A/N Hope you like this chapter better than the last one, I really liked it. I love all your reviews, so keep em coming! Enjoy it!
"I said it a thousand times, dead in the water." Dale gripes, fanning the steaming engine.
Daryl turns his attention to finding a way through the mess of cars ahead of them. He winds the bike around the cars, looking for a path that would be easiest to clear out, but heads back when the group spreads out, looking for anything useful.
Sam joins Lori and Carol, searching through cars, suitcases and trunks for anything they need. Clothes, medicine, water, weapons. She tries to avoid the cars with corpses still in them, not wanting to be forced to remember that these are peoples belongings.
Sam hears Rick's sharp whisper and sees him motioning her down, she drops to her belly and scoots under a nearby car. Everyone around her does the same thing, she can just see Lori and Carol under a truck a little ahead of her. She doesn't see Daryl through, which causes her heart to hammer painfully in her chest, but she doesn't dare go look for him now, not after hearing the panic and warning in Rick's voice.
The first pair of feet shambles past her, a dirty pair of house slippers, almost completely worn away, quickly followed by more and more feet. More walkers than Sam has ever seen at one time. Her heart pounds so hard, it seems like a miracle that the walkers don't hear it.
Sophia's panicked screams are the first sounds to reach Sam's ears after the last of the walkers have passes. The fear in that scream wrenches her heart and she tries as quick as she can to get out from under the car to help the girl. She gets out with enough time to see Rick jump over the guard rail and take off into the woods after the girl and the two walkers after her.
Daryl approaches Sam and at least one of the knots in his stomach loosens. "The hell was that?"
"I don't know. I guess from the city? Running out of food and moving on? But there's two of them after Sophia." Sam says, tears in her eyes as she reaches for his hand.
"I saw Rick head off after her. I'm sure he'll bring her back fine." he reassures her, holding her hand tightly "T-dog could really use some help though. Come help me bring him over here?"
Sam nods, glad to have something to distract her.
The afternoon drags on with no sign of Rick or Sophia. Lori and Carol are nervous wrecks and Carl, though he would never admit it, is worried too. Finally Rick walks back up the embankment and is met by expectant stares.
"She's not back yet?"
"You mean you left her out there?" Carol asks.
"I had to lead the walkers away Carol. It was her only shot." Rick explains :I left her at the creek and told her how to get back here. All she had to do was follow my directions."
"Let's go back, I'll see if I can pick up her trail." Daryl volunteers.
Sam steps forward, still holding his hand "I want to go too."
Daryl shakes his head, "You help hold down the fort here," he says to her softly "If you're out there with me, I'll be more focused on keeping you safe than finding the little girl, a'ight?"
He starts to follow the guys into the woods when Sam gently pulls on his arm, holding him back, he is about to say something when she quickly reaches up and kisses his cheek. "Be careful."
He gives a short nod, still unsure what to make of her recent shows of affection, he lets go of her hand and heads into the woods.
Sam keeps one eye on the woods as the sun starts to sink, making the shadows in the woods seem darker, more ominous. Everyone is only half focused on gathering supplies, just waiting for the guys to get back. Finally as the sun is just starting to sink below the horizon, casting an orange glow on everything Daryl steps over the guard rail, followed by Rick, Shane and Glen are a little farther down the road, but also making their way back.
Carol rushes over to them "You didn't find her?"
"We followed her trail for a while." Daryl says.
"She's still out there, we have to find her." Carol says, getting more and more upset.
"It's too dark now, we'd only be trippin over ourselves." he explains.
"Is that blood? Carol asks, paling suddenly.
"We took down a walker. There was no sign that it was anywhere near Sophia." Rick tries to reassure her.
"But how do you know?"
"We cut the sumbitch open, made sure." Daryl says, tossing away the gloves covered in walker guts before going over to Sam.
"What happened?" Sam asks.
