Pain was a familiar sensation to Melanie. She'd felt it all throughout her childhood with her abusive dad. Beatings, carvings, cigarette burns, they all happened. Not to mention the numerous times she'd gotten roughened up at the prison. Or the two stabbings and two gunshot wounds that she still to this day could remember like her wedding day. None of these compared to the immense pain she felt when she saw Shane eerily staring over her. "Like I said you're weak," he said pressing his hands too deep into my stomach. "Ahh!" I hollered out feeling an immense pain course through my body. "You've been shot Mels!" Rick said hoisting up Carl into his arms. "Carl!" I hollered out seeing the poor boy slumped over barely breathing. "Otis, grab her and let's go!" Rick hollered as I slowly moved my arm trying to sit up but not before another ripple of pain went through me. "Fuck!" I hollered out again, followed by another slew of cuss words while this man picked me up and began to run with me.

"Ain't nobody picked me up like that except for my mom and my husband," I said sighing as I felt myself slowly drifting off. Fighting it I rearranged myself as best as I could against the hot and sweaty man as he was trying his best to run with me. "Straight ahead," he hollered to Rick while he looked down to me. "You awake girl?" he asked panting with each word. "Barely," I said feeling myself slipping down once more. "How's Carl?" I didn't get a response as I felt myself being taken from his arms by someone else. "Place her over there Patricia! Get Maggie to take a horse to get to their group. Beth, honey! You work on her!" I heard a man holler. "Jimmy you too!" I gripped onto the bedposts as I was sat down not so gently. "I'm Beth," I heard a small voice call out to me. "Melanie," I said gritting my teeth as I felt another ripple of pain go through me, not wanting to open my eyes. "It went through you clean so I just gotta do the best I can and clean it, get you to stop bleeding out and stitch you up, okay?" She said sweetly. "Can you open your eyes for me?"

I slowly opened them, letting the light slowly in. "There you go, now you've lost a lot of blood. You've been shot around your shoulder and you need a transfusion. What blood type are you?" I blinked a couple of times before saying "AB positive. Hope someone around here's got what I need," and letting out a small chuckle. "Lucky for you I think we got some of that around here," she let out a soft smile. I gritted my teeth as I felt her move around my wound sending more pain throughout my body. "Before I let you pass out on me, I need you up and talking while I'm trying to stop this bleed, so. Talk to me, tell me your life story." She said softly. "Well, I'm married." I heard her softly gasp. "That's a gigantic ring you have. Beautiful." I let out as best as a smile that I could. "It was his mothers. Tradition and all that," I said feeling myself getting weaker. "Come on Melanie, don't do this to me!" She said as I felt the darkness creeping farther into me. "Don't do it Mel!" she hollered. "I….can't…hold…on." I said as I felt it finally surround me.

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Warmth. That was all I felt. Nothing but warmth. Was I sweating? What was going on? I slowly opened my eyes, smacking my lips trying to get some saliva back in my mouth. I slowly started moving, trying to get myself out from under the heaps of blankets that were placed on my legs. That's when I noticed there was a change of clothes sitting in the chair next to another adjacent room. I knew I had been shot, but everything after that was gone. "Hello?" I croaked out. No answer. "Hello?" I said a bit louder. Still no answer. "Fuck this," I said slowly moving myself trying not to send ripples of pain through me. I moved myself to the edge of the bed. "God, I hate GSW's." I muttered to myself. I placed my hand on the bedpost and firmly planted my feet before slightly applying pressure on my hand. "Shit!" I hollered as I felt my feet slip out from under me.

My body hit the floor with such a loud thud I'm sure someone had to have heard it. I gripped onto the rug on the floor and began sliding my way towards the bed. "Melanie!" I heard Rick's voice say from the door. "How's Carl?" I said as Rick made his way to me, placing his forearm under my good armpit and the other on my waist. He gently placed me back on the bed. "He's gonna make it, thanks to Otis and Shane." I sighed a breath of relief. "And Daryl?" I asked knowing he'd be throwing a fit. "You know, being broody and all that. After I leave here I'm gonna go get him, okay?" I chuckled, "How'd I know he'd be like that?" Rick placed his hand on my shoulder and let out a sigh that let me know something was on his mind. "You know you can talk to me, right? And that includes Daryl as well." He patted my shoulder, and smiled. "I'll talk to you later, okay? Just get to feeling better."

He left the room as quietly as he entered but not before handing my new clothes. I changed as quickly as I could while trying my hardest to be gentle and not rip my stiches in my arm. I slipped on my boots and made my way to the door and slowly opened it, before making my way down the stairs trying to figure out where I was. "Excuse me, Melanie?" I heard a sweet voice call out. "Yes?" I said turning my head to see a brunette who was fairly tall sitting in a chair next to a window. "You okay? You've been out for a while. Two, three days at least." She must've seen my confused face because she extended her hand. "Sorry, I'm Maggie Greene. You're at my family's farm. You were pretty banged up. You hungry, thirsty?" I quickly shook her hand and said, "Melanie Dixon, and yes. Very." She let out a soft smile. "Follow me, then." She took me downstairs and quickly grabbed me a glass of lemonade and made a sandwich. "Thank you, so much." I said before I quickly devoured it. "So, which one is your husband?" Maggie said nudging me on the shoulder.

