Sorry for the delay guys. Had so much to do, but I won't bore you with the details. Hope you enjoy and i should have another chapter up in bout 2 weeks xx

A gust of stale air was all that met them as the door swung on its hinges, the musty smell seemed almost thankful for some release and dissipated quickly into the atmosphere. The stairs descended and turned at 90˚ into darkness and Daryl leaned to the right to try and get a better look at what was down there.

As he stepped onto the first wooden plank of the stairs he could hear the faint thudding on the boarded up window as the dead beat against it in hunger, knowing there was a meal inside.

"Wait here for a minute." He said to Andrea when she started after him. When she just nodded and stood ready with her gun pointed down the small passageway he was shocked she hadn't blasted him for it. He didn't get women.

He made his way quietly down, his crossbow raised and ready. He could feel the sweat run down his back and meet with the waistband of his jeans. The stifling heat inside the small space was almost suffocating the more he descended and the pounding was deafening the nearer he got to the bottom.

As he turned the corner he spotted a heavy looking door, solid and a shiny apple red in the darkness that enveloped it. He looked to Andrea, her gaze never wavering from his form and like she had read his mind she tossed him the flashlight from her belt in one swift movement.

He clicked it on and the small passageway seemed less ominous with a little light shed on it, but that didn't abate the churning sensation in his stomach that something was really wrong here. He signalled for Andrea to come down and she was by his side in a few strides, her quickness and quietness impressing him a little. They moved together towards their destination, the mixture of heat from both of them adding to the already sweltering heat in the confines of the small space.

He tested the handle and the door moved easily under his pressure, opening with ease into the stockroom, the white metal shelves still holding a fair few boxes and he hoped what was inside them was worth all this trouble.

He heard the shuffle of cardboard and turned to find his partner rummaging through the boxes, shooting her a disapproving glance.

"What. Might as well check 'em while we're here and it's all clear." She gave as excuse.

The thoughts 'Women and Shopping' came to mind, but he didn't see Andrea as the type who would gossip with her girlfriends over Martini's after a day of stiff store bags and spending on her credit card. She seemed more like the type to go out on her own and shop in little independent boutiques or trinket stores, find a quaint little coffee shop and read a book and maybe even just spend her day indoors watching movies and ordering take-out. He didn't doubt that when she went to work she wore designer labels and high powered suits – Women's suits of course – and busted the balls of all her male colleagues with her opinionated and dominant presence.

He didn't like to admit that he knew a woman much like Andrea before Merle got outta prison again and ended any chance Daryl'd had at having a true female friend. She was different to Andrea in looks of course. She'd had long, straight brown hair that when the sun hit it turned a deep red shade that he thought made it look like it was on fire at times, but in a controlled sorta way. She had eyes that reminded him of honey unlike Andrea's indecisive blue/green tones and she didn't have the same short-fuse temperament as Andrea, she wasn't as hot headed as his curly haired blonde friend; if you could eve call them friends? Hannah was her name, Hannah Franklin, but she was a spitfire who sure knew how to bust balls whether it was just a friendly debate over potato chips or at her job and when she was riled up she was like a dog with a bone.

Best 6 months of his life he spent with her, she was beautiful, intelligent and didn't judge him for the nothing he had. He'd got a job working in an auto shop when she rolled in in her little jeep, her engine making a rattling sound and her face all worried, he'd fixed the problem in no time and sent her on her way. It was when he'd spotted her a few days later in the local store getting groceries that he'd realised she wasn't just passing through, making him wonder who she really was and where she was staying as she wasn't a local; cause what crazy ass human being came here for a holiday or to play house, and then she'd saw him gawping and smiled sweetly, she had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and in typical Daryl fashion; when he was scared of what he was feeling, he just scowled and left.

But it was that night, when she'd walked into the bar all eyes had turned to her slender form, her creamy skin like a homing beacon for all the dirty cats that frequented that hovel of a place and the waft of her perfume was like that innocent new born baby smell and everyone wanted a whiff. He could practically see the drool on the mouths of the other bar patrons as her eyes scanned the bar, but she'd surprised him by just strolling in with her head held high, walking past all the burly figures like she owned the joint and sat 2 stools down from him and ordered a shot of whisky. He didn't think she'd noticed him at all, but when she'd downed her drink she asked for another and signalled to him 'And one for my saviour over there.' she'd said to the bartender. The man had raised an eyebrow at her admission and chuckled under his breath thus resulting in the two of them punching it out and him outside with her fussing over him and apologising. He'd been his usual rude an' obnoxious self, but she surprised him yet again when she shoved him on his ass off the bench and went back into the bar cause she'd; as she put it, 'Had enough of his pitiful whining' and he 'could Go Fuck Himself then.' He'd waited outside for her the rest of the night, not actually knowing why until she popped outta the door and he caught her attention. She looked like she was ready to pound on him until he mumbled an apology and her expression completely changed, the awkward quiet that followed was broken when she said goodnight.

