AN: Here's the next chapter, enjoy! Reviews are welcomed. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead, It solely belongs to AMC and Robert Kirkman. I only own my own Character Timi.

Leave 'er Alone

I was out huntin' today while the kid stayed on the farm and helped out. It's been a few days since we found Sofia in the barn, can't believe the whole time I was lookin' for 'er she was in there. It fuckin' sucks that I couldn't save 'er, poor Carol didn't even go to the funeral. What the hell is happenin' to this world? I shook the thoughts from my head and continued huntin'.

Been huntin' for hours now and haven't found a damn thing. You'd think since it's getting' close to winter, the little dudes be stockin' up for hibernation, but nothin' is out here. I continued to hunt for another hour before I could call it quits. Wasn't a successful trip today and it's been like this for a couple of days, maybe I'll get lucky soon.

I headed back to camp and on my way I passed the barn and a sneering Shane. He didn't look at me, but I could feel the anger radiatin' off of him, looked like he was bleedin' too. I just shook my head and continued to my tent that I took to a secluded area to get away from the group. Tensions been risin' and we could all feel it even if they don't want to admit it.

As I started to walk to my tent I decided to check on the kid instead. I turned around and was about to walk back towards the Greene's home, but the kid ran right into my chest. She looked furious and I ain't never seen 'er look like that before. The kid was practically the sweetest person aside from that little Green kid, Beth.

"What's wrong with ya kid? Looks like ya ready to kill someone," I said lookin' down at 'er.

"Shane's an asshole," she mumbled out.

"We all knew that. What he do?" I said.

I could feel the anger bubblin' up inside me, but I kept it at bay to not blow up in front of 'er.

"He said you weren't good enough for me and said something's about you. So I punched him in the face and gave him a bloody lip," she said to me.

"Fuck 'im, he ain't gonna get into your head like that. Just ignore that fucker," I said to 'er with seriousness.

Couldn't believe he said that shit to 'er. I take that back, I do believe he'd say shit like that. She grimaced and grabbed 'er hand.

"Let me see your hand," I said as I gently lifted 'er right hand with my hands.

"Damn kid, ya did one hell of a number on your hand. I'd like to see what the asshole looks like," I said with a smirk.

Her knuckles were startin' to swell and turnin' a horrible shade of black and blue. She giggled at my comment until I brushed my thumb over 'er knuckles and she let out a whimper.

"Let's go see Hershel and get ya patched up," I said to 'er.

She nodded and we headed towards Hershel who was currently at the stables talkin' to Rick.

"What's wrong," Rick said as we came up to 'em.

"Hurt 'er hand pretty bad," I said nodding towards 'er bruised hand.

"Let me see," Hershel said holding out his hands.

She quickly obliged and showed him 'er right hand which was an even darker shade of purple and blue. Both men looked pretty baffled at the huge bruisin' formin' on 'er knuckles. I'm kinda proud of my girl for bein' able to protect herself like that.

"How'd that happen?" Rick asked.

"I punched Shane in the face," she said.

Hershel touched 'er bruise and she let out a long whimper. Made me want to go snap Shane's neck for makin' 'er hurt like that.

"Doesn't seem broken, just really bruised. C'mon I'll patch you up in the house," Hershel said as he let go of 'er hand.

Least 'er hand ain't broke, she definitely knows how to throw a punch. All three of us followed Hershel to the house and into the dinin' room. She sat in a chair opposite the veterinarian as he took out some supplies to fix up 'er hand.

"Why'd you punch Shane?" Rick asked as he stood with me a few feet away from 'em.

"He said some things about Daryl and me," she said lookin' at the sheriff.

Rick nodded and said, "I'll go talk to him, make sure he leaves you alone."

"I'll go with," I said with a glare.

Ain't no way I'm lettin' that prick off the hook for sayin' shit about me and 'er.

"Fine, just don't start anything. We don't need any more broken bones," Rick said to me with a strict tone.

