Chapter Nine

"They're like fucking coon hounds down there. We're treed like coons," Piper spat as she looked down at the group of monsters.

They had ran as hard and fast as they could, gaining enough ground on those things to finally stop and assess the situation, trying to find a suitable place to hide out. Finally Damon had spotted a large old oak with branches low enough to grab on to and shimmy up.

The three of them had waited in the tree, expecting the things to go right past them but that didn't happen. It was like they could smell them up there and then finally they realized that their prey was above them. They had been down there for what felt like hours, clawing at the tree, snarling up as their teeth gnashed together grotesquely.

Piper was higher up than Sophia and Damon was one branch below her. Sophia couldn't help but wonder how long they could stay up here. "Do you think they'll give up?"

Damon looked up and then shook his head. "No. Piper's right. They know we're up here. They ain't goin' anywhere. They aren't people anymore so they don't need to rest the way we do. They'll wait until we eventually drop."

"How long you think we've been up here?" Piper called down.

Sophia shrugged. "A few hours at least. I feel like I could pass out already."

"Jesus, don't even joke about that," Damon said in a low voice.

Sophia felt bad. He had gotten less rest than her and Piper had gotten and he had crashed from the energy drinks a long time ago. Somehow he was still holding on, though.

Piper sighed loudly. "I just can't believe we made it this far. I feel cheated. I should be up in the loft by now with the windows opened, sleeping like the dead."

"No shit," Damon grumbled, shifting so his back was against the trunk of the tree. He blinked slowly and Sophia had the horrible thought that he may fall asleep and then topple out of the tree. Whatever those things were down there, it was obvious that they wanted to tear them apart.

The sharp sound of a gunshot rang through the air, nearly causing her to fall.

"God, I hope that's friendly fire," Piper said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Just then a man stepped out from between two trees, opening fire on the things below.

"Thank fuck!" Piper yelled, standing up quickly and holding on to the branch above her.

"Who is that?" Sophia asked, as she watched the man. The things were turning now, stumbling towards what they must have seen as the easier target. The man seemed unfazed as he took them down one at a time. She was glad the things were being handled but she felt sick watching them fall.

Once the last one dropped the man glanced around, still unaware of their presence. Throughout the whole episode Sophia had hoped the man wouldn't notice them at all. He looked dangerous. He didn't look like the type of guy that would offer them any help at all. He probably just killed those things because it was something for him to kill.

Piper must not have felt the same way because she was scurrying down the tree like a squirrel, passing Damon and then landing lightly on her feet. When the man saw her there the gun slipped from his hand and he shook his head, his eyes wide with what looked like disbelief.

"Bout damn time!" She barked and then ran towards him, throwing herself at him hard. The man grinned, lifting her off the ground and looking very much like he was crushing the life out of her.

Damon was next to start down, looking up and reaching for her hand. She took it and let him help her down. She wasn't much of a tree climber and getting down was proving harder then getting up had been. On the last branch she dangled there for a few moments before he had her around the waist and was lowering her to her feet. This put their bodies flush together and she felt herself blush furiously.

He grinned and let go of her, giving her the opportunity to step away from him and gather her thoughts, that were somehow slightly scattered for some reason. Likely exhaustion. She wasn't going to believe for a second that it was because of him.

"How the hell did you find us?" Piper asked once the man had sat her back down on her feet.

"Saw the bus and then followed the trail. I can't believe you drove that big son of a bitch all the way up here."

Damon nodded. "Thought about getting some new wheels but every damn time we saw more cars, those fucking things were around."

"Who the hell is she?" the man asked, glancing at Sophia. It was exactly what Piper had asked when she had seen her.

"Damon's knew life mate. He grabbed himself a live in girlfriend on his way out of the school. He's already thinking ahead, you know."

Sophia's face flamed as the man chuckled. "That isn't true. I'm Sophia."

"Merle," He said quickly. "Regardless of the reasons behind why you're with them, you got lucky, kid. Now let's get the fuck outta here before more of those things show up after hearing those shots."

