A/N Very excited to see two more followers - Thank you. This story is actually finished and I am working on several more. My husband thinks I'm obsessed - he may be right. Please let me know what you think, is it worth me downloading anything else?

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Chapter 9

Daryl was on watch again that night and wasn't really surprised when Eleanor came up the ladder into the watch tower. She had a blanket wrapped around her and was holding a bag.

"Seeing as you missed dinner thought I'd bring you some food. There's coffee as well" she set down the bag and started pulling things out.

"Is it the good stuff again?" he asked hopefully

"Course it is" she handed him a steaming mug. "There's beef stew here, just need to warm it up."

She pulled out a camping stove and a small saucepan, and emptied the contents into the pan, leaving it to heat. Neither of them spoke until the stew was heated and Daryl was tucking into it. He hadn't wanted to face anyone that evening so he'd avoided meal time, it was only now he realised how hungry he was. As he ate he was aware of Eleanor watching him.

"What?" he snapped, knowing exactly what.

"Why'd you bring the dress?" she asked

He shrugged "Thought you liked it, couldn't see why you couldn't have it. Dumb idea though, when you gonna wear a thing like that?"

"It was a real nice idea" Eleanor was standing in front of him, with a smile playing on her lips. "I guess I can wear it now" She let the blanket drop to reveal the dress. He laughed when he saw she was wearing it over her jeans. It was low cut and very short and even over the denim she looked good in it.

He nodded in approval, "worth bringing it."

She stepped forward and put a hand on his cheek "You're a good man" she said as she gave him a quick kiss on the other cheek "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise" she gathered up the remains of the meal and went to leave.

"Thank you, it's been a long time since anyone did somethin' so nice for me" she said as she left the tower, leaving him staring after her.

It had been several weeks since Eleanor had joined the group at the prison and she had settled in well. She regularly went on supply runs with different members of the group and had proved herself time and again. Carl and Patrick had finally got wise to her tall tales but they still enjoyed her company, as did several of the older men from Woodbury, she flirted shamelessly with them and they loved it.

Because there seemed to of been an increase in the number of walkers around the prison Rick wouldn't let anyone go outside the gates alone. Even Daryl had to take a back-up when he went hunting, which didn't go down very well. After the third time he sneaked out alone Rick threatened to take his crossbow and stop him going at all.

"Like to see you try" was Daryl's response and a loud argument had followed. It was only Beth's intervention, putting herself between the two men, while holding Judith, that had stopped it coming to blows. In the end Eleanor had volunteered to go with Daryl on his next trip. He agreed to give it a go and decided to ignore all the knowing smiles and quiet comments, just out of his earshot.

The first trip had been a success, Eleanor couldn't hunt or track and she didn't know how to use a crossbow but she was quiet in the woods and willing to follow his instructions and it was nice to have her watching his back. After the first trip he only went if she could come with him. They were both aware of the gossip spreading around the prison but neither cared that much. They were just friends and happy to keep it that way.

On a run to a local supermarket Tyreese and Bob had returned with an unopened crate of Jack Daniels and there had been a party in the prison. Both Daryl and Eleanor had had too much to drink and Eleanor had pulled him into the small office she was using as her room. They had kissed but both had pulled away laughing, "Damn, it's like kissing my Brother" she'd complained and they hadn't tried again.

They were having to go further from the prison to find game and each trip took longer. They had been walking for several miles and found nothing.

"The last thing I heard is we've found ourselves a cabin in the woods and we're at it like bunnies every time we go out. Apparently these trips should only take half the time and we should be bringing back twice as much as we do" Eleanor filled him in on the latest rumour. Usually they made him laugh but this one annoyed him.

"Maybe we shouldn't bother risking ourselves going out, just shut ourselves in your room, see if they can feed themselves. Think people would have better things to do than gossip." He complained.

"I appreciate people saying things like that. As soon as the rumours 'bout us started, guys stopped hittin' on me. It's great. Downside is pretty much all the women under 40 hate me" she laughed.

"Why?" he didn't get it

She pulled a face at him "Why'd think, dumbass. They think I'm with you which means they can't be. They're jealous."

"Really?" he couldn't believe that "Who you talking about?"

She stopped and grinned at him "You got your eye on someone?" she asked "'Cos if you have we need to have a big public break up, make you available again"

"Well… there's this one girl" he started slowly.

"Who?" She demanded "We need to get you fixed up…" she stopped when she saw him smirking at her. "Asshole" she yelled, punching him on the arm.

"Got yer" he laughed.

They splashed through a shallow stream and crossed a small clearing. Once they were back under the cover of the trees they decided to stop for something to eat. Once again Carol had packed them a lunch.

"Not been here before. Start looking properly when we've finished eatin', hopefully there'll be some game round here." Daryl leant back against a tree, crossbow by his side. Eleanor sat next to him, her back resting on his arm. Once they had finished eating they set off again, this time in silent hunting mode. Daryl pointed to some tracks in the undergrowth and she frowned at him, she couldn't see anything. Tracking was not her thing. As she silently followed him she thought she heard something behind them. Glancing at Daryl she knew he did too. She pulled her knife and started back the way they'd come. They both heard the sound of several things moving through the woods all around them, making no attempt to be quiet.

"Go back" Daryl hissed and they headed back towards the clearing they'd walked through earlier. Eleanor was ahead of him when suddenly a man crashed out of the undergrowth, slamming into her and knocking her flying. She managed to swing her knife and with a loud curse the man fell back, clutching a wound on his side. Before she could get to her feet another man grabbed hold of her, this time Daryl fired and the man fell, an arrow protruding from his head. Further down the track a third man stepped out and Daryl raised the crossbow. Before he could fire he heard a cracking sound and the crossbow was wrenched from his hands. He didn't hesitate but pulled out his knife and headed towards Eleanor. She had got to her feet and was holding her knife in front of her defensively as the man approached her, a gun in his hand but not raised. She glanced over her shoulder at Daryl and he saw her eyes widen in panic as she screamed at him to look out. He turned in time to see a large man swing a baseball bat towards him. He was aware of a blinding pain and then blackness.