The next morning Claire wanted to sleep in. She stayed up pretty late the night before chatting with Carl but I ushered her out of bed. "Why?" she groaned in response when I told her she needed to get dressed pronto. It was hot and sticky at night, and she started wearing one of my tank tops to bed, which functioned as a dress on her.

"Because we're going to train before it gets really hot," I responded easily brushing my hair into a ponytail with my fingers. The room we were staying in at Hershel's was pretty small, with one window that did nothing to ventilate. I was sweating most of the night. I turned to the dresser where one of my bags laid with clothes. I'd initially been pretty modest with Claire, but now it seemed basically useless since we'd spent many nights sleeping in the car and bathing in creaks.

I tugged on a sports bra, and then grabbed some black mesh shorts. I picked out two knives from my bag, sliding on an ankle holster, before slipping the knife into it. I slipped my feet into some sneakers looking at Claire expectantly. "Should I be putting on sports clothing?" Claire asked incredulously as she looked at me. I nodded my head with a big grin.

"We're training! Get pumped!" I told her bouncing on the balls of my feet as I punched the air. My ponytail swung against my bare back, and my movements immediately winded me. I was so damned hot; it was unbelievable. I had to forfeit a shirt because of the heat or I might've passed out.

"What does that even mean?" she asked as she got up slowly. I busied myself applying sunscreen as she changed into shorts and a tee shirt.

"Here, strap this to your leg." I tossed Claire a knife sheath, and she did as I instructed. I handed her the knife to slip into it. She sat down on the bed to put her sneakers on.

I grabbed a gun from my bag, checking to make sure the safety was on before I slipped it into the band of my shorts. Claire had one set of sneakers we'd snatched at an outlet mall in the beginning of our travels. She'd picked them out; they were bright salmon pink Nikes. She looked at me once she was ready and I tossed her a deodorant stick.

"You need to get into the habit," I told her. She rolled her eyes before applying some. She wasn't a "woman" so to speak yet, but puberty was well on its way. She was beginning to smell and I had to keep reminding her to put on deodorant. "Alright, come on."

Claire followed me downstairs and out the front door of the Green farmhouse. It was very early, almost seven o'clock and practically nobody was awake. Dale was up though, perched on top of the RV looking around the field.

"Mornin' Dale," I called civilly, jabbing Claire in the arm. "Manners," I muttered.

"Hi Dale," Claire called with a smile.

"Morning girls," Dale replied. "Where are you two off to so early in the morning?"

"We're training," Claire said kind of mockingly.

"We're going to do some laps through the woods. Get active. Y'know." I shrugged.

Dale looked down at us seriously. "You two be careful out there." A small smile brushed my lips before I could help it. I nodded solemnly before leading Claire through the field. My strides were longer than hers so she had to walk twice as fast to keep up with me.

"Can I ask why we're up at oh-clock traipsing through the woods?"

I told her, "Just because you can kill one of those dead things doesn't make you invincible. We gotta' stay on top of our game." Claire didn't respond but kept along silently till I led us a decent way into the woods. I picked up a trail and decided we'd start by jogging. Claire was not happy to be jogging through the woods and kept telling me so. Once we'd run a decent length, I stopped us to do jumping jacks.

"This blows!" Claire snapped between deep breaths.

"This, my friend, is fitness. Come on, let's do another jog." I took off, glancing back at Claire coaxing her with a shake of my head. She followed after a moment, and we reworked the path back towards Hershel's farm. We spent at least an hour just running through the forest, jumping over things in our path, and winding through different paths of trees. When we'd finally exhausted ourselves we sat down in a path of grass near a creak to catch our breaths.

"Alright," Claire said. "I wanna' know why we're running like chickens with no heads."

"Without any heads, come on, Claire. Watch your grammar." She glared at my response, her eyes squinting in anger. "I know you can take down one of those dead things, I do. You've gotten good with your knife and a gun. But if there's a group of them, I don't care how skilled you may think you are, you're not going to win. You need to be able to run, you need to be able to evade them. I need you have to faster reflexes, and better stamina."

