Thank you to everybody who has stuck by me with this story and my other ones. I swear that they are not abandoned, just put on hold. Hope you like this chapter!

Beth was holding Sophia's hand later that evening, wondering what happened to the little girl, and how she got out into the woods by her house when she felt a slight squeeze from the small hand in hers, causing her to look up in time to see the little girl in questions eyes flutter open. She saw the panic there until her eyes locked onto Beth's and then recognition set in. The tears started as soon as Beth moved to sit on the bed, Sophia moving into her arms and sobbing into her chest. She heard the door open and turned to see Daryl and Hershel come in, Maggie hanging back at the door.

"Shhh…..its ok Sophia. Your safe now" Beth said softly as she ran her hands thru the girls sandy blond hair. She felt Sophia calm as her sobbing slowed down.

"Can you tell us what happened? How you got in the woods?" Beth asked her quietly as she pulled her away just enough to look at her face. She felt the bed dip beside her and she didn't need to turn to know that Daryl had sat beside her. She would have known anyway, but the way that the little girl that had been in her arms had already moved and was now crying into his chest was also a dead giveaway. Daryl looked up and met Beth's blue eyes with a look of shock and worry. He didn't know how to deal with a crying girl, so he just did what he saw Beth do and ran his hand down her hair.

"Can ya tell us what happened Sweetheart?" Daryl asked softly, grateful that Beth, Hershel and Maggie were there but he also felt a little embarrassed that out of everybody, the scared girl clung to him. He didn't understand that, not when the other three were in the room too. 'Prolly cuz I found 'er' he thought to himself as he waited to see if she would answer. After a few moments a small voice broke thru of the sobs.

"We stopped on a road" *sob* "there was a bunch of cars" *sob* "we were all looking thru them when a bunch of those things came thru" *sob* "I hid under a car like Mr. Grimes told me too" *sob* "I moved before I was told too and one of them saw me so I ran into the woods" by this time she was calming down some but she still clung to Daryl. "Mr. Grimes found me, but there was 2 of them around us. He told me to hide and so he could distract them. I did until another one saw me and I ran. I couldn't find my way back. I want my Mom" she cried as she buried her head into Daryl's chest. Daryl looked up into Beth's eyes, seeing the tears building from the girl's story. He turned to look at Hershel and Maggie, the un-asked question in his eyes.

"From the way you came, they were most likely on the highway. There is a ton of cars stranded up there" Maggie said as she moved further into the room.

"Alright, I'll go in the mornin' on ta bike and check it out" Daryl stated gruffly, still running his hand down Sophia's hair. He felt another hand grab his feel one and looked over to see Beth smiling softly at him and Sophia. He grinned a little and turned down to look at the girl in his arms. "Ya hungry Sweetheart?" Sophia pulled herself away just enough to nod her head but did not release her hold on him, so he just stood and carried her into the kitchen, Beth and the others following behind them.

As dinner went on, all of them could see that Sophia was still exhausted so at the end saw a very sleepy girl being carried into Beth's room by Daryl. As he tried to lay her down on the bed, she sleepily grabbed a hold of his hand and tried pulling him into the bed. "Don't leave me" was spoken so softly but still loud enough for both of them to hear. He looked up at Beth and raised his eyebrow. She just shrugged as a reply. Bending down he whispered to the little girl "Ya sure you don't want Beth instead?" The reply of "Both" brought a smile to Beth's face as she came around to the other side of the bed and leaned down "Ok sweetie, I'll go get dressed for night first and then Daryl can go after me, so we don't leave you alone. How does that sound?" The reply of "Thank you" sealed their night for them.

When Daryl entered back into the room a few minutes later, he found Beth laying on one side of Sophia, the little girl clinging to her. When he slowly laid himself onto the bed, the little girl grabbed his arm and pulled it around her, so now she was cocooned in between them. He met Beth's eyes for a few moments, the unspoken words and emotions running ramped. He knew she was concerned for the group, but more concerned for him going out there tomorrow. He grabbed her hand in his and held on as both of them fell asleep.

"Please be careful" Beth said as she wrapped her arms around him the next morning. He took a breath, if he was being honest with himself he would admit that he loved the feel of her arms around him, holding him tight.

"I'll be fine, I promise" he replied in a whisper in her ear as he softly kissed her cheek. He didn't plan it, and that fact that clear when she pulled away and saw the panic in his eyes. She smiled softly and stood up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "You better be" she replied with a soft smile, the blush gracing her cheeks made him think she was even more beautiful.

"Ok, you know which way to go right Daryl?" Hershel asked as he, Maggie and Sophia came out of the house. Otis had gone out hunting a little earlier that morning.

"Yup, got it all down" he replied as he felt a pair of small arms wrap around him.

"Please find my Mom, Daryl" Sophia asked as she looked up at him.

"I'll do my best. If they are not where you left them, I'll look around until it starts getting dark and then head back" the little girl smiled at him and squeezed him tight. He looked up at Beth to see that she agreed with his plan. He could tell that she wanted to go too, but the bike would be able to get thru the traffic and if he found them, he wanted to be able to get Carol back here.

He nodded one more time at all of them and hopped on the bike, taking off down the road. Beth felt Maggie's arms wrap around her from behind.

"He'll be fine Beth, you know that" Maggie stated firmly.

"Of course he will. He's really brave" Sophia stated, the conviction in her voice caused them all to laugh a little. As they all turned back to go inside, the door slamming as something caught Beth's eye and she turned back around. After a moment she could make it out and almost froze on the spot.

"Oh shit! Daddy" she yelled at her father's retreating back as she ran down the front porch stairs, toward the man running toward them in the field carrying who Beth knew was his son.