Thank you so much once again for all of your lovely words and support for my little story! I know it says in the summary but I just want to make it clear that this will be an eventual Daryl/O.C.

For the moment I want to concentrate on showing how strong and independent Nikki is and letting you all get to know her character before she's paired up with someone.

Also, I know there's not much character dialogue from Nikki yet but that will change as the chapters go on and she starts finding her place a bit more in the camp.

Thanks again for your lovely words guys! I always appreciate the support!


I couldn't help but feel anxious as I followed the others back to camp. As much as I was determined to defend Daryl in the fact that he was nothing like his brother, both Dixons seemed to have a fiery disposition when anyone pissed them off.

Sympathy also racked through me as Daryl called out for his brother as we walked into camp. Everyone else just seemed to look frightened.

"Merle, get your ugly ass out here, got us some squirrel, gonna stew 'em up."

To my relief I saw Daryl laying down his crossbow. Part of me doubted whether or not he would hesitate to use it on any of us once he was told about his brother.

"Hey Daryl, why don't you slow up a bit, I need to talk to you." Shane said, leaving his gun back in the jeep. Daryl turned at this, the dead squirrels swinging from the twine hanging on his shoulder.

"About what?"

I couldn't help but notice the rest of the camp were standing under the canopy of the RV. No one moving. My heart hammered in my chest as Shane walked slowly to Daryl, scratching his chin as he went. Dad also following closely, guilt clear on his face.

"'Bout Merle, there was a problem in Atlanta," A small frown appeared on Daryls face at this, he turned to glance around the camp, suddenly becoming uncomfortable with all of the eyes on him.

"He dead?"

"We're not sure." Shane muttered, trying to keep eye contact.

"He either is or he ain't," Daryl's voice was starting to raise.

"There's no easy way to say this so I'll just say it." Dad spoke up, I sucked in a breath as he walked forwards until he was in between Daryl and Shane.

"Who're you?" Daryl's frown deepened as he looked Dad up and down.

"Rick Grimes." I saw Daryls eyes flick towards where I was standing, clearly putting two and two together, maybe even seeing the similarities between my Dad and I. He only hesitated for a second, however before his anger seemed to seep back again.

"You got something you need to tell me?" I flinched as his words came out sharp.

"Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him to a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there."

"Hold on," Daryl muttered, walking back and forth in front of Dad. "Let me process this. You say you handcuffed my brother to a roof, and you left him there!?" His voice was quickly rising to a shout.

"Yeah."

I jumped as Daryl swung forward, his fist drawn back, ready to snap forward. Fortunately he wasn't able to make contact as Shane tackled him before that could happen. There was a sound of logs hitting the ground as T-Dog dropped the pile he was previously holding and rushed forward.

My breath stopped when I saw Daryl's hand shooting to his pocket as he jumped from his position on the ground.

"Watch the knife!" I called to Dad as he quickly jumped backwards as Daryl swung wildly at him. Daryls arm was suddenly twisted behind his back while Shane had grabbed him in a tight headlock.

"You best let me go!" Daryl spat as he struggled to get out of Shane's hold.

"Nah I think it's better if I don't." Shane lowered Daryl to the ground, the latter still struggling against the chokehold. "C'mon man, we can keep this up all day."

"I'd like to have a calm discussion on this topic, d'ya think we can manage that?" Dad asked as he knelt in front of Daryl, his head tilting slightly. For a second I had a flashback from my childhood, I was sitting behind the reception desk in the Police department, eating sweets that Karen, the lady who worked there had given me. Suddenly two cops brought in a man who was struggling to be held, Shane and Dad had appeared and talked him down between them. I could still see them both in their uniforms using these exact tones with the man.

The sound of Daryl hitting the grand snapped me out of my reverie, Shane having thrown him from his grasp after Dad had given him a nod of approval.

"What I did was not on a whim," Dad explained, trying his best to keep on Daryls level. "Your brother does not work and play well with others."

"It's not Ricks fault," Every eye in the camp trained on T-Dog as he stood looking awkward, doing his best to look apologetic. "I had the key, I dropped it."

"You couldn't pick it up?" Daryl spat, still panting on the ground.

"Well, I dropped it down a drain."

A short laugh escaped Daryls mouth as he stood up straight, grabbing a fistful of dirt and pegging it in T-Dogs direction as he went.

