Hey y'all, I'm back. Surprisingly this chapter didn't take as long as expected. The storyline is getting more and more canon… mainly because that's what's working the best for me. Either way. Tonight's song is "Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave", off the Titanic soundtrack. Yes, I know. Titanic, of all films to choose from. You can kvetch at me later. Read and review and enjoy.

Usual, any and all disclaimers apply. I own nothing but my OC and her backstory.

"So, what's going on with you and Daryl?"

Kyra nearly dropped the dishrag and the glass she was drying with it. Her jaw went slack as she stared at Maggie, who was smirking victoriously. It would have been the Fourth of July if the end of the world hadn't gotten in the way like it did. Kyra had been living with her cousins for a good couple months, and even though she tried to hide it, had spent as much time as she could with the hunter.

"What… what the hell are you talking about?" She stammered. "There's nothing going on." She finished weakly.

Maggie scoffed. "Yeah, just like me and Glenn ain't got nothin' between us."

Kyra flushed vividly. So what if she's spent as much time with the hunter as she could? They weren't sleeping together or anything. Not that she wouldn't mind it if that happened…

Maggie crowed at the sight. "Oh my god I knew it!"

"What makes you know that?" Kyra defended weakly. "It's not like we're hangin' all over each other like y'all two do."

Her cousin still looked smugly victorious. "I can tell because you're the only one he would even talk to of his own volition tonight at dinner." There was that. Kyra hadn't taken that into consideration.

"So how's that make you think we got somethin' goin' on?"

"I dunno, maybe the fact that he whispered somethin' in your ear and then you couldn't stop beaming for the rest of the night?"

Kyra was caught. No way she could deny it now. "Just don't tell anyone, okay Mags? I don't want him to shy away because other folks might know somethin' about us." She mumbled.

"Of course not." Maggie answered cheerfully. "You're secret's safe with me."

They finished the dishes in silence from there, at which point Maggie went upstairs and Kyra slipped out to go meet Daryl.

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Daryl caught the beam of a flashlight out of the corner of his eye and tensed, one hand curled tightly about the handle of his hunting knife.

" 'S just me. Don't shoot." Kyra. Finally. He relaxed and released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

She clicked off the Mag Lite upon entering the light of the tiny fire, and sat down next to him.

"Told you I'd be here." She smirked, though completely unsure as to what he wanted. "So, there a reason you asked for me to come out here tonight?"

Daryl shrugged. "Not really." Just wanted to see you. Be alone with you.

"Really." Her voice betrayed playful disbelief. He glanced at her, and looked away when he saw she was glancing at him. She blushed and averted her face as well.

He heard a sigh and looked over to see her lying on her back, staring up at the cloudless night sky. "Anything good up there?" He asked drily.

She shrugged. "I dunno." She was silent for a moment, then continued: "Do you ever miss it?"

"Whaddaya mean?" he replied, slightly confused.

"Like, civilization. I mean, before the world ended. Do you miss it at all?"

He shrugged, lying down next to her and folding his hands on his chest. "S'pose I do sometimes. Ain't exactly the Hilton out here."

She grinned and chuckled. "Good one. But really. I miss lots of things. Like spaghetti. Don't ask me why but I do. It's the weirdest thing, you know? You don't think about all the little things you take for granted until—"

He cut her off midsentence, pressing his mouth against hers softly. After a moment, he pulled back and lay next to her.

"…Gone." She finished quietly, then rolled onto her side to get a better look at him. "Is that what you wanted me to come here for?"

"Mostly, yeah. Didn't want to have to deal with Hershel if he knew I'd kissed you."

Kyra chuckled again. "Don't worry about Hershel right yet. What he don't know can't hurt." That said she leaned in and kissed him in return, before breaking away and meeting his eyes. Her hand slipped into his, holding it tightly. Daryl lifted it and pressed a kiss to it before pulling her against him and kissing her a third time, deeper and longer this time.

She raised a hand and lightly brushed his hair out of his face with her fingertips. A jolt shot through him at the contact. He hadn't realized how absolutely nervous he was until now. The last thing he wanted to do was fuck this up and run her off somehow.

"I like seeing your eyes." She murmured between kisses.

He gave up then. To hell with anything else. The only thing that mattered was Kyra. He tangled his fingers into her hair and kissed her as passionately as he could, wanting nothing more than to melt with her and be one with this strange, wonderful woman he loved so dearly.

A twig snapped in the brushes beyond them, startling them both. Kyra jumped and scrambled backwards at the sound, fumbling for her pocketknife.

Daryl snatched up the crossbow and deftly loaded it, crouching protectively before her. The thing that caused the noise moved again, and Daryl crept up on it with characteristic skill. Once close enough, he shot it and yanked it up so he could get a better look at it.

Frustration crossed his face, followed by a stream of colorful choice words.

"Raccoon." He grunted by way of explanation.

Kyra nodded and stood. "Uh huh." She raked the sticks and leaves out of her hair and turned back towards the house. "It's late, I should probably go now."

She gave him a little wave and stepped towards the darkness.

"Wait!" He lunged after her and grabbed her hand. "I'll walk with you." Don't want you gettin' hurt. He added silently, hitching the crossbow further up onto his shoulder. She released herself from his grip and nodded silently, before walking towards the house.

Daryl shadowed her much the same way a protective dog would, alert of everything as he followed her into the dark.

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The handle of the laundry basket cut into Kyra's side, but she didn't mind it too much. She climbed up into the RV and searched about for Lori; there had been a clay stain on a pair of Carl's jeans that didn't come out and she wanted to alert the older woman to that fact.

She had barely stepped foot out of the camper trailer when Andrea's voice split the air like a shrill siren:

"Walker! Walker!"

Kyra drew her sword and sped off in the direction indicated, barely hearing Dale trying to convince Andrea not to take the shot.

Kyra ran as hard as she could. Where was Daryl when they needed him? She fell into step behind Rick and T-Dog, feet pounding the earth in a rapid tattoo.

Within a matter of moments, the walker was within easy shooting distance. The small party slowed, Rick slowly raising his gun so as not to alert it too much.

Only it wasn't a walker.

It was Daryl, dragging the body of some dead thing behind him.

"Yeah, why don't you go on and point that goddamn thing at my face?" He snarled at Rick. Dirt and blood caked him entirely. No wonder Andrea had mistaken him for a walker at first.

A shot rang out clear as a bell in the late afternoon heat.

Daryl collapsed to the ground.

Kyra was frozen for a seemingly eternal moment. She watched as he scanned the group and made eye contact with her and her alone; then fell, as if lifeless, to the ground, only to be again lifted up by Shane and Rick.

That single moment propelled her to action again. She slammed the sword back into its sheath and tore off across the pastures, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Jimmy was the first to hear her. "What is it? What's going on?" The boy seemed terrified out of his mind. Kyra called back:

"Find Hershel now! Daryl's been shot, and he don't look good!"

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So that's that. I know, shorter than usual. Sorry bout that. I'm trying to avoid having to change Kyra's name to Mary Sue.

Don't forget to review. We'll be coming up on the end of Season 2 soon… I'mma cry, I can already tell it. But on the bright side: NO MORE SHANE! Small victories, folks. Small victories. :P

Chapter six will be a little more adult in theme, just a warning before I post it. Caveat lector.