Hi Everybody! Thank you to all of the new fav's and reviews toward this story. I have been crazy busy with work, but I wanted to get something out to you, even if it is a shorter one. Hope you like it!
"Sophia?" Daryl said softly, surprise overtaking him at the sight before him. The little girl he knew from the camp was curled up into a ball, shivering and hiding her face in her knees. Not wanting to spook the girl, he thought for a second 'What would Beth do in this situation'. Slowly he knelt down, so he was level with the frightened girl and spoke as softly as he could.
"Sophia. Do ya remember me? My name is Daryl. I was in the group you and your Momma was with" he held his breath after he spoke, hoping the girl would calm down some. Slowly, after what felt like forever, she turned her head slightly, looked at him and nodded her head.
"Good, I'm goin' ta pick ya up now, so don't be scared ok. I'm gunna take ya back to where I'm stayin' with Beth. You remember Beth right? The pretty girl that sang to ya by the fire" He said as he slowly leaned forward to take the girl in his arms. As soon as he touched her, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck with a strength he didn't think she would have for a kid that weighed almost nothing. He thought for a second to check her for wounds and bites but thought against it, deciding that Hershel and Beth would be better at doing that than him. He also wondered what happened, how she got out here in the middle of nowhere, but those questions could be left for later as well. He knew that none of the group was out this way, he had not seen any sign of human activity. He secured the frightened girl in one arm, softly whispering that it would all be ok, kept the crossbow ready to fire in the other arm and headed back toward the farm.
Beth and Maggie were out on the porch, cleaning vegetables from the garden when Maggie spotted something in the distance.
"Looks like Daryl is carrying something. Wonder what he got?" She asked as Beth stood and placed her hand above her eyes to cover the glare from the sun.
"Oh my goodness" Beth breathed out as she was able to make out Daryl and his bundle. "Daddy, come quick" she called into the house and took off toward Daryl, Maggie right on her heels. She vaguely made out the sound of the screen door opening and shutting, her mind totally on Daryl and the little girl he was carrying.
"Daryl, oh my god. Where did you find her? Sophia? Is she ok?" Beth asked, gently stroking the hair of the little girl now asleep in Daryl's arms.
"I don't know. I found her hiding in a bush in the woods. I don't know how she got there or where her Momma or the group is. She was scared to death, so once I got her to let me pick her up I brought her right here. I thought you or your Daddy could check her out." He said gruffly, meeting her beautiful blue eyes with his. She nodded her agreement as Hershel reached them.
"Let's get her inside Daryl. What's her name?" Hershel asked as he led the way back into the house and toward the main floor bedroom, which was his.
"Her name is Sophia. She was in the group that Beth and I had left. Her Momma's name is Carol. Got no clue what she was doin' out this way. Last time we saw them they were headed toward Fort Benning" Daryl said, as he laid her down on the bed and stood back, letting Beth and Hershel look her over.
"Well she seems ok. She is exhausted and malnourished with a few bruises and scrapes, but nothing else." Hershel said, causing Beth and Daryl to release breaths they didn't know they were holding. Beth stood back up from the bed and turned to him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it tight. He returned the gesture as she kept hold of his hand and turned back to watch Sophia sleeping. They stood watching the little girl, until her Daddy and Maggie had both left the room. After a few moments she turned to look at Daryl, worry plaguing her beautiful eyes.
"I wonder how she got out there all alone. Where is everybody else?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on, silent tears running down her face. She knew she shouldn't but she felt so safe in his arms.
"I don't know Beth. Gunna have to wait till she wakes up to find out" he said in a gruff voice as he held onto her. She pulled back and looked up at him and nodded in agreement.
"Why don't you go and get cleaned up, grab something for lunch since you missed it. I'm gunna sit in here with her in case she wakes up. I want her to see a familiar face. It had to be so scary for her" she said as she turned and looked at Sophia. She felt Daryl move one of his arms from around her and then felt his finger on her cheek, wiping a few stray tears away. She looked back up and smiled at him, then took his hand into hers and squeezed it. He squeezed it back and then turned and left the room, casting one last glance back at Beth and Sophia before he exited the door. Beth smiled at him and then turned and sat down in the chair beside the bed, taking Sophia's small hand into hers and started to softly pray, thanking God for putting Daryl on the path today that led him to Sophia. She also prayed that the rest of the group was ok. She hoped when Sophia woke up she could tell them what happened.