Warning: This chapter as well as future chapters will have DRAMA and lots of it. As well as evil Rick. Enjoy.

Also: Thank you SO MUCH to the people reading this and reviewing. Each one helps. Like I've said, I'm new at this and appreciate each comment and take each to heart and hope to use them to become better. Thank you. xoxo

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Snuff - Chapter Eight - Runaway

Nothing is easy when you're trying to survive the end of the world, but add the fact you're being blamed for a woman, a mother, a wife.. An innocent person's death.. Well, add that and you're just being cruel. No one had really said much lately, even less to Kira. She had moved from sharing a cell with Carol, to sharing one with Daryl. Mostly due to the fact she was now scared of Rick. In her mind, Rick had every right to be angry with her, even a right to want her dead. Kira had no doubt in her mind he was wrong, after all it was her who asked Carol to come along. Carol had repeatedly told the story time and time over, to both Rick and Kira. It was no ones fault but her own. She had gone, knowing full well she was needed, but she let her guard down. What had happened that short time they were out was still a mystery to the three, but from what they'd gathered from the few that spoke of it, Lori didn't make the delivery and Carl had to put her down for the safety of the group. That small face alone left Kira numb inside, but thanks to Daryl's stern warning of "cry again and I'll kick your ass" she was able to push it aside and continue to survive. Still, she felt horrible as to be expected.

Morning came, about a week after the incident, she woke up in the bed across from Daryl's to see his empty. He'd left her there to sleep, he'd noticed she hadn't been sleeping well anyway and figured she should get any sleep she could. So he snuck off to keep watch alone. This idea (as sweet as it was) didn't appeal to her at all, and she jumped up to follow out to do her duty to try and protect the camp she felt she'd ruined.

She put on the warmest clothes she had, which just happened to be some they had left over that no one else wanted and made her way out to the tower to help Daryl keep watch. On her way out though, a figure caught her eye. In the distance, cleaning his gun alone was Carl. She knew she should have just left him alone, but she couldn't help herself. She made her way out towards him.

He'd already seen her coming, and she knew if he didn't want to speak with her he'd walk off. But he stayed, looking up at her only when she spoke. "Hey" she said simply, not quite sure how else to start. He nodded her direction before continuing his cleaning. She knelt down beside him, searching for words. "Carl... I.."

She stopped suddenly when he spoke up, his voice sounding mature beyond his years. "It wasn't your fault. She.. She wasn't going to make it, even if Carol had been here. We all knew that. Even my dad." Carl's voice held sadness no child should know.

Kira shook her head "even if that's true. You shouldn't have been the one to.. Well.."

Carl looked towards her and smiled, it was a sad and empty smile but he attempted it anyway. "It's ok, really. I'm.. Kind of happy it was me.. She isn't suffering anymore, she won't have to see this horrible world anymore, be afraid.. Hurt.. She's better off."

"I'm sorry Carl.. I'm sorry.." Kira still said, she had to get it out. Even if the young boy didn't want to hear it, she still felt she needed to say it. She did feel responsible, because she was. Even if Carl didn't think it. She did.

Carl nodded once more, a sign she was done and needed to leave. She didn't want to upset him anymore, and anyway he needed his space. Kira stood and left the boy in peace. She felt a small bit of good getting that out. It didn't ease anything, but at least she knew Carl knew how she felt and that alone helped. It wouldn't ease the pain of feeling responsible or the awkward sadness her and Daryl shared as they stayed inside while the rest attended Lori's funeral. But still, it was a start.

She looked out in the distance, where the sun was finally coming up and the watch tower waited. By this time Daryl would be calling out for breakfast. She smiled to herself as she walked that way, enjoying the warmth of the rising sun. Things had to start looking up sooner or later, but sadly it wouldn't be today.

Halfway to the tower, gunshots sprang through the yard. Kira stopped in her tracks, staring ahead. It took only a second to register the shots had come from the tower before she began running that way, quickly followed by Carl. Another shot brought the group to a most fast paced run. In the distance behind her, she could hear Carol call out something, but it didn't register. The only thing Kira could focus on was getting to that tower.

Before they could get there though, Glenn was climbing out of the tower. "Glenn? Where's Daryl?!" Kira asked, trying to catch her breath as she reached him.

"He's outside!" Was all Glenn said before rushing towards the cut out in the gate where he opened it up and rushed out. Kira and Carl on his heels. They followed him only a few steps before the sight on a body in the distance caught their eyes. Kira rushed her speed, fear pounding in every beat of her heart. She pleaded with every thought for the figure to just be a walker, and it was... However the one behind it was that of Daryl.

She fought back tears and 'girly emotions' as Daryl would have called them had he been conscious to do so. "What happened?" Carl questioned as he and Kira both began to scan the area for danger, as well as Daryl for bites.

"He went out to hunt, we switched places... He was on his way back with a kill when this walker jumped him. He didn't have enough time to grab his bow and.. I shot.. I... I missed.." Glenn struggled with his words. By this time Carol had gotten help and they were met by Rick who immediately took action.

"Is he bit?" He asked, helping Carl and Kira lift Daryl's body. But in doing so he shoved Kira out of the way.

