms and small areas without supervision, he was even allowed to carry a gun, much to Lori's disdain. But Lori understood that Carl needed to learn to defend himself and be prepared, so she agreed to it.

After Carl was experienced in lending a hand in keeping the group safe, killing a few of his own Walkers with little issues, and getting praise from the group, he became brave enough to suggest he could teach Toby. He went on with the same things Rick said when he wanted Carl to pitch in, saying she should have a chance and maybe giving her something to do would make her feel better.

Toby was sitting on the couch in a small house they were staying in at the time. She made no reaction that she even heard what they were talking about.

Nobody agreed with Carl, but nobody disagreed either. They knew he was right, she should have a chance to prove herself and help out, she needed to be aware how to defend herself in tough situations. It was unfair to judge her based on her actions during a traumatic event.

Rick pulled Daryl aside that same day to speak to him in private, "what do you think?"

Daryl played dumb, unsure of what he should really say, "'bout what?"

"Toby . . . having a gun. Helping out."

Daryl didn't respond right away, he waited and listened to Rick.

"Carl's doing really well, he thinks she can too. Not everyone is too keen on the idea. But with the way she's acting . . . has she said anything? At all?"

Daryl shook his head, "not a damn thing."

Rick looked away, whispering to himself, "What does that mean . . . ?"

Daryl, again didn't respond, knowing Rick wasn't asking him.

"Would she even defend herself?" Rick gave Daryl a serious look, "if the time came?"

Daryl returned the serious look, answering honestly, "I don't know. Half the time she acts like we don't exist. It's starting to really piss me off, the fuck does she want from me?"

Daryl blurted out the last part, he hadn't wanted to share how he felt about it. But he felt so angry and lost.

Rick looked away from Daryl, staring off into nothing as he thought it over. "I think she should do it."

Daryl's eyebrows rose, "Really?"

"You don't think so?"

"Well, I mean, yeah I do . . . just didn't expect it from you."

"What happened is on me, not her. Can't punish her for how she feels. Things got out of hand, she should not have been out there, if I had been paying attention, I could've prevented it. Dale tried to warn me."

Daryl pressed his lips together in frustration. When Rick put it that way, it made Daryl feel guilty. He wasn't even around when it happened, he'd left to check the snares because he was too impatient to wait for Toby. If he had waited, went to find her, had her go with him. He could have prevented it. Everyone made it clear that the only one Toby listened to and would stay around, besides occasionally Shane was Daryl, making her Daryl's responsibility. When Rick blamed himself, Daryl felt like he needed to punch him, even if it was partially his fault, Daryl was the one that left.

And that whole thought process made Daryl want to punch himself. He hated how attached he'd gotten, how much he felt afflicted by what happened and the way she was acting in the aftermath. She's just a stupid kid that got dumped on us, has nothing to do with me, was what he tried to force himself to think. But since leaving the farm, it wasn't working.

Daryl remembered Dale coming to him, telling him that Toby was with Shane, asking if he was going to do anything about it. Daryl did nothing, he knew now that he should've.

The memory of Dale's expression from that day was so vivid, that look of disappointment and hurt stuck in Daryl's mind.

"She ain't mine, not my problem."

"You're right, she's not."

Daryl let out a huff of air, trying to force away that day, but it only came back harder.

Watching Dale go, Daryl's eyes caught another's. Guillermo was standing just outside the door of the RV, watching Daryl. He wondered how much of the conversation he heard.

"The hell you lookin' at?"

"Not much." Guillermo responded simply.

"Sorry to interrupt but . . ." Daryl was pulled from the memory by T-Dog. "Can I put in my two cents here?"

"Haven't ya'll said 'nough?" Daryl threw at T-Dog. T-Dog had only just agreed with Lori a few minutes before that it wasn't a good idea, at least not yet. Daryl was annoyed that he was interrupting him and Rick when he'd already put in his opinion.

Rick raised a hand to Daryl, signaling him to calm down, "I know where you stand with this. I just need to hear from Daryl, he'll know better how she-"

T-Dog shook his head, "-I was wrong. I knew as soon as I said it, it felt wrong. She's defenseless enough. We should give her a chance."

Rick raised a brow, "are you . . . you've changed your mind?"

