Well this is a short chapter for me. A really short chapter. But there is a reason for that and well...sorry. lol

Martinez's eyes swiveled to him the second he seen him and if Daryl hadn't been so elated to see him he would have been worried at the look. He would have realized something really fucked was wrong. He took one step before he went to his knees hard the ground jarring him and feeling the abrasive action split his skin. Thing s faded fast after that. All washed out and fading to a deep pitch blackness as the ground rushed up to meet his face.

"DARYL!" The rasping voice that echoed went unheard.

Sophia watched the sun dropping and swallowed. She felt the cool air nipping at her skin and shifted her eyes begging for Daryl to appear through the trees. He'd promised. She kept chanting it over and over in her head as the day dragged on. Daryl wouldn't leave her.

Sophia let her little feet dangle as she watched the wind blow the leaves in the trees as some started to drop. Leaning against the tree she let her self relax and closed her eyes. Sophia was beyond tired and setting in the tree was the most rest she felt like she'd had in weeks.

"I'm heading on up."

Sophia's eyes snapped open and she withdrew her body hearing the unfamiliar voice. She grimaced her eyes searching for Daryl and feeling tears well up. Looking around she realized she must have slept for a few hours. Hours. Daryl wouldn't have left her this long she knew that.

"Yeah." The rasping twang in the voice had Sophia peaking over.

Her eyes landed on two separate men. The one she was looking at had his back to her his head cocked to the side as the larger of the two looked around.

"It's getting late."

Shifting on his feet, "You think I don't fucking know that?"

"What the fuck are we looking for then?"

The man Sophia had watched turned slightly and she smiled, "Something isn't fucking right Merle, he'd be here by now and you know it. Something is wrong."

The man Merle looked at him and gave him a hard look, "DO what you need to. Make this right in your head but he aint out here brother."

They split up and she watched as the man that'd been irritated stood there watching the other go. He seemed tense and he turned looking around. Sophia made a noise in her throat seeing Daryl and wanted to jump down but knew it was to high for her to land good.

"Daryl!" Sophia called softly.

Sharp eyes landed on the tree she was in and Sophia swung her legs down waiting on him. He was moving quick and the look on his face seem worried causing her to tense and look for the monsters that had been out there.

"What'd you say kid?" The voice that called up to her was distinct and thick, not Daryl.

Merle moved towards the road and paused hearing Martinez's voice loud and clear. There was a long whistle followed by him calling Daryl's name over and over. Merle knew that whistle. He knew something was wrong and turned from where he was headed and circled around to the pile up behind where he'd left the man. He cursed outloud lowly when he realized Mac had sensed something was wrong and he hadn't listened. He should have known Mac would know Daryl was close those two always had that weird shit going on with them since they were kids.

"Wake the fuck up." Martinez snapped.

The worry in Martinez's voice had Merle walking quicker and he paused when he heard more boots.

"Shut the fuck up! You trying to bring more of those fucking things down on us!" The voice was worried as well. "Where is the rest of your group! WE know two walked out in those woods."

Merle got further along and seen there were three men and that Martinez was on his knees and Daryl was laid out on the ground not moving. White hot rage pulsed through his body at the sight of his baby brother hurt. Jerking his rifle around he cracked off two quick rapid shots putting two men down that were flanking the leader.

"Who are you?" The girl cried out. Her little legs pulled higher in the tree.

Mac was watching her and felt himself with panic racing in his blood along side adrenaline. She called him Daryl. She knew his brother but how the fuck did this kid know his brother and where the fuck was he. Why the fuck was she in this goddamned tree.

"You called me Daryl." He started slow seeing panic and tears on her face. "He's my brother, kid where is he?"

She studied him and seemed to relax some leaning down more towards him. He could easily reach her from here but made no move towards her. She was giving him a hard look and he seen her eyes running all over him.

"You look like him but he told me not to come down unless it was him." She spoke softly.

Mac looked around, "Where'd he go.?"

Sophia looked around and the pointed towards the road. Mac looked up at her and nodded, "Alri-"

He cut his words off at the sound of a gun shots. Sophia was up the tree faster than he'd anticipated and her little shuddering breaths the only sounds. He didn't think twice before he took off at a dead run knowing that there was nothing he could do right now for the little girl. Coming up the incline he could hear Merle's livid voice his accent becoming so thick that he was sure that the other person likely didn't know what he was saying.

Cresting the hill he stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes went to the body on the ground. Daryl wasn't moving in the slightest and he couldn't even see a rise or fall to his chest. Mac looked to Merle and seen him handling whatever was wrong and Martinez moving to him as well. He dropped to his knees next to Daryl and rolled him on his back. Daryl dropped over unceremoniously and his head lulled to the side. Mac cringed seeing blood at the corner of his mouth and the bruising on his face already showing.

"Who fucking touched him?" His voice was a low burning rage of southern draw and fire.