Hey y'all! got another chapter done! And a shout out to BreenaBelle-xoxo, for leaving me, like, twenty reviews! Thanks girl! :)

Daryl strode through the streets of Alexandria, headed back towards the house. It'd just stopped a short but harsh thunderstorm, and he was soaked to the bone and cold- though his hid his discomfort well, simply sloshing back towards the house. Jamie had stayed behind today- she's been helping Maggie take inventory of some things, and he absently wondered if she'd join him for lunch.

A moment later he was nailed in the back of the head with something, and he found himself stumbling forward, shocked. His hand flew to his head, expecting there to be blood, only to come back slick with… mud?

He whirled to see Jamie staring at him, hands muddy, doing her best to look innocent while wearing a shit-eating grin.

What'd been anger only moments before turned to pride- she'd gotten good, to be able to sneak up on him. But there was no way he'd let her get away with it, and he did his best to look angry as his crossbow fell onto the grass of a nearby lawn.

"You got two seconds to run."

And run she did- she was sprinting down the road, screaming like a banshee. She jumped white picket fences, shrieking with delight as her father raced after her, vaulting hedges and sliding clumsily on the wet grass before regaining her footing and continuing to sprint.

The residents of Alexandria peered out of their screened-in porches and kitchen windows, shocked.

Daryl didn't notice- there was no way she was going to get away with nailing him with a mud-ball, and he let her make it halfway to the porch of the house before plowing into her.

There was a large patch of mud, and he, being the mature adult he was, slammed her face into it, grinning triumphantly. That'd teach the kid to throw mud at him.

She came up spitting, though, and caught him with a good right hook, and a moment later they were wrestling in the mud.

"That the best you can do!?" Jamie called out mockingly, before her shoved her face into the mud again. He was bigger, but she was a slippery little thing- she writhed out of his grasp, kicking out his legs from under him and climbing on top of him.

He rolled over in a brash move, pinning her beneath him with a knee on her chest, pinning her arms on either side of her head.

"Gotcha." was all he said triumphantly, before he offered her a hand up. "You're getting better- nearly had me."

The both looked up to see a crowd had gathered and was looking on in silence, shocked.

"What? You folks never seen a mud-fight before?" Carl spoke up, eyes dancing, from where he was leaning on the porch railing. He'd come out to watch the wrestling match- it'd been a long time since Daryl and Jamie had scrapped like that, and it was good to see the two of them play fighting like that.

"What's going on here?" the crowd parted as Deanna strode in, looking concerned. Her expression was concerned, but it shifted to confusion when she saw the two mud-covered rednecks standing on the lawn.

"Daryl Dixon! What've I told you about scrapping with her!?" Carol hollered from the porch.

"She was askin' for it!" Daryl protested, though his head was down like a schoolboy being scolded. Jamie, for her part, stuck her tongue out at him. He'd been scolded and she hadn't. Daryl shoved her lightly- the last thing he wanted was Carol pissed at him.

"Both of you- up here, now!" Carol ordered, arms crossed. But here eyes were dancing as she handed Carl the hose. "don't let 'em in until they're clean." she ordered.

"Yes Ma'am." Carl said, knowing if he did as she asked he'd get a cookie.

"Traitor." Jamie muttered, before he blasted her with the hose.

"I wanted to talk to you."

Rick looked up from where he'd been sitting on the bench, watching over the park, cocking an eyebrow. "About?"

"Daryl. I have some… concerns that need to be addressed. We're holding a meeting at eight tonight. Leave the kids at home."

Rick stared. "What is this about?"

"Removing Jamie from his care. He's not fit to care for her…."

"Daryl is Jamie's FATHER- I think he's more qualified than anyone." Rick said sharply.

"He endangers her on a regular basis-" Deanna sighed, looking up and seeing Rick wasn't agreeing with her. "Just come to the meeting." was all she said, before she was gone.

"I assume you all know why we caused this meeting?"

"Yes." Rick crossed his arms, looking upset. The room was divided into two factions- Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Maggie, Glenn, Carol, and Him, and Deanna and her people.

"After what we've observed, we feel it… best… that Jamie's removed from Daryl's care."

"Bullshit." Rick stated bluntly. "Daryl has taken care of Jamie since the start. He knows what's best for her…."

"Does he really, Rick?" Deanna spoke calmly, but her eyes were sharp. "She doesn't go to school, she drinks, he had her lead off a herd of walkers, and I've heard Daryl''s planning on taking her outside the walls for his job as recruiter. I can't allow that- it's a different world out there- Alexandria is a gift, it''s safety- what man in his right mind would want to take her out of it?"

