It had been a long, long day, and he knew he was tired, so he rubbed his eyes again by the time the truck finally rolled through the gate. But when he opened them, he still only counted two heads in the truck. His heart leapt into his throat. Even though they were shadowy outlines in fading light of dusk, he knew who was in the truck and who was missing. Where the hell was she?

He all but jumped from the tower in his rush to get to them. He saw the same panic he was feeling spread across Daryl's face as they both headed for the truck.

With grim faces, Glenn and Maggie opened their doors to face the two men bearing down on them. They had automatically gathered at the driver's side door, and Maggie was quick to come around to stand beside Glenn and hold on to his arm.

Rick circled the truck, running his hands through his hair. Where was she? "Where's Amanda?" Rick demanded. "Mandy!" he called out frantically looking in the back of the pickup.

"Possum!" Daryl yelled then turned on Glenn and Maggie. "Where the fuck is my niece?"

"We lost her," Glenn answered, cringing, waiting for the pain of Daryl's fist hitting his face.

"You lost her?" Rick asked. He couldn't be hearing that right. The words didn't make sense. You don't lose a grown woman. Is she dead? The question screamed in his head but his mouth couldn't form the words. Please, God, no...

"You lost her?" Daryl echoed. "Whaddya mean you fucking lost her?" Maggie threw herself in front of Glenn, praying the redneck wouldn't hit a woman. He lunged but Oscar grabbed him from behind in a bear hug before he reached the smaller man who fell back against the truck. "Best let go of me!"

The vise-like hold around him didn't lessen any. "Can't do that, friend," said the much larger ex-prisoner. "Just listen to what they have to say."

Daryl spat but stopped struggling against the man's iron hold.

Glenn's voice was shaky but he continued. "We got separated by a small herd of walkers. After they passed, we tried to find her but we couldn't. We called out but the walkers turned and came after us. We really tried Daryl. Rick."

"We really did try," Maggie said, clinging to Glenn. "It was so dark. We couldn't see. We didn't know what else to do."

Rick just turned from them, his face forlorn but determined. "Daryl, pack some supplies and let's go find her."

Some of the fight went out of Daryl, and Oscar loosened his grip. "Rick," Daryl said, taking the side of reason. "Think this out, man." His voice was steady but he felt he'd been punched in the gut. "I can't track her in the dark."

"Daryl..." Rick buried his face in his hands and took a deep shuddering breath. "I can't stay here while she's out there. Glenn, show me on the map...the last place you saw her." He couldn't leave her out there, alone in the dark. We were suppose to wake up together.

"Possum knows how to take care of herself and she knows we'll come after her. Betcha she's found a place to hole up 'til morning. She's a Dixon. She'll make it through the night. We'll leave before first light." Daryl's "speech" was confident but he knew he wouldn't be sleeping much tonight.

Oscar had offered to take watch but Daryl wasn't gonna get any sleep. He took a swig of the cheap whisky Amanda had found and grimaced as he choked it down. That was ten kinds of nasty. Hell, the rotgut whiskey he and Merle made in the woods behind their house was better than this shit. But, it was all he had. He turned when he heard the shuffling of small feet, female, coming up the stairs to the guard tower. Had to be Beth. She was the only one that walked so softly besides Possum and her step was more confident. Carol's was timid but more determined than it had been when he first met her. Maggie's was, well that girl was a spitfire and had the pace to match.

"Hey," Beth smiled shyly. "Thought you might like some company." She pushed her loose blonde curls behind her ear.

Daryl grunted noncommittally. He really wasn't interested in paying attention to the ramblings of a young girl. He was thinking about tomorrow. Making plans.

Beth took that as a yes. She stood beside him, as close as she could without actually touching him. He smelled like trees and sunshine and sweat and it made her heart beat faster. "Sorry 'bout Amanda. I know you and Rick will find her tomorrow."

Daryl didn't comment.

"I brought you some water, if you want it." She looked at him sideways, making sure it didn't look like she was staring at his ruggedly handsome face. Which she was.

"Got this," he said holding up the whiskey bottle for her to see and took another swig.

"C-can I have a sip?" she asked hesitantly.

Well, that got his attention. She couldn't be serious. He snorted. "Really? Herschel will kill one or both of us," he said taking another swig of the vile stuff. Probably me.

"Daddy doesn't have to know," Beth said conspiratorially.

Daryl chuckled, "You serious?"

"Why not?"

He shook his head then shrugged and handed her the bottle. "Just a sip, baby girl."

Beth sniffed it and shuddered so violently that Daryl actually laughed. A sexy, unexpected laugh that sent shivers all the way down her spine to her girly parts. She was determined to show him she wasn't a "baby girl" but a woman. She closed her eyes and tipped the bottle delicately to her mouth, gulped...choked...and spewed the fiery liquid all over the laughing redneck in front of her.

