Ding, Dong Ditch

"Did you hear that?" Jamie asked suddenly, turning to look in the direction that they had come from. She had fallen back to walk with Lori some time before, the two women coming to a silent understanding with one another. Originally, there was only one thing that they had in common; Rick. Now, however, they seemed to know more about the other than had even been said.

"It was a gunshot," Lori said as she looked around the woods. The sound had come from the distance, but it was unsettling to hear. Jamie knew that it wasn't one of Rick's or Shane's guns; they made a different sound when fired. Rick's was quieter and Shane's had more of an explosive tone to it. That gun was like hers, a sniper rifle; sharp. She wasn't about to say that aloud, though. Lori would have a heart attack.

"We all heard it," Daryl said from the front of the group.

"Why one?" Lori demanded, "Why just one gunshot?"

"Maybe they had to drop a walker?"

"Please don't patronize me; you know Rick wouldn't risk a gunshot to put down one walker, or Shane. They'd do it quietly." Jamie looked up to Daryl, knowing that he had a hunch about the gunshot as well. They both stayed quiet, however, and kept a close eye on Lori.

"Shouldn't they have caught up with us by now?" Carol asked, adding on to the mounting concern. Jamie felt like groaning in despair at the amount of problems being pointed out began to add up. Why was it that in times of worry people felt the need to add on to it with more things to worry about?

"There's nothing we can do about it," Jamie said in a soft voice, trying to keep the wrath of the women off of her. "If we go off to find them we might get caught out here in the dark. It's too dangerous to turn back now and still expect to make it to the highway before nightfall." Lori looked over to her with wide eyes, probably have assumed that she would have stuck with her on the matter and wanted to investigate.

"Can't go running around these woods chasin' echoes," Daryl added in, looking around the trees that surrounded them.

"So what do we do?"

"Same as we've been. Beat the bush for Sophia, work our way back to the highway," Daryl answered immediately, taking his assigned position as the leader of the rag-tag group. Although Lori was reluctant, she didn't fight the matter and moved with the rest of them to head in the direction that they were originally going. Jamie had to pull Daryl up to the front of the group at one point when Carol and Andrea fell behind talking, reassuring Carol in a way that was a tad bit too harsh.

"Your people skills still suck," she said as she released his shirt and continued walking, getting a glower from the man. "Let them have their hope; if they think that praying to God will help save Sophia then let them. Don't crush their beliefs like that. I don't think that it's doing any good, but I ain't gunna say that to their faces."

Daryl was silent as he walked with her, the rest of the group lagging behind slightly after he had spoken out. "That gunshot-"

"I know."

They came to a joint decision that they'd head back to the highway when the sun started fading through the trees quickly, everyone knowing that they'd just be tripping over each other if they tried to keep looking for Sophia in the dark. They continued on their way through the woods in silence, the only sounds were the wind, the animals and their feet treading over the leaves and sticks that littered the ground. The air was cooling down as night approached, giving them a reprieve from the heat that had been crushing them most of the day.

"I hate bugs," Jamie finally said after nothing but an expanded silence within the group. There was one large groan of agreement from the others as they were walking and a scoff from Daryl at the head of the merry band of survivors. "You stink so bad the bugs don't wanna go near you, nothin' you have to worry about."

"Like you said earlier, bite me."

"Don't tempt me," she answered back as she stepped over a fallen tree, half decayed. Glenn grinned in amusement from behind them, unseen by the others. The two were definitely a source of entertainment in the middle of nowhere.

"How much farther?" Lori asked, breaking up the mock fight that was brewing between the two lovers at the front of the group.

"About a hundred yards," Daryl answered back, beginning to huff from the exertion that he had put out that day. "As the crow flies," he added on. Jamie looked up at the trees and scouted for birds, spotting many of them sitting up in the braches, looking harmless. She knew that they could do some damage though, and preferred them to stay up there.

"Too bad we're not crows," Andrea snapped from behind them.

Jamie jumped up onto a log, looking around the area. She couldn't see any form of a path, so there was no way that the woods they were in were walked through very often. Even if it had been nearly two months since the world had gone to shit, the paths wouldn't have been completely overrun with plant life yet. A sharp scream from their right jolted everyone, looking around. Andrea wasn't there.

