The French Girl

Wildfire

Shane and Rick were arguing over how it would have been different if Rick had of "stayed and took care of his own" and not run off to save Merle Dixon's ass. Annie, she sat in the back of the blue pickup truck making sure the bodies of their fellow camp members didn't fall. She looked up when she heard the two men's voices.

Daryl was driving, saying he needed the help and he didn't trust nobody none. The truck stopped and he jumped out.

Antoinette carefully stood up so not to mess with any of the bodies and glanced over at the two officers. "Mind giving me a hand, Dixon?" She called and Daryl shot her a look. He moved over to the officers.

"I still think we should burn 'em. Don't you Annie?" Daryl said, glancing over at Annie.

She frowned. "I don't think so, they're…they're family. We don't burn family."

And before anyone could do anything, Lori was up there and saying how they "needed" rules. Annie had always hated rules. "We need something to hold onto of our own selves. We need time to mourn. And we haven't gotten any of that." Lori said, causing Annie to raise her eyebrow. "And we need to bury our dead."

Daryl stared at her like she was half crazy. Rick seemed to be looking on agreeing.

"It's what people do." Lori added.

-O-

Once Antoinette had gotten her head back on from watching her brother die, she stepped up to do what she needed. She was doing everything she could seeing as that was what others needed. She was asked by Dale to check up on Jim. "Sure thing Dale," she said as she went inside the SUV.

Jim looked sweaty, confused and sickly all at once. Even crazy. "Howdy Jim, need anything?" she asked.

He snapped his eyes to hers. "A-Annie?" he whispered.

"Oui, who else would it be?" Annie asked. Jim frowned. "Do you want some water?"

He nodded, and once she had gotten him his drink, she was going back outside to watch over the camp as everybody else buried the dead. Annie was thankful Pierre was already buried.

She stood on top of the SUV, watching the group bury their dead. She looked away feeling as if they needed the time alone, to mourn. However, maybe 30 minutes later it felt like, the group made their way back up towards the camp. Annie noted how Daryl was in the far back, away from the others. Andrea seemed broken and Annie knew how she felt. Everybody was upset.

"Hey gurl!" she looked over and found Daryl. How had he gotten so close without her noticing? "Need some company?"

Annie shrugged. "Sure cretin!"

Daryl glared at her as he climbed up, sitting down beside her as she stood. "How's the view?"

So small talk eh?

The blond shrugged once more. "The view's been better, it isn't as nice when we're burying the dead now is it?"

She caught sight of Lori and Rick talking, and Annie quickly found where Carl was, knowing they couldn't keep track of that boy for nothing. Carl sat beside Sophia, and Annie smiled at the sight. "That's a fair point." Daryl agreed. "But most of 'em was their own fault."

"How so?" she asked, looking over the group and tracking each of them with her eyes.

Daryl shrugged. "If they hadn't made such a big fire, none of this would have happened. Pierre would still be alive."

She froze. She glanced at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Please Daryl; I just want to relax for a moment okay? Please…I need time to heal…"

"We don't have time to heal anymore, Antoinette. It's either you get over it and live, or you get killed. Make your choice." Daryl said simply before he got up, and left her standing there on watch.

-O-

The next day, the group was packing up and getting ready to go. Annie noticed she had a chance to drive with the Grimes or with Daryl, who appeared to alone. Who would want to drive with the young Dixon anyway? Carl wondered up to her, looking like a child. Annie looked at him. "Hey." Carl said.

"Bonjour, Carl. Comment ça va?" She asked. Carl looked a little confused but answered anyway.

"Ça va bien, merci!" he replied. He just simply smiled forcefully. "Or at least, how much you can be…."

She nodded. "That is very true, and you're a wise person for your age." She paused. "What do you think CDC will be like?"

Carl spoke softly. "I don't know…" She agreed before Lori called Carl over. "Will you be riding with us?"

Annie was about to reply when…. "Nah, she's comin' with me. There's somethin' I need ta talk ta her 'bout. That okay kid?" It was Daryl.