"Yeah. What happened wasn't her fault, heck, wasn't anyone's fault. We can't get mad how she reacted, she's just a kid. Who the hell else would know how to react to it? I still don't know what to think."

"I agree. Daryl?"

Daryl looked both men over for a moment, "So, what, I give her back her gun?"

Rick looked unsure, "not permanently . . . not yet. I know that doesn't sound ideal but we should see how she handles having it for short periods of time."

"We should give her a knife or something too. Show her how to kill the Walkers without drawing attention. Just maybe not the throwing ones." T-Dog suggested.

Daryl grimaced, he wanted to laugh. She'd had her gun this whole time and nobody knew.

Daryl nodded, "sounds good."

"You're sure?" Rick asked. "If you think she's ready we won't question it. Just need to know this is what you want to do."

"What I want?" Daryl blanched, not understanding. He decided to ignore it, "yeah, it's fine. Give her somethin' ta do other than mope around all day. Get her movin'."

"Alright then. We'll get some rest and get up early to check out those storage units, the area looks quiet, we'll see if we can find anything inside. Won't make a bad place to settle down for a few days, fences, and the units close. Me and Daryl will scope it out ahead of time, make sure there aren't too many threats. Then we'll all go together, have the kids help us clear the units. We'll see how she does."

T-Dog snickered, "good luck breaking it to your wife."

Rick's expression darkened. "It isn't up to her, she'll just have to swallow it and move on."

"Carl will be happy," T-Dog continued. "He was still going on when you guys left the room. Said they're going to make great partners, like you and Daryl."

Rick took that moment to peek into the other room, Toby was sitting on the couch, leaning her head was turned to carl who was sitting next to her. Rick couldn't hear what he was saying but knew his son was going on miles a minute.

He smiled a little, "He misses her. It's hard, their the only ones their age. Don't really have a lot of other options. They need each other right now."

"This could help her, I mean emotionally, getting her to do something. I'm sure Carl won't shut up until they start working together. Maybe this'll make her feel better." T-Dog said.

Daryl stepped in beside Rick, looking for himself, "don't get ahead of yourself."

"Daryl's right," Rick said, looking away, "let's see how she does and go from there."

The next day went nothing as planned. Daryl and Rick were supposed to scout the property of the storage units, making sure no huge threats were around, and then the children and everyone else would accompany them to scout the building and the units.

They never had the chance, as soon as they were ready to go in a large sum of Walkers surprised them turning the corner. At first they were walking together calmly, and the whole group froze, staring at them.

The Walkers had obviously heard the approaching vehicle when they arrived and were following the direction of the noise.

"You've got be kidding me . . ." T-Dog exclaimed under his breath. There was nothing the group could do, they were spotted almost immediately.

"Hurry!"

The gates to the garage units were still chained closed.

"Mom!" Carl let out a fearful tone.

"Move!" Rick shoved T-Dog out of the way, before pulling his handgun out. The others stepped back just as he shot the lock. Rick pulled the chains off with little difficult and T-Dog helped him open the gates.

As soon as they were in, they had no time to even try and shut the entrance. The Walkers were getting closer to them very quickly.

They all ran together down the rows of storage units, and just as they turned a corner they all froze again.

More Walkers stood only yards from them. Rick contemplated trying to go through them, he exchanged a look with Daryl, who shook his head. Daryl knew what he was thinking, but they wouldn't be able to get through that, not quick enough, not with them agitated and they were already spotted.

The Walkers in front of them started lunging and snarling, pleased that food had been chased to them.

"This way!" Rick made the group turn around to go back the way they came. The other herd was still coming. They stopped, walkers closing in on all sides. Rick quickly rushed up to one of the units, but it was locked. Understanding his plan, the other started trying the other units.

"Aqui hay una abierta!" Guillermo called out. None of them understood what he said, but once they looked over they didn't have to. Guillermo had found an unlocked unit and was pulling the heavy door up.

Daryl got to him first and started pulling it up with him. The others hurried over and ducked under the door into the unit. Rick watched as his wife, child, and T-Dog ran in, then he held the door for Daryl and Guillermo to go.

Once everyone else was inside, Daryl held the door open for Rick from inside the unit. When Rick was in Daryl let the door go and it fell with a clash as metal hit the pavement.

"What the hell?!" T-Dog T-Dog threw his arms up in frustration.