"You people don't know jackshit about those two." Abraham stepped forward, mouth set in a hard line. "She don't school- what good does math do when you're fighting the undead? So what if she drinks a little- does being legal really matter when you could be dead by tomorrow? And if he wants to take her outside the walls, goddamn, let him. Jamie's stronger than any of you- she can handle herself."

"You keep saying that, but she's just a kid!" Deanna said, voice rising to match Abraham's.

"That kid has been through more shit than you can imagine- she and Daryl look out for one another…" Glenn started.

"Then why do they sleep in the same bed?" Deanna's eyes were hardened now, and the room fell silent dead silent.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Rick slammed his fist on the table, standing. "you know what we did outside the fence? We slept together- ALL OF US! Jamie, Carl, Abraham, Rosita- didn't matter! We were cold, and at the end of the day, it was safer just to curl up in a heap. She doesn't like being alone when she sleeps- she's a bit paranoid, and she likes to sleep with her father. I hardly see how that's an issue." Rick's eyes dared anyone to challenge him. Carol stood in the corner, arms crossed, giving everyone a murderous look as the candlelight in the room reflected off her eyes.

"He left her to lead off all those walkers…."

"And she did it, didn't she!? She KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING! It's a concept completely foreign to you people, but I've seen that girl take down more undead than you've even SEEN!" Maggie glared at them all, eyes burning. "You say he don't care for her- you didn't see him, when she got shot- he wouldn't leave her side, he stayed by her for days…."

"She was shot?" Deanna's eyes widened, and Maggie realized what she'd let slip as Deanna's expression darkened. "She was shot on your watch?"

"So was Carl. Accidents, attacks- they happened out there. They're alive- we took care of them. That's what matters." Rick deadpanned. "This is all a load of horseshit." he added, glare sweeping the room. "You say this is a democracy, but I don't see it. You're accusing Daryl and he's not even here to defend himself…."

"Go get him." Deanna ordered, and Glenn ducked outside into the night.

"Jamie's not like any of you." Aaron spoke up from the other end of the room, eyes hard. "She's strong- she's had to be. She can handle herself outside the fence. I wouldn't let her join us if she couldn't."

"She is twelve…."

"She's fourteen. Her birthday was in May." Daryl said calmly as he strode into the room. He was clad in his boots and jeans, as well as his vest. Rick had informed him as to what was going on, and he hadn't told Jamie. He'd left her back at the house, in bed.

"You think I can't take care of my little girl?" he asked seriously, starring Deanna directly in the eyes.

"You've made some arbitrary decisions." Deanna countered, not looking up either.

"Shoot. I can give you a reason for every one of 'em." Daryl said calmly.

"She's not attending school."

"Your teacher startled her and she nearly gutted the man. She figured she wasn't welcome back. 'Sides, she knows as much book learning as she'll need- won't do her no good to rot in some desk. Next?"

"She drinks."

Daryl nodded. "I let her have a beer at the party. It ain't gonna kill her- last I knew, there weren't no cops left to enforce the drinking age, and it seems kinda pointless. What's the harm in letting her have one beer? We could all be dead tomorrow- might as well enjoy life while you got it."

"It sets a bad example. Other children see her drinking and begin thinking it's cool…."

"Well, shouldn't that be up to their parents? Ain't my say in whether or not they drink- I only take care of Jamie. Next?"

Deanna still looked frustrated, but she continued. "You allowed her to head of a herd of walkers."

Daryl nodded. "I did. I knew she could handle it- if not, I coulda started shooting and got to her in a minute. That's longer than any of you'd last out there."

Deanna flushed slightly, but continued. "She was shot."

"Yeah, she was. Went hunting and got attacked- made it back to home base and got patched up, was on her feet again within a week. Shit happens."

Deanna frowned, frustrated with how he'd just brushed the allegation off like it was nothing. She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You sleep in the same bed."

Daryl's face darkened when he realized what he was implying.

"Yeah, I do." he said, face flushed with anger. "You know why? Cause I can't sleep without her! Out in the woods, she'd always fall asleep next to me- was how I knew she was safe. I could smell her- she smells like pine and dirt, and I could hear her breathing and know that she was still alive. It's a habit we got into, and she can't sleep without me either- we tried. She always ducks into my room, even if I can fall asleep without her, I wake up and she's in my bed. You wanna explain to her what the problem with that is? Cause there ain't none! You sick motherfuckers…." he spat, disgusted at what they'd implied.

"Any more questions?" his voice was quiet and deadly, and he glared at Deanna.

"You're going to risk her life, take her outside these walls, to help you recruit people. It;s a miracle she;s survived this long." was all Deanna said.