She raised an eyebrow. Carl quickly nodded, said goodbye to Annie and went to his mom. She turned to Daryl and crossed her arms. "What?"

"Come on, I need ta talk ta ya." She followed him as he went to his truck which he and Merle had first come in. There was a slick black motorcycle hooked to the back. "That family, they're goin' their own way. Are ya plannin' ta?"

"No, I'm not." Annie said as she threw her stuff into the back of the truck and climbed in, as Daryl climbed into his side. "Why? Nervous I'll be leaving you cretin?"

Daryl huffed. "I ain't no pussy! I just wanted ta know!"

She shrugged, "Fine. But I'm not going."

-O-

They ended up stopping, the SUV wasn't working. Annie was staying close to Daryl as the group talked, trying to figure out what to do. Jacqui came rushing out of it, saying Jim couldn't last any longer, making her cry. Annie looked worried about the man even though she had never met him. She looked at Daryl. "What are we gonna do?"

"He's gonna stay here, that's all. It'll be okay." He promised her.

It wasn't.

-O-

Antoinette had a deep respect for somebody who wanted to be with his/her family. She nodded to Jim, kneeling before him. She bowed her head slightly. "Good luck Jim, I hope you find happiness."

"Thank….you…" He was breathless but he got out what he wanted.

She smiled slightly and he returned it. She was the second last person saying goodbye and as she turned, she noticed how Daryl just simply…nodded. She smiled as they climbed into their cars and took off, Jim finally finding peace.

-O-

The cars were pulling up to a stop, and Annie covered her nose at the smell. God it was awful. Everywhere, there were dead everywhere! She gagged as she took out her weapons, picking up her things just in case, you know? Daryl grabbed his crossbow and his bag, following her suit.

Nobody said anything, but as they made their way towards the building, they made sure no dead were moving. It grossed her out, seeing all the dead. And it annoyed her how Carol and Lori didn't need to protect themselves since they were the women. And it seemed Andrea was falling into that role too.

Jacqui didn't even carry a gun.

Annie was the only one who seemed like she could handle her own. She made her way up, making sure everyone was protected.

This is for you, Pierre! She thought.

Rick and Shane started trying to open the door as Annie stayed at the back, watching the dead bodies carefully.

"There's nobody here!" T-Dog said.

It was getting dark, and Annie knew that everybody would start freaking out. Even Daryl was.

"WALKERS!" somebody who sounded like Daryl shouted. He shot it easily in the head, and it appeared to be an army guy. "You led us into a graveyard!"

Annie noticed how he looked at her once he was upset.

"Shut up! Shut up! Do you hear me?! Shut up!" Shane ordered Daryl, who didn't look pleased. "Rick, this is a dead end!"

"Where are we gonna do?" Carol wailed.

"She's right! We can't be this close to the city after dark!" Lori said, holding Carl close.

"Fort Bennie, still an option!" Shane said quickly.

"Never mind the fort, we need answers now!" Lori almost snapped.

It was awful, everybody was freaking out and Annie stepped forward, glaring at Lori. "Shut up Lori! You aren't helping and you're scaring your kid!" Annie snapped.

Daryl grabbed her hand as Lori stared at her. Annie glared as she stepped back, and soon they were going to make a run for it but Rick stopped them. "There's somebody in there!"

Rick was begging the person inside to let them in. Annie was already beginning to lead the group back to their cars. With Rick throwing a mini temper tantrum, the group was getting worried as the walkers began to move closer.

"YOU'RE KILLING US! YOU'RE KILLING US!" Rick shouted at the camera that had 'moved'. And then, the door opened and a bright white light shone to them. Annie was frozen beside Daryl as they looked at it.

-O-

Up next: TS-19; Jenner takes the group into CDC. And it looks like Annie and Daryl have a night to remember, getting drunk like they did.

Review please? Sorry about the wait! I don't know if this is any good since I've been freaking out about exams. Sorry guys!