Chapter Three

A few days had passed and Emily's stitches were feeling better. The only reason Daryl had even asked about her, she hoped he'd asked because he never came in and asked her to her face, was probably to make sure that she wasn't off trying to find him again. Carol had brought her up some food every day and she ate it, relishing the taste of real food. In the forest, she had survived only on small rations of two Twinkies and sips from a single bottle of water that she had taken from her house when she fled.

That day, though, she pulled back the sheets again, ready to walk. Her side didn't hurt as much now, the wound was closing up fairly well, Herschel had said he was going to take the stitches out soon, and the bruise around it was yellowing. She stood up, stretching as she did so. The wound was only slightly sore and it felt nice to be on her feet once more. She took a few steps to test herself and once she was assured that she could walk down the staircase, she did so. Her side hurt a little more than when she had stood up but it wasn't near as much pain as the last time she had tried to get down the stairs.

At the bottom of the steps, she ran into Dale.

She politely waved and smiled at him and continued on. She was going to find Daryl now and ask the questions she had wanted to three days ago.

Once more, she opened the screen door and walked outside. The fresh Georgia air hit her face like a blessing and she was even more happy to be outside. She looked around for Daryl, expecting to see him near the woods like last time, but didn't see him. She hopped off the porch and walked into the open. She hadn't properly seen the whole property but she was sure that she could find her way around by herself.

She turned a corner and saw him returning from the woods with a squirrel or two (she couldn't really make out how many) in his hands and his crossbow strapped over his shoulder. She smiled and ran towards him, not having to stop to breath any longer.

"Hi!" She said happily once she reached him. "So...how's squirrel season going?"

She figured she'd tell a joke. Daryl looked grumpy (not that he didn't every single time she had seen him) and she felt that he could use some cheering up. She might have been thirteen but she was as innocent and immature as an eight year old.

He looked at her, just a glance, and said nothing back. She frowned and walked along with him back to the farm.

"Can I carry one?" Emily questioned. There were two squirrels, like she had thought, one in each hand. "I'm not afraid of a little blood."

Daryl once again said nothing back.

"Why do you have to be such a jerk? Why can't you just answer me?" She questioned, becoming impatient.

While Emily was walking with him, at the camp people were talking about her.

"With what that girl has gone through, I'm surprised that she took it so well." Dale spoke, poking at the fire.

"And when we think she needs help or someone to care for her, she goes off to him." Carol said. She wasn't angry at the child, she would never be truly angry at a child, but she didn't see why Emily would run off to Daryl of all people and not speak to anyone else.

"Maybe it's a memory thing, you know? Maybe he reminds her of someone she used to know before all this."

"Maybe."

The two of them were almost to the camp now and Daryl still hadn't spoken a word to her.

"C'mon! Just one word and I'll be happy!"

Carol and Dale could hear her pleading from where they were. Carol could only wish that Daryl would speak to the girl, it was obvious that she was attached to him somehow.

"Please!" She begged.

Daryl walked on, ignoring Emily completely. Emily stopped walking with him and just watched him walk off. She sighed in defeat and anger and went towards where Carol and Dale were. She could hear them speaking, they didn't see her yet, and she heard Dale mention the date. The numbers and month stung her like a slap to the face and she stopped dead in her tracks. Today was her big brother's birthday. She turned quickly, searching for a place to go by herself as tears flooded her eyes. She ran to the side of the house and put her head in her hands. Tears flooded past the eyelid barriers and spilled down her cheeks. She didn't want to cry but she felt abandoned. Daryl, the only person she had the courage to talk to, wouldn't speak to her and she didn't have a big brother (let alone any family) to say happy birthday to. She started sobbing, hoping that it wouldn't be heard.

But Carol heard Emily's sobs. Daryl walked by and the gray haired woman followed after him.

"Daryl!" She said, a little bit of anger in her voice.

"What?" He replied, still walking on.

"Do you think you could just talk to the poor girl?"

"I don't have to take responsibility for 'er. She ain't mine."

"I'm not asking you to take responsibility for her. She has nobody, she won't talk to anyone but you, and she's over there crying. Do you think you could just say something to her?"

"There's nothin' to say."

"Find something. She's been through a lot and none of us can get through to her. Please?"

"Fine." He gave up. There was no arguing with Carol. She'd find a way to get him to talk to Emily. Might as well get it over with if he was going to have to do it anyway.

He set the squirrels down by the fire and started to walk to where Carol had shown him the girl would be. When he got there, Emily had her head in her hands and was crying. The sobs tortured him in a way because he knew deep down that he cared for her and he felt bad that he had caused her to do that.

"You okay?" He asked, finding something to say.

"Not that you'd care." Emily quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks and sniffled, looking up at him.

"I'm sorry..." He trailed off. He took the crossbow off of his shoulder and sat down next to her.

"No, don't be. It's not necessarily your fault. Today is...," She stopped and sniffled again. "Today's my brother's birthday."

"If it makes you feel any better, I lost a brother too. Name's Merle." Truth was, he wasn't entirely sure what had happened to Merle, but it felt like he had lost him to the undead out there.

"Yeah, well, I bet that you're parents died before this and you've had just Merle for a while. I had to watch my parents get eaten alive and then a day later I had to watch the same thing happen to my brother. It's worse for me."

Daryl couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid more than he did before. She had watched her family die then had to survive by herself in the woods. Holy shit, she had been through a lot...a lot more than anyone else knew. Who did she trust enough to tell this to? Him. The one who didn't really care for many people (only a certain few) and the one who secluded himself from the group. She was truly alone, truly sad, and she truly trusted him. So couldn't he be nicer to her?

"It probably is worse for ya. You're young, and this shouldn't of happened to anyone, but it's worse for ya. But look at yourself. You've made it this far, survived this long on your own, so I think you'll survive through this." He finally answered her.

The look on her face seemed to brighten. No one, not her mother, not her brother, not even her father, had shown this much confidence in her. But here was this man who she hadn't met until a few days ago and he was showing more confidence in her than anyone she'd met before this Hell-on-Earth. She leaned over and hugged him. Daryl had no idea what to do at first, but after a moment or so, he hugged her back.

"Thanks." She said, her arms still wrapped around him in an embrace.

"Be lucky," He chuckled. "Not many people get ta' even touch me without gettin' an arrow through their head." He waited another second until adding, "C'mon. Let's get back to camp."

As Daryl stood up and slung his crossbow over his shoulder once more, he tried to think of reasons not to take even the slightest responsibility for her. He couldn't find an answer. Emily stood up after him, brushing dirt off her pants. She wiped her cheeks on more time to make sure nothing remained on them and walked with him back to camp.

"Well I'll be damned." Dale said as he looked at the two of them walking back. Carol looked up to see what he was talking about. "Daryl Dixon's smiling."

It was true. He was smiling at Emily, who had playfully shoved him to the side. He did the same thing back and she laughed.

"Well that's something you don't see ever." Carol said, smiling to herself.

"Nope. And I don't think we'll ever see it again." Dale finished as he saw Daryl's face turn serious as they got closer to camp.

Thanks for the reviews, story alerts/favorites, and the author alert/favorites! It means a TON to me so thanks again :)

And next chapter will start to get into the plot of the show, I just wanted to establish a brother/sister thing between Daryl and Emily first.

Well, review and keep reading! Thanks( yet again :P)!

-Nat:)