Daryl laughed- it was a humorless, dark laugh, and he gave them all a look so filled with pity and anger it was jarring.

"At least my girl's still alive." he got out, voice deadly quiet. "She didn't make it this far cause she's lucky- she made it this far cause she's smart. She knows how to fight. You got- what, five kids, in this whole settlement? There had to have been more- so tell me, what the hell happened to them? They got picked off, didn't they- some got bit, some got maimed, and some of 'em probably just up and panicked and died. Not my girl- she picked up a gun and she foguht to be here. So don;t you dare give me shit for how I raise my girl when your method of parenting got your kids killed."

One woman had begun to cry, and Daryl looked stricken, realizing he was right- these people had lost children to the undead.

"Walls don't last forever. Jamie can't forget what it's like to be out there- she can't forget how to survive. So yeah- I'm taking my girl outside the walls with me- and if you want your kids to survive, I'd start teaching 'em how to shoot."

"The walls are secure." Deanna said, sounding indignant.

"I don't doubt it. No walkers get in, that's for sure- but people are what y'all gotta worry about. Roaming groups of people- they see what you have and they wanna take it- we lost a good place like this to 'em. Lost a lot of good people that day- not jamie, though. She stayed by me and loaded the guns and we got out. I'm taking my girl outside the wall- anyone has any objections, say 'em now."

The room was dead silent, and Daryl nodded to Aaron. "We leaving tomorrow morning?"

Aaron nodded. "The bike is ready?"

"She purrs like a cat." Daryl confirmed.

"Daryl- if that girl doesn't come back with you…." Deanna threatened, eyes hard.

Daryl laughed. "If that girl don't come back here, I won't neither- I'd die fighting for her instead of coming home without her."

He turned, nodding to Rick, to his people- they;d stood up for him. He turned and gave Aaron a look- "See you in the morning." and he was gone.

Gray dawn came early, and Jamie sat on the back of the bike, waiting by the fence. The air felt heavy here- she could feel the tension in the air, like people were mad about something. She didn't know what.

Carl stood beside the bike, looking at her mournfully. She knew by looking at him eh could feel the tension, too.

"You know what happened?" she asked. It was like everything had changed overnight.

Carl shook his head. "My Dad wouldn't say anything."

They fell into silence again.

"I wish I could come with you." Carl said finally, looking uneasy. "I'd feel better outside the walls with you- we always watched eachother's backs…."

"I'll be careful. I promise."

Carl nodded, though he didn't look reassured. "Only a few days, right?"

She nodded. "Right."

The words were hollow, though- they both knew things could go wrong in a split second.

"Take care of Mo for me?"

Carl nodded, grinning slightly. "I'll make sure Deanna doesn't get rid of him. Though, he does smell terrible…."

"He can still catch a mouse." Jamie pointed out.

"Yeah, he can- he also mauled one of the kids the other day."

Jamie and Carl both smiled slightly at the prospect.

"Hey- he don't like being picked up." Jamie defended him, and Carl nodded. They fell into silence again, and Jamie looked up, suddenly reluctant, as Aaron came over, Daryl at his heels.

"Ready to go?"

She nodded, looking reluctant for a moment- a few people had gathered to see them off- mostly their old group. Jamie hopped off the bike and threw her arms around Carl for a moment, and Carl tensed slightly when he felt her slide something into the back waistband of his jeans. He quickly moved, and his shirt fell to cover whatever it was, and he forgot about it all together for a moment as he just hugged her- her chestnut hair tickled beneath his chin, and she smiled like pine and dirt, so vibrant, so alive….

She pulled back far too soon. "See you in a few days." she said simply, eyes filled with emotion, and he nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment to speak. She hopped on the back of the bike, then, arms around Daryl's midsection, and the bike roared to life, following behind Aaron's truck as they moved out of the gates. Jamie gave him one last wave, and he stood there long after they'd faded from sight.

He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Abraham. "She'll be back in a few days, son. She's strong- she'll be back before you know it."

Carl nodded, swallowing, before he convinced his feet to move. He felt whatever she'd slipped into the back of his waistband chafe familiarly, but he waited until he was upstairs in his room before he reached behind him, pulling out what it was she'd wanted to give him….

It was a revolver. Six shots, he set it on his bed, looking at it for a moment. It'd been awhile since he'd had his own gun- for some reason it made him feel safer, though, and he noticed a note in one of the chambers, pulling it out delicately….

He unrolled the scrap of paper carefully, eyes blurring with tears. In the familiar, scratchy handwriting, was written, Be safe. I want you in one piece when I get home. :)

He didn't realize he was crying until he realized he couldn't see the note through his tears anymore.

REEVVVIIIEEEWWWW!