"If that's supposed to make me feel better, it don't"

"Well maybe this will," T-Dog hurried on. "Look, I chained the door to the roof so the geeks couldn't get at him, with a padlock."

"It's gotta count for something." Dad shrugged.

Sympathy flooded through me as Daryl quickly swiped at his eyes. Dixons didn't show emotion but I was pretty sure Daryl was doing his best to hold up that trait at the minute.

"To hell with all y'all, just tell me where he is, so I can go get him."

"He'll show you where he is." Both mine and my Dads heads snapped in the direction of where Mom was standing, her arm resting against the door of the RV.

"I'm going back." My jaw clenched at Dads announcement, we had only gotten him back and now he was leaving again?

Half an hour later I had my decision made. I changed into jeans and a vest top, the heat outside was too intense for much else. Converse on my feet to help with any running and my hair tied back.

My sickle was hooked into my belt and my preferred hand guns strapped to my other side. I made my way to where Dad, Shane and Daryl were stood.

"We left him like an animal caught in a trap," I heard Dad saying as I drew up level to them. "That's no way for anything to die let alone a human being."

"So you and Daryl?" Mom questioned from her place on a log, cutting up some of the mushrooms Amy had found the previous day. "That's your big plan?"

"And me." I spoke up, my voice determined.

"No." Dad, my Mom and Shane all said at once, each voice more stern than the last.

"Sorry but you're not getting a choice, I'm going." I shrugged, looking mainly at Dad.

"I don't want you out there, you're safer here, your Mom and Carl might need you," Dad spoke quietly to me.

"They have the rest of the camp to look after them, I've been on plenty of runs with Glenn, I know what I'm doing out there and I'm a good shot!"

Dad was staring me down, I could tell he was about to shake his head and tell me no one more time but before he could a voice spoke up.

"She's able," I turned in slight surprise to see Daryl looking at Dad. "I've seen her deal with 'em."

I turned back to Dad, my eyebrows raised. He sucked in a breath, looking between me and Daryl before nodding slowly. I couldn't help but smile as Shane threw his hands up in the air, looking more frustrated than ever.

When Dad was sure no one else was gonna argue he turned towards Glenn, looking at him expectantly.

"C'mon," Glenn groaned, sighing deeply.

"You know the way," Dad explained to him, pleading slightly. "You've been there before, in and out, you said so yourself. It's not fair for me to ask, I know that, but I'd feel a lot better if you came along, I know she would too." He finished with a gesture towards Mom.

"That's just great, now you're gonna risk three men and your daughter, eh?" My eyes narrowed at the pent up anger in Shanes voice.

"Four." T-Dog spoke up, Daryl grunted from where he was counting his arrows, his head shaking slightly.

"My day just gets better and better, don't it?"

"You see anybody else here stepping up to save your brothers ass?"

"Why are you?" Daryl asked T-Dog, still concentrating on his arrows.

"You wouldn't even begin to understand, you don't speak my language."

"You're putting every single one of us at risk, just know that Rick." Shane spoke up, the lines in his forehead deepening. "C'mon you saw that walker it was here, it was in camp. They're moving out of the cities, if they come back we need every able body we got, we need 'em here, we need 'em to protect camp."

"Seems to me what you really need most here, are more guns," Dad retorted, his head tilting as he surveyed Shane.

"What guns?" Shane asked.

"Six shotguns, two high powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left, I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed, it's just sitting there on the street, waiting to be picked up."

"Ammo?" Shane questioned.

"Seven hundred rounds." Dad shrugged, Shane dropped his head, shifting his weight from left to right.

"You went through hell to find us," Mom spoke up. "You just got here and you're gonna turn around and leave? Take Nikki with you?"

"I don't want you guys to go." Carl announced, my heart clenched at how small my brothers voice was.

"To hell with the guns," Mom continued. "Shane is right, Merle Dixon? He's not worth one of your lives, even with guns thrown in?"

"I owe a debt to a man I met and his little boy," Dad explained, talking quietly. "Lori, if they hadn't taken me in, I'd have died. It's because of them that I made it back to you at all, they said they'd follow me to Atlanta, they'll walk into the same trap I did if I don't warn them."

I sighed deeply, seeing a sheen of tears in Moms eyes. If Dad felt he owed someone, there was no stopping him. She knew that as well as I did.

