Some of you guys predicted Jamie would be mad and get over Carol being gone. But I'm not going to play t that way. Jamie just lost one mom in the outbreak, and now she's lost another. Not to mention she's been struggling to help in cell block A for the oast two days, and the fact that she's still a kid and still a little wild, are all contributing factors as to why she reacts the way she does. Just wanted you guys to keep that in mind, and please review!

Jamie stared at Rick for a moment, as though not sure what to say. A moment later she flew at him, ready to beat the shit out of him.

Daryl had known what she was going to do before she'd done it. He'd seen her tense, watched her jaw clench, and known she was going to lose it. And why the hell wouldn't she? Carol, the one who she thought of as her Mom, had been sent away by Rick. She was running on two days without sleep and her nerves were shot.

He'd had one or two seconds advanced warning of Jamie's incoming attack, and he'd debated weather or not to stop her. He was still angry, felt like Rick deserved a bit of it, but letting Jamie tear someone up and get even more distraught wasn't his idea of good for her right now.

So he moved forward at the last second, holding her back, pulling her into a bear hug as she thrashed and tried to break free.

"The hell are you doin'!? He threw out mom, Dad! He threw out mom!" tears were streaming down her face, now, she was exhausted and confused and she wanted Carol...

"Yeah, he did. But beating the shit outta him won't fix it." he said gruffly, trying to cover his own hurt. Jamie was still thrashing around, struggling to break free, struggling to choke back sobs as she fought. But Daryl held fast to her, until finally she couldn't struggle anymore and was left shaking, sobbing into Daryl's chest.

"C'mon." Daryl said simply, hefting her into his arms. Rick shot him a concerned glance- Jamie was normally calm, level-headed. He hadn't expected her to just lose it like that...

Daryl noticed his glance. Jamie's arms wrer wrapped around his neck and she was sobbing into his chest, and he met Rick's gaze sadly and spoke over her head. "She's exhausted." was all he said, before turning and heading towards the guard tower.

Thankfully, there were hardly any people. With the sickness everyone had been busy working, so he didn't have to worry about an audience as he carried her upstairs.

By the time she was upstairs she was too tired to cry anymore, simply clinging to him and shaking. Daryl looked down at her sadly. It was clear these past two days had been some kind of hell for her.

"'S gonna be okay, baby girl." though, truth be told, he was exhausted as well. He'd hardly gotten any sleep, between heading on the run to the university and worrying about Jamie. And without Carol here to lighten his spirits, everything was hitting home. Hard.

Jamie whimpered from where she was sitting. She'd already lost so many people in her life, how had she let another one slip away? She felt so powerless, so helpless, and was choking on sobs, now, though she had no tears left to cry.

Daryl sighed, pulling her onto his lap so her head rested on his chest. "Just go to sleep, baby girl. Things'll be better in the mornin'."

Daryl watched her the next day. She woke up and was silent before picking at her oatmeal. He knew she was hungry- they'd been running low on food while she'd been in cell block A, been rationing things. But she didn't eat.

Rick had, as promised, allowed all but the three sick people out of block A. Lizzy stalked over to where Jamie was sitting, while Mika stood a few feet behind her, staring at her shoes.

"Where's Carol?" she demanded.

"Rick sent mom on a mission- wanted to scope out other places, find survivors to come join us. She won't be back for awhile." she was surprised by how easy the lie came. She'd been wondering what she was going ti say to the girls, especially Mika...

Lizzy felt a hot flash of jealousy, eyes narrowing. "She isn't your mom." she said. Carol hadn't allowed her to call her mom, so she wouldn't let Jamie...

The survivors of the flu were watching the exchange, trying not to make it obvious they were eavesdropping...

"You can say whatever the hell you want- she's my mom." Jamie muttered quietly. And in her heart, she knew it was true. At the farm, when her leg had gotten infected, Carol had sat beside her and spoon-fed her soup, had looked after her...

Still, the starch had been knocked iut of her, and she wasn't in the mood for a fight...

"Why don't you go grab something to eat?" Beth suggested from where she was sitting next to Jamie. Lizzy gave Jamie one last glare before turning to grab her own bowl of oatmeal, and Jamie sighed.

Carl was trying to catch her eye from across the table, she knew, and she gave him a wane smile. He could tell it was forced, which just made him that much more worried about her.

She seemed like a shadow of what she'd been before the flu outbreak- where was that badass, wild girl he loved?

She kept picking at her oatmeal, and Daryl nudged her from where he sat on her other side. "Eat." was all he grumbled. He was still reeling from the events of the outbreak as well.

She lifted a spoonful to her mouth, feeling it slither down her throat. It was tasteless- instantly she knew Carol didn't make it. Carol would always sneak a pinch of cinnomen into hers...

She felt a pang and stood. She couldn't eat this, couldn't be here with them all without feeling the gaping hole Carol had left. She slid her mostly full bowl to Beth, turning and walking away.

"Where are you goin'?" Daryl called after her.

"Hunting!" she called over her shoulder, preoccupied. It was the only thing she could think to do right now, the only thing that felt useful...

She slung her quiver over her shoulder, grabbing her bow.

Daryl observed her in silence for a moment. He knew why she was going- she didn't know what else to do. Neither did he- normally he'd be with Carol.

"Be back by dark." was all Daryl said, before returning to his own oatmeal.

"You're gonna let her go alone?" Glenn asked, shocked. "After what happened last time?"

"Yeah. She wants to be alone." was all Daryl said before he stood. "She's takin' the East trail- I'll head out and take the North in an hour or so. God knows we could use some meat 'round here."

Carl stood, looking after Jamie as she disappeared into the treeline, fingering his gun nervously. He should go after her...

He turned, feeling Rick's hand on his shoulder. "Don't. Daryl knows what he's doing. He'll be nearby if she gets into trouble."

Carl nodded, trying to force himself to relax. But it was hard to act fine when half of him was beyond the fence, facing god knew what, without him.

Well, did you guys like it? I'm trying to show how everyone is dealing right now, not just Jamie, though she's definitely taken a oretty hard blow from all of this. I hope you liked how I played Jamie's reaction- the situation she's been put through and immaturity all factor into it.

NEXT TIME ON- LOST CHILD

Soul Searching in the Land of the Soulless

I PROMISE IF I GET SEVEN REVIEWS THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE POSTED SATURDAY. You guys can tell me whatever you want! You love it, you hate it, your cat died, the characterization is off- whatever! JUST REVIEW! :D