"Shit!" Daryl yelped and jumped back but not soon enough. "I said a sip, baby girl!" he said still laughing and slapped her back roughly. That didn't help. He dug a water bottle out of her bag and tried to get her to drink but the girl couldn't stop coughing.

Her insides, from mouth to gut, were on fire! How could people drink this, this nasty...shit? Her face was red and tears streamed from her eyes. She couldn't catch her breath. Beth was dying and knew it but she couldn't...not yet! She was still a virgin! No!

This is my last breath, she thought. I wonder if we could do it...quickly, before I die...I'm going to tell him I love him. She opened her mouth to speak but she only croaked, a very unladylike croak.

Daryl leaned in, his face near hers. he supported her back with a large, strong, warm hand. "Here, baby..." His voice was soft, his lips so near, she could feel his breath caress her cheek.

He's going to kiss me! Or give me mouth-to-mouth...Beth closed her eyes and slightly parted her lips. Finally...

Daryl held the bottle up and let the water slowly dribble in between her open lips. Beth's eyes flew open and she spluttered...Water!...right into his concerned blue eyes.

"Damn, girl! he chuckled and swiped the back of his arm across his face. He took a rag out of his pocket and gently cleaned the whiskey, water, and spittle off of her face. "Get on back now, 'fore your daddy comes lookin' for you," he said and sent her off with a shove toward the stairs.

In the prison, Rick laid on his bed, and tried to fall asleep but he knew it was no use. He wasn't going to sleep tonight. He wasn't going to be able to sleep again until he had Amanda back. What if he didn't get her back? NO! He tried to shove that thought out of his head. Why couldn't he keep them safe? Why did the people he cared about keep dying? He was trying his best to take care of everyone but his best wasn't good enough. Amanda was like a light that kept his dark thoughts at bay. She should be lying here, right now, in his arms.

He didn't do right by Lori and that was something he couldn't change. He would have to live with the regret for the rest of his life but he had to deal with it for Carl and Judith's sake. God, it wasn't easy. Amanda was always there to pull him back when he would start to slide into that black hole of misery and self-doubt. Her smile, her laugh, and the way her eyes flashed when she was angry...

Carl's voice broke through his train of thought. "Dad?" Rick opened his eyes and wiped at the tears on his cheeks. "Possum'll be ok. She's a Dixon," his son tried to reassure him. Carl looked down from the upper bunk, concern on his face apparent.

Rick reached up and patted his son's arm. His voice cracked when he tried to speak. He started again, "You're right, son. She is a Dixon," he smiled. Daryl was right. She'd be okay tonight. She had to be. They would find her in the morning and he wouldn't let her out of his sight again.

"Dad, I know you said earlier you really like Amanda." Sometime after lunch, Rick had bit the bullet and talked to his son about Amanda moving into the cell with them. Carl had taken it a lot better than Rick had hoped, and had taken the opportunity to ask if he could move to his own cell. The two of them had moved what few items Carl called his own into the next cell. When Glenn and Maggie returned, and they had all heard what had happened, Carl put his blanket and pillow back on the top bunk in his dad's cell for the night. "Do you love her?"

Rick thought about the question for a moment. It wasn't the first time, either. He was afraid to face the truth. "I don't know, son. Maybe." Yes. To be honest, yes, he did love her and it took the thought of not seeing her again to drive it home.

"You gonna marry her?"

"I think you're jumpin' the gun a bit, Carl."

His son just shrugged. "Just don't expect me to start calling her 'Mom'."

The entire group including Judith was up before dawn. Carol and Beth made breakfast and packed some rations for Daryl and Rick. Glenn, Oscar, Maggie and Carl would see to the safety and security of the prison while they were out searching for Amanda.

Glenn showed Rick and Daryl the place on the map where they last saw Amanda. It was about fifty miles west of the prison. A little far out but not too bad. Daryl hoped his niece would stay put if at all possible and not try to find her way back to the prison on her own. If she did, it'd be all the much harder to find her. Fuck, then that would probably be the case. Dixons never made things easier.

Daryl was itching to leave and he tapped his fingers impatiently on the top of the truck while Rick said his goodbyes to Carl and Judith. He rubbed his scruffy chin and looked at Oscar standing by to open the gate. Oscar just shrugged and smiled. Daryl rolled his eyes. He turned back to glare at Rick, hoping to hurry him up when a blonde whirlwind threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"What the hell?" He stiffened and tried to push the girl away.

"Be safe, Daryl!" Beth said.

"Ready, Dixon?"

Daryl shook off the shroud of confusion that had overtaken him to see the man giving him an amused look. What the fuck was his problem, now? "Been waitin' on you, Grimes."