Looking over to Glenn I tried to smile positively, he was looking a little green at the thoughts of going back to the city so soon after they had escaped.

"We'll be okay," I assured him. "We always come back."

"Don't use my line on me." He joked, managing a small smile.

When I saw Dad getting ready to go to the cars I made a beeline for Carl, bending down to give him a hug.

"We'll be back, squirt, don't worry." He nodded into my shoulder before letting me go.

"You be safe, stick with the others." Mom warned, squeezing me tightly.

"I always am." I smiled, pulling away from her grasp.

Walking to where the large truck was sitting, Glenn in the driver seat, I opened the passenger door and jumped in.

"What do you think are the chances of us saving Merle?" Glenn asked quietly, glancing to the back of the truck where Daryl was pacing up and down.

"Hopefully good, I don't like anxious Daryl."

Just as I finished my sentence Daryl's foot appeared between mine and Glenn's heads, pressing down on the horn repeatedly.

"C'mon let's go!" He shouted to Dad and T-Dog.

"Hey Dixon, make a little more noise, the walkers in the city might not have heard that." I rolled my eyes as Daryl shot me a look but continued pacing rather than saying anything.

Dad jumped into the seat beside me, loading his python with fresh rounds. I heard the shutters close in the back, signaling that T-Dog and Daryl were ready to go.

As Glenn took off Dad placed his hand on my knee, I looked up into his anxious face.

"You make sure you don't get hurt, whatever happens." He spoke quietly, a stern look on his face.

"We all have each other's backs, that's how we survive on these runs." I nodded, gripping his hand tightly.

The drive into the city was bumpy. The roads were eerily quiet. No one spoke as we all concentrated on whatever tasks could lay ahead of us.

When we reached a train track Glenn started to slow the truck, letting it rumble along the tracks.

"We walk from here." He announced as we came to a stop.

We all hopped out of the truck and jogged lightly down the track. Checking around us as we went for any form of movement or sound of a growl.

We followed Glenn to a wire fencing which already had a small opening cut into it, almost like a door. He unfastened the holding on it and rolled it over on itself so that each of us could squeeze through.

"Merle first, or guns?" I asked as we filed out onto the road.

"Merle, we ain't even having this conversation!" Daryl growled, glaring at me heatedly.

"We are," Dad countered back before turning to Glenn. "You know the geography it's your call."

"Merle's closest," Glenn panted as we continued jogging. "The guns would mean doubling back, Merle first."

We skimmed along the tall buildings in Atlanta, keeping as close to the walls as possible, needing to duck behind abandoned cars now and then.

At one stage a walker almost came too close, I tightened my grip on my sickle as I watched it limping past. Before I could react a hand tipped my wrist, glancing to my right I saw Daryl shaking his head.

I was almost afraid to breathe until Glenn opened an alley door into one of the compartment buildings and we quickly filed in.

It was dark inside, we went one by one, it felt like all of my senses were on fire as I followed Dad and Glenn through the building, Daryl and T-Dog bringing up the rear.

As we walked through the compartment store Dad held up a hand, signaling for us to stop before pointing at a woman that was wondering around the floor. Her hair almost looked as if it was rotting and her clothes were tattered. The unmistakable stench of death rolling off her.

"Damn," Daryl muttered, stepping forward and lifting his crossbow. "You are one ugly skank."

The walker fell to the ground as an arrow pierced through the skull, Daryl ran forward quickly to retrieve it from the corpse.

We continued across the room to the flight of stairs that lead to the roof.

My heart hammered in my chest as we climbed the steps two at a time. What sight would meet us at the top? I couldn't help but glance at Daryl as he ran slightly ahead of me, I didn't know who I was praying to in this life but I just hoped someone up there was listening and had kept Merle Dixon alive.

A slight ebb of relief washed over me as I saw the chain and padlock still secured around the door. T-Dog was right, no walker could break through it.

Daryl kicked open the door, shouting for his brother. As we all walked onto the rooftop confusion swept through each of us.

The door was secure from the other side, but there was no Merle up here?

A wave of nausea swept over me as Daryl let out a frustrated howl.

Everyone had stopped in their tracks to look to the place where Merle had been handcuffed to the piece of metal.

Merle was gone, but his hand had been left behind.