"Andrea!" Lori yelled, watching as Daryl and Jamie bolted off in the direction of the scream. The others followed behind but weren't able to keep up as easily in the terrain. They weren't used to running around in the woods like Daryl and Jamie were. They soon rounded into the clearing where Andrea was on the ground, trying to squirm away from a walker that had a hold of her kicking feel.

"What the-" Jamie started, looking over to where the heavy sound of horse hooves were coming from. A woman was riding in on a chestnut horse, much like the one that she and Rick had ridden into the City on. She rode directly passed the walker, swinging a bat as she went. The wood cracked against the skull of the walker with a sickening sound, the dead man going down hard.

"Lori?" The woman on the horse asked, looking down at Andrea. "Lori Grimes?"

"I'm Lori," the brunette said from behind Jamie, coming to a stop a couple of yards away from the woman.

"Rick sent me, you've got to come now," The woman demanded, tightening her hold on the reigns when the horse started to fidget on the spot. "There's been an accident; Carl's been shot." Silence fell over the group at the words that the woman spoke, everyone's hearts dropping from their chest to their feet. Jamie looked over to Lori, the stricken look on the woman's face breaking her heart. "He's still alive but you've got to come now."

Lori didn't move at first, unsure of whether or not she should believe her.

"Rick needs you, now come!" The woman demanded, motioning to the saddle behind her. Lori finally began moving, shucking off her backpack and handing it to a startled Jamie. She opened her mouth to say something, but Daryl beat her to it.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, we don't know this girl!" He yelled at Lori, but she strode right past him to get to the horse. He looked over to Jamie, who was still gapping as she tried to grasp what was going on, Lori's bag held in her hand. "You can't get on that horse!"

"Rick said there were others on the highway," the woman started, helping Lori up as she looked over to Daryl in challenge, "That big traffic snarl? Track back two miles to our farm, you'll see the mail box. Name's Greene." Without another word the woman spurred the horse on, galloping away from the clearing they were all standing in. Jamie looked around at everyone else, seeing the same dumbfounded looks on their faces as well.

The raspy groaning of the walker soon filled the clearing as it sat back up, half its head smashed in with blood covering a good portion of it. Carol and Glenn backed away from it while Daryl glared over at the dead man, irritated from what had just transpired.

"Shut up," he ordered, firing off an arrow into the side of the walkers head, putting it down for good.

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Jamie sat on the hood of one of the cars by the RV, listening to them discuss whether or not they should go down to the farm. There were many variables that needed to be thought over before they actually did anything. Carol was scared that they might leave and Sophia would come back to find them gone, leaving her on her own. They all agreed that it was plausible and something to be greatly considered.

"Okay," Daryl said as he looked from Carol over to Dale, who seemed to have taken charge. "We've got a plan for this. I say tomorrow morning's soon enough to pull up the stakes. Give us a chance to rig a big sign, leave her some supplies." Jamie nodded in agreement as Carol smiled to him gratefully. "I'll hold here tonight, stay with the RV."

"If the RV's staying then I am to," Dale said, nodding his head in agreement to Daryl's plan.

"I'll stay back," Jamie added in, looking over to Carol. "Strength in numbers, right?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Glenn added in nervously, getting their attention. "If Carl's been shot, he's going to need a lot of blood transfusions. Lori or Rick can only give so many. You said you were O-, that's compatible with all blood types."

"He's right," Dale agreed. "You go with Glenn and Andrea-"

"I'm staying. There's no point in all of us going," Andrea said quickly, getting a nod from Dale.

"Alright, then it's Glenn, Jamie and T-Dog. We've got to reconnect with our people, we can't stay split like this. More importantly, the work that Jamie did on T-Dog's arm was only temporary, he needs more help than we can give. That cut has gone from bad to worse." Jamie looked over to where T-Dog was sitting on the back fender of the RV, wrapping in a blanket. "He has a very serious blood infection, get him to that farm."