"Daryl is. You met him?" I said with a small smile. "Oh really? You know, I can so see that. He's very rugged and manly, and you're like the same, just feminine, you know?" I let out a small laugh, "Rick said he was going to get him, but that was like ten minutes ago." She walked over to the kitchen window and peered out of it I guess looking for my husband. "I feel like you two would be a good match together and I only just met you," she said smiling at me. I smiled back, "You're pretty alright yourself," I said grinning back at her. "Hershel, we need help!" Rick's voice boomed out from the front door. My head instantly swiveled, hoping to see Sophia, but instead was met by Daryl's half slumping body.

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"Are you fucking stupid or just naturally that blonde?" I said hollering up at Andrea. "Melan-"Andrea started but not before I interrupted her. "Get your ass down here now," I said pointing my finger to the ground. She very reluctantly handed T-Dog her gun before stepping down off the RV. "Before you punch me, let me explain" she started. I immediately shushed her. "I swear to god Andrea, if that shot would have been one more inch over, there would have been two dead people on this farm, and it would have been you. Next time you want to play cops and robbers, make sure you're shooting at a fucking walker and not a person. You hear me?" She nodded and opened her mouth before closing it again. "I mean it." I said, turning around and slowly started to walk back to the farmhouse.

"Melanie watch out!" I heard Maggie holler from the front steps. I instantly began to swivel around but not before I was tackled to the ground, punches flying all around my face never connecting with me. "You bitch!" Andrea screamed, trying to grab at my hair, her other hand pushing down on my bad shoulder. Pain was rippling throughout me, but just like the old days at the prison, I gritted my teeth and pulled out some tricks from the book they'd taught me.

I used Andrea's weight against me and got her arm under my good shoulder and used her weight to throw herself over me and flat on her back, knocking all of the air out of her. She let out a huge grunt and tried to get up, but before she could, I got her in an arm bar. "Now, you wanna stop this, or do you want me to continue?" I said sweating and panting. "I could go all day. You don't scare me. I've worked with people four times your size and had them in control the entire time. You want to fight? I wouldn't if I were you." She didn't say anything except for clear her throat. I tightened my grip on her just a little bit and she instantly began apologizing. "Let me go. Won't do it again." I leaned in real close right next to her ear. "Good." I slowly whispered before letting her go. "Off you go." She scampered quickly over to her tent.

"Damn girl," I heard T say from atop of the RV. "I hate that bullshit," I said but gave him a smile of thanks. "That shit may come in handy one day you know?" He said, and I nodded. "I hope it doesn't have to be, you know?" He nodded and replied, "Go see Daryl, I'm sure he's having a fit he's in the house." I chuckled. "Don't you know it?" I wiped the dust off my jeans and made my trek back to the house not as quick as I made it out to the RV earlier. "Thanks, Mags. He okay?" I said, patting her on the shoulder. "He's okay for the moment. Thankfully she just grazed him, but that bolt did some damage to his abs." She looked down for a couple of seconds. "Something else on your mind?" I said placing both of my hands on her shoulders. Maggie was pretty much the same height as me, so it didn't really hurt my bad shoulder. "Can you teach me that ninja stuff you used out there? I can't protect myself and I really need to be able to, you know?"

I smiled, "Let me get better first, and definitely." I patted her shoulders and walked past her back into the house. I immediately made my way up to the same room in which I was in not this morning. I knocked on the door. "Come on in," I heard an old man say. It was more than likely Hershel. I slowly opened the door and shut it ever so softly. "I knocked him out with some pain killers. He should be awake by supper this evening though." The old man approached me, and I instantly stuck out my hand to shake his. "Melanie Dixon." He looked a little surprised at me wanting to shake his hand but a little happy. "Thank you for not only saving my life, but my husbands and Carl's as well." He smiled and said, "Hershel Greene. And you're welcome." He said shaking my hand with both of his. "Since you're here, let me look at your arm if you don't mind?" I instantly let go of his hand and moved the gauze pad off of my shoulder.

"Looks great!" He repatched me and handed me some pills. "Only if you need them." He said pointing his finger at me. "Yes, sir." He smiled and walked out of the door as quietly as I had entered. I instantly went to my husband's side and took his hand in mine. I began rubbing my thumb over his hand. My little nervous habit. I started spouting off the events of my day, or at least what I could remember, to him. Every time that Daryl and Merle had been in the hospital, I'd do the same thing, even if I knew they couldn't hear me. I finished up to where I was and I leaned my head on the side of the chair that I was sitting in. I slowly felt myself drifting off and I knew that some sleep would do me good, so I closed my eyes and let the darkness take over.

