VanillaKisses96, Yay:) I'm glad that it's coming out that in writing, I haven't come out right and said her age yet, but in my mind she's early twenties, 22 or 23 is how I've always pictured her being and I wanted to give her that motherly instinct over the youngest ones.

bluecrush611, You're wish is my command! ;)

***Chapter 18 will be in Daryl's POV(Point Of View) folks! I hope it gets the same reaction as last time, enjoy:D***

"Shhhh." I try to hush her slowly and quietly, my lips touching her ear as she struggles against me, "Walker. Far corner." I whisper, turning her body in that direction. I feel her muscles tense, her breath shorten, she's no longer fighting me but actually stepping back closer to my body.

I had watched her go into to the little store alone, and had no intention to follow her until a faint movement caught my eye. The walker had been sitting in a corner, camouflaged in the clothes racks when it caught her smell. With Rose's attention on the box, she didn't have a clue what she had woken up with the music.

Her fright seems to wear off though, as she pushes away from me, turning to give me a nod before sliding the big machete out of the strap on her leg. Then, she all but disappears into the shadows of the store, and I creep in the direction she went. I hear the walker give one good snarl before the stomach turning sound of bone being split fills the room, followed by a solid thud as the body hits the floor. I watch as she steps out, breathing heavy and looks up at me, I notice the dark blood dotting her skin like freckles.

"We're even now." I say, looking back at her.

"Agreed." She replies, giving me a nod before looking away, "about this morning.. I-"

I cut her off before she says anything more to bring up the horrific memory, "No, stop." I say.

I don't want to be reminded of the fool I made of myself, just standing there like some 12-year-old boy who had never seen a woman's body and how angry she had gotten. We stand there for a moment longer, my mind begging her to look at me but my pride not willing to give in. My thoughts play through what had happen, how the shadows and light of the hallway had reflected off her tan, toned body, how the fire grew in her eyes the longer I just stood there.

-Damned idiot. That's what ya are. Coulda said anything, but you just stood there slack-jawed.

"Thank you." She says, after what seems an eternity and quiet as a mouse, and finally, she meets my eyes.

I pull out an old piece of shirt from my back pocket and hand it to her, "For the blood." That's all I say as I turn, heading for the door, but I can't make myself leave, not until I feel her presence close to me again.

-That girl is gonna get you killed lil bro, you might wanna get your balls back from her and get your head straight. I hear Merle's voice taunting me.

We meet the others at the door as we planned,

"What happen Rose?" I hear Rick ask as he notices the leftover blood spattered across her cheek.

"Nothing big, just caught me a walker." She replies, glancing to me for a split second. She reassuringly laughs off his concerned voice, none of the reserve showing that she had with me just minutes ago, "So..Anyone score anything really good?" She asks, inspecting what the rest of the group had returned with.

Glenn and Maggie shake their bags, the rattle of what sounds like pills puts a smile on all of our faces, "Oh just the pharmacy." Glenn says, acting like it was no big deal they both had bags full of medicine.

The rest of us can't help but to crack up a little as Rose gives him a big hug and laughs quietly,

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" She exclaims in a hushed voice, "And I found just about everything Judith could need, she'll be set for a few months at least." She adds, a smile coming to her lips.

I see the way she cared for our lil' ass-kicker and Carl, I believe she really does love them like her own, anyone can see it in her eyes.

"Well let's get the hell outta here," I say, unfortunately bringing them back to reality, "this place is startin' to give me the creeps."

They all agree and we head out to the vehicles. The rain has still yet to give up and it soaks us as we load everything into the truck and Jeep. I look over my shoulder to watch Rose moving gracefully through the rain, seeing the last drops of walker blood wash away as she unslings her bow and backpack, placing them in the back of the Jeep, along with the pharmacy we now owned.

-Quit torturin' yourself. You ain't never gettin' around to the good side on the likes of her.

I reluctantly listen to the rational part of my brain and I tear my eyes away from her as I step up into the silver truck, shaking the water from my hair. Rick hops in the driver's seat and we're driving now.

Keeping close to Rose's black Jeep, he shakes his head, "How the hell did that walker slip by us.." He asks as more of a question to himself.

"Checked the damn place twice, we couldn't have done anythang any different." I say, trying to get his thoughts off of it.

The conversation drifts into silence after that, only the rain and windshield wipers adding the background noise. I watch the terrain change as we roll along, spotting the occasional lone walker and wondering how it got there. I never think about who they were or what they did, no point in it. They're not human, or anything close to it, just another mindless thing looking for its next meal.

-How close had we been to being just like that in our months after the prison? Pretty damn close. Don't take it for granted now. My mind scolds me.

It was true though, I may not notice it but I did. Every second chance we find ourselves in, I take everything I can, not thinking about how precious it is to the group or even to myself.

-You gotta thank her. Let her know you're not just using her. She deserves that at least. I talk myself into it before pride gets the better of me, and make the decision to tell as soon as I get her alone at the farm.

-If you ever get her alone after what all happened today.

I shut my thoughts out as we arrive back at the jammed bridge. The water is now flowing through the winding river bed, not very deep but still enough to make Rick doubt the ability of the truck.
We pull up to Rose's open window, "Go down at an angle, to the left it looks a little more shallow, don't worry I'm right behind you ." She says with an assuring smile, and Rick does as instructed, driving at an angle down the soggy embankment. We sink into the mud, but still make it through to the other side, to only find ourselves dug in even deeper as we try to climb.

We both feel the truck lurch forward and look back to see a black mass pushing the big truck up the steep river bank, throwing clods of and grass mud behind it. I hear Rick let out the breath he was, no doubt, holding the whole time, because I do the exact same. We watch Rose climb the rest of the bank with no problem, throwing mud all over the silver truck as she takes lead again. Rick gives a small laugh and I shake my head, both of us knowing the mud-slinging was no accident.

"She's somethin' else." Rick says, eyes glued to the windshield.

-Ain't that the truth.