"Dunno. She was doin fine for a while, then she started going the wrong way." he explains "We'll find her tomorrow, she can't go too far."
"If anyone can find her, it's you." Sam takes his hand.
Sam notices the slightest wince when he slings the bow over his shoulder, but she waits to say anything until they are back in the tent. "What happened to your shoulder?"
"Nuthin, just fucked it up the other day. Haven't had a chance to rest it." he starts to shrug before the pain stops him.
"That's what you get for attacking a solid steel door." Sam jokes "Come here."
"I was tryin to save us. Least I was doing something." he starts to jerk away from her.
"Get over here." Sam says, grabbing his shoulder and turning his around. "Let me help you."
Daryl starts to argue but Sam starts massaging his shoulders, her thumbs seek out the knotted muscles in his back and any arguments dissolve. The tension drains out of his shoulders while she works her thumbs in circles.
"Fuck, that's good." he groans as she starts working over his arms.
She can feel a smile creeping onto her face with every groan. She makes her way back up his arms and works on his lower back, until he slowly pulls away.
"Thanks." he says, rotating his shoulders "Actually feels a lot better."
Daryl turns around and she is right there, a small smile playing on her lips, her eyes glitter, unsure in the dim tent. She slowly raises on her tiptoes and brings her lips to his. Her soft, full lips just barely rest on his, she pulls away after a few seconds and looks at him.
"Here," she takes his hand with a smile and gently places it on her lower back.
Sam can see the doubt flicker on his face when she moves his hand, something inside tells her she can make that doubt go away. She puts her arms around his neck and brings her lips to his again, she can feel his arms tighten around her as she continues to kiss him. His beard scratches her chin, she risks a soft bite to his lower lip, his left arm tightens around her, right hand going to her hair. Sam runs her tongue over his bottom lip before breaking the kiss. They are both breathing heavier than they were a few minutes ago, and the temperature in the tent seems to have skyrocketed. She lets her hands slide down his arms, loving the way all that muscle feels under her palms. Daryl's eyes have a dazed look to them.
Daryl turns and unzips the tent, stepping out into the night air. The air outside is almost like a physical slap after the heat in the tent. Sam starts to follow him.
"I'm gonna walk the camp, see how watch is goin." he says before she can say anything, and starts to walk away.
He slings the bow over his shoulder, noticing less stiffness that before, at least in his shoulders. He decides to head into the woods, clear his head a little and passes Dale, keeping watch on the way.
"Goin for a walk." he says to Dale, not looking at him, or waiting for a reply, and jumps the guard rail.
He can still feel her lips lingering on his. All of this still so unreal to him, a girl, an gorgeous girl, actually seems interested in him. Even knowing Merle, she still wants to be around him. He is still incredibly skeptical and more than a little confused about her affection, but it seems genuine. Wind whispers through the woods, rustling the leaves on the trees, but not bringing any sounds outside the normal nocturnal sounds. He stands in the woods, listening to the night come alive around him before hiking back up the hill to the tent.
Sam comes up to him as soon as he is back in the tent, "Daryl, I'm sorry. I was outa line, I shouldn't have done that. You should have said something, or stopped me."
"Nah, wasn't anything like that." he assures her, standing awkwardly inside the tent, unable to look at her for too long. "I don't mind."
Sam can feel the blush creeping into her cheeks when she catches his last mumbled comment, grateful for the lack of light in the tent.
"Well, um," she stammers, suddenly feeling like a schoolgirl again "I'm gonna try and get some sleep."
She pulls the blanket over her head, embarrassed at how awkward she just was, and just barely hears what he says.
"So, uh," he murmurs quietly "you want me to stay? Like the other night?"
Sam lowers the blanket enough to look at him, make sure he's serious before she nods, a slight smile on her lips. He lays down next to her, one arm outstretched, the other under his head.
"Cmere." he says, waiting for her to move.
She scoots closer, blankets and all until his arm is wrapped around her and she can hear the steady beat of his heart.