"You could've just told me that," Claire snapped. "I thought we were running cause you were trying to lose weight and be all skinny and cute." She said it all very accusatorily.

I barked out a hard laugh. "Excuse me?"

Her cheeks were pink whether from the accusation or from running I didn't know. "Oh come on, I'm not oblivious! You totally like-like Daryl."

My eyebrows came down hard on my eyes as I stared at her confused. "Daryl as in the hick who shot with me his arrow? No, no way."

"Uh huh," Claire mumbled. "And he shot you on accident! Plus I saw the way you were looking at him when you were fixing his head. And the way he looked at you."

"Claireeee," I practically groaned. "Ew nooo."

"Okay, okay." She held her hands. "Whatever you say."

I shook my head. "Never in a million years. He's not my type."

"You don't have a type," she responded. "You hardly ever brought anyone back to your apartment back home. And when you did, its not like they ever came around again!"

"Claire!" I cried blushing. "This is not a conversation we're having!" I couldn't even believe Claire had noticed my sex partners and was actually bringing them up now. "Come on, let's do one last jog." She rolled her eyes before getting up and we got back onto the path, taking off deeper into the woods. We were running pretty steadily when Claire decided she wanted to race back to the farm.

"Oh you're on!" I called before I took off. We were both laughing as she trailed behind me trying to gain a lead but, like I said, my strides were much longer than hers and I had no problem keeping ahead of her.

It wasn't until I was nearing the farm that I noticed that I couldn't hear her laughter or her feet behind me. I stopped, turning around, as panic ripped through me. "Claire!" I cried looking around frantically. "CLAIRE!" This time my voice left me so loudly I was sure that everyone on the farm would've heard me.

I took off back down the path looking all over for Claire. I trained my ears trying to pick up any sound that might be her when I heard the distinct groaning of something that was most definitely not alive.

"Fuck," I muttered peering through the shrubs trying to find the thing. It's head popped up by a tree. I took my knife out of my holster on my ankle, and then moved towards it quickly. It noticed me and I kicked its legs, knocking it down before I crouched to stab it in the head. I quickly wiped its blood on its shirt, before moving back onto the path.

"Claire!" I called again and then I picked up the sound of her footsteps and heavy breathing. I turned around looking for her. Desperate to find her. And then I saw her running between the trees. Her face was pulled in distress and I took off towards her without even thinking. Sweat was dripping down my back, and my breath was hard to manage but I had to get to her.

"Clarke," she cried when she noticed me stopping in her tracks as I jogged towards her. Then I saw them—three infecteds coming right for her.

"Run," I snapped so loudly it felt like my parched throat was going to rip on the words. She didn't debate with me, just took off and I swung at the first one, my knife crunching through its skull before I pulled it away and moved away from the other one reaching out for me.

I circled them quickly, disorienting them with enough time to stab one from behind. I held its dead body in front of me as a barrier between the other as I worked to get my knife out of its skull. I tried to reach around the dead infected, decaying arms going for me, but I couldn't get my damned knife of the skull.

I didn't need to though, as a knife came plunging through its occipital lobe. Claire was standing behind it, both of her arms straining to reach the infecteds head so she could plunge her knife through it. I was panting as I finally worked my knife out of the other one's skull. Their bodies slumped to the ground and Claire looked at me, her whole body sagging with exhaustion. Wordlessly, she came towards me and hugged me. "I understand now," she said.

And we left it at that.

We walked back to the farm slowly, trying to regain our breaths and cool down. My whole body was slicked in sweat, and I was still sort of trembling with post-almost death adrenaline. Claire was uncharacteristically silent as she sort of led me back towards the house. Rick's group was huddled around a small campfire eating breakfast together.

The blonde, Andrea, looked up at us as we were passing. "Hey, uh, Clarke? Is Daryl…is he okay?"

I stopped, so Claire stopped too, and gave a short nod. "He'll be fine."

She gave a tentative smile, but there was a grimace behind it almost like she didn't like me or something. Which I didn't really care if she did or not but considering she didn't know me I was curious why she felt that way. "Thanks," she responded crisply.