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"You're a good man, Daryl. Sophia would be glad to know someone's out there looking for her. You're as every bit as good as them." I heard a voice softly call out. I immediately pretended to be asleep, just so I could listen in to the conversation. "Any man would do that, not just me," I heard Daryl reply. I felt the weight on the bed shift and what sounded like a small peck happened. My eyes instantly flew open to see Carol kissing Daryl on the forehead. I fake moved around like I was waking up and instantly felt the pressure on the bed lighten. "Oh, Mels, glad you're awake." Carol said, lightly smiling. "Melanie," I said. "My name is Melanie."

She just gave me an odd look before clearing her throat. "Didn't know if you wanted to come downstairs to eat or stay here so your plate is downstairs, Melanie," she said enunciating my name. "I'll be down in a minute." I said looking at Daryl and taking in his eyes. "Friendly or not, I don't want to have to beat up Carol today too." I said smirking knowing that his response was going to be interesting.

"Too?! Who else's ass did you beat?" He said almost like a little schoolgirl. "Who do you think? Andrea of course." He just smiled and ruffled my hair with his hand. "My little spitfire. Tell me the story." He said smiling.

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I'd always been a light sleeper. The littlest noises would always stir me, no matter if it was a door opening and shutting from down the hallway or if Daryl would accidentally drop a tool in the garage which was all the way at the end of the house. So it was no surprise that I was awoken by Maggie hollering at someone. The night before Daryl told me to go sleep out in the tent and make sure nothing got stolen or walkers came up on us while he was in the house.

I grabbed my boots from the corner of our tent and quickly slid them on, hoping to catch Maggie still yelling at whoever it was. I'd always been a stickler for drama. I hated being brought into it when I didn't want to be, but I ended it whenever it needed to be. I peeked my head out of my tent to see the sun barely peeking out from behind clouds. My eyes instantly cast over to Maggie and saw her throw a little box at Lori before stomping off with Glenn quickly following her like a lost puppy dog. "Weird," I said getting back in my tent and grabbing some toothpaste and my toothbrush and began brushing my teeth.

I quickly finished and started to make my way to the farmhouse when Lori and Carol's voices caught me off guard. "Melanie! Could you come here please?" I heard Lori say. I grumbled under my breath. "What's up?" I asked obviously fidgeting, trying to make them let me go on doing what I was doing. "We are running low on water. Will you go get some from the well over there? I'd do it but Carl apparently wants me for something and Carol can't cook and get water at the same time."

I nodded my head, knowing that I'd be done quickly. "Sure, but after this I'm gonna go check on Daryl. Make sure he's alright." Lori smiled, but there was something off about it. I took the three empty jugs in my hands after shouldering my bow on my good arm and began walking over to the pump and was instantly met with Maggie's face. "Peach?" I smiled and stuck out my hand. "They're my favorite. Would you bring a couple to Daryl? He loves them even more than I do." She nodded and left as quickly as she appeared.

I knew something was on her mind, but I ignored it, knowing that Mags would probably tell me whenever she was ready. I finally made it to the well and slowly began reeling up the water with my good arm. My bad one was healing fine, just too much pressure made it ache and I wasn't in the mood to deal with an aching arm all day. In a couple of days, it'd be fine and I'd be all good.

While I was doing my meaningless task, my mind fluttered to Sophia. I don't even know how many days she'd been gone now. One thing for sure was that I missed her. Dearly. She was too little to be taken from this world. I sighed knowing that there was still a possibility of her still being alive, but it was very slim.

I finished up doing the jugs as quickly as I could, trying not to strain myself and get myself laid up in bed going stir crazy. I positioned the jugs on my hands the best way I could without making my arm hurt and began walking back to the small circle that the group had made. Of course Daryl had put our tent a little further out, but that was expected.

As I was walking a cold shiver ran down my spine. I instantly set the jugs down and acted like I was messing with the laces on my boots as I skewered the area trying to figure out what it was. I felt eyes on the area, on me. I cleared my throat and stood up, stretching and trying once again to get some visual on the area. Nothing. If the people or animal or whatever it is was still watching, I picked up the jugs and briskly walked back to the camp, and immediately asked Lori where Rick was. She told me and I thanked her before leaving.

I rapped on the makeshift door of the huge tent the three of them shared. "Rick, we need to talk. NOW." I said, making it known something was amiss.

"What's up?" he asked rubbing his eyes. "We've got eyes. We're being watched. I felt it when I was getting water. Need to stay close to the farmhouse. Move everyone in. We need to stay on our guard." Rick's eyes instantly hardened. "Go get me Daryl….and thank you." He said placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Well ain't this just fan-fucking-tastic." I muttered to myself as I saw movement in the treeline.
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Hey guys! Here's the new chapter! Hope to hear from you soon! Thank you guys!

I sure do wish I owned TWD, but sadly I don't.

Love you guys lots!

Hayley