A/N Base on Johnny Cash Hurt Beta and co-written with Deanandjo4ever1 Warnings in this chapter include teen drug use

Chapter 3 I Hurt Myself Today

After Peyton and Tamera met with everyone but the leader Rick. Maggie showed them to their cell. As soon as Tamera's head hit her pillow, her eyes fluttered and she was sound asleep. Hopefully her dreams were filled with pleasant things, such as unicorns and young princes. Peyton lie down and soon sleep took over her. Nightmares soon plagued her young, tired mind. She was backing home, her father called her name, hate dripping from his voice. She knew what was about to happen. He busts through her door and before she relived any more of her horrendous past, she awoke with a start. Peyton couldn't get back to sleep, so she got up and went to her bag and quietly dug through it. After a few moments of digging she found what she was looking for, a small bag of a white powdery substance, cocaine. She sat back on her bunk and snorted a small amount. Immediately the pain and fear of the world began to fade. She felt that she needed to walk around and move. She walked into the yard. Peyton looked up and saw Daryl in the guard tower. She walked over and climbed the stairs to enter. Daryl not expecting anyone for a few more hours whirled around and pointed his crossbow at her.

"Why do you keep pointing that shit at me?" she asked playfully as a slow easy smile crept across her face.

Daryl looked at her and the full moon caught her eyes and he knew that look all too well, this kid was high. He put the crossbow down and turned around, going back to his watch. Peyton sauntered over to Daryl

"Mind if I join ya?" she asked awfully fast. He just gave her a nod.

"So when can I meet this Rick." Peyton asked with seriousness in her young voice, as she looked up at the man.

"Soon." was all he said not even glancing at her.

"Where is he?" she asked curiously.

"You ask a lotta questions." Daryl responded dryly.

"Is she dead?" She asked sounding closer to her age than she had in the very short time Daryl knew her.

"Who?"

"The baby's mother."

"Yeah." Daryl said pain lacing his voices ad he thought about earlier that day.

"That sucks." Peyton said sympathetically.

Peyton turned and looked at Daryl and smiled.

"You know ya kind of cute." Peyton said smiling seductively. Daryl grunted, knowing this was the drugs talking and not the kid. He regretted letting the kid stay up there with him.

"Do you think I'm cute?" She asked moving closer and her voice was so broken.

Daryl understood more about these two girls past every second he was around them. Daryl turned and faced the young girl; he placed his right hand on her shoulder.

"You're high." Daryl said with force but his voice also held compassion and understanding.

"I'm not high." Peyton said harshly, shoving his hand off of her shoulder.

"What do you use?" Daryl asked, knowing it had to be pretty hard for her to be coming on to a man old enough to be her daddy.

"Cocaine." She answered defeated.

"Go back to your cell and sleep it off." He said sternly.

Peyton nodded her and started walking toward the door.

"Hey kid, stop sneaking up on me." Daryl said trying to relieve the tension as she started down the stairs.

He watched her walk all the way back to the prison, making sure she got there safely. In this world, hell even the old one, many men would have jumped at the chance to take advantage of a sixteen year old kid. Daryl would never lay an inappropriate hand to her. She was just a kid and he would protect her at all costs. Maybe saving these sisters was a chance to make up for his failure with Sophia. He hoped Carol was looking at him proudly in heaven.

Peyton woke up the next morning and looked at the top bunk and found Tamera missing. She started to panic, thinking only the worst things that she could possibly imagine. She raced downstairs, only to find Tamera sitting next to Carl, the young boy she had met last night eating and laughing.

"Tamera I thought I told you to stay by my side." Peyton shouted angrily.

"She was hungry." Beth said defending the young girl.

"Is everyone okay?" Rick asked as he walked into the cell block for the first time in a day.

"Yeah we are. Maggie and Daryl found a few young survivors and they need a place to stay." Hershel said as he ate his breakfast.

"I don't know right now." Rick said as he rubbed his bloodshot eyes.

"I'll decide later. I have to get back." Rick said as if he was having trouble forming his sentences and with that Rick walked back through the door and disappeared down the dark hall.

"So that's Rick." Peyton said dryly, setting down taking the bowl of noodles Beth offered her.

"We need to go on another run for formula." Hershel stated.

"Glenn and I will go." Maggie volunteered, wanting a break away from the prison.

"I'll go and clear some of the other areas." Daryl said.

"I'll go." Oscar, a big black man in prison drab offered.

"Okay. Carl why don't ya come with us too." Daryl said as he walked over and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Okay." Carl agreed happily looking up at the older man.

"Count me in too." Peyton spoke up. She knew that she needed to start pulling her weight. Maggie and Daryl were the only ones that she had really had any contact with, and they had both been nice and looked after her. Peyton was ready to do anything to earn a place for her and Tamera.

All eyes turned to Peyton, shocked. "Think you should stay."

Daryl said his voice sounded as if there was almost no room for argument.

"I want to help, earn my keep." Peyton said trying to convince Daryl to change his mind.

She walked to her cell and grabbed her pistol and was turning to leave, when she was met by Daryl.

"What are you doing?" Daryl asked aggravated.

"Getting ready." She responded as if it was obvious.

"Not with that gun. Take your bat." He said. Peyton was about to protest, but she knew she needed to follow their rules is she wanted her stay.

"Fine." Peyton said defeated, she placed her gun back in her bag and grabbed the bat. Peyton walked over to her sister.

"Stay close to Beth." She said with an authoritative tone as she hugged Tamera. Tamera nodded.

"Stay safe. Please." Tamera said on the verge of tears.

"You know I will." Peyton said.

"I'll take care of her kid." Daryl called. Peyton walked over to where Oscar, Carl and Daryl was waiting.

"You ready." Daryl asked.

"Yeah." She walked out behind the other three.

They cleared the tombs slowly. Daryl and Carl took point, Peyton a little further behind and Oscar stayed further back to watch for stragglers. Daryl used this time to talk to Carl, from what Peyton was able to gather, Rick was Carl's dad and the baby his sister, their mom had died just yesterday during child birth. Peyton quickened her pace and got up next to Daryl Carl fell back to her position.

"Hey I just wanted to say sorry about last night." She whispered not wanting for Carl to hear.

"It's okay. You didn't know what you were doing." Daryl said sheepishly.

"Thank you for not taking me up on it." Peyton said falling next to Carl.

Daryl sent everyone back up to the main cell block, when Peyton reached her sister; she hugged her and sat down next to her.

"Where are you kids from? "Hershel asked kindly.

"Atlanta." Tamera answered.

"How did you escape?" Beth asked not able to hide the shock in her voice.

"Just lucky I guess." Peyton said dryly.

Rick walked in and looked at Peyton and Tamera

"What are your names?" He asked briskly.

"I'm Peyton and this is my little sister Tamera. Please let us stay. We haven't had any where safe. It's hell out there." Peyton pleaded.

"I don't know. I'll have to think about it." Rick answered as he walked toward his daughter.

Rick took the child in his arms and walked outside with her. The others followed, as they walked outside the dead rattled the fences, smelling the live meat. The group saw a woman with a basket in her hands, clasping the fence. Rick handed the baby to Carl and walked toward the gate trying to figure out what she wanted, and why she had baby supplies. Carl handed the baby to Peyton and ran toward his dad.