He'd actually searched for her the next day and found her sitting in the little diner on the outskirts of town and went in to talk to her, it had been a little awkward at first and she'd seemed a little taken aback at his arrival, but she'd been polite and offered him the seat across from her. The rest as they say is history and they'd become regular occurrences in each other's everyday lives. Daryl'd never had a friend who was a girl before then, not even at school; when he'd bothered to show up, and it'd felt…nice.

He'd never gotten the chance to see what could have become of the relationship and Daryl'd thought they could have been more than friends - knew they could have been from the 2 heated kisses he'd shared with her - because Merle had come out of jail and put a stop to; as he put it, Daryl's 'Pansy Ass, Pussy Whipped behaviour cause she wasn't for the likes of a Dixon. Too stuck up her own ass!' even though she wasn't at all. Daryl stayed with her for the next month or so, but it wasn't the same with Merles doin' his damndest to make sure they had little time together, but the final straw came when Merle started in on her after a Daryl took her hunting and out for a drink at the local bar, said if she liked 'slumming' he could show her a better time than his 'Baby Brother' and he'd grabbed at her. She full-on punched Merle in the face and busted his lip, but she was a slip compared to his hefty brother and Daryl'd got into a full blown brawl with the man over the girl, ended up with a few busted ribs and a split lip himself, but it was then that he knew he had to let her go. He was afraid of what Merle would do to her if he didn't. The look on her face as she drove out of his life was burned forever into his memory and he wondered if she was still alive in all this madness?

He closed then box he'd been rummaging through realising they'd gone through the mass during his musings and only found a few canned vegetables and a few cans of pork and beans. The rest was useless to them.

"Let's hope we have better luck in there." Andrea said walking towards the other door in the stockroom. "You ok?" she asked with genuine concern.

He just nodded, hating the self-loathing bullshit that he knew was written on his face. He needed to go hunting soon and get his head clear, he hated thinking too much about the past; it was only filled with pain.

"Wait." He said tersely, that off feeling coming back to the forefront of his thoughts. The dead still hammered against the boards like some sort of tribal drummers and he wondered if the damn things would hold as they scouted the store for goods.

He turned the handle slowly and moved the heavy metal and oak so he could take a peek at what was on the other side. It was coated in darkness; the only light that cut into the black had slithered through the higher planks of wood at the top windows, he didn't see any sign of imminent danger and pushed the door wide to let the stuffy air out. The sweat was dripping from his skin now, sticky and making him slightly uncomfortable if he was honest, but he lifted his flashlight to scan the room.

"Here." He heard Andrea whisper and turned the flashlight to where she was standing, hand resting on a light switch. "Couldn't hurt to try." And with that she flipped it. To their surprise the lights fired up - very dimly - but enough to make it easier for them.

It was then that he noticed the set-up of the place and that someone had made this theirs. There was a crudely made bedding area next to where they now stood. By his quick account there were at least 5 of them occupying the space, but it was the small tatty brown teddy that caught his eye and made his chest constrict at the thought they were about to steal from a child.

"Maybe we should just leave it." He said quietly turning to Andrea who had moved over to the far line of shelves and was throwing goods into her bag.

"What?" she said stopping. The banging had lessened slightly, but still rattled through the small store. He pointed with his crossbow to the stuffed animal instead, hoping she'd understand what he was trying to say.

She walked over to him, her arm brushing against his as she did so. "Yeah. There not here now. Who knows how long ago they left or if they'll even come back?" she said quietly. He went to reply when he heard a scrape from behind the line of non-working fridges that decorated a whole wall beside the 'beds'. "What is…"

"Sshhh." He cut her off quickly and slowly moved towards the glass doors, his footsteps low and quiet. He felt Andrea move behind him, the click of the safety on her gun causing him to stop abruptly and the two of them almost colliding. He shook his head. "That'll draw to much 'tention." He whispered and handed her his hunting knife; albeit a little reluctantly.

Another faint scuffle turned his focus back on the bunch of fridges, at the end of the row he noticed a heap of tools and wood piled up high next to a makeshift workstation. Someone had definitely put roots down here at this current point in time. No-one would invest this much effort if they were just gonna move on.

A small whimper came from the end fridge and he rushed forwards yanking the glass door open.

