Note: So this is first every fanfic so bare with me. I don't normally write stories but this idea came into my head and noticed that this story hadn't been done yet, so I decided to give it go. Let me know what you think!

Chapter one:

Looking down the road I was trying to find any signs of life, so far all I had come across was half a women at least I think it was a women crawling across the grass in the park. Where is everybody? I know that living in the country means that it's fairly quiet and peaceful, but this is ridiculous I can't hear anything. Seeing my house up ahead my heart starts to beat faster in anticipation, hoping to see Daryl at home cooking up a meal from his latest hunt. Stumbling up to the front door I whip the door open and call out.

"Daryl…. Lori… Carl?!"

I listen for a reply but the house is in complete silence "Daryl" I shout as I really start to panic no no no this can't be happening. What the hell is going on, why is nobody around. It suddenly occurred to me that it's all gotta be a dream, a bad nightmare. I start pinching myself and slapping my face in an attempt to wake myself up. Come on, wake up, wake up! Opening my eyes I notice nothing has changed, I'm still living the nightmare, and dread looms over me. Stumbling to the front step I sit down and can't help but think about Daryl, and how I desperately hope that he's ok, that he's safe, that Shane is looking after Lori and Carl. I wish I knew where I were. Staring out at the street I notice that someone is shuffling along the street muttering to themselves. I go to call out to them when a sudden excruciating pain shoots through my head as something whacks me round the head, looking up from where I had fallen from I see a small figure hovering over me.

"Carl….I found you…" I whisper, and fall unconscious.

…..

Listening to Morgan and Duane I can't believe what I'm hearing, dead people walking around; they have to be messing with me. Then I remember seeing that women with no legs crawling along the grass and the bodies I saw littering the hospital, and realise that they could be telling the truth. Panic races through my body when I think about Daryl but then I stomp it down knowing that he'll be fine, he can take care of himself, and Lori and Carl have Shane. They'll be fine… they have to be. I thank Morgan for the food and slowly start eating the food he gave and plan how I'm going to get to Atlanta safely in hopes of finding my family.

All three of us makes are way back to mine and I notice that all the pictures on the walls have disappeared and Lori's photo albums have gone. I run up to the bedroom to find that most of Daryl's clothes have gone along with a few of mine. Please tell me that means you got outta here okay. I open up my chest of drawers and rummaged around till I found what I was looking for. Opening up the little box I stare at the ring inside was I ever going to get to ask him now, was I too late? I had been meaning to ask him for a while now but I had never been able to pluck up the courage, wondering if Daryl would ever agree. We had joked about getting married a few times but I never figure out if he was serious or not. Guess I might never know now. I make my way over to our bed with a heavy heart and sit down stroking the ring wondering if I'll ever see him again. Pocketing the ring I lie down on Daryl's side of the bed and stare up at the ceiling hugging his pillow to my chest and taking in a deep breath. I can still smell him on the pillow and a few tears roll down my face as I pretend that it's actually him lying on my chest, wrapped up in my arms. I collect myself together, wiping away the tears and walk down stairs knowing where I need to head next if I want any chance of finding my family.

…..

"You sure you're gonna be okay?"

"We'll be fine, need to stay here a few more days, get Duane ready and used to a gun" Morgan replies.

Handing Morgan the radio I tell him to listen out every day at dawn and then head out with my gear. As I'm driving along on my way to Atlanta I look around and notice how quiet everywhere looks and wonder what could have caused the world to turn into some kind of horror game that Carl was always begging me to buy for him.

…..

Sitting in the army tank surrounded by walkers I realise the mistake I had made entering Atlanta, the city was dead, nobody was here except for all these walkers. Looking around I find no way of escaping and know that I'm probably gonna end up dying in here as I certainly wasn't gonna let myself turn into one of those things. I take out the photo I'd put in my pocket of me and Daryl together. Looking at it I realise it was one of the only ones we had taken together. Daryl wasn't one for photos, and thinking about it neither was I really. It had been taken last Christmas; Carl had just been given a new camera and had insisted taking pictures of everyone, including one of me and Daryl together. We are both smirking, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders, looking happy. What I would take to be wrapped up in those arms again, safe and secure knowing everything was fine. Sighing I put the photo back in my jacket pocket and stare at the gun in hands knowing that this might be the only way outta this.

"hey you….. dumbass….. the one in the tank….."

I stare at the radio maybe there is another way outta this. I snatch the radio out of its stand. "hello?" I hesitantly reply on the radio hoping that it wasn't just my imagination that someone had spoken on the radio.

…

"Oh no was that Dixon"

I perked up at hearing the name, could it be, did it mean that Daryl was here, was safe god I hope so. I ran after them up to the roof hoping that it was Daryl up there.

"Dixon are you crazy?!"

There was a man standing on the roof shouting walkers, looking far too happy considering the circumstances. I looked over at the guy; he didn't look like Daryl, could it be someone else with the surname Dixon?

"You outta be more polite to a guy holding a gun" the man replied.

Hold on, I knew that voice, I looked at the guy again and realised I did know him. It was Merle, Daryl's older brother. Oh great I finally found someone I know and it has to be him I thought to myself. It's not that I didn't like Merle exactly it's just he can be crude and hard to get along with, especially if you didn't meet his expectations, which I did…. Just about. Listening to T-Dogg and Merle arguing I realised that Merle had yet to notice me. Next thing I know Merle is holding a gun to his face and realised I really needed to step in and calm Merle down before he actually kills the poor guy.

"Merle let him go"

Merle looks up at me with a snarl on his face, then his eyes go wide with shock when he realises who I am. "Well well well, look who we have here, officer friendly what a surprise" he says sarcastically. "Merle let him go" I demanded "nah is dat any way to treat ya brother n law, 'specially considerin I thought you were dead" his eyes pointing as he says the last bit. "I was in a coma, woke up couple a days ago" I replied. "well I'll be damned, I know a few people that'a be glad to hear dat" Merle says with a smirk on his face and finally releases T-Dogg, who clambers up and gets as far from Merle as possible.

My heart starts beating twice as fast when Merles words finally starts to sink in. Could it mean that Daryl and the rest of my family were safe? Please be safe please be safe I repeated over and over in my head. I looked over at Merle "are they safe?" Merle looked back at me "there fine…. all of them" my shoulders sagged and I let the relief wash over me, knowing that they are fine.

T-Dogg looked over at me shocked "hold on a minute, you know this asshole?!" Oh boy …..