Dale glanced back at us, and asked, "And how did your run go?"

The whole groups' eyes were on Claire and I. It made me feel inexplicably scrutinized even if they weren't judging us and I got defensive for no reason other than the fact I was uncomfortable. "It was fine." I walked away before anyone else could ask any questions and Claire followed me over to our truck. I opened the door to the backseat, setting my gun on the seat before getting out two water bottles from the twelve pack that was there.

"Hydrate. I don't want you to get sick," I told Claire handing her a bottle. She uncapped it immediately and took a long drink.

"Can I go hang out with Carl?" she asked her eyes big and questionable. I looked over to where Lori and Carl were, in the pen with the chickens feeding them.

"Yeah, go ahead. But no wandering past Dale's RV, got it? And keep that knife on you." Claire nodded enthusiastically before bounding towards Carl. Lori looked up and made eye contact with me offering a wave. I waved back before closing the car door, pocketing the key, and heading into the farmhouse.

"Wow, Clarke, hey," Maggie said as she came down the stairs. "You look like you jus' run a marathon."

I laughed. "Something like that."

She looked curious. "Were you working out?"

"Claire and I went for a run through the forest. Stuck to one of the trails." I shrugged.

"You must be starved. We've got fresh milk from the cows and cereal if you're interested. Afraid it's just some plain stuff." I nodded my head appreciatively and followed Maggie into the kitchen. "Morning Beth," I said to the younger Green who was busy fixing herself something to eat. She offered a smile with no words and went back to what she was doing. Maggie got me a bowl and a spoon and handed me the cereal. I poured some and then took some milk appreciatively.

"Thanks," I said between a bite. "I really appreciate your hospitality."

Maggie nodded, leaning against the counter. "Are you thinking of stickin' with Rick's group?"

I said, "Thinking about it."

She nodded her head. "Y'know it might be a good idea. Not to be a downer 'er anythin' but if somethin' were to happen to you, at least you'd know Claire had people to look after her."

I stared at her, and realized she was right. I hadn't even thought about what would happen to Claire if something happened to me. Claire was adapting well to this lifestyle. She was a survivor and I had faith that she would continue to survive but she couldn't drive a car, or start a fire. She needed someone to help her out. By keeping us isolated from others, I thought I was keeping Claire safe but I realized now I might've been putting her at risk the whole time. "Fair point, well made," I told Maggie my tone empty. "If you'll excuse me."

I walked out of the kitchen and made my way back outside holding onto the bowl. Claire was where I'd left her, helping Carl and Lori feed the chickens. She noticed me walking up and broke away from them to meet me at the gate. "Miss me already?" she asked cheekily, a grin plastered on her face.

I rolled my eyes. "See, now I was bout to offer you the rest of this cereal, but now I think I ought to change my mind."

Claire rolled her eyes, mimicking me as she reached for the bowl. I took one more bite before handing it off to her. She was more than happy to pick up where I left off finishing off the cereal like she was starving.

Rick walked up to me as I was waiting for Claire to finish slurping down the milk saying, "I was wonderin' if you wouldn't mind checkin' in on Daryl? I know he can be a real hard ass but, uh, he is one of us and Andrea feels real bad about it all and I'd hate for something to happen to him."

I nodded my head understandingly. "Yeah, yeah I don't mind." I looked back at Claire, who was tipping the bowl up to her face and had to hold back a laugh. "You good?" I asked her and she smiled guiltily before handing back the bowl and spoon.

I took it from her before walking back inside and setting them into the sink. I then set off upstairs heading into the room Claire and I were staying in. I had a penlight in my bag that I grabbed as well as my stethoscope and blood pressure cuff.

I walked up to the room Daryl was in and knocked lightly. Not expecting him to say anything, I opened the door slowly. He was propped up in the bed, reading a book of all things, but quickly shoved it under his pillow when I entered. "What the hell you want?" he asked, voice gravelly.