"What about everyone else?" Damon asked as they started the trek back to the road.

"I came alone," Merle said vaguely.

No one else said anything at all as they picked through the trees and dense foliage. Sophia was relieved that they had found at least one of these mysterious men that were going to help her find her mom.

~H~

Daryl had a strange suspicion that the bodies that they had found on the road earlier was the handy work of his brother. He didn't know why he felt that way but he was nearly certain. This gave him a boost of hope that he really needed.

He had no doubts that he could get him and Carol to the cabin in one piece. The problem was, what if something had happened and he was wrong and he really couldn't find the rest of his family? What the hell would he do then? Just the two of them live up there like a couple of fucking recluses never knowing what the hell happened to the world?

His family's presence would be a buffer. It was odd that a perfect stranger, like her, could suddenly mean a whole lot more than she should. And at the moment, she did. Because, at the moment, he felt like she was the only other person on the planet. Once he got to his family, it would clear his head a little bit and he would be able to think a little more clearly.

"This is the only road up. If we run into another block we'll end up having to hoof it the rest of the way and it's a hell of a hike."

"Okay."

He glanced over, feeling a rush of adrenalin at the prospect of seeing his brother and his aun and uncle. "You don't bitch very much."

Her brows pulled together in a frown and she looked at him. "What?"

"Women. Don't most of them usually bitch and moan about shit. You don't. It's weird."

"You think I'm weird?"

He nodded. "Not bad weird. I just figured I'd have to listen to you moan about how tired you were or some shit."

"Are you tired?" She asked.

He nodded. "Bone fucking weary."

"Well, it wouldn't be very fair for me to complain when you feel the same way. You haven't... bitched about being tired. Why should I?"

He shrugged. "That's different. Men don't bitch like women do."

"Well that's sexist," she muttered.

He opened his mouth to say something but shut it quickly when he saw the bus. "I can't fuckin' believe it," he muttered, nearly shaking with relief. "Those crazy little fucker's stole a goddamn school bus and took off on their own. I should have known!"

"Your niece?" Carol asked, raising a brow.

"Yep. And my cousin. It's the only reason I can think of why a bus from their school would be all the way up here. I think maybe Merle is with my uncle and aunt and I'm thinkin' that's how those things were killed back there when we first stopped."

"And you really think they'll help me?" She asked, her own voice filled with quiet hope.

He squinted and then cursed under his breath. The back door to the bus was open but he couldn't see anyone on it. He stopped the truck and hopped out, waiting for her to get out on his side. He saw the trail right away, off to the left heading into the trees. "Goddamn it," he hissed.

He walked towards the trail, his heart sinking as he saw how many tracks there were. They had been running from a pack of those things. He could track them and he knew it but-"

"Daryl!"

He turned at the sound of her voice, swinging the crossbow around, expecting to find her in trouble. Instead he watched as she jumped down from the back of the bus, holding a piece of paper in her hands.

"This was taped to the steering wheel," she said, handing it over.

He took it shakily and read over the words.

They stole a school bus. Found'em in the woods alive. Keep driving.

"Your brother?" Carol asked.

He nodded and felt a grin break out over his face. "Yeah. We'll head on up, get a little bit of rest and then we'll head out to find her."

She nodded and looked away. "I'm happy for you. I really am happy for you, but for the first time in my life I wish my daughter was the type of kid that would steal a school bus."

He swallowed hard. He hadn't thought about that. Here he was, getting his whole family back in one whack and she was still trying to hang onto hope that she would see her daughter again. "I told you I was gonna find her. I meant what I said, alright? You're gonna get her back."

She tried to smile but gave up and simply nodded. He didn't know what the hell to do to make her feel any better. He dealt with things differently than most people did and it made it hard for him to know how to deal with other people's emotions.

They got back in the truck and headed further up the mountain. Neither one of them spoke after that.

Sorry about the short chapter and the delay! Thanks for reading! =)