"We circled the area," Rick shook his head in disbelief, "we only saw a few, how did we not know the herd caught up, they were miles behind!"

"They were different," Guillermo said in an oddly calm voice. "These is not the same herd we have been dodging."

"Son of a bitch!" T-Dog kicked a box that happened to be lying on the floor. The box slid across the room and fell over, a few things tumbling out of it.

"Know what that means?" Daryl searched Rick's expression, wondering if he'd come to the same conclusion. But Rick hadn't, so Daryl continued. "They could meet up. Walkers attract more Walkers, that herds just gettin' fuckin' worse."

Realisation clouded Rick's features. He ran a hand over his face in exasperation, and then the Walkers started banging on the door.

"We can wait them out, right?" Lori asked. "They give up after a while."

Rick met Lori's eyes but looked away quickly. He wanted to agree, to make Carl feel better, but he didn't have it in him.

"There wasn't that many," T-Dog tried to rationalise.

"Enough to trap us in a fuckin' box," Daryl shot back. Daryl took the moment to glance at Toby, he hadn't had a chance to really check on her that whole time. He was only able to give her quick glances as they ran, to make sure she was following.

She was leaning against the wall, still panting. But her arms were crossed and her expression was blank. But she looked fine. Whatever her fine is nowadays, Daryl thought.

"Oh, Shit!"

Everyone gasped when they saw the door shaking and lifting slightly, Walkers where sliding their fingers under the door, trying to lift it.

"Hold it down!" Rick ordered.

Daryl, T-Dog, and Rick stomped and kicked the dead fingers until they disappear. The three men leaned themselves against the door, pushing it down to keep it closed.

"This was supposed to be simple," T-Dog said through gritted teeth.

Daryl only scoffed, before turning to Rick, "what's the plan?"

Rick looked around the unit, trying to think of something. There was an empty bookshelf, and a few boxes, but nothing to help them.

"Dad! What about that?"

Rick looked up to where Carl was pointing.

He'd caught T-Dog's attention as well, "that a vent?"

Guillermo stared at the metal grated square in the ceiling, "could we . . .?"

"We won't fit through that." Daryl answered.

"Sometimes those spaces are bigger than the openings, maybe . . ." Rick trailed off, staring at the vent. "Guillermo, come help for a second, I'm going to check it out."

Guillermo, obeyed, taking rick's place at the door.

Rick glanced at the empty bookshelf at the other side of the unit. He went over to the bookshelf and started dragging it across the floor.

Daryl left the door to help rick, together they leaned the shelf against the wall right below the vent. Both of them kept glancing at the door, making sure the two men were able to hold it themselves.

Daryl started stepping up the shelf, it wasn't very stable so rick held it in place for him. The shelf creaked a few times as Daryl climbed up.

"Don't feel like this thing wants ta hold me," Daryl remarked. When Daryl reached the vent, he pulled the grate off with ease and threw it down, "watch it." Daryl said to Lori Carl as they took a few steps away.

Daryl placed his hands at the edge of the vent, using it to support him as he peeked through the opening.

"No," Daryl said begrudgingly as he jumped down from the vent. "Not gonna work. Too tight a' fit."

"Could I fit?" Carl stepped forward.

Daryl glanced at Rick, and Rick looked back at him expectantly. Daryl only shrugged, he was sure the kids would fit, but he wouldn't be responsible for putting that into their heads.

"Carl, no." Lori said.

"But I can help!"

"No," Rick agreed with Lori. "We don't know where those vents go, where you'll get out and what'll be waiting for you. Not happening."

"But-"

"-Drop it," Lori told her son.

Carl looked down at his feet in disappointment.

"They're opening it again!" T-Dog yelled.

"Estamos jodidos!"

Rick and Daryl rushed back to the door. Rick shoved Guillermo out of the way, telling him to stay with Lori and the kids. Guillermo stood back slowly, staring at the door.

"Any other ideas?" T-Dog grunted.

"Rick, what do we do?" Lori pleaded for her husband to have an answer.

Rick was quiet for a long time, trying to think of something. The stares from the group finally wore him down, "I don't know . . ."

"RICK!"

"I know, Lori! Don't you think I fucking know?!"

"No! That's not-STOP!"

Rick turned his head around, trying to see what Lori was yelling about. He turned his head just in time to see her reach up to try and grab something above the bookshelf. She missed by a few inches, and the small leg with a barefoot disappeared into the vent.

