When I left the room I left the door unlocked and sat in the same spot as I was in before.

Ellie obviously noticed that it was open because she threw it open and bolted down the stairs.

I heard her grunt, like she had been hit in the stomach. So I ran down after her.

"Jesus Christ! I just want to leave! Let me go you mother- DARYL!"

I watched Ellie squirm out of my dad's arms and into Daryl's bear hug.

"Holy shit! Ellie! Oh my God! I thought you were dead!"

Ellie was sobbing into Daryl's shoulder and even Daryl was on the verge of tears. Ellie pulled back from him and punched him in the nose.

"That's for leaving me to die!" Ellie ran back up the stairs. I heard a door slam.

Judy started crying, and I heard footsteps.

"I'll calm her down," I said and I walked down the stairs. Of course, I hadn't mentioned who I was going to calm down.

I walked into Judith's room and saw Ellie playing with her. She was shaking the rattle and Judith was reaching for it. Judy had stopped crying already. Shaking the rattle Ellie asked,

"What do you want?"

"To talk. Away from her though." I opened the door and gestured for her to walk out.

She stood up.

"What's her name?" She asked, walking out the door.

"Judith," I answered.

We walked down the stairs and past Daryl and my dad. They both looked like they wanted to say something, but I held up my hand to stop them, something I had never done before. I was surprised my dad didn't start yelling at me. Daryl had a bloody nose, and it made me realize that I didn't want to meet Ellie's bad side face to face.

Once we were outside, we sat on the swings someone had built for the little ones. That's when I decided to ask questions.

"How do you know Daryl?" I asked.

"He's one of the big brothers I told you about. I assume Merle didn't make it. That guy was always too rough and tumble. Probably got shot by someone that he pissed off."

"I think that's what happened, yeah." I looked down at my feet. I had no idea this would be what we'd be talking about right now. "So why'd you punch Daryl?"

"I got stuck in a fenced off crowd of dead ones trying to get out of a gun shop and Daryl and Merle said they would go around a different way and get me out. I was in a weapons shop so I took a machine gun and mowed 'em all down. I packed a couple of pistols and a knife, then I went through the back exit and around and Daryl and Merle weren't there. The truck was still there so I thought they had been… you know… eaten. I left it in case they weren't and I took off the way we were headed."

"Are you sure you weren't the one to leave them? Maybe they went into the gun shop when you went out? And they thought the same thing."

"Oh my god. You're right! Damn it, now I have to apologize."

"I'll go with you if you want," I offered.

Ellie nodded. "Thanks."

We walked back up to my house as Daryl and my dad came out.

"Sorry for punching you," Ellie said. "I thought you and Merle left me in that gun shop."

"We thought you had been eaten," Daryl answered.

Ellie rubbed her side and looked down. "Sorry."

"Why are you rubbing your arm like that?" My dad asked.

"What are you, a cop?"

"I was."

Ellie looked up at him.

"No reason." She responded. It seemed very obvious that she was hiding something.

"That's a lie, but I'll leave it for now," my dad said. "Daryl and I've gotta go check on some stuff." He started walking and I speed walked over to him.

"How could you tell she was lying?" I asked quietly. My dad slowed down, but Daryl continued on with the same speed.

"Instincts. She's been bitten, that I know. Keep your gun on you, and if she does anything strange, or tries anything, you shoot."

I nodded, but I had a sick feeling in my stomach.

How could I pull the trigger on Daryl's sister?