"No, he's not bit but I shot him" Glenn replied reluctantly.

"Glenn, help me get him back inside. Carl, take watch." Rick replied without missing a beat. Carl rushed off to do as he was told, as did Glenn. The two effortlessly got Daryl back through the gate and indoors where they rushed him to his cell.

Carol followed them, quickly looking Daryl over. "He's got a nasty bump to the head... I take it he hit something going down, and.. A gunshot would to the arm?" She questioned looked towards Glenn.

"He was getting attacked, and you know how he is! He was squirming and stuff.. I missed my first shot! He hit the ground, and I got the walker on the second try, dead center of the head!" He said, as if the point of shot would make up for the fact Daryl had a bullet in his arm.

"Why was he out there alone? Where was his backup?" Rick replied, looking right at Kira.

She gulped a bit, stepping back simply so Carol could do her job. "Everyone out. He's going to be fine, but I need space and quiet." Carol said, not even noticing anyone else anymore. She was that way with Daryl, the fear and worry on her face outweighed even Kira's.

"Everyone out" Rick said, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Thus causing people to let their guards down. Especially the young woman. He made his way to the cell down where Maggie was with Hershel and the baby.

Everyone went their own ways, Glenn back to watch and Carl back to cleaning guns inside. Kira however made her way outside, trying to find a way to be useful but only feeling overwhelmed. She couldn't imagine losing Daryl. Even the short time she'd known him he'd been her best friend. In an awkward, sort of way. She had to find a way to keep herself busy.

She figured she was alone, and decided to take the time to clean some kills, but her instincts were way off because before she could turn around to react to the sound of someone creeping up behind her, her back was against the wall and her throat in someone's hands.

She gasped loudly, trying to call for help but finding it difficult with the pressure applied. Her eyes then met those of Rick who stared at her mercilessly. "He ain't here to save yer ass now!" He said through gritted teeth as he leaned in towards her. She tried to struggle a bit, but found it difficult with the lack of oxygen. To this, Rick only smiled. "Ya know you've done nothing but cause trouble from the moment you got here" he hissed, pressing harder on her throat. "I should just kill you now and be done with it."

Kira shut her eyes tightly awaiting him to do just that, but instead he let her go. She fell to the floor, coughing and choking for air. "It's your fault Lori's dead. You know that don't you?" He asked, his tone sadistic. "You were supposed to be Daryl's backup and now look at him. He coulda been killed because of you!" He knelt down to her level. He then grabbed her face tightly bringing her up to look at him. "Ya hear me? He'd be dead. Because of YOU. Who else you gonna kill before you get it? You DON'T belong here!" He shoved her away and stood up. "I want you gone. You take only what you came here with and get out, or I'll kill ya myself."

Kira looked up at him, a defiant look on her face. One she'd learned from Daryl, but Rick quickly knocked it out of her with a quick boot to the side. She fell over once more coughing for air and trying to hold back tears, that came anyway. "I'll do ya one better girly. You don't leave, Daryl doesn't wake up! How's that?!" He hissed out. Her eyes grew wide at the very thought. "Don't think I won't do it. We don't need him either if he's just gonna bring trash like you around. Don't test me. Be gone by nightfall." With that, he stood and left the girl on the ground, where she felt like she belonged.

She sat up, finally getting decent air into her lungs. She didn't doubt Rick meant what he said, and there was no way she was going to get Daryl killed. She stood, on shaky legs and made her way inside, avoiding eye contact with everyone she passed. No one bothered to ask questions, figuring it was just the stress of Daryl. However Carol knew better.

She stood, blocking the exit when Kira went inside to grab her gun and backpack. "Where are you going?" She questioned.

Kira stared ahead not knowing what to say, but putting on a brave face anyway. At that moment, Rick made his way beside Carol, "she's coming with me. We're going hunting. I figure with Daryl hurt we're going to need to stock up on food. Plus this'll be a way for her to prove herself. We'll take Carl too." Rick said, sounding convincing for a psychopath.

Carol stared at Kira, as if begging the young girl to tell her the truth. But Kira only smiled, and nodded. "Yep. I finally get my chance to be one of the group." She tried her best to sound optimistic but it came out dead. Rick smiled and left, calling Carl to follow him.

Kira stopped on her way out to look down at Daryl with a weak smile. Carol sensed something was off, but let the girl go as she walked past her. Thinking it couldn't be all bad if Carl was going.

As they made their way out Kira noticed Carl was no where to be found. "I sent him to clean the kills." Rick said as if he knew what Kira was thinking. She only nodded and followed him out of the gate.

They walked a while before Rick stopped. "Keep going" he ordered, to which Kira did. Expecting a bullet to the back she jumped when the gun went off but she felt nothing. She looked back confused. "Don't worry. I'll tell them you died a good death. But if I ever see your face again it'll be the opposite. Got it?" Kira nodded in response. "Now go."

She looked out ahead of her and sighed before following the road her and Daryl had taken so many times before.

It seemed like she'd walked for hours till she came to the end. By this time her and Daryl would have turned back. She looked back, not seeing Rick and figuring he'd gone back. She looked ahead and took a step off the track, before making her way deeper into the woods, making her own way.