"DARYL!" Rick yelled as soon as he understood.

"What?!"

"She went in the vent!"

Daryl furrowed his eyebrows and turned to look behind him into the unit. Lori was still standing in front of the bookshelf, yelling. Then he saw the red boots left on the floor. "She fuckin' did not!"

"Go!" T-Dog yelled, "we got this!"

"'I'll hold!" Guillermo moved forward to take Daryl's place at the door.

Daryl looked over at Rick, unsure.

"GO!" Rick yelled back. "Get her out of there!"

Daryl didn't hesitate again, he bolted toward the bookshelf and called her name out harshly. "Get back down here! Toby!"

Unsure of what else to do, Daryl kept calling, he couldn't see or hear anything else other then the grunts from the men trying to hold the door closed and the banging and snarling from the Walkers. Daryl shifted his position, trying to see through the vent, but he couldn't. He tried to think of anything else he could do but his mind came up blank.

Daryl began to panic, they had no idea where those vents led to and what could be on the other side. The vent could lead her straight into another herd. Daryl quickly placed his foot on the lowest shelf and began to force himself up the shelves. When his foot landed on the third shelf from the ground, just as his head was about to peek through the vent, there was a low and ominous creaking noise before a loud SNAP!.

The shelf under Daryl's hand and the other under one of his feet, collapsed and broke off the shelf, causing Daryl to fall backward and the shelf to fall forward.

Daryl laid on the cement of the storage unit, stunned for a few short moments.

"Daryl?! You alright?"

He wasn't sure who asked, but as he began to shove the shelf off of him he saw Lori and Carl were helping.

"Are you hurt?"

Daryl shook his head and stood up, the bookshelf was cheap and weighed almost nothing, at most he was a bit bruised. As he stood, he looked back up at the vent. "What the hell!"

"What do we do?" Lori asked frantically.

"I can't fit through there, and she either can't hear me or she ain't listenin'."

"Let me go!" Carl practically begged, "just lift me up I'll fit."

"No, we don't know where it goes," Lori disagreed without hesitation.

"I'll just get her out, I won't-"

"-I said no!"

"Someone give me a lift." Daryl said. "Gonna see if I can spot her."

T-Dog looked at the others, "you got it?"

Guillermo and Rick nodded, leaning all of their weight on the door.

As soon as T-Dog stepped away to help Daryl, the door lifted slightly. But it was enough that some Walkers got their hand underneath and started pulling. One of the hands grabbed onto Guillermo's foot and he started swearing in another language.

"Shit!" T-Dog jumped back into place, all three of them kicking the hands away to lower the door again, Daryl squeezed himself next to T-Dog to help.

"Shit that was close," T-Dog sighed once they finally closed it. "I think there's more of them."

"What do we do?" Guillermo asked, panicked. No one knew how to answer.

Daryl wasn't listening, he was staring at the vent. HIs stomach dropped when the realisation really hit him, Toby left, she could be out there. He contemplated opening the door, but there was too many of them, and they were cornered.

"Why would she go in there?" Rick questioned.

"Maybe she got out," T-Dog said. "All the Walkers are here so if she got out they aren't paying attention to her."

"Fuckin' stupid!" Daryl banged his hand hard against the door. "Fuck! Open the door!"

"What? Are you nuts?" Rick shook his head.

"There's too many!"

"They'll tear us dead before you can take shots." Guillermo agreed.

"Fuck!" Daryl yelled again. His mind was reeling, he wanted so badly to just pull the door open and start taking the Walkers down. Where the hell did she go? Why would she do that? She's dead, that stupid kid is dead. Daryl could see it in his head, her being jumped from behind, bitten and torn apart.

Then they heard gunshots.

"That a gun?" T-Dog's question was rhetorical. The sounds they were hearing were obviously gunshots, but they couldn't believe it. They hadn't seen another person since the Greene farm.

Daryl squeezed his eyes shut tight, trying to think of what he could possibly do, he knew something the others didn't. Toby still had her gun. He was going to use today as an excuse when she practised, pretend he actually did take it from her and was giving it back, they were never supposed to know she still had it. But he never had the chance.

Daryl knew the gunshots were coming from Toby.

"There's someone out there," Rick stated.