I nodded and followed Rick outside to find Shane. We found Shane by the barn leanin' against the old wooden structure. He looked horrible, with a big swollen split lip with some dried blood still in the cut.

"What the hell you want!?" Shane said shootin' us a deadly glare.

"Just wanna talk, Shane. Heard Timi hit you after you said some things," Rick said to 'im.

"Yeah, little bitch better watch her back," Shane said lookin' past Rick at me.

"Ya better watch yer mouth asshole or you'll get more than a split lip," I said takin' a step towards 'im.

"Calm down, Daryl. Shane you leave her alone. What they have is their business and no one else's. If I hear anythang from both sides, were gonna need to reorganize some thangs. For the mean time you three stay as far away from each other as possible, you two hear me," Rick said glancin' between the two of us during his whole speech.

I nodded at Rick still glaring at Shane.

"Fuck you all. Ain't gotta do shit. You all can sit here and pretend the world isn't changed, but we all know it has. She'll come running to me eventually," Shane said.

I tried to get at 'im, but Rick held me back and said, "Daryl take a walk, I'll handle this."

I let out a huff and glared at Shane for a half second before stalking off. I went to my tent and decided to clean my crossbow and arrows. It started getting' late so I made a small fire and cooked one of the squirrels I had here. I did not feel like sittin' with anyone today since what happened. It was getting' real dark and mostly everyone was in bed, so I put out my fire and went to bed.

I woke up in the middle of the night when I heard some sounds comin' from the woods. It didn't sound like an animal or walkers, so I decided to investigate. It walked halfway towards the outline of the woods and heard a yelp and yellin'. If I wasn't mistakin' I'd say that was Shane and my girl.

I quickly ran towards the sounds tryin' to find 'em in the dark forest. Luckily the moon was pretty bright tonight and I was able to see certain things. When I got there the girl was on the ground and Shane was on top of 'er. I threw him off and onto the ground.

I didn't waste any time to jump on him and beat 'im to a pulp. I felt someone pull me off, but I was so into the moment I could barely register who it was. My chest was heaving uncontrollably and my blood was pumpin'. I could see Shane's face was all bloody and bruised from the beatin' I gave 'im. In a sense I was satisfied, but I'd still like to kick the crap out of 'im some more.

"Take Shane away from here, get him cleaned up," Rick said to T-Dog.

T-dog nodded and took Shane away before I had another chance to finish 'im off.

"Let go of me, I'm alright," I said when I noticed Rick was still holdin' me back and I shook 'im off.

Rick just nodded and left us there for privacy. I went over towards the kid and crouched beside 'er sittin' figure. I lifted 'er head towards me with my hand under 'er chin and asked, "Ya alright?"

She had a small scratch on 'er forehead and it looked like 'er nose was bleedin' a bit, but other than that she looked fine.

"Yeah," she said to me.

I nodded and I picked 'er up bridal style and carried 'er to my tent away from the camp. I set 'er on the cot and got a damp cloth to wipe the blood off 'er face and off my knuckles. The whole time I cleaned us off I was silent. It was a good silence though because I really didn't know what to say.

I felt somethin' inside me that I never felt before, from jealousy to love. I couldn't be in love with the kid, it just felt weird. I shook off the feelin' and put it in the back of my mind. After a few minutes we both lied in my cot with 'er head on my chest. I was slowly stroking 'er good hand with my right hand and my other laying on 'er hip.

"Ya stayin' here for now on. Ya ain't ever leavin' my sight," I said in a serious tone.

"Okay," she said soundin' tired.

She slowly drifted off to sleep in my arms with a slight smile playin' on 'er lips. I'm glad she's gonna be movin' into my tent. It feels like a dream come true to bad this couldn't happen before the world went to shit, but I'm glad to have 'er no matter how fucked up it is out there.

She's mine and only mine and ain't nothin' is gonna change that. I'm gonna protect 'er day in and day out until we die. Maybe I really do love this girl. I fell asleep thinkin' of that thought that made me feel like the happiest man on earth.