"T-Dog, I told you to keep it clean!" Jamie called over to where the man was sitting, but he just looked away from her and ignored what she said.

"If they don't have antibiotics then T-Dog will die, no joke," Dale continued, looking over to Jamie and Glenn.

Daryl marched over to the car that Jamie was sitting on quickly, tossing a handful of white rags to Dale. "Peeled all the white rags off my brother's motorcycle. Why'd you wait till now to say anything?" He placed down a large freezer bag of pill bottles on the hood of the car, beginning to look through them. Jamie knew right away where they'd come from. "Got my brother's stash."

"Wonderful," Jamie said blandly.

"Crystal, X; don't need that." He pulled a bottle from inside and read the label quickly before passing it over to Glenn. "Kick ass painkillers, that's what I gave Jamie for her back."

"You gave me Merle's drugs?" she demanded, her voice rising in pitch.

"You already had a hunch, I know you did," Daryl said as he looked her in the eye before moving to return the bag to his things. Jamie huffed, knowing that he was right. Dale just grinned, clearly pleased that Daryl had something to help T-Dog out.

"We need to get moving soon, then," Glenn said as he looked over to T-Dog. Jamie slid herself down off the hood of the car she as on, pointlessly dusting her pants. "We'll bring our things with us." He stepped off to go and retrieve their bags from inside the RV, with Carol and Andrea disappearing inside after him. She was probably still sour about having to be saved from a walker. She blamed Dale for that, too.

"I'll give these to T-Dog," Dale said as he looked down at the orange prescription drug bottle in his hand. "Thank you, Daryl." Daryl just nodded his head, watching as Dale walked away. Jamie smiled softly as she stepped up to him, hooking her fingers into the front pockets of his pants and tugged him toward her.

"Daryl Dixon, saviour to the people," she teased softly, leaning up to press a quick kiss against his lips. Daryl just hummed deep in his chest at her words, manoeuvring them around until he had her back pressed against the side of a truck. She slipped her arms up around his shoulders, keeping her head tipped back so that she could keep hold of their eye contact. "My hero."

"Not quite sure 'bout that," Daryl drawled out, his hands moving to rest on her hips. The coarse material of her jeans was much more familiar than the uniform pants that she had been wearing until now, the clothes she'd taken from the truck the day before much more her style.

"You are," she assured, tilting her head just slightly to the side as she reached up to ghost another kiss across his lips, tempting him. Daryl finally had enough of her evading as he pressed forward, pinning her down against the side of the truck and claiming her lips in a dominating kiss. She didn't show any resistance, returning the kiss gladly as her hands rose to run up through his lengthening hair.

Her breath hitched in pain when his hands lifted to grab her sides, the press on her bruised flesh and sore ribs too much to hold back. Daryl pulled away quickly when he heard the pained sound, looking down at where his hand had slackened slightly. Guilt washed through her at the thought of ruining their moment because of her side, but Daryl just soothed his hand along her side gently to return to her hip.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, looking down at the ground next to their feet.

"Ain't that my line?" Daryl asked as he leaned his cheek against hers, the stubble on his skin pricking her uncomfortably. The gesture, however, was too kind for her to pull away. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned more into the truck, pulling him down to lean heavily on her. The weight was reassuring, familiar. She was glad that there was still things that could remind her of their lives before the world had ended, things that could help her to feel safe and secure again.

"Be careful out here," she whispered against his neck, closing her eyes to take in the woodsy smell that was clinging to him. "We've already lost Sophia, Carl's been shot and T-Dog's in danger. Can't lose you, too, you're the most important to me."

"Guess I should be flattered," he said into her hair, his breath ghosting along her neck as he spoke. "Don't worry 'bout me, Babe. I've gotten this far, haven't I?" Jamie let out a breathy laugh as she nodded against his neck.

"Jamie!" Glenn called from the RV, holding her bag over his shoulder. "We should get going, it's gunna be dark soon." Jamie lifted a hand to show that she'd heard, but didn't move from her spot as she held onto Daryl tighter. His arms wound around her waist in return, pressing her against him and away from the truck.