Before Daryl could even think to correct him, Toby started screaming. Daryl had never heard her scream before, he'd heard her yell, never scream, not in the horrible way she was at that moment.

"Oh, god," T-Dog exclaimed. His eyes met Daryl, there was so much fear and panic reflecting in his eyes. No one could do anything.

Guillermo was sobbing as he continued to push on the door. Daryl didn't know if he was crying for fear of death, for Toby, or maybe just because he'd heard gunshots. Guillermo had always had a strange reaction whenever hearing gunshots, he was still refusing to use a gun. The group guessed it was part of his PTSD from Atlanta.

Lori and Carl were hugging each other silently in the back of the storage unit. Carl had his face buried, but from the way his shoulders were moving, anyone could guess that he was crying.

Time seemed to stand still, none of them knew whether minutes or even just seconds had passed when the Walkers started to quiet down.

As the moments went by, they were making less and less noise. Soon the men weren't holding the door down as much as just leaning on it. And just as the Walkers ceased their clawing, banging and snarling, the screams had stopped too.

Nobody said anything, nobody moved.

You asshole, Daryl thought to himself, this is your fault, you let her go, you let-

Three loud bangs on the door made everyone jump. Everyone exchanged glances before looking back at a door, it couldn't have been a Walker, the bangs were almost rhythmic. They sounded more like a knocking then someone trying to get in.

When the group did nothing, three more bangs followed.

And that time the bangs were accompanied by a voice, "hello? This the right one?"

Daryl only hesitated for a moment, then he hurriedly reached down with both hands and pulled the door up over his head. Nobody stopped him, they only stood back and watched.

Right in front of the unit, stood Toby. She had blood on her face and in her hair. Blood spattered her shirt and pants.

Daryl said nothing at first, he could only stare. Then he saw her hands. In one hand, she held her gun, in the other she held a hunting knife. Both hands were so soaked in blood it looked as if she was wearing gloves. Daryl's eyes went back to the knife, before darting down to his belt where his knife used to be.

"You . . ." Daryl couldn't finish. In all the commotion before climbing up into the vent, Toby had taken his knife right from his belt. Toby handed him back the knife, he took it, still staring at her with a shocked expression.

The others stepped out of the unit with Daryl. Then he took a moment to look around. The Walkers were all gathered at the door of another unit several doors down. They were banging and snarling and doing their best to get in, same as they'd been doing to the one the group was trapped in.

Before any of them even knew it, Carl had launched himself onto Toby, holding her tight. Toby's eyes went wide in confusion and surprised, she glanced at the others, hoping for someone to offer some answer on what to do with Carl. But they all just stared, confused with the situation themselves.

"I thought you were gone . . ." Carl mumbled.

With much hesitation, Toby finally placed both her hands on Carl's back, her right hand still holding the glock, she just barely hugged him back.

"Let's get out of here," T-Dog said, his voice just above a whisper. He was still in shock.

Carl let her go and went to his mother, they started walking away from the unit.

"That was fucking ridiculous," Daryl muttered. "Don't take my knife again."

Toby looked up at him, finally keeping eye contact for the first time in months. She looked sad for a moment, and tore her eyes away.

Daryl shook his head and sighed as he began jogging to catch up with the others, "at least fuckin' ask next time."

The group ran together back to the RV, only a few stragglers from the herd followed, nothing they couldn't handle if they had too.

"Daryl," Rick slowed himself down to be side by side with Daryl. "When did you give her back the gun?"

Rick kept his voice low, so the others wouldn't hear, the only one close enough to hear besides Daryl was Toby.

Daryl met his eyes, unsure how to answer.

"She's had it the whole time, hasn't she?"

Daryl nodded, "yeah."

Daryl waited for a scolding, anything other than when he got.

Rick only sighed and said. "Don't tell Lori."

Just as the group reached the gates, they all stopped once again.

There were two figures standing in front of the RV. One was taller than the other, with much more muscle and dark skin. The other stood tall, but was much more thinner and lean.

They were very much alive.

SO SORRY this took so long. school has been busy and I just finished midterms. I know this chapter is kind of slow but I wanted to reflect a bit on the winter months that the show skipped. After the trauma with Shane Toby endured it felt wrong to skip 7 months of her grief and what the group go through.

I really hope you enjoyed this nonetheless

Thank you for reading, review if you can :)

- Penn