Author's Note: Written for Day 28 of the 2020 August Fic-A-Day.

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In February, Buffy, Michonne, and Andrea were still moving from house to house in an attempt to keep safe and at least try and avoid the cold temperatures. As the apocalypse hit in the early summer, most people didn't have winter clothing readily available, but by going systematically from room to room they were able to find something to keep themselves warm.

In one of the houses, they had found wool underwear, winter boots, and a thick coverall which they bundled Andrea into to keep her warm and hopefully keep her from getting more sick than she already was. It worked and her health even improved a little. She wasn't healthy, but as long as she wasn't getting any worse they would take it as a win.

Dawn, Giles, Faith, and Andrew were still alive and doing their part to keep people safe, but their numbers were dwindling. Faith's group had nearly been obliterated during what should've been the Christmas holidays when someone died during the night, quickly reanimated, and began eating their way through the rest.

When they had gone to bed there had been over sixty living people but by the time all the walkers were dead and the new bodies had all had their brain destroyed, all that had been left was Faith and seven others. They'd been forced to flee their temporary camp.

Buffy's little group had avoided most of the people they had come across, usually with Andrea protesting. During one of her Slayer runs where she attempted to bleed off some of the excess energy she had come across a small barricaded town called Woodbury.

It had looked promising; the people inside appeared to be happy, healthy, and well-fed. But something made her hesitate, it also made her keep the information to herself. Over a week she spied on them at random times, listened in on conversations, and followed a man referred to as the Governor. He gave her the creeps even before she realized he wasn't the good person he pretended to be.

It was tempting to lead him and the worst of his people into a walker trap, but she decided to let it go. Killing humans was a last resort, and while this man killed innocent people he hadn't done anything to her or the two women she was protecting. There was also only one of her, and while she was sure Michonne would help, there was a good chance Andrea would want to join, and that just wasn't happening.

Instead, she leads her little trio away from the town, and the temptation of fresh food and better fighters. It does give her hope that there might be other towns elsewhere with good people in them.

In early March, they were camping out in what had been a small furniture store before the world shambled its way into a post-apocalypse. It wasn't ideal and they wouldn't be staying long, it was too open and easy to spot them. But for a night or two, it was okay as long as they stayed away from the windows.

She'd been running around for an hour when she suddenly spotted a man with a crossbow, and she stopped. Quickly hiding behind some shrubbery she kept an eye on the man.

Andrea had carefully described everyone in her group, just in case Buffy or Michonne came across one or more of them. The man in front of her was in his mid-40's, had short brown hair, a dark vest with wings on the back, and a crossbow that had instantly made her jealous. He fit the description of the hunter Andrea had called Daryl.

Deciding it was worth the risk, especially as he was clearly out hunting alone, she rose when his back was turned and walked slowly towards him. When she was about ten feet away she stopped and, for lack of anything more creative, said "Hi."

He jumped slightly but used the movement to turn around. At the same time, the crossbow came up and pointed right at her. She had very deliberately left the Scythe in its makeshift harness on her back to look non-threatening. Still, she raised both hands a little so he could see she wasn't holding anything dangerous in them.

"Who are you?" He asked suspiciously.

"My name is Buffy." His eyes narrowed even more. "Is your name by any chance Daryl?"

In place of a proper answer, he asked a counter-question as he very obviously adjusted his aim. "How did you know that?"

Buffy allowed her hands to fall back to her sides before she replied. "I've spent the winter with a woman called Andrea," he perked up a little. "She described everyone in her group to me, just in case I came across any of you while out hunting."

His aim didn't waver. "What does she look like?"

"Tall, blonde, light green eyes. Bossy attitude but hides behind others, and she used to be a Civil Rights Lawyer."

"Is she okay?"

"Kinda. She's sick and has been for most of the winter, but she's getting better."

"Where is she?"

"Somewhere safe, for now." Then she decided she might as well get the information Andrea would ask for as soon as she found out Buffy had been talking to someone from her old group. "Who else survived when the Greene Farm was overrun?"

"Rick, Lori, Carl, Carol, Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, Beth, T-Dog." Daryl listed them as if he was reading off a script.

Buffy nodded. "She'll be happy to hear that."

"You need to bring her back to us, as soon as possible."

"I can do that if you tell me where your group is staying, and if there are others."

It was worth a try, even if she doubted it would work, and she was right because the man snorted.

"Nice try, girly. Meet me here tomorrow, and if Andrea's really with you then we'll take it from there."

She smiled a little, "It's good you're cautious about your base. I approve, and we'll be here. Just tell your people not to harm us."

"No promises. Now leave."

That was rude, but she left non-the-less. She ducked behind some trees and then made sure he wouldn't be able to see which direction she left in. She briefly debated with herself to see where he went, but she had been out longer than she had planned and needed to get back. If they were going to make it, then they needed to leave early. The distance was short for her, but the other two women didn't move as fast as she did.