"Please don't hurt us." A red headed woman cried, arms wrapped around two small whimpering children; children younger than Carl and Sophia, and he just stood there gawking. It wasn't until Andrea stepped up beside him and calmly began to usher the woman and children out of the fridge that he regained some of his senses.

"Be quiet and shut ya whining." He said gruffly. "They'll hear ya 'n start up again." The children quietened instantly. He was talking about the walkers that had calmed outside, which was unusual because once they knew there was a meal they usually hounded until they got their hands on it, yet strangely enough they'd gone quiet. It worried him more than he cared to admit and he hoped the other people of this group hadn't returned just yet.

The woman was eyeing him wearily and Daryl didn't like the look in her eye. It bordered on a mother bear protecting her young. Her eyes flitted to Andrea's gun and Daryl was about to call out when the Blonde woman did something that even he didn't see coming.

"Don't even think about it." She said in a low threatening tone as she held his knife to the throat of the red-headed boy; her blue/green eyes holding a deadly darkness in their depths.

"NO! Please." The woman begged.

"Andrea?" he questioned. A little worry lacing his voice because she was scaring him with how closely she was pressing the knife to the little boys throat. The red head's eyes danced frantically from the boy to Andrea in fear.

"Now we're not here to hurt you or these children. We were just searching for supplies is all." She stated coolly, the slight southern twang in her voice didn't seem out of place oddly enough.

"Take what you want, just don't hurt him." Tears fell from the other woman's eyes and she dropped to her knees. The little girl just stood still with her hand clutching at the woman's top, eyes wide and body trembling, her dark hair and big brown, water filled eyes made his stomach turn and he stepped up behind his partner, laying his hand on her lower arm.

"Stop." She turned her head and their eyes connected. Instantly hers lost their darkness and she released the little boy; who ran straight into his mother's arms. Confusion etched its way onto her face and she looked down at where his fingers still curled around her small arm. He'd never noticed how small her arms actually were, he could literally wrap his fingers around it so they touched together.

This new world was so different to the one before it and Andrea most probably was used to just going to her local store or ordering a chicken salad from her local restaurant to fill her hungry stomach. Daryl hadn't had a great life, but he was grateful that he learned how to hunt and track and kill in order to fill his stomach or he wouldn't have survived this long. At least that's what he'd devised from the few…weeks or could be months for all he knew, time just kinda folded into one these days…he'd been with this group and he knew they wouldn't have survived without him. They'd gotten too used to having everything so readily available for themselves.

She nodded at him and pulled away, the heat of her still lingering on his palm and she moved back towards the far shelves. He looked at the red head clutching the two kids closely, her gaze wondering between him and Andrea. "We're not gon' take it all." He said honestly. "How many of ya'll are stayin' 'ere."

"7." The little girl answered.

"Sshhh Kelsey. Don't you tell 'em nuttin." The red head piped in.

"Andrea." He called and she stopped packing cans. "We got enough. Let's go."

"What? We have hardly anything at all and there's plenty here to share."

"I said we're leavin'" She sighed and threw the last packet of whatever she was holding in her bag. He turned back to the red head. "You gonna be alright here? Or do you want us to wait for the others to come back."

The red heads eyes turned into slits of suspicion, a vicious scowl marring her pale face. "Stop pretending you're so nice. I know your kind, just take what you want without thought for anyone else." She spat eyes darting to Andrea before looking him up and down in the process.

Daryl wouldn't admit it, but her words stung a little; he would never steal from children, in fact he'd give them all his food and go without if necessary, but he kept his face neutral though and gave her a blank stare.

"Listen lady." Andrea piped in, her face full of anger. "Daryl is one of the most decent human beings left on this planet. Without him my group would not have survived as long as we have. He is a great hunter, an excellent tracker and provider for us. So you should shut that mouth of yours and don't make judgments on us. The world is a different place now. You think we're bad, you haven't seen the kind of people left in this world yet; we're still decent." He felt a swell of pride at her words and felt the tug of a smile pull at the corner of his mouth.

"Says you Barbie. Not 5 minutes ago you were holdin' a knife to my son's neck." She pulled the boy tighter to her body. "Can tell you ain't a mother."

"No I'm not, but like I said we're still relatively decent. I would never have actually hurt your son. I can't say the same for whatever's left of the human race. Imagine if it was someone else. How do your chances of survival measure up then." He tone was calm, but menacing and he watched the change come over the red heads face.

"Let's go Andrea." And with that they left.

Please drop a review and let me know what you think. I should hopefully have more regular updates now that I've mostly sorted my technical issues out lol.

Thanx

Jada x