"I ain't gunna be gone long, Angel. We'll see each other again tomorrow mornin'," Daryl assured, turning his head to press a kiss against her temple. They pulled away from one another slowly, Daryl's arm falling into place over her shoulders as they walked over to Carol's Cherokee. T-Dog had already slipped into the back and Glenn had taken up homage in the driver's seat but had yet to start the truck.

"You're just leaving him for the night, god," Andrea said from the RV, looking irritated at the show of affection. Jamie glared over at her as Daryl tried to guide her over to the passenger door.

"If you had Amy back right now, would you be willing to let her out of your sight? Wouldn't you want to hold her and never let go?" Andrea's eyes widened and she looked stricken, as though Jamie had physically injured her. The blonde finally let herself be moved over to the passenger side and Daryl opened the door for her.

"Don't give too much blood, I still need you to be able to at least walk tomorrow," he said as he closed the door, the window left open and allowing him to lean in. Jamie laughed mockingly, getting a smirk from him as he nodded to Glenn before he backed away from the vehicle. Glenn quickly started the Cherokee up and reversed into a space left in the cars before turning around and headed down the highway that they had first come, to where the woman had said there was another road two miles up.

"That was disgustingly sappy," T-Dog said from the back, getting a cutting glare over the seat from Jamie that just made him chuckle dazedly.

Before long, they were pulling up outside of a tall white house, looking like something from an old movie and less like an actual farm house. Jamie and Glenn immediately piled out, their moods sobering at the thought of what was to come. They both carried guns with them, T-Dog still wrapped up in the blanket that Dale had given him from the RV. Jamie looked around for any sign of people; the only thing she could use to tell was that there was light coming from inside the house.

"Let's just invite ourselves into this stranger's house," Jamie mumbled, only loud enough for the two men to hear her. "Not awkward at all." Glenn tried not to laugh at her commentary as they began to walk toward the steps that led up onto the porch. The amusement of her words immediately died away when they saw the blood on the steps that must have been from Carl.

"So, do we ring the bell?" Glenn asked, unsure of what to do.

"We're passed this kind of stuff, aren't we?" T-Dog asked as he looked over at the Korean before he stepped up first, Jamie lingering behind him in case he keeled over. "Having to be considerate," he continued, staggering a moment.

"You close the gate up the road when you drove in?" A female voice asked. Jamie jumped slightly and looked over to where the woman was sitting, the same woman who had rode in on horseback and taken Lori with her when she left.

"Uh, hi," Glenn mumbled, looking started.

"Yea," Jamie said, looking over at Glenn with a look that asked 'what the fuck?' Glenn tried to elaborate, mumbling on about when they'd first met. Jamie shook her head as she leaned on her arm against the post nearby, looking over to him in amusement as she wondered how long he was going to go on before someone stopped him—saved him.

"Look, we came to help," T-Dog said finally, saving the Asian man.

I've barely been getting any reviews! Not feeling the love right now, everybody! Come on! Please review! Review! Review! :P

Sorry that I didn't have a sneak peek at the end of the last chapter, hadn't gotten a chance to edit this one yet and I admit that I was too lazy. Here's one for you, though!

Chapter 21 – Me To You

"Thank you, Jay," Rick said as he took a hold of her other hand for a moment, getting a nod of understanding in return before he moved back to his son, placing one hand on Carl's leg and hoping that he knew he was there. Hershel soon moved aside to let the blood take effect, watching as Jamie leaned back in the chair. At least now Rick was out of danger.

It didn't take long for the fatigue of giving blood to set in, the lack of proper food and nutrition going straight to Jamie's head as she sat in the chair next to Carl's bed. She sat there for a while, watching Carl's pale face, Lori's fearful one and Rick's equally pale and fearful one. She almost didn't want to let Hershel remove the needle when he started to, because she knew that it wasn't enough to save Carl's life.

"I can't thank you enough, Jamie," Lori said as she squeezed the younger woman's knee in one hand, no other words needed between them as Jamie smiled softly. It was the least she could do. Maggie came in with the sandwich that Jamie had been forced to leave behind and a glass of juice so she didn't pass out when she went to stand, letting her eat it at the bedside like she had with Rick.