Save Me, Save You

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or the characters except my own! The rest is all AMC!

summary: twenty-nine year old Kathryn Smith and her daughter three year old Jasmine have been on their own until they meet the Atlanta group on the highway. both mother and daughter carry with them a scared and frightening past but Kathryn is also carrying with her something more. Enter Daryl Dixon Hunter, tracker, and all around bad ass as well carries a dark past can they both save each other or will someone or something tear them apart?

Theme song: Hell Is For Children by: Pat Benatar/ Acceptance by: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (Original Soundtrack)

Chapter 11: I'm From Ohio

Winter came and it's brutal.

Everyone was grateful for Kathryn preparing them all.

She had everyone stock up on food, clothes, medicine, firewood, and ammo.

Rick was truly grateful, when he asked how she thought of all it her response was, "My great grandma lived during the Great Depression, she taught me."

Now winter was here and everyone was happy for her quick thinking.

Jasmine shivered when she woke up, her and Carl share a room in the old plantation house.

Getting up, she looks for her mother.

Kathryn and Daryl were already up by the time Jasmine came down stairs.

Both adults looked up from the fire place, Daryl was starting up. Jasmine walked over to her mother and curled up at her side.

Kathryn looked down at her shivering child. "Sweetheart, you ok?" She puts her hand on the three year old's forehead.

"Yess...mommy just cold."

Kathryn smiled. "Well go up stairs and put two long sleeve shirts on and your hoodie, ok sweety? Don't forget two pairs of socks as well."

Jasmine nods, running up the stairs.

Daryl turns to his wife, her stomach was now huge and she could hardly move around the house like she used to.

"How do ya know this? I mean we get snow but never this bad." He asks as he looks outside.

Kathryn pushes her long brown hair out of her face. "I'm from Ohio remember love? We prepare for this shit."

Daryl chuckles as he walks over to her.

Kathryn was glad her man was talking to her again, after the wedding Daryl had pulled away, embarrassed of what he did.

It took Carol and Rick to knock some sense back into him.

In those last few weeks Kathryn was depressed and scared he wouldn't return to her.

Daryl sits on the couch beside her, he takes his hand and rubs her stomach.

"I love ya Kathryn Dixon." He leans in and kisses her softly as the baby kicks his hand.

Looking down, both adults smile. "I love ya as well." He says into her stomach as he kisses the kicked spot.

Daryl sighs and looks at her. "I know I said it once, but I'm saying it again. I'm sorry, I promise I won't happen again."

Kathryn smiled. "I know it won't." He gave her a questioning look. "I'll kill you before you leave me."

Daryl chuckles and kisses her again.

By this time everyone was coming down to eat, Rick had said he wanted to go to town see if they can find any baby things for the coming spring.

Everyone seems to agree that it needed to be down including Daryl.

Kathryn was worried about them. Rick, Daryl, and Glenn are the ones going on this run.

Everyone stood outside saying good bye to the three men, Jasmine was pouting and crossing her arms.

"Jass, come and say good bye to daddy please." Kathryn begged her three year old.

"NO!"

Daryl kisses Kathryn's cheek. "Let me talk to her darlin."

Kathryn nods, waddling to the truck and waiting for him there.

Daryl walks over to the stubborn little girl. "Now come'er talk ta me." He says with authority.

Jasmine looks at the ground as she walks over to her father.

"What's got ya upset Half Pint?"

Jass looks and bursts into tears. "I's don't want ya to goes!"

Daryl sighs knowing that was the answer. He picks her up and holds her close.

"Now listen ta me ok? I'm comin back to ya and yer mama. Ain't no man or walker is gonna stop me. Ya hear?"

Jasmine nods and hugs his neck tight.

"I love you daddy."

Daryl closes his eyes tight, hugging his three year old close. "I love ya to baby girl, remember I'm comin back."

Jasmine nods as she he puts down so she could join Carl who hugs her to him.

Daryl turns to his snow bunny wife who was playing with the snow on the truck.

He smiles as he walks over to her, wrapping his arms as far as they could go and kisses her neck.

Moaning she turns. "Come back to us."

Daryl nods kissing her. "I will promise, stay off yer feet and no straining yerself."

WD~WD~WD~WD~WD

It had been hours since the three men left, T-dog and Hershel standing themselves by the window.

Kathryn waited with everyone in the living room. She was perched on the couch.

All seemed to be quiet in the house, no rustle of movement was made except for Carol who was cooking.

Hershel shifted on his feet as he squinted out the window.

Kathryn looked up. "Daddy, everything ok?"

Hershel shook his head. "Not sure, T you looking at what I'm looking?"

T nods. " Yeah, everyone should get their shit packed."

Kathryn looks up. "But Rick, Glen, and Daryl aren't back yet. What's going on?"

She was getting worried as Maggie ran up stairs with the kids to pack everything.

Hershel turned back and walked over to her. "Sweetheart, you have to keep calm for the sake of the baby." He looks at her rifle in hand. "Looks like a herd is headed up the hill, we need to be quick and quiet. The others will find us I promise."

Looking in the older man's eyes she nods, she didn't want to this place, so many great memories where made here.

Tears start to fall as her mother helped her stand, making their way to the back where the cars are parked.

Jasmine hugs Kathryn as she cries. "Where's daddy?"

"I don't know baby girl, but I promise he will find us."

WD~WD~WD~WD

Daryl's eyes widen as Rick pulls up the drive way, they couldn't even make it half way.

Where was everyone?

Was his wife and daughter in there?

Did they get out?

He jumps out before Rick could tell him not to.

Looking down, he saw tire tracks leading away from the house.

He gets in the truck, telling Rick to fallow the tire tracks. Daryl's heart beats a furious tattoo, afraid to find out what happened to his family

"I'm gonna find ya girls I promise." He whispers out loud to himself.

WD~WD~WD~WD

That night everyone was huddled in a small cabin.

Both mother and daughter were in a corner, Jasmine had just cried herself to sleep and Kathryn looked at the door with concerned eyes.

Lori walked over with a blanket and laid it over the sleeping child.

"They'll find us Kat, I promise just hang in there."

Kat smiled at Lori and thanked her.

That's when the door burst open, T smiling. "They're here all!"

Everyone but Kathryn and Jasmine walked out due to Kathryn sitting on the floor.

Not even ten seconds later Daryl burst into the small cabin jolting Jasmine awake.

"Daddy!" She yells getting up and hugging him. "I's was soo scared ya wouldn't find us!"

Daryl picks his little girl up and hugs her to him. ""Shh, daddy's here Half Pint. I'm here, shh."

The three year old cries into his shoulder, as Daryl looks over at his relieved wife.

"I'd get up but I'm stuck." Daryl chuckles as he kneels down in front of her. "For now that's where ya stay."

Kathryn smiles as he leans in and kisses her. "I ain't leavin ya that long again darlin."