I took a calming breath, not about to let his sour attitude get to me. "Rick sent me up; he wants me to make sure you're doing okay," I answered walking over to his bed and setting my things on it.

He glanced at me quickly, like he didn't want to look for too long, and then fixed his gaze ahead as he grunted. "I'm fine, don' need nobody to check on me. Was about to get up anyways." He shifted, moving to stand and I reached out instinctively, holding him back by his shoulder. He turned his head slowly looking at my hand and then up my arm to my face.

"You need to rest," I said sternly.

"I did 'nough of that last night. Gotta' go find that girl. I'm the only one who will."

"You're wrong," I told him. "Rick is probably getting people to search now."

"Doubtful," he snapped shrugging my hand off of him. "Ain't nobody care."

"Hey, I'll go and look if that's what you want. But you need to stay in bed. If something happens to you Andrea's gonna' be beside herself." I didn't know why I was speaking on behalf of Andrea of all people but I felt a pressing concern to make sure he was okay. And then I heard Claire's voice in the back of my head: 'You totally like-like Daryl!' I grimaced at the thought.

"She shouldn't uh gone and shot me then," he retorted but seemed to relax back into the bed. "Whatever. You don't owe to it to anybody to go look for 'er."

"That wouldn't be the reason I would go looking, anyway," I snapped mimicking his gruff tone without being aware I was doing it. He stared at me, squinting slightly, like he was trying to figure something out.

"You always walk 'round doin' your nursin' shit in those kinds'a clothes?" He shot me a sour look like what I was wearing personally offended him.

It took me a second to find my voice. "I – I was working out. Not that it should even matter. I'm doing Rick and you a favor here. What I choose to wear while I do it is beside the fucking point."

"You ain't doin' me no fucking favor," Daryl exclaimed moving away from me. "I can take care of myself."

"Right," I snapped. "That's why you've got a puncture wound in your side, right?"

Daryl didn't say anything, just made a growly sound in response.

"Look, all I have to do is check your vitals and then I'll be out of here." He went back to his way of grunting and shrugged his shoulders. I rolled my eyes, picking up the penlight, moving closer to the head of the bed. "Look straight ahead," I instructed, flashing the light on his left eye before doing the same to the right.

I got an equal response, which was a good indicator that he didn't have any bleeding in his brain. I picked up the blood pressure cuff next, sitting down on the edge of his bed. Daryl shifted away from me; I couldn't tell if he was trying to give me room or if he just didn't want to be next to me. The latter felt offensive.

I reached out for his arm but he flinched away from me. "I need it to check your blood pressure." He pressed his lips together but let me take hold of his forearm, spreading his arm against my thighs. I wrapped the cuff around his bicep snuggly, before putting my stethoscope in and pressing against his side of his bicep so I could pick up his pulse.

The room was silent save for his breathing, which I was keenly aware of with my stethoscope in my ears. It seemed to intensify the sounds of his breath. I was quick to read his pressure, which was normal before I requested one last thing from him.

I took the stethoscope out of my ears, saying, "I just want to check your stitches and make sure its not infected." He looked at me like I was crazy and didn't make any effort to move as I removed the cuff. Grinding his jaw, he turned towards me slightly, lifting the hem of his shirt to reveal his side. I focused on the bandage, tenderly lifting it so I could look at the wound. The skin around the stitches was red but it didn't present any signs of infection.

"Have you been having any headaches?" I asked as I resealed the bandage and took my hands off his lean stomach. He shook his head. "And have you been feeling nauseous at all?" Again, another shake. "I'm not asking these questions to be a pain in the ass. They're actually important."

He ignored me. I decided then, I was done helping him. If he didn't want to cooperate, fine. It wasn't my life on the line.

I picked up my things, getting off the bed and backing up towards the door. "If you start to feel nauseous or get a really bad headache let someone know. Otherwise your brain will hemorrhage and you'll find yourself dead before you can even say 'Damn, should'a listened to that annoyin' lil' nurse'."

I thought I saw him smirk, maybe he found what I said funny, but I didn't stop to ponder it, exiting quickly with